Scarlet High

(The title may be a bit odd, but basically I'm saying there was no twilight period between day and night or something of the sorts)

“And the winner is Twilight Sparkle!” The referee announced. It was a month since Twilight first arrived in Ponyville but she was quickly climbing up the ranks, so to speak, of her classes. She was the top student in Magical Studies and AMS and she was able to fly regularly with her rented wings, though she was nowhere near Wonderbolt level. Vinyl had become the most popular DJ in the region by now and was the #2 sought after party animal, right next to Pinkie Pie. Twilight was at the MMA ring every monday and wednesday to either train or fight. She was the people’s Choice Champion by now too.

“Well, if’n yuh keep on goin’ like ya are then yer gonna hafta fight me ya know.” Applejack said, catching Twilight exiting the ring. She was the current champion.

“I’m not doing it for the championship, I’m doing it because I like it.” Twilight retorted. It was true, Twilight would always hold back what would be the finishing attack and help her opponent up to finish the match. She was also undefeated.

“Same here, it’s jus’ Ah’m no pushover.” Applejack said.

“I’ve seen you fight and I know that, but it seems as if you’re challenging me Applejack.” Twilight said with a smile.

“Ah reckon it is. Next Monday?” Applejack suggested.

“Sure, I’ve gotta run though. Vinyl has to get to the club and she’s waiting on me.” Twilight said. Applejack tipped her stetson and let her pass.

“There you are.” Vinyl said with feigned annoyance.

“Oh calm down. This one did his homework and knew how I fight so he took longer.” Twilight said, pulling a hoodie on in the chilly night. Her rental wings poked through special slits in the back and she put her hood up.

“Speaking of homework, you catch up on yours?” She continued as they walked.

“Yeah, thanks for those notes by the wa-...You hear that?” Vinyl started, but cut herself off as she heard the sounds of footsteps and a trashcan being knocked over. They were in the alleyway they always took as a shortcut through the campus.

“Is that them?” They heard.

“Yeah, that’s them.” Another voice said, this one was familiar. A group of people in leather jackets, lead by Gilda, stepped into the alleyway.

“Oh great...” Vinyl said.

“look what we have here. It took a while to get a free night for everyone, but now you’re gonna pay.” Gilda growled.

“Pay for what?” Twilight asked.

“For getting in our way.” Gilda said, stepping forward.

“You’re even dumber than you look Gilda, we’re professional MMA fighters and you’re just a bunch of thugs.” Vinyl said.

“We’re not going to fight you, we’re going to cut you.” Gilda retorted as everyone pulled out blades. Twilight tried silently put up wards protecting against blades without anyone noticing around her and Vinyl, but found it was very hard for some reason.

“You do realize you’re up against the top of AMS class... Right?” Vinyl asked.

“And we drugged your drinks, your magic is useless now.” Gilda retorted once more.

“She’s right.” Twilight hissed.

“Well then, we’ll have to do this the old fashioned way. Five of you? We can do that.” Vinyl said. “Right?” she asked Twilight.

“Right.” Twilight said.

“let’s wear them down eh?” Vinyl suggested. Twilight nodded and they jumped into the air. The buildings surrounding them weren’t very high, only about fifteen feet but there was no wing clearance there. The two bounced off of the walls and shot into the air. The Griffons were forced to spill out of the alleyway to follow. They didn’t seem in much of a hurry though, and soon the two found out why.

With their magic blocked, their rented wings barely worked. They managed to land in the park without a problem, but were soon surrounded again. They didn’t waste time this time and lunged at them. The two Griffons were outmaneuvered by the two girls. Twilight punched the man’s elbow, smashing it the other way and breaking the arm, and caught the blade that fell from his hand. Vinyl sweep kicked her opponent and brought her heel down on his face, pulling his blade from his grip.

Two other Griffons came at them more cautiously. Vinyl threw her blade at the girl in front of her and kicked hers out of her hand and tackled the girl while Twilight threw her stolen blade into the grass and took a stance. As the man in front of her stabbed at her, she sidestepped him and tripped him. As he fell she drove an elbow into his back and took his knife and threw it into the grass as well.

“That’s it you’re going to fucking die!” Gilda yelled. Twilight heard a very familiar click of the hammer of a handgun cocking. She stood up and found Gilda less than a foot in front of her with a handgun ready to fire. The hand holding it was shaking though. Vinyl, having knocked her opponent out, took a step forward but stopped when Gilda fired the gun and barely missing Twilight.

“If you take another fucking step I blow her brains out!” Gilda threatened. Her hand was shaking even more now. Vinyl gave her a look that obviously said she was going to die if she pulled that trigger. Normally someone would be begging for her life in Twilight’s place, but she was calm. When Gilda’s vision snapped to Vinyl after she fired the warning shot Twilight lunged forward. Gilda quickly turned back and panicked, pulling the trigger. The gun fired, but it appeared to have missed because Twilight had taken the firearm and disassembled it.

“Good job Twi!” Vinyl exclaimed when Twilight socked Gilda in the jaw. Vinyl noticed something though. Twilight socked Gilda in the jaw. She normally would have done something less sloppy. She also noticed that Twilight didn’t recover from it either, she sorto f continued and had to catch herself from falling over.

“Twi?!” Vinyl yelped, worried, as she rushed forward when she fell to her hands and knees. Vinyl froze when she saw blood falling to the ground. Twilight coughed a few times and hacked up blood, splattering the ground.

“Vinyl?! I heard a gunshot...” Shining said, appearing around the corner and freezing when he saw the disassembled handgun in Twilight’s hands and her current state. Vinyl yelped when Twilight crumpled to the ground and quickly rushed over and picked her up a bit. On her back practically in Vinyl’s lap, there was clearly a small hole with red surrounding it on her abdomen. Twilight was having trouble breathing and there was blood coming out of her mouth..

“Vinyl! Take her to the hospital quick! I’ll deal with these guys and call the police. You’re going to tell me what happened after.” Shining said, getting over the shock. Vinyl didn’t answer, she just nodded and picked Twilight up bridal style. Shining was wondering why she didn’t use her rental wings, but saw that they were slack and most likely unresponsive on her back as she sprinted towards the Hospital two blocks away.

Shining looked around and found the blades and the disassembled firearm. He then figured out who the attackers were and found Gilda still conscious, but shaking uncontrollably.

“... You’re lucky I’m trained to be neutral to things like this or I would stomp your fucking head in right now. You are going to tell me exactly what happened and then you are going to spend a lot of time behind bars.” Shining said lowly, squatting down next to her as he pulled out his cell phone.

“You have to leave, the operating room is no place for anyone without medical training! You’ll have to stay in the waiting room!” A nurse said, stopping Vinyl when she tried to follow the gurney holding Twilight into the operating room.

“I’m not leaving her!” Vinyl growled.

“Let her into the observation room, don’t be cruel Red Heart. After you do that she’ll need a transfusion, she’s lost so much blood already. I believe you know her blood type.” The head doctor said as he entered the room.

“Alright, hurry up Vinyl.” Red said, opening the door next to the one the doctor went through and rushing off somewhere. Vinyl watched as they tried to administer a sedative, but they didn’t take. Vinyl could hear what they were saying through the two way speakers, it had something to do with the magic suppressant they were slipped. Twilight was conscious and fully aware, yet she didn’t scream or even writhe as they extracted the bullet and clean it with alcohol. The bullet had entered somewhere between her right breast and her stomach and had collided with her ribs. One of the ribs had broken and poked her lung, not quite rupturing it but enough to cause problems.

“Here, give me your arm.” Red heart said, coming in after supplying the doctor with blood bags and holding up a syringe.

“Why?” Vinyl asked, cautiously holding her arm out.

“You were slipped the Magic Suppressing drug right? This’ll clear it up.” Red said. Vinyl nodded and she administered it.

“Her brother just arrived with the members of the Royal Guard stationed in this area and the police have the assailants in custody. Twilight will live, that much we know now. Anything more can only be a guess at this point. It’s amazing how strong she is. She isn’t even flinching as they work on her...” Red heart explained.

“That’s how she is... She’s too strong to let something like this make her cry... I think that stuff you gave her is working now...” Vinyl said. The same couldn’t be said for her, tears were starting to run down her face. She kept it out of her voice for the most part though.

“Yeah, it’s a good thing too... They’re going to start working on her broken and fractured ribs now and patch up her lung... That would be too much for her conscious. Come on, The Guard wants to talk to you.” Red heart said, opening the door. Vinyl wiped her eyes and nodded, following the nurse.

“Why are gangs starting all of this stuff over something so minor these days!” Shining growled rhetorically after hearing the story.

“Those thugs won’t be around for a while right?” Vinyl asked.

“They’ve all got two weeks for carrying switchblades like that and another week for violence, but it all depends on if Twilight wants to press charges... If she does then Gilda gets twenty years to life and the others get Ten.” Shining said.

“Then those are some lucky bastards... You know she’s not going to press charges, you’re her brother why don’t you? Family can press charges right?” Vinyl asked.

“I could, but it’s her decision...” Shining said.

“Come on commander, you’re being a bit too lenient...” One of the guards said.

“I probably am, but when she wakes up it’s her decision. I’m not our father, I’m just her guardian.” Shining said, running a hand through his steely-blue hair.

“One thing’s for sure, if she ever gives me a reason I’m going to smash Gilda’s teeth in next time I see her.” Vinyl said lowly.

“And I wouldn’t stop you. Why don’t you guys head down to the Police station. I’ll call if Twilight wakes up tonight and whether she wants to press charges or not.” Shining said. The two guards nodded and left.

“Mister Armor and Miss Scratch? She’s out of surgery and you can come see her now.” A nurse said, poking her head into the room.

“Here.” Vinyl said softly, handing Shining a cup of Starbucks an hour later.

“Thanks... You catch the time?” Shining replied.

“Yeah, it’s going on midnight... I’m surprised they’re letting us stay past visiting hours.” Vinyl said.

“Being an ex commander of the Royal Guard has it’s benefits. She’s been twitching in the last few minutes... She’s either having an exciting dream or she’s waking up soon.” Shining said.

“I’m up now...” They heard Twilight’s voice rasp. Their vision snapped to the bed to see her eyes open tiredly.

“Twilight! Thank goodness... How are you feeling?” Shining asked.

“Like I haven’t slept in years... My abdomen still hurts but I can breathe normally again... What all was wrong with me?” Twilight replied. They told her and she chuckled weakly. “I remember that now... So what happened to Gilda and the others?” She asked.

“They’re in custody right now and they’ll stay there for at least three weeks. It’s up to you whether you want to press charges for attempted murder or not. They’ll get ten to twenty years, and Gilda twenty to life if you do. Gilda is getting expelled from the school too.” Shining explained.

“No! Don’t expel her! And don’t press charges. They made a bad decision, that doesn’t mean the rest of their lives have to suffer for it... The other gang members were just following Gilda’s lead, and Gilda was pressured into doing something... She was scared to death when she held that gun, she wouldn’t stop shaking... I just startled her trying to get it out of her hands...” Twilight protested weakly.

“Alright fine, I need to go make a call... I need to go down to the police station too, my boys called it a night not too long ago so I need to go tell them.” Shining said.

“Alright then brother... Where’s Spike?” Twilight asked.

“he called me a few minutes ago asking where we were, I told him long night at the club and he went to sleep... No need to worry him yet.” Vinyl replied as Shining left.

“Thank you... You should go home now Vinyl and sleep, I’ll be fine.” Twilight said with a weak smile.

“Alright... I just wanted to know you were fine. have them call me if you need anything.” Vinyl said, embracing the injured girl as tight as she dared. Twilight was surprised at this for a moment before she returned it.

“There’s something we need to talk about tomorrow.” Vinyl suddenly said.

“What is that?” Twilight asked, looking at Vinyl.

“This.” Vinyl replied and lightly kissed her. Even in her slightly drug induced exhausted state she was still utterly surprised by this. She couldn’t even talk as Vinyl quickly slipped out of the room. it was nearly ten minutes before Twilight snapped out of it. By then she was too tired to think so she succumbed to her exhaustion, not bothering to try and figure out what had just happened until she had some sleep.

(A/N I've had enough of good-guy Gilda it's time to bring back ass hole Gilda. This chapter marks the start of the story in full. Until next time, Farewell my friends. -Dark)