Chapter III – High School

“Deus malum sit!” Sunset muttered under her breath, slippiŋ into Latin as she fiddled with her locker. She’d spent eight years fightiŋ for lords and ladies liviŋ a thousand years in the past; why in God’s name would she be expected to remember somethiŋ as minute and insignificant as a locker combination‽ Of all the thiŋs to get huŋ up on…

“Sunset!” A ladylike voice called out, briŋiŋ the former Warden’s attention over to… wait a minute. That was Rarity waviŋ at her from the main entrance… Sunset’s breath caught in her throat as her eyes fell upon a sight she had so loŋed to see for such a loŋ time.

Her friends.

Sunset bolted down the hall to them, puttiŋ her years of physical trainiŋ to good use. She attempted to skid to a halt right in front of them, only to crash straight into Pinkie Pie, who embraced the former knight in a rib-crushiŋ hug – at least, it would’ve been rib-crushiŋ had Sunset not been used to beiŋ crushed. She knew why the Shugoki were so feared on the battlefield; she’d been the target of a few of their backbreakiŋ embraces herself. Needless to say, Sunset was not at all fazed by Pinkie’s hug, and gladly returned it with equal enthusiasm and greater streŋgth.

Naturally, this came as a surprise to the pink-skinned party-planner; Pinkie dropped her friend in shock and Sunset fell to the floor. “Whoa, Sunset!” Pinkie exclaimed, clutchiŋ her sides to ease the slight ache. “When did you get so stroŋ‽”

Deus malum sit.

Sunset gave a mental facepalm as she picked herself up off the floor. With how used to her increased physique she was, she hadn’t considered that her friends may find it strange! Stultus!

“M-my sincerest apologies Pinkie,” she stammered out, seeiŋ her friend clutchiŋ her ribs. Had she hurt her? “Art thou alright?”

She hadn’t even finished inquiriŋ as to her friend’s well-beiŋ before Pinkie had bounced back into her usual joyful state, her poofy rose hair bounciŋ around in all its brilliance. “Yep!” she replied with a smile, any indication of pain vanishiŋ. “I was just surprised is all.” Pinkie paused all of a sudden, cuppiŋ her hand over her mouth in an expression of thought. “Huh. I wonder if Granny Surprise would like to meet you.”

The not-so-discreet snicker of Rainbow Dash interrupted the party planner’s train of thought. “Pinkie, you’re so random sometimes.” The group shared a brief laugh before Rainbow remembered what Pinkie had just said. “Sooo,” she began, drawiŋ the word out, “What did Pinkie mean about you beiŋ stroŋ?”

Before Sunset had a chance to respond, Pinkie popped back into the frame with a gasp. “Did I mean that Sunset Shimmer just got back from spendiŋ who knows how loŋ a thousand years in the future as a super space soldier who had to save the last city in space from an evil army of space aliens in SPACE‽”

To her infinite astonishment, Sunset was the only one to sport a completely dumbfounded expression. Maybe she just wasn’t as used to Pinkie Pie’s absurd antics as she used to be. Applejack was the first to speak. “Pinkie, how did ya know that?”

“Just a hunch.”

Sunset gave Applejack a strange look. Sure, Pinkie’s hunches had often been unnerviŋly accurate from what she could remember, but that seemed to be a little too ludicrous, even for Pinkie Pie. “I’m sorry to say this Pinkie,” she said, restiŋ a hand on the party planner’s shoulder. “But for once, you couldn’t be farther off.”

Cue another round of jaws hittiŋ the floor.

“Wait, what‽” Rainbow exclaimed, jumpiŋ back in shock. “Pinkie’s hunch is wroŋ‽” A look of complete and utter shock was plastered across her face, and judgiŋ from the identical look worn by everyone else, she had said what everyone was thiŋkiŋ. Are they serious? Sunset thought, almost unaware of her fiŋgers wrappiŋ around the bridge of her nose.

“Yes,” she said, slowly shakiŋ her head. “Pinkie Pie is wroŋ.”

The instant the words left her mouth, Sunset wished she could take back the unintentional insult. She immediately paid close attention to her piŋk playful partner, her eyes shriŋkiŋ to pinpricks as she saw the rosy poof deflate slightly. “N-not that that’s a sin!” Sunset stammered in a desperate attempt to save face. “Everybody makes mistakes sometimes!”

Thaŋkfully, the save seemed to work on Pinkie, as the playful pink party planner popped back to her default state of delight, earniŋ a sigh of relief from everyone.

…Awkward silence, round III.

“So…” Fluttershy began, williŋ to brave the spotlight to briŋ the silence to a close. “If Pinkie’s explanation of, um… space, isn’t it, then what is?”

“I wouldn’t worry about it at the moment,” Sunset said, not quite sure if she should tell them. After all, she had slaughtered many in the names of lords and ladies, for the Blackstone and Iron Legions alike. “So,” she started, quick to change the subject. “Is there anythiŋ new happeniŋ with you all?”

“Ya don’t have to say anythin’,” Applejack said, seeiŋ right through Sunset’s feeble attempt to divert their attention. “Ya don’t have ta tell us nothin’ if you’re not comfortable with it yet.”

Sunset looked into the green-eyed gaze of Applejack, “You have my thaŋks,” Sunset replied, winciŋ slightly as she brushed the farmer’s hand off her shoulder – and off the still-achiŋ scar from Apollyon’s blade.

BBBRRRRIIIIIIIŊŊŊŊŊŊŊŊŊŊŊ!!!!

Sunset jumped back slightly as the bell raŋ, signifyiŋ the beginniŋ of class. “Zounds!” Sunset exclaimed, exctractiŋ herself from the group. “We’re late for class!” The group nodded in understandiŋ, quickly separatiŋ as they ran for their respective classes. Instinctively, Sunset’s left hand flew to her hip as she took off, before slowly pulliŋ away as she was reminded of her scabbard’s absence.

“Somethiŋ in your pocket?” Sunset jumped, whirliŋ around to see the unmistakable multicolored mane of Rainbow Dash. Once again, Sunset’s hand flew to her hip seekiŋ the familiar grip of Miroiter. To no one’s surprise, no luck.

“What are you doiŋ here?” Sunset cried, cursiŋ herself for her battle reflex. “You’re supposed to be gettiŋ to class!”

“Uh, yeah,” Rainbow replied, crossiŋ her arms. “I’ve got gym class first, same as you.” She reached up and wrapped an arm around Sunset’s shoulders. Sunset winced; Apollyon’s blade had left quite the scar, and it still hurt to touch. Thinkiŋ quickly, she pulled away from Rainbow’s arm. “So let us be off,” she said, prepariŋ to once again sprint down the hallway – only for Rainbow’s hand to come down again on her shoulder. She winced again. Always on the God-forsaken scar!

“Uh, Sunset,” Rainbow said, pulliŋ Sunset back around. “The locker room is that way,” she said, throwiŋ a thumb over her shoulder. Sunset leaned over, glanciŋ behind Rainbow to see the sign to the gym.

Sunset blushed, giviŋ a sheepish smile. “My apologies,” she said, bowiŋ in shame. “I’ve been a bit…” She paused, tryiŋ to find the right word. “Disoriented as of late.” Her hand unconsciously came to grasp her left bicep, feeliŋ the reminder of her duel with Ademar under her jacket.

Lookiŋ back at Rainbow, the athlete was stariŋ at her with a face practically screamiŋ ‘I don’t buy it’. “Oookay,” she said, her voice laden with suspicion. “Well, we’ve gotta get to class. Coach Spitfire will have our hides if we’re any later.” Without another word, Rainbow grabbed Sunset by the arm – her right arm this time, thaŋk God – and dragged her across the hallway and into the changiŋ room.

Sunset sighed in frustration as she removed her top, lettiŋ out a hiss of pain as her top brushed against her shoulder – a harsh reminder of the cruel warlord who gave it to her. This scar was goiŋ to be the end of her, Sunset just knew it.

Sighiŋ, Sunset pulled her gym shirt over her head and turned to leave – only to come face-to-face with the shell-shocked expression of Rainbow Dash. “Yes?” She asked, attemptiŋ to play dumb even though she knew it wouldn’t work. She knew what exactly what Rainbow had been stariŋ at.

“What do you mean ‘What’‽” Rainbow demanded, shatteriŋ the silence that had passed over the room. Before Sunset had a chance to respond, the athlete stormed over and pulled up Sunset’s shirt. “Where did these come from‽” she demanded, thrustiŋ a fiŋger at the scars that struŋ themselves across Sunset’s body.

“What’s wroŋ with them?” Sunset said, defaultiŋ to her usual response whenever a peasant had asked her about her scars. “They’re nothiŋ to worry about. They’ve loŋ since healed over.”

“And that one‽” Rainbow accused, pointiŋ directly at the large red gash that streaked through her left shoulder.

Sunset’s expression turned grim. “You should see my opponent,” she said darkly. “Trust me – I gave as well as I got.”

Rainbow’s expression turned from accusiŋ to shocked and a little scared. She opened her mouth to retort, but couldn’t seem to find the words. Sighiŋ, Sunset snatched her gym shirt back from Rainbow. “I will explain it to you all later,” she promised, pulliŋ the shirt back over her head. “For now, we have physical education and Coach Spitfire to worry about.”

Rainbow glared at her, clearly wantiŋ to press the subject further. “Fine,” she relented, throwiŋ her arms up in exasperation. “But you’re hidiŋ somethiŋ,” she said, giviŋ Fluttershy’s famous Stare a run for its money. “And you’re goiŋ to tell us.”

“As I said.”

“Sooner rather than later.”

Sunset sighed again as she walked toward the door. “Come,” she said, her voice laced with irritation. “We must face the wrath of Coach Spitfire.” Rainbow gave one last glare of suspicion, then reluctantly followed Sunset out the door into the gym.

To Sunset’s surprise, Coach Spitfire wasn’t the least bit irate with the two of them for their tardiness. “What took you two so loŋ?” She called, a cocky smirk planted firmly across her face. “Couldn’t find the changiŋ room?”

“Yes, my lady,” Sunset said as she walked to her place on the floor, accidentally delviŋ back into her default chivalry. “I will not let it happen again.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” the coach responded, briŋiŋ her whistle up to her lips in an unspoken threat. “Just because you’re the principal daughter now doesn’t mean you can get off scot-free.”

“Understood, my lady,” Sunset called back, once again speakiŋ to her teacher as if she were noble.

Spitfire’s smirk grew into a lighthearted grin. “‘Lady’, eh?” She asked, raisiŋ one eyebrow behind her aviator sunglasses. “When did you get so polite, Shimmer?”

Too late, Sunset realized her mistake. “Ah,” she stuttered, scrambliŋ for an answer. “Should not my attempts to better myself include my speech?”

Thaŋkfully, Spitfire seemed to find this answer acceptable. “Eh,” she shrugged. “Your speech is your business.” Turniŋ back to the rest of the class. “Alright maggots,” she shouted, her voice raisiŋ to drill-sergeant levels. “Hope you’ve been brushiŋ up on your throwiŋ arm.” She kicked the trash can beside her, which toppled over as a multitude of colored balls came spilliŋ out. “‘Cause it’s dodge-ball time!”

Author's Note

I really should’ve said this by now, but this story has multiple phrases in different laŋguages, the translations for which I’ve received from TheMajorN and Google Translate. These are correct as far as I know, but if you speak the laŋguage and I have messed up a translation somewhere, you have my explicit permission to correct me in the comment section; just so loŋ as you don’t be rude and condescendiŋ about it, of course.

Translations (In order of appearance)

• “Deus malam sit!” – Latin for “God damn it!”
• “Stultus!” – Latin for “Stupid!”
• “Akumanohōyō” – Japanese for “Demon’s Embrace;” one of the Shugoki’s most devastatiŋ moves, in my opinion. I was going to use this, but I felt it would be a bit out of place due to Sunset not knowiŋ Japanese. Spendiŋ four years believiŋ the samurai to be your enemies would cause that.