*beep beep beep*

Sunset's alarm went off early the next day. She groaned and rolled over, "I hate Saturdays..."

Just then, her phone beeped. She picked it up and checked; there was a new text from Rainbow Dash.

"Not enough to post rubbish about just your EX-friends now is it? Posting lies about Gilda now, she-demon?"

Sunset sighed. It wasn't the first text she had received from her old friends. Only Fluttershy and Pinkie had left her completely alone, the other three texted her after almost every new anon-a-miss post.

Since she was awake now, Sunset decided to get up and start her day. She poured herself a bowl of cereal. Her thoughts strayed to the night before; who would have thought she'd meet the human Twilight Sparkle?

It was a shame really, any other time meeting her closest friend's counterpart would have been great. She would have introduced her to... the girls, and then their group would have felt complete. But now? Surely becoming friends with Twilight would feel wrong without the others to share it with...

On the other hand, Sunset felt a fire in her heart, one that she thought had been lost with her friendships. Why should Anon-a-miss stop her making friends? She was Sunset Shimmer, not a spineless coward.

Her phone beeped again. New text from Applejack: "How dare ya post that about Big Mac? Leave me and mah family alone!"

Sunset checked MyStable to see what Rainbow and AJ had been talking about. She chuckled, "Who would have thought a ninth grader could leave Gilda looking like that? She's really using her touch!" Then her face soured. "And Gilda will think this photo is my fault. Great. Just great."

The next post was a picture of Big Mac asleep and hugging what looked like a small stone-colored pony doll, with mis-matched eyes. The photo was labeled "Big McIntosh- What's he hiding??"

Sunset groaned. Applejack would hate her more then ever after this, if that was possible. There was also the threat of Gilda- there was no way she'd let that picture slide without getting revenge. Especially since the comments seemed to find it hilarious- Gilda couldn't bear being laughed at.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sunset spotted her journal. She grabbed it and stared at the two-toned sun emblazoned on the front. Her cutie mark. As a filly in Equestria, she was never quite sure what her cutie mark meant. At first she'd presumed it represented her skill with magic, and as she got older (and more arrogant) she had figured it was showing her future ruling beside Celestia, as their cutie marks both depicted suns.

However, after her defeat at the fall formal she'd come to a different conclusion. It showed how the light had overcome the darkness inside her and how her future was brighter than her past. Although, she also figured it had a little to do with her magic powers, since cutie marks generally showed a pony's special talent and hers wasn't sun related.

The journal was actually a way for her to keep in touch with the Equestrian Twilight. When she wrote a message in the book, Twilight would receive and write back. Usually. Twilight hadn't replied in ages, not even to her desperate pleas for help with the anon-a-miss situation.

A couple of hours later, Sunset decided to go get some food at the mall. Her cupboards were bare and her stomach was starting to growl in frustration. Shoving her phone in the back pocket of her jeans, Sunset stepped out of her apartment and left the block. It was a bitterly cold day and she rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm herself up. She was just taking a shortcut through an alley when a voice spoke up.

"Well well well, look who it is. Anon-a-miss herself, and we didn't even have to look for her."

"Gilda," Sunset muttered under her breath, "just my luck..." She turned around slowly. Gilda was leaning against the wall, smirking and punching her fist into the palm of her other hand.

"We're gonna make you pay, Shimmer. Isn't that right boys?" Gilda turned to the three boys standing next to her. Sunset recognized them as three of Gilda's cronies, Dumbbell, Hoops and Score.

"You betcha Gilda!" Dumbbell chuckled darkly.

" Where's she going Boss?" Hoops asked stupidly as Sunset sprinted back the way she had come, back to the main street.

Gilda spun around, "after her you idiots! Don't let her get away!" The four bullies ran after Sunset.

Sunset's breath cut in her throat as she legged it down the narrow alleyway. She stumbled on various pieces on rubbish but managed to keep going, fearing what would happen if her pursuers caught up with her.

She could hear someone getting close to her and she spun around and hit out. Score stopped running and dropped to the ground, holding his stomach. Sunset had no time to pause though because Hoops wasn't far behind. She could see the end of the alley, hear cars and other vehicles. "So... close..." she gasped for breath.

A hand grabbed her hair and pulled her backwards. "Not so fast, demon." Gilda had caught up. She was having difficulty breathing herself, but not as badly as Sunset.

The three boys caught up. Score clutching his stomach where Sunset and punched him, and Hoops was rubbing the side of his face resentfully while glaring at Gilda.

"You're gonna get what you deserve Anon-a-miss" Gilda spat. Her fist buried itself in Sunset's gut. "Shut up you wimp!" she shook her as Sunset let out a cry of pain. She dropped her and the four closed in on their victim, preparing to attack when-

"Oi! What's going on down there!" someone cried.

"It's the coppers! Clear out guys, leave her, she's not worth it!" Gilda screamed at her gang. Bending down she whispered, "this isn't over Shimmer," before she followed the boys down the alley leaving Sunset and the policeman.

Sunset stood up shakily and dusted herself off. She understood she'd gotten off easy that time and that if Gilda and her cronies got her in a situation like that again, they'd show no mercy.

"Are you ok miss?" she'd forgotten about her savior. She turned to face him. He had white skin and blue hair with several different shades. She read his name tag: 'Officer Shining Armor'.

"Yes, thank you" she started to walk towards the end of the alley.

"Hey hang on wait! What if they come back?" Officer Armor jogged to catch up with her. "If you know their names, I can start a case at the police station, looking into it."

"Their names are Gilda, Dumbbell, Score and Hoops and they go to Canterlot High School. I don't know their surnames or addresses or anything. But you really don't need to start anything. It'll be fine."

"Are you sure miss?" he looked uncertain, but when Sunset nodded he put his hat back on and said, "If they make an appearance again, report it immediately, promise?" Sunset nodded again. "Good."

They walked to the end of the alley and went in different directions, Sunset towards the food court and Officer Armor towards his police car to resume his patrol.

Sunset rubbed her stomach. It didn't hurt anymore, but that confrontation had come sooner than she had expected. She should have been more prepared...

She realized that now she was hungrier than ever, so Sunset quickened her pace and soon entered the Canterlot Castle Mall (or the CCM, as it was known).

Sunset hurried towards the food court. Somewhere, there was a sandwich with her name on it!

Author's Note

Sorry this chapter took a while, hope it's still ok!

Next chapter, I'm planning for Sunset to run into the Rainbooms but with Sci-Twi by her side... should be fun to write that chapter!