If you were an average human looking at Canterlot High, you wouldn't see anything strange. The fact that the former queen bee was ostracized might raise a single eyebrow, but even looking through its files made it seem mundane and average. This would normally be completely accurate, as the paperwork logged everything in a neat and orderly way. This does not detract from the fact that it would be totally wrong, nor does it change it in any way. In the past six months alone there had been two incidents that should have been toppling and then rebuilding entire methods of science and drawing in men in black suits to the campus in numbers unheard of since Roswell. This was thanks to the efforts of one girl. The very same girl that now sat under a statue in front of the school, book resting lightly under one arm as she cried.

Sunset Shimmer was a girl with more titles than she cared to share; the Dwarf Star, the Demon, Student of Light, and towards the end of her apprenticeship to Celestia, the Mythbringer. While most of those titles were ones she would share, and although with Mythbringer and Demon it would be mostly grudging, there was one, maybe two, she held so close to her chest it could only be seen with either an x-ray or a particularly violent death. It was also the one that was competing for the top spot of gossip beside her own status of Anon-a-miss.

She was currently escaping from the eternal hell of high school drama the way she did when she ruled the school - going to one of the many areas on campus that weren't on the allowed list for lunch, but didn't actually have someone watching. Her supposed solitude made it surprising when she heard a pair of boots clunking out the door towards her. A glance up forced an irritated groan out of her. Trixie. Bucking. Lulamoon.

It wasn't that she disliked Trixie. Honestly, if you could get past the ego, she was a rather sweet girl. It was just that Trixie never acted on anything halfway, so if she thought Sunset was Anon-A-Miss, then it would cause several problems to Sunset's various projects that Trixie was an unknowing part of. She rolled her head back, bumping the back of her skull against the statue and staring at the sky. "If you're gonna glitter bomb me, act fast. I'm fairly certain Schaden has already rigged my locker up with enough confetti to rival a Disney parade."

She was even further shocked when Trixie said nothing, instead sitting beside her and digging into a pocket before pulling out a pack of gum. Trixie withdrew a piece and popped it in her mouth, before proffering the pack to Sunset. Sunset raised an eyebrow and took a piece, expecting an electric shock, or some prank that would start a fusillade of insults that the whole school seemed to think she had earned. Instead, the stick was pulled out easily, and when she popped the gum in her mouth, she was flood by a sweet strawberry taste. She smiled at the simple act of goodwill and let herself relax. "So Trix, you good for my weekly order?"

Trixie hummed beside her before nodding. "Well, Trixie has a few odds and ends in her car that you might be interested in. However, Trixie is sad to say that any future orders come with an added cost."

Sunset didn't bother to disguise her groan. Here it was, the ‘stop posting or I won't sell you smoke bombs anymore’ speech. She let her head lean back again, letting training from Celestia take over before speaking. She had been emotional when she approached her friends, but this meeting was on her terms. The first rule was easy; verify everything. "What is it Trixie, find a cute guy you want to take out to dinner so I need to pay up a bit more?"

Trixie laughed. "Cute, but no. Trixie wants to guess what you use them for. One guess a week, and you have to tell Trixie if she's right!" She felt the girl poke a finger into her ribs, causing a smile to spread across her face.

Sunset giggled a bit before swatting the finger away from her side. However, she still needed to follow rule one a bit more. If Trixie thought she was Anon-a-Miss then she would have to be very careful in her wording. "Sure thing Trix. It's technically a secret, but you seem to trust me enough to think I don’t go around dropping secrets on that stupid MyStable page."

Trixie scoffed. "Like Trixie would fall for that idiot. Unlike the rest of the nimrods here, Trixie remembers how you work. If it was you posting those secrets, we wouldn't be able to track it back to you if it took a hundred years." She paused, possibly for dramatic effect. "Plus, you forgave Trixie for what she did with the Sirens around. Trixie owes you for that."

Sunset smiled and moved her journal into her lap. With her arms free, she pulled Trixie into a quick hug. "Swear on my power Trix, you guess it right, then I'll tell you."

Trixie smirked and tapped Sunset's back, breaking free of their embrace. "Then it's settled; meet Trixie at here and we'll head to grandad's place, Trixie might have something interesting for you she's been working on." Trixie the reached beside her, pulling out a lunchbox. Popping it open she pulled out a sandwich before taking a bite and looking over to Sunset. "Do you have any food Sunset? Trixie has a spare bag of chips if you don't want to head into the cafeteria."

Sunset smiled wider. She still had a friend here. She shook her head. "Nah, just a protein bar. I have work tonight, so I have to eat light or else I'll throw up."

Trixie rolled her eyes. "Yeah right. The way you talk about your job makes Trixie think you moonlight in a fight club."

Sunset elbowed Trixie in the ribs. "Is that your guess Trixie? Cause smoke bombs in a fight club could make for some Batmare-level stunts."

Trixie scoffed at Sunset, taking a bite out of her meal and trying to glare at Sunset while chewing. It didn't work. She swallowed and shook her head. "No, Trixie would have noticed, she enjoys most of the local underground. They pay well for special effects." She smirked with a glint in her eyes. "Trixie's first guess was the hardcore parkour thing that popped up a few years ago."

Sunset coughed awkwardly. She didn't think anybody at school even knew about the sport she accidentally started when she first began patrolling the city. "U-uhm, is that your guess?" Trixie smirked, nodding decisively as she took another bite out of her lunch. Sunset groaned, but all in all, this was the smaller of the two secrets she had been trying to keep from the school. "Yeah. I run in it every week."

Trixie smiled wide, jumping up in joy. "Yes! Trixie knew it!" She struck a pose, holding her half-eaten sandwich to the sky in victory. "Trixie is funding one of the girls who's been evading the cops and tagging the streets in the newest underground sport in Canterlot!"

Sunset jumped up, covering Trixie's mouth and looking around the area in fear. After calming down a bit, she leveled a flat glare at a very annoyed Trixie. "Can we please not scream about my midnight activities in the middle of a freaking school?"

Trixie nodded, leading Sunset to remove her hand. After checking around again, they both sat down, restarting to conversation. "So, who are you then?" Trixie looked at Sunset as if trying to tease out which mask she hid behind once a week purely by her body type. "You're about the right build to be Flanksy or H*Face." She thought about it for a minute before breaking out into a huge smile. "Could you introduce Trixie to Flanksy? Trixie loved her piece on the bank, she’s even saved it as her phone background."

Sunset rolled her eyes. "You know we wear the masks and all that covering for a reason, right? None of us know each other outside of the weekly game, and we all use smoke bombs for the same reason."

Trixie rolled her eyes. "Duh, Trixie also knows you mix them up. Trixie has seen her smoke bombs used by Flanksy, Brainwash, and Stik. She's not stupid."

Sunset flinched. "Sorry, I can't introduce you to anyone, but I can at least tell you our stream info. Let you follow all our cameras while we run tonight. I'll even comp the entry price for you."

Trixie jumped up. "You would? Trixie's always had to hunt it down like a week after it happens."

Sunset leaned back, popping a bubble while nodding. "Yeah, we have to work hard to keep folks from uploading it early. It's why the stream is always hidden. We control who can watch." Sunset reached for her phone before remembering she smashed it, creating a minor setback. Sure, her school phone was technically one of her burners, but that didn’t mean that she should’ve have let her emotions take control of her. "I’ve got it written down at home. Gimme a ride after we go to your grandpa's shop and I'll pass you the link."

Trixie nodded. "Deal. By far the best deal Trixie made all week." She leaned back before searching for a moment for another conversation topic. "So, did you hear about what Andromalius did last night?"

Sunset groaned. "Can we not talk about some vigilante wannabe, please. The lawbreaking teenager would like to remain unjinxed."

Trixie laughed. "Aw, does a fake demon scare poor little Sunset?" She reached up and pinched Sunset's cheek. "She does seem to follow in you and all your compatriots’ footsteps. Tagging her name and sigil every time she works."

Sunset shoved Trixie back lightly. "Look, I don't know how much you talk to us hardened criminal types, but we don't like to invite trouble."

She scoffed in response, partially in dismissal, partially in disbelief. "You're from a literal magic world, I think you could take her."

Sunset looked inside the school and saw people moving around, signaling lunch was about to end. "You’d be surprised. Either way, hurry up. I think it's about time for class again."

Trixie shoved the last of her sandwich in her mouth, before chewing quickly. Forcing herself to swallow, she stood up. "Remember. Meet up here after school and I'll take you to grand-père's."

Author's Note

When as soon as you start you misspell the first word...

[Update] Edited and revised as of 1/21/19 by Kitkataddel