My Little Sunset: Friendship is Alternate

It was a chilly afternoon at Sweet Apple Acres. The skeletal trees dotted the farm, and there was not an apple in sight. Clouds blocked out the sunlight. Snowflakes danced in the air before touching the ground. Inside the house, Sunset Shimmer and Applejack were chatting by the fireplace. Rainbow Dash threw a pie at Sunset's face. The whipped cream splattered over her face. A surprise prank, and it was the one used too many times? She removed the whipped cream from her face. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie gave in to fits of laughter.

"Lighten up, Sunny!" Pinkie said in between giggles.

"You two are ornery," Sunset replied.

Rainbow snickered. "Pinkie and I are pranking the town. Do you want to join?"

"No, thanks. Don't hurt anypony with a prank, okay?"

"A little fun never hurts," Pinkie said.

Sunset heard Spike coughing. A scroll emerged from his mouth. She grabbed the scroll and unfolded it. She read the paragraph about the Grand Galloping Gala. The gala would be thrown in Canterlot Castle two months after Hearths' Warming Eve, which meant the mares still had time to prepare. Oddly enough, there were two tickets instead of six... or seven, counting Spike.

"I'm invited to the Grand Galloping Gala. And there are two tickets," Sunset said. As soon as she mentioned the number, her friends spoke at the same time. "Girls, one at a time."

"I want to meet the Wonderbolts," Rainbow Dash said. "They're so cool, and I want to be part of their team!"

"No, I get to go," Pinkie Pie said. "I can make the gala more fun."

"No, girls. I'm the one who goes. I'll sell the desserts," Applejack said.

Just as Sunset prepared to settle the discussion, two more mares entered. Apparently Rarity and Fluttershy overheard the words, as they stated their respective reasons for attending the gala. She inhaled, then exhaled. It wasn't as though she needed to imitate Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice. She penned a letter and gave it to Spike.

"Princess Luna will give us four more tickets," Sunset said.

"I'm not going?" Spike asked.

"You thought the gala was too girly." Sunset chuckled. "Are you sure you want to come along?"

"Right. It's too girly and boring." Spike sent the letter to the princess. "Which means I'm not missing anything."

Within several seconds, a new letter materialized in the air, and Spike caught it in time. Sunset took the letter. The letter read: "Sunset, I'm pleased that you've solved the problem rather quickly. Here is one more ticket for Spike. I'll see you at the gala. Sincerely, Luna."

"Everypony in here gets a ticket to the gala," Sunset said.

Rarity snatched the ticket from Sunset's magical grip. "Good. I'll meet the prince, and we'll fall in love. It's a better love story than Glass Slipper!"

Sunset chuckled. That breezie tale was still popular with older mares. While they found the prospect of meeting a prince at a ball to be glamorous, she wasn't in the mood for romance. It wasn't her cup of tea. Oh, and she had encountered Prince Blueblood a few times in her youth. As far as she knew, he was in no way a humble pony. She never tolerated his snobby attitude. Rarity wouldn't like him if they met for the first time.

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie gathered the supplies for their pranks. Before they had decided to prank the whole town together, she hid from Pinkie countless times. And each time she found a hiding place, Pinkie somehow found her. The first prank they had done earlier wasn't on a pony. Because of Spike's hiccups, multiple letters were sent to Princess Luna. The response? A large smiley face on a single piece of paper. It had made Rainbow and Pinkie giggle.

Once Rainbow and Pinkie arrived at the Carousel Boutique, they placed a vase with fake flowers on the doorstep. The flowers looked real, but were actually made of smelly newspapers coated with paint. Pinkie knocked on the door and led Rainbow to a bush. Just as Rarity opened the door, they hid behind the bush. Rarity leaned closer and sniffed the fake flowers. As soon as she did, she gagged.

"Gross!" Rarity exclaimed. "What was this? And who brought it here?"

Rainbow and Pinkie chuckled at the unicorn's reaction. Their laughter drew Rarity's attention to the bush. Rarity grimaced at them for a second. She placed the flowers into a nearby trash can. Those two sure loved to trick others. To be fair, it was impossible for flowers to grow during colder months.

"You two," Rarity said, shaking her head. "How did you make the flowers look real?"

"Old newspapers and paint," Pinkie replied.

"Oh. I'm busy right now, so have a good afternoon."

Rainbow and Pinkie proceeded to prank the rest of Ponyville. While several laughed, others were either indifferent or annoyed. When they arrived at Sunset Shimmer's residence, they snuck into a window and spied an ink bottle. Pinkie emptied the bottle and poured some black glitter into it. Hoofsteps ascended the stairs to the door. Before Sunset could catch them, they hurried through the window and waited nearby. Rainbow peered into the room.

Sunset removed the quill from the ink bottle. As she began to write, no ink came out. The black glitter was stuck on the quill. She turned the bottle upside down. The glitter splattered across the hardwood floor. She rolled her eyes. Who did this? Did somepony decide to play a joke on her? Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie did mention their plans earlier. If it had been serious, she would have lost her temper. The prank was harmless, so there was no reason to get oneself worked up. She would clean up later. She smirked at the window. A soft chortle escaped her mouth.

Rainbow and Pinkie waved at the unicorn before leaving. Nighttime surrounded Equestria not long after their last prank. They had no idea of what tomorrow would bring. A certain old friend of Rainbow's would come to town, and the visitor wouldn't be kind to her new friends...

The sun filtered through the bedroom window, and Rainbow rolled to her side to block out the bright light. She was sure the curtains were closed tightly. The alarm clock blared. She shoved it off the nightstand. A loud thud awakened her for the day. She stretched her limbs, yawned, and climbed out of bed. If not for a clear, cloudless morning, she would have slept in a little more. It wasn't uncommon for most ponies to stay up late. She walked downstairs and ate some breakfast. A knock on the door garnered her attention. The sound of a party hooter accompanied the knock. Pinkie couldn't be here, as she didn't have wings.

Rainbow answered the door. A familiar griffon waited by the door. "I haven't seen you in quite a while, Gilda. How is your life going?"

"Good as usual," Gilda said. She glanced at the ground below Cloudsdale. "Looks like I'm not the only one who wants to see you."

Rainbow and Gilda landed in front of Pinkie. The pink mare wore a pair of green glasses with swirly designs, a clown nose, and a fake mustache. Pinkie didn't expect Rainbow to bring a friend along. She intended to do more pranks today, yet the visitor was probably hoping to stand in the way. Not that she was jealous. If she ended up as the third wheel, it wouldn't ruin her day. After all, she had more than one friend.

"Mornin', Pinks. This is my old friend Gilda. She's a griffon. We went to flight camp together," Rainbow explained.

"What's up?" Gilda asked.

Meeting an old friend of Rainbow's wasn't in the plan. Despite this, Pinkie wore a friendly smile. "Hi. You must be new to Ponyville, right? And what is a griffon?"

"I'm not here to mingle with those lame ponies."

Rainbow seemed oblivious to Gilda's remark. "A griffon is half-lion and half-eagle. She doesn't come to Ponyville often." She turned her attention to Gilda. "Hey, remember the chant from flight camp?"

Gilda scowled. "That was lame. They forced us to repeat it every morning."

"Junior Speedsters are our lives! Sky-bound soars and daring dives! Junior Speedsters, it's our quest, to someday be the very best!"

"Only you were willing to recite it. I'll never get the lame chant out of my head."

Pinkie began laughing, which garnered their attention. They shared a perplexed glance. "Nice one! Gave me an idea for a great prank. Gilda, you game?"

Gilda rolled her eyes. "Huh. As much as I groove on a good prank, I'm going back to Cloudsdale with Rainbow. We'll get a flying session in today."

Rainbow hovered into the air. "See you later, Pinkie. Hope you don't mind. It's just for one day."

And Pinkie expected the day to go differently. Well, it wasn't going to happen, as long as Gilda stood in the way. "Alright, girls. Have fun with your flight session. I'll see you later... if you want to spend time with me..." She sighed.

Rainbow and Gilda soared past the clouds until they were mere dots in the sky. Pinkie frowned. She had multiple friends, but she couldn't deny that she felt left out. It would have been the perfect opportunity to make a new friend. Instead, she was the third wheel. At least there were ones from her group. An idea popped into her mind. She could watch them fly around! She pulled all the balloons out of her saddlebag and floated into the air.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash and Gilda landed onto a large cloud after their first race. They laughed. The sun slipped behind the clouds. They were unaware of the fact that Pinkie followed them. She had fond memories of flight camp, which was the reason she couldn't wait to hang out with Gilda in the first place.

"Sweet. Just like old times," Gilda said.

"Only faster. So now what?" Rainbow replied.

As if on cue, Pinkie approached the two friends. "It's later, and I caught up. Can't I join you?"

"The flight session hasn't ended yet," Rainbow reminded her.

"Why can't we hang out as a group?"

There was a flash of annoyance in Gilda's eyes, but she seemed to hold back. Was she trying to say something rude or dismissive? "Hey Dash, think you got enough gas to beat me to the next cloud?"

"A second race?" Rainbow smirked. "You are so on!"

"Three, two, one, go!"

As Rainbow launched herself into the air, Gilda stayed behind. "I think the high altitude is making you dizzy, so go back and do whatever you like to do in your own time. You can't fly with us." She poked the balloons, then flew away.

Pinkie drifted toward the ground. She couldn't let this blow over. And Gilda dared to pop the balloons? Had Rainbow ever realized that Gilda wasn't nice? She pulled a bike out of her saddlebag and took to the skies. It wasn't going well, and she was beginning to resent Gilda. Thankfully, they didn't go across the entire sky. Only to the next cloud, as they had stated. Once again, she attempted to join them. Gilda wore the same annoyed look. How did Rainbow not notice? Was the pegasus blind?

"Found ya again!" Pinkie said.

"Are you gonna try any new tricks, or are you one hundred percent old-school?" Gilda asked Rainbow.

"New tricks? Heh, G, sit back. This is gonna take a while," Rainbow replied as she unfurled her wings and flew off.

Gilda beckoned Pinkie closer. "Come here, Pinkie. You're not allowing us to have fun. Don't you know how to take get lost for an answer? You're such a dweeb. Stop dorkin' up the skies."

Pinkie frowned. "But I wanted to join!"

"You don't have wings, and this contraption will never catch up to us." Gilda spun the contraption, causing Pinkie to veer toward the ground. "So make like a bee and buzz off!"

By the time Rainbow returned, her eyes scanned the area for the pink mare. Pinkie was here a second ago. Did Pinkie decide to do something else, or what? "Hey, where's Pinkie and her crazy contraption?"

"Eh, she went home. Something about being busy as a bee," Gilda lied.

"So, you wanted to spend time with Rainbow Dash, but she would rather be with Gilda?" Sunset asked as she arranged the books.

Pinkie paced back and forth. It wasn't her day. "Gilda is stealing Rainbow Dash. She popped the balloons, spun the helibike, and told me to get lost. How dare she? I've never met a griffon this mean. Actually, I've never met a griffon at all, but if I had, she wouldn't have been as mean and grumpy as Gilda."

Sunset stroked her chin. "I've never been in this situation. I can't jump to conclusions. Maybe it's her old friend? Or perhaps Gilda is feeling insecure?"

"I bet she's insecure!" Pinkie stomped her hoof against the floor. "Why else would she be rude? Oh, they were in flight camp together. What's the word for the way she acts around Rainbow?"

"Was she possessive?"

Pinkie nodded. "That's it! Gilda is possessive! You gave me an idea."

Sunset tilted her head. "Is it another prank?"

"Who knows?" Pinkie hopped out of Sunset's house. She found herself scrutinizing the sky. The sun slipped behind the gray clouds. Maybe Gilda wouldn't be so possessive if they got to know each other more. What was Rainbow thinking when she befriended Gilda? Weren't there other ponies at flight camp for Rainbow Dash to befriend? Had it been a small class? She trotted down the snow-covered road and reached Sugarcube Corner. Once she was inside, she grabbed a peppermint latte and a sugar cookie.

Pinkie sat by the window, watching the ponies trot past. It was an hour after twelve, and Rainbow had yet to come back. Did Gilda have her for good? Only time would tell. So much for Rainbow being the Element of Loyalty. What if the Elements were a one-time thing? As far as she knew, there weren't any more threats to Equestria. She heaved out a sigh. What if she was misinterpreting Gilda's actions? They had just met today, so maybe the griffon's personality would improve?

Behind Pinkie, the doors swung open. She saw Rainbow, but Gilda wasn't gone. It wasn't what she hoped to see. Granny Smith approached the counter, and Gilda slipped behind it. The griffon's tail emerged. Granny Smith screamed, then walked toward the door.

"It's a rattler," Granny Smith said as she left the bakery.

"Poor Granny Smith," Pinkie murmured. "She didn't know it was a joke. How mean."

Would this kind of behavior convince Rainbow Dash to stop hanging out with Gilda? Gilda stole a cupcake, then left the bakery. So, not only Gilda was a bully, but she was also a thief? How low. Pinkie followed her to the street. She couldn't tolerate her any longer. Fluttershy was leading a pack of wolf pups across the street when she bumped into Gilda. It wouldn't go well for the pegasus.

"Hey! Watch where you're going," Gilda said.

Fluttershy gasped. "Excuse me. I didn't mean to-"

"I'm walkin' here, doofus. I don't care if your puppies need any guidance."

"Oh, um, I'm sorry. I-I-I was just trying to-"

"Didn't you understand what I'm saying? An apology won't cut it, you little doormat."

"But I... I..." Fluttershy hesitated. She cowered as if to appear smaller.

Gilda breathed in, then roared at Fluttershy. The bystanders stopped to watch the scene, and they narrowed their eyes. Tears welled in Fluttershy's eyes. She ran toward the outskirts of town. A few ponies gasped. In response to their reactions, Gilda grimaced.

"Ugh, please. All these lame ponies are driving me buggy. I gotta bail," Gilda muttered.

Once Gilda was gone, Pinkie thought of the perfect idea. "I've had enough. She is a grump, a bully, and a thief! The meanest kind of meanie-pants there is. No one treats Fluttershy like that. No one. This calls for extreme measures, Pinkie Pie style. And it will be a party."

Later in the afternoon, Pinkie hosted a party at Sugarcube Corner. Her friends came over, and they didn't know that it was for Gilda. And neither did they know that the party itself was intended to prank Gilda big-time. When Gilda arrived, Pinkie reached out her hoof.

"Gilda, I'm so honored to throw you one of my signature Pinkie Pie parties, and I really hope that you welcome amongst all us pony folk," Pinkie said.

The moment Gilda's talons wrapped around Pinkie's hoof, she flinched. "What did you just do?"

Pinkie and her friends laughed at Gilda's reaction. Rainbow Dash snorted. "Oh, Pinkie. The old hoof-shake buzzer. You are a scream."

Gilda chuckled nervously. "Yeah. Good one, Pinkie." Her countenance darkened. "I know what you're up to."

Pinkie giggled. "This wasn't supposed to be a surprise party."

Rainbow Dash led Gilda to one of the tables. There was a bowl of vanilla lemon drops, which had a spicy taste. "Please help yourself to the lemon drops."

Gilda tossed a lemon drop into her mouth. "Don't mind if I do." Her eyes widened. "Hot!"

"There's the punch."

Gilda snatched a glass, and when she turned it toward her mouth, the liquid dripped onto the floor. The ponies laughed. She clenched her teeth. "Yeah, hilarious. Any more tricks in this lame party? This is the worst party I've ever attended."

Pinkie chortled. "Whaddya know, pepper in the vanilla lemon drops, and punch served in a dribble glass."

The party continued for an hour, and Gilda ran into one prank after another. The final prank made her fly into a rage. She stomped toward the door, which garnered the attention of the guests. She had enough, and she couldn't stay here anymore.

Gilda shoved the door open. "I've never met a lamer bunch of dweebs in all my life. And Pinkie Pie, you! You're the queen of all those lame little pranks. Is this your idea of a good time? Well, Dash and I have ten times as much cool as the rest of you put together! Come on, Dash, let's bail on this pathetic party."

"I was the one who set up the pranks," Rainbow said.

"What?"

"It was dumb luck that you set them all off. If you want to bully my friends, just leave us alone. Go make new friends that are your idea of cool."

"If you decide not to be lame anymore, gimme a call." Gilda stepped out, then slammed the door shut.

Rainbow turned to her friends. She wore an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry for bringing Gilda here. I didn't realize how rude she was."

"Hey, if you want to hang out with party poopers, that's your business," Pinkie said.

"I'd rather hang out with you. No hard feelings?"

"No hard feelings."

After the party ended, Sunset went home. She took out a piece of paper and a quill, and began writing. She hadn't expected to meet somepony from Rainbow's past who turned out to be rude, let alone a certain griffon. She didn't like the way Gilda treated others. It wasn't kind of Gilda to bully everypony at the party. Pinkie had said that the party was meant to improve Gilda's attitude. Instead, that attitude got worse.

Dear Princess Luna,
Today, I learned that it's hard to accept when your friend had an old friend who was rude to everypony. Though it's impossible to control who your friends hang out with, it's possible to control your own actions. Continue to be a good friend. In the end, it's false friends whose actions will come to light.

Your dearest student,
Sunset Shimmer