It was the end of the school day and Sunset Shimmer closed her locker and was on her way out of the school when she heard her name being called.

“Sunset!”

Sunset turned to see Scootaloo approaching her.

“Hey, Scootaloo,” Sunset greeted.

“Do you think you can help me with my homework?” Scootaloo asked. “I’d normally ask Rainbow Dash but she had to work unless you’re busy of course.”

“I would be happy to help you, Scototaloo,” Sunset happily agreed, figuring Rainbow would appreciate her helping out her sister.

“Thanks, do you wanna come over to my house?” Scootaloo asked.

“I would be happy to come over,” Sunset answered politely.

“Great!” Scootaloo said excitedly as the two made their way out of the school and to her house.

Once they were at her house, Sunset said hello to Scootaloo's aunts as she was guided to Scootaloo’s room.

“Welcome to my room,” Scootaloo said with a smile as she motioned for Sunset to enter her room.

“Thank you for having me,” Sunset responded, she surveyed the room, noting the Wondercolts flags on her wall, pictures of her and her friends, and the pictures of her and Rainbow Dash. “So what do you need help with?”

“Just these subjects,” Scootaloo said as she emptied her backpack on the bed.

Sunset glanced at the books before looking back at Scootaloo.

“Which one do you want to start with first?” Sunset asked.

“You’re not upset?” Scootaloo inquired in surprise.

“Why would I be?” Sunset questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Because there’s a lot,” Scootaloo answered, a bit embarrassed. “Sorry that I’m dumb.”

“Hey, don’t ever call yourself that,” Sunset chastised, walking towards Scootaloo and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Everyone learns at their own pace.”

Scootaloo smiled at hearing that, the two started working on Scootaloo’s math homework. Scootaloo pointed out what she was having problems with and Sunset did her best to explain it in a way that Scootaloo could easily understand.

“I think I’m starting to get it,” Scootaloo said as she wrote down the answers to the problems.

“See? What did I tell you?” Sunset smirked as she checked Scootaloo’s answers. “You forgot to carry the 1 here but other than that you got them correct.”

“Really?!” Scootaloo was surprised and happy to hear that.

Sunset helped Scootaloo with the rest of her homework, the former Equestrian listened to what Scootaloo was having trouble with and offered easy-to-understand solutions. Scootaloo normally hated doing her homework but with Sunset’s help, she enjoyed it and was a little disappointed when they finished.

“Thanks for the help, Sunset,” Scootaloo thanked the former unicorn as she put away her books.

“I’m happy to help,” Sunset said with a smile.

There was a knock on the door.

“Hey, squirt. It’s me, Can I come in?” Rainbow Dash asked from the other side of the door.

“Sure!” Scootaloo said excitedly.

Sunset smiled at seeing Scootaloo so excited, that she greatly admired Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash opened the door and was surprised to see Sunset.

“Sunset? What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Rainbow. Scootaloo asked if I could help her with her homework,” Sunset explained.

“Shouldn’t you be at work, Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo asked as she looked at the clock on her nightstand. “You’re normally still working at this time.”

“My boss let us out early because he had something important to do with his family,” Rainbow Dash explained. “So I figured I’d stop by and see if you needed help with your homework.”

“Awww, how sweet!” Sunset teased.

“Hey! She’s my little sister,” Rainbow Dash said with a grin.

“Since my homework is all done, do you wanna hang out?” Scootaloo asked excitedly.

“Hell yeah!” Rainbow Dash said before turning to Sunset. “You wanna tag along?”

Sunset smiled and was about to accept but she remembered how Applebloom and Sweetie Belle got upset at their sisters because of her.

“Thanks for the offer but I’ll pass.”

“You sure?” Rainbow Dash asked, a look of concern on her face.

“Positive,” Sunset simply said, it was for the best.

“Please hang out with us, Sunset!” Scootaloo pleaded. with how awesome Sweetie Belle made Sunset sound, and with Rainbow Dash, she knew they were going to have an awesome time.

“I don’t want to get in the way of your special time with Scootaloo,” Sunset voiced her concern.

“Nonsense,” Rainbow casually dismissed as she put her arm over Sunset’s shoulder. “You won’t be getting in the way, right Scoots?”

“Right!” Scootaloo agreed.

Sunset looked between the two, her resolve crumbling before Scootaloo’s innocent eyes.

“Okay,” Sunset relented, she smiled when Scootaloo cheered.

“Then let’s go!” Rainbow Dash said as she led the two out of Scootaloo’s home.

It was still light out as Rainbow Dash guided them toward the playground, Scootaloo grinned excitedly as she rushed ahead.

“What are we doing here?” Sunset asked.

“You’ll see,” Rainbow Dash said with a grin.

As they entered the playground, Sunset saw Scootaloo talking with several kids who looked very excited.

“Scootaloo and I always come here to play, we had so much fun that the other kids joined us,” Rainbow Dash explained, smiling smugly. “I’m just that awesome.”

Sunset rolled her eyes playfully, as Scootaloo and the rest of the kids rushed to greet them.

“So what are we going to play today?” one of the kids asked.

“We’re going to have a snowball fight,” Rainbow Dash grinned, and the children cheered.

“Are you sure it’s going to be fair?” A little girl asked. “Whoever has you on their teams is going to have the advantage.”

“Not to worry,” Rainbow Dash said as she placed her hand on Sunset. “Sunset will join the opposite team of me to make it fair.”

“Is she as awesome as you?” a little boy asked.

“She’s 20% cooler,” Rainbow Dash winked at Sunset.

Sunset is shocked at this admission, Rainbow would never admit that anyone was more awesome than her, especially in front of other people. The kids seemed very excited about this and they quickly formed teams, both teams picked a spot to build their forts. Sunset analyzed Rainbow’s fort, searching for any weaknesses. She talked to her teammates and formulated a strategy when Rainbow Dash spoke.

“We’re just having fun, Sunset! Don’t take this too seriously!”

“Shouldn’t I be telling you that!” Sunset shouted back.

Rainbow Dash just laughed before throwing a snowball at Sunset who dodged it, this signaled the start of the game as the kids started throwing snowballs at each other. Some used the fort as cover while others used the playground equipment as they attempted to get near Rainbow’s fort. Sunset managed to hit two kids before dodging behind a slide. She peeked to see if she could locate Rainbow Dash, and she spotted her on the jungle gym throwing snowballs from a big pile next to her. She also spotted Scootaloo making snowballs for her to throw. For her team to have a chance she needed to take out Rainbow Dash. Her eyes widened when Rainbow Dash spotted her and quickly ducked behind the slide just as several snowballs hit it.

“I see you, Sunset!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she threw more snowballs in that direction.

Sunset needed to think fast, she looked around and saw two of her teammates, and she signaled them to start throwing snowballs at Rainbow and Scootaloo. They had to stop throwing snowballs to retreat into cover, Sunset took this opportunity to climb onto the jungle gym. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were caught off guard but quickly grabbed some snowballs and started throwing them at Sunset, who ducked behind one of the pillars that supported the roof of the jungle gym. She scooped up some snow, formed a snowball, and threw it at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow raised her arms to block the snowball but suddenly felt another snowball hit her back, she turned her head to see that the two kids from Sunset’s team throwing more snowballs at her, she needed to reposition quickly. She attempted to hide behind a pillar but slipped on the snow.

“Whoa!” Rainbow Dash flailed her arms as she stumbled toward the edge.

Sunset saw that Rainbow Dash was about to fall and quickly rushed to her aid.

“Rainbow!” Sunset reached out to grab her friend but lost her footing due to the snow, thinking fast, she wrapped her arms around Rainbow Dash and turned her body so that she would take the impact.

“Sunset!” Rainbow Dash shouted, shocked at what Sunset had done. Before she knew it, they hit the snow. Rainbow Dash quickly got up and checked on Sunset. “Are you okay?!”

“I’m okay,” Sunset said as she smiled up at Rainbow Dash. “Luckily for us, the snow softened the landing.”

“Why’d you do something crazy like that?” Rainbow Dash asked as she helped Sunset up.

“I wasn’t about to let you get hurt,” Sunset answered. “You could’ve had an injury that would not only ruin your holiday but have you benched from your sports teams.”

“Then what about you?” Rainbow Dash questioned as she crossed her arms and gave Sunset a disapproving look. “You could have gotten hurt as well, maybe even more with me making the impact worse.”

“I’ve gone through worse,” Sunset casually dismissed. “Back in Equestria, as I was studying under Princess Celestia I had more than a few spells blow up in my face, and launch me halfway across Equestria!” Sunset laughed.

“Wow, you sure lived dangerously,” Rainbow Dash commented, she got into some pretty daring antics but Sunset’s misadventures put hers to shame.

“It’s the life you live as a bad girl,” Sunset shrugged.

“Does that include turning into a raging she-demon?” Rainbow Dash asked, grinning as she nudged Sunset. “No offense.”

“None taken,” Sunset rolled her eyes playfully before nudging Rainbow back.

They continued their snowball fight until the kids had to go home, they took Scootaloo home before making their way home.

“Thanks for letting me tag along,” Sunset thanked Rainbow. “I had fun.”

“Don’t mention it,” Rainbow Dash said. “I would have to be a lousy friend to leave you out of the fun.”

The two laughed before going silent, after a few minutes of walking, Rainbow Dash noticed the serious look on Sunset’s face.

“Why the long face?” Rainbow Dash asked with a teasing grin.

Sunset snorted before lightly punching Rainbow’s arm.

“If you must know, I’m thinking about Anon-A-Miss.”

“What about them?” Rainbow inquired.

“I’m trying to wrap my head around why they made the post about Applejack’s nickname or even how they even know it in the first place!” Sunset raised her voice, her anger rising. “And more importantly, why Applejack?! She is the most friendly, honest girl in the entire school who wouldn’t talk about you behind your back. If she has a problem with you she’ll say it to your face!”

“Easy there, Sunset,” Rainbow Dash placed her hands on Sunset’s shoulders and tried to calm the redhead. “Dial it back a little.”

Sunset closed her eyes and took steady breaths, once she felt herself calm she opened her eyes.

“Better?” Rainbow asked with a smile.

“Thanks,” Sunset thanked her rainbow-haired friend. “Sorry about that, I tend to have anger issues.” Sunset felt a little guilty admitting this.

“Don’t worry, you should see AJ when she’s mad!” Rainbow Dash assured Sunset, grinning widely.

Sunset smiled at Rainbow before her expression became more serious.

“Rainbow, I need to ask you something.”

“What is it?” Rainbow Dash asked, not liking how serious Sunset got.

“In the past, I lost myself when I got really mad and…” Sunset but her lip, why was it so hard to ask her this? Is it because she’s afraid to open up to them? To reveal another awful thing about herself? To burden them with another one of her problems when she’s already caused enough. No. Her friends would never judge her, they would want to support and help her. “No, this is something I need to tell everyone as well.”

“What do you need to tell us?” Rainbow Dash questioned, she was getting anxious as to what Sunset was trying to say.

Sunset looked at Rainbow’s worried face and her guilt worsened, she was doing it again. She gently placed her hand on Rainbow Dash’s arms.

“Rainbow Dash, you and the girls have been amazing to me the last couple of days. You’ve given me the strength to say what I have always been afraid to ask anyone,” Sunset confessed.

“Sunset?” Rainbow Dash looked into Sunset’s eyes and saw something she never thought she would see, she saw Sunset vulnerable.

“I….I need your help.”

Author's Note

Anon-A-Miss may be gone but the consequences of her first post are still felt very strongly in Sunset, here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it, and I look forward to reading your comments!