Once again, it was the time of year for the Friendship Games. February was still a little too cold in Sunset’s opinion. While the first half was usually inside, most of the audience members envied the competitors since their exercise was keeping them warm. Oh well, at least she’d have the bodywarmth of the crowd.
She had never really paid attention to how the competitors were chosen. After all, only the Senior Class could compete, and she hadn’t expected to even be in this Dimension for her chance. But this year was a bit different, considering she qualified.
Not everyone could compete, even after it had been limited to the Seniors. They then narrowed it down only to students with higher grades or athletic ability, which dropped the pool to about half. After that, it was more like a popularity contest. Students voted on the twelve who would compete, and though ability was taken into account, people who were more likable tended to win no matter what.
Sunset wasn’t surprised to find that her friends all qualified in one way or another. Nor was she surprised when her own name showed up on the voting ballot. And of course she wouldn’t be surprised to find out that the girls and Flash all made it onto the team.
However, she was ridiculously confused as to how she made the team. For a moment she forgot about the strange person she saw near the portal, and found herself walking to the front office.
“Hello, Miss Shimmer,” the Principal greeted. “How can I-“
“How did I get on the team?” Sunset cut her off.
The Principal kept her calm, not quite as neutral as the Princess but not a visible reaction.
“I do not know what you mean,” the Principal said.
“I mean, how did I make the team for the Games?” Sunset repeated. “Did you or VP Luna rig this? And if so, does this have something to do with Magic? Do you expect me to use it to our advantage, or to keep the girls from ‘cheating’ with it?”
“Miss Shimmer, I assure you,” she began. “Those were the results. Though you do have a point about Magic interacting with the Games. I will have to talk with Luna over whether that could be considered cheating or not.”
“Well, depends on how we use it,” she answered. “I mean, I don’t think anything we would do normally would count as cheating unless it was sabotage and-wait, that’s not my point! If you hadn’t even thought about Magic, why am I on the list?”
“Really,” she gave a softer smile. “Is it really so out there to think that you got there on your own?”
“Yes,” she said, leaning forward on the desk. “I was very recently the most hated person in this school. And while I’ve made a lot of progress, not enough people would vote me in.”
“I will admit, you were barely on the team,” she said. “However, while you have not been popular with the students lately, you do have a lot to offer to winning the Games. You are one of our best in academics. I’d have to check the records on where you stand, but depending on how the rest of the year goes, you have a chance of being Valedictorian.”
“Really?” she wondered. “I didn’t think I-“
“And,” she continued as if she hadn’t heard her. “While you are not on any sports teams and finished your Gym credits a while ago, you are seen keeping up with Miss Dash, Miss Pie and Miss Applejack. Not to mention that perhaps the other students believe your Magic will give CHS and advantage.”
“I….” she sighed. “I guess. Sorry for thinking you rigged it.”
“That’s quite alright,” she smiled. “Now, do you have any other questions about the games?”
“One more,” she said. “Is it true that the last time CHS won was back when you were soccer captain?”
Dropping the smile into a thoughtful frown, Celestia tilted her head and stared. For a moment, Sunset felt like she asked the wrong question, like it was somehow too personal. It was far too familiar to ‘Celestia’, her Counterpart.
“Where did you hear that?” Celestia asked.
“I read it,” Sunset answered carefully. “Back when I first got here, I found an article from the online version of the school paper. Captain Spitfire said you had led them to victory, but even Applejack’s brother can’t remember us ever winning so that had to be the last time, right?”
“I believe it was,” she said. “Though do not take that wording to heart. While I was the soccer Captain back then, there were eleven other people on that team. I would not have made it without them.”
Despite the curiosity growing in her, she backed out of the room. There was something about the sad smile on her face, so much like the other Celestia. Part of her felt scared of that, of the memories she held onto for so long, and of what path prying into that look had sent her down. But another part of her wanted to find out.
Sunset ended up staying in the library a little longer before going to the pep rally. The computers were a bit outdated, and the site-blockers were very annoying, but the school’s website was easy to access.
This was a mistake, and she knew it. But she also knew that she could only go so far down a path, that she could stop herself, and that if she couldn’t that others could. Because Curiosity killed the cat, and because satisfaction brought it back.
School newspaper archives were easy to find, but scrolling back far enough was the real problem. It had been nearly ten years, and it wasn’t like the files listed headlines. She assumed it would probably be early February, and began there.
Eventually, she found the page she had been looking for. Celestia was closest to the camera, and the one who had been interviewed. But the other students on the team were just as interesting. She could see Luna in the group as well, and Discord, who looked kind of funny as it was before he had grown the beard.
Speaking of beards, there was a student who was the shortest of the bunch yet very familiar. Sunset couldn’t place him until she looked at the outfit, a dark blue coat patterned with stars and moons, and bells sewn onto the hem. Starswirl the Bearded, though a much younger Starswirl than the paintings in Equestria depicted. Even the famous beard was only in the beginning stages and made him look more like that guy who was too tired from cramming for finals to trust himself with a razor.
A few of the other people looked familiar as well. One looked a lot like Cadence, and she couldn’t figure out why another reminded her of Blueblood. There was another who was labeled with the name ‘Chrysalis’, but looked little like the Changeling Queen that Twilight once described.
The strangest part was last names. Last names were still strange to her, as Equestria didn’t have a system like that, but she had learned a bit about them. Usually sharing a last name meant they were part of a family, though occasionally there are coincidences.
But eight out of twelve competitors with the last name ‘Immortalem’? Hardly coincidence. Though it made sense, in some ways. After all, for the Princess to have niblings, there must be a sibling with children. She tried to recall old legends, like those of Nightmare Moon, looking for what was lost.
Sunset closed down the computer, not wanting to think about that. She told herself it was because she was going to be late for the pep rally. While it was true, it wasn’t right. This was getting too close to her past mistakes, to looking into the Princess's history. That's not a path she was ready to go down again.
She’d never been more thankful for a distraction before she passed Flash in the hall. Pushing everything else from her mind, she waved.
“Hey,” Flash greeted. “Think we’ll win the Games this year?”
“Let’s be optimistic,” Sunset said. “But I don’t think we can expect Magical help this time.”
“Take all the fun out of it,” he rolled his eyes. “That could be a good thing though. I mean, imagine if they actually did make Mario Party one of the events! Someone’s getting vaporized.”
“I can’t believe you remember that!” she snorted, playfully shoving him forward. “How do you remember that!?”
“That was an important day for me!” he protested, dropping to deadweight so that she was supporting him. “It was the day my life came together!”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure,” she rolled her eyes as she ducked out and let him drop. “The day you learn that bisexuality is a thing, and the most memorable moment is a one-off joke about Mario Party!”
He had been about to retort when there was a sound of knocking on a locker. Looking down the hall, they saw a teacher, one Sunset didn’t know the name of, standing there with a glare.
“No horseplay in the halls!” the teacher reprimanded.
They tried. They really tried not to snicker at that. But it took a half-second glance at the other for both teens to burst out laughing.
“Wha-I-just-“ the teacher sputtered upon realizing the accidental pun. “Just stop flirting or whatever it is you’re doing and get to the pep rally!”
They both made a face, but quieted down and headed down the hall. Despite her own reaction, she did wonder about his. Instead, she pushed it down.
“Wow,” Sunset laughed. “You date a guy for three years, and suddenly everyone thinks you’re flirting with him!”
“Does that actually bother you?” Flash asked. “People thinking we’re ‘together again’ or whatever?”
“No,” she answered. “Yes? Maybe. Does it bother you?”
“Not too much,” he said. “It could get annoying, but unless it actually caused problems-“
“Like ruining your love life?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he nodded. “But that’s not why it bothers you, is it?”
“No,” she sighed. “It’s just this dumb-ugh. It’s like, for obvious reasons I don’t want to actually date you, but when your reaction is immediate rejection, I’m concerned with whether it’s a general rejection or because of me.”
“You want to be more clear on that?” he asked.
“It’s just my brain being dumb,” she said. “I’m used to you not liking me, so my automatic reaction is to think ‘oh, he’d reject me because of that’ instead of the more rational ‘neither of us are into one another romantically’ thought. Either way it’s ridiculous, but when you spend so long with one mindset, it takes a while for things to click.”
“I get it,” he nodded. “Does it help if I assure you it’s just that I’m not romantically into you?”
“I think this is the only case it would,” she snickered.
“Well, it’s true,” he said. “This past fall aside, you’re practically family by now. And by ‘practically’ I mean in pretty much all but legality, since Goldie and Bramble would probably adopt you if they could. Too bad Unicorns don’t have legal records.”
“I…” she smiled. “Thanks. I bet I’m the big sister you always wanted.”
“You say that like you’re that much older,” he pouted.
“Well, I am older,” she stuck her tongue out.
“Well then, I’m taller!” he retorted.
“Not by much!” she defended.
“Because you wear heels all the time!” he said.
“I like my boots!” she said. “And not for the height. It’s actually since I’m more used to it since it almost mimics Pony anatomy when I walk. Not that it matters because age beats height!”
They both started to laugh again, but for a second, Flash froze.
“Oh my stars,” Flash said. “You know what I just realized?”
“That you’re in a losing battle?” Sunset guessed.
“No,” he shook his head. “We sound exactly like Discord and Principal Celestia.”
“I….” she stopped to think. “You’re not wrong. Okay, that’s it. We need to find a Luna to reign us in.”
“Someone younger and shorter than both of us who can call us idiots,” he agreed.
“Or to say she’s better than both of us anyway despite that,” she nodded.
“We need more friends that are shorter than us,” he said.
“Maybe you, but I’m actually tall for a Unicorn,” she said.
“And the cycle continues,” he sighed.