Chapter Four
One of a Kind
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“Okay, class, we have something very fun to do today!”
All of Ivory Pages’ students waited excitedly. All except for one.
“Finger painting!”
Cheers echoed throughout the room as the class gathered around the art table to get started with their messy projects. Again, except for one. One student hung back, letting out a sigh as she dug a hair tie from her pocket. All the others seemed wholly uninterested in keeping themselves clean, but Sunset was not getting paint in her hair. It was bad enough she had to play along with such a dumb activity in the first place.
But she couldn’t do much about it. As much as she hated it, she needed to show her caretakers that she could be passed to the next grade. She was going to be stuck in this world for two and a half years, and she would have no choice but to rely on others for her basic necessities. Two and a half years, and she wasn’t going to spend the whole time in kindergarten.
Kindergarten… why couldn’t they at least put her a few grades up? Her aptitude test certainly wasn’t the reason. Words were largely the same across both worlds, so her reading and comprehension were quite literally off the charts they used to measure her skills. Math had a few differences when it came to the more advanced subjects, but she easily outperformed the standard for high school aged humans. Science was a lot trickier; some principles carried over, but in many ways the world seemed to work differently when it didn’t have an underlying layer of magic. Still, she was easily twice the level they expected her to be at. History was her biggest fault, since she knew absolutely none of it.
All signs pointed to her at least being placed higher in elementary school, since they were determined that she couldn’t be home schooled and had to be around kids close to her age. Maybe fourth or fifth grade, with some after school classes on history. But no, apparently the core values that kindergarten would teach her were just far too important. Even if one of those values was smearing paint around with her fingers.
She waited as all the other kids took their places. Ivory Pages seemed to think she was just shy, but really she was stalling for time. Every few minutes of waiting around was a few minutes she wouldn’t be covered in paint, so she pretended she was just being patient as all the kids got the colors they wanted. Only when she could delay it no longer did she get any paint of her own. Without even pretending to be amused, she poured some paint onto her paper and began moving it around.
It wasn’t fair. This wasn’t what she was supposed to get from the mirror. She was supposed to earn her wings, to become an alicorn. That’s what the mirror showed her, that was what she had been promised. Not this. The mirror hadn’t shown her playing with finger paint, it hadn’t shown her reading juvenile fiction in the hope that she could impress some guy who knew less about his profession than she did, it hadn’t shown her failing to come up with an answer to her teacher asking what she wanted it to be when she grew up.
“I, uh, I like your painting, Sunset,” Dew Drop said quietly. “I like how she has wings and a horn.”
“Thanks,” Sunset said half-heartedly. Dew Drop still seemed to want to be friends with her, even after Sunset had made her cry. And while she would never actually play with the other girl, Sunset did put up with her on occasion. It was slightly easier to partner with the familiar girl for group activities than it was to work with anyone else in her class, and if she ever decided to be honest with herself, Sunset would have to admit that she felt guilty for what had happened.
Sunset looked down at her alicorn painting. It was far from her perfect likeness; the coat was too orange, and she’d only used red for the mane. Still, it didn’t look too bad, and it was just missing one thing. She dipped her finger into another color – yellow, for lack of gold – and she drew a crown atop her princess’s head, forming little points. She was far from an artist, and it was far from a precise medium, so they came out irregularly shaped.
“I drew a flower!”
Sunset looked over haphazardly to see that Dew Drop had, indeed, painted a flower. “Mmm hmm. That’s real nice, Dew Drop.” Although it was said with minimal enthusiasm, Dew Drop still seemed happy at the compliment.
Judging that her simple painting ought to be enough to please her teacher, Sunset got up and carried it over to a drying rack before washing her hands. She returned to her seat, pulled out her book, and ignored the way Ivory Pages watched her with concern. She had finished the task she’d been given, and considering all the free time kindergartners were allowed, she probably wouldn’t have another menial task for a few hours. No one had any reason to complain about her reading.
It wasn’t even that Sunset liked the book, but it was oddly compelling in its own way. She still would have chosen a novel written for adults, but the book occasionally granted her new information about how humans lived. Every word got her full attention, as she wasn’t sure what she’d need to know in order to prove to Crystal Clear that she could fully comprehend anything he gave her.
“Sunset, it’s time for lunch,” Ivory Pages said gently.
As usual, Sunset had been intending to read through lunch. She skipped meals all the time while studying under Celestia, after all. But it seemed her growing body made its own demands, and at the reminder that it was time to eat she realized how hungry she was.
So she relented, sliding her bookmark into place and stowing the book under her desk. The children formed a line and Sunset took her place in it, allowing herself to be herded along to the cafeteria. At first, she’d hated the daily ritual; she was self-sufficient and more than capable of seeing herself to the cafeteria. But soon she was marching along without complaint. Arguing wasn’t going to get her anywhere, and really, there were worse things.
Things like lunch itself. It was far too social, and she didn’t have her book. Apparently five-year-olds weren’t trusted with books around food. Looking at her classmates, Sunset found that hard to argue with. Of course, she wouldn’t have any trouble with it, but there was no telling about the kids she sat between. And therein was her problem: In addition to being the most stimulating thing she had, her silly juvenile fiction also served as a perfect shield from the other kids. They knew not to interrupt her while she was reading, and frankly they weren’t interested in her pictureless book anyway.
Which wouldn’t have been so bad, if only Sugar Breeze wasn’t in first grade.
“Ms. Pages said she really liked my painting!” Dew Drop said excitedly as she took a seat next to Sunset.
‘Of course she did, it’s her job,’ Sunset thought bitterly. She wouldn’t say anything out loud though. Dew Drop was far too sensitive to say anything like that to. “That’s nice.”
As always, Dew Drop ignored her obvious disinterest. “What are your favorite flowers?”
At least it was better than talking about dolls. “Lycoris.”
“Lycoris? What’s that?”
“It’s a kind of flower.”
“Oh…” Dew Drop sounded disappointed.
Sunset knew the explanation would just go over her head, but figured she might as well give it a shot. “Lycoris are a genus of flower, lilies specifically, with a few different variations. Lycoris radiata is my favorite. They’re also called red spider lilies. They’re beautiful, but they’re also poisonous.”
“Okay. My favorites are pink ones!” Dew Drop smiled happily, while Sunset smirked and rolled her eyes. Dew Drop was so predictable.
“One time, Ms. Rose took us to a, uhm, a boat garden, and it was full of pretty flowers.”
“A boat garden…?” Sunset blinked a few times, then facepalmed. “A botanical garden?”
“Yeah! But there weren’t any boats there…” Dew Drop tilted her head to the side as if she were still trying to puzzle out the name. She probably was. “Maybe we’ll go again so you can see it too.”
“I can only hope to be so lucky,” Sunset said flatly. She didn’t really care about flowers too much, but it was easier to just let Dew Drop prattle on then it was to silence her. So she just ate her lunch, gave her occasional disinterested input, and ignored how often Dew Drop talked with her mouth full.
Lunch crawled to a close, and all the kids were again corralled into a line to return to their classrooms. They wouldn’t be staying though – just a quick stop before making their way outside for recess. Kids who brought their lunch would drop off their lunchboxes, and they were allowed to collect any toys or games they brought from home. Like everyone else, it was Sunset’s favorite part of the day. Unlike everyone else, that was because it was the only time she was guaranteed to be left alone. All the other kids had their own friends to play with, and since kindergarteners and first graders shared a recess period, so did Dew Drop. It only lasted half an hour, but they were thirty glorious minutes of solitude.
Sunset collected her book from under her desk and was quickly back at the door. It always amazed her how slowly her classmates managed to do something so simple as getting ready for recess.
“Sunset, why don’t you try playing a game today?” Ivory Pages asked her while they waited for the other kids.
‘Because I’m smarter than you, and yet you want me to play patty cake with bunch of kids who probably still wet the bed.’ But that answer wasn’t likely to get her anywhere, so Sunset just gave an authentic-looking smile. “I’m just really excited to find out what happens next in my book.”
Ivory Pages kneeled down to talk to her better. “I’m very happy you enjoy reading so much, but it’s important that you play and get some exercise, too.”
“I get plenty of exercise at home, though,” Sunset lied. She didn’t think it sounded very convincing, and Ivory Pages didn’t look very convinced.
“Do you know what a compromise is?” she asked in her patronizingly sweet voice.
Sunset had to bite back her initial response, and instead opted for a more passive aggressive one. “A compromise is an arrangement wherein both parties benefit from the outcome, or at least mitigate the loss between themselves. However, given the current context, a ‘compromise’ would hold the connotation of you forcing me to surrender my novel, in spite of the fact that recess is supposedly a free period for us to enjoy ourselves in the manner of our choosing.”
It was almost worth it. Sunset would have still chosen to read her book, but seeing the dumbfounded look on her teacher’s face was almost as good. Sunset grinned and shrugged. “I’ve read the dictionary.”
Recomposing herself, Ivory Pages smiled again. “Well, that is very impressive, Sunset, but why don’t you leave your book with me for now? I think if you just try playing with the other kids you’ll have a lot more fun than you think. And if you still would rather read, you can have your book back halfway through recess.”
Why did fifteen minutes feel a lot less than half as glorious as thirty? “I don’t suppose pointing out how unfair this is will get me anywhere?”
“Come on, it’ll be fun!”
Although that wasn’t really an answer, Sunset just sighed and handed over the book anyway. She pointedly stared ahead and ignored the rest of Ivory Pages’ reassurances that she would enjoy herself.
Resigned to her fate, Sunset could only march along with the others as they left the classroom. Ivory Pages led them out to the playground behind the school, where the kids quickly grouped up with their friends.
Sunset just looked around, trying to figure out how to make the most of her situation. She could go sit quietly in her usual spot underneath a shady oak tree at the edge of the playground, but she wouldn’t have anything to do but watch a bunch of kids playing. Ivory Pages had said the reason she should play was to get exercise. Sunset doubted that was the truth, but if she ran around a bit she could take away one of the teacher’s arguments. Although, she would probably just wind up stating that Sunset needed to spend more time socializing.
“Sunset!”
Or Dew Drop could notice that she didn’t have her book, and Sunset could spend the whole time trying to get out of playing some dumb game.
Sunset turned around to find Dew Drop smiling happily with her hands behind her back while Sugar Breeze stood frowning, arms folded. At least it would be easy to convince one of them that she just wanted to be left alone.
“You two look like you’re having so much fun, I’ll just get out of your way.” Sunset waved and turned to walk away.
“Wait!” Dew Drop said. Sunset knew it wasn’t going to be that easy. “I know a game you’ll want to play. We’re playing with ponies!”
Sunset wheeled around, mouth hanging open, to find Dew Drop extended her hands, each of which held a little pony toy. She quickly closed the distance between them and took one.
Dew Drop laughed. “I knew you’d like this game because of your drawing.”
Sunset looked up at her for a moment before turning back to the toy. She couldn’t find any words to say. There were no words for how she felt. She had thought there were no ponies on Earth, had never even considered the possibility. And yet there it was, right in her hands.
It looked a little strange. The proportions were all off, the coloring seemed dull, and there was no cutie mark. Still, it was no weirder than any of the human dolls she had seen. “I didn’t… I thought…” She turned back to Dew Drop. “Where did you get these?”
Dew Drop was grinning enthusiastically, while Sugar Breeze looked skeptical. “They’re mine,” Sugar Breeze said. “And that one’s my favorite, so give it back.”
Sunset didn’t react immediately, so Sugar Breeze snatched it out of her hands. “Hey! I was just looking, I’m not going to hurt your pony.”
Judging from the look she was giving, Sugar Breeze doubted that very much.
Dew Drop didn’t seem to have any reservations, though. She held out the other one for Sunset. “So you’ll play with us?”
Sunset took the offered toy and looked over that one too. It was completely identical except for the coloring. “Dew Drop, I… What about real ponies?”
“I, uh…” Dew Drop frowned for a minute then smiled again. “We can pretend they’re real ponies!”
Sunset shook her head. “I want… no, I need to see a real pony. Where do they live? Do either of you know any? Why haven’t I seen any? Shouldn’t there be at least a few at the school?”
With every question, Sunset was growing more exasperated. Her mind raced with possibilities – she imagined ponies locked away, second class citizens or worse. She felt her chest tightening as she thought more about it, grasping for some sort of solution that would make sense, something that could explain things without making the creatures she was living with monsters.
Dew Drop took a step back, and Sugar Breeze stepped in between her and Sunset. “You’re being weird again!”
Sunset gritted her teeth and tried to fight her panic. She knew she’d lock up again if she panicked, and she couldn’t. She needed answers. “Sugar Breeze, listen to me, this is important. I really need to know about ponies.”
“Give me my toy back!” Sugar Breeze scowled and held out her hand. “I knew we shouldn’t have tried playing with you, you’re such a freak!”
Is that what humans thought? That ponies were freaks? Sunset gritted her teeth and her fingers tightened around the toy. “I’m not a freak!”
“Give it!” Sugar Breeze reached for the pony, but Sunset pulled it away. With a scream, Sugar Breeze threw her body into Sunset’s, knocking them both to the ground.
Sunset held the pony as far away from Sugar as she could, and used her other arm to try and shove her away.
“Get the buck off!”
“Give me my toy!”
Dew Drop cried loudly.
All of a sudden, Sugar Breeze was lifted off of her as Sunset herself was pulled up. Sugar was being held by a teacher Sunset didn’t recognize, while Ivory Pages kept hold of her arm.
“What is going on here!?” the other teacher asked.
“She has my pony!” Sugar said angrily.
Sunset scowled and looked around. Dew Drop was still crying, frozen in place. Like Sunset, Sugar’s teacher only had a hold of her arm. Ivory Pages was frowning at her. “Sunset, is that her toy?”
Sunset looked down at the pony in her her hand. At some point, it stopped being a toy and had become the symbol for something greater. She didn’t know anything about ponies in this world, and she was afraid of the answer.
She looked back at Sugar, who stared at her angrily. It looked like a challenge. Sunset lifted the pony as if to give it back, but when Ivory Pages went to take it she instead threw it as far as she could.
“Sunset Shimmer!”
It landed beyond the school’s fence, and for a moment Sunset felt elated.
Only for a moment, though. “My mom gave me that!” Sugar Breeze said, before turning to Sunset. Her malice couldn’t last, however, and it soon gave way to tears. She began sobbing, even louder than Dew Drop had been.
Sunset looked down at the ground and shoved her hands in her pockets. Ivory Pages was lecturing her, while the other teacher was promising Sugar Breeze that they could get it back. Sunset didn’t listen to either of them, with only one thought running through her head.
‘What the buck is wrong with me?’
The other teacher must have agreed to watch over both classes because at some point Sunset found herself being led away by Ivory Pages. She didn’t question it, nor did she answer any of the questions that were being asked of her. They walked to a part of the school she had never been before and went through a door labeled ‘Principal Scarlet’.
The principal looked up as they entered, smiling warmly. “Hello, Ms. Pages. What can I do for you?”
“There was a bit of a fight at recess just now,” Ivory Pages said. “Sunset Shimmer and Sugar Breeze, a first grader. One of my other students, Dew Drop, was there as well, and is friends with both of them.”
“I see,” Principal Scarlet frowned as she looked at Sunset, who looked off to the side as if she were ignoring the whole conversation.
“It seems to have been over a toy, but Sunset isn’t answering any questions, and both Sugar Breeze and Dew Drop are really upset.”
Even through her aura of indifference, Sunset couldn’t help but frown at the implication that she wasn’t upset just because she wasn’t crying. It was typical, nobody paid attention to emotions that might lie beneath the surface.
“I see. Sunset Shimmer… she’s the new girl from New Horizons, isn’t she?”
Along with talking about her like she wasn’t there, Sunset noted the unasked question: She’s the headcase, isn’t she?
“Yes, she is,” Ivory answered.
“Alright then. I’ll call New Horizons and we’ll see if Sunset feels like opening up.”
Ivory Pages nodded. “Right. I’ll get back to my class then. Poor dears must be all worked up.”
“Okay,” Principal Scarlet said, entirely too brightly. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can do.”
“Will do.” Ivory Pages kneeled down to talk with Sunset before she left. “Alright now, Sunset. Behave yourself for Principal Scarlet, okay? She only wants to help you.”
Sunset didn’t answer, so Ivory Pages eventually just stood up and walked out.
“Please, have a seat, Sunset.” Principal Scarlet gestured to a seat across from herself. Sunset obliged. “Want to talk about what happened?”
“No.”
“You know fighting is bad, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“So why were you fighting?”
Sunset frowned and looked her in the eyes. “Why did you bother to start with a question only to ignore my answer?”
Principal Scarlet was caught off guard and took a moment to reply. When she did it was with a smirk. “Excuse me?”
“You asked if I wanted to talk about the fight. Then I said no. Polite conversation would dictate you would at least try to get me to change my mind, but instead, you decided to just press on the questions.”
Scarlet’s smirk grew into a full grin. “You –”
“– are an interesting child,” Sunset finished. “I’ve been told.”
At least someone seemed to enjoy Sunset’s mannerisms. Scarlet leaned on her desk as she managed to smile without coming off as patronizing. “Well, I’m sorry for coming off as rude. But unfortunately, we do need to talk about what happened whether you want to or not.”
“Why don’t you just ask Sugar Breeze and Dew Drop?”
“We will. But there are two sides to every story, and I’d like to hear yours.”
“There’s really only one side here, it’s the same thing they’ll tell you.” Sunset leaned back in her chair and folded her hands in her lap. “Dew Drop asked if I wanted to play with her and Sugar Breeze. I told them no, but then I saw the toys they were playing with.”
Sunset frowned to herself as she replayed the memories in her head. Things had gotten way too out of hand way too quickly. It was obvious that Sugar Breeze and Dew Drop had no idea what she had been talking about. She had been so worked up by the time that Sugar Breeze had called her a freak that she didn’t even realize it wasn’t because she was a pony. They had no way of knowing anything about that, and only saw her ranting like a lunatic. No, Sugar Breeze had called Sunset a freak for one reason: she was a freak.
“I didn’t want to play with them, I wanted the toys for myself. So I pushed Dew Drop down and took one. Sugar Breeze told me to leave her friend alone, so I hit her. I tried running off with her toy when Sugar pinned me down. That was when the teachers intervened, and afterwards I was angry so I threw the toy over the fence.”
Well, Principal Scarlet certainly wasn’t amused with that one. “That was a very bad thing to do, Sunset.”
Sunset grinned and shrugged. “Technically, it was several very bad things to do.”
Scarlet didn’t find it funny. “You know I’m going to have to report this to your caretakers, right?”
“Never doubted it.”
Scarlet drummed her fingers on her desk for a moment while she considered the situation. “I have to say, I’m disappointed. You clearly know what you did was wrong, but you don’t seem to regret it at all.”
Regret it? What, making two little girls cry? Getting into a physical fight with someone a third of her age? Throwing away a toy that might be priceless to someone? Becoming the bully she always insisted she wasn’t ever going to be?
What could there possibly be to regret?
“If it’s all the same to you, I have the caretakers at the orphanage, my social worker, and my psychologist who are all going to give me the same lecture. Plus, you know, I live with Dew Drop and Sugar Breeze, so I’m sure someone is going to force me to apologize to them later. So can you just call New Horizons so this can all just get underway?”
It took another moment of silence, but Scarlet sighed and reached for a phone that was sitting on the corner of her desk. She dialed a number, held the phone to her ear as it rang, then greeted Rose Petal when she answered.
‘Of course Rose Petal has to be the one to answer. Because anything else would have been too lucky for me.’ Her initial opinion of Rose Petal hadn’t changed much. She was a bit overbearing, but she was also one of the least obnoxious caretakers at the orphanage.
Once she hung up the phone, Scarlet turned back to Sunset. “Someone’s coming to get you.”
“Fantastic.” Sunset looked off to the side and waited for more, but that seemed to be all there was to it. What else was there to say, after all?
Scarlet went back to her paperwork while Sunset looked around the room in silence. There were numerous posters with motivational messages on them, but otherwise it was a pretty bland room. There wasn’t anything to occupy her time with, which reminded her of something else. She didn’t have her book.
“So… can I get my stuff?”
“I’ll have someone collect it for you,” Scarlet said. Then she returned to her paperwork.
Sunset looked around a bit more, then said, “Okay,” in the hopes that it would motivate Scarlet to send someone to get it. It didn’t.
It came as a huge relief when there was a knock on the door, even if Sunset wasn’t exactly looking forward to talking with Rose Petal about the fight. “Come in,” Scarlet called.
It opened to reveal two people, but neither were Rose Petal. Sunset assumed one was some sort of receptionist or something because she didn’t recognize him. The other was a woman with magenta skin and long hair the color of grape jam, and Sunset was not happy to see her.
“Hello, Principal Scarlet,” she said. “My name’s Violet Dusk, I’m here for Sunset.” Her social worker turned to address her directly. “Hello, Sunset. Are you hurt?”
It was not the question Sunset had been expecting. “No, I’m okay.” It occurred to Sunset that no one else had bothered to ask her that yet.
“I’m glad to hear it. Principal Scarlet and I need to talk, then I’ll be taking you back to New Horizons.”
Sunset followed the receptionist to the front of the building, where she was again asked to wait. She found herself reading a pamphlet on the school, noting they taught kids how to use computers, something that she hadn’t had the chance to use yet.
It was a while before Violet Dusk came to get her, and when she did she brought Sunset’s backpack with her. She stopped for a moment to thank the receptionist, then led Sunset to her car.
“Are you hungry?” Violet asked as they got in.
“No, I ate.” Sunset pulled her seatbelt on and opened her backpack. “How’d you wind up coming to get me? I thought it would be Rose Petal.
“I was with her when Principal Scarlet called. Since I was going to meet with you after school anyway, we figured it just made more sense for me to get you now. Speaking of Ms. Rose, I told her I’d give her a call once we were leaving. Then the two of us can go somewhere to talk.” There it was. She hadn’t mentioned the fight yet, but of course it was coming.
Violet pulled out her cell phone, and dialed a number. “Hello, Rose. It’s Violet. I have Sunset with me, she’s okay. I saw Dew Drop when I was getting her bag, she’s a little shaken up but she’s doing fine. Sugar Breeze was with another administrator, but it sounds like nothing too serious happened.” She paused for a moment. “Yes, of course.” Another pause. “Alright, we’ll see you in a bit then. Bye.” She flipped her phone shut and turned on the car. “All your things are in your bag?” she asked as she began to back out.
Sunset sighed. “Everything but my book.”
The car came to a stop, then pulled back into the parking place. “I’ll be right back, don’t open the doors for anyone but me.” Violet exited the car. She left the engine running, but locked the doors.
Sunset watched her in slight bewilderment. She had expected a comment about how she would have to do without it since she’d been bad.
A few minutes later, and Violet returned. Sunset unlocked the doors so she could get in, and she handed over the book.
“Thanks,” Sunset said, looking at it in disbelief.
“You’re welcome.” Again, Violet backed out of the parking place. “Anything else?”
“No, that’s all.”
Violet nodded, then drove out onto the road. Sunset wanted to ask why she’d gone back for the book since keeping it from her might have just been part of her punishment for misbehaving, but she didn’t want to risk Violet changing her mind.
“So what happened today?” Violet asked. Her tone wasn’t unkind, exactly, but she never sugarcoated things. Violet Dusk was a practical woman who wanted to get to the heart of any matter quickly, and at times came off as curt because of it. Sunset didn’t like anyone, but Violet was easier to tolerate than most others.
“Didn’t Principal Scarlet tell you?”
“I’d rather hear it from you.”
Sunset stared out of the window as she spoke. It was only the second time she told the story, the same version she had given Principal Scarlet, and she was already sick of it. No doubt she’d have to tell it several more times as well.
“That doesn’t sound like you,” Violet said once Sunset was finished.
“You barely know me,” Sunset said bitterly.
“You’re right, I don’t.” Violet pulled into the parking lot of a fast food restaurant. “On that note, do you like ice cream?”
Going back for the book was one thing, but offering to get her ice cream? There was only one explanation Sunset could think of. “This is all part of the whole ‘getting me to like you so I open up more’ thing, isn’t it?”
“Good guess, but no. This is part of the ‘I haven’t eaten lunch yet, so we’re stopping here one way or another’ thing.”
“Really?” Sunset asked doubtfully. “Ice cream?”
Violet shrugged. “You said you weren’t hungry, and I’m going to at least offer something if I’m going to be eating.”
It was a good excuse, even if Sunset still suspected Violet had an ulterior motive for her offer. Still, there was no reason not to accept. “Yeah, I like ice cream.”
They put their conversation on hold as they entered the building and waited through the line. Violet ordered a veggie burger meal for herself and an ice cream cone for Sunset. “You’re a vegetarian?” Sunset asked.
“No, I just like veggie burgers.”
Ah. Another attempt to get on Sunset’s good side. It would have been more surprising if she was a vegetarian; Sunset hadn’t met anyone besides herself who didn’t eat meat.
They got their food and took a seat. Violet set her fries in between the two of them so Sunset could have some as well.
“One thing I know about you is that you’re smart,” Violet said, abruptly bringing them back to the matter at hand. “Trying to take someone else’s toy? Not smart.”
Sunset took a bite of her ice cream. “Yeah, I guess that was pretty dumb.”
“You had to know that she would just tell the teacher.”
“I guess I wasn’t thinking.”
“If it had been another girl, you could have argued that it was really your toy. But since you live with Sugar Breeze, you know that Rose Petal would know in the end.”
“Like I said, I didn’t really think it through.”
Violet took a few bites of her burger before continuing, letting the unlikeliness of Sunset’s excuse sink in. “So, are you going to tell me what really happened?”
Sunset rolled her eyes to suggest she couldn’t believe Violet would say she was lying. “It was pretty much just like I said.”
“Pretty much, but not exactly.”
Damn it. People were usually so easy to fool. Even Crystal Clear wasn’t as perceptive as Violet Dusk seemed to be, especially considering this was only Sunset’s third time meeting her. She supposed it came down to a difference in their professions – Crystal Clear’s clients had to want to open up to him for it to help them as much as possible, whereas Violet Dusk just needed answers, and often needed them from people who would lie to her constantly.
“If you’re worried that I’ll get Sugar Breeze or Dew Drop in trouble, you should know that they’re really not my concern. Only you are.”
“Well, aren’t I special.” Sunset ate more of her ice cream as she thought. She didn’t really see what she had to gain from telling the truth, and she didn’t want Violet repeating anything to Rose.
Violet finished her burger but remained seated. “Another thing I know about you is that you haven’t shown any interest in toys before.”
Back to the holes in her story. And judging by the fact they hadn’t moved, she might be coupling it with the ‘we’re not moving from this spot until you give me an honest answer’ approach.
“It, uh… it was because it was a pony.”
Violet looked at her quizzically. “Do you… like ponies?”
Sunset folded her arms and turned away.
“Most girls your age like ponies,” Violet assured her. “I’m just not used to you acting like a girl your own age.”
That only made Sunset less likely to open up to her, really. Still, she could be an invaluable source of information. “Uh, so… what can you tell me about ponies?”
“Not a whole lot, I’m afraid.” Violet shrugged. “All I really know is that they’re like small horses.”
Oh. That explained it. Horses were extinct, and in this world ponies were too. Pony toys were no different than dinosaur toys, and tons of kids liked dinosaurs. No wonder she had come across as a freak.
Somehow, the realization that ponies were extinct made her feel more alone than the belief that they never existed at all.
“Maybe I could get you a book about ponies if you wa–”
“Really?” Sunset wheeled around to look at Violet, but soon blushed at her outburst. She resumed her grumpy expression as she turned away. “I, uh, I guess I might be interested in something like that.”
“I can try.” Violet inclined her head. “But we still need to talk about what really happened today.”
Clever. Dangle something in front of her that she wanted, then use it as a bribe. All without ever expressly stating that’s what was going on. Sunset would have admired it if it wasn’t being used against her.
“I kept asking questions about ponies, and I guess I was being pretty overbearing. I scared Dew Drop or something, so Sugar Breeze called me a freak and I got angry with her. I wouldn’t give her back her toy, but I didn’t really even want it. I… I really wasn’t thinking, actually.”
Violet smiled at her admission. “It’s okay to feel angry, but you need to try and keep your temper. But everyone makes mistakes, and just like she should apologize for what she said, I think you should apologize as well.”
Sunset frowned. “She shouldn’t apologize for anything. That’s why I didn’t want to tell the truth, I knew no one would get it. I was wrong, not her.”
“Sunset, you’re not a freak. You –”
“I was acting like one. She only wanted to protect her friend, and then I…” Sunset folded her hands in her lap and stared down at the table. “Her mom gave her that toy, and… I just threw it away. An apology isn’t changing that.”
“So then, what do you want to do about it? Because hiding in your room isn’t changing anything, either.”
Sunset thought about what she wanted. She wanted everyone to just leave her alone, especially Sugar Breeze and Dew Drop. As things stood now, that was pretty much a given. Why bother to even try making up for it when she clearly couldn’t? Even if she could it wouldn’t help her any.
“Can… we go back to the school?” Sunset asked quietly. “I, uh… I know where it fell, and maybe…”
Violet collected the trash from their lunch and stood up. “Yes, we can.”