“So why haven't we ever stayed over at your place?”
Uh oh.
Sunset quickly searched for an answer, “Place is a mess. Cramped. Can’t exactly afford something that nice.” She shrugged it off, “It's just a little one room apartment downtown.”
Dash nodded in understanding, “Ahh, I see. My dad told me a few stories from when he was my age. Hardly any cash, dead end job, yadda yadda.”
Shimmer laughed, glad to have the topic gone, “Yeah, can’t wait for college, right?”
“Totally. Nothing like being broke and stressed.” Dash sighed, ignoring as her phone buzzed for the third time since they had left school, “Guess I’ve never considered where you lived.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Sunset waved it off, “Don’t like having people fuss over me. Happened too often in Canterlot Castle.”
“You didn’t like being served hand and foot?” Dash asked with a hint of incredulity.
“Was nice at first. Got annoying real fast.” An annoyed expression crossed her face, “Never had a moment to myself. Not to mention they never seemed to take a hint. Wouldn’t start leaving me be til I started telling them off.” Sunset chuckled with a bit of cynicism, “I guess that’s when ‘the bitch’ started emerging.”
“I can see that.” Dash nodded, phone buzzing again.
“Anon-a-Miss is really letting loose.” Sunset grunted.
“Not her. Last three have been texts. Whatever was thrown up, Gilda’s threatening death over it.” Dash scoffed.
“Gilda? You still have her as a contact?” Sunset raised an eyebrow. Gilda had been top dog in the school before Sunset had showed up and dethroned her. It had been surprisingly easily in all honestly. Growing up on the Canterlot streets had taught her a few things. In this case, she could see that Gilda was the type who lived and died on support. Lightning Dust was Gilda’s number 2. All it took was a right hook to the white-haired girl’s nose to send Dust scurrying away in fear. Any and all of Gilda’s influence had vanished after that. It wasn’t unknown that Gilda was always looking for a way back up, but with no support, it was hopeless.
“Always hoped she’d come around.” Rainbow sighed, “We used to be real tight in Elementary.”
“So you’ve explained.” Shimmer nodded. Gilda had moved back to her hometown during the course of Middle School. When they had met again in freshman year, it hadn’t taken long to see she had changed in the worst kind of way. Rainbow had dumped her unceremoniously after seeing her knock Fluttershy to the floor with a rather unforgiving shove.
“Yeah, guess some friendships just don’t work out…” She looked down, kicking a mound of snow from the grass.
“...” Sunset’s mouth drew into a line as she let that sink in.
“...I mean!” Rainbow jumped back in, realizing that implication. “I bet the girls will come around! It's not like they haven’t come back from something like this before.”
Sunset winced, “Yeah…”
Dash paused in her stride, realizing what that had meant. She slapped herself in the forehead, ‘Stupid! STUPID! STUPID!’ She streaked out ahead, sliding in front of Shimmer, “L-look, I’m sorry. I’m...I’m not good at the emotional comfort thing. ‘Specially while I’m kinda torn up about the same thing.” Sunset gave Dash a sad look, feeling a bit selfish now. Dash was in the a similar position of alienation, yet she was comforting her. “But I’m trying my best. I...ugh, I’m sorry that I can’t give some uplifting compliment or hope spot without dredging up the past. I’m doing the best I can…”
Sunset smiled, “It's okay, Rainbow. I understand. I just can’t seem to move on. Don’t blame yourself for bringing it up if that’s honestly not what you meant to do.”
Dash visibly relaxed, bending over slightly as relief flooded her, “Thanks Sunset. That’s a huge relief.” She was only brought out of this as she heard the thumping of feet. “...what the-?” She looked up just in time to see a white and brown shape bowl into the back of Sunset and then consequently, her.
“AHH!” Shimmer yelped in surprise and then pain as she and Dash both hit concrete. Rainbow’s own grunt of pain was muffled as Sunset landed on top of her.
“You rotten little shits!” The unmistakable scratch of Gilda’s voice blared at them. Rainbow shook off the dizziness first, climbing out from under Sunset and standing in front of her defensively.
“Okay, what the hell?” Dash growled out, fists raised.
“You swore never to speak of it!” The attacker shouted back at Dash.
“Anon-a-Miss leak one of your petty secrets?”
“You leaked our secret!” She screeched back.
“Wha...what secret?” Dash’s angry annoyance masked the growing pit of dread grew in her stomach as Sunset pulled herself up, nursing the bruise on her right elbow.
“Like you don’t know.” Gilda sneered venomously, digging for her phone and showing the MyStable app. Dash and Sunset both froze. In the image, two hooded figures sat in a parking lot sandwiched between two cars, obviously doing their best to hide. The photographer was leaning out from behind another car to spy them. The two wouldn’t have noticed anyway, given that they were currently locked in what seemed to be a rather awkward kiss.
‘Who woulda thought? My my my~’
“You go and leak this and have the audacity to deny it?!”
“What makes you think I’m Anon-a-Miss!?” Dash swatted her arm away with a growl.
“You and Shimmer! You’re the only one who’s defending her and now you’re taking some heat to get back at me! The whole school knows it! Do you know how many people from Griffonstone have been texting me? I’m a laughing stock, dammit!”
“In case you didn’t notice, Gilda. I’m in that picture too.” Dash clenched her teeth tightly. The teasing from the paper and outfits had been one thing, but this...this was going to rain down Hell for her. “I’m not Anon-a-Miss. Neither is Sunset. Now listen he-”
“No! You listen! You get one chance to stop this shit! Now. Delete the page and we move on from this, pal.” Gilda’s glare could slice steel.
“We aren’t Anon-a-Miss!” Sunset was really starting to reach her boiling point. Being accused by her friends had been incredibly damaging, being left by that even more so, but now being threatened over it by just another big mouth she had put down on her first day at CHS? That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. “I have no reason to leak any of this! I don’t want the school against me, you dumbass! Why would I-?!” She was cut off as Gilda’s already red face practically went nuclear, advancing on her with intention to pummel.
Rainbow cut her off, delivering a punch to her jaw, making Gilda stumble backwards. “Back off!”
Gilda held her jaw, glaring darkly, “You better watch your back, Rainbow Dyke. You never know what might be waiting for you.” She stomped off from the direction she came, ignoring the evil glare Rainbow was returning.
“...damn hypocrite.” Rainbow muttered.
“Rainbow?” Sunset asked quietly.
“Let’s go.” Rainbow spun on a heel, walking past her.
“Rainbow.” Sunset repeated, “Are you okay?”
“...no.” Rainbow turned on a corner and onto her street.
“Want to talk?”
“N...yes, inside.” She pushed the door to her house open, storming passed the kitchen and into her room.
“Uhh, hello Sunset. What’s going on?” Blaze asked from the living room, setting the table.
“High School drama.” She assured, attempting a honest smile, “Don’t worry, we’re gonna talk about it.” Sunset followed her friend into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Rainbow was laying on her bed, face down in the pillow, backpack strewn aside haphazardly. “...Dash?”
“Ugggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Came the muffled cry from through the pillowcase.
“Rainbow. Talk to me.”
“Is it one of yours?” Dash leaned up, eyes already red. Her voice was fairly calm despite the quickly forming tears. Sunset suddenly regretted the request.
“One of mine?” She blinked.
“The photo. Me and Gilda.” Dash continued, “Was it from your blackmail?”
She could lie. Say Anon-a-Miss took it. “...yes.” Sunset looked down, “I ordered a freshman to follow you and find some dirt. Wasn’t expecting that.”
A hundred responses ran through Dash’s mind. Angry retorts, exclamations of rage, and a few incomprehensible sobs of despair. Eventually, she landed on confusion, “...we...we had so many fights. I got in your face so many times. Why didn’t you ever use it?”
Sunset rubbed her arm, the pain of the bruise feeling deeper than it did earlier. “Well...I guess it’s like I said to Princess Twilight. I’m not a monster. I knew what that would do to you at school. That was going to far.” She nodded, sighing.
“That was going to far?” A laugh escaped her throat, “And the teenage army wasn-?”
“At the time it was a perfectly flawless plan and the one who concocted it was equally flawless.” Sunset joked weakly. The pain was lessened, but talking about it still hurt.
“Yeah, sure she was.” Dash shook her head, wiping her eyes, “Thanks...for not letting that out. I mean, lotta good that does me now.” She fell on her back, staring at the ceiling blankly.
“I...you’re welcome?” Sunset tilted her head, deciding to shift the conversation for now. “...we still going to talk plans?”
“...yeah. Let’s get on it. Suspects first?” Dash sighed, deciding that putting the hurt on whoever did this to her was a better distraction than moping over getting her sophomore confusion outed.
It was about an hour later that a text would come through Sunset’s phone. “Huh?” Shimmer looked down, retrieving it.
“Someone text you?” Dash stood, “Did one of the girls come around?”
Her phone told her it was Fluttershy ‘We need to talk. Meet me in the gym room at school tonight at around 7. The back door will be unlocked. AJ and the others will be here too. It’s an emergency!’ Her eyes couldn’t believe it though.
“Yes!” Rainbow cheered, hopping up, “I knew ‘Shy would come around!”
Sunset was a bit more hesitant, typing a reply. ‘Fluttershy? I wasn’t expecting a text from you. What’s this about an emergency? Is someone hurt? Why meet up at school that late? Why not Sugarcube Corner?’
The reply came a few moments later. ‘Just trust us on this. We really need to talk. See you at 7.’ Sunset stared at the screen with a puzzled expression, Dash taking a look for herself.
“So...we go, right? Flutters is probably taking a huge social risk by wanting to talk to us. Gilda said it herself, nearly the whole school thinks we’re Anon-a-Miss now.” Dash frowned.
“Yeah.” Sunset nodded, looking up at the clock. 6:00, “We do.”
“Here, let’s grab some food and head out. This could be a turning point for us.” Dash smiled, “It’ll be over in no time.”
“Maybe.” She muttered as Dash ran out, Sunset following after a minute.
“-suppose you can do that, but I want an explanation of what all this is when you two get back. Okay?” Blaze told his daughter, a bit more serious than usual.
“Of course, dad. We’ll be back soon enough.” Rainbow promised, grabbing a chicken wing from the table.
Sunset scanned the table, not finding any vegetarian options, “...um, I’ll grab some food when we get back. That okay?” She chuckled weakly.
“Hmm? Oh no problem Sunset. I’ll wrap the food in foil and toss it in the fridge.” Blaze waved, “You girls go save the day or whatever you're doing at CHS these days!”
“Thanks, dad!”
“We will, Mr. Blaze!” Sunset followed Rainbow out the door, ready to have this finished with.
The trek back to CHS passed in relative silence as the sky darkened past sundown and through twilight. “So what do you think’s the emergency?” Dash asked.
“Probably just wants to talk to us as soon as possible.”
“Think she’ll apologize about the hallway?”
“At the very least I hope she’ll at least hear us out.” Sunset sighed, “That takes precedence over anything else right now.”
Dash nodded, “Yeah. If she listens to us, maybe she’ll believe it.” They came to the school parking lot, passing through it to find the front door of the school propped open by a textbook. “Huh.” Rainbow snickered, looking around and noticing cars still parked in the lot, “...huh.”
Sunset didn’t notice, already inside and heading towards the gym. “Dark.” SHe commented.
“Ever been in a school after hours?” Dash asked, chuckling.
“Yeah.” Sunset answered, not fully listening. What was she gonna say, where to start?
“Wait, you have?” Rainbow paused, “Seriously?”
“Oh, uh, I meant Canterlot University, back home.” She backpedaled, focusing in on Rainbow’s words now.
“Ah, right.” Dash nodded in the darkness. Granted, now she was doubting the yellow girl’s words. That time it hadn’t been as convincing. The situation wasn’t any better once they reached the gym. Despite being there earlier that day, the room just seemed creepier with all the lights shut off. Most things tended to be, as Sunset would attest to.
Even so, peering through the darkness, the two were able to make out four shapes sitting over by the bleachers. All of them were decked out in some form of winter wear, they seemed to be given the hoods at least. Noticing the two of them enter, one of the figures, AJ it seemed, motioned them closer.
Dash shot Sunset a look, barely perceptible in the dark. She brushed her hand up against Sunset’s motioning her feeling to her, ‘Something's seriously wrong.’
“...girls?” Despite the oddness of the situation, Sunset had taken a few shaky steps forwards, “Listen, I know we shouldn’t be complaining, but this is kinda off putting.”
“Good of you to notice.”
Not the girls. Not the girls! Not the girls!
Rainbow reacted on instinct. She grabbed Sunset by the hand and dragged her around, darting back to the doors.
Blocked.
At least three figures stood in front of them, one jerking forwards and nailing her in the stomach with a foot. Soccer player. Ouch. Both of them stumbled back, Dash dragging Sunset, wind knocked out of the prismatic teen.
All the lights in the gym cut on, causing Dash and Sunset to shield their eyes from the change in light levels. More figures began to file in from out of sight. The entire thing had been a setup.
No. A setup was just a trick, a scheme to deceive. This was a trap.
“Didn’t I tell you to watch your backs?” The lead of the hooded figures stepped forwards. Gilda, not Applejack. Easy mistake, except not at all. Dash mentally reprimanded herself.
“Gilda...hey. What a surprise seeing you here...and you brought friends.” Dash took a sweeping glance of the room. She was able to identify the one who had kicked her as Lightning Dust.
Sunset was panicking inside. Gilda meant serious business. A whole herd of students, nearly 20 at that, most looking pissed beyond belief. The few that didn’t...Sunset didn’t like those grins. She tried taking a breath and assessing the situation. Gilda was ahead of her, playing ringleader. At her side were Dumbbell, Hoops, and Score, three of the ‘future dropouts’ as they were continuously called, only making it past each grade with pity and pleas. Behind her with Dust were Violet Burr and Pixel Pizzaz. How they had wandered from Photo Finish’s side, she’d never know. Floating around the room with distasteful glares were also the ‘Diamond Dogs’ and Trixie’s bandmates. Sunset had never bothered to learn their names, deciding them unimportant or ineffectual. She was starting to really regret that now. A few more faces stood around, but Sunset was dragged back to the situation by Gilda’s voice.
“You know, I really didn't expect this to work.” Gilda snickered, “Figured that you were too smart for it, Sunset that is.”
Dash growled, keeping her attention on Dust and company. “Where’s Fluttershy?... Or did you take her phone?”
“Okay, so maybe you’re not rock stupid, ey Dash?” Gilda sneered, tossing a butter-yellow phone up and down in her palm. “Or maybe you are, with what you’ve been posting on MyStable.”
Sunset had been relying on Dash for the info on Anon-a-Miss since earlier that day. She had deleted the app and her account, sick of it already. Rainbow hadn’t been far behind, as she hadn’t checked the site since they left school. Given everyone’s furious expressions, they could only assume more secrets had come forth since then.
“But hey, that doesn’t matter anymore.” Gilda pocketed the phone, cracking her neck with a sick smile, “You two have crossed the line. We ain’t gonna be your little toys anymore, Shitter. Twilight showed us that.”
“I don’t think the Princess would approve this at all!” Dash fired back.
“And since you’ve brought my old friend to your twisted side, we’ll just have to play hero this time.” Her grin was one of pure anticipation. Sunset felt woozy as she slid into a more protective stance. “It's time we played with you a bit.”
The entire room began advancing towards them, slowly beginning to encompass the two in a circle. Their lack of a reasonable escape route was quickly becoming no escape route at all. This was a no-win, hopeless situation.
Until Rainbow decided to shift the odds.
In a blink, she had ripped her jacket off, rolling it into a spiral and whipping it at Gilda. The motion had produced a cracking sound as she landed a blow below Gilda’s left eye. The girl screeched, topping backwards and holding her face. She had received no chance to avoid the blow and was now trying to climb back to her feet, shouting Rainbow’s name in tandem with every profanity she could imagine. Everyone stumbled back, not expecting their leader to be felled with the surprise blow.
Taking full advantage of the situation, Sunset ducked her head, crossed her arms over her face, and charged at the two photography girls. The two went tumbling to the ground like paper mache, Pizzaz groaning loudly as Rainbow stepped on her to get over. Both Rainbow and Sunset had experiences with the odd fight in the past, especially with each other, but those were all one on one. 15 or so on 2 however gave them little hope to fight back at all. Escape was the only choice.
Dash had decided that going back to her dad’s house was a no go. Gilda’s entourage had cars and knew where she lived. Plan forming in her mind, she’d grab Sunset’s arm, take point and drag her through the mirror portal. She’d never been to Equestria, but it was probably nice this time of year, void of ravenous teenagers for sure. Even if a few of them were dumb enough to follow, they’d be as clueless on four legs as her, Sunset was a unicorn, and she was pretty sure the portal emptied in Twilight’s castle. The plan was perfect, all they needed was to get to the doors!
It all derailed as soon as Rainbow moved to grab Sunset. A green-blue blur crashed into them from the side, knocking them to the ground in a heap. “I got ‘em!” Dust called out, “Hurry!”
“Sunset!” Dash yelped, seeing the rest of the attacker’s bearing down on them.
Given that Dust was out of arm’s reach, Sunset did the next best thing and slammed her boot down in her direction. She didn’t see it, but she heard and felt something crack. That was then followed by the two being released and Dust screaming in pain. She had made it back to her knees when she saw Rainbow go down next to her. A split second later, a foot to the spine made her follow suite.
What came next was a few attempts from both girls to stand back up. The first few seconds of each attempt cut off quickly and without mercy. After the fourth (or was it the fifth?) try, Rainbow had curled into a ball, trying to protect any part of the body she could. Sunset had noticed and defaulted to a similar position, realizing they were now stuck.
The kicks, stomps, and odd punches didn’t stop. The defensive poses only seemed to bring on more. It hurt. It hurt so very much. However, after the first few minutes, the two had lost the energy to cry out with each hit, wrenching their eyes and mouth shut in hopes of reaching the end soon.
End it did. Hoping to grab a foot, or arm, or something, Dash had lashed out with an arm. Face unprotected, it was quickly met with a black boot. In a single second that seemed to span an eternity, Rainbow managed to think, ‘Huh, never knew Gilda wore steel-toed boots.’ The next second, searing pain erupted across her face. In the next, blackness.
“Rainbow!” Sunset had tried springing into action, desperate to get to her friend she had just seen drop like a rock. This left her vulnerable too. GIlda swung around, delivering a right hook to Sunset’s temple, sending her sprawling to the floor. Her vision swam as black creeped into her vision. The attacks were still there, but she had stopped feeling them, her body giving rough jerks to signify when each landed.
‘I...I...why...Twilight, you said...you said…’
She felt herself leave the floor, then she was dropped back at a different angle. The side of her head felt warm. A colorful blur lay across from her. Dash? What was happening? It had gotten dark. Did they turn off the lights? Were they alone again?
‘R-Rainbow...’ Not able to take anymore, Sunset’s consciousness faded away, causing her body to go limp.
Gilda smirked victoriously, rubbing her cheek in minor annoyance. One little whip would be easy payment for finally knocking Sunset Shimmer to the ground.
But...why stop here?
“Alright everyone, gather round!” Gilda shouted, breaking them from their cheers, “Here’s what happens next!”