The Shadowbolts Adventures

by DragonShadow


Cracks in the Crystal Sunset Part 04

Screw this school. Screw it right in its ear. Sunset Shimmer was rarely in such a bad mood since she'd started here, but now as she swam upstream through the throng of leaving students, she just wanted to bash in the skull of each and every student she passed. Her spindly little arms would never let her do it, even if she found an opportunity, but at least she could glare death at them until their snickers and stares fell away from her.

She emerged from the crowd further up the hallway near Dean Cadence's office when she nearly ran right into one girl who was standing with her arms folded and a frown on her face. Sunset had just met her recently, but the girl had started hanging around her like a gnat every so often since then. Sunset was annoyed at first, but over time she grew to appreciate the mute girl's presence in her life.

"What is it, Sonata?" Sunset Shimmer demanded. "I have detention, I can't play with you today."

Sonata lifted one hand and began flapping her fingers, flapping her tongue in time with her hand and gesturing to the ceiling with the other. "What, you're mad about what happened on Friday? Come on, it was a prank! Everybody pulls pranks!" Sunset Shimmer protested.

Sonata put her hands over her chest, then mimed breaking something as her eyes went wide and pained. "You're being melodramatic." Sunset rolled her eyes. "Sugarcoat's heart isn't broken, it bruised her pride at worst."

Sonata jammed a finger into Sunset's chest with her lips pressed into a thin line. Sunset Shimmer just huffed in irritation. "Look, I hate charades as much as the next girl, but I'm going to get in bigger trouble if I don't get to detention!" Sunset grabbed the girl's arms and pushed her more roughly to the side than she'd intended. Sonata stumbled back against the lockers with a loud clang, which reverberated loudly up and down the otherwise empty hallways.

"Sunset Shimmer!" Sunset Shimmer wasn't sure when, but Dean Cadence's office door had opened, and the dean herself was standing in the doorway glaring sharply at her.

"I-I didn't mean to!" Sunset Shimmer gestured hurriedly at Sonata. "It was an accident! She was in my way and I just-"

"Sonata Dusk." Dean Cadence gave the mute girl a small smile. "You can go now, I'll see you tomorrow."

Sonata looked back and forth between the two of them, rubbing at her shoulder with a stunned look on her face before she whirled to race away from them as fast as she could.

Sunset stared after her for a moment, then slowly turned to meet Cadence's eyes once again. The dean stepped aside and gestured into her office. "Please come in." Sunset remained silent as she entered, and the door was closed behind her. "Sit." Cadence put her hands on the back of the chair in front of the desk, where Sunset Shimmer sat with her hands folded in her lap. Cadence moved back to her desk and sat down, leaning forward against the wood with her elbows. "Now, are you sure you have nothing to tell me?"

"Nope." Sunset Shimmer shook her head. "Nothing."

"You seem frustrated."

"It's school, everybody gets frustrated."

"True enough, to an extent." Cadence leaned back with a sigh, rubbing her belly with both hands as she peered curiously at Sunset Shimmer. "It's going to be a long two hours, you know."

"You can end it at any time."

"Hah! I guess I can." Cadence giggled disarmingly. Sunset just scowled. She wasn't sure if she was being mocked or manipulated here, but she didn't like it either way. "Your file is surprisingly sparse, as to your history. It doesn't even have a current parent or guardian listed."

"Isn't that interesting?"

"It's troubling."

"I'm eighteen, I can take care of myself while I finish high school."

"If you need help we can provide it for you."

"I said I'm fine."

"Yes, you did." Cadence's demeanor remained casual and light, no matter how intense their conversation got. Sunset had to admit, it made her loosen up a little herself. There was something distinctly unthreatening about the girl. As if no matter what she said she wasn't being judgmental or accusatory. "But these outbursts of yours say otherwise... I'm not angry at you Sunset Shimmer, I'm worried about you."

"No shit." Sunset smirked.

Cadence's attitude remained light. "If you don't want to talk I brought a book I can read."

"Do I get one too?"

"No."

"Hmph, there's the evil in you."

"If you say so." Cadence reached under her desk and pulled out a copy of Ender's Game, which she flipped open with one hand to a previously placed bookmark. "I'll see you in two hours, Sunset Shimmer."

"Whatever..." Sunset Shimmer just scowled and leaned back. She could deal with a little boredom... she wouldn't be broken by it. Not even two months of it...

Shit, this sucked...