When Sunset next awoke, she was greeted by the sight of her half destroyed ‘room’, if one could call it such. The resulting chaos from her temper tantrum the night before was still scattered across the floor. She was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, and the rumples, wrinkles and overall smell was making Sunset regret her decision to not find some other ensemble to wear to bed. The whole situation was making the former unicorn feel even worse than she had been these past few weeks.
Sunset’s head remained on her pillow as she took in all of the stimuli around her, teal eyes partially glazed and slowly scanning the mess. She could feel the tangled nest that was her hair around the sides of her face. She debated getting up and even facing another day of torture at that hell of a school, and nearly caved to the partial comfort her bed was offering her.
Was it all worth getting ready if she was only going to be harrassed repeatedly for something she didn’t even do? Why would she want to face that? It’s not like anyone would believe her if she said otherwise. Not those who were supposed to be her friends, not the rest of the students certainly. Maybe the teachers would - or at least some - but their sway over the school was flimsy in comparison to the choke hold of a grip that Anon-A-Miss had over everyone there.
This continuous spiral of self doubt and negativity continued for a while until Sunset remembered something. The reason why this day was supposed to be so important. While not enough to remove the metaphorical cloud above her, Sunset was able to put things into perspective just enough to give a run down of how her day should go more or less. She wouldn’t be there for long - certainly not the whole day - if everything she needed was finished like she wanted.
While this thought enough to get Sunset to sit up, it took much more will power for her to leave the bed and actually make an effort in her appearance. As far as Sunset was concerned, she felt awful and was in no desire to cover that up. But to put on the airs that what she was enduring had no effect - and wouldn’t after today - she combed through her hair, found another pair of clothes that somehow remained undisturbed by her rage the night before, and used her light collection of makeup to cover the signs of fatigue under her eyes. That fact that it was so practiced after all this time should have been concerning, but Sunset continued looking at her reflection take the unconcerned expression she had been wearing like a second skin for weeks. No one would know how low she felt, how much this ordeal was actually getting to her. No one cared, so she wouldn’t give them reason to.
A glance at the clock told Sunset that she was nearly fifteen minutes late for classes. By now, everyone would be in homeroom, leaving the halls free. It took another ten minutes or so for Sunset to walk towards Canterlot High anyway, so she was in no rush. The only thing the orange teen grabbed upon leaving was her journal. She needed no keys where she was living - as if anyone would think to check if another person inhabited this decrepit shack. Her phone was useless to her now as well. She had no one to call or expect messages from save for principal Celestia since her friends abandoned her, so she spared it not a second glance.
Exiting the building, Sunset was assaulted by the cold winds of the winter months. Humans not being in control of the weather was still somewhat strange to her, but she ignored it for now, focused on getting to the school before classes let out. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to deal with any more drama while she went to get this taken care of.
Celestia sunk her head in her hands as she thought of the trouble her school was enduring. All because of this assumed character that had dubbed itself Anon-A-Miss. Because of this person -whoever they may be- fights had broken out over the school, trust and friendships had been broken, and if not the worst part, caused one student in particular to regress in a downward spiral of depression. The principle sighed.
Sunset Shimmer was probably the most loved and hated person among the student body. When she had entered the CHS as a freshman, she was the model student. Smart, athletic, and kind to everyone, Sunset seemed almost impossible. When she had discovered the truth during the Formal of her underhanded ways, it brought Celestia a new perspective of the girl. While most seemed to agree that she was nothing more than a demon and should be done away with as such, Celestia disagreed. She merely saw a troubled youth, a long way from home; Twilight had told her all of the world beyond the portal and its functionality every two and a half years.
While there were some rough patches with getting Sunset to come to her after the incident at first, to the principal's surprise she had come of her own accord just a month later and all but poured her heart out to the older woman. Sunset told Celestia of her princess counterpart, their relationship as teacher and student (though Celestia felt a closer bond that Sunset was trying to avoid bringing up), and their inevitable fall out that led to Sunset’s escape across the mirror. It was another side to Sunset that the principle had discovered. One that had a passion for learning, was eager for positive attention, and was willing for a positive change in her life. The following months consisted of almost daily sessions where the teen would share her progress, her fear and insecurities over her new found friends and status in the school. Celestia had helped Sunset with her issues with her temper, given the other girl guidance that she felt would help with her transition among the school, and felt closer than a student/instructor relationship was appropriate.
Celestia had been thinking on the issue for a while of asking Sunset to live with her and Luna, knowing that the girl had no family here or on the other side of the portal. She would have presented Sunset with the papers that currently lay over her desk for her opinion. If good, the adoption papers would have been signed and they would have hopefully lived as a family officially. Despite Luna’s hard exterior, she knew the other woman was as excited for the development as Celestia herself. Or was before this whole debacle with Anon-A-Miss. Once it started, the idea of adopting Sunset had taken a back seat to finding who was responsible.
The first two posts had been harmless enough, but once there had been more posted that resulted in escalated anger and violence, things exploded in their faces. Sunset’s visits these recent weeks had shown Celestia her relapse into the insecure and angry teen she had seen after the Formal.
It came to a head at the beginning of last week. Sunset had come in, to Celestia’s surprise with a black eye, bleeding lip, and scuffed clothes. Some students had taken things further and directly assaulted the girl on her way between classes. Sunset though just seemed as empty as she had been like the days before, almost unaware of her current injuries. She seemed so done when the two talked of her solution to the events happening then. But if Celestia was being honest, as much as the subject of their conversation was painful, it seemed the best way to make sure that Sunset was safe and could continue with a life not stained with the mistakes of her past and the ill will of others. She promptly made sure that the students responsible were punished duly for their actions.
And so here principal Celestia sat on the Monday following that decision as she waited for Sunset to arrive. Worryingly enough, it was 30 minutes post the time school officially began. Sunset should be here by now. Just as this thought passed, the intercom on the instructor’s desk crackled on.
“Sunset Shimmer is here to see you miss,” Raven’s voice sounded.
Celestia snapped to attention, “Thank you, Raven. Please send her in right away.”
Sunset entered her office not a minute later, obviously exhausted as Celestia had seen her recently, but her eyes shining with a hardened quality that the instructor had not seen from the girl in a quite a while.
“Sunset, it’s good to see you this morning, however behind this meeting may be,” Celestia began as she glanced at the wall clock. “I would ask how you were if the question was not so redundant.”
The amber teen shuffled in place. “Yeah. I guess we both no the answer to that, huh?” She glanced away.
The older woman sighed. “I won’t beat around the bush Sunset. While I wish that this didn’t have to be used for your situation, it seems only the best solution.” Celestia pulled an enclosed letter from the piles of folders and presented it to Sunset’s outstretched hand. “I had hoped that by now I we could have fixed this Anon-A-Miss problem before it came to this, but a transfer away from CHS while this is all happening would benefit you.”
Sunset opened the letter slowly as the principle talked, showing the styled cursive lettering on the top of the page:
Crystal Prep Transfer Request: APPROVED
There seemed to be a sudden weight - not much but still felt - that lifted itself from Sunset’s shoulders. Never had such words given the teen this much relief. “Thank you for this, principal Celestia.”
Initially, when Sunset had come to the office with her proposal for a transfer, principal Celestia’s shock had made the younger girl fear that her idea would be rejected. While the woman never once believed Sunset to be guilty of the crimes everyone accused, there was that seed of fear ingrained from her unresolved past with her mentor. Maybe she’d rather have Sunset suffer in the hell hole this school had become for tearing her school apart three years before. Sure it was completely irrational, but seemed a likely possibility to Sunset’s already taxed emotions.
“I had to make a few calls. After all, a mid semester transfer isn’t all that common, especially for juniors. My niece works as Dean for the school, so getting her to expedite the process wasn’t as difficult.” Celestia hesitated for a bit before continuing, “Just know that even though you will no longer be a student here, you are always welcome to come to either me or my sister for anything. Once a Wondercolt, always a Wondercolt.” She offered Sunset a smile that was returned full force.
“Of course. I can’t say I’d been able to be who I am now without your guiding me since the Formal. Ghosting you after helping me with something this big wouldn’t be cool.” Sunset shrugged, but her grip tightened on the letter in her hand that was cradled at her chest. “Again, thank you so much.”
Deciding that it would be better to leave now before classes were finished, Sunset made her way to the door. She stopped before gripping the handle and turned back slightly, her face obscured by her red and yellow locks. “And um.... you know…. before all this happened, if you and vice principal Luna had asked me…. I would have said yes.” With that, she rushed from the office, only just managing to catch the older woman’s slack jawed expression.