//------------------------------//
// Lunch Time and a Great and Powerful Offer 
// Story: Sunset Shimmer The Pony of Earth 
// by luckyboys121 
//------------------------------//

Sunset walked into the school and went through the day as per usual. Thankfully the weirdness she saw with the CMC and that Yato guy, who she guessed was probably just some friend of theirs playing along with their anime games, helped take the vast majority of her mind off Aria and Sonata. Unfortunately though she could tell that the worries of what she was going to say to her friends and what they would do after school still weighed on the back of her mind and caused her to feel like she was acting somewhat off. As she entered the cafeteria and got her food she was hoping that she was just overthinking things before sitting down with her friends.

As she sat down she heard that they were already in the middle of a conversation as Rainbow Dash said, "No what I think will happen is that Mane-iac is only working with them so she can get her hands on Pharaoh Phetlock's Eye of Ra and use it to regain her full power."

Pinkie Pie seemed to take offense to this as she said, "WHAT! No way that'll happen. She's been on the Power Ponies side ever since she lost her power at the end of season one because it was her powers that drove her mad in the first place."

"Yeah but ever since they had to restore part of her power in the mid-season two finale, even though she claims it's not enough to overwhelm her, she has been acting off and sometimes letting her old evil cackle and stuff slip out again," retorted Rainbow Dash.

"Yes her powers do threaten to retake her every now and again but ever since she almost lost it in the season two finale and Masked Matterhorn revealed to her that she was her daughter she's been getting better and learning to control it more," said Pinkie Pie.

Fluttershy than meekly raised her hand and said, "Um girls, can't we please just watch the show and not argue about fan theories."

At this both Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash looked at her and said, "NO!"

Sunset slightly chuckled at seeing her friends bicker like this, which alerted everyone to her presence.

Rainbow Dash turned to her and said, "Oh hey Sunset how's it going? Sorry we didn't notice you earlier me and Pinks were just arguing over what's going to happen in the Power Ponies the Animated Series season three finale in two weeks."

Sunset smiled at this as she said, "I'm alright, just another day at school you know, and it's cool I know how heated you two can get after each new episode."

Applejack then spoke up saying, "Honestly I don't know why you two bicker about it so much, I mean yeah it's a good show but that don't mean yall gotta spend all day talking about it."

Pinkie and Rainbow both looked at Applejack as they defensively said, "YES IT DOES!"

Twilight then looked at them as she said, "Well I still don't like it that much, I mean they changed so much from the comic books because at this point-"

She was then interrupted by Rainbow placing her hand in front of her mouth and saying, "Woh woh. We agreed no spoilers from the comics ever since you let it slip that Mistress Mare-velous and Hum-Drum end up dating because it apparently happened later in the series than it did in the comics." 

Twilight rolled her eyes at this and said, "Fine, but I still say you're missing out by not reading the comics, I mean the execution and build up is so much better."

Rarity finally spoke and with a simple grin said, "Well if you ask me darlings the best thing about this season is Mane-iac's new outfit," the others than looked at her confused but she seemed unfettered as she got more excited and continued saying, "I mean the way it conveys both subtlety and boldness at he same time, swapping out the gold bands along her limbs for simple gold trim on her black boots and gloves both conveying that she is more humble and symbolizing the mental chains she is imposing on herself to keep her tethered to reality and the main body switching from that awful plum purple to a soothing fuchsia implying how she's changed her wicked ways yet also being similar enough on the color wheel to imply that she is not completely out of the woods and does have the potential to fall to wickedness once again. Why I have been working on a replica of that outfit ever since it debuted in the season three premiere and I can't wait tell the Halloween Bash next week so I can finally show it off in it's finished glory," she then turned to Sunset as she said, "Speaking of which, Sunset you said you were going to tell me what you wanted to be this year so I can make you a costume, since well you can't exactly get a costume fit for ponies at the store."

Sunset then nervously looked at Rarity as she, "Oh, sorry Rarity I kind of forgot about it and I'm going to need a little more time to think on it."

Rarity blinked in surprise before saying, "Well I guess that's fine dear, but please do let me know within two days of the bash so I can have time to measure out my fabric for your shall we say "unique" body type."

Everyone seemed slightly concerned about this, and rightly so as one of the things Sunset had mentioned before they left her apartment on Sunday was that she was excited to be a pony on Halloween as it will be just like when she was a filly on Nightmare Night. She smiled nervously and levitated her hamburger to her muzzle hoping they wouldn't ask what distracted her. However upon taking a bite of it all thoughts disappeared as a look of disgust over took her face. Her friends then looked at her concerned as Twilight said, "Hey are you OK?" before Sunset spit it out back onto her plate.

She then looked agitated as she spit once more and said, "What the hay! Did they change the recipe or something."

Rainbow Dash then took a bite of her own burger before saying, "Tastes fine to me, maybe you just got a bad one or something,"

"I guess so," said Sunset.

"Well I'm sure if you go up to Granny Smith and explain that she'll give a new one," said Applejack.

"Yeah... you're right," said Sunset as she got up from the table and walked up to Granny Smith saying, "Hi Granny Smith, I hate to complain but my burger tasted kind of off and I was wondering if I could get a new one."

Granny Smith then looked down at her and said, "Why of course you can dearie," before handing Sunset a new burger as she said, "I'm sorry about that, my eyes aren't as good as they used to be and I think I might a accidentally put sugar instead of salt on a few of them."

Sunset then looked at her reassuringly as she said, "Oh, don't worry about it we all make mistakes. Thank you for the new burger though."

She then turned around and prepared to head back her friends as she took a bite, but unfortunately the horrendous taste once again greeted her and, not wanting to spit it up on the floor, she ran over to the nearest trash can. When she reached it though she realized that at present she was to short to reach to the top of it so, not currently possessing the focus necessary to levitate herself, she decided to turn back into a human. The transformation happened with it's usual flash of light and she then placed her newly acquired hands on the sides of the can ready to spit into it but to her surprise the burger now tasted just as good as it usually did. She chewed and swallowed it trying to figure out what just happened before the realization finally struck and she said, "Welp, I guess that's the difference between herbivore and omnivore taste buds."

As she turned to walk back to her friends another friend whom she wasn't expecting jumped in front of her saying, "That is just the trick that I, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE, need for my new show."

Sunset then looked at her and smiled confused saying, "Oh, Hey Trix. What trick are you referring to exactly?"

"Why what you just did their of course, turning from your pony form, by the way heard about all that and it's great that you've found a way to live that makes you more happy and yatta yatta you've probably heard this a bunch of times already, back to your human in an instant like that," said Trixie.

"Oh that. Well firstly thank you for kind words, how ever brief they may have been, but secondly I'm not sure if I want to use this for some stage show," said Sunset.

Trixie then gave Sunset puppy dog eyes as she, "But Suunnnssseeet. Remember after the whole memory stone thing when we were talking you said you would want to help me out with a few tricks if you could."

"Well, yes I-" said Sunset before Trixie interrupted her.

"And you know I wouldn't normally ask you to use your real magic for the show, both because I respect you and because any magician worth their salt wouldn't need that kind of edge, but this is important. I just got a gig at this new Vegas style cafe this Saturday and they said that if I do good it can be a regular thing. Just think of all the praise and adjuration I will get, not to mention the money," said Trixie.

"Well Trixie," started Sunset before she suddenly remembered Aria and Sonata's debt to Doughnut Joe and how happy it would make them if they could suddenly eat there again before saying, "Money?"

"Well yes, this performance alone promises to pay five hundred dollars and if it becomes a regular thing I'll be getting that twice a month, not including the extra money I get from doing other gigs on the side," said Trixie smugly.

Sunset then smiled at this before saying, "OK I think I can do it but I'm going to need to get a cut of the money."

Trixie then looked at her and with a sarcastic tone said, "Wow. What a generous friend you are."

Sunset then took on a defensive stance as she said, "Oh no no no. It's not like that, I just have some debts I need to pay."

At this Trixie then looked at her and said, "Wait Sunset, are you.... shopaholic."

"Oh no Trixie I just," said Sunset.

Trixie then took on quite the dramatic pose as she said, "No Sunset, their is no need to lie to me. For even the Great and Powerful Trixie knows what it's like to fall to the temptation of credit cards."

"Um Trixie I," began Sunset.

But Trixie continued on saying, "Sure it starts off small, some cute boots or a nice jacket but the next thing you know you're wearing a magicians hat and cape made of the finest silk and sitting in your new magicians wagon made out of pure mahogany."

"Trixie," said Sunset once again trying to stop her.

But it did not work as she continued saying, "And not just any mahogany but mahogany from the long lost country of Malchior where the trees are three hundred feet tall and breath fire. From these trees my wagon was forged many years ago using ancient magic rituals of the Malchior people. This not only makes the wagon incredibly durable but gives it supernatural powers to increase my show's performance. Also it's just a very fine and expensive material." 

"Trix I," tried Sunset again.

But once again it was to no avail as Trixie said, "And then you're forced to call your mom for a loan, and of course she gives it to you because she's always supported you in your endeavor to be star but you still feel bad anyway because she's already done so much and-"

Sunset was finally fed up with this as she yelled, "TRIXIE," which finally got her attention as Sunset calmed down and continued saying, "Firstly I think who ever sold you your wagon ripped you off because that doesn't make any sense, secondly it's not for me it's for a friend who needs a little help and I prefer not to go into detail about it right now."

Trixie then blushed and with a nervous smile said, "Oh," she then recomposed herself before saying, "Well if that's the case than I think I can give you roughly twenty percent from each show you help me with, I would give you fifty percent but as you can tell... I'm not exactly debt free myself." 

Sunset smiled at this as she said, "Twenty percent is plenty, between that and what I can put away from my job at the Sushi Hut I should be able to pay them off in no time. So sure Trixie I'll help you with this show, and a few more later on."

To Sunset's surprise Trixie suddenly burst forward and hugged her saying, "Oh my gosh Sunset, thank you so much! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!"

Sunset let out a stifled, "Your welcome," as her lungs were being compressed by the ever tighter hug.

Then just as suddenly Trixie let her go before saying, "Now then I have to take my leave in order to figure out how to make this trick to as Great and Powerful as the rest of my act. Farewell Sunset Shimmer my Great and Powerful assistant and friend." Then she threw one of her smoke bombs on the ground and disappeared, though Sunset could see her slip out the door to the cafeteria."

After that Sunset rejoined her friends at the table and explained to them why she was in human form. Thankfully they had gotten used to her hanging out with Trixie so they didn't ask questions about it and she was able to finish her lunch in peace before turning back into pony form and heading off to her next class.