//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Future Card Buddyfight: Seeker of a New Dawn // by Darkened Paradise //------------------------------// Chapter 2 Canterlot High School had seen much better days. That much Rainbow thought. The prismatic jock angrily and solemnly walked down the halls of the school, keeping her head up. It was hard for her to even understand why this was happening. Why did Sunset have to go back to being that manipulative bitch/wench/(insulting term here) demon? Hadn’t they gotten through to her, with all the sleepovers, the parties or just by being pleasant with her? Was she plotting this backstab all along? Rainbow growled at that. Yeah, Shimmer had this all planned out. Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang. She came across Sweetie Belle being accosted by Gilda, the de facto bully Canterlot High (after Sunset). The older girl had the freshmen pinned against a locker and held up by her shirt with one hand. “Want to say that again, you little punk!?” Gilda snarled, her fist ready. “Just ‘cause some crap about me gets posted, you think you’re better than me!?” Rainbow sighed, slinging her bag to the wall as she walked up. Anon-A-Miss had recently posted that morning that Gilda was a girl scout as a  child. The tough girl persona that she had crafted over the years had dissolved faster than a sugarcube in hot tea, and no one took her or her threats seriously anymore. (That is, until they were re-introduced to her fist by a knuckle sandwich). And from the looks of things, it was Sweetie who had said something to incite Gilda’s wrath. Just as Rainbow was about to intervene, a blur shot past her and grabbed Gilda’s raised arm. The dark blue hawk-like helmet made it hard to see who it was, but the prismatic haired girl could make out a dark blue cloth poncho, a fingerless gloved hand that held had grabbed Gilda’s fist, and that was about it. “Picking on the young, now, Gilda?” came a heavily modulated voice. Who the heck was this guy!? -----*-----*----- Sweetie Belle was not having a good day. The young freshman, one of the three ‘masterminds’ behind the Anon-A-Miss blog, had woken up late, (thanks to Scootaloo insisting that they post more and more of the dirt that was being given to them), missed going to school with her sister and had to resort to using public transportation (which was a nightmare  itself) and had that feeling of gnawing guilt constantly plaguing her mind ever since she had seen Sunset run away in tears that day before the Winter Break. To make matters worse, her phone had died on the way to school, so she had no idea what the reactions were to the latest post about Gilda (or watch her favorite cartoon on the way to school). There was only so much someone could take before they were at the brink of snapping. Unfortunately, that's exactly what she did. Cold, wet, tired, stressed and exasperated beyond belief, Sweetie trudged up the school steps, nearly slipping over a few times on the school steps. She could feel herself growling at nearby students who approached her, heck, she even snarled at poor Button Mash who had only wanted to greet her. Then came Gilda Grimmfeather, who had rudely shoved her aside. That was when her mouth went faster than her brain. “Watch if you moron! Unlike you, some people actually need to get to places!” she snapped. It was at that moment she knew she had messed up. Her vision became as blur as someone, presumably Gilda, grabbed her by her neck and slammed her against the lockers, knocking the wind out of her. Looking up, she saw the crazed look in Gilda’s eyes and a fist cocked, most likely aimed for her own face. “Want to say that again, you little punk!?” Gilda snarled, her fist ready. “Just ‘cause some crap gets about me gets posted, you think you’re better than me!?” Sweetie couldn’t say anything, choking in the vice like grip. She struggled, trying to kick the taller girl off, but to no avail. Sparing a glance, she saw other students just staring at her situation, some of them even pulling out their phones and recording it! What was wrong with these people!? She was being assaulted and all they did was watch!? Sweetie just closed her eyes and tensed, bracing for the incoming pain. “Picking on the young, now, Gilda?” asked a modulated voice. Sweetie, still tense, looked up and saw what she guessed was a helmet that looked like a hawk staring at Gilda, while the wearer of said helmet held Gilda’s arm back. “Now, let the girl go and we won't have any problems,” the masked person said. “That is, if you prefer to do it the hard way…” “What’s it to you?” Gilda snarled, letting her go. Sweetie fell to the ground with a light thud, knocking whatever air was left in her lungs. Despite that, she still looked up at her savior, feeling a small blush come to her face. Whoever this was, they had become her knight in shining armor, their rescuer when no one else dared to step up. “I just don’t like seeing people hurting kids, that’s all,” the unknown person said, still holding onto Gilda’s arm. “Now back off and walk away.” “And what if I don’t?” Gilda asked, turning around and yanking her arm back. “Then we’ll have a problem,” the masked figure said, revealing a sleeveless yellow arm from underneath their dark blue poncho. “Then we have a problem!” Gilda yelled, throwing a punch aimed at the person’s gut. -----*-----*----- Gilda was not having a good day. Her reputation as one of Canterlot High’s biggest badasses was in the pits, all because that damned Anon-A-Miss page had somehow figured out that she, Gilda Grimmfeather, had a learning disorder that made it hard for her to even write things down. All the fear, all of her power, everything she worked up was gone in a flash, instead replaced with jeers and insults. (That is, until she reminded people why she was feared) There was that, and the mind splitting headache (most likely due to a hangover) that she was suffering through. As she had trudged through the snow ladened streets of the city, she froze as a hooded figure walked in front of her from around a corner. “Gilda Grimmfeather,” the hooded figure said, looking up slightly to show his dark yellow eyes and masked face. “I have been expecting you.” “What for?” Gilda asked, the cold winter air making it easier for her to keep her bearings. “You want to have a crack at me for that Anon-A-Miss post!?” “No,” the hooded figure said, raising a gloved hand, offering a black box. “I have come to strike a deal.” “A deal? Look, man, if you’re offering the good stuff, I already have a supplier and-” Gilda was cut off when the hooded figure tossed the box to her. It flew at her through the harsh winds, and she just barely stopped it from hitting her in the face. “The hell! You looking to pick a fight, punk!?” “Again, incorrect, Miss Grimmfeather,” the hooded person said. “I am offering you a chance at, as people used to say, ‘getting even’.” “You saying what’s in this little box will help?” Gilda asked, looking a little dubious and confused. When she saw the hooded figure nod, she slowly opened the box, but was confused to see a deck of cards. “Seriously? A freaking kids card game? How the hell’s that supposed to help anyone!” Looking up, the hooded figure was nowhere to be seen. “Tch, what a joke,” Gilda grunted, closing the box. She was about to throw them, but the when the box started glowing, she stopped. Curious, she opened the box up again, only to see a faint purple glow coming from one of the cards. Before she could react, the light came together and formed an misty vapor that began swirling around her and entering through her mouth, nose and ears. She could barely scream before everything faded to black… “And just like that, you’re mine.” ...until she found herself on the school steps. Her headache was more painful than before, but to make matters worse, she started hearing voices. She looked up and saw other students talking, but their lips didn’t match up to what they were saying to each other. It got louder and louder, to the point where she wanted to scream. She felt as if she had come down with a bad case of vertigo, accidentally running into someone as she stumbled along.   ‘Anon-A-Miss posted again? Glad it wasn’t on me.’ ‘HA! I knew Gilda was stupid, but seriously?’ ‘I wonder who Anon-A-Miss will post about next?’ “Watch if you moron! Unlike you, some people actually need to get places!” Gilda heard a young girl snap. Looking down, it was some freshman she didn’t recognize, nor did she appreciate the tone. Her body reacted faster than her mind, grabbing the kid by their throat and slamming them against the closest wall. She cocked back her fist, ready to teach the brat a lesson in manners, when someone grabbed her arm in a vice like grip. “Picking on young freshmen now, Gilda?” asked a modulated voice. Gilda spared a glance to turn around, nearly flinching at the sight of some helmet wearing freak in a blue poncho. “Now let the girl go and we won't have any problems. That is, if you prefer to do it the hard way…” “What’s it to you?” Gilda snarled, dropping the brat. Internally, she was freaking out at the sight of her reflection on the helmet’s surface. Her left eye, normally a shade of pale yellow, was emitting some sort of black and purple haze and was a deep green color. “I just don’t like seeing people hurting kids, that’s all,” the unknown continued, seemingly unaffected by her glowing eye yet still holding onto Gilda’s arm. “Now back off and walk away.” “And what if I don’t?” Gilda asked, turning around and yanking her arm back. ‘What is wrong with me?! Why can’t I stop!?’ Gilda thought. Her own body wasn’t even obeying her! “Then we’ll have a problem,” the helmet wearing person said, not moving. “Then we have a problem!” Gilda heard herself yell. To her horror, her body threw a haymaker aimed at the person’s gut. ‘Wait, what!? Stop it, me!,’ Gilda thought, trying to pull her own arm back. ‘What is going on!? Somebody, anybody! Help me!’ The helmet wearing person sidestepped Gilda’s punch, stepping behind the white haired girl and wrapping both of their arms around her waist. Before anyone could react, the unknown person leaned back, slamming Gilda on the ground behind them. The crowd let out a mix of cheers, groans and cries of disbelief as Gilda slumped over her shoulders, face on the floor. Everyone gaped as the other person pulled themselves up from the floor, their helmet left on the ground. Rainbow felt her breath hitch as her shock turned into anger, seeing who was underneath the helmet. Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened as she realized who her savior was. Gilda laid on the floor, knocked out. All the while, Sunset Shimmer picked up her helmet, her eyes cold as she pulled herself up. Putting her helmet underneath her arm, she walked around Gilda, approaching Sweetie Belle and kneeling down. “Are you alright, Sweetie Belle?” Sunset asked, offering a hand to the young freshman. Still shellshocked, Sweetie Belle took it, noting how calloused the older girl’s fingers felt. She stumbled when brought to her feet, only for the older redhead to stand firm and let her rest against her. Standing next to her, Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but notice that Sunset was significantly taller than she was before the break; before, the top of Sweetie’s head could reach Sunset’s shoulders. Now, her the top of head barely reached Sunset’s elbows! “Do you need help getting to the nurse’s office?” Sunset asked, offering arm to keep Sweetie steady on her feet. The young girl couldn’t do anything but nod, holding onto the older girl’s arm. “As for the rest of you,” Sunset said, glaring at the crowd. “Sure, you can all think I’m still the bad girl posting your petty little secrets online, but if you all believe yourselves so much better than me, where were you when this girl was about to get pummeled!? What, were you all hoping that whoever Anon-A-Miss was (oh wait, you still think it’s me) would have grabbed a picture and made a stupid little quip about a girl getting beaten up!?” No one in the crowd of students said anything. Some even looked ashamed. “Well, it wouldn’t have been the first time you did it!” Rainbow shouted, stepping through the crowd. “Remember Rarity’s attempt at trying to win the Fall Formal back in Sophomore year? Or that time you embarrassed Fluttershy that she could barely come to school for a month!?” “And I’ve told you time, and time again,” Sunset said, turning away from Rainbow Dash. “I’m not that kind of person, not anymore. I thought that countless hours of community work, both in and out of school, would be enough to change that. Apparently, I was wrong.” “What is going on here!?” shouted one Vice-Principal Luna, stepping out after hearing all the sounds of the commotion. She froze at the sight of Sunset Shimmer, who Sweetie Belle was clinging too, with an angry Rainbow Dash looking as she was about to hurt someone, an unconscious Gilda Grimmfeather on the floor, and a crowd of students either trying to get away or watch what was going to happen next. Feeling a migraine coming on, Luna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Is anyone going to explain what happened here?” “Shimmer just piledrived Gilda out of nowhere!” a boy from the crowd shouted. The crowd started buzzing with whispers, and Luna could clearly hear the words ‘Anon-A-Miss’ and ‘finally expelled’ being tossed around. “Yeah, she was just walking by and she attacked like a crazy-!” a girl said, as other students started shouting other things that were along the same vein. “Thats enough!” Luna shouted over the crowd, her expression hardened. Turning to Sunset Shimmer, she continued, “Miss Shimmer, these are serious accusations being levied against you. Do you have anything to say in your defense?” “She didn’t attack Gilda!” Sweetie Belle shouted, stunning the crowd. She stumbled forward, Sunset catching her and keeping her standing upright. “Gilda attacked me, slamming me against a locker when I lost my temper when she bumped into me! She was about to punch me, but Sunset stepped in and stopped her! Sure, it was a tid bit much what she did, but Gilda was about to attack her, so Sunset just defended herself!” Raising an eyebrow, Luna looked at a stunned Sunset. A small smile gracing her features, Luna asked, “Well Miss Shimmer? Do you have anything to say?” Sunset took in a small breath, and nodded. “What Sweetie said was the truth, ma’am.” “I see,” Luna said, nodding slowly. “Well, for this one instance, as it was in self-defense, I believe you can walk away without consequence.” When the other students voiced their disapproval, she continued. “For the rest of you who spoke up with lies and slander in an attempt to get another student expelled, you all get detention for the rest of the week, effective immediately. Now get to class, all of you! And you, Miss Dash, please help Gilda get to the infirmary!” The crowd of students dispersed, except for Rainbow Dash, who took Gilda by her arm and hoisted the taller girl her over shoulders. All the while, she glared at Sunset’s back, who followed behind Vice-Principal Luna. Sweetie Belle, on the other hand, held onto Sunset. The young girl was confused, her thoughts going over the events of what had happened. Part of her was glad that she was saved from Gilda, but another part of her felt guilty. She couldn’t help but feel as if things were going to become more complicated from here on out...