Everyone in the cafeteria watched quietly as Princess Twilight departed right behind the dark skinned woman, the pair appearing to share words as the cafeteria doors closed, before sluggishly returning to eating their lunches and continuing their conversations.
“Hey, Trixie?” Rainbow called out to the slowly retreating girl, the blue skinned magician freezing momentarily before spinning to look back at the Rainbooms. “Can you tell us more about the Sunset and Twilight you saw at the mall?”
“Umm… They looked exactly the same. I-I mean, except for Sunset wearing glasses and having her hair in a ponytail, and Twilight having her hair in a bun…” Trixie paused, before shaking her head. “They looked identical otherwise.”
“Were they talking at all?” Applejack asked next, the rest of the girls nodding their heads. “Did they seem like friends?”
Trixie started off strong, but soon paused and began bouncing her fingers against one another, a sheepish look building on her face. “Well Sunset seemed much nicer than Our Sunset before Princess Twilight came here... A-A-And she even stood up for the two of them as The Shamed and Humbled Trixie… Yeah…”
“Hmmm…” the farmer brought a hand up to her chin, rubbing it in thought before she started her drawl. “Thank you, Trixie. I suppose we should keep eyes out in case we see Our World’s Sunset. Just in case.”
Trixie looked over the five girls as they continued to converse, obviously having forgotten about her. The Old Trixie would have taken it personally, but of late… The girl shook her head and quietly stepped away, walking towards the line to get her own food. She had ended up arriving quite late- thanks entirely to all the vending machines in school being utterly devoid of the single greatest delicacy the world would ever know! How was Trixie supposed to make it through the day without peanut butter crackers!?
She sighed dejectedly as she looked at the selection available to her, before suddenly realizing what it sounded like and quickly glanced back up and apologizing to Granny Smith. “T-T-Trixie deeply apologizes! Trixie did not mean to-”
“I think she knows you weren’t grumbling about the food, Trixie.” came a rather annoyed sounding voice from behind the stuttering girl.
“Lyra! Don’t be rude!” the well cultured voice of the school’s resident cello prodigy responded as Trixie turned to look at the group standing behind her. Octavia turned towards her, an apologetic smile on her face as the sound of skin on skin echoed faintly in the air. “My apologies, Trixie.”
Trixie blinked, paused momentarily, then nodded her head. She was unused to anyone actually apologizing to her for something. Octavia Melody stood there still smiling warmly as Lyra Heartstrings rubbed the back of her head, looking over her shoulder at Bon Bon; the cream skinned girl rubbing the back of her hand. Vinyl Scratch stood beside Octavia, head bobbing to the music blasting out of her earbuds as she held onto a brown paper bag. “No, uh… No offence taken.”
“So what was that big display you were talking about to the Rainbooms over there?” Bon Bon asked cheerily, her mood shifting instantly. “We were still getting in here when we heard the commotion.”
“Oh! Well Trixie found Our World’s Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle.” Trixie started to boast proudly, laying a hand on her chest before pausing and trying to reel in her bravado. “They were at the Mall shopping on the weekend. Turns out they are both students at Crystal Prep, aaaand- get this- Sunset Shimmer just moved here from Great Bridal.”
“Oh my... How did Princess Twilight take that?” Octavia asked after motioning for Trixie to order. The magician hurriedly pointed out a few things to the elderly lady standing on the other side of the counter before turning to respond to the slate hued girl.
“Princess Twilight wanted to know more about them, but, um…” Trixie looked away as a slight blush built on her cheeks before she more softly continued to mutter. “T-Trixie may have not known that it was Our World’s Sunset, and didn’t know Sunset wasn’t Anon-A-Miss…”
“Wow… So you bitched out an innocent girl?” Lyra chuckled darkly, sidestepping away from the angry swipe of Bon Bon’s hand. “Way to go, Trixie.”
“Lyra, would you behave?” Octavia loudly chastised the girl, only for Vinyl to take a step forward and slug the lyrist in the shoulder, a loud hiss escaping the lips of the mint coloured girl as Trixie took a step back, sniffling slightly. “Trixie, I am ever so sorry about my comrade’s attitude.”
“N-No, Trixie deserves it. After all Sunset did to show that she had changed, and Trixie jumped on her like everyone else…”
“Well, I mean… We knew she wasn’t behind it.” Bon Bon said quietly, earning a confused look from Trixie.
“...Huh?”
“The four of us seemed to be the only ones who believed Sunset when she said she wasn’t Anon-A-Miss.” Lyra started up, gritting her teeth slightly as she continued to rub at her arm. “Why would she go back to being an absolute pariah? And why would she try so hard to make the Anon-A-Miss account look like it was her behind it? Remember what the Old Sunset was like?”
Trixie stood there mute as the three girls not holding bagged lunches quickly ordered, Octavia handing Trixie her tray with a friendly smile. “Why don’t you join us for lunch? We have more than enough table space.”
“Yeah, I usually spot you sneaking out of the cafeteria. Do you eat somewhere else?” Bon Bon asked, the four girls standing around Trixie in a quarter circle.
“...” Trixie remained quiet, refusing to confirm the confectioner’s accurate guess. A sudden crinkling drew the blue girl’s attention to Vinyl Scratch, the DJ opening her brown bag and rustling around inside before pulling out a familiar rectangular shape and holding it towards the now wide eyed girl.
“It looks to me like Vinyl wants you to join us.” Octavia giggled as Trixie’s eyes shot between the offered package of peanut butter crackers and the glasses of the girl offering them. Trixie’s hand was nearly invisible as she snatched the divine food out of the pale girl’s hand, the other four girls bursting out in laughter as Trixie suddenly cleared her throat.
“A-Ahem… T-The Great and Benevolent Trixie shall indeed grace your table with her presence.” the pale blue girl said, straightening her hat, before following behind them with an embarrassed blush as they continued to giggle at her actions.
“So you say you saw the two of them at the Mall?” Octavia asked as the five of them sat down at their still empty table.
“Yeah, they were picking up school supplies it looked like.” Trixie looked up from her peanut butter crackers for a moment. “Trixie guesses that Sunset didn’t have anything with her.”
“Does anybody else think it’ strange that this new Sunset showed around the same time as Sunset left?” Lyra’s voice was partially muffled as she tried to speak and eat at the same time.
“Well she had a driver’s license from Great Bridal…” Trixie responded quietly. “Besides, they both looked exactly the same to Trixie, more or less. Like Princess Twilight having her hair in a bun, and Sunset wearing glasses and having a scar over her left eye.”
“This other Sunset also had a scar over her eye?” Octavia asked, somewhat conflicted. “I mean, we all heard about the rock throwing incident, and I assumed that poor Sunset would be left with some minor disfigurement, but that this other Sunset would also have a similar marking…”
“Maybe we should all keep a look out for her?” Bon Bon stated as she looked around the table. “Perhaps we could help steer her away from what Crystal Prep could do to her.”
Vinyl gave a lazy shrug, her usual answer to such comments from the cream skinned girl. Octavia gave a warm smile to go with her nod of agreement, while Lyra groaned audibly and shook her head. The four turned towards Trixie, different emotions on each of their faces as they waited for her response.
“O-Oh, um… Trixie agrees that we should keep an eye out for this new Sunset.” the girl stuttered as she felt an unusual pressure building as the four girls she sat with watched her. “A-Although Trixie is unsure of the best way to reach you should She find her.”
Trixie watched as the four attempted to hold in laughter as Vinyl’s hand shifted down under the table, before pulling back up into sight with a rectangular shape in her hand, the cable plugged into it tracing up to the headphones she was wearing.
“Oh… Right…” Trixie said, her face turning red.
(\/):.:(\/)
Rainbow Dash held her hands up defensively in front of herself as Gilda took an extremely aggressive step forward, snarling silently at the athlete. The girl’s face held many reminders of the savage beating rained upon her when she and her gang had tried to attack Sunset; the girl’s nose was now swayed back and forth down her face, minute scars dotting her face like blades of grass.
“Do you really want me to forgive the bitch that did this to me, Dash!?” the hatred Gilda had for Sunset seemed to be boiling over to Rainbow Dash now as the girl tried to get Gilda to calm down as best she could.
“Look, I know you’re angry with her, but please, Gil, just calm down.” Dash wavered in both stature and voice as the taller, stockier girl growled at her. “Sunset’s gone, and I think we all need to move past what happened before the holidays.”
“Easy for you to say! You didn’t spend them in a coma at the fucking hospital!” Gilda’s arms flew up into the air. “You probably spent it warm and cozy with the rest of your little friends!”
“...We spent it together… Thinking about how we ruined everything for Sunset…” Rainbow Dash’s fist clenched as a tear ran down her cheek. Anger was what caused all of this, and she didn’t want to see any more of it. “And when we…”
Gilda took another step forward as Rainbow’s voice died off, the girl realizing she was about to say the wrong thing to the wrong person. “When we “what”, Dash?”
“When we heard about Sunset’s apartment collapsing, we-”
“Ha!” a singular bark of amusement, devoid of any modicum of positivity escaped the scarred lips of Gilda. “At least she got something karmic!”
“She’s not Anon-A-Miss, Gilda! She never was!” Dash felt a small stream of tears start to run down her face. “Why won’t you let that go!? What good is there with all this anger!? It’s what led you to ending up in the hospital!”
A surprised shriek of uncharacteristically high pitched fear erupted from Rainbow as Gilda slammed an arm against the row of lockers, the wall of metal faces shaking violently under the firm arm of the girl now staring down Rainbow Dash, molten venom pouring from her eyes. “Listen well, ‘cause I’m only gonna tell ya this once. Sunset. Is. Dead.”
Rainbow quaked visibly as she watched Gilda stomp off, concern for the future washing away the fear her seemingly former friend had caused her. Rainbow knew not to undervalue Gilda’s promise, the girl would definitely try to go after Sunset again if he found her, and Rainbow knew that if the two met again, one of them was going to end up in a much worse state than in the hospital…
Composing herself, Rainbow set off down the other end of the hallway, her mind deep in thought, wondering what could be done to try and avert this situation.
(\/):..:(\/)
Celestia gave a heavy sigh as she dropped her head into her hands, exhausted from the amount of paperwork that she had been doing since the Christmas break. Gilda’s parents may have dropped any accusations once the footage of her and her gang attacking Sunset was shown, but the school board was unhappy that Celestia had allowed it to happen in the first place. They asked her why she hadn’t stepped in sooner, which considering that everything only came to a head in a single day, would have been very hard. Students squabble all the time, how was she to know this would be any different? Especially given how friendly the student body had gotten after the Battle of the Bands.
“One of the many benefits of being Vice Principal.” Celestia heard her sister chuckle as Luna approached the large desk her sister slouched upon, hopping up to sit on it beside the school’s Principal. “You know we could always ask Chryssi to get rid of them. I’m sure she’d loooove to get her hands dirty.”
The older sister couldn’t help but crack a smirk at Luna’s comment, a single convulsion running through her as she silenced any laughter. “You always were the more direct of us.” she replied as she sat back up straight, rubbing her face with her hands. “Sadly, I don’t agree with your choice. We have to play this by their rules.”
“...Hard to think that it’d be us running this school when younger sisters caused problems, huh?” Luna muttered softly as she looked out the window, Celestia giving a soft smile as she grabbed one of her sister’s hands.
“You were quite the rabble rouser back then alright.” a shared giggle filled the room before Celestia continued. “Old Principal Starswirl was ready to throw you to the wolves after you set off a pallet of firecrackers in his office in revenge for- and I quote- Destroying the hopes and dreams of the student body.”
“The fact that you even need to contemplate the removal of moon pies from the cafeteria menu almost makes me wonder if you really are my sister…” Luna narrowed her eyes dangerously as she looked at her sister, before switching to a proud smirk. “Starswirl got what he deserved- and if it wasn’t for me we’d probably be sitting in that crusty old place he used to call his office!”
The pair shared a silent moment, remembering their past as students in these very halls. “I still can’t believe it was those three behind all of this…”
“Indeed…” Luna nodded her head in response to her sister’s comment. “Though the fact that Scootaloo held such a dark streak…”
“I’m not sure if she’s lucky or unlucky that the only high school in town is Crystal Prep.” Celestia shrugged as she spun back to her paperwork. “The school board want her out of this school, but she has no chance of getting into Crystal Prep.”
“And she turned her back on her only friends in desperation.” Luna sighed as she covered her face with her palm. “What was she even thinking?”
“Well it’s up to her to deal with it now.” Celestia grumbled as she reached for her pen once more. “Just like I have to deal with all this paperwork.”
“That’s the hint to leave, then.” Luna grinned mischievously. “Fare thee well, Sister dearest.”
(\/):...:(\/)
“So the plan to start clearing Sunset’s name at lunch was a bust…” Pinkie Pie muttered as set down her drink, classes had ended a few hours ago now. “To think that Princess Twilight even showed up to yell at everyone…”
Rarity gave a tired sigh before taking another sip of her tea. “Indeed. Although having Princess Twilight be the one to say it will help us.”
“Even if we do get everyone to agree that Sunset was innocent, how do we tell her that?” Fluttershy mumbled from the pile her hair made on the table, her head completely hidden. “She doesn’t want to see us, and I don’t think we should try pushing it again.”
“The best that I can think to do is just get everyone at school to apologize to Sunset in a single video and sending it to her.” Applejack stated, sitting down with a fresh cup of tea. “But not all at once, show each person in turn apologizing to Sunset for what happened.”
“...Am I the only one who thinks that she won’t accept it?” Pinkie Pie said softly, breaking the silence that had washed over them. A mute choir of agreements met her in response as no one moved in their seats.
“Why would she? We never gave her a proper second chance.” Rarity sniffed, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a silken handkerchief to pad at the tears threatening to rain from her eyes. “Why should she give us one?”
“And what about our world’s Sunset Shimmer? What are we gonna do about her?” Applejack asked. “If she’s gonna be a student at Crystal Prep… Well I don’t want to even think of what could happen to her…”
Nods reflected back at the farmer as she took a sip from her drink, Pinkie Pie shifting around and sitting up straight before speaking. “I wonder… No, that wouldn’t end well…”
“What wouldn’t end well, Pinkie?” Fluttershy finally sat up, her eyes puffy and red as she looked at her best friend.
“Should we even show the… You-Know-Whos-Behind-Anon-A-Miss to her?”
“To think she was right all along…” Rarity rested her hands on her legs, head tilted down. “She really is a smart one…”
“I think we should, in their own video.” Applejack said after a moment. “They need to apologize.”
“I know Sweetie Belle would agree. But what about your sister?” the fashionista looked towards Applejack, the farmer nodding. “Although I doubt Scootaloo has a single repentant bone in her body after what she did.”
“What, throwing a friend under the bus?” Rarity’s mounting anger quickly vanished at Pinkie Pie’s comment. “It’s what we did, after all…”
“Has anyone heard back from Dash yet?” Applejack asked, pulling her phone out of her pocket to try and break the sullen silence coming from the group again.
“No, which is quite odd.” Rarity added, pursing her lips. “I do hope she isn’t doing something potentially dangerous again…”
(\/):....:(\/)
Rainbow paced back and forth. This was a stupid idea- potentially really dangerous given what happened in the past when she was here, but given that there was a potential threat to Sunset, she had to warn her! Be damned with the consequences! She took a deep breath, before raising her hand up to knock at the door.
“Took you long enough.” came the snide sneer as the door opened, the devilish smirk of Adagio Dazzle looking down her nose at the athlete as she demanded “What are you doing here?”
“I-Is Sunset here? I-It’s kinda important for her to know about-” Rainbow started to stutter, only to be shut down by Adagio’s firm tone.
“Even if she were, I wouldn’t allow you to talk to her. Now what… Do you want?”
“U-Um… Well there was a threat, see…” Rainbow started after quelling her shaking legs. “A student at the school has sorta threatened to kill Sunset, and-”
“Oh really?” a bemused smile spread across Adagio’s lips as she chuckled. “And who would dare try to threaten Sunset Shimmer of all people?”
“...G-Gilda…” the smiling facade of Adagio slowly collapsed at the rainbow maned girl’s revelation.
“She’s part of one of the local gangs, correct?” Adagio asked. Rainbow nodded. “...You are correct to bring this to my attention. I shall have someone find out more about her. In the meantime, I suggest you leave- unless you want Aria to use you as a punching bag.”
Rainbow stayed put, closing her fists as she looked down at the ground, causing Adagio to tilt her head in confusion. “What are you still doing here?” she demanded, pointing away from from her home. “Leave.”
“You said Sunset wasn’t here?” Rainbow asked, looking up with reserved hope. “Where is she? Did she leave with the Princess?”
Adagio’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t say that she was or was not here.”
“You said-” Rainbow attempted her best Adagio impression- “Even is she were-”
The door slammed shut in Rainbow’s face, leaving her alone in the cold night. Her thoughts raced as she tried to think of what Adagio may have accidentally let slip. Her hand fiddled with her pocket as she rushed to the nearest bus stop, rushing to tell her friends about what she had learned.
Across the street, a pair of eyes narrowed behind tinted glass.