//------------------------------//
// 18 ~ ... it Pours 
// Story: Well ... Je Ne Sais Pas ;~; 
// by Alwaysthatoneguy 
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"What?"

Sunset was interrupted from playing with her new boots at 3:32 that afternoon by a call from a worried Rainbow. "You didn't show up to school today. I figured you were just ditching, but we wanted to be sure nothing ... happened to you?"

Oh, duh. I honestly should've said something a long time ago. Well, whatever. Staring down to well-protected feet which pressed into the mulch of an empty playground not far from her home, Sunset answered, "Sorry, I got ... distracted and didn't say anything, but nothing 'happened'. I'll be there tomorrow, though, and we can figure things out a little more."

Dash gave a low, "Mm," in response before the call dropped. After sighing, Sunset looked up to a five-and-a-half-meter-tall, wood wall she had been running to, throwing a foot on, and scaling for the passed four hours.

Might as well keep it up 'til sunset since I have some real tract- Sunset thought, in preparation to continue enjoying her new gift, but turned away and began leaving as a single rain drop from an overcast sky fell on her hand. Nope. Never mind, it's time to go home.

Deciding this resulted in her arriving well before another downpour took place. Of course, she found her legs feeling somewhat sore after practicing the same maneuver one or two hundred times, but there wasn't anything wrong to her about indulging the ever-liberating sensation of moving up a tall vertical surface as though it was a mere extension of the ground.

Removing her new favorite possessions replaced her reflections with slight shock, for either boot had some scuff or particulate sticking to it around the base. We can't have that. Sunset gasped inside and cleaned any smear with Octavia's handkerchief, since she still had it, while smiling like a child on their birthday.

When she was done and the boots were polished to a shine, she placed them on her desk by Octavia's thermos to admire them from a variety of angles.

Thoughts about her prior conversation with Shimmer came as a result but she approached it from a much calmer headspace than before; she retrieved her phone whilst taking a deep breath, opened a menu of recent calls, and resolved, Just call and explain what you wanted to say, as she hovered a finger over the button which she soon realized would be foolish to press.

Ugh! Who are you kidding, Sunset? You're just gonna space out and probably hang up out of sheer embarrassment! With this theory came a better plan. A text! Duh, you idiot! Send a text!

Alas, composing the beginning of an explanatory statement brought her to an impasse in which she failed to figure out how to phrase answers to any questions Shimmer might want to know. "Dammit!" she cursed in frustration. "Why is this so hard?"

Hence lacking the previous calmness, she fell face first onto her mattress, groaned for a moment, hammered a fist into the sheets, and lifted her head to smash it back where she rested several times before a solution hit back. "Wait a minute, that's it!" New vigor redirected her attention to her device to tap at it for a few seconds and produce something she was positive Shimmer could accept.

'Look, I'm really sorry about earlier; I want to talk to you about this, I swear I do, but it's just so hard. Can we meet at SCC and just try taking things slow? Later in the week when you're next free, I mean.'

Sunset looked over the message only once before deciding it would drive her to wits' end to consider it much longer and sent it in hopes that saying what she said would allay any stress she was experiencing over the incident. Of course, she ended up wrong and still found herself looking over the message over and over -- asking ludicrous questions like, 'Did I come off too upset about it?' 'Was I not upset enough?' 'Should I have started with something less blunt like thanking her for the boots?' or 'Is that a dumb way of saying that? Is she gonna realize how dumb I am after reading that?'

Pacing ensued during this internal interrogation yet Sunset tried to let it go when she reached the fourth query and threw her phone on the bed with a huff. You're being stupid, Sunset, she's not gonna- she doesn't think you're dumb. You just need to ignore it and-

All stress she had was allayed upon her phone's vibrating, her speedy snatching thereof, and her reading a message she'd hoped to receive from the exact person she'd hoped to receive it from.

'There's no need to apologize. I understand. Does Wednesday work for you?'

Shimmer's words plastered a relaxed smile across Sunset's face which only grew as she looked to her boots, sent a quick affirmative response, and flopped onto her bed to toss and turn in glee for a few minutes. Looking back at the swift conversation and reaching a realization increased that glee.

"Hey! That- That's the truth! No it's not, you idiot, that's you dancing around what you actually wanted to say, and what Shimmer wanted to know, by saying something true which was easier for you. Wait, is that progress?"

There was no immediate answer to her question but she chose to believe she was getting somewhere and indulged the giddy sense of accomplishment and joy as much as she could. After all, it had been quite some time since she felt like she was winning anything, and she enjoyed it with a beaming smile right until she fell to sleep that night.















Come the next morning, Sunset was cleaning her face of tears. However, for once, she had another reason beside lachrymal dreaming to do so; she sighed with her hand on the doorknob which turning would lead her outside, glanced to white slippers around her feet, and glared over to her desk -- devoid of Octavia's thermos -- where Shimmer's gift to her stood like a shining statue. Taking them to school might arouse suspicion. People have been paying attention to me, sadly.

Sunset left before any more tears could worm their way out to discover the air temperature was warm. Well, warm in the sense that it was above freezing; though she soon discovered the reason for that warmth being a cloud blanket retaining heat and humidity which rained down during previous days.

Hence, she hastened to Canterlot High while pleading to herself for the sky to retain its water. Some drops did fall despite her wish, but they were so infrequent that she didn't notice.

Dash and Flutter met her at the school's entrance with smiled greetings. Nothing about their following conversations, however, maintained those smiles nor produced any intelligible plans to handle Gilda and Trixie throughout their walking around the school's corridor to spend their shared free period.

Regardless of the melancholy derived from their situation, Sunset took solace in navigating the halls with people she could tolerate rather than being tugged around by who she considered a manic psychopath finding delight in others' -- specifically her -- anguish. Knowing that didn't stop students from digging into her with stares, though, but it gave peace.

Until somebody slammed her into the floor, anyway.

"Hey!" Dash called as Flutter offered Sunset a hand which was refused.

"So sorry," the perpetrating student apologized in clear sarcasm whilst leaving. "Didn't see you there." Kids are getting bolder. This isn't good. Sunset reigned in any emotions, brushed the encounter off, stood, and continued toward class like nothing happened.

Rainbow followed with a furrowed brow and asked, "You're not going to say anything to that jerk?"

"It wouldn't change anything, and antagonizing them is just gonna make things worse. Besides, I was that jerk; I deserve it and you know that. Anyway ... " Sunset paused to listen to the dismissal bell -- signalling the end of their free period -- and point to a fine, wood door. "This is my stop. I'll catch you later." Both of her friends watched students file out of the door for a time with blank stares. 

Rainbow soon opened her mouth but Sunset stepped into the room before the athlete could say anything beyond a low, "Still ... "















Classes went as they had been for Sunset but something anger and curiosity inspiring caught her eye as she approached the cafeteria with Applejack for lunch; off to one side, far enough to be inaudible -- at least through other students -- Sunset saw Trixie smash a fist into a locker and storm off. Trixie? Angry? Why? Could it be a trap? Yeah, but what if it's not?

Of course, Sunset couldn't ignore it and followed out of desire for something. Maybe it was rage, a desire to spite the Lulamoon, or maybe it was just hope to get some insight about what she was after.

"Hey, where're you-" Applejack called but was interrupted without hesitation.

"Come. Don't come. I don't care. Just be quiet." Sunset moved toward Trixie's last-known location -- tailed by a confused Applejack -- fast but acted like she was minding her own business to deter any peering eyes' suspicious inferences. 

Trixie was turning into the auditorium when Sunset got another visual. Almost no students were around the room, which Sunset found to be a good thing, but that didn't mean the pair could stand around the auditorium doors. Thence, Sunset stopped and turned to Applejack to ask dull questions about classes so it wouldn't look to others like she was waiting for Trixie to be farther from the door.

First, the farmer gave a raised brow but indulged nonetheless until Sunset nodded, gave an, "Okay, cool, cool," and proceeded whence Trixie disappeared. Don't be a trap. Don't be a trap, Sunset begged to herself as she exhaled and relaxed her weight into one of the doors -- thus opening it with minimal noise.

Nothing happened upon entry and nobody was in the open room. Only a distant, receding thudding could be heard. When the pair crept toward it, they realized it hailed from backstage before it stopped.

Most of the pep rally decorations were still up, so Sunset pointed out a perfect hiding spot (the large black curtains) as she hoisted her weight atop the stage with all the speed of a fleeing tortoise. There was a voice's shout before they arrived which only let them move faster as the sound masked their movements. "'What did she say?'" Trixie exclaimed along with another thud, "I'll tell you what she said! She said, 'I don't know what you're talking about.' She played dumb with me! With me! Aaagh!"

Gilda responded after another thud, "I get it! Stop stomping already; we're lucky enough the place is empty for lunch." One more thud came before none followed. "So, she basically doesn't think you're ready?"

"That must be it. After everything I've- Ugh, that ungrateful little-" Trixie cut herself off in a loss of coherency detailed by a string of grumbled curses.

"Do we move against her, then?" Gilda sighed out when the curses ended. Silence answered. "It scares me too, just thinking about it, but do we have another option?" More thudding sounded. However, it was quieter than before and had an ordered cadence to it. Sunset recognized the sound well as somebody pacing.

"Maybe we do. For now, she still thinks I'm on her side, but I'm sick of listening to that self-centered ... Agh, we have to get that damn book from her." Trixie growled.

There was a fast-raised, huffed, "How do we do that? You said she practically chains that thing to herself."

"We have to lay a really perfect trap, but there's only one thing we could use to lure her in and ... Wait a second, you can break us into the school. Is that right?" Soft humming alternated between low and high before an answer came.

"Yeah, but Celestia's already on my case a little. We'd have to do it on the weekend."

Before Gilda could say anything else, Trixie laughed, "That's perfect. All I need to do is get my hands on those records, but she sometimes leaves things in the Council office over the weekend and that might give us more ammo. With that, and the element of surprise, I think we can do this!"

"Saturday morning, then?"

"Saturday morning."

'Council office?' 'Self-centered ... ' There's only one person she could be talking about. Sunset pieced things together as she listened to the sound of Gilda and Trixie shuffling away. Either schemer could be felt just beyond the curtain shielding her from view, she held her breath, and it seemed an eternity before they took a few fading steps to the auditorium doors.

Minutes passed after they were gone before Sunset peaked out and stepped onto the stage with a heavy exhale. "What the hell do those maniacs want? What could possibly motivate them to blackmail Octavia?"

Applejack raised a brow, shook her head, and rolled her eyes before deadpanning to Sunset, "Gee, I don't think I'm the person to ask; seems to me that yer the expert on sneaking around and plottin' how to get where you want by hurtin' others. What motivated you to do the same thing?"

"I didn't- I'm not- This isn't the same!" Sunset flailed her hands above her head. Is it? "Doing anything for years will make you good at it. I don't do that anymore!" she defended herself before realizing it was in vain and moving on. "Well, she's obviously got something they want, but that's way too general." She dropped her hands atop her head, slid them to rest at her sides, and started toward the exit. "Either way, I'm going to have to have a chat with Octavia."















School continued without incident as Sunset sought the councilor. However, it was Octavia who located her right when she left calculus; Sunset locked eyes with a purple-colored rock face before it turned away and departed toward the library. Aha, got you. Perfect timing. From the other direction, she noted three of her friends approaching as per security reasons, but she chased after Octavia anyway and sent them a message when she made it to the library saying she would meet them out front soon.

Octavia was, as one might in a library, returning a small stack of books when Sunset reached her. "I trust you have my things?" she asked without making eye contact before wandering to an otherwise student-devoid bookshelf -- a perfect spot for sensitive discourse.

No way she ... You know, I wouldn't actually be surprised. "Of course," Sunset began whilst retrieving the prior-cleaned, lent belongings from her backpack and offering them. "I wouldn't dream of stealing them." 

Shooting Sunset a raised brow, Octavia took the items, neutralized her features, and thanked in a rather business-like manner, "Yes you would, but much obliged." She added after a moment of continued staring, "Was there something you needed?"

"Ahem," Sunset cleared her throat and considered what to say; though it soon became apparent that whatever method she employed to broach her chosen topic was irrelevant. "Well, I had been looking for you to-"

"Warn me about Gilda and Trixie's recent ideas?" the councilor interrupted and returned her gaze to the bookshelf like what she was talking about meant nothing. She knows, Sunset laughed sarcasm to herself. She knows because Octavia just ... 

Avoiding attempting hiding astonishment, Sunset asked in as quiet a voice as she could manage, "How -- stars a- fucking -bove -- could you-"

"I prefer being where exciting things are happening." Octavia removed a book only to replace it with a low hum. "Did you think you were the only ones in the auditorium keeping an eye on those two?" Unbelievable. One possibility which Sunset was beginning to suspect as the only reasonable explanation came to mind.

"Is there-" she advanced toward the councilor and narrowed her eyes while raising a twirling hand. "-I dunno, some kind of magic at play here that I don't know about? I mean, I thought I was decent at this espionage thing, but you ... " Seem omniscient. To this, Octavia was unfazed; she almost acted like she didn't hear the question as she selected a book, removed it from the shelf, and nestled it in one arm before continuing to browse the bookshelf's contents.

Sunset prepared to say something else but Octavia at last answered, "To the ignorant and unskilled, 'true skill,' is a phrase interchangeable with 'magic'." Lacking emotion in her face again, she looked at Sunset. "If you were going to tell the faculty about this weekend, I request you do not."

Wha- Sunset shook her head after momentary confusion and prodded for another answer in lieu of one to the question, 'Why not?' "They want some book of yours. What's that about?"

"Should I tell you that, I would then be bereft of anything to entice your assistance later through curiosity. Just come to the music room on Monday. However, I imagine Trixie to strike on Tuesday since it is the solstice; she likes to be dramatic like that."

Leverage arrived in Sunset's hand with that. Hence, she pressed, "Why don't I just hinder whatever convoluted scheme you have by tipping the faculty off if you don't tell me right now?"

There was still no sign of emotion or dissuasion in the councilor's face as she remarked with speed only possible from a person who considered this possible reaction from Sunset, "Because then I would refuse to tell you where you can dig up a little more on Trixie and Gilda." Oh. No amount of idle curiosity about why Trixie was upset with Octavia could've kept Sunset from indulging such information to exact retribution.

"Okay, you have my attention."

"What about your compliance?"

" ... that too."

"In the Council office, to the hard left, there is a gray filing cabinet with childish stickers all over it. Take the bottom drawer of that cabinet all the way out and pry the very back wall's edges with something flat, thin, and strong until it pops out; behind it is a listing of all the school's lockers and their corresponding combinations. Please only take what you need and replace the list, and do not snoop. Is that enough for you?"

What! Sunset took a step back -- stunned. "Wha-wha- Why does the Student Council have something like that?" she, ignoring Octavia's query, questioned.

Despite Sunset's minor panic, Octavia shrugged and looked back at the bookshelf. "Nobody but me knows about it." That doesn't make it o- Wait a second.

"You copied that list and put it there, didn't you?" Snapping to meet Sunset's, purple eyes became slim, dangerous needles warning against being on their business end as Octavia jabbed an index finger and took a threatening step toward the other party -- who stiffened but refused to back down. There was a stark contrast between stoic Octavia and her less reigned-in self.

"Did I lose all sense of compassion and reason on a corruption trip?" the councilor scolded with another, this one heavier, step. "Did I humiliate, torment, and disrespect myself and others to get where I wanted?" Sunset broke the stare and brought fingers over her bottom lip at this, but Octavia continued nonetheless -- placing a foot so it rested atop poorly-protected toes with a soft, cautioning push downward -- through grit teeth, "Did I become an actual monster hell bent on gaining power? Was it me, or someone else? Please, do remind me. I seem to have forgotten."

'Monster' was a word which Octavia fired deep into Sunset's mind thus detonating a series of emotional explosions. Alas, the assault was more than sufficient to make Sunset stumble back and yield ground. "Uh ... " she started composing some retort but Octavia offered an out she was happy to take instead.

"I think this conversation has reached every point it needed to. Shoo, and do remember: I said 'twice a week' pertaining to our chess games. There are only three days left in this week."

Any asinine apprehension abandoned Sunset in her escape of the interaction and her quiet, dismissing, "Right." 'Monster.' Why does that bother you? You are a monster.

The word repeated itself to her all the way to where her five friends were waiting. Some of them had impatient expressions but they became concerned ones when a paling Sunset arrived. "Dear," Rarity asked, "Are you okay? You look dreadful; did something ... happen?"

Rainbow punched a fist into a palm and growled, "Ugh, what did that rat do?" Gilda and Trixie did nothing. This one is ... all my fault. For a split second, Sunset considered saying just that, but something else came out.

"No I didn't run into Gilda; I just ... feel bad. Maybe I am coming down with a cold after the other day. Could I ... get a ride home?" It wasn't a complete lie. Still, it was enough to leave a bitter taste on her tongue. 'Such a good liar.' 'Someone's covering that hole to keep monsters like you away.'

"Of course! Come on." Rarity offered almost the moment Sunset asked.

It's just a word; it doesn't define you. No, words don't, but they are labels to describe things, and you just so happen to fit the bill on 'monster'. An internal battle waged between a part of Sunset which recognized facts, and one which tried to forget the past, well passed when she walked into her room.

Shimmer's gift greeted her like it was smiling and prompted a knee-jerked thought. You don't deserve those! That's a literal embodiment of consideration and compassion!

Conscripting bewilderment, she plopped onto her bed -- facing away from the boots -- and looked to hands which were shaking while her stomach churned. She then fell onto her back like she couldn't hold herself up anymore, placed either trembling hand over her heart, and turned to one side so she could curl up.

You're not a monster ... anymore; you can be kind and compassionate an-and you can be honest! You'll prove it when you see Shimmer tomorrow.

At least, that's what she told herself. Not that it stopped tears from falling a few seconds later.