Sunset entered the detention room after school, and she recognized a few faces. The first one she saw was the face of Vice-Principal Luna, who gave a suspicious stare, and pointed to an empty desk. Then she saw Rainbow Dash, and Gilda. 'Not really surprising.' Luna had them separated so no one would communicate with each other. Sunset put her bag down and looked at Rainbow Dash, who was on her left, while Gilda was on her right.
Rainbow Dash didn't return the a look though. 'Should I apologize first? I know how stubborn she can be, it's probably the best way to put us on the right track.' Sunset's thoughts were interrupted when she heard Luna's voice. "Alright everyone, for those of you new here the rules are simple. You can do homework, relax, but no sleeping or listening to music." They all nodded their head in response. Sunset followed the order for a bit of time, but she really needed a way to get Luna distracted. She looked around for something, anything, and then she remembered. Her locker. 'She hasn't seen the locker yet! Not that it would be a good thing for me, though. Probably get into more trouble and more on Luna's bad side. But it's for the greater good.' Sunset's hand shot up signaling that she wanted to ask a question.
"Yes Sunset?" Luna said looking up from her laptop.
"I just wanted to mention that m-my locker might need to be replaced." Sunset said nervously, now realizing what trouble she'd be in, now that she destroyed some school property.
"May I ask why?"
Gilda let out a sudden chuckle, "Didn't you hear VP Luna, Sunset blew a hole in her locker." Sunset gave Gilda a glare and turned her head back to Luna, who was now squinting her eyes in frustration. She got up from her desk and asked Sunset what locker she was, and stormed out of the room. The school had already spent enough money on building repairs from the Fall Formal.
As soon as she left the room, Sunset turned to face Rainbow Dash, who was tapping her pencil on her desk, pretending to do her homework. "Rainbow Dash." Sunset said, trying to get her attention.
"What." she returned coldly.
"I wanted to tell you something." Sunset said, Dash tilted her head in her direction. "I'm sorry, for everything. I know it's not enough, but I don't know what else I could offer. I'm trying to be better now, and I hope you and others can see that. Maybe not now, but soon." There was silence for a bit, Sunset continued to look at Rainbow Dash, and with time passing and no response, she turned her head forward and sighed.
"You know what Sunset." Came Rainbow Dash's raspy voice. Sunset looked up at Rainbow Dash, who was now facing her. "I want to hate you, but I can see you want to change, even after everything." Sunset looked down at her hands at the sudden words, but Rainbow Dash continued. "I know it will take some getting used to but, you look like you want to change. So, if that is what my gut is telling me, I'll trust my gut. Just like I always do." She gave a small apologetic grin.
Before they could even shake on it, or do anything, Luna came in, a locker door in her hand. It was scorched from where Sunset had punched it, and dented in various places. She looked as if she was going to through it at someone, or out the nearest window in rage. "How is this even possible!" she yelled. Sunset could only shrink in her seat and hope for some luck the rest of detention.
Sunset and Rainbow had walked out of detention together, both saying further apologies, and walking to the front doors. Rainbow said her goodbyes as her ride arrived, and Sunset sat near the Wondercolt statue. She closed her eyes and lay her head on the portal wall, thinking of home. 'Things might be going well for me. Things at school might need some fixing, but I got 5 friends, and that's something to me.' She didn't know how long she had been sitting there, it must have been a few minutes or a half hour. The sound of clicking heels started to approach her, but she didn't pay attention, she didn't want to. There was a muffled voice, and her eyes fluttered open.
"Sunset?" A calm voice asked, which Sunset recognized almost right away. Celestia.
"Hmmm?" Sunset replied, only looking the principal in the eye for a quick moment, and looked away, it reminded her too much of home.
"Is there anything wrong?" Celestia asked as she knelt down to Sunset. She reached to touch Sunset's shoulder, but she flinched away at the sudden touch.
"Everything is fine, thanks for asking." Sunset mumbled as she got up to walk to the bus, she missed the early one, so she would have to wait a little bit for the later one.
"Do you want a ride home?" She asked as Sunset started to walk away.
"I'll pass, thanks."
"Well, I actually wanted to talk about your living place, it didn't seem to be a valid address on the map."
Sunset froze in her place, she was considering just darting off and leaving Celestia in the dust, but that would mean she would have to see her again tomorrow. Not wanting to show Celestia that she had been any more shocked at the news, she put on her best faux smile.
"I don't know why it didn't show up on the map, must be a glitch or something." Sunset reassured.
"It was actually on a paper map."
'Who the hell still uses a paper map?' "Well, that's unfortunate I gotta run and catch the bus, I'll see yeah later." Sunset said as she turned and began to shuffle to the bus stop.
"Sunset, stop. I will be giving you a ride from school today."
Sunset sighed in defeat, she knew that it would come up sooner or later, and she might as well face it now. She started to walk towards Celestia, her head low and eyes on her feet. Celestia led her to her car, and she climbed into the passenger seat. Leaning her head on the window as Celestia started the car, she gave her the directions to her home.
"Left."
"Right."
"Keep going straight, and left now." It took about 20 minutes to get there, and they were greeted to the lower class part of the city. Sunset got out of the car, lifting the door lock manually, not sparing a second to look in the principal's direction. She came to the fence surrounding the building. She lifted a ripped part of the gate, and gestured for the Principal to enter.
"You might want to watch your coat, it could snag on the wire." Sunset continued after the woman, and led the way to the building she called home. She stood in front of it, her hands on her hips and looked at the building with a bit of pride. Celestia looked at the building, and watched at Sunset grabbed her keys from her pocket and opened the door.
"So, this is where you live?" She asked as she followed Sunset inside.
"eeYup. It might not look like much but it's been a home for me for a few years now. I tired my best to make it look nice."
Celestia looked around, it was a small building, but it was tall. Sunsets bed sat taller than the rest of the room, a ladder leading up to it. Small lights rapping around like little decorations. Most of the furniture and decorations had come from garage sales and pawn shops. Sunset had sat on the couch looking nervously at the principal for a reaction.
"So this is why it didn't show up on the map," Celestia commented. "This isn't very legal, now is it Sunset?"
"Well..I mean...No. But it's part of an abandoned construction site, for whatever reason the city still provides electricity and water to. It's also in my budget, which is free." Sunset chuckled.
"You've been living alone all this time?"
"Yeah, kind of came through the portal alone. Not that I had any parents over there either though." Sunset said as she lowered her head, the memories of Equestria flooding back in her head.
"You know you're welcome too stay with me if you ever get to alone."
Sunset looked up and said, "I'm starting to make friends, and I've joined a nice motorcycle group, I'm sure I'll be okay."
"Well you have my personal number if you ever need anything, and call it whenever you need to."
"Yes ma'am" Sunset said as she lead Celestia to the door.
"I'm serious Sunset, it isn't safe living in these types of conditions, the building looks like it's about to fall apart sometime soon."
Sunset nodded her head and waved goodbye to Celestia. She sighed and closed the door, she wasn't comfortable with the fact that her principal knew where she lived, but smiled at the generous offer she made.
Sunset returned to school next day on her motorcycle, she felt confident that day. She would be handing out more apologies, to the right people at the right time. Her week continued the same way, of course receiving a paper ball to the head, glares, and shoulder bumps. Her friends were actually surprised her and Rainbow made up. They all asked how and what happened.
It was now Friday, Sunset was saying her goodbyes to her friends as she mounted her motorcycle. Before she could start her engine, the sound of multiple came in the distance. She turned to the direction of the sound, and saw 10 motorcycles approach the school parking lot. Sunset smiled and figured who it was.
They all stopped near Sunset, one parking right next to her, and slid of their helmet. "Hey kiddo." The biker said.
"How's it going Nova?" Sunset said with a wide smile on her face.
"I'm doing just fine, say you wanna go for ride with us? We can stop by your place if you wants." Nova said in her Jersey accent, it was light but still there.
"I was actually bought to go to the mall, I was hoping to go check out some jackets, mine isn't in the best condition." Sunset chuckled
"Sure thing kiddo, let's ride boys and girls." Nova said as she revved her engine.
They began their ride to the mall, Sunset enjoying every moment. She was thankful for Nova and the gang, they seemed to ignore everything from her past, and just live in the now. She couldn't help but smile as the group fell into a formation, as she followed a long. After 15 minutes they arrived at the mall, and Sunset waved to the gang they all revved their engines. Nova flipped helmet up for a second and looked over at Sunset.
"Say kid, you wanna come to my place tomorrow, I'm having a nice party for us and the gang. Spitfire is also bringing the Wonderbolts along too." Nova said
"I'm in, you wouldn't mind if I invited some friends would you?"
"Hey if they're cool with you, they're cool with me, so go for it."
"I'll see yah later Nova."
"Cya Sunset!"
Sunset hopped off her bike and made her way to one of the jacket stores she goes too. Sunset couldn't help but look at the nicer jackets and their prices, they were way to expensive for Sunset. She also couldn't steal money from Micro Chips to pay for it either, so she sighed and moved to different stores, but each one had the same expensive prices as the last. It upset Sunset, she was hoping to return to school on Monday with a new jacket, and maybe some new boots. But she wouldn't be going home with any of that.
Sunset decided she might as well make use of her time and go to the food court. She bought a salad, and sat down. She looked around as she ate, her eyes finding a suspicious figure in a blue hoodie, fiddling with some sort of device. She tried to make it obvious that she was not looking at the figure, but couldn't help but think that the person was looking at her to. She finished shortly after that, and threw away her bowl and started making her way to the exit. However, the second she got up from her seat, the figure in the hoodie started to follow her in the same direction.
'Okay, maybe she's just leaving too.' Sunset said to herself, but wanted to make sure. She decided to make some sharp turns around in shops, which the person followed almost exactly. Now Sunset grew nervous, and heat started to well up in her. She knew she had to calm down, so she headed to the bathroom. The figure following her right in. Sunset faked washing her hands while looking at the figure through the mirror. She grew a little more nervous by the second.
Beep Beep Beep
She turned to face the figure and her little machine, and now she had enough, and grabbed the figure by their collar.
"Have you been following me this whole time?!" Sunset yelled, the small machine beeping continuously. The figure just let out a little yelp and pulled down her hood.
"Yes—I mean—no. Please don't hurt me." The girl yelped. Sunset soon realized who it was almost immediately. She had glasses, the familiar striped hair, and voice. Twilight. 'How is this even possible?' Sunset let go of her hoodie, and Twilight backed up, and turned the device off. "There was a strange energy coming from around you, and I just wanted to see if I could learn more about it."
"I don't know what you're talking about, just stop following me, got it?" Sunset said sternly. As she left the bathrooms, Twilight caught a glimpse of the shirt Sunset was wearing. It read 'CHS Wondercolt'. Twilight took note and headed off shortly after Sunset.