//------------------------------//
// Part II: Going Separate Ways 
// Story: Sunset on Canterlot High 
// by SuperPinkBrony12 
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The Rainbooms listened silently as Sunset explained everything to them. All of a sudden it all made sense. They too had at times wondered why they didn't seem to be better known, but had dismissed it as people having a short term memory. To learn that their exploits were intentionally being covered up and concealed from the public was shocking. But they all seemed to take the revelation relatively easily.

"Wow! We've got our own clean up crew!" Pinkie Pie was the first to speak up. "They're like spies!"

"Or ninjas!" Rainbow Dash added.

"Or spy ninjas, or ninja spies!" Pinkie declared, before she gasped! "No, spninjas!"

Twilight pushed her glasses into place. "I might be able to come up with an invention that could do what Neighsay says he's been doing for us. Though three weeks to build it is a pretty tight deadline, even for a genius like me."

But Rarity protested. "Darling, I highly doubt this is a problem that can be solved with more gadgets and inventions. How do you propose we track down every photo ever taken and every video ever recorded?"

Applejack then spoke up. "Especially since we ain't all goin' to the same place after we graduate."

Sunset blinked in surprise. "Wait, we're not? I thought you were all going to Canterlot University with me?"

Rainbow protested with a shake of her head. "Sorry, Sunset. Some stuffy university just isn't my thing. I've got a sports scholarship, so my parents are gonna pull a few strings and see if the Cloudsdale Wonderbolts will take me on. It's been my dream to play alongside the likes of Spitfire and Soarin ever since they graduated from here."

Twilight reluctantly confessed to Sunset. "And even though I changed schools midway through, my parents still want me to go to an elite university. Crystal Academy has a really good tech program, and their science labs are state of the art," She then added. "Plus, their campus is more dog friendly."

"Yeah," Spike commented as he poked his head up from Twilight's backpack. "Finally, I'll get to meet dogs besides Winona. And I won't have to stay in Twilight's backpack all day."

"W-well, that's okay," Sunset nervously commented as she looked at the other Rainbooms. "At least the rest of us will be together, right?"

Applejack shook her head. "My family's been sinkin' a lot of money into sendin' me and Apple Bloom here. Reckon I'll settle down on the farm for a while so Apple Bloom can figure out where she wants to go after she graduates. Hopefully, one of her friends' families can chip in when the time comes."

Pinkie Pie spoke next. "I've got more college applications than I know what to do with. But for right now, I kinda wanna finish my apprenticeship with the Cakes. After all, Pound and Pumpkin Cake start preschool soon, I can't miss that!"

Rarity unhappily sighed as she apologized. "I'm afraid I'll be passing on Canterlot University as well, darling. Mother and Father found a fashion focused college in a place called Downtown City, and they're currently offering a summer camp for interested students."

Sunset then eyed Fluttershy, trying not to sound too upset. "And let me guess, you're not going to Canterlot University either?"

But Fluttershy answered. "Actually, I am. It's the only place that offers a veterinarian program. Though I will miss seeing everybody else. But that's okay, I'm sure we'll see each other again."

"Yeah, there's always the reunions to look forward to!" Pinkie proudly declared.

"But don't you all get it?" Sunset unhappily frowned. "We'll all be tasked with the impossible, keeping Equestrian Magic under wraps! That means if we pony up or use our powers we're going to have to do it ourselves! I can't do all the things Neighsay did!"

Twilight frowned. "Well, that is a dilemma. But we've got three weeks to figure it out. We always come up with something to solve our Equestrian Magic problems."

But Sunset hung her head and unhappily sighed. "It's all my fault. Here we are, finally ready to move on to bigger and better things, and because of me you all have to take on something you shouldn't have to take on. You should be free to live yours lives the way you want, not hiding part of who you are so the whole world doesn't find out," She was quick to add. "If I'd never even come here with that stolen crown, if I'd just stayed in Equestria, none of this would've happened. You'd all be living your lives in peace."

"Well unless you're proposing time travel, it's impossible to change the past," Twilight cautioned Sunset. "And even if you do find a way to do so, you might not wanna change the past. Because that could affect the future in ways you couldn't begin to imagine. Besides, you saw the portal on that island during spring break. Who knows how many of them exist all over the world? You don't know for sure they're there because of you."

Sunset only protested. "And you don't know for sure they're not there because of me. It seems like I'm a magnet that attracts Equestrian Magic no matter where we go."

Rainbow Dash declared to Sunset. "Yeah, and look at how awesome it's made us! Now we're superheroes! And the best part is, we can keep it to ourselves!" She grinned. "Hey, maybe we could start wearing costumes and fight crime?! It'd be just like the Power People from the comics, only real!"

Rarity beamed in delight at the idea! "Ooh! I'm sure I could design stylish yet functionable outfits for all of us! But what would we call ourselves?"

Sunset became furious at the notion of dressing up as superheroes. She growled, grit her teeth, and snapped! "Will you take this seriously?! This isn't like our previous adventurers! This is going to be real life! We're going to have to be responsible for keeping Equestrian Magic to ourselves, not using it constantly in public to lead double lives and be famous!"

"They're called 'secret' identities for a reason," Rarity interjected. "No one would ever know who we were."

"But they'd still know that superpowered beings with unnatural powers exist! Which is exactly what Neighsay didn't want anyone to find out!" Sunset snapped back! "It's hard enough that we'll be separated from each other! If we don't all take care to cover our tracks, if even one of us slips up, then we're all in danger! And it will all because of me."

Fluttershy put a hand on Sunset's shoulders, trying to comfort the girl. "It's okay, Sunset. We've got three weeks to figure this out."

"Three weeks isn't enough! We need far more time!" Sunset protested and turned to leave. "I... need some time to think about this. Maybe I can contact Neighsay and find out how I can work for him." She left a moment later.





The Rainbooms were speechless. With the exception of Twilight, they could only once remember a time they'd seen Sunset get this frustrated. When she'd struggled to keep Equestrian Magic out of the Equestria Games. While that particular event had worked out for the better, they weren't sure if this time would be the same.

But what could they do? Sunset had dropped one doozy of a bombshell on them. And they had only three weeks to come up with a solution.