//------------------------------//
// Prologue 
// Story: A Rare Mystery 
// by the frank 
//------------------------------//

Sunset Shimmer’s heels clicked against the asphalt as she left the number 33 on Leek Street. Time was just a little before 7 p..  but it was already rather dark, as her afternoon visit had lasted longer than she had expected. It hadn’t been pleasant, but it had to be done. She bit her lip. Yes, it had to be done. She began to walk faster, she wanted to get home as soon as possible. She wanted to call Rarity and tell her. But she didn’t want to use her cell, the evening was too windy. And she was rather upset as well, she needed to calm down. 

Perhaps it was a bad idea to call Rarity. This was something that was much better to deal with face to face. Just like she had done with Twilight just this evening. Get everything sorted out, get clean… and move on. She sighed, and she had to stop for a moment to catch her breath. 

“Relations…” she muttered to herself. “Sometimes I wish I had kept my old ways. Things were so much easier when everyone feared me.” She shook her head. That was a stupid thought, and she knew it! She had a better life know! Divide and rule was not her way, not anymore. Not for a long time. Canterlot high was a thing of the past. Equestria… lay where it lay. Sunset forced her thoughts back on today's issue. It was hard. She had made a mistake, but it looked like it would work out. She had talked with Twilight. And things were good. She hoped. Now all she had to do was talk with Rarity. It would end up well, she was sure. Her phone made a sound, she had a message. Actually, a few.. She took the phone up. Rarity. Twilight. AJ. Dash. Huh. She was popular. But she didn’t want to read them now and she began to put her phone back into her pocket. She had walked past an old warehouse and was now standing outside a low-level office block. She could see the bus stop a few hundred meters ahead of her. Soon... She kept struggling with her phone. The pocket wasn't cooperating, and she had to stop to figure it out.

It was in that moment, a dark figure appeared next to her. A short person, wearing dark clothes and a hoodie. 

“‘Scuse me…” they muttered. 

“I don’t give money to strangers that scare me,” Sunset replied. 

“Oh yeah? We’ll see ‘bout that!” The figure produced a gun from their pockets. Sunset froze.
 “Hands up! Now hand it over!”

“I don’t have anything!”

“You have the cell, right?”

“Y-yes.” Sunset automatically turned her head to look at her phone in her right hand, as she held it over her head. Silly, but who knew how one would react during a robbery? The robber signed for her to lower her hands.

“Does it have a screen lock?”

“Wha...yes.”

“Unlock it.”

“What?”

“UNLOCK IT I SAID! And take your gloves off!”

Sunset obeyed, and handed the phone to her mugger. Damn it! Of all the times to get mugged... But she had to stay calm, if she wasn’t careful she could end up shot and… it was safe to say, she didn’t want that. The mugger was looking down on the screen, like they were...texting? Then they handed it back. “Now put it in your pocket.”

“You're no robber! What is this?” Sunset couldn't help herself, she had to ask the question.

“What do you think it is?” The figure took of their hoodie to reveal their face. Sunset stared at them in shock. 
“Oh no...Oh no. No please...No...”

“Oh yes.” the figure replied. And then they fired.