I'm going to level with you right now. I have never sped in my life, but after I ended the phone call with the girls, I unloaded everything that my little Mercedes-Benz S-class had to offer. Sunset was in trouble, and she needed help. I was confident that the others would meet me there.
I had gotten to the on ramp to the highway that would take me to the mall, and gunned the motor for all it was worth. After a couple of minutes, the off ramp that I needed to take loomed, so I signalled and turned. The mall was five miles away in the next block. "I just pray that there is an open parking space," I said as I approached the mall. I saw Sunset's truck next to an open parking space near the mall entrance.
I parked my car and hastily got out and hit the lock button on my key fob. I ran into the mall and towards the restroom near Blue Wendell's. Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Pinkie Pie were already waiting for me.
"Hey girls, have you seen Gilda?" I asked as I approached.
"I saw her runnin' after Sunset past the smoothie stand earlier, but not since. Ah don't know why Gilda's after her, but ah ain't stickin' around ta find out." Applejack replied, a determined look in her eyes.
"Well then, let's get in there. Gilda doesn't give up. I learned that the hard way at Soccer Camp a few years back." Rainbow Dash said sullenly, before bursting into the restroom. We all followed suit.
"Sunset, darling. It's us. You can come out now." I said with as much confidence as I could muster. Just then, the door to the restroom flew open, showing Gilda just in the threshold.
"Ha, I knew that following you losers would lead me right to her." she said in a sardonic voice. I heard a whimper come from the stall farthest from the door.
"What do you want with her, Gilda?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I just want a little revenge for what she did to me a few years back. The bitch deserves what's coming to her." she replied matter-of-factly.
"Ya ain't gonna touch a hair on her head Gilda, not while we're here." Applejack said, venom dripping from her voice. Applejack meant business.
"Yeah. And what you're doing is totally worse than anything she's ever done so that totally makes you an even worse bully than her." Pinkie said.
"Yeah, and what of it. I'm still gonna get her when you're not around. You hear that, Shimmer, when your friends aren't around, you better watch your back." she said as she turned around and walked away.
"She's gone Sunset, you can come out now." Rainbow Dash said after knocking on the stall door.
"Hey girls. Sorry about that. I couldn't handle that on my own." Sunset said as she came out of the restroom. She was smiling, despite what had just occurred, though I knew it was fake and hiding her anguish. "I'm sorry for being a burden to you guys."
"Oh, pish posh, darling. You were never a burden, and you never will be either." I said, going up and giving her a hug. She tensed at first at the sudden contact, but slowly returned the embrace.
"Yeah. We sure as shootin' ain't gonna let one of our friends get hurt, not when we can prevent it." Applejack said.
"I know, but now it's going to be a whole lot worse. Gilda is out for blood, and I know she's going to succeed eventually. When you guys aren't around, I'm as good as dead." Sunset said, looking downcast.
"Then you won't be alone, at school, or otherwise. We share a few classes with you, and you live a couple blocks away from me, so I can totally go with you." Rainbow Dash piped up from her position at the stall door, turning to look Sunset straight in the eye, all joking put aside and replaced with a hard set determination.
"Thanks for the last offer Dash, but once I get to my truck or bike, I should be okay." Sunset replied.
"If you say so." Dash said, moving to get to the door. "How about smoothies, my treat."
We all gave murmurs in agreement, Gilda's threat still hanging in the air above us like the pungent aroma of a skunk. Just then, Fluttershy walked in.
"Sorry I'm late girls, did I miss anything?" she asked as she crossed the threshold. I proceeded to fill her in on what had happened, and the plan that Rainbow Dash had. "Oh goodness, I see what we need to do."
"Sorry I had to call you from your family gathering, Fluttershy, but I wouldn't have if it weren't necessary." I apologised profusely.
"Oh no, it's no problem Rarity. I will always be there to help out a friend." she replied with a smile. "But I do need to get back. Who knows what Zephyr is doing without me there. I swear I'm the only one who can control him sometimes."
We all shared a laugh at that, even Sunset.
__________________________________________
After Fluttershy had left us, we went to the smoothie stand that Applejack worked at in the fall and winter months. The rest of the afternoon was spent in merry laughter as we all relayed what was going on before the incident with Gilda. Even Sunset was enjoying herself, though I noticed that her laughter wasn't the same, as if something was weighing heavily on her.
"Sunset, darling, are you alright?" I asked, my voice laced with concern.
"I'll be fine, Rarity." she replied in an unconvincing tone.
"Are you sure? You look as though you have the weight of the world on your shoulders." I said, trying to convince her to open up. She sighed.
"Fine. I'll talk to you about it later." she said exasperatedly.
"That's all I ask of you." I replied, my hand on her shoulder in an encouraging gesture. "Now. We have the rest of the afternoon to enjoy ourselves, but I think you three had better get back." At that, we all got up and proceeded to hug each other goodbye.
"Yeah. Ah gotta get back to the farm. Big Mac and Applebloom need help with the chores, and ah sure as shootin' ain't gonna skip out on 'em" Applejack said as she walked away, waving at the rest of us.
"And I've gotta get back to Sugar Cube Corner, its lunch hour now, and the Cakes are gonna need my help." Pinkie said as she hop skipped away.
"I don't need to be anywhere now, so I'll stick around for a while." Rainbow Dash said. "Maybe we can catch a movie or something."
"I don't see why not. Let's go." I said, leading us to the movie theater.
A few hours later, Rainbow Dash had left us at the entrance to get to her bike, and Sunset and I went towards my car and her truck.
"Sunset. In my haste to get to help you, I forgot about something." I said as I hit the trunk release button on my key fob. I reached in and brought out a wrapped box about the size of a dress box. "The gift I said I had for you over the phone." I handed the box to her, and she proceeded to open it, gasping in shock as she saw what was inside. She reached in and brought out a new leather jacket, one with orange chevrons on the sleeves.
"Rarity, I…" she choked, tears forming in her eyes.
"The challenge of repairing Sasha for you inspired me to create a new one for you." I said, barely able to contain tears of my own. "Do you like it?"
"I love it. Thank you Rarity." she replied as she grabbed me in a tight embrace.
"Oh, but of course, darling." I said, "Anything for a friend. Though we do still need to talk about what is going on. I'm worried about you. We all are, as a matter of fact."
"I'm just worried, you know. Between school, Gilda being out for my blood, and the shit Trixie does to me, I don't know how to cope anymore." she replied, her face taking on a downcast look, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Oh, Sunset. We are here for you. If you need me, or any of the others, we're just a phone call away." I said, wrapping her in another embrace.
"I know that Rarity, it's just so hard to open up about anything when I've been alone all my life." she sobbed. "I just can't handle this anymore. If it weren't for you girls, I wouldn't be here right now."
"You girls are truly, my saving grace."