You Will Never Be Alone

by Leo Luce


Chapter 17 (Edited by: Moonriseoversunset)

What happened the next few days was something that Sunset could scarcely believe. After revealing her family to the rest of the girls, Pinkie threw her party that she promised Sunset and Snowdrop. The party was great until the girls began to sing a song, when to Sunset's great horror; the girls started to glow with magic. Everyone was so mesmerized by the display of the girls' transforming into their magical pony forms, no one saw how frightened Sunset was. After the song ended, they had to pull Sunset out from behind the couch, where they found her curled up in the fetal position. Apparently, seeing the girls transform so suddenly caused Sunset to relive the Fall Formal's traumatic event. After calming down the distraught teen, they continued the party, careful of triggering any more unpleasant memories for Sunset.

Despite that small hiccup, the weekend ended up being the most fun Sunset ever had. Sunset and Snowdrop spent the much needed time with their mom and aunt. To their surprise, despite Snowdrop's blindness, she is kind of capable of gaming. Sunset and Luna were playing Resident Evil 2 that day, and they were so focused on the game that they didn't hear Snowdrop coming behind them. Sunset was slowly making her way around the police station when a zombie limped behind her. But Sunset didn't know that and kept searching for the zombie, thinking it was still ahead of her when Snowdrop said it was behind her. Sunset quickly turned back and shot in time before it was able to bite her. After a few seconds, Sunset and Luna remembered Snowdrop's blindness and surprised at how she knew where the zombie was. After that, they gave her a game to play, and she did surprisingly well for a blind person. But she was mostly limited to platformers and games with a lot of sounds, as it helps her to "see" where she is with the surround sound system Luna made. Another game that Snowdrop loved to play was Battleship's computerized version with Luna or Sunset helping her with directing her attacks.

After the weekend of excitement, the dreaded Monday came to ruin it. Sunset found herself making her way to the school gymnasium. It was the day before the musical showcase, and every student in the school was helping out to make banners in the gym. She looked around the room and saw the crusaders with Snowdrop and another girl with yellow skin and light purple hair in a ponytail by the stage. Smiling at the scene, she decided to let Snowdrop be to make new friends. She continued to scan the room and saw the Rainbooms at the opposite end of the room. Pinkie saw her and got up before shouting,

"Sunset Shimmmeeeer!! Over Hereeeee!!"

Sunset smiled at them and made her way to the girls surrounding a poster. As she walked over to them, the students around her begin muttering and whispering about her. She couldn't help but blame Pinkie a little after alerting everyone to her presence.

"I had no idea the whole school would be here," Sunset said, sighing. Fluttershy put an arm on Sunset's shoulder to comfort her. Rarity and Pinkie picked up the poster they were working on and showed it to Sunset.

"What do you say, Sunset? Quite the eye-catching advertisement if I do say so myself," Rarity asked.

"It's great," Sunset said after observing the poster.

"And the best part is, it smells like cake," Pinkie said, smiling.

"It does?" Fluttershy asked, to which Pinkie literally smacked the whole poster into Fluttershy's face when she tried to smell it.

"I used frosting instead of paste," Pinkie said. When she pulled the poster back, Fluttershy's face was covered in frosting.

"Uh… Fluttershy, you got a little something…" Applejack said, pointing to her face. Fluttershy tried to get the frosting off but only managed to wipe a little bit. "Did I get it?" The others lightly chuckled to that.

"Here," Sunset said, pulling out a handkerchief and wiped the excess frosting off of Fluttershy's face.

Right then, Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna walked into the stadium.

"Good afternoon, students. I just wanted to say how pleased I am to see that so many of you decided to participate in CHS's first-ever musical showcase." Principal Celestia said, to which all the students cheered. "This is a wonderful opportunity to raise money for all our after school programs. So keep working on those signs and posters." In all honesty, the school had more than enough money, but allowing the students to participate in making money makes it all the more worthy in the end. "I think it's going to be one of the most exciting events here at CHS since the Fall Formal," as soon as Celestia said that, everyone except the Rainbooms and Snowdrop glared at Sunset. That's when Celestia realized what she just said and how the students took it.

On the other hand, Sunset blushed in embarrassment and did a terrible job to cover her face, and slumped in sadness.


"Oh yeah, we're better than ever…

Oh whaa oh whaa

Oh yeah, we're better than ever…"

The Rainbooms finished their song, as all the pony ears, wings, and horns, along with extended hair, disappeared. Sunset clapped at their performance.

"Hehe- I still can't believe that happens when we play," Rarity said, putting her keytar aside. "Oh, I've got to look into some new accessories for these long ponytails and these fluffy pony ears. Oh, maybe, clip-on earrings?" Rarity wondered aloud.

"I just wonder why it happens. Didn't Princess Twilight took the magic along with the crown?" Applejack asked.

"Who cares why it happens," Rainbow said. "It only makes my band look totally awesome."

"OH! Sorry, your band?" Rarity asked, offended.

"Duh… it was my idea to make the band so we can be in the showcase," Rainbow said. "Plus, I'm the lead singer and guitarist."

Just then, they heard someone knocking on the music room door and saw Flash Sentry walking inside.

"Heard you outside. You guys are sounding really tight," He said, walking inside.

"We are getting there. Rarity's coming in a little late on the second verse, and Applejack could use a little bit of work on her bass solo," Rainbow said, not noticing the disapproving looks the others giving her. "They'll get it together before the showcase."

"Okay… uh… I don't suppose any of our friends from out of town might come?" Flash said, holding the back of his head. "You know, it being a charity event and all."

"Sorry, Flash, I don't think Twilight's gonna be in Canterlot High anytime soon," Applejack said, walking up to Flash.

"O-oh yeah… okay… I just… you know, thought, I'd ask," Flash said before pointing finger guns and walked backward, saying, "Uh… keep on… rocking it…" and walked straight into the wall. He quickly moved aside and slipped out of the music room.

"Oh- hehe… someone's a little smitten kitten," Rarity said before realizing Sunset is there. "Oh… sorry, I always forget you and Flash used to be a thing," Rarity apologized.

"No, it's okay… I didn't really have a thing for him like I do for Fluttershy. I just used him to get more popular. Ugh, the old me really was awful, wasn't she?" Sunset said. Everyone else looks elsewhere, but Sunset's eye's except for Pinkie, who bluntly said, "Yup,"

"But the important thing is, you changed your way now. I saw it the day you came to our farm to help out," Applejack said, walking up to Sunset and placing her hand on Sunset's shoulder.

"Thanks, Applejack," Sunset said, smiling before her face turned sad. "But I don't think everyone else at CHS thinks the same way,"

"Don't worry, you are trying, and you're already doing a great job," Fluttershy said, holding Sunset's arm. Sunset smiled at Fluttershy and Rainbow gaged at them, who received an elbow in the gut from Rarity. Just then, the PA system clicked, and the voice of Vice-Principal Luna came from it.

"Sunset Shimmer, please report to the main foyer."

"Gotta run. I volunteered to show some new students around the school. I figured they could get to know the new me before they hear about the old me," Sunset said before running to the school entrance.

She quickly arrived at the entrance and saw a trio of girls standing there. She walked up to them to call them, but she got this weird feeling for some reason. It like there's something invisible around them that made her jittery, like a predator looking at its prey. She put the feeling aside and called out to them.

"Uh… hello… are you the new students I'm supposed to show around?" She asked.

"We are," The one with the poofy orange hair said while the three of them stepped out of the shadows.

"Oh… good, I'm Sunset Shimmer. Nice to meet you," Sunset said, introducing herself.

After introducing each other, Sunset took them around the school. Everything was going well until they reached the end of the tour.

"That's the science lab. The computer lab is in there," Sunset said, pointing to each location. Just then, she saw a poster made for the showcase and ran towards it. "Oh, we have a new musical showcase tomorrow night; the whole school is going to be there. Since you are new, I'm sure Principal Celestia should allow you to sign up if you go talk to her."

"Oh… a musical showcase?" Adagio Dazzle, apparently the leader of the group, said, looking behind at her two friends.

"We have been known to sing from time to time," Aria Blaze said.

"Uh… hello, we sing like, all the time. That's how we get people to do what we want," Sonata Dusk said, which made the other two angry. Aria and Sonata then began to argue.

"You have to excuse them. They're idiots," Adagio said to Sunset. Sunset just kept looking at them for a while with a slightly confused face as she tried to keep her face neutral before she noticed the identical necklaces they all had.

"Oh, those are pretty. Where did you-" Sunset asked as she reached to inspect them but was cut off when Adagio's hand shot and squeezed her hand. Hard. Realizing what she did, Adagio quickly apologized.

"Hehehe… sorry. These pendants mean an awful lot to us," She said as she let go of Sunset's hand.

"Uh… okay…" Sunset said, rubbing her hand, growing more confused. And she could swear she felt something when she tried to touch the pendant. Sunset watched the two girls walk away before Aria turned around and pulled Sonata along with her.


Lunch was in full swing. Everyone mingled with others in the room as they minded their own business. Sunset walked in and looked around the cafeteria, looking for the girls. When she saw them, she made her way over to them. After days of general fear when it came to walking alone in the cafeteria's aisle or halls, Sunset could finally walk through the hallways and cafeteria without fear of the students trying to actively hurt her. It probably had something to do with the girls or the students having been cooled off. Whatever the reason, Sunset was grateful for it. She sat in the chair next to Applejack. Her mind was hung up on the three girls she just met.

"So, how was the tour?" Applejack asked.

"It's… it was okay, but… there was something… I don't know. Something off about them," Sunset said.

"Off? Off like this?" Pinkie asked, making a beard and a mustache with her hair. "Or off like this?" Pinkie asked as she made a vampire face with salad and fangs made out of baby carrots. Everyone looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Maybe we should let her tell us," Rainbow said to Pinkie. Everyone looked at Sunset as a carrot fell out of her mouth.

"That's just it. I just can't put my finger on it. They just acted. Sort of strange around me," Sunset said, frowning, "Maybe someone already told them about me," Sunset guessed before letting her head fell on the table.

Just then, they heard the cafeteria door opening, and the new girls walked in. And they raised their eyebrows at them when they saw them singing. "Um… what are they doing?" Rainbow asked.

They did their musical number all over the cafeteria. The girls were looking at them, wondering what all this is about. Sunset, on the other hand, felt something strange around them. And whatever it was, it was affecting everyone around them as she saw all the students begin to argue and fight over something. For some reason, it didn't affect her or the girls as she saw they were perfectly fine despite whatever is happening.

"Ohhh… they're that kind of off," Pinkie said, what was on everyone's mind.


After the incident, Sunset and the girls quickly got out of the cafeteria. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow tried to talk to their sisters who were fighting over something which was rarely seen among the trio, to no avail.

"What just happened?" Applejack asked.

"I… I think they have some kind of power… maybe that's what I felt," Sunset said.

"Oh great, we have to do something. The last thing we need is another power crazy demon ruining another special event at CHS," Rainbow said.
Sunset looked annoyed at that while everyone else looked at Rainbow disapprovingly. After the Fall Formal and becoming friends with Sunset, the girls tried to sound less offensive as much as possible to Sunset. And they did an excellent job, except Rainbow. Apparently, even though she was cool with Sunset, she still made brash comments towards her by accident, reminding her of how bad she was.

"Whatever, they do have some kind of magic with them. If we get to Principal Celestia and tell her about this, we'll be able to stop them," Sunset said. Everyone else nodded at her.

"Sunset?" They heard a soft voice, very similar to Fluttershy's talk. When they turned, they saw Snowdrop.

"Oh, Snowdrop, you okay?" Sunset asked, walking up to her little sister as she saw the troubled look on her face.

"Um… did something happen back there? Everyone's shouting and I heard some fighting," Snowdrop asked.

"Uh… where were you?" Sunset asked.

"I was in the library with Lily Pad."

"Not to worry you but, did some girls come into the library and sing a song?" Rarity asked. Snowdrop shook her head.

"Well, that explains it," Rainbow said.

"Snowdrop, come with us, something's going on, and we are going to talk to mom about it," Sunset said as she guided Snowdrop.

The girls made their way to the Principals' office, and Sunset knocked on the door. "Come in," They heard Celestia say from the other side. The girls quickly made their way inside.

"Oh, Sunset, what can I do for you?" Celestia asked. They saw Luna just beside her.

"Um… we are here to tell you something about the new students," Sunset began. "I think… they have some kind of dark magic with them."

"Dark magic, you say? I find that hard to believe, they came into my office just a few minutes ago, and they were very delightful," Celestia said.

"You met them?"

"Of course, but do you have any proof of their actions or this "dark magic"? Maybe Sunset Shimmer is just eager to make someone else out to be a bad element so that her actions at the Fall Formal will be old news," Luna said accusingly.

When Sunset heard that, she felt like she had been stabbed in the heart. She never thought she'd hear them say anything like that. And to make matters worse, Celestia didn't defend her either. But surprisingly, Rainbow came forward.

"That's not what happened. We saw what they did at the cafeteria. They are bad news," Rainbow said, trying to convince Celestia.

"Yes, but isn't your band supposed to be a part of the musical showcase?" Celestia asked.

"Uh… I… yes…"

"Perhaps you all are just worried that The Dazzlings are just going to steal your spotlight," Luna said.

"The Dazzlings?" Applejack asked.

"It's the name of their musical group. That's why they came by my office earlier so that they can be in the showcase. They even sang a song to Vice-Principal Luna and me."

"T-they… d-did…" Sunset said, stuttering.

"Yes, and we think having a battle of the bands instead is a marvelous idea," Celestia said. A Sunset could swear she saw a green flash coming from both Celestia and Luna's eyes.


After they attempted to warn the principals proved hopeless, the girls skipped their next classes and gathered outside to plan what to do next. Sunset and Snowdrop were sitting under the Wondercolt statue, taking comfort from each other.

"I can't believe they got to Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna too," Fluttershy said.

"What are we gonna do? They got to everyone," Rainbow said, frustratingly kicking her football.

"Not everyone…" Pinkie sang from the top of the statue.

"Yeah, we were there when the Dazzlings sang that song. It didn't affect us. It's like we are protected from something," Applejack said as she began to think about that incident.

"So let's take them down. It's not like we haven't tangled with dark magic before and totally whooped its sorry butt," Rainbow said. Sunset just sighed in annoyance.

"I'm just glad they didn't get to Snowdrop," Sunset said, hugging her little sister.

"But that's when Twilight was here. We might have some kind of magic inside us, but it only works when we sing a song. I don't know how to use it to 'whup anybody's butt'." Fluttershy said nervously.

"Huh… if only we could send a message to Twilight, so she can tell us how to break the spell The Dazzlings cast on everybody." Rarity said, examining the nail paint she put on her nails.

"Well, that's not gonna happen, the portal's closed," Rainbow said, throwing the ball to the portal, to which Rarity had to duck under, which got her nail paints to spill all down her arm. "And I get the feeling they don't exactly have cell phones where she's from," Rainbow continued ignoring the dramatic screams of Rarity.

'Cell Phones?' Sunset thought for a while before she remembered something. "I may have an idea how we can get in touch with Twilight," Sunset said, smiling before she quickly ran inside the school with Snowdrop holding onto her arm.

The girls all followed Sunset and came to a halt at her locker. Sunset dived into her locker, looking for something before she pulled out a big book with her cutie mark on it. She wiped the dust and opened the book.

"When I was Princess Celestia's student back in Equestria, she gave me this. Even after I ran away, I still held onto it. I think deep down. I knew I was making a mistake, and I still wanted a way to reach out to her. Maybe it still works?"

"Uh… darling? It's a book. What do you mean it still works?" Rarity asked.

"It used to be that when I wrote something here, it appears in a book similar to this in Princess Celesta's library," Sunset said. "I get a message to her. Maybe she can get a message to Princess Twilight."

"So what are you waiting for? Get to writing," Rainbow said, giving Sunset a pen.

Sunset grabbed the pen and glanced at the girls. They all gave her an encouraging nod, and her heart swelled with joy for having someone to help her through this time. A gentle squeeze on her arm had her looking at Snowdrop. She was hugging her arm to give her own share of courage to her. A soft smile formed on her face as she rubbed Snowdrop's head. Looking back at the book, her face formed a determined frown as she gripped the pen hard.

"Huh, been a long time since I wrote these words. Dear Princess Celestia-" Sunset muttered under her breath.