P
‘Life is perfect!’ Sunset Shimmer thought. It was true too, for her anyway. Life for Sunset Shimmer was nigh perfect. She had nearly everything that anypony in high school might want. She was the most popular mare at her school, she had a very attractive figure, she was cheer captain of her school’s squad, and she was rich. And as she walked through the halls of her school, with best friends Trixie Lulamoon and Starlight Glimmer in tow, she couldn’t help but give a little hop in excitement. For not only was she the mare with nearly everything, she was the mare with everything.
She held her head high and looked at those around her with superiority. They knew their place, at the bottom, and she knew her’s, at the top. Her and her friends' hooves click clopped on the beige tiled floor as they made their way past all the other brown lockers to one in particular. A locker off to Sunset’s left, one that belonged to a very handsome stallion. Said stallion was just closing his locker, having grabbed what he needed from inside and levitating it within his blood red magic.
Sunset rushed over to the stallion and embraced him in a tight hug. The stallion was surprised at this, and doubly surprised when Sunset locked her lips against his. Trixie and Starlight had caught up to the pair of unicorns just in time to over hear the start of their conversation. “Babe, right now? Really?” The stallion said as he pushed Sunset back slightly.
“Oh, come on Sombra. What are you saying that you don’t want me?” Sunset questioned Sombra with a faux expression of despair. Sombra, the most stunning stallion in the school, all hers. Sunset reveled in the idea that on top of everything she had a hot coltfriend too. She really couldn’t have asked for a better life.
Sombra’s ears fell slightly at this as he looked back at Sunset with a caring expression, “Of course I want you Sunset, just could we do this later? Maybe in private and not in front of everypony else?” Sombra’s comment caused Sunset to drop her act and take a look around the two of them with a quizzical expression. She saw many ponies looking at her and Sombra from the corner of their eyes, and even Trixie and Starlight were looking at the floor with blushes while rubbing the back of one of their forelegs. As Sunset’s gaze met the gaze of the other ponies they tried their hardest to look anywhere but her eyes.
Sunset turned back to slightly nervous Sombra and put a hoof to his lips. She looked at him seductively and fluttered her eyelashes at him, then leaned in next to his left ear and whispered, “Okay then, we’ll do it later.” Sombra shivered slightly at that, and the magic around his curved horn flickered out for just a second. Sunset knew she had him wrapped around her hoof, which pleased her to no end.
“Alright, see you later babe!” Sunset squealed as she pecked Sombra on his left cheek and turned to leave.
“Yeah, talk to you later.” Sombra spoke with a sigh. Sunset continued past Sombra and down the hall, her two best friends right behind her. ‘Now then, I can move on to something else that’s very pressing.’ Sunset thought with a snicker.
“Twilight!” Sunset yelled down the hall as she turned a corner. Twilight turned to look away from her friends and saw Sunset and crew approaching, the smile on her face instantly dropping. ‘I love that look.’ Sunset inwardly sneered. Sunset walked straight up to Twilight Sparkle, beaming right in her face. Twilight for her part tried to save face, but her contempt for Sunset was obvious to all around.
“Sunset,” Twilight said with a forced tone of joy, “What brings you here?”
“You already know!” Sunset replied, “I’m running for prom queen again this year. And since I’m sure to win it again I just wanted to know if I had you and your friends' votes?”
“Well-” Twilight was cut off as Sunset interrupted.
“Wait, you aren’t thinking of running against me again this year, are you? I mean after coming second to me by an embarrassingly large margin last year you wouldn’t possibly want to run ever again, would you?”
“I am,” Twilight dropped the act and grumbled, “And this year I’ll win.”
“Really now?” Sunset questioned, “And why are you so sure?”
“Because everypony is sick of you and your attitude, that’s why!”
“Oh, but no pony’s said anything yet. And I’ve seen no complaints, you want to know why?”
“Not really…” Twilight spoke in a quiet tone as she lowered her head.
“Well too bad,” Sunset replied smugly, “I have this school wrapped around my hoof, and I’ve got enough in the bank to pay off anypony to quit their complaints, shut their mouths, and do what I say.”
“Just like Sombra?” Twilight stated menacingly, looking Sunset dead in the eyes. Sunset’s whole demeanor quickly changed at that remake. Her brow furrowed as she growled in anger, crouching low. She pounced on Twilight frighteningly fast, hitting her across her jaw and breaking her nose, causing it to bleed. Twilight yelped in surprise and pain as her friends stepped between her and Sunset. Sunset’s friends for their part attempted to hold back Sunset and restrain her.
“You take that back!” Sunset yelled, “Sombra is my coltfriend because he loves me, not because I made him! He chose me and you’re just upset that you two broke up!”
Twilight shoved past her friends and responded, “You keep telling yourself that. Maybe one of these days it’ll come true.” Sunset was livid, she was ready to beat Twilight to a pulp right there. The only things stopping her were her two friends and Twilight’s friends. Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy. The five parasites that always followed Twilight, not quite as insufferable as Twilight but each annoying in their own ways.
Pinkie Pie would never shut up about food, Rainbow Dash would always brag about her athletic abilities and strength, Rarity couldn’t go a second without talking about fashion, Applejack was just an annoying country mare who fetishized apples, Fluttershy was an obsessive environmentalist, and Twilight was just a plain bitch. ‘Overall a group of six unsavory individuals who have no talent and no right to defy me.’ Sunset internally jeered.
Sunset finally calmed down, shoving her friends off of her and staring down Twilight. The two unicorn mares glared at each other before Rainbow Dash broke the silence. “Um, Twi?” She questioned, “Weren’t you going to tell this prick something.”
Twilight broke out of her impromptu staring contest with Sunset and remembered what she was going to tell Sunset before the conversation got derailed. And before Sunset could complain about Rainbow’s remark Twilight spoke, “I’m not the only pony running for prom queen this year, my friends are too.”
Sunset quickly picked up on what Twilight was doing. ‘If she and all her friends run it’ll split the votes up more between all the candidates, making sure my lead will be lessened and one of them will have a chance to win!’ Last year it had just been Sunset, Twilight, and some random pink mare with a blue mane who ran. Sunset was the clear winner with Twilight and the other pony far behind her, but now with so many candidates her win might not be so secured. ‘No,’ Sunset thought, ‘She’s just trying to intimidate me, I know I’ll still win no matter who runs. And if anypony actually starts to gain on me I’ll just pay off the other students to vote for me in droves.’
“Nice try Twilight, but I’m not so easily intimidated.” Sunset said. Twilight attempted to respond, but at that moment Chrysalis, one of Sunset’s cheer squad members, rushed up to Sunset and tried to get her attention.
“Chrysalis, I’m kind of in the middle of something.” Sunset said, annoyed.
“I know but this is important!” Chrysalis said with an urgent tone in her voice. Sunset huffed a sigh and turned away from Twilight, who was listening to Chrysalis with mild interest, to look at Chrysalis.
“Fine, what is it Chrissy,” Sunset questioned, “I don’t have all day.”
“Yes I know Sunset,” Chrysalis said nervously, “You know Radiant Hope?”
“No.” Sunset said with confusion.
“Yes.” Twilight said at the same time as Sunset spoke.
“Well she’s finally back after being out for so long,” Chrysalis spoke fast, “She hurt a hindleg in a carriage wreck, she had to get it amputated.” Twilight, her friends, and Sunset’s friends all gasped at this, but not Sunset. Sunset was still mulling over the name Radiant Hope and was wondering one thing. ‘Radiant Hope? Why does that name sound so familiar?’