//------------------------------// // CH22: Jailbird // Story: Sunset Helpers // by Spirit Shift //------------------------------// “Alright, kid,” grumbled the guard as he shoved Sunset into his office. Still attached to her arms were thick handcuffs. However, unlike the shining silver bracelets she was expecting to be wearing, these were thick plastic and starting to dig into her wrists. She looked up at him with wide eyes, her mouth still agape as her mind struggled to come to terms with her current situation. “Here’s what’s going to happen,” he continued, glaring down at her, his large, round frame, while not as imposing as he wanted it to be for most people, definitely worked to keep Sunset Shimmer shaking. “First I'm gonna get your name and your parents' numbers.” Sunset baulked, her expression falling and her jaw somehow falling even lower. The guard smirked, clearly enjoying this display of fear before proceeding. “Then I'm going to write you up and issue a ban for setting off dangerous fireworks inside the property. You won't be able to come to this mall for a long time, girl.” “Wait,” Sunset cried as the man walked past her. “I didn’t set that bomb off. You have the wrong person.” The guard rolled his eyes and sat down at his desk. “Oh really now?” he said dryly. “I have proof!” The guard raised a single brow. “And so do I.” He pulled out both of the other smoke bombs, helpfully labled ‘Homemade Smoke granade 2&3’, and sat them both in front of him on the desk. “Two of them, found quite obviously on your person. This is my proof, where’s yours?” Sunset flinched, taking a step back. She looked from the guard to the balls, then back. “W-well… I…” Before she could muster up a possible explanation. The guard slammed his hand down on the desk. “Yeah, that's what I thought. Jeez, you teenagers thing all of us adults are stupid. I’ve caught you red-handed,” he exclaimed, pointing a fat finger in her direction. “I don’t know what you were doing with these. Honestly, I should call the cops on you for being a public disturbance!” This caused Sunset to begin breathing heavily, bordering on hyperventilating. The guard rolled his eyes once again before leaning back in his seat. “But since you’re a first time offender, and nobody got hurt. I’ll just call your parents and tell them that you’re banned and be done with it. Less paperwork.” Sunset couldn't tell which was worse. Being banned from the mall, or revealing to this stranger her living conditions. Her mind spun with thought until finally latching onto one. “Y… you can’t call my parents,” she said slowly, a crooked smile finding its way onto her face. “I live alone.” “Hmm,” the guard hummed. “Be that as it may, they should still be informed.” “No,” Sunset continued, looking down in a feign attempt to look sad. “I’m kind of an orphan. I don't have any parents anymore.” This caught the guard by surprise, his eyebrows raising several millimetres. For the first time he looked mildly uncomfortable. Sunset’s nervous smirk gained a bit of confidence. But only for a second before the guard politely coughed into his hand and restarted his thought process. “Well, I'm sorry to hear that, girl. However there are still documents to be filed with your removal from the property. And because you don't have anyone who can legally come retrieve you. I’m going to have to call in a police officer to make you go directly home. Sunset’s smirk fell deeper into the pits of suffering. She began to shake as the guard reached for his phone. She could get caught up with the police, they might try to ask her questions. What if they found out that she doesn't belong here or that she actually doesn't have proper identification. Sweat began to bead down her face. This was bad. The door suddenly rattled, shocking both Sunset and the guard. Both looked towards the door with slight curiousness before it burst open. Standing at the door frame was a small-ish girl with lavender and white hair, sparkling golden jacket, and a shining white tiara sitting atop it. Diamond Tiara could barely hold back the evil grin she had while looking at Sunset with cuffs on. This was worse “Miss Tiara!?” the guard exclaimed, standing up from his desk. “To what do I owe the pleasure today?” he said, stepping around his desk to stand in front of her. He gave a nervous glance to the girl next to her, who looked even more scared than before. Diamond Tiara hautilly flipped her hair and strode into the room, looking around with a disgusted sneer. “Well this place smells as bad as always.” She turned that sneer towards Sunset. “Fitting considering the trash you brought in.” Sunset held her tongue, her fear of somehow making the situation worse overpowering the urge to snap back at the brat in front of her. The guard put on a strained smile. “Y-yes, Miss Tiara, I was just about to remove and restrict this girl from the premises.” DT scoffed and rolled her eyes. “While I would love to see this demon thrown out onto her face, you can let her go.” she said, waving the guard off and shocking both Sunset and the man in question. “Wh… huh??” Sunset leaned forward, eyes wide at this announcement. Her expression was mirrored by the man next to her. “B-but, ma’am,” he began, stammering his words. “Sh-she set off a smoke bomb in the middle of the mall. This clearly violates several rules.” “Did you not hear me, grunt!?” Diamond asserted, her voice raising slightly. “I said release her, that is an order from Daddy!” He flinched back at the mention of his boss, and the owner of the mall. Grumbling, he slowly took out his keys and uncuffed a still dumbfounded Sunset Shimmer. “Good boy,” Diamond whispered, smirking triumphantly. She pointed at Sunset before throwing a thumb behind her. “And you, get out of here before I change my mind.” Sunset opened her mouth to say something, but before the words could leave her throat she caught sight of Pinkie hiding in the doorway behind Diamond Tiara. She had her finger over her mouth and was waving Sunset over. Looking between her and the kid, Sunset slowly moved closer to the door. She moved slowly, taking small hesitant steps while still glancing between Pinkie and DT. Just as she passed by Diamond Tiara, she heard something that sent a shiver down her spine. “You owe me.” Sunset all but ran past Pinkie and out into the mall proper. “Alrighty, Sunny!” Pinkie said, nervously stepping closer to Sunset while holding her hands behind her back. “I know what you’re thinking and…” She yelped as Sunset grabbed Pinkie by the arms and looked her dead in her bright blue eyes. Her face was simultaneously confused and terrified. “What… just happened??” “Weeeellll,” Pinkie began, drawing out the word, a staple sign of her about to go on a long winded explanation. “So while I was having fun in the gigantic fun bounce house I thought to myself ‘wow, I bet Sunset would love Love LOVE this thing. And then I remembered our mission. But when I did I saw you talking to screwball, and you looked like you two were having a lot of fun. But then she set off this HUUUGE dust cloud and I couldn't see you anymore. But then I figured you were just playing hide and seek until this big squishy guy grabbed you and took you away. And I remembered him from when my big sis Maud accidentally broke his window so that's how I KNEW he was a mall cop.” By this point, Sunset had more or less calmed down and let go of Pinkie to let her finish her long story. “But by the time I finished my hopping set you were already being dragged away. And I was scared to go near them because I’m still technically banned from that time with the waffles. But then I noticed Diamond Tiara by her store laughing and pointing so I thought ‘she could definitely save Sunny’! So I went over and we talked and talked and argued for a bit. She really wanted to see you banned by the way so it took a WHILE to convince her but we did end up agreeing that you would do any one thing that she wants you to do.” “You agreed to WHAT??” Sunset nearly spat, her eyes nearly bulging from their sockets. Pinkie cowered backwards, her hands held out in front of her. “Well it was either that or get banned from ever coming here again!!” Sunset stared at her for another few seconds before deflating back into a nearby bench to sit down on and put her head in her hands. She let out a long weary sigh. Pinkie looked around awkwardly before inching over to her friend's side. Unsure of what else to say, she simply swung at the first topic that came to her head. “So… uhh. I guess Screwball won that hide and seek game huh? Did you at least find out why she’s pranking you.” Sunset’s only answer was a long drawn out groan. That groan was interrupted by the sound of a portly man clearing his throat. Sunset and Pinkie’s heads shot up and beheld the security guard from before. Pinkie immediately went into panic mode and dove behind the bench that Sunset sat on. The guard simply rolled his eyes and looked directly at Sunset. “In light of recent information, I need to apologise to you, Miss. Shimmer…” ~~~ Sulking, Sunset sluggishly opened the door to Coco’s home. Blissfully happy, Pinkie followed her in. Still slumped over, Sunset made the turn into the living room, walked up to the couch, and with a pomf, fell face first onto the cushions. Getting down to her knees, Pinkie scooted close to the foot of the couch and started to gently pet Sunset’s hair. “Come on, Sunset,” she cooed, “it wasn’t that bad!” A muffled groan was all that she heard in response. “Well yeah I guess being held in mall jail was pretty rough” she said, shrugging. “But hey, at least it wasn't an actual prison,” she finished, smiling. A slightly louder groan. “I mean…” Pinkie glanced back and forth, signs of panic began forming on her face. “At least the cameras caught Screwball so they didn’t blame you.” A moment of silence. Oddly enough the lack of a response of any kind actually made Pinkie panic even more. “Well… I mean now you owe a favor to Diamond Tiara and she could ask you for AAAAANNYYYTHING,” she sang, leaning her head over to bump Sunset's playfully. Luckily, the pattering of feet coming down the stairs took her attention off of Sunset for a second. Peeking into the room was Sunset’s roommate. “Coco!” cried Pinkie, bouncing over to her. After a quick hug, Pinkie covered her mouth with a hand and let out a stage whisper. “Thank goodness you’re here, I’ve never had to cheer up a convict before.” “I’m not a convict!” cried Sunset, her outburst muffled by the cushions still covering her face. Coco looked between the two worriedly. “Um… I’m confused… Did you get in trouble while getting the milk?” At that point Sunset’s head snapped up from the couch, her eyes glaring into space. “Oh yeah… I forgot the coffee and milk at the mall... “ Slowly her head fell back onto the couch. “Just when I thought the day was over.” Coco stared blankly, first at Sunset then at Pinkie. However, before she could say anything she felt herself being dragged away. With a nervous giggle, Pinkie snatched Coco's arm and pulled her over into the next room "Eh, let's just give her a few minutes. Not every day you escape The Fuzz. Hey! You wouldn't believe the size of the trampoline I got to try out today!" she said cheerfully.