With a very slow and tense squeak, Sunset carefully opened her locker. As if anticipating that something would pop, out she cautiously held up her bag in defence.
One second…
Two seconds…
Only on the third second of holding the door fully open, did Sunset's eyes do the same. She peaked out past her backpack with extreme trepidation, looking, waiting for something to explode out…
Regardless if it was an object or a person.
Behind her, several paces behind, stood Rainbow Dash.
“Are you done?” RD asked, tapping her foot while taking glances at her watch. “Can I come over there now? We’re gonna be late.”
~~~
SECOND PERIOD
“Sunny?” asked Pinkie, her brow raised curiously “What are you doing?”
Sunset, having just walked into class, furiously inspected her desk. As usual it had its fair bit of writing on it, mostly from students who still had a grudge against her, and a ton from Pinkie, who spent most of the space, drawing balloons and ponies and scraping out other comments written onto the desk.
However, Sunset ignored those things and how they made her feel as her hands flew all around the wooden desk, giving it a full pat down inspection.
Bon Bon, who was sitting behind Sunset, sighed. “Can you sit down?” she groaned.
~~~
THIRD PERIOD
“No,” Sunset said plainly. “Not a chance.”
Applejack, who stood in front of her covered in sawdust and annoyance, slowly put down the hammer she had held up. “Alright then…” she said, deadpanning. “How about you hot glue these two sides together then?” she asked, passing the hot glue gun and two planks of wood towards Sunset.
Sunset quickly took a step back, “And risk someone having made it so that it bursts all over me?” she said fearfully.
All around them, people worked studiously in shop class, putting together their various projects. The sounds of saws, hammers, and the occasional cry of pain echoed through the large room.
Applejack slowly put her head in her hands, took a deep breath, and tried again. “Well will ya please at least put on an apron so it LOOKS like you’re helpin out here an’ there?”
Sunset stared at the apron that had been laid down on their workbench. With only the most careful of touches, she reached over and gave the fabric a tentative poke before furiously pushing it off the table and onto the ground.
Applejack couldn't give a deeper sigh if she tried.
~~~
LUNCH
“Oh dear,” Coco, muttered, as she watched Sunset poke at each of the food choices in the cafeteria, a manic look in her eye. Behind the timid girl stood most of Canterlot high, all of them yelling and complaining about the line being held up.
“Sunset do you need any-”
“Stay back, Coco!” Sunset yelled, furiously jabbing at the mashed potatoes. “Any one of these might be rigged to explode in your face.”
“Umm, I don't think-”
Just then, an explosion rang out, and Sunset, who had been investigating the mashed potatoes, had now become covered in them from head to toe.
“I knew it!” cried Sunset, throwing down the ladle she was using to inspect the food with.
Far back into the cafeteria several boys began crying out in laughter. Meanwhile Coco quickly began trying to help.
“Oh my goodness, Sunset are you alright?! Was this what you were looking for?” she asked, trying to grab as many paper towels as she could?
Sunset, however, stared back at the boys who were laughing with wide eyes.
One of the boys caught her gaze and sneered at her. “What? You gonna do something about it?”
“Nevermind, it’s not what I thought,” Sunset said, gritting her teeth and moving to leave the cafeteria. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
Coco quickly followed after her, but stopped when Sunset paused mid step and began mumbling.
“Wait, what if this is it… maybe she wants me to go to bathroom?” she mumbled.
“Sunset what are you-” Coco tried, only to be grabbed by Sunset at the last second. Coco stared up into her eyes as Mashed potatoes dripped off her face and shirt.
“Don’t you get it, Screwball just WANTS me to go clean up,” she said with a crazed grin.
Coco squirmed away, getting just enough distance between them so she wouldn't get any food on her nice clothes, but enough to still whisper back.
“Well you can’t stay like that for the rest of the period.”
Sunset just smiled. “She wont get me that easily!” she yelled, running off.
The boys near the back eventually stopped laughing and just stared in the direction of Sunset and Coco, their mouths agape.
“Well that was boring… She’s so weird.…”
~~~
“She didn't!” gasped Rarity, clutching her iced mocha latte in one hand and covering her mouth with the other. Next to her sat Rainbow and Applejack who could only nod in sympathetic understanding.
The three of them and Coco all sat comfortably in a corner table of Sugarcube Corner, all with a drink and a story about what Sunset had been like at school that day. Meanwhile, Pinkie zoomed around the area and kitchen helping others.
Coco, who sat across from Rarity nodded furiously. “She tried until I convinced her to wipe most of it off. I’m really worried for her, you guys.”
“She’s acting completely crazy,” added Rainbow Dash plainly while taking a loud slurp of her smoothie.
“And where is she now?” asked Rarity.
“Fluttershy went with Sunset back to her house so she could change clothes,” AJ answered . “Girl done said she needs a ‘witness in case anything happens’,” she said, doing a very visible air quoting gesture.
She rolled her eyes and chugged her root beer before continuing. “I don't know why, we know she’s getting pranked, but she’s been gettin real nervous about it all… a little too nervous.”
Coco, nodded and took a slow morose sip of her vanilla milkshake. “I thought she would be feeling a bit better after talking to me the other day… I wonder if I just made it worse,” she said, a tinge of sadness in her tone.
Rarity immediately jumped on that tinge. “Of course not, dear! You’ve done the best you could have. I think Sunset Shimmer may have just decided to deal with this the wrong way. And as her friends, as soon as she gets here we should set her-”
*CRASH*
Rarity’s speech came screeching to a halt as the sound of glass smashing to the ground echoed throughout the building. All four girls immediately turned to the source of the sound.
Standing in front of a distraught and stunned Pinkie Pie, was an equally stunned Fluttershy. Next to her, with her arms stretched out was a shocked and ragged looking Sunset Shimmer. And between all of them was a platter that had fallen onto the floor surrounded by shards of broken glass and what looked like the remains of a red and yellow milkshake.
The entire building went quiet as all eyes went from Sunset to Pinkie.
Sunset took a step back, staring down at the defeated drink. “Pinkie, oh my Celestia, I am so sorry. I just… I decided that I wasn't gonna take things from people because they might be a prank so my hands just.. I just-”
Pinkie held her hand up, silencing the girl. Her eyes bored into Sunset and her mouth had become a straight line.
Without warning, she grabbed Sunset by the arm, turned and all but dragged her over towards the other girls. Fluttershy, moving around the glass, quickly followed behind.
“Sit.” Pinkie ordered, basically shoving Sunset into the open seat next to Coco. Turning face, she walked away back towards the broken glass.
“You done messed up now, sugarcube,” AJ began, shaking her head. “Nobody wastes a premium Pinkie Smoothie.”
Rainbow stared at Sunset and sucked her teeth. “Eeeeeeyeaah. You did the one thing you REALLY shouldn't do around Pinkie.”
Coco stared worriedly between them and Sunset, who’s face had gone extremely pink while she stared down at her feet.
“Is… is that bad,” Coco asked. “It was an accident right?”
“You didn’t tell me that Sunset was THIS bad,” Rarity sighed before addressing Coco. “I’ll put it this way, darling. Do you remember when we explained the concept and consequences for breaking a Pinkie Promise?”
Coco’s eyes shrank. “That bad?” she all but whispered, glancing over to Pinkie who was still silently cleaning the floor. It was then that she realised that she wasn't the only one looking. The entire building was still quiet, watching to see what the pink girl would do.
Rarity, meanwhile, shook her head. “No, but close. She’ll be in a foul mood for the rest of the day until Sunset apologises properly.”
“But… but I did apologise. It’s just that I didn't know if it was a prank and-”
“Sunset!” interrupted Rarity, leaning forward and causing Sunset to shrink into her seat.
“Ugh,” Sunset groaned. After a moment of silence she took a slow deep breath, held it, and let it out slowly. “I’ve been a bit… crazy today.”
“Ah’ll say!” called out AJ as she finished off her drink. “What are ya thinkin’ girl? You don’t have to be all paranoid ya know.”
“I know, it's just… After my run in with Screwball, I don’t know I’ll get pranked next. I found some today but those were by some kids at school. None of them were from her,” she said, groaning.
“How can you tell the difference?” asked Rainbow. “Don't tell me you can sniff out pranks like Pinkie can?” she continued, smirking.
“Where is she anyway?” mumbled Rarity, looking around. The glass and drinks had been cleaned up, and Pinkie was nowhere to be found on the floor.
Sunset shook her head. “No, nothing like that. It’s just…” she scratched her head. “I don’t know, I can just tell when it's Screwball’s prank. She’s got a certain style.”
“Pfft, almost sounds like ya miss ‘em,” snickered AJ.
“Of course I don't.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “But now I’m nervous and I don’t know if she’s just out to get me or if someone is siccing her on me. Either way, I don’t know how to deal with it aside from just being hyper vigilant.”
Just as she finished a glass slammed down in front of her. A glass eerily similar to the one that was on the ground in pieces a moment ago. Inside was the same red and yellow swirled smoothie that was ALSO very similar to the one that was all over the ground before.
Sunset slowly looked up to see Pinkie staring down at her, her face still the same expressionless visage it was before.
“Pinkie, I’m so sorry about-”
“Drink,” she said simply.
“But, I really need to-”
“Drink…” Pinkie stated again. “The smoothie. Sunset.”
Sunset stared at the drink, a flurry of perfectly swirled colours with white foam nested neatly on top, as if comforting the white straw that poked out of it.
Cautiously, Sunset leaned over and took a sip.
One sip.
Two sips.
Sunset grabbed the drink right off the table and began loudly slurping it down, a massive smile on her face as she did.
Pinkie simply looked on with a big grin and her chest stuck out. All in all she was the very appearance of smugness.
Finally tearing her mouth away from the straw, Sunset took in a large breath that she’d been putting off before looking up at Pinkie.
“I’m so sorry. But this is so good,” she said, stars in her eyes.
“It better be, I spent all afternoon making that for you,” Pinkie said, giggling “It’s my secret Shimmer Shake. Perfect for cheering up sulking Sunset sadsacks.”
And with that she skipped off, her mood completely restored.
Sunset took another large sip before turning to her other friends. “I’m sorry for today guys.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Coco said, smiling brightly.
Sunset looked down at her nearly empty glass. “I'm pretty sure today made it obvious that actually predicting Screwball only leads to me going insane. So what should I do? “ she asked, glancing around.
Rarity nodded, “True, however your incident in the mall also proved that Screwball will show up if you’re intent on looking for her. So, why not use that?”
“And why would I go looking for her again?” she asked, a single eyebrow raised.
Rainbow leaned forward onto the table, a wide grin on her face. “So we can prank her back obviously!”
Pinkie immediately popped up, a tray of glasses on a platter. In a flash she switched out everyone's drinks before leaning onto the table and past Fluttershy. “Did I hear the word… ‘pranks?’” She moved in close to Sunset. “Are we starting a prank war?” she said, covering her mouth and stage whispering at Sunset.
“What?” Sunset stared at her incredulously, leaning away and accidentally pushing against Coco. “No! That will probably make me look worse. Plus I’m terrible at pranks.”
Realising that she had been putting Coco inbetween her body and the wall, Sunset pushed Pinkie away and reoriented herself. “That’s not gonna work.”
“Umm, well-”
“Ah say you just ignore the girl,” AJ said plainly, beginning to take a few swigs of her now refreshed drink. “She’s around the same age as Apple Bloom an’ her friends right? If you ignore her she’ll move on to something else and you’d be fine, trust me!”
“Actually, I think-”
“You think that will work, dear?” wondered Rarity, calmly stirring her drink. “Based on what they’ve told us, Screwball seems laser focused on one person. I fear that ignoring her would only serve to make the pranks MORE intrusive.”
Sunset flinched. “Her pranks are already really annoying, I can't imagine them getting worse. I don’t think I want to either,” she said, her words falling into a mumble near the end.
“I still think we can at least hit her with one counter prank!” Pinkie said, chipping in while going back to work.
“Well that might-”
“Ah’m tell ya, ignoring her works wonders for little bullies,” Applejack interjected.
“Girls!” To the surprise of everyone, all eyes turned to Coco who had yelled over the back and forth. She let out a small, slightly embarrassed cough and smiled. “I think fluttershy is trying to say something.”
She looked over towards Fluttershy who had been trying to chime in during the discussion, and winkied.
“Oh! Um… well,” she began. “Well wouldn't it be easier to just try to talk to Screwball?”
Rarity let out a small polite sigh. “Fluttershy, dearest, we already tried that.”
The shy girl merely shook her head in response. “No, that’s not what I mean. I mean we should try to be friends with her. If Sunset can teach Screwball how to be kind and friendly, then everything will go back to normal.” She looked over at Sunset and gave her a small smile.
“Maybe you guys can pull pranks together… small ones I mean.”
The table went quiet for a moment.
Rainbow Dash was the first to start. “Will that even work? Screwball’s kinda… ya know…” she said, using her finger to make tiny circles near the side of her head.
“Rainbow Dash!” chided Rarity. “It’s as good an idea as any, and worth trying.”
Sunset scratched her head for a second before replying. “Yeah… I guess. But that would mean that I have to find her again. Which we established is kinda hard.”
“Well,” began Coco, “she’s bound to show up eventually. I think we should just let things play out naturally. And when you see her, try your best!” she finished with a small smile.
Sunset stared down at her drink before taking a big swig and standing up. “I’ll do it!” she declared, her face full of fire and determination once more.
“I’m going to be friends with Screwball!”
~~~
Several hours later, in the comfort of her home, Pinkie and Rainbow held a two person sleepover.
Together, with nothing but the light of Rainbow Dash’s phone illuminating the room, the two sat on Pinkie’s ultra fluffy bed and talked.
“Are you sure we should do this, Dashie? I don’t think Sunny was really into the idea,” Pinkie asked worriedly, looking at the notebook that sat on the bed between them.
“Pffft!” Rainbow puffed, waving her off. “She also said she’s bad at pranks. Trust me! When we’re done giving Screwball a taste of her own medicine, even if Sunset doesn't become friends with her, she’ll think twice about pranking anyone again.”
“Hmmm, Okay!! if it’ll help Sunset!” Pinkie said gleefully.
Rainbow gave her a devious grin and went back to writing in her notebook. “Great! Now, I have the perfect plan.”
The only sounds that would come from that room for the rest of the night were the sounds of two girls giggling and the frantic scratchings of writing in a book.