//------------------------------// // A New Dawn // Story: Christine's Sunset // by RusticPrince //------------------------------// The tranquil morning had descended upon Canterlot High School, casting a peaceful aura over the empty halls and classrooms. Inside, teachers and janitors bustled about, preparing for the day ahead. But outside, by the wonder colt statue, five teens sat in quiet conversation. As the morning sun rose higher in the sky, its golden rays shone upon the statue, illuminating it in a warm glow. Suddenly, the mirror within the statue began to twist and distort, creating a swirling magenta cloud that seemed to pulse with energy. The group of girls watched in anticipation as the portal began to open, waiting for their friend's arrival. With a burst of magical energy, a young girl with black glasses, a plaid skirt, and a white tee shirt emerged from the portal and landed gently on the soft grass of the school lawn. As quickly as it appeared, the magenta cloud dissipated and the mirror returned to its normal state. The girl shook herself off and was helped to her feet by Pinkie and Fluttershy while the other three girls stood nearby, waiting patiently. Taking a moment to gather her bearings, the newcomer looked around at her surroundings with wonder and awe. Her eyes met those of her friends who had helped her out of kindness, but as they fell upon the other three girls, they hardened into a cold and calculating gaze. "We're so glad you're here, Twilight," Applejack said warmly, crossing her arms. "We need your help." Twilight's stern gaze pierced through the group of girls, her voice laced with disappointment and anger. "As you mentioned in your message," she began, "what exactly is this issue you're having with Sunset that you needed my help with? Something you couldn't figure out on your own?" Her words were sharp and cutting. Rainbow Dash's expression turned to one of frustration as she blurted out, "Sunset has been sharing everyone's secrets online, and we need you to take her back to Equestria right now!" The others nodded in agreement, their faces a mix of worry and agitation. Twilight raised an eyebrow. "And have any of you actually talked to Sunset about this? Or did you jump to conclusions and use her as a scapegoat instead of facing the truth?" There was a fire in her tone. The girls exchanged guilty looks. Pinkie's usually bouncy hair deflated slightly as she answered, "No..." Fluttershy peeked out timidly from behind her curtain of hair. "I've been too afraid to confront her," she admitted meekly. Rarity shifted uncomfortably, playing with a strand of her perfectly styled hair. "Well...no," she said shyly. Twilight turned to Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "What about you two?" she asked pointedly. Rainbow Dash puffed up defensively. "What about us? We know for a fact it was her, that little-" But Twilight cut her off. "And how do you know for a fact it was her? Did you just accuse her without even talking to her first? Or did you use her as a convenient excuse so you wouldn't have to face the real source of the problem?" Her words hit the group like a slap in the face. Applejack remained calm amidst the chaos. "What are ya getting at, Twi?" she asked, trying to diffuse the tension. Twilight took a deep breath before explaining, "We had a similar problem in Equestria, except it was with my student Starlight. The foal free press had someone writing down everypony's secrets and everyone thought it was her until we dug deeper and found out who the true culprits were." "Culprits? As in more than one?" Applejack's eyes widened as she connected the dots. "You don't mean..." "Yes," Twilight affirmed with a resolute voice. Rarity looked to Applejack for clarification. "What does she mean, Applejack?" she asked, eager to understand the connection. And as everything clicked into place, Applejack's expression turned grim. "She means that we've been wrongfully accusing Sunset this whole time." As Applejack spoke, her voice carried a tinge of concern and worry. She knew that it was their sisters on the other side of the portal who were spreading everyone's secrets, but as she trailed off, Rainbow's anger boiled over. "Absolutely nothing on this side," Rainbow seethed, unaware of the three children behind her. "Now you're going to take Sunset to your world or else-" Her threat was cut off by a small voice from behind her. "How'd you figure it out?" The child asked, causing Rainbow to turn around in surprise. "Yeah, how'd you figure out it was us?" Another child chimed in, making the older girls' eyes widen in shock. Twilight's narrowed suspiciously as she took in the sight of their younger siblings standing before them. In a fit of rage, Rainbow spun around ready to confront a smirking Twilight for using some sort of manipulation spell. But before she could say anything, Pinkie Pie caught her attention with some unusual behavior. Pinkie's hair straightened and then poofed up into its usual curly state. Her eyes rolled around wildly in her head as her jaw chattered. Suddenly, her left arm shot out and then back in before she bounced five times in a row. To finish off her bizarre display, Pinkie did a full 360-degree rotation followed by a quadruple backflip, landing perfectly on her feet. "Whoa! That was one hell of a doozy!" Pinkie exclaimed with an odd tone between chipper and dark. "Pinkie," Rainbow said slowly, all the girls now staring at their friend in confusion. "What did that mean?" "I'm not sure," Pinkie replied, sounding serious for once. "It was like a mix between a feeling that someone new is coming here and a horrible sensation following it. Like something dark is descending upon us." As if on cue, the girls heard faint music in the distance, growing louder and more ominous with each passing moment. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Junkyard~~~~~~~~~~~~ The golden rays of the morning sun shone upon the junkyard, their warm light reflecting off the gleaming red and white paint of a sleek car. Sitting patiently outside the bay door of the garage, Christine waited for her beloved owner - a fiery-haired girl who had shown her love and care that she hadn't experienced in years. As the clock in the garage struck 6:30, Sunset appeared, her smile brighter than the sun itself as she approached Christine. With a sigh of contentment, Sunset climbed into the driver's seat - the only place where she felt truly happy and safe. "Well, Christine, it's time to face another day at school," she said with a determined smile as she turned the key in the ignition. Christine's powerful 318 cu in V8 engine roared to life, ready to tackle whatever challenges lay ahead. With a confident hand on the clutch, Sunset shifted Christine into first gear, smoothly releasing the pedal and gently pressing down on the gas. As they rolled out of the garage and towards the gate, Sunset and Christine were met with curious looks from other junkyard residents. But as they reached the exit and merged onto the open road, all eyes were on them. With each shift of gears and increase in speed, Sunset could feel Christine's power coursing through her veins. They entered Canterlot - a bustling city in the early hours of morning - and everyone seemed to stop and watch as Christine drove by like an elegant queen surveying her kingdom. And with Christine by her side, Sunset knew she could face anything that came her way. The car radio sprang to life, filling the air with vibrant beats and melodies. Sunset's left arm rested casually outside the opened window, her fingers tapping along to the rhythm on the door frame. Her other hand caressed the steering wheel, waiting for the light to change as she approached CHS. As they came to a stop at the first red light, Sunset couldn't help but smile at the familiar sight of her old high school. She shifted Christine back into first gear and rolled towards their final destination, her eyes scanning the crowded parking lot as a new song came on the radio. It seemed like the perfect soundtrack for this moment, announcing Christine's love for Sunset to anyone who cared to listen. Turning into the school parking lot, Sunset's heart skipped a beat when she saw her five ex-friends standing together with their sisters and another unexpected figure: Twilight Sparkle. As she parked Christine in a spot and turned off the engine, Sunset took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. She made her way towards the group of girls who were engaged in a heated argument, her mind already racing with questions. Rainbow's voice cut through the tense atmosphere as she accused Scootaloo of lying about Sunset's involvement in Anon-A-Miss. The other Crusaders looked down at their feet with guilty expressions while Applejack tried to diffuse the situation by admitting their mistake and suggesting an apology. But Rainbow wasn't having it. She stormed away, refusing to apologize or believe that Sunset could have been innocent all along. Sunset finally reached the group and spoke up, confusion evident in her tone as she addressed Twilight directly. As Twilight turned around with a smile, Sunset couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness and regret from her old friends' reactions. And yet, she couldn't help but hold onto a glimmer of hope that maybe things could be resolved between them after all. "I came here to check up on you, Sunset. Twilight and the girls have something they want to discuss with you. Let's walk and talk," Twilight stated firmly, looking at the girls for confirmation. The seven of them nodded in unison and began walking towards the school together, unaware that Rainbow had stayed behind. Rainbow glared at the car that Sunset arrived in. "She'll learn not to mess with us again," she muttered with a twisted smile before turning on her heel and making her way to the school. Little did she know, she didn't notice the faint sound of the car's headlights turning on and off, or the faint buzz of the radio. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Cafeteria~~~~~~~~~~~~ "So let me get this straight," a blue girl with white hair interjected, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Sunset brainwashed your sister and your friend's sisters and set them up to take the fall?" The group of teens sitting at the table all nodded in unison, their faces reflecting a mix of anger and disbelief. "That's messed up," a boy in a tracksuit exclaimed, shaking his head in disgust. Rainbow's eyes flashed red as she continued, her voice dripping with rage. "And that's not even the worst of it. She shows up in this old car acting like it's going to make her more popular." A brown haired girl, Gilda, leaned forward with a sly grin on her face. "You thinking what I'm thinking, Soarin?" The boy in question raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "What are you thinking, Gilda?" "We destroy the car," Gilda said with satisfaction as Trixie, Rainbow, Soarin, Garble, and Flash all laughed maniacally. Behind them sat three other teens with glowing ruby necklaces around their necks, their expressions mirroring the cruel glee of their friends. ~~~~~~~~~~~Parking~Lot~~~~~~~~~~~~ As the lunch break neared its end, two teachers strolled hand in hand back to the school. Their faces were lit up with smiles, and their voices rang out with laughter as they recounted amusing stories from their brief respite. As they approached the school, they passed by a familiar car without giving it a second thought. But then, suddenly, the radio within the car sputtered to life. The teachers whipped around, scanning their surroundings for the source of the unexpected music. And when their eyes landed on the red and white fury before them, their jaws nearly hit the ground. "Chrissy," exclaimed the teacher with jet black hair. "It can't be Sombra...we destroyed it!" retorted Chrissy, her voice trembling with nerves. The song grew louder and louder, and soon enough the car's lights flickered on and its engine roared to life. In a panic, the two teachers turned on their heels and bolted away as fast as they could, all while the car continued to play its upbeat tune.