Sunset Shimmer frowned as she walked through the halls of Canterlot High. They were still whispering. Talking about what she had done, telling rumors and whatnot. It had only been a month, true. But Sunset had expected- no, she had only hoped- that her peers would be a little bit nicer towards her. But nothing had changed. Not really.
"Hey, Sunset!" Armed with a soccer ball, Rainbow Dash caught up to Sunset as she walked. "You entering the Canterlot High Costume Contest?" She was obviously oblivious to Sunset's downcast expression.
"I don't know." Sunset rubbed her arm and stared at a group of Fashionistas who had been staring at he moments earlier. "I don't think it would be a good idea. It's been only a month, since, you know..." Sunset reddened. Rainbow Dash nodded in understanding.
"Oooooh, right." There was an awkward pause as the two girls stood in the hallway.
"Well, maybe you could help!" Rainbow Dash suggested, twirling the soccer ball on her finger. "Hey, if everyone sees you helped make this thing awesome instead of like the Fall Formal, they might be nicer to you!" Sunset pushed a lock of red hair back behind her ear.
"You think?" She asked uncertainly.
"I know!" Rainbow Dash answered confidently. "Stop by Principal Celestia's office or something, ask if you can help! Now, I'm off to practice; javelin waits for no one!" With a final wave, Rainbow Dash jogged off down the hallway. Sunset watched her go. A smile formed on her lips, something that hadn't happen often in recent months.
Maybe Rainbow Dash has an idea, she thought. Sunset began her walk to Principal Celestia's office.
~
"You want to help with this event?" Principal Celestia asked in calm disbelief. "After the Fall Formal?" Sunset shifted her weight from foot to foot nervously.
"Yes," she responded. "I really want to make up for what I did..." She trailed off for a moment before continuing, "and Rainbow Dash suggested I should help and others might give me a chance." Celestia tapped a pen to her chin thoughtfully.
"Well... I suppose you could look over the list of costumes," she finally suggested. "Younger siblings will be in attendance of the contest, so we can't have skimpy costumes and such. No gore, no suggestive themes, nothing... disturbing to young minds."
"I understand. I'll be glad to help!" Sunset smiled eagerly, nearly leaning across Celestia's desk in anticipation. Celestia smiled back.
"Good. Now, here's the list-" she pulled out two sheets of paper with a chart neatly typed up on them. "-this is usually Vice-principal Luna's job, I should tell you." Sunset gratefully took the papers.
"Thank you!" She exclaimed. "You won't regret this!"
"I should hope not!" Celestia gently shepherded Sunset out of her office. "See if you can finish it all today, will you?"
"I'll try," Sunset promised. Celestia smiled and shut her door.
Alright, Sunset, Sunset thought. You can't mess this up. Be thorough, alright? I'll go to the library. It's quiet there, easy for me to concentrate.
Sunset made her way to the library. When she arrived, she was relieved to see that nobody, student or otherwise, was inside. Nevertheless, she tiptoed in, as if just being loud would attract the entire school.
Sunset Sat down at a table and began to read down the list.
"Aqua Blossom? Who's she?" It took Sunset a few seconds to put a face to the name. "Oh, right! That fashionista girl! She's going to be a flower? I guess that's alright." Sunset marked down a checkmark on the paper before continuing.
"Applejack's going to be a scarecrow. Hmmm." Sunset thought about something her new friend would wear. Ragged overalls, a red shirt, and a hat, perhaps? The image in her head suddenly shifted.
What if Applejack's costume is the 'sexy' version that's a crop top and mini-skirt? Sunset thought in panic. She can't be seen like that! I have to cross out every possibility! Sunset marked an X next to 'Scarecrow' and continued down the list.
"Cherry Crash is going as a zombie? I guess that's alright. Wait! What if it's really detailed and all the little kids freak out and have nightmares? Everyone would be so mad at me! Gotta mark an X!
"Captain Planet's going as a grape. A grape? Seriously? A grape? He can do so much better." Sunset sighed and marked a check next to the costume.
"Mystery Mint is going to be a cat. That's nice. But what if it's skin-tight?" Alarmed, Sunset put an X next to the item.
"Now, who's next? Oh, Tr-"
"The Grrrrrrreat and Powerful, Trrrrrrrrixie!" Trixie Lulamoon, merciless slayer of 'R', burst into the room at that moment.
"Shh!" Sunset held a finger to her lips. "What are you doing here, Trixie?" Trixie, who had been kneeling in a rockstar pose, stood up and brushed herself off.
"Trixie heard they decided to put you in charge of costumes," she explained. "Naturally, Trixie had to show you her costume in person." For the first time, Sunset noticed what Trixie was wearing.
Trixie was wearing a short white dress trimmed with gold. It was actually more of a pale blue, than white, Sunset observed. On her feet were gold sandals, and gold jewelry adorned her wrists and neck.
"Are you supposed to be a goddess?" Sunset asked, picking up the list and searching for Trixie's name.
"Trixie thinks it is obvious," Trixie huffed. "So, is Trixie's costume up to snuff?"
"Uhh, I'm not sure," Sunset responded uncertainly. "Could you, uh, make that dress a little longer?"
"Trixie doesn't take orders from evil demons like you!" Trixie snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at Sunset. "Say Trixie's costume is fine! Say it!"
"Alright, I think your dress could pass!" Sunset responded, face red with embarrassment. Trixie smiled in satisfaction.
"Thank you." With that, she marched out of the library, leading Sunset to stand there wondering what the heck had just happened.
"Ah, well." Sunset shrugged and sat back down to continue her work. "Violet Blurred wants to be Fili-Second?" Rainbow Dash showed me those comics once. "Isn't her outfit skin-tight?"
On the night of the CBS Costume Contest, Sunset Shimmer walked into the school alone. As soon as she stepped inside, Sunset was surprised to see most of the students in their regular attire. When everyone saw her, they began to mutter amongst themselves.
"What's wrong?" Sunset asked a girl with green hair. The girl glared at her and folded her arms.
"Like you don't know!" She snapped.
"I was so looking forward to wearing my cat costume tonight!" Her friend added in a sad voice.
"What? Why didn't you wear something else?" Sunset asked. Another girl came up to the group.
"Why don't you get lost?" She suggested in a harsh tone. "Nobody wants you here."
"But I was just trying to help!" Sunset protested. "I was suppose to mark down all the suggestive and gory costumes! You're Cherry Crash, right? That zombie costume could've been really scary!"
"But it wasn't," the first girl answered. "You shouldn't assume the worst things."
"Can you please get lost?" The third girl with the turquoise hair asked. "Go find those girls who actually like you!"
"I guess I will," Sunset sighed. She trudged off to look for Pinkie Pie.