//------------------------------// // School Day // Story: My Final Decision // by Sillyponyme //------------------------------// Sunset picked up her phone and sent a text out to each of her friends that said “Come to my home tomorrow and we’ll walk to school together. We need to talk.” Sunset looked at the text and switched the two sentences around before sending it on. She wasn’t really up to going to school tomorrow but she had already missed too much the last few days to miss anymore. What’s worse is that she hadn’t told anyone she was going to miss school. She looked out the window and up to the sky and she couldn’t help but smile. The sun had set so slowly compared to Equestria, Sunset knew that much of her old home that hadn't changed. The mixture of different shades of the same color of orange and red, mostly orange was beautiful and relaxing. She was sad she had missed the setting sun. “I bet the setting sun was why I was named Sunset.” She yawned and fell onto her bed eyes closed. She was asleep in seconds. Morning came and there was a knock at the front door. Sunset was already up and mostly dressed. The only thing left to do was slip on her skirt and put on her jacket. “Sunset, your friends are here, now tell them to leave!” Trixie yelled. Sunset groaned. “Shut up Trixie!” She yelled back as she put her jacket on. “I’ll be right out girls.” Sunset grabbed her wallet and her other necessities and ran out the room. She held up her index finger as she ran by her friends and picked up a scone from the kitchen. “Ok let’s get going.” “Ok Sunset, what’s going on, why are we here?” Rainbow asked yawning. “I think what Rainbow means is why can’t we talk at school instead of rushing over here to talk on the way? Do you know how hard it is to look fabulous when you’re running around and sweating?” Rarity tapped her foot waiting for an answer. The others looked at her and gave her the look that said "Really?" "Well yes, I should never sweat this early in the morning." The others just ignored Rarity's comment. “I understand but I didn’t want to talk around other people. Thing is, I spoke with Twilight last night.” Sunset walked past her friends who were very excited to hear what Twilight had to say. “Things aren’t looking good.” Sunset went on to quickly explain everything for the next ten minutes. “So what I’m hearing is that, we can’t do anything. Why tell us this if we can’t do anything about? I mean come on, Princess Twilight and the pony versions of us can handle the sirens right? I’m sure Twilight was just being dramatic when she said her and the other versions of us couldn’t stop them.” Rainbow put her hands behind her head and laid her head back. “Rainbow, she didn’t say they could handle it. From what I got from this is that Princess Twilight is struggling. I say we should be prepared.” Applejack pulled Rainbows hands down and turned her around. The two just glared at each other. “It’s like I said, Twilight did say Adagio and Aria seemed stronger than normal. If that’s true, than how can your five counterparts and Twilight hold them back if it took all seven of us to beat them the first time?” Sunset fold her arms even more worried after saying that out loud again. Rainbow Dash even lowered her head. “So when they get here, we’re all going to be their personal zombie army?” Pinkie asked walking around like one for a few seconds. Sunset had done a bit of thinking about the mark on Sonata’s neck. Something about the mark seemed powerful, significant somehow but she couldn’t find any connection. She knew it would be helpful somehow but she couldn’t put her finger on it. The mark or the meaning behind it seemed like the last hope they had but she couldn’t tell the others, not yet. She didn’t want to give false hope if she was wrong and with Sonata in the condition she was in, Sunset couldn’t tell. “Earth to Sunset!” Rainbow said waving her hand in front of her friends face. “What, sorry, I was lost in thought is all.” The school bell rang and the six friends were still outside. “Come on, we don’t want to be late.” Sunset ran ahead and into the school. “Um, girls, did any of you notice that the portal is gone?” Fluttershy squeaked not sure if this was really the best time to bring up the missing portal. “Fluttershy darling, you really must,” Rarity turned around and noticed the missing portal. “Speak up.” The others turned around at hearing Rarity’s pause and all jaws dropped. In the school, Sunset ran to her first class and possibly the oddest class of the day; math taught by Mr. Discord. The moment she stepped into the classroom, she was called out. “Glad you could join us today Ms. Shimmer, would you care to explain why you haven’t been here?” “I was taking care of a friend is all, she really needed help and well, I volunteered to help out.” Sunset said as she took her seat. Discord groaned and started teaching. “Now class, blah blah blah….blah.” That was all Sunset heard, to worried about Sonata and the upcoming and current events. “Ms. Shimmer! Please pay attention.” Sunset shot her head up and apologized. “Since you are so unfocused today, you can come up to the board and finish this word problem.” When Sunset didn’t respond, Discord groaned irritably. “MS. SHIMMER, to the office immediately!” Sunset jumped out of her seat and fell to the floor. “Office, now!” Sunset stood up, grabbed her backpack, and ran out of the room all while hearing chuckles. Her face turned so red that she looked like a tomato. She couldn’t help being distracted; she was just so worried about everything that was happening. She wanted to help but what could she do? What would happen when Adagio and Aria returned and how could she help Sonata? Sunset was sure that Sonata would be the most important factor in beating Adagio and Aria. "How could Sonat" BAM. Sunset stumbled backward and looked up as the door opened to reveal Principal Celestia. “Come in Sunset, Discord said you would be coming.” “I know I’m not exactly focused” Sunset was cut off by the raise of Celestia’s hand. “I don’t care about that right now Sunset, I’m worried about what’s going to happen.” Celestia wasn’t sure what was going on but she wanted to. She was Principal and if something was going to happen to the school again, she had to be aware of it this time. Sunset was shocked, she was sure she would get at the very least a warning about not focusing in class. Apparently even the Principal was worried. “I’m not sure myself but I know Princess Twilight is doing everything she can to make sure that Adagio and Aria don’t return.” “Yes and if they should return, what then? What do you and your friends intend to do should that happen? I can’t let something else happen to this school. The school district is threatening my job and worse, the children here are being threatened. I don’t care if you have to take a month off of school to prevent the worst even if I lose my job but I care too much for my students. I want to know what you have planned. Everyone here is counting on you and your friends.” Celestia sipped her coffee and shook as she did so. “How much coffee have you had?” Sunset asked. “Forget about it and please tell me what you have planned. I don’t care if you’re in the process of forming a plan. I don’t want my students hurt and the fact that I can’t protect them is…killing me. Please Sunset, do something.” Celestia had a strong face but then she broke into tears. What could she do? Twice the school was threatened and twice she failed her students. She didn’t want there to be a third time. “I do have something but it’s a long shot. Let me talk to my friends and Princess Twilight, I’m sure that she has something that could help us. Then again better not, she already has her hooves full already helping me. I will do everything I can to make sure that things don’t take a turn for the worst.” Sunset walked over to Celestia and put a hand on her shoulder. “Everything will be ok, just focus on the school and let me and my friends handle everything else.” “Thank you Sunset Shimmer, now go.” Sunset left and shut the door behind her. “Save them.” Celestia shook and almost dropped her cup. Sunset was now in the hallway with even more on her shoulders then before. She couldn’t help but think it’s partly her fault. She just had to try and help Sonata but that’s a good thing right? Sure, she may not have been correct in the way of trying to help but her heart was in the right place. If she had, no Adagio and Aria would still have done what they did. She couldn’t have stopped them and how was she to know that they would have done this. “Right, I don’t have to feel bad for letting them go after the battle of the bands.” With a deep breath, she took her next steps in stride. She wouldn’t be overbearing toward Sonata or at least she felt like she had been. “No more worries, we’ll figure out how to stop Adagio and Aria and I’ll, no we'll do it calmly.” As Sunset strode down the hall, she smiled as she thought. “I’ll send Sonata some flowers with an apology. I’ll wait until she gets out of the hospital and then I’ll take her shopping if she wants. At worst, she will tell me to leave her alone.” Sunset walked by the classroom Pinkie was in and peeked in. Sunset almost broke out laughing at the look on the teachers face. She had to cover her mouth just to stifle her laughter. Once the need to laugh was gone, she opened the door. “I wish I were in Pinkie’s class.” Sunset mumbled to herself at seeing all the happy faces. How could anyone not want to see a student make a complete fool out of a teacher by doing what ever Pinkie was doing? Sunset was about to find out just what it was to. “Pinkie Pie, how do you do that? It makes no sense.” The teacher named Chrysalis said, her anger growing. Chrysalis was the second strictest teacher in the school next to one of the gym teachers, Spitfire who was a nightmare most of the time to most students. Chrysalis was really just a pain in comparison. “Of course it does, I proved it on the board.” Pinkie pointed to the board with a big smile on her face. “But…I…what?” Chrysalis was at a loss for words. Despite what she knew, the proof on the board showed that Vinegar and baking soda turns a person’s hair a different color. It might bleach the persons hair but not those to things. Everything there made sense and no sense at the same time. Just as Chrysalis was about to say something, a cough was heard. She turned her head and saw Sunset Shimmer. “What do you need Ms. Shimmer?” “The Principal wants to see Pinkie right away.” “Oh thank goodness.” Chrysalis thought. “You may go Pinkie.” In her mind, she was dancing around like a school girl to have Pinkie leave. As Sunset and Pinkie left, Sunset had to ask. “So how does that work Pinkie because I don’t think even with your logic, Vinegar and Baking soda could change a persons hair color.” “Oh it’s simple, it can’t. I was just messing with her with unreal real facts. So why does Principal Celestia want to see me?” Pinkie asked as she skipped down the hall. “She doesn’t Pinkie; I just needed to say something that your teacher wouldn't mind you leave for. I don’t think she would have let you, actually I think she would have been happy to let you go regardless the reason.” Sunset chuckled. They stopped by the others classrooms and got each of her friends out of their classes. “Sunset darling, why have you taken us out of our classes exactly?” Rarity asked as she followed Sunset outside. “We need to come up with a plan of action and Celestia gave us permission to miss class to do so. She doesn’t want anything to happen to the other students or us and she is desperate. Let’s be honest here, we really are the only hope.” Sunset took a seat on the step in front of the school and cocked her head. “Where did the portal go?” The others just shrugged. “Should we be worried about that?” “No, don’t worry about it.” Celestia said coming up behind the group. “I had it lifted and moved into the basement of the school. I just made an announcement about a science fair coming up next week. I told all the students to call their parents and to tell them they would be staying in school every night until their projects are done. If you girls want, you can join in on the project while you figure out what you’re going to do about the siren issue. If you decide not to, you won’t be penalized for it.” With that said, Celestia walked back inside. “So who else thinks that Celestia has an alternative motive with the whole science fair junk?” Rainbow asked. “It doesn’t matter right now; right now the important thing is keeping everyone safe.” The others nodded in agreement. “Right, so here is what I’m thinking. I, we need to befriend Sonata. She clearly doesn’t like me at all, so I need you five to get close. I have a few reasons for this. One reason is because she really needs someone.” Sunset received “mhmms” from the others. She decided that maybe it was best to bring up her theory with the mark. Perhaps it would motivate the others. “The other reason is because, despite Sonata’s wish not to have the mark on her neck brought up, it is a big part of the solution. I’m not sure how but I’m sure it is. I don’t think being friends with her will make her open up but if Twilight finds anything, she may be willing to at least talk about it with friends.” “I don’t think she would go for it, friends or not. She hates your guts Sunset and she blames you for everything that has happened to her.” Rainbow said as she leaned against the railing. “That’s depressing but still, that is exactly why you need to be the friends here. I will work on it but you five have the best chance.” Sunset put her hand in the middle of the group. “So what do you say?” The group looked between each other and then put their hands in the middle. “Then it’s a go.” They raised their hands into the air. “It’s not like we have any other options until we hear from Twilight.” AJ stretched. “Let’s go girls.” As everyone left, Rainbow turned to Sunset and smiled. “You’re really getting into the leader role.” She punched Sunsets arm and walked off. Sunset smiled until the others were out of sight and then rubbed her arm. “Ow.” Sunset mumbled with a smile and then headed home to plan out her next step.