The redhead idiot was lucky she had bothered to look up, other wise she might have become a human pancake. The day had been pretty sad; her on and off girlfriend had broken up with her over a text message. Not that she hadn't expect it, she knew that her girlfriend Lightning Dust had been screwing around with one of their classmates but it still stung. The one good thing was at least it was a Teacher Education Day; meaning she had a day off from school. Instead of hanging out at her usual places like the arcade on Cadenza Avenue, she had decided to go downtown and check out the Canterlot Stadium, to see if Spitfire was there.
The girl had once been her next-door neighbor and had babysat her more then once during her childhood. Despite being busy with training, touring and signings, Spitfire always made time for her when she came by the track. However it turned out the Wonderbolts had departed the day before for a convention in Boston. Dejectedly she had decided to just walk around town. She stopped by a cafe for a coffee, even briefly stepped into a bookstore to look for the newest Power Humans comic, which they fortunately had. As she stepped outside, and walked down the sidewalk towards the crosswalk, her attention focused solely on the open comic book in her hands, the girl looked up, if just to make sure she wasn't going to walk into traffic. That's when she saw her. A girl around her age in a t-shirt, shorts and sneakers, her hair disheveled, her eyes puffy and a look of defeat on her face. But that's not what set her off; it was the girls recklessness, stepping into traffic before the light said to and the car that whipped around the corner, the driver ignorant of the girl a head of him.
-
Sunset heard shouts, confused she looked upwards to see why people were yelling. That's when she saw the car and her eyes connect with the driver of the car who looked up briefly from his phone. Time seemed to slow down to a point where she was sure it was nearly frozen and for that time, Sunset seemed frozen herself, bewildered by the car headed towards her. She tried to move but she was paralyzed, then time speed up and something hard hit her in her side, sending her rolling and tumbling. Sunset gasped as her brain registered pain. Had she been hit? Sunset realized two things, one she had not been hit by a car and two that she was now on the side of the road and someone was on top of her. The person who turned out to be a female [as she realized when the girl pulled herself away and got up] stood up angrily and started screaming at the driver of the car who had come to a stop.
"What the fuck are you doing asshole? Are you trying to kill someone?"
"You kids shouldn't be in the damn road!" replied the guy, getting out of his car, his face red with anger.
"You could have dented my car! Do you know how much this care fucking costs?"
"Car? Seriously? I think the fucking lawsuit you would have faced would be more important rather then a dent on your fake Lamborghini replica. Besides, you're the asshole who was texting and driving. Last time I fucking checked that was against the law. Now who are the cops going to arrest if something did happen? Probably the guy who hit the kid!" The man sputtered and stammered before stomping back to his car and getting in and driving off. Once he was gone, Sunset who was still laying dazed on the side of the street, felt herself being helped to the ground. That's when she finally got a good look at her savior.
The girl was around her age if she was to guess and had light brown skin with white hair that had light purple highlights. The girl was dressed in a pair of ripped jeans, an old bomber jacket and a tank top with a pair of combat boots. She was taller then Sunset, at least six feet tall where Sunset was only 5"4; she also had a very athletic frame and her face was quite hawk like with large narrowed yellow eyes and high cheekbones and a low brow. The girl scowled at her and gave her a once over.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed? You could have been ran over!" exclaimed the mysterious girl. Sunset opened her mouth to say something, intending to reply with a snide comment but instead she found she couldn't speak and instead she kicked the ground lightly in shame, unsure what to do. The girl sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Not going to say anything? What about your name? Can you tell me that?" Sunset mumbled her name under her breath but the girl was not able to hear it so she repeated it slightly louder, barely enough for the other girl to hear. When had she become this shy.
"Sunset Shimmer eh? Well....oh wait, I know you! You go to CHS don't you?" Sunset froze. Another CHS student just her luck yet...she didn't recognize this girl. She tried her best to put a name to the face in front of her but came up empty. Seeing her confusion, the white haired teen clued her in.
"I don't expect you to remember me; I used to go to Canterlot High, back in the 9th grade but lets say shit happened and I was forced to "transfer" to Chryssie's School for Delinquents half way through the school year. But I remember you, we had gym and you seemed to enjoy bullying the other students in our grade. Hell, you were bullying older students as well."
"By transfer do you mean expelled?" Instantly Sunset regretted what she said and snapped her mouth closed and tried her best to brace herself from the backlash she was about to receive. One thing she knew about people is that they did not like when asked about personal stuff. However she was surprised that the girl merely shrugged and waved her off.
"Huh so you do speak. Yeah, honestly I'm surprised I wasn't expelled earlier. It probably was because of Celestia, is she still the principal? I wouldn't be surprised if she is, if it hadn't been for her, her bitch of a sister would have tossed me out sooner. I'll be honest, I did some stupid shit while I was a student there. I harassed the eight and seventh graders, skipped class, heck I even stole stuff constantly from the supply closets. I was....arrogant in those days, anyway long story short I got it in my head that it would be awesome to steal one of the new Macs from the computer lab, thing must have been worth nearly four thousand with all the software and accessories it had. Anyway, I got caught and Celestia expelled me. On her recommendations, my dad decided to enroll me into CSFD. Not that I had much choice, the nearest public school is all the way in Poneville and that's three hours away."
Sunset blinked as she took in all of that information and as she did she vaguely recalled the girl. They actually fought for dominance over the ninth grade if she recalled, both wanting to control their classmates and the younger students. Honestly she hadn't payed much attention when the girl stopped coming to school, she had been glad because she had less competition to be Queen Bee but at the same time she was distracted by her desires. What was her name? As she stared into the girl's face she realized she couldn't even remember that. She struggled for a few minutes before it hit her. Gilda. Her name was Gilda. Sunset repeated the name a few times until she was nearly positive that it was the girls name.
"Y-your names Gilda right?" The girl nodded in response.
"Yep, Gilda Hawk. Glad yo re-meet your acquaintance. So, we should probably not keep standing in the road." Embarrassed, Sunset followed Gilda on the sidewalk and coughed awkwardly. They stared at each other for a few minutes, wondering what to do before Gilda spoke up.
"....Wanna get a coffee? My treat."
-
"....So yeah, so my parents had just gotten divorced the year before and my dad was getting remarried and I had just realized around that time that I was into chicks. Honestly, I'm glad I ended up the way I did. Sure, it sucked being expelled but at least it straightened me out." The duo had made their way to a nearby coffee shop, the same one Gilda had been in earlier. On their way, Sunset awkwardly began conversation which eventually lead to Gilda discussing the circumstances involving the reason behind why she had turned to acting out during her freshmen year.
"Anyway, I realize now it's not so bad. My step-mom isn't nearly as bad as I used to think and I admit it's kinda nice having a little sister and brother even if they do crap and cry a lot. So, what about you?"
"W-what about me?" said Sunset, stammering as she gripped the hot beverage in her hands and tried her best to eat her doughnut without getting too much of the icing on her hand [I mean seriously, you eat a glazed doughnut with your hands and the next thing you know it's all over and when you have no napkin it's annoying when you want to touch things like your phone.]
"Well, school I guess? I assume from your t-shirt that you still attend Canterlot High? Also that reminds me, isn't today a school day for your school and why are you in shorts in this weather?" Sunset sighed and put down her coffee. On one hand she didn't want to talk about it but on the other hand it would be rude, especially when the other girl had saved her from being smushed and had bought her food.
"I....I punched another student and then ran off."
"Why?"
"Sh...She pissed me off by making an assumption about my family. Well my biological family anyway."
"Lemme guess, your parents don't love you because they gave you up for adoption."
"Kinda; Me being adopted probably wasn't my parents attention. They died, in a fire along with my older sister, I was three at the time and after that I ended up in foster care. Sunset paused and sipped her coffee.
"Oh sorry, I did-"
"It's okay, anyway she went on about how I was raised pampered princess and then suggested my parents abandoned me in this wo....town because they didn't want me." said Sunset, interrupting Gilda when she tried to apologize. Gilda frowned briefly, had that girl nearly said world? 'Nah, probably just got words mixed up and corrected herself.' thought Gilda as she sipped her own coffee.
"I assume that isn't the case?" Sunset snorted and rolled her eyes before sighing and putting down her donut again, turning to reply to the courageous girl who had saved her earlier that day.
"Far from it; It isn't something I like to think about it but there was a time when I lived in an orphanage and another time when I lived on the streets, before I...was taken in by a woman after which I ran off and then I was adopted by Celestia." Gilda nearly spit out her coffee, actually she did a bit. She wiped her mouth on her jacket and straightened up.
"Hell Celestia, she adopted you? Huh, small world....I guess then then Vice-Principal Luna is your aunt...Sorry uh about calling her a bitch." Sunset waved her off.
"Don't feel bad, we don't have a relationship anyway. She doesn't particularly like me anyway."
"Mind telling me why?"
"Let's just say, I only recently had my own epiphany a few days ago and came to realize what I've become. For the last three years I've bullied, blackmailed and bribed students while I pretty much controlled the school and students. Another student and her friends kicked me off my 'high throne' and showed me the light."
"Showed you the light? What they'd do, blast you with a bunch of high beams?"
'No, they blasted me with alternate dimension magic and ripped the evil from my soul with the power of friendship' thought Sunset though she didn't say this out loud.
"Uh figuratively, they...uh showed me the pain and suffering I had been causing other students. Anyway, Luna doesn't like me because of what I've done. Honestly though I'm not surprised, I kinda deserve it.
"Must make living with them awkward." said Gilda, who pulled out her cellphone to check the time. 12:32 PM. Sunset shook her head then nodded then stopped and bit her lipped.
"Yes and no. I only really started living with them a few days ago, before I was living in an apartment."
"Wait so Celestia just adopted you?" asked Gilda, confused.
"No, she adopted me in the summer before ninth grade. Long story short I was acting out so she supplied me my own apartment in exchange for agreement that I would keep my grades up, stay away from drugs and trouble with the law."
"Huh, pretty nice of her but I hope you don't mind me asking, how did she afford that I'm pretty sure High School Principals make much in terms of money." Sunset suddenly felt sick, honestly she had never thought about the matter. How did Celestia pay for the apartment over the last few years? With mortgage payments, bills, groceries, cable, internet and other general fees, where had she managed to find money to pay for an apartment and all the fees that came with it? She felt extremely guilty.
"I...I don't know. I never thought and I never asked." said Sunset.
"I'm sorry, I have to go. Celestia is probably looking for me, I should probably get back to school. She's probably called the cops, thanks for the coffee."
"No problem but I don't think you have to worry about Celestia being worried." said Gilda, putting down her coffee and looking over Sunset's shoulder at something behind her.
"Why?"
"Because I used the tracking feature on your phone to find you."
-
The drive back to school was quiet. Celestia said nothing, instead gripping the steering wheel and silently fuming. Sunset merely sat in her seat and kept quiet, lest she face the wrath of the high school principal. It was only when they were nearing the school did Celestia finally release her giant tidal wave of pure, unfiltered anger.
"What the hell where you thinking? Punching a student, running off and then I find you in a coffee shop with some stranger? Do you realize how lucky you are that you weren't kidnapped or worse?" Sunset didn't say anything and despite the need to mention how she was nearly ran over, she decided against it as It would merely fuel the woman's anger.
"Honestly, you should be glad that you had your phone on you or I would have had to call the police. I was going to call the police! I thought this was over Sunset, I thought you were turning over a new leaf, but then you go and do this! Do you have anything to say?!"
"...Why?"
"What!?!?" Celestia swerved and abruptly stopped the car, parking it on the side of the road. A few drivers behind her honked their horn in annoyance but she ignored them, her attention focused on the teenager.
"How and why would you pay for an apartment for me?"
"What? Suns- I need to know!" Celestia immediately wanted to snap at being interrupted but the teary face made her heart soften a bit. Sunset felt her eyes cloud over with tears and she struggled to keep them in.
"Why would you do that for me?!?"
"Sunset..."
"I n-need to...." Sunsets body shook as she released sobs and released a tidal wave of pain and sadness. She hugged her sides and brought her knees up to her chest and in response Celestia sighed and rubbed the girls back, slowly feeling her anger disappear.
"It's not important Sunset but if you must know I tapped into the inheritance that I received when my aunt died, it doesn't matter."
"How much of that did you waste on me?" 'Nearly all of it' thought Celestia but she didn't say it outloud, Sunset didn't need to know.
"It wasn't a waste Sunset and not much, now can you tell me what caused you to beat up Rainbow Dash"
"I-I didn't mean to-o, sh-she just made me so angry. I-I was listening in on her t-talking to Fluttershy and then she started going on about how my parents must have abandoned me in this world because they didn't want me and I just couldn't s-stop myself, I'm sorry!" Celestia pulled Sunset into a hug and consoled her. She was still angry but she was also extremely sympathetic. She allowed Sunset to cry into her shoulder for a few minutes before she pulled away. The woman sighed and patted her on the hand.
"I still have to suspend you, you know what the school code is and I can't play favorites." She stopped briefly to see if Sunset would react but she didn't so the woman continuted on.
"Three days, meaning you'll be out of school till Monday. However, that's too much of a privilege for you. Your still going to be helping Hard Hammer after school hours. I'm going to drive you home and then I'll drive you back once school is out. We are also going to need to talk about the other punishments your getting for running off and making me worry but we'll talk about that at home. Before that however, I'm taking you to school and you're going to make an apology to Rainbow Dash. " Sunsets jaw clenched but she otherwise said nothing, it irked her that Rainbow Dash was probably going to get away for badmouthing her but she knew it would be pointless to complain.
-
Celestia nearly had to drag Sunset with her to Rainbow Dash's classroom. It seemed Celestia wanted to humiliate her as she had no problems opening the door to Mr. Magnet's Art Class and pulling Sunset alongside her. The teen cringed as all eyes fixated on her. In the back of the room, Rainbow Dash, who had a bruised cheek and a bandage over her nose, grinned at her smugly.
"Celestia, my what a surprise, what brings you and Sunset Shimmer to my classroom" said the man, standing up and subconsciously twirling the long orange strands of his mustache.
"Well Steven, Sunset here would like to say something." Celestia stood behind Sunset and placed her hands on her shoulders, staring down at her expectantly. Sunset blushed and clenched her fists, how humiliating! She mumbled an apology but Celestia seemed unsatisfied and encourage her adopted daughter to speak up. Sunset sighed and dejectedly apologized.
"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash." Said the girl in a robotic voice, trying her best not to let anger fill her voice as the blue skinned teen grinned even more from her desk.
"For..." said Celestia, urging her on.
"For punching you in the face and the fact that your mother didn't realize you were a mistake till after she gave birth to you." Rainbow didn't hear the last part but Celestia did or least Susnet assumed by the way she tightened her grip on her shoulders, giving the silent gesture to keep her mouth shut.
"Is that all?" said Mr. Magnet, standing awkwardly. Celestia nodded for a moment and then paused briefly, remembering something.
"I almost forgot. Rainbow Dash, please see me after school for your detention." The teen stood up unexpectedly and gaped at Celestia, confused and suddenly very angry.
"Why? I didn't do fucking shit!"
"Well one for swearing and the other for badmouthing a fellow student. From what Mr. Biceps told me you started spewing a bunch of rumors and started telling people inappropriate things about Sunset. There is also the fact that that your badmouthing led to this altercation in the first place. Good day Mr. Magnet, I apologize for the disruption."
Rainbows sputtering red face was enough to make Sunset's day as she left the classroom, even if she was still in trouble.