//------------------------------// // Slow Dancing in a Burning Room // Story: The Devil Inside // by Chelis //------------------------------// "So, about Flash Sentry..." Ember asked. "Yeah?" "It seems that I have the gist of your relationship with him. The last part I want to know is the breakup. How did it transpire, and how did you feel about it?" Sunset shifted herself on the couch, trying to compose herself. Even with her and Flash joking about when they were dating, it always made her feel uncomfortable. Ember caught on. "Is it difficult to talk about?" "I mean, I can talk about it… It's just… It makes me feel guilty when I think about it," Sunset confessed. "But he broke up with you," Ember replied. "Yes, he did." "Why?" * * * It was a stereotypical normal day in the halls of Canterlot high. Lunch had just begun so the student body was making its way to the cafeteria for their long awaited meal and time to hang out with friends. They were also looking around, weary of Sunset Shimmer. By that time, the once sincere and kind Sunset Shimmer of middle school was now gone, replaced with the bully, manipulator, and liar that she was now infamous for. She was also super intelligent, the top of every class and A's on all of her tests. She manipulated her parents, teachers, and school into believing that she was a perfect angel, had no issues and always had that moral compass pointed to the light. To her peers, they would rather just see Sunset shove that thing right up her ass. It took a year or two, but her boyfriend finally felt the same sentiment as his peers. She walked into the lunchroom, and the room became silent. She walked by everyone with her standard smug grin, knowing that she owned them and none of them had the balls to stand up to her. "Hey, Flash!" She said as she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. A tinge of rage started to build because she had a feeling what he was about to do. "Why did you do that?" Flash asked "Do what, sweetie?" "I know what you did. How can you ruin someone's project because it was better than yours?!" "I did no such thing!" "Really? Then why were you carrying the head of the model this morning?!" Sunset was silent. She had thought no one else was in the hallway that morning. The silence was more than enough for Flash. "You were not the same sunset I fell in love with all those years ago. I'm sorry Sunset, but it's over between us." He said as he grabbed his bag and walked out of the cafeteria. Sunset had the entire student body looking at her, and she instantly snapped. "You think you can do that to me, Flash Sentry!? Watch your back, boy! I will get you back for doing this to me!" * * * Sunset thought about the aftermath on the drive home.She was listening to her music as her parents did their traditional politics talk. Flash dumping her took a backseat to her planning to conquer Equestria. She guessed she would have gotten him back by making him her personal love slave once the takeover was complete. But, then came the last part of the plan, and Twilight Sparkle. Sunset sighed and realized that through the downfall of her little superficial empire that, and her chance to show that she was above them, it was all gone. Her new life as a humble sixteen year old doing whatever she can to make up for her past wrongs seemed to have been better than the prospect of a malevolent, omnipotent goddess enslaving a magical world of talking ponies. "It was for the best, I suppose", Sunset thought as she felt a vibration coming from her backpack. Although Twilight wasn't sending messages like before, it was still nice to get a letter back every other day. Dear Sunset, Have you tried talking to him? Your Friend, Twilight. P.S. Can you put a good word with him for me? Maybe see if he still likes me still? "Oh Twilight, you should just date him already," Sunset thought as she sat the book down. She planned to write back to her that night, but before then, she had a boy to text. She picked up her phone and sent a text. "Are you still mad at me over what happened when we went out?" She texted. Her heart began to beat faster and her breathing picked up as she fawned over the potential answers. Flash's answer came immediately. "I see those sessions are making you think." "You know that the whole ‘me seeing a psychologist’ thing is supposed to be a secret." She quickly reacted out of embarrassment. "Then next time don't tell the entire school," he replied. Sunset knew she was a blabber mouth at times, but she didn’t realize just how bad her mouth was. Then again, what she went through, even the strongest of people would probably need their head examined anyway. "Fuck. Anyway… Are you?" "Sunset, I forgave you a long time ago. Don't beat yourself up about it," was the reply. "Okay," Sunset replied, still unsure if he truly forgave her or was paying her lip service. Even if he told her to not beat herself about it, the guilt still haunted her daily. Mostly she would see him around and would, even for an instant, imagine if she didn't go down this path, herself under his arm. But, it was not meant to be, even if a minuscule but vocal part of her wanted it. "Although, if you want to really make it up to me, you could put in a good word in for me with Twilight." Sunset read the text and had a wry smile on her face. Eventually one of them was going to make a move, but it seemed like when that would happen, they would probably be on their deathbeds. "He is persistent, I'll give him that."