Empty Lake, Full Skies

by Snowdrifter

Empty Can and Full Exposition

Sunset basked in the steaming shower as her friends came and went, bringing various things into the locker room. Rarity was having an overly dramatic faint, complete with fainting couch, just outside the locker room doors, and several voices could be heard in the hallway as well. Of course, since she was trying to get the last of the horrible goop out of her ears and hair, she wasn’t sure who else was out there, although it sounded like a couple of boys talking rather heatedly and Pinkie’s cheerful banter guiding the conversation.

The redhead consoled herself with the fact that Rarity had indeed brought a complete change of clothes before taking a close look at her grease and lard-covered clothing. “Of all the things that could have happened, this is the worst. Possible. THING! Leather jackets need special cleaning, and should never be allowed to get so… so… so saturated! It’s a crime against fabulousity, and I will not let it go unanswered!”

Finally feeling almost equine, Sunset left the shower and began to towel off as she heard another set of voices, but these must have been further down the hall and she couldn’t make out what was being said. Eventually, the voices resolved into the girls’ soccer team, who filed into the locker room and immediately clammed up upon seeing Sunset getting dressed. This time, however, they didn’t say anything negative, and when Sunset lifted her head and looked around, she realized that at least for now, based on the sympathetic expressions she received from the athletes who began their own showering rituals, that at least this time she wasn’t going to be assaulted. Still, if she’d had her pony ears, they’d have been flattened back so far they’d have disappeared in her mane. It was a relief to finally join the others in the hallway, since the stares of sympathy from Flitter, Cloudkicker and the rest were still stares, and were starting to give her the willies.

In the hallway, having quite the conversation, was Pinkie Pie – now wearing a long-sleeved white dress shirt, blue pants and a yellow ascot – talking with… oh no. Flash Sentry? What in the world was going on here? Flash’s bandmates were there too, and they seemed to be comparing notes with Rainbow Dash, while Fluttershy sat quietly on one of the hallway benches a few yards away. Yep, the whole gang was coming together. Sunset started to feel greasy again as the events of just a few moments ago replayed in her head. Good thing she had nothing left in her stomach. She doubted she could keep down water at this point. That’s when she felt a steadying hand on her shoulder.

“How ya holdin’ up, sugarcube?” Sunset was still startled, turning suddenly to face the farmgirl with an ‘eep’ that Fluttershy would have been proud of. “Whoa nelly, that bad?” Sunset realized that she was so close to Applejack she could count the other girl’s freckles, and that her bangs were brushing along the brim of the other girl’s Stetson. She took a half-step back, a sheepish expression on her face as AJ’s expression shifted through surprise into concern. “Wow, you’re a little flushed looking, too. You ok?”

With a sigh, Sunset relaxed, “Yeah, just a very hot shower. And scrubbing. Lots and lots of scrubbing. With lots of hot water. And soap. And scrubbing.” It was true, she was probably just red in the cheeks from that. Yeah. It was technically correct, which is the best form of correct. “I didn’t know I could feel so…. Horrible. Yeah, I’m going with that for now.” She looked up, noticing Fluttershy was making some room on the bench, and gratefully flopped down next to her as Applejack nodded and motioned everyone else over.

There was a pause. A pregnant pause. Pregnant with triplets. Finally, Flash cleared his throat. “Eeeeyah, this is awkward. I know there’s some, well, issues between us, Sunset, but I heard what happened… and I think I know exactly who was responsible for it. Things have changed since, well….”

“And fade to flashback!” Pinkie interjected through her megaphone, adjusting her beret. “Oh, diagonal wipe, very effec….”

---

Flash Sentry and his bandmates were using the cafeteria to practice, since the music room was usually full of those girls – and Sunset. Given their history, it was best to avoid her, even if it meant going out of their way a bit. Besides, he had nothing against the rest of that crowd, and he liked some of the songs they had come up with. More than once, he’d asked about Twilight Sparkle, but the answers had been ridiculously vague. One of these days he would figure it out, but the Fall Formal was such an annoying blur now. He’d been satisfied when Sunset’s house cards had come crashing down, and from how she’d looked after she was drug from that crater, he figured she really didn’t need any more abuse. Up until recently, he’d thought she was just skipping school to spite some sort of punishment or another, but rumors soon emerged – as did a sort of power vacuum. Sure, people were reconnecting with old friends, but things were still far from right with CHS, even though great progress had been made.

Sunset Shimmer had been alpha monster though, and no one else had tried to stop her. Whatever else she had done, she had squashed every other petty bully, keeping them under control as much as she did the rest of the student body. Had she applied that charisma and intensity just a little bit differently, she might well have ruled the school with admiration instead of fear, and still prevented any challengers from rising. During her absence, however, things had not gone well.

Snips and Snails were toadies, originally protected from reprisals by Sunset’s fearsome reputation. She’d been gone just a couple of days before they’d scurried off to suck up to another bully. The idiots had chosen poorly though, and at least at first, their new patron only protected them to vent on them without any opposition. Fortunately, they weren’t working for someone with the savvy of Sunset Shimmer now. That should have rendered them mostly harmless.

Sunset had been clever. In a world of weapons, Sunset would be the finely balanced rapier, poised, precise and efficient. Flash had admired her sharp intellect before he had seen the vile personality wielding it. If Sunset was a precision blade, then the bully that wanted her position of power was a lead pipe, hoping to use fear and blunt force trauma as a solution to everything. It wasn’t happening very fast, though. This thug needed time.

And then Sunset returned, a shell of her former self. Half-starved, meek, quiet, and unabashedly repentant. And a certain lead pipe couldn’t relate, and so had decided to lash out and break things. After all, Sunset had been the alpha monster, and posed a challenge. And like any bully, this thug could smell her weakness.

Flash should have spoken up sooner, but he hadn’t been certain. Not until now. He just hoped he wasn’t too late.

He was. But… he had the proof now.

---

“That’s right, you two. We couldn’t really make you repair the front of the school, because we want the job done right. However, you *are* still going to face disciplinary actions for your part in this. We understand that Sunset Shimmer was the mastermind behind much of what occurred, but she wouldn’t have been successful if the two of you had done the right thing and exposed her rather than helping her.” Principal Celestia templed her hands, giving the two young men seated across from her a steady, measured look as her words hung in the air. She knew from long experience that the young men would begin to fidget, showing their discomfort. She stretched out the wait, watching for that moment of dawning comprehension, where they realized that they had no defenses. And she was prepared should they try offering any.

“But Sunset-“

“Hasn’t been found yet. When she is, she’ll face disciplinary measures appropriate for the situation. Therefore, she is not your concern.”

“That’s not-”

“Fair? The two of you are involved in her schemes by choice. After her manipulations were exposed, it became clear that the only thing she had on either of you was an offer to be in a position of power. Something the two of you reveled in.

“You made your choice, and now, you get to experience the consequences. The sooner you start, the sooner it’ll be over. You’ll apologize to the student body at an assembly tomorrow. Then, you’ll be assigned unpleasant tasks all over the school grounds. You’ll complete these tasks and after doing so for a set time based on how well you do them, you’ll be done. Now, the two of you are going to be getting a list of tasks when you report for detention after class today. I’ve also taken the liberty of informing your parents.”

“Aw, jeeeze!”

Celestia stood up, and opened her office door. “Back to class with you, I hope this experience teaches you something. Now get going, I have a lot to do to get things fixed around here. I don’t want either of you causing any more trouble.”

Both boys drug their feet, but shuffled out of the office, whining about fairness and blame. As she closed the door behind them, she could only hope they learned a different song soon. She walked to her window, looking out past the Wondercolts statue moodily. “Sunset Shimmer… where have you gotten to?”

---

There was no hustle or bustle in the empty hallways, just two sullen kids getting their books on their way to class. They were complaining about how unfair everything had been, and how they shouldn’t have to clean up the mess. As they both agreed that it was all Sunset’s fault, and that they shouldn’t be held responsible for her actions, they passed a short hallway where the lights hadn’t been replaced. With a sudden jerk, both young men fund themselves face-first in the lockers. Whomever it was, they were very, very strong, and gave them no chance to escape.

“Alright, dweebs,” a gruff voice spoke between their ears, “You helped that damn witch run things here for at least two years. You’re gonna spill what you know. You’ll tell me everything she had you do, how she had you do it, and to who. You’ll do whatever *I* tell you to do from now on, because there’s no way she’s gonna come back. And I’ll make sure no one else kicks your faces in for the things you’ve done or will do, besides me. Or I can break your faces now – repeatedly.

“So, what’ll it be?”

---

There was something about being Great and Powerful that lent itself to being on top. Now that Sunset had been exposed, Trixie was feeling even greater and more powerful than ever. No longer would she play second fiddle around here, no sir. Trixie was going to take over this place, as it should have always been. Was there ever any doubt? Gleefully grabbing her packet of peanut butter crackers from the vending machine, she turned around, and bumped hard into someone else well inside Trixiespace.

“Watch where you’re going! The Great and Powerfurrrrgggkkkkk!” The last line’s flawless delivery was ruined as the heckler pushed her back into the vending machine hard enough to rattle both the machine and Trixie. She blinked, and looked up into hard eyes. For a moment, she wished she was the Invisible and Far Away Trixie.

“Call yourself whatever you like, dweeb, but when I call you, you come running. Otherwise you’ll be the Limp and Bleeding Trixie. Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?”

The Cowed and Scared Trixie swallowed and nodded emphatically, silvery tresses flying, even as she looked to the left and right for help… only to see empty hallways. If she could just reach a smoke bomb, she might escape yet.

“Good, because you’re gonna help me stay on top. That blasted Shimmer’s coming back to the school, and I need you to work some ‘real’ magic. Get in her head, get her off balance. You in? Because it would be a shame if I had to break your jaw to keep you from blabbing if you aren’t.”

Trixie swallowed as those cold eyes stared her down, and managed to mumble, “Um, yeah… Trixie could come up with… something.”

“You’re smarter than you sound. Have it ready by Tuesday morning, before class. Otherwise, I’ll be the one making *you* disappear. And thanks for the crackers.”

Trixie could only stare down the hallway as her antagonist walked away. Suddenly, she felt rotten and rather powerless. Again.

---

In the middle of Canterlot Mall, three teenage girls strode arm in arm, losing their minds. They chatted, giggled, and talked. Much of their conversation revolved around the events just a few weeks ago, the mysterious activities that had occurred over the weekend of the Fall Formal. The three girls weren’t exactly sure what had happened, but they knew it involved rainbow lasers, a handful of students, a ridiculous amount of damage and Sunset Shimmer turning into a monster. Well, more of one.

Soon, though, the trio separated, each heading her own way to finish up a Saturday’s grand avoidance of all things school-related. It was a welcome reprieve, and for once nothing worth fainting had happened to the trio. Lily went around the back of the mall, readying a key her mother had given her so she could go in through the employee doors and help her mom close down their flower kiosk.

At least, that’s before she found herself grabbed and pulled around a corner. She turned with a laugh, thinking it was one of her friends, only to freeze like a deer seeing oncoming headlights. The person who’d grabbed her was scary enough, but the image on the phone that was inches from her face made her blood run cold. “How…”

“Going in there? Good. I know the mall has heavy duty security locks, and every stall gets two. You’re gonna get me one, or this is all over MyStable along with your personal information. Or, I can post it now, save us the trouble. Come to think about it, I could just beat you up, take your keys and help myself to whatever I want. So, you gonna be smart, and get me what I want? Because the last option is really sounding good to me.”

Lily did the only thing reasonable under the circumstances. She fainted. When she came to, her purse had been dumped. Sitting neatly atop the purse, as if to mock her, Lily saw her keys and her student id. Beyond them, the back door to her mom’s stall swung partly open.

The horror, oh, the horror…

---

“See, Sunset,” Flash continued, “With you gone, there was a bit of a struggle between the bullies you suppressed. After that first week, when you still hadn’t shown back up and no one had a clue where you were, one of ‘em decided to make a move. Snips and Snails may have turned faster than a sonic rainboom – but they were never the ones to take charge Principal Celestia has been working them ragged the past week or so, and they’ve done nothing but whine. It was way past complaining. Anyways, when they took out the trash for Granny Smith and were chuckling about it, I knew they were up to no good. So, yeah, Snips and Snails dumped that stuff on you. Trixie came up with the adhesive graffiti on your locker. That lock – the VP is gonna find it’s missing from the rollup door owned by Lily’s mom – the flower shop in the mall.

“But the one giving the orders was Gilda.”

Author's Note:

Late, and a little rushed. Questions? Comments? Snide remarks?

Comments

[diablo4000]

Sighs Gilda Agai, wish been different bully, she over done sorry.
I can get this Gilda and the Griffon version are different, Griffion Gilda grew up while human Gilda still a teen and a douche.

Well now i wodner if they can do anything about Snip and Snaisl will crack first i can see follow by Trixie.

[The Crazed Werewolf]

Any plans to continue this story?

[Snowdrifter]

8874728
Yes, there are. I am just terrible at updates. My apologies.

[AngelaCA]

More please😍🙏😭

[Small-Fry]

Plz more lol, this is such a good story!