• Published 15th Dec 2017
  • 13,942 Views, 776 Comments

Sunset Among Shadows - RedPegasus



Because of Anon-A-Miss Sunset is abandoned by everyone, so she decides to start a new life, among shadows, she will seek happiness, but what will happen with the magic of friendship?

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Crystal Start

Monday. The beginning of the school week, and likewise, the beginning of what Sunset hoped would be a better, calmer life.

Sunset stands before her new school, surprised about the massive size of the place. It is gigantic, to say the least, with three imposing floors covered with windows so crystalline that they almost seem to have no glass. Speaking of crystals, the pillars of the structure as well as the details that adorned the roofs really look like they were made out of crystals.

Sunset grunts to herself and tilts her head.'I didn't come to admire the architecture,'she thinks. She takes one last look at the structure and releases a content sigh.'Let's finish this.'

If the outside of the place was imposing, its interior is simply incredible. The architectural designs, the combination of colors, the cleanliness and meticulous care, the decorations that hung on the walls, it was all made with such perfection that the former equine cannot avoid feeling amazed.

'Is this a school or a castle?'

The lockers in the hallways and the classroom doors also look clean and ornate. No doubt they did not skimp on expenses when it came to building this place.

Finally, she fixes her eyes on the young people scattered around the place, all wearing an outfit similar to her own.

The sight makes her look down at herself and the uniform that she was now forced to wear: a sky-blue T-shirt under a mulberry vest, a plaid skirt in varying shades of indigo, a violent bow tie, violet knee-socks, and navy dress shoes. Her grimace of disgust at the clothes is not long in coming, followed by a sigh.

'Come on Sunset, you just arrived. At least wait till the end of the day before complaining.'

"Sunset Shimmer?"

The former equine looks up and blinks when she saw a woman standing in front of her. Sunset squints her eyes slightly; this woman looks a lot like...

"Nice to meet you. I'm Mi Amore Cadenza, the dean of Crystal Prep, but you can call me Dean Cadance."

The woman's face and the kind smile she wore make Sunset let out a bitter moan, and she hangs her head with an expression of pain and sorrow.'Why? Can't I go anywhere without my past following me?'

"Are you okay?"Cadance asks, concerned.

"I'm fine... just... transfer pressures,"Sunset says with a sigh.

"I understand. It must be difficult to start at a new school halfway through the semester."

"...I've been through worse things."

"Principal Cinch has asked me to take you to her office, if you would be so kind as to follow me."

Cadance doesn't wait for an answer and turns around, walking down a hallway. Sunset lets out a last breath before she follows her.

'Come on, Sunset, it's just Cadance. It's not that bad. You can still have a normal life here.'

*S*A*S*

About five minutes and two damn big staircases later, Sunset, cursing the burning in her feet, and the dean finally stop walking in front of a large door. Cadance knocks a couple of times, and a voice was heard from the other side.

"Enter,"says a sophisticated voice from within.

Cadance turns and smiles at the fire-haired girl."Principal Cinch is waiting for you. Please, go right on in."Sunset hesitates for a moment, but finally opens the door and enters the room. Cadance closes the door once Sunset is inside, leaving the whole room in near-darkness.

Only a soft light hanging from the high ceiling serves as illumination, but it is unable to give light to the entire room. A series of shelves, a bookcase, and a showcase of trophies, among a few other pieces of furniture, are barely visible in the dim light.

The light illuminates a small chair in front of a desk. The much larger chair behind the desk sits with its back facing Sunset, preventing Sunset from seeing the person sitting in it.

"Sunset Shimmer, please, sit down."

It is the same woman's voice from before. Sunset obeys the request and sits down on the smaller chair. The larger chair finally turns around, revealing the owner of that stately voice. It is a somewhat older woman with a serious yet regal look on her face, who overall gives off a refined, authoritative air.

"Sunset Shimmer, it is nice to finally meet you. I am Abacus Cinch, principal of Crystal Prep Academy."

"Um, hello..."

"I know it is your first day, Miss Shimmer, but I feel the need to inform you about a couple of things."Cinch pauses while she waited for a comment from the young woman, but when Sunset keeps silent, she continues,"This school is proud of its students and boasts a student body with a remarkable academic level."

The former equine shifts her eyes and crosses her arms in a gesture of annoyance, knowing where the conversation was going.

"Generally, taking into account your average grades in what would be the first part of the year, I must say that you should not be able to enter our school."

"Yes, yes, I understand,”Sunset says impatiently.“I didn’t take school seriously at the time. I didn’t bother doing things right."

"Yes, I expected that to be the issue, especially after seeing your perfect performance in the rest of the cycle. Taking that into account, I have decided to make an exception and accept you in our school."

"Well, thanks,"Sunset says nonchalantly.

"However, as with every student, I expect only the best from you and that your attitude of ‘not taking school seriously’ does not repeat itself, not at my school."

"Yes, I understand,”Sunset says, straightening up and keeping her voice level.“I already intended that when I enrolled her. I take my studies seriously now, and I have no plans to disappoint you."

"That is what I wanted to hear,”Cinch says with a hint of a grin. “With that settled, I welcome you to Crystal Prep Academy, Miss Shimmer. I hope you enjoy your stay."With that said, the principal dismisses the girl, and Sunset doesn't waste time leaving the room.

Once outside, she meets Cadance, who immediately extends a couple of papers."Here is your schedule, your locker number, and the combination. I also added a small guide for you to find your classes. This place is very big, and for the new ones, it can be easy to get lost."

"Thank you, Dean Cadance,"Sunset says sincerely though still somewhat eager to be away from the reminder of her past.

The woman smiles kindly before leaving. Sunset looks over her schedule and lets out a last sigh before she begins her day.

*S*A*S*

"I'm Sunset Shimmer. I live in the suburbs, and I just transferred from Canterlot High School. It's a pleasure to meet you all."Sunset smiles slightly as she introduces herself to the students of the class, but there is no response from them, and by their expressions, it is clear that they have little interest in her.

The teacher thanks the girl and asks her to take a seat at a vacant desk. As Sunset sits down, she looks around at the other students. No one pays any attention to her and instead focuses on the lesson dictated by the teacher. Comfortable with the lack of attention, she decides to imitate them and proceeds to catch up with the class.

*S*A*S*

'And I thought Canterlot High's classes were boring...'Sunset thinks. As the class continues, Sunset realizes that the difference between Crystal Prep and Canterlot High is stark and clear. The teacher in front of her is focusing only on giving his lesson; he doesn’t even turn around to see if the students are paying any attention. The students, in turn, look like machines copying every word the teacher says or writes.'I wonder if they even understand what he’s talking about?'

Looking at her own notebook, she sees that, unlike the others, her notes are minimal. In truth, she finds it more entertaining to count the times someone decides to look somewhere other than the teacher, the blackboard, or their notebooks. Four, so far.

The most interesting thing is that at no time does anyone look at her. Nobody seems even slightly interested in the new girl.

'So far, everything is like I expected it to be,'she thinks, relieved.

Finally, and after counting a fifth lapse of attention from her fellow students, she decides to focus her attention on the class and take a few more notes.

*S*A*S*

The first period eventually comes to an end, and the Equestrian girl walks through the corridors, again without any attention given to her.

She refreshes her throat at a nearby fountain and continues on her way, ready to reach her next class, but when she turns a corner, she suddenly collides with another student. She manages to keep her balance, but the other girl falls to the ground.

"Augh! Hey, be careful!"Sunset snaps.

Her complaints die upon seeing the fallen girl.

"I-I'm very sorry! I was in a hurry! I-I...Please, don't hurt me..."the young woman stammers.

She’s wearing the school’s uniform, and her hairstyle is very different, but her face is unmistakable. A single word escapes the former equine’s lips.

"Twilight..."

It was impossible. This could not be the princess she knew, but her face was identical. But, that means...

Twilight looks up, but her blurry vision prevents her from distinguishing anything. Being free of any physical or verbal attack, she frantically runs her hands across the floor, seemingly looking for something.

Curious, Sunset looks arounds and spots some black-rimmed lenses near some fallen books. She picks them up, and after seeing that they are fortunately intact, she cleans them a little on her vest and places them on the face of the girl.

Twilight jumps slightly, surprised at the gentle action. She looks carefully at Sunset in silence, receiving the same astonished look.

Both looked at each other in silence for a moment before Sunset reaches out to help Twilight. Twilight hesitates for a moment, then takes Sunset’s hand.

The silence held while they look at each other, neither of them sure about what to say or do.

"...Um...Are you okay?"Sunset asks awkwardly.

Twilight jumps again slightly as the question pulls her out of her trance.

"Ah...Y-Yes...I'm fine..."

Silence overcomes both again for a while.

"You...Have we...seen each other before?"Twilight asks quietly, looking away in concentration.

It is Sunset's turn to be surprised, but she smiles slightly as she answers,"Uh, I don't think so. I'm new, and...I don't know anyone, so we probably haven’t."The sound of the bell signals that classes are about to resume."I-I have to get to class, so, uh...goodbye."

She doesn't wait for an answer and simply leaves hurriedly. Twilight watches Sunset’s retreating form, her brow furrowing in thought.

"...I...I've seen her before. But where?”Twilight mumbles, before she jumps in alarm.“Ah! I'm late for class!"Lifting her books from the floor, she starts running towards her classroom.

*S*A*S*

As lunchtime rolls around, Sunset quickly gets in line in the cafeteria with many other students. Her excitement dies when she sees that much of the food prepared are products derived from meat.

'I should have seen it coming. I'll have to start preparing my own lunch,'Sunset thinks, disappointed.

Fortunately, she manages to grab herself a small salad, a roll, and an apple, ending with a dessert of strawberries and cream. She pays and begins her search for a place to sit. The room is as big as she expected it would be. Elegant tables fill the room, arranged in an orderly manner and leaving more than enough space for circulation.

Sunset soon gives up trying to find a spot and decides to simply approach a random table.

"Mind if I sit here?"Sunset asks hopefully.

The students look at her, but instead of responding, they return to their own affairs.

"...Well, they didn’t say no.,."she says to herself as she sits down in the least populated corner of the table. Resting her arm on the table with her face in its palm, she begins to eat, starting to find the lack of care from everyone more lonely than relieving. She tries to distract herself with her thoughts.

'Well, Sunset, both Cadance and Twilight are in this school. That’s…concerning. But it's not that bad, right? You can still have a normal school life. You just have to avoid attracting attention, which doesn’t seem to hard here.'As she finishes that thought and swallows her mouthful, she surveys the other students at the table, but she may as well not exist for all the attention they’re giving her. ‘You see? It’ll be easy.'

She takes another bite of her little salad and closes her eyes to rest her mind. When she reopens them, she notices a student a few feet from her, a girl with two-tone blue hair pulled into a high ponytail. She stands motionless, watching Sunset with wide, raspberry-colored eyes, her lunch tray in her trembling, light-blue hands. For the third time in a single day, Sunset is rendered speechless, recognizing the girl as one of the very sirens that put her life in danger only a few months ago.

The siren in question looks silently at Sunset in a mixture of surprise and fear before quickly walking away, almost running to lose herself among the tables and the crowd.

Sunset sits staring at the space Sonata occupied, her look of surprise changing into one of exhaustion. A very heavy sigh escapes her mouth.

"...It’s gonna be a long semester..."

*S*A*S*

That evening at Canterlot High School finds the Rainbooms going through routine practices in one of the music rooms, as usual. Only today, things are not going so well.

"Enough! Enough of this!"

They all fix their attention on the outraged, chromatic-haired girl, who looks back at them reproachfully.

"What the hell is wrong with all of you?! You're playing awful! Applejack! You're totally out of tune!"

"Don’t blame me! Dern guitar doesn’t wanna stay in tune,"Applejack answers as she tries to adjust the strings of her instrument.

"And you, Rarity! Do you have the keyboard upside down or what?!"

"Of course not. I don't know what's going on. The keys simply don’t sound like they should,"the fashionista replies, playing some keys and trying to make some sort of rhythm with them.

"Pinkie, what's wrong with the drums?"

"I...I don't know. Suddenly, I can't remember how I played the songs,"Pinkie says, randomly trying a tune and failing to fall into any sort of beat."I don't remember how I did it before. It was so easy..."

Rainbow just growls in exasperation."Flutters!"

The last girl in the group hides behind her tambourine when her multicolored friend speaks to her.

"You play a tambourine! How can you not..."

She growls, not even know how to finish the question, and the shy girl begins to cry.

"You're not one to talk, Rainbow,"Applejack claims."You can't make your guitar sound good, neither."

"What?! Please! I'm an ace on the electric guitar. I play it perfectly."To demonstrate her point, she runs her fingers down the strings with a confident smirk. Her smile quickly dies when all she hears is a discordant mess, which cuts off abruptly when one of her strings snaps."Well, maybe I'm just having an off day,"she says sheepishly. Another string snaps.

All five girls stare baffled at their own instruments, not understanding why they can’t seem to play them. The depressed mood is interrupted by a knock on the door. Seconds later, it opens, revealing a familiar, young, blue-haired boy.

"Hey, Flash,"Rainbow says sullenly.

"Hi, Flashie!"Pinkie yells, perking up.

Flash Sentry enters the room, seeming nervous about something."Hi, girls. Um, how's the practice going?"he asks.

The question makes everyone look away.

"Not good,"Applejack responds glumly.

"I'm afraid we're going through some…technical difficulties,"Rarity added, discouraged.

"Oh, damn. Um...what's going on?"Flash asks, concerned.

"The girls suddenly can't play their instruments,"Rainbow asserts, before another string snaps."Well...I'm not on my best day, either."

"Oh, wow. Maybe it's a problem with the connection? Sometimes my amps act up and deform the notes."

"Good idea. I'll go check,"Rainbow says, walking towards the amplifiers.

The boy silently watches her, although his mind seems to be elsewhere. Rarity notices his far-off stare and says,"Flash, darling?"

Flash starts slightly."Oh, sorry. What?"

"Are you okay? You seem distracted."

"Uh...well, I..."

"Is there a problem?"Applejack asks."Something we can help you with?"

"Well...I wanted to ask if you..."The boy stops again. Everyone's eyes were focused on him, waiting for his question. Finally, he asks,"Have any of you seen Sunset lately?"

The question gains surprised and confused looks from the girls. Silence fills the room until the dressmaker answers,"I'm sorry, darling, but I'm afraid not."

"Why are you looking for her?"Pinkie asks curiously.

"Oh, well...It's just...I haven’t seen her at school lately...I wanted to know if she was sick or something."

"...We haven’t seen Sunny for a long time, actually,"Pinkie responds sadly.

"Yeah, and it's better that way,"Rainbow says, diverting her attention from the amplifier.

The boy is a little surprised at Rainbow’s attitude, but Fluttershy speaks up first in her characteristic soft voice."Um, maybe we should...go see if she's okay?"

"Go and see her?! Why?! She can break an arm for all I care!"Rainbow snaps.

Flash suddenly feels uncomfortable."Um, maybe it's not my business but...did something happen between you?"

"Of course, something happened! She’s been spilling the secrets of the whole school!"Rainbow says angrily.

"Oh, yeah. The Anon-a-Miss thing..."Flash’s face falls as the tension in the room rises.

"Yeah, ‘the Anon-a-Miss thing’. We haven't heard from her since last week, and that's fine by me. We don't want anything to do with that traitor."

All eyes are on Rainbow for a moment, then each of the girls looks away, each with a different expression. Applejack and Rarity look to one side, anger and depression on their respective faces, while Pinkie looks down with a hurt face, and tears fall from Fluttershy’s eyes as she stared at her feet, tightly clutching her tambourine in her hands.

Flash suddenly feels out of place, so with a gesture of thanks and a quick farewell, he withdraws.

*S*A*S*

The school was eerily quiet. Over the past few days, a strong tension hung in the air, but today, everything was calm. Maybe too calm. The students didn't talk or laugh, and while some stayed together, there were no animated chats, and there were certainly no smiles. Many things had changed since the arrival of Anon-A-Miss.

‘Anon-A-Miss.’The name resonates in Flash’s mind as he walks the halls, unnerved by the silence. Simply mentioning it arouses the anger and hatred of everyone in the school, anger and hatred directed towards one person, a person whose name Flash can only whisper, lest he ignite the proverbial powder keg just waiting to go off.

"Sunset..."

Author's Note:

I forgot, happy holidays everyone!!
I hope everyone have a great day!

Thanks to madox for the corrections.