Alternative Origins

by TalkingToMyself

Chapter 28

Spring Break was on the horizon, just one more day of classes ahead. With their minds fixed on that goal, the students of CHS dragged themselves into the school for the final round. The overall mood wasn’t ecstatic, but one student shone out like a sun as she walked throw the crowd.

Wherever Sunset Shimmer appeared, she was greeted by smiles and people calling out her name. She was the popular girl to hang out with, after all. Not only did she ace every single class with highest marks, she also won three science and math competitions for CHS during the last semester, all with record scores. And while that could make people think Sunset Shimmer was just a nerd, everybody who spent more than a couple of minutes with her liked her, for a plethora of reason. Sunset always had time, she would always listen, and even if she couldn’t help, she at least had some advice or a friend who could instead. Although she wasn’t part of any club or sports team, she knew several members of each and whenever something excited happened, Sunset Shimmer was there or had helped make it happen.

No wonder that in last week’s Spring Fling, Sunset Shimmer had been elected ‘Princess’ of the ball. Sunset had been so overwhelmed that she had even blinked away a few tears on stage when Principal Celestia had put the fake crown on her head. After that, she’d been a good sport about it, calling people around her ‘peasants’ and naming a few lords and ladies for her fake court, and everybody had a good laugh.

Almost everybody, that is. One of the seniors, Firefly, had thrown a mini-tantrum. She had been in line for being Spring-Fling-Princess and couldn’t accept that a freshman had outdone her. Sunset Shimmer had tried to defuse the situation, she even had a private talk with Firefly at the ball, but with no success. Firefly had left immediately after that talk and had been missing her classes for the rest of the week as well.

Most people just shrugged it off. ‘Sour loser’ was the most common term they had for Firefly, while Sunset Shimmer didn’t comment on it. Instead, she basked in her popularity and flocked other students around her wherever she could. In class, she joked with the teachers who praised her excellent grades and the hard work she put in. Principal Celestia greeted her when they ran into each other in the hall and even Vice-Principal Luna had one of her rare smiles for her. Everything seemed perfect today.

There was only a small hiccup during lunch break. On the way to the restrooms, Sunset left behind her flock of followers for a few minutes, and another girl had just been waiting for a chance to catch her by herself. So as soon as she left the stall, Sunset found herself confronted with Flare Blitz, a taller and older girl from senior class
“What did you do to Firefly?”

Sunset was only surprised for a moment, then fell back into the smile she’d worn all day

“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb with me. You talked to her, at the Spring Fling, and since then nobody has seen her. She doesn’t even pick up her phone.”

Flare Blitz was a member of the school’s basketball team, she was tall and athletic, but Sunset wasn’t the least bit intimidated. Her smile changed a little in quality as she just shrugged

“Maybe she’s just sick? I don’t know why you think I have something to do with it.”

“Listen, Shimmer. I’ve been her best friend since elementary school, so I know her. She wouldn’t have just left the ball. And even if she was sick, she’d at least send me a text. You were the last person who talked to her, so I know you did something.”

Sunset grinned even more

“I’ve talked to a lot of people at the ball, and they are all at school. So far, all you have are baseless accusations and I have half a mind to tell Principal Celestia about this.”

“Stop messing with me, Shimmer! I know you’ve got something to do with this.”

Sunset looked away for a second, as if pondering on something. When she turned back to Flare Blitz, the taller girl staggered away from her. Sunset’s smiled had turned into an evil, wicked smirk and she could see a cold fire in her eyes

“You know what? You’re right. I’m the reason Firefly didn’t come back. And I’m the reason she lost the election in the first place.”

Flare Blitz shivered as Sunset’s eyes bore into her and she could barely even process what that Sunset had said

“What did you do to her?”

Sunset took a step forward and Flare Blitz backed away again

“You’ll never find out. And you’ll never find any proof. I don’t care if you go and tell everybody, because they won’t believe you. They only see what I want them to see, and I want them to worship the ground I’m walking on. It could have been Firefly or it could have been anyone else, I don’t care. Whoever is in my way will end up in a world of trouble.”

Flare was with her back against a wall now, both figuratively and literally

“Why… why are you telling me this?”

“Because I enjoy seeing you squirm.”

Sunset’s cruel smirk only grew wider

“And I will enjoy watching you cower and shiver for the rest of the school year.”

Flare Blitz gulped hard and tried to push back

“I’ll tell everyone! If they find out…”

“They’ll never find out! Because you won’t tell anyone. You’ll stay quiet for the rest of your time at CHS, or I’ll make sure you’ll never get the chance to graduate.”

Flare’s eyes opened wide, mostly in fear

“You’re bluffing!”
“Are you willing to take that risk? I wonder what the coach would say if he finds out her star player cheated her way through almost all of her exams.”

Sunset’s smirk drained all the color from Flare’s face

“You… how do you know?”

The only answer she got was cruel laughter

“Does it really matter? If anyone finds out, how do you think they’ll react? You’ll lose your spot on the team, the teachers will questions all your academic work and even if you manage to graduate, no sport’s college will ever accept you. All your dreams of being professional go down the drain, with just a word from me.”

Flare Blitz was paralyzed from shock. She had never given much attention to Sunset Shimmer before, but she seemed to be a likable person, for a freshman. But what she just heard, that wasn't part of the typical high school popularity contest anymore. What Sunset said was just downright evil on a super villain level. And worst of all, it sounded like Sunset Shimmer meant every single word of her threats

“You're... you're bluffing!”

Flare forced out the words from earlier again, in a burst of courage that crumbled away under Sunset's evil laughter

“You're just a bullheaded buffoon. Are you really going to take that risk? You're going to bet your whole future against me, and for what? For your friend? You really want to lose everything because of Firefly?”

Sunset's cold eyes bore into her and Flare Blitz felt her chest pinch up so tight that she could barely even breathe. Sunset's wicked grin grew wider at the same pace Flare realized that there was no way out of this

“What... what do you want from me?”

Sunset released her opponent from her glare and stepped in front of the mirror by the sink instead

“I want nothing from you. As long as you stay out of my way, you're going to stay here those few more weeks to graduation. You'll grab your exam and leave, and nobody will be any wiser.”

Flare Blitz shivered at how callous Sunset said all this while idly fixing her hair in the mirror

“I don't care if you tell anyone about me, because nobody will believe you anyways, but you can save yourself a lot of trouble if you just stay quiet. I do my thing and you look the other way, easy as that. You're not important to my plans, unless you getting in my way. If you do, you'll just become another obstacle and I won't think twice before I remove you.”

Another cold shiver ran down Flare's spine and Sunset's eyes in the mirror found hers again. Even her reflection seemed to tear into her. Suddenly, the bad feeling that had made her confront Sunset Shimmer in the first place returned, but worse than before and laced with cold fear

“What did you do to Firefly?”

Sunset smirked at Flare Blitz through her mirror, cold and calculated

“I gave her the same choice that I'm giving you. Let's see if you are smarter than your friend.”

And just like that, Sunset Shimmer turned around and was the cheerful and likable girl again. Her smile was warm and bright, like when she had been crowned 'Princess of the ball' and there was a little spring in her step as she walked out of the restroom. She never looked back at the girl she left behind and Flare Blitz trembled all over her body.

Comments

[JMP]

...damn, what the hell did Sunset say to Firefly? Getting very bad "she encouraged suicide" vibes from this.

[LordArrin]

Amazing! Шикарно!

[TalkingToMyself]

10106619
Nonononono! It's nothing that dark! Really!

10107333
Thanks!

[red-sun]

Does it go the same way as equestria girl?

Crystal Note will be the voice of reason?

[TalkingToMyself]

10108474
to be completely honest, I don't have it all set in stone yet.
You'll just have to wait and see

[Akwolfgrl13]

Dam girl!!!