Live By The Sword...

by redandready45

Loyalty Steps in To Defend (Edited 3/23/20)

"No," Sprint said furiously to Rainbow Dash.

"But Sprint-,"

"No!" Rainbow Dash sighed in frustration. The two were sitting in Canterlot Corner, some hipster café near Canterlot's best gym. Most of the athletes at Canterlot High often came here to get their caffeine after a hard work out. The two were sitting in a booth in the far corner.

Rainbow Dash brought Sprint here, hoping that treating him at his favorite hangout would get him to loosen up. To her frustration, it wasn't working out.

"I really don't want that bitch in school, let alone near my shit," Sprint almost yelled. He took a deep breath to calm himself down, his mouth set into a thin frown. "And it pisses me off that she just won't take the hint that she's not welcome here."

"But-,"

"Why do you care anyways?" Sprint asked with annoyance, "It isn't like you're sitting next to her at lunch." Rainbow Dash's forehead fell into her hand.

Sprint wasn't wrong. While she didn't want to see Sunset get hurt anymore, Rainbow still wasn't part of the Sunset fanclub. A small, selfish of Rainbow wanted to just throw her hands up in the air and give up on trying to convince Sprint since he still was on Sprint's side. But then she remembered Applejack and her unflinching green eyes judging her.

"Because...Applejack wants me to," Rainbow admitted. Sprint's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Applejack?" he muttered. Then his eyes widened in realization. "Oh, you mean the hillbilly," Sprint said with disdain. Rainbow Dash clenched her fist at Sprint's use of the term hillbilly. "I heard that Sunset paid her $1 million to sit next to her. That farmer girl probably needs the income, but I never knew she would be so desperate-"

"Sprint," Rainbow Dash said in an annoyed tone. "Applejack wouldn't let Sunset sit next to her for money. She isn't that kind of person."

"Well, I can't think of any other reason why anyone would want to sit next to Shimmer," Sprint said with disdain. "Rednecks will do anything for some-,"

"If you say one more word about Applejack, I'll break your legs," Rainbow Dash in a voice as calm as a breeze, but as icy as a blizzard. "I don't care how much you hate Sunset. Don't make fun of Applejack just because she lives on a farm."

"OK, I'm sorry," Sprint said with a frown. Rainbow Dash nodded her head, silently accepting Sprint's apology.

"Look... Applejack told me that I was becoming a bitch by letting Sunset beat up," Rainbow Dash said with a small amount of shame. "She said that...I was as bad as her."

"You're nothing like her!" Sprint said in protest.

"Am I?" Rainbow Dash in a serious tone. "We hated Sunset because she loved to make everyone miserable. And now...we love making her...miserable." Sprint tried to object, but found himself looking at his half-finished cup of coffee with a small amount of shame.

"She ruined our fundraiser," Sprint said miserably, his snide tone gone. Sprint was too strong to cry, but he still couldn't hide the pain of what happened. "We all worked so hard. Because of her, we couldn't afford to go to the championship and we ended up blaming each other." He paused as Rainbow put her hands on his. While observers might mistake them for a couple, Sprint and Rainbow's friendship ran so deep, that the former wouldn't be flustered by such a warm gesture.

"I know Sprint," Rainbow Dash in a warm, comforting voice. "And Sunset hurt Fluttershy over and over and made me think she deserved it. And Applejack's farm lost a lot of business because of Sunset." Rainbow Dash remarked, a tone of sadness creeping into her voice. "But...Fluttershy and Applejack are giving Sunset a chance. So why can't we do the same?" Sprint looked at Rainbow silently, his face morose and conflicted. He wasn't objecting, but he wasn't sold on the idea yet.

"If Sunset just said sorry I wouldn't want her here," Rainbow said. "But...Applejack told me that Sunset did more than say sorry. She worked on her farm every Saturday during her suspension to make it up to her."

"Really?" Sprint said.

"Yep. She pulled weeds, shoveled manure, etc." Sprint once felt proud at that, but now he felt some remorse for it. He once again looked down at his coffee cup. "Don't you think if Sunset was still a bitch, she would've done any of that stuff?"

"I guess." Sprint said after a moment of thought.

"I'm not asking you to start hanging out with her," Rainbow Dash said in a reassuring tone. "I don't think she deserves my friendship. Just get the guys to lay off her. Or maybe just, I don't know, give Sunset a chance to make it up to you." A sly smile appeared on Sprint's face.

"I think I figured out a way to...do both," Sprint said mischievously.

---

"A-Are y-you s-s-s-sure you want to do this," Quick Pace stammered to Sunset.

"Not really," Sunset said with some worry as the furious and vengeful crowd gathered around her. "But...I owe your team for what happened last year...and I owe everyone at least a pound of flash."

"Y-y-your funeral," Quick said timidly.

"Come and dunk the Shimmer," Sprint said into the microphone, sounding like a ringleader showing off an exotic animal. "You all have a chance to take glorious revenge upon the Demon who tormented us."

A dunk tank had been placed in the middle of the gym. Sunset was dressed in a t-shirt, some worn-out shorts, and goggles. She sat on a collapsible seat above a 10 foot tall and 20 ft wide tank of clear water. Above it, ran a sign that said "Dunk the Demon." For $5 dollars, anyone could try and send Sunset down into a watery humiliation.

She watched warily as a large mob gathered with expressions that made it look like there were preparing a lynching. It appeared there was no shortage of people wanting to take some small revenge on her. She imagined she was going to be quite soaked.

Still, she was grateful to Sprint for giving her a chance to make it up for ruining his fundraiser.

"OK," Sprint said into the microphone. "Who's going first." He looked to some blue-skinned girl.

"You milady! Who are you, and what is your grievance?" Sprint held the microphone to Trixie's chin.

"I am The Great and Powerful Trixie," Trixie said bombastically, "and I have come to avenge the talent show, when Trixie's Great and Powerful act was ruined when Shimmer and her goons put itching powder on Trixie's clothes and framed her lovely assistants Fuchsia and Lavender for it." The two girls stood behind Trixie and were giving Sunset a cold glare.

Sunset rolled her eyes a bit at Trixie's bluster. Despite knowing she was wrong to ruin Trixie's act, Sunset won't lie and pretend she still didn't take some joy in knocking the egotistical stage magician down a peg.

"OK," Sprint said. "Deposit your money and you will have three tries." Trixie put the money into a box and took the three balls offered by Sprint.

"Watch as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the greatest, most stupendous, most fantastic throw ever. Watch as she dazzles everyone as she rights the wrongs made against-,"

"Will you just go already!" Bon Bon yelled from behind her. "We don't have all century."

"You cannot rush perfection." Trixie said as if she was talking to some ignorant child. Bon Bon let out a defeated sigh. Sunset watched with some amusement as Trixie graphically took different poses as she prepared to throw the ball, looking like a deranged interpretive dancer.

"Uh, I think everyone needs a turn, Trixie," Sunset said. "Just throw the-," Sunset found herself suddenly submerged in cold water. Sunset began flailing around in the tank, the shock of being exposed to the cold water making her feel disorientated. She heard applause and cheers from the stunned audience.

Once she got used to the water, Sunset reached the handle, climbed the later, and made her way back to the seat. She found herself looking at the smug Trixie with awe. Everyone else was looking at the blue-skinned magician with some admiration.

"Did you all think the Great and Powerful Trixie was just some limp noodle?" Trixie proclaimed dramatically. "Her dear uncle is a baseball player. Thus, Trixie has had many chances to perfect her throw along with the Dark Arts." She looked back at a shivering Sunset with the eyes of a vulture. "Now then, let us return to the game."

She threw her two remaining balls, dunking Sunset twice. Sunset felt a measure of relief when Trixie's turned ended.

"Alright," Sprint said, "whose-," Sprint paused at a blue hand gave him a 100 dollar bill. "It looks like Trixie wants to go 20 more times." Everyone in the gym let out a collective laugh at that. Sunset looked at Trixie with horror and fear while the magician gave Sunset a vicious grin as she steeled herself for another throw.

"Oh sweet Celestia", Sunset thought to herself.

Comments

[Mpony1]

Poor sunset, but this is better than the alternative

[Sollys]

Damn, this sucks for Sunset. :(

[Moonriseoversunset]

Why do I have a feeling she's going to be sick next chapter?

[Snake Man448]

That is an ideal solution; it's a lot less damaging than what happened before, and hopefully placates the students' collective sadism.

Downside is that spending hours being dunked in cold water is not gonna be good for Sunset's health.

[redandready45]

9990716

Poor sunset, but this is better than the alternative

Redemption ain't cheap.

9992077

That is an ideal solution; it's a lot less damaging than what happened before, and hopefully placates the students' collective sadism.

Downside is that spending hours being dunked in cold water is not gonna be good for Sunset's health.

I think "sadism" is too strong of a word. "Sadists" are people who love to bring pain for the heck of it. Gilda and others weren't beating up Sunset just to revel in her misery. They are avenging themselves on the girl who tormented them for years on end. Becoming a demon and blowing up a chunk of the school was the point where even the teachers came close to throwing her out of school, grade-A student or not. If Sunset hadn't been so rotten, it is unlikely that she would've been so hated by everyone else in Rainbow Rocks.

The dunk tank serves the purpose of giving everyone a taste of revenge, without doing something monstrously cruel or scarring toward Sunset. It also shows everyone that her atonement isn't an act as many people (both in-universe and out) suspected.

[Norwegian boy]

'Rainbow Dash nodded his head'

Don't you mean that Rainbow Dash nodded HER head?

[redandready45]

9994327

Yep. Will make edit.

[Needling Haystacks]

A dunk tank had been placed in the middle of the gym. Sunset was dressed in a t-shirt, some worn-out shorts, and goggles. She sat on a collapsible seat above a 10 foot tall and 20 ft wide tank of clear water. Above it, ran a sign that said "Dunk the Demon." For $5 dollars, anyone could try and send Sunset down into a watery humiliation.

Ok this one's actually fine. Was a little afraid after some of the labels and the recurring 'pound of flesh' motif (apparently the only Shakespeare play Sunset has read is Merchant of Venice). But I mean people do this for fun. My elementary school had a pie-a-teacher fundraiser, and naturally one of the less popular teachers pulled ahead... and then students saw her putting money in her own box. I think she still 'won'. I suspect she really liked pie.

The dunk tank serves the purpose of giving everyone a taste of revenge, without doing something monstrously cruel or scarring toward Sunset. It also shows everyone that her atonement isn't an act as many people (both in-universe and out) suspected.

What time of year was this? If it's still late summer/early fall the water may be quite pleasant after a little while. Gotta add some ice or something every so often.

[redandready45]

10311224

Indoors. This is set in the Twilight of autumn.

[Waiting on my 20s]

"A-Are y-you s-s-s-sure you want to do this," Quick Pace stammered to Sunset.

My nigga, just speak lmao