Hotter Than Hell

by totallynotabrony

Chapter 10

Sunset sat in the school office, on one of the chairs in the outer waiting area. She’d never imagined things could spiral out of control so quickly, and over something so stupid.

From what Sunset had gathered, Principal Celestia still hadn’t decided to whom the crown belonged. Most students interviewed by the principals agreed that it had come out of Silver’s bag. However, despite all Diamond’s provocations, Silver had technically hit first. As expensive-looking an item as the crown was, Celestia was considering getting the parents of both Diamond and Silver involved.

Sunset couldn’t very well claim the crown was hers, that would raise too many additional questions. All she had been able to do was tell what she had observed, nothing more and nothing less. At least that would back Silver regaining possession of the crown.

Teeth clenched, Sunset let out a hiss of frustration. She also couldn’t very well go take the crown. Though, it wouldn't be difficult. She could just walk straight into Celestia’s office, punch her in her stupid face, and walk away with the greatest prize she’d ever earned. Even as she entertained the fantasy, she knew it was just that - daydream. All was not yet lost, but most of it would be if she gave in to the impulse. Her image that she had carefully cultivated would be lost. She’d lose all the contacts around the school. The police might get involved. Worst of all, she would have resorted to violence against this worthless, weak copy of the real Celestia, and that would cost Sunset her pride.

So she waited. Not patiently, but there was nothing else to be done.

Principal Luna poked her head out of her office. “Sunset? I appreciate your help, but you’d better get some lunch before the period is over.”

Sunset nodded for appearance’s sake and got up, though reminded that she actually was hungry. At any rate, what was she going to accomplish sitting here?

On her way down to the cafeteria, Sunset made a detour to put a few cigarettes in Diamond Tiara’s locker. The principals might just have a look inside, now that they had a reason. That done, she went to get lunch.

The cafeteria was buzzing. That seemed perfectly natural after a fistfight. Sunset got lunch and tried to choose with whom she wanted to sit today. Her mood was still foul, so she chose Fluttershy, who would be most receptive.

However, to Sunset’s surprise, when she sat down, Fluttershy said, “I didn’t invite you.” In the next moment, however, a shot of panic went across her face as the impact of what she had said hit her and she grabbed her tray, scurrying away.

What had gotten into her? Sunset glanced around, slowly realizing that the topic of conversation among students around the room wasn’t always the earlier fight. In fact, there seemed to be some arguments breaking out.

There was the hint of something strange about this, but Sunset couldn’t immediately tell what it was. She kept eating, but also kept her ears and eyes open. What she discovered, though, came to her in a different way.

The moment the three new girls walked into the room, it was as if a faint fuzz Sunset had been noticing came into focus. There, they were the center.

But the center of what? Sunset didn’t know yet, but was suddenly resolved to find out. This smelt of magic, which humans didn’t have. So who were these girls?

She waved them over to her table. The trio looked a little surprised, but heeded her beckoning and sat down.

“Crazy, huh?” said Sunset. “I swear, our school isn’t normally like this. Sorry you had to see it on your first day.”

“It’s just fine,” said Adagio. She looked much more upbeat than she had this morning. So did the previously-sour Aria. Sonata seemed about the same. The three of them were perhaps the only ones within sight who seemed to be in a good mood.

Sunset did a quick self-evaluation. Despite her mask of cheerfulness, her dismay at losing control of the crown was still there, but she felt she had a valid reason for that. While she could sense whatever negativity was going on around the rest of the school, either her knowledge of it or some kind of natural resistance meant that it didn’t seem to be affecting her, which only reinforced her suspicion that it was magic.

In fact, the more she studied the three girls across the table from her, the more she suspected that they were somehow behind it, and perhaps even basking in it.

It was almost enough to distract Sunset from her own problems. The prospect of meeting someone in the human world with more than human power made her nearly salivate at the possibilities. Blair had gained power from somewhere. Despite most humans not believing in magic, clearly it was out there.

She decided to wait and watch, at least for the time being. Lucifer had referenced that a storm was coming. Could this be it?

After lunch, Sunset was reluctant to leave the three girls alone completely, but she couldn’t exactly follow them closely. She’d probably pushed her luck already with so much personal attention during lunch. She’d learned a few things about them through conversation, though likely none of it was useful. They were a singing group, and called themselves the Dazzlings. Like that helped Sunset.

In the afternoon, Sunset went by the office again, on the vague hope that she might be able to do something this time. But it wasn’t as if the crown would be just sitting out.

Instead, she encountered Silver and her parents coming out of the office. Sunset had never met them before, but knew who they were. Silver’s mother looked annoyed and her father looked resigned. Silver’s face had been cleaned of blood, but bruises were on full display now, not even covered by her glasses now that they were broken.

“I’m sorry!” Silver said, the first words out of her mouth to Sunset. “I’m going to be grounded, so I can’t-”

“Come along,” her mother said, tugging her hand, and Silver stumbled away, head hanging.

“Worse than that, I’m afraid,” Celestia said quietly as she walked up beside Sunset. “I suspended both Silver and Diamond. This kind of behavior is not acceptable in our school.”

Sunset stared after the departing Silver, which helped mask her instinctive annoyance at Celestia. “Did you find out who that crown belonged to?”

“I spoke with both of their parents, and neither said they had any knowledge of it. I’ve already spoken with the police, but if the rightful owner can’t be determined, we’ll have to do something else.”

Sunset turned to her. “I can help.”

Celestia smiled. “Thank you for the offer. I’ll let you know.”

Sunset found it very difficult to keep her friendly mask just then, but Celestia turned away to go back into her office.

Sunset went back to her apartment that afternoon, working out a plan to get the crown back. If it was just sitting in Celestia’s office, maybe she could just snatch it. After all, she’d originally taken it from right under the other Celestia’s nose. The difference being, she’d already burned her bridges with Equestria. Maybe a better way would be to make up some fictional person and file a police report to have Celestia turn it over to the “rightful owner.”

That evening, Sunset called Silver. The phone went straight to voicemail, which didn’t really surprise her, but it was disappointing. Apparently, the grounding hadn’t been an idle threat.

What did surprise Sunset was a knock on her door a little later on. She opened it to discover Silver, who looked winded, and also dressed-down from her usual.

“My parents don’t know I snuck out,” Silver admitted, though still looked nervous as she stood in the doorway. “I’m out of school for a day, grounded for a week, and I don’t get to have my phone or leave the house.”

And yet here she was. If she was willing to violate her punishment, she might have more spunk than Sunset had taken her for. Well, aside from the incident earlier in the day.

“I came to talk to you.” Silver lifted her head to meet Sunset’s eyes. “I wanted to know it was worth it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I got my face beaten in, I got suspended from school, for you. For some crown that’s probably worth millions of dollars.” Silver made to keep speaking, but stuttered and lost her nerve. She looked at her hands. “I don’t even know why.”

Where had this come from? Was it the mysterious malign settling over the school, making people snap at each other?

Sunset saw the tears start to drip from Silver’s blackened eyes. She had lost the crown. But, she’d literally gone down fighting in the process.

It hit Sunset that no one else in her life had ever tried this hard for her. This was still a failure; no one had ever done right by her. But just maybe, this wasn’t yet Silver’s full potential.

Sunset took a step back from the door. “Come in.”

Comments

[zachary12]

nice work

[Aemon Targaryen]

I need more !

This chapter was so frustrating, why was it so short ?!

And i hope than Silver will finally upgrade from "underling" to "partner".

[Lithl]

10997039
Ghost Rider is a superhero. Or, well, an antihero. I'd go for "sidekick".

[Aemon Targaryen]

10999043
Eh.

Sidekick seem mean.

Edit : To the ones putting a dislike on my comments for no reason,, have some balls and tell me why you do that except of hiding like a bunch of rats.

[Talipedsnake780]

"It hit Sunset that no one else in her life had ever tried this hard for her"

Very appropriate, and very true, Maybe if Celestia had ever tried going to bat for Sunset this all could have been avoided.