It was a beautiful day in Canterlot City to say the least, and luckily for Sunset Shimmer she held a pretty steady part-time job in order to sustain herself financially. Well that and besides the fact that she also had certain advantages and insight into things others were commonly unaware of, she was certainly able to take care of herself. It was the early morning however, and most people were still sleeping in their beds, about to prepare themselves for the long day ahead of them. It was a school day of course, and for Sunset Shimmer, that meant it'd be another day of listening to constant bickering regarding her mistakes at the Fall Formal. She was still being forced to compensate for what she'd done, and help clean up and reconstruct the school, so life wasn't very appealing to her at the moment. So as the roosters sang their morning songs, and the crows chirped and cawed towards the pale blue skies, Sunset Shimmer tiredly and sluggishly, opened her eyes. She had deep bags underlining them.

She sprawled out atop her bed, yawning as she did so and taking some time to simply stare at the ceiling. She didn't often dwell on the past much, but ever since Twilight Sparkle had come and ruined her perfect plans, she felt as if she didn't have much of a choice. Now of course she was welling with regret, memories of the past which haunted her and caused her to question her convictions and reasons for doing what she did. Sadly Sunset knew she had no sob story, that she had no righteous reason for doing what she did; she simply wanted power, she wanted to rule, and she wanted to be a princess. Well, those dreams were out of her reach now so she told herself she might as well move on. She wore a grumpy face tossing and turning a bit in her blankets, before grumbling and simply crawling out of bed and landing on all four hooves. Sunset Shimmer yawned once again before padding her muzzle, then heading to her bathroom. She lived in a suburban neighborhood and a pretty decent two storied house.

She looked in the mirror with a tired smile, seeing her typical pony face. She winked, "Lookin gooooood Sunset." She then washed her face and brushed her teeth with the aid of her magic, using her horn to hold the toothbrush and wet the towel. It was all a natural process for her it seemed, and she didn't pay any mind to any of it. Soon afterwords she sat on her bed, and then began combing through her mane, ensuring it was nice and puffy and vibrant as usual. Looks were important to her, despite what some may have thought. Sunset just continued to go about her daily routine.

She soon made her way downstairs, turning on the living room television set with her telekinetic magic, taking control of the remote and turning on the news which she didn't pay any mind to really. After that she got herself a bowl of cereal, munching on it happily with an amused smile. "Oh gosh! Gotta give it to Trix's family sometime, Trixie's Trix are absolutely amazing!....No wonder she's so spoiled!" As she went through her cabinet, she had a contemplative expression, "Maybe I'll pick up some Octavios next. Pretty good I hear to." She shrugged before just taking her bowl of trix over to the couch, sitting down, and finishing them as she watched the news. Eventually as Sunset Shimmer just sat there, munching, relaxing on the couch, she yawned tiredly before looking towards the window, then at the time on a fancy clock hanging on the wall. She frowned then, "Sigh...."

It was time to head to Canterlot High it seems.

Sunset Shimmer hopped from the couch lazily, before trotting on over to the door. All her motions were routine, and she'd done everything as she usually did, yet for some reason something felt a little out of place and she just couldn't put her hoof on it. She shook her head, relieving herself of such a meaningless thought, as she'd concentrated back on the routine of her day. Oh yea, what was she supposed to do again? Of course! She was supposed to put on her shoes now. Sunset Shimmer wore a soft smile as she looked down at her shoes situated near the door as she made her way over to them. She looked down at them still with that soft ordinary smile, before lifting her hoof, preparing to place one in. But it was also in that moment she immediately paused.

"..................." Sunset Shimmer still smiled, while staring at the shoe, and her hoof.

After a brief moment of silence, she looked at her hoof more closely before simply uttering, "Hm?......"

Another brief period of silence followed, before Sunset Shimmer's eyes slowly widened. "......"

And she screamed in absolute horror.

"EYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!"

Outside, a group of individuals halted in front of Sunset's house with raised brows, before shrugging and moving on ahead.

One of those individuals remained however, looking over worriedly at Sunset's house.

Sunset Shimmer immediately bolted upstairs hurriedly, scurrying up the steps and practically clawing at her wooden floor with a horrified, paranoid look. "No, no no no no no! W-What!? What is this!? This can't be happening!" She immediately smashed through her door, skidding on the ground and then doing a sharp turn and running into the bathroom, and simply staring at herself in the mirror. Sunset Shimmer ran her hoof down her face for a second, as she'd trembled during the process. "What is this? What's, what's happening to me? Why am I-.."

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Sunset Shimmer's eyes snapped wide even further. NOW!? NOW OF ALL TIMES!? "W-WHO IS IT!?"

Waiting outside Sunset Shimmer's house would be two young girls with backpacks, obviously students also from Canterlot High. They had raised brows as one had quite the colorful hairstyle and a light blue tint to her skin, in similarity to a living rainbow. She seemed skeptical and quite suspicious, "Sunset, it's Rainbow Dash! Are you okay in there? What're you doing? We were on our way to school when a group of students told us they heard a scream come from your house. It's not like you to still be home around this time."

The second girl, one who bore snow white skin along with sporty curls and deep violet hair, blinked a bit, while also looking up curiously and suspiciously at her second story window. "Darling, this is Rarity! Please come out! This is all quite strange!"

Sunset Shimmer shouted back at them from her room, "GO AWAY! I-I'M FINE!....Thanks though!"

Rainbow Dash and Rarity glanced at one another, still not buying it.

Rainbow Dash made an annoyed look. "Sunset! We're supposed to take care of you! And we plan to do just that!" She situated herself in front of the door, and readied herself to kick it open, raising a leg without fear of breaking and entering.

Rarity curled in her palms before pressing them against her chest. "Oh do hurry Rainbow Dash! These are all the signs of someone who is in a deep depression! I mean, just think about it! The poor girl has isolated herself in her room! She's been depressed ever since the Fall Formal, she's not exactly popular with anybody as of now, OH the poor the thing! WE TRULY MUST HELP HER!"

Rainbow nodded to Rarity seriously, then glanced back up at Sunset's second story window. "Sunset! We're coming in!"

Rarity then pulled out a cellphone, flipping it open with urgency. "I'll tell the others to come help us right away!"

Sunset's brow immediately twitched as she'd snarled like a mad dog in her bathroom, fuming angrily. "W-WHAT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE COMING IN!? THIS IS MY HOUSE! GET OUT OF HERE RAINBOW DASH, RARITY!" There was a lengthy silence there afterwords, and noticing they didn't reply, Sunset's ears lowered as her jaw dropped, "Oh no...." She then rushed out of her bathroom, before hurrying over into the second story hall and then attempting to reach her front door before it was too late, and the moment she'd arrived at the top of the stairway, her door was immediately kicked in. Sunset Shimmer shrieked in fear, before hurrying back over to her room, trotting like a mad mare and slamming her door shut behind her.

However the door didn't shut all the way, being damaged due to her actions earlier. "A-Are you kidding me!?"

Standing in the open doorway would be Rainbow Dash and Rarity, as Rainbow Dash gripped her bag straps tightly.

Rarity looked at Rainbow Dash worriedly, "Rainbow Dash are you alright? You seem upset darling?"

Rainbow Dash's eyes saddened as she glanced down at the floor and thought back to Sunset Shimmer at the prom, and then recalled the promise they made to Twilight Sparkle. She'd glanced back at Rarity intensely. "Obviously if Sunset's depressed, we haven't been helping her any. I'm not going to let her sulk like this, I'm going to drag her out if I have to. She's our friend now."

Rarity nodded hurriedly to Rainbow Dash with a look of adoration, "Oh...Rainbow Dash, you're so caring...." Rarity then cupped her mouth, shutting upstairs with motivation. "Don't worry Sunset, we'll be there soon! Just hang in there darling!"

Sunset Shimmer trembled as she'd remained behind her door, pacing heavily. "What the heck are you two talking about!? I'M FINE! I'M FINE I'M FINE I'M FINE! Please, n-now..just...just go away for a bit!? I need some time to myself!"

Rarity snapped back in retort from downstairs, as they were heading up as she spoke. "Holding it all inside won't help any, darling!"

Sunset slammed her hooves on her room floor angrily, "GRAH!" But that's when she recalled, "Wait...I'm a unicorn again..." The realization hit her as her horn started to glow, and she'd used her magic which was horribly rusty, to move the furniture over to the back of the door to keep it shut. "Hah...Hahahahaha! Now what will you do girls?! I was an ace student of Celestia you know!"

Rarity's expression immediately sunk from outside the door. "Ace student of Principal Celestia!?...Oh goodness, she's gone mad Rainbow!"

Rainbow Dash shoved the door tiredly, attempting to open it. "I know! S-Sunset, just calm down and listen to us!"

Sunset Shimmer's nose scrunched up. "Wha? N-NO you idiots not Principal Cele-...OH forget it!" Sunset Shimmer then smirked. She muttered quietly to herself in amusement, "Sorry girls, while you're busy with that, I'll be making my escape. Heh!" She then looked at the second story window, before wincing at it. Can't use the second story window, it's way too obvious and public, hah, but I'm a unicorn, I'll just take the back route, with teleportation magic! Sunset Shimmer then sprinted towards the back wall of her room, and in that moment she disappeared in a flash of smoke using her relocation magic.

Sunset Shimmer skidded atop dirt and grass as she'd landed outside her home and then staggered to her hooves. She shook her head for a minute, regaining her composure before glancing back at her home with a smirk. "Hah! Later ladies!" And as she turned to face forward, there standing on a sidewalk leading through the back route not far from her home, Sunset Shimmer found three other figures staring right back at her with wide eyes. "Eh?" Sunset Shimmer didn't even have time to react to them, as they all just stared at her, and she recognized each and every one of them. "A-Applejack?.....Pinkie?......And, Fluttershy?"

Suddenly joining the three would be a hurried and rushed Principal Celestia, appearing frantic as she was wearing a bright white and yellow track suit, sweating as she'd met up with the three. "G-Girls, there you are! Is everything alright!? Where is Rainbow Dash and Rarity, I made my way down here as fast as I could! What of Sunset Shimmer!? Is she okay!? Where is she!?" Principal Celestia, attempting to catch her breath, then immediately followed the girl's gazes, catching sight of the pony. "...Hm?"

There was, yet another, brief; moment of silence.

Sunset Shimmer simply lowered her head as her face darkened, and she turned away from them. "..............."

And not soon afterwords, the mare burst into hysterical laughter. "BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHA- AHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy all just continued to watch with expressions of disbelief at the laughing equine.

Sunset Shimmer just simply rolled around on the ground, laughing ecstatically. "AHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!" Her tail swayed, as she couldn't catch her breath or regain her composure. "EHEHEHEHEH, AHUHUHU, AHAHAHAHAHA!!" She laid flat on her back, kicking her hooves frantically in the air. "AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

What, a stupid day.

Next Chapter: Chapter 1: Magic's the Kicker! Estimated time remaining: 16 Minutes