Sunset Shimmer laid on the grass staring at the open sky. She hadn't had more than five hours of sleep. Her encounter with Twilight Sparkle was still fresh in her mind, and apart of her wished she could forget it. But she didn't, and the thought of Twilight hiding about, watching her, waiting for Sunset to slip up, was more agitating than Sunset realized.

Either fate was being kind today, or Sunset was better at keeping secrets than she thought. Her friends did not once mention Twilight, or inquired about Sunset's meeting with Principal Celestia. She had managed to lie about her little incident at Sugar Cube Corner, and her friends believed her almost immediately. It was better that way. Sunset couldn't bear the thought of telling them the truth; and it made her angry. She shouldn't have to keep such secrets from her friends. But fear lingered in the back of her mind.

How much longer could she keep pretending? Did they already know, and were just being kind to her? Was she lying to them because she was afraid of what they would think, or because she wanted to be the only Sunset Shimmer? Or was it because, deep down, she knew she was responsible for everything that happened to them, and didn't want them realizing all the harm she was doing to them?

The questions bothered her, because she didn't know whether she was protecting her friends, or just herself.

All she was sure of was that somewhere, in the school, there was a monster of sorts hiding about. The "evil spirit" Twilight had mentioned. Sunset couldn't think of any magic in Equestria that could give the impression of a ghost. But this wasn't Equestria; anything was possible.

The bushes rustled. Sunset listened. A shuffling step, and a flash of light.

She lifted herself up, dusting off her skirt and jacket. Twilight was watching her. She didn't say anything , but she knew what to do next. Twilight would continue watching her, and Sunset would show her that there were no such things as evil spirits.

Sunset was the first to be fully dressed for gym, when the teacher announced free play. She sat alone at the bleachers, watching the other students splitting into different groups. Some were playing at the basketball field, others studied, or ran the track. A few sat together chatting about random nonsense. Sunset looked around. Twilight didn't seem to be here.

She saw someone waving to her; Rainbow Dash. She hadn't expected to see her without her friends in the soccer teams. Usually they had practice sessions during gym. Rainbow ran up to the bleachers, and seated herself beside Sunset Shimmer. She didn't want this. Rainbow had the same look she wore when Scootaloo twisted her ankle. Sunset scooted herself away from Rainbow Dash, just enough to get her distance without appearing withdrawn.

"Hey Rainbow, what's up?" she asked politely.

"Not much," she said lazily. She didn't seem interested in small talk. "Soarin called sick. Doesn't seem to know when to lay off the pie."

"I take it practice was cancelled."

"Eeyup. There mowing the soccer field, so I guess I'll be hanging with you for a bit."

Sunset laughed. It was a hollow laugh, and Rainbow probably saw through it.

"You gonna tell me what's bothering you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Applejack told us you were lying. Girl can spot a fib a mile away."

"I wasn't..." said Sunset, but was cut off by Rainbow Dash.

"Save it. You've been out of it since Celestia called you into her office."

Sunset fell silent. She shouldn't have to worry about Rainbow Dash. She was trying to be her friend, trying to help her. They knew each other for a long time. Rainbow forgave her for the awful things she did. Theres was a friendship more solid than hard steel. Well, why shouldn't it be? We've been through so much together? So tell them the truth.

Sunset fiddled with her fingers, looking around the field. Rainbow placed her hand gently on Sunset's shoulder, causing the skittish girl to tense up. Sunset looked at Rainbow's hand, then to Rainbow Dash herself.

"Look I don't mind if you need your space. But you've been mopey since yesterday. If something's eating you up, you can tell me?"

I can tell you; but I'm afraid of what you'll say when I do. You might curse me, call me a fake; but you might forgive me for lying and help me, and, despite everything, still call me your friend, and look at me with kindness in your eye; in Rainbow's eyes, she might see a friend who really needs her help; whose dealing with something she may not be able to handle alone. I needed them. I needed my friends.

Rainbow scooted closer to Sunset, and she became unfrozen. Rainbow was hugging her, in public. It took a moment for that rare phenomenon to register in Sunset's brain, around the same time when she would realize that there tears running down her cheeks. Rainbow pulled away, regaining her composure before speaking.

"Look, I get it if you can't tell me. I wasn't trying to upset you or anything." Rainbow smiled awkwardly. "Just forget I said anything, kay."

"No," whispered Sunset. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lied to you guys. I should have thought better than to do that to you."

Sunset wiped her face, staring intently at Rainbow Dash. She steeled herself. I have to say it; I have to or I'll never be a true friend to them.

"Rainbow Dash, I..."

Sunset was immediately cut off by a sudden burst of pain in her skull. She clutched her head, feeling the world shaking around her. She watched herself falling to her side, caught by Rainbow Dash, who hugged her close to her chest. Sunset looked up. Rainbow was mouthing something angrily at someone.

Sunset Shimmer was never angrier than she was in that moment, laying on a bed in the nurses office, staring at the ceiling. She was a few choice words away from opening up to Rainbow Dash; of telling her that somewhere, there was another Sunset Shimmer wandering about; and that a creepy, bespectacled Twilight Sparkle was stalking the school grounds; and, of course, she could not forget to mention the "evil spirit", "haunting" the school just in time for midterms. Instead, she was cutoff, not even mid-sentence, by a baseball that so happened to fly straight onto Sunset's head.

"You alright there?" asked Nurse Redheart, peeking over her clipboard.

"Yes ma'm," replied Sunset.

"I should hope so. Should consider yourself lucky. Most people wind up pretty rattled after a blow like that."

Nurse Redheart had the confidence of nearly every student and teacher in the school. There was talk going about that Redheart had all the credentials to be a full fledged doctor, but dismissed them to be a school nurse. Rumor was, Celestia and Luna offered her a good bargain for her expertise, and, from what Sunset could make of the office, that seemed closest to the truth. The office more closely resembled a miniature clinic, than a typical nurse's office, and it surprised Rainbow Dash when Nurse Redheart dismissed sending Sunset to the hospital.

"Girl's fine," she had said. "Xray didn't show any damage, and she doesn't seem to have a concussion. Just let her sleep it off for a bit and she'll be right as rain."

Sunset looked beside her, and noticed a figure moving behind the bed curtain.

"Don't mind him," said the nurse. "Passed out at the cafeteria a little while ago. Friends brought him her all frantic and sweaty."

"What's wrong with him?"

Redheart shrugged. "Couldn't tell ya really. Might be anemia, but I won't know anything till I get his records." The nurse sighed exasperatedly.

"If I get them."

"Well," she said, "if you want you can run back to class. Except for a bit of tenderness and bruising, you should be fine. Or," she said with good humor, "you can lie back down till the school bell. Day's about to end, and I don't see much point wasting time in some class you'll have to make up anyway, when you can take a nap. Probably do you good."

Sunset smiled. "I'd like that."

Redheart made her way to the door. "I'll just send these papers over to Principal Celestia then. You should be fine on your own, but if you need me, there is a buzzer right by the bedpost."

She opened the door, and already Rainbow Dash and the others were spotted milling around near the entrance. Redheart motioned them to get inside, reminding them to keep quiet. Fluttershy spoke the moment she laid eyes on Sunset. "Oh my, thats looks pretty bad," she said looking over Sunset's bruise.

"It's alright, Nurse Redheart is surprisingly well equipped for this."

"That's an understatement," said Applejack seating herself beside Sunset. "Gal's got enough here to start her own practice."

"But no gift shop," said Pinkie Pie sadly.

"Why on earth would Nurse Redheart need a gift shop?" asked Rarity.

"To keep everyone happy of course," said Pinkie Pie. "How's Sunset suppose to feel better without some balloons or a teddy to hold on to."

"I don't think a teddy bear's gonna help Pinkie," said Rarity.

"A teddy does sound nice though," Fluttershy said softly.

Sunset smiled watching Rarity and Pinkie's brief argument. These were her friends, no doubt about it.

"I bet this guy would have loved a teddy bear," said Pinkie Pie, peeking through the curtains beside Sunset Shimmer's bed.

"Pinkie," said Sunset, "close the curtains. The poor guys trying to sleep."

But Rainbow Dash was now peeking through the curtain, staring at the young boy sound asleep on the bed. No doubt, Sunset imagined the boy wouldn't take to kindly to finding a bunch of strangers watching him sleep. Thankfully, Applejack seemed to share her sentiments, and she grabbed Rainbow and Pinkie by the collar, pulling them away from the curtain.

"Alright thats enough of that," said Applejack. "Yaw aught to try being a little more sensible. Especially you Pinkie."

"What. I'm very sensible," said Pinkie Pie. "I'm already thinking about what cake I should bring him."

Applejack rubbed her temples trying to find a means to explain herself, in a manner that Pinkie could understand.

"Is that the one who passed out at the cafeteria?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yep. Nurse Redheart told me," answered Sunset.

"Poor thing must have been nervous," Fluttershy said sympathetically. "I wasn't feeling to good when I started my first day of school."

"Puking and passing out are two different things Fluttershy," mocked Rainbow Dash.

"It's still embarrassing," snapped Fluttershy, her face a light red.

"In that case, I should probably get him a party bag as well," said Pinkie sagely. "Something to keep his spirits up, while everyone starts laughing at him."

"I don't think it's that seri- Pinkie Pie stop opening those curtains!" said Rarity. "The poor things already stuck here in the nurse's office. I don't think he'll want to have to wake up to you see you gawking at him."

"Hey," snapped Pinkie. But she didn't bother closing the windows. Instead she looked more closely at the young boy.

"I remember this guy," said Pinkie excitingly.

"Huh?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, he works at Sugar Cube Corner. You know, the new cashier."

'What?!" said Sunset Shimmer. She scrambled from her bed to look at him. It was in fact him, sleeping soundly on the bed.

"Pinkie, you know him?" asked Sunset.

"Sure do. Maud and I met him when he started working here. He's really nice, and he has a pretty necklace he wears." Pinkie pointed at the small pendant laced around the boys neck. "See, he's even still wearing it. Sombra must really like that necklace."

Sunset froze upon hearing the boy's name. She could feel a cold shudder trickling down her spine, looking at Sombra's sleeping body with renewed horror. The others did not fail to notice the sudden change in their friends features, each shifting their attention to either Sombra or Sunset.

"S-Sombra," said Sunset shakily.

"Uhm, yeah," said Pinkie hesitantly. "You met him yesterday, during lunch. I thought you knew each other."

Sunset didn't say anything. Her friends watched her backing away from Sombra. They each walked up to her, disturbed by the terror in Sunset's face. They thought of a half dozen reasons why Sunset was suddenly so afraid. Unfortunately, not one of them made sense. Next Chapter: The King is a Part Timer Estimated time remaining: 10 Minutes