Sunset Shimmer took a deep breath, fighting to keep her lunch down.  From the other side of the curtains, she could hear the cheering of the audience.  By this point, she had slipped backstage where she wouldn’t have to watch the performance, but she could tell from the applause that she was facing yet another tough competitor for the Canterlot High School Talent Show.

Sunset was nervous.  In the past, she had always won using her usual tactics of blackmail and sabotage, but having sworn to change her ways after the Fall Formal, this time she was determined to win with honest skill alone. Unfortunately, that was proving to be easier said than done.  Canterlot High had some extremely talented students and they were all playing to win.  Scootaloo had performed a gravity defying skateboard routine while Sweetie Belle sung a solo piece in a voice that would have rivaled the Dazzlings’ when they still had their magic.  Time Turner had put his mastery of physics to use in a spectacular juggling act, and Derpy had created a statue entirely out of soap bubbles.  The only glimmer of hope Sunset had was that Pinkie Pie had been barred from competing due to an incident during last year’s competition involving no less than twenty pounds of extra surgery cake and a prototype “party-canon”.

“For our final act tonight, please welcome Sunset Shimmer!” Vice-principal Luna called out from the stage.

Taking her cue, Sunset entered the stage, nodding to Luna.  She was a very attractive woman with pale blue skin and long sapphire blue hair with grayish blue outlines pulled back in a ponytail and dressed in a simple yet elegant blue and black dress, giving her a more cheerful and free-spirited appearance in contrast to her usual severity.

“Sunset whenever you are ready, please begin your ‘Cutie Mark Hurricane’ routine,” said Luna before leaving the stage.

Turning to face the audience, Sunset could feel her heart pounding as every eye focused squarely on her.  For a moment, she seriously considered making a run for it, but she took a deep breath and reminded herself that she had been preparing for this moment for weeks.  She was ready for this.

Sunset set the stereo she had been carrying in one hand on the floor and unwound the long multicolored ribbon she held in the other.  Turning the stereo on, she began to dance in time with the music, twirling her ribbon in a complex series of circles, spirals and waves.  She could hear the sounds of awe from the audience, and smiled to herself; if the thought this was good, then they were going to love what was coming next.

Ceasing her dance and mustering her concentration, Sunset moved her ribbon in a tightly controlled pattern until it formed the outline of an apple.  Holding the shape for a minute, she adjusted her movements, transforming it into a diamond, followed by a balloon, a butterfly, a lightning bolt, a four pointed star, and finally, a sun.  Finished, Sunset threw her ribbon up into the air with a flourish and held the pose as the ribbon fell to the ground, forming a perfect circle around her.

The roar of applause was deafening, rattling Sunset’s very bones.  Taking a bow, Sunset gathered her equipment and walked off the stage.

“Well, I think it's safe to say that this year’s talent show had been our best one yet,” said Luna.  “Now let’s give our judges a few minutes to decide who will be our winners!”

Once Sunset was backstage again and out of sight, she collapsed against the wall, panting heavily.  It was finally over.  Now the rest was up to fate.

After some time passed, Luna spoke up again.  “Ladies and gentlemen, the judges have made their decisions.  Before I announce our first place winner, here are our runner-ups.

“For best musical performance, the award goes to Sweetie Belle!  For best athletic performance, we have Soarin.  For most dazzling performance, we have Trixie Lulamoon!

“And finally, the grand prize for the best performance in the show, Sunset Shimmer!”

Sunset stopped breathing.  Surely she had heard wrong.  In a minute, Luna would say that somebody else had won first place.

“Sunset Shimmer, please come accept your award,” said Luna.

Sunset’s heart felt like it would burst.  She hadn’t heard wrong.  She had won.  She had actually won!

Her eyes filling with tears, Sunset walked back onto the stage.  The cheers of the crowd, much louder than it had ever been for her in the past, filled her ears once again as she accepted her new trophy.

“So how does it feel to win fair and square for a change?” Luna whispered in a genuinely warm tone.

“Pretty darn good,” said Sunset happily.

----

There was a skip to Sunset’s step as she walked through the school hallways to meet up with her friends, her trophy tucked under her arm.

“That was quite the performance, Shimmer,” a familiar voice said.

Sunset turned to see Trixie Lulamoon, or “The Great and Powerful Trixie”, as she preferred to be called (mostly by herself).  She was a petite girl with light blue skin and silver hair.  She was currently giving Sunset a look that made her uneasy.  The two of them hadn’t spoken to each other much since the Battle of the Bands, and considering how poorly Trixie had reacted to her loss, Sunset had been just fine with that.  Whatever reason she had to approach her now, it couldn’t be good for Sunset.

“Thank you, Trixie,” Sunset said cautiously.  “Your magic act was really good too.”

“Trixie supposes you’re proud of yourself for winning first place,” Trixie went on.

“Yeah, I am,” Sunset admitted.  “I had to practice a lot to get that good.”  Sunset chuckled.  “I can’t tell you how many times I got myself all tied up when I started out.  One time I actually turned myself into a mummy!  But after a few lessons from Pinkie Pie, everything just sort of fell into place.”

“Yes, and I suppose it also helped that you CHEATED!”  Trixie’s voice rose into a shout as she pointed a finger dramatically at Sunset.

“What?!” Sunset cried.  “I didn’t cheat.  I won fair and square!”

“Ha!  You may have fooled the ignorant masses at this school, but The Great and Powerful Trixie is too clever to fall for your nefarious schemes,” Trixie sneered.  “You obviously bribed the judges in order to win!”

“Principal Celestia was one of the judges,” said Sunset.  “Do you really see her of all people accepting a bribe?”

“Then you must have used your otherworldly horse magic to win,” Trixie countered.

That gave Sunset pause for thought.  Could the Magic of Friendship really allow her to use her innate unicorn magic in this world?  She decided to think about it later.

“First of all, for the last time, I wasn’t a horse, I was a pony, and yes, there is a difference!” Sunset growled.  “Secondly, did you see me grow pony-ears and what-not on that stage?  I won with honest-to-goodness human talent alone.”

“Please, Trixie is the most talented student in the entire school,” Trixie sneered.  “Admit it, you cheated.”

“Yeah, you know what?  I am not having this conversation with you.  I’m out of here.”  With a habitual flip of her hair, Sunset walked away.

“That’s right, flee from Trixie’s deductive brilliance,” Trixie called after her.

---

After her run-in with Trixie, Sunset’s mood had soured considerably.  She slammed the doors leading outside with a bit more force than was really necessary.

“Congratulations, Sunset Shimmer!”

A shower of confetti and streamers exploded into the air, courtesy of Sunset’s five best friends.

“I knew you’d win!” said Rainbow Dash.  She was an athletic girl with blue skin and rainbow colored hair that nobody knew if she dyed it that way or not.  She wore athletic shorts underneath a skirt and a short sleeve jacket over a shirt with a rainbow colored lightning bolt on it.

“Ya knocked ‘em all dead, partner,” said Applejack in her usual southern drawl.  She had pale orange skin and long blond hair tied in a ponytail.  She was well built from a lifetime of working on her family’s farm, and her face was adorned with freckles.  She wore a white and green cowgirl shirt, a denim skirt and a belt with a buckle shaped like an apple.  She also had a classic Stetson hat on her head.

“Your performance was simply divine, darling,” said Rarity.  She was an extraordinarily elegant girl with flawless pearly-white skin and royal-purple hair done in wavy curls.  She wore a simple yet expensive white shirt and a blue skirt with a trio of diamond patterns embroidered on it.

“You wowed them and zowed them and totally kapowed them!” Pinkie Pie cheered jumping up and down like a grasshopper.  She had pink skin and large, poufy hair an even deeper shade of pink.  She had a bit of baby fat, but everyone agreed that it worked for her.  She wore a blue and white shirt and a pink dress with three balloons on it.

“Congratulations, Sunset,” Fluttershy said softly.  She was a frail looking girl with bright yellow skin and light pink hair.  She wore a simple white tank top and a green skirt with some butterfly pattern on it.

Sunset smiled, almost completely forgetting her bad mood.  It was hard to believe that not that long ago, these girls were her bitter enemies.  Now she had no idea how she had ever lived without them, although she suspected that she hadn’t really.  “Thanks girls,” she said.

“Come on, we’re having your victory party of Joe’s Donuts, Cakes and Beyond," said Pinkie Pie as she started tugging on Sunset’s arm.

“Hey, you don’t have to do that,” said Sunset awkwardly.

“Yes we do!  We already made the reservations in case it ended up being your ‘sorry you didn’t win’ party!”

---

Twenty minutes later, Sunset and her friends happily eating a massive ice cream sundae that was nearly as big as the table.  Pinkie Pie was shaking with the effort of forcing herself to eat slowly and allow everyone to have their fair share and not simply unhinge her jaw and devour the whole thing in one bite as she had done many times in the past.

“Oh I am simply going to die when I weigh myself tomorrow!” Rarity wailed even as she scooped yet another spoonful of banana, ice cream and chocolate fudge into her mouth.  “But it’s just so good!”

“Ya ask me girl, ya could use a bit more meat on yer bones.  Yer scrawnier than a newly hatched chick’s legs,” said Applejack.  Rarity simply humphed as everyone laughed.

“’Seriously, if you guys feed me like this every time I win at something, I’m going to have to start winning more often!” said Sunset as she took another bite of sundae.

“Well, we figured that you deserved a reward for winning honestly for the first time ever,” said Rainbow Dash.

Sunset stopped eating.  Rainbow Dash’s comment reminded her of her encounter with Trixie, causing her mood to darken again.

“Oh man, I’m sorry Sunset, I didn’t mean it like that, I just…” Rainbow Dash stammered, apparently believing she was the cause of Sunset’s ire.

“It’s not that,” Sunset reassured her.  “It’s just that, well…”

“Is something wrong?” asked Fluttershy.

“The thing is, after the contest, I ran into Trixie, and she accused me of cheating,” said Sunset.

Everyone gasped.  “Why that ornery little so-and-so!” cried Applejack.

“I’m hardly surprised.  That girl has had it in for each and every one of us even before the battle of the bands,” said Rarity.

“She’s not just a meanie-head; she’s a super-duper, big headed meanitastic meanie-head!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed.

“You know what?  I’m not going to stand for this!” Rainbow Dash cried.  “I’m gonna find that girl and…”

“Do nothing,” Sunset interrupted.  “we are not going to do anything to indulge Trixie’s attitude.”

“But Sunset, she’s…”

“Nothing but a bigmouth who’s still sore over losing the Battle of the Bands even though she knows it was just a sham,” said Sunset.  “She’s not worth one second of our time.  Now let’s forget about her and enjoy this life-threateningly awesome sundae.”

“Sounds good tah me,” said Applejack.

“Yeah, I guess I can get down with that,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Yay, sundae time!” Pinkie Pie cheered.  Opening her mouth freakishly wide, she lunged forward and swallowed the entire thing up in one bite.

“PINKIE PIE!” everyone shouted indignantly.

“Oapth, thowwy,” Pinkie muttered through a full mouth as she wilted in shame.

---

The next day, Sunset triple-checked her homework (it was perfect, as always) before going to school, just like she did every day.  As she entered the school grounds, she passed by a girl with mint-green skin and bright cyan hair and another girl with beige skin and pigment blue hair with a rose streak.

“Hi Lyra, hi BonBon,” said Sunset cheerfully.

“Oh, hello Sunset,” BonBon said slowly, avoiding Sunset’s eyes.  Lyra simply waved awkwardly.  Sunset was confused by their behavior, but decided not to ask about it.  As she walked away, however, she overheard the two of them talking in hushed tones.

“Do you think it’s true?” asked BonBon.

“I don’t know,” said Lyra.  “I don’t want to believe it, but…”

Now even more confused, Sunset turned back to the two girls, but they noticed and quickly walked away.  

Scratching her head, Sunset continued towards the school.

When Sunset entered the building, it was immediately obvious something was wrong.  Everyone kept giving her strange looks, only to turn away when she saw them.  While Sunset was used to people behaving strangely around her, this was different from when everyone was afraid of her, or when they were openly angry at her.  This time their expressions were uncertain, suspicious, and even sad.

At her locker, Sunset was approached by three freshmen girls.  There was Apple Bloom, Applejack’s little sister with yellow skin and bright red hair tied with a matching bow.  Then there was Sweetie Belle, who had light grey, almost white skin and grayish mulberry hair with light grayish rose streaks.  Finally there was Scootaloo, a gamboges skinned girl with purplish hair done up in a punk style.  They were known around school as the CMC club, the biggest natural disaster to ever hit Canterlot City (although to be fair, the destruction they caused was not the intention behind their antics).  They were also some of Sunset’s best friends outside of her group.

“Good morning girls, what’s up?” Sunset said in greeting.

“Tell us it ain’t true, Sunset,” said Apple Bloom in a pleading tone.

“I’m sorry?” Sunset asked.  The girls were all looking at her with sorrowful expressions.

“It’s all a bunch of lies, right?” Sweetie Belle whined.

“What are you talking about?” asked Sunset.  She was starting to get worried.

“Everybody’s talking about it,” said Scootaloo.  “They’re saying that you…”

“Alright girls that will be quite enough,” Rarity said crisply as she and the others came up behind the younger girls.  “Let’s not bother Sunset anymore.”

“But we just want to know if the rumors are true or not,” Scootaloo complained.

“C’mon squirt, we talked about this already,” said Rainbow Dash.  “Sunset’s changed, she’d never do something like this ever again, remember?”

“Well yeah, but…”

“Would somebody please tell me what’s going on?” Sunset demanded.

“Why don’ y’all run on ter class?” said Aplejack.  “Sunset outta hear this from us.”

Sullen but compliant, the CMC trudged off, leaving the six older girls alone.

“So um, well, do you remember what you told us about how Trixie accused you of cheating yesterday?” asked Fluttershy.  “Well, last night she texted everyone telling them the same thing.”

Sunset groaned.  She should have known Trixie would have pulled something like that.  “Does everyone actually believe what she’s saying?” she asked.

“Officially, no,” said Applejack.  “But, well, yer history is causing alotta folks ter have some doubts.”

Sunset sighed.  She didn’t blame anyone for being suspicious; she expected her past crimes would continue to haunt her for many years to come.  Even so, it hurt to be reminded that most people still didn’t fully trust her.

Rainbow Dash patted her shoulder.  “Don’t worry, this isn’t gonna stick.  Nobody likes Trixie, and sooner or later they’ll remember that they can’t trust anything she says.  Trust me, this will all blow over by the end of the day.”

“Yeah, Trixie’s nowhere near the rumor monger YOU used to be!” Pinkie Pie quipped, causing everyone to shoot her a glare.  “What?” she asked innocently.

“You’re right girls,” said Sunset.  “I just have to ignore this like I said I would, and it will all be over soon.”

---

Unfortunately, ignoring the situation proved to be much easier said than done.  Throughout the entire morning she had to endure the stares and whispers of her classmates, and it didn’t stop there.  She practically had to fight off her former minions Snips and Snails with a stick when they thought that she was “bringing back the good old days”.  Then she had to endure the taunts from Diamond Tiara, who talked loudly about how she “knew the goodie two-shoes bit was just an act”, and “once a snake, always a snake”, and a bunch of other stuff she never would have had the guts to say if she truly believed that Sunset had gone back to her old ways.

By lunch, Sunset was already exhausted and counting the minutes until the day was over.  She dragged herself though the lunch line and across the cafeteria to her usual table with her friends, enduring the stares the whole time.

“Well hello cheater,” Trixie sneered, standing in their path.  “Having any pumpkin with your lunch?  Because you’re a cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!”

“Hey!  It ruins the joke when you explain it!” cried Pinkie pie.

Sunset bit back yet another groan.  “Come on girls, I feel like eating outside today.”  Nodding, everyone turned around and walked away.

“What’s the matter, cheater?” Trixie called out.  “Are you too much of a coward to face The Great and Powerful Trixie?”

“Would you give it a rest already, Trixie?!” shouted a boy with butter-yellow skin and spiky blue hair.  It was Flash Sentry, Sunset’s ex-boyfriend and the only guy who had the guts to break up with her back when she was till bad.  “We all know you’re just being a sore loser.”

“Trixie is no sore loser.  Trixie is a rightful winner!” Trixie declared.  “And Sunset Shimmer did cheat!”

“Well if you’re so sure about that, then where’s your proof?” Flash demanded.

Sunset was surprised to hear Flash of all people stand up for her, considering how badly things had ended between them.  Nevertheless, it felt good to know that someone else believed in her.

“The circumstances are all the proof Trixie needs,” said Trixie haughtily.  “After all, there’s no way she could have won if she hadn’t cheated.”

Sunset froze, her tray falling from her suddenly limp hands.  There was a ringing in her brain and a burning feeling in her gut that caused her whole body to tremble.  Turning around slowly, she faced Trixie again.  “What did you just say?” she growled.

“Now darling, remember, we’re trying to ignore her,” said Rarity, placing a hand on Sunset’s shoulder, only for her to shake it off.

“No, no, I want to know what she said,” said Sunset in a low tone of voice.

Trixie smirked.  “Trixie did not stutter.  Trixie clearly said that you couldn’t have won unless you cheated.”

Red began to creep into the edge of Sunset’s vision.  “I am going to give you one chance, just one, to take the back,” she said dangerously.

“Why should Trixie?” Trixie sniffed.  “Trixie only speaks the truth, and the truth is that cheating was the only possible way you could have won in the talent show, or in anything else for that matter, and you know it.  After all, isn’t that why you cheated all those times in the past?”

“No, I cheated because I was an evil little psychopath who got off on the suffering of others,” said Sunset.

“Um, I don’t think that’s something you should be saying out loud,” said Fluttershy.

“I could have just as easily won every time if I had played fair and square,” Sunset continued to say, completely ignoring Fluttershy.  “And I could beat your sorry butt the same way, anytime, anywhere.”

“Well then, Trixie will take that to mean that you’re up for a challenge,” said Trixie.

“No, no she isn’t!” said Pinkie Pie hastily.

“Name it,” Sunset growled.

“A magicians duel, two weeks from now,” Trixie declared.

“Why two weeks?” Sunset asked.

“Trixie’s mother is making her attend some sort of social behavior seminar.  Supposedly it’s to teach Trixie about 'respecting others,' 'being polite and courteous,' and 'not being such a showboating pain in the ass,'” said Trixie, rolling her eyes.  “The point is, two weeks from now, you and Trixie will both demonstrate our skills in the mystic arts in front of an audience to determine who the true mistress of magic is.  And when The Great and Powerful Trixie trounces you and grinds you into dust, you must approach Principal Celestia and admit that you cheated!”

“Oh that there is the biggest load of…” Applejack started to say before Sunset interrupted her.

“I accept!”

“What?  Sunset, no!” Applejack cried.

“And when I win,” Sunset continued, once again ignoring her friend, “you have to admit that you’re wrong and stop referring to yourself in the third person for an entire month!”

“That’s it?” asked Pinkie Pie incredulously.

“It bothers me,” said Sunset defensively.

“Then it’s settled,” Trixie proclaimed, “a showdown two weeks from now in the park.  And when that time comes, you had better be prepared to be put in your proper place by The Great and Powerful Trrrixie!”

With a wave of her hand, Trixie conjured up a cloud of smoke that covered everyone for a moment, sending them all into a coughing fit.  When the smoke cleared, Trixie had seemingly vanished.

“She’s gone!” Pinkie Pie cried out in shock.  “Oh wait, she’s over there,” she said in a more deadpan tone, pointing to where Trixie was clumsily crawling underneath the cafeteria tables, much to the dismay of the students.  “Seriously, why do I even bother anymore?”

Sunset realized that everyone was staring at her once again, only this time their expressions were those of shock and bewilderment.  Turning around, she marched outside, followed by her friends.

“What the HECK was that?!” cried Rarity, momentarily dropping her cultured persona.  “Whatever happened to not indulging Trixie?”

“That was before she called my talent into question,” said Sunset.

“I hear ya,” said Rainbow Dash, grinning.  “It’s time to show that girl whose boss!”  Her expression fell, however, when the others each shot a full-on death glare at her.  “Er, I think I’ll shut up now,” she said meekly.

“C’mon Sunset, Ah thought ya’ll left that gosh-darn ego of yer’s behind after ya stopped being a bully,” said Applejack.

“It’s not arrogance if it’s true,” said Sunset.  “This is no different from saying that Rainbow Dash is the best athlete, or that Pinkie Pie throws the best parties, or that I’m the hottest girl in school.”

“I beg your pardon?” Rarity gasped, her eyes narrowing.

“Not now, Rarity, jus’ PLEASE not now,” Applejack pleaded.

“Look, I didn’t want it to come to this, but Trixie decided to escalate things, and now I’m committed,” said Sunset.  “You guys don’t have to get involved if you don’t want to, but I could really use your help.”

“I’m in,” said Rainbow Dash automatically.

“Of course ya are,” Applejack mumbled.  “Welp, Ah still say this is crazy, but Ah ain’t even been one ter turn mah back on somebody asking fer help, and that goes triple fer a friend.  Ah’m in too.”

“Me too, me too!” cheered Pinkie Pie, jumping up and down like a loon.  We’ll make this the weirdest, craziest, most funnerific showdown EVER!”

“I’m in too, for Sunset,” said Fluttershy.

“Well then, I suppose I’m in as well,” said Rarity.  “If nothing else, I can make certain that you look good while to take Trixie down a peg.”

“Thank you,” said Sunset.  She could already feel the familiar warm flow of the magic of friendship welling up in her, and it wouldn’t have surprised her one bit if they all ponified right then and there.

“Alright then, first order of business,” she said briskly, clasping her hands together.  “How does magic work in this world?  Because I was certain that there wasn’t any here.”

“She’s doomed,” said Pinkie Pie flatly.