Sunset has a map of the school which Shade memorized before today. When Shade had received her schedule she knew that she would not be seeing Sunset until second lunch and Starlight until sixth period art. Further emphasizing this fact are Shade’s classes mostly on the second floor east wing—the Junior wing.

Third period Literary Arts class proceeds at a snails pace for Shade. Fluffy Quill and his monotonous voice leech the life out of Shade and a few of her classmates, considering twelve of the students yawning. When the bell had rung Shade made a quick dash to the door.

Science, one of Shade’s favorite subjects, continues to stay a favorite. She even goes out of her way to complement Mister Odyssey Trekker and smiling. His eccentricity and passion for his subject infects all his students, his energy rivaling the youngsters, surprising when Autumn Spice reveals to Shade that he is the oldest male of the teaching staff.

Cyan eyes watch the students pass by as the body sits on a stool. Sunset takes her spot at the smallest table by two large, green trash bins. Shade stands in the line about to grab her food, when Sunset’s line of sight fills with red shirt and black leather jacket.

“Anyone else smell trash?” A gruff male asks the three other males around him. They all nod. He slams his hands on the table making Sunset flinch. He leans closer to the trembling girl his copper green eyes flicker with malice. “Oh, its just Sunset Shimmer.”

“Wh-what d-d-do you—“

“Trash can’t talk!” The male cuts her off. “You are going—“

Clatter.

A stainless steel butter knife suddenly appears between his left middle and ring finger; it punches through the laminate table. Following the pale hand on the handle leads to glowing yellow eyes and gnashing teeth. The short, albino girl growls, lunging at him, activating his “flight” response which makes him stumble into one of his short cronies. The four of them make a hasty retreat.

With a loud snort, Shade retrieves the half-buried knife from the table and sits down across from Sunset.

Something you want to tell me?

Sunset stays quiet. She looks up when Shade starts eating the BLT. Shade keeps her eyes on Sunset. Sunset had not seen Shade’s face when she scared those four away but she felt the killing aura emanating from Shade. Knowing a little of Shade’s past Sunset has no doubt that Shade would have killed those four.

A small smile forms on Sunset’s face. “As you would say, ‘they are not worth wasting breath over.’ I’m lucky to have you as my friend.”

Does Starlight know about them?

“No...”

Who have you told about them?

“No one. They said they would... hurt me if I told anyone.”

When we get back to the mansion I’m going to start teaching you and Starlight martial arts.

“So I can beat them up myself?” Sunset whispers as she looks around the cafeteria.

Shade smirks and takes a bite out of the BLT. About twenty minutes later Cobalt Blossom sits down at the table. Sunset casts a questioning glance at the light blue skinned woman with long gray hair.

Sunset, Cobalt Blossom. Cobalt Blossom, Sunset. Shade introduces the two before devouring her BLT.

“Good afternoon!” The woman greets the teen with a smile and a handshake. “I will be Shade’s translator while at school.” Her smiling cobalt blue eyes sparkle in the sunlight filtering through the windows.

“H-hi.” Sunset manages a greeting from behind her crimson and yellow shield also known as her hair. She quickly withdraws her hand to focus on eating the salad in front of her.

Shade notices the odd reaction from Sunset. To be honest, Shade is still learning how to decipher the emotions of others and herself. She does not understand all the handshaking, but she does it to be polite. By the time lunch had come around she was glad when the four students did not shake her hand when she had given her introductions.

A paper slides next to Sunset’s tray. A white finger taps at the title. “‘Academic Decathlon’? What about it?”

A white finger points at her.

“Don’t you have to be smart to join?”

Shade shrugs. You are smart cookie.

“I don’t know...”

Shade signs.

Sunset chuckles. “Could you slow down a bit? Still learning.”

Shade looks at Cobalt Blossom.

“Oh!” Cobalt Blossom quickly eats the sushi in her mouth. Shade points at the sushi in the lunchbox. “This?” After a nod from Shade she explains, “It’s called sushi. A cuisine from—“

Shade waves her hands and signs.

“Oh. Um, just give you the details about the food? Sushi is rice, seaweed, and usually raw fish. I made this makizushi ‘rolled sushi’ with salmon, cucumber, and sour cream. It’s my favorite!”

Looks like it. Shade smiles.

Cobalt Blossom blushes. “S-Sorry. I just really like food and trying new cuisines.”

Shade shakes her head, remembering the decathlon.

“‘Anyways, about the decathlon. A junior classmate is recruiting. I will consider joining if you and Starlight join. Might be interesting. Might not be.’”

“Well,” Sunset mulls over the idea for a moment, “I guess colleges would take a liking to decathlon members.”

“‘Show Twilight’—oh, sorry—‘Starlight the paper.’”

The bell rings. Cobalt Blossom frowns at her lunchbox, as if someone has kicked her dog.

Sunset giggles. “Sorry, Cobalt. I’ll be sure to tell Twilight this period.”

Cobalt Blossom wolfs down her remaining sushi while the other two watch her. She stops her chewing to look at the laughing teenagers. “I didn’t eat breakfast,” she says to defend herself as a blush spreads across her face.

Light sea green eyes track their target down the hallway watching as the target leaves their fifth period class. Seeing the target walk into the classroom in the morning had reignited the flames of desire within the eyes that had extinguished along with the light of the fifth target last year. Her strength a front; not this one though; no, not this target.

With pale yellow downturned eyes that look at everyone with indifference, a soft face with nary a blemish, a sharp nose small and cute, lips like Cupid’s bow as pink as a grapefruit (perhaps as sweet?) adding to her overall solemn mien. The target turns down a hallway robbing the light sea green eyes of further visual stimuli.

Darkness. Snapping eyelids close to capture a mental photograph and playing back the recording of the target walking. Her unwavering steps add to the commotion of the other insignificant steps in the hallway. Black cargo pants deprive viewers the luxury of seeing her legs and are baggy enough to hide the outline of her cute bottom. A shiver rolls down the hunter’s spine as their imagination fills in the unknowns of the target.

Especially the unknowns of what her dark gray t-shirt covers. Her mounds pressing modestly against the gray cotton had caught the hunter’s gaze more than once. Her skin as white as snow and as cold (if the handshake from the morning gives an indication). Thinking about her skin, thinking about how vibrant the red marks will contrast, thinking about her voice causes the hunter’s heart to beat faster.

The hunter needs to see Shade break. The hunter needs to hear Shade break. The hunter needs to smell Shade break. The hunter needs to feel Shade break.

Hunter’s breathing quickens, their fantasy running as quickly as their hand.

The hunter needs to taste Shade break.

Starlight frowns at the watercolor painting. Shade smiles at the watercolor painting. Starlight glowers at Shade. Shade beams at Starlight.

“The assignment was to paint a landscape! Not me naked!”

“‘It is a landscape painting. Wider than it is high. And why do you think the subject is you?’”

“That’s my room! That’s my skin tone! That’s my hair color!” Starlight points out rather angrily.

“‘The subject’s backside is only visible. If the subject was you, there would be a mole on the lower right scapula and a mole on the left butt cheek.’”

Starlight’s temper simmers as her face contorts into confusion. “I don’t have moles.”

Shade nods.

“How do you know?!” Starlight’s temper rekindles.

“‘Happy accident.’”

Starlight takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. “Nightshade Toxin,” her tone chills the air, “the next ‘happy accident’ that better happen is that,” she points at the painting on Shade’s easel with a swiftness that can cut steel, “burning.”

Shade turns away from Starlight to sign at Cobalt.

Cobalt swallows the lump in her throat. “I-I don’t think you should be joking right now.”

“Say it to my face!”

Shade faces Starlight. She lowers her head and stretches out her hands palms up towards Starlight.

Starlight heaves a heavy sigh. “You better stay like that until the bell rings.” She plucks up the thick paper from Shade’s easel, folds it up, and stuffs it in her backpack.

Shade stays as still as a statue until the bell rings.

“Hey, Shade! We meet again.”

Shade blinks at Autumn Spice.

“What is it?”

Shade shrugs. She puts away her boots in her open gym locker setting them beside her backpack. She sets her new gym shoes and clothes on the shelf dividing the locker in half.

She starts undressing by removing her cargo pants, kicking them into the locker. Next, she pulls her t-shirt over her head to throw into the locker. She ignores the gasps and sudden silence of the locker room. When she is done dressing she turns around to see all twenty girls staring at her.

“What happened to you?” Autumn breaks the silence with the question on everyone’s mind.

Shade grins. She points to herself and draws her thumb slowly across her throat. For extra measure, she collapses to the ground with her tongue lolling out her mouth. She jumps up to her feet and walks out the locker.

Starlight rouses from her sleep. Why? She turns over to look at the clock. Glowing yellow eyes greet her instead of the glowing red lights of her clock. Thanks to the moonlight Starlight sees the figure motion her to be quiet.

“Shade—“ a cold finger presses against her lips.

Shade tugs on the blanket and motions to Starlight to follow. Starlight groans and turns back to face the wall. Something clicks and a beam of light shines an outline of her head. Starlight huffs.

With a great reluctance, she turns back around and the light illuminates an index card next to her head.

Come with me so I can apologize to you properly.

Shade places another card on top.

Will also help Sunset.

Starlight looks up at Shade.

Trust. Shade signs.

Against her better judgment and sleeping body Starlight nods.