Twilight Sparkle was happy when Shining Armor told her that Sunset Shimmer was alive and well again, and that the person behind Anon-A-Miss was dealt with once and for all. Of course, that was about three weeks ago.

For Twilight, everything that had happened, from the appearance of these monsters, to a warrior woman, and even a freakish blizzard that just popped into existence and then was a rainbow light that just – and she hated using this word – magically made it all go away. Her instruments picked up a lot of energy during that time, a lot of the same energy that she had been tracking for the past few months, and yet again it was all centered around Canterlot High School.

Twilight so badly wanted to go to that school and investigate it further, but Shining Armor still said that it wasn’t a good idea to do that, and to let that place cool down since they were still recovering from the storm, and the issues that were caused by Anon-A-Miss. The young genius was annoyed, but understood his reasoning, but still, it was just so close and yet so far. Twilight wondered if her big brother could set up a meeting with this “Sunset Shimmer”, she was a student of CHS, so surely she should know something about the strange energy that permeates her school?

“Out of the way, Sparkle!”

Twilight hurriedly pressed herself against the lockers, letting Indigo Zap speed through the hallway, she was probably off to the gym, but Twilight didn’t care. The school was once again put in the spotlight due to another of their students being caught becoming a monster, and even worse, she was the head of some cult sex club. Several eyewitnesses placed Fleur de Lis as the ringleader of the club, and reported many of her partners who disappeared into the back room didn’t often come back out.

Her family was hounded, and once again Crystal Prep was asked some hard questions about the students. First Suri admits to killing on live TV, and now Fleur, another tormentor of Twilight, admitted to being the leader of the sex cult and to killing several people through her followers, as well as killing people herself.

Twilight didn’t like how she thought, but she honestly couldn’t feel any pity for those two. As far as she was concerned, they got what they deserved. Twilight often wondered if the students who did take time out of their day to bully her went to any other school, would they still be bullies? Or would they actually be nicer? A lot of what ifs, and no answers. But this was reality, and what has happened has happened.

The genius often didn’t visit a classroom, her grades were high enough – which was a great understatement – that she didn’t need to attend many classes, if anything she did so because she wanted to, that or see if the teachers would assign some extra credit work for her.

Twilight made her way into her homeroom class, she noticed that Fleur’s seat was empty, no surprise as to why. Twilight sat behind the girl, she wanted a seat in the front row, but the teachers were in charge of the seating assignments, and Twilight wasn’t one to disobey a teacher.

When the bell rang, the students took their seats. The teacher adjusted her glasses and said, “Okay, today we’re getting a new student joining the class.”

The students began to murmur, a new student, so close to the end of the senior year?

“You may come in now.”

The door opened and the eyes of the classroom drifted towards the doorway, well, except for Twilight. She didn’t really care as she kept her gaze trained on a textbook on her desk. As far as she was concerned, it would be another person who would no doubt join the “Let’s mess with Twilight Sparkle” Club, at this point, picking on Twilight was becoming a rite of passage for new students.

Twilight sighed in sadness, she hated this place, but she couldn’t deny that it had it’s academic advantages, and it did help her advance her own studies and would prove helpful in getting into the Everton Independent Study Program. That, and she didn’t want to let Cadence, Shining Armor, or her parents down. While they weren’t super rich like a lot of the students, they weren’t exactly poor either, they did alright for themselves, with a astronomer father and a mother who was once an archeologist and now book editor/writer.

Twilight got in because Cadence recommended Twilight to Principal Cinch for her brilliant mind, and Abacus Cinch was more than happy to wave the normally high tuition fee to allow Twilight to attend, honestly, her parents weren’t sure if they were going to send Twilight to Crystal Prep after Shining Armor got out, but with the offer they got from Abacus Cinch, they saw it as a chance to give Twilight the best. She loved her parents, her soon-to-be Sister-in-Law, and her big brother, and didn’t want to disappoint them…still…

“Please introduce yourself,” said the teacher.

“Hey guys, I know what you’re thinking. ‘A mysterious transfer student coming in so late in the school year!’, it’s like some kind of cliché anime thing happening right now, but hey, it happens.”

Apparently, the new student was female, judging from the voice. Twilight had to admit, that was funny, it did sound like a cliché anime troupe, she even chuckled a little.

“At least I got a laugh outta someone, jeez, I was afraid I swung and missed!”

Twilight blushed from being singled out, but it didn’t sound like the girl was being mean to her, more like she was appreciative. And she had to admit, she liked the girl’s voice.

“Anyway, I’ll be with you guys until graduation. My name’s Sunset Shimmer.”

Twilight nearly shot out of her desk upon hearing that name, her head quickly snapped up to see the new girl. She had hair that was like fire, red and yellow, cascading down her back, while one strand draped lazily over her right shoulder. She wore the standard uniform for girls, but the dress code allowed for some modifications to be made, so long as they weren’t outlandish. The lapels of her jacket had bronze colored studs put in, her sleeves were rolled up past her elbow, she her had the collar popped up a bit, and she didn’t wear the bowtie, and left the first two buttons of her uniform shirt open, giving just the slightest view of her cleavage, but only if she intentionally bent over or if someone was a bit taller than her could they see more.

Hanging around her neck, was a necklace that had a bronzy color to it. A ruby gemstone hung from the chain and rested upon Sunset’s chest, a golden, shield-like pattern was formed around it, along with what looked like a dragon, it was woven so that the center of the jewel looked like a dragon’s eye.

Twilight had to blink for a few times, but no matter how many times she did it, there was no denying that this girl was the same girl from the photos, from the news report, but that wasn’t possible, Sunset Shimmer went to Canterlot High School, unless she transferred schools due to the goings on back at CHS, which was a real possibility.

“Okay, Miss Shimmer, you’ll be sitting there. Twilight Sparkle,” said the teacher.

“Y-Yes!”

“Since you have some free time, I’d like you to help Miss Shimmer with the school work.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am.”

The teacher then turned to Sunset. “I hope you understand, but we can’t afford to wait for you to catch up, I’ll have you assigned the same homework and projects as the rest of my students, is that acceptable to you?”

Sunset smirked. “Oh yeah, totally. I didn’t get into CPA just because I look sexy as hell, I have brains to go with this beauty.”

The teacher spluttered, the students chuckled, and Twilight blushed for some reason.

“Please take your seat, Miss Shimmer.”

“Can do.”

After class was over, Sunset got up from her desk and faced her neighbor. “So, you’re Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight didn’t know why, but she was at a loss for words, and her face felt warm. “U-U-Um, y-yes, I am…”

“Cool, sorry that you had to get saddled with me. I promise that I won’t slow you down,” said Sunset.

“T-That’s okay…C’mon, the school allows for first day students to be given a tour of the campus, I can take you to the office so they can assign–”

“There you are!” Twilight froze upon hearing that voice. She looked towards the doorway and saw Indigo Zap. “You’re Sunset Shimmer, right? I was given the okay to give ya a tour of the school.” Indigo’s eyes fell on Twilight and she shot her a sultry smile. “Hey, Twi.”

“H-Hi, Indigo…”

Sunset arched an eyebrow at the response.

“Anyway, let’s get started.”

“Hmmm…actually, if it’s all the same to you, can I have Twilight give me the tour?” Sunset asked, although the tone in which she said it sounded less like a question and more like she was telling her it was going to be Twilight.

Twilight was surprised by that, she was never chosen for touring duty, and not many wanted to be around her once they found out how smart she was, afraid or angry that they felt intellectually inferior to her.

“Uh…well, I mean, she’s technically on the roster for it, but real talk, you’re better off with me, I know all the cool spots around here,” said Indigo.

“Well, that does sound like fun, but since I’m new here, I need someone who can help me catch up quick, and Twilight here looks like a brain,” said Sunset.

Indigo crossed her arms. “Oh yeah, she’s got brains alright. Fine, but if you change your mind, just swing by the office and ask them to pull me from class.”

Sunset and Twilight watched as Indigo Zap walked away, but not before flashing Twilight a predatory smile that made the genius shiver with fear. With that settled, Twilight and Sunset began walking through the halls, as they walked, Sunset noticed how Twilight kept herself small, squaring her shoulders and keeping her hands forward, as if she was guarding herself.

“I’m not that scary, am I?” Sunset asked.

“I-It’s not that…”

One of the students bumped into Twilight, hard, making her spill her books onto the floor. The student didn’t stop at all and kept on walking, Sunset turned towards the retreating student and yelled, “Hey, watch where you’re going, asshole!”

The male student turned around and said, “What did you say to me Spar – oh, who are you?”

“Not important, get your ass over here and apologize, you just ran into her!” Sunset stated.

Twilight glanced about the hallway and saw that several of the students were looking their way. “S-Sunset, please don’t, it’s alright.”

“Damn right it is,” said the student as she walked away.

“Hey!”

“It’s alright, please, you don’t have to do that,” said Twilight as she bent down to pick up her stuff.

Sunset gave an irritated growl as she got on her knees and helped Twilight pick up her stuff. As she did, she noticed the sad look on Twilight’s face. “That happen often here?”

Twilight looked at Sunset for a moment, she didn’t know why, but she felt like answering that. “Kind of…but it’s okay, I’m used to it.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not.”

“Give it some time…” Twilight whispered.

Sunset looked intimidating, but she seemed like a nice person. But Twilight knew better than to hold onto that kind of hope, eventually, Sunset would find a clique in school that liked her, and then she’d come back and torment her like all the other students in the school.

Once they got Twilight’s things off the floor, they resumed their walk, but this time, Sunset walked in front of Twilight, acting like a shield. Twilight was surprised by this action, but appreciated it nonetheless. This continued until the halls were clear and Twilight could relax and walk alongside Sunset. Twilight fidgeted as she walked and then found herself looking at Sunset’s chest, her gemstone in particular.

“See something you like?” Sunset teased.

Twilight gave a small yelp. “I-I-I’m sorry! I just…I was looking at your necklace, it’s quite unique, and I thought it was pretty…sorry.”

Sunset looked down at her necklace and wrapped her thumb and forefinger around it, and played with it fondly. “Yeah, I like it too. It’s a keepsake of mine, one of my most treasured possessions.”

“It must mean a lot to you.”

“Saved my life.”

Twilight blinked. “…Sorry if that’s a sore subject.”

Sunset shook her head. “Nah, maybe I’ll tell you someday.” The flame haired girl then threw her right arm over Twilight’s shoulders and said, “So, what’s there to see around here?”

Twilight normally shied away from physical contact of this sort, as it reminded her of how Indigo would get physical with her and invade her personal space. The only people she ever let get this close to her were Cadence, her parents, and Shining Armor. For some reason, Sunset Shimmer didn’t give off that same vibe as Indigo, she felt strangely comfortable.

“Um, well, I must confess that I really only know where the computer science rooms, labs, and library are, along with the cafeteria, gym, and offices. That’s about it…”

“Huh, well, it’s an adventure then! Let’s just explore together!”

Before Twilight could protest, she was swept along, and, again, strangely, she was okay with this.

Next Chapter: Setting up the Pieces: Part 1 Estimated time remaining: 13 Hours, 49 Minutes