âIâm a magical girl!â
The clock striked at four.
Sunset Shimmer stared into the distance, and she saw nothing but darkness. Tightening the grasp on her sword, she swallowed the anxiety inside her.
The clock striked at five.
Her vision was blurry, and she could feel tears falling onto her face. Who was crying? She felt like she wanted to cry too.
The clock striked at six.
Sunset could feel herself being carried away by someone. Away from the darkness. But she felt like they were going the wrong way. She catches a glimpse of a crystal school before it disappeared into the night.
The clock striked at seven.
Sunset Shimmer opens her eyes, trying to understand her surroundings.
âAlright, I get it! Geez, can a girl not have a nightmare in peace anymore?!â She shouts while angrily pressing the off switch on the alarm clock.
She stops for a moment, trying to recall what she saw in her slumber. But the memory of it has already faded away. She shakes her head to free herself from the trance, and gets out of bed.
Today is the start of her second semester at Canterlot High.
After a long shower, Sunset heads to her kitchen to make some breakfast before going to school. She decides to turn on the news while cooking, a habit she grew living alone in this strange world for so long.
âBreaking News; yesterday, and around four-thirty in the morning, the prestigious Crystal Prep Academy suffered a mysterious terrorist attack that killed twenty-seven employees and injured thirty more while on their night shift. Authorities urge civilians to stay away from the building, as smoke clouds are still present. The police has not yet found a culprit, and specialists have so far failed to identify what caused the explosion that destroyed the entire building.â
Sunset quickly turned around at the sound of those words.
âCrystal prep? Isnât that the school Twilight was transferred from? I wonder if sheâs doing okay⌠I should send her a text.â
She reached for her phone, but before she could unlock it, the numbers on the screen caused her to stop.
âSEVEN FORTY?! Dang it, Iâm gonna be late!â
Picking up her things in a rush, Sunset quickly tumbled out of the house, silently scolding herself for not paying attention to the time.
At the front doors of Canterlot High, a young girl nervously adjusted her glasses, staring at the floor.
âTwilight!â Someone called out.
The girl looked up, recognizing the familiar voice.
The two friends ran to each other enthusiastically.
âWow, I havenât seen you all summer break! You look tired, have you been partying a lot?â Sunset said with a sarcastic tone.
Twilight seemed startled by that comment.
âHuh? Ah, no⌠I was just⌠Studying, is all.â
âHah! Of course you were, ya big nerd. Oh, on another note, um⌠have you heard? About, you knowâŚâ
The smile on Twilight Sparkleâs face vanished.
âIs your brother⌠Okay?â
âHeâs... Healthy. He was at home when it happened, but we heard Cadance was in the hospital today, and he hasnât taken it well. None of us have.â
âAh, thatâs gotta be rough. I know how important she is to all of you.â
âYeah, well⌠weâre managing. Iâm sure sheâll be okay.â
They both stared at the ground in awkward silence for a few seconds, until Twilight shook her head and began,
âNever mind that. Sulking too much is gonna affect our studies on our first day! You- Weâre okay and thatâs what matters. Letâs head in, right?â
âOh,â Sunset relaxed a bit. âYeah yeah, letâs go.â
As they walked in, she couldnât help but notice Twilight seemed to be acting off. Sunset knows her friend has a tendency to bottle things up to not worry other people, and all this stress must have been getting to her. A thought crossed her mind.
I should buy Twi a snack later to cheer her up.
As the bell rang at the end of the day, Sunset Shimmer sent her friend a message to meet her in front of the Sugarcube Corner Bakery, confident that some cupcakes and coffee could help her back to her old self. She had to be careful though, as one of her classmates, Pinkie Pie, was often seen around there, and Sunset wouldnât want other people seeing this side of herâŚ
Why did she have a âsideâ in the first place?
Why push others away like that?
There was a reason. An important reason. What was it again? Her head hurt thinking about itâŚ
Sunset looked around, realizing she had taken a wrong turn in the midst of her thoughts. Now in an old empty street instead of the colorful commercial disctrict.
âWell, this place is creepy. I should go back⌠What the-!â
Turning around, the scenery around her changed again. And wherever she went, it kept morphing⌠and twisting⌠and turning into something even more bizarre and nonsensical. A sense of dread overwhelmed her.
âI gotta get out of here NOW!â
But no matter how much she tried, Sunset felt like she was stuck running in place. Odd figures seemed to laugh at her struggle, and she cursed everyone and everything she could think of until she tripped and fell down onto the ground.
The figures slowly approached her in her weakened state, like predators carefully preparing an attack on their prey. Sunset, despite her confusion, shakingly got up and entered a fighting stance, even though she knew she had no way of fighting those things. Suddenly, a streak of light cut through the air, dismembering the monsters.
The girl searched puzzled for the source of her salvation, and her eyes laid on a familiar figure.
The awkward nerdy schoolgirl she knew had a determined look in her eyes, with a dazzling outfit and a bladed shield which she yielded with an uncanny familiarity. Upon hearing her friendâs call, she turned around and her expression changed into the smile she was much more acquainted with.
âSunset! Are you alright?â
âI am physically, but⌠What the hell is going on here? What are you wearing? Since when do you fight?! What are these things?!?!â
âI-Iâll explain everything, I swear! But we have to run, now!â She took her puzzled friendâs hand and guided her away from the mysterious labyrinth.
Once they reached an open and non-weirded-out area, Sunset took a few seconds to catch her breath before asking;
âWhat the hell was that?!â
âThat was⌠WellâŚâ
âA witchâs labyrinth!â A third voice added.
Sunset looked down. Her eyes widened to the size of a tea saucer.
âIs that. A talking cat.â
The nerdy girl smiled awkwardly.
âWhat exactly⌠Are you?â
âWellâŚâ she scratched her chin. âIâm a magical girl!â
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