//------------------------------// // which ever comes first.... // Story: Hell is for children // by dragenfire68 //------------------------------// Fluttershy got home, her mind a muddled mess of guilt and sorrow, though she said that they shouldn't feel sorry for themselves, she couldn't help but let her thoughts wander, but they didn't last, her parents were home and the homecoming of their daughter did not go unnoticed, nor did her despondence when they questioned her, but not too hard for they knew that eventually, Fluttershy would open up to them, Fluttershy for her part simply sat in her room, her thoughts stewing. Eventually, though, her stomach spurred her into action, she entered her small family room, sitting at the table as her parents joined her, they made her special food, usually used to cheer her up or to help comfort her, peanut butter and zap apple sandwich surprising her, the stuff is usually very expensive and they usually only pull it out for special occasions, and Fluttershy knew that it was more than a special occasion it was a plea, sighing as she ate, she concluded that it was time to clue her parents in on what went down at school. "mom," Fluttershy finally said turning to parents, "dad, have you ever said or done something that you can't take back, and the result is a conclusion that cant ever is undone nor can be forgiven?" Her parent's eyes filled with worry, they knew she was made fun of when she was younger, and they knew she was too kind and innocent to do anything rash or something that would cause any sort of strife, so this question was way out of character for her. "Honey, actions have consequences, but with your friends, the consequences can be forgiven, and if your friends are your friends then words can be forgiven and friendships can survive even the worst storm." her mother said soothingly, she knew the clique that Fluttershy was friends with, she also knew of Sunset's bully and reformation, she regarded Sunset with reserved acceptance, since joining Fluttershy and her friends, she's done nothing to hurt Fluttershy Fluttershy would often talk about her helping out at the animal shelter. "do you guys know who Anon-a-miss is?" Fluttershy asked, her mother who usually likes quiet reading, or gardening simply looked confused, her father, however, drew in a sharp breath. "You mean that nasty account that is spreading the deepest secrets of you and your fellow students, what did they do?" her normally passive father said with a hint of anger, causing both Fluttershy and Mrs. shy to look at him with surprise. "Before I tell you the whole story, I want to know dad, do you believe it was Sunset shimmer that did it, do you think that Sunset had any part to play?" Fluttershy asked, looked directly at her father who had a thinking expression, part of him want to say yes, but when he reflects on the girl's actions after the fall formal, he just couldn't see the girl who was always smiling when with Fluttershy, the girl who helped his little girl on more than one occasion, finally he reached his answer. "No I don't, not now, not after she changed her ways and became sincere about it" Mr. shy explained Fluttershy looked down, her father's answer only making it hard for her to open up about what happened earlier that day, but she soon quieted her storm of emotions as she reached behind her and put her backpack in her lap. "We threw her out into the snow, even against all my instincts we threw her out, I even said I hated her, and after we threw her out," Fluttershy stopped her parents faces laced with worry and curiosity," she was innocent though, we didn't even try to figure it out until she came into school with this." Fluttershy finished despondently as she pulled the noose out of her bag, her parents gasped as she held it up. "honey, where did you get that?" Mrs. shy asked "I got it from Father Tirek, he showed up with Sunset at school, he told us that she tried hanging herself he cut the rope at the last second, but he left us with this too prove the story is true because I'm going to show this to the rest of the girls," Fluttershy said with Determination, The weight in her mind now lessened because she was able to confide in people she could trust, in people she knew that would support her cause. "It won't be easy to earn her trust back, not after all that, but still we're proud that your trying to fix this." her father stated grimly, noticing her despondency is gone, replaced with determination and hope. "I know dad, but now I'm really tired, so I'm gonna go sleep," Fluttershy said, going up to her room, her parents looking at each other nodding, they would support her through this ordeal *** Rarity made it home, her parents were out shopping and visiting with friends, but it didn't matter she would simply create dresses and ensembles. "Alright rarity, let's be inspired!!!" she jubilantly exclaimed, but it proved to be easier said than done, because whenever she looked in her body mirror to compare all she could see was the face she made both times Sunset tried to defend herself, but rarity would not be deterred as she covered the body mirror, the vanity mirror had the same effect, it went on like this until there were no mirrors left and rarity sat in the middle of her room, trying and failing to purge the dark thoughts from her mind. Hours past, and soon sweetie belle came home, but she wasn't happy, her phone had been confiscated until the next day, so she huffed to her room and slammed the door shut, then her parents came home, confused as too why the house was so quiet, no sounds of rarity's friends, no cry's of jubilation, there was nothing. Magnum went upstairs to his older daughters bedroom, he knocked lightly, not wanting to disturb Rarity if she was in the middle of designing a dress or two, but he received no answer, which for Rarity was strange, so he went in, only to find the lights off and the mirrors covered, but what was strangest of all was seeing his daughter in the middle of her room, just sitting with her legs held to her chest. "Hello sweetie, what's wrong?" Magnum asked "Daddy, am I beautiful?" Rarity asked, surprising her father who never thought that Rarity would ask that again, the only other time was after the spring fling, but that was done and over. "As your father, You're always beautiful to me." "I mean on the inside." "I-uh...." he was lost for words since he never had to think of an answer, Rarity still not looking directly at him, but soon is Fatherly instincts took over and he gently made her face him. "hon, what brought this out, what happened at school today, usually your hanging with your friends, or you're out with them at their houses." Rarity knew that she wouldn't be able to lie, much, but she told her father everything that happened in Celestia's office, except she left out the part with Luna confiscating Sweetie belle's phone, after she stopped she looked at her father. "honey, you've always been the generous type, but it seems that you took without considering what you had to give back and to answer your last question, you will always be beautiful on the inside." Rarity smiled at that, she knew that he would never say anything else but the truth to her, but still, it felt good to get the doubts off her chest.