//------------------------------// // Party? // Story: Fall Apart // by Shimmer Shy //------------------------------// Fluttershy opened her eyes slowly in response to the blaring alarm clock on her bedside table. It was five thirty, the usual time she woke up on school days. But she didn't have school today, and the repetitive beep only annoyed her. Apparently, she'd forgotten to turn it off on Friday. Nonetheless, she clicked the 'off' button and got up, stretching her arms high above her head. Friday had not been a good day for her or any of her friends, she guessed. She wondered what Sunset was doing right now. Probably sharing more secrets with the world. The thought left an awful taste in her mouth. Almost as awful as 'Anon-a-miss's' posts. She didn't like to see anyone upset, as was widely known throughout Canterlot High, which was why she never got involved with high school drama. But how can you not get involved with something that's screaming in front of your face? Something that makes your heart ache every time you think about it? Fluttershy smoothed out the red- and green-striped polyester dress that draped at the waist and haulted just over her knees. A warm, fuzzy shawl wrapped around her shoulders to complete the look. It was different than what she had grown accustomed to wearing, but today was Christmas Eve. And the Christmas/sleepover party at Applejack's. Sunset had picked out this dress with her a few weeks ago, when the both of them had gone shopping for new winter clothes. Rarity, of course, had practically a whole fashion show packed in the back of her boutique where she kept unfinished outfits that were just missing that je ne sais quoi. Somehow, though, one of them seemed perfect just as it was. Sunset thought so, too. It didn't make sense how the same girl would probably come up with some nasty insult to go with it. Maybe not to her face, but definitely online. And somehow, that hurt a lot more. The buttercream-skinned girl heaved a sigh. If she couldn't trust Sunset Shimmer, then who could she trust? Even though she'd barely known her for a year, the two of them had created a strong bond. Sunset's innocence seemed so real. She didn't want to believe her friends, to believe Sunet was the bully they thought she was, but the facts were all there. The truth seemed inevitable. Taking one last glance at her full-length mirror, Fluttershy headed out the door and into the outside world. She needed some fresh air before seeing her friends tonight. A blast of cold air that made her skin prickle rushed in with the door. Looking around, she saw a world blanketed in white. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon, letting the first few rays of daylight shine upon the small city. When she took her first step, she could hear her boots crunch and sink into the freshly-fallen snow. She could smell the pure scent of winter wafting in the breeze. Letting herself relax was easy to do when nature simply soothed all her troubles away. She could stay in that one spot forever and let the tragedies happen all around her without a care. But she knew better than to stand there for too long, and eventually started moving again. From the trees, she could hear birds who had not yet flown south begin to chirp and sing and squirrels begin to stir, leaving a small smile on her face. It was a beautiful morning, she had to admit. She couldn't take her eyes off of the glittering snow that littered the grass and rooftops. A few minutes later, she looked up to see Canterlot High School. It glowed magnificently in the early morning light, yet the emptiness surrounding gave it a lonely feel. Fluttershy's eyes drifted to the statue standing in the front lawn. It was, as expected, covered in snow, but at its base, she glanced a ruffle in the snow. What looked like the corner of a small box poked through. Curious, the girl wandered over to the object and knelt down to brush the powdery substance off of it. What she found made both of her hands move to her mouth to cover her surprised expression. The fiery sun on the cover of Sunset Shimmer's book stared up at her, unaffected by the moist snow around it. Fluttershy looked left and right, as if expecting her to show up and claim it, but she saw no one. An odd expression etched on her features, she stood up and found herself face to face with the smooth surface of the portal to Equestria, and realization struck her like a wave. Of course Sunset had gone back. After everything that happened yesterday, though, she couldn't be blamed. Fluttershy felt the warm rush of tears struggling to burst out, but she held them in. She had been a part of the reason why Sunset had left, and that felt terrible. She tucked the book under her arm and regained her composure, walking back in the direction of her house. Going to the party tonight felt kind of wrong, but she dismissed the thought. It was going to be fun; she was sure. "Fluttershy, I can't tell you how stunning you look in that dress!" Rarity marvelled, eyes tracing Fluttershy's form. The latter blushed. "Thanks, Rarity." "Now, we've got to get a move on! We don't want to be late!" She grabbed her friend's hand and rushed over to the limousine that she had ordered just for the occasion. Rarity scooted into the middle seat to make room for Fluttershy. On her other side was Sweetie Belle, who looked surprisingly calm given that she had been blamed for being 'Anon-a-miss' just yesterday. "Oh...my," Fluttershy thought aloud. "Was this really nessecary? I mean, Applejack's is only a few blocks away, and-" "Darling, NOTHING is too fabulous for a Christmas party!" There was silence. Fluttershy squirmed in her seat nervously, then suddenly blurted, "Do you feel bad about yesterday?" "What?" "The things we said to Sunset..." "If there's anyone who should feel bad, it's her. She needs to learn that it's not only physical pain that can hurt someone." Rarity crossed her arms, face darkening. "But don't you wonder how she must feel? Especially if she was telling the truth. What if she really isn't 'Anon-a-miss'?" Her expression softened, almost looking ashamed. "I'd...rather not think about it." Tires squealed to a stop on the icy road. Seeing the warm lights cascading out of the small barn told them that they had reached their destination, and the three of them stumbled out of the limo. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Fluttershy. Maybe these awful posts will cease once Sunset realizes her mistakes. Maybe they won't. But I'm sure that everything will work itself out. You'll see." And with that, Rarity stepped onto the front porch, Fluttershy following. Sweetie Belle lagged behind them, keeping her eyes trained on her boots. Fluttershy couldn't help but throw a suspicious glance her way. A moment of thought made her realize that even though Sunset had gone back to Equestria, 'Anon-a-miss' was still posting on her page. Could the crusaders really be the culprit all along? Or was it possible that Sunset had never left? The sound of a door creaking open snapped her attention back to the spot in front of her. Applejack was in the doorway, dressed in an outfit that was a mix between casual and fashion-forward. She was obviously trying to make an effort to look nice. "I was wondering when you three would show up! Come on in!" Applejack welcomed, stepping out of the way to let them in. The room was decorated in many different colors and hues. A Christmas tree stood tall in the corner, sparking with ornaments and pictures holding everlasting memories. A box filled with the fragile items took up a spot next to it, Pinkie Pie zooming between the two to decorate the already-crowded tree. Everyone else had already arrived; Rainbow Dash sipped a hot chocolate at the counter and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were chatting on the sofa. Sweetie Belle, seeing her friends, went to join them. "Hey, guys!" Rainbow Dash called, waving Rarity and Fluttershy over. With a laugh, she added, "Where were you?" "No one said being fashionably late was a crime, now did they?" Rarity huffed, studying her nails in front of her face. This only made Rainbow laugh harder. "Here, I'll get ya'll a cup of hot chocolate," Applejack suggested, trying to break the tension. Fluttershy nodded meekly and Rarity agreed with a sigh. "I baked COOKIES!!!" "GAH!" Rainbow's cup splashed onto her outfit in response to Pinkie's sudden appearance. "Pinkie!" "Sorry," the pink girl shrugged with a nervous giggle. Fluttershy noticed out of the corner of her eye that the three younger girls were no longer on the sofa. Confused, she stepped away from the feuding group to find them. There weren't many places to look until Fluttershy saw the retractable stairs that led to the attic. She looked up into the hole in the ceiling, expecting to see darkness. But instead, she saw the faint glow of a flashlight and heard the soft murmur of voices. With a gulp, Fluttershy took the stairs one step at a time, whispering words of encouragement to herself. At the top, she peeked in. First, she spotted Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom. Then, she saw the computer in front of them. Finally, she saw 'Anon-a-miss's' profile picture.