//------------------------------// // Desire for Absolution // Story: Fall of Harmony // by Moon-Lite //------------------------------// Desire for Absolution Blink. Aquamarine irises stared, trying to glean answers from oblivion, to try and find some kind of light in this tunnel of anguish. Grey washed ceiling, speckled by grit, returned her stare. Why did she stay? What did she have? Princess Twilight had offered to take her back, yes, but would it make any difference? The only time the Princess’ friends had seen Sunset was when she stole Twilight’s crown, so first impressions were already unfortunately made. A slow steady knock reverberated through the mire of Sunset’s mind, stirring her away from the ceiling. “Sunset? May I come in?” Velvet had been worried all night about the poor girl, kept up all night by the actions of her long time friends. The recliner had left it’s mark on her, the stiffness of Velvet’s body was evidence. “Sunset, I’m coming in now, okay?” The door handle slowly turned, the gateway opening and flooding the room with light, washing away grey and replacing it with pale colour, temporarily blinding Sunset, who barely turned away as her vision became a sea of white. Slowly the shadowy figure came into focus, revealing Velvet, body clad in a luxurious house robe, her hands carrying a tray burdened with food and drink. Sunset regarded the food with apathy, and the bearer the same. Velvet watched as the teen skimmed over the plate, before gazing at Velvet herself, hollow eyes appearing like black holes, pulling Velvet into their dead abyss. Velvet felt chilled as Sunset refused to act, only watching Velvet as the woman approached the bed before sitting down on the edge, tray laying across her lap. “I brought you some late breakfast Sunset, pancakes, bacon, and eggs.” She said, gently setting the food laden tray on Sunset’s lap. “I wasn’t sure how you liked your eggs, so hopefully scrambled is fine with you.” Velvet smiled gently at the teen, reaching out and rubbing the young girl’s arm softly, watching as Sunset studied the plate, frown forming on her pale face. “Is something wrong?” “I’m a vegetarian…” The words were barely heard, like a whisper in a windstorm. Velvet mentally facepalmed, why didn’t she ask Sunset about what sort of food she would like in the first place? “But I will eat the rest of it… Thank you…” Velvet felt her placating facade start to break at the sorrowful smile on Sunset’s face, the teen obviously attempting to calm Velvet. “Sorry that I didn’t ask what you would like, Sunset.” The teen shook her head, matted locks of fire and gold interweaved in knots. “It’s fine, I’m sorry for imposing like this still.” Sunset said somberly, gingerly picking up the large shot glass full of syrup and pouring it over her fat, fluffy pancakes, saturating them with the sweet sap. Picking up her fork in one hand, knife firmly grasped in the other, she started the process of cutting off small, bite size chunks of pancake, transporting it shakily to her mouth. Slowly depositing it, she chewed softly, jaw rotating with each bite. “Sunset? Whats wrong? Is it too hot?” Velvet was worried at the teen, sudden tears dripping down her face before landing on the shirt covering her bust. What was wrong? “Fhoo…” Sunset started to say, cheeks bulging as she started shoveling the food into her maw. “Sho goooob” Velvet burst out laughing, the teens face a display of nirvana from the delicious, sweet fluff in her mouth. ******************************* Sunset shut the book, ending the tale of “Daring Do and the Sapphire Stone”. It was eerily similar to the book of the same name she read back in Equestria as a filly. A little bit a grin spread across her face as she sat back in the recliner, heat radiating from the last bit of the log burning in the fireplace. Sunset was surprised at the layout of the living room, it was a very large room, probably the largest in the house wagered Sunset, a large plush sofa sat along a small stout wall, low cut to allow view to the kitchen, as well as a pair of recliner’s sat near a large mahogany coffee table. What was surprising to Sunset was the lack of a television. Velvet and Night Light insisted that the living room was for family to gather and talk, not sit in front of a flickering screen. A series of short firm knocks rocked the front door, breaking Sunset out of her study of the room. “Coming!” came the voice of the matriarch of the house, soft, slippered feet padding towards the great door, firmly grasping the door knob and twisting, allowing the cold of the outdoors into the warm house. “Cadence! Welcome, welcome! Here to talk to Sunset correct?” The cerise skinned woman, bundled up in a warm slate coloured pea coat with matching ear muffs, entered the house, glad to warm her rosy cheeks. “That I am!” She stated, brushing off the delicate powder that speckled her shoulders as she started unbuttoning her coat. “I am here to start the transfer process to Crystal Prep from CHS!” The woman beamed as she sat down beside Sunset, a rather large manilla folder plopping down on the coffee table in front of the pair. “I don’t need too much information from you, and what we don’t have I will go and personally get from CHS, so as to make sure you don’t have to step foot in there.” Sunset studied some of the paperwork that had been pulled out, glancing briefly at the lines of words as she worked through them. “Umm…” She paused as she passed one particular bit of needed information. “Who am I supposed to put as listed guardian?” Worry evident on her face. “Why, us of course sweetie!” Velvet chuckled, giving Sunset a playful ruffling of hair, “I mean, you are going to be staying with us for awhile, so it only makes sense.” Sunset blushed at the combination of words and actions from Velvet, slightly overwhelmed that the woman was still being so kind and hospitable. “T-thank you…” She stuttered out, mumbling, as she took the pen offered by Cadence, looking at her as she did. “Are you sure you will be able to get what you need from… There?” Sunset questioned, “Do you need me to come with you?” Cadence shook her head, “I’ll be fine Sunset, I don’t want you going back there in all honesty, so thank you for offering, but you should stay here and relax, focus on getting better.” Velvet chose that moment to intercede, seeing Sunset starting to slink away, “Well I was thinking that maybe if Sunset is feeling up to it, maybe tonight even, Twilight and I could take her to the mall for a bit of a shopping spree.” Sunset whipped around and stared at the grey skinned woman with a look of utter befuddlement, as if she had grown a second head. “What?” She asked, not sure if she heard Velvet properly or not. “Well of course, you need some clothes after all!” Velvet gave Sunset a coy look, “Plus, it seems that none of the underwear in the house would fit you properly.” Sunset’s face grew slowly more crimson, before she slid down in her seat as the other two women laugh at the teens embarrassed display. “Sorry Sunset,” Velvet apologized, rubbing the teens shoulders gently, “I just wanted to see you smile.” “You have a weird way of doing it…” Sunset replied, laughter evident in her eyes as she looked up older woman. “Okay, now to work Sunset,” Cadence had calmed down from her giggling, “We have a lot of paperwork to get through, and it would be nice to get through it all tonight.” **************************************** The automatic doors slid shut behind Sunset, cutting the teen off from the light snowfall being blown along on the chill breeze. Her hands crept up to her cheeks, seeking to warm them, as she looked around the mall. The Crystal Empire, as it was called, was a massive multi tiered mall, and she was here with Twilight’s Sparkle and Velvet to comb it over in search for clothes. “Now you will be getting some uniform’s sent to the house a little while after school starts up again, but we will have to make sure to get you something a little more fancy in the meanwhile.” Twilight had one of her patented checklists with her, triple checking everything on it, “As well as some casual clothes, nightwear, and underwear.” Sunset blushed at that last item, just as she had when she had to give Cadence a rough guess of her measurements, only for Velvet to whip out a small measuring tape and started confirming or denying Sunset’s numbers. “As well as some school supplies,” Velvet reached over and held a hand out to Sunset, which the teen slowly grasped, “So our first step shall be the stationary store, as it is the closest to the exit, so we can run it out to the car so we don’t have to lug it around.” Sunset followed the pair, hand held firmly by Velvet, as they wandered through the mall at a slow pace so as to help Sunset keep up. “I still don’t think you have to do this…” Sunset muttered, eyes watching the ground, “I can use my old stuff…” “Those items were half broken dear,” Velvet said, gently squeezing Sunset’s hand, “Nigh unusable even, so I insist that we get you some new school supplies!” “It also helps by removing more of what could possibly remind you of that hellhole.” Twilight said half-heartedly. “Twilight Sparkle!” Velvet stopped as she looked down upon her daughter, “What is with that language!” “You seemed fine with it the other night…” Twilight shy away under her mother’s glare, causing Velvet to sigh and deflate. “That was different circumstances and you know it darling.” “How about we focus on finding the store?” Sunset suggested, hoping to defuse the situation, “I don’t know about you two, but I feel lost in here already.” She looked over at the bespectacled Twilight, “What exactly is on your checklist for me to get, as hesitant as I am to ask?” Twilight Sparkle whipped her phone out of her pocket, checking over the list. “Well, you’re going to need your basics, so pencils, pens, erasers, loose leaf paper, a couple binders…” Twilight started to drone on, “Oh! Flash cards! Of course! You should get a whooooole bunch of flash cards! That way we can quiz each other!” Twilight gleamed with happiness at Sunset, blinded by the glare that was Twilight Sparkle talking about studying. Sunset chuckled as Twilight’s mom shook her finger at her daughter, before stopping the group in front of a massive opening in the wall. “Paperclips,” Velvet started, “You’re home for all things business and study. We should be able to find everything here for you.” Velvet started in, trailing after Twilight, the lavender teen full of excitement to be shopping for school supplies again. Paperclips was a pretty massive box store, full of a vast assortment of products, ranging from work supplies and school supplies, to cash vaults and coffee creamer. Sunset chuckled lightly as she past the section that was obviously dedicated to younger kids, full of bright colours and cartoon animals. She paused at one particular cloth pencil bag, a large white horse with a long horn and a multi coloured mane. “Guess they forgot to give you wings huh?” Sunset whispered to herself, bringing the small felt bag close to her chest. “Sunset? Are you alright?” Twilight Sparkle appeared behind Sunset, holding onto the sobbing teens shoulder, Twilight Velvet not far behind, having successfully pulled her daughter away from some kind of electronic device she was clamouring about. “Oh, sorry…” Sunset put the bag back, “It just reminded me about something from my childhood was all.” She gave a sad smile as she looked at the pair. “Enough about that though, which aisle should we start in?” Velvet wrapped Sunset in a quick hug, before pulling back and resting her hands on the teen’s shoulders. “Just one over, that’s where all the writing related products are.” She pulled her hands away, leading the two teens down the aisle beside them. Sunset paused as she looked down the aisle way, gasping in shock at how many different items there were. There were so many different kinds of pens, pencils, erasers, and everything else, it put to shame the second hand items she bought when she got set up at CHS. She grabbed a pack of pens, consisting of your standard blue, red, and black, but also hiding within was a green pen, something she had never considered before! Putting that down she spun around, looking at the boxes of pencils, simple wooden ones, fuzzy ones with spots and stripes, plastic mechanical ones, metal mechanical ones and so many more. Erasers in the shape of a crescent moon, or with two different kinds of plastic at different ends. It was so much to take in! Twilight giggled at Sunset’s awestruck expression, not realizing her mother was doing the same, but because of how much Sunset reminder Velvet of her daughter. “Okay then,” Velvet put down the basket she was carrying onto the ground, in the middle of the aisle, “Twilight, you and Sunset have five minutes to grab items that you need from this aisle before we move onto the next one!” Sunset peered over at the other teen, who looked around sheepishly with arms overflowing with different items already. “Remember Twilight, this is for Sunset, not you.” Velvet reminder her daughter, before laughing at the teens flushed face. After seven minutes of walking up and down the aisle, the basket had a good selection of items, pens, pencils and their other cousins, but the piece de resistance, was a small feathered quill, complete with inkwell and a small bottle of ink. Sunset had been frozen for well over a minute in front of the item, staring at the simple reminder of her home. She hardly noticed as Velvet reached over and grabbed the set, but started to object when Velvet put it in the basket. It was well more expensive than everything already in the basket! But Velvet broached no argument, and pushed the amber teen, tears of happiness rolling slowly down her face, towards the next aisle. Sunset paused at the next entrance, not prepared for the sheer amount of choices when it came to binders and paper. She rushed forward, grabbing a pair of basic black ones, and watched as Twilight grabbed a pair of charcoal binders, placing them in the basket without giving Sunset a chance to object. “Trust me when I say that you will need more than just two binders, and I’m not just saying this ‘cause I use so many myself.” She chuckled self assuredly. The rest of the aisle followed the same procedure. Sunset trying to get the bare minimum, and the two Twilight’s grabbing what the teen would really need. By the time they made it to the till they had to grab a second basket for all the items, plus a third for all of Twilight Sparkle’s items that she convinced her mom into getting for her daughter. Sunset felt a pit in her stomach when she saw the total, memorizing the number. “I’ll pay you back for all this… As soon as I’m able to I’ll get a job.” Sunset looked sadly at Velvet as the mother pulled out a large stack of bills. “I promise… as soon as I can I will pay you back.” Velvet smiled at the teen. “You can pay us back by allowing us to help you get better dear.” She reached out and hugged the teen close. “Money comes and goes, but your well being lasts much longer.” Sunset felt guilty as she watched the mother daughter team carry the bags of Sunset’s school supplies out, she still wasn’t allowed to do any sort of heavy lifting, but she was able to open car doors to allow the pair to deposit the supplies, before following them back into the mall. They still had clothes shopping to do, and Sunset studied the mall’s directory for clothing businesses. “Broil’s… Howabout we start there?” Sunset suggested. She remembered reading online at school that it was a popular choice for cheaper clothing, and she hoped that Velvet wouldn’t figure that out. “Sounds good to me, however may I ask you and Twilight to go together?” Velvet was watching the two girls who looked at each other before returning their shared gazes onto Velvet. “I have a few little things to pick up from various shops, and I figure I would just hold you back whilst you shop for you casual clothes.” She gave an uneasy grin, hoping the two would buy it. “Yeah, you do have a frumpy kind of style there, mom.” Twilight bumped into Velvet playfully, receiving a coy grin from her mother in response, before looking back at Sunset. “What do you think? We should be fine with just the two of us, right?” Sunset nodded, Twilight cheering at both the positive response, as well as the stack of bills she had given to her by her mom. “I’ll meet you both in the food court in time for supper,” Velvet paused, “Say about forty minutes?” The two teens responded in approval, and Twilight grabbed Sunset by the hand and pulled her towards the far end of the mall. “So what are you thinking of getting? I figured some new shirts, some jeans, a couple skirts?” Twilight reached over and rubbed the cuff of the leather coat adorned on Sunset’s taller body. “And a new coat, not just leather, but an actual winter coat.” Sunset only nodded in response, thinking about how much Twilight’s family was spending on her. The pair walked into Broil’s, making an immediate beeline to the escalator up to the second floor of the department store. “I always loved these as a kid.” Twilight chuckled as they rode up the moving metal stairs, “I always thought about people getting sucked under the top lip.” Upon reaching the top, Sunset looked around. Obviously this was the boys section, so she started walking around, trying to track down where she should be shopping, but Twilight started leading her back around the other way, landing in front of a bunch of obviously female mannequins. “Everything should be in here!” Twilight beamed, her arm waving out and motioning to the multitude of racks. “Let’s track you down some clothes!” She started her foray into the jungle of clothes. Sunset followed after Twilight, pausing at different racks and looking through the items, giving a few at a time to Twilight to carry, ranging from simple baby tee’s, to a little more fancy blouses. She made sure to pick up a few pairs of jeans, as well as a pair of warm coloured skirts. It wasn’t long before the pair found a change room, a larger handicapped one so as to allow Twilight to help Sunset get changed, much to Sunset’s chagrin. “Now I know you aren’t comfortable with this Sunset, and I do apologize, but I’m going to start by helping you with taking off your coat.” Sunset’s stitches still had a little while before they could be removed, and as such they made shirts and other tops a pain to get in and out of, they would constantly catch on the stitches. She nodded as she held out her arms out horizontal, Twilight moving in front of Sunset, stopping by one arm and grabbing a firm hold of the leather sleeve. Sunset slowly started pulling her arm back, making sure to do her best not to catch, before the pair moved onto the other arm, finishing it and depositing the coat onto one of the chairs in the room. “Which top would you like to start with?” Twilight asked as she held out a few different hangers, a random assortment of tops, whilst Sunset starred before pointing at a magenta baby tee, the shade similar to her current shirt with her cutie mark on display. Twilight nodded and set the others down, hanging the baby tee behind the pair before stopping in front of Sunset, and sighed. “Ready?” Sunset nodded, holding her arms up perpendicular this time. Twilight swallowed as she grasped the bottom of the tee shirt, pulling it slowly up the other teens bodies and doing her best not to stare. Sunset’s vision went dark as the top passed over her head and off her arms, and she opened her eyes again once she heard the cloth crumple onto the ground. Twilight couldn’t help herself but to blush and stare at Sunset. “Twilight?” Sunset asked, “You okay?” The lavender teen jumped, shocked out her actions by Sunset. “Er, yes! Sorry!” Sunset chuckled as Twilight took the baby tee off of its hanger, before starting to bring it up along Sunset’s ready arms. It slowly crept down the amber teens body, pulling taut across her chest as Twilight stared in envy. “What do you think?” Twilight looked at Sunset, not expecting the other girl to ask her opinion. Sunset seemed so much more fashion savvy than Twilight, who bought more on comfort than style. “Does it look tight at all?” Sunset wore an innocent grin, though her eye’s screamed what their owner's intent was. “W-what I think?” Twilight brushed a strand of hair out of her face as she looked away, trying to hide her blush, “Why would you ask me that?” Twilight swallowed as she peered back at the other teen, who was now busy posing in the mirror. “Well I mean you were so interested in undressing me, I just thought I should get your opinion while I was dressed.” Twilight felt the room froze, her cheeks becoming a deep enough red that it overwrote her natural tones. “S-Sunset! What’s gotten into you?” Twilight sputtered, exasperated. Sunset’s hands flew up, “Sorry Twilight, I only meant this in fun…” her voice started to die off as she spoke, “I never did have a good understanding of humour.” She was looking away now fiddling with one of her sleeves. “Sorry Twilight, I really made this awkward, didn't I?” Sunset gazed at the other teen, her temporary high spirits plummeting back to earth. “I think the tops will be fine, I just want to try on the coat, then I’ll get dressed back into my clothes and we will go pay for these.” Sunset grabbed for the coat the still blushing Twilight held, but couldn’t free it from her grasp. “I’m sorry Sunset, I shouldn’t have stared like that… Don’t worry about me though, I’m fine.” Twilight finally stopped blushing and smiled at Sunset reassuringly. “I’m used to it at school. But enough about me, let’s get this coat on, try those jeans and go pay! We still need to find you a new leather jacket after all!” Sunset shook her mane of copper and crimson, “I’ll be fine with this one Twilight, don’t worry about it.” But the other teen didn’t take no for an answer as she helped her guest try on the winter coat. “Nope! We are getting you a leather jacket!” Twilight exclaimed as she stood back as Sunset fiddled with the thick jacket. “Even in the little time we’ve spent together I have seen how much you cherish that thing, but it’s old Sunset, you need a new one. One that matches your new lease on life.” Sunset teared up. This was getting to be too much. She started to take the coat off, Twilight panicking at the other teen, reaching out and trying to stop the hasty actions. Sunset paused as she felt the fabric catch onto some of the stitching, and looked at Twilight, her eyes begging for help. The lavender teen’s delicate finger slowly help Sunset loosen the grasp of the stitches on the cloth and sliding it off, before assisting the distraught teen with the removal of the coat from the other arm. “Sorry for disrupting everything Twilight…” Sunset slumped to her knees, hands brushing at the sorrow pouring from her eyes. “I am so, so sorry…” Twilight joined the teen on the floor, wrapping her in an empathetic hug. ************************************ The two teens eventually left the department store, Twilight’s arms loaded with shopping bags full of clothing, whilst Sunset did her best to keep her eyes on the floor. “Well, we finished early, so how about we go to the food court and wait for my mom?” Sunset barely nodded at Twilight’s remark, unable to bring her eyes to look at the bags full of items. Full of charity that Sunset didn’t deserve… “How does Blue Wendell’s sound?” Sunset wondered why Velvet, Twilight, Night Light, and Cadence put up with her. She was unable to help, the stitches making sure she could not even lift a single bag of clothes without pain lancing through her. Her legs were still healing from spending so long in the snow, almost back to the point of not shaking when she stood. “What would you like to drink?” If only she wasn’t such a failure, she would no longer have to deal with this, deal with the anger of those who she tried so hard- “Sunset?” Sunset snapped back into reality, noticing immediately that she was once again inconveniencing others, and looked at Twilight, the teen giving her a worried look. “Sunset? What would you like to drink?” “Umm…” Sunset paused as she stared at the signs above the cashier, “A small “Strawberry Banana Wendell”, please.” Twilight passed the cashier a bill, receiving a few coins in return, before ushering her partner to the side. “Sunset, look at me.” Twilight said, putting down the bags and grabbing onto Sunset’ slumped shoulders. The teen brought her head up, but had a hard time looking Twilight in the eyes. “I know you fell down again, what those two said last night was unbecoming of adults, but me, my mom, Cadence even, we are here for you Sunset. We want to help you, and you deserve a chance to prove yourself.” Twilight cleared her throat as she let go. “I’m… really not great at impromptu speeches like this, sorry.” She looked down at the bags. “You are not some charity case thrust upon us, as much as you may want to believe. So please, smile again. Just like you were before those two walked in.” Twilight reached over and grabbed the two drinks on the counter, handing the smaller one to Sunset, before pulling out her phone as it buzzed loudly. “Looks like my mom is done with her stuff.” Twilight’s swift fingers shot a quick message back, informing her on where to meet the two of them, “I told her to meet you over by the elevators, but I just have to run to the washroom quick. Would you mind holding onto my drink for me?” She picked up the bags again and pointed Sunset in one direction, handing the cool beverage over, before she rushed off to her own. “It appears that you did a good job picking out clothes!” Velvet greeted the teen warmly, a nondescript bag in her own hands, when Sunset got to the elevators. “I have some underwear here for you Sunset, just some basic necessities for the time being.” She stated as she held the bag out. “Well look who it is!” A cold voice yelled out, freezing Sunset in place, her heart wrenching apart in terror. “Anon-A-Miss herself!” A rainbow haired girl with sky blue skin walked up and stopped just short of the three shoppers, followed shortly by a rather rugged saffron girl with a stetson planted firmly on her head, a pale white girl with her vivid purple hair trailing out of her trendy toque, a buttercream skinned girl who tried her best to hide in her long pink locks, and a pink blob of energy given human shape and frizzy pink hair. “When are you gonna stop posting all that crap online, Shimmer?” Rainbow Dash asked, though her tone made it sound like more of a demand. “Excuse me?” Twilight Velvet stepped forward, hands on her hips as she stared at the fiery magenta eyes boring into her charge. “And who do you think you are?” Rainbow Dash sneered at the woman, “I am one of the many students being verbally assaulted by this monster, thank you very much!” Rarity cleared her throat, “Rainbow, I think we should leave them be, darling.” “Aw, come off yer high horse Rares,” Applejack replied, “If’n Sunset don’t wan’t to stop posting secrets, why’n tarnation should we leave her be?” Sunset pulled away farther, trying to hide from the five who she had once thought of as family. “Please…” She pleaded, voice cracking as she whispered, “I’m innocent… Why won’t any of you believe me?” She fell to her knees and sobbed into her hands. “Quit with all the crocodile tears Sunset, ya ain’t foolin nobody!” The athlete continued her assault, unperturbed by Velvet’s growing anger. She would have likely continued if Fluttershy hadn’t reached forward and pulled Dash back with a rather forceful hand. “Leave her be Rainbow.” Sunset stopped sobbing for a moment upon hearing the animal lover’s gentle voice. “She isn’t worth our time.” Sunset broke into a full on bawl, her immense sorrow ripping through her even as Velvet scolded the five members of the Rainbooms. She didn’t know why everything kept going wrong. Did the universe hate her that much? It seemed to constantly lead her along, the carrot always just out of reach, before slamming down on her with destructive force. Eventually she felt a pair of hands wrap around her, pulling her up into a warm embrace. She could hear Twilight talking with her mom, inquiring into why Sunset was in such a state, but Sunset wasn’t listening. She was too busy crying her eyes out, cursing her life. She stared into the abyss of her sorrow, and it stared back at her, reaching out and caressing her gently, it’s spiked limbs slowly digging and scratching at her. She was barely aware that she was helped to her feet, and was being led away from the mall. She spent the entire car ride back sobbing, Twilight taking the adjacent back seat so as to keep an arm around her fellow teen. Sunset had a hard time getting to sleep that night, nightmares flashing before her eyes the moment she drifted off to sleep. Velvet spent the night in the room, relaxing on a padded rocking chair so as to keep eye on the teen. She tried to think of what she could do for Sunset, unsure of how to help this struggling teen find her feet again. She reached over as Sunset tossed in the bed, brushing a loose strand of hair of the teens face. “Sunset…”