She's waiting for me when I get home.
“What the hell is this?!” she demands, gesturing at the TV, where the news is covering my fight with the bitch's friends.
“I ran into her friends. Wasn't expecting them,” I say, tossing the hat and coat onto the couch. She folds her arms and frowns.
“Yeah? And Beachberry? She had nothing to do with it!”
“She may not have made it public, but she sure as hell circulated it all over MyStable and the rest of the internet! She's just as guilty as Sunset is!”
“You blasted her into a store window!”
“She didn't break it.”
“Are you even listening to yourself right now?”
“I'm doing this for you!”
“I never asked you to put one girl in a coma and another into a storefront!”
“Well, excuse the hell out of me for caring about you!”
“Caring is one thing, revenge is another! Neither of them deserved this!”
“They don't – oh, my God. Now who's not listening to what they're saying? Your life was ruined because of that damn dance election, and now you're fine with them just walking away scott-free?”
“There's better ways to deal with Beachberry, and Sunset has turned herself around! I've seen it just as much as you have! I forgave her a long time ago.”
“She's never even apologized for what she did to you!”
Her voice goes quiet. “Since when has an apology been a requirement for forgiveness?”
She comes closer to me, her voice soft but firm. “This is over. Give me the necklace.”
My hand shoots up to the pendant around my throat. “Not a chance. And this isn't over yet. You're going to get justice, whether you want it or not.”
Her expression changes from anger to sadness. “That's not your choice to make. Give me the pendant. It's done something to you. Changed you, and not in a good way.”
“I can't. I can't let this go unpunished. You deserve better.”
“Give me the pendant, or I walk out that door and never come back.”
I stare at her, shocked. “You wouldn't.”
She nods. “I don't want to, but I will. You give me the pendant, and tomorrow we go to Sunset's friends and explain what happened. Then you undo whatever you did to Sunset and apologize to Beachberry. We'll deal with the consequences together.”
My heart sinks and I feel like I just got kicked in the ribs. She's serious. I don't even have to ask. I can see it in her eyes.
“And if I don't, you leave,” I say, my voice flat.
“Yes,” she answers. “If you choose that thing over us, then you aren't the girl I want to be with anymore.”
I clutch the pendant. Even though I'm not actively using the magic, I can feel it coursing over my skin in electric tingles. I look into her eyes and see her pleading me to give it up. I see the sadness, the misery, the yearning for things to be normal again.
The same things I saw when Sunset spread her god damn lies and everything came out.
“I can't,” I say. “I'm sorry.”
She sighs. “So am I.”
She pushes past me, heading for the door. I grab her arm.
“What happens now?” I ask.
“I'm going to talk to Sunset's friends. What happens after that is up to them... and you.”
She pulls her arm away and grabs her purse. When she turns to open the door, I grab the pendant, activating the magic. I reach out and touch her shoulder, sending the magic into her. She staggers and falls backwards. I catch her, then lift her up and carry her to the bedroom, laying her on the bed.
It's roughly the same thing I did to Sunset, but not as extreme. This should only put her to sleep for a few days. Long enough for me to finish what I started.
She'll hate me when she wakes up. She'll probably leave me. But she'll have justice, and that's what's important.
“I have never been so glad to be wrong,” said Rainbow Dash, collapsing back into Applejack's sofa. There were other expressions of relief from the other five girls.
“Is she still going to be okay by herself, though?” Fluttershy asked.
Rarity nodded. “Miss Bookbinder appears to be taking her emergency contact duties seriously. She plans on being there every morning in case Sunset wakes up.”
“And in the afternoon?” Applejack asked.
“One of us will be there after school in case our enemy decides to make good on her threat.”
“Can't we tell the police?” Twilight asked. “I know we had to leave the mall, but if she does try to ki – finish Sunset off, some professional protection would be a good idea.”
“We'd have to explain the magic then,” Rarity answered. “And let's be honest, given what happened to us at the mall, it's unlikely the police will be able to deal with her.”
“If they looked at the security tapes, they'll already know about the magic,” said Rainbow.
“But we still don't know how it works,” Rarity insisted. “Only how it works for us. The police will have a lot more questions. Questions we don't have time to answer.”
“It's like that show about the lady detective with superpowers,” Applejack said. “We don't hide that we have magic, but we don't advertise if we can help it.”
“Regardless, until we take care of this situation, I don't think we should get any bystanders involved if we can avoid it. So that only leaves us to guard Sunset in the afternoon and evenings.”
“Will we be able to stay overnight?” Fluttershy asked.
Rarity shrugged. “Probably not, but from what I understand, security tends to be greater overnight. Cold comfort, but better than nothing.”
“Well, I'll tell you what I wanna know,” said Pinkie, “Why would Miss Meanie go after Beachberry? I thought this was all about how much she hates Sunset?”
“That is a good question,” said Applejack. “Have we figured out what Beachberry has to do with all this?”
“Not really,” Rarity said. “Pinkie wasn't able to get any information out of her. But whatever problem she has with Sunset, it got her very agitated.”
Rarity's phone began ringing, playing the “Dance Magic” song that had won them and the Crystal Prep girls the music video contest. She picked it up and answered.
“Hello?”
“Rarity?” came Sour Sweet's voice.
“Oh hello, Sour Sweet.”
“At the mall, was that them?” Sour's voice was panicked.
“Yes, I'm afraid so,” Rarity answered. “Unfortunately, she got away.”
“She?” Sour asked. “So it's definitely a woman then?”
“We're fairly certain. Why?”
“Well, it means you can cross off the email Sunset got from the Chessblasters. Sugarcoat talked to them this afternoon. Jet Set sent it. Apparently, it was over some online match he and Sunset played a few months ago.”
“He sent that filth because Sunset beat him at online chess?” Rarity shrieked, outraged. “What sort of sexist, chauvinistic – “
“I know,” Sour interrupted, her voice hard. “So does Principal Cadance. He's being dealt with. Word is he might even be expelled. The disciplinary committee hasn't decided yet.”
Rarity inhaled and exhaled through her nostrils. “Well, I certainly hope he gets what's coming to him. Thank you so much for looking into it, Sour, the girls and I really appreciate it.”
“Glad to do it. How's Sunset?”
“No change, I'm afraid.”
“Well, let me know if there's anything we can do, okay? Even if you guys just need to talk.”
“Thank you. We appreciate it.”
“All right, I have to go, but Rarity? Be careful.”
“We will. Thank you again, Sour Sweet.”
“See you.”
“You too.” Rarity ended the call and looked up at the girls. “The Chessblasters email came from a male student at Crystal Prep. As much as I hate to say it, it would seem that our mysterious nemesis does indeed have regular access to Canterlot High.”
“So what's the plan?” Rainbow asked.
“Tomorrow, if she's up to it, we talk to Beachberry and find out what she has to do with all this. Applejack, I want you with me on that. Given Pinkie's difficulty in getting answers from her, we may need to be a little more... direct.”
“Can do. Just let me know when,” said Applejack.
Fluttershy raised her hand. “Um, is there anything I can do? I feel like I haven't really been contributing to helping Sunset all that much.”
“I was just about to ask,” Rarity said. “Would you mind going to visit Sunset tomorrow after school? The rest of us will be along as soon as we can. Who knows? You might even be able to get through to her.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Anyone want to join me?”
“I have to work after school,” Rainbow said.
“Same here. Sorry, Flutters,” said Pinkie.
“And my family's going out to dinner tomorrow night,” said Twilight. “Sorry.”
“Ah, don't fret about it, Twilight,” Applejack said. “I'll go with you, 'Shy. I'll have the truck tomorrow. I can drive you over there.”
“And I'll be over as soon as I can,” said Rarity.
Rainbow frowned. “What are you doing after school?”
“Depending on how things go with Beachberry, I'm going to have a little chat with our other two suspects.”