//------------------------------// // Anon-A-Miss Assembly // Story: The Numbers Don't Lie: Anon-A-Miss Edition // by KR Chrome //------------------------------// The girls sat around the island in Rarity’s kitchen. Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie had woken up before the others to make everyone a delicious pancake breakfast. Just like the night before, they still had numbers above their heads. Rainbow (3) and Sunset (4) still had their numbers displayed from the night before, while everyone had told no lies since everyone was hit by the mysterious magic. “You know, I have to say, this lie counter thing might be the best thing to happen to us,” said Applejack as she cut into her banana pancake. “What do you mean, Applejack?” Fluttershy asked, still feeling nervous about the numbers. “Well, this will stop people from lying, right?” Applejack was an honest girl who detested lies, so something to catch people lying would seem like a good thing. “I don’t know about that,” said Rarity with uncertainty. “Sometimes we need to fib a little and tell white lies to spare others’ feelings.” “OK, I understand that, but I’m talking about big lies. I reckon the boys in blue are going to have an easier time nabbing crooks who can’t get away with lying.” “So, any word from Twilight?” Rainbow asked while eating her chocolate chip pancakes. Sunset opened the journal to where she had written last night and sighed. “No,” Sunset answered, but then the book glowed and writing began to appear on a blank page beside Sunset’s message. “Wait, hold on. Twilight just answered.” Everyone else abandoned their breakfast to crowd around Sunset and read over her shoulder. Thankfully, the written language of this world and Equestria were similar, so they had no trouble understanding what Twilight had written back. Twilight had even drawn a picture alongside her message to illustrate what she was talking about. “OK, it looks like Twilight has experience with something like this. The cause for the numbers is an ancient Trudian artifact known as the Wand of Walling,” Sunset explained, pointing to the diagram that Twilight had drawn for them. “Looks like a totem pole to me,” said Applejack. The unicorn faces stacked atop each other to form a tower seemed like the one she had seen back when she visited the Buffalo tribe in Appleloosa. “So, wait, the Wand of Walling is here?” Rainbow asked. “Seriously, do all you ponies love throwing away your bad stuff into our world?” “Hush, darling,” Rarity chided. “Anyway, the Wand of Walling is one of the four Wands of Bindings. Basically, the wand’s magic exposes the number of lies spoken by each person as a way to deter them from lying,” Sunset explained. “Well, you pretty much figured that out, Sunny,” Pinkie smiled. “When it happened to Twilight, the magic affected the whole of Ponyville,” Sunset said as she closed the journal. “We may need to head out to see if this affected more than just us.” Sweetie Belle met up with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo at the park. “So, you got the pictures?” Apple Bloom asked. “Yeah, I sent them to my phone from Sunset’s,” Sweetie Belle answered as she handed her phone over to Apple Bloom. The redhead opened the photo gallery. There was a collection of embarrassing photos from last night’s slumber party. “Good, we just post these on Anon-A-Miss, and by Monday everyone will think Sunset’s the one who posted these,” Apple Bloom said in approval. “But, what are we going to do about these numbers above our heads?” Scootaloo asked as she pointed above her own head where a number 5 was displayed. Apple Bloom had a number 4 while Sweetie Belle had a number 1. They had noticed them appear last night, first as 0’s but the numbers had gone up since. “Just what are they, exactly?” “Don’t know, but seeing as they don’t seem to be doing anything, it might just be some harmless magic,” said Apple Bloom dismissively. “Are you sure? Maybe we should wait before we post these pictures, at least until after our sisters and their friends solve this problem,” said Sweetie Belle nervously. “That means letting Sunset play hero again. You know she knows a lot about this magic crap,” Apple Bloom scowled. “But what if it’s important?” Sweetie Belle questioned. “It’s just numbers, Sweetie. Like the scores on a quiz. They don’t matter,” Scootaloo dismissed. Sweetie Belle was not so sure about that. “OK, thanks! Bye!” Pinkie Pie hung up. “OK, so I talked to some of my party contacts, it’s not just us.” “So, the magic of this Wand of Walling pretty much hit the whole town then,” Applejack concluded. “Won’t be long before this hits the news,” Rarity stated. Something strange like this, affecting the whole town, it would most definitely be in the newspapers. “Yeah, but who activated it?” Sunset asked as she crossed her arms. The girls were gathered in Rarity’s bedroom. “I mean, according to Twilight, they already took care of the Wand of Walling and I doubt she’d throw it through the portal to get rid of it.” “Maybe it’s some kind of copy?” Pinkie asked. “I mean, maybe these Trudian ponies made copies of their wands just in case they lost any of them.” “Pinkie, making magical artifacts is not like baking a cake,” Sunset frowned before she immediately apologized. “Sorry, no offense.” “Oh, it’s OK, Sunny. I know I make baking seem easy,” Pinkie beamed good-naturedly. “So, how did they fix this problem back in Equestria?” Rarity asked. “Well, Twilight contacted Celestia, I mean Princess Celestia, and she took care of it,” Sunset answered, frowning uncomfortably at the mention of her former mentor. “You OK there, sugar cube?” Applejack asked. “You know, what you girls call Christmas, we ponies back in Equestria Hearth’s Warming,” Sunset answered, recalling happier memories before she got carried away by her quest for power. She remembered the many Hearth’s Warming spent with Celestia and how special they were. “I didn’t have friends back then, but I did enjoy spending Hearth’s Warming with Princess Celestia.” “Ever thought of going back home for a visit, dear?” Rarity asked. “I don’t know...” Sunset gazed down guiltily. “We did not part on good terms and it’s been a while. I just don’t know if I could ever face her.” “Don’t you miss her?” Fluttershy asked. “Of course I do,” Sunset answered. “It’s just...I’m not ready. I bet Twilight has told her about the things I did. I don’t think she’d want to see me.” “Well, maybe she would. Sounds like Princess Celestia was more than just your mentor. She was like your mom, right?” Applejack asked. “Yeah...I guess...” Sunset smiled fondly. “And you’ve come really far since your evil bitch queen days,” Rainbow Dash put in. “I mean you helped us beat the Sirens.” “It was a team effort.” “Yeah, and you were our MVP during the Battle of the Bands.” “I don’t think MVP’s are a thing for a Battle of the Bands,” Rarity pointed out. “Yeah, whatever. I’m sticking to what I say.” “So, Twilight is going to ask her Celestia to help?” Fluttershy asked. “Does that mean she’ll come over here?” “She might,” Sunset frowned. “Or maybe Twilight knows the spell. She may need to do something to make it work. Magic still works different here.” “I say we pick up our instruments and sing the spell,” said Rainbow, grinning. “It should work like when we beat the Sirens.” “Yeah, maybe. But until Twilight figures out a way to fix this, we just have to deal with these numbers,” said Sunset. “I just hope this town is still standing until then.” As it was Sunday, after breakfast, the rest of the girls left Rarity’s to go back home. As Sunset headed to her apartment, she looked around and noticed the numbers hanging over everyone’s head. She saw some single digits, like a 7, 8, 9, but then she also saw a lot more people who had numbers in the double digits like 15, or 34. She even saw a woman who had 65. How could someone have told so many lies since last night? It seemed everyone was behaving like normal, still unaware what the numbers meant. With the whole town affected, then there was no doubt that the students of CHS were just as affected as well. When Monday came, Sunset would need to speak to Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna about these lie meters. They would need to hold an assembly so that everyone would be informed so they could tell their parents. Maybe even get the word out. But how exactly were they supposed to explain magic to a whole town and not seem crazy? Before, the magical incidents had been isolated incidents, surrounding only CHS. Celestia and Luna, not to mention all of CHS, did well to keep all things magic quiet, but it seemed just a tad bit naive that such things would remain contained for long. Hopefully, when Twilight showed up, things would go back to normal. Maybe the people would even forget. Sunset had noticed that most people would rather explain away weird happenings than just accept them. They would rather live in a rational world than accept magic was a real thing. As far as they were concerned, magic was just a parlor trick. Honestly, Sunset would much rather focus on the upcoming Christmas party at Applejack’s place. She had bought presents for her friends and was looking forward to the gift exchange they would have. She never really celebrated Christmas since she arrived in this world, so this would be her first Christmas ever and this time she’d spend it with friends. And then there’s Anon-A-Miss. Hopefully, whoever they were, would not cause any further trouble. It was Monday morning and Sunset stepped through Canterlot High’s doors to a new day. Like the previous day, the lie meter numbers were still hovering over everyone’s heads. “Lyra, let me explain!” Bon Bon cried as she walked after her best friend. “I can’t believe you’d lie to me like that!” Lyra snapped. “But I wasn’t lying!” Bon Bon defended, only for a chime to ring and the 12 above her head to morph into a 13. “Please, I didn’t mean to!” Sunset met up with her friends who were crowded around her locker. They seemed unhappy. “So, I just saw Bon Bon and Lyra. Seems to be like there’s trouble in paradise,” Sunset joked. Hey, what’s wrong?” “Show her, Rarity,” said Applejack and Rarity took out her phone to open her MyStable app. She then showed it to Sunset. “It seemed Anon-A-Miss struck again.” Sunset looked at the latest posts and her eyes widened. They were pictures from their slumber party accompanied by not-so-nice captions. She also saw the comments which were very mean and unflattering. “OK, how is this possible?” Sunset asked. “Sunset, you have your phone, right? You didn’t lose it or something?” Applejack asked. “It’s right here,” Sunset answered. “Wait, what are you saying?” “The pictures came from your phone, Sunset,” Fluttershy frowned. “Sunset, you said you’re not Anon-A-Miss, and we believe you,” said Applejack. “But something’s going on. Somehow Anon-A-Miss got the pictures from your phone.” “Well, if I find Anon-A-Miss, I got a few things to say to her,” Sunset scowled. She looked at everyone’s numbers. Fluttershy had an 8, Pinkie Pie had a 5, Applejack had 0, Rainbow Dash had a 9 and Rarity had 6. “So, even though you girls knew the lie meter would show you lying, you still lied.” “I needed to comfort a sick animal,” Fluttershy answered. She knew the poor dog was dying, but she could not help but lie to make it feel better. “Yeah, I kinda broke something at home,” Pinkie Pie blushed. “I only a fibbed a bit until I could fix it.” “I kinda exaggerated a few things when I spoke to my parents,” Rainbow Dash frowned. “I don’t wanna talk about it,” Rarity muttered. “Well, at least Applejack seems to be our bastion of honesty, no surprise there,” Sunset remarked. “Told the truth and nothing but the truth,” Applejack nodded. “Even explained to the family what the deal is with these numbers.” She remembered Apple Bloom’s reaction. The redhead went pretty pale after she heard what the numbers were about. “Anyway, I was planning to talk to Principal Celestia so she can tell the students about these numbers. Maybe we can find this Wand of Walling if we ask the student body,” said Sunset. The students were all gathered in the gymnasium for an emergency assembly. Each of them had a different number hovering over their heads. Up on stage, Celestia was with Luna along with Sunset Shimmer. “Students, please settle down,” said Celestia as she tried to speak over the chatter of the students. When her pleas did not work, Luna snatched the microphone out of her hand. “HEY, ZIP IT!” Luna yelled, causing everyone to go silent instantly. Smiling smugly, Luna handed the microphone back to her sister. “You’re welcome, Celestia.” “Yes, thank you very much, Luna. Alright, so you are all aware of the numbers that have appeared above your heads,” Celestia started. “Here to shed some light on the subject is our own Sunset Shimmer.” Celestia handed the microphone over to Sunset. “OK, everyone. I know you’re a bit weirded out by this. I mean, the last time something magical happened you all got brainwashed,” said Sunset. “Yeah, by you!” a random student shouted, causing Sunset to scowl. Well, she would not give whoever it was the satisfaction. “Yes, by me,” Sunset admitted. “And also the Sirens, but we’re not here to talk about the past but about what’s happening right now. I spoke to Twilight and she told me the numbers above your heads are the result of an Equestria artifact known as the Wand of Walling. Basically, the numbers are... a lie counter.” Instantly, the gymnasium was filled with a cacophony of noises from the students. They were demanding an explanation or a solution. Meanwhile, nobody noticed three freshmen slipping out of the gymnasium. Luna went to do some crowd control, took the microphone from Sunset, and let out a loud shout that would make her counterpart proud. It was nearly as loud as the Royal Canterlot Voice. “SHUT YOUR HOLES!” And the gymnasium was once more filled with silence. “Wow, Vice-Principal Luna is scary,” Pinkie Pie whispered to Fluttershy who was trying to hide behind her hair. “Meep,” the yellow-skinned girl squeaked. Sunset was given the microphone so she can continue. “Look, I know that these numbers are going to a huge inconvenience, but until Twilight figures something out from the other side, we’re stuck with them. All we have to do is to try and not lie,” Sunset said. “Which, I know, is not exactly going to be easy for us since, let’s face it, we’re teenagers so we lie all the time.” A few chuckles followed. “Anyway, first we need to find the Wand of Walling, which should look something like this.” Displayed on the screen was an image of the totem-like wand with grimacing unicorn faces. “Twilight might need this to break this spell. So, if you have any information, please come to me, my friends, Principal Celestia or Vice-Principal Luna.” The Crusaders locked the bathroom door as they gathered inside. “A lie meter? These numbers are a freaking lie meter?” Sweetie Belle cried. “We’re boned! We’re so boned!” wailed Scootaloo as she gripped her head. “Settle down, girls,” Apple Bloom tried to talk the girls down. “Settle down!?” Scootaloo snapped. “Because of these numbers, we can’t lie! What if your sisters ask us if we know who Anon-A-Miss is? We’re screwed!” “We just have to avoid them,” Apple Bloom answered weakly. “Apple Bloom, how long can we avoid them?” Sweetie Belle whimpered. “After this spell wears off, which should be soon, I hope,” said Apple Bloom, biting her lip. “I saw them in the hallway. They asked if Sunset was Anon-A-Miss and they believed her when she said she wasn’t because of these stupid numbers!” Scootaloo yelled. Apple Bloom planned to use Anon-A-Miss so that the Rainbooms would shun Sunset Shimmer. They believed the girl was stealing their sisters’ attention from them. Also, they felt that Sunset did not deserve a second chance, even though she helped to defeat the Sirens. But now their plan was going to be ruined by Equestrian magic. “So, they don’t think it’s Sunset, that means they’re going to be looking for other suspects,” Sweetie Belle said worriedly. “And pretty soon, they’ll find out it’s us. Rainbow is gonna kill me when she finds out,” Scootaloo worried. Apple Bloom was at a loss for words. The plan seemed like it would work, but it would appear that Anon-A-Miss had been stopped. Thankfully, the school was more focused on these numbers than Anon-A-Miss, but she was more worried about her sister figuring out her part in the whole mess. It was only a matter of time before Applejack confronted her about what she said about Anon-A-Miss, trying to pin the blame on Sunset. She shivered, and not due to the cold weather.