//------------------------------// // Better Together // Story: Anon-A-Miss: Chaos // by CapNTilfy //------------------------------// "Now that we've established that Sunset is innocent, where do we go from here," Rarity asked. Sunset wiped a tear from her eye, then took a deep breath and composed herself as relief flooded through her. "I'm sure we'll figure something out," she said. "We just need to brainstorm, that's all." She looked at all of her friends. "So. Any ideas?" "Um," Fluttershy said just loudly enough to catch everyone's attention. "Whenever something's bothering me, I talk to Principal Celestia or Miss Cheerliee." "Okay," Sunset said as she took out a notepad and a pen from her backpack. She wrote "Communicate with the staff" as an option to explore. She looked back up to her friends. "Anyone else," she asked. "I'm open to more suggestions." She smiled warmly as she looked at her friends. She didn't know where she'd be without them, but she did know all along that together they were always better. Silence fell and remained for a few moments. Sunset simply shrugged. "Well, one idea's better than nothing," to which everyone else agreed. They all set out for Principal Celestia's office. ---------------------------------------------- "All right," Sunset said as they reached Principal Celestia's office. "Let me do the talking, okay? The last thing we need is for all of us to barge in and speak all at once. Understood?" The rest of the girls nodded, and she knocked on the door. "Come in," said Principal Celestia. Sunset and the girls entered the office, causing her to feel worry. The last time they were in here, those three magical singers had her and her sister under their spell. "Oh good lord," she said as she put a hand to her head in exasperation. "What sort of magical-" "There's no magic involved this time, Principal Celestia," Sunset said. Celestia sighed. "That's a relief. With all the damages done to school, it's been driving me up the damn wall with trying to figure out Canterlot High's budget!" The girls stared at her in surprise. She blushed and made a mental note to get in touch with one of her sister's old friends. What was her name again? ...Radiant Hope? She'd been stressed out by all the magical events around her, and she could use some counseling. "I'm sorry about that," she said sheepishly. "Now, what's going on?" Sunset told Celestia about the entire incident while the other girls looked away in shame, clearly embarrassed by their moment of doubt. Once she finished, the Principal cupped her chin in thought for a moment, then spoke. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, girls," she said. "I'll have the staff keep a close eye on computer and phone usage." Sunset smiled. "No, thank you, Principal Celestia." The other five echoed her sentiment, then they all left the Principal's office. ---------------------------------------------- "Okay," Sunset said upon leaving Principal Celestia's office. "Anyone else have any ideas?" "Well," Applejack said as she scratched her forehead. "What about Micro Chips?" Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Okay... what about Micro Chips?" "Ya think there's a chance he might be a suspect?" Sunset pondered this for a moment. She hardly knew Micro Chips, but he didn't seem like the malicious type. Nevertheless, the thought was better than nothing at the moment. "What makes you think that, AJ?" Applejack shrugged. "I dunno," she admitted. "He seems like the type who'd be good with all that tech stuff." Sunset looked to her other friends. "You guys probably know him better than I do. What do you think? Is Micro Chips capable of this?" "He could pull it off," Pinkie Pie said, "But he wouldn't. He's too nice of a guy." Applejack shrugged again. "It was just a thought." Sunset sighed. "So we're back to square one, huh?" "It certainly seems that way, darling," Rarity said as she idly stared at her fingernails. The warning bell for first period rang, causing the girls to yelp. "Scatter," Pinkie cried out. "Meet y'all at lunch," Applejack asked. The girls nodded in agreement, then ran to their classes. ---------------------------------------------- Rarity and Applejack were the first to reach their table of choice. "Any new ideas," Applejack asked the fashionista. Rarity sighed as she sat down. "Terribly sorry, darling," she apologized as she put a head to her hand. "I've been quite busy preparing for tests. I've barely had time to think about anything else." Applejack's eyes widened. "Land sakes!" Between the sleepovers and this Anon-A-Miss gal, she'd completely forgotten about the tests! Rainbow sat at the table. "Screw the tests, what about Sunset?" "What about me," Sunset asked as she reached the table. She gave her friends an inquisitive look. Fluttershy reached the table. "Is everyone as worried about the tests and Anon-A-Miss as I am?" Pinkie Pie skipped to the table. "I hope those two won't conflict with each other, causing one of us to have a comedic meltdown!" Sunset blinked, then realization dawned on her. "Oh." Rarity and Applejack grinned sheepishly, then began to eat. "Don't worry, girls," she said reassuringly as she picked up a fork. "I'm sure we can balance both." "Guys," Rainbow said. "Ooh," Pinkie squealed with her mouth full of food, nearly spraying an unfortunate student before swallowing. "That sounds like a lead in to a song!" "Guys," Rainbow repeated. Sunset smiled and rolled her eyes. "Not every other sentence has to start a song, Pinkie." "Says who," Pinkie asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Guys!" Rainbow pounded a fist on the table, gaining everyone's attention but Fluttershy's, who yelped and hid under the table. "Sorry," she said, then looked below. "Didn't mean to startle you, Flutters." Fluttershy slowly got up from under the table then sat back down, blushing furiously from embarrassment. She hid her face while eating. "Anyway," Rainbow said. "Now that we have enough time, has anybody else got any ideas?" "Rainbow," Sunset said as she put an arm on her shoulder. "The ideas will come when they'll come. You can't rush inspiration." "Indeed," Rarity said after swallowing her food. "But whoever this 'Anon-A-Miss' is, she does seem to have it out for you." Sunset's eyes widened. All of a sudden she knew just who to talk to. She slowly got up off of the table. "Where are you going, darling," Rarity asked. "I need to have a chat with someone. I'll be back." As Sunset left the cafeteria, she failed to notice a pair of students holding their phones and looking at each other with suspicion in their eyes.