//------------------------------// // Prologue: Anon-A-Miss (Part I) // Story: Severed Ties // by Carol Heart //------------------------------// Dear Twilight, My second slumber party with the girls and already I feel so much closer to everyone!  I haven’t felt so loved, so accepted, in…well…ever!  I feel like I finally have a family again.  Without all of you to help and support me, I’d be- Well you know what I would be!  Anyway, I should get some sleep, but I wanted to let you know before I do…that I love you all. -Sunset Shimmer Shutting her journal, Sunset Shimmer hugged it to her chest in a vain attempt to recapture the warmth that entry had once brought her.  Those words seemed to have been written so long ago.  So much had happened since those happy words were penned.  What had started as a week-long slumber party marathon for Sunset Shimmer’s friends to show her the joys of the holidays, had somehow turned into the end of their friendship.  After the first sleepover, Applejack’s little sister, Apple Bloom, had let slip about AJ’s childhood nickname, “Piggly-wiggly.”  All the friends had gathered around to support their friend, and Applejack had insisted that she’d be fine.  Things seemed to be okay even if the mood had been soured a bit. The next day was another sleepover, this time at Rarity’s house.  It gave the friends a chance to forget about the rumors and have a chance to boost Applejack’s spirits.  The impromptu fashion show of Rarity’s ‘closet of shame’ seemed to do the trick, getting everyone giggling and smiling once again.  Sunset had even taken some photos to remember the occasion.  Sunset had been so happy she just had to write to Princess Twilight to let her know. Sunset was starting to feel like she had found a real place for herself and that she was loved for being herself.  But just like every other time in her life, that happiness was not to last.  Whatever joy she ever managed to find in life was always inevitably ripped away from her.  Why did she think that this time would be any different? The pictures from the fashion show had been the next day’s MyStable post, though none of the pictures that included Sunset.  As a result, all of Sunset’s friends especially Rarity were made the laughing stock of Canterlot High, while Sunset became the prime suspect for being Anon-A-Miss. When they confronted her, the girls refused to believe that Sunset wasn't the one behind the posts.  They felt hurt and betrayed saying their whole friendship must have only been a charade to get close to them so she could embarrass them.  Having her first real friends say that they were no longer friends without even a thought that it might not be her, Sunset couldn’t help but share in their feeling of betrayal.   Sunset tried talking with them; swearing she wasn’t the one behind the account.  She pleaded for them to think about it.  Why would she sacrifice the friendships she had worked so hard to achieve?  But it did no good only falling on deaf ears.  The ones she had just recently called her family left her abandoned in the school hallway in a pool of her own tears. The week continued and so did the posts from Anon-A-Miss.  More secrets of Sunset’s now-former group of friends were revealed.  Then Anon-A-Miss branched out and targeted other Canterlot High students.  The atmosphere at the school became increasingly hostile.  The posts caused chaos throughout the school; friendships were ended, targets of the posts were ridiculed, and for one flame-haired girl, school had become a nightmare. Sunset had no idea who would want to frame her like this.  After the Battle of the Bands, she thought that most of the school had forgiven her or at least decided to leave her alone.  The Sirens were a thought, but no one had seen them since that night and there was no way they’d have known this many secrets about the students without someone seeing them.  Sunset’s only other suspect had been Trixie who had never quite gotten over her loss to the Rainbooms in the semi-finals, despite the girls pointing out repeatedly that the results had been rigged by the Dazzlings.  But Sunset’s confrontation of Trixie proved fruitless as had all her other attempts to figure out the identity of Anon-A-Miss.   Sunset had once again been reduced the school punching bag.  Unlike after the Fall Formal, this time Sunset didn’t have her friends to stand up for her or provide much needed moral support.  She had taken to doing nothing more than attending class and trying to ignore the bumps and jeers as she ran the gauntlet of the hallways between periods.   Today things had gotten even worse.  Some of the students were actually starting to threaten physical violence.  Sunset had skipped most of her afternoon classes because she’d heard Gilda and her gang were looking for her after one of Gilda’s secrets was published by Anon-A-Miss.  Sunset had hidden on the upper floor of the library where few students or teachers ever came.  Collapsing on the bed of books Princess Twilight had used back during the Fall Formal, Sunset decided to write to the only friend she still had left.   Twilight was shocked at the behavior of the Canterlot High students in particular at those of their friends.  She had provided a sympathetic ear and though she had to head to Canterlot Castle to put on the annual Hearth’s Warming Eve play, she had promised that if this was not over by the time she came back, she would come through the portal and help Sunset sort this whole mess out.  She also said she would leave the portal open for her.  Though this would mean she wouldn’t be able to talk to her, Sunset would have the ability to return to Equestria if things got really out of hand.  Looking back over Twilight’s letter, Sunset focused on her last entry.   Sometimes all you can do is stay strong, remember who you are, and find your family. With a newfound sense of determination, Sunset set off to find her friends and once again try to convince them of her innocence.  Leaving the safety of the library stacks, Sunset was accosted by the students in the halls.  After being knocked painfully to the ground, Sunset considered just walking outside and heading straight through the portal, but her eyes fell on her journal, open to Twilight’s final words to her and she steeled herself, grabbed her journal and ran out into the cold winter air.  Pushing her way through the crowd amongst a sea of angry glares, Sunset failed to notice a pair of gamboge eyes filled instead with regret as they swiftly darted to the phone in her hands. *** It wasn’t hard to find the girls, Sunset knew they always hung out at Sugarcube Corner after school.  Bursting through the door, her presence was soon noticed, and Rainbow Dash and Applejack were the first ones out of their seats. “Hey, get out,” Rainbow growled, her fists clenched preparing for a fight. “Yer not welcome here, Sunset!” Applejack added also ready to physically remove her from the cafe if Sunset wouldn’t leave on her own. “No, wait, please!” Sunset pleaded.  She reached into her bag, removing the journal she used to communicate with Princess Twilight.  “I know you don’t trust me, a-and I can’t prove I’m innocent, but please look at this.”   She offered the book to the group.  Applejack and Rainbow Dash just continued glaring at her, Rarity refused to even look at her, and Pinkie’s hair had deflated as she sank into her seat away from the confrontation.  Surprisingly, it was Fluttershy who finally reached out and accepted the journal.   “I’ve been telling Twilight everything that’s been happening, and- and she reminded me, you’re more than my friends- you’re my family.  You know me better than anyone.  Ask yourself, would the Sunset Shimmer you know- the real Sunset Shimmer, the person I am now- would she do this?” “We thought we knew you, darling,” Rarity finally spoke, “but clearly this whole Anon-A-Miss debacle has indeed revealed exactly who the ‘real Sunset Shimmer’ is.” “We ain’t gonna ask ya again.  Now get!” Applejack yelled as both she and Rainbow approached Sunset to show her the door.  Rainbow grabbed ahold of her jacket and spun her around as Applejack assisted Rainbow in shoving her towards the exit. Angry tears formed in her eyes, as Sunset was pushed towards the door.  Forcefully shaking their hands off her arms, her mind reeled as she was literally being thrown out by her friends.  She reached for the door but couldn’t bring herself to look back at the girls who had taught her the joys of friendship and who Sunset had considered sisters.   “I guess Anon-A-Miss showed exactly who you all are as well.  So much for friendship being magic.”  Frustrated and hurt,  Sunset shoved open the door and exited onto the frozen street.  The wind was blowing and snow was starting to fall, but to Sunset it seemed warmer than where she had just left.  With a resigned sigh, she turned and headed back in the direction of Canterlot High.  ***  “What do you mean ‘we need to shut down the account’?”  The group of friends known as the Crusaders was gathered under the bleachers of the football field.  They had been summoned to an emergency meeting by a rather panicky sounding text from their leader.  Scootaloo continued to stare at said redhead waiting for a reply.  “Yeah,” squeaked the group’s third member, Sweetie Belle, “I thought the whole reason we made the Anon-A-Miss account in the first place was to get our sisters mad at Sunset, so they’d stop hanging out so much with her and have time for us again.” “Exactly,” Scootaloo cut back in.  “Don’t you remember what it was like before the Fall Formal?  They were so mad at Sunset and the rest of their friends that they didn’t want to go out so they hung out at home…with us.” “After what Sunset did to Rarity during the Spring Fling, she stayed in her room for weeks.  I mean she was sad but, once I started bringing her ice cream she opened up and we hung out all the time.  I’d help her with her designs and model some of her clothes, and she’d listen to me sing.  It was great.” “But that’s not what’s happenin’,” Apple Bloom shouted.  “We wanted to get our sister’s mad at Sunset, not tha whole school.”   “So some other people are mad at her, who cares?” Scootaloo waved off her friend’s concern.  “She ruled the school for years.  I’m sure she hurt plenty of people who are just holding a grudge.” Apple Bloom waved her phone in their faces.  “Have you read half the comments people are postin’ on the account?  They ain’t just mad at her, they’re furious.  Some of them are even threatenin' to hurt her.” That fact seemed to shock Sweetie. “Wh-what are you talking about?”  She took the offered device from the little farm girl and began scrolling through the comments.  The look of concern on her face slowly morphing to sadness as she continued down the increasingly hateful comments. “You don’t get it, Scoots,” the redhead started to cry herself, “you weren’t there.  You didn’t see what they did.  She was so sad.  No, she was more than sad.  It was like she had nothin’ left, and all the kids in tha hall just ganged up on her, pushin' her and shoutin' at her."  The tears were streaming down the girl’s cheeks and she did nothing to stop them.  "And we did that to her.” Apple Bloom could see the effect that had on her sporty friend as she leaned back against one of the bleacher’s poles and slid down until her rear connected with the ground.  The daredevil then proceeded to beat her head against the pole issuing an audible clang with each blow. “I never hated Sunset,” Scootaloo finally said.  “I mean she seemed like a jerk and all, but she never bugged me.  Heck if it wasn’t for Sunset breaking up her friendships their freshman year, Rainbow Dash might not have signed up for the Little Sister program, and I wouldn’t have met the coolest person ever.”  A realization struck her and she paled as she continued.  “I remember it was before I met you girls, and I didn’t have anyone to talk to.  Most of the kids in my elementary school thought I was crazy or dangerous with my stunts and they tended to stay away from me.  It sucked being alone, and then I met Rainbow and I had someone who was actually into all these cool things, and then I met you girls and…”  The excitement of the memory died suddenly with the thought.  “And that’s what I took away from Sunset.” An alert went off on their phones signaling that their MyStable had received another message.  Sweetie who was already reading through the messages visibly paled after reading the newest one.   “Um girls,” she said offering the phone to her friends, “I think you’d better take a look at this.”  Taking the phone Apple Bloom read the message with Scootaloo peering over her shoulder. You bacon headed skank.  When I get my hands on you, I’m going to make sure the next hole you’re put in is one you can’t crawl out of. “Girls, this is bad,” Apple Bloom said looking up from the screen.  “We have to do something.” “Like what?” asked the athlete behind her. “Maybe if we delete the account…” started Sweetie the worry evident in her voice. “Nah, that ain’t gonna be enough.”  Apple Bloom looked her fellow Crusaders in the eye, “Girls, we have ta tell ‘em.” “What?!  You can’t be serious,” shouted Scootaloo.  “Look at what they did to Sunset.  If we say it was us, they’re gonna kill us.  Not to mention Rainbow Dash will never wanna speak to me again.” “It won’t be as bad on us as what they’re doing to Sunset.” “What do ya mean, Sweetie? “Like you said, on some level people were probably still mad at Sunset for all the stuff she did before the Fall Formal.  A lot of them were probably just using this as an excuse to get back at her.”  The other girls' shoulders drooped at the revelation.  “Plus, even if the whole school turns on us because of Anon-A-Miss, we’ll still have something that Sunset didn’t.” “Yeah, what’s that?” asked Scootaloo. “Each other.” Sticking her hand out palm down between her two friends, Apple Bloom gave them a sad smile.  “Crusaders forever?”   The other two soon joined in the motion.  They knew what they had to do to try and fix the mess they had caused and they would face it together.  Now came the hard part; finding their sisters and coming clean.  They just hoped it wasn’t too late.