//------------------------------// // One Year Later // Story: Anon-a-Miss: A Wrinkle in Time (Rewrite) // by Guardian Amy //------------------------------// It was the last day of school before the winter holidays. On this day, everyone is at their happiest, ready to finally abandon their academic responsibilities and kick it into high gear. But for Canterlot High School, it was nothing special. It was lunch, the last period of the day before the final bell rang. And instead of the usual happy clamour, the cafeteria was silent, only small conversations filling the gap. It wasn't unusual for them to sit down in silence. But on this particular day, a heavy sadness was hanging in the atmosphere. While there were much worse days since the terrible calamity that permanently plagued their lives, this day-- the anniversary, was what twisted the knife. The pain wasn't as vital, but this day, a mere number on a calendar, was powerful. An anniversary forces people to remember. A wedding day. A birthday. A holiday. And, for the school, someone's death... the death of their friend. And when they are forced to remember that, it also returns to the main root: Anon-a-Miss. The main cause for this mess, and the tragic reminder of their stupidity. But no grief nor anguish was greater than five girls in particular. The Rainbooms sat at their usual table, forlorn expressions attached to their faces. They were staring at their partly bitten, or otherwise, uneaten food on the white table. With no other topics to focus on, nor are they able to use their phones to distract them, they were all forced to think about Sunset and reflect on their prior actions. It was always something they typically avoided as it was a troubling topic. But what other option do they have? They were the core reason it happened. Their arrogance was what permanently damaged their friendship with Sunset Shimmer, and, to an extent, Twilight as well. Was this even a subject worthy of discussion? Perhaps not. But then again, no one can comprehend nor confirm the answer. "So..." Rainbow said, finally breaking the painful silence as everyone moved their attention to her. "What's everyone doing this Christmas?" she asked, despite the sadness corresponding to her face. The girls processed Rainbow Dash's question as the depression increased at the moment. Christmas was not exactly a joyous event as it matched up with Sunset's depression and eventual suicide. If anyone were to ask, Christmas would be a dead holiday to everyone and a tragic end to the year. It was no longer a day about family, friends, and love. But rather, tragedy, sadness, and death. Taking full notice of the status of everyone's emotions, Rainbow's face contorted to remorse as her eyes rolled to her half-bitten sandwich. Of course, no one had anything planned. Why should they? They don't have any reason. "I... I'm sorry, guys," Rainbow apologized. "I... I didn't mean to--" "No. No. Don't apologize, Rainbow," Applejack assured. "It's just... I don't have any plans. Well, other than the fact I'm gonna open a new pack of cigarettes... and maybe some alcohol." "You think you can give some cigs?" Rainbow asked, "I ran out yesterday and I don't have enough cash." "Swing by my house after school and I'll give you a box," Applejack confirmed. "Thanks, AJ," Rainbow thanked. "Do you think that's a good idea?" asked Fluttershy in her meek voice. "I-I mean, Applejack can handle it. But you, Rainbow Dash? Don't you think it's dangerous to your health?" "Yes, Fluttershy," Rainbow dismissed. "Don't worry, I won't overdo it." Fluttershy wanted to object, fully acknowledging that Rainbow doesn't always commit to her promises about self-control. But witnessing the mood on her face, she decided not to voice her opinions. As if reading her mind, Rarity looked at Rainbow and Applejack with concern on her face. "Fluttershy's right. We already know how dangerous smoking is. I think it's better if you..." Rarity made a quick pause. "took a break." "And when you say take a break, do you mean forget about what we did?" Rainbow responded, to which Rarity's eyes widened in shock. "I-- I didn't mean it like that! It's just..." Rarity dropped her head as she blinked away a few tears. "Look, I miss Sunset too. And I still feel horrible after what we did. But..." Some watery mucus cascaded from Rarity's nostrils as she made an audible sniff. "It's been a year now. Maybe it's time to consider... moving on?" "But does it make a difference, Rarity?" Pinkie stated, tears tracing her pale, hollow cheeks. "No matter what happens, we'll always be the ones who push Sunny to suicide. And nothing we do will take it back." "I have to agree with Pinkie Pie," Applejack chimed in, adjusting her hat. "We're the reason we're in this mess." "And this will always be the anniversary of our stupidity. I can't even look at a Christmas tree," Rainbow added, battling the tears pooling in her eyes. She pulled up her sleeve and swiftly wiped her face, not wanting to show weakness in front of her friends, despite acknowledging they were not far behind. "I just can't believe it," Fluttershy whispered, her voice breaking. "Sunset worked so hard to prove that she had changed. But in the end, we treated it like it was nothing at all." "I know, Fluttershy." Pinkie agreed. "We used all the mean stuff Sunset did, which were two years ago, as a perfectly valid excuse to hurt her and not feel bad about it." By this time, the clock read 11:50 AM. At that point, the lunch staff was beginning to close up and students were filing out, stacking their empty lunch trays on the trash and heading to their lockers to retrieve their needed items for the following two weeks. Taking notice of this, the girls' melancholic conversation abruptly ceased. They then stared at the large portions of their remaining meal. "We better finish," Applejack said, aiming her fork at her mashed potatoes as the others followed. Between quick mouthfuls and swift chewing, Rainbow caught a glimpse of Pinkie, her skinny arms straight down as she merely stared at her cold, untouched meal. While it wasn't the first time it occurred, it never failed to concern Rainbow or anybody else. "You gotta eat, Pinkie," Rainbow said, her eyes softening. "I don't want you to go out on an empty stomach." More tears spilling from her eyes, Pinkie simply shook her head in refusal. "Come on, Pinkie!" she exclaimed. "You have to eat something." "Just a few bites, darling," Rarity pleaded. "The cafeteria's closing in less than ten minutes." Pinkie shook her head again. "Please..." Fluttershy asked quietly. "No..." Pinkie responded, her voice matching Fluttershy's volume. "When was the last time you ate?" Applejack questioned. Pinkie hesitated for a moment before looking back at Applejack. "Dinner. Yesterday," she answered, to which everyone gaped in shock. "Then by all means of God and everything else, eat. If not for us, then for your health," Applejack commanded, her voice switching to a more serious tone. "No. I don't want to." Pinkie said, her tear stains growing wider. "Nope! Not this time! I am not, repeat, not letting this slide! Not after last time when you went to the hospital!" Applejack ranted. "Please, Applejack. I don't want this." Pinkie squeaked. "Then eat! Please!" Applejack shouted, shoving the tray toward Pinkie. "Please, Pinkie! It's orange chicken! You love orange chicken!" Rarity chimed in. "No," Pinkie protested, her lip quivering. "Please..." Fluttershy begged, not looking far behind. "For your health." "We don't want you to die, Pinkie. And I don't have enough room in my heart for more grief. We need you." claimed Rarity, the white illumination reflecting off her eyes. Upon processing that declaration, Pinkie's lip quivered as her body trembled slightly. Fresh tears, already spilling from her eyelids, formed in her eyes as a large, noticeable lump appeared on her throat. Everyone's demands stopped, and their fear and irritation instantly turned to remorse and sadness. For a whole minute, everything paused. The girls remained rigid and silent as their eyes were aimed at Pinkie Pie, who remained stationary in her seat, shaking like a bomb about to detonate. Not one person dared to advance any further, fearing that one false move could meet the inevitable results. But in the end, none of it mattered. Bringing her long, frail hands to her face, Pinkie inhaled a big, heavy breath... and finally broke down. Loud sobs were muffled between her fingers as tears rapidly gushed from her eyes. She lost sync with her breathing as all she could focus on was her crying, only occasionally sucking in a breath every few seconds. As thick mucus eventually obstructed her nostrils, Pinkie moved her hands from her face as she violently let out wet, disgusting coughs. She brought both hands to her head and pulled at her straight hair, attempting to move her mind away from the awful sensation accumulating in her throat. She had no more time now. Launching herself from her seat, she sprinted to the circular trash can adjacent to a blue pillar. She brought a hand to her now unstable stomach, attempting to keep what little sustenance she had from evacuating. But just as her hand was a fraction away from the basket, her timing came too soon. Falling to her knees, Pinkie let out a few gags before, finally, spitting out a foul-smelling brown. More pain increased in Pinkie's abdomen as her stomach squeezed out the remainder of its contents. With absolutely nothing in her stomach, Pinkie fell to her side, her face barely missing the puddle of vomit. She began to cry, not knowing what else to do. As soon as things began to calm, the Rainbooms abandoned their table and charged toward Pinkie at breakneck speed. Rarity, being the first to approach her, carefully dropped to her knees and pressed her hand onto the pink girl's heaving back. Her friends immediately joined, crowding around her and embracing the broken girl who was still attempting to stabilize herself. The few students who witnessed this, formed a small circle to get a closer view. People stared at the girls sympathetically while everyone else was merely silent, not knowing what to do. "EVERYONE, MOVE!" shouted a voice. Everyone obliged as a female janitor quickly rushed to Pinkie. Seeing that help was here, the Rainbooms moved away from Pinkie. "C'mon. To Nurse Redheart," she commanded as she helped the still-crying girl to her feet and guided her out the door. Leaving everyone in shock and concern as they-- BRIIIIING!! The final bell reverberated in everyone's ears, unceremoniously forcing everyone to cease their thoughts and finally end the school day. Not wanting to look back, the remainder of the Rainbooms returned to their table, threw out their waste, and filed out the door connected to the corresponding hallway. They all walked in silence, fearing that one wrong move could lead to a result similar to Pinkie's breakdown. But it was hard... as talking is the only plausible way to cope with one's unsettling emotions. But as they entered the more narrow hallways containing the lockers with their possessions, a glass case caught their eye. It normally had academic awards, pictures of the clubs and sports teams, and a few honourable moments. But one whole panel, reserved for one person, was what made tears spill from their eyes, as the girls instinctively paused to get a better view, their forlorn expressions reflecting the transparent panel of glass. One mere object. That was what added more salt to the wound. ' In Loving Memory of Sunset Shimmer. The True Meaning of Redemption. We're Sorry We Couldn't Return The Favour.' it read. Inside, there was a framed picture of Sunset with a joyous smile on her face. Surrounding the said object were a few other pictures capturing Sunset's happy moments. The girls had ultimately lost the fight with their tears as they all began to cry softly, feeling unspeakable remorse for what they did. As a few more sobs escaped their mouths, they also began to acknowledge that Christmas is a holiday they can never enjoy again. It has always been the most favoured day of the year, but this has proved that it's absolutely nothing. Nothing can change nor take back the pain they'll be enduring for the rest of their lives. This day had proven that Christmas would simply be a tragic reminder of what they had done to Sunset, and how their actions ultimately caused her death. And that is the cold, hard truth, no matter which way they look at it. "I am so, so sorry, Sunset," Applejack whispered, pressing her hand on the glass. "I'm sorry for not havin' enough faith in you..." "If I had just acted differently, maybe things would have been different. But it's not, because I was stupidly reckless and ignorant. I can never apologize enough." Rainbow lamented. "When you needed me the most, I thought only of myself. I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do to make it up, but it's not possible." Rarity stated sadly. "I love you, Sunset. But... I know you would never look at me from upstairs. If I had just chosen my love instead of my emotions, this wouldn't happen. I'm sorry for everything, Sunset. Hopefully, you'll acknowledge that." Fluttershy declared, tears falling from her face. But just as they were about to make additional declarations to Sunset's spirit. "Uh... sorry for interrupting, guys." said a voice from behind. They looked back and saw a girl with dark brown skin and black hair standing in front of them. "But I gotta get to my locker." "Oh... sorry." Applejack apologized before she and the others backed up against the wall, allowing room for the girl to pass. "Thanks!" she shouted as she walked to the green lockers behind the rectangular opening. Watching her disappear, the girls figured it would be enough. "C'mon, y'all. Let's go," said Applejack as the others nodded and followed her. They silently and dejectedly entered the combination password, swung the door open, pulled out their backpack, slipped on their coats, and closed them. As they made a beeline to the nearest exit, the girls caught sight of Sunset's graffitied locker. It was empty, and there were no owners; the ink and everything else really couldn't scrub off after all. And it did nothing but remind them of their irresponsible decisions. As they finally made it out of the large infrastructure, the cold, snowy air hit the parts of their unguarded epidermis, reddening their cheeks. They all wonder if the same thing will occur again next year. "You guys go ahead. I'm gonna check on Pinkie." Rarity called out as she turned on her heel. "No need." said a familiar yet weak voice. Everyone looked up and saw Pinkie descending the steps with Nurse Redheart. "Pinkie!" Rainbow said with relief as she and the others approached her. "Is she okay?" Applejack asked, concerned. "She's okay," Redheart confirmed as everyone sighed in relief. "I got her to calm down and gave her a salad and a few granola bars. However, she's going to need more calories to keep her strength up." "Don't worry." Applejack said, grabbing Pinkie by the arm, "We'll make sure it happens. C'mon girls, we're going to Sugarcube Corner and buying her a hot meal." she stated, as the others nodded in agreement. "Guys," Pinkie said. "I--" "Not again, Pinkie!" Rainbow exclaimed. "We are going there whether you like it or not!" "Guys... I really--" Pinkie was cut off again. "No, Pinkie. Not this time. Besides, I think we all need to wind down. Right, girls?" Rarity stated, despite knowing that Sugarcube Corner was the last place she wanted to be. "Go with them, Pinkie." Nurse Redheart said, "I know you had a tough year. And..." she paused searching for the correct words. "you need to be with your friends." Pinkie remained silent for a few moments as she looked back at her friends' begging expressions. "Okay..." she said, despite not meaning it. "That's the spirit!" Rainbow said, forcing a smile as she grabbed Pinkie's hand and led her to the main sidewalk. "Thanks for everything, nurse!" she thanked as the others followed. "No problem, girls! Be well!" she said as she walked back into the building. Unwittingly, despite the whole place being deserted, save for the remaining students and faculty heading home, one person stayed, watching the whole event unfold. It was the very same girl the Rainbooms encountered in the hallway. After surveying the area for any leftover inhabitants, she pulled out a small object from her pocket. It was a small, glowing cube, with tiny electrical hues shifting around like a small storm caught in a box. "I think I found them..." she said, her mouth stretching into a small grin. With that, her eyes began to glow into a brilliant white and her hair rose from her shoulders. "Time for phase one."