Present Day...
"We confessed everythin' to them," Apple Bloom concluded with a sigh. "They forgive us, but they chewed us out afterwards, including our folks. After grounding us, our families then called you over the phone about what we did and... you know the rest."
There was nothing but tense silence from within Principal 's Celestia's office. Apple Bloom looked down towards her lap and stared at her lap with a guilt expression, no longer wanting to meet either the adults in the eye. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo just stared at their farmer friend in silence. They have so many mixed emotions as they listened to Apple Bloom after they left her from the playground. As much hurt and anger they felt towards Apple Bloom, they mostly felt concern towards their friend as they heard her suffering and self-loathing from her voice. They just don't know what to make of it and where they still stand.
As for the Principal Celestia, she never felt so disappointed in her students all in her life. She had dealt with some trouble students who had done bad things before, but none of those incidents could ever top what those three have done for the past couple of weeks, not even when Sunset Shimmer turned everyone into mindless zombies. She felt rage building from her chest as the three described many awful deeds they done to the students and to each other. Despite her anger and a huge frown on her face, she kept herself calm and composed as she patiently waited for them to finish.
Vice Principal Luna on the other hand, was livid. She wanted to explode and lash out at the three of them multiple times when they she heard one terrible thing after the other, especially what they done to Sunset. But to her credit (and after receiving her sister's silent warning glare), she kept her mouth shut and composed so that she wouldn't frightened them any more then she had done already. But that doesn't stop her from glaring at the three girls the whole time as if she was daring them of ever trying to come up with a lie on the spot.
Even after the story was concluded, both sisters were staring right at them longer then they should as they processed everything they heard. The three freshman girls felt more and more uncomfortable as time passed under their Principals gaze, silently wishing for them to just say something already and not continue with their silent torture. Finally, after so much time have passed, Principal Celestia finally spoke in a calm but a very low tone.
"There are... so many things I wanted to say to you three... but I just couldn't find the right words. While I commend you for doing the right thing at the end, but that still doesn't excuse you for not only cyber bulling your sister, but also cyber bulling almost every student in our school and almost single-handily ruined Sunset's life after she tried so hard to get herself back up again from the Fall Formal incident!"
"Not to mention, breaking into the school's gym lockers and into our school's library after hours through the window several times up until now... both which are illegal by the way!" Vice Principal Luna added with a growl before glaring angrily at them, making them all flinch. "What do you have to say for yourselves!"
No one said a word. Either they felt too ashamed or scared to answer Luna's question. With a bit of courage, Apple Bloom decided to be the one to answer.
"Ah have nothing to say except... Ah'm sorry," she said quietly. "Ah'm sorry for hurtin' everyone because of mah stupid and petty idea to get mah sister to spend time with me... including my sister... Sunset... and mah friends." As Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo was taken aback from Apple Bloom's statement, Apple Bloom slowly lifted her head up and looked at Celestia right in the eye with her sad expression. "Ah know that a simple apology won't fix everythin' and that there would be consequences to mah actions, but Ah'll gladly take any punishments coming mah way and be responsible for mah actions... if you do one thing fer me in return."
Luna scoffed at the young girl in disbelief. "You're kidding right? You're on thin ice enough as it is! You're not in a position to nego–"
Celestia stretched her arm out in front of Luna, signaling her sister to stop speaking.
"Let her talk Luna," Celestia said calmly before addressing to Apple Bloom. "What is it that you want?"
Apple Bloom let out a sigh before answering with her serious expression.
"If yer going to punish someone... punish me... and leave mah friends out of this!"
Celestia and Luna was surprised from Apple Bloom's request, while Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo gasped at her in shock.
"WHAT!?" Scootaloo shouted.
"APPLE BLOOM!?" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
"I told you girls," Apple Bloom spoke up as she turned towards them with her guilt expression. "This whole thing was mah fault! Ah started this, Ah made things worse... and Ah became a monster in the process. And besides, once the word gets out, the students will come after me! So Ah'm taking all the blame, while you girls will be safe and yer lives won't be ruined because of me!"
Scootaloo growled angrily as she suddenly stood up from her chair. "LIKE HECK I WILL LET YOU DO THAT!" She screamed. "I'm far from innocent from this either! I was the one who made things worse with spreading secrets and put someone in danger! You're not taking all the blame!"
"Y-yeah!" Sweetie Belle added loudly. "And things wouldn't have gone worst if I didn't post those pictures of Rarity's slumber party on MyStable! So I'm responsible too!"
"This is not up fer discussion!" Apple Bloom shouted as she stood up from her chair as well. "Ah'm taking the hit and that's final!"
"We are so discussing this!" Scootaloo argued. "You can't just keep making decisions for us! Haven't you learned anything for the past two weeks!"
"That's different!" Apple Bloom retorted. "Ah'm basically giving you a "Get Out of Jail Free" card while Ah'm getting the heat. So don't be an idiot and just accept it!"
"I'm the idiot!?" Scootaloo shouted, offended from Apple Bloom's words. "What about you "making it up" for us? You leaving us out without our consent was your idea of "making up" to us!?"
"Don't you dare twisting mah words against me!" Apple Bloom screamed. "I was only trying to–"
"ENOUGH!" Celestia shouted angrily, who was finally running out of patience.
Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo jumped from Celestia's loud voice and turned towards her in shock to see their Principal with a very angry expression on her face. Even Luna was shocked to see her sister, who was usually calm and kind hearted, lost her cool for once.
"I will not hear another word of your behaviors in my office!" Celestia shouted before pointing at Sweetie Belle. "And you both made your friend very upset right now!"
The two turned towards Sweetie Belle, who was still sitting on her chair, and their anger disappeared from the sight of her. They saw Sweetie Belle weeping into her hands, face hidden from view as her whole body was shaking like a leaf. They both realized that she was both scared and upset when seeing them arguing with each other as if she was re-living that day from the playground. Their hearts filled with guilt for unknowingly making their friend upset and they both went up to her.
"Aw... shoot! Ah'm so sorry Sweetie Belle!" said Apple Bloom as she hugged Sweetie Belle's left side.
"I'm sorry too Sweetie Belle!" said Scootaloo as she hugged Sweetie's right side. "That was so uncool of me!"
Their moment was interrupted when they heard Principal Celestia loudly cleared her throat.
"And besides," Celestia continued, now slightly calmed down from before. "As noble your reasoning was... I'm afraid that I can't grant you your request Apple Bloom," Her eyes narrowed. "You three equally caused so much damage to this school for the last couple of weeks, that there was no way for any of you to dodge your responsibilities!"
Realizing that there was no way to delay the inevitable, both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo returned to their seats while Sweetie Belle stopped crying somewhat.
When she was sure that the three girls was giving her their undivided attention, Celestia spoke with an authorized tone. "In light of everything that happened while you three played as Anon-a-Miss and every other offensives around it... I'm afraid that I have no choice but to–"
Suddenly, the phone was sitting on Celestia's desk started ringing. Principal Celestia let out a small groan.
"Figures... one moment girls," she said sternly to the three as she picked up the phone.
"Yes?" she answered, only to perked up to whoever was on the phone. "Oh hello there–"
While they don't know who it is, the three girls heard someone speaking to their Principal with an urgent like tone.
"Yes, they explained everything... yes, I heard from everyone's side of the story including yours... No, I didn't give them their punishments yet. In fact, I was ready to–"
The voice on the other end then said something which caused Celestia eyes to widened in shocked.
"Wait what? Are you serious–" The trio heard the voice taking some more until Celestia spoke up. "Okay, okay. Hold on a moment!"
She place her hand over the speaker and turned to her sister.
"Luna, would you please lead the girls out and have them wait outside until I'm done with this phone call?"
Vice Principal Luna cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "Can't this wait?"
"I'm afraid that this is important!" Celestia responded. "And "she" also wanted to talk to you too!"
Luna widen her eyes in understanding before she nodded. "Very well sister." She then turned to the three girls with a stern expression. "Follow me girls!"
Confused with this sudden turn of events, but they obeyed as they stood up from their chairs and followed Luna. Luna opened the door for the tree of them to step out of Celestia's office and then directed them to sit on the chairs outside of the doors.
"You three wait out here until we call you back in," she ordered before narrowing her eyes. "And don't even think about eavesdropping, got it?"
After receiving nods from them, Luna stepped back into the office and closed the door behind her, leaving the three girls alone.
There was awkward silence between the three of them. With the exception of their shouting match a few moments ago, they haven't spoke to each other since yesterday when they decided to confess to Sunset and their families about them being the true culprits. On top of that, her friends didn't answer her question if they forgive her or not. She wanted to ask them a few times if they have made up their minds yet, but she didn't want to push her luck in fear of them angering them further and then possibly hating her as a result.
They barely took glances of each other or made any sounds as they continued to wait outside by the Principal's office until they were allowed back inside and wait for their fated verdicts. As time slowly ticked away, Apple Bloom felt like she really needed to clear the air with her (ex?) friends and find out where they stand once and for all, even if she was terrified at the possibility of loosing them forever.
Apple Bloom softly cleared her throat. "Well... that was something, huh girls?"
"...yeah," Scootaloo grunted, while not looking at her.
"Uh huh," Sweetie Belle responded quietly.
Apple Bloom frowned at their lack of responses, so she decided to try again with some small talk.
"Um... Ah bet outside is... pretty cold out right now, huh girls?" Apple Bloom asked lamely.
"...yeah," Scootaloo grunted.
"Uh huh," Sweetie Belle uttered.
Not giving up just yet, Apple Bloom continued to do her small talk.
"Um... I heard we're getting snow later tonight," Apple Bloom said with a small smile. "Ah hope we'll get a snow day tomorrow from school and build some cool snowmen and sledding!"
"...yeah," Scootaloo grunted with a much more annoyed tone.
"Hmm..." Sweetie Belle hummed quietly.
Apple Bloom frowned with a forlorn sigh. Her small talk wasn't working. Neither one of them are going to talk. Whether it was because they were still angry, awkward or just scared like she was, Apple Bloom was not certain. What she does know for sure was that she and her two friends will never move forward unless they sort out their differences. With a small sense of dread and guilt, Apple Bloom finally decided to bring up the topic.
"Girls... Ah really am sorry... fer everything!" She began quietly. "Ah know what Ah did and the way Ah acted towards ya was... unforgivable, but... Ah wanted to make up for everything Ah've done, including you girls... even if... y-you girls... not wanted... to be mah f-friend... anymore."
She looked down towards her lap and sniffed, letting a small tear trailed down her right cheek. She felt her heart hurting at the thought of her friends rejecting her and leaving her alone. But if they decided to not to forgive and wanted nothing to do with her, then she guessed that's all she deserved.
"Apple Bloom."
Apple Bloom looked up when someone called her name. To her surprise, it was Sweetie Belle, who had a serious, but sad expression.
"We all said and done some things that we regretted... back at the playground," Sweetie said with a sigh. "I was hurt and angry when you said things about me and my sister. I use my anger towards you to not only make myself feel better, but to hurt you too. But deep down... I knew you were right. I regretted that I brought up your... parents... and I deserved getting shoved to the ground."
Apple Bloom shook her head. "Ah shouldn't have shove you in the first place! Ah could've really hurt you!"
"Except for that bruise and some scrapes, you didn't," Sweetie Belle pointed out. "But regardless, I was also out of the line... and I'm sorry for hurting you too. Can you forgive me?"
"...only if you forgive me... for acting like a monster," Apple Bloom responded.
Sweetie Belle smiled. "You're not a monster Apple Bloom. You're just a girl who made really, really bad and stupid mistakes... just like Sunset Shimmer!"
Apple Bloom chuckled. "Yeah... that was pretty dumb of me!"
Apple Bloom then turned to her other friend who still refused to look at her.
"Scootaloo... what about you?"
For what it felt like minutes, Scootaloo hadn't said a word, making Apple Bloom nervous. Just when she was about to ask again, Scootaloo spoke in a low volume.
"Why should I?" She asked angrily.
Before Apple Bloom couldn't answer, Scootaloo suddenly turned towards her with an angry expression.
"You didn't care about how we felt throughout the whole thing and more about having your revenge against an ex-bully who doesn't deserve it in the first place!"
Apple Bloom was about to open her mouth but Scootaloo cut her off.
"Yes, I also wanted revenge against Sunset too at first, but at least I immediately realized how wrong this is and I wanted to stop our scheme. But you Apple Bloom..." She growled as she clenched her fist. "You just didn't care! You just wanted to keep going, even hurting us from the playground that day! You threatened to squeal on me about breaking into the team's lockers. And worse of all... you pushed Sweetie to the ground... and you didn't help me to get Sweetie's medical attention... that you caused! All because you cared more about your stupid scheme then your friends!"
Apple Bloom flinched at Scootaloo's angry rant, but she knew she deserved it. She watched as Scootaloo look down, seething at her lap.
"I get why you did this, especially after revealing your secret earlier. But that's still no excuse! I was so... furious at you... I wanted to hate your guts... I don't even want to look at you without me doing something that I'll regret! And yet..." She swallowed and her expression changed to somber. "I... still wanted to be your friend. I didn't want to lose you or Sweetie because of yours... and my mistake. But how could I forgive you for that!?" She clenched her eyes shut to keep herself from crying. "How would I know... that you won't betray us again?"
Feeling shame and remorse Apple Bloom immediately got up from her seat, rushed over to Scootaloo and hugged her tightly. Scootaloo was surprised from Apple Bloom's actions, but didn't resist the hug.
"Yer right Scootaloo," Apple Bloom said tearfully, burying her face onto Scootaloo's shoulder. "Ah acted horribly towards ya and Sweetie Belle! Ah was so blind and pig-headed from my anger... and denial, Ah became something far worse than Sunset... or any bully in our school! And it costed my friendship with you two. Ah'm sorry for hurting you and Sweetie! And Ah'm sorry for the way Ah'm acting! Ah know words alone won't do much, which is why Ah wanted to be the one to get punished. Ah drag y'all into this and Ah made some of the biggest mistakes of my life... including betraying you two which is mah biggest regret! Ah can't go back and undo everything, but Ah wanted to make up to everyone for my foolish scheme... and most importantly, making up to you guys... for being the biggest meanie in the universe! Ah don't care if it'll take me years or even if you don't forgive me... Ah just wanted y'all to know that Ah love you both... like sisters Ah never have."
Sweetie Belle felt her tears flowing from her eyes after hearing Apple Bloom's declaration. But despite of her tears, she smiled and was touched that they ment so much to Apple Bloom. Scootaloo meanwhile couldn't hold back her tears anymore and nearly let out a sob.
"Dangit Apple Bloom! Why do you have to be so sappy!" She exclaimed, as she rubbed her eyes with her arm. "I hate it when I cry!"
Apple Bloom grasped both of Scootaloo's shoulders and looked directly at her eyes.
"So can we... start over and be friends again?"
"After everything we been through... no way!" Scootaloo shouted angrily. Apple Bloom looked down sadly, until she heard Scootaloo added with a tender smile, "Cause there's no need to start over... we're still best friends!"
Scootaloo then turned to Sweetie Belle. "All three of us!"
With a happy smile, Sweetie Bell got up from her seat and joined her friends into a hug.
"CMC forever?" Apple Bloom asked.
"CMC FOREVER!" Her two friends declared.
But their little moment had come to an end when Vice Principal Luna popped out from the office's doors.
"Alright girls! You can all come in now!" she said sternly before ducking herself back into the room.
Apple Bloom glance at the office doors for a brief moment before facing her friends with a sad sigh. "Well... Ah guess this is it! Are you sure you girls don't wanna back out?"
Scootaloo scoffed with a smirk. "Do you really need to ask? We're in this together and we will not let you face the music alone!"
Sweetie Belle nodded with a smile. "Yeah, you won't get rid of us that easily!"
Apple Bloom gave each of her friends with her watery smile. "...thank you Sweetie Belle... and Scootaloo!"
They slowly entered Principal's office and headed back to their seats, with Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna waiting for them with unreadable expressions.
"Sorry to keep you waiting girls," Celestia simply stated. "And judging from your expressions, was everything okay with you three?"
"Yeah..." Apple Bloom answered for the group. "We talked it over and... we made up." She then bowed her head slightly in shame. "And we're sorry for causing a scene earlier, it won't happen again."
Her two other friends nodded, agreeing alongside with her.
"Well I'm glad that the three of you reconcile with each other," said Celestia before frowning and narrowing her eyes. "But nonetheless... we have yet to discuss your... punishments."
The girls were scared from their Principal's cold tone, but they said nothing as they silently accepted whatever punishments she has in store for them.
"After hearing what happened from Sunset Shimmer, your sisters, some other students and you three just now about our current situation," Celestia began. "All I can say is... I'm very disappointed in you three... and that's the understatement."
"That's why we have decided that your punishments for your actions are as follows!" Vice Principal Luna added before listing things off with her fingers. "One: we'll have a school assembly later today, which will take place at our school's auditorium. From there, you three will clear the air once and for all that you are Anon-a-Miss and not Sunset! And you will apologize to all the students for your actions!"
The three nodded. They expected that they will have to come clean to the people that they wronged at some point, but they are not looking forward to it.
Especially when they have to deal with the wrath of many angry students afterwards.
"Two!" Luna continued. "Once the assembly is over, we'll have you three to take down that cursed MyStable webpage immediately afterwards, ending Anon-a-Miss for good, so that no one will use it to hurt others on and off our school grounds ever again!"
The three nodded. Again, they expected that they'll be ordered to permanently remove Anon-a-Miss' web page from the Principals once they confessed. Even if they didn't, they were planning to remove that MyStable page anyway since that is what caused all this mess in the first place.
"And finally," Celestia stated. "The biggest punishment of all for the three of you is..."
The three tensed, waiting for their final and worse punishment to them, silently kissing their High School careers goodbye.
"...to have six months of detention... starting after winter break!"
The three blinked once.
Then twice.
Then three times.
The three girls then looked at each other with confused expressions, wondering if they heard it right.
"Wait... that's it?" Apple Bloom spoke up for the group. "That's our punishment? Ah thought it was going to be much worse punishments then dat!"
"Well, your original punishment was getting expelled from our school and then get sent to juvenile," Luna said casually, scaring the young trio before glaring at them. "Would you rather have that?"
"Luna!" Celestia exclaimed.
Luna shrugged. "Just saying!"
Celestia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose before addressing to the girls.
"As Luna said, your punishment was going to be... much worse, but after we spent some time in consideration, we have decided to give you three another chance." Her eyes narrowed. "But make no mistake, you'll be doing much more during your detention than just sitting in the classroom for two hours!"
Celestia eyes set on Sweetie Belle. "For you Sweetie Belle, despite not completely involved with Anon-a-Miss except for your post about your sister's slumber party, you caused a lot of heartbreak between her, her friends and Sunset Shimmer. Therefore, I'll have you spend six months of organizing our record files in our offices and the library that was dated from the beginning of this school's first opening to now."
Sweetie nodded. While not looking forward to spend her time working on endless amount of filing, but she silently accepted her fate as of means to start making up for what she did.
Celestia then turned towards Scootaloo with narrowed eyes. "For you Scootaloo, for spreading other student's secrets and breaking into the gym lockers of our school team, you will spent six months of cleaning the locker room along with our school janitor everyday and you are also banned from your junior soccer team and other sport activities for the rest of the school year!"
Scootaloo grimaced. She enjoyed playing soccer as much as her idol, but having been removed from her team was devastating to her. Not to mention, she'll end up cleaning the whole locker room along side with the Wondercolts players, who will no doubt be furious at her and will probably give her a hard time for a long time. But if it means to show to everyone and her sister-figure that she's sorry, then she'll be able to put up with it.
Celestia then turned towards Apple Bloom and gave her the coldest expression than any of the three girls combined.
"Finally, there was you Apple Bloom," Celestia stated with no trace of warmth from her voice. "For starting this operation and caused a huge mess in our school, as well as harming many innocent students including your sister and Sunset Shimmer... I will have you assist the janitor to clean almost the entire school... including windows, floors and toilets. And since this is winter season, you will also be assisting to shovel the snow off the walk-path and stairs from our front and back entrance every morning except on weekends, and you will help repair any broken appliances around our school, including that window near the library that you all so loved to break in for the past few months!"
Apple Bloom shrunk into her chair with a grimace expression. She figured that she'll get the most punishment for starting this whole thing, but to do all these tough chores during detention and before school started for six months sounded insane. She almost wished that she got expelled from school as punishment instead.
Key word: almost.
But despite these harsh punishments, she was willing to go through with it if it means to get everyone's forgiveness and make up for what she did.
"Additionally," Celestia added as she eyed all three of them. "On your first day of detention, I'll have the three of you to watch a special three-hour documentary movie about cyber bullying! After that, I'll have you all write a two thousand and five hundred to three thousand word essay about what you learned about cyber bullying and why it was wrong to do so.
"And as of right now, you three are banned to use any computers and cell phones on our school grounds unless you have adult supervision for school work only! You three are also banned for all school activities, including your club for the rest of the school year!" She stated, making all the CMC members winced at the thought of not doing their club activities for the rest of the year. Celestia then leaned forward with narrowed eyes. "Any questions?"
With great reluctance and defeat, the three wordlessly shook their heads.
"Good," said Celestia with a nod. "Now while we prepare for the assembly, Vice Principal Luna will take you three to the teachers lounge and you will all wait there until we call you three over to the assembly. Dismissed!"
With their meeting over, Vice Principal Luna walked over to the office door and opened it.
"Let's go girls!" Luna ordered, gesturing them to follow her without any argument.
The CMCs obeyed as they stood up and followed Luna out the door. As Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo walked out if the office, Apple Bloom stayed behind and looked back at her Principal who was busy doing her paperwork.
"Um... Principal Celestia?" Apple Bloom spoke up with some hesitation.
Celestia stopped writing and immediately looked up. "Yes Apple Bloom?"
Apple Bloom shifted her body awkwardly with a nervous expression. "Um... Ah still don't think that we... AH deserved this, but... thank ya for giving us another chance and not expelling us, or... worse."
Celestia stared at the young girl with an unreadable expression. "Don't thank me Apple Bloom. Like I said earlier, Luna and I were originally going to give you three a much worse punishment even when you all first entered my office... until we changed our minds," Before Apple Bloom could ask, Celestia beat her to it. "If you must know, the person you should be thanking for giving you these light sentences... was Sunset Shimmer!"
Apple Bloom's eyes widened in shock. "She... really did that?... fer us!?" She asked quietly. "But... why? We're the ones who ruined her life! Why she stick up for us?"
Celestia was silent for a moment before she let out a sigh. "I'm afraid this is something you should be asking her yourself if you want to know the answer!" Her head then faced down towards her paperwork and resumed writing it again. "Now go with Luna and head to the teacher's lounge and wait until the assembly!"
Realizing that their conversation was over, Apple Bloom made a beeline towards the door and followed the others. As Apple Bloom made her way to the teacher's lounge, she couldn't help but wonder why would someone, who she and her friends hurt so badly, would go out of her way to save them from an even harsher punishment? Apple Bloom have decided right then and there that if she and her friends somehow made it out alive after today, she will go look for Sunset and hopefully get the answers she seek.
But first... she and her friends have the assembly to prepare for.