//------------------------------// // 6- Enkindled // Story: Cold // by NightCoreMoon //------------------------------// /x/x/x/ CHAPTER 6 /x/x/x/ Applejack steps back into the living room and cocks an eyebrow at the commotion in the kitchen. “Dash?” She asks, confusion coloring her voice. “What the hay are you doin’?” Rainbow Dash, who is holding the entire kitchen knife block in one hand, and Applejack’s car keys in the other, just gives her a weird look. “I'm putting these in your car.” She says this as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. “Duh.” Applejack presses her first to her mouth and takes a deep breath. Out of the corner of her eye she can see Pinkie holding the entire silverware drawer. “And you're putting all of Fluttershy’s kitchen utensils into my truck because...?” Pinkie looks down and to the side. “There shouldn't be anything... sharp.” Applejack’s eye twitches. “Can y'all stop bein’ cryptic and be clear for just a second?” “I mean...” Rainbow leans against the wall and sighs. “If Sunset’s here, she shouldn't have access to, well, you know... knives. Or she might... you know.” She draws her hand across the opposite wrist in a cutting motion. “Oh.” Applejack puts her fists on her hips. “Okay, yeah, that makes sense actually.” Rainbow nods and pulls the door open, leaving it wide enough for Pinkie. “But why,” the farmer asks, holding Pinkie back. “Are you taking all the forks and spoons too?” Pinkie hefts the drawer in one hand against her hip, like she would a child or a particularly heavy laundry basket. “Well... if you stick a fork into an electrical outlet you might die.” Applejack facepalms. “And the spoons?” “Because they’re dull, you twit, they’ll hurt more!” She begins to giggle at her own joke, which is lost on both other girls in the room. “Alright, so what about the toaster?” Applejack asks, unamused, crossing her arms. “A digital bath kills you too. What about the blender, what with the sharp bits and all? What about the bleach under the sink? What about the extension cord in the closet, or the string for the blinds? What about the fact we’re on the seventh story and there's a balcony right there over concrete?” She huffs. “If we get rid of every single thing Sunset might conceivably think to kill herself with, it ain't gonna get her mind off anything. It'll just make her feel worse. She already feels like a burden because she can't do stuff herself easy right now cuz of her wrists. This is just gonna make her feel like we don't trust her even with all of us in here!” Pinkie, who had abruptly stopped laughing once the rent began, is nearly in tears at the end of it. “Dude, AJ...” Rainbow slowly closes the door. “I feel like it'd be better if they weren't around, so she doesn't get, uh... Pinks, what's called when something makes you have a panic attack because you remembered the bad thing?” She sniffles and readjusts the drawer to hold its weight on her stomach. “A trigger.” “Yeah, that. That's why I'm moving the knives.” Applejack nods. “The knives makes sense. I get that. But that ain't what I got an issue with. The problem is, is it really necessary to move all the forks and spoons too? Let alone the whole dang drawer?” Pinkie shifts it around before sighing. “No...” Applejack takes the drawer into her own hands. “I know you mean well, Pinkie. I know that you care about Sunset. But we gotta be grounded and reasonable about this, don't you think?” “Yeah...” she sits down on the dining room table. “I guess I wasn't really thinking from her perspective. I'm just doing what I needed when I...” Rainbow wraps a comforting arm around her friend’s shoulders. “You don't gotta talk about that stuff if you don't wanna. It's in the past.” Applejack manages to slip the drawer back into its proper place before furrowing her brows. “What are y’all talkin’ about?” The two exchange glances before Pinkie rests her head on Rainbow. “Look, uh...” Rainbow clears her throat. “Back when you and I weren't on speaking terms, Pinkie kinda had some... what should I call it?” “Issues works, I think.” “Okay. Some issues. Mental health stuff. And she, uh...” “Dashie saved my life.” “Wha?” Rainbow lets out a nervous chuckle. “Don't be dramatic, I just did what any friend would do.” “I had lots of friends, Dashie... you were the only one who did anything for me. Fluttershy and Rarity ignored me, AJ was busy, I wasn't really that close to anyone else... you talked me down.” Rainbow shrugs. “Alright, if you put it that way, yeah. She called me, crying, and I... I went full on mom friend. Turns out she was gonna... you, uh. You wanna tell this part?” “I had a handful of pills and a bottle of my daddy’s whiskey. I was gonna take them. But then I didn't because Dashie told me, you know, the whole ‘if you die then everyone who loves you will miss you’ thing.” Applejack sits next to her on the table. “Why didn't you ever tell me?” She asks, unable to make eye contact. “I would've...” she sighs. “So did you hide your vices so they didn't make you do nothin y'all woulda regretted?” Pinkie nods. “Yeah. Maud helped me a lot. She also made me eat, because I... wasn't eating.” She grabs her stomach with both hands. “I was always a real skinny kid but then when puberty happened and all this came in and people bullied me about it, it was just a lot. Especially when Sunset showed up back when she was evil. That was most of why. I'm better now, a lot better, and I don't feel that way any more. But sometimes I have really bad dreams about when I was still depressed. I can remember how it felt back then, and sometimes it still hurts in memories. Does that make sense?” Applejack reaches for her necklace, fingering the locket holding the photo of her parents. “Yeah. I understand what you mean more. I can see why you were doin’ what you were doin’. But in the future, maybe y’all should ask Fluttershy before dismantling her kitchen, ya know?” Pinkie nods, smiles, and pulls the two in for a hug. “Yeah, that's probably smart. But we’re still gonna move the knives to your car, right?” “Oh yeah, definitely. Knives and cars are the two things Sunset definitely shouldn't be around this weekend.” The three share a dark chuckle that masquerades the unpleasant feeling that had been pervading the room since they'd all arrived. Well, only slightly. Rainbow is the first to pull away. “Well, I'll go ahead and put this away. Be right back. By the way, we should talk about how we’ll handle sleeping tonight as soon as I'm back. See you in a second-” “Don't run!” Applejack and Pinkie both exclaim. “Alright, fine. See you in a minute.” Rainbow pulls the door shut behind her, leaving the two farm-raised teens alone. “Hey, uh...” Applejack coughs awkwardly. “Sorry I wasn't there for you back then.” “Oh, it's okay AJ. You had your reasons. Just like I had my reasons for ignoring you. But it's all in the past now, where it belongs. Where are we gonna sleep?” Applejack shrugs and collapses over the arm of the loveseat. “I could sleep here, you n’ Rainbow could sleep on the couch if it pulls out.” “I can't let you do that,” Pinkie says, crossing her arms. “If the couch pulls out then I'll take the loveseat since I'm shorter than both of you. Also I take up more room.” “Oh, whatever, you ain't that big. Besides, I ain't fixin’ to share with Rainbow Blanket-hoggin’ Dash anyway. And ain't no way she’ll take the loveseat.” Pinkie puts a finger to her lips in thought. “Do you think that all three of us would fit?” Applejack cranes her neck and glances at the couch. “Eh, maybe. Here,” she leans forward and stands up, then steps over to the coffee table. “Let’s move this and figure out what space we got.” The girls take either side, lift, and swing it out of the way. Satisfied that there would still be room to maneuver to the all-important kitchen, they then strip the couch of its cushions before encountering a slight problem. “That ain't a pullout.” Pinkie pulls out a magnifying glass from... somewhere... and begins to thoroughly inspect the piece of furniture. “Hmm... an excellent deduction, mister Watson. My, what a pickle of a predicament if I do say so myself.” “A gotdang bit of an unsatisfactory situation. So now what?” Pinkie taps her chin. “We could sleep in Fluttershy’s parents’ bed if we just change the sheets and pillowcases and stuff, right?” Applejack sighs. “Well, unless there’s any sleeping bags somewhere in the zero storage space, I really don't see much else in the way of choices. Unless we stack up two of us on the couch, or join the sleeping beauties in there.” “I wouldn't mind that. Human blankets are the best blankets.” “Be that as it may, I don't much care for human mattresses. But then again I did say I would take the loveseat anyway. Just depends on what Rainbow wants.” Applejack looks over Pinkie’s shoulder into the hallway. “Sunset?” Pinkie turns and looks at Sunset, who is standing in the middle of the hall. “Sunny?” She asks, taking a slow, cautious step forward. “You okay?” Sunset doesn't respond, or give any indication that she heard. She just continues to stand. Applejack slides past Pinkie and attempts to put a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. She is stopped when Sunset puts her fingers forward onto the wall, staring at nothing. “Suns.” Applejack leans forward into her field of vision. “Anyone home?” “Tomorrow.” She quietly rasps, voice barely audible. She pulls her fingers away and drops her arm to her side again, then clambers down to her knees. She rests her forehead on the wall. “I'll do it... tomorrow.” “Sunset!” Applejack barks, coming down to her level. She shakes her shoulders. “Sunset, wake up!” Sunset gasps and leans back, clambering away. Fear fills her eyes. “Don't... don't hurt me, I didn't do it...” she begins to tremble, and her eyes start to shine. “Suns...” Applejack reaches a hand out, voice gentle. “Suns, I ain't gonna hurtcha. Don't you see where you are? Don't you remember today at all?” Sunset pulls herself into the corner, bracing her back against Fluttershy’s parents’ door. She scrapes her arm against the floor, then hisses and grabs it. She stares at the gauze, and freezes. In a moment she turns her focus back to Applejack. “AJ...” she murmurs. “That was real? You believed me?” “Yeah...” Applejack crawls forward. “Yeah, my sister admitted to makin’ the blog. I came to your apartment. I took you to Fluttershy’s. We had pizza and watched a movie.” Sunset pulls her knees to her chest. “I...” she shudders. “I thought that was a dream...” she glances at the walls around her. “I thought... just now I thought you were... that you came to my apartment and...” she wipes at her eyes. “You really believe me now?” Applejack sits next to her and puts an arm around her shoulder. Her free hand takes Sunset’s in her own. “Yeah. That warn’t a dream. I believe you, Fluttershy believes you, Pinkie n’ Rainbow believe you. Only one who doesn't is Rarity, but she’ll come to her senses soon.” Sunset sobs and leans into her friend’s embrace. “I've had... dreams. Where you took me back. They were so real. But then when I woke up and you were gone, and I was cold and alone, it... it hurt. It hurt so much.” Applejack pulls Sunset’s body in tighter. “I know, sug. But it ain't gonna hurt anymore. You're awake now. I promise you. I ain't lettin’ ya wake up alone again for a long time yet. If it's me or Fluttershy or any of us, we’ll be there for ya. We love you.” Sunset nods. “I love you too... so much.” They sit in silence broken only by Sunset’s weeping. Applejack and Pinkie exchange a knowing glance. They knew that this was only the beginning. There would need to be a lot more than just one day of food and festivities and one night of cuddling to fix their mistake. They exchange resolute nods. They can do it. They have to. /x/x/x/ “Hey Twilight. This is Applejack writing. Sunset says she’s okay, and getting better. She says she’s sorry for worrying you. I made a mistake. We all did. We’ve been terrible friends to Sunset, and we hurt her bad. But I swear to you, I'll do everything in my power I can to right this wrong.” Twilight heaves a heavy sigh. “Well, there's one less thing to stress out about.” The alicorn turns her head and glances over her quill collection. A flash of magenta flows from her horn to the .37 quail, pulls it out, and dips it into the inkwell. She enunciates as she writes. “Sunset, I'm glad to know that you're okay. Things over here have been a bit rough, to say the least, but surely not as hectic as your end must have been over this past month. There is much I wish to discuss with you about so many things, so I am very glad to know that we may resume with our correspondence, and that you are in a much better place. It sets my heart at ease that you're okay now. This next part, I wish you to confer upon Applejack as well as Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie.” She pauses to take a drink of tea and dip her quill before resuming. “I’m quite sure that I don't need to say how severely disappointed I am in all of you for your behavior during this entire Anon-a-Miss incident. I expected much better out of all of you. Not only am I furious on behalf of Sunset herself, but I feel incredibly betrayed and devalued considering just how much magical energy I spent harnessing the powers of the Elements of Harmony, especially considering I put the care of Sunset’s reformation into your hooves.” She pauses for a second, then scratches that last word out. “Hands. Now, from what Sunset has told me, you have all gone above and beyond the call of duty and the magic of friendship since I left you, for which I am eternally proud and grateful. Do not mistake this for chastisement, as I am glad to call all six of you my friends. I am merely shocked and upset over this recent development. Still, mistakes are made by everypony, myself included, and I do forgive all of you, especially considering all of the extenuating circumstances. I know that you're all strong and capable enough to recover from this momentary lapse in judgment and come out the other end stronger friends and ponies because of it.” She sighs and scribbles out ‘ponies’, writing ‘people’ below it. “I sincerely wish you all the best, and hope that the trials and tribulations of high school don't become too much to bear. These years are the best and most important of your lives, and though I wish I could join you during them, I have my own place here in Equestria, with my own responsibilities as Princess. I love you all. Twilight Sparkle... oh, and PS, please give Flash my regards.” She nods and sets the quill back in its place, before sighing. “Why did I say that last part...” she covers her head with her hooves. “Stupid... uuuuggghh.” She fruitlessly blows on the ink before closing the book. The morning sun shines a perfect square, framing the design of Celestia’s cutie mark perfectly. She steps away from her writing desk and surveys the room with a frown. “This... isn't right.” She sighs, clacking her hoof against the crystal floor. “I miss Golden Oaks...” A knock at her bedroom door calls her attention. “Spike?” She asks. “It's open.” The wooden slab swings inward, followed by the small dragon. “Hey Twilight, you ready?” He asks. “You know, for the whole, let’s talk about why the tree made the castle thing you've gone over every day for the past week?” He chuckles at his oldest friend’s expression. “Why yes, Spike,” Twilight replies, eye twitching. “I am ready to perform my duty as Princess.” “Heh heh... you said duty.” In spite of herself, Twilight chuckles. “Yeah... I did. Now come on, head down to the throne room and wait for me. I'll wait for the girls at the front doors and we’ll try to figure some stuff out. Now, uh, don't fall asleep like you did yesterday.” “Don't ask me to make promises I can't keep.” Twilight smirks. “Duly noted.” “So uh...” he crosses his arms as they walk. “I kinda heard you talking. You journaling to Sunset?” Twilight nods. “Yes, she finally responded to me. Well, Applejack did. The human Applejack.” “Of course.” “She says that Sunset’s better now.” “Oh, good,” Spike yawns. “Glad to hear that. I've missed her. And Rarity. She gave really good ear scratches. Do you think you can teach Rarity a spell to focus her magic like a hand?” Twilight shoots him a mischievous glance. “Maybe I'll teach her to focus it into a palm and smack you when you're being silly.” He gasps. “You wouldn't dare!” “I would!” He yawns again. “Yeah, you probably would... how many moons away are we? “Hm. About twelve? I think... that's weird.” “What's weird?” Twilight stops in her tracks. “It's... winter. Hm.” She puts her hoof to her mouth. “For some reason this feels wrong. I haven't been there for a year but it seems like she and I have only been talking for a few weeks.” “Why’s that?” Twilight sighs and puts her hoof back down. “I don't know. I'll have to chat with Sunset soon and get the time differentials between Equestria and Terra. There might be interdimensional quantum transmutation forces at work. And if that's the case, judging by my research on Star Swirl the Bearded, the Sirens, the Mirror, and Limbo, there’s a very big chance that three unpleasant visitors will show up in Terra very soo- oh come on.” Spike, who had fallen asleep in place, interrupts her rambling with a very loud snore. “You, sir, stayed up past your bedtime last night!” she levitates him onto her back as she ambles her way to throne room. “Oh well. First, figure out this castle. Second, read up on the Sirens. And third, talk to Sunset as soon as she responds.” /x/x/x/ Applebloom gazes wistfully out the window from beneath her nest of blankets. The door creaks open from behind her. “...granny?” She asks. “Nope.” The young girl turns over to see her big brother striding into her room, a plate in one hand and a glass in the other. “Mac?” Macintosh, or Big Mac as his family calls him, sets the glass down on the nightstand, and sits down on the edge of the bed. He hands her the plate, and sits in silence. Applebloom sighs. “Thanks.” “I put it in the microwave so ya didn't have to eat it cold.” He turns back and looks at her out of the corner of his eye. “I'm sure the guilt you feel right now is worse than any punishment any of us can give ya. An’, uh, I wouldn't feel right if I sent you to bed without supper.” She nods. “I appreciate that...” she makes no move towards the fork and knife in the middle of the plate. “Even though I don't deserve supper.” “Ain't nobody deserves to starve.” Mac puts his hands on his knees. “Even if Sunset Shimmer at her worst came to our house, ain't havin’ eaten in days, I’d still feed her. Maybe it wouldn't taste like the best thing in the world, but she’d have a full belly. Plus I kinda spent a long time cookin’ and didn't want it to go to waste. We don't get to spend nights as a family too often what with my work and y'all’s school and granny’s goin to bed at four in the afternoon.” “Yeah... I kinda messed that up, didn't I?” He shakes his head. “Actually, that's kinda what I wanted to talk to ya about. Now, don't get me wrong, makin’ that blog was a downright awful thing to do. Sunset Shimmer did enough bad things to last a dozen lifetimes, but she’s doin’ her best to atone for ‘em. And the fact that it got so outta hand, well... I know it warn’t just you doin’ it.” He turns to face his sister, crossing his legs on the bed. “I can't express my disappointment enough that you'd be complicit in sharin’ everyone in the whole school’s secrets, even if your friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were in on it too. Don't look so shocked, there ain't nothin’ any of you do that the others don't also do.” “I guess that makes sense...” Applebloom picks up the fork and pokes at her mashed potatoes. “We’ve always had each other’s back even when we knew it was a bad idea. Because ain't nobody else would. You n’ AJ n’ Granny always had your hands full with the farm after ma n’ pa passed so when I met Sweets n’ Scoots it was like a breath of fresh air.” Mac nods. “The three of you have always been ride or die. Y'all keep each others’ secrets better than y'all keep your own. Which is why... I'm proud of you.” Applebloom drops the fork. “You're what?” He lets out a dry chuckle. “Now let me explain. I know that it's easy to justify your actions. Sunset was a bully, and she got let off too easy. She took your sister away from you when you ain't had enough time with her already. That's all well and good until you see the consequences of your actions. And, you say that this afternoon you saw that Sunset’s hurtin’ enough to try an’ off herself? You came clean in record time. You ain't been home an hour before y'all told us what happened. Any later than that, it might’ve been too late, ‘specially judgin’ by what seems to be a mess and a half. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle lyin’ to try an’ cover their butts, tryin’ to get you in on the lyin’. Out of all the different ways you coulda handled this situation, you've done it in as responsible and mature a manner you could given the context.” Applebloom wrings her hands together. “But... I hurt Sunset in the first place.” “Yup. You messed up big time. And, uh, you can bet you'll be grounded for a long time. You really hurt Sunset bad through your deceit. But with that bein’ said, you're barely twelve. If I was held accountable for all the dumb stuff I did when I was your age, I might even be in prison right now. And that's all that this was, is a dumb decision. But once you saw that it was a dumb and harmful decision, you came to us and came clean. And because of that, Applejack is over there with Sunset. You've made the first step on a long, long journey of penance and atonement. And every journey starts with a first step. The fact that you made the step, well... it means that I raised you as right as I could alongside Granny n’ our sister. It means I know that ma and pa are lookin’ down on us from the stars an’ smilin’.” “You... you really think so?” Mac nods. “I know so. Because of you tellin’ us what’s what when you did, you may even have saved Sunset’s life. Regardless of the severe, severe consequences- of which there will be many- you confessed your involvement with the lie. I can respect that.” He sighs. “However, we got a little bit of a problem.” “What kinda problem?” “Well...” he coughs. “Now, this is gonna sound heartless. But you’re also responsible for your friends’ actions from this point on. Since you made the blog, this is your beast to tame. Which means that anything Anon-a-Miss does or says or posts is your responsibility. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo ain't liable to come clean about their side of things any time soon on your own. Which is why...” he pulls her phone out of his pocket and sets it on her bed. “I ain't groundin’ ya from your phone. You'll need it to fix this mess.” “But how?” He purses his lips, as Applebloom makes the realization. “I... I gotta rat ‘em out?” Mac nods. “If you can't convince ‘em to come clean themselves, yeah. You are, as of this moment, grounded for one month plus however long it takes for Sunset to be absolved of all blame for this whole silly blog business. That means no TV, no video games, no havin’ friends over, no goin’ anywhere but here n’ school, no dessert, no readin’ books. An’ if it takes any longer than one week, no door either. I'll also be monitoring your internet usage. If you do anything but homework, comin’ clean on MyStable, or talkin’ to Sweetie n’ Scootaloo about this ultimatum, it’s two months. You got me?” She sighs, slumping back into her pillows. “Yeah... I got you. It sucks but it's fair. What I did was pretty lousy.” He pats her knee. “Good. I'm glad we see eye to eye on this. Just let me know if you need me to drive you to Rarity’s so you can have a face to face conversation. Otherwise, you know what you can and can't do.” He stands and heads to the door. “Bloom. I love you.” “Love you too, Big Mac.” He nods and pulls the door shut behind him, leaving his sister alone with her thoughts, the moonlight, and the scintillating aroma of a steak dinner. She grunts. “Stupid blog...” /x/x/x/ Scootaloo grunts. “Stupid blog!” She struggles with her phone. “It keeps signing me out! Are you signed in on yours?” Sweetie Belle is also fiddling with a phone. “No, I’m signed into my own MyStable account. I don't see why you're having trouble getting in because Anon-a-Miss looks fine from my perspective.” Scootaloo grits her teeth. “This is dumb, I just need to access the messages and drafts.” A knock at the door causes the two to exchange panicked glances, and their thumbs go flying. “May I come in?” Rarity asks, voice calm. “Uh... sure.” Belle pulls her knees to her chest and points her phone screen away from the door. Rarity steps inside and gently closes the door behind her. “What's up?” Scootaloo asks. Rarity slowly steps over to the bed and sits down on the corner. “You girls know that I trust you, right?” They nod, piecing together where the conversation was surely heading. Rarity sighs. “Here's what I know. Sweetie Belle, you texted Applebloom. Big Macintosh- who is an impartial party who I trust as he is untouchable by Sunset’s influence- informed us that the contents of that text message were coded and sounded roughly like informing Applebloom on the state of whatever lie the three of you are concocting. You then lied to me about doing so. And then, on top of all that, Applebloom failed to corroborate the allegation that she was threatened to stop being friends with you.” She turns on the bed to face them. “Again, I trust you. But I must know the whole truth. I need to know what Sunset told you to do, and what she has threatened, blackmailed, extorted, or bribed you with. And I swear that whatever is said in this room will stay in this room. I'm sacrificing so much to guarantee your safety, but I need your absolute honesty.” The girls are silent for a moment. Eventually, Scootaloo clears her throat. “Like I said before,” she begins, cracking her knuckles. “Sunset started following me around town recently-” “How recently?” “Uh... like two or three weeks ago. I don't remember the exact dates, they've all kinda blurred together.” “Right.” Rarity nods. “I know that the passage of time comes... difficult to you. Continue.” “So she hasn't, you know... done or said anything directly to me. You know, if what Pinkie said was the about the wifi maybe she ghostwrote through Applebloom or something, to deflect blame? And then made her lie about jumping in front of the car?” Rarity shakes her head. “No, no, she did jump in front of a car, so Flash said... hm.” She reaches into her collar and pulls her phone presumably from her bra. “I wonder, though, if Flash saw Applebloom as well. Or, better yet, if Sunset is also blackmailing Flash into saying that he saw that happen.” As she types, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle have a quick silent conversation that mostly consist of wide eyes and light head movements. “Okay, I asked Flash if he saw Bloom. I'll hold off on the second question in case Sunset has him sending screenshots. I don't want her to know that I'm on her scent. Anyway, Sweetie Belle. Has she done or said anything to you at all?” She nods. “No. Last time I talked to her was before this whole thing happened.” “Ah. Then this conversation is utterly pointless in regards to gathering intel. However, I'm glad to know that you two are safe. Still, I am relatively worried about Applebloom, as I’m sure you all are as well. Clearly she’s being threatened with something, as that's the only rational explanation for her actions...” she frowns. “Hold on. That can't be true. If that were true then you wouldn't be clueing in Applebloom on whatever lie that you're all involved with. I told you I need you to be open and honest with me. I can't help you if you don't let me know.” “She threatened you, not us!” Scootaloo quickly interjects. Rarity cocks her head to the side. “Okay, now that I can believe. So she’s threatening me with what, exactly?” “Your...” Scootaloo clears her throat. “Your more... unsavory photos. She said that if the three of us don't take the fall for the blog then she’ll post them. I'm not sure if she was bluffing or not.” “I don't think she was,” Sweetie Belle chimes in. “If she got the underwear pictures then who knows what else she has access to?” Rarity stands up and takes a deep breath. “It was absolutely a bluff. I have not ever taken a nude photograph of myself with any device. Now she has nothing on either of you. Correct?” They share a nervous glance. “Yeah...” Scootaloo leans back into the pillows and heaves a faux relieved sigh. “Wow, that's a real load off.” Rarity nods again, before whirling on her sister. “Then why, pray tell, did you tell Applebloom to tell us that Sunset threatened her? In fact, why were you texting her anyway? What would you have to gain from telling her to lie?” “Uh...” Sweetie Belle looks over at Scootaloo, who had frozen in place. “Um...” she fidgets heavily, and feels her armpits grow moist. “She... I...” “I'm a lesbian.” Scootaloo whispers, leaning forward. “Sunset threatened to out me if we didn't tell-” “No she didn't.” Rarity seethes. “When I took her to buy clothes we talked about sexuality. Sunset told me she's bisexual. She's an evil bitch but she isn't a bigot.” “Yes she did!” Scootaloo argues. “All this talk about Sunset lying and manipulating and you believed her when she says she's gay? Even though out of all the people at CHS she could've dated, she chose Flash Sentry? Don't tell me that I'm a LIAR!” Tears stream down her face as she yells. “She said she’d tell my dad if one of us didn't take the fall once she got caught! But the lie changed when Sunset fake tried to kill herself in front of Flash, which she obviously did so there would be a witness you would trust, and that's why Sweetie Belle texted her while I distracted you guys by lying about her following me around town!” She presses her palms into her eyes, and wipes away the offending moisture. “She was gonna tell my dad, your parents, everyone at school... I had to do something-” She is interrupted by Rarity hugging her. “I'm so sorry dear... I had no idea.” Rarity pulls her tight. “That explains so much about this whole mess... that explains everything.” She pulls back and locks eyes with the crying girl. “I understand. And I accept you. Your secret is safe with me, okay?” Scootaloo nods. “O... okay... I’m sorry I lied.” “No, don't be sorry for that. You were in a scary and dangerous situation. With your father being the way he is about gay people, and my parents as well, you didn't really have much choice.” Sweetie Belle crawls over and takes Scootaloo’s hand. “Is that why you told me that Sunset threatened Applebloom? So I wouldn't find out you were gay?” Scootaloo nods, screwing her eyes closed. “I was scared it would mess up our friendship.” The three girls group hug. “I could never judge you for that, Scoots...” the two girls wink with the eyes facing away from Rarity. Rarity then leans back and looks over her two sisters, both the one in blood and the one in spirit. “I swear, I will ensure justice is brought to Sunset. You have my word. I won't stop until everyone knows the vile, sadistic, and depraved monster behind Anon-a-Miss.” she claps their shoulders. “It's been a long night, and it's getting very late... I'm going to bed. And don't worry, we’ll talk about this more in the morning, okay?” The two younger girls nod. “Very well then. I'm sorry I was so rough with the both of you. But I'm sure you can understand why?” “Yeah...” Scootaloo sniffles. “Especially because your friends abandoned you for that... that bitch. I don't hold it against you... you're sure you're okay? With me being, you know...” “As I said before,” Rarity soothes. “I accepted Sunset when she told me she was bi. Sexuality doesn't bother me in the slightest. If Fluttershy, or Applejack, or even Rainbow Dash turned out to be gay, I would accept them too, and I'd still love them just the same as if they were straight. Just, you know... don't date my sister.” She winks. “Ha, as if. Anyway, good night, girls.” And with that, she leaves the room, closing the door behind her. The girls wait an entire minute in complete silence, before Scootaloo cracks a huge smile. “Oh my Faust that was amazing!” Her body shakes as she noiselessly cackles. She whispers between chest shakes. “That was priceless! Did you see that? Hook line and sinker! This is perfect! Now, it doesn't matter what Applebloom says, and you don't gotta come up with any more lies. This is just- OMG!” Sweetie Belle snakes her hand over that of her paramour. “Well, you just outed yourself. Are you sure you're okay?” “Okay? Psh, I’m better than okay! We've got an out with Rarity! Plus, now we can use Sunset’s bisexuality against her. We just gotta figure out who else she told, and then BOOM we've got the perfect weapon to keep her under control.” Sweetie frowns at this. “Wait, you're gonna out Sunset?” “No,” Scootaloo waves her off. “I’m not actually gonna out her. I wouldn't do that. But she doesn't know that. I mean, think about it. She knows that I'm gonna lie my ass off and say she stalks me into dark alleys. That's a criminal charge. She knows, or at least thinks she knows that I won't stop at any walls to bring her down. What’s to stop her from thinking I'd out her? No, the threat is way more juicy and priceless than the actual act itself. It's literally the perfect crime.” Sweetie continues to frown. “I don't know... this is getting into territory I don't think I'm comfortable with now. Isn't it enough to make everyone know she's still evil? It just seems... cruel.” “Cruel?” Scootaloo puts her arms behind her head. “To Sunset? Come on. How many people do you think she used their sexuality as blackmail before? It's just a taste of her own medicine. If she didn't wanna drink it then she wouldn't have made all of us drink it.” Sweetie Belle sighs and leans back as well. “Well what if... what if she told the truth to Rarity, and she really is bi, and she wouldn't actually have done that?” Scootaloo shrugs. “Eh. She did plenty of other bad stuff to make up for it. Remember that time that she had Snips plant weed in Rainbow Dash’s locker? Rain almost got expelled for it. That would've completely ruined her life, way beyond a little bit of teasing over being gay.” Sweetie Belle wrings her hands together, but reluctantly nods. “Okay...” she pulls the covers out from under her body and slides into bed. “I’m sure you're right...” “Yeah, I’m sure too. G’night.” As Scootaloo leans over to turn the lamp off, Sweetie Belle gazes off out the window into the stars. She purses her lips, and tries to push down the gnawing, wriggling sensation in her stomach. “Scoots...” she silently muses to herself. “What are we getting ourselves into?” /x/x/x/ Princess Luna gallops through the hallways of her dreamscape, countless doors rushing by on either side. “Where was it!?” She cries, panic fueling her voice and adrenaline fueling her limbs. “It was right here!” Eventually her hooffalls stop and she skids to a halt in front of an empty part of wall where a door should be. She clops a hoof against the empty space, panting heavily. She wipes the sweat off her brow with a navy blue wing. “Celestia...” she taps her horn against the wall. “You were here. You were just here, I swear I felt it...” she opens her eyes and glares at the wall. She punches it with a hoof. “Who are you?” She asks the emptiness. “Who are you that you dream of my sister?” A white hoof lays itself upon Luna’s shoulder. She follows it to its owner, to her sister standing in regal white. “Luna...” she greets. “It's nearly midday.” “Celly...” Luna turns back to glare at the not-door. “Somepony beyond Limbo dreamt of you. I fear it may be a great danger to this world beyond that of my ability to perceive or comprehend.” “Luna, please...” Celestia sighs. “You must rest. Also you’re sleeptrotting. Your body is in the middle of the throne room.” “I cannot rest when you may be in danger, sister...” Luna presses her hoofs to where the knob should have been. “I cannot focus on the tantabus when this mystery is abound.” “It is no mystery, Luna. I...” Celestia nuzzles her sister. “It's Sunset Shimmer. This is where her door was when she still lived in Equestria. Many moons ago, long before you returned to me, I would catch fleeting glimpses of my presence, small flecks of dream magic calling my name. It was a bittersweet reminder that sometimes she remembered me just as I remember her every single day. I am not in danger by any stretch of the imagination, nor is Equestria.” Luna nods, somberly. “I understand... but... were they always nightmares?” Celestia pulls back. “Nightmares?” “That's a no then.” Celestia places a hoof on the wall. “Sunset...” she sighs. “Have I really become the product of your bad dreams?” Suddenly a spark appears from where her hoof made contact. It glows white, pink, green, blue. It matches the shades of Celestia’s mane. It then flashes scarlet and cadmium yellow, before fading out entirely. “Sister...” Luna returns the earlier nuzzle. “If what you say is true, which I believe it to be, then surely the nightmare didn't feature you, but rather the guilt and regret of leaving you in the state she did.” Celestia rests her head on her sister’s. “Perhaps. In any case I trust she is doing well in the capable hands of her newfound friends.” Luna blinks. “Hands?” Celestia chuckles. “Perhaps I'll explain that to you in due time.” Her expression then turns serious. “Now GO TO BED.” Luna sighs in only the way that a younger sister could. “Fiiiiiine...” /x/x/x/ Applejack cradles the back-asleep Sunset in her arms, as she waits for Rainbow Dash to unmake the bed. Rainbow carefully moves around Fluttershy so as not to wake her. Eventually the path is clear, and Applejack slides her way under the sheets. “You guys are a sandwich...” Pinkie whispers, giggling. “Yeah, yeah...” Applejack maneuvers herself so Sunset lays comfortably between her friends. “And hey, Dash, sorry again about your shin.” “Well you should be,” Rainbow mutters, eyeing the dark purple splotch on her leg. “Why did you put the coffee table right in front of the door?” “Sorry I didn't think y'all wouldn’t walk slow like a normal person.” Rainbow offers a rude hand gesture and stuck-out tongue in response. “Okay that ain't fair,” Applejack replies, silently huffing. “My hands are both occupied.” Sunset stirs, and everyone freezes before a gentle smile crosses her face. “Awww...” Pinkie murmurs, putting her hands against her cheeks. “So cuuuute~” “Eh.” Rainbow shrugs. “I've seen cuter.” “Will you two varmints get out?” Applejack whispers urgently. “Don't wake Fluttershy or Sunset!” “Alright, alright,” Rainbow placates, holding her palms out. “Hold your horses.” Pinkie snickers. “She literally is holding her horse.” AJ and Dash share a groan. /x/x/x/