Sunset sniffled as the last of her tears faded away. Just because she stopped crying didn't take away the pain. It didn't take away the bile that still brewed in her stomach. She still laid in her bed. Curled up into a fetal position. After Quick's threat, she immediately drove home. Not just because she was scared of Quick acting on his threat. She knew if she stayed in school for the rest of the day, she would've broken down. She didn't have the courage to tell her friends goodbye.

On some level, she knew she had it coming. On some level, she knew something like this would happen. Someone would brutally take revenge on her for everything she did. In some ways, it was poetic. She blackmailed others with their dirty laundry, and now someone was using her dirty laundry against her.

But is still wasn't fair. She made amends, she made friends, she got something of a boyfriend. And now it was all gone. Some short monster had ripped them away out of nothing but spite. Was this her punishment? Was this what the Elements of Harmony wanted to do? Force her to make friends only to rip them away to make her see the pain she caused other people? Was this part of her lesson?

She didn't know. She could never know. Maybe it was meant to be. Maybe CHS was too good for her. Maybe...

This was just one big mistake. Sunset got up from her bed and saw a familiar face at the door.

The Demon. Sunset wondered what the malevolent creature would think of her now. Her dreams shattered. Her dreams destroyed. The lowest point of her life since her defeat at the Fall Formal. She imagined the Demon would look at her with scorn, mockery, contempt, or a mixture of all three. But there was none of it on her. Not even a hint of meanness. Instead the Demon looked at her with honest sorrow. Like an older sister trying to comfort the youngest.

"I'm sorry, Sunny," The Demon said. Sunset didn't respond. "Sometimes...it hurts to be right." Sunset narrowed her eyes. "Sunny, I am a part of you. I don't like you seeing you fail. I don't like you seeing you get hurt. I wish you didn't have to go through this," The Demon paused, letting a tear fall down her face, " but I guess you had to learn the hard way. Learn that love and tolerance are just...words. They don't matter. They aren't real. The only thing that matters is power." After a long pause, Sunset let out a sigh.

"You're right," Sunset said bitterly. "I tried and I tried. But, nothing worked."

"Then you know what to do," The Demon said with honest joy. "Come back to me Sunny." She raised her arms with a smile, wanting to pull Sunny into a hug. "Do what you know is right." With some trepidation, Sunset slowly, but surely, walked toward the Demon. The Demon was patient, not commenting on Sunset's reluctance. But within a few moments, Sunset was embracing the Demon like she was family.

"There we go," The Demon said, a tear of joy running down her face. "That's a good girl." The Demon patted Sunset on her back, filling her with honest love. "See how great it feels."

"Here is what I want you to do," The Demon said. "Think about what you wanted. Power."

"Don't worry," The Demon said in a reassuring voice. "It is not gonna hurt. As long as you remember what matters."

Sunset began to remember. Being denied love, being denied what she deserved, being treated as a pawn by a bunch of lazy nobles, being treated like a tool by a so-called Princess, ending up a nobody in some pathetic human world. All those little worms who ignored her greatness. All those little maggots who denied her the greatness she EARNED. And now this new freak was GONNA blackmail HER. SHE wasn't gonna kill him. She was gonna DESTROY him. She was gonna make him WISH for death.

Her claws grew. Her fangs grew. Her skin turned red. Wings grew out of the back of her shirt. She glanced toward in the mirror at her half-transformed state.

"Yes," the Demon said happily, while still hugging her. "Yes. More. More. Don't stop."

This world was HERS. These HUMANS were pathetic. These HUMANS were weak. They had all this power. All this tech. Yet they still believed in fake gods and superstitions. THEY needed someone to unite them. Someone to LEAD them to greatness.

"Good," The Demon said, her smile becoming slightly vicious. "Now you need to remove the last weight tying you down. The idiots who dared to bring your hopes up."

Yes. She would forget them. THEY caused this. They robbed her of her power. They wanted this all along. They planned to make her WEAK. They planned to make it so ANYONE could mess with them. Why did she care about them anyway. WHAT good were-

One girl had demanded honesty and proof. In exchange, she had offered not only friendship but a new path.

One girl wanted nothing to bring laughter and joy to the world. She had offered this free of charge.

Pinkie Pie happily gave a cake to Sunset, and offered her nice red-yellow party hat.

One girl sought to make the world, and not just herself, as beautiful as she felt it should be.

Rarity offered Sunset a new dress, and happily shared with her a gourmet salad.

Fluttershy helped Sunset up, and offered love and kindness to a fearsome guard dog

One girl believed in loyalty. She may have not yet opened her heart to Sunset, but she never lost her loyalty to those she did care about.

Rainbow hugged Applejack to apologize for her behavior. Rainbow offered Sunset a way to make amends to the track team.

The smiling image of her friends appeared before her instead. It began to fade away. Sunset opened her eyes, and realized what was happening.

"NO!" Sunset screamed. In a burst of white light, she blew the demon away. In an instant, her transformation had reversed, and she was back to her old self. The Demon laid sprawled on the ground, in shock.

"No," Sunset said. "I said it before, and I'll say it again. I will never become you. Never-,"

"YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE SLUT!" The Demon bellowed, pulling herself from the ground. "DON'T YOU GET IT! ITS ALL OVER. YOU HAVE NOTHING-,"

"The lessons I've learned, the fun things I've done," Sunset said, her voice as sage as a being hundreds of years older. "Your right. I've lost my chances at being at CHS. That's over. But as long as I remember what my friends taught me, I can never be alone."

"If Applejack could trust me," Sunset said. ,"then someone else out there could. If Twinkle could open up to me, then someone else out there could. There are always fish in the sea."

"When are you gonna get it through your skull?!" The Demon roared. "Applejack wants your money! Twinkle just wants a slut!"

"I've heard enough from you," Sunset said, her voice proving she regarded the Demon has nothing but dirt on her shoe. Sunset was once again surrounded by a white light.

"No," The Demon yelled. Her voice went from angry to desperate. "You need me! I'm your best pal!"

"You controlled me! You made me your puppet!" Sunset said. "But you can't control me anymore." Sunset channeled the white light and obliterated the demon, who let out one last, angry scream.

Sunset began looking at her laptop, searching for a new home. But every time she tried to look for new places, she found herself hesitating. While it was still painful that her time at CHS was at an end, she accepted it. Despite her phone ringing nonstop with voice messages, she chose to ignore him. Letting them forget her was the selfless thing to do. She tried to think of the new friends she would make to make the pain go away. She tried to imagine the new things she could try. But she still kept hesitating every time she saw an apartment up for rent.

When she first came to this world, she saw it as little more than a place she could hide out. She had chosen it because it was cheap and in a decent neighborhood. But she resented the obscurity it represented. She never bothered to decorate it, imagining she would one day own Canterlot Castle.

But, now she enjoyed the small size and utility of it. It was easy to clean, easy to organize, and the neighborhood had everything, from stores to proximity to the school. She dreaded finding a place as good. She heard a knock at the door.

She closed her laptop and wandered over to the door. She opened it, and was unsurprised to find a Canterlot Police Officer. He was a tan-skinned man with blue hair. She let out an annoyed sigh. Apparently Quick hadn't kept up the bargain. She should've felt angry, but she only felt disappointment. Maybe her own betrayals made her accept someone betraying her.

"Miss Shimmer," the officer said in a neutral tone. "Your presence in needed at Canterlot High School."

"Miss Shimmer," the officer said in a serious tone, "your teachers and the Canterlot PD insist it is urgent."

"What lease?" The man said in confusion. Sunset also stared at the man in confusion as well. Quick didn't tell them.

"I don't know," the officer said. "All I know is that they need you there immediately." Sunset stood at the door with some hesitation. With a sigh, she decided to join the man to see what was going on.

Sunset sat in the police car, her mind going over several scenarios in her head.

Or, in the best case scenario, could they have caught Quick, he tried to blackmail her, and his evidence was not seen as credible.

Anyways, she would cross the bridge when she came to it. When the car pulled into the parking lot, she slowly got out. Sunset was escorted down the hall.

As soon as she stepped into the school, something was wrong. Everyone stopped what they were doing and began staring at her. It was like the first day of school after her suspension all over again. Only instead of the pure hatred others stared at her with, they were staring at her with a mixture of trepidation and fear. Sunset's mind fell into a blank. Why were they staring at her like that? What had she done? Did they find out what Quick did and were looking at her with sympathy?

As she walked closer and closer to the principal's office, the anxiety in everyone's eyes grew greater and greater. Sunset felt an urge to turn around, as she dreaded what was going to happen. The only thing that kept from doing that was the officer escorting her, who could potentially turn her around.

When she came to Luna's office, her confusion only grew. The glass window in front of it had been smashed in. In her office, she saw Snips, Snails, Vice Principal Luna, and Officer Garda waiting for her. Her two former thugs were sitting down in confusion, while Luna sat in front her desk, while Officer Garda stood to the side.

"Sunset, sit down," Vice Principal Luna said. Sunset was alarmed by the fear that radiated in the woman's voice. With a sigh, she pulled a chair from a nearby table and sat down. She looked around with shock, seeing the office completely trashed. Luna had her left eye covered by her hair.

"Sunset, Snips, Snails," the blue-woman said. "I need you three to tell me that you didn't plant a bloody knife in a girl's locker." The three of them were confused by the question, but then their jaws dropped as they remembered a not so pleasant memory.

Muharib smiled. It was her first week of school, and the green-colored girl found herself with new friends. Upper class students too. Eating with them too.

"So Muharib," Bon Bon asked, "who would win a fight: Diamond Princess or Daring Do?"

"Daring Do," Muharib said with a voice that indicated certainty, "Diamond Princess relies too much on magic. Daring Do has her wits and muscles."

"But Bonnie," Lyra said. "We all know that Diamond Princess has the Magic of Justice on her side."

"I'm taking about pure fighting skill," Muharib said. "Diamond Princess relies too much on magic, but Daring Do relies on her own talents to save the day."

"You have automatically become my favorite person," Bon Bon said jokingly to the new freshman.

"Excuse me," a female voice said. Everyone turned around and saw the school's peppy member of the school newspaper approaching them.

"Um," Sunset stammered. "I wanted to ask you some questions about fitness. You seemed quite tough for a girl your age." Muharib smiled, liking the compliment given to her ego.

"Sure," the green-skinned girl said with a smile. She got up, and turned to Lyra and Bon Bon. "Catch you bitches later." The two girls snorted and waved at her as she walked out of the cafeteria.

"Well, I felt the questions were a bit personal," Muharib said idly. "Like how you spend your weekends, or had any boyfriends."

"No," Sunset said with a toothy smile. "But it would help me get to know you."

"I don't feel comfortable sharing my info with a complete stranger," Muharib said with a frown.

"I just got here," Muharib said with some annoyance. "You said you wanted to ask questions about my workout-,"

"Look, just please fill out the sheet," Sunset said. Muharib was taken aback. The smile seemed forced, and underneath the 'please' was a serious edge.

"No," Muharib said in a firmer tone. "I don't feel comfortable sharing my life with someone I just met." Muharib tried to leave, only for Sunset to block her. Her face was that of someone trying to control their temper.

"It would make things easier for me-I mean, make your life easier if you just-,"

"Get out of my way!" Muharib yelled, shoving the yellow-skinned girl out of the way. "I don't want to fill out your stupid questionnaire!" Muharib stormed away in frustration, leaving behind a shaken and angry Sunset.

"That girl is the first one to dodge my games before I had them under my thumb," Sunset mused in the library angrily, squeezing her notebook over her wounded pride. "I can't have that. She's too big a risk. She's got to go."

"Snips," the rotund blue kid said, pulling out a plastic bag. "I got you a cookie"

"Really," Muharib said, gushing at the pastry. "Thank you. That is so sweet," the girl said. She took the bag and at the cookie.

"I'll throw that out for you," Snips said, taking the plastic bag. Snips smiled as she saw the plastic bag had Muharib's fingerprints.

Muharib was walking with Bon Bon and Lyra when she saw some police officer going through her locker.

"Do these look familiar to you," the man said, pulling out a very sharp knife with blood running down the side. Muharib was confused, while Lyra and Bon Bon looked horrified.

"I had to idea how that got in there," Muharib said fearfully. The officer suddenly took out some fingerprint powder. "Please extend your fingers." With trepidation, Muharib did. Her fingers were coated. Muharib's discomfort grew as everyone began watching.

"I got a call about a stabbing", the officer said stoically. "Your fingerprints match the one on this knife."

"I swear I never met this kid before," Muharib said fearfully while sitting in the vice-principal's office.

"That's the girl who stabbed me," Snails said, showing off the wound on his right bicep. "I was just walking up to her, and she-," he let out a small tear. "Called me freak and tried to kill me."

"Ms. Muharib," Luna said. "If you just confessed to why you did it, we can get you the help-"

"The evidence points in your direction," Luna said. "I'll have no choice but to expel you."

"Expel me," Muharib said. Before she knew it, some guard was escorting her out, ignoring her pleas that she didn't do anything.

"I'm sorry Snails," Luna said to the yellow skinned boy, before pulling him into a comforting hug.

"Don't worry," Snails said. "I know you didn't do it," he finished with a smirk, watching the girl be dragged out.

Canterlot High Gazette

Knife wielding maniac expelled from school

Written by Featherweight. Edited by Sunset Shimmer

"The students of Canterlot High were terrorized by Muharib Ababi, 13, a young freshman who was soon to revealed to be a closest sadist who expressed her joy by stabbing Snails Crawler, an innocent bystander.

" 'I thought she was nice' " Bon Bon, a young student of 14 who knew said, " 'But I always knew there was something off about her.' "

"So you really did frame someone for stabbing," Luna said, glaring with icy fury at all three of them. The three sat silently in their chairs.

"I just," Sunset said with a sheepish smile,"...wanted. .to...be Fall Formal princess."

"And you two," Officer Garda said to Snips and Snails. "What reason did you have for going along with...this?"

"Um," Snips said, "...it..was...funny." With those words, the tension in the room grew.

"Look," Sunset said with a nervous smile. "Now that you know the truth, you can un-expel her." The two adults became increasingly incredulous. "Can't you?"

"Your schedule, your habits, and your appearance all point in your direction," Luna said to Quick. The freshman looked increasingly agitated as he was slowly wound down by Luna's questions. Gradually, all his excuses and alibis had been stripped away. "The shoes we found are your shoe size, you were in a position to get access to the personal information of both Sunset and Twinkle. So please, why don't you spare us the trouble and just confess-."

"Why d-didn't y-you expel her," Quick said. "She d-destroyed p-part o-of the-the school. She stole people's info. She blackmailed them."

"Because here at CHS, we believe in second chances," Luna said. Quick seemed even more enraged by Luna's answer.

"Th-that's f-funny c-coming from you," Quick said, his face turning red. "You b-believe b-blowing th-things u-up i-is is f-forgivable, but a s-stupid k-knife should g-get y-you k-kicked out." Luna got confused.

"Muharib ring a bell," Quick uttered. Luna thought for a moment, before she remembered.

"No," Quick said in a warningly calm voice. "S-Sunset Shimmer f-framed her for using a kn-knife." Luna looked shocked at the accusation.

"Sunset planted that knife," Quick said defiantly. "I know. I know she would never do anything like that. S-someone m-must h-have pl-planted it."

"How could it be to-," Quick stood up chair in a rage than decked Luna in head with his chair.

"You know happened to Muharib?!" Quick bellowed to the stricken educator. "She got sent to juvie!" When the injured educator tried to reach the phone on the desk, it was shoved off along with all her other contents. "She got lost all her friends!" Quick angrily took the computer monitor and bashed the principal over the head with it. "She got RAPED BY A GUARD!" He said, before stomping on the already downed woman.

"SHE THREW HERSELF OFF A BUILDING AND GOT PARALYZED!" Quick said, mercilessly indifferent to the pleas of the principal. "MY BEST FRIEND! ALL OVER STUPID KNIFE!"

Raven looked up from her work, hearing commotion coming from Luna's office. When she looked up, she saw a chair being angrily thrown through the window, breaking into a thousand pieces, by a screaming, red-faced student. She saw Luna lying on the ground, unable to stop the situation

"Security," Raven said into a nearby phone. She panicked as the violently red-faced kid started destroying the office.

"ALL OVER A STUPID KNIFE! YOU LET HER STAY, BUT LET MUHARIB GO TO JAIL! OVER A STUPID KNIFE! PARALYZED! OVER A STUPID KNIFE!" He bellowed the same thing over and over as he proceeded to destroy the office. Furniture was overturned, the bookcase was knocked over, and he proceeded to beat on Luna more. By the time the police came, his screams had deteriorated into whimpers.

"All over a stupid knife," he said softly, a small tear rolling down his eye. "All over a stupid....knife." As he was cuffed and led out of the office, he broke down in tears. He wept as the police escorted him out of school. All the students looked at him with confusion, fear, and a little pity.

"Is this funny?" Luna asked, parting her hair to refused a black and swollen eye. "Is this amusing?" She said, gesturing to her destroyed office. Snips, Snails, and Sunset all looked down in shame. After a few moments, Sunset pulled her head up.

"You got someone arrested because you wanted to be a prom queen?" Officer Garda said, his green face turning red.

Sunset felt time slow. She barely remembered standing up. She barely remembered having her rights read to her. She barely remembered being cuffed along side Snip and Snails. She barely remembered getting pushed out of the office. She regained her senses as she was escorted down the hall alongside her two former cohorts. She saw everyone looking at her. Not with anger, not with fear.

It was disappointment. It felt worse than anger. It felt worse than a beating. She had ruined everyone's trust. She had ruined everyone's faith in her. The downcast looks from everyone was more painful than anything Quick had done to her before. It was the sad looks from her friends that finally made her breakdown as she was pushed out the front door.

Sunset felt tears roll down her eyes as she was pushed into the police car. Snips and Snails also began to cry as well.

Live By The Sword...

by redandready45

All Truths Come Out (Part 4)