“Applejack, your uncle Dusty called,” Granny Smith informed AJ from her rocker shortly after AJ had come in.
“Uncle Dusty? Is he coming to stay with us over the holidays?” AJ asked.
“He was.”
“What do you mean he was? Was he or wasn’t he?”
“He had to make a stop off at the hospital.”
“Hospital? What in tarnation is he doing at the hospital? He didn’t get hurt did he?”
“I’d say it’s this Anon-a-miss nonsense going way too far,” Granny informed her with an edge to her voice. “He pulled Sunset off ‘en the Avalon River Bridge.”
“What?!” AJ shouted. “What’s she playing at now?”
“She tried to jump, AJ. And she’s recovering from hypothermia on account of getting soaked out in that weather.”
“Jump?” Applejack’s heart dropped. She knew deep down that Sunset needed help, but she had chosen to ignore that little voice that more often than not, knew what was right.
“Feels real good, doesn’t it? Knowing you drove someone to try ‘en take their own life,” Granny scolded.
AJ turned white as a ghost on hearing the news. So to did Apple Bloom who’d been listening from the hallway.
“I … I don’t understand? It’s a trick, it has to be. Just another one of her stupid mind games.”
“Well, it ain’t? Or maybe you can explain why after three years of being so careful none of her shenanigans ever came back to haunt her that she suddenly gets it into her head to create a gossip column that everyone is sure to know it was her? Because I ain’t buying it, I never did, and I never will! What I do know of her bullying ways is that she only targeted a handful of individuals. Not the whole danged school. Heck, there were people who benefited from her activities. She didn’t get elected Fall Formal Queen three times running by blackmailing people; that would require blackmailing far too many. She got elected because the majority of the students actually liked her. Interesting how fast opinions can change, don't cha think?”
“What about what she did to me and my friends?”
“And that would be?”
“It was her fault Rainbow Dash didn’t show up at my bake sale.”
“One, how do you know it wasn’t just Dash being Dash? And two, you’re the one who started giving Dash the cold shoulder. If anyone is at fault it’s you. You turned your back on Rainbow just the way you turned your back on Sunset. Shut it! If’n you had stuck by her side you’d have known soon enough one-way tar the nother, and if she had proved herself guilty, you take her phone away and do whatever you have to straighten her out. Just like I’m taking yer phone. Yer grounded until I say otherwise.”
“Grounded?” AJ was shocked. “But all those e-mails that were sent to me and my friends?”
“You all just decided it was Sunset without any proof. You all are the ones who pinned that target on her back. Not once, but twice. Hell, if she wasn’t such a hot-headed high strung filly it would have looked more like it was you all bullying her.”
“She sent the e-mail!”
“Prove it. You can’t, can you.”
“She spoofed a message from my phone somehow.”
“And just how exactly did Sunset do that? Well? She’s not exactly tech-savvy. Just ask Lofty and Holiday. They fostered her the first three years after she showed up out of nowhere. That girl was like a fish out of water in our world. Oh, she’s brilliant, but when it comes to tech she’s more like me. And don’t think I haven't seen her struggling with her phone when no one’s looking. She’s always putting up a front and you never once saw through it. Some friend you turned out to be.” Granny took a breath, “Phone, hand it over.”
“But.”
“No buts, over, hand, now.”
Applejack reluctantly got out her phone and offered it up. Granny took it, and with a few motions was into the phone.
“How?”
“I may not be tech-savvy but I know people who are. There’s parental monitoring software on your phone.”
“What?” Applejack was shocked. “You’ve been spying on me?”
“Not spying. I have to have the phone in hand. It keeps records of everything you do with this phone. Calls, internet browser history, instant messages… and there it is.” Granny offered the phone back. For someone who wasn’t tech-savvy, she sure did find that message fast. “Go on, look at it.”
Applejack hesitantly took her phone back and looked at the screen. Staring her right in the face was the very offending message from earlier that year that had caused Dash to show up at the wrong time and place.
“Care to explain how sunset got a hold of yer phone?” Granny pressed.
“No way,” Applejack said softly.
“What was that, I didn’t hear you?”
“There’s no way she could have gotten to ma phone.”
“Ah, now we are getting somewhere. Any idea how that got sent from yer phone?”
“I might have gotten hacked. How’d you find it so fast?”
“Searched for 'bake sale'. I’d imagine that it’s a possibility that you got hacked. Might even explain those photos showing up online. Ya should have given Sunset a chance but you didn’t.”
“Only time my phone is not on me is in phis-ed and here at home,” Applejack admitted. “And it’s in my locker when I’m in phis-ed. There’s no way Sunset or anyone else who ain’t got access to ma things could have…”
Applejack trailed off slow like as the realization that Sunset would never have even known about her old nickname if Apple Bloom hadn’t shouted it over the phone when she was at the slumber party. It also meant that if Sunset had been guilty she would have had to set up the account with everyone right there in the room. Surely not something Sunset would risk doing. Not to mention posting so soon after having learned about it. No, sunset would never have done something of the sort. The old Sunset would have been considerably more cautious and more than likely would have just filed it away for future use. Not post it online while gaining nothing in return. That left one person of interest, her own sister, and if Sweetie was involved getting a hold of Sunset’s phone would have been fairly easy.
Truth can be a mighty horrible thing.
“Apple Bloom,” AJ said softly.
“Apple Bloom, get yer carcass out here!” Granny shouted.
“It wasn’t me – I can explain – I never meant anyone ta get hurt, I swear,” Apple Bloom pleaded from her hiding place.
“Phone! Now!” Granny shouted.
“I, I um lost it.”
Applejack hit speed dial for her sister to be rewarded with the sound of Apple Bloom’s phone ringing from Bloom’s back pocket.
“Lost it, was it?” Applejack asked.
“Bloom! Get over here! Now!” Granny Bellowed.
Apple Bloom slowly walked over while the phone in her pocket rang. She stood in front of her.
“Phone.” Granny’s look gave no room for interpretation. AJ disconnected her call as Bloom retrieved her phone and hesitantly offered it up to Granny with her head hung low.
A silence fell on the room as Granny looked over the contents of Bloom’s phone.
“So, am I grounded?” Bloom asked.
“Getting grounded may be the least of your worries,” Granny scolded. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? How much damage you’ve caused? Do you two, do either of you know who we thought Sunset was when she first showed up? Who she might be? Who she could be? Who Dusty is convinced she is? And to be honest if not for that connection to that other world I'd be in one hundred percent agreement with him. Even then, I still can't rule out the possibility.”
“Granny?” Applejack asked cautiously.
“Do you even know Dusty’s full name? Not his nickname, his real legal name?” Granny asked and received blank stares as an answer. “Dusk Shimmer. He married Pippin Apple, your father’s little sister. Their daughter was named Sunset. Regardless of where Sunset came from, if she can’t account for her early years the possibility still remains that she is Dusty’s Sunset.”
“She’s an Apple?!” Applejack said breathlessly. The two girls were stunned.
“Only reason I didn’t take her in was that taking care of the three of you, you and Big Mack after yer Ma and Pa died, was all I could manage.”
The two girls hung their heads in shame.
“Granny, I need to make a call,” Applejack offered a moment or two later.
“Who you calling?”
“I need to apologize to Fluttershy. She was the only one who wanted to give Sunset the benefit of the doubt.”
“And you put her in a position where she had to choose between friends.”
“We did.”
“Fine, make that call, but that’s it. I need to call Celestia and let her know who was behind Anon-a-miss. Bloom, go to your room and don’t come out till dinner. And AJ, punishment is for me to decide. Far as I’m concern you’ve both betrayed family even if she is just a double.”
Meanwhile out on the streets of Canterlot, Fluttershy is trudging through ever-thickening snow unsure of where to look next. She’d been to Sunset’s meager apartment and likely could bless the storm for the fact she’d had no trouble from the less savory sort who hung out in that part of the city. She’d no idea where to go at this point and was beginning to think that calling for a ride might be a good idea. She almost didn’t hear her phone when it chimed and when she looked at it with trembling hands she almost didn’t answer.
“Hello Applejack,” Fluttershy said into the phone. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry.”
Fluttershy listened as Applejack apologized to her while explaining that Sunset was innocent. “I’m so sorry Fluttershy, I should have listened, I know now who is responsible. I just messed up so bad. I think I wanted it to be Sunset because I jus’ couldn't let myself consider the obvious. Did you find Sunset?”
“Applejack, there’s a padlock on her door. I can’t find her. I don’t know where to look… she’s where? Oh my gosh. Can you come to get me? I don’t think I have it in me to walk that far. It’s so cold. I’m at Thirty Forth East and Canal Street. It’s on the way to Sunset’s apartment. - She has a loft in a rundown neighborhood.” She was quiet for a moment. “I’m going to keep going. I’m headed west on Canal street, there was an all-night cafe I can warm up in. It’s called Tequila Mockingbird. Alright, I’ll see you when you get… what’s that? Oh, alright, tell Big Mac I’ll meet him at the cafe.”
Fluttershy put her phone away and continued on until she’d come to the cafe. She shook herself off and pulled the door open. She’d barely made it inside when she’d found herself being sat down and handed a hot coffee. Following the coffee was a warm jacket placed over her shoulders.
“I’m alright, just a little cold. I’ll be alright in a bit,” Fluttershy protested.
“Well, what were you doing out in that storm?”
“I was looking for a friend. I just got word she’s in the hospital.”
“If you’d been out there much longer you’d need to be hospitalized yourself,” Offered a tall dark man in a police uniform. “Hi, I’m Officer Night Light Sparkle.” He had captain’s bars on his collar but experience had taught him not to point things like that out to someone who was in need unless it became necessary to impress.
“Oh, well, I’m alright. See I’m not even shaking anymore,” Fluttershy offered sheepishly. “A friend of mine will be around to pick me up.”
“Any chance they got four-wheel drive and snow chains? It’s getting mighty deep out there,” Officer sparkle inquired. “I had to let dispatch know that I’m stuck until the plows can make some headway on the snow. And this area tends to get cleared last.”
“He’s got a Herd F350 crew cab,” Fluttershy replied with a smile.