//------------------------------// // Crucible part 3 // Story: Sunset Shimmer and the Cowboy // by KittyrinnAiko //------------------------------// “Sweetie!” Shouted Betty Bouffant Magnum. “What?!” Sweetie responded. She was sitting at the kitchen table working on last-minute assignments. “Don’t ‘what’ me, young lady.” “But you said I could use the table?” Sweetie was honestly dumbfounded as to why her mother could be so upset. The fact that her mom had just been on the phone wasn’t even factoring in. And then Betty upturned Sweetie’s school bag and retrieved the cell phone from within. “Hey!” Sweetie protested as her mother began logging into the phone. “Sit down, and be quiet!” Betty commanded. “Ah, mom, what’s going on?” Rarity asked as she entered the room. “Sweetie’s in a whole lot of trouble, that’s what’s going on.” Growled their mother. “What’d I do?” “Do?!” Betty thrust the phone in sweetie’s face showing that she was now logged into Anon-a-miss. Sweetie’s eyes grew wide as her pupils shrank, her skin going ghostly pale. The latter being quite a feat for the little marshmallow. “Well, Miss Anon a miss, care to explain?” “What?” This time it was Rarity who objected as her gut dropped. How many times had she accused Sunset? How many times had Sunset’s pleas of innocence fell on deaf ears? “But she can’t be, she mustn't be?” Rarity pleaded. “Sweetie, pick up your homework and go to your room. We will be discussing this matter with Principle Celestia in the morning,” Betty ordered. “Can I have my phone?” “You’re phone? What makes you think I’d give you your phone back? Now move! And consider yourself grounded, indefinitely.” Sweetie gathered her things and rushed to her room. The first thing she did in her room was to attempt to send an e-mail to warn her friends on the PC she had in her room for doing assignments only to find her access to the Internet was now no more. Rarity was in a near panic by the time her mother had presented the evidence to her, and unpluged the Internet router. Her own sister. It had been her own sister. Rarity quickly attempted to find Sunset’s number only to realize she’d deleted it. Then she attempted to call Applejack only to get a number not available recording. Calling Pinkie and Dash went to voice mail. “Mother, I need to go out,” Rarity called as she grabbed a jacket. “Not in that storm,” Her mother countered harshly. “But…” “No buts. You are staying put.” “This has got to be the worst thing ever! I have to find Sunset. I have to apologize to her.” Rarity took a deep breath to try to calm herself. “And I need to find Fluttershy.” “Sunset is in the hospital. I’m to understand that her father found her out in the storm and felt the need to take her to the emergency,” Betty offered in a tone a bit softer than before. “Her, father? But she’s… she’s not from around here?” For Rarity the news that Sunset’s father had picked her up was warring with everything she thought she knew about Sunset. The only conclusion she could make was that Sunset had been picked up by this world’s Sunset’s father. “That’s what Principle Celestia told me. Apparently, they are related to the Apples. As for Fluttershy, the odds of finding her in this storm are too great. Have you tried calling her?” “Phone? Phone! I haven't deleted her number.” “Now why would you delete her number?” “We had a disagreement,” Rarity offered as she hits speed dial. “We had a disagreement. - Fluttershy! Darling can you ever forgive me? Oh please please don’t be sorry, don’t say you're sorry, Fluttershy, please? I’m the one who needs to say how terribly sorry I am. Where are you? Are you safe? Are you somewhere warm and dry? Tequila Mockingbird? You’re at Tequila Mockingbird? It’s a Cafe? What kind of a dive calls itself Tequila Mockingbird? That place doesn’t sound very fashionable. Now the Soup Store, that’s fashionable. This has got to be the worst night ever!!” Fluttershy disconnected the call and let out a sigh. “Bad news? Officer Sparkle asked. “That was a friend of mine calling to apologize. Any chance you’ve heard of an online profile called Anon-a-miss?” “Let’s just say we’ve gotten our fair share of complaints. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot the department can do about it. Posting dirty little secrets kind of falls into a gray area. Though I can tell you that a number of those dirty little secrets may well have violated HIPAA and the appropriate enforcement agency has been notified along with a number of complaints being forwarded to the FBI.” “Oh wow,” Fluttershy said softly just as a cold blast of air flooded in as a newcomer pushed the door open. “Fluttershy?” “Big Mac,” Fluttershy responded turning to him as he closes the door behind him. “Come, sit down, and have something to eat,” Offered the waitress. She was a slim woman of pale complexion and white hair that had a vermilion and purple stripe in her hair. “Indeed, best to fortify yourself before going back outside into the storm,” Officer Sparkle suggested. “Oh, I was hoping to see Sunset,” Fluttershy entreated. “If that’s alright? “I doubt it’ll make much of a difference when you get there. It’s past visiting hours,” Officer Sparkle offered. “Have something to eat, and give the snow removal teams time to clear the roads.” “Well, I guess,” Big Mac said in his low drawn-out way of speaking. He went to where Fluttershy was sitting and joined her followed by the waitress handing them both a menu. “This, this is almost like a date,” Fluttershy offered in her quiet demure way of speaking. “E-yup,” big mac responded. He thought about it for a bit, blushed, and hid behind his menu. Big Mac ordered the deluxe burger, and Fluttershy ordered the Portobello mushroom burger and for the most part, they just sat quietly while they waited. “So, how are your classes going over at Canterlot Community College?” Fluttershy asked Big Mac a short time later. “Good,” he offered. They sat quietly for a spell. “I just can’t believe my own flesh and blood could be so heartless.” “Mac?” “Did Applejack not tell you?” “Not actually, no. She kind of talked around it without actually saying it. Same with Rarity. It’s alright if you don’t want to talk about it.” “Officer Sparkle to dispatch, you can cancel that, she’s stuck in the same diner I am. … I’ll let her know.” Officer Sparkle looked over to Fluttershy, “Miss Shy if you could, your parents are really worried about you.” “What? Oh my!” Fluttershy exclaimed and dug her phone out of her school bag. “How did I miss all these calls?” “When did they call?” Big Mac asked as Fluttershy hit speed dial for her home. “Several times, all right before Applejack called. - Hello mom… yes I’m fine. I got stranded while looking for Sunset. No, I’m fine. Macintosh came to pick me up. I’ll be fine. No, he’s got a truck. No, I’m sorry, but I need to go check up on Sunset. I’m sorry. She’s in the hospital. I’m fine. I’m sorry. Well, you called when I was out in the storm. I didn’t hear the ringtone. I’m sorry…” Big Mac couldn't help but smile as he watched a flustered Fluttershy talking to her parents on the phone. Flustered Fluttershy was just so dang cute. Scootaloo’s parents were away, which was nothing unusual. Nor did she expect her parents to return anytime soon as they were on an expedition in the Southern Hemisphere with some stuffy old archaeologist named Doctor Caballero. His name being one letter off from the nefarious Doctor Caballeron from the Daring Do series never once registering in her mind. No way was her parents cool. They were just stuffy eggheads that were gone all the time. And that was either spending all their time at the Canterlot Natural History Conservatory and Museum, or off on trips she was never allowed to go on. Principle Celestia had called asking to talk to her parents and she had assured the old battleax that her parents would call just as soon as they got home. Which wouldn't be for some time. And that was going to be the whole winter break. Not like they couldn't stick around and actually spend the holiday with her as normal parents did. “Scootaloo!” If this Scootaloo had been a pony she’d be on the ceiling right now and as addled as the surprise by her Aunt Lofty had made her, she couldn't for the life of her understand why Aunt Lofty was so angry. As is she’d completely missed her aunt letting herself in.