The light of a new day streams in through the windows as Scootaloo, Sweetie, and Apple Bloom await their fate. The three sit quietly in the administration's conference room with Granny Smith, Betty, and Hondo Flanks, and Lofty and Holiday. The presence of the detectives out in the office wasn’t helping. The girls looked out through the window to the front of the school perhaps hoping to find some solace in the peaceful countenance. Whispers of someone being arrested that morning wasn’t helping. Hell, they could see the skid marks.
Principle Celestia entered the room followed by the two detectives and everyone waited for someone to speak.
“Apple Bloom, care to explain yourself?” Principle Celestia asked after she’d assessed the three girls and waited for them to look her way.
“I just wanted more time with ma’ sister,” Apple Bloom offered meekly.
“So you chose to subject her to public ridicule.” Principle Celestia stated. She turned her gaze to Sweetie.
“Sweetie Belle?”
“I thought if Sunset wasn’t spending so much time with my sister she’d have more for me.”
“Sunset checks in with me per our agreement to allow her, her own apartment,” Lofty said in nearly a growl. “Two sleepovers. Two!?”
“Lofty, I understand you are upset,” Celestia began.
“Upset? Upset?! We’ve got CPS breathing down our backs!”
“Snap and Jane took off again on one of their adventures without telling anyone,” Holiday offered. “Child Protective Services is threatening action. Against us, and against Snap and Jane.”
“Scootaloo, do you have any idea the amount of damage you did? Bad enough you drove your own sister out of our home,” Lofty scolded.
“What?” Scootaloo wasn’t entirely sure she’d just heard what she had.
“Lofty?!” Holiday scolded. “I thought we agreed not to tell her?”
“Well, maybe we should have! Holiday, the shit is going to hit the fan on this one,” Lofty shot back. “Pippin was Sunset’s and Scootaloo’s mother. You know as well as I do that the only reason Snap got custody of Scootaloo was because he admitted to being her father. If that man doesn’t start acting like a father they are going to move her to heaven knows where.”
“I don’t understand, why the animosity towards Sunset in the first place?” Principle Celestia asked.
“Scootaloo found out that Sunset was the one who tipped off the police that Dash was going to get initiated into a gang and that she planned on bringing Scootaloo in with her. The one Gilda is in,” Lofty explained. “Scootaloo doesn’t seem to understand that Sunset did the right thing.”
“She got Dash in trouble!” Scootaloo protested having regained her focus. The idea that Sunset could be in any way her sister was playing havoc on her perception of reality.
“Scootaloo and I are cousins?” Apple Bloom whispered excitedly only to get smacked in the back of the head by Granny. “Owe.”
“Focus!” Granny admonished. “I swear, ya got the attention span of a flea in a pack O’ hound dogs.”
“Miss Scootaloo,” Principle Celestia said in a cold tone. “Dash getting in trouble was the best thing that ever happened to her. She wouldn't be the star athlete she is now if she was still hanging out with gang members. I only wish I could do the same for Gilda.”
“Miss Shutter,” Detective Steel began. “As of right now I am to understand that the District Attorney's office is going to decline to press charges against the three of you. This is owing to an artifact that was secured this morning by federal agents. An item I am to understand was being used to cloud your judgment, how you perceive things, and quite possibly even your own memories. My understanding is that the feds just want to sweep it all under the carpet.”
“You’re not saying more magic was involved, are you?” Betty asked.
“One of our students was either arrested or detained by federal agents this morning,” Principle Celestia offered. “Odd thing is, she is on the rolls, but no one remembers her. Not even the teachers whose classes she was in. For what it’s worth these incidents have been isolated and hopefully, this will be the last time.” Principle Celestia refocused on Scootaloo. “Still though...
“Scootaloo, I’d like you to take into consideration that it was Snips and Snails who trashed the Gymnasium at the Fall Formal, but it was Sunset who took the heat for it. She never once tried to redirect any of the blame even though those two had done it on their own.”
“They did? She did?” Scootaloo asked astonished.
“I got in a great deal of trouble myself afterward with the school board for allowing the dance to continue following a ‘gas’ explosion, and for not getting Sunset medical treatment,” Principle Celestia pressed.
“Gas explosion?” Apple Bloom asked only to get smacked in the head again by Granny Smith.
“Gas explosion,” Granny pressed in a tone that indicated that she wasn’t of a mind to argue about it.
“The three of you need to understand, in regards to the blog Anon-a-miss,” Detective Steel continued possibly feeling things had gotten a little off track. “You weren’t just posting embarrassing little secrets we all laugh about when we get a little older and maturer. People started sending you personal information covered by HIPA.”
“Hippo?” Sweetie asked.
“Not hippo, H I P A, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability. You disclosed information covered under the HIPA act. You, or rather your families could be fined and you can bet people are going to go after the individuals who sent that information if they can. And yes, we know who everyone is. The internet isn’t as anonymous as people think it is and the ICS is involved.” He paused a moment. “The final straw was when things the government wants to be kept hushed up got posted. All that chatter about what allegedly really happened the night of the Fall formal. Though I did find it odd that people remembered the whole demon thing but no one can seem to remember the Sirens. Yes, we know about them. Those three are considered extremely dangerous. Tracking them is a bit like an X-files episode. I’ve no doubt they were enjoying watching the chaos you created online. I want you to think about it. By your actions, you provided material support to known felons.”
“But,” Scootaloo protested weakly. “Sunset needed to be punished for all the things she did. For what she did to Dash.”
“Scootaloo, Dash missing our bake sale was my doing,” Apple Bloom offered quietly.
“But, why? Why would you?” Scootaloo asked.
“Dash steals from our stand. Applejack knows she’s doing it, but she lets her get away with it.”
“I, um, might have done something similar,” Sweetie offered. “I’m the one who sent e-mails to Rarity telling her Pinkie doesn't need any help. If she’s not helping Pinkie setting up something then I’d have more time with my sister.”
“Sweetie, did it never occur to you to help your sister and Pinkie?” Principle Celestia asked.
“I, um, no, it hadn’t,” Sweetie admitted.
“Apple Bloom, Dash has been trying to improve herself,” Celestia informed the girl. “How would you like it if someone was trying to keep you and Scootaloo apart?”
“I wouldn't,” Apple bloom admitted.
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing?” Scootaloo asked in disbelief.
“Scootaloo, make no mistake that Sunset is far from innocent,” Celestia cautioned. “She went from being a sweet girl when she first got here to a girl with a serious entitlement issue. Granted that she was out of her element and on her best behavior when she first showed up. Even so, she has been working very hard to turn herself around. You need to forgive her, if not for her sake then for your own.”
“And set aside all that resentment you have for her,” Lofty added. “If you had just given her a chance in the first place who’s to say things might have turned out different.”
“So what happens now?” Scootaloo asked.
“As I said earlier,” Detective Steel began, “The DA is not going to press charges. I can’t speak for what CPS is going to do.”
“Scootaloo, you could find yourself being placed in a foster home,” Holiday informed her.
“What?” Scootaloo asked.
“The hospital contacted CPS to assess them of Sunset’s situation. And they wanted to know how you are doing. The fact that you got involved with the Anon-a-miss profile isn’t going to help. Doing your best to get along with Sunset will go a long way towards keeping you with us,” Lofty informed her. “We got called by CPS first thing this morning to let us know to expect a visit.”
“We really screwed up, didn’t we?” Apple Bloom offered.
“Ya sure did,” Granny replied. “And it kind of sounds like you need to have a sit down with your sisters and the others. Let them know which deeds of infamy are yours and not Sunset’s.”
“First comes the assembly,” Principle Celestia offered. “I intend to have every person who sent in information stand up so the rest of the student body can see the true face of Anon-a-miss. Followed by a list of suspensions. And that includes the three of you.”
“Would it help if I tell you that there was a lot of stuff we deleted?” Scootaloo asked.
“Like what?” Lofty asked.
She wasn’t going to like the answer.
“Dash, it wasn’t Shimmer, it was our sisters,” Applejack hissed at Rainbow Dash as they made their way into the school’s auditorium.
“What?!” Up to that point, Dash had been giving the other’s the cold shoulder.
“And there was another magical artifact involved,” Rarity explained.
“You should have been there,” Pinkie said excitedly. She was bouncing more than walking. Black sedans and SUVs come racing up to the front of the school, a chopper comes flying over, and then the men in black all rushed some girl named Wall Flower.”
Pinkie had stopped. “I don’t know her. I don’t know who she is,” Pinkie offered, sounding distressed. “Which is really strange because I have her name and birth-date written in my planner.”
“Dash, we screwed up. We all screwed up, and we screwed up big time,” Applejack offered. “The worst of it is I’ll never know how much was me, and how much was on account of influence from what was more ‘en likely an Equestrian artifact.”
“Argh!” Dash groaned out in frustration with her hands on her head. “Do you know what this means? It means we’ve all been manipulated from the moment that mystery girl came to school. We’ll never know how much was Sunset and how much was that person.”
“For what it’s worth the message that caused you to miss my bake sale came from Apple Bloom,” Applejack offered. “We’d all just assumed it had been Sunset.”
“Twilight Said it was Sunset,” Dash stated.
“Twilight, I’m afraid, was working on a reasonable assumption based on the fact that Sunset was the one who'd taken her crown,” Rarity offered. “Sweetie had also been guilty of sending messages. When it comes right down to it, we’d never think it was our own family members and Sunset never gave us any reason to doubt that she was guilty.”
“I’m sorry!” Pinkie called having been left behind.
“Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked as she and the others stopped.
“I’m sorry Fluttershy,” Pinkie offered sounding like her heart was breaking. “Please don’t hate me.”
“Why would I hate you?” Fluttershy asked.
“The fireworks at the fundraiser. That wasn’t Sunset’s fault. That was all me.”
“Pinkie?” Applejack asked.
“I lied. I lied because it was easier that way. Everyone was blaming Sunset and making up, and I wanted to make up so bad because I’d screwed up. That e-mail was a reminder from myself. Fluttershy, I’d gotten really super-duper excited when you asked me to help so I kind of sort of sent myself a caffeine-sugar-influenced e-mail. I really honestly never thought for one moment that fireworks and animals were a bad idea. All I could think of was how exciting it would be and how super awesome everything was going to be. And then I let everyone think it had been Sunset’s fault instead of owning up to my mistake.”
Fluttershy walked back over to Pinkie and put an arm around her. “Pinkie, if you’d just… who am I kidding, I was furious.”
“You’re kind of scary when you’re angry too,” Pinkie added.
“I forgive you.” Fluttershy offered.
“Really, for real and for true?”
“Yes, Pinkie, I forgive you. And we might have gotten to this point a lot faster if you had just apologized in the first place.”
“I’m sorry, I just, I just don’t think about consequences when I get all worked up.”
“So what you are saying is that the only thing Sunset is guilty of is calling the cops on me and being an entitled bitch?” Dash asked.
“Hang on darling, you want to run that first one by us again?” Rarity asked.
“Yes, Miss Dash, do please tell your friends what you tried to do.” Vice Principal Luna prompted. She and several other adults had come upon them while they were focused on Pinkie.
“I was going to introduce Scootaloo to the Griffins and somebody tipped off the cops,” Dash admitted with her head down. “We got caught shoplifting. The police knew where we would be and what we’d be doing. The only person who could have known who could have ratted – told the police, was Sunset. “I’m on probation now.”
“You came within a penstroke of getting thrown off the sports program,” VP Luna stated. “And it was Sunset who asked that you be kept on the program. She seemed to think that kicking you out would just make things worse and Principle Celestia agreed. You also need to remember that that kind of activity is a downward spiral. One moment you’re a big star and the next you're in the tabloids.”
The girls all gave Luna an odd look.
“That’s rather oddly specific,” Pinkie said under her breath.
“Now, let's get to the auditorium shall we?” Luna pressed.
“Yes Mam,” The girls chimed and hurried along.
The Canterlot High auditorium slowly filled up with disgruntled and or curious students. The events that took place in front of the school that morning had been widely circulated. Most of the students knew someone had been taken away by law enforcement. Rumor had it that it hadn’t been Sunset either.
As the five girls found their seats they could hear whispering concerning people’s accounts on My Stable.
“Wha? I can’t log into my account?” Dash asked more than stated.
“What do you mean you can’t log in?” Applejack asked as she tried hers. “Unable to log in? Account not available?”
“Four oh four? Rarity's Boutique not found?! This can’t be? This simply can’t be happening?” Rarity lamented. “I’ll be ruined!”
“My profile is still there,” Fluttershy announced. “Guys, you’re all gone from my contacts.”
“What?!” Pinkie exclaimed. “My Sugar Cube Corner page is gone. It’s all gone.”
“Put the phones down!”
The proclamation echoed around the room.
“Shut off your phones and put them away, now!”
A person would think that VP Luna was using a mic, but she wasn’t. One might even think that she was channeling her inner Drill Sargent. Drill Sargents would have been envious.
Principle Celestia walked up to a mic stand, “From this moment on all cell phones will be off while in school unless I receive a request from a parent or guardian detailing what we consider to be a valid reason.” She gave her statement a moment to sink in. “I am to understand that a number of you have had your accounts deleted due to your interaction with the My Stable Account known as Anon-a-Miss.”
“Punish Sunset Dimmer, not us!” Shouted a voice from the student assembly. Their words were echoed by many.
“Pixel Pizzaz, would you like your suspension served up now or later?!” Luna shouted.
“I want everyone to shut up and listen!” Principle Celestia shouted into the mic causing it to feedback.
If the feedback hadn’t been deafening, the stunned silence afterward was. It was entirely possible not a soul in the room outside of Luna had ever heard Celestia yell.
“We now know the names of everyone who had a hand in the Anon-a-miss account. And no, Sunset was not responsible. Sunset Shimmer was in fact the primary target of the account in that it was intentionally set up to make it look like she was behind it,” Celestia announced. “The individuals who set up the account have already been suspended. And judging by the number of people who sent the account information I’d say quite a number of you figured it out and for what reason, I can’t even begin to comprehend, decided it’d be a good idea to send personal private information to the account. For some of you, the suspension you are about to receive is going to be the least of your worries. Some of you are damn lucky that the individuals managing the account deleted what you sent in as I am to understand that a few of you sent in such material as would have landed you in juvenile detention. This state has strict laws concerning certain types of material. Pictures of certain parts of your anatomy will not only gain you a hefty fine and time in jail, but for pictures of underage individuals, it can land you a requirement to register as a sex offender. Regardless of the age of the offender!” Celestia paused for a moment as her stunned audience processed what she’d just said. “For those of you who sent in personal information, a number of you sent in information covered under the HIPA act. As in you broke both state and federal law. And there will be consequences. You may not see those consequences right away, but rest assured that it will cost you.”
Celestia stepped away from the mic and Luna stepped up with a list in hand. “When I call your name, you are to stand and remain standing.”
One by one, names were called.
One by one, students slowly rose to their feet.
“Rainbow Dash.”
“It’s a lie!” Dash protested bolting to her feet. “I wanted her – whoever it was to stop. No way I’d send anything in.”
“Miss Dash, according to the records the picture of your test paper was sent from your phone and the time stamp has it at the beginning of practice,” Luna informed her. “At least your reveal didn’t break any laws and you won’t be suspended. Remain standing.”
A short time later nearly a third of the student body was standing though it should be noted that some of the individuals who’d been called were absent.
Principle Celestia stepped up to the mic. “I want all of you to look around you and look on the face of Anon-a-Miss. If these individuals had not sent information to the account there as likely would have been a lot fewer posts to blame Miss Shimmer for.”
“The following individuals will report to the office following the assembly,” Luna began anew. “Owing to the nature of what you shared you will be suspended for the remainder of the semester. Furthermore, you will be required to submit a request to take a makeup test for any outstanding end-of-semester tests that you will undoubtedly miss. No, you will not be sitting with your class. Nor should you look at this as an extended holiday break. This suspension will follow you for the rest of your life and before you start complaining I am to understand that some of you even managed to get yourselves onto a watch list.” Once more she read off a list of names that had been generated from the previous list and then told everyone to sit down again. When she had finished Principle Celestia introduced the two detectives.
“Bullying is not a victimless crime,” Detective Steel offered. “Nor is it harmless fun. Bullying should never be dismissed as kids being kids. Nor by saying things like we didn’t mean any harm or we were just having a little fun. The thing is, if we allow bullying, the individuals doing it will continue bullying as adults. Such behavior inevitably ends up being my business when it escalates. Nor is it your job to see that justice is done. That’s our job.
“Now, I want you to all think back. For those of you who are in Sunset’s year, I want you to try to remember what she was like in that first year when you were Freshmen. Remember what she was like the second year. Sunset, by all outward appearances, was an exemplary student and well-liked. Liked well enough to have been elected Princess of the Fall formal three years Running, and no, even if certain accusations of blackmail are true, she would have had to blackmail a lot of people to get elected three times in a row. Principle Celestia assures me that running unopposed is not a sure-fire way to win. Had she not gotten the votes someone else would have been selected.
“As for what happened at the Fall Formal this year, yes we know all about it, Miss Shimmer having developed an overinflated sense of entitlement was outside throwing a temper tantrum. Two other individuals, who I’m to understand were actually the one’s responsible for the majority of the misdeeds attributed to Miss Shimmer, took the crown from the person who’d been selected, delivered said crown to Miss Shimmer, and at some time during the ensuing fracas a sledgehammer hit a gas line resulting in an explosion.”
He held his hand up.
“That is the official explanation and if you don’t want your accounts deleted again, I’d highly recommend sticking to the approved narration.” Detective Steel couldn't help but smile at the stunned reactions from the students. “You should also consider the precarious position Principle Celestia is in. She allowed the dance to continue when the building should have been evacuated and no one seems to have received any medical attention despite so many claiming to have been there when it happened.
“Following the Fall Formal Miss Shimmer having received what I’m sure was a well-deserved attitude adjustment was making a considerable effort, I’m told, to not be a bitch.” he had to stop to allow for a wave of snickering. One thing he’d learned with high school kids is that they were more likely to listen if you delivered your message with a little salt.
“This brings me to the three women you all know as the Dazzlings. Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk are wanted by INTERPOL, the RCMP, the FBI, the BOPE, they are listed as known terrorists by the Yamam, and I’m to understand that the KGB wants to recruit them. If Sunset Shimmer had not joined forces with the band known as the Rainbooms and somehow managed to short circuit the artifacts those three possessed, some of you might not be here now. A lot of you might not be here.
“That said, I’d like to caution you that such artifacts do not officially exist. Don’t talk about them. What happened out in front of the school this morning never happened. She will more than likely be returned to her parents with no charges filed just like many of you aren’t going to have to worry about any charges. At least no local charges. I do want to impress on you that should you encounter the Dazzlings you are to contact law enforcement and get well clear.
“As for the blog Anon-a-miss, it seems a number of you fell for the same trick that had been employed by the Dazzlings. Yes, there is evidence you were all being manipulated. That said, the vast majority of your classmates did not sink to the level of actively participating. For those of you who did, rest assured that it will haunt you.”
“Steel, just got a bulletin from the department,” Detective Lissome offered as he stepped up to the mic. Detective Steel looked at the text and then turned back to the mic.
“Garble Torch and Gilda Griffonstone?” Detective Steel called.
“I’m afraid they seem to be absent today,” Luna offered.
“Can I ask why you are specifically interested in those two?” Principle Celestia inquired.
“A judge just signed a warrant for their arrest,” Detective Lissome offered. “They’ve been charged with aggravated assault and battery, theft, malicious mischief, vandalism, and they are allegedly the primary reason why Miss Shimmer nearly died last night. They’ve been charged with the attempted homicide of Sunset Shimmer.”
His words went out over the speakers to a stunned audience.
Detective Steel waited a moment. “For those of you who haven't heard, last night Miss Sunset Shimmer came close to dying. This is why we do not escalate bullying. This is why we do not take justice into our own hands. Every single person who took part in harassing Miss Shimmer would have been an accessory had she died last night.” His words rang cold dread on the hearts of those gathered. Few could think of any actual reason for their animosity.
"One more thing," Principle Celestia announced. "Thanks to the activities of the people you see standing before you we have lost several of our best students. Both academically and from our sports teams. If you do not buckle down and get top marks to make up for their loss, this school could face losing our accreditation. Seniors, if that happens your diploma may not be worth the paper it is printed on. It will affect your ability to get jobs, and for those of you who want to go on to college, your entrance into the colleges that have accepted you may be in jeopardy. How you do on your end-of-quarter exam will impact the rest of your life. How you do on your final exams will have a significant impact. Not just on you as an individual, but on everyone around you. And if the rest of you think you can just skate on through and worry about it later, there may not be a later. If we lose our accreditation we risk being shut down. And don't think you can just go somewhere else. None of the local schools want you. ....
"I would suggest you start taking school seriously from now on."
“It’s my fault, it's all my fault,” Applejack said softly. “If only I hadn’t pushed Sunset away.”