//------------------------------// // Wednesday : Trying again ( Edited by : BiggerNate91) // Story: So long old friend (An Anon a Miss Tale ) // by ALoneWolf //------------------------------// A new day had arrived, and Sunset was in high spirits. She was finally feeling better for the first time since arriving home, happy that she had most of her friends back. She hoped that when she talked to Rainbow Dash, she could get her back as well. With her head held high, she entered Canterlot High School, ready to face the human world.  Sunset’s day went by relatively smoothly, with not a lot of problems. Throughout the day, Sunset found herself receiving multiple apologies from the students and staff, who promised to make it up to her in any way for their false accusations. Sunset was quick to forgive anyone who came up and apologized to her during each period. Slowly but surely, the cloud of gloom that was plaguing the halls of the school began to fade, as Sunset’s forgiveness raised the morale and spirits of the student body. They were relieved to know that Sunset no longer bore any ill will toward the school, and just seeing her in a good mood again brought them back to their feet. It was beginning to feel like things were returning to normal for Canterlot High School.  All in all, it was a really good day for Sunset. There was an interesting sense of nostalgia for being back at school, and having her friends at her side again made everything even better.  When the school day ended, Sunset watched the students fill the hallways, collecting their belongings from their lockers and headed home to rest easy for once. As the Rainbooms began to walk to the door, they looked back to see that Sunset wasn’t following them.  “Are you coming with us, darling?” Rarity asked.  Sunset shook her head. “Not tonight. Today was a long day, even if it was better. I’m just gonna hang in the band room, clear my mind. If that’s okay with you.”  “Sure thing, Sunny!” Pinkie smiled. “Take all the time you need!”  Sunset smiled back, happy to see Pinkie with her poofy hair again and speaking in that upbeat tone she knew and loved.  The Rainbooms waved goodbye to Sunset and headed out the door. Now alone in the hall, Sunset turned to move toward the band room.     Five minutes later, Sunset arrived at the band room. She picked up her old guitar and started strumming, trying to remember the tunes she used to play. As she picked at each string, creating an array of melodies, her thoughts flooded back to her. Even though she took big steps in setting things right, there was still a lot to do. She still needed to talk with Dash, and she wasn’t even sure what she wanted to say. And of course, there was the major event that was about to happen.  Fluttershy had told Sunset that Applejack’s funeral was going to happen on the weekend. The thought hadn’t left her mind since, and it filled Sunset with anxiety. She wondered if her emotions were in check enough that she could bear to lay eyes on her deceased friend. Already she was picturing the sight of the former Element of Honesty laying motionless in a casket, and it was all she could do to not break down on the spot once again.  As Sunset continued to collect her thoughts, the door to the band room swung open gently, and a familiar blue-haired teen walked in with his own guitar in hand. He spotted the former unicorn sitting comfortably on the small stage and strumming her guitar, too lost in her thoughts to notice he was there.  The young man decided to wait a few seconds, not wanting to disturb Sunset while she was deep in thought. He didn't have to wait too long, however, as the fiery teen was soon quick to notice the newcomer in the room.  Sunset smiled upon seeing the familiar face of Flash Sentry. “Sup, Flash?”  “Oh uh, hey Sunset…” Flash said in a slight awkward tone, which earned him a giggle from the teenage girl.  “What? Shy to be in the same room with your ex?” Sunset asked in a sly tone.  “No no no!” Flash responded. “I was expecting that I would have the band room to myself after school to practice… didn’t realize you were, uh, here. I can go somewhere else if you wanted to use this room, I would hate to bother you…”  Sunset giggled. “Of course you can stay, there’s always room for one more.” She patted an empty spot on the stage to motion him to her side.  The blue-haired teen nodded a thank you as he made his way towards the stage, sitting down next to Sunset. There was an awkward silence between the two teens as they struggled to find the words to say to each other. It had been a long time since the two had spoken; even though Flash had never accused Sunset of being Anon-a-Miss, they had never interacted throughout the whole incident.  After what felt like an eternity, Flash finally broke the ice. “Well, it’s… definitely been a while…”  “You said it.” Sunset glanced at Flash and noticed something she hadn’t realized. “Have you been… working out? You look a little… broader.”  “Huh? Oh yeah!” Flash chuckled. “I started going to the gym after you… you know, went on ‘vacation.’ I still have quite a bit more to go before I’m the size of Big Mac or Bulk Biceps, of course, but hey, it’s a work in progress.”  Sunset couldn't help but chuckle slightly. “Well, you look great! You’re definitely off to a good start. Muscles don't come fast; it takes time and patience. You know what they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. But you’re on the right track, I can tell you that.”  “Aw, thank you.” Flash said, with a hint of gratitude that Sunset could clearly hear.  There were a few seconds of silence before Flash cleared his throat to continue. “So… seeing as you’re back, and looking much better than you were before… is everything okay now?”  Sunset nodded slowly. “For the most part… yeah, everything’s pretty alright. I can’t stay mad forever, you know?”  “That’s good. People have been saying you’re back with your friends, is that true?”  Sunset hesitated with a nervous look. “Well, most of them, anyway. I saw Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity and made up with them. It’s good to have them back. But Rainbow Dash I still need to talk to. Once I tell her I forgive her and make up with her, then I’ll consider our reconciliation complete.”  Flash thought for a few seconds. “Then you should know that she goes to the same gym as I do, twice a week after school. I don’t think she knows I’m there. If you want to talk to her, that’s your best bet.”  Sunset smiled. “Hey, thanks! That narrows down my little ‘search’ quite a bit. I’ll try and see if she’s there today. That helps a lot, thank you!”  “No problem. Anything for a friend.”  Sunset’s face fell. “Friend… right…”  The fiery teen stayed silent for another few seconds, completely hesitant to continue. Flash could see the concern on her face. “Sunset? You alright?”  “Flash, I…” Sunset started. “Am… am I a bad person?”  Flash was shocked. “What? No, of course not! Nobody thinks that of you anymore! You have made it very clear that you’re not the same person as you were years ago! I mean, who could blame you for acting the way you did, given what you told us about your relationship with your mentor? I know I can’t, at least!”  “That's the point, Flash.” Sunset said. “I know I’ve tried to make up for everything I did, but… I don’t feel like I’ve truly earned everyone’s forgiveness. I’m trying not to bring up Anon-a-Miss anymore, but that was a perfect example. Sure, being accused and abandoned hurt me to my core, but after everything I did to rule this school and bring everyone down… who else would they suspect? I was just so upset at Celestia for not teaching me advanced magic and always saying that I wasn’t ready… that I ended up taking it out on all of you.  “It’s just… when you’ve put someone through so much hell, for two whole years… how are you supposed to be forgiven for that? I know I was given apology after apology today, but I think it’s pretty obvious there’s still a few students who haven’t forgiven me yet. Am I ever going to escape my past? Do I even truly belong in this world??? Am I just better off not—”  Her words were cut short as Flash placed one of his fingers on her lips. She stared into Flash’s eyes in surprise.  “You’re not doing this again.” Flash said. He had dropped the casual tone for a serious one.  “But—”  “Sunset, you’ve already doubted yourself enough. You do not need to go through this again.”  “Flash, I—”  “Listen to me.” Flash took his finger off Sunset’s lip and lifted her chin with it. “I’m gonna tell you this one time, and one time only. You DO belong here. It is NOT too late to keep making up for the past and starting over. You have proven time and time again, ever since the Battle of the Bands, that you have proven your redemption. It doesn’t matter if some people haven’t fully forgiven you yet. That’s just the nature of how it goes. You can make it up to them eventually. And just remember that no matter how many people still need time… you have managed to win the trust and hearts of the rest of us.  “And in a way, I kind of understand how you feel. I have a story I’d like to tell you.”     Once upon a time, there was a freshman boy who had just arrived on his first day at Canterlot High School, guitar in hand. One might think that he was prepared for his next step into his teenage years, but alas, he was not emotionally ready. Not in the slightest. His middle school friends were going to different schools out of town, and his old band had broken up. Things weren’t so good for the guy.  He was so shy and alone that he was actually terrified to step foot into school. This was in a time before the Rainbooms were ever a thing, but he didn’t think his guitar wouldn’t see any action. Anxiety filled his entire being at the thought of him becoming an outcast and a bullying target. It looked like he was about to be thrust into a living hell… but then he walked in, and laid eyes on a certain someone. Little did he know that this someone was going to change his life, and the school, forever.  This was a girl named Sunset Shimmer. Upon seeing this girl, this guy thought she was out of this world—and he didn’t even know how right he was! He was instantly mesmerized by her beauty, her slim figure, her lush flame toned hair, and those piercing cyan eyes. She was everything that he wanted in his dream girl. The voices in his head were quick to encourage the boy to talk to her… but his shyness and his own doubts got the better of him. He didn’t think that a girl like that would ever fall for a guy like him. But their first encounter would change all of that.  In the band room during music class, the boy sat in the middle row, quietly tuning his guitar. He dreaded the thought of having to play in front of everyone. What if they all ridiculed him? But then, he was snapped out of his thoughts by a voice from behind him, asking to sit next to him. He turned around and was shocked to see none other than Sunset Shimmer. Not wanting to let the opportunity slip through his fingers, he motioned to the seat next to him, letting her sit down with a smile. As the class was about to start, she complimented his guitar, and he complimented the guitar that she brought in herself, telling her that the color matched her eyes. His ears burned after he said it, but he could see the girl was clearly flattered.  It finally came for the boy to show the class what he knew. He began strumming his guitar, but all his anxiety and doubts caused it to sound awful. Just as he was about to give up and leave the room, he caught one more glimpse at Sunset’s beautiful eyes. All the stress and worry instantly melted away. It was enough to fully encourage him to play his heart out. And he did just that; the boy rocked on as if he was jamming out at a concert surrounded by many spectators. As he stopped playing to catch his breath and rest his fingers, a chorus of cheers and clapping erupted from every student in the room, as well as the instructor. But no one was cheering as hard as Sunset Shimmer.  After the class showed their admiration, the boy and Sunset introduced themselves to one another… and that was the start of a great friendship. Since that day, the boy’s luck changed, as he had finally escaped his comfort zone. Before he knew it, he found a lot of new friends and even formed his own band, whose music was a big hit with the student body. Over time, the boy even found himself in a position he never could have imagined: one of the most popular kids in school. The school year he was expecting to be awful had turned out to be an incredible experience. And he had his new best friend, Sunset Shimmer, to thank for it all.  The boy was thankful that Sunset had so much time to spend with him. The two of them hung out a lot, both during and after school. They played music together in the band room when the day ended; they studied together; they chatted about the latest TV shows and movies. One day, Sunset sat the boy down and told her an unbelievable tale: she wasn’t from this world at all, but rather she was an alien pony from a world beyond this one. As one would probably expect, the boy’s skepticism was through the roof upon hearing a story like that. But then, he got a stunning display of the girl’s beautiful magic, and any doubts he had vanished. He was quick to promise his friend that no one else would ever know about her origins.  It was a full month before the boy mustered up the courage to ask Sunset Shimmer the burning question: if she wanted to go out on a date with him. And I tell ya, he nearly jumped for joy when she said yes! It was the happiest the boy had ever been!  After a week of preparing himself, the big day soon arrived. The boy was determined to show his friend a good time. They started off with a movie, then they made their way to a Chinese restaurant that the boy knew made great orange chicken—which just so happened to be Sunset’s favorite food. Just for fun, they stopped by the local arcade to play some games together, and to top off the night, they decided to take a stroll through the park.  They began chatting with one another as they admired the moon shining brightly up in the night sky. The boy then took a glance at the girl’s figure, which he found breathtaking in the moonlight. He took a second to pray to God how he got so lucky during his freshman year… and then before he knew it, he had locked eyes with Sunset, who had the happiest expression he had ever seen written all over her face.  The boy could hear the voices in his head talking nonstop. “Just kiss this woman already, what are you waiting for kid?”  He refused at first, not wanting to possibly ruin an incredible first date, but his conscience wasn’t convinced. “You know you want to. You’ll find it incredible and so will she.”  The boy tried to refuse once more, but the sparkle in Sunset’s eyes was too much. He knew what he had to do to show gratitude to this girl for being the best friend he could have. It was time to give her the greatest gift.  Slowly… he leaned toward Sunset… closed his eyes… and…     “MMPH!”  Flash was suddenly cut off as Sunset locked her lips with his in the present.  A warm, fuzzy feeling sparked through both teens’ bodies as they embraced in their passionate kiss. It felt exactly like it had all those years ago. The memories that Flash had described were everything Sunset needed to hear. They were a perfect reminder of the amazing life that she had in the human world. The kiss lasted for a full two minutes, and then the pair finally parted, with small blushes appearing on their faces.  "Wow…” Flash said, almost loopy with joy. “That’s… exactly how I remember it.”  Sunset smiled at how happy he looked. But then, another memory came to her head… one that wiped the smile off her face.  “And I also remember how it ended…” She replied in a sad tone. “That night we spent together, and our time after that, were the happiest moments of my life… and I threw it all away. I let my own revenge scheme blind me of everything I had in front of me. I told you that you would only get in my way and straight up ditched you, like you meant nothing to me. I don’t know what you even saw in me in the first place, I’m a monster, I don’t deserve—”  Sunset was stopped in her tracks as she felt Flash’s hand gently caress her cheek in a comforting manner. “I told you to stop.”  “But I—”  “It does not matter what you did before. It does not matter what you said to me, or how you treated me. It’s not you anymore. You are NOT a monster. If you are able to forgive the school for how badly they treated you, then I can forgive you in the same way. I want Sunset Shimmer back in my life. I want the same girl that made what could have been a terrible freshman year into an amazing one. I want the girl that I took on a date and had a wonderful time with. I want the girl that kissed me just now.  “You can’t let big mistakes hold you back. That’s what you’ve done with Anon-a-Miss and that’s what I hope you can do for me too. Please remember for me, that you are not alone in this world. We are all here for you now, and I swear to you, nothing will ever happen to you. Not on my watch.”  Sunset was overjoyed at Flash’s words. After all this time of forgiving everyone around her… it was nice to finally get some forgiveness from someone else.  A smile of gratitude soon formed on Sunset’s face “Flash… thank you. I promise that I will never let you go again. You’re absolutely right… no one should ever have to let their mistakes define who they are.”  “I couldn’t agree more, Sunset.” Flash said with a smile of his own. Before either of them knew it, their lips were pressed together again. They embraced in romantic passion, and a single joyful tear trickled down Sunset’s cheek.   “I couldn’t agree more.”