//------------------------------// // January 11: You've Got to Hide Your Love Away // Story: Seven Days in Sunny June, Book I // by Shinzakura //------------------------------// Racing down State Route 299 at an entirely unsafe speed, a beat-up, vintage 1970s Volkswagen Microbus rushed on, slaloming between the occasional groups of cars, its fading butter-yellow color making it look like a Twinkie moving at Mach 3. Within the car itself, the speedometer read 100 miles per hour – well over the speed limit – and the engine gauge indicated that it was redlined. Based on that, and a few other issues he knew about his vehicle, Noteworthy realized that once he got to his destination, it would be the end of his beloved “Lov’van”, as he called it, and either he would need to have it towed by the nearest AAA or have it sent directly to the nearest landfill. Regardless, he didn’t dare to stop or even slow down. Not with the hellbeast in the seat next to him, glaring at him with the baleful eyes of the damned. He felt like he was Gandalf, in the Mines of Moria and facing the Balrog itself, just without the talents or weapons the fictional wizard had at-hand. Then again, he died after that encounter, the azure-haired kid thought glumly. At this rate, I’ll be lucky if I get just that. “Can’t this thing go faster? Or would it help if I got out and pushed?” Sunset Shimmer seethed at him. Noteworthy tried to shrink away from her while driving at the same time – it wasn’t easy, to say the least. “Look, I’ve got it going as fast as I can!” he yelped. Part of him wanted to make a Star Trek engineering joke, but given the situation, all that would do is make her angrier – and that would, in turn, translate as extra pain to him in the long run. So he kept the joke to himself and instead said, “At this rate, I’m going to burn out the engin—” “I DON’T FUCKING CARE!” she roared. She forced herself to calm down and said, “You and your group of fucking idiot buddies put my sister with my ex-boyfriend. If he touches one hair on her body, I will force feed you half this fucking van, understood?” “And the other half?” he warbled, his voice wavering. “Do you know what an enema is?” “Look, I told you – I don’t want anything to do with them anymore! Not after what happened to Minuette. I…I really like her,” he told Sunset, “and she’ll probably hate me for being such a coward. But I want to do what’s right.” “You should have done it beforehand. You don’t have the right to treat women like they’re bodyparts to keep you entertained – nobody has that right. And worst of all, you put my family and my best friend in the middle of this. I’m going to make you and your fellow idiot squad pay. You might not be hurting as much when I’m done, but you are not getting off scot-free,” she warned him as she started dialing. “Who are you calling?” “Trying to get a hold of someone who can save the others,” Sunset snarled in reply. “You might not give a fuck about them, but I sure as fuck do!” After a few minutes, she gave up; one too many “Sorry, your call cannot be completed at this time; please check the number and try again” canned responses were only adding to the hellstorm that was her anger. Cadance sighed. “Shiny, I want you to know that I love you more than anything, sweetie. But do we have to sit in the car, across the street, in the parking lot, staking out Twily?” Shining gave her a wounded look. “What, are you saying I’m too protective of Twily?” he asked. “Oh, no, not at all,” she snarked. “Why should I say that considering that you’re an officer in the Canterlot Police Department and this is Horseshoe Bay, an entirely different city with its own police force and its own laws?” she groaned. “Look, if you’re that worried, why didn’t we just have dinner at the Chez Crabbé?” “No, because that’ll look like I’m spying on Twily.” “Yes, because sitting in your car, eating Chipotle, and staring at cheap bumper stickers on other cars in the parking lot is such a romantic way to spend our evening, dear.” He sighed. “Look, Cady, if this was Sunny or Tavi, I’d trust them wholeheartedly.” She gave him an arch look. “No you wouldn’t.” “Okay, you might have a point,” he admitted, “but Twily’s really naïve when it comes to how the world works – she’s an idealist. Tavi’s at least got her sarcasm, and for Sunny…well, she already had a boyfriend, so she’s better off than either of them. But…Twily’s my little sister and I should be looking out for her.” “Don’t you dare play that game,” Cadance warned him. “I’ve watched both Twily and Tavi since the first day your mother asked me to babysit. I love them as if they were my own sisters – and considering I’m an only child, it’s as close as I’m ever going to get.” She looked at him, her lilac eyes focusing into his blue ones. “But you’re going to suffocate Twily if you keep doing things like this – she’s not going to appreciate it. I know you mean well, but…she’s growing up, growing older, and you’re not always going to be there.” A guilty look came onto his eyes. “I’ve just always wanted to protect her. You know that, hon.” She nodded. “I know, believe me, I do. But we’ll have children of our own someday – will you be prepared to prioritize your then-adult sister over our children? Your father already knows that someday he’ll have to trust her safety to the guy she’ll love and marry – and you need to realize that as well.” When he looked at her as though he’d been struck, she added, “This isn’t easy for me, either. But I care about her – and Tavi and Sunny – to see her want to succeed in life. Don’t you?” “Yeah, I guess.” “You know I’m right,” Cadance told Shining. “Doesn’t make it any easier to admit,” he replied. “It never is.” She reached over and kissed him. “But that’s why I love you. You always do the right thing, even if it’s not the easiest path.” “Well, I guess we can drop this,” he announced. “Dinner’s ruined, but why don’t we at least take a walk on the pier? It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful night tonight.” She gave him that smile that he loved as she leaned in to kiss him once more, cooing, “I thought you’d never—” Her words were drowned out by the sudden loud screeching of tires as a beat-up van suddenly made a sharp turn, nearly flipping over as it turned onto Seaside Lane, pedestrians scattering everywhere to avoid being hit by the sudden new arrival. The vehicle came to a sudden, jarring stop in front of the Chez Crabbé, accompanied by four loud bangs as the tires, clearly overheated beyond the point of stress, popped from the abrupt halt. “Oooooh,” Noteworthy moaned, dazed. Though he’d had his seatbelt on, he’d banged a little farther forward than he’d intended. He felt a warm, sticky wetness on his forehead and knew what it was, even though he couldn’t wrap his mind around that. He was barely coming to grips with the fact that his van was now a worthless hunk of metal. The stench of burnt rubber and smoldering oil filled the air and he still felt out of it. “I feel like I’m going to vomit,” he announced. Sunset, having had the foresight to use an inertial dampener spell on herself, arrived in pristine condition. “Oh, quit whining. When the cops get here, tell them everything, got that?” she told him. Kicking the door open, she called back, “Thanks for the ride, Noteworthy!” as she rushed into the bistro, rage on her mind. You’re not going to hurt her! Sunset snarled mentally. This is where it ends, Flash! “What the hell was that?” Cadance asked, staring at the dazed driver of the now-ruined van. Shining saw someone leap out of the van and rush into the restaurant – and that could only mean trouble. “Call 911!” he told Cadance as he popped open his glove compartment, reaching for his spare pistol and badge. “Tell them cop’s on the scene!” With that, he got out of the car and sprinted towards the restaurant, rushing to the side of the driver, a teenage boy. Pulling open the door, he helped the kid out of the car. “What happened?” Shining asked him, noticing the huge bruise on the teen’s forehead, the cut on his scalp and the dilated look in his eyes. “Stop her,” he groaned. “She’s…he’s….sto….” “Watch him,” Shining ordered a bystander and rushed in, hoping that the worst wasn’t coming. If the individual that went in was armed, that could put the lives of every individual in the restaurant in danger. Twily, I’m coming! Twilight set her soda down, shaking her head slightly. “I feel…kinda…weird,” she said, blinking as if caught in sensoria. “Yeah, me too,” Flash lied. “Wonder if the food didn’t agree with us?” “Don’t wanna be sick,” she said, her voice slurring. “No kidding. Tell you what: instead of getting dessert here, why don’t we take a walk along the boardwalk? There’s an ice cream place at the end of the pier and they get good reviews. Interested?” “Yeah,” she said, stumbling slightly as she stood. Flash grinned slightly; the drug was taking effect. Now to test it. Approaching her, he said, “Of course, a kiss would be nice, first.” Twilight smiled softly, saying nothing but instead closing her eyes, leaning forward and puckering her lips. Something within her wanted to stop, wondering why she would kiss a guy she just met when she wasn’t that kind of girl, and yet she kept going. His words somehow compelled her, the only thing she heard as she awaited the tender brush of his lips— —only to hear the fugue of shattered glass and broken porcelain as a jumble of unseen action occurred. She opened her eyes to find…. “Sunny?” she asked, smiling even as an emptiness took her. Sunset didn’t even expend but a second to waste: the moment she came in, she spotted Twilight immediately – Those shocks in her hair are like a beacon! – and moved in for the strike. As the two moved to kiss – something she knew Twilight would never do normally – she lashed out like a viper, grabbing him, then flipping and pounding him against the table, snapping it like a twig. She then picked him up and threw him against the wall, patrons moving out of the way as they knew they’d gotten into the middle of something – or rather that something had gotten into the middle of them. “You fucking bastard,” Sunset snarled at Flash. “What did you do to her?” Before he could even answer, she drove her fist into his stomach, making him gasp for air. “You used the drug on her, didn’t you!?” “None of your business, you sp—” Flash managed to reply before she followed up with a fist across his face – hard. “If you don’t answer me,” she said, whispering at him just so only he could hear before she roared the rest, “I WILL BREAK YOU LIKE A SPES MUHRINE RANSACKING ALL OF CREATION!” “And what’re you going to do if I did?” Her response was to punch the wall she pinned him against – and then through it. As his eyes went wide in surprise, she said in a dangerously calm voice, “Does that get your attention, fuckwad? You have no idea of what I’m capable of.” She bared her teeth as she added, “Twilight Sparkle is my little sister, and I will do anything and everything to protect her.” He gave her a contemptuous look. “You and I aren’t dating anymore, you jealous cunt. And you might be her sister, but you’re not her mo—” She answered that by delivering another slug across the face. “Don’t piss me off, Brad, or I will fucking go medieval on you like the fucking Visigoths during a Roman holiday!” “I told you not to call me ‘Brad’,” he seethed at her. “Would you prefer the things I’d like to call you?” She flexed her hand in front of his face. “Because the next thing I’d like to call you is ‘castrati.’” “Sunny? What are you doing here?” a voice shouted behind her, and her blood ran cold. Shit! I hadn’t expected him to be here! “Officer!” Flash shouted. “This girl’s—” “SHUT UP, YOU LYING ASSHOLE!” With a strength that surprised both, Sunset flung Flash against the opposite wall, where he crashed into several tables. Before he could even recover, she was already on him. “YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO TOUCH HER AGAIN!” “Sunset, that’s enough!” Shining shouted at his foster sister. “Shiny! He used The Vibe on Twily!” she shouted, not taking her eyes off Flash. “I know everything and I can prove it!” “WHAT?!” “I’ll explain later!” she insisted. “Just…protect Twily!” Shining looked at his sister as she stood there, unmoving, like an automaton, a blank robot awaiting a command. “What’s going on?” he asked Sunset in a voice indicating he wasn’t expecting an answer as an older brother, but as a police officer. “We gotta go,” she told him. “We don’t have too much time to save Tavi and Rarity. I’ll explain everything on the way, Shiny.” “Tavi, too? And one of your friends?” “Yeah. It’s a gang – and he’s one of the ringleaders!” she sneered, pointing a finger at Flash. “Good enough for me,” he said to her. “DON’T HURT HIM!” Sunset suddenly found Blossomforth standing in front of Flash, her arms splayed out in an attempt to protect him. “Please, don’t hurt him!” “Blossom, what’s going on?” “He…I still love him, Sunny!” she told her friend. “No…what are you doing here?” She sighed. “My parents and I usually have dinner here, but then I saw him with her—” Blossomforth said, pointing an accusing finger at Twilight. “—and then I saw you come in and attack him and even if he dumped me after dating so long, I still love him, Sunny!” “You were dating Flash this past year?” When she nodded, Sunset’s eyes narrowed in anger. “So you were sleeping with me while you slept with her?” Sunset heard several gasps behind her, but she was too angry to care. “And then you were going to try to get into Twily’s pants? They’re going to have to invent a new word to explain what I’m going to do to you, you sick fuck!” “It’s more than that,” Blossomforth said, her eyes tearing. “I’m…late.” “Late for what?” Flash asked. She blushed. “You know…late.” The room went silent enough to hear a pin drop – that pin being any chance that Flash had of talking his way out of this. While Flash still looked confused, he did notice the look of shock on the face of Blossomforth’s mother and the sudden look of rage on her father’s face. But it was Sunset’s words that crystallized everything for him: “Congratulations…Daddy.” “WHAT?” Sunset’s anger suddenly turned into a malicious grin. “You know, Flash, I was worried about coming up with a suitable enough revenge. But seeing as how Blossomforth just threw one hell of a punch at you that I can’t even match – in front of her parents no less – I think I’m outclassed here. Besides, I have the rest of your messes to clean up.” She then turned to Blossomforth. “Blossom, I’m your friend. I’ll be there all the way for you. But if you think he’s going to marry you, well…he might be going to jail after all this.” Lastly, she turned to Shining. “We gotta go.” “Yeah, no kidding.” Taking Twily by the hand, he walked out just as Cadance arrived. “Okay, cops’ll be here any se—Sunny?” Cadance exclaimed. “No time to explain, love,” Shining told her. “Take Twily and stay with her at all times – she’s been affected by The Vibe. Twily, stay with Cady, okay?” “I’ll stay with Cady,” she said, her voice small and childlike. Both Sunset and Shining looked at each other in worry: if the drug was doing this to her, how would it affect the others? “I’ll have someone come and pick you up,” he told Cadance, “and I’ll call the local police department to explain. But right now, Tavi’s in danger and we gotta go!” Rushing to his car, Sunset immediately followed him as a completely confused Cadance watched them depart. “Oh, Twily,” Cadance said, holding the younger girl close, looking at the ruined restaurant and the boy who clearly was at the center of it all. Their eyes met and the look of anger in Cadance’s eyes was enough to make him turn away. A few seconds later, Shining’s Dodge Challenger raced eastward on the 299, the cherry light on top blinking, its built-in siren blaring. “Good thing the Department issued everyone removable cherries for emergencies,” he said as he continued to gun the engine. They were already flying at well over 135 mph and he was trying to plot the fastest course to downtown and San Palomino. “Where the hell did you learn to fight?” She gave an embarrassed grin while she formulated yet another lie. “My…previous guardian – she insisted that I know how to protect myself. And before you ask, I got stabbed that time because I got ambushed by Gilda and Lightning. The story would have been different otherwise.” “Well, if nothing else, I know you can take care of yourself,” he told her. “But as to this whole ‘Club’ thing? I’m having a hard time believing it. Sorry, but it sounds like something you see on a TV show, not in real life!” “It’s true,” she insisted. “And I can prove it.” She then proceeded to give an explanation of everything she’d done in the past few days, from Minuette’s troubles to the issues that Celestia and Luna explained, to the research she’d helped the faculty with and finally Noteworthy’s own confession and how she drafted him into helping. She’d left out the magic use and explained the lucky break as due to the camera used as likely having light field capability, which was a new enough technology that could be plausible. “And that’s everything as far as I know, Shiny.” The look on his face was one of complete shock. “Sunny, I’ll be honest: I don’t know whether to hug you for doing all this or be pissed as fuck with you for not telling me sooner. You were there when Sandy and I talked about it! Why didn’t you say anything that day?” “Because back then I wasn’t entirely sure,” she admitted. “There was still a chance that Minuette could have been lying about everything.” “Well, these guys picked the perfect night to do all this,” he told her. “Most, if not all of the force, is down in Eastside watching Canterlot Stadium if the Stallions win the football game. With the riots that happened last week in Charlotte after the Panthers won the NFC, mayor didn’t want the same thing happening if the Stallions go to the Superbowl. Plus, if that’s not enough, most of the ECSD is over in Norville at the Pavilion for the Mustangs’ game against the Knicks – tonight’s the night that Sureshot’s retiring from the Mustangs, so they’re expecting massive crowds at the Pavilion.” “Shiny, I don’t care about that,” she said, as she tried to make another call, hoping to try to get a hold of Rarity, or Night and Velvet. Or someone – anyone – who could help. “What the hell’s with cell service today?” “Probably overloaded for the same reason,” he reasoned. She sat back in the seat, trying not to worry – but not doing a very good job of it. She then told him, “The worst part about it is what happened to all those girls while they were under the influence – you saw how Twily was reacting there, and that was just the start. What about someone who’s fully under the influence – or worse, is particularly susceptible?” “I don’t even want to think about that,” he told her as they blew past the halfway point. “Frankly, I’d do this alone, but I can’t be in two places at once. So I’m going to need your help, Sunny.” “Okay, let me handle saving Tavi, and you go after Rarity,” Sunset suggested. “The one with Tavi’s a girl, and for bonus points, she and I don’t get along, so if she tries something, I’ve got more than enough reason to get creative.” “A girl? Tavi’s never expressed any interest in girls,” Shining said. “Yeah, but Tavi likely didn’t know who her date was. And knowing Vinyl, she either doesn’t know, or given what the drug does, doesn’t care. But the one I’m really worried about is Rarity: she’s with a boy who not only can protect himself, but has some serious connections. His name is Blueblood and his old man’s Senator Quorum Call.” Shining whistled. “Yeah, I can see how that’s an issue. Can you take care of this Vinyl girl? What if she’s armed?” “Doesn’t matter if I can or not,” Sunset told him. “Tavi’s part of our family and nobody gets to hurt my family.” He grinned. “You know, out of my sisters, somehow I’m not surprised to know it’s you saying that.” She blushed. “Sisters?” He chuckled despite the situation. “I’ve always thought of Tavi as one. And I’d be lying if I said you didn’t fit into our family just as well.” “I’d hug you right now, but we’re doing multiples of the speed limit right now, so that might not be a good idea.” “Ooooh,” Octavia said, feeling woozy. “I…I don’t feel very well, all of a sudden,” she told Vinyl. And things had gone so well, too. While she made it clear that she wasn’t interested in Vinyl, the two had got along charmingly and she felt she’d made a new friend, especially one that was interested in both classical and modern music. The fact that Vinyl played classical guitar and was a performing deejay intrigued the raven-haired girl. “Yeah, sometimes the food here does that,” Vinyl said, feeling both anticipation and guilt at the same time. The blue-haired beauty felt her pulse quicken as the indicator that The Vibe was kicking in was clear. Within a few moments, she’d have complete control of Octavia. And I’ll have the girl of my dreams, the deejay thought to herself. But why do I feel so guilty about it? It was because she’d gotten to know Octavia during the night, she knew. Octavia was no longer just some distant figure that filled Vinyl’s dreams of desire, but now was a girl who could possibly be a good friend, something that Vinyl wasn’t sure she’d had in a long, long time. The two had a lot in common and both loved music. But Vinyl saw Octavia’s luscious lips, sensual eyes and the curves of her body, and she was stirred by that even as she argued to herself that she’d be sacrificing the newfound friendship she’d made with her. Maybe she’ll forgive me once she’s my girlfriend, Vinyl hoped. Or maybe she’ll hate me forever for what I’m about to do. “Tavi?” Vinyl asked. “Yes?” The voice was slurred, barely audible and confused. “Kiss me,” Vinyl commanded, and Octavia, haltingly, hesitatingly leaned forward. Their lips met, a mere brush at first but soon full and engaging. Octavia, now fully under control of the drug, had no idea what was going on. But Vinyl felt the twin emotions of both desire and guilt waging a war within her. She now had her heart’s desire within the palm of her hands, but at the same time, was it truly the girl or just her body? Was her mind within – and given what Vinyl now knew about her, this was less becoming a triumph of Vinyl’s heart and more of a…. She kissed Octavia again, their lips intertwining, Vinyl’s tongue probing. As she broke it off, she said, “C’mon, let’s go to the hotel.” It had been yet another condition of the whole agreement that Blueblood had arranged for the penthouse suite at the downtown Renaissance Hotel. It would be two full days of complete and utter delight. Vinyl’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of squealing tires as someone outdoors clearly was screwing around with their car. Great, some asshole’s skidding his car outside, she groaned. Not wanting to take a chance at accidentally getting hit by some muscle-car musclehead who couldn’t control his wheels, she opted to pay with cash, leaving a healthy tip for the host that thought them to be a cute couple. Finally, as the waitress dropped off the change and Vinyl got up, she whispered in Octavia’s ear, “We’re going to have fun toniiii—” The next thing Vinyl felt was a fist right across her face, followed by a second to her gut. And since she was a lover, not a fighter, she tucked herself into a ball, looking up at the person who struck her and being completely stunned by who it was: Sunset Shimmer. The look in Sunset’s eyes was completely unreadable; the girl looked like she’d been running for quite a bit. And as she was panting, she said, “Scratch, I’m not going to let you hurt Tavi.” “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, you bitch,” Vinyl snarled, “interrupting a date between me and my girlfr—” “Don’t. You. Dare,” Sunset fumed, the anger clear in her voice. “For one, Noteworthy’s told me everything – you’re done for! Secondly, Octavia’s my cousin. I know her, and I know her well enough to know that she’s not interested in girls. And while she might have come initially because this was a blind date and she didn’t know who you were, I’m guessing that she stuck around because she thought she’d made a friend.” The grim line that was Sunset’s mouth became a sneer. “I guess we both know how wrong that is, huh?” “Fuck you, Shimmer,” Vinyl snarled. “What, you think you know everything?” “Yeah, starting with the fact that you were talked into this,” Sunset said. “Noteworthy told me that Blueblood told you that either you do this ‘favor’ for him, or he’ll get word to your parents that you’re a lesbian.” When Vinyl’s eyes became saucers of surprise, Sunset continued. “Listen: you and I don’t like each other – that’s probably never going to change. But because I care more about protecting Tavi than beating the fuck out of you like you deserve, I’m going to give you a chance. It’s more than you deserve, but I’m doing it because she gave you her friendship before you flushed it down the fucking shitter.” She held up two fingers, then lowered one as she said, “One: you let her go and I’ll make sure that you get protected as doing all this under duress. My brother’s a cop, and he’ll listen to me. Yeah, you’ll have to testify, and your secret will be exposed, but better that than jail…or Option Two.” “Seems to me that I’m holding all the cards here, Sunset,” Vinyl said, sounding more confident than she was. “Besides, your cousin’s the hottest piece of tail I’ve ever seen. So why don’t you jus—” “I’m not done yet,” Sunset said, lowering the second finger. “Then, there’s Option Two: If you so much as touch her, I will introduce you to the fucking wrath of a Goddamn pissed-off-as-Tartarus alicorn. Your ass is going to be Discord and I’m going to be all six fucking Elements of Harmony. I’m going to rampage on you like the Princess did against the Minotaur Invasion of 957. I WILL BREAK YOU LIKE SHE BROKE THE ENTIRE CHANGELING ARMY AT SADDLEBACK RIDGE, AND I WON’T FEEL AN OUNCE OF REMORSE DOING IT, DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!?” Vinyl leaned back in surprise as she gasped, “What. The fuck. Are you talking about?” Great – I’ve always wanted to use that threat, and now that I have, nobody has a single clue of what I’m referencing. Good job breaking it, heroine, she chided herself. “Let’s just say that hospitalization will be the least bi—” “STOP!” a new voice roared. Both girls turned to find Cloud Kicker, looking as though she’d run all the way from her house, appearing completely ragged. “Vinyl…came to stop you,” she gasped, hunched over as she tried to suck in as much breath as she could. Twice in one night? Sunset groaned inwardly. What is this, a fucking soap opera? “You okay, Kicks?” Sunset asked. “Let…her…go….” Cloud Kicker panted, and both Sunset and Vinyl looked at each other in confusion before they realized that the winded girl was referring to Octavia. “This…this isn’t you, Vinyl. You’re not like this. I know you.” “Why do you care?” Vinyl said. “Look, Kicky, you’re my friend and all, but this is all about my hear—” “No!” Cloud Kicker shouted, reaching over and grabbing a chair. “This isn’t about your heart, it’s about you trying to take the easy way out of being loved. You’re infatuated with her, because you think she’s going to give you what you want. But it’s just an image, Vi, not the real thing! She won’t – can’t – love you!” “And you know that, how?” “Do you remember that girl I said I loved once and fucked that up with?” Cloud Kicker asked. “It was you.” “What?” Sunset and Vinyl said simultaneously. The room then went silent as both girls realized what Cloud Kicker was confessing. For Vinyl, it may as well have been one of the signs of the apocalypse, while Sunset suddenly wondered if her life turned into the weirder sections of TVTropes. “Yes, Vinyl. I love you,” Cloud Kicker said simply. “Look, I know I fucked things up in the past: I was afraid that going deeper into our relationship was going to fuck everything up, so I pushed you away – only to find out that every night after, every guy and girl I was with, didn’t mean anything as much as just holding your hand and brushing your cheek.” The blonde laughed bitterly. “Yeah – the nympho turns out to like tender moments. Who woulda thought that?” “I….” Vinyl stammered, not sure of what to say. “Vinyl, give me a second chance,” Cloud Kicker pled. “I’m willing to change this time. For you? I’ll give it up.” A second later she realized what she said, and revised her words: “I mean, monogamy, just you and me. Yeah, I like sex – I like the dick and the muff, and that’s never going to change. But what I like doesn’t compare to what I love – and that is you, Vinyl.” Cloud looked at Octavia. “Yeah, she’s hot – oh hell is she smoking….” “Kicks….” Sunset said testily, feeling as though she’d been sidelined by the Cloud Kicker Travelling Confession Disaster Circus. “Yeah, I know,” she said, giving her friend a smile. “Let her go, Vinyl. Take me back.” “I….” Vinyl’s eyes started to water. “Oh, God…what do I do?” “If you ask me,” Sunset stated, “you can force something – and they will hate you for it forever – or you can take what’s freely given and be the better woman for it. I have people who have taught me that lately, and it’s a lesson that I needed to learn. Don’t put yourself in the same position I was in.” Vinyl looked at Cloud Kicker. “You’re serious about this?” “Well, we can get all 1950s if you want and I can wear a promise ring, if it makes you feel better,” Cloud Kicker said, smiling softly. “But I want you back, Vinyl. And I’m not about to let you make a mistake that will hurt the both of us.” She then approached Vinyl and kissed her. Not passionately, but tenderly – the kiss of love, not lust. After a few seconds, Vinyl then joined in and as Cloud Kicker broke the kiss, she asked, “So does that mean yes?” Vinyl nodded. “C’mon, I’ve got a hotel suite that’s mine for the next two days. We’ve got a lot to talk about,” Vinyl told her. “If things are going to be different this time…I want to be upfront. No more hiding.” “Even if it means your mom will disown you?” “I hate my mother anyway,” Vinyl answered, as she then turned to Sunset. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I owe you big time, Sunset. Please…tell Octavia that if she never wants to see me again, I’ll understand, but if she wants to be friends…I’d like that.” “I’m sure she will,” Sunset said simply as she watched both girls depart. She then turned her attention to Octavia. The blank, empty look on Octavia’s face worried her. “Tavi?” Sunset said, worriedly. “Do you want another kiss, Vinyl?” Octavia said, blankly. No trace of attraction, love…or anything. It was a simple statement, no different than if she’d been talking about the weather. She’s been hit hard. As the restaurant staff began to gather slowly in the aftermath of the catfight that had just occurred, Sunset snarled at them, “Get the fuck out of here! Show’s over!” The staff scattered, and Sunset took Octavia’s hand. “Tavi, it’s Sunny. You’re safe now.” “Do you want a kiss too, Sunny?” Octavia said, just as blankly. But when the raven-haired girl closed her eyes and puckered up, Sunset felt revulsion wash through her. Yeah, on the mental level we’re related now – yay for RSI. “Okay, cuz, think we’ve had enough of this.” Sunset pulled Octavia out of the restaurant, giving the staff glares as they departed. She managed to get her as far as the nearest alley, glad that it was empty. With that, Sunset immediately cast a quick spell, placing her hand on Octavia’s forehead and hoping the magic would burn The Vibe from Octavia’s body. This had better work, Sunset hoped. The spell in question was a cleansing spell, but these sorts of spells weren’t designed with human chemistry – meaning either the medicine or Octavia’s physiology – in mind. She would have used it on Twilight back in Horseshoe Bay, but there were too many people around; here, in the confines of the empty alleyway, she could cut loose safely enough. Suddenly, Octavia stumbled and Sunset had to bend to catch her. Octavia blinked as her lavender eyes, showing signs of life once more, looked into Sunset’s cyan ones. She then grinned and said, “Sunny, I love you to death, but you are not my Prince Charming. And what are you doing here? Thought you were sick at home.” Relief washed through Sunset as she righted Octavia. “Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but…you got dumped. Vinyl’s ex-girlfriend showed up and thought that the whole date was meant to make her jealous,” Sunset explained, feeling guilty about lying to Octavia, even if it was for a good cause. “But you thought it was sweet and just let them go.” “I…um…I don’t remember any of that,” Octavia said, somewhat flustered. “Probably because the waitstaff fucked up,” Sunset said glibly. “They poured you a Seven Blaster by accident.” The alcoholic drink, though tasting like a simple serving of 7-Up, was actually alcoholically potent enough that it could floor adults; it had been something that Night and Velvet had cautioned Octavia about prior to her date. Plus, as Sunset noted from experience, it was actually plausible and believable. Of course, Octavia would eventually find out the truth, but hopefully it would give Sunset enough time to formulate an excuse then. “Oh. You’re not going to tell Uncle Night and Aunt Velvet about it, are you?” Sunset shook her head. “No way. I’m just here to make sure you get home okay, since Cloud Kicker – Vinyl’s girlfriend – insisted you not be left alone while downtown.” “Thanks, Sunny,” a relieved Octavia answered. “Well, uh, should we get going, then?” the musician asked before remembering, “Oh! Uncle Night and Aunt Velvet are just down the road at that Mexican restaurant. Maybe we can join them there?” “Good idea; I’m starving,” Sunset said, as the anger and worry she’d been feeling mostly drained out of her body. Both Twilight and Octavia were safe, and while Rarity was still in trouble, she knew Shining Armor would live up to his name and arrive to save the day. Monday would be a hell – Well, even more than normal, Sunset mused – but the gears were now set in motion, the stage readied for The Club’s downfall. As he came to a screeching halt in the parking lot of La Fantaisie, Shining knew this was going to be one of the more interesting arrests of his career. For starters, this wasn’t his jurisdiction; San Palomino was patrolled by the ECSD, and though state law allowed him to make an arrest as he was a sworn officer, there was also going to be a lot of questions as to why he just happened to also be involved with the situation over in Horseshoe Bay. He had no doubt that he’d be having one hell of a discussion with his lieutenant first thing on Monday morning – and after that, the paperwork would certainly be hell. Still, Rarity was a friend of his sisters, and having left Octavia in Sunset’s care, that only left Rarity in need of rescuing – and against the most problematic one, if Sunset’s explanation had been correct. He’d be essentially placing his career in jeopardy by arresting the teen, but Shining was more than willing to take that risk if it meant saving an innocent in trouble. That was, after all, his whole raison d’ etre. Leaping out of the car, he rushed to the restaurant’s front door to find a young woman stomping out of the restaurant, one of her arms covering her chest and the look on her face one of indignation. As he approached her, he asked, “Rarity? Are you alright?” “Oh, Shining Armor! It’s a pleasure to see a friendly face here!” she said, a grateful smile on her face. They’d initially met in the wake of Sunset’s injury, and had run into each other a few more times since then. “I’m presuming you’re here to save me from that cheap, heinous, miserable cretin?” It was then that he noticed exactly why she was holding her arms in such a rather awkward position: the front portion of her dress was missing, and clearly it hadn’t been removed voluntarily. Slipping off his jacket, he slid it over her shoulders. “Here – looks like you’re going to need this.” “At last, a gentleman!” she said, with appreciation of his gesture. “Well, I suppose I should expect nothing less of my friends’ older brother…unlike that cad within!” “What happened?” “Well, a lady shouldn’t talk, but….” “I’m a cop, remember?” “That I do,” she said, smiling. “That’s the only reason I’m willing to divulge my horrific tale.” He diverted his eyes as she slipped on his jacket and zipped it up. “Thank you, Shining. It’s so refreshing to be reminded of what gallantry is from a true man of honor.” “You were saying?” “Oh, yes – forgive my slight verbal detour. In any case, it started when I arrived. I confess, I was quite smitten with Blueblood; he was debonair, handsome, charming and I thought I’d landed quite the catch. Unfortunately, I also feared that I was going to give him something else I caught that would have spelled disaster for the date.” “What’s that?” “A head cold, of course – it is January after all, darling. In any case, while I rushed off to the powder room to freshen up, I also took a couple Robitussin pills. In retrospect, however, perhaps I shouldn’t have done that; the drinks and the food had an odd aftertaste as a result.” Shining kept a straight face, though inwardly he felt relieved as his mind put the situation together: something in the cold medicine, at least in Rarity’s case, had blocked the effects of the Vibe. There’s a happy accident if I’ve ever heard of one, he mused. “You might not believe this, but that turned out to be the best thing you could have done,” he told her, without clarifying. “In any case, go ahead and continue. Try to remember everything, because you’ll need to repeat it again for your complaint.” “Understood,” she continued. “So all the while we chatted, and had what I thought was a pleasant dinner, but as the evening wore on, he started looking at me…oddly.” “Oddly?” “Well, to use a turn of phrase, it was as though I’d become a piece of chattel. I thought I was imagining it at first; after all, he’s a man of means, so I thought that…well, never mind what I thought, because I was clearly wrong, and he proved it afterwards.” The relative smile disappeared from her face, morphing into a scowl. “After dinner, he ordered – ordered! – me to kiss him. Granted, I was still somewhat taken in by him, so I might have done so had he not been so, ahem, ‘forward’ about it; he could have at least waited until after we danced before hinting at that. Well, I told him no, and apparently that is not a word he’s accustomed to, because then he demanded that I do so. The nerve! “So, after deciding that I’d had more than enough, I got up from the table, told him our date was over, that I did not wish to see him again, and that I expected that I’d be calling for a taxi to take me home, as I did not trust anyone in his employ, given the circumstances. Things…devolved…after that. He got up and insulted me, saying something along the lines that I was ‘too stupid for it to work’ and that he was going to have to ‘force more’, whatever that meant. He then grabbed me and…well….” She sighed. “And I’d specially ordered this dress from Hong Kong, just for such an occasion! Believe me, I will most certainly be sending him a bill for damages in addition to everything else!” “So, where is he?” “Well, after he assaulted me, I did what any woman in my situation would have done: I hit him with my purse.” She showed him the soft blue silk purse, which surprisingly had what looked to be blood spatter on it. “I struck him straight across the face with it before I stormed out. I hope I made my point!” “I’m sure you did,” Shining told her. Especially since your phone was there, you probably broke his nose in the impact, he added silently as he jiggled her purse slightly, hearing seeing the vague rectangular shape slide with the motion. “Wait in my car until I get back and don’t open it for anyone other than me or another law enforcement official, okay?” “Of course, Shining, dear.” She paused to reach up and give him a kiss on the cheek. “And thank you for coming to my rescue. You are a true gentleman amongst gentlemen and I daresay that I’m a bit envious of Cadance’s good fortune.” Shining didn’t know what to say to that, so he simply nodded and escorted her to the car. Once she was safely within, he said to himself, “And now to deal with the problem child,” as he holstered his pistol and headed into the restaurant. The first thing he thought when he entered was how opulent the place was: if Blueblood had been smart, he could have easily charmed Rarity with just what was on hand; of course, someone who was used to getting his way would have insisted on having the deck well-stacked in his favor, hence the use of The Vibe. As Shining entered the main portion of the restaurant, he noted that it was mostly empty, save for the upended table by the waterfall. Seated on a chair, apparently sopping wet – had Rarity knocked him into the decorative pool at the base of the water display? – was Blueblood, covering his face. His white suit and tie was stained with his own blood, and in a cosmic display of both guilt and irony, he was using the part of her dress that he’d torn off to cover his face in an attempt to stop the blood flow. “Fubbin’ bichb!” he mumbled through the shirt top, so self-absorbed in his misfortune that he was unaware that he was no longer alone. “Gubba fub wib me bike thab? Goddab skabk!” “Sounds like a broken nose,” Shining said to the pathetic young man in front of him. “I’m sure they can fix it after you’ve been bailed out of jail, kid.” Blueblood froze as realization of a second person dawned on him. He then turned in the direction of the voice, and once he saw the muscular cop standing there – the same thug from his date with that peon Octavia Melody last year, no less! – looking less than pleased, he panicked, dropping the ripped cloth. The blood started once more, pouring onto Blueblood’s already-ruined white garments. “No!” he told the officer automatically, without even trying to come up with a plausible excuse. “I didn’t do anything to her! She started it – she led me on and framed me! I’m the victim, here! I dem—” “Shut it,” Shining barked gruffly as sirens sounded in the distance. About time someone showed up. “Save it for someone who’ll believe it,” he advised the bleeding young man. A second later, a familiar deputy rushed in, gun at the ready as she ordered, “ECSD! Freeze!” Shining turned to look at her. “Heya, Sandy,” he called out, then fixed his eyes back on Blueblood. “Got a girl in my car who wants to chat with you about all this,” he told her. “Oh, heya, Shining,” Sandalwood chirped as she holstered her service pistol. “Building’s alarm went off and this just happens to be on my beat. Saw the car there and came in all Missouri broadside. So, you mentioned a girl?” “Yeah, just saved my sisters’ friend from getting hit by The Vibe,” he told her. He then pointed at the remains of the table. “Bet if you test the stuff, you’ll find traces, at the very least.” “You can’t prove anything!” Blueblood yelped, his confidence now starting to kick in. “She assaulted me! And now you want to presume I’m guilty? I want to speak to my lawyer immediately!” “Kid, if you already have a lawyer, you do know how bad that looks, right?” Sandalwood said as she reached for her cuffs. “You can’t prove anything!” he yelped, completely in disbelief that he was about to be arrested. “Not my job…but someone will,” she told him glibly. The following weeks were a complete calamity for Equestria County and the various public and private high schools located within. By Monday, the suspected ringleaders of The Club had been arrested, and two days later, thirty-four boys – and one girl – were found to have been members. Between Noteworthy’s change of heart and Vinyl’s admission that she was under duress, the two immediately confessed to what they knew in return for being protected as witnesses, and by the end of the week, eleven boys were being charged as adults with a variety of crimes, while five more were charged as minors. Of the remaining teens, eight attending the public high schools were expelled and reassigned to the Blanks; or in the case of those attending Muenchinger, would now have to attend public school. The remainder were suspended and given additional punishment as necessary, including in one case a promising basketball player, who had been kicked off County High’s team; by the end of the year, many of the teams within the county would suffer quality drops in their sports programs due to the number of promising student athletes removed in disgrace. For their parts in helping to identify the students involved, Celestia and Luna were given commendations by the district school board, the mayor of Canterlot, and the Equestria County Board of Supervisors; the various images they were able to pull from Minuette’s phone had been significant in starting the paper trail of investigation, even though many computer experts were amazed that they were able to find the once-in-a-lifetime image that started it all. But more significant thanks had come from their colleague, Thunderhooves, who broke down in tears of joy and gratitude when he found that the two eighteen-year-olds that had violated his daughter had been identified and were being charged. Of the girls impacted, close to seventy in all had been affected. As the weeks passed, the parents of at least twelve of the girls moved their families out of the Canterlot metro area to avoid further trauma. The remaining girls that stayed were offered counseling and other avenues of assistance, especially as their names had somehow been leaked out; in many cases they had to deal with the ostracism of many of their unaffected peers. In particular, one case, Fleur Dis Lee, due to her high-profile status as a model, immediately ceased her work for the moment and stopped attending school, the Zacherle staff having chosen to pay for a private tutor for her in order to finish out the remainder of her senior year without further embarrassment. Those that knew her said that as she’d crossed into the age of majority during the whole situation, she was being prospected for what she referred to as “abhorrent and obscene offers from the adult entertainment industry.” Closer to home, Twilight, Octavia, and Rarity had been horrified to discover that they numbered amongst the victims. For Twilight’s sake, had it not been for the presence of Cadance, she would have been in extreme danger. Rarity turned out to have inadvertently discovered a flaw in the drug; it was apparently easily neutralized by Promethazine, a compound commonly found in cough remedies. But it was Octavia who had been traumatized most: not only had her suitor been a girl, she’d been completely affected by the drug and momentarily abused by someone she’d thought was a friend. With Vinyl given legal protection due to her status as a witness, Octavia briefly took it out on Sunset, much to the latter’s sorrow; Twilight, knowing a bit more, jumped to her foster sister’s defense and for two days, the house was eerily silent as its three younger female residents stopped speaking to one another. But soon after, Octavia realized she was being unfair to the persons who saved her and who she cared about, so the trio mended fences quickly. As for Sunset, very few knew of her involvement. Part of that was simply to prevent retaliation, but another part of it was due to the actions of both Celestia and Luna, who took pains to ensure that not only would the alien teen not be exposed, but that the evidence would be scientifically admissible – and would thus stick. Once Minuette was out of the hospital, she and her parents insisted on taking Sunset out to dinner for all of her help. But what the azure-and-cornflower-haired girl did for Sunset was even more invaluable: through her own word of mouth, Minuette’s recounting of her experiences informed more and more teens at the school that the former queen bee of Canterlot High was no longer the vicious harpy they all feared; as a result, Sunset began to develop a new reputation at the school: that of the girl you went to when you needed help. Sunset was embarrassed by the newfound attention, but her friends stood by her, insisting that it was for the best. One thing that Sunset did consider as being in her favor was the schadenfreude of watching her ex-boyfriend deal with the repercussions of his bad behavior. Once Blossomforth decided that she intended to keep the child, her parents – especially her father, a pastor at a local church – insisted that there was only one way to resolve this. To Flash’s horror, his own parents agreed, and by the end of January, the young man found himself with a fiancée and a child due in August. Blossomforth surprised Sunset when she promised to name the baby after her if it was a girl. Additionally, because she wanted to start taking more responsibility in the wake of what had occurred to her, the floral-haired teen was now the latest employee at the Sugarcube Corner Café, whose business had picked up enough to justify Mr. and Mrs. Cake hiring a third employee. Sadly, however, there was one loose end that remained untied: Blueblood appeared to have escaped his fate. Firstly, his girlfriend, Suri Polomare, told police that her beloved boyfriend had been framed, and that he could never have been the type of person that would commit such atrocious crimes; she even suggested that he may have even been drugged himself, because the accusations lobbed at him could never be done by a gallant and kind man like Blueblood – and he would most certainly never cheat on her. Her constant and consistent defense of him, combined with his sterling reputation and the best lawyers his family could hire, certainly cast a massive counterweight of innocence opposing the damning accusations leveled against him. But ultimately, it had been the confession of a young female gangbanger named Crackle, attending Sunnytown High, who on the witness stand confessed that it had been her boyfriend, Sportin’ Life, that had bought the drugs from a gang in Cloudsdale, and had used a second boy named Rover to infiltrate The Club, which had been originally started by Blueblood and Flash as nothing more than just a group of like-minded guys hanging out together. When Blueblood had balked at what was occurring to his club, Crackle testified, Sportin’ Life had chosen to frame or ‘remove’ the top leaders of The Club so that they could be replaced with ones more pliable to the growing criminal enterprise. Though Sportin’ Life and Rover both insisted that they’d been framed and that neither had been to Cloudsdale before, the evidence against both boys was damning enough to send both behind bars for a while. Blueblood, once absolved of the charges, prevented his father from suing the local police department for ineptitude and corruption, stating that it was “in the interests of the sake of the victimized students” that things be let go and to allow the whole sordid episode be swallowed up by the past. “Don’t ever do that to me, Minnie!” a tear-struck Waterfire embraced her friend fiercely, the two not having seen each other in over three weeks since Minuette’s suicide attempt. “But I thought you’d hate me, Wai,” Minuette told her friend. “I’d hate you more if you’d killed yourself! You were drugged and taken advantage of, Minnie! I could never hate you for that!” Waterfire reached over and wiped her friend’s tears. “Stylin’’s going to get what he deserves: a long, long time behind bars, hopefully.” The azure-haired girl nodded. “He took a plea bargain: juvenile detention at the County Youth Rehabilitation Center until he’s 18, then additional probation for a decade and registering as a sex offender. I don’t think that he got what he deserved, but it’s better than nothing.” Watching the pair from a distance away, Noteworthy felt like scum. For his involvement in the whole mess, even though he’d ultimately done the right thing, he was probably one of the most hated people in school right now; if anything, he seemed to have taken Sunset’s place in the pantheon of perpetual losers and basket cases. His friends – well, the ones that escaped being expelled or were now on trial, at any rate – had ostracized him, he’d been booted from the band he and Flash had played in, and removed from the school’s marching band as well. Plus, he knew that the colleges he’d applied to were likely aware of the events unfolding in Canterlot and it wouldn’t surprise him if come September the number of universities that would accept him would be far more sparse than he would have liked – if any would accept him at all. “Crap,” he said, sitting down on the steps by the front of the school. He’d intended to apologize to Minuette for everything that she’d been through. It would never be enough, he knew, and his chances of getting to ask her out were now nonexistent. “How long’re ya gunna watch’em?” a voice said behind him. He turned to find Applejack standing there, looking at him. “Hey, at least if I sit here, I know that I don’t have to deal with being slapped,” he told her glumly. “Believe me, I want to apologize to her, but I already know she hates me, just like everyone else in this school.” “Shucks, Ah don’ hatecha. Do Ah think y’ did somethin’ downright dumbass? Hell yeah!” she told him. “But we fergave Sunset all th’ things she did t’ us, an’ if’n y’ work t’ redeem yerself, Ah know folks’ll come ‘round in time.” “You think so?” “Ah know yer sweet on Minuette; Sunset told us so. An’ frankly, that gal needs someone who understands what she’s goin’ through, not jest like a pal like Waterfire, but someone she c’n talk to ‘bout this.” “But that can’t be me.” “In th’ end, y’ did th’ right thing, hoss,” she reminded him. “Go do it ag’in.” “I see,” he told her as she walked back towards the school. Then, taking a deep breath as if for courage, Noteworthy started to walk towards Minuette and Waterfire and whatever happened next. As Applejack stood there, she watched as Noteworthy finally spoke to Minuette. It did not go well, as he’d expected: Waterfire kicked him in the crotch, doubling him over and sending him sprawling to the ground. But then Minuette herself helped him up, and the trio talked, mostly with Waterfire standing between them as a protection for the victimized girl. But in the end, it appeared that she forgave him, and the trio departed, on at least what appeared to be friendly terms. “That boy done did a whole world’s wortha stupid,” Applejack said aloud as someone came up behind her, “but least he’s smart enough t’ do th’ right thing in th’ end.” “I’d still kick his ass,” Rainbow scoffed. “Guy doesn’t deserve to get away with it, AJ.” “He’s not, Rainbow,” Applejack replied. “Boy’s payin’ fer his crimes; he jest got a lighter sentence ‘cause he tried t’ do th’ right thing.” “Well, better him than me. I know I’d screw that up all twenty ways to sideways.” Rainbow and Applejack were soon joined by Fluttershy and Pinkie, both of whom arrived in time to hear the gist of the earlier conversation. “But is it okay? How many of us were on that list? How many more would have eventually been targeted?” The look on Fluttershy’s face showed clear worry, and though no names were mentioned, the fact that half of their own social group had been involved in one way or another weighed heavily on the four girls. Applejack was quiet for the longest time before she told Fluttershy, “Dunno, sugarcube. But Ah know whut yer thinkin’. And yeah, it ain’t right `that Rarity has t’ see counselin’ fer what happened t’ her, or that Twily an’ Tavi have to at their schools. But Ah’d rather that than whut happened t’ some of th’ other gals.” “Ooooh, I wish I could throw a whole city-sized party for everyone!” Pinkie said somberly. “I hate seeing everyone so sad.” “Well, Pinks – you’re on the cheerleading squad,” Rainbow started, “so why don’t you get—” “Rainbow? Not now,” Fluttershy scolded. “Don’t even joke about it.” Rainbow sighed. “Look, even I have my limits, Flutters. What I was going to suggest is that Pinkie and the rest of the cheerleading squad should bake some cupcakes or something and hand them around school – y’know, to help rebuild trust in everyone,” she said. “I know that I’m not the best in the kitchen, but I’d help, and I can probably get the girls on my team to help, too.” A gear switched in Pinkie’s mind. “Rainbow, you’re a genius!” she giggled, happy to have a suggestion. “Look, Pinkie, I know I’m just a dumb jock,” Rainbow told her, “but even—” Pinkie hugged her friend. “No, silly – the whole idea! I’m sure if we suggest it to Principal Celestia, she can work something out with the other schools, too.” “It’d be our school’s way of helping to heal the wounds!” Fluttershy said happily as she realized Pinkie’s idea. “Rainbow, that’s brilliant!” “Well, let’s not go that…okay, let’s go that far,” Rainbow said, grinning. “I’m going to talk to her right now, and then get a hold of the rest of the squad!” With that, Pinkie raced back into the school, headed for the principal’s office. “Well, Ah’ll be glad t’ help,” Applejack said. The other girls nodded. “B’sides, this is fer all th’ girls, includin’ our friends, right?” “Think Sunset’ll join us if we start this afternoon?” Fluttershy asked. Applejack shook her head. “She’s out today; off doing something important, she said.” “So, this is it, huh?” Sunset asked Vinyl. The two were at Terminal Two of Canterlot International, awaiting the announcement of the latter girl’s flight. At the moment, Vinyl had a carry-on bag slung over her shoulder and was dressed far differently than she normally did; if anything, it seemed almost as if she was trying to completely move away from the brash party girl persona she’d had since Sunset had first known her. “Yeah,” Vinyl nodded. “Already gave my deposition and testimony to the prosecutors, and they’ll allow me to testify via teleconference, but…yeah, I’m done.” She gave her former adversary a sad smile as she adjusted her glasses – regular eyeglasses, not the shades she’d perpetually been seen with prior. “Besides, there’s nothing left here for me, anyway. Mom’s rep is in ruins, or so she thinks – and she kicked me out of the house and disowned me the moment she found out everything. If it wasn’t for Kicky’s parents, I’d have been screwed the past couple of weeks.” “Still, hard to believe that you’re starting a new life in Detroit, of all places.” “Heh, not as bad as it seems, believe it or not: turns out Dad lives in Lansing, which is like San Palomino in comparison. Plus, I’m transferring now, which gives me plenty of time to get caught up with the high school I’ll be going to. Plus, Mr. Cranky Doodle, the trigonometry teacher, apparently knows the principal of the school I’ll be attending, so he’ll put in a good word for me. Besides,” she said, smiling, “I’m free now. I don’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not anymore. I don’t have to sleep with another boy just to keep my mom from guessing. And I’m not going alone.” “Sorry I’m late!” Cloud Kicker shouted as she ran up to them. She was carrying a bag as well and like Vinyl, had changed her look for some reason, currently wearing a blouse and skirt. Stopping and kissing Vinyl on the cheek, she said, “Had to run over to Terminal Three, since the restrooms in this one are closed for cleaning.” “Hey, missed you,” Vinyl said, taking Cloud Kicker’s hand and giving it a squeeze. Sunset surprisingly noted that on Cloud Kicker’s hand was a promise ring – just as she vowed she’d wear. “You’re going with her?” Sunset asked. “Yeah,” the blonde nodded happily. “My parents are idiots, but they do love me and since they’ve been planning to move to the hippie commune in Ukiah, they were worried I wouldn’t fit in. But now that I’m moving in with Vinyl’s family, I’ll be okay. Besides, it gives us plenty of time to work on the ‘couple’ part of our relationship until we can make something a little more permanent, like when we’re out of college.” “Of course you’re invited, Sunset,” Vinyl interjected. “Even still…I feel bad for abandoning Blossom,” Cloud Kicker said. “She’s got that asshole she’s with, and I don’t see that lasting.” “She’s stronger than you think,” Sunset told her friend. “Besides, we’ll keep an eye out for her. She’s growing quite the spine now that she knows that she’s got more than just herself to take care of, and I can totally see her putting Flash in his well-deserved place.” “Look, Sunset,” Vinyl began. “I know you and I….” She sighed and shook her head as if to dispel whatever line of thought she was following. “I’m…sorry. That night, I wanted Octavia. Badly. But I would’ve screwed it up, I know: you can’t start a relationship with someone if you’ve….” She shook her head. “Look, I can’t thank you enough for stopping me from what could’ve been a huge mistake, and I can’t apologize enough to Octavia, even if she’ll probably never see me.” “I think you’d better tell her that yourself,” Sunset said, as she hooked a thumb behind her. Seated on a bench, folding and then putting down the copy of the Equestria Daily, the city’s main newspaper, was Octavia. With an angry look in her eye, the teen, still dressed in her school uniform, walked straight up to the trio. “Tavi,” Vinyl began, “I—” She was suddenly silenced as Octavia delivered a stinging slap, loud enough to ring through the relatively empty corridors of the airport terminal. “I should hate you,” the raven-haired teen snarled, her eyes filled with hurt. “I didn’t like you in that way, but I was willing to be your friend. And all I was to you wasn’t even something to be a quick lay, but so that your buddies could rape my cousin and my friend?” “Octavia, it wasn—” “No, Vinyl! No excuses! I don’t want to hear anything from you – ever again!” She then turned to Cloud Kicker, saying in a curt tone, “For your sake, I hope she’s worth it. I wish you the best of luck, Ms. Kicker.” With that, Octavia left them and went back to the bench where she sat, picked up the newspaper again and hid behind it. Vinyl started to move towards the distraught teen, but Sunset got in her way, shaking her head. Cloud Kicker then tugged her girlfriend’s hand, indicating that Sunset was right. “ATTENTION ALL PASSENGERS: UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 3456 NONSTOP TO DETROIT, NOW BOARDING AT GATE 6B,” a voice boomed over the airport’s intercom. “That’s our flight,” Cloud Kicker said. She then stuck out a hand. “See you around sometime, Sunny.” Sunset took and shook, then hugged the girl. “You know it, Kicky. Keep in touch.” She then looked at Vinyl, and offered her hand. Vinyl took it, and was surprised when Sunset gave her a hug as well. “Take care of her, Vinyl,” Sunset said. “She’s giving up everything for you.” “I know,” Vinyl said in a hushed voice. “And I have to prove worthy of it. Take care, Sunset.” As the two went off to catch their flight, Sunset sat down on the bench next to Octavia. “You okay?” “No. I’m not.” Octavia lowered the paper once more, revealing that she had been crying. “I was violated, Sunny. Not as bad as other girls, but…how can you forgive her?” “Because Rarity and the others forgave me,” Sunset replied, putting an arm around her pseudo-cousin. “And because instead of condemning me, they offered me something more potent – their friendship. I couldn’t be the person I am if I didn’t offer the same.” “You know,” Octavia said, looking at Sunset, “I envy you. I thought I was strong; that I could hide behind my sarcasm and my attitude. But at the end of the day, I crumpled like paper. But you…you’ve dealt with worse and just kept on moving.” “That’s not true. I was ‘managing’ because of my anger and rage…but that’s not the way to live life. But now I can do it because I have my friends and my family,” Sunset said, placing her head on Octavia’s. “Like a cousin who I care about as much as she does me.” “I’m guessing you mean me, right?” “Who the hell else should I be referring to? I’m an orphan, remember?” “You know, I’m now going to tease you for saying that.” “Funny, because Vinyl told me in great detail how great of a kisser you are, Tavi.” Silence. “Okay, let’s just forget everything I said, then. You’re an ass, Sunny.” Sunny laughed and hugged Octavia closer. “Love you too, cuz.” The first thing that came to Blueblood’s mind when he woke up was a smug satisfaction: the lawyers had earned their keep and furthermore, the “discreet donation” that a friend of a friend of someone who might be a friend of Blueblood’s father had given that gangbanger strumpet in the slums ensured that Blueblood was well inoculated from the whole fallout – and the wealth of doctored evidence had ensured that the two delinquents would face their fates in the criminal justice system. Besides, it was only a matter of time before cretins like Sportin’ Life and Rover were set in a life behind bars; the evidence only ensured that it would happen faster, while Blueblood would successfully escape. Well, not escape, per se. “Escaping” is for lesser folk, he thought. Better to say that those who deserved their fate got exactly what they deserved. This line of thought, however, went away the moment he tried to get off his bed…and found that he couldn’t. Furthermore, he discovered that his hands and legs were tied to the corners of the bed, and he was bound in a manner most unbecoming. “The hell?” the teen spoke aloud. “Well, dear, you’re feeling distraught still over your whole ordeal. Thankfully, your beloved girlfriend decided to take a couple of days from school to minister to your needs.” Blueblood’s blood suddenly ran cold as he heard Suri’s taunting words. Sure enough, the girl walked in, wearing nothing but a negligee; in her hand she carried a small crystal vial, one that Blueblood was all-too-familiar with. After all, he’d used it on her several times. “Well, my love,” she said in a voice that was half-venom, half-sugar, “I know you wanted me, but all you had to do was…just…ask. This,” she said, using her other hand to gesture to the vial as if she were a woman displaying a product, “was entirely unnecessary.” She then tossed the vial in a trashcan by the bar, as she sauntered over to it. “Suri,” he began, trying to formulate a way of getting out of his current predicament, “I can explain everything.” “Oh, you don’t need to,” she told him. “Everything has been taken care of already.” What? he thought with surprise. She smiled as she saw the confused look on his face. “What, you thought I was just a vapid little girl who wanted to be nothing but arm candy for the rest of your life?” She laughed softy, and the sound seemed all the more psychotic for it. “No, my dearest – you are the kind of sneaky, sadistic bastard that will likely make it to the White House someday – and I’m going to be there every step of the way.” Moving over to where there was a chilled bottle of champagne in a bucket, she poured herself a glass and held it up to her face, her eyes focusing on the sparkling gasses within the wine. “I talked to both your parents and mine and told them exactly what I want. And you know what? I got it.” Blueblood lay there, waiting for her to continue. She took a drink, then obliged her bound paramour. “I’ve moved in now, dear – we’re going to be living together, just you and I. Both your parents and mine will, of course, deny it all, as we still have our reputations to protect, but from now on, you and I are joined at the hip, dear. Once we get into college, then we can make it official. When we’re twenty, I’ll tell you exactly what kind of engagement ring I want. And once we’re done with grad school, I might even let you have some say in the wedding.” Drink in hand, she sat down next to him on the bed, still holding a soft smile. “Then, while you work your way up the political ladder, I’ll be there, the dutiful, helpful wife that every politician would love to have. And eventually, you’ll reach the pinnacle; I know you will, because you’re a devious enough bastard that can make yourself look ‘authentic’ regardless of what party you run under or even if you believe any of what you’ll be selling the public. And I’ll be there, every step of the way. And when you’re done with your political career, you’ll be sure to support your loving and faithful wife as she starts her political ambitions, right?” Blueblood had reached his fill. “Let me out of this, Suri – I’m warning you,” he told her. But she didn’t listen, instead running her finger along his chest. “Oh, no, sweetie – now that I’m sober, we’re going to do things my way…and I like it kinky.” She paused in a clearly exaggerated thinking position, delicate finger resting on her chin as she looked skyward before saying, “Oh, and there’s one other thing that we should agree on: keep your mistresses to a minimum. I don’t care if you have any, but I do not want any illegitimate kids that will derail our…excuse me, my plans, hmmm? In turn, I promise I’ll be…attentive. Hell, if she’s cute enough, I might just join in.” “You’re insane.” “And you’re outclassed,” she said, the warmth dropping from her voice. “Did you and your father ever look into Crackle’s past? Or did you just assume that she’s just some streetwise slut living in the slums? Because if you had, you would have noticed one teensy little detail,” Suri said, squeezing two fingers together. She leaned close to him and whispered in his ear, “Crackle’s my half-sister from my father’s mistress.” Sitting back up, she added, “But Crackle and I get along well and sisters do share things. And because she knows everything, now I know – and I keep backups.” A sudden look of horror came over Blueblood’s face, and as it did, she leaned down and kissed him. “Check and mate, dearest,” she cooed.