//------------------------------// // Truths // Story: H2O: Just Add Friendship // by Burning Sunset //------------------------------// “What do you want me to say? I fucked up! Okay! I get it!” Celestia sobbed out, her voice broken and slurred as she slammed the cheap bottle of beer down on the desk before her. Normally she wouldn’t be at school over summer break like this, but she needed to find and fix her greatest mistake. How could she have been so stupid in the first place? “Yeah you bucked up! I left Sunset in your care, in the girls’ care, actually trusting that she would be taken care of instead of insisting that she come home with me when she said she felt she needed to stay here.” Twilight snapped out, hurt overpowering her anger as she was reminded of another incident where she herself was hurt just as badly by the pony counterparts of these people. And now these human versions have basically done the same to Sunset. And even if she did forgive the pony versions, this was opening old wounds making her wonder if maybe this was natural to this group, both ponies and humans alike. Was it worth trusting either group any longer? When it was just herself, the answer was yes, but now that she relied them to care for somebody very special to her? She just didn’t know. “I’m trying to find her! I knew something was off, but what did you expect me to do? I overlooked things so much to give her a chance and this happened! The entire school was on the edge of a full blown riot where many would be hurt! I did the only thing I could and I don’t have to answer to you for it!” Celestia growled out, throwing the empty bottle at Twilight who just stood there unmoving while the bottle flew past her head making her hair fly out before shattering against the wall behind her. She knew she wouldn’t be principal much longer as she didn’t feel she deserved it and if that wasn’t enough the school board was trying to force her to retire. And if she didn’t retire she had no doubts they would just fire her. “No, you just have to answer to yourself!” Twilight snarled, turning from the shell of a woman and stormed out of the office. After slamming the door she leaned against one of the lockers outside and sighed. She really should have tried harder to encourage Sunset to return to Equestria, but as much as she wanted to be selfish and force Sunset to, Twilight couldn’t do it in the end. She wanted Sunset to be happy, and she was happy here with the friends she made. At least she seemed to be until now. “What am I supposed to do? I don’t know this world well enough to search for her on my own.” Twilight groaned out. She didn’t really want to ask the human versions of her friends as she wasn’t really on speaking terms with them right now. And after the recent altercation with the principal, just another added to many these past months, she didn’t feel very confident in the woman either. “Why are you so desperate to find her?” A voice asked, startling Twilight. Turning she saw Luna standing there, at least this world’s version. Twilight didn’t really know the woman that well, but she seemed to be a lot different than her own Luna. “Because it was my fault for not making her come home.” Twilight sighed looking up at the woman who gave a smile that didn’t seem to reach her eyes in the least. “So, you are blaming my sister and your friends for what had happened?” Luna asked, arching a brow. When Twilight just glared at her, she sighed as her shoulders slumped. “Okay, yeah they are partly to blame. All of us are and I do want to find her.” “Why do you want to find her?” Twilight asked, her glare softening. “Because I love my sister and want to help ease her pain. She’s the best principal this school has ever had, but she isn’t perfect and she makes mistakes. I know that better than anyone.” Luna admitted, swallowing a little before continuing. “As much as I love my sister though, I just want to find Sunset and make sure that she is okay. If Sunset is happy where ever she is, I have no intentions of dragging her back her.” “Good, because if she’s being dragged anywhere then it will be back to Equestria with me.” Twilight snapped. “That’s fine if it is what she wants to do. The fact remains though that you know nothing about this world while I not only am the best around here with computers, I have the most resources to actually locate her.” Luna said, “Though it may take time, I am more than willing to help you in this endeavor.” It took several seconds for Twilight to decide if she should accept help, before facepalming and asking, “You’re a gamer, aren’t you?” For several minutes, Twilight’s only answer was a blushing, sputtering woman. “I’m worried about my sister.” Cleo sighed as she sat at a booth at the JuiceNet nursing a juice while her two best friends sat across from her. She was a little shocked to see that not only were they acting like they were done fighting, but they seemed closer than usual. She was happy about it, but she was a little curious as to what happened. Her worry about her little sister though quickly pushed the curiosity out of her mind. “Why, what happened?” Emma asked, sounding a little worried herself which Rikki didn’t blame her. It was no secret that Kim and Cleo constantly fought and sometimes they couldn’t even help wondering if Cleo even cared for her little sister. “First she doesn’t give me grief or charge me for doing the dishes this morning, and then she heads out really early for her instead of watching her music countdown she never misses. She said she had to meet up with her friends, but I know them, they wouldn’t miss watching that either.” Cleo explained, leaving out the fact that after a few minutes after Kim left her dad mentioned he was worried to. Cleo had left to find Kim, but couldn’t find her at her normal hangouts so came to the conclusion that they may have been meeting up at one of her friend’s houses to watch it. “Sounds to me like she might have a boyfriend.” Rikki said with a smile, though she was feeling extremely nervous. She had promised Emma she would tell Cleo about almost dying and living at the trailer park. She was thankful for this distraction, but doubted it would last long. “Maybe, as long as nothing happens to her.” Cleo sighed. “I’m sure she will be fine.” Emma smiled, “If you want we can all go look though.” “No, I’m sure the little brat is fine. Just probably messing with me.” Cleo said, tough her friends wasn’t too sure about it. “What did you two want to talk about though, the text said that you really needed to talk this morning.” “Well, I kind of have some things to admit.” Rikki said, looking around to make sure that they were still pretty far away from anybody. They picked this booth often because they could openly, if quietly, talk about their mermaid secret. As far as Rikki was concerned, this was to be just as big of a secret as if people like Miriam found out then things could end up worse. “You see, the reason I needed that reward money was to pay our rent and utilities up until my dad is expected to recover. They were going to evict us because they were behind so much.” “Why didn’t you just tell us that?” Cleo asked in horror yet sympathy. “Because I was afraid to tell you because then you would find out where I live. That I live in the trailer park.” Rikki explained, dropping her head to look down at her hands in embarrasement. She was surprised when Cleo took her hands. “That’s why you are always so defensive of the place?” Cleo asked as pieces of the puzzle that was Rikki fell more into place as Emma hugged her from the side. After a slight nod from Rikkie, Cleo continued, “Rikki, we don’t care where you live as long as you are safe and happy. You are like a sister to us, we love you.” “Thanks girls.” Rikki said, teary eyed as it seemed like they really did want was best for her. Rikki was relieved when Emma whispered to her, “Don’t worry about the rest, just drop it.” That way she wouldn’t have to upset Cleo even more as she was the most emotional of the group and didn’t want to burden her with that detail anyways. Only reason she was going to tell her at first was because Emma made her promise, but thankfully it seemed Emma was dropping that part of the promise and wouldn’t get any arguments over it. “That was so AWESOME!” Kim cried happily as a now human Sunset and Kim laid on their backs looking up at the sky, a surfboard sitting several feet away. At first Kim wasn’t sure why Sunset wanted to come all the way to Mako for lessons, but after hearing that people would freak if they saw a mermaid give surfing lessons, she gave in. “I actually wasn’t too sure what to do, I have no idea what I’m doing.” Sunset laughed, “Though I guess this is working, and I do admit it is nice to have someone to talk to.” “It was fun anyway you looked at it. I just wish my sister cared enough about me to do this with me.” Kim sighed, having a deep suspicion of what Cleo was. While pissed at her sister for lying and hiding it, after hanging with Sunset even more steeled her resolve to help her sister for now and maybe confront her later. It wasn’t that Kim hated her sister, but ever since her mother had left them several times for a separation lasting four to six months each time, the youngest Sertori was left with abandonment issues that made her lash out at her family. She believed it was better that she distanced herself from them so the inevitable heartbreak of them leaing her permanently wouldn’t hurt so much. And yet it had hurt very badly when Cleo ran away a few months ago. Thankfully she came home, though it made Kim think a lot and realize she missed the close relationship they once shared. Since then she had tried several times to be a better sister, but often gave up when Cleo always questioned her motives and turned her away. Then came the shark attack, if it wasn’t for Sunset Kim was sure she would be dead right now. It made Kim really think about things and she came to the conclusion that there would be no more trying, she would be a better sister. She wouldn’t give up and she would make Cleo see the truth, though she wasn’t sure if she should confront Cleo about being a mermaid or not. She wasn’t completely sure if her sister was like Sunset, but she had a very strong suspicion that Cleo was. “Are you sure me pulling the board slowly is good enough?” Sunset asked, referring to her basically towing the board slowly while letting Kim get used to the movement and practice keeping her balance. The waters were usually pretty calm at Mako for some reason unlike the mainland which was prime surfing. “Yeah, I’m just a little worried about that shark or anything else. If I have someone like you with me protecting me though I know I’ll be fine.” Kim said, not admitting that what she really wanted was companionship since her friends dumped her. They thought she was being too soft and weak when she admitted that she worried about her sister. When she told them she was sick of their peer pressure to act like a bitch, they dumped her and told her not to come back unless she grew a backbone. Kim would rather have no backbone than act like them though. “I can actually talk to them, you know.” Sunset admitted making Kim’s eyes bug out. “Are you serious?” Kim asked in shock. “Yeah, it’s kind of weird. I don’t think I’ll ever eat seafood again.” Sunset laughed, “Not that I liked it much to begin with.” “I guess that’s why Cleo avoids it as much as she can.” Cleo admitted to herself. “What was that?” Sunset asked, unsure of what was said. “Nothing really, just thinking out loud.” Kim said, though she was getting more and more positive that she was right before. That Cleo was a mermaid.