//------------------------------//
// KARMA -revised 
// Story: Iris Rising: Dreamfall (retcon planned) 
// by hujan86 
//------------------------------//

It was now the middle of spring in the land of Equestria. The meadows around Canterlot Plateau have turned lush green. The large waterfall resumed in flowing into the wide blue river that cuts through the southern plain. Many things were going on in Canterlot at this time.

Celestia had just revealed her plan to abdicate the throne after she comes clean about the Battle of the Royal Sisters to the public. Obviously Luna objected. Having already spent a great deal of time on the moon all alone, the younger sister was unable to bear the idea of the royal family separating again.    
That was not all what Celestia did. She also offered to make Sunset Shimmer an Alicorn Princess. But after relentless questioning by Sunset Shimmer, the princess finally conceded that her motive is guilt-related rather than truly regarding Sunset Shimmer as worthy and deserving. Sunset Shimmer felt terribly upset upon hearing it so she snubbed the offer.
It was not long until Discord came in to report that Ponyville was coming under an invasion threat by the Mane Six. Celestia broke down immediately when the captain confirmed via eyewitness accounts it was definitely Twilight Sparkle leading the invasion.
The Mane Six are alive and well but heavily scarred, with the exception of Twilight Sparkle. Aside from possessing a giant pony-styled mobile fortress (think the Trojan Horse), the backbone of their great army are quarray eels, slaved by Twilight Sparkle’s mind control brooch pinned to their foreheads.
The Equestrian Royal Guards under Discord’s command was mobilized to Ponyville in response. But for now, they remained on standby in the town’s outskirts, ready to go in an all-out battle should the two friends of the late Twilight Velvet fail to reason with Twilight Sparkle.
However, battle looked set to happen after Twilight Sparkle scorned Doc Top and Mayor Mare. The unicorn angrily disclosed that she blames the entire kingdom for her abandoning by Princess Celestia and the reason she had return to Ponyville was to research a way to raise her own army in order to fulfill her destiny as Equestria’s ruler.

Ever since learning of Twilight Sparkle’s plan to take the throne by force, Celestia withdrew into herself.  In her bedroom, she lamented over how her past mistakes are leading the kingdom into trouble one after the other. Then something unexpected appeared before her, causing the princess to go into a huge shock.
Luna and the royal guards burst into the master bedroom after being alarmed by the elder princess’ scream. The hysterical Celestia clung to Luna whilst pointing at a corner. The latter almost fainted when she saw there stood a familiar figure from the past. She was absolutely certain she is not imagining it.
The royal guards did not see Twilight Velvet- pale, stone cold, eerily motionless as if she was a statue. This time, this is no trick by the Princess of the Night. For an unknown reason, the ghost decided to make her presence only known to the Royal Sisters...

***

Becky and Gwen had Dash cornered on the wall. Sunny was standing behind them, looking uneasy. Of the three, Becky is the most dominant person in the group.
“Is this all you got!?” Upset at the meagre amount of lunch money she had extorted, Becky slapped the bills at Dash’s face. 
“Look at her rags, Beck,” Gwen scoffed. “She’s as poor as a church mouse.”
Dash looked down at the floor, feeling completely embarrassed, even though Gwen was merely exaggerating. 
“Okay then, girls,” Becky said. “For this measly five Bits, let’s give this piss-poor loser her deserving punishment, shall we?” 
She grabbed Dash by her hair and shoved her down to the floor, eliciting a shriek from the poor girl.
“Err, isn’t that a little too harsh?” Sunny finally voiced out her uneasiness of the situation.
“Hey, do you want to be a part of our group or not!?” Gwen angrily said to her.
“I…I do,” Sunny hesitantly nodded.
“Meh, she can sit this one out, Gwen,” Becky smirked. “Let the newbie learn a thing or two from the pros.”
Sunny looked away as Dash gets stomped and kicked at by the two girls.

Sunny used her leg to trip Dash on purpose.
“Oops!” she scoffed, watching Dash miserable on the ground. “But it wasn’t on purpose though. You’re the one who got in way of me.”
“Ha! Good one, Sunny!” Becky gave her approval.
Sunny looked at her friend in vanity as if she had just received a well-deserved compliment. “Really?”  
Dash got up to her feet, frustrated the constant bullying. That was when she saw AJ walking out from the school building. She wanted to call for help but then decided not to. 
I should stand up for myself this time, Dash resolved. Maybe if I act tough and confident like AJ, they’d finally leave me alone.
“I-I had enough…” But her voice was too low.
Sunny tilted her head as if she has not heard it quite right. “What did you just say?”
Dash raised her voice a little. “I want you guys to stop…!”
“Girls, I think this loser wants to be taught a valuable lesson,” Sunny said sarcastically.  
“Oh, why yes!” Becky played along. “I do believe so myself,”.
They gathered around Dash and started shoving her around, laughing and throwing insults at poor Dash while doing so.
“Stop it!” Dash sobbed. “Leave me alone!” 
The three bullies stopped immediately the moment they saw AJ approaching them fast. Upon seeing the crying Dash, a heated argument broke out between them and AJ.  

After shoving Dash into the stall, Sunny said to her, “If you still intend on showing up in school, then this is a perfect place for a loser like you. Seriously, those rags are embarrassing to look at. And you should feel the same about your looks too.”
She sneered at Dash before being pushed away by Twilight.  
“Back off, Sunny!” the latter warned.
Dash slumped forward, burying her face in palms and started crying. 
Why? she wondered the same thing every day. I’ve never done anything wrong to them. So why won’t they stop bothering me?  
“Aww, it’s the princess in shining armor coming to rescue her peasant,” Sunny mocked at Twilight. “How noble.”
“Shut it!” Twilight’s face reddened with anger. “Leave right now!”
“Whatever you say, princess!” Sunny laughed and exited the bathroom.
Returning to the stall, Twilight placed a gentle hand on Dash’s shoulder.
“Dash,” Twilight tried to make her feel better, “you have to pull yourself together-”
Just then, Felicia appeared, unaware what had happened just now. “Twilight, I just saw Sunny came out- Dash?”
The sight of her friend crying on the toilet puzzled her, but then remembered the look she saw on Sunny’s face.    
“She’s making fun of her looks again,” Twilight sadly informed her.
Down on one knee, Felicia looked compassionately at Dash.
She lifted Dash’s chin so that their gazes would meet. “I want you to take a good look at me and answer truthfully, okay?”
Dash nodded meekly, sniffling, her cheeks wet. 
Felicia put on a heart-warming smile, though its tenderness is a little marred by her dental braces. 
“Do I look ugly?” she casually asked.
Dash did the obvious: she shook her head.
“And so do you.” Felicia embraced Dash fondly. “Now don’t cry anymore, Dash. You’re special. You may not look and feel like it now. But one day, you’ll see it, that I’m sure.”
Dash however doubted that.

After Dash finished reading the article, she threw the magazine onto the bed and ran off to the door.
Running down the stairs, she called, “Dad! D’you think we could go to Para- Twi???”
She stopped dead on the steps, not expecting to see Twilight in the living room with her father.
“Iris, come to the kitchen!” Garrett instructed his daughter.
Over at the kitchen table, Dash took her seat. Garrett stood over at the opposite side, staring at her with a crossed look
“What’s going on…?” Dash asked in apprehension.
“Iris,” Garrett’s voice was stern, “according to Twilight, you’re being bullied in school. Is this true?” 
Dash’s silence was answer enough for him.
“Why’d you keep this from me?” he pressed. “Why didn’t you report it to the principal!?”
The mortified Dash avoided her father’s stare, still remained quiet.
Seeing there was no point in questioning his daughter any further, Garrett said, “Tomorrow, I’m coming to your school. I’m gonna give these darn Becky’s parent a piece of my mind.”
“No,” Dash protested, “I’ll get expelled.” 
Garrett slumped to the chair, rubbing his forehead with one hand. 
“Aw geez, you kids,” he said in dismay. “Just b’cuz their parents are members of the teaching staff doesn’t mean they own the school.”

An air show by the Paragon branch of the Equestrian Royal Air force was being held in conjunction of the Golden Jubilee of Equestrian National Day, a celebration that marks the country’s transition from military dictatorship to constitutional monarchy. On this day, large-scale parades were ongoing in the capital of Canterbury, but other major cities sometimes hold their own events, usually on smaller scales, to commemorate the occasion.
A small crowd had gathered along the hills to witness the flyby. They are mostly of families of military men. Among others are Dash and her father Garrett, along with some hobby photographers and aviation enthusiasts.
They all watched with genuine interest at the formations of attack helicopters and twin-rotor transport helicopters passing high above the valley. Several minutes later, a bomber escorted by several F/A-6s appeared. This was then followed by in succession squadrons of F/A-6s flying in an assortment of formations.  
After the last formation had passed, Dash then spotted a blue-colored F/A-6s banking into the valley. 
Oh my gosh! she thought excitedly. This is it! This is it!
This is what Dash has been looking forward to. The Skydale branch of the Thunderbolts has graciously agreed to join the modest air show in Paragon.
She tugged her father’s shirt, hand pointing excitedly at the approaching fighter jet. “Dad, over there! It’s coming! It’s coming!”
She cheered with childlike enthusiasm as the low-flying Thunderbolt passed through the valley whilst making a full 360-degree roll.  
Shortly, a squadron of three lined-up Thunderbolts, while rolling to one side, streaked past through the valley in succession. Immediately after they exited the valley, the three fighter jets regrouped into a V-formation then took off to the skies at an almost vertical angle.
In the air, the same three fighters were soon joined by several more squadrons of fellow Thunderbolts. Then, the highlight of the air show began. The squadrons engaged in aerobatic maneuvers, drawing applauses and cheers from the entertained enthusiasts and children.
“Dad, what d’you think it feels like if one could fly really that high?” Dash asked.
Garrett shrugged. “Beats me.”
“I think it’ll be amazing on so many levels!” Dash said vigorously. “That’s why I’ve made up my mind! I wanna be a part of them!”
“What, you wanna be a fighter pilot?” Garrett guessed.
“Close,” Dash said. “I wanna be a Thunderbolt.”
“Don’t you wanna be something else?” Garrett asked. “Like a lawyer? Or a doctor? Maybe an engineer?”
“Ba-ba-ba-boriiiing!” Dash retorted.
Garret let out a sigh. “You are one weird kid, Iris.”
“Wow,” Dash said all a sudden, “would ya get a load of that!”
She was watching up at the sky a Thunderbolt, colored smoke trails spewing from the tip of its wings, making a vertical climb and full rolls simultaneously, then shoots some flares before pulling to a steep dive.
“Amazing!” Dash cried.
“If that’s amazing,” came an accented voice from behind, “then wait till you see the concluding maneuver.”
Dash, who is actually very timid around strangers, fell silent at the presence of the local who appears to be in her mid-thirties.
“It’s not death-defying nor overly thrilling,” the woman continued, “but impressive nonetheless. Still takes as much discipline to accomplish.”
“Huh, you’re an enthusiast, I take it miss?” Garrett asked her.
“Hardly,” she said, “I used to be a military brat,” 
Having noticed Dash’s sudden change of demeanor, the woman bent a little at her. 
“Oh, don’t be like that, lass,” she said to Dash with a friendly smile. “People from Skydale are supposed to be energetic, bold, not shy.”
Garrett wondered whether it was their accent that had given themselves away. “Is it really that obvious?”
“Quite so,” the woman confirmed. “I have some distant relatives living there.”
Then she saw something at the sky and pointed up. “Oh, there it comes now!”
Two squadrons of Thunderbolts, each forming an E- and Q-shaped formation side-by-side, made their approach high over the valley. The entire crowd applauded at the display.
Cool…! Dash thought.
“Well, sorry if I interrupted anything,” the woman said.
“Nah,” Garret dismissed the apology, “not at all.”
“I can’t help it,” the woman got a little nostalgic all of a sudden, “but you families reminded me of my niece from Skydale. Haven’t seen her for quite a while, to be honest.”
“Too-da-loo!” She then walked off to join her family.
Afterwards, the same Thunderbolts squadrons made a return but this time in a 5- and 0-shaped formation, to the delight of the crowds.  

After the air show was over, the Dashiells had their lunch at a local diner not from there. Garrett ate slowly, as though something was bothering his mind. Without finishing his lunch, he put down his fork and spoon on the plate.
“Iris, y’know,” he was saying. “What that woman said is actually true.”
“‘Bout what?” Dash asked whilst munching her food.
“Finding out that you’re getting bullied right under my nose,” Garrett said, “made me realize I’m a terrible father.” 
Dash stopped eating her food upon hearing her father’s words. “No, dad. It’s not you. It was me. I kept it a secret from you.”
“True,” Garret acknowledged it. “But I woulda found out if I’d been more observant, if I’d talked to you more instead just focusing on work.”
“Dad, please. You’re not,” Dash kept on insisting. “I couldn’t have asked for a better father.”
Garrett looked straight at Dash in the eye and said, “Either way, there must be something wrong the way I raised you. You need to learn to stand your own feet, be more confident. I want you to be more…active. If you don’t start to change yourself now, you won’t last in the real world. And a time will come when there’s no one around to help you, there’s only yourself. D’you understand?”
Sadly, Dash did not take her father’s advice seriously. “Yea…”

Garrett placed the tools back into trunk after he was done changing the flat tire. It was pure bad luck that they had run over some nails just before pulling up into hotel’s parking lot. 
Better now than during the journey back home, he thought to himself.    
“Wait for me in the hotel room,” Garrett told Dash. “I’m gonna find a workshop to get the flat tire fixed.”
“Dad,” Dash regarded her father with concern, “d’you even know your way around here?”
“I’ll ask around,” Garrett said before passing the keys to her.

In the hotel room, Dash passed her time by writing in her diary on the bed. The TV was on, but muted. When she looked at the time, Dash realized it has been hours since her father left to find a workshop. Worried, she called her father’s mobile using the room’s telephone. There was no answer, only endless ringing from the other end.

Dash’s call was rejected. The thug switched off the mobile then slipped it inside his pocket. Another thug did the same with Garrett’s wallet. Showing the car keys that he stole at his associate, the two thugs went off to jack Garrett’s car waiting outside the alleyway. Not far behind, Garrett lay partially conscious, having stabbed in the stomach multiple times, hidden behind a dumpster.  

A crowd of people in black attire gathered to mourn for the late Mr. Dashiell. Apart from colleagues at the department where the deceased worked, sympathetic family members of Dash’s friends also came to attend.
Away from the mourners, Dash sagged on the flight of stairs, while being comforted by her five best friends. Quivering, she tried very hard to hold herself from crying.
“He told me to be strong,” Dash muttered to herself. “So I’m not gonna cry. I’m…not gonna cry…”
“It’s all right t-” AJ was trying to say.
But Dash cut her off with a snap, “No, it’s not all right! How is it all right when what had happened was all my fault!?”
AJ fell silent in an instance. 
Dash’s emotional strain had made her misunderstood her friend. Had Dash let her finish, AJ was meant to say that there is nothing wrong with crying for lost loved ones.
“Dash, it’s not your fault,” Twilight tried to comfort her.
“Yes, it is!” Dash insisted. “It was b’cuz of me we made the trip! If I hadn’t been too needy-”
“Stop!” Twilight embraced Dash tightly, so abrupt was her action that the latter was too stunned to speak further. “Please stop blaming yourself! He loves you! And you know that!”
Over Twilight’s shoulders, the first tears streamed down Dash’s cheeks.
“Twilight,” she held herself away to look at Twilight, “he aint’t perfect nor the best dad ever, but I still love him…”
“Then let it all out,” Twilight encouraged her, speaking softly.
Dash buried her face onto Twilight’s chest, then cried her heart out. Emotionally affected by their friend’s sorrow, the rest also started to cry.

As the coffin was being loaded onto the van, the Peters approached Dash. Also hailed from Skydale, they are the closest friends to the Dashiells. A colleague, Madeline Peters was also transferred to Gensville on the same day as the late Mr. Dashiell through sheer coincidence.  
“Everything’s been paid for,” she notified Dash. “So you needn’t worry about the transportation.”
“I dunno how to repay y’all,” Dash said, touched by the Peters’ monetary contribution.
Mrs. Peters however graciously regarded the matter as a no big deal. “It’s nothin’. I’ve known both your parents long before you were born. It just felt right that your father should be buried close to your mother.”
“Can she come with us, mom?” her daughter Skye asked expectantly.
“Sure,” Mrs. Peters answered 
“You better start packing now,” she said to Dash. “It’s gonna be a long ride back to our hometown.”
Dash gave them her sincere thanks, feeling ever so grateful that she has the Peters in her life, almost like a second family.

Three Years Later…
A ‘power struggle’ had occurred among the three bullies. Ever since her parent no longer teaches at the school, Becky had lost her influence and thus her position as leader of the gang. Now she, though bitterly, and Gwen followed Sunny. Despite the change, the bullies remained menacing as before. 
And Dash, she has been doing well in recovering since her father’s passing. To honor her late father, she heeded his last advice to her. Dash was now changed person- confident, active, independent and a lot more sociable, but with occasional tendency to annoy others. Anyhow, she was able to resist Sunny’s bullying by talking back with heavy sarcasm. No longer weak, she is no pushover either in case things get physical.
No longer able to intimidate Dash like before was probably the reason the bullies went after the juniors now. Dash spotted from afar Sunny extorting lunch money from one of the juniors. The redhead girl definitely had learned everything from Becky and Gwen. Used to be just another ordinary girl, her mingling with the two has badly affected Sunny’s behavior.
Dash fumed at the lowly act, now more than before because Skye will finish elementary school and enter junior high next year. She feared when that time comes, Skye will surely fall victim to Sunny’s group just as she had.
By now, Dash’s resentment has grown into animosity. Even though her harassment began with Becky and Gwen, it was Sunny who remained as the persistent thorn in her flesh. Dash decided she should do something protect Skye. Considering it as a righteous act, she would rid these bullies from the school once and for all by any means necessary.

The small land lot is vacant, except for some piles of old construction materials. It is most likely abandoned by a construction contractor that went bankrupt so many years ago. Surrounded by a wall fence made of zinc panels, it became an ideal loitering ground for all sorts of juvenile delinquents. But now it has been claimed by the Star Spiders, a group made up of four female teen hell-raisers, as their own ‘territory’.
Tak and Jessica were in the middle of a heated argument with Rachel, while the fourth member Melissa sat atop an unused culvert, completely absorbed in her smartphone and unconcerned with her cohort’s argument.
Dash carefully approached the group who are well known for being aggressive.
“Hey, ‘sup!” she greeted them.
Jessica slapped her fist as she confronted Dash. “You got some real nerves coming here, shrimp!”
Dash was not intimidated even a bit, feeling very confident that they will not hurt her after hearing what she has to say. “Couldn't help overhearing everything you just said and I think you guys are in luck.”
Jessica yanked Dash’s shirt then pined her against some stacks of brick blocks.
“Do you know what we do to trespassers!?” she shouted at Dash’s face.
“Woah, woah, woah, chill!” Dash quickly said. “I’m not looking for fight. You wanna know who stole your cash? I can tell you!”
“Pfffttt! Yeah, right!” Jessica retorted, not buying it. 
Just as Jessica was about to punch Dash in the face, she was ordered to stop by Tak. It seemed that Tak is one who is calling the shots in the group, as Jessica immediately complied.  
Tak walked up to Dash and said to her, “Start talking.”

On the way back home, Sunny’s smartphone rang.
“Beck, calm down!” she said, alarmed by Becky’s sobbing through the receiver. “What’s wrong?”
After listening to Becky’s explanation, shock came over her. “You and Gwen did what!? Why would you do such a stupid thing!? All right, all right, I’ll do it. Tell me where did you hide it. Uh-huh…got it. And, where are you two now? All right, stay calm! I’m on my way!”
She placed her smartphone back into her pocket and made tracks in the opposite direction.

Several days later…
There were muttering and whispering voices all around the cafeteria tables. However not all students were aware of the rumors relating to Sunny’s group.
Looking around, Twilight asked, “What’s everybody been talking about?”
Felicia shook her head. “No clue.”
Dash just kept quiet so as not to give away her secret by accident. She spotted Dorothy approaching their table but still there was no sign of AJ. The country blonde was strangely absent from school since the previous day.
“Did you hear?” Dorothy began after sitting next Twilight. “Sunny, Becky and Gwen got into a feud with the Star Spiders.”
Twilight knew that name very well. From papers she read, the Star Spiders are alleged to have ties to the notorious mob, the Diamond Dog Gang.
“What of kind of trouble were they in?” she asked.
“I’m rather vague on the details of the feud,” Dorothy admitted, “but I did hear that Becky and Gwen abandoned Sunny, leaving her alone being chased all over town. She took a quite a severe beating. It could’ve gotten worse. I mean, one of them even had a knife.”
Dash almost smiled, but it instantly faded once Dorothy mentioned AJ’s name.
“If it weren’t for AJ-”
“AJ?” Dash blurted.
“Yes,” Dorothy nodded. “She tried to help Sunny. Unfortunately, it didn’t end well. For Sunny, that is.”  
“What happened?” Twilight was eager to know more.
“She ended up in intensive care after getting caught up in a hit-and-run during her escape,” Dorothy explained. “From what I understand, her injuries are fatal and she needs to undergo several more surgeries.”  
The thought of someone dying, even if that someone is a person she disliked, made Vanessa shudder. “Sounds awful.” 
“As for AJ,” Dorothy added, “she’s now at the hospital with Sunny’s parents.” 
As they continue to discuss, Dash could not help but feel a little upset. Never mind if Sunny survived the mob-style attack as that was good enough to teach the bully the lesson she deserves. But her friend unwittingly getting involved in it is another matter.

To Dash’s dismay, AJ, of all people, had started a donation campaign to help pay for Sunny’s surgery as the parents could only afford to cover half of the total cost. However, it was not going well. For all the students, it is very hard to help someone who had wronged them so many times in the past.  
In the midst of the disgruntled muttering, Vanessa unexpectedly snatched the megaphone from Felicia’s hand and jumped onto the table. Everyone’s jaws dropped when the supposedly shy and quiet girl began to address the surrounding students with a snap.
“I can’t believe we’re still having this conversation!” Vanessa’s voice boomed throughout cafeteria. “Of course we’re going to help! Sunny was a bully, I won’t deny that! And you have every right to be angry at her! But this is her life we’re talking about here!”
Vanessa was abruptly paused by a sudden mild dizziness in her head. She is actually still weak, having not eaten anything after donating her blood to the hospital earlier.
Seeing her woozy on the table caused a great concern for Dorothy. 
“Darling,” she urged, “please calm yourself and get down from the table.”
Ignoring Dorothy, Vanessa went back to her speech, as the dizziness was only temporary.
“Sunny isn’t just a nobody,” she shouted whilst moving around on the table carelessly. “Like us, she is someone’s child, a part of a family! If you turn your backs on a life on the line,-”
THUD! Dorothy and Twilight quickly moved to help Vanessa after the latter had accidentally tripped over the table. But, as soon as she was on her feet again, as if the fall was nothing, Vanessa got on table to continue her speech, much to everyone’s surprise.  
“If you turn your backs on a life on the line, if you let a loved one get taken away from a family, then that your what you call as righteous anger… Well, it doesn’t sound so righteous anymore.”
As Vanessa kept on talking, two students standing within the silent crowd, who could be describe as a pair of comic relief hipsters in the school, Snails and Snips were unimpressed. As they tried to walk away from the crowd, they were suddenly yanked back by a tall, muscular student named Bulkmeier. He clung his strong grip on to their shoulders to force the pair to stay put.
“It’s deliciously red from the outside, but inside it’s rotting because there’s a grotesque worm growing in it, consuming from the core. Don’t be like that apple. Please, have a heart. Put aside that grudge and lend a helping hand.”
Having finished her speech, Vanessa jumped down the table. She then found herself facing a jock named William Irons (a.k.a. Iron Will by his peers) whose body build is even more impressive than that of Bulkmeier’s.
“THAT SPEECH WAS FAR FROM THE GREATEST!” he shouted.
AJ bolted towards Vanessa protectively, having mistaken the jock’s action as intending to pick on her friend.  
“BUT IT IS THE MOST HONEST!” Iron Will mimicked Hulk Hogan’s signature pose. “SO YOU MAY EXPECT OUR BEST!”
In response, Bulk shouted his support from the midst of the crowd. A few seniors including Madison, Felicia’s older sister stepped forward to state their agreement.
Shoving the megaphone to AJ’s hands, Vanessa yelled back at Iron Will, “I learned it from my friend here! But why are you shouting so loud???”  
During this entire scene, Dash was watching from across the cafeteria, with a feeling of discontent.

Several months later…
Dash was not paying much attention to the class. Instead she was preoccupied on how to balance her time all week between squash practice, training for the upcoming track competition and Felicia’s bake sale which she absentmindedly volunteered to help without considering her schedule first. Sunny was not paying attention to class either. She just gazed out at the window with a distant look in her eyes. After her release from the hospital, she became a gloomy and quiet person thereafter.
The bell rang, signaling the school period is over. Everyone in the class packed their bags and rose from their seats, all except Sunny. It was the same routine every day. Sunny always waited to be last person to leave the class, most likely to avoid interaction with the other students. Dash assumed Sunny’s feelings were torn after she found out the entire student body had helped to pay for her surgery. The majority of them are the ones she had harassed in the past.  
In the hallway, Dash and AJ almost bumped into Sunny. There was a brief awkward moment between AJ and Sunny. The latter looked down mortified, then immediately walked past them. As she walked past the other students, they called her names and made fun of her scars for the sake of their own amusement.
Sunny tried very hard to ignore them. She increased her pace, but unfortunately slipped on the floor after failing to notice the wet floor sign. All the students who witnessed this laughed aloud. Dash herself could not help from putting on a self-satisfied smirk. 
Now she gets to know how it felt like to be humiliated, she thought. 
Before Sunny could do anything else, Snails grabbed her bag that had slipped from her during the fall.
“Hey! Give that back!” she yelled.
“Make me!” Snails yelled back at her.
Sunny sprang to her feet, but slipped again. When she finally got her footing, Snails tossed the bag over her to his companion, Snips who then tossed it back to Snails when Sunny sprang towards him and so on.
Sunny frantically moved back and forth to get her bag back. “Cut it out, you morons!”
As she was still on the wet floor, Sunny slipped again, eliciting more laughter from the students. Fuming with anger and humiliation, the redhead remained on the floor.
Having had enough of being a spectator, AJ at last decided to move in to help Sunny. 
“Hey, stop pickin’ on Sunny!” she scolded the two boys. “She ain’t done nothin’ to y’all so far!”
“O-ookaaay,” Snails pretended to be sorry. 
He appeared to be returning the bag but when Sunny reached for it, he tossed it back to Snips. But AJ managed to grab the bag before Snips could catch it. AJ displayed uncanny strength by lifting Snips up high with her free hand then pinned him against the locker with his feet dangling off the floor. He looked in shock at the country blonde whose eyes were filled with fiery rage.  
Dash stared in disbelief at AJ assisting Sunny to her feet after telling off Snails and Snips. She could not help wonder what had been going on between those two that led AJ being protective of the former bully. Before, Sunny was much of an enemy to AJ as she was to Dash.

AJ nodded her encouragement. That prompted Sunny to finally accept Twilight’s hand gesture. They gave each other a gentle hug to show there was no is longer any hard feeling between them.  
“But will the others…?” Sunny wanted to ask.
“I can’t guarantee it,” Twilight said frankly. “What I can offer you is my sincere support. It will be a very tough ride to gain their acceptance. But if you truly want to change, then moving forward is the way to go.”
As they walked away together, Dash slipped back behind the corner of the school building unnoticed. She was very unhappy at how things were going. This is not what she had intended. Now Dash really wished that the Star Spiders had finished off Sunny instead.    

Onstage, Sunny pulled her courage to read her speech loud and clear to the students gathered in the school’s multipurpose hall. 
“Fellow students of Gensville High… I, Sunny Emerson, would like announce that I’m truly sorry for years of being a total jerk in this school… I don’t know…if apologizing will be enough, but I do want you know that I am really, really sorry for everything I’ve done…”
The next phase of her speech is to call out the names of every student she had wronged, state her wrongdoings and apologizes personally to that student. 
“…April-Jeannette Appleby. I am sorry for making fun of your family name and your ki- I mean, your Southern origins. It was a very stupid and…a provocative act…”
As she listened to the speech, Dorothy leaned to Twilight and whispered, “Twilight dear, is she really going mention each and every student in this school?”
“Yup,” Twilight whispered back, “every one of us.”
“Ugh, this will take almost forever,” Dorothy mumbled.
One hour had passed. As Sunny barely went through half her list of close to five hundred names, she was not going to finish her apology speech anytime soon. 
“Iris Dashiell,” Sunny finally reached Dash’s name, “I’ve…wronged you so many times, more than others. And you took the worst of me.”
Pfffttt! You got that right, you rot, Dash thought bitterly.
“…passing, I remain insensitive to your feelings. I understand if I hated me for that. I am very sorry…”

A few months later…
Sunny fumed over her mobile. “Where have guys been!? What!? That’s crazy! You can’t expect me to clean this up all by myself! N-no. no! You can’t do this!” 
There was click sound on the other end. “Hello?”
The call had been ended. She looked over the entire room. There were still dozens of foldable chairs need to be returned to storage. Plastic tableware and leftovers on the tables need to be cleaned up. Banners and flyers need to be taken down. The entire floor need to be mopped. That is a lot of work for one person. Furious, she tossed away the mop she was holding then kicked the water-filled bucket over the floor before slumping on the chair.
“Jerks!” she shouted to vent her frustration.
She could just walk away and file a complaint to the teachers instead. It was just that she felt hurt over her treatment even though she had apologized. Letting herself being taken advantage by others was her not idea of making amends for her past mistakes. She buried her face in her hands, wanting to cry but then looked up. Before her is Vanessa, holding the mop she had tossed earlier.
“You look like you could use a little help,” Vanessa said.
Sunny shook her head gently. “No. it wouldn’t be right.”
The rest of the five friends appeared behind Vanessa.
“It’s futile, Sunny,” Dorothy said with a lazy expression on her face. “She’s going to do it no matter what you said. So, we have to insist.”
All but Dash gave their affirmed nod. Dash rubbed behind her neck, looking upset. Finally, she decided to go along.

One year later…
Sunny and the new Grade Eleven student happened to come across Twilight and friends. Sunny was quite surprised at Dash’s stunning new hair color.
“Wow, that…that’s a really nice look on you,” she complimented Dash.
Dash tossed back her hair, as if to show off. “I prefer the term awesome.”
“Is that going to be permanent or just until The Battle of the Band is over?” Sunny then asked.
Ignoring the question, Dash took offense at the newcomer’s stare. “Hey! What’re you looking at!?”
“Oh. sorry!” Sunny immediately introduced the newcomer to them. “This is the new the student coming in today. Brooke Colman. He’s from Paragon.”
“Aren’t you a little far away from home?” Twilight curiously asked the newcomer.
Brooke smiled and replied in his original accent, “It’s a too long of a story to tell.”
After Sunny introduced each girl to Brooke, she excused themselves, explaining that she volunteered to show him around.
As Sunny led Brooke down the hallway, Dash said to her friends, “Did you guys take a look at his eyes? Weird. Freaky.”
Upset, AJ chided her, “Dash, that ain’t a nice thing to say!”
“What!?” Dash retorted. “Just sayin’!”
Twilight clapped her hand twice to get their attention. “Girls! Girls! Focus! The Battle of Band, remember?”
She opened the door to the music room and then gestured at them to go in.  

The night of the Battle of the Band finally arrived. Members of the Sonic Boom, all dressed like glamorous pop stars, prepared to go onstage with their instruments. Amidst the crowd, they came across Brooke and Sunny.
“Cut it out, you creep!” Brooke was told off by Dash for being offended by his stare.
She walked past him over to Sunny who wished the Sonic Booms the best of luck.
“We don’t need luck,” Dash flatly said as she passed her.
“Oh, right,” Sunny said, interpreting the words as the Sonic Booms will beat the competition purely out of skills, not luck. 
But what Dash really meant was: We don’t need luck from the likes of you.
Her feelings towards Sunny has never changed. She just hid it very well.

Dash, Twilight and Dorothy were having smoothies at the Sugar Cube Corner with Skye and her friends- Hayley and Kamila-Belle, AJ and Dorothy’s little sister respectively. It had been a few months since they entered junior high.
Dash was appalled upon learning that Skye had joined the Entrepreneurship Club. “You do realize we have music and outdoor clubs at the school, right?”
Skye stopped sipping her smoothie and said, “Hey, it’s Hayley and Kamil who roped me in.”
Unlike Dash, Dorothy supported the kids’ choice. “Well, I think it's a splendid choice. Don't you think so, Twilight?”
“Yeah,” Twilight agreed. “Exposure at such a young age might do good to their career choices in the future.”
Leaning back on her chair, Dash murmured, “I s’pose it’s still better than history club.”

Formerly known as Summer Harvest Festival, it is traditionally celebrated by the townspeople to mark beginning of the harvest season. Over the last decade of the town’s history, it had been commercialized by the town hall into a grand event as a way draw in outside visitors and foreign tourists. Held during the summer holidays, many sites across the town are filled with various activities and entertainments. Among the highlights are the float parades, regatta/boat race, cultural street performances, food fairs and fashion and music galas.
Amidst the crowd thronging the sidewalks to witness the parade on the streets, Dash got a little nostalgic as the floats passed her view. She remembered the time where she was brought to such events by her trip-loving father. It has always been that way, but not anymore.
What festival would be complete if there are no street vendors cashing in on the event. Members of Gensville High Entrepreneurship Club had the same idea, although they have to sacrifice their free times in the holidays. Over at one of the many booths, Skye, Hayley and Kamil worked tirelessly selling their oat cookie products.
After the last customer left, Dash appeared to Skye, holding a SHK’s flyer.
“Krunch your way to a healthier start with Super Healthy Krunch, huh?” she remarked. “Smart, not exactly catchy.”
Brooke appeared with a tray of freshly baked cookies. “They’re young. Be easy on them. Why don’t you try some? Only One Bit for a pack of five.”  
“Oh, it’s you again,” Dash sad coldly.
Taking the hint, Brooke said, “I seem to be the object of your contempt at the moment. I’ll leave you two alone now.”  
After placing passing the tray to Kamil, he went back to making more cookies.
“What makes these any different from Felicia’s?” Dash was curious to know.
Skye explained, “It's both tasty and healthy. No sugar, just goodness of oat, milk with real bits of fruits and veges. Actually, we did put a little bit of vanilla essence in it too.”
Dash glanced over at the flyer again. “Three mixed flavors? Wow, seriously?
“Hey, Dash!” It was Sunny.
Her unexpected appearance really upset Dash but she tried to make it not look too obvious. Seeing her carrying a bag full of baking ingredients, she correctly deduced that Sunny is also a fellow club member.
“Aw hey,” Dash greeted Sunny with a cold smile. “I didn’t know you’re in the club too.”
Sunny put the bag down on the counter. “Yeah, I’m their supervisor for this assignment. I’m telling you, these three are doing great. Hey, try our best seller.”
She showed Dash a tray of cookies with ‘Orange-Carrot-Tomato Flavor’ label. “Don’t let the label take you aback. It’s really, really tasty.”
“Yea, sure,” and Dash proceeded to buy two packs of the cookies for the sake showing support for Skye’s efforts.

Twilight decided to donate some of her old book collections to the town’s library for the upcoming World Book Day. So she enlisted the help of her friends to pick, sort and packed the books before delivering them. All friends were present, except AJ.
“AJ’s outta town again, huh?” Dash asked, as she helped Twilight seal the boxes. 
“That's how Hayley puts it,” the latter replied.
Over the next row of boxes, Dorothy, who was helping out Vanessa, overheard the conversation. 
“Yet none of us actually knows she really went off to every weekend,” she said. “You don’t think that AJ may be holding something back from us, Twi? I can tell from her tone. She’s lying.”
AJ lying? Dash wondered. That’ll be the day.
“Maybe it’s really none of our business,” Twilight said. “Besides, if there’s something wrong with her, her family will the first to know. If there isn’t, then we have to respect her secret.”
“I guess you have a point there,” Dorothy acknowledged the advice.
Dash wondered if AJ’s secret had got anything to do with Sunny. That made her more uneasy at the sight of Skye and Sunny rummaging through piles of children’s books together. The two seem to share a common interest from the way they pass the books to each other and discuss its contents in a playful manner, causing Dash to feel somewhat envious of them.
“Skye!” she called out then pointed at the sealed smaller boxes beside her. “Gimme a hand with this, will ya?”
Skye looked uncertain, but was given the nod by Sunny.

Later that evening, Dash and Skye had a chat while rocking on the swings in the park.
“I don’t like you getting too close to Sunny,” Dash frankly told Skye. “She’s not really what you think she is.”
“She’s exactly how I remembered her,” the latter said back.  
Dash stopped swinging. “What..!?”
“She used to babysit me when I was eight,” Skye revealed.
So that’s why she befriended Sunny almost immediately after entering junior high, Dash realized. No doubt Sunny’s to trying to reconnect with her. 
“That was then!” Dash snubbed.
“Seriously,” Skye said, troubled by her foster sister’s behavior, “what’s going on between you two, Dash?”
“I only want to protect you, Skye,” Dash revealed her motive. “You don't know what she did to me! What if something bad happens to you b’cuz of her? Or she might give you bad influences?”
“I don’t get it,” Skye said, as to her, Dash’s bitterness towards Sunny did not add up. “If Sunny’s real bad, then why d’you guys hanging out with her?”
Dash was however unable to really explain it to Skye. She merely turned her gaze away, notably irritated. Skye let out a short sigh and looked down. Their evening mood was now spoiled.  

The current score is ten to nine in favor of Sunny. Having already won two of the first three matches, Sunny only needed one more point to win the fourth match against Dash.
Desperate to save her face, Dash dived to hit the ball but failed to return it properly. When the ball hit the tin area below the boundary line of the front wall, it was declared ‘out’. With that, Sunny had beaten Dash to the semi-finals. There was a brief moment of silence from the spectators before graciously giving their round of applause for Sunny. For most of them, they had expected the twice defending champion to maintain her unbeaten run.
On the floor, Dash fumed that she had lost. There is no doubt she is the better and fitter player, but this was the first time she faced a lefty opponent. Sunny turned out to be very hard to read and was no slouch either. Coming down from two straight defeats, Dash fought hard to win the third game but somehow she became unfocused and tensed in the fourth. Cannot be bothered to make the customary post-match handshake with her opponent, she packed her things then immediately storm off the court, leaving Sunny and some of spectators a little baffled.
In her seat, Twilight was irked by Dash’s unsporting behavior. Up a few rows above her, Skye and Brooke moved away from their respective seats to congratulate Sunny.
After finding Dash post-match, Twilight treated her to some smoothies at the usual place.
“You can tell me if something’s bothering you,” Twilight urged.
“Nope,” Dash retorted.
“Nothing at all?” Twilight pressed her.
Dash decided not to be entirely truthful, saying, “It’s just that I’m not used to losing. I was aiming for a treble, y’know, as way to end my last school year with a bang. That woulda been a great achievement for me before leaving here for good. I guess I just got carried away a little there, Twi. Sorry.”
“So there’s no problem between you and Sunny?” Twilight asked just to be sure.
“No,” Dash lied.
“Then remember to apologize to her,” Twilight reminded her.
“Yea.” Another lie.

One week later…
Dash came across Sunny by mere chance while walking home with several heavy bags of groceries in her arms.
“Stop that, kay?” she snubbed the latter’s offer to help with the bags. “Don’t pretend like you care.”
Sunny initially did not take the hint. “I was just- Wait, what do you mean?”
Dash put the bags down on the sidewalk before standing up with a scornful look on her.
“Listen, Sunny,” she said. “We both know what you’re trying to do. Be serious. It won’t change anything between us.”
“Dash, what happened?” Sunny asked, confused. “Are you still mad about the tournament the other day?”
“Urgh! Isn’t it obvious!?” Sunny ‘acting all innocent’ had angered Dash. “I totally hate your guts! I-still-hate you!”  
“Why are you saying this all of sudden?” Sunny demanded, alarmed by Dash’s demeanor. “I mean, why now? I’ve made my apologies and changed myself for the better. I know I can’t take back what I did, but I did all I could to make amends to you and to everybody.”
“Unless you disappear from existence forever, you never will make up for everything!” There I said it! Dash thought.
Sunny chuckled nervously. “Oh, you don’t mean that.”
“I do,” Dash affirmed. “D’you know how the Star Spiders found out that Beck and Gwen stole their money?”
Not liking where this conversation is going, Sunny tried to back away. “Okay. I don’t have to listen to this.”
But Dash was not about to let her off that easily. “Actually you do!” 
She caught Sunny’s wrist with a tight, painful grip, then forcefully pulled Sunny closer to her.
“Dash!?”
Glaring intently at Sunny, Dash confessed, “It was me! I even told them that Beck and Gwen did what you told them to do. Should I spell to you the reason for it?
“Let me go,” Sunny begged, struggling to pull herself free.
“It’s not just about me” Dash kept going, ignoring Sunny’s pleas. “If I haven’t done that, you woulda hurt Skye the way you did to me! Man, it woulda been better for all of us had those hell-raisers finished you off. Only that I never expected AJ to intervene. D’you understand now? You shoulda died back then!”
At point, Sunny had become more upset. “Dash, please stop this!”
Knowing that Sunny hated the experience of being admitted in intensive care, Dash said with a sneer, “Even if you didn’t, I did kinda hope you remain in intensive care your whole life. I mean, wasn’t it fun for you having needles strapped onto you, weird odors clogging your nose all the time, lying on your bed with dead-looking people all around you-”
At last, Sunny snapped, “SHUT UP!!!”and shoved Dash down to the lawn. 
Pinned Dash to the ground, the enraged Sunny prepared to punch her.
“You’re a bigger freak than AJ!!!” she blurted.
Dash was not making any attempt to fight back. 
Come on, she urged. I want you to do it. I want you to show your ‘true self’. 
Yet the blow never came. To her surprise, Sunny eased up gradually after appearing to be taken aback by what she was doing.
“Well, what’re you waiting for?” Dash taunted her.
Sunny unclenched her fist and slowly got up. She offered a hand to Dash to help her stand up, but it was ignored.
“I am so sorry for this.” Sunny’s apology was sincere.
“No, you’re not,” Dash said bitterly, not buying it.
“Then I’m sorry that you feel that way,” Sunny regretfully said before walking away.
Dash sprang to her feet so she can have the last say.
“I dunno what AJ saw in you,” she said aloud, not caring if other people can hear her, “but just now you called her a freak! Face it, Sunny!  You’re still the same rotten person as you were before!” 
Sunny stopped in her tracks and looked back over her shoulder at Dash. She was notably hurt.
“So I don’t wanna see you near Skye ever again!” Dash continued. “Ya hear me!?”
Sunny bolted into a run. Satisfied with what she had done, Dash proceeded to pick up her groceries.

A few months later…
Twilight and AJ came the moment Sunny closed her locker.
“Let’s say we all headed to de Sugar Cube for a round of good ol’ smoothies after school,” AJ suggested. “It’s on me t’day.”
Sunny declined AJ’s offer with a mild headshake.
“Hey now,” AJ still trying to persuade her, “it’s been like ages since we last hang out with each other.”
Spotting Dash down the hallway heading their way, Sunny was anxious to leave right away.  
“Yeah, I’ve been wondering,” Twilight said after noticing the sudden change on Sunny’s expression. “You look…uncomfortable. Are you avoiding us for some reason?”
Pretending like there was nothing wrong, Sunny waved off Twilight’s concern. “No, no, no. Don’t get me wrong. You guys know the exams are coming up, right? I decided it’s time for me to focus on my studies.”
“Then how about we do a study group?” Twilight suggested.
“Twilight. Please understand. I prefer to study alone.” Sunny forced a smile. “So thanks, but no. Now I’ve got to go. Bye.”
Dash arrived almost at the same time as Sunny going off in the other direction.
“Dash, you don’t happen to have anything to do with Sunny’s odd behavior lately?” There was a hint of suspicion in Twilight’s voice.
Dash responded by pretending like she did not know anything.

Dash pushed through the crowd of students flocking up to the noticeboards to check up their final results. First thing she noticed is that Twilight had achieved the top rank. That was to be expected. Just below, Sunny was listed as the student with the second highest Grade Point Average (GPA).  

Graduation day…
The graduates looked amongst themselves in surprise, because they were not aware of the last minute changes made on the class valedictorian.
Due to the absurd timing of the change, Sunny stammered as she never managed in time to come up with an actual speech. “Good morning, friends, teachers, admins, and parents… Welcome… Um…so…here we are…graduating… Can you believe it?” 
She chuckled nervously. “It has been a long four years. Good things…bad things have happened,” then a long pause.
After deducing that Sunny did not have a proper speech, Dash smiled slyly, savoring the moment where Sunny will suffer humiliation in front of the graduates. Oh, this is gonna be good.
Sunny tried very hard to figure out something meaningful to say about the school. At last she found her tongue. She took a deep breath to repress her nervousness before giving her speech.
“Most of you know my history,” she began. “Four years ago, I walked in here as a freshmen, like all of you. But then I began making mistakes. I became…a troublemaker. A turning point finally came where I learned that life is too important to waste on conflicts. I know that because I am standing here now due to the very students whom I’ve picked on in the past. Every obstacle I’ve overcome in getting my life back on track, it all came down to help and this is where I think our school truly excels. For making me what I am today, I thank you. You’ve all become more than my friends, you are my heroes.”
In her seat, Dash groaned inwardly, highly disappointed that Sunny did not mess up as anticipated.  
“So what’s next after high school? College, work, maybe joining the armed forces? Whatever it may be, whether you choose to pursue your dreams or answer to your calling, I only ask that while you do so, should the moment calls for it, please share to others what you've given to me in these four years. You might come across people who are lost, hopeless...alone. They could be a stranger or someone you know and love. Being there, to encourage them to move on, help them aspire for greater things, in your own right, you become an unsung hero in their lives.”
Unimpressed by the speech, Dash grimaced in disgust.
“My final words to you before we cross this stage for the last time: make sure you’re around when other people need someone to lean on. They’ll appreciate you for it. One day, when you look back, you might get that feeling of fulfilment where not only you've made it in life but also helped others live through theirs. That is my belief.” 
It was not long until Sunny concluded her speech, “It has been an interesting four years. I’ll miss this place as well as all of you. And I wish you all the best in your next endeavors. Thank you.”
She was greeted by a single whooping cry from the audience. Iron Will gave his applause, followed by Twilight, then Brooke, AJ, Vanessa, Felicia, Dorothy and finally the rest of the graduates all at once.

After interacting with AJ, Brooke and the Peters, Sunny parted ways to be with her parents. For this, Dash could not help envying Sunny, how it was so unfair that her father was not alive to attend her school graduation. Although she does appreciate the Peters as a foster family, they are no substitute.
With so much bitterness inside her, she glared at Twilight and asked, “You switched with Sunny on purpose, didn’t you?”
“I thought you’re over the past already, Dash,” Twilight said, indirectly answering the question.
“How didja find out?” Dash demanded. “Did Sunny tell you!? Or was it Skye!?”
“Don’t try to put blame on someone else,” Twilight chided her. “I’ve always noticed it. Whenever Sunny’s acting strange, it was when you’re around. I don’t know what you did to Sunny to make her that way, but I do hope you’ll make it up to her.”
“You guys can take her side all you want,” Dash scoffed, “but you can’t expect me to-”
“Grow up, will you!?” Twilight cut her off. “You forgive Sunny for yourself so you could move on. Life is just too short to waste on endless grudges. Truly I am afraid for you, Dash, that tendency of holding onto old grudges. No matter how badly someone treats you, never drop down to their level. It will only lead you to trouble.”
Stubborn that the person she is, Dash refused to acknowledge Twilight’s advice.  
“I’m going to pretend that we never had this conversation,” Twilight continued. “Now be happy because after today you’ll be making the decision of your life. I’ll see you tomorrow at AJ’s place. Oh, if you’re wondering about Sunny, she’s already made her own plans.”
It was then that the Peters walked into them. 
After congratulating them both, Mrs. Peters asked, “So, anything interesting we should know?”
“Just trivial matters. And I was just leaving.” Twilight nodded politely at the Peters. “Have a nice day.”
They parted ways. While Twilight walked off to be with her family, Dash followed the Peters back to their family car.
“So who’s up for some French food?” Mrs. Peters suggested, her voice filled with enthusiasm.
Dash forced a smile. “Sounds good.”
“Hey, mom. Can we pick up some donuts on the way home?” Skye asked.
“Sure,” Mrs. Peters agreed. “But we should let Dash do all the picking. It’s her special day after all.”

Several years later...
The entire trekking team had been wandering for hours looking for the next trail marker but to no avail. Finally, one of the worn out members has had it with their team leader.
“Admit it!” Cloudchaser demanded. “We’re lost!”
Though equally frustrated, Dash tried her best to remain calm. She hated to admit it, but it was definitely her fault that her team had lost of the main trail in the first place. Inexperience, lacking in team spirit and her over eagerness to prove herself, all combined to contribute to her failings.
“All because you read the map wrong!” Cloudchaser continued.
“Would you shut up!?” Dash snapped back at her.
“There is no ‘I’ in team,” Cloudchaser refused to give in, “so give it to us already!”
Cloudchaser’s attempt to wrestle the map and the navigation instruments prompted a shove from Dash, leading to a heated argument which quickly spread among the other members.

In the mess hall, an indignant Dash went to confront Cloudchaser’s group at their table.
“Don’t be daft, Dashiell,” the latter snubbed Dash’s accusations. 
“Hey, don’t mess with me now!” Dash exclaimed. “You guys are talking so loud I could hear you a mile away! 
She pulled up her shirt’s cuffs to signal her eagerness for a fight. “Rather than talking ‘bout me behind my back, let’s say we take it outside!”
Cloudchaser rose from her chair angrily. “So you want to get physical, eh!?”
When the strict Sgt. Blaze noticed the squabble between the two, she came immediately right to them. 
“Dashiell! Cloudchaser! Knock it off!” she scolded both cadets. “Bear in mind you lasses are not in secondary school anymore! Dare to cause any trouble within this ground’s parameter on my watch, there’ll be hell to pay! Do you understand!?”
“Ma’am! Yes, ma’am!” the two cadets acknowledged.  

Outside the training course, Cloudchaser and her group expressed their displeasure at Dash for her boastful attitude.
“Pffft,” Dash scoffed at them. “Ain’t my fault that I’m better than any of you guys. Nothing you can do ‘bout it cuz not everybody was born to be the best of the best like me, y’know what I’m sayin’?”
“You’re a poor excuse for a soldier, you know that?” Cloudchaser chided her.  
“And you’re the dumbest of dumb people in all of Equestria,” Dash mocked back.  
“You witch!” Cloudchaser then came up with an idea on how to settle the score. “All right. Why don’t we make a wager?”
Dash got in Cloudchaser’s face, glaring squarely at her eyes. “‘Kay, you’re on…loser!”

Dash executed a hand throw on Cloudchaser then proceeded to apply a wristlock. She should have stopped after that but instead decided to cause a little pain to her opponent. She twisted the arm further, eliciting a pained cry from Cloudchaser.
Blaze overseeing the martial art training intervened. “Dashiell! Break it up!”
Dash released Cloudchaser. So far, she is leading the wager with the most number of takedowns. With contempt, Dash looked down on Cloudchaser writhing on the floor. It was not obvious to Dash at that moment, but she is becoming like a bully herself.

Dash felt completely exhausted from all the physical trainings. All she wanted to do know to collect her dried laundry, then have a nice shower and a good rest before dinner. Unfortunately, she was unable to find her clothes on the washing line. She double-checked among the other laundries and confirmed that hers are definitely missing.
Cloudchaser! she realized.
She kicked the ground in frustration at the stupid prank then stormed back to the barrack.

Boiling with anger, Dash banged her locker aloud. Suspecting it was Cloudchaser’s doing of jamming the lock, she darted towards Cloudchaser who was about to enjoy her doze before the next physical training session begins.
“Cloudchaser!” Dash kicked at the bed’s leg to wake Cloudchaser. “Stop pranking me, ya damn sore loser!”
The latter lazily sat up on her bed, clearly was not the in the mood to argue with Dash. “Ugh, whatever it is this time, it wasn’t me.”
“Yeah right!” Dash retorted. “Every single time, same ol’ excuses! You seriously would have me believe that this has got nothing to do with you!?”
“Dashiell, I didn’t do it,” Cloudchaser maintained her innocence. “You know that I’ve already run into enough troubles with Blaze, don’t you? I am exhausted and not in the mood. So please leave me alone and go bother someone else.”
“As if!” Dash grabbed Cloudchaser’s uniform and hoisted her up from the bed.
The pissed Cloudchaser quickly dealt a hard knock to Dash’s head. Her friends moved away from what they were doing and grabbed Dash. But Dash’s scuffling prompted them to hurl her into a conveniently opened locker opposite of Cloudchaser’s bed.
Medley, the owner of the locker who was folding her uniforms on the bed stood up angrily. “Oi! Get your petty fight somewhere else!”
Advancing on the locker with her group, Cloudchaser shoved Medley down on the bed in exasperation. “Shut it!”
Inside the locker, a little dazed from the slight concussion, Dash looked up at the scornful Cloudchaser before her.  
“How many times must I repeat this!?” Cloudchaser scolded harshly at Dash. “I didn’t do it! Now you pull that stunt on me again, I’ll have my friends here shove you down a toilet bowl because that’s where a loser like you belongs! Arrogant, no friends, you can’t even lead. To think yourself as a Thunderbolt material- pathetic!”
The scene threw Dash back into the reminiscent past. The locker she was in suddenly turned into a bathroom stall. In Cloudchaser’s place stood the hateful bully, Sunny Emerson, sneering at her.  
Dash pounced on Cloudchaser once the later turned her back. A violent brawl between the two ensued. Cloudchaser’s group rushed to help their friend. Others who attempted to break up the fight got themselves unwittingly embroiled and get beaten up as well.
The horrified Medley rushed out of the barrack to get help. When she returned with a group of military personnel including Blaze, they found the barrack’s interior trashed and almost all of the barrack’s residents are down on the floor injured.
Most shockingly, Dash, who suffered more cuts and bruises than others, was placing Cloudchaser in a chokehold. The latter had fallen into unconscious, thus Medley and the rest sprang into action. After successfully detaining Dash, one of the personnel, a medic, wasted no time in attempting to revive Cloudchaser.  
Dash was screaming, “Get off! Let me kill her! Let me kill her!” as she struggled violently to get herself free from the personnel’s hold. 
The rage, the lack of remorse- something had terribly went wrong with her that day. Both suppressed old and recent grudges finally burst out of its enclosing shell causing Dash to fall into a temporary state of derangement.

Two days later, the investigation into the barrack incident was done. Military Polices escorted Dash into the courtroom to face court-martial, of which its results will spell the end of her career in the royal air force.

***

The memories disturbed Sunset Shimmer greatly. Her friend’s past is more than just sad. It is absolutely tragic.
“What she said to me about my ‘other self’,” she came to realize, “it’s true…”
Already knew of Dash’s true intentions, Luna decided to test Sunset Shimmer. “Do you know why Miss Dash wanted her memories shown to you?”
Sunset Shimmer thought hard before coming up with an answer. “Before we said goodbye…she asked me to ‘find it in in my heart to forgive Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle’.”
Blueblood requested to speak and after Luna granted him her permission, he said, “Sunset Shimmer, I believe Miss Dash’s intention is not based alone on grounds of resemblance or parallel counterparts. She had spoken to me how she always thought everything was always black and white to her. That is, until now.”
Sunset Shimmer realized it now. She saw a small part of herself in all of us. Princess Celestia, Lighting Dust, Derpy…me. “She was trying to look out for me. Failing to see her own dark side developing even after her friend had spelled it out to her, she didn’t want me to commit the same mistake like she did…”
Yet Sunset Shimmer was uncertain how to forgive Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. 
The words, what I should say? she wondered to herself. It has to be sincere, not forced.
Luna gave a hint by making a gesture of touching her chest with her hoof
Sunset Shimmer understood what it meant. Follow my heart…
Wasting no time, she went out of the reading chamber to look for Celestia.
Oh, you’ve taught her well, Twilight Velvet. So young yet she knows well of her place. I’m think I’m fond of her already.
Sunset Shimmer entered the throne chamber, but it was empty save for a few maidservants and royal guards.
Of course. When she is old enough to enroll, I shall give her my warmest welcome. On top of that, I will make it my own responsibility to teach her and raise her as my equal.
Celestia was not in the main dining hall either…
I will make certain that her wellbeing is taken care of. This is my royal promise to you. Please rest easy now, old friend.
At last, Sunset Shimmer found the Princess of the Sunlight in the terraced gardens, sitting sadly under a tree’s shade. She waited for a while to muster her courage before walking up to the princess.
Bowing her head, Sunset Shimmer greeted Celestia. “Your Royal Highness.”
The princess showed no response, but Sunset Shimmer continued nonetheless. “May I ask why are you here in the gardens?”
She gazed around the garden. She had heard of the stories about the late Twilight Velvet’s spirit appearing randomly inside the castle. But only the Royal Sisters could see and feel the spirit’s presence. “Is she around?”
Celestia finally spoke when the late Twilight Velvet is hinted at. “What do you want, Sunset Shimmer?”
Well, this is it. While searching for Celestia, Sunset Shimmer had managed to come up with what she should say. “I wish to know. What promise did you make to the late Captain Twilight Velvet on Twilight Sparkle?”
“Why, such insolence,” Celestia said, greatly upset by the unicorn’s query. “That is none of your business.”
“Princess Celestia,” Sunset Shimmer’s voice was firm, “you’re right. It is not my place to know. But, you said you saw her spirit appearing in your room. Please think about it. Why would she make her appearance now and only to you?”
Is she being serious? the princess wondered. “You do not think of me as unsound?”
“No,” Sunset Shimmer affirmed with a head shake. “Come on, princess. Think. She came back for a reason. It must be something you promised to her. But it’s not power or riches for Twilight Sparkle. It must’ve been something more meaningful that. What was it?”
Hesitant, Celestia took her time before answering. “It’s to take care of Twilight Sparkle like my own, should something happened to her.”
“Do you see it now, princess?” Sunset Shimmer said in comprehension. “She’s upset. Her only daughter is in danger of getting cut down by the royal army she once led. And you’re doing nothing to prevent it. Don’t just sit here lamenting over your past mistakes. Go out there and fix it.”
The princess’ eyes flickered as though she had snapped back to reality.
“It’s still not too late yet,” Sunset Shimmer continued. “You’re the only pony who can free Twilight Sparkle of the poison that is Dark Magic. So go to her, not as the Royal Princess of Equestria. As a mother.”
Celestia just kept quiet, unmoving.
“Please forgive me for being rude just now, Your Royal Highness,” Sunset Shimmer said, uncertain whether she had gotten through her. “I have nothing more to say. I will leave you alone now.”
Suddenly, she found herself in Celestia’s gentle embrace. No words are needed as she knew the princess is expressing her gratitude. While they both relished at their reconciliation, Twilight Velvet appeared again before Celestia’s gaze. But this time the princess was no longer afraid and the ghost’s appearance was different from before. Smiling, Twilight Velvet looked more alive than a spirit. The ghost made a respectful bow before disappearing behind a tree. This was the last time Twilight Velvet will ever be seen at the castle again.    
After witnessing this, Celestia reached a resolution. Now that she understood Twilight Velvet’s wish and how irresponsible she had been after the Battle of Canterlot, the princess knew what she must do. Her plan to abdicate has not exactly changed, but first she must do all she can to save Twilight Sparkle from a terrible fate. Only then, Celestia could it in herself to truly forgive herself.