//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Old Wounds // Story: Other Voices // by Jongoji245 //------------------------------// The sun shone once again over the dark world. From a dark gray to a golden yellow, the light shined upon the room the Human Cosgrove and Schnookums slept in. Lined on the walls are costume art, shelves lined with action figures, a bookshelf, a desk a bed, and a large container filled with shredded bark. However, since reaching adult size, Schnookums has slept on his surrogate father’s chest. The sun warming it’s chilled blood, the lizard slumped off the bed just before the alarm rang. The boy in turn slumped over and slapped the alarm. He lifted his legs and hopped out of the bed. Walking to his dresser, the boy put on a purple shirt with a white circle in the middle, striped pants, and his tennis shoes. A good walk to the school later and the Cosgrove was again with Sunset Shimmer as she stood by the repaired front foyer. The two students began their walk down the hallway, again to the dismay of most of the student body. “Cosgrove,” The younger student turned his attention to Sunset, “does it bother you now that we are hanging out? Among all of them?” Cosgrove looked around, noticing how the student body began talking about this alliance. Even his classmates were talking. “Things change.” Cosgrove turned to find Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon conversing out of earshot before a slightly taller shadow loomed over them. “They don’t like it, tough.” The two girls walked away in a huff. Cosgrove walked back to his older peer while keeping a glare at them. “Besides, that’s why I want to show you my closest friends.” he added. “Closest?” Sunset asked “Yep,” - Cosgrove raised his hand -“Zipper, Diver and Chelsey are just behind these doors.” Sunset now looked really worried just as Cosgrove turned to the doors. “Wait,” - Sunset called his attention - “Maybe that’s not a good idea. You know what happened…” Cosgrove tilted his head down before turning around - “Wait here and I’ll give you the signal.” Soon he enters the room. As muffled talks are heard in the other side, Shimmer looked to her left. She rubbed her hand on a particular dent of the locker. She closed her eyes. Four days after the new school year A school bell just rang, releasing the student body to their next class, or to lunch. As if in sync, Snips and Snails sneaked out of a room labeled, “School Alumni Only.” They made a brisk pace across school, much to the curious faces of the Freshman students. They reached their destination: an isolated hallway. Sunset Shimmer, then in the wrong, was leaning on one of the lockers before glaring at them. “Took you long enough.” She hissed. Snails pulled opened his backpack and showed her their quarry: four individual files. Sunset face palmed, she just wanted one particular file. She snatched the files from him and took a good look at the one the name Chelsey on the label. As she walked down the hall, the information contained in the folder gave her a devious grin. This was much better than nothing. Just as Sunset turned to the hall on her right, she collided with another student. Looking up from the floor with a stern face, she was in front of this world’s Chelsey, wearing green pants and a grey shirt. The similar sized Freshman immediately knelt down. “Oh, I am so sorry!” Chelsey began picking up the folders in a rush. She stopped when she found Cosgrove’s picture. She looked at another folder that had Zipper’s name then another that had Diver’s name on the tabs. She tilted her head upward, her face clenched in anger. “You thieving-” “Chelsey!” - The freshman girl turned her glare to Cosgrove - “What’s wrong?” Chelsey rose to her full height before answering, “She has our academic records. Your’s, mine, Zipper’s and Diver’s!” Cosgrove gathered them up, noticing their names on the tabs, before he too gave a sharp glare. He and Chelsey began walking past them in the direction of the Principal’s Office. “Oh man!” Snails cowered behind Snips. “They’re gonna tell!” Snips added Sunset rose back on her feet, silencing them with a wave of her hand. “And how would you explain to them where you got those?” Sunset’s question stopped the two Freshman students before they turned around. “You know what happens to students who get caught with stuff like that?” Chelsey and Cosgrove looked at each other before giving each other a look that had Sunset curve a toothy grin. “So you can either give the files to me, or get in trouble.” - Sunset tilted her body, one eye opened wider than the other - “Your choice.” A long train of thought ran through his head before Cosgrove gave a deep breathe. Defeated, he walked over to the group of bullies. As he passed along the files, Snails gave a sly chuckle when Cosgrove tightened his grip, cracking a few hand bones. Giving one last glare, Cosgrove plodded off, Chelsey following him. Sunset gave another look at Chelsey’s file. “Wait a minute,” She gave the file a thorough look, “Oh this is just too rich! She’s the sister of that Senior from last year’s Spring Fling!” Chelsey stopped in her tracks. “How is it that she is my size while being a freshman?” -Sunset continued on, unaware that the piebald student was slowly turning around- “Talk about being the runt of the litter.” Chelsey gave a slow growl. “Oh, I wonder where she is now.” Sunset began laughing. Snips raised a pointed finger, “Sunset…” Their mistress turned around and found Chelsey just six feet away from them, her face snarling, nostrils flaring. “Janey has done nothing but eat ice cream on the couch all day, you bitch!” Chelsey roared. Shady Daze caught a glimpse of the conflict before running over. “Aw sweet, a school fight.” Cosgrove gave a sharp turn, there was indeed going to be a fight. Chelsey slowly began stomping her way to her older opponent, her hands clenched. Snips and Snails stood their ground against her. “Nobody gets to Shimmer without coming through us!” Snips performed a series of karate poses. It was in vain when Chelsey clutched his orange hair, lifted him off the ground and hurled him a few feet behind her. Now the student body was getting impressed. Chelsey turned her attention to Snails, who was curling into a ball as she approached him. When she lifted her foot, a yellow blur snatched her away from the scared boy. Cosgrove struggled to hold her. “Chelsey,” - Cosgrove bent his body backwards, lifting her off the floor -“He doesn’t deserve this!” “Your damn right he doesn’t deserve it!” Chelsey elbowed her friend before tackling Sunset Shimmer against the lockers. She pinned her arm against her adversary’s throat. Sunset actively scratched and kicked, trying to get free. To no avail, the piebald teenager prepared her fist. “Chelsey!” Cosgrove yelled when a loud thunk was heard. The hall was silent, the spectators looked in horror. Breaking the silence were the footsteps of Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna approaching the scene. They looked at the bruised Snips and the scared Snails before looking at what everyone else is looking. Sunset Shimmer slowly opened her eyes and found Chelsey staring at her, breathing in and out heavily. She looked to her left and found that her fist actually punched the locker. “Chelsey! To my office, NOW!!” Luna roared. Chelsey released Sunset Shimmer from his grip. She collapsed to the floor, coughing and wheezing to catch her breath. She looked up and saw the victor gave one last nasty sneer before Luna grabbed her upper arm tightly and pulled her away to the direction of her office. “Everyone return to their classes.” Celestia ordered before joining the other two. Sunset caught her breath before turning to Cosgrove, who just glared at her before joining the rest of his class. An hour later, Chelsey walked out of the front foyer, carrying her backpack. Halfway between the main building and the portal, she stopped and slumped to her knees. Tears welled her eyes as she pulled her hair in anguish before she screamed. Today Realizing the consequences she had done, Sunset began to tear up as well. While it is true that she was in the wrong at that time, what she did was unforgivable. Was this a small step, or was she walking into shark infested waters? That answer was made when loud stamping noises are heard behind the doors. Walking up the doors, she took a deep breath, then opened the doors. Inside were Cosgrove, Chelsey, Diver, in this world in similar girth to Snips, and Zipper, who had polydactyly, twelve fingers total on his hands. The latter three gave a hard glare at Sunset Shimmer, Chelsey in particular crossed her arms. “Hello…” Sunset gave a sheepish grin as she waved a hand. The three freshman students still kept their silent glare. Cosgrove walked between them. “Are you guys going to say something?” Cosgrove asked. “Did you just lose your mind when you wrote in her notebook?” Chelsey hissed. “You knew?” “I saw.” Diver answered Zipper fixed his gaze on Cosgrove. “Whyareyoufriendswithher?” - Zipper stomped over to him - “Sheisonlygoingtostabyouintheback!” Sunset gaped her mouth trying to understand what the fast talker just said. “Zipper, she said she was really sorry.” Cosgrove rebuked “Hmph!” - Diver added, her look still on Sunset - “Says the Canterlot Monster, and oh yeah, let’s not forget how she went all Zuul on us!” “Yes, that much is true.” Sunset lowered her eyes “But I didn’t know just how interacting with the Element of Magic worked then.” “Oh yeah, andwhatotherformcouldyoutake? AJackinabox? Arhinowhenyougointomutatedslime…” Zipper continued to sarcastically list all possible forms. Cosgrove’s face tensed as the list went on before he shut his eyes and- “Enough!!” Cosgrove roared so loud that the ventilation shafts rattled - “I understand Chelsey’s grudge, but what about you two?” “Because she would’ve taken over the world.” Diver reasoned, before being given a glare. “Shewould’veruinedourfreshmanyearsanyhow.” Zipper added, before given the same glare. “See?” Chelsey approached Cosgrove. “No matter what you do, Sunset cannot escape who she was. There is no good inside of her anymore!” Cosgrove turned around slowly, fixing his glare at the taller but still same aged teenager. “You know, just the past summer I was mugged by a bunch of punks, and you know who was the only one there?” Cosgrove turned his head towards Sunset. Chelsey gave the older teen an uneasy look. “As a matter of fact, where were you on my sixth birthday?” He turned to Diver and Zipper, “Where were you two when I was pummeled in an alley in fifth grade?” He stepped back “WHERE WERE ANY OF YOU WHEN I WAS PICKED ON THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR JUST HAVING THIS!?” He yelled as he raised his three fingered hands. “Some friends you are! You want to help me now, you can start by apologizing to her and me because for all I know you are no better than what she was before being blasted by…” Cosgrove flailed his arms around “rainbows!” Chelsey, Diver, and Zipper looked at him all appalled, by his words. Even Sunset was shocked at how Cosgrove talked to his friends. Cosgrove gave them a cold shoulder and began walking out the door. The former Canterlot student looked at the group of Freshman becoming ashamed before catching up to Cosgrove. “Was that really necessary?” Sunset pointed to them as they continued to walk. Not taking a glance at her, Cosgrove answered, “The only way they’ll learn…”