In the same day at the human world, life continued as usual. Students hanging out, parents going to work, and in Pinkie’s case, sweets being baked. Over at Sugarcube Corner, the Main Five and Sunset hung out, eating their own preferred delicacies.
Outside of the usual student hangout, Chelsey, Zipper and Diver were walking over to Cosgrove’s home. Zipper was struggling to come up with a good apology.
“Cosgrove,wewouldliketosaysorryfornotbeingthereforyoubecauseweweretoscared.” Zipper stopped for a moment, then shook his head. “Nono, thatwon’twork.”
“Zipper, just “sorry” would do.” Diver turned her ashamed eyes to her friend as they just reached his house.
“Nonoweneedtogivehimareasonthatwecouldn’tbetherefor-”
“Shhh!” Chelsey interjected
“HeyIamjustassorryasyouarebut-”
“Listen!” The taller teen whispered before slowly leaning on the front door. A conversation was going on behind the doors. When Chelsey began to understand just what they were saying, she heard footsteps running towards the door. She tried to back away when the door slammed open, pushing her into the hedges nearby.
Cosgrove ran past Zipper and Diver without saying one word to them. Lifting Chelsey off the hedge, they ran after Cosgrove. The grandfather of the house looked out from the front before closing his eyes.
Sunset Shimmer was walking along the sidewalk near Sugarcube Corner when she spotted Cosgrove running on the opposite sidewalk, followed by his friends. Wondering what went wrong, she began following them. The long trail led Sunset to a section of the plaza called Turtle Park, so named because of the massive statues of turtle from various species placed throughout the area. She walked around the park before spotting Chelsey, Zipper and Diver at the statue of a softshell turtle conversing with Cosgrove, who sat in a curled position on the bottom end of the turtle. Sunset took cover behind the snapping turtle statue.
“It’s also that… you know how we hardly see my parents.” The rest of the group looked at him with questioning faces.
“Of course, they’re police officers.” Chelsey answered “They have to protect us.”
“I know.” Cosgrove tilted his head around.
“So why did you run from home?” Diver asked.
“My parents…” Cosgrove answered
“Yes, what about them?” Diver asked again
“My parents are getting…”
“They’regoingtobelaidoff?” Zipper asked.
Cosgrove’s faced pinched before answering, “My parents are going to be divorced!” Cosgrove shouted into the air, tears streaming from his eyes.
From afar, Sunset placed her fingers to her chin, a worried look on her face. Back at the main conversation, The gigantic freshman, polydactylic boy, and slightly overweight girl were appalled by this new fact.
“...What can we do to help?” Zipper talked slowly for once.
“Nothing…” - Cosgrove placed his face on his knees - “There’s nothing any of us can do…”
“Actually there is a lot you can do.” The four freshman students looked behind them, seeing Sunset Shimmer walking towards Cosgrove. “You don’t know just how lucky you are to have parents, whatever your circumstance is!”
Cosgrove hung his head low again, “How…”
“By talking to them...” Sunset Shimmer softly replied. “Just as I tried… so many times.”
Cosgrove embraced her. As Sunset wrapped her arms around him, Chelsey, Zipper and Diver joined in the hug.
The moment was interrupted by a familiar scream. Sunset was the first to let go as the scream is heard again.
“Trixie!” Sunset ran from the group of students into the surrounding foliage. In another clearing, she stopped and looked around. Hearing the scream again, Sunset continued to her destination.
Trixie was being attacked by a school gang known as the Diamond Dogs. Back when Sunset was in the wrong, their absence was on of the good things about her being in the school. But now deprived of her power, gangs like these began lurching back for dominance. Trixie tried to run one way, only for Spot to get in the way. She then ran another direction only for the towering Fido to intimidate her. When Trixie turned around, she bumped into their leader Fido.
“Gems!” - Rover stretched out his hands - “Give us gems!”
“Trixie does not have any riches you desire.” - Rover focused his eyes at the star shaped hairclip before snarling at Trixie, prompting her to unclip it - “But she is willing to offer anything else.”
“Leave her alone!” Both Trixie and the Diamond Dogs looked over to find Sunset Shimmer walking towards them.
Rover and Fido paid no mind to Trixie as they approached their new challenger. Spot gave a cruel chuckle as his partners towered over her. Sunset closed her eyes as Fido clenched his fist and prepared to punch her face.
“Hey!”
“Ooooohhhh!!!” Rover pulled his ears down before turning around. “What now!?”
It was Cosgrove standing in a straight posture. The Diamond Dogs looked in confusion at just one Freshman boy.
“Any hair you pick from her” - Cosgrove placed each of his hands into the other, popping his knuckles while cracking his neck - “You have to deal with me.”
Despite his following growl, the Diamond Dogs merely laughed at Cosgrove’s threat. However, noticing his determined look, Sunset began figuring out his intention when he placed his “index” finger into his mouth, Cosgrove gave a sharp whistle.
As if one cue, Chelsey, Zipper, and Diver leapt out of the bushes and began charging at the gang. Chelsey tackled Fido, Diver inched up to Spot, and Zipper rammed into Rover, Cosgrove joining him shortly. Sunset pulled Trixie away from the skirmish before the latter ran clean away. The former Canterlot student remained behind before turning around.
Diver and Spot, both around the same size and girth, pushed and pulled each other, their shoes leaving marks on the grass. Spot pulled away a fist and punched her in the stomach. Down on her knees for a while, Diver curled up and somersaulted at the small Diamond Dog. After toppling over onto his stomach, Diver body slammed him, pinning him down.
Zipper, the most agile of the four, toyed around with Rover, pulling his red jacket, kicking him in the ankles. At one point the leader grabbed him by the shirt and was just about to punch him. That’s when Cosgrove, the power side of the duo, rammed him. Rover pushed away the boy’s flailing “claws” and legs with one of his great arms when Zipper pulled his hair. Cosgrove then placed his feet onto Rover’s chest and began stamping him down.
Despite being the tallest of the Freshman class, Chelsey was still outsized by Fido. They pulled and tugged at each other, but Fido’s upper body strength allowed him to lift her off the ground. Tilting her body, the large Diamond Dog punched her hard in the stomach before flinging her to the floor. Chelsey wrapped an arm around her stomach as she tried to recover. Fido clenched both fists and raised them up in the air. Just when was about to slam them onto the girl, he spotted a red and yellow blur coming right at him.
Using Chelsey as a footstool, Sunset leapt onto Fido’s shoulders. She took off her jacket and wrapped it around his face. Fido reeled back as Sunset tugged at the sleeves, while constantly shuffled to avoid being grabbed by his arms. Chelsey slowly got up and rammed the brute, toppling him over. The freshman then wrapped around his legs, raising a fist.
“YOU” - Chelsey punched Fido in the stomach - “PUNCHED” - she punches him again - “ME!!” Chelsey wrapped a fist behind behind her hand and slammed them onto his stomach.
Fido managed to grab Chelsey and flung her at Sunset, tearing her leather jacket off his face. He then marched over and flung Cosgrove away. Rover, now free of one pest, grabbed Zipper by the hair before walking over to Diver and lifted her up. Now free of an organic dumbbell, Spot wheezed as he tried to recover.
Tossing off the two asymmetrical halves of her jacket, she stood up, standing between her friends and the Diamond Dogs. The gang gave a devious chuckle.
“Any last words?” Spot barked before giving a little chuckle.
Cosgrove shuffled to four legs turned his head towards the gang and answered,
“Hi Mom and Dad.”
Suddenly, Spot was snatched away from the rest of the Diamond Dogs. Fido and Rover turned to find it was an adult woman with dark skin and white hair around Celestia’s size. It was his mother. When a shadow loomed behind them, they turned and found in front of them was a man of dark green skin, orange hair and stripes along his lower jaw and flaring red eyes. His body was laced with stitches and bullet wounds. His large build and expression to match, the Diamond Dogs whimpered before scattering off in the distance. The adult man turned his glare at the large group of teenagers.
Cosgrove slowly stood up as his father, Clamp Jaw, and his mother, Claire, approached them. Claire hugged her son before Cosgrove kept her at arm’s length. Clamp Jaw furrowed his brow even further as Claire rose up to her full height. Cosgrove inched up to his parents.
“We need to talk when we come home…” Cosgrove crossed his arms.
Clamp Jaw looked at his wife before turning around. Claire joined him soon after. Cosgrove turned to his friends, curled a smile before joining his family.
Sunset Shimmer turned to the remaining three classmates. Chelsey also curled a smile.
“Now, we’re even.” Chelsey limped away with Zipper and Diver following her.
Taking a deep breath, Sunset grabbed her tattered jacket and began her long walk towards home.