//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: A Second Chance to Find Home // by Burning Sunset //------------------------------// Tuesday, December 15 Fluttershy couldn't decide if she was shaking more because of the cold or her ever changing emotions as she walked across the school's campus to meet with her friends in front of the statue in front of the main entrance. She had sent messages to them all last night asking to meet up before school since Fluttershy really didn't think she could make it through the day without getting what she wanted to say off of her chest. "Hey Shy, what's up?" Rainboe Dash asked, catching the soccer ball she had been bouncing on her knee as the others all either leaned or sat on the new benches that was put next to the large statue. Even Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom was sitting on one of the benched hunched over Sweetie Belle's phone looking at something. "I wanted to tell you that Sunset didn't do it." Fluttershy sighed, a little surprised when Rainbow Dash glared at her. "Shy, you need to stop pining for thet traitor! Look what she did to the school, everybody is at each others' throats!" Rainbow Dash snapped out. "Darling, we know you care for her, but there is a time to realize that sometimes not everybody can be saved." Rarity said softly, coming up to Fluttershy and putting a hand on Fluttershy's shoulder only to have it slapped away. "And sometimes you need to get over your ego and hurt feleings and realize that you were wrong!" Fluttershy hissed out as tears started falling yet again. She was happy that she didn't wear any mascara this morning or she would have already been a mess before now. "Fluttershy, that snake betrayed us." Applejack said, crossing her arms after pushing her hat up to look at Fluttershy with a look of pity and anger. "Come on Shy, forget her. Cheer up already!" Pinkie Pie said, going in for a hug only to be pushed away by the pink haired girl. "You think you all are so perfect, well look at this!" Fluttershiy sobbed out as she pulled the papers out of her bag and shoved them at Rarirty who barely managed to catch them. As she looked at them she couldn't hold back a sob of her own as she covered her mouth with a hand, the other shaking uncontrollably as it clutched at the paperwork. "What have we done?" Rarity sobbed out, shaking her head in disbelief. "What in tarnation are you talking about?" Applejack asked, grabbing the papers only to have a similar reaction as Rarity. "She tried to kill herself?" "As you can see, some of those are copies I made from my mom's official files. Sunset was in the hospital almost all weekend. According to my mom, the people she's staying with has been with her the entire time making sure she doesn't try to kill herself again." Fluttershy cried, glaring at Rainbow Dash who was shaking her head. "Shy, this isn't the time to be joking around." Rainbow Dash croaked out, though she knew Pinkie and herself were the pranksters, not Fluttershy. "She isn't joking, darling." Rarity cried, "There's no way Sunset could be Anon-A-Miss. There were posts made when she was in the hospital." "We did it." Sweetie Belle sobbed out getting their attention as she slowly walked to the others, flanked by a very scared looking Scootaloo and Apple Bloom following. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX "She tried to kill herself?" Sweetie Belle gasped out, almost dropping the phone they were looking at. They were checking out the newest comments on the Anon-A-Miss profile, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom a little angry that Scootaloo had made more posts after what happened Friday night. They had agreed that they were going to stop posting new things, but Scootaloo had went ahead and posted the new secrets that were sent to them via the profile's private messaging system. "It's some kind of joke." Scootaloo said, shaking her head trying to dismiss the possibility that it could be real. If it was real then that meant that they were behind pushing one of their sisters' best friends to trying to kill herself. "We have to tell them." Apple Bloom sniffed, standing up from the bench. "Are you crazy! They'll never speak to us again." Scootaloo cried out, wincing from the volume her voice took though wa sthankful that the others didn't seem to notice as they huddled around the papers passing them back and forth. "Apple Bloom is right, this went on for way too long as it is." Sweetie Belle sighed getting up with Apple Bloom while Scotaloo crossed her arms. "Who do you care more about? Sunset or me? You know they will never talk to me again if you tell them! Unlike you two I don't have a real sister there!" Scootaloo sobbed out as she pointed to the other girls just a few feet away. "We love you Scootaloo and so does Rainbow Dash so don't go thinking that any of us is going to just throw you away." Sweetie Belle said, hugging her friend. "This has to end though." "Fine, but if this goes south I'm leaving!" Scootaloo hissed out, but her friends hugged her before slowly walking over to the others. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX "What are you talking about?" Rarity asked, her eyes locking onto the nervous expression that filled Sweetie Belle's face. "It's my fault, I started the whole thing." Apple Bloom sniffed, rubbing her eyes. "You were just spending so much time with Sunset Shimmer and you were ignoring me! It's Christmas and you were supposed to be there for me, for all of us Apples, instead you were spending so much time with her. I made the Anon-A-Miss account so you would stop spending so much time with Sunset, I never knew it would go this far!" "What about the pictures?" Rarity asked, though she was already beginning to realize what happened and if she was right it meant she was a horrible sister and friend. "When you all went to sleep at the sleepover, I snuck in and stole Sunset's phone long enough to copy all of the pictures and uploaded them." Sweetie Belle cried out. "We didn't know it would go so far." Scootaloo finally said, joining in on the confession. "When people started sending in more and more secrets we felt special and popular and I kept posting them." "How could you do that squirt?" Rainbow Dash asked agrily making Scootaloo hug herself and sob out loud. "I'm sorry, please don't hate me!" Scootaloo cried out running into Rainbow Dash's arms, the older girl hugging her after a few seconds with a sad smile. "How could we ever hate you, squirt? You thre are family." Rainbow Dash said softly patting Scootaloo's head. "We told Sunset she was family to!" Fluttershy snapped out, "And look what happened? Where was your forgiveness when she needed it the most?" "Shy, I know your upset." Pinkie Pie said, reaching out to Fluttershy only to have her hands knocked away. "Don't you dare touch me! I was stupid to let you pressure me into chosing between Sunset and you! As of right now I don't want to see any of you until you learn what family really means!" Fluttershy screamed actually getting a few students that were arriving attention. She turned and ran off into the school leaving the girls stunned out just how angry the normally shy and timid girl was. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Sunset couldn't help sighing quietly as she rode with Velvet to the mall, unsure if she really wanted to go there right now. They just left Soothing Voice's office and even though she hated talking about things, she was glad she did as the woman left Sunset with a lot to think about. Some of it wasn't very good, but there were several points raised such as if she would be willing to give her friends another chance. And even if she did, would she still want to go to Canterlot High? The first answer was a lot more complicated while the second was an easy decision. No she didn't want to go to Canterlot High anymore after talking to Soothing Voice. While she expected her friends to have her back, she really didn't expect the same loyalty from the rest of the students yet somewhere deep inside she thought that she had proved herself enough that they wouldn't turn on her the way they did. And if they did it thi time, there was no reason they wouldn't do it again. In the end it would be better to have a new start at a new school where everybody wasn't against her from the beginning looking for her to turn into a monster. As for her friends, that was a little harder to decide as she still loved them despite the pain they caused. She wanted to believe that she woudl easily forgive them, but was it worth it to do so? It was a miracle that they gave her a chance to be their friend to begin with after several years of bullying. At the same time what they did was worse as they didn't have any real excuses such as being lost and possibly infected with dark magic like Sunset. So would she forgive her friends? She just didn't know. Even FLuttershy was somebody she just didn't know if she could forgive. She could freely admit it to Soothing Voice that she was in love with Fluttershy at most and had strong feelings for the girl at the least. Being inexperienced in love and romance as she really didn't have those feelings for Flash, at least not to the extent that they were for Fluttershy, she just wasn't sure. If anyone had a chance to be forgiven by Sunset it was that girl, yet at the same time Sunset was hurt the most by her. "I'm giving you five hundred dollars to buy some things for yourself Sunset and another five hundred to buy Christmas Gifts for everyone." Velvet said as they pulled into the parking lot, finding an empty space more easily because of the school hours. "Who do I buy them for?" Sunset asked, looking up to Velvet who gave a soft smile. "For whoever you want honey, anybody you hold dear in your heart. You aren't required to buy anything for anybody." Velvet said as she leaned over to kiss the top of her head. Sunset felt a little bad about having so much money given to her, but apparently Velvet just got a huge royalty check from her newest book which made the thousand dollars she was giving to Sunset seem like pocket change. As they made their way inside of the mall she coldn't help wondering just who she wanted to buy gifts for. Soothing Voice and Posey for sure after helping her so much was a high possibility. Velvet, Night Light and Twilight was a deffinite, but she would have to buy something without Velvet knowing it was for her. Then again if she could get Night Light or even Cadence when she comes tomorrow to take her back out she could buy Velvet something then. Did she want to buy her friends anything though? Why would she after what they did? She doubted that they would buy her anything, yet as bad as they hurt her she couldn't bring herself to hate them even if she didn't think she could trust them any longer. "Should I get something for my friends? This was going to be our first Christmas as friends." Sunset sighed. "While I want to tell you to forget them after what they did, I can't. If you care for them and want to buy them something, then I'll make sure that they get it." Velvet said, giving Sunset a half hug as they walked. "I want to get you all something, but I still don't know if I know you all enough to get you anything." Sunset sighed, realizing that she knew even less about Cadence and her husband and yet she felt as if she wanted to get them something as well. Especially Cadence as she was the one who saved her life. "Well, I can help you with that." Velvet said, "Twilight loves books, so she'd love any book you got her. Just not a cooking book. Night, well he goes through a lot of ties so you could get him a tie." "What about you?" Sunset asked softly, looking down. "The thing I want most is for you to get better and be happy. There's not really much else I can ask for." Velvet said making Sunset give her a teary smile. Wiping away the building tears before they could really fall, Sunset leaned into the woman a bit. It took them several hours, but most of the store thankfully offered gift wraping services and the one place that didn't there was a booth in the mall that did. So all of Sunset's gifts was currently wrapped and labeled, including a gift for Velvet that Sunset picked out and whispered to the clerk to please wrap it and have it ready to go when they left while Velvet was distracted by looking at something else. The clerk smiled knowingly and did as Sunset asked which surprised Velvet when she paid for everything. Of course Sunset felt bad that the woman was paying for her own gift, but Sunset couldn't carry anything right now and didn't have any income or way to make money. After they had a good, yet tiring time shopping, they headed to the food court where their good morning came crashing down as they approached a pretzel stand where a young man stood behind the glass case. At first he smiled at Velvet until he noticed Sunset, his smile quickly turning into a grimace. "What are you doinghere sh-demon? Why don't you go kill yourself already, nobody wants you around." The man sneered at Sunset making her start to hyperventilate. She didn't recognize him really, but he looked like a girl from school so he could he her older brother. Sunset was shocked when Velvet slapped him hard, returning his glare. "How dare you speak that way about my dau-Sunset! I want to speak to your manager you rude, insignificant little flea." Velvet hissed out angrily. Sunset had never seen the woman angry, and it was alittle shocking that it was over protecting her. "Let's just go." Sunset pleaded, hurting over what he said yet not wanting to cost somebody their job this close to Christmas. Velvet was going to say no at first until looking in her pleading eyes and with a sigh and one last glare to the man holding his cheek in shock, Velvet led Sunset away from the food court carrying all of their bags. "There's an Asian Buffett across the parking lot, honey. We can go over there." Velvet said as they left the mall and headed to the car. "Are you okay?" "I'm okay, a little surprised you would do that for me though." Sunset said softly, wiping at her eyes. "Of course i would, you don't deserve to be treated like that. I don't know what happened before, but I know you said you changed and all I can see is a sweet young woman who has been hurt badly." Velvet said leaning over to kiss the top of Sunset's head while the girl kept trying to figure out of Velvet was really about to say daughter or if it was just some slip of the tongue. XXXXXXXXXX Celestia was beyond angry as the school had been in an uproar after the latest post by Anon-A-Miss just short while ago. There was pictures of an apparent suicide letter as well copies of what looked like official documents from Sunset Shimmer's medical records. While it calmed the anger of the students down when it came to Sunset Shimmer, they were now looking to have Sweetie Belle, Apple Bllom, and Scootaloo's heads. Not that she could fault the sentiment as Celestia was feeling the same in a way, but she wouldn't let her anger cloud her judgement. "They're here." Luna said as she opened the door, letting the three young girls into the office followed by Luna who closed the door after her. "We're really sorry." Scootaloo sniffed, unable to look up as the three girls huddled togetehr fearful of what was going to happen to them. Celestia couldn't help feeling a little sympathy towards the three after being filled in by their older sisters when they came to beg to have the Anon-A-Miss account taken down. Sadly they were still waiting for the company behind MyStable to get ahold of them. Luna saw a silver lining in this as after what happened to Sunset Shimmer the school board would now okay her creating it on the school's servers and running it herself. "Your sisters already told us why you did it, but I want to know if you learned any lessons from this." Celestia said, her voice a little cold as she was doing her best to keep from snapping out at them. "Not to do something stupid like this." Apple Bloom cried. "We didn't mean for Sunset to try and kill herself." Sweetie Belle sobbed out. "We don't hate her, we just wanted our sisters back!" "I know your sisters and know that they love you deeply and would never abandon you. They regret that they did neglect you and agreed to share your punishment, though they didn't do anything I can punish them for." Celestia said spreading out the three files on her desk. "You three however I do intend to punish. For the rest of this week you three are suspended, though part of the reason for that is to give the students time to cool down and protect you from their wrath. Your real punishment is writing a letter from each of you to Sunset Shimmer telling her how sorry you are and admitting what you have done. After that you three will not be allowed to participate in any school functions for the rest of the year and you will have detention for the next six months." "What? But that's crazy!" Scootall gasped out. "No, you used a school funded social network meant for the students to frame a student and push her to trying to kill herself. That is what's crazy! The three of you are lucky you aren't getting expelled, but keep pushing your luck and maybe I can see that that changes." Celestia snapped out slammingher hands down on the desk. She wasn't sure why she was so upset really as she never really liked Sunset a lot to be honest. She saw the young woman as a painful reminder of what she should have had, and after the while otherworldly Twilight, Celestia couldn't help wondering if maybe this Sunset Shimmer was her alternate's daughter and what happened between them. "I didn't want her to try and kill herself, I just wanted her to stop taking Rainbow Dash's attention." Scotaloo sighed. "Come on girls, let's go to my office and get those letters written while we wait for your parents." Luna said ushering the three out. "Don't write those letters if you don't really mean it." Celestia sighed before they made it out of the office. XXXXXXXXXXXX "Can't I just wait out here?" Sunset asked as they pulled into Canterlot High's visitor parking. She really didn't want to go into that place, but Velvet wasn't about to let her stay by herself. She hated being treated this way, but at the same time it felt good having somebody care enough to be this protective. "Sorry honey, but that's why I had you wear the hooded sweatshirt. I'll help you get your scarf wrapped good and your hood pulled up enough so nobody will recognize you." Velvet said. "When we leave here we'll be stopping off at Crystal Heart so I can speak with Berry Punch about getting you enrolled before we pick Twily up." "Did you remember to get the thumbdrive for her?" Sunset asked, remembering that Twilight had asked them to pick one up for her project. "Yeah, I got a couple of them while you were talking to the clerk about wrapping your presents." Velvet said with a smile before reaching over to pull Sunset's scarf up over her nose a little before pulling the girl's hood up making sure that her hair was inside before getting out and helping the teen out. The walk through the school was quiet since classes were in session at the moment as Sunset stayed close to Velvet mkaing the woman wonder if maybe she should have just waited until later, but when Berry Punch called and told her she had the afternoon free she wanted to get this over with. " Hi Mrs. Appleby, Is Celestia in?" Velvet asked the woman behind the receptionist desk in the office. "She is actually, though Vice-Pricipal Luna is busy at the moment." Mrs. Appleby said waving them back. Sunset wallowed nervoulsy when the woman gav eher a strnage look before going back to whatever paperwork she was doing before being interupted. Velvet didn't bother knocking on Celestia's office's door, instead pushing it open as Sunset slinked in after her nervoulsy. "What are you doing here, Velvet?" Celestia asked in surprise at seeing her friend standing there. "I wanted to pick up Sunset's paperwork. I'm withdrawing her from Canterlot High." Velevt said, crossing her arms while giving Celestia a look that said she wasn't going to put up with any protest. "Vel, she might not even want to leave the school." Celestia sighed, looking up with a sadl expression. "I do, Velvet said she's going to get me in Crystal Heart and I want a fresh start. I'm not getting that here and you know it." Sunset sighed, hanging her head as Velvel pulled her to her side in a half hug. "Look at how easy they turned on me because of Anon-A-Miss." "You aren't Anon-A-Miss though." Celestia said as she got up to walk around the desk. "So now you believe me?" Sunset sniffed, staring angrily at her soon to be ex-pricipal. "I'm sorry, my sister was right though. It never was you, we found out who it was though." Celestia sighed, starting to reach out to the girl but backed away. "I'm so sorry, Sunset." "It's fine, I just want a new start and I'm not getting that here. It's as much my fault as anything for the way I acted my forst couple years here." Sunset sighed. "If they don't want to give you a chance then it's their loss, honey." Velvet said, rubbing the teen's shoulder. "They're finished sister." Luna said, surpring the three as Luna and three younger children came into the office. "Well, maybe they can tell her in person." Celestia said as Scootaloo looked up at the bundled teenager trying to figure out who it was. "Sunset?" Apple Bloom asked when she saw the eyes and skin color peeking out from behind the hood and scarf. "I'm so sorry!" Sweetie Belle sobbed loudly s she launched herself at Sunset, hugging the older girl tightly. "I'm so sorry, Sunset. This was all our fault." Apple Bloom cried, hugging herself as Scootaloo kept wiping at the tears leaking from her eyes. It took Sunset a few moments to realize what they were talking about, but she wasn't considered ne of the smartest students for nothing and quickly pieced it together. "You three were Anon-A-Miss?" Sunset asked in shock, unable to figure out why. "Do you hate me that much?" "What?" Apple Bloom sobbed out, staring in horror at Sunset. "We don't hate you, we were jealous that you were taking up all of our sisters time!" Sweetie Belle sobbed out as Sunset gingerly wrapped her arms around Sweetie Belle, her sleeves pulling back a little showing her bandages making Celestia stare in shock. A part of her didn't want to believe it really happened, but there was the proof. "We're really sorry." Scootaloo cried as she and Apple Bloom took a step forward, unsure if Sunset wanted them any closer. When the older teen opened her arms though they joined Sweetie Belle in hugging SUnset, the older girl gently hugging them back. Sunset couldn't hate them, they were a lot younger than her and they were hurting because they thought they were losing their family. Of course that didn't mean she wasn't upset with them, because she was very upset. It didn't matter anymore though as she was leaving this school anyways. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX "Sweetie Belle, I want to talk to you." Rarity said, her voice stiff as she came to Sweetie's room. The door was unlocked and she caight her little sister there staring out of the window. "She doesn't hate us, Rarity." Sweetie Belles sniffed, "Even after what we did she doesn't hate us. Why don't I feel any better though?" "What are you talking about darling?" Rarity asked moving into the room to joing Sweetie in the bench seat at the window. "Sunset, we saw her in the office with this other woman." Sweetie Belle sniffed shocking Rarity. "We told her everything and she forgave us." "So she's okay?" Rarity asked, sighing in relief. She may not have been as close to Sunset as say Fluttershy was, but she still considered the girl her friend, her family and it was destroying her that she had treated Sunset the way she did. "She has these bandages on her arms, but she's okay I think." Sweetie Belle sighed, "She's changing schools though." "What?" Rarity sobbed out as she realized that if Sunset changed schools then there was a chance they might never see her again. She felt as if the world dropped out from under her at the realization.