July 21st
Thin rays of sunlight burst forth through the blinds in a certain teen’s room, splaying lines of sunlight across pale features, causing a rather annoyed grumble and shift to try to get away from the offending brightness. Of course, that was easier said than done as the Saturday morning sun continued to warm where it touched, and finally a rather disheveled Sweet Pea sat up, rubbing at her eyes as she grumbled even more. “It’s Saturday… go away sun.”
The T-shirt she’d worn for the night draping off one shoulder as she looked across the room at the mirror sitting on her dresser. She could see the patchwork of scars that was her body, each strand of healed or sewn-together flesh a story, and not always a good one.. A thin line that led to her right breast, where she could just see the pucker of one particular scar…
“Do you see this?” she said, pointing to a pucker on her right breast. “A client did this to me in Sunnytown. Paid my pimp extra to hurt me, he said. My, ahem, ‘employer’ never told me a Goddamn thing.”
Pea winced as she found her fingers caressing the spot through her top. She sighed, drawing herself from the bed, and stood before the mirror, stripping the t-shirt off and revealing herself to the mirror. She looked at herself carefully again. The pucker on her right breast, the line along her left ribs, a rather vicious zig-zagged scar that ran from above her left breast to her left shoulder. Several rather disturbing scars along her fairly toned stomach from various operations that hadn’t gone quite right due to the back alley ‘doctor’ she’d been taken to. She let her fingers caress over them, then looked to her arms, the long since scarred over track marks from needles she’d used over the years. The sixteen-year-old girl’s body looked like a twenty mile stretch of bad road.
Shaking herself out of it, she took a slow, steadying breath and wiped the tears she hadn’t quite shed from her eyes before a knock at her door caused her to start. The voice of her sister, Lemony Gems came through.
“Sweet Pea, are you awake?” The voice held a warmth that made the teen smile slightly, despite her dour mood only moments before.
“Yeah, give me a sec to get some clothes on.” She opened the dresser and began getting ready for the day that she and her sister had planned. After all, maybe what she really needed, was to reconnect with her new family.
Lemony Gems found herself smiling as she heard the teen call back through the door, and heard the movement of the drawers opening. “Alright, breakfast is ready when you are.” She heard the return answer of “Awesome!” called through the door and chuckled. Maybe Sweet Pea was finally coming out of whatever had been bothering her lately.
Her thoughts turned to the events just a couple of weeks prior. While she hadn’t known all the details, she’d briefly met Twilight Sparkle and her adopted sister Sunset Shimmer when in Canterlot visiting Shining Armor just prior to last Christmas, before the wedding of her friend (and husband’s ex) Mi Amore Cadenza. Lemony had to admit, Cadence and Shining Armor seemed to have a wonderful family. But when Twilight and Sunset and their band of friends had come out to attend the Gods of Rock concert, her sister had gone from out of her shell, to right back in. And Lemony still didn’t have the answers to just why. As she walked through the hall, she combed her brain once again, trying to piece together the threads of what might have happened. Sweet Pea didn’t seem like she’d been attacked by the teens; after all, everything that she said about them seemed to be positive in fact, save for some venting early on about Fluttershy, who Lemony had come to understand was the daughter of one God of Rock himself, Discord. Though from what she’d been able to gather, the girl was very very shy, and not the type to hurt anyone… at least not intentionally. But there had clearly been some group frustration with her, and that there had been some issues with her and her father.
Exiting the hall, Lemony heard the door to Sweet Pea’s room open behind her and she turned to see the teen wave as she exited her room. “Breakfast’s on the table.” she motioned into the kitchen as Sweet Pea passed with a look of gratitude.
“Thanks sis, you’re the best.” Sweet Pea smiled as she threw a quick hug around Lemony, who returned the gesture with a bit of a chuckle.
“I wasn’t expecting this. Feeling a bit better?” she asked as she let the girl go, and watched her head to the kitchen, following suit, some coffee sounding needed in her mind.
“Yeah, well, kinda.” Pea shook her head. “Better than I have been, not as good as I was?” she says in a tone that sounded a bit questioning, like she was working through it herself. “I didn’t have any nightmares last night, at least not that I remember, so there’s that.”
Lemony winced a bit. “I’ve heard you call out a couple of times over the past week, what’s been going on exactly?” She poured two cups, knowing the teen would likely need one, too.
Sweet Pea took a bite of bacon and chewed as she thought how to talk about it. “You remember the pictures of me, right? That they showed you when you picked up my paperwork?”
Lemony nodded. The photos had been a complete breakdown of the damage the girl had been through, and information on her medical history also included since it would be the couple’s job to take care of Sweet Pea’s health. She knew it was one of the reasons Pea tended towards longer sleeved dress in general. “Yeah, I remember.”
Pea finally retold what had happened during the concert, and what she’d done to snap Fluttershy out of her histrionic funk. The demons she’d had to confront, and how they rehaunted her since. Lemony listened, and her opinion of her sister just jumped. She knew what she’d done had been extreme, but it had clearly worked, and it made Lemony proud that Sweet Pea would be willing to put herself through that for another.
“Oh Pea.” she sighed and shook her head. “I’m proud that you’d do that, but you’ve been hurting ever since.”
Pea nodded. “Yeah, I know, it brought back a lot of personal issues that I thought I was over, which was why I even brought the idea up to Rose in the first place.” She took a bite of her eggs, and grabbed some hot sauce to add to it, before digging back in for a few moments. Once sated, she sighed and sat back, looking up to her sister as the older woman set the cup of coffee down for her, which she gratefully accepted.
“Thanks sis.” She took a long sip of the drink. Made just like she liked it, with sugar and chocolate mocha creamer. She smiled, feeling the coffee take its hold warm in her stomach. “Mm, so anyway ever since that night, I’ve had nightmares about… the past, my life, things that happened.” She closed her eyes and shuddered slightly. “Of him.”
Lemony rested a hand on Pea’s shoulder and squeezed lightly, which caused the younger teen to bring her hand to her sister’s and squeeze back, thankful for the support as she continued on. “There’s also been… a voice. Desires… this almost… longing I guess?” she shook her head. “It’s really hard to explain but I know it’s in my head. It’s like, my doubts, or something. This tiny part of me that’s obnoxious and willing to go back into my old life… and I feel like I’m constantly at war with it, ya know?”
The older woman shook her head, “Can’t say I’ve ever experienced anything like that, but I guess I can understand where you’re coming from. You lived for six years on your own, with very little oversight outside of, well…” She winced as she thought of them as the girls pimps, nothing that a girl should have to go through. “Anyway you were mostly on your own, and it’s not easy to get away from that.”
Pea shakes her head. “It’s not just that Lemony, it’s…” she fell short, eyes falling on the coffee, the pale brown drawing her eyes and making her think of Rose. She sighed. “Sometimes, when I talk to Buck, or you, or, anyone… that voice pops up, and I think about... sex.” she said, looking back up. “With you, with him. I’m disgusted by it, I hate it… I’ve thought about it with just about everyone I talk to regularly, and I know I shouldn’t… but that part of me keeps popping up.” She looked back down. “It’s why I’ve been avoiding Buck lately.”
Lemony gave her shoulder another squeeze before sitting down across from her. “You know, not exactly what I was expecting, Pea. But thank you for being honest about it.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her own ear as she thought, sipping her coffee before continuing. “You say it’s revolting, so it’s not exactly a desire you have to actually do these things right?”
Pea set aside her fork, having cleared the plate and nodded, food not exactly sitting the best given the current discussion, but she was still happy for a full meal. “Exactly, it’s more... I can picture it happening, and it sickens me.”
She sat up a bit and wrapped her fingers around the coffee cup. “And I can hear that voice laughing, saying how much ‘Amelia’ wants it,” she sighed. “For years I lived as Amelia, sis, and I thought I finally put that part of me away, but it’s like she’s trying to claw her way back out….”
Lemony shook her head, “No, no she’s not, because you’re stronger than her, Pea — think about what you did for Fluttershy, what you did for your friends, who frankly, I want to blame but know better. No, that sits with everyone in your past that’s hurt you. At your core, you’re a strong, caring person who’s had a lot of bad things happen, and you’re trying to move on.” She smiled a bit, a smile that Sweet Pea found herself returning. “And that is the girl I brought into my life… that Buck and I brought into our lives.” She raises her cup and smirked. “And I’m more than proud of that girl, so let’s put all this depressing talk aside for a wonderful girl's day, hmm?”
Sweet Pea chuckled. “You know what? That sounds like a plan.” With that, she raised her own cup of coffee before downing it.
“SHE DID WHAT?!” the sound of a certain rainbow-haired athlete issued from the computer speakers as Melancholy Rose winced, the video image of Rainbow Dash on the screen showing the teen rather puffed up and looking more than a little pissed.
“Dash, seriously. Relax, it’s fine. I mean it’s not fine, but I’m handling it, though, possibly badly.” Rose huffed and slumps back in her chair, running a hand through her own hair as she thought. “I didn’t expect her to latch onto me like that, and honestly I do like her, just not quite that much. I think... gah!” she sighed and shook her head. “She’s been seriously fucked up after the concert, though.”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, I bet it was just a reason for her to try to get into your pants.”
Rose narrowed her eyes. “Doubtful, honestly I think she’s freaked out by sex at this point with the shit she’s been through. Seriously Dash, if you’re not gonna help…”
Dash cut Rose off. “Yeah yeah ok, sorry, I just... she’s rubbed me the wrong way since I met her. Look Rose, I don’t know what to tell you here, you’d be better off talking to Rarity or Sunny or some shit, because I’m way out of my league here, and I didn’t even know you swung that way, I mean weren't you dating what’s his name anyway?”
Rose rolled her eyes, “I guess I didn’t really know it till recently myself. After Dreamy Waves and I broke up, I kinda figured out guys just are not my cup of tea.” she sighs, “But I mean, I’m heading back to LA in a couple of days, and, frankly, Sweet Pea needs someone who can be here for her, right?”
Dash shrugged. “Again, totally not my area of expertise… look, if you want better advice on this one, seriously, Rares or Sunny is your best bet.”
There was a knock that came through Rose’s speakers and Dash turned, chuckling as Scootaloo peeked in. “Yo, Rose!” The young teen’s face appeared over Rainbow’s shoulder as she waved, and Rose waved back.
“Hey squirt, good to see you again. Dash keeping you out of trouble?” Rose couldn’t help but tease her biological sister a bit as the teen stuck out her tongue. And Dash laughed heartly.
“Always, and getting into it with me.” Scootaloo smirked as Dash playfully shoved her out of frame. “Hey Dash, you were gonna take me to Bloom’s for the Meetup, right?”
Dash blinked, glancing at the screen and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. On it, Scoots. Yo Rose, we’ll catch back up later, I promised her I’d take her to her friend’s. But seriously though, if you really want some advice, I’d recommend contacting Sunny or Rares on this one. I just... man, Pea’s something crazy.”
Rose shook her head. “She’s in a rough place, so don’t be so hard on her.” Rose gave a nod at that. “Yeah we’ll catch up later, and... thanks Dash. Even if you could just point me in a direction.” As Rainbow Dash waved and logged off, Rose sat looking at the twin sets of contact info for Rarity and Sunset Shimmer, before adding both and sending a quick message to them, in the hopes of maybe sorting out her own feelings at the same time.
Pea was in heaven, or well, the closest she could picture heaven being. A cup of hot, wonderful mocha coffee, with a few marshmallows a la-hot chocolate style, a cute new pair of green silk PJ’s that her sister had picked up for her that fit just right and felt amazing, a bunch of trashy snacks, and a rather cute Pixar film on the TV was leaving her feeling very, very relaxed as she curled against the side of her adopted sister, taking a sip of the chocolate coffee before sitting the cup aside.
“I didn’t want to bother you or Buck with this stuff; I just wanted to work through it.” Pea shifted a bit, sitting up, finally getting back to the conversation she’d stepped away from for a while. She sighed softly, hugging a pillow to her chest as she looked over to Lemony. “And, I guess part of me was afraid I’d lose you both. I mean…”
Lemony interrupted. “No, Pea. Sweetie you wouldn’t lose us.” Resting a hand on Pea’s arm, the teen looked up to her gratefully. “Look, Sweet Pea, there’s a ton going on in your head, I get that, and what you did for... ‘Fluttershy’ was it?” She tilted her head as Pea affirmed the name. “Anyway, what you did for her was amazing, if a little crazy.” she chuckled, shaking her head. “Not exactly the way I’d have gone about it. But you saved a family and Discord’s career, and helped pull her out of her own head, at the expense of yourself.” The look she gave her sister was one of pride. “It takes a special person to be willing to do something like that for a friend.”
Sweet Pea just looked down at the hand on her arm, and rested her hand on it gently, squeezing. “Thanks sis… I just, I really thought maybe you and Buck would decide I wasn’t worth the hassle, ya know? That I’d just end up the broken girl back in the system.” she withdrew her arm, curling both around her knees which she’d pulled to her chest. Her eyes drifted to the movie that was playing, though it was lost in the myriad of her thoughts for the moment. Her doubts and fears playing back to the surface before Lemony’s touch drew her back to the present.
“We wouldn’t do that to you, Sweet Pea. We chose you not because Shining wanted us to, but because we saw someone who needed a family, and we wanted you with us.” Lemony grinned. “Besides I don’t think you could get rid of us if you wanted to.” She reached over and ruffled Sweet Pea’s hair, causing the teen to give an eek and try to shy away.
“Ok ok, I get it. I was being stupid!” she couldn’t help but giggle, feeling much better as she took a long sip of the mocha once more, letting an honest smile grace her lips.
Lemony leaned back on the couch, finally feeling a bit more relaxed. Sweet Pea’s eyes showed that the girl’s confidence seemed to be returning. Maybe she’ll finally come back to us.
PSY blasted through the speakers in a room that was, well...otaku might be putting it mildly. Posters of various anime hung around the room, some signed by various seiyu and American voice actors. There was a shelf on one side that contained a varying array of models and figurines of various characters, mostly cute things, and more than a few seemingly paired off.
The clacking of keys seemed to echo around the room as one Lemon Tart worked at her latest masterpiece. She leaned in, sweat on her brow as she hit the last few keystrokes.
“Annnnnnd… DONE!” she hit enter, and then saved the document just as her phone began to ring, with a deft hand she paused the music and spun in the chair, kicking her legs out as she did so, the long, knee high black stockings adorning her legs shining slightly in the light of the room.
“Yo, this is Lem, hit me!” the teen leaned forward and blinked as the voice that came through the other end was a very specific, dry tone.
“You’d rather I didn’t, you know. I practice aikido.” Sugarcoat’s dry tone met Lemon’s ears as the other teen cleared her throat. “Anyway I have news, there’s a new arrival coming to the school next week. I got the heads up from Tail Spin, and despite her usual flair for the dramatic, this sounds legit, and if the arrival is anything like what she says…” Sugarcoat let that hang causing Lemon to straighten up.
“Well don’t keep me in suspense, Sugs!” Lemon smirked, knowing the nickname would get on the other girl’s nerves just enough to make her hurry up.
“Ungh, don’t call me that, Coat, or Sugar will suffice if you have to shorten it… anyway way I hear it, some girl moved out this way from Canterlot. Got kicked out of school for some rather… bad behavior.” Lemon could hear Sugarcoat flipping through a notebook. “Let’s see here, apparently several accusations of slander, and sexual assault, as well as spreading lots of lies around. Turns out she attempted to attack some other athlete with a friend of hers and got the boot. Oh and was implicated in the stabbing of another girl the same year.”
Lemon’s eyes went wide as she covered her mouth with a free hand. “Y..you’re kidding me, right Coat?” she knew better, Sugarcoat’s humor was as dry as her voice, and usually pretty obvious, but this... this couldn’t be her idea of a joke. “How the hell did she even get into Cornerstone?!”
“Apparently she’s a hell of a runner, despite her boasts that she’s better than she is. She’s got potential, on top of that her grades were decent. And I guess it was part of a deal that got made with the local authorities...that or her parents have some pull. Not sure, details are sketchy on that one.” Sugarcoat sighed. “I was really hoping to avoid this after the whole Indigo Bliss debacle.. anyway, best keep a lookout for anyone by the name of Lightning Dust.”
