Day: Tuesday
Weather: Snow
Time: 9:30pmBefore I sent my message to Princess Twilight, I felt unsure about what I should do. But, when she responded back to my concerns, I felt relieved knowing she would encourage me. Applejack's story about her childhood nickname was interesting, yet I had no idea it would become relevant in the here and now. When we arrived at school the next morning, students called out Piggly-Wiggly, leaving Applejack in shock. How did they come to know about her nickname? Applebloom said that a mysterious username who recently appeared on MyStable was the cause. Her name was Anon-A-Miss. What's worse is that Applebloom claims that I'm this person. Why would I want to expose one of my friends' secrets? I wouldn't! The second slumber party is tonight at Rarity's, and when I arrived after hitching a ride with Pinkie Pie, Rarity told me what Applejack had been through during the course of the day. Anon-A-Miss... why?
The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
January 30, 2016
Chapter 48: Closet of Shame.
" You... helped Anon-A-Miss? Why would you do something like that?" Twilight asked.
" It wasn't intentional, if that's what you're thinking." I answered.
" I think you ought to explain this one to me."
" Anon-A-Miss would get what she needed from this." I said. Reaching into my pocket, I took out my cellphone and started searching through several applications until I came to where I house all of the photos I've taken with it. I then showed one in particular to Twilight, and when I handed it over to her, she looked at it for several moments. I could tell she was snickering under her breath and didn't want me to find out, but she wasn't doing a good job hiding that fact. Twilight then noticed the frown on my face before handing back my cellphone and blushing slightly out of embarrassment.
" I couldn't help it. You'd have snickered too if you were shown something like that." Twilight said.
" Maybe... No, you're right. I'd have done the same thing."
" So what were you all wearing? Also, why not print off that photo and stick it in your journal?"
" Those were outfits from Rarity's Closet of Shame, and while she didn't like the idea of us strutting our stuff in such deplorable fashion, we insisted out of a sense of fascination. I'd say she was a little dramatic about some of what she had in her closet. Not everything was as shameful as she said. In fact, she had some vintage costumes and even some dresses from Japan." I answered.
" And the photo?" Twilight asked.
" That photo, along with several others I took that night, were posted by Anon-A-Miss two days later." I answered.
" It doesn't take a genius to see where this is going."
" The only reason I still keep these on my cellphone is out of guilt."
" Why not just delete them?"
" I can't!"
" I'm suspecting it has to do with more than feeling guilty, but I know that trying to make you explain would be pointless. After all, you're remaining steadfast on not telling who was responsible for destroying your life." Twilight said. The truth is, there was no actual reason why I never deleted that photo along with the others I took that night. I didn't even transfer them over to a laptop or something similar after what happened. I guess my brain just wanted me to keep them there as a reminder of how my friends were humiliated all because I had to take some photos of Rarity's most hated clothes. Twilight was right about how I was being stubborn about who destroyed my life. I couldn't tell her until she had heard every last detail about what occurred. If I told her right now, I knew she would react poorly. She had been growing more and more protective of me as more about my past became known to her. While it was really sweet, it was also a little creepy. " Sunset? I'm curious about this Closet of Shame that Rarity has. You say that it's where she hides her more embarrassing outfits?" Twilight asked.
" As I mentioned before, some of the dresses she's made or purchased didn't quite work out as well as she had hoped. So, she keeps them all tucked away in a closet until she can donate them." I answered.
" How did you come by her closet?"
" I didn't, but Pinkie did."
" What did she do?"
" Crash into the closet door."
" Seriously?"
" She was singing and dancing when she decided to pretend she was at a concert, and she wanted her audience--our friends--to catch her, but she miscalculated and crashed into the closet door. I remember Rarity's expression the moment those dresses were exposed. She is very self-conscious about her fashion choices. Should students learn that she had such ugly dresses, it would have crushed her reputation." I answered.
" And Anon-A-Miss took advantage by using your photos to make Rarity look bad?" Twilight asked.
" Something to that effect." I answered. I didn't have the heart to tell her that the photos were copied from my phone all because I left it out in the open. She was going to find this out eventually when we reach that part of the journal, but I didn't want her to know that this all could have been avoided had I implemented better protection. I should have used a password. I'm one of the smartest students at CHS, yet I missed such an obvious solution.
" How was Applejack doing?" Twilight asked.
" Funny you should mention her."
" How so?"
" Rarity decided to pick up Applejack, and they talked about how she was coping with the teasing. When I arrived at her place after getting a ride with Pinkie, Rarity took me aside and explained what they discussed. Normally, I would've expected her to keep it between them, but she wanted me to know about it." I answered.
" Why?"
" She wanted to get a second opinion from someone who had been in Applejack's shoes."
" That works with everyone at CHS given what you did."
" It was also because she trusted me."
With the second slumber party, I decided to play it smart and plan accordingly. I had no intention of walking through the snow for the second straight night, so I made arrangements to get a ride with Pinkie to Rarity's place. I initially thought that Pinkie would be driving--a scary thought, given her energetic nature--but she wasn't old enough to earn her learner's permit, so instead, we would be driven to our destination by her sister Maud. My only concern was that Maud would give me a hard time for living in the school library, but I was fortunate in that she paid it no mind. Unlike the other day, I knew exactly what to bring for this slumber party, so I was ready long before Pinkie and Maud showed up. I had no hesitancy towards leaving behind the magic journal, as I planned on sending another message to Princess Twilight. On the one hand, I wanted to tell her about what happened regarding Applejack. On the other, I wanted to know how Hearth's Warming had been for her.
Pinkie and Maud picked me up at roughly 5:30pm, and we began the long drive to Rarity's place. While Pinkie's place was much closer to the school, Rarity lived a fair distance away. If I had decided to walk through the snow to reach her residence, I'd have taken roughly an hour, and that would have made her really upset.
As Maud drove us through Canterlot, my mind was focused on what Applejack experienced throughout the entire day. Everywhere she went, the mockery of the students followed close by. They continued calling her Piggly-Wiggly and making those accursed pig noises just to add further insult to injury. I was expecting her to throttle them, especially when they got right into her face, but she maintained a calm, collected composure and simply shrugged it off before walking away. Applejack had definitely earned my respect. If I had been in her shoes, I'd probably be suspended right now. I still had some problems dealing with my temper, so the likelihood of me remaining calm was minimal.
Then there was this Anon-A-Miss, the one who revealed Applejack's secret. None of us knew how she managed to find that information, but I was starting to suspect that someone close to Applejack decided to make her life miserable. Were Anon-A-Miss' actions a means of getting revenge? Perhaps she wanted to rule the school like how I used to before discovering friendship? What could she hope to gain from all this? These were plenty of questions that lacked answers, and many more were waiting to be revealed.
Perhaps the worst thing so far was how Applebloom had accused me of being Anon-A-Miss. Granted, the similarities between her profile colours and my hair colour were uncanny, yet I've changed since those days. I'd never expose anyone's secrets! Maybe Applebloom bore a grudge against me after all? I had dismissed it before, but perhaps it was well-founded? At least Applejack didn't believe what her sister had to say, yet I wish it had never been said to begin with.
Upon arriving at Rarity's place, Pinkie and I got out of Maud's car and waved goodbye to her as she drove off. This was the first time I'd ever been to Rarity's, and her home was certainly, albeit expectedly, stunning. It looked like something from a fairy tale. I had heard from several students that her entire family had the exact same mindset. It must be nice having family who appreciate what you do and who guided you into becoming the person you were destined to be. I never had such an experience with my family. Once my parents ignored me in favour of my siblings, there was no turning back for me. I would fend for myself in a world where your fate would be determined based on your special talent. If I had remained at home and tried to sort out my family problems, would my cutie mark have been related to magic? Could it have become something else entirely? I shudder to think about what might have been had I stayed.
Unlike Pinkie, Rarity's family were all staying home for the holidays, but they had agreed not to bother us while we had our slumber party. Her parents did have one condition, and that was to not make enough noise to call in the police. I chucked to myself about that. That condition always had to do with Pinkie. She had a tendency to go overboard whenever there was a party.
Rarity's mother, Cookie Crumbles, let us in when we reached the front door. While Pinkie immediately made her way to the kitchen after taking off her winter gear, I remained by the door. I wanted to take it all in slowly. The interior of Rarity's home was truly remarkable. Every last nook and cranny was covered in fancy decorations, yet I'll admit that perhaps they went overboard. There were some really tacky decorations mixed in among the splendour. In fact, most of it was tacky. I knew to keep that opinion to myself, as Rarity was sensitive when it came to her family's sense of fashion.
" I see you've taken a shining to our accessories?"
" Rarity? When did you get here?" I asked.
" Just now, darling! I decided to pick up Applejack rather than have her walk through the snow. I must admit that the weather has gotten much worse since last night, so of course I didn't want her to walk through it. Why, I showed that snow who was in charge!" Rarity answered. Among my friends, she was the only one who had her driver's license. I thought it quite the honour. Rarity was always serious about her driving. She said she was obligated to show a good example of what it meant to be a modest driver. I could tell she was only propping up her own ego. It's never a good idea to rely heavily on your ego; it'll just cause problems later on.
" You must feel so lucky to be able to drive." I said.
" Quite, but this weather is simply murder on my stress levels."
" That's usually the case with everyone who has to drive in the snow."
" It makes me wish our family went to the tropics for the holidays."
" Doing that would mean not spending time with your friends, though."
" Yes, a most unfortunate side-effect." Rarity said. It then dawned on me that I hadn't seen Applejack come in when Rarity surprised me a few moments ago. Could it be that she was standing outside, wanting some alone time after all that's happened to her today? Or, could she be having second thoughts on what her little sister, Applebloom, said about me being Anon-A-Miss? I'm seriously hoping it's not the latter.
" How's Applejack doing? I didn't see her come in. Does she want some time to herself?" I asked.
" Oh, heavens, no, darling. She slipped on by just as I was starting to talk to you." Rarity answered.
" I never noticed her." I said. Gah! Applejack must surely be thinking her sister was telling the truth! Why else would she choose to avoid me? This was already starting to turn into a disaster, and the party hadn't even started yet. I began biting my fingernails in a panic. Rarity noticed that I was acting peculiar and placed her hand onto my shoulder before smiling, which immediately calmed me down.
" Are you, perchance, thinking about what Applejack said to you?" Rarity asked.
" How did you--" I began before being cut off.
" She told me on the way here, but you can relax now, Sunset. She doesn't believe what her sister said about you being that horrible Anon-A-Miss. Actually, she'd rather not talk about it at all until tomorrow. Applejack is putting on a brave face, as this party is meant for your benefit, and her problem would only make us all miserable. If anything, I'd like to believe that this was some kind of horrible nightmare we're all having, and we'll soon wake up from it." Rarity said. It did feel like a nightmare. I knew what it was like to be mistreated by everyone else. Rarity's words made me think back on what happened after I had initially lost my magic. Unlike me, though, Applejack wouldn't just lie back and take it. Instead, she would remain proud and not allow a bunch of immature students to ruin her day.
Was I wrong, though? Had my friend chosen to go the same route as I had done? Had she given in to their teasing?
" Maybe we shouldn't have tonight's party." I suggested.
" Perish the thought! Applejack will be just fine, darling! Besides, we're doing this to make you feel better."
" I know, and I appreciate that. It's just that she looked so distraught when I spoke with her earlier."
" Actually, I'm glad you brought that up."
" How come?"
" I... want to talk to you about what Applejack said to me when we were on our way here."
" Huh? Why me? Why not one of the others?"
" You're the only one who knows what it's like to be both a bully and a victim. Besides, I don't think the others would understand what she said quite as well as you would. I know this is rather unusual, but I'd like you to hear me out for Applejack's sake, and maybe for your own sake, too." Rarity answered. Her reasoning made sense, yet why did she have to mention my bullying? It's part of my life I want to move on from and forget it ever existed. Unfortunately, what she said was true, no matter how much I detest myself for what I did. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy wouldn't be arriving for another ten minutes, given how bad the weather was, so I had some free time to listen to what Rarity had to say.
" Alright. If you think this will help Applejack, then tell me what you two talked about." I said.
" At first, she was thrilled about coming to the second slumber party. Once she got into the car, however, her mood suddenly changed, and I could tell that she was bothered by what happened with that whole Anon-A-Miss nonsense." Rarity said.
" She told me her sister thinks I'm the one who revealed her secret." I said.
" Yes, Applejack mentioned it to me when I asked her what was wrong. She is still in disbelief over how Applebloom could falsely accuse you, yet I think deep down, she might actually believe some of what she said. You can't ignore the fact that Anon-A-Miss' profile colours match your hair colour perfectly, but don't believe that I'm trying to pin the blame on you, darling. You were just as shocked as the rest of us when we saw that message on Applejack's MyStable account." Rarity said. My heart started to pound very quickly over hearing that Applejack did, in fact, believe what Applebloom had claimed. My worst case scenario was starting to become a reality! I didn't want to lose a friend over something that someone else caused. I had to know for certain if Applejack truly believed that I was responsible for posting her secret. I know Rarity said she might believe it, but I couldn't take any chances.
" I'm thinking that Applebloom holds a grudge against me because of how I used to treat Applejack when I was a bully." I said.
" An interesting theory. Do you have any evidence?"
" No, it's just a hunch."
" I wouldn't allow the mutterings of a young child upset you, Sunset. You've already paid your debt to society when you helped us defeat those awful Sirens. If anything, you would be the last person anyone would consider pinning the blame on. This is all an unfortunate coincidence, one that just happened to come around mere days away from the holiday. Already, this has caused a slight friction amongst our group, but we simply cannot allow it to continue any further." Rarity said.
" Then what should I do about it?" I asked.
" You? Why, nothing, of course. This is something that Applejack simply must come to terms with on her own. Someone out there has discovered her personal secret, and now every student at CHS knows about it." Rarity answered.
" Could it have been one of us?" I asked.
" Maybe, but I wouldn't start accusing our friends. I think we should just forget about this whole affair and focus on having a good time."
" I guess, but did Applejack mention anything else to you?"
" Oh, yes! I asked her if people were still making fun of her, and she said that she had been oinked in every one of her classes. She then mentioned that it wasn't going to bother her and that she was looking forward to 'partying down', but the anger in her voice was pretty evident. That's everything Applejack said on the way here. Why don't we go upstairs, where Pinkie and Applejack are surely waiting for us? If you want, you can check out my family's kitchen and look for a snack if you're feeling peckish. Don't dawdle, now!" Rarity answered.
She then walked upstairs, seemingly without a care in the world, yet I still had a lot on my mind--and my stomach. Applejack had been teased relentlessly all day by the other students, yet she decided to do the right thing by not letting it get to her. I had no idea how long she'd be able to keep that up, though. When people tease you over something without showing any signs of stopping, you eventually get the urge to lash out at them. I'm sure the urge Applejack has right now had been difficult for her to overcome.
Perhaps Rarity is right, though. We shouldn't be dwelling on what happened earlier. We should instead focus on having ourselves a good time. There were still three more slumber parties after this one, so I needed to get my head in the game for tonight if I hoped to enjoy what's to come.
It was at that moment when I heard the sound of a car pulling up into the driveway outside. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had arrived, but while they got settled down, I was going to take Rarity's advice and make my way over to the kitchen. My stomach had been rumbling up something fierce, so a little snack shouldn't hurt before the main course.
" Like me, Applejack had a temper, yet she had much better control over it. Me? I get frustrated so easily, I lose control without even realizing it." I said.
" It must have been difficult to have to listen to those awful oinking sounds all day." Twilight said.
" All because of someone using MyStable to ridicule someone else."
" At least she didn't allow it to bring her down."
" She knew that she had to be brave for the rest of us. She was the pillar had kept us from tumbling over. To her, she's the one who comforts those who cry, not the one who cries. It sounds horrible when you think about it, but that's just the kind of person she is. We all owe her a debt of gratitude for being there whenever we needed her." I said.
Twilight looked at me like she didn't believe that Applejack never cries, and at one time, I doubted the same thing myself. I asked Pinkie Pie why Applejack never cries. Her response? " Applejack cries on the inside." When I asked Applejack about that, she admitted that it was true. After that, I never questioned her emotions again. I guess some people are just really good at keeping their emotions under control. The entirety of Pinkie's family are a perfect example of that.
" So, now the party was about to begin?" Twilight asked.
" Not quite."
" Did something else go wrong?"
" I wouldn't say it like that."
" Then what?"
" Rarity had been looking forward to beginning her slumber party, yet our friends had been busy talking with Sweetie Belle. She happened to be in Rarity's bedroom at the time, and she was about to be ejected from the room for cramping Rarity's style." I answered.
" Who's Sweetie Belle?"
" Really? You don't know who she is? I'm surprised Rarity never mentioned her at all, but then, I guess I shouldn't be. The two of them may be related, yet they don't spend as much time together as they would like. Sweetie Belle is her younger sister. She also attends CHS and has often tested Rarity's patience with her antics. She likes to become closer with her sister, but has found it difficult with their different personalities. The two of them have an unusual relationship. Sweetie Belle would do anything to become more involved with what her sister does, yet she never gets the chance and winds up being ignored." I answered.
" She reminds me a lot about you." Twilight said. A very interesting observation, one that I would agree with wholeheartedly. Sweetie Belle did remind me of myself when I was a filly growing up in Equestria. While she was adored by her parents, she was more interested in trying to forge a relationship with her older sister. Rarity often ignored Sweetie's presence because her mind was focused on her fashion and work, and this kind of neglect is one that Sweetie Belle really took to heart. These days, they are closer than ever before, but back then, it was like they hardly knew each other despite living under the same roof. Rarity learned a valuable lesson about what it means to ignore those who strive to follow in her footsteps but are treated as being invisible.
" I didn't know it at the time, but Sweetie Belle wasn't as happy as she appeared to be." I said.
" Just like Applebloom."
" Are you starting to see a pattern here?"
" I am, and you never once caught onto it?"
" No. If I had, none of this would have happened."
" Sunset..."
" But yes, Sweetie Belle was upset, although she hid her feelings a lot better than Applebloom. You could easily tell that the latter was upset with having to spend time at home without Applejack, yet the former pretended that nothing was wrong. In fact, Sweetie thought she was going to be joining us, but Rarity had other ideas." I said.
" Maybe Rarity shouldn't have kicked her out." Twilight said.
" No, she shouldn't have." I said sarcastically. I blame myself for leaving my cellphone out in the open, but I also blame Rarity for kicking Sweetie Belle out just because she didn't want her sister to bother us during the slumber party. It was a trend of this world which slowly became known to me, one I had no love for. Older siblings cast aside their younger ones out of fear that they would be embarrassing or because they wanted to be part of something that didn't involve them. This kind of thing never happened in Equestria, although I never paid much attention to anyone else back then. I knew that deep down, Rarity cared a lot about Sweetie Belle, but to drive her away? Hopefully, Twilight doesn't get the wrong impression when I eventually tell her what I've so far hidden from her.
" Okay, so where do we go from here?" Twilight asked.
" About ten minutes later, I walked up the stairs to Rarity's room, unaware of what was about to happen." I answered. I then turned the page of the journal, and glued there was another photo, yet it looked crisp, like a proper camera had been used to take it. The photo depicted a closet door in Rarity's bedroom, yet it had a massive hole in it, as though someone had flung themselves through it. I was sure it would take Twilight a few seconds for her to figure out how that happened.
" Is that what Pinkie did?" Twilight asked.
" And it was the twelfth time, too." I answered.
While the choice of food Rarity offered at her slumber party was different from what Pinkie offered, I could relate to the former's refined tastes. Pizza was good and all, but too much of it got old. Some of my friends felt confused by seeing fancy hors d'oeuvres, small portions, and even food that looked like it had been imported from somewhere overseas. Yet, our host insisted that everything was edible. So long as I don't have any meat, I had no problems dealing with this "unique" spread. Unlike last night, where we all had pizza in Pinkie's room, Rarity ordered us to have our food in the family dining room. It made sense she would want to do it that way. After all, she didn't want her room getting soiled by the stain of food.
I had spent much of my evening so far keeping a close eye on Applejack, yet I made sure not to let on that I was watching her every move. So far, she appeared to be fine, but deep down, she was still coming to grips with having her secret revealed online. When I exposed people's secrets, it never occurred to me just how much I was hurting them. That's because friendship never meant anything to me. But, now that I have friends who care about me, I've realized just how awful I really was. I hoped Applejack wouldn't resort to something drastic. I knew she wouldn't normally consider anything of the sort, but people are known to do some crazy things if they're provoked enough.
Without anyone else knowing, I'd been doing a little research on the side in order to figure out who Anon-A-Miss really was. We had already established that she was indeed a female, so that eliminated half of the student body from the equation. There were still many questions, with the most important one being why. Why did Anon-A-Miss expose something so personal? I learned that not everyone at CHS viewed Applejack as their friend. They resented her for her work ethic, countryisms, and being labelled as one of the saviours of the school. So some students bore a grudge against her for petty reasons. It was jealousy that fueled them. If I can figure out the answer to the main question, it wouldn't take long to figure out the rest. My best course of action would be to ask around at school but not let anyone on to my true intentions. Students were fickle about answering anything that made them uneasy, so I had my work cut out for me. My questions were all designed to get right to the very root of the problem. Anon-A-Miss... I'll find out who you are!
Once we had finished dinner and made our way up to Rarity's room, we spent fifteen minutes waiting for her and Applejack to arrive. By the time they came up the stairs, Rainbow Dash had almost fallen asleep out of boredom. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had been talking with Sweetie Belle, Rarity's sister. As for me, I'd been looking at the décor and was both enthralled and disturbed by the more intricate design choices.
" Hello, girls! Sorry that we had to make you wait, but my parents were just so insistent on me doing that little chore." Rarity said.
" It didn't take us long to get 'er done." Applejack added.
" Yes, quite right, Applejack. Now, who here is ready to have some fun?" Rarity asked.
" Don't worry about how long you took. We were just chatting with Sweetie Belle while you two were downstairs." Fluttershy answered.
" Is that so?" Rarity asked, glaring at her sister, who smiled awkwardly. I could tell that Sweetie Belle wasn't liking how Rarity was looking at her, but I decided not to get involved in a family matter. If anything, it was just a usual occurrence, and would be resolved in their usual manner.
" Oh, yes. She was just telling us what she and her friends have been up to." Fluttershy answered.
" That sounds simply fascinating, but I'm afraid that it's now past my dear sister's bedtime. I'm sure that you've been a lovely conversationalist, but I'm afraid this is where we must get on with our party. I'm certain our mother will come to tuck you in when she has a free moment." Rarity said. She then began pushing Sweetie Belle towards the door, the younger girl clearly unhappy. Also, Rarity sounded rather cold, so perhaps I should have spoken out in defence of her sister. Still, I didn't want to interfere in their family affairs in case I overstep my boundaries.
" What!? Hey! It's not my bedtime yet!" Sweetie Belle shouted.
" Come along, little sister! It's time for your big sister and her friends to spend some time together." Rarity said.
" Aw, c'mon! I can be cool!"
" I'm sure you can, but this is a party for grown-ups."
" Not fair, Rarity!"
" Nothing in life is ever fair, Sweetie Belle. Now, why don't you go and do something like call one of your friends? I'm sure the three of you can have your own slumber party sometime next week if our father permits it. I promise that I won't interrupt if he agrees to it." Rarity said.
" But--"
" Goodnight, little sister!" Rarity said as she closed the door, leaving Sweetie Belle to walk off to her own room. Something was amiss, as her footsteps seemed pretty loud outside the bedroom door. I'm not sure why Rarity had to treat her own sister like that. They were supposed to be family towards one another, yet it looked more like one sister just barked orders that the other hated. I wouldn't have minded Sweetie Belle joining us for the slumber party. She wasn't doing anything wrong, and I could have gotten to know her better.
All of a sudden, Pinkie Pie donned a cloak, and pretended that she was some kind of gatekeeper, the kind that guards a graveyard. I had no idea where she managed to pull that costume from, as she clearly didn't have it on her person when I last checked. Her sudden change of attire did catch Rarity and Rainbow Dash by surprise, but I wasn't so easily phased. It wasn't like this was unusual for Pinkie.
"Okay! Who's ready for GHOST STORIES? I got some creepy tales lined up." Pinkie Pie said.
" You know, Pinkie--If you want to hear weird stories about beings in another world, then I can tell you about my experiences when I lived in Equestria. What you girls have seen is nothing compared to what happens there. Not only that, I can also tell you what Princess Twilight has witnessed since you all last saw her. I still have the magic journal. It's proven to be very useful whenever I need to send her a message." I said.
" Does that thing still work?" Rainbow Dash asked.
" Sure! I use it all the time, and I make sure to never let it out of my sight. If anyone were to try and use it who don't understand the nuances of true magic, they could cause all kinds of problems, and then we'd have to go and fix it. Oh, and Princess Twilight says hi, by the way." I answered.
" A shame that she couldn't join us for these slumber parties." Rarity said.
" What is she even up to?" Rainbow Dash asked.
" Like I said to Pinkie, Princess Twilight has important duties to take care of in Equestria. Also, they're celebrating their equivalent to our Christmas within the next couple of days: Hearth's Warming. She plans on spending time with her parents and the pony versions of each of you." I answered. I don't believe that I've ever told them about their pony versions, but then, I know very little about them myself.
The only time I ever encountered them personally was when I stole Princess Twilight's crown and fled to this world in order to use its magic for my own selfish reasons. I'm not sure if they ever forgave me for what I did; I never asked. Perhaps I should ask Her Highness someday. Both versions of the girls did share similar characteristics. For example, the two Rainbow Dashes both view themselves as the most awesome thing out there. They also share the same egotism, yet I believe the pony version has never improved on that, unlike the human version.
" That magic journal is really something." Fluttershy said.
" Do you two actually communicate with each other?" Applejack asked.
" I send her a message, and she sends me a response. It also works the other way around, in case any of you think it only works the one way. Sometimes, we just write each other back and forth like we're chatting in one of those online chat rooms." I answered. I wasn't trying to make myself sound like I was special when I described how incredible my journal was. It was a big responsibility having such a powerful, and easily abusable, magical item.
I walked over and sat down on Rarity's bed before taking off my backpack and opening it up. There, tucked away among the essentials I brought, was the journal. If not for Princess Celestia, I wouldn't even have it to begin with. I know that I stopped using it for a while after I first came here out of spite towards her, but I'm glad to be using it again and communicating with Princess Twilight.
" It's like texting, but to another world." Fluttershy said.
" Texting is much more convenient. The closet thing we had to cellphones back home was magic burping dragons. Whenever somepony needed to send a message, we would have the dragon use his fiery breath to magically send the message forward to its destination. When a message came back, the dragon would burp it out completely intact. It does sound rather disgusting, but it proved incredibly useful. The only problem is that ponies don't really understand that much about dragons. Some have tried to establish some kind of connection, yet ended up failing due to... unfortunate circumstances." I said. There was no need to tell my friends what those circumstances were. I'm sure they already had a pretty good idea as to what I was talking about.
" Then how do you explain the dragon who accompanies Princess Twilight?" Rarity asked.
" Spike? Well, she said that she hatched him from an egg when he was first discovered by Princess Celestia years ago. No one really knows where Spike comes from, but he considers himself a pony, despite being a baby dragon. If he were a grown up dragon, you'd have to look really high up just to see his head." I answered. Dragons, while merely the stuff of fairy tales in this world, exist in several colonies across Equestria. They migrate several times a year, and the other creatures make sure to keep out of their way. No one ever wants to incur the wrath of an adult dragon.
" When do you plan on sending her another message?" Rainbow Dash asked.
" Probably later tonight, just before I go to bed." I answered.
" Then be sure to tell Princess Twilight everything. I'm sure she would definitely appreciate being told about what happens around here. After all, she is our friend, and I'm sure she feels like this world is her home, as well. Now, let's party!" Rarity said.
Those were the magic words that Pinkie had been waiting for. She immediately grabbed the edge of her cloak and tossed it aside, producing a microphone from out of nowhere and jumping onto Rarity's bed. She then started to sing a song which I had never heard properly, but that was because I was watching it from outside the cafeteria. I had no idea what compelled Pinkie to suddenly break out into song, but who was I to deny her the chance to strut her stuff.
" Hey! Hey! Everybody!
We got something to say!
We may be as different
as the night is from the day!" Pinkie Pie sang.
Despite not having any music to accompany her singing, she was still able to hold a pretty good tune. I guess playing the drums had given her a better grasp of musical tones.
In the meantime, I had since taken out my cellphone and began recording everything that was happening. The quality may not be all that good, but that wasn't important. This was an experience that needed to be recorded so that I could view it again in the future.
" Why ever are you recording this, darling?" Rarity asked.
" I want to capture the memories." I answered.
" I'm all for wanting to make good memories, and you could definitely use some of those, Sunset. Reckon y'all have had way too many negative ones throughout your life. Recording Pinkie Pie's silliness and watching it later is a great way to make yourself feel better. She just has this uncanny ability to make anyone laugh. I don't know how she keeps on doing it, but I hope she never stops." Applejack said.
" Stage dive!" Pinkie Pie shouted. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had been dancing along to Pinkie's singing, yet they were completely unprepared for her sudden decision to jump off Rarity's bed and pretend that she was jumping into a large crowd in a concert hall. They managed to get out of the way just in time, and Pinkie crashed into a closet door, completely ruining the bottom half of it. I hoped Rarity's parents didn't hear that sound. Thankfully, the damage wasn't too serious, although I think it's going to cost Rarity at least a hundred bucks to get a replacement closet door. Perhaps this would teach Pinkie a lesson about keeping her party animal instincts under control. She wasn't hurt or anything, which was a relief.
As she came back out, we saw that she had apparently landed in a closet that contained many kinds of costumes. " I guess that works better when there's a stage." Pinkie Pie said.
" I think that's the sixth time you've broken a door by dancing." Fluttershy said.
" Nope, twelfth." I amended.
" You're actually keeping track of that?" Rainbow Dash asked.
" It's a little something I do on the side. It helps me to get in the zone when I need to do some research." I answered.
" Rarity? What are all these clothes?" Pinkie Pie asked. All eyes then turned towards Rarity, who in response rubbed the bridge of her nose before sighing. It sounded like she didn't want anyone to know that she had these particular clothes. Why would she be hesitant about something like that? To Rarity, clothes meant everything. Eventually, she caved in when everyone else continued staring at her. I, on the other hand, found myself helping Pinkie out of the clothes pile.
" Well, if you all simply must know, this is my Closet of Shame. It's where I put the clothes that I either make or purchase that turn out horrible. I won't deny the fact that not all of my clothing choices are fabulous. I clean it out every now and then and donate everything to a clothing drive. I think it's high time to pay them another visit, and I'll be sure to do so after school tomorrow." Rarity answered.
" You certainly have a lot in there." Applejack said.
" Yes, much to my eternal shame. If I'd known this would happen, I'd have donated those clothes the other week. The damage has been done, though so there's nothing more to do other than put these into a box and remind myself to drive down to the clothing drive." Rarity said.
" What are you talking about?" Pinkie Pie asked. I had since managed to pull out of the clothes pile, and she was somehow wearing a business suit, but with a bowtie instead of a regular tie, and a top hat. She looked like one of those cabaret performers you'd see on television late at night. " This stuff is great! It's the perfect material for us to take some outrageous selfies!" Judging from Rarity's expression, she didn't like that idea one bit. I had to admit that a lot of the clothes she had stashed away in her closet looked pretty archaic. I'd say there were clothes from the 1950s all the way to the early 2000s. Personally, I had no idea what any of that meant, but it's what I had read about in history class when one topic was dedicated to fashion.
" These are pretty funky clothes, Rarity." I said, wearing something that looked to be from the 1960s: A sweatshirt that was one size too big, leggings with warmers on the ankles, and shoes which looked like something worn by an astronaut.
" Yeah! Check me out!" Rainbow Dash shouted. She was wearing a vampire Halloween costume, complete with bat-like wings underneath the arms.
" Well... Feel free to try them on, I suppose." Rarity said. She still sounded hesitant about doing this, but thanks to some encouragement by Pinkie, she was convinced to go along with our crazy plan.
Throughout the course of the next hour, we all tried on different clothes, and it was official: We all looked completely ridiculous! Some examples included Rainbow Dash wearing a Victorian costume with frills, Applejack wearing a rocker's outfit from the 1980s that also included an electric guitar for some reason, Pinkie Pie wearing a kimono, which actually looked pretty good and normal, me sporting a detective getup that made me resemble Sherlock Holmes, Fluttershy wearing a winter parka, which made sense with the weather outside, and finally, Rarity wearing a fluffy, fake mink around her neck while pretending to appear stuck up. Without a doubt, this was the most fun I had ever experienced in my life, and it made me look forward to what was going to happen tomorrow night. I had also taken the liberty of taking these selfies using my cellphone's camera, still wanting to keep a record of the memories I've made tonight. I even took a few group shots of us wearing other costumes. Despite how embarrassing they made us all look, we didn't care. After all, no one was going to know that we were making ourselves look like idiots. This would be our little secret.
" So that's how Pinkie ruined that closet door?" Twilight asked.
" While she had a lot of energy, she was also rather clumsy. Luckily, Rarity's parents weren't terribly upset about the door needing to be repaired. They planned on replacing it anyway, so it wasn't a complete loss." I answered.
" Twelve times... If Pinkie ever thought about it, she could get a job as a demolitions expert." Twilight said. I burst into laughter when she said that, falling down onto my back and almost kicking both journals away without realizing. Luckily, Twilight managed to grab both before my legs could accidentally kick her. She merely chuckled at my laughter, and I blushed out of embarrassment after I calmed down. I usually don't do anything that silly, but at least Twilight wasn't going to hold it against me. " Rarity certainly had quite a variety of clothes."
" She still desired to get rid of them." I said.
" Did she?"
" After what happened, she immediately got rid of all those clothes. She even had to make sure no one recognized her when she went to the clothing drive. Anon-A-Miss would post those images on her own MyStable page, and we became ridiculed in the process. No... Not we but rather our friends became ridiculed." I answered.
" I don't understand." Twilight said.
" When my photos were posted, they were only the ones of our friends. None of the photos of me were ever posted, and the group shots had been altered to where I was no longer in the image. It had been done to make it look like that I was Anon-A-Miss." I said, tears starting to stream down my face, prompting Twilight to reach into her backpack and pull out a tissue. I batted away her hand out of frustration, but she began to gently wipe away the tears as I sat there.
Why did I take those photos? Was I really that pathetic about wanting to have precious memories? I should have had someone else take the photos instead. I should have also made sure to check to see if my password was working on my cellphone. Ugh! So many mistakes! I hated myself for not being more aware of what was really going on!
" Are you alright?" Twilight asked.
" No."
" Sunset..."
" This is where things are about to get really heartrending. I've been dreading this part of the journal for quite some time, but I know that I have to reveal to you what happened to me. In order for me to get this off of my chest, I must tell you how my life was destroyed at that exact moment." I said.
" I'm ready for it." Twilight said.
" I won't be holding anything back."
" I know."
" Before heading to bed that night, I wrote another message to Princess Twilight. I was curious as to how she had spent her time with her parents. She also needed to know about what was happening at school with Anon-A-Miss. However, I blame myself for not being aware of what was going on around me. I also blame myself for not checking my cellphone to see if I had activated my password." I said.