Day: Wednesday
Weather: Snow
Time: 11:30pmLosing my friends continued to hurt, but I had to concentrate in order to find out who was behind Anon-A-Miss. Even though it meant going back to a bad habit, I had to eavesdrop on other people's conversations. Surely, someone had some clues for me to consider. My investigation uncovered some surprising details. Not everyone at CHS was victimized, so that could make them possible suspects. Yet, it was a conversation between Bulk Biceps and Captain Planet which lead me to suspect Trixie. My confrontation proved to be an embarrassment; she was innocent, yet I blamed her out of frustration. At least she told me my former friends had doubts about my guilt, but I knew that wasn't going to be enough for them to forgive me. That night, I spoke with Princess Twilight through my magic journal and was reminded of an ancient Equestrian legend. Was it possible those creatures had come through to this world? Or, had they always been here?
The Other Journal
By Ganondorf8
February 7, 2016
Chapter 51: Legend.
" Windigos? No, I can't say that I've heard of them." Twilight answered.
" Really? You've never heard the legend of the Windigos?" I asked.
" I've never been to Equestria, so how could I know about that?" Twilight asked. It then occurred to me that I had never told her anything about the lore of Equestria, and the same applied to our friends. They all knew of my true heritage of being a unicorn but nothing else. I slapped my forehead over making such an obvious blunder. It looked like I would be teaching her about the Windigos, which was a difficult task in and of itself. It had been some time since I last talked about them. In fact, Princess Twilight discussed that very subject with me late last year. Turning my attention to Twilight, she was suddenly holding a notepad and pencil in her hands, which surprised me, to say the least. I think she wanted to know more about the Windigos. I could tell; she had that sparkle in her eyes. " Well? I'm ready to learn all I can about these Windigos!" Twilight said with enthusiasm.
" You seem a lot more cheerful now than you were a while ago." I said.
" Nothing gets in my way when it comes to the pursuit of knowledge. There is so much about your world that eludes my grasp, but this story is sure to give me a much better idea as to how a world of ponies operates as a society." Twilight said. I rolled my eyes at what she said. I should have known she'd have an ulterior motive, but then, that's one of her more appealing qualities. Twilight was always striving to understand something that's beyond her comprehension. No matter what the cost, she would make sure to learn every last aspect of a subject. I know that I had good studying habits, yet she was truly dedicated. I could never hope to match her example. Thankfully, I wasn't even trying to.
" To understand the Windigos, you first need to learn about Hearth's Warming." I said.
" They have a connection to that holiday?"
" If not for them, Equestria wouldn't even exist as a kingdom."
" Make sure you don't leave out any details. I want to learn everything imaginable."
" I know that means a lot to you, Twilight, but we've still got to continue with the next part of the journal. I'll just give you a crash course on the subject so as to not waste too much time. Also, I'm rusty on specifics about the legend. After all, it's been some time since Her Highness reminded me of the story." I said. Twilight folded her arms and started pouting, but she quickly stopped upon realizing that I didn't have the luxury of going into a full explanation regarding Windigos. What made it worse was that I also had to talk about how Equestria was founded. Guess what Princess Twilight told me about was about to pay off. " Ponies were divided into three tribes: unicorn, Pegasus, and earth pony. Each one contributed to the precarious peace that existed. However, tensions were mounting and would soon manifest themselves during one terrible winter." I said.
" What kind of tensions?" Twilight asked.
" The earth ponies were good with crops and would have to give equal portions to the other two tribes. Pegasi were masters of the weather, so in exchange for food, they provided the weather and would determine whether it would be hot or cold. Unicorns raised and lowered the sun and moon with their magic, but only if they received payment. This went on until that winter I mentioned happened. A meeting between the three tribal leaders amounted to nothing, so they decided to seek out a new land, one where they didn't have to deal with the other tribes. Unfortunately, they ended up in the same general location, and their bickering came along with them." I answered.
" Who were these leaders?" Twilight asked.
" The unicorns were lead by their king, although, his representative and de facto leader was Princess Platinum. Her closest advisor was Clover the Clever, who was once the apprentice of Star Swirl the Bearded. Commander Hurricane led the Pegasus tribe, yet his second-in-command Private Pansy wasn't very fond of him. Finally, the earth ponies were lead by Chancellor Puddinghead, who was assisted by her secretary Smart Cookie." I answered. Twilight, upon hearing the name "Chancellor Puddinghead", started laughing, as I expected. I even found myself chuckling along, but not too much, as she was one of the founders of Equestria. These six were responsible for my world coming into existence as a kingdom. The two sisters would become rulers several years later, according to legend. Once Twilight finally calmed down, I continued on with the story. " Despite initially setting off to get away from the cold, their arguing brought the Windingos back."
" What do these Windigos have to do with cold weather?" Twilight asked.
" The Windigos are ethereal spirits that resemble real-world horses yet are feared by all creatures in Equestria. They feed on the hatred of ponies and grow stronger as more hate spreads throughout the land. As they gain in power, the cold they bring gets worse until everything freezes over. Unless you can defeat it with the 'Fire of Friendship', nothing can stop a Windigo. If you suddenly hear the howling of a Windigo, you know one is nearby." I answered.
" Okay, then what is this Fire of Friendship?" Twilight asked.
" The three leaders kept on arguing with no signs of stopping. They would eventually become encased within chunks of solid ice caused by the Windigos. It would be Private Pansy, Smart Cookie, and Clover the Clever who formed the Fire of Friendship by becoming friends. This freed the three leaders, who finally understood what caused the cold weather to begin with. From there, they united each tribe together under one royal banner, and Equestria came into existence." I answered. Twilight had actually been writing down everything I've said since I first started the story. I could tell as she had gone through a lot of pages on her notepad and her pencil had gone dull. Hopefully, she doesn't have any additional questions for me to answer. My past still needed to be told.
" Fascinating! Truly fascinating! I can't believe that such a legend exists in Equestria. No doubt there are other legends, each one adding more to the lore your world possesses. You must tell me more stories like this in the future, Sunset. The knowledge I could gain would be invaluable. If I could've revealed this information, I'd definitely get the Nobel Prize, or perhaps something even higher. But, I know that this world isn't ready to learn about Equestria." Twilight said. Her love of knowledge was adorable, yet she definitely had problems with ethics. If she could, Twilight would reveal everything about my world, and then everyone would want to go through the portal. In turn, ponies would freak out over the sudden influx of humans becoming ponies--maybe something else entirely--until things just completely spiral out of control. Glad she doesn't wish to reveal anything for my sake.
" That was the shortened version. Princess Twilight knows a lot more than I do; she's experienced Hearth's Warming every year, unlike me." I said.
" They remind me of the Sirens."
" In what way?"
" Both they and the Windigos feed off of negative energy in order to grow stronger."
" The only difference is that the Sirens manipulated everyone into unleashing negative energy. The Windigos aren't capable of doing that. They can only wait for their victims to start spreading hatred of their own volition." I said.
" I'd like to know what a Windigo looks like."
" You doubt my story?"
" Of course not, but it would be nice."
" The next part of the journal covers my conversation with Her Highness. While everything was written down in the magic journal, I prefer to use this one in my lap to explain what happened that night." I said. Turning the page over with my non-injured hand, destiny had given Twilight exactly what she wanted. There, glued onto the page, was a photo of a Windigo itself. Showing it to Twilight, she grabbed the journal to get a closer look, and she seemed pretty calm about it. Compared to other creatures, Windigos weren't hideous or anything.
" So, what does this have to do with what happened?" Twilight asked.
" That night, Her Highness and I talked about how our friends ended their relationship with me. I made sure to tell her everything, as I didn't want to leave out any details. I could tell she was devastated by what happened based on her words. She would remind me of the legend of the Windigos and how it related to my problem at the time. What made our talk a true blessing to me was a reminder that she was still my friend." I answered.
I just wanted this day to be over and never have to think back on it again. It was bad enough that my best friends, my family, had wrongfully accused me of spilling their precious secrets and ended their friendships with me. But now, I was jumping to conclusions and accusing others when they were clearly innocent. My mind had been taxed with trying to figure out the identity of Anon-A-Miss. Whenever it looked like I'd find an important clue, it ended up being completely wrong. I learned from eavesdropping--it was painful doing such a nasty thing like that again--that not everyone at CHS had been victimized. They might have taken some precautions and kept their secrets closely guarded, yet all they did was delay the inevitable. It seemed that Anon-A-Miss just had her way of making secrets public and ruining lives in the process.
It was eavesdropping that lured me onto the prospect that Trixie herself was behind all of this. Her secrets hadn't been exposed, and she was said to have been acting rather suspiciously in the last couple of days. I was so desperate to find out who had made me look bad, I was blinded by my own impatience. When Trixie's name came up, I didn't care whether or not she was guilty. I needed to vent out my frustrations, and she was the ideal target. When she revealed that she had nothing to do with Anon-A-Miss, my case against her fell apart, which made me feel utterly humiliated. Trixie was someone who I offered friendship towards, and there I was making false accusations. I was fortunate that she forgave me for my pathetic display, yet she had given me one piece of good news. My former friends Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had been having mixed feelings about blaming me for being Anon-A-Miss. I would consider going to them and seeing if they were willing to forgive me, but I knew that would be impossible.
They may have mixed feelings, but I was sure they were just confused over what was happening. I doubted they'd even acknowledge my presence, but at least I knew that perhaps my former friends could be wrong.
Over the course of the last couple of days, things had been spiraling out of control at CHS. I hadn't seen so much hatred being thrown back and forth since the dark days when I was responsible for causing such chaos. Back then, seeing so many students yelling at one another would have given me nothing but joy. Now, after seeing things from a new perspective, the pain I felt brought tears to my eyes. Everything Princess Twilight had done to bring respect back to this school had been shattered to pieces, the damage permanent unless something was done to fix it. While I could cry over my fellow students, they didn't show the same sympathy towards me. Thanks to Anon-A-Miss, everyone thought that I was the one behind her posting craze. I've tried to prove my innocence, yet no one would listen to me. To them, I was guilty, and nothing could change that. In the thralls of this chaos, I started to think about going back home. I knew that I'd be judged immediately upon my return. Fate would be cruel to me no matter what decision I chose to make. Either I was condemned to the desolate wastes or condemned to spend the rest of my life here, alone.
There was only one person I could turn to now during my hour of need. Princess Twilight had not seen the devastation with her own eyes, and for that, I am thankful. She must never witness this atrocity. Her heart wouldn't be able to take it. The only concern I had was whether Her Highness would believe that I had nothing to do with this. It was by her kindness that I had been given a second chance. Despite some setbacks along the way--specifically, the Battle of the Bands--I've changed for the better and proven that the old me would never rear her ugly head again. If she didn't believe me, then I'd have no one left. No! She had to believe me! There is no other option!
That night, I stared up at the library ceiling, the moonlight shining through a window and beaming down onto my face. It felt strange being here on my own instead of in the comfort of my former friends. Again, fate had dealt me a horrible hand. The remaining slumber parties had since been cancelled, and there was no doubt I'd be spending the holidays alone, as usual. Being here in the library afforded some piece and quiet, a sharp contrast to the madness from earlier. Here, no one could judge me based on false accusations. I was free to do whatever I wanted. One thing that had confused me, though, was why the girls never told anyone that I lived in the library. I'd think they would have mentioned it in retaliation for what I had supposedly done to them. Yet, they said nothing. Perhaps they truly did think of me as innocent but couldn't fully accept it. It's an answer which I'll never know, as the question was never given.
Opening up the magic journal and taking out a pen from my backpack, I began pondering over how to speak to Princess Twilight. I thought about sending her another message like before and hope she had the time to respond. In the end, I felt that wasn't going to be enough. The situation required me to have an actual conversation, something I hadn't done with the journal since I stopped using it when Princess Celestia thought it unnecessary. Did I know what time it was back home? No. I was taking a gamble on whether she would still be awake on her side. Without any more hesitation, I raised my hand and began writing.
" Twilight? Are you there?" I wrote. For a few minutes there was no response, and my heart started beating faster out of fear. What if she was asleep? I'd have to wait until morning before getting an answer, and even then, she might be needed elsewhere. She might not even get my message for a few days. It looked like my efforts had been in vain, so just as I was about to close the journal, it started glowing. Words began appearing on the page. Princess Twilight had responded!
" Sunset? This is the first time you've sent me something where you didn't begin with 'Dear Princess Twilight'. Is something wrong?" Princess Twilight wrote.
" I really need to talk to you."
" You did catch me at a good time. I was actually about to head off to bed when I saw my journal glowing."
" Oh. Well, if you'd prefer to talk in the morning..."
" No. I sense something is wrong, so I'll go to sleep after this."
" It's going to be difficult for you to accept this, but I won't hold anything back." I wrote. I quickly looked up at the ceiling again and wondered how Her Highness would react to what I would write down. Everything she did had been for the benefit of everyone, yet they chose to spit on her kindness by spreading hatred. It made me think that all humans were scum for being heartless monsters. However, I knew my words were inappropriate as it wasn't everyone's fault there was so much strife. One person had chosen to shatter Twilight's dream, all to make me look bad, and the students helped her out. I could never judge an entire species based on the actions of a relative few individuals. " When I last sent you a message, I felt appreciated by everyone, like I was on top of the world. Yet... I now realize that dreams can be shattered like glass." I wrote.
" What do you mean?" Princess Twilight wrote.
" Remember when I said that Applejack's secret got exposed?"
" Yes."
" A couple of days after the second slumber party, the photos I had taken using my cellphone that night were posted online. The one responsible--Anon-A-Miss--has a page on MyStable where she posts all kinds of secrets about students. She makes it look like I'm the one behind her actions by having her profile image resemble a monstrous version of myself. She also uses my hair colour and the colour of my clothes to further discredit me. Finally, she made sure that any photos of me weren't uploaded and that any group shots had me removed from them." I wrote. It immediately dawned on me that Her Highness would have no idea what MyStable was all about, so I quickly explained that it was an online journal that allowed anyone to post whatever was on their mind.
Every word was described in full detail so as to not confuse Her Highness. While she had been to this world on two prior occasions, using school computers wasn't exactly one of her greatest experiences. By the time I finished talking about MyStable, Princess Twilight went silent for a moment before responding with what looked like panic in her writing.
" What!? Someone framed you for bringing disharmony to the school!? I knew I should've been there! This is a disaster! Why don't you gather our friends? I'm sure they can help you figure out who is doing this."
" That's not going to happen, Twilight."
" Why not?"
" Because our friends believe that I am Anon-A-Miss! I'll admit that the evidence against me is very strong, yet I know that I'm innocent. Because of this, they have ended their friendships with me. I'm once again on my own, like I was after you returned to Equestria after the Fall Formal. My life has been destroyed, Twilight. Nothing remains to be salvaged. Everything that I poured so much effort into is gone." I wrote. Again, Her Highness was silent when I finished writing. I knew she was struggling to come up with a response, yet it wouldn't be easy for her. She was the only one who truly understood me, and it wasn't just because we're both ponies. We've both had similar experiences in our childhood, even her childhood was overall wonderful, while mine was horrible. What we had in common which was positive was the loving embrace of Princess Celestia--until I betrayed her.
" I... I don't believe this. Sunset... You should have told me this sooner." Princess Twilight wrote.
" You're a princess in Equestria. You have commitments."
" Yes, but I'd have dropped it all to help you."
" Don't be so naïve, Twilight. You know that you had to remain in Equestria, not only for your duties, but also for your family and friends."
" Sunset..."
" What happened was my own fault for not realizing that there was a much bigger problem brewing. If I had seen the signs much sooner, I could have prevented this, and I'd probably be at the final slumber party right now. Anyway, now the student body have slowly been turning against me. Your hard work in fixing the mess I caused has been shattered to pieces. Everyone hates each other, everything has gone back to what it was before you came." I wrote.
" Such needless pain, and all because of one person's actions." Princess Twilight wrote.
" So that's the whole story. Nobody will believe that I'm not Anon-A-Miss, not even my friends. My former friends, I guess."
" I'm so sorry, Sunset. I wish there was some way I could help you. If I had been there, I could have vouched for your innocence. Despite everything that you've said, I still view you as a friend, and that will never change. I've always believed in giving others a second chance if they are worthy. I don't regret giving you that chance. Most would have thrown it away within a matter of days, yet you persevered and achieved something wonderful. Still, it's never easy to lose good friends." Princess Twilight wrote. It felt reassuring to know that Her Highness still valued my friendship. She also believed my story, so that was another problem off my chest. I wouldn't know where I'd be right now if she had chosen not to believe me. Glad I won't have to find out. If only my former friends could be just like her.
" Have you experienced the loss of friendship?" I wrote.
" Yes, and it wasn't easy for me to cope. I may be the Princess of Friendship, but that doesn't mean I'm perfect at it. I've lost friends because of focusing on my own studies, shutting out everypony else. Would I have done things differently? Yes. However, rather than wallow away at what was lost, I chose to find a way to resolve any differences and repair the friendship." Princess Twilight wrote.
" My problem is even worse."
" I know."
" To be honest, Twilight, I don't think my problem can be solved."
" Sunset... Do you remember the Legend of the Windigos? From the story of Hearth's Warming Eve?" Princess Twilight wrote. It had been a very long time since I last heard that story. Much of it I've forgotten since I had to learn what humans celebrated in order to be able to fit in. I looked back up at the ceiling again and began thinking about a time back in Equestria where Princess Celestia told me the legend. My parents never bothered, as they were fixated on my siblings, so my former teacher gladly shared the tale. The only part that I can truly remember was how the Windigos could spread a cold winter chill by feeding on hatred. Of all the things to recall, it had to be the most negative aspect. Looking back at the question Her Highness asked me, I quickly jotted down that I could only remember a certain part--shameful as it was. " I suspected as much. Living over there has made you forget about the legend which allowed Equestria to exist as a kingdom."
" You're not going to lecture me about how Equestria was founded, are you?" I wrote.
" I won't force it on you."
" It wouldn't bother me to relearn about it. In fact, I'd be glad to remember something from back home. Since the holidays in this world have now lost all meaning, I might as well embrace the one from the land of my birth." I wrote.
" Alright, but I'll need to make this quick. You need your sleep just as much as I do. Before Equestria came into existence, the three pony tribes existed separately, but were forced to depend on one another in order to survive. The earth ponies produced crops which they gave to the other tribes in exchange for their services. Pegasi would manipulate the weather, making it ideal for growing crops and living comfortably. Unicorns would use their magic to raise and lower the sun and moon to determine when ponies would play and sleep. Times were difficult for all three tribes. Their peace was a precarious one that could falter at any moment." Twilight wrote. As I continued reading the words as they appeared in the magic journal, I began imagining what things must have been like for those ponies long ago. We've certainly come a long way since those days, although I didn't exactly follow in their hoofsteps. I always felt bitter over how I had been neglected by my parents. Despite doing her best to help me get over them, Princess Celestia just couldn't get through to me. My resentment towards them never changed.
" When the three tribal leaders met to discuss the cold winter that suddenly gripped all of them, they couldn't agree on how to solve the problem. Each one blamed the other for something none of them knew had been their fault. Princess Platinum of the unicorns, Commander Hurricane of the Pegasi, and Chancellor Puddinghead of the earth ponies each decided to go out and seek a new land where none of the other tribes would exist." Princess Twilight wrote.
" Seriously!? The leader of the Earth Ponies was named Chancellor Puddinghead?" I wrote as I burst into laughter. Just reading that name briefly took my mind off of what had happened regarding Anon-A-Miss, but reality soon settled back into my mind.
" Careful, Sunset. Earth ponies take offence when someone mocks their great ancestor."
" Sorry. Please, continue."
" Each leader was accompanied by their trusted retainers: Clover the Clever of the unicorns, Private Pansy of the Pegasi, and Smart Cookie of the earth ponies. When it was discovered that all three tribes had claimed the exact same location as their new home, tensions flared up again as each leader said that they found it first. What had started the problem initially had come back once again, only stronger. The three retainers found common ground with one another, but the same couldn't be said about the leaders. Each was too selfish to consider that what they were doing was wrong." Princess Twilight wrote. Clover the Clever... That name sounded awfully familiar to me. I scratched my chin, hoping I could remember something, but my mind just couldn't come up with anything.
" Twilight, who was Clover the Clever?"
" He was the apprentice to Star Swirl the Bearded." Princess Twilight wrote. That's why the name sounded familiar! Like Her Highness, I too had learned about the most powerful unicorn wizard Equestria had ever known through my studies. I didn't go into as much depth as she did, however. I was more focused on perfecting my own magic than reading up on ancient history. Perhaps I should consider taking the time to read up on what made Equestria into the kingdom it is now. Considering what's been happening with the students of CHS, it'd be a nice change of pace.
" Is this where the Windigos come in?" I wrote.
" They were evil spirits that fed on fighting and hatred, causing the cold of winter. Because the three tribes always argued with one another, the Windigos always appeared and consumed as much hatred as they could gorge themselves on. Their power grew as the hatred continued. If not for the three retainers, Equestria would never have come into existence. It was their friendship that brought about the defeat of the Windigos through an artefact known as the Fire of Friendship. Unfortunately, Windigos can never truly be destroyed no matter how much effort we dedicate towards ridding ourselves of them. So long as someone is spreading hatred, they will be close by, ready to sow the seeds of cold winter by feeding on the hate." Princess Twilight wrote.
" Why bring up this legend, other than to remind me of it?" I wrote.
" Hatred in Equestria is no different from the hatred that currently exists at CHS."
" You think there are similarities?"
" Yes. The human world and our world are much closer than you think. Many ponies in Equestria have human counterparts, and this can also be attributed to locations. I am certain other variations across the multiverse exist, as well. Hatred always bring out the truest cruelty in people." Princess Twilight wrote.
" Do you think there are Windigos in this world?"
" I don't know."
" If they do exist here, then perhaps they came through the portal?"
" Maybe, but that would be somewhat farfetched. Windigos are ethereal beings that exist on a magical plane. I know magic exists over there now, but Windigos aren't drawn towards magic. If they were something like the Sirens, then you'd see them coming through the portal in large numbers. No, I don't think they need to be there in order to induce hatred." Princess Twilight wrote. She had a good point. Windigos only feed on hatred that's created by others when they start arguing with one another. They aren't capable of creating it themselves. Perhaps what's happened here is the result of a world that's gotten a little too advanced. With technology being prevalent everywhere you go, no one is safe from its grasp. Anyone can say anything they want without having to worry about any repercussions coming their way.
" I've learned that humans are flawed creatures." I wrote.
" Nopony is perfect, Sunset. Everyone has flaws that can be exploited if you know how. I'd like to think that having imperfections makes us better. If we were all perfect all the time, everything would just be boring and devoid of warmth. Those who choose to take advantage of other people do so out of fear of being labelled as inferior. This Anon-A-Miss is revealing secrets because, deep down, she is afraid. She doesn't want anyone discovering her true identity, so she needed to exploit someone's flaws. That someone, unfortunately, was you, Sunset." Princess Twilight wrote. That was the same conclusion I came up with. Anon-A-Miss had made me the true victim in all of this by using me as a scapegoat. She must have known about my troubled past and decided to use that as the foundation of her plan, choosing me out of all the students at CHS to frame. Her cowardice had become apparent to me. Why hide behind an online persona? Why not face me in person? Was she afraid I'd uncover her identity? Like many things, there were plenty of questions yet no answers.
" So how do you explain what's been going on?" I wrote.
" I see it as an unfortunate coincidence."
" In what way?"
" I think anypony--anybody--can spread hatred and chaos." Princess Twilight wrote. I then envisioned a group of students walking towards me in a hallway. There was a blue colouration throughout the vision, and I could see the malicious nature in the eyes of the students. Strange ethereal beings were swirling about them, whispering words into their ears that I couldn't hear. Could those be human manifestations of Windigos? Was I seeing things from the perspective of those who had been victimized? I always thought that I knew what they were going through, but it looked like I still had much to learn about them. If anyone should be seeing this image, it should be Anon-A-Miss. She caused all of this to begin with, so she deserved to be on the receiving end. And yet, she most likely based her actions on what I did long ago. I began the trend of revealing secrets and making people's lives miserable. It seemed I was destined to suffer even now, despite my efforts to change.
" Anon-A-Miss has certainly done that." I wrote.
" She had a choice to stop before doing something she would regret."
" Yet, she went through with it anyway."
" In her mind, she knew what she wanted to do."
" So, it was never a matter of being conflicted."
" Exactly."
" I must have done something to her during my dark days."
" That does seem to be the only logical explanation."
" Figured it would lead back to me. It always does." I wrote. The more I learned about the horrible truth behind my actions, the more I hated myself for it. If I had never come to this world, everyone wouldn't be in the situation they're in right now. They would be living lives of peace, where magic wasn't an issue. The same couldn't be said about what my life would be like. I'd still be scheming to acquire power behind Princess Celestia's back. If it wasn't this world that would suffer my fury, then it would have been another world. I was a walking time bomb that was on the verge of exploding.
" You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."
" It's difficult not to be."
" Given your situation, I won't argue with you, yet try to rethink things. As I was saying, anybody can spread hatred and chaos. It doesn't have to be caused by Windigos, or magic spells, or even curses to be effective. It can be spread as easily as pushing a button." Princess Twilight wrote.
" If it's so easy to spread, how do you stop it?"
" I wish I knew. If it could be stopped, then no one would have to feel like they were alone. As long as there are people out there whose sole purpose in life is to spread hatred, it will never end. The individual may be removed from the equation, yet someone else will take their place and continue on as though nothing changed. There are those out there who are dedicated towards stopping hatred. They often have their work cut out for them, as they are usually a small number compared to a near infinite amount who spread hatred." Princess Twilight wrote.
" Then I'm grateful to you for giving me a second chance." I wrote. Hearing Her Highness say that brought tears to my eyes. A few of them trickled down my face and splashed onto the journal, so I wiped the rest away with my sleeve before any damage could occur. I was one of those who incited hatred, and it was because of what happened while growing up. I gained a mean streak out of resentment and abandonment. When I got accepted by my former friends, I became someone who fought against those who still victimize others, but now my life had hit a roadblock.
" I always knew you were destined for greater things, Sunset."
" Thanks, Twilight."
" Sometimes, all you can do is stay strong."
" By not giving into despair?"
" Yes. Things may be difficult for you right now, but you need to remember who you are and find your family."
" My family?"
" You must speak to our friends and show them the real you. They have become confused by the hatred that plagues CHS, and you're the only one now who can resolve this before everything is lost forever. While I may not be able to be there in person, I shall be with you in spirit. Just remember my words, Sunset. I'd love to continue with our conversation, but it's getting late for both of us, so try and get some sleep. Several delegates are coming to my castle in the morning, and I must be ready when they arrive. I had hoped one of the other princesses could handle the task, but they were busy, so it's fallen onto me." Princess Twilight wrote.
" The joys of being a princess."
" It can be taxing sometimes."
" I'd better call it a night, as well. I've got a busy day tomorrow."
" Goodnight, Sunset, and good luck."
" Goodnight, Twilight." No further messages appeared in the journal from Her Highness, so I knew that she had gone to bed. It had been one of the most pleasant conversations I've ever had with her in my entire life. Previous chats revolved around me referring to her as an upstart and thwarting my efforts towards getting what I wanted. They also focused on trying to find common ground. I appreciated her telling me the story of Hearth's Warming Day. It had been so long since I last heard it, yet it felt like it had only been yesterday since the last time I heard it. She had also given me plenty to think about. Hatred had once again affected CHS. Anon-A-Miss had decided to take everything positive about the school and cast it into a sea of darkness. If she thought to imitate me, then she chose the wrong person to emulate. Her second mistake was thinking she could get away without facing the consequences.
Princess Twilight had effectively given me the task of keeping friendship alive at CHS. I realize that now and no longer blame her for not coming through the portal, especially given my insistence that she stay her hand--hoof. I had a lot on my plate that needed cleansing. I also needed to strike at the heart of the problem. Anon-A-Miss...I'm going to find out who she really is tomorrow, no matter the cost.
I was worried about one thing, though. The rest of the student body was no doubt going to come after me because of what she had done. I was likely to be subjected to their torment once again. Hopefully, I'll be able to make it through without too much mental anguish.
" That was one intense conversation." Twilight said.
" I had a lot that I needed to get off of my chest, and she was the only one who still believed in me. She was accepting of how I vented my frustration after I told her what happened regarding Anon-A-Miss." I said.
" She really wanted to come here, didn't she?"
" My intent was not forcing her to stay behind to keep her safe. No, it was because she had her duties as a princess. That was more important than helping out a friend, yet we both knew that sometimes commitments could prove troublesome. I had to solve the problem alone because I was the one who started it in the first place." I answered. In truth, I did want Princess Twilight to remain safe. Everyone at CHS knew she gave me a second chance. They could've lashed out at her for that decision and claimed it was the biggest mistake of her entire life. I wasn't even sure if our friends would have come to her defence. It's not like I doubted them, but given how they had turned on me like that, I couldn't afford to take the risk of placing the life of a princess in danger.
" What about Anon-A-Miss?" Twilight asked.
" I had no intention of stopping until I discovered who she really was."
" How did you figure out her identity?"
" It was a simple clue. I originally overlooked it, but when I was given more information about how Anon-A-Miss had obtained it, I put two and two together and came up with the answer. Also, it helped that she chose to reveal her identity right before I did." I answered.
" She exposed herself?"
" The guilt of causing so much pain had taken its toll on Anon-A-Miss. She realized that everything she had planned out had backfired, resulting in things going beyond her ability to control." I answered. When you're that young, you believe yourself incapable of doing no wrong simply because you see the world from a different perspective. That didn't hold any water, and they knew it upon coming forward when I had figured it out. If I had not become such good friends with everyone, I would have made my fury very much known, maybe scarring them for life. My friends would have disowned me afterwards, and I'd be all alone. It was the one time where my temper didn't come forth to make things worse. Looking at Twilight, I thought back to what happened when I lashed out at her for stealing our magic without reason. Had I been more in control of my emotions, I could have resolved things without coming off as a jerk.
" What are you thinking about this time?" Twilight asked.
" Oh, just about how not succumbing to my emotions got me out of something big." I answered.
" Does it have to do with Anon-A-Miss?"
" Yes, but first I have to tell you what happened the following morning."
" Is it good?"
" When I spoke with Princess Twilight, it was the calm before the storm. I had remained relatively calm and safe that night despite some slight anger issues, but I wasn't prepared for what would happen when the student body decided to take matters into their own hands. Never had I seen such angry faces before!" I answered.