//------------------------------// // What Else Should I Be // Story: All Apologies // by Gpizano //------------------------------// Now Jackie had been in plenty of awkward situations before in her life. Accidentally running into the boy's bathroom as a freshman. Reaching out to snap the head cheerleader's bra on a dare but accidentally grabbing her breast in the locker room. Not to mention the fruit cup incident that made things totally awkward between her and Poppy for a few months. Yet at this very moment in time, all previous incidents paled in comparison as she sat there in Treehugger's living room, just wishing she she could sink down enough in the laz-e-boy chair that she could disappear into it. Maybe it would turn out to be a portal to another world. Maybe pony world where Sunset was from but something more like those table top game worlds might be more fun. She could invent a magic guitar that shot lightning as she played. Or bombs. But she would have to continue dreaming the impossible dream as someone had to at least broach the big elephant in the room. "So... talk about degrees of separation, huh?" A nervous chuckle escaped Jackie as Sunset Shimmer shot her a harsh look before looking away to some spot on the far wall. The red head was sitting in the other comfortable chair across the coffee table from Jackie while Treehugger and Fluttershy were seated next to each other on the couch. Fluttershy had borrowed some shorts from Treehugger and kept her gaze to the ground, her hands gripping her knees hard enough that the knuckles were turning white. As for Treehugger, she had an arm around the timid girl's shoulders but seemed to be looking everywhere except to Sunset. "Yeah... so I guess I'm the only one talking? Because this situation is so uncomfortably awkward?" More silence. Jackie sighed softly before deciding that the delicate approach wasn't working for her. "So Treehugger, how long have you and Fluttershy been fucking? And how often? Because I want to say this seems like it's been going on for awhile if she comfortable waltzing around here in just one of your big t-shirts." "Dude, uncool!" The dread locked girl shot a glare to Jackie while Fluttershy curled up into Treehugger's side and ineffectively hide. Even Sunset face palmed at the sheer bluntness of Jackie's line of questioning and gave her a look that clearly asked 'really?'. "Oh come on Sunshine, someone had to ask! And aren't you even a little curious deep down? I mean, from your reaction, it sounded as if you just saw Kurt Cobain rise from the dead and start to do the hokey pokey while playing a kazoo. IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN." "U-Um... I've... been seeing Treehugger like this f-for about a month." Hearing the shy girl speak up caught both Jackie and Sunset's attention, they could see her peeking out from Treehugger's shoulder and around her long locks of hair. "Th-things... things have been really bad at the school. Ever since Chrysalis became the principal." "CHRYSALIS????" Looking over to Jackie, Sunset was surprised for a second time that day as she saw the guitarist turn pale and grab the arms of her chair in a death grip. "Chrysalis... the meanest cunt to ever walk the earth? Green hair? Dressed in suits that make you want to salute her as your Fuhrer? And looks like her spit could poison you as she stares at you like a god damn psychopath? THAT CHRYSALIS???" "Jackie, I'm pretty sure that's an exaggeration..." However the look in those silver eyes made Sunset Shimmer feel as though the other was telling the truth. "Fluttershy... tell Sunset what she did to you." At that the pink haired girl started to shake, tears gathering in her eyes. She tried to fight them back by squeezing her eyes shut but they still escaped and slid down her cheeks. Treehugger took the girl into a full hug, comforting her as Fluttershy began to quietly cry against her shoulder. "I didn't see it but I saw the aftermath man. Chrysalis was ruthless..." The morning had been miserable for Treehugger. On top of the total guilt trip she was on for not believing Sunset Shimmer and driving her out, she couldn't light up and relax to realign her chakras last night! Chrysalis had warned that if she even caught a whiff of bamba then she'd call the cops! Like she even kept the stuff in her locker at school but dude, she would not deal with the cops. They'd totally pin something on her! And what, just because she was a 'hippie'? That was racial profiling and illegal! Unlike pot which should totally be legal, she knew they were working on some law or something- A sudden scream took her out of her thoughts. That sounded like Fluttershy! Taking off down the hallway, she muscled her way past a few students and the scene she came upon totally threw her out of universal harmony. Fluttershy was on her knees, crying her eyes out as Chrysalis stood a few feet away from her. Treehugger knew Fluttershy liked to keep animals around in her backpack during school and apparently still tried to sneak them in despite the change in management. Usually the girl was good about keeping them in line but it seemed a small baby bunny had gotten away and right into Chrysalis's path, where it's small body lay twitching beside the woman's boot, under which was a chunky, red puddle. Treehugger felt ready to hurl when she saw that, but managed to keep down her spew as she moved to Fluttershy's side and give her a shoulder to cry on. "Mm, please forgive me, I did not see the poor thing among this crowd. But then again, Miss Fluttershy, I suppose this is why we do not bring pets to school. Otherwise such unfortunate accidents such as this are bound to happen." Sliding her boot across the floor to wipe off the blood from the sole, Chrysalis approached Treehugger and Fluttershy, the former feeling like a helpless fly as the spider approached her prey. "Stand..." The order was immediately followed as Treehugger stood up, taking Fluttershy with her as the poor girl didn't seem able to support her own weight. She stared at them for a moment before a light smirk came to her face. "I think I remember you... yes, I believe you used to be a student at the school I used to be in charge of in Los Pegasus. I certainly hope that when you moved away from such bad influences you kicked certain habits?" Treehugger gulped softly, having hoped to never remember her first and last year at Los Pegasus High School. She had also hoped that Chrysalis wouldn't remember her but it seemed the river of life had seen to take her back into rough waters. Chrysalis's gaze would soon move away, spotting the janitor making his way through the crowd. "Search Miss Fluttershy's bag and locker for any more animals. Then clean up this mess. Miss Fluttershy, you will be given a week's detention for breaking the rules." With that, the woman walked past them and continued on her way down the hall, the students slowly walking away as well as Treehugger did her best to console Fluttershy. "Ever since then, 'Shy's been real messed in the head by that. She started coming over to relax and things just... happened." "Are you kidding me?! How could she get away with that?!" By the end of the story, Sunset was in complete shock at how cruel the woman had been. As a fresh wave of tears overcame Fluttershy, Jackie sighed and leaned back in her seat. "Because that's how she works, Sunshine, it was the perfect time to strike. In a crowd there was no way anyone could say for sure that she did it on purpose, so it's an accident. She also puts herself in the right because Fluttershy did break the rules. She always makes sure to cover her bases and so that she can have the upper hand." Leaning forward now, Jackie rubbed her temples, suddenly looking very tired. "Let's go, Sunset. I just want to get to our hotel room, sleep, and then we can get the hell out of this town as early as possible tomorrow." Although she rose from her seat, Sunset did not follow Jackie to the door, hesitating a moment as she looked to Fluttershy. From the sounds of it, Chrysalis was every bit as bad as described and if she had hurt Fluttershy like this... the question burst out before she could help herself. "What about the others?" Although she was still sniffling, Fluttershy managed to pull away from Treehugger and look up to Sunset. Despite the fact that the last time she had seen Fluttershy was when the girl had abandoned her during the Anon-A-Miss incident, Sunset could feel a small throb in her heart seeing the utterly heart broken and hurt look on her face. "I... I'm not sure. Not completely... after the holidays and C-C-Chrysalis took over, we stopped t-talking to each other after a couple weeks. R-Rainbow Dash... she's training so hard f-for the upcoming Friendship Games she makes h-herself sick. R-Rarity is so busy m-making uniforms Applejack just keeps to herself as she t-trains for the games too. A-And Pinkie Pie... P-Pinkie Pie is really subdued, it's like she's not even Pinkie Pie anymore!" For a few moments Sunset just stared at the other as she wrapped her head around what she had heard, her hands clenching and relaxing a couple of times before she felt a hand on her shoulder and saw that it was Jackie. "Sunshine, come on... this isn't your problem and you do not want to get involved. Not when it's Chrysalis." With a little prodding from Jackie, Sunset began to walk to the door but stopped when Fluttershy spoke up again. The words were soft but in the dead silence of the room she heard it clear as crystal. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Sunset..." Looking over her shoulder, the red head saw Fluttershy staring at her, teal blue eyes filled with sorrow and grief before they were hidden behind Treehugger's shoulder once more as the dread locked girl took her turn to speak. "We're all sorry, Sunset. We made like, the biggest, stupidest mistake when we blamed you and chased you out. And I'm not saying 'sorry' because now our school is stuck with Chrysalis. I really am sorry because like, I was being horrible and you didn't deserve anything you got." While not a great apology, it still made Sunset stand stock still until Jackie started pushing her out the door, but what she said made the guitarist freeze just as she was about to close the door. "I... I don't think I can go on to Manehattan." "WHAT? Sunshine, you've been angry at them and not talking to them for like, months. Now all of a sudden you want to stick around just cause their high school experience sucks now?" "It's not that! I mean, I'm disturbed just by hearing that, yeah but... what about that mystery person? The one that shut down the portal? I can't just stick a pin in that!" "So we'll see if that weird person is still around when we come back on the way form Manehattan! Sunset, this is the chance of a lifetime to play at the Ballroom Blitz! I really do feel for their situation but they can fucking get over it like the rest of us in Los Pegasus when that witch ruled the school! And yeah, it's weird there's some person that shut down the portal but what can they do? I mean, shutting down magical portals doesn't seem to do much except shut a portal down! Look, I don't want to leave you behind-" Sunset Shimmer's entire body tensed for a moment as she took a step back. "So you'd just abandon me? Just like that?" "What?! No! Sunset-" "Or what?! You think I don't know what I'm fucking talking about?! I have seen what magic can do in this world! I used to be a damn threat! So excuse me if I'm not taking a chance on someone tampering with something they don't understand and risking some magical threat!" "You don't know that for sure!" "And neither do you! You know what? If you don't trust me then you can just go ahead on to Manehattan without me! I DON'T CARE!" Shoving her way past Jackie, she headed back into Treehugger's apartment, slamming the door and locking it behind her. "Sunset? SUNSET!" Jackie pounded loudly on the door a few times until the side of her hand started to ache. As she was left standing in the hallway with no answer from the other side, her shoulders slowly began to slump until she turned before turning and walking away. Meanwhile, in another part of town in a well to do neighborhood, the mystery person from the school had slipped into one of the two story houses and sneaked up to one of the bedrooms. When the door was closed and locked behind her, they finally pulled the hood of their sweater down to reveal a very familiar facade. The girl looked exactly like Princess Twilight's human form, except with a pair of big, square glasses and her hair tied up in a mess bun. She headed over to her desk where next to it was a basket that a small, purple and green dog was snoozing in. The desk itself had a laptop and other small machines on it's surface, one of which the human Twilight picked up and used to scan the purple pendant in her hand. Once the results were stored, she booted up her laptop and plugged the scanner into it, taking minutes to study the data. "Insubstantial amount... darn, I thought for sure that would of been enough to produce conclusive results." Leaning back in her seat, she sighed softly before smiling when she heard her dog Spike yap softly, apparently having woken up. She scooted her seat back enough so that the dog could jump onto her lap before giving him a good scratch behind the ears. "Well, I suppose I should have expected this. The magical readings at the school have been getting weaker over the past three months. But I'm still signed up for the Friendship Games. I'll just fallback to my original plan of studying the magical readings during the games and it'll keep Principal Cinch happy and off my back. Isn't that right, Spike?" With a small yap, the dog reared up on his hind legs and licked her cheek, the bespectacled girl giggling softly and giving the dog a few more pats on the head before focusing back on her work. Tomorrow, tomorrow she would have everything she would have everything she would need for her paper, then her future would be secure...