Myriad Thoughts

by Tale Swapper

Trust in Each Other

The noises from the students moving in the corridors outside the music room were different than those that had echoed a mere two hours previously. Furious accusations and squabbling had given way to guilt and apologies- or in a few cases, angry lectures and rants as some students discovered which of their friends had spread their embarrassing, mortifying, or blackmail worthy information.

For the three girls inside the room, however, the noise could have been much worse. The CMC sat in near-silence, each looking over the cyber-bullying pamphlets their principals had handed them. With a groan, Scootaloo dropped hers on her lap and leaned over her legs. "This is boring..."

"Better than being out there." Sweetie Belle glanced at the door. "Until our sisters can make sure we're not going to get attacked by anyone..."

"I know! But still- sitting like this for hours is so boring!" Scootaloo sat back in her seat and sighed. "I get why they took our phones, but this is torture!"

"To be fair, Scoots, we ain't been here hours- just twenty minutes." Apple Bloom looked up at her friends. "'Side, Applejack and the others will make sure we're safe, and then we go back to class. Real simple."

Scootaloo was about to reply, when she realized there was a sudden hush from the hallway, a slow silence which seemed strange compared to the yelling and talk of even a normal day, much less a day like this. Through the the door, she heard a few awkward comments, most with a similar cadence- sounding a little like-

I'm sorry.

The door swung open, and the object of those apologies walked in. Sunset Shimmer still looked pretty frazzled. Slight bags were under each eye, and her head hung slightly. As she walked in through the door, the Crusaders could hear a few more mumbled comments, before the door shut behind her.

Silence filled the room. Without a sound, Sunset dropped her backpack off on a chair, and pulled a second chair around to face the three underclassmen. She pulled in a long breath, but maintained her silence.

Sweetie Belle was the first to speak. "Um- why are you here? I mean, I know Rarity wants to talk to me, and everyone saw us earlier. Don't people want to talk to you?"

"That's kind of the problem." Sunset cut her off. She sounded exhausted. Apple Bloom knew she'd slept poorly the night before, and she had been emotionally drained even before she'd been given the truth about those who had framed her. She continued, "A lot of people are trying to apologize, but I don't want to hear anything from them. Most of them- they were willing to believe your frame-up without any evidence, and are feeling pretty shitty. But some think I set you girls up," she gestured to the Crusaders, who were looking guilty again- "some have been offering to help me "pay you back" and a few think I'm using some sort of brainwashing magic to pin it all on you three." She snorted. "And that's why I came here. I needed to get away from all that, and I needed to talk to you three- alone. Before you're chewed out by your siblings."

"Let's start with you, Scootaloo, because I understand your motivations the most. Did you really think I would be right to get revenge like this? Was it really all about Flash?"

"Not all." Scootaloo hedged, sounding contrite. "I mean- yeah, you got detention after the formal, but you got off light. I guess- I just thought you deserved worse. But- I could've figured something else. And Flash-" her voice stalled, then she continued, "he hated seeing you like that. I don't know why, but even after everything you did, he still doesn't want you hurt. Why?"

Sunset shook her head. "I actually got a chance to talk to your brother before I made up with Pinkie. He'd- caught a glimpse of who I really was, underneath the bully and the mask I wore around him. He liked that Sunset- whoever that is- and thinks I'm becoming who he thought I was."

"Yeah." Scootaloo sighed. "I just- I guess I wanted to see if he'd cut you off again. I don't want him hurt like that again. Didn't work out, though. I'm sorry- I guess I didn't think."

"No, you really didn't. But neither did I." Sweetie Belle spoke up. "I- can I go next?" Sunset nodded, and the little Crusader continued. "Umm... I had a really stupid reason. The whole brainwashing thing?" Sunset cocked an eyebrow. "Well, I didn't really think you were mind controlling anyone- I thought you might have fooled everyone. So I thought- maybe if I framed you- your real plans would come out. But-" she looked upset. "I also half hoped you were still bad."

As both her fellow Crusaders and Sunset stared at her, Sweetie hung her head. "When you were bullying everyone, Rarity was home a lot. She didn't have any friends she was hanging out with, and she stayed home to work on dress designs and stuff a lot. We were able to talk- a lot. But-" Sweetie looked down. "When you lost, she was home less and less. I guess I half thought without you, she might come back home." Sweetie was silent a moment, then looked up. "But I didn't admit that to myself. Not until Rarity started talking about how you didn't deserve any of it, that you got nothing out of faking being her friend. That's when I realized what I'd hoped. And it didn't feel good."

Sunset looked at Sweetie a moment, then narrowed her gaze. "And you didn't just ask Rarity to hang out with you a little more? You were willing to frame me just to test me and try to get her back?"

"She ain't the only one." Apple Bloom spoke up. "Ah felt a lot alike. Applejack spendin' more time with you, and' less for me and Big Mac. Ah never thought you were brainwashin' anyone. Ah really don't have a better reason why mahself." As Susnet stared at her, she shook her head. "Sweetie and Scoots said it would work, and Ah helped em. It was stupid."

Sweetie spoke up then. "You may have had the least reason to help us, Bloom- but I'm glad you did." At Sunset's questioning look, Sweetie explained "Apple Bloom was the one who kept us from publishing the worst stuff when it stated coming in- she said we shouldn't post the really bad stuff. If it weren't for her, we would've really messed up." Scootaloo added her assent. Sweetie stared at Susnet for a minute, then said, "You're not the girl who hurt my sister. You didn't deserve what I tried to do to you- and Apple Bloom kept me from making it worse. I'm sorry, Sunset."

Sunset let that process for a minute, then turned back to Apple Bloom. "I do have one last question for you. When you were talking with the whole group, you called me your sister. I thought I misheard it- but now I'm not so sure."

"Ah meant it." Apple Bloom looked into Sunset's eyes. "You're not evil, not the same girl you were before the formal. I heard you with mah brother, with Rainbow, with Rarity- and I heard what you did for the Dazzlings. I didn't know properly where you'd come from, what your home was- or why you needed help. And- Ah'm sorry." She looked down. "Applejack deserves you as a sister- maybe more than Ah deserve her."

Sunset's expression softened. "I can't say I can call you my sister- not yet. But, if it means anything- I accept your apology. I can't offer my forgiveness- not yet. But-" She stood up and crossed the room and placed her hand on Apple Bloom's shoulder. "If you ever start to doubt your sister- or me- come and talk to us, okay? This has been a bad week for all of us- I think I can try to trust you, if you can trust me."

Apple Bloom looked up, then nodded. "Thank you. And Ah promise, Sunset-" She looked up "- Ah'll make it up to you- somehow."

Susnet's gaze narrowed. "It'll be a long road, Apple Bloom, before we've got trust in each other. But-" she smiled "-it might be worth it to get a little sister. Same goes for you two- if you want to make things right it'll be hard for all of us."

Sweetie smiled. "I thought you'd be more mad."

Susnet frowned, looking at the little Crusader. "Truth be told, I'm too tired to be mad. I might be mad later, though. I mean every word I say right now- but that doesn't mean I'm trusting you guys yet. It just means I'm not going to shut you all out completely. You're part of my friends' lives- I think making things right will be better for all of us." She yawned. "And I wasn't exaggerating about being tired. I'm going to take a nap in the corner."

---

After another half hour, Applejack had walked into the room, taken one look at the sleeping Sunset, then pulled Apple Bloom out to the van. Apparently, Sunset was going to spend the evening with Fluttershy- the pink-haired girl had been fussing over the supine Sunset, already planning on giving the exhausted girl the care and support she needed.

That had left Apple Bloom and Applejack in the van alone. The ride back to Sweet Apple Acres was tense. Applejack sighed halfway home.

"Apple Bloom, Ah heard why you pulled this stupid stunt. Let me tell you Ah am not impressed." Glancing in her mirror, Applejack caught sight of Apple Bloom's downcast face. "What you did to me an' Sunset was real bad, Sugarcube. Yah tried to rip a friendship apart for a pretty rotten reason. Am I right?"

Apple Bloom nodded. She wasn't looking forward to what was going to happen next.

"I still love you, Bloom. But that doesn't mean I ain't mad. Sunset forgave me nearly betrayin' her- I can forgive you for this." As Apple Bloom looked hopeful, she saw her sister shake her head. "That's gonna take time, though. And I ain't gonna trust you until Ah do. That's the first price of your actions- and dependin' on what Granny says, it ain't gonna be the last."

As they pulled up to the house, Apple Bloom could see Granny Smith waiting on the porch steps. As her sister got out of the car, she sighed. This was going to be bad.

Granny met her granddaughters at the base of the porch steps. She glanced across their faces, then nodded, and pointed at the chairs on the porch. Without a word, Applejack and Apple Bloom went and sat down.

After a few moment of rocking in silence, Granny finally spoke. "Apple Bloom. Ah understand you were a part of this whole loada horseapples from start to finish." When Apple Bloom didn't respond, she continued. "And Ah also hear you turned yourself in." She paused. Then, to Applejack's horror, she said "Commit, girl! If ya gonna do something wrong, either do it and let the consequences happen, or hide it well enough that it don't matter!"

"Granny!" Applejack said, shocked. "What are you-"

"Hush! What she did was stupid and petty- and in this case, the consequences were too much, weren't they?" As Apple Bloom nodded, Granny sighed, frowning. "Girl, you didn't think it through. Heavens know you're young, but when you do stuff like this, you need to think through all the consequences. Some things only hurt yourself. Others can hurt a lot of people. If you can't accept what might happen, ya don't do it, you understand?"

"Uhh, Granny- Ah'm not sure Ah understand." Applejack ventured.

Granny snorted, then looked back and forth between her puzzled granddaughters. "That's cause you ain't done nothin' which can't be fixed by an apology and hard work. Some things can't be fixed, though- lives lost. It's why you turned yourself in, right Apple Bloom? You found out people coulda been hurt by what you did, and realized what you needed to do to fix it. And that's the right attitude, if you mess up. But-" she waggled her finger at Apple Bloom "-it coulda been avoided if you'd thought through the consequences first. Ya get me?" Apple Bloom nodded.

"Good. Now for mah consequences..."

---

Scootaloo looked down at her shoes. Sentinel Watch and Silver Wing had given her a massive lecture on bullying, responsibility, and the restrictions she would be under for the next month. They had decided that allowing Celestia and Luna to restrict her free time for three months was a good "long-term" punishment, and that they would just cut off her electronics access and mobility for the next month.

Flash, on the other hand, wasn't content with a lecture and punishment dealt from on high.

"Scootaloo, look at me." Scootaloo looked up into her brother's face. "Did you really think I needed you to get revenge for me? Is that really why you did it?"

Scootaloo gulped. "Yeah... I mean, kinda." At Flash's deadpan expression, she elaborated. "You were with her all the time for six months. She had you wrapped around her finger. I mean- if she asked you out right now, now that she's gotten popular again- I was worried you might take her up on it."

Flash shook his head. "That's not going to happen, Scoots. And you could've just said something, or told me how you felt. I would've understood." He looked her in the eye. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

"Good, then listen closely. I want trust you, Scoots, but his got bad. Really bad. You need to trust me when I say I won't abandon you. Okay? You don't need to try to protect me." Flash pulled his little sister into a hug.

Scootaloo sniffed, then nodded. "Okay..."

"Good." Flash stood up straight. "That being said, I'm going to need you to promise me you'll try to think next time." As Scootaloo slumped over, Flash continued "and write an apology note, two pages long, to each of the girls."

Scootaloo's groan at being given more homework was usually legendary. This one was no exception.

---

Sweetie Belle spread her arms. "Rarity?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Aren't you going to lecture me?"

"Perhaps later, Sweetie Belle. I don't think I can distance myself enough from how... involved I got with my feelings about betraying Sunset until I have a chance to talk it over with Mother and Father."

"So... you're not mad?"

"Of course I'm upset, Sweetie." Rarity looked over the top of her glasses, furrowing her brow at her sister. "The reason I'm not punishing you is because, by all rights, what you did shouldn't have worked. It was our own prejudices that caused us to even believe for a minute what you framed her for." Rarity sighed and resumed using her younger sister as a clothes horse. "And considering my failings in both that way and my own... predilections towards gossip, I don't think I can lecture or punish you without falling into some nasty hypocrisy. I need to talk things over with our parents- or failing that, think before I begin to help you."

"...um, if you don't think you can adequately punish me, why have you been using me to model clothes for the last three hours?"

"I didn't say I couldn't figure out some way to get some payback, Sweetie. Now, turn around, please. I need to stitch up the hem on this shirt..."

Author's Note:

This turned out longer than I expected, and not as well as I'd hoped.

Getting the tone right between the Crusaders and Sunset was difficult. On the one hand, I didn't want the standard "I'll never trust or forgive any of you." On the other hand, I wasn't going to let Sunset give them carte blanche. I think leaving Sunset open to reconciliation and friendship- while still being wary- struck the right balance.

I guess- one of the reason Sunset isn't as mad at the Crusaders is that she never interacted with them much- it's not a betrayal, because she never really got to know them. Now she will, which will hopefully keep them from trying to do something stupid. Like screaming "Cutie Mark Crusaders Atoners YAY!" at the top of their lungs. Seriously; there's a time and place to begin a new crusade. At the end of a guilt trip is not one of them.

I considered having Granny know about the truth of Anon-A-Miss before being told- maybe Friday night. But that doesn't mesh with other things I wanted to do with these stories. So, Granny was called by Celestia when Apple Bloom confessed.

I think I understand why most authors write the "Consequences for the Crusaders" all in one section- otherwise it just turns into the same accusations and morals hashed out three times. Having the Humane five just reject their sisters based off what they did flies in the face of the theme of reconciliation, but just letting them off scott free- well, I'm trying to avoid the flaws of the original comic.

I tried to avoid that- and put my own spin on Granny Smith's lesson. Granny lives by the rule of always accepting consequences- good or bad- from her actions. She never hides what she does, letting what she does determine what happens. Beyond that, none of the Humane five have any leg to stand on, punishing their sisters without outside help. Rarity said it well- all of them are too close to events, and made one bad choice when it came to family- punishment will fall to their parents to decide. Or at least, that's my take in all this.

One more chapter proper, which will be set a week and a half after these events, on the eve of the 24th.
(And apologies for not publishing Sunset's response to Twilight. I have new plans for that.)

Comments

[Rixec]

A well done chapter that really got down to the humanity of these confrontations, for good and ill. Seeing how each crusader is doing as well as their interaction with Sunset was well done and shows they really are sorry but time is needed for full forgiveness. Looking forward to the final chapter.

[everydaygamer]

This story continues to be fantastic and I hope more people can break free of the standard anon-a-miss story like you have.

[Julian the Dreamer]

Great chapter.

You may want to check the grammar, though.

[Lord Nopony]

Good chapter! Not bad. Not bad at all!

Although you may want to check this over again for mistakes.

[Tale Swapper]

8469302
8469272

...will do.
Tomorrow.
Remind me to never post anything after 9 PM again. Ever.

[Lord Nopony]

8469325
I'll make a note of that! Lol.

[ImRaidAccount]

I like how there was some acknowledgement that the CMC did nothing the Humane 5 didn't do to themselves.

[Witchrblizzad]

After a few moment of rocking in silence, Granny finally spoke. "Apple Bloom. Ah understand you were a part of this whole loada horseapples from start to finish." When Apple Bloom didn't respond, she continued. "And Ah also hear you turned yourself in." She paused. Then, to Applejack's horror, she said "Commit, girl! If ya gonna do something wrong, either do it and let the consequences happen, or hide it well enough that it don't matter!"

HAHAHA!!! I wish that she was my grandmother!

[Pony_Person_123]

Sweetie spoke up then. "You may have had the least reason to help us, Bolom- but I'm gad you did." At Sunset's questioning look,

Glad

"You were with her all the time for six moths. She had you wrapped around her finger

Months

"...um, if you don't think you can adequately punish me, why have you been using me to model clothes for the last three hours?"

This line made me laugh

[Pony_Person_123]

Now for mandatory 'YAYAYAYAY This Has An Update'

[DavisSentoV5]

Well girls, have fun with your punishments, especially you Sweetie

[Tale Swapper]

Spell checked, now I can start on Chapter 16.

[Deadmetal]

This was an excellent chapter I especially love how you handled Granny Smith here. From her own experience in that of life in general and not some school drama, she tells it like it is. That you either plan ahead and live with what happens or never do it to begin with. Which struck real close to home with me and warmed my heart. She knows that betrayal can lead to some heavy and often unforgivable consequences and understands that though Apple Bloom needs to be punished for what she did, Granny is not going to just give her a good whooping because of it, Since life will one day do such work on its own. Also Applejack having a hard time coming to terms with Granny being somewhat lenient was very funny. She's so naive in her own way that one.

[LucarioFan2066]

a few think I'm using some sort of brainwashing magic to pin it all on you three

As far as I'm aware, that's not quite how it works on...Earth? Terra? The movies never actually named this alternate dimension, so...eh, Earth will do.
Anyway, in order to perform brainwashing magic, one needs to have a source of great magical potential - like the Element of Magic or the Dazzling's pendants - which don't naturally exist on Earth, and the few 'exceptions' (Sci-Twi's device, the seven geodes, and the mirror) only exist due to said Element being brought to Earth (Sci-Twi only built her device when she detected unusual radiation around the school - she never knew it was 'magic' until too late; the geodes...considering Earth was considered a magical 'dead zone' until Sunset's theft of a royal possession, I highly doubt the geodes would've had their magic until the portal's base - the statue's base - was damaged, allowing magic to seep out, and Midnight Sparkle's rifts certainly didn't help matters; the mirror...well, the same as the geodes).

Without a source of immense magical power, one cannot use brainwashing magic - though considering this 'magic' stuff is brand-new and completely unknown to everyone save one literal alien, I can see how the students would come to this conclusion.
And as to my definition of 'source', I'd say anything that could transform the user into a magically-enhanced version of their darker selves would qualify - so the Element, pendants, device, geodes (if combined as one, not used separately) and mirror would all qualify. Anything that didn't transform the user, like the separated geodes, wouldn't qualify as a 'source'.

[Tale Swapper]

8473985
One of the things I'm going to address in one of the follow up stories is that the girls have been careful not to share anything with anyone who hasn't already run into magic. Most of the school doesn't even know about what exists on the other side of the portal.

Sweetie Belle knew brainwashing via magic was possible- she had no idea how subtle, how difficult, or how long-lasting it could be. One of the issues that the girls will later face is properly informing their sisters about magic- and how it impacts them.

[PrincessColumbia]

I was tempted to comment on how awesomely you handled the LyraBon thing, but this last scene on this chapter? Just more proof that Rarity is Best Pony Human

[DarthSonic66]

Sunset's expression softened. "I can't say I can call you my sister- not yet. But, if it means anything- I accept your apology. I can't offer my forgiveness- not yet. But-" She stood up and crossed the room and placed her hand on Apple Bloom's shoulder. "If you ever start to doubt your sister- or me- come and talk to us, okay? This has been a bad week for all of us- I think I can try to trust you, if you can trust me."

I don't think Sunset has any right to this, not if she wants to have Big Mac and AJ as siblings. They're a packaged deal, one that comes with responsibilities of an elder sister. Forgiveness is for her to give, but her sorority no longer is.

I'd actually call this abusive, now that she's part of the family. Siblinghood is not conditional.

[DarthSonic66]

8469172
I personally want just ONE of these in which Shimmer is the bigger woman and just forgives the dumb kids. I know it would cause a RIOT though.

Besides, it would make little sense within the context of the pics characterization.

[Tale Swapper]

8827409
Okay- you've just stabbed a nerve of my personal philosophy, so get ready for a rant.

1) Sibling-hood is absolutely conditional; just like any familial relationship. Yes, family is important, but as human beings, we need to be able to build or cast aside bonds as necessary- if your father is abusive or your sister is poisonous, a conscientious adult should be able to write them out of a relationship. Apple Bloom's case is far less severe, but Sunset has no positive interactions to forma bond in the first place. We are not defined by ties of blood; saying that accepting one part of a family means accepting every part of it isn't reasonable. By the time we are adults, it is the bonds of choice which matter far more than bonds of birth.

2) Sunset isn't saying "You'll never be my sister." The fact is, at this point, Sunset doesn't really know Apple Bloom very well; Bloom's actions have hurt Sunset, and she's having trouble forming any sort of positive bond with the little girl as a result. It's not that she isn't willing to try- she just doesn't have any connections to Apple Bloom yet. In all honesty, waiting to form a bond of sisterhood when she's not still hurting over Anon-A-Miss will probably form a better connection than trying to force one right now.

3) Doesn't Sunset just forgive them in the normal comics? That's where one of my peeves comes from; yes, young people make mistakes, but expecting someone who errs to be forgiven unconditionally, no matter how great the transgression, requires a very good person; and Sunset is still a changing, growing being, still on her way back from the brink of darkness. Apple Bloom is no toddler; she knows good from evil, and distinctly chose a foul path. Sunset will need to come to terms with what nearly happened and heal a little before she's able to offer forgiveness; forgiveness is the ability to succor compassion for those that harmed you, and Sunset's having trouble feeling that right now.

Okay- I'm done ranting. If you want to debate me on this, please send me a private message; I'm happy to banter, but I'd rather not clutter up this comments section any further.

[LostArchivist]

Several typos in this and the previous chapter.

[HeartfireFirebrand]

8827417
This is the difference, the CMC in Equestria area are around the age of 8 or 9, the Equestria Girls counterparts are aroud 11-13. They are a little older.

[Edguy0009]

"I didn't say I couldn't figure out some way to get some payback, Sweetie. Now, turn around, please. I need to stitch up the hem on this shirt..."

I'm not the only one who laughed at this right?

[Csquared08]

I forgot to mention last chapter that I'm glad this didn't devolve into revengeporn. Too many people, readers and writers alike, seem to want that, and I'm glad that didn't happen here.

[DarthRevan12345]

9256846
Not at all

[Teraunce]

10036071
I laughed as well

[DarthRevan12345]

8827409
I think you’re taking this at its worst the way I read it is sunset saying they don’t really have anything of a “sisterly” relationship yet and it’s going to take time to recover from Anon-A-Mis before they can start on that

[Pr1deM0rn1ngstar]

"To be fair, Scoots, we ain't been here hours- just twenty minutes." Apple Bloom looked up at her friends. "'Side, Applejack and the others will make sure we're safe, and then we go back to class. Real simple."

I wouldn't worry so much about school if I were you girls cuz I'm willing to wager once you lot get home you're in a world of crap