Prologue: Schoolweek from Tartarus
“After all we’ve been together- Really? Why do think I’m Anon-A-Miss?” Sunset Shimmer looked around in shock at the other members of the Rainbooms as they silently judged her with arms crossed, their eyes squinting as their brows furrowed.
A nickname and half a day childish teasing was one thing, but how did Anon-A-Miss get these photos? Posting them was one thing, but the comments that they wrote about the girls were harsh to say the least!
“Like I said, Sunset, who else knew about my nickname?” Applejack glared at Sunset fiercely as she took a step back to stand near the other girls.
“At the time? I learned of it from your sister, remember?” Sunset held up her hands, palms facing her smoldering friends, and she would have continued if a thought didn’t start to worm its way into the back of her mind. “Wait… She told me Sunday night, then Monday morning it was posted, right?”
Rarity gave an audible gasp as Applejack’s eyes widened, a disgusted look passing over her face as she snarled at the amber girl “Sunset, you better not be trying to pass the blame on to my little sis of all people.”
“Wait, at least let me finish, alright? You all owe me that- you owe Twilight that.” Sunset let out a silent sigh of relief as she watched the girls grumble. No way they would disappoint the Princess that saved all their lives. “Okay, remember how ornery she got when you explained that it was just going to be us six that night? She threw quite the temper tantrum, and then out of the blue she calls us and says your nickname?”
“And Rarity! Sweetie Belle was the same! When you kicked her out of your room before-”
“Now that’s crossing the line!” Rainbow Dash strode forward, her arm waving out to the side. “Do you seriously want us to believe that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, Applejack’s and Rarity’s sisters are behind this? That’s just stupid, Shimmer, and you know it!”
Sunset would have taken another step back if it weren’t for the fact that she was already backed up against the lockers. The fire and brimstone in the athlete’s eyes was starting to scare the Equestrian as the rest of the girls started shaking their heads.
“I can’t believe you would try and pass the blame on to my precious little sister, Sunset! That’s just… That’s exactly what you would have done before the Fall Formal!” Rarity jabbed a finger at Sunset, the digit matching the accusatory tone in the girl’s voice.
Sunset’s nerves were starting to fray, her wit at its end as she threw out her arms in desperation as she struggled to stop the tears threatening to build at the corners of eyes. “But why do you five think it’s me!? What do I gain from doing this!?”
“You were probably just trying to scout us out and steal all of our secrets!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “You were just pretending to be our friend!”
“N-No! I’ve changed! I’m not the same person that I was! Please, you’ve got to believe me!”
“You can keep trying to tell us lies all ya want, Sunset, but we don’t gotta listen no more.” Applejack shook her head as she turned and started to depart down the halls. “Come on, girls.”
Sunset watched in horror as one by one the other four girls left, leaving her to stand alone in the hallway. She stood there, staring at the corner that the girls had vanished around. Surely this was a dream, right? The girls couldn’t be that ignorant? That distrustful of her? It had been what? Like three months since the Battle of the Bands now, the day that she had helped saved the school from the Sirens. A few weeks before that was the Fall Formal, when Sunset…
She clenched her eyes as the painful memories of that day, of all the years prior to that came flooding back. She shook her head, banishing them away. No, she had changed. She just needed to let the girls all take a minute to relax and calm down. It always hurt when secrets and embarrassing moments were brought to light, Sunset understood that well with how often the girl’s would point out her former actions to her after the Fall Formal. Almost four times a day.
She let out a deep sigh, and holstered her backpack before walking down the halls towards her locker. She would give them the morning to think and relax, and then talk to them again at lunch, when hopefully their minds would be clearer and they’d realize just how silly they were acting.
(V):.:(V)
“I gave you five all morning to sit and think about it, and you still believe that I’m Anon-A-Miss?” Sunset couldn’t help but start to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. “Seriously?”
Dark glowers and disgusted frowns were her only response.
“You know what? Alright, I’ll let the five of you act like hurt little children for the rest of the day then. I’ll try talking to you all again tomorrow, just… Get some rest and really think about all of this and ask yourselves why would Sunset Shimmer want to become a social pariah again?” Sunset said as she turned around and started walking away from the table that the six of them always sat at.
Disappointment started to fester in her gut as the memories of the time prior to the Fall Formal once again came to mind. Maybe Princess Twilight hadn’t fixed anything here? Just like before, one message here, a picture there, and the entire school starts to fall apart.
She shook her head as she sat down at the “empty” table, rightly nicknamed because no one sat there in the past, often for sake of not being ridiculed. She forgot why it had earned that nickname, but she didn’t care. She instead decided to finish her lunch in peace and try to think more on Anon-A-Miss, her mind always coming back to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.
But why would they do this to her? Surely they were old enough to accept that their sisters would want to spend some time with their friends, right? And how did they get Sunset’s pictures from that night?
She gave an exhausted sigh as she reached down and pulled her phone out of her pocket, inspecting the dented, second hand item. It’s screen was covered in scratches and blemishes and the volume buttons didn’t work, Sunset had to change it in the options every time. But this little piece of technology had caused so much damage, sown every seed of chaos during those dark days. And now it seemed to be coming back to bite her.
She frowned as she turned the device on, thumb tapping on the blue and white MyStable icon as the other hand brought a forkful of crisp salad up to her waiting mouth. She chewed at the fresh lettuce as she opened up her account, just as the device gave a small jingle. It was a notification from MyStable…? She refreshed her account, and her brow furrowed when she saw that one of the Wondercolts had posted on her page, yelling at her in text about a post that just went live on Anon-A-Miss.
She sighed, her fork dropping onto her tray as she brought her palm up to her face. Apparently the condition was spreading. She suddenly realized just how quiet the cafeteria had gotten, and when she looked up from her hand she noticed that all the eyes in the cafeteria were locked onto her.
“You can’t all really believe that this is me?” Sunset shouted, shaking her head. “What sort of reasoning would I have to do this anymore? Did you all forget that I saved you all from the Sirens already?”
Grumbling and bellyaching filled the air as the students all went back to their meals, leaving Sunset to sit in growing annoyance over the attempts to scapegoat her. She looked back down at her phone and opened the post that Anon-A-Miss had made, switching over to their account to study it properly now that AJ wasn’t trying to take her phone back.
The banners were all in her colours, amber, red, and yellow, and a crude silhouette of her sat in the profile image box. This was obviously hastily made in an attempt to make it seem like Sunset, and yet somehow it was working. Sunset chuckled as she started to tap away at the screen, leaving a message of her own on the front of the users page.
You obviously must be from Canterlot High School, but you seemed to have forgotten how I acted back then. If this really were me, why would I be so obvious about it? I’d be careful, you two, because now you have my interest.
Sunset smiled as she posted, before pausing and realizing what she had done. The old her had slipped through, the one that Anon-A-Miss wanted her to be. She swore at herself under her breath, cursing her hotheadedness. She had to play this cool, not give anyone any ammunition to place the blame on her. Hopefully over the next few days this would die out, and everything would be back to normal by the weeks end.
Hopefully.
(V):..:(V)
Nope, things had gotten worse. Much worse.
Anon-A-Miss had ramped up their posting of secrets, spreading out among all the students now, save of course for Sunset. And of course the students were all now part of the “Sunset is Anon-A-Miss” Group. The other Rainbooms had really chewed her out over the perceived threat to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, the two girls cowering behind their sisters as they confronted Sunset over her post.
Of course Sunset had apologized and tried to defend herself, but the girls weren’t even giving her a moment to breathe, let alone speak. Soon enough they stormed off, leaving Sunset surrounded by students all whispering things about her. She had tried to make her way through, but the students blocked her way, and when she asked politely to get through, they were rather… rough.
She paused as she opened her locker, staring at the book that had her cutie mark emblazoned proudly in the middle of it. She had forgotten it here last night in her desire to get home and just unwind. Maybe if the girls wouldn’t listen to her, maybe they’d listen to Princess Twilight? It was worth a shot at least, she doubted Twilight would just instantly blame her for Anon-A-Miss.
Sunset chuckled. Twilight probably still didn’t understand what the Internet was.
She flipped open the cover, thumbing through the pages until she got to a fresh page. She rummaged around in her locker and grabbed a pen. At least she had one person still on her side.
Dear Princess Twilight,
How are you doing? The holidays must be starting back in Equestria right about now.
I’m writing to you because we are having a bit of a situation right now at CHS. Someone is going around and posting all sorts of embarrassing secrets and rumours about the students, and to make it worse, they are posing as me. They call themselves Anon-A-Miss, and have been active the last two days, targeting me and trying to turn all of the school against me.
I am sad to report that it is working. All of the good that I’ve done since the Fall Formal, even helping during the Battle of the Bands, has been forgotten, washed away by the actions of Anon-A-Miss.
I know it’s a lot to ask, especially during the holidays, but I really need your help, Twilight. No one is listening to me, not even the other girls. They were the first targets, and as a result everyone else is on their side.
People are starting to get a little rougher around me now. It started with looks, then became whispers, and now today people are starting to “accidentally” bump into me.
Since no one is listening to me, I figured you could come over and help get their heads on straight. It’s obvious that it isn’t me behind all of this, its not even similar to how I acted back then, and yet everyone is against me.
Again, I apologize for doing this, but I could really use your help right about now.
Your friend,
Sunset Shimmer~*
Sunset smiled brightly, her hope restored as it raced through her body, warming her and fighting away the chill of concern. Princess Twilight would be able to help, and then everybody would realize just how silly they’ve been acting.
For now, though, Sunset would have to soldier through her day.
(V):...:(V)
“Sunset Shimmer, please report to Principal Celestia’s office.” the ceiling echoed again as Sunset made her way through the halls.
It was nearing the end of the day, and Twilight had yet to respond. Sunset wasn’t worried, but she had noticed the radio silence by this point. She was probably just tied up, the holidays in Equestria were quite demanding if Sunset remembered correctly.
For now she set her attention on the wide opening to the front office, and wondered why she had been called down to the Principal’s office. Mrs. Cheerilee had to silence all the snickering that the students had done when the first announcement came, Sunset shaking her head as she tried her best to ignore them while packing her things.
“Good afternoon, Sunset. You can head right in.” the secretary smiled politely, waving a hand towards the shut door that lead to this world’s Celestia.
“Thank you.” Sunset bowed her head and walked calmly over to the door, knocking on it.
“Come in.” came the half muffled voice, Sunset sliding the door open and walking in before shutting it behind her. “Ah, Sunset. Welcome. Please, sit down.”
“Of course.” Sunset paused, before nodding to the second woman in the room. “Vice Principal Luna, good afternoon.”
The woman nodded, her face its usually stony visage as she watched Sunset from beside her older sister.
“So, uh, what did you want to see me about?” Sunset smiled warmly, though she had all but confirmed what the snow white woman had wanted already.
“Are you Anon-A-Miss?” Celestia asked formally, though the glint in the corner of her eye already told Sunset what the woman thought.
“No, I am not.” Sunset shook her head. “But if you talked to any of the students, and I bet a large portion of the staff, they would tell you otherwise.”
“I read your post on their page the other day. I take it you have some ideas?”
“Well, I mean the only ones that have any connection would be Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, but I agree with their sisters that they really have no reason to do this.” Sunset explained, chuckling that she agreed with people that so ferociously disagreed with her. “To be honest, I’m not sure who is behind it, I already tried to apologize for that post, I was getting a little frustrated when I posted it.”
Luna made a half concealed chuckle as she looked down at her sister. “Understandable. It is not fun when everyone tries to scapegoat you, right, Celly?”
“Please do be an adult about this, Luna.” Celestia playfully glared at her sister from the corner of her eye before returning her attention to Sunset. “I do agree that you are innocent, Sunset. However I doubt the students would agree with me if I asked them to.”
“Are you able to do something?” Sunset gave a hopeful smile. “I mean, I know you looked the other way when I was… the old me, but I could use someone on my side on this end of the portal.”
“I take it you have contacted Twilight then?” Luna returned to her dour, neutral emotion as she looked over to the amber girl who nodded in response.
“She has yet to respond, though I think she is a little tied up. I will probably hear from her tonight.”
“Good. Then for now you are free to go. We will work with our IT people to see if we can limit MyStable on the school networks.” Celestia nodded as she and Sunset started to stand. “However that will not stop whoever Anon-A-Miss is from posting on their cellular network.”
“Or preloading posts from somewhere else.” Sunset groaned. “Maybe if I made a point tomorrow of handing my phone in to you in front of some of the students, it would make them think that maybe it’s not me?”
“If you desire so, then I will meet you in front of the office tomorrow morning.” Luna nodded as Sunset waved farewell.
(V):....:(V)
Sunset sighed as she shut her journal. It looked like Twilight wouldn't be making it across the portal any time soon.
Dear Sunset Shimmer,
I’m so sorry, but I won’t be able to make it across the portal! Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and myself are staying with Princess Cadance in the Crystal Empire currently. Equestria is hosting a political summit, and I am going to be here for the next six moons.
But while I may not be able to be their in person, I can still be there in spirit and, my favourite, in book form! I will inform the Princess’ of what is occurring, and I am sure they will be fine with me assisting you with a friendship problem from here.
I am disappointed to hear that the students think it is you behind these rumours, especially the other girls! I am unsure what to recommend if they will not listen to you, as I know first hand how… stubborn they can be sometimes.
I remember Princess Cadance and Shining Armour’s wedding, when I discovered that Queen Chrysalis, leader of the Changelings, had replaced Princess Cadance. No one would believe me, not even the Equestrian versions of the girls! Eventually they apologized for their actions, and I am certain that they will too!
Please keep in touch with me! If worse comes to worse, we can talk to them through the journal, but I sincerely hope it will not come to that.
Your friend,
Twilight Sparkle
She stowed the journal back into her backpack as she prepared to head back to CHS. It was a fresh day, and today was the day that she would be handing her phone in to Vice Principal Luna. Hopefully that would help. At this point she was almost ready to say phooey on the girls, Rainbow had been texting her and telling her off all day after school and well into the night, and whenever she would try to prove her innocence, Rainbow would ignore her.
Was it even worth it at this point? If not even they would listen to her, there was no chance the other students would. And since Twilight was stuck doing Princess responsibilities on the other side of the portal, the chance of her proving her innocence was practically zero.
She stewed over her options as she trudged through the light snow that blanketed the streets, her mind shooting back to the reports on her laptop about the so called “Storm of the Millennium” that was gonna hit Canterlot over the weekend. She was already dreading the cold permeating through the brick walls of her small flat, and it’s not like she could ask Rarity for more blankets at this point.
Sunset let out a tired groan as she turned the corner towards Canterlot High School, the students already whispering and pointing at her. She hadn’t even bothered to read the recent backlog of Anon-A-Miss posts, but it seemed the apocalypse was coming to CHS judging by some of the people that had started fighting towards the end of the previous day.
She ignored the looks and various rude gestures that greeted her, instead focusing on shaking the snow free of the hood of her hoodie. She thought she heard someone call her name behind her, and against her better judgement she turned around to look, just in for something white and ovular to approach her at a bullet like speed.
Pain erupted from her cheek and eye as the snowball connected, and the thick, sharp rock it contained connected with her face. She gave a pained scream as she fell to the ground, her knees piercing the thinly packed snow and scraping against the frozen pavement as her mitten covered hands rushed up to grasp at her blazing cheek. She sobbed openly as the students around her laughed quietly, her cheek growing warm as she pulled back her mittens, now sticky with blood.
She found that she could not open that eye, the agony from the large gash that the rock had inflicted made it near impossible, and combined with the shock at the action left her a shaking mess on the school grounds.
Someone had attacked her! This was done on purpose! She hurriedly reached down and grabbed the rock, stowing it in her pocket as she rushed towards the school entrance. Towards safety.
“Ah, miss Shimmer, good- Wait, what happened!?” Vice Principal Luna’s voice quickly shifted from warmth to concern when she saw the blood covered face of the girl, tears streaming from the uncovered eye. “Come! We must get you to the infirmary!”
Sunset continued to sob as Luna wrapped an arm protectively around her and started to shepherd her through the halls, barking commands at the students to get out of their way as the duo barreled through.
“Please tell me that it wasn’t someone from the school that did this to you?” Luna asked as they started up the stairs towards the middle floor.
“I don’t know who…” the girl managed out between quieting sobs. “S-Someone called my name and then threw a snowball with a giant rock in it at me.”
Luna was aghast as she listened to Sunset’s pained response.“A rock? Why- Never mind, we are almost there. Nurse Redheart!”
“Luna? Whats-”
“We have a serious injury here!” Luna explained as she ushered the injured girl inside, Nurse Redheart audibly gasping as she saw the injury to Sunset’s face.
“Oh no! Please, bring her over here!” the woman turned and rushed towards a cabinet filled with various boxes and bottles and packages. “I sure hope it’s just the cheek. Have you tried opening your eye, Sunset?”
“N-No, I haven’t.” she answered as she sat down on one of the beds lining the wall, fishing around in her pocket. “Here, this is what was in the snow ball.”
Luna grabbed the gray rock from Sunset’s bloody mittens, shifting it around in her fingers. It was large, filling her palm with it’s various sharp edges and points.
“This is going to really sting, but it’s just disinfectant, Sunset.” the nurse explained as she got to work on Sunset’s cheek, the girl hissing loudly as the painful liquid did its job.
“I’m going to call Celestia up here. Nurse Redheart, may I borrow your phone?” Luna received a quick nod from the woman who was busy focusing on Sunset’s cheek, making her way over to the phone.
“Please, dear sister. Pick up your phone for once…”
(V):.....:(V)
“That should help keep it from getting infected.” Nurse Redheart’s smile was small and sorrowful as she backed away from Sunset.
“I shall make an announcement about this. This is getting out of hand.” Celestia shook her head as she crossed her arms. “Sunset, are you sure you don’t know who did this?”
“I think I would remember who tried to gouge my fucking eye out with a rock!” Sunset snapped back, hand hovering over the bandages and gauze covering the left side of her face. “S-Sorry…”
“We shall not hold it against you.” Luna chuckled, resting a hand protectively on the girl’s shoulder.
Redheart stepped back into Sunset’s view, handing the girl a small package. “Now you’re going to have to be careful with this. I’m giving you some antibiotic wipes and fresh gauze and bandages, because I don’t think this will heal over the next day. I would recommend you go and see your family doctor-”
“I don’t have one.” Sunset grumbled as she stashed the bag beside her. “But I know how to take care of myself, so don’t worry.”
“Would you like Luna to give you a ride home?” Celestia asked from the door, looking back at the girl. “I don’t expect that-”
“Go home? No, I’ll stay. They want to see me break; to run and hide! Well I won’t give them the pleasure!” Sunset growled aggressively, shooting to her feet. “The next student that tries something-”
“Sunset, please. Let us take care of this.” Celestia pleaded, her lips drawn thin. “I can guess just how upset you are-”
“Ya think? The entire school’s turning on me!”
“-But if you do something rash, then I am not sure if Luna and I can assist you.” Celestia finished.
“Hey, I’m not gonna start anything, alright?” Sunset shook her head. Any precept of trying to play nice, of being “friendly”, was gone. The students wanted to make her a villain again, even after she had proven she had changed! They attacked her, after all! “But if someone comes after me again, I’m gonna fucking protect myself!”
“Just don’t do anything too reckless. That’s all we ask.” Vice Principal Luna’s look was one of understanding as she followed her sister. “Please, come to us first, if you can.”
Sunset watched the two women leave. She knew they were on her side, but she also understood that they had rules to follow. Sunset grumbled as she stashed the bag of medical supplies into her backpack, right beside her journal. Princess Twilight would want to hear about this…
(V):......:(V)
Dear Princess Twilight,
Today’s the worst day of the week, hand down. I’m stuck with the left half of my face covered in bandages and gauze cause some whack job student threw a goddamn rock at me!
Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna called the school out on it, but I’m still getting glares from the students, and the whispers have turned into loud swearing!
I don’t know what’s gonna happen for these last few days before holidays start for us, but I think I’m done attempting Friendship with these animals.
Your friend,
Sunset Shimmer~*
Sunset glowered as she stashed her journal in her locker and started heading towards class, now that lunch had finished. Hopefully Twilight would have some kind of suggestion for her, cause the students were starting to get just as vicious as the posts that Anon-A-Miss was making!
Sunset was starting to realize that most of the recent posts by Anon-A-Miss were false, thanks to her previous collection of blackmail that she had gathered on the students over her previous time as Alpha Bitch of CHS, and that was even more dangerous than the truth potentially!
“Hey! Anon-A-Bitch!” Sunset glowered as she heard that name shouted at her again, this time from the resident Alpha Bully of the school.
“When ya gonna stop postin’ shit?” Gilda asked as she and a handful of her cronies closed in on Sunset, cracking her knuckles audibly as she glared daggers at the taller girl.
“When ya gonna realize that it’s not me, idiot?” Sunset shot back, realizing that things weren’t gonna get away with a simple verbal bout. She dropped her backpack, shedding her coat with the same motion. “You really wanna do this, Gilda?”
A quick bark escaped from the girls lips, the goons giggling in response. “Six versus one half blind cripple?”
“Yeah, your odds fucking suck.” Sunset smirked, watching as Gilda’s face fell, her expression souring.
Gilda’s response was a loud cry as she charged as Sunset, her fist reaching back before swinging forwards and towards Sunset head. Sunset ducked out of the way, well used to having to fight in this world. She grabbed the girl’s arm and used her momentum to send the girl rocketing into the lockers, a loud clanging echoing through the halls as students gathered around them, chanting and cheering for Gilda.
Another cry filled the air as one of Gilda’s cohorts charged at Sunset, the rest following suit. Sunset smirked, they didn’t realize they were already fucked. One well practiced blow after another came from Sunset, her fists delivered into jaws and noses of the brutes, one after another, with the crowd booing her loudly.
“You’re dead, bitch!” came a low snarl from behind Sunset as hands grabbed around her neck and pulled her back, her spine exploding in pain as Gilda’s knee connected with devastating force. Sunset felt the stars that floated through her eyes as the teen’s ham-like fingers slowly started to squeeze around Sunset’s throat, choking her of vital oxygen.
Another pair of blows connected with Sunset’s back, the girl gurgling as the crowd continued to cheer. Her vision was starting to fade around the edges, and in the back of her mind she knew she had to turn this around, and quick.
As the latest blow retracted Sunset made her move, using Gilda’s motion and combining it with her own to off balance the girl, and sending her tumbling back with a loud cry of confusion, before landing with a dull thud, Sunset bouncing on top of her.
“Bad move, Gilda!” Sunset snarled as she tore free of the girl’s weakened grip, delivering a brutal elbow to the side of the girl’s head and preventing her grabbing hand to get purchase. Sher mounted Gilda over the chest, her legs planted firmly on the downed girl's arms as she started to rain heavy handed blows into the teen’s face, her vision turning crimson.
“I.”
THUD.
“TOLD.”
THUD!
“YOU.”
CRACK!
“I’M!”
CRUNCH!
“INNOCENT!”
Sunset’s last blow never connected, her hand grabbed from someone above her as she was yanked off of the body of Gilda.
“SUNSET!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” Sunset’s rage filled haze slowly vanished as she struggled and failed to break free of Luna’s firm hold, the woman’s voice equally horrified and terrified.
“She started it! Her and her goons attacked me!” Sunset shouted as she got to her feet, breaking her hand free from the woman’s.
“We told you not to do anything reckless!” Celestia yelled as she broke through the crowd.
“Ya, well you didn’t stop them from jumping on me, now did you!” she snapped back as Celestia pushed her out of the way.
Celestia gave a panic cry as she knelt down over the unmoving body of Gilda, Sunset just now realizing the beating she had delivered to the girl. Gilda’s face was smashed, her nose bending in different directions as blood streamed down either cheek, her lips, like her cheeks, were swollen and split in multiple locations.
“Luna! Get her to the office! I’ll call Nine-One-One!” Celestia instructed as she knelt over the teen’s body, resting two fingers on Gilda’s neck.
“All students, return to class!” Luna bellowed, everyone bolting in terror, save for five who looked at Sunset in shock as she was dragged away by Luna. “You’re going to be lucky if you aren’t arrested, Sunset!”
Sunset ignored the woman, looking back at the Rainbooms as they stood watching her as she hobbled away. “What are you five looking at, huh!? Isn’t this what you fucking wanted!? Me to be the fucking villain!? Well congratulations!!!”
(V):.......:(V)
“The paramedics got her breathing normally…” Celestia said quietly as she faced out the window of her office, her eyes not looking at anything in particular. “Hopefully she wakes up soon…”
“...” Sunset sat there in silence, slumped over as she looked down at her hands with her only usable eye. She felt… empty. She should be outraged at herself for her actions, for how far she went, but after she got in the Principal’s office and sat down and she started to calm down, nothing came. Sure, her anger and feelings of betrayal still lingered, festering in her gut, but…
“They attacked me…” Sunset explained in a low whisper, not moving her gaze from her hands. “Six of them came after me, and I defended myself.”
“Defending yourself wouldn’t send a girl to the hospital on a stretcher, Sunset.” Celestia finally turned around and looked at Sunset, the girl finally looking up.
“And if that were me on the stretcher?” she asked simply. “Would you be having this conversation with Gilda?”
“I’d probably have her arrested before she walked in this office.” Sunset didn’t react to the hiss that escaped Celestia’s teeth as she bent over her desk. “You’re lucky the footage shows her swinging first, otherwise-”
“Otherwise what!?” Sunset yelled in outrage, shooting to her feet as she swung her arms out. “I’m lucky that my eye wasn’t gouged out this morning! I’m lucky that I’m not lying on a stretcher on the way to the hospital right now! These students are all coming after me over something that I’m innocent of!”
It was Luna’s turn to speak as she walked to her sister’s side. “If it weren’t for the fact that you were attacked earlier, and by a group, you could face serious prison time, Sunset! The false information on your paperwork puts you over eighteen now! You would be tried as an adult facing charges of assault and battery, or excessive force at the very least!”
“Let them! You can’t charge someone when they aren’t here!” Sunset threatened, crossing her arms as she glared at the two women.
“Exactly…” Celestia’s face was unreadable as she studied Sunset.
“Pardon me?”
“Sunset, you’re no longer a student here at Canterlot High School.”
“Excuse me!?” Sunset rushed forward and slammed her hands on the table, the wooden piece shuddering in place. “Are you seriously blaming me for the students attack me!?”
“I’m blaming you for almost killing another student, yes.” Celestia explain unemotionally.
“So I get attacked, and I’m to blame, huh?” Sunset shook her head. First the students all jumping on the bandwagon of accusing her of being Anon-A-Miss, and now when she gets attacked by students SHE’S to blame!?
“You know what? No, fuck you! You can’t expel me if I leave!” Sunset jabbed her finger at the women before storming towards the door of the office.
“Sunset, wait!” Luna called, her voice distressed. “My sister-”
“Can go shove her crown up her ass!” was the teens response as she slammed the door open and marched through.
The halls were empty, everyone was in class. Or they were supposed to be, because as soon as Sunset left the office and started down the hall towards her locker, she noticed five girls, standing in the middle of the hall where all of this started at the start of the week. Where Sunset was first accused of being Anon-A-Miss by the students. By them.
“What do you fuckers want!?” Sunset yelled as she neared, the girls mostly remaining still.
“We…” Rainbow Dash started, pausing when Sunset’s hateful gaze passed over her.
“You what?” the amber girl demanded quietly as she paused in front of them.
“We don’t think you’re Anon-A-Miss…” Rarity said, holding her hands in front of herself protectively.
“Oh, so now you assholes realize I’m innocent, huh? After I potentially lose my eye and almost get killed by students, you finally stop acting like fucking children!?” Sunset screamed at them, barely centimeters apart it felt. “Well what do you want!? Me to accept your apologies for ruining my fucking life!? Fuck off.”
Sunset split right through the girls, stomping past as they tried to keep up with her longer strides down the hall, Rainbow having the easiest time keeping up as she tried to plead with the Equestrian. “Please, Sunset! W-We talked about it at lunch and realized that you wouldn’t be so blatant about-”
“No shit!!! Quoting what I already said, huh!?” Sunset shook her head as she stopped in front of her locker, fiddling with the second hand lock before stashing it in her backpack, along with her journal and as many other belongings that would fit, before storing the rest under one arm and bulldozing through the group once more and heading back the way she came.
“Please, give us a second chance!”
Sunset froze as she heard Fluttershy cry out in an uncharacteristically loud voice. She slowly turned around on the group, her pupil a pinprick as her one good eye shook in its socket.
“Fuck. You.” she spat hatefully before turning away from them and walking down the hall.
“We really messed up, didn’t we…” Rainbow Dash said as she and the other Rainbooms watched Sunset’s back, bile threatening to boil out of her stomach as her guilt washed over her.
“What are we going to do… What can we do…?” Applejack asked to no one in particular.
(V):........:(V)
Sunset groaned as she pushed herself up off of the ground, hissing from the agony in her knees. She looked back at the ice that now sat revealed on the street, thanks to her boot finding it and started cursing loudly at it, before moving to cursing at the school, her life, and her former friends.
She looked around, and realized that she didn’t realize where she was, the heavy snowfall making it hard to make out any particular landmarks. At least the freezing temperature was taking away the stinging sensation in her knees, replacing it with a bone deep numbing. She grumbled as she started to grab her belongings.
What time was it even? She was so fed up with everything, so consumed with anger that she had just started walking as soon as she left CHS. She knew the Principal’s would probably call the cops on her after she stormed out of their office. Easier to scapegoat her than to explain to everyone that she was the victim.
She spat on the pavement at the thought of the school, of the people in it. She tried everything to make it up to them, to prove that she had changed, but apparently not even saving them from the mind control of the Sirens was enough to prove that she changed.
“WHY WON’T YOU JUST LET ME BE HAPPY, HUH!?” Sunset screamed from her knees, looking up into the sky with her arms held out, her school binders plummeting back onto the cold ground. “WHAT MUST I DO TO SHOW THAT I’VE CHANGED!?”
Life responded by just continuing to drop snow on her.
A low, deep laugh started to build out of Sunset’s core, making its way up and out of her, its dark, maniacal notes echoing through the air around her as she just laughed at all the things that life kept throwing at her, trying to beat her down into the dirt with.
“Well now, what do we have here?” Sunset’s laughter quieted down as the gate beside her opened up, a musical voice washing over her.
“Oh, heh… Of fucking course.” Sunset shook her head. Nope, life wasn’t done with her yet it seemed, as the form of Adagio Dazzle slipped through the raging snow.
“Fancy seeing you around here.” the lead Siren said, smiling as she looked down at the kneeling girl.
“I could say the same.” Sunset said as she grabbed her binders and finally stood up. “Saaay, you wouldn’t happen to be Anon-A-Miss, would you?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, darling.” Adagio said simply. Sunset wanted to distrust her, but the way she responded, Sunset just wasn't sure. “Why don’t you come inside? It is rather cold out.”
“...Come again?” Sunset asked to the retreating form of the Equestrian.
“What? Do you want to freeze out here?” Adagio smirked as she rested a hand on her hip.
“Why would you of all beings invite me inside? I mean, other than to kill me, of course.” Sunset smirked back in equal measure.
“Well I happened to overhear your earlier cries.” Adagio tapped a finger on her chin as she studied the girl. “And judging by what we observed on MyStable-”
“You just said you didn’t know what I was talking about!” Sunset yelled, her fire returning as she rushed up to the girl.
“Well I lied. Somewhat. However I assure that we are not behind Anon-A-Miss. Would we be so blatant?” Sunset froze as she heard those words again. No, the Sirens would not be so upfront about it.
“Fine. you got some band aids? I think my knees need some fresh ones.” Sunset asked as she followed the Siren into the snow.
Stats
Page generated in 0.109 seconds
Total duration
699 users online
1,053,743 hits today, 2,280,440 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
ah, the F U rainbooms way is so refreshing
THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO, GIRLS!
Interesting. Is Sunset going to stay expelled?
Damn sunset ! YAY ! I actually found a story where sunset is "defending" herself !
Not do anything reckless? What, does she have to be dead for her to be seen as the victim of that ambush?!
Spellcheck.
Daaaaammmmmnnnnn, Sunset nearly straight up kill Glida! I love this so far & the fact Sunset has been pushed past her breaking point is gonna make this more interesting, especially with her about to remeet The Dazzlings.
too little too late girls
All it takes is one bad day........well, not really.
Man I have a guilty plessure for anon a miss stories where Sunset fights back.
I'm liking the approach and the start has a good feel to it. Definitely worth the attention for now.
9085333
I hear the club's taking new members
oh damn i didn't see sunset as a violent one but this is a great story i will be following along with
Holly fuck!!!!
And now i stop reading because the first chapter already has an easily fixed error
Title alone was enough to get me hooked.
9085027
It always is.
9085333
Really? My feelings towards it are anything but guilty.
I've said it before, I do love a good revenge fic if it's done right.
The title is misspelt.
9085734
What's the error? If you mean the Rainbooms not believing Sunset, that's basically the core of Anon-a-miss.
Well not only are the Rainbooms in the wrong but now Celestia and Luna are gonna have one if not FOUR very pissed off princesses to handle. Same with half the school.
9086084
Why do think I’m Anon-A-Miss?
So let me see If I've got this right here (I haven't read the comic but I'll assume it's the same there). Sweetie Belle and Applebloom posted nasty comments and pictures of the humane 6 because their sisters were spending time with their friends and not them? Then, instead of being upfront about it, they decided to make it seem like Sunset did it.
That seems very out of character for them. During the gabby gums incident, it was seeing how upset ponies (especially their sisters and friends) were getting that made their pony counterparts want to quit and eventually tell people that it was them. I can't imagine them keeping this charade going when they saw the shit the students were giving Sunset, much less let it get to the point where people are physically attacking Sunset over it.
Also Principal Celestia, fight or flight is a thing. Six people were trying to seriously injure, if not kill Sunset. Sunset was not in any position to think clearly so nope, Gilda being carried off to hospital doesn't change the fact that what happened was a clear as day case of self defence.
The swearing is a bit excessive but I'll keep an eye on this and see where it goes from here.
I'll be keeping my eyes glued on this fic, really good start~! ^^
9086242
Basically the human CMC all get upset that their sisters are spending time with Sunset more than them, and decide to try and break up the party. In the comic, that's it, no other motive behind it, which is fine for a kids comic, but not so much if you want a serious story~ ^^
As far as the comic goes, the CMC eventually reveal themselves, just after Sunset goes to the Sugar Cube Corner to try one last attempt to conince the Rainbooms that she's innocent. Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow all forgive their younger sister figures, and everybody forgets that Anon-A-Miss happened more or less.
I find a lot of writers make things a little more interesting, something more directed to an older consumer base~
This fic does seem a little more violent, but nothing comparred to some of the ones out there ^^;
Hope that all makes sense~ ^^
(I just love talking about this styoryline xD xD xD)
Can't wait to see how this winds up I hope sunset finds a way to ruin everyone's life by the end.
It's possible it was meant as a pun of some sort I'm missing, but "Failure" is misspelled in the title.
9085813
I say that because I'm not very fan of Anon-A-Miss stories, specially the ones who break Sunset until she just kill herself. The ones where Sunset either fights back or say "fuck it I'm better off here" are often some exceptions for me. And then there's another one who played the abuse as a comedy-"take that" that I also liked. Despite I'm not fan of Anon-A-Miss, seeing Sunset standing up for herself feels kinda cathartic.
I don't know AppleJack maybe CHECK ON YOU'RE BLOODY SISTER AND MAKE SURE SHE NOT BEHIND IT!
Celestia handled things wrong, trying to say that shit while Sunset was still reeling, all she did was make it look like she favored seeing Sunset suffer.
She blew it big time, ye si get why she said but the timing and then doing what she did...... F&&&* You Celestia!
What's really sad about this line is how true it is of schools in real life. A lot of them would rather make a show of punishing an obvious target, even if they're actually a victim, rather than take the effort to deal with the source of the problem.
Zero-tolerance and "It takes two to fight," rules are bullshit, because too many bullies out there know how to exploit them to turn things against their victims, or at least it punishes the victims alongside the actual bullies.
Well, we're off to a good start. In the words of Ron Burgundy: "That escalated quickly".
Not so many Anon-a-Miss fics out there where Sunset fights back, or where the Rainbooms realize on their own that they were misled, indeed (of course, by now, it seems like it's too late to fix things; can't wait to see what happens next, I believe the road is paved for some sweet, sweet revenge).
"Fine" comes to mind, but since the next chapter is taking its time, hopefully your story should satisfy me in the interim.
Also, fix the typo in the title ASAP, nothing is more off-putting than a misspelled title for an otherwise good story.
For the rest, there maybe were a couple of mistakes, but nothing immersion-breaking like with that other dumbass.
I hope the next chapter comes soon!
9086542
Cathartic indeed.
I'm intrigued. Keep up the good work
Oh ho ho~! I like this~
9086794
What the hell do you mean by “just as badly, if not worse,”? How does bitchy queen-bee translate to assault, battery, and attempted murder? If you’re referring to the fall formal, the student body never did giver a second chance. The hu-mane 5 were passive aggressive ass-hats about the whole thing, and everyone else was just openly hostile. The battle of the bands acted as something of a counterweight, but I never saw a single apology for their dickish behavior.
9086885 - The entire point is that when people see Sunset treated so unfairly in the original story they desperately want "justice" to find its place and to see the mane 6/other students to realize what they were doing and suffer as much as Sunset did, no matter how unrealistic the scenario is. The objective of these stories is to make Sunset seem like some sort of angel of justice that is in the right no matter what and to throw the entire blame at the mane 6 and make them suffer over their actions and cry over Sunset's situation. Since fans desperately want to see this sort of "Justice being done" sorts of stories, they always get high views.
I don't see any of the events in this story being even somewhat realistic except the first half. I can't see anyone suddenly going full-Batman on the entire school and acting like she is the deliverer of justice, let alone Sunset of all the people. And I don't see how any student would freaking physically attack Sunset and then everyone around her would laugh at her just because she revealed some embarrassing secrets. Not even in the slightest. The point of these kinds of stories is to fulfill the fan's desire. And that is perfectly fine, I just personally find it unattractive.
9085027
9085083
9085131
9085167
9085219
9085294
9085311
9085325
9085333
9085338
9085396
9085506
9085521
9085813
9085898
9086021
9086084
9086140
9086242
9086246
9086260
9086345
9086413
9086542
9086600
9086606
9086635
9086644
9086772
9086779
9086790
9086794
9086843
9086851
9086870
9086885
9086949
9086973
9087049
Hullo everyone, thank you for all the comments. I have fixed the title, thank you for noticing the extra i I had in it. I am glad that a lot of you seem to be enjoying the story, it was fun working on this.
I do have a favour to ask though. Would those of you discussing the believability of Anon-A-Miss and the general plots of stories based on it be able to move your discussion somewhere else? I just want to write a silly story about neon coloured girls from a show directed towards younger children. I would greatly aprreciate it.
9087145
You're very welcome!
9087145
sure no problem
So far so good, I'm liking this story.
Looks like Gilda is finally being shown her place
.
Oh so now you use your heads
?
Of course not
! Not when you all know she'd have nothing to gain by this
!
You already had you're second chance
.
It was at this moment the Rainbooms knew...they bucked up
!
Maybe ASK THE CMC IF THEY'RE BEHIND ANON-A-MISS
?!