Rising from the Ashes
The school building loomed above Sunset Shimmer the same way it had the night of the Fall Formal after her inevitable defeat. The students shuffling into the doorway still casting angry stares in Sunset’s direction, as she stood standing in the cold looking at the highschool with the largest sense of dread since just a semester ago. She would have continued to bide her time in the snowy courtyard until the class bell had finally pushed her inside, if not for an arm coming to link elbows with her.
“We can do this together, Sunset.” Dawn said beside her. “I’ll use my height advantage to try and intimidate anyone who tries to mess with us.”
Giving her best tough expression, Sunset had to stifle her laughter as she was reminded of a pouty rabbit. The other girl smiling in response at seeing her friend grin for the first time since yesterday.
“Okay,” Sunset took a breath to stop her giggles. “I’m ready.”
Tightening her connection with Dawn just lightly, she watched her steps as she trekked up the concrete stairs and marched her way inside the school building.
While she had expected a few looks in her direction considering the student’s beliefs of her assumed part in the gossip of the Mystable blog, the last thing Sunset had expected to see her former five friends waiting for her at the entrance. As well as the three guilty looking trio of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo standing close by.
Bracing herself as she stopped in her tracks to gather herself, not to mention having Dawn subtly position herself in front of her, Sunset watched as the group of girls rushed over as they all spotted her enter. Their faces oddly concerned rather than the enraged expressions that she had expected them to wear when they had seen her enter.
“Sunset,” Rainbow was the first to arrive as she dashed in front. “I - I can’t even begin to tell you-”
“If it has anything to do with last night, neither of us want to hear it.” Dawn placed her hands onto her hips as she continued to stand in between the two students, staring down at the athlete with a cross look.
“We know that what we did last night was wrong,” Rainbow Dash said as the others had caught up. The younger trio dragging their feet as they trailed behind. “But hear us out!” Her voice cracked as she pleaded with Sunset, she hesitantly reached out a hand before stopping herself at the student towering in front of her shifted herself over further.
“Like she tried to do with you last night? The same way she tried to talk to you but you refused to listen? The same way you screeched at her having no proof that she’s this Anon - a - Miss before casting her out all over again?” Dawn talked for Sunset, her voice reaching unfamiliar volumes for her usually timid personality as the five in front of her all cringed at her words. And while her friend was grateful for her intervention, Sunset knew she would have to face her old former companions eventually and braced herself to get it over with sooner than later.
“Dawn,” Sunset managed to find her voice though faintly shaky, placing her hand on her classmate’s arm and stepping out in front of her. “It’s okay, whatever it is they want to tell me, I want to hear them say it to my face.”
Though she wanted to protest, the taller girl bit her tongue as she observed the fiery haired student stand tall before her accusers, and waited for them to speak.
“Well?” She said annoyed, summoning up all her pent up frustration to keep herself steady.
“We... we’re,” Rainbow struggled to find the words as she shifted in place.
“We sorry.” Applejack finished for her stepping forward, the rest of the girls behind her casting concerned glances from behind.
“What?” Sunset outburst, while she had dreamed of her friends reconciling for their past actions for what seemed like weeks, the sudden apology came out of the blue after last night’s events. To see them cowering, and some of them refusing to even make eye contact with her, was a dramatic change from their earlier demeanor from just the day before. Instead of the relief she had always imagined she would revel in when this moment came, Sunset now started feeling sick, her stomach churning with an uneasy sickness as she suppressed an urge to sprint off towards the bathroom.
“We’re saying that we were wrong, dearie.” Rarity’s once melodic voice now only proved a sickenly sweet. “After you had left yesterday in such a rush, we had three other visitors share some information with us.”
Looking a cross between disappointed and angry, the designer motioned for the younger trio to step forward and address Sunset.
They did as they were told, all looking increasingly upset as they fidgeted in front of Sunset’s curious gaze. They all took turns looking at each other before Apple Bloom was the first to come forward, her voice a near whisper as she refused to look at the girl before her in the eyes.
“We’re Anon - a - Miss.”
“You are, aren’t you?” The rest of the present party, sans Dawn, all stared up in surprise as Sunset’s tone was anything but shocked at the sudden confession. Her arms crossing as she looked down at the three with a stern expression, waiting for them to continue.
“Yeah, we are.” Scootaloo spoke next. “But we never meant for it to get this far! We hadn’t meant to hurt you this badly.” She trailed off, making no further point to try and defend her and her friends.
“We started all this because we felt left out from when you all got to go the slumber parties together.” Sweetie Belle stepped forward. “We wanted to spend more time with our sisters, but all they ever seemed to want to do was hang out with you. So we thought creating this blog would give us more time together if it separated you apart from them.”
The group grew tense as Sunset’s lack of response, as instead of replying she pinched the bridge of her nose in thought.
“I was harassed, bullied, assaulted, had a near complete mental breakdown, all because of you girls not being invited to some slumber party!?”
While the three young students recoiled from the outlash, the rest of the girls were thankful that the hallways had been emptied with the majority of students having wandered off to their lockers. As Sunset now was ready to unleash her full resentment on one part of the guilty party who turned her past weeks into a living nightmare.
“I can understand being upset, I can understand being left out, I can even understand if you still have issues with me considering how I used to be.” She took a small breath before continuing, evening out her tone but still retaining it’s angered flare. “But on what excuse do you have for ruining my life, turning this school back into battleground, and spreading rumors around about all the other students?”
The room turned silent, none of the guilty speaking up or trying to vindicate their actions, as they squirmed uncomfortably in place.
Sunset took a deep sigh before addressing them again.
“You three may not have considered the lengths of your plans to isolate me by means of a gossip blog, but I know how you can make it up to everyone. C’mon.”
Motioning for the group to follow her, Sunset started to move towards Principal Celestia’s door, the three slowly following behind before she was suddenly stopped by a voice.
“Sunset,” Fluttershy’s voice barely raised above the clamoring of the group’s footsteps. “We-”
“Save it.” Sunset interjected, not even bothering to turn back as she continued towards the office, entering into the doorway and finding Celestia having a discussion with Luna and her secretary. The three looked up from their discussion as the group entered with little warning, Sunset staring straight at her Principals as she spoke.
“Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna? I think these three need to talk to you.”
~*~
“So you three are the ones behind this Anon - a - Miss blog?” Luna’s asked as her icy stare targeted three cowering students. “You realize what your actions have done I assume?”
The three nodded their heads, none raising their eyes to meet the disappointment in either principals’ expressions, nor the one’s the group of students bore beside them.
Luna took a deep sigh, leaning back onto her sister’s desk as she rubbed her temple with her hand. Celestia took her sister’s pause as a sign to step forward to address the three herself.
“Luna and I have already been discussing the punishments for this Anon - a - Miss for sometime now, seeing as how much trouble this gossiping has hurt the school.”
The guilty tried not to flinch as their imaginations worked for the worst, each of them thinking of their own idea of a cruel sentencing.
“But considering that the three of you saw the damage your actions have caused, as well as came clean about these deeds, perhaps we can slightly lighten the penalty.”
Hearing their principals words, the students raised their head in high hopes as they waited for whatever consequence their mentors thought appropriate.
“Well start with eight months detention, and move on from there.” Celestia finished, the three releasing their held breaths.
“I suppose that’s fair.” Apple Bloom accepted, her two friends murmuring in agreement.
“And,” Principal Celestia started again, as the girls tensed up again. “A school wide assembly admitting to what you did, and an apology for everyone whom was involved in this incident.”
“But we’ll be picked on for who knows how long!” Scootaloo outburst. “It could be years before people forget about all of this!”
Celestia raised a hand for silence, as the purple haired girl bit her tongue at the action.
“We will also be reminding everyone in this school that while you may have started this event, anyone else having proven to have sent any info into your blog is going to be in the same boat you are. No one is going to get off scotch free for having sent damaging gossip in about any other student, and we have already adopted a zero tolerance policy on this matter.”
Kneeling down in front of her younger students, Celestia looked them sharply in the eyes and continued.
“Added, if any of you are being harassed for by anyone of this school, do not hesitate to tell me or Vice Principal Luna. What you did may have been wrong, but for anyone else to continue spreading hate among the student body towards anyone is not acceptable in anyway.”
Hearing their principal’s reassurance, the three lightly lowered their shoulders in relief, and nodded in response.
“Well if that’s understood,” Celestia said as she began to stand up. “The assembly will be scheduled tomorrow at the last minutes of lunch, you girls should start planning on what you are to say to your fellow classmates.”
Turning to the unusually silent group of students in the room, Celestia smiled to Sunset Shimmer before returning her face to it’s pleasant neutral expression as she peered over the rest.
“If that is all, I would imagine you girls have some talking to do.”
“I suppose your right,” Applejack was the first to speak. “C’mon, Apple Bloom. We’ll discuss the rest of this after school.”
“Same goes for you, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity agreed, chastising her sister.
As the group began to file out of the office, Sunset slowly trailed behind, her head set downward as she walked.
“Sunset? A moment please.” Luna called out.
Stopping in her tracks, the girl in question looked back at her curiously.
“I know these girls are probably the last people you want to see right now,” Luna said stepping closer to Sunset. “But trust me on this, if you don’t talk to them now, you may end up never finding peace on this. Just give them a chance to apologize, and you may decide what to do from there.”
“I… I understand.” Sunset replied, Luna nodding in response as her student left to catch up with the rest out into the hallways.
Outside the office Dawn stood in front of the five girls, the three younger students having been sent away to class. They fidgeted in place as no one said anything until Sunset had taken her spot next to her friend, looking over at the gathering with a impassive face.
“Sunset, we all -”
“Tell me after classes.” Sunset interrupted Applejack. “I’ll be in front of the school near the horse statue, you can tell me all your excuses and apologies then.”
The country girl gave a sigh in response, but ultimately nodded her head.
“I reckon that’s fair,” She said, the others behind her murmuring in agreement. “Outside the school after classes then.”
And with that everyone scattered walking at snail’s paces to their respective classrooms. Sunset watching them go for a moment before motioning for Dawn and her to do the same.
“You going to be okay?” Her friend asked as they moved down the halls.
“I’m not sure,” Sunset responded. “But, maybe.”
~*~
It was fifteen minutes passed and the majority of students had either remained in the school building or had made their way out into the snowy expanse. A small collection of female students stood in front of Canterlot High school’s beloved stone horse artwork, all of them snapping to attention as contrasting fiery haired student scaled down the stairway and strolled over to the five as they waited for their chance to speak.
“Dawn and Candy will both be here in ten minutes,” Sunset said, her voice monotone. “You have that long to say anything you want.”
As Applejack was once again the first one to step forward, ready to speak on the group’s behalf, a pink blur whisked past her and swept up Sunset’s hands in her own.
“We’re so so sorry!” Pinkie Pie’s face was contorted in despair. “We were all upset and we blamed you even when we had little evidence to go on. We took out our anger on you and we messed up everything, we didn’t believe you.” Her poofy hair starting to pucker out as she talked, her voice going from it’s rapid speech to a shaky slow tone.
“You tried tellin us,” Applejack came beside her. “But we refused to listen, I guess we couldn’t believe our own sisters would be spreading out gossip on us.”
“But I suppose we all have egg on our faces now,” Rarity came to Pinkie’s other side. “We treated you like a criminal when really you’ve made progress from who you’ve come to be.”
“We started wondering if you maybe you were telling the truth,” Fluttershy attempted to speak up, walking over to fit herself in the close knit circle. “But we let our feelings get in the way of logic.”
“I’m the worst of all in the end though,” Rainbow Dash muttered as she took the one open window left to the party. “You came to us trying to make us see reason, and I just tried tossing you out without even considering yours or Twilight’s words.”
All huddled together now, the five girls all grasped their hands onto Sunset’s, all of them speaking together as they shared their apologies and regrets.
“We’re awfully sorry, dear.”
“I can’t even think of how to be makin it up to you.”
“It’s awful what we did to you, just awful.”
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am, I was the one who threw the journal at you.”
“We’re all super super sorry, Sunny!” Pinkie said with a tearful look. “Could you please, pretty please forgive us for this?”
The five clamored closer together, staring at the girl in question with hope as they waited with baited breaths for any kind of response. The moment felt like centuries as Sunset took a deep breath, her face never changing from it’s serious stance as she quickly retracted her hands from the group’s embrace, the warmth it emanated leaving her fingers, before she gave her answer.
“No.”
There was a wave of stunned expressions as the girls flinched from the unfiltered indifferent tone of Sunset’s voice. Their former friend taking a small step back before she continued in her response.
“Not today at least,” She continued. “For everything I have been experiencing in the last couple of weeks, for having gone through some of the worst times of my life, for not believing me twice when I begged you to just hear me out, I can’t forgive any of you.”
As their hands fell to their sides, or started to hug themselves in stunned silence, the others only stared back at Sunset with heartbroken eyes.
“Maybe one day I can forgive you for everything that happened,” Sunset ignored the reactions she gathered as she talked. “But for the group of friends that took me in and gave me a second chance, you sure didn’t want to believe me when I tried to tell you that I’ve changed. I’m starting to wonder if all of you suspected something like this would have happened in time, that I never really changed at all.”
Her eyes started to sting, quickly rushing to brush away any tears from her eyes Sunset didn’t dare start crying when she still had to finish her explanation.
“I really thought I had become someone to you, that I actually meant something when you invited me to your parties, and talked to me in the halls. I actually started feeling so grateful for Twilight entrusting me to you five, for all of you accepting me into your lives. I guess now it was just a job and nothing more.”
“Sunny,” Pinkie said, the nickname only causing Sunset to faintly scowl in response. “You know that’s not true. We wanted to be your friend.”
There was a pause as Sunset crossed her arms and tightly held onto her sleeves, her face grimacing as she glared at the others with an intense display of anger.
“Until someone else gave you a reason to just dump me, until you had an excuse to just trash me in the hallway, going completely against everything we’ve been through just because some stupid gossip blog.” Sunset’s voice seethed, but she didn’t let up even as she spotted Pinkie beginning to withdraw into herself. “I don’t entirely blame you for not believing me, for everything I did in the past I’d be skeptical about everything I said myself.”
For the first time that day, there was a small essence of hope spread around on the guilty parties faces. Their eyes lighting up just faintly as they waited for some chance of Sunset understanding their reasoning, even if it meant she still hadn’t fully forgiven herself for her own past actions.
“But I still don’t think I’ll be able to stand being friends with you for a long time.”
All traces of the once lit anticipation blew out with little to remain in its place. Sunset finally having finished her piece now shifting her feet to walk away, stopped herself in her tracks as a timid voice struck her.
“I understand.” Fluttershy responded, not daring to lift her head up as she spoke. “What we did was unforgivable, but I’m still hoping you can talk to us again someday. Both for not believing you, and treating you like this.”
The remaining four all sounded their agreements, each resounding their apologies to their former friend. No one daring to speak further or try again to reason with Sunset as they remained standing together, letting the cold wash over them as none tried to stop her from leaving.
Before completely turning away and leaving both her accusers and former friends behind, Sunset looked back once to address them with one last message.
“Thanks for taking me in originally,” She said as small tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. “And for everything after. For what it’s worth, those months we shared together were some of the better ones of my life.” Turning her body away, her head perked up, along with the others, at the sound of a voice ringing out from the sidewalk a couple feet away.
“Hey, Shimmy Sham!” Candy shouted as she stood alongside a sadly smiling Dawn. “Ready to go? We’re meeting Trixie and Wallflower at the cafe!”
“Yeah, just about.” Sunset replied as she waved in response. “See you girls, I guess.” She quickly added before running over to her friends, the remaining students left behind as they watched the last of her fiery hair disappear from their sight.
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They never did apologize to her in the comics, did they. What a terrible story that was. (The comic. This is a good one, I think)
I was expecting something along the lines of Sunset accepting their apologies and forgiving them but also saying they still weren’t friends.
The girls and the CMC have a long road of forgiveness and atonement ahead of them
.
Any kind of relationship, demands a certain amount of trust to function.
And it seems that they didn't have much more trust in Sunset to make her more than an acquaintance or a trophy/pet, whether it was a subconscious thing or not.
9124772
Which will be long and hard but to those that persevere the reward is worth it.
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Awesome! At last they got what they deserve, hah!
Will there be a sequel?