A Pie and an Explanation (Edited 2/13/20)
At lunch time the next day, the Rainbooms were enjoying their meals when Applejack suddenly charged toward their table
"Applejack," Rarity admonished,"you don't have to run in here. The food won't run out."
"Ha, Ha, Ha," Applejack said with fake, forced laughter. "You guys aren't gonna believe what I saw while I was driving early this morning."
"The Loch Ness Monster," Rainbow Dash joked.
"Bigfoot," Fluttershy asked. She then let out an sad sigh. "I wish people would stop bothering him and let him live in peace."
"Oh, oh, I know. Aliens," Pinkie Pie said, excitedly waving her pink arm around. "You were driving down a dusty road in the middle of nowhere when-,"
"No," Applejack said, interrupting her pink friend's overactive imagination. "I saw Sunset outside doing clean up." Everyone became deathly still.
"What," Rainbow Dash barked, clenching her fists. "She's still here in school?!"
"I'm not sure," Applejack said. "If she was still here, then wouldn't we have seen her in class?"
"Then why is she here cleaning up?" Fluttershy asked timidly.
"Oh, oh, aliens," Pinkie Pie said, waving her hand in the air as if she was answering a question in class.
"Pinkie Pie, stop blaming everything on the aliens," Rarity admonished.
"I'm not saying it was aliens," Pinkie Pie said. "But… it was aliens." Everyone rolled their eyes. "I mean Sunset is technically an alien, isn't she?" Pinkie Pie asked. A pause hung over the Rainbooms as they considered the question.
"Hmm," Rarity said, tapping her chin with her finger. "I suppose she technically is."
"But isn't she, like, from another dimension," Rainbow said, her anger replaced with a more thoughtful look. "Does being from another dimension make you an alien?"
"Maybe," Fluttershy argued. "I mean, she is from another world. Which is what an alien is. Kind of."
"Perhaps we can create a proper term," Rarity said. "How about...'extra-dimensional being'."
"Boring," Rainbow said with a groan. "Why not call her, 'dimension-hopper'."
"That sounds like a really silly book," Pinkie Pie said. "I say we should call her-,"
"Getting back to the original topic," Applejack interrupted. "Why is she cleaning up, but not going to school?"
"Maybe she was expelled, and she's been sentenced to clean up the school to pay her debt to society," Rarity guessed.
"You mean like, a chain gang?" Applejack asked. "Can you be sentenced in a weekend?"
"I am a budding fashion designer, not a lawyer, Darling," Rarity said. "The law isn't my thing."
"Well as long as she isn't here, that's fine with me," Rainbow Dash said in a triumphant tone, and putting her feet on the table. "CHS needs less jerks," she grumbled, pushing her dirty shoes near Fluttershy's face, much to the yellow girl's consternation.
"Then why are you here," Applejack asked with the roll her eyes.
"Hey," Rainbow Dash complained.
"Honestly Rainbow," Rarity complained with a wince. "No one needs to see your filthy footwear while we digest our food." Rainbow Dash let out an annoyed sigh.
"Fine," Rainbow said, putting her feet back down to the floor.
"She was expelled," Pinkie Pie complained. "Awwwwwww! Now I won't be able to throw her my 'welcome back to school, and we forgive you for becoming a demon' party."
"I certainly wouldn't have gone," Rainbow Dash grumbled. "I bet she's just looking for revenge after we beat her butt."
"I don't know," Applejack muttered. "I don't think she would do anything like that."
"Why do you believe that, Darling," Rarity asked Applejack.
"When I saw her," Applejack said, her chin falling into her hand. "She was really, really sad." Rainbow Dash let out a snort.
"Oh, of course she's upset," Rainbow Dash said. "She's upset that her plan to conquer that pony world failed, and she's finally getting what she deserved." Rainbow Dash let out a nasty grin. "I bet she's upset because she has to do two whole minutes of hard work."
"I really think she's sorry," Applejack argued. Rainbow Dash rolled her arms.
"Yeah, she's really sorry," Rainbow Dash parroted. "She's sorry...she got caught and has to do time." Fluttershy looked a bit disappointed at Rainbow Dash.
"Uh, Rainbow," Fluttershy asked timidly. "Aren't you being too harsh?" Rainbow Dash glared daggers at her yellow friend.
"Oh, so you think acting sad for one day makes up for being the worst person in Canterlot High two years straight," Rainbow Dash threw back.
"Well, no", Fluttershy admitted reluctantly.
"Applejack," Rarity asked, "You are familiar with the term crocodile tears, aren't you?"
"No," Applejack said.
"Well, when a person wishes to get sympathy," she began. Before she continued, her eyes began watering. With a whimper, tears and mascara running down her face. She slammed her face onto the table, sobbing.
"Rarity, what's wrong?" Applejack asked. Soon, all her friends began looking at the fashion lover with concern.
"Rarity," Fluttershy said empathetically, petting her friend's purple hair. "If there's something wrong, tell us-," she paused as Rarity's whimpering descended into laughter. The fashion girl lifted her head up, chuckling to herself.
"See Darlings," Rarity said with a wry grin, pulling her makeup from her purse. "I was able fool all of you into thinking I was in agony-" Rarity paused, reapplying her mascara, "-to gain your sympathy. That's crocodile tears."
"Oh, you mean blubbering," Applejack said. Applejack and her siblings had used blubbering in a desperate attempt to get out of trouble. Their parents and Granny always saw right through it though.
"But Rarity didn't become a crocodile," Pinkie Pie said.
"Darling, it is obvious Sunset is trying to get pity," Rarity said, ignoring Pinkie's irrelevance. "Now that she is paying for being a ne'er-do-well, she believes acting sad will earn her some reprieve," Rarity said with disgust. Applejack rubbed her head, thinking back to all the times Sunset had done exactly that, and nodded in agreement.
However, Sunset hadn't done that when Applejack saw her last night. Sunset was visibly upset, but didn't shed tears or look uncomfortable. She looked resigned. Unrepentant souls would try and stoke pity from others, while remorseful people accepted their punishment with grace.
"Besides, a little hard labor would do her some good," Rarity said.
"Definitely," Applejack replied with a nod. Applejack was taught that one had to pay what they owed. The farmer girl had no objection to Sunset working off the damages she did to the school.
"Hey Rainbow," some guys at a distant table said to her.
"Oh, that's the male track team," Rainbow said. She rose up from the table. "Sorry guys, I promised to hang out with them." She gave her friends a cheeky grin. "Everybody should have the chance to bask in my greatness." Everyone at the table rolled their eyes, albeit playfully, at their blue-friend's ego.
"Have fun Rainbow," Applejack said to her athletic friend. With a wave she ran over to the other table.
"Hey guys," Rainbow said to six guys who made up Canterlot's Male Track Team.
"Hey Rainbow," the guys said in a chorus.
"I can't hear you," Rainbow saidexcitedly. "Try again!"
"HEY RAINBOW," the track team said much more loudly, attracting the amused attention of everyone else in the cafeteria.
"Much better," Rainbow said with a self-satisfied smile as she plopped her seat next to Sprint Speed, captain of the team. He was a tall senior with green skin, blue hair shaved into a buzz cut, purple eyes, and a lean build. He wore an orange tracksuit with the Wondercolts logo on it and a blue line running down on the right side.
"So how are things, Dash-o," Sprint said with a laugh.
"So-so until you idiots showed up," Rainbow said facetiously. The guys let out joking 'oooohs'. Rainbow Dash looked toward the group, but saw a seventh member she didn't recognize.
The new member had freckles, shaggy red hair, light beige skin, and was dressed in red shorts and a black T-shirt with a red lightning bolt on it. The guy was baby-faced, had a very skinny frame, and was a couple of inches shorter then Rainbow herself. He looked like he could be mistaken for an elementary school student.
"I'm sorry, I don't know your name," Rainbow said sheepishly.
"D-don't worry about it," the short stranger stammered with a kind smile. "Name's Quick Pace. Freshman year. Just joined a few weeks ago."
"Yeah, he's the baby of the group," Twinkle Toes said, pinching Quick's' face. He was the co-captain of the track team. He was slightly shorter then Sprint Speed, but with a bit more muscle. He had red skin, orange hair, and green eyes. He also wore the Wondercolts track suit. "We're the ones changing his diapers."
"Oh p-please, yo M-m-mama does that for me," Quick said sheepishly. The rest of the team let out a chorus of laughs and 'ooohs.' Rainbow Dash smiled in amusement at the freshman's wit.
"So how are things for the state competition next week?" Rainbow asked Sprint.
"Great," Sprint said. "We're running fifteen laps a day for practice."
"Pfff," Rainbow said. "I could do all that in my sleep."
"Maybe we should knock your ass out then and see," Twinkle Toes said.
"Oh please, you couldn't hit rain if you were in a storm," Rainbow said. The team again let out a chorus of "ooohs" and laughter.
"What's going on with you Rainbow?" Sprint asked the blue-skinned athlete.
"Not much," Rainbow said. Her eyes became harder, and her grin became more malicious. "You guys aren't gonna believe this." The group leaned in. "Applejack saw Sunset Shimmer working in school early this morning." The group's frat boy energy died down, and they became visibly upset. Except for Quick who looked calm as he stared at Rainbow.
"Really," Sprint said, gritting her teeth, his previously friendly demeanor replaced by fury. "That bitch is still here after everything she did?"
"I don't know," Rainbow said. "She hasn't shown up for class. Applejack thinks that Sunset got expelled, and that she's doing community service." Quick Pace relaxed a bit.
"Good for her," Twinkle Toes said with a growl. "That little bitch certainly deserved it. I heard our field trips are going to be cut to cover the cost." The rest of the table grumbled.
"Anyways," Rainbow said, trying to steer the conversation towards something less upsetting. "I think next month will be our time to shine."
After a half hour of eating, frat guy behavior, and conversations about sports, Rainbow ended her lunch time by giving a wave to track team and sprinting to her next class.
The co-captains of the track team, plus their new member Quick, had a chat as they walked down the hall.
"So, Sunset's working her tail off early in the morning," Twinkle said with some joy. "Maybe we can use this to...pay Sunset a visit." Sprint himself gave Twinkle a happily opportunistic look.
"W-what are you guys planning," Quick said timidly.
"Your initiation little man," Twinkle said with a wide grin. "Plus a plan to get some payback on some stuck up bitch."
"You in for it, Quick," Sprint asked with enthusiasm.
"I-I'm in," Quick said timidly. "As l-l-long as we don't get caught."
"Don't worry man," Sprint said in a kindly voice. "If we get caught...I'll be sure to throw you under a bus and have you sent to death row, while I make a deal with the prosecutors to get life in prison." The trio let out a laugh at Sprint's irrelevance. But Quick's face seemed more thoughtful than immature.
Applejack walked into her home, returning from the Young Farmer's Club. It was roughly 6 PM. She put her backpack on the table with a sigh. Despite her farmhouse looking very quaint on the outside, it had a lot of modern settings and appointments.
She ran into her giant of a big brother.
"Hey Mac," Applejack said with a smile. "I dropped off the food. Any problems from the supermarket?"
"Nope," the taciturn teenager said.
"Any mail from our other clients," Applejack asked.
"Yep," Big Macintosh said, holding up the mail. He then took the truck keys from Applejack, silently promising to take care of tomorrow's deliveries. Applejack normally would feel relieved not to have to get up early. However, something about seeing Sunset made her want to...see her, again.
"Actually, Big Mac," Applejack said uneasily. "Why don't I drive again, tomorrow?" Big Macintosh looked a bit surprised. It was a chore neither of them liked to do. "You don't mind, do you?" Big Macintosh handed the keys back to Applejack.
"Nope," Big Macintosh said with a small smile, and walked away to do some homework. Applejack took the keys, but not with much joy. She wasn't eager to visit Sunset. She just wanted to see if Sunset was really just blubbering or not.
Applejack once again drove down the main street, the baked goods in the back of the truck. In the early hours, the road to school was virtually empty. To her confusion, as she approached the school, she saw some teenage males stepping out of a green van while parking on the side of the road. They were a group of seven dressed in black, and they seemed to be marching toward the destroyed entrance while carrying some black garbage bag.
"Must be a group of hoodlums," Applejack thought with suspicion.
Eager to see what they were doing, she quietly parked her van, hid behind the statue, and saw them walk toward the entrance. She saw that Sunset was hammering something while clad in the same yellow vest. The seven approached the amber skinned girl with nasty grins.
"Hey Sunset," one of them said. The former bully dropped her hammer and turned to face the six boys, her face utterly blank.
"Yes," Sunset said quietly.
Without warning, the septet open their bag, revealing dozens of water balloons. They then began throwing them at Sunset.
Applejack flinched when the first one hit Sunset. She saw that when it hit, it left behind some brown.
"Paint balloons", Applejack thought. Each balloon stained Sunset's clothes, skin, and hair brown.
"You made everyone feel like shit," the tall one yelled.
"So now we're gonna make you look like shit," the second tallest one said. All the other boys let out some cruel laughter as they covered Sunset with mud-colored paint.
Applejack should've felt amused by this. Sunset was getting her due. But instead Applejack felt a pit in her stomach. Sunset wasn't trying to hide, wasn't trying to defend herself, and wasn't even hollering threats at them. She just stood there and took it. Seeing someone so strong, fierce, and dangerous look so helpless was really depressing.
"What's a matter, gonna cry," another boy said in a taunting matter. Sunset didn't, but she didn't look happy either.
Suddenly, a flash light came into the distance. The group of boys began running away, shouting "police." Some short redhead kept throwing the paint balloons, and had to be dragged off by one of the others.
One of the construction guys, a man with red skin and white hair, came running up to the paint covered Sunset.
"What's going on here?!" the stern man hollered. He looked at Sunset with more than a bit of ity. The man put his hand on Sunset's shoulder and muttered something. Sunset shook her head. The man whispered something else. Sunset reluctantly walked away. It was when she got far enough away from the entrance, and felt alone, that Sunset put her face into her hands and began crying.
Applejack heard the pained sob from a distance, and the pit in her stomach became a full-blown feeling of pity. Yet a small part of her wanted to just leave her in her misery or to make her feel worse.
"How can I feel bad for someone who threatened my farm," Applejack thought to herself. Applejack saw that Sunset wasn't crying crocodile tears. People who were truly upset cried alone. With a sigh, Applejack got into her truck and drove away, gritting her teeth.
Sunset began hammering the stone column with as much passion as a depression patient had, with the big lamp as her only company. It wasn't her favorite part of her community service. Still, her supervisor, Mr. Mason, wanted it just done right. She was so invested in her work, she didn't notice footsteps on the grass.
"Hey," a voice uttered. Sunset turned, and saw Applejack, walking toward her with some red box. Applejack looked at her with some consternation.
"Hey," Sunset said, turning to face the girl completely. In the dim light, Sunset's face revealed she still hadn't managed to wash off the brown paint, with a lot of it coating her face. Applejack barely stopped herself from flinching.
"How...ya doin'?" Applejack asked in an awkward. Sunset just stared at her, stone-faced.
"Uh, I brought some pie," Applejack said after a moment of awkward silence, trying to put on a friendly smile.
"Just throw it already," Sunset said in a unhappy voice.
"What?"
"Throw the pie in my face," Sunset said with a drained tone. "Isn't that what your here for?"
"No," Applejack said, the awkwardness in her voice growing. "That's not why I am here."
"Then...what," Sunset said in another quiet voice.
"Well," Applejack said. "I'm curious."
"About?"
"Well," Applejack said, rubbing the back of her shoulder. "Did you get arrested and expelled?" A brief paused ensued.
"No," Sunset said after a few moments. "Twilight and the Principal worked out a deal. I will be working from 8 PM to 6 AM Monday through Friday for the next six weeks to pay off the damages."
"And school?" Applejack asked.
"Suspended for the next six weeks," Sunset said.
"I see," Applejack said. Another uncomfortable pause ensued.
"Well, if that's what you wanted to know," Sunset said timidly, and then went back to work.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Applejack bellowed. Sunset turned back toward Applejack, her sadden face looking a bit annoyed.
"That would....fill ten volumes," Sunset said. "Where...do you want me to start?" Applejack sighed and face-palmed.
"What I mean is, you always act mean, smug, and almighty," Applejack said. "Now you look like you lost your best friend."
"You know what happened," Sunset said sadly. "No need to bring up old news."
"All ah know we turned into some pony girls," Applejack said ,"and blasted you with some magic rainbow or somethin'." She let out a sigh. "But that doesn't explain why you are acting like your dog died." Sunset stared at her with confusion.
"Wait, you don't know what happened?" Sunset asked, her sad voice showing some incredulity.
"I can only know what I know," Applejack said simply. "Twilight said to give you a chance." Sunset's eyes watered for a moment. After a few blinks, Sunset regained her composure.
"Really?" Sunset said.
"Yeah," Applejack said reluctantly. "I'm trying to see if y'all are sad, or just faking it and looking for revenge."
"What do you think?" Sunset asked, looking down at her shoes.
"I think you might be upset," Applejack said. "If that's true, I want to find out why." Sunset looked down at her shoes again, closing her eyes.
"Alright, I'll tell you," Sunset reluctantly. "But not here, I have to work." She took out a piece of paper and pen, and jotted some name and address down. She walked over, and handed it over to Applejack with a trembling arm and quivering lip. "Does this work for you?" The farmer girl reluctantly took the note and read it.
"Sure," Applejack said. Sunset walked away, without saying another word.
"If this another prank," Applejack warned, "I'll kick you into next week!" Sunset kept walking back toward her work place, not even responding to Applejack's threat. With a sigh, Applejack returned to her car, thinking with trepidation about her..."friendly chat" with Sunset this afternoon.
"Never thought I would use those words in the same sentence," Applejack thought.
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...I want those guys to rot in hell...
See, it's things like this that make me wonder about how many brain cells people have. It's not like Sunset forgot all the dirt she had on people. So doing this kinda stuff when you think she hasn't changed is just begging for her to destroy you.
Lucky for all of these idiots she has.
Is this story in any way based off of The Long Road to Friendship?
Oh, yes Sunset, the teenage apple farmer from the world without magic will know all about the mystical artifact from your home dimension she wielded for all of ten seconds...
Interesting story so far, keep up the good work.
Yea, teenagers are monsters. Mind, Sunset was pretty horrible. But eye for an eye makes the world go blind. I'm not saying forgive her, but petty revenge only makes you as bad, if not worse than the person who hurt you.
I'm actually worried about what's going to happen when word gets out about where and when Sunset is every morning.
this is good sunset did a lot of cruel shit but i'm also worried about whats gonna happen when word gets out of where she is every morning and when she goes back to school its probably gonna go to shit.
Awesome story mate, keep it up.
9775279
Well, be careful what you wish for....
9775309
Well...
Living a life of blackmail and extortion is an inherently risky business. Because blackmail is both an illegal and expellable offense, the more people who you blackmail the more people who have it in for you, and blackmail material isn't useful if you have a poor reputation.
In the movie, the Death of Stalin, Beria has a ton of dirty material on everyone. But because he is an extremely loathsome person, it doesn't save him in the end from being executed because he's earned the hatred of so, so many people.
My guess is that Sunset got away with so much shit for so long because she played up the role of "nice girl" in front of the teachers to a hilt. But now, as Twilight said, her true colors have been exposed to everyone, and she's guilty of a massive destruction of public property. The only thing that saved her from expulsion/arrest for what she did was Twilight vouching for her.
Even if Sunset were inclined to blackmail, that would be cause for Celestia and Luna to expel her or some other students to beat her up. You don't take risks while everyone has it in for you, and blackmail is again something that can you trouble as well.
9775330
That was a good story, and I've read it. However, that wasn't my inspiration. Sunset isn't going to be under a curse that will force her to change. You'll find out why she became so broken in the next chapter.
The story that inspired this one can be found on the description.
9775374
Sunset assumed that Twilight knew what happened and that she told others what the Elements did to her. Also, she isn't exactly in the most glorious state of mind right now.
9775441
Unfortunately for Sunset, not everyone can be as nice and forgiving as the Princess of Friendship-and even she was reluctant to take Sunset's hand.
9775551
This is one of the reasons why she is working at night.
9775567
Thank you.
9776010
That is very true. But, there's a definite difference between forgiveness and petty revenge. I understand that they aren't privy to our knowledge of what's happened to Sunset, so they don't know she's genuinely remorseful for what she's done. That doesn't change the fact that by kicking her while she's down, and ganging up on her, they're showing that they're no better than she was. The moment you stoop to the level of a bully, you lose all rights to be angry at them for what they did to you, IMHO.
I'm not advocating blind trust, or forgiveness until she proves her good intentions, but lashing out like that doesn't do anything other than prove they're just as terrible as she was. She's already being punished for her actions. Just leave it at that and ignore her.
9776150
If everyone thought like you, the world will probably be a better place. Bullying the bully makes you a bully too.
Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting an evil. In fact, one often should not forget. Forgiveness means not perpetuating the injustice with an answering hate. It means being better than one's enemy.
Applejack asked, not Sunset.
Helpless. Vulnerable. Defenceless. Powerless.
Grammar, my guy.