It wasn't on purpose, I promise!

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I hated going right home after school. Our place was usually empty since Mom worked late and when she got home I usually get harassed about getting my homework done. It seems the woman does not understand the need for some downtime, or that I do my homework late into the night.

Before you ask, yes, I would sleep through my morning classes. Totally not my fault, they shouldn’t be that early.

Being in high school meant that I was able to have somewhat of an afternoon once the bell rang so instead of heading back to our house, I’d take a few minutes to stroll through the local park and detox from all the stress and drama that seems to infect teenagers. It was a nice way to cool down after a long day and allow me some free time to simply be alone. A couple of my buddies would try to hit me up for some after-school shenanigans but I preferred having my half-hour of solitude. That, and my best friend got busted for heroin for doing stupid crap after school, so I was trying to distance myself.

About halfway through my walk I felt my phone vibrate for a moment and when I pulled it out to take a look, the words “Grab a Gift!” were flashing across the screen. I froze as I remembered my Mom’s birthday was in three days and I still hadn’t bought a gift. She’d be home in an hour! If I didn’t get something before she came home, I’d be caught!

I glanced at my phone’s clock. I was only a few minutes away from the local bookstore and I knew she’d been wanting a nice journal for a while. If I hustled, maybe I could get over there and back home before she got back from work.

I burst through the door with such a crash that the clerk manning the front desk stared at me like I was a wild animal. Combining my entrance with the fact that my chest was heaving made for an altogether rather unsavory appearance, and I was more than willing to bet she was considering calling the cops on me. Not that I cared, streaking towards the journal/diary section as fast as my legs could take me. As I dashed around the corner the first thing I saw was a stranger in a leather jacket standing right at the edge of the lane and I tried to swerve out of the way just in time to avoid a direct collision.

Unfortunately, I’m not perfect, and slipped and fell and collided with the stranger’s knees, bringing both of us to the ground in such a crashing heap that we knocked a couple of books off the shelf. Don’t ask if it hurt, you already know the answer.

“Oh jeez, I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that, I promise,” I gabbled, getting back to my feet and offering the stranger a hand up and then stopping. It was a girl, and a very pretty one at that. Crimson-and-yellow hair that went down past her shoulders and bright cyan eyes took me back for a moment and I immediately wanted to turn this into an opportunity.

And that was when I was noticed this chick was glaring f*cking daggers and possessed a scowl so tight that one could genuinely hear her teeth grinding. Desiring to live a little longer, I immediately backed out of range.

“What was that for?” she asked, by now positively snarling at me. “Is there something wrong with you or are you just plain stupid?”

“I swear, I did not mean to run into such a pretty thing like you- I mean I didn’t meant to hurt you- aw, Hell!” I stammered, fumbling sentences together that were, to my dread, causing this girl to become even more enraged.

“Excuse me? I didn’t ask for your opinions on my looks, pencil-neck,” she spat. “How dare you even try to touch me?”

“Oh come on, I promise it wasn’t on purpose,” I replied, trying to smooth it over as best I could. “Look, I said I was sorry, what more do you want? A written apology, money, a date? Wait, not that last one-!”

She grabbed hold of my collar and brought me within an inch of her face and I now had full view of her eyes, which had transformed from their clear cyan to what could be described as nothing short of fiery pools from Hell. “Listen, you pathetic piece of slime, if you ever come near me again, I will ruin you, is that clear?” She let go of my collar and shoved me hard as she could and I slammed into the bookcase, distributing its contents across the floor even more thoroughly.

I got back to my feet and winced as I felt where the bookshelf had dug into my back, and I felt my blood begin to boil. I whipped out of the aisle and saw the girl slinking away towards the entrance with her head high and I called out, “Yeah, well screw you, you psychotic hag! Next time we meet I’ll beat the crap out of you!”

“Sir, this is a public store!” said the clerk reprovingly, staring at me angrily. “If you do not control your outbursts I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

I countered her glare with a growl and stalked back to the aisle, grabbed a nice-looking journal and –just as I was about to head to pay, I paused and found myself wondering what that crazy chick had been looking at. I glanced over at the books behind me and picked up a book whose cover read, Dark Magic from Ancient Times: Alchemy and sorcery of the Middle Ages.

Great. Either I had just run into an actual witch or she was just a complete geek. Didn’t matter, as she was more hostile than a pissed-off alligator. I went to the checkout and paid for the gift, carefully wrapping it in my coat and heading out, noticing a sigh of relief emanating from the clerk as I departed.

As I ran down the street back towards home, I could hear sirens in the distance, and I felt my body stiffen. I ignored the reaction and just kept on going, but found myself focusing on the fact that the noise was getting closer and closer. When the patrol vehicle rounded the turn behind me with its lights on was enough to get me nervous, but I reasoned that they couldn’t be after me. I hadn’t done anything wrong.

And then the car pulled over just a few feet in front of me and out came a rather bony-looking cop, his sights directly locked onto me. “Can you come here for a second?” he asked of me.

I hesitated, feeling my instincts urging me to run. Something wasn’t right with this whole setup and I knew it. “What do you need, Officer?” replied, doing my best to keep my distance.

Didn’t work. The cop came closer to me and said, “I just need you to come here. Don’t try running off now, y’hear?”

Feeling more and more apprehensive, I came up to him, my heart pounding away inside my chest. “I promise I wasn’t doing anything,” I said.

“Is there anything on you that you shouldn’t have?” he inquired.

“What? No, all I got is this book I bought for my Mom, I’ve got the receipt!” I said angrily, flashing the receipt in his face. “Can I go now?”

The officer looked down on me with a look of disappointment. “Alright, I’m going to need you to stand still for a moment, just needing to perform a pat-down-”

“The heck, man? No, get off of me!” I said, jumping away… and hearing a soft Plop! as a small book fell out of the back pocket of my jacket. The two of us stared at the limp object for a moment, with me wondering if I had fallen into an unknown circle of Hell. “I swear I didn’t know that was in there,” I said feebly. It was a poor explanation. In seconds I was cuffed and standing next to the car while the cop examined the mystery book. To my horror, he opened the front cover and out fell several crumpled bills. I gave a groan and my head fell onto the trunk of the vehicle. “I am so screwed,” I moaned. “F*ck.”

The doors to the cell swung open as the corrections officer beckoned me out, a look of disdain on his face. “Come on, kid, your mother’s here to pick you up.”

As I came into the hallway I looked down to the main office and saw my mother, a somewhat heavyset woman still wearing her uniform, staring at me with an expression that seemed to be a mixture of anger and disappointment. I felt guilt squirm through me and I hoped I’d have an explanation for this one, one that would keep her and the cops happy.

The officer walking alongside pushed me down into a chair, my hands knocking against the back and being rattled by the cuffs I bore. I twitched them instinctively and felt the metal dig into my wrists rather painfully. They’d put them rather tight this time round.

“OK, ma’am, here’s the story,” the officer began slowly. “We received an anonymous call that your child was causing a disturbance at the local bookstore and that some items had been stolen. When your child was apprehended a few blocks away, we found a book containing about a hundred and fifty dollars. There has been no suitable explanation for the discovery of these objects, so we had to come here.”

“I understand, officer, and I promise,” she added with a forceful look at me, “this sort of thing will never happen again.”

“I swear I didn’t steal anything,” I protested. “I was in there to grab one item –which I paid for- and then leave. I accidentally ran into someone when I was in there and she tried to start a fight with me. That’s all that happened.”

“Don’t lie to a police officer!” my Mom added reprovingly. “You know better than that!”

“That’s the explanation we were given, ma’am, so we requested security footage from the bookstore to check,” the officer countered. “Our guys down the hall should be finishing up sorting through the footage in just a bit and we’ll be able to know if it’s true or not.”

A few minutes filled with awkward silences and I wringing my hands passed by until another officer stuck his head in and nodded. “Security footage corroborates the alibi, take a look,” he said.

All four of us peered over as the newest cop popped the file into the nearby computer and played it for us, the footage starting right as I enter the store at top speed. The video showed everything, from my crashing into that young girl to her grabbing hold me. What I hadn’t noticed during all of it, though, was when she had pushed me back into the bookshelf, she had very subtly slipped her hand into the pocket of my jacket. The rest of the footage played, showing me paying for my things and then leaving.

I felt my heart begin to beat normally again and my Mother gave a sigh of relief. “Do you know who she was?” she inquired of me.

I shook my head. “Not a clue,” I answered. “She was real mad at me though, that’s for sure.”

“We watched through the footage of when she entered as well, and we couldn’t find any evidence of monetary theft from inside the bookstore itself, so we have no idea where the $150 came from,” the footage officer stated. “It seems that your son just got on the wrong side of someone and they wanted to pull a particularly mean prank.”

“So… does that mean I’m free to go?” I asked, sitting on the tip of my chair.

“You’re free to go,” the officer guarding me answered. “Let me get those cuffs off you and the two of you are free to leave.”

I flashed a smile at my mother who, for some reason, still seemed to be rather upset about something. As soon as my handcuffs were taken off I was in a hurry to escape, practically pushing my mother out the door to the car and away from the station. If she hadn’t reminded me to go and get my things I would’ve left her birthday present behind.

The two of us sat in silence as we drove back to our house, she being rather stony and I being too tired from the day to have much willingness to speak. For having gone to the bookstore to try and benefit my Mom, I sure had given her a disservice. I expected her to be angry with me for something- the arrest, having been hit by such a stupid prank, making her go up to the police station, or all of them combined, but she remained completely silent. I was willing to bet she was waiting till we got home to explode on me.

I didn’t have to wait long. Practically the moment she pulled up to our beat-up old house and walked in, she put her hands on her hips and stared at me with an animalistic rage. “Well?” she asked.

I looked back at her, depositing my things on the counter. “Well what?” I fired back, doing my best to keep my voice even.

“Do you have any explanation? Anything you’d like to say?”

“Jeez, Mom, I already told you everything back in the jailhouse!” I replied, feeling stung. “Do you seriously not believe that I was framed? I’m your kid!”

“I believe that’s not the first time I’ve had to relieve the police of you,” she said warningly. “Do you think I’m stupid for doubting you a little?”

I gave a growl. “Fine, you’ve got a point, but I still didn’t do anything! That psycho I ran into is the one who got me into trouble. I’ll be she called the fuzz on me, too.”

“Do you know where the money came from?” she asked me.

“Mom, no! Hell’s bells, I promised I’d stay out of trouble, didn’t I?” I replied angrily.

She stared at me in silence, looking me right in the eyes. I met her gaze just as firmly, feeling her bore into me. After a few seconds she gave a sigh and relax, having somehow been satisfied. “Why were you even in there?”

“Uh… happy birthday?” I replied, bringing out the journal I had bought for her, a nervous smile playing across my lips.

She frowned at me. “You’re trying to soften me up, aren’t you?”

“Not the worst thing I’ve done.”

She finally loosened up and laughed a little, taking the journal from my hands. “Go back and get your laundry, I’m going to wash a load.”

I went down the hall to gather my clothes from my room- or, to be more accurate, the room’s floor. My last bit of punishment had reduced my roaming space to my room so I had done little cleaning lately. I had just finished picking everything up and throwing it all into the basket when I heard Mom yell down the hall, “Come here, quick! Rápidamente!”

“What?! I’ve got the laundry!” I screamed back.

“No, it’s not the clothes, it’s- just get in here!” Totally mystified, I went back into the kitchen to find her poring over the mail with a letter already in hand, staring at me with such a smile on her face that I was wondering if she had gone mad.

“Well?”

“You got a letter, mira!” she said excitedly, thrusting the paper into my face. I took it and immediately saw the seal of a local high school that I’d heard in passing: Canterlot High.

“Congratulations… you have been selected for the Metro Urban Renewal Program Scholarship… welcome to Canterlot High School…” I read aloud. I was extremely confused.

“Isn’t that great?” Mom asked? “Since semester just started, you can transfer from San Marino and start right away!”

“Canterlot High… Isn’t this that prep school on the East End?” I asked. “Come to think of it, how’d I even get this scholarship- Holy crap, I can barely say it right!”

“It’s not the kind of scholarship you can apply for, the school board randomly selects students across the district. Either you qualify or you don’t!” Mom answered, positively gleeful.

I shrugged. “Yeah, well, whatever. I wasn’t gonna go, anyway, so just throw it away.”

Her face fell almost instantly. “What?”

“Mom, why would I leave San Marino? I know everyone there!” I said with a faint laugh. “Come on, the place may be a hellhole but it’s still school.” I turned to leave and felt her hand grab my wrist and pull me back. “Whoa what the Hell- Mom!”

“You’re going to Canterlot High, do you understand me?” she demanded, her smile now replaced by a glower. “It’s the best school in the city and you’ll get a good education there. Besides, you’ve done nothing but get into trouble at San Marino.”

“So? Not like we’ve done anything real bad,” I countered lightly.

A little too lightly. I felt her grip tighten and she practically yelled, “You owe me! You and your friends have done nothing good for the past three years and I’m not going to let you keep getting into trouble! You’re almost an adult, what’s going to happen if you get arrested by the police again? I won’t be able to help you anymore!”

She was nearly crying, tears massing in her eyes. It took me back as I realized how much this meant to her. And she was right, I did owe her a lot. I’d given her my word to stay out of trouble and that was a hard thing to do at San Marino. As much as I didn’t want to, I knew what I had to say. “Fine,” I said with a sigh. “I’ll go.”

The next morning brought me in front of a school building I’d only seen once, when San Marino played an away football game here about a year ago. I looked around at the students who called this place their high school- pathetic losers the lot of them. All of them looked like they had pretty cushy lives and a fair few of them looked rather well-to-do. I could see a few were eying me with strange looks, one or two with disgust. I gave them a scowl and moved on, trying to ignore the complete clash of styles in clothing I had with them.

I felt someone put a quick hand on my shoulder and I turned around to see a rather pretty dark-haired girl staring at me, an awkward smile on her face. Suddenly, I decided this place might not be so bad. “Hi, you’re the new student, right? The transfer?” she asked.

“That’s me, Lolita,” I replied with a grin. “And you are..?”

She didn’t catch it. “My name’s Octavia, actually,” she replied. “I’m your student liaison for the day, I’m here to help you get used to your new school. Welcome to Canterlot High.”

Oh, this will be fun, I thought delightedly. That accent she’s got, cripes… “Well, I’ve got Chemistry as my first class, can you help me?”

“Sure, it’s just this way,” she said, pulling me through the crowd. Things were already becoming rather entertaining. “So you just transferred right at the start of term,” she began, “are you from around here? Which school was yours?”

“Yeah, I’m from here,” I answered, looking around at the throng of new faces, feeling more and more out of place as I saw the obvious cushiness of the place. “I went to San Marino for three years.”

“Oh, you’re from San Marino?” she asked, apparently intrigued. “How’d you end up coming here to Canterlot High?”

“I won a student scholarship here,” I bluffed. “Apparently y’all are pretty good so they wanted me here to check me out.”

“Really? I hope you have a good time here, then,” she replied.

A commotion further down the hall came in the sound of a roar more commonly found in the plains of Africa and I immediately felt the throng of students pressing against me in an effort to escape whatever was causing the ruckus. “What in blazes is going on?” I asked.

Octavia stood on her tiptoes (I suddenly realized she was wearing a rather short skirt) and peered over the crowd with a look of horror. “It’s- it’s nothing, but you should get to class.”

“Right, it’s nothing,” I said dryly. “Come on, it can’t be that bad, what’s up?”

“No, just go, go!” she said warningly, a panicked look on her face. “Please will you listen to me and go?”

“Why, what’s the big-”

I didn’t get a chance to finish. The crowd began to disperse and then I saw the immediate problem: the same leather jacket, same crimson and yellow hair, same beautiful eyes, and same furious expression. It was the girl from the bookstore. Her gaze was sweeping through the crowd, looking for someone. Instead, she had found me. “You!” she snarled, looking incensed.

Aw, Hell, I thought.

But we kept Running into Each Other

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The students crowded around me turned to stare at me as if I was some vile phantasm from a horror story. As the crimson-haired girl came stomping towards me they parted like the Red Sea, desperate to avoid the conflict brewing before them.

“I thought,” She said viciously, “I told you to keep away from me or else!”

“Oh come on, how was I supposed to know you go here?” I asked, thoroughly exasperated by what was starting to unfold. “Our last conversation wasn’t exactly a very prolonged one!”

She came to a halt right before me, her blazing gaze boring straight into mine. All around me students were doing their best to avoid being anywhere near her. Even Octavia had disappeared, running off somewhere and leaving me to fend for myself. I finally came to realize that, seeing as this girl seemed disinclined to leave, there was no easy way out of this: I was in, for all intents and purposes, a war of intimidation, whether I wanted it or not.

“What’s the matter, got nothing to say?” she said tauntingly. “That worthless tongue of yours get cut out?”

“Nah, still there,” I replied, “just having trouble deciding whether or not you’re even worth talking to. After all, who wants to talk to a whore?”

That got her attention, if anything. Her phoenix-colored hair gave the impression she was on fire and she was practically boiling with anger already. “Excuse me?” she said, her voice becoming velvety soft in her fury.

“Oh, you didn’t hear that? Huh, you must be one of those deaf whores,” I remarked. “I’ll bet your customers wish they were deaf when they hear that voice of yours.”

She looked about ready to pop and I fired a grin at her. This was just getting started and I was having fun already. I could see her looking me over for something she could attack. She settled on my clothing. “At least I have money, you look like you go dumpster diving for your next pair of pants,” she said scathingly.

“That’s your best zinger?” I asked with a laugh. “Holy Hell, I’ve heard better comebacks from the dead.”

“Keep talking and you WILL be dead,” she said forcefully, pushing ever closer.

“Ooh yes, I’m so scared of your little spells you got from a book at Quill & Ink,” I countered. “Guess I shouldn’t expect much from a girl whose hair looks like a half-cooked pack of bacon.”

She was seething by now but seemed to have gained a little more control, as evidenced by her next words. “Least I’m not a convicted felon. How was that trip to the slammer, by the way? See your Dad in there?”

I took a step back and she gave a sneer, knowing she’d just made her mark. “Aw, did I hurt your little feelings?” she asked derisively, looking up at me with big eyes. “What’s the matter, did Daddy leave when he saw you were a pussy?”

It was my turn to get angry. I felt my head pulsing and I was having trouble seeing straight but I forced myself to look right at her. “Shut up you effin’ psycho or I’ll punch you so hard you’ll be feeling it for the next twenty years.”

“Is that how long you’ll get if you get arrested again? I almost think it’s worth getting punched if I can rid us normal people of your presence.”

“Normal? You read on the occult and you call yourself normal? Keep talking and I will effing kill you.”

“Whatever it takes to be rid of you,” she said, stepping back with a satisfied smirk. “Now please get out of my face, your breath is almost as toxic as your presence.” She turned on her heels and began walking away with an air of superiority so infuriating I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.

“You ever run into me again,” I roared, “And I will send you straight to Hell. You hear me, bitch?”

She paused to glance over her shoulder at me and gave, yet again, another satisfied smirk. “I hear you,” she said sweetly. “And so did she.”

“She?” I asked, thoroughly nonplussed. “What are you talking about?”

“I believe she’s referring to me,” said a new voice, a voice far deeper and softer than I’d hoped. I gave a sigh and turned around to see none another than one of the staff staring down at me disapprovingly, arms crossed. “Do you have anything to say?” she asked of me.

“F*ck, Mom’s gonna kill me,” I said.

“Not the words I was hoping for,” she replied smoothly. “To my office, if you please.”

I soon found myself in the principal’s office, waiting anxiously as Principal Celestia examined my file she had grabbed from a nearby cabinet. My heart began to beat a little faster when I saw that the file was rather bulky and appeared to contain a couple mugshots of mine from a year or so ago. She hadn’t said a word since we had arrived, simply leafing through my records and taking notes on a nearby clipboard.

I twisted the side of my jacket with my fingers, sweat starting to soak my fingers. This rainbow-haired woman could ruin my life with a single phonecall and, without even knowing it, break my Mother’s heart. With so much riding on this meeting I was nervous beyond anything I had ever experienced before.

“It seems you’ve been in the principal’s office more than once,” she finally remarked, looking over what seemed to be a copy of my transcript. “Do you use it as a means of getting out of class or do you genuinely like causing trouble?” After a few moments of silence she glanced over the paper at me. “That’s a genuine question. I’m not going to hurt you, so please answer.”

“I- I don’t know,” I answered shakily, tugging self-consciously at the zipper on my jacket.

“Are you certain?” she asked. “Either way, it seems trouble certainly finds you. Two arrests, multiple academic infractions, accused of initiating gangfights, two months of community service and a 30-day sentence to a juvenile detention center. Do you want to tell me why?”

I hesitated before answering lowly, “I got caught selling drugs. And I was accused of assault.”

“I see.” She set down my file and looked straight at me, her serene expression the polar opposite of my terrified one. “Do you know why you are here at Canterlot High?”

“I was awarded a scholarship,” I answered.

“And do you know what happens if you violate the terms of that scholarship, such as being arrested for threats of bodily harm?” she inquired, and I shook my head. “No? You will lose your scholarship, be expelled from this school, and you will make your Mother rather unhappy, in that order.”

I froze. She couldn’t possibly know that. It must have been a coincidence that she said that, it had to be. All the same, it was enough to get my attention. “Am… am I going to be expelled?” I asked, my mouth as dry as sandpaper.

She stared at me for a little while longer and declared, “I don’t believe so. Our student Sunset Shimmer has been known to bring out some lesser natures in her fellow students, so you’ll be granted a reprieve.”

I sighed with relief and sank so deeply into my chair I gave the impression of having melted. “That does not mean, however, you are off the hook,” she added warningly. “You will begin your semester on academic probation and your behavior will be monitored during your time here. Do you understand?”

It wasn’t a pleasant thing to hear, but after lucking out I was willing to accept it. “I understand,” I murmured.

She looked down at me with a sympathetic smile. “You will also be given every access to whatever aid you require, whether it be tutoring or private sessions with your teachers. As a member of the Canterlot High student body, you will be allowed to utilize whatever tools you require to succeed. Just give me one thing in return.”

“What do you need?” I asked.

“Simply that you will stay out of trouble,” she answered. “You’re not the first hard case I’ve had, and I’ve seen many of them go on to succeed both academically and morally, and I would like to see you do the same, but that requires you to work for it. If you break the rules or threaten harm against my students again, I will be forced to handle the situation. Do you agree to my terms?”

“You’ve got a deal,” I said with a grin. “And thank you for not calling the cops.”

“You’re very welcome,” she replied warmly. “Now your first class started about thirty minutes ago, so I suggest you hurry up and get to it. Off you go.”

I didn’t say a word the rest of the morning but I found myself subject to a fair amount of stares from the other students. I wasn’t too surprised by the attention I got in my first class -after all, I came in really late- but when people were still gawking at me when I entered the cafeteria it began to get on my nerves. I knew my clothes weren’t exactly high style, but come on, they weren’t that bad.

“I heard the new kid got into a fight with Sunset Shimmer before class even started,” a girl whispered to her friend, her eyes darting between me and her posse as I passed by.

“Sunset Shimmer? The Sunset Shimmer? New kid’s gonna get creamed for sure!” murmured another student.

The remarks kept coming. “I could hear them all the way down the corridor-”

“–They went on for ages-”

“I heard her say someone got arrested!”

“-threatened to kill her- think it’ll happen?”

“She’d go for the kill first, she always has.”

So that was what the commotion was all about. I took a seat at an empty table, realizing far too late that in my hurry to leave this morning I forgot a lunch. Since I couldn’t afford to buy a lunch and the only way I could get some money was to steal it, I had no choice but to sit there and let my stomach growl. Seeing as the cafeteria lunch seemed far better than the fare I was used to, it was a rather unpleasant situation.

I heard movement next to me and I saw a familiar short skirt sitting down next to me, a hot lunch on a tray. “I thought you looked a little hungry,” she said plainly.

I immediately grabbed hold of it and took a bite, savoring the sweet deliciousness that lay before me. This act of kindness, combined with her sultry accent, was starting to make this girl devastatingly attractive. “Thank you so much,” I said through a mouthful of food.

She smiled, but said nothing, as it seemed something more important was on her mind. “So the whole school’s talking about your little spat with Canterlot High’s leading lady,” she remarked politely.

“In passing,” I replied. “All of you like this? This- gossipy? They’d get themselves killed back at my old school.”

“They’re talking because they think you’re playing the fool,” she replied. “You’re new here so I’ll warn you- Sunset Shimmer’s not a friendly person. Ever since she came here three years ago she’s been a nightmare for every student here. They’re all afraid of her.”

“So what’s the big deal about me fighting back, then?” I countered. “You’d think they’d be hailing me as some sort of hero.”

“You threatened to kill her,” she answered harshly. “These are good people and they may hate Sunset but keep talking like that and they’ll consider you to be just like her.”

“Just like her?” I spluttered, accidentally spewing chicken onto the table. “She’s some crazy witch who hates my guts because of an accident! Stupid whore needs a good ironing out.”

“All the same, I’d be careful of what you say and do,” Octavia warned. “Sunset Shimmer’s probably going to be trying to get at you for the next couple days, so watch out.”

“Whatever, forget that psycho hosebeast,” I said dismissively. “She’s nuts. What about you? What’re you here for?”

“Here, at this table? Or here at school?” she asked curiously, her head cocked to the side causing strands of her hair to fall across her face.

This girl- holy Hell, I thought to myself. “Whichever you prefer to answer,” I replied pleasantly.

“Well I’m here at this table to help try and save your neck, at the moment,” she answered. “I’m here at school because I love music and want to be a professional cellist.”

“Wow, you must be pretty talented, then,” I remarked.

“I certainly think so,” she replied. “If you’ll excuse me, I see some friends of mine and I’d like to go and say hello. See you around, perhaps?”

“Or this Friday night, if you’re game,” I offered with a sly grin. “I’d certainly like to know if I get to see your fine self again.”

“Already taken,” she responded instantly, swerving past me with a brutal simplicity. She began walking away, paused, and turned around to add, “Oh, and you’d be best served by not staring at all the girls’ skirts. They’ll think you’re a pervert.”

She disappeared into the crowd and left me there at the table trying to salvage what I could from what had already been a long and trying day. I eventually just gave up and groaned aloud, taking another stab at my chicken breast. “This day can go to Hell,” I muttered. “And so can Sunset Shimmer.”

The remainder of the week passed by, for the most part, as a rather dull blur of flitting from one class to the next, my schedule beginning to appear more and more intimidating as the week went on. Canterlot High was showing every shred of proof it had that it was the best school in the city and was hammering me with it across the skull. Compared to the rest of the people around me I felt like a big fat idiot and I always dreaded the teachers calling on me.

True to my word with Principal Celestia, I managed to keep myself out of trouble, though many of the students pushed my patience to the limit. A particularly dull-witted duo of younger students known as Snips and Snails spilled hot soapwater all over me when they were helping the cafeteria staff clean up the kitchen. They didn’t watch what they were doing and somehow caused the sink to spew water across the entire floor and almost halfway up my pants. To say that it was painful is an understatement as it felt someone had just assaulted me with hot lava.

“Oh jeez, I’m really sorry, are you alright?” Snails asked apprehensively when he saw that I had suds well above my knee. “We didn’t mean for that to happen, honest!”

“Yeah, honest!” Snips added.

“We were just trying to help Granny Smith clean up and we saw that there were leftover apple turnovers and we started thinking about how hungry we were and- aw, what did we do!?” Snails moaned.

He could barely keep himself from talking, darting between ground zero and the splash zone where I had unluckily found myself. I, on the other hand, could barely string a syllable together for fear of verbally assaulting him with a volley of curses. I eventually fled to the nearest bathroom where I was able to scream myself out in peace.

But through that whole week I kept finding myself thinking over Octavia’s warning about Sunset Shimmer, who had been remarkably subdued towards me ever since our altercation upon my arrival. I’d been waiting for her to make a move. It wasn’t until the end of school on Friday that she did, waiting until the bell had rung to ensure an audience. I was rushing back to my locker to grab a paper that was due -I’d accidentally left it there and Miss Cheerilee had offered to let me go and grab it- when I saw that mane of half-cooked bacon hair walking a ways ahead of me. I immediately slowed my pace so as not to catch up with her, watching as she silently slithered her way through the crowd. For once, she wasn’t bullying someone.

I reached my locker and began fumbling with the lock, punching in the code to unlock it. Instead of the door opening, however, I pulled and was greeted with immediate restraint: it was stuck. “Stupid piece of junk!” I snarled, slamming it again for good measure. “I know that’s the code so why - (slam) - won’t – (slam) - you – (slam) - WORK?!”

Either the lock gave way to my frustrations or it had simply been jammed, as the door finally swung open- and I was instantly greeted with a foul-smelling deluge of garbage that exploded from my locker, splattering me from head to chest. People all around me backed away in an effort to avoid me and the stench, many of them realizing –just as I had- that Sunset Shimmer had probably caused this. I could hear students all around me laughing as I stripped a rotten banana peel from my head, my blood absolutely boiling.

“Why, you smell almost as bad as your attitude does!” I heard her say, that sarcastic tone of voice belonging to only one person. “Maybe next time you’ll think twice about getting angry with your superiors.”

I slammed my locker door so violently that one of the latches snapped. I could feel the locker handle beginning to warp in my grip and something right behind my eyes was causing my entire body to shake with fury. I heard the students laughing start to quiet down and even take a step or two back, the crowd preparing themselves for another showdown.

I felt a presence hover over my shoulders and Sunset began to whisper into my ear. “Do you hear me, trash? If you ever stand up to me again I will get you sent straight to prison. This is my school and I can talk to anyone however I want, understand?”

My chest was heaving as each breath was filled with complete wrath towards this girl. I’d had rivalries before but never so dearly had I hated another person in my life. I was about to wheel around and deliver a bone-breaking punch to her nose when Principal Celestia’s reminder crept back to the forefront of the mind: expulsion, prison, crushing Mom’s hopes. I would be playing right into her hands if I attacked her and she knew it. I forced myself to remain stationary until everyone watching had left. When I felt that it was safe, I unleashed a string of curses so abhorrent that I was surprised the Earth didn’t open up and swallow my depravity forever. “I’m never gonna be able to do this,” I whispered.

I decided to go to the bathroom and get myself somewhat cleaned off before I slinked back home. However, when I turned around, there stood a blonde girl wearing a Stetson with a damp towel in her outstretched hand. “Ah figured you may be wanting one,” she explained.

I stood there in silence, my eyes darting between her and the towel. I didn’t know what to do. Was it a joke? Some prank of sorts?

“Well, you gonna get yerself cleaned off or what?” she asked with a smile. “Ah doubt you wanna wear all that garbage forever.”

I took the towel and wiped my face and arms off, deciding I could worry about my shirt when I got home. “Thanks,” I grumbled through the cloth, dabbing at a ketchup stain that had taken root in my ear.

“Don’t mention it, happy to help,” she replied, bending down to sweep up the garbage I was shaking off.

“What are you doing?” I asked, feeling even more confused than before.

“Well someone’s gotta clean it up,” she responded cheerfully, shaking the contents of her dustpan into a nearby garbage bag. “Come on, help me take this out back.”

I followed her compliantly, the last bits of trash in my hands. I felt thoroughly perplexed by this girl. A country gal, if I had to guess. I remembered seeing her help Granny Smith occasionally in the kitchen but had never talked to her.

“Why are you helping me out?” I asked her finally. “Aren’t you afraid of Sunset Shimmer?”

“Aw, that gal will be mean no matter what any of us does,” she replied dismissively. “Ah can’t let her rudeness get the best of me.”

“But why even help me out? Come on, you and I don’t know each other at all.”

“So?” she countered pleasantly. “That ain’t no reason to let you sit there covered in gunk.”

“’So?’” I had no means of arguing with that. Her argument was so stunningly simple it couldn’t be fought against. “I- I don’t get it,” I said plainly.

She gave an exasperated sigh and shook her head, smiling at me with a sympathetic look in her eye. “Well, we Apples have always helped folks whenever they needed and ah couldn’t just let you stand there. What are friends for, after all?”

I was more confused than ever, her simple ways confounding my hardlined way of thought. I didn’t quite know what to make of her. She wasn’t asking for a kickback, a reward, nothing. She had done this to help me out and that was that. Her lack of duplicity astonished me.

“Uh, right,” I managed lamely. “So… what’s your name, anyway?”

“Ah’m Applejack,” she said with an outstretched hand. “Me and mah brother, Big Mac, and mah little sister, Apple Bloom, all go here. If you ever need anything you just ask one of us, y’hear?”

“Sure. And thanks again,” I said, taking her outstretched hand and shaking it. As I walked away, trying not to dab at a grease spot on my chest, I realized that something rather extraordinary had occurred. I had just, whether intentionally or not, made my first friend here at Canterlot High.

Maybe this place isn’t so bad after all, I thought mildly, walking out into the sun and back home.

And then I ran back in, remembering I still hadn't delivered my paper.

Even if we weren’t perfect

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“Mom, where’s my History textbook?” I called over my shoulder, having just sorted through the entire pile of textbooks for the third time. “It’s got all my notes for the exam tucked inside it!”

“I haven’t seen it, no lo sé,” was the rather weary response.

“Come on, I didn’t grab it and throw it away somewhere, what’d you do with it? I don’t care if you spilled something on it,” I replied, taking the hulking pile of books and throwing them onto the bed.

“Te dije que no lo tengo, no te enfades conmigo!” she snapped, sounding far more angry than her usually patient self.

I gave an irritated groan and yelled, “Mom, for the last time, I don’t speak Spanish or understand a word of what you just said! English! Where is my book?!”

“I DON’T HAVE IT!” she screeched, finally losing her temper with me. “Get in here. NOW!” she added after I hesitated for a few moments.

I stomped towards the kitchen where she sat in a chair, dressed in her typical uniform and staring at me with disdain. “Well?” I asked testily.

“Drop that tone right now,” she said, rising to face me. “I am your mother and I will not be spoken to like that, do you understand me?”

“Jeez, so I got a little mad, what’s the big deal?” I replied huffily. “I could do worse.”

“And you never have thought that the reason you have done worse is because maybe you can’t even practice simple manners?” she asked. “Now shut up before I get so mad I ground you for a week!” She sank back into her chair and wiped her forehead with a corner of her apron, looking more anxious than usual. I realized something was up and that I may have triggered her anger, but I definitely wasn’t the source.

“Something up?” I asked. “You usually ain’t this mad.”

“You just made me angry, that’s all,” she replied distractedly.

“Mom, come on, I’m not a little kid anymore. What’s wrong?”

She gave a sigh and buried her face in her hands. “The Roberts dropped from the client list yesterday,” she said. “As did the Coopers and the Roses.”

I visibly winced, knowing how important these three clients had been to our survival. All three of the families were among the super-rich in the city, right there underneath Jet Set, Upper Crust and a few others I didn’t know. The Roberts had been one of our first clients when Mom had started working and they’d always tipped her rather well. Now that all that money was gone…

“We’ll find other folks,” I said bracingly. “There’s got to be others who need good maid service. Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna at school are both stupid loaded, maybe you can ask them. Do you need me to do anything?”

“No, no, you just concentrate on doing well in school,” she said firmly. “You need to do well this last year so you can get to college and get a good education. I don’t want you having a job like this the rest of your life.”

I felt my insides squirm as I knew I already wasn’t living up to her expectations. I was desperate to find my history textbook for good reason and my English class was going just as poorly. I had a decent Math grade carrying me right now but if I didn’t pick things up soon I’d be handing in a frightening report card.

Mom smiled at me and got to her feet, heaving her purse over her shoulder with a lingering sigh. “How about we go eat at Sugarcube Corner after school? My treat,” she offered.

I knew I couldn’t refuse, though I knew full well we shouldn’t be spending any extra until we filled the void left by three dropped clients. “Sure, see you there,” I said through a fake smile.

The fake smile lasted until second period, when Miss Cheerilee began distributing our latest exam scores. “Now, it looks like most of you did relatively well, a good mix of A’s and B’s,” she remarked, “but a few of you could use some extra work. Let’s go over the questions that were most commonly incorrect and review, shall we?”

I sat there and stared down at my paper, too anxious to flip it over and see my grade. Come on, Yahtzee, baby, Yahtzee, I thought desperately. Gritting my teeth, I flipped over the page to see a fat shiny ‘D’ inked in on the corner page. I was crushed. The third bad English grade in a row and no end in sight. I saw Scott Green leaning over and trying to sneak a look at my paper out of the corner of my eye. I immediately stuffed the paper into my bag and flipped him off, hoping Miss Cheerilee wasn’t looking my way.

After the class was done, I waited for everyone else to leave so I could speak to Miss Cheerilee privately. When she noticed I was still standing there, she promptly took a seat and waited for me expectantly.

“Umm, about this grade,” I said offhandedly, fluttering the paper. “Is there ANY way I could boost this thing? A couple bonus points possible?”

She gave me her signature “Teaching Smile” and said, “I’m sorry, but I gave the grade your exam earned. There’s no way for you to increase it.”

“Nothing? Teach, we’re almost into October!” I said desperately. “You know I need to start getting this together, I’m doing the best I can!”

“Hmm… have you been asking me or any of the faculty for tutoring?” she inquired. When I remained silent, she continued and said, “You aren’t using your full abilities and aids quite yet, so there’s no need to panic. You may have a block about English but I assure you I’m more than happy to help you. But only if you ask.”

I glowered. She didn’t know it but back at San Marino, anyone who ever asked for help would usually get mugged. Asking for help, whether financial, academic or whatever was a sign of weakness and we’d always pounced on things like that. What I was being asked to do was impossible.

“Is there anything else I can help you with?” she asked, still looking at me with that expectant smile, almost as if she knew there was more on my mind.

Mom’s worries crossed my mind for a moment and I opened my mouth to speak, only to shut it just as quickly. “No, I ain’t got nothing to say,” I said, and hurried out of the room.

Lunch that afternoon was a subdued affair. I could feel my stomach rumbling but I knew every dollar I spent wasn’t my own. If I ate, it was as good as stealing the money Mom needed to keep us afloat. No food would taste good with that in mind, not even Granny Smith’s cooking.

I felt a poke in the back and Applejack was there beside me, her usual good-natured smile across her lips. “No one can say “no” to Granny’s cooking,” she said. “What’re you waiting for?”

“I’m not hungry,” I said coolly, trying to navigate my way out of the situation. As usual with Applejack, it didn’t work.

“You, not hungry? You eat almost as much as ah do,” she said. “You feelin’ alright?”

“I’m fine, Applejack,” I replied testily, pushing away her outstretched hand. “I’m just not hungry.”

“Ah don’t believe you for a minute,” she said bluntly. “Come on, you need something t’ eat. Go on.”

Most reluctantly, I picked up a tray and had it filled to the brim with Granny Smith’s usual goodness, trying to bed down the guilt that was pulling knots in my stomach. I followed Applejack to a table where a recent friend of mine, Pinkie Pie, a vivacious girl with frizzy pink hair, was waving to us so enthusiastically I imagined that her arm would go flying. She was irritating to the nth degree and had a jabberjaw that could make a politician blush, but she was unbelievably friendly (perhaps too much so) and had a knack for cheering people up. I was hoping today would be one of her more talkative days so Applejack would be distracted. Alas, it was not to be.

“Umm, Pinkie Pie, maybe today you shouldn’t talk so much,” Applejack said, “Seems our friend here is a little occupied at the moment.”

“I’m fine, thank you,” I replied impatiently.

“Aw, what’s the matter? Can we help? Can I help? Do you need a song or a party to cheer you up?” Pinkie Pie asked, speaking so rapidly it took me a few moments to understand what she had just gabbled out.

“Uh, no to all of those,” I replied. “Seriously, I’m fine.”

“If you were fine, you’d be eatin’ like a pig,” Applejack countered sagely. “Come on, sugarcube, just tell us what’s wrong.”

I picked at my roast potatoes with my fork before saying, “Mom lost a couple of big-time clients. We’re gonna be short a lot of money real soon.”

Neither of the two girls said anything for a bit. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both came from farming families so I knew they could understand my problems, but I guessed they just didn’t know how to help. After all, Applejack’s financial problems were determined by how the crops did and Pinkie Pie- actually, no one was sure how Pinkie Pie managed but she seemed to be doing fine.

“So, uh, what’re you gonna do?” Applejack asked.

“I don’t know,” I said heavily. “Mom’s just as proud as I am –if not prouder- so I know she won’t accept anything from anyone, including me. She’ll have to work for it.” I turned to the two of them. “Do either of you need housekeeping at all?”

“Nopey nopers!” Pinkie Pie replied. “The Cakes clean the entire house themselves, they say it saves a lot of money.”

“And we do pretty much the same,” Applejack added compassionately. “Ah’m real sorry…”

“It’s OK,” I added quickly. “Not your fault that three super-rich clients dropped us.”

Applejack paused for a quick second. “How rich?” she asked.

“Excuse me?”

“How rich were the folks yer mother was working for?”

I thought it over in my head. “Really rich,” was the best I could manage.

“Hmm…” Applejack mulled that over for a few seconds before saying, “Sweet Apple Acres sells to a lot of big-time folks here in the city. What if ah tried to get yer Mom a job with Filthy Rich?”

My fork clattered from my plate to the floor. Filthy Rich put every other rich snob in the city to shame with just half his fortune. He was so unbelievably wealthy that there were rumors he had shares in not one, but multiple pro basketball teams across the country. “Are you serious?” I asked slowly.

“Course ah am,” Applejack replied. “Now, what’s the place yer Mom works for? Gimme their number and ah’ll send her his way. That sound good?”

“Yeah. Yeah it does!” I said enthusiastically. Suddenly I could feel my stomach untangle and the usual rumblings of hunger commenced. I wolfed down my food in minutes, feeling lighter and happier than I could have imagined I would. It wasn’t a guarantee but it was a real shot my Mom needed.

After a few minutes I had wolfed down my food, and just in time. I saw the same leather jacket she always wore as well as the bacon-hair. Sunset Shimmer was in the cafeteria and I was one of her favorite targets. Desperate to avoid another taunting, I decided it was time to leave. “I’ll see you two later, alright?” I said. “And seriously Applejack, thanks so much.”

“See you later, alligator!” Pinkie Pie screamed, ignoring the convenient three-foot distance between us.

“Later,” Applejack added.

With that, I was off, eager to finish school so I could get out of here. I had a meeting at Sugarcube Corner and I didn’t want to be late.

The next few weeks changed the lifestyle of our little home rather dramatically. Mom did indeed get an interview with Filthy Rich, as well as a job the very next day. She’d come home exhausted and frazzled but the pay was better than anything we’d ever had. In a way, it was like we hadn’t lost any clients. However, the job was so intense that whenever she would go take care of the place it would require an overnight stay. Mom didn’t say much about it but it was obvious to me that she didn’t like leaving me at home alone. I guessed she thought I’d get into trouble, a thought I usually justified.

At school, people were beginning to get all excited about the upcoming school dance, something they called the Fall Formal. Everywhere you looked girls were gabbing to one another about what they were planning to where, who was going with whom, who was most likely to be voted Princess for the dance; as usual, Sunset had a lock on the popularity contest though a few were putting money on Rarity trying to make a run for it again.

However, it wasn’t like the guys were ignoring the affair. The words “gym” and “workout” were becoming more commonplace than usual and some guys would give themselves a good stretch for an excuse to flex their muscles. A few of the guys like Flash Sentry and his group of friends were usually on a lot of girls’ shortlists for a hopeful date, from what I gathered.

The school itself was becoming rather insufferable as the war of hormones began to rage into full gear. Miss Cheerilee and the rest of the staff had to break up “study” sessions throughout the school more than once and people were far more tense than normal. It seemed everywhere one looked you’d see teenage stupidity take hold and someone would try to perform some dumb stunt so as to be impressive. That idiot Scott Green nearly broke his ankle when he tried to perform a flip off the lockers and one of the girls, some cross-eyed blonde girl I didn’t know caused a ruckus when her overstuffed backpack of muffins somehow exploded. Worst of all was the hygiene: girls and guys were wearing so much perfume and cologne that the mixture was quite literally making some people get sick in the halls. It got so bad Principal Celestia had to ban the stuff until the dance.

“You gonna go to the dance? Are you? Huh? Huh? Are you are you are you?” Pinkie would ask of me incessantly, her hyper personality becoming more off-putting as she would jam her face right into mine whenever she’d ask.

“Please stop that,” I begged one day, having been asked for the twelfth time that day. “I do not know yet and you’re really starting to freak me out.”

“She’s just excited cause she gets to plan the decorations this year,” Applejack explained, walking past me with a batch of party supplies. “She and ah got tapped to help make the Fall Formal a perfectly divertin’ hoedown.”

“Hey, nice!” I said, giving the farmgirl a high-five. “I assume you’ll be going, then.”

“Shore will, ah always do,” she replied. “Gotta go to make sure that Rainbow Dash doesn’t think ah’m too chicken to come.”

I rolled my eyes at that. “Have you ever thought of listening to me and just-?”

“For the last time, no,” she said flatly. “Ah will not try to fight her just to settle a grudge. Besides, that’d be exactly what she’d want.”

The two had been unfriendly toward each other as long as I’d been here at Canterlot High. Some stupid argument or another and they’d refused to speak to each other ever since. I couldn’t understand her line of thought, but then again, I came from a school where if you ever cut someone off you could get thrown in the hospital or a hole in the ground.

“Do you even like going?” I asked wearily.

“Course ah do, why wouldn’t I?” she challenged.

“Because you’re going to show up someone you hate,” I replied slyly. “Besides, when do you ever get dressy?”

“Ah happen to have a dirty job and frilly clothes would get in the way,” she replied testily. I grinned, knowing I had probably just hit the nail on the head. The girl was stiff and stubborn as an old board.

“Well, if you are gonna go,” I drawled, “Why don’t you-”

“Why don’t ah what?” she asked. “Sorry hun, but ah got a lotta work to do today, can’t really stand here and talk much.”

“Nothing,” I replied hastily. Course, it wasn’t nothing as I had almost let it slip that I wanted to go to the dance with her. Perhaps I’d been suckered in by all the constant talk of it, but I genuinely wanted to go because it sounded like a lot of fun. Applejack’s family being in charge of the food and Pinkie Pie being in charge of the festivities was an unbeatable double-punch and I wanted in. Of course, I didn’t want to go alone and I had figured if I was to go I might as well go with a friend. Applejack was pretty enough, she was friendly, and I thought she of all people would be kind enough to go with me. Or, at the very least, not laugh at me if I was to ask her.

The only problem was that I was poor as dirt and too proud to admit it. It was coming to the point that I was going to have to either get my bluff called or I just wasn’t going to go.

But the next day, something rather interesting started happening. I was a bit late to school that morning but everywhere I looked I could see people talking to each other feverishly. At first I thought it was just Canterlot High’s usual bull but when I caught wind of the first whisper I had to pull a double-take.

“I heard the new kid got into a fight with Sunset Shimmer before class even started,” Octavia whispered to her friend, a blue-haired girl whose name I didn’t know.

“New kid? Jeez, I’ve been here for nearly two months and I’m still the new kid?” I asked incredulously, still not quite catching on. “Wait a minute… I haven’t even seen Sunset Shimmer this morning, how can you all be whispering about a fight?”

“Not you,” Octavia replied with disdain. “The new girl, she only got here just this morning.”

“New girl?” I hadn’t heard about a new kid coming yet. “Who? What happened?”

“You don’t even bother to listen to people, do you?” Octavia asked exasperatedly. “The new girl’s name is Twilight Sparkle, she caught Sunset Shimmer trying to bully Fluttershy and they had a face-off for a little while.”

“Fluttershy? Is that the animal lover or the tree-hugging hippie who hangs around the back of the school parking lot?” I inquired, trying to put a face to the names and comprehend the fact that someone in this place besides me had stood up to Sunset Shimmer.

“Your memory is pathetic,” Octavia said with disgust and stalked off.

“Hey, I was only trying to ask a genuine question, you self-righteous skank!” I yelled as she walked off. Though we had seemed to hit it off rather well when I had first arrived, Octavia had never truly forgiven me for scoping out her skirt. Whatever chances I might have had with her were gone, and I still hadn’t seen her special someone once.

I kept trying to keep an eye out for the new girl the rest of that day, but everywhere I went I didn’t see squat. Even when lunch period came around I saw zippo. I most unfortunately ran into a very frustrated Sunset Shimmer who somehow managed to ruin my History notes with a pitcher of orange soda. In between my furious mutterings I surmised that the rumors were true- someone really had gotten to Sunset Shimmer. I felt the overwhelming need to meet this girl and see what she was made of.

“She get your note again, hon?” said a voice behind me, and I found Applejack and Big Mac staring down at me and my now much stained papers.

“Yeah, the old cow’s in a particularly foul mood today,” I muttered. “Heard some new chick’s the cause of it- you met her yet?”

“Naw, been too busy today,” she replied, gesturing to her many carts of apple cider. “We gotta get this stuff over to the gym and start getting things ready. See ya later, though!”

“Yeah, see you,” I replied quietly. I rose to my feet and was about to ask her to go to the Formal with me, but then decided against it. Big Mac was with her and he had the strength of a roid-raging ox, therefore being someone I didn’t want to mess with. I reasoned that asking his little sister out right in front of him might set him off.

The next day seemed to be ordinary enough for the most part: I went to my classes, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw my latest History grade, and was all set to pig out on some of Granny Smith’s latest cooking when I heard the most unlikely noise to ever emit from a cafeteria- singing. I was a good distance away when I first heard it so I first thought it was a movie or some online video, but when I started to enter and get some chow I nearly broke my jaw when it hit the floor.

It was Applejack. Not just regular old Applejack but Applejack wearing a blue shirt, a pony’s tail and ears, singing in fine voice along with Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and –a sight so far-fetched I had to slap myself- Rainbow Dash. In the center of it all was a lavender-haired girl I had never seen- the new girl!

I gawked unashamedly at the entire scene. The school was as close to riot mode as I had ever seen the place, and this new girl seemed to be the source of it all. People were on their feet dancing along to the beat, others were trying to sing along, all of it a sight so strange I couldn’t truly comprehend it. When the show finally came to a close, the place was absolutely electric.
“Bro, what’s going on?” I asked of Brawley Beats, a guy who was in the same Physics class as me. “Who is that girl?”

“That’s Twilight Sparkle! She just declared she was running for Princess for the Fall Formal!” he answered enthusiastically. Almost too much so, it was rather creepy.

“Wait, what? But she just got here!” I replied, breaking out into a fit of laughter. “She does realize Sunset Shimmer owns this school, right?”

“I dunno,” he said, “She might’ve just taken it away from her. I know she’s got MY vote.”

My laughter began to die off the more I scanned the cafeteria. The place was still writhing with energy and Twilight Sparkle seemed to be at the heart of it. The thought of her beating Sunset Shimmer suddenly didn’t look so far-fetched. If she actually pulled it off, I genuinely wondered what would go down. It seemed like the Fall Formal was becoming a little more interesting.

Still, that didn’t answer what on Earth had gotten into Applejack –insane musical numbers had always been Pinkie Pie’s thing- and what in heaven or Hell had caused her to patch things up with Rainbow Dash. I didn’t catch sight of her until end of the day and she seemed just as occupied as usual.

“AJ, wait up!” I called. “AJ!”

“Oh, hey!” she replied, lacking her usual friendly smile. “Anything ah can do ya for?”

“Well? What happened?” I questioned.

“What happened?” she echoed.

“In the cafeteria today!” I replied impatiently! “You were singing and dancing, you were with the new girl, and you were with Rainbow Dash! What happened?!”

“Oh, that,” she replied evasively. “Look, ah haven’t got a lot of time right now, but ah’ll tell you soon enough, ah promise.”

“Oh… OK,” I said, feeling uncertain. I’d never seen her act like this before, so evasive. Was there something I wasn’t supposed to know? I shrugged off the thought. Applejack had never been one to lie or skirt around the truth, she’d always been one to tell it like it is. I didn’t see that suddenly changing now.

When I left school, my route usually took me through downtown and back home, past Sugarcube Corner. When I was a little kid I’d pester my Dad to let me go in and ask for a free sample and, as always, he’d say no. I eventually just settled for a glance inside whenever we’d pass by, hoping for a hint of the sweetness inside. Eventually, looking into the confection store just became a habit. However, when I looked in this time I saw a few faces I recognized. Actually, more than a few. I saw six: Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle the new girl.

I came to a dead halt. Was this what Applejack was so desperate to get to? Had I just been a distraction to her? I peered inside, saw their smiling faces, I even imagined hearing the six of them laughing and swapping stories. It was like… like they genuinely were friends.

Did Applejack lie to me? I found myself wondering. Had she been lying to me from the start? Pretending to be my friend only for this to happen? I mentally sorted through all the time we had spent together, she’d even helped Mom get a new client. But when it came down to it, the answer seemed evident. She was on the inside.

I wasn’t.

“Ah thought you were planning on comin’, though!” Applejack replied, her face bearing a marked look of concern.

“Decided it wasn’t worth it, alright?” I explained. “Dances aren’t really my thing.”

“But didn’t you say you had some moves from when you were at your old school?”

“I just don’t want to go, alright?” I said heatedly. “Canterlot High is filled with a bunch of snobs and going to whatever dumb dance you all have cooked up isn’t my idea of a fun time!”

Applejack winced at that, realizing I had just taken my first personal shot at her. “Look, why don’t you come with me and the gals?” she offered consolingly, reaching for my shoulder. “We’d love to have ya, there’s always room for one more-”

“Save it, farmgirl!” I spat. “I said no!”

She studied me for a little while longer, then said, “You’re too poor to be able to come, aren’t you?”

She’d crossed the line. “Get away from me!” I snarled. “I don’t need your bullcrap sympathy and I sure as Hell don’t need you. Beat it! Go hang out with that new skank and the rest of your stupid little club!”

For as long as I’d known her, Applejack looked visibly hurt. To see such a strong lady be so noticeably wounded was a strange sight, to say the least. “Sure, ah’ll leave you be,” she said calmly.

Without another word, I stormed off, leaving her behind to clean up the rest of the kitchen in solitude. I simply charged through people like I was a speeding bulldozer, hardly noticing that I was nearly knocking people off their feet. It wasn’t until I got slammed in the back with a bag of books did I even notice where I was going.

“Hey, Trash!” said that sneering voice, and I looked behind me to see a particularly ravenous Sunset Shimmer glaring at me. “Watch where you’re going, I don’t need your filthy feet anywhere near me!”

“Sorry to have damaged you,” I replied darkly.

She stared at me inquisitively, perhaps wondering why I was in such a foul mood. “Someone else isn’t trying to take my job, are they? I’m queen of this school and no one takes my place!”

“Relax, Sunset Slut, I’m leaving,” I said.

“Hey! Watch your tone!” she barked. “You better not try to go to the dance tonight or I’ll make your life Hell!”

“I’m not going, so be happy!” I roared. “You win, alright? I suck. Apparently you’re not the only one who thinks so.” I left before she could say another word.

I stormed down the road towards home, unable to remember a time when I had been so unfathomably angry. I couldn’t even make sense of why I was so angry, so immeasurable was my fury. I just knew I couldn’t stand the thought of that stinking school or anyone in it-

“Is that… Holy crap, it is, man! Look who it is!” said a voice I dimly recognized. I came to a halt and looked across the street to see a group of guys led by a meager, tattooed individual with a bandana wrapped around his head.

“Hey, Suds,” I called, and the posse of gangsters ran across to meet me. It was like old times: Claws, a gangly crow of a boy with horrific dreadlocks; Tooth, a short spiky S.O.B who kept flicking a knife in between his fingers; Vice, a shifty man who looked more shadow than substance, and Suds, the leader of the old crew.

“Scales! My old right hand, how you hanging?” Suds asked me, extending his hand for the old sign.

“Not bad, bro, not bad,” I replied, giving him the old sign he longed for. “Haven’t seen y’all in forever.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said. “I heard yo Mama got you transferred to a new school ‘cross town, that right?”

“Yeah, Canterlot High,” I answered.

“Well? How’s the place, Scales?” he inquired curiously. “Any need for a seller? How’re the whores, ah? AH?”

I shook my head. “Place sucks ball, Suds,” I said scathingly. “The whores are nothing but a buncha uptight prudes, anyway. Not worth your time.”

“Aw, that’s a real shame, Scales, real shame,” he said disappointedly. “What’choo up to right now? Heading home?”

“Yeah, ain’t got nowhere else to be. No stupid friends back at that tightwad rich kid school,” I said.

“Cool, cool. Say, in case you wanna get the crew back hanging, there’s a party at Jester’s tonight,” Suds said, glancing back and forth for cops. “Claws said they hired out the stripclub for the whole NIGHT, dawg! They bringing beer, they bringing blow, and loose panties for er’body! You KNOW we can’t say no to dat!”

“No way we can,” I agreed recklessly. “Tell you what, Suds, I’ll swing by your place round eleven unless my old woman catches me, aight? I’ll bring what I can and we can make things happen.”

“Tight, Scales,” he grinned approvingly. “Yo, we got get shufflin’, but see you tonight! Adios!”

“Adios, Suds,” I said over my shoulder, dashing away to my house as fast as I could. I barely said a word to my Mother before I rushed into my room and made for a secret compartment I had created in my closet right at the start of freshman year. Inside were the goods I was looking for: a couple of pipes and all the crack we could ever need. It was time to party! I reached for the box and placed it atop my bed, looking through the rest of my junk for a bag to hide the stuff in. I was so preoccupied with my search that I almost didn’t notice my Mom’s footsteps coming down the door until it was too late. Just before she opened the door I threw the contents underneath my sheets.

“Hey, you OK?” she asked. “You seemed kind of upset when you came in.”

“Nah, I’m fine, Mom,” I replied bracingly. “You don’t need to worry.”

My Mom stood there for a few minutes, looking at me with all the love in her heart. She was tired, exhausted even. Lines and creases had begun to wear her form and features down as the burden of raising me, her only child, broke her down. She had never complained once, not even when Dad had been thrown in the state penitentiary, not when I had first been sent to juvi, not after all the struggle and grief I had given her. If anyone in this world truly loved me, it was her.

She smiled after a time and said, “I was thinking we could order a pizza and watch a movie together tonight. I know things have been hard for you, leaving behind your old friends and school for a new one, but I just want you to know how proud I am of you that you’re keeping at it. You’ve stayed out of trouble for almost an entire semester and I couldn’t be happier.”

My thoughts darted to the box underneath the sheet. My stomach squirmed.

“So, what do you say? I promise it won’t be a soap opera this time,” she said.

“I’ll think about it, Mom,” I said distantly. “Just gimme a minute.”

She closed the door on me and I instantly uncovered the box of drugs. Instead of cracking them open and getting busy, I settled for just staring at them, the knots in my stomach taking full form. It was such an unusual sensation that I didn’t realize I was feeling guilty.

I’d gotten into so much trouble in the past year alone. So much trouble for my Mom, the one person I knew I cared about in this world. I’d gotten into a rough crowd, broken a lot of laws. And when opportunity came for me to leave all that behind, it only took me a couple of months to want to quit and go back to my old ways. I felt my arms begin to shake as I discovered there was not a word for the shame I was feeling.

What was wrong with me? I’d always been tough, hardcore and brutal to the bone. I was feared wherever I went and that was the way I liked it. Yet now, when I had all the opportunity in the world, I couldn’t do it. Perhaps, even against my wishes, I’d changed. My Mom’s constant pleas may have worn me down, or it could’ve been Applejack and Pinkie Pie’s openness and warmth to me. All I knew was that I was at a crossroads and didn’t know what to do. I could go to Jester's place and relapse with the old gang, and I knew exactly how to sneak out to make that happen.

But then again, hadn’t I promised my Mom I was to go straight? Hadn’t I promised Principal Celestia the same thing? That I would straighten up and fly right, not cause any problems? I knew what the consequences would be if I didn’t keep to that: incarceration and a trial as an adult, for my eighteenth birthday wasn’t too far away now. Yet here I was, tempted to throw it all away because I was a bitter old animal.

I remembered Octavia had warned me my very first day of school at Canterlot High about the way I was acting. That people were going to see me the exact same way they saw Sunset Shimmer. But I couldn’t be like her, she was so cruel and deceptive and conniving! I was, I was… I was a criminal with a record and a mean streak to prove it. I wasn’t Sunset Shimmer… I began to think I might actually be worse.

I felt a dampness sting my eyes and I squelched down tears. This wasn’t me, I wasn’t weak! I could do this! But… maybe my time in Canterlot High had actually changed me. Maybe all that time I had spent around good, decent people had made me want to be… worthwhile, if only for a moment.

Applejack was owed an apology. Even if I was right and she wasn’t really my friend, she deserved better treatment than what I had dealt her. She had helped me out before I had even known her name, and I had spat in her face when we’d become friend. But more than anyone, my Mom deserved respect and the promise of a better life from her kid.

I couldn’t go back. Not anymore. I took the pipes and smashed them into pieces, taking the shards and throwing them into the garbage can. I took the crack and flushed it down the toilet, ridding myself of its presence once and for all.

“Hey Mom?” I called, walking down to the living room. “Order the pizza and the movie, OK?”

“Will do,” she replied warmly, already grabbing the phone and looking happier than I had seen her in months. It took a couple minutes for the pizza to arrive, but the wait was worth every second. I realized it had been some time since I’d spent quality time with my own Mother. I hoped this would start to make up for it.

“By the way, did you hear something strange when the pizza delivery guy came?” Mom asked. “A boom of sorts?”

“Nope, sorry,” I replied.

She shrugged. “Oh well, I thought I saw a flash of light somewhere, too. Must’ve been fireworks,” she said.

I agreed, though didn’t really care. I knew it was probably coming from Jester’s place, just like I knew I had cut off Suds and the old crew for good. That part of my life, far as I was concerned, needed to be buried for good.

So we tried being friends

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Have you ever gone to a place you know by heart and immediately noticed something was amiss? For example, perhaps you have a particular restaurant you like and you instantly know that the flooring was changed, or when a friend changes a hairstyle. It’s a thing that’s so obvious to you that to let it go unnoticed would practically be a crime.

So, all in all, it was hard not to notice the crater that took up a good portion of Canterlot High’s front lawn when I went back to school on Monday. Not just any crater but a crater that had the diameter to have been created by a large-scale explosion. A clean-cut, still slightly steaming, ten foot deep freaking hole in the ground.

I looked around at the school for a moment, checking the building itself for any signs of damage. I mean, a hole this size had to have been created by something on a rather immense scale, so why couldn’t I see any residual damage? Actually, the better question was why I hadn’t even heard about this already. Had no one been talking about this, or had I been too preoccupied with spending time with Mom to even notice? My mind flitted back to Friday night when Mom had mentioned some sort of sound and a light in the distance. Had I been wrong about Jester’s party and this had been the source?

A creaking noise of metal crunching wood met my ears and I jumped. I looked over to my left to see a sight so strange it took me a moment to comprehend it: Sunset Shimmer pushing a wheelbarrow full of debris and hoisting it into a nearby dumpster. She looked more grungy and woe-be-gone than I had ever seen her. Her usual haughty manner was nonexistent, her proud stance and walk was noticeably absent. To cap it all off, she had dispensed of her atypical leather jacket and was instead wearing working clothes with a sander affixed to her belt.

The scene, already strange thanks to a catastrophically large crater, had just become something out of the Twilight Zone. I didn’t know what was going on, why it was happening, or what had caused it to happen at all.

I peered down into the hole once more- no busted pipes or torn electrical wires, so I guessed that school was still on. I started walking towards the main entrance and when, by accident, I made a squelching noise by stepping in some mud, Sunset Shimmer turned and saw me, and made the whole thing even stranger: she turned pale and immediately walked away as fast as she could. I couldn’t even begin to understand what had happened.

When I went into school, it seemed like everything was normal. Students went this way and that, friends were talking in their usual groups, and most of the comments I heard reflected on the dance. There was one guy who I overhead say something unusual –“Can’t wait to see Sunset Shimmer get it. She finally got what she deserved, if you ask me”- but I did nothing except keep on walking. It didn’t do well to be around those who insulted Sunset. Come to think of it, I’d never heard anyone talking badly about her like that so brazenly.

I headed over to my locker and out of the corner of my eye saw the familiar head of blonde hair and cowgirl’s hat that I knew so well. I remembered how we had left each other on Friday and I felt my conscience tug. Before I did anything else, I needed to make up with my friend.

“Hey, Applejack,” I said reluctantly, pulling up behind her at her locker.

She turned around to face me, her normally cheerful face oddly expressionless, as if sizing me up to see if I was in a mood for a fight. “Hey,” she said cautiously. “We missed you at the dance, wish you woulda come.”

I gave a sigh. “Look… Applejack, I’m really sorry,” I said without preamble. “All that stuff I said to you the other day wasn’t- it wasn’t fair. I was mad because it seemed like you’d been ignoring me on purpose and I was kinda worried you weren’t really my friend and, and, uh… jeez, I’m just-”

“It’s alright, sugarcube,” she said. “Ah’m real sorry, too. Ah got so caught up in getting things ready for the Fall Formal and whatnot that I wasn’t being a very good friend to you. When ah ran out on ya it was cause Twilight was in a spot and needed some help. Ah shoulda come back and told you later when ah first had the chance.”

Of course that was it. Why I had thought AJ was up to something funny now seemed ludicrous to me on this side of things. “Well, what I thought was pretty stupid. Gosh, AJ, can you forgive me?”

“Shore ah can,” she replied promptly, her usual smile returning once more. “Can you forgive me for not being a very good friend to ya lately?”

“Of course,” I replied, and she promptly put her arms around me in a hug. I gave a sigh and smiled softly, glad to have my closest friend back again.

“Land sakes, look at the time!” Applejack declared, having noticed the clock just above my head. “We gotta head to class, come on!”

“Whoa, let me get my books, wait up!” I yelled, dashing back to my locker and racing to catch up with her. “So, about that giant hole outside of school… care to tell me what happened?”

“Err…” Applejack opened her mouth, looked at me for a moment, and then closed it with a shake of her head. “You wouldn’t believe me even if ah told you.”

“Musta been one heckuva party y’all had at the Formal,” I remarked.

“That’s, uh, one way of putting it,” Applejack replied.

“Anything worth mentioning that I should know about?”

Applejack again seemed to struggle for words. After a few false starts she finally managed to spit out and say, “Well… Twilight was named Princess of the Fall Formal over Sunset Shimmer.”

“No way!” I said, immediately breaking into a riot of laughter. “That must’ve killed the old witch! What’d she do, go ballistic?”

“In her own little way, yes,” Applejack answered. “Though ah doubt she’ll really be gettin’ in anyone’s business anymore.”

“That’ll be the day,” I remarked darkly. “What was she doing cleaning up outside? She have something to do with that big great hole in the ground?”

“Oh yeah, she most certainly did,” Applejack said. “Don’t worry, she won’t give you any more trouble. Ah think her usual ways are gone for good.”

“What makes you so certain?” I asked incredulously.

Applejack once more failed to get her thoughts together. “She, uh… got humbled by Twilight Sparkle. Sunset apologized, and that’s that. Things are good.”

“OK, I guess,” I said. “Say, before we go into class, I have to ask- did you and Rainbow Dash finally have it out?”

“Her? Naw, we’re good,” Applejack said with a smile. “All of us old gals are back together again. You should come by at lunch and hang out with us, alright?”

I was so bewildered I didn’t even reply. I had seen a bunch of strange stuff at San Marino and here, but today was taking the cake and first period hadn’t even started. I didn’t know who this Twilight Sparkle was or where she had come from, but she certainly seemed to have changed this school for good. Who was she? A superhero, some mystic, just a regular student, angel, something I couldn’t even name?

After a few minutes I gave up and just said she was something like a therapist. I had better things to think about.

At lunch a few hours later, I discovered that the oddity of today was nowhere close to being finished. Just as Applejack had said, the old group of former friends was reunited, though Twilight Sparkle was noticeably absent. Come to think of it, I hadn’t seen her all day. It was such a peculiar sight, seeing the farmgirl and the sportie actually getting along- whenever I’d been around the two at the same time they were always spitting rage at one another.

“Hey, come and have a seat,” AJ said, waving at me. “Come on over, there’s an open space next to Fluttershy.”

It dawned on me at how little I knew most of these girls, having only gotten close to Pinkie and Applejack. I’d only met Fluttershy & Rarity a handful of times, and Rainbow Dash I’d only come across once when I was doing some exercise out on the soccer field. I, who had been one of AJ’s closer friends, was once again the outsider. It was like being the new kid in school all over again. However, I took a seat next to Fluttershy and hoped for the best. I’d been through worse.

“So, uh, you’re Fluttershy,” I said offhandedly. “I don’t think we’ve really met, have we?”

I offered an outstretched hand but instead the pink-haired girl stared at my hand as if it was a snarling beast. Unable to look me in the eye, she muttered something so quietly that hearing it was an impossibility.

“Uh, sorry, didn’t quite hear you,” I said. “Do you mind saying it again?”

She again kept her eyes on my hand, seemingly transfixed by the sight. I struggled to understand for a moment until, realizing what she was seeing, I brought it back and stared down at the fat ‘W’ branded into my palm.

“Oh! Yeah, I totally forgot about that,” I said breezily. “Yeah, I got that a few years ago. Back when I started high school, in fact.”

“Wha… what happened?” Fluttershy asked quietly, her soft voice finally audible.

I pursed my lips and thought over the answer. “I did something stupid,” I answered, which was as truthful as I could be. It wasn’t a lie, just an omission of the whole story.

Rainbow Dash sniggered and the entire table stared at her. “Sorry, I just… come on, how can you do something so dumb that you’ve got a huge ‘W’ scorched on your hand?”

I shrugged. “Stupid crap happens in West End all the time, you just don’t hear about it.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot, you’re the transfer student, right?” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“Yeah, I went to San Marino for three years,” I answered. “Got a scholarship to come here at the start of the semester.”

“San Marino… isn’t that school just a big dump where there’s a bunch of gangfights?” she asked.

“Uh…” It wasn’t that she was wrong. The problem was that I had helped that culture grow exponentially for almost the whole time I had gone there. “I guess it was, I dunno.”

“What do your folks do?” Rainbow pressed, either ignoring or unaware of how uncomfortable I was with this conversation.

“Umm… Mom works for a cleaning company,” I said, shooting a glance over at Applejack. She was the only one who really knew that I was poor, and it wasn’t exactly something I liked to admit.

The cowgirl saw that I wasn’t enjoying this. She gave a cough and said gently, “Uh, Dash, why don’t you eat something-”

“What about your Dad? What’s he up to?” Rainbow Dash asked, cutting through before anyone could stop her.

“Uhh… Umm…” I didn’t answer and instead fiddled with the green beans, feeling my face flush. I knew full well what he did –or, more accurately, what he had done- and where he was gonna be for the next five years and I had no intention of admitting it here.

“Rainbow! Please, can’t you see you’re being rude?” Rarity scolded, staring down her friend with a severe expression.

“What? I was just asking!” Rainbow protested.

“Yes, and as usual you’re not taking a person’s feelings into account. Don’t be so forceful,” she explained. She turned to me and said, “Do excuse her. Rainbow Dash means well but boundaries aren’t really her thing.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever,” I said. I glanced up at the clock and saw we still have twelve minutes left in lunch period. I gulped and picked at my food, making no eye contact with anyone else at the table. This day had been awkward enough.

As I settled into my meal I listened to the others make their small talk: an overdue paper, what other students were doing, plans for the weekend. I noticed I wasn’t being mentioned in most of them and I felt my spirit begin to sink. I was happy AJ had gotten her old friends back, but was it going to cost me time with one of the few friends I had?

“What about you, dear?” asked Rarity. I looked up and saw all five of them were staring at me. I think I’d missed something.

“Sorry, what?” I asked, swallowing the last of my green beans.

“I said, would you care to join us?” she said with a smile that hid her laughter. “We’re going to see a movie this weekend and I was wondering if you wanted to come along.”

My mood rebounded almost instantly and I nodded eagerly. “Yeah, sure! Thanks, I guess.”

“Wonderful. Hmm, how does 7:30 sound to everyone?” she asked aloud and we all agreed it was a good time to meet up. For all I cared they could’ve said 3am and bring a purple unicorn. Whether she’d done it intentionally or not, Rarity had made me feel like I was a part of things. I might be a bit awkward around them right now, but they seemed like pretty good girls and they were trying to be nice to me in their own way. I returned to my meal so as to hide the smile from my face.

A few minutes went by and a hissing noise jolted me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see what appeared to be the entire student body booing, jeering and taunting at Sunset Shimmer. Spitballs and wads of paper were being thrown her direction, and one brave student even went forward and threw a fistful of mashed potatoes straight into her face. The girls gasped and looked appalled at the display; I grinned in vicious satisfaction, feeling elated that the cruel former overlord of the school was reaping what she’d sown.

“We should do something,” Fluttershy piped up, watching the scene and looking like she was about to cry. “We can’t let them treat her like this.”

“You’re right. Hey, Sunset Shimmer! Over here!” Applejack called.

“Ah! No, no!” I protested in a panic. “What in Hell are you doing, why are you inviting her over here?!”

“We can’t just sit here and do nothing!” Rarity countered.

“Yeah! If we’re not nice to her then Sunset Shimmer will be all alone and that’s really sad and I hate the thought of anyone feeling sad so we’re gonna invite her to sit with us so she’ll be happy!” Pinkie Pie added, gabbling in her usual manic display.

“I’m her punching bag, why would you do this to me?!” I beseeched, watching in horror as Sunset caught notice of us and came walking over. Was it just my imagination, or did she turn a little paler when she caught sight of me? “That’s it, I’m out, I’m not gonna wait for her to pour gravy into my jeans!” Without another word, I stuffed what remained of my lunch into my mouth and dashed off before I could be in what was considered firing range. I’d had enough weirdness for one day and I didn’t want a fight added to the mix.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only time I had to deal with the bully. Sunset and I shared a third period Physics class together and I was –cursed as I was- just a row in front of her usual spot. When I saw her walk in, I kept an eye on her, wondering when she was going to make her move. She’d smacked me more than once with her textbook, I wasn’t willing to let her do it easily.

Instead, I went through what was possibly the most unusual Physics class I had ever endured- an uneventful one. No poking, no prodding or any taunting of any kind. Instead, the students around her kept a good distance away from her and every once in a while would throw her a dirty glance. The whole thing was so weird that I wondered if losing the crown at the Formal had caused her to snap.

But the joke had only begun. Right when class was over, as I was piling my things into my backpack, I felt a light tap on the shoulder and I turned to see her staring up at me, an apprehensive expression carved into her features.

“What?” I asked contemptuously.

“Umm… have you got a moment?” she asked, her voice almost as soft as Fluttershy’s. “I was wanting to, you know, talk for a quick second?”

“Second’s up,” I replied harshly and sidestepped her for the door.

“Wait! Please, hold on,” she said, grabbing hold my arm.

“Get off of me!” I spat. “What do you wanna do, break my arm?”

She let go instantly and put her hands in the air. “OK, OK, I get it, that was a bad idea, I’m sorry. I was just wanting to say…”

“Say what? Get it out already!” I barked.

“I’m… I’m sorry for being so mean to you,” she mumbled, staring down at her shoes. “Ever since you’ve been coming here I’ve been pretty rotten to you and I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry.”

I blinked, totally nonplussed by what was a most unexpected statement. Sorry? Since when had she ever been repentant about anything? This whole attitude, the silent acceptance of abuse, the total lack of hostility… it was a trick. I burst out laughing, a sound full of all the derision and mockery and hatred I’d garnered against this girl. Yet, instead of fighting back or giving any sort of resistance at all, Sunset just stood there and let it beat down upon her.

“You’re sorry you got caught,” I said scornfully. “You’ve been treating people like they’re garbage for ages, you act like they’re not human, and you’ve been putting yourself on a pedestal like you’re freaking Wonder Woman all your life, and now look what happened: you got shown up by a new girl and you found out that nobody likes you. Good, I’m glad you’re getting all the hate and hell you gave everybody else. Enjoy your crap life, you jerk!”

I turned and walked out feeling like I was on top the world. And, as if the heavens had smiled upon me, I heard a faint sniffle emanate from somewhere behind me. Oh, this day may have been strange and very unpredictable, but it was being oh so good.

“You said what?!” Applejack asked, looking horrified. “What would make you say something like that?”

It was the next day of school and one of the very first things I had made sure to do was tell Applejack about my little encounter with Sunset Shimmer. I’d been looking forward to it since I’d woken up and I was hoping she’d be as ecstatic about it was I was. Instead, she seemed upset for no good reason. I was completely taken aback.

“Why wouldn’t I?” I asked, confused by her reaction. “You do realize she’s made it her goal to humiliate me ever since I stepped foot into this place, right? Before I even came here she tried to get me arrested!”

“Yes, ah know that, and you have a lot of reasons to be mad, but good gracious,” Applejack said, “You didn’t have to say something so awful!”

“Why shouldn’t I?” I replied brashly. “I love seeing her get slammed by everyone in the school, it’s all the crap she’s ever given anyone else and it’s coming right back to her!”

“Sugarcube, she’s changed,” AJ said patiently, sounding like a parent trying to reason with a child. “She’s genuinely changed and when she tried to apologize to you? She meant every word.”

“AJ, please, she’s a scheming whore who’s never done a nice thing for anyone,” I said firmly. “She’ll be back to her old ways in no time. Proud old witch.”

“No, she won’t,” the farmgirl replied. “She’s done with her old ways and you should forgive her. Let it go.”

“No way in Hell,” I said flatly.

AJ gave a long, weary sigh. “Ah apologized for ignorin’ you for days,” she said. “And you forgave me. Why can’t you do the same for her?” She walked away from the locker and off to class, leaving me behind.

Applejack was right, I concluded. I should genuinely just let it go and forgive Sunset Shimmer. But whenever I’d think about it, I’d remember getting cuffed by that policeman, the time she poured hot soup in my lap, and all the other times she’d made my life miserable. There was no way she was going to be forgiven.

But it wasn’t over there. Before lunch started, as I was walking into the cafeteria, I saw that oh-so-familiar head of bacon-colored hair heading in my direction. She seemed to be surrounded by a group of guys who were all intent on harassing her. The one seemingly in charge of the band, a wiry senior named Brad, was screaming right into her face. “You hear me, you filthy whore? You ain’t got nothing on me, I can do whatever I want to you!” he raged. “You’re worthless, you’re nothing but complete and utter garbage fit for skinning dicks!”

People around him were cheering and laughing, intent on watching the spectacle. It seemed that with Sunset’s dethroning everyone was celebrating the downfall of a tyrant. I admit I couldn’t help but enjoy it a little, what with all that she’d done to me. Hopefully it’d keep her down for good so she wouldn’t try to revert back to her old ways.

But, right before she entered the cafeteria hall, she glanced over in my direction and noticed I was watching her. She raised her hand to wave and gave me a weak smile. Was she honestly still trying to be nice to me?

I scowled and marched to step into the lunch hall before her, cutting her off and causing the students watching to hoot with glee.

“You see that, whore?” Brad asked, pointing straight at me. “Even Trash thinks you’re nothing, you see that? You have nothing here! You’ve got nothing and we are gonna make the rest of your life Hell!”

I looked around for AJ and the others and instead found myself staring at the back of Sunset Shimmer’s head as she found an empty table and took a seat, bringing out a sack lunch from her backpack. Brad and his friends all took seats surrounding her, each one taking turns to insult her, crush her food, or just generally abuse her. I watched with raised eyebrows as I’d never seen this kind of dedication and fury at this school from anyone at Sunset. It was so strange to see it from anyone else.

It didn’t last long. Rainbow Dash and Rarity came over to the table, the fashionista staring down at the boys surrounding Sunset with such a violent expression that it was bordering on murderous. “Isn’t there somewhere you need to be?” she asked lightly, her tone masking the rage emanating from her body.

“No,” Brad answered bravely, somehow able to hold his nerve.

“Well, if you don’t have any place to be, then I’ll expect you out on the soccer field after school- all of you are going against me one on one!” Rainbow Dash declared.

That broke them. Brad and the others scrambled away as fast as they could, so fast that one of them slipped and slammed into the wall, generating laughter from all across the lunchroom.

Sunset muttered something to Rarity and Rainbow Dash, and soon enough all the girls –Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity- were sitting beside their newfound friend. They kept looking around at the various students who were still watching, as if challenging them to be the next to try anything. There were no takers.

Again, my mind flickered between sympathy and anger, wondering if I should just give it up and let it go. And, just like last time, I felt the handcuffs slide over my wrists. No way in Hell, just as I’d said.

The rest of the week felt like something out of a drug trip. No matter where I went I’d either meet up with Sunset Shimmer, who would again try to apologize, or one of the girls trying to convince me to forgive Sunset Shimmer. It was an incessant track on repeat day in, day out, a constant badgering so unforgivably annoying I was beginning to wonder why I was friends with any of them in the first place. Rarity and Rainbow Dash both tried to talk to me, Applejack tried once more, and even Fluttershy said a word to me- or, tried to in her weird little way. I couldn’t figure out if she had a speech impediment or not.

But nothing, nothing any of the others could do would beat out Pinkie Pie’s attempt to convince me. I was heading home and was just going to stuff some supplies into my locker. However, as I opened the door, confetti and a variety of other things exploded from my locker and sprayed the surrounding area in a haze of glitter.

“What in Hell- No, no, no, no!” I cried, backing away as fast as I could.

Not fast enough. Standing before me was Pinkie Pie dressed in a knee-length dress and wearing a small top hat. I felt my blood run cold as I realized I was about to be forced to endure a dreaded musical number.

“Oh you’ve been real grumpy, your face is taut and long,” she began to sing.

“Pinkie, please,” I begged weakly.

“So I thought I’d come over and sing to you a song,” she continued.

“I understand you’re angry, you’ve got reason to be mad,

But can’t you see that all your mean is making Sunset sad?”

“Why do you hate me?” I asked, now collapsed on the floor as my knees had given way.

“Sure she once was grumpy, scary-mean and strong,

But now she sees she can’t be mean, so let’s all get along!

All I want to ask you, all that I need to say,

Is come with me, we’ll go away,

And we’ll go make a friend!”

She concluded with a smile so wide that pure terror had been left behind ages ago. In concluded then and there that Pinkie Pie was the embodiment of an unholy demon from the deepest pits of Hell itself.

As the song concluded, I could do nothing but gawk, one of my eyes twitching. A few people clapped, but most were in the same mold as me- frightened and extremely disturbed.

“Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeel?” Pinkie Pie asked, her smile gleaming.

“Pinkie, what drug are you on?” I whispered.

She gave a giggle. “Nothing, silly! Now come on and let’s go find your new friend!”

“Pinkie, that was possibly the single-most unnerving thing I have ever experienced and I’m a John Carpenter fan!” I said, finally regaining control of my senses. “I said no, and this- this just sealed the deal. Come on, this is just creepy… hang on, how’d you get into my locker?”

She stared at me and then, I kid you not, her hair deflated like a balloon. Her smile went from a foot wide to less than an inch and she gave a small laugh right before she scarpered.

I groaned and brought my face to my hands, running my fingers through my hair. “How does everyone keep getting into my locker? Come on, the password can’t be that bad,” I muttered.

I was sleeping peacefully in my bed when I heard my phone go off. I looked over and saw it was an unknown number with no local area code. In fact, as I squinted at it, I couldn’t make out where this was from at all. I don’t know whether or not it was curiosity, but I decided to answer and find out. “Hello?”

Someone spoke back to me, but it was in a language I didn’t recognize. “Hello?” I asked, feeling awake and starting to feel confused.

The voice spoke again in the same language. It was so weird. I hung up, deciding it was a wrong number. But, right when I hung up, another number called. And then another, and another, and another! All night long I was receiving text messages, voicemails, phonecalls, MyStable requests, and so many other notifications that any chance I had at sleeping disappeared after the first fifteen minutes. I got sent so many different numbers and requests that I started to wonder what on earth I had done to anger the technology gods and I quite literally got on my knees and prayed for it all to stop.

“What is going on?” Mom asked as she poked her head in at six in the morning, staring at me in abject confusion.

“Someone musta put my phone number on the internet somewhere,” I snarled, having been kept awake since eleven o’clock. I was a complete wreck, disheveled in every conceivable way. I was angry, tired, and upset beyond measure.

“Well, whatever’s going on, you need to get some breakfast. Come on, school starts soon,” Mom said.

I screamed, begging for mercy. I had been so occupied in dealing with all the annoyances I was getting that I had completely forgotten about school!

You can guess at how school went. I fell asleep in every single class I had, I tried to sneak a nap in during lunch but was interrupted by Vice-Principal Luna waking me and saying that I couldn’t sleep in the halls. On and on the day dragged until, finally, ringing through the air like a sweet melody, the bell rang to signal the end of school. I could go home and nap!

Or so I thought. I ran into Applejack, who I hadn’t seen all day, and she stared at me in concern. “What on earth- you alright, sugarcube?” she asked.

“I kept getting international phone calls from all over the world,” I muttered groggily. “I think someone posted my phone number somewhere. How they managed to get it…”

“Hey, um, can you come with me for a moment?” Applejack asked suddenly. “Ah need your help with- somethin’. Yeah, somethin’. Uh… Big Mac’s workin’ today and ah need a second pair of hands. Cause, uh, you know, ah’m not too good at sortin’ through stuff and giving out names, and, uh, friendships- I mean apples, or, or… Something… yeah.”

Even in my sleep-deprived state, that was one of the weirdest things she had ever said. I should’ve seen the signs then and there, but I was pulled down by a lack of energy.

“Applejack, I’m very tired,” I said heavily. “Maybe some other time, alright?”

“It’ll only take a second!” she said quickly, grabbing hold of my arm with an iron grip and pulling me down the hall. “Come on, ah promise. Since when have ah ever lied to you?”

“Uh-”

“Great. Come with me!” she said, now positively dragging me down the halls towards a classroom that nobody ever used.

“Wait, AJ, what’s going on?” I asked, starting to feel worried. “Seriously, I’m really beat, I don’t think I can help-”

“Just- oh, just get in there, will you?” she said, pulling the door open and starting to push me in.

“Hey, that-” I stopped my protests when I caught sight of who was waiting for me: Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Sunset Shimmer.

“I SAID NO, YOU CRAZY NUTJOBS!” I yelled, grabbing hold of the doorframe with all my might.

I was no match for Applejack, who gave me a fresh shove in the back and pushed me into the room, promptly closing the door and locking it behind me. “You’re staying in here, sugarcube,” she said sweetly. “You’re not gonna leave until we get this done.”

“Oh come on!” I snarled. “Kidnapping me and trying to force this out of me isn’t going to work! When I said no I effing MEANT IT!”

“But you’re my friend and so is Sunset Shimmer!” Pinkie Pie protested. “I can’t be friends with two people who don’t get along, that’s really awkward and it makes me sad so we gotta do something about it and I thought –gasp!- why not get the two of you together so Sunset Shimmer can apologize and you can forgive her and we can all be best friends-”

“FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NO!” I shrieked, losing what little patience I had. “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT CRAZY PSYCHOPATH HAS DONE TO ME?!”

“Yes, we do,” Rarity said, her calm manner the polar opposite of my own. “She mistreated you, abused you, and humiliated you for two months. We have been around her for over three years now, would you like to hear what she has done to us?”

“It was you all!” I exclaimed. “One of you put my phone number up on the internet! I got a call from some hooker in Poland, do you realize how awkward that is? I got asked if I wanted a fresh fish!”

“What’s a fresh fish?” Fluttershy inquired.

“I don’t know and that makes it really creepy! Why would you do something like that to me? That’s her sort of thing!” I screeched.

“Ah put it up there cause ah knew you’d be too stubborn to silence your phone,” Applejack replied, looking angrier than I’d ever seen her. “You were willing to forgive me and take my flaws but you can’t do the same for someone else. Get over yourself and think about the other folks around you. Right now, for instance, you could get over what Sunset’s done to you and starting thinkin’ about what she did to our friendships. If that even occurred to you.”

It hadn’t and she knew it. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I’d been pegged from the start of this.

Sensing her moment, Rarity said, “We grew up together as the best of friends, dear. We were inseparable for so long that for one of us not to be a part of each other’s’ lives seemed a nightmare. But then Sunset Shimmer came along. We turned on each other like beasts and we could barely stand to look each other in the eye. Now, please tell me, how do you think that made us feel when we realized we’d been played for fools?”

I glanced over at Sunset Shimmer. She darted a look at me and blushed ever so slightly, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

“We felt awful,” Fluttershy said, taking Rarity’s place in the discussion. “We’d always been so close and then we started being so mean to one another. It was like we’d all been torn and damaged and nothing could really fix it.”

“Yet here we are, friends again!” Pinkie Pie declared gleefully. “And now we’ve got two new friends in you and Sunset Shimmer!”

“But she tore you all apart!” I objected, and I saw Sunset wince out of the corner of my eye.

“Yes, she did,” Rarity replied tolerantly. “But we learned what it means to be a friend to someone- a real friend. And if we could forgive each other after so much indifference and dislike, we decided we could forgive her as well.”

“And so should you,” Rainbow Dash added. “Cause frankly, you’re acting just like the rest of the school and being a big jerk to her.”

“So why not deal with the rest of the school?” I challenged. “Why just me?”

“Because you’re our friend,” Applejack said sternly. “And you know better than this. Despite all the dumb stuff you’ve done, you’ve got a good heart and you’ve proven it to me. So start digging for that good heart again.”

I stood there, facing off against the five of them, glaring daggers and completely unwilling to admit I’d been licked. They were right, every stinking one of them, but I just couldn’t bring myself to say so. Despite my huge leap forward the week before, I was still a very proud, very self-centered person.

“Can- can I say something?” Sunset Shimmer asked timidly, looking straight at me.

“Course you can,” Applejack said warmly, then glancing up at me.

“Don’t look at me, I’ve got zero power here,” I said, and I looked down at Sunset. “Well?”

“Umm…” she bit her lip, trembled slightly, and said, “Look, I know I’ve probably said it a million times over, but I’m really sorry for all the horrible things I’ve done to you.”

I stood there, impassive. Sunset shivered and looked straight at me, her gaze boring straight into mine, and I found myself taken aback. Gone was the contempt and anger that had been ever-present, gone was the fire that burned behind her gaze. Instead, all I saw was a sadness and pain that misted a pair of beautiful teal eyes.

“I’m sorry about all the times I ruined your schoolwork, I’m sorry of all the times I made fun of you, of when I’d humiliate you in the lunchroom, when I’d annoy you in classes, when I’d cause you to get in trouble and get detention,” Sunset said breathlessly, “And I’m really sorry that I got you arrested by the police. I was selfish and cruel and mean for no good reason and I never should’ve done all those things, you didn’t deserve to be treated like that. I know they want you to forgive me, but I know you don’t have to. I’ve treated you badly enough. If you want to stay mad at me, that’s fine. I can accept it.”

“Wow,” I whispered, instantly slapping my hands over my mouth. But it was true. I was impressed, not only by her apology, but by how well this had all been planned out. Applejack and the others had worn me out because they knew my pride would keep me awake, and also because they knew me better than I knew myself, believing that deep down I had a shred of decency that would be willing to forgive Sunset Shimmer for what she’d done. And if they could forgive Sunset Shimmer for all the years of abuse they’d been given, I had no excuse for being unable to withhold grace for two months’ worth. After all, I was still the new kid compared to all of them. What right did I have?

“Look,” I said wearily, rubbing my eyes, “I don’t know whether or not you’re trying to be friends or not, but I’ll just say now I don’t know if I can do that, at least right now. You and I aren’t really seeing eye-to-eye yet. But… I guess we can bury the hatchet.”

“Really?!” Sunset asked, leaping to her feet and looking cheerier than I’d seen her all week. “You mean it?’

I couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. “Yes, I mean it,” I said. “Besides, now I’ll be able to sleep cause this whole thing’s all said and done.”

“Ah’ve already taken your phone number down,” Applejack interjected. “Nicely done, sugarcube.”

“Don’t ever do that again,” I said warningly.

“Try me,” the cowgirl replied with a cheeky grin.

I groaned and turned back to Sunset Shimmer, who was staring at me with a smile that could rival Pinkie Pie’s. “Fine, let’s start this off right,” I said, extending a hand. “My name is…”

It took a while

View Online

“Wait, what?” I asked, feeling the bottom of my stomach drop a couple of miles. “My grade is that low?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Miss Cheerilee replied, her usual smile replaced with a strange frown. “Are you studying before you come in, are you going over the homework? Is there anything that you’re capable yourself of doing to fix it?”

It was the end of second period and, to my horror, I’d been held back my Miss Cheerilee’s own request to discuss my latest English grade, which had come back as a low-tier ‘F’- the worst grade I’d gotten yet. I was appalled with myself.

“Yes! I swear, I studied for like an hour last night!” I said earnestly. “I mean, it’s was difficult as all Hell, but still! I did everything I could!”

“Then what’s the problem? You shouldn’t be having this much difficulty if you’re studying, is there something about the chapter you’re not understanding?”

“Err…” Truth be told, I wasn’t that good at English at all, despite my capability for speaking the tongue. It’s not like I was ever that good at talking in Spanish with Mom.

“Is it a problem with the fundamentals, or recognizing the various terms?” Miss Cheerilee asked, guessing I was too embarrassed to answer.

“Umm… I guess the whole thing itself?” I answered, staring down at my shoes and praying my face wasn’t turning red.

“Well, learning the fundamentals may be a block for you, but it’s easily overcomeable,” said Miss Cheerilee briskly, stacking some papers into a folder. “However, it will require some after-school tutoring, so you’ll need to spend atleast an hour here once classes are over.”

Unwelcome, but certainly not the end of the world. “Alright, will I meet you here or in the library?” I asked.

“Well, you see,” she replied, “My tutoring schedule is already full up, so I won’t be able to help you, but I do have a couple of student tutors who are helping me in return for extra credits on their record. I have a list right here if you’d like to look.”

As she handed me the sheet, I peered down at the timeslots that were available, ranging from noon (What spazz was willing to give up lunch? Why was this timeslot even on here?) to 5:30. I glanced up at the first tutor on the list and saw, to no surprise, that Octavia was one of them. Hardly surprising, seeing how good she was at music. I figured words must be her thing. She had open slots at 2:30 and 4:30 but that was it. She seemed pretty crowded. Strange thing was that the other student had literally no takers so far, a completely empty set. I laughed a little simply because it was so ludicrous a thing to see. Who on earth was this student? I glanced up and read the name-

Oh come on, I roared across the hollowness of my skull. Why did it have to be Sunset Shimmer?!

Miss Cheerilee gave a cough to direct my attention back to her and she said, “As you can see, you’ve got plenty of slots available to you, so just tell me what you want and I’ll pencil-”

“Octavia,” I said, my response so laughably prompt that Miss Cheerilee stared. “Octavia at 2:30.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, peering down at the schedule. “I know your Physics class with Professor Neigh ends at 2:30, won’t you be cutting it a bit close?”

“No, I’ll be fine,” I gabbled. “Octavia’ll be fine, she has a nice skirt- I mean a nice- aw hell, there’s no way to fix that.”

Thankfully, Miss Cheerilee wasn’t offended and instead burst out laughing at my blunder, and I was able to manage an embarrassed grin; she recovered from her spell and scratched my name down on the list. “You’ll start tomorrow at 2:30,” she said brightly. “Just try to be as on time as possible, alright?”

“You got it, I’ll be there,” I replied, swinging my backpack over my shoulders and running off for some food. Applejack had told me before start of class that we’d be getting roast beef again for lunch and I was hungry.

“How’d everything go?” Pinkie Pie asked me the moment I took a seat next to her, my mouth already gobbling down a forkful of roast beef.

“Gimme a fec,” I managed to say, and I swallowed and added, “it went fine, she just needed to talk to me about a few things.”

“Your grade sucks, don’t it?” Rainbow Dash asked shrewdly, stabbing a pile of green beans and smirking at me.

“Almost as much as your performance against Crystal Academy last weekend,” I replied, bringing my hand up for the incoming high-five from Applejack. Though we both were good friends with Rainbow, bringing her down a peg and messing with her had become a favorite hobby of ours.

Thankfully, Rainbow had learned to dish it out as much as we gave it to her. “So, still better than your attempt to try out for the varsity basketball team?”

I had no response for that and the bruise I had gained across my leg proved it. I could do nothing but smile sheepishly as the others had a laugh.

“What will you have to do, dear?” Rarity asked, politely waiting for the others to stop laughing.

I fumbled my food around for a few seconds, my pride waging war with my newfound honesty. Being around these girls had done me wonders but I wasn’t truly used to it yet. “Gonna have to get some tutoring,” I said, deciding upon honesty. “I’m startin’ tomorrow.”

“Oh, really?” Rarity asked. “Sunset Shimmer offered to help Miss Cheerilee in English class, is she your tutor?”

“Uh… no, she’s not. Octavia is, just fits better with my schedule,” I said, immediately lying so as to save my butt. Though Sunset and I had officially buried animosities I still tried to avoid being in the same room as her. They had to have known forcing to an agreement wasn’t going to make want to do it, but NO, they just had to get on their high horse and mess with me-

“Over here, darling!” Rarity cried, cutting through my inner monologue to wave to Sunset, who was walking over to our usual table. No more was she being struck by various foodstuffs or napkins like she had the previous two weeks, but if looks could kill she’d be have more holes than a pincushion. Celestia had been forced to stop the worst of the heckling as some of it was really intense and other students who would get hit by stray objects or food complained; I guess it had gotten pretty bad when one of Brad’s errant soaked napkins hit Snails in the face and sent him sprawling into the trashcan.

I rolled my eyes as Sunset came over, digging into the mashed potatoes as the others greeted her. I felt her glance over at me, but she didn’t say anything to me and settled for setting down and talking with Fluttershy about possibly volunteering at the local animal shelter. She had been keeping her distance from me for a while ever since we had “made up” and hadn’t really engaged me much at all. I suspected that she alone had deduced I hadn’t really bought her newly overhauled personality.

“Sunset, Sunset, didja hear?” Pinkie asked.

“Hear what?” the crimson-haired girl asked.

“Our friend here’s getting tutoring lessons for Miss Cheerilee’s English class! With Octavia cause that's better for the schedule!"

Well, so much for keeping it quiet, much less being tactful. Sunset would know full well that her completely open tutoring schedule would work better with mine and she just might say so.

Instead, Sunset gave me a smile and said, “Hey, that’s great! Octavia’s really good, she’ll help you out a lot.”

“Uh, thanks,” I said, feeling uncomfortable talking to her. I went back to my meal only to notice Applejack was staring at me with a rather inscrutable expression.

“Ah thought you and Octavia weren’t getting’ along,” she remarked slowly.

Uh-oh. “Nah, we’re cool,” I replied, avoiding her gaze. “We get along fine.”

She frowned at me for only a moment before she turned away, but throughout the rest of the period I could feel her looking at me from time to time. I’d been a fool to think that I could outsmart Applejack and she was probably going to make me answer for it later.

Just before I was about to leave for my next class, I suddenly remembered. “Hey, Dashie,” I remarked.

“Don’t call me ‘Dashie,’” she said with a shudder. “You know I hate that.”

“Of course I know, that’s the fun,” I replied. “Anyway, I’m going to go back over to the training center tomorrow for some practice, you still wanna come along and give it a try?”

“Oh yeah, definitely!” Rainbow said, her demeanor becomingly instantly charged. “Do I need to bring anything or do I just come empty-handed and ungloved?”

“They’ll have some practice gear for you, don’t worry,” I answered. “Just show up at 3 on Saturday and I’ll see you there!”

“Wait, what’re you two doing?” Applejack asked.

“She heard me mention I used to box and she wants to try it out,” I said with a shrug. “It’s been a while since I got to spar so I thought it’d be fun.”

“Just don’t forget, you two promised to help me out at the farm that evening sorting cider bottles,” she reminded us, “So don’t get stuck there too long, alright?”

“It’s just boxing, not a date! Sheesh, AJ, you act like my Mom too much sometimes,” I said flippantly. I noticed Dash shift a bit next to me but paid it no mind. I had a class to catch.

My seat in Phsyics class felt like it had hardened in the last five minutes, my eyes continually shifting between the clock and the chalkboard. I genuinely needed to pay attention to the lesson, as Professor Neigh had warned us that some of the material would be part of the final at school year’s end, but I could feel each minute counting down to 2:30. I knew I’d need to hustle on over to the library to meet up with Octavia, and Miss Cheerilee had warned me not to be late. However, Professor Neigh seemed intent on taking the lesson to the very end of the period and I could feel my timetable shrink ever smaller. I’d have to bolt to get there just a few minutes late, if this kept up.

“And, as you all remember from studying Newton’s Laws of Motion, our circular ball will be rolling down the hill with an acceleration of… Miss Rarity? Do you know?”

“Umm…” the fashionista kept glancing down at her notes in a desperate attempt for a decent answer. “Would it be… 5?”

“Nicely done!” Professor Neigh replied. I flashed a grin over at Rarity, knowing full well she had taken a wild guess. She was almost as bad at Physics as I was. She noticed me and waved for me to buzz off, which only made me want to laugh.

“And so now that we know the acceleration, does anyone want to take a gander and guess its momentum?” Neigh continued. “How about you?” he added, pointing straight at me.

My blood turned to ice. I’d lost concentration messing with Rarity and now I was screwed! “Uh…” I followed in my friend’s footsteps and took a peek at my notes, hoping I would have something to save my head. “I think it’s-”

Right before I could continue and BS an answer, the bell rang and I was instantly on my feet, packing away my things and rushing out of the class before anyone else could set foot outside the door. When I dashed into the library at 2:33 (Nearly knocked Ms. Raven, Principal Celestia’s secretary, off her feet), gasping for having run across most of the school, I saw my tutor waiting for me near the fiction section with a sour expression on her face.

All the guilt and awkwardness I had felt in so utterly rejecting Sunset Shimmer’s open schedule resurfaced at the sight of the angry girl waiting for me. Apparently not one to forgive a transgression, Octavia had no kindness for me. We didn’t like each other one bit and I knew full well I had done this just to spite my old persecutor instead of taking her help. I’d been hoping Octavia’s fire against me would have cooled down, but judging by her expression, I was straight outta luck.

“You’re late,” she said coldly, her silky accent doing little to hide her dislike.

“Are we seriously still doing this? I avoid you at all costs, woman,” I replied breathily. “What more do you want from me, a written apology?”

“If you try to avoid me, why am I your tutor? Sunset’s schedule is open,” she inquired, her eyes nearly reduced to slits.

“You were the best of a bad situation, I did what I had to do,” I replied shortly. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and saw Sunset Shimmer’s head of hair somewhere behind me. My feelings of guilt increased as I was fairly certain she had caught those last couple remarks.

“That still doesn’t explain why you were late,” Octavia said huffily, bringing me back to the present.

“I had a bit of a rushed schedule,” I replied, taking a seat next to her. She looked at me, took a faint sniff, and moved her chair a few inches away from me. Oh, the fun we were having and we hadn’t even started. “You know when my Physics class ends.”

“Next time, get here earlier,” she replied, seemingly ignoring my last statement. “Are you ready to get started or not?”

“No, I somehow lost my backpack in the moments between I was standing and when I sat down,” I said. “Course I am, come on.”

“Alright, let’s start with this, then,” Octavia said, taking out a sheet of questions and putting them in front of me. I looked at the first question and my heart sank.

“Cosmologist Martin Rees has cautioned that our present satisfaction with the big bang explanation for the creation of the universe may reflect the ——- of the data rather than the ——- of the theory.
paucity . . validity
genius . . accuracy
relevance . . scope
destruction . . core
persuasiveness . . reality”

Suddenly, my problems with understanding Mom’s Spanish seemed miniscule. I could do nothing but stare helplessly at the question with no idea of what the answer was. I peered each answer in the hopes that the heavens would open and reveal to me the answer, but no luck.

“You don’t have a clue, do you?” Octavia asked disappointedly. When I didn’t reply, she gave a groan that could be heard halfway across
the library. “This is going to be awful.”

Oh, she had no idea.

“This is the place?” Rainbow Dash asked incredulously, staring up at the sign. “I mean, yeah, it’s the West End, but seriously?”

Saturday had arrived in all its luxurious glory and Rainbow and I were standing outside of a dilapidated old gym bearing the name Manny’s Gym. Rainbow’s reaction was typical for those who didn’t live on this side of town; the exterior of the place was rundown and covered with graffiti, the gutters across the roof were broken and hanging from their bolts, and the wooden door looked rotted around the latches.

“How has someone not broken into this place and stolen a bunch of stuff?” Rainbow asked me.

“The guy who runs this place, Manny? He’s a former pro boxer and huge gun enthusiast,” I answered with a smile. “And he’s got a mean guard dog.”

“Sounds like a great place,” she said drily.

“Doesn’t matter how it looks long as the place functions,” I replied, shifting my bag onto my and pushing open the door. As I walked in, a myriad of memories rushed to the front of my mind: the first time I came here as a little kid, when I first put on my gloves, the day I won my first fight. Out of my old life, this might have been the one good thing I’d been doing for myself, and it felt good to be back.

“No way,” said a husky voice as I entered, and I turned to see a monstrous-sized man walking towards me, his moustache twitching as he smiled. “Hola, mi ariete. ¿Como estas? It’s been too long, hellfighter.”

“Hey, Manny,” I said, giving the old man a hearty slap on the shoulder. “Glad to be back, place looks pretty nice.”

Rainbow Dash gave a small snort that Manny either ignored or didn’t hear. “Yeah, just brought in some new equipment last month. New gloves for the younger folks who come in here, too. Ever since Martin and Castro had their match here three months ago, we been doing just fine.”

“Aw crap, I missed it?!” I asked, appalled. Though Martin was several years my senior, he’d been my mentor and trainer throughout the early years of my amateur career. “How is Daquan, man? Ain’t seen him in ages.”

“You ain’t been here in ages, mi ariete,” he replied. “Daquan left for Atlantic City, he’s trying to start hitting the east coast circuit. He said he’d drop by sometime next couple months, if he could. Now why don’t you tell me who your friend is and why you’re back here after being gone for a whole year?”

“Oh! Yeah, this is Rainbow Dash, she’s a soccer play at Canterlot High and she was interested in giving boxing a shot,” I answered. “As for why I ain’t been here, I’m guessing you heard about the fight at San Marino way back.”

“Yeah, I heard,” he said heavily after he’d shaken Rainbow’s hand (I noticed, with a chuckle, that she shook her hand afterwards since his grip was so tight). “You know I don’t want that kinda bullcrap in my gym, right? I wouldn’ta let you in here if I’d know you was gangster.”

“Don’t worry, Manny, I’m out. I ain’t seen Jester or any of his Wanyama cronies in a while. I’m done with that, you got my word.”

“Good. You can do better than that, ariete,” he replied. “Ring 3 is open if y’all wanna go. You come by soon and visit, alright? Have some fun out there, but fight right.”

“You got it, Manny. See you!” I called, heading over to the empty ring and dropping my gear.

“Pretty nice guy,” Rainbow remarked.

“Yeah, good guy,” I agreed. “He’s from here, came back after his pro career ended. Started up this gym to give kids and other losers a place to learn something decent. Strict, but he did alright.”

“Cool. Say, AJ wanted me to ask you something,” she said offhandedly.

“Yeah?” I felt dread as I knew I had a pretty good idea what it was about.

Rainbow, however, didn’t seem all that eager to say. She looked at me with a playful smile, looking me over as she was thinking. “Tell you what,” she said drawlingly. “How good are you at this whole boxing thing?”

I thought over my career in my head: 12 victories, three by KO, two losses. “I was pretty good for a teenager,” I said fairly.

“Alright, then try this on,” she said eagerly. “If I get three good hits on you, I get to ask you any questions I want, deal?”

“Deal,” I said with a superior grin. I’d play fair against her since she was inexperienced, but I was too good to let three hits get me. We both stepped into the ring and squared off, bringing our gloves to sparring position to begin the match.

Right from the start I could see Dashie was out of her depth- her stance was wrong, her elbows at the wrong angle, too much movement with the heels of her feet. But she wore a determined expression and was coming closer. She threw a punch at my arm-

I swerved and parried the blow, knocking it back easily. “Gonna have to try harder than that,” I said teasingly. “Keep your elbows down, you look like a chicken.”

“Chicken, am I?” she replied, throwing a hook that I easily deflected. And another, and another- she was going all out far too early, burning her stamina away. I was surprised, as I thought some of her athletic instincts would kick in, but I quickly realized her flawed thinking: boxing is a solo sport, and she was used to being a team player. She played like someone had her back.

Big mistake. Her next punch was swatted aside and I threw a mean hook on her shoulder, knocking her sideways. I rushed forward, putting my gloves all over her body in an effort to drive her to distraction-

She didn’t buy it, nailing me across the elbow and causing me to stagger. Taking advantage of my surprise, she managed to land a body jab across my chest and raised her fist to strike another-

I swerved and ducked behind her, planting a small series of punches across her back, pushing her closer and closer to the edge of the ring-

Rainbow’s speed came into play and she dashed away, trying to keep her distance from my reach. I settled for keeping my body in check and watching, creeping closer every few seconds to try and deliver a good body shot-

Rainbow rushed forward and threw another hook-

I again pushed it aside, adding a shot to the arm for good measure-

She swung back and struck a glancing blow across my shoulder, and I felt a trickle of shame run through me. Through her sheer effort and will, she’d gotten those three hits.

“Had enough?” she asked tauntingly, leering at me from across the ring.

I said nothing, merely flashing her a grin and launching myself at her. I landed punch after punch across her body, landing hooks and jabs from bottom to top-

Rainbow raised her gloves to try to parry the incoming blow-

Too late. I pushed her aside and threw a strong power jab, knocking her hard across the shoulders and sending her toppling to the ground. I’d won.

“Not bad, Dashie,” I said jokingly, untying my gloves and spitting out my guard into a nearby cup. “You’ve got good speed to offset your inexperience, I’ll give you that.”

“Hate… losing…” she muttered angrily, slamming her fists into the floor.

“Yeah, well it happens,” I said breezily. “And you did win the bet and got three shots on me, so you did at least get that.”

“Oh yeah, I did!” Rainbow replied enthusiastically, rising back to her feet. “And remember, as many questions as I want.”

“Sure, sure,” I said. “Let’s get off the ring in case someone wants to use it, but sure.” After a few minutes, we’d settled in to watch a young black kid who was taking lessons from one of Manny’s guys. “So what’s Applejack want?”

“She wanted to know how your tutoring session went with Octavia yesterday,” Rainbow grinned. “She wondered if maybe you weren’t being entirely honest about your schedule.”

“She was, was she?” I asked, the guilt resurfacing once more. “Well, how thoughtful of her.”

“You didn’t want Sunset to be your tutor, did you?” Rainbow guessed.

I gave a sigh. “Yeah, that’s right,” I said.

“You promised to bury it-”

“Yeah, cause you all had locked me in!” I replied forcefully. “You pretty much held me to it at gunpoint, what was I going to do? Say no?”

“So you lied,” Rainbow remarked.

“No, I haven’t tried to start a fight with her, have I?” I countered.

“But you’re not even gonna give her a chance.”

“She didn’t give me one when I first got here,” I said harshly. “She tried to get me arrested, if you recall.”

“Yeah, but that’s not who Sunset is anymore.” Rainbow looked at me, shaking her head with frustration. “AJ’s right, you know better than this. Can’t you at least give her a chance to be a good person?”

“Why?” I challenged. “What’s in it for me?”

Rainbow looked at me as if she had an answer, but decided against saying. “How’d your session with Octavia go, then? Are you two best pals?”

“Umm.” I’d been beat. There was no way around that the tutoring session had been a complete disaster, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if the girls already knew that. “Fine, I’ll switch to Sunset Shimmer and see how she does. She does fit my schedule better, anyway.”

“Course she does,” Rainbow said smugly. “Now just don’t be too big a jerk to her, OK?”

“Fine, jeez! You win, what else do you want from me?” I asked.

“How about we go o-” She clammed up intsantly, her face turning as pale as sour cream.

“Go where?” I asked, feeling confused. “I thought you wanted to come here and try this out for a while. I didn’t hit you that hard, did I?”

“No, no, I’m good,” she said hurriedly, staring down at her feet. I was completely taken aback by the whole thing. “I’m just, just… I dunno, I’m good. Yeah, totally. 20% cooler.”

“Umm, sure,” I said, taking a drink of water from my bottle. “You wanna keep going or do you need a rest? I tried not to hit you in the head cause I didn’t think you could handle that sorta damage.”

“Can’t handle it?” she replied, regaining some of her usual verve. “Back in, we’re going for another round!”

She and I returned to the ring, though this time less of an actual sparring match and more of a training session, Rainbow learning from me the various moves and techniques Manny had taught me. She seemed fine, but that moment where she lost confidence was strange. Never seen her like that before.

The last week in October was a sudden change of weather, becoming bitterly cold almost overnight. It was an unpleasant reminder that the bite of winter was almost upon us, something I loathed. The holidays were never that good for Mom and me.

I’d mentally putting money on it all weekend and sure enough, just as I had thought, come Monday Applejack was waiting for me at our lockers with her hands on her hips.

“What?” I asked defensively. “You’re not gonna hold it against me, are you?”

“You’re gonna change to Sunset’s schedule, right?” she asked warningly.

“Yes, yes, I will, I swear,” I answered irritably, raising my hand up as a promise. “Jeez, you musta known I wasn’t ACTUALLY friends with her, when have we ever spoken to each other?”

“You shouldn’t hold it against her no more,” she said, hoisting her bag and walking beside me. “Sunset’s not the same girl she was before. She might surprise you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I grumbled. “Your sales pitch is great and all, but excuse me if I have my doubts.”

“Come on, be fair,” she chided. “You were with me.”

“Yeah, but I like you. Sunset’s been nothing but a pain to me.”

“Well she’s not anymore,” AJ admonished. “You should try judging her by who she is- not who she was.”

“Yes, mother,” I replied, growing ever tired of the constant reminders. Jeez, friends are good and all, but this crap was getting old. Sure, it’s easy for them and all, but me…

The my first two classes went by quickly enough, and all too soon I was standing in front of Miss Cheerilee’s desk to shift my tutoring schedule around. I got the feeling she was expecting this all along, as her smile was far too smug for my liking. It seemed like everyone was getting their licks in today.

“So, what’ll I need to do?” I asked after I penciled my name in on the bar- Sunset Shimmer: 3:30. “Where’s she gonna meet me, the library?”

“The library,” Miss Cheerilee confirmed. “Your sessions will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 3:30, so make sure to keep track. I’m sure your grades will start to improve from here!”

“Yeah,” I said distantly, my stomach feeling hollow. I grabbed my stuff and walked out of the classroom only to find Applejack waiting outside, a self-satisfied smile traced across her lips.

“Oh buzz off, will you?” I growled. “You’re having way too much fun with this.”

“Only cause you deserve it,” she countered. “You shoulda been nice in the first place, ya know.”

“Will you please stop playing the role of den mother? It’s getting really old.”

“Fine, I’ll let it go,” she said good-naturedly, hands up in surrender. “Now let’s go get some lunch, ah’m starved.”

“Oh no, not this time,” I replied defiantly. “You’re just gonna want to rub it in all during lunch and I am not gonna give you the satisfaction.”

“Suit yerself,” she said. “But just so ya know, the apple harvest we did on Saturday? Probly the last one of the season, what with the bitter cold we’re gettin’. Granny Smith’s got apple pies, all sorts of other nice things on the menu today. It looked real good when we cooked it at home.”

“Not hungry, thank you,” I said curtly, my stomach immediately giving me away with a monstrous growl. I could feel my mouth beginning to water at the thought of apple pie. Sweet, wonderful apple pie… “Sometimes I think I hate you,” I said, leering at the cowgirl.

“Come on, ah’ll see if Granny’ll give you an extra slice,” she said, putting an arm around me. “Just play nice and who knows what’ll-”

“DANGIT, AJ!”

It had been an irritating day. AJ had kept her word and didn’t mention I had switched at all during lunch, but she kept dropping hints about it and continually gave me the same smug smile she’d had when I’d walked out of class. Between that and Rainbow Dash bragging that she’d gotten several shots at me in boxing over the weekend, I could feel my patience beginning to snap. Oh, it was all in good fun, but I was in a sore mood.

I had third period with Sunset and I knew by now that she’d have seen I was on her tutoring schedule, but she didn’t mention it to me or make any note of me at all. She, for the most part, kept her head down and focused on her work throughout the class.

About halfway through class I heard a rustling noise next to me and I looked over to see Snails poking at Sunset with a pencil, jabbing at every part of her body that he could reach. She was ignoring him whenever he poked at her head and back, but the moment he jabbed her in the right arm, she gave a ferocious start and winced as if she’d been cut with a razor. A couple of the students around her looked back with looks of disgust and turned back around, assuming Sunset was just being a nuisance.

I stared at her through narrow eyes, watching she put her left arm up her right sleeve and rubbed the jabbed arm gently, her breathing very gentle and controlled. It was so odd, like she was really thin-skinned or something. I felt like I should know the answer, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

She paused for a moment and, perhaps knowing she was being watched, looked up and saw me staring at her. I quickly turned away and hoped she hadn’t actually noticed. Didn’t want her to think I was concerned.

Eventually, despite all my dread and unwillingness, the end of the school day came and I found myself walking over to the library, having dropped off everything I’d need back in my locker. Thanks to the hour’s worth of extra time I had, I was able to be pretty leisurely and get myself in order, whatever the day required. I was rather glad I didn’t need to be rushing over immediately.

When I came into the library, I at first didn’t see here anywhere. Had she ditched me and left me to dry, become her normal self after all?

“Psst! Down here!” I heard someone hiss. I looked down the aisle and saw, in a corner near the back, Sunset waving to me eagerly.

“You’re very well tucked in here,” I remarked, looking at our location: the archives section, where pretty much only staff ever went to look. She’d chosen a pretty isolated part of the library.

“I thought it’d make things easier for you,” she said cheerfully, looking practically giddy that she had a tutoring session. “I wanted something where we wouldn’t be distracted by anything, so you can be more relaxed.”

“Umm… thanks,” I said awkwardly, doubt already beginning to creep into my mind. All the thoughts of dislike I had towards her were getting pushed aside yet again, just as they had when we’d buried the hatchet. This bright, pleasant face was a complete turnaround to what I’d known since the start of school.

“So, Miss Cheerilee said you were having trouble with the fundamentals,” she said, pulling out a chair for me. “I thought we could use today as sort of a gauge, so we can know where your skill level is. I’ve got some sheets with random questions, and you just take a few minutes to answer them. If you don’t know, then just leave a mark beside it and we’ll take a look, OK?”

“OK,” feeling more awkward than before. She knew what she was doing. I settled in and started work on the question sheet, doing the best I could to answer correctly.

“Thanks for letting me help, by the way,” she said after a minute or two. “You’re the first student who’s let me help them. I guess they’re still mad after all the trouble I caused.”

“Yeah, well,” I mumbled. “You know… Octavia don’t like me much.”

“I’m sorry, that’s no fun,” she remarked. “I hope she didn’t give you a hard time during your first lesson.”

“Well, no worse than usual,” I said quietly, scratching out an answer and moving on. After a few minutes, I handed the complete sheet over to her and watched as she got to work.

“Well, I think I know what your problem is,” she said after a moment. “You’ve got a bit of a block when it comes to deciphering definitions, but for the most part you’re pretty good. Here, let’s try this one out…”

And that’s how it went for the rest of the session. Sunset was a diligent, patient instructor who seemed fully committed to helping me out. As it wore on, I found my defenses against her starting to break down. A far cry from her sarcastic cruelty that I’d known her for, this Sunset Shimmer was helpful, patient, and supportive. I’d never seen such a change in a person before.

“So, does that make sense now?” I broke from my thoughts and saw Sunset looking at me.

“Uh, what’d you say?”

She gave a laugh. Not her usual derisive bark, but a gentle laugh that accompanied an endearing smile. “I’ve wrung you dry, it seems. I asked if this makes sense to you now.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah,” I said. “Really, thanks. This helped a lot.”

“No problem! Let me think… next time you get homework or a test turned in, let me know and we’ll look over it, OK? I’ll let you have the scratchwork from today so you can look it over. Think you’ll need anything else?”

“Naw, I think I’m good,” I said. “Thanks… Thanks, Sunset.”

“No problem,” she said, beaming. Her smile was the happiest I’d ever seen her, it was so unusual but such a pleasant sight…

“Well, if we’re good, I’m gonna go on home,” I said, whacking her on the shoulder. “Thanks again for-”

It’d been a glancing blow but Sunset acted as if I’d just shot her arm. She clutched it hard as she could and squeezed her eyes shut to block out tears.

“Whoa, I didn’t mean- Jeez, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you that hard, I swear!” I babbled, mortified.

“It’s nothing,” she said through gritted teeth. She tried to give me a smile to assure me, but she ended up just looking more pained than ever. “No worries, you’re fine.”

“Are you sure? You look like you’re really hurtin-”

Her hand slipped and the sleeve of her jacket was rolled back to reveal a multitude of scars and bruises across her arms. Lacerations of all sorts, some still raw and crusted with blood, and bruises that ranged from blue to deep purple.

The two of us stared at each other, unwilling to be the first to move. “It’s not what it looks like,” she began slowly.

I ignored her, grabbing her jacket and forcing it off of her as gently as I could. What I saw absolutely was appallingly repulsive: all the way from the wrist to the nape of her neck, Sunset was covered in cuts and bruises, one particularly nasty one on her left wrist was still oozing slightly. From my point of view, and mine was a very experienced one, this wasn’t the result of some accident. All of these had to have been committed intentionally. It was appalling, something I’d see in a gang fight, not here in the middle of Canterlot High!

“What in Hell..?” I muttered, absolutely horrified by the sight. “Sunset, what is this..?”

“It’s nothing,” she said quickly, her eyes pleading for me to listen. “I promise, it’s not as bad as it looks. I’m fine.”

“Fine? Girl, you look like you’ve been whacked by a chainsaw!” I whispered. “Are any of these being treated- are you seeing a doctor?!”

“No!” she cried loudly and she clapped her hands over her mouth. “Look, don’t tell anyone, please? I’m fine, it’s not a big deal, just don’t worry about it.”

“Why-” she was off before I could barely begin. I was completely shocked by the whole thing. I hadn’t seen anyone get hurt like that in a long time, not since my last big fight at San Marino two years ago. Unless she’d gotten attacked…

Holy Hell, had she been cutting herself?

And we truly got along

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I’d gone home a few minutes after Sunset had run off, leaving me in a rather uncomfortable position of deciding what I needed to do next. I couldn’t get the sight of those bloody, battered marks all across her arms, some half-covered beneath her shirt and making me wonder if there were more hidden out of sight. It was such an unbelievable incident that I wasn’t really sure how to cope with it, much less react to it.

OK, let’s try looking it over again, I said to myself, running through my thoughts on the matter once more. She swears it’s nothing, but some of those wounds were definitely knife-inflicted and looked like they really hurt. She wants me to just drop it but she could be seriously damaged if those cuts are left unchecked, and I KNOW she’s leaving them unattended even if she won’t say why. So… what do I do?

I know a lot of people would’ve found this sort of dilemma a preposterous one with a relatively simple answer. But for me, for someone who’d grown up in the ghettos, truth and confrontation was a different animal than it was for most others. We’d all been brought up with the adage of “No Snitching” and “F**k the cops” and a whole host of other things that essentially made dealing with these sort of predicaments a bit of a bind, maybe more than it should be. We didn’t snitch, we didn’t rat brothers out, and if someone walked up looking a little worse for wear than we didn’t say a word about it. That’s how it always was.

Key word being “was,” at least in my case. I’d started spending less time over here, less time in the gang culture Jester and the rest of Wanyama had practically brought me up in. If I had to be honest, I was a strange amalgamation of gangster and normal schoolkid, thanks to AJ and the others. Now, I wasn’t sure which to side with.

I was sure Sunset would be mad if I ended up telling the others, but I was worried she wouldn’t be able to make it if I didn’t say anything. I’d been part of and witness to enough nasty fights to know when someone had been seriously injured, and Sunset had marks across her neck and wrists- not a good sign. If she let them keep going unattended, it was entirely likely she’d die from infection if not blood loss. But then again, she might die of shame if I spoke up- that fearful look she’d had before she’d gone wasn’t great either.

I aimed a kick at nothing in particular as I walked, pausing as I heard someone yelling a fair distance away. I looked over across the street and saw a frazzled black man –one of the Diamond Dogs, if I was right- ragging on his girlfriend. I could hear every curse he uttered, all the obscenities and fury with every punch and slap he dealt; she was helpless in his grip. For a moment, I thought she looked over my way and saw me, but another punch and she was back focusing on her persecutor.

As I walked away, I found myself wondering why it was so easy for me to just keep moving and ignore that woman’s need for help. Why was it so simple to just up and walk off, doing nothing to fix the situation? Out here, it was commonplace, but was that the right thing to do? The smart decision perhaps, but the correct one? Was it the right thing to do to just let those in power stay in power? Canterlot High had done just that when Sunset Shimmer had been tyrant. Just silently taken the abuse until that girl Twilight had come in and stolen the crown away from her. After that Formal, they rose up and started giving her all the hell she’d dealt out. Was it revenge, or something even deeper than that? Was it a desire to hit someone who they knew couldn’t hit back?

I hated this place, sometimes. All the violence and gangs and poverty and problems out here, and everyone just ignored it. Sure, people knew it was bad and some stayed away, but almost nobody came in to help make it better. No one said a word about it at school. It was like they didn’t even know; I wondered if they even cared to know, or if they’d do anything about it if the truth was right before them.

Why had they put up with Sunset’s cruelty for so long, just silently taking all the brunt of her anger? Why had I followed suit and done nothing? We’d all just accepted her as the overlord and done nothing, and yet the moment she stopped, we decide to beat her senseless. None of it made sense in my head.

I’d hated Sunset ever since I stepped foot inside that school- I would’ve joined in with the others and humiliated her if AJ and Pinkie hadn’t tempered me a little and held me back. They chided me and pushed me to relent and let it go, and I know they’d been trying to tell others to do the same? What was the difference between me and them, what had convinced me to listen?

A flash of a memory went across my brain: my first fight in the boxing ring; I was the one who dealt the most hits that match, even though I ended up losing. I’d given it everything I had and I went out with some measure of pride. I hadn’t been afraid. And that was the answer.

We were cowards and poor sports, the lot of us. When Sunset Shimmer had ruled, they’d all been too scared to do a thing about it and stand up to her; instead of pushing back and helping one another, they’d chosen to just lay down and get trampled. But now, with the power in their hands, they were sore losers. They knew they could get their licks in without reprisal. The moment Sunset had become a decent person they’d turned on her like a pack of wolves.

It was disgusting, behavior I assumed they’d know better than to descend to. It was scummy and weak bullcrap I’d seen in Wanyama, and I’d been lucky enough to be around good people like Manny, AJ and the others to avoid it in this situation. It could’ve been me, maybe even should’ve been me. But I wasn’t and I knew Sunset was seriously hurt.

The choice was mine. I could go along with the flow and do nothing or I could be the one who changed things for the better. No one was gonna do it for me.

I walked into my house and saw my Mom hard at work, stranded at the kitchen table with a stack of bills spread out before her. I thought back to the days when Dad lived here, when I’d see the bruises and marks all over her body and I hated that I was too small to do anything about it. I hated the thought of her being that helpless, of the one good person I knew as a little kid being damaged and that I couldn’t fix it-

The reality took my breath away.

“Something wrong, dear?” Mom asked, looking up at me with concern.

“No, Mom, I’m fine,” I replied. “Just thinking about something at school, that’s all.” I paused for a moment, mulling my words over in my head before I said, “Mom?”

“Mhm?”

“Can I ask you something kinda personal?”

“Of course, what is it?”

I hesitated. “When Dad was still here… all those times he’d hurt you…”

“I remember,” she said placidly. “The worst was when he threw me into the couch and put a pillow over my face. He swore he was going to choke the life out of me and he might’ve if he hadn’t passed out from being so drunk. I remember I could hear you crying in your room and I hoped and hoped that someone would come in through the front door and take you away from this mess.”

That was a strange thing to say. “Why just me? What about you?” I inquired.

“That didn’t matter to me yet,” she answered. “I’m your mother and all I cared about was keeping you safe. I was scared I was going to die, yes, but that was because if I was gone then there wasn’t anyone who would take care of you.”

“… Thanks, Mom,” I said quietly. “Sorry if that was uncomfortable.”

“It’s alright, dear,” she said. “I’m going to be busy for a while, so please make sure to be quiet when you’re in your room.”

I nodded and walked down the hall, getting out my papers and staring at the scratchwork Sunset had given me. I think I had my answer.

Late! I’d woken up fifteen minutes late and missed the bus and Mom was too busy to drive me over in her old Chrysler. As I brushed my teeth at the speed of light I could hear her yelling at me in a smattering of Spanish, furious that I had made such a dumb mistake. Truth was, I’d been up half the night trying to figure out a way to speak to AJ and the girls about Sunset Shimmer. Now, I’d probably have to wait until lunch to speak about Sunset Shimmer in front of Sunset Shimmer. This was setting up to be a fun day.

I of course was unable to make it to class in time, and therefore I had no chance to say anything for a while. AJ and I didn’t share second period and I wasn’t certain that Pinkie and Rainbow would be very smart about the whole thing. Nice girls, both of them, but had poor timing.

What bothered me most was that Sunset Shimmer seemed to be trying to keep herself nearby wherever I went. Not saying much of anything, but just looking at me with a worried look on her face, like she knew what I was planning to do. Every time I’d catch her eye I’d see a strange pleading glance; she was desperate for me to keep this a secret, though I couldn’t imagine why. The very thought of those horrific scars made my stomach churn. I’d seen worse one be dealt, but to see them on a girl here in a supposedly safe school and part of town was shocking.

“Hey, how are you two?” Pinkie greeted us at lunch, Sunset keeping a short distance behind me. “How was class?”

“Uh…” I hadn’t paid attention to a word, Sunset constantly blocking my thoughts from connecting to reality. “The usual, I guess.”

“I know, isn’t it great?” the abnormally cheerful girl replied with a beaming smile. “It’s so nice to have routines and everything be cheerful and happy because sadness is awful and I don’t know what I’d do if one of you was sad- I know, I’d throw a party to make you feel better! Are you sure you’re fine, do you need a Pinkie Party-”

“Pinkie, chill!” Rainbow Dash said, waving a hand to silence her. Turning to me with a sympathetic look, she added, “Sorry, you know how she gets.”

“Wouldn’t be Pinkie if she wasn’t insane,” I replied good-naturedly (“Hey! I’m funny, not insane!” Pinkie protested).

“So, how’d it go with you two yesterday?” Applejack asked, giving me a marked glance. “Ah hope things went alright.”

“It went great,” Sunset responded instantly. “Things went great. Right?” she asked of me.

I glanced up from my drink at her to see that same, desperate expression. “Yeah, great,” I said slowly. “Sunset’s really helpful.”

They stared, Rarity and AJ with airs of frustration so obvious I was surprised they didn’t start jumping on me.

“So now that you’re getting some help, you gonna stop being an idiot in English?” Rainbow sniggered.

“Sure,” I said. “Pity no one can help you with your boxing skills.”

Rainbow flushed, remembering our time at the ring with distaste. Despite all her best efforts, she simply hadn’t improved during our visit and I had trounced her thoroughly. “Still can take you down on a soccer pitch,” she retorted.

“But not much of anywhere else,” I countered. Rainbow frowned and shoved back her food. Things were about to get serious.

“Oh please, must we do this every week?” Rarity groaned, her face in her hands. “Please, dears, it’s not even amusing half of the time.”

Rainbow deftly ignore the fashion diva. “I could take you out anytime I wanted and you know it,” she said. “You’re just too much of a wimp to keep up, I’ve got to have mercy on you.”

“Like when I had mercy on you and didn’t KO you at Manny’s gym?” I asked all too sweetly.

“Please, I was easing up!”

“Oh sure, that’s why you only managed to get eight body shots on me all day,” I replied. “Sorry, not even I can be that intentionally bad.”

“Ha! You’ve never seen me really try! I can be the worst person ever!”

“I’m not entirely sure that means what you think it means, Dashie.”

“Don’t call me Dashie!”

“Aw come on, you know you like it! You’d miss it if I weren’t being a nuisance.”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever… ever…” she faltered, her fervor dying out like a broken lightbulb.

“What’s that? Is that the sound of defeat? Why Dashie, I never would’ve guessed!” I declared.

Rainbow grabbed hold of my face, a fire positively burning in her eyes. “Why you-”

“Jeez, shut up and bang already!” We all turned to see a kid in glasses wearing a leather jacket staring at us with an expression of supreme irritation. “My gosh, you have no idea how annoying it is to sit next to you all every week. Please, either learn to shut up or get it on.”

Reactions were split across the board. Rarity was appalled, Fluttershy blushed red, Pinkie was confused, AJ was angry, Sunset buried her face in a book, and Rainbow Dash looked absolutely mortified. I, however, roared with laughter, tears springing to life in my eyes.

“Will you two just sit down and eat?” AJ asked irately, eyeing the two of us as if she couldn’t decide which of us to slap first. “It’s not funny, it’s just annoyin’, please stop. Why does everything have to be a contest with you two?”

I laughed even harder, slapping my hand on the table. “AJ, you and Rainbow have been trying to outdo one another for years, you’re just mad I’m one-upping you, too.”

“Please, just- just stop this nonsense,” Rarity scolded. “Such a coarse thing for him to see, really. Uncivilized talk.”

“Come on, have a sense of humor, imagine the thought: me and Rainbow actually hooking up, that itself is pretty funny,” I chuckled.

Sunset shifted and buried her face even deeper in her book; AJ and Rarity shot one another a glance and looked over at me. “What?” I asked, ignoring a small whimpering sound that came from Rainbow Dash.

“Just sit down,” AJ said firmly, a look in her eye so serious that I felt compelled to listen. I went back to my meal in quiet. I glanced up at Rainbow across from me, noting she seemed really pale for some reason. She looked up at me, noticed I was watching, and turned away.

We all sat there in an unusual quiet for several minutes, each one of us persisting in being occupied with only ourselves. Fluttershy sang quietly to her pet bunny Angel, who she’d brought along in her backpack today; Rarity became absorbed in a design for a new dress; AJ was writing down figures for work on Sweet Apple Acres. Pinkie was staring at the rest of us with a perplexed look on her face, her features screwed up in concentration. She sat there and brooded for minutes on end until finally, unable to take it any longer, she cried, “Is nobody going to tell me what that guy was so mad about?!”

All pretenses dropped instantly. I fell out of my chair laughing hard as I could, almost choking when I saw Rarity was having the hiccups. A couple tables around us gave us annoyed looks, but we ignored them. Like we could’ve said anything even if we tried, so great was our mirth.

“What? What did I say?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Pinkie, you are so random,” Rainbow sputtered, flashing me a quick smile when no one was looking.

Our usual banter returned as normalcy was resurrected by Pinkie’s shenanigans, the ease and comfort through which we dealt with one another resuming instantly. It would’ve gone on for the rest of the period if it hadn’t been for one unpleasant incident.

Sunset was just setting down her book when suddenly a spattering of spaghetti sauce went dribbling down her head, soaking her hair and staining her clothes. I could hear folks around us laughing at the sight, Sunset’s normally crimson hair now filled with noodles and meatball fragments. At first I thought she was just quietly accepting it until I heard a small sniff and she bowed her head. She was crying.

“Hey!” I stood up and faced Brad, Sunset’s usual tormentor, standing above her with a malicious smile.

“Sorry, I lost my grip on the tray,” he said all-too-innocently. “At least it’s not a big deal, no one’ll tell the difference.”

“You did that on purpose, ah was watching!” Applejack said furiously, rising to her feet to stand beside me.

“Aw, you can’t prove that,” he sneered. “Just your word against mine. I’ll bet you’re not even sure.”

“Applejack doesn’t lie,” I said coldly. “And we all know you did that on purpose.”

Brad gave me a look of surprise. “What’re you doing defending her? Stupid cow’s always hated you.”

“Piss off you little gangster wannabe,” I snarled, a pulsing sensation starting to rise in my forehead. “You ain’t worthy of licking her boots, now buzz off before I make you!”

Brad and his gang of friends gawked at me, completely taken aback by this newfound attitude. He glared right at me for a while before going off and muttering insults under his breath. I watched him stalk away and to my surprise, saw a studded diamond on his collar. I couldn’t believe it; either the guy had genuinely joined up or he was the biggest idiot I’d ever met.

I slowly returned to my seat, my breath coming in rapid chunks. I could barely eat correctly I was so angry. If I was right, and my instincts were screaming that I was, I think I knew what was really going on. I looked up and found all of the girls were staring at me in utter astonishment. “What?” I asked.

“Where did that come from?” Rainbow asked incredulously. “You’ve never stood up for Sunset Shimmer before!”

“Yeah, well I do now,” was all I could manage. I flashed Sunset a reassuring smile, and after a few moments, she gave me a small smile in return. Better than nothing.

We soon packed up to leave, lunch coming to a close. Sunset hurried off to the next class, eager to get away from the scene and clean herself up. AJ got up to help Granny Smith cleanup for lunch, saying she owed Granny a favor today. As she got up, the miasma that had been this lunch cleared away and I finally remembered. “AJ, wait a sec!”

“What’s actually wrong?” she demanded instantly. “You’ve been actin’ funny all day and ah really wanna know why.”

“It’s about Sunset,” I said hurriedly. “When we were having our tutoring session yesterday…”

“What’d you do now?”

“No, AJ, wait a minute- you haven’t seen her take her jacket off in a while, have you?”

She paused. “Uh, no. Why’s that important?”

“That’s important cause she’s got cuts and bruises all over her friggin’ body!” I said. “She’s got a freaking bruise the size of an eggplant going halfway up her arm!”

That got her attention. “Are- are you serious?”

I gave her a revolted look. “Yes, of course I’m serious! Why would I make something like that up? We need to talk to her, all of us.”

AJ nodded seriously, watching the others file out and head off to class. “Yeah, we do. What were you thinking of doing?”

“Hey, where are we going?” Sunset protested, stiffening as I grabbed her arm and tugged her along down the hall.

“Just trust me, OK?” I said assuredly. “Relax, it’ll be fine.”

“Please, just stop,” she whispered to me. “I know what you’re doing. Just drop it, I’ll be fine.”

“Nah, don’t think I will,” I said, tightening my grip just in case she tried to split.

“Please, that hurts,” she objected. “Let go of me, I swear I’m fine.”

I found the classroom and kicked open the door, pleased to see the others had already arrived, Fluttershy carrying the emergency kit in her hands.

Sunset gave me a scandalized look and I shrugged. “I’ll live, you’ll live. Get in or else I’ll push you in.”

“You said you’d keep it a secret,” she said, sulking.

More gently this time round, I grabbed her hand and pulled her in, closing the door. “I said no such thing,” I reminded her. “You left before I could say a word at all, thankfully.”

“Let’s see ‘em, darlin,” AJ said with a tone of finality. “We’re gonna git this done sooner or later, so just play nice and we can all go home happy.”

Sunset gave a sigh and tenderly shed her leather jacket, revealing the horrific handiwork that was her body. Rarity gave a gasp and both AJ and Rainbow winced, while Fluttershy and Pinkie immediately watered up with tears. All her scars and bruises and marks were just as fresh and foul as they had been yesterday, though thankfully no new additions.

“What on earth have you been doing to yourself, dear?” Rarity asked quietly. “Why did you let this happen?”

“It’s nothing, really,” Sunset said once more. We all ignored her as Fluttershy walked up and began dabbing at the worst of her cuts with antiseptic and other meds. “Fluttershy, you really don’t have to-”

“We’re your friends,” Fluttershy said simply. “And that means we’ll always be here for you no matter what. Please, let us help.”

Sunset began to tear up and she collapsed onto a nearby table, submitting to Fluttershy’s gentle care.

I studied her for a few moments, examining certain cuts across her shoulders and neck. I noticed a fairly fat bruise on the back of her neck and I said, “This wasn’t you, was it?”

Sunset sighed. “No, it wasn’t,” she admitted.

Rarity gave a shrill scream that echoed horribly throughout the small classroom. “Sorry,” she said as we all winced. “But Sunset, why would you let someone do that to you? It’s awful.”

“Yeah, they’re using you as a guinea pig!” Rainbow said angrily. “What kinda sicko does that to another person?”

“A gangster,” I said, getting their attention. “Wanyama would do the same stuff to people who got out of line.”

“Huh?”

“An intimidation tactic,” I said. “A way to frighten people and make sure they don’t talk.” I turned to Sunset. “It was Brad and his buddies, wasn’t it?”

She looked over at me in shock. “How did you know?”

“That unbelievable IDIOT!” I roared, jumping up to my feet and nearly taking down a couple of empty chairs.

“Whoa, pardner, hold on a second,” AJ intervened, already predicting my thoughts. “Ah know what you wanna do and there ain’t no way it’s happ’nin- ever.”

“AJ, the kid’s being a complete moron, I’m probably doing him a favor by thrashing him!” I spat. “He’s wearing a diamond stud on his collar, it’s the symbol of one of the west end gangs called the Diamond Dogs!”

“He’s a gangster?” Rainbow spluttered, doing her best to hold in laughter. “That guy doesn’t have enough brains to fill an eggcup!”

“And that’s why I know he’s not actually a member,” I replied.

“I don’t follow,” Rainbow replied.

“Diamond Dogs are a bunch of thieves, not a group of butchers,” I clarified. “When I was with Wanyama we’d use them as a middleman to broker drug materials. The Dogs are about cash and cash only- Brad’s got a diamond stud cause he thinks he’s being all cool and “thug” when in reality he’s gonna get himself killed.”

“Cause they wouldn’t want an imposter pretending to be them,” Sunset guessed, gasping as Fluttershy dabbed medicine on a particularly deep cut on her right shoulder.

“Sorry, I’m doing the best I can,” Fluttershy apologized. “But some of these are really deep and have been left untreated for a while, you should have told us.”

“It’s alright, Fluttershy,” Sunset responded. “I’m sorry to make you go to all this trouble.”

“Oh, it’s fine, I’m glad I could help,” she said sweetly. “Are some of them starting to feel better?”

“Yes, definitely,” Sunset said happily, giving a deep, comforted sigh. “Oh, that feels so much better.”

“Why didn’t you tell us, darling?” Rarity inquired, gazing earnestly at her friend. “Why did you let Brad and his band of hoodlums do this appalling thing to you?”

Sunset’s gaze flickered between the floor and Rarity. “I- I dunno,” she said uncomfortably. “I’d been so terrible to everyone here I didn’t think I had…”

AJ shook her head in exasperation. “You thought that just cause you did all that horrible stuff to folks that it was fair for them to make mincemeat outta ya? How does that make any sense?”

“But- I literally turned into a demon, I made them a bunch of zombified slaves!” Sunset replied, giving me a quick look. I had no idea what they were talking about, was this some kind of code?”

“Sunset, that was who you were, not who you are,” Rarity stated firmly. “You are not worthless because of what you’ve done and when the dust had settled you acted the lady and apologized. Not just to us, but to everyone, even our good friend here,” she added, indicating me. “And ever since that day you have not once shown a hint of your old nature: you’ve changed through and through and that’s enough for everyone. No one has the right to take revenge on you.”

“She’s right, girl,” AJ agreed. “No one ain’t got the right to do this to you.”

Feeling a bit out of my element, I grabbed her hand and put it into mine. “Look, I’m not very good at this,” I said slowly. “But you can’t whip yourself. What’s done is done, all you can do is choose to keep moving. Are you the same girl I first met when I came here?”

“I… I don’t know…” she replied uncertainly.

“The girl I met wasn’t the girl who helped me with schoolwork yesterday,” I said. “Nor did she have friends who cared about her. We’re proof you’ve changed, just as these girls are proof I’ve changed.” I looked straight into her shining teal eyes and added, “So don’t let this ever happen again, OK?”

Unable to summon a word, Sunset wiped her tears away and gave a small nod. I gave her a smile and squeezed her hand reassuringly, hoping she got the message.

“GROUP HUG!” Pinkie exclaimed delightedly, a complete sobbing wreck. She rushed over to Sunset Shimmer and prepared to put her arms around her-

“Whoa! Pinkie, chill!” I said, blocking my overemotional friend from her goal. “Sunset’s pretty beat up, remember? Maybe not so crazy-”

Sunset cut through my words and wrapped the party-crazy girl in a tight hug, squeezing Pinkie Pie so tightly that she could barely managed to breathe. All of the girls put their arms around Sunset –albeit gently- as the group of friends came together, a reminder of their loyalty to one another.

I smiled, rolled my eyes and started walking to the door. My part in this was done, but there was unfinished business to attend to in the form of Canterlot High’s biggest moron.

“Ah said no,” AJ called out just as I wrapped my fingers around the handle.

“Oh come ON!” I cried, flaring up immediately. “I will be doing him a favor, the Diamond Dogs’ll probably kill him if I don’t go down and knock some sense into him!”

“Ah said no and ah meant it,” AJ said firmly. “You can’t just solve this through kicking his butt, even though he definitely deserves it.”

“But-”

“No,” AJ stated.

I gave a roaring groan and aimed a kick at a nearby chair. “Fine, but I’m gonna go make him stop.”

“Ah said no violence-”

“I heard you, jeez! I’m just gonna scare him to death, OK?” I said.

“How?” Sunset asked.

“I wasn’t one of Wanyama’s enforcers for nothing,” I replied, feeling my blood starting to churn inside of me at the thought. I pulled my hoodie over my head to shadow my face. “This is gonna end today.”

I found Brad and his buddies exactly where I thought I would- out in the school parking lot surrounding his car, all of them puffing away at cigarettes. The windows to Brad’s Dodge were down and gangster rap and hip-hop were amped up to maximum volume. The music, combined with the cigarettes, thug clothing and bling made their intention clear: we’re gangsters.

It would’ve been funny if it weren’t so pathetic.

“Well, look who’s come to visit,” Brad declared sneeringly, rising up from his position atop the car to glare at me. “West Side sucker’s come to apologize, I hope.”

I said nothing, sizing the gang of seven up: five guys, two girls who looked to be nothing but hanger-ons, here to get some attention from the “cool kids.” Brad’s right-hand man, a kid named Will Walker, had the buckle of a small pocket knife sticking out of his belt loop, but the others seemed to be unarmed. If I had to guess, only three of these guys had any guts whatsoever, and Brad was not one of them. This wasn’t going to be hard.

Brad slid off of his car and sauntered up to me, knocking against my head. “Hey, you deaf? I’m waiting for my apology; now cough it up, you poor piece of garbage.”

I again said nothing, settling for a look that had been perfected over five years of brutal enforcement for the city’s most dangerous gang. Brad took notice and immediately backed away, realizing that he had picked a fight he wasn’t going to win.

“What do you want, huh?” he asked shakily, glancing over at his guys. “We ain’t got no problem with you.”

“You’ve been attacking Sunset Shimmer,” I said. It wasn’t a question.

Brad shrugged, regaining some of his composure. “Who they gonna believe, me or you?” he taunted. “Just your word against mine, you can’t prove nothing.”

“Yeah, man, we don’t answer to nobody,” Will added. “We’re Diamond Dogs, we can do whatever we want! If some ho is in our way, we can do-”

“You’re an idiot,” I said scathingly, cutting through his pathetic attempt at a monologue.

“Excuse me?” Will hissed.

“Diamnond Dogs are a bunch of low-life thieves, not butchers,” I said. “If you were legit you’d have just stolen everything Sunset had, not beaten her to a pulp.”

“Yeah? What makes you so sure?” Will asked, trying to bluff his way out of this mess. But any fool could see that his face was draining of color.

“Because,” I said slowly, lifting up my right hand and revealing the Wanyama mark branded into my palm, “We’d order them around.”

Brad and his friends were stupid, but they had enough brains to recognize the ‘W’ could only belong to only one group. Brad recoiled and slammed into the side of his car, and the two girls gave screams and ran.

“You all stay!” I snarled, catching two of the guys before they could scarper. “You may fool some of the people here but you don’t fool me. You’re a bunch of wannabe gangsters playing around without knowing what trouble you’re getting in to. I came out here to beat you all senseless and leave you struggling to breathe. Trust me, it’d save your life.”

“How w-would that s-s-save us?” Brad stammered.

“The Diamond Dogs are thieves,” I said, “but any gang will kill posers or else they lose face. Their old head, a guy named Rover, killed a bunch of teenagers who were cutting into their funds by posing as his cronies. You wanna guess what they’d do to you?”

It was evident by now that all their swagger was gone: they were nothing but a bunch of kids who were getting scared out of their minds by the gravity of their stupidity. “You said he was the former head,” Brad remarked. “What happened to him?”

“He tried to buck Wanyama and Jester had him killed,” I said. “We stole everything he had and some of the guys sold his family on the black market.” Brad looked weak enough to faint; it had been enough. “You’ll be leaving Sunset alone from here on out,” I ordered. “You will walk on the opposite side of the hall whenever you see her. If she is going through the same door as you, you will stop and wait for her to get out of your way. You will not look at her, talk to her, or make any contact with her whatsoever. You will act in the same manner towards Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash, as well as I.”

The last remainder of Will’s fight rose to the surface. “Hey, what a minute, what gives you the right-”

“If you do not comply,” I interrupted loudly, “I will come to your houses in the middle of the night, gag you with duct tape, bind you to the floor and saw off your fingers one by one. Wanyama caught a kid trying to steal heroin and he lost his hand. Unless you wanna follow in his footsteps, you will do as I say. Are we clear?”

Brad was soaked in sweat and he was fumbling for his keys, desperate to get away as quickly as he could. Will had silently inched over to the passenger door and was pulling at the handle so fiercely I half-expected it to tear off.

I gave a satisfied grin and said, “You do not want to hear from me again,” and I walked off. There would be no more violence out of them again.

The rest of the weekend flowed fairly smoothly, all things considered. Fluttershy went over to Sunset’s place Wednesday and Thursday to perform more cleaning on her wounds and was pleased to report that Sunset was “healing up very nicely.” None of the cuts were infected and she’d make a full recovery.

Sunset herself was far happier as well, the stress and physical trauma of being continuously assaulted no longer burdening her. She was still struggling, but her friends were helping her to continue pressing forward. She’d get there eventually, even if it took some time.

Brad stayed true to his word, fear for his life keeping him in line. Once or twice he caught sight of me or one of the others and panicked, usually resulting in him crashing into a wall or tripping over himself. I never missed an opportunity to laugh at him though Applejack kept reprimanding me and saying I was being a poor sport. She was right, but it sure was fun.

But best of all was Friday in second period, when Miss Cheerilee handed out a practice quiz for English class, the first sort of test I’d had in the class since I’d started getting tutoring from Sunset. It was hard going at first, anxiousness and low confidence threatening to pull me back into old habits of poor guessing and illogical thinking. But Sunset’s reminders and pointers started coming through near the end and I was able to finish rather well from my own estimation, and used the last bit of time to change some of my earlier answers. When we handed our papers forward, I turned towards Sunset and gave her a quick thumbs-up. She smiled and handed me one in return.

“So, what’re we gonna do tonight?” Pinkie Pie asked us at lunch that day. “It’s a special night and we need to make it count in the annals of history!”

I looked up from my lunch, feeling confused. “Uh, what’s so important about tonight? I’ve been a bit busy here.”

Pinkie looked scandalized. “It’s Halloween!” she said passionately, her expression giving the impression she was on Cloud Nine. “All sorts of pranks and candy- the glorious candy, the wonderful sweet delicious magnificent candy-”

“Ah think we get the point, Pinkie Pie,” Applejack said, intervening before Pinkie continued on with one of her typical speeches. “Sorry y’all, but ah promised Apple Bloom ah’d take her trick r’ treatin’ tonight, so ah’m booked.”

“I’m afraid I’m the same way, dears,” Rarity added, “Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are over at my place for the evening and I was appointed their babysitter. I wish I could be with you all but I did promise…”

“What about you, Fluttershy?” Pinkie Pie asked, beginning to look somewhat deflated at the rejection of her favorite night.

Fluttershy, as was her normal response, became suddenly fearful and murmured, “I, um… I’m not a big fan of Halloween. I don’t like scary things very much.”

“You get scared when a leaf accidentally falls on your head,” I remarked, shaking my head. “You have got to get over some of this, you know this.”

“Give her time, she’ll get there,” Rainbow Dash said, coming to the defense of her oldest friend. “She used to be way more timid, if you can imagine.”

My imagination failed me in an instant, I just figured saying it aloud would be unwelcome. “So what’re you gonna do, go around pranking folks? You’ve been pretty active round school all day,” I remarked.

“You bet!” she replied enthusiastically, a devious smile playing across her lips. “And I’ll polish it off with a super terrifying movie at the end of the night. You wanna come along?”

“Umm…” I thought back to my criminal record, among many other things. “I’ll probly have to pass.”

Rainbow looked rather disappointed but said, “No worries, not a big deal. But now you won’t see me coming!”

“What about you, Sunset? Anything planned?” Pinkie Pie asked, looking desperate for a companion with whom to roam the night.

Sunset shook her head. “I think I’ll just stay home. Sorry, Pinkie, but it’s been kind of a long week.”

Pinkie Pie looked crushed and she sagged back into her chair. AJ, perhaps feeling sorry for her sugar-addicted pal, offered her a place walking around with her and Apple Bloom.

“So what are you going to be doing tonight?” Sunset asked me as we walked to our next class. “You said that your Mom’s away at Filthy Rich’s house tonight, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah, helping to work some party of their daughter’s,” I said. “Just be me at home for the night. Wonderful night to be in the West End.”

Sunset looked down at her feet for a few seconds, biting her lip, “Would you like to… I dunno- would you like to come over to my apartment for the night, then? If you’ve got nothing to do-”

“Wait a second,” I said. “You want me at your house?”

“Well you made it sound like you didn’t want to be at your place tonight,” she explained rapidly, “and I know it’ll just be me there tonight but in case you wanted to have somewhere to go and relax a bit…”

I thought it over. It was true that Halloween was a historically bad day to be in the West End, especially since Jester usually cooked up a lot of ghoulish stuff for Wanyama to get up to. I’d been worried I was going to run into Suds or one of the others for a while now, and tonight was as good a night as any for that to happen. Maybe Sunset was giving me a great way to avoid that.

“Sure,” I said quietly. “I could do that. Yeah, I’ll come on over.”

“Really?” Sunset asked, positively beaming. “That’s great, how about meeting up at around 8:30?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever works,” I replied.

Sunset gave a small squee of happiness and gave me a quick hug. “I’ll see you tonight! Don’t worry about bringing anything, I’ll have it covered!”

“OK,” I said distantly. I liked this school a lot and my friends were great, but sometimes they could be very strange. Both she and Rainbow Dash had been acting really weird lately.

Out of all the things I had expected, a simple two-room apartment wasn’t what I had expected. Sunset’s place was fairly neat, though she had a pile of mail and homework sitting on her kitchen table. But the size! Everything here was so small, so packed in, confined! It was like, like…

“Like you live here alone,” I finally managed to spit out.

Sunset, who had been rubbing her arm for the past few seconds, grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, well, umm… I kinda do. My parents and I didn’t get along for the longest time, so I moved out and left them back at home.”

“So you’re not from here?”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that, but… yeah,” Sunset admitted. “About the time freshman year came along was when I moved here.”

I gawked at her. “You’ve been living on your own since you were fourteen,” I said, utterly flabbergasted.

“Umm… yes?”

I shook my head in amazement. “How did you take care of yourself? How do you pay for this place?”

“Oh,” she said softly. “I- I have a few things tucked away to take care of myself, and I’ve got a weekend job that pays fairly well. I’ve been doing computer and phone application work for the past couple years.”

“Jeez, you’re pretty self-reliant,” I commented. “It’s pretty impressive how you’ve managed to take care of yourself.”

“Oh yes, certainly,” she muttered darkly. “After all, I only spent most of it being a complete monster to people. I’ve taken care of myself very well.”

I frowned, watching her go to her fridge and grab a bottled water, a morose expression on her face. I couldn’t quite get her; she was smart, talented and kind, but she could be so utterly defeated at times. It was like she couldn’t get over all her failures and they would just drag her down into a pit.

“You don’t have to be that way, you know,” I said awkwardly, not used to the role of teacher. “You’ve got good friends, they’re willing to help you out.”

“Friends I did a bunch of horrible things to,” she countered grimly.

“They don’t care,” I replied. “Come on, I’ve been arrested for assault and proliferating drugs, you can’t do worse than that. Besides, these friends of yours don’t care what you did- didn’t this week prove that to you?”

Sunset dipped her head, unable or unwilling to respond. “Why did you make such an effort for me?” she asked, looking me straight in the eyes. “When you saw all the cuts and bruises on my arms, it was like you’d seen a ghost…”

I hesitated. Mom and I had been pretty quiet about the whole thing to pretty much everyone we knew, including our family. Word had never really gotten out about the condition of our home when… “It was my father,” I said with a sad sigh.

“Huh?” Sunset’s expression of confusion changed instantly to horror as she understood. “Oh my…”

I gave a series of small little nods. “He used to beat on my Mom when I was little. There were plenty of times I’d be huddled up in my room and I’d hear him just wailing on her. I’d get up in the morning and see she had a black eye, or a scar across her lips. Whenever I’d see it, I’d get so angry that I was so small and helpless and I swore I’d make him stop someday.”

“And did you?” Sunset asked softly.

“No, I didn’t,” I answered. “One day he got drunk early in the morning and attacked my Mom while she was out working. He’s gonna be in prison for the next twenty years.” I looked up at Sunset Shimmer, looking right at her. “When I saw those scars… it was like being a little kid, I didn’t know what to do. I just- just- I just didn’t want to see someone get hurt like that again. I don’t care what you’ve done, just don’t… don’t let anything like that happen again, alright? Please?”

Sunset bowed her head, her shoulders shaking ever so slightly. She slowly reached for my hands and wrapped her fingers in mine, holding onto them as if they were the very lifeline that was keeping her afloat. “Thank you,” she managed to whisper. “No one’s ever stood up for me like that, it really meant a lot.” She managed to regain her composure and turned to face me. “And I promise, that stuff isn’t ever going to happen again. You’ve got my word.”

I smiled, squeezing her hands just as I had the other day. I looked into her teal eyes, finding a softness I had never seen there before. All the anger and abrasiveness that I’d come to expect from her was gone, leaving an uncertain young lady with a willing heart and a beauty to match. I hadn’t truly noticed, but the more I gazed into her eyes, the more I began to find them some of the loveliest things I had ever seen-

And that was when I realized I’d been staring at her for a good two minutes. I promptly let go of her hands and backed away slowly, coughing slightly. “So, umm, whad’ya got to do around here?” I asked quickly, looking anywhere but at her. “What’s your idea of fun?”

“Well, I’ve got…”

For the next couple hours, she and I sat down in front of the TV and played video games, the first time I had in a while. She had a couple horror-themed games that I was keen on trying out, and she was experienced enough to help guide me through. We had a pretty good time just the two of us; I came to find she was encouraged by interest- the more people expressed eagerness to learn and listen to her, the happier and more comfortable she became. She was a good teacher and I was an (perhaps overly) enthusiastic student, so we worked well when it came to gaming. We popped open some food, relaxed and watched some TV, and then returned to more gaming. It was the most fun I’d had in ages. Of course, as the night stretched out, we started getting rather tired and even I, one who was used to late nights, found myself getting sleepy…

I was so warm, so comfortable. I hadn’t felt this relaxed since I was a little boy, tucked in and loved by a caring mother. It was so exquisitely wonderful that I didn’t want to open my eyes even for a moment…

I felt something shift beside me and I could bear it no more. I slowly opened my eyes and saw I was still at Sunset’s apartment, the clock above the TV reading 3:45. I must’ve fallen asleep! I looked over at my phone, sitting on the couch a bit out of reach, and saw it was aglow: Mom must be texting me for something, perhaps wanting to know where I was and how I was doing. I was just about to reach when I felt a bit of weight on my left side. I paused, turned and saw Sunset was right next to me, sound asleep and using my shoulder as a headrest.

I bit back an urge to laugh, touched by her show of implicit trust of me. She was utterly knocked out, her breathing so gentle and calming that I couldn’t help but smile. I felt a strange sensation warming me, and I ceased my attempts to grasp my phone. Mom could wait till morning.

But then we found out

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I felt warm, that much I knew. My eyes were open but blurred by sleep. I felt so comfortable, so at peace that waking and returning to the living world seemed too difficult. I opted for letting my eyes close and sleep overwhelm me once more. But as I sat there, I could sense that my arm was asleep and there was something digging into the back of my head. Sleep was going to be a hard-earned victory after this wakening.

“Hello, you there?” said a bright voice, a soothing sound to my tired soul. “Wake up, sleepyhead… Hey, you alive?”

I grumbled and turned to the side, ignoring the pleasant sound in favor of sleep. “Lve mealone,” I slurred. “Feelsgood here.”

That lovely voice gave a giggle, and I heard the faint tremble of clothing rubbing against carpet. “Come on, sleepyhead. Wakey wakey!”

Slowly, unwillingly as I could, my bleary vision was opened to the world once more and I was greeted by a face mere inches from mine, staring at me with wide eyes. “YAAAAH!” I sprung to life like I’d been struck and I scrambled up the couch and came to a halt when I slammed my head into the wall. Pinwheels and stars flashed across my vision and I felt like I was going to faint.

Sunset laughed at me, her bright cheeriness mocking my poor state. “Wow, I didn’t mean to scare you that badly!” she said brightly. “Sorry, but I had to wake you since I’ve gotta go.”

I rubbed the back of my head, hoping it wouldn’t bruise. “That hurt, jeez,” I said, scowling. “And after all the kindness I showed you last night…”

“Oh, don’t be a poor sport, it was all in fun,” Sunset teased good-naturedly. “I said I was sorry, what more do you want? A written apology and a kiss to make it feel better?”

I paused at the mention of that last one. “Uh… uhum… So why did you wake me up?” I asked swiftly, trying to ignore how hot her apartment had suddenly become.

Sunset shifted her jacket and revealed a work uniform underneath. “I’ve got to get to work, and unfortunately I can’t just leave you here at my house. Sorry, but if you’re gonna go back to sleep you’ll have to go back home.”

I gave a yawn, thinking about how far away home was from here. “Yeah, I’ll just take the bus or something-” I looked over at my phone and remembered last night. I flicked it open and saw, to my horror, I had a couple dozen phone calls and text messages from my mother. “Holy crap, I am so dead.”

“What’s wrong?” Sunset asked.

“Mom,” I answered. “She must think I went out with Suds and the others- she is gonna flay me!” I rushed to the door and had yet another heart attack- “I don’t have my wallet! I left it at home!”

Sunset gasped, understanding the trouble I was in. She opened her purse and fished out some money, handing it to me. “For the bus fare,” she said. “Hurry! Don’t keep her waiting and tell her I’m sorry, it was my fault you got stuck here!”

I gaped at her. “You are a wonderful human being,” I breathed, grabbing the cash and running off.

A bus ride, two miles of running and half an hour later I crashed through the door to my house to find my mother, predictably, sitting in the kitchen waiting for me with an expression that suggested stormy conversations were ahead.

“And just tell me,” she said furiously, “why you have been ignoring me for the past twelve hours? You have not responded to one message, one single phone call, I half-expected to see the police come through my door, not you! What were you doing last night?!”

“Mom,” I gasped, struggling for air as I tried to recover from my run. “I promise… nothing bad… no Suds… no Wanyama.”

“Really?” she asked, skeptical. “Then where were you?”

“Friend’s house,” I said. I could feel a stitch stabbing my chest and I felt like I would explode. “We were hanging out and… I left my phone on the couch. I promise Mom, not an intentional thing. Complete accident, she fell asleep on my arm and I didn’t want to wake her.”

“She?” Mom looked utterly flabbergasted. I don’t think she’d expected that. “You were at a girl’s house?”

“Her apartment, yeah,” I answered. “Someone from school, she invited me over to hang out.”

It took Mom a few moments to recover from the shock, but her expression shifted from stunned to suspicious instantaneously. “Did you… did you sleep with her?”

“Sleep with her? Uh, I guess so, yeah,” I said.

Mom gave a small scream, “What on Earth were you thinking-”

Holy crap! I woke up for real at that moment and I freaked. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, not what I meant! I am so sorry, that one’s on me, I messed up! No, I didn’t have sex with her, we both fell asleep when we were playing video games! I promise, nothing happened!” Well, not totally true. Something DID happen, but not in a sexual nature. At least I think.

Mom stood up and walked over to me, staring me straight in the eye. “Are you telling me the truth?” she asked fiercely.

I stared right back, knowing what she was wanting. “Yeah. Nothing happened, I didn’t do anything wrong, you can relax. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

She continued to stare at me for a few seconds before pulling away, apparently satisfied. “Alright, I trust you,” she said. “How well do you know this girl?”

I grabbed some bread from the pantry and stuffed it in the toaster. “Uh, pretty well. We kept running into each other at school so we decided to be friends. She’s the one who’s been tutoring me for English classes.”

“Oh, OK,” Mom said. She opened her mouth, hesitated, and then pushed forward and said, “Do you- like this girl?”

I nearly dropped my plate onto the floor, coming up with a clutch grab and bringing it back to the counter. “What? Say that again?”

Mom’s expression turned from suspicion to a strange delight. “You like this chica, don’t you?”

“I, uh… Mom, I don’t really know the answer to that,” I answered honestly. “I don’t know if I do or not. I mean, I couldn’t afford a girlfriend since I’ve got no job.” That part was true, I hadn’t had a job since last September right before my second arrest.

“Would you take her out on a date if you did have a job?” Mom asked.

I gave her a baffled look, waiting for my toast to be done. “What the heck’s with you? Two minutes ago you were gonna break my neck now you’re asking about my love life!”

“I want something good for my child, that’s all,” she said innocently. Too innocently, really. “A good girl that makes you want to be something worthwhile is what I’ve always hoped for you.”

“Wow, Mom, no ability to leave it alone,” I remarked. The toaster gave a Ping! and I grabbed my breakfast, retreating to my room. “Why don’t you… just let me have the morning to myself?”

“You need to send me a picture of her!” Mom called to me as I raced down the hall.

“JEEZ, MOM!” I slammed the door behind me and slammed by plate onto my bed, my stomach quivering. I’d been hungry when I first came in, but now I felt like a few butterflies had decided to take residence-

Aw, Hell. Not good, not good, not good! I grabbed my toast and immediately set to eating, hoping the sensation was just hunger. Unfortunately, two slices of toast and fifteen minutes worth of waiting did nothing to sate it. I tried focusing on some homework, and had no luck. I was completely, utterly distracted and it was all Mom’s fault. I had nothing!

I gave a snarl and lay my face in my hands, mulling over last night. Nothing that interesting had happened last night, really. It’d just been two friends hanging out, having a good time… and talking about deep personal feelings. And I talking about my Dad, which I never do. And Sunset falling asleep on me and me not wanting to wake her. And me staring into her eyes, those beautiful, shimmering teal eyes-

Aw, Hell.

I got up from my bed and looked around. What was one word that best described me? Not who I was, not who I thought I was, not who I was going to be, but who I really am. I decided on one simple word: poor. I had nothing to offer. I was just some dumb ex-gangster who didn’t really know what to do with his life. And she had just gotten out of a real dark moment in her life, Sunset was almost as messed up as I was. I doubt I was anywhere close to what she needed to get better. But then again, she listened to me last night and about her scars. I’d actually said some stuff that wasn’t total crap.

OK, I may not be King Solomon, but I wasn’t my Dad. That was a start. It still didn’t change the fact that I had no money and no money meant no date nights. And then there was my track record with girlfriends- well, ‘girlfriend’ was a strong word. They’d more or less been… err, tension relievers, if I had to be honest with myself. Was I the kind of person Sunset needed? She needed someone who’d look after her, care for her, and never leave her behind. Never leave her, period.

I wasn’t that. Right?

Monday was uncomfortable. All weekend I’d been occupied with the idea of Sunset Shimmer, despite my best efforts. I kept running through my list of excuses: too poor, too rough, too something, and despite the logic and wisdom in my arguments, I kept finding myself pondering moments with her. It was so odd to me that I wasn’t thinking of any moment in particular. I’d always imagined getting under the sheets with other girls I’d met, but Sunset… it almost seemed indecent.

Of course, all of these conversations were nothing but an endless loop of my brain defying the chaos that was teenage hormones. I had no clue what in heaven, earth or Hell I was doing. All I knew was that if I was to ever date a girl again, I’d need a job.

Right after first period had ended, it all started. “Hey! How was your weekend?” I heard someone behind me say. I froze and felt my stomach do a loop as I recognized the voice as Sunset Shimmer. I turned around saw that familiar wavy hair, that same old leather jacket, and those teal eyes complimented by a small, shy smile-

I realized she was waiting for an answer. “Oh! Uh, fine, fine, I guess,” I said shakily, trying to regain some composure and praying I hadn’t been staring for too long.

Sunset’s smile grew ever so slightly and I could feel my face starting to flush. She’d noticed something that was for sure. “OK, get up to anything or just stay at home?”

“Yeah, just relaxed at home. Did some work for school, but that’s all.”

“Great! How was your English homework?”

I actually managed a smile on that one, one not related to her. “It went well, actually. Least I think it did.”

“Well, when we get today’s homework in, let’s take a look over it, alright?” she said. “And let’s look over the test once we get it back, see if there’s anything that we need to review.”

The test! I’d totally forgotten about it, I’d been so caught up with Sunset Shimmer that I’d lost track! Anxiousness in regards to Sunset was immediately replaced by fear about the grade I was gonna get. Had I improved after all, or had I remained the same? Was all the work Sunset had put into me- all the work Sunset and I had put in- worth it?

“You’ll have done fine,” Sunset said soothingly as we took our seats. “Just relax and we can look at it later.”

I certainly hoped so. Miss Cheerilee walked in a moment later and started handing out test papers back to the students. I glanced up ahead and saw that Fluttershy, in the greatest twist of irony I’d ever encountered, had received her fifth straight A+ in the class, putting her atop the class. I never understood how she knew so much about words and never, ever used them.

“Here you are,” Miss Cheerilee said pleasantly, handing me back my test. I felt my mouth go dry, but I noticed that her demeanor around me this time round was a far cry from the last test we’d taken. Had I improved after all? My heart pounding a million miles a minute and unable to bear it any longer, I flipped the paper over and winced as I read the B+ on the top right corner of the paper.

B+! I thought my jaw was gonna hit the floor I was so stunned. “Fantastic improvement, glad to see you’re applying yourself! Keep up the good work!” Miss Cheerilee had written underneath. I felt my body go limp from lack of tension and I was light as a feather. As I’d been feeling her gaze throughout the entire class, I turned to face an awaiting Sunset Shimmer and I flashed my paper with a playful smile. She beamed at the sight of the grade and gave me a thumbs-up before we returned to reality and faced today’s lesson.

I tried not to think about Sunset Shimmer throughout the lesson and failed after the first five minutes. I was beginning to wonder what the point was about all this.

“You did it, I told you that you would!” Sunset exclaimed as we walked to lunch, her wringing my arm in delight.

“What are you so happy about? It’s my grade!” I asked, trying to ignore her infectious attitude.

“Come on, we’ve worked so hard, you should be proud!” she replied, giving me a shove.

“She’s right, really. Way to go!” Fluttershy declared, or as loudly as she could manage.

“Still not as good as yours, though,” I said fairly. “Your grade in that class is… what, 3.98 or something ridiculous?”

“Umm… yes, I think,” Fluttershy said demurely. “I just don’t like to bring attention to it, that’s all.”

“Typical Fluttershy,” I muttered, but bearing a satisfied smile as we walked to meet the others at our usual place.

“So? How’d it go? Did you do well?” Pinkie Pie asked in her usually frenetic manner. “You’re smiling a lot so you must have gotten a good grade! Come on and tell me you got a good grade!”

“Yeah, I got a B plus, thanks to her help,” I said, pointing at Sunset Shimmer.

“Awesome, way to go!” Rainbow cried, giving me a whack on the back.

“Nicely done, darling,” Rarity said approvingly.

“Yup, you did alright,” AJ agreed. “Glad Sunset’s gigantic brain was able to help you get whipped into shape.”

I nodded earnestly. “Yeah, I can’t imagine where I’d be without her,” I said, “She saved my neck on this one big time.” I then recognized that statement could mean more than one things and I shut up swiftly.

Sunset, thankfully, missed it. However, I caught a sly smirk playing across Rarity’s lips for a millisecond and Rainbow Dash for some reason looked angry. I decided to keep on listening to the others for a while instead of speaking, delving into the ham we’d been served for lunch.

At least for a little while. Rarity stiffened beside me and I turned to see she had become stock-still. “What’s up?” I asked.

“The table a few lanes down,” she said. “They’re giving us quite an unfriendly look.”

I leaned over and saw a group of guys and girls- Lyra, Octavia, and Bon Bon were the only three I recognized- staring at us hard. No, not at us, at Sunset Shimmer. They were glaring at her as if they wished her nothing but ill. “Jeez, if looks could kill,” I muttered.

“What’ve they got to be so mad about?” Applejack asked, having been listening in to our conversation. “Do any of y’all know?”

“Nothing, unless…” I glanced over at Sunset, who had just picked up on the fact that something was amiss. “Unless they’re still mad at her.”

“Who’s mad about what?” Sunset asked, looking at me and twisting about to see Tavi and the others. As if on cue, Octavia got to her feet and unleashed a middle finger upon the crimson-haired girl.

“Why, that she-lion!” Rarity declared hotly, looking absolutely appalled. “What on Earth made that necessary?”

I didn’t care. I knew who that was directed to and that was all I needed. “Gimme a pencil from my bag,” I said heatedly, and Rarity quickly summoned one from my bag. I took it from her hands and flung it across the hall, landing a wonderfully shot hit across Octavia’s forehead, and she stood up to face me, anger etched in every line on her face. My face cold with fury, I brought up both my hands and gave her two middle fingers, mouthing the words “Go to Hell” for good measure.

“Goodness, I wasn’t expecting you to do that!” Rarity said crossly. “I certainly wish I hadn’t helped you do such a crude act!”

“Sit down, sugarcube, what’re you trying ta do?!” Applejack demanded.

“What, I’m supposed to just let her do that to Sunset? She’s one of our friends!” I countered hotly.

“Got a point there, AJ,” Rainbow said, coming to my defense. “Why not just fight back?”

“Stop agreeing with him, last time you flipped someone off you had ta run around the soccer field for an hour!” Applejack replied. “You both know better!”

I pulled a face, fully ready to fight back, but I felt something tug at my sleeve and I was pulled back into my seat. “Just leave it be!” Sunset said reprovingly. “Don’t descend to their level, alright? Not for me.”

“Why not for-”

“Drop it,” Applejack ordered sternly. Her no-nonsense glare meant business. I gave a loud groan and settled for returning to my meal and I didn’t say a word the rest of the period. Rainbow asked me whether or not our next boxing meet-up was still going on for the next day, and I nodded that it was so. She’d shown zero improvement but she sure seemed to like coming along.

Classes came and went and soon I found myself sitting in the library alongside Sunset Shimmer again. I found myself trying to get closer to her but at the same time not too close, because that might be weird- well, the whole thing was weird period, but this was odd even for me.

“Hey! You listening?” Sunset asked of me, bringing me out of my daze with her displeased frown.

“What? I’m doing the best I can here!” I replied, trying to find a way to support my own bluff.

No chance. “Oh yeah? What did I just say, then? Repeat me word for word,” Sunset challenged.

I glared for a few seconds, then let out a long, lingering moan. “Ugh, today,” I murmured as I rubbed my eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m wasting your time, aren’t I?”

“Yes, you sorta are if you’re not paying attention,” Sunset said reprovingly. “Wait,” she added before I could say a word. “Look… let’s just relax, forget this stuff for today. I think we’re both a little wound up right now.”

As she shoved away the supplies we were using, I looked in her teal eyes and saw that a hardness had taken residence there. Not the cruel fires I had known from her, but a pain and anger that I hadn’t yet seen before. “You’re mad about Octavia too, aren’t you?” I asked.

“Yes,” she admitted lowly. “I know I shouldn’t be, but stuff like that’s been going on for weeks and it’s hard to put up with.” She looked over at me and continue by saying, “Sorry, by the way. I shouldn’t be getting mad at you, and I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you during lunch. It wasn’t fair to ask you to be like Rarity or Fluttershy.”

I felt guilt flood my veins and wash away whatever wrath I had stored up. Here she was, the victim of mockery and she was the one apologizing to me. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” I said. “You were right, anyway, I just get sick of people picking on you and that was a pretty low blow. I just reacted without thinking.”

“Yeah, I know,” she replied, rubbing my thigh gently with her hand in an attempt to soothe me. “It’s a knee-jerk thing for you, isn’t it?”

“Probably too much so,” I admitted. “I’m great at the fight part, not so much the fight.”

“At least you can fight back,” she muttered darkly. “I turned this whole school into a bunch of zombie slaves and nearly set them off to conquer the world. They’ve got every reason to be mad at me.”

We both sat there, Sunset staring off into the distance while I stared at her. She was such an oddity to me. She had so much confidence in her friends, even in me, yet she had no confidence in herself. I didn’t understand it.

“Don’t talk like that,” I said gently. “Yeah, you did some bad stuff, but it’s over. They should just get over themselves.”

“I turned into a raging she-demon,” she said wearily, “I think they can still be mad at me.”

“I say they can’t, who they gonna listen to?” I challenged.

Sunset gave a small smile. “Yeah? What’re you gonna do, go and threaten them all into silence?”

“Now that’s an idea,” I remarked playfully.

She gave a laugh, giving me a friendly push. “You’re so stupid,” she said. “But thanks anyway.”

“Why do you talk about yourself like that, anyway?” I asked. “I’ve done a bunch of illegal BS and you don’t hear me putting myself down. It’s unnecessary.”

“I dunno, I just- it keeps me in my place,” she decided. “It makes sure I remember who I am and what I’ve done. So I don’t do it again.”

“You’re not gonna do it again,” I replied. “Come on, you know that! Look at you! You’re helpful and kind and patient and compassionate and pretty-”

Whoops.

Sunset gave me a look, her eyes saying a million words that I couldn’t possibly understand. She stared at me for the longest time, studying me for something in particular. After a minute or so, she gave a weak smile and said, “I think I’m gonna go on home. See you tomorrow?”

I’d done something wrong. “Yeah, see you,” I said faintly. Right when she’d gone out of sight, I crashed my head into the table, suffering the agony of failure. This day had been awful.

Right hook. Jab. Uppercut, swerve, uppercut.

“You’re putting too much power into your punches, your body is getting pulled along with your arm,” I cautioned.

Body shot, check hook- swerve, swerve, right pull. “I know, I know, I’m gonna get it!”

“Watch it, you just left yourself exposed, your left fist dropped on that last one.”

“I know. I’ll get it next time round.” Gazelle punch. Jab, uppercut, bolo punch.

“Watch it, you’re losing control of your form.”

I KNOW!” Rainbow’s straight punch came directly for my face and I easily missed, parrying the blow and sending her crashing into the ropes where she toppled to the floor, gasping for air.

“That’s it, I’m calling it,” I said, pulling at the strings on my gloves with my teeth. “You’re worn out, Rainbow, just admit it. You’re gonna get yourself hurt if you don’t stop.”

“I’m fine,” she snarled, clutching at the ropes to pull herself up and failing, collapsing on the ring floor in a sweaty heap.

“Crap. Manny, I need a hand!” I called, throwing aside my gloves and pulling her arm over me. Manny, who had been watching for the last few minutes, came hurtling over the ropes and helped me out, bringing my exhausted friend to her feet.

“I’m fine, let go of me!” Rainbow protested irritably, her face flushed and soaking in sweat. “Come on, this is embarrassing!”

“Shut up and sit down,” Manny replied coolly, ignoring her pleas. When we sat her down on a nearby chair, he ran to grab a bottle of water from the fridge in his office. “Wait a few minutes for you to stop breathing so hard, then drink.”

“He’s right, Rainbow,” I said, crouching down before her. “You need to rest, you’re pushing yourself too hard over this.”

Rainbow gave me such a furious look that I wasn’t sure whether she was going to hit me or start crying. She snatched the water bottle from my hands after a minute and started chugging away, doing her best to ignore me.

“See? Bet you feel better already,” I said pleasantly. “Next time, learn to control your exertion and stop yourself. You got lucky this time, boxing can do a number on your body.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” she muttered mutinously, wiping her face with a towel. “I was gonna be fine.”

“We call it as we see it, chica,” Manny said witheringly. “You were playing the fool and could’ve gotten yourself hurt. Next time don’t try to be so impressive!”

“Please, I’m the greatest, who do I need to impress? I’m an all-star athlete!” she countered.

“And you look like a complete mess,” Manny scolded. “You may fool this one, chica, but not me. If you want to practice in my gym again, show some restraint.” He stalked off over to watch another sparring session on the corner ring, leaving the two of us there.

“Mean old goat,” Rainbow sneered.

“Don’t,” I said severely. “Manny’s rough but he’s a good guy. Don’t disrespect him, he was completely right.” Not that I knew what he meant by me getting fooled, though. I’d seen through her protests for those last few minutes.

“He had no right to say any of that! He doesn’t- he can’t know-”

“Hey! Dashie, wake up alright?” I said. “You’re not listening to me!”

“Don’t call me-”

“ENOUGH!” I shouted, grabbing her wrists and squeezing them tight. “Rainbow, you’re a good soccer player, that’s fine. You’re strong, I get it. I’ve seen you play and you’re good, but you’ve got to calm down or else you’re gonna do more damage than you’ve already done! Let it go, you haven’t injured your pride or your ego, no one here is gonna say anything! You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, so do yourself a favor and relax.”

Finally, with my frustration having reached its limit, her blazing expression cooled and she relaxed in her seat, taking a long, calming breath of air to temper herself.

“Sheesh, I’ve never seen you lose your temper like that before,” I remarked. “What was so up in your craw that you kept going like that?”

Rainbow’s gaze flickered to me instantly and immediately away, a scowl forming on her lips. “It’s nothing, just- just being competitive as usual.”

I shook my head. “No, sister, that’s way more than your usual competitive self,” I replied. “You pushed yourself way too hard for that. You’ve been doing this with me for a while now, what made today so different?”

Another flicker and another scowl, deeper this time. “Why were you so angry when Octavia flipped off Sunset?” she asked suddenly.

That wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I floundered for a bit, wondering whether or not I should tell her what I’d been thinking all that day. “Umm… I don’t know, I was just reacting, I guess. Sunset’s my… friend. And I don’t want someone doing that to my friend.”

“Your friend?” Rainbow asked suspiciously, looking straight at me. “You sure?”

I’d been found out. My mouth went dry and I was stymied for much longer than I would’ve wished. “I- I don’t know, Rainbow, I don’t. She’s been running through my head all weekend long and every time I see her I just remember Friday night and-”

“What happened Friday night?” Rainbow asked timidly.

“I accidentally fell asleep at her house,” I admitted. “She fell asleep on me and I didn’t want to wake her, so I just sat there for a bit and then…” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. “I don’t know what to do.”

Rainbow sat there, eerily still like a statue. Then, slowly and far more gracefully than I would’ve expected of her, she wrapped her hands around my face, bringing the two of us face-to-face. For a girl so hard and rough at times, everything about her suddenly had become so soft and vulnerable. She had a pained expression, a sad smile playing along as she looked at me like she never wanted to stop. I looked up at her eyes and saw –to my utter amazement- that she was starting to cry!

“Rainbow…” I said softly, “Hey, you OK-”

“You are so stupid,” she said angrily, throwing her towel in my face. She stood there seething, unable to face me. “You’ve been around for only a few months and you’re the dumbest person I know. I don’t get how you can be so thick.”

I was at a loss. “Umm, what did I do-”

Apparently it was not my day to end sentences. “Oh just shut up,” she said wetly, wiping her nose with her hand and storming out of the gym.

“Hey wait a second, how’re you gonna get home?” I asked, racing after her. When I smashed out of the entrance, I looked down the road and saw her running as fast as her legs could take her. I didn’t know what I’d done to make her mad, but she was upset about something.

I walked back into the gym and, predictably, every eye was on me, including Manny’s. He beckoned me to his office with a single flick of his finger and I slowly followed him in, preparing myself for the inevitable scolding that was to follow.

“You know why she was so mad?” he asked me the moment I closed the door.

“Not a clue,” I shrugged. “I’ve never seen her like that-”

“She’s got her eye set on you, moron,” he groaned, rubbing his temple. “She’s right, you really are the dumbest person she knows. You couldn’t read the signs if it was a billboard.”

OH. Sweet mother of all that’s holy, that was the problem? I went cold, rigid as a board. “Oh, Hell!” I breathed. The time when I said it was crazy she and I would date, her overexertion today, that guy’s remark the other day causing her to freak, her always agreeing with me, siding with me, always wanting to go boxing with me, our constant zingers…

“You’re seeing what you’ve done, aren’t you?” Manny guessed shrewdly, having a laugh at my expense. “Let me guess: you thought that the two of you were just good friends who were both really competitive and she was a good sparring partner, here and when you wanted to trade a few insults. Am I right?”

“Far too right,” I replied, annoyed. “I feel like an idiot.”

“So, no different from usual?” Manny replied cheekily.

“Shut up,” I scowled. “Wait, actually, I need you for something.” I faltered, shook myself and said, “Manny, do you need an extra trainer here?”

He looked at me in apparent surprise. “Sorry, flubber, Ricardo and Karina are all I can afford right now, with Martin gone. The fight did some good round here, but I’m too small-time to get a real team going.” He scrutinized me for a second. “Why you asking, anyway?”

I sighed, deciding to lay my cards on the table. “Manny, I need a job,” I confessed. “I’m looking to start getting some real money so I can-”

“Hold it,” he interjected. “Is this for her or some other girl?”

Oh jeez. “No, not Rainbow,” I said flatly, trying to ignore my discomfort. “It’s for another girl and- am I really that obvious?”

“There’s a reason you’ve never once landed a hit on me, flubber,” he responded in kind. “Look, I wish I could help you, but no openings here. Try asking around places and see what you can find.”

My shoulders drooped and I bent down to grab my gear. “Alright, thanks anyway,” I said lowly.

“Hold on a second,” Manny said before I could make my exit. “This girl… what made you want her? Why choose her over the one who’s been coming with you?”

I mulled that question over, thinking carefully. Manny didn’t usually ask questions like that unless he wanted a genuinely serious answer and he’d been good enough to me to deserve one. And besides, it was one I should have an answer to. Why DID I like Sunset over Rainbow? Both girls were attractive. Rainbow and I were more alike and we had pretty similar personalities, while Sunset was calmer and more reserved. Rainbow and I could take each other on, while Sunset and I had some pretty stark differences. Rainbow and I had been friends almost immediately. Sunset and I had only just started getting along. So why?

“Hard question, isn’t it?” Manny deduced. “You better know how to answer that when it matters, mi ariete. If you want to stay loyal, be good to her, you gotta remember why you chose her over everyone else.”

I nodded, thinking it over. What had changed about Sunset? What made her so different? Rarity was beautiful, Fluttershy was gentle, AJ and I were close as could be, Pinkie was fun and Rainbow was strong… all good girls, all worth admiring and caring about. So why, why of all people, was it Sunset Shimmer?

“She… makes me want to be a better person,” I finally confessed. “She’s done a complete 180 with her life and she’s so great to people even though she gets treated like crap. She’s helpful and patient and… and I’m not as good as her. If she can be like that, then I want to as well. She makes me want to be worthwhile.”

Manny looked at me, studying me for any sign of falsity or deceit. After time had passed, he slowly gave me a nod of approval. “That’s the answer I was hoping for, ariete,” he said sagely. “Good luck finding a job.”

I walked out of Manny’s office feeling far lighter than I had when I’d entered, my mind now focused on the first step I had to complete. If I was to ask out Sunset Shimmer I needed cash, and to get cash I needed a job. Manny told me to ask around, but I know I couldn’t ask around here in the West End. No safe job here. As for a normal job? I’d be screwed thanks to my criminal record, so the only place I could think of was school, and there was no job there for me-

Unless I asked one of the students for a place…

“You want a what?” Applejack asked, looking more flummoxed than I’d ever seen her.

“I need a job,” I repeated, “and I’m having trouble finding one, so I thought of Sweet Apple Acres. Do y’all need an extra hand on board for anything?”

“We always need an extra hand when it comes to farmin’,” AJ replied thoughtfully. She peered at me. “What’cha want it for, anyhow?”

“I need money,” I said evasively. “So… anything at all?”

AJ’s eyebrows shot up and she gave a self-satisfied smirk. “Ah dunno, darlin’,” she drawled. “Ah don’t think you’re quite cut out for hard work like farmin’.”

“Oh please, look at this!” I said, flexing my arms to show off my array of muscles. “I’m strong, I’m durable, and I don’t quit. What more do you want from an employee?”

“How about the capacity to shuddup and take orders for a change?” She replied lightly.

I scowled at her. “Haha, very funny. Now come on, can I get a job at the farm or not?”

AJ looked at me and laughed, probably knowing full well why I wanted the job at all. “Alright, ah’ll talk to Granny Smith and Big Mac about it,” she said finally. “We’ll talk it over and have an answer for you by the end of the week, how’s that sound?”

It was the best chance I could’ve hoped for. “Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks a lot, Applejack,” I said gratefully.

“Yeah, sure,” she said. “Jus’ make sure to not stand around and daydream all the time if we hire ya, OK darlin’?”

I felt my insides shrivel but I managed to keep a straight face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I replied pompously.

“Please, you’re about as obvious as a-” she came to a halt and stared when she caught sight of Rainbow Dash, who had been walking over to say hi. But when she caught sight of me, she turned pale and ran off at top speed. Applejack, unaware of the previous day’s events, could do nothing but simply stare in confusion. “The heck was that about?”

“Uh…” I scratched the back of my head and my insides shriveled even further. “You see, when we were boxing yesterday, she, uh, had a bit of a meltdown.”

Applejack gave me a look of mild suspicion. “Breakdown, huh? What’d she do?”

“She overexerted herself and nearly got hurt,” I explained. “She got super upset and called me an idiot and-”

“She kiss you?” It was stated so bluntly that I was simply amazed at Applejack’s gall. It took me a couple moments to recover.

“Are you kidding- did everyone else but me know?” I asked.

“Seems like it,” AJ answered. “So- she kiss you?”

“No! She grabbed hold of my face for a while, but no,” I answered. “She even…” I let the end of that last sentence drift into nothingness, for I was willing to bet that Rainbow wouldn’t appreciate me telling the story of her crying.

“She why you’re wanting the job?” AJ guessed.

I shook my head. “No, she’s not,” I answered heavily. “And I think she figured it out yesterday, too. She was more upset than I’d ever seen her.”

Applejack sighed, shaking her head mournfully. “She wanted someone who could keep up with her, match her for everything she’s got. You’re one of the few people to ever beat her in anything. I think she liked that about you.”

“Yeah… I didn’t mean to hurt her feeling like that, she’s my friend,” I said.

“My advice would be to let it sit for a little while,” AJ advised. “She’ll be awful mad at you, so give her time to cool. She won’t force anything on you and she’ll understand, but let her cope with it for a bit. In her own way, don’t force anythin’.”

I nodded, shifting my backpack. It hadn’t been a very pleasant week so far, and hurting my friend so deeply like that hadn’t been on the to-do list. I hadn’t even MEANT to…

“Sugarcube? Hey, you OK?” AJ asked, grabbing hold of my arm and looking up at me anxiously. “You awake in there?”

I gave another mournful nod. “It’s been a confusing couple of days, AJ,” I confessed. “Stayin’ over at Sunset’s on Halloween and a bunch of other junk’s just made it-”

“Whoa, hold on there a sec! You went to Sunset Shimmer’s place on Friday?” Applejack inquired.

Wow, I was getting so sick of telling this story over and over. I cut to the chase and gave AJ whatever details she’d want as quickly as I could. Though it wasn’t all bad, as my story and my own personal thoughts were enough to put Applejack into analeptic shock. I thought her jaw was actually going to sink to the floor.

“Uh. Wow. Not- not what ah expected to hear,” she said feebly, occasionally giving a weak chuckle. “Ah wasn’t thinkin’ that you- that of all the girls here- wow.”

“I’m- just keep it quiet, alright?” I requested. “I’m not really sure what I actually think yet and I don’t want anyone knowing. I don’t even wanna really tell you.”

“Ah’ll keep it quiet, you got mah word on that,” Applejack said firmly, a smile starting to play across her lips. “Ah never would’ve thought it, but…”

“But what? Come on, tell me,” I inquired.

Applejack’s smile widened and she immediately turned her back on me and walked away, laughing all the while.

I ran after her but eventually gave up, deciding whatever was behind her mirth wasn’t worth knowing. Sometimes, I decided, girls are just weird.

And then sometimes they’re just plain obnoxious, as I would find out after lunch.

“I know something about you,” someone said in a singsong voice. I twisted about to see Rarity staring at me gleefully, tiptoeing around to face me.

“I never doubted that statement,” I remarked. “Though you’ll have to be more exact than that, vague isn’t quite all that revealing.”

“I know something very, very secret,” Rarity whispered gaily, her face simply alight with happiness. “And I know you only just found out yourself.”

Absolute, unequivocal horror. “Rarity, how in Hell did you-”

“I know you have a crush on Sunset Shimmer!” she sang, prancing past my ear.

“WILL YOU ALL STOP INTERRUPTING ME?!” I raged, stomping the floor with all my might. “Holy crap that gets old! Applejack, you low-down lying little bit-”

“Oh, Applejack knows, too?” Rarity exclaimed delightedly. “Oh, I can hardly wait for it, just imagine how wonderful it’ll all be!”

Now I wasn’t just angry, we had to throw confusion and horror into the mix. “Wait, how do you know, then? Only person I’ve told is… Applejack…” I felt like I’d just been slammed with a right hook as the answer came to me.

“Rainbow Dash was fairly bitter this morning,” Rarity said quietly. “She mentioned you two’s little moment during exercising yesterday, and she said you loved our new friend-”

“-Well I wouldn’t say love, but I do like-”

“-And that you really cared about her, from her assumptions,” Rarity finished, having totally ignored my protests. Her eyes misted over as her imagination transported her far away from me and the rest of her surroundings. “Oh, just imagine it for a moment: You, Sunset, hand in hand as you walk along the lakeshore, romantic candlelit dinners and intimate words whispered in each other’s’ ears, moonlight serenades and true love blossoming forth with vows of loyalty and faith forever till death to you part-”

“What are you smoking?” I asked, utterly aghast. “I mean –man, it feels so good to interrupt someone else for a change- just hold your ponies for a second, you just went into cheesefest overdrive! I can’t even ask her out cause I can’t afford it yet, and I’m still in high school. We’re not in love, she probably doesn’t even like me, and that is WAY too much information for a normal conversation on attraction.”

“Oh, but darling,” Rarity pouted. “It’s been so long since we’ve had a whirlwhind romance, think of what talk it would generate- you, the newcomer and former ruffian, and Sunset Shimmer the redeemed beauty of Canterlot High. It’s a perfect tale of love and redemption! And after all the chaos with Sunset and Flash-”

Wham! I became so distracted by that last sentence that I walked straight into a wall of lockers, scuffing my nose and causing tears to stream from my eyes. “Wha-ha-haaat did you say?” I spluttered, coughing and generally making myself look like a fool.

“Oh, that’s right, you haven’t heard,” Rarity said. “Well, you see, dear, Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry used to date for quite a while, and they had a bit of a falling out. They were the hot couple here at school for quite a while…”

Rarity went on at a length, but I’d stopped listening.

Flash. Flash Sentry, the king rocker of Canterlot High, the big man on campus, the one all the girls want, the one that makes girls get hot, the guy who never misses a step, the guy who’s always described as perfect and wonderful and great-

THAT was the standard I had to live up to.

I was so f*cked.

It was so much more than that

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The rest of the school year went by more speedily than I would’ve imagined, as if time had suddenly decided to speed ahead and close out the year early; most of it was a blur, an unpleasant jumble of emotions and tired memories that bogged us down in apathy and exhaustion. Not a good thing to be if you have end-of-year exams to complete.

I ended up getting the job at Sweet Apple Acres, thanks to Applejack. She and her brother put me to work the moment I was hired, that very Saturday, feeding livestock and throwing around supplies. It was hard work, harder than I’d ever imagined. Applejack’s whole family –Big Mac, Granny Smith, and her little sister Apple Bloom- had an all-hands job, I was amazed they had enough time in their schedule for school and work, though AJ later told me that they usually had more hired hands during the warmer weather. Altogether, it was a good job, the pay was fair, and the Apples were good folks to work with. Big Mac said a little more around the farm than he did at school, but I could still go through an entire day working with him and not hear a word longer than two syllables.

As for school itself, the rest of the year was tremendously uncomfortable, thanks to cold weather blues and… social difficulties, to put it lightly. Sunset and I’s tutoring sessions, which had been fairly fun and relaxing for the first few weeks, had become awkward and fairly muted. It wasn’t that we disliked each other or we were mad- it was as if something was in the way of us connecting, blocking us from getting along.

And if I was willing to guess, that something was Rainbow Dash, who had become as cold and unfriendly as I’d ever seen her. She wasn’t spiteful, she wasn’t mean or anything that I would’ve expected from someone. Instead, she just shut down. She was either unable or unwilling to really interact with the rest of us, more or less becoming a multi-colored stone in our midst. Well, with everyone else. She spewed venom at me.

“You should try talking with her,” Rarity advised to me one day near the start of December. “She’s hurt and she just doesn’t know how to deal with that kind of disappointment.”

“She won’t let me talk to her!” I explained stubbornly, reminding the diva of my persistent problem. “Whenever I try to say something she just ups and leaves. I can’t work with that!”

“I don’t know what to tell you to do, dear,” Rarity replied. “But you’re the only one that can fix it, so you’ll just have to find a way to make it happen.”

“Oh, that’s great advice, wonderful,” I remarked. “That solves everything- make it happen!”

“I truly am sorry for your predicament, dear, and I wish I could help more,” she replied disdainfully. “And I don’t appreciate sarcasm.”

I gave a sigh of frustration, wringing my hands together. Rarity was super nice and really helpful, but her pride and high-society manners often put us at odds in a conversation. “Look, you- I’m trying to do the best I can here, I promise,” I said wearily. “It’s just been going on a while and I’m sick of it.”

“I understand,” Rarity said graciously. “But please, for the sake of our friends as well as yourself, take care of this now before it gets out of hand.”

All the while, I was ignoring one very big fact that Flash Sentry hadn’t been dealt with. I knew next to nothing about his relationship with Sunset before I had come to school, so I had nothing to go on. It seemed like nobody really liked to talk about it and there was no way I could just ask Sunset about it. If I was really honest, I wanted to talk to Flash first. I kept coming up with ideas of intimidating him or forcing it out of him, but they were ludicrous and unrealistic. I needed something better, but I needed more time.

I wished it was that easy, but with exams coming up, I had little time on my schedule to focus on anything but work and school. If I wasn’t at Sweet Apple Acres working for the Apples, I was at home studying for exams. I was fairly certain that my English and Math scores would be good, thanks to my affinity for math and Sunset’s help, but physics and history continued to be difficult. They needed all the time I could offer them.

Throughout the school, the other students were all dreaming of the winter break- three weeks of uninterrupted relaxation, and a chance to enjoy the holidays. After all the fun and hubbub of the semester, particularly with that of Sunset’s escapades, I think students were more eager for the break than usual.

But for us West Enders, the holidays is just another reminder of what we’re not: not normal, not complete, not a part of normal society. If holidays were supposed to be about family and togetherness, I couldn’t see it. No peace on Earth in a world that’s trying to kill everyone who doesn’t fall in line. Mom and I usually just celebrated by spending some time together, but this year I was hoping to get her an actual gift with some of the money I’d earned at the farm. She deserved it after all the crap I’d given her. Maybe, for the first time in my life, I’d be able to make it a decent Christmas.

Two weeks left and exams were on their way. Things hadn’t been patched up, no comfort with Sunset again, and no end in sight. Stress was starting to get the better of me, as I became snappish and edgy during the day. I don’t think they all knew, but a few knew why. AJ and Rarity just kept quiet about the whole thing. Sunset still could barely talk to me, Rainbow still refused to. I was going to lose my mind if I didn’t get this taken care of soon.

So, being practical and thoughtful of my health, I decided to just be unpleasant about it. I was leaving school for home and I saw Rainbow walking a short distance ahead, unaware I was somewhere behind her. I mulled over what options I had at the moment which, unfortunately, there weren’t many. As much as I was unwilling to admit it, it was looking more and more like Rarity’s advice for making it happen was going to have to be the solution. Deciding I might as well get it over with, I snuck up behind her and grabbed her as tight as I could, jostling her and leading her away down the road and towards a nearby park.

“Hey, what gives- get offa me!” Rainbow protested, trying to pry my hands off her shoulders, even going so far as trying to lash out and take a bite out of my fingers.

“Oh no, you and I are getting this settled,” I said viciously. “Today, right now, are we clear?”

“No we are not, now get your filthy hands off of me before I cry rape!” she spat.

“You’re not gonna do that,” I said. “No one with any sense would think you’d do that.”

“Yeah? Well watch me!” she retorted.

“I’d hear you say it, not watch you.”

“Oh just get off!” she said loudly, finally prying me off and following up with a good punch across my cheek.

I backed away, rubbing the spot where she’d hit me. “That was a clean jab,” I remarked angrily, nursing what I was certain was going to become a bruise. “But that doesn’t solve anything yet.”

“Makes me feel better.”

“Can we start there, then?” Her eyes bored right into mine, daring me to speak another word. “Come on, walk with me. You and I were gonna have it out at some point anyway. Best we just get it done.”

Rainbow didn’t say a word, standing there for a moment before walking down the sidewalk. “Well? You coming or what?”

I fell in step beside her, wondering what I should do now that my ludicrous plan had actually succeeded. I’d been thinking so much about getting her to talk to me that now that it was done, I had no clue what I had to say. Or what I even should say.

“You’re pathetic, you know that?” Rainbow snorted. “You just go around being a complete and total jerk to people, not caring at all about how they’re gonna feel when you’re done. You’re unbelievable.”

“Uh-huh,” I remarked coldly. I was beginning to get an idea about how I was going to pull this out of her, but it required me to be far smarter than I would’ve cared to be. Being normal was way more fun.

“That’s the best you can manage? ‘Uh-huh’? That’s all you’re gonna say in your defense?”

“I don’t need to defend myself,” I replied. “You and I know that you’re not mad about how I treat people. I barely talk to them.”

“You talk to me,” she countered. “Me and AJ and Sunset and the others. None of them even like you, they can’t stand you! I don’t like you- not one bit!”

“If that was true then you wouldn’t be angry at me,” I responded coldly. “Come on, just get it out and say it already!”

“Say what?”

“Say what you really feel about me- I know it and so does everyone else, so stop being a coward and get it done.”

“I am not a coward!” Rainbow replied, practically spitting in fury. “And I already told you, I can’t stand you, I think I even hate you!”

“Liar,” I sneered. “You’re gutless.”

“You unbelievable, unlikeable, unthinkably piece of garbage-”

“Now we’re getting somewhere. Come on, already! Spit it out, girl!” I snarled.

Rainbow turned and gave me such a forceful shove that I lost balance and went sprawling into the mud, feeling the brutal cold seep into my clothes. Above me towered a prism of rage so violent that I was shocked she didn’t start beating me to a pulp. Instead, Rainbow burst into tears of anger and started screaming at me. “You are so unbelievable!” she yelled, ignoring the fact that passersby on the other side of the road were starting to stare. “You think you can do whatever you want and get whatever you want, don’t you!? Well guess what, I like you, alright?! I liked you because you were strong and tough and because I thought that beneath all of that crap was someone who was pretty cool! But now I know better because you’re nothing but a massive sleazebag who messes with other people’s feelings for kicks. You make me sick.”

“Rainbow, I didn’t want to do any of that to you, I swear-” I started to stammer.

“SHUT UP!” she shrieked. “You always try to just get the argument and done over with instantly, you treat it like it’s some stupid boxing match and you just want to get it finished! You don’t even think about the person’s feelings, only yours! You don’t think about a single thing you say, that maybe it’s gonna hurt someone and make them feel bad! But all you care about is just getting it wrapped up so you can move on with your life!”

“Am- am I that pathetic?” I asked weakly.

“You’re worse,” she said venomously. “You act all cool and tough when you’re nothing but a pathetic little weakling who doesn’t fit in and you put people down so you can take their place. You’re worse than an egghead, you’re a- a- there’s not even a word for people like you!” She didn’t storm off, she didn’t attack me, she didn’t even do anything but look away and stand there, rigid as stone.

Gingerly as I could, I got to off my soaked rear and wrapped my hand around hers. She threw me off, taking a swipe at me. “Rainbow, please talk to me,” I asked softly.

“You’re not worth talking to, you thug,” she said bitterly. “I don’t know why I even liked you. I always knew what you really were.”

“Rainbow,” I said, “please let me speak. I don’t want things to be like this. Will you please talk to me?” I took a seat there on the path, pulling a trembling Rainbow Dash down beside me. “Rainbow, I’m sorry for all the stuff I said,” I said calmly. “I didn’t mean a word of it and it was a lame way to get you to confess. I’m sorry.”

“You should be,” she snarled wetly. “You didn’t even see me as a real person-”

“I saw you as my friend,” I replied. “We just got along so well I didn’t think much of it. I promise I wasn’t trying to do anything to you, I promise.”

She twitched but remained where she was, aloof and distant to me. I was beginning to worry that I’d lost my friend for good, that what I’d done was unforgiveable to her.

“Rainbow… I didn’t even realize you liked me,” I confessed. “I thought we were just really good friends and that we got along really well and that was the end of it. When I was hurting you or making jokes about you and me, it was never with the thought of putting you down, it was just me being an oblivious idiot. I swear, that’s 100% the truth.”

“Why not me?” she asked coldly. “I’m THE Rainbow Dash, I’m awesome and amazing and great to look at. What was so wrong with me?”

“I- Rainbow, that’s not a fair question to answer,” I said. “I don’t know why I’m not attracted to you, I don’t always know why I like Sunset. But it’s not something wrong about you, I promise. It- I just don’t know.”

Rainbow sat there motionless for so long I wondered if she’d even heard a word I said. Then, after what felt like an eternity, she gave a long sigh and replied, “I believe you. It’s just… I really liked you,” she added in a tiny voice. “You were able to match me pound for pound, and we were so alike that I hoped… it doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter,” I insisted. “Your feelings matter. I just wasn’t thinking or paying attention and I ended up hurting them. I’m really sorry.”

Rainbow finally turned to look at me, more morose than a basset hound. “You don’t like me back, do you? I know you don’t but I need to just hear it. Can you give me that?”

I was on the hot seat. Our friendship probably depended on how I worded this. “Rainbow, you’re awesome,” I said slowly, mulling over every word before I spoke. “You’re strong and brave and loyal and there’s no one like you. You and I get along really well and I like having a good time with you. But that’s all I think of when I think of you. You’re a great friend and super awesome, but… no. I don’t.”

Rainbow curled up in a ball for a few moments, stretched, and got to her feet. “It’s OK, I understand,” she replied hollowly. “It was a long shot, anyway. No one ever really paid much attention to me with Fluttershy and Rarity around, and with Sunset it’ll eventually just become the same thing.”

I didn’t think that was a fair statement. “Hey, you’re amazing!” I protested indignantly. “Don’t put yourself down like that, you’re Rainbow Dash! 20% cooler than all of Canterlot High put together, right? Someone’s gonna come down the line who’s gonna go nuts for a girl like you!”

“Yeah?” she said dully. “Who’s gonna pay attention to the jock when there’s a fashion model and a nature girl beside you every day of your life? No one, that’s who. It’s not fair! I’m… I’m pretty, too,” she added in a very small whisper.

We sat there in the middle of the sidewalk for a few minutes, simply letting the silence fill the void. I didn’t know what to say, and Rainbow didn’t seem to want to say anything else. I hadn’t really realized –and maybe none of us had- at just how bitter she was at being passed over again and again. Eventually, I just inched over beside her and put my arm around her, giving her an assuring squeeze.

“You willing to listen to me for a bit?” I asked. She gave a small, hollow nod and I said, “Rainbow, you’re my friend. You’re Rarity’s friend, Sunset’s friend, Fluttershy’s friend, Pinkie Pie’s and AJ’s friend. I don’t feel the same way you do about me, but you’re awesome and we all think so- we know so. You’re a gorgeous gal and it’s… it’s only a matter of time before someone comes along.”

“You really think so?” Rainbow Dash asked skeptically.

I smirked at her, eyebrows raised in surprise. “People not loving and wanting THE Rainbow “Danger” Dash? I’d be shocked.”

Rainbow considered my words for a moment, a finger to her pursed lips. She stood there impassive as I waited and waited… then she gave a giggle. A smile, albeit a small one, crept back into sight as she began to laugh softly. “Yeah, who wouldn’t want THE Rainbow Dash?” she said, regaining some of her usual pride. “It’ll just be if they can handle me!”

“Can anyone really handle you?” I asked.

She gave another laugh, a real one, this time. “Fine, you win,” she said, walking over and putting her arms around me in a tight hug. “Thanks for trying to cheer me up, I appreciate it. And I understand if you don’t feel the same way.”

“Thanks, Rainbow,” I said. “Can we be friends again? I want my sparring partner back, if you don’t mind.” I outstretched a fist for her to bump, and she gave me a gentle knock across the knuckles. She wasn’t back to normal, but she was on her way.

“Deal,” she said. “And all that stuff about the others- they don’t hate you and I don’t hate you. We all care a lot about you and we’re real glad that you started coming to school with us. It wouldn’t be the same without you.”

It was my turn to be touched. I lost my train of thought for a moment and I struggled to come up with words to say. “Th-thanks, Rainbow,” I stammered. “That means a lot. Especially from you.”

“No problem,” she said, taking her hair and putting it back in her usual ponytail. “I guess all of this was pretty silly, huh?”

“Nah, it’s fine,” I said coolly. “Everyone has their moments.”

Rainbow gave me a curious look. “What’re you gonna do about Sunset?” she asked. “I’ll admit she hasn’t said a whole lot about you lately. I don’t know how she feels about you.”

I could feel the stress leaving and the old butterflies coming back once more, filling me with a nervous energy. “Well, I’ll just have to find out the old-fashioned way,” I said breathlessly. “I’ll live.”

“Yeah, I guess you will,” Rainbow said. “Just don’t be too much of a nerd, alright?”

“Whatever the Dash wants,” I said compliantly.

We left our little section of road and went our separate ways, she back to her home in the north end and I back to the west. It hadn’t been fun, it hadn’t been easy, but my friend and I were a fighting team of two again. And I was glad.

The final week of school was a different kind of stress than what I’d encountered before, what with the pressure of work and actually performing on my tests starting to overload me. But help came in the unexpected form of Sunset Shimmer. I had just gotten into school and was throwing some stuff in my locker when I noticed she had sidled up to me in the halls.

“The test is today,” she said quietly. “For English, I mean. Have you been studying hard like I suggested?”

“Every day for at least an hour,” I replied back.

“That’s good, you should do fine,” she said. “Hey… you look really nervous- you need to relax, this anxiety won’t help you.”

Oh, I was nervous about the test, that was true. But if I was honest, I was way more anxious about not screwing this conversation up.

“Relax, alright?” she said, giving my arm a comforting squeeze. “You’ll do fine, I know you will! Just think and keep your cool, you’ll get it done.”

I gave her a smile. “Whatever you say,” I replied. “And Sunset… thanks for the help, I really appreciate it. I would’ve failed this class already if you hadn’t thrown me a bone.”

She gave me an odd look, one I couldn’t quite decipher, followed by a shy smile. “Sure, no problem,” she replied. “I’ll see you there?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, we need to go,” I said, following in step beside her. I kept throwing around for something to say before I finally landed on, “So, how’ve you been? I haven’t seen you much lately.”

“Yeah, I’ve been busy,” she replied. “School’s been eating up my time a lot.”

“Yeah, same here,” I said. I silently thanked heaven that there were no marks for bad conversationalists, I sucked at making small-talk. I looked up and saw Rainbow Dash heading our way, too busy to stop and say hello but reached out her hand for a high-five that I instinctively met with my own.

“You and Rainbow are on speaking terms again?” Sunset asked.

“Yeah, we finally got all that bull sorted out,” I said jauntily. “We’re good and tight, just as we should be.”

“That’s great, I’m happy for you two,” she replied hollowly. Almost immediately, she sped up and started walking away from me.

“You two..?” I echoed. “Hey, wait a sec-” Oh jeez, she thought we’d hooked up! I was beginning to wonder if I was incapable of fixing social issues without senseless violence, as every time I’d tried to fix things with my friends here it’d usually ended in disaster.

I went to English and I was fairly certain I passed the test. I was just glad it wasn’t a test on how to talk to girls.

And it only kept getting better. We were sitting in our usual place at lunch, most of us going over notes and scratchwork for exams. I kept glancing up at Sunset to see what she was doing, but just like the rest of us: piles of papers. But then again, was I imagining her occasionally glancing up at me to see what I was doing? I was in my usual place next to Fluttershy at the edge of the table, and Rainbow in hers next to Rarity. Did she still sincerely believe we were a thing?

“Ugh, I hate this stuff! It’s so boring!” Rainbow groaned, throwing her notes across the table and watching them fly up into the air. “We’re so close, can’t we just be done already? I want to enjoy my winter, not sit around being an egghead!”

To my great surprise, Applejack gave a sanctimonious nod. “Everyone’s wound up too tight, we all need a break,” she said. “What if we all went over to Sweet Apple Acres this weekend? Take some time to just have a big end-of-year party?”

While the rest of the gang agreed heartily (Sunset, always the reserved one, agreed far more quietly), I was horrified. This weekend? THIS weekend, really? I needed a way out, some way of not having to be around people the same day I’d be visiting-

“Well, you coming or what?” AJ asked me, peering over at me. “Or does someone in particular have a hold o’ your attention at the moment?” she added with a cheeky grin.

The honest answer was yes, but there was no way I was admitting that. “You said this weekend, right?” I asked. “I don’t know if I can make it, sorry. I think I’ll be busy.”

“Well that’s a bummer, what’ll you be busy with?” she inquired.

I paused. “Stuff,” I answered hesitantly. “I’ll be with Mom.”

“Can’t you come, even for a little bit?” Rarity asked. “How long do you think you’ll be?”

Far too many eyes on me for my liking, but there was no way of getting out of this one. I had to give somewhat of an honest answer. “Probably till around three or four,” I sighed.

“Well there’s no reason you can’t make it,” AJ said cheerfully. “Ah’ll see you there, alright? None of y’all need to worry about bringing food or nothin- we’ll take care of that for ya.”

“Ya, great,” I muttered under my breath as the others gave cries of delight. “Just what I was hoping to do with my weekend.” I kept quiet the rest of the day, speaking only when necessary. I think Applejack was on the verge of asking what was wrong, but kept deciding against it. I didn’t want to explain, anyway; none of them could understand what it was like.

As I left school that day, I paused at the turn that would take me back home. I still had plenty of time left in my schedule for today, and I didn’t want to go home and get studying yet. I had a fair amount of cash sitting in my freshly created bank account, and with Christmas coming up, I really wanted to get Mom something nice. The mall was nearby, if I could just find something decent, it’d really make up for what’s usually a lousy holiday for the two of us.

I decided to give it a shot. No easy task for when I got in: store upon store upon store lay spread out before me and I had no clue where to begin. Too many choices, too many brand selections, and probably nowhere near enough time. How was I supposed to do this?

“Come on, think a little,” I grumbled. “Relax a bit, what would Mom want?” She wouldn’t want something expensive, I assured myself. Ever since I’d gotten the job at Sweet Apple Acres, she always worried over me and my expenses, saying I needed to keep track over my spending. If I got something big and glamorous, she’d be too worried to enjoy it. But I didn’t want to be cheap either, so I needed a gift that was somewhere in between. My mind flickered back to home; she typically liked stuff that reminded her of home, since she was an immigrant. Maybe something that was similar to that was what I needed.

I set off through the store, looking around for something Hispanic that she’d like. I kept coming across a bunch of stuff, but nothing that suited my preferences- or Mom’s. I also noticed I was getting funny looks from various clerks and security staff wherever I walked. I felt a twinge of annoyance when I noticed some security guy on a Segway was following me through the mall for a couple of minutes when I left a shop with my hands in my pockets. Now I remembered why I disliked going to public places, the judgmental attitudes were hard to miss.

I paused outside a store when I caught sight of something- Mexican styled clothing? I walked in and saw a fairly nice-looking mini-dress that looked similar in style to what Mom usually wore when she wasn’t working. It looked good, but I wasn’t sure what size Mom was and I wasn’t going to ask because I wanted to live. If I could find something similar, something where I wouldn’t have to be awkward about it, then I’d have hit the jackpot. If only there was…

“Yes!” I exclaimed softly, looking across the section and seeing a nice necklace hanging in a case. “That’s it right friggin’ there, I’ll bet.” I looked down at the necklace- multicolored beads and stones ringed together, she had a bracelet a lot like it. I peered for a price tag and saw one that said $34.99. I gave a grin of satisfaction. I’d done it. Buying that gift was a moment of immense pleasure, knowing it was the first genuine gift I’d gotten Mom in a long time. It felt good knowing that it’d make her happy.

“Hey, what’re you doing here?” said a friendly voice as I walked out of the store. I looked over and saw Sunset looking at me, the usual uncertain smile playing across her features.

“Hey!” I responded, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. “Just getting a Christmas present for my Mom. With all my work I’ve been doing I really wanted to get her something.”

“That’s super sweet of you, what’d you get her?” she asked, unknowingly melting me. We started talking for a few minutes, falling back into the same old banter and ease we’d had with each other until just recently. We were fine here, away from the others, but why were we so awkward at school?

“So, how’re you and Rainbow doing?” Sunset asked slowly, turning back to a rack of clothes.

That’s why. I shrugged, saying, “I’m fine, I guess, just want school to be done. As to how Rainbow’s doing, I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her yourself.”

Sunset gave me a puzzled look but said nothing. I was hoping she interpreted that correctly, that she realized I was still single. If she did, she didn’t say so. “Hey, at lunch today,” she remarked, “what were you so worried about when it came to this weekend?”

“Oh, just, uh…” I faltered. “Just somethin’ private, that’s all. Not easy to talk about.”

“You OK?” she asked.

“Hmm? Yeah, I think so. I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?” she asked, looking right at me. I loved it when she did that, letting me see those soft eyes of hers. The anger and fire that had burned in them for so long was gone, but she always had a tinge of sadness in them like she carried her guilt and shame with her wherever she’d go. It was such a pity to see such beautiful, bright eyes be so worn down when she was so kind to everyone she met-

“Umm… that’s not a great response, you know,” she said, and I found I had yet again slipped into an inner monologue. I awoke to the rest of the world and she was right before me, peering at me worryingly. “You really need to stop spacing out, it freaks me out.”

“Yeah! Yeah, sorry,” I stammered embarrassedly. “No, I’ll be fine, I’m sure.”

“Hmm…” she wasn’t convinced, but she gave a shrug and moved on. “Say, I need your opinion on something,” she said lightly.

“Yeah, what’cha need?”

“Well, I was thinking of buying this dress, but I’m not really sure how it looks on me,” she replied, whirling around the outfit and placing it before her. “Can you give me an idea here? How would you think it’d look on me?”

Oh jeez. The outfit was a soft, three-layered mini-dress that went down to just above the knee, the coloring matching the colors of her hair, held together at the top by a simple black strap. It wasn’t elegant or expensive, but seeing it drape across her like that, without her even needing to put it on, I was crushed. She was unbelievably, indescribably lovely and she didn’t even realize she’d essentially put me into a coma. I opened my mouth and tried to speak and got nothing. I was stuck!

“You don’t like it,” she said flatly, immediately looking downcast. “It was as if she’d suddenly shrunk half her size in a few seconds, all the life fleeing her and leaving a shell behind.

Holy crap, she thinks you hate it. Fix this, fix this, fix this! I silently screamed, desperate to bring this back to normal before I totally ruined the best chance I’d had at making her happy in weeks. Instead, a strange moaning sound came out that sounded like a wounded puppy trying to get attention. I felt cold sweat dripping down my back and my foot was starting to tap on the tile floor.

“Well, if it’s no any good, I’ll just look for something else,” Sunset said faintly, putting the beautiful mini-dress back on the rack. “Thanks for warning me, at least. The last thing I need is to give another reason for people to hate me.

No one could hate her as much as I hated myself in that moment. I gave a groan of sheer agony and fled the scene as quick as I could, knowing I probably looked like a complete idiot. I found the nearest bench and promptly collapsed upon it, cursing myself for every stupid fiber that existed in my brain. I had utterly ruined everything.

I felt a breeze push past me and I opened my eyes to see- leather jacket. Blue jeans, blue hair- Holy crap, I’d been so worked up with Rainbow Dash and the rest of school’s bullcrap I’d forgotten about Flash! I got up so quickly that I was half-expecting to break the bench, my eyes locked on his movements as he- Oh sweet holy Hell, he went right into the store where Sunset Shimmer was. This was it, all the pussyfooting and dillydallying I’d done in regards to Flash was about to come to a head and show what I was really dealing with, I was so screwed- what if she still liked him? What if he liked her? I wasn’t competition for that, I’d be screwed! I was doomed, doomed, doom-

Flash walked past Sunset and into the store, ignoring her presence. Sunset glanced up at the movement, saw Flash, and immediately went out of the store as quickly as she could, her head hung in shame.

I was so taken aback I went slack-jawed. What had just happened? He’d ignored her and she was ashamed at the sight of him about something or other. That didn’t seem like they were on good terms at all. In fact, I wondered if they’d ever been on good terms. Hmm…

I think I’d been had by a playful fashionista.

When I went to school the next day, I ignored my locker and went straight for Rarity’s halfway across the building, hoping I’d catch her before she went to her last final. Sure enough, there she was mulling over her sketchbook where she kept track of her designs and ideas. So occupied was she that she didn’t even notice I was there until my shadow crept over her book.

“Yes?” she asked innocently. “Doesn’t your last final start soon?”

“What happened with Sunset and Flash?” I demanded. “I think you’re not telling me something.”

Rarity gave a giggle and said, “Well, the two were certainly the hot couple for a while. But it wasn’t really a relationship, Sunset said she was only using him to have a hold of the school. A nice boy like Flash certainly made it easy for her- is something wrong?”

I was pummeling a locker so violently I was beginning to leave dents, huffing and puffing that I half-expected to have steam start pouring out of my ears. I was absolutely, unequivocally, totally enraged beyond anything I could have expected from myself. “Why- did- you- do that to me?” I snarled, indenting each word with another punch of the locker. “Do you not realize- do you have any idea-EERGGHH!”

“Well, I knew you certainly fancied Sunset,” she admitted. “I told you they’d been together because I wanted to see how you’d react, what you’d do. I hope I didn’t make things too hard for you.”

“Too hard for me?!” I asked incredulously, my voice starting to hit an octave usually reserved for calling dogs. “Rarity, I’ve been dealing with Rainbow Dash, finals and not freaking out about Sunset for weeks on end and you hope it wasn’t too hard?! I- I- Oh, JEEZ, I need to talk to Sunset- right now!”

Rarity observed me as I went on my little tantrum, looking torn between amusement and exasperation. “Well, I certainly didn’t think you’d take it that hard, dear, I didn’t mean to- wait, you can’t just go off like that!”

“Why not? I got to get this taken care of!”

“Exams, remember?”

She was right. “F*ck!”

“Rude” she hissed.

“Oh, f*ck you’re right- OH COME ON, THIS IS HARD!” I shrieked, completely exasperated and far too tired for this early in the morning. This week had been Hell.

“Please, try to calm yourself down,” she chided. “You’re acting like you have no self-control.”

“I’m a little angry right now, give me that!”

“Just calm down, I already apologized,” Rarity pressed. “People are beginning to stare, you need to relax.”

I gave a growl and stalked off to my last class, intent on forgetting this semester as quickly as possible.

Saturday came with snow and the coldest weather we’d had so far. I was supposed to be going over to Applejack’s place that evening for the end of school party. I would’ve been looking forward to it if it weren’t for one small barrier, one I was hoping I could get around.

“I said no,” Mom insisted, throwing my coat into my face. “We’re going and that’s that.”

“Why do we even do this, Mom?” I asked. “He doesn’t ever want visitors, he never cares about seeing us and it’s not like it does any of us any good.”

“It does him good,” Mom replied quietly. “You aren’t looking for it, but I can see it in him. He’s getting better each time we go.”

“Mom, please, the guy went to jail for trying to murder you, he’s not gonna get better when his last victim comes and visits him!” I said hotly.

“You’re still angry,” she remarked. “You need to let go of it, and start seeing him the way he really is.”

“The way he really is?” I echoed, absolutely flabbergasted.

“He’s not evil-”

“Mom, look at your arms!” I yelled, forcing my hands over the dark red squares going halfway up her arms. “He attacked you with a waffle iron, he put a fracture in your jaw with a baseball bat! Look at what he did to me!” I added, jutting my marked hand into her face.

She gave a few small nods, diverting her gaze away from the ‘W’ branded into my hand. She pondered the marks on her arms, the mark on my hand, and said, “You’re an adult now. I’ll make you go only this once. If you don’t want to keep visiting him after this… that’s your choice.”

“I can… I can accept that, I think,” I replied, dread now growing in place of my anger. “If you want to make it on time, you need to get going, though…”

“Yes, yes, you’re right,” Mom said distractedly, shuffling for her keys. “Well, come on. I’ll drop you off at your friend’s house once we’re done.”

The two of us got into the old van and drove out of town, doing what we could to endure the cold since the heater in our car didn’t work very well. We kept driving for about an hour or so until, about thirty miles outside of the city, we came to the state penitentiary, a building I’d truly expected to become familiar with someday. We came every year to visit, fulfilling my Mom’s wishes to see my Dad.

It sickened me to come here, every visit being torture. My Dad had always loathed being around me, despite him being the one who brought me into Wanyama, the one who branded me and made me a part of Jester’s crowd. He’d never wanted us, me or my Mom, and now he was gonna pay for it with the rest of his life. I hated coming here because Dad always tried to get something out of me, always trying to tell me to bring orders to the rest of Wanyama. Well, he was certainly in for a surprise today. This time, I was going to walk away the winner.

We had to go in one at a time, so Mom went in first and shut the door behind her, taking up her allotment of thirty minutes to speak with the man who’d brutalized her, sodomized her, tormented her and finally tried to kill her. She was so good, so loving, and not once did her ever deserve it. He didn’t deserve any kindness. Even now, he still tried to manipulate her.

After the time was up, Mom came out with tears in her eyes as she always did. He’d probably done something to her as always. The officer in charge motioned for me to come forward, issuing the usual instructions that I’d have to follow. I didn’t even bother listening, having done this so much that I had it memorized. Finally, after the spiel was done, the door opened and there across the glass, in an orange jumpsuit, his face covered in marks and scars and the rest of his filthy body covered in tattoos, sat my father, Estavan.

I sat down across from him, keeping my face deliberately expressionless so as to take him off guard. When I took my seat, he raised his right hand and presented his own mark and pressed against the glass- a greeting between fellows. I sat there like a statue, my hand stayed by my side. He gave a look of surprise, but said nothing.

We both picked up our phones and he was the first one to speak. “You’re taller,” he remarked.

“You’ve got more scars,” I replied.

“Where’s your sign?” he asked, his gaze darting back down to my hand. “I need you to send a message for me, get to Jester that there’s some old Diamond Dogs here that need taming-”

“I left Wanyama, Estavan,” I interrupted.

“You what?”

“I left,” I repeated firmly. “I left Wanyama, I left San Marino and I’m not ever going back. I don’t see Suds or the rest of them.”

“And why in hell would you leave? They’re the only family you’ve got-”

“Mom is my family, you are Wanyama are not,” I said. “I am not going back to the people and places that turned me into a criminal, do you understand?”

“Look here you piece of crap,” he said fiercely, “you obey me and I’m telling you to go back to Jester and get me what I need, or else when I get out of here I’m-”

“Get out of here?” I said derisively. “Old crappie, you’ve still got years left on your sentence, by the time you’re finally let out of here with no one to look after you, I’ll be gone off somewhere in the world and never gonna see you again. I got a new school, new friends, new everything. My life is 100 times better without you and the rest of your crap in it. You ain’t got nothing on me anymore.”

“Why you little, you better listen or-”

“No, this is not a debate!” I said loudly, so loudly that I could hear the corrections officer take a few steps closer to me just in case. “I am done with you, I am done with Wanyama- I even met a girl and I really like her, and I’m gonna do a helluva lot better job treating her right than you ever did for Mom, you hear me? You are not my father.”

I sat there, panting in anger and excitement as I could see my Dad stewing in fury, unable to do a thing to stop me. I gave a sneering grin, euphoric that I had finally gotten the upper hand on him at last.

But then he gave me his oh-so-familiar leer, a simple twitch of his lips that ruffled his moustache and gave him a sinister look. “How’re her tits?”

I froze. “Excuse me?”

“Her tits, they any good? How they feel?” he pressed.

“I- I-”

“Oh, so you’re still a complete pussy,” he remarked satisfactorily, leaning back in his chair. “So you’ve got a girl but she’s just using you to get what she wants. You’re a complete tool, as per f*cking usual. Maybe trying to kill you wasn’t such a bad thing after all.”

“She is better than that!” I snarled. “She’s a good girl and she deserves to be treated better than-”

“You know, maybe if you actually weren’t such a pathetic pussy, maybe you’d drop by and give me her nudes,” he remarked. “But no, I’m gonna have to ask some guys to go up to her house and get some pictures for me. You think she’ll put out? Or better yet, she do anal? That’d be something to see.”

“You stay away from her!” I snarled, my chest starting to heave. “If you come anywhere near her, I’ll- I’ll-”

“You’ll what? Piss off and run like you always did? Cry in your room like the complete and total bitch that you are?” he mocked. “I f*cked your Mom, I made you exist, and I will always be better than you. You’ve got absolutely nothing in this world and once I get out of here, I’ll find you sitting down in a sewer, drinking your own piss to stay alive, and I’ll go find your girl and make her eat my sh*t out of a can. You were born nothing, you’re gonna always be nothing, and you’ll die nothing. Am I making myself clear?”

I was beyond anger, beyond being incensed. I would never find someone on this planet that I would ever hate more than the man who assured my existence on this earth, the man who had ruined every good thing I’d ever had in my life. “I hate you,” wheezed, choking on my fury. “I hate your guts, you know that? You always have to d-do this t-to m-m-me, you’ve always gotta r-ruin everything! You, you, you, you…”

“Yeah, put up your brave fight, try to stand up for yourself,” he laughed. “I did the exact same thing with my Dad and now I’m in here. See you on this side in three years, I’ll bet.”

I threw the phone aside and immediately walked away, kicking the chair away so violently that it notched a dent in the wall. I flung myself past the guard who stood there and went outside to where Mom waited.

“Are you alright,” she asked, noting my enraged appearance. “What happened-”

“Mom, I am fine, may we please just go?” I said angrily, my legs shaking and threatening to give way. “I want to go right now. So please, let’s leave.”

Mom, as was her nature, compliantly grabbed her keys and we left the prison, leaving behind the cruelest person I had ever met. I was so glad I’d never see him again.

We pulled up to the normally gravely road that marked the beginning of Sweet Apple Acres’ property, now sludged and covered in dark snow. I hadn’t said a word throughout our entire drive from the prison, refusing to say what Estavan had said. To speak them again would… it didn’t matter.

“Now are you sure you want to go?” Mom asked delicately, having left me in peace throughout the drive. “You still seem awful upset, maybe you should just come on home…”

“I’m going,” I said far too passionately, and I switched to a calmer tone. “I’m going. I’m not gonna let him ruin my day and keep me from my friends cause then that’d mean he won.”

“Well… if you’re sure, then,” she said uncertainly, and she unlocked the doors. “Don’t do anything you’ll regret, OK?”

I hopped out of the car and turned around. “Do you still love Estavan?” I asked. “Is that why you visit him?”

Mom looked at me for a moment, turned to face ahead, then back to me. “I don’t really know,” she said. “He was so terrible to you and to me, yet I kept going back to him and letting him in our lives. He did all sorts of things to ruin our lives, and I sometime act like it never even happened… I don’t know if I can answer that, yet,” she finished.

I nodded and started walking down the path, hoping the sound of Mom’s driving off would let me escape from Estavan’s grasp. He got under my skin like nobody else could and I hated it. I was hoping that the half-mile walk down to the farmhouse would be enough to cool me down, as it was somewhere just below freezing. Six minutes later, though, I could do nothing but hear his threats against Sunset Shimmer running through my head. How dare he ever say-

“What’re you doing walking down here?” Applejack cried, poking her head out the door and waving to me. “Land sakes, you must be freezing, hurry on in!”

I dashed forward, taking as much care as possible not to slip on the ice that had formed and slipped in, doing what I could to revive feeling in my face.

“What were you walking out there for?” Applejack asked, helping me brush off some snow that had taken residence on my shoulder. “It’s way too cold to be walking around out there, you know better.”

“I’m fine,” I replied dully, rubbing my hands together in an attempt to gain some warmth.

Applejack froze at the sound of my tone, recognizing it instantly. “What happened?” she asked slowly, looking up at me.

“I’m fine,” I repeated.

“Look at me and say it,” she insisted.

I bored straight into her eyes. “I’m fine,” I said.

She remained unconvinced, looking at me anxiously. “You’re lyin’ to me, but ah don’t know why,” she mused. “If you don’t want to say then that’s your call, but you know what ah’m gonna ask of ya.”

I nodded. “I’ll keep it out of tonight,” I said.

“Good. And… try to have some fun, OK?” she said, giving me shoulder a squeeze. “It’ll do you some good, sug.”

I said nothing, trying to block out Estavan’s voice. His words on a threesome had resurfaced yet again.

“Hey, you made it!” Rainbow Dash greeted as I entered the living room, a spacious area that was festively decorated in in tinsel and lights, a Christmas tree in the corner and a trio of stockings over the fireplace. “Jeez, your face is as red as Sunset’s hair, what were you doing to get so hot?”

I shrugged my shoulders, unsure or unwilling to answer, I couldn’t tell which. I took a seat on the back of the couch, placing myself at a distance from most of the others. I looked over and saw Sunset was also there, comfortably planted in a loveseat and looking at me. It wasn’t like she was even trying to hide it, staring at me with an expression of concern. What was she looking for?

The first fifteen minutes or so of the party was an absolute misery to endure, silently watching as the rest of the group continued to babble. I was glad I was relatively left alone, allowing me to brood and not lash out against someone. I rarely paid attention to what was being said, my mind more occupied with Estavan’s latest string of comments.

It wasn’t the first time he’d said something; two years ago he told me a story of how he had sex with two prostitutes on the couch while Mom and I were off grocery shopping. One of the first times we’d gone to visit, he told me that he wanted me to go off some woman who he claimed owed him drugs. It was a ritualistic thing for him to try and give me some last parting words to crush me. But never had he gotten so under my skin as he had this time round.

It was so typical of him to try and worm his way into my brain, to go in and try to scare me to death. The first time I visited him after my first spell in, he got so mad at me for screwing up my job for Wanyama that he threatened to send guys to go break my legs in the middle of the night. It hadn’t happened, of course, but I wondered if he could. Could he now, if he wanted to, find Sunset and hurt her? Was he capable of it? He couldn’t be, could he? He was in prison.

“And there I was thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, these cupcakes need something, something special and wonderful and tasterific!’” Pinkie Pie cried, her monologue cutting through my thoughts like a knife through butter. “And then I said-”

"How're her tits?" He knew that would unseat me, the old monster had seen right through me from the start, he’d played weak so he could get a good jab at me-

“So I put them all together and then POW! Instant cupcakes from heaven in just fifteen minutes!” said Pinkie Pie, her voice starting to rise in octave. “And then I started getting super-duper hungry-”

"If you actually weren't such a pathetic pussy... you'd drop by and give me her nudes... She do anal?" Sick old freak, treating someone as beautiful as Sunset as just an object, just like he’d treated me and Mom like his own personal punching bag for years on end-

“And since they were soOoOoOo good, I just HAD to share them with everybody, and since they were soOoOoOo good, everybody wanted even more-”

"You're still a complete tool... maybe trying to kill you wasn't such a bad thing after all." Always trying to find a way to bring me down, always trying to hurt me, always going to say whatever gives him the edge-

“And then once we’d sold them all, guess what? We still had more left over, and they were all mine! I couldn’t wait-”

"I will always be better than you..." And the scariest part about it all was when, as if Satan whispered into his ear, he turned out to be-

“And I was just SO HAPPY!” Pinkie shrieked delightedly.

“Pinkie, will you SHUT THE F*CK UP!!” I roared, unable to bear it any longer. “I DON’T CARE- THEY DON’T CARE- NOBODY CARES! YOUR INANE, POINTLESS CONVERSATION IS BAT-SHIT WORTHLESS AND IS MAKING ME WANT TO DRIVE A NAIL INTO MY F*CKING SKULL! ANd… Oh, f*ck…”

The house had gone utterly still, every eye in the entire place wide as dinner plates and locked onto me like I was the lord high Satan himself. Applejack and Rarity looked horrified beyond words, Rainbow Dash’s mouth was agape, and Fluttershy looked completely terrified, while Pinkie Pie, the sweet, joyful young girl who was always so puffed up on happiness, had deflated a good several inches and was making a sniffling sound as tears started to form in her eyes.

I’d come here hoping to get away from a bad semester. Instead, I think I’d just ruined any hope of having a good time with my friends, now and ever again.

All the rage and fight fled me as guilt and unbelievable loathing took their place, my throat constricting in horror. “I-i-i-i-i-i- Oh, f*ck, f*ck, F*ck! That didn’t mean to happen- I didn’t mean to- you know I- F*ck!” I became a stuttering mess, slowly backing away towards the front door, every eye sticking to my every movement. I forced myself not to look for Sunset, terrified I’d see the judgement and shock I saw in all the others.

“I’m gonna, I’m gonna- just g-g-g-g-g-go, I am so s-s-s… F*CK!” I scrabbled for the door handle and found it, giving it a sharp twist and running outside as fast I could go.

I ran down the driveway as fast as I could, not caring about the winter clothing I’d left behind. I had just done- I’d been arrested for stuff nowhere near as bad as what I’d just done! I’d just made Pinkie Pie –a person without a mean bone in her entire body- start to cry! Jeez, I called her my friend, she was one of the first people to treat me nice when I got to Canterlot High, and I’d just… I’d just attacked her…

There was a frail little apple tree nearby, one that AJ and I had been discussing cutting down for the past couple weeks. I gave it a hard punch, knocking off a branch. I gave it a left jab, dismembering a second limb. I took on that dying sapling as if it were a real opponent, giving it everything I had. I was so preoccupied with dismantling my ‘foe’ that I didn’t hear the sound of footsteps coming up the walk until she was right next to me.

“What just happened?” Sunset demanded. “Look, I know you’ve got a temper, you’ve told me that before, but what just happened back there, you never done anything like that before.”

“I’m fine, Sunset, go back,” I said roughly, dropping my fight and starting to walk off-

She grabbed hold of my arm and gripped me like a vice. “Oh no, you’re not running off,” she said fiercely. “Something’s been bothering you for ages now and today something set you off. You and I have been bouncing off of each other for weeks and I want to know what’s got you so upset.”

“It doesn’t matter, it’s not important,” I said, my fear starting to overcome my resolve. I needed to get away, I had to get away-

“You’re not going anywhere! Please, will you just listen to me?!” she yelled, throwing my arm aside and grabbing hold of my face and staring right at me, her eyes blazing with a fire I’d never seen before. This wasn’t anger. I wasn’t even sure what it was…

“Please, don’t try to keep running,” she said gently, rubbing my cheek with a slow stroke of her fingers. “I want you back. You’ve been so upset and I know you wouldn’t really mean to yell at Pinkie Pie like that. Please, just tell me what’s the matter…”

I took a few steps away, my body beginning to shake. This was beyond loathing. I would never, ever be able to deserve her, someone who was so dedicated to helping me…

“We went to visit my Dad today,” I said hoarsely, my tongue moving faster than my thoughts. “He’s locked up in the penitentiary just outside of town.”

Sunset said nothing, just slowly coming to stand next to me, wrapping her small hand into mine.

“We’ve been going every year since he was first incarcerated, Mom taking me there with her every Christmas season, no matter what,” I explained. “She’s sick in her mind when it comes to him, she, she, she thinks that somehow he’ll get better and that he’ll start being a nice person and that he didn’t really mean it when he hurt her, but she always regrets going to visit him and always end up swearing it’ll be the last time we go.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, giving my hand a small but reassuring squeeze. “That must be awful for you.”

I tried to shrug it off. “He was always like that, for as long as I’ve known him,” I replied. “Even when I was real little he’d hurt my Mom, say a bunch of stuff and yell at her, choke her and slam her into the wall, beat her with a baseball bat, come and punch me if he heard me crying about it, on and on and on… it’s all he’s ever been. And whenever we go visit him, he always has to say something awful to me, cause he’s always gotta bring me down.” I took a long breath in an attempt to steady myself, in and out, in and out. “I went there today and tried to beat him to the punch. I told him I’d left Wanyama behind, my old friends were gone, I’d gotten a new school, new friends and even found a girl I really liked, and that I’d finally gotten away from him, and then…”

“It’s OK, take your time,” Sunset said encouragingly, “relax, take a deep breath.”

“He… he started saying a bunch of things, started asking for nudes, said he’d send guys to your house, said all this stuff about you and how he was gonna rule you and he started saying a bunch of stuff about me and that I’d never be able to get away from him and that he’d always be better than me and he’ll get out of prison and come see me just so he can see how I’ve ruined my life, and- and…” my voice faded as I felt something sizeable take root in the back of my throat and a stinging sensation hit my eyes.

“I’m really sorry,” Sunset whispered, her voice quivering slightly. “I’m so sorry, no one should be able to hurt you like that-”

“I’m fine, I’m really fine,” I said loudly, trying to walk it off. “He can’t do anything but yell and scream at me, it’s not like he can put his hands around my neck and strangle me anymore, no, all he can do is get into my head and remind me that I’m gonna end up just like him-”

“You’re not going to end up just like him,” Sunset interjected compellingly. “You are not him, you’re not even close to being him-”

“I’ve been arrested twice already, Sunset, the only difference was I was a minor,” I said raggedly, emotion starting to slur my words together. “Gimme three years and I’ll be right where he is, trying to persuade some drugged-up girl that I didn’t mean to do it and that I won’t ever do it again-”

“You won’t,” she said.

“And I’ll have some kid who I beat up with a beer bottle every night cause he can’t stop trying to protect his mommy-”

“No, you won’t,” she said more forcefully.

“And then someday I’ll get sent to butt-rape jail where I’ll be stuck for the rest of my life or I’ll just go live off somewhere in a hole, drugged out of my mind or dead in a week-”

“Stop!” Sunset yelled, grabbing me and pushing me against a tree. “Stop talking like this, stop doing this to yourself, please! I know you’re hurting but you can’t do this- you’re not going to become him!”

“I’m exactly like him-”

Sunset put her arms around me so tightly that she squeezed the air right out of me, forcefully cutting off my speech. “Nobody like your dad would try to stop me from letting myself get cut apart,” she whispered gently, her face pressed against mine. “Your dad wouldn’t have stopped Brad and the others from trying to hurt me without putting a finger on them, your dad wouldn’t have ever defended me. You’ve messed up, but you are nothing like your dad.”

“But, but…” I scrambled for words. “But look at what I’ve done to people-”

“And look at what I did,” she said, going to her knees and pulling me gently down with her. “You think I’m a good person after what I’ve done. If you don’t care what I’ve done, then I won’t care what you’ve done. You’re not him, and I’m sorry that he’s trying to make you want to be. No one –not now, not ever- should do that to you. And the very fact that you’re scared of it proves you’re gonna do whatever it takes to make sure you don’t end up like your dad.”

I… I broke, whatever defenses I still had raised were gone in an instant. My vision went blurry and the lump in my throat broke open. Sunset and I sat there together, freezing together in the dying light of a winter sun, her fire and warmth doing what it could to keep me from despair. She never let go of me once, never took her arms away from me, simply resting her head on me and soothing me into some sort of peace, her kindness reaching out to me and pulling me from somewhere in the void.

“You’re gonna walk away from his influence,” she said gently. “You’re gonna leave him behind, and you’re gonna go off and do something amazing, and you’ll prove him wrong with the rest of your life.”

We stayed together until the sun’s last rays were on the horizon, keeping each other warm and safe as the darkness started to fall. I didn’t want to let go of her, I didn’t want to watch her walk away. Just as I’d tried to protect her, so she’d ended up being there for me when I needed her most. She was more than beautiful, she was… someone unlike anyone I had ever, or would ever meet.

And I really didn’t want to mess it up.

And as I gave my heart to you

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I don’t know how long we were there in the cold, sitting together as I ran myself dry. Every time she heard me make a noise, she’d put her arm around me and give me a gentle squeeze, as if to bring me back from the nightmarish abyss. She didn’t say much of anything, just gentle shushing noises and an occasional reminder that she was there with me. I don’t know how I would’ve survived it if she hadn’t been there to bring me back.

After who knows how long, Sunset released her hold around my body and wrapped her hand into mine. “Come on, we’re going back in,” she said.

“I should just leave,” I hiccupped. “No way I can go back after that.”

“You need to explain what’s going on, at least to one of them,” Sunset replied, gently pulling me back down the driveway and back to the farmhouse.

“They won’t understand,” I countered hopelessly.

“Most of them probably won’t,” Sunset said fairly, the lights of the house now starting to come back into view. “But they just might have it in them to care about you, anyway.”

I didn’t know how true that was, but I was too exhausted to fight back. When we got close enough, I saw several pairs of eyes staring at the two of us coming inside- one of them breaking off to meet us at the doorway. The oak frame opened to reveal Applejack standing there and she discreetly said, “Over this way, there’s a room where we can talk.”

Sunset pulled me inside with her and the two of us followed the farmgirl into a small anteroom that looked to be an old study. Books and pieces of paper were tossed about in the family’s effort to keep their bookkeeping in one piece, but they seemed to have failed miserably. However, as I sat down on an overlarge chair next to Sunset, Applejack took a seat across from us, a table bearing a dusty and faded picture on her left, the photograph containing two people I’d never seen before. I tried to take a subtle look at the photo, but found no way of being quiet about my movements. Who were they?

“Ah tried to tell ya to enjoy yourself when ya first came in,” Applejack drawled.

“I know,” I said hollowly, trying to ignore the sounds of shuffling feet outside in the hallway. Our conversation was no longer private.

“Ah tried to warn ya to play safe,” Applejack added.

“I know,” I repeated, mentally preparing myself for the verbal tongue-lashing I was about to receive.

“So that must mean something’s really wrong with ya after all,” Applejack concluded, a sympathetic smile growing on her lips. “Ya know you CAN tell me if something’s wrong, right, darlin’?”

I gave a sigh and dipped my head. “I know, Applejack, I know,” I said morosely. “I just- I didn’t know what to even say, or how to say it- I didn’t mean to blow up like that.”

“Ah know you didn’t, sugarcube,” Applejack replied. “So that’s why you’re gonna tell me what’s really wrong so we can make sure it don’t happen again.”

There was a soft rapping on the hallway to our left, connecting to the kitchen and the backdoor, and Granny Smith poked her head in. “Mind if an old soul joins ya?” she asked, a mug of hot apple cider in her hands. She walked over and handed the mug to me, saying, “Drink up, child, it’ll boost your spirits. What you’ve gotta say probly ain’t gonna be easy, but it’ll do you good to get it done. Take a sip, a deep breath, and start slow.”

I compliantly took a whiff of the apple cider, the hot yet sweet liquid soothing my cry-torn throat and filling me with warmth, rejuvenating me from head to toe.

“See? Already lookin’ brighter than a red delicious on a summer’s day,” Granny Smith said encouragingly, pulling up a stool next to Applejack. “Now, what’s the matter?”

I told them everything, sparing no detail. I started right from the beginning of when I was young, telling them of everything my Dad had done to me and my mother- the beatings, the attacks, the harsh words and every other kind of cruelty he could throw at us. I told them of how he brought me into Wanyama and branded my hand, throwing me into a gang when I was only a child. I told them of every misdeed I’d done when I’d been a member- all of them, from the gangfights to the threats to the drugs and everything in between. And finally, I told them of my latest visit to my father in prison and of what he’d told me, every stinking horrible word. One particular quote sentence I mentioned made Granny Smith wince, and I heard something topple out in the front hallway and I was sure Rarity had just collapsed in horror. Throughout it all, Sunset held my hand kept me strong through it all, just as she had all evening.

“I don’t deny, that’s a tough way of living for a child,” Granny Smith tutted, rubbing her glasses clean. “But I’ll admit, I’m not quite sure yet what’s got ya so upset.”

“I’m just afraid that- I’m his child, his only child,” I said wearily. “I may have tried to treat my Mom right but I still ended up in Wanyama and did a whole bunch of bad stuff. The only reason I haven’t started beating up on someone like he did with my Mom is because I’m single- no one ever gave me the chance. What if I’m just slowly becoming as evil as he is?”

“But you’re not like him! He’s in prison for murder!” Applejack replied. “Ah mean, you did a number on some folks a couple of times, but you never tried to kill anyone- did ya?” she added hesitantly.

“Nah, just injure,” I answered. “Jester has a team of assassins he calls “Big Cats” to go end someone if he needs to. He uses the young guys like me mostly to distribute drugs and other materials across the city. I’d only fight when ordered to.”

“OK, so you’re not him!” Sunset said triumphantly. “You didn’t go looking to hurt people with your fists- you just, well…”

“I only got a bunch of people addicted to meth, crack, heroin, you name it,” I said bitterly. “I’m not the guy who pulls the trigger, just the guy who gives you the gun.”

“Were the guy,” Sunset pushed, “You’re not now.”

“Yeah, but for how long?” I asked, fear bubbling back to the surface in the pit of my stomach. “How long until I go back to my old ways of doing things and just start all over? What if I already have?”

“Nonsense, child, you ain’t gon do no such thing,” Granny Smith chided. “When was the last time you saw any of your old friends?”

I had to think about that one for a bit. “Musta been the day of the Fall Formal, I think,” I replied.

“Well, how about the last time you went to your old hangouts?” Granny Smith inquired.

“Musta been before school started,” I answered.

“And how long ago did you decide to drop doing any of these nasty habits o’ yours?” Granny Smith asked.

“It… the Fall Formal, I guess,” I said hesitantly.

“Gone back to your old ways since? Been acting like a young hooligan and getting up to shifty, no-good dealins?”

“I’ve flipped off a couple people at school and then there was Pinkie today-” I began, but Granny waved a bony hand up to brush my words aside.

“Child, everyone’ll say and do things when they get mad,” she said patiently. “I’m asking ya- when was the last time you were who you were?”

Everyone knew the answer. Why even say it? Granny Smith gave a small little smile of satisfaction and returned to cleaning her glasses.

“Darlin, you’re not the same from when you and ah first met all those days ago,” Applejack said. “You ain’t perfect by a longshot and you do have a short temper, but you ain’t no crook anymore. You’re tryin’, you don’t always make it, but you’re gettin’ better everyday. No good-fer-nothin’ would be this upset about yellin’ at a friend, or this worried ‘bout becomin’ a bad person. They wouldn’t know the difference.”

“And if you really were your father, you wouldn’t care about what happens to me,” Sunset added. “You stood up to Brad for me and made sure I got the help I needed. You’ve been protecting me for months now! You’re not your father, if anything you’re the exact opposite of him!”

It was high praise that made my face start to heat up and a smile to form against my will. I glanced up and saw Applejack wearing a knowing grin and I was willing to bet she knew exactly what was going on with Sunset and I right now.

“But- but what if-”

“You’re not gonna,” Applejack said firmly. “Yer Daddy’s just one man who’s locked up in a cell- you’ve got us Apples, your Momma, the rest of your friends, and that young lady sitting next to ya,” she added with a hint of a smile. “You may not have a choice about who your father is, but you can always choose to be better than him. And ah think you’ve done that already.”

“Don’t let your mistakes keep ya down, child,” Granny Smith added. “Not when you’ve got so much good around ya now.”

The fear within me simmered and began to cool, the pain and myriad of emotions that had welled up within me were silenced as words of much wiser folks than me helped soothe a worried heart. “Thanks a lot, Applejack,” I rasped.

“No problem, sugarcube,” Applejack said with a smile. “Just next time, if something’s got ya bothered, talk to one of us, ya hear? We’re your friends and we’ll listen if you need an ear.”

“You got it. And I’m really sorry about all this, Granny Smith,” I added, turning to the old farmlady. “I mean, this is your house and I know how you like things run-”

“It’s alright, child, you had something grabbing old of ya,” she replied. “Now drink up the rest of that cider, it’ll bring ya back and raring to go!”

I grabbed the mug to bring it to my lips, but before I could do more than place my hand on it, a series of wet sniffles could be heard around the corner, followed by the sound of someone bursting into tears.

“What in the-” Pinkie Pie came dashing around the corner from the hallway and barreled into me, knocking over the chair I was stationed in and sending me, her, and Sunset sprawling. Pinkie was an absolute blubbering mess, outright sobbing over me and utterly soaking my sweatshirt.

“S-s-s-s-so SA-AA-AAD!” she wailed, her hands gripping my shirt as if it were a lifeline.

“Pinkie, holy cow, it’s OK, it’s alright!” I said, desperate to get out of her grip. “Seriously, it’s alright, you don’t have to cry for my sake- goodness, I was the one who yelled at you!”

“It’s OK-ay-ay-ay,” Pinkie bawled, still flowing more rapidly than a leaky faucet. “You were unhappy because of your dad and how mean he was to you and you didn’t know what to do and at first I thought you were just being mean but it’s just cause you were super s-AA-AA-AAAAD!” she added with a riotous wail.

“Pinkie, it’s alright, you don’t have to worry,” I said, reaching around her and putting her in an airtight hug. “Seriously, it’s alright, relax. It’s all better now.”

“Are- are you sure?” she asked with a sniffle, rubbing her eyes.

“Yes, I’m sure,” I said, now starting to feel inclined to laugh. “And Pinkie, I am so sorry about yelling at you like that, that was really lame of me- can you forgive me?”

“Aw, sure!” Pinkie said enthusiastically, returning my hug with one so tight that I thought she was trying to squeeze my head from my shoulders. “Now I just want you to feel happy, so let me turn that frown upside down!”

“No destroying the house this time, Pinkie,” Applejack cautioned. “We only just cleaned up from Halloween a few days ago.”

“OK. Now come on, let’s party!” the cotton-haired girl cried, dashing back into the living room where the others waited.

Sunset got back to her feet as Granny Smith slipped back into the kitchen, the younger girl brushing herself off.

“You OK?” I asked.

“Oh yeah, it’s just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie,” she said casually. “Now come on, you need to have a good time and there’s plenty of food that needs eating!”

“Sure, I’m coming,” I said, following slowly only to pause and turn back to the cowgirl behind me. “Those two people in that picture,” I said. “Who are they?”

“Oh, those are ma mom and pop,” Applejack said. “They both died not long after Applebloom was born, so we’ve been without ‘em for a while.”

I found myself amazed that I hadn’t known what happened to AJ’s parents. I’d been friends with her for a while now, I’d known she lived with Granny Smith and her siblings, but for some reason the thought had never occurred to me.

“Yeah, ah miss ‘em a whole bunch,” Applejack continued, picking up the picture and gazing at it with such intensity I expected the frame to burst into flames. “When they died, ah was real upset and didn’t really know what to do. Ah got into a lot of trouble at school, did and said a bunch of things ah shouldn’t have, but Granny Smith and Big Mac helped reel me in. They showed me what good ah’d gotten, even if ma folks were gone.”

“Do you miss them?” I asked.

“Oh, everyday,” Applejack said earnestly. “But ahv’e got Granny Smith, ah’ve got Big Mac and little Applebloom… ah’ve got a lot of people to be happy about, even if they aren’t hear. You get me?” she asked with a soft smile, marred by the slightest bit of longing and grief.

Now I knew why she’d understood me. Gentle, understanding Applejack had proved yet again why she was den mother of our little group and she was doing one heck of a job.

The rest of the evening went rather smoothly, albeit with an air of awkwardness across the board due to my outburst. We enjoyed ourselves, laughed and simply were glad to be done with school and looking forward to the holidays. I didn’t say much of anything the rest of the night, feeling that I perhaps had said enough already. It was time to be at peace, as well as quiet.

Sunset remained close by wherever I went, acting yet again as guardian angel of my soul. She didn’t say much either, but every so often she’d look over at me and give me a smile, and maybe ask how I was doing. I’d always say I was fine, and then ask how she was doing, and she’s say the same. It was strange, really, that this was how I’d discovered the truth. Now that I knew, I wasn’t sure what to do next.
As the evening grew deeper into the night, the time came where the Apples were needing to shut down for the night, and it came time for us, the guests, to depart and give our friend some much-needed rest. Sunset and I ended up being the last two to leave, as snow had begun to fall yet again and Mom was having trouble driving through the muck. Applejack told us that we were expected to get several inches, so it was better that I don’t come back tomorrow to work on the farm.

At last, after what seemed an eternity, I saw the headlights of our old beat-up van come into view and it was time for me to bid goodbye.

“I’ll see you all some other time, I guess,” I said, giving the girls a wave and putting my other hand on the door.

“Aight, see you whenever you can get back out here,” AJ said, walking upstairs to go off to bed. “Later, Sunset!”

“See ya!” Sunset replied before turning back to me. “So, umm…” she shuffled her feet, her head dipped slightly as she looked up at me. “Are- are you gonna be OK? Do you need anything?”

I shook my head, feeling thick with exhaustion. It had been a long night, made more stressful by my outburst. “Nah, I’ll be OK, don’t worry. You gonna be alright getting home in this?”

“Yeah, I’ve been in worse weather,” she replied. She looked at me, glanced down at the floor and put her fingers to her lips. “I want you to come over tomorrow, OK? I know there’s gonna be a lot of snow on the ground, but if you can come over, please do.”

I gave her a look of mild surprise. “OK, what for? I mean, I’ll do it if I can, but what’s up?”

“I’m… I’m just worried about you, and I want to make sure you’re alright,” she said. She looked everywhere but me for a few moments before deciding to stare at the ceiling and she added, “And I really like spending time with you, so I really hope you can come over.”

I couldn’t help but blush, feeling flattered by her honest answer, though my insides were having a four-alarm party and celebrating by doing the conga. “Umm… yeah, sure, I’ll be there. I promise.”

“Really?” she asked, showing off that same excitement she had when I’d first gone to visit on Halloween.

“Yeah, just… I don’t think I can stay the night this time. Last one made Mom mad enough.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Sunset said bashfully, playing with her hair. “I’ll try not to keep you-”

The sound of a car horn cut through Sunset’s words like a knife through butter. “I should probably get going,” I said.

“Yeah, I shouldn’t… keep you…” Sunset said distantly. She looked right at me, those lovely yet sorrowful eyes looking up at me, pondering something I couldn’t imagine. Then, standing on the tips of her toes, she leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek before blushing furiously and rushing out the door, leaving me silenced and immobile.

Out of all the things I could’ve predicted, that wasn’t one of them. I put my fingers to where her lips had been, feeling the sensation a million times over. She’d been so soft, and as warm as the sun. I’d been confident before, but this… I was certain of how she felt now.

I think the two of us needed to talk.

The snow fell almost the entire night, blanketing the whole city in a thick, five-inch sheet of white gunk that resisted all attempts to sweep it up. The city was shut down by order of the mayor and they even needed some of the National Guard to come in and help do some work on clearing roads and train tunnels.

Out in my part of town, the West End simply hunkered down and waited for the cleanup crews to come unearth us from beneath the snow covering. Our side of town was usually last in line when it came to cleanup of any kind, so we’d simply become accustomed to the wait. The real worry was when someone lost power, because then the threat of cold could become a major issue really quick. Thankfully, there were enough decent people about to make sure nobody actually died.

I, however, was being true to my word and heading across the frozen wastes that was my home to head over to Sunset’s, bundled up and cursing the cold with every step I took. I’d never been a fan of winter. However, today was a good day, and I had a particularly interesting sheet of paper that Mom and I had printed out this morning that I was eager to show off, so I braved through the mess and soon found myself at Sunset’s front door, rapping as fast as I could in the hopes she’d get there faster.

It kind of worked, as she opened the door and cried, “Hurry, get in quick!” and promptly slammed it shut behind me. “Sorry,” she apologized, “I didn’t think it’d be this bad when I asked you to come over.”

“It’s alright, I don’t mind,” I replied. “Besides,” I added with a wave of my paper, “I got something you may wanna see.”

“Oh my gosh, is that-”

“Yeah, grades are in already,” I said, sitting down on the couch and handing them to her. “So, whad’ya think?”

She took it from me and peered at the sheet of grades I already knew by heart:

Algebra II: A

Astronomy: C+

English: B-

History: C-

Physics: C

Overall GPA: 2.6

“Wow, this is great! This is a great start!” she said. “Once next semester starts we oughta be able to get that English grade up to an ‘A’ and maybe even up a couple others… but this is great! Really great job, I’m so happy for you!”

“Wouldn’t have gotten anywhere close to this without you,” I grunted, getting up from my seat to give her a big hug. “Really, thanks.”

“N-no problem, happy to help,” she said, pulling her head off my shoulders to give me a smile. As always when she focused on someone besides herself, those teal eyes of hers were alive and shining bright, filled with a joy that I’d never seen anywhere else. She could be so warm, so full of light…

And then we realized just how close we were to one another, and that I hadn’t let go of her yet. We looked at one another with wide eyes, my body trembling slightly as my heart started to race. She looked up at me, her face creeping closer to mine, close enough I could feel her cool breath brushing my face-

“Hey, umm… you want- something to eat? I’m hungry, so I thought maybe you’re hungry, and so I’ll go get us something to eat,” Sunset said quickly, her face deepening in color until she was redder than her hair, pulling away from me and fussing over the condition of her very small kitchen.

And I? I stood there trying to figure out what had just happened. Or, perhaps to be more honest, trying to grasp the magnitude of what had very nearly happened. I mean, it was something I’d dreamed and daydreamed about, fantasized in faraway locations like cliffsides or walking along the beach, but instead here I was in a small, cramped apartment in the middle of winter having to cope with the reality that I had almost nearly kissed-

“Hey, what’re you in the mood for?” Sunset asked me loudly, a little too loudly than truly necessary. “You want lunch? Or I’ve still got some breakfast stuff out if you’re interested, I kinda slept late after last night…”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’ll come take a look,” I said distractedly, tearing myself away from where I stood to meet her.

The rest of the day went well enough, and no mention of that little incident when I had first arrived. We were as we always should be: relaxed, comfortable, and at ease in one another’s presence. The more time I spent around her, the more I came to realize how well we played off one another: she was brilliant where I was tactical, she was patient where I was action-oriented, and she had a gentleness that offset my strength. The more I thought about it, the more I really wanted to ask her.

“So what’re you and your Mom gonna be doing for Christmas?” she asked me as the two of us were sitting down watching a series of holiday specials.

“Hmm? Dunno, actually, probably the same thing we always do, just sit and relax at home together,” I answered. “Christmas ain’t a big deal in our house anymore, since –you know- I’m older and all that. So not as much pressure to buy gifts and all that.”

“You don’t get gifts?” she asked, sounding horrified.

“Nah, haven’t in a while,” I replied. “We’re just- well, poor. No way around it, we’re poor. I mean, we could be WAY worse, but we’re still poor. We make ends meet and use older stuff and do what we can with what we have.”

“That sounds… kinda depressing, actually,” she remarked.

I shrugged. “It’s just the way life is, sometimes,” I said offhandedly. “It could be worse, I know guys who’ve gone a day or two without eating cause their welfare checks didn’t make it on time. Mom and I have done pretty well for ourselves. And this year, I actually went out and bought her something so this might be the best Christmas ever! I get to make Mom happy, get to have a nice Mexican dinner, and relaxation as we do nothing at all.”

Sunset laughed at my tone, leaning back in her seat. “Sounds like you’re looking forward to it.”

“Oh yeah, I want to see the look on her face when she gets her present, she doesn’t know I got it for her, she doesn’t know I was planning it and I just wanna see what happens when I bring it out to her and she- what’s so funny?” I asked, for Sunset hadn’t stopped giggling and was nearly doubled over in mirth.

“It’s just- you have no idea just how sweet you can be,” she said cheerily.

“Me? The heck you talking about?” I asked, feeling rather taken aback.

“No, I’m serious!” she said earnestly. “You act all tough and hard –and you can be when you need to- but down inside you just have this instinct to look after people. You’re so… sweet, that’s all I can think to say.”

I didn’t even look at her, feeling too embarrassed to say a word for a while. When I finally recovered, I asked, “What about you? What do you do for the holidays?”

“Me? Oh, I’ll just be here, trying to get some extra work done,” she replied, motioning towards her computer.

“Alone,” I guessed, my voice flat as a line. “Alone… on Christmas.”

“Yeah, it’s how I’ve been the past several years, actually,” she replied.

“But- but what about family, anyone? Nothing- jeez, you called mine depressing, I know you’re not on good terms with your parents, but… alone?”

“Yeah. That’s what happens when you’re the meanest person in Canterlot High,” she said bitterly, her eyes dulling over as they always did she remembered her old sins. “You don’t exactly become the hot dinner guest.”

“Have you thought about trying to… I dunno… talk with your folks again? Maybe going to visit them?”

“It’s not that simple, there’s- there’s more to talking them than that,” she sighed. “That, and I really don’t even know if they’d want me back, of if they’re even alive- it’s been a while.”

I hated seeing her like this, so utterly defeated. She was super sweet, but it was so easy for her to become self-focused and get lost in her misery. Thankfully, I think I had a cure.

“Tell you what,” I offered, “why don’t you come over to our house on Christmas? Ah, sound good? We cook some traditional Mexican dishes, sit in front of the couch all day and do zilch, just the kind of thing we do here! Mom wouldn’t mind having the extra company, anyway.”

“Wait, really?” she asked.

“Yeah, sure, I’d love to have you over and Mom will seriously love having guests,” I replied nonchalantly. “It’d make this Christmas a heckuva time.”

Sunset agreed and then promptly drifted off into thought, muttering something to herself as she shot occasional glances at me. It was strange behavior, true, but she wasn’t the only one engaged in self-absorption in that moment, for I was beginning to concoct a little plan of my own. A plan that, if I was to pull this off, required me heading to a certain outlet mall.

The sheets felt as light as a feather as I lay there in my bed, warmer and more comfortable than I’d felt in ages. The last several days had given me so much time to unwind, relax, and do nothing at all except enjoy my freedom. And now, here I was, enjoying the serenity of the morning with nothing to possibly bother me; life was very, very good. I gave a contented sigh and rolled over in the sheets to tuck myself even further in, doing my best to contain the warmth within with as little effort as I could muster. I gave a glance over at the clock and saw it was a little past 10. For some reason, that made my body begin to stir and awaken, despite the protests of my comfortable frame. What was so important about the time? In fact, I couldn’t even really remember what day it was-

And then I remembered it was Christmas. Christmas! I leapt out of the bed so quickly that I swore I snapped a board on my bedframe. I’d been planning this day for weeks now, everything had to be perfect, Mom so desperately deserved it! I didn’t bother changing or doing much of anything except bolting out of my room and straight towards the kitchen… where the smell of a freshly cooked breakfast awaited me and I saw my Mom standing over the oven, with freshly made egg casserole stuffed with chorizos awaited me.

“Feliz Navidad, child,” Mom greeted me sweetly, walking over and giving me her usual hug and kiss. I was glad to see her in a good mood, but I felt disheartened. I’d wanted this to be her day, having added making breakfast to the list of gifts I could give. No such luck, it would seem.

We both settled in for a good meal, enjoying our morning as we watched a light snowfall land on our still-covered front lawn. The temperature had been cold and the weather cloudy, so no chance of the blizzard’s results melting anytime soon. I could hear some of the local kids playing around outside, probably enjoying the winter weather and perhaps making use of some of their newfound Christmas gifts.

The gift! I’d almost forgotten! I hastily stuffed down my casserole (Mom stared at me, wondering if something was wrong), and I dashed to my room to make sure it was still properly wrapped. I brought it out from under my bed to examine it. I’d spent a good amount of the night trying to get it wrapped just right- after all, presentation is key. Everything looked satisfactory, so there was nothing left but to make her morning…

“Hey, Mom? You still in the kitchen?”

“Yes, I’m here,” she answered. “Something wrong?”

“Nah, I’m good,” I said a bit shakily, my body starting to tremble with excitement. “Just wanted to make sure.”

“Make sure? What are- oh, you shouldn’t have! You should’ve kept all your money instead of spending it on me!” she scolded the moment I came into the kitchen with the gift in my hands.

“Mom, come on, if there’s anybody I owe, it’s you,” I argued, having somewhat expected this. “Besides, the last gift I gave you was something I made when I was a midget in grade school. And it’s my money, so if I wanna spend it on you, that should be fine.”

“But you need to save up for- a car, college, something important-”

“You ARE important,” I insisted. “And I’m very glad I get to spend some of my hard-earned cash on you. So please, do me the favor of taking it. OK?”

She hesitated for a minute, looking down at the gift apprehensively before finally reaching over and tearing off the wrapping paper and opening the lid. “Oh my, it’s lovely,” she said, reaching in and pulling out a small cross pendant necklace. “It’s just like the one your Grandfather gave to your Grandma- did you do that on purpose?”

“No, I didn’t know,” I said, leaning over with interest. My Mom’s parents had died right around the time my Dad had been sent to jail, so I hadn’t gotten to know them all that well. “I’m hoping that’s a good thing.”

“Oh yes, certainly,” she said earnestly, draping the pendant around her neck. “It was a family heirloom that he’d been given by his grandmother, a token from when our family fought in some of the wars back home- he told me they’d had it before even El Soberano came around.”

“What happened to it?” I asked eagerly, thinking of how much money something that old would be worth. “We don’t still have it, do we?”

Mom shook her head ruefully. “Your Aunt Natalia was in line before me, she took it with her when she and Rolando moved back to across the seas and I haven’t seen it since. But this is a wonderful reminder of your Grandfather, and it’s very lovely…”

“I wanted to get you something, as thanks for putting up with me so much,” I said, feeling a glow of pleasure at the sight of her being so lit up by her present, delighted by the memories it had resurrected. “After all… Feliz Navidad, Mom.”

I never spoke Spanish if I could help it, despite it being Mom’s native tongue. She looked over at me in surprise and delight and grabbed me to bring me into a backbreaking hug. It was going to be a good day, if this was any indication.

For the rest of the morning we lounged around, drifting between the kitchen for more food and the living room where we sat watching TV, she on the couch and I in the armchair- both of us under a thick blanket. Though I’d barely been out of bed, I felt content to just sit there and nap until we had dinner later on. In fact, I was about to give up on staying awake until the football game came on when I heard the doorbell ring.

I was still in my seat whereas Mom had just gone into the kitchen just nearby the front door. “Mom, you gonna get that or should I?” I called, wondering who it could be. Sunset had said she probably wouldn’t be able to arrive until around dinner, so it couldn’t be her. Unless she’d been lying.

“I’ve got it, don’t worry,” she replied pleasantly.

Satisfied, I settled back in my chair and shut my eyes, prepping for a good power nap.

“Um, you said your friend has bright red-yellow hair, right?” Mom yelled.

I popped my eyes open. She was here already? “Yeah, she does,” I answered.

“Well, she’s got people with her,” Mom remarked.

“People?” I was confused enough to need to investigate myself, and I forced myself out of my seat to go up to the front door and look. Who else was gonna be here on Christmas day- unless… no…

Mom waited for me at the door, peering out through the window at the blurred crowd outside. Sunset was right at the front, waiting patiently for us to open the door, and behind her was a… bright, multicolored ponytail and a big block of pink, frizzy… hair…

I couldn’t believe it. “How- how did she convince them?” I asked myself, not realizing I had actually said it aloud.

“Convince who?” Mom said to me.

Then came the knock at the door. “Come on, it’s freezing out here, let me in already!” Rainbow’s raspy voice called, chattered and irritated as ever. “Are you seriously gonna just let me freeze out here? It’s like 50 below!”

I rolled my eyes and gave a long-winded groan of exasperation, unable to decide between an expression of shock or hilarity that this was even happening. “I think we’ll need to cook a bigger dinner this year,” I told my Mom, and opened the door to let in my friends.

“We come bearing gifts!” Sunset declared, stepping through the threshold with a pot full of green beans, spices, and all the tools we’d need. “Hope we brought enough, we know Rainbow and Applejack eat a lot, so we may have brought a little extra…”

“It’s… it’s alright, we’ll manage,” Mom said weakly as the rest came in, laden with food, topped off with Applejack clutching a big fat turkey in her hands. It was more food than we’d ever had for a Christmas dinner in our lives. Green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls and casserole, turkey and all sorts of seasoning… my jaw hit the floor alongside Mom’s, completely unable to comprehend what had just come through our front door.

“So, uh, happy to see us?” Applejack grinned. “Hope you don’t mind some fancy eats for dinner.”

“How… how- how- how- how…” every attempt at starting a sentence fizzled instantly. I couldn’t believe it, I simply was astounded.

“Well, it was her idea, darling,” Rarity explained, gesturing to Sunset. “She called us all and said that we could come down and help you give your mother a wonderful Christmas- and I see your gift is absolutely wonderful, just as I suspected it would be!” she added, peering at my mother’s brand new necklace with approval.

Mom was tickled by the remark, and she regained her ability for speech faster than I did, welcoming them all in and thanking them for the food before gesturing them into the kitchen. I stood there in stunned silence until all that remained was Sunset and I, staring at each other as we waited for the other to speak first.

Sunset moved back and forth on the balls of her feet, looking at me with just the hint of a smile across her lips, waiting patiently for me to respond. I could do nothing but gawk at her, this unparalleled paragon of perfection. She was unbelievably, undeniably, the single best girl I’d ever met, and it was all I could do to stop myself from wanting to ravish her.

“Hope you don’t mind,” she said finally, coming to the conclusion that I wasn’t going to speak. “I know it’s a bit much, but I thought- you know, the way you talked about your mom the other day, that it might be something you’d like.”

I walked over and nearly snapped her in two with a massive hug, putting all the words I would never be able to say into every squeeze I could manage. I just hoped it was enough.

What else do I need to say? It was the best Christmas Mom and I had ever experienced, surrounded by my friends who were all eager and willing to help. It was the most cramped our house had ever been with eight of us at once, but we managed to make it work. Applejack and Pinkie Pie helped Mom out in the kitchen with getting dinner ready, so it wasn’t as much of a burden as it had first seemed, while the rest of us joked and played games and relaxed with our personal cooks when they needed a breather. Rarity and Fluttershy in particular took to Mom really quickly, both possessing the tact and manners to know what to say as well as what not to. Fluttershy was enthralled by Mom’s old story of her times back home when she helped raise a small pack of coyotes.

Dinner, as we all expected, was perfection. I don’t think I’d ever had such good turkey in my life, and the rest was so excellent I helped myself to three servings. There were too many for us all to fit in the kitchen, so we simply gave up and moved into the living room to eat, preferring company over comfort.

“See? This is why we made sure to bring a lot to eat,” Applejack remarked as I returned to the table with my third serving, a heaping helping of turkey and mashed potatoes slabbed across my plate.

“Ha, you don’t see me complaining,” I replied, stabbing a piece of turkey and wolfing it down. “B’sides,” I added, “we’ve got so much in there not even I’m gonna make a dent in this. I’ll be eating turkey all week.”

It took us a while to eat dinner, and almost as long to clean up afterwards. Once our business in the kitchen was done, a few of us (including myself) drifted off in the living room for a nap while the rest grabbed a few board games from the car that (predictably) Pinkie Pie had thought to bring. Rainbow, Fluttershy and I woke up a bit later and joined in, only to get trounced in a game of Monopoly when AJ and Sunset teamed up to take us out. However, when we all switched teams after the first game, Sunset and I got paired up and won the game in little more than half an hour.

“You two work rather well together,” Rarity remarked delicately, eyeing the two of us with interest, hoping for a reaction.

“Understatement, Rarity! They’re perfect!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “They go better together than peanut butter and jelly- than cake and ice cream- than balloons and parties-!”

“Ah think we get the point, Pinkie,” Applejack said, intervening before our spazztastic friend could devolve further. She gave the two of us a rueful look before adding, “You DO go well together.”

Sunset blushed and played with her hair before looking up at the ceiling, while I couldn’t help but laugh. Besides, there was no reason to deny it- we all knew it.

As the sun fell behind the horizon, we flicked on the outdoor lights and illuminated the front lawn for a snowball fight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash somehow roping Rarity into joining the upcoming battle. I was about to go grab my shoes and a hat when I remembered something important and I paused.

Sunset, who’d decided to come out and watch, noticed my sudden halt. “Something up?” she asked.

I felt my insides go cold, as this was shaping up to be a make-or-break moment. “Yeah, yeah actually,” I said, taking off my shoes. “Can- can you come with me for a moment? I, uh, wanna talk to you for a bit.”

“OK,” Sunset agreed. “Did I do something wrong?”

“What? No, just- just come with me for a sec,” I said, gently taking her hand and leading her down the hallway to my room. I could feel her fingers slide in my grip and slip in between my own, a feeling that had felt so comfortable to me now.

I led her into my room, pushing the door to behind me. “Hey, so, uh…” I stumbled for a quick moment, trying to recover. “I wanted to thank you for all that you’ve done to help me out, it means a lot to me.”

“It’s nothing, really,” she said, trying to shrug it off as if it was no big deal.

“No, it’s a big deal, at least to me,” I protested. “I mean, all this you did today? I- I’ve got nothing, I don’t know what to say. I’ve never heard of anyone doing something like this, it’s one of the nicest things anyone’s ever done for us- you completely made my Mom’s day.”

“She means a lot to you,” Sunset said. “So, you know… I just thought it’d make you happy.”

“It did, it really did,” I said, starting to lean over underneath my bed and reach for something. “So I… I wanted to get you something.” I extracted my hand and pulled out a long thin box that had been sealed tight.

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” Sunset said, looking down at the gift with a strange expression. “That’s… that’s really sweet of you.”

“Come on, open it up,” I said eagerly. “I just hope you like it, it was kinda hard to find.”

Sunset tore through the tape that bound the box together, peeling off the top and unwrapping the gift to find…

“Oh,” she said softly, pulling out a soft, layered, flame-colored mini-dress. “Oh…” she was struck silent for a time, caressing the dress like it was a living thing, holding it as if the dress were a small child. “But I thought- I thought you thought I didn’t look good in it,” she said.

I shook my head. “Truth be told, Sunset… I’d heard about you and Flash not long before that and I was just worried about it and didn’t know what to do, cause I didn’t know whether you liked him or not, and I just… I messed up, Sunset, I flubbed.”

Sunset put her hand on my arm, giving me a soft glance that had the warmth of candlelight. “It’s alright, it’s not… it’s not something I talk about much- I used him, and I’m not really proud of it…”

“No, it’s OK, I get it,” I said, putting my hand on hers. “I just wished I hadn’t screwed it all up.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because you looked like the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

She couldn’t look at me for a little while, turning aside to blink away tears. “That’s… no one’s ever said that to me before,” she said quietly, holding onto me as if I were a lifeline.

Slowly, carefully, I reached up and put a hand on her face, slowly caressing her cheek, feeling her smooth skin beneath my fingers, just as warm and soothing as I’d always imagined it to be. “I’ve waited so long to do that,” I whispered.

She shifted closer to me, her head resting against mine as we looked into each other’s eyes, I unable to tear myself away from that marvelous teal gaze. She closed her eyes and leaned into me, so close I could smell her, finding a sweet scent that reminded me of the warmth of spring. I could feel my heart pounding but I ignored it as I leaned in and put my hand under her chin, pulling her in and feeling the softest, gentlest brush that was her lips against mine-

WHAM! My door slammed open faster than a bolt of lightning, scaring me so bad that I leapt back and forced the back of my head to connect with the business end of my closet door, the sharp edge of the wood causing my scalp to erupt in an almighty pain that I assumed could not be found anywhere except the trials of childbirth, and I gave a whimpering scream and fell to the ground in agony.

“What are you two doing?” Pinkie exclaimed, her winter garments covered in snow. “We need another person on our team RIGHT NOW or else we’re UNEVEN! Come on!”

I could barely hear her through the miasma of pain I was being forced to endure. I bit my tongue so as not to unleash yet another volley of curses on my ditzy friend, for she couldn’t possibly have known what she had just ruined, there was no way she could have- this was Pinkie Pie, mistress of the oblivious, and if she had only waited a little longer..!

“Yeah, yeah. Gimme a second,” I wheezed, still doubled over. “Sunset, you mind tagging in and helping me out for a-”

“I can do that,” Sunset said hastily, getting on her feet so quickly one might think she wore springs. The two girls left my room and went outside, leaving me to deal with the pain and frustration that had all ruined such a perfect moment in about the span of three seconds.

I lost track of just how long I laid there, crumpled over and trying not to scream out loud from all the frustration and pain I was enduring at once. I can’t think of a moment that was so full of disappointment and literally mind-numbing agony. Eventually, when I felt the throbbing in the back of my skull begin to peter out, I felt it safe to open my eyes and start to regain control of myself. I was fine, I was fine, I had only… I had only lost the best chance I’d had and now I had to deal with fixing said moment and not leaving a gaping hole of awkwardness that would surround the incident if I didn’t do something. Great.

After a while, I went out and joined the others outside for a little while, thankfully receiving no questions about my prolonged absence. I was worried Pinkie Pie might mention something about it, but she either had truly been oblivious or she had finally found the tact to keep her mouth shut in regards to private matters. With her, it would always be impossible to tell.

However, that’s not to say it didn’t bring some questioning looks my way, as Applejack kept sliding a satisfied smirk my way and Rainbow looked at me with a strange expression on her face the rest of the night. I suspected those two might have some idea of what could’ve happened. Applejack would be well and happy about it, but I still wasn’t certain how Rainbow would react- I believed she wouldn’t try to do anything detrimental, but she might act strange nonetheless. Thankfully, talking isn't very beneficial in a snowball fight and we were all sufficiently distracted for the rest of the night.

We went back in around ten for a nightcap- Mom had prepared some hot chocolate for us a few minutes before we came inside, and we spent the last few minutes of the night together, drinking from our mugs and doing nothing particular. It’d been a long day. Finally, when several of us were starting to struggle to stay awake, Mom finally called it and declared that we all needed to get home before we ran the risk of falling asleep while driving. An atypical Mom quote, but justifiable enough that we heeded her words.

As I hoped, Sunset deliberately held off of leaving until the others had gone, watching and waiting as slowly, Applejack, Rarity and the others filed out and went back to their respective homes, leaving me alone with the girl that I believed, with a justifiable degree of certainty, to be MY girl.

“You’ve got everything you came with, right?” I asked.

“Yeah, it’s all out in the car already,” she said, wrapping her scarf around her neck. “And really, thanks a lot for the dress, that was super-sweet of you.”

I merely shrugged it off, gazing at her lovely figure, drinking her in from head to toe and lingering –as always- on her eyes, the light teal jewels accented by her gentle smile.

“What?” she inquired, as I continued to stare.

“Nothing, just looking at you,” I said. “It’s quite a view, by the way.”

Sunset rolled her eyes, but put her arms around me and planted a trio of kisses on my cheek, each one moving closer and closer until the last one -a long, lingering kiss- was planted right on the edge of my lips. “See you again?” she asked, opening the door and beginning to walk outside.

“Always,” I replied simply.

Satisfied, Sunset gave me a smile and a parting wave, walking down to her car. I leaned against the doorframe and watched her go, enthralled by every move she made. She was unbelievably beautiful and I was utterly smitten with her.

And, even more unbelievable, I think she felt the same. I gave a contented sigh and closed the door, memories of the day racing through my mind and filling me with a joy I couldn’t even name. It hadn’t been a perfect day, but it was as close as I could ever get.

“You got her a dress? Oh, that’s so sweet, you should’ve let me see it,” said a voice.
Horror. I turned around and saw my Mom standing in the hallway, looking at me with a crazed expression of ecstasy on her face. “That’s the one? That’s the girl you were with on Halloween? She’s so beautiful, and very sweet, too-”

I gave a scream and looked around for a hole I could crawl into, my face redder than an overripe tomato. “Mom, you were listening in?” I yelled.

“-And she doesn’t talk too much, either, so she won’t be the kind to annoy you to death,” Mom continued, apparently having completely ignored me. “And yes, I was listening the whole time, why wouldn’t I? I’m your mother!”

I shouldn’t have felt as surprised as I did, struggling there to keep my calm and not go shove my head into the oven. I just decided to let it go, doing my best to recover and grin like I was more pleased than mortified.

“Are you going to pay court to this girl? You’re young, but you’ve grown up so much and you’ve got good, marital qualities to you…”

What? “Mom, I haven’t even asked her out yet!” I protested, turning red yet again. “What are you even talking about? Let’s just see how this goes before we start thinking THAT far into the future.”

“Alright, alright, I’m just excited for you, that’s all! Such a lovely girl!” she exclaimed, ruffling my hair. She started down the hallway to her room before pausing, turning around to add, “Oh, and when she was in your arms… you should’ve just kissed her.”

“AAAAAAAAAH!”

Author's Notes:

You didn't think it was gonna be that easy, did you? I've had the moment planned since before I started writing this, and that's when it'll happen, not a moment before.

There's good news and bad news, people. Good news is that congrats, we've made it into the next phase of the story! The tone and style may change a little as this is what we've been building towards for a while, but it's been a heckuva road and the popularity this has garnered shocked me. What started out as a simple idea is now the longest project I've worked on yet and we're still not close to being anywhere near done.
And then there's the bad news: I'm shipping out for Basic Combat Training, so there won't be any updates until the very end of the year, so there's gonna be a big dry spell. I won't drop this story, but the updates may be intermittent for a while. Once I get to Advanced Training, I should have a bit more freedom to update on weekends but I'm not quite sure, we'll see.

Beyond that, I can't think of anything else to say. I hope you enjoy, and please leave remarks and corrections below. See y'all in December!

So you gave your heart to me

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I’d meant to see Sunset right after Christmas, but another fresh snowfall buried us and half the town with a good six inches and effectively cut me off from the entire rest of the world. I flirted with the idea of going outside and braving the cold and snow, but my Mom unequivocally shut that down in a matter of seconds, forbidding me from going outside when it was a five-minute struggle just to open the door. I played around with the idea of simply giving her a phone call, but I kept hesitating. Considering what I wanted to ask of her, this felt more like an in-person kind of conversation, and not something that should be done through a phone.

New Year’s Eve came along and the cold kept the snow from melting yet again, so I persisted in being a shut-in for a while longer, eventually forcing me to accept that I’d just have to wait until I met her at school and talk to her then. A smart decision to make, but a hard one when the ball dropped.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Something bothering you?” Mom asked me as we watched the news broadcast, noticing I was sulking in my seat.

“Nah, I’m fine,” I said brusquely, waving her aside. Mom was a good confidant, but she’d jumped on the thought of me being with Sunset Shimmer so bad that I didn’t want to give her the ammunition.

Unfortunately, Mom is smarter than she looks, and her face split into a smug smirk. “I understand how you feel,” she sang. “Feeling a bit lonely this New Year’s?”

“Oh hush,” I growled, resenting that she was absolutely right. I was never going to admit it out loud, but I’d been thinking about Sunset all the time since Christmas and –I was almost embarrassed to admit it to myself- I really wanted another kiss. Just, maybe a little more centered next time.

But there was a problem, one that Sunset didn’t know of. Or, didn’t know a whole lot about. I wasn’t exactly an exemplary person and I had a record to prove it, and she was a sweet, gentle-hearted girl. I had no idea how I was going to make this work and I really wanted this girl, so I didn’t want to screw up. I was seriously afraid that I’d end up making her worse off for having dated her, and that was unacceptable. I wasn’t going to be like Estavan and screw her up like he did with my Mom. I also had the problem that I’d never been around a romantic relationship, so I had no idea how to treat her. My parents had obviously had some difficulties and being around a bunch of gangsters usually meant that women were treated like garbage or worse. I was gonna have to do this by ear and that meant figuring it out on my own. I guess she’d want to be treated nicely, but there had to be more to it than that- what would truly make her happy? Not just happy, but make her care about me more deeply? I had no idea.

Nevertheless, I was determined. I wasn’t going to follow in the footsteps of my father and go the same route; I was going to do this right and take care of Sunset- be the best kind of special someone she could find, no matter what. Even if we didn’t end up… well, staying together, I didn’t want to ruin her life or leave her bitter. I’d found that, in some of the same ways I thought about Mom, I wanted what was best for her. Maybe that’d be enough for now.

The first day of school found me to be a nervous, yet excited individual from the moment I woke up. I simply stared at the ceiling of my room for a while and realized this was it- this was the day I was going to ask her. Was I really ready for this? Could I hold up and take care of her the way I should? I was so occupied that it took me a while to notice I was trying to put my shirt on by fitting through the neckline first.

Things didn’t improve from there, as I got more and more nervous at school until by the time I reached my locker, I was positively sweating bullets. I had NO reason to believe this was going to go right- wait, yes I did. Christmas, the party at AJ’s house, Halloween, and everything else. I could do this. If I only just relaxed, I could really do this. I went to my first class with an air of anticipation, waiting for when Sunset would walk through the door and I’d catch her eye and give her a smile, and she’d give me her warm smile that she always gave me, and when class was over I’d ask her for a word and then I’d tell her how I felt about her and she’d say-

The class bell rang and I jumped a good two feet in the air, causing a few folks around me to jump back and laugh. Wait, school was starting and she wasn’t here? I looked over at her chair and it was empty. Roll was called and she didn’t say her name. I glanced over at Rarity who was sitting a few rows up and she didn’t notice me trying to catch her eye. What was going on here? Maybe she was just late.

Five minutes in and she hadn’t shown up yet. Thirty minutes and still nothing. The class was over and Sunset wasn’t there. What was wrong here, besides the fact that she wasn’t with me? I had to know.

“Rares! Hey, Rarity, wait a sec!” I called, racing out of class to catch up with her.

“Something wrong, dear?” she asked innocently.

“Don’t play coy, where’s Sunset?” I demanded. “She never misses a class, she’s never missed a class- what’s up?”

“She’s sick, dear,” Rarity explained, giving me a strange look. “Didn’t you hear the teacher say exactly that when she was taking roll?”

“Uh…” Truth be told, I’d been so intent on finding out where she was that I hadn’t actually been paying attention all that well.

“She got the flu around New Year’s,” Rarity said. “She’s fine, but she’s been quite unwell. Fluttershy and Applejack have been looking in on her for a few days, but with school back on, she’s got no one with her.”

No one with her… I thought that over for a while until I came up with a really, really, really bad idea that was the perfect solution. But if I pulled it and got caught, Mom was gonna kill me, even if it was for love- school was an obsession for her.

Rarity, however, had been scrutinizing me the entire time I had been silent, looking at me with growing sympathy in her eyes. “I only hope you’ll get better, dear,” she said suddenly. “You should’ve told me you were ill, you must positively leave school and get some rest.”

That was strange. “Huh?”

“Well, just look at you, darling!” she cried, looking positively horrified. “Your complexion, you’re sweating madly, and you look absolutely exhausted! You should go home and lie down- just leave school and concentrate on getting better. Aren’t I right?”

It was so perfect I wanted to give her a hug. Instead, I gave a gigantic fake cough and pretended to sneeze. “Yeah, you’re right,” I said in a wheezy voice. “I’ll just go on outta here and, uh, get better.” I gave another hacking cough and looked up at her through squinted eyes. “How do I look?”

“Dreadful, darling,” Rarity smiled, before adding in a hushed voice, “Now go, hurry! She keeps a spare key in the plant pot next to her door!”

“You’re so awesome,” I grinned, jumping to my feet and dashing towards the front doors. I had a special visit to complete, and I just needed to grab a few things.

I made it to Sunset’s house with relatively little fuss. I’d made sure to pass by a small grocery store beforehand to buy a few things, stuffing the bag into my backpack and rushing off. I wasn’t just there to talk to Sunset; if she was truly sick, she’d need some care. Before too long, I found myself at her apartment door and digging out a small key on a ring from the potted plant on her doorstep, putting it in and turning the lock.

As my hand extended forward to grab the handle, I couldn’t help but hesitate. What I was about to attempt to do should be more laid-out than it truly was. All I knew I was going to do was tell Sunset I liked her and help her feel better. I should have prepared some sort of dialogue, thought about what kind of responses I should have, things I should do to help the flu, and so on. I had zilch except good intentions. I was simply going to have to wing it.

And, if I was willing to admit, I was still a little frightened. Relationships weren’t easy. Was I actually capable of this? Of doing the right thing, of being the right person? The fact that I wasn’t sure was more frightening to me than anything. I could be embarking on a journey that I would always regret, or –far worse a thought- a journey that Sunset would always regret. Such a good, sweet, perfect girl, and for me to be the one that ruins her, after all the hard work and effort she had made to better herself? I loathed the very thought.

I gave myself a vigorous shake to clear my head of such thoughts. This was foolishness. Whatever doubt I had was to be discarded at once. No more could I sit there and fret like a little child. I had people who depended on me now- my Mother, my friends, and Sunset. It was time to start standing tall and made sure their needs came before mine. Whatever that meant, I’d do it. So, with a deep breath and renewed spirits, I pushed the door open and left my childhood behind.

Sunset’s apartment held even the rank air of disease: the faint smell of vomit, snot, and sweat mixed together to form a foul odor; paper towels and tissues were thrown haphazardly across the floor in myriad piles that had formed next to every piece of furniture she owned; a plate of cold toast sat on the table, looking like they had barely been touched. For a girl who I’d come to know for being very neat and organized, her home had become a rather dilapidated mess.

I heard the sound of heavy coughing and unusually heavy footfalls on the carpet floor, and Sunset came from around the corner to see who had entered her home. “Oh, hi,” she said, her voice thin and weak from exhaustion. “I guess the girls told you, then.”

She was a pitiful sight, if I was to be honest. Her hair was tangled and lank from nights awake, dark circles hung around her eyes and she smelled faintly of vomit while her nightclothes were stained with what I hoped was sweat. She stared at me with a look of surprise that was dulled by weakness, confusion and fatigue already pushing her past her limits. But to me, no matter how she looked, I felt my heart bounce with happiness at the sight of her.

“Come on, you need to get off your feet,” I said calmly, dropping my bag and walking over to her, taking her hand and leading her towards her couch.

“No, don’t,” she protested faintly before dissolving into a coughing fit, pulling her hand from out of mine. “I don’t want to get you sick, too.”

It was an actually reasonable point, but I ignored it anyway, reaching out and taking her hand once more. “Come on, off your feet, you look exhausted,” I replied.

Giving a wispy sigh, she complied and slowly, carefully laid herself out on the couch, draping a nearby blanket over herself. “Why are you doing this?” she asked plainly.

I hesitated for a few seconds, digging through my bag to see what I had. “You know why,” I replied, glancing back up at her. “When was the last time you got any sleep?”

“But… but why me?” she asked, ignoring my question for the sake of her own.

“Why not you?” I countered. “Now, really, when was the last time you slept?”

Realizing I was actually being serious, she pondered the question for a few moments. “It’s… it’s been a while,” she admitted.

“Alright, so let’s try to get you some rest before anything else,” I said, thinking over whatever my mother had done for me. “Get a nap, sleep for a little while, then we’ll start dealing with the rest.”

“I feel too wretched to even think about sleep,” she coughed, spattering her arm in phlegm.

“You’re feeling worse cause you need sleep,” I replied. “Look, here’s a can of ginger ale, it’ll help settle your stomach. Drink little bits of it when you’re sitting down, but do try to rest. I’ll be in your bedroom taking care of your sheets if you need anything, alright?”

“You don’t have to do this-” she began to protest.

“I want to do it,” I interjected determinedly, looking right into her eyes. “Now, please, get some rest.”

We both stared at each other for the longest time, neither of us willing to give any ground in our little battle of wills. However, mine wasn’t tainted by sickness so I eventually won out. We turned the TV on so she could relax a bit and I headed off to her bedroom.

As I had expected, her sheets were a filthy, sweat-stained mess of tangled linens that reeked, so I held my breath and plunged my hands into the fabric, tearing every piece off until the mattress was completely bare. I threw it all into a pile to be taken to the cleaner’s later on, realizing I’d need to do that later on after Sunset put on a clean set of clothes. I checked the floor to make sure there weren’t any stains that needed removal, then moved on to check her bathroom, which was the nightmarish mess I had expected. Cleaning it was a miserable job that took nearly an hour and a fair amount of cleaner, but I got it done without getting sick myself. I swore later that I’d rub my skin raw washing it all off later, but I was –for the moment- left to be satisfied with my work. I went back into the living room to find Sunset fast asleep, snoring gently into the couch pillow as she gained the rest she desperately needed.

So soft, so quiet, so relaxing and calm… I sat there for a few minutes to simply watch her, feeling whatever tension and anger I usually possessed melt away at such a peaceful sight. Granted, what I was doing was kind of creepy, but for me, it was an irresistible sight to see her like this. After a few minutes I simply took a seat nearby and read over some notes and doodles I had written during my first classes, killing time until she awoke.

After two or three hours –I wasn’t keeping track- I saw her stir and she rose her head ever so slightly, the light in her eyes starting to shine once more. “Feeling any better?” I inquired.

“A little, yeah,” she answered softly, stretching out her arms. “I feel way better, actually.”

“See?” Told you,” I said with a grin. “Look, now go and get a shower, wash yourself down. I put a fresh pair of clothes in there for you once you’re done, so just throw what you’re wearing on your dirty sheets when the time comes.”

Perhaps having actually accepted I really was in charge here, she gave a small sigh and obeyed my orders. Fifteen minutes later she stood in front of me wearing a soft long-sleeve and sweat pants, looking immeasurably more comfortable than she had before. Her eyes were still tired and her face pale and heavy, but she possessed a more relaxed air, no doubt thanks to cleaning most of the sickness off her body.

“You think you could stomach a little food?” I asked, and she gave a tiny nod. I went into the kitchen and made her a simple bowl of soup with crackers, afraid anything else would make her feel worse. I went back to the living room to give it to her and she began to eat, taking small spoonful’s and bites as she went along, occasionally pausing to drink some of the ginger ale. Though she may not have noticed herself, but with every bite I saw her gain a little more strength and energy to fight off the sickness. Already she was doing far better.

After long enough, her bowl was empty and I took it aside, cleaning it off in the kitchen sink and setting it to dry, returning back to Sunset. “Better?” I asked.

“Loads,” she hiccupped, giving me a weak smile that still shone with her warmth. “Thank you, you shouldn’t have.”

“Nonsense, this is exactly where I need to be,” I said patiently, taking a seat on the floor next to the couch.

Sunset’s smile faded and was replaced by a taut, anxious look. “But why? Why me?”

“Why not you?” I said just as before.

“I’m serious,” she croaked. “Please, this isn’t a joke or a game anymore, just… just tell me why. Why’d you have to do this?”

This wasn’t going to be a typical conversation, that much I knew. Everything we were going to say to one another would have serious weight from now on. Every choice, everything we did, would affect the other in ways that neither of us could even start to imagine. How could we? We were just a bunch of kids who had no clue who we truly were or what we were supposed to be, we wouldn’t have a clue as to what we’d be doing. We were going in blind.

Finally, after I had settled on a decision, I answered by saying, “Because we take care of each other. It’s what we do.”

“You shouldn’t trust me to do that,” she said bitterly, turning her face away from me. “I’m the last person you should trust to do what’s right, much less protect anyone.”

“That’s not true,” I said, shuffling up next to her and taking her hand and resting it in mine, gently stroking it as I spoke. “There might not be anyone except my Mom that I trust as much as I do you. You haven’t let me down yet.”

“But what we did to each other- what I did to you- surely you must remember that that’s who I am.”

“That’s not who you are,” I replied. “Maybe never even were. Why do you want to put yourself down like that?”

“It’s the only way to keep myself safe. To keep others safe,” she said. “Maybe, if I always remind myself of who I am-”

“Who you were,” I said with emphasis.

“Then maybe that’ll stop me from doing it all again,” she finished.

“You won’t,” I said firmly. “You never will. You left that old world behind forever and you proved to everyone that you’ve truly changed.”

“None of them believe me,” she said mournfully.

“The girls believe you,” I countered. “I believe you.”

“Then why?”

“Because I’ve seen who you really are,” I answered. “You’re sweet and gentle and kind and you always, always, think of others before yourself, and that is a very admirable quality to have. You are a very good person and the more time I spent around you, the more… the more…” I fell away for a moment.

“The more what?” Sunset asked, taking hold of my hands as I sat there. “It’s alright, you can tell me.”

Ignoring whatever embarrassment I was about to achieve, I pushed forward and said, “The more I wanted to be a better person. I wanted to be someone as good and beautiful as you deserved and I’ve been so afraid that I wasn’t good enough for you. I’m not good enough-”

“I’m a monster,” she said bitterly.

“No you’re not, you are so beautiful-”

“I’ve destroyed people’s lives-”

“And you chose to leave that behind-”

“I’ll always carry that with me-”

“Just stop!” I yelled, taking a tight grip on her hands. “Stop doing that, stop living like that, please! You’ve helped me with so much for months now, from stupid homework crap to reaching out and bringing me up when no one else could. You’ve spent so much time trying to fix your mistakes that you won’t even see that you’re hurting yourself. So just stop and let me help you!”

She looked at me like she had never truly seen me before, a first meeting all over again. I could feel her gaze burning into mine, feeling all her pain and confusion and sadness and the longing I knew she had. Slowly, gently, I loosened my grip on her hands and brought them to my face, caressing her fingers every so softly.

“Oh man,” I whispered longingly, ignoring the sweat she had on her hands. “Every time I see you, all I want to do is be right by your side. At first, when I first started to get to know you, I didn’t even consider the thought. But the more time I spent with you, the more I came to truly know you, the more I knew you were someone I’d always been meant to meet. I don’t care that you’re not perfect, look at my life. All I’ve ever done is the wrong thing until I came here, and I’ve still got a long way to go before I’m where I want to be. But whenever I’m with you, the more I want to be something good, and the more I believe I can be. I need you in my life, Sunset… so, please, just… let me be there for you. Let’s at least try.”

“But… why?” she asked simply.

“Because we take care of each other,” I said simply. “And we always will.”

She pondered over my words for a while before, in a slow, smooth motion, she wrapped her fingers into mine. “You know what’ll come, right?” she asked. “How people will react?”

“Screw ‘em,” I replied.

“They’re gonna attack us and disbelieve everything we say. They’ll say we’re monsters.”

“Screw ‘em.”

“Are you even taking me seriously?”

“I am, I swear! I just don’t care what they think, why should I? All that I care about is what you think, and I’m desperate for an answer because I really like you, and all I’ve wanted for months now is for you to go out with me, so please do me a favor and just say you will.”

Sunset’s face finally broke into a smile and she began to laugh every so softly. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, sometimes,” she said sweetly, pulling me in closer for a long, lasting kiss on the cheek. “You may not be a knight in shining armor, but there’s no one I’d rather have with me.”

My heart sang with a newfound joy as I saw a new chapter of my life begin to unfold right before my eyes, filling me with a deep happiness I had never known before. No matter what came next, I’d truly done it. I’d found her at last.

The rest of the day went speedily, I looking after my new girlfriend while she complied with everything I asked of her. For the most part she simply rested, occasionally leaning up against me as she slept, I too content to let go. To me, every moment I was experiencing that day was precious and irreplaceable, a chunk of a lifetime I’d never have again and I wanted to make it count. Finally, as the sun set and my curfew came running, I said goodbye and received yet another kiss on the cheek, setting my heart afire.

“Let me know if you need anything,” I said breathlessly.

“See you tomorrow, hopefully,” she replied. “And thanks for everything… truly.”

I gave her a smile and added, “Call if you need anything,” before pulling her front door to and heading home, beneath a blanket of shining stars that –to me- had never looked brighter. I found myself whistling old love I hadn’t thought of in years, smiling and laughing to myself at how silly I must look to those who passed by. But any sense of shame I could’ve scrounged up had vanished, leaving me with a joy that couldn’t be tarnished, content to dwell upon and settle upon the beautiful creature I had just left behind.

Oh, life was very good indeed.

Author's Notes:

The soldier has returned.
Hi, everyone! I'm back from Fort Benning for two weeks of Holiday Block Leave and there was no way I wasn't going to finish up this chapter. I'd say expect at least one more before I have to head back, so I'll do my best to bring up another one before the 2nd. After that, I'll have to go back and finish up Cav Scout training.
Updates for this story are going to have to be more sporadic from now on, because I'm not really sure how much free time I'll have in Army life, so I'll try to figure out what I can do when I move to Fort Bliss and see what I've got. It may be a lot, it may be a little. After all, I'm a Combat Arms job- deployments for me are a given. But is this story abandoned? No way! We've only just gotten halfway, and I can't wait to see what comes next! So, I hope you enjoy, and -as usual- leave comments and corrections below.

We let love start small

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I don’t remember much about the rest of the evening, if I was totally honest. I made it home around sundown and proceeded to get a severe scolding from my mother, one that was softened when I told her where I’d been. She then proceeded to squeal with joy and nearly squeezed my head off, causing me to try and reattach my head rather than heeding her dating advice. Though, if I was truly honest, I would’ve ignored it anyway. Anyone who gets romantically entangled with someone like Estevan is not someone who should be giving romantic advice.

A few days later and I woke up like I’d been hit with an electric shock. It took me a few good moments of looking around that I finally remembered what I was so excited about: Sunset was my girlfriend! She’d finally gotten better and I- we’d be spending our first day at school as an actual couple! It was such an invigorating thought that I leapt out of bed… and smacked my head on the ceiling, so exuberant was my leap. A bag of ice and a dent in the drywall later, I decided to be a bit more reserved in my celebrations in the future.

“Goodness, child, next time you should try to control yourself,” my mother admonished me. “She’s a lovely girl, but this is a bit overexcited, wouldn’t you say?”

I winced as the bag of ice shifted on my bruise, digging a little more pressure in. “Certainly wasn’t my plan to get hurt,” I replied.

“I doubted it was part of the plan,” she countered, eyeing me with unusual concern. “Just remember, when you’re at school… pay attention. Don’t let this distract you from doing well, alright?”

I rolled my eyes as her usual obsession with school came into play once more. “You are never going to let up on this, are you?”

“Not until you graduate and move on to college,” she answered. “And then I’m going to expect you to get good grades there.”

It was a battle I’d never win. I settled for eating my breakfast and getting to leave. I was just about to head out the door when I felt my phone vibrate. I looked down and saw it was a small message from Sunset: Hey, can you meet me in front of school? Be waiting for you!

Oh, how the sight of it alone was enough to give me butterflies. It was such a wonderful feeling to know someone was waiting for me, especially someone like Sunset. I started running as fast as I could, hoping I could get there as quickly as possible-

Wham! I smacked straight into the door and toppled backwards, nearly taking out a small decorative table Mom had set up in the hallway.

“You alright, sweetheart?” Mom called. “What’d you do this time?”

There was no way I would ever admit what had just occurred. I felt my nose, which was throbbing like a motherf-cker, for any signs of breakage and found none. “I’m fine,” I replied a little thickly, my eyes streaming against my will. “Don’t worry, see you later.” Making sure to open the door this time, I departed hastily and set off.

Sunset was indeed in front of school- almost completely centered, to be exact. Standing next to the statue out on the front lawn and giving a rather shaky smile. She looked as pretty as ever, dressed in her usual leather jacket, violet shirt and jeans. It was a look she rarely ever deviated from, but the sight thrilled me nonetheless. This was my girl!

“Hey, beautiful,” I said warmly, sliding in beside her and putting my arms around her. “Doing alright?”

“Yeah, I feel way better. Thanks for that,” she said, looking up at me with those beautiful cyan eyes.

“So, umm, care to tell me why you’re just waiting outside school when we’ve got a little less than ten minutes to get to class?” I asked. “Not usually your thing to be last-minute.”

“Oh, you know,” she replied off-handedly, “just enjoying the… cold and waiting for you, because… you know.”

“Not really,” I remarked. “What’s eating you?”

She gave me a half-smile and said, “Just a little nervous, that’s all.”

“Nervous about what?”

“Well… them,” she answered, pointing right at the school.

She was afraid of what they’d say. The two of us stood there for a minute or two, simply staring at the building in silence. It was a pretty nice place, really. Good teachers, good staff, and it was the first place I’d made real friends. But there were plenty of people in there who were willing to act like jerks, particularly to Sunset. And now, because I was her new beau, me.

I gulped, anxiety twisting my stomach into a knot. I suddenly understood why Sunset had been stalling.

“We have to go in there and face it at some point,” I said with a note of finality. “At least we won’t do it alone. We’ve got our friends and we’ve got each other. That’s got to count for something.”

Sunset gave me a small smile and intertwined her hand with mine, squeezing tight. “You ready?” she asked in a small voice.

“Let’s go,” I said, and we made our way to the front door and pushed it open.

It took about thirty seconds for Sunset’s fears to be justified. As we walked past a few of the lockers, Heartstrings and Bon-Bon shot a dirty look over at Sunset, a typical reaction that they’d given for quite a length of time. However, Lyra’s gaze dropped a bit and noticed the two of us holding hands and her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She immediately leaned over and whispered something into her friend’s ear and she, just like Lyra, looked down at our intertwined hands and gawked.

“I think we’re getting a reaction,” I remarked drily.

“Just ignore them, that’s all we can do,” Sunset replied.

Easy words to say. Not so easy to listen to a few moments later when Bon-Bon yelled, “Even if you’re a thug, you can do better than her!”

I remained silent, settling for the simplicity of a middle finger. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t get a response.

“Come on, you know better than that!” Sunset said. “Besides, teachers may be watching, you need to be careful.”

“She needed it,” I defended. “Besides, it was fun.”

“Just- just try to let it go, OK?” she asked. “Don’t try to start a fight.”

“Holy hell,” remarked Sandalwood as he caught sight of us. “Canterlot High’s two worst people are a thing? We are all gonna die.”

“Just saying, may be easier said than done,” I said to her through gritted teeth.

I was relieved when we finally made it to class, though with only minutes to spare. We were the last two to arrive so when we walked through the door, every eye was on us- and on our intertwined hands immediately after. A few looked unsurprised, one or two horrified, and the rest just in shock. I looked over at Fluttershy and saw her give Sunset and I a small little smile and wave, a typical gesture from such a sweet girl. Rarity, most unfortunately, was looking at me with such a smug expression that it should’ve been illegal. I decided to ignore her for now and take a seat.

There’s no way around it: I didn’t pay attention to a single thing in that class. The entire period was a myriad of distractions, whether it be my fellow students gawking and pointing and whispering at me and Sunset under their breath or Sunset herself. We caught more than a few dirty looks our way, while a few simply looked stunned, if not a little frightened. It was a grating thing to endure. Sunset and I had chosen one another because we genuinely cared for each other. Wasn’t that enough for them to leave her alone?

About halfway through the class, right after Octavia had turned around for about the fourth time to give me a look of deepest loathing, I decided I could take no more. I looked over at Sunset who, unsurprisingly, was looking fairly aggravated herself. She noticed me and turned to give me an inquiring look. “What?” she mouthed.

“Gonna kill something here,” I mouthed back, a strained smile

“You can do it, I promise,” she replied assuredly.

“Gonna crack on some fool,” I pressed.

“You’re doing fine.”

“Someone’s gonna die,” I insisted, my blood pressure spiking as yet another classmate stared at the two of us, anger etched into his face.

Sunset flinched before she could respond, a rather weighty ball of paper smacking her upside the head. Her determined expression promptly slid into a frustrated one and she rolled her eyes, giving her beautiful head a weary shake as she ignored the sniggers of laughter behind her.

“Can I kill someone now?” I mouthed eagerly.

“Just ignore them. Follow my lead, OK?” she mouthed in response.

I sighed and gave a reluctant nod, turning back to face the front of the class and doing my best to ignore the stares and whispers that continued to come our way. After about five minutes or so, I found my eyes drifting back to Sunset and settling there, fixated on her beauty. A soft, goofy smile crept across my lips at the sight of her, content to simply dwell on her forever.

Perhaps feeling my gaze, Sunset turned towards me, caught sight of my stare and asked, “What?”

“You,” I replied silently.

“What about me?” she asked.

“Just enjoying the view,” I answered.

Sunset rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless before motioning for me to pay attention and turning back to the face the board. I, however, was perfectly content where I was and continued to marvel at her. You are so damn beautiful, I thought.

“Excuse me, but you know the rules, young’un,” said Mr. Dust reprovingly. “No talking in this class unless called upon, are we clear?”

My eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as I felt my face almost instantly flush. With every person turned to my general direction, I realized that I had accidentally just said that out loud and now probably looked like a total idiot. Judging by how much Rarity was struggling to keep herself together in that moment, I probably DID look like a total idiot. I shamefacedly mumbled an apology and buried myself in my notes for the rest of the class.

And pausing to gaze at Sunset every few minutes or so.

English class was more difficult than ever before, as the workload and difficulty of the lessons increased, combined with my mind being focused on something far more pleasant. Sunset took her usual place next to me and spent a majority of the lesson helping me along, ensuring I understood the more complex portions and encouraging me as we went along. I did my best to pay attention and listen, but I found myself more often focusing on Sunset and trying to enjoy her more than actually bother with the lesson.

“Now come on, you two, pay attention!” Miss Cheerilee reprimanded, and Sunset and I both looked up from the sheet of paper we’d been working on- Sunset had been writing diagrams and notes to help me, I’d been drawing stupid doodles and love notes to make her laugh. Miss Cheerilee was standing right above us, a small frown upon her face. “I know it’s getting to be that time of year where students don’t want to work very hard, but take this seriously. Much of today’s lesson will be on the final exam!”

“Yes, Miss Cheerilee,” Sunset stuttered embarrassingly, her soft cheeks turning a bright red as she pushed the papers aside.

“Hmm…” Miss Cheerilee looked down at the pair of us, her eyes glancing over the paper and then coming back up to stare at Sunset and I. She raised her eyebrows and gave the two of us a glowing smile before turning around to head back to her desk- but not before giving us a small thumbs-up behind her back.

I stole a glance over at Sunset and flashed a grin. We probably weren’t going to get a lot of support from the student body, but it seemed we had at least Miss Cheerilee on our side.

By the time lunch came around, it seemed the entire school had gotten word of Sunset and I, and the surplus of stares would have made even the most open person cover themselves due to embarrassment. It seemed to me that every single student in the blasted school had gone out of their way to see the two of us head to the cafeteria, intent on seeing if it was true. Or to judge us, we certainly got our share of both.

“I just- I just don’t get it,” Roseluck said as we walked by. “What do they see in each other?”

I tried my hardest to ignore her words, my blood beginning to boil once more. Only a few days into our relationship and already I was struggling hard. I wasn’t sure how much I could take.

“Sunset was a terrible choice, really,” Daisy replied. “…Hmm... could’ve probably gotten better, even with that attitude.”

“She probably used threats again, just like last time,” Lily added, nodding sagely as if she had just dispensed the Wisdom of Solomon. “It won’t last long, I can tell you that.”

I felt Sunset’s hand begin to pull away somewhat from mine, and I turned to see her starting to shrink a little under the pressure. “You alright?” I asked.

Sunset said nothing, looking back and forth between the Flower Girls and the ground, a downcast expression starting to take form.

“Hey, don’t even bother listening to them, alright?” I said firmly. “They ain’t got nothing so they’re gonna be mean for the sake of being mean. Just ignore ‘em, K?”

Sunset looked up at me for a moment and opened her mouth to speak-

“Nope, don’t even think about it,” I cut through. “I’m proud to say you’re mine. I don’t deserve someone like you, and that’s that.”

Sunset recovered a bit to give me a small but determined smile and squeezed my hand in thanks. I flashed a smile in reply and hope that was the end of it.

“Those two, a couple?? Doesn’t that seem weird to you?”

That didn’t take long, I thought. On and on it went as we walked, the murmuring seemingly increasing the closer we came to the cafeteria hall.

“Why Sunset, you mean! Who’s crazy enough to pick a bitch like her?”

“They’ll ruin everything around here-”

“Can’t trust her, especially now…”

“What’ll they do to us?”

“It’s gonna start all over again-”

“We’re all gonna die…”

It was almost more than either of us could stand. Sunset’s head was bowed as we entered the cafeteria, clutching my hand now as if it were a lifeline, or perhaps to help me hold back my now colossal rage. I’m willing to guess Sunset’s hand was probably the only thing preventing me from lashing out and collapsing somebody’s lung. We made our way over to our usual table where the rest of the gang awaited us. It was something I’d been looking forward to, settling in and telling our friends of our relationship, but the rest of the students here had actually won that battle. They’d actually ruined it for us.

“Please tell me you’re not going to let them take this away from you,” Rarity protested as we sat down, her eyes boring into Sunset. “We’ve been waiting to see you two finally come together and now you’re going to let these ruffians and fools ruin your happiness?”

Sunset said nothing, simply stirring in her seat and avoiding the diva’s gaze.

“She’ll listen to you, say something,” Rarity insisted, now turning to look at me. “You’re not going to let them take this away from you, are you?”

“Don’t look at me, I just wanna beat the hell out of them,” I replied. “Anyone who talks about her like that obviously deserves it.”

“Prob’ly not the best idea, sugarcube,” Applejack cautioned. “Now come on, ignore ‘em and tell us how it happened. I assume t’was when you skipped school when she was sick?”

I tore myself away from glaring daggers at the others and nodded, beginning to recount the tale. The story helped my anger cool and I began to smile once more, even Sunset relaxing and putting her hand on my knee as I gave every detail. Rarity was her usual overly romantic self, nearly crying as I told of when I watched over Sunset as she slept.

“So sweet,” she said wetly, taking a handkerchief to her eyes and dabbing away.

“Rarity, you watch way too much soppy stuff, watching someone sleep is not romantic- it’s just weird,” Rainbow protested.

“But it’s so chivalrous!” Rarity cried.

“Nah, it’s just kinda creepy.”

“Did you really watch me sleep?” Sunset asked, a playful smile across her lips. “I think I’m with Rainbow Dash on this one, that’s a little weird.”

“What? I have said it before, I like the view,” I countered.

Rarity sighed as Rainbow gave an exasperated groan. “Oh, that is terrible. Please tell me you two aren’t gonna become some gross, lovey-dovey always cuddling sort of couple, are you?”

“I’m the practical one, not the hopeless romantic,” Sunset said. “You’re talking to the wrong person.”

“Hey, I wasn’t being stupid, I was being honest,” I said as Rainbow’s eyes settled on me. “Please, just look at her for like five seconds. I think I’m justified in looking at her, don’t you?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes in disgust as Sunset laughed and gave me a playful shove that nearly threw me off my seat.

“What was that for?” I asked indignantly of her.

“You sound like a complete idiot,” Sunset chided, though her eyes were shining with happiness. “Just… thanks.”

“Well, we’re all very glad for the both of you,” Fluttershy remarked sweetly. “We knew you two cared about each other very much, and I think it’s a wonderful decision you both made. You work so well together, and you bring out the best in one another. I’m sure you’ll both make each other very happy.”

For being the quietest girl in school, her words were enough to make Sunset and I blush, but I felt my insides glow with happiness as I stole a glance at Sunset. This was my girl, this was my girl! I felt like screaming it from the rooftops wherever I went, so great was my joy.

Everything was brought down to earth the moment Pinkie Pie began to jump in, blasting off into her usual hyperbole and smattering on about a myriad of random ideas regarding me and Sunset. The others began to pay attention to her and listen to her manic monologue, allowing the two of us to focus on something that had been in the back of my mind all morning long.

“Rainbow,” I said quietly, barely audible over Pinkie’s words. “Listen, I just wanted to say…”

Rainbow’s eyes filled with the dim glow of pain as she looked at the pair of us, her eyes eventually coming to rest on me. “It’s alright, really,” she said quietly. “I’m over it, you don’t need to worry about me.”

“Rainbow, are you- are we going to make things hard for you?” Sunset inquired. “You’re our friend and we don’t want to hurt you in any way…”

“It’s OK,” Rainbow insisted, a distant smile trying to form. “I’m happy for the both of you- I really am. You two go great together.”

Sunset gave Rainbow a grateful smile and I gave a slow, thankful nod. Rainbow, to her everlasting credit, was showing us a lot of kindness. She could have still been pretty bitter, heaping insults on Sunset due to her feelings regarding me. After all, Rainbow was the only person legitimately burned by our relationship, she had a little justification. All of it went to show just how decent were the people I was surrounded by.

All too soon, it was time to leave our little haven of a table and return back to the rest of the school, where all the fools and jerks and scum would be on us once more, pestering and taunting my girl. I felt apprehension course through me as I rose up and went to my next class, which I would not be sharing with Sunset, who instead had Home Ed. while I had Algebra. I was uneasy about it, worrying how the rest of the school would treat her. I could handle anything they threw at me- the best this place would do to me now was whisper and taunt, lest I answer with a right hook. But Sunset? She was despised in a way I never could be, and though I had warned off the likes of Brad and his group of fools, I wasn’t certain that others wouldn’t try to fill the void now that I’d made her a target again.

The last of my classes went by quickly enough, and I found myself relatively ignored. I caught a few people staring at me, but a savage glance or a middle finger was enough to make them turn back around. Perhaps it showed me a poor sport, but I enjoyed the amount of fear people had for me. Some may dislike me, even hate me, but no one dared try anything against me.

I leapt out my seat the moment the bell rang, practically crashing through the door to race off and find Sunset. When I did find her two minutes later, I instantly saw tear tracks running down her beautiful face, a distraught expression plastered onto her face.

“Whoa- hey, what happened?” I asked worriedly, rushing up and taking her hands in mine. “Are you alright, did they hurt you?”

Sunset shook her head mutely, desperately trying to gain control of herself. “I’m- I’ll be fine, I promise,” she said, her voice watery. “It’s not-”

“It’s not something I’m gonna let just fly by,” I said determinedly. “Uh-uh, you tell me what happened right now. Who was it?”

Sunset sighed, wiping her tears away. “Octavia, as usual,” she answered. “Lyra, the rest of that group.”

Octavia! I felt a fire erupt in me, a dormant flame that resurged at the mention of her name. For far, far too long had Octavia been a problem for me here in this school, whether it be against me or against Sunset, and now it was too darn far. I was right sick of her and it was high time I put a stop to it.

“Hey, go on home, I’ll call you later, alright?” I said, kissing her forehead. “I’ve got stuff to do here.”

“No, don’t- come on, please don’t get yourself in trouble for my sake,” Sunset protested, grabbing hold of my arm as I started to walk off. “I’m not worth it, alright? It’s not a big deal, they’re just words.”

“You have been, are, and always will be worth the trouble,” I replied sharply. “And it is a big deal, because what hurts you hurts me. Do you not get that?”

Sunset gave me a pleading look with those beautiful eyes, so filled with sadness and utter defeat, the look that tore me apart every time I caught sight of it. No one else had seen that joyful light, that bright spark of hope and warmth that could burn so brightly within her. No one except me. Instead, they brought her to this: heartbreak and depression that I could rarely penetrate and override. I had to do something.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said seriously, and walked off into the throng of people, leaving Sunset shaking her head behind me. She was too kind for her own good- or too ashamed of her deeds to understand my actions. I couldn’t stand for it.

I found Octavia exactly where I thought I would; holed up near the western exit of school, eagerly conversing with some of the young boys who caught her fancy- or vice versa. She was still easy to consider highly attractive, with her knee-length boots, long hair and super-short skirt, looking like she had just come walking right out of the 60’s. She’d be pretty if she wasn’t such a vile human being.

“Hey, Tavi, quit your flashin’ and get over here,” I called. “I got a score to settle with you.”

Octavia looked over at me and gave me a scathing look. “I don’t have time to bother with you,” she said arrogantly, tossing her hair aside and returning to her conversation with a guy whose name I didn’t know.

“Yes, I know you must be busy conducting business, I’ve heard the going rate is five dollars for a night,” I yelled, making sure as many people as possible could hear me.

That got her attention, as well as the attention of about twenty people in the general vicinity. Octavia gave me a look filled with such loathing that it was obvious she desired nothing more than to flatten me.

“There we go. Now that I’ve got your attention, why don’t you come over here and talk to the one person around who doesn’t want your pussy?”

It was immensely satisfying to see her squirm with anger, seeing as there was nothing she could really do about it- she wouldn’t dare fight me. Nonetheless, with so many people around us, she couldn’t back down, and came walking over to me and faced off from me, her hands on her hips.

“Well?” she challenged.

“Well, I sure ain’t here to throw money at you,” I said. “Now tell me why the hell you were picking on my girl today.”

“Your. Girl,” she said slowly, looking stupefied. “Just when I thought you couldn’t be any more foolish… when I first heard, I actually hoped it wasn’t true, but now… you really are the most colossal idiot I have ever met.”

“Yes, I’m an idiot, for caring about a decent girl instead of one who dresses like they’re for sale- oh wait, you are!” I replied tauntingly. “Now you better cut the crap and start rethinking your priorities, cause I’m sure not gonna let you do whatever you want to Sunset, and I’m just gonna guess that you want to live through life without a set of permanently broken bones. So, what are we gonna do?”

Octavia glowered at me before giving a wicked smile, glancing around at the gathering crowd before going back to me. “Please, like you’d actually live up to your words,” she countered scathingly. “For your own sake, you might as well just leave her, she’ll do the same to you.”

“Excuse me?” I asked, feeling more than a little surprised that she was still fighting back.

Octavia gave a great, exaggerated sigh and gave me a mocking look. “You may be stupid, but not even you should be stupid enough to trust her. She won’t ever care about you, she’s not capable of it.”

I stared, a pulsing sensation starting to blur my brain. “You better start being real careful ‘bout what you say next, girlie,” I growled.

“Why should I? I’m only telling you the truth,” she replied. “Sunset Shimmer- she’s a monster. All she’s capable of is hurting and stealing and causing pain. All you are is her next chew toy. There’s nothing good about her, except maybe her body- which I’m sure you’ve violated by now.”

“How dare you!” I snarled. “You disgusting hypocrite, trying to call Sunset a whore when you’d suck a crusty old man’s cock for a couple of quarters! I heard what you did for Snips and Snails last week, no wonder everything that comes out of your mouth is disgusting.”

“She’s playing you like I play a cello,” Octavia warned. “You aren’t loved by her, and never will be. Do the best thing for her and cast her aside. Even you can do better.”

“Can do better,” I echoed incredulously. “This coming from you. You better start rewinding that tongue of yours before I cut it out- pretty sure that’d put a dent in your business.”

Octavia gave a false, mocking laugh, comfortably surrounded by her friend, admirers, and regular folks who had simply stopped to see the commotion. “You won’t do a thing about me,” she said sneeringly. “You may be a pervert and a fool, but you have some sense of ‘honor’ about you. You wouldn’t harm a girl.”

I stood there and felt my argument sputter and turn into rage, unable to do a single thing to stop her. She was right, dead right. As much as I oh so desperately wanted to clock her and shatter a few of her ribs, I couldn’t. I just wasn’t capable of that kind of destruction anymore, not over something like this. I was stuck.

“All she’ll do is hurt you,” Octavia said coldly. “She’ll always be a monster, and there’s nothing you can do to change that. You’re wrong about her.”

“You’re wrong,” I said, my words sounding rather pathetic. “She’s more than any of you ever knew. She’s better, far better a person than you could ever hope to be. You’ll see.”

“Oh, I’ll see,” Octavia called as I stalked off, taking joy in my futility. “I can hardly wait for the day she strikes again.”

You ever feel like a whole week consisted of the same day, over and over again? Almost like your whole life just stuck on repeat, enduring the same trials and tribulations for an endless cycle until you go mad. That was my week, an endless wave of taunts and annoyance, all directed at a girl I cared about more than just about any person on the planet.

Sunset, to her credit, pushed through with an extreme amount of grace and kindness to her fellow students, not once lashing out with any semblance of anger or frustration. Unfortunately, she was still too ashamed of her past misdeeds to keep her head held high. It was torture for her to push through the rest of the week, enduring far worse than what would ever be directed at me. Most just called me “thug” or “fool” at best. But Sunset? It was as if all the claws came off again, with so many students harassing her incessantly, more than once pushing her to tears. She was brave, but they gave her no time to recover and calm herself. Most days ended with her walking home alone whilst I got into a shouting match with a student, infuriated by their cruelty.

By Thursday I had decided I could take it no more and needed to do something. Heeding some quiet advice given to me by Rarity, I made an appointment with Principal Celestia for Friday afternoon in the hopes that maybe there was something that could be done about it all.

Sitting there at the reception desk felt like eternity, watching Secretary Raven type away in an endless, droning monologue of pressed plastic. Occasionally she would eye me, ensuring I was staying out of trouble, but more or less paid attention exclusively to her computer, jotting away the countless files that needed to be sorted. It was all so boring I nearly fell asleep.

There was a muted voice over the small intercom and Raven called over to me and said, “Principal Celestia will see you now. Go on in.”

“Thanks,” I said eagerly, jumping up instantly and rushing on in to find Principal Celestia sorting away some sort of file which, after a quick examination, looked to be my own.

“I’ll admit I’m certainly surprised to see you like this,” she said. “For you to ask to meet me wasn’t anything I expected.”

“It’s sort of important, ma’am,” I said, taking a seat and setting my backpack aside. “You see, I’ve got a bit of a problem.”

“So I’ve heard, as your shouting matches with my students have reached my ears more than once,” Principal Celestia said drily. “I hope you haven’t been trying to break our agreement from the start of the year.”

“What? No, it’s something different entirely!” I objected. “It’s about Sunset, I need your help.”

She gave me a look of genuine surprise, her slightly suspicious expression fading away. “Oh? Is she the one who’s-”

“No, ma’am, she’s my girlfriend,” I replied. “But… people have been a little unpleasant about it…”

“Hmm…” Principal Celestia mulled it over for a few moments and said, “Would you wait a few minutes? I think Vice-Principal Luna should be here for this as well.”

“Oh, um… OK,” I said uncertainly as she made the call, feeling as if I was about to lose control of this conversation. I had only encountered Vice-Principal Luna once or twice during my time here, and she had always come across as very strict to me. I hoped this wasn’t a bad sign for my appointment.

About five minutes passed and in came the VP, looking down at me with the same look of surprise that Principal Celestia had shown. “I didn’t expect you to be here,” she remarked lightly. “What seems to be the matter?”

“I think we’re about to hear the story behind the school’s latest drama from the source, Sister,” Principal Celestia said before turning to me. “Please, tell me everything.”

I started from what had begun on Monday when we had first arrived, detailing every word and encounter Sunset and I had been forced to endure, making sure to drop a few names along the way. Celestia and Luna listened intently, writing down a few notes every now and then for future reference, but generally keeping their eyes fixed on me.

“Well then?” Vice-Principal Luna asked after I finished. “What is it you want us to do?”

I stared at her. “Can’t you make it stop? They’re driving her to the breaking point every single day and it’s stressing her out to even come to school, and it’s pushing me to where I’m gonna start throwing punches. Isn’t there something you can do?”

Principal Celestia and her sister looked at each other mutely, a single glance communicating everything they needed with one another. I felt a sensation of dread begin to claim me as I saw it…

“Are… are any of the students laying hands on her?” she inquired.

“No,” I answered slowly.

Vice-Principal Luna gave a low, unhappy sigh and said, “Well you see, there’s only so much we can do, then. We can issue warnings about harassment, bullying, or maybe try a few other things, but…”

“But by law, unless they’re causing physical harm to a student, there’s truly little we can do. There’s no real anti-bullying legislation that allows us any sort of power,” Principal Celestia finished. “I wish there was something else I could say.”

I was angry enough to not go down without a fight. “Come on, there’s got to be something! Harassment laws, anything! You can’t just let this happen!” I pleaded.

“Are they threatening her in any way?” Luna pressed. “Anything to suggest physical harm? Something that could suggest real danger?”

“N-no, they haven’t,” I replied, losing momentum for a second. “But- there has to be something you’re able to do!”

“Truthfully? There’s not much we really can do,” Principal Celestia said tiredly, sinking into her seat. “As teachers, we are bound by a lot of law and regulations as to what we can and cannot do. We can reprimand and stop what we see, but when it comes down to it… our hands are very much tied.”

“So you’re going to do nothing,” I said incredulously.

“We’ll keep an eye out as much as we can,” Luna said, “And I’ll speak to the rest of the staff to watch for any trouble, as their presence will at least subdue it somewhat. Is there a teacher whom you trust with this?”

“Umm… yeah, Miss Cheerilee, she’s on our side.”

“You may want to try and talk with her as well,” Luna suggested. “She’s as legally bound as we are, but her feet are more on the ground and in the midst of the student body than my sister and I. She’ll be able to help you in ways we cannot.”

All in all, it wasn’t much. I was angry that there was nothing I could do to stymy the situation, and frustrated that this had amounted to essentially a waste of time.

“I wish there was more we could do. Truly,” Principal Celestia said. “You may not have known it, but I have been keeping close watch of you since your first day here.”

I looked up at that one, feeling rather surprised. I hadn’t even noticed.

“I was worried about you, to be truthful,” she admitted. “I was worried that your past history would prevent you from finding success here, but instead you made wise choices with your friends, and they have pushed you –perhaps without you even knowing it- to better standards, to which you now hold yourself. I am both delighted and impressed by how far you have come, and I wish the two of you the best of luck.”

“I’ll keep a close watch out for any signs of trouble,” Luna added. “And I am sorry there is not more I can do.”

I gave a sigh of frustration, rubbing my eyes. “Well, thanks anyway,” I said tiredly, rising from my seat and departing.

I found Sunset and Applejack waiting outside Principal Celestia’s office, looking at me with expectant eyes. As I shook my head, Sunset’s shoulders began to sag once more and my farmgirl friend shook her head ruefully.

“You at least tried,” Applejack said.

“You shouldn’t have. Really,” Sunset said, looking up at me. “It’s just words, they don’t mean anything.”

“Yeah, and that’s why they leave you in tears,” I said angrily, feeling all the more frustrated by her depression. “Sunset, I- how was I supposed to just let it go? I nearly maimed Brad and Wil because they carved you like a piece of meat, you really expected me to let this fly?”

“I know, but…” she ran her fingers through her hair again and again, more upset and racked than I had seen her in quite a while. “Oh, there’s got be something we can do! Can’t we just disappear away from here, just leave this stupid school and get away from it all?”

“Uh… yeah, y’all can,” Applejack said slowly, staring at the two of us. “What, did y’all think you’d be stuck here, in school, for th’ rest of y’all’s lives?” Come on now, you shoulda been thinkin’ beyond that.”

It was such an obvious conclusion that I couldn’t believe neither of us had realized it. As Sunset and I looked at each other in growing embarrassment, the truth hit me like a bag of rocks. It was the weekend! School was done for the week, we had the whole city to escape into, and we knew exactly where people would be heading to! We’d been so consumed with everyone else’s actions that we didn’t even bother to think what we could do.

“I… I feel kinda stupid,” Sunset said sheepishly, pulling at her hair. “Why didn’t we think of that? Or even just go run off somewhere during the week? We always could have!”

I didn’t even bother to respond. I didn’t have a response worth giving, I felt so stupid.

As the pair of us stood there in embarrassment, Applejack gave me a rather dry look of incredulity. “Seriously?” she asked, giving me her usual disbelieving look. “Y’mean to say neither of you took the time to consider that? Ah thought that’d be what would keep y’all going till the weekend.”

“Well…” Sunset and I glanced at each other sheepishly. What could we possibly say?”

“Well? What’re y’all waitin’ for? Go!” our friend urged, literally pushing us to run. “Gowon, get outta here! See y’all later!”

“Jeez, come on, let’s go!” I said to Sunset, and the two of us dashed down the hall, out of the school’s front doors and as far away as we could manage until we had completely lost sight of it.

“We can be… so stupid…” Sunset panted, a smile of laughter easily visible on her lips. “Let’s not get wrapped up like that again, alright?”

“Couldn’t agree more,” I replied. I didn’t really have much to say, as I felt like everything had already been said. Now was the time to start a plan, start thinking about-

“So, umm… where were you thinking of going tonight?” Sunset asked shyly, looking at me out of the corner of her eye. “I mean, I know you weren’t planning anything, but if there’s still time…”

Umm. I gulped and looked away, laughing slightly under my breath. Truth be told, I’d been so preoccupied with protecting Sunset from the others that I hadn’t thought of anything. Suddenly, all the expectations and demands of a relationship came crashing down on me as I came to realize how much time, effort, money, and so much more would be demanded of me. Had I truly understood what I was getting into?

“Hey, it’s alright! No pressure,” Sunset said reassuringly, squeezing my hand. “It’s not really a big deal if you can’t think of anything, but AJ’s right. It’d be nice for us to get out and away from our usual hangout places, you know? Help us relax.”

“Yeah, I know,” I said uncertainly, my mind trying to latch onto an idea, anything…

Sunset, perhaps knowing I was panicking, looked at me and said, “Why don’t I just come by and visit for a while? We grab a movie and just relax at home? Sound good?”

She was trying to make me feel better for not thinking of an idea and I was having none of it. “No, I’ll think of something, just gimme a sec,” I replied, panicking as I couldn’t get my mind together. I had to think of something, this was our first date! It had to be something special, unique!

“I’ll call you tonight,” Sunset said, kissing my cheek and waving goodbye, her warm smile the last thing I saw before I began heading home.

A walked back home this time round, mulling over various ideas: They were usually pretty good ones, but the problem was always that they were typical teen hangouts, which meant we’d run into people from school there. Not what I wanted at all. What was something that I could do that would be something Sunset would always remember? I went to what I knew she liked: books. Lots of books. A bookstore visit? No way, far too simple. Try again.

Wait, don’t let that thought go, I said to myself. Hmm… books. She loved research and science stuff, but Sunset also loved stories, to read tales and novels. Maybe there was something in there somewhere. Who was her favorite author?

As I was walking along, I saw an ad posted onto a nearby telephone pole, advertising for a theatre series of old plays that would be in town for the next couple of weeks. I initially just gave it a passing glance, but promptly paused and wheeled about to take a look when I saw one of them was a story she had mentioned to me several times before- The Tempest.

I stared at the poster eagerly, mentally noting everything I’d need to know. Tickets weren’t pricy at all, easy and affordable, and the theatre hall wasn’t too hard to get to at all. In fact, there was a small coffee house nearby for when it was all over…

I think I had my idea.

I stood outside the theatre in the blistering cold, the temperature having dropped rapidly as the sun fell, only intensified by the rising winds. I’d promised to meet her here before the show, since I didn’t have a car and the last chance for a bus was about an hour before the play would begin. I was shivering like mad, though I wondered if it was more nerves than it was the cold.

I glanced over my shoulder at the line of people heading to go on inside, bundled up in thick coats that somewhat shielded them from the howling wind: seniors, married couples, and the occasional lone artist that was there to critique the performance. There were a few college-age folks here and there in the crowd, but it was obvious Sunset and I would be the two youngest people here.

I felt a shiver run through me, built up more from energy than the weather. I was so excited that this was actually happening that I wasn’t even that nervous- a sensation that quickly dissipated the moment I started thinking about it. I really didn’t want to screw this up. I really liked Sunset, and she was far better a person than I ever could have hoped for. I know that some people would always try to downplay relationships, saying that “there are always more fish in the sea,” but I didn’t think that was fair. I had a chance for something really good here.

“Hey,” said a voice behind me, accompanied by a light tap on the shoulder. I turned around to find Sunset, dressed comfortably in a plaid shirt, her leather jacket, and nice jeans, topped off with a cute scarf wrapped around her neck. It was the first time in a while I’d seen her wear something other than her usual outfit.

“Hey!” I said, giving her a warm hug. “You look really cute, I like it.”

“Really?” she asked, looking somewhat surprised. “I just kinda threw it all on, I was just grabbing things since we didn’t really have time.”

“Yeah, I’m serious, it’s a good look for you,” I insisted as we walked inside, flashing the tickets to the staffer near the entrance. “I like it a lot.”

Sunset gave a small yet happy smile, glowing with pleasure. “Thanks. I dunno, I’ve never tried it before, it feels weird for me to dress like this. It’s all different.”

“Different works for you,” I replied, and she glowed even more brightly. I loved to see her wake up like this, her joyful spirit pushing through the depression and frustration that typically antagonized her.

As we went into the theatre itself and took our seats, Sunset slowly fell into her chair and looked around. By the slow, methodical sweep she was performing, it was easy to see that she was looking out for people from school. Coming up empty, she said, “Wow, we’re probably the two youngest people here,” she remarked.

“Yeah, I saw that, too,” I replied. “Out of all the things for teenagers to do, I doubt this is gonna be on the list for a lot of people at school.”

“I can’t believe you even thought of it, honestly,” she said. “Not that I’m complaining, I love Shakespeare!”

“Well, it’ll at least be a way for us to relax. And if it comes to it, we can get a nap out of the deal,” I remarked.

“Oh come on, how can you not love The Tempest? It’s one of my absolute favorites!” she protested, looking almost scandalized. “He was so talented and clever, and it’s a really funny one, too!”

“I’ll have to take your word for it, it’s all a bunch of old English to me,” I said.

Sunset was about to say something in reply, but as the lights dimmed and the stage lights brightened, she brought a finger to her lips and turned to face the front, her expression excited and eager.

I watched her for a few minutes as the show began, smiling softly as she became wholly absorbed by the play, enraptured by the performance before her. I loved seeing her like this, so happy and alive, so free of the usual troubles that followed her around. Away from school, from the others like Octavia and Brad, she was so… free. Free to come alive and be herself and be happy without any thought of worry.

I turned to watch the show and, for the first time that day, felt truly happy. I hadn’t done too badly after all.

“Come on, you’ve got to tell me why,” Sunset pressed. “How can you say you don’t like it? They’re so well-written!”

“I told you, it’s way too hard for me to understand, all that funky way of talking,” I replied, taking a drink from my Colombian styled coffee. “I’m not saying it’s bad, I just don’t get it. Course you do, you’re really smart.”

“You don’t have to be really smart to enjoy Shakespeare, you just have to listen to it for a little bit, I promise!” Sunset said. “If we go see King Lear next week, I promise I’ll help you understand it, it’s a really good one.”

I gave a small laugh and rolled my eyes, mildly exasperated by her enthusiasm. “Sure, why not? Whatever makes you happy.”

We had retired to the nearby roastery once the play was over, taking shelter from the fierce winds in the warmth, kindly provided by the heating system and the hot cups of coffee that sat on the table before us.

“What makes you so interested in the guy’s stuff, anyhow?” I asked curiously. “I know you really like his plays but I’ve never asked why.”

“Because they’re so well-written, and so clever and thought-out, even some of the really silly ones,” she answered, before faltering slightly and adding, “And… well, I read them when I was a kid, and I guess… well, they remind me of home a little.” Sunset looked around awkwardly and took a sip of her coffee, her smile now having disappeared.

It wasn’t the first time I’d seen her do this; mentioning home always brought her to a more somber mood for whatever reason. I was to have no part in it tonight, however.

“It’s weird,” I remarked.

“What’s weird?”

“That even though you and I have been talking to one another for months now, I don’t really know a whole lot about you. I mean, I know a lot of your interests and what you do with yourself, but I don’t really know… you.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, setting down her coffee to look at me.

“Well, like your home life, for example,” I offered. “You’ve never told me about your family or where you’re from, or anything about your past at all, really. It’s like the first time you ever started existing was the day I met you in that bookstore, all those months ago. Though I know a lot about you, I don’t really know you very well at all.”

“Hmm… I guess that’s sorta true,” she said, swirling her coffee around. “You’re kind of the same way, too. You’ve been a little more honest about it than I have, but I don’t really know much about you, either.”

“I’m not really proud of my old habits, Sunset,” I explained. “It’s not a pretty backstory.”

Sunset mulled that over for a bit before saying, “Well… I don’t have a nice story, either. I’m probably not great at talking about myself, but I’ll try. For you.”

That was a big deal, coming from her. Sunset pretty much was sealed shut when it came to her past, so I was rather touched. I wanted to respect that trust she had in me by not overwhelming her. Maybe just starting simply was best.

“What’s your favorite color?” I asked.

“Huh?”

“I’m serious,” I said. “What’s your favorite color?” You’ve never told me, so why not ask now?”

Sunset laughed a little before saying, “Green. It’s green.”

“Cool. Why green?”

Sunset looked down at her drink and said, “I guess cause it makes me think of the grass and the trees, and they always turn green and pretty when Spring comes around… I just, I dunno… What’s your favorite color, then?”

I thought about that for a moment, looking at her. “Yellow,” I answered.

“Why yellow?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, really. I like it when it’s warm instead of cold, and… I always think of the sun when I think of warm. So now, I guess I think of you, too.”

Sunset rolled her eyes, but she looked pleased all the same. “Hmm… Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, sure, go on ahead,” I answered.

“What’s your favorite movie? You’ve got to have one.”

I felt myself instantly go red at that one, as I knew the answer full well. “Umm… hehe, it’s, uh…” Sunset noticed my embarrassed hesitancy and leaned forward, looking excited. “Well, I guess it’s…”

“Well?” she asked eagerly.

I gave a sigh and muttered quietly, “The Incredibles. By Pixar.”

Sunset burst out laughing, nearly kicking over the table and spilling our drinks everywhere. “Oh my gosh, I didn’t expect that at all! Why that one?”

“I dunno, I just like it a lot,” I said sheepishly, feeling myself grow all the more red. “Well… I always wanted to be a superhero as a kid, then I’d be able to stop bad guys like my Dad. I saw the movie when I was really young, and it just stuck with me. I wanted to be the guy that saved the day.”

“Well you’ve certainly saved the day for me. More than once,” Sunset said, and I could feel myself go a deep crimson. “That’s… I swear, that whole tough-guy gangster act you had was all just for show. Inside you’re just this sweet guy who’s always looking out for somebody else.”

I shrugged, unable to think of anything else to say. “What’s yours, then? Which movies is your favorite?”

“Oh that’s easy, The Lord of the Rings,” Sunset answered, her eyes positively shining. “It’s just so beautiful and grand, and it makes me go and read the books themselves so I get to enjoy them even more…”

The rest of our evening went in the same fashion until it was time to go. As we waited for the cab to arrive so I could take Sunset home, we simply talked, asking each other questions as we grew to know each other a little more. We never went very deep, just asking silly questions about pointless things: favorite foods, favorite breed of dog, night owl or early bird- stuff that really didn’t matter but meant everything.

When the cab finally arrived, Sunset laid her head on my shoulder and rested for a while, simply enjoying a small moment with me. I reflected on our night and realized that we had found our niche, our way of escaping the world. We didn’t need the glitz and glam, the energy that the rest of our peers craved: all we needed was something that made us happy, and one another. It was weird, but it was us, and that was something I was happy about.

Our first date had been a simple affair. No frills, no grand gestures, just a quiet theatre, a nice play, and each other. Simple, but it had worked. And now, as we came to Sunset’s apartment, I could hardly wait for the next one.

Though we didn't know what we were doing

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Sunset and I found our little niche in the world and settled in relatively well, taking comfort in our solitude with one another. For the next couple weeks, we took it upon ourselves to find ways to deliberately avoid where the others in our school would go, seeking out the unique and interesting places that our city had to offer. A couple days after we went to the theatre, Sunset found mention of a dog show that’d be coming to the local expo center and nearly leapt out of her skin in excitement, so of course we went and took a look for a little while. It was rather embarrassing to be around her, as Sunset was positively giddy whenever a new breed would come walking across our area.

“Uh, Sunset?” I asked hesitantly as yet another dog took the same parade route as every other breed before it- right in front of us.

“Yeah?” she responded, making a silly, soft smile as the dog and its owner passed by.

“Do you even know what breed of dog that is?”

“Yeah, it’s a Tamaskan, they’re really rare,” she answered.

“A what?- You made that up!” I spluttered.

“Wha- no, I didn’t, they’re actually real, look them up!” Sunset insisted.

“Don’t need to, they don’t exist,” I said confidently.

“Oh yeah? Wanna bet on it?” Sunset challenged with a smirk.

“Don’t waste your money,” I muttered, grabbing for my phone. “Here, let’s see… Tamaskan-”

You can probably look up the results yourself and know that I was wrong and Sunset –as per usual- was right. Not a big deal, but I pulled a face to make her laugh and I promised to take her down to a nearby dessert place after we were done as a reward for winning. Like she’d needed a bet to make that happen, I would’ve done it for her simply because she asked.

“Oh, that was so fun! That Labrador was so beautiful, he should have won over the Cocker Spaniel for Best In Show,” Sunset said to me as we left, clutching a cup of hot cocoa I had bought for her from a vendor as we had left. The temperatures were still brutally cold and it was getting to be mid-February, a time when our part of the country usually stopped feeling winter’s bane.

“I guess,” I remarked lightly. “Lab’s definitely more of a man’s dog, so…”

Sunset paused and gave me a scrutinizing look. “Were you bored?”

I played with the case on my phone before answering, saying, “Eh… kinda. That sort of stuff really isn’t my style.”

“Well why’d we go if you weren’t interested?”

“Cause you were,” I answered. “Saw you liked the thought of going and I figured you’d probably enjoy yourself, so there we went. You’re better at that high-society, classy smart stuff than I am.”

“What? No, that’s not fair,” Sunset protested. “You should have fun, too, it shouldn’t be about whatever I want. And besides, I want you to have a good time just as much.”

I shrugged. “Not that big of a deal. Seeing you happy makes it worth the time.”

“That’s sweet, but please, don’t keep doing that. There’s got to be something you want to do, right? Maybe next time we go out, we choose a place you’d want to go.”

I thought about that for a bit. “Maybe, but if I’m totally honest, a lot of the stuff I like to do, I do alone. I don’t know if it’d be very fun for you.”

“Like what, then?” Sunset challenged. “Maybe I should try it with you and see.”

“Hmm…” I mulled the concept over in my head for a little while, judging the idea’s merit. Conceivably it could work, but a lot of the stuff I liked to do was fairly solitary.

Sunset, however, was willing to push. “Come on, this relationship isn’t just a one-way street. I want both of us to have a good time,” she said gently. “What do you usually do with your time that makes you happy?”

“Well… I work out. A lot,” I answered. “I go running, I box, I stay fit. I’d play video games a lot as well if I had any. But yeah, lots of working out and boxing.”

“And that’s all?”

“Well…” I felt rather embarrassed, as it sounded like I had a totally one-track mind. “I love coffee. Like to try out different places in town and see what they’ve got.”

“That explains a few things,” Sunset muttered. “How many cups do you think you go through every day?”

“Eh… I lose count after number five.”

“Oh that has got to be unhealthy- wait a minute, I’m distracting myself,” Sunset cut through, shaking her head vigorously. “Here, I’ve got an idea, why don’t I come see you at your gym, you show me around and what you do? Give me the directions and I’ll drop by.”

I stopped cold on that one, staring at her like I had never seen her before. “Wait, you didn’t just suggest that you come to the West End on your own, did you?” I asked.

“Yeah, let me come by and see you train, meet your old coach. You’ve taken Rainbow Dash there, why not take me?” she replied.

“Rainbow and I met at a specific place and then she went with me there to Manny’s Gym,” I answered. “I took every precaution I could think of to ensure her safety.”

“I’d be in danger?”

“Sunset, you don’t get it. The West End, it- it’s different. Unpredictable. Every major gang calls it home, including a very frightening, very dangerous one known as Wanyama. As I have made aware to you.”

“So I wouldn’t be able to go there,” she assumed.

“Not without protection. Not without me,” I said. “In fact, let me make this clear: No matter what, no matter what circumstance ever arises, you will never, ever go to the West End without me. If you are to come by my house, I will come get you, you will not come to me. I cannot emphasize this enough.”

“OK, sure,” Sunset said. “Do you mind asking me why?”

I hesitated, worrying the answer might frighten her. I knew the route she’d have to take to get to my house and the gym, and it wasn’t too far from a warehouse Wanyama used as an auction center for the people they sold, including young girls they’d kidnapped from the city. To even imagine such a thing ever happening to Sunset was beyond the realms of average terror.

“You just need to trust me on this. If you’re gonna come by Manny’s, I’m gonna be with you at all times,” I said. “Now, you sure you wanna go?” Sunset thought it over for a bit, then looked right at me and gave an earnest nod. “Alright, then, we’ll head out after school tomorrow. Wait for me to take you, OK?”

“Yeah, of course,” she said. “Come on, let’s get out of the cold and inside somewhere.”

“What’s open right now? You know?”

“Not sure, it’s getting to be kinda late.” She whipped out her phone and started typing away for a few seconds before saying, “There’s a place called ‘The Garage’ a block or so away, some restaurant of sorts. You ever heard of it?”

“Can’t say that I have. You wanna give it a try?”

“Sounds good enough. Come on.”

It was the most interestingly designed restaurant I’d ever encountered: a former service garage converted into a small-time bar and restaurant. Through the garage door windows I could see people chatting at the bar and tables, though I was willing to bet the doors usually stayed open during the summer. Light with 50’s style neon, it was a defiantly old-school place, and –if I was willing to bet- a trendy place to eat.

“OK, that’s kinda cool,” I remarked.

“Ooh, I hope it’s warm in there,” Sunset said with a shiver, and the two of us walked inside to be greeted with a blast of hot air, thanks to a brick oven that could be seen in the kitchen. “Mmm… let’s stay here for the rest of the night, it feels great in here.”

“Yeah,” I said distantly, staring at the bar. I eyed the draft to see the selection, trying not to drool over the dozens of beers and spirits behind the counter. “You know, I bet they don’t card here, I could totally get a Shinerbok-”

“No,” Sunset said firmly.

“Oh come on, I’ve been doing this since I was like fifteen,” I said. “I know my limit, I won’t do anything stupid.”

“You’re not 21, so no,” Sunset said. “Besides, I’m keeping you out of trouble. Look.”

I turned around and saw a pair of cops walk in, taking a break from their patrol to grab a bite to eat. One of them caught sight of me, scrutinized me for a bit, and then whispered something to his partner before getting a seat.

“Water sound good?” Sunset asked playfully.

“Don’t rub it in,” I said shortly, and we took to a small table near the window. A server came up a few minutes later, a hipster dressed in plaid pants with a nose ring large enough to hold a rope.

“Anything I can get you to drink?” he asked.

“Water for me, and… a Shinerbok for him,” Sunset said with a grin.

“OK, sir, I’ll just need to see your ID,” the guy said, turning to me.

“Only 18, she’s just messin’ with you. A water,” I growled unpleasantly as my girlfriend’s face split into a smile. I waited for him to leave before saying, “That is not playing fair, you know.”

“Oh don’t be a poor sport and let me have a little fun with you,” she replied. “I don’t have to be a brainy intellectual all the time.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Tell me something: why are you interested in seeing me train? I gotta think it wouldn’t be very fun for you, you’d just be watching me do everything.”

Sunset’s eyes darted back and forth before she leaned over and said quietly, “You know how you’re always mentioning that you like to look at me?”

“Yeah…”

“Perhaps the feeling is mutual,” she said suggestively, giving me a rather tempting look. “I wanna see why you’ve got such a sexy body in person.”

“Umm.” I dropped my gaze on that one, feeling my face flush a color red I wasn’t aware I could manage. I was used to being the one making comments about her attractiveness, not the other way around.

Sunset laughed at my reaction, her face bright and cheery. “I’ve never seen you so uncomfortable in my life. What’s wrong?”

“Uh, can’t say I’ve ever been described as ‘sexy’ before. I’ve never really bothered to think of myself as something…”

Sunset studied me. “As what? Something attractive?” she guessed. “Puh-lease, ‘attractive’ doesn’t really do you justice, does it?”

I was utterly flabbergasted by all of this. The playfulness, the suggestive comments, the confidence she was exhibiting. It was so unusual to see her like this, and I absolutely loved it. I started laughing right along with her, unable to think of a suitable reaction.

“You… I have never seen you like this before,” I said. “Why aren’t you like this all the time? Just so… alive?”

Sunset’s smile faltered just a little. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s so easy for you to get down on yourself a lot,” I explained. “You never have anything good to say about yourself, and you just let it get to you, and you get sorta quiet and introverted- sometimes to a point where I can’t reach you. Why is that?”

Sunset paused for a while, letting the server come back, drop off the drinks and get our orders. “I’m not sure, really,” she said quietly. “You and the girls are always trying to get me to stop beating myself up, and you’re right, it’s not something I should do, but- it’s just so easy to do. To believe that I am what everyone says I am.”

“Why, though?” I asked, feeling confused. “Do you realize how much people could say about me? I beat the living hell out of people when I got into fights, I banged them up something bad. I sold drugs, I was a member of the worst gang in the city, and I don’t dare let anyone say crap about me- I just prove ‘em wrong. I ain’t got time to live with that stuff anymore. Why can’t you do the same?”

Sunset stirred her drink with her straw, pondering for a moment before she could answer. “I don’t know who I am, I guess,” she said, her voice so small that I could barely hear her. “I’m trying to figure out just where I fit in this world, and now that I left my old life behind, it’s like I don’t know where to go anymore, and I just think… that all I am is what I don’t want to be. I don’t know, it doesn’t really make any sense.”

“Yeah, it really doesn’t,” I said drily. “You mind listening to me for a bit?”

“What are you gonna do?” she asked.

“Just trust me. Give me your hand.”

Sunset gave me an uncertain look but complied nonetheless, laying her hand across mine palms up.

“Oh, man,” I said breathlessly. “Every time I feel your hand in mine, my heart goes crazy. I feel everything go a little faster, it’s like the world gets a little brighter. I never thought that, when I first met you, that you’d do so much to me. When we first became friends, I thought that was it- just a friendship. But the more I came to be with you, the more I wanted to be someone, someone who could possibly deserve someone as beautiful and wonderful as you- the girl who thought the world of everyone else and nothing of herself. So whenever I hear you start talking yourself down, I get a little angry inside, because I can’t stomach the thought of anyone saying that you aren’t the beautiful, compassionate, and loving soul that I know you to be.”

“Especially me?”

“Especially you. I chose you over every girl I knew because I knew you- because you’re the best choice. The only choice I was ever gonna make.”

Sunset’s eyes were glistening in the light, and it took me a moment to realize that she was crying. She wiped her face dry and gave me a smile that glowed like the dawn, looking positively radiant. “How did… I wish I… I don’t know what to say,” she hiccupped. “You’re making me look like a mess.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” I said. “And trust me, you of all people could never look like a mess.”

We sat there in silence for a moment, Sunset giving me her hand as we simply enjoyed each other’s company, every inch of her saying what words could never describe. She had the strangest smile, a joyous, yet somewhat grieved expression as she looked upon me with all the warmth of the noonday sun.

“I wish I could’ve met you a lot sooner,” she said softly. “Maybe I would’ve left my old ways behind a lot sooner.”

I shook my head. “I only would have made it worse,” I assured her. “I hope you never really find out what I left behind.”

“What would I have found, if I went and looked?” Sunset asked.

I stumbled over my words before simply settling and saying, “Then you would you know there are far worse monsters than you and me.”

“So I can’t come this time round?” Rainbow Dash asked me at lunch, looking disappointed as she unwrapped her sack lunch.

I shook my head, trying to stuff down Granny Smith’s most excellent chicken pot pie as quickly as I could. “Nah, Sunset’s coming with me today, gonna be our thing this visit. You good with that?”

“Yeah, I get ya. I should probably just stop trying, anyway,” Ranbow admitted. “I’m starting to think boxing just really isn’t my thing.”

“Praise the heavens, she finally admits it!” I cried. “Girlie, you have been coming to get your butt kicked for months now, it’s about time you realized you weren’t catching on. The best you could ever be was average, it’s just not the kind of sport your mind gets.”

“Least she gave it a try, you tried soccer once and got trounced,” Applejack said with a snigger.

“I know when I’m outclassed. There wasn’t a way I was going to win!” I protested.

“Darlin’, everyone’s outclassed by Rainbow Dash. Why don’t you just admit that you hate it when someone makes you look bad and that’s why you stopped?” AJ suggested.

“Don’t be ‘mom,’ I’ve already got one back at home,” I snapped. “Besides, that’s not true. I can lose.”

“Yeah, you can lose. But you’re proud and you get mad the moment you look the fool,” Applejack replied. “Come on, get off yor high horse and just admit it, it ain’t gonna hurt ya.”

“Never.”

“Why do you even want to go, Sunset?” Fluttershy asked. “It doesn’t seem like it’d be a lot of fun for you to just come and watch.”

Sunset shook her head. “No, really, I wanna go, it was my idea. Besides, look at that,” she said, indicating my arms and chest. “Please tell me I shouldn’t be interested in knowing where that comes from.”

I’d kind of been expecting that sort of comment this time round. I blushed a little, but managed to grin and say, “Well, it’s not like it’s just you. No one can deny you’ve got quite the sexy figure- you know, one I wouldn’t mind seeing without her clothes on.”

Out of all the things Sunset expected me to say, that wasn’t on the list. Her face gave a little “Eep!” of surprise and her faced turned a darker shade of red than her hair, though she gave me a rather suggestive smile that made me want to continue.

Then there was Rainbow Dash, who let out an exasperated groan of agony. “Oh, jeez, you two are already crossing the threshold of lovey-dovey and going straight on into socially awkward PDA,” she said miserably, staring out through her fingers. “I can hardly imagine what you two are gonna be just a few months from now.”

“I’d be more worried about what they’re gonna be on Sunday,” Applejack muttered just on the edge of my hearing, though I didn’t bother to see what she meant. I was more focused on the girl in front of me.

“Rainbow Dash, how can you of all people be angry about such talk?” Rarity countered, yet again being one of the staunchest defenders of Sunset and I’s relationship. “Need I remind you of what you would confide to me about our friend?”

I swear I felt the temperature drop like a rock right then and there, with Rainbow Dash looking color and looking like a pale rainbow. Slowly, like a decrepit corpse, she turned to Rarity and gave her such a look that she might just attack her fashion-minded friend. “What did you say to me?” she asked.

“I’m gonna head to class,” I said suddenly, grabbing Sunset’s hand and the two of us rushed out of the lunchroom before the real storm began. I didn’t dare look back, but I was quite sure I heard the rest of our group get up and hurriedly leave as well.

“Uh, got a question for you,” Sunset said to me as I led us through school, bobbing and weaving through the crowds of people. I did my best to ignore the stares and hisses that came our way, but I knew I’d eventually reach my limit. Sunset was better at it than me.

“Yeah?” I asked distractedly.

“You know you and I don’t have the same class this period, right?”

“Yeah,” I said.

“So… why are you taking me to your class?”

Oops. I stopped right in front of… my next class, just as she had said. “Well, uh, not quite what I meant to do,” I said. “Sorry, I was a bit distracted.”

“By what?”

“Just thinking of what it’d take to get a goodbye kiss from the pretty young thing holding my hand,” I admitted.

Sunset laughed, that bright cheerful laugh that I was always joyed to hear. “You’re always hoping for one, aren’t you?”

“You’re beautiful. It’s gonna be a pretty constant thought.”

She rolled her eyes before giving me a lingering kiss on the cheek, a little bit aways from what I was truly hoping for. “See you after school,” she called as she walked off.

“Yeah,” I said distantly, watching her tempting figure as she walked off, astounded that someone that beautiful and perfect had come along in my life and found it in her to care for me. I was beyond grateful that I had come across her, and thankful that I had such a happiness to enjoy. She was practically perfect.

“You two’re in a pretty good mood, ah see,” someone said behind me, and as I jumped I turned and saw AJ standing behind me, giving me the strangest look.

“Heck was that for?” I demanded. “Suddenly feel the need to sneak silently and scare the piss outta me?”

“Naw, wasn’t tryin’ to, jus’ watchin’ you two,” she remarked, her face still retaining its unusual expression. “Just wonderin, that’s all.”

“About what?” I said. “Couldn’t have just come up and asked me about it?”

She gave me her usual sardonic look. “Perhaps that’s what ah’m tryin’ to achieve here,” she said. “Ah just wanted to ask ya how y’all were doin’, since yor first week here was pretty rough.”

Oh. “Doing pretty good, as you can see,” I said. “We’re doing a little better at ignoring the rest of the idiots around us, I just try to focus on her… it works pretty well. It’s an easy relationship.”

AJ nodded thoughtfully, mulling it over silently. “Alright, that’s all ah was wantin,” she said. As she turned to walk away, she paused, looked back at me and said, “You know that it ain’t always easy, right?”

I blanked. “Excuse me?”

“She ain’t always gonna be as perfect as you think she is,” Applejack said. “And neither will you, if you can believe that. Ah care a lot about the both of ya, you especially since ah was your first friend here. Ah’ve always tried to look out for ya and help ya, so… just know that it’s not always gonna be happy or fun.”

It was the strangest piece of advice she’d ever given me, and I wasn’t sure I quite understood what she was talking about. “Um, alright. Thanks, I guess.”

“It’s worth it, just- you’ll just have to work at it sometimes, thas’all,” AJ added. “That’s what Granny Smith always told me.”

“OK. Thanks, I guess.”

I stared straight at her, and she at me. We knew each other well enough to know what the other was thinking. She was trying to convince me of something, but I wasn’t sure at all what had triggered it. It was such a strange thing to say and for the life of me I didn’t understand what had prompted her.

She shuffled around on her feet for a minute, then said, “Well… see ya later,” then disappeared into the crowd for her next class, leaving me there utterly mystified.

I pulled a face, then shrugged and headed off to class. At least I understood one girl around here.

“I warned you we’d be walking a while! You should’ve bundled up more.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think for this long,” Sunset replied, rubbing her hands together in an attempt to generate warmth as we made our way through the cold. “Ooh, I hoped the bus would take us out further than it did.”

“It used to. Stopped going all the way to Queen’s Station Lane about a year ago and they haven’t tried to have the end of the route start back up since.”

“Why’d they kill it?” she asked.

I pointed to the remnants of the bus stop shelter, which was heavily vandalized and covered in graffiti, the words “F*ck snitches, slay bitches” easily legible on what little remained. “There’s your first indicator of what can go on here,” I said. “And that’s tame. About six months before this stop closed, there was a big gangfight between Wanyama and another group formerly known as the Knuckleheads. It’s kinda what caused them to shut it down.”

“What happened?”

“The Knuckleheads stopped being a gang,” I said shortly. “Wanyama killed the ones that were at the bus station and sent others of us to go hunt down the rest. A lot of people died that night.”

Sunset gave a small squeak of horror and brought her hands to her mouth, eyes wide. “That’s horrible- were, were you..?”

I knew what she was going to say. “Was I involved? No, I wasn’t even a free man when it happened. I was in juvenile detention for starting a fight at San Marino.”

“Oh.” We walked along in silence for a little while longer, Sunset quieted by my misdeeds, if only for a moment. “You got sent to juvi twice… right?”

I nodded. “Yeah, first time was for proliferating drugs. Wanyama uses younger kids for jobs like that. Cops suspect them less, I think, so the young guys can get away with more. Second time was for fighting. Got a big one going, and I broke a kid’s nose.”

“Was it easy for you?” she inquired. “To just… do stuff like that?”

I thought it over for a bit, then nodded. “It was so natural. Like it was second nature. I think it’s something to do with this place, this part of the city. There’s just a sense of hopelessness out here.”

“What do you mean?”

I sighed, rubbing my fingers through my hair. “I dunno, it’s just… to us, the people here, a success story is when you hear about the old lady who finally gave up her crack addiction. About the dad who actually stuck around, about the kid who went off to college and managed to leave this place. But they’re so few and far between, it’s like they never exist. Life here means you always have to be careful of when and where you’re going, of who you make mad, sometimes of even how you’re gonna feed yourself. It’s so easy to believe that you’ll never make it out. That this is what life is.”

“And that’s what happened to you,” Sunset said mournfully.

“Yeah, that’s exactly what happened,” I said quietly, giving her a small, sad little smile. “I got sucked right in and wasn’t gonna make it out. Then I got sent to Canterlot High, I met AJ and the others- I met you. You probably saved my life, you know.”

“I didn’t do a thing,” Sunset insisted. “I’m not that good myself- I turned into a raging she-demon and nearly took over the school.”

Again with that she-demon thing, she’d mentioned it before. Still didn’t understand it, either. “Don’t start up the defeat again, please,” I said. “You can’t keep doing that to yourself. If you could see yourself for who you really are, you’d see someone beautiful.”

“And ugly inside,” she said bitterly. “A monster, always ready to break out.”

“Hey, enough,” I replied sharply. “I fought to legitimately hurt people at one point in my life- I did things that got me sent to prison. And now I’m not, I changed, I started wanting to be someone actually good. You know why that happened… right?”

Sunset shook her head, staring at me in confusion.

“Do you not see it yet?” I asked, feeling actually disappointed. “Do you not understand?”

“No, I’m sorry, I really don’t,” she said. “I don’t know what you mean.”

I felt genuinely hurt, perhaps the sole person who truly knew what had brought about such change. “Doesn’t matter, I guess,” I said dully. “Come on, let’s keep going.”

For a while we walked along in silence, neither of us sure what to say to the other. My gaze kept darting to her every now and then, so frustrated and tired of seeing that defeated look on her face. It was like she had developed this mental block in regards to herself, where she was just unable to see herself as she really was. The past couple weeks had been a huge improvement, but there were just times that no one could reach her, not even me. It was absolutely infuriating-

“Is that- no way, it IS! Hey Scales, hey!”

“Oh shit,” I breathed, dread seizing my heart as I recognized the voice behind me. There was only one person on the planet who would ever call me that name…

“Who is that-” Sunset began to say but I cut her off instantly, grabbing her and putting her behind me as quickly as I could.

“Get behind me, be ready to move right when I say so,” I said, my body beginning to shiver ever so slightly as I instinctively prepared for a fight. This was a situation that could easily turn into a nightmare, as Suds, Vice, Tooth, and Claws cam shuffling up towards me, looking as ratty and filthy as ever.

“Well, wassup, Scales, ‘sbeen a while,” Suds said mildly, coming up and stretching out for our usual handshake.

I didn’t move a muscle, staring at him coldly in utter distate. I knew full well what his role in Wanyama was, something I could now no longer stomach. “Suds,” was all I could muster to utter.

Suds froze where he was, his eyes darting to bore right into mine, completely at a loss as to why I wasn’t greeting him with the usual fervor. For a moment, I saw confusion, uncertainty in his gaze as he tried to regain control of the situation, something I was desperately trying to prevent.

“Anyway, been a while, dawg, haven’t seen you much ‘round here,” Suds remarked, shuffling back and forth on a worn pair of black Jordans. I remembered helping him steal them last year. “Been a while since we talked, musta been… what, last year, right?”

“October,” Vice grumbled, and my heart sank. If Vice was able to remember our last meeting that clearly, then the odds of this being a simple social call were about to go down the drain.

“Yeah, it’s been since October,” Suds agreed, giving his friend a quick fist bump. “Yeah, that was Jester’s party you missed, I remember now. We had plenty of fine bitches there, dawg, loads of cocaine, crack, you name it we HAD it! We lit shit up that night, dawg! Was waitin’ for you there, but you never came, dawg. What happened, that old bitch of yours hold you up again? Catch your goods?”

“I had other duties that night. I couldn’t go,” I replied succinctly. I hesitated to tell them that I had left Wanyama, uneasy about the repercussions of such an act.

“Yeah, well,” Suds said, spitting used-up chew on the ground, barely missing my shoes- a bad sign of his actual mood. “No matter. Say, we been looking for you, dawg- just me and the old crew, you know. Haven’t seen you around much, ain’t heard nothing from you for a while. It’s almost like you don’t want nothin’ to do with us no more, dawg. So wassup, what hap-”

Suds lost track of himself as he caught sight of Sunset, who was eyeing the greasy thug warily from behind cover, behind me.

“Aw- AW, no WAY, dawg! No f-cking way, dawg! Scales got a piece! Scales got a piece!” he roared with laughter, jabbing the others with his elbows to incite them to mirth right alongside him. “And oowee, is she fine, I tell you what. What’s your name, baby?”

“Don’t answer him,” I said sharply, knowing exactly what he was trying to do. It was his tactic as a hunter, to loosen girls up and get them to talk too much. That was when he would begin to make his move.

“Hey, I ain’t talking to you, now let the honey start talking. Now come on, fine thing, come on out and say hey, no need to hide. I ain’t gonna hurt ya,” he added with a grin. It would’ve been comforting if it hadn’t given him the look of a snake.

“Somehow, I get the feeling talking to you would be detrimental at best,” Sunset replied coldly. I winced, though behind it I felt a tinge of pride at her bravery. Her senses were sharp, she had to know what kind of person he was.

“Ooh, come on now, you don’t need to be like that now, play nice,” Suds wheedled.

“Save your breath. Now leave us alone,” Sunset replied.

Suds recoiled and his face slid from his serpentine grin to a foul leer. “Why don’t you shut your mouth, bitch, and I’ll tell you when you can talk back to me.” Turning to me, he asked, “Don’t you keep your poontang on a leash? How about Claws and I come by and help tear that pussy wide open, and we muzzle that mouth of hers?”

“Even attempt to lay a finger on her and I will personally break your neck,” I snarled.

Suds froze, staring at me as if he had never seen me before in his life. “Excuse me? Did you just talk back to me- your boy, your dawg who looked after you after your old man got himself thrown in prison? Who the hell do you think you are-”

“I am giving you this chance, get away and leave right now,” I seethed, my hands curling into fists as a pulsing sensation erupted in my left temple. “Leave us alone right now, or else-”

“Or else what?” Suds demanded angrily, his cover beginning to blow as his fury mounted. “Bitch, I will f-cking destroy your ass, you don’t never talk to me like that, you hear me?” He rushed forward and came inches away from my face, his rage boiling the air between us. “Just cause you think you got some skeezy ho you think you can say and do whatever you want? You belong to Wanyama, bitch, to me-”

“I belong to no man,” I growled, “especially to you.”

“You what? Aw hell naw, you didn’t jus leave Wanyama-”

“I left and I have the full right to it!” I replied. “You know the laws- I left silently, I have brought no harm to the body, I sent no word to anyone. I am immune by the creed.”

“F-ck the creed, I say I beat your ass right now-”

He was down in a matter of seconds, my string of punches knocking him senseless, with a final haymaker sending him to the ground. Vice and the others began to rush towards me-

“Stand down! You know what I’m capable of!” I spat, every fiber of my being absolutely charged with rage. “If I’d wanted to kill him, I could have. I was an enforcer, you were hunters. Consider that.”

Vice and the rest of them simply looked at each other, unsure of what their next move would be, too used to being ordered around by their brute of a leader.

Suds got to his feet, blood trickling from his mouth. “I swear, I am gonna kill you, then take your bitch just because I can. You hear me?”

“Don’t even act like you can match me, you never could-”

“Don’t!” Sunset cut through sharply, a tone of worry now evident in her voice. “Come on, we need to go. Now.”

Suds now looked absolutely incensed, saying, “Say another word and I swear to f-cking god I will-”

“I will personally ensure your lives come to an end,” concluded a much deeper voice, one so full of anger that Suds and the others cowered in utter terror. I didn’t need to turn around to know that it was Manny, accompanied by the sounds of a cocked shotgun.

“Hey, Bestia, this ain’t your fight, beat it,” Suds said sulkingly. “Ain’t no one here that got a beef with you.”

“And yet you threaten to kill mi ariete, and this beautiful creature,” Manny said, gently sliding the shotgun down until it was mere inches from Suds’ face, causing the greasy thug to freeze in terror. “Lay a hand on either of them, and Jester shall be the least of your worries. I know what occurred the last time one of his followers broke his laws.”

Suds went pale, having been there that fateful day of which I had only heard rumors. “Come on, let’s beat it,” he grumbled. As the group of hoodlums began to walk away, he turned about to face me and said, “Laws or now laws- next time I see you, it’s on.”

“If you only had the balls,” I sneered, and with that the foul bastard finally stalked off and out of sight.

We watched and waited until we were certain they had really gone, all three of us holding our collective breaths as we wondered if they would come right back and try to fight.

“I think they’re gone,” I said finally, my body beginning to shake as the adrenaline began to leave my system, leaving me wracked by nerves. “Dammit… I was afraid something would happen.”

“It could’ve been far worse,” Manny said to us, beckoning for us to follow him into the gym.

“You caught sight of it, too,” Sunset said anxiously, putting her arms around me.

“Saw what? The heck you talking about?” I asked.

“You said he was a hunter, correct?” Manny asked. “That was his role in Wanyama?”

“All of them are,” I replied.

“Not anymore, then, ariete,” Manny said. “The one you called Suds? He had a pistol underneath his shirt.”

I went rigid with shock, my eyes widening till they were about the size of dinner plates. “But- Suds loved being a hunter- he was addicted to it-”

“Hunters aren’t allowed to be armed, you know that,” Manny countered.

I felt my legs begin to quiver and my stomach gave a strange swooping sensation as I realized I had been lucky to get away with my life intact. “Holy… holy…”

“Come on, get inside,” Manny said, and we went in to find the gym relatively empty, with only Ricardo and Karina practicing sparring over in the corner ring. When they caught sight of us they immediately began to come on over, but Manny motioned for them to relax. “Into my office, you two.”

Sunset and I collapsed into the office chairs the moment we entered, my body still shaking like mad. If Manny hadn’t come right then, it was pretty likely that I would’ve been killed, and Sunset…

I didn’t like to even think of that.

“You saw he had it, didn’t you?” I asked, turning to her. “Right before Manny showed up, you noticed he was armed.”

Sunset nodded, her face still stricken with fright. “He had it tucked in his pants, on the right side. I saw the pistol grip sticking out from beneath his shirt.”

“You were too focused on winning again, weren’t you?” Manny asked, looking at me with such anger that his gaze felt like a drill boring into my skull.

“Uh…”

Manny shook his head. “You do the same in the ring. It’s the same mistake you’ve been making ever since you came here. You get so focused on one little thing that you ignore anything else. Normally it just means you make yourself look like a fool, but right here- in this little incident? It nearly cost lives! Yours and hers!”

“I didn’t know-”

“We know you didn’t know!” Manny barked. “But your stupidity isn’t anything close to an excuse! Did you even think about what could happen- at all?”

I didn’t even bother to say a word. What could I possibly say after something like this? I had very nearly caused disaster, and all because I didn’t have any common sense.

“You are very, very lucky I saw it all unfolding from my office window, or else there would’ve been a pretty grisly murder outside my gym! Now I know full well what you’ve been through, and for the most part I’ve done the best I can to help you out and point you in the right direction, so all in all I’ve been more lenient with you than I have my other students. But do something like that again, risk someone’s life as you just did, and I will personally ensure you regret it for the rest of your life.”

“Understood,” I said lowly. It was the best I could muster.

With that, Manny relaxed somewhat, stroking his moustache as he looked down on us. “Neither of you are hurt, correct?”

“We’re fine,” Sunset replied.

Manny walked over to his mini-fridge and tossed us a couple of water bottles. “It’ll help you relax a little,” he said. “Now tell me… how were you planning to get her back home? By walking back?” When I nodded, he said, “Well, you obviously can’t do that anymore. Put money on them waiting for you just down the road. You’ll need to get a ride straight from here to wherever you need to go.”

“Well, umm… neither of us have a car,” I said. “And Mom’s working late again. Has to stay over at the house overnight.”

“Can her parents come pick her up?”

Sunset flushed red and looked away. “It’s- it’s complicated.”

Manny gave an inquisitive look but said nothing. I was willing to guess that he had already figured out Sunset’s home life with that answer alone. He understood people almost instantly.

“So what’ll happen now that they know you left? Will they come looking for you?”

I shook my head. “Jester made laws against pursuing those who leave. They’re complicated, but as long as I keep my mouth shut and don’t try to form a splinter group, I should be fine.”

“And your mom?”

“Hmm…” Thankfully Suds didn’t know where I lived, but I knew Jester did. If Suds ever asked him where that was, I’d be screwed. “Wanyama won’t go after her; Suds might.”

“Does he know where you are?”

“No.”

“Then you need to keep it that way. You don’t walk here ever again. Take a cab, hitch a ride, buy a car if you can. But not on foot. Especially if she’s with you.”

I nodded. I didn’t have a lot of money in my account, but I’d be able to look for a cheap vehicle somewhere. It was a start.

“Well, if you’re all relaxed and ready to go, I assume you came here to train,” Manny said. “Come on, get your gear on. What she here for?”

“I just wanted to watch,” Sunset replied.

Manny looked at her, and then at me. “This the one you were talking about?” He turned back to Sunset and added, “Flubber here’s been pining for you for months, so you know.”

“It’s not a bad thing,” I remarked, which made her blush even more, though she smiled before she told me to shut up. I was glad to see some of the nervousness leaving her.

Training was a typical regimen that began with simple stretches and exercises: pushups and situps were what Manny usually had me start out with to get the muscles hot and ready for actual work. Then we’d typically move on to some jump rope and burpees before moving on to shadow boxing, which was where Manny usually put people through the most grueling workouts, constantly critiquing form, technique and waiting for you to make a mistake. If I ever screwed something up, training instantly stopped and I had to give ten burpees.

“Doesn’t that wear you out, though?” Sunset asked after I slipped on a puddle of my own sweat and was forced to give my third set of burpees that session.

“That’s… the point,” I said with a shake of my head, trying to rid myself of sweat. “Reminds you to keep form… trust me, it… helps a lot. Makes ya strong.”

After that came some running, just some simple drills that Manny had constructed to work the muscles in the legs for quick movement. Since he’d done MMA and UFC training during his boxing career, he knew that a lot of workouts were transferable for each and made great regimens.

“Alright, it’s your choice what you want to finish out with. Pick your poison: heavy bag, sparring, or weight training?”

I was particularly good with weight training, but I had an audience and I wanted Sunset to stay interested, as she’d been asking questions of me, Manny and the others during the entire time we’d been here. I figured sparring would be the most entertaining.

“Alright. Ricardo! Get up here and help him out,” Manny barked, and the wiry islander wormed his way into the ring to face me, his usual friendly demeanor now energized by the prospect of a good sparring match. In terms of size, I had a huge advantage over him, having a few inches and around twenty pounds of extra weight, but I knew better than to believe I was at an advantage. Ricardo had a far greater reach than I did, and was far faster due to his lighter frame. He was an excellent combatant.

Thankfully, neither of us were in for a real fight, so we simply settled for practicing good technique, Ricardo offering me counseling and tips as we went along. He’d been a touring fighter a few years back before retiring here due to a leg injury, so he had a good deal of experience under his belt, and his giving nature made him an excellent teacher.

As Ricardo and I bobbed and weaved around the ring, I could see out of the corner of my eye that Sunset had drifted over to the conversation between Karina and Manny. “It’s the third time this year we’ve been forced to try a peace settlement. It’s going to have to give eventually if they can’t reach a settlement,” Karina said.

“Define ‘gives,’” Manny said.

“Look at it like this: the Crystal Empire’s hated this country for decades, they always have. It’s why the weapons development program kicked in, it’s why the military is so aggressive. The Empire never really recovered their pride after they lost the Falkans way back.”

“So you think they’ll try something,” Manny said.

“We must think they will. The military’s been performing a lot of large-scale exercises and their recruiting efforts have skyrocketed lately,” Sunset remarked.

Manny gave a look of surprise and said, “So you think there’s gonna be war?”

“I guess it just means that the government’s scared the Empire will. It could just be all showing off, but we’ve been reacting to the Empire’s movements overseas, so…”

The weather-beaten fight gave a barking laugh and said, “She’s got it pegged, Flubber! She’s smart, you should try to keep this one!”

I grinned, enjoying the sight of Sunset looking embarrassed yet again- and paid for my momentary distraction with a lobo punch to the face, knocking me senseless and effectively ending the training for the day.

“I promise, it could be worse,” I told Sunset as I exited the locker room, her face an expression of horror as she saw the monstrous black eye I had received. “Hey Manny, remember the time you popped my arm out of its socket when I got all pissed against Dominique a few years ago?”

“Because you were being an idiot,” Manny replied. “Only problem is that you’re still an idiot.”

Despite our desires to head out and grab some food, Manny forbade us from going home on our own, so we had to wait for the gym to close, with Manny shutting the place down early that evening.

“Won’t you lose money by closing early?” Sunset asked.

He shook his head. “Save money, if anything. No one else is going to come by today, I know who uses my gym.”

Sunset and I helped Manny, Ricardo and Karina tidy up before switching off the lights, and the three of us piled into his used F-150 and began to head out of the West End towards better scenery, Manny and I deciding it was better to look after Sunset’s safety before anything else. I flipped on the radio to a rap station I liked, but Manny immediately switched it over to a news station, declaring that my taste in music was somewhere below the sewers. As we were passing Queen’s Station, Sunset was staring out at the scenery when she suddenly sat straight up and gave a small gasp of fright.

“What, what is it?” I ask.

“Look right behind the stop, next to the lightpost,” she said.

I squint out into the darkness and my stomach drops instantly- Claws, Tooth, Vice, and Suds are all standing there in the shadows, watching us pass by. They had been waiting for us to come back and take the bus, lingering just out of sight for those who’d be walking by on the sidewalk- which would’ve been us. They would’ve crept out and-

Suds caught sight of me in the car and glared daggers at me, simply making a pistol with his fingers before pointing it straight at my head and firing.

I decided to stay over at Sunset’s apartment that night, worried that Suds would try to follow and find where we were. More than once during out trip of out the West End I found myself looking back at cars behind us, wondering if one of them was a tail. The drive seemed to last an eternity, each vehicle that came behind us wracking more nerves than the last.

It was a relief to get inside, a place where I could lock doors, shutter windows and disappear from the eyes of others. Sunset and I were exhausted simply from the anxiety, and for a while we simply collapsed on the couch, too tired to bother moving.

“Well,” I said finally, “I think… I think today could’ve gone better.”

“Probably a little,” Sunset replied. “I wanna know something, though… is it alright if I ask?”

“Ask away.”

“That boy we ran into today,” she said, pushing herself off the couch and looking at me. “How… how long did you know him?”

I hesitated in answering. “Since I was… I’m not sure, maybe around four to five years ago.”

“You called him a hunter. That meant something to you and Manny…”

“Yeah, it’s one of the roles in Wanyama, one of the five,” I said. “He and I started out as merchants before I became an enforcer and he a hunter.”

“What’s it mean, though? What did he do?”

I felt a hole gnawing in my stomach as I remembered all the times I had found Suds performing his duties. “It… he helped kidnap people for the slave trade. Suds specialized in kidnapping women for sex trades.”

We hadn’t really bothered to turn the lights on, but even in the darkness I could see a change come over Sunset. “There was a warehouse not far from where we ran into them,” she said hoarsely. “That’s where they-”

I nodded. “The auctions happen twice a night. Wanyama averages $500,000 every auction. It’s their biggest source of income.”

She didn’t say a word, simply sitting there in silence as I felt an overwhelming sense of shame. I may have told her what he did, but I didn’t tell her of all the times I had seen him do it. Or when I’d helped him do it. Every girl I’d ever been with, once they had left me, had always become a target, Suds ‘helping out a brother’ as he would put it, and getting me some revenge. The moment he had caught sight of Sunset, it must’ve seemed like the usual business.

“Every time I look back at all the times I could’ve left, I always remember being sucked back in,” I said. “Whether it was the… the drugs or the violence or all my old pals, I never could get away, I never…”

Sunset placed her hand gently upon mine, such a simple gesture but one that meant more than words could describe to me. I felt my heart slow as the soft, soothing gesture of her fingers in my own brought a sense of peace that I never thought could come in such circumstances. The two of us simply sat there for a time.

“Hey, you’ve… you’ve got a spare change of clothes in your bag, right?” Sunset asked. “Why don’t you go take a shower, you must feel kinda gross after working out.”

“Yeah. Yeah, thanks,” I said. As I got up, I grabbed my wallet and threw down my credit card and a couple of dollars. “Order something, it’s on me. I don’t really care what.”

I had to go through Sunset’s bedroom to reach her shower, so I closed the door to undress and threw my bag on her bed- kicking up a small pile of letters that I hadn’t seen. I glanced at them for just a moment and was about to dismiss them as bills or other such boring items when I saw the handwriting on one of them and recognized it as Octavia’s.

I knew what it was before I even picked it up. I knew Octavia well enough to make an educated guess, and when I began to read her neat handwriting, sure enough:

“You’re a dirty whore. Don’t think we don’t see you with your ‘friends’ and pretending to be all nice. You’re a filthy liar and everyone knows what a bitch you are. No one in the world could possibly care about you, not now or ever.

Kill yourself.”

I looked over the pile of letters, most coming from Octavia though a few others I didn’t recognize. Some were simple taunts, while others detailed all the horrible things Sunset had done to remind her “what a complete and total piece of shit you are” said one. It was obvious she’d been receiving these for weeks.

She’d been hiding this from me, I realized as I started the shower and stepped in the warm water. She’d been pretending to get better, but instead… instead she’d been letting the abuse take its toll in another form, a way that I wasn’t supposed to know about. No wonder Octavia and the others had seemed so subdued. They’d found a way to break her behind my back.

I found Sunset in the kitchen, cleaning a couple dirty dishes she’d used for breakfast that morning. She’d taken off her jacket and was now wearing only her usual purple t-shirt. Though she wasn’t aware of it, I was scanning her arms for anything, any sign of abuse. I could still see the marks where Brad and his band of fools had sliced her flesh into ribbons, marks that would never fully heal or fade away. She’d carry them for the rest of her life, reminders of what she had once been…

And that I couldn’t protect her.

Sunset must have noticed I was there, for she turned around from her work and gave me her usual small smile. “Hey, I ordered some pizza, hope that’s alright. I figured something real simple would probably be best-” her words faltered as she caught sight of me and her expression changed to one of concern. “Hey, you alright?”

I simply looked at her, drinking her in: she was so beautiful. A neat, petite figure, long flowing hair, and her eyes… her bright blue eyes that deserved to be so full of hope and happiness that the world couldn’t possibly contain it, but were burdened down by fear and shame and a sadness that I couldn’t break, and all of it was more than I could stand to bear. She was so perfect- and so impossibly hurt.

“What’s wrong? Look, I know you’re shook up about today, but it’s alright, I promise,” Sunset said, abandoning her work and coming to stand before me, gazing up at me with concern. “You wanna talk about it? Anything I can do to help?”

I threw my arms around her and held her close, every squeeze, every caress saying more than mere words ever could, because everything I could ever hope to say would never be enough. I felt her give an “Oh!” of surprise, but she put her arms around my neck and buried herself in my shoulder. We fell to our knees, weighed down with more than we could possibly imagine and hope to understand, and I felt my heart break as she shook, the pains of her soul able to hold back no more. We simple lay there on that dirty kitchen floor in a dingy apartment in a broken city, unable to bear our burdens any further.

Sometimes it was Easy

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We fell asleep in each other’s arms that night, I too unwilling to leave her side than to let her slip into her room to be alone. We stayed up late and watched a movie together until neither of us could hold our eyes open any longer, and we simply stayed where we were on the couch. When I awoke, I found her still asleep, more at peace than I’d ever seen her awake. It was both gladdening and yet depressing, as I only wished for her to be so tranquil in the waking world, rather than to have to leave the world to find joy. I did a quick check of my phone for the time and saw, most unfortunately, we’d need to start getting ready for school.

“Hey, time to wake up,” I said gently, squeezing her shoulders. “Come on, you get started and I’ll get breakfast set.”

She shifted a bit before opening her eyes, looking half-awake and fully adorable. “Mmm… timetogetup?” she yawned.

“Yeah, we gotta get going,” I said. “Listen, I’m gonna pop out for a bit, I’mma hit that Panera up the street, you want anything?”

She was still pretty groggy, barely up off the couch and stretching herself out as she groaned and moaned her way to wakefulness. “Something really sweet… and a big cup of coffee.”

“Music to my ears,” I grinned. “See you in a few minutes.”

“Kalright,” she mumbled, finally staggering off to go take a morning shower.

The morning was crisp and cold, a typical February morning around here. My breath came through in hot puffs as I walked along through the darkness, watching the sky as the faintest tinge of the sunrise was beginning to come over the horizon, a soft glow of yellow and blue blending with the black of the early dawn. Up ahead I could see the local Panera already open and its lights on, filled to the brim with customers who were already on their way to work or school just as I was. The thought that I may not be able to get us something and get back in time flitted across my mind. Ten minutes later and armed with a couple of coffees and a few bagels, I realized I needn’t have worried, though I’m starting to fear I won’t be able to make it back without spilling hot coffee all over myself. This was the only clean pair of clothes I had, and there was no desire to go to school stained brown and smelling of breakfast.

When I got back to the apartment, I could still hear the shower going, so I simply set the bag and the drinks on the table and turned on the TV. At first I settled for the weather to see what it’d be like all day –predictably, cold and sunny, a typical winter day here- but found myself struggling to focus, so I just grabbed the remote and flicked through the channels like a madman, bits and pieces of the various stations weaving through my ears.

“And that’s why you don’t wear-”

“Studies confirm that eggs really are-”

“Dangit, Bobby-”

“And the latest update on peace talks with the Crystal Empire-”

Something about the last channel made me pause, and I flicked back to the news station for a moment, trying to remember why I knew about this already. By no means did I keep up with what occurred in the world, so I struggled to know why I understood this.

“According to analysts, this latest summit with the Crystal Empire, despite best hopes from congress, are still likely to end in failure,” said the newscaster, a square-jawed man who appeared to be in his early 40’s. The camera changed to feed of a large number of people in suits and military uniform mingling amongst one another, the distinct colors of the Empire easily spotted against our own. “Pressure has been mounting on the Crystal Empire for the last several months, as surrounding countries continue to report destructive missile attacks, and terror bombings have become the norm.”

A quick change to cell phone footage of a building exploding, as dozens of people began to scream and flee. Another shift of camera, this time to the President, as he gave some speech that must’ve occurred a couple days ago. “We hope -as does the rest of the world- that the Crystal Empire will be open, humble, and willing to listen to the pleas for peace from its fellow nations, as well as those of its own people, many of whom wish to return to the peaceful ways of old.”

I heard something settle beside me and I turned to see Sunset leaning over me, watching the TV intently. I reached up and grabbed her hand, glad to feel her warmth as she returned the gesture with her usual, comforting squeeze. I felt a flash go through my head as I suddenly remembered that she’d been talking about this very same thing with Manny just yesterday.

The rest was an atypical news piece: guests, videos of the military performing exercises, endless debates that had no point, and more- so many reasons why I didn’t watch the news were in the rest. I was about to turn it off when Sunset asked me to keep it on as she grabbed the bag of bagels and coffee, handing me one as we settled down next to each other. I would’ve ignored the rest of the segment if I hadn’t glanced up in the bottom-right corner of the screen and saw today’s date and it read February 12th. February 12th. Today was Friday, so…

“I’d be more worried about what they’re gonna be on Sunday,” Applejack had said just yesterday. Sunday, Sunday, Sunday… Sweet mother of all that was holy, Sunday was Valentine’s Day and I hadn’t gotten her anything! I hadn’t planned a single date, done nothing, I was in crunch time and had zilch!

I must’ve done something, pulled a face, jumped a little, anything, because Sunset glanced down at me away from the TV and asked, “You alright?” she asked.

There was no way I could say I had nothing planned for Valentine’s Day, so I simple settled for saying, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a shiver, that’s all.”

We sat there for a little while longer, enjoying the small quiet we had before we had to face the storm that was Canterlot High. Classes had been starting to ramp up as the school year began to find its way to the very end, and since we were part of the graduating class, we had a fair amount of pressure to perform well. I’d had zero college offers so far (unsurprising, as my grades during all of high school until I got transferred were terrible), but I’d been looking at a few technical schools nearby in the hopes that I could maybe find a solid blue-collar job somewhere. On the other hand was Sunset, who’d been getting offers from nearly every school across the country as she’d averaged almost a perfect 4.0 her entire academic career, which was more than enough to get her scholarships. Though it was only February, time flew by fast and I knew it wouldn’t be long before school would be over, summer would rush by, and-

I didn’t like to think of that very much.

“Well, the bus’ll be coming by soon, we’ll need to leave if we’re gonna make it to the stop in time,” Sunset said dismally, her relaxed attitude already fading at the thought of what was awaiting her. I and the girls weren’t enough to keep her afloat in the sea of hatred that constantly rushed over her. Lyra and Bon-Bon, and that ungodly banshee Octavia…

“Wait a minute,” I said, getting up and looking at her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Just stand still for a second,” I said, regarding her for a good minute or two. She, as per usual, was lovely, but it was her usual outfit that she wore almost every single day: leather jacket, purple shirt, jeans that had been worn and washed so many times now that the color was almost totally faded. It was so typical a look for her, and –perhaps just to me- a reminder of the constant torment she faced whenever she wore it.

“Uh… we need to go or we’re gonna be late,” she said.

“We ain’t going. Least not yet,” I said.

She was taken aback by that. “What? No, we need to be there, you need to be there, you know you need to-”

“More important things right now. ‘Sides, gimme just a sec-” I grabbed my phone, sent a quick text, and slid it back in my pocket. “There, that’s done. Just let Miss Cheerilee know that we’re both going to be late, as you’re having some maintenance issues in regards to your apartment and I came over to help you.”

Sunset looked appalled. “You did NOT just lie to a teacher,” she gasped.

“Oh don’t be so shocked, you’ve done it before and you KNOW I’ve done this before. Come on, Miss Cheerilee’s on our side. She’ll make sure our teachers know what’s up.”

“But… what even for?” she asked.

“First, you’re gonna get out of those clothes-”

“What?” she asked, instantly blushing a deep scarlet.

“And you’re gonna change into something different,” I finished. “We’re shaking it up today. You need to go into that school today late, first of all.”

“What? Why?”

“Because it’s something you never do,” I responded. “Octavia, Lyra, all those other bullies? They’ve got your pattern pegged. They know where you’re gonna be, who you’re gonna be with, what you’re doing down to the second. They know exactly what they’re gonna say to you because you’re predictable to them! You need to throw them off right now and come into that school swinging.”

“OK, and that has what to do with my outfit?” Sunset inquired.

“Again, predictable,” I answered. “Same thing over and over. You look gorgeous as per usual, but it’s what’s expected of you. So guess what they’re gonna think when you come in wearing something totally different?”

“That… I’m wearing something different?”

“You’re not following me, babe, think about it: you go in wearing something nice, something different, it’s gonna look like you’re making a change, that you’re not the same girl who they’ve been picking on for months. You’re something fresh, brand new- a downright sexy young lady who ain’t gonna take their crap anymore, you hear me?”

Sunset shook her head, giving me a weary look. “How many times have I told you, it’s not a big deal, I don’t matter-”

“AH! ENOUGH OF THAT!” I yelled, effectively cutting her off mid-sentence. “Not today you don’t. The mentality behind it all is gonna take some work and that’s just gonna have to be over time, but today? No way, you’re not saying a negative thing about yourself. And if they say something, you’re either gonna ignore it or you’re gonna fire right back, you got me?”

Sunset didn’t seem to know what to say to me. It was all those walls she’d built up, to keep people out, to stop herself from doing the wrong thing, and now she was being challenged to tear them down and fight for herself again. She was, if I was guessing right, frightened by the idea.

Come on, beautiful, you’ve got to do this, I thought desperately. This is your chance to prove them wrong, show them all the reasons why I love you- Holy hell, did I just say that?

“Alright… I’ll give it a try,” Sunset said with a shake of her head.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!” I roared, grabbing her by the hand and positively dragging her into her room. “Now come on, we’re gonna find you something new to wear. Something… bright. Cheerful, confident. No hiding in a shell today.”

Sunset rolled her eyes, but underneath the gesture was a small smile that was slowly creeping across her face, as if just a small part was wanting to believe me, and perhaps believe in herself. “A lot of stuff is hung up in the closet,” she said. “Most of what’s in the dresser is just stuff I wear around the house, or do to work, or… you know.”

My jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw her closet. Mini-dresses, dresses, coats and jackets, beautifully designed hoodies, a pair of pristine skinny jeans, a few pairs of crops pants, a few blouses, a snow-white sweaterdress, and even a full-length gown. Not once had I seen her wear any of this.

“The winter stuff should be at the front, all the spring and summer clothing should be pushed to the back,” Sunset offered.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said dazedly. “I’m sorry, why have I not seen any of this before? Just wearing one of these outfits would make you the most stunning girl in school, bar none. Not even Rarity could touch you.”

Sunset gave a shy laugh and said, “Look, it’s all nice, but to go that far-”

“I’m serious, why?” I pressed. “You don’t know how beautiful you are, that’s the only thing I can think of. You’ve- you’ve got to start wearing these. Break out of your shell, show the school who you really are. Prove them wrong for good!”

Sunset look at me, looked at her clothes, then down at the ground as she mulled it over for a bit. “Just one thing,” she said. “I choose it, alright? And once I make my choice, that’s the end of it.”

“Deal,” I said with a grin, eager beyond anything I’d ever been. I couldn’t wait to see what she’d look like, what she’d wear. I could already imagine the looks on everyone’s faces as she walked in, confident and more beautiful than she’d ever been before.

Sunset took her time sorting through her things, carefully looking at each one before she moved on. Finally, after about ten minutes or so, her eyes lit up with that bright spark I’d come to adore and she said confidently, “This one.”

“Which one, pull it out so I can see- Oh.” My heart skipped a couple beats as she pulled out a layered mini-dress the color of a soft fire, its multicolored pattern shining like a burning candle in the dimly lit closet, the fabric already shimmering and shining as bright as the sun.

“It’s the one you bought me,” she said with a smile, “You know, back for Christmas.”

“Yeah,” I said softly, a million memories and thoughts and feelings erupting in me as I saw the dress, every sensation I felt focused solely on her: the excitement when I bought it for her, the joy of when she saw it, the energy and life she brought to me in that moment-

What should have been our first kiss.

“You… you sure?” was all I could manage.

“Yeah, I should’ve worn it already, really,” she said, pulling it off the rack and putting it on her bed. “I want everyone to see it, so I can tell them that you bought it for me because you cared about me. I want everyone to see how kind you are.”

Her smile was so bright and genuine that I felt like I’d run into a wall. She meant every word. I’d pushed her for her own sake, and instead she turned it around and wanted me to share in her newfound strength. Like I was the one who gave it to her. I didn’t know what to say, and I felt touched beyond measure.

“Now get out! I gotta change!” She said, pushing me out of her room and slamming the door shut, I still utterly dazed by her words… as well as my own feelings.

We’d only been together for a little over a month. It’d been a blast, in spite of what the scum at school had tried to pull. She was more than I ever expected or dreamed of, more than I ever could have hoped for. She had problems of self-doubt and was her biggest critic, but when she let go of her inhibitions and came alive- no one on earth could compare to her kindness, happiness and utter joy. She was intelligent, beautiful, and talented in ways I never could be. She was far, far beyond anything I deserved. I think… I think I love her.

The creak of a door being opened and… “Oh jeez,” I moaned, my knees weakening at the sight of her. Her eyes barely open, head slightly bowed, the hems of each layer gently swaying back and forth, her legs wrapped in fire-patterned pants that were skin-tight. She looked up at me with those stunningly beautiful teal eyes, sparkling like stars underneath a wave of brightly colored hair, all of it combining together to make her look like an angel of fire. I’d never seen anything so beautiful in my life.

“How’s… how’s it look?” she asked, a shy smile on her face.

“Like nothing I could’ve ever hoped to see before,” I said, enraptured by every inch of her. “You… you are…” I broke off laughing in a fit of riotous joy, pumping my fist in the air. “Oh man, wait till they get a look at you! You’re gonna stun ‘em into silence without even trying!”

She smiled at me as I went off on my laughing fit, patiently waiting for me to regain control of myself as I rejoiced. “Well, we honestly probably need to get going now. For real, this time. You ready?”

“More than ready!” I said eagerly, taking her arm with utter delight. “This is gonna be one of the best days of my life!”

Sunset and I usually took the city bus system to get around, as neither of us had a car. It was a pretty quick trip from her apartment to school, but it was enough to somewhat prove the point I’d been trying to make all morning. The entire time we were onboard, people kept staring at Sunset, occasional glances and whispers of admiration a near constant. A few guys our age were on as well and kept looking at her, enthralled by her beauty.

“Why are they all staring?” Sunset whispered to me, noticing a little girl sitting with her mother, the young creature not taking her eyes off of Sunset for a moment.

“I’ll give you three guesses,” I replied with a smirk. The day had gone well, and a few seconds later, got even better as the little girl hopped off the seat next to her mother and toddled over to us, gently pulling on Sunset’s skirt.

“I really like your dress,” she said.

Sunset was immediately flustered, her face red yet covered by a happy smile as she looked around for something to say. “Thank you,” she finally mustered, crouching down to be on the little girl’s level. “I love your dress, you look very pretty.”

“My Mommy got it for me. It’s a princess’ dress,” she said.

“You must be a princess, then!” Sunset declared.

“Mommy say I’m her little princess-”

“Alright, young lady, come on, that’s enough,” said the girl’s mother, coming over and scooping up her daughter. “I’m sorry, she’s really talkative. I hope she didn’t bother you.”

“Not at all,” I said smugly before Sunset could say a word. “Y’all have a nice day.”

As the pair left the bus, as if to put the cherry on top, I heard the little girl ask her mother, “Will I grow up to be as pretty as she is, Mommy?”

Sunset bit her lip to stop herself from laughing, then looked over at me and accusingly said, “You made that happen. Somehow you did.”

“I did nothing,” I said satisfactorily. “People are just seeing what I’ve been seeing for ages now. Told you there’d be a difference.”

“Oh hush,” she said, but still smiling nonetheless as the bus carried on. It was as if a small portion of her had actually come to believe what I was trying to say, that she was actually worth something. I began to realize Canterlot High had no clue what was about to hit them.

A few stops later and we were off, just a block or two from school. “Good thing, too, or else we’re gonna be late for second period, too,” Sunset remarked.

We got to school a couple minutes later, and I was in an excited frenzy. I couldn’t wait for everyone to see Sunset, to see how beautiful she was and what she was really capable of being. It was gonna be an awesome day, it was… and then I realized she wasn’t standing next to me. I stopped at the doors and turned around to see Sunset looking up at the building, her left arm cradling her right as she stared ahead with a worried expression on her face.

“Hey, you were the one worried about being late. Come on, we gotta go,” I said.

“I know, I know, just a bit…” she trailed off.

I thought I knew what was on her mind, so I went back down and stood in front of her. “Still nervous?”

She sighed. “Are you sure it’s gonna work?” she asked.

“Yes. Holy hell, yes,” I said firmly. “The bus ride was proof enough I was right, that you’re not what you claim to be. Stop thinking that you’re some hideous, wicked monster- just for one day. Do your best to leave it behind today and see what happens. OK?” When she still remained uncertain, I added, “I’ll be with you the entire time, so don’t worry. I’ll help you out whenever something comes up. Octavia and the rest of those morons ain’t got nothing worth listening to, and they ain’t got nothing on you.”

She looked as if she was about to nod, but instead pulled a face and said, “Are you sure?”

“What? Yeah, course I am! What kind of question- Never mind,” I spluttered, taking her hand and kicking the door open. “Come on, I wanna see the looks on their faces already.”

The bell went off less than ten seconds after we walked in and what seemed like the entire student body was suddenly out in the halls, mingling amongst each other, heading off to their next class, or simply finding a place to relax and detox from the stressors of school. For a little while, Sunset and I went relatively unnoticed as we made our way through the mob of students. It was about three seconds later that I heard somebody say, “Who is that- whoa.”

I turned around to see a guy from junior year -a kid who everyone called Crusoe- looking at Sunset in complete shock, mouth agape in the shape of a perfect ‘O’ as he stared. He kept staring for a moment longer before mouthing “Wow” and heading off, glancing back more than once to try and see her through the crowd.

“That’s one,” I breathed smugly.

“Probably because no one ever though I could be-”

“Ah! Not another word!” I said sharply.

“All I was gonna say was-”

“No negativity. You promised,” I said forcefully.

She gave me a bit of a frustrated look, but I was determined to make this work and prove my point. It didn’t hurt that at that moment Moore and his girlfriend Florina walked by, with Moore remarking, “Damn, she looks fine.” I think Florina was turning around to slap him and then caught a glimpse of Sunset herself, unable to do anything but stare in a hilarious mixture of jealousy and admiration.

“I’ll let that just count as two,” I added.

Sunset gave a mixture of a laugh and a groan. “Fine, I’ll stop. I think you’ve proven your point.”

“Damn right I have,” I said satisfactorally. “Now, relax, let loose, and let’s watch this day happen.”

And, as usual when it comes to human nature, I was right. Sunset nearly knocked half of Miss Cheerilee’s class off their desks when she came in, a couple of the guys more than obviously having to hide their immediate arousal. Awkward, but hilarious to watch as about a dozen people are doing their best to get noticed just as they’re trying to attempt the opposite. I sought out the girls to see their reaction, noticing an unexpected look of surprise on Rarity’s face and a look of delight on Fluttershy’s, though I decided Miss Cheerilee’s expression was best- a look of unsurprised smugness that was rivaled even my own self-satisfaction.

I diverted course from my desk to the front, bending down and whispering quietly, “Sorry about being late. Thanks for explaining for us.”

Miss Cheerilee flashed a quick smile. “While congratulations on getting her out of her shell, I would advise you not to do that again.”

I grinned and went to my seat, happily not paying attention to any of the lesson, more concerned with the fireball beauty that sat nearby. It wasn’t until about halfway through the class that I realized I wasn’t the only one totally transfixed by Sunset’s loveliness: about five or six other guys were shamefacedly gawking at her, while a few of the girls in the class were throwing her admiring looks. Sunset, in typical fashion, was more embarrassed by the attention than anything else, glancing around the room with a red face.

Lunch eventually came around, marking the first time during the day I got to see the rest of the group, the seven of us taking root at our usual table in the thick of the cafeteria. Rarity was the first to truly react, positively gushing over Sunset’s dress and almost losing it completely when she found how that I gave it to her back on Christmas. AJ and I looked at each other and settled for rolling our eyes, our typical reaction for the fashionista’s hyperbolic overreactions.

“Well, what ah wanna know is, what made ya wanna do this in the first place?” AJ asked after Rarity finally settled down, still staring at Sunset’s dress in apparent reverence.

“Huh? Oh, not me, wasn’t my idea,” Sunset, pointing at me. “Who else would it be?”

“You?” Applejack inquired of me.

I nodded. “She needed the boost. And to prove all these jerks around here wrong.”

AJ considered that for a moment before turning to Sunset and asking, “So how do you think it’s been working so far?”

“I’m- well, I’m used to getting a lot of attention, but not like this. Everyone’s been looking at me since I walked in, so I guess it’s worked. It’s nice to have someone looking out for me like that.”

I gave her a smile and squeezed her hand. “It’s what I should be doing for you, ain’t it? We look out for each other.”

Sunset’s eyes gleamed and she smirked. “Or it could be that you’re just a complete softy.”

My smile evaporated and I felt a twitch in my cheek. “Not gonna do this, babe.”

Sunset laughed. “Oh come on, you can’t take even a little teasing. Besides, we all know it’s true.”

“Not doing this,” I said more forcefully, trying to do my best to ignore that everyone else on the table was now watching.

“Stop acting so tough and hard, I know you’re not. You try to make everyone think you’re this hardened ex-gangster when you’re about as soft as Fluttershy.”

“Whoa, that’s goin’ a bit far,” AJ said, eyes widened.

“No, that’s mean- no offense, Fluttershy,” I added.

“It’s alright, I understand what she means,” the young girl said sweetly. “You’d do anything for Sunset, especially keep her safe and happy, right?”

“Like a guardian angel,” Sunset giggled before leaning over and kissing me on the cheek. “Yeah, that sounds like you, for sure.”

What else could I do? I simply shrugged, tried my best to cover up that I was smiling, and brought out my phone and started typing away.

“Oh, don’t be sore, we was jus’ teasin’ ya,” AJ said. “Don’t sulk.”

“I’m not, I swear,” I said. “Actually just looking around online.”

“What for?” Sunset asked, leaning on my shoulder to glance at my phone, catching me surfing through a myriad of photos, all showing vehicles in the near vicinity. “A car?”

I nodded. “Yeah, after yesterday, I think it’s time I get one. Besides, what Manny said… he was right. You and I can’t be just walking around like that anymore.”

“Something happen at the gym yesterday?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Sunset and I looked at one another. This was more serious than our usual foils at school, we’d both been in serious danger. I wasn’t sure how the girls would take it, and sensing I would be a bit too blunt about the matter, I told Sunset, “You take this one, I’m gonna keep looking.”

As Sunset began telling the rest of the group about our run-in with Suds, I kept browsing across my phone for something feasible for my budget. I knew I had about $2700 sitting in my account, and I needed enough for Valentine’s Day on Sunday, so I knew I couldn’t go with something very expensive. Whether I liked it or not, my first car was probably gonna suck.

Or at least I thought. The more I looked around, the more I saw that I could at least afford something serviceable, though not spectacular. It wasn’t a brand new muscle car, but I would at least find one that was decent. After a while, I had three good leads on semi-decent cars that were nearby, and easy to go visit. I think I had a chance.

“Hey AJ, take a look for a second,” I said, distracting the farmgirl from the end of Sunset’s story.

“What’cha need?”

“Take a look at these three,” I said, handing her my phone. “Out of these, which one would you rather have?”

“Hmm…” Applejack scrutinized the cars for a while, looking over descriptions and pictures for anything suspicious. “Ah’d say this one here, second vehicle.”

“Alright, cool. Would you mind coming with me after school to go take a look at it? I want something there who knows more about mechanical stuff than I do. I just punch things.”

“Sure, ah can do that,” AJ said, but not before adding, “That is, if you can force yerself to be away from Sunset for that long.”

We stared at each other for a minute or two before I grinned. “You ain’t got nothing on me, farmgirl. Sorry, but only this vision of radiance and my mother can embarrass me.”

It was then that I noticed, lurking at a table not far away from us, was Octavia and the rest of her group of friends, the unpleasant musician glowering from beside her cello case. Her gaze kept flitting between Sunset and I, grumbling something to Lyra who sat beside her.

My smile must have slid from my face because Rarity took notice and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Just the usual pain in the neck,” I said, gesturing to the table behind her.

She didn’t even bother to turn around and look, having long ago declared that such staring and snooping was unladylike. “Please, darling, you must learn to ignore her and the rest of her troupe of ruffians,” she implored. “She only continues to try and ruin your day because she continually has success doing so.”

“She is not gonna take today away, I absolutely refuse,” I said harshly. “I am not gonna let it happen-”

“Oh relax, what is she gonna do?” Sunset cut in, her words so incredible that the entire table stopped and gaped at her. Looking taken aback by her friends’ reaction, she added, “What? It’s true, isn’t it? All she ever does is call a bunch of names, what else can she do?” To top it all off, Sunset looked over at Octavia, who had just glanced over at her with a fairly murderous expression. That was when Sunset simply smiled and waved.

I could not believe my eyes. I think my jaw went slack and collided with the floor before it finally registered that yes, Sunset had actually just smiled and waved at her greatest tormentor. I burst out laughing, bursting into hysterics when I looked over and saw Octavia had the expression of one who’d just been forced to swallow a gallon of soap.

“For Pete’s sake, t’ain’t that funny,” Applejack said, barely able to hold back a grin of her own.

“I’ve been waiting for that for months,” I managed to splutter out through hiccups. “Oh man, her face- that was the best thing you could’ve done.”

Sunset gave a smile and said, “I wasn’t actually trying to make her mad- no, I’m being honest!” she added at the sight of my skeptical expression. “I just wanted to prove to her that she wasn’t going to ruin your day. This matters too much to you.”

I shook my head, unable to find a more suitable reaction. There wasn’t any way that this day was going to get better… until it did.

The rest of the day went by fairly uneventfully, Sunset and I splitting up for the remainder of the school day, she heading off to Home Ed. whilst I went to my Algebra class, promising to meet her before we left for the day. The next couple hours passed by with me more or less quivering with anxiety, silently pleading with the Creator the for Sunset to continue on with her confidence for the day, begging for her not to burn out.

As I left my final class, I waited at our usual meeting spot with bated breath, praying that she wouldn’t come back as crushed and defeated as she normally would. To my great pleasure –and immense relief- she was still wearing a smile, and even more welcome was to see a few other random students coming up from behind her and dropping a few words, smiles and open expressions on their own faces. It looked like all some people needed was a chance to see her in a different light.

“Classes go alright?” she asked.

“Went well enough,” I said, glancing over her head to see Octavia walking down the hallway, her gaze practically locked onto us. “Hey, I’m gonna need to start heading on out, find Applejack…”

“Going car-shopping?”

“Yeah, I’d rather get it done early. Wanna get you home first, though, make sure you get back safely.”

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry. Applejack’s giving you her time-”

“She’ll understand. I want to make sure you’re alright.”

Sunset opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the loud accent of a young girl, who said, “Ugh, do you still have a reason to be here? Both of you just make the world worse simply by breathing. Especially her…”

I could feel a pulsating sensation in my temple, fear mixing with anger as her words bored into my skull. No, she was not going to take this day away, she was not going to get to Sunset this time.

“A witch and a criminal… it’s like she was the worst person on earth and had to settle for something sub-human. Poor girl deserves it…”

I felt a blood vessel pop and I opened my mouth to fire back and dismantle her smug sense of self-satisfaction-

“Settle?” It was such an unexpected response that I didn’t even realize for a while that the person who had spoken up was Sunset Shimmer. She had turned around to face her tormentor, exuding a palpable aura of indignation. “Settle! As if! You’re just jealous-”

“Jealous?” Octavia cried. “Of you two?”

“Of me,” Sunset said forcefully. “Jealous that you passed up your chance in the first place, jealous that you’ll never get the chance, jealous that you’ll never be able to have someone that’s anywhere near as good, as brave or as kind…” and finishing by turning around to give me a glowing smile and adding… “as you.”

I gave a roar of utter delight that echoed across the hall, coursing its way through the gathering of students who had stopped to watch the argument, and –just like Octavia- were completely and utterly dumbstruck. “OH, did you hear that!” I yelled, immediately bounding forward and getting right into Octavia’s face. “Did you hear that! She just torched your ass, bitch- torched your ass!” I laughed maniacally, taking Sunset’s hand and leading her out towards the door. “Well, there ain’t nothing that’s gonna beat that today. Deuces, people, I’m out!”

Sunset and I struggled to maintain our composure as we made our way through the stunned throng of students, a few of whom look just as inclined to laugh as I did, pushing our way through the doors and out onto the front lawn, where, after a few moments of silence, we burst out into hysterical laughter.

“Where in the hell did that come from?” I spluttered, doubled over and rolling on the cold ground. “I’ve been trying to draw that fire out of you for ages, what happened?”

“I- I dunno, honestly,” Sunset said, wiping away tears. “She’d been saying a bunch of stuff all day since I got into Home Ed. and at first it wasn’t bad, but then she started saying a bunch of stuff about you and I finally just couldn’t take it- it just came out!”

“It was the best thing you’ve ever done. Her face…” My words were lost in a wheeze of laughter. “Oh man, you don’t know how long I’ve waited for you to do that.” After a while I finally managed to recover and we were on our way, my only moment away from her being to send AJ a text and telling her to meet me at Sugarcube Corner.

“So, what do you think of my idea?” I asked teasingly as we stopped at her front door. “Maybe it was a smart thing to do?”

Sunset gave a weary giggle and nodded assent. “It was a good idea, you were right,” she said tiredly. “Kinda wore me out, though. It was fun, but… tiring.”

I shrug and half-nod, understanding her exhaustion, recalling my first days at Canterlot High. “I can understand that. Get some rest, sleep in.”

“See you Sunday?” she called as I walked away.

I felt a chill run down my spine as I remembered, yet again, that Valentine’s Day was coming up- only two days away. “You know it,” I said winningly, my mind starting to get a hold of an idea. I just needed a bit of time to figure it out…

Surprisingly, it actually looked like the car in the pictures I’d seen online. A mid-size black sedan, probably mid-to-late 90’s, some rust eating through on the back bumper.

“How long you had it for?” I asked the owner, a middle-aged man who seemed to be wearing a shirt two sizes too small for his bulging stomach.

“Five years,” he answered pleasantly, waddling over to me with an unrestrained expression of greed on his face as his eyes darted towards my wallet. It was a pretty noticeable bulge in my back pocket now that it’d been stuffed with wads of bills. I wasn’t happy about it, but it made it pretty obvious I was going to buy it. “It’s a solid vehicle, needs a bit of surface work, oil is gonna need changing in about a week.”

“How many miles it got?”

“Oh, let me see…” he scrunched his face in concentration. “Should be somewhere between 105,000 and 112,000, last I recall.”

“Hmm…” I didn’t like the hesitancy behind that sort of answer. “What do you think, AJ?”

Applejack tore herself away from beneath the hood, where she’d been spending the entire duration of our visit as she checked the inner working for any obvious defects or absent parts. “Well, she don’t look terrible, at least,” she said appraisingly. “Just looks sorta like what you’d expect- an old car. Battery’s got some grime on it, looks like the coolant’s low, too.” She turned her attention from me to the owner. “Got a record of maintenance and repairs?”

“Sure do, let me get ‘em from inside. Hang on a sec,” and with that the aging man shuffled back into his house.

“Well?” I asked her when I was certain he was out of earshot.

“It’s not a bad car, but not a great one, either,” she said. “It’s getting’ up in years, so it’s got a chance of givin’ ya problems, but that’s about the best you can do. Y’can’t really afford a car much better.”

“But she’ll do what I need just fine?” I pressed.

“Should, depending on what kinda work he’s done on it,” she answered. “Let’s see how she’s been treated before saying anything else…”

Eventually my overlarge salesman returned from inside with a folder’s worth of paperwork, detailing the various repairs and tuneups he’d done over the years, mileage also provided alongside each entry as well as the date.

“Not bad, been keeping track of it,” I remarked as AJ looked over my shoulder.

“Give it real quick,” she said, and I handed the file over my shoulder. She perused the contents for a good five minutes, scrutinizing every entry within until she snapped it shut with an air of finality, adding a nod of approval. “She’ll work well enough, ah’d say,” she declared. “Probably worth about… oh, $1500 or so right now.”

“$1500?” the owner said indignantly. “Preposterous, I bought it for $4000! $2000, no less!”

“Oh come on, that’s just cheatin’ me outta money!” I said, Applejack giving a grunt of agreement behind me. “The car’s over a dozen years old, right? Can’t be worth that much now!”

“$2000,” he insisted firmly.

“Not so fast, pal,” AJ added, coming alongside me. “Now, in your li’l list of repairs, didn’t you say you jus’ did some work on her about two weeks ago? Car wouldn’t start so you had to replace the battery twice in the span of two weeks?”

Most reluctantly, the owner nodded assent, looking fairly disappointed.

“Look, ah know you want to sell it and get some good cash, but she ain’t worth that much no more. Repairs are creepin’ up on it, ain’t they?”

The man gave a sigh before admitting, “Alright, so $1500’s a fair price. You’re willing to take it?”

“Yeah, sure,” I said compliantly, fishing out a fistful of Benjamins and handing them to the man. “Paperwork for it is in the car, right?”

“Yup, in the glovebox. Don’t forget to get it all registered to your name, kid.”

“Thanks for the reminder.” He tossed me the keys and we shook hands, he still looking a little deflated that he didn’t get as much as he’d wished. “And thanks a lot for the car.”

“Treat her well!” he called before heading back into the house.

“Hey, bring it over to the farm, Big Mac and ah’ll help you check it over, change the oil an’ everything.”

“Aight, see you there in a few,” I said cheerfully, sliding into the front seat –slightly squashed down from the previous owner- and felt a deep sense of pleasure at the sound of the engine coming to life at the turn of the ignition. For the first time in my entire life, I had a car. It felt pretty cool.

Half an hour later, AJ and I were accompanied by Big Mac in the barn as we looked over the vehicle, the older Apple brother showing me around the vehicle so as to be capable of providing decent maintenance on my own. Showed me through the manual, stuff to look for when I checked it up, and recommended replacing the tires soon as I could as the front pair looked fairly worn down.

“Well, now that’cha got a car, what’s yer plans for Sunday?” AJ asked me, the three of us heading up to the farmhouse for a bite of dinner.

“Not sure yet,” I admitted sheepishly. “I mean, I got the tail of an idea, but nothing concrete yet. Gimme a bit and I’ll have something.”

“Don’t do nothing cliché,” AJ advised. “Try for somethin’ special.”

“No way, never woulda thought of that,” I said sarcastically. “That’s the problem, I’m trying to do something that’ll be unique, but I don’t really know what to do. I know I’m gonna get flowers, got an idea for something else, but beyond that-” I made a gesture with my hands. “Nothing.”

“Pity it ain’t spring yet,” AJ said. “You’d have a little more to work with.”

“And don’t I know it, Sunset and I are both warm-weather lovers,” I said.

“Need any suggestions?”

“Nah, I’ll think of something,” I said comfortably. “Just need to really focus on it, then I’ll have it.”

AJ fished out some food from the freezer, tossing it into the oven before turning back to me. “So ‘bout today,” she began, “was it really your idea?”

I nodded. “I got so tired of seeing her so defeated about school, having to face everyone… she needed a reason to believe in herself. And- oh yeah, did you hear her when the two of us were leaving?”

AJ sniggered over a bottle of soda. “Octavia was all sorts of fired up when y’all left. Ah don’t think ah’ve ever seen her so man before, musta been one slap in the face.”

“It was the best thing I’ve ever seen her do,” I replied.

For a while we just stood there in silence, waiting for our meal to be ready, AJ lost in her own thoughts while I tried to formulate an idea for Valentine’s Day. In fact, the more I sat there the better grasp I had on something that could genuinely work. I’d just need-

“You know,” AJ said airily, “ah don’t say it much, but… you two’ve gotten better since you got together. You especially.”

I didn’t quite understand that one. “What makes you say that?”

“You’ve calmed down a truckload,” AJ said, opening the oven and fishing out dinner. “Sunset ain’t gonna see it cause she can’t ever give herself a compliment, but you’ve grown up a lot since she came around. You’re mah friend and we had some influence on ya, but her- no one’s come close.” Her eyes softened as she looked at me with a smile. “She’s softened ya up. You’re still a fighter, but… you’re gentler.”

I smiled, unable to find a single word to say. Though I’d never admit it aloud, I’d come to notice changes in myself since we’d been dating, ones that made me feel more awake and alive than ever before. Yes, there were times I struggled with self-control, but more and more I could hear Sunset’s voice and feel the warm squeeze of her hand, and with each time the burning fires of rage lessened. All because of her…

And with that, I knew what I wanted to do on Sunday.

I watched from a distance, my car parked stealthily behind the dumpster at her apartment complex, waiting to see her walk down the stairs and away with Rarity. I’d been stunned when she’d agreed to help me out, I having figured she’d be preoccupied all day with various guys from school.

“Nonsense, I hardly consider myself that popular,” she’d said with a toss of her hair.

“Please, how many guys came up to you on Friday alone?” I scoffed. “Four or five?”

“I can’t say yes to all of them, you know,” she replied. “Yes, my evening is filled, but I certainly am willing to help you out for a little while.”

Sunset’s flame-red hair came into view as she came dashing down the stairs, practically being dragged by Rarity to the fashionista’s car, looking fairly bewildered as her friend motioned excitedly for her to get in. I breathed a sigh of relief as Sunset reluctantly complied and the two sped off into the distance.

First place they were going would be Coal’s Roastery, the coffee shop where Sunset and I had gone to after our first date, so they’d probably take about twenty minutes to get over there. Depending on fast they found the letter and then moved on to the other two stops, I’d have at least an hour. More than enough to get what I needed done. Wasting no time, I grabbed my bags, raced up to her apartment, dug the spare key out of the pot and snuck right in, immediately setting to work. I tackled the living room first, pushing the couch completely against the wall and –as gently as I could- pushing the TV and game systems aside into a corner to provide as much space as possible. Enough room for later, I decided.

I threw my bags on the kitchen table, unpacking the kitchen supplies Mom had let me borrow and the groceries I’d bought just a few minutes ago. I knew Sunset well enough to know what she’d like, and exactly how she’d like it. It wouldn’t be exactly the most extravagant pasta ever made, but I’d do my best.

I gulped. I wasn’t exactly the world’s best chef. God forbid I mess this up.

More than once I called Mom to make sure I was following the recipe, fearful I was screwing something up. It didn’t take me super long to realize I may have picked something more difficult than I was capable of, and I eventually gave up calling and just kept her on the line until I was done. It took almost a full hour to get it done, but I still managed, culminating in a fairly decent-looking mushroom bolognese. I hoisted the kitchen table and brought it into the living room, setting down the tablecloth and various silverware, and setting a small candle in the dead center of the table before surveying it with pleasure. By no means was it a five-star restaurant, but it didn’t look bad. In fact, it looked pretty good.

I felt my phone vibrate and I looked down to see a text from Rarity: On our way back. Twenty minutes to get back?

I grinned. More than enough. I hastily got to work cleaning the dishes and setting them to dry before heading into her bedroom to find her bed, unsurprisingly, was messy and unmade. One more thing I could do. Once done, I grabbed my bag and changed out of my old faded t-shirt and jeans and into something more appropriate, pulling out a grey button-up and slacks and tossing the bag aside-

Perhaps I threw it a little too hard, as it smacked into her dresser and knocked a pair of books off and onto the floor. I went over and hastily picked them up, brushing them off and setting them back in a neat pile atop the dresser before performing an extreme double-take and pulling one of the books right back off and staring at it intently.

It was a journal of sorts, by the looks of it, bearing a sun-shaped mark on the center cover, its colors the exact same as Sunset’s hair. It was very old, if I was to guess by the texture and feel of the leather. Come to think of it, I’d never felt leather quite like this. It somehow felt different in my hands, like it was a texture I’d never come across before. I was willing to bet that wherever she’d gotten it, it had been a handcrafted item, perhaps as a gift of sorts. But… where on earth did she get it? I felt like I was intruding on something here, something very personal and private- Sunset’s past, the parts of which she’d never tell me.

I could end it right here, right now. All the burning curiosity, all the enigmatic moments and confusion she’d ever shown. I could just open it up and look and I’d be able to know where she came from, what happened to her family… why she wouldn’t ever forgive herself. It was a desire so fierce that it was physically agonizing to put it back on the shelf. I wanted to know so badly, but something told me there would be trouble if I snuck a look into her own private journal. Besides, if I was going to find out, I’d rather she tell me herself. Should I ask her tonight? I shook my head at the very thought. Any mention of her past before she came to Canterlot High always made her depressed, I didn’t want to bring it up tonight of all nights.

I made my way into the kitchen, intently listening for the sound of Rarity’s car pulling up into the parking lot below. Going by my clock, it’d be any minute now.

I bit my lip, wondering if everything had worked out as well as I’d hoped. I’d hidden a series notes at three different places across the city, each containing a portion of a letter I’d written and directions to the next one. I’d been up all Saturday night mulling it over and writing it out, painstakingly working my way through it as I tried to make it perfect.

To my beautiful girl,

It’s been a crazy few months since we first met, hasn’t it? I won’t lie, I was pretty reluctant at first, since I was still fairly angry at you from when you’d pester me. It wasn’t your fault, really. I was just a sorehead. But then you went ahead and helped me out in Miss Cheerilee’s English class, not caring at all that I’d been pretty cruel to you. In fact, you were about the nicest, most cheerful person I’d met.

Yes, that was the first day we met. Know why? Because it was the first day I saw you, you as who you truly are, not the façade you’d put up for so long. And, if I’m honest, it was the day you started to change me…

I heard the sound of a car pulling up below, accompanied by a voice that was definitely Rarity’s. My heart skipped a beat as my mind raced to the second note, the one I’d given to the bartender at the Garage.

…You crept up on me, really. You completely ignored my issues, all my fire and old sins, and instead you pushed for me to become something better- and treated me that way. It was like you saw something inside me that only you could see, and you wanted to bring it out and into the light. I’ll bet I was reluctant at first, but you didn’t really seem to care. You trusted me in a way no one had before, you believed I could be someone.

And, the more we were together, the more I wanted to be…

I heard footsteps outside the door and the sound of a key entering a lock. A bullet of sweat began to form above my right eye and my mind raced to the third letter that I’d put at the ice skating rink downtown, where Sunset and I spent all afternoon for our first month together.

…You were such an unexpected surprise, a surprise of the best kind. Suddenly I was thinking of you all the time, of how beautiful you were, of how kind and thoughtful, and you made me realize what I needed to be. Who I needed to be, because you deserved so much more, a much better person than I was. You were so pristine and perfect, so willing to look out and see the best in others –the best in me- that everything I ever wanted to be changed. I wanted to be someone you deserved, because you were so full of warmth and kindness and a light I’d never seen anywhere else…

Sunset came through the door, her cheeks red from the wind and her hair slightly tussled as she caught sight of dinner set and prepared on the table before her, her wide cyan eyes turning to me and my outstretched hand which contained the fourth and final section of my letter. Her hands trembling ever so slightly, she reached forward and took the sheet of paper from me, unfolding it and reading.

Sunset, I could cross the world a thousand times over, I could see everything life has to offer, see ever sight and treasure to behold, and I know of only one certainty in this world: that I will never find, in this life or the next, a girl as beautiful as beautiful, as bright, and as life-changing as you. Every time you smile it brings me a new joy, every time I hear you laugh it makes my heart swell, and every time you look at me… it makes me want to be a champion, a better person than I was before. You’ve changed me so, and I know I never would’ve come this far without you. My bright streak of shining sunlight, you.

Thank you.

There weren’t any tears when she looked up at me, not a one. Just a smile brighter than any I’d seen before, and that burning, fiery light I’d so come to covet, that beautiful aura that she and she alone exuded.

We ate dinner and talked and laughed, I listening as she told me of her trek across town looking for my notes. She wouldn’t stop gushing, barely able to let go of me as we sat together. She wouldn’t stop talking about me and how kind I was, how sweet and genuine, but I ignored it all. If she only knew how much I’d truly changed, how far I’d come from who I was to where I am. How much of that was because of her, and how desperate I was to keep going because she deserved nothing but the very best I could give her.

After a while I pushed the kitchen table away and freed up the living room, pulling Sunset to her feet and asking her to dance. It was something we’d never done together before, despite my affinity for it and her eagerness to learn. I slowly but surely taught her simple steps from the dances Mom had taught me when I was young, long before I’d followed in my father’s footsteps. Sunset was patient and deliberate with each step, displaying wonderful footwork as I showed her each movement, eventually showing her every dance I knew, from the lively Hispanic styles I’d grown up knowing to slower, more elegant dances I’d learned from classes Mom had forced me to take when I began high school. All the while, Sunset’s hand never let go of me, her eyes hardly daring to leave mine, those lovely jewels shimmering so brightly as the sky darkened further and further until the only light we had was the light above the kitchen sink.

I lost track of time after a while, content to be right in her gaze, her arms around mine, her head draped gently on my shoulder as we slowed and transitioned into a small, simple slow dance.

She meant everything to me. From her slow, calming breathing to the soft touch of her hair on my cheek, it was as if she possessed a magic, a gift that to her alone God had graced. She was my sunshine, my angel of light…

My love.

And sometimes we struggled

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The next couple of weeks went by in a blur of commotion and chaos as Canterlot High suddenly found itself at the mercy of multiple high-credit tests and projects, all of which seemed intent on causing as much anxiety as possible. By far the worst for me was an absolutely wretched History project, which got announced on Monday and was expected completed and finished by Friday. Instead of spending time with Sunset out at the park like we’d planned, I had to spend most of my time in the library or locked in my room, avoiding contact with the rest of the world so I could finish. Sunset herself was just as busy, spending time on a massive online project for Home Ed. and an essay for Physics. We were only able to spend time together at school, and whenever we were together it was a fairly quiet period, the two of us too tired to truly want to talk and too preoccupied with studying to do much of anything else.

Additionally, a lot of the staff began talking to us about an upcoming school event, some sort of musical showcase that they performed annually every year. I didn’t listen to much of it, but it essentially seemed like a talent show, a chance for everyone in the school to show off their musical affinity. To no surprise, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and the others were all for it, eagerly working after school in one of the unused classrooms with various instruments, the five of them constantly discussing the event in bated breath.

“What about you?” I asked Sunset as we left school one day, I having taken the habit of driving her home every day after classes ended. “You think you’re gonna jump in at all?”

Sunset shook her head with a self-conscious smile, looking more like Fluttershy than herself as of late. “No, I don’t really think I’d like… I’m fine just watching.”

“Don’t wanna be the center of attention?” I guessed shrewdly.

She gave a tiny nod, glancing away from me. She’d come a long way since Valentine’s Day weekend, but every now and then she’d crawl back up into her shell and disappear where I couldn’t reach her. My mind flickered to that journal I’d come across- just what was in there that she wouldn’t tell me? The last time I was at her apartment, I’d discreetly snuck in to her bedroom when she was taking a shower to see if it was still there and found that it had been removed from the pile of books that were still present on her dresser. She knew I’d seen it and had obviously decided not to say anything about it, my guess being that she’d then have to do some explaining she’d much rather avoid. More than once I’d been on the verge of asking her about it, but with the anarchy that had erupted at school lately, I’d decided against it. Would be a bit unfair to spring something so apparently loaded on her in the midst of our most difficult workload yet.

Life at school for the pair of us had taken a positive turn as of late, thanks to Sunset’s willingness to go along with my plan. The number of her tormentors had significantly lessened as of late, with random jeers and insults reverberating through the halls almost totally dissipated. Octavia and her group of girlfriends still had to antagonize her, of course, but it was more subdued since Sunset had stood up to her. A lot of times when we passed her by in the halls or the cafeteria she’d give us an absolutely fiery look, punctuated by the grinding of teeth- a sound I came to take deep satisfaction in hearing. For the first time since Sunset and I had started dating, Octavia was starting to get less and less effective. To make things even more wonderful, Sunset had actually started to branch out from just me and the girls, volunteering to be a part of the school welcoming committee for new and visiting students. It was a show of confidence she hadn’t had before.

As for me, my new car brought a sense of freedom I’d never had before. Suddenly I was capable of going anywhere in the city, whenever I wanted to. I wasn’t bound by bus schedules or the timetables of others- I had a say of when and where I could go. I could even… leave the city if I wanted. Explore away from the only world I’d known.

I watched Sunset as she and Fluttershy talked over the picnic tables outside, taking advantage of the lunchbreak to go outside and experience the first real sunshine of the year; beautiful blue skies dotted with small clouds, all indicators of spring finally arriving at last. I could tell by watching her animated expressions and the light in her eyes that Sunset wouldn’t notice me staring. If it was a topic she enjoyed, everything else in the world disappeared.

She’d come a long way, really. True, she pretty much had gone right back to her normal routine, her normal outfits, but every now and then she’d break out and try something different, wear something special, talk to someone she’d never spoken to before… it was as if the true Sunset Shimmer, the one only I’d seen, was trying to come to life somewhere deep inside. Her first step out and into the world had jolted something awake in her heart, and maybe –just maybe- she’d come out of that shell once and for all. She’d pushed me to be so much more, so much better than I was that I was… I was…

For the first time in my life, I was actually taking school seriously. She didn’t know it but the day before I’d ask for a private conversation with Miss Cheerilee, using what would’ve been our usual time together after school for a bit of serious discussion.

“I must admit, I’m rather surprised you asked for me,” Miss Cheerilee had said when I’d sat down in front of her. “What was it you were needing today? Your coursework has become quite acceptable as of late, thanks to Sunset Shimmer’s time with you.”

“No, it’s not about your class, it’s… uh…” Now that I was here I wasn’t really sure what I should be saying. I seemed to have a habit of rushing into ideas with no planning.

Thankfully, Miss Cheerilee was perceptive enough to recognize my uncertainty. “Were you perhaps wanting some advice? Any guidance?”

She’d given me what I needed. “Yeah, yeah I was,” I said quickly. “Yeah, I was wondering… Umm, do you know my GPA? Do you have it on hand, by any chance?”

“Hmm… let me see,” Miss Cheerilee opened up her laptop and began typing away. “I actually do not have a copy myself. However, if Principal Celestia is willing to let me access your information on profile, I’ll be able to let you know…” A few minutes later and she cracked a pleased grin and turned her laptop screen to face me and letting me see, for the first time, my high school GPA.

I winced at the sight. I’d actually started off halfway decently in freshman year, having a 2.5 that year, despite multiple violations and academic infractions. After that it promptly dropped to a 1.7 the next year and a.. a 0.5…

“Ooh,” said shamefacedly, cringing at the sight of my junior year. “I, uh, I can explain that one.”

Miss Cheerilee shook her head, giving me a friendly smile. “There’s no need, all the staff were told of your circumstances that allowed you to come here. Focus on what you’ve done to build up from that instead- after all, you’ve had real improvement since you’ve arrived.”

I shrugged. It was true, but I had other things on my mind. “What’s my score for the current year? I know I’ve been getting pretty much straight A’s in Algebra, but I don’t know much about anywhere else…”

“Hmm…” Miss Cheerilee scrutinized her screen for a moment. “Well, your best class is certainly Algebra II, followed by my own class… your Physics score averages around a ‘C’ and a ‘B-’ so while it’s not bad, you could improve more. The same goes for your History and Astronomy class, both of which have maintained a steady ‘C’ grade throughout your year here.”

“Do you know what I’d need to make a 3.0 for the year?”

Miss Cheerilee thought that one over for a moment, putting the scores together in her mind. “Something tells me that’s not the question you’re truly wanting to ask,” she said gently. “You can put away your embarrassment for the moment. What is it you really want?”

I sighed. “What’s the required entry grade for most colleges around here? What would I need to get accepted?”

Miss Cheerilee stared at me for the longest time, as if measuring me up before she chose to answer. “I think… well, I know the local junior college has a fairly steady acceptance rate, but it’s rather small so the student body is limited. They can only take so many.”

“Alright, what about the state university?” I pressed. “They’re huge, they’ve got to have plenty of room to let people in.”

Miss Cheerilee pulled a strange face, one I’d never seen on her before. Slowly, with deliberate, careful movements, she went to her computer and started to perform a quick search before simply slapping it shut and giving a sigh. “Most colleges… the academic standards are kept at around 2.0 for the entirety of the high school career. Your first three years average a 1.56. To achieve a 2.0 average for all four years, you would need a 3.3 for the end of this semester.”

“OK, I’ll work for it,” I insisted. “What grades would I need to make that happen?”

I’d never seen her look more miserable. “Your Algebra score is steady, but for the rest of your courses, you would need an ‘A-’ and three B-minuses to score… at a minimum.”

I ran it all through my head as fast as I could. Conceivably, an A- in Miss Cheerilee’s class was possible, all I’d need to do was put in my very best for every single piece of homework and testing material I ever got. As for the rest of the classes, I could… I then remembered my History grades. And my Astronomy class.

Now I knew why she’d been so hesitant to continue speaking. “I won’t be able to go to college, will I?”

Miss Cheerilee gave a small defeated shake of her head. “You’ve all but met the requirements for graduation this year, so unless you completely fail all of your end-of-year exams, you’ll be a high school graduate. Unfortunately, that also means you have no time left to ascend your grade any further. You simply won’t…”

I slumped back in my chair, a hollow sensation gnawing away at my stomach. So that was it, then. I couldn’t go. No potential to go off and… and, and do something with myself.

“There are technical schools within range that could offer you some certifications, of course,” Miss Cheerilee said suddenly, returning to her computer. “With your skills in math you could certainly possess some amiable mechanical skills, or perhaps enter an IT program. Your abilities are there in that field.”

“Yeah, I guess,” I agreed half-heartedly.

Miss Cheerilee paused and stared at me. “I can’t say I understand your frame of mind, really,” she remarked. “Miss Shimmer has certainly done wonders for you, but you never seemed very interested in academics. Tell me, what’s caused the sudden change of mind?”

I fought as hard as I could, but to no avail. My face flushed as the answer crept, unbidden, to the forefront of my mind. I didn’t want to admit it, but the more time I spent around Sunset the more I wanted to be able to be able to provide for her. Not just now, but to provide a future. One that she deserved. That, and maybe if I worked hard enough, the two of us would be able to head off to college together, and-
I then realized I had a stupid smile plastered across my face. Miss Cheerilee was looking at me with an amused expression that told me full well she knew exactly what I was thinking about. Come to think of it, she probably did. She’d caught me writing notes to Sunset in class at least three times now.

“Oh knock it off, I didn’t say nothing!” I said angrily, doing my best to cover my embarrassment.

Miss Cheerilee laughed at the sight of me. “You never were very good at hiding your feelings,” she remarked kindly. “At least no one will ever be able to say you’re not transparent.” She continued to laugh, leaving me there helpless. It wasn’t an unkind sound, more an expression that could only befit someone’s happiness. I couldn’t help but give a small, awkward smile of my own. “Well, I don’t know what to tell you now. I can give you some advice on some technical schools to look at. You’re not the first student I’ve had that wasn’t suited for college. Don’t feel too bad, it’s not meant for everyone.”

She invited me around her desk so I could see what I had at my fingertips- a surprising amount, considering. Online schools where I could add credits, vocational schools and other places. It was more than what I’d expected, at the very least. I wrote down a couple of websites that I was interested in and decided it was enough and prepared to leave. Yet, just as I entered the doorway, I stopped.

“Is something the matter?” Miss Cheerilee inquired.

I turned back to face her. “Um… I know I don’t usually say much, but- thanks.”

She blinked. “For what?”

“For all the help,” I said in a rush, worried I’d lose my nerve if I stopped. “You kept pushing me to do better and I know that my better grades have made Mom really happy and it’s helped me out a lot, too, cause if you hadn’t taken Sunset up as one of your tutor’s I’d never have come to l-”

And my courage failed me right then and there, I having to settle for swallowing the last of my words and leaving them to die somewhere in the pit of my stomach. I looked down at my feet and rubbed my shoulder, having no clue what to say next.

I heard the groan of metal and jumped when I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I looked up to see Miss Cheerilee giving me a warm, motherly smile, showing yet again that she knew of what I could never say, would never be able to say. “You’re welcome,” was all she said.

I smiled back and then departed, feeling better and more hopeful than I thought I ever would. My future wasn’t one set in stone, nor was my future with Sunset as I’d hoped. But I had something to look forward to for the first time in my life, and future to offer the girl I loved. Maybe, for the moment, that was enough.

The middle of March came around in an unexpected rush, the blur and haze that had come through the heavy workload the week prior almost causing the rest of time to creep suddenly upon us. With the warmer weather also came increased responsibilities for me and the Apple family, as the entire farm was due for spring renovations across the board, not including everything we’d need to prep for sowing seed and readying the orchards. It was such a massive undertaking that AJ and I were spending a disproportionate amount of time discussing plans together for the renovations. One Wednesday afternoon spent in the cafeteria, we almost totally ignored the others and sat at the end of our usual table, poring over books and charts and expenditure graphs for the rest of the year.

“Look, I know it’s a bit of a stretch, but the barn should be priority number one,” I remarked, absent-mindedly bringing a forkful of shredded pork to my mouth. “It doesn’t just need repairs it needs an extension and restoration of storage supplies. We kept putting it off all winter and now look. It’s gonna start raining hard soon and you know it.”

“Ah know it’s gonna be the rainy season soon, that’s why ah want to work on the irrigation ditches and tilling the fields first,” AJ replied. “Not just in the orchard, but on the cornfields and the vineyard. Granny Smith bought a big helping of grape seeds and she’s been working on gettin’ a license for starting a winery in the cellar- we ain’t been usin’ it for nothin’ lately.”

“See? That just adds to my point,” I pressed. “What good is having the seeds if we have faulty equipment? The tractor’s engine needs work, the bushel barrels need replacing, and we need a better trailer than the one we’ve got now. It’s too small an you know it.”

“Ah know it’s too small,” AJ replied testily. “The problem is that even the one we have now is fairly expensive and anything much bigger is gonna start pushin’ everything outta price range.”

“The orchard’s too detached from the rest of the farm- least the west orchard is. It’s a heavy-duty job to bring all that stuff out there and walk back, it’s a lot of wasted manpower to keep bringing all of the supplies back and forth by hand.”

“We don’t bring it by hand, we got the tractor,” AJ reminded me heatedly. She never did like it when I contradicted her on farming. “The trailer’s good enough for bringing everything out-”

“But it’s not,” I insisted. “Neither the tractor nor the trailer are gonna last much longer unless we start doing something about gettin’ them fixed-”

“Excuse me, are you two just going to get louder and louder until everyone in the school can hear you?” Rarity asked cynically. The two of us stopped our commotion and turned to see the entire rest of the table staring at us, AJ and I having unwittingly been leaning closer and closer the more intense we became.

“Uh…” Applejack stared at me and I stared right back, neither of us sure what to say, what could we say? We’d been called out fair and square. I could feel the shame crawling through my skin, mostly because I’d just shown my temper in front of Sunset for no good reason. I’d been making a marked effort to be more patient and tempered ever since AJ had said I’d gotten calmer, a compliment that meant enough to make me put a little effort into it. This… this was a step back or two.

“What’s the matter, anyway?” Sunset asked the two of us.

“Budgeting,” I answered with a huff. “AJ wants to put the money towards renovating the cellar and getting crops ready, but I say the equipment’s not work-worthy anymore. It kinda…” I let my voice trail off, my embarrassment getting the best of me again. I should have done better than this…

“Hmm…” Sunset rustled around in her backpack for a few moments, digging around for some paper and a pencil-

A flash of red and yellow on a leatherbound case. It was only for a moment but I knew I saw it. Her journal, she’d been keeping it in her backpack… why had she brought it here of all places? The moment Sunset returned and turned back to me I turned my gaze away, not wanting her to know I’d seen it. If she had caught me, she gave no indicator of it.

“OK, so how much money is on the budget right now?” she asked, putting pencil to paper. AJ tossed a couple of papers her way, covered in numbers and expenditure signs. Sunset snatched them and began writing away.

“Uh, babe, what are you doing?” I asked slowly.

“Just trust me,” she said simply. “How much money would it take to replace the trailer and fix the engine?”

“That’s easy, about $700 for the trailer and… what, $5,000?” I said, turning to AJ who gave a nod of agreement. “Yeah, so $5,700 total for the two.”

“Alright…” she looked it over for a second. “Applejack, how much do you usually have to spend on maintenance and upkeep per month?”

“Oh… say $7,000,” Applejack answered unhappily. “Always having to buy feed, there’s work on the perimeter fences and the fences around the coop and the pigpen. Not to mention just keeping the house in order.”

“That seems like a lot,” Sunset replied, voicing my thoughts exactly. “Couldn’t you makeshift a lot of the repairs with materials left over?”

AJ mulled that over for a bit. “We do get a lot of wood thrown away when we’re fixing the fences. Ah’d say yeah, we could.”

“You’ve got plenty of barrels sitting down in the cellar, right?” Sunset inquired. “You could use a lot of those as makeshift bushel barrels, couldn’t you? Just cut them in half and put sealant on them to keep them tearing apart?”

AJ shot me a glance as a grin began to form on my face. I think I knew where this was heading. Sunset continued to work on her figures for a little longer before pushing her paperwork over to the two of us. “It’s not a lot, but it should help you prioritize where you want to put your money first. You’ll need to put repairing your equipment as number one, but unless the roof in the barn is leaking, you shouldn’t have to worry about that right now. The wine cellar can be makeshift for the time being until you start getting more of a profit from the vineyard. Sound OK to the two of you?”

Applejack sat there in shock, unable to say a word. Her eyes kept darting between Sunset and her paperwork, unable to decide which was more important. “How did… how did you do that?”

I let out a booming laugh, relishing in the pride for a little while. “We just got schooled and she hasn’t worked at Sweet Apples Acres a day in her life!” I roared. “Should’ve known she would-”

“I’m just trying to help, that’s all,” Sunset said meekly. “I mean, it’s important to you all, so I just wanted to-”

I gave her a hug in thanks, effectively cutting her off. “We appreciate it,” I said warmly. “Shoulda known you’d have something, why else would you be getting letters from Yale?”

“She has?” Rarity asked. “I mean, you have?” she added, turning to Sunset.

“Well, it was just a pamphlet,” Sunset said sheepishly, giving me a look that said I shouldn’t have mentioned it.

“It’s her fifth college offer this week,” I added, receiving a glare from my girlfriend yet again. “Getting a lot of scholarships racked up, too.”

The entire table looked extremely impressed, though Sunset did her best to wave it all off. Turning to me, she said under her breath, “Why did you do that? You know that’s just between you and me, I don’t want them to feel bad-”

“They’re your friends, they’re gonna be happy for you,” I replied quietly. “Come on, you know full well why I do stuff like that.”

It was because I loved her, but I’d been kinda hesitant to let that out into the open. After all, we were only creeping up on two months, it hadn’t been long. I didn’t want to seem clingy or desperate or extreme. I just wanted her to be happy, and encouraging her was my way of doing just that. Declaring my love would… it probably wouldn’t help. I’d had creeping doubts about myself lately in regards to her that were making it a bit more difficult.

Thankfully, Sunset didn’t read much into it –or pretended not to- and simply gave a smile and shake of her head.

“Hey Sunset, just cause it got brought up, where are you gonna go from here?” Rainbow Dash inquired. “You haven’t scheduled any campus visits yet, right?”

Sunset shook her head. “I’ve been thinking about it, but… I don’t really know yet. It’s a bit daunting, I guess.”

I perked up when that went through my ears. That wasn’t the answer I’d expected. Academics had never been a problem of hers, and if I was honest a full social reset would probably do her way more good than harm. I didn’t like the idea of her going off somewhere super far away of course, but it would bring her a lot of benefits.

“What’s so bad about it? You’d do fine, classwork’s never really been a problem for you,” I said.

“I know, it’s not that,” she replied. “It’s just…” Her gaze kept darting back and forth, deliberately avoiding having to focus on a single thing, including me. It was something she’d come to do a lot when she was uncomfortable. A nervous tic of sorts.

Thankfully, I could usually help her when she was like this. I took a gentle hold of her wrists, wrapping my fingers around them and slowly, calmly worked my up to intertwining my hands with hers. “What’s up? You OK?”

“I’m fine, really,” she insisted, her anxious flickering promptly ceasing as she came to focus on me. “I just don’t like thinking about the future much.”

“Why not?” I queried. “It’s not like it ain’t gonna do you any harm, you get to leave this wretched place behind and be rid of all the people that drag you down-”

“I know that,” she said suddenly, a strange inflection in her voice that I hadn’t heard before. I had to sit there for quite a while before I realized it was the smallest tinge of sorrow. “That’s not why- cause I know you think about it, too.”

So she knew. I gave a sigh and put an arm around her and bringing her close, doing my best to cheer her up.

“You two good?” AJ asked quietly from across the table. She knew of Sunset’s anxious quirks and probably saw it just as I had.

“We’re fine,” Sunset answered softly. “Just thinking a little, that’s all.”

All I could do was nod in assent. What more could we do? We only had a little more than two months of school left, our graduation day already announced- June 5th. Sunset and I were fast approaching adulthood and that meant our next big step in life would probably take us to places far away from one another. We’d have the summer together, but after that it was a great big unknown. And it probably meant I’d be separated from her. Forever.

The rest of the day went by fairly quickly, Sunset and I going to our different classes for the rest of the day. It was another heavy load of problems for the day, something I was grateful for as it helped keep my mind somewhat occupied. However, the all-too-familiar sound of the bell ringing tore through my ears and the day was done. I headed off to my locker where Sunset would usually meet me, I having become her daily ride home. In fact, about a minute after I arrived at my destination she materialized from inside the crowd and met me.

“Hey, um…” she shuffled around awkwardly, staring at her feet. “Are- are you OK?”

I was rather surprised by that statement. It had always been me asking that of her, not the other way around. “Yeah, I’m alright,” I said, not really sure of what else to say. “Lunch just shook me up a little, that’s all. In fact,” I added, turning to her. “Wanted to say I was sorry about getting so frustrated earlier.”

“Huh?”

“Shouldn’t have been so angry with AJ, it wasn’t a big deal,” I explained. “I know better than that, I should’ve done better, too.”

“Hey, it’s alright,” Sunset replied, pulling my arm and wrapping herself within it. “You messed up, that’s all. I know it’s tough for you and it’s not like you haven’t gotten better.”

“Still…” I protested.

“Don’t worry,” Sunset said, stepping closer to me. “Just remember that I’m here if you need me, OK? I know you’ve…” she faltered for a moment before regaining composure. “I know you’ve got a pretty rough past and there’s a lot of things you don’t like to talk about, but if you just need some help, it’s alright to ask.” When I kept staring at her, she gave the smallest smile and leaned in further, adding, “I want to be there for you in the bad times, too. And promise me you know I wouldn’t just go off somewhere and leave you behind.”

It was the most unexpected thing she’d ever said to me, our fates reversed for this strange moment in time. I’d always done my best to protect her, keep her safe and happy, not just because it was the honorable thing to do but because I genuinely wanted what was best for her. It was so weird for me to think she’d want to do the same for me. To say I could open up about some of the truly dark things I’d done, show her what I’d endured… it was a little surreal. Though I was genuinely touched by the offer, I couldn’t help but have a small question burning in the back of my brain. If she was asking me to talk about my darkest moments, why was she so unwilling to speak to me of any of her own?

Sunset looked away from me for a moment, distracted by something out of my peripheral vision. “Why is everyone on- what are they all watching?”

I tore my gaze away from her beautiful visage and saw what appeared to be almost the entire school on their phones, small groups having materialized all across the halls. I could only see a few of their faces but the general reaction seemed to be amusement. What on earth was getting passed around the school so quickly?

There was a sudden jolt in my hip pocket and I grabbed my own cell to see I’d gotten a text from Rarity, simply stating: Don’t let Sunset see it.

I felt a lurch of foreboding as unease crept through my bones. It had to be something about her, Rarity wouldn’t have warned me otherwise. After all the progress she’d made, if it was something serious…

I must’ve been pulling a face because Sunset turned her attention back towards me. “What’s wrong? You look worried-

“Stay here,” I said quickly and slouched over to the nearest group of students, a few of whom backed away in immediate apprehension at the sight of my presence. I examined the gaggle for a quick moment: simple kids, just a bunch of freshmen. This wouldn’t be hard. “Let me see it,” I said harshly.

“But we were told not to-” one young boy protested.

“Now,” I said, my tone reaching a dangerously soft tone and the kid handed me his phone. It was something video somebody’d posted on MyStable, the title proudly displaying the words, “Some people never change.”

The quality early on was shoddy, some crappy cell phone video from a couple years. Despite that, there was no mistaking that wavy red-and-yellow hair or that leather jacket. This was a video of Sunset, who seemed to be towering over another girl from our year- Lavender was her nickname, I think. Somehow Sunset had cornered her and had quite a crowd going around for whatever it was she was doing. And then the audio kicked in, Sunset yelling at Lavender so as to ensure everyone could hear her. “You obviously have nothing better to do with your time, so you just decided to sell yourself out as a whore,” Sunset was saying, her voice abrasive and oozing sarcasm. “Your father must be so proud- or maybe he would be if he hadn’t left you and your mom.”

The entire portion went on for what felt like forever, Sunset just pushing and needling Lavender until the poor girl ran from the scene in a stream of tears, her own cries easily audible even with the crappy quality. In the back of my mind I knew I’d come across Lavender before, and she actually had a reputation for sleeping around with a lot of the guys here. Was this… was this why? Had Sunset humiliated her so badly she’d just gotten stuck with the moniker?

Then the clip became spliced with another and I felt my insides shrivel as it turned into a scene from a porno, with Sunset’s head cut and pasted over one of the participants. I didn’t hear the audio after that as a loud, high-pitched buzzing began to ring in my ears, occasionally interrupted by a deep, furious pulsating sensation in my skull.

I shut it off immediately, throwing back the kid’s phone so quickly that I nearly knocked out a couple of teeth. “I- I- I promise, I wasn’t the one who put it up, I swear,” he stammered, his every sense honed in on me in utter terror. “We got told to watch, everyone did-”

“I know who did it,” I said savagely. “Watch it again and I will find you, do you hear me?” The kid could barely utter a sound, only managing a tiny squeak before I left.

Sunset read me like a book as I walked back over, her countenance falling almost immediately. “It’s about me, isn’t it?”

“It’s not-” I began to say.

“Hey Sunset, what’s your going rate?” somebody yelled from across the hall.

“I got fifteen dollars in my pocket, will that get me anal?” crowed another.

I winced as the barrage continued, those in the school who still loathed Sunset taking their opportunity to put in a few good barbs, each one piercing her and deflating her spirit even further. “Don’t even listen to them, don’t let them in for even-”

“What was it you watched?” she asked me, her voice taking a turn for the tremulous.

There was no way I could answer that. “You don’t need to see it,” I warned her.

Then came the minute jingle from her phone and she pulled it out of her pocket to take a look, staring at the screen for a few seconds before giving a sigh. “Looks like I’m gonna see it anyway,” she said dully. Her phone went off again, and then an absolute flurry of notifications came through, her countenance falling with the arrival of each message.

“Holy hell, what did she do?” I said in disgust.

“She must’ve put my number online somewhere. It wouldn’t be hard to accomplish,” Sunset said. She sighed and slung her bag over her shoulder. “Come on, let’s just go…”

“No. No way in Hell,” I said indignantly. “This is sick, and putting your number up on the world’s bathroom wall is putting you at risk. I’m gonna go find her and put an end to this.”

“Just forget it, it doesn’t matter,” she replied. “Octavia’ll just end up doing something worse if you try and confront her.”

“And what makes you say that?”
Sunset shrugged. “Just a guess that she’s doing this because I stood up to her. Now can we please just leave?”

If only it were that easy. Maybe it was because I was stubborn, or perhaps because one of the few good things I ever learned from my old life was you never messed with somebody’s crew. Either way, I just couldn’t do what she asked. “Wait for me, I’ll be out in just a bit,” I said.

“No. Now don’t go and do something- wait a minute!”

For one of the first times in our relationship I ignored her. I couldn’t let this go, or else it’d be a ceaseless assault of antagonistic hatred. I knew exactly where to go, finding Octavia amidst her friends, all of whom seemed to be fairly pleased with themselves over something particular. I could hardly imagine what.

“Hey, bitch! If that’s how you’re gonna play then why don’t you have the ovaries to at least own it?” I called, breaking the group from their shared reveling and getting the stupid slut’s attention.

“What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything,” Octavia replied, her voice oozing a false innocence. It was like hearing kind words from a crocodile.

“Please, you’re the only one in this whole damn building who doesn’t have a soul, who else is gonna pull something that lame?” I snarled back, positively shoving my way through the crowd to reach her, to get in arm’s length.

“She’s a stupid bitch who deserves everything she gets, that’s not my fault,” Octavia said, trying to do her best to disregard me, instead returning to her phone.

Not gonna happen. I slammed through and snagged her cell right from her fingers, shoving my way in front of her and putting absolutely no space between the two of us, her furious gaze matching mine. “You,” I breathed, “you do not ignore me. What you did is just plain sick, that is all sorts of effed up-”

I felt something grab hold of my arm and start tugging, pulling Octavia’s phone from my grasp. “Come on, just go, it’s not worth it-” It was Sunset.

Octavia smirked, looking beyond me at the girl pulling at my arm. “And you call me a coward,” she sneered. “Your girlfriend doesn’t even have the guts to come and actually do this herself. The best she can do anymore is just run. At least when she was a total trainwreck she had a pair.”

“You listen to me, if you ever try and do something like that again, I will make you suffer-”

“Please, what are you going to do? You can’t do anything to me, you can’t do anything. You can’t even protect her. All she’s done is lose any fight she ever had, thanks to you.”

“She was right, wasn’t she?” I said, calling out clearly so everyone could hear me, I still doing my best to resist Sunset’s attempts to get me to leave. “When she said you were jealous? You’re jealous that she can actually be happy and you can’t. You foul piece of human trash-”

“Oh, I’m the piece of trash,” Octavia jeered. “Do you even know why her parent aren’t around?”

Sunset’s efforts ceased almost immediately and I felt the entire group of spectators take a breath. Something had just changed. “The hell are you talking about?” I wondered.

Octavia gave a smile reminiscent of a psychopath about to deliver the killing blow. “What, has the pathetic cow not told you?” she asked. “Her parents left her when she was just a kid, not even her own mother wanted her. When she got here, she started sleeping around with every guy in school, all because she could never get over Mommy and Daddy not being around. So unless she’s just leading you on, you’re probably the 100th person she’s f---ed. Congratulations, you’re not even close to important-”

It was extremely, extremely lucky she dodged, because I threw the punch with such force that I broke through the wall, leaving a sizeable hole in the drywall. “You bitch!” I roared, swinging around to locate her, finding her standing behind a trio of her friends. “I am gonna f---ing tear you apart!”

She smiled as I advanced towards her, my arm swung backwards as I prepared to deliver a devastating hammerfist to her skull, my blood absolutely seething, my vision a crimson red as I thought solely of ending her existence, of mutilating and desecrating that face that I’d so come to hate, of ruining her life and her future so she could never speak another word and every-

I felt something pulling on my arm and another presence directly in front of me, the two of them pulling me away from my would-be victim before I could deliver the crushing blow-

“No, sugarcube, don’t do it!” Applejack hissed, her voice drawn and tight like I’d never heard before. “You made a promise, now keep it!”

“Let me go, AJ, I’m gonna kill her,” I seethed, my voice absolutely ragged with rage-

“Please, you’ve got to stop, you’re not thinking,” Sunset choked, her hands on my chest as she tried to push me away, her cyan eyes wide with panic as tears poured down her face. “You’re not thinking, you need to get out of here right now, you need to go-”

“Yeah, just listen to the girl who’s trying to ruin your life,” Octavia mocked happily, leaning against the wall and looking on in delight. “Just know I warned you.”

“Why don’t you just shut the hell up!” AJ barked, her anger, for the moment, turning to my tormentor before returning straight back to me. “Come on, we need to get outta here,” she whispered urgently. “You need to get out before you get in trouble.”

They very nearly had to drag me out, the two of them holding my arms so as to ensure I didn’t turn right about and go after that profane troll. It was a miracle I didn’t do just that, instead allowing them to escort me straight out of school and into the parking lot where my car awaited.

“That was about the dumbest thing you could’ve done, you know that?” AJ said angrily, pacing back and forth in front of me. “That wasn’t just stupid, it was dangerous. You nearly put everything you had to lose at risk- do you even care that you would’ve been expelled? Maybe even arrested?”

“How do I just let her say whatever she wants, how the hell does that make any sense?” I demanded furiously. “So I should just let her say and do whatever she wants-”

“This is not about her, this is about you maintaining some sense of self-control or else you lose everything-”

“Did you even see what she did?!” I shrieked. “Did you hear her- any of it at all?”

AJ, to her credit, didn’t back away an inch. “Ah saw and heard every little bit,” she said with an air of forced calm. “Ah was looking for you two the moment ah found out what was goin’ on, cause ah figured she’d try to do something to you. Now you need to relax-”

“Please, just listen to her!” Sunset begged, speaking for the first time in a while. “Just drop it and let’s go, please? Can we please just go?”

I was utterly flabbergasted. “How can you- she is doing all of this to hurt you, how are you gonna let her just go off scot-free and be OK with it?”

“It’s not- just let’s go, let’s just go, OK?” Sunset asked again, this time more pressingly. “It’s not worth it-”

“How is defending you not worth it?” I demanded. “Huh? Tell me that? Why should I let her just do whatever she wants to you?”

“Because then she hurts you, too,” Sunset said. “She’s trying to get to me through you, so please don’t let her! I don’t want it to be my fault that somebody else’s life got ruined again.”

“There ain’t nothing she can do to me-”

“Drop the invincible act and just get out of here,” AJ said harshly. “Ah thought that maybe you’d grown some common sense but it seems you still got none. Now leave before AH do something ah regret.”

I snarled but relented, Sunset and I piling into my car and heading off away as fast as I could drive. I probably spent most of the trip well over the speed limit but I could hardly bring myself to care. Such a minor thing such as safety was far from my mind…

She’d done it again, somehow. In some way, Octavia had managed to get to Sunset and hurt her in a way I couldn’t even stop. It was so unbelievably unfair that I couldn’t prevent this, that I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t stop someone I love from getting hurt, even now. I hated the sense of helplessness and weakness that came with that.

We got to Sunset’s apartment in record time. The moment I opened the front door she raced ahead and went in to her room, slamming the door before I could even reach her and do anything. I waited out on the couch for a few minutes before I accepted that she wasn’t coming out. I fixed her a small meal and left it sitting on the kitchen table before leaving.

Mom didn’t say much when she saw me, only noting that I had a face that spoke of a thousand pains. I didn’t pay her much heed, simply grunting before heading off to my room and closing the door. If I wanted to shut myself away from the rest of the world after what I’d been through, I couldn’t imagine how Sunset felt.

I stewed in there for a while, trying to beat my brain into functioning, to find some way of making any of right. I couldn’t, though I had some pretty satisfying imagery of me beating the hell outta Octavia. Eventually I just gave up and called AJ, hoping she’d be able to answer a few questions.

“Ah hope you’re calling to apologize,” she said the moment she picked up.

“Not really feeling it at the moment,” I replied shortly.

“Figured as much, ah’ll get it from ya later,” she sighed. “What do you want?”

“Something Octavia said about Sunset- about her parents, too,” I said hesitantly.

“You wanted to know if it was true or not?”

“Mhm.”

“Darlin’, do you really think that Sunset would just use you like that-”

“AJ, that’s not why I’m calling, I trust her,” I cut through. “I just wanted to know if what she said was for real.”

“Then all ah can say is ah don’t know,” AJ answered. “Not long after she arrived at school, a lot of rumors about Sunset began poppin’ up. Strange ones, mind you. And yes, two of them were the ones Octavia told you today.”

“So they’re just...?”

“Ah think so. No one ever found out if it was.”

Well at least that. While I wasn’t surprised, I was still a little relieved.

“Why are you asking me this, anyway? Why not just ask Sunset herself?”

“She- she won’t tell me. I don’t know how to bring it up to her, and it’s like she intentionally dances around it,” I said heavily. “I was wondering, has she ever spoken about her past with any of you? Like where her parents are, any of it?”

“Only the smallest o’ pieces,” AJ admitted. “It’s… it’s not a pretty sight, darlin’. This is something you’ll need to hear from Sunset herself. And just…”

“Just what?” I pressed.

“Jus’… be gentle,” AJ said. “If she’s so unwilling to talk about it, it means it still hurts. Sunset’s done a lot of things she ain’t proud of.”

“So have I,” I reasoned.

“All the same, it may be harder for her to accept than you,” AJ said. “She’s probly worried about how you’d react.”

“I don’t care what she’s done, I love her and that’s that-” I slapped my hand over my mouth straightaway. I hadn’t meant to let that slip.

AJ’s end of the line was silent for a while, the call as lifeless as a corpse. But then, as if from a great distance, I could hear a strange choking sound. “If you love her, then don’t push it,” AJ said finally, her voice husky. “She’ll tell you when she’s good and ready.”

As the next several days went on, it seemed as if I had detonated a primal hatred within Octavia. The vile cellist became a vicious monster, dead set on hurting and punishing Sunset in every way she knew how. Every day came a new video showing Sunset committing some sort of crime, followed by another graphic depiction of sex. Other edits came in, Sunset’s face plastered on all of them until it seemed my girlfriend was being sent an absolute deluge of pornography and threats from anonymous numbers for what seemed like every second of every day. It was a torrent of disgust so persistent that there was literally nothing I could do to stop it. There was no proof that Octavia was behind it, and not once would she admit to the crime. She knew that Sunset would never bring it to anyone, either, and the disgusting girl gloated over Sunset’s pain every time they met. It seemed that Octavia had finally gotten revenge for being stood up to.

Sunset’s burgeoning confidence evaporated almost overnight. It was like time had reversed and fall had returned, and Sunset had just turned a new leaf. All the shame and embarrassment she felt at all her old decisions crept up again with each new video or picture that got spread across school. She began to wilt despite my and our friends’ best efforts, reverting to the quiet, sad girl that I’d once known. It was horrible to see the regression; her disposition was a perpetual quiet dejection, doing her best to concentrate on schoolwork and speaking as little as possible. Though every once in a while, I’d look up to see her looking at me with a glazed, unfocused gaze. She’d look straight at me, but even when I smiled at her or said something to her, she wouldn’t react at all. At least for the first few seconds, then she’d give a shake of her head and return to her work.

And I? I felt horribly guilty, as Sunset had predicted just this. Octavia had somehow managed to sink to a new low, cutting straight through my girl’s heart in a way I couldn’t stop. Despite my best efforts, I hadn’t found where Sunset’s number had been posted, though I suspected it had been placed on more than one porn website across the internet. Finding it now would be almost impossible. I hated to admit it, but this was probably my fault for trying to get Octavia to stop.

Wednesday came to pass, and I found myself waiting on Sunset to show up from her last class, I standing at my locker. I was worried about her, she’d lost so much ground because of all this… and that had a lot to do with me. I was hoping I’d be able to make it up to her. Whenever we’d been driving back to her apartment, she’d immediately hop out of the passenger side and head up and close the door before I could reach it. Hopefully she’d let me in this time.

“Aren’t you usually gone by now, darling?” I looked up from my phone to see Rarity standing before me with an air of mild surprise at the sight of me.

“Waiting on Sunset, that’s all,” I grunted, performing a quick pop of my neck. “She’s been taking her time the past couple days, I’m not sure why.”

“Oh.” Rarity suddenly looked embarrassed, glancing down at her feet as she kicked the air. “Well, umm… darling, she already left.”

“Wait, what? When?” I asked.

“Right when she was leaving class, she said that you and she had agreed- oh, dear…” Rarity seemed unusually self-conscious. “I guess, after… after today, she just wanted to be alone. Right now. For… umm…”

All her movements and expressions indicated I’d missed something big and she really didn’t want to tell me. “What happened?”

“Well, you see dear, it’s not something that actually happened, more what was said…” Rarity hawed.

“Rarity, just tell me, will ya? Jeez, y’all act like I can’t handle this crap.”

“Well…” she gave a nervous giggle. “Well, you have been known to get a teensy bit angry. At people… from time to time.”

I gave a gusty sigh. “Rares, I’m beyond anger, I’m ashamed. I made this worse, so just show me. I’m gonna hear about it eventually.”

Rarity looked around awkwardly in search for an escape route before accepting defeat. She fiddled on her phone for a few seconds before bringing up a webpage with an article captioned, “Shame a bully.”

I could’ve guessed most of what was on it. I recognized Octavia’s signature everywhere, her style of talk evident on every single stinking inch of it. It looked like Sunset had been added to the site just last night, though the entire thing was fairly extensive. Clips from all the way back in freshman year until the start of the school year, a smattering of pictures and those stupid porno edits. All of it was summarized by an overlong paragraph at the very end of the article:

“This is what a bully can do. She can lie, she can yell and scream, and she can hurt and wound people in ways that they’ll never be able to stop. But worst of all, a bully will always know what you want most and do whatever it takes to ruin it for you. That’s exactly what Sunset Shimmer does.

Now, she’s trying to convince everyone that she’s different, that she “didn’t mean” all the things she did, and actually convinced a bunch of oblivious morons of just that. But I just wanted to say that I know better, that I’ll always know better: she’s not just a normal cruel, but a sick deranged banshee hell-bent on cutting people down. She’s a whore to the core, despite whatever image she ever tried to display. She can never be trusted.”

I gave a derisive snort. “That’s the best she can do?”

Rarity cracked an uneasy smile. “Erm… it, uh… gets worse…”

I glanced up from my phone to look at her. “The hel- I mean, what were you doing to know this much?” I asked suspiciously.

“Nothing! How dare you suggest I had any part in this!” Rarity replied indignantly. “A lady does have ears, you know. I do listen to what my classmates have to say.”

“Fine, fine, wasn’t accusing you of nothing, it’s just weird, that’s all,” I said dismissively. I began to scroll through the comments, which consisted of the atypical nonsense you’d expect from a bunch of trolls on the internet. It was rough stuff, consisting of various death threats and vulgarities, more than a few sexual remarks, but nothing beyond what I’d expected. “And Sunset left because of this?”

“Well…” If Rarity had looked uncomfortable before, it was nothing compared to how she looked now. “You see, she was distracted by, um, all her classmates surrounding her, and… Octaviagotintoherbookbagandtriedtotakeanoldjournalofhersandshealmosttotallyfreakedout.”

Oh. But, why did Sunset even have the thing on her? If she was so protective of it, why would she have it on her person at all? Was she… no, couldn’t be… was she trying to keep that journal away from me, the one person who was going to want the truth, who’d keep pursuing it no matter what…

“I’m going over there,” I said, shoving my phone in my pocket and feeling for my keys.

“Perhaps you should let her be this time, darling,” Rarity said, stepping in my way to block my path forward. “I know you care deeply for her, but this isn’t something you can fix.”

“Rares, get out of my way, I need to at least apologize to her for making it worse,” I said brusquely.

“Give her today to grieve. Just one day!” Rarity insisted. “I know you love her, but you’re not thinking straight, acting on emotions is only going to cause worse troubles for the two of you.”

“I said get out of the way, Rarity!” I nearly snarled, nearly shoving her out of the way.

“Please, do not go after her!” she insisted, racing to catch up with me. “Who has been supporting and encouraging the two of you right from the very beginning? I have. I’ve always been willing to give the two of you advice and help when you needed it, so please let me help you now!”

“Rarity, get out of the way, and just go,” I said harshly. “I know what I’m doing.”

Rarity gave a great worried sigh and finally backed off and away from me. “No, I don’t think you do,” she said.

I ignored that, all the way from school to Sunset’s apartment, my hands diving into the earth for the spare key and forcing the door open. Rarity didn’t know what she was talking about, I had to be here, I had to do something- I couldn’t just stand by like it was nothing! This was what I was supposed to do, to look after her and protect her! I walked in to her room to see where she was-

It took me a while to look past the scars and burns that were an inconsistent blemish, a painful red weal seared across her back like a jagged bolt of lightning, a shiny black blotch on the side of her waist. It wasn’t until I stood there for a few moments and our eyes met that I realized she was naked. I stood there gaping like a complete idiot, torn between unbelievable desire to ravish her right then and there and the horror at the sight of these new scars, ones that I had never seen before in my life, that she’d never spoken of…

“Did you need to see what I looked like?” she asked quietly, her gaze barely focused on me, absently pulling the sheets to her exposed chest. “To make sure what they were saying wasn’t true?”

I didn’t say a word, unsure of what to say or do or even think. It scared me beyond the ability for rational thought to imagine someone actually taking open flame to her like that, to do such unbelievable damage… it was something I’d only seen in Wanyama’s worst moments.

“Please say something,” she hiccupped, tears starting to roll down her cheeks. “Please tell me that you still believe me and not them.”

Finally, after what felt like a monumental effort, I managed to gasp, “What happened to you?”

Sunset couldn’t even utter a single word as her emotions completely overwhelmed her and she collapsed onto her bed. I went immediately to her side and then hesitated, wondering whether her wounds or her wounded heart was of more importance. I settled for sitting at her feet, letting herself cry away whatever pain she needed to purge. It wasn’t until a few minutes had passed that I saw that journal again, bearing that red-and-yellow sun on its front, sitting on her nightstand just above her bookbag.

This was starting to get out of hand. I was in too deep, I was way out of my depth for this- no, I could do this, I had to! I could still fix this!

“Sunset, Rarity told me what happened at school,” I said slowly, taking the blanket off the bed and wrapping it around her, trying to do my best to focus on her rather than her very appealing chest. “I know Octavia tried to take that journal from your bag.”

Sunset said nothing, only pulling the sheets around her even more tightly. Her eyes flicked over to her nightstand.

“You know I saw it on Valentine’s Day don’t you? I didn’t put it back on your shelf in proper order, I’m guessing.”

Silence as she sat there, immobile. Then, finally, as if in a trance, she gave a slow, small nod.

“Sunset, I don’t want to have to go through the rest of this and the only story of your family I ever hear is what Octavia tells me. I don’t know what happened or why you won’t say anything, but please… just open up to me, talk to me. Tell me why no matter what anyone says or does, you just… disappear.”

Sunset looked at me, truly looked at me, and then reached out and took the journal from the nightstand, cradling it as if it were a small child. Tears splashed down onto the old leather cover, a continuous splashing of a weakened rain. “I wish,” she said croakily. “I wish I could, but- but I can’t.”

“But… why not? Can’t you trust me?” I asked.

“It won’t change anything,” she said bitterly. “Nothing I could ever do will change anything, it’ll never go away, it’ll never leave me-”

“Is that what you really think? That you can’t do anything to fix your past? Beautiful, do you not remember who I used to be?”

“But you’re different! You-”

“How am I different?” I asked, flabbergasted. “Hold on here,” I said, pulling my shirt off for a moment and trying not to think about how the fact that I was now almost as naked as she was. “See this one right here?” I asked, putting my fingers on a faded scar on my abdomen. “I got this one in a knifefight when I was f---ing twelve. Blade went in and punctured my liver, nearly killed me. I didn’t get back on my feet for nearly a year. Or this one,” I added, noting a nasty scar on my shoulder. “Got that one when I was boxing in an amateur match last year. I’d been drinking and fighting the night before and my opponent nearly destroyed every muscle in my right arm. Now do you really believe that whatever you’ve done is worse than me? I went to juvi for selling drugs and nearly tearing a guy’s nose off in a damn fistfight. Try and beat that.”

“But- I- just let it go, you can’t do anything to fix this! I broke it beyond repair-”

“Oh come on, that’s what you’re gonna say?” I said. “You’ve got to put an end to this, otherwise your past is gonna haunt you forever-”

“I have tried to put it behind me! Over and over again!” Sunset said angrily, tears flowing down her cheeks and soaking her bedsheets. “But everyone keeps bringing it up and making me relive it and see it again every second of every single day and constantly reminding me that I have no one-”

“You have me!” I fired back. “I want to help you but you’ve got to talk to me or else I can’t do a single damn thing!”

“What do you think you’re going to do? Go back in time and stop me from doing every single wrong thing I did? You can’t fix this!”

“I KNOW I can’t fix your past!” I said. “Do you think I don’t regret mine every time I look back on it and think about it? I can’t go to f---ing college because I screwed up so bad! I can’t go fight professionally in boxing like I wanted to because my reach got cut in half when my right shoulder got torn! You are not the only one with mistakes and a family history that sucks. Now please-”

“You can’t-”

“Will you just listen to me!” I roared, my voice booming across the entire apartment and effectively silencing Sunset for good, who now stared at me like she was looking straight at a nightmare. Tear streaks covered her face now, those lovely cyan eyes having never looked so defeated. I’d let Octavia push her right to the edge, and the one to absolutely break her heart… was me.

I dropped to my knees and simply sat there on the floor, my head ringing as I looked down at the floor, unable to bear the sight of her so distraught. “Sunset, please stop hiding, stop shutting yourself away from me,” I begged faintly. “I am so sick of seeing you be hurt and there not being a single thing I can do to stop it. Just talk to me, let me in, and let me help you. That’s all I want, I just can’t bear to see you hurt when there’s the chance that I could do something to make it better.”

Sunset gave a sniff and I heard the bed creak as her weight shifted. She remained silent.

“Can you not trust me?” I asked, my voice choking and bringing me to a halt.

The two of us sat there for the longest time in utter silence, I desperately, waiting, hoping, praying for her to say something, anything at all. Anything that would mean she would finally listen and let go of that final barrier she’d held onto for so long, that she’d finally let me in…

But there was nothing.

I was an unwelcome guest in the home of the one I loved. “I guess not,” was all I could choke out, and I got to my feet and left as hurriedly as I could. I raced down to my car, shaking myself vigorously as my vision began to blur. I raced home as fatigue began to take over, as Rarity’s last words and pieces of advice began to worm their way back into my head. She’d known, she’d known what I was going to do and that all I’d do was make it worse. And now look, I’d gone and hurt the girl I loved and maybe pushed her to the point where she’d never recover and never be free, and I, I…

I hadn’t even said I was sorry.

The weather had taken a turn for the worse by the time I made it to Sweet Apple Acres, the cloudy gray skies of the morning now turning to a deep turbulent black, despite it only being about three in the afternoon. When I pulled up the drive and parked next to the barnhouse as per usual, my face was met with a damp wind that all but guaranteed rain. It was going to be a loud, wet day. Which was good because right now I felt like either crying or screaming.

I looked out across the barnyard and saw only Big Mac was out and about right now, loading bushel barrels from the trailer and heaving them back into the barn. “Got a few more out in the east orchard,” he mumbled to me when I passed by. I was suddenly very glad all he needed in response was a nod. I wasn’t sure how my voice would hold up. I kept silent and threw myself into the tractor’s seat, igniting the old beast and driving off. Big Mac stared at me for a little bit but just shrugged his shoulders and headed back to the barn.

I felt the first droplets of rain when I reached the west orchard, dozens of barrels now strewn everywhere in the howling wind. It didn’t take long for it to reach a howling crescendo as the heavens opened up, pouring down buckets of rain that hadn’t been seen since the time of Noah. Good, maybe God was going to drown me so I couldn’t do anything that stupid ever again.

She’d never reacted like that before, I realized as I threw the first barrel onto the trailer. Everything had gone so wrong that I didn’t even get the chance to react properly. I’d been too impulsive, too emotional. It’d been because of me that Octavia had even gone to such a length in the first place. It was obvious fighting back against Sunset hadn’t done any good, was it possible that even helping Sunset with her confidence back in Feberuary had been a bad idea?

Had I been just making things worse for Sunset right from the beginning? Would she have been better off without me there?

“Everyone keeps bringing it up and making me relive it and see it again every second of every single day and constantly reminding me that I have no one-”

Is that what we’ve been doing to her? Whenever I’d tried to ask Sunset about her life or to push her to fight back, had I been dredging up memories that she’s been so desperate to forget? Had I unknowingly been tormenting her? Was everything I’d been doing… wrong?

“Can you not trust me?” I’d asked. Only to be met with silence. She couldn’t trust me, she couldn’t trust me to do the right thing or to listen to her, I’d proven that pretty easily, as I’d been so caught up with how I felt about Octavia that I couldn’t control my own temper and now I’d just gone and hurt so irrevocably that I- I was an absolute animal…

“Come on, get up, sugarcube,” said a gruff voice, and I felt a pair of arms pull me up from off the muddy ground and back onto my feet. Applejack circled around and stood in front, looking up at me in apparent concern. “You alright? You sick?”

“I’m fine,” I said, trying to push past her and gather the rest of the barrels. I hadn’t even realized I’d fallen to the ground and I could feel a bruising pain on my forehead where I must’ve been pressing my hands against. I guessed that she must’ve freaked out when she saw me just sitting there in the middle of a rainstorm.

“Like heck you are,” AJ said. “Come on, let’s gather the res’ of these barrels and we’ll had back, call it a day. Rares is over for a visit, anyway.”

We worked in silence, the sound of the pouring rain drumming in my ears. It took me and AJ only about fifteen minutes to load everything up into the trailer and we departed, she heading back in the truck while I took the tractor. She was waiting for me at the entrance to the barn, and so we pulled in the tractor and threw the barrels aside- “Ah’m not feeling like working hard today,” AJ commented. “Now get on inside, you.”

“I’m-”

Applejack put her arms around me from behind and squeezed, completely ignoring the fact that it was pouring down rain and that there was no rhyme or reason for what she was doing, only that she somehow knew that I had messed up and it was destroying me.

“Don’t say it’s alright,” she said huskily, her voice –for the first time since I’d known her- shaky. “Come on- come on inside, OK? Do it for your big sister?”

I could barely catch my breath for a while, thankful for the rain masking my tears that fell from my eyes, unbidden. We stood there in the torrential deluge until we got a hold of ourselves once more, going back inside thoroughly soaked. Rarity was waiting for us on the staircase, looking very worried as we came in soaking the floor. “Here,” she said kindly, throwing the pair of us some towels. “I thought you might want them.”

“Thanks, Rarity,” I said feebly, hardly daring to meet her in the eye.

“I was right, wasn’t I?” she said tearfully. I looked up and saw she was utterly distraught, her own eyes starting to shimmer. “Is she OK?”

“I- I don’t know, girl,” I said wearily, drying my face off. “I just- you were right, I messed it up, I made it all so much worse for her- I’m a fool.”

Rarity gave me a sad smile. “I think anyone is a fool for love, darling.”

“You two go on upstairs, ah’ll- ah’ll grab us something t’ drink,” AJ said, disappearing down the hallway as Rarity and I made our way upstairs to Applejack’s room.

As we reached the upper landing, a door cracked open and Apple Bloom peered out at us. “Hey, Rarity, hey- golly, what’s wrong?” she asked, taking note of our downcast faces. “Is everything alright?”

“Not now, dear,” Rarity said quietly, and she and I retreated away and closed the door behind us.

It was the first time I’d seen Applejack’s room, a very rustic style that I felt like I should’ve expected. Old-fashioned wooden bedframe marked with an apple, a heavy-looking desk with an old-fashioned electric lamp atop it, an antique dresser… AJ was a farmgirl through and through. Nothing she had in here would look out of place fifty years ago. Rarity took a seat on the bed and I slumped to the floor against the dresser, heaving a great sigh. The door opened and AJ walked in, a trio of bottles in her hand.

“Is that… alcohol?” Rarity asked as she took the drink from AJ’s hand.

“Granny’s hard cider,” AJ answered, handing one to me and promptly opening hers. “Ah think we all need it today.”

Rarity made a face that clearly said she didn’t require such a thing, but nevertheless cracked it open and took a hearty swig.

AJ put down her cider and looked at me. “You gonna be OK?”

“I don’t even know, AJ,” I said sadly, drinking deeply and downing almost half the bottle in one breath. “I messed up, I don’t even think she wants to be with me anymore. I just…” I gave a growl of frustration and buried my face in my hands. “I suck.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“I don’t even know, AJ,” I replied.

“That’s alright, too,” she said. I looked up at her and she cracked a wry grin. “Yeah, it’s OK to not know whatcha want. Just relax for a spell.”

I could do that. In fact, that felt like the only thing I could do. I drank the rest of my cider and watched the girls finish off theirs, AJ downing it was ease and Rarity pulling a face every now and then. It made me laugh a little.

“Told ya it’d help,” AJ said as she caught sight of my smile. “Feel any better?”

“A little, yeah,” I said.

“That’s the power of apples for ya,” AJ said pleasantly. “Even drinkin’ ‘em makes miracles happen!”

I gave another small laugh. I needed this, now that I was here. This was where I should’ve gone instead.

“Listen,” AJ said, setting aside her bottle and crouching down beside me, hands on her knees. “Ah know you don’t want a whole long lecture and you don’t want Rares to say ‘I told ya so’ or any of that… just know that ah love you, alright?”

I was taken off-guard by that, and AJ gave me a small smile. “You’re my family, you know. May not be an Apple, but ah’m your big sister and ain’t nothing gonna change that. Be your big sister forever.”

“We all love you, truth be told,” Rarity added, settling down beside Applejack. “You’re rough and uncouth and- well, a hot-tempered scoundrel, but you look out for us and I know you’d do anything to help us if we needed it. I second Applejack- you’re as good as family to me.”

My heart was in tatters, but nevertheless it melted at this display of kindness when I most needed. I wrapped them both in a hug, grateful for their comfort. “I don’t really know what to do, I said.

“And I don’t blame you for it,” Rarity said, wiping her eyes with a lacey handkerchief. “If you’re ready, then… we’ll try to help.”

I told them everything that happened. I told them of the burns and scars that I’d seen on Sunset’s back (Rarity and AJ looked at each other on that one), of my trying to convince Sunset to open up to me, of my outburst and eventual departure. I didn’t want to leave out a single detail.

“That’s why I was trying to convince you to not go,” Rarity said as I finished. “You were too upset, you act rashly when you’re angry.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do,” I said, turning to AJ. “And here you’d said I’d gotten better. Guess not, eh?”

“Nobody’s perfect,” AJ replied. “You messed up, ain’t no way around that, but nobody’s perfect.”

“I’m worried about her,” I said. “I didn’t even realize she wasn’t wearing anything for a while because- because she had those horrible burns on her, those scars! What on earth has she gone through to get those?”

“Well…” Rarity hesitated and they looked at one another once again. “You see, we actually know about those. How she got them, I mean.”

“Wait, you do?” I asked, taken aback by this sudden turn of events. “What happened, did someone do that to her or-”

“It’s complicated, sugarcube,” AJ said cryptically. “Y’see, she doesn’t like people talking about it, so…”

“It’s an incident in her life of which she’s not very proud,” Rarity added. “I doubt you speak of all your worst moments, either.”

That was true. I hadn’t exactly been fair with Sunset. “So you two both know where she came from, what happened to her?” When they nodded, I immediately blurted out, “So why won’t she tell me? What happened that’s so terrible that she can’t even bring herself to tell me?”

Rarity gave a polite cough as she struggled to conceive her words. “Darling, you need to listen to me very closely. It’s not because of what she’s done- it’s because of you.”

God help me, my worst fears were coming true-

“No, not like that,” AJ added upon sight of my expression. “It’s because she’s afraid of how you’ll react. Sunset is… well, she’s not normal. She’s capable of amazing things and she comes from an amazing place, but it’s also a peculiar one, and you weren’t there to witness any of it, so she doesn’t know if you’ll understand.”

“What’s so weird about it?”

“That’s… she’ll have to tell you that herself,” Rarity said awkwardly, shuffling her feet about. “We wouldn’t have known ourselves unless we’d been there to witness the whole ordeal.”

“But she won’t tell me! Whenever I try to ask her about it, she brings up that wall! I can’t bring it down-”

“Have you ever considered,” Rarity said loudly, “That she won’t tell you because she’s afraid of losing you?”

I stopped dead in my tracks. “What?”

AJ and Rarity laughed, leaving me the victim of an unknowing joke. “Ah told you,” AJ said after a time. “Clueless. Completely clueless.”

“Darling, she’s afraid to lose you because she loves you as well,” Rarity said pityingly, eyeing me with a kind helplessness. “Do you know what she talk about whenever you’re not around, what she’s been talking about for months now?” I shook my head. “You, darling. She’s been helpless for you for months now. Ever since the Fall Formal she’s been looking at you, she was so excited when she found she was to be your English tutor. She’d been desperate to get some time with you...”

On and on she went for quite a while, leaving me fuzzy and somewhat dazed, if not a bit embarrassed that I hadn’t noticed any of this for months. But the more and more Rarity spoke, the more all the awkward silences made sense, all the hesitation and sadness… after all, I’d done just a different version of the same.

“So what should I do tomorrow, should I go up and tell her I love her or-”

“I don’t think you need to go to such an extreme, darling,” Rarity replied. “But tomorrow she’s going to be very anxious. She might even search for you herself. When you see her, just remember that though she may not be ready to speak, it doesn’t mean anything against you. Just give her all the warmth and support she needs. She’ll come around eventually.”

I didn’t feel good, but I felt infinitely better than I had when I’d first arrived. “Why is it whenever I’m inside your house I usually end up confessing something?” I asked of AJ.

The farmgirl grinned. “That’s what big sisters are for,” she said coyly. “You try to protect your Mom still, don’tcha?” I nodded. AJ understood by now that I did my best to hide my troubles so as not to worry my mother. She’d been through enough. “Well, that’s why, too. No one can carry their burdens forever- not even you.”

I grinned. “Thanks, y’all,” I said, grunting as I got to my feet. “Sorry about all this…”

“Nonsense, that’s what we’re here for,” AJ said dismissively. “Tell you what, you can head on home for the day if you want, we ain’t gonna be able to do any work with all that rain out there. Ah’ll see ya tomorrow.”

“Oh, and darling? One last thing,” Rarity said, hopping to her feet as I made my way to the door. I turned about only to find her inches from my face and she took hold of my shirt collar with an iron deathgrip. “Mess this up and lose her and I promise I will destroy you. You are too cute, too sweet, too perfect for each other to fall apart now.”

I left, not doubting for a second that she meant every word.

I intentionally arrived late for school in the morning, nearly proving to be a disaster as the parking lot was so full that it took me a good ten minutes to find a suitable space. I dashed inside and somehow made it to my first class just as the bell rang, gasping and panting like I’d just run a couple of miles and making myself look like a complete idiot. I saw Fluttershy in her usual seat in the back and Rarity in the seat across from me, but when I looked over at Sunset’s it was empty. Not unexpected, as I’d been pretty sure she wouldn’t show up until later. Good, it gave me time to think about how to go about this. I wouldn’t have any gimmicks, any gifts at my disposal. No way to charm or worm my way out of doing this the hard way. It was the only option I really had. I’d have to actually take my time and talk to her, to not finish it as quick as I could. I remembered Rainbow once telling me that I try to take on arguments like it were a boxing match- as quickly and as fiercely as possible, without consideration for the other person’s feelings. I began to see she was right after all. For once, I’d have to actually not be myself if I were to mend our relationship. God forbid I messed this up, she was the best thing that’d happened to me. What would happen if I lost her? What would happen to her?

I became so preoccupied with my thoughts that I didn’t notice my surroundings until I felt a gentle poking in my shoulder and I looked up to see Rarity standing above me. “The bell rang. Don’t you have something to do?”

I looked around and saw the rest of the class departing, fleeing their seats as fast as they could manage. “Yeah, yeah I do,” I said nervously, getting to my feet with a rather shaky gait. “Um- do you know where she is?”

“Do you not remember?” Rarity asked of me. When I shook my head, she said, “She wasn’t absent today, darling, she’s with the welcoming committee today. A trio of new students are supposed to be coming in right about now, she was requested to be at the committee office beforehand so she can have the packets ready.”

Oh yeah, that was right! It was one of the few things Sunset had been talking about this week, as she was hoping it’d be a way to make some friends with people who didn’t know the worst about her. It’d been about one of the only ways to cheer her up lately. “I’ll try to catch her at the main entrance, then,” I said. “If she’s busy in the office right now I don’t wanna distract her.”

“Just remember, she just needs you to be there,” Rarity advised, her tone crisp and serious. “Don’t force her to speak if she doesn’t want to.”

I nodded. “Thanks for everything,” I said, and headed off down the halls. Yes, I knew I’d be missing Miss Cheerilee’s class but this was important- I couldn’t push this off.

I made it down to the front doors easily, taking a seat on one of the nearby staircases and patiently waiting. She wouldn’t shrug this off, Sunset at least did what was asked of her in school. How would she react to seeing me? Would she be angry? Afraid? Upset? Jeez, there were so many ways this could go wrong. I couldn’t sit any longer, taking a short, circular pacing route in front of the doors. Oh man, I did not want to screw this up-

“Whoa!” I felt something slam into my back and I went sprawling, taking a good skid across the tile floor and getting an excruciating burn across the chest that felt like it tore a good couple inches of skin right off. “Hey, what the hell is your-”

I turned over to see a trio of girls staring down at me, having just plowed through the doors. I surmised that it had most likely them who had flung the door into my back. “Umm, so am I gonna get an apology here?”

“An apology for what?” said one of them dismissively. Probably the oldest of the three, a rather tall girl with an incredibly poufy mane of vivid orange hair. “You shouldn’t have been in my way.”

“Yeah, sure I was,” I said angrily, getting to my feet and checking myself over for injuries. I could still feel the sting where I’d gone skidding. “So I guess you three are the new students?” I asked, a creeping sense of unease starting to form in my bones. Something was very, very off here…

“Yeah, that’s us,” said another of the three, a short, ill-tempered looking girl with purple pigtails. “Why, are you the welcoming committee?”

“No, my girlfriend is,” I said shortly. “Just where are you three from, anyway?”

“Oh we’re from the land of Equestrmph!” the third girl, a petite girl with bright blue hair was about to speak but was effectively silenced by the girl with orange hair, who slapped a hand over her mouth.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” said the orange-haired girl, a small but fierce tone now entering her voice. “Why don’t you go on away and leave us alone?”

Something was wrong. The more I was around them the more uneasy I became, as if every instinct in me could sense something was akilter. It was such a familiar sensation, too, and I tried with all my might to remember where I’d come across this before, this sense of something vile, something positively… inhuman… and then it hit me. I’d come across this before, just last year when I was at a secret meeting with Wanyama, where a ritual had been performed to “cleanse” one of the men who had tried to sell us out. I’d felt this in only one person before…

Jester.

“What? Why do you keep staring, do you think I’m hot or something?” demanded the orange-haired girl, looking at me with utter distaste as if I was something that had crawled out from under her boots. “I told you to leave us alone, now go.”

“What the hell are you?” I asked lowly, my body instinctively settling into a fighting position, my muscles tensing in preparation to retaliate.

The orange-haired girl gave a groan. “Fine, if it’ll make you go away. I’m Adagio, that’s Sonata and Aria-”

“I didn’t say who, I said what,” I growled, taking a step backwards. “Drop the pretense sweetheart, you and I both know you’re not what you appear to be. You’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing…”

Adagio gave a start of surprise before giving me a very smug, very wicked smile. “Well then,” she said. “I guess I’ll have to show you. Just take a look at this jewel,” she said, flashing a bright-red ruby directly into my eyes.

My legs gave way and I collapsed to my knees, a horrible shrieking sound erupting in my brain. I felt like I was on fire, my body being torn apart bit by bit as something entered into me, corroding my will and tearing apart my mind. “What the hell- what did you do to me?” I snarled, my vision twisting and contorting as I tried to focus on them. I had to stay awake, I had to warn Sunset about these three, something very evil had just entered this school and they were in danger.

“And I think that’s enough of you for now,” Adagio said. The three girls closed their eyes and a beautiful melody twisted into the shrieking and screaming within my skull. My head split open and first burst from my lungs as my world was set afire-

And then suddenly, the lights went out.

Author's Notes:

Holy hell, how did I write something this long? What did I do? What was I on? I need to sit down.

So, cliff-hanger! Yeah, that happened. Sorry for it being such a long one, I sure didn't mean for it to get so out of hand. This was a little ridiculous. Still, might be my favorite chapter yet, I liked the interaction between characters, especially MC and Sunset. I liked the whole miserable failure aspect of it.

It might be a while before I can get the next chapter posted. Hopefully not months, but it could be a bit. Got things to do, places to go. I'll do what I can to keep working in the meantime, though!

Oh, and small note: The story is now over 100,000 words, making it the longest story I've ever written, word-wise and length-wise! Thank you so much for making it a success and coming right along with me through the journey! Not TOO terribly far now!

As usual, comments and corrections below, please! Thanks!

But we always came back to each other

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I felt like I was falling endlessly, down deeper and deeper into the black of an abyssal darkness that I could feel and touch. I was a stone in the ocean, swept back and forth by the currents, carried wherever the earth and wind decided I should be. I was endless, I was everything, and I was nothing at all.

Where was I? Was I even alive? What was existence, to touch the fabric of life and know that you feel, exist, that you are really real? I couldn’t tell who or what I was, but I was alive. I was somewhere very dark, very deep inside, and nestled within a space beyond spaces. I had no control of anything, I couldn’t even tell if I had a body. Just what had happened?

I forced myself to think, if such a thing was possible. Did I have a mind to think with? Everything felt like a monumental effort, a struggle to merely exist in the weight and duress of the fabric of toxic black. Could I remember? Would I even be able to understand it?

A blinding flash in front of me as hundreds upon thousands upon millions of memories came bursting through the void, shining brightly as they raced past the thing that was me. Every time a moment passed, I was part of it yet not part of it at all. I had no body, yet every memory made me full and alive more than I could ever hope to be. I was, yet I was not.

Concentrate now, I focused on that alone. I forced every single fiber of my will to focus and concentrate, to slow the passage of memories and time and put a stopper on the endless dash of existence that was before me. If only I could slow it all down, if only I could reach out and concentrate…

“If only I had a body!” I screamed aloud. A sudden burst of pain and my vision failed me for a time, the consuming pain becoming synonymous with my soul. I could feel everything come to form, the smallest cell growing into the form I had always known. My vision returned and I saw the rest of my flesh, ethereal in shape and form, being born out of the nothingness that was this world. Then finally, when all was done, the pain subsided. I was whole again in this ethereal void.

“Now stop!” I shrieked, and all movement, all light and life around slowed and came to a halt, my fingertips pressed against the invisible glass of the world that had found me. Memories halted and the voices and sounds and smells and sights that I knew yet did not know ceased their flow. They were nothing more than snapshots of someone else’s life, a life that was mine and now was not.

“Focus yourself! Concentrate beyond the void!” I roared, my voice echoing and booming across the empty plane, a cathedral to emptiness and loss of light. The memories began to come alive once more, living works of art that were works of a person’s life. My own. “No! Focus on the moment! Focus on where I am, what brought me here!”

The memories twisted and contorted, suddenly flying into the skies and bursting into an endless shower of stars that burned and seared their way through the inky black. Colors burst through the lights and tore across the night, a display of living fireworks that were marks upon existence- the signature handprint of a person, of a life that had lived and delved into my own.

I could see the colors of those I knew, the memories and sensations and sounds that had been brought by the ones whom had left them. The colors of sand, a bright happy yellowish tan, filled with the warm smells of a home-cooked meal and comfort and sorrow that was born of a shared grief that only she and I would ever know… memories of my Mother. Her color faded in and out, the strength and heft of her touch weaving through my life, even if I had always resisted…

Then the lights went out and I was plunged into darkness, the sounds of horror and fear and the pains of rage and gunshots and endless steel merged together, the countless minds and angers of hatred and jealousy and revulsion of a world I had always known and never trusted, never wanted a part of yet had become everything I knew and what nearly brought me to the point of nothingness and undone. I knew this place, I knew their voices, and the reach of that foul, inky black that tasted like a bitter pill and wove through my wings and drenched me in tar-like oil. I had been so easily part of them for so long, so foolishly bought in and taken apart by them, taking a hold of the pain and agony and the hounds of hell into which I had claimed to be family to, and how much it had become synonymous with who I was yet I was never destined to be. On and on it went in a pitch-black tunnel of stab wounds and flying bullets, of the crack of bones and the bruises and marks of a tired war of attrition with everyone and ourselves, a private war in which I waged to protect and destroy everything and everyone yet nothing at all. No end, no end, no end in sight to the cruelty and malice and consuming wickedness of a man that had bought my soul and shown me how to bring it into dust-

And then burst forth a fiery prism that shown brighter than any sun, more loudly than the scream of hell’s fury, a trumpeting sound of light and touch and taste and so many emotions that to even see them felt like the death of me. The tar and oil and fury that clung to me could not understand the light, for it was not born of it and could not defeat it, even when it would seem all the lights would fade and even go out, only to fire back and burn ever more strongly in the void, giving life and light and shape and form to a place where all that was good and great had faded. I felt more full and awake and alive than anyone or anything in the simple world could ever be or ever hope to be and to see what I could see was a gift from the Lord of Heavens only He could know.

A symphony of smells and colors, of voices and kindness that was tangible and real soaked through me, purifying me from the waste and wreckage into which I had thrust my form, burning away the black and giving me a strength that I had never known, pulling me to my feet and handing me food that was so painful and bitter yet so sweet in my stomach that I knew I would always crave it, even though the first bite seared and scarred and brought shrieks of agony because the darkness still lived in me and could not allow the prism of light to enter in, yet into it I delved, eager to wash away the night and the dark.

The sounds of a farm and the happy feelings of a family that was not mine yet had brought me in and made me part of it. I was theirs and they were mine, a bond unbreakable even in the most brutal and savage distrust and betrayal and frailty of stubbornness and pride that was born of ego and simplicity. The colors of a golden light cascaded me in the sweet smells and sounds of the countryside-

Silver and purple beams shone before me, a loving kindness that bore itself with pride and grace and a newfound joy at knowing what we could be. I was proud and harsh and an uncivilized brute yet had found a place in the heart of one who would make me better and help me to be when I could not be anything at all-

A bright fiery bolt of blue flung itself into me, a powerful punch of cascading rain and sorrow and misunderstanding that tinged the glow and light of happiness and unshakable faith and rivalry of an extraordinary friendship. Champions of battle and masters of fire were we, so different yet so the same as we struggled to understand each other and know our place in a world that was meant for greater ones than we, yet so grateful to know our place was still yet waiting amongst the infinity of a wonderful world-

A myriad of soft yellow and pink fired through, softer and more gentle and more easy to touch than finest silk, a river of limitless kindness and laughter and soft-spoken love that had no place in my own frame of time and life yet had become irreplaceable joys that could not, should never be taken away because to see them flee would be to see the end of so many things that were good and noble and right, even when the whole world seemed so dark and bleak, it was always happy to know that even the darkest of nights could see the faintest pinprick of bright-

And then came the Sol, the sun of a soul so shadowed and tormented yet so bright and full and alive and real and everything I could ever hope to be and experience and share and know, yet so shattered and broken that my existence began to rip and fade at the sight of something so beautiful and so unimaginably agonizing. It was everything I could need or want, the crimson red and sunny yellow blending into an endless tower and wave of love and life and joy and peace that was so intertwined with sorrow and grief and rage and pain of a life that I knew yet did not know, could only know in fantasy and a reality in which I had never been, could never see and be… was this what she knew every day? To live and to love and to laugh yet to carry the weight of two worlds and still push on even when the lights had left you? So strong, so full of sadness and hope, brimming with love and grief, born of a bright spark of life that had all but been extinguished by fury and wrath born in and of herself that I could not touch or even see, because I had not been there, then or now. The Sol rose above and its colors were so bright, yet they did not erase the bright rainbow yet made them shine all the brighter, an endless tidal wave of beauty and perfection that this was the only summation at which I could have arrived.

Memory upon memory shone once more, images of happiness and grief so deeply connected that it was impossible to have one without the other, so the only choice was to take it all, the sum of a whole that meant even the happiest of moments would still bear the weight of a lifetime of wicked decisions, of choices that could never be erased. I drank it all in hungrily, not wanting to waste a single moment of this because to leave even a single droplet behind would be to never truly understand who she was and what she had done, what she would always do and be and continue ever on in hearts and minds and memories that made the world a little brighter…

“I want it,” I said softly, pushing through to the core, being tugged by the blackness that I had left behind that had suddenly plunged ahead and taken hold. It was everywhere in the light of the Sol, flowing forth from my mouth and striking hard at the crimson-yellow light to which I raced. The sound of singing, a wicked symphony of animalistic hatred and hunger crashed down upon me, and memories that were mine yet not mine began to flash before my eyes, of actions and deeds that I carried out yet did not even attempt to bring into the world. I was guilty, guilty of them, yet I was innocent and full of sorrow…

“I want it!” I screamed, thrashing about in the wasteland that had become so void of light and full of night beyond night, the darkness pouring from my mouth and striking out at the colors that had once filled me and brimmed to the point of overflow. They were taking them away, I was taking them away… “No, I must not lose it!”

The continuous vomit of tar and oil never ceased as I ran and struggled against the violence and malice that flowed from within, bogging me down and holding me back from the Sol of crimson fire that shone like the sun. The dark could not understand the light, and feared losing me from its grasp, yet I must leave it behind and plunge forth into the day, even if I, a child of night, would be destroyed by it.

“I will not lose it! I will not let it flee me!” I gagged, swimming through the ink and foul tar of sin and hatred and corruption. “I want to stop pushing it away, I want it to be part of me! I want to be whole again! I cannot lose her, I will not!”

Voices and hands and fingers reached out from the nothingness and tore at my skin, tearing away the body that held me and kept me safe, clawing their way towards the color of me that so needed her. To lose me would be to lose everything, their first and their last triumph of a symphony of night…

“No! I will not, I cannot! I must see her again!” I shrieked, ignoring every tear and sear and agony that I endured as an endless wave of actions and horrors unleashed themselves from me and upon the lights that I loved, craved, needed. “I will not be a puppet! I will not stay here, I will fight back again and again and again until there’s nothing left with which I can fight! I must get to her, I must see her- one last time!”

It seemed as if the night would reign eternal, the infinite pitch of blackness seal away and cross the eternal plane and carry me away, to never let the light of day see the world of which I was now a part of. I reached out my hand, desperate to feel that touch of the Sol, just once more…

The song of a heavenly child flowed through and became like a blade, cutting its way through the fabric of dark and pushing away the black from me, repairing and restoring the form of which was me that had almost been torn away, I now more full and more understood than I ever was before. I knew what I could say, what I would do to find her again, to never lose her and be what I was meant to be. I could only bring a little of that fullness with me, but it was enough to help restore the one that I had lost.

The song grew ever louder, a sweet tangible thing that took the form of a figure I knew and loved beyond imagining, the shape of a soul which I had always been destined to see, to be a part of and help her shine brighter than the brightest of suns. She reached out her hand to me, a newfound smile on her lips as we met and lit up the world, her colors twisting and contorting with my own, the wild freedom exploding and bursting forth into a world that so needed it, so desired something a little imperfect yet still beautiful. It was a sight that I would never tire of seeing, a happiness as the fullness took me in and brought to life the senses of which I had always known, pulling me out of the endless ocean of void and back into the world which I belonged. As the last smile fell onto my lips, I felt her fingers on my face, a gentle caress and gift of the life we had not yet lived, yet would know soon enough. I could hardly wait for it all now.

“He’s awake,” she said. And so I was.

I was shining green in the night.

“He’s awake.”

Indistinct shapes and colors in the slowly fading blackness as my senses began to flicker on once more, slowly coming back to life. I was laying somewhere, but I wasn’t where I was or how I had gotten there. Memories of… something, someplace… so many things had just been racing through my head but I couldn’t remember any of them. What had happened?

I must’ve tried to move, because the voice said again, “Easy, rest for a moment. You were hit pretty hard. Try to breathe.”

Try to breathe! I realized I hadn’t been taking in any air for a while now! That horrible sensation of suffocation paralyzed my throat and I began to thrash about wildly, the blurred images of what I guessed were people surrounding me suddenly backed away. I couldn’t catch a breath! I began to crawl on all fours like an animal, clawing about as if hoping to grasp the air and toss it down my throat.

A pair of arms went around my waist, holding tight with an odd sense of comfort. “It’s coming,” the voice said bracingly, suddenly becoming a little more distinct in the midst of my panic. “It’s going to leave your body, but it’s going to hurt. Get ready, and just let it leave…”

I coughed and spluttered, something foul and slimy slithering its way up my throat. I was going to be sick, I’d never felt anything as wretched as this! I opened my mouth to let it escape, praying that it wouldn’t get stuck on the way up-

The sound of choking was replaced by a long, throaty rasp as a wispy black substance poured forth into the open air, dissolving into an inky mist the moment it made contact with the open air. On and on it went for what seemed like ages as the black stuff streamed from my body, feeling as if it was coming from every pore, every fiber of my being, lighting my body afire. Finally, just before it would seem to be the death of me, the black torrent subsided and floated away, twisting and contorting into a strange, hooved beast before a loud Pop! and it faded away into nothingness.

My body shook with the force it had just exerted, a thousand aches and pains filling the absent spaces where that midnight black mist had once resided. Every single one of my senses was more alert and active than they’d ever been before, registering that I was –even if uncomfortably so- alive. I was alive, I was awake! And I had no clue where I was.

The arms around my waist relented and I felt a strange softness brushing my cheek, making me jump backwards in fright. Touch stirred a memory, a very horrible one- that pain inside my head, was it-

“Easy, easy,” she said softly, gently shushing me as her hands touched my face once more. She came before me and knelt down so as to look me in the eye. I saw her beautiful cyan gaze stare directly into mine, filled with concern and a fire I hadn’t seen before. It was Sunset Shimmer…

“I know you,” I rasped, my throat burning with the effort of even those simple words.

“Yes, you do,” Sunset said happily, the intensity in her gaze increasing. “Now listen to me very carefully, I need you to answer me. Do you understand?”

What questions? I had plenty myself. “Yes,” I said.

“The brand upon your palm, where did it come from?”

The brand, brand, what brand? A memory resurfaced, hazy images blurring my vision. “The mark… it’s Wanyama’s… My Dad forced it upon me when I was a child…”

“Good, good! Now one more!” Sunset looked strange, a mixture of excited and terrified all at once. “Our first date, what did we go do?”

Sights and sounds returned this time, alongside the image of the joyful face of the one I loved. I… I had sworn never to forget… “We saw The Tempest. You loved that one,” I said slowly. “You wore a plaid shirt and a scarf, and we went to a coffee shop afterwards. You told me your favorite color is green and that your favorite movies are Lord of the Rings and we asked so many questions about each other-”

It was as if the lights suddenly went on, as I Sunset had been slowly, gently reigniting the fires within my brain. Suddenly I realized where I was, whom I was with, every memory that I had experienced was mine once more… “What happened to me?” I asked.

“Oh thank God,” Sunset cried, throwing her arms around me in an iron embrace, toppling my weak and entirely unprepared frame to the ground. “I thought y-you we-were gone,” she sobbed, burying her face in my chest, her tears soaking my shirt. “When we found you, you were so… Thank God, thank God, thank God…”

I was utterly overwhelmed. I was back from whatever nightmare I had been trapped in. I was myself, I was in control of my body once more, I was safe and free- and Sunset was here, my beautiful vision, my light, my love. She was unhurt and alive, she was in my arms! I could do nothing but wrap around her tightly, drinking in her scent, thanking the heavens for the feel of her warmth against my frail body. I had no doubt that whatever had come about was because of her. I was absolutely, positively certain.

“You saved me,” I whispered, ignoring the pain every word tore in my throat. I could speak to her, I could feel her touch. It was more than I ever could have asked for.

Sunset couldn’t manage a single word, only tightening her grip on my shirt. It was enough for me to know she had.

“Welcome back to the land o’ the living, sugarcube,” said a nearby voice, a familial and friendly sound. I looked over and saw AJ standing nearby, crouched down and smiling at me with that shared look of relief that Sunset had possessed. It was a pretty good indicator that something fairly bad had happened to me.

“Hey, farmgirl,” I muttered. “Good to see ya- hey, the whole crew’s here.” Indeed they were, from Fluttershy to Rarity, all of my friends were right there with me, one or two worn and a bit tattered, another looking absolutely exhausted, but all of them emanating that shared sense of warmth and relief, that happiness that I was there. The whole thing felt so perfect, so comfortable and peaceful. I was surrounded by those I loved once more…

And then I noticed the new girl, a nerdy-looking, violet-haired girl that I’d only laid eyes on twice in my entire life. If it weren’t for the entirely unusual circumstances that had surrounded her last time, I probably never would have remembered. Instead, every single detail about her was so perfectly clear, even after it being months, even though we never spoke even once.

I scrutinized her just to be sure. “Are- aren’t you Twilight?”

I don’t think she was expecting any attention from me, much less a question like that. She looked utterly taken aback, staring at me in abject confoundment. “Have- have we met?” she asked slowly.

“No, we definitely haven’t,” I grunted, trying to pull Sunset and myself up off the ground-

It was like I’d just been struck with a mallet. I fell back to the ground almost instantly, regretting any movement of my body. Sweet mother of all that is holy, I felt terrible! My body felt like I’d been sucker-punched in every conceivable place and manner known to man, a single movement somehow activating another bruise, if not spawning one! “Wow, that felt bad,” I somehow managed.

“Shoot, forgot about that. Sorry,” AJ said suddenly, leaning down and bringing my arm over her shoulder. “Rainbow, get the other arm. Sunset, darling, gonna need you to move.”

The two of them moved me slowly over to the steps and sat me down, taking great care with each movement so as not to let me fall. I was fairly grateful, as I wasn’t entirely sure I could move on my own just yet.

Pinkie was over at Sunset’s side, who shooed away the party planner with a wave. “No, Pinkie, I’m fine, I’m fine,” Sunset said weakly, wiping her tears yet possessing a smile more brilliant than the sun. “I’m just happy, that’s all.” She turned back to me and said, “You don’t know how close we came to losing you.”

“What in heaven, earth, or hell happened?” I said flatly. “I feel like death, my body feels like one big giant bruise, and I’m outside when I sure as hell don’t remember getting out here. In fact,” I added, raising my head up as much as I could, “the hell are y’all wearing? And where did she come from?” I finished by weakly pointing at Twilight, who shuffled her feet in apparent discomfort.

Sunset sat down beside me, taking my hand in hers. “First things first,” she said gently. “What’s the last thing you do remember? What can you tell us?”

My mind was still pretty fuzzy about everything, but I could distantly remember being in school, I was anxious about something to do with Sunset… I’d meet people, they- they elicited a fear out of me… I’d been…

“I was attacked!” I spluttered. “Those three new girls- I was talking to them and I knew something was wrong with all of ‘em and then all of a sudden my head started hurting like crazy!”

Sunset nodded in approval, as if hoping that was what I was going to say. “It was them,” she said, turning around to calling to Twilight. “Must’ve been hit the moment they got in the school, had it seep through the rest of the students-”

Twilight, who had looked extremely out of place, suddenly came up and peered at me with far more focus than I would’ve cared for from a complete stranger. “I don’t think there’ll suffer any long-term effects,” she said after a few moments, “but keep an eye out the rest of the day, just in case-”

“Somebody please tell me what’s going on,” I begged. “I feel like death, all of y’all look like you just performed an exorcism and you’re talking as if I survived the nuclear apocalypse. Can somebody please just tell me what happened? Like, maybe, why Twilight’s back after being gone for months and what the hell those girls did to me?”

Apprehension. They all reeked of it, looking around at anything except me. I felt more out of the loop than ever. “You mean to say that after all that just-”

“I’ll tell you,” Sunset said suddenly, nearly causing me to lose consciousness once more. I stared at her as if she’d just lost her mind, expecting to see sadness and hesitancy, instead those cyan eyes still burned with that strange fire… the fire I’d so longed to see in her eyes again…

“Are you sure?” I asked.

There was no hesitation. “You deserve to know,” she said. “Just… bear with me, OK? It’s- it’s a long one. It goes for a long time, well before you and I ever met. And it’s going to be a shock. Not just a big one, but a monumental one. So be ready, because…” she became hesitant, looking around uncertainly in the hopes of finding her next words. “It’s- just promise me you’ll listen, OK? That you won’t-”

I raised a finger to her lips, stroking her gently. She relaxed somewhat, eyes closed as she let herself be soothed by my simple gesture. “I’m not gonna leave you again,” I promised. “I’m ready, beautiful. So bring it.”

I wasn’t ready. There was no way in Hell I would’ve been ready to hear what she had to say. What all of them had to say. I was glad I was sitting down already because my already frail frame wouldn’t have been able to stand after the first few seconds. It was all so utterly ridiculous, totally, incredibly, earth-shatteringly unreal. So much to take in all at once that the mere thought that I could handle what Sunset had to say was laughable. It would take me days, months, years- hell, maybe even the rest of my life to ever truly cope with the magnitude of what was dropped on me with the force of a nuclear bomb. It was too unimaginable, too bizarre to ever be something that I could’ve guessed…

The whole theory of other dimensions, of there being other worlds? It was all real, every single stinking world. The proof being Sunset Shimmer herself, a denizen from another world where the entire planet was ruled by –I think I nearly lost consciousness again on this one- talking ponies. Sunset Shimmer was a unicorn pony who had been studying under the tutelage of Princess Celestia, her world’s counterpart to my school principal- an actual goddess who wielded incredible powers and was even capable of controlling the sun itself. Sunset had demanded to become royalty and in the ensuing chaos, she was thrown from her position and found her way into our world, my world, through a portal that appeared in the side of the Wondercolt statue outside of school- that was three years ago.

Twilight Sparkle was Sunset Shimmer’s successor in this parallel universe, a unicorn who had attained princess-hood. She had come here to our world once before when Sunset Shimmer had stolen a powerful artifact, causing her to come here and retrieve it. Sunset Shimmer found the artifact first and turned into a she-demon that took control of the entire school before being stopped by Twilight. That was the night of the Fall Formal, the night I’d spent at home with my mother and heard what had sounded like an explosion. I now knew what had caused the giant hole in the ground outside school.

The three new students I’d run into? I’d been correct, they weren’t human. They were ancient monsters from Sunset’s homeland called Sirens, beasts with beautiful voices that fed on rage and hatred of their victims. The enchantment they’d hit me with was a form of very old, highly arcane magic that allowed them to exert total control over my every thought and action. I had been controlled by the Sirens for the past two days ever since I’d been struck. If it hadn’t been for the girls, Sunset, and Twilight, the Sirens would have been able to push their influence across the entire city. I shuddered at the thought, my mind drifting to Wanyama. God forbid such a power ever reach them…

“For better or worse, that’s the whole story,” Twilight said, getting up and brushing herself off. “I know it must be a lot to take in,” she added apologetically.

“That’s one way of putting it,” I said faintly, desperately wishing I had a cigarette or something make me feel a little less wretched. The pain in my body combining with the shock of what I’d just been told was beginning to make me worry I was going to be sick again.

“Are there… is there anything you wanna ask?” Sunset inquired.

Obvious answer, but I wasn’t sure where to begin. There was too much information to take in, way, way too much. It was like striking someone right in the face with a hammer and asking if they’re hurt. What the hell was this place –Equestria I think they’d called it- like? How in the hell was there a portal to the place right in my school? Did Sunset have a counterpart here in my world, somewhere out there in this crazy country? Was… was I somewhere in hers? Every time I thought I’d finally gotten a good grasp on what I wanted to say it fled me, leaving me sitting there to revel in my dumbfounded astonishment. Utterly useless.

“Are you OK, sugarcube?” AJ asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Ah know it’s a lot ta handle and all… you still look pretty pale, too…”

“I feel terrible. Dry,” I said. “Where are we right now, anyway?”

“Still on the school grounds,” AJ answered. “They had the stage set out in the athletic fields so they could have a place to fit everyone.”

I gave a sigh of relief. “Thank Christ,” I muttered, reaching in my back pocket and tossing her my wallet and my keys. “I’ve got a pack of beef jerky in my car and there’s a soda machine right inside. Get me something, for the love of God. It’s like you’re trying to starve me.”

“Yeah, yeah, bossy jerk,” she said, but smiled nonetheless and went on her way, along with the others.
Sunset hesitated, her gaze darting back and forth between me and the girls, obviously unsure what she should do now. “Are- are you gonna be OK?” she asked timidly.

“I just need something to eat and wash it all down,” I managed, speaking with far more confidence than I felt. I wasn’t at all sure that even with the extra boost from a small meal I’d be able to get on my feet. “Go on, I’ll be fine.”

Sunset gave an awkward smile and ran off, leaving me with the pony princess turn human sorceress Twilight Sparkle. For a time, the two of us sat there in a period of distinctly uncomfortable silence, neither of us sure of what to say to the other. Not that I blame her, we’d never spoken or even met face-to-face before today. What would we have in common?

“So,” she said bracingly, trying to break the silence. “Umm… how long have you known Sunset Shimmer and the rest of the girls?”

“Huh? Oh, a while now,” I answered. “I got transferred to Canterlot High back at the start of the school year. I, uh… ran into Sunset before that.”

“So she told me,” Twilight said gently, and I looked up at her to see a soft expression on her face. “She was worried about you, you know. The entire time we were occupied with the Dazzlings, she was afraid they’d taken you away to a place where she’d never pull you out. She thought she’d lost you forever to their spell…”

It was so strange to be worried over by Sunset, a complete reversal of our lives together. I’d always been her protector, her guardian against the cruelties of our world, lifting her up and cheering her on even when she felt like she had nothing to give, no place on this earth. Yet here I was now, barely alive and the victim of arcane magic from a land I didn’t even know existed until twenty minutes ago, saved by the girl who had left that world behind. I didn’t know how to react, really, at least not yet. I was too dumbfounded by the fact that the young woman I’d fought, flirted, and eventually fallen in love with, was… well, wasn’t human. How was I supposed to react to that? Now I knew why she never told me of where she’d come from, why it was always such a hesitant thing to speak of. She knew I’d never believe it.

“Sorry if it’s a bit pushy, but… how long have you two been- you know…” she faded off.

Oh. “A couple months now, I think,” I said.

“Did- did she ever tell you? Where she’d come from, who she was? Any of it?”

I shook my head. “She was always scared to talk about anything about herself- before we met, I mean. Guess this was why.”

“Does she- well… do you still think the same of her?”

I looked over and saw the shadowed figures of my friends returning from their venture, led by the fiery, beautiful figure of Sunset Shimmer. Once a student in a faraway world, a protégé to the most powerful being in the universe. A girl in exile, banished from the home she had always known, thrust into an unfamiliar world with only her wits and ability to keep her afloat. A thief, a bully, a villainess, then suddenly transforming into a lovely being filled with sorrow, all her strength and light buried underneath a blanket of grief that she had made within the workings of her own mind, struggling to breath and find life. Yet now here she was, the girl who saved me from a power I’d never seen, a heroine who maybe, just maybe, had found the light I’d seen in her, the very thing that caused me to look for her every day, why I constantly wanted to be near her and see her grow and find joy and happiness, why I’d chosen, out of so many people, her. Because of her, I was free.

I ate ravenously, greedy for the needed sustenance my body screamed for. It seemed the entire thing went by far too quickly, leaving me hollow and begging for more, though I felt immensely better than I had moments before. With the help of Sunset and AJ I was able to get to my feet and begin a slow, methodical walk. I was still a bit wobbly, but I could manage. Satisfied I could bear my own weight, Sunset and AJ started to drift away but I caught Sunset’s hand and pulled her to my side before she could walk off. “Uh-uh. This is where you belong,” I said softly.

Twilight spoke of needing to return to her homeland, and we made our way back to the front of school out on the great lawn, heading back to the Wondercolt statue. It was a bit of a slow journey thanks to my unsteady footing, but no one complained or barked at me.

The girls said their goodbyes, and I reached out my hand to Twilight before she could leave. “I think I owe you on this one,” I said.

“Oh, you don’t owe me anything, I just came to help-”

“No, I owe you,” I insisted. “For more than you can imagine.”

A small laugh and a smile was all it took to know she understood. With one last wave, she headed towards the statue’s base and put her hand through the concrete, which rippled violently like water struck by a stone. In a single fluid motion, the girl put herself through the portal and then just like that- she was gone.

I dropped my soda can on the ground, it falling somewhere next to my dropped jaw. “There’s something you don’t see every day,” I said weakly, nearly falling to the ground yet again. This was the first time I was consciously aware of a magical event, and it happened to be the very mundane, very boring and normal statue outside my school. I couldn’t think of a reaction suitable. I mean, what was I supposed to do in the face of this?

It felt like we stood there for a while, just looking at the statue as if a few of us expected something to come through and start another madcap event right before our eyes. I knew I’d never look at the thing the same way again. But, as time went on, our small circle of survivors departed home one by one, whether for the late hour or simply because they knew it was time to leave. Eventually it was just me and Sunset standing together, Rarity finally declaring she had no idea why she was even still here and left crying out that she would be a total wreck tomorrow for school.

“I think she forgot it’s Friday,” Sunset leaned in and said to me.

“I kinda hope she wakes up tomorrow and freaks when she sleeps till noon,” I remarked. It was a casual banter she and I had only enjoyed in passing, small moments where the two of us were truly relaxed. It felt oh so good to know she could still possess that tranquility, even after all she’d been through recently.

We stood there together, just us two, the nearby streetlights the only light source around. I looked down at her and she up at me, the two of us a perfect contrast of nature and build. I still easily towered over her, a figure of pure muscle and power. I was passionate and first to fight, naturally aggressive and protective. She was small, slender and beautiful, a thoughtful breed that cared more for the right decision than one of the immediate. She had a fire of her own, but her ferocity came from a different place than mine. Where I was reactionary, she was logical. Where I was street-smart, she was naturally intelligent. I the brawn, she the brains. Yet, the greatest difference of all was the one that didn’t even matter. It was time for her to know that.

“So what’re your thoughts on horse racing?” I asked.

She stared at me in complete silence, giving me such a strange look that I was certain I’d said something wrong. “That’s what you start out with?” she said accusingly.

Oh hell. “Wait, gimme a sec, I was just trying to- you know-”

She burst out laughing and I felt more flummoxed than ever. Was I still in trouble?

“I should’ve guessed that’s what you’d say,” she giggled, still not fully recovered. “You are such a thoroughgoing idiot, you know that?”

“I can accept that,” I sighed, glad I was merely the victim of a good-natured scare. “Hey, can- can we talk? Like, for real this time?”

“Sure,” she said lightly. “What do you want-”

“Nah, not here,” I said. “I wanna head back to the stage real quick, can you help me get there? I’m still not steady on my feet yet.”
I’d already made the trip going the other way, but it was torturous nonetheless. I hoped Applejack didn’t expect me to come to work tomorrow, not after this. Finally we made it back, and I slowly hobbled up the side steps and up onto the stage. “Jeez, you all… you wrecked this freakin’ place,” I said.

It was an understatement, really. The place had almost been destroyed, the stage feeling almost like it would collapse under my feet if I put down too much pressure. Boards were torn and shredded in places, some bearing burns and strange marks that I guessed had to be the magic the girls had used. There were red shards of some kind of crystal on the ground, alongside what seemed to be –horrifyingly- droplets of blood that marked the stage. It was more than a little unreal to know that this was all due to a girl only two months older than me and weighed 105.

“The hell did this blood come from?” I asked. “Tell me it wasn’t-”

“We’re all fine,” Sunset said instantly. “The Sirens each had a gem necklace. When it shattered, it cut into their necks.”

“Are- come to think of it, the hell are they? What happened to them?”

“They ran off when the spell broke,” she answered. “They can run wherever they like now, their magic won’t ever work again now that their gems shattered.”

Hmm… “If the spell broke when you all defeated them… why didn’t I just wake up like everybody else?”

Sunset hesitated in answering, taking a seat beside me and taking my hand in hers. “I- I don’t really know,” she said softly. “Maybe because they struck you first, maybe you were put under a different kind of magic, or… or maybe because you’ve gone through things others haven’t.”

The ring of gunfire and curses echoed in my ears as the memories surfaced, more clearly than they had in months. It was as if… as if something had caused them to resurface yet again, a foul darkness having brought them to the forefront of my mind once more. I shook them away. Now wasn’t the time. I dreaded having to ask the question, but I needed to know. “Sunset?”

“Mhm?”

I hesitated, but pushed myself and I plunged forward. “Sunset, when I was- you said the Sirens’ spell allowed them to control people. When I was under their spell, what happened to me?”

Sunset looked at me and promptly gazed elsewhere, a sliver of sadness piercing those beautiful eyes.

“Sunset, what did I do?” I pressed, a sensation of dread welling up inside me.

Sunset wavered before she could even speak. Was she… was she afraid? This wasn’t her past, which was now totally in the open. This was my own past, these were my actions that she feared. What had I done to bring about this? “You… you weren’t yourself,” she said softly. “It was never you.”

“Sunset, I need to know,” I insisted.

“Can you trust me?” she asked. “Can you put your faith in me enough to let that secret stay hidden? To believe in me, and know that if you had truly been yourself, the things you did never would have come to be…”

It was like she was testing me, probing me to see how I’d answer. My words meant a lot to her, but this question seemed to carry more weight than most. As I gazed down at her, my vision blurred and become twisted among an overload of images and sounds and senses that bore an overwhelming weight. I could not remember what I done in the dark, yet it was like they tore at the forefront of my consciousness, eager to escape and rejoin reality. I feared and relished the thought of knowing, at least knowing, of what I had said and done. But I doubted I would ever truly know, unless she told me herself. I would just have to accept that.

“So is this why you wouldn’t ever tell me of your family?” I asked her.

She nodded. “It was always difficult to talk about anyway,” she said. “But then throw in the fact that I’m from another world, I thought it would never make any sense to you. Or that you’d laugh.”

“Thought I wouldn’t believe you?” I guessed, receiving a nod in return. “I can understand that, I think. It’s still a lot to take in.”

“It’s why I didn’t like you knowing about the journal, either,” she admitted “It was a gift from Princess Celestia, years ago when I became her student. It… I didn’t like to have to think about it. I saw it all every day here at school, anyway. To see her as a teacher, even in this world, to see so many people I’d known back in my world and for all of them to hate me…I’d always end up wondering if I could have ever done it differently, if I would have even cared if I’d known.”

Sympathy welled up within me. For the first time in my life, I was actually beginning to understand her: why she would sometimes retreat into herself, why she’d take all of the abuse so hard, why there were things that were difficult to talk about or even stand… our school was a mirror of her homeland, all the things she had lost. It must’ve been torturous for her to endure every single week of her life.

“I’m sorry,” I said suddenly.

“What are you sorry for?” she asked.

“Because I never understood you,” I said. “I just thought I could pull you out, that I could save you if I could only show you that you were the person I saw you to be. I kept pushing you and pushing you to get better when I never would’ve succeeded because you saw your home every time you came… I never even bothered to understand…”

She leaned in and placed her head on my chest, giving a sigh of contentment. “I think we both made mistakes, really. I was so afraid to let you in because I thought if you knew what I really was, then you’d- you’d…”

“You thought I’d leave,” I finished for her.

“I was so afraid to lose you,” she said. “You’d become such a fundamental part of my life that I was terrified you’d hate me and leave if you ever figured it out. I needed you to be there for me and I was so scared that suddenly I’d wake up and suddenly- there you weren’t. Because you were disgusted by the sight of me. The more time we spent around you the more I wanted to say, because you kept pushing me, you kept believing in me and kept telling me how beautiful and wonderful I was. I started to wonder if maybe –just maybe, you’d accept me for who I was. A magical pony who wanted to be a princess and instead got kicked out of her home,” she added with a small chuckle. “Yet at the same time I was never more afraid to say a single word, because I knew every day we were together would make it hurt more for you to go… I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t do it. I’m… I’m so sorry for never trusting you…”

I sighed, exhaustion starting to get the better of me as the hours crept by. Fatigue was threatening to overwhelm me and I craved sleep. It didn’t help that Sunset’s warmth made me incredibly comfortable. “Give me your hand,” I said sleepily, taking her small fingers and putting them in my own. She was so soft, from her hair to her skin, comforting and gentle even to the touch. She really was unlike anyone I’d ever met. “Man, I still get that thrill from holding your hand,” I said. “Feels like the first time every time I do it. Just so soft and warm, I always had this mental image of a small little sun glowing inside you.”

“I have a magic touch,” she grinned, shifting closer and leaning into me.

“And don’t I know it,” I said in reply. “I could travel across the entire world and never meet another girl like you. And not just because you’re not from this world,” I added hastily as she opened her mouth. “It’s because you’re you: your eyes, your hair, the feel of your touch, and most of all your warmth of heart. Inside and out, you are more than anything I have ever, or will ever asked for in a person. Whether you have hands or hooves, I really don’t care. I’ll follow you into the dark, if that’s where you choose to go.”

“Because that’s what we do, you and I,” she said happily. “We look after each other.” She rose from her comfortable position leaning against me and looked straight into my eyes, a playful yet serious expression upon her face. “Can you promise me something?” she asked.

“Go for it,” I replied invitingly.

“Promise me that we’ll always push each other,” she said. “That we’ll make each other better, to be better. That when I want to retreat and believe I can’t do it, you’ll be there to pull me up when I need you to.”

“Then promise me you’ll do the same,” I said. “Hold me accountable, make me become something greater. To have peace even when I want to scream and rage, that I can be the better one and not give in when all I want to do is fight.”

Sunset nodded. “It won’t be easy,” she cautioned mildly. “You know as well as I do that we both have scars we’ll carry. Forever.”

“Well, what fun would it be if it were easy?” I said, getting to my feet and offering her a hand. “That’s why we have each other.”

We walked away and headed to the parking lot, side by side and hand in hand, together once more. It wasn’t a sure sign of better days to come, nor an end to our respective journey. But it was a promise to one another. That no matter what came next, we’d take it on together.

And that was enough for me.

And in my darkest moment

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We spent the weekend together, I so joyful to have her back, to have truly back, that I couldn’t bear to be apart from her for even a moment. She hadn’t just rebounded from her depression, she had truly conquered it a thousand times over. I was witness to a transformation the likes of which I had never seen, a final goodbye to the lifestyle in which she had lived. I was overjoyed, not only to see her become what I always believed she could be, but that I would be there to witness her new birth, a restoration of a soul who was even more wounded than I.

Saturday about and the two of us went back to my house, taking a fair amount of care to avoid being seen. It meant a longer route back home, but it was a custom we’d come to ritualize. With Wanyama, there was no chance for us to make mistakes. I found Mom in the living room, holding a rolling pin with just the slightest suggestion that its uses were meant for me.

“I’m gonna take a shot in the dark here and assume I made you mad,” I commented. “If you’d be oh so kind to give me five seconds-”

I didn’t even get two before she was on me, whacking me with the rolling pin in a mad frenzy and chasing me around the house as I tried desperately to escape her reach. She was totally incensed, shrieking and yelling at me in a smattering of Spanish curses so vile that I was half-wondering if she’d eaten a bucket of salt before I’d arrived.

“Mom, holy crap, let me speak for just one- Ow, watch where you’re swinging that thing!” I roared, getting struck across the back and almost choking on the baking powder still attached to the pin. “For the love of God, I want to be civil- DAMMIT!”

“Qué chingados! Tú gilipollas! Come mierda y muerte, que te folle un pez!” she spat furiously, utterly stunning me. She never, ever swore like this- hell, she never even swore, I was the foul bastard of the family. I must’ve seriously pissed her off to drive her to this!

“Mom, I am begging you- Ow, damnit!¬- I wanna live, now will you please stop!” I shrieked.

“Whoa! Whoa, just hold on for a second!” Sunset cried ardently, somehow possessing the courage to come between me and my mother. “Please, I know you’re mad but if you’d just give us a few seconds and let’s all calm down-”

“Qué te jodan! No me jodas, niñita!” My mother screamed, raising her rolling pin to the heavens but not bringing it down against her. Thankfully, my mother’s anger extended only to me.

“I promise, it’ll all make sense if you’d just let me tell you what happened!” Sunset beseeched her.

“Voy a matar a ese Cabrón!”

Sunset looked back at me, begging for help. “Get her to calm down, do something!”

“What am I supposed to do, she’s hitting me with a rolling pin!” I yelled.

“Manda huevos, cara de culo!” Mom stormed, and the two of us just began slinging insults at one another, a mountain of foulness so intense that I was certain everyone on the whole damn block could hear us cursing each other to oblivion. It felt like would never end, my inhuman taunts brawling with her hometown slang that was hell-bent on beating me to a pulp and dragging me across the room by the ear like I was a little child-

“Will you both shut it?!” Sunset finally screamed, a petite figure of fiery anger that struck the two of us dumb as dunces. Part of me marveled at the fact that a girl barely up to my chin had just effectively silenced both me and my overly Latina mother in five syllables, an incredible fear if anyone had ever bothered to know how bad me and my Mom could argue. It would’ve been pretty funny if Sunset hadn’t been yelling at me. “Holy cow, you both need to chill out. Just- shut up and sit down, both of you.”

“How dare you order me around in my own home-” my mother said angrily, starting to fire up once more.

“Ma’am, please understand,” Sunset said, taking a seat on the coffee table. “I am very tired, it has been a long week, I am physically and mentally exhausted and I have no patience for stuff like this right now. I started my weekend by fighting a bunch of monsters that tried to feed on everyone in my school and the person that they struck first is the one you’ve been trying to smack with a rolling pin. So if you’ll give me just five minutes of your time, I’ll be able to explain at least a little bit of it to you, and maybe it’ll start to make some sense. Can you please do me that favor?”

My mother’s anger was nowhere close to abated, but it was at least silenced for the time being. I couldn’t help but give a small grin as I knew she was nowhere near prepared to take on the bomb that was about to drop.

Five minutes later my Mom had fainted dead away, leaving me and Sunset tasked with reviving her- as well as finishing the story. She’d been so utterly dumbstruck by the tale that she couldn’t handle it, passing out right around the time that Sunset started talking about the Sirens. She hadn’t even gotten to the part where they’d put an enchantment on me. Fifteen minutes later, when we’d finally been assured that my Mother was alright, we started up again- and she passed yet again when we told her about the Sirens enchanting the entire school. It was less funny this time round, as I had to pour a bucket of water on her face and she nearly broke my nose swinging her rolling pin. Thankfully, after what was an hour-long struggle to tell the story and have it make the slightest shred of sense, we were done. Mom’s anger wasn’t fully abated, but at least she understood that I hadn’t really been to blame.

Made me hope that I hadn’t done anything illegal.

“So… so let me try to understand this,” she said weakly, her fingers twisting and turning the rolling pin in an effort to give herself something to do. “You,” she said, pointing at Sunset, “Are a being from another world.”

“That’s correct. I was a unicorn in training to become royalty,” Sunset said.

“And you got kicked out of your homeland,” Mom continued.

“Also correct. The portal is in the statue at Canterlot High. That was a few years ago.”

“And you’re dating my child, who was attacked by creatures from your world,” Mom added.

“Yes. The Sirens, who were only struck down two days ago. Their magic is broken.”

My Mom turned to me, still looking pretty faint from the news. “Did you know any of this?” she asked.

“Me? Heck no, only found out the other day,” I answered. “Been asking questions like a maniac ever since. Surprised she hasn’t gone crazy from it yet.”

“And… and you’re- OK with all of this?”

I shrugged. “Why not? Doesn’t change much, really. I mean, she’s still the same girl.”

Mom looked at me, darted her gaze over to Sunset, then back at me again. “Well,” she said finally, “What do I know? I guess it doesn’t make any difference…”

I grinned. Knowing her, it was going to take a considerably long time for her to get used to the whole situation, but she was unlikely to complain too much. After all, Sunset helped me stay out of trouble, she got along with my Mom real well, and she’d been a good influence on my grades. It was practically my Mom’s trifecta.

Mom eventually got up and went back to her work, though I could hear her muttering in Spanish the entire way, using a string of utterly stunning superlatives. I could barely understand half of them.

“How… how do you think she’s gonna handle it?” Sunset asked me hesitantly.

“Ah, you’ll be fine. She would’ve said something otherwise,” I remarked.

“She was more polite about it than you were, at the very least,” Sunset grinned. “I still can’t believe you asked me about racing…”

I went red, not fully over the stupidity of that one. “Oh come on, it was the best I could manage at the time!” I said defensively. “You should’ve known I wouldn’t have delivered anything stellar right off the bat!”

“But still, that’s your first line? I could’ve taken that as something offensive, you know,” she fired back.

“I’d just been attacked and brainwashed for two damn days! Poor choices were inevitable!”

The two of us went on at length for a fair amount of time, Sunset having her fun poking me with my awkwardness, I trying desperately to defend what little position I had at my disposal. I certainly wasn’t over the outright idiocy I’d committed, but I was happy she’d become more playful. It was another change in personality she’d had since the events of Friday night.

All too soon, Sunday came to a close and it would be time for us to start school in the morning, leaving me filled with trepidation. Though Sunset assured me that everyone else had little memory of what had occurred, it didn’t leave me feeling any more comfortable about my own mistakes. I’d gathered from hints Sunset and the others had dropped that I’d said some pretty nasty stuff and gotten into a couple fights, but I wasn’t really certain of how I’d react if I came across a guy with a broken nose. I’d know my own handiwork on that one well enough.

“Relax, it’ll be okay,” Sunset assured me as we walked back into her apartment. “Everybody was pretty terrible because of the Dazzlings’ spell. No one’s gonna remember any of it.”

“And if they do? It’s a whole other mess of problems for me,” I replied, sinking into the couch. “I’ve got a track record the cops already know about. If someone were to report me for anything I did- I’m a legal adult now, babe-”

“It’ll be OK,” she said firmly, planting an assuring kiss on my forehead. “I know why you’re worried, and I promise it’s not going to matter. You’re free of that now.”

Free. Just as Sunset was free of her own darkened past, so I was free of the life I had led. No matter what darkness we’d spread, what sins we’d committed, we were ruled by them no longer. Because of one another, we could go wherever we want, be whomever we desired to be, achieve truly anything. We brought limitless possibilities to each other that we never would have found, or even bothered to find, without doing it all together. The weekend had given me a lot of time to think about what that meant- not just for me and her as individuals, but for us. With my new car and graduation coming up in the next few months, I was starting to dwell more and more on the possibility of leaving this place behind. Of leaving this city and never coming back- the ultimate goodbye to the person I’d been.

“We could go anywhere, you know,” I said softly.

Sunset, who had gone into the kitchen to grab a couple of glasses, turned and looked at me in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“We’re free, Sunset,” I said. “We could go anywhere, do whatever we want. Have you ever thought of just- running away? That we could just disappear into the world and start over completely, just leave all our fears and failures behind? I mean,” I continued, getting up from my seat, “Look at what you’re capable of! Look at that pile of college offers you’ve gotten! You got eight yesterday alone! You are filled to the brim with so much potential that you could literally change the world! Who says we have to stay here any longer, that we can’t go off and make our own destiny? Just- what if, right?”

Sunset thought about that for a moment. “We could, couldn’t we?” she said slowly. “I won’t lie, there’s times I’ve thought of just running away from this place and leaving everything behind- but, could we really do it?”

“Sunset, you’re a unicorn from another world, you fought off a trio of ancient monsters and saved an entire city,” I said incredulously. “I think you’re capable of doing whatever the hell you feel like doing. Just- OK, hear me out before you say anything, but I’m going to suggest something kinda crazy.”

Sunset gave a small smile. “Go on.”

“OK, I know you’re kind of indecisive about where you want to go to college, so here’s an idea. It’s stupid, it’s insane- like, bat-shit insane, but still… what if you were to reach into that pile of acceptance letters, grab just one, and that was the college you went to? And that’s where you went off to, that’s where you made your future?”

Sunset looked down at the hilariously large pile of letters in thought. She’d gotten more than anyone would have ever realistically expected anyone to get, the two of us having lost track somewhere around the start of the month- I think we’d been at 68. Everyone in the academic world could see what she was capable of, how brilliant and how amazing she could be- it was her chance to make her own life, free of the memories of the places that haunted her. She had no future here, just as I had no place in this city- we had both outgrown our sins.

“What about you?” she asked, turning to me. “What would you do?”

“I’d go with you,” I said simply. “I promised to follow you into the dark, if that’s what it took- I can follow you into the light, too.”

“But you’d need to take care of yourself,” she protested.

“I could get a full-time job,” I said. “I could work in athletics somewhere, work as a bartender if I could get the chance. I’d like to go to a technical school if I could find one- I may not have the chance to be as successful as you, but I could have my own little victory. I’ll have finally left Wanyama, the West End, and my old man behind… for good.”

Sunset looked down at the pile of letters once more, placing her hand across the top and brushing them gently with her fingers. “Are you certain that we could make it?” she asked quietly.

“I’m more than certain,” I said firmly. “I know we’d light up the world. Go on, girl… find your future.”

She took a deep breath and plunged her hand in deep, grasping about and making a mess as she anxiously fumble about in the pile. Out she pulled a crisp letter bearing a seal that I hadn’t seen in a couple weeks, nor one that I recognized. She looked down and pulled out the letter and began to read quietly, a small smile growing on her face as she saw the next step in our journey. “Congratulations, you have been accepted into the University of Standford,” she whispered.

“Alright, West Coast!” I said excitedly. “Never seen the ocean before and you and I get to see the big daddy of them all. Sounds fun.”

Sunset gave a tiny laugh and tossed the letter aside onto the countertop, starting to grab the remaining letters and bring them to the trash. “That was a crazy thing to do,” she said. “It could’ve gone really wrong, you know.”

“But it didn’t,” I said calmly, “And now look- you’ve got a future! You know where you’re headed and so do I, we have a chance to make a new life in a place we’ve never been before. That’s more than cool… how’s it feel to know your future, girl?”

Sunset smiled and rolled her eyes, unable to find any suitable reaction. “It feels good, I guess. Yeah, it really does.”

“And I don’t doubt it,” I said, wrapping my arms around her from behind. “With what little time we’ve got left here, let’s leave this city unforgettable- and go rock the world the moment we leave it behind. Deal?”

“Deal,” Sunset replied, wrapping her fingers in mine.

Monday morning began with a strange feeling of apprehension, I taking a little longer than usual to get dressed and leave. If I were honest with myself, I really didn’t want to go. I was tired of the endless spectacle that was high school, and more than eager to leave it all behind. With Sunset and I’s decision last night, I was beginning to form a mental countdown until graduation and our departure. We had a lot of work to do ahead of us –planning how to get there, bringing our stuff, jobs and where we’d live- before we’d even be able to head out. There was also the matter of when we’d even leave, something I hadn’t fully thought out yet. Thankfully, it was only the very beginning of April. We’d have more than enough time till August to figure it out.

I was pretty quiet when we arrived at school, taking a few minutes to enjoy the pleasant morning. Winter was thankfully behind us now, spring taking root as the sunshine warmed the air. It was glorious weather that I’d desperately been waiting for ever since Sunset and I had started dating- we could final enjoy the city to its fullest extent, barred by the cold no longer.

“You alright?” Sunset asked me as we relaxed beneath the Wondercolt statue, polishing off the last bits of our breakfast. “You’re not still worried, are you? I told you to relax, it’s okay!”

I shook my head. “Nah, not anymore. Am curious, though, as to how people are gonna be. The place just got a big shakeup, I kinda wonder how that’s gonna affect everything.”

“It shouldn’t too much. I don’t expect anything big,” she replied.

“Evil magic monsters invade a high school and you don’t expect any changes?” I asked drily.

“So maybe I’m more accustomed to it,” Sunset admitted. “But still, they’ll bounce back pretty quickly. They had an entire weekend to get away from everything.”

“Yeah, true,” I said, downing the last of my egg and cheese muffin. “Well, we might as well get going. You ready?”

Sunset took my hand and we went on in to class, I opening the front doors with a sense of apprehension. What was this school going to do in the aftermath of a near catastrophe?

The answer was exactly as Sunset had predicted- nothing. There was a small mention of the event over the PA system by Principal Celestia, but no one really seemed too phased. Life was normal again- no monsters, no magic, no curses or spells. Just a bunch of teenagers trying desperately to avoid staff and responsibilities on our road to the end of the year. The cliques still existed in perfect harmony, the jerks were still the jerks and the popular people were still popular. Nothing had changed at all… except the school’s treatment of my girlfriend.

It took me a while to get used to people coming up to her and not trying to harm her, but instead bring words of kindness or a friendly gesture, or a genuine conversation. Though I and the girls were Sunset’s closest friends, she had gained a sudden boon of popularity among the student body. Finally, after months of trying, Sunset herself had struck down her doubters once and for all- though it probably helped that she had saved their necks. But still, there she was, among people who wished her well, and she was more alive than she’d ever been. Despite all my attempts to bring her around and help her out of the pit, Sunset had done it herself and in her own way. I never would have been able to do it for her and I felt foolish for ever thinking I could.

I found myself watching her throughout the day, a mixture of delight and wonder at this sudden transformation. That brightness, that light I’d seen in her had come to fruition, but this was never what I had expected. I’d been envisioning a more relaxed version of who she already was: quiet, unassuming and somewhat reclusive. Instead, Sunset was lively, outgoing and full of a fire that was entirely unique. She was more than just herself, she’d become something extraordinary.

It was a perfect day. Or it would’ve been, if it hadn’t been for one little roadblock still left standing: Octavia Melody, bane of Sunset and I’s existence and a sorehead. I didn’t know what she was so mad about –Sunset told me around lunch that she had been part of the battle of the bands and lost- but it was so much more than that. It was as if Octavia had taken everything Sunset and I had done personally, as if every success and triumph we had was a transgression against her somehow. If I had known all those months ago what trouble she would cause, I never would have bothered trying to talk to her.

“Look, I know she’s getting on your nerves, but let it go,” Sunset cautioned to me as Octavia threw yet another jibe, reverting to her usual diatribe that I was a complete thug and Sunset was a monster. “She’ll never quit, she’ll never be able to let it go. She’s too weak-minded to ever let it rest.”

“Hey, you don’t get to ignore me!” Octavia yelled over the crowd. “You don’t listen to that skank, you listen to me!”

“No, let it go- I said no!” Sunset said angrily, but I ignored her, gently pushing her aside so I could go confront my tormentor. I’d had about enough of this and I wasn’t really interested in letting it continue until I left this school.

“Are you ever gonna quit?” I said, shoving my way past a few of the students to face my musically inclined enemy. “I mean, are you not capable of growing up and putting on some semblance of adulthood? At all?”

“How dare you-” she began to say…

“No, you’re listening to me,” I cut through forcefully, raising my right hand to silence her. “Why won’t you give this up? What did we do that made you so angry, so hurt that you will never let us have a moment of rest? Don’t you see that nobody cares anymore? Look around you- Sunset won. She beat you, and this school’s attitude towards her today proves it. Just let it go.”

Octavia couldn’t say a word against that and she knew it. I had her caught between continuing a fight she knew she’d never win and the fact that I was dead right. It must’ve killed her to keep silent.

Sunset, who had been standing just behind me, saddled up alongside me and stared down her greatest tormentor. The two had been at odds ever since I had arrived at Canterlot High, probably even before that- a rivalry that had been marked by the cellist’s cruelty and malice of a bitter soul. Yet here Sunset stood, unafraid and her eyes filled not with anger or hate, but with pity. Despite all that had Octavia had committed against her, Sunset was too great to hold a grudge. “Octavia, I know why you’re still upset,” she said calmly. “I know it must hurt, and I know the reason you hate us both is because of me. But can you listen to me? We don’t have to be friends, we don’t have to even like each other, but we can let this go- let it end right now. Will you do me that favor, and let’s make peace once and for all?”

Sunset finished with the simplest of gestures, an outstretched hand extended in peace out to her worst, most cruel of persecutors. Octavia stared down at the hand as if it were a snake coiled to strike, practically backing away in primal fury. Sunset didn’t flinch or move a muscle, staring at Octavia intently with a burning light in her eyes. She was dead serious, completely committed to the gesture. To her, this was important. She meant every word.

It was just another reason why I loved her. Despite my own misgivings, for I surely didn’t want to, I stretched out my own hand, the ‘W’ brand on my palm reaching freely for this bully. I didn’t like her one bit and my inclination was to humiliate her rather than befriend her, but Sunset was right, as per usual. This was the right thing to do.

Octavia stared down at both of us in shock, perhaps wondering why we weren’t seeking revenge upon her. Maybe some small part of her that still possessed some decency was looking at us and wondering why we would ever do such a thing, why we would want to forgive her after all she had done against us both. And maybe, just maybe, part of her would take Sunset’s hand and finish this. For the longest time she stared at us, her gaze constantly flicking between me and Sunset. I saw her hand shiver and creep upwards just a little bit, the tightly balled fists beginning to loosen-

A quick squeeze shut and the musician’s eyes hardened like stone, her gaze fixated upon my open palm. She gave both of us a leering sneer, saying, “I’d rather get ill. No matter what you two say or do, I’ll never trust you, I know who you really are. And I’ll make you pay for it someday.” With a tight spin she was gone, disappearing into the crowd and leaving us behind.

Sunset sighed, stroking her fingers through her hair in defeat. “Well, we tried,” she said in frustration. “That was a mature thing you did, by the way. I’m proud of you, you didn’t try to start a fight.”

“There’s no fight anymore,” I answered. “She’s lost and she might as well just admit it. Besides, forget my maturity, I’m shocked at yours. I just wanted to shut her up for good, I never would’ve done what you did.”

“It’s just what Twilight taught me,” Sunset replied as we headed along. “She offered me friendship when no one else would, and I turned everyone in the school into brainwashed minions. I should be able to forgive Octavia if I was forgiven for what I did.”

I shook my head in wonder, left astounded by my girl yet again. She’d changed more than I ever would’ve thought, possessing a maturity beyond her years. She was young, that was true, but she was willing to make peace with her enemies- the perfect foil to myself. I really never would find a girl like her ever again. “So what’ll you do? Just keep trying?” I asked.

“I guess I will,” Sunset replied. “See if I can wear down her defenses, get her to listen to me. In the end, it’s still her choice. She may never listen.”

“It’s more than what I would’ve done,” I said. “Besides, I think it’ll work in the end. Remember the last time you tried to make peace with someone?”

Sunset laughed, her mind recalling all those months prior what had finally broken my back and caused me to relent. “Didn’t you say you got offered a ‘fresh fish’ by somebody?”

“Yeah, I did,” I replied, a toothy grin appearing on my own features. “Always wondered what the hell that meant, it was such a weird thing to say.”

“Did you ever find out?”

“I did, actually. Wasn’t a sex term- they were selling me actual fish.”

The two of us could’ve been heard laughing halfway down the block.

I woke early on Tuesday morning. Unusually early, in fact, well before the sun was even beginning to creep over the horizon. I had been sleeping deeply when I suddenly awoke with a start.

I shot up from the bed and looked around my room as if searching for something amiss. I, of course, found nothing. I couldn’t find any explanation for my sudden recall back to the waking world. It was almost as if I’d been struck awake by something that had dissipated into the ether the moment I had awoken. There was just no reason for it, yet somehow I felt incredibly uneasy. What on earth was wrong with me? Try as I might, I couldn’t get back to sleep and spent the next couple of hours lying across my bed in an anxious heap.

“What’s wrong, dear? You look tired,” Mom said to me as I headed for the door.

“I’m fine, just didn’t sleep well,” I said dully. The truth was that I’d been so on edge that I’d almost forgotten to go to school and had been forced to rush the whole thing. I hoped Sunset wasn’t wondering where I was.

“Hey, sorry, I was running a little late,” Sunset said breathlessly, dashing into my car the moment I came rolling up to her building. “I guess you were, too- are you OK? What’s wrong?” she said as she caught sight of my expression.

I gave myself a rough shake. “I’ve been edgy ever since I woke up,” I mumbled. “Something’s wrong with today but I don’t know what.”

“Did anything happen?”

I shook my head. “No, that’s why I don’t get it,” I replied. “I just know something’s up. Something is wrong out there.”

Sunset scrutinized me for a bit, then cupped my chin in her hand and kissed me on the cheek. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll be alright in the end,” she said soothingly. “Come on, we need to get going or we’ll be late.”

The drive to school helped me relax a little, Sunset’s calming presence easing some of my worries. It was a welcome comfort, but my instincts were on full alert. Danger! Be wary! they yelled, more loudly than they had in years. Oh, something was very, very wrong today…

We had to make a bit of a mad rush out of the school parking lot to the front lawn, our quest for a parking spot taking more time than we’d wished. Thankfully, we had a few minutes to spare and weren’t really all that pressed-

I skidded to a halt as shock hit me with the full force of a raging bull. Sunset ran into me and nearly toppled over in surprise, she staggering back a few steps before she regained equilibrium. “Hey, what on earth was that for? What’s-”

Then she saw it, too. Her mouth hung open in a perfect O shape as she slowly, shakily came to my side and gawked alongside me. “Baby, I… is that- is that what I think it is?”

I didn’t say anything for a while, her words filtering through my ears like molasses. However, through the shock and slowly growing terror, I gave one slow, heavy nod.

On the side of the Wondercolt statue base, sprayed in ink the color of crimson, was a gigantic fat ‘W’ brand. A brand I’d seen used for orders, for rituals, as territory markers. A mark that would strike fear into even the most hardy of criminals in this city, for it was the mark of the most dangerous man in the city, the very mark that abided on my hand.

Wanyama’s mark.

All of my senses went into overload as panic erupted within me, every fiber of my being screaming to leave now. Had Wanyama been watching me? Had they followed me here? Or worse, was there another reason that they’d targeted the school? Were they after someone else, had someone broken the laws- had I broken any of Wanyama’s laws? My mind was racing through everything I’d ever learned there, desperately searching for any possible answer that could explain this, why the nightmare I’d sworn to leave behind was now targeting my school. God help me, I could only think. God help me stop this, don’t let it happen!

“Why is it here? Who put it there?” Sunset asked of me. Her eyes were wide, but only with shock. She didn’t understand the danger, she didn’t know how scared she should be. My senses were on full alert, cocked and ready for any sign that they were about to attack, that they were coming. What if –God forbid- they were already inside the building? Their’d be no stopping them, it would be a massacre on an unimaginable scale. My ears rang with the screams of gunfire and students as they were mowed down by Jester’s Big Cats, his team of merciless assassins. If Kiumbe or Muuaji had been sent here…

“Help me cover it up. We need to get rid of it,” I said quickly, rushing over to the statue to inspect the damage. I put my hand across the paint, trying to get a feel for what had been used. Simple spraypaint, by the looks of it. I could put something over it temporarily until I could get some paint that would cover it up, hopefully paint over before they had seen it- if they hadn’t seen it already.

“What’s wrong? What do you need me to do?” Sunset said, coming to my side, realizing I was in a full-flown panic. “Do you know what happened?”

“No but we need to get rid of it now before it’s too late,” I muttered. “Maybe we can have it gone before it gets called in, maybe they won’t come here-”

“What’s it mean? I know it’s the mark on your hand but I still don’t-”

“Sunset if we don’t get rid of this thing, everyone in Canterlot High is going to die!” I said feverishly, my voice breaking as terror threatened to break me down. “We have to get this thing covered right now or else they’re gonna come here-”

“Whoa, slow down. Who’s gonna come here-”

“Wanyama will come here and kill everyone!” I shrieked. “PLEASE help me get rid of this before it’s too late, maybe I can do something to stop it. If the mark is gone before it’s called in then maybe a Big Cat won’t come here, if they’re not here already-”

The front doors swung open and I jumped in front of Sunset –maybe I could give her a chance to get away before they opened fire-

It was Godfried, the custodian, pushing out a barrel full of paint brushes and buckets to cover over the brand. I could’ve cried, my body starting to shake with elk fever as I realized not only was Wanyama not here yet, but the mark was going to be destroyed. We were, for the moment, safe.

“What on earth-” Sunset said of me.

“Thank God,” I choked, dashing up to the old man and offering him any help he needed.
He looked fairly surprised at that, glancing at his brushes and then at me. “Ain’t never had a student offer me help b’fore,” he mumbled, fingering his white moustache. “Don’t even know if it’s allowed… don’t you have classes to go to, anyhow?”

“Not a big deal, this is important,” I said hurriedly, looking around agitatedly. Come on, the more time we wasted the greater chance one of the Sentries would call in the kill order and by then it’d be too late!

Godfried gave me a strange look, almost as if he was suspicious. True, it probably didn’t look great that a student was offering to clear graffiti, but I knew better. I wanted to live!

“Gwon in, don’t worry about helping me out,” he said finally. “It’s my job to clean up stuff like this, gwon inside and get to studying.”

I left feeling distinctly uneasy. I knew Godfried would get the job done, but I would feel more comfortable having seen it done myself. Now all I could do was wait for Wanyama to show up and kill us all, if the mark had been called in.

By the time second period came around and I made it to Miss Cheerilee’s class, talk about the oh-so-obvious mark was rampant across the school. I guess they’d never seen anything like it before here- they’d better hope they would never see anything like it again. Though they all discussed why someone would want to vandalize the school statue with a giant ‘W,’ none of them knew to whom it belonged or why it was there. They couldn’t understand how much of a danger they were in. None of them, not even the staff.

Miss Cheerilee was rather pensive when we first arrived, not saying a word as we took our seats and waited for class to begin. With a heaving sigh, she grabbed a paper from her desk and began to read in a dull monotone, completely void of her usual enthusiasm.
“As all of you are most likely aware, today our school’s Wondercolt statue was vandalized by an unknown perpetrator,” she said. “As of this time, there is no identified suspect and no witnesses have come forward with any information. With aid from local authorities, it is suspected that one of Canterlot High’s own is responsible for this defacement of school property, and we request anyone with any knowledge to please contact your home room teacher and then…” She gave a sigh of frustration and threw the paper aside, visibly relaxing though still appearing fairly serious. “I know what happened was unusual,” she said slowly, “But I also don’t think any of you would do such a thing. I trust you… you’re better than that and you want to be better than that. I trust that you wouldn’t do such a thing. So if any of you know anything about who did it or what happened… please come talk to me. It’ll be a big help to the school so as to ensure it never happens again.”

Her eyes lingered on me for a time and a half, her gaze a strange mixture of sadness and concern before she finally turned around and carried on with the day’s lesson. A few of the students glanced around at each other, with more than a few looking back to glance at me.
Of course they would suspect me being the perp. I’d been a part of the school long enough to be a known face, the brand on my palm was common enough knowledge, and now that brand had defaced the school statue. I felt a chill run through me as I thought of what could happen- the cops would come and even if I was put in temporary holding, I was still vulnerable. Wanyama had plenty of guys nestled in the force, whether they be informants or working for them to keep the rest of the police off their tails. If I got arrested, I’d be stuck with the blame for breaking Wanyama’s ultimate law- the mark and the name Wanyama belong to one man and he alone- Jester. I’d be killed in seconds.

I doubted any of the staff could protect me from that.

Throughout the rest of the day I was on edge, either expecting Wanyama to burst through the doors, guns blazing, or to see the cops come and take me away to an early execution. I was distracted and unable to perform at any level, constantly uneasy. Not even the arrival of Granny Smith’s long-desire TV’s in the cafeteria could distract me for long. It could be at any moment, at any time, Wanyama could come in and slaughter everyone in this school in a matter of seconds. I’d seen Upanga and Ukatili come back drenched, having decimated an old gang called Waylon who’d been stealing Wanyama’s sex trade. If they ever came here, to a place like this…

It was all I could to do not be sick.

“So what’s going to happen? Do you know why they were here?” Sunset asked me as we drove back to her apartment after school.

I shook my head. “Don’t know nothing, the staff don’t know either,” I answered. “I don’t know why they were there, why they’d want to put a kill order on the whole school. Nothing ever brings Wanyama to this part of the city, everything they need is elsewhere- drugs, women, guns, all of that keeps out of the East End. There’s no market for any of it here. I just don’t- and they didn’t even show up! If they put that kill order in, why was it never called? I don’t know what happened!”

“Who would put the mark there? Why would they?” Sunset asked.

“Either Jester or one of his big three- his advisors, Wise Men he calls them,” I answered “They’re the only ones with the authority to place a kill order. Then the Sentries will catch the mark and call it in to one of the Big Cats, Jester’s team of assassins. They go in on the building and wipe everyone out who is inside. Jester’s evil, but he’s got everything down to a science to ensure exact control of every facet of Wanyama. No one does anything without his saying so, that’s how he got so much power and practically rules the city. He has watch over every single one of Wanyama’s followers, and the laws keep them in control.”

“But why, though? What would… is it because of you?” Sunset asked slowly.

“I… I don’t know,” I confessed, rubbing my fingers through my hair. “It doesn’t make sense, not any of it. I left, yeah, but there’s law concerning that. And I can’t think of anyone in Canterlot High doing anything to piss Wanyama off… it just doesn’t make sense.”

We traveled on in silence for the duration of the trip, I constantly on the lookout for someone I recognized, the mark arousing my old paranoia. I could be under surveillance every hour of the day, they could be planning my death right now. Nowhere felt safe any longer.
Whether she noticed my unease or simply was scared herself, I didn’t know. But the next thing Sunset said was music to my ears. “Do you want to stay at the apartment tonight? Maybe you shouldn’t go back to your house tonight…”

“Yeah, I think I will,” I said. “Thanks, beautiful girl.”

“It’s what we do for one another,” she said simply. “I know you’re worried, but relax for now. There’s nothing we can do for now.”

That was true, and that was exactly what I was worried about.

The next two days deteriorated rapidly as my early bout of panic became fully-fledged terror. The moment we got to school on Tuesday, plastered across the school doors, was another Wanyama brand. If Sunset hadn’t been there to steady me, I would’ve gone to ground and fallen into a fit of hysterics. The nightmares I’d kept locked away in the back of my mind were suddenly a reality, the footsteps of the men who had shaped my life suddenly in the same place as the world to which I’d escaped, away from their influence and power. They were here, they knew where I was, and at any moment they could unleash a fury and pain this city, this school had never seen. I could barely eat a thing all day, and I knew the amount of whispers and stares in my direction were increasing. Another statement was issued, this time warning the students that whoever was caught would face “severe penalties.”

They couldn’t imagine how severe they’d get.

“I know it’s not you,” Sunset assured as we left that day. “Anyone who knows you would say exactly the same. No matter what I’ve got your back. We can prove it wasn’t you.”

“How, Sunset?” I rasped nervously. “I’ve got the mark on my hand, the entire staff know I have an arrest record. I’m the only person like me in this school, I’m the automatic suspect. If they come get me I’m going to die-”

“No you’re not,” she said fiercely. “We’re going to figure out who’s behind this and we’re going to catch them, I promise. Just trust me, OK? I’ll figure something out.”

I nodded, not sure what she could possibly do, and terrified of her involvement. Wanyama was something she didn’t understand like I did, she could never fully understand how lethal they were. If… if they did something to her…

I didn’t sleep much that night, staying over at Sunset’s yet again. I kept vigil over the door, truly expecting to see Muuaji or one of the others to come through the door with a gun in hand. I was strong, I was capable, but I knew I was no match for the Big Cats. I’d be killed instantly.

“Please eat something. I know you’re worried, but it’ll help you feel better if you get something in your stomach,” Sunset said to me over breakfast, I merely picking at my scrambled eggs. Sunset had gotten up early to make a pretty exquisite meal, taking great care with the toast and eggs and bacon as if she were a culinary artist. It was just a small way she was trying to make me feel better, another reason to love her… I could still barely stomach the thought of eating anything. Wanyama was my only concern.

I almost cried at the sight of the school, another Wanyama brand plastered across the school sign near the road. It was loud, abrasive, and insistent, a clear calling sign for Wanyama to come and finish the job they hadn’t even begun. Who was doing this, and why? Why had they decided to come here, what had caused all of this? And why, why of all things, were they taking so long to even arrive?

Sunset’s eyes blazed at the sight of the mark, her spine stiffening whereas mine had gone limp. She muttered something about “proper connection” or something along that line, but didn’t say a word to me, utterly lost in her own thoughts.

“I can’t wait any longer,” I said fearfully. “I’m gonna go straight to Principal Celestia’s office, they need to know what’s going on. Screw getting in trouble, this is getting out of hand.”

“I’ll try to meet you there,” Sunset said, “I’ve got something I need to do- if you can’t find me, look for 8-Bit!”

“8-Bit? The nerd who’s always off in the corner?” I asked, thrown for a loop by her sudden connection with the guy. I’d only talked to him once and he was the strangest person imaginable.

I headed straight for Celestia’s office, coming to a slow halt when I saw, to my great surprise, Vice-Principal Luna departing the room with a furious expression on her face, one that switched to alarm at the sight of me. “You shouldn’t be here. Get to class now!”

“I can’t, I need to talk to you and your sister, it’s urgent!” I pressed.

An angry voice in Principal Celestia’s office rang through the door. Luna glanced back at it before returning to me, saying, “No, you don’t understand, you need to get out of here right now- leave this to my sister and I.”

“But you don’t understand, it’s about that mark, it’s a-”

The door opened to reveal a pair of gangly cops, both looking particularly disgruntled as they were followed by a furious-looking Principal Celestia. The pair of cops caught sight of me and almost exploded with energy. “That’s the one,” the older of the two said and they headed towards me.

“What in the- oh dear God, help me!” I yelled as the two officers grabbed me by the shoulders and threw me against the wall, wrenching my arms behind my back and slapping a pair of handcuffs across my wrists. “No no no, you can’t do this, please don’t do this!”

“By the rights vested in me, you are under arrest-” began the officer who had a hold of my wrists.

“Hold on a moment! Stop this at once!” Principal Celestia said angrily, trying to come between me and the officers.

“Get out of the way, ma’am, police business,” he said brusquely, almost shoving her aside to get to me. I turned around and –for the first time- got a good clear look at his face and I recognized it immediately.

“God help me, this is not happening! Somebody help me!” I roared, absolutely losing my cool in the panic of the moment, thrashing about wildly in a desperate attempt to get them off of me, anything to get away from the man who was trying to drag me away…

“Stop, you cannot treat one of my students in this manner!” Luna objected, barring the way down the hall to the front doors. All around me I could see doors opening as students flooded from their classes to see what the commotion was all about. Far in the back of the growing crowd I could see a familiar wave of red-and-yellow hair pushing madly through the throng to get closer.

“Ma’am, please step aside, we have our suspect, we’re needing to leave,” said the officer. My mind raced to place hold of his name- Barstow, I think. I knew his partner, too, a skinny bastard name Collier. I’d seen them before, and they had seen me. This was going to be the end, if they got me into their car-

“And what crime is my student accused of?” Luna demanded of him.

“Ma’am, have you not been paying attention to your school? All that graffiti has a source and it’s this idiot- look at the damn fool’s hand!” Barstow said, throwing me around like I was a ragdoll and displaying my branded palm for all to see.

“If that is your evidence, then it’s a poor presentation indeed,” Luna said coldly. “As we have told you numerous times, we do not know who is responsible and we have no leads. A poor showing, considering that you and the rest of your task force have been keeping watch on the school at nights.”

“Ma’am, we know this is the suspect,” Barstow insisted. “The mark on the palm matches the ones you’ve been getting hit with. And come on, just- just look!”

Luna’s mouth went agape, looking absolutely appalled by what she had just heard. “How dare you!” she hissed.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” Barstow asked.

“I concur with my sister,” Principal Celestia said coldly, her figure practically shaking with barely concealed fury. “How dare you discriminate against one of my students on the color of their skin!? Any one of my students could be capable of something this foolish, yet you single out our only transfer student- the only one you consider to be an outsider. Now,” she said, turning to me, “Are you guilty of the crime they accuse you of?”

“NO! Holy hell no!” I shrieked, praying desperately that somehow she’d be able to pull me out of this.

“Then there you have it,” Principal Celestia said simply, turning back to Barstow. “I may only be a school principal but I have a law degree and I’m fairly sure that racial discrimination is forbidden. You have no evidence, poor suspicions, and bias all at your feet. Now release my student at once or else I will make phone calls that will see to the end of your career!”

“But-”

“Now you listen here,” Principal Celestia said dangerously, her voice dropping several octaves as she advanced towards the officer. “I don’t care what you think or your opinions, but you have all but attacked one of my students due to the color of their skin and tried to destroy their future. I’m an active participant in the local town halls, I have wonderful connections with city hall and I’m in a prayer group with the mayor. Wanna keep pushing me?”

It was a standoff between a Wanyama crony and the only woman who could possibly spare me from death. The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, Celestia’s normally warm eyes filled with a burning fire that met Barstow’s steely cold gaze perfectly. Finally, after an age, I standing there on bated breath, Barstow relented. “Take the cuffs off,” he told Collier.

The moment I was free I leapt away from the two men, wanting to be well out of arm’s reach of the two maniacs. I could feel my legs shaking uncontrollably, this needed to end before I lost control and collapsed…

“This is the only chance you get,” Barstow said severely. “If there’s another incident, we come back and finish this.”

“I’m amazed you’d have the courage to try,” Principal Celestia said disgustedly, watching with cold distaste as the two men stalked through the crowd and out of sight.

The crowd began to disperse, wandering back to their various classes. Not a moment too soon, as could hold myself together no longer and I collapsed to the ground, my heart pounding so violently within my chest it could have burst right through.

“Easy, you’re alright,” Principal Celestia said, coming down next to me along with her sister. “Breathe in and out, very slowly. Try to control it. Just like that, in and out… relax, you need to relax or else you’ll do more than collapse…”

“Principal Celestia- what happened, what’s going on?” Sunset appeared from within the crowd, catching sight of me and rushing over. “What happened, is-”

“Go get Nurse Redheart, Miss Shimmer. Tell her one of the students is having a panic attack,” Luna said and Sunset was off through the crowd like a shot and disappearing from sight, leaving me there to stew in my fear and growing humiliation as I struggled to get even a simple breath. Utterly, completely worthless...

It took a while for me to regain some semblance of control, to get my heart to slow and my mind to cool. I couldn’t manage to say it at the time, but Principal Celestia and Luna had saved me from getting killed. They couldn’t know, thought that Barstow and Collier were just some racist cops. They didn’t know that they were part of Wanyama. If I’d been taken away they would’ve struck me down in the back of their cop car or some alleyway and that would’ve been it. They were certain to tell Wanyama that I was there and that I had broken the laws, but I was still alive. I had a chance of finding a way out.

Nurse Redheart, accompanied by a stricken Sunset, came down and checked me over, doing whatever she could to check me for anything that could lead to worse problems. After looking me over and helping me to really relax, she said I would just need to avoid any high-stress situations the rest of the day and try to do some calming exercises. Otherwise, I was in good shape. I could’ve told her that much.

“Now that we’re certain you’re secure, we do need to ask you about that graffiti,” Luna began as I got to my feet, Sunset offering extra support for balance.

“If you’re asking me if I know who it is, I don’t,” I said. “I don’t know but I know what that mark means and you better find out who it is before it’s too late.”

Principal Celestia looked at me with raised eyebrows, perhaps surprised by my choice of words. “Are we in danger?” she inquired.

“Yes,” I said firmly. “More than you can imagine, unless you find the culprit behind this. I don’t know why they’re putting the mark on the school, but it’s gonna lead to something terrible real soon if you don’t put a stop to it.”

Sunset opened her mouth and then shut it just as quickly, squeezing my arm ever so slightly so as to get my attention. I made a mental note to ask what the matter was the moment we were done.

Principal Celestia and her sister shot each other a glance. “If you’re certain of there being a risk present,” she said slowly.

“Certain? I’m terrified and confused as hell, I don’t know why it’s happening and that scares me to death,” I replied.

“Then I’ll start making phone calls,” Luna said. “I have some friends at the nearby precint, I’ll see if I can get extra aid out as quickly as possible. You two should get going now, leave the rest of this to us.”

Sunset and I nodded, slowly making our way down the hall until we were out of sight of the two women. The moment I thought we were in the clear, I pulled Sunset aside and said, “Those two cops were Wanyama cronies, we’re out of time. They know I’m here.”

“And they blame you?” Sunset asked. When I nodded, she added, “I think I may be able to help. Before we left school yesterday I talked to 8-Bit and borrowed a couple of his security cameras.”

Didn’t expect to hear that one. “What?”

“He’s super paranoid, thinks the government is spying on him or something,” she said dismissively. “But he’s smart enough to make a bunch of tiny little cameras that he keeps on him wherever he goes and I managed to convince him to give me a few. I may have caught whoever it was putting that mark on the school sign.”

I was nonplussed. “You’re serious.”

“I went and ripped them off the Wondercolt statue when we got to school. He should be working on the footage in the news room right now.”

“Holy- come on, let’s go!” I roared, grabbing her hand and practically dragging her along.

8-Bit’s real name was Myron, some poor geek who’d been cursed with every nerd stereotype in the book. But he was smart- frighteningly smart, if I was to be truly accurate. If he couldn’t help us catch the perp, nobody would- and I’d be dead.

“Yo, 8-Bit! Heard you got the goods to save my neck!” I said, crashing through the news room door.

“Stop! Don’t move!” he shouted, racing over to us with a countenance that suggested I had stepped on a land mine. “Were you followed?” he demanded.

“What? No, I came to ask for your-”

“Better check for cameras,” he said, looking us both over intrusively as he scanned our bodies for- I couldn’t imagine. “Hmm, don’t see any wires, either. Maybe I should get the metal detector-”

“Hey! I ain’t got time for this crap!” I said angrily, reaching out to push the guy away. “Look, Sunset said that you helped set up a couple of cameras that may have caught this idiot-”

“Myron, it’s urgent that we see the footage. Is any of it ready yet?” Sunset said politely, overriding my aggression.

“Hmm… guess I’ll search you all later. Yes, it’s done. In here,” he said, motioning for us to join him on the computer. “You placed them properly, didn’t you?”

“Exactly where you said I should,” Sunset replied.

“Excellent! Then we’ll see just what we could hope to see- government agents tracking our every move, vandalizing our privately run schools-”

“Yes, very great and wonderful- I wanna live! Let’s roll this thing, will you?” I begged.

8-Bit didn’t exactly look pleased at being ordered around in his own office, but he complied nonetheless and opened up the screen and pressed play.

The footage started off with a close-up view of Sunset as she placed the cameras wherever she had been told to, diligently working until she was satisfied in their secure position. As she walked out of sight, it became a hodgepodge of students and staff leaving school behind and disappearing out of sight. As we fast-forwarded through the majority of the footage, the light of day quickly disappeared and gave birth to darkness. Occasional cars drove by a few paused and parked across the street in the nearby housing, but nothing unusual.

“Jeez, how late did they get up to go do this?” I said incredulously. “We’re past midnight and still nothing…”

We kept pushing on through, I beginning to wonder when they had dared commit the act –they wouldn’t have done it in the morning hours, would they?- until we reached about 3:30 on the clock when a figure wearing a hoodie slowly sauntered into view, the person’s hair flowing out from underneath the hood.

“Haven’t… haven’t we seen this person somewhere before?” I asked.

“We have,” Sunset said grimly. “I’m not going to say it unless I’m sure, but…”

The figure walked in front of the sign, spray can in hand and began their work, defacing the property with smooth, simple movements. Everything about this person was familiar. Very familiar in fact. I was beginning to think the same as Sunset, I wouldn’t say unless I was certain….

The figure moved away from the sign and walked back to the sidewalk, but not before the lights beneath the statue came to life, activated by the nearby motion. Suddenly the entire area burst into light and the figure beneath the hood was instantly visible… and instantly recognizable.

“I KNEW IT!” I screamed, the vein in my temple instantly popping as all my pent-up fear and aggression erupted with the force of an ancient volcano. “THAT STUPID, LOWDOWN, IDIOTIC MORON!” I raced out of the news room and was instantly greeted by the sound of the bell. Thank God, I could find her right now and end this, get it out and the open. Of course it was Octavia, who else would do something that fiercely idiotic?

“WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS THAT TITANIC JACKASS?!” I roared, stepping out into the hallway and effectively silencing everyone in a fifty foot radius. All eyes were on me as I stood there, with Sunset somewhere behind me, racing to catch up. “YOU ALL KNOW WHO I’M WANTING- WHERE’S OCTAVIA?!”

My rage must’ve been a sight to behold, because the entire crowd parted and revealed the stupid cellist standing right in the middle of the hallway, looking at me as if I were a walking mummified corpse. She knew she’d been caught.

“You!” I shrieked, flecks of foam spattering from my mouth. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?! Do you know what could’ve happen, what could still happen? You thought, ‘Oh, it’s just some mark, maybe the fool grabbed a hot door handle-’ this is a gang mark! Wanyama’s brand! You were so butthurt about Sunset beating you once and for all that you had to go and be a gigantic soreheaded asshole and you could get everybody killed!”

“I- I didn’t mean-” she stammered helplessly.

“I don’t care what you didn’t mean!” I yelled. “Your stupid screwing around is putting everybody at risk and I did not run from Jester and the rest of his killers to die because of your stupid mistake!”

“What’s going on? Miss Melody, what’s going on here?” said Principal Celestia, pushing her way through the halls to stand between us. “Please, you are causing a disturbance,” she said to me, “After what happened this morning, you know you need to stay calm-”

I was well beyond having self-control. “No! No!” I raged. “This stupid bitch put Wanyama’s mark on the school- not one, not twice, but three f---ing times over! That’s a damn KILL ORDER! Whenever Wanyama puts their mark on a building, it means everyone inside is to be put to death! Those cops that came today work for them- everyone in this entire building is going to die and it’s because of her!”

A stunned silence met my words, with various students showing signs of shock or growing horror. The reality of the world I’d grown a part of, the world they’d only seen in newspaper headlines and news reports was now in their backyard, the barrier between the segregated and the accepted now shattered. My old life had come crawling into the present and now endangered the lives of all who were near. For what was probably the first time in their lives, the fear of Wanyama had struck them straight through the heart.

“Are you certain?” Principal Celestia asked.

“I’ve seen it happen over and over again, for years now,” I said angrily, my sides heaving with poorly controlled emotions. “Jester’s Big Cats are gonna come here once that mark gets called in and they’re gonna slaughter everyone here like they’re animals! You have no idea what’s coming for us all- they will not stop until every single person in this building is dead.”

A few gasps and even a scream as the impact of my words trickled through the crowd. People began to shuffle away, heading for the doors in an attempt to escape the coming danger. Panic was about to take a stranglehold.

“Get to my office. Lock the doors,” Principal Celestia ordered hurriedly, disappearing into the crowd to begin prepping the evacuation. Without another words, Sunset and I rushed to her office and slammed the door behind us, locking it instantly and even shoving her desk in front of the door- we scratched the floor but I didn’t particularly care. It was an extra barrier.

“Stay out of sight,” I ordered Sunset and I dashed over to the window and pulled the curtains to, effectively cutting off any chance of sighting us from the outside world. Filtering through from the front lawn were the sounds of terrified students, the roar of car engines and the screech of tires as whoever could get away disappeared, running from the school before it was too late. Somewhere out there, maybe even just outside, lurked a team of cold, brutal, efficient killers that, with just one simple command, could wipe out an entire building full of armed thugs. If they were out there… it was already too late.

We waited in agony, I dreading the moment when the sounds of panic and fear would be cut through with the sounds of gunfire and replace all the sound and motions of the outside world with that terrible emptiness that comes with death. But, despite the worst of my fears, nothing came except the eventual emptiness as the rest of the school fled, and a knock upon the door that was Principal Celestia.

“Is anyone still here?” I asked the moment she walked in, locking the door behind her.

“All students and staff have been safely evacuated,” she informed me. “Your warning was convincing enough to those who were present, and I ensured that all remaining staff safely departed as soon as the student body had safely fled. You two and I are now the only ones remaining on school grounds. Now we simply wait for the police to arrive and then we shall go from there.”

“If that mark got called in, they may not be enough,” I warned her. “If we have to run...”

She didn’t say anything but she did drop a glance towards the door and the window. She understood just as well as I did that we’d have almost no chance of escape if it came a real firefight.

“You said those cops worked for them,” Sunset said, “If they know you’re here, then you think they’ll blame you for the mark.”

“They will, hands down. It’s an automatic assumption,” I answered. “Thank Christ you have the footage from those cameras otherwise I’d have nothing to defend myself with. If they don’t come here to the school I’m going to have to seek them out-”

“That is absolutely out of the question,” Principal Celestia said.

“There is absolutely no choice, it’s never gonna end if I don’t go straight to the source and fix this!” I replied. “Look, I get you’re older than me and all that but this is a world you don’t understand- I was born in it, it bred me, I lived in it all my life. I’m the only one who knows what to do.”

“No, that’s stupid, you’ve got to think of something different!” Sunset protested.

“Hey! If I could pull something way less stupid than I would, but I ain’t got a choice here!” I said angrily. “Wanyama’s channels make for very precise means of contact, I’m gonna have to work their way if I’m gonna do this-”

The sound of sirens drawing closer suddenly began to ring in my ears, a cacophony if signals and flashing lights that suggested more than a few patrol cars were headed our direction.

“Dammit, they’re alerting everyone in a mile radius, they screwed up already!” I spat, rushing to push open the blinds.

“I thought you said they’d fight-”

“The Big Cats don’t take on large forces unless they have to, they like having a numbers advantage,” I said. “They’re all war vets from some god-forsaken country, they know how to fight. Now they’ll hide and wait until the cops leave…”

The cops stormed the building with enough noise to wake a sleeping giant, crashing and barreling down the halls with no regard for stealth. I didn’t have much love for law enforcement to begin with, having come from the West End, but this was just sad. With all the noise they were making, I knew that if Wanyama was watching, they’d have plenty of time to hunker down and wait. We’d never see them coming.

Of course the cops didn’t find anything. Of course they didn’t see any suspicious activity. No bombs, no weapons, nothing for the dogs to find (did find some pot in a couple students lockers, though). They’d never find anything because Wanyama never let themselves be found unless they wanted to be. The force cleared the building and did a couple of sweeps, but said nothing was discovered. A few asked why they’d even been called and I got a couple dirty looks, no doubt they blamed me for their disturbance of their day. I didn’t care and glared right back, I never needed their help in the first place.

After they left half an hour later, they left the three of us standing on the front lawn, watching as the useless good-for-nothings drove off and left us in the dust. “That was a waste of time,” I snarled. “Pricks, they made everything worse.”

“Are you certain that there is danger?” Principal Celestia asked.

“Wanyama cops know a former member is here, where someone was leaving kill order brands. There was.”

“Then you two should leave, get away as quickly as you can. If they’re seeking you-”

“Then they’ll find me no matter what,” I said. “I’m going to stay here until they arrive and see if I can get them to talk. It’s the only chance I’ve got.” Turning to the two of them, I said, “You both should leave. I don’t know what they’ll do to you if they find you.” Actually, I had a pretty good idea of what they’d do, but I didn’t dare say it.

“And you’re certain of your decision?”

I nodded. “Very well… I can’t force to you flee, but… Miss Shimmer-”

“I’m staying,” Sunset said determinedly.

“Oh no you’re not!” I replied hotly. “This ain’t exactly gonna be a friendly chat, they may just shoot me on sight! Get the hell out and get away before-”

“I’m staying and that’s final. You’re not going to do this alone,” she insisted, stamping her foot down for good measure.

I gave a frustrated roar. “Fine, just- just hide somewhere and stay out of sight! I don’t care, just get to where they can’t see you!”

I slowly went back to the front steps and took a seat, putting myself right out in the open. I adopted a perfect body spread, arms to the side and hands outstretched, my legs prone before me. It was a supplication gesture, a sign of submission. Maybe if they say my positioning they’d understand I wanted to bargain, to speak before there was violence…

Of course, they didn’t have to listen to me at all.

The late morning sun crept higher and higher into the sky, reaching its high point and slowly descending down towards the horizon. For hours I waited in the baking sun, my body begging to move and relax, to find rest and shade, but I willed myself to stay put. One wrong move, one wrong word and every effort I’d given would be wasted. I had to remain…

The sun began to leave shadows on the ground as the clock kept ticking, the bright blue sky beginning to turn orange and pink as evening crept closer and closer. My body was now screaming for relief, a chance to rest and shift position for just a single moment because that would be enough. Sunset, true to her word, had stayed hidden out of sight somewhere, and I hadn’t seen her in several hours.

Doubt began to creep into my mind. Were they truly out there, had they actually come for me? If so, why did they wait? What caused them to stay their hand? Surely by now they would have done something and finished this. Something was very unusual about all this, and despite my extensive knowledge of Wanyama’s workings, I didn’t know what was going on. Something had changed.

“Sunset!” I called quietly, rising slowly from my seat on the steps, my body cracking and popping from the stiffness. “Sunset, are you there?”

“I’m here,” I heard her say, though I couldn’t pinpoint her location.

“Come out, there’s a change of plans,” I whispered. “Something’s happening.”

She materialized out of the bushes like a chameleon dropping camouflage. I’d never even seen she was there, not even heard a whisper. I was stunned. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think they’re coming. Something isn’t right,” I said. “Come on, I’m dropping you off at Sweet Apple Acres and then I’m heading out to find them.”

“You’re not going to go alone, that’s dangerous!”

“And it’s dangerous to have you with me!” I said as we ran to my car. “I need you to be at a place where there’s protection so I can seek out the night guards Wanyama’ll have posted across the city.”

“And you just leave me behind to wait for you to come back?” she demanded.

“This isn’t some kind of-”

“Look out!”

I swung around with the lightning reflexes gained over a lifetime of hard fighting, but I never would’ve been fast enough to react in time. The moment I wheeled about I saw the bat come flying forward and I tried to dodge out of the way-

Crack! The wooden bat made heavy contact with the side of my chest and I went sprawling, crashing across the ground and tumbling across the lawn-

I heard Sunset scream somewhere across what felt like a great distance and the sounds of rapid movement, rough, rapid movements of a tussle-

I looked up and saw the bat raised again, the weapon headed straight for my skull for what would surely be an incapacitating blow-

I dodged as quickly as I could and received a blow to the side of the head, I rolling across the ground to try and gain some ground between me and my attackers-

A flash of black and my attacker was on me again, trying to keep me grounded and away from the others. Out of the corner of my eye I saw three other figures, one walking towards me and the other trying to get a hold of Sunset who was fighting off her assailants with every ounce of energy she could muster-

Wham! Another blow across my chest and I felt a horrible Pop! as the bat made it’s made, practically crushing my lungs and stunning the air out of my body-

“You’ve broken our laws, kimbia,” growled my attacker, pressing his foot down into my gut and digging it in. “Jester wants you to answer for your crimes.” I knew this man, an old Enforcer named Derrick. He’d been wanted for multiple assaults when I’d first met him-

“Hey, the girl won’t stop- ow, dammit¬- help me do something about her!” yelled the second man, a brutal man known as Aguirre.

“Sunset!” I gurgled, spitting out a massive gob of blood, my head still pulsing madly from all the sudden damage I’d taken. I couldn’t quite focus, I couldn’t see yet, if I had a few more seconds-

Sunset was writhing about and pushing herself away from her captors, a man I knew and had fought alongside for years, watching as the girl I loved gave him everything he could handle and even a little more-

“Enough of this! Kill her!” yelled Derrick, tossing Sunset’s captors a jet-black pistol-

“NO!” I seized Derrick’s foot still imbedded in my gut and gave a powerful jerk, nearly snapping his heel and sending him facefirst into the ground-

“Stop him!” he yelled, his voice muffled by the earthen ground-

They didn’t have a single hope in Hell. All of these men were hardened fighters, veterans of a long street war of domination. But so was I, and I was trained by a professional fighter and fueled by a furious desperation. I was seeing red.

I was on Sunset’s captor in two seconds, crashing into him with the force of a rampaging bull and striking him across the chest with a pair of lobo punches-

His arms went flying and he staggered back, releasing her and giving her the break she needed-

It wasn’t a heavy blow but it was enough to bring him to the ground, as Sunset aimed a well-placed punch across his jaw-

“You traitorous f—k!” I felt a pair of arms wrench themselves around my neck and tighten, cutting into my windpipe-

I went to my knees and flung myself forward, throwing my attacker onto the ground before me, immediately leaping up and landing straight on his chest, feeling the crunching sound beneath my feet that spoke of his ribs shattering-

A violent shriek of agony ripped through the evening air as I faced off against the remaining three. Derrick was back on his feet and looked incensed, while Aguirre and the other man –a former Hunter called Sosa- were already racing towards me-

I kicked the pistol Aguirre had been holding away and charged for the man, placing him in a headlock and swinging with all my might, hammering his skull with all the force of my power and hatred, all focused the one man who had dared tried to hurt her-

Sosa grabbed the bat from the ground and was raising it to swing, my unprotected skull a perfect target-

I threw Aguirre straight into the man’s stomach, the two men toppling as they became entangled with one another-

“Msaliti!” Derrick raged, charging into me and delivering a series of blows across my side-

I brought up my arms to cover myself, absorbing the force of his blows until I could find an opening, delivering a quick strike to his chest to push him back-

It worked and he staggered back, using his precious few seconds to recover-

Big mistake. I leapt into the air and delivered a crushing blow dead center of his face, breaking his nose and knocking him down so violently that he was unconscious before he even hit the ground.

Aguirre and Sosa had finally gotten themselves free and were back up, now as desperate and dangerous as I was, incensed by the poor success of their attempted assault. The two men rushed me as one opposing force in the hopes of overpowering me-

It was a stupid thing to do, but I reached out for their faces and thrust against them, trying to push them away until I could get an opening and manage them-

Didn’t work. Sosa pushed me aside and threw me to the ground, a flurry of punches assaulting my face and I felt a cracking sound from somewhere in my mouth-

“Wait, man, look out!” Aguirre yelled-

Crack! The hefty barrel of the abandoned baseball bat was more than enough as Sunset swung with all of her might and caught him fully across the back of his skull, sending him racing towards the hard ground in a heap.

“Stupid girl-”

Sosa shouldn’t have let his attention slide. I grabbed hold of his shirt and flipped him, scrabbling to be atop of him, squeezing his neck so tightly he was gasping for breath. “Big mistake,” I snarled, and with a single, forceful swing to his throat he was incapacitated.

I sat there atop my former friend, my chest heaving with exertion, feeling the blood drip from my face as I reveled in my victory. Then, all in one single moment, the enormity of what had just happened came crashing down on me. I had just been attacked by Wanyama to be delivered to an execution, they’d almost killed Sunset and I was lucky to be alive! I began to shake uncontrollably and I spat onto the ground, a single tooth going flying.

“Are you-”

I grabbed her and checked her over in a flash, searching for marks or injuries of any kind. “Are you alright, are you hurt? Did they do anything to you, did they touch you or-”

“I’m fine! I’m fine, but look at you- you’re bleeding!” Sunset said worriedly, reaching into her purse for something to clean me up. “You need medical attention, we need to call the police.”

I’d been expecting it, waiting for it, dreading it, but I hadn’t expected anything like this. Wanyama, the monster I’d tried to flee for so long, was here, in my reality. It was like the fabric of the world had just been torn, the barriers between past and present taken away. It had actually come to this…

“I don’t understand, what were they trying to do?” Sunset said, dabbing at my face gently with a kleenix.

“They were going to take me away to Judgement,” I answered thickly, blood still flowing from a tear in my mouth where I’d bitten it. “Pull me away and kill the ones close to me. So there can’t be any chance of revenge.”

Sunset gasped and her eyes went wide. “But if- it can’t just be me. They would have to be after-”

“They can’t. They never knew where I lived, I kept it secret,” I said, but a trace of doubt began to niggle its way into my mind. I’d always been extremely secret about my attachments when I’d been part of Wanyama, wanting to protect my Mother from the horrors Jester could unleash. The kinds of things he’d done to people before were…

I heard a strangled laugh from somewhere beside me and I looked over to see Sosa was beginning to recover, trying to push himself up off of the ground and to an upright position.

“You filthy bastard,” I growled, clutching his throat and bringing his face inches away from mine. “You were going to kill me for something I didn’t do, now who the hell told you where I was? Answer me!”

“You shouldn’t have betrayed your true family, Scales,” Sosa gagged. “You broke our laws, you knew the penalty-”

“I didn’t f---king do anything!” I yelled, shaking him forcefully. “I got framed for something I didn’t do, now tell me where Jester is so I can finish this!”

“You didn’t?” Sosa asked, his face taking on a curious expression. “If what you say is true, Scales, you’d better hurry… Suds finally found you out. He knows where she is.”

Horror. Ice cold horror froze my body and I felt an unearthly chill seep through me. No, it wasn’t possible, he couldn’t have- there was no way I’d been- that she was-

“Bastard!” I screamed, and threw Sosa hard into the ground, knocking him out for good. “No, you evil, twisted sonuvabitch you couldn’t have- NOOO!”

“What happened, what did he say?” Sunset demanded. “Are they already-”

“We need to leave right now. NOW! MOVE!” I roared, racing back to the car and leaving her behind.

“Hey- wait for me, not so fast!”

I practically dove through the window, slamming into the door and ripping it open. I started up the car in a flash and screamed, “Get in!”

Sunset dashed over to the passenger side and before she had even closed the door I was off out of the parking lot and into the streets, racing down the roadway as fast as I could possibly manage. If only I could get there in time, if I could just reach her-

A red light suddenly flared before me and the cars ahead began to stop. “NO! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY!” I roared, finding a small slot through and racing through.

“What are you doing-”

“We don’t have time!” I said loudly, ignoring her fears as I drove like a madman, undeterred by whatever stood in my way. I only had a short amount of time and if I didn’t make it-

“Move out of the way! Move out of the way! Move, dammit!” I screamed, gunning the gas pedal as I drove. I weaved in and out of traffic in whichever way I could so I could keep on moving, whatever maneuver was possible to let me push forward and get home before it was too late. I was running out of time, every second that ticked by…

The sun was almost completely void from the sky by the time I entered the West End, racing past Manny’s Gym and even getting a quick glimpse of the man walking out of the building. I didn’t stop, I couldn’t stop, I had nothing else on my mind-

Sunset gave a small scream and put her hands to her mouth as we drove down my street. “There’s lights ahead… Oh no…”

The flash of police lights ahead as I gunned on ahead, coming to a screeching halt just a few houses away. The crowd was evident even to the unattentive layman, a singular group of neighbors and passersby who’d stopped to see the commotion… I could see women running around in a panic as police tried to restore order…. A cop car had made its way onto the curb and two men were standing there talking to one another in a hurried manner… the ambulance on the side of the road with its back doors open and no lights on…

I pulled out my keys and ran on ahead, my heart having stopped the moment we’d arrived. I could feel a crushing weight pressing on me from all around, an inescapable sensation of horror forcing itself upon me. I knew what I was going to find, but I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t want to believe it…

“Let me through,” I said loudly, trying to shove my way through the overlarge crowd.

One of my neighbors, Mrs. Rocco, caught sight of me and made her way over to me. “I’m so sorry, I wanted to call you but I didn’t know your number. We tried to contact you-”

“I said let me through!” I said forcefully, aggressively throwing people aside in my efforts to make my way towards the center of the crowd where something pulled at me, clawing its way and dragging me in.

“Hey! Watch it, asshole!”

“What’s your deal, prick?”

“Oof! Watch what you’re doing!”

“Let me through!” I screamed, barreling everyone else aside until I finally stood before the crowd and could see-

A small circle of policemen and medics surrounded her as she lay there on the ground that was our front lawn. I could see the chain around her neck, the necklace I’d gotten her for Christmas. She was still wearing her work uniform, a simple little outfit she’d been so proud to wear every single day. And now here she was, her white uniform drenched in her own blood. Her hands that were so worn and strong now lay flat and feeble on the ground. Her eyes and her smile, the only pieces left of my earliest memories, were closed and sealed away in her unconscious state as she lay there with a massive gunshot wound to the chest, as she lay dying in front of the one place I had always believed she would be safe from me, from the world I’d been a part of, one that had abused and tortured her through me and my father for years without end. The world that had finally found her at last.

“Mom…”

When I nearly lost my soul

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The world had ended and the battle was over, so why did so many continue to run about and flee and fight?

I don’t know how long I remained there, rooted to the spot even as I fell to my knees. My very being was taken away from me, my body robbed of breath. I could not grasp what lay before me, I could not fully comprehend what had taken place because I could not accept that I had finally, after years of shielding her from the sins of my father and my own sins, I had failed to protect her. I could not understand how a woman so emotionally strong, who had taken abuse from my father for years before I was even born, who had endured a nightmare of hatred and beatings and brutality, who had pushed through so much to keep me safe and keep our little family together- was now bleeding to death on her own front yard. It seemed so cruel to know that the little house in which she had always been protected was now where she lay, slowly dying, slowly fading from my reach to a place where I could never go and bring her back.

And it was all because of me. Because I, in my bitterness and hurt and pain, had become the very person I had sworn never to be, because I willingly entered a world that had brought so much danger to her, and had now finally found her and struck her down. Because I failed.

The circle of cops and medics surrounding her broken body began to shift as one of the EMT dashed away and jumped into the back of the ambulance, disappearing for a moment before emerging with another wrapping of gauze. “Put pressure on the wound!” he ordered swiftly. “We’ve got to keep her conscious all the way to the hospital!”

Somehow, as if a call from a deep trance, his words were enough to rouse me from my stupor. To drag me out of my haze and remind me with the force of a blow to the head that she was still alive- she was dying.

“Mom!” I screamed, leaping to my feet and promptly stumbling as I clumsily tried to stand. “Mom! Mom!”

I scrabbled over to the circle of men and women who were desperately trying to save my mother’s life and tried to shove them aside. I stood over her for only a moment, enough for the catastrophic damage of her injuries to truly sink in: a gaping gunshot wound in the center of her chest, likely caused by a high-caliber pistol. The wound was still gushing blood madly, pouring out onto her clothes and seeping into the ground beneath her. I looked for a sign that she could hear me, that she knew her only child was there and that I was so sorry-

“Hey! Back up, give us room to help her!” an officer yelled, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me away from my only mother, my flesh and blood, the only kin I truly had-

“No! No, no, she’s my mother- that’s my mother! I have to be with her, I have to be near her!”

“Kid, please, let the medics do their job or else she’s gonna die!” the officer said, grabbing me forcefully and dragging me away-

I could see them pressing down on her chest, a fresh heap of blood practically exploding from her chest and dousing them all in crimson-

“Let me go, you have to let me go, she’s my Mom, I have to help- it’s my fault she’s hurt, I need to do something-”

“Kid, back away or I will put you under arrest for disrupting emergency services!” The officer said vehemently, looking me square in the eye and giving me a menacing glare-

“Officer, I’ll help,” said a voice, full of desperation yet layered in a kindness I couldn’t understand, a soft gentle thing that shouldn’t exist in this world of violence. I felt a pair of arms wrap around my entire body and someone slowly pulling me away from the broken body of my Mom and Sunset saying, “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry- it’s going to be OK, they’re going to save her…”

“It’s my fault, it’s my fault,” I gabbled, still scrambling to get back to her, to be near her even if I could do nothing. “It’s because of me, I have to be with her-”

“There’s nothing you can do, you have to let them help or she’ll never make it!” Sunset begged.

“No! NO! Moooom! Moooom!” I screamed, clawing at air as if I could grab a hold of the nothingness and pull myself forward. I was helpless, watching as the team put her limp body on a stretcher and threw her in the back of the ambulance, shutting the doors and driving away at top speed, the lights and sirens creating a deafening, dizzying display of frenetic energy.

“They’re taking her away, they’re taking her away from me-”

“They’re taking her to get help, she’ll be OK, she’ll be OK,” and with that Sunset could say no more, torn apart as she tried to hold me back, yet unable to hold back her own tears.

I screamed so loudly that the whole earth might have shattered, a horrible piercing cry of an agony so deep and inescapable that it ate me alive. I wanted to die, I wanted to take her place- to take the blow as one who so assuredly deserved a cold violent death in the streets upon which I had waged my war. I screamed with a grief unbearable, a sorrow so cruel and twisted that just to bear it for even a moment was unendurable torture. I would have given anything to save her, to have traded places, but I could do nothing and I could not endure the reality of my helplessness. My mother, my only mother, was dying and it was because of me.

I stood there for hours, wailing my grief upon the cold of the night, so stricken and consumed I could do nothing else. I was nothing in the face of an agony I had seen inflicted on so many, yet could not withstand myself. I was shattered.

It sounded as if he came from a distance beyond the void, but soon before me were the polished boots of a police officer. “I know this may not be an easy time for both of you,” she said gently, “but if we could ask you a few questions as to what’s going on…”

“I’m sorry,” Sunset sniffed, trying to gain control of herself whilst I was nearly catatonic. “I’m sorry, we just got here ourselves, and we- we don’t know what happened…”

“And there’s nothing you can tell us? Would you have any idea who the perpetrator is?” she pressed.

“You’ll never find them,” I said hoarsely, freeing itself from my throat as if on natural instinct to react. And it was true, Wanyama would never let themselves be found, they would disappear into the city and never be caught, to forever roam free…

“We’ll catch them, I promise you that,” the officer assured us. “We’ll keep you updated as to what’s happening. As for…”

“She was my mother,” I said, another wave of grief rising up from the depths and threatening to overwhelm me. She may not make it, she probably wouldn’t make it…

“I’m very sorry. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. For now, you should head to Norton Suburban on 3rd downtown, that’s where your mother’s being taken to. I can take you there now, if you’d like…”

“We’ll head there ourselves, just- just give us a moment,” Sunset replied.

“If that’s what you need. And again, I am so sorry, and we will find who did this…” she walked back to her patrol car and drove off, leaving only a few officers and what remained of the crowd as our company.

Sunset didn’t let go of me, clutching me so tightly that to those watching I may well have been her lifeline. In truth, if she had released me, I didn’t know if I would be able to hold on and keep myself from falling apart. Her touch was the only thing keeping me together in the world I had just destroyed-

A flash of yellow in the corner of my eye. I looked over and saw, half-buried in the gardens surrounding my front door, was a worn piece of paper that had been hastily stuffed into the ground. Somehow it had gone unnoticed in the police’s scouring of my home, a clear sign that screamed for my attention.

Every bone ached as I rose from my place on the grass and headed over to it, Sunset keeping her hands on my arm as I left. Slowly bending down, I pulled the sheet out from the ground to read two simple, poorly-written words: Washed Away…

A simple callsign. An assumption of responsibility, left behind by the man Wanyama had sent to kill her. Washed Away…

An inkling of the truth formed in my brain, a wispy insubstantial vapor taking form in my brain as it swirled and contorted, speaking words of comfort as my father was taken away by the cops when I was young, promising to help me rise through the ranks. A first meeting with Jester, accompanying me as I was brought before our leader in recognition of my efforts. A promise of friendship and brotherly loyalty, an invitation to a party in fall, a threat to me and the girl I loved and nearly executing me, a figure hidden in the shadows of an alleyway, a constant reminder of the threat I faced from the one person in Wanyama who had known me best.

I began to tremble, at first a slow, jittery response. I could hear a buzzing in my ear, a pulsating sensation pounding in my skull as my grief and sorrow turned to rage, a desire for revenge against the very man, the gang-bound brother, the former friend who had fought alongside me for so long along with his group of cronies, who had longed for Sunset, who had wanted me dead even all those months ago…

I saw the figure of Suds rise from the smoke, and I wanted to kill him.

Click. Click. Click.

An hour since they had taken my mother away. An hour since the world had ended.

“Are the two of you injured?” Rarity asked Sunset, her voice still audible through the closed door, though muffled. Sunset had alerted the girls as to what had happened moments after we had gone inside.

Click. Click. Click.

“I’m fine, just a few bruises, but as for… lost a tooth and some blood,” Sunset replied. Her voice was calmer, more controlled than when she had been outside with me on the lawn. She was holding her emotions in check.

Crunch. Another box emptied. I shuffled for another, grasping about beneath the bed. I had run into my mother’s room and locked myself in the moment we had gone inside. Sunset had tried to follow, but after being met with silence from my end, she had relented. She was probably afraid for me, worried I would do something rash. She hadn’t seen the revolver yet.

“Have you gotten a call from the hospital yet?” Fluttershy inquired.

“No, not yet. I wanted to go, but… no argument was good enough. Closed the door on me the instant we got inside.”

Found one, an unopened package filled to the brim. Six were inside, more than enough. I grabbed the bag and opened it up, tossing the contents into what would work as a makeshift supplies case. It wasn’t enough, I needed more.

“Are you going to be OK? Both of you?”

“I don’t know, this is- it’s bad, Rarity, I don’t know what to do, I wouldn’t know where to begin. This is out of control, they’re still out there and we’re still marked. If we don’t do something soon, it might get worse.”

Four fresh boxes still hiding underneath the bed, now tossed into my bag. I left and turned towards the closet, pulling out the large crate hidden beneath the jackets and cracked open the lock. My old combat blades, ones I’d gotten through Wanyama when I became an enforcer. Mom had gotten them from me when I had gotten arrested for the second time and hidden them here. I took them and tied them to my waist, looping my belt through the sheath. There was one last thing…

“Is there anything we can do to help? Anything at all?”

I found it. A weather-beaten old thing, inscribed with her name across the barrel. She’d bought it after Estevan had been thrown in prison, afraid for our safety. I hadn’t objected, knowing full well the dangers the West End could bring. Couldn’t beat a good Louisville Slugger for a melee weapon.

I examined myself in the full-length mirror she’d kept in the corner. It didn’t feel like enough, it wasn’t enough, couldn’t possibly be enough. But it would have to do. I would make it be enough, for nothing in the world could stand in my way. I had left the realm of mere hatred, incensed beyond human capabilities. With my wrath, I would make the world burn.

I opened the door to find the group of girls stretched across the living room, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie together on the couch while Rainbow and AJ were leaning against the wall near the kitchen. Rarity had taken a seat on the recliner, with only Sunset on the ground, sitting in front of the TV cross-legged.

“Honestly, if I could just get in there, and-” she caught sight of me mid-sentence, my appearance not fully registering for the split-second we made eye contact. I was covered in weaponry, knives across my hip, a massive baseball bat in my hands with a 12-gauge slung across my shoulders, laying peacefully –for the moment- across my chest. “And… and- and oh my gosh is that a shotgun?!”

“All of you get out of here. Get to Sweet Apple Acres and stay there. Lock the doors, close the blinds, everything you can possibly do.”

The enormity of what I was planning struck Sunset with the force of a nuclear bomb. “Oh my gosh, you are not going out there-”

“Shut up. I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna find him and I’m gonna kill him-”

“What? No, that’s crazy!” Sunset yelled, jumping up and rushing over to block my path to the door.

“Get out of my way, Sunset,” I growled dangerously, that horrible pulsing sensation creeping forth into my temple.

“I won’t. What are you thinking you’re going to do, fight all of them?”

“Hell yes I will! I know exactly where Wanyama goes, I’m gonna lure them out and-”

“No, for the love of God, no! Didn’t you tell me that Jester’s assassins could kill anyone?” Sunset objected. “If that’s true then why are you heading out there yourself?”

“It doesn’t matter to you, now get out of my way,” I said more forcefully.

Sunset looked me steadily in the eye with a determined gaze. She was frightened, vulnerable, but she knew exactly what she was doing. “I’m not going to move. I don’t know why you’re trying to do this, but I won’t let you go out there-”

“Get the f—k out of my way!” I spat. I never cursed at her, she hated when I cursed, she’d been chiding me for doing it and I usually made an effort to keep it down in front of her. “My only family is dying because of those sons of bitches and you’re saying I should just wait-”

“I’m trying to save your life!” she said passionately. “What do you think’ll happen if she survives, comes back here and finds that you’re dead? You are the only thing she has left in the world, you can’t abandon her like that!”

“She was part of this place, she’ll understand-”

“No she won’t! She won’t understand because she loves you with all of her heart and she always wanted you to be safe, she wouldn’t want you to throw your life away!”

“She is the only family I have left! How can I let this just happen, just let them take her away from me? You don’t understand!”

“I will never see my family again!” She fired back heatedly. “I will not hear their voices, I will not see their faces- and that is my. Fault! I am not going to just- stand by and let you do the same thing!

“I said get out of my way, Sunset!” I practically screamed.

“And what about your family here? What about Applejack or Rarity or Rainbow Dash, any of us at all? What about me?” She pleaded. “How do you think we’d feel if we let you go out there? Do you think I’d ever come back from that? I can’t lose you when I could’ve done something to save you! Don’t do this to me!”

“GET OUT OF MY WAY, DAMMIT!” I roared.

“If you go out there then you will die!” she said finally.

“I- DON’T- CARE!” I roared, bringing the bat back and giving a furious swing, driving it so deep into the wall it became stuck. I towered over her, an iron-shod form of pure power driven by an animalistic, overwhelming fury, seething with hatred because I could not go out and do the only thing I truly knew how. I went into a rage, screaming at her like a savage monster, my anger bringing me beyond to a place where words couldn’t possibly be enough.

“I don’t care! I don’t care!” I spat, my chest heaving with unchecked emotion. “I don’t care what happens to me, I don’t care if I get killed! How we do things here is simple- we fight until we die! They have taken my family away from me, that is beyond forgiveness! So either I kill them or they kill me! There is nothing else now!”

Sunset didn’t move, didn’t flinch, didn’t even speak, letting my anger flow freely out of me and into the ether. Despite all my efforts to move her aside, to frighten her away, to make her leave, she refused to budge even the merest inch, meeting me at every move I made. She would not let me leave this house, though my heart lay in tatters. Even if I had lost the whole world she would not have let me follow through.

“I know you’re angry, maybe even at me, but please listen to me,” she said, her voice as soft as the early morning sun. “You have to listen to me, if you go out there you’ll never come back. You will not make it and that will break your mother in ways you can’t even begin to understand, that I can’t even understand.”

“It doesn’t matter-”

“Yes it does,” she pressed. “Your life matters to her, you are trying to throw away your value because you’re hurting in ways most people can’t even imagine. You matter to me, you matter to everyone in this room. If you were to go out there and die, none of us will ever truly come back. If you leave me, I will not make it- I am not strong enough to be without you, please don’t leave me when I need you to be strong.”

I fumbled around, searching for the right thing to say, something that could convince her to relent. “Wh-why are you doing this? Why won’t you let me go?”

“Because you made me promise that I would hold you to a standard,” she whispered, slowly, carefully bringing her hands to my face, beginning to caress me gently. “We promised each other that we would make each other better people, and if I let you walk out there I will have failed. Please don’t make me break that promise.”

I would never convince her. She had won. I tugged the bat out of the wall and threw it aside, looking at her in desperation. “I don’t know what to do,” I said weakly.

“I know, I know… we’ll do something, we’ll try something, but right now you need time to cool down. Just- just sit down for a bit, take this stuff off, it’ll help. Il-I’ll go get something to drink, maybe that’ll help.”

She rushed off to the kitchen whilst I lurched into the living room, not even bothering to ignore the stunned stares I was receiving from my outburst- or perhaps it was the sheer firepower I was carrying. Something dim in the back of my mind realized it was probably best I relinquished this stuff, so I grabbed the shotgun and cracked it open, removing the rounds I had chambered. I did the same with the revolver, opening the cylinder and emptying the chambers. I took off my belt and dispensed the combat knives from my hip, throwing them into the center of the room, then fishing out some of the ammo cartridges I had in my pockets.

“Oh my,” Fluttershy said faintly, looking like she was about to collapse at the very sight of it.

I grabbed my makeshift bandolier and opened up the bag, dumping the cartridges and additional rounds onto the ground, finishing by pulling up my pant leg and tossing a small pocket knife I carried into the pile. “That’s all of it,” I said flatly.

“I- I just- jeez,” AJ remarked, taking off her stetson and wringing it absentmindedly.

Sunset returned carrying a small coffee cup in her hands. “I had to make it really quick, but it’s tea- it’ll help you calm down.”

I took it without a word and took a small sip, trying to sate her. It wasn’t very good since it wasn’t warm, but I felt a bit of stillness begin to seep through me. I took a deep breath and took a slow, long drink.

“You know who it was, don’t you?” Sunset asked me. “That note in the ground, you knew exactly what it meant…”

“Callsign,” I said raggedly. “A token left by every killer. It was Suds, they gave him the rights to finish the hunt.”

“Suds- the one who tried to attack you when you were with me, right?” I nodded. “Then we know what he looks like, we can report him to the police-”

“They’ll never find him,” I said, my anger starting to boil once more. “Suds will disappear, the police will start hunting because if Wanyama wants to hide a murderer then they will.”

“But there’s got to be something we can do, you know who it is!”

“And it doesn’t matter! It never matters, Wanyama never lets their operators get caught. Jester is too smart and too powerful, he owns the West End, he’s bought out dozens of cops, and he knows how to hide his own!”

“But there’s- someone has to fix this, people can’t just let this happen!”

“No one can fix this!” I insisted. “The West End will never be free, this city will never be safe- ever. No one will ever know peace until Jester is dead.”

“Then why doesn’t somebody stop him? Why don’t people fight back against him and take him down?”

“Because it’s impossible,” I said flatly. “No one touches Jester unless he allows it, no one hurts Jester, and sure as hell no one can kill him. There’s no one on this earth who can kill him.”

“You act like he’s a god or something-”

“Well maybe he is!” I pressed. “Look, maybe it’s because you weren’t from the West End but Jester- he’s not normal, he’s not from here himself. He’s from some faraway country where they’ve been at war for longer than any of us have been alive. The story is Jester was fighting in their civil war for years as some sort of magic man when an entire raiding party found his village and slaughtered everyone. He lost his wife, he lost his children, everyone he knew. Supposedly he went mad, snapped because he couldn’t handle it- and then he came here decades ago and he’s been ruling this city ever since.”

“That doesn’t make him invincible. He’s still just a man!”

“No, he’s not! Jester isn’t a ‘mere’ human being, he’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen- none of you! The Sirens are nothing compared to him, they were mere children. Jester is a man who has fought and murdered and tortured and enslaved for an entire lifetime. I’ve seen him twice in my whole life and I have never been more scared, it’s like he isn’t human, like he’s something else. It’s not just because he’s killed entire gangs and families, or anything like that- he literally can’t be killed-”

“No one is invincible-”

“You don’t understand! People have tried to kill him before, rival gangs have set ambushes, they’ve tried to trap him, we’ve even had people get right into his creepy-as-hell gereza as he call it and pull guns on him -like, they had him- and then something goes wrong. Like their gun will misfire, the rounds will explode, something goes wrong where the assassin messes up, and then he kills them- brutally. What Jester does to people is something out of a nightmare and there is not a single person in the entire world who can stop him.”

Sunset didn’t know what to say against that, standing there in frustration as the rules of a different world collided with reality. The warped, distorted vision of the West End wasn’t understandable to someone like her- someone good. “Then tell me why you were going to go after him anyway,” she asked of me.

I was about to answer when I heard a knock on the door. “Get down!” I hissed, grabbing Sunset and throwing her down. “Stay down and get out of sight!” I grabbed the revolver from off the ground and snuck my way over to the door, peeking out through the glass to see who it was. I saw the blue uniform of the police and I threw the pistol aside to open the door and-

I had seen his face only earlier this morning: a gangly, graying man with a moustache who had tried to kill me. Officer Collier, one of Wanyama’s hidden men.

“You!” I grabbed Collier by the throat and threw him inside, slamming him into the wall with an elbow to the chest. “Yoy sonvabitch, I’m gonna kill you-”

“No!” Sunset grabbed my arms and tried to wrench me away. “I don’t think you can kill a cop!”

“He’s the one that called them on us, he’s Wanyama’s!” I raged, bringing back a fist for a savage blow to his skull.

“I’m not here because of them! I came of my own accord!” Collier said rapidly, trying to get his words in before my blows could make contact.

“Don’t you dare talk to me, it’s all your fault this happened in the first place!” I screamed, throwing him down the hall.

“Stop it! You know better than this!” Sunset said, jumping in between me and Collier. “I’ve just spent the last half-hour trying to help you, don’t go right back to where we were.”

“Holy hell, if it’ll get you to shut up and listen I’ll let you hit me as hard as you want!” Collier said angrily, getting to his feet. “Go on, I won’t stop you- hit me as hard as you’d like. Do it now and then let’s get on with it, because I’m here for something serious.”

Oh man did I want to. I wanted to clobber the bastard so violently that he would’ve been in the hospital for a week. I knew half a dozen places I could punch him that’d never recover just by looking at him. But with Sunset glaring at me, I couldn’t work it up- the offer was his way of forcing me to calm down and listen, as he had easily guessed I didn’t want to.

“Good. Look, I know what you’re thinking of me-”

“My mother was shot because of you. I was attacked because of you,” I growled.

“I didn’t call them in. Barstow did,” Collier said. “My superiors know he’s with Wanyama and assigned me to be his partner.”

“Oh really. They know you’re with Wanyama, too?”

“Of course they do, they assigned me to him so I could try to infiltrate their ranks!” Collier replied. “The city created a task force to combat Wanyama two years ago- I and half a dozen other officers are a result of that work. We’ve come a long way but not enough.”

“No kidding you’re not far enough. None of you have done anything-”

“Look,” Collier said, raising up a hand to silence me. “I know you’re angry right now and you have so much right to be. But right now I need you to put aside that anger and listen to me because I’m trying to offer you a chance to hit Wanyama back and hit them so hard that they’ll never recover.”

“What do you want,” I said angrily.

“I want you to lead us to Jester.”

My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Sunset gave a gasp of shock and the entire room held their collective breath.

“What are you trying to do?” I demanded. “I don’t know where he is- I was too low-ranking to ever be given the location of the gereza.”

“They won’t give it to me, either. All of the undercover officers who infiltrated Wanyama are given restricted access, limited reach to supply areas and warehouses. No matter what we do they won’t fully trust us. That’s why I’ve been sent to you.”

“What do you want with me?”

“You see, you’re unique,” Collier explained. “You aren’t just some normal kid who Wanyama tried to off because they were dipping into the drug supply or some other stupid act. You’re one who was allowed to leave by Jester’s laws and was then sentenced to death for something he didn’t do. You’re one of the marked ones- and unlike so many of Wanyama’s attempts, you’re still alive. They couldn’t kill you.”

I didn’t have to think for long to know where he was headed. My heart began to race as the gravity of what was about to happen began to sink in…

“Right now all of Wanyama is hunting for you. You and your girlfriend,” he added. You’re a breaker of the law who somehow managed to survive, something no member of Wanyama has ever been able to do and get away with. You are unique throughout the entire city and right now an entire manhunt is going on right now to bring you in.”

“So that means… you were made to be a part of it, too. You were sent to search my house for me,” I guessed.

Collier nodded. “Wanyama knew they couldn’t openly send one of their members to a house that already had been attacked, so they sent an officer- a cop. They thought I could get in safely without arousing suspicion. The only problem is that this is the very situation the police have been waiting for- you’re our first genuine chance to get into Wanyama’s inner workings and strike them so hard that they’ll never be able to bounce back. If I was to bring you in right now, what do you think would happen?”

“A cleansing ritual,” I said automatically. “The entire upper echelons would be there for the ceremony, all of his advisors, sections lords and the Big Cats… and Jester himself to perform it all.”

“If I was to bring you to the section lord of this part of the network, Ombi, orders for the ritual would require that I be present for your execution- a location no cop has ever been able to find.”

“And if you brought us in?” Sunset asked. “If you could be there, what could you do?”

“I could bring the best of the force in to storm house and finish them once and for all. “Imagine a world where Jester is dead.”

He was for real. This was actually happening, this was a real, tangible offer that could stop all of this madness and chaos once and for all. But I had to make sure, I had to be absolutely certain…

“You’ve heard the stories. You know the rumors,” I said. “Nobody can kill him.”

“We’re going to give it one effort with everything we’ve got,” Collier replied. “We’ve been hunting this bastard down for so long now, and this is our last, best shot at success- if not our only one. If you can get us in, then we can kill Wanyama for good.”

“Before you even say it, I am not staying behind,” Sunset said fiercely, giving me a fiery look. “You and I began this together, we’ll be there together for when it ends- one way or another.”

I looked at her, at Collier, and at my friend who surrounded us. This was an insane plan, this was stupid. I had every reason to believe Collier was lying to me. A Wanyama crony who could easily be trying to deceive me to gain power, a bargain that was too good to be true. I was risking my life beyond anything I’d ever done before, and risking Sunset’s as well. The chances of it even working were slim at best. Most likely, this was my last night to ever walk this earth. I had a very real chance of dying tonight at the hands of a madman, having brought the girl I loved to her death. But if this was genuine, if it was a real, verifiable chance to fight back, to finish this for all who had suffered, I couldn’t say no.

“I’m in.”

The night was now frigid, the warm spring air departing in the deep of the night. Collier drove Sunset and I along to the preplanned destination where one of the task force’s spotters would be there to confirm the transition. “I can’t tell you everything that’s going to happen, just in case something goes wrong,” he had explained before we’d left. “But I can tell you what’ll happen part of the way…”

It was a very simple plan, in reality. The latter half was decipherable, even if Collier wouldn’t tell us everything. Sunset and I were holding on to each other’s hands as if it were a lifeline, neither of us able to summon the courage to speak. To say we had left childhood behind was a gross understatement…

“Hope Street is two blocks ahead. We’re going to have to walk the rest of the way,” Collier said over his shoulder, bringing the car to the curb and turning off the engine. “Are you two ready? If you want to back out now, I don’t blame you.”

Sunset shook her head jerkily, speaking for both of us. I felt sick to my stomach because she was here, alongside me on the darkest night of my life as we headed to a place of unimaginable danger. I wanted nothing but to see she was safe, yet here she was, walking down into the depths of Wanyama territory to be brought before the man who would kill us both. If we failed, I was to die in agony.

“Alright… let’s go. The moment they take you to the gereza, you’re both out of my reach, but know I’ll be working as hard as I can to make contact and deliver the location.”

“What’ll happen once they arrive?” Sunset asked.

“You two will need to hit the dirt and hide,” Collier said shortly. “You’ll both have done enough, leave the rest to us.”

I knew full well what he meant by that.

We walked along in silence, whether it be by choice or by fear it didn’t matter. I looked around at my surroundings, recognizing buildings and houses belonging to Wanyama. Some were business feeding them money, others were owned by members of the gang, shelter homes for the cruel and desperate. I knew every single building around me housed a killer. I knew this territory.

“We’re here,” Collier breathed, looking up at a street sign that read:

Haven Blvd.

Hope Street

“And here we go,” and with a loud booming voice, he yelled, “I come bringing the wanted one! The Scales of the Dragon, breaker of the laws, and the companion who helped defy the ruler of the wildlands!”

And then came my part, as dictated by the laws I was accused of breaking. “I am the Scales of the Dragon, child of the Cobra, Enforcer in the section of the Outrider. I am of Ombi’s clan who protects the borders of Wanyama. I seek parley with the lord of the wildlands to plead my case- I need to speak to Jester!”

At first, my words rang through the concrete jungle to an empty land, echoing across iron and brick and stone. But then, as if roused from a slumber, came a lone solitary figure, the member who had been assigned to the night guard of this area. He walked slowly towards us, his weapon pointed directly at the three of us with very clear intentions: move and die.

I dropped to my knees and put my hands behind my head, Sunset noticing me and following suit. Collier stood behind the two of us, his arms raised and hands outstretched to show they were empty. If the guard believed we were armed, he’d shoot us without provocation.

“You come bringing the Scales of the Dragon?” the guard called, stepping into view. I recognized him immediately as Vice, one of my old friends and former partners. He looked down at me with a violent disgust he’d never displayed before. “You filthy traitor… he will make you pay for this.” He turned to Collier. “How did this come about?”

“I was sent to search their home, to bring them out of their hiding place and bring them here,” Collier answered. “These words are true and trustworthy, orders from the section lord Ombi.”

Vice grabbed his phone and dialed it in, calling in to see whether or not Collier was lying. Another check created by Jester to keep him safe from threats…

“You weren’t lying. The ruler of the wildlands wants them both at the gereza. You are to be honored for your success. Follow me.”

Vice led the way as Collier pretended to push Sunset and I along, the four of us walking down the street and into a darkened alleyway. I couldn’t see them, but I could feel their presence: dozens of Wanyama members lined up to watch us go to our deaths.

“Traitor!” one called.

“The ruler of the wildlands will tear you apart!” said another.

Whack! I felt a blow across my face as one of them punched me in the jaw, spitting, “You filthy f---ker, Jester’s going to eat your heart on a silver platter-”

“You know the laws! Jester alone has the rights to the betrayer now!” Vice called back. The crowd no longer tried to lay hands on me, but jeers and cries were still thrown at me as we were brought along.

We reached the end of the alleyway where a black car awaited us, its doors open as we were shoved inside. The windows were tinted, so there was no way we would be able to see where we were going. I was again gripped by doubt of Collier and his intentions- how would he even know where the gereza was if he had to call in the location?

We drove for what felt like an age, a virtual maze of twists and turns all meant to rid ourselves of any potential tails an confuse those being brought along. Vice alone knew where we were headed now. Sunset and I didn’t say a word, probably unable to as my heart had left my chest behind and was somewhere in the upper portion of my throat.

The car came to a sudden halt. “Bring them out,” Vice ordered Collier. “We’re here.”

Collier wrenched open the door and dragged me and Sunset out into the night, and we stood before a very tall, greying warehouse deep in the bowels of some sort of industrial complex. I had absolutely no idea where we were anymore, lost in the iron of the city.

The guards at the door came forward and searched the two of us, roughly pushing us around as they checked us for weapons. The two men gave Sunset a vicious look, the glance of a predator as it sized up its prey. She visibly shrank but didn’t fall back as they came towards her, searching her with far more thorough handling than I had elicited, their hands rubbing across her slowly and deliberately. She gave the smallest of whimpers as they felt her up, biting her lip in her best efforts to not react, to let the plan continue even if it meant something horrible-

I wasn’t sure how long I could stand there and take it, feeling sick at the sight of these monsters and wondering if I could hold back any longer-

“Enough! She’s marked for death!” Vice and Collier roared, pushing the two men away and ending the horror.

“You’ve done your duty, now open the doors and let us in!” Vice spat.

The two men sulked for a moment before heading over to the warehouse door, plunging their keys into the locks and pulling upwards.

“Sunset, be ready. Nothing I can say will prepare you,” I whispered urgently, watching as the door raised up to reveal an absolute nightmare.

The stench was worse than I had even remembered, a foul revolting smell that could only be found in the darkest places of the world. The sound of music hit our ears, the booming bass of the notes splitting our ears as we were brought forth into the gereza. Hanging from the ceiling, bound by their wrists were an assortment of corpses- those punished by Wanyama and brought here for Jester’s goulish rituals, some missing limbs or body parts- taken for spells and concoctions to bless Wanyama’s efforts.

I heard Sunset give a small gasp of horror before she sealed herself shut. Her fear must be off the charts but she was dedicated to the plan. She had to make this work.

Dozens of people stared at us as we walked in- I recognized so many of them, former friends and fellow fighters, childhood friends who had remained in a world I had left long ago, staring at me with a hatred beyond hop of understanding. Over in the corner of the warehouse I could see Dejaris arguing with his team of suppliers over a pallet of cocaine. Lariat was sitting on the couch absolutely wasted, an emaciated prostitute passed out next to him and a formidable pile of needles on the ground before them. Teyshaun and Kobye were leaning against a pillar with a pair of bottles in their hands, talking together in hurried, hushed voices. It was so strange to see all of them, men and women who had once been my friend and supporters to no longer call out in greeting but to go silent with abhorrence. I saw face after face standing there, but none did I focus on more than the one who had invaded my home and attacked my family: Suds stood off in the corner near the end of building, across from a proliferation table, leering at me with such an unrivaled abhorrence that it must’ve been costing all of his will to not leap across and kill me with his bare hands. Now, after all this time, he was going to see me brought to death.

A pair of hands went upon my shoulders and I was dragged away from Sunset who was dragged over into the corner. Of course she wasn’t as important as I was in this ritual, she was the afterthought. I was the one who had broken the law. Wham! I was forced to my knees and I brought my hands behind my head instinctively, knowing the positions I would have to take. I knew full well what was about to happen.
Before me, at the top of the steps was a throne, compiled from decades of work to honor a madman. Wood and iron and bone twisted together to form a nightmarish amalgamation, the chaotic structure a perfect fit for its owner. From out of the shadows, draped in the ceremonial garb were Jester’s personal guard, both armed with a pair of shotguns and savage-looking machetes. I’d seen them use them once before, and I knew how well-trained they were with their weapons. Following the guards were Jester’s elite- the Big Cats, hulking monstrous men who had slaughtered so many that it was pointless to count the lives they had taken. They took their place at the base of the steps to the throne, looking down upon me with indifference. They didn’t have any sort of opinion in regards to me- they had performed this ritual too many times to count and were well beyond caring. After them were the advisors, draped in finery and more money than I could ever accumulate in my entire life-

“All hail the true ruler of this city- the lord of the wildlands, master of the Endless Wars!” cried out the guards and the entire building went to their knees as out from the shadows came the most wicked man I had ever, or could ever hope, to meet.

His frame was thinner than the last time I had seen him, yet each limb spoke of a power gained through a lifetime of violence and cruelty. He had aged, a face hidden by powders and paints brought with him from a homeland far far away. His hands were painted red, symbolizing the blood he had shed with them. Around his waist were dozens upon dozens of small knives, some still covered in blood and parts- remains from the latest of his rituals. Across his sides were a pair of uzi’s he constantly carried with him, the ancient weapons rusted and dented from his endless battles. Atop his head was an elaborate headdress, a relic from the life he had led before it was consumed by hatred and war and insanity. To some he may have seemed comical, a character to be scoffed at. But to those who knew him, who had seen what he could do even in the most fleeting of moments, this was the thing that lived in the darkest of all human nightmares. This was Jester.

The wise men came before him and knelt down to offer their leader his staff, a simple stick with various grasses and trinkets woven around it. Jester took hold of it and called out to the crowd in a voice thick with the accent of a foreign land, “Ascend.”

The entire congregation rose to their feet except me and Sunset, who were held to the ground by our captors. Collier stood somewhere behind me, having been selected to be part of this ritual.

“Bring me the lawbreaker,” Jester said, his voice unusually thin and shallow than what I remembered it being. Was… was he ill?

I was thrown at the base of the steps in a heap, grabbed by the Big Cats and brought up to face the man, who stared down at me with a sort of curious suspicion. “You are the Scales of the Dragon,” he said slowly.

“I am, child of the Cobra,” I replied.

“Your lord is Ombri of the Outrider, is it not?” he inquired.

“I am the lord of the Outrider, great one,” said Ombri, a mountain of a man who looked more ashamed than I had ever seen him. “It is of my failings that this transgression has occurred today.”

Jester thought for a moment before waving his hand. “Was the Scales of the Dragon among your own?”

“Great one, the Dragon had left our number many month ago, in accordance with your laws that you had bestowed,” Ombri answered. “It was not until earlier this week that it became known the Scales of the Dragon had been flouting your commands to which we all had been branded forever. The laws have been broken.”

“If the Dragon had left your flock, then this is not your failing,” Jester replied. “You may rest.”

“Thank you, great one, you are most gracious,” and with that Ombri disappeared into the crowd.

Jester stared down at me with a burning longing that spoke of wicked desire. He was sizing me up, searching me for valuable pieces and fragments that he could use to further his powers. “Scales of the Dragon, child of the Cobra, born into the flock that I have gathered under my wings, you stand accused of treason,” he boomed, his voice now strong once more as he spoke to all before him. “I gave you shelter, I gave you peace, I gave you life, yet here you stand having stolen what is mine by right of the divine. Child of my flock, why have you betrayed your lord and master? Speak now or in death may you keep your silence forever.”

My mouth went dry as I tried to speak, to say something that could help me stall for time. “Great one, lord of the wildlands, I stand before you accused of a crime the likes of which I have not committed,” I said, the crowd gasping in utter shock. To my knowledge, not only was I one of the first to survive breaking the laws, but probably the only one falsely accused as well.

“Not committed,” Jester echoed. “A false accusation, a trick… a lie.”

“No, great one, I am telling you the truth,” I insisted. “I was framed by an enemy, an unknown from the school who knew nothing of your laws or your mark. It was vengeance against me for a defeat from which they could not recover.”

“You speak, yet with no proof for your claims. What should convince me, I who come from the divine, to listen to one who fled the safety and security of my flock?” he asked, the smallest tinge of mockery in his voice.

“Great one, if I may speak,” Collier said unexpectedly, coming forward to stand at my side.

“This one,” Jester said slowly. “You are the one who has brought us the Dragon, are you not?”

“I am he, great one,” Collier answered. “I am also one of your Sentries, a spy for your eyes in the camp of the enemy.”

“I see,” Jester said, taking a moment to cough into his shoulder.

Holy hell, he’s ill…

“Continue to speak, Sentry.”

“Great one, I along with my partner were the ones to alert you to the misuse of your mark,” Collier answered. “And what the Dragon says is true: another has misused your mark against the Dragon. Petty revenge was the cause of this cascade of events, not malicious intent or disrespect against you. This is born from the mind of an ignorant child who acted without thought and in doing so caused much trouble for you and your name.”

A derisive noise echoed through the chamber, a small subtle sound, yet so audible in the silence of the ceremony. Every part of me wanted to look around and search for the source, yet I willed myself to remain still. With Jester, even the slightest move could seal my fate.

“I sense… division,” Jester said raggedly, giving another coughing fit. “Who is he that espouses disunion amongst our flock? Rise, and let yourself be counted as a dissident against your fellows…”

“I do, great one,” said a voice angrily- I knew it to be Suds. He stepped forward from the throng and stood before the throne. “This one-” he pointed at me for emphasis, “Is one who has always been against you, even since the beginning. Do I have to remind you of the disloyalty that has come from the Dragon? Disrespect and infighting against the Cobra, has blown our cover and gotten arrested –twice, you know- and, as I’ve said before, when loyalty was pressed only a few short months ago, fought against me- I, the One who Cleanses!”

“Because he tried to attack me in the first place,” I called out to the crowd, who had begun to grumble and mutter against me. “I had quietly left our number and Suds couldn’t accept that I had left. He threatened to harm my friend, an outsider who was with me at the time, and when I refused him the chance he assaulted me- I have done nothing except rightfully defend myself!”

“Scales is a traitor who’s been working against you this whole time! Would you trust a dog that bit you once already?” Suds fired back.

“I’ve done nothing against Wanyama, I left in accordance with the laws that were set down!” I pleaded. “The only reason I fought against Suds was out of self-defense, he attacked me for his own personal gain-”

“Don’t trust the son of a snake, great one!”

“And now my blood kin, my mother, is dying –if not dead already! Because of all of this, my family was attacked at her own home, a place of safety, by this animal! He would’ve killed me all those months ago if we hadn’t found another means of safe passage! Suds was lying in wait to murder me!”

“I’ll murder you now!” Suds roared, turning about and flaring a pistol right at my chest-

A horrible, grating sound reverberated through the chamber, a horrendous dissonance of human shrieks blending with a supernatural nightmare. All eyes went to Jester as that awful sound boomed forth from him yet again, bringing all of us to our knees in fear. I couldn’t imagine what Sunset was thinking and feeling right now, witnessing just a small portion of what made Jester so feared, an untouchable being from the depths of hell.

“Enough,” Jester growled, an inhuman harshness cracking and shattering his words. “I have no need for this petty discord from my flock- I of the divine!”

Suds and I couldn’t have managed to say a word even if we’d wanted to, frightened into silence. Jester raised a hand and one of his advisors departed back into the shadows and we were gifted with another coughing fit from the lord of the wildlands, a long rasping, hacking sound as if he were choking on something. I felt my heart sink into the pit of my stomach, knowing that something was very, very wrong…
The advisor returned with an ornate dish and set it on a pedestal beside Jester’s throne before hurrying back to his place. Jester dipped his fingers in the dish, tracing the water within as if in a trance.

“Petty children of my flock, my recent days have been dark as of late,” he said weakly, his voice barely audible across the chamber. “My dreams are of shadow, my days clouded, and now even my lungs fill with the smoke of uncertainty brought upon us by a new enemy…”

He was sick, he was actually sick. He’d never been sick, he’d always been perfectly healthy, almost as if he were untouchable…

“Only a short time ago did this befall me, suddenly in the dark of the night- a fell swoop from a beast in this city, mine. A beacon that suddenly burst forth its power in a great prism, burning my gaze and scalding me very being. It, I confess, has brought me low…”

A beacon of power, a prism. And only a short time ago, did something- unless I was very wrong, I think it could’ve been- unless I was mistaken, the time would almost perfectly line up with when I was under the curse of the Sirens and Sunset had to-

We’d never been in more danger in our lives than right then. Jester hadn’t paid attention to Sunset at all, I the traitor the focus of this ceremony. She was an afterthought, perhaps to be sold on the market somewhere, but right now the greatest threat to Jester, the one thing sickening him and weakening his power was a little mouse of a girl who stood unknown and unseen right before his eyes.

“I despise it, children of my flock,” he said distantly. “I despise weakness, I despise the thought of death consuming and taking what is mine by right- I the divine. For too long have I shaped the lands in which I live, watching the rise and fall of numbers beyond measure. I have fought across wars and battles and time to come to this Promised Land, this place of the divine to strengthen my hold and grace it immemorial.”

No, what he’ saying isn’t possible, I told myself. He can’t be saying what I think he’s saying, he can’t be that old- it’s not humanly-

“And now here stand two children of my flock,” he said, his voice becoming dangerously soft. “Here stand the Scales of the Dragon and the One who Cleanses- bonded as brothers when the Cobra fell, yet now standing against one another. Do you know what this says to me?”
The crowd shuffled nervously, not daring to speak. Jester smiled slightly, a small frightening thing that looked so out of place on his hard features. “Dear fellows of the flock, it speaks to me… of secrets.”

He plunged his hand into the bowl and it emerged garbed in a metal glove, a clawed hand tipped with savage, serrated points that spoke all too clearly of their intent. I had seen it before, seen him use this ceremonial tool for one purpose and one alone. As we all had.
Suds was slammed down into the ground next to me, his arms pulled backwards to expose his chest, the same done to me. My heart was pounding furiously now, exposing itself to the psychopath who sat on the throne before us all. Jester slowly stepped down towards us, flicking his hand maddeningly…

“Holy shit, no, please no, no,” Suds began to scream, writhing and twisting against his captor in a panicked frenzy. “No, no, please great one, no! I didn’t do nothing, I haven’t done anything against you- it was the Dragon, it was the Dragon!”

“I didn’t do anything, I never broke any laws! I hid nothing from Wanyama, I only left quietly and of my own accord!” I shrieked, desperately fighting for my life.

“You will tell me your secrets!” Jester roared, exuding a horrifying aura of dark power, a column of wicked energy. “I am of the divine, ruler of the wildlands, I will have no equal, no rival to my throne which was given to me by right! One of you speaks lies to me- one of you hides a greater power, and both of ye would kill the other to keep it hidden!”

“I haven’t hidden anything from you!” I screamed. “I’ve done nothing wrong, I swear it, I swear it!”

“Holy shit, shit, shit, God help, God help! Shit-f---k, somebody help me!” Suds screamed. “I didn’t do shit, I didn’t do shit!”

“Put aside your spite and your hatred! Reveal to me your secrets! Show me your dark and sins or face your judgement!” Jester howled.

“Oh God help me, Oh God help me,” Suds bawled, “Help, help, help, help, heeelp!”

“I didn’t do anything, I’ve done nothing wrong! I broke now laws, I did nothing wrong!” I pleaded. “I haven’t done anything wrong-”

With a roar, Jester raised his hand of death high into the air and brought it streaking down like a steel comet, plunging it deep into Suds chest-

Suds gave a small gasp as the last of the air in his lungs was forced out by the impact of the blow, his eyes wide as saucers-

With one swift, simple movement, Jester relinquished his efforts and pulled back, pulling out his hand and tearing out the man’s heart.

I screamed along with so many others, Sunset’s and I’s shrieks of terror lost in the calls of praise that came forth from the crowd. A forced sound, a mandatory call from a crowd that feared for their life before the presence of a monster dressed as a man. I was panicked beyond anything I’d ever been before, watching as Suds’ broken body fell to the ground in a bloodied heap, his eyes still wide with the pure terror he had felt in the very last moments of his life-

Jester raise his prize high into the air, displaying his might for all to see, his eyes alight with a lust for power gone totally mad, having long ago thrown out sanity in favor of a power beyond the grasp of mere men. He was a demon from the darkest, deepest pits of Hell, sent from the depths to strike fear and terror into the hearts of all who faced him.

“I have only begun here today!” he roared to the crowd. “I have claimed another foe, yet still I have no rest! My foe has yet to come before me, I have no seen the face of my true enemy! Perhaps here the Dragon will speak- grant us the knowledge of this power, Scales of the Dragon! Show us the power with which the world burns in the fires of wrath and war and time beyond the scales of this world! Grant me the secret that will free me from the presence of my foe!”

There was no way I could speak after seeing what I’d just seen. I’d been struck dumb with fright, my tongue ripped out alongside Suds’ heart, and perhaps the last fragment of my soul had gone with it. I was doomed, we were all doomed, I would never escape this man-
Then suddenly, something changed. A vibration went through the chamber, a visible tangible thing that distorted the world as it echoed across the walls and out into the waking world, exuding a hum that made the entire room stop and look about. “You’re a monster!” someone yelled.

The words pierced my soul like a knife as I turned to see the crowd part and stare at Sunset Shimmer. No longer was this the small, petite young girl I’d known, but instead it was as if she had transformed, the terror that had so ensnared me turning her into something… something else…

“Who is this one that speaks against me?” Jester said, tossing his prize aside and glowering at her. “You are not of my flock, no, not at all. You are something different, something not of my world…”

“You’re a monster,” Sunset snarled, trying to throw off the man who still held her down. “You’re a monster who’s destroyed thousands of lives and tried to make everyone believe you’re a god- everything you’ve ever said to them is a lie!”

Jester stared at her with slowly widening eyes as he realized just what –or who- that beacon of power had been. “It was you,” he whispered. “You are the one that stalks my dreams…”

“You’re an animal who’s done nothing but slaughter and hurt and steal from everyone else around you!” she yelled furiously. “You try to create this whole image that you’re something special and dangerous and powerful when all you’ve done is throw your own soul away to a power that’ll destroy you!”

“Sunset, shut up! Shut up or else he’ll-”

They were on me in an instant, throwing me to the ground and attacking me in a vicious, relentless assault of boots and fists and crowbars until it felt as if my body could take no more and my soul would drift away into the ether. I felt bones bruise and skin tear as Wanyama tore me to pieces, decimating me and keeping me from the one person I had left-

“Cease! Hold your war!” Jester said. “We cannot fight any longer, we must expel the black sheep from our flock and cure this plague before it consumes us all!”

The crowd around me parted and I was lifted off the ground and onto my knees once more, Sunset dragged forcefully and placed next to me as Jester stood before us. “For too long you have haunted my dreams,” he said madly, “I am of the divine, foul witch, and you shall not spread your deceit in my temple. I shall drink deeply of your power until there is nothing left for you to keep, and I shall throw your husk away into the black.”

This was it, we had failed, we were going to die- Sunset was going to die and it ws all because of me. I shouldn’t have listened to Collier, he had betrayed us both into this nightmare and we weren’t going to come out alive-

Jester looked down at me with a cold indifference. “I have no more use for a Dragon, not even for its scales,” he said. “Kumaliza.”

One of the men behind me whipped out a pistol and slammed it into my head, pushing the barrel in deep and pulling the trigger-

Click. The round fired and did nothing. “What in the hell-” the man pulled the trigger yet again. Click. Click-click. “This isn’t happening- it won’t fire!” he yelled furiously.

“You! Try again!” Jester barked to someone behind me.

Another pistol. Click-click-click-click-click. “F---king thing’s jammed- what the hell-”

“Then I shall end this!” Jester roared in a panic, whipping out his pair of uzi’s and pointing them at my chest, a point-blank assault that would tear my body apart-

There was a small Crunch! sound and the weapons did nothing. No rounds were fired, no sound of bullets, my vision did not go dark. Something was fighting against Jester and his minions and keeping me alive. Something was protecting me and I think it was-

Jester’s face went pale with dawning realization, setting aside his weapons as he turned to face his greatest, only enemy- a petite, gentle young girl with hair the colors of the shining sun, her eyes like an ocean kissed by the dawn, from a land and a world and a history he could never have predicted or hoped to understand. “You…”

“You’re a monster, Jester,” Sunset said furiously. “And today they’re going to stop you.”

And suddenly a lot of things happened all at once.

Boom! The warehouse door exploded and went flying, fragments going flying and tearing through the crowd, drawing blood and slamming into those unable to get out of the way. Guns pointed directly at all those who stood before them came an entire SWAT team, covered head-to-toe with armor and gear, with what looked like half of the police force outside to back them up-

“Traitor!” Jester screamed at Collier, eyes popping madly with flecks of foam flying from his mouth, drawing one of his knives and tossing it straight for the undercover officer’s heart-

“FIGHT BACK!” Someone in the crowd roared and the sound of hundreds of weapons being drawn and readied echoed through the building as the elite of Wanyama prepared to fight for their very lives-

“Open fire!” someone from the SWAT team yelled, and dozens of riot shields and weapons pointed straight at their targets were let free to fire and destroy their opponents-

“Get down!” I yelled, taking advantage of my captor’s distractions to dive for Sunset and bring her to the ground-

And that’s when the bullets began to fly. I was suddenly in the midst of the most dangerous place on earth as both sides clashed in a titanic struggle of power, the sheer volume of gunfire shattering my hearing and forcing me to flatten myself against the ground as I desperately tried to stay alive. Riot control grenades were fired into the throng of Wanyama, bean bags pelting and knocking down foe after foe, only for the fallen to be succeeded by yet another, the near limitless numbers of Wanyama showing themselves in full force as they desperately tried to defend their most inner sanctum and the leader they revered-

“Stay down! Stay down to the ground!” I yelled at Sunset. “Crawl and find cover, come on!” The two of us skittered across the ground like animals, every bullet tearing through the air and making us shrink closer to the ground. I could feel my skin burn and tear against the hard concrete floor, so close were we to the earth, but we didn’t dare relent- too high and we could be struck.

“Find the witch! Find the witch and bring her to me!” Jester shrieked, his voice magnified and booming across even this ungodly melee. “Care not for these mere men, find the witch!”

“This is happening- this is happening,” Sunset breathed, her fear starting to recover itself inside her once more. “We’re still alive and this is happening-”

“Don’t stop! Keep moving!” I yelled, my fighting instincts having gone into overdrive the moment the battle had begun. Every single part of my very being was intent solely on one thing alone and that was keeping Sunset alive, no matter the cost. She may not have even realized it but she had somehow saved my life and inadvertently ignited an event the likes of which the city had never seen. She needed to be there when it would end and I had to make sure she survived-

“There, behind the office!” I yelled, and we crawled our way over to a small disconnected section of the building, inching our way through the doorway and hiding pressed against the wall where we remained out of sight.

“Are you alright?!” she asked, her breath coming in short, rapid gasps.

“This is crazy- they’re taking on Wanyama’s best right now-”

“Yeah, this is actually happening,” Sunset replied fearfully. “I don’t know how we’re not dead yet but this is happening-”

A scream and a lifeless body fell through the window, crashing down before us as the man I once knew as Crow bled to death before us, his mouth forming curses he could no longer summon the strength to speak-

“Whoa!” We recoiled as far away from it as possible, afraid that even the slightest thing wrong would allow them to detect us. We hid together there as the bullets raged alongside the screams and curses and cries of agony that came from both sides of the vicious melee overwhelmed our senses and consumed us in the throes of unparalleled bloodshed as the world itself seemed to tear apart, the two sides clashing in a battle that would change the course of the city forever-

“Stay down!” I said loudly and slowly, moving inch by inch, I dared to sneak over to the windowframe and sneak a look through-

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I could see dozens of people –Wanyama’s own- on the ground and defeated, with scores having rushed to the sides of the warehouse or into the corners to avoid the incoming fire, their hands up in surrender as they watched the onslaught. A few police had been killed and many more serious wounded, but they advanced their way up and forward, carving their way through the last of the resistance and pushing steadily towards the throne where the madman who had brought this about, wild wicked Jester, stood, screaming out orders and brandishing a high-caliber rifle he must have taken from a fallen fighter-

“They’re going to lose!” I yelled in awe. “Wanyama’s losing- they’re going to lose! They’re going to be defeated!” I could hardly believe it, I couldn’t believe it, I would never believe it as long as Jester still lived and breathed in this world. “I need to be there for this!” I said, and I slithered my way out of the window and out onto the outskirts of the battle, stupidly putting myself in harm’s way as the police easily could have shot me. Now was not the time to ask questions or demand surrender- this was a full-blown war that had reached its fatal crescendo.
I crept slowly out and watched from behind the main line of police as they continued upwards and towards Jester, who was screaming like a man possessed, another call of fury rising from his throat as he watched a bullet find its mark and the greatest of his warriors, the Big Cat known only as Kiumbe fell to the ground to live no more-

“NO! YOU DARE PLACE YOURSELF AGAINST ME- I OF THE DIVINE!” shrieked Jester, brandishing his staff and rifle at the police line that now stood before him at the base of the throne. “I am the one who brings life and light to the world, I call the sun and it rises- I am the chosen! You stand against me, you minions of a shadowed evil-”

He looked beyond the line of his foes and saw me, I having creeped out further for a better view, caught out in the very open like a complete fool.

“You! Vile exile of my flock!” he screamed. ”It is because of you my children are dead!”

“Stand down, put down the weapon right f---king now-” one of the SWAT barked-

Jester threw his staff into the line of police and pointed his rifle straight for my exposed chest and I knew that there was no way for me to escape-

The rifle suddenly gave a sharp flash of amber light and the muzzle exploded, peppering Jester with shrapnel and shards of bullets, driving deep into his flesh and spilling his blood onto the floor before him-

I gave a gasp at the sight, I the witness to a vision, a moment that no man could have ever dreamed. For the first time ever in all the history of Wanyama, Jester had been hurt. He could bleed, the guise of immortality and invincibility falling from him like scales and no more could he ever be seen as something inhuman, something untouchable by mortal man. Now he was exposed once and for all.

I turned around to see Sunset standing behind me, her very presence burning the night with a fiery power that scorched the air and I felt a lurch of premonition right before it came to pass-

Boom! The sound of a weapon discharging and the bullet found a home in the center of Jester’s skull, driving in deep and cutting through the body, showering the world with blood from a man once thought holy. He fell to the ground and collapsed like a rag doll, the endless energy and power of the magic man departed from his frame. No longer did he exude the aura that caused brave men to quiver in fear, no longer did he bathe in the blood of his enemies, and no longer would he lurk in the depths of the night as a stalking terror of all who dwelled in the West End, in this city.

Jester crumpled to the ground limp and lifeless, falling to the ground and rising no more.

Shrieks of horror as the remaining few who had not surrendered or fled watched their glorious leader, the man so many had thought to be a god, was killed. They could not comprehend it, their worlds collapsing as the one who had claimed to be the one who shaped the course of destiny breathed his last, brought down by the very men who he had fought for decades. A cheer rose from the police force still present, having finally brought down the tyrant that had decimated their ranks and brought paranoia and mistrust to their number. Perhaps, if only to those listening, the whole city breathed a sigh of relief as their longest, hardest, most violent conflict came to an end at last.

“Get teams to get to the wounded! The rest of you focus on the rest of them!” one of the policemen barked, and all surviving officers ran around madly, rushing to their fallen friends and the injured, caring not whether they were one of their own or one of Wanyama. They simply had a job to be done, and that was to tend to those that remained and take care of them.

They ignored me as they raced about the warehouse, their greatest attention set on tending to the wounded and rounding up the last of Wanyama’s members. I looked around at the aftermath of the fight, my eyes drifting across all the death and gore that surrounded me. Nothing could truly sink in yet, not for now. I walked through the crowd slowly as if in a trance and made my way up the steps, walking up and stopping before the dead and lifeless body of Jester. Even now, even after it had happened, I could still hardly believe my eyes. “He’s dead,” I said aloud.

It was if the words, seeping from my lips and into the air, was enough to make it real. Suddenly the gravity of what had just happened sank in with an all-consuming crash: Jester was dead, the man who had defined the violence in the West End for decades before I was even born, who had ended countless lives and caused chaos and suffering and agony and fire to spread and wound so many that the effects of his cruelty and hatred for human life might never be truly understood. But now… he was gone. And not just him, but so many of his best fighters- the Big Cats were dead, having somehow been brought down in the chaos. The sole advisor that had live through the firefight was being dragged away screaming by the police as I stood there, and so many others that were counted as the Wanyama elite were dead and gone- all of his section lords, his prized warriors, his best distributors… in one single, bloody swoop, the police had definitively destroyed Wanyama in a way that they would never be able to recover from. This was the end of the greatest, most terrible gang in all of the city. Wanyama would never rise again from the ashes- they had been defeated.

I felt a presence behind me and I turned to see Sunset standing behind me, that fiery aura evident no more. She looked exhausted and bedraggled, her hair a tussled mess and her cheeks burned from our escape across the concrete floor. Some of her clothing was tinged with blood and torn, but she was alive and for now that was enough to ask.

“You’re OK,” I said distantly, still unable to properly react to the madness. “You made it.”

“And so did you,” she said faintly.

I turned back to Jester’s corpse, my eyes drifting up to his twisted throne. I put my hands behind it and began to push, slowly inching it across the floor until it teetered on the edge of the steps before tumbling down and shattering into thousands of pieces on the ground. A few of the police jumped at the sound before seeing the two of us there, and someone yelled for one of the medics to tend to us. She and I were rushed outside to a waiting ambulance where some of our scratches and injuries were tended to. Sunset was told she’d recover, as she only had a few cuts, but I would need to be taken to the hospital for treatment of the worst of my scars and injuries. I barely felt them, I still in shock.

“It’ll have to be a few minutes before we can take you, though,” said the medic. “And you’re low priority because of all the critically wounded we’ve got. Just… stay here until we can get you shipped out.”

“OK,” I said flatly. I could hardly find scrounge up the emotion to care, I felt so utterly spent by the long trial that had begun yesterday morning.

The medic looked at my license, scrutinizing it for a little longer. “I recognize your last name,” he said slowly. “We were the crew that brought your mom in yesterday.”

My Mom! I’d been so focused on Wanyama and survival that I’d somehow forgotten! Pushing my shame aside, I quickly asked, “Is she alive?”

“She was fighting hard the last I heard,” the medic answered. “She had gained consciousness again before she left my care and she’d been asking about you. You probably will be able to see her, since you’re headed to the same hospital. Ask for her once you get there.”
I nodded, watching him mutely as we left. I sat there beside the vehicle with a blanket draped across my shoulders, Sunset finding my hand and wrapping her fingers in mine. Somehow, in some way, we had both made it. We were alive, graced with the treasure to live a little longer. And maybe, just maybe, my Mom was going to make it, too.

“What I saw you do today… was something I have never seen before,” I said slowly, turning to Sunset. “You stopped him.”
Sunset shook her head wearily. “I don’t know what I did,” she confessed. “I saw he was going to kill you and I just wanted to stop him…”

“You saved my life. You saved my life twice over tonight,” I said softly, brushing her tussled hair from her face. “You saved my life…”

“We helped save each other,” was all she could say.

Holding each other tight, we sat there watching the sun rise, its faint pink rays kissing the early morning sky as we waited for EMT to take us away to the hospital that awaited us, to where my mother and her fate lay uncertain. The day shone on an era unseen, the future before us a clean slate. For the first time I had ever known, Jester was dead. Wanyama was broken, and maybe now the West End would know the meaning of hope in his absence.

Your love alone pulled me through

View Online

The hospital was a mad frenzy of doctors and staff running this way and that, their cries and calls to each other of information or for aid sounded like the storm of gunfire I had only escaped a short time ago. A staffer on the site would rush past my room every few seconds, none of them the team assigned to my quarters where I’d been temporarily confined as the hospital staff tried to cope with their sudden arrivals.

“I need an IV-”

“Put the pressure right there, hold it tight!”

“I promise, Mrs. Holiday, your husband is going to make it, it’s just going to be difficult for him these next few weeks-”

“I need that IV right now!”

“Please, just hold down your bandage until I get back, I’ll only be a little while-”

“Nurse, get any extra help you can, this man is going to die without our help-”

The facility was on maximum overload, the casualties from the massive gunfight crippling the entire system as it was flooded with more arrivals than the hospital could prepare to cope with. There’d never been anything like this in the history of the city, and there was no way to prepare for a catastrophe of this magnitude. Not only did the hospital staff have to deal with treating their patients, some of them so violently wounded that they were hardly recognizable as human, but also the police force was struggling from the staggering loss of numbers and the security necessary for so many injured Wanyama members. It was so nightmarish a situation that nearby hospital staff had been sent over to aid with providing care, and even then the place was still a chaotic freneticism.

Sergeant William Collier was dead, Jester’s knife having found his heart right at the very beginning of the melee. He’d bled to death there where he’d stood, help unable to save him in time. He’d kept his promise to bring the police, though, and I’d been told he would receive a hero’s farewell for his deeds. He’d died trying to help the home he loved. He, along with Officers Danielle Barret, Felix Velasquez, Joe Horton, and twelve other officers, would never return to see their families again. In their death throes, their last struggles against their enemy, Wanyama had struck with a vengeance.

I’d been ordered to remain on my bed, shivering slightly as I lay there in my torn and threadbare clothes, feeling extremely out of place in my grunginess- this hospital was too sterile and neat to hold someone as dirty as me. Sunset sat on one of the nearby chairs, drained by the night’s events and the toll it took on her. She looked utterly woebegone, covered in dirt and scratches, hair a tangled mess and clothes and dirty and torn as mine. She was exhausted, with no sleep over the past 24 hours and both of us were far too wired to be able to claim any sort of rest. It would be a long while until either of us could sleep. The events surrounding tonight would not be an easy thing to leave behind, at least for a while.

Neither of us said a word, she bound by exhaustion and I kept to silence by her presence. I stared at her unabashedly without end, drinking in her presence with a hunger I’d never felt before, an ache inside that she filled by mere sight alone. She was tussled, tired and exhausted, yet never before had I been so drawn to someone before. She was not pretty, she was not beautiful, she was more radiant than even the sun itself, the wholeness of the world unable to compare to the light that dwelled within her. She would never admit to it, but she had done more than save my life- she had saved the city from the one who had held it in his grasp, and given the West End a chance to restore its soul and leave its history of violence behind. She had done what rival gangs in full force and assassins in their months of planning had not achieved even once over Jester’s decades of work here in the city- she had beaten him. Not just beaten him, but broken his powers and made him human again, allowed the police to finish him off once and for all. She, Sunset Shimmer, a tiny little girl that stood five-foot-two and barely weighed over 100 pounds at best had achieved something the greatest fighters of the West End hadn’t ever had the chance to achieve.

Maybe she sensed me staring at her, maybe she just caught me gazing, it didn’t matter- Sunset looked over at me and looked me straight in the eye, our gazes locked together for a time. “What?” she asked. “Is everything OK?”

How could I tell her what she’d just done? How could I explain the magnitude of what she’d just achieved? Would she ever truly understand how deep a wound she had just healed? A whole city had just been spared of its darkest evil, something that had fought against it for decades. She was the savior of a city that was not even her own.

She rose from her chair slowly, stiffness and pain slowing her movements. “Hey, are you alright?” she asked gently, sitting down beside me on the bed. “Do you need me to go get the nurse, do you need anything?”

I couldn’t think of anything to say that would ever fully say what was in my heart. “You are so beautiful,” I managed.

Sunset rolled her eyes and shook her head, her tussled hair falling across her face. “Should’ve known you’d say something stupid,” she said quietly, still unable to hide the small smile on her face. She gave me a slow, lingering kiss on the cheek and added, “I’m proud of you. You helped to do a noble thing today.”

I had done nothing except be bait. Yet here she stood, having directly neutralized our enemy and taken away his power. She was a heroine… and I loved her. I loved her more than anything in the world, more than I’d ever loved anyone. She’d freed me from fear of Wanyama forever, their mark on my palm now able to fade into a distant memory. She’d freed my family from its history- now Estevan, my own violent past, and the stain the gang had left upon us would disappear forever and rot in a jail cell where it belonged. She had saved the West End from itself, from the endless cycle of violence and cruelty and hopelessness that had held it back for so long from finally walking forth into the future. It would be a long time until it could see that, but through her, the West End now had a chance to truly live.

And she’d done it without my help. No longer was she the weak, wounded girl I’d known for all those months. She now stood tall and proud, possessing a strength that was unique to her and her alone. She was everything she was ever meant to be, and I loved her for it with all of my heart. As far as I’d decided, my days of searching and wondering were over. I could never possibly hope to find someone as beautiful and as amazing and smart as Sunset was- today had shown me enough to know I wanted to marry her someday.

There was a shuffle of noise outside and the nurse assigned to my room came in, somehow looking even more ruffled than we were. I guess she’d been getting tossed about to so many areas in just a few minutes that she’d been pretty well wrung. But still, despite her obvious exhaustion, she greeted both of us with a smile, immediately setting to work.

“How are you feeling right now?” she asked, setting out the various equipment she needed to perform the checkup. “Anything you want to tell me, anything feel like its broken?”

I looked down at her nametag, reading Krystal. I shook my head. “No, I’m in one piece,” I said. “Don’t think there’s anything I can do about the broken tooth, though.”

“No, I don’t think you can either,” she said, looking inside my mouth for any additional damage. “Unfortunately, looks like you’ll have a little bit of a gap for the rest of your life, if you can suffer it.”

I felt the empty space where my canine had been, pretty unused to the void where part of my own skull had once been. Guess I’d have to accept that puppy was never coming back, I couldn’t even remember where I’d spat it out.

“Let me see…” she grabbed a small clipboard from the counter, looking over my profile. “You’ve got multiple lacerations across your body, the most severe ones being the one across your chest and underneath your eye down the cheek,” she read off. “You’ve got a fair amount of severe bruising, too. You must’ve taken quite a beating.”

I shrugged it away and promptly winced as the pain resurfaced across my body in agonizing form. My mind flashed back to when I had woken up from the Sirens spell only a short while ago, and the wretchedness I felt then- I decided what Wanyama had done was infinitely, infinitely worse.

“Does anything hurt to move?” she asked.

“A whole lot hurts to move, but I’ll get over it,” I said gruffly, trying to ignore that my ribs were still throbbing madly. Man alive, I’d never hurt this bad before…

Ms. Krystal looked at me with suspicion and I knew she didn’t believe me for a second. “Can you take your shirt off?” she asked.

I felt myself suddenly get much hotter and I could see Sunset standing in the corner starting to giggle. “Uh, what?”

“I need to check to see if you’ve got any broken ribs,” Ms. Krystal said, clicking her fingers at me. “Besides, I’ll need to clean and dress your wounds anyway. Take it off.”

“Umm…” I complied, though not without a sense of trepidation as I was going shirtless in front of a complete stranger. With a massive effort to push through the pain, I grappled with my shredded shirt and tossed it aside onto the bed.

“You seem a little more hesitant to strip down than last time,” Sunset teased.

“Wow, you’re making this even more awkward than it already was,” I remarked, feeling enormously self-conscious as the nurse checked me over for hidden injuries. I looked a right mess, my flesh various shades of black and blue from the bludgeoning I’d received. Even if I had no broken bones, it’d be a long while before I’d fully recover. I had a pretty long course of pain pills ahead of me just to make it through.

“If it’s any consolation, even with them beating the stuffing out of you, you still look really hot,” Sunset offered.

I let that one sit for a little bit before responding by saying, “OK, that’s kind of arousing but still not really sure that’s helping me feel any better.”

“Don’t get mad, she’s just being nice,” Ms. Krystal chided with a gleam in her eye. “After all, who doesn’t want their wife to think they’re sexy?”

It was a zing so perfect I never would’ve been able to conjure it up. Sunset went deep red and gave an “Eep!” of embarrassment as she promptly stopped her joking.

I gave a barking laugh, ignoring the pain that came along with it. “Oh, how’s it feel now, huh? What, can dish it out but can’t take it?”

“Wait,” the nurse said slowly, looking back at Sunset. “You two aren’t..?”

She’d actually been serious. I felt myself go a little red but couldn’t hide a smile as I looked over at the girl who’d saved my life. “Nah, we’re not… we’re just…”

“I don’t think you can say you’re just friends,” Ms. Krystal remarked.

“Oh, no, we’ve been dating for a while,” Sunset replied, “A couple months now, just- well, um, we’re not…”

Ms. Krystal flickered between the two of us, a disbelieving expression on her face. “Please, don’t even try to hide it,” she smirked. “I mean, I’ve only been married for fifteen years and I don’t know the obvious when I see it.”

“Damn,” I said under my breath. Sunset and I had just gotten schooled and I loved it. I didn’t know what to say in response so I remained quiet, simply gazing at Sunset with a stupid sort of smile. Even now, after all she’d been through and how bedraggled she looked, I’d never get tired of that view.

She caught me staring again, her face still pretty red. “What?” she asked, a smile starting to grow on her lips.

“Nothing, just enjoying the view- Ow!” Ms. Krystal had just poked me in the ribs, feeling a particularly nasty bruise across the lower portion of my ribcage.

“Don’t mind me,” she said all too innocently. Blasted woman was loving this.

Sunset shook her head, laughing faintly. “You are so stupid, you do realize that,” she said. “There’s times I don’t even know what to say to you.”

“At least I’m hot- by your standards,” I grinned. “Got that going for me, you’ve got a much longer list of positive attributes, so what’s it gonna be- short list or the long list?”

“You,” Sunset said, now struggling to hold back from laughing, “Are the kind of person who’d be cracking jokes in the midst of a tornado. Like it’d be going right across your house and you’d try to find some terrible pun-”

“So my brain doesn’t work all that well around beautiful girls,” I said lightly. “Worse things can happen-”

“See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. You have no filter and you don’t even care who’s listening-”

“Course I’m not gonna care!” I fired back. “The most smoking-hot beach body beauty I’m ever gonna meet is my girlfriend and she just torched the most dangerous guy in the city while saving my rear twice over- all in the same night. That’s so beyond the realms of a turn-on that I can’t even think of a word for how devastatingly attractive you are.”

Sunset was a shade of crimson so deep her face had somehow gained the achievement of being a darker shade of red than her hair and she was utterly silent, unable to summon a single word to get me to shut up. I’d won this one so badly it wasn’t even fair.

“OK, since you both seem to be done, I’m just gonna say that both of you are really, really weird,” Ms. Krystal said, suddenly snapping me back into reality and making me understand why Sunset had been so embarrassed. I’d actually kind forgotten she was in the room. “Anyway, it doesn’t seem like you have any broken bones, but your ribs are pretty severely bruised,” she told me. “You’ll be fine, and I’ll see if they’ll discharge you before the day’s over, but you’ll need to take it slow for a while- a couple weeks, at a minimum. I’ll see what I can do about getting you a prescription to help with the pain, and the rest I’ll leave to you. Just get some rest, take it easy, and get lots of water and sleep. That’s what is going to help the most.”

I looked over at Sunset and I could tell by her change in countenance that she was thinking of the same thing. “I was told… before we were brought in, one of the EMT guys told me that my mother was at this hospital. She was a shooting victim, probably was brought in around eight in the evening…”

Ms. Krystal scrutinized me. “I’ll see if they’ll allow you to go find her,” she said. “I don’t know where she is, but be prepared for her to be in intensive care. A lot of the people in there today- it’s not good, dear.”

I nodded, mentally preparing myself for what I was going to see. The aftermath of an unbelievable day of violence would be pushing the unit to its breaking point.

“Stay here until I get back. And, if I were honest, I’d do something about getting some better clothes, yours are torn pretty badly,” she added. “I can help you with that, if you’d like…”

“I can go,” Sunset volunteered, rushing over to kiss my cheek in goodbye. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, alright? Wait for me.” With a small wave and a smile she was out the door, off to head for the exit and to the nearest department store for something serviceable.

“You’ve got quite a girl there,” Ms. Krystal remarked pleasantly. “She really cares about you.”

“She’s perfect,” I said firmly. “She’s better than I ever deserved.”

“Then for goodness’ sake, marry her!” she replied brightly. “If what you said about her is true, and that she saved your life, that’s someone you may want to hold on to!”

I smiled. How intriguing that I’d only been thinking about it just a moment ago. With a smirk of understanding, Ms. Krystal was off to see if I could be granted permission to seek out my mother.

It took about an hour for Sunset to return, holding a pair of jeans and a simple grey t-shirt in her hands. “I’m sorry I took so long, there’s not actually a whole lot out here when it comes to clothing out here downtown so I had to head down the river to reach our part of town and the traffic was pretty thick.”

“It don’t matter. You came through,” I assured her, taking the clothes and fishing out my wallet. “How much was it all?”

“Oh, it’s not a big deal,” she said dismissively. “I’m just helping you out, it’s what we do, right?”

I hated the thought of her spending her money on me, I always having paid for both of us whenever we’d gone out and about. “Come on, you know I don’t like it when you-”

“It’s alright,” she insisted. “You’ve always spent a lot of money on me, it’s OK for me to spend a little on you. Relax.”

Maybe I should’ve fought against it a little, but tiredness and anxiousness to see my Mom was too much, and I relented, tossing off my old pair of paints and slithering into my new jeans and shirt. “They feel good,” I remarked. “Thanks.”

“It’s not a big deal, you know I’d always help you out if you needed it,” she said bracingly. “I mean, that’s sort of what-”

I cut her off by grabbing her and pulling her into a deep hug, squeezing her tightly and not letting go. “Thank you,” I said again. “Just… thanks.”

She put her own arms around me, her head sinking into my chest as she gave a long, lingering sigh of contentment. She understood me well enough to know that I meant far more than words could ever say, more than I’d ever be able to say aloud. “Your welcome.” She pulled away from me and looked up at me, her face now strained with tension. “We should go see your Mom. Are you ready?”

I felt a chill course through me, knowing what I was probably about to face would be something out of a nightmare. Not just because of my Mom, but because we’d be entering a section of the hospital that would be packed with the broken and dying from the horrors we had barely escaped. It would be difficult to accept.

“I- I don’t know,” I confessed. “What if- what if she’s..?”

Sunset leaned up and kissed my forehead gently, a soothing gesture she’d used to help calm me before. “No matter what happens, I won’t leave your side,” she promised. “I’ll be with you through it all.”

I felt a lump in my throat, gazing down at this beautiful woman with all the love in my heart burning like a fire. I’d never believed I could find anyone like her, and yet, somehow this priceless treasure had chosen to grow and live and laugh and love alongside me. I’d never deserve someone as wonderful as her. Our hands together, we walked out of my assigned room to ICU on the floor above.
The moment we reached the doors to the unit, we could already hear the screams and smell that metallic stench of spilled blood. I shot Sunset an apprehensive look as we stood just outside the threshold, already assaulted by the sounds and smells of the aftermath. “It’s gonna be bad in there,” I warned her.

“It’d be worse to leave now,” she said determinedly. “Let’s go…”

It was worse than I’d imagined it could be. Nurses and doctors ran about madly in a desperate rush to find what could be the only thing to save their patient’s life, too many of them absolutely covered in blood that was not their own. The sounds and the smells of death and terror were almost overpowering now, a torrential assault upon our psyche with each and every step. Even though she’d spoken boldly, Sunset was wide-eyed with horror at the chaos and stuck close to me for comfort.

“We need to hurry up and find where she is, I don’t know if I can take much more of this,” she whispered urgently.

I nodded, unable to summon a single word. This was horrendous. I looked over at the desk at a roster, scrolling down through the list until I came across my mother’s name, a room near the end of the ward. We’d have to walk through the entire hall to reach her. “Just endure it,” I said bravely. “She’s down there, come on…”

We walked through, unseen and ignored by all as we made our way through the madness, the staff too busy with their own patients to bother with us. I didn’t look into any of the rooms, afraid I’d see a face or hear a voice I recognized when I was so unsure that I could take it.
I could barely stomach the sight of my own Mother. Sunset was the first to look through the glass, giving a gasp of horror at the awful sight.

“Oh…”

My vision filled with the tears at the sight of my mother, my one and only mother, laying there with only the smallest breath of life still in her lungs. So many machines were connected to her she was more machine right now than a human being. Her chest went up and down in a weak, erratic pattern as if each breath were a struggle, a laborious task filled with effort that fought for the chance to keep living. She was barely alive, perhaps only kept alive because these machines prevented her from slipping into the void where I couldn’t follow. Her sheets were a soft white, clean and sterile- just the opposite of what she’d been the last I’d seen her, and she looked like she’d been cleaned up since she’d been attacked. I remembered one of the medics are Wanyama’s gereza saying she’d been fighting, but I’d expected better than this! This was like… like…

“It’s like she’s barely holding on,” Sunset said mournfully.

I could only nod, too torn and broken by the sight to find the strength to speak. She had to make it through this, I couldn’t handle the pain of losing her, of having her death on my conscience- another item on a very long list of sins I’d committed.

“Ah, we were told you’d be coming,” said a husky voice behind me and I turned to see a very tired doctor coming towards me, hand outstretched- I could see bloodstains on his fingers but I took it anyway. “My name’s Dr. Kerrigan, I’m one of the staff here at ICU. Your mother was put under my care.”

“How is she?” I asked croakily.

Dr. Kerrigan gave a sigh, wiping his forehead. “She’s… most likely she’ll make it, but she’s still at the point where it could go either way,” he confessed. “The bullet thankfully missed her lungs, but it also struck bone and caused some severe splintering- a lot of bone shards went flying inside her body, becoming tiny little missiles. That’s why she had such heavy blood loss.”

“What’s happened to her since she’s been here?” Sunset asked.

“We’ve done some surgery to remove the splinters and we’ve done what reconstruction we’ve could, but she’ll never truly recover,” Dr.

Kerrigan answered. “I can’t say for sure –it’s all too long-term to be truly certain- but she may suffer pain and trouble breathing the rest of her life. Her lifespan was most assuredly shortened by a few years because of the trauma.”

He was being blunt, brutally honest, pushing me to a point that I could barely take. Guilt threatened to overwhelm me with every word- my Mom was going to be permanently damaged because of me.

“We got told that she was awake earlier,” I suddenly remembered, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. “How was she when she was conscious?”

“She was very, very weak,” he replid. “But she was able to have lucid conversations, she could respond to people. It was all very exhausting for her, so we gave her drugs to help her sleep. It’s probably best for her to stay that way for a while, so she can heal without undue stress.”

“Could… could we-”

“Go on in? Certainly, I’ll be back to check up on you three in a short while, I need to return to my other patients- today’s the worst day I’ve ever seen in my life, I doubt there’ll be another one like it… Say, weren’t admitted her as a patient yourself?” he asked me.

“Yeah, I was. Just mild injuries, I was told I should be released today.”

“If I can find the time, I’ll tell them that you’re cleared to leave,” he said. “You can stay here with your mother for as long as you need, however.”

Sunset and I said our thanks and he departed, walking quickly away to deal with the catastrophe that was today. He’d been pretty blunt, but he’d meant well- most likely he was pretty spent himself.

We opened the door to Mom’s room and took seats next to the window, simply watching her slow, shallow breathing as she lay there in a deep slumber. Every inhalation was another jab into my heart, my mind wondering if the next breath would be her last, if I would be forced to watch my mother truly leave me forever. I was too hurt, too damaged to truly take it all in and I eventually became numb- my body’s coping mechanisms as my emotions began to shut down.

“You should say something to her,” Sunset told me softly. “Maybe if you’d talked to her, she’d feel a little better.”

“She’s asleep, Sunset, I shouldn’t be trying to wake her,” I replied dully.

“It could help her rest, to know that you’re safe,” she suggested. “I’ll bet she was really worried about you, not knowing where you were in the midst of all this…”

I shook my head but rose from my seat and knelt down next to my mother’s bed, gazing down at her face- worn, rough and weathered from years of abuse and pain and sadness, whether it be from my father or my own actions. How she had suffered because of Wanyama, because of her family’s sinfulness nearly destroying her. What could I say to make it up to her after this?

“I’m sorry,” I said softly, brushing her dark hair from her face, careful so as not to wake her. “I’m sorry this has happened to you. I’m sorry for everything, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. Guess I’m kinda worthless, huh?”

Sunset shifted behind me but said nothing, knowing I was trapped in another world beyond anyone’s reach. “I’m sorry for my father, and all that he did to hurt you,” I continued. “Estevan was a god-awful piece of human garbage and Lord knows you were better than he ever deserved. You were so sweet and kind and passionate that you were something he couldn’t understand. I hated seeing what he’d do to you, how he’d mock and torment and torture you day in and day out for so many years. I wish I could’ve done something to stop him…
And instead of helping you heal, I became his replacement. I never laid a hand on you, but I kept on hurting you by following in his footsteps. I became one of Wanyama’s fools, stealing and hurting and tearing people apart with drugs and violence and so much stupidity that I never even stopped to consider what you wanted. I failed in school, something you so valued, and kept getting myself arrested even though I sure as hell knew better. I messed up a lot, didn’t I?

And then, even after all the progress I’ve made, even though I’d left all of that crap behind thanks to a pretty girl named Sunset Shimmer, here you are- someplace where you can’t hear me, and I may never see you again. I want to see you smile, to hear you laugh again. I don’t want my failure to keep you safe from my mistakes to be what took you away from me. I can’t protect anybody, especially you. I’m so sorry that after all I’ve done, even when I try to make it up to you and keep you safe I still mess up.

I’m gonna walk away from the fight this time. I mean it this time- I’m sick of having to see the mess I saw tonight. I don’t want to have to constantly fight for a right to be seen and heard and make people know I’m there, because I don’t think there was ever a point to it. I think it was just me being some dumb kid who’d gotten so caught up in having to fight to stay alive and ended up just fighting everything and everyone. I’ll use my hands for something else, I’ll- I’ll learn to be a welder or a carpenter- just… anything better than this.

So please, do me the favor and stay alive. Come back to me and Sunset and show us your smile again. So you can hear me say sorry for real.”

Her breathing was steadier than it’d been before, her breathing deeper and more relaxed. I looked at her monitors, seeing a decrease in her heart rate to a gentler, healthier pace. I guess Sunset had been right after all…

A hand on my shoulders and she turned me around, putting her hands on my face and pulling my head down to hers. “Today, I finally started to understand what you’ve had to endure,” she said quietly, rocking me back and forth in a slow, gentle rhythm. “I always knew you’d suffered, but it wasn’t until I was there and I saw who he was did I really start to get it. I want you to know that I am so, so proud of you for walking away when there were so many there that were too foolish, too scared or too weak to turn their back on him.”

She pulled away just a bit to look up at me, a radiant smile on her face. “And then you did better. You stood up to them and you kept your honor, even when they tried to drag you back down and make you just like them. You showed how far you’d come and that they were never worthy of you. They called you a Dragon? That person never existed, just something Wanyama made up to try and keep you down. You were never a dragon, you were always you- and that’s someone better than they ever could be.”

Sunset and I sat there together as we waited in the quiet for Mom to wake, watching her as she slept a little more peacefully than before. We kept track of her progress, sitting there next to her while the other would stretch their legs or go get some food. I made a call to Manny around lunchtime, asking him if he’d be willing to drive my car up to the hospital from my house.

“Yeah, I got you,” he replied. “You sound tired.”

“Haven’t slept yet,” I replied. “I feel too wired and I wanna be there when Mom wakes up.”

“You gonna need anything? Any help for anything?”

I hesitated before answering, “Yeah, see if you can find me a good realtor I can look into.” It was something I’d been considering since the moment Mom had been attacked. While Wanyama was certainly defeated, there were still plenty of low-ranking members or surviving fanatics that would try to hunt us down. The West End would become a much better place, but that would be over time- and without us there. It had finally come time for us to leave, this having been the final warning. I’d need to talk it over with Mom when she was healthy enough –In other words, convince her we’d need to leave- but I was certain it was the right choice.

“Yeah, I can do that,” he said. “I know a few people who’d help you out, just gimme a couple days… so how are you all doing? You and your chica?”

“I’m pretty beat up, but I’ll be fine. Sunset’s in better shape than I am, she’s good.”

“Not what I meant, my friend. I meant how are you doing?”

“Truthfully, just tired, and still a little in shock. It was pretty bad last night, if it hadn’t been for Sunset…”

“So it’s true, then,” he said. “West End’s been buzzing all day, mi ariete… about a young girl bringing down the magic man.”

“It’s more than what I can say over a phone call,” I replied. “Besides, I don’t know if we’ll ever want to talk about it.”

Manny was silent for a bit, then said, “Try to get some rest, mi ariete. It’ll do you good.”

“Yeah, yeah I know,” I replied. “Thanks, I’ll meet you out in the parking lot when you and Karina get here.”

I headed back up to Mom’s room, watching as the activity around the hospital had slowly decreased and seeing a surplus of nurses and doctors sleeping anywhere they could, absolutely exhausted by the ordeal. Most of the work by now was done, all that they could do was monitor the progress and hoped it stayed positive. Other times, I would walk by a room and hear the sounds of grief as yet another soul lost its fight to stay alive. Whether Wanyama or the police it didn’t matter- the ones they left behind all shed the same tears.

“Hey, Sunset, you wanna go grab something to eat real quick while I- Oh!” I gave a start as I realized we were no longer alone in the room, as my Mom’s employer, Mr. Rich, had taken a seat right next to the door. “Mr. Rich, I- I wasn’t expecting you,” I stammered, trying to be presentable.

I’d never been in the presence of so much money in my whole life. He of course wore an unbelievably expensive suit, cuffs made of pure gold and studded with diamonds and I could see a chain hanging from his pocket made of pure silver. I suddenly realized why people said he had shared in multiple pro sports teams- the aura exuding from him alone would make anyone believe it.

“I wasn’t expecting my best maid to be shot, either,” he said, rising from his seat to shake my hand, which I did so a little weakly from shock. “I came by to offer my sympathies- to the both of you. I can hardly imagine what the past few days have been for you.”

I nodded, which was probably not the best answer but it was all I could manage.

“Your mother, as you’re probably aware, has spent a great deal of time at our estate since we took her on. I apologize if that’s been of any concern to you.”

“No, it’s fine, sir, I understood,” I replied. “It’s not the first time she’s had to work long shifts like that.”

“She’s also one of the few people my daughter has taken to quickly as well. I believe you and she go to the same school, so you may have seen her around- she tends to stick to herself, but somehow your mother cracked her shell and charmed my daughter. I wanted to let you know she’s become a great source of comfort for the family.”

“Thank you, sir, she’ll be glad to hear it when she wakes up-”

“Oh, I’m not going to stay long- I’ll actually be heading out of country for a few weeks on a business trip. I just wanted to stop by and speak to you for a little while- Oh, I almost forgot. I told my staff at the estate to set aside the funds your mother would be earning for her work, for as long as she’s away, I’ll still pay it.”

“Whoa,” Sunset said from the corner, and I sat there in shock. That was a lot of money, it’d be a huge help towards starting a savings fund for a new house or apartment, if that’s what it came to.

“Thank you, sir, that’s- just wow, thanks.” What else could I say?

“No problem at all. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must be going- even executives have flight schedules!” He prepped himself to leave and had just made it to the doorway when he paused. “By the way,” he added, turning around. “On the estate, there’s a nice little gatehouse where your mother’s stayed at before when we’ve needed her overnight. I’ll let my staff know that she’s welcome to it while you search for a new home.”

He left before I could say another word, leaving me to stand there slackjawed. How had he even known I was going to do that? He was the super-elite, the unbelievably rich that never needed to worry about things like that-

Wow, he was smart.

“Did- did that just happen?” Sunset asked me, looking just as stunned as I was.

“Umm… maybe?” I was still more or less floored by it all.

“Come here, quick! She’s awake!” Sunset called to me, beckoning me animatedly as I walked back into the ward with two bags of Burger King.

“Wait, you’re serious?” I rushed through the ward and nearly slammed into the wall, skidding across the floor to look inside and see my Mom was-

“You’re alright!” she said happily, too weak to do anything but move her head and look at me. But she could smile again, she was alive and getting better! She gave a small squeak of dismay as she looked at me with additional scrutiny. “But what happened to you- oh, your face and your arms-”

“Doesn’t matter, I’m fine,” I said quickly, tossing my food aside and rushing to her side. “Just a bunch of cuts and bruises, I’ll be fine. How- how are you, how do you feel?”

“Well, very, very tired,” she responded. “But I’m alive, so I guess that’s pretty good.”

“Yeah, it really is,” I said emphatically. “I mean, just- yeah!”

“What happened to you, though? Are you well, did they hurt you?”

“Just a little bit, the missing tooth’s the worst part and that ain’t much,” I said, giving a gappy grin. “It doesn’t matter anyway, it’s never gonna happen again. He’s gone Mom, they got him- Jester’s dead.”

That might have been too much information to say, but I couldn’t wait. The man who had destroyed her husband before she’d even met him and had nearly taken her child was dead, she deserved to know.

“He’s- what?”

“Yeah, Mom, he’s gone. It’s done, Wanyama’s finished. They’re finally done for.”

She smiled but even as she spoke to say her delight, I could see a thing glazing occur across her brown eyes. She wasn’t fully back yet, she may not even steady enough to understand what I was saying, but her happiness came from the fact that I was happy. To her, that was enough for now. I could tell it’d be a while before she’d be back to some semblance of normality. We had a long road of recovey ahead of us before she’d be able to go back home.

Which made me start thinking about how much this was all gonna cost…

We talked with Mom for a little while, trying our best to be as considerate and gentle as we could, knowing there was only so much she could take at once. She was only awake for a little while, for about an hour later she was asleep once more, the drugs and physical exhaustion having pulled her back into the dreaming world once again. We let her rest and Sunset gave a sigh of relief, having finally seen she’d indeed make a healthy recovery. We tore open the bags of Burger King I’d brought earlier and feasted, not really caring that it was all cold. It was the first thing we’d eaten all day. I kept throwing glances at Sunset every now and again, watching her with rapturous adoration. I was running out of ways to avoid it and honestly the timing may never have been better- I needed to tell her, and soon…

“Hey, Sunset?”

“Mm? What’s up?”

“Nothing, just wanted to talk to you about something,” I said casually, though inside my heart was pounding.

“Sure, what is it?” she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin and turning to me.

“Just… I dunno, I just wanted to say-”

There was a knock at the door and it was Dr. Kerrigan again, looking a little more relaxed than when I’d seen him earlier, though admittedly just as tired. “Everyone doing alright?” he inquired, walking in to check on my mother. “How about you two?”

“We’re fine, just a little tired is all,” I replied, watching as he wrote down various items and notes on my mother’s checklist, searching for anything of concern. “She was awake not too long ago, she was kind of out of it…”

“That’s to be expected, she’s had to take a lot of medication,” he remarked. “I’m rather surprised she was even up at all, to tell you the truth.”

I scrutinized him as she shuffled about. His movements were jerky, awkward. He was distinctly uncomfortable about something. “Is… is everything alright?” Sunset asked, apparently having noticed his discomfort herself.

“Well, yes and no,” he replied, turning to look at me with an unhappy expression. “Your mother is going to be fine, but… Would you come to my office for a moment, please?”

I was a little confused but I nodded and went off with him through the ward, finding his office in a secluded back corner of the area. He offered me a seat opposite his desk, sitting down himself as she shuffled a stack of papers and set them aside in a folder.

“So, what is it you needed to tell me?” I asked.

He looked at me seriously, a rather grave countenance falling upon him. “I don’t mean to pry, but when your mother was brought in, information regarding her was released to me- where you live, her occupation, things like that. Also some information about you, as you were her nearest next-of-kin that we could contact, so we’ve had to compile data regarding your family- whether you liked it or not.”

I wasn’t too terribly surprised, but I nodded anyway. Where was he going with this?

“You see, the reason we do such a thing sometimes is because many patients that come through our doors come from areas of poverty- they can’t always afford the treatment right away, so our financial offices help create plans alongside the patient’s insurance. That way, the families can have some idea of how they’re going to care for themselves as well as finalizing their payments.”

Slowly, as if it were a creeping shadow, the smallest sensation of dread began to rise within me, the slumbering beast awoken by his words as the tiniest inkling of understanding spread its way across my brain. I knew why he had brought me here…

“How bad is it?” I asked, my mouth starting to dry.

“Well, you see, the compounding problem was that not long after your mother was admitted, you were brought in as well,” he said, opening a folder and presenting it before me. “Our offices had to work fairly quickly to make an estimate, but when I saw it I thought it’d be best to discuss the matter with you as early as possible, so as to give you as much time to think as you’d need. Now, keep in mind this is a rough estimate made from general ideas of your treatment and your mother’s continued treatment, so it probably will be a little less than what you see here…”

With growing trepidation, I slid the folder over to me and began to read the paperwork inside, instantaneously overwhelmed by the sheer mass of text and numbers before me. It was a colossal effort, the very point of which seemed to be to knock me flat out. Treating my wounds, which had been relatively minor, was a huge deficit already. And Mom’s… Mom’s was so monumental that I could hardly believe such a number existed. The cost of her treatments she’d already received, alongside her future needs and probably therapy and continued medication, were upwards of $200,000…

“I know it’s pretty bad, but that’s why I wanted to speak with you,” Dr. Kerrigan said, pulling out some leaflets for me to examine. “There’s ways that you could easily make this more manageable and help to reduce any unnecessary stress from all of this...”

He spoke a lot of financial words and wisdoms I didn’t understand. I didn’t need to. All I cared about was that no matter what we did, no matter how affordable we made it, Mom and I would be trying to pay this debt off for the rest of our lives. Combine that with the fact that she never made that much money to begin with, any extra debt was a massive concern to our very survival. And we had to get a new home, somehow every single expenditure coming down and flattening us all at once.

We would never recover from this. We may never even survive it…

The light of the moon shone through the nearby window as I sat huddled in the corner, overlooking my sleeping mother who lay peacefully, out of reach from the problems that plagued the rest of the world- ones that threatened the lay their hands on her the moment she returned to the normal world.

I checked my phone and saw it was a little past three in the morning. Sunset had left around ten, so that meant I’d been sitting here alone for about five hours. Still no sleep, making it about two straight days I’d been awake. I didn’t need it, how could I sleep when I had to figure out a solution to all this?

I flicked through my phone, swiping away the various apps I still had opened. I paused at my messages, reading through Sunset’s last words before she’d gone to bed, sent to me at about midnight. I know you’re worried, but I promise we’ll figure this out. There’s always a way. Now and try to get some rest!

But I couldn’t. I couldn’t get any rest, I couldn’t sleep with so much on my mind. I had to figure out a way to sell the house, to find a new place to stay, figure out where I’d be staying because I wouldn’t be in the city a whole lot longer, and money- holy hell, figuring out the money was a nightmare. The entire issue of expenses was enormous, more than I could certainly handle. Neither of us could handle this! We were stuck with this debt for the rest of our lives!

I buried my head in my hands, trying to force my sleep-deprived brain to focus, pressing so hard into my eyes I began to see fireworks. “Come on, think! Think for once in your damn life and make yourself focus!” I hissed at myself angrily. “There’s no way you can fight this one, so start trying to think!”

I wasn’t very good. I was good with my hands and fighting more than I was anything else, despite my decent math grades. I couldn’t figure out a way to get the kind of money we’d need- somehow, putting my time into the lottery didn’t seem like a wise financial decision. I left the room and went out into the night, walking through downtown as I tried to figure out a solution. I wanted a chance to breathe without waking Mom and make a little noise if I needed to. I really wished I was twenty-one so I could hit up one of the bars, but I knew I’d get carded at this time of night. I didn’t look like I was in high school, but I didn’t necessarily look like an adult, either.

I found myself disappearing into the city, watching as the only ones still out at this hour were the despairing, the drunk, and the devils. It wouldn’t be long now before the early riser would be up and about to make their way to work- school would be starting in just a few hours, actually. I wouldn’t be there, more occupied with my own difficulties here. Mom was my sole focus right now.

“Hey- hey, you!” a drunkard yelled, calling over to me from across the street, positively drowning in booze. “Hey, you got- you- you got any spare change? My drink left me for my wife- my wife left me for a drink- no, wait, that’s still wrong…”

He became distracted by his own ineptitude and fumbled over himself as he tried to correct his failing speech, each attempt becoming more slurred than the last. I moved on, walking down the streets in silence.

I found the river and walked down its side, meandering through the parks and gardens that dotted its path. They’d done a beautiful job, really, turning what had once been a bunch of abandoned industrial complexes into verdant riverfront property. I could see tugboats pushing their cargo upstream, slowly moving against the current towards whatever destination awaited them, their lights barely visible in the early morning light. I’d been out for so long now that the sun was starting to rise. I’d probably need to go get something to eat soon enough. But that’d cost money, a luxury I didn’t have much of. What was I going to do…?

I found a fast food place nearby that was prepping to open, the hours on the door saying they’d be open at six. I could hear my stomach growling and I knew, despite my misgivings, I’d need to get something to eat. For what would probably be the last time, I’d spend my money on some fast food- the rest of the money I’d earn would be only required spending. I refused to saddle my Mom with the kind of debt we’d racked up. I didn’t want her working herself to exhaustion, dying for a sum she’d never be able to pay back. I’d take the brunt of it if I had to, but that was the long and short of it. I would not let her pay for my mistakes yet again.

I spent much of my day on the phone, splitting time between talking to realtors and getting advice from Manny about my next move. He was a good sounding board for various ideas, though he could offer no good suggestions for where Mom should be headed next.

“Have you thought of moving out of the city? Just heading somewhere else?” he asked.

“I have, but Mom isn’t healthy enough to carry on big conversations yet,” I answered. “I’m seeing how much we could sell the house for right now, but I can’t do anything since my name isn’t on the deed. It’ll be up to her once she’s able to make the choice herself.”

“I’d recommend it. The West End’s reeling a bit right now, but Wanyama’s remnant and the other gangs here will be rushing to fill the void left behind by Jester and his elite. It’s gonna take some serious time for this place to get better.”

And I knew it. I thanked him for the help and put the phone away, rubbing my eyes in an effort to keep myself awake. I was pretty exhausted now, getting close to three straight days of no rest and little relief from stress.

“You look worried about something,” Mom said to me as I came back into her room.

“You should be sleeping,” I chided gently, walking over to her side. “Don’t be worrying about me, you’ve got your own issues to think about.”

“You’re my child. I’ll always be your mother and that means I’ll always worry about you,” she said. “Now what’s the matter?”

She sounded more focused than yesterday, more conscious and awake. “I’ve been talking with Manny, that’s all. I’m thinking that maybe, when you’re all better… we don’t go back to the house.”

She looked surprised by that, and a little confused. “Why’s that? Do you not think we’ll be safe?”

“No, I don’t,” I said with a shake of my head. “I know it’s a big thing to drop on you, so why don’t we just focus on it some other time when you’re feeling a little better?”

“I’m feeling a little better now, really,” she said. “Dr. Kerrigan came by while you were gone, they’re going to move me to another ward since I’ve stabilized. I’ll be able to start getting better more quickly, they said.”

“Hey, that’s great. See, you’ll be back on your feet in no time!” I said encouragingly, feeling a pit in my stomach as I knew that also meant long, expensive therapy that added to that very big sum of money we’d owe. How on earth was I going to break the news to her when I could barely handle it myself? Maybe I shouldn’t tell her.

“Something else is bothering you, isn’t it?” she guessed, seeing through my defenses and making me freeze inside. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

I didn’t know whether to lie on the spot or tell her the truth. I tried to say something but ended up fumbling around and just simply settling for nodding my head.

“What’s wrong, then? Why won’t you tell your own mother?” she pressed.

“Because… don’t worry about it, Mom, it’s nothing,” I said dismissively. “You leave it to me, alright?”

She gave me a look that said she didn’t approve of me keeping secrets from her, but I held my ground. I’d done enough to ruin her life- I wouldn’t let this be another addition to an overly long list. I switched the subject and tried to get her to talk about other things, telling her about what was going on outside. She’d occasionally ask questions as to what had happened to me after she’d been shot and what had happened to Jester and Wanyama, but I was hesitant to give her too much information about that. It had been a messy business and I wasn’t sure how well she’d take it in her condition.

Afternoon came and went, and I looked down at my phone, reading it was about two. School would be over by now, so Sunset would probably be coming on by to visit soon enough. I hadn’t heard much from her today, unusual since she usually kept up with me pretty well when we weren’t together. I kinda wondered if she was trying to catch up on any extra sleep- after all, she’d been up for almost as long as I had.

Hey, you been doing alright today? Haven’t heard much from you, I texted her. I sat there for a few minutes, playing some music from my phone that I knew Mom liked- anything that was traditional Hispanic was usually her thing, having grown up in the culture that I had tried to avoid.

I got a ring and I saw Sunset had fired back, a short text reading, I’m fine- just busy. Might not be there for a while, OK? Wait for me! :)

Alright, sure, I replied, a little mystified as to what she’d be doing that was keeping her busy. Sure, she was part of the school’s welcoming committee, but no students were incoming this late in the year- it’d be pointless. So what was she up to..?

There was a knock on the door and the nurse for our room, a Mrs. Reindhart, poked her head inside. “Excuse me, ma’am, but you’ve got a visitor. She’s been rather insistent that she be allowed to see you.”

Mom and I shared a look of confusion. Who would be visiting right now? All of Mom’s co-workers had promised to visit on the weekend so it couldn’t have been them.

“Who’s trying to visit?” I asked.

“Her name was… hmm, hold on- yes, she introduced herself as a Miss Melody, she said she’d met you before,” Mrs. Reindhart replied pleasantly, not realizing she had just dropped an absolute bomb in the room.

Octavia… what the hell was she doing here, how had she even known what was going on? Much less figured out that my Mom had been a victim of a shooting? I’d always figured Octavia was unbelievably superficial and brainless, not the kind of person to have any clue as to what was going on the in the world- not that I was great at it, but still- I was flabbergasted, and a little on guard knowing that she was here, trying to see my Mom.

Maybe it all showed on my face a little, because Mrs. Reindhart’s smile faltered a little and she asked, “Should… should I tell her you’re not available? It’s entirely fine to say that if you all would like some privacy-”

“N-no, it’s… it’s fine, let her in,” I said a little hesitantly, not sure if this was really a good idea. I had plenty of reasons to be worried about what Octavia would do- after all, the foolish girl had nearly gotten me arrested and been a thorn in my and Sunset’s side for a while- probably her being here wasn’t anything good. However, no matter what she tried to pull, she’d be on my territory. I had the permanent advantage here.

Mrs. Reindhart disappeared and returned shortly, followed by a pretty girl with long dark hair. “Here you are, Miss Melody. I’ll be back to check on you all shortly, is that alright?”

She left, leaving the three of us in a rather awkward position as none of us wanted to be the first to speak. I had no inclination to talk first, intent on making Octavia explain why she was here. I’d have to be decently polite since I was accompanied by my Mom, but I had no reason to be courteous- this was of her volition, not mine.

Octavia stood there looking strained and distinctly uncomfortable, a small instrument case in her hands. She had the look of someone who was very upset, her face taut and eyes wide for whatever reason had brought her here. She looked like she was dressed for a recital more than visiting a hospital, wearing a button-up shirt and a low-length skirt, one less revealing than what she usually wore. She was noticeably subdued, too, if I had to be honest.

Maybe my Mom had pity on her, not knowing the enmity that existed between me and Octavia, for she was the first to break the silence by asking, “Well, I certainly don’t know you… I’m guessing you’re a friend from school?”

Octavia went red, avoiding my mother’s gaze as well as my own. “Well, not really, ma’am,… umm, we just… we’ve known each other for a while now- I guess.”

Well that much was true. She wasn’t lying, but she wasn’t exactly admitting the entire blacklist of crimes she’d committed against Sunset in the name of jealousy.

“Oh, that’s alright. I appreciate you coming to visit,” Mom said kindly, trying to help Octavia relax and open up. “What instrument do you play?”

“Oh, I’m a cellist, usually, ma’am,” Octavia said hurriedly. “But I like to play string instruments a lot, so I thought- I brought my violin from home,” she added quickly, holding the case up for added emphasis. “I thought that maybe- I’ve studied music a lot- I just wondered if- I thought it might help you feel better. I owe- I’m just trying to help, I think-”

She was struggling- struggling a lot, actually. I’d never seen her this out of sorts before, not even when I’d called her out for putting Wanyama’s mark all over the school. It took me a while to realize that she was struggling to hold back tears.

“It’s OK, sweetheart, no need to feel anxious,” Mom said sweetly, waving a hand as if to push Octavia’s tension away. “I’d love to hear you play. I’ve never had a concert just for me before.”

This was why I loved my Mom- she was so non-judgmental, always ready to believe the best in a person, always wanting them to feel at home wherever they were. She was the perfect foil for the young girl who’d tormented me for so long, who had mysteriously shown up at my mother’s bedside without warning, without provocation or reason.

Octavia opened her violin case with delicate precision, her fingers working intricately to extract her instrument- a beautifully crafted thing, its wood sleek and well-polished, its strings tight and neatly trimmed. It was obvious she took great pride in her work. I suddenly realized I’d never seen Octavia play before, either. In all the times we’d been around each other, it had usually involved insults and screaming, never a discussion of our passions or joys or talents- I’d never seen her as anything else but a bully.

She raised the violin to her neck, plucking the bow from her case and began to warm up. It was short and simple at first, just random notes as she felt her instrument and tried to make herself comfortable. But as I watched her, I could see something was off. She was strung too tightly, her movements jerky and forced, brittle motions that gave the impression she was set to shatter-

Her bow dropped to her side, her arm hanging limply as the other still held her violin up to her chin. I looked up and saw –to my utter astonishment- something I’d never seen Octavia do, something I didn’t know she was even capable of… she was crying. Her tears flowed down her lovely face like miniscule waterfalls, dripping off her cheek and onto the lower bout of her instrument, she unable to do a thing as grief overwhelmed her. I didn’t know what had brought her to this, why she had even come in the first place, but maybe seeing my Mother like this was too much for her to take. Maybe, for the first time in her life, her heart just couldn’t take it.

“This is all my fault,” she said despondently, unable to stop her tears from flowing. “This is all my fault- if I hadn’t been so jealous, if I’d only had some self-control and- and…” she took a series of short, rapid breaths, her emotions threatening to consume her. “I don’t know what to do… it should be me on that bed. This should be my room.”

“Octavia,” I said suddenly, the word spilling out from me before I even had a chance to think. She looked directly at me, her face stricken by a grief she could barely contain as the tears continued to fall. “Octavia, please play something. Play whatever you want to play- I’m sure my Mom’ll love it, no matter what it is.”

She gave me a strange look, a mixture of shock and something… something else, a feeling I couldn’t recognize. She gave a deep nod, her long hair falling over her shoulders and shadowing her face. She pushed it all aside and wiped some of her tears away, even though they fell from her eyes unbidden, even as she drew her bow and began to play.

Octavia suddenly transformed, her grief that fell from her eyes becoming a real, tangible thing as it became one with her music, assuaging her grief into the song. In a way the whole world ceased its movements and paused to listen, the broken and worn seeking out the sound of their grief so as to heal from their wounds. Somewhere in a memory I’d heard the melody before, not a classical piece but something born of tragedy- a moment in time when the whole world had stopped to remember and grieve because of bloodshed. It was as if Octavia saw the world through sound, a connection to the deeper things of the world when she picked up her instruments and played. A place where she could bring everything, all the pain and joy and sadness and heartbreak, and let it be transformed into the notes on a sheet of paper, playing away her grief until it could reach out and strike her no more. Her tears still flowed as she played, falling onto her fingers as she moved the bow across her violin. Away she had gone, into another world where all her defenses and insecurities melted away, leaving only who she truly was to remain and be seen by the rest of man- a young, broken-hearted girl who had never known her place in the world, had lashed out against it, and now could only be the sound of its sadness.

Octavia let her instrument fall from its place beneath her chin down to her side, looking exhausted by her private concerto. Wiping the last of her tears away, she gave my Mother a small bow and said quietly, “I hope you’ll be feeling better soon. I’m very sorry this happened to you.”

“I’ll be on my feet in no time,” Mom replied. “Thank you very much for coming to play, it was very, very beautiful. You’re very talented.”

“Oh, I just… I just like to play,” Octavia said simply, hastily putting away her violin back in its case and locking it away. “Thank you for your time,” she added, before turning around and disappearing through the doorway and out of sight.

“Hey, I’ll be back in a second,” I said before rushing out through the door and out of the ward. “Hey, Octavia- hold up a minute!”

Octavia visibly flinched when I called her name, slowly turning around to face me and she looked prepared for- what, an attack? Anger? She looked at me with such a pitiable expression that even in my most furious I couldn’t have done a thing against her. This was not my enemy- she never had been.

“I- I just wanted to say… I am so sorry for what I did,” she said weakly, tears threatening to fall once more. “What I did was selfish and stupid and it was all because I was- I’m sorry….”

“I- just- don’t be,” I said lamely, unsure of what to say. “I mean, just…” I gave a sigh, trying to organize myself. “Look, Octavia… it was going to happen at some point anyway. Wanyama would have done something eventually, the day we were going to clash was always gonna happen. Yeah, putting their mark on the school was a bad idea, but… you couldn’t know what was going to happen because of it. How could you? You didn’t grow up knowing that mark, you only knew it because of me. So… just let it go. It’s over now.”

“I was… I was never very nice to you,” she said. “You or Sunset- at first it was just because I thought you were some ghetto jerk and she was a monster, but when you two got together, you started changing, and I just- I was jealous, and I just started-”

I put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a squeeze to try and calm her. “It’s alright,” I told her. “I mean, it’s not alright, but it’s alright- neither of us are gonna hold it against you, so don’t worry- it’s done, it’s over with. We can all be adults here.”

She looked up at me with utter confusion. “Why- why are you being nice to me? I thought you hated me.”

I shrugged, unsure of the answer myself. “I don’t know, I just… I’m tired of fighting everything and everyone. It’s too tiring to keep up for so long, so maybe it’s time I just let it go. Life’s too short for stupid crap.”

She gave a watery smile, a true genuine thing that I’d never known she was capable of. “I guess this is probably… well, I’ll probably be saying goodbye now. For good.”

“Why’s that?”

“I got expelled,” she said glumly. “I incited a panic, vandalized school property, so they didn’t have much of a choice. Principal Celestia was pretty angry with me, but they could’ve all been a lot worse.”

“Oh… so what’ll you do now?”

“I- I don’t know, really,” she said. “I still want to play music for a living, so I’ll have to find some other place to finish up my education. I’m thinking of giving my mom a call and seeing if I can head back home. It’s… it’s been a while since I was last back in my own country.”

“Oh, OK,” I said. “You… your parents are divorced?”

“They split up a while ago, when I was pretty little,” she answered. “When my Mom- she needed time to herself, so I came here to live with my Dad.”

I’d never known that. I’d always figured Octavia came from some rich snobby family that had migrated here some time a few years ago and had settled down in the city. It’d never occurred to me to think that Octavia’s home might have been just as broken as mine. It’d never occurred to me at all that she might’ve been just… just a girl.

“I don’t think we ever tried to understand each other,” I said heavily. “Maybe we could’ve been friends if we’d bothered to try.”

She gave another small smile. “Maybe we could’ve,” she replied. “I’ve… I think I’ll be going…”

I outstretched my hands for a shake but she pushed it aside and flung her arms around my neck as she gave me a sudden, sharp hug. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thanks, and good luck.”

I gave a small snort of laughter, unable to think of anything else to do. “See you, Octavia. Take care.”

She let go and gave a wave as she walked away, disappearing down the hall and out of sight for the very last time.

“So who was she, sweetheart?” Mom asked me as I entered the room. “She was very polite.”

“Just someone I knew at school,” I said. “I didn’t know her very well.”

“Well, it was very nice of her to come by and visit,” she remarked. “She played very beautifully.”

“Yeah, yeah she did,” I said, thinking about how odd it had all been. I took a seat, pondering Octavia and how it had all ended. It was so strange to think that despite all that we’d done to each other, all the screaming and yelling and bitterness and hatred, she’d still come here to play for my mother, someone she’d never met and related to someone she had despised. She’d been heart-broken, human and vulnerable as she had played. Maybe that was the first time I’d really seen her- without her all her defenses and anger, maybe that’s who she’d truly been all along. She’d even given me a hug as we had said our goodbyes.

In the end, I was rather glad it hadn’t ended badly.

“Excuse me… I hate to bother you, but… time to move…”

My world was dark and warm. I felt so comfortable where I was, leaving me with no inclination to move whatsoever. Whoever had put their hand on me was a distraction, a horrible thing that was dragging me away…

“Excuse me, but we actually do need you to wake up,” said Mrs. Reindhart, her voice coming through more clearly. “We’re moving your mother to another ward, now.”

I opened my eyes to see a fair amount of the staff standing in the room, tending to my mother as they prepared to take her out of the trauma ward and to a less critical location. “How… how long was I out?” I mumbled sleepily, not all steady on my feet. It was the first bit of sleep I’d gotten in a while…

“It’s around seven in the evening right now,” Mrs. Reindhart answered. “It’s good to see you got some sleep at last- you’ve been looking exhausted for days now.”

It wasn’t anywhere near enough but it was better than nothing. I got to my feet and rubbed what sleep I could from my eyes. “Ready to go, Mom?” I asked.

Mom gave me a small thumbs up and said, “Won’t be long now before we’ll be leaving this hospital for good,” she said cheerfully. “Why don’t you go get something to eat and meet me down in the new room?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there in a second,” I responded. “I’m just gonna try and get a hold of Sunset first, she’ll want to know you moved.”

“Oh, she’s already here,” Mrs. Reindhart said suddenly. “She went to Dr. Kerrigan’s office a while ago, she had quite a few people with her.”

I pulled a face. What was she doing, especially with a bunch of other people? Had the girls come by to visit- but that still didn’t explain why they had gone to talk to Kerrigan.

Mom was wheeled out and taken away while I went down the hall to Kerrigan’s office when I was suddenly slammed into the wall by an overenthusiastic young girl with hair the color and texture of cotton candy, only for the weight to be added as the full gang assaulted me, holding me to the wall.

“Hey! I didn’t know y’all were coming!” I said, trying to put my arms around the lot of them. Coming out of Kerrigan’s office was Sunset, an excited expression on her face as if she could hardly contain herself.

“Of course we’d come to visit, we wouldn’t want to let one of our friends down!” Rainbow said. “We just had a few things to do first, that’s all.”

“Well, I’m glad you came, it’s good to see you. Sorry, but Mom just got moved to a different ward just a bit ago, I can take y’all to her, she’ll be happy to see you-”

“Actually, dear, we’d like to talk to you, first,” Rarity said slowly, giving a smile that suggested she too was holding something back. I felt like I was going to be the victim of a joke, some secret about me being withheld by all of them. “Is… is there a place where we can talk privately for a moment?”

“Hmm? Yeah, Mom’s old room should still be open for a while,” I said, leading the way. When we had all finally settled into the room, I turned to them and asked, “So what’s the story? Y’all look like you’re keeping secrets about something.”

AJ gave a happy smile, so strange considering the circumstances that had brought them here in the first place. “Well, we sorta had an idea,- actually, not really us, just Sunset,” she began.

“Sunset has been all sorts of worried about you, you know,” Rarity said, despite my girlfriend’s embarrassed appearance at the words. “She told us that you were worried about your mother, and not just because of her health, that you were worried you all wouldn’t be able to afford all the payments.”

“Yeah! So we brought ya something to cheer you up! Because Sunset cares about you so much that she went all over the school talking to people and seeing what she could do to oopf!” Pinkie was suddenly interrupted by Rainbow Dash, who had put her hand over the energetic girl’s mouth to silence her.

“We brought you this,” Rainbow said simply, handing me a box full of paper. “Maybe it’ll cheer you up a little.”

I took a seat and grabbed one of the sheets of paper and began to read:

Hey, we all heard about what happened. We’re all hurting with you, and we’re all thinking about you and your Mom. Keep fighting, everybody’s with you!

~ Flash Sentry

I grabbed another note, and then another, beginning to feel a little overwhelmed by it all. They were all a bunch of notes from what seemed like the entire school, a smattering of well-wishes and encouragement meant for me and Mom, their sympathy and hopes and kindness pouring out onto us in a display of warmth I never would have expected.

We’re praying for you!

Keep going, we’re all with you!

Your Mom’s incredibly tough, and so are you! Keep pushing!

Wishing you and your Mom a speedy recovery!

You’ll both be back stronger than ever! YEAH!

The entire staff is wishing you well, and our hearts ache for the both of you. We miss you every day! ~Miss Cheerilee

I was touched. I’d always been pretty reserved around my schoolmates, keeping to myself and the small group of friends I’d cultivated, usually ending up as someone more aggressive and unpleasant to be around than as truly one of them. Yet here they were, giving me an outpouring of love and faith and treating me as if all the anger and crankiness I’d ever dealt to them didn’t matter- they didn’t even care. Maybe all the preconceptions I’d had about people were wrong, especially the ones about school. Maybe they were pretty good people after all…

“Wow, just- wow, thank you,” I breathed. “This is wonderful, Mom will have to see this-”

“Well, that’s not everything,” AJ said happily. “You see, we did something else, too…”

She held out her hand, bearing an important-looking document of sorts meant for me. I felt a premonition as I reached for it, not daring, not even hoping to believe that it could be what only the smallest part of me thought it could be…

A letter of expenses, the multitude of payments and additional fees we’d racked up, the final staggering sum beyond anything I could pay. Yet there at the bottom, printed in easily discernible ink, were the words: The summary of expenses listed above have been paid in full.

“Well?” Pinkie asked excitedly. “What do you think?”

I started to shake, my eyes glued to the paper in my hand. I could see all that Sunset had done the entire day, walking throughout that school and speaking to every single person she’d come across, explaining to them what had happened and what they could do to help. She must’ve talked to everyone, not just students but the whole staff- all of them. This must’ve taken hours, if not all day…

The tears fell onto the paper and I felt my face crumple, their hands coming around me as I broke into a thousand pieces, all the stress and pain and uncertainty I’d felt over the past several days washing over me like a flood. I lost all semblance of self-control and wept unashamedly, my cries echoing throughout the room because no longer could I hold in all the strife and chaos I’d felt as I’d struggled to know what to do next was washed away in the tide of unbearable joy and happiness. I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing, I couldn’t stop the sounds that tore from my throat as I sat there, surrounded by people who’d chosen to love me unconditionally, to help me when I’d been at my lowest and bring me back up. And her, sweet, glorious Sunset Shimmer, the girl as radiant as the dawn, full of infinite kindness and love and a strength of fire that had never walked the earth before and would never be seen again. She, fighting through all her own trials and enduring suffering I’d never been able to imagine, had risen from her ashes and saved my life, and now had saved my future. Finally, after all that had happened, I was going to be okay.

I don’t know how long I sat there, crying myself until I ran absolutely dry, not wanting to lose their touch for even a moment, constantly reaching out for her hand and finding it every single time, Sunset’s warmth a constant whenever I needed her. Because of her, because of her…

Eventually the others began to filter out, whether it be to go get something to eat or to head down to my Mom’s new room, but soon the room’s only inhabitants were Sunset and me. I the thug and she the angel, who had brought me out from the darkness once and for all.

“See? I told you it’d be OK,” Sunset said warmly. “Didn’t I promise you?”

I got to my feet, trying to wipe my face clean and gain some semblance of control once more. “You did this,” I said weakly, “You made this all happen.”

“Well, Applejack and the others helped,” Sunset replied, playing with her hair as her cheeks began to turn a soft shade of pink. “I mean, there was no way I could do it all myself.”

“But it was you,” I said, taking a step towards her. “It was your idea, you did this…”

“Well, I mean, I was just trying to help and I thought that maybe- I didn’t expect to get that much and mmph!”

I grabbed hold of her and pushed her into the wall and kissed her, drinking her in so deeply because now was the perfect moment, the only moment, because I just couldn’t stand to wait another second, because I’d wanted to kiss her for so long, but most of all because I knew I would never love anyone as much as I loved her right here and now.

We broke apart, gasping for breath as we stood there, her eyes as wide as saucers with the shock. “You… I’ve waited for you to do that for so long,” she said faintly, putting her arms around me and kissing me again. It was such a wonderful feeling, she as warm as the morning sun, her taste that of a sweet cinnamon, sharp and pleasant, and her lips- oh, her lips were unbelievably, indescribably soft…

The moment seemed to last forever, the happiness I felt searing itself into my brain and I knew this was a moment neither of us would forget, a moment in time where our whole world had only been each other. I was in heaven, needing only her touch and her presence to know I was happy, the assuring sign that things would be alright.

We finally let it end, slowly as if neither of us wanted it to end. I brushed her face with my hands, not wanting to lose that feeling, that excitement that came with her touch. “I love you,” I whispered.

“I love you, too,” she said happily, her smile more bright than a thousand suns. “I’ve loved you for so long, but I didn’t know what to say or how to say it-”

“Just promise me you’ll be by my side,” I said. “Promise me you’ll be with me, and you’ll love me through it all.”

“All the way to the end, no matter what,” she promised, kissing me once more as we found hope, found security, and found a future in one other.

We were going to be OK.

We grew stronger through each other

View Online

Sunset and I were inseparable the entire weekend, neither of us wanting to be away from the other for more than a moment. I could hardly bear to lose sight of her, my guardian angel from another world- so indescribably, unbelievably perfect. I found myself watching her unabashedly throughout the day, memorizing her every quirk and gesture, sealing them away in my heart as joys to be carried into the future. Her smile was so bright, a moment of wondrous purity that the whole world couldn’t help but stop and take a look. I was fascinated by her eyes, those bright-blue jewels that shimmered with a hidden fire, an everlasting light that could shine even in the darkness. And the softness of her touch, each kiss we shared as soft and as wonderful as the one before, a moment where we could do nothing but stand still and be drawn into another world, where the only thing that mattered was one another…

“Have I told you you’re perfect lately?” I asked her, my head lolling off her couch as we waited for dinner to cook. It was a simple affair, just beef and rice we’d thrown together after coming back from the hospital only a few minutes before, but it was a moment we could spend together and that was enough for us.

“You might’ve. Once or twice before in the last hour,” Sunset replied, stirring the pound of ground beef we’d tossed into the pot. “You have a habit of repeating yourself, if you want to know.”

“Well, you can’t say that I’m wrong,” I said cheekily. “I mean, I could say it a thousand times over and it’d still be true.”

Sunset shook her head, looking down on me with pity from her place in the kitchen. “You’re sweet, but sorry to disappoint you- nobody’s perfect.”

“Oh, I hear dissidence from the crowd!” I said, faking a bout of anger. “Well, I guess we can’t tolerate mutiny in the ranks. I’ll simply have to drive it into you until you relent!”

Sunset’s eyes went wide and she struggled to contain her burgeoning laughter. “Oh, no, you are not gonna-”

Oh yes I was. I gave a wicked grin and crowed, “Seems I haven’t told you you’re perfect enough, so I’m just gonna remind you of your perfection because you’re so perfect that I gotta just talk about how perfect you are cause Lord knows I gotta say something to someone so perfect about just how perfect she is-”

“Oh my gosh, you cannot shut up,” Sunset said, walking over to me and tying her hands behind my neck, swinging side to side as she looked up at me. “You are the most irritating idiot I have ever known, you know that?”

“You know you love it, though,” I said. “Come on, you know that you like it when I talk about you, the whole embarrassment thing is just an act.”

“Please, it’s not hard to be embarrassed by you, you’ve developed quite the habit of being really cheesy.”

“Well maybe you should do something about that,” I pressed, leaning in a little closer. “You know, you’ve really only got one option at your disposal…”

“Unfortunately for you, I’m a little smarter than that,” she teased, putting a finger on my lips. “You want this one? Earn it. Be original and try to wow me.”

“That ain’t fair! Just one kiss- just one, that’s all I’m wanting here!” I urged.

“No. I’m gonna stand here and get a good one out of you,” she said stubbornly, smirking from ear to ear as she watched me flounder.

“You’re gonna let our dinner burn,” I reminded her.

“Oh trust me, I will let it get torched if it comes to that,” she replied. “So if you wanna eat tonight and not have the apartment burn down, you better get crackin’.”

I stood there with nothing for a moment before I finally conjured up the beginnings of something. “Alright, I think I got one,” I said heroically.

“Let’s hear it, then. Don’t keep your lady waiting,” she teased.

That was never part of the plan. “You are not just beautiful, you are gorgeous,” I began. “You’re so naturally stunning that the sun doesn’t rise until you wake up. Your voice is like hearing the strings of a harp, and every time you smile you immediately make my hear melt because it means my day is gonna be alright, no matter what happens. Your hair shines like the sun and breathes like a burning fire, and I swear every time you move it makes the world shimmer.

And know what? That’s still not the best thing about you. You’re smart, collected, and mature, capable of holding your own even in the worst of situations and you don’t lose your composure. You’re one of the kindest people I’ve ever met and you’ve proved it because so many people at school have treated you horribly and you still make sure to be nice and warm to them. You’re fashionable and you’re proud of who you are. You don’t let any mistakes you might’ve made in the past hold you back and you always encourage others to do just the same.

Guess what? Still not done, I got a freakin’ mental list here. You’re so bright and happy and you make me feel like I could do anything, because so long ago you looked at me like no one ever had before and made me want to be a better person, and that was something no one in this city, in this whole wide world had ever done before. Because of you, because of all the effort you poured into me and all the times you pushed me to become the champion you always knew I was, I am now safe, I am happy, and I am free from the fear and worry that has haunted me my entire life. Because of you, I have a future with the most elegant, most graceful, and most loving girl in the entire world, and I promise you that I’m talking about you. You, my sunshine girl.”

She gave me the sweetest smile, shaking her head slowly as her eyes misted over, the fire inside burning softly like a candle’s flame. “I think you earned this one,” she said faintly, leaning in and giving me the kiss I’d sought, her touch still so divine, making me fill with energy and a hunger for more. She pulled away only to kiss me again, lingering a little longer as she put her hands on my chest, giving a soft sound of utter contentment.

“What was the second one for?” I asked as we broke apart, still unable to cure myself of the disappointment that came when her lips left mine.

“Because I knew you meant every word,” she answered, planting a small kiss on the tip of my nose. “Thank you.”

She walked back into the kitchen, sauntering away slowly- almost as if she was letting me get a better look. She was dressed simply, a bright teal mini-dress with a faded pair of jeans, but to me it was as if she’d never looked better… or more enticing. She looked around at me knowing full well I was gazing at every inch of her- and she winked.

I could’ve melted right there and then. She could utterly outclass me in this, I having to resort to flowing words and sweeping gestures to accomplish what she could do without even truly trying. I’d never get tired of seeing her, of drinking in her beauty and savoring every moment we had. It was perfect…

“Hey! Wake up, sillyhead! I could use you over here!”

Huh? I suddenly realized I’d been standing there in a daze for a while and Sunset was laughing at me from her place in the kitchen. “Sorry, what?”

“Honestly… you gonna help or what?” she asked, trying her best not to laugh aloud at me.

“Yeah, course. Point me,” I said, coming over to her side.

Sunset struggled to hold it together as we kept it up, occasionally having to pause from her work in order to regain her composure. “Please promise me something,” she choked out.

“Sure, what?”

“Never work around heavy machinery.”

I fired a look of mock derision. “Cute. Cause, you know, it’s totally fair that you’re that distracting that-”

“That you stand there gaping like your brain went for a stroll and never came back?” she suggested helpfully.

“I’m standing right next to a sink full of very cold water, you know what I’m capable of here,” I warned her.

“What, can’t take a little teasing?” she asked, giving me a playful shove with her hips. “Angry I finally found a way to get you at last?”

I gave a grumble and muttered under my breath, though unable to hold back a small smile. It all felt so good, just- just everything. Jester was gone, school was almost over, Octavia and I had finally made peace, Mom was going to recover, we wouldn’t drown in debt, we… we were truly, finally, utterly free. Free…

We didn’t feel the need to say much over dinner, content to simply have time together. That, and I still hadn’t fully recovered from the events of the previous few days, and I hardly had much energy to do more than lay around and sleep. I’d quickly found an affinity for being a couch potato- which mostly involved playing Uncharted for hours on end. Sunset, of course, had already beaten it several times over and would point out hidden secrets and extra bonuses all across as I played, having found them herself a long time ago. Unsurprisingly.

“You’ve got some clothes, right?” she asked me as she headed to the shower. “I mean, you’ve kinda been wearing the same thing for the past couple days, and they- well, you kinda stink.”

“Yeah, I grabbed something,” I said, tossing a worn gym bag next to the couch and watching it plop limply onto the ground. “Not much, but it’ll do for now until Manny gets a free day.”

“Have you told your Mom about- actually, hold that thought, I’m dying for this shower,” she said. “And once I’m done, I swear you better get one.”

“And if I don’t?” I smirked.

“Well that’ll be really gross for one thing. Also, no goodnight kiss.”

“That’s a dirty move,” I remarked.

“Not as dirty as you are right now,” she replied, closing the bathroom door before I could fire back. Sometimes I wished she wasn’t as smart as she was.

I sat on the couch watching TV, returning to my usual habit of flipping through the channels instead of actually paying attention to anything, the atypical smatterings of evening television bleating out as I passed by.

“I’m not crazy my Mother had me-”

“And for tomorrow’s weather, looks like it’ll be-”

“Unless the Warriors somehow falter, they’ll hoist the championship-”

“And we focus yet again on our story of failed talks-”

“Stocks decreased for the third straight day as negotiations with the Crystal Empire-”

“Look, it’s obvious the Crystal Empire isn’t going to listen-”

I was noticing a pattern here. I flicked back to the last station I has passed, pausing for a moment and listening as the headline talked of, yet again, discussions with the Crystal Empire.

“And now, we have a third failed attempt to make peaceful negotiations with the Crystal Empire,” said some commentator, an old ambassador with a mop of grey hair. “Tensions are rising across the globe because the Empire and its subordinate nations refuse to listen to the outside world and cease their incursions into the airspace of neighboring countries. So with this latest failure, the biggest question still remains: What is finally going to sate the hunger of the Empire?”

The screen switched to a map of the region, showing the rate of growth the Empire had accumulated over the years as country after country was consumed and absorbed into the super-nation. I’d always known the Empire had been born out of a collective agreement in East Europe, but I’d never realized how big it’d grown. I knew Octavia was planning to head back overseas, a decision I began to wonder whether or not it was wise.

“Hey, shower’s free if you want to go ahead,” Sunset said, exiting the bathroom and looking very cute in a soft red bathrobe. “What’re you watching?”

“You remember where Octavia said she was from?” I asked.

“Not really,” she answered, leaning over and resting her arm on my shoulder. “Why, what’s the Empire up to now?”

“Nothing new- least I don’t think so,” I replied. “Just kinda wondering if she’ll be nearby.”

We watched for a little while longer as the discourse onscreen soon devolved into political babble, becoming more of the commentator’s personal opinions rather than genuine information. Sunset shut it off and walked to bed, declaring, “I’d rather not spend my time on something completely pointless,” and leaving me to take a much-needed shower. It wasn’t until I stripped off my clothes did I realize just how long it’d really been since I’d been clean. Good grief, I stank!

“Thank God, you look way better now,” she said as I entered her room, freshly clean and changed into less grungy clothing, a simple white t-shirt and grey sweatpants.

“You possess such tact, I see,” I remarked drily, falling onto her bed and giving a weary sigh. “It’s been a long week.”

“And now it’s over,” Sunset replied, leaning over and putting her arms around me, rubbing her hand across my waist. “It’s over and we’re free. Your Mom’s gonna be OK, you’re gonna be OK, and we have a future together… how’s it feel?”

“I still can’t believe you pulled that off,” I said with a chuckle. “You nearly put me into a coma, I had no clue what to do.”

“I had to do something, there’s no way I could just sit there,” she replied. “Besides, it was the happiest I’d ever seen you… it was more than worth it.”

“And I finally kissed you,” I grinned, a roaring sense of pleasure sending shivers down my spine. “I’ve been waiting for that for ages-”

“You took way too long, by the way,” she responded, “Come on, I expected something after we nearly kissed back on Christmas, but no, you had to take your sweet fat time.”

“What? I was waiting for a good moment!” I replied.

“You had more than that as a good moment.”

“Yeah? Like- RIGHT NOW?” I asked, whirling about and grabbing her.

“Hey- Aah!” I pulled her down onto the bed and leapt atop of her, leaning in and giving her a slow, lingering kiss. I couldn’t have stopped myself even if I tried- every part of her was shining perfection, and I drunk her in hungrily as I felt her hands tie together around my neck. It was bliss.

I finally pulled myself away from her, unable to shed the smile from my face as I looked down on my radiant girl. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair a wet and tangled mess, and those beautiful eyes of hers shining bright- almost as brightly as the smile she wore, the one she reserved for me and me alone.

“You are just so beautiful,” I whispered, shaking my head in wonder. “Just… I can’t believe I found someone as wonderful as you.”

She didn’t say a word, merely pulling my unresisting body onto hers and kissing me right back, pulling me into a state of delirious happiness. I couldn’t have imagined something as wonderfully perfect as her touch in a million years, no scent more sweet, no single thing on earth as soft or as gentle… “I waited so long for you,” she whispered, relinquishing her grip on my neck to caress my face. “I kept waiting on you for months and now look at us- look at what you’ve done for us...”

“We did this,” I reminded her softly. “We never would’ve come this far without each other. I never would’ve made it if it weren’t for you.”

“Nor I without you,” she replied. “So can you promise me something?”

“What is it?”

“Promise me you’ll truly stay away from the fight,” she asked. “Promise me you can walk away and stay with me for good. When we graduate, we’ll head out west, we can completely start over there, and you can leave it all behind. Can you promise me that you’ll do that?”

“Yeah. Yeah, anything,” I said, sliding off the bed and coming to rest on my knees before her. “You’ve got my word, everything I told Mom in the hospital I can promise to you. I’m done, babe, I’m sick of it. I- I want to leave it behind, I’ll even drop boxing if it comes to it. I-I-I’m done having to fight for everything, so I’ll find something better to do, anything with my hands that can take the place of what I’ve done. I’ll build houses, I can work at a restaurant, something. I promise you, I will never leave you.”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, as if my words were some marvelous scent she could sense. “I know you will,” she said sweetly. “I just needed to hear it from you- at least once.”

“No, it’s all good, I get it.” I got back to my feet and sat down next to her. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to tell you- Mom’s gotten a lot better and I’m thinking sometime soon, maybe tomorrow or something, once school’s over you and I go and talk to her and try to convince her it’s time to sell the house. I was wanting to wait until she got a little better, and since she starts her rehab on the start of the week then she’s probably well enough to have a serious discussion.”

She nodded. “And it gives you more time to start looking for her next home,” she added. “Were you still thinking a home or maybe an apartment?”

“Don’t know yet, I need to know what kind of budget we’ll have,” I replied. “I’ll figure that out when we talk to her and then I can start hunting for someplace well away from here. Not in this city is all I can think of.”

“Don’t trust it to be safe?”

“Sorta,” I said. “Maybe she won’t want to leave and she’d probably be fine long as she’s not in the West End, but I’m a little uncertain. I’ll figure it out.”

“You know we’ll need to look at an apartment for ourselves, too, right?” she asked, stretching out onto the bed. “I mean, we graduate literally at the start of May, that’s just a month away. We’ve got that amount of time to find a place to stay near the university, as well as finding a place to work.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” I said. “Ain’t really the time to do anything about it, but yeah, we’ll have to get it done. Guess we know what we’ll be doing with our off time for the next couple weeks. So fun.”

“It’s fun to me,” she said. “Planning our future, spending our lives together…”

“Well, not so bad when you put it that way,” I replied, doing my best to stifle a very heavy yawn. “Jeez, I’m beat. I think I’m gonna go to bed. Night, beautiful.”

“Wait, where’re you going?” she asked as I headed towards the bedroom door.

“I was gonna sleep on the couch like I usually do when I’m over here,” I replied, stopping at the threshold. “I mean, that’s normal, right?”

“Yeah, but…” she hesitated. “Umm…”

“Girl, I’m exhausted, you got three seconds-”

It only took one. She bounced up and grabbed my arm, pulling me onto her bed. She slid under her covers and gave a sigh of contentment, reaching out for my hand. “When I said I wanted you by my side, I meant it,” she said.

“It’s a bit extreme to expect I’ll be with you all the time-”

“Look, I love how you’re all classy and respectful and everything, but I’m tired and I want someone to cuddle with and that someone is you, so get your butt in my bed so I can curl up in your arms and actually get some sleep.”

I seriously don’t know why I even tried to object to this one, whether it be habit or awkwardness or some other idiotic theory I was going to conjure up, but after her small outburst I was done. I slid in next to her and she immediately snuggled up to me, grabbing my arm and wrapping it across her shoulder. “Oh, wow,” she said pleasantly, “This feels better than I ever would’ve imagined.”

She was out almost instantaneously, her breathing slowing and entering a peaceful rhythm just minutes after I turned off the lights. As I lay there next to her, our figures dimly lit by the sliver of moon outside, I couldn’t find a way to relax. My heart was pounding too fast, my mind in a rush of ecstasy as the reality of my future came crashing into me. This is what I had to look forward to- for the rest of my life! Sure, there’d be times when we wouldn’t always get along and we wouldn’t even want to be near each other, but her heart was mine, her lips were mine, the feel of her touch was mine… her gift to me, along with all the love in her heart. For the first time in our life, we had a future set in stone and that was us together, pursuing a dream that we could make in a life alongside one another. It was more than I ever could have dreamed of or even dared to hope for.

Wow, life was so good.

I was the first to wake, my eyes sensing the creeping light of the early dawn. Sunset was fast asleep, not having moved an inch throughout the entire night, and still beneath my protecting grasp. I had to sit there for a while and simple savor the moment, where the whole wide world consisted of only she and I, the gentle pulse of her heartbeat more peaceful a sound than anything I’d ever heard. It was Monday again, the beginning of another school day- the first school day I’d had in a while now, and the beginning of one of our very last weeks in school period. It was a fantastic feeling.

It probably would’ve lasted a little longer if I didn’t feel my stomach ache with hunger. Jeez, I could’ve eaten a horse! Remembering the package of eggs Sunset had in the fridge, I found my mind formulating a pair of omelets- they smelled delicious even if they didn’t exist. As gently as I could without waking her, I slid out of bed and planted a soft kiss on Sunset’s cheek. “I’ve got you covered,” I whispered.

Unfortunately, she had no red peppers to speak of –vital for any good omelet- but the shredded cheese, ham, and bacon was enough to suffice, and soon I found my mouth watering over the skillet as I worked on my culinary creations. I was typically horrible at cooking, but I’d spent enough time around Mom in the mornings to know how to deal with eggs. Swiping a bowl from the shelf along with a few eggs and soon enough the kitchen was alive with the sounds and smells of a good meal. I found a package of frozen biscuits in the freezer that’d do, and I let them sit out for a while to thaw for better results once I tossed them in the oven.

I switched on the TV for a little while as I waited for it to cook, watching yet another news report on the Empire, it having now been accused of killing- I don’t know, some official out there. Another video of a dirty bomb going off somewhere in Russia, angry protestors on the Empire’s eastern border, just the normality for what we’d seen the past two to three years. It was hard to take them so seriously when they’d been doing nothing new for a while now.

Sunset made her appearance just as I was finishing up the omelets, her hair tussled and her eyes still puffy with sleep, her robe barely tied together. It wasn’t hard to see what she looked like, her beautiful form clearly evident. The only thing that bothered me were the burn marks and scars, one clearly trailing down across her chest and down her side. It’d been a while since I’d seen any of them.

“Morning,” she said groggily, walking up and kissing me on the cheek. “Sleep well?”

“Like a rock. You seemed pretty well out when I woke up.”

“Yeah… please tell me you’ve got coffee brewing.”

“I wouldn’t dare do otherwise,” I replied, sliding her over a mug. “I mean, how else are you gonna wake up?”

“Ha ha- gimme,” she said flatly, snatching the freshly brewed pot and filling her mug to the brim before taking a hilariously long swig. “Oh thank God for this stuff.”

“Uh, I’m guessing you didn’t care that what you just drank was roasting hot?” I assumed.

“Not yet I don’t,” she answered, downing the rest of the cup in a matter of seconds. “I might when I actually wake up.”

“Yeah, I bet you’re gonna,” I muttered under my breath. I’d literally finished brewing the pot just a few minutes before she’d woken up. She’d feel it soon enough.

We both set down to eat, Sunset eventually becoming more chatty as the caffeine kicked in- followed momentarily by the realization she’d just downed a lot of very hot coffee and I couldn’t help but laugh as she chugged water to cool her throat.

“Oh, don’t be sore, I tried to warn you,” I told her when she gave me a dirty look. “Besides, can’t do nothing about it now.”

“Don’t let me do that again, it’s all I ask,” she rasped. “Ow…”

I gave another laugh. “Just keep drinking water, all you can do.”

“Ugh, if I was back in Equestria, I could fix it almost instantly,” she muttered. “I was always good at healing spells, I could repair the damage instantly.”

Home wasn’t something she talked about too much, even now that we both knew her history. I perked up pretty quickly and asked, “Just how good were you?”

“Good enough to be arrogant,” she said, playing with the remnants of her omelet. “I might’ve gotten better if I’d just calmed down and not been so pushy.”

“Do you…”

Sunset noticed I trailed off. “What’s wrong?”

“Do- do you ever miss it? Equan- umm, what was it-”

“Equestria?”

“Yeah, do you ever miss your home? Being a pony, any of it?” I asked delicately.

She paused, pursing her lips in thought. “Sometimes I don’t even remember it,” she said faintly. “I’ve grown so much here, I made my first friends in this world, and I found you… there’s so much goodness I’ve encountered here that it feels more like a dream than a memory. But sometimes… when I think of my parents, Princess Celestia… it can still hurt.”

“Do you ever… wish that- that you..?”

“Oh, I’m glad I’m here, I really am!” she insisted. “I have a home, a future, and- well, you. I may not be the pupil of a ruler, but I’m surrounded by what makes me happy- genuinely happy. It’s the place I was looking for when I didn’t even know it existed.”

I smiled, not wanting to say aloud that I was very, very glad she’d come here- it was true, but perhaps a tad insensitive. I mean, she was a beautiful creature from another world, capable of abilities and gifts I couldn’t even imagine. And come to think of it…

“Wait, what do you mean you can’t use magic?” I asked.

“Hmm?”

“Yeah, you’ve used it here before, haven’t you?” I insisted. “There was the time you wore Twilight’s crown, when you fought the Sirens- you even deliberately used it to destroy Jester’s rifle, you saved my neck with it. What do you mean you can’t use it?”

Sunset took a bit of her biscuit as she mulled it over. “I don’t really know,” she mused, “I know it’s inherently within me, but… but it’s not something I know how to summon. I can’t use it at will like I used to.”

“We should try it again sometime,” I suggested. “Maybe we take a weekend go out somewhere where we’ll be nice and alone and we can see-”

“Oh, nice and alone, is it?” she piped up, staring at me intently. “Tell me, what kind of magic were you hoping to see when it’s just you and me?”

She got me good on that one. “Uhh… wait, didn’t mean for it to come out like that, I mean it’s a thought more than once throughout the day-”

“Is that why I always catch you staring at my chest?” she suggested. “I can’t help but notice you’ve been pretty well zeroed on it since I got up.”

“Oh jeez, I can’t help it, you look so perfect and it is right freakin’ there like you’re trying to pull me in-”

“Please, if I was gonna pull you in, I’d probably…” she rose from her seat and stared at me, hips sashaying side to side as she her gaze locked me to my chair. “I’d start by coming over to you and taking a little seat…” she walked slowly over, her fingers trailing across the table before she pushed me back and slowly took a position across my lap. “Then I’d have you in my arms, and I’d bring myself in close…”

She was almost completely pressed against me, I spellbound as I looked into her stunning ocean-blue eyes, memorizing every inch of her beautiful, perfectly shaped face- and realizing that all she was wearing was one very thin, very revealing robe…

“And I’d start by giving you just the sweetest little kiss, sorta like this,” she whispered, cupping my chin in her hand and giving me a soft, prolonged kiss that had me reaching in for more, desperate for the moment to continue. “Wanna know what I’d do after that?” she asked.

“Oh yeah,” I said, my mind going into absolute overdrive- she could’ve asked me for anything in the world and I would’ve done it-

“I’d remind you that we need to leave in twenty minutes,” she said with a grin. “We’ve got school and we need to go, remember?”

I sat there, my raging hormones not having yet realized what she’d just said. “What?”

“Yeah, sorry, can’t right now,” she said pityingly, looking genuinely displeased with her decision. “I’ll finish up in the bathroom real quick so you can get what you need to done, OK?”

She upped and left me to dry, sitting there and hanging for the next kiss, my mind finally realizing that she had indeed just played an unbelievably cruel joke and I’d been a total sucker for it. I slid off my chair and splatted on the floor, twitching madly as I tried to summon what self-control I had in order not to cry. “Not… cool…” I wheezed.

She could play me like a harp.

I didn’t say much for most of the morning, feeling a little frustrated I’d been so perfectly teased. She was plenty apologetic about it and admitted herself that it’d been on the mean side, but that didn’t make me feel much better. She knew full well how badly I’d wanted her.

Being back in school was a weird sort of mirage, a mixture of real and unreal as events from the previous week had apparently caused a pretty big shock. I’d been far too occupied with taking care of Mom to have come back to school, but it seemed from what I gathered that the shooting had caused a large ripple of shock through the school. It proved yet again at how disconnected the West End was from the rest of the city as we found shootings pretty normal- Canterlot High, on the other hand, was unused to one of their own enduring such an event. Weirder, at least to me, was the level of pleasantness the rest of the school greeted me with. People I’d never even talked to came up and asked me how I was doing, how Mom was holding up, and they all seemed genuinely glad when they heard the good news. Many of them told me of how hard Sunset had worked to help Mom out, just story after story… it was hard to believe this was the same school that had been so heavily against us for so long.

“I know you expect the worst from people, but give them a chance and look at what happens,” Sunset told me as we made our way to lunch. “People can do some dumb stuff, but they can be decent, too.”

“I guess,” I said uncertainly. “Still kinda weird to me… how are you so cool with it? They were too scared to do much to me, but they beat the tar out of you. Why are you so accepting?”

Sunset simply shrugged. “Because it’s the right thing to do. Why should I be mad when they’ve changed their ways?”

I could only stand there and admire her maturity. I don’t know how she’d done it, but she’d come so far in such a short amount of time- and it wasn’t because of me but because of her own choices…

I didn’t like to think about that much. I’d spent so much time early in our relationship being the one who’d protected and looked after her, but it was almost as if our roles had been reversed. She’d become so strong in so many ways and had –quite literally- saved my life on more than one occasion. Sure, I was still physically stronger than she was, but that didn’t matter. I was alive because of her. It was becoming more and more obvious she was… well, way out of my league.

Things felt a little more normal when we were back at our table with the rest of the gang. It was in the back of my mind that this was going to soon become a non-occurrence. Our time in high school was going to come to a close and we’d be off our separate ways- Rainbow had taken a sports scholarship down at Auburn to play soccer, Rarity was headed to LA to work as an understudy for some fashion agency, Sunset and I were going to Stanford for our big reset, Fluttershy was going north to work on a biology degree at Vanderbilt… far as I knew, Pinkie and AJ were the only two that would be staying here and not going anywhere. It was funny, really. I’d spent most of my life without them, yet now these young girls were more a part of my world than anyone had ever been, save for my mother. I’d grown, matured, and become a better person because of being with them. I wasn’t going to miss high school much, and especially not miss this city, but them… these were people I’d love to the very end.

“Yo! Wake up, knothead!” I felt a hand slap across my forehead and I found myself next to Sunset and being stared at by the rest of the table.

“Uh, how long was I-?”

“Not too long, but sheesh you gotta work on that,” Rainbow replied. “Like come on, you’re not enough of an egghead to be spacing out like that.”

“Oh hush, no one’s got the time to listen you try and be insulting,” I said dismissively. “Now what’s up, what’d I miss?”

“Well you looked a little lost, that’s all,” AJ remarked. “What’s got you so gloomy?”

“Hmm? Oh, just… just thinking, I guess…”

“Bout what?” Pinkie inquired.

“Just… well, I mean… this is it.”

“What’s it, darling?” Rarity pressed.

“This is it. We’re in our last weeks of high school, we graduate in about three weeks,” I answered. “And I mean, after that it’s over- all of this. We go off on our own journeys, almost immediately. Sunset and I are hoping to get moving pretty much the very next day, Rarity leaves the end of May, and then…”

“And then we may never see each other again,” Fluttershy finished quietly, looking defeated. “Goodness, this really is it, isn’t it?”

We didn’t say much for a while, the mood deflating like a balloon as the reality sunk in. It was an uncomfortable silence, built upon the fact that our last great goodbye really was coming up soon- and the finality that would come with it. Pinkie’s hair was flat, Fluttershy looked like she’d be perfectly happy retreating into her bookbag and even Rainbow looked a little forlorn.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything,” I said. “Just cause I was thinking it doesn’t… doesn’t mean…” I gave a sigh and let the words fall flat.

“It’s alright, darling. I mean, it certainly is true, it’s just… well, we’ve had our ups and downs but altogether it’s been quite a thrilling ride, wouldn’t you say?” There were murmurs of assent across the table, and the mood began to pick up a little.

“Remember when I first got here? AJ, you were the first person I actually talked to,” I said suddenly, eager for the mood to gain momentum. “You helped me clean up and you were probably the first person to be genuinely nice to me.”

“Ah remember you stank, too,” she chuckled. “That garbage was disgusting.”

“I remember when we became friends again, thanks to Twilight,” Fluttershy added. “And we went to Sugarcube Corner and we hung out like when we were young…”

“Oh! Oh! And when we fought those nasty Dazzlings and we beat ‘em with magic and we all got ponyfied and we had a great time!” Pinkie proclaimed.

“Or how about Christmas, when we all got together at your house?” Rainbow put in, pointing at me. “I remember you Mom almost cried just at the sight of that turkey, you said it was the best Christmas you’d ever had!”

“And it’s probably always gonna be the best one ever,” I insisted, unable to wipe away the smile even if I wanted to.

“And I’ll always remember when you skipped out of school just to take care of me,” Sunset added, putting an arm around my waist. “You helped me get better, you told me just how much you cared about me, and you told me I was yours…”

“And I’ll always be yours. Forever,” I replied, finishing my words with a quick kiss on the nose.

“Jeez, y’all are sappy. When’s the wedding gonna be?” Rainbow asked.

“We’ll let you know,” Sunset and I answered in unison, throwing Rainbow Dash into confusion and causing the rest of the table to erupt in laughter.

“Oh, I didn’t- uh, so maybe I haven’t been paying attention-”

“Rainbow, you never pay attention,” Rarity scolded gently. “I think it’s been fairly obvious where these two would end up- right from the beginning.”

“And then, on the opposite end up the spectrum, there’s you,” I couldn’t help but add.

“Please, a lady simply has keen senses of observation,” she replied.

“Wait a sec! Before y’all get into the usual shenanigans,” AJ interrupted. “So ah’m startin’ to get a hold of an idea here… so, from what I’m guessing since we ain’t been talking about it, none of us were really interested in going to prom, right?”

Prom? Oh yeah, that was two weeks from now. Canterlot High had theirs pushed way back on the schedule for seniors as sort of a last hurrah. I’d been too occupied lately to even consider going, and my guess was that Sunset would rather avoid it after the Fall Formal. We all seemed to have our own answer before we turned to look at Rarity.

“What?” she asked.

“How many guys have invited you?” I asked.

“Well… OK, so perhaps one or two have been persistent-”

“You said yes or no?” AJ asked drily.

“I haven’t said anything yet…”

“So here’s what ah’m thinkin, then,” AJ began. “What if instead of going to prom and being at school we go off somewhere ourselves- just us, nobody else! We get all fancy and we take the weekend to ourselves and we have one last big get-together. We just go all-out and spend it only with one another!”

The mood was energized, excited even. I was certainly open to the idea, and honestly seemed to fit our image more than being at prom- yes, I liked to show off my skills, but I was sure to have plenty of fun with whatever AJ was planning.

“So whadya say- we wanna do this?” she asked.

“I say yes!” I roared jovially. “Sunset and I’ll be busy over the next couple weeks, but we’ll be there for certain!”

“You bet I’m in! Dances are boring, anyway.”

“Rainbow!” Rarity protested,

“What? How is that a surprise to you that I think that?”

“Look, I’m just gonna guess that we’re all in- what about you, Rares?” I pressed.

“Well, I… I, umm… just, you see, I’m a romantic and-”

“You can do better than Sandalwood and Jacobs, ah know they’ve been talking to you,” AJ said flatly, ignoring how vividly red Rarity went as the rest of us burst out laughing. “Just say you’re in.”

Rarity seemed more inclined to get mad, but was smart enough to know when she’d been pegged. “Oh, just… yes, I’ll be there. A lady’s promise.”

“How’s it feel to move?” I asked her.

Mom’s face was deep red as she performed her exercises, each breath looking like it took a monumental effort to achieve alongside her movements. “It’s still difficult,” she gasped as she finally righted herself. “I wish it was simpler…”

“It’s only difficult cause you took a bullet to the chest,” Sunset reminded her. “You’re doing great for someone who only just started therapy two days ago.”

“You don’t know Mom- instant results or nothing,” I joked. “But look, Sunset’s right, don’t push yourself too much. Your face is stupid red right now…”

“Oh, not again. Ma’am, we told you that you have to be drinking water in between exercises!” the nurse chided. “I know it’s not very comfortable but it’s going to help you recover faster, as well as maintain your energy levels.”

I bore into Mom with a look of anger. “You’re already trying to break the rules?” I asked. “Come on, you’re only going to hurt yourself even more.”

She fired back with a fierce glare of her own but she relented nonetheless, taking a slow, shuddering sip from the nearby bottle. “I feel awful,” she breathed.

“Then take a few minutes to rest and catch your breath,” the nurse said. “All you need to do today is complete your exercises and then we’re done. Take as much time as you need.”

Sunset and I helped Mom to her feet and over to a nearby chair where she could rest, a slow pace as Mom still wasn’t fully steady on her feet. It was hard to bear, knowing that the bullet that had struck her was because of my foolishness. She wouldn’t blame me for any of it, of course, but that didn’t stop me from feeling guilty about the whole affair.

“So, what have you two been up to today? School go well?” she asked us.

“Went well enough. It’ll be a bit busy since I’m having to catch up on what I missed, but nothing we can’t handle,” I replied. “Look, umm… I need to talk to you bout something. I wanted you to get better before I brought it up, but now- don’t really have a whole lot of time left.”

Mom studied me for a minute. “It’s about the house, isn’t it?”

“Mom… you can’t stay there anymore,” I said simply. “I mean, Wanyama’s done for but there’ll still be plenty of low-level grunts that are out there and they might try to come looking for you and I again. It’s just not safe anymore. And I know you love the place, but… but it’s just time to go. I’ve been talking with Manny and we’ve been doing some appraisal on the place and we think we can get it sold fairly quickly. So while you’re still here we’ll get the place on the market and see about finding you a new home- preferably not in this city any longer.”

“Not here? But this is your home, this is where you grew up- all your friends…”

“Mom, come on, high school’s almost over, time’s up. It’s time to head out, get moving, find new places to go. You and I have stayed in one place for too long now. This city has nothing to offer us anymore, you know that. When you first were brought in here, Mr. Rich offered you a place to stay until you can find new housing and even some money to help hold you over, but I think it’s best you move on and find something- whether it be a small house or an apartment, whichever suits you. I can start looking tonight if you want.”

Mom didn’t look at me for a while, turning to stare out into the streets below. I could understand her hesitancy. She’d spent so much of her life here, her entire time in the States had been spent here. She’d married, raised a child, and was now being asked to leave her first real home- one that she’d worked so hard to hold together when her own husband and even her child threatened to tear it apart. She’d been the protector of that place. And now, it was over. This was it.

“And what will you do?” she asked me. “What are you going to do once you graduate?”

“Well…” I turned to Sunset. “Well, I don’t have good enough grades to get into college. I talked to Miss Cheerilee a few weeks ago about that, and… I messed up too much. I know it’s what you wanted from me for a while but- it’s just not gonna happen.”

“But… we’ve been making plans for a little while now,” Sunset added. “I’ve been accepted into Stanford and now with school almost over we were thinking that instead of waiting, we’d just head out there straightaway and find a place to live. Both of us can work over the summer and once school starts I’ll go to college…”

“So… so you both…” Mom whispered.

I felt Sunset’s hand slide across mine and squeeze tight. “I know we’re both still pretty young,” I said hesitantly, “but… we’re a team. We look after one another. And that’s what we’ll always do.”

The smallest of tears fell from her eyes. She understood what I meant, what consequences were going to come of our decision. We’d be poor, very poor for a very long time. We’d struggle to make ends meet, finances would almost certainly forbid Sunset and I from traveling much. It’d be a hard life… and one we’d face with only each other for support. Mom now knew what I meant: we’d not only be saying goodbye to our friends, our school, and our city- we’d be saying goodbye to her as well.

“Are… are you sure of this, then?” she asked.

“We love each other,” Sunset said simply, her own eyes glistening. “I know it’s going to be tough, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We’ll make it work somehow.”

Mom wiped her tears away and gave a short, shallow nod. “I understand,” she said thickly. “I’ll- just- look after one another,” she said softly. “Do your best to keep in touch once you’re out there. Send me pictures whenever you can, you know I’ll always want to hear from you…”

“Yeah, of course we will,” I replied. “What did you think we’d do, just cut you off for no reason?”

We stayed there until Mom was done with her therapy session, helping her through her various movements and encouraging her each step of the way. It was a bittersweet moment, some of our last hours together were being spent right then and there as the sun fell. Mom was strong, she’d endured more than most could imagine- and now she would have to say goodbye to the last remaining member of her family in only a few short weeks.

We’d sell the house. We’d find her a nice place to stay. But I know her heart would always be here, that smallest piece of her still wishing things could have been different. That we could’ve remained a family.

The next couple of weeks were the busiest Sunset and I had ever experienced, filled with moving supplies, mounds of schoolwork and endless hours on the computer searching for apartments. Half the time we’d wake up in the middle of the night and realize we’d falling asleep from exhaustion, our work still unfinished. Coffee and Red Bull became habitual.

Manny and I moved the stuff out of the house, placing most of it in a cramped storage unit until Mom could decide on her future home. For the most part, I brought with me only clothes and a couple of suitcases which I lived out of for the time being. I practically took up residence on Sunset’s couch, turning it into a makeshift office as Manny and I tried to sell the house as well as plan the logistics for Sunset and I’s cross-country move. Money, what to do with food, furniture, all of it was a nightmare for a kid who hadn’t even moved rooms, much less a couple thousand miles. Thankfully, my old mentor was willing to spend plenty of time over at the apartment giving us advice on what to do and how to prioritize- sell everything you won’t need, bring only essentials. Best piece of advice he gave us was on how to keep a full pantry without breaking the bank. It seemed rice and noodles were going to be our lifeline for a while.

Sunset was about as happy as she’d ever been. She had black rings around her eyes from lack of sleep and her dependence on caffeine was reaching nuclear levels, but she always had a smile on her face and she’d always greet me with a hug or a kiss- if not both. More than once I’d wake up in the middle of the night to find her curled up next to me, clinging to me as if I were a lifeline. With a future away from her past sins and I by her side, she practically radiated happiness. It was infectious, seeping into everyone around her until they could barely contain it themselves.

I watched her unashamedly, a stupid grin plastered across my face nearly every moment of the day. She’d wear different clothes, try different hairstyles, always reaching out to others and trying new things… it was such a far cry from where she’d once been. Yet no matter what, no matter how much she’d changed, there was always that bright spark in her eyes, that special smile she reserved only for me. She was still the same girl I’d fallen in love with- but no longer hidden away behind a wall of sadness and regret. This was her, the one I’d always known lived within her.

Friday evening came and despite our full awareness that we had plenty to do, Sunset and I simply couldn’t find the energy to get up and get to work. We flopped onto the couch almost the exact moment we got home, and I’ll confess I didn’t wake up for a couple of hours.

“This week sucked,” I said as we sat there, I grabbing the TV remote and switching to ESPN. “I’m exhausted, I don’t even care that we finally got a buyer for the house- that’d mean working up some semblance of emotion. Way too much effort.”

“I finally got a hold of the university, by the way,” Sunset added, either unable or unwilling to remove herself from across my legs. “They offer couples without children 2 bed/1 bathroom apartments, so we’ve got that as an option.”

“Let me guess: Expensive?”

“About $1300 a month at a minimum… and a $1500 deposit to secure it.”

“Jeez…”

“We’ll find something, don’t worry,” she said soothingly. “I know you’re worried about it but there’s still plenty out there. I’ve got a liaison at the school that’s been looking around for us as well. We’ll find a place to stay before we go.”

“We better, beautiful, we got little more than two weeks.”

“Then that’s two weeks of buffer space,” she replied. “Hey, it’s OK. You don’t need to get worked up, we’ll be fine. So what if we have to stay here a little longer? The landlord’s a nice guy, he’ll understand. He’s been decent with me for this long.”

“Yeah, yeah…” I began playing with her hair just to give my fingers something to do, my fingers delicately untangling her braid that she’d decided to try out that morning. I found while I liked her wavy look, she was extremely appealing when she put her hair back in a ponytail or a braid.

“You know you’re undoing it, right?” she asked.

“Yeah, I know. I like the feel of it in my fingers. You keep it really soft.”

“I try.”

I looked down at her and her up at me, a short simple moment where we were the only people in our world. I loved the feeling that came with it, that aching pull to lose myself in her gaze. Today, however, it brought forth an idea.

“Look, how about,” I drawled, “How about you and I sleep in tomorrow? Weather’s supposed to be real nice, real comfortable April afternoon. Remember when I said we ought to test out your magic?”

“I remember,” she answered. “I just don’t think it’ll work. I’d notice if I could still utilize it, it was like a second heartbeat whenever it was active.”

“It’s still active in you, you’ve proven that. I just want to see what we can accomplish. Besides, if nothing comes of it then we get a nice picnic out in the park, it’ll still be fun.”

Sunset mulled it over before nodding. “Sure, I guess we can give it a try,” she said compliantly.

“Great! I’ll get everything fixed up for tomorrow, you leave it to me. How about we… order a pizza tonight, watch a movie and just call it?”

“I pick the movie tonight,” She said firmly. “I’m sorry, but I’m not entertained by Adam Sandler. We can do better.”

“Hey! How dare you speak against Happy Gilmore, the movie’s awesome!”

“It’s stupid!” she protested. “It’s not actually funny, it’s just stupidity and you think it’s funny…”

We’d gotten into arguments like that before, she and I discussing the merits of entertainment or books and other such things. She’d almost always win.

Neither of us could make it all the way through the movie, some British action-comedy she’d picked up called Attack the Block. Plenty good, but with about thirty minutes left to go it was plenty evident we weren’t gonna make it. I don’t know whether it was when I dropped the popcorn bowl onto the floor or when Sunset started snoring, but we decided to call it. She dragged my unwilling butt off of the very soft couch and into her even softer bed and the next thing I knew the sun was peering through the window and I had yet again awoken before her.

I smiled, content to gaze at her as she rested peacefully. Content, quiet, untroubled by the world as she walked among dreams. Her hair was untidy and strewn across the bed, her hand across her hips, her chest rising and falling in a gentle, soothing motion. I watched her and knew that today was going to be a good day. I leaned in and kissed her ever so softly, watching as she slowly reentered the waking world, her gaze settling upon me and immediately she broke into a tired, yet happy smile.

“Morning,” she said.

“Morning, sunshine girl,” I replied, stroking my fingers through her hair. “You ready for today?”

“Am now.”

It took us a little longer than we’d probably meant, but soon enough we were on our way out of the city center and towards the outskirts, headed to the nearest national park where I knew we’d have plenty of open space- and privacy so as not to be seen. She had admitted to me that if we did successfully elicit her magic, there was no telling how much potency, or how much control she’d have over it. Just to be safe, we ventured in pretty deep, finding a place out in a far-flung field- far enough away from the hiking trails that we wouldn’t be seen.

“How come we haven’t been out here before?” she asked me as we walked along. “I mean, yeah, we hooked up in winter and it’s been pretty cold, but still…”

“Weirder than that? I’ve lived in this city all my life and not once have I come out here,” I replied.

“Homeboy.”

“More like poor. I’ve never had a car before.”

“So what were you planning, anyway?” Sunset asked, stretching out to let the wind flow underneath her outstretched arms. “Who says we even have to try? I could just stay out here forever- just listen to this place!”

We let the silence flow as the sounds of nature overtook our senses: the gentle breath of the wind, the songs of the birds in the trees as the branches shook their leaves, even the nearby stream gurgling could be heard. It was as if we’d discovered Eden. I, however, only had eyes for her. She was wearing the dress I’d bought for her again- uninhibited by the cold, it made her look like a tongue of soft fire, a flame glowing on candlelight.

“It really is something,” I remarked, gazing up at the beautiful blue sky, dotted by the occasional wisp of cloud. “Just imagine what we’re gonna see when we head out West. Something totally new.”

“You’re really excited, aren’t you?”

“Why not? I’ve got you by my side and we’re off- together on a brand new journey! What’s not to be excited about?”

“Why not enjoy what we’ve got now for just a little while,” Sunset reminded me. “So… just what were you planning anyway?”

“I had a few ideas,” I said hesitantly. “Stand there, OK? Don’t move.”

Sunset gave me a look of suspicion. “I’m not standing on anything, am I?”

“What? No, just work with me, I’m gonna try to help you out,” I replied, dipping down and pulling an apple out of the cooler. “Alright, let me think… So the last few times you’ve deliberately used your magic, what were the causes?”

“When we were fighting back against the Sirens,” she answered. “And then when Jester was going to shoot you-”

“Exactly. So I had a thought,” I said, taking a hefty bite of apple. “You may not know how to activate it, but I think I do. Wanna take a guess?” When she remained silent, I swallowed and finished by adding, “You’re reactionary.” I cocked my arm back and threw my apple at her with all my might, aiming straight for her head-

“Hey!” she brought up her arms to shield herself from the incoming projectile and sending it flying away from her- right back into my hand without having laid upon it a single finger. After she realized it wasn’t going to strike her, she threw me a very dirty look. “What was that for? That would’ve hurt!”

“Yeah, I know, kinda mean- sorry about that,” I responded. “But where’s the apple?” I raised my hand and flaunted her success. “Looks like I wasn’t wrong.”

“How did you-”

“I didn’t do anything,” I said, taking one last bite and throwing the core into the grass. “You sent it flying away from you, your measure was entirely protective. Your defensive instincts kick into gear.”

“So now what?”

“Now we try to focus,” I pushed her, feeling a burning sense of excitement. “You told me yesterday that it’d feel like a second heartbeat. Concentrate real hard, is that secondary beat there?”

She put a hand to her chest and gave a small gasp. “It’s weak, but… but I think it’s there.”

“Alright, now here we go. Try something simple- what’s one of the simplest feats you could use back in your world? Start with that.”

Sunset looked down at the ground, her eyes locking onto a small pile of stones at her feet. Her eyes narrowed as she picked out one and stretched out her hand- glowing with an amber aura! Slowly, perhaps more effort than she’d expected, one of the stones began to rock back and forth before rising into the air and hovering before her fingertips.

“OK, that’s just plain cool,” I said. “Harry Potter’s got nothing on you.”

“It’s- it’s actually working!” she said excitedly, her face absolutely alight with glee. Being able to use her magic again probably felt like a restored limb to her. “It’s a little difficult, but it works, I can feel it!”

“Then don’t stop! Gain momentum, push it and see what you can do!” I cried. “Try something a little more complex, see what you can really do!” I yelled. Her face glowed with the thought of a challenger, her eyes absolutely blazing in fiery delight. The air surrounding us changed ever so slightly, that aura that had emanated from her back at the gereza coursing through the environment. I felt my heart skip a beat- I was about to witness something incredible.

The very earth bent to her will as she let her power flow freely. I watched a small flower grow massive in size, shooting up into the sky as tall as the nearby trees. She took hold of the entire pile of stones, whirling them about above her head like an earthen halo, each movement, each step she took bringing forth more and more confidence as she entered a world where not even I could reach her, a realm fueled by the connection she’d thought she’d lost.

“Give me something to shoot at!” she called. “Throw out targets, I want to see if I can grab hold of them!”

I grabbed what I could and began throw a myriad of projectiles, watching in awe as she would toss them aside or bring them to rest at her feet, simple movements flowing with power I couldn’t even begin to understand-

“Whoa.” She took a small branch I’d thrown and studied it before causing it to grow right before my eyes, a gigantic tree suddenly rooted into the ground before me-

Light was flowing in from all around us, seeking her out and attaching itself to her beautiful form, glowing as brightly as the sun as she slowly began to lift herself off the ground, the very air around her bristling with energy. In a brilliant, blinding burst of light she was transfigured before me- an angel born of fire and light, her very soul ignited by the fires of sunlight. Wings made of pure light burst forth from her back as her form was adorned in a dress the color of the pinkest sunset, a jeweled necklace bearing her colors around her neck.

I gave a whoop of sheer joy, the very power flowing from her coursing across the entire area in shockwaves, I barely able to stay on my feet. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Jester’s power, whatever it had been, was nothing compared to this.

All too soon it came to an end, Sunset bowing her head and she began to slowly fall to earth- wait a minute, she was going to fall if I didn’t catch her! I ran up beneath her and she fell into my arms. On closer examination, I realized her dress was something ethereal- glistening and flickering like fire, almost like a shield protecting her body from harm. My first thought was that I was going to be burned on contact but I could feel nothing- no, not entirely true. I could feel a gentle pulsating sensation I assumed to be her heart- perhaps the source of the flow of her powers.

“Hey, you OK?” I asked, gently setting her down on the ground. “Sunset… hey, can you hear me?”

It was as if she’d fallen unconscious, so slowly she woke. “What happened?” she asked wearily.

“What happened- babe, look at yourself!” I grinned. “It worked, you were incredible, I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“What do you mean- what on earth am I wearing?” she cried, her eyes wide as she caught sight of herself. “I’ve- I’ve got wings, I’m- I’m…”

“You look like a queen,” I whispered, laughing with joy at the sight of her. “You look utterly royal.”

“I’ve never… I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve never even heard of anything like this,” she whispered.

“You’re the first one to ever accomplish anything like this before,” I said. “It’s… it’s amazing. You were so effortless…”

“Can you help me up? I’m not sure I can stand.” She was indeed a bit shaky getting up but managed well enough once she steadied herself. She slowly looked herself over, looking a little overwhelmed at the sight.

“You look incredible,” I breathed. “It’s like you’re an angel of fire. I mean, even your boots! Your freakin’ boots look like they’re ablaze!” I laughed maniacally, unable to find any sort of suitable reaction. “You are, without a doubt, a princess- you’ve got to be!”

She couldn’t help but blush a little at my words- a pretty funny sight when even her hair was still charged with energy. “Come on, don’t you think that’s a bit of an overstatement-”

“Uh-uh, don’t even try it! Princess of Magic is your title from here on out!” I did an elaborate, exaggerated bow before her my arms outstretched as if holding a sword. “I give my life to serve, m’lady. If only you would offer me the chance-”

“Oh, hush.” I felt a hand rest on my shoulder and I looked up to see Sunset shaking her head, the effects of her magic fading away until everything was normal once more- her fiery form was gone, the wings had dissipated. It was just the two of us out in the middle of nowhere. “I’m no princess, I don’t even want to be one. I’m just me, and that doesn’t sound bad at all.”

“Well, you’re a princess to me,” I replied, rising to my feet and taking her hand. “My princess, my sunshine girl, you.”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “You will always find a way to sound incredibly stupid,” she remarked.

“And you’ll always love that, too. Come on- let’s eat.”

We took a seat and enjoyed the scenery, content to simply enjoy the moment. We’d both found what she was capable of, and despite Sunset insisting the magic she’d performed were simple spells, it was unbelievably impressive. She was… well…

“What’s up?” she asked, noting my falling countenance. “Something wrong?”

“Mm,” I grunted, a little hesitant to speak it aloud. “It’s nothing, don’t worry.”

“Hey, don’t be worried, I won’t judge. What’s wrong?”

I took the last bite of my sandwich to buy myself time to think. “Why?”

She blinked. “Why what?”

“Why did- why did you even choose me in the first place?”

“Why did I choose you..?”

“Yeah. Why, out of all the people in the world, did you choose me?” I asked. “The thug, the criminal, the idiot who was only just beginning to try to get things together. I mean, look at you, look at what you just did- what you’ve done! You’ve fought monsters, endured unreal abuse, you saved this city, and you’re probably the first person in the world to use magic- REAL magic! There’s never been anyone like you to walk this earth! And then there’s… there’s me. I don’t come anywhere close to deserving you.”

My words hung in there like a fetid stench, permeating the air and setting it afoul. I felt pretty bad for saying it, but I knew it was the truth- I didn’t deserve her. After all I’d done, with all the acts of violence and cruelty I’d witnessed and committed, she wasn’t just out of my league. I was outclassed.

“You wanna know the truth?” she asked me. “It’s gonna sound really stupid, but… well, the first thought I had about you was…” she gave a nervous laugh before adding, “I- I thought you were really hot.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well that’s not too bad a reason. I can take that.”

“It was pretty shallow, I won’t lie,” she giggled, “but it made me want to spend time with you, and the more I was around you, the more I began to see just- just how kind you are.”

Wait, what? “Wasn’t expecting to hear that, girl,” I said.

“I know you’ve never wanted to be described that way, but it’s true,” she said, draping her arms across my shoulder. “You put up wall after wall to make yourself look so hard and tough yet when you let them fall down you were so, so gentle. You hated seeing someone you loved be hurt, and you were so afraid of being like your father that it drove you to tears… just the thought of it caused you pain. And over and over again, I kept watching as you grow, you wanted to be a better person each and every day, and you always thought about me before yourself. You’re willing to sacrifice everything for the ones you love.”

“It… it doesn’t make sense,” I replied. “I…”

“You were rough, you had edges, but deep down you’re nothing but a softy,” she said playfully. “No matter what, don’t ever believe otherwise. Now, because you asked first, I need to know- why did you even notice me? I mean, we weren’t exactly besties when we first met.”

I gave a small laugh. “I dunno, I guess…” I gave a wispy sigh, my mind delving back to all those months ago, so far away that they felt like another lifetime. “I think… it was when you first offered to be my tutor. I’d treated you pretty badly yet you kept trying anyway, and when I finally gave you a chance- you treated me like an equal. No judgement, no anger, nothing. You’d changed so drastically, I finally just saw you as a girl, sweet and innocent and you had such gorgeous eyes. I started keeping track of you in my head, watching every little thing you did, and I was just in awe of how much you’d changed. You had such a soft heart and when it was just you and me, I’d watch you come- come alive. You were so beautiful, so happy and I loved seeing that spark in your eyes. The more I was around you the more I began to realize just how good you were, and I wanted to be someone- someone you deserved.”

I felt tears begin to form in my eyes and I tried to shake them away. “And when I’d watch you get hurt it just tore me up because I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to hurt someone so beautiful as you, because how could anyone not see who you were inside? Just how dedicated and smart and talented you were, you could be so beautiful inside and out and I started falling in love with you almost overnight, and then- you finally woke up.” I could feel the tears dripping down my cheeks, a smile growing across my features. “You fought back and you found the strength I’d always known you had, and look what came of it- you saved my life, you saved my mother’s life, you save our future, you’ve done more than anyone could ever do for a person.”

I turned to look up at her, unable to stop my tears. “Sunset, you make me want to be a better person, you push me to be something great, and I want to be great because it’s what you deserve. I could never hope to earn someone like you someone so beautiful and talented and loving- I’ll never, ever deserve you. I’m just so glad that you came into my life because I know it never would’ve been anywhere near as good if I hadn’t met you. I love you, more than anything in the whole wide world and I’ll always love you. You’ve got my heart all the way to the end- no matter what.”

Sunset’s eyes were wide as she looked down at me, her gaze swimming with her own tears. As she held me in her arms. “Oh… oh, my…” she whispered.

I sniffed and wiped my tears away, trying to shake myself back into some semblance of self-control. “I’m sorry, it was too much, and it’s kinda stupid to hear out loud-”

“Enough.” She grabbed my face and planted a deep, passionate kiss on my lips. “Stop talking,” she whispered, kissing me again, and again and again.

I put my arms around her and pulled her in tight, drinking deeply from her as each kiss ignited a new hunger, an insatiable desire for her touch, for her warmth and comfort. She was more than beautiful, more than anything I ever could’ve imagined-

“Don’t stop,” she said hungrily, laying atop of me as she peppered me in a flurry of kisses, each one more desperate and filled with longing than the last. This was different, this was something else entirely.

We fell into the grass and for a while, we didn’t say much of anything at all.

You made my life a little brighter

View Online

10:00. A beautiful spring morning in late April, as if the very skies had opened themselves up to celebrate the occasion of my mother’s release from the hospital. She was slower than she’d been before, a little less steady on her feet. Some of it would dissipate with time, while some scars would remain forever. She huffed and puffed more than she should, small efforts taxing her body. It would never be the same for her again.

“Alright, so how does it feel to be out of there?” Sunset asked her.

“Oh, it was not so bad,” Mom replied. “The staff was kind and they did a wonderful job helping get back on my feet. Though what they called food- my goodness, it was enough to make me sick. And they call enchiritos-”

“Mom, I don’t think hospital staff are going to be all that trained in preparing your favorite homestyle meals,” I said. “Come on, what’d you expect?”

“That’s how you’re gonna talk to your mother when she’s leaving the hospital?” Sunset jabbed. “You can be so tactless, please tell me you know that.”

“Yes, she’s right, you should be more forgiving than that. Escuchar a su novia,” Mom scolded.

I rolled my eyes, simply letting it fall away. It was all good-natured pleasantry, the likes of which we hadn’t managed to enjoy in quite a while. In a lot of visits we’d made since she’d been admitted, Mom was usually pretty exhausted from her rehab. I was glad to see her walking again- and, yes, complaining about the quality of food again. She was too good a cook to do otherwise.

“You know, it’s weird. I think this is the first time you’ve been in my car,” I remarked, pausing to open her door.

“That’s because you’re almost never around! You two are always off gallivanting across the city and enjoying yourselves- it made me happy to see you that way,” she replied.

“Well, I enjoyed the company,” I remarked, looking over at Sunset. She was especially pretty today, wearing a lilac-colored dress that fell just above her knees. With her red hair she looked like a flower in bloom.

“As you should- you should always treat your chica like a princess!” Mom said.

We just stood there outside my car for a little while, making small talk and enjoying each other’s company as none of us truly wanted to move on to what was ahead- we were all clearly avoiding the inevitable.

Finally, when I knew we couldn’t really wait much longer, I gave a sigh and said, “Well- we ready to go?”

Mom’s countenance fell almost instantly but she recovered enough to give a series of nods. “Yes, yes, I’m ready. Let’s- get going, I guess.”

We drove away from the hospital that had been her home for the past three weeks, heading across the city until the old familiar sights and scenery of the West End came back into view. It wasn’t much later that we were crawling to a halt in front of the home that had been the setting for so many moments and memories- a home that was no longer our home.

“What time did they say they’d be arriving?” Sunset asked me.

“Uh, should be pretty soon, I think,” I replied, checking the time on my phone. “I remember the guy saying they wanted to spend most of the day moving stuff in.”

“So who are they, again?” Mom inquired.

“A Mr. and Mrs. King,” I answered, looking down at the info I’d stored on my phone. “Newly married, they were looking for a small home and ours fit their budget quite nicely. Mrs. King in particular was pleased with the state of the place.”

“Thank you for helping to keep it clean,” Mom said, turning to Sunset. “It must’ve been a lot of effort for you.”

“Hmm? Oh no, not at all. We’d always get our friends together and it was an easy job.”

We waited in silence for a time. Mom was too melancholy to really want to say much of anything, as this was really the biggest change in her life since she’d moved out of country to here. No husband, no child, no same old home- all of the life she’d built here was disappearing today, for good. It must’ve been difficult for her all these years, yet she’d accepted so much of it and endured –for the most part- with a smile. And now, after all this time, it was done.

“Here they are,” I said, popping out of my seat to greet the newly arriving couple, watching as they slid into the driveway and parked. It felt a little weird at first to see someone in the place where Mom’s Chrysler had been for ages, but it was their home now. Not ours.

“Doing alright today?” I asked, greeting Mr. King with a firm shake of his hand. He was a bigger guy, perhaps a little overweight but still brimming with muscle.

“Doing well, doing well,” he said with a wide smile. “Been looking forward to this for a long time now, can hardly wait.”

“I can tell, you brought the U-Haul with you. You gonna need any help?”

“Aw, naw, not at all, we’ll get it done,” he said dismissively. “Sides, we want to make this our thing- first move, y’know.”

“Nah, I get it. Well, I left any extra paperwork you’ll need on the kitchen counter, extra set of keys are in an envelope in there as well. Here’s the master key, man.”

It wasn’t a big deal when he took it from my outstretched hand, just a simple motion as he swiped them. But it carried a note of finality, a seal that officially closed the old way of life and barred it from me forever.

“Alright, thanks a lot. Have a good day to ya,” he said jovially, heading to the front door and eagerly opening the door to the house- his house.

I walked back to the car, watching these young newlyweds as they began to move their things in, my eyes settling on his wife as they worked. I wondered if she’d ever know the story of those who had come before her- of the abusive husband and the woman he’d tormented for countless years. I watched her, wondering if she could understand, if she already knew what that felt like. I’d only met them a few times before today, I knew little of their character- of his character. What kind of legacy was he going to leave in that place… if he would follow in the footsteps of my father, if he hadn’t already begun down that path already?

“Hey, we just got a call from Manny, he said he and Karina are waiting for us,” Sunset said, pulling me from my thoughts. “We should probably get going.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Let’s get it movin,” and I slid back into my seat and sped off, leaving behind the only home I had ever known once and for all.

Mom didn’t say much the rest of the day. Not when we met up with Manny at the storage center, not when we packed all of Mom’s things away, not even when we left the city for the nearby town of Frankfort when we finally pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex where she’d chosen to make her home. No one forced her to say much of anything, I having quietly requested the others give her space. It was going to be a more difficult transition for her than it would be anyone else.

The sun was almost completely absorbed by the horizon when we were finally finished, the last remnants of her things having been set inside. We’d taken great care, placing everything exactly how Mom wanted it so she wouldn’t have to move any of it herself. Her injuries would hinder her forever, so I didn’t want her overexerting herself anytime soon.

Manny and Karina, having driven separately so as to bring Mom’s van with us, hopped into Manny’s truck and drove off, having said one last goodbye before speeding back home. As night crept in, it was only us three lounging in Mom’s new home. We weren’t particularly worried about any of our futures- Mom had plenty of money left over, whether it be from selling the house or Mr. Rich’s generous donations. She’d be able to find a job well before she’d be running the risk of going broke, we were certain of that. She was too hardworking, too determined to let such a thing come to pass.

Finally, when it was starting to get really late, I had to call it. “Mom, we, uh… we need to get going,” I said lamely.

The air went cold. Mom could hardly look us in the eye, more content with gazing at the floor than at either me or Sunset.

“I’m sorry,” Sunset said suddenly, speaking straight to my mother as if I wasn’t even there. “I know we- well, we haven’t really been together very long, yet we’re already planning to go across the country- it must feel like I’m forcing you to stay behind.”

“No, no, not at all,” Mom replied. “I am… I am happy for you both. You are both excellent young people. I could not have hoped for better when you came into our lives, truly. You’ve been a wonderful influence on my child.”

Sunset gave a sad little smile and walked over to give my Mom a hug, who promptly burst into tears. I jumped up to join in, letting my Mom cry herself out until she could recover enough to speak.

“Promise to call, I’ll always want to hear from you all,” she blubbered.

“Yeah, you know I will,” I said hoarsely, trying to keep myself under control. “We’ll call every week, we’ll keep in touch as much as we can.”

“And we’ll always make sure to send you pictures, so you can see how we’re doing,” Sunset added. “Even if I have to force the idiot to get it done, we’ll get it done.”

Mom gave a watery laugh and brought us into a bone-shattering hug. “Take care of each other,” she hiccupped. “Be safe, be smart out there, and always do your best.”

“We will, Mom. Don’t believe anything else,” I assured her. “Just… thanks, Mom.”

We closed the door behind us and took our places in the car. No more was it a team of three- just the two of us. We were all we had to rely on anymore, just her and I against the entire world. We were leaving behind the wisdom and loving kindness of those we’d known to go out into the unknown and for the first time it was a thought that was truly intimidating. We looked at each other and for a time all we could do was hold on to one another.

It was late when we finally got back to the apartment, instantly crashing onto the sofa. Sunset didn’t even bother turning on the TV, saying that she wasn’t really interested in seeing something that was “more depressing.” Going by what the state of the news had been, I couldn’t blame her.

I felt my stomach gurgle. “I don’t want to be hungry,” I complained. “Even grabbing a pack of pop-tarts sounds like too much effort right now.”

“We ran out this morning. Sorry, I meant to tell you,” Sunset replied.

I gave a disgruntled sigh, waving my hand around erratically as I realized I was tired enough to fall asleep right where I was, even though Sunset’s foot was somewhere in the small of my back. “Please tell me we have nothing else to do today,” I begged.

“Nothing else today,” Sunset affirmed. “All the paperwork for the graduation ceremony next week is done, we pick up the gowns Tuesday, and Applejack called earlier today and said that the party tomorrow is all prepped and ready to go. We can relax.”

“Good, I can knock off for the night. See you in the morning, beautiful.”

“Don’t forget we have to pick up our clothes from the dry cleaners tomorrow.”

“I won’t, I promise,” I assured her, lifting myself up so she could free her leg from beneath me. “Trust me, I will always get turned on by seeing you in a dress. Just one of those facts of reality.”

I heard the sound of something being pulled and I knew she had just grabbed her computer, beginning her newly minted evening ritual of perusing the internet before heading to bed. She’d begun the habit right around the time we’d started looking for an apartment and it’d become a regular thing. I’d been concerned at first because a couple times I caught her still looking around even deep into the middle of the night (Thus accelerating her dependency on coffee more than ever), but she’d been wise enough to realize when she needed to cut it off. Now, the sound of her typing away was enough to put me to sleep. Which is what I was trying to achieve at the time, my breathing slowing and becoming more comfortable, my eyelids heavy and it really was rather warm, a perfect pleasantness in the air that made it so… so easy to just nod off… and fall, fall, fall away-

“Wake up! Get up! Get up!” Sunset said excitedly, shaking me with unnecessary vigor.

“Oh come on, I was about to fall asleep,” I moaned, opening my eyes but unwilling to move just yet. “What’s the big deal?”

“We got the apartment,” Sunset answered excitedly, her face beaming.

I shot up like a rocket. “You serious?” I said, sidling up next to her to read the email. “Holy cow…”

“The landlord agreed to the entry fee, she said we can start moving everything in little more than a week,” Sunset said. “She’s going to get a cleaning crew to go through the place and get it some minor work done, so it’ll be ready for us when we get there.”

“How much is the down payment to rent it?” I asked, scanning intently.

“Just $1100, and $800 per month after that. We did it, we actually did it!” Sunset said brightly, throwing her arms around me and kissing me happily. “We’ve got a home!”

“We’ve out our home!” I added, feeling wide awake and just as happy as she looked. “Just think what we’ll be able to do there. Come on, you know what I’m thinking of…”

“I’ll start school, you’ll start a job,” Sunset said with a smile.

“We’ll get married, you’ll graduate,” I added eagerly.

“We’ll settle down and relax, we’ll start a family,” she continued keenly.

“A family? We’ll have a house full of kids!” I said fervently.

“How many do you think we should have, just a few?”

“A few? A lot? As many as we want to make!” I cried, grabbing her and pulling her down onto me. “Cause no matter what, I believe that you and I can do anything, we can take anything life throws at us. Ain’t nothing capable of holding us down.”

“Because I have you right there with me,” Sunset said.

“And you with me,” I affirmed, gently pushing her hair out of her eyes. “I… just, wow… wow…”

“What?”

“Just- did you ever think it’d be this good? That it could just be this good?”

“Not until I loved you,” she said, leaning in and leaving a gentle kiss on my lips. “Just think- Nine is our lucky number. Nine more days-”

“And then we’re free forever,” I whispered. “You ready?”

I saw the spark in her eyes as she gave me that smile I was always seeking, sliding next to me and giving a happy sigh. “More than ever before,” she replied.

I woke up far, far earlier than I had planned or wanted to. No immediacy, no threat to startle me into the waking world, just a slow, unpleasant realization that there was no way in Hell I was going back to sleep. I looked around and saw Sunset had departed, the bathroom door closed and muffling the sounds of a shower running. Maybe that was why I’d woken up. I fumbled around for the remote before giving up after only a few seconds, remembering I had no desire to keep hearing the same news I’d heard for the past week, and with no good sports on I was infinitely bored.

And then my stomach imploded as all-consuming, ungodly hunger overwhelmed me in a matter of seconds. I gave a horrible groan and flopped to the floor, the sunken feeling in my gut more properly akin to a black hole than lack of sustenance. “For the love of God, please let us have some eggs,” I moaned, unwillingly rising to my feet to get some breakfast.

We didn’t have eggs, but we had bacon and some biscuits in the freezer. Enough to leave me disappointed but still alive. I’d gotten pretty used to the idea of an omelet every morning, so it was with a fair amount of unhappiness that I flopped the strips onto the skillet.

“Wow, I could really get used to you doing this every morning.” Sunset appeared behind me and gave me a peck on the cheek, her appearance muffled by the sound of frying bacon grease. “Surprised to see you up so early.”

“Thought we were gonna sleep in,” I grumbled, “Why you up so early, though?”

“Couldn’t sleep. I dunno, maybe I’m too excited for tonight.”

I got to finishing up the rest of the meal, trying my best to ignore my mental shrieking for my morning eggs, grabbing a couple slices of bread for some toast. “You want anything else?” I asked her.

“No. No, I’m good,” she said as she took hold of her mug. “What time is it?”

I glanced over at the microwave. “Eight.”

Sunset visibly winced. “Why did we get up so early? The cleaners doesn’t even open yet.”

“I have no idea. I guess we can just lounge around for a bit,” I replied, devouring my toast in a matter of seconds. And the biscuits, then the bacon and what would’ve been half a box of cereal if Sunset hadn’t told me to relax.

Despite our early morning grumblings, the two of us were restless as we sat around in the apartment, the days being counted down until we would be leaving it behind once and for all. I tried playing around on one of the game systems and ended up tossing the controller after only a few minutes. Sunset attempted to do some work on her laptop and couldn’t even watch a full video on Youtube before slamming it shut. I bravely dared to turn on the TV, hoping to high heaven that the first thing I heard wouldn’t be-

“-And now, with the kingdom’s sudden and unexpected entry into the fold, it now marks as the 24th country to join into the C-”

“No,” Sunset forcefully, nearly crushing the power button beneath her thumb as the TV went black once more. “Ugh, I am so bored! I just want to get out of here!”

“Heck, then let’s go,” I said, getting to my feet. “We can find someplace else where we can kill time, right? Why stay here when we’re obviously both bored out of our skulls?”

Fifteen minutes late we were out the door and traveling across the city, looking around at whatever tickled our fancy. We spent most of our time at a freshly renovated outdoor mall, where some kind of festival was occurring. We meandered through the various stalls and shops, doing our best to hold onto our wallets. More than once we were tempted to buy someone’s work or the like, but we’d been planning for far too long to make any mistakes now. We didn’t have room for anything additional.

Eventually the sun reached its peak in the sky and we settled down for some lunch, our spirits lifted by the activity and time in the sun. We stopped at a deli for a quick bite, surrounded by the sounds and sights of the various people who’d enjoyed the day right alongside us.

“You know, I just realized something,” I mumbled through a hefty chunk of french dip, the sauce dripping from the soaked bread. “Have you even bothered to pick a major yet?”

“Hmm?”

“Yeah, when you’re at college, have you given it any thought yet?”

Sunset took another spoonful of her baked potato, mulling the question over. “I thought of doing something…. Something in the medical field, I think,” she answered. “I’m not really sure exactly what, though. Not yet.”

“So you want to be a doctor or something?”

“I- I dunno. Maybe,” she replied. “Maybe a radiologist, a pediatrician, or… well, I have thought of, umm, a little on therapy, too.”

I blinked. “Like psychology?”

“No, like physical therapy. Maybe I could help people heal, get better and back on their feet.” She paused a little, twirling her spoon around the husk of what was once her meal. “Maybe it’s because I still feel bad about what I did, but- I don’t want to see people be hurt anymore, so maybe I could help them recover. Just like we did for each other.”

“That sounds like it suits you, really,” I replied. “I could see you doing that and being really good at it.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. I mean, you’ve been practicing your magic still, right? You helped heal my burn when I was being an idiot making dinner a couple nights ago. Maybe there’s a way for you to use it to help.”

“It’s not strong enough yet to be used like that yet. It takes a lot of effort just to use it for a small amount of time.”

“Still, it’s an idea. Practice can help, right?”

Sunset nodded and returned to her meal, finishing what little remained as I plowed through my food-

A gasp big enough to get attention of three tables around us. I looked up and saw Sunset staring at her phone with eyes as wide as saucers. “The cleaners! We’re-”

“Late.” I leap out of my seat and wolfed down the last of my sandwich before rushing to the car, the two of us heading off as fast as we could go.

We’d gotten so caught up in our determination to kill time we’d both forgotten that we actually had a schedule to keep once noon came around. The cleaners we’d decided on was one that did overnight jobs, but typically closed very early for the exact same reason, so we didn’t exactly have a big opening to pick our stuff up. We made it right as the owner was preparing to lock the doors and earning a pretty snippy response- another remark that made me very grateful my time in this city was coming to an end.

“So what did Rares make for you, do I get to see it or-”

“Not yet you don’t,” Sunset teased, hastily running past me to put it into the car, leaving me there with my clothes and an owner that looked more annoyed than ever. I paid and quickly left, not wanting to hear another word out of her mouth.

Sunset demanded I not turn my head to see her dress, a recent acquisition from our friendly neighborhood fashionista, something Rarity had only managed to finalize two days ago. True to form, Rarity had been working like mad to make every one of us a “unique, dazzling” outfit for the night, promising each one of us something that would fit our “signature style and personality.” She’d finished mine a couple of days ago but had been taking a little longer with Sunset’s, declaring it her most important work yet.

“Why’s that?” I’d asked when I’d come to visit.

“Hers… well, it needs to be a little more special. More pristine than even mine, I dare say,” she’d replied, trying her best to pay attention to me and her work.

“I still don’t think that answers my question.”

“Because it needs to be seen as beautiful for two. Not just her, but also you.”

Needless to say, it would be the first time I’d really seen her work firsthand, and after holding the results of some of her labor in my own hands, I was eager to see how Sunset’s would turn out.

“So, we got everything?” I asked once we got back to the apartment. “I’ve got mine, how’s yours looking-”

“Don’t even try it!” Sunset said, grabbing her dress and dashing up the stairs, room key in hand.

“What, I just wanna see it. One glimpse?” I asked, racing up after her.

“Nope!” She was kind enough to leave the front door open for me, but she was in the bathroom before I’d even set foot inside the threshold.

“What, not gonna give the one who loves you a sneak peek? Anything at all?”

“Nuh-uh. You gotta wait for this one,” Sunset replied smugly, her eyes dancing with repressed laughter. “Now, I’ve got all I need in here and I’m going to be a while, so if you please, I’m gonna start getting ready.”

“We don’t even need to leave for two hours, do you seriously need that much time to-”

She silenced me with a kiss, unable to hold back laughter at the sight of me. “Grow some patience.”

I gave a roll of my eyes and a faux groan, with only another peal of laughter in response. It was comfortable, friendly banter, built on nothing but love and good nature. Another thing to look forward to in the years ahead.

I spent the next hour or so lounging on the couch or napping, not really feeling any pressure to get dressed just yet. To me, though this would a great way for the gang to wrap up the year, it was just the last hurrah before the real adventure. It was almost laughable just how much I’d grown in such a short amount of time. This time last year I was an enforcer for one of the cruelest men in the world, just a few weeks away from a second stint in juvi. Now I stood on the other side, transformed and renewed because of good friends, a patient mother, and the beauty of the one I loved, with a future I’d never thought I could ever have. It was more than I ever could have dared to ask for.

The alarm went off on my phone and I knew I could stall myself no longer. I rose from my oh-so-comfortable place on the couch and went into the bedroom, unwrapping Rarity’s work and taking a moment to marvel at her craft. It was extremely comfortable, well-made fabric, stitched with care and purpose, dark grey with a crimson red tie to match Sunset’s hair. As I let my hands slide across it, I felt something beneath my hands crinkle in one of the pockets- a weathered note, now having endured the trials of the dry cleaners. As I unwrapped it, I recognized it as Rarity’s handwriting, despite the beating it had taken, and began to read:

My apologies for writing to you in such a manner, it must seem most scandalous. A lady writing to one already betrothed to another! You have my word that I have nothing but the purest intentions. If you would, please show this to Sunset as well, since this is as much meant for her as it is for you.

I wanted to express my deepest congratulations to you, as I know full well what a long way you’ve come. I don’t think you and I spoke the first day you arrived at school, but I remember the first time I laid eyes on you: a worn-down hoodie, faded jeans- pardon my unkindness, but you looked simply dreadful. But nothing could best the look in your eyes that I saw that day. You didn’t look angry, or cruel, but instead you possessed a defeated, broken gaze. You looked like you had fought the whole world and failed… how strange it is now, knowing that you had done just that.

As you came to be my friend, dear Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie’s as well, I kept my eye on you, wondering what would change within you. There would be days when that dead, hardened look would fade away and be replaced by something- different. A softness that spoke of a dormant gentleness, locked deep away inside your heart. As you struggled with the questions of your own identity, came to disown your history, that defeated look left you behind and became replaced with uncertainty. We had, without knowing, pushed you into unknown territory: a world where you no longer knew your place.

That is, until a small ray of sunshine caught your eye. I didn’t say a word, but I was so thrilled when you allowed Sunset to be your tutor, knowing full well of how she’d talked about you the past few weeks. I hoped, prayed for the both of you, that this would be the moment when everything would change. And oh, how the world changed for the both of you! You became more alive and real than you had ever been before, perhaps more than in your entire life. It was extraordinary to see you grow and mature, all because you had found someone you loved. You may not have known, you may not see it even now, but your whole world changed the day Sunset walked into it. I wish you could see how far you’ve come, how much you’ve grown. Just know that I am so proud of you, am I am most pleased to call you my friend.

Sunset… how I wish I could say that I’ve known you for years, but in truth the most I knew about you for so long was simply your name. You and I were rivals, bitterest of enemies. You cannot imagine how glad I am to know say that I well and truly know you, and can call you friend.

What a journey you’ve had these past few months! From ashes to a burning flame, you have reached across worlds to come into our lives, leaving everyone –if not the whole world- better off because of it. You have endured trial and shame and suffering, and even questioned the very purpose behind your very existence. I remember seeing you utterly broken by the world, crushed and pushed into the darkness where not a soul could reach you. Early on in our friendship, you wondered if you would ever be able to make it.

Do you remember how I would encourage you? That even then I believed in you? I say this not to give myself credit, but to remind you of the very reason why I, as well as the others, believed in you: because you could love. You spoke so breathlessly, with such excitement and passion and joy that it would drive this pitiable lady to tears. Love was would bring you out of the pit and into the light… and, eventually, into the arms of the one you loved.

Permit me to confess something. Something that is perhaps a bit silly, but still, I must say it aloud: your words would stir something in me, a passion in my heart. You would use phrases such as ‘gentle heart,’ ‘endless loyalty,’ ‘fiercely loving’ and so much more… though I doubt it was your intent, you stoked the fires of romanticism in my heart- if not in all of us. After all, no one would deny you’d fallen for someone quite attractive! As the two of you fell for one another all the more deeply, though I was so pleased for you, I could not help but feel the slightest tinge of jealousy. You had achieved something I had desired with all my heart since my youthful days, but never come close to grasping myself: you had found love, a real genuine love that changes lives. I would occasionally watch you both, trying my best not to drown in self-pity. Instead of a deterrent, I should take your happiness as encouragement. After all, are you not proof that true love can be found?

I am so proud to know you both… to love you both. You are more than friends, you are my family, with whom I share a kinship that comes only in the rarest moments of our lifetime. Your dedication, determination, and steadfastness to hold on to one another brings tears to this lady’s eyes, and words will never express how your deep, faithful love has made my life so much brighter. I wish you nothing but happiness and joy for your future… now and forevermore! All I ask in return is a front-row seat on the happy day of your wedding, a day I hope is sooner rather than later. I want to be there to see you two set the world afire.

With love,

Rarity

It took me a moment to realize that the greyish stains on the worn paper were my own tears, having crept unbidden as I found myself unable to restrain a smile. I had been so, so blessed to know these girls. To say such friends had been mine was a gift greater than I could ever imagine. From Applejack’s wisdom to Rarity’s counsel, Fluttershy’s warmth and Rainbow’s fiery spirit, and even Pinkie Pie’s limitless heart, I had come into the fold of people far better than I could ever hope to be.

I put on my handcrafted outfit, taking a few minutes to work the tie, and giving a sigh of satisfaction as the work came together at last. Rarity had designed it perfectly.

“Hey, Sunset, you ready yet?” I called out as I left her room. “I’ve got something to show you once you’re done-”

She was waiting for me in the living room, hands behind her back, a small smile that awaited my approval. It was a simple thing, just a pure-white one shoulder dress. There was a small amount of beading and embellishments along the bodice, giving way to a golden filigree pattern that wrapped around from front to back. The skirt was reminiscent of a time long forgotten, glistening white and leading into a beautiful sweeping train. Her hair was elegantly knotted in the back, leaving two bolts to fall past her ears, the crimson red clashing perfectly with her small gold earrings.

She was not pretty. She was not beautiful, she was more than even stunning. There were no words I could even possibly conjure to describe the angelic being that stood before me, this queen, this beauty, this goddess of fire and light… this girl that loved me.

“What do you think?” she asked.

My eyes were wide, my jaw slack as I stared at her in awe. “What do I think..?” I mumbled, “You… wow, you just… you are perfect, so unbelievably perfect… you are the most beautiful being alive!”

Sunset gave an embarrassed giggle and I rushed over to her, sweeping her off her feet and twirling her about, unable to hold back as I kissed her over and over again. “You are absolutely amazing! I’ve never seen anything so perfect in my life!” The two of us disappeared into another world, the one that was fully ours and ours alone, taking the briefest of time to lose ourselves in each other. I could hardly believe that this was the girl that I was going to marry someday.

“So what was it you wanted to show me?” Sunset asked breathlessly, after we had finally returned to the world. “You were saying something as you left my room.”

“Huh? Oh yeah, when I was changing… found this in my pocket, it’s a note from Rarity. She wrote something for the both of us.”

Sunset took the note from my hand and began to read, her eyes softening more and more with each line she read. However, after only a minute, she had to put it aside and she placed it gently on the table. “I can’t finish it! I can’t do it, not right now!”

“What? So you didn’t even get to the part where she talks to you?-”

“Don’t! If I keep reading I’m going to start crying and I worked way too long on my makeup to ruin it now! Let’s- what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

We were off like a shot, heading towards school where we’d agreed to meet up with the others, arriving far earlier than any of the others. We started joking about which of them would be first -I put money on Rainbow Dash, Sunset thought it’d be Pinkie Pie- and who’d be last, both of us agreeing it’d be Rarity.

“Do you know what Applejack’s been up to, to prepare for this?” she asked me. “I mean, you’ve been over there nearly every evening for the past week, you must have some idea.”

“Dunno, but she’s been working like mad in the barn to get it cleaned up. She and Big Mac won’t let me in to see it.”

“Come on, you expect me to believe you haven’t been trying to sneak a glimpse of it at all?” she said skeptically.

I shook my head. “Naw, nothing. I ain’t seen a thing, I kept my head down-”

“Oh, umm… I almost forgot,” Sunset cut through. “You… you look really good. I know you don’t like to get too dressy, but it’s a good look for you.”

It was something I hadn’t really heard before and it gave me pause. “Thanks,” I said, giving her what was probably a rather awkward smile. “Means a lot, coming from someone as pretty as you.”

She opened her mouth to say something else but became distracted by the sound of a car driving down the road. “Looks like we were both right,” she remarked. “Look who’s pulling in.”

Sure enough, it was a tie, Rainbow’s car with Pinkie riding shotgun. As the two stepped out, I wasn’t surprised in the least by what Pinkie was wearing -a bright pink dress with a skirt that fell a little below her knees- but Rainbow’s took me rather by surprise: a flattering red dress with a hi-low hem, giving her a more girlish, innocent look- a rather striking difference from how she usually was.

“Hey, you both look great!” I said, bracing myself as Pinkie Pie launched herself at me before going over to Sunset and positively raving at Sunset’s beauty.

Rainbow looked a little uncomfortable, her arms somewhat pinned across her chest. “I feel a little… exposed, y’know? I’ve never worn anything like this before,” she said quietly.

“Why not? It looks great on you!” I replied.

She gave me a fairly disbelieving look. “Really? You think so?”

“Yeah, of course!” I insisted, unable to hold back a grin as she began to turn pink and return with a smile of her own.

“I- well… thanks,” she said softly. She looked at me as if from a distance, taking her time to look me over. And said, “You- you look really nice- y’know…” before turning away from me.

AJ and Fluttershy arrived a minute or two later, the two girls pulling up in the farmgirl’s freshly polished pickup, obviously beautified for the occasion. And sure enough, as Sunset and I had guessed, Rarity was dead last, arriving a good fifteen minutes after anyone else, promptly apologizing for being “fashionably late, as always” as she put it. Part of me wondered if she’d done it to show off her own gown -a long, form-fitting gown that shone with sequined silver and shimmered like moonlight- but the thought disappeared as she caught sight of Sunset, nearly leaping straight out of her skin at the very sight of my beautiful girl. “You look absolutely amazing! Oh my heavens, it really does look perfect on you!”

Sunset walked over and pulled Rarity into a tight hug, whispering a few words into her ear. As the two girls embraced, Rarity’s gaze darted over to me and I mouthed the words “Thank you” for her to see. The smile I received in return was enough for me to know she understood.

We stood there a little while longer, enjoying each other’s company, marveling at Rarity’s handiwork a little while longer, before it all finally fell to silence. There we were, the seven of us together, for one last true hurrah before it all came to an end.

“Well… we ready to get going?” I asked finally.

“Let’s get this party started!” Pinkie cheered, a sentiment felt heartily all around. So off we went, heading downtown to an older section of town where we’d make our first stop. It was an old retro bowling alley that AJ and Fluttershy frequented on weekends, the visit actually being an idea of Flutters rather than the farmgirl. It’d been a rather quiet suggestion, so I think we’d taken her by surprise when we latched onto the idea so heartily.

“Uh… we did reserve a few lanes for ourselves, right?” AJ asked as we walked in, rather taken aback by the sizeable crowd that had come flocking to the place. It seemed we weren’t the only people with the idea, as dozens of teens and young adults had come to the place, including a few from Canterlot High that we recognized.

“Yeah, I booked ahead, I promise,” I assured her. “Pretty sure those two empty ones down near the end are ours, I’ll go ask.”

They were, and soon enough it became clear that somehow, in another ironic twist of fate, Fluttershy had us completely outclassed. The soft, quiet girl with a dress the deep green of the forest, had every single one of us utterly pegged. Try as I might, I wasn’t capable of coming close to her level of skill. Despite being close friends with her, even Rainbow had nothing on her.

“Ooh, that’s harsh- six,” I remarked, watching as Rainbow’s latest attempt resulted in another awkward split. “Need me to show you how it’s done?”

“Aren’t you dead last?” she fired back, pausing to look up at the scoreboard and noting that, yes, out of the entirety of the group, I was catastrophically horrible. “I may just be OK, but maybe I could show you a thing or two.”

“Eh, I gotta lose at something. Keeps the playing field fair,” I shrugged.

She gave a shake of her head, but her cheeks were a soft tinge of pink as she returned to finish off her split- succeeding with a stroke of sheer luck.

“Hey, is that- I thought it was you all!” I heard a voice behind me and saw Flash walking up behind us with a fairly sizeable group of guys and girls. “Wow, you all sure look dressed for the part,” he remarked as I shook his outstretched hand. “Bet your group is gonna make a splash tonight.”

“Ah, we got our own agenda for the night,” AJ replied nonchalantly. “Can’t say you look so bad yerself.”

Flash grinned and shrugged it aside, and the two groups, ours and his, began to mingle and relax. Other groups from school caught sight of us and soon began to join in, the comfortable atmosphere seeping through to every single one of us as we talked, laughed, and simply enjoyed one another’s company.

After enough time had passed AJ decided to call it, declaring that everything would be ready back at the farm. So we packed back in to our cars and headed south to the outskirts of town, arriving as the darkness had finally closed its grasp on the skies.

“So how’s it look in there?” I asked her as we approached the barn. “Been keeping secrets from me, I’ve noticed.”

AJ gave a friendly wink and a nudge. “Wait till you see what Big Mac’s done with the place, she said, walking forward and opening the doors.

“Whoa.” To say that she and her family had been working hard was an understatement, as it seemed the entire place had been made totally spotless and now oozed a beautiful, country style fit for an incredible night. The floor, usually covered in dust and straw, was clean as a whistle and the wood shone against the lights overhead. Some of the lighting were simple white Christmas lights that had been strung across the rafters and up some of the wall and pillars, while others hung in paper lanterns, adding a softness to the glow that was accentuated by a series of pure-white silk sheets. Topping it all off were a series of beautiful flowers kept in bell jars that sat near every entrance, near the corners of the roped-in dance floor, and one that topped the building’s only table, with a seat for each one of us.

AJ wasn’t arrogant, but she more a smile more smug than anything Rarity or Rainbow would even dare to attempt, grinning as the lot of us could do nothing more than gawk.

“And, uh… how much effort did you put into this?” Sunset finally managed.

“Oh… an entire day of sweepin’, another full day of cleanin’ the woodwork…” AJ crowed, “Hmm… Ah’d say another day of stringin’ up the lights, and probably another full day of getting the rest of the décor and fancies up. Not bad for jus’ me an Big Mac, ain’t it?”

“It’s absolutely AMAZING!” Pinkie shrieked, looking ready to positively pop out of her skin with euphoric delight. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I can’t believe it! It’s all so perfect and wonderful and incredible! It- it makes this partier just want to cry with happiness!” She gave a shudder and the rest of us took a few steps back in case she actually did cry, for Pinkie’s waterworks were more akin to the mythical and legendary. Instead, she gave a shriek of pure delight and rushed in, the rest of us following suit.

We sat down and marveled at AJ’s work for a little while longer until we could be sated no more, and our stomachs took over with a cry for sustenance. I got up to help AJ and the rest of her family bring in the dishes back to the barn, a task that took more trips than I dared would’ve expected. We had so much that we had to invite the rest of the Apple family in along with us, adding to the joy and merriment of the night with some of Granny’s stories from her childhood days and a few bits of silliness from Apple Bloom and her brother.

As the evening passed, AJ got up quietly from the table and walked over into the corner, disappearing from sight as suddenly, as if from every corner, the sounds of a country tune with an irresistible beat came bursting forth from the speakers hidden up in the rafters; a secret bonus that none of us had seen coming.

“It ain’t no kind of worthwhile party if there ain’t dancin’!” AJ said enthusiastically, beckoning us over to the dance floor. “Well c’mon then, let’s get started!”

The five songs that followed were ones unfamiliar to me, twanging love ballads and energetic, joyous songs that AJ had grown up with, she guiding us along in the footwork as we tried to follow along. With Rainbow on my left and Sunset on my right, I was right in the thick of it, feeling right at home in an element I’d enjoyed for years, even if the steps were new and unfamiliar.

We let the music quiet down for a time as we took a break, laughing along with one another, mixed with gentle teasing and fun that came among close friends. Rarity, definitely more suited to more modern tunes, had been hilarious to watch as we’d gone along, and could barely keep a smile off her own face.

Then abruptly, as if streaming straight from my own mind and into the speakers, the roaring sounds of a guitar hitting to the comfortable, familiar notes that spoke of home came bursting forth. I gave an absolute roar of delight, knowing AJ had picked it specifically for me, and I was up on my feet in a flash, grabbing Sunset’s hand and pulling her right onto the floor with me, letting the rhythm and flow of the song take her into the salsa right along with me.

The dance was something I’d known practically since I was a child, taught it by my mother who was a nigh unbeatable partner for the more classic works. Sunset wasn’t as experienced and though perhaps not as skilled as I, she took to it instantly and went right along with me, matching me step for step and note for note, the two of us coming together in perfect harmony as the notes reached their glorious crescendo, ending in one fluid motion as she entered my arms.

The music came to an end and our friends cheered, their first true glimpse of what I was capable of performing- and my very first glimpse of what Sunset could do! “Where did you learn that? You were amazing!” I said as we stood there. “I thought the only time I’d shown you that one was back on Valentine’s Day.”

“What, you think I’m going to marry a dancer and not practice on my own a little?” she replied mischievously. “Oh, you poor, sad soul…”
I gave a booming laugh and waited for the music to return again, ready for another number. She’d hidden it right under my nose…

The evening was perfect, a beautiful moment that was to be kept and treasured in our memories for the rest of our lives. We laughed, we talked, and danced the night away in our own personal haven. The farm had been where we’d always come when we were all together, and how fitting it was for it to be where we would have our greatest moment, our very last together. Whether it was AJ’s sisterly kinship, Rarity’s generous spirit, or any one of us, it didn’t matter. We were all there, together, as friends. And there was Sunset, sweet and beautiful and perfect as no one else in the world could be. From friend to crush, crush to girlfriend, girlfriend to my future bride, my sunshine girl…

As the night went on and crept closer to the waning hours of the day, our party finally began to come to an end. Rainbow and Fluttershy, who had been talking amongst one another for quite some time, were the first to leave. Rainbow paused at the door, turned around and waved us a goodbye, her gaze focusing on something distant- or right inside the barn, I couldn’t really tell which. Not much longer after, Rarity declared herself simply exhausted and in need of her beauty rest, taking down our number to four.

Soon it became almost a war of attrition between Sunset, me, and Pinkie Pie, who seemed determined to keep her status as the ultimate party machine. Unfortunately for her, due to coffee and late nights, we’d become quite accustomed to staying up late into the deep hours of the night, and as the darkness grew danker and full of moonlit shadows, she finally relented when we had to grab her to stop her from going face-first into her plate of ice cream.

“And then there were three,” AJ said with a smile, taking a moment to stretch herself out. “Sorry, you two but ah hardly think that ah’ll be leaving before y’all will- ah live here, thank you very much.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t keep you any longer, you must be exhausted after all the work you put into this,” Sunset said quickly, rising to her feet and beginning to stifle a yawn herself. “Do you need any help cleaning up?”

“You know she won’t say so,” I said cheekily, already beginning to gather plates. In less than fifteen minutes the table was clean and spotless, the lights turned off, and we said goodnight to our friend as she made her way into the farmhouse to head to bed.

We last two walked back to the car, taking a moment to look up at the stars and the glowing moon overhead, simply at ease and at peace with the world.

“It’s been a great ride, hasn’t it?” I asked. “Even after all we’ve been through, all the nuttiness…”

“It was unforgettable,” Sunset agreed. “And now I think I’m ready for the next big step.”

“It’s almost midnight,” I said, as I checked my phone. “Isn’t there something we’re forgetting here? An old fairy tale legend of sorts?”

“I think so. Maybe a small little one. Maybe a kiss to help break the spell?” Sunset said, drawing in close to me.

“And just how many do you think you’ll need?” I asked, putting my arms around her and bringing her in.

“Just… one…” she whispered.

Our lips met as the clock struck.

It was just like any other day. No different from any other morning. I woke as the alarm on my phone went off, rousing Sunset and I from a very deep, very welcome sleep. It had been late when we’d finally gone to bed, sometime deep into the late night. Now, instead of silvery streaks of moonlight, the bright rays of the morning sun came shining gloriously through. It was later than our usual wake-up time due to a different schedule this very last week of school, something we were grateful for. I moved particularly slow, cursing the fact that despite our best efforts, we had run out of coffee before the moving date. Beyond the tiredness and lack of caffeine, there was nothing different- it was just any other day.

“So, remind me why we need to go in today for just one period?” I asked as we drove along, heading to school for one of the very last times.

“We’re the senior class. Since we’re about to leave, we’ve got to go visit for a lecture with the homeroom teacher, which is Miss Cheerilee for you and me,” Sunset explained. “We go, we listen to her tell us how rehearsal is going to be, we sign for our graduation gowns, we go home. Simple, right?”

“Yeah, but feels a little unnecessary,” I remarked. “I mean, couldn’t they have handed us a paper on this back on Friday discussing this?”

“It’s just the way they do things. Besides, it’s a way for the staff to give us their own farewell.”

I shrugged, glancing outside as we drove along. It was a gorgeous day that sang of early summer, just like so many I had lived through before. The sun was shining, bright fluffy clouds dotted the sky, and promised a warm, comfortable day throughout.

“So, we’ve got this…” Sunset counted aloud, looking down at her fingers. “We’ve got rehearsal on Thursday, graduation’s the day after, and Saturday we get everything packed up. Come Sunday…”

“You and I are out of here and fading west,” I said, sounding a little brighter. “Jeez, hard to believe this is really it…”

We got to school a little earlier than usual, taking our seats in class and watching as the others eventually filed their way in. To no surprise to me, the rest of the group came in looking exhausted and a little disheveled from last night’s revelry, Rainbow in particular looking a little droopy. She darted a glance at me and mumbled a very quiet hello before taking her seat, almost instantly falling asleep.

Things perked up a bit once Miss Cheerilee came in, whether it be because she always seemed to brighten up the room or because she looked like she was going to cry. “I’m sorry, just… well, this is the last time I’ll be your teacher,” she said wetly, dabbing at her eyes. “It’s always a little hard to take.” Just as usual, she always held a deep attachment to her students.

She began to discuss the upcoming rehearsal, where it would be and what we would be expected to do, trying her very best to give it her usual verve when there was a knock on the door and another member of the faculty popped in- Professor Neigh, looking fairly haggard, if not alarmed. “Excuse me, Miss Cheerilee,” he said hurriedly. “You need to come here- right now.”

Miss Cheerilee looked at us, at Neigh, and back to us again before walking over. Professor Neigh began whispering into her ear immediately and our teacher’s face slid from confusion to great distress in a matter of seconds. She looked like she was set to open her mouth and speak when booming across the speakers came Principal Celestia’s voice saying, “All faculty and staff, please report to my office immediately. I repeat, report to my office immediately.”

Miss Cheerilee looked absolutely frantic now, but did her best to remain calm. Taking a deep breath, she gave us a smile and said, “Please remain here,” before dashing off with her colleague, leaving us alone in the classroom and very confused.

“Well, guess we’re not getting a full brief after all,” I remarked, rising from my seat.

“Don’t try leaving-”

“Oh come on, just stretching,” I protested, pushing my hands into the small of my back. “I promise you, I ain’t gonna miss these chairs, blasted things kill me every time I sit down. Hate ‘em.”

“What do you think that was even about, anyway?” one of the girls asked aloud, looking a little anxious. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Miss Cheerilee like that before. She doesn’t freak out like that.”

“You haven’t seen her lose it when someone fails a final,” replied Sandalwood with a shudder. “Remember, this is my second time taking this class.”

We talked amongst ourselves for a while as we waited for our teacher to return. A few minutes turned into five, five into ten, ten into the rest of the duration of the period until the bell finally rang, and still no Miss Cheerilee.

“Alright, that was worth my time,” I said sarcastically. “Thank you, Canterlot High, for wasting my time, cause I didn’t have better things to do. Come on, let’s go get some food off this place, I think they owe us one.”

We walked down the hall to the cafeteria, not really perturbed by the morning’s events. However, as we walked along, I noticed more than one person was frantically typing away on their phones, and more than a few making almost panicked calls.

“Does this seem… a little odd to you?” I asked Sunset, giving her a nudge.

She scrutinized one of the girls on her phone nearby, listening intently as the young teenager seemed on the verge of tears. “What on earth..? I hope she’s OK…”

“Keep it moving, keep it moving,” said a voice I recognized, and I looked up to see the janitor ushering everyone into the cafeteria- literally everyone, as it seemed the entire student body was heading straight for one central location.

“Hey, do you know what’s up?” I asked the group at large as we took our usual table, watching as more phones were opened, more calls made, more panicked and worried faces marred the crowd.

“Ah dunno, ah’ll try to call Big Mac and see what’s up,” AJ said, dialing up the number and then immediately setting it down. “The system’s down,” she said softly, looking perplexed. “Said that the network’s too busy…”

“It’s overloaded?”

“Guess so.”

“Turn on the TV’s! Someone turn it to the news!” said one of the staff, calling out to Granny Smith as more and more poured into the room.

I looked around me, feeling my heart begin to pound as I watched everything unfold. There was something very familiar about all this, a distant memory from when I was only a child of something very similar, a day just like this. A day when the whole world seemed completely at peace, completely normal, yet that spell was broken on a morning by something… a fall morning…

The sound of a scream shook me out of my reverie and I looked over at the source, finding it to be Rarity. She was utterly white, pale as a sheet as her purse fell from her hands and onto the floor below, her eyes glued to the TV before her. “Rarity, what in the… hell…”

I caught a glimpse of buildings, a pantheon of skyscrapers and towers soaring into the skies. Pillars of human might and strength, the streets dotted by soul after soul that traversed the world in the maddening rush of a city that they called home, their world, their time in the city that never sleeps. I saw peace and relaxation, I saw the normal freneticism.

And then I watched as an explosion tore apart the streets. As men, women and children were caught in the blast and disappeared from the very face of existence. And then another, and then another, and on and on it came in a horrible deluge as the camera tilted upwards to a massive aircraft soaring far overhead, bomb bay doors open and unleashing an unthinkable payload onto the streets below.

Sunset gave a horrified gasp as the footage continue, moving into an aerial shot above the city, the scene unfolding as two other aircraft were easily visible, moving across the city at a leisurely pace as they, too, unloaded their horrific weapons of war onto the unsuspecting citizenry that stood there like sitting ducks. “Oh… my God…”

Buildings fells. Streets exploded. Lives ended, all in the matter of a single instant. With each burst of fire and power, with each explosive that fell, an endless cacophony of fire and hatred and death that seemed to be utterly endless, a nightmare from a pit of Hell so deep and dark and horrible that not even the foulest of minds could have conceived it into being. I begged for it to stop. I pleaded. I screamed, my mind and my heart unable to withstand the onslaught of images that came before, relentless and cold and cruel as it just wouldn’t end…

“We’re reporting to you here, live from Manhattan, a city once known as the mightiest on earth- now a city devastated and decimated by an unthinkable act of aggression,” said an unseen reporter. “Little more than an hour ago, a series of explosions rocked this city as hidden explosive devices caused a panic unseen in over a decade, bringing to mind the horrible terror attack that occurred here all those years ago. Only minutes afterward, three aircraft appeared and attacked the city that never sleeps, delivering a payload that spanned the length of the island, sweeping across the entire city from Brooklyn to Queens. When the dust finally settled and the aircraft went back to where they came, they could finally be seen clearly, bearing the mark of the Crystal Empire. In the aftermath of the disaster, what has taken place here is now apparent for all to see:

We, as a nation, are now at war.”

So to you, I promise this

View Online

It was as if the world had ended. Time froze, hearts stopped, the only fragment of existence that remained were those last few words that spun their way from the TV and into my brain.

War. We were at war.

We sat there for hours. I lost track of time as the horror of what had just been done began to seep in. The room was full of panicked teens, the fear prevented from erupting into chaos by Principal Celestia and the rest of the staff. As time went on, family members would come by and find their child, taking them back home to endure the nightmare in privacy. More than a few made phone calls- too many went unanswered.

The seven of us eventually found our way back to Applejack’s farm where crowded around the TV, watching the reports come in and develop. Each update was a new revelation, a piercing of the heart with each new piece of information. Every time we thought that it could not get worse was only a crueler and more horrific moment. It was as if the bliss and peace of our endeavor last night had been a figment of our imaginations- a pleasant dream, only for us to wake up to the terrifying reality of a world at war.

We weren’t the only country to face an attack that day. Around seven in the evening, the station we were watching started reporting updates of other nations that had been struck: Birmingham in the UK, Munich in Germany, St. Petersburg in Russia, and numerous bombings and terror attacks across Europe and even into the Middle East and Africa. All had been perfectly sequenced, timed as if to an algorithm, making sure each country would be paying attention just enough to the first country to not have their security up. Distractions for when it was their turn…

“How’d they do it, though?” I asked finally, after hours of silence. “How’d they get in across the ocean and not get caught, how’d they bomb the biggest city in the country? It doesn’t make sense.”

“They think the Empire got help. An infiltration,” AJ replied. “You know who it’s gonna be, too.”

I nodded. Sure enough, as we continued to watch the story unfold, reports regarding the bombs that had caused the early panic began to seep in. they had been precisely placed in key areas across the island, ensuring that a large number of the city’s population had been out of doors and in the firing lanes. The bombers and the preceding explosions had all deliberately avoided news stations and the surrounding area, as if to make sure it would be seen and reported almost immediately. The bombing run itself, the positioning, oh so perfectly planned and mapped out by someone who knew that city by heart, who’d had connections and informants to keep themselves hidden.

“Something’s come in.” We all crept a little closer in to watch, as if somehow we would glean some new piece of information. We were on edge, we were afraid…

“And we have just received reports that there is indeed security footage of the explosion that rocked the Flatiron Building, only half an hour before the full-scale attack began,” said the reporter, a haggard man who looked exhausted. “The FBI has announced that they have not only discovered the perpetrator behind the bombing within the footage, but they have positively identified the suspect as international weapons dealer and terrorist known only as Discord.”

The report went on to discuss the man as a whole, detailing his numerous crimes and offenses against humanity in a spree of destruction and wholesale chaos that spanned decades, more than once showing a picture of the man. They discussed the manhunt that was now searching madly for the terrorist, there was a plea for information, possibilities of how he had escaped Manhattan- if he had escaped at all.

But I, I was focused solely on the face of the man who had aided in a massacre. I was entranced- no, terrified by the crazed look in his eyes, the burning delight that burned in him. It was as if, even in something as simple as a photograph was enough to reveal the bloodlust and hatred within that had twisted him so. It was horrifyingly, terrifyingly familiar, for I had once served a man just like him until only just a short time ago.

We all went back to our homes, silent as the dead that now lay scattered and torn across a broken city. Part of me prayed that if I could force myself to fall asleep, I would wake up and find it only to be a dream. Maybe, just maybe, this was only the most vivid, vibrant nightmare I had ever endured, and before me would be a new day in a normal life, a normal city in a normal world without this hideous day. But I didn’t fall asleep. I went and sat down on the couch and turned on the TV, watching the news spill in all night long, Sunset right beside me the entire time. She hadn’t spoken since morning, too horrified or too grieved for the need for words. She held onto me as if I were a lifeline, a place where she could find comfort in the midst of this storm. I was her pillar, leaving me nothing in the world to hold onto but myself. Never before had I wanted so badly to panic.

Night came and went, the sun rising and giving birth to the next day. The news had only gotten worse throughout the night, I awake and alive to see every bit of it. Where my stomach had once been was now a gong that was struck with each passing revelation, every nightmare.

King Sombra, ruler of the Crystal Empire, had declared open war against the Empire’s oppressors, and mass troop movements were occurring in a massive power grab. Iran, last-minute addition to the Empire, was headed west into Turkey, combining its efforts to overthrow the nation as Greece took on their bitter enemies via the eastern border. Russia’s western borders had been crippled and the nation was in free-fall as it struggled to push back invaders- invaders in Russian soil that held a furious grudge built upon centuries of hatred. Norway had all but collapsed as its neighbors pushed inward. Africa had been infiltrated through Spain and Italy had been forced to surrender. Germany and France were ablaze as the majority of the Empire pushed right towards them. The two nations were giving it their all, but the sheer force with which they had been struck was devastating.

And here we stood, reeling from a military strike on our soil unlike any that had come before it, watching as a continent on the other side of the world erupted with the fires of war. The stock market had crashed, there had been mass riots and looting across the country in the midst of the panic. Flights were still grounded, and would continue to be for another 24-hour period. We were a broken nation.

But we were already going to fight. Our installations in France, Germany and Great Britain were already mobilizing and preparing to deploy. Families were being sent back to their homes across the sea in case it came to a siege situation. AFRICOM had been given clearance to push northeast and fight back against the Empire’s surge. The UN had initiated a coalition force that would be spearheaded by our forces alongside Britain, Japan and Russia so as to initiate a defensive that would be able to hold the line and prevent further incursions by the Empire.

As the commercials began to roll, nearly the entire segment was made of recruitment commercials and Red Cross pleas for aid. The world had stopped, civilization had ended the moment Manhattan fell. As horrible as it was, the event had united us and made us pause for a moment. Or maybe, this was going to be the moment the world changed forever.

We were at war. Military forces all across the country, across the world, would now be called upon to fight and die in a war that, despite our great strength and ability, we still might not be able to win. The Crystal Empire had been named aptly for a reason, arising from poverty and a crushed history only to become a super-collective and the wealthiest nation on earth. 24 countries strong, a foothold in two continents thanks to its newest member, and a secrecy that had been maintained for decades. We were going to strike an enemy we did not know or understand head-on.

And Discord… those eyes flashed in my brain like a monster from deep in the darkness, that leering smile speaking of an endless madness and hate… the whole world was falling apart, thanks to his abilities and years of studying his enemies. He had watched, planned, and waited for so long, and when the right person had come along, when the Empire came knocking at his door, he had given them a foolproof plan that would unleash chaos. A massive manhunt, formed by a combined effort of the CIA and FBI, was now preparing to span the globe in search of the man and the network he had set up in governments and nations and kingdoms across the world. Whether it was his intention or not, Discord had made himself the most hated man in the world overnight.

I felt a rustling near me and I tore myself away from the screen to see a very groggy, very sickly Sunset rising from her place on the couch, having falling asleep sometime around four in the morning. She had tried to keep herself awake, tried to be there with me, but exhaustion had saved her from fear’s grasp and let her fade into the dreaming world where this awfulness could not reach her. “You’re still awake,” she mumbled weakly, looking dazed and sickly.

“I can’t sleep,” I said tersely, watching as the Army’s recruitment segment gave way to the Marines. The entire armed forces had been campaigning like mad with hastily slapped together campaigns since last night, each one begging for new recruits and additions to their ranks. There hadn’t been talk of a draft yet, but I was willing to bet one was coming. The sheer scope of the campaign before us, the reality that this would very likely be the most savage, most violent conflict in human history could not be comprehended. It was unlike anything we had ever seen before.

“Are you OK? You look awful,” Sunset said, putting her arms around me and nearly collapsing. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“It’s like watching the end of the world,” I whispered, reaching over and scrabbling for her hand. “It’s… it’s just… God help us, it’s going to be a bloodbath…”

Sunset sat there, resting her head on my shoulder as she tried to fully gain consciousness and some semblance of control. After about fifteen minutes, she said, “I’ll make us something to eat. That’ll help us feel a little better. When was the last time you ate?”

“AJ’s house.”

“Me too. I’ll make us some PB&J, maybe… maybe it’ll help… help a little…”

I heard her walk into the kitchen, taking a longer time than I ever would have guessed for her. There was the sound of cabinets being opened and silverware clinking together as she began to make the simple meal. But then there was silence.

Another Army commercial, followed by ads for the Air Force and the Navy. A Red Cross donation fund that we could call to give aid-

The sound of silverware striking against the floor and the sound of a sob tore me away from the screen for just a moment, enough for me to see Sunset collapse to the ground in tears. As I came over to comfort her, there was nothing I could say or do, and I simply let time pass as the two of us wept together.

“Why?” she final managed, her body heaving with her grief. “Why would someone do this… why would they want this, how can they? What does it gain, all this senseless death and misery and pain! They weren’t doing anything to them, both of them! They were just innocent people, they were just families and women and kids and- families!” she cried, a fresh wave of tears flowing from her ocean eyes. “There were families there, everywhere! And now they’re gone forever! How many people saw someone they loved leave and now they’re not coming back?! What if that had been one of our friends? What if that had been you? What if you’d walked out that door yesterday, and I never saw you again? What would make someone want this to happen?!”

I couldn’t possibly find an answer to such a question, leaving me no choice but to comfort her and let her cry herself dry.

She had been right, with every single word. Men. Women. Children. Young and old, sick and healthy, strong and weak, good and evil… bombs were indiscriminate, and they took no prisoners. All across the world fathers had died, mothers had cried, sons and daughters would forever be left wondering why their parents hadn’t come home, and all we could do now is simply ask why: Why would someone want to cause so much pain?

That same question was asked over and over again by dozens of talking heads, person after person discussing why the Crystal Empire had suddenly taken such violent actions across the globe, what had provoked them to such drastic measures. Some wondered whether it had been tension with its neighbors, old enmity that had been spawned from the previous century. Others claimed it was a power grab, an attempt to make the world recognize the Empire as a legitimate superpower, a single nation instead of many nations. But the more I watched, the more I came to my own conclusion: it just didn’t matter. It didn’t matter who, what, where, or why- all that mattered was people were dying.

Sunset went to bed early, her emotions having run her ragged and exhausting her. She had tried her hardest to stay awake with me as I continued to watch the beginnings of the war unfold, but well before midnight she was fast asleep, nestled in the corner of the couch. When the clock struck twelve and the new day had begun, I found myself being torn away from the chaos on the screen before me, and focused solely on her.

What do I do now? I wondered hopelessly, looking down on the girl I loved. God help me, what do I do now…

She was a small one, by most people’s standards. She would always have to get on her tiptoes to reach anything in the top shelves, though she often resorted to asking me to reach for her. I weighed more as a twelve year old than she did right now, easily evident by her slender frame. By most people’s estimations, Sunset was probably weak and fairly unassuming. But I knew otherwise, I’d seen as such. No weak woman could save my life. Whether it was her fire, her determination, or her hidden magic that gave her strength never mattered to me once- I hadn’t come to love her for what she could do or who she could be, I had come love her because of who she was and that had been enough. Together, my hand in hers, I’d been so certain we could overcome anything the world could throw at us. After all, she had taken down the man who had held this city in his clutches for decades. What could we not accomplish?

But everything had changed in an instant. The moment those bombs fell the illusion had been shattered, the veil pushed away and as much as I didn’t want to admit it, we were in over our heads. We were just kids, barely legal adults, in a world that rapidly descending into darkness. This was beyond either one of us, this was beyond anything any one man or woman could take- maybe even more than the whole world could ever possibly hope to comprehend. This was reality, this was war, and in war people lost their lives and would never return to the land of the living again. Not just the wicked, but good people, people who could make the world a better place, people whose lives were dedicated to making the sun shine a little brighter.

Sunset was one of those people. She was something more great and wonderful than I could ever have dreamed of being, capable of so much that she could easily be called a prodigy. Endlessly intelligent, fiercely determined, and possessing a love and compassion that had transformed my life a thousand times over. What… what would happen if she had been in Manhattan?

I lost myself in thought and I suddenly found myself in the hot, putrid miasma of the urban skyline. The endless metropolis lay out before me like a maze as the sky above burned and seared with fire and ash and smoke, the roaring sound of a massive engine soaring overhead. All I looked was black and red, not a single glimpse of light to pierce through the veil. People screamed, running to and fro to escape their impending doom. Buildings erupted in consuming clouds of debris and flames. The very streets burst forth like geysers as the world itself seemed to tear apart. I was trapped in an unfathomable terror, a snapshot from what surely must be Hell-

The clouds broke through as a sole beam of light managed to pierce through the dark, cutting through the sounds and sights and smells of war and descending onto the streets, only a few feet before me… revealing the figure of a girl I knew so well.

She bore the mantle of a goddess, her hair shimmering as if it were burning with the strength of the sun itself. Her dress was that of liquid fire, swirling and searing away at the inky blackness that threatened to overwhelm the world. Her beautiful eyes, bright as the sea on a sunny morning, blazed with purpose and a will that would make even the foulest of demons shudder. All eyes were drawn to her, that of the evil and of the benign. Hands reached out for her, believing that if they were to simply touch the hem of her clothing than they would be spared from this anguish. I rose from my place on the ground, rising up and stretching out my hand to meet her own, eager to be at her side through the darkness and fire-

A dread whistling sound split my ears and the sight of her was blocked by the massive form of a 2,000 pound bomb falling to earth right between us and everything was fire and pain as I felt my flesh sear away and dissolve into ash, but I cared not for the pain which I endured, but only that she had disappeared just as the flames had burst forth-

I rose from my place on the couch with such force that I sent the remote flying across the floor and slamming into the wall. My heart was racing like an Olympic sprinter and my entire body was soaked with a cold sweat that seemed to seep straight from my heart and soul. I felt a stirring next to me and I nearly leapt out of my skin- Sunset, disturbed by my sudden movements, had shifted on the couch in her sleep, curling up into a little ball.

No longer an angel of light. No liquid fire, no dress worthy of queens. Just a small, tired young woman in a t-shirt and her pair of her favorite jeans. So innocent, peaceful and vulnerable.

I felt ill. My body was encased in shivers and my mouth was dry. Taking as much care as I could not to wake her, I rose from my place on the couch and headed to the bathroom, locking the door behind me as I waited for illness to consume me. I took slow, deep breaths as my limbs struggled to hold my weight. I was an absolute wreck all because of a nightmare that had been all too real. I looked myself in the mirror, staring straight into the eyes of one who was no longer a child but not an adult. I looked pale and exhausted, sickly and fearful. I didn’t look like myself, I barely resembled a human being.

I stripped off my soaking wet clothes and jumped into the shower, letting the warm water soothe me into a more reasonable state. Soon my body ceased its trembling, my shallow, harried breaths became normalized and my heart rate slowed. But nothing could stop the feverish pacing of my panicked mind, still unable to answer the question that had tortured me into my dreams: what do I do now?

The world had changed. Forever. Our plans, our future, every single thing we had looked forward to with the hope of new life? Gone, destroyed the moment Manhattan had been struck. Our world was shattered and there was no way to pick up the pieces. The plan would have to change, whether we wanted to or not. It left us in a very undesirable situation, as we could not stay where we were, but we now had no visible plan of moving forward. To where would we go? What would we make of ourselves in this uncertain future? Could we even survive it at all?

The image of a statue flashed into my brain: The Wondercolt statue outside of school. Not just a mere statue, but a portal to another world, another place and time. Sunset had only spoken of it briefly, but she called it a peaceful land, fruitful and happy and bright, full of hope and laughter and life. It was a possibility right within our reach, only a short drive away. A short drive away, waiting for the proper moment for the portal to open, and off we would go into the land where the love of my life had been born. A land of monsters and beasts and magic and strength and ancient powers unseen in my world since its inception, yet a cornerstone in hers.

We could make a life there. We could be happy and free in a place like that, capable of living out our lives in happiness and peace. Sunset would be gifted with full use of her magic again, something I know she longed for. What I would be was entirely uncertain. Sunset had mentioned three different kinds of ponies- unicorns such as herself, winged ones known as pegasi, and the simple Earth pony. Where would I fit into that land? What would I become in a world that had never seen the likes of me before?

My mind was buzzing with the endless possibilities that lay before the two of us. A restored future, a land without war, without the memories of Jester and Discord and Sombra and all the pain and horror that we had been forced to endure. We could be free, truly and totally free! What were we waiting for, what was there to hold us back now..?

I walked into the living room where Sunset was still sleeping with the full intention of waking her and telling her my plan, of asking her to lead me into the kingdom she knew. My mind was racing with the possibilities ahead, my heart pounding once more-

The TV flickered again, switching from the continuous reports on the destruction of Manhattan to a different scene: an armed forces recruiting center, filled to the brim with applicants and overwhelming the staff. “With a state of emergency declared this afternoon by the president, the armed forces suddenly find themselves overflowing with new candidates, eager to enlist and help bring about a quicker end to the coming conflict. Many states reported severe traffic and several accidents around local recruiting centers, causing many local authorities to direct traffic and even assist in organizing what is quickly becoming a mass-enlistment movement as hundreds of men and women across the country heed the call to serve and protect the nation.”

The screen changed again, this time to a faraway installation where soldiers beyond counting were gathered together, saying goodbye to friends and family. Husbands, wives, daughters, sons, fathers and mothers were being left behind as scores of human lives prepared to disembark on a journey from which so many would not return.

It was a cycle. A cycle of death and pain and sorrow that would carry on to the next generation. Children would grieve over the parent they had lost, seeking out across the void for something to blame, something that would be held accountable for such an unspeakable act. They would find their culprit and that grief would turn to rage and hatred, and the bitterness between nations would simply start to rise again, greater and more terrible than before, and it would just start all over once more…

I looked down at my hand, gazing straight at my palm where so many years ago, a cruel and wicked man that I called my father took me to a place hidden away in the labyrinth of this city, forcing my hand onto a scalding hot brand and keeping me there, even as I screamed and howled in agony, the shrieks of a child doing nothing to stir his heart. It had been my seal, my first sacrifice to Jester, a madman who had killed and stolen and cheated and destroyed hundreds upon hundreds of lives through decades of history. I had been brought into his war and forged with the hatred and cruelty he had made into his lifeblood. I had become just like the ones I had feared that day, when I was just a small child: capable of unimaginable pain and wickedness, uncaring and unfeeling in regards to the consequences of my actions.

Now here it was happening again, this time on a global scale. Discord and King Sombra and Jester… they were all the same kind of man. Lovers of death and chaos and violence, murderers and thieves and tyrants that would be satisfied with nothing less than the destruction and domination of all who stood before them until there would be no good thing left in the world untouched by their cruelty. Just as Jester had left the world I knew, so Discord and Sombra had risen to the forefront of my consciousness. There would always be another Jester. There would always be wicked men who would hurt the world.

The ‘W’ mark on my palm almost seemed to shimmer in the darkness. I traced the outline with my fingers, feeling where metal had once seared so deep. It had been my only true penalty, if I were honest with myself. In the midst of a street war, all I had been forced to suffer was two stints in juvenile detention and a few injuries. I had lost no family, no friends, no good and right thing to the violence. I had been spared from far worse fates, thanks to the greatest and most beautiful thing to ever enter my life… the young woman who slept peacefully on the couch before me.

I remembered a blustery February day, one that truthfully hadn’t been so long ago. I remember how a little girl had come up to Sunset and spoke to her. I had been too focused on Sunset’s well-being that day to really pay attention, but now that I looked back I could remember that little girl’s smile because of Sunset’s kindness. Without even trying, with little confidence in herself, Sunset had given light to that young child’s life.

And to so many others across this city, Sunset, this girl of fire, had brought light and new life to so many. Whether it was with her kindness and endless forgiveness, her limitless compassion, the day she had fought back ancient monsters from another realm, or when she had stood tall against the most wicked man the West End had ever seen and brought freedom to an entire city… Sunset had left an indelible, unmistakable mark on the world, and nothing would be the same without her. She was one that this world desperately needed. It needed her wisdom, her will, and her warmth for so many reasons that they were too numerous to count- it needed her now, and when this war would finally come to an end as all wars do. It needed someone as kind, as loving, as gentle, someone as good… as her. It needed her for when there would be insurmountable grief, when anger burned and twisted reason, when darkness rose out from the black and needed to be struck back in a way the sword could never understand. She was light, a light on earth that the darkness could not hope to understand, for she had not been born of darkness. It could only fear and shudder at her presence, just as Jester had become ill and weakened because of her very existence. She had defeated the darkness simply because she was good.

I remembered an old proverb my mother had taught me, long ago when I was just a small child… Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends… here I stood, one who had been born of darkness and brought out by love greater than I had ever known, a love that wept over the lost souls she had never met. A love that had to be protected.

We had once promised each other something: an unswerving dedication to each other. To build each other up, to be held to a standard so as to make the other shine all the more brighter. A promise to do what was right and good. Despite my protests and my growing fears, against all that I wished to do, I knew the truth lay before me: I could not run from this fight. I could not flee when wicked men threatened to destroy the lives of so many, just as a wicked man had threatened to do with me. I had been spared from such a fate because of the actions of one person. Maybe, even though I was but a lone soul, I could do the same here and now.

I watched a local recruitment commercial, quickly jotting down notes for what I would need. I made a plan to talk to Manny first before I went, making sure I would be well-prepared for what would lie ahead. It was going to be dark and difficult, even in these early days, but the choice was clear: I couldn’t run now.

As I finalized a backpack full of papers and documents, I paused as I heard Sunset moan in her sleep, tossing and turning yet again. My heart clenched with dismay as I realized I had made her yet another promise, only a few short weeks ago: a promise to leave the fight behind. No more, I had sworn. No more violence, no more fight, but instead to lead a life of peace evermore. But here I was now, already preparing to break that promise in the hopes of seeing her through this nightmare safe and unharmed for the day when the world would need her touch.

“Baby, I am so sorry,” I whispered, setting down beside her and stroking my fingers through her hair. “I know you made me promise… I hope you’ll understand.”

Hey, had some stuff I had to do today, might be gone a while. See you when I’m done.

I couldn’t help but cringe when I sent the message, tossing my phone aside onto the empty passenger seat and trying my hardest to ignore the feelings of utter disgust I had over what I’d just done. I had snuck off early in the morning while she was still sleeping, leaving a $20 on the kitchen table so she could get some food. We didn’t have much left in the fridge, now that we had come so close to our departure.

I turned right and parked on the street, across from Manny’s gym. It would likely be the very last time I would ever enter this place, and I hated the reasons that had brought me here. But I knew I was doing the right thing, even if my methods were- well, abhorrent and sneaky and even downright dirty. I felt myself give a shudder and I knew I’d have to get this done before my resolve gave out.

As usual, he left the door unlocked whenever he was in. The place was still closed, and wouldn’t open for a couple of hours, so it was no surprise to find the place dimly lit, the only source of light filtering from his office doorway and one small light above the practice ring where Manny now stood.

He was dressed in full rattle, a rare sight even to me. His face was dripping sweat –how long had he been practicing?- and each blow and movement sent droplets flying. He was not the champion he had once been, but he was still the greatest fighter I had ever met. The burning concentration in his eyes, the accuracy of his strikes, the solid movement of his feet all spoke of a man who had spent a lifetime waging a war.

It struck me just how little I really knew about my old mentor. He didn’t keep any of the clippings from his professional career, he never spoke of his greatest fights or the goliaths he had toppled. He’d been married once, I knew that much- he kept the ring in a small box on his desk. He had been sent to prison, the numbers from his jacket framed on the wall, but not once had he told me why. He’d never bothered to tell me much of anything about himself at all. He’d always been focused on the task at hand, too occupied with his work and teaching his pupils. I wished I could have thought to ask him. Too late, now…

“You look like you’ve seen the land of the dead, mi ariete,” he said to me when I came walking up to the ring. “Haven’t been sleeping, I’ll bet.”

“Who can sleep nowadays?” I replied.

“You know the gym’s closed right now. Besides, you should be getting ready to go, you’ve only got a few days left.”

“Manny, you know why I’m here,” I said plainly. “I can’t be the only one who’s come by to talk to you.”

Manny gave a long sigh, rubbing a towel across his sweaty face. He suddenly looked old, decrepit even. “You’re probably the fifth,” he admitted, tossing the towel away. “Though most of them had far less to lose. Does she know you’re going to do this?”

“She doesn’t even know I’m here.”

Manny took pause at that. “Does she not want you to go?” he asked.

“Most likely. Odds are she’s gonna kill me.”

“Ooh, stupid, stupid, stupid,” he muttered darkly, hand across his brow. “You should’ve spoken with her first before coming here… are you sure of this?”

“I have to do this,” I said firmly. “There’s no other choice.”

“Don’t fool yourself, flubber. There’s always a choice. You didn’t have to come here, you didn’t have to seek me out. You could fade west, you can continue right on with your plan and go your merry little way, the two of you happily together and safe. You know that. So I’m going to ask you again, are you sure of this?”

I took my time to mull it over before giving one slow, measured nod. “Yes.”

“Alright, then,” Manny said sadly. “Let me see what you’ve got to make sure you have everything, and then we’ll head on down. There’s one on Taylorsville that’s not too far away, but odds are there’s going to be a ton of traffic, so let’s get hurrying…”

Forty minutes later I was sitting in a sterile government building, surrounded by men and women of all ages and races. Some looked even younger than me -my mind drifted back to the 40’s when so many boys had lied about their age so they could get in, was that happening again right before my eyes?- and others looked old enough to be one of these kids’ parents. I recognized a few faces every now and then, some from my old life that I had known in the West End, while a few more I knew from school. I saw a member of the school’s football team, a wide receiver we all called Thunderlane, sitting down with an old sergeant in the back rear. I recognized another being led into a room with a small computer –Brawly, I think was his name, but I wasn’t all too sure.

“Thanks for getting me here, Manny,” I said, tossing him my keys. “Can you keep it in a safe place for me until I’m done?”

“She’ll be waiting for ya once you’re free tomorrow,” he replied. “Be smart.”

Tomorrow? “Wait, tomorrow?” he had left before I could say anything, but I now felt more uncomfortable than ever. This was going to take me all day?

Sunset was going to kill me.

I was behind about five or six other guys who had arrived just a couple of minutes before me. I was warned by one of them that I’d be waiting a while, as they’d been there an hour already and still hadn’t been seen by one of the recruiters. Thankfully, one of the boys didn’t have all his correct paperwork and another was told right then and there that he would be found medically ineligible, so the process went as quick as it could.

She introduced herself as Sergeant First Class Namara, a former MP. She looked exhausted, mentioning that she had been working almost non-stop ever since the Manhattan attack. She seemed pretty happy that I had all my paperwork together in hand, and once she had me go through a quick questionnaire and medical checklist, I was told to wait with a group who’d already been cleared where I would be taken to a place called MEPS to begin the process. “You’ll only be completing the ASVAB today,” she told me. “Your enlistment check begins early next morning, so try to get some sleep at the hotel where you’ll be staying.”

I hope I didn’t visibly wince, as I hadn’t anticipated having to stay overnight. I had the sinking feeling I was digging myself deeper and deeper into a hole from which I wasn’t getting out of.

A couple of hours passed and I was downtown staying at the best hotel in the city with a group of about twenty other guys. I wasn’t really sure how to judge my ASVAB score, but my recruiter told me it was a fairly standard result. As long as I passed was good enough for me.

We were given a quick lecture outside before we had been brought into the hotel: no leaving the premises, no smoking, no drinking, no sex and so on. We were then brought upstairs and into a small room where we had to sign in. Just as I was putting my name down I heard a familiar voice say, “Thought ah saw you.”

“Big Mac!” The massive farmboy looked disproportionately out of place in this tiny room, even more so when taking into account his country looks against such an urban backdrop. I rushed over to him, giving the man a friendly whack on the back. “What- what are you doing here?”

“Same as you, by the looks of it,” he said. “Army?”

“Yeah, I only just got here… does- umm, does AJ know you’re here?”

“Eeyup,” he said with a nod, before looking down at me with suspicion. “Does Sunset know you’re here?”

My smile became strained and grew into a grimace as I realized there was no good way to answer that question. “Eehm…. Uh, well, uh- I… aw, hell…”

Big Mac took a deep breath and closed his eyes, leaving me anxiously awaiting his judgement. Finally, after what seemed like ages, he said tonelessly, “Ah ain’t the one to tell you what to do.”

“Thanks, Big Mac,” I said quietly, that horrible feeling of shame rising in me yet again. “Do me a favor… don’t tell anyone I’m here just yet. Let me be the one to say it.”

“Eeyup.”

We ended up rooming together, something I was thankful for. I’d been getting prodded with questions by the other guys I’d traveled with, and there was no such threat with Big Mac. I’d worked with him long enough now to know that he wouldn’t say anything.

Our dinner that night was quick and uncomfortable. We didn’t eat much, heading straight back to our room once we were done. We’d been warned we’d have to get up early- extremely early, so as to get some breakfast and get everyone over to MEPS. It would be a very long day, with no caffeine to help us through the ordeal. Thankfully, I was pretty tired from the stress of the last couple days and little sleep, so I had little difficulty slipping into the sheets and getting some rest-

My phone went off and Sunset’s number appeared on the screen. I let it ring a couple times as I had a mini-panic in my brain. I had no clue what to say, what to tell her, how was I going to pull this off-?

“Hey, beautiful girl,” I said hoarsely.

“Hey.” Her voice was soft and distant. Anxious. “Are… are you OK, are you doing OK?”

My mouth was dry. “Yeah, I’m fine, I’m fine. Don’t worry, I’m good. Sorry I’ve been so quiet all day, I’ve been busy.”

“I guess you must have been, you’ve been gone all day!” she sounded a bit more cheerful now. “I’ve missed you. It’s- it’s been bad on the news today and I’m- baby, I’m scared right now…”

“Don’t be scared, it’s going to be OK,” I quickly replied. “I promise, we’re going to be alright.”

“I know, I know. Just… I can’t believe this is happening right now. How can something like this happen?”

My mind flashed to a memory of Jester. “I wish I could tell you,” I said.

“So… so where are you right now? It’s getting pretty late,” she inquired, making my stomach fall to somewhere near my ankles.

“Uh…” I stole a glance over at Big Mac, who was getting up to go into the bathroom, taking great care to not slam the door. “Mom called me a bit ago, asked me to help her move some stuff around in her apartment. I’ll probably be pretty late, so just go to bed if you’re tired. Don’t wait up for me, OK? You haven’t been feeling your best the past couple days.”

“Alright, I will. Don’t be out too late, OK?”

“I promise,” I said, trying to ignore what felt like several small, sharp knives plunging themselves into my heart.

“Alright, I’ll let you go, tell your Mom I said ‘hi’ for me. Love you.”

“Will do. Love you,” I mumbled, putting down my phone and trying to hoist my stomach back into its proper position. I collapsed back onto the bed with a heaving sigh, somehow feeling completely empty yet full of shame. I’d just lied. Completely, totally, and utterly lied to her without a moment’s thought.

There would be no sleeping tonight.

The ride back to my car had been a silent one. Big Mac had been decent enough to give me a ride all the way back to Manny’s gym where my car awaited me in the back. When we arrived, I gave him a quick nod and left, watching as his battered pickup went sailing off back towards the outskirts of town. It would only be a few days until I would see him again. After all, we were both headed to the same place.

I looked down at my paperwork, having been told to keep it safe and secure for my return visit when I would be shipped off. I read the assignment: Fort Benning as a 19D- Cavalry Scout. A job that would be desperately needed to scope and secure the frontier of the war ahead, we were told. And one of the most dangerous jobs in the military.

I popped in my keys and headed back to the apartment, powering on my phone and throwing it aside. The moment the system began to function, the device erupted in a cacophony of vibrations and ring tones. I felt myself sinking into the seat as I knew full well it was Sunset. She was probably worried, wondering where I was and why I hadn’t responded to her at all. We’d been forced to surrender our phones the moment we’d begun the process, so even if I wanted to respond with any semblance of a reasonable explanation, there was no way I could have. For the first time in our relationship, I was afraid to see her. Afraid of what she would say, what she would do… worried that my decision would cost me her heart.

I pulled in to the parking lot of the apartment complex, grabbing my phone and looking at all that I had missed:

6:30- Where are you? I just woke up and you’re not home yet.

7:00- Please pick up, I’m getting worried.

7:15- Missed Call

7:20- I just called your Mom and she said she never saw you yesterday. WHERE ARE YOU?

8:30- PLEASE pick up.

9:00- Missed Call

9:15- Missed Call

9:25- Missed Call

I couldn’t bear to keep watching and threw the phone into my pocket, unable to stomach any further. I couldn’t imagine what was going to await me the moment I walked in that door. As I fished out the key, I took a deep breath and braced myself for the veritable assault that was sure to come.

She was sitting straight up on the couch, clutching her pillow like it was a lifeline, her phone practically glued to her ear as she talked. “Yes, I’ve been calling all day, there hasn’t been a single response- Yes, was supposed to be back last… Oh thank God!” She rushed me and threw her arms around me, enveloping me in a hug that I surely didn’t deserve. “Where were you?” she demanded, looking sweet-faced yet absolutely stricken. “I’ve been calling all morning- ever since I woke up and I saw you were still gone- I’ve been worried sick about you! I didn’t know where you were or what you were doing, I’ve been calling everyone like crazy to see if they knew anything… Don’t do that to me, please! Never, ever again! I was scared something had happened to you- maybe one of Wanyama’s old members had found you or something…”

My stomach was gone, eviscerated by guilt. I felt utterly hollow, giving a shudder as I knew the worst was yet to come. I took her arms from around my waist, slowly extracting myself from her grip. “I need to talk to you,” I said hoarsely.

She looked up at me, her relieved expression quickly reverting to one of concern. “You look… what’s wrong, what happened?” she said, cupping my face in her hands. “Tell me, please.”

I opened my mouth to speak and could only give a small squeak. I desperately, desperately didn’t want to do this but I had to- right here, right now. I led her over to the couch, sitting her down and taking a place in front of her. “Look, I need you to listen,” I said quietly. “I wasn’t over at my Mom’s last night. When I left yesterday morning I was headed over to Manny’s to get a ride to the recruiting station.”

“Recruiting station…” she gave a gasp and her eyes went wide as she put it together. “You- no-”

I went in for the full-plunge, confessing, “I went and joined the Army.”

The silence was thick, as impenetrable as cold hard steel, I kneeling on the floor before her as she became rigid like a statue. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, could barely even breathe. All she could do was stare at me in complete and total shock. “You did what?” she finally managed, her voice so small it was barely audible.

I nodded. “I know what you’re thinking, and I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to lie to you but I didn’t know how you’d react-”

“No.” She stood up before me, running her fingers through her hair madly. “There must- this is a joke. You’re playing some kind of really sick prank-”

“Babe I wish I was but this is the 100% truth. I went and signed up, I’ve been cleared and everything-”

“Then we get you out of it,” she said fiercely, a strange look overcoming her beautiful features. Not anger, not sadness, but something far, far worse. “There has to be a way out, you can’t- you can’t just-”

“I know you’re probably mad and this is a pretty big shock but please hear me out or else you won’t know-”

“No!” She insisted. “No, this is wrong, this is- you can’t just go do something like this, you can’t leave, there has to be a way to get you out of this!”

“I can’t, it’s too late. I’ve signed the contract, I’ve been sworn in. By order of the Army, I am to report to Fort Benning this coming Saturday.”

I opened my bag and handed her my orders, she recoiling when it fell into her hands. Carefully, as if worried it would come to life and attack, she took hold and read the words printed on one small sheet of white paper that now determined the course of my future.

Time passed and she said nothing, now beginning to grip the paper so tight it threatened to tear. I still stood there, waiting for her to do something, anything at all… “Please, I need you to listen to me-”

The punch came with such force that there was no way I could have ever prepared for it. it was a perfect hit, crashing into my jaw and hitting me so hard that I toppled and fell back hard, slamming into the ground and was left dazed. Towering above me was the small, petite young girl that had struck me, her whole body shaking with raw emotion. Her face was wracked as tears began to fall from her eyes, mouth quivering as reality threatened to overwhelm her and send her into a panic.

Suddenly those eyes of hers went ablaze. “How could you?!” she shrieked, finally losing control. “How could you do this to me?! I spent all day being afraid that something awful had happened to you and I FORCED myself to not think you were dead and gone- and this is what you go and do?! You sign up to go get yourself killed?!”

I had nothing I could say in reply, unable to muster a single word to my defense as I lay there watching as the love of my life broke before me. I would rather have been shot than to hear her scream like that.

“I spend every day thinking about you!” She carried on, her tears dripping down at my feet. “I get up every day and you are the first thing on my mind and every time you would get hurt it- it would tear me apart because I couldn’t stand to see you get hurt and I was so scared when Jester was going to kill you because I really and truly thought that was going to be it- I was actually going to lose you!”

“Sunset, I want to tell you what I was thinking but-”

“The day we went to visit your Mom in the hospital, and you promised your Mom that you’d put away the fight once and for all, I was so happy because I’d wanted you to be nothing but safe and happy and right beside me for the rest of our lives, and there you were- saying everything I wanted you to say, everything I believed you could be, were meant to be! And then you went and gave me that same promise, swearing to me that we wouldn’t let each other go and that we’d always be beside each other-”

“Sunset, I promise I can at least try to explain this-”

“And then we prepare for a future together, we start talking about raising a family, having the rest of our lives to be with one another- we bought an apartment together, we were going to move together and leave this place and leave our sins behind! And this- this is how you keep your promise? By breaking it in two right before me?”

“Sunset, please let me tell you just exactly-”

“Will you just listen to me!” she screamed, her voice reaching an octave strong enough to shatter glass. She was a broken mess, tears staining her cheeks and soaking the floor at her feet where I still lay helpless, unable to say or do a thing to console her. My beautiful sunshine girl, my best friend, love of my life, was broken and it was because of me…

“You- you lied to me,” she choked. “You went and lied and now what are we supposed to do? We’re supposed to move in three days! And instead of you being there right with me, you’re going to go off some place and get- you’re going to go to war, and- and-”

She gave a gut-wrenching cry and dashed off to her room, slamming the door behind her with such ferocity that it may very well have shook the building. May as well have just put a knife in my heart, too- what was left of it.

I’d done what I did because I loved her, because I was willing to pay whatever cost it took to keep her safe. Instead, I may have just made her irreparably, irrevocably heartbroken… and I right along with her.

She didn’t come out of her room all day. I waited outside her door for hours in the hopes that she’d let me say something to her. Anything at all that could be used as a chance to explain my actions- well, the few I could justify. There was no way I could overcome the fact that I had lied to her and betrayed her trust.

I couldn’t think of what to do. I’d gone and done what I knew to be right, but I had gone about it in such a horrible manner that I may have done something irrevocable. In the hopes of protecting the one I loved I may have instead spurned her away from me forever. I was terrified of the thought that I could genuinely lose her because of this. After all the time and effort we’d given one another, that my one choice would be the thing that tore us apart.

I couldn’t live with that. It was too much for me to take. I couldn’t go and do this if she was to cast me aside. I had to fix this. Sometime around midnight I tried knocking on her door, asking her to come out and talk to me. I didn’t get a single sound in response. After trying to illicit a response for about an hour, I gave up and wandered back to the couch, crashing and falling asleep within minutes. Nearly three days of endless stress and exhaustion was too much for me to take, even when I felt worse than death.

I don’t know how long I slept. I hadn’t really bothered to keep track of time since I’d returned. But instead of darkness the sun was shining through, the living room so it was likely sometime in the late morning. I felt wretched, the misery of the previous day settling in the pit of my stomach and festering like a virus. As I rose off the couch my head began to swim and as my vision blurred I was certain I was going to be sick-

I lost my equilibrium and fell to the floor, too tired and miserable to do anything but lay there and take it. I had never hated myself more than in that moment. I had tried to make a choice to protect the ones I loved and instead I had done something irrevocable- and I was too weak to even lift myself up off the floor! What kind of world needed me to be a soldier? This was all so wrong…

I forced myself to hold back tears. I couldn’t fall into self-defeat here, not now. It was too close, the moment where I’d have to be invincible was only a short time away. If I let myself break now, I’d never make it. But the only way I could mend was if I tried to talk to Sunset.

Slowly, each move made with great care, I got up to my feet and tried to stand, forcing my head to clear itself. Using the wall as a brace, I meandered on unsteady feet to her door and knocked. Nothing. Not a single sound.

“Sunset, please talk to me,” I said thinly. “I know you’re angry with me, but please let me talk to you so I can at least explain why.”

I thought I heard the rustling of sheets but it was a sound so faint that I couldn’t be sure. Just like yesterday, not a single way to know she was even listening.

I took a deep breath. “Sunset…” my voice threatened to break. “Sunset, please… I need you to talk to me. I- I can’t really understand what you’re going through but I need to hear from you. I can’t do it if this is how we end… I, I don’t want to do this, I promise. I don’t want to leave you…”

That door opened so fast that I nearly lost my balance. She was a complete wreck, her hair frazzled, black circles around her eyes and face stained red from tears. But worst was her eyes, possessing a pained and fearful look gained only through seeing a nightmare.

“You need to tell me why,” she said shakily. “Why did you go without even telling me, why did you blatantly lie to me?”

My mouth and opened and closed as I tried to say something, anything- “I, I- Sunset, please… I wasn’t trying to hurt you, I- I was scared a-a-and, I was worried and I had to do something but I didn’t know what to do and…” I forced myself to take a series of deep breaths in the hopes of regaining my composure.

“Why did you lie to me?” she pressed. “You promised me you were going to leave it behind.”

“And I want to, I want to so bad,” I insisted. “I don’t want to go do this, I don’t want to leave you at all but I can’t just- just sit here and do nothing at all, I have to go!”

“No you don’t!” she pleaded, putting her arms around me and pulling me towards her. “You don’t have to go and fight, it doesn’t have to be you! Let it fall to someone else- don’t go! We can run away from this, we can get away and be free!”

“I- I can’t do that, you know I can’t! We promised each other that we’d push each other to do the right thing and- and- and- that’s what we do! I can’t go back and be that kind of person anymore! I can’t let it happen again!”

“Let what happen again?”

“Discord and- and Sombra, they’re… they’re no different from Jester, right?” I said, absolutely struggling to hold it together. “Jester was cruel and wicked and foul and monstrous and so many people died because of him and there I was when I could’ve done something to stop him but I didn’t! I- I can’t just- when I saw Discord’s face all I could see was the man who’d- killed and- and destroyed everything he touched and I thought that it’s just happening all over again- Jester, and- and Discord and Sombra, they’re just- there’s always gonna be people like them and they’ll destroy everything unless someone stops them, and I c-can’t just stand by and do nothing anymore!”

Sunset couldn’t look at me, her face scrunching up as though she was swallowing a bitter pill. “Then that settles it,” she sputtered. “I’m in. I’m going with you.”

Absolute horror. “No. You can’t!”

“I’m not going to leave you, I won’t let you!”

“And I won’t let you!” I insisted. “You can’t go!”

“And why not?!” she demanded, a fresh wave of tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. “Why do I have to stand by- I can’t just wait like some weak helpless little girl for you to leave and then never come back-”

“I can’t see you get hurt,” I said fiercely. “Sunset, Manhattan was the worst thing I’ve ever seen and- and I started dreaming and having nightmares of what could’ve happened if that had been you- what if that had been you? If you’d been hurt or –God forbid you were killed- you saw what happened when my Mom got shot, what if that had been you?” I could feel a stinging sensation in the corner of my eyes. “Sunset, you- you are so special and amazing and I will never meet another person like you, and there are so many people out there who need you whole and safe and happy and if I just stand- or- or run, then I’ve never changed at all!”

“You don’t have to go!” she insisted. “You don’t have to- to pay for your mistakes, your sins, any of it- you’re not who you were anymore, you don’t have to go and try to prove it!” She looked me straight in the eye. “Please, stay with me. Stay with me and leave this behind forever.”

“Sunset…” I struggled for what I had to say, each word like a shard of glass. “Don’t ask me to be someone I’m not. You and I swore we would push each other to do the right thing- don’t turn back on that promise now.”

Silence fell between us, both our arguments having come to their end. Sunset’s head dipped and she buried her face in her hands, falling back against the wall and slowly slipping down to the ground, unable or unwilling to face me.

I collapsed right with her, laying down across from her. I didn’t dare put a hand on her- my mind drifted back to when she had been overwhelmed by Octavia’s bullying and I knew I couldn’t force this. I couldn’t force a response out of her, I couldn’t make her agree with me, and I couldn’t end this whenever I wanted to. The choice of what to do next belonged to her and her alone.

“Sunset…” I began, “I’m terrified. I’m scared of what this world could do to you, and the thought just- dammit, I can’t bear to lose you. I’m sorry I lied, and I am so sorry I broke my promise. I wanted to keep it- I wanted to walk away from all this awfulness once and for all, but I can’t keep that promise and still do the right thing. I was… afraid that if I told you… I was afraid I’d lose my nerve and I wouldn’t be able to follow through because you’d try to talk me out of it and all I want for you is to be happy and I wouldn’t be able to stand seeing you so scared and upset so I had to wait until it was done for me to say anything.

I don’t wanna go. I’m scared of dying, but the thought of losing you is- Sunset, it’s something I can’t stand. So I’ll throw myself into the dark and I’ll fight one last time- if that’s what it takes to keep you safe.”

She said nothing, tightening herself into a ball in the corner. If she had listened to my words she gave no indication of it.

“I’m going to go, for now,” I said, rising to my feet and grabbing my keys off the coffee table. “I’ll let you be alone, if that’s what you want.”

I closed the front door and headed down to the car, getting in and driving off with no real purpose or destination. I drove simply to drive, no plan or hope or future left but the battlefield ahead. I ran a few red lights, went darting past more than a couple stop signs and probably flirted with death far more than I should have. Strange that I should be so careless when my goal was to preserve life, not extinguish it.

I eventually came to notice that I was heading away from the center of the city and towards the outskirts of town, urban giving way to suburban, and eventually to green farmland- I was heading down the road that led to Sweet Apple Acres. Apparently my mind had intertwined the farmgirl so tightly with aid that I was instinctively led to the place when I was upset. I soon came upon the address and began to wind my way down their driveway, coming to a halt beside the barn.

There was little activity on the property. The usual menagerie of animals and frenetic work by the farmhands was absent, as if the farmland was already in mourning, grieving the departure of its quiet, steady young man. I noticed another car was parked next to the porch- Rainbow Dash was here, presumably to see AJ about something. I could hear a grunting noise coming from inside the barn, so I pushed open the door to see Big Mac hard at work, tossing hay bales into a pile in the back corner.

“Hey, Big Mac,” I said, walking up next to him.

“Eeyup.”

I tried to make some semblance of conversation. “What’re- what’re you doing?”

“Tossing hay bales,” he answered.

“Yeah. Yeah…”

He eyed me for a few seconds before grabbing a nearby bale and tossing it at my feet. “Wouldn’t mind an extra hand,” he said.

Suddenly I had the great desire to join right in. “Sure. Yeah, I think I will,” I said, hoisting the heavy bale and tossing onto the growing pile.

We worked for a few hours, stacking the pile so high that it threatened to breach the roof. It was mundane, dirty work and the two of us were red-faced and sweaty when we were done. But it had been a welcome distraction and I’m sure Big Mac knew that.

“Welp… thanks,” he said, turning around and heading back for the farmhouse. As I turned to join him, I saw the familiar figure of a farmgirl I knew so well; Stetson draped across her brow, her boots polished until they shone, same faded denim skirt. Her brother paused at the doorway, AJ giving him a small squeeze of his arm before he headed off, turning into the house and disappearing.

“He told me you’d been there soon as he got back,” she said. “Said you were worried about Sunset.”

I nodded. As usual, she already seemed to know the whole story before I had even said a single word. I decided that this time, it was her turn to speak.

“Apple Bloom’s real upset, too,” she continued. “Big Mac was always looking after her when we were young. We’ve… well, we’ve always been together. And now we’re not goin’ to be. It’s hard to take, ah guess.”

“How’s Granny taking it? How’re you taking it?” I asked.

We walked out into the open air, heading for the front porch. “Granny’s been pretty quiet about it, but she’s stronger than she looks. She’ll be OK. Rainbow’s here to visit for a bit, so ah think a little distraction was just what Granny needed.”

“Why is Rainbow here? She OK?”

Applejack hesitated, stealing a quick glance at me. “She’s been a bit outta sorts the past couple days. Been arguin’ with Fluttershy and Rarity off an’ on. She came to ask me for help ‘bout something- she’ll be fine, don’t worry yourself none. You got other things to think about.”

“AJ… really, how are you doing?” I asked.

She gave a long, whispy sigh and sank onto the steps of the porch. “Ah wish he didn’t have to go,” she answered. “Ah wish you didn’t have to, either. But ah know why you’re leavin’. It’s just… this is really it. This is really happenin’.”

“I wish we didn’t have to go,” I replied. “I wish I didn’t have to leave, but- but…”

“You don’t have to explain it to me none, sugarcube,” AJ replied gently. “Just know ah’m proud of you. You never would’a done this when we first met.”

We sat there in silence, watching the clouds drift past. It was probably the last time we would ever do this. Our last time to simply be friends, to enjoy one another’s company. It was a beautiful day for it.

“Ah wish it didn’t have to be this way,” she said sadly, her expression forlorn. “Ah hate that things gotta be this way. Ah’ve helped fight monsters, ah’ve gone through grief and sadness and pain, but ah’d take that all over again if it meant the world didn’t have to be such a mess.” She gave a sigh. “But it is… so ah know that this is what’s gotta be done. We always gotta do the next right thing… right?”

I nodded. “It was good while it lasted, AJ… thanks for everything. You were my best friend.”

“You were family,” she said simply, putting her arms around me and giving me a kiss on the cheek. “Ah love ya. You were mah kin, just as good as Big Mac and Apple Bloom.”

Oh, how good it had been. We’ been friends, we’d laughed, we’d cried, seen some crazy things happen in the world. She was, in many ways, my first true friend that I had ever known. I couldn’t begin to put it into words.

“You come by and visit whenever you can, y’hear?” she said. “Keep in touch as much as ya can, we’ll always be glad to hear from you.”

“You got it, sister,” I assured her. “See you around.”

Applejack gave me one last hug before retreating back into her home, strolling past a rainbow-haired girl who apparently had been lurking behind us.

“Hey, Rainbow,” I greeted.

“Hey,” she said nervously, tugging at the sleeves of her shirt. “I just- I just wanted to say…” she looked distinctly uncomfortable, on edge and unhappy. “I know that you’re- I know I shouldn’t be- I wish that inst- instead… I just… wanted to say…”

She made a move towards me and instantly took it back, retreating back into herself. “Goodbye,” she mustered, her head hanging as she gave up and returned to the farmhouse where her friend waited. I would’ve sworn she looked back at me one last time before she disappeared.

I stalled my return to the apartment for an hour or two longer, taking in my city for one last time in all its fullness. It had been the sight of so many ups and downs that there weren’t enough books in the world to write them all down. First loves, first heartbreaks, challenges and struggles and fights and victories that had meant the world- and now I was to leave this place behind forever. I’d been looking forward to the day when I would depart. Sunset and I had been hoping for it for weeks now, but it wasn’t supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be happy, we were supposed to be beside one another as we made the journey as one. Instead, she would be saying goodbye as I made my own journey to the most dangerous places on earth in the hopes that somehow we’d find a way to stop a pair of madmen from destroying everything left.

The sun was beginning to fall beyond the horizon when I finally returned, pulling into the parking lot and heading back up the stairs to the place where I’d come to make my home. I knocked on the front door before entering- I had the key, but if she still wanted to avoid me, I wanted to give her that right.

The TV was off when I came back in. It had been on constantly since the attack, so she must have taken the effort to turn it off herself. Maybe now with me heading to war myself she couldn’t stand to listen any longer. However, Sunset herself was nowhere in sight.

Her bedroom was empty, the bathroom door shut and the lights on. She’d at least moved. I felt a little better when I saw the kitchen sink had a few dishes in it, so she must’ve eaten, too. I was beginning to get worried, it’d been a while since I’d seen her eat. Feeling the gnawing sensation of hunger myself, I grabbed some bread for a sandwich and began to eat, trying to fill the void in my stomach. I was going to need whatever I could get in the days ahead.

I took my usual place on the couch, leaving the TV remote untouched. I didn’t need to hear anymore or see anymore. Soon, I would be there myself watching it unfold. I would be taking part in the conflict- for however long I didn’t know. I had to face reality, people died in war. This was a scale of warfare we hadn’t seen in decades, this could be something the like of which we’d never see again, and the likelihood… that I would be coming back was- it was small…

I turned to ice and the last remains of my sandwich fell to the floor- I right along with it. My breathing intensified, becoming rapid and shallow as I tried to gain control of myself. But with each passing moment I became more unhinged, more stunted by terror of the unknown, of the nightmare that lay ahead-

God in heaven, I could die! It didn’t even have to take long! The very first step I could take in battle could be my very last with the help of a single bullet! Gone would be my promise to protect Sunset and everyone else I was leaving behind, and there she’d be left alone in a world that was tearing itself apart, free and ready to destroy everything that made her truly beautiful and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it! I couldn’t do this, what was I thinking? How could I protect anyone in a world like this-!

“Don’t, please! You’re going to hurt yourself!” Sunset’s voice came across a great distance, the feeling of her hands wrapping around my wrists more akin to the kiss of the wind. “Breathe, in and out. You’re going to collapse if you don’t try to calm down.”

I could see the carnage ahead, spread out before me like the haunted wastes of No-Man’s Land. Corpses littered the ground in pieces and fragments, horrible stains across the muddy battlefield. There was no sunlight, there was nothing green, nothing even alive in a land ruled by the dead-

“Don’t listen to whatever’s whispering in your ear! You’re stronger than it!” Sunset called. “You are so much stronger than it, I promise you! Don’t listen for even a moment!”

The wastelands darkened skies began to rupture as sunlight broke through the clouds, searing the ground below and calling out for the life that lay tucked beneath the miasma of death and destruction, beckoning for the world to rise again…

“That’s it. Don’t listen to anything but me! Don’t let it beat you- keep fighting!”

Slowly, surely, the clouds began to dissipate, unable to withstand the rays of the sun that pushed through and tore away at the darkness, filling the void with its life and power until…

Until all I could see was the worried eyes of a beautiful young girl sitting before me, her eyes full of fire and concern and her hands reaching up to stroke my face and bring my cold body back to life, back from where it had once been. “Come back to me,” she whispered, leaning in and leaving a most gentle kiss on my lips, letting her warmth fill me and set my soul afire. Whatever fears and inhibitions had claimed me were destroyed in the moments her lips met mine, I unable to focus on anything but the softness of her skin and the feel of her hands on my face, because there was nothing on this earth more important to me than the life that knelt before me, the girl who had given me her love…

“I don’t want to go,” I said as we broke apart. “I don’t wanna do this, I can’t do this I can’t- I’m not good enough, not strong enough or brave enough and I don’t want to let you go…”

“Shh,” Sunset whispered, taking a seat on my lap and wrapping me in her arms. “Don’t… don’t believe it, even for a moment. Do you hear me? Don’t you ever let someone lie to you like that again.”

“Sunset, I am- I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to leave,” I said in a mad rush. “I don’t want to go but I have to and I am terrified-”

“I know. I know because I am, too.” She looked straight at me, her eyes stained with sorrow yet so full of light and love that it brought my heart to a standstill. “I’m scared that I’m going to lose you.” She gave a soft, sad smile, unable to find words to comfort her or I. We were together, but we couldn’t ignore the fact that we were just two kids in a big wide world at war. Reality could be incredible- we were living proof of just how good life could be! But it could also be cruel, cold, and it did not discriminate. At any moment it could end. Neither of us were ready for that moment.

“I love you,” she said sadly. “I love you so much that I’d give up everything I ever had if it mean I could be with you for just a moment longer in this life. I could spend my entire life searching… but I’d never find someone like you. Because you and I… we were always meant to find each other. To build each other up, to push ourselves to be better. And now, here you are, one who was strong enough to leave the darkness behind… you make the choice to take a stand against it, and do what so many people could never do in their whole lives.

Don’t ever tell me you aren’t brave, that you aren’t good enough or strong enough, because I’ve watched you be just that so many times over. You are good, you are brave, and stronger than anyone I have ever met, so don’t doubt yourself now. You and me? We’re going to change the world someday.”

I ran my fingers through her hair, wanting to feel it again, to know that she was mine. She had traveled across worlds, fought against monsters and devils, had defeated her own doubts and weaknesses and brought down the man who had held a city captive. And here she was, willing to reject her home, her security and her safety… for me.

“I’m going to ask you something,” she said, looking me dead in the eye. “It’s stupid and crazy and unreasonable but I need to ask it anyway so I can hear it from you.”

“Anything,” I choked.

“Promise me… Promise me that you will always come back to me. That you won’t quit, or give up or give in to despair. That every day you will give it your all and that even when it looks like the end that you won’t believe it, even for a moment! You will believe in yourself like I believe in you, and when this war is over you will come home! You will come back to me and we’ll be together and you will put down your sword once and for all. Promise me that.”

“You have my word, my beautiful sunshine girl,” I said fervently.

“Then this is what I promise you,” she said fiercely. “I’m going to wait for you, for as long as it takes. I will be there for you every step of the way encouraging you, supporting you and helping you stay strong. I will be there when you say you can’t take anymore because there’s going to be times when you just can’t bear it, and I’ll be right there to help you stand underneath it. When the world feels like it’s ending, when you think you can’t do it, always know that I believe in you and I will not abandon you. Whichever world you call home, that is my home too! I will be there to help you pick up the pieces, to stand strong and no matter what I will always, always love you, and there is nothing in heaven, earth or hell that will ever be able to change that.”

We fell into each other’s arms, crying and laughing into one another’s arms. We were a hopeless, helpless wreck of emotions, unable to say anything remotely intelligible as we lay there. We were foolish, clumsy, mistake-prone and emotional, but we were devoted to each other, no matter the consequences. In this crazy, upside-down world full of violence and cruelty and sin and vice, we had somehow crawled out of the wreckage and found one another, and neither of us would let go. We could search the ends of the earth, live the span of a thousand lifetimes, but I knew I would never find someone like her again. No matter what lay ahead, no matter what highs or lows, what heavens or hells awaited, we would find each other. Across seas deserts, battlefields and cities and worlds, we would find each other.

I had a long, difficult, and dangerous road ahead of me. But I would fight to the end, to make this madness come to a close, and find some way to bring peace to the place I called home.

And no matter what, she would be there waiting for me… until the end.

She's Gonna Kill Me!

by Echo 27

It wasn't on purpose, I promise!

But we kept Running into Each Other

Even if we weren’t perfect

So we tried being friends

It took a while

And we truly got along

But then we found out

It was so much more than that

And as I gave my heart to you

So you gave your heart to me

We let love start small

Though we didn't know what we were doing

Sometimes it was Easy

And sometimes we struggled

But we always came back to each other

And in my darkest moment

When I nearly lost my soul

Your love alone pulled me through

We grew stronger through each other

You made my life a little brighter

So to you, I promise this

I will always return