> If These Scars Could Speak
>  by PanHead 537
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Author's Message
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


> Chapter I: Better Place
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

No student parking in the faculty lot.

I've got a yearbook delivery for Best Gardener!

A yearbook president never reveals her secrets!



The sun was shining bright over Canterlot High. The birds were singing, a gentle breeze was blowing through the trees, and there was not a cloud in sight. But none of that mattered to Sunset Shimmer as she walked through the crowded halls of the school. A few weeks ago, she was met with nothing but sour faces due to everyone's memories of her getting erased by the Memory Stone. But now, she was once again greeted with a warm smile from everyone she passed. She was happy to put those few weeks in the back of her mind.

There really is no better place than CHS. she thought, smiling to herself.

"Hi, Sunset!" Lyra Heartstrings called.

"Hey, Lyra!" Sunset replied, giving the green girl a wave. 

"Yo, Sunset! What's up?" Sandalwood said, smiling.

"Oh, not much," she replied, giving him a wink. "Have a nice day!"

Everyone's in a good mood today. she thought. Never anything wrong with that.

Turning a corner, she made her way to her locker. Opening it, she checked a note she had taped on the inside of the door.

"Oh, yeah," she said to herself. "I have Yearbook Club with the girls today. Almost forgot."

She reached in and grabbed a blank photo album and a large package of printer paper, then closed the door. She turned to start the short walk to the club room but stopped short to avoid bumping into Trixie.

"Oh! Hi, Trixie! Didn't see you there."

"Why, hello there, Sunset," Trixie answered, giving her hair a little flip. "How are things with you?"

"A whole lot better now that the Memory Stone is gone," Sunset replied. "Everyone remembers me, you got your poster in the yearbook, and everything's... well, just normal."

Trixie smiled.

"Well, that's always nice to hear. After all, the Great and Powerful Trrrrixie had quite a hand in that!" she said, quickly striking a dramatic pose.

"By the way, you still never told me exactly how my poster got in the yearbook."

Sunset shook her head playfully.

"I told you, Trixie... a yearbook president never reveals her secrets."

"Very well, then," Trixie replied before walking away with swagger in her step. Sunset rolled her eyes and smirked.

Classic Trixie. She never changes. she thought as she began walking again. As she walked, she looked around the halls at the other students getting their class materials from their lockers. Then out of nowhere, she felt a sudden feeling of confusion come over her.

Hmm. Why am I feeling like this? Eh, probably nothing.

Shrugging, she continued on. Eventually reaching the door to the club room, she turned the handle and stepped in. Closing the door behind her, her eyes fell upon the computer lab. A row of desktop computers lined the left and back walls. A blackboard was attached to the right wall and a copier sat in the far corner. A large desk and two tables lined the middle of the room. Seated around one of the tables were the rest of her friends. Hearing the door close, Twilight Sparkle turned towards her friend.

"Sunset! There you are!" she said, standing up from her seat.

"Hi, girls! Sorry I'm late. Class fell a bit behind."

"Oh, pish posh, darling," Rarity answered, waving her hand. "You're not late at all."

"Just fashionably late!" Pinkie Pie said, winking at Rarity. Rarity rolled her eyes.

"Nice one, Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash laughed.

"Wow," Sunset said, smiling at her friends. "Is it just me or is it the weather? Because everyone's in a really good mood today."

"Who cares?!" Pinkie said, giggling. "A smile brightens everyone's day!"

"Pinkie, you'd be smiling even if there was a tornado about to plow through this place," Rainbow said, trying not to laugh.

"Alright, y'all," Applejack said, rolling her eyes playfully. "We got work to do. Did ya get all the stuff we needed, Sunset?"

"Yes, I did," Sunset answered, holding up the photo album and printer paper. "But can we get started now? This stuff is about to fall out of my hands."

"Well, no time like the present," Twilight answered.

The girls stood up from the table and took their seats in front of the computers. As they did, Fluttershy let out a long sigh.

"Ya okay, sugar cube?" Applejack asked.

"I- I'm fine," Fluttershy said. "It's just... I don't know why Principal Celestia told us to start making the yearbook for next year."

"I know," Rainbow said, opening a photo editing program. "It seems like a waste of time. And summer break starts this Friday."

"Well, it never hurts to be prepared, darling," Rarity said. "Besides, we're only deciding on what the book's cover is going to look like next year."

"Yeah," Rainbow said. "But didn't Principal Celestia say to make a few pages as templates?"

"She did," Twilight answered. "Sunset, did you bring your flash drive?"

Sunset nodded and placed it in front of her keyboard.

"I can work on the pages if you girls want me to," she said.

Rainbow turned to Sunset with a glare.

"Fine, but I swear, if you put our photo next to Bulk Biceps again, you'll regret it!"

Sunset rolled her eyes.

"Okay. If it makes you happy, I won't."

"You better leave yourself a note in case you forget," Rainbow said under her breath.

Turning back to her computer, Sunset clicked on the "Files" tab. The window popped open and revealed the folders of material made by previous students. Clicking on the "Student Photos" folder, she cycled through each photo, writing down each name as she went. Randomly selecting a handful of images, she transferred them to her USB drive. She closed the window and opened a yearbook outline program. She selected one photo at random and attached it to the page. Suddenly, the feeling of confusion she'd felt in the hallway came over her again. She slowly looked around the room, then back to her computer screen, then around the room again.

"Hey," she said, getting up from her chair.

"'Hey' what?" Twilight asked, looking up from her computer. Sunset looked at her friends.

"Where's Wallflower Blush?"

Fluttershy looked around the room and then up at her friend.

"I don't know."

"Isn't she in trigonometry with you, Fluttershy?" Twilight asked, turning around in her chair. Fluttershy took a few moments to think before answering.

"I... I think so," she said. "B- but I didn't see her today."

"You know, darling, now that you mention it," Rarity said, turning to face Sunset. "I'm almost positive she's in the same lunch period as me."

"Did you see her at lunch today?" Rainbow asked.

"Come to think of it, I didn't see her," Rarity answered.

Sunset sat back down in her chair.

"Maybe she's doing the Gardening Club today."

"It's Monday, silly! Gardening Club meets on Tuesday and Thursday," Pinkie replied.

"Was she here last Monday and the Monday before that?" Sunset asked. "I wasn't here either of those days."

"Ah definitely saw her last Monday," Applejack said. "But only in the hallway. She ain't in any classes Ah have."

"That's really strange," Sunset answered. "The last time I texted her was before I went to the gym yesterday afternoon. I wanted to remind her that Yearbook Club was today."

She took out her phone and opened her contacts. She tapped "Wallflower" in the list and checked her text messages.

"Yeah, I sent that text at 1:30 yesterday. But for some reason, she never answered me."

"Why would she not respond?" Rainbow asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

Sunset was about to answer when her phone began vibrating in her hand. She opened her message list back up and saw a new text from Wallflower.

"Wait. Scratch that," Sunset said. "She just answered me."

"Okay, that is kind of odd," Twilight answered.

Sunset quickly read Wallflower's text.

'Hi, Sunset! Sorry I took so long to respond. I'm not able to come to the club today. I've got some stuff going on. See you tomorrow.'

The seven girls all exchanged quizzical looks with each other.

"What does she mean by 'stuff going on?'" Fluttershy asked.

"Maybe she got sick," Rarity replied. "Or she could be referring to something personal."

Sunset rubbed her forehead.

"You're probably right, Rarity," she said. "I don't want to bother her right now, but I'll ask if she's doing the Gardening Club tomorrow. I might hang around there and see how she's doing."

She typed out an answer to Wallflower's previous message and hit "Send."

'Okay. By the way, are you doing the Gardening Club tomorrow? If so, do you mind if I join in for the day?'

45 seconds later, a reply popped up on her screen.

'Sure! You can hang with my club tomorrow! See you then!'

"Well," Sunset said, turning to her friends. "That answers that. I guess I was getting worked up over nothing."

"Hold your horses, sugar cube," Applejack said. "Ah ain't been around her that much, but Ah don't ever remember her gettin' overly excited about somethin' so easily."

"She's probably just happy to see Sunset," Pinkie said. "I mean, if I missed school for a few days, I'd be happy to see you girls."

"What's new?" Rainbow said quietly to herself.

“Ah’m just sayin',” Applejack said. “She could be hidin' somethin'.”

"Well, let's not dwell on that right now," Twilight answered. "We still have work to do."

"Actually, I think I should head out," Sunset said, looking at the clock on her phone. "I have some calculus homework to catch up on. I'll just leave my flash drive here in case you need it for anything."

"Alright. Bye, Sunset!" Rainbow said.

"See ya!" Pinkie called.

Closing the door behind her, Sunset started back down the hallway. This time, it was devoid of other students since most of them had gone home for the day. Sunset put her hand to her chin as she walked.

"Applejack's got a point," she said to herself. "Wallflower's usually never that chipper. Even when she's in the gardening mood. I might be getting worried for no reason, though."

She finally came to the double doors of the main foyer. Pushing the doors open, she felt the warm afternoon air across her face. The sun was now hanging lower in the sky, casting shadows on the ground. Sunset took a deep breath.

I think I'll take a quick walk around town before I head home. she thought. Maybe that'll clear my mind a bit.

As she began walking down the concrete steps, she felt her phone vibrating again. She took it out and saw another text from Wallflower.

'You're going to LOVE what we're doing in the club tomorrow, Sunset! I just know it!'

Sunset raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Okay, this is sending up red flags," she said. "Maybe she is hiding something. Or she's excited to get back to working in the school garden. I'll ask her tomorrow. It's probably nothing, but it never hurts to be sure."
> Chapter II: Mess of Me
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset laid awake on her bed. Rolling over onto her side, she checked the clock on the nightstand. It read 1:15 AM. Pounding a fist into the mattress, she let out a long sigh. She couldn't stop thinking about Wallflower's texts she'd received the day before. Was she getting worked up over nothing? Or was there something bigger going on?

I have to figure out why she's acting so weird. Sunset thought. I'll drive myself insane if I don't get at least some info.

Taking a deep breath to cool down her emotions, she rolled over and gazed out the window. The moon was hanging in the pitch-black sky, its gentle light beaming down on the world below. Behind it, an ocean of stars glittered like crystals in a geode. Sunset smiled.

I hope that's a sign of good things to come. she thought as she slowly drifted off to sleep.



"Alright, class," Cheerilee said, standing up from her desk. "I hope you all studied for today's test. Please make sure that all materials are off your desk except for a pencil."

Sunset glanced around the room. She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear her teacher's announcement.

"Sunset," Cheerilee called. "All materials off your desk, please."

Sunset snapped back to reality.

"Oh! Sorry, I was lost in thought for a second there," she said, setting her textbook under her chair.

Just as Cheerilee was about to start handing out the tests, the classroom door swung open. Wallflower Blush stepped into the room panting like there was no tomorrow. Her hair was messier than usual, beads of sweat were dripping down her forehead, and there were tiny bags under her eyes. Sunset raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Cheerilee," Wallflower said, bending over and placing her hands on her thighs. "I completely lost track of time."

"Wallflower," Cheerilee said, a stern look on her face. "You're late. Again."

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again," Wallflower said quietly as she slowly made her way to her desk.

"This is the sixth time you've come to this class late," the pink-haired teacher said. "And you've said the same thing to me each time. Do you have a written excuse?"

"No, ma'am."

Cheerilee shook her head and took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"I'm getting tired of this. But since it's the end of the school year, this is the last time I'm letting you off with a warning. If this continues to happen next year, I'm going to get Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna involved. Understood?"

Wallflower nodded as Cheerilee placed the test in front of her.

Sunset rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Wallflower was usually never late to class. But after hearing Cheerilee say that it was her sixth time being late, she was at a loss for words. She shook her head slightly to recompose herself and focus on her test.

"Ms. Cheerilee?" Wallflower asked, raising her hand. 

"Yes?" the teacher answered.

"May I use the restroom?" Wallflower asked, brushing hair out of her face.

Cheerilee said nothing but gave her a nod. Seeing this, Wallflower rose from her seat and walked out the door. About 15 minutes later, she returned. The teacher pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. Sunset glanced over at Wallflower who had finally returned to her seat.

This is getting absurd. she thought. I'm definitely going to have a chat with her during the club today.

"Sunset, keep your eyes on your own test," Cheerilee said.

"Sorry, Ms. Cheerilee," Sunset replied as she turned her attention back to her test.

I'm really glad this is the last class of the day. she thought as she filled in an answer on the paper.



Sunset walked through the halls towards the school's rear exit. Her head was still spinning from what went on in Cheerilee's class.

I have to ask her about what's been going on. she thought. I just have to be calm and collected.

Pushing the rear doors open, she stepped outside and looked up at the sky. She saw big, fluffy clouds moving slowly across the sky. One cloud floated in front of the sun, casting a gray shadow over the school. Sunset took out her phone and checked her weather app.

Looks like it's going to rain this evening. she thought, slipping her phone back into her pocket. But that's not important right now. I've got bigger fish to fry.

Walking forward, her gaze fell upon the large cluster of trees and shrubbery behind the school. Finally passing into the woods, she saw a white arrow painted on one of the trees. 

The garden must be this way. she thought as she continued to follow the path. Stopping for a brief moment, she gazed around the woods. The dense tree line acted like a giant umbrella during rainy days, but blocked most of the sun's light, making everything on the ground seem darker than usual.

"I'm not sure how Wallflower can manage to come through here for her club," she said, not caring if someone or something was within earshot. "This place is a little creepy even during the day."

She looked to her right and noticed another tree with an arrow painted on it. Making her way over to it, she noticed that it was pointing in the direction of a line of bushes. Sighing heavily, she began pushing through the dense vegetation with vigor. After what felt like hours, she emerged from the shrubbery and found herself at a small clearing. Taking in her surroundings, she saw a large stone structure in the center filled to the brim with flowers. Around it, three large marble-like rocks sitting near the edge of the tree line in an almost triangular pattern with perfectly placed flowerbeds in between each one. Smiling, Sunset took a deep breath. Even though Wallflower had shown her pictures, they couldn't compare to the real thing. Nearby, the club's president and her two other members, Derpy and Roseluck, were working soil around a newly planted sapling.

"Are you sure about this?" Derpy asked, giving Wallflower a quizzical look. "I thought it was supposed to be deeper in the ground."

"No, no," Wallflower said, shaking her head. "It's fine. That's normal. It's not supposed to be completely covered."

"Alright, you're the expert," Derpy said, picking up a small rake. 

"What should we start on next?" Roseluck asked. Wallflower put a hand to her chin.

"Maybe we can start with- oh! Hi, Sunset!"

"Um..." Sunset said sheepishly. "Hi, Wallflower."

"Thanks for coming! I was a little worried that you'd forget," Wallflower said, giving Sunset a wink. Sunset giggled a little at her friend's joke.

"No problem. I hope I didn't interrupt anything important."

"Of course not," Wallflower said, rolling her eyes playfully. She turned to Roseluck and Derpy. "Why don't you two figure out a spot where we can plant the next flowerbed?"

"You got it," Roseluck said. Wallflower turned back to Sunset.

"And Sunset, can you grab those seed packets I have by that rock over there, please?"

"Sure," Sunset replied.

Play it cool, Sunset. she thought. Just play it cool.



Sunset and Wallflower stepped through the bushes as they began to make their way towards the school parking lot.

"You sure do love gardening, Wallflower," Sunset said, brushing dirt off her shirt. "But I think I'll need to see a chiropractor after bending over so much."

Wallflower covered her mouth and tried not to laugh.

"You get used to it after a while," she said. "I felt the same way when I first started."

"I'll bet," Sunset said, turning to look at her friend. "By the way, I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure, what is it?" Wallflower asked.

"Um... is something wrong?" Sunset asked.

"What do you mean?" Wallflower answered.

"Well..." Sunset began. "You weren't at Yearbook Club yesterday, and the girls said they haven't seen you in school for a while. Plus, you did respond extremely late to my one text. And while I appreciate the invitation, you seemed rather stoked when I asked to come today. I didn't think that much of it, though. I just assumed you were in a good mood. But today in Ms. Cheerilee's class, you came in late for the sixth time apparently, and didn't come back from the bathroom for about 15 minutes. I wanted to ask you after class, but I didn't want to jump on the subject too fast. So that's why I'm asking you now."

Wallflower crossed her arms and looked up at the sky as if she was waiting for something to fall to the ground in front of her.

"I've been skipping school because I'm dealing with... um..." she began.

"Dealing with what?" Sunset asked, a hint of worry in her voice. Wallflower cast her gaze to the sidewalk and let out a long sigh.

"I'm sorry, Sunset," she said. "I've been an absolute mess today. From skipping classes to coming in late to nearly forgetting my garden supplies... I'm all over the place."

"It's okay," Sunset said as she placed her hand on Wallflower's shoulder. "I've had days like that, too. But what are you 'dealing with' that made you miss so much school?"

Wallflower rubbed her temples before looking at Sunset.

"Personal issues."

"Oh," Sunset said. "Something happening with your parents?"

"What?!" Wallflower yelled in surprise. "No, no! My parents are fine. They're actually coming back from their anniversary trip next Saturday."

"That's nice," Sunset replied. "Well, is there something happening with somebody else in your family?"

"No," Wallflower answered as she and Sunset walked up to her car. "It's just- just that... never mind."

Sunset cleared her throat as a look of concern came over her face.

"Wallflower, are you sure you're alright? If something's bothering you, you can tell me about it. I won't make fun of you for it."

Wallflower took a deep breath as she unlocked her car.

"Maybe another time," she said. "I'm really tired, so I'm going to head home so you won't have to see this mess of me."

Sunset raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"'Mess of me?' What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh," Wallflower said, giggling to herself a little. "That's something my dad always says to cheer himself up. Whenever he's feeling down, he'll say something like that to make himself laugh and break the tension in certain situations. It always makes Mom and I laugh, too."

Sunset snickered.

"That is kind of funny. Well, I don't want to keep you, so I'll see you later."

"Bye!" Wallflower said as she backed out of her spot and drove away. Sunset quickly took out her phone and shot a text to Applejack as soon as she was sure Wallflower had turned out of the parking lot.

'You were right, AJ. She is DEFINITELY hiding something.'

It only took a couple seconds for Applejack to send her a response.

'I told you so.'

A low, distant rumble broke her train of thought. She looked up and saw a large gray cloud on the horizon.

"I think I should head home before I get rained on," she said, walking towards the curb. "I don't need a repeat of what happened last time I had to walk through a downpour."
> Chapter III: My Little Secret
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Come on!" Sunset yelled, pushing the "Jump" button on her controller. She ducked as the boss monster shot three fireballs in the direction of her character. Jumping again, she returned fire and jumped backwards to avoid being hit. But she didn't see the incoming fireball underneath her character, and it struck them, resulting in a "Game Over." Sunset pounded a fist into her couch in frustration.

"This game is ridiculous! How do you beat this guy?!" She set her controller down and buried her face in her hands as she let out a long sigh.

"It's not working," she said. "I've tried everything, and my mind just keeps drifting back to Wallflower. What could possibly be going on with her?"

Sighing again, she checked her phone. 12:33 AM.

I might as well get ready for bed. she thought as she shut off her gaming console and TV. She walked over to her dresser, opened the top drawer, and pulled out a pair of pajamas. She carried them over to her bathroom and set them on the floor by the sink. She threw off her skirt and t-shirt, quickly slipped her pajamas on, and picked up her toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. After brushing her teeth, she opened the drawer underneath the sink and pulled out a washcloth. Stopping for a moment to think, she re-opened the drawer and put the rag back.

I'll shower in the morning. she thought. Putting her toothbrush in a cup, she turned around, shut the bathroom light off, and walked over to her bed. She picked up her clock and turned on the alarm. Setting it back down, she flopped onto her bed. Rubbing her temples, she took a deep breath.

I'm going to figure out what's going on with her. she thought. I have to. Even if it kills me. But once again, have to play it cool.

A bright flash from outside lit up the room, a low rumble following shortly after. 

"Yep," Sunset said, shaking her head. "Storm's here. The weather report said it wouldn't stop until tomorrow night. Whatever."

Shrugging, she pulled the covers up to her shoulders and slowly drifted off to sleep.



"Thanks, Granny Smith," Sunset said as Granny put an apple on her tray.

"No problem," Granny said. "Say, ya alright, hun?"

"I'm fine," Sunset said. "Just thinking."

"Well, have a good day!"

"Thanks," Sunset said as she turned to walk towards a table where her friends were seated. Setting her tray on the table, she sat down and sighed as she looked out the window to see the rain hammering the ground outside.

Man, what a crappy day. she thought as she looked back down at her lunch tray.

"Still thinkin' about Wallflower, sugar cube?" Applejack asked, setting her drink down.

Sunset nodded.

"Did you try and talk to her at the club yesterday?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah," Sunset replied. "I didn't want to push her too much, though."

"Well, what did she tell you?" Rainbow asked.

"She said she was dealing with personal issues," Sunset answered. "When she said that, I immediately thought that her parents might've been fighting or something like that. So, I asked her about that, and she said they were fine. They're coming back from an anniversary trip next week. Then I asked her if it was something personal going on with a different family member and she just dropped the subject. I told her if she needed to talk that she could tell me about it. I just decided to leave it there since she said she was kind of tired."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"I'm not buying it, Sunset," she said. "The way you explained that... she's hiding something for sure."

"W- well," Fluttershy began. "Let's not jump to conclusions, girls. If she doesn't want to talk, that's fine. We don't have to force her."

"I still think you should try and talk to her again, Sunset," Twilight said after taking a swig of water. "You're good at that."

"Yeah, you're right, Twi," Sunset replied, cracking a small smile. "Speaking of which, have you girls seen her at all today?"

Rainbow, Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy exchanged glances with each other.

"I... I haven't seen her," Fluttershy said, placing a hand on her chin. "She wasn't in trigonometry today. Applejack?"

"Nope, ain't seen hide nor hair of her," she answered. She looked at Twilight. Twilight shook her head.

"I don't have any classes with her this semester," Rainbow said. "Sorry."

"You didn't see her in the hallway when you were walking between classes today?" Sunset asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

Rainbow shook her head.

"No," she replied.

Hearing this, Sunset pulled out her phone, opened her messages, and shot Wallflower a text.

'Hey, Wallflower. Are you at school today?'

A response came a few minutes later.

'No. I'm working on a little something-something.'

Sunset replied to her text.

'Working on what?'

Wallflower immediately shot her a response.

'Sorry, that's my little secret.'

Puzzled, Sunset replied.

'Oh... alright then. I might stop by your house after school just to see how you're doing. I'm a little worried.'

Once again, a reply came faster than expected.

'Okay. But you don't need to worry about anything. I'm fine.'

Sunset put away her phone and looked back at her friends. They didn't even have to ask. Her face held the answer.

"Sugar cube," Applejack said. "Ya have to talk to her."

"Believe me, AJ," Sunset said, shifting in her chair. "I'm going to."

"B- but what did she mean by 'my little secret?'" Fluttershy said, her voice starting to shake a little.

"Not sure," Twilight said, placing her hand on Fluttershy's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. "But I'm worried about her."

"Don't worry," Sunset said. "After school, I'm going straight to her house."

"You know where she lives?" Rainbow asked.

"Yes," Sunset replied, nodding. "I went there to help her with a class project the day after we destroyed the Memory Stone."

"Oh, right," Rainbow answered. "I forgot about that."

"Want us to come with you?" Twilight asked.

"No, I'll be fine," Sunset said.

*RING!*

The school bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period. Sunset and her friends stood up from their seats, threw their trash away, and set their trays on the dish cart by the cafeteria doors.

"Hey, Sunset," Fluttershy said. Sunset turned around.

"P- please make sure she's okay."

"I will, Fluttershy," Sunset said, giving the pink-haired girl a smile. "I will."



"Hey! Taxi!" Sunset shouted, waving her arms in the air. A taxi pulled to a stop by the curb, and she quickly opened the door and got in.

"Thanks," Sunset said, setting her backpack on the floor.

"No problem," the driver replied. "I'd hate to be walking in this weather."

"I know," Sunset said, removing the hood on her windbreaker. "For once, the weather report was right."

"I hear that," the driver said, smirking. "So, where we going?"

"My friend's house," Sunset replied. "The address is 592 49th Street."

"Sure," the driver said, pulling away from the curb.

"By the way," Sunset said. "Do you take cash or credit cards?"

"Both," the driver replied.

"Cool," Sunset said. As she watched the buildings and trees flying past and listened to the rain pelting the roof of the cab, her mind was ricocheting nonstop.

I really hope she's okay. she thought.

About 20 minutes later, the taxi pulled to a stop in front of a pale blue house with a red brick chimney pointing towards the sky and a silver car parked in the driveway. Sunset raised her hood and opened the car door.

"Thanks," Sunset said, turning to the driver.

"You're welcome," the driver answered.

"Hey, would you mind waiting on the corner for me, please?" she asked, stepping out of the car. "This shouldn't take too long. Besides, I'm NOT walking home in this downpour."

"Not at all," the driver said before pulling further up the street. Sunset turned towards the house and walked up the concrete stairs leading to the front porch. 

Doesn't look like there's any lights on. she thought, peering through the front door window. She took out her phone and shot a quick text to Wallflower.

'I'm here.'

Several minutes went by, but she got no response. Her instincts kicking in, she knocked on the door. No response.

Her car is outside. Sunset thought, glancing over to the driveway. There's no way she isn't home.

She knocked again. Nothing. She tried the doorknob. To her surprise, it turned without any resistance. She slowly pushed the door open and poked her head inside.

"Hello? Wallflower?" she called. Still no answer. Stepping inside, she saw no one.

"Hello?" she called again as she removed her shoes and jacket. Nothing.

She hung the jacket on a hook next to the door and peered into the living room. For the second time, she saw nobody. She walked through the foyer and looked in the kitchen. Again, nobody. She turned around and walked through the living room into the dining room. Once again, there was no one. Sunset felt her hands starting to tremble. Something was clearly off.

"She must be in her room," she said quietly. "Might as well check."

Turning around, she walked back through the living room, through the small foyer and up the stairs. Reaching the top, she saw that the doors to the bathroom and the master bedroom were open. There were two more doors, one along the wall which was slightly open and the other resting on the far wall which was closed. She slowly walked up to the closed door but stopped herself from putting her hand on the knob.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Sunset thought, taking out her phone to check the time. I should just g-

Her train of thought was broken when she suddenly heard a sharp inhale followed by a heavy exhale. Feeling her adrenaline spike, she turned around and knocked on the door.

"Wallflower? It's me, Sunset Shimmer," she called. No response. She knocked again. Still no answer.

"Wallflower! Open the door!" she yelled, knocking for a third time. "It's Sunset Shimmer!"

She grabbed the doorknob, turned it, and pushed the door open.

"Wallflo-"

As soon as the door was fully open, Sunset's eyes fell upon a sight she was not prepared to see. Wallflower Blush was sitting on her bed, breathing heavily. Her hair was incredibly messy, and her eyes were bloodshot. But worst of all, there were little streaks of blood running down her right arm and Sunset could see a small razor blade in her left hand. Raising her left hand, Wallflower slowly ran the blade across her arm, inhaling through clenched teeth as she did. She removed her hand and watched the blood trickling down her arm. Sunset watched in horror as Wallflower placed the blade in her other hand and began slowly slicing her left arm. She was so shocked that she didn't even feel her phone slip out of her hand. It landed on the floor with a loud thud. Wallflower jumped at the sudden sound and turned her gaze towards the door. Her eyes widened when she noticed Sunset standing in the doorway. And all Sunset could do was stare. She still couldn't believe that this was her friend's "little secret."
> Chapter IV: I'm Not Okay
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sunset Shimmer!" Wallflower exclaimed, quickly setting the razor blade aside and forcing a smile. "N- nice to see you! S- sorry, I didn't h- hear you c- come in!"

Sunset was still in disbelief at what she was seeing. She knew that something was wrong with her friend, but she certainly wasn't expecting something so extreme. Without thinking twice, she turned around and ran towards the bathroom. Once inside, she started searching through the drawers under the sink. She eventually stumbled upon a large plastic bag containing gauze pads, gauze tape, cotton balls, and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. After quickly washing her hands and grabbing a box of tissues, she bolted back to Wallflower's room and seated herself on the bed. Ripping open the bag, she pulled out all its contents.

"What are you doing, Sunset?" Wallflower asked, a look of worry on her face. Sunset stared at her in shock.

"What am I doing?! WHAT AM I DOING?!?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!" she shot back, pouring peroxide on a cotton ball.

"No, please! Don't touch me!" Wallflower begged, leaning against the wall. Sunset reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Stop it! Hold still!" she demanded, rubbing Wallflower's arm with the peroxide-soaked cotton ball.

She was a bit surprised that Wallflower wasn't wincing in pain as the chemical came into contact with the cuts on her arm. Once she finished, she moved onto treating the small cut on her other arm, then crumpled up the cotton ball in a few tissues and threw it into the small trash can next to the nightstand. She opened the box of gauze pads and removed four from the little wrappers. Pressing one against Wallflower's arm, she ripped off a piece of gauze tape and placed it over the pad, securing it in place. After following suit with the remaining three pads, she placed everything back into the plastic bag. Letting out a long sigh, she turned to face Wallflower who now had tears forming in her eyes.

"Okay," Sunset began. "What the heck were you thinking?!"

She wasn't expecting an answer since what she had just witnessed her friend doing was enough of one. Wallflower closed her eyes tightly as a tear ran down her face. Letting her emotions simmer down, Sunset placed her hand on the green-haired girl's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently.

"Huh?" Wallflower asked, putting on a fake smile again. "O- of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

Sunset simply stared at her. Giving in, Wallflower let out a long sigh and lowered her head. She didn't need to answer because Sunset could read plain as day what her friend's body language was saying: "I'm not okay."

"You have depression, don't you?" Sunset asked.

No! You stupid idiot! she scolded herself in her mind. That was way too abrupt!

Wallflower shook her head.

"No, of course not," she lied, looking back at Sunset.

Sunset raised an eyebrow in slight frustration, but she made sure not to lose her cool.

"How long have you been like this?" she asked, feeling her heart rate increasing. Wallflower didn't answer. Instead, she closed her eyes tightly and buried her face in her legs.

"Wallflower, please look at me. How long have you been like this?"

Wallflower didn't budge.

"Please," she encouraged gently. "Just look at me. I'm not angry."

Wallflower lifted her face out of her legs.

"Why should I tell you?" she said. "I don't need you worrying about me."

Sunset took a deep breath and looked her friend in the eye.

"Just tell me," she said calmly. "How long?"

"It doesn't matter. Nothing I do matters," Wallflower said.

"Here," Sunset said as she handed over the tissue box.

"Th- thanks," Wallflower said, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose. "I- I-"

"It's alright. I'm here," Sunset said, pulling her friend into a hug.

"Why are you doing this?" Wallflower asked, her voice still shaking.

"You're my friend, that's why," Sunset said. "And I want to help you."

Wallflower pulled herself out of Sunset's arms.

"Please stop. I don't want you to help me."

Sunset was horrified.

"What?! Wallflower, I can't ignore this! Let me help you!"

Wallflower shook her head.

"No! I don't need people wasting their time with me. That's why I've been skipping classes and why I keep running late."

"But why were you cutting your arms?" Sunset asked.

"It..." Wallflower began. "It makes me feel..."

"'Feel' what?" Sunset asked, her heart beating rapidly.

"Never mind," Wallflower said, burying her face in her legs again.

"How long have you been doing that?"

Wallflower said nothing but just shook her head.

"Why didn't you tell anybody about this?" Sunset asked.

"I already told you; I don't want anyone wasting their time with me," Wallflower said.

"Wallflower," Sunset began. "That's not even remotely tr-"

"Stop," Wallflower said, cutting her friend off. "Please... just leave. I want to be alone."

Sunset shook her head.

"I'm not leaving you like this," she said.

"Quit it!" Wallflower cried. "Just having to be around people every day is horrible enough, but the incident with the Memory Stone? That was the icing on the cake. I weigh down everybody I meet. So why bother going to school? Why bother talking to anyone?" 

"That's not true!" Sunset exclaimed. "You don't weigh anybody down!"

"Yes, I do," Wallflower said. "Please... stop this. You of all people should know that I don't like confrontation."

Sunset was about to say something else, but she stopped herself. She let out a long sigh, stood up and reluctantly walked towards the door.

"Wait," Wallflower said. Sunset turned back to her friend.

"Please don't tell anybody else," she said.

"Wallflower, you know I don't like keeping secrets. Especially when it involves something as serious as this."

"Please," Wallflower begged. "Please don't tell."

Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

"If you promise to tell someone yourself," she began. "I won't say a word, okay?"

Wallflower nodded slowly.

"And FYI, I'm checking on you tomorrow, okay?" Sunset said.

"O- okay," Wallflower said.

Partially satisfied, Sunset walked back down the hallway and down the stairs. Quickly slipping her shoes and windbreaker back on, she walked out the front door. The rain was still pounding the ground, but she didn't care. She walked back down the concrete steps and onto the curb. 

'Don't tell anyone else,' she says. she thought, shaking her head. Yeah, that is not happening. I have to help her. No, WE have to help her. The girls need to know.

Looking down the street, she was relieved to see that the taxi was still sitting by the corner. She walked up to the car, opened the door, and got in.

"You good?" the driver asked.

"Y- yeah, thanks," Sunset said. "Sorry for making you wait so long."

"Eh, no worries," the driver replied.

"Cool. I'd like to go home now. My address is 354 Bridle Avenue."

"Alright," the driver answered as the taxi began to accelerate down the street. Sunset gazed out the window and watched the rain fall, completely lost in thought.



"Thanks for the ride," Sunset said, handing the driver $30. "You can keep the change."

"No problem, miss. Have a good evening," the driver replied before pulling away.

Yeah, sure. Sunset thought as she unlocked her front door. After what she witnessed at Wallflower's house, how could she possibly have a good evening? Closing the front door behind her, she took out her phone and shot a group text to her friends.

'Come to my house. 4:30 PM tomorrow. It's urgent!'

They all responded within minutes.

'Okay.'
'Of course, darling.'
'Sure thing.'
'You betcha!'
'I'll be there.'
'Alright.'

Just as she was about to put her phone away, she got another text from Twilight.

'Wallflower?'

Sunset answered back.

'Yes. I'll explain in detail tomorrow. Just make sure you're here.'

Twilight quickly responded.

'Got it.'

Sighing with relief, Sunset put her phone in her pocket, tossed her backpack over by her desk, and headed for the bathroom.
> Chapter V: Buried Alive
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Knock Knock Knock!*

That's them. Sunset thought as she rose from her couch. She walked over to the front door and looked through the little peep hole. Sure enough, she saw her friends standing outside. Reaching down, she unlocked the door and opened it.

"Hi, girls," she said.

"Hey, Sunset," Twilight said.

Sunset stepped back to let her friends come through the door. Once they were all inside, Sunset closed the door and watched as her friends made themselves comfortable. Twilight and Fluttershy sat down on the couch, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Applejack sat on the floor, and Rarity moved the chair by Sunset's computer over towards the couch and sat down.

"So," Rainbow said. "What's the big emergency?"

"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack hollered, shooting her a glare.

"Hey! I was just asking!"

"Well, why did ya have to make it sound like that?" Applejack asked.

"Wasn't trying to," Rainbow said, rolling her eyes.

"Alright, knock it off," Sunset said. "We've got more serious matters on hand."

"What's going on with Wallflower?" Twilight asked. Sunset covered her face with both hands and exhaled sharply.

"I can't believe I'm the one who has to deliver the bad news," she said.

"Well, don't leave us hanging, darling," Rarity said. "What's wrong?"

"Depression."

"Pardon?" Rarity asked.

"Wallflower has depression," Sunset said. Everyone's eyes went wide except hers.

"WHAT?!?!?!?!" Pinkie shrieked. Fluttershy put her hands over her mouth in shock. Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other with worried expressions. Rarity's jaw dropped to the floor.

"Okay," Twilight began. "I had a feeling something was wrong with her, but depression?!"

"Yes," Sunset said, looking down at the floor. "And that's not all I found out. When I found her in her room, she was cutting her arms with a razor blade. God knows how long she's been doing that."

"Holy-" Rainbow started, quickly stopping herself. "Sorry. Almost let that slip out."

Sunset shook her head.

"Anyways," she said. "That's why I told you all to come here. We're going to help her."

"Darling, don't you think she should be seeing a psychiatrist about this?" Rarity asked.

"If she even has one," Rainbow said. "Did you ask her about that?"

"I was going to, but she kept asking me to leave and told me not to tell anyone else," Sunset said.

"Why?" Twilight asked. "That's exactly what those kinds of people want you to do."

"Well, I just told all of you, didn't I?" Sunset said, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah think it's obvious that she ain't got a shrink, Rarity," Applejack said.

"Which is why I think we should help her," Sunset said. The others exchanged glances. Rainbow cracked a smile.

"Well," she said, standing up. "I think we should do it. Who's with me?"

"I am!" Pinkie said, jumping up.

"So am Ah," Applejack said.

"Me too," Rarity said.

"Let's do it," Twilight said. "Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy put her hand on her chin in thought. After a few moments, she looked at her friends with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, I think we can do it," she said. "I'm in."

"Awesome," Sunset said, giving Fluttershy a hug. "Okay, summer break technically starts tomorrow. But I think we should make the first official summer week the best week of her life. Hopefully, that'll help cheer her up a little bit. So, what fun things should we do with her?"

"Ooh! We should take her to the beach!" Pinkie suggested, jumping up and down.

"Or the movie theater!" Rainbow said.

"How about Equestria Land?" Twilight asked.

"Sure," Sunset said. "We have seven days. And if we figure out something else, we can add it to the schedule."

"Ah just hope this helps her," Applejack said.

"Me too," Sunset said. "Me too. Also, we can't let her know that I told you guys about her depression yet. It'll just make her feel worse. We have to be very cautious with what we do and say."

The other girls nodded in agreement.

"Our lips are sealed," Pinkie said.




MONDAY

"I got it! I got it!" Pinkie yelled. She ran forward and smacked the ball before it hit the ground. On the other side of the net, Twilight intercepted her friend's shot and slammed the ball into the sand, earning her team a point.

"Not this time," Twilight said, smirking.

"You're goin' down!" Pinkie shot back, glaring at Twilight. Twilight rolled her eyes playfully.

"Your serve, Sunset!"

"Here it comes!" Sunset hollered, serving the ball. Applejack caught her serve and delivered it back over the net. Sunset dove in front of the ball and managed to keep it from hitting the ground. Twilight leapt up to attempt another spike, but the ball hit the top of the net and ricocheted off to the side, landing very close to Rarity who was sitting in a beach chair.

"Hey! Watch it!" she complained. "I don't want sand in my hair!"

"You need to lighten up about things like that, Rarity," Rainbow said, adjusting her sunglasses. Sitting up, she picked up the ball and threw it back to Twilight.

"Thanks," Twilight said, walking back to her spot.

"Who's laughing now?" Pinkie called, giving Twilight a smug smile.

"Not you," Twilight said as she handed the ball to Applejack.

"Hey, Twilight!" Sunset called. "I think I'll take five for a bit. You can take my spot, Wallflower."

"Okay," Wallflower said, standing up from her beach towel. "I'm not very good at volleyball, though."

"No worries," Twilight said. "Rainbow Dash is better than all of us combined."

"Okay," Wallflower said, bending her knees. "I'm ready. I just hope this swim shirt doesn't get in the way."

"Why don't you roll the sleeves up?" Twilight asked. "That might help."

Wallflower shook her head.

"No, I'll be fine," she said.

"Alright," Applejack said. "Ready, y'all?"

Sunset sat down on her beach towel next to Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity.

"We couldn't have asked for a better day," she said, laying down on the towel. "No rain, not too hot; a great way to kick off the summer."

"Yep," Rainbow said. "I just hope what we're doing is going to help Wallflower a little."

"Me too, darling," Rarity said. "She needs it."

"Yeah," Rainbow replied. "By the way, which towel are we taking our beach selfie on? The white one or the white one?"

Rarity sat up in her chair and face palmed.

"I told you, this one is toasted oat," she said, holding up two beach towels. "This one is eggshell."

"They're all the same to me," Rainbow said, rolling her eyes.

"Mine!" Pinkie shouted, diving for the ball. She smacked the ball up over the net. Twilight ran backwards to try and send it back over the net and managed to do so before the ball hit the ground. Pinkie tried to get underneath the ball, but she missed. The ball sailed just out of her reach and hit Wallflower in the chest, knocking her over.

"Ow!" she cried.

"Time out! Time out!" Twilight called, throwing her hands up.

"Ya alright, sugar cube?" Applejack asked.

Wallflower sat up on the sand and gave her head a vigorous shake.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, getting back on her feet. "I think I'm going to be bruised for life, though."

"I'm so sorry, Wallflower," Twilight said. "I wasn't trying to hit you."

"It's not your fault," Wallflower said. "The sun was in my eyes. I couldn't see the ball."

"Did you bring sunglasses?" Twilight asked.

"No," Wallflower replied. "I left them at home. I'm going to call it quits for now."

"I think we all should," Twilight said, exchanging glances with Applejack and Pinkie. "I'm getting a bit tired."

"Ooh! Let's all take our beach selfies now!" Pinkie exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

"Sure," Twilight said. "Just let me get the drone out."

"Drone?" Wallflower said, giving Twilight a quizzical look.

"Yes," Twilight said. "It's a selfie-sensing drone with a fully automatic camera. It can record videos, too."

Wallflower's eyes widened.

"Cool!"

Twilight walked over to her beach bag and pulled out the drone and her phone. After turning the phone on, she selected an app from her home screen. Turning her attention to the drone, she flipped a little switch on the side. A tiny LED on the top began blinking for a few seconds and finally stopped.

"Alright, we're in business," Twilight said. "Hey! We're ready to take the selfies!"

Rainbow, Fluttershy, Sunset, and Rarity all stood up from where they were reclining and walked over to Twilight and the rest of their friends.

"So, I was right," Rainbow said, looking at Rarity. "We are using the white blanket."

"Toasted oat," Rarity said, irritated.

"Whatever," Rainbow said, rolling her eyes.

"Um..." Fluttershy began. "Maybe we should get something to eat soon. I'm getting a little hungry."

"We will," Sunset said.

"That drone is so cool, Twilight," Wallflower said, smiling. "I wish I could make something like that."

"Thanks," Twilight said. "Alright, everybody smile!"



"That was so much fun!" Pinkie squealed.

"I told you, no better way to start summer than a beach trip," Sunset said, giving the pink-haired girl a playful punch on the arm.

"Alright," Applejack said, bringing the truck to a stop by the curb. "This your stop, Wallflower?"

"Yep," Wallflower said, gathering her things. "Thanks for the ride."

"No problem," Applejack said.

"Bye, Wallflower!" Twilight said.

"See you tomorrow, darling!" Rarity said, waving.

Wallflower gave the girls one last wave as she watched them pull away from the curb and down the street. Letting out a long sigh, she pulled the collar of her shirt down a bit. She could see a bruise starting to form where the volleyball had collided with her.

I deserved it. she thought. I deserved it.




TUESDAY

"Girls! Over here!" Sunset called from her seat.

"There you are!" Rainbow said, walking up to her friend. "I thought you were waiting in the lobby for us."

"Sorry," Sunset said. "I wanted to make sure nobody took our seats."

"Fair enough," Rainbow replied.

"This movie is going to be so cool!!!" Pinkie yelled. "You girls will love it!!!"

"Pinkie," Twilight said. "Pipe down, we're in a theater."

"Sorry," Pinkie said. "I'm just so excited!"

"We know," Rainbow said.

Sunset looked around the theater.

"Where's Wallflower?" she asked. "She said she would be here soon."

"I don't know," Fluttershy said. "I- oh. There she is."

"Wallflower!" Sunset called. "Up here!"

Wallflower looked up at the top row of seats and saw Sunset waving at her. Giving her a wave to acknowledge, she made her way up the dimly lit stairs and sat down next to the other girls.

"Hi, guys," she said. "Sorry I'm late. I hate driving in the rain."

"No worries, darling," Rarity said. "We still have a few minutes before the movie starts."

"It's really coming down out there," Fluttershy said. "I hope the power doesn't go out."

"I think we'll be fine, Fluttershy," Rainbow said.

Twilight let out a quick groan and shook her head.

"I really hate coming early to a movie theater. I mean, why do they have to show so many shorts and trailers anyway?"

"Advertising, silly!" Pinkie said, digging into Twilight's popcorn. "And thanks for remembering to get popcorn!"

"Just don't make a mess," Rainbow said.

"At least we ain't the ones who have to clean it up," Applejack said, rolling her eyes playfully.

Wallflower looked over at the girls, then at the giant screen on the far wall, then back to the girls.

"I'm going to use the bathroom really quick," she said, standing up. "I'll be right back."

Sunset stood up from her seat.

"I'll go, too," she said. "Don't need people flipping out about someone walking in front of them when the movie starts."

The two girls walked down the stairs and towards the theater exit. Pushing the door open, they walked down the hallway and finally arrived at the bathrooms. Wallflower pulled the door open, and she and Sunset stepped inside.

"I just need to wash my hands," Sunset said, walking up to one of the sinks. "I'll wait outside for you."

"Sure thing," Wallflower said as she stepped inside one of the stalls and locked the door. "This movie's going to be interesting."

"I know," Sunset said, putting her hands under the soap dispenser. "When it's anything Pinkie Pie likes, you're in for a ride. I'll see you outside."

Sunset took a few paper towels from the holder, wiped her hands off, and went back out into the hallway. A few minutes later, Wallflower emerged from the bathroom. The duo made their way back to the theater room and sat back down in their seats.

"Hey, you're back," Rainbow said. "We thought you both got stuck in the toilets."

"How original," Sunset said, rolling her eyes. At that moment, the theater lights slowly began getting dimmer. Pinkie began bouncing in her seat, a huge smile on her face.

"Oh, boy! Here we go!"

"Pinkie!" Twilight whispered.

"Alright," she said quietly. "It's not my fault I love this movie so much."



Wallflower looked up at the ceiling, starting to lose interest in the movie playing on the giant screen in front of her. Her mind was running on overdrive.

Nobody cares.

You stole those memories. You're a monster.

No wonder no one likes you.

You deserve to be buried alive.

Giving her head a vigorous shake, she turned back to the screen.

"You okay, Wallflower?" Sunset asked quietly.

"Okay?" Wallflower answered. "I've never been better."

"Alright..." Sunset said, glancing at Twilight who was sitting next to her. Twilight returned the glance as if to say, "I can't imagine what she's feeling."




WEDNESDAY

"Equestria Land, we have arrived!" Pinkie shouted as Applejack pulled into the parking lot. Wallflower's jaw dropped.

"Wow," she said. "I've never been here before, but I'm excited already."

"If you haven't been here, you must be living under a rock," Rainbow said, trying not to laugh.

"Well, that's how I normally feel," Wallflower said, giggling to herself. "By the way, did anybody bring an umbrella or a jacket? I think it might rain later on."

Rarity looked up and noticed that there were some dark clouds on the horizon. Turning back to Wallflower, she put her hand on her shoulder.

"It's only supposed to sprinkle a little, darling. I think we'll be okay."

"And on the plus side," Twilight began. "It's not super busy today, so we won't have to worry about long lines!"

"Well, we won't be havin' any fun if we're standin' around here all day," Applejack said. "Let's go!"

Pinkie ran for the front gate as if there was a bear chasing her. Sunset shook her head playfully and smiled.

"Oh, Pinkie," she said to herself. "What would we do without you?"

The rest of the girls walked up to join Pinkie at the front gate. After passing through the security checkpoint, Sunset grabbed a map from a small info booth and handed it to Wallflower.

"Just so you won't get lost," Sunset said.

"Thanks," Wallflower said. "Are the roller coasters here any good?"

"That one with the triple loop is pretty exhilarating," Fluttershy said. "I've been on it a few times."

"Wow, Fluttershy," Wallflower said. "I didn't think you liked roller coasters."

"W- well, I don't," Fluttershy said. "They're... they're not my favorite, anyway."

"Remember the first time we went on that coaster together, Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked sheepishly. "Hehe. Best day ever."

"You're scared of that ride, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said, trying not to laugh.

"No, I'm not!" Rainbow shot back.

"You're sweating quite a bit, darling," Rarity said, smirking.

"Shut up, Rarity."

Wallflower looked at her map and then back to the other girls. She reached into her pocket and took out her phone to check the time. 11:57 AM. She slipped the phone back into her pocket and checked the map again.

"I think the bumper cars are near this area. Maybe we should do those first."

"Well, what are we waiting for?! LET'S DO IT!!!" Pinkie screamed, grabbing Wallflower's hand, and dragging her off towards the ride.

"Woah!" Wallflower yelled. "Slow down, Pinkie!"

"She's an absolute maniac," Twilight said, shaking her head playfully.

"I know," Sunset said, smiling.

"Hey, Sunset," Rainbow said. "Do you really think what we're doing is helping Wallflower?"

Sunset shrugged.

"Who can say? I wish I could read her mind."

"You could just use your geode and look at her memories," Rainbow said.

"In case you forgot, we're trying to help her," Applejack said.

"I know. I'm just saying," Rainbow said, holding her hands out defensively.

"I wanted to use it when I saw her cutting her arms, but I didn't want to upset her more. Besides, it's none of my business. If she decides to open up more, that's her choice."

"It's good that you didn't use it, Sunset," Twilight said.

"Yeah," Sunset answered. "But let's not dwell on that now. Let's catch up with Pinkie, shall we?"

The other girls nodded in agreement and walked off to join Pinkie and Wallflower.



"THAT WAS AWESOME!!!" Pinkie screamed, throwing her arms in the air.

"Pinkie! That was right in my ear!" Rarity yelled, holding her ear.

"Sorry," Pinkie said.

Sunset took one last look at the park as Applejack started the truck engine. She looked over at Wallflower and noticed that she was rubbing her temples aggressively.

"What's wrong, Wallflower?" she asked.

"Huh?" Wallflower said, snapping out of her trance. "Oh, nothing. I think I'm getting a headache. Might take an aspirin when I get home."

"Okay," Sunset said.

"Alright, y'all," Applejack said, sticking her head out the truck window. "We're off."




THURSDAY

"Ooh! These ones are perfect!" Wallflower said, pointing to a pot of marigolds.

"Good God, Wallflower!" Rainbow said, setting a large bag of mulch on a dolly. "How much of this stuff do you need?!"

"A lot," Wallflower said.

"I think you have too much," Rainbow said.

"Do you need any tools?" Twilight asked. "Like a shovel or something like that?"

Wallflower thought to herself for a moment, then shook her head.

"No," she said. "I've got plenty of tools at home."

"Alright," Twilight said. "Let's pay for everything and then we'll help you get this in your car."

"Sweet," Wallflower said. With their cargo in tow, the group walked up to the cashier and paid for the garden supplies. After everything was in order, they walked everything out to Wallflower's car.

"Little chilly this evening," Twilight said, looking up at the clouds slowly rolling by.

"It's only 65 degrees, Twi," Sunset said, checking her phone. "Nothing to worry about."

"Hang on," Wallflower said. "I'll pop the trunk."

Wicked witch.

You're worthless.

You are nothing.

"Wallflower?" Fluttershy said, a hint of worry in her voice.

"Everything alright, darling?" Rarity asked.

"Yeah, sorry," Wallflower said. "Just thinking."

"Seems like you've been doing a lot of that these past few days," Rainbow said. "What are you thinking about?"

"Well, since my parents are coming home from their trip this weekend, I thought I would start getting the house ready for them."

"You're having a party?!" Pinkie yelled. "Can we come?!"

"Pinkie!" Rainbow yelled. "Calm down!"

"Sure," Wallflower said. "Why don't you girls come by my place around 6 PM on Saturday? They'll be home around 9 PM that day, so that gives us plenty of time to get ready for their arrival."

"Alright," Sunset said. "See you later."

"Bye!" Wallflower said, waving at the girls as they walked away from her. Letting out a long sigh, she took out her keys and unlocked her car door.



Wallflower unlocked her front door and stepped inside her house. She quickly kicked off her shoes, walked upstairs to her room, and sat down on her bed. She just stared at the wall for a few minutes, completely lost in thought.

Why are they doing this to me? she thought as tears began to form in her eyes. They're wasting their time. They don't deserve me in their lives.

Standing up from her bed, she slowly walked over to her desk and opened the top drawer. She pulled out a notebook and a pen and closed the drawer. Sliding the chair out from under the desk, she sat down and opened the notebook to the first blank page she could find. She removed the cap from the pen and began writing.
> Chapter VI: Let It Burn
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


FRIDAY

Sunset knocked on the door of Pinkie's house. As she waited for the door to open, she gazed up at the sky. The clouds were slowly rolling by while the sun was beginning to slip behind the horizon, ready to welcome the night. The front door opened to reveal Pinkie in her pajamas.

"Sunset!" she squealed. "Come on in!"

"Hi, Pinkie," Sunset said, stepping into the house.

"Come on!" Pinkie said, grinning from ear to ear. "Everyone's already in my room."

The two girls made their way down the hall towards Pinkie's room. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity were sitting on Pinkie's bed and looking at their phones. Applejack and Rainbow were sitting on the floor in front of the bed playing a video game.

"Hi, girls!" Sunset said. The rest of the girls turned and greeted her with smiles on their faces.

"This was a really good idea to have a slumber party to close out the week, Pinkie," Sunset said.

"Well, duh," Pinkie said, rolling her eyes playfully. "It's never a bad time for a slumber party."

"And it's going to be a clear night, too," Twilight said. "I brought my binoculars so I could do some stargazing."

"Ooh!" Pinkie said. "Sounds like fun!"

"Where do you want my bags, Pinkie?" Sunset asked.

"I don't care," Pinkie said. "Just drop them anywhere."

"Alright," Sunset said, setting her bags down on the floor. Taking a seat on the bed, she turned her attention to the game that Applejack and Rainbow were playing.

"Who's winning?" she asked.

"Ah am," Applejack said, giving Rainbow a smug smile. Rainbow shot her a glare.

"Hey, Rainbow Dash," Sunset said. "Don't smack the console like you did last time. That's not yours, you know."

Rainbow said nothing but just glanced at her friend.

"Yee-haw!" Applejack hollered. "Ah finally beat you!"

"Hey!" Rainbow yelled. "I wasn't looking!"

"Too bad," Applejack said, standing up.

"I want a rematch!" Rainbow said, starting to lose her cool. Sunset rolled her eyes.

"You're such a sore loser, Rainbow Dash," Rarity said.

"No, I'm not!" Rainbow shot back, crossing her arms. 

"She's right. You are a little bit of a sore loser," Fluttershy said. Before Rainbow could say anything else, the doorbell rang.

"PIZZA'S HERE!!!!" Pinkie screamed. All seven girls bolted for the door as if the apocalypse had started. Pinkie opened the door.

"Delivery for Pinkie Pie," the delivery boy said.

"Yep, that's me!" Pinkie said, taking the pizza boxes and handing the boy money. "Thank you!"

"What kind of pizza did you get, Pinkie?" Sunset asked as Pinkie closed the front door.

"One supreme, one pepperoni, one Hawaiian, and one meat lover's," Pinkie said, grinning from ear to ear. "Something for everybody!"

"I hate to break up this moment," Rarity began. "But when is Wallflower going to show up?"

"I texted her 20 minutes ago," Sunset said. "She hasn't answered me, though."

"I hope she's not doing 'you-know-what' again," Rainbow said, giving Sunset a worried look. "That's the last thing she needs."

"Well, let's not think about that," Twilight said, opening one of the pizza boxes. "I'm sure she'll be here soon."

Sunset was about to say something, but she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She opened her messages to see a new text from Wallflower.

"Well, she just texted me back," Sunset said.

"Wait a minute. She texted me, too," Rainbow said.

"Me three," Pinkie said.

Sunset looked at Wallflower's text and her eyes widened.

'Goodbye, Sunset Shimmer.'

"She just texted me 'Goodbye.'" she said, her voice starting to shake.

"Same here," Twilight said.

"I got the same thing, too," Rarity said.

"So did I," Fluttershy said.

"Ah don't like the sound of that," Applejack said. "We need to get to her house immediately!"

"You're right, AJ," Sunset said. "Come on, girls!"



Applejack pulled to a stop in front of Wallflower's house. The silver car was sitting in the driveway, but the front door was wide open.

"Why is the front door open?!" Twilight exclaimed.

"I don't know," Sunset said. "Come on."

The group ran up the concrete steps, into the house, and upstairs to Wallflower's room.

"She's not here!" Rainbow yelled. "Now w- hold on. What's that piece of paper on the desk?"

Sunset walked over to the desk and picked up the paper. Immediately, she clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh, my God."

"What's wrong, sugar cube?" Applejack asked.

"This... this is..." Sunset began.

"What is it, darling?" Rarity asked, her voice trembling.

"This is a suicide note," Sunset said.

"WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!" Pinkie screamed. "WHAT DOES IT SAY?!?!?!?!"

Sunset began reading.

I can't do this anymore. I just can't. I'm sick of weighing everybody down. Everything everyone's ever done for me just hurts so much. I don't want to live anymore. When someone finds this note, please don't be angry with me. It's nobody's fault but mine. I'm sorry. Please forgive me.
-Wallflower Blush

"She's... she's..." Sunset stuttered, tears starting to form in her eyes. Suddenly, she heard a siren outside. She looked out the window and saw an ambulance speeding down the street. She quickly turned back to her friends.

"We have to follow them! NOW!!!"



"Can you see where it went?!" Sunset asked.

"Over there!" Rainbow called. "In the direction of the school!"

Applejack whipped the truck around a corner and headed towards Canterlot High. After a minute, they saw the emergency vehicles and police barricades lined up behind the school. They saw many of their classmates, their teachers, and even the two principals standing behind the barricades. But worst of all, they saw what they were looking at: Wallflower Blush standing on the roof of the building, very close to its edge. The group bolted towards one of the officers.

"Excuse me, Officer!" Sunset called. The officer turned around.

"I can't talk right now, miss!" he said. "We've got a situation, as you can clearly see!"

"Why is no one trying to talk to her?!" Rainbow yelled.

"We've got a professional negotiator on the way," the officer said. "When they get here, they'll do the talking. We've also got a team standing by to help her down if she changes her mind."

"Sir," Sunset began. "Would it help if we tried talking to her? We're her friends."

"No can do," the officer said. "We can't take any risks."

"Then how about I do it?" Sunset asked. "At least let me see what I can do before the negotiator arrives. Please, sir. I don't want her to jump any more than you do. Please let me talk to her."

The officer took in Sunset's words for a moment, then nodded his head.

"Alright," he said. "But you must stay behind the barricades, understood?"

"Anything to keep her from jumping, sir," Sunset said. The officer turned and waved at one of his teammates.

"Somebody grab the megaphone!" he yelled. "This young lady is going to try and talk to the girl up there!"

One of the other officers ran back to his car and stuck his head inside. A few moments later, he emerged and ran over to Sunset with a megaphone.

"Thank you," Sunset said. "You girls stay back. Let's see what I can do."

She moved towards the front of the barricades and squeezed the megaphone's trigger to make sure it was on. Seeing it was, she held it up to her mouth and began talking.

"Wallflower!" she hollered, feeling tears forming in her eyes. The green-haired girl looked down at her friend.

"Don't do this, please! It doesn't have to end like this!"

Sunset looked back at her friends for a brief moment. All of them had tears flowing freely down their faces. Turning back around, she raised the megaphone again.

"You have so much left to live for! Don't waste it!" she yelled.

Then, she saw Wallflower reach into her pocket and pull out her phone. The way she was holding it, Sunset could see that she was texting someone. A few seconds later, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She reached in and took the device out to see a text from her friend standing on the roof.

'STOP IT!!! JUST STOP IT!!! EVERYBODY JUDGES ME!!! I CAN SEE IT IN THEIR EYES!!!'

"Please, just come down!" Sunset said, her voice trembling. "Please! Live for your friends! Live for yourself, please! Don't jump! Everyone down here cares for you deeply!"

Lowering the megaphone, Sunset felt her phone vibrate again. Sure enough, it was another text from Wallflower.

'I'm sorry, Sunset. I can't go on anymore. I have nothing left to live for. Goodbye.'

As soon as she finished reading the text, Sunset looked up and saw Wallflower slowly raising her right leg, ready to end her life once and for all.

No!!! No no no no no no!!! she thought. What do I do?!?! What do I do?!?!

All of a sudden, something sprung into her mind. She threw the megaphone up to her mouth again.

"LIVE FOR YOUR PARENTS!!!!!"

Instantly, Wallflower froze in her tracks. She slowly lowered her leg back down, her breath becoming shaky.

"Think about your parents, Wallflower! Do you really want them to come home and find that note on your desk?! Or have the police come to the door and tell them that their child killed herself?! Don't take away the one person in their lives that they would do absolutely anything for: YOU! They need you more than you need them! And they love you, Wallflower! They love you with every fiber of their being! And deep down, you know I'm right!"

Wallflower's eyes went wide as she stared into the sunset. Suddenly, she could see the memories of everything she'd done with her parents flashing before her eyes. Everything from watching TV with her father, to attempting to help her mother in the kitchen, to her first trip to the beach, all of it came flooding back.

"Mom... Dad..." she whispered as a tear ran down her face.

She looked down at the ground, then once more towards the horizon. Slowly but surely, she stepped back from the edge. With trembling hands, she shot Sunset another text. Sunset looked down at her phone, nearly dropping the megaphone as she read her friend's text.

'You're right. Tell everyone that I'm coming down.'

Thank God. Sunset thought. Overjoyed, she turned to the crowd behind her with a huge smile on her face.

"She's coming down!!!" she exclaimed.

Everyone cheered as she handed the megaphone back to the officer, who reached over and held down the button on his radio.

"Okay, team," he said. "Bring her down."

"Copy that."

"Miss," he said, turning to Sunset. "I can't thank you enough for what you just did."

"You're welcome, Officer," Sunset said as a tear ran down her face.

"Young lady," the officer said to Wallflower through the megaphone. "We've got a crew making their way up to you right now. Once they bring you down, you'll be taken to the hospital. And we're going to have to notify your parents as well."

Wallflower turned around to see four officers walking towards her.

"Don't worry," one of them said gently. "Everything's going to be alright."

"Thank you," Wallflower said.



"There she is!" Pinkie cried, pointing towards the school.

"Easy, Pinkie," Applejack said. "They're takin' her to the hospital. She'll be alright."

"Wait a minute," Wallflower said. "Before we leave, can I see my friends for a moment?"

"Absolutely," one of the officers said. Hearing this, Wallflower walked over to the police barricade where Sunset and her friends were standing.

"Thank you, Sunset," Wallflower said, giving her a smile. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Sunset said, smiling.

"Well, they've got to take me to the hospital now, but I'm sure I'll see you girls tomorrow during visiting hours."

"Of course, darling," Rarity said.

"Good," Wallflower said. "And like my mom always said when I was younger, 'When you're feeling sad, take that sadness, throw it into a fire, and let it burn.'"

"I like that phrase," Sunset said. "I really do."

"Ms. Wallflower," one of the officers said. "You ready to go now?"

"Yes, sir," Wallflower said. "See you girls later."

The girls all gave her a wave as the four officers guided her over to the ambulance. Rainbow threw her fists into the air.

"Yes!!! We did it!" she yelled.

"What do you mean 'we?'" Twilight said. "Sunset did it."

"No, she's right, Twi," Sunset said, smiling from ear to ear. "I couldn't have done it without you girls."

"Group hug!" Pinkie shouted, wrapping her arms around Rarity and Fluttershy. The rest of the girls joined in as they gazed up at the setting sun.
> Epilogue: Sacred
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


ONE MONTH LATER

Sunset looked up at the sky and smiled.

"Nothing like having a picnic in the park," she said.

"Yeah," Twilight answered. "And the weather's perfect, too. It's sunny, we have clear skies, and it's not too hot."

"Where's Wallflower?" Rarity asked. "She said she'd be here, right?"

Sunset felt her phone vibrate. She took it out of her pocket and saw a text from Wallflower.

'I just pulled into the parking lot. Therapy session ran a bit long today.'

"She said she just arrived," Sunset said, looking at Rarity. "Her therapy session ran a little long."

As she finished talking, she heard a car door close. She looked up and saw a familiar green-haired girl carrying a cooler walking up to their picnic spot.

"Hi, guys!" Wallflower said, setting her cooler down. The group greeted her with smiles and waves.

"Hi, Wallflower!" Sunset said. "I got your text. How was your session today?"

"Pretty good," Wallflower said, sitting down on the picnic blanket. "My therapist is phenomenal. And even though it's only been a month since I almost ended everything, I can already see a huge difference. Between him giving me helpful advice, the antidepressants I've been taking, and the fact that I'm surrounded by family and friends who want nothing but the best for me, I feel complete. I've never been weighing anybody down. I've only been lifting them up."

"That's great news!" Rainbow said, smiling from ear to ear.

"Not only that," Wallflower said. "I've been listening to this band another friend of mine introduced me to. And that's been helping me out a lot, too. They're called Citizen Soldier, and their music is aimed at people with mental disorders like me.

"Wow," Fluttershy said. "That's great."

"They speak from experience. Literally. Their lead singer attempted suicide in 2015," Wallflower said.

"Dang," Rainbow said.

"I know," Wallflower said.

"Well, just remember, if ya ever start to feel down, just let somebody know, alright?" Applejack said.

"I will, AJ," Wallflower said. "And I know I've said this a lot but I'm going to say it again. Thank you guys so much. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead right now. But here I am. And I'm going to make every second count because life is beautiful. Better yet, life is sacred."

Sunset smiled as she placed her hand on Wallflower's shoulder.

"That it is, my friend," she said. "That it is."

Wallflower took her phone out of her pocket, turned the volume up to max, and opened her music app.

"So, as I said before, Citizen Soldier is really good," she said, selecting a song. "Here's one of my favorite songs."


THE END