Chapter Six.

Celestia woke up to her alarm clock going off although she didn’t set it herself she was grateful that it did go off. Looking around her room she saw a fresh pair of clothing sitting at her bedside with a note on the blouse her sister had picked out for her. Looking at her clock as she shut off what was in her mind at the time being was the MOST annoying noise ever to be either heard or invented by the human race. Celestia's clock read 7:30 A.M. Celestia climbed out of bed and picked up the clothing that she found sitting next to her bedside. She then picked up the note and read it.

“My Dear sister I have gone on ahead without you this morning as such I have left you some clothing and a thermostat of hot coffee on the kitchen counter. You will also find a second thermostat filled with warm tea for Ms. Shimmer to be given to her when and IF you find her this morning. I will await what news you have on finding her at work. I shall have everything ready for you when you get here so you needn’t worry yourself about that just take an hour or two to find Ms. Shimmer then come to work afterwards.

Love now and always

Your sister

Luna”

Celestia sighed then headed into the shower to get ready for the day. Once she was done getting dressed and ready she headed into the kitchen. Celestia had only gotten about four and half hours of sleep because of searching for Sunset last night as was in no mood for games. Looking at the two thermostats on the counter she opened them both up and sniffed each one to find which one had the coffee and which had the tea. After finding the thermostat that contained the coffee she poured herself a cup of it drank it then replaced the lid. After eating a very light breakfast Celestia headed down stairs to the coat closet found her phone looked at it and saw it was fully charged. Smiling to herself as she figured Luna must have charged her phone for her while she slept last night. Celestia dialed up Pinkie Pie's number and called her Pinkies mother answered the phone.

“Hello this Ms. Pie.”

“Mrs. Pie is Pinkamena Diane Pie available to talk to? This is Principal Celestia it is important that I talk with her as soon as possible.” Celestia said into her phone.

“Yes she is one moment please.” Misses Pie said as she handed the phone over to her daughter who was getting ready for school.

Pinkie took the phone looked at the screen and quickly answered with in one quick breath non breaking sentence.

“DID YOU FIND SUNSET? IS SHE ALRIGHT? WILL SHE BE COMING INTO SCHOOL TODAY? IS GOING TO BE OK?” Pinkie said as she gasped for breath.

“One, I have not found Sunset as of yet. Two, I do not know if she is alright. Three, because I have not found her I do not know if she will be attending school or not. And four, Pinkie I do not know if she will ever be Okay again. You see Pinkie I found where she has been living and I also found her journal there. I will tell you this I know how heartbroken she is right now. So here is what I want you to do seeing as how your home is closer to both school and to Sugar cube Corner. I want you to stop by there on your way to school. Ask around to see if any of the employees working there have seen her. If they have seen her and know where she is find out where then call me. If however, you get there and she is there do NOT, go near her and do not engage her at all. Let me be the one to do that. If she is going to do what I read in her journal then I need to be the one to talk to her first do you understand?” Celestia said as she stepped outside and walked to her car.

Pinkie’s hair deflated when she heard that no one had found Sunset last night and that no one seemed to know if she was alright. Swallowing hard Pinkie spoke into her phone as her hands slowly began to shake from the thought of possibly losing the one she loved. As Pinkie spoke into her phone she noticed her mother seemed to be growing concerned with her daughters reactions to what Principal Celestia was telling her.

“I understand Principal Celestia. What should I do if she is there and she sees me through the windows of the diner. I mean she could easily spot me and then bolt and I would have no way of stopping her. She is after all a lot faster at running than I am”. Pinkie said as she looked at her mother with tears forming in her sky blue eyes.

“If you do spot her before you get inside it is vital that you do not go inside the shop do you understand?” Celestia said as she got into her car and started it up.

“Alright I will call you in about twenty minutes and Thank you Principal Celestia for everything that you have done so far for Sunset.” Pinkie said as she hung up the phone.  

Pinkies mother looked at her daughter then asked her as she watched her daughter run down stairs towards the front door of their home.  

“Pinkamena Diana Pie what is going on and why did your Principal want to call you over your phone”?

Pinkie raced out the front door without a word to her mother on the subject and ran as fast as her legs to carry her all the way to Sugarcube Corner. Getting to the diner just like her Principal had told her she looked into the windows but, didn’t see any sign of Sunset. What Pinkie didn’t know was that Sunset had indeed gone there and had left almost two hours before Pinkie showed up. Gasping for breath from having run all the way from her house to the diner Pinkie thrust out her hand took a hold of the door handle and opened the door to the diner. Walking inside she very quickly made her way to the counter and started talking to the employee at the cash register.

“Excuse me sir but, could you tell me is my friend from a couple days ago has stopped in here recently. She would have red and yellow hair, Teal colored eyes, onyx colored skin she would stand about five feet and six inches tall and weigh about one hundred and thirty pounds give or take a pound or two.”? Pinkie asked as she she looked at the employee.

“I am sorry miss but, I am not in the habit of helping someone that wants to hurt someone else.” The employee said as he crossed his arms.

“Sir please, she is my friend I want to talk to her, nothing more than that.” Pinkie said staring at the young employee with her baby blue eyes shining like two gemstones.

Looking back into her baby blue colored eyes the employee stood in his place behind his cash register narrowing his eyes towards the pink skinned and haired girl in front of him. Pinkie smiled warmly to him hoping that if she threw in some of her ‘Pinkie Pie charm’. He might change his mind and actually help her find her wayward friend. So with her strength gathered and her courage at its maximum she again tried to get the employee to give her the information she wanted him to give her.

“Please, please, please sir it is so very important that I find my friend. I need to make things right between her and me. If you tell me the information I need I will bake you some cookies or throw you a party or give you something really duper super cool in return for this”. Pinkie said she tried hopping up and down to elicit a response from the employee.

The employee was not at all amused by Pinkie’s antics narrowing his eyes even further at her he pointed to the door and said to her sternly.

“Get out of this diner right now.”

“I really can’t do that, until you tell me if Sunset was here or not.”

The employee looked at her then sighed as he lowered his arm then finally closed his eyes as he let out a long deep sigh before he was able to actually speak to Pinkie. He slowly opened his eyes asking to her.

“Do you recognize me”?

Pinkie looked at him then narrowed her own eyes at him before she reached up and grabbed his hat pulling it off his head before she said to him.

“I thought you looked familiar, You were here when we had that…. fight…. oh great so that is why you don’t want to help me find her. You must really think that all I want to do is hurt her or set her up so that one of my other friends can do it….. right”? Pinkie said as she handed him back his hat.

The employee took his hat back from her and put back onto his head. Then looked at her crossly before saying sternly to her.

“Yes I was here the day that your two friends hurt that girl. That is why I will not help you now to find her. I will not help you to hurt her even more than what she has already been hurt. I saw how she was not able to protect herself. So you see you Ms. I will not help you to set her up for another beating. Now I must ask that you leave and leave immediately.” The employee said as he started to walk away from his cash register.

Pinkie lowered her head and sniffed as she spoke out to him while he was walking away from her.

“You think we set her up, that isn’t what happened at all. We didn’t set her up she left school and didn’t go to school that day when we had the fight with her in this diner. We all thought she had posted stuff online about us. Stuff that hurt us badly. We let our anger rule our judgment and because of that I may never be able to tell my…. my…. m” Pinkie stammered on the last of her words as she started to cry while she remembered her hurtful words to Sunset that day.

The employee clenched his hands into tight fist then turned on the balls of his feet and walked back up the cash register. Glaring at Pinkie with burning anger in his eyes he spoke to her so sternly Pinkie thought the devil himself was talking through this young employee. As she stood there looking at his deep brown eyes she thought she saw a hint of red flare up into his eyes as he spoke to her. The employee through clinched teeth said sternly to Pinkie.

“You dare come here and tell me that you are that girls girlfriend! After what you and your friends did to her. I should pick your ass up right the fuck now and throw you out that damn door for how you treated that girl. She pleaded with you and your friends and even stooped to begging you to hear her words. Yet you repaid her friendship with hate and anger. Tell me did any of you even bother to check to see if she really was the one that did all the shit you claimed her responsible for?”

Pinkie looked at the employee then lowered her head as a single tear escaped her right eye and trickled down her pink cheek hitting the counter as she stood there in complete silence. The employee sighed deeply calming himself down before he spoke to her again in a calmer voice.

“I thought so. Before you go and ask me why I am defending your friend or, why I am not willing to help you find her. You should know I use to go to Crystal Prep and I know all too well what friends like you are all about. You and your friends treated that girl like total shit. Too top it off even worse than that your blue skinned friend had the gall to actually start beating that girl. When she had stoop so low that she had to beg and plead with you and your friends just to try to get you all to listen to her. Friends like your blue skinned friend and like you are NOT what that young lady needs right now. Someone that is so far and so badly hurt by what ever it is that caused her to plead and beg you and your friends like that. Doesn’t NEED someone like you in their life. What they need is someone that will treat them with love and honor and will actually LISTEN to them when they say they are innocent of something. Not someone who is selfish by saying they hate them and want nothing to do with them. So you go ahead, you cry your tears but, it is not tears that you should be shedding. No it is your hate and anger for that girl that you and your friends chased out of her that you SHOULD be shedding. Now leave before I pick you up and throw you out.” The employee said as he started to walk away again.

Pinkie turned around and slowly walked to the front door stopping just long enough to turn back to face the employee and said to him as she watched him walk away from the cash register.

“You're right, we treated her so very badly. I just wanted to somehow, some way prove to her that I care about her and that I am so very sorry for how we treated her.” Pinkie said as he she laid her hand onto the the door handle and opened it to step outside into the cold winter morning.

Turning in the direction towards the school she pulled out her phone and called Principal Celestia as she started to head towards the school. Pinkie closed her eyes as she thought back on all the times she and Sunset had spent hours together just going over school home work. Or just spending general time together going over music and other things that peaked both her interest and Sunsets. As Celestia answered her phone Pinkie let some tears fall down her cheek as she sniffed trying not to cry into her cell phone while her principal was on the other end of it.

“Hello Pinkie”. Celestia said as she drove down the street.  

“I did as you asked Principal Celestia I went to Sugar cube Corner. Sunset isn’t here and I do not know where else to go. I am on my way to school now and should be there in a few minutes.” Pinkie said as she walked down the sidewalk towards her school.

“I understand. OK, I will be at school in a little while myself, when you get to school head to the auditorium tell my sister to call me when you get there. In the meantime I will check her home again and see if she has gone back there. If she is there I will see if I can convince her to come to school so that we can put an end to this and then try to get her the help that she needs.” Celestia said as she drove towards the abandoned gas station.

“When you get there look for her journal. She if she has it with her. I know you found her other journal but, you see Sunset has one that allows her to communicate with Twilight in Equestria. The book that you are looking for is made out of brown leather and has a red and yellow sun on the cover of it.” Pinkie said as she continued to walk towards school.

“I will look for it but, for now go to school and I will see you there Pinkie.” Celestia said as she hung up.

Pinkie hung up her phone then headed to school getting to the school she looked around but, like at Sugarcube Corner she didn’t see Sunset outside in front of the statue. Without Sunsets magical journal Pinkie had no way to contact Twilight and ask her for help with this situation. Heading into the school Pinkie was greeted by her friends in the hallway leading to the auditorium. Applejack said to her as she walked with her and the rest of her friends down the hallway leading to the auditorium.

“Sugar cube is everything ok”? Applejack said noticing how upset and sad Pinkie looked.

“No everything's not OK I went to Sugar cube Corner at Principal Celestia’s request when she called me to check to see if Sunset had gone there. She wasn’t there and the employee that was there refused to help me find her. What he said to me hurt more than….. well it just hurt to hear the truth is all”. Pinkie said as she lowered her head.

“You mean the truth of us all being jerks to Sunset, the truth of how we should have listened to her when she said she was innocent and NOT guilty of what we accused her of.” Fluttershy said as she sighed heavily.  

“Darling we all regret what we did to Sunset some of us more than the rest of us. But, we can’t focus on our own pain and anger towards ourselves right now. Right now we need to help our sisters out and make sure they are kept safe. Once the entire student body finds out today that our sisters were the ones posting to the Anon-a-miss MyStables website. It will be as if they are blood in an ocean filled with sharks. The students will get angry to say the least.” Rarity said as she held her sister's hand leading her to the auditorium.

Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo said nothing as they walked holding the hands of their sisters and step sister towards the auditorium. With each step they took as they got closer and closer towards the auditorium the crusaders could feel their hearts beating faster and faster as fear of what awaited them slowly began to set in. Looking at her step sister as they approached the doors that lead to the stage of the auditorium Scootaloo looked up into Rainbow Dash’s eyes and said weakly to her step sister.

“Sis…. do you…. think we will get beat up by the rest of the students for what we did”? Scootaloo said as they reached the door.

Rainbow looked down at her sister then knelt down and hugged her tightly in her arms. Saying to her as she held her in her arms.

“No squirt, I won’t allow that to happen. If someone does want to do that to you then they will have to deal with me first. I am however going to let them talk to you as they see fit. But, if they try to lay one single finger on you then I will step in and deal with them myself”. Rainbow said as she ended the hug then pushed open the doors to the stage leading her step sister and the others inside the auditorium.

Rarity also hugged her sister tightly then lead her down the pathway towards the stage leaving Applejack to talk to her sister with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie standing there. Applejack looked at the two of them then asked them both.

“Uh, girls could you give us a few minutes alone please, I have something that I would like to talk to my sister about in private if you two don’t mind that is”? Applejack said as she knelt down to look her younger sister in the eyes.

Pinkie looked at Applebloom then at Applejack closed her eyes and slowly walked away from the two of them. She was having a hard time dealing with the fact that Principal Celestia didn’t expel either of the three when they first found out about the crusaders being Anon-a-miss. Fluttershy was to timid to actually say what was on her mind as she too walked away but, she also felt that they should have been expelled from the school as well. Applejack sighed deeply as she took her sister's hands into her own and looked into her sister’s peach colored eyes as she said to her.

“Applebloom I want you to know that I am proud of you for going through with this. I know you must be scared out of your mind right now not knowing what the other students are going to do to you. I want you to know that after today no matter how things might turn out I will not turn my back on you again. I am so sorry for how I treated you. However you do need to know that if and when we find Sunset. I still plan to ask her to move into our home not just as my sister but, as yours as well. I want you two to spend as much time together as you can. That way you both, will get to see the real her and she will get to see the real you and you yourself won’t be so jealous of her any more. It will take us both time to forgive you for what you have done little sis. But, I am sure if you are willing to work extra hard at it Sunset will be able to forgive you. Just as I will be able to forgive you for this.” Applejack said holding her sister's hands in her own.

Applebloom looked at her sister and sniffed then slowly turned to face the doors as she breathed in and slowly let out her breath. Saying to her sister as she started to walk towards the doors leading to the auditorium.

“If you feel I am worthy of your forgiveness then I will work extra hard to be worthy of Sunsets forgiveness. I never meant for any of this to happen Applejack. I just wanted to get you back. I never knew that Sunset might be hurting herself or, that she might be homeless. I also had no idea how bad things really were for her. Applejack tell me before I walk through those doors is it true that Sunset isn’t welcome back home you know where she comes from”? Applebloom said as she swallowed deeply trying to hid her fear from her sister.

“From what I understand each and every time I would bring it up she would change the subject or get depressed. Weather she is actually welcome there or not, or whether she was actually banished to live the rest of her life here or not doesn’t matter Applebloom. Because that being put in place doesn’t excuse what you and your two friends have done. You need to fess up to this in front of the school, you hurt more than just me and my friends with your actions. You also hurt Sunset, badly with this and you hurt the entire school body with this whole foolish notion of yours. I can forgive you for this…... some day. As can and will Sunset be also able to forgive you as well when she is ready to that is. But, the other students that you hurt with your antics might not be so forgiving and you are going to have to be a big girl and live with this for the rest of your life.” Applejack said as she walked her sister to the doors of the auditorium.

Applebloom laid her hands onto the cold hard steel doors then pushed them open and made her way to the stage where she saw Vice Principal Luna waiting for her and Applejack.  Looking out towards the crowd of students Applebloom gulped as she made her way across the stage to where Luna was standing next to a podium with a microphone attached to it. Sitting on the podium was a laptop computer Luna nodded to Applebloom who in turn turned to her two friends as Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity all walked off the stage and took their seats next to Fluttershy to take their seats. Pinkie Pie walked up to Luna and said to her.

“Vice Principal Luna I was asked by your sister earlier today to tell you to call her before you started the proceedings.” Pinkie said as she started to walk off the stage and headed for the front row where her four other friends were already sitting.

Vice Principal Luna said nothing to Pinkie as she watched Pinkie make her way off the stage and take her seat next to her four friends. Taking out her phone she called up her sister while monitoring the crusaders to stand next to the podium each of them did as they were asked to do by their Vice Principal. As Luna spoke into her phone the look on her face was clear she was not happy with what she heard from her sister.

“Tia it’s Luna I thought you should all of the students are ready and are waiting for you to show up where are you right now?” Luna said into her cell phone.

“I am about ten minutes away from the school I went to see if Sunset had gone back to where she had been living and was unable to find her. I have no idea where she is or what she is doing. Tell Pinkie I think but, I am not sure that Sunset might have her magic journal with her. She should know what I am talking about I will see you in ten minutes we will start the assembly when I get there and not before. If the students get a bit uptight about this then oh, well too bad so sad. I have Sunsets other journal with me and I will read it allowed to show the students what this type of bullying does to someone. Don’t worry I will skip the parts of her cutting herself the other students don’t need to hear that. But, they do need to know that they all hurt her badly by turning on her the way they did. As I said Luna I will see in ten minutes.” Principal Celestia hung up the phone and drove towards the school.

Luna hung up with her sister then told Pinkie who was just sitting down in her seat next to her four friends.

“Ms. Pie my sister told me to tell you that she believes Sunset might have her magical Journey with her. Although she is not sure about that and I do not see how that will help us right now.” Luna said as she looked from the stage to Pinkie who was sitting with her four friends.

What Celestia didn’t know what as she passed an alleyway that aligned itself to the street she was on heading towards the school Sunset was slowly emerging from a cardboard box. She had found the box the previous night and had spent most of the night crying and shaking from the cold weather. The only reason she didn’t freeze to death was because the box she had spent the night in was next to a heating duct and it provided her with warmth but, not much else. As she climbed to her feet she slowly stumbled and fell back to the ground skinning her knees and her hands against the cold hard cement of the sidewalk she was on. Looking about she saw a man approach her and hold out his hand to her. Looking up it was the kindly old man that ran the newspaper stand that she normally would stop by on her way to school. Looking at his hand she said nothing as she took a hold of his hand as helped her up to her feet. Seeing that she was skinned up from her fall on the cement he carefully walked her over to his truck and took out a first aid kit then proceeded to clean up her wounds. Looking at her he said as he held up her left hand in his right hand while placing an alcohol pad to her left hand.

“This might sting a bit but, at least you won’t get an infection from scrapping yourself up like that.” He said as he placed a alcohol wipe over her scrapes then proceeded to bandaged up her left hand.

Moving to her right hand he looked into her eyes and he saw the look in Sunsets eyes. It was a look of absolute death there was no light, no love, no happiness, only pure unmistakable pain and death. It was a look he had seen many times during his time overseas at look he never wanted to see again. A look he didn’t want to see in the eyes of 18 year old girl with who had her whole life ahead of her. Cleaning up her right hand he then moved to her knees and cleaned and bandaged them before opening up the passenger side door of his truck then he helped Sunset climb into the truck. Looking to the right of where he was standing by his truck he saw Sunset’s backpack. He walked over the bag lying on the street picked it up and carried it back to his truck and placed it next to her thinking to himself as he did so.

“This young and beautiful girl needs help I hope sister Cherry Jubilee will be at cherry church today. I could use her help not to mention a hot cup of soup too.”

The newspaper seller climbed in and started up his truck then pulled out onto the street and headed towards Sunsets school and the church that Cherry Jubilee worked at as a nun. Sunset said nothing as she laid her head against the passenger side window thinking of the painful words her friends had said to her at Sugar Cube Corner.

“Secret steelier”

“Demon born bitch”

“How could you?”

“Explain this”

“Why would you do this Sunset”?

These words and other memories filled Sunsets mind as the newspaper man drove her and himself to the local church. Looking out the window Sunset saw that as they passed by her school and came up to a church the church was only ten blocks away from the school. Sunset sniffed to herself as the newspaper man got out of the truck walked over to her side of the truck opening the door and helped her out of it. She looked at him still with lifeless eyes and slowly tried to limp off towards the school. Her body ached from the fall she had taken earlier that day. She was sore from not only lack of sleep but, from sleeping on the cold hard ground inside a cardboard box the previous night. As she limped off the newspaper man caught up to her. He then placed his hands onto her shoulders as he slowly and carefully maneuvered back towards the church. Getting her up to the door he kicked the door with his left foot while holding onto Sunset with right arm over his shoulders.

‘BAM, BAM, BAM, BAM’ His foot sounded as he kicked the door with his left foot.

A regal and small hunched over elderly woman answered the door.The nun that came to the door wore the normal white habit and black robe that someone of her religion was expected to wear. When she saw Sunset being held up with one arm over the shoulder of the newspaper seller. The nun very quickly took a hold of Sunsets other arm and carefully lead her into the cafeteria then looked at the newspaper seller saying to him gently.

“Thank you for bringing us this poor and lost soul Joe I will see to it she has a warm bath and clean safe place to sleep. You go about your selling your newspapers and I will inform you as to how she is doing”.

Joe looked at her then said softly as he helped Sunset sit down on a bench in the cafeteria of the church.

“Well um, if you think that is best Sister, oh, do you know where Sister Cherry Jubilee is today?”

“She has gone on a retreat with several others at this time Joe now how about I get you both some hot soup then go start a bath for this little one” The nun said smiling warmly to Joe.

Joe smiled back and sat next to Sunset who still didn’t say anything to him. Thoughts of wanting to end her life were plaguing her mind and it was all she could think of since her last meeting with her former friends. Joe smiled then got up and looked at her before saying.

“The sisters that run this church young one are good people they will take good care of you. I will go get your backpack then I need to leave, I hope to see you around some time again hopefully when you are feeling better and more able to speak. Until then you take care of yourself.” Joe said as he walked out of the cafeteria and headed to his truck.

Getting to the truck he reached inside and took out Sunsets backpack slinging it over his right shoulder he carried it as he headed back inside the church. Sunset was still sitting right where Joe had left her still lifeless and dead to the world as ever. Joe placed Sunsets bag down next to her then headed to the kitchen to get his cup of soup from the nun that had offered it to him and to Sunset. Sunset looked around before getting up off the bench and saw a clipboard with some blank paper on it and a pen next to it sitting on a table not far from her. She limped over to the table picked up the clipboard and limped back to her place at the bench looked down saw her backpack sitting on the floor next to the bench. She sat back down picked up her bag and placed the items into her backpack. Sunset got up and headed out the door slowly limping as she went down the sidewalk towards the school thinking to herself as she limped up towards the statue of Canterlot High School.

“Soon my pain will be over and I will be at peace, Soon I will be able to be rid of all my heartache. Soon I will sleep in death's loving embrace.”

Luna turned to towards Pinkie and said to her as she watched the pink skinned girl walk off the stage and take her seat next to her friends.

“Ms. Pie my sister whom I just got done talking with wanted me to tell you that she thinks Sunset might have her journal with her. Although she is not sure and I do not see how that is suppose to help with this situation.” Luna said as she

Unbeknownst to Principal Celestia as she pulled up to the school in the back of it. Sunset was now sitting with her back against the statue writing down her final words to Twilight and her final words to her friends. Celestia headed inside and headed to the auditorium. Where she saw her sister and the crusaders waiting for her on stage. Looking at them she walked over to them and nodded. Then took the microphone off the podium and began to speak into it. Her voice booming loudly across the room through the speakers that lined all the walls in the auditorium.

“Attention all Canterlot students I am sure many of you are wondering why you are not in class today. I am also sure you are all curious as to why you have all been asked to come in here rather than go to class.” Celestia said into the microphone pausing just enough to give the students time to talk among themselves .

The students that were filled the auditorium all began to whisper and murmur among themselves as Celestia spoke again into the microphone.

“You all are here because a student has been blamed for crimes and bullying she didn’t commit. And now that same student is missing.”Celestia said to the crowd of students in the auditorium.

“good I am glad to know she is missing let her rot in hell for what she did” A student called out from the crowd

“Yeah she doesn’t and shouldn’t be allowed to get away with what she did to us” another yelled out

“Who here thinks Sunset should be fully dealt with and sent away like the coward she is?” Another student yelled out.  

“THAT IS ENOUGH! ANY ONE WHO EVEN CONSIDERS JOINING IN ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT WILL WIND UP IN THE POLICE STATION. NOW BE QUITE ALL OF YOU”! screamed Celestia into the microphone.

Celestia’s voice was so loud that she actually got all the students to stop talking at the same time. Applejack and her friends all smirked and giggled a bit at the sight of a really pissed off  Principal Celestia taking hell by the horns and throwing it to the wind as she spoke.

“The young three people up here next to me are the ones that are responsible for everything that has happened with the Anon-a-miss account. But before I allow these three to tell you what they have done I have something here that needs to be read aloud.” Celestia said as she held up the Sunsets journal.  

Hearing those words coming from their Principal all the students in the auditorium started to laughing at the thought that the three standing next to Celestia could actually be Anon-a-miss. Many of the students were actually crying because they were laughing so hard at the thought of three 13 year old girls who looked more like sweet angles and not the type to pull something like this. Celestia walked over the podium put Sunsets journal onto it then opened it and spoke into the microphone again before she started to read from the journal.

“I want you all to hear from Sunsets own words as what this has caused her to do to herself and why I want to put a stop to this type of behavior.” Celestia said as she was started to read aloud what was written in Sunsets journal.

Reading aloud from Sunsets journal Celestia read.

“Diary,

I don’t want to stay here any more I have to leave. My friends have all turned on me, Pinkie hates me and Rainbow Dash gave me a split lip and maybe some broken ribs as well. I don’t blame her for attacking me I would more than likely have done the same thing to her if she had done what I was accused of. I never posted any of that stuff online I don’t know who did and I don’t care. I my shoulder is bleeding right now I have made several more cuts since I got back from Sugar Cube Corner. It doesn’t matter any more I have no friends and no family. Applejack had wanted to take me in as her sister. This I very much do believe she was lying about. I mean I can’t foresee anyone actually wanting a homeless piece of trash like me in their house. You know I was actually looking forward to having a big Christmas dinner with everyone. But, all that is gone now. I am alone as I deserve to be. Rainbow is right I am just a demon born bitch. I don’t deserve to be happy and I don’t deserve to be part of a family. I deserve to be alone on the streets forever alone. So tomorrow I will make my final cuts and end my pain once and for all. I can’t live like this any more I can’t be alone any more. The pain is just too much. I am so tired of trying to prove myself to people that don’t care about me at all. So it is simply better for me to end it tomorrow and be done with my pain once and for all.”

After Celestia got done reading the journal she saw that no one seemed to be talking any more only whispering among themselves now.

It was during this time that Celestia sighed when she had finished reading the journal entry and handed the microphone over to Applebloom. Then stepped back to allow her room to speak. Looking out into the crowed Appleblooms eyes fell upon her sister who was sitting in the front row. Applejack nodded to her sister and waited for her sister to do the right thing. Applebloom held the microphone up to her lips then spoke out to the crowd of laughing students.

“What Principal Celestia has said to y’all is true, it is the truth myself and my two friends behind me are the real culprits of Anon-a-miss. Although we do not deserve your forgiveness we want you all to know that we are sorry for what we have done and we will work hard to re-earn your trust in us.” Applebloom said as she heard someone from the crowd call out to her.

“Yeah right kid, you're cute and all but, you are not the one that did this.” The faceless voice in the crowd said.

“Yeah we all know that bitch Sunset Shimmer is the one that did this so stop trying to take the rap for someone else.” Another voice called out to her from the crowd.

Sweetie Belle stepped up at this point and took the microphone from Applebloom. Staring into the crowd she sighed then said to the students.

“Why can’t you all just believe that we were the ones that did this and not Sunset Shimmer?” Sweetie Belle said as she looked back at Scootaloo who was typing on the laptop that had been on the podium.

“Because we know that Sunset put you up to this that is why you are not the ones that did this. Where is your proof that you are the ones that did this and not Sunset Shimmer kid.” A voice called out to Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo looked up from the laptop she had been typing on then smiled and gave her friend a thumbs up gesture. Seeing the thumbs up gesture given by her friend Sweetie Belle turned again to face the crowd of students saying to them all.

“All right you all want or need proof look at your phones right……. now” Sweetie Belle said as she pointed out into the crowds.

Cell phones began to buzz and bleep all across the auditorium as student after student took out their phones and looked at them. On every ones screens the words ‘Sunset Shimmer is truly innocent’ appeared on every ones cell phone scree. Some were willing to believe then and there that the crusaders were the ones behind the Anon-a-miss bullying while others still needed proof. The auditorium filled with both angry and half mocking tones from the students sitting in the chairs of the auditorium. Sighing to herself Celestia snapped her fingers as four security guards came out each pushing a flat 87 inch screen T.V. Hooking these up they then went behind stage and came back with a video projector and hooked up the laptop that Scootaloo had been typing on. Once everything was in place Celestia stepped up and took the microphone from Sweetie Belle then motioned her to stand next to her friends while looking at Scootaloo. Celestia stared at Scootaloo for all of five seconds but, in the young girl's mind it could have just as well have been five years. As Celestia spoke to her in her normal calm voice.

“Alright Scootaloo show them that you and your friends are the ones to be held accountable for the acts of Anon-a-miss.” Celestia said as she pointed to her.

Scootaloo did as she was told and typed up on the laptop so everyone else could see it.

“We are the ones that did this not Sunset Shimmer she is innocent of this.”

Pressing ‘enter’ on the keypad she waited for a few seconds while every one’s phone rang out and bleeped out showing that they all had gotten an update to the Anon-a-miss website. Once everyone saw that it was indeed the three girls standing up on stage and not Sunset Shimmer who did the Anon-a-miss postings everyone fell silent to hear what Celestia was going to do to them. Looking at the three she said angrily to them.

“You three as of this day are hereby expelled from this school and all school activities. You may if you like be escorted out of here by your family and not the security guards.” Celestia said grimly into the microphone.

As Celestia said her final words to the crusaders. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom all lowered their heads in shame. Applejack and her four friends got up out of their seats then walked up to the stage. Applejack looked at Celestia then at her sister as her sister began to cry. Applejack climbed the steps of the stage and took her sobbing sister by the hand and lead her off stage. She was followed by Rainbow Dash and Rarity who like Applejack did the same with there sisters. Pinkie and Fluttershy remained behind Pinkie looked at Celestia then slowly walked off the stage shaking her head while Fluttershy spoke to Celestia saying to her Principal.

“Are you sure this is what you want to do to them isn’t there another way to punish them for this”? Fluttershy asked meekly hiding her face behind her hair.

Principal Celestia sighed as she walked over to Fluttershy and placed her hands onto the timid girl's shoulders she said to her softly.

“I am sorry but, you need to understand Fluttershy, If I let this slide by suspending them it would allow others to do the same thing. I had to show that I was not willing to put up with bullying and they were in complete violation of school policy. I know it will hurt but, it is also for the best. This way they can start fresh at a new school and not have to worry about getting beat up by the students who will want to pay them back for this.” Celestia said as she turned the pink haired girl towards the crowd of students who looked very angry.

Fluttershy looked out into the crowd and saw that Celestia was right all the students looked like they wanted to kill the crusaders. Looking back at her principal she nodded then slowly followed the other as they all made there way to the front doors of school. As all this was happening Sunset had made her way to the statue and was beginning to right to Twilight in her journal that had her cutie mark on it. She wrote in the journal.

“Hello,

Twilight.

By the time you actually read this I will be long gone from this world. I want you to know that I don’t hate you Twilight for trying to teach me the lessons of friendship. I love you Twilight and I know that leaving me here in this cold dead world was simply part of my punishment for my acts of treason that I committed against you. I know that I am worthless and that I don’t deserve friendship. I turned my back on my first mentor Princess Celestia when she tried to teach me the same lessons that you have sought to teach me. I attacked you at the Fall Formal and then tried to dominate the student body by enslaving them to my will. I threatened to destroy all of Equestria all in the name of power and ambition. But, despite all the hurt that I caused you actually wanted to save me. I will always love you for that Twilight. Twilight I tried to follow your teachings I really did. But, in the end all it got me was a broken heart and a really messed up shoulder. I wish I could go home Twilight. I would have loved to have seen the snow capped mountains of Equestria one last time. I wish I could have been the student that you wanted me to be. I wish I could have been the friend that you thought I was able to be. I don’t even know why to this day you actually felt the need to save this demon born bitch who is nothing more than trash. I don’t know what you saw in me that made you think you could change me into something that I am not nor ever would be. So as I sit here with my back against the portal I find that I don’t hate you all Twilight for leaving me in this cold dead world. In fact Twilight I love you. I will always love you and I will go to my next life whatever that may be not hating you for what you did to me loving you.

Good bye

          Twilight.  

Sincerely,

Now and always,

Your failed student

Sunset Shimmer.

As Sunset finished the last words in her magical journal and saw that it began to vibrate and glow.The book slid out of her hands and fell to the ground next to her legs. Reaching over to her backpack she pulled out of her bag the clipboard and pen she had taken from the local church to write to her friends what would be her last words to them as well. Sunset wrote her words to her friends writing.  

“My dear and wonderful friends.

I wish to state to you all one last final time that I am not Anon-a-miss and that I have not been the one posting all that stuff about our secrets online. I do not know who has done this or even why someone would feel the need to do this. I was actually looking forward to spending time with each of you in turn this Christmas, yet that is all gone now. I want you all to know that I do not hate any of you for what has happened to me over the past several days. I love each and every one of you very much. You were and are my family! I don’t want to be alone any more but, I guess I have always been alone and I can’t live like this any more knowing that I will never have a family to call my own. Or to have friends that, love me and cherish me. I do not understand why no one not even you five girls who once called me ‘family’ will believe me when I said to you all that I was not the one doing this. I want you all to know that as I leave this world for good I take with me the good and loving memories of your friendships. It is my hope that with my death that this Anon-a-miss will get what she or, he or, they want that is me out of your lives for good. I would have liked to see your friendships grow and blossom into something truly special, something that I could have been proud of. As I sit here alone outside of our…. your school I want you all to know that I feel the need to tell you one last time that I love you all very much.

Rarity if you are the one reading this then you should know that you’re sense of fashion gave me reason to smile and laugh. You always had the most beautiful and gorgeous outfits. You should also know that you taught me what it meant to be a ‘lady’. That I could be feminine without losing myself to it. Applejack I want you to know that if you are reading this letter I do not hate you all at all. I love you very much. I want you to know that I really loved being able to work on your farm and learning about plants and apples. You tought be what it meant to truly work for something that is worth having for that I will always love you. Fluttershy if you are reading this letter. I wish to tell you you’re sense of kindness and thoughtfulness towards smaller creatures that were scared or too timid to protect themselves. Gave me reason to believe that tomorrow would be a better day that I could live knowing that I will would always have you as a friend. Rainbow Dash if you are the one that is reading this letter. I wish to inform you that I loved watching you play soccer or that strange game with the ball and mitt. I always loved learning about your sports and how you applied them to everyday life. Pinkie Pie I want to inform you that you I loved most of all. I loved your energetic nature and your sense of fun. Is what I fell in love with. But, it was that gorgeous and most precious smile of yours that I truly fell in love with. You always had the most beautiful smile that I have ever seen.

I hope that you Pinkie Pie will some day above all the others will be able to find that very special someone to share your heart with again. As you have shared it with me. My only regret is that I will not be able to watch you grow and mature in the very beautiful woman that I know you will become. I love you Pinkie Pie and I leave this world loving you most of all.Pinkie you always seemed to find some way to make me smile. But, now all that is gone I want to state one last time that despite how I was so very poorly treated by you five girls over the past several days. I don’t hate any of you at all. In fact I love you and I leave this world loving each of you in kind. It is my final wish as I die today that you all will find it in your selves to forgive each other because I have already forgiven each of you.  and to fully forgive this Anon-a-miss person for her, or his, or their actions against you and against me.

I love you all.

Goodbye.

Your former friend

Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset signed the note then folded it in half and folded each half over until the note was a perfect three piece folded letter.Tucking it into her inside coat pocket she sighed her last breath and reached into her right coat pocket slowly drawing out the razor she had gotten from Pinkie's home. As she raised the razor to her left wrist the charcoal grey clouds above parted and began to let the warmth of the sun's light warm the frozen earth below. Just as she was starting to make her cut on her wrist the school’s lunch bell rang out and the front doors to the school opened. Rainbow Dash who was still holding Scootaloo by the hand leading her outside where the first to step out into the cold winter afternoon air. They were followed by Pinkie Pie and Applejack who like Rainbow Dash was leading her own sister out into the afternoon air by the hand as well. All of them stopped in their tracks when they all saw Sunset sitting against the statue in front of them. The light of the sun's rays reflected off the shiny piece metal that was held in Sunsets hand and bounced off it striking Pinkie Pie in the eyes. The light temporarily blinded her for a split second before she realized what it was and who it was that was sitting next to the statue. Pinkie screamed out pushing her friends off the steps and into the plants that lined the left and right sides of the steps as she ran down the steps towards Sunset.

“NOOOOO.” Pinkie screamed as she raced forward knocking Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo off the steps and into the plants below.

Everything else seemed to happen in slow motion as Rainbow and Scootaloo could be seen falling to the ground off the school steps. As Pinkie raced down the steps towards Sunset. Sunset slit her left wrist and then moved to her right wrist and slit her right one just as Pinkie got up to her. Pinkie skidded to a halt as she fell to her knees badly skinning them on the pavement. The pain caused by this action was nothing to the pain she now felt in her heart as she reached out and grab Sunset pulling her onto her lap. Pinkie grabbed onto Sunsets wrist one in each hand desperately trying to stop the flow of blood that was now stanning her pink shirt red. She could be heard screaming out.

“AMBULANCE, SOMEONE , ANYONE CALL AN AMBULANCE NOW!”

Rainbow climbed to her feet as Applejack let go of her sister's hand and ran over to help Pinkie try to stop the flow of blood coming from Sunsets sliced wrist. All the while Pinkie rocked her dying girlfriend back and forth in her lap screaming out.

“Sunset stay with me. Please you can’t leave me. you just can’t leave me. Please Sunset I beg you stay with me. Don’t die.”

Rainbow called for an ambulance then ran over to see if she could be of any help while Applejack had ripped a large piece of her shirt off and wrapped it around Sunsets wrist just as Rainbow got up to them. A few minutes later an ambulance and squad car could both be heard wailing their sirens down the street while Pinkie said sobbing holding her dying girlfriend in her arms.

“Baby the ambulance will be here soon, don’t leave me! Please Sunny! I beg you don’t leave me! I love you Sunset”.

While all this was happening Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were just coming out of the school seeing what was going on. Luna raced forwards to try to help Sunset. As Celestia took out a radio she had under her coat calling the security to keep the students that were not yet outside inside and from seeing this spectacle. Pinkie was heard yelling out as Celestia got off the radio with her security team.

“Where the fuck is that ambulance”?

“It's on it’s way Pinkie they will be here soon”. Rainbow Dash said as she looked up seeing her step sister and Applebloom where both just standing there like two deer caught in headlights.

Celestia noticed this as well and lead the two girls back inside the school so that they would be out of the way. Getting back up to the door a security guard looked her and lead the two girls into Principles Celestia's office to wait while the events out front unfolded in all there horror. Just as the guard was about to lead the girls off Celestia said to him.

“Have Fluttershy and Rarity with her sister also go to the office and stay there they don’t need to see this. Do you understand”? Celestia said sternly to the guard.

“Yes Ma’am I will raido on a head and have them all meet these two in your office.”

“Thank you now get going”. Celestia said turning back towards the awful scene that was playing out in front of her.  

The security guard did as he had said he would he radioed the other guards who in turn found Fluttershy and Rarity with her sister and lead each of them to the office. Not sure as to what was going on Rarity said to the guard that had escorted her to the office.

“Darling why did you escort my sister and myself to the office I thought we were suppose to leave once our sister got expelled from school”?

The guard looked at her then said to her sternly.

“I am sorry Ma’am but, I can’t talk about it. All I can tell you is that you need to stay here until Principal Celestia or Vice Principal Luna come for you and your sister.” The guard said as Fluttershy and Applebloom as well as Scootaloo all walked into the office.

Rarity looked at each of them in turn then heard the sound of the ambulance pulling up out front as well as a squad car pulling up. Getting out of her chair she opened the blinds and saw two  paramedics rush over to the statue and a police officer rush over as well. During this time Sunset was just barely able to whisper out to Pinkie as Pinkie bent over placing her ear against Sunsets lips to hear what Sunset was trying to say to her.

“I…... forgive….you...Pinkie….I...I love…. you” Sunsets last word came almost above a whisper as the ambulance pulled up and Sunset breathed her last.

The ambulance showed up just as Pinkie was screaming out as they ran towards her and Sunset.

“NO SUNSET PLEASE DON’T FORGIVE ME. I DON’T DESERVE YOUR FORGIVENESS. OH GOD SUNSET DON’T LEAVE ME PLEASE!” Pinkie screamed out as the paramedics had to have her dragged away in order to try to save Sunsets life.

Pinkie could only watch in horror as they tried desperately to revive her girlfriend but, after four tries they called it and pronounced Sunset dead on scene. Pinkie screamed out as she fought viciously to get back over to her girlfriend to hold her one last time before the medics took her body away. As Pinkie watched them cover her girlfriend with a white sheet she screamed as loudly as she could while Rainbow held her back.

“NO! NO! NO. SUNSET! PLEASE NOOOO”.

Pinkie fought as hard as she could but, Rainbow being a athlete and much stronger than Pinkie was physically was able to hold the pink skinned girl back. As both Pinkie and Rainbow watched the paramedics load Sunset’s body onto a gurney then into the ambulance Pinkie heard Rainbow yell at her.

“PINKIE! SHE IS GONE! THERE IS NOTHING MORE YOU CAN DO FOR HER. SHE IS AT PEACE.”

Principal Celestia laid a hand over her mouth as her sister Luna embraced her while she started to sob from seeing the medics cover up Sunsets lifeless body. Pinkie  who was still fighting with Rainbow trying even harder now to get free of her friends tight grip screamed out. Just as Applejack came down the steps leaving her sister behind at the school's front door.

“GOD DAMN YOU RAINBOW DASH LET ME GO, I HAVE TO GET TO SUNSET SHE NEEDS ME! PLEASE LET ME GO! SUNSET.” Pinkie screamed as she struggled with her friend trying to break free of Rainbows powerful grip.  

Applejack came into Pinkie's line of vision as Rainbow closed her eyes and held tightly onto Pinkie Pie waiting for what was about to come next. As Pinkie struggled to get free of her friend Rainbow Dash’s grip Applejack said to her as a amber colored fist slammed into the pink skinned girls temple knocking her out cold with one single blow.

“I am so sorry Pinkie I truly am but, you left us no choice.” Applejack said as Pinkie's eyes rolled back into her skull and she slipped into unconsciousness.

The medics were about to check on Pinkie as Celestia and Luna both stepped up in front of them Celestia said angrily to both of the medics. And the officer was about to place Applejack under arrest for assaulting her friend when they all heard Principal Celestia yell out at them.

“Don’t you dare touch  Applejack officer Pinkie Pie just lost her girlfriend and was hysterical the only way to get her to leave this area was to knock her out. As much I disapprove of the Applejack's method it is still the only way to get her to leave so you can do your damn job.”

The officer looked at the medics then back at Celestia before saying to her with Applejack standing there watching them coldly.

“All right I won’t place her under arrest but, if she does that again I will put her into the back of my squad car make no mistake about that one bit.”

Celestia nodded then turned to her sister and said to her.

“Help me get Pinkie Pie to my car so I can take her home”.

Luna nodded to this and helped Celestia pick up the unconscious girl up in her arms. As Celestia carried Pinkie to her car she saw Applejack heading inside the school and told Luna to follow her. Luna did so without question. Applejack headed back inside the school and found her little sister sitting in a chair with both of her friends in the Principal's office. Watching all of this happen Rarity saw as they placed a white sheet over someone's body. From how far away she was she wasn’t able to see who it was they covered but she was able to see Applejack heading towards the school with Luna close behind her. Getting back inside Applejack headed to the principal's office. When she got there Fluttershy asked her.

“Applejack what is going on why were there cops here and why did they have an ambulance”

Applejack looked at her friend then over at her sister before saying as she shook with anger.

  “We were doing as Principal Celestia had asked of us taking our sister’s home when we found Sunset out front sitting in front of the statue. She had a razor in her hands and used to slit her own wrist she died in Pinkie's arms.” Applejack said as she walked over to her sister who was fully in shock at hearing this.

Anger clouded Applejacks judgment when she spoke to her sister Applejack had just lost someone she was willing to call ‘sister’. And now she was going to make sure all three of the crusaders knew how she felt. But, more importantly she was going to make sure her sister knew how she felt about this. Looking at her sister who was just starting to cry she growled out at her.

““I hope you got what you wanted. I hope you enjoyed learning today that Sunset just killed herself leaving my friend Pinkie a complete mess. This is your fault little sister and you are going to have to live with this the rest of your life. Now you are coming home with me and I don’t want to hear not one damn  word from you.” Applejack growled out causing Applebloom to sink deeply into her chair crying fully.

Applejack reached and took a hold of her sister by the hand then lead her out of the office and into the parking lot to her truck parked in the student parking lot. Applebloom climbed in and waited for Applejack to get into the truck as well. But Applejack didn’t get into the the truck she instead said to her little sister.

“Wait here and I fucking swear Applebloom if you remove yourself from this truck I will, fully tan your hide so badly you won’t be able to sit down for six months.” Applejack said as she walked over to the statute.

The police officer was just finishing his report when Applejack walked up and picked up the book that Sunset had written in. She looked at it then carried it over to her truck and got in then started up the truck and drove. The officer didn’t pursue her because he thought the book was just something that was dropped by one of the others that had called in the 9-1-1 call earlier that day. The next day Twilight showed up at Canterlot high hoping that what she had read in her own journal written by Sunset was not true at all. Looking around she saw Applejack walking slowly down the street and called out to her.

“Applejack it’s me Twilight” Twilight called out.

Applejack stopped walking and looked over by the statute lowered her hat over her eyes then waited for what was about to come next. She knew that once Twilight heard of the events from the previous day Twilight would more than likely blow a fuse. As Twilight got up to Applejack, Applejack said to her.

“Hello Twilight we need to talk.” Next Chapter: Chapter 7. Estimated time remaining: 14 Hours, 53 Minutes