Sweetie Belle yawned as she staggered down the stairs. Her head was fuzzy, so for a few seconds, she didn't realize the significance of the purple-haired girl sitting at the kitchen table, a grapefruit and square of toast beside her. However, after blinking her eyes for a moment, she broke into a wide grin.

"Good morning Rarity!" Sweetie Belle sang as she moved up to the breakfast table. "Is Applejack feeling better?"

Rarity paused, seemingly disoriented by the non-sequitur. "Applejack? What would have been wrong with Applejack, darling?"

"Well, mom said you were taking care of a friend Friday night, and Applejack dropped you off last night. So, it must have been Applejack that needed your help!" Sweetie grinned. Maybe she was comforting Applejack over some of the stuff we posted. At least I'll get to see her more, now...

"Well, to answer your question, Sweetie, Applejack is doing much better since we figured out what we're going to do about Sunset." Yes! They're finally kicking her out! Now I'll get Rarity to myself for a- "After all, we had treated her horridly." -What.

"What?" Sweetie squealed. "But- but she's Anon-A-Miss! She's been spreading your secrets around!" Didn't they have a fight? Weren't they already on the outs with one another?

"I thought she was too, Sweetie. But I realized she had nothing to gain from betraying us like that, unlike Ms. Stitch or that horrid Suri." Rarity nearly spat that last name. "After I had some time to think, I went to talk to Applejack. Rainbow Dash joined us for the conversation, and we figured out Sunset's almost certainly not the culprit."

Sweetie felt a tingle of fear run down her spine. If Applejack and Rainbow don't think Sunset's Anon-A-Miss anymore... Is that why they want us to stop posting stuff? Out loud, she spoke up. "So... what're you going to do?"

"Well, I haven't had the chance to play detective in a while, Sweetie. I'm going to enjoy figuring out who's been framing Sunset. After, all what reason could they have? She's apologized and started making up for all her past wrongs- and whoever is doing this is hurting far too many other people for my liking." Rarity frowned down at her phone.

Sweetie beat a hasty retreat to the pantry, shut the door, and slid down to the floor. Hurt more people? I never thought about that. It's just gossip- right?

She shuddered as she remembered some of the things she'd wanted to post, but hadn't. Not all of it was. There was that suicide attempt, those two boys kissing, the girl who was scared of dogs after that- She cut off her thought there. If Apple Bloom and Scoots hadn't stopped me-

All I wanted was Rarity back! I thought this would do it- thought she'd go back to like it was over the summer.

But- she has other friends, too. Ones outside the Rainbooms. How many of them have we hurt?

Was there a better way?

In the darkness of the pantry, Sweetie sought her phone, and glanced down at Apple Bloom's last message. 2 o'clock- I have to talk it out with them. Then maybe we can figure something out.

Principal Celestia looked up over her folded hands at the two figures in front of her. One, an orange-haired girl in a Wondercolts jacket, was looking typically nervous for a student who had been pulled into her office. The other, the white-haired girl in the bomber jacket, looked oddly nonchalant, but the sight of her tapping her long nails on the arm of her chair betrayed her tension. Neither girl looked happy to be in her office, which was understandable- Celestia herself wasn't happy that she'd had to come into work on Sunday, or ask the janitor to unlock the front doors for these two.

Still, this had to be done. If she didn't reign these two in now, their actions might cause far more pain than either of them would have expected. Especially considering the legally fragile nature of their target.

"Gilda Wildeye. Lightning Dust. I know that this is an inconvenience, coming in on a Sunday, but we really do need to discuss a few things." Celestia's voice was level, but he hard eyes she directed at each of the girls booked no nonsense.

At this point Gilda decided to activate the "disdain for authority" clause which made up a part of her reputation across the school. "What could be so important that you had to call my mom just to get me to come in?" she growled unkindly. (Mistake no. 1, if we're keeping track.)

"Well, Ms. Wildeye, it concerns some online correspondence which I've noticed over the past week. Or rather, a particular webpage... and your responses to the information shared on that webpage." Celestia said coolly.

"You mean Anon-A-Miss, right? What about it?" said Gilda. Lightning Dust, on the other hand, had frozen. Easily the quicker thinker of the pair (if not necessarily more intelligent) she could see where this conversation was going. Gilda, on the other hand, did not, and kept talking. "Demon-bitch is back to her old ways. What about it?" (Mistake no. 2)

Celestia's glare made Gilda's attitude shake for a moment. "First, do not swear in front of me, Ms. Wildeye. I can't control how you speak to your friends, and I understand you're upset over your grades which were posted by Anon-A-Miss, but swearing in front of your principal is unacceptable. Second, if you have proof that Sunset is the culprit behind these events, I would be happy to see it, then take appropriate action. Which brings me to number three." Celestia reached to a small folder sitting next to her, removed several sheets of paper, and placed them in front of the two students. "Third is that these," she said, motioning to several MyStable chat logs "are unacceptable."

Lightning Dust held her tongue. Gilda did not, glancing over the messages she and Dust had sent. "Yeah, these are ours. What about them?" (Mistake no. 3)

"So, you are not disputing that you were trying to elicit allies and information to "Teach that Shimmer-Bitch a lesson?" You do not dispute that?" Celestia said. Internally, she was seething with anger and disbelief. the first for what Gilda was planning to do, the second for her total disregard for the consequences.

"Yeah. She needs to be taught a lesson. Four months after she got blasted at the formal and she's already turning into a bitch again. (Mistake no. 1 redux) And if you ain't gonna do it properly..." (Mistake no. 4. Oops.)

Gilda stopped talking as Lightning Dust frantically grabbed her elbow. The white-haired girl finally shut up and actually looked at Celestia...

...and the visage of barely-constrained rage on her face.

Gilda's verbal missteps cannot be entirely laid out at her feet. It was 10 o'clock in the morning, she hadn't had her coffee, and her anger had been screaming at her to take action. However, despite these limitations, even she should have seen the warning signs long before Celestia had reached her breaking point. At this point, however, with the wrath of her principal about to break, Gilda's brain finally engaged. Oh crap...

"Gilda." Celestia's voice nearly shook with cold fury. "Do. You. Have. Any. Evidence."

"...no?" the girl said, her voice now approaching a squeak.

"Do you know what the proper punishment for someone who commits cyber-bullying is? Do you understand that I am fully aware of who Anon-A-Miss might be, and how much worse it would be for everyone if anyone- even the proper culprit- was beaten because of what amounts to slander and gossip?"

Gilda finally clammed up. Too little, too late, but at least she could learn.

"And do you realize how idiotic it is to post your plans on a public forum? How WRONG it would be to carry through with those plans?" Celestia's voice had hardened into cold iron.

Both the girls in front of her were stunned and terrified. This was the first time they'd seen Celestia mad, and both were thoroughly cowed.

Celestia leaned back in her seat. "I called you in here because your threats, as nebulous as they might be, are hardly uncommon among the school body at this time. You've done an excellent job at riling everyone up, and I approved of Sunset taking a leave of absence on Friday to avoid an incident. However, this cannot go on indefinitely, and she will be coming back to school tomorrow." Her face tightened. "If Sunset- or whomever Anon-A-Miss turns out to be- is attacked by anyone- you, your allies, strangers who just happen to be hanging around the school grounds... I have enough evidence here" she tapped the damming chat logs "to see you both expelled. And I will do that on my way to punishing everyone else involved with that violence. Do I make myself clear?"

Lightning Dust squeaked "But- but we can't control the others! We're not the only ones to want-" she cut herself off as Celestia turned her gaze upon the Wondercolt.

"I expect the two of you to spread the word of what I just told you both. If you can't convince others of how seriously I am taking this, I can still expel you both. This-" she held up the logs "- is cyberbullying. Just like Anon-A-Miss. You both have enough infractions on your record that you cannot afford to have this one added. You want to stay here?" She leaned forward, over her desk. "Do not let this escalate from gossip mongering to violence. Last warning."

She leaned back, and switched back on her normal smile. "Any further questions?" At the sound of silence, she waved her hand. "Go home, girls. And let your friends know I won't let violence stand."

Gilda and Lightning Dust did everything but run as they fled the office. From behind Celestia, she heard the sounds of slow clapping. Turning, she saw Luna had entered from the records room behind her. "Damn, Tia- I thought I knew how to play bad cop. You really tore into them, didn't you?"

The tension left Celestia's shoulders, and she slumped over her desk. "I'm more effective at it than you are, Luna- you're always pretty straight-laced. Me? When I get serious, it throws them off. Still, that was the easy meeting today." She looked at the next set of files in front of her, then smiled disingenuously up at Luna. "Could you please deal with this meeting? It would mean a lot to me."

Luna looked at her, then quirked an eyebrow. "You want me to deal with them? Hah! You're on your own, sis." She moved past Celestia and towards the front door. On her way out the door, she pivoted on one foot long enough to smile back at her sister. "Say hi to the Dazzlings for me, Tia. I'm going to handle Anon-A-Miss."

Celestia groaned, and glanced at the clock. At least she had some time to prepare...

Pinkie bounced towards CHS. After everything that had happened, she REALLY needed to get a party fix. Applejack hasn't been answering my requests, Rarity's been busy, and Rainbow's been angry. ShyShy needs space. So if there's gonna be a party, I'm gonna have to find it myself!

Pinkie hopped up on the front steps. And there's going to be new students! I can find out all about them, get the party ready, make certain that everything's just fine!

Hearing footsteps on the front steps behind her, Pinkie spun around. "WELCOME TO-" then her words cut out. Three girls she definitely recognized were standing there, watching her with either interest, annoyance, or exasperation.

Aria Dazzling stood at the head of the group, tapping her shoe against the base of the steps. "We've been here before. Still, this is a better welcome wagon than we got last time."

Sonata sniggered. "I think Dagi would prefer our old guide, wouldn't you?"

Adagio glared at Sonata. "I told you to let that go!"

Pinkie gaped like a landed fish. "But- how are you here? You tried to take over the school!"

"So did Sunset." Aria said, glancing at the document in her hands. "Celestia let her stick around. Hell, if we'd known about that, we might have stayed here after we failed." She shrugged. "Celestia's giving us a second chance- and your buddy Sunset's vouching for us." She looked over her shoulder, where Adagio was trying to noogie Sonata into submission. "Oh come on you two- Sonata, drop it. We've gotta go meet the Principal." She breezed past Pinkie, followed by her sisters.

Pinkie Pie looked at the back of the retreating Dazzlings, her whole body motionless. The retreating figures vanished inside the school as she watched. Sunset helping the Dazzlings?

But- she's a meanie-pants secret stealer! Why would she do this? Why would she give them a chance, they tried to take over the school... They don't like her- so she's not just getting new lackeys.

The pink mop of hair atop the pink girl's head slowly sank, even as she remained frozen in place.

Why is this so hard? Why is this so confusing? She did it again, right? Trying to break friendships. But she isn't! She's doing what Twilight would... What Twilight did for her.

And Twilight would never be a meanie-pants...

Author's Notes:

The middle Section of this Chapter was fun to write. Angry Celestia is a rarity (no pun intended) in the main canon- so we get to customize her rage as we see fit. Her actions here will pave the way for Sunset's return to school on Monday- and her encounter with Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie, meanwhile, is difficult to write. Next time, I think I'll chug three cans of red bull and smoke a joint to get the right mindset. Or maybe not- I may be able to think like Pinkie then, but I wouldn't be able to write like me. As for how Pinkie knew here would be new students at the school on a Sunday- remember the mantra: It's Pinkie Pie- don't question it.

This is the last we'll see of the Dazzlings until after the main plot has wrapped up. They won't be attending CHS until after New Years, and are only coming in today to file paperwork.

Oh, and FYI- I finally finished figuring out how many chapters are going to be in this story. Expect six more after this one- and the Epilogue. That's if my muse doesn't clock in overtime or go on vacation. Then all bets are off.