I just can't concentrate today!

My pencil hovers over the bubble I need to fill in to answer this particular question on the test, but my mind keeps getting drawn to what I'd done two days ago.

I feel overwhelmingly guilty and paranoid. I keep looking to the front of the class at Sunset Shimmer as if convinced that, this time, she'll realize what I have done and glare at me accusingly.

Every time I check back on her, though, I see her flipping through text on her cellphone and looking fairly bored.

Our eyes did meet once. When they did, she gave me a confident wink as if silently assuring me, “You got this, Cozy.”

Normally I would. Normally this test would be trivial to one of my vast intellect. I know these answers after all and, even if I didn't, I could probably surmise it all by a process of deductive reasoning and calculation.

But today . . . of all days . . . I just don't seem to have it in me.

I set my pencil down as well as my augmented reality glasses as I rub my face in frustration and worry. I open my eyes again and peer back at Sunset. Since my digitally corrected glasses are now off, my vision is a bit blurry but I can still make out Sunset sitting up straighter and looking at me with concern. It seems she finally notices that there is something off about me today.

I can't help it.

I set my head down onto the desk, cover my head with my arms, and close my eyes tight as I think back to what I had done two days ago.

It's mostly my emotions that bother me today, but there are still some hints of damage that linger in my system because of something I “accidentally” did to myself.

I'm allergic to peanuts, especially certain kinds of it, and I knew that when I deliberately put some into the sandwich I ate in the morning two days ago. I did it because I wanted a legitimate excuse to stay home from school on that day. So, when I claimed I was sick on that day, I wasn't faking. The only thing I lied about was by claiming someone else made the sandwich for me and was unaware of my peanut allergy, but I refused to reveal who gave me that sandwich because I pretended I didn't want to get that person in trouble.

My insides actually burned on that day. I threw up far more than once. Considering how much my mother dotes on me, what I've done to excuse myself from school was clearly overkill. She was willing to excuse me for far less than this, but I wanted to make sure that I was dismissed on that day because of another event that occurred back then, a school-wide fire safety drill.

Most of the school didn't know that but, because I am Student Council President and the fact that my mother is the principal, I was well aware that such a drill would take place on that day. That was key to my plans because I knew that the school would be evacuated, which meant nobody would be guarding Sunset Shimmer’s magical laptop except the multitude of security cameras placed throughout the school.

But I had a contingency for that too. As a master chess player, I knew the value of planning ahead.

It still wasn't easy. While everyone evacuated the school because of the fire safety drill, I snuck into the school while disguised in a hoodie pulled low over my head, black sunglasses concealing my eyes, and a cloth over my mouth.

It took a lot of willpower and fortitude to pull off what I did on that day for psychological and physiological reasons. It took everything I had to avoid fainting from dizziness or race to the bathroom to throw up again. I really wanted to avoid that, too, because I knew I had nothing left to throw up in my system. It would be a dry heave.

I snuck a virus program onto the school security system several days before I launched that operation. With it, each camera in sequence towards my destination would be replaced with a recording of an earlier date for fifteen minutes.

There was one slight hitch with that plan, however. On the day I took the recording to replace all the camera footage, it was broad daylight outside. When the fire drill occurred, however, it was a bit cloudy, but that was a very slight variance. I calculated a less than two percent odds that anyone would notice that tiny discrepancy.

Due to my precautions, I knew I'd not be monitored by anyone or anything along my way to Sunset's classroom. I also had some of the keys to the school, which was enough to bypass physical security locks along my way to my destination.

I knew I had to launch the mission on that day because normally Sunset doesn't leave her magical laptop unguarded like this. Being a one of a kind enchanted object like that (and Sunset had plenty of experience with Horse-Land magic landing in the wrong hands), she normally took no chances with this machine and took it home with her when she left the school, but the fire drill was scheduled to last only thirty minutes, and she had her classroom locked anyway. She had no reason to believe that anyone would go through this much trouble just to get to her machine, especially since she's convinced that most others believe that her laptop is perfectly ordinary.

After all, she did not go out of her way to advertise to everyone else, “Hey, guys! Guess what! My laptop is magical! Will someone please try to steal it from me? I’d be most appreciative of the effort.”

No. Sunset Shimmer has way too much common sense for that. With a lot of people feeling paranoid about her magic, she had even more reason to be cautious.

My plan went off without a hitch, as usual. As a perfectionist, I came up with plenty of contingency plans to cover for unexpected details but, for once, part of me was bothered by the fact that my plan was too perfect. It was as if part of me wanted to be caught.

But no, that didn't happen. I ended up facing Sunset's computer with no problem except for an inward hesitation. When I was right at the brink of success, I froze up for about two minutes.

During that time, I had many flashbacks coming to my mind about how good this woman had been in my life.

Like the time she wiped cake frosting on my face during a slumber party at Pinkie Pie's home. She had plenty of cupcakes to go around and an unbelievable amount of whipped cream. I made such a valiant attempt to remain clean on that night despite the barrage of cupcakes being tossed back and forth across the room but, in the end, it was Sunset that ended up my undoing.

There was also that time she tried to teach me soccer with her good friend Rainbow Dash. Both of them knew I wasn't athletic, which is why they agreed to train me privately at the park. Despite my frustration at the activity, I made a serious attempt and typically fumbled in every way humanly possible. I was annoyed when they laughed at me until they explained that pony Twilight was just like that when she tried to prove herself to her friends. Sunset even showed me some photos that Snips and Snails had taken of my mother’s counterpart epically failing at the sport, and they were amused at how much I had in common with her.

After they said that, it made me blush with embarrassment and a little amusement.

Also, there was that time Sunset and Pinkie Pie treated me to the carnival fair when my mom couldn't go because she was too busy with a science experiment and she was still studying in college. That didn't take long to complete, though. Even in college, my mom tested out of several classes. This resulted in her graduating from college several years early.

At the time, I had never been to the fair before. That was exactly why they treated me out so insistently. Pinkie nearly fainted when she first heard that, and Sunset insisted on personally correcting this oversight.

As for me, I wasn't too anxious because I never knew what I was missing, and I also didn't expect such kindness from anyone back then.

But when I got there, I had felt overwhelmed in a good way. The sights, the sounds, the smells . . . the whole experience felt magical and otherworldly to me. The spinning lights, the cheering crowds, the fun houses, the tame rides I participated in (I insisted on not going on the roller coasters despite the intensity of their urging).

As for the games, one memory stuck out to me. Pinkie Pie bounded away and claimed she wanted to get some cotton candy. Meanwhile Sunset delivered me to a pair of twins with very similar hair color to Sunset, but they were male. The twins actually looked like shifty grifters to me, and yet they were scared to see Sunset approach them for some reason.

“Ah . . . well . . . Sunset, what a surprise!” the one without a mustache exclaimed. His eyes were shifty while he sweated nervously. He looked as if he were seeking an excuse to avoid this encounter. “I didn't expect to see you here today.”

“Well I told you before!” Sunset took off her leather jacket then rolled up her shirt sleeves. “I don't like to lose!” Sunset slams some cash on their counter. “Give me fifty rings, now!”

“Ah . . . well, how about we cut a deal instead?” The mustached twin proposed with a somewhat deeper voice.

Oddly, he seemed to be feeling . . . guilty? Why? They seemed to be exactly the type that should love to take advantage of a sucker.

“With that much cash,” he went on, “you can buy any prize we have straight out!” He waved his hands above him at their prizes. “Take your pick! We'll even let you have two if you want.” He smirks at me for a second then looks back at Sunset. “Perhaps an extra prize for the little one?”

“Also, is she your daughter?” The non-mustache one asked.

This time he sounded calmer, like he was just making conversation. I'm pretty sure his curiosity was genuine.

This was the first (but not the last) time I would see them, and vice versa. I didn't know it back then, but I have since learned their names are Flim and Flam.

Sunset stood up straighter. When she spoke, she sounded calmer too. “No. This is actually the kid of one of my dear friends, but she's busy right now and I heard that she's never been to a carnival before, so I opted to take care of that for her.”

“Well, now! Isn't that something!” Flam, the mustached one, exclaimed with interest. “In that case, how about she tosses a few rings in our game, free of charge?” Flam looks at me. “Well, how about it, little lady? Care to try your luck?”

“I don't try my luck, I make it!” my twelve-year-old self told them firmly. “Sorry, but you won't find a sucker in me.” I narrowed my eyes at them. “I'm on to your little game!”

“Well, brother of mine, it seems like this one is too smart for us!” Flim jested to his brother.

“Indubitably, brother of mine!” Flam agreed in a showboating sort of way.

Clearly these two were both putting on an act. Why couldn't Sunset see it? She seemed too smart for this too. Did she have a plan of her own?

“Fifty rings, now!” Sunset reminded and insisted.

“Well, we could, but-” Flim was sweating and wiped the back of his neck in discomfort. “I certainly don't want to stand in your way but-”

“But nothing! Give me my darn RINGS!” Sunset cried out.

“We don't have fifty rings,” Flim said, still trying to weasel his way out of an easy scam for some reason. “I think we only have twenty at most.”

I would later determine that, for once, he was probably being honest with that statement.

Sunset leaned forward as she slammed both hands on the counter. “In that case, give me those twenty, then return them to me after I finish tossing them, then another ten after that. That makes fifty.”

“Or you could pay for ten at a time,” Flam counter proposed.

Sunset narrowed her eyes at them in focused fury.

This took the Flim/Flam brothers aback. They spun about and started whispering a plan among themselves. Sometimes they pointed back at Sunset as they discussed.

“There is nothing to discuss! I am a paying customer, so give me my damn rings!” Sunset cried out impatiently.

I sighed. As an accomplished liar myself, seeing amateur scams like this somewhat irritates me, and it especially annoyed me that Sunset was falling for it anyway. I thought she was above these things.

The only part I couldn't figure out was why they felt so nervous to scam Sunset. Was their mother going to suddenly pop in and box their ears for this charade?

I thought I knew how this encounter would end, but Sunset finally did manage to land one of the rings on the twenty-fourth attempt without it “mysteriously” popping off the bottles, obviously due to some magnetic repellent.

Seeing Sunset's success made me raise an eyebrow.

If the Flim/Flam brothers wanted to get rid of her, why not turn off the machine that repelled the rings earlier? Why did Sunset succeed on the twenty-fourth attempt? Did the grifter brothers finally recall to secretly turn off their machine by then?

Whatever. Sunset was overjoyed to finally succeed. The way she cheered out made it seem like she crossed an item off her bucket list. Meanwhile the Flim/Flam brothers hastily gave her a prize with one additional one of my selection then shooed us away so that they could address the other line of customers. Sunset accepted her prize and walked away taller, feeling like a critical piece missing from her life was finally whole again.

Meanwhile, I kept shaking my head, but that didn't stop me from squeezing my prize in appreciation. Even though I wasn't accustomed to it back then, I loved being doted on!

Then my mind returned to that moment in front of the computer. I recall how my hands shook as I neared the flash drive to the USB port on the side of the computer. I had to grab that hand to steady it. Eventually I finally managed to insert it into the machine.

That's all I had to do. The flash drive did the rest for me.

One thing that was odd, though, was a static shock I suffered as the flash drive neared the machine. It was almost as if the machine tried to defend itself in a very small way, but I persisted. I soon dismissed that fluke with a shrug.

Several loading bars with percentages zipped across Sunny's laptop as my flash drive not only downloaded certain content from her machine, but also uploaded some data.

That, more than anything else, should later prove to be Sunny's downfall.

I closed my eyes and bowed my head at the time, inwardly thinking, “I’m so sorry, Sunny! I really wish I didn't have to do this. I wish you weren't in my way.” I looked back at the machine. “But I have a mission to complete, and I can't allow myself to be dragged down by anyone. Not even you.”

In the long run, those words amounted to very small comfort.

So when my mind returns to the present and I see a couple of police officers enter into the classroom, I am the only one in the room not surprised by this.

Everyone, including me, stops what they are doing and watches this new development.

The pair of officers approach Sunset. As they do, she stands up and looks back and forth between them with an expression of confusion and worry.

“Ah . . . yes? Can I help you two officers with anything?” Sunny offers.

“Are you Sunset Shimmer?” one of them asks her.

“Ah . . . yes. Yes I am,” Sunny confirms. “Why? What's this all about?”

The two police officers glance at each other with a nod, then the same one who spoke to her earlier turns to face her while pulling out handcuffs.

“Sunset Shimmer, turn around and put your hands behind your back,” that officer commands. “You are under arrest.”

“WHAT?!” Sunset exclaims in shock. “But, what did I do?”

“Turn around and put your hands behind your back,” the officer repeats a little more firmly.

Sunset clearly looks flustered, but she eventually cooperates. That officer proceeds to handcuff her.

“You have the right to remain silent,” the officer informs. “Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions. You have the right to have a lawyer with you during questioning.”

“No! This is bullshit!” one of our male classmates calls in outrage as he stands up with an aggressive posture which immediately seizes the alert attention of the two officers.

Several other students rise up and join him in seconds to share their mutual complaint.

“No, everyone, sit back down!” Sunset commands her class. “I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding. Don't do anything to provoke them!”

I wish this was a misunderstanding, but I know exactly why these two officers are here.

Not only did my flash drive from Ghost download any pertinent information about Horse-Land from her computer, but it also uploaded incriminating evidence that Sunset Shimmer had sexual interest in her students. I also programmed the computer with a virus that would “accidentally” leak that information to those in town who had the tendency to gossip. With that kind of information on their hands, it was only a matter of time before the press and the police took notice of this and then took legal action against Sunset.

No doubt that the police officers will collect Sunset's magical computer as well to use as evidence against her. When they do, I know they'll find far more damning evidence against her on it.

The worst part of it is, some of it is true.

I am ninety-nine percent sure that Sunset has no true sexual interest towards any of her students. Even if she did, she'd never act upon those urges. She’s just too much of a saint for that.

However, Sunset did have frequent correspondence with many students outside of her classroom setting. Typically it was to help them with their homework or simply to be a friend to help her students through emotional problems. Sunset Shimmer went above and beyond the call of duty to support her students, likely far more than she should have.

I didn't tamper with that evidence directly, but seen in the wrong context, I had to admit, it didn't look good for her.

So the police will lock up Sunset's laptop as evidence, which also means nobody will have a chance to use it to communincate with Princess Twilight back in Horse-Land. That, in turn, means Princess Twilight won't have a chance to report my treachery in her lands even if my mother somehow finds a way to partially repair the portal.

All my bases are covered. I am just too damn good at my job.

The police officers continue to tell Sunny her Miranda rights as they lead her out of the classroom. I'm sure Superintendent Neighsay is going to have a field day with this event later on.

But as the officers lead Sunset out of the room, time slows down in my perception. Sound fades away into the background.

As I look at Sunset Shimmer's face, I see her struggling to maintain a brave face, but I can tell she's very worried and confused. The words, “What did I do?” must be repeating in her head over and over again.

While I observe that, one song repeats continuously in my mind. That song is, “Angel”. In particular, the words that cycle through my head the most are, “In the arms of the angel.”

Nothing feels right about that moment, not even to me. Everything is proceeding according to my carefully calculated design. Indeed, a design minted in pure perfection, and yet everything around me feels fake and surreal somehow. The time slowing effect only enhances this feeling further.

Vaguely I hear the complaints of the students behind me, but their sounds fade into an unintelligible cacophony for me.

Instead of them, my mind and sight are focused on Sunset Shimmer.

As I watch her get pushed away in slow motion, tears rise to my eyes. The “Angel” song rises in my mind as if trying to damn me with guilt.

And it's working! Oh man, it's working so much!

Sunset pauses a moment at the exit of the room. The police officers are briefly patient with that defiance. From there, Sunset looks back across the room to the other complaining students, then her eyes settle on me.

It is so hard to meet her gaze at that moment, but I press on with determination. I know I don't deserve this, but I couldn't help but look back at her with an expression begging to apologize to her. I am wracked with more guilt than I have ever felt in my life.

Sunset seems to realize something when she meets my gaze. A moment later she appears much more sad, as if she is convinced that she failed me somehow.

NO! DON'T EVER THINK THAT, SUNSET! You tried more than almost anyone I've ever known to make me happy! I love you for it! Don't ever think that makes you a failure!

After three seconds, the officer who grasps her handcuffs gives her a bit of a shove as a reminder to move on. He did not push too hard or too soft. It is a medium, insistent and somewhat impatient gesture.

Sunset looks forward and finally leaves the room.

This is the last time I would ever see Sunset Shimmer in person for quite some time.

The next time I kind of saw Sunset Shimmer is during lunch the following day. Initially I am in a board meeting with the other members of my Student Council staff, but it gets interrupted when one of them notes that Sunset Shimmer is on the news.

Not even I can resist a lure like that. Like the others, I, too, look at the upper corner of our room at the television hung here.

Someone in the room, I don't know who, not only unmutes the television but also turns it up.

On the television, it shows Sunset Shimmer at a press meeting with dozens of people trying to talk in front of her. Her face is lit up with almost constant camera flashes.

“NO!” Sunset cries out instantly as she slams both hands on the podium in front of her. “I would never do that to any of my students! I wouldn't even think that way! How can any of you believe that?”

“But isn't it true that you had frequent e-mail correspondence with some of them?” one of the reporters asks in the room. “For instance-”

“Y-yes, I have spoken to some of my students outside of the classroom setting, and yes, I know it looks bad, but I only did it to help them with their assignments!” Sunset explains. “I'm a teacher!” She places her hands to her chest. “It's my job to expose my students to knowledge, and I have done that every single day!”

“Exactly what kind of education did you offer?” another female reporter asks. Clearly the question had lewd implications.

“How can you ask me that?” Sunset asks back in frustration.

“What about your Satanic rituals?” another reporter asks. “Do you deny that you had intimate connections with the Devil?”

“WHAT?!” Sunset exclaims in abject shock and horror.

There we go! I was waiting for one of the reporters to ask a question like that. It's the Salem Witch trials all over again, except this time with a modern twist.

I knew for a fact that many people whispered conspiratorially behind Sunset's back, just like all of her other magically endowed friends. They temporarily held their silence because Sunset promised to restrain the use of her powers in public. When she did use it, she only used it to fight crime.

Deep down, however, I knew that many people were secretly afraid of this “superhero”.

As a wise one once said, “Fear is the path to the dark side! Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate . . . leads to suffering!”

As this moment clearly shows, those words are so true in real life.

Since she is publicly capable of feats few other human beings on earth can replicate, people silently studied and judged her in the shadows, just waiting for her to make a mistake. Once she does, I knew they'd suddenly come out of the woodwork and complain about how “evil” Sunset had been all along while simultaneously completely ignoring all the good work she's done over these many years.

Although I am so disgusted at my fellow species right now, that doesn't mean I'm not smart enough to exploit them. I knew exactly how my species would react to Sunset the moment they have an excuse to shout at her.

“Isn't it true that you turned into a she-demon during one of your Fall Formals in Canterlot High?” the same reporter asks. “Then you tried to brainwash all of your fellow students to do your bidding. Was this the first time you sealed your pact with your demonic overlord?”

“Objection!” Sunset's rather well collected looking lawyer says as he pulls one of the microphones on the podium in front of him. “All of that is hearsay. We can neither confirm nor deny the existence of demonic or Equestrian magic.”

“On the contrary, we've had plenty of evidence for years!” a reporter rebuts. “Sunset Shimmer might be the source of these energetic disturbances.”

The reporters keep droning on and on about accusing questions like, “How long have you had sexual fantasies about your students?” and “What kind of other demonic pacts have you made?”

Sunset herself looks bewildered and stunned. Her eyes shift back and forth between each one who spoke until she looks too numb to register their questions anymore.

As I stare at her, I feel like I can read her mind.

Sunset is thinking about the time hostile judgments were aimed at her after the Fall Formal and her first (and only) transformation into a she-demon. Right now, she can't believe this is happening to her all over again. She thought she was well past this. She thought everyone was past this, and only now is she realizing that many still fear her even after all this time.

My heart starts to break when I see Sunset Shimmer's eyes begin to water, and I definitely break when I see Sunset do it first. Both of her hands cover her face as she starts to sob in full view of everyone which they take as even more damning evidence of her guilt.

But I secretly know Sunset is totally innocent.

At this moment, I could feel her pain even through the television screen.

The words, “In the arms of the angel,” repeat in my head again. That song stubbornly loops. While it does, I wonder privately, “What happens when it's the angel herself that needs a hug? Will any of us mortals have the moral integrity and compassion it takes to sooth our savior in her hour of need?”

If I could fly through the television screen and offer her that hug, I would.

I don't even care how many pictures would be taken during that act. Let the pictures spread! Let the whole world know how much I adore this woman!

“Okay, that's IT! This interview is over!” Sunny's lawyer insists. He gently pulls Sunset back by her shoulder and shields her from the camera flashes using the coat of his own gray suit. Subtly he seems to hug her compassionately from the side as he leads her away. Meanwhile Sunset is just too broken to put up any resistance.

My tears blur my vision of the television screen.

The actions of that heroic lawyer do seem somewhat unprofessional at this moment, but I don't mind. On the contrary, I feel like I owe him a favor.

For some reason that I can't put my finger on, this lawyer actually seems to care for Sunset a great deal. He might have even taken the case pro bono

Question is, why? Did she save him in the past, or did she save someone he cared about?

Sunset Shimmer was a hero to many over these years. It's not unreasonable to hypothesize that she has gained a loyal following accordingly, including from those she never knew about.

To me, the most important thing he's doing at this moment is protecting Sunny and secretly giving her an emotional hug of support, the very thing that I desperately want to do right now.

I couldn't believe how grateful I felt to have a proxy do it for me because it means my desperate hopes successfully reaches Sunset in some remote way.

“Yeah, I can't believe this!” I hear one of my council members whisper conspiratorially behind my back. “All this time . . . Sunset Shimmer simply wanted in our pants!”

WHAT?!

I immediately spin my chair about to face Sunset's accuser.

“Come again?!” I heatedly demanded. “Are you seriously telling me that you believe this crap?” I point my thumb behind me at the television.

“You got to admit, it does make some sense,” Fine Job, the white-skinned and brown haired boy wearing a striped shirt says with a shrug. “Sunset Shimmer was unusually determined to win favors for her students. Perhaps she's been hoping to gain favors in return?”

“I heard,” Scribble Dee, the nerdy girl, says as she adjusts her glasses on her face, “that she keeps a whole slew of former students in her basement. That's where the pictures are coming from! They're leaked all over the internet.”

“And the internet is the perfect, indisputable source of human knowledge?!” I ask with rising fury. “Can't you all hear yourselves? This is Sunset Shimmer we're talking about! We've known her for years.”

“Yeah. Spooky, isn't it?” Silver Spoon asks in a somewhat careless way as she blows bubble gum and keeps on typing away on her cellphone. “You just never know what you'll discover in some people you thought you knew for years.”

“What's that supposed to mean?!” Diamond Tiara asks her former friend hotly.

“It means what it means,” Silver says in a careless tone then holds up a hand to Diamond. “Talk to the hand, bitch, because the face doesn't care.”

I notice Diamond Tiara quaking with fury and she's about to explode.

Normally I would secretly be all for Diamond's explosive breakdown, but I feel exhausted from all the drama I suffered from lately.

“ENOUGH, people!” I slam my fists on our conference table which startles and gathers the attention of all of my staff. “I may have expected this behavior from paranoid and nervous religious freaks out there, but here? In our school? Seriously?”

I shake my head as I reach a decision.

“Okay, that's it! Enough of this tripe. We're arranging a meeting to address the elephant in the room with this school,” I command.

“With who?” Silver Spoon asks as she squints one eye at me behind her silver-rim glasses.

“EVERYONE!” I bark back at her.

I pause a moment as I take a deep breath, then I resume much more calmly. I also collect my fingers together in front of my face.

“Spread the word. We're having a school assembly before the end of this month to deal with the issue of Sunset Shimmer.” I narrow my eyes as I glare over my collected hands in front of my face, which is held up by the fact that my elbows rest on the table. “It's time we clear the air at this school once and for all!”

I am alone in my room, and indeed the entire house, at the end of the day, unless I count K-9. Even then, however, it is not in my room.

I just can't concentrate on my homework today. If my mother were here, I think she'd find these circumstances understandable. More than likely, she would be in here and hugging me in a desperate effort to comfort us both. Normally I wouldn't object to this, but today I feel like a piece of shit who doesn't deserve such comfort.

It seems so odd that I am feeling so terrible despite, or perhaps because of, my perfect plan that went off without a hitch.

I got everything I ever wanted, for now. Sunset Shimmer is out of the way. She's currently in jail while waiting for her trial. Her computer is confiscated, and I have the most important data from it before that happened.

For once, I curse my unerring perfection.

I numbly look down at the flash drive that is still laying on top of my desk. I pick it up and examine it. While I do, I contemplate the irony of how something so small can make such a big difference in the world.

For a brief moment I feel a flaring urge to crush this thing, but I soon shake it off. I crossed the point of no return. If I destroy this thing, then Sunset is suffering for less reason than before. Since I have gone this far, I might as well take a full look at why this is all worth it.

Besides, there are some questions which linger in my mind, such as something Princess Twilight recently told me.

“Your mother already knows all of that. I know this because I'm the one who told her.”

I clasp the flash drive in a fist.

Most of me is convinced that all I received at the end of my visit in Horse-Land was a song and dance designed to deceive me. Accusing my birth parents of being abusive was a severe mistake. I know that part isn't true, but . . . what really bothers me is the fact that so much of her story otherwise makes sense.

For example, why did my mother adopt me so suddenly, and why did she seem so desperate to please me? Her loss with Spike might explain it, but I can't help but wonder if there is something more to the story.

Damn you, your Majesty! Even your transparent lies are worming their way into my brain. I know they are wrong on an intellectual level, but my emotions can't help but wonder, “Wait a second. Is that true? Is that why my mother was so desperate to dote on me? Was she secretly afraid I'd end up like my counterpart if she didn't?”

Also, I have to wonder, after what I've done to Sunset Shimmer, by far the most despicable thing I've done in my life, how far am I from the other Cozy's fate and personality? Are we starting to get in sync now, or does her villainy still have a dramatic lead over me?

Most likely, it does. Maybe the other Cozy wouldn't even flinch at betraying Sunny.

Then again, she hasn't gone through the experience with Sunny like I have.

Oh my GOD, this hurts so bad! I can feel the pain clenching in my chest like an icy claw.

I open my hand and look back at the flash drive.

If I can't ask the adults I know in my life for more information about Horse-Land then I have little other alternative but to review the info on the flash drive.

Besides, even if I did ask them, who's to say their info is trustworthy?

Sunset Shimmer and Princess Twilight never expected me to get my hands on this information, so whatever is written here is totally candid. That is exactly what I need right now. The truth!

Feeling resolve at last, I reach forward to insert the flash drive into my computer tower's USB port.

And get zapped again.

Ow! Son of a biscuit!

Wait!

My eyes widen.

That's twice now I get zapped by the same flash drive. Is that significant?

I dismissed it last time as a probable fluke but I should take into account that this thing tried to download information from a magical computer. Does that mean it copied some of the computer’s magic as well?

Suddenly I grow even more intrigued by this information.

Well, the flash drive is successfully inserted anyway, electric shock notwithstanding.

Unlike Sunny's computer, however, my computer has a program to meet the virus on the flash drive and change its directive immediately. Instead of trying to copy and upload information, this flash drive will now upload Sunny's info only.

I lean back and collect my squishy ball as I wait for the flash drive to upload. While it does, I feel on edge. I feel both excited and scared at the same time.

Setting the possibility of Horse-Land magic aside, this flash drive might contain some very uncomfortable information about me.

I’ve got to admit, there are some mysteries in my life that beg for an explanation. I dwell on the possibilities.

What if it turns out it's true and they always did know of the crimes of my pony self? Would anything in my life actually change because of that reveal?

Previously I tried everything I could to keep this information from my mother because I feared she'd abandon me, just like my birth parents did, if my mother gained any reason to fear me or be disappointed in me.

If, however, it turns out she knew all along then that invalidates my fear of the reveal. If anything, it only proves that maybe my mother has been keeping me especially close because of what she learned of my pony self.

For that matter, what about Princess Twilight? What if my mother has been brainwashed by pony magic? My mother's forte is science, not magic. She would have been vulnerable to such a mental assault, especially since she foolishly trusts them so much.

Come to think of it, Sunny's magic has to do with mind-reading as well. What if it didn't stop there? What if she could also do mind control? Her demon self proved well capable of this. Perhaps she has a residual cast-off of that same earlier dark potential.

I don't really want to believe it. Sunny has been nothing but kind to me, unless it turns out she altered every bad memory I ever had of her.

Actually, it is true that my memories of Sunset are unusually perfect, just like my birth parents.

There are very small flaws here and there that make Sunny look more human, like the time she smeared cake frosting on my face when I made it clear that I wanted to stay clean. In the end we all had a good laugh over it, but still . . .

Looking back at the computer, I notice that it is nearly finished.

Sudden fury flares up in me.

Damn you, Little Miss Prissy! Yet another casualty of war falls in the crossfire because of you! I'll have to get even more creative with my vengeance against you. It's not just for my sake anymore, but also for Sunny.

I grin for a second when I see that the flash drive finishes, but that grin vanishes when my computer suddenly shuts off.

My eyes explode widely.

WHAT THE FUCK?! Why did this happen? I didn't program that flash drive to turn off my computer.

My computer starts up again on its own.

Correction . . . reset my computer, but whatever! I didn't program that either! What the hell is going on here?

Since my computer loads from a solid-state hard drive, the main operating system is up and running in eleven seconds. I stare at my desktop, feeling bewildered.

It gets even weirder and downright creepy when a new chat window pops up on its own and bold text comes on in Horse-Land script.

Dark King: Hello, poppet. It's a pleasure to meet you at last.

My eyelids droop halfway, then I type, which once again comes up in Horse-Land script.

The Shadow Queen: Ghost, is that you? Have you bugged this flash drive just to get on my computer? I thought you told me you were satisfied with my payment.

Dark King: Do NOT associate me with that little bug! Besides, why would he understand Equestrian script?

I lift an eyebrow.

That's a good point, unless this hacker is using an auto-translation program. It's strange that he would even be aware of it, though.

Dark King: Anyway, it seems you are having some trouble pulling your mind away from the actions you had to take in order to protect yourself from Sunset Shimmer.

I widen my eyes slightly at the screen.

Okay, that's scary. How does this guy even know what I did to Sunset?

I decide to test him by playing dumb for a moment.

The Shadow Queen: Protect me from what?

Dark King: DON'T play dumb with me, little poppet! It does not suit you.

Dark King: It has taken me centuries to find a Queen worthy to rule by my side. How could I have ever known I'd finally find what I sought in a world of pathetic, two-legged creatures?

I gulp nervously, then I type.

The Shadow Queen: So I assume, then, you come from Horse-Land? That's why you speak their language?

For some reason I hear an evil snicker in my mind. It sounds sort of like multiple voices laughing maniacally in unison, but I dismiss it a moment later.

Dark King: The magic of Sunset Shimmer's computer is a gateway between our worlds.

Dark King: For years she has used it to communicate to others in her home world, but your actions have permitted me an unexpected opportunity to intervene.

Dark King: For the most part, I must say that I have been impressed with you. Your ambition is worthy of the greatest rulers of our respective lands, and the best part is the fact that it is fueled by your thirst for vengeance.

Dark King: Keep that as your primary focus. That will give you strength, and if anyone else stands in your way or threatens your plans, as Ms. Sunny once did, then they must be stamped out without mercy!

Dark King: The only thing you are missing to complete your transformation to an ultimate power is Equestrian magic.

Dark King: I will provide that, and so much more!

Dark King: When I break you, I will mold you like clay into my own image.

Dark King: Oh, the power we will command when that glorious day comes!

I roll my eyes, then type.

The Shadow Queen: Okay, Darth Sidious. I'll keep your advice in mind. How about I offer advice of my own in payment? Why don't you check out the padded rooms at your local psyche ward? I hear that they are lovely this time of-

I didn't finish typing or hit enter when I already got a response to my comment.

Dark King: Do not PRESUME to mock me!

I am greatly startled when my screen is suddenly struck by an invisible force hard enough to spread cracks within the screen. The impact seems to have come from the inside of the screen. Based on the crack patterns, the impact seems to have come from a hoof.

I stare at it in horror as blood leaks down from the cracks of my computer screen, but neither the cracks nor the blood conceal the text chat window. It's as if the chat window is in front of the damage and leaks.

Dark King: I am not some two-bit hacker from your pathetic world!

Dark King: Instead, I am a KING!

Dark King: I both command and DEMAND respect and obedience as such!

When the blood drools down the desk, it seems to poison it somehow. Tiny black crystals grow from where the blood hits the desk. Unnatural shadows stretch from those crystals like menacing claws. As I watch this in horror, I can no longer believe that this is any ordinary hack job. Something clearly unnatural is going on right now.

Dark King: GOOD! Embrace your fears! Let them become a part of you!

I behold as the inky darkness stretches across my room and grows several more black crystals along its way, especially when the shadows change course. Looming shadows stretch across the floor then crawl up the walls to the back of my room. As black crystals grow from those, they seem to embed themselves into the wall which damages the walls in the process. Cracks spread across the wall as the crystals grow larger.

In fright, I look back at the computer screen.

Dark King: By challenging and conquering your fears, they lose their hold over you.

Dark King: By embracing your fears, you embrace the source of your power.

Dark King: Do not shy away from it, become it!

Dark King: A monster does not fear other monsters when it has claws and fangs of its own.

A dark shadow stretches before my very feet then crawls up my legs. Crystals start to grow around my own feet now which, in turn, locks me down.

Dark King: Fear.

As the dark crystals continue to crawl up my leg, I panic as my mind flashes back to the stoned version of myself in the pony world.

Unable to move. Unable to cry. Unable to call for help despite desperately wanting to.

Unwanted. Rejected. Unloved. Ignored.

Dark King: FEAR!

The crystals crawl up my chest but seem to slow down a bit as it approaches my neck. A crystal lattice inches its way up to my neck and splits apart like a dark claw on its way to choke me.

Already I can't move my lower and mid section of my body.

I am frozen! Trapped!

My chest heaves. Pressure builds in my skull. I hyperventilate.

I can't breathe! I can't BREATHE!

Dark King: FEAR!

The crystal grows up to then thickens around my neck, making my respiratory problems even worse.

My sanity is pushed to the edge of a cliff.

Dark King: Thou shalt subMIT!

I close my eyes and scream at the top of my lungs. I no longer care who hears me.

In fact, I want others to hear me. Anyone who might help me chase away this demon!

I am uncertain how long I scream for, but it ends with a cough. I am physically unable to scream any further, and I'm out of breath besides.

When I take a breath to scream again, it hits me that I am capable. My breath is still strained, but far easier than someone who is choking with black crystals.

In a desperate effort to explain this, my eyes flare open.

Everything is quiet. All the crystals are gone. The looming shadows are gone. My computer screen is repaired and shows no sign it was ever damaged. The mysterious chat window is gone.

Everything is as it was before the flash drive loaded except for the fact that I am hyperventilating and my lungs are closed up. It's especially hard to take an intake of breath. I still can't breathe!

Desperately, I snatch up my inhaler. I put it to my mouth without any hesitation, feeling like I'm about to die or pass out if I don't do this right away. I'm so hasty with this process that I don't do it properly at first. I have to shoot another dose in me and breathe it in at the right time. Finally I feel my lungs expand. I hold my breath for a moment then expel it with a single burst.

I feel exhausted. Drained like an empty cup. My vision blackens a bit due to the oxygen starvation my brain suffered a moment ago. Along with it is an intense rush of dizziness, but it fades over time as I resume regular breathing.

I focus back at my computer screen narrowly.

What the hell was that?

I also feel >this music< is pretty appropriate for the mood and atmosphere of this chapter, including the spooky twist at the end of the song.

Here's a pic relevant to a certain scene in this chapter.