Escape

Christmas time, a time for everyone to be happy, for friends and family to be together, and Sunset Shimmer was looking forward to her first happy Christmas since she came to the human world, spending it with her five best friends.

If only it were that simple.

Recently someone had been leaking the secrets of people in Canterlot High, except for a rare few, Sunset being one of them. This, along with the first few secrets being leaked on her phone, has led everyone to believe she is responsible, and has returned to her old ways.

One week later, the leaked secrets had not ceased, and were now being spread by a user calling herself 'Anon-a-Miss' on several different socal media sites. Everyone in school was following her, as everyone wanted to know what secrets she would leak next.

The more secrets leaked the worse it got for her, even her best friends had accused her after all the secrets they had shared with one another during sleepovers were leaked, ones that no one else could possibly know, and now refused to speak to her.

She was sitting in the cafeteria, alone for the third time this week, trying to eat in peace, but she couldn't help but overhear some of those from the table behind her talking about her calling her a "Witch" or a "Hateful demon" among many other things.

One girl, whose voice, and name she, recognized said "Trixie can't believe we ever trusted her. Why hasn't Principal Celestia expelled her already?"

She had a point, why hadn't the Principal expelled her yet? Why wasn't she expelled after the fall formal happened?

Sunset was sure Twilight hadn't spoken to Celestia before she left about giving her another chance in school, so why was she still here?

Then she felt something, someone was watching her, the table just ahead, and to the left of hers. It wasn't a new feeling, but something about this was different, were people planning to jump her while she was alone, she wouldn't be suprised.

She decided she had eaten enough for today and got up to leave, with tears starting to form in her eyes, she overheard Trixie again as she got up from her seat.

"And another thing about her, she alw-" Trixie noticed the tears as she got up and left, "Oh, Trixie thinks she may have heard us." she said with a smug grin on her face, causing the whole table to start laughing as Sunset finally left the cafeteria.

Sunset made her way to the music room where the Rainbooms were having band practice, thinking to herself that one of them would listen to her. Occasional stopping to wipe her tears from her eyes, she wondered if any of them would be willing to talk to her, let alone believe her.

When she reached the music room she was about to knock on the door and enter, but then she thought to herself. "No... I'm not wanted in there. They haven't listened all week, why would now be any different? I'm not wanted anywhere here."

She started to cry again as she turned away from the door and begun to walk away. She stated to walk towards her usual place for the week, the girls bathroom, receiving scowls, stares and remarks from people around her. She looked at her watch and realised lunch had ended about a minute ago, and everyone was off to their next class, as Sunset hurried to the bathroom as quickly as she could.

With tears in her eyes, Sunset burst into the bathroom and immediately went and sat in the first stall. Here she knew she could be alone with her thoughts for the next hour while everyone else was in class. However all she could think about were the things being said about her, all she could do was sit there and cry to herself.

"Sunset?" a voice called out, causing Sunset to look up from the floor.

"W... who's there?" she mumbled.

"It's Applebloom, I saw you in the cafeteria. Are you uh... you alright?" the voice replied.

"Well I'm hated by the whole school for something I haven't done, even my so called best friends haven't spoke to me all week, and I'm crying in the only place I can without being laughed at of accused of faking it! What do you think?"

There was a small silence for about a minute, until Applebloom finally broke it. "Isn't there any one you can talk to? Anywhere you can go?" she asked, hoping Sunset said there was, but there was no answer.

"I'm so sorry Sunset, I didnt know I...'

"There is one place, one person I could turn to... But its a bit of a long shot." Sunset finally replied, cutting off Applebloom.

"Oh, well you should take it, I mean if its all you got, what could you lose?" Applebloom said as Sunset opened the stall door with a very weak smile, her tears had finally stopped.

"Thanks Applebloom, now what were you saying?"

Applebloom's eyes widened slightly, "Oh nothing, I'm just... glad I could help." As Sunset walked out the bathroom with some newfound energy, Appleblooms glance fell to the floor. "Glad I could help." she sighed.

When Sunset got back to her apartment she immediately got her book from Celestia out and turned to the next blank page, next to it was a message from Twilight last week, a reply to Sunset's message about the then recent Anon-a-Miss.

When she was done re-reading the letter she got a pen and started to write.

Dear Princess Twilight.

Despite my best efforts in trying to deal with this Anon-a-Miss ordeal, no one is believing me and it is only getting worse by the day, even our friends have turned aganst me, I dont have anyone else to turn to Twilight, I feel so alone, I need your help.

It took a moment until Sunset realised that writing that last part brought the tears back, she wiped them away and walked over to the fridge to get a can of soda, As she was about to open it however, the book started glowing and vibrating, telling her Twilight had replied.

That was quick. she thought as she walked over to the book and began to read the new letter on the next page.

Dear Sunset Shimmer.

I'm not really sure what I can do to help you from here, but know that if there is anything I can do to help, then don't hesitate to ask.

Princess Twil *Your friend Twilight Sparkle.***

Sunset read the letter and thought to herself, I wonder if, if I could... Would she and... Sunset then smiled.

"It's all I've got left." she said as she wrote her reply.

The next day Sunset walked into school at lunch, and headed straight for the music room. "Please be in there." she said to herself as she approached the room.  As she was about to enter she took a deep breath and looked at the papers she was carrying in her hand, her mind set on what she was going to try to do, she opened the door and slowly walked in.

Immediately she was met with stares from the five other girls in the room. "Sunset... What are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I just want to talk, that's all." Sunset said.

"No offence dear, but I dont think any of us really want to talk to you. I know Dash and I don't." Rarity stated, she was right, and Sunset knew it. None of them wanted to see her, but she felt she had to try and explain herself.

"I know you don't, but that's why I've got it all here, so if you don't want to talk, then at least take this." she handed Applejack the papers she had, but Dash smacked them out of her hand.

"What are you playing at, huh? We know now we can't trust you anymore. Right AJ." Sunset looked over to Applejack sitting with her bass in her hand.

"She has a point, you don't exactly have the most trustworthy reputation right now."

"You don't have to trust me, I'm just asking for you to listen to me."

"And just how is that any different?" AJ asked.

Sunset smiled slightly "Because one requires you trust what I have to say, the other requires you to just, just listen to what I have to say, and then come to your own conclusion."

"Whatever Sunset, we've listened to you and trusted you before... and all you did was hurt us, so give me one reason why I should listen." Dash stated.

Sunset had no answer to that. "I... Please if you would just lis-"

"No Sunset, you don't belong here anymore." Applejack said.

"You all think that... That I don't belong here anymore?" no one objected, not even Pinkie or Fluttershy, both of whom just sat together at the back, facing the wall, occasionally looking over at other four girls.

"I knew it." Sunset stuttered "I knew Twilight was wrong." The mention of Twilight's name made them all

look at her in suprise. Applebloom came running into the room as Sunset ran out crying.

Sunset ran through the school corridors as quickly as she could, she just wanted to get out of here. When she eventually got outside, she smiled as she saw the statue that was outside the school. She didn't stop running however, and ran straight into the portal.

Applebloom was determined to stop this. It had to stop today, and Sunset's friends had to know first. She ran down the schools corridor's towards the music room, and ran through the open doors. To her suprise Sunset was standing there crying, but in an instant, she was running out the room.

"SUNSET WAIT!!" she cried out but she was already gone.

"What's Twilight got to do with this?" Dash asked.

"No idea. We'll just have to ask her when we see her." Rarity answered.

"Hey sis, what in tarnation are you doing here looking for Shimmer?" AJ asked her out of breath sister, puzzled.

"Its about Anon-a-Miss, you see I-" Applebloom started, but was immediately cut off.

"She started spreading your secrets now to? I'm not suprised." AJ responded.

"Actually no, the truth is-" she continued, only to be stopped again.

"I wonder how long it will take for her to reach Sweetie Belle? I swear if she hurts my little sister she'll be sorry!" Rarity said, with anger growing in her voice.

"Will yall listen to me!" Applebloom tried geting their attention, but her words were falling on deaf ears.

"Calm down Rarity, we aren't gonna let that happen. The next time we see her, we'll get that book off her and write a message to Twilight. I'm sure she can help." Dash said.

"Um....Girls, well, I'm just wondering, what does Twilight have to do with this anyway?" Fluttershy asked, not really expecting an answer.

"I'M ANON-A-MISS!!!!" Applebloom shouted, causing the room to fill with silence.

"No, you're just kidding me, right sis?" Applejack asked, with a worried look on her face.

"Nope, I'm Anon-a-Miss, always have been. Well actually there's three of us, me, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. But it was my idea, so I'm to blame."

"But, if you're Anon-a-Miss then, everything Sunset told us was-"

"The truth? Yes." Applebloom finished for Rarity.

"Um, girls, you may want to read this." Fluttershy had picked up, and red the papers Sunset had in her hand when she entered, and passed them to Rainbow, as she started to cry.

"These are... All the letters she must have been writing to Twilight during this whole thing." Dash explained to everyone else.

"Check the last one." Fluttershy told them. Dash did just that, she looked at the final page and began to read.

Sunset, I know this will be hard for you, but I want you to try and talk to them, trust me, they're human versions of my friends here at home, so I'm sure you can convince them to listen to you.

Even if they have hurt you so much... I feel they need to know you're leaving.

The portal will be open two hours ago tomorrow, come through when your ready.

I promise you we won't turn you away.

Twilight Sparkle.

Sunset, even when you feel there is nowhere out there for you, know that there will always be a place for you here.

Princess Celestia.

"What have we... I can't believe we did this." Rainbow said, tears begining to form in her eyes as she looked around the room, no one had anything to say.

Applebloom noticed a piece of paper different from the others, "What's that one?" Dash looked at it, after a quick scan of the page she realised it was a note from Sunset, writen a normal piece of paper from school, and began to read.

I've gone back to Equestria, I can't put up with it anymore, Twilight and Celestia have promised me that they have a place there for me, and she thought you deserved to know I'm leaving.

Thank Applebloom for me, for giving me someone to talk to, and thank you. Despite recent events, I'm greatful that you girls were willing to give me a chance back then.

Thank you, and goodbye, Sunset Shimmer.

"I've got to catch her!" Rainbow said to herself as she was about to run out the room.

"RAINBOW DASH!" Rarity yelled, causing Dash to turn her head, "Did you forget? The portal's only outside the school... She's gone."

Applejack turned her attention to Applebloom "When did yo-" Applejack began.

"Yesterday, just after lunch I... I found her crying in the bathroom. It was there I realised this had to stop." Applebloom told everyone, as the realization that she was responsible for all this finally sank in, "I'm so sorry."

Pinkie got up off her seat and grabbed the piece of magic paper from Fluttershy, sat back down and began to write a small message at the top of the page.

The real culprit has come forward, I'm so sorry I didn't believe you.

your ex-best friend Pinkie Pie.

The other girls dicided they needed to sign it aswell.

Pinkie's hair then started to fall and become less 'poofy', "I can't believe we sent you away... I'm so sorry."