Will you forgive me?

There she was. Standing there, adding bricks onto the gaping hole in front of the school. By her lonesome. Almost everyone has gone home, save me and a few others, but, she's still here. I was standing a few yards away, staring at her. I couldn't see her face, but, I could hear sobbing, and water dripping off her fingertips. She was clearly crying, which was definitely a strange sight. I've never, in my entire life, seen Sunset Shimmer cry.

I wasn't exactly fond of her, in fact I pretty much hated her guts. She'd been awful to me, and made fun of me every chance she'd gotten.

So, why was she standing there crying? As I pondered this question, I saw vice-principal Luna approach Sunset, and say something to her. Sunset simply nodded, and turned away, proceeding to walk outside, well, as much as she could, considering the gaping hole in the school. She walked to the sidewalk, turned left, and walked away from the tattered school. So, logically, I followed her, while staying a good distance away, so she didn't notice me.

A few minutes later, a few more students began following her, at a closer distance than I was. They were all wearing black hoodies, and were getting closer to her. Sunset seemed to notice them, as she stopped, and turned around. Now, the Sunset I knew would typically be smirking, or would be angry, but, she had a look of sadness and worry on her face.

"H-hi, Fire." She stuttered, looking at her shoes.

"Don't you dare 'hi Fire' me, Sunset Shimmer," the guy to the right said, pulling down his hood. "You're going to pay for what you did." I knew him. His name was Fire Burner. Let's just say if there was no Sunset Shimmer, he'd be top bully.

"P-pay?" Sunset stuttered again. "W-with wh-what?"

"Everything." Fire replied, causing Sunset to look up. "You will pay with everything." He then struck her face with the back of his hand, causing her to topple to the ground. Fire then pulled a pocket knife out of his pocket, and flicked it open.

Now, I don't like Sunset Shimmer, but, murder? No, too far. As he raised his arm to strike, I ran over, and grabbed his arm as he lowered it. "Fire Burner, may I kindly ask what the hell you're doing?" I asked, looking him directly in the eye.

"What should have been done long ago." Fire replied, staring right back into my eyes. He had bright orange eyes, which match his name to a T.

"What, murder her?" I asked.

"Yes." Fire replied, his tone dead serious.

"Now, Fire, are you capable of that?" I asked him, cocking my head to the side, "Can you actually murder another human being?"

"Normally, no." Fire admitted, "But, with her, yes." He stared at me in the eye, fire burning in them.

"So, you sink down to her level. No, below her level." I said, my voice now stern. "Yes, Sunset Shimmer has done some terrible things, especially recently, trust me, I know, more than anyone, but, is that deserving of execution? No, that's going to far. Put the knife down."

"No! It must be done!" Fire shouted.

"No, Fire, it does not!" I shouted back, now a tone of anger in my voice. "You have a choice! Right here, right now! You can murder her, and try and hide the evidence, and be forced to live with the fact that you murdered someone in cold blood! And, if you kill her, you will have to kill me as well! Why? I am a suspect! I have no doubt you're prepared to kill her, but, I don't think you're prepared to kill me! Not tonight, nor any other night! And, trust me when I say, that if you kill her, I will go straight to the police, and have your ass dragged to jail, and punished accordingly!

"Or, you can be the better man! Don't kill her, and let her go! Don't sink down to below her level! So, I will ask you one last time: Put the knife down!"

Fire stared at me in shock, and, I'd be in shock too. I didn't know I could say something like that. Fire stayed in that position for several seconds, before easing his grip in the knife, and dropping it to the sidewalk below.

I let go of his arm, and said, my voice still stern, "Now, you and your gang go home, and think about what you tried to do here! I hope you'll learn never to do it again! And, I swear, if I learn that Sunset Shimmer has been hurt in anyway at all, you'll be the first one I find!"

Fire and his gang back away, before turning back around, and running off. My anger subsided, and I knelt down to pick up the knife, before throwing at behind me, and looked at Sunset Shimmer. She was curled up in a ball, with growing puddle of clear liquid and red beneath her face. I adjusted my angle, and discover that not only was Sunset crying, but she also had an enormous gash on her right cheek, bleeding onto her face, before falling to the ground.

"Are you alright?" I asked, my tone soft.

Sunset barely looked up, "W-why?" She asked, between sobs.

"Sunset, are you alright?" I asked again, my tone more calm.

She still looked at the ground. "N-no."

Not sure how to respond, I simply said, "Listen, my house is just a few blocks away. I'll take you there and get you cleaned up, okay?" She slightly nodded.

I helped her stand up, and wrapped an arm around her, helping her to walk. We began walking toward my home.

I could feel blood and tears dripping down onto my shoulder, and hear the occasional sob and sniffle. I didn't mind for some reason. I glanced at Sunset's teal eyes. They were filled with tears, and were bloodshot. I'd never seen Sunset like this before in my life.

When we arrived at my home, I sat her down on the couch, and walked into the kitchen. I pulled off my suit jacket, and wrapped it around a chair. I grabbed a washcloth, and soaked it in warm water.

I walked back into the living room, washcloth in hand. I brought it up to Sunset's face to clean the wound on her cheek. When it touched, Sunset winched a bit. "You alright?" I asked quietly. Sunset looked into my eyes with a look of sorrow and confusion.

I brought the washcloth back up to her face, and cleaned the wound. She seemed to wince a bit, but didn't interject. I stood up, and walked back into the kitchen, dropping the blood-soaked in the sink. I grabbed a bandage, and returned to the living room.

I carefully placed it on Sunset's face, concealed the wound from view. Sunset looked at me with her bloodshot eyes. "W-why are you h-helping me?" She stuttered.

"They were about to kill you." I said, "I couldn't stand there and do nothing."

"B-but," Sunset said between sobs, "A-after all the terrible things-"

"Sunset." I interrupted, "No one deserves to be killed. Yes, you've done a lot of terrible things, but, do you deserve to die because of it? No. Nor does anyone else."

She stared at me, wiping the tears from her eyes. "But...you...of all people..."

"It doesn't matter." I replied. "You needed help, I responded. Unfortunately, you didn't make out of it unscathed." I gestured to her cheek. "Listen, I don't mean to pry, but, where do you live? I mean, how far away?"

"A-a few miles." Sunset replied.

"Okay then," I began, "listen, I think you should stay here for the night. Considering what has gone on recently, you're very venerable for an attack. And, I know of a few people who would love to get revenge on you. A few mile walk will take a while, and, I have a feeling students are waiting to see you and ambush you. So, you can stay here for the night. You can sleep on the couch. I don't have a girls set of pajamas, so you'll have to sleep in what you're wearing."

"H-how do I know you won't me while I'm sleeping?" Sunset asked, looking up at me.

I faintly smiled. "You don't." I said honestly. "You'll just have to trust me. And, right now, I'm the only one you can trust. Okay? I'll get you a few blankets." I did just as I said I would, and then gave them to her. "Now, try not to sleep on that wound. It might spread further open, so try to stay off it, okay?"

Sunset nodded, and said, "Thank you," before sitting down on the couch.

I walked off, but stopped in the doorway. "You know," I began, "people change throughout their lives. When you think about it, we're all different people throughout our lives. Why? Well, we change. Our personalities differ every moment, every second. We're never exactly the same person from one moment to the next.

"You asked why I helped you against Fire Burner. Well, I'm curious. Crying, being wounded, and saying 'thank you.' I never, in my life though I'd see that happen. I guess the point is, do I think you deserved to be helped? Frankly, no, I don't. But, you needed it. And, I want to see if you've changed. I'm not sure if you have, but, if you truly have changed, then, well...I want to find it out for myself. That's why I helped you. And, from what I've seen tonight, you're not the same as you were, even earlier today. So, I want to see how you've changed. Good night Sunset. Sleep well." I walked up to my bedroom, and shut the door, before collapsing on my bed, and falling into a deep slumber.