Two months. It only took two months for things to stir up again after the whole Anon-a-Miss ordeal. Things were calm for a short period of time, but things can quickly change, and hell can quickly break loose.
Every student at CHS who had a mobile device was taking a picture of the front of the school. As soon as each one got their desirable amount of photos, many of them posted the photos on social media, such as MyStable.com, where Anon-a-Miss’s account had existed. They had not done this to boast that they had gone to the same school as Sunset Shimmer, a victim of battery due to the whole Anon-a-Miss situation (which was now very well known across the nation), who was now recognized by many for being strong and holding through, and having to go through betrayal, rather than being recognized as the ‘She-Demon.’
Students were actually taking pictures of the big, green statements that were spray-painted on the front of the school, which was also bedazzled in green question marks (which were also spray-painted on).
??????If you have it, you want to share it. If you share it, you no longer have it.????????
This was not normal. Even though this school has had visitors from alternate worlds, and demons trying to learn of magic, the riddle on the school was abnormally eerie. It felt almost like a distraction to some, while to others it seemed like nothing more than an act of vandalism.
The riddle was fairly easy, so people had posted their guesses and answers on social media WITH the pictures in the same post. After about ten minutes, the students actually walked inside of the school. Chatter about the strange, unexpected riddle filled the halls as students began to open their lockers and retrieve things they'd need for their classes.
As they walked to their classes, more chatter occurred, but some about different subjects. Many of the students were speaking about the once popular athlete known as a Rainbow Dash, who had helped set up a plan to harm Sunset Shimmer. She hadn't known that Sunset would nearly die, but she still was in on it. What she had done was unforgivable, and it had caused her friends to go into a great period of contemplation about whether or not they should accept Rainbow as their friend or not.
Rainbow on the other hand was more than depressed. She had hated herself to the point where she nearly began to inflict damage on herself. She got closer to cutting herself every night, but just couldn't bring herself to do it for some reason. She had considered talking to Sunset about what happened, but she had it burnt into her mind that Sunset more than likely hated her.
As students sat down in their respective seats in their respective classrooms, teachers began taking attendance for that day’s homeroom period. When each teacher finished, the loudspeaker in each classroom made a tolerable ‘beep’ noise. This was the beginning of daily announcements.
“Good morning, students of Canterlot High. Will teachers please do a quick dress code check?” Principal Celestia said over the loudspeaker. After a moment, she continued. “Our first announcement; there will be no condiment packets today at lunch due to late shipping. Second; we ha-” Celestia was cut off by the sound of a door opening, and the gym teacher’s voice, which was barely audible due to his distance from the microphone. A few moments passed before Celestia continued announcements.
“I'd like to apologize for that, but it seems as though these… question marks… found outside of the school were also seen in the gymnasium. We will have an announcement covering that topic sooner than later. As I was saying, our second announcement; we have applications for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in the office of anyone is interested. And lastly; there will be an assembly during fifth period which will extend to about thirty minutes before the final bell rings. Thank you, and have a marvellous Monday.” With that, the loudspeaker turned off.
As minutes passed by, Rainbow stared mindlessly at her desk. She had abandoned herself in her thoughts about her mistakes. She didn't want to live like this. She figured that tonight would be as good of a time as any other time to end it all; slash the blade across her smooth wrists in hopes of death by blood loss. No one would care, right? Sunset hated her, her friends didn't know what to think of her, and her dad had been drinking heavily ever since the night her mother passed away.
The bell rang, cutting off her chain of thought. She slowly stood up and began walking to her next class, still having an immense, painful hatred towards herself. She was sorry for what she had done, but she couldn't help but believe that she wouldn't be if she never knew Sunset was innocent. Burning tears full of rage and sorrow streamed down Rainbow’s face as she hung her head. Her fists tightened, and her breathing quickened as she became closer, and closer, and closer to breaking down.
To avoid being seen by anyone, she ran into the restroom. She was bawling at this point, having no control over the volume of it. She tried her best to hold in her feelings, but all she could make of them were more tears and cries of negative emotion.
She turned on the sink and splashed her face with the school’s water. As she slowly regained control, she looked into the mirror, only to see what she had looked like for the past two months. Her hair was a mess, and it almost reeked of sweat from the nightmares she had every night. Her eyes had bags under them due to her loss of sleep while she cried her eyes out silently every night in her bedroom. Her eyes were bloodshot as well, thanks to her endless crying. She was shaking like she was plucked straight from the insane asylum.
“Look at yourself. You're pathetic. You may as well be a killer. You helped Gilda do those things to sunset.” A voice in the back of her head hissed. It was still her own voice, though.
"N-no… I d-didn't know t-that Gilda would d-do that…” Rainbow responded to the voice, stuttering madly.
“Did you care what happened to her at the time? Would you have really cared if she turned out to be Anon-a-Miss?” The voice asked, it's creepy tone implemented greatly.
“S-shut up… I wasn't fe-feeling like myself t-those few d-days…” She said, her voice slightly louder than before. She looked up and gasped at the sight. She saw herself in the mirror, but there were tally marks cut into her flesh. The tallies practically covered her to the point where she almost looked like someone completely different. Her eyes looked dead, and her smile was wide, scars even covering her lips and her tongue.
“W-what the h-hell are you?!” She asked, practically shouting at the mirror. The reflection didn't follow her movements, but sat there, smiling at her.
“But you still would've loved it, wouldn't you? And that's who I'm saving this spot here for…” The reflection said, pointing her scarred finger at a smooth spot on her palm of the opposite hand. “Every time I move my hand, I'll feel pain until this cut heals. Just like how Sunset healed from her she-demon phase.”
“S-SHUT UP!!!” Rainbow screamed.
“You know you want nothing more than the sweet satisfaction of the drizzling of blood as it spills from those who treat you in a way you wish not to be treated. Embrace it.” The reflection said once more before the mirror was shattered by Rainbow’s fist meeting against it.
“I SAID SHUT UP!!!” Rainbow screamed even louder this time, her lungs pained from doing so as well as her throat. Her hand was also in pain, cuts all over it. Somehow, she didn't notice. She panted, terrified of the reflection she saw. Her heart was beating at an almost alarmingly fast rate, but it slowed to something much more tolerable after a moment. She sat down, her back against the door of an empty stall, tears of high temperatures spilling from her eyes.
And after a moment, she noticed that no one had opened the door to see why there was an ear-piercing scream. She didn't want to accept it, but she knew she had it coming.
No one checked because no one cared.
First period was as boring as ever for students around campus. Teachers rambled on and on about the subject they taught while students struggled to pay any attention. Some of them were having fun discussions about the question marks through small pieces of paper torn from a normal sheet of paper.
One of the students had said that the question marks were spray-painted on by the three who admitted to being Anon-a-Miss as an act to continue gossip, but others knew they wouldn't make that mistake again.
Another student suggested that it was the Illuminati.
While a few students were fiddling around, passing notes, there was one who was paying close attention, despite the pain of some of her still-healing cuts and bruises.
Sunset Shimmer was at the top of her class, having the highest grades in school. She payed much attention to her subjects, and had even managed to block out any new gossip. She was constantly supported by Snips and Snails, who helped her get out of the old factory she was tied up in.
Her former friends, however, were suffering greatly. Not only were they completely sorrowful about how they there Sunset out like trash, but they had been sickened that Rainbow was in on Gilda’s plan.
Applejack watched Sunset from the back of the math classroom, hoping to have a friendly word with her before she went to second period. Just as Applejack was getting deeper into thought about what she'd say, the loudspeaker turned on again.
“As we promised, we'd like to discuss these odd question marks that have appeared around campus. First of all, if our culprit for this vandalism would like to turn themselves in, we'd be glad to make the punishment the least harsh as we can. But we would also like to know why these question marks have appeared. Please, report to the office of you are or know who has left these marks around campus. Than-” A nasty screeching sound was heard from the loudspeaker, which made every student in the school flinch. The sound was absolutely nerve-wrecking.
“Salutations, Canterlot Cretins.” An voice oozing of arrogance said. There was a highly audible, distorted echo in the background of this interception. “Now, you dim-witted high-school jocks and tree-huggers may be wondering why these odd, peculiar question marks have so suddenly appeared out of nowhere! Well, those are to let you know that there is a riddle somewhere around the corresponding areas in which that specific set of question marks have been found.” The voice said, acting as though he were the smartest being in existence. “Oh, and congratulations to Lyra Heartstrings for solving the riddle on the front of the school which could have been easily solved by a mere toddler!!! It says so on MyStable.com. I guess she's the smartest one here! But what's this?! The student with the highest grades in this school full of monkeys is Sunset Shimmer?! Sunset Shimmer as in the raging monstrosity that destroyed the entrance to the school?! My word!!! That should give you imbeciles something to ponder about. Oh, but instead you'll be pondering about how ‘Generic Teen 1’ kissed ‘Generic Teen 8’ at a party full of generic teens!”
Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were freaking out. They couldn't switch the loudspeaker system off. It was as if it were being manually controlled by a second party.
“So, you may be wondering why I've planted these mind-boggling riddles all over the campus? Well, I'd be glad to tell you!!! That is… if you solve four more of my amazingly put-together riddles and post the answer on MyStable. Oh, and if you answer incorrectly on any of these, I will ruin your feeble reputations worse than the rainbow garbage’s one already is. Or maybe... I'll do even worse." His voice darkened, then immediately piped up. *"Well, Tata for now, primitives.” The voice said, the irritating screeching sound commencing once again.*
Whoever this man was, he had just taken Anon-a-Miss to a new level.
Anarchy
The moment that first period ended, students were dissipated across every room on campus, along with every outdoor area that was a part of CHS. Very few of them were actually going to their next period, but instead they were searching for riddles to solve. Although many riddles were found, very few dared to try and answer them.
One of the greatly notorious ones by the end of the day was set up on the wall where the main entrance to the cafeteria was.
I was carried into a dark room, and set on fire. I wept, and then my head was cut off.
The level of disturbance the riddle caused was gigantic. The students at CHS were not used to this level of gore. Even Gilda and her gang, who had to watch and protect the Crusaders at all times were slightly shocked about this. They were the ones who'd beaten Sunset Shimmer and performed attempted murder on her.
The gruesome riddle wasn't bombarded by question marks, but it had been put together using neon letters that would be used on an ‘open’ sign. Each of the letters were neon-green. Each light was flickering a little bit as well, which sent chills up the spines of anyone who may have seen it.
Most of the students were gaping at the riddle and searching for more, but there was one specific set of friends who were standing by, unsure of where their second period teachers were. Many of the teachers had begun searching as well, much to the harm of their professionalism.
“Did y'all hear someone scream earlier durin’ first period?” Applejack asked, a hint of annoyance escaping her mouth due to a student nearly running into her, then running off with no apology whatsoever.
There was no answer for a few moments, but Fluttershy decided to try and speak up over the screaming stampede of students and staff searching recklessly for riddles as Celestia and Luna tried their very hardest to calm everyone down. Even their attempts seemed pointless. “I did…” She said. Fluttershy sounded heartbroken. Her childhood friend had been in on a plan to hurt another one of her… ex... friends. She was also hurt because of how her and her friends had treated Sunset when they should've taken her pleas of consideration seriously. Yet, they failed to do so, and failed at being what they were supposed to be to Sunset.
Friends.
“Who could that’ve been?” Rarity asked. She was just as devastated as anyone else might've been. She couldn't believe what she and her friends had done to Sunset. She couldn't believe Rainbow.
Pinkie, at an attempt to change the subject, decided to ask about the anonymous voice. “Who do you think that meanie on the loudspeaker was?” She asked. Her hair looked deflated, which complimented her hurt look. She had already lost one friend, and was still having second thoughts about another.
“I dunno,” Applejack began, “but I sure as heck don't like him.”
One of the students had just pryed a locker open to investigate for riddles. The girls were slightly shocked by this, but there actually was splotches of green spray paint in the locker that had been opened. The girls were surprised, but had no time to say anything about it before a horde of students surrounded the locker, looking at the riddles. Celestia and Luna were shouting now, but their shouts seemed to pass through each students head through one ear and out the other.
After a few more moments passed, the two highest authorities of the school were shouting into bullhorns. However, it made little difference. The only people assisting Celestia and Luna were Sunset, Snips, and Snails. Even with the clever trio’s help, there was little luck calming everyone.
Fluttershy wanted to cry when she saw Sunset, along with the other girls. They missed her more than anything, and just wanted one more chance.
They knew that they didn't deserve one, though.
Fluttershy looked away in shame, only to see Rainbow Dash with a bloodied hand walk out of the bathroom, her eyes more bloodshot than they'd ever been. All Fluttershy could find herself doing was holding her hands over her mouth in terror at the sight of the hand, which was pale from blood loss.
Rainbow slowly disappeared into the crowd as a sudden and painful surge of guilt washed over Fluttershy. She and the other girls were just making the same mistake again, blocking Rainbow out like they did Sunset. This time, however, they had no clue what to make of her. She had helped Gilda, but didn't know it would be as severe towards Sunset as it was.
Every sound was blocked out, but quickly returned when Applejack tapped Fluttershy on the shoulder. The girl jumped a foot back before phasing back into reality as she stared at her be-stetsoned friend.
“You alright, Fluttershy?” Applejack asked, her eyebrows furrowed.
“Y-yes… I'm okay…” Fluttershy answered back as she blinked a few times. She stopped to think for a moment. She wasn't actually okay. She had just seen someone she cared for bleed madly. It was just as bad seeing Rainbow bleed as it was seeing a beaten Sunset Shimmer in a photo. She was afraid of how the other three girls would react if they learned that Fluttershy still cared for Rainbow when they obviously didn't, judging by the way that they spoke of her where they used to practice playing music in their band. That room held so many good times during band practice before the Rainbooms broke up due to the Anon-a-Miss events, and it was a shame that it was now used only to sulk and let sad feelings out. Of course, other bands would still practice in there, but the Rainbooms didn't. At least what was left of the Rainbooms…
The rest of the school day passed by slowly, but dominated by chaos. There was no control, no rules, nothing.
There was one person it seemed to have inspired, however.
This person was filled with a strange feeling when he looked around at the people, running and enjoying their time looking for the riddles. He felt as though this should be how everything worked. There shouldn't be rules, or guidelines, or anything of that nature. It was unfair that people got to boss other people around. What this person saw today was something beautiful. It was a way out of the prison that everyone lay in. It was a message from heaven.
Why should there be government when there could be anarchy?
Dear, Twilight Sparkle,
Something went terribly wrong at school today.
When everyone arrived, there was a riddle spray-painted on the front of the school. Everyone seemed to notice, but very few thought little of it. At first, I thought it was just an act of vandalism in which the vandal tried to look like he was sending some sort of message. My opinion remained the same during announcements, even though they had apparently been seen inside the gym as well. But I knew it was something more when an anonymous and distorted voice began speaking on the loudspeaker.
The voice interrupted Principal Celestia when she was speaking on the loudspeaker! Somehow, he managed to even get control OF the loudspeaker!! The voice said that he'd left riddles all over the school, which were nearby question marks that he had left as well. He also mentioned that we should post the answers to those riddles on MyStable. What really got to me, and more than likely a majority of the students, is that he said that if we were incorrect, he'd ruin that student’s reputation (the one who answered incorrectly), or maybe even worse! The rest of the day was insane. Celestia, Luna, Snips, Snails, and I were trying to get everyone to calm down. Nothing worked! Celestia and Luna were even shouting, yet no one seemed to care in the least!
Only three people actually posted answers with their respective riddles on MyStable.
Besides today, things have been going well for the Dazzlings. They don't seem so bad anymore. In fact, they've seemed a bit more friendly towards people! Unfortunately, they still feed off of negative emotion. I guess we can't do anything about that. But if it's necessary for them to survive, then we should leave it be.
Also, I apparently have the highest grades in the school! According to the anonymous voice, anyway...
My cuts and bruises are still healing, and sometimes still inflict pain on me, but not enough to bother me too much.
Everyone seems to be doing well, but I can't say that for the other girls. I don't have the slightest clue of how they've been holding up.
That's all I can think of at the moment, so I'll be gladly and eagerly awaiting a response.
Your friend, Sunset Shimmer
The next day had already been going better. There was much more control over the students, and much less chaos.
Apparently, the students had been coming up with riddles of their own the previous night. Some were better than others, but nonetheless, they were each amusing in their own ways. For some reason, though, none of them were as tough as the ones that had been found the day prior. Some of them weren't even riddles...
Many students were wondering when they'd hear back from the anonymous voice, or if they even would. There was just as much chatter as there usually was in the cafeteria during lunch. Some students were talking about dates they had, and others were talking about fart jokes and cringe-worthy things. Some of them were sharing their personal emotional bonds, and others were making up for things they had said to each other during the events that involved Anon-a-Miss.
Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie were sitting, eating in an awkward silence. They weren't sure if they were ready to start having as much fun as they used to during lunch since Sunset left them and they learned that Rainbow was allying Gilda in her little ‘mission.’
Finally, one of them decided to break the silence. “So… anything new?” Rarity asked.
“I suppose Gilda’s been doin’ a good enough job protectin’ our sisters and all… but they don't get along from what I've seen.” Applejack said.
“I've definitely noticed that as well. At least she's been keeping herself in line…” Rarity said back.
It was true. Gilda and her gang had been protecting the Crusaders from being bullied, or even getting hurt in any case. The problem was that the two groups hated each other's guts. The Crusaders had been trying their best to be more considerate since they had revealed themselves as Anon-a-Miss, but Gilda and her gang were almost no different. Sunset had been watching them from time to time just to make sure that they were doing their job right.
“G-girls…?” Fluttershy said quietly, gaining the attention of the three girls she sat with. She had to tell them what she'd seen yesterday. Fluttershy was worried that Rainbow had cut her own hand on purpose. She needed to know if the girls would give her another chance.
“Yeah, Fluttershy?” Applejack said as the other three turned their heads towards Fluttershy. She poked the tips of her fingers together, and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, that awful screeching sound filled the building once again. A few students covered their ears as a projected image with the word ‘live’ in red at the bottom left corner of the image. On the image, which was live, there was a man. His face was hidden by a shadow, but he had a green hat with purple and yellow question marks all over it. He was in a dark room as well.
“Hello once again, Canterlot Cretins!”
This man was the anonymous voice from the previous day.
“So, three of you failurebolts have actually attempted to guess on my riddles! And as I presumed, three of you were-” The man stopped speaking when he looked at a clipboard. “WHAT?!” He exclaimed, much disbelief present in his voice. “Two of you were RIGHT?! This can't be correct! I can't believe that you--” The man stopped speaking once more before letting out a chuckle.
“I will admit, you are smarter than I originally believed, but you still are nowhere near the intellect of a 5 year-old child.” He insulted before moving on. “But one of you were still wrong. *sigh* Since you can't just simply seem to solve this one yourselves, I'll give you the answer…” He said, his voice becoming slightly somber.
“Do keep in mind,” He began, “this won't count as one of the two more riddles you must solve to learn why I placed my mind-crushing riddles!”
He stopped speaking, and moved the camera he was filming live on towards a boy who seemed to be mildly beaten. This boy was easily recognized as Hoops, one of the earlier school bullies. At the sight of a beaten student, staff immediately began trying to figure out where the video was being projected from. None of them could find out, but they kept looking as the man recited the riddle Hoops had answered.
“Here we go! I was carried into a dark room and set on fire. I wept, and then my head was cut off.” He said. The dead silence had somehow become even more silent as the dark truth of what would happen next dawned onto a few groups of people.
“Now, Hoops, you guessed a candle. Isn't that right?” The man asked. Hoops slowly nodded, trembling in fear. “Now tell me, why did you pick that answer?” The man asked as he began to pull something out of his pocket. As he stepped closer, a golden cane became visible in his right hand. It was in the shape of a question mark and was messily sharpened on the curved end. After a small moment passed, Hoops spoke.
“I guessed t-that it was a candle because y-you bring it into a dark room, l-light it, then cut the burned part off when you're d-done using it.” He whimpered, his head hung.
“No! No, no, no, no, no!!!” The man said, laughing as he did so. “Silly ape! Candles don't have heads, nor do they weep!!! Candles drip wax when they are burning, and I'm more than certain that they have no head. The actual answer is… a person!!!!!”
The room was now so silent you could hear a single strand of hair hit the floor.
"Allow me to demonstrate…” The man said.
What he did next caused screaming and crying to consume the cafeteria as the man proceeded to light Hoops on fire, so on and so forth. Even the staff had stopped searching for the projection source, and began to act in fear. Everyone was freaking out at the sight and the sound of a student being beheaded while he was on fire and crying in fear and pain.
As soon as this was done, all that was left of Hoops was a burning corpse. The man’s face was still hidden as he stepped back over to the camera, the light of flames still visible from behind. Although the only audible noises from the projection were crackling flames and heavy breathing from the insane man, the cafeteria was full of screaming, panicking, students calling families, and things of that nature.
“Remember, do not answer my riddles if you don't know the answer. Well, I suppose I can't stop you from guessing! Goodbye for now, Canterlot Cretins!!!”
Once again, there was no control over the school. Students were screaming, crying, hiding, and even running from school. This time, however, it was not fun. Students weren't enjoying their time and socialising as they searched for riddles. Instead, they were screaming, praying to whatever they worshiped that they wouldn't be killed by this murderous maniac. Nobody who was present at CHS's cafeteria had ever witnessed something of the sort.
But there was a certain rainbow-haired student who remained unphased by the gory event.
