Chapters Come on Sunset, it's not all bad. After all, you get to see Twilight if you go back! But...Facing my past there.... "Is something you don't want to..." Sunset looked up and saw the very same man that was in the classroom, he didn't look much better, but he looked sorta better at least. Could he read minds? Or was she thinking out loud again? Either way, he was right. She didn't want to face her past there, who knows that Princess Celestia would do to her! "That's okay. But one day you'll have too. Y'know?"
"Can you read minds sire?" The man laughed and shook his head, well she did think out loud! He smiled and started to say something he didn't want to do but he had to...Eventually that is. Sunset started to understand doing something that you didn't want, was just apart of life, even if it was facing the past. "So, what your saying is, I need to face my past eventually?"
"Well, yes. You can't run from it forever, it's apart of life. Look at me, I almost killed myself. Became a monster, saved, and now, I'm free." Lies. He wasn't free, he was still hurting from the pain from his own past, but how did he do such a good job hiding his feelings from the world? "Look kid, sometimes, you really need to fix your mistakes here and there. You did a good job fixing your mistakes here, but what about there? You need to fix those mistakes there too."
"But how!? I ran away from Equestria! I thought I needed so much more! But I didn't..." Sunset felt the man's hand on her shoulder and soon, she was in a hug. What? This man was hugging her!? Wired, yet she returned the hug, something about the man reminded her of someone. "Sire? What's wrong? Why did you hug me?"
"You remind me so much of myself, kid, you need to move on from this whole thing. But, I can help you find out who's the true Anon-a-miss. If you want that is." Sunset gave another hug to the man and nodded, someone actually, other than Twilight, believed that she wasn't Anon-a-miss! "Name's Duke. Duke MacGahan. Yours?"
"Sunset Shimmer." Duke smiled and lead Sunset to his house, but, that letter needed to be mailed to David. It could wait, Sunset was more important right now. "Thanks for helping me Duke." Duke nodded and opened the door of his house, might've been a little messy but it was okay. Alright, a lot messy. "You sure do have a messy house Duke."
"Oh, um, I still need to clean it. But the kitchen's clean! I just started with up stairs, so yeah. Not everything is clean right now, sorry Sunset." Sunset said it was fine and saw that Duke had a journal, with his name on the back, most pages were missing still, David probably had them still. "That journal is kinda missing pages. But some of them are still there, David has the rest."
Sunset understood, but the feeling that if they did find out the truth no one would believe her, but would they believe Duke? Would the real Anon-a-miss confess about posting everyone's secrets? No. They would just blame her again, like before. Duke saw Sunset's face and sighed, he went to his desk and looked at the letter, maybe he should write another one, but to Sunset. With a fake name, yeah, maybe that should cheer her up.
I know your feeling down, but...I believe your not Anon-a-miss. How could you be? After you worked so hard to build up a good reputation, honestly it's idiotic that they blame you! Trust me now this when I say it, your not Anon-a-miss! And I know it to be true, so please stop blaming yourself like everyone else if you do. I know your past was awful and all, but really truly, your better than what they say about you during this whole thing! And I know that you can find out the truth, find the real Anon-a-miss Sunset! Make them have doubts that what they said about you that they think are true!
From take a guess
Duke smiled and put the letter down so Sunset could see it clearly, he knew he should at least order something for her to eat, after all, he didn't feel like cooking today. He told her that he was going to eat something for them to eat, she nodded and started to go on her phone...She thought about going on the website but the door to Duke's desk was open. She got up and went inside, okay, so small room. One desk, and a lamp, cool.
"Huh? Something's on his desk. What!?" As she read the letter, she smiled, Duke wrote this for her. How nice and sweet of him! But, he was just trying to make her feel better wasn't he? None of the less, it was still a sweet message for her, and besides, Duke really is a nice loving guy, even if he was a monster in his past. "He's really sweet to write this for me. But, if I do find out the truth, what if no one believes me?"
You can always come back to Equestria
Twilight's words stung her, go back? Was that the only choice she would have if they were to not believe her? Duke did say that one day she would have to go back and face her past there, but was it really that simple? It couldn't be so easy, it just couldn't be! Nothing is so easy, it always needs to be at least a bit tricky!
There was something that Sunset still wanted to know, wanted to see for herself about Duke, what's his tale? He had said something about a Crooked man, and how it choose victims. And if this Crooked man did happen to him, then why? Why did it choose him? What made him so...What's the word? Ah! So killable? Duke was hiding something, something from his past, and Sunset wanted to know.
"Duke?" Sunset asked, a hit of sorrow still in tone, "May I ask you a question?"
Duke turned around to face the poor girl and with a smile, he answered. "Ah, yes. What is it?"
Deep breathes Sunset. Just take a deep breathe. He's a friend, the only one besides Twilight. With a smooth, yet not so sure voice, Sunset asked her question, "Just what happened to you? In the your past?"
"My past?" Duke thought for a moment and then sighed. Though he wished to never speak about what happened again, it seemed to be the only way of helping this poor girl with her questions and doubt. "Sunset, I'm going to tell you a poem, and your going to try to guess who I'm talking about. Understand?"
"Yes."
Taking one breathe for luck, Duke began, "There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile, he found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked style, he bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse and they all lived together, in a little crooked house. Then he had a crooked thought, 'why is the crookedness my lot? Why must I be crooked, instead of being not?' And the crooked man would cry, and he couldn't fathom why, he was sad all the time, and so he cried. And he climbed his crooked stairs pf his crooked house, and tied up a crooked noose and ended his crooked life."
Sunset's eyes widen as she got who Duke was talking about...Himself. "Y-Your talking about yourself! Duke, you...Tried to kill yourself?"
"Not just." Duke replied, nothing but emptiness in his voice now, "I succeeded ...Sunset, before I could, David came in and...Stopped me from doing so. But I threw away that trust."
"But that tells me nothing! Duke, why did you do that!?"
What are you doing?
Duke's eyes widen as voices from the past came. The moment before he hung himself.
I'm saying goodbye to this crooked life of mine....
"Sunset, I'm going to tell you this with as much trust as possible...." Duke mumbled, "You DO have a chance! You have a chance to prove your not Anon-a-miss! But whatever you do, don't go my way. Don't leave them alone...Just like I did once..."
"But Duke, they drove me away, said I'm worthless, a no-good secret stealer! How can I possible forgive them?!"
"You'll find a way Sunset...I know you will!" Duke remarked, "David was the same way as me before. On the edge, while I was under control of that monster , I saved him and he saved me."
Sunset nodded in understanding, on the other hand, she felt like she shouldn't trust her ex-friends until this whole thing was gone and figured out. Yet Duke's words hit her like iron. Was he right? Could she find a way to figure this out? And what did he mean by 'don't go my way'?
"Ah think we did the right thing?" Apple Bloom asked her friends, while heading to class, "Ah mean she cried. That's not good."
"Your worrying to much Bloom!" Scootaloo exclaimed, giving her friend a pat on the back, "She's fine!"
"Apple Bloom has a point Scoot," Sweetie Belle said, looking down at her feet, "We did make the WHOLE school hate her."
"And we only did for our sisters, " Apple Bloom agreed, "Ah know we want them back, but ah think it's gone way to far!"
The three trio looked at each other and shook her heads and went inside, thinking about Sunset through the whole class. They DID make a mistake and we're too blind to see that mistake.
"Hey Scoot," Sweetie Belle started, "I think we should tell everyone that we're Anon-a-miss."
"Maybe."
It took a whole for the mane 5 to even think about the doubts, well for Fluttershy that is, the others didn't care. But Fluttershy did and she was sure it's not Sunset.
"I think we made a mistake."
"What do you mean dear?" Rarity questioned, "Made what mistake?"
"About Sunset being Anon-a-miss." Fluttershy replied, some tears forming, "I don't think it's her anymore."
"Come on Fluttershy!" Rainbow started up, "How could it not be her!? I mean, no one else knows those secrets of ours!"
"And if it ain't her, then ah not believing it's anyone else than her." Apple Jack told her friend.
"Yeah! She's super mean! And a secret stealer!" Pinkie began, "We shouldn't have trusted her!"
"But I don't believe it could be her!"
RD, AJ, Rarity, and Pinkie stared at Fluttershy, who was now crying a bit, was she right? Na. It was Sunset, and it was always going to be her! No one else, besides no one would do that! Sunset was back to her old ways and nothing was going to change that.
"You got to stop thinking she's innocence!" Rainbow said, crossing her arms, "She's always going to be guilty!"
Heads nodded in agreement with Rainbow's sentence, until a trio came up to the table and spoke to them.
"It was us."
View Online
Did we say 'It was us?' We meant 'It wasn't us!'
The girls turned to see Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. Did...Did they just say it was them? Them as meaning they were Anon-a-miss? What? No. No it couldn't be them! They were young and wouldn't do that! Rarity, Apple Jack, and Rainbow Dash knew that!
"W-What?" Rainbow muttered, trying to sort out her brain, "What did you say?"
"Sweetie Belle," Rarity turned to her younger sister, "Did you and your friends say it was 'us'?"
"That can't be right!" AJ stated, "Ah know you wouldn't do that!"
The trio looked at each other and chuckled a bit.
"Did we say it was us?" Apple Bloom started, "We meant it wasn't us!"
"Yeah! You must've heard us wrong!" Sweetie Belle agreed.
Scootaloo nodded in agreement, the mane 5 looked each other and then at the trio. They laughed and Rainbow hit Scootaloo on the shoulder, well lightly. Yep. Couldn't be them!
"You guys got us good!" Rainbow laughed, "Just don't scare us like that again."
The trio nodded and left, leaving the mane 5 alone. Fluttershy was the only one who didn't buy it. It had to be them, why else would they say it was them and change their minds at the last second?
They lied. That's not nice.... Fluttershy thought to herself, she had to prove that Sunset wasn't Anon-a-miss!
"HEY SUNSET!" Duke shouted as he went inside of his house, only to find a note from Sunset, "Huh? She went out for a bit? Well...Hope she doesn't do anything stupid."
Duke went to the Kitchen and found some food made already, She cooked too? What is going on with her? I mean, it's nice and all, but I'm starting to think somethings up. Not like there is already...
And you expect everything to be fine...Why? The Crooked Man spoke to Duke in his mind.
Because Crooked Man, she's already hurting from the pain brought to her by others, so MAYBE she's out getting fresh air!
....Duke, have you learned nothing!? You said that to David and tried to kill yourself...AGAIN!
Alright, alright. I'll go find her....
Duke got his coat and ran out the door, by the gods Sunset could be anywhere! He ran past the market and she wasn't there, he ran past the old school, nope. He ran everywhere expect for the beach. He ran as fast as he could to the Beach and finally found the one he was looking for.
"Sunset, what are you doing here?" Duke asked, as he reached her, "Hey...Are you alright?"
"Duke, when you told me that poem," Sunset began, "It got me thinking."
"About what?"
"About everything. About life. About....Duke, what if I'm a Crooked girl ?" Sunset question.
The Black haired man didn't say anything, "Sunset, you can't be a crooked girl. I know your not. Sunset, everything that happened to me was...painful, unholy, and just not fair. But you, this ONLY just happened to you."
"But a lot of stuff happened to me in the past."
"That was in the PAST!" Duke augured, "Sunset, what's in the past, is in the past."
Sunset didn't look at Duke, but sighed and went back to his house. Duke only stared at Sunset the whole way back, thinking and worrying about her. He was done playing games. He was going to CHS tomorrow and speaking with her friends.
"I'll speak with them tomorrow." Duke told the teen, "I'll make sure they know what they've done."
"Don't. They'll just think that I told you to speak with them."
Duke rolled his eyes and took out his keys and unlocked the front door. He made sure that Sunset was in the house before closing it shut, he sighed and took out his phone and texted someone.
"Sunset, I'm thinking your skipping School again?" Duke asked, Sunset just nodded, "Sunset, I know what your thinking."
"Then how could it hurt so much?"
"Because it's something that your not used to or you are, " Duke was telling the truth and his tone spoke it, "But, you have to ignore it all."
There are so many stories
"But I can't! Nothing will never be ignored!" Sunset told Duke, tears forming.
where some brave hero decides to give their life
"I went through this before! I know how it feels!"
to save the day
"How could you know the pain I feel at School!?"
and because of their sacrifice
"Sunset, I may not know, I know your in pain!"
the good guys win
"Oh please! You don't know that!"
the saviours cheer
"Sunset your being unreasonable!"
and everybody lives happily ever after
"Oh really!? What about you!?"
But the hero...
"What about me!? Sunset, I'm trying to help you!"
never gets to see that ending
"Sure you are Duke!"
They'll never know if their sacrifice actually made a difference
"I am! Why are you thinking other wise!?"
They'll never know if the day was really saved
"I'm not!"
In the end
"Yes you are!"
they just have to have faith
"KNOCK IT OFF SUNSET!" Duke's rage made Sunset winced at his tone of voice, as Duke tried to calm himself down, he could only hear the screams of the Crooked Man coming back to his ears, when he finally did calm down, he had a much less angry tone, "Look, I'm sorry for yelling, but your not like me! Your not a crooked girl!"
"Your sure?" Sunset asked, Duke pulled her in for a hug, "Your sure, I'm not a crooked girl?"
"I'm sure."
A Talk With The Monster Inside Of Duke
In the morning, Duke got up and headed off to CHS, he let Sunset sleep in. His face said nothing but anger, rage, madness, everything bad. It was the horrible truth, the Crooked Man was coming back but this time, Duke was alive. He didn't say a word when he passed D, Sissi, or Fluffy, which was surprisingly nice to see them again. He was breathing with anger and he couldn't even stand when he saw the building of CHS.
"You...You....You little morons!" Duke said to himself, he was basically listening to the Crooked Man now! "Hurt someone that didn't do anything is being a crowed!"
Yes, it is. Isn't it? Duke nodded when his evil side spoke, Let's make them pay like the weaklings they are! Duke laughed and headed towards the building.
"Duke?" He turned around to see....Huh? Who was this? A girl with light pink hair? "Are you taking care of Sunset?"
"Who are you?" Duke asked, crossing his arms, not liking this girl.
"I'm Fluttershy....Sunset's friend."
No she's not! She made Sunset cry! The person your looking after! The Cooked Man had a point, but Duke had to listen to Fluttershy before he acted. Come on Duke! Kill her!
No. Duke told his evil side, instead he looked at Fluttershy and sighed, "Yes I am. The girl you made cry. Why would you care for her when you said that she's Anon-a-miss?! She told me everything!"
"I don't think she's Anon-a-miss anymore..." Duke couldn't even hear the last part since she was talking to quiet! "I believe her now." Okay, he heard that part.
"Really!? You believe her now?! After everything you said!?" Duke shouted, not caring if her friends were coming, well running, up to her. "You think she's not anymore!?"
"Leave her alone!" A girl with pink hair said, "You leave her alone you big meanie!"
"Really now? Me? A meanie? What about you five? What you said to Sunset made her think she crooked! And you call me a meanie?
The five gulped and backed up but Duke went towards them, his neck starting to move a little. His eyes becoming dark and red, blood beginning to appear out of nowhere...The Crooked Man was finally coming out.
"Hang on there partner! No need to go monster form on us!" Apple Jack pleaded, but Duke just laughed, then he stopped and calmed down.
"You have no idea what you made her think! She claims she crooked! Like I was! I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to kill herself!" Duke told them, remembering when he tried to kill himself. "Everything she does is what I did!"
You stop my fun!? I was so close to coming out! I would've taught a lesson! The Crooked wined.
Yeah! That's why I did so! I don't wanna go to prison! Duke fought back at his evil side, he heard it groan, Oh shut up!
"What do you mean by 'Everything you did?' "Rainbow asked, tilting her head to the side.
"I tried to kill myself, went insane, had thoughts of killing." Duke explained, "I went after so many! David, D, Fluffy, and Sissi."
The girls were quiet, was Sunset really like this? They hadn't seen her for weeks! And yet, here Duke was talking to them about her! The CMC came by and Duke ran in front of them.
"I also need to talk with you three." Duke said, staring them in the eye. "Right NOW!"
"Okay?" Sweetie Belle said, feeling unsure about this.
"You three make it seem so funny, but you...Oh you did so much damage to her." Duke's eyes began to darken, "You made her feel like NOTHING! I hope you all die in a painful death!"
Duke had left and had everyone that heard thinking, but mostly the mane five and CMC were thinking a lot now, but how could they just listen to him? He was wrong! They were right! Weren't they?
"You think he's right?" Sweetie Belle asked her friends, Apple Bloom didn't answer and Scootaloo just shook her head, "I can't believe he said those things."
"What if he's right though?" Scootaloo asked, "I mean the way he sounded, it made it seem like Sunset's deeply hurt."
"Ah don't know who to believe." Apple Bloom said.
How could I be so lost
"I think I made a mistake."
In a place I know so well?
"I'm always a crooked girl."
How could I be so broken
"Duke's wrong."
In a family so together
"He was always wrong about me."
How could I be so lonely
"I was the broken one,"
Surrounded by so many
"The crooked one."
How could I be so unhappy,
"No one needs me."
Surrounded by so much beauty
"I don't wanna be here anymore."
How could I be me
"I could never be trusted."
When even I remain a mystery?
Sunset looked at herself in the mirror, she had read the latter that Duke wrote for David. Maybe Duke was thinking about leaving his life behind and ending it, maybe he was trying to get rid of everything around him. Something was hiding from her and now she found it.
"He's wrong." Sunset told herself, "I'm the crooked one here, not him."
A New Victim Of The Crooked Man
"SUNSET! YOU UP?!" Duke shouted as the went upstairs and saw Sunset coming out of the bathroom, he smiled but his smile faded when he saw a few cuts on her arm. "Did you...Cut yourself Sunset?" Oh no. What if she did!? "Sunset, did you or did you not cut yourself?"
It took a while for Sunset to answer him, yet when she did, her voice was shaking and full of fear, "Y-Yes. But it was an mistake! I wasn't thinking!" Duke didn't do anything, "Duke, I didn't mean to!"
"Sunset...You HAVE to stop! I've been through this! First people cut themselves, then the go insane and hear voices, after that they write regrets, and then before they know it, they end their life!" Duke sounded even more scared than Sunset did, "So please, stop!"
"It's not so simple Duke!" This time, Sunset was in anger and rage, "I don't know how you handle being a Crooked Man, but you have NO idea what this feels like!" Duke frowned, did she really just say that to him?! "You don't know how it feels to be like THIS!"
"YES I DO!" Duke's face showed nothing but anger, rage, madness, and the sign of the Crooked Man, "I'VE BEEN LIKE THIS BEFORE! And all you think is 'Oh he won't understand! He hasn't been through anything like this!' Well guess what!? I HAVE!"
Sunset looked at Duke's face and saw tears running down his face, oh no. Now she's really done it. "Duke...I'm sorry...." Duke looked at the teen and sighed, it wasn't her fault but his own. "I shouldn't have said that. You have been through this before. You had thoughts of being Crooked."
"No. It's not your fault." Duke couldn't look at her, "It's mine. I've been through this before and I can't help you like David helped me. I'm sorry."
Sunset looked at the window and went downstairs, Duke heard the front door open and shut, he didn't move. He didn't even hear the Crooked Man. No. No. NO! The Crooked Man didn't just tell her to leave did he!? What if he did!? Oh god no! It lied. HE lied! The Crooked Man broke what he had promised to Duke!
"Sunset..." Duke was quiet at first, but then ran after the teen, "SUNSET!"
You know I've been with Duke the whole time right? The Crooked Man asked Sunset, his voice was shaky and it didn't sound nice either. I've never been with someone else.
"But that explains nothing," Sunset began, "If you had been with Duke, start to end, then why me now? Why didn't you stay with him?"
It's not that simple dear Sunset, you see I have the right to end all life! Now that scared her, Including yours!
"Leave me ALONE!" Sunset put her hands on her ears, "I don't want you!"
So sad dear, but I'm staying!
"No...."
Sunset hadn't even thought of The Crooked Man ending lives, she always thought Duke had been born with him. Being twins with him, being siblings with him. Not...Not a killing side that couldn't be seen.
There is nothing
She couldn't be...
and there is nowhere
There was no way...
A big valley
Not a chance
Of darkness and despair-
That she could ever be...
There is
No!
Courage and there is
NO!
Fear
"I couldn't be..."
In between there is
OH! But you are!
No cloudy or clear-
"YOUR WRONG!"
A face that is
Am I?
Beautiful or
"Well...Um..."
Simple and plain
Well?
Looks for a
"Um...No?"
Hiding place within the rain-
So I'm right?
A mountain so tall
"No! Your not!"
It seems to touch the sky
But you just said that I was right by saying no
Just as a mass of
Was he?
Clouds appear in the eagles' eye-
Was he right?
No fires are burning
He was
Where rivers run
Wasn't he?
And the rise of early morning
He was right about her
Can't escape the sun-
"....Your right." It was finally admitted, Sunset heard the Crooked Man laugh in her head. He was right all along! They didn't care! They called her a secret stealer, saying she wasn't welcomed, and more! Everything was blamed on her! "I'm a Crooked Girl."
"I'm a Crooked Girl...."
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo were in shock, did they just hear Sunset right? Was this all their fault? Did they make this happen? Before anyone could say a word, they heard a voice speak to them.
"Your back!"
Turning around, slowly and carefully, the trio saw....Duke. He was back and looked nothing but pissed off at them.
"We can explain!" Sweetie Bell pleaded, "We just came to talk with her!"
"Sure you did! After all the damage you had happen." Duke did not sound so sweet and nice, "GO HOME!" Duke had his finger pointing away form Sunset and himself, as he watched the trio leave, he began running towards Sunset but couldn't reach her with his voice.
NO! Was in the Crooked Man's hands now, he had to stop whatever the Crooked Man would make Sunset do!
Maybe he was wrong, maybe he was right. But Sunset had to do this! The Crooked man knew what was best for her, no one else did. So he was the only she could trust!
Crooked Doesn't Mean You Can't Be Saved
There was so many places Sunset could be, Duke only had one place in mind. The Hospital. The Old Hospital. Duke ran as fast he could, he took out his phone and texted the only he knew who had gone through this before. David. The two were old friends with a staff member of CHS and he knew that David could tell the staff member.
"Sunset!" Nothing. He was in the Hospital too. Until he heard a door open and close, the front door. "David."
"Duke." The brown hair man said, both smiled and hugged each other, "Nice to see you man."
"You too. But we can catch up later."
David nodded and headed towards the roof, Duke following with him. Duke wasn't very clear with the Hospital so much, but David knew it just fine. David opened up the doors that stood before the roof and saw the person they were looking for. Duke stepped forward, while David stood behind him.
"Sunset...." Duke started, "Sunset, look at me please."
They heard something be token out, but they had no idea what it was! Until Duke saw sliver, almost looking like it was white, he knew what it was.....A Knife.
"Sunset, no!"
"You have no idea how this feels," Sunset began, David remembered when Paul had to snap him out of it from killing himself. "To be Crooked, unloved, and so much more."
"We do." This time David spoke, "I tried to do the same on this very roof. Just drop the knife Sunset and everything can do back to the way it was."
"David, go and get our friend."
"Ah but, she's working!" David said, Duke just shook his head, "Your right, this is more important than work."
David rushed to CHS, while Duke tried to snap Sunset out of it, nothing was working for a while until Duke heard the Crooked Man speak to him. He growled and told the Crooked Man off.
David Hoover, you better hurry!
David rushed in CHS and found the school having a meeting in the Gym. He didn't care, he pushed to doors open and everyone turned to face him.
"You have to help!" David shouted, many looked at each other like he was crazy, "It Sunset, she's going to kill herself!" Now that got people talking, "And it's because of those three!" He was pointing at the CMC.
"Now how could it be Apple Bloom and her friends?" Apple Jack asked, David glared.
"One of you three type something on the Anon-a-miss page! NOW!"
Apple Bloom took out her phone and typed, then moments later it showed up. Everyone was shouting at them, asking them why did it, so many.
"ENOUGH!" David's voice was loud and clear, "I want you three and you five! Your coming with me and seeing your friend! The one you gave so much pain to!"
"Sunset, put down the knife!" Duke's plea rested on death's ear, "Please! Sunset, your making a mistake! And I know these past few days haven't been the best, you have to see what your doing!"
"How would you know!? How would you see the pain I'm feeling!?"
"Because I've been there! I've been on the edge! Sunset, please! I'm begging you! Put down the Knife!" Sunset could see Duke, not what she was seeing before! What was she doing!? "Please!"
No
No
NO!
"NO! I'M NOT! I HAD ENOUGH!"
"......Then do it! I don't care!" Duke gave up and started to walk away, feeling like he did nothing to help, "But just remember, I always thought you were a good kid, even in the past."
The past....Past....Past! That's it! Sunset knew why she was doing this! Because of the past! Everyone had thought she was back to her old ways!
"SUNSET!" Wait. What? Apple Jack, Rarity, Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo? What were they doing here? "Please don't!"
"Thought I told you three to stay away!"
David walked towards Duke and was breathing heavily, but Sunset went back into the Crooked Man's control.
"Do...Do I know you?" David's eyes widen, the same thing he had told Paul! "I don't know you! And you couldn't know me!"
Duke gulped as Sunset made the Knife go to her neck, he felt his neck going tight, he couldn't breathe. The rope. It was still up! Shit! He had forgotten to take it down!
"Sunset....Please..." Duke was on the ground, Sunset shook her head and saw Duke, she was shocked and wanted to help him. "Please....Don't....."
"Duke!" David shouted, grabbing Duke and hugging him, he looked at the CMC and got angry, "THIS IS YOUR FAULT! IF YOU HAD THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THEN THIS WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING!"
The CMC looked down and turned away, Sunset's friends looked at her and pleaded for her to stop, but Sunset didn't listen to them one bit.
"SHUT UP!" Sunset's rage returned, "You made me like this! Beside them, this is all your fault! So why should I stop!? Your going to say that I'm evil!"
"But we know the truth dear!" Rarity said, Sunset didn't believe it. "Please, stop this at once!"
"The truth about me being ANON-A-MISS!?"
Nothing was said, not one thing. Was this really going to end this way? Was Sunset going to kill herself?
Shimmering Life(Good Ending)
Duke was trying to keep his breathing stable, David trying to help, Sunset going to kill herself, and the CMC feeling guilty. Nothing was right until they heard the knife drop, they looked at Sunset and saw her standing there with tears. Duke got up slowly and made his way over to her, wrapping his arms around her.
"I was so worried about you." Duke said, tears falling down his face, Sunset hugged him back, "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you died."
Sunset cried into Duke's embrace, not caring if her friends wanted to talk to her about anything, now David on the other hand was pissed off at the girls. Including the CMC, by the gods you could hear him from anywhere. Duke looked at him scolding the other girls, Sunset didn't move a single step.
"Duke, I'm so sorry." Sunset apologized, "I shouldn't have tired to kill myself. I was being stupid."
"No, no you weren't." It wasn't Duke saying this, it was...David? "I tired the same thing. But with a gun."
"And then Paul hit you." Duke said, David glared at him, "What? It's true."
"Not funny Duke."
Everyone laughed and Sunset looked at her friends and laughed with them. She was hugged by them, Duke and David smiled. Duke didn't hear the Crooked Man neither did Sunset. But could she forgive them so early?
"So...Can you forgive us? All of us?" Rainbow asked, looking at the CMC.
"Yes. But I'm not sure the others." Sunset laughed and gave her friends hugs, "No, seriously. I forgive all of you."
Duke smiled and David gave him a pat on the back, Sunset looked at the CMC and told them that she also forgave them.
"Now everyone can rest without worry." Duke said, smiling, something David never saw him do, "And I think we all need a good long rest after what happened."
Everybody, everywhere
seeks happiness, it's true,
But finding it and keeping it
seem difficult to do.
Difficult because we think
that happiness is found
Only in the places where
wealth and fame abound.
And so we go on searching
in palaces of pleasure
Seeking recognition
and monetary treasure,
Unaware that happiness
is just a state of mind
Within the reach of everyone
who takes time to be kind.
For in making others happy
we will be happy, too.
For the happiness you give away
returns to shine on you.
"Uncle Duke?" A kid with blonde hair asked, his blue eyes sparkling with questions, "Did that really happen? Did you and daddy really save that girl?"
"Yes Drake. We did." Duke said to his nephew, his other nephew, Austin, was smiling at his story. "We did save her and she, today, lives a wonderful life."
"Did you ever see her again?" Austin asked.
"Not right after that, but I did something later in life. I say about like...four or six months." Duke answered, the kids going 'wow' right as their father walked in.
"Alright come on. We need to go." David said as his kids groaned, Duke chuckled, "We need to let uncle Duke rest."
Duke rolled his eyes, when the kids and David left. He sighed, he looked around his Hospital room, hoping to cheer himself up. It didn't help that he was slowly dying. He was shot and he was lucky enough to have lived but then there was the neck wound from the rope so...Not his best time in life.
Life begins with something so small,
Innocent baby, could barely crawl.
Beautiful toddler, grows into a child,
Those teenage years, are often quite wild.
During adulthood, we all try to find,
Unique experiences, rewire each mind.
For several decades, we become so busy,
This is life, sometimes it's dizzy.
Years go by, we continue to age,
We approach, our final page.
The meaning of life we understand.
Death converts, our body to sand
Sunset sighed as she put down the latter she read for like the thousandth time. It never made her happy to know that Duke was in the Hospital after nine months when they met. But being shot was something different, he was lucky to life but he was seriously hurt.
"I hope you life Duke." Sunset said to herself, "Your like a friend I never had, maybe even like a father."
But there was hope he would life right? He was strong like David, so he could live through this, he could and he would. He was like no other person alive. But there was one thing they both knew.
Even in life and death
Battles must come to an end
Even if your the victor or the failure
You battled strong
And wise
And you now
lay your head to rest
Just like everyone else
David looked at the days, it went fast and Duke was yet to be let out of that Hospital. His kids came home from school and he was a crying mess. Not over his mother's death, the kids had no idea why, but he told them simple words that even they could understand but not what he meant though.
Bye Bye Blackbird
Sunset couldn't stop her tears, why!? Why him!? Maybe it was time for him to go, but still she felt hurt! She felt hurt that she couldn't have seen him one last time! But she made his life right by staying with him through out the whole Anon-a-miss thing, so that was a win right?
"Rest In Peace."
She looked at the grave in front of her and more tears fell down her face. She hated to see this grave, it reminded her each and every time she visited, that her friend was dead.
Voice In The Dark(Bad Ending)
Duke was trying to keep his breathing stable, David trying to help, Sunset going to kill herself, and the CMC feeling guilty. Nothing was right until they heard the knife drop, what they saw, was what they didn't want to see. Sunset was laying on the ground, blood coming out of her neck, slowly. David and Duke couldn't move, the CMC shocked, and the mane 5 regretting everything. Oh god! The one thing everyone was afraid of, was now real. David moved towards Sunset, while Duke was on the ground looking at her.
David moved his hands to at least try and find a pulse, but he could find nothing. He turned and shook his head, he flipped Sunset over and closed her eyes. Damn it! Damn it! He got up and went over to, not Duke, but the other teens and the CMC. Yelling at them, saying how stupid they were to trust anyone but Sunset! But Duke didn't move for minutes until he finally got his breathing under control. David went over and helped his friend, he wrapped one arm around Duke's back and helped him walk. Nothing was said when everyone went home, they had put Sunset's body in a gave yard.
"I hate them so much!" Duke yelled, David nodded in agreement.
"But still, how did it? Wouldn't they have said who was truly Anon-a-miss?" David asked, "I mean, it seems kind of weird if you think about it that way."
"Yeah, they should've. I guess they'll confess at the school."
"End the page..." Sweetie Belle said, phone in hand, "We can't go anymore with this."
"Ah know." Apple Bloom said, taking the phone and ending the page.
"That does it then, no more Anon-a-miss." Scootaloo said.
They walked inside and saw students crying and in shock, standing in front of them was a staff member. They guessed Duke and David told the Staff member and told the Students. But they could never confess about being Anon-a-miss.
"Isn't that right girls?" The staff member asked, the mane 5 nodded, "So, you all have been rash on Sunset and that made her kill herself."
The CMC looked shocked, but they remembered that moment like none other before. And it rang in their ears, but they had to move on and get over it. But it wouldn't be so easy at all.
"DUKE!"
"Yo Duke!"
D, Sissi, Fluffy, and David went to see their friend, since David's kids were at school, they couldn't come. But oh well. Yet this time, the house seemed empty, something was wrong and out of place.
"Mister David, where's Duke?" Fluffy asked, David looked at him.
"I don't know Fluffy. I don't know."
BAM
They froze. That wasn't a gun was it? It couldn't be a gun. Could it? They all ran upstairs and into the living room, which had the door to the attic. Nothing was in there, David opened the door to the attic and saw....No....Not again....
"Duke...."
Sissi, D, and Fluffy froze, it had been a long time since they had seen their friend, and now they were seeing him dead!? He had hung himself...Again.
They had heard voices in their heads, saying but true things, saying how it was their fault she was dead. It had lead them to do the same thing as she did, but it wasn't always like this though. They had days were nothing was wrong, were everything was fine and more. Until now, they had voices in their heads.
They had thought everything was going to be fine in the morning until they heard screams outside of the classroom, they went outside and saw the Principals with guns in their hands, pointing at something. They finally got a clear view and it surprised them what they saw.
Fear broke out and they backed up a bit, the monster rushed and pushed one the Principals out of it's way, only for her to get hurt and the other one hugging the fallen one.
Blood was everywhere and for a moment, everyone could hear what the monster had to say.
"It wasn't me...It was you...You killed her and yourself...CMC."
The Hospital trip was a pain for her, her arm was broken thanks to that monster. Her leg had almost broke and she had lost blood. But thankfully she was going to live, but her sister refused to let her be alone. Even though she was fine to be on her own.
"You don't need to watch over me sis, I'm fine."
"No, I do! I'm not trusting myself to let you be."
"Your so much like our mother."
In the grave yard, there was not one, not two, but five graves in a row. Right next to each other, three belonged to kids, one belonged to an adult, and the last one belonged to a teen.
"I miss you Duke. I really, truly do. So do the kids."
David saw the other four graves and sighed, god. He never meant for the other three to die, he just wanted them to know that they made a mistake. But when he was about to leave, he saw three teens coming towards him.
"Ah! You must be the sisters of the them." David said, he never met them, "...Must be hard on you."
"Yeah...It is." Rainbow said, Rarity didn't even bother to try and hold back her tears.
"I'll leave you three alone."
David only got to the opening of the grave yard, he looked back and saw the teens crying and looking at the graves. He sighed, damn. Yet another broken family. Just like how he lost his mother.
"....Bye Bye Blackbird." That was the last thing David said before leaving the Grave Yard.
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Sunset 'betays' her friends and Duke's letter to David
Sunset didn't know what she did wrong, all she did was go up to her friends, and suddenly they yell at her? The fuck? She did nothing wrong, and she knew pretty well she didn't do anything. Although to her friends, she did something, but what? Anytime she tried to speak, they would start yelling at her to stop and go away. The hell was wrong with them? Honestly truly, she wanted to know why, but then she found something, something that scared her. Anon-a-miss. Her friends thoughts she was Anon-a-miss?! Why would she go back to her old self after trying to build up a reputation of being good!? This truly horrified and hurt her badly, who would do this? And why would everyone think she did this?
No one believed her when she said she didn't do anything, she didn't even think Twilight would believe her, but it was worth a shot telling about this whole thing. Damn how would she explain this to Twilight? She didn't even know where to start, but she had a good clue how to start telling her, she hoped to god Twilight believed her. Damn, this is going to be hard to get through, the holidays are coming up and if this isn't gone by then...Then I need to go back to Equestria, then that means facing my past there. Please Twilight, believe me on this! Please don't think I did this, you know I changed! Your the only one I can count on right now, don't leave me alone like them! Her prays where answered when the reply came, she sighed in pure happiness. Twilight believed her that she had nothing to do with this.
Thank god! She believes me! But...If I don't prove I'm not Anon-a-miss, then it's back to Equestria I go, and seriously, I don't want to go back there. Now, to reply to Twilight. Come on Sunset! You can do this! Just tell Twilight about your 'friends', after all, she friends with them too. She'll be pissed off at them, but she can't do anything, you gotta solve this on your own! Sunset's hand started to shake as her wrote what her ex-friends told her, why? Why her? Why not anyone else but her? Doesn't everyone know that she made up for her mistakes? When she found out the real Anon-a-miss then he or she would be in danger and in deep trouble.
Sunset wrote back to Twilight for about 3 or 4 minutes before going to class, AJ and Pinkie Pie had the same class as her. Wonderful! Just wonderful! She really didn't want to see them here, but what did give them a shock was a man with black hair came in, he had green eyes and was looking like he just saw someone die. He smiled at them and waved before going up to the teacher, he nodded at left, but some random idiotic guy stopped him by saying if he heard about Anon-a-miss. What he said gave Sunset a shock, even to AJ and Pinkie Pie..."I have, but I don't believe a young girl could do anything like that after making up for her mistakes. I once made a mistake, but nothing like that."
"Wait a minute there partner, if ya don't, then what did ya do?" AJ asked him, the man turned around and smiled a little. But his smile faded as he closed his eyes, a single tear rolled down his eye, left eye actually. Sunset remembered at if a tear came down the right eye first, it was out of happiness and joy, but if it was out of the left eye, then it was out of pain and sadness. "Can ya tell us?"
"I became a monster, but I was saved from a man named David Hoover. Frist ever one who stayed with me and took care of me until I was better. As that monster I tried to kill him, but in the end I was saved...from that monster who took over my mind and thoughts. He's married now and has two wonderful little sons, I remain unmarried but I'm happy. His kids call me uncle Duke, since their father thinks of me as a brother. But...As you know, a monster can do many things to destroy a family or a life, my life fell apart and a monster I became. I never wanted to, yet I became one." Sunset stared at him, wondering if the monster he became was just as bad as the one she became, the man left shortly after, leaving them alone.
That man...He said that the kids called him uncle Duke, so is his name Duke? He also said he became a monster, yet what kind of a monster did he become? He doesn't seem bad, but he seems sad and lonely. I wonder if he's really okay...That tear, it came form the left eye, so he's still pained and sadden? Sunset thought to herself, she didn't looked at Pinkie and AJ, but she could tell they were looking at her. Maybe with anger and betrayal, but she didn't care, not since her mind was on that man.He lied about being saved, he's still pained, I heard it in his tone of voice. I wonder if he'll ever reveal his true pain and sadness to the world?
"Hey, Sunset?" Sunset turned to see Pinkie sitting next to her, okay, why? Pinkie was just going to go back and say to go away and keep a distance from her. "Do you think that man's strange?"
"No Pinkie, I don't. His still pained, I heard it in his voice." She looked at her ex-friend, everyone was now staring at her, not just Pinkie anymore, "Look, it would be best to keep a distance from each other. You said so yourself. Until...This whole thing is over Pinkie." Sunset got up and left the classroom, leaving Pinkie behind waving her hand. AJ sighed and put her hand on Pinkie's shoulder, but Pinkie only looked sadder.
David, y'know what? I'm still pained and crap, but the crooked man, had it's reasons to choose me. I'm sure it had it's reasons to choose you too, so goodbye David Hoover. Like always, I'm sure happiness will come to you once again, maybe you'll be a granddad one day and you'll have wonderful little grandkids, but that's far in the future. So I know it's wired for me to say this but...Bye bye Blackbird or Blue Jay.
From Duke MacGahan
Duke put down the letter he wrote and sighed, nearly 6 years passed since the whole Crooked Man deal and well, Duke couldn't believe he was still alive and well. If it weren't for David, he wouldn't be alive, so he thanked David and most of all, he had a good life now. But some of it was crooked, okay, a lot of it was still crooked. But it was enough for him to be happy, or whatever he was feeling up too.Blackbird huh? Hope he likes the nickname Blue Jay. It's the best I can think of, maybe something different for D, Fluffy, and Sissi, but whatever. Just how are those guys doing?
