The room was deadly silent, save for Applejack's heavy breathing. She turned to her friends and showed them the content of her sister's phone. The group looked as if they'd been slapped, their suspicions confirmed.

"So it's true...." Rarity whispered, her eyes filling with tears as she stared accusingly at Sweetie Belle. Sweetie, to her credit, had the decency to look ashamed.

"How could you do this?" Rainbow demanded, her voice thick with hurt and betrayal. Scootaloo's face had turned pale white, her mouth opening and closing several times, unable to say anything.

Apple Bloom cowered under her sister's cold stare. She looked like a deer in headlights. "Sis...Ah-Ah can explain..."

"No, Apple Bloom, Ah don't think you can." Applejack said softly, her voice a deadly calm. "But please, humor me. Explain why this says yer signed inta th' page." She shoved the phone in Apple Bloom's face and pointed to the screen. "Or are ya gonna say this is Sunset's fault, too?"

Apple Bloom looked over Applejack's shoulder and saw Sunset standing near the door. Her arms were crossed and she was glaring at her, as if daring her to say anything. A lump formed in her throat.

"And while we're on th' subject, how 'bout you explain how Sunset coulda possibly made that post at lunch, when she was standin' right in front of us without her phone or a computer th' whole time?"

The three younger girls felt sick. There was no way their sisters would have bought that Sunset was Anon-A-Miss if Sunset was with them when Anon-A-Miss made a post. They screwed up big time.

Applejack let out a bitter chuckle. "Ya know, Ah really don't know what I find more insultin'. The fact you did this at all, the fact you tried ta frame mah friend fer it, or th' fact that you think Ah'm so stupid that Ah wouldn't eventually figure it out.

"You were never a good liar, Apple Bloom, especially ta me. Th' other day, Ah figured somethin' was goin' on when ya tried to pin 'Piggly Wiggly' on Sunset, but Ah ignored it as you not knowin' any better. Now Ah see that you wanted me to think it was Sunset, di'nt ya? Ya wanted me ta think Sunset told everyone one a' mah personal secrets."

Scootaloo muttered, "She's done it before," before she was silenced by the cold stares of the older girls. Applejack scrolled through the phone to the very first post.

"'Did you guys know when AJ was a kid she loved playing with her pigs? OMG! She sat in the mud for hours! Her whole family calls her "Piggly Wiggly" cause she loves them so much! What a PIG!'" Applejack read the post aloud, her voice shaking with bitterness. "So nice ta know how little you think of me. It's bad enough everyone at school thinks Ah'm a dumb hick, but it's extra wonderful to know you think it too!" Apple Bloom mumbled something under her breath. "What was that?"

"....Ah don't think yer dumb."

Applejack scoffed. "Really? Cuz this post seems ta suggest otherwise." Her face twisted in disgust. "Ma and Pa would be so proud of you."

And just like that, Apple Bloom burst into tears. Applejack's expression faltered slightly. Even angry, she couldn't stand to see her baby sister cry. She turned away, unable to look at her.

Rarity took over, stepping forward. "Why? Why on Earth would you girls even think of doing this?"

Sweetie Belle fiddled with her hands before nodding towards Sunset. "It was...cuz of her."

Sunset pursed her lips. Rainbow looked incredulous. "Seriously? You've been caught red-handed and you're still trying to pin this on Sunset?!"

"Rainbow." Rarity said softly, calming the female athlete, before turning back to Sweetie. "And what does Sunset have to do with this?"

"She took ya away from us." Apple Bloom sniffled, wiping her eyes. "Y'all were spendin' all yer time with her instead o' us. Ah'm yer family, AJ. Yer supposed ta spend Christmas with yer family. When ya sent me away, Ah was so mad....Ah made th' Anon-A-Miss account and posted th' thing about Piggly Wiggly."

"I felt the same way." Sweetie Belle added. "When everyone was asleep, I snuck into your room and took Sunset's phone. I posted those photos."

Rainbow stood there, completely dumbfounded. "You did this...because of a slumber party?" She turned to Scootaloo. "And what about you? Those two at least have an excuse. What's yours?"

Scootaloo shrugged, not looking at her idol. "They said they needed help. I'm their friend, so....."

"And it didn't occur to you that you might be doing something bad?" Rainbow asked angrily. "Not to mention illegal!"

Scootaloo's face paled once more. "Illegal...?"

"Cyberbullying is against the law in this city." Fluttershy spoke up, her voice filled with disappointment. "And so is creating a fake account to harrass other people. The only reason Sunset was never punished when she did it is because there was no definitive proof she did it."

The three girls all looked like they were going to throw up. "I don't wanna go to prison...." Sweetie whimpered.

"You won't." Applejack spoke up, her face stern. "Because this stops now." She shoved the phone into Apple Bloom's hands. "Delete it. The page, the pictures, all of it. Delete it right now."

Apple Bloom didn't need to be told twice. Her fingers shook as she pressed "Delete", erasing the Anon-A-Miss profile and its content forever. She held the phone up to Applejack to show her.

Applejack sighed, and placed the phone in her pocket. "Yer not gettin' this back."

"But-"

"Do not test me, little girl. Yer lucky I don't call Celestia and have her deal with you."

Apple Bloom shut up. Cyberbullying was a serious offense at CHS, one that could result in expulsion. And Applejack didn't make idle threats.

Rarity held out her hand to her sister. "Hand it over, Sweetie Belle."

Rainbow did the same. "You too, squirt."

Scootaloo and Sweetie dug their phones out of their pockets and handed them over, not daring to complain.

"So, you three did this cuz y'all wanted ta spend time with us?" Applejack asked, crossing her arms. "Well, Apple Bloom, yer gonna get yer wish. All Christmas break, you an' Ah are gonna be spendin' a lotta time together....." She leaned in, narrowing her eyes. "Sweepin' the barn, doin' the dishes, feedin' the pigs, peelin' potatas, and anythin' else Ah can think of."

Apple Bloom gulped.

"You know, I just had an inspiration just now. For an entire line of winter ensembles and sweaters." Rarity said in a faux cheerful voice. "It could take me weeks to finish them. I could certainly use a model."

Sweetie cringed. She had an idea who that "model" was going to be, and she knew by the look on Rarity's face that it wasn't optional.

"Hope you got some strong running shoes, squirt." Rainbow Dash said.

Scootaloo winced. She was afraid to ask why she needed them.

"One more thing," Applejack said, nodding to Sunset. "You three owe her an apology. And you better sound like you mean it."

The three girls looked at each other, then said in unison, "We're sorry, Sunset."

"Sorry you did it?" Sunset asked bluntly. "Or sorry you got caught?"

They stared at the floor, unable to answer. With that, Applejack pulled her sister up by the arm and marched her out of the room. Rarity did the same, but with more grace. The remaining girls gave one last glare to Scootaloo before following their friends.

As Applejack turned the key in the ignition, she turned to Apple Bloom, who was staring at her lap. "Ah wanna make mahself very clear. What Ah said in there? That's me bein' nice. You ever pull this crap again, y'all better git down on yer hands n' knees 'n pray ta God fer mercy, cuz you sure as hell won't get any from me. Two things that piss me off royally are dishonesty and disloyalty, little sis. You don't betray yer kin, especially an Apple."

And as the small family truck backed out of the driveway and onto the road, Applejack's words imprinted themselves deep into Apple Bloom's mind. She made a vow, right then and there, that she would do everything in her power to earn her sister's trust back, and that she would never, ever, betray that trust again.

Author's Note

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I'll post the next chapter soon.