Hell is for children

Chapters

the eye's of a wounded child [edited and proof read]
Shouldn't have to pay for love with you bones and your flesh [proof read and edited]
Love and pain become one and the same [Proof read and edited]
Welcome to the masquerade
Hellfire
which ever comes first....
...a bullet or my salvation...
...I'll clutch to the glimpse of that terrible illusion... hope
Hollowed be thy name Part 1
hollowed be thy name Part 2
Hallowed be thy name part 3
Saving me
Gospel of dismay
Dream Eater
Someone who cares
The dream dissolves
In the end
The Final Countdown
Death before Dishonor

the eye's of a wounded child [edited and proof read]

//------------------------------//
// The eye's of a wounded child
// Story: Hell is for children
// by dragenfire68
//------------------------------//

‘I don’t belong. I never have.’ Sunset Shimmer thought, as she lovingly caressed the book in her lap. In it was scrawled one last message, one that she hoped, wouldn't make Twilight feel guilty when she read it. She was lying to herself of course and she knew it, but she wanted it to stop and she had no other option. At least she thought, she had no other option, as she started tying the knots, crying ever so slightly as she did.

But the universe had other plans.

Father Tirek, the priest at the local church and ex-marine, was packing up his truck, as he left from the monthly food drive. He didn't know, why he was putting the utensils for cutting bread on top, he just had a feeling, that he would need them. He started up his truck and headed for his house, set in Tartarus Heights. It used to be a place overrun with criminals, but since the ex-marine had moved in and either caught or threw out the old criminals, its name was now more symbolic of its former days, than anything.

"Hmm, the moon is beautiful," Tirek sighed, as he went slowly, both to take in the night and, since no one came on this road, to make sure that no criminals were skulking around. As he eyed the horizon, he caught sight of something red and orange near the water.

Moving further down, he saw that it was just a girl, clad in a frayed old leather jacket. She was leaning against the railing, holding what looked like a book. Suddenly, she put the book in the ground and climbed over the railing, something trailing behind her. Something too thick for headphone wires, something that looked suspiciously like a...

"ROPE!" Tirek shouted, as he turned onto the curb and got out of the car. Grabbing the large butchers knife, he ran towards the railing as the girl jumped, at a speed he hadn't moved with, since his marine days. He reached the railing and slammed the knife down on the knot, with enough force to shatter the blade. He looked down, worried for a moment that he missed, but the girl dropped into the once peaceful water below. Ignoring the pain in his hand, he jumped after her.

***

Laying in the center of a warm field, Sunset Shimmer felt content. Soaking in the warmth and serenity, there was no pain, no fear, no weight on her back. Suddenly she felt a presence, something old and powerful, but also benevolent.

"Who are you?" she asked, but she knew, she knew exactly who it was and why they were here. She didn't want to go, but the being spoke anyways

"I am Nekros. And it isn't your time yet Sunset Shimmer, you have still more to do. Your capacity for good outweighs your evil." the being spoke, its name more like a whisper in her mind than actual words

"H-how do you know that, how can you be sure?" Sunset asked, sadness creeping into her voice

"Just trust in who you are and the destiny given to you and you'll see. You’re meant for so much more." Nekros said, his voice sounding more distant.

Sunset, for her part, was feeling icy cold now, but as Nekros’ presence grew further and further away, warmth began to envelop her again. Feeling incredibly tired, she closed her eyes.

***

Tirek hit the water with barely a splash. The cold water stung in his eyes, but he barely even noticed it, as he reached the young girl. The rope was still attached to her neck, but loose enough, that he could pull it off easily. Breaking the surface, he hauled the girl to the shore. Back on dry land, Tirek placed his ear over the girl’s heart and found it, thankfully, still beating.

"I can’t leave her here and I don’t know who she is, or where she lives." Tirek reasoned as he picked the girl up and brought her to his still-running car. Taking a moment, to collect her stuff and putting it next to the food drive supplies, he drove up to his house, determined to help this girl escape whatever pain she endured. After putting the girl to bed, with a few extra blankets, he decided, that he needed to make a few calls, first thing in the morning.

The Next day:

Tirek woke, as he always did, at 6:30 a.m. sharp, with today's plans tumbling in his mind. As he got up and reached for the phone, his first instinct was to call someone, who might know the identity of the girl and what she was doing all the way out in Tartarus heights. No sooner had he hit the speed dial number, that a tired, but surprised voice answered.

"Father Tirek?" the surprise voice asked.

"Indeed, is this Celestia?" Tirek asked, he knew who it was, but asked out of respect anyway.

"Yes it is, what can I help you with?” Celestia asked, with a slight yawn “I've got an urgent case to deal with right now."

"So do I, Celestia," Tirek replied solemnly

"Oh no, is it another runaway? Do they need a temporary place to sleep?"

"It’s a lot more than homelessness I’m afraid,” Tirek sighs “this one’s hurting, and she hurting badly."

"W-who is it?" Celestia asks, fearing the answer.

"I don’t know her name, but she has red and orange hair, a leather jacket and she had a rope."

Celestia's breath caught in her throat, as she put two and two together. She felt a nasty twisting in her gut, as several startling realizations came crashing down on her. The pain working its way up into her heart, she spoke.

"H-her name is Sunset Shimmer, she is one of my students and I’m afraid that she is homeless. Yesterday my sister found her bed and a stack of her homework inside the school library, as she was watching the computers, trying to catch Anon-A-Miss"

It was Tirek's turn to have his breath catch in his throat, as he put two and two together. A twisting feeling formed in his gut, as he guessed at what had brought this young girl to the bridge with a rope. A sudden buzzing noise pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Excuse me Celestia but it seems Miss Shimmer's cell is going off, even though she left it behind." as he went over to check, what the buzzing was, he found a glowing, and buzzing book. "Umm Celestia, why is her book buzzing and why is it glowing?"

"Tirek, we have a lot to discuss, but for now, just reply by writing something on the page and be prepared for what’s coming. She is not gonna be happy about what happened here." Celestia said as she hung up. With a heavy sigh, she put her face in her hands and sobbed quietly to herself. A few minutes later Luna found her and rushed over to her side.

"Tia, what is it dear sister, this is too rare for you, please tell me!" Luna begged, as she gently turned Celestia’s tear-stained face towards her

Celestia said nothing as tears continued to fall, but staring into her sister's eyes she knew, that Luna had to know. She told her, about what she learned from her call with Tirek. As she did, Luna's breathing grew heavy and her mouth thinned into a deep scowl, her eyes speaking volumes of the rage she felt, but as she looked down at her sister, they softened again and she began to console her sister.

***

Tirek put down the phone. He understood, that he and Sunset, would need to talk to Celestia later that day after school was out, but for now, he had to take care of the mysterious book, which was still a glowing and vibrating in his hand. Quickly finding a pen, he began to write.

‘Dear mysterious friend of Miss Shimmer,

my name is Tirek, and I have Sunset Shimmer here with me. She is unharmed, mostly.

I got to her before she could fatally hurt herself and she is safe and resting here at Tartarus Heights, looking forward to meeting you.

Sincerely
Father Tirek’

As he finished, he noticed, that the messages had stopped and soon one appeared underneath his.

‘Dear Father Tirek,

thank you so much! Thank you for saving her, where I failed! I shall be there in A few days. Keep her safe, keep her warm, and above all, please try to fix her damaged heart.

Sincerely
Princess Twilight Sparkle’

As he finished reading, Tirek realized that he had sat down somewhere during the process. Leaning back in his seat, he decided to look through the book, figuring that, since this Twilight Sparkle, was such a dear friend to her, he might glean just how damaged Sunset was, from their conversations. As he read the starting passage, he knew that this was going to be a long morning.

Shouldn't have to pay for love with you bones and your flesh [proof read and edited]

//------------------------------//
// Shouldn’t have to pay for love, with your bones and your flesh
// Story: Hell is for children
// by dragenfire68
//------------------------------//

Chapter: 2

Tirek sighed, as he opened the book, to what he would guess, was the beginning of the hardest diary, he had ever read. He shook those thoughts off, as he began to catalog the days, in which he suspected these entries were written.

***

Day 1

‘Dear Twilight,

I'm so alone, they don't believe me, they refuse to even listen to me, and I don't know how to get them to see, that I was set up to take the fall. I have a few suspects, but I have no proof, that it was them and I have no idea how to show, that I’m not the one who is doing this.

Sincerely
Sunset Shimmer’

‘Dear Sunset,

I know this must be hard, but you are strong.

You must remember who you are and find your family.

I promise that you'll make it through this.

Sincerely
Twilight Sparkle’

Day 2

‘Dear Twilight

I don't know who my family is, but it isn't them, it isn't them.
They didn't believe me, in fact, Applejack slapped me when I accused her sister of being Anon-A-Miss. It made so much sense, who else could know, what her nickname was and I never would dare tell.
I tried to reason with Rainbow, but she didn't listen to me. She smacked me too, same cheek no less when I said that Scootaloo was Apple Bloom's accomplice.
They accused me of being a secret stealer and a backstabber, they even threw me out, saying I‘m not welcome at Sugar Cube Corner. I’m not welcome here in this world, I know it Twilight, please let me back through.
Even though I failed you

Sincerely
Sunset Shimmer’

***

Tirek sat stunned, as he flipped through a few more pages, each telling him more about how no matter what she did, these girls would do anything to shut her up; even going so far, as to get physical with her and it made his blood boil. It wasn’t enough, that these girls isolated her, but to attack her for telling her side… It made him want to put down the book, find those girls and rip them a new one, about what family meant. Sunset Shimmer’s mental and physical health, however, was more important right now, so he picked the book back up and kept reading.

***

Day 4

‘Twilight, why can't I get through.... did I disappoint you by giving up too soon?
Did you seal it, so that I could learn how to overcome this? Why won’t you answer me?
TWILIGHT, PLEASE I HOPE YOUR NOT ANGRY, BUT PLEASE LET ME THROUGH!!!!!’

Day 7

‘You're right, I have to figure this out alone. I have to overcome this on my own.
I've found a homeless shelter willing to take me in, for a few days, but I still don't have a way to buy food... is this your test? To figure out, how to survive alone, without my old tricks?
Or have you forsaken me because I failed to learn the Magic of Friendship?’

Day 10

‘A fellow homeless girl saw me. She tried to try to kill me, but I escaped with only my money, this book, and my backpack, the rest was smashed to pieces. I think her name is Gilda.
who knew?
Well, now I know why she's so angry all the time, but now I’m truly homeless. I'll try harder, I'll prove I'm worthy to come home, someday....’

Day 12

‘I-i’m cold, hungry, and beginning to think there's no hope. I've only survived this long, by picking out of Canterlot’s after lunch garbage. I’ve also been making sure, to shower at the local pool, when I thought I could get away with it, but that just like old Sunset isn't it and I failed you haven't I?’

Final day

‘I can't do this anymore. I can't stand the constant pain in my gut, the constant fear that I'll be found and arrested, the fear that I may die, in a way I'm not comfortable with, the guilt that I failed you, the guilt that I failed Celestia.
If by some miracle, this is simply a case of you not being there because of some duties, then I'll understand, but I can't keep this up.
I can't be strong like you when you faced discord, I can't face my fears like you did, when you faced Sombra, I can't believe in the family like you did, when you fought Chrysalis.
This is the last message of someone, who is going to die tonight’

***

Tirek looks down at the last message before Twilight's urgent, panic-stricken responses started, but he didn't read them. Instead, he set the book aside and stared at a spot between his feet, as three emotions battled for control.

Rage, for those who hurt her, those who she called family; those who dared believe, that they had any right, to strike down someone, who had done nothing, but try to make up for any past deeds she might have done; that they deserved the love, they thought was merely a ploy to supposedly upend, their perfect little lives; who took this girls heart and shattered it many times over.

Sadness, for the girl, who tried to weather the sea of cruelty, on a sinking ship. He wanted to weep for the girl, who apparently had someone who cared, but fate conspired to keep her from helping. Sadness for the one, who was the emotional punching bag of a system, that chewed up her spirit and stole her soul.

The last, but weakest emotion, was the tiny flame of hope. A dim flame, struggling to hold its spark, against the storm of emotions, that raged inside him; one side calling out for retribution, against the vile creature that took, what he held dear to his heart and strangled the life out of it. However, the other gentle but unmoved, called out for healing, to save Sunset Shimmer, to pick up the pieces and put them back together.

Hope no matter how weak, was like a fire, and as discarded ideas between the two, fell onto it, hope refused to die. Instead, it took the kindling offered and added hope. It started as a small fire but it became an inferno and soon hope devoured the sadness and rage.

Tirek made a decision. He would help heal this girl’s broken heart, but as she was mending, he would take it upon himself, to figure out who was behind this and bring them to justice. He would not stop, until the creature that hurt her, was brought to justice.

He didn't know, where this newfound fire of hope came from, but he refuses to ignore the determination burning in his chest. Before this was gonna happen, however, he had a few business calls to make. After all, he had a lot of vacation time, that he was gonna cash in, and he knew that they wouldn't refuse him.

But at the back of his mind, a tiny voice spoke, one so tiny, that most ignore it. For him, however, it was as loud as any other and it was a hard one to ignore.

"What if you fail?"

Author's Note

criticism appreciated, constructive though!!!

also shorter chapter due to having to lend until late.

Love and pain become one and the same [Proof read and edited]

Author's Note

i hope you like it, the muse in my brain refused to shut up until i wrote this chapter.

now, concerning Sunset Forgiving Fluttershy and Rarity.

I had an entire different idea writing this chapter, but before you know it, the character is writing you.

I also changed alot because i know what its like to hang on to hate and rage, its not a fun feeling, and if i had kept the original idea, it would have turned into more or less a personal story, focused more on my hate towards certain characters vs actually telling a decent story.

Cant wait to see your feed back.

Love and pain become one and the same [Proof read and edited]

//------------------------------//
// Love and pain become the same
// Story: Hell is for children
// by dragenfire68
//------------------------------//

Sunset awoke, feeling more rested than she remembered being in a very long time. Opening her eyes, her attention turned towards the smell of food that filled the room, the delicious scent of waffles, muffins, and toast, in response to which, her stomach grumbled. Sunset didn't move, however, for as she regained full motor control in her limbs, all the events of last night came crashing back down on her and she realized that she wasn't in her bed. Quickly feeling for her shirt, calmed down somewhat, as she felt the hem at her waist.

“Okay so I‘m physically unhurt, but how?” Sunset thought as she stayed in the same position, hoping that whoever was home would assume she was still asleep. It didn't work however as Tirek came around the corner, carrying two plates filled with a couple of pieces of toast, stacks of waffles, and two muffins each. Of course, he wasn't about to tell her, that he knew, that she was awake, he was gonna wait until she was calm enough, not to freak out.

The silence drew on, for what seemed like hours, but was actually only 10 minutes, until Sunset risked a peek at her savior, only for her eyes to meet his and she knew the jig was up. She sat up and drew her legs into her chest, as Tirek looked down at his food and began to eat. Looking down, Sunset saw a plate in front of her. Carefully she reached for the fork, ready to bolt if the man opposite to her tried to stop her. The man didn’t react though, so she took the plate into her hands and carefully began to eat. For a while, they sat in companionable silence, until Sunset started to look around, taking in the surroundings. To her right was a T.V., behind her was a door to a hallway, with one door on the left and one on the right, then to her right was the kitchen, and finally, there was the exit.

"There is someone, who cares for you." Tirek said, wanting to help ease the girl's trepidation, because since she finished eating, she had been watching him with a mix of fear and curiosity, her eyes burning with questions, but her body saying that she was far from ready, too talk to him.

"Yeah right, I've been abandoned by both my teachers and my friends, so the only reason you have me here, is for unsavory reasons!!" Sunset thought bitterly, getting ready to bolt, should he come within arms reach. Instead of coming closer, however, he stood up and went over to a shabby desk in the corner, were picked up a journal, one with Sunset's cutie mark on it.

"Here Miss Shimmer, I’m pretty sure, that you’re not going to take the word of someone you don’t know, but I believe that reading this, will help ease some of your pain." Tirek said as he held out the book to her, which she took gingerly.

Sunset looked down at the cover, sure that there was nothing and that he wanted her to look away, so he could take her by surprise. Against all her instincts, she looked away from Tirek and opened the book to Twilight's last message to Tirek, before flipping back through the pages, reading each of Twilight's desperate pleas. Soon she closed the book and hugged it to her chest, like it was the most precious item to ever exist, because for her though it was. The book represented the last glimmer of hope, that she had already given up on, a beacon that she knew would help guide her.

"T-thank you, I-I s-should have waited." Sunset stuttered, as the dam broke and she began to cry, out of happiness that Twilight didn't forsake her and sorrow, that she had attempted to go to a place, where none could follow.

Tirek said nothing, as he watched the girl silently letting out all her pain and frustration. Soon though, the girl stopped, still clutching the book to her chest, rocking back and forth.

"I took the liberty of saving your stuff, after pulling you from the water." Tirek said, as he stood up and took his and her plate to the kitchen, leaving her alone.

"So she did care, She never gave up on me." Sunset thought, as she let her legs down and began sitting normally, tracing her finger across her mark. Soon her thoughts brought another question burning in her mind, "Who is this man and what possessed him to save me?"

Sunset didn't have long to think, before Tirek came back and sat down in front of her, his eyes meeting hers. Soon they were locked in a staring contest, one trying to persuade the other to break the ice, trying to pick apart the silence.

"So, Miss Shimmer, my name is Tirek," he said. As he said his name, Sunset’s eyes widened and she visibly flinched, drawing herself in again, but he continued, "I have no ill intent towards you, I want to help, but I do have one question. You visibly flinched when I mentioned my name, I take it in your world someone else has my name?"

Sunset looked down, as she recalled the legend behind his name, drawing a shaky breath as she spoke, "Yes, in my world there is a creature who has your name. When he showed up, he and his brother plotted to steal all the magic in my world, but his brother grew to appreciate my people, and so he went to his brother to try and talk to him. When he choose to ignore him, his brother went back to his own lands, while your counterpart was locked in Tartarus, but he escaped."

When Sunset stopped to look at him, Tirek closed the mouth that had fallen open during her explanation and decided to ask what the fate of his counterpart was, "What happened to him after he escaped?"

"Princess Twilight used powerful magic, to strip him of his stolen magic, and return him to Tartarus."

Tirek chewed on these words, as he made a mental note, not to trigger this Princess Twilight. He didn't want her to believe, that he was anything like his evil counterpart.

"So, what are you gonna do with me?" Sunset asked, since he hadn't made any moves with ill intent.

"Hmm? Oh well, I'm planning on taking care of you, until this whole mess is sorted out since you got nowhere else to go and I can’t in good conscious let you wander the streets alone, but I won’t force you to stay here."

Sunset sat and thought his words over. One part of her mind saying that she didn't need this stranger's help and that she could do this on her own, but the more rational side simply brought up the events of the bridge, silencing the other voice, as she made her decision.

"I'll stay here until this Anon-A-Mess has been sorted out, but what about my schooling?" Sunset asked

"Well, that’s up to you, since we need to check in with Celestia once school is out. Speaking of which," Tirek checked the time, it said only 9:30 A.M., "looks like we still got time to burn here, so let’s play a game." Tirek said much to Sunset’s bemusement

"A-game. Don't you have work to be getting to?"

"Cashed in my vacation days. Luckily for my special condition, they give me to roll over on my vacation days."

"Special condition?"

"Well, I’ll tell you that, depending on the game."

Sunset raised an eyebrow, as Tirek brought over a chessboard, and began to set it up watching, as she was given the white pieces and he took the black ones.

"I'll play."

"Good, now want a normal game or a special one?"

"What’s the special one?"

"It’s like normal chess, but every time we lose a piece, we tell the other a little about ourselves, doesn't have to be big, doesn't even have to be that important."

Sunset thought about that, the voices debating on whether or not it was worth playing. Ultimately, she decided to play normally for now.

"Just normal for now, I'll play the other version later today."

"That’s fine."

So they sat and played chess until about 1:55 P.M. Sunset found that Tirek was no pushover when it came to chess, but she was a quick study and found how to counter a few, but not all of his strategies. Soon though, Tirek checked the clock and, as if he knew that they had the stuff to do, ended the game in one move.

"Wow, you're good at this."

"You learn when you got nothin’ else to do"

Sunset simply gave him small smile, but that quickly vanished, when she saw what he pulled out of his desk. It was the noose, she had tried hanging herself with. Not only that, but she saw the scab on his hand, and judged that it was probably from what he used to cut the rope with.

"I'm bringing this to Celestia so that she can better understand your situation. I know it'll be hard for you, but you gotta stay strong, both for yourself and your friend. But for now, go take a shower, your school is out at 2:30"

Sunset nodded, as she went to the bathroom across from his room and took a very brief shower. She vowed to take a longer one later, but for now, she had to get ready, so ready in fact that she went up to Tirek and asked gently if they could leave now.

"Are you sure? A lot of your classmates are going to be there, are you sure you can handle them?" Tirek asked her gently

"Yes!" Sunset answered with confidence

Tirek gave her a look of pride, as he picked up his keys and gestured her towards his door and into his car. As they headed towards CHS, Sunset felt the rising tension, at the prospect of facing her classmates. She knew that she had signed up for this when she asked to leave early, but she couldn't help but feel nervous. Soon enough though they arrived at CHS, the time reading about 2:25.

"Here we are, are you sure you don’t want to wait, till they all leave?"

"Yes, let’s go."

They left off the car, just as the bell rang for the students to get out of their classes. Sunset made her way up to the door, with Tirek following close behind. She pushed the door open and no sooner had she done that, that the entire student body started to glare at her. Right until Tirek stepped into the school, cutting an intimidating figure, with his 7 and a half foot presence and a scowl that could curdle milk, which immediately stopped the students in their tracks, causing new arrivals to bump into each other and voice their complaints, before seeing the massive man standing behind Sunset.

"L-lets go" Sunset muttered gesturing for them to move. Tirek nodded and as he and Sunset made their way forwards, students moved quickly out of Tirek's way, not daring to try to touch Sunset.

No sooner had they made it into the hallway, that a cocky voice echoed down it, "HA! I see the vile Anon-a-miss has returned, no doubt to see what her wretched little blog has done to the students here."

Those that had seen Tireks face before, only backed away into the nearest classroom, as a look of absolute fury took his features, his eyes turning towards a blue-skinned girl with silver hair, smiling valiantly to herself, before she looked up from Sunset, and straight into the eyes of Tirek. Her blue skin turned ashen grey, as the gravity of what she did sink in, but luckily for her, she wasn't close to the principal’s office and the route behind her was clear, to which she took a very immediate exit.

"You're scary when you do that, you know." Sunset muttered to him, with a smile on her lips.

"Well, I can’t stand someone being singled out, for something they didn't do."

Sunset smiled at that, as they continued moving. They were halfway to the principal’s office when three girls stepped out of it, one was a pink-haired young lady, the other was prim and proper with hair that most women could die for, the last one was a girl with Rainbow hair.

"Rainbow, do you think Sunset is alright? Principal Celestia seemed like she was really worried." Fluttershy said.

"Who cares, that backstabbing little......." Rainbow trailed off, as she was face to face with Sunset Shimmer, but that wasn't what shut her up. It was the man standing behind her, his eyes locked on her with fire behind them, of course, Fluttershy look over too and seeped as she saw Tirek, but his eyes softened when he looked at Fluttershy.

"H-hello Father Tirek, what brings you to school today?" Fluttershy inquired, before noticing the noose he had in his right hand.

"Well Fluttershy, if you and your friends would care to join us, I'd be happy to fill you in, since I assume that you had no part in this." he said as he held forward the noose.

Fluttershy simply looked between Sunset and the noose, noticing how Sunset rubbed her collarbone and came to the bone-chilling conclusion.

“Yes, I'll join, same goes for Rarity and Rainbow." she replied.

Rainbow and Rarity were about to voice their complaints, when Fluttershy turned towards them with both rage and sadness in her eyes and put a finger to her lips, effectively cowing them into silence. They couldn't understand why, until they were all filed into Celestia's office and Tirek put the noose on Celestia's desk. Celestia for her part said nothing, as the girls were filed in and sat down, she just looked down at the noose and put her face in her hands, before she did something, that surprised everyone but Tirek.

"I’m so, so sorry Sunset, I didn't know you were hurting so bad, I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, I'm sorry I failed you!" Celestia cried as she held Sunset tightly, afraid that the minute she let go, Sunset would fade away and be nothing more than a ghost. Sunset quickly got over her shock and hugged the principal back, relieved that someone here would miss her.

"I-is that what I think it is," Rarity asked, knowing the answer, but asking anyway, hoping, that what she knew deep down, wasn't true.

"Yes girls, that is Sunset Shimmer's noose." Celestia said as she withdrew from Sunset, wiping her eyes before going to a tissue box.

The gravity of the situation was finally too much for the three girls, each one finding their own way of weeping. Rarity simply sat in her chair, eyes clenched shut so hard that it looks like she was reliving a traumatic experience, but for her, it was a traumatic experience; Rainbow stood and then went and sat in the corner of the room, her knees drawn in and her head down; Fluttershy being the most sensitive was sobbing so hard, tears were dripping down on her lap. Sunset for her part was surprised at these reactions.

"Now, you girls understand the gravity of this situation," Celestia said, looking around the room, each girl giving their own weak nod through their tears, but Celestia continued, "now that you know for a fact, that Sunset Shimmer isn’t Anon-a-miss, we have a new mission: We must clear her name."

This got each girl’s attention, they looked up at Celestia, whose face showed hardened determination.

"H-how a-are we gonna do that?" Rarity hiccuped, as she felt the emotional high calm down. She looked between them, Fluttershy's eyes red and puffy, Rainbow had her head raised but her back was still turned, none of them had any idea what to do, but Celestia had more to say.

"Luna said she had an idea of who it is, she also mentioned that she was following a lead this morning."

Rarity and Fluttershy gasped, each looking like a disaster, but hope still radiated from them, but then something surprising happened. Rainbow Dash came over and hugged Sunset from behind, before starting to mumble quiet enough for the only Sunset to hear it

"I’m sorry, I’m worthless, I’m sorry I wasn't there for you, I deserve your fate, I’m not worth having as a friend, it should have been me, I’m sorry I hit you, you can hate me forever, I deserve to die in your place, it my fault you almost jumped, I don’t deserve your forgiveness, I deserve your hate......." she eventually got so quiet that Sunset couldn't hear her, but what she said was enough for her to stand up and hug Rainbow back.

"You don’t deserve to die. I know I should hate you, but your reaction now makes it too hard. You’re worth having around, you hurt me, yes, but your not a bad person, just misguided, same as I was and I've made up for it. So I'm extending the same honor, you gave to me, to you, so please stop saying that you’re worthless. It wasn't your proudest moment, but everyone makes mistakes, instead of dwelling on them, make sure to not make them again." Sunset half-shouted, as Rarity and Fluttershy gave an audible D'aww, causing Sunset and Rainbow to break apart, each slightly blushing

"Never speak of this again, like ever." Rainbow said.

Sunset turned and gave Fluttershy and Rarity both long hugs, each getting their own version of Rainbow Dash's speech. They both promised with all their heart that this was never going to ever happen again, that they'll learn to be better and soon they all joined in a hug. However, the moment was quickly ruined, when Luna came bursting through the door, waving a folder.

"TIA, I HAVE FOUND THE CULPRIT!!!"

Welcome to the masquerade

"TIA, I HAVE FOUND THE CULPRIT!!!", Luna shouted bursting into the room, putting the moment to an abrupt end, but it didn't matter because the hope that this anon-a-miss incident could finally be over, and the school could finally return to mostly normal.

"well, who is it?" Celestia asked, before Luna strode over to rarity, holding a phone in her hands, with the account page of anon-a-miss open towards her face.

"V.P. Luna, I dont know why you are showing me the account page." Rarity said confused

"Look closer Rarity, notice something about the out side cover?" Luna asked, turning the phone over

"THAT'S SWEETIE BELLES PHONE!!!"

"yes it is, we were called when her teacher caught he texting her friends, only too see this, i was called too his room, so i confiscated miss sweetie belle's phone, but you girls must know that it isn't just her, i know that her friends are in on it too, but we cant confront them since sweetie belle knows i have her phone, she must have warned the others, so now if we called them they would delete the page and we would lose our leverage."

"you aren't just gonna let them ruin anyone else's lives, you cant just let them off!!!" Tirek said, who was hiding in the corner, enjoying the moment before Luna came in

"I'm not, I'm gonna take pictures of her phone screen with the account page, then give the phone back, im gonna make sure to text that we know, we're are gonna try and force them to come forward, since i can only assume they will delete it the moment they think they can get away with it" Luna said

"Luna, thats black-mail!!!" Celestia cried out

"Tia, they almost cost a fellow student her life, they have perpetuated malicious secrets and have chosen to stand by and watch the fireworks, they have lost the right to be brought down by the book, we cannot afford to play nice, its one thing to make up rumors that are untrue, but its entirely different to release personal life crushing secrets that were secret on purpose."

"what about the people that sent in the secrets?"

"oh, they'll get punished too, but only if we can get the little ones to come forwards peacefully, if not then I'm sorry, but they will get off Scott free and Sunset will eternally be hated and scorned, and we would be forced to make sweetie belle shoulder the punishment of all three, no matter what the other's said, meaning we have to trap them."

Celestia knew Luna was right, that there wouldn't be a way to track down the ones who sent stuff in and they would be forced to use the full extent of the discipline system on sweetie belle alone, and if they delete the page, they will be doing so with the knowledge that they ruined many lives and tried to walk away unscathed, as if the rules didn't apply to them, she hated the fact that she had to stoop so low, but it had to be done.

"excuse me, but what about us?" rarity questioned, getting nods from fluttershy and Rainbowdash

"you girls will keep an extra watch on your charges, you will watch them in case they try to delete it, if they manage then Sunset will be in even greater danger then she is now, most students are chomping at the bit to see her 'get' justice, there is no telling what will happen if the account goes down and we're unable too pin this on all of them." V.P. Luna said

"Fine, but I ask that i can escort miss shimmer between all her classes, I refuse to leave her at the mercy of the school body, i saw their faces when i came in, they are waiting for an opportunity to put her in her place, she's not safe on her own." Tirek said, with Sunset about to object before thinking better of it

"I'll allow that, I wont let an innocent girl get hurt or seriously injured over this stupid account." Celestia said earning a nod from Luna

"Thank you Tirek, Thank you for putting your neck out for me, when no one else would." Sunset said with a drop of venom in her voice, causing rarity, fluttershy and rainbow dash to look down at their feet, but they didn't have long for a ding from Sweetie belles phone cause them all to gather round, and the photo caused Rainbow dash to gasp.

"oh thats not good, thats not good at all..." Fluttershy whispered, the photo featuring Gilda and someone they couldn't make out caught in what looked to be a very embarrassing position with another, Fluttershy knew of Gilda's fury and she feared what the girl was going to do once the school found out and started giving her trouble.

"if Sunset wasn't in danger before, she definitely now has a target on her back, Gilda has serious rage problems, and she's a time bomb waiting to go off, and it looks like the fuse just got shorter." rainbow stated, everyone in the room looking at each other

"Looks like we did what we set out to do here, lets go Sunset, as for you three, you can't let the girls know your onto them because if we lose that leverage, then Sunset is permanently screwed, and it will be all your fault, dont mess this up." Tirek ominously warned, leaving the noose with Celestia and Luna since they would need it later, three of the main 5 wouldn't be enough.

"Well it looks like you girls can go home, you'll need time to think this all over, and try to talk too the others, they will need to hear this too, Since Applejack is closest to Applebloom, she has the best chance at getting her to come forward, by the way take this with you, you'll need it." Luna said, holding the noose out, the girls regarded the rope with sorrow, knowing their hands figuratively played the part in its creation, but eventually Fluttershy took it, putting it in her backpack, but not before everyone took a picture of it.

"What will you be doing?" Fluttershy asked

"I'll speak too Sweetie Belle Tomorrow, I need to find a way to convince her that she has too come forward, I need time to prepare, I dont know what a girl of her age will do when cornered."

Fluttershy merely nodded, everything she learned today finally crashing into her, the Finality of what could have happened sunk in, the fact that Sunset nearly died, but now instead of celebrating a holiday with her friends, the life of Sunset was now held in her fragile hands, the weight almost being too much for her, but she told herself she could bear it, she owed that much too Sunset.

Rainbow dash, who was usually energetic and loud, merely walked along side Fluttershy, a thousand yard stare plastered on her face, though Sunset said she forgave her, Rainbow doubted it, she doubted herself, she doubted she could do this, Sunsets life held in the hands of the betrayer, now Rainbow dash wasn't religious, but the one name that rung for her was Judas.

Rarity was looking down at her hands, hands she used to create beauty, hands that could fashion something for nothing, but right now, her hands were things that could only bring ruin, hands that now held on to the glimmer of a terrible illusion, something beautiful and bright, now tinged with the ugly scars of betrayal, wicked scars she herself had inflicted with out thinking, something she so generously gave.

"she forgave us, but it hurts, the weight of everything I know, it hurts." Fluttershy said to no one

"I struck her, I believed I was the best, i believed that i could never go wrong, but here i stand, her life held in my hands, the hands of a betrayer." Rainbow answered

"these hands were meant for beauty, and i scarred the most beautiful thing in the world, I scarred hope, I took hope and gave back something ugly." rarity added

the three teens stopped and looked at each other, a chill settling around them, as they looked into each others eyes, seeing nothing but the same regret and sorrow reflected, but soon Fluttershy's eyes reflected a different emotion, her eyes went from stewing in sorrow to grim determination.

"girls, we're all to blame, and we did something terrible, but we wont help Sunset by feeling sorry for ourselves, we have to keep to the plan, if we let it slip that the girls are being watched, one of them may delete the account, and we'll lose the lead." Fluttershy said, verbally laying down the stakes,so the three girls nodded before separating.

Hellfire

The car ride back to Tartarus heights was uneventful, neither one spoke to the other, though both minds are very active, one focused on his charge, and the task he has set up for himself, wondering if he is good enough, the other trying to sort through the colliding emotions in her mind, none making sense.

"We're here, make yourself at home." Tirek said as he unlocked the door, before making his way into the house

"The backpack was all i had, so dont worry about me taking up too much space." Sunset said, not wanting to seem like she was encroaching on his hospitality

"None sense, until your name is cleared of this ridiculous anon-a-mess, your free to stay here, where your safe." Tirek said, not letting the seeds of doubt further take root in her mind, he didn't mind having her around, she reminded him of another.

"Not too sound ungrateful, but why did you stick your neck out for me?"

"Ah right, I stuck my neck out for you because as a pastor, I've seen many teens walk through the doors of the church, some righteous, some less so, but the ones that stand out too me are the ones who have fallen upon hard times, i want to save them, but i can't, usually because they are already too far gone, and by the time I'm in the position to help its too late, however you weren't too far gone and can be brought back from the brink, before you make the ultimate decision, even if i fail, i can at least make peace that i tried my best" Tirek answered sorrowfully, before stopping and shuddering, not willing to go on.

Sunset knew there was more too it,because before she sat on the couch to watch T.v. She had seen the old war uniform hanging on the wall, but it looked far too small too fit Tirek, so she reasoned that it must be a friends, but she wasn't sure and she wasn't going to press, the brief pause and pain that flashed across his face was enough to tell her he wasn't ready to talk just yet.

"Well, I've got errands to run, so sit tight here, there is some food in the fridge, I've got plenty of books too read, and a few movies, so you're welcome too watch or read any of them, also im gonna keep the door locked, so don't open it for any reason." Tirek warned, picking his keys up, and heading for the door.

"Alright, see ya later!!!" Sunset called out as Tirek left the house, she soon found herself examining the books, there was a healthy mix of fiction and non-fiction, but the ones on the bottom were labeled 'pre-war', 'post-war' and 'memoir', Sunset left those alone, not willing to pry through Tirek's life, time passed as her eye lids grew heavy, the physical toll of yesterday night taking their full toll, as she nodded off.

***

"HEY SHE-DEMON, WAKE UP!!!!" a almost familiar voice echo'ed as Sunset's head shot straight up, it was mid after-noon, she was in Math, the teacher had their back to her, she couldn't make out the teacher, but it looked female.

"Oh dont bother with her dear, she's probably just dreaming of a new scheme too tear us down, just like she did with me at the Spring Fling." a second voice chimed in, soon Sunset's mind had cleared and she could finally put names to those voices, but when she did it confused her.

"She-demon, Scheme, what are you girls talking about?" Sunset said now fully awake

"Oh dont you know, your back to your old self, why dont you introduce yourself to me, however you shouldn't have too, since we were so close!!!!!" The teach now turned around, the uniform transforming into the black, yellow and red dress her old self took

"y-your dead, Twilight destroyed you, your not real!!!!" Sunset cried out, shutting her eyes, tearing forming as she looked back at her demonic form

"she's real alright, because you never changed have you, your rotten inside like always, and always will be!!!" Fluttershy said, her eyes glaring hatefully at Sunset

"N-no, I-I've changed, i promise im not that, im not her, I'll never return to her." Sunset stuttered

"oh come now, you can never escape me, your always gonna be a monster, your presence will always be a burden, NOTHING YOU CAN DO WILL CHANGE THAT YOU FOOL." The demon cackled, the volume blowing her back as the classroom melted away into the courtyard of the school.

"B-B-Bu- But I've changed, I swear im nothing like you!!!" Sunset balled into herself as she sunk her nails into her arm, drawing blood, but she didn't notice as she started breathing heavy until she heard a voice calling out to her, she didn't know who's it was, but she stood up as the demon cackled at her futile attempts to drown the taunting around her out as she crashed into the crowd, running for the front door.

***

"SUNSET!!!!" Tirek called out as he held Sunset by her shoulders, her whimpering and crying still going strong as he gave her a gentle shake, trying to wake her from the nightmare she was having, eventually the whimpers slowed as she slowly shook her head, and opened her eyes, she looked into his eyes before bursting into hysterical sobbing, the memory of the nightmare still fresh as she simply cried until she had no tears left and simply rapidly hiccuped.

"your arm needs to be patched up, you hurt yourself during your nightmare." Tirek said, going to the bathroom, and getting some disinfectant and band aids, since the nails just broke into the skin a little

"I-I'm S-sorry, F-for being a B-burden" Sunset said through hiccups

"you're not a burden, and it seems from your dream you'll be needing alot more help, so get comfy while your here, you're in no condition to be out by yourself."

Sunset noticed that she was still wearing her regular attire from the talk of celestia, she got up and made her way to the Bathroom and changed into her Pajama's, she walked back out to the couch and lay back down, Tirek was laying in Recliner she hadn't noticed before, since she had left a majority of the lights off, and relied on the fading light outside, he was reading a book.

"I'm gonna watch you tonight, if those are the types of dreams your having your gonna need someone to bring you back before you are dragged too far in."

Sunset said nothing, but she was grateful that she would have someone to help her deal with these kinds of dreams, she had them often after the fall formal, then they slowed during the dazzling's showing up, then the came back full force once anon-a-miss showed up, but she wasn't afraid too sleep, she didn't know why, but Tirek being there was enough to help ease her troubled mind.

meanwhile on the older mans mind, he was trying to figure out how to help her deal with these nightmares, since this was dangerously close to another's experience and unlike last time, he wasn't going to fail, this time he was going to save a soul, he wont be idle and hope that it gets better, though he realized that if he wanted her to trust him, she'll need to hear his story, and that means going back to there, the one place he swore that he would never visit, but he would need it too save this girls life, he would need it to earn her trust so she would open up too him more, but as he thought, he heard soft snores, he looked over and saw the fiery headed teen was fast asleep, no signs of a nightmare on her face, but seeing her without a blanket, he went and got one from the closet and put it on thin frame, then putting out the light and making sure one last time she was nightmare free, he put out the light and closed his eyes too sleep himself.

which ever comes first....

Fluttershy got home, her mind a muddled mess of guilt and sorrow, though she said that they shouldn't feel sorry for themselves, she couldn't help but let her thoughts wander, but they didn't last, her parents were home and the homecoming of their daughter did not go unnoticed, nor did her despondence when they questioned her, but not too hard for they knew that eventually, Fluttershy would open up to them, Fluttershy for her part simply sat in her room, her thoughts stewing.

Eventually, though, her stomach spurred her into action, she entered her small family room, sitting at the table as her parents joined her, they made her special food, usually used to cheer her up or to help comfort her, peanut butter and zap apple sandwich surprising her, the stuff is usually very expensive and they usually only pull it out for special occasions, and Fluttershy knew that it was more than a special occasion it was a plea, sighing as she ate, she concluded that it was time to clue her parents in on what went down at school.

"mom," Fluttershy finally said turning to parents, "dad, have you ever said or done something that you can't take back, and the result is a conclusion that cant ever is undone nor can be forgiven?"

Her parent's eyes filled with worry, they knew she was made fun of when she was younger, and they knew she was too kind and innocent to do anything rash or something that would cause any sort of strife, so this question was way out of character for her.

"Honey, actions have consequences, but with your friends, the consequences can be forgiven, and if your friends are your friends then words can be forgiven and friendships can survive even the worst storm." her mother said soothingly, she knew the clique that Fluttershy was friends with, she also knew of Sunset's bully and reformation, she regarded Sunset with reserved acceptance, since joining Fluttershy and her friends, she's done nothing to hurt Fluttershy Fluttershy would often talk about her helping out at the animal shelter.

"do you guys know who Anon-a-miss is?" Fluttershy asked, her mother who usually likes quiet reading, or gardening simply looked confused, her father, however, drew in a sharp breath.

"You mean that nasty account that is spreading the deepest secrets of you and your fellow students, what did they do?" her normally passive father said with a hint of anger, causing both Fluttershy and Mrs. shy to look at him with surprise.

"Before I tell you the whole story, I want to know dad, do you believe it was Sunset shimmer that did it, do you think that Sunset had any part to play?" Fluttershy asked, looked directly at her father who had a thinking expression, part of him want to say yes, but when he reflects on the girl's actions after the fall formal, he just couldn't see the girl who was always smiling when with Fluttershy, the girl who helped his little girl on more than one occasion, finally he reached his answer.

"No I don't, not now, not after she changed her ways and became sincere about it" Mr. shy explained

Fluttershy looked down, her father's answer only making it hard for her to open up about what happened earlier that day, but she soon quieted her storm of emotions as she reached behind her and put her backpack in her lap.

"We threw her out into the snow, even against all my instincts we threw her out, I even said I hated her, and after we threw her out," Fluttershy stopped her parents faces laced with worry and curiosity," she was innocent though, we didn't even try to figure it out until she came into school with this." Fluttershy finished despondently as she pulled the noose out of her bag, her parents gasped as she held it up.

"honey, where did you get that?" Mrs. shy asked

"I got it from Father Tirek, he showed up with Sunset at school, he told us that she tried hanging herself he cut the rope at the last second, but he left us with this too prove the story is true because I'm going to show this to the rest of the girls," Fluttershy said with Determination, The weight in her mind now lessened because she was able to confide in people she could trust, in people she knew that would support her cause.

"It won't be easy to earn her trust back, not after all that, but still we're proud that your trying to fix this." her father stated grimly, noticing her despondency is gone, replaced with determination and hope.

"I know dad, but now I'm really tired, so I'm gonna go sleep," Fluttershy said, going up to her room, her parents looking at each other nodding, they would support her through this ordeal

***

Rarity made it home, her parents were out shopping and visiting with friends, but it didn't matter she would simply create dresses and ensembles.

"Alright rarity, let's be inspired!!!" she jubilantly exclaimed, but it proved to be easier said than done, because whenever she looked in her body mirror to compare all she could see was the face she made both times Sunset tried to defend herself, but rarity would not be deterred as she covered the body mirror, the vanity mirror had the same effect, it went on like this until there were no mirrors left and rarity sat in the middle of her room, trying and failing to purge the dark thoughts from her mind.

Hours past, and soon sweetie belle came home, but she wasn't happy, her phone had been confiscated until the next day, so she huffed to her room and slammed the door shut, then her parents came home, confused as too why the house was so quiet, no sounds of rarity's friends, no cry's of jubilation, there was nothing.

Magnum went upstairs to his older daughters bedroom, he knocked lightly, not wanting to disturb Rarity if she was in the middle of designing a dress or two, but he received no answer, which for Rarity was strange, so he went in, only to find the lights off and the mirrors covered, but what was strangest of all was seeing his daughter in the middle of her room, just sitting with her legs held to her chest.

"Hello sweetie, what's wrong?" Magnum asked

"Daddy, am I beautiful?" Rarity asked, surprising her father who never thought that Rarity would ask that again, the only other time was after the spring fling, but that was done and over.

"As your father, You're always beautiful to me."

"I mean on the inside."

"I-uh...." he was lost for words since he never had to think of an answer, Rarity still not looking directly at him, but soon is Fatherly instincts took over and he gently made her face him.

"hon, what brought this out, what happened at school today, usually your hanging with your friends, or you're out with them at their houses."

Rarity knew that she wouldn't be able to lie, much, but she told her father everything that happened in Celestia's office, except she left out the part with Luna confiscating Sweetie belle's phone, after she stopped she looked at her father.

"honey, you've always been the generous type, but it seems that you took without considering what you had to give back and to answer your last question, you will always be beautiful on the inside."

Rarity smiled at that, she knew that he would never say anything else but the truth to her, but still, it felt good to get the doubts off her chest.

...a bullet or my salvation...

Noise and explosions rocked his world as his hands covered in blood as the Soldier in front of him stepped on a mine and his body was turned into pink mist as he stepped between buildings, as bullets flew around him, the explosion Rocking his ears as he scrambled backward, Gun in his hands as he saw the enemy in the high bushes, their helmets stuck with all kinds of foliage to help them hide.

"TIREK, COME HERE, ENEMY ON OUR SIX!!!" a younger man shouted, his beard was grizzled, as he hid behind a building, shooting at the moving bushes.

"Scorpan, what are you doing here?" he asked, the battle severely screwing with his perception as he heard another shout as a man behind him fell to a explosion, shrapnel sticking out of one side of his head.

"We're fighting a war, where do you think we are, but it doesn't matter, grab Discord, we wont leave him behind." Scorpan yelled as he pulled a pin and threw the grenade, it found its mark as the bush exploded outwards, severed arms and other gore chunks flew outwards, Tirek did as told and slung discord over his shoulders as his small battalion hunkered down behind a building, occasionally peeking out too shoot a few rounds.

But they didn't have long to wait, as a man with about a hundred other soldiers came forward, their shots finding marks and dropping more and more enemies, their caps somehow obscuring their faces as the new reinforcements moved in from a tall hill, but something was wrong, as it all started coming back too him, so he went running, the others not moving as he ran for the large hill that separated this small village from one on the other side, soon he stood at the top and sank too his knees, the village was raised, and a huge grave was dug in the center, bodies smoking and burning, children with eyes wide open, their eyes boring into him.

Tirek put his face in his hands, as his memories caught up with him, with Tirek being joined at the top by Scorpan, who also looked down, and proceeded to vomit on the grass, his rations coming to the surface in chunks.

"Brother, what happened?" Scorpan said as he turned to Tirek purposefully not looking at the village.

"I think I have an idea."

"It was Sombra wasn't it, goddammit brother, we have to get back to HQ and tell them!!!!!"

"We dont know that brother, we dont have enough evidence!!"

"TIREK, HE SLAUGHTERED CHILDREN, WE CANT LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THIS!!!" Scorpan shouted

Tirek didn't say anything for it just dawned on him as he knew what was coming, hes been here many times, different villages but each outcome the same.

"you never did get to exact your judgment, shame you can't avenge your brother or those pathetic children that got in my way." Sombra said, the hill melting away to nothing as a black void consumed them, soon though they were standing in a field as the memory played out in front of them.

They watched as a man was carefully poking the ground with a stick, he stood in front, the soldier following behind as he continued to poke at the ground, soon a helicopter started circling them, as a call came in for them to rendezvous too a nearby extraction point.

"brother, here's our chance, we can turn him in!!!" Scorpan hissed quietly, but not quietly enough as Sombra turned and glared at them before looking down, and smiling.

Memory Tirek said nothing as he looked forward as the man in front poked the ground around the Landing zone as the helicopters landed to pick them up, but as Tirek got in, Scorpan screamed out as three bullet holes appeared in his back, one in his hip, one in his spine, and one in his knee, before the shooter in question stepped backward, a smile on his lips as the mine exploded, all that was left was a hand with the middle finger sticking up, but Tirek grabbed Scorpan and hauled him on the Helicopter, next too discord who somehow had survived the entire journey with bandage wrapped around his head.

"I didn't even need to kill him, you did that for me, your inability feel as he did, the naive thought that being idle could fix the damage, but you soon came to know better, didn't you, you murdered your own brother."

Soon they were standing a living room, a shouting match was happening, at least the beginning was.

"WHY DO YOU SHUT ME OUT, WHY WONT YOU TALK ABOUT IT BROTHER?!" Scorpan shouted, trying to reason with him

"THE WAR IS OVER, THERE IS NO REASON TO REMEMBER!!"

"DID YOU EVEN COUNT THEM?"

"DON'T YOU DARE USE THAT AGAINST ME, YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT IT WAS LIKE, ITS OVER NOW, WE CAN JUST FORGET!!!"

"SO YOU REFUSE TO EVEN HONOR THEIR MEMORY, ARE YOU NOT EVEN A LITTLE GUILTY, DOES TIME ERASE IT SO EASILY, DID YOU EVEN CARE?"

"THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO, THEY ARE DEAD, AND THEIR MURDER IS DEAD, TIME TO MOVE ON!!!"

"MOVE ON?" Scorpan said, before continuing "EVERY TIME I CLOSE MY EYES I STILL SEE THEM, I CANT STOP, NOT MATTER I CANT STOP IT, SO TELL ME HOW DOES ONE MOVE ON?"

"TELL YOURSELF THAT ITS OVER AND YOU CAN MOVE ON!!!"

"WERE NOT ALL SOMBRA, NOT ALL OF US CAN TAKE LIFE SO EASILY AND FORGET THAT IT EVER HAPPENED."

"get the fuck out of my house, pack your shit and leave, you have till midnight, take your worthless hide and get out, how dare you compare me to him." Tirek said flatly, his face contorting into a visage of pure fury

"Dont worry 'Dear' brother, you wont see me ever again, you can stay here and feel nothing, since thats all your capable of." Scorpan said before stalking off, Tirek just stood there and hung his head, his brother's words stinging .

Hours past until the clock in front of Tirek read 10:30 P.m., Tirek finally unable to stand the guilt in his mind stood and went to his brother's room, but the door was locked, and he heard muttering and soon a chair being pulled across the floor, Tirek soon started banging on the door, as he shouted a plea.

"SCORPAN?!" Tirek shouted as he hammered on the door, but soon a gun shot was heard, and Tirek stopped hammering on the door, as the sounds of a chair being knocked over echoed.

Knowing what was in there, Tirek walked through his shocked counter part, he walked in to see his brother hanging limply with the back of his head blown out, he walked up too the gruesome sight only made him sigh as he lowered his head in front of him, apologizing to the body.

"I'm sorry i wasn't there for you, I'm sorry i couldn't have helped, I'm sorry you had to face the guilt alone..." Tirek faded as the roomed melted away, everything but his doppelganger existed, they stood apart, his doppelganger looking at him judgmentally.

"So too replace your brother, you took another damage one in, too fill this void that you caused, but what now, will you be willing to help when needed, or will you fail her too?"

A new scene appeared around them as a gunshot sounded and a limp bloodied orange hand fell out side the door frame, and then it shifted again, they stood outside the bathroom door with the shower running, the door opened, the bathtub contained Sunset looking up, her eyes glazed over with multiple deep slashes in her arms.

The dream demon smirked as Tirek gave no reaction to it, knowing that if he did, worst things would be shown to him.

"You dont seem to care what happens to your charge, but i guess Scorpan was right, you're just like sombra." it said as the face shifted into the dark face that was burned into Tirek's memory.

"I wont fail her, and with my support, I'll help her sort out this mess, and put her life back to together, mark my words, the only thing to die is going to be you." Tirek said, glaring at the demon, until it dissipated and the void consumed him as he woke with a start, his heart pound and tears streaming down his face, he rubbed them away as he looked up too the ceiling, debating whether too sleep or not.

He instead looked over too Sunset who was missing, causing his heart rate to sky rocket as he looked around frantically, only too see her leave the bathroom, she walked down the hallway with her head down until she looked up and their eyes met, understanding pasted as she noticed the streaks of tears, sympathy emanated as she walked over to him and gave him a wordless hug, he didn't say anything as more silent understanding passed, she let go as she went over too the couch and laid down, falling asleep instantly.

"I swear to what ever god is listening out there, I'm going to fix this, and hopefully myself." Tirek silently called out, in his mind.

...I'll clutch to the glimpse of that terrible illusion... hope

Rainbow was running, she doesn't know where, nor did she care, she refused to look back, but no matter how fast she ran, she would always return to where she stared, she refused to look behind her, she refused to look.

But running was no use, so she turned around, and saw Sunset looking at her expectantly, her hands tied with a cloth strap, and a rope thrown up over a branch, Applejack looked her expectantly, she walked over, and against her will, she took up the end of the rope as she started pulling, the rope jerking as the knot tightened and then, Sunset's feet were off the ground as she slowly turned with a broken smile on her face and tears streaming from her eyes, she fastened the rope, her hands red raw, as a metal bat was handed too her.

She raised her arms as high as they would go, and swung with all her might, aiming for her legs, before it connected she shot straight up as she heard screaming, before realizing that it was her voice, she was the one who was screaming, but thankfully she didn't wake anyone.

she tossed and turned, she couldn't sleep because every time she would sleep, she would dream, and each dream was her executing Sunset shimmer, she tried eating, and it didn't work, she's tried more warmth, and it didn't work, she tried everything nigh sleeping medication, but taking that would require an explanation too her parents, and she really didn't want to face her parents, she didn't want them too know she was a betrayer.

She'll tell them tomorrow, maybe but for now she will sleep, maybe.

***

Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough for Luna and Celestia, the Sisters each had something heavy on their minds, The next day would be the hardest thing either sister had too do.

Celestia would have to willingly blackmail and coerce children into admitting that they are knowingly orchestrating and willingly participating in what amounts to a smear campaign with borderline identity theft, but Celestia knew that there was no other option, one slip up and the account is gone, one word and she would have too discipline only sweetie belle, since Luna has the pictures of her phone and her screen, she made sure too keep hard copies.

Luna however, was afraid for a different reason, she knew what jealousy and hate did too a person, she knew what a cornered animal was like, and she feared what the girls were capable of since they might know that she has their friends phone, but looking at a certain photo made her feel a little bit better, it was something she treasured, since the day she got the news, the day she learned that Scorpan died, she clutched the photo to her chest.

"You were always the more insightful one, I hope I'm doing the right thing." She said, putting the picture back in its secret place.

***

Sweetie belle couldn't sleep, she tossed and turned with both worry and anger, she was worried that her and her friends have been found out, but she was angry that the teacher simply didn't let her off with a warning, it wasn't so bad until she realized that she wasn't getting it back until Tomorrow.

"Alright sweetie belle, what are you going to do about it?" she asked out loud, since she thought better when she talked out loud to her self.

"Plan B?" her inner voice answered

"NO!!!"

"But they know, and the other's will understand."

"Can we live with it, we will condemn Sunset by doing so."

"She deserves it, we both know what she did a the spring fling."

"That was ages ago."

"Look, we gonna go with plan B or what, we both know the risks, but this is getting too dicey."

"Fine, I guess this will be the final nail in the coffin, so to speak, Sunset will be forced to leave CHS, regardless of the consequences."

"And we'll keep this a little secret between yourself and yourself?"

"Of course."

***

A waif teenage girl, with ice blue skin, and a winter coat with a scarf wrapped around her face, phased through the School wall, her mind set on Luna's office, her skinny form gliding through the halls as frost seemed to follow in her wake, but she soon made it too the office and phased through that too, she applied the same power too Luna's desk, as she reached in and took the small phone, and pocketed it, before she phased out the wall opposite and made her way towards the farm on the far side of the city.

The girl made it too the farm, her eyes set on the house, she used the same magic she used in the school as she phased her way through the door and made her way up the stairs, she phased her head through the first door she saw, and saw a orange teenager, with blonde hair, but she shook her head as she looked in the room one door up, and saw a small girl, with red hair, she smiled as she walked in and took the phone from her night stand as she quickly left.

She smiled as she made her way to the orange girls room, and quickly and efficiently used turned it on, then a soft clicking noise was heard before she set the older girls phone down and returned the younger ones phone to its place, she quickly left, as a small smile was formed on her lips, as she made her way across the city, it being late, but not late enough to cause the more night savvy people to be out where she was going, she made her way over the bridge, as she let her winter coat hood down, her scarf pulled down, she was smiling, her long white hair blowing around her head, she looked down at the water and the knot she was standing next to, her eyes looked down on it as she touched a finger too the knot, flash freezing the rope so fast it broke into a hundred little pieces, and fell down into the water below.

She sighed as she looked over at the condo's on up past the bridge, her eyes seeing something that no one else does as she stuck her hands into her pockets, her thoughts on the seemingly invisible trail she followed as she slowly made her way towards Tartarus heights, towards the girl that will make a huge difference, but doesn't know it yet.

Hollowed be thy name Part 1

It was a sunny morning at canterlot, but the mood was far from warm or even inviting, there had been numerous posts made that morning, and most of the students were looking at the doors, hoping that the Fiery haired teenager would come through the doors ALONE but their hopes were dashed when she came in, and following her was the massive giant from the day before, in fact, the air that the two gave off was ice cold.

"I'll be at your back, no one is going to touch you," Tirek said, his hand on her shoulder

"Thank you," Sunset said, a little less tense, but still defensive as she walked up to her locker, which was surprisingly vacant of any mocking drawings, which surprised her.

Sunset got her things quickly, as the school filled up, nobody daring to go near Sunset or her towering bodyguard, but not just because of her bodyguard, to call the air cold before, was an understatement, the cold when she walked in was pale in comparison to now, anyone who got close found the very heat sucked out of them, Sunset for her part seemed to have not noticed as she walked to her first class, if anyone had been paying attention, they would have noticed that the cold seemed to be following her.

Sunset got to her class with no trouble, the students making way for her like the red sea, but not without whispers and glares at their backs, but were silenced when a freezing gust of air came and made all the students without their coats run for warmth as a deep chill settled in their clothes.

"Oh, hey sunset I didn't know you were coming in today." Fluttershy said meekly, not sure if Sunset was in a talking mood.

"Hm, oh hi," Sunset said not icily, but it lacked any of the warmth or friendliness that Sunset had before all this mess started.

"Are you alright, none of the students gave you any trouble?" Fluttershy said a bit more loudly, glad that they were on speaking terms.

"Does it look like I had any trouble, is anyone here stupid enough to try anything with my da- Fa- I mean Tirek around?" Sunset said coldly, before stumbling over words that sounded to both Tirek and Fluttershy as "dad" and "father"

"Well ah, I guess not, I'll just be over here, If you need any help, if you're okay with that..." Fluttershy said, before her words trailed off as Sunset put a full two desks between her and herself, she looked at Tirek, who regarded her with a mixture of both pity and bemusement.

"At least she isn't mad at you anymore, but still try to take things slow, trust isn't something you can rebuild overnight," Tirek said sagely, Fluttershy knew he was right, but she thought it wouldn't hurt to try.

"I'll try, too take it slow, but I miss how close we used to be, I miss not feeling guilty."

"You should have thought of that when you decided to abandon her, but that's all water under the bridge, but its up too Sunset to decide when she fully forgives you."

The teacher entered, he looked at Tirek before Sunset came up to him and showed him her phone screen, before he nodded and treated Tirek like he wasn't even there, Fluttershy was the only girl to be in this class, which Sunset was grateful for, she secretly couldn't stand to stomach the presence of more than one of the girls, luckily for her, she only had 2 classes with 1 girl each, however unluckily there was one exception, gym and it held both rainbow dash and Applejack, and Sunset was in no mood to deal with Applejack at the moment, or Rainbow Dash for that matter.

"this is gonna be a long day, why do i gotta be stuck with those two!!!!" Sunset huffed quietly too herself

Time moved quickly for Sunset, no one yet had the gall too approach her or even whisper while Tirek sat in the back, his presence putting off any thoughts of getting at her, the cold chill also helped, students that had not passed her were now shivering something fierce, the very metal in their desks almost freezing to the touch, the teach however seemed fine, as did Sunset, the class passed in an instant, Fluttershy mumbled a goodbye as she packed up, Sunset did so slowly, she didn't want to be caught out in the halls.

Sunset made it to the locker room just fine, and was able to change quickly, she wanted to make it out before too many others that is until she ran into the one person that could literally ruin her day, Gilda, she rammed into her both tumbling back as Gilda shouted a few choice cuss words.

"FUCK, I SWEAR I'LL BEAT YOUR GODDAMN FACE IN!!!" Gilda shouted before looking down at Sunset, who was holding her hands in front of her face, hoping that she was in a good mood, Sunset simply tensed, waiting for Gilda to get to the beat down, but instead Gilda held out a hand, Sunset lowered her hands, looking up at Gilda who had a neutral expression, she took her hand as Gilda helped her up.

"Next time, look where your going dweeb," Gilda said without the usual intent too hurt, seemed more out of reflex, She seemed to pause as if to say something, but thought better of it as she walked away.

"huh, that was weird, also seemed like she wanted to say something, but what stopped her, must have been my imagination, I've got to get too class, I'll see about it later." Sunset thought as she walked out into the gym, doing a few brief stretches, warming up her muscles, trying to sort out what happened with Gilda back there.

Rainbow dash was secretly dreading this moment since she got to school, she saw Sunset was already in the gym and changed, but what she wasn't expecting in the locker room was a certain Teenager who was well known for her short fuse, but what shocked dash was the fact that Gilda seemed to be waiting for her.

"It's been a long time dash," Gilda said as if she was talking about the weather, that in itself was weird, but the fact that Gilda was even speaking to her was even stranger.

"It has, but what do i owe this pleasure, I thought that we weren't on speaking terms." Rainbow said, cautiously asking, not wanting to set Gilda off.

"Well, I had a lot of time to think, and let's just say knowing something about a person gives you a whole new perspective on life besides that, I wanted to give you this," Gilda said as she handed Rainbow a shattered phone, the screen wrecked beyond repair, but none of that mattered as she recognized the phone, the initials on the back saying it belonged to a certain S.S.

"where did you get that, and how did it get broken?"

"I may have lost my temper, and broke a few of Sunsets things, because I thought she was coming to the homeless shelter to dig up embarrassing secrets, but after I broke her phone, I noticed that anon-a-miss had still sent secrets while I broke her stuff, it then dawned on me why she was there, and I followed her, I saw her drift from place to place."

"Why though, I always took you as the loner type, not one too help or care for anyone."

"I tried not to, but my curiosity won out, I had to be sure that Sunset wasn't anon-a-miss and I wasn't letting her slip by, but it turns out that while Sunset was 'setting up' anon-a-miss continued to post stuff, confirming that Sunset isn't her, I may not have the best grades, but I am not an idiot, I know when someone is being played."

"So, why not give Sunset her phone back yourself?"

"Because you need her forgiveness more then i do because I didn't throw her under the bus when she needed a friend the most, you didn't hear this from me, but you guys actually make a difference, you dethroned Sunset, and then after, she helped defeat the sirens, and let me tell you, being forced to obey against your will is not a fun experience."

"Alright G, I'll give this back to Sunset," Dash said, before taking the phone from Gilda and placing it in her locker, after changing into her gym clothes, Gilda who turned away from Rainbow actually let herself a small smile, a thing that she made damn sure no one caught.

Sunset, Gilda and rainbow were the first ones in the gym practicing their warm-ups, since they arrived 5 minutes early, when Applejack showed up, she glared at Sunset all the way to the locker rooms until a big arm blocked her way, she looked up ready to demand who was blocking the door, until she met the cold gaze of Tirek, who had been waiting outside the locker room doors.

"wrong door miss, be on your way," Tirek said coldly, pointing at the males only sign, Applejack simply huffed both in embarrassment and indignation that she was rudely corrected.

Applejack got changed, her mood was sour because she got too her locker and it had been scribbled and marked with the same thing she's seen since the secret got out "Piggly Wiggly" and she wanted to talk to Rainbow about something she'd overheard while coming into class, something that worried her, but when she left, she saw Rainbow talking to Sunset, they looked like they were discussing something important, before they nodded, separating from Rainbow turning to face the suspicious face of Applejack.

"And just what that all about?" Applejack asked fiercely, looking down at Rainbow, and because it was dead silent, it got everyone's attention, looking at the two, who usually argue in good nature, but this sounded way past good nature.

"I was simply telling Sunset that I got her broken phone back in my locker." Rainbow Dash said, looking directly at Sunset, who simply gave her a cold stare in return, before returning to her exercises.

"and just how did her phone get broken, ah bet she broke it just to cover her tracks." Applejack said accusingly, throwing a glare at Sunsets back.

"Applejack, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say," Rainbow said incredulously

"excuse me?"

"I'm calling your idea stupid A.j., phones aren't cheap, why the hell would she break her own phone?"

"Don't you dare call me stupid, you know how she was, ah can see her doing it, why can't you?"

"BECAUSE I LOOKED IN THE MIRROR APPLEJACK, I'VE RECOGNIZED THAT NOT ALL THE FACTS ARE STRAIGHT, HOW THE HELL DOES ONE POST WHEN SHE TRIED TOO KILL HERSELF APPLEJACK, IN FACT, WHAT DID SHE EVEN GAIN FROM THIS BUT MISERY, TELL ME THAT AJ, WHAT DID SHE EARN FROM YOU?" Rainbow shouted, before realizing what came out of her mouth, Sunset for her part, had on a shocked expression, she hadn't expected this to turn out.

"ah- ah, a bet that was just some made up sob story, you know she wouldn't dare, she has too much to lo- *SMACK*" Rainbow Dash interrupted her with a full fingered slap that would make rarity proud, Applejack who was not expecting a full force slap from Rainbow dash had her head ringing, her vision swimming.

"don't you fucking dare suggest that what she went through was fake, if you really want to blame her, go ask Fluttershy what Sunset went through, but until you re-learn what honesty is, don't come near me, don't even speak to me," Rainbow said, spinning on her heel, heading a spot near Sunset, but not too close.

Applejack, who's head now wasn't swimming looked at Rainbow's back as her words echoed in her head, before she felt sick to her stomach, not because Rainbow had hit her, no she deserved that, but because the weight of what she had said caught up with her, and it made her feel disgusted with her self, the sheer shame of what she had suggested now weighed heavy on her heart.

Class started with Spitfire calling out names, she was about to make Tirek go until she took a good look at him, she instead saluted at him, before turning back to the class, giving them each their physical test.

Tirek watch from afar, he was gonna have some choice words for the young orange girl later, normally as long as Sunset's physical health wasn't in jeopardy, he would let her handle the more talking side of things herself, but what the orange one had suggested rubbed him the wrong way, and it made his eye tick, but he was here to protect Sunset, he would handle personal business later.

hollowed be thy name Part 2

Author's Note

sorry for the shitty quality, I wanted it to be better, but something happened mid way, and i knew that if i didn't write this, you guys wouldn't see another chapter for maybe a month, and i was already half way through the chapter anyways.

Also, the things that happen between Sweetie Belle and Sunset are chronologically different, so "Hallowed be Thy name Prt 3" will be told from Sunsets perspective again.

hollowed be thy name Part 2

Sweetie Belle was running late for class, but she didn't care, her mind was currently on other things, it was her phone and her plan, but she needed ignition for it to explode, a powder keg per say, but for now she needed to focus on her science class.

"where were you?" Apple Bloom whispered too sweetie belle, Scootaloo nodding with her, the three girls sitting at the furthest back corner of the class.

"Oh, ya know, crowded hallways, since Sunset and her body guard showed up, plus this weird cold that seems to follow her, bet it is her demon powers at work." sweetie belle lied, hissing mid-sentence, annoyed about how Sunset got someone like that wrapped around her finger.

"ah, its high time we strike with another post, who's on the chopping block this time?"

"I know, let's use this one, this is juicy!!!" Sweetie Belle cried, pointing to the picture on Apple Bloom's phone, said picture, however, was Gilda in extremely revealing garments, almost like there high-end lingerie, but the measurements seemed off to sweetie belle, she, however, was too excited to think about it before typing a lewd phrase at the bottom, something that would surely get the hot-headed girl pissed beyond all belief, before Apple Bloom took her phone back.

"are you sure this is a good idea, Gilda isn't exactly known for being forgiving, she may take this further then we intended."

"its fine Bloom, besides Gilda will stop before she kills her won't she?"

"sure.....?" Apple Bloom said uncertainly, while inside she knew it was time for an out, whatever Sweetie Belle was up to, Apple Bloom was sure was crossing a line somewhere, however looking back, she knew deep down she crossed a line that should never have been crossed, and it felt like acid in her system.

***

Gilda looked down at her phone as the photo went up, she smiled widely, her bait had been taken, she had used the school computer to quickly snatch a photo of supposedly embarrassing pictures, then used Photoshop to stick her head on it, living on the streets taught her a thing or two about setting up a trap, one being that having a bad rap made her an easy target for violence, someone too dole justice on the victim, and two that she should be paid a visit after school by "anon-a-miss" because who wouldn't be pissed at a picture like this.

However during passing time, Gilda went to a Total of four lockers, leaving notes in the cracks, each one addressed from someone whose code name was The Griffon.

***

The day passed quickly, for Sweetie Belle who paid absolutely no attention to the classes going on around her, before she knew it the day was over and she was making her way too Vice-Principle Luna, with her friends in tow, she told them she lost her phone, but Apple Bloom knew better, The teachers normally simply take the phone until class was over, meaning that something had gotten the attention of the Vice-Principle.

"You girls wait here while I get my phone back." Sweetie Belle said, walking into Luna's darkly lit office

"Hello Sweetie Belle, you're here for your phone," Luna said calmly, in a nonchalant tone

"May I have it back?" Sweetie said, cutting straight to the chase

"sure, but do you know why I took it?"

"because I was on the internet during class?"

"Indeed, you know you're not supposed to be on there during class time."

"I won't do it again VP Luna, may I go now?"

"....yes, but before you three leave, can you send Scootaloo and Apple Bloom in?"

"May I ask why?"

"it's about their phones as well, the teachers noticed they have been ignoring classes in favor of them, and they wanted me to give them a small talk."

"alright."

Sweetie Belle exited quickly, passing on Luna's message, before making her way too the back of the school, leaving Apple Bloom and Scootaloo alone and confused as too what has Sweetie belle's attention, as well as the uncertain looks exchanged before they pulled out their respective phones, looked at each other and nodded, before entering Luna's dark office.

***

Luna looked up, a photo on her desk as the two entered her office, their hands glowing as they marched right up to her desk and thrust their phones under her nose, both were on the administrator page of the damned Anon-a-miss, and the expression they expected to get wasn't the look amusement that was lingering on Luna's lips.

"What's amusing VP?" Scootaloo said, as Luna took their phones

"The fact that after everything, you girls simply offer yourselves up as the perpetrators of this dratted account, the fact that i was thinking I would have to play a complicated game of cat and mouse, but here you girls are."

"Well, too be honest with ya, I want out, regardless of the consequences."

"what caused this change of mind?"

"Sweetie Belle actually, ever since Sunset's break down in the hallway, she still doesn't seem satisfied, she wants more and more, and frankly, we're tired of it, also it makes us sick to our stomach, looking back now."

"Alright girls, come to Celestia's office tomorrow, there we will talk more."

They nodded, feeling lighter then have in a long, long time, but they worried about what Sweetie Belle is gonna do when she finds out that they have fessed up, that they admitted to being "anon-a-miss", but it was for the greater good, it was time to come clean, before they got too deep and caused someone to do something that they would deeply regret.

***

Sweetie Belle went out the back door, to a place near the cafeteria dumpsters that most knew was the canterlot underbelly before Sunset shimmer took over, she figures that some of the older students would be there, she also figured that Gilda still inhabited it since before Sunset, Gilda ran the school.

She wasn't wrong, because there stood Gilda, plus the three known as the diamond dogs and a girl that had almost black chitin like skin, with translucent green hair, plus another girl that looks kinda like pinkie but with straight pink hair, but fuzzier, they seemed to be waiting for someone, but her curiosity was crushed when Gilda saw her, then motioned for the others too surround her.

"Well, well, well what do we have here, this looks like a certain fashionista's little sister, what is the sister of a goody two shoes doing in the underbelly of canterlot high?"

Hallowed be thy name part 3

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Saving me

Gym finished with a game of dodge ball, with dash, Gilda, and Sunset on one team with Applejack on the other, Gilda proved too be extremely good at dodge ball, catching basically anything thrown at her, Dash was almost as good, but she dodged instead of catching, Sunset however simply dodged everything, as she ducked, sidestepped and sometimes jumped.

"This is strikingly similar to something.....!" Sunset thought as she caught a ball and rolled bringing it up before a ball hit her in the face.

Spitfire called the game to a close as Gilda knocked Applejack out of the game with a ball to the stomach, knocking the wind outta her, they each made their way into the locker rooms, each got changed back into their school clothing, Gilda was the first to leave, but not before "accidentally" running into Sunset, causing her to reach into her pocket feeling a small piece of paper.

"Weird, but I'll have to check it later, away from prying eyes, but first I think I've got something to say to RD." Sunset thought as she walked over too RD's locker and waited for the rainbow teen.

"Oh..... a.... H-hey Sunset, what are you here for." Rainbow said, fumbling with her words.

"First off, I'm here for my phone that you got from Gilda, and second.... I wanted to say thank you, for what you did earlier, with Applejack." Sunset said as she looked down as if in pensive thought.

"What I back there, I should have done that on the first day, not this day, not afterward, but right then and there, you have worked so hard to repair your reputation, too get respect and redemption, in my opinion, you're redeemed, you don't need to ask for it, nor earn it, so its time for my redemption, to make up for turning your world on its head."

Sunset was taken aback, she knew that Rainbow could be humble, but too state that she needed a major character reformation, that was immense, even for rainbow dash, but Sunset gave a small smile as she held out her fist, too which Rainbow looked down then back up before giving Sunset a small fist bump.

"I guess this is step one, then step two and so on will be the hardest challenge you accomplish, now step two is giving me my phone."

Dash gave her phone back, the shattered screen facing up too her, before she could think too hard, Dash gave her a questioning look.

"Hey, have you seen Pinkie Pie around?"

"No, in fact i haven't seen her all day, though I think she's in my art class next, this is gonna be interesting, since she was the one who saved me, not that father didn't do anything, but had she not given chase..... it would have been a lot worst."

Rainbow wanted to press, but she figured she had used up her luck with Sunset for today and ran to make it to her next class, while Sunset looked down at her phone, an unreadable expression plastered too it for only a moment before Sunset put on her neutral expression and left.

"I heard everything, so it seems your almost ready to forgive the Rainbow girl," Tirek said as he trailed behind her.

"almost, but in my mind somewhere, it wants to hold on, and never let go," Sunset replied.

"I understand, and well do what you will, however, my advice is don't hold on too long because soon you'll forget why."

Sunset doesn't reply, instead she chews on Tireks words as they make it too the art classroom, where Sunset would usually avoid, do to the amount of times since the Incident, paint and other stuff has been "dropped" on her by "accident" and so forth, so she would show up very briefly, only for a lecture and then be gone, but this time is different, not only because those who already have been in classes with her already know that Tirek is watching over her and his massive frame is enough to dissuade even the most foolish classmates, the silence of the class was kept by Pinkie Pie, who's flat hair and dulled expression almost made those who knew her to swear she was simply Maud Pie taking her place, but upon closer look, it wasn't.

"Hey, Pinkie... how are you?" Sunset asked hesitantly, unsure of how to approach the girl that gave Tirek enough time to catch up and stop the act in progress.

For a moment Sunset wasn't sure if she heard her, but it didn't last long, because as Sunset was about to turn away Pinkie flung herself at her, encasing her in a near bone-crushing hug, like in a moment Sunset would disappear and pinkie would wake up, nothing was said because soon the front of her shirt was drenched, this surprised many of the students who passed confused looks, while others who knew what this act meant, simply walked up to Sunset and Lowered their heads in a silent apology, they knew that no words could ever express what they wanted to convey, this is all they could do until they found a suitable time to undo their mistakes.

"I know that... you made a mistake, that you said things that you can't take back, and in my failing, I simply pushed all my grief and anger, sadness and rage, onto you... because my final sin wouldn't make it go away, it would simply move to the next victim."

"No sunny, you should have never have had to should that burden, I should not have fallen to the pressure, even as I said what I couldn't take back, I never believed it, but I was afraid of being wrong, afraid of being alone again...." Pinkie simply shook her head, a memory causing her to shudder all over.

"Would talking about it makes you feel better, that memory?"

"I'll paint it for you, And then I'll talk to you about it later."

Sunset figured that it was the best she'll get out of Pinkie, for now, because she planned on asking her for more of her story, but for now she'll settle on having Pinkie simply paint it out, she looked at Tirek for silent advice, but he simply gave her a look that said, simply wait, pushing will only cause her to shrink in.

Soon, the class got underway and in the enigma that is Pinkie, she seemed to predict in her own way the teacher's assignment, assigning partners and together they would make a painting that had the combined personality of both, symbolizing an internal struggle, naturally Pinkie and Sunset were put together.

"I know what we're gonna paint, Pinkie are you ready?"

"As ready as I will ever be."

With Sunset guiding her hand, Pinkie painted a three frame almost comic board, one featuring a man, holding a burning stick of Dynamite, the next showed small child grabbing his pant leg, a look of sadness on her features understanding too much for a small child, the final board showed a reflected explosion in her eyes.

Sunset gazed at the finished product, the implication not lost on her, but she'll wait on pinkie to open up and talk, it was time to start on her own she turned to the other side, she reflecting on the past, unsurprisingly she zoned out and made a three-tiered panel, starting with a mural-like painting her in between the wings of Celestia, but below her, was her demon,next came her walking a path, towards a cliff, finally came her held in skeletal fingers, closing around, not to crush her, but more of a barrier.

The bell rang as Sunset and Pinkie pie put the finishing touches on the painting, many left that class with different thoughts, some with experience enough to read between the lines, some who weren't as good but still had a proper understanding on social cues, and finally those who simply followed the lead.

This was the last class to hold anyone Sunset knew, so the day simply passed by Sunset, her mind bouncing, and restless, unable to focus on anything, her system burned with a weird feeling, like adrenaline, but instead of being active, it simply waited, like a loyal dog, waiting to be called on, finally the final bell rang, releasing the students but Sunset went slower, the day and events settling in her mind, until finally the hallways were empty and the front law vacant of any students.

"so what do you want to do today?" Tirek asked as they stepped into the cold.

"I don't know, sleep, rest, learn... TWILIGHT... LUNA?!" Sunset tapered off, as she saw the portal shimmer, ripple then vibrate until it stretched out like a bubble, until a purple hand came out, then the rest followed, but the person was entirely different gone was the uniform, in its place was what looked like leather armor, that ended in a skirt, but what caught her eye was the shining star Jewel on her abdomen, and following her was Princess Luna, the portal transporting her through with significantly less ripples and stretching, but she stumbled and fell, swearing most colorfully, before Twilight turned and helped her up balancing her, before turning to Sunset.

Gospel of dismay

Sunset stared at Twilight, not comprehending what she was looking at, because the eyes looking at her, they were not the kind and caring eyes she knew, they were ancient and seemed to see through her, the eerie way they focused on her made her want to bolt, but the mystery was too great too run.

"Twilight, is that you, what happened? Why do you look at me as if we're strangers?" Sunset asked stepping toward Twilight, that is until Twilight rushed her and embraced her in a warm hug, the gem glowing fiercely.

You'll see her soon, my student, I promise. a voice said, gentle, comforting, almost motherly, in her mind.

"Celestia?!"

No, but we've met before, think back, you were lost, but Twilight found you and directed you too me.

Sunset tried too think back but came up blank until a sudden memory came forward in her mind, Fall Formal, the blast of light, but in brief moment, she remembered the embrace, and a voice promising that the pain will pass, that its only physical.

"I remember you, you're the one in the harmony blast, I know you in everything but name."

My child, call me anything you wish

Sunset looked into the ancient being's eyes, and the feeling of comfort, safety, and serenity and she settled on a name.

"I name you Hope."

She knew you would do that, she gave the same answer

"What now?"

The ones who turned my sisters into a force of fear and pain will be judged, they think themselves absolved simply because they self loath, no, they must be shown consequence, only then shall they move on.

Suddenly it dawned on Sunset, the star gem that glowed fiercely, the mystic way this being held itself, it was A personified element, and it was here and not happy.

"I figured it out, but what brought you here, I mean how are you alive?"

Ah yes, well me and my sisters have been watching over equestria long before the tree, before the unification of the tribes, we were mortal once, 'were' being the key word, however, so strong was our bonds, that equestria itself felt we would be needed time and time again, so we ascended, Tirek's return did not surprise us, we beat him once before, a long time ago, at castle midnight.

"I think I've finally got it, how you manage on these things, I'll never understand." Luna spoke up, having finally, but shakily standing on her feet.

"I almost forgot you were here, sorry." Sunset said defensively

"I can't hold it against you, considering that the element of magic is now is sentient, and your best friend."

"why did you come anyways? I thought you would be ruling equestria."

"Well, we're here to make sure nothing rash happens, also my night court is canceled for the next few days, equestria was fine without me for 1000 years, it'll be fine for a few days."

As Luna was talking Sunset saw Twilight take from a pack on her belt, enchanted to be bigger on the inside then the outside, something almost akin to a inhaler, but when she put it up too her lips, she exhaled, filling the glass orbs in it, she kept until they were solid and glossy, she pulled back the device as she coughed, a small amount of rainbow colored vapor vanishing into thin air.

"Twilight, what was that?"

Twilight looked dazed, looking into space, then she fell to the side, Luna catching her, she shook her head as she opened her eyes, now back to the eyes of a young princess, not A millennium old being.

"huh, oh Sunset, it wasn't a dream and your okay.... what am i wearing?!" Twilight cried as she looked down at her body, the twisting her head looking down at her back.

"I don't know, all I know is that your element is sentient, and HEY dont dodge the question!!"

"Not just mine, they all are and they are not happy, they believe that Anon-a-miss has unleashed more then she realizes, and with out the unity, well..... there is something coming, and as for the device.... I'll tell you later."

"How do they know who that is?" Sunset asked, deciding to take Twilight's word at it, sure that she'll get an explanation later.

"Well believe it or not... but your an element too."

"but there are only six, how can i be one, your already the element of magic."

While legends say there is only six, never did they say that only six can exist, as equestria grows and changes, so do the elements, as friendship grows and changes, so do the elements. Hope said in both their minds.

"well what do we do now?"

"Hope knows a way to find them, I'll let her take control, for now."

Twilight closed her eyes as Luna walked next to Sunset, as Twilight extended her hand and soon golden fire like runes appeared, flickering between equis, English, and more, but soon the runes burned brightly, then dissipated.

there, the magic in them is marked, we need only find them in the dream realm, hence why i requested Luna to be here, we will need her expertise.

"so now what?"

"yes, tell us what now, we cant stand here all day."

"well maybe we should go back to my house, so Sunset may fill me in, I've seen horrors that would make any man cry until his ducts ran out, but this is weird." Tirek said, finally stepping forward, making himself known.

Hello Tirek, we've been watching you. Tirek heard in his head, while this girl whose name was Twilight, gave him a weird look.

"Ah, well lets go, Sunset, can you show your friends to the car." Tirek said, not sure how to speak to them.

"sure da... I mean Tirek, I'll show PRINCESS Twilight and PRINCESS Luna too the car." Sunset said while smiling on the outside, cursing herself on the inside for almost calling him dad.

"My the child seems fond of you, Tiss a shame what happened too her, she used to be head strong and determined, but now.... she's only a shell, I hope you know what your doing, because I'm not sure that she is capable of bouncing back again." Luna said, before Sunset wave her over, Twilight following her.

You're not the only one whose noticed, always pulled into herself, externally, she's fine, but internally... she's confused, getting through the day without feeling anything.

A little ways away, had one looked hard, they would have seen a shimmer against the air, as a girl materialized out of nothing, but they saw nothing as she headed for Gilda's group, sure that something bad was about to happen, she didn't know why, but she knew that she had to follow her, maybe it was just her monstrous side flaring up, but she had to be sure.

meanwhile

Luna sat in the front while Twilight sat in the back next to Sunset, who was busy filling both of them in on with what she knows and whats been going on, even the parts where the girls apologized, but what she didn't say and didn't need too is that she wasn't ready too fully forgive them yet, well, not all of them.

"Pinkie is the reason I'm here, the night Tirek brought me home, she tried to stop me, she ran for what she was worth, but living on the streets, it gave me the skills to out run her, however... she fast, i dont know how but she seemed to be right on my tale, no pun intended." Sunset explained to Luna and Twilight.

"she truly is an enigma, she variably defies the laws of physics." Luna said

As they passed the bridge, Sunset looked at where the remains of the rope should have been, but it wasn't there, that made Sunset feel strange, so she had Tirek pull over.

"this is strange, no one but Tirek goes by here and i know there wasn't much rope, wait here it is, but why is it frozen?"

"I know this kind of ice, this is cursed ice, it flash freezes the target, but leaves their soul captured in the ice, destined to suffer until the wendigo dies or Celetsia purifies it with her radiant light."

"but why is the rope flash frozen, it has no soul."

They looked at each other, until Sunset remembered something said while she was at school, something that at the time she thought was simply a minor concern.

"Twilight, has there been a draft or any cold in your castle or any sort of frost?"

"No, why?"

"because, while I was at school, people complain of a frost following me around, those that seemed fool enough to cause me trouble, they got a harsher cold wind."

"strange, but didn't you feel it?"

"Only if i walked through a crowd, then i felt only a small amount of cold."

"So, what your saying is that you have had a friendly wendigo following you around, protecting you from the other students, that's what I'm hearing." Luna said with a skeptical look on her face.

"maybe, but we wont know for sure."

They went back to the car, filling Tirek in on what they discussed, he looked skeptical too, but only for a brief moment, for they soon arrived at his house.

"Welcome to the neighborhood or well lack thereof." Tirek welcomed them, opening the door into his living room.

"I suppose its time to fill you in on who we are and where we came from."

"that would be nice, its not often that you see a portal open up."

So Twilight explained the mirror in her world, its design, making sure not to get into the technicalities.

"So your both goddesses, in your world, one of you moves the moon, and one is the goddess of friendship..... Sunset what have you gotten me into?" Tirek asked with playful resignation.

"You took me in, I'm your problem, besides I did say that I was trouble." Sunset replied.

"touche."

Time passed in silence as they reflected, but it wasn't for long because soon, they pulled into the driveway and filed into the house.

"So you girls want anything?" Tirek asked.

"No thanks, I need to think." Sunset said.

"I shall get the dream ready." Luna answered.

"I'll..... reflect." Twilight said as she put the inhalator to her mouth and breathed, filling the orbs up its sides with the multicolored smoke, before she detached the orbs carefully, putting the orbs inside the pack, she looked up too see sunset watching her.

"Actually, I want to know what that is, I know enough about magic too know that thing your using is some Kind of magical storage."

Twilight looked surprised that Sunset had not forgotten about it, but she sighed as she took out multiple jars, each one clear, except for small winged girls inside, that bear a resemblance to Twilight.

"Well, introduce yourselves, I've been found out." Twilight said, as the girls in the jars found themselves in the light.

"Thanks, I couldn't of figured that out, bitch." The Twilight said with red eyes, her irises green

"Rude."

"I don't fucking care, anyways, you can call me wrath." Wrath said as she looked at Sunset.

"you're her anger, then the rest of you must be her other negative emotions.... Twilight, what have you been doing to yourself."

"Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, Tirek, and Sombra..... I've had my mind played with, I've been tricked, I faced down Nightmares that no living pony should ever look at, I close my eyes and I see them everywhere, I'm afraid all the time, I must keep telling myself that Their gone, and that's the trauma from just dealing with them, the other trauma I cant even get into."

"Yes, Tell her of when you were alone, that your 'friends' abandoned you during your brothers wedding, how they took chrysalises side over yours, how they choose fame and fortune over your friendship." The green-eyed Twilight said.

"or how dark the cave was, how unending the mines were, how alone we were down there, in the dark and the cold." the yellow-eyed twilight intoned.

"or the heartbreak when our teacher glared down on us, or the cruel way our own flesh and blood threw us out of his wedding, mind controlled or not." a blue-eyed twilight whispered, he back turned, looking over her shoulder.

wrath said nothing, she let her sisters talk, but she simple glared up at Twilight as she picked them up and put them back into her pack.

"I created them by mixing my blood with water from the mirror pool, and the inhaler from petrified wood, enchanted with advanced emotion spells, the glass orbs I synthesis from magic."

Sunset had her mouth open, she kept doing this until she shook her head, and moved to hug twilight, surprising her.

"I had no idea you suffered so much, but those orbs, if you keep giving them those, they will break free be careful."

Twilight nodded, to drained from dealing with her personified emotions, she simply laid down, falling asleep within a few minutes, leaving her alone with Tirek whose face was painted with concern.

"That's a lot for a young girl, even if she is immortal and a princess." Tirek said

Sunset nodded, suddenly feeling tired, her body heavy as she climbed onto the couch, she was out as soon as her head hit the pillow, provided by Tirek, who put a pillow down on the couch for her, following her example, he put the chair back and fell fast asleep.

Dream Eater

"FALL BACK!!!" Tirek heard as an explosion rocked his world, opening his eyes onto an all too familiar battlefield, except for one difference, Sombra was not part of it, in fact, the one who called the retreat was Scorpan who had medals pinned to his uniform.

"what is this?" Tirek asked warily, knowing what dreams like this end in, and he wasn't sure what this fresh hell held, but he didn't have anything to worry too much about, for as he was mentally preparing, a door next to him opened and he heard a voice.

"Tirek come, your audience is required!!" The mysterious voice urged him, though the occurring battle was holding his morbid curiosity, that is until his brother jogged to him, and clapped his hand on his shoulder.

"Its okay brother, we've won, were only flushing out the remaining soldiers, once this is over, we can kick back and enjoy the much-required vacation, so go on, I think there is something more important beyond that door," Scorpan said to him, before gently pushing him towards the door.

Tirek placed his hand on the door, and pushed it open with barely any force, it opened to an amphitheater and pacing the middle was Sunset shimmer, but this one was different from the girl he had saved, this one had a hollow look, and jittering movements, pacing back and forth.

"You can fix a broken tool, but when I break again will I be kept, can you even keep a broken tool, why would anyone keep a broken tool, too fix it.... will I be fixed when I break again, I can't be sure, I can never be sure...." Sunset said too herself, as she walked up to a pillar and looked hard at it before turning to Tirek, but seemed to look through him, still whispering, until she bumped into him, and looked up before she reached out and placed a hand on his arm, her eyes going round.

Tirek knelt down to be on eye level as this dream shimmer stepped back, a mix of curiosity and fear, before stepping forward again, reaching out, feeling his physicality.

"You're not a dream they disappear, nor are you a mental apparition, and you're definitely not a nightmare, they don't make it this far, nor can they see me, I go through them, you must be a soul, only they retain their physicality in the dream realm."

"I was told that I had a meeting, a very important meeting," Tirek said

"Then let me show you the way, the others have already arrived." Dream shimmer turned and waved a hand, a door opened off behind the corner.

"thank you," Tirek said starting for the door, but before he got to it, he heard a question directed at him directly.

"Once you're done, will you keep this broken object?"

That question stopped Tirek because for once he will satiate his burning desire to comfort this broken child.

"I will not throw you away once this is over, It goes against my nature, too throw away someone who has already been throw under the bus."

Dream shimmer Smiled, not a broken one, but a genuine one as she closed her eyes, flashed into little particles that floated down and settled as the world she inhabited started shifting, which gave Tirek his clue that he should leave, he made his way into a hallway that was surprisingly lit well with torches that dotted the walls, at least the ones he encountered, because once he was passed they went out, meaning that there was no way back.

"wh-where are we?" Fluttershy squeaked out, as Tirek walked up to the girls, taking in the pristine white, almost misty room around them

"Sunset's mind, we are in her mind, likely the work of Princess Luna, and Twilight," Tirek said while the others looked at him with surprise.

Before they could ask about what he knows, a door is uncovered from the mists that they didn't know was surrounding them, everyone looks apprehensive about going through, terrified about what awaits them, except Tirek, who strides forward through the door.

"About damn time you showed up, I was worried she fucked it up." A tall man said, with his arms crossed, his voice having a sort of reverberation.

Everyone jumped as the man stepped forward, a smile on his fanged mouth, his eyes dark as the void, he was a foot taller then Tirek, which made even the giant of a man look up.

"Your bratty little sisters almost made my job harder, in all my time watching you mortals, of all the atrocities your kind have committed for whatever their greedy little hearts desired, this tops it all, petty jealousy just to kill another that is filled with more potential then the lot of them combined." The man said, looking down the tip of his nose at the girls, circling them like a vulture.

The man's scathing tone did not sit well with Applejack, nor did the jabs he took at her sister, it did not sit well at all.

"And what do you know about me, or my sister, in fact, what do you know about any of us?" Applejack accused him if her tone offended him, he didn't show it, in fact, he pulled back and laughed.

"So filled with pride that she can't see past her own hubris, oh my you mortals amuse me, but if you're too ignorant to figure it out I guess I can fill you in, my name is Nekros, but if you want a more accurate name, I am Death," Nekros said, his suit revealed to be his wings furled around his body, as his height grew, soon he was more than six feet taller then Tirek, his bottom half covered in a dark cloak, his upper half bare, showing a skeleton, except for his shoulders which had crow feathers connected to his wings, his face was the skull of the top of a crow.

"Now honey, aren't you being a little too hard on them, after all, they are only human," An angelic voice playfully called, coming from around the corner, before revealing a woman that could literally be the personification of beauty.

"You must be Life," Tirek finally said, finding his voice again.

"Right you are dear, I know who you are Tirek, taking in Sunset, and saving her life, rare nobility in a mortal," She purred, walking around Tirek, a mischievous look in her eye.

"Well, we don't have all eternity, let's go." Death reminds everyone.

Someone who cares

Death pushed open the doors, Revealing a large Library, thousands of books on both sides, an almost claustrophobic array, they all looked around, even though they were as old as time itself, A mortals mind still confused the gods.

"wow, I haven't seen a mortals mind this confusing since, well the last time I was invited." Death said, looking around.

"Well, do you know the way?" Applejack asked.

"No, I don't intrude on a mortal's innermost thoughts, it is not my business till they die."

They continued down the endless corridor, books upon books with no turns, but a feeling of being watched ate at the girls, they looked around, trying to find it, but look as they might, they could not locate the pair of bright green eyes that flitted between books.

"Okay, am I the only one who feels like their being watched?" rainbow dash said, as she turned 180, trying to look between the books.

"It is giving me quite the fright." Rarity said, back to back with Fluttershy, the creep factor causing them to stop moving.

Tirek Looked around, years as a marine had honed his senses, but as he looked around, he caught sight of a pair of bright, green eyes, staring at him, before disappearing into the darkness behind the books, he looked around him again, No longer was the endless books ominous, but rather felt like a playground.

"Hmm, If I were a small one, Where would I be," Tirek said too himself, pretending not to notice the pair of eyes that were focused on him.

Death too had seen eyes, but not the playful green, but a deathly red, glaring down on them from high above the shelves, they seemed to follow their every move, they circle them like a vulture.

"Rawr, I am monster," a tiny voice shouted, revealing a small child, with a strike of blond between her red locks, leaping at Tirek who caught her in his arms with a swift motion, feigning shock.

"Oh no, It's the tiny monster, help ahhhh," Tirek said, continuing to act surprised which got chuckles out of Life and Death, even the girls offered smiles.

"Aww, she is so cute," Life squeed.

She came up to Little sunset, who looked at her, with curious eyes filled with wonder, she reached out and touched a lock of hair that fell in front of her face.

"Hi, pretty lady," Little sunset said, causing Life giggle, until Little Sunset saw death, instead of being sad or scared she fidgeted until Tirek put her down, she walked up to death and held her arms up, a longing stare on her face.

"Alright little one, have up," Death reached down and picked her up, a hold her close, and in his arms, she glowed like a star, before pointing down a narrow path.

"that is our path," Little sunset said tiredly.

The group continued down the hallway, the longer death held her, the more tired she became, and the harder it became for her to guide them.

"Th.. *yawn* is our path," She said Tiredly, before finally nodding off, because they finally found where they were meant to be, the center except on opposite sides were two sunsets, a unicorn on one side and a human on the other.

"they are here." The human said cooly, no emotion.

"Thanks, I noticed." the other said, with an edge to her voice.

there was silence as they sat at the table, waiting for who knows what, but soon the Sunset that Death held started to whimper, fidget, and squirm like a nightmare was set upon her

"someone had better comfort her." The human said.

"be my guest, I'm no good with humans." the unicorn said back

Finally, the Human spun on her unicorn counterpart.

"I TRIED TO STOP OUR SUFFERING, BUT SOMEONE DECIDED TO INTERVENE!!"

This got the other to do a one-eighty and shout back.

"THAT IS NOT OUR FAULT, WE ARE STILL ALIVE BECAUSE OF IT!!!!"

"BECAUSE OF IT, WE ARE STILL STUCK IN THIS GODFORSAKEN LIFE, WE STILL SUFFER!!!

"WE ARE LUCKY ANYONE CARED ENOUGH TO BOTHER, AND WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL!!!"

they were glaring daggers at each other across the table as the tiny Sunset continued to whimper, everyone was at a loss until life nudged Death and tilted her head at Tirek, Death understood as he walked over to Tirek and gently handed the small girl over, whereas Tirek started to sing and rock the girl, his gentle voice soothing her, until the two started glowing, no longer at odds, instead, they embraced, and became gold dust, forming a door, the way out.

"I'm sorry, But I'm not allowed out there yet, Maybe when I'm no longer sick." Little sunset said, after climbing out of Tireks arms, opening the door for them, Tirek on his way out bent down and hugged her.

"see you soon."

They walked through the Door with it softly shutting behind them, in front of them, a table with eight alicorns on one side and seats for the others across from them.

They sat across from the alicorns, who were busy talking to Twilight and Luna, which for some reason were immediately familiar to Tirek even as ponies, as they waited Silently.

"I see you made it, now we can begin." The lead alicorn said, she looked exactly like Twilight, except bigger.

"Begin what?" Applejack said.

"Well, we have to take back what we invested."

"invested?"

"We gave you the power to release miss shimmer from the dark magic that she manifested by putting on the crown, we also lent you the power needed to help defeat the sirens, but afterward, at the drop of a hat, you threw her to the side, you hit her, but most of all, you didn't even try to find the truth."

"How could we not assume it was her, all the evidence pointed to it being her."

"You had the power of my element, you could have easily known it wasn't her, but you never were a friend were you," The orange one piped up, glaring at the farm girl.

"Three years, she had us under her thumb for three years, It is kinda hard to forgive that, and I did, it took a whole lot, but I did," Applejack defends herself until the blue alicorn laughed, and she laughed hard.

"PFFT, no you didn't, Friend, its such a small word to you humans, you throw it around until it's a meaningless phrase, its like insurance for you, it ensures another's loyalty." the Blue alicorn said.

This reoccurring thing where the divines were talking down on her was starting to piss her off, she no longer cared what they were, she would not let them talk down to her.

"How dare you talk down to us, you don't know anything about humanity, you sit here on your high thrones and watch us like-" Applejack blustered until a yellow hand clamped over her mouth, turning she saw a very annoyed Fluttershy.

"Applejack, Will you shut the hell up, you're gonna put us in the grave at this rate, I know that your proud of your family and your sister, but for our sakes, just shut up and let the rest of us do the talking." Fluttershy laid into her, surprising everyone there.

The dream dissolves

With applejack culled by Fluttershy, the Alicorns were free to conduct the event in peace.

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, we are gonna take back the power we invested, well take it from those who have yet to redeem themselves," the alicorn of magic said.

"By the way, Being honest isn't always telling the truth, its also being willing to find the truth even if all evidence points to the contrary, defending someone until the evidence is so absolute that nothing is out of line, it is not immediately believing the first thing that looks like its the truth," the orange alicorn said, causing Applejack to grind her teeth before an orange orb appeared overhead and floated over the center of the table.

"You called her friend, you made her feel welcome, but at the first provocation, the first sign of deception, the first single doubt, you threw her under the bus, your misdeeds almost killed her, but I can see it in you, a small shred of forgiveness, a willing chance, I honestly don't know why, But your powers shall only be bound, until they are needed," The blue alicorn said to rainbow dash, a sky blue orb appearing before chains were wrapped around it, and it disappeared.

"Generosity is such a funny word because it can be shaped to mean whatever a person feels it is, can be anything from an act of indescribable evil to an act of the same caliber of kindness, either way, it is freely given, and you were given her trust and love, both given freely and in spades, but when it was your turn, you gave her back hate and spite," The gorgeous white alicorn lectured rarity, as a white orb appeared over the center of the table.

"All I got to say, is that I'm disappointed, I know that facing your enemies is scary and that facing your friends when your opinion is different is even harder, but to keep silent, I bind you," The yellow alicorn said to Fluttershy with A yellow orb appearing, being chained then disappearing.

"You're a special case, on one side, you took the most precious thing in the world, the capacity to hope, but on the other side, your actions allowed for a miracle, so in the end, it evens out, Your power is unbound, make sure I never have to see you again." The pink alicorn said, Pinkies element not appearing.

"that concludes our judgment, so-" The alicorn of magic was saying before she was interrupted.

"Wait, what about her, why isn't she being judged like us," Applejack said, causing everyone to groan, Fluttershy even facepalming.

"she has a kingdom to help run and protect, it's also the fact that I have seen her face down, Tyrants, gods, endless monsters and other such things, with ever asking for anything in return, but above all, she came when Sunset needed her most, she does not have to pay for the decisions that you made," the purple alicorn said

"speaking of which, before we move on, do you have anything to say to them," The blue alicorn said.

Twilight said nothing, she merely brought forth a jar, with a smaller Twilight inside, they all gathered close to the jar before she whirled on them, her red eyes glowing.

"I'm impressed, you managed to take one of the strongest ponies I've known and tear down her mental defenses, even in here, I can taste her discontent, her vengeance, her hate and now that you're here It is even stronger," Red-eyed Twilight said, before turning to Tirek," except for you, you give her hope, love, and peace."

With that, Twilight sent the jar back, while Luna and the other alicorns looked around at each other, before nodding, and then standing up.

"Our business is concluded, and we shall be taking our leave, in the meantime, two lives are about to change and one hangs in the balance, so wake now," The purple alicorn said and for the first time, was able to knock everyone out of Sunset's dream, with only Twilight, Luna, and Tirek waking up, only for frantic pounding at the door to disrupt the silence, waking them all.

"LET US IN, PLEASE SHES NOT GONNA MAKE IT IN TIME!!!!" a Female voice shouted outside.

Tirek was first to the door, ripping it open, in front of him stood a girl cloaked in mist and ice, her pale blue eyes glowing like searchlights, but hanging on to her was another girl, blood turned blue from the cold iced around the knife blade, she is unconscious.

"SUNSET, FRIENDS OF YOURS," Tirek shouted.

"GILDA, What has happened to her," Sunset asked, seeing the injured girl first, and running past Tirek who was also coming forward to carry Gilda.

"Some punk down in the bad side of town, he saw that she had something on her, I didn't get a good look at it, but it was valuable enough to kill for it," the Blue girl said.

"Guys, stay back from her, that's a wendigo, don't let her touch you," Twilight said, just now seeing the blue girl for the first time.

"Yeah, I'm a wendigo, now shut up and help me save her life, you can pass judgment on me at a later time."

She was right, they didn't have much time, Gilda's breathing was getting shallower and shallower if they didn't act fast she'd be lost, Tirek jumped on the phone and Called 911, but the hospital was on the other side of town, even if they drove right on the speed limit, it would still take them about forty-five minutes, Gilda looks like she only has fifteen.

after 5 minutes of pacing around, Twilight's eyes started to glow and magic took control.

"Sunset, give me your hand, and you too, Tirek you get between these two good, now we're ready," Hope says, as she starts muttering words, at first they awkwardly held hands, but suddenly a gold glow enveloped them and Gilda, the Skin around the knife returning to color, while the knife itself was gently pulled out, and floated to the kitchen, the wound shrank, but it was still a yet to be a mortal wound, and even a being like Hope cant alter the tides of fate, but she'd try her best to give this girl a fighting chance.

"You hear that Its the ambulance, quick open the Door," Tirek cried, as true to his word, a dozen of Paramedics came in, and soon, Gilda was on a stretcher, and in the ambulance, with Tirek and company in pursuit at the request of Sunset, who had a lot to ask both Gilda and the ancient magic creature that was riding invisibly between Twilight and Luna.

In the end

Author's Note

Sorry for the long absence, I got hit really hard with everyone's favorite mental issue, and well I almost lost a few times, but I managed this.

By the by 7 - 8 chapters left and this story is complete, yay!

In the end

With Tirek hot on the heels of the ambulance, and Gilda being stabilized by the paramedics, they finally had time to talk to the millennium-old ghost of strife, and for the Element to finally give Twilight something that Girls her age wore in the current day and age.

"Your name is permafrost, and you're a wendigo, why are you here and why did you help Gilda," Twilight asked, brimming with both suspicion and questions.

"Alright, let's start at the beginning, with the pillars, as everypony knows they fought monsters, but instead of killing them, they banished them to where we would do the least amount of damage, but what they didn't account on, was that magic creatures retain their magic, so when I was dumped on to this world when humanity was just starting to evolve, I found I could sustain myself on the suffering of humanity but after a few hundred thousand years, after seeing all manners of atrocities and more, I found that the evil I fed on made me sick, but I didn't want to starve, instead I only gathered what I needed," permafrost explained.

"But wendigos don't have physical bodies, in Equestria, you are held together by magic, your magic should have dispersed even with the feeding since there is no natural magic here."

"Ah yes, that is true, by the time I found this body, I was almost completely faded, but you see she had strung herself up because her family had been burned alive after being accused of being affiliated with a witch, this young girl had come back to find her house burning, and all windows and doors barred, so not wanting to meet a fate worse then death, she hung herself, I took her body and then covered her village in a deep biting cold, nothing survived that night."

"A-ah, well what was the job that was asked of Gilda," Twilight asked after composing herself since a total possession hadn't happened in Equestria since before the pillars, and it being a village decimated, promised double digits.

"A hit, someone to take out anon-a-miss, and they were interested in employing Gilda, but she turned them down, said that a hit like this was too low, said that Sunset here was innocent and she knew it"

"who was it that tried?"

"Rarity's little sister tried to give Gilda and her crew a bag of equestrian gems, I don't know how she found them, but none of them wanted them."

"ever since the spring fling, she's been planning this since the spring fling, she would always follow me around, waiting for me to mess up and now when I let my guard down, someone gets hurt in my place protecting me, and its all my FAULT," Sunset said, glaring down at her hands.

"You're wrong, this is not your fault, this wickedness is the fault of someone beyond saving," Luna said from the back.

Sunset sat in silence her thoughts swirling with guilt, rage, and regret despite everyone telling her it wasn't her fault she still felt that she could have done something and that it should have been her, maybe she should have hung, permafrost retched as soon as the dark energy emitted reached her mouth, the vile taste of pain covering her mouth and nose, forcing her to hang her head outside the window, breathing in the fresh air.

"Survivors guilt tastes abysmal, I can taste it eating you alive, as something that has lived a very long time I can tell you, your death would not have made it better, in fact, it would have been worse," Permafrost said, after pulling her head in, everyone in the car looked at her strange though, something that she hadn't seen in a very long time, Curiosity.

While Gilda's body was in fast transit, her mind and soul was elsewhere, Somehow she had ended up in an endless desert, the churning sands blinding her, but even among the sands, an indented path lay before her, tread on by thousands of feet, however contrary to popular belief she read books, and while not educational textbooks or regular fantasy, she read about the various mythological gods and their exploits, from Zeus' shameless adultery to the brutal rituals that were performed in the name of Mictlantecuhtli, and right now her best guess was that she was in the endless desert at the beginning of the Egyptian afterlife, and the steps ahead of her was the path that all lost souls take when they die.

"I believe a different path is set for you, your meeting with Ammit doesn't come until far later, unless you're brave enough to cross the endless sand, your choice," A deep baritone voice challenged Gilda, causing her to turn and bow her head, a tall man with the head of a jackal stood above her, holding forth a glowing golden Khopesh, but Gilda knew better, Egyptian tales usually punished the lazy and inattentive.

"Lord Anubis, I refuse the easy way, I accept your challenge to cross these desolate sands, see you at the Temple of Maat," Gilda Answered, looking into the dark sand storm, missing Anubis' smile of pride.

"Very well, but be warned, these churning sands hide more then you could know, there are things even our most devoted left out," Anubis answered, leaving in a swirl of sand, leaving Gilda alone with the sound of screeching winds and grinding sand.

"Now, let's follow.... crap I knew it wasn't gonna be that easy," Gilda said out loud until she saw that the path she originally saw had disappeared under the sands, and if she didn't get her butt in gear the path wouldn't be the only thing buried in the sand.

Squinting to ease the winds violently blowing course sand in her face, she could almost see an indentation in the sands at her feet, a gut feeling told her that this thing beneath the sands is necessary for survival, so on her knees in the rapidly climbing sand she dug, and dug before finding a pair of Goggles, but not just any goggles, these were ones that she wore when she was much younger, when she and dash were still besties, shaking off the nostalgia, she stood knocking off the accumulated sand, and donning the goggles against her better judgment, since the lenses were probably etched from the sands plus the dark tint would make it even harder to see, but something in her mind told her that they would protect her, her instincts were correct because at first, they were dark, but soon the path lit like a beacon, and dash's words echoed in her mind, 'I'll be at your side where ever you need me', with that Gilda put her hood up, and trudged through the sands, sure that as long as she stayed on the path, she would make it back.

The Final Countdown

While Gilda trudged through the blinding sands, Sunset returned to her current and hopefully permanent home, however, someone was waiting for her, A creature who was crouched in the room, his massive wings just barely squeezing into the room, Tirek knew who this was, the raven wings being a dead give away.

"I'll hazard a guess that you're not here for just a friendly visit, are you?" Tirek asked.

"No, I come with an offer to miss shimmer if she wants to accept it," Death offered.

"Well it's not every day that a god comes to the mortal world for a simple offer, so I'm willing to hear you out," Sunset said.

"Well that let's not do it here, far too many eyes and ears, I know that the others are listening in," Death said as he waved his hand, and the world around them melted away.

Luna, Twilight, Sunset, Tirek, and permafrost found themselves in a large room, with about a dozen doors leading out of it, and at the far end of the hall sat thrones, one was a tree that grew right from the floor, its trunk and branches posed in a way that made it look like it was to be sat in and next to it were a simple chair made of smooth black metal.

Death, of course, wasn't sitting on his throne instead, he was behind the bar that was on the far opposite end of the room, they walked over and found he was mixing different drinks, all non-alcoholic of course, though what surprised them the most was the fact that the tabletop was worn from many drinks being slid over the top, they didn't think death was the party type.

"despite being a death god, I do hold quite a few parties and quite often, shame you weren't here for the 'art of war' celebration, where we celebrate the war pantheon as a whole, was my turn that year and boy was it wild," Death grinned at them, as they sat down and took each of their drinks.

"So what was it you wanted to offer me because an offer from death itself sounds interesting," Sunset asked as she started to drink.

"As you well know, there are many universes beyond just your home and the mirror-verse connected to it."

"Yes, we outlawed transdimensional magic, after the eldritch crisis because ponies kept trying to create permanent portals with zero safety conditions," Luna explained while before bringing the drink to her mouth.

"for good reason, since transdimensional magic is outlawed across the Multi-verse as it is anyway because not all universes let the good guys win or were subverted by fools who dabbled in it and let in the dark ones," Death said as he took both Sunsets and Tireks empty glasses.

"I'm going to hazard a guess that this offer has something to do with the loss of the human elements of harmony," Sunset cautiously asked.

"Perceptive young woman you are, but your right, the loss of the human elements of harmony has opened your world to the dark forces that are looking to expand their territory or enforce entropy, the elements are accounted as some of the strongest super weapons across the multi-verse which is why nothing dares go through to Equestria," Death explained handing over another round of drinks.

"And now without them, the human realm is pretty much up for grabs by whatever dark or light force cares enough to claim it, which is bad because not everything that serves the light is merciful," Permafrost analyzed, which caused the others to look her way.

"What makes it even more appealing is that Equestria sits right next door, meaning that either a Bright god would attempt to peacefully subvert Celestia's hold over the realm, or a dark one would try all-out war, which would turn this world into a twisted and broken hellscape," Death said sadly, know the cost of a realm lost to the dark ones.

"What would just me do against such a force, I know you are very powerful, but one girl can't stand against beings that eat dimensions for dinner," Sunset reasoned.

"You wouldn't be the only one, Anubis already made his move and claimed the girl Gilda, whether she accepts or not is up to her, secondly I am not just a Death, I am the Death of All, the oldest being in the multi-verse next to my wife who came into being before me," Death explained.

"I accept your offer, I'll become one of your reapers to ensure the survival of my home and the human realm," Sunset accepted.

Death grunted as he lifted his hand and snapped his fingers, teleporting Twilight and Co. into a room with a window that looked into a dark void, but Sunset was laid down in the middle, they wondered where death was until his Titanic form appeared behind Sunset, she was but an ant in comparison to his true size.

"First we must administer the anesthetic without it, this process would be unbelievable painful," Death said out loud as his hands shimmered and waved over Sunset, causing her whole body to numb.

Death then flipped Sunset face down and stripped her of her clothing as they would get in the way for the next part, of course, he took no pleasure in it and made sure to use dark void to cover her, while he raised his finger and collected magic in it and put it to her bareback, dark lines burned into her skin, going down her spine while other lines outlined her shoulder blades.

The next part was imparting the special spells that his reapers would use so he carefully raised her left arm and placed the finger on the shoulder, where Runes inscribed themselves until her arm was covered in intricate runes.

Finally was the worst part had she been able to feel, he carefully grabbed both her arms and legs and pulled her soul out of her body, which he then put his finger in and filled with death magic, until it was as dark as the void around it, then returned it to her body.

Suddenly, They were back in the throne room, with Death holding Sunset in one arm, and holding a crystal hourglass in the other.

"take her back to your realm, for now, I must go prepare because this will shake the pantheons and I will have to answer their calls this time, as my Reaper Sunset will have to come, She will complete the second step of this process when she has the stamina to do so, as for this thing it no longer has a use to me as she is now immune to death in any form," Death said putting Sunset in Tireks arms, and giving Twilight the hourglass, before sending them all back to Tireks house, Tirek put Sunset on the couch before joining the rest and promptly passing out.

Death before Dishonor

Death was right, as soon as he had sent away his new reaper and her friends, the Call to the Pantheon was cast and his invitation was urgent, he groaned in annoyance at the call but answered all the same, aware that ignoring it would simply cause the other gods to try and force his attendance, which would put Sunset at risk.

"They think they can boss around Death as if I am their toys, Good grief I hate the little godlings," Death sulked on his throne.

"Now dear be patient with them, they are only as old as their worshippers," Life said gently sitting on her throne, which also glowed with summons, which she too accepted though with much less gruff.

"Yes which is another reason I despise them, they treat their worshippers like shit just look at the greeks and Romans, absolutely appalling behavior!"

"Well, it's almost time to go, please keep your patience, if you do I'll give you a reward."

With that Death and Life were whisked away to a giant pantheon filled with hundreds of gods, each of their own little or giant pantheon, but there was still a hierarchy to it all, Immortals like the greek and roman sat closer, while the mortal but ageless gods sat a further distance away.

Among the pantheons, there was one sphere of control missing, and that was the one for death and the afterlife, they sat together on the opposite side of the pantheon, they are no more eager to be wasting their time on this pointless council meeting than he is to be there.

"Never thought I'd be seeing you here old friend," Anubis said with a grin before it turned to a scowl after looking over his shoulder.

"I would rather not be, I would rather go hang out with my favorite mortals," Death grumbled to Anubis who Nodded.

"Gods fucking suck at parties, mortals know how to throw a decent party, hate the little angelic bastards that follow the gods around," Baron Samedi said with his Skeletal arms crossed with a fat cigar in his teeth.

"damn they even got you here for this, they invited all the big powers," Death said, giving Samedi a fist bump.

"I fucking know right, middle of this nice birthday party in the middle of Germany, about to score with this fine mortal, and the bastards call me to this ridiculous meeting."

Death could only shake his head, while the other death gods simply sulked on their thrones sharing the sentiment that they would much rather be anywhere else but here.

"At least look godlike while your here, don't you dare imitate the foul mortals and bring their taint into the sacred Pantheon," Hera shouted at them, only for them to sink lower into their thrones with groans of annoyance.

"I would much appreciate it if you didn't insult my followers Hera," A young woman said from a grand throne made of polished and painted wood.

"You can cast your glare all you want, but I still stand by my point that mortals are filthy mongrels," Hera sneered while the young woman glared at her.

Before Either could continue their little spat, a human champion pulled the bell that signaled the start of the council meeting, before disappearing to give the stage to the gods.

"We gathered here on this day to cast our concerns on the recent reaper that was added to Death's ranks," Hermes announced before giving the stage to Zeus.

"Thank you, Hermes, We know that two of you have claimed mortals as your reapers, while Anubis' agent is less concerning, what is concerning is the fact that Death Prime has deemed it necessary to recruiter a new reaper," Zeus said, Looking Death straight in his eye sockets.

Death swept down to the podium standing opposite Zeus, who tried to glare a faster answer.

"It's true, I have never taken a reaper of my own, I decided this time because she showed promise that most humans hadn't and those that had were already swept up by my brothers in arms."

"weak excuse, you are one of the few beings that exist across the entire space-time spectrum, being unable to recruit heroes is such a shit excuse."

"unlike you little godling, I make sure my reapers consent to my demands before I make them my reaper, you leave shattered lives and bastard children as a legacy."

Zeus' hands trembled with barely restrained rage, but his tempter held as a new god took his place, this one Death had liked much less than Zeus, in fact, he outright hated this particular god, Life put her head in her hands when she saw who was the next god.

"The Creator, All-powerful, All-knowing and All vengeful," Death growled, his hatred unfiltered.

"I see the many centuries since our last meeting hasn't lessened your ire," The Creator said, its form ever-changing.

"Whatever, get on with this ridiculous charade," Death said, turning his back to the god.

"We simply want to know if you were planning on expanding your territory, or had to gather more strength."

"What I do shouldn't be any of your business, I am only here because if I ignored you, one of you would have bothered my reaper."

"I understand your Dislike of me, but do not bring me down to their level, what you do is your business alone."

"Very well, if you antagonistic godlings really MUST know, The Human dimension that borders and is connected to its sister dimension Equestria has lost its connection to the Elements of harmony, for the time being, leaving it defenseless."

This shocked the court, and like Death had Dreaded, talk of Territory expansion was already being muttered about between the gods, almost as if they forgot he was there when the news reached them, this would not stand as the dimension has been fine without them, and it would continue to be.

Them interjecting themselves as gods into the dimension would only cause a cacophony of stupidity as well as result in the deaths of thousands if not millions, which he would not and could not abide, humans die at their own pace and he wouldn't dare let these little godlings screw that balance up.

"I FORBID YOUR EXISTENCE IN MY DIMENSION AS I CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF EVERYTHING IN IT," Death thundered over the rising chatter which caused the young gods to quiet down with a surprised silence, it is not often death claims territory, especially when the death in question is the first one.