Author's Note

This one is dedicated to a close friend of mine.

(Also, this is based on a real life dituation, the details of which I am not at liberty to discuss)

True Friendships

"She did WHAAAT??"

Applejack's astounded and incredulous voice carried very well halfway across the cafeteria. Students looked toward the girls' table with curious and disapproving stares. Applejack ignored them and stared intensely across the table.

"Rainbow Dash. Are ya tellin' me Sunset went an' tried gettin' that no good feller into our friend circle again???"

Dash gave a nod as she tilted her chair back and rubbed a hand through her tousled rainbow hair. She sighed in frustration.

"She did. And let me tell you...." she broke off and huffed.

"Ugh. Again?" Twilight sighed heavily. "I know we believe in the magic of friendship...but him...he's just so..." She stopped, unsure of what word to use.

"A lowdown, rotten, honery, stuckup idiot that deserves a swift kick up the butt?" Dash supplied helpfully in a dry tone, eyes narrowing.

"Ah second that." Applejack said, scowling fiercely."Ah'd like to take him out and show him a thing or two about messin' with our friends."

"The ruffian deserves that." Rarity put in her two cents, crossing her arms and huffing. "Imagine using Sunset's compassionate heart to try to get into our group! Hmph! The nerve!!"

"Um...he does seem...um....rude and thoughtless and um..." Fluttershy paused, looking like she was trying to decide whether to continue or not.

"And what, Fluttershy?" Dash prompted her shy friend.

"And I don't like him." Fluttershy finished softly. "He's not a true friend. To anyone."

"Except himself. That feller is more stuck up than a piece of paper stuck up with a dozen pins on the bulletin board out in the hallway." Applejack grumbled, prompting a snort from Dash and a giggle from Twilight and Rarity.

"I could just....just...."Pinkie was trying to come up with something and failing.

"You want to hit him too, huh?" Dash asked in amusement.

"No, I wanna throw cupcakes at him!" Pinkie declared indignantly."Cold, unfrosted cupcakes!!!" She crossed her arms.

The others exchanged glances at this. Pinkie was definitely mad. For her, giving anyone cold, unfrosted cupcakes was a terrible thing to do. Cupcakes should always be warm and frosted, according to her.

"So here's the thing, ya'll." Applejack looked at her friends. "What are we aimin' to do about this? This ain't the first time she's done it. Ah'm gettin' darn sick an' tired of dealin' with that....that..."

"Pathetic excuse of a human being?" Dash piped up willingly."Pitiful worm?"

"Don't insult the poor worms by comparing him to them...um...please..." Fluttershy said, almost too softly to be heard.

Twilight looked at Dash. "Does Sunset know that we all know?" She asked.

Dash shrugged. "I don't think so, no."

"Then I say we sit her down and ask her if she knows how Timber Pipsqueak got access to all our contact information." Rarity suggested.

Dash snickered. "That name fits him," she said. "Though I would call him something like dam-"

"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack quickly interjected. "Don't ya dare say it!"

Dash gave her an innocent look. "What? They use timber to build dams, don't they? So Dam Timber. That's all." Her twinkling eyes clearly indicated her words held a far different meaning...which everyone knew already anyway.

Applejack glared at Dash while Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie giggled, and Fluttershy eeped slightly. And then suddenly Pinkie leaned forward.

"Sunset incoming!!!" She hissed in a not very quiet whisper.

All the girls looked at the cafeteria door, where Sunset had just entered. Spotting her friends, she hurried towards them.

"Hey guys!" She greeted upon reaching thier table.

"Hey, Sunset." Dash replied, while the others added their quiet greetings.

Sunset looked from one face to the other, frowning in concern at the solemn looks she recieved in return.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Sunset." Applejack spoke first. "If we ask ya somethin', are ya gonna give us a straight answer?"

Sunset blinked. "Yes...? What is it?"

"Do you know how Timber Pipsqueak got all our contact info?" Dash asked.

Sunset's expression changed from one of concern to one of slight panic. She looked at each friend in turn, and was still rewarded with the same, solemn expression.

"I...he just...got the info?" She tried, lamely.

"We know that, Sunset." Twilight spoke up. "We're asking you how."

Sunset hesitated, gaze moving from one to the other rapidly, looking trapped with no way out. She hesitated too long, obviously, because Applejack gave her a hard stare.

"Don't make us do this the hard way, Sunset." She said. "Ah don't think any of us wants to."

Sunset tried to say something, failed, and clamped her mouth shut as tears filled her eyes. She knew that they knew. For a moment she looked at them, silent, not knowing what to say or do. Then she opened her mouth, drew a shuddering breath, and uttered the only words she could think of.

"I...I'm sorry."

With that, she turned and fled from the cafeteria, leaving her friends to stare after her in silent shock. It was Twilight who broke the silence first.

"Does anyone else think that went as badly I do?"

Their expressions were the only answer she needed.

**********************************

Sunset spent as much time as she could avoiding her friends. Well, most of them, anyway. The day after the incident, Dash cornered her in an empty classroom...where Sunset thought she was safely hidden. It took some doing, but Dash finally dragged out of her why she was avoiding everyone.

"I...I'm scared, to tell you the truth, Dash." Sunset admitted, eyes on the floor. "I'm afraid you all hate me. That you're mad. And you'll never trust me again."

Dash stared in amazement. "You're what now?" She asked. "We aren't mad, Sunset. I mean yeah, ok, we're annoyed and frustrated and, but its not really all at you."

Sunset forced herself to meet Dash's gaze. She tried to say something and failed, instead looking back down at the floor, misery evident on her face as tears welled up. Dash rubbed her neck and sighed. Clearly she was not getting through.

"Sunset, its ok, none of us hate you." She tried again.

Sunset merely hung her head lower and said nothing as she slowly pushed past Dash and out of the classroom. Dash huffed in frustration.

"Great. Now what?" She muttered to herself.

She needed help with this.

**********************************
Dash told her friends about the short talk with Sunset at lunch later that day. All of them felt worried about their friend.

"It's that stupid Timber Pipsqueak's fault!" Dash growled in anger.

"Indeed." The thoroughly enraged Rarity put in."I would like to give that ruffian a piece of my mind!" She scowled.

"Hey everyone."

The voice made them all glare at the newcomer standing by thier table.

"Get lost." Dash growled."Before I treat you like a soccer ball and kick you ten miles away."

"I just wanted to be friends." Timber Pipsqueak stared at them."I was hoping maybe you would talk to me. That's why I convinced Sunset to give me your info. I just wanted to talk."

"Well, we don't, so go away, ya varmint." Applejack scowled at him.

"Actually, I got something to say." Dash stood and faced him, eyes blazing."You're gonna hate what I'm gonna say, Pipsqueak, but I don't care."

The others exchanged looks and watched in curious amusement. Whatever Dash had in mind to say was going to be good.

"Ok." Timber Pipsqueak stared back at Dash.

Scowling, the infuriated athlete moved closer. "You listen good. We are sick and tired of you trying to worm your way into our circle of friends, and we're especially sick and tired of you using Sunset the way you have."

"What do you mean?" The seemingly clueless boy stared at Dash.

"You know what I mean, you lowdown, rotten, miserable excuse for a worm." Dash snarled. "Sunset is way more kind and forgiving than any of the rest of us ever could be. And we're sick of you using that to get your way. Its pathetic. You're pathetic. Leave her the heck alone, you hear me? Cause next time...you won't be walking away from this without massive amounts of pain."

"Are you guys gonna keep me blocked from calling you?"

Dash looked ready to knock him across the cafeteria. Only Twilight standing up and putting her hand on her shoulder stopped her. While Dash mumbled something under her breath, Twilight looked at Timber Pipsqueak, eyes flashing.

"Do not bother our friend again." She spoke in a nearly icy tone."And yes, you're blocked."

"Now beat it, Pipsqueak, before I decide to drag you out and beat you!" Dash growled.

"Ok. Maybe in a few months then." Timber Pipsqueak walked away, leaving the group to stare after him.

"Are. You. Kidding me?" Dash sputtered.

"Ah'm gonna find that varmint and Ah'm gonna..."Applejack muttered.

"Guys, we need to focus on the more important thing here." Twilight looked at her friends."Sunset needs us."

The others nodded in agreement and Twilight looked back at Dash.

"Since you're the only she'll talk to it seems, can you try to get her to talk to us?"

Dash sighed. "I'll do my best."

**********************************

In spite of Dash's best efforts, Sunset still did her best to avoid her friends. All of them were growing increasingly frustrated as all attempts to talk to her failed. She didn't show up at school at all on Friday, which threw the group into a panic. Dash finally got ahold of her by phone.

"Hey." Sunset's voice sounded tired and sad.

"Hey." Dash said."Uh, this is probably a stupid question, but...you ok?"

There was a long silence. Then, "No. But its hard to explain...my feelings just...have been crazy the last few days."

"You don't have to explain." Dash said."But I'll listen if you want to try."

Another long silence. "I'm really disappointed right now."

Dash thought about that. "Like how?" She asked hesitantly.

"I'm really disappointed in myself." Sunset took a breath."You know, the feeling you get when you hurt someone."

"I know the feeling." Dash replied.

"It's...you just want to hide in a hole or something and never come out.... but at the same time you want to go and apologise and beg for forgiveness and let the ones you made angry yell at you for what you did, or do whatever they want to you. But you're also afraid that they won't forgive you, and that you'll lose them as friends, so you just...would rather stay in hiding...." Sunset trailed off with a heavy sigh.

Dash was silent for a minute. "I know that feeling too." She finally admitted."It sucks."

Sunset said nothing in response, and the silence grew increasingly worrying. Just as Dash was about to say something, Sunset spoke.

"Thanks, Dash."

"You're welcome."

Another silence. Then, "Can I ask you a question?"

"What?"

"Do you trust me?"

Dash blinked and, for a moment, couldn't respond. Finally, she shook herself out of her shocked stupor.

"Of course I trust you. Completely. We all do." She said.

"But even after all I've done? I mean...I betrayed you guys. I knew how you felt, but..." Sunset broke off for a second, then finished shakily,"I really messed up."

Dash pondered this. "Everyone messes up, Sunset." she finally said."I mean, heck...I've messed up more than I want to admit. But, to borrow something Twi says, mistakes, if you learn from them, make you a better person."

Sunset sighed. "Yeah."

After another long period of silence, Dash took a breath and asked,"If I get all the girls together to tell you themselves they aren't mad, will it help?"

"I...I'm still scared." Sunset's voice quivered a little.

"Its ok. I'll be right there too."

"Well. Ok then...if you're sure..."

Dash nearly cringed at the uncertainty in Sunset's voice. "I'm sure. I'll set it up. Want to come to my house, or want us to come there to your apartment?"

"Here, I guess..."

"Ok. We'll be there in an hour."

Sunset gave a barely audible "ok" before hanging up. Dash wasted no time in calling all the girls together and telling them what happened. They all agreed to go to the apartment immediately, hoping to help Sunset see they all still cared.

She needed to know that.

*********************************

Sunset didn't even have a chance to answer the hasty knock before the door to the apartment burst open and a whirlwind of pink threw itself on her. She grunted at the massively strong hug Pinkie seemed intent to crush her with.

"Pinkie, can't....breathe..."she got out.

Pinkie loosened her hold slightly but did not let go. The others entered behind her, with Dash coming in last and shutting the door. Sunset didn't even try to dislodge Pinkie's hold on her; she knew it would do no good. She looked at the others.

"H...hey." she managed, looking nervous.

She let out a surprised grunt when she found herself crushed in a group hug. She didn't protest or pull away, instead trying to hug all of them at once.

"We aren't mad at you, Sunset." Twilight stated as the group broke apart...with the exception of Pinkie, who kept hugging Sunset's neck as if not intending to ever let go.

Sunset blinked. "B...but after what I did...I mean, I gave him your contact information...I knew you didn't want to talk to him, but...I did it anyway. It would serve me right if you never trusted me again..."

She dropped onto the couch, which didn't bother Pinkie in the slightest...she simply sat next to her and kept hugging her. Dash moved forward and sat on Sunset's other side.

"Sunset, we aren't aren't mad."she assured the other girl."We don't hate you."

"Of course not, darling."Rarity spoke up. "It was a little mistake that is over and done with. And we certainly would not be good friends if we hated you for it."

"Little?" Sunset looked incredulous. "It was...more than a little. But...I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I thought I could help, only...it didn't work. I...i'm sorry."

Dash, in a rare display of uncharacteristic affection, wrapped her arms around Sunset and hugged tightly.

"No one hates you. No one is mad. We all forgive you, I promise." She said.

Fluttershy now moved forward and sat down next to Dash, leaning forward slightly to smile reassuringly as Sunset.

"We all love you, Sunset."she said in her soft, soothing voice."We aren't mad, and we don't hate you. And we trust you."

"Completely and without question." Rarity nodded.

"Or hesitation or reserve." Twilight put in.

"Darn right we do!" Applejack stated, crossing her arms and nodding for emphasis.

"See, Sunny, we all love you!" The excited Pinkie now hugged even tighter."Everything's all okie dokie loki! No one's mad!"

Sunset looked from one to the other, seeing only smiles and the unconditional love of true friends who would never turn thier backs on you. Finally, for the first time in days, she smiled.

"I...I don't deserve friends like you..I mean, who care and look past everything...even the worst mistakes..."

"Oh but you do, Darling!" Rarity announced emphatically."You most certainly do."

The others nodded in agreement, and Sunset suddenly found herself nearly suffocated in another group hug. As she happily hugged her friends back, she thought about the week's events. Thier friendship had been tested by her actions, it was true...but it had held strong.

This knowledge brought a happy smile to Sunset's face, and she realized an important truth: true friendships could never be broken.