Like Silent Raindrops

Sound’s Silence

Sound has always been quiet. He has been since his childhood, and every teacher he’s had has learned he won’t make a sound, answering in sign language that he’s learned by taking lessons with his father. However, his mother curses about him because he’s named Sound Silence in hopes he’ll become an artist or... something when he’s older. But he never speaks a word, and his father says it doesn’t matter what he becomes because they’ll love him anyways for the choices he’s making.

His mother disagrees.

That’s fine, his mother’s approval doesn’t matter to him. All Sound wants is something to help him out with life in general because he sees people being mad left and right, and he wonders if that will happen to him. His mother still doesn’t have a clue what’s going on in her son’s life because she doesn’t care enough to ask. When Sound’s younger brother was born, he got everything from their mother.

Until cancer took him.

Sound doesn’t think he’s ever felt that lonely before in his life. He remembers seeing his brother’s warm smile, and how he took up sign language just to speak with his older brother. They talked about worries in it, and how his brother hated how mother didn’t give Sound any affection. Sound thinks his brother would’ve been proud that he saved someone from committing suicide.

When he first entered Canterlot High, he remembers seeing the Vice-Principal first, and remembers the way his eyes widen at the fact that she was almost cute. Then, another stole his heart, and he shook that weird moment off. He keeps hearing about how her eyes are beautiful.

Everyone falls apart during the two weeks before Winter Break, and it carries on until the last week of school. Sound looks into this and finds a MyStable account labeled Anon-A-Miss, and right there and then, he knows this is tearing everyone apart from their friends. Silently, he wonders if there’s a way to find who’s behind it.

He’s about to see the principals about this when he finds a girl being beat up by some students. He sees the fiery red-and-yellow hair, and his eyes harden. How could they do such a thing?

Sound has always hated violence, after all.

He finds her on the bridge one night, and his first move before she jumps is grabbing her collar and pulling her back before her legs jump off. She shits the ground with a small sound, and Sound wraps his arms around her while she cries. She keeps mumbling words that honestly sound like she was ready to die off... to kill the pain.

Sound’s heart breaks at the thought of the meaning of the words.

He takes her somewhere to spend the night before heading off.

The next day, he sees her at lunch and before school, and watches her defend herself at the table before moving in and telling the Rainbooms to head off with silent gestures. He leaves before she could get a word out to him, and he knows a part of him wishes to stay but he can’t. He doesn’t like people knowing his secret of not being able to speak.

Sound is forced to share it when he got pinned outside of Sugar Cube Corner to the Rainbooms when they asked about why he defended Sunset, and he signs it all out. Sound is about to leave when Fluttershy comes running up to him, and his heart beats silently before she tells him she knows sign language.

It ends with him telling her his name.

“Sound Silence.” He signs, his lime-green eyes holding nothing.

Fluttershy takes a moment before smiling softly. “I like your name.” she signs. “My name is Fluttershy.”

“I know, you and the other Rainbooms are quite the hit around the school. Everyone knows your name.” Sound smiles weakly while signing.

“How... how can we help Sunset?”

Sound frowns, “By being there for her, you can be with her at all times when you have time, I will stay away. I always know when to step in. But I do not know her well... you do.”

Fluttershy gave an even deeper frown, “No. You need to be with her too. I can introduce you to her. Please, Sound. Just give her a chance at knowing her. You know what she tried to do, and I think knowing her savior will do her some good.”

“... Will you be there?” Sound nervously signs, heating up.

“O-Of course I will. I am Sunset’s friend,” Fluttershy giggles while signing but she also blushes.

She leaves after a few more moments, and Sound makes his way back home. In his mind, he’s wondering how this will play out as Fluttershy has confidence that this will work when he doesn’t know Sunset, and barely knows Fluttershy herself.

What if they forget about him?

A silent tear rolls down his face, and he sobs silently. He doesn’t want to be forgotten because he’s never had any real friends because they all forgot about him. Sound knows what it feels like, and doesn’t want to go through that anymore. Not again.

But he has faith they won’t forget him.

Sound doesn’t often see people close like this. He watches as Fluttershy goes full blown with her apologies to Sunset, and hopes Sunset can forgiver her, which happens. Then, he’s introduced to Sunset herself and he watches as she waves shyly, and all he could do was wave back before Fluttershy says he’s mute. His hopes about her never finding out are gone, and he knew it would happen some day.

He knows Sunset knows it was him at the bridge to help her, and she hugs him before mumbling a thanks under her breath, and he awkwardly pats her back. Sound was never good with hugs.

Not since then...

“He says you were at a bridge,” Fluttershy said, looking down at her lap. “Is that true? Were you at a bridge, ready to jump off?”

Sunset ran a hand through her hair, “Flutters, it was not like that, I wasn’t thinking right. Yeah, he saved me, and I’m glad he did because I know I have to get to the bottom of this. Whoever is doing this, isn’t going to be let off easily.”

“Yes, that is true,” Sound signs, and the girls look at him. “They cannot get off that easily. How else are they going to take their punishment?”

“Punishment... I really do not think that word means anything anymore to anyone.” Sunset sighs. “They just care about fighting now. Now that their secrets are online.”

Sound shifts awkwardly. “Mine are not up.”

“Does anyone even know you?” Sunset asks, a bit too harsh and she quickly takes it back, “Sorry, I hope that didn’t sound as mean as I thought it did.”

Sound merely shakes his head. It didn’t. “No, because I know you would never mean something like that. Your the new you, not the old one. Even if I do not know the old Sunset Shimmer, I think I like this one really well, and have no interests in knowing the old you. What you did in the past doesn’t matter, it’s what you are now and what you’ll become.” Sound signs, looking away.

Fluttershy agrees and goes on about how they’ll get to the bottom of whoever it is, and everyone would make amends in the very end, knowing they’ve overcome another challenge... in the worst way possible. Sound silently wonders how long it is until the Rainbooms notice Fluttershy with them.

...And what they’ll do.