Chapters The alarm clock sitting by a small desk woke up Twilight Sparkle, an intelligent bookworm who was once a student of Crystal Prep, only to be transferred to Canterlot High School.
The thought of that school brought her mood down instantly, it's not that the school was just as bad as Crystal Prep, it's even worse. At least everyone there are not targeting her like her old schoolmates did, but everyone in CHS? They're targeting against each other. And it all started with... Anon A Miss.
She never experienced with how bad the incident was a while, but what she heard on the news, it's horrible. Months ago, a girl named Sunset Shimmer was framed for the amount, everyone including the Rainbooms turned against, even one of her ex best friends, Rainbow Dash, set her up with Gilda and her goons, they had beaten her up, kidnapped her and intentionally left her to die in an abandoned factory. It was only because of those boys, Snips and Snails that she was still alive right now.
It ended in a tragic way, it turned out to be the sisters of Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, the CMC. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootalo confessed to be the culprits, and Rainbow Dash confessed to be the one who send a hit on Sunset, and Gilda and her gang are doing her dirty work. And Sunset allowed them to walk away free but to accept their punishments in being the bodyguards for the CMC, and for Rainbow Dash, just to make her suffer on her own.
And Sunset was done with them for good, ever since then, she's been cold and distanced to everyone including them, but except for a few, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, Snips and Snails, and now Twilight herself. The bookworm knew the girl since the news revealed about the incident, and with the Friendship Games canceled months ago, she was down to one option to study magic around CHS despite its violent nature since Anon A Miss, ultimately leaving everything she had in Crystal Prep and transferred there. Luckily, Dean Cadence got her covered and convinced Principal Cinch for Twilight's enrollment.
Her first week in CHS was when she met the girl, when the redhead and those two boys found her snooping around by the dark alleyway, looking for magic. And as time went on, she learned more about Sunset's history, especially the fact that she came from a magical pony world called Equestria, and to her early years in this world as a bully, and her defeat at the hands of the Rainbooms and her equestrian counterpart, saving everyone from the Dazzlings known as the sirens, and until Anon Miss.
Sometime ago, she even befriended the Rainbooms and learned their own perspectives about the incident, and the regrets they've been carrying ever since. As far as she saw, the people in this school are not bad people, sort of, they're just people who got so angry that they even resorted surprised violent attacks on one another out of hate, but deep down she knew they also regret for their part on burning hate on Sunset a lot, they just let their anger took over them to make up their mistakes.
At least Sunset and the Rainbooms are not pressuring her to hang out with either of them from time to time, even if they did, what's the point? Sunset was not a bad person anymore to do that, and the Rainbooms don't want to make themselves even worse than they are right now if they pressured Twilight to stay with them and not Sunset. So Twilight made an agreement that she can hang out with the Rainbooms if Sunset was not with her, the same can be said for Sunset without the Rainbooms on her side.
Enough dwelling on that for now, she should get ready for school. So she got up, finished her shower, get dressed and headed to Sugarcube Corner for breakfast.
Twilight crossed over one street away from the shop, every day, she expected either Sunset or the Rainbooms to be in there, or sometimes herself. The shop itself was almost empty since the incident ended, it seems not only the CMC's actions affected the student body but also the world. She didn't expect that this would affect everyone in Canterlot.
She pushed the door open at a soft pace and found the only customers of this shop she would expect, the Rainbooms. And as expected, they haven't smiled to bring light in the dark atmosphere, they only smiled when she was around, but Twilight knew they're just making her feel welcomed and comfortable. Yes, they made a terrible mistake, but she knew they're not bad people.
"Hey girls," her voice brought her with glances and instant warm smiles from the five girls as Fluttershy and Dash move over for Twilight to sit next to them.
"Morning darling," Rarity greeted, even her fake tone almost made her sound obvious that she's depressed about what happened, but at least it's still nice to see Twilight.
"Morning Rarity," Twilight nodded. Thoughts ran through her mind to know what to say to brighten the mood a little. "So," she clasped her hands together. "Is anyone up for a big test next week?"
Rainbow finished up her drink and let out a loud groan. "Really? Do you bring that up now? Especially that I'm still feeling suck even to this day?" She exaggerated.
"What Rainbow Dash means darling," Rarity said, giving Dash a brief glare before glancing to the bookworm. "is that she was dreading about this test and I'd be the same right now but not in the way how Rainbow dreads on it."
Twilight frowned, she can easily see it through them. It's been months since she transferred to their school, it shouldn't be too obvious at now at this point. They've been like this since she met them, sure it's just to make them feel welcomed but their actions with Anon A Miss still haunts them that they pushed their own guilt and feelings aside for her sake.
After a moment of silence, Twilight gathered up the courage to talk about them being like this whenever she's with her. "Okay, girls, I have to stop you right there. I can see how you've been hiding your guilt about what happened whenever I was around. I can understand that since you wanted me to feel accepted."
The girls sighed in defeat. They knew they couldn't this up much longer, they don't want to burden Twilight with their misdeeds, especially this is not the Twilight they knew. But this is still Twilight,
Appejack's smile faltered but she spoke up, "We know, Twilight. We don't want to failed yah as a friend like we did with Sunset. It's not just that," she looked away. "We missed her so much."
Pinkie lay her head down on the table with a sad expression. "Even though she's still in the same school with us, it is still not the same anymore. Whenever we saw by unlikely chances, I'm reminded of how I took her smile away and everything else that followed."
Rarity looked over at the window. The memory of ditching Sunset that day brought back with pain in her heart. "I can't call myself generous if I never let her speak her side of the story."
"And I can't call myself Loyalty if I ever did something so horrible to Sunset," Rainbow moped, placing her hands on her face, couldn't bare to replay that memory where she had Gilda to come after Sunset. And how her actions would've caused if Sunset never survived that night.
Twilight watched her friends moping, she's been helping them and Sunset to move on from this mess, and she did tried to bring everyone back together like her princess did once before. But far as she knew, this was severe than before with Sunset as a school bully.
"Look girls," Twilight began. "I appreciated how you made feel at home since I got here, but we all know you're pushing your own feelings aside." The girls lowered their heads down, but Twilight continued, "And I've been helping you girls and Sunset move on from that mess, but the thing is though," she stopped for a quick moment. "I'm not an expert in a situation like this. I never had a friend back in Crystal Prep, I'm not an expert in friendship like my equestrian double does."
"But sugarcube, yah did everything yah can to help us to move on from that," Applejack told her. "Even though it's hard, yah still did. Like yah even help Sunset as her body recovers, and yah help me measure some wood thanks to yer' amazing mathematic skills."
"You offered to be my new fashion model when trying new threads I made," Rarity added, smiling at that memory.
"Pinkie looked up to her. "You even helped me made Lily Pad smile when I couldn't smile on my own anymore."
"You assisted me to take care of the animals," Fluttershy said.
"And you agreed to let me teach you some football skills," Rainbow chuckled.
But Applejack frowned again. "But Twilight, ah, don't mean to be offensive but it's just that," she paused, knowing it's hard to say what she's meaning to. "Yah just reminded us of a very friend that we failed, and we don't want fail yah too. When Sunset spends time with us and how helpful she was since the Battle of the Bands, it reminded us that so much whenever yah gave yer time for us. And we're afraid we might make a mistake and we'll lose yah."
Twilight grabbed her hands for support. "I know, that's why I can understand why you have to put your fake smiles on whenever I'm around. But Sunset wouldn't want you girls lying to me saying you're alright, I wouldn't like that too. I keep you girls posted to know how she's doing, and I could tell her that you're lying to me saying you're alright and all, but I wouldn't. Because I get it, you don't want to burden me with your regrets, and you want things to go back the way it used to be. Now I admit it, I also wished things went back to how they were even I was never here to see it. And I dreamed of it every day."
The girls looked at her in silence. She's right, no more putting on fake smiles and pushing their guilt away. It would make them feel worse deep inside and they'll never move on.
"Yer' right, Twilight," AJ said, "Maybe it's about time we should be honest about what we're feeling right now but do our best to be the friends we never were for Sunset." The others nodded, agreeing with her.
Twilight now smiled and let go of her hands. "Thanks Applejack. That's all I needed to hear."
"Well, if we're about to move on, how about we should end this topic and get ready for school?" Rarity politely suggested.
The bookworm nodded. "I like the sound of that."
But before they go, a brick flung into the window, shattering it to pieces, but after adopting impressive reflexes and instinct skills, Rarity caught the brick without even looking before the hard object collided with the former athlete's head. Of course it's one of their vengeful classmates again who kept doing this to her if it weren't for Rarity.
"Monster!"
"Traitorous bitch!"
Rainbow breathe heavily, nearly being hit by a brick. Again. If Rarity was never here, how can she know someone will throw bricks at her at any moment?
Twilight shook her head. "They're still throwing bricks at you?"
Ever since Rainbow Dash's involvement with Sunset's kidnapping got out, she just got the worse of it from everyone. Everyone cornering her in every hallway whenever she's alone, calling her 'monster', 'traitorous bitch', and 'Rainbow menace'. Throwing bricks of every place she's in, destroying her locker, it was worse than what Sunset went through since the Fall Formal. There are times she thought about suicide and wishing to just stay in prison, she never considered suicide, it was a random thought.
In depression, she sighed and lowered her head. "It was more than I deserved..." she muttered. "Hell, I've been rejected from becoming Valedictorian upon graduation."
"Same can be said for half of the school," AJ added.
Twilight frowned. Despite their conversation, she really wished if there's a way for her to undo the casualties the CMC had caused. If only...
"Seriously Rarity, how did yah just did that?" Applejack wondered.
Rarity set the brick down and gave her a confident gaze. "I developed a very impressive reflexes and instincts, darling, remember how I used to catch hard objects from being thrown to Sunset ever since the Fall Formal? Outside of school, I knew every, possible angle where anyone can throw objects from."
"Well, that was mighty impressive especially when yer not even looking," AJ commented.
Another brick flung into what's left of the shattered window, only for Rarity to intercept it with her other hand. And again, she doesn't need to look. She kept her eyes on AJ while intercepting the object.
Having enough of this, Rarity stood up and threw the two objects out of the window before storming out. "Let's all leave now before word got out that Rainbow Dash was here."
Not wanting to have more bricks being thrown to Dash soon, they went stood up and followed Rarity to the exit. And once they went out, they kept their eyes peeled for any of their vengeful schoolmates throwing another object against the rainbow haired. They could throw fire bottles at her for all they knew.
For Twilight, once they get to school, she'll be meeting Sunset to see how she's been doing. She hoped she did everything she can to help Sunset recover.
Author's Note
So, yeah, I've been thinking about this fic when I thought the new Spider-Man movie and the forgetting spell reminds me of the Memory Stone. And then when it comes to Forgotten Friendship and Anon A Miss , I began to think about Dainn's version of Anon A Miss .
So then, I pieced all the three stories together into one, brainstorming, Anon A Miss aftermath fic.
And if you're wondering, no, this does not took place sometime or after my other Anon A Miss fic, The Alternative, that has been put on hiatus unfortunately. I'm sorry about that. This is a different universe where it deals the aftermath of Anon A Miss, much like The Alternative does, but this fic is where it deals with an even bigger problem that involves with magic. Well, when reading this, you obviously know what that is.
Anyway, I haven't written for a while now, so after all that thinking and planning, I feel like this fic was ready for a go. I'm still currently working on, Mane Mothers, Equestria Girls: Wondercolt Soccer of Friendship, and also The Alternative . I hope I have time to continue these. I should see if I do.
Anyway, see ya'll. Stay coolio. Peace.
When they made it to school and went inside, and as expected, the hallways are empty, almost. This had been this way ever since the Anon A Miss incident, and Twilight saw its condition herself since she transferred here.
Twilight turned her head to the girls. "We might as well part ways before class starts," she began. "I need to check on... you know who." She whispered in the last sentence.
They knew who she's talking about, so they give her a nod without a word. "Oh, of course, darling," Rarity agreed. "You go on now, we'll take care of Rainbow Dash here."
Twilight nodded in return. "Okay, and as usual, I'll keep you girls posted of Sunset's condition."
"Sure thing, Twi," AJ replied. "See yah later."
After waving goodbye, Twilight went through the front hallway where would Sunset and the Rainbooms used to meet for band practice. As went by, she finally saw a couple of her schoolmates and as usual, they're giving each other the cold shoulder. But at least they're also nice to her, but it's only a matter of time until someone snaps and attacks anyone whether she's there to see it or not.
But she tried her best not to think about it and hoped everything will be okay. As she gets closer to the room, she heard soft sounds of guitar strings flowing to her ears. Sunset must play her guitar. The sounds gets louder as she gets closer to the band room, she pushed the door open to find instead of the redhead playing guitar, but teaching Snips and Snails playing the acoustic guitar.
"And there," Sunset finished adjusting Snips' fingers into a certain position of the strings. "Now that right there is C. Now strum your guitar while keeping the C in place." She instructed him.
So Snips strum his guitar with his right hand while holding the C form with his left-handed fingers. The guitar made a slightly different sound than when he puts his fingers in a G form a few minutes ago. After a few strums, stopped and gave her a confident smile.
"You're actually right, boss, playing guitar feels good," he said.
Sunset smiled back at him. "Yes, it feels good and fun if you have enough practice," she said and turning back to Snails. "So Snails, how's your A form going?"
Snails kept his fingers in placed. "Yeah, it looks good. And if this is A, should I just strum three strings?"
Sunset nodded. "Yes, so sound gives some life into it."
"Oh, make sense." He then noticed Twilight coming by. "Oh, and boss, Twilight's here."
Sunset smiled at that name. While she's not the Twilight Sparkle she knew back in Equestria, she's still Twilight. She was glad that she stopped her from messing with magic she doesn't understand the day she showed up, had she not convinced Twilight to stop her investigation, then who knows what would've happen. Maybe if one of them might have died.
"Twilight Sparkle," Sunset said with delight. Turning around to face the girl in front of, the horrible scar on her cheek was getting better at this point.
Twilight returned the smile. "Sunset, I see you started teaching them how to play guitar."
"Yes, I thought they need to learn something even if they don't want to start a band on their own," Sunset replied. "I could teach you too."
"Thanks but I'll have to pass," Twilight said as they sit together in a bleacher with the boys. "I'm more interested to see how you've been doing lately."
Sunset smiled with the warmth of feeling tingling. Sure, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, Snips and Snails helped her with her recovery but Twilight was the one who gave her most of the hospitality she needed. She may not be a doctor, but she knows the fractions, the symptoms, and also treatment to all of that.
"As much as I have my real friends here, especially you, I appreciated the hospitality, Twilight," Sunset said gratefully.
"Oh, I'm just doing what I can to ensure you recover," Twilight told her. "The news did said you were hurt pretty bad." She just realized what she said and immediately regret it. "No wait! I didn't mean to-!"
Sunset held a hand to silence her. "Twilight, it's fine," she said calmly. "I just don't want to be reminded of that..."
Twilight sighed. "I know..." she whispered. "And right now, I want to check on you first before class."
Sunset just shrugged. "Okay then, Doctor Twi, " she grinned at the nickname she gave her.
"And you two can rest your fingers for now. We'll have class soon." She told them. So they put their guitars back in their cases.
"So," she looked over her condition. "How's your head?"
"Honestly, it's getting better now. Especially this scar."
"Good. How's your ribcage?"
"Getting better."
"Have you eaten your greens every day?"
"I'm a vegetarian. I don't eat meat."
"I'd have to check your heartbeat but I unfortunately forgot to bring the stethoscope."
"It's fine."
Twilight lift her right leg up. "So, how's your leg? Still functioning as normal?"
Sunset nodded, "Yep. I'm getting better already."
Twilight puts her leg down. "Good, but remember, if you feel anything weird or out of the ordinary, or both, te-"
"Tell you right away, I got it," Sunset chuckled. "Seriously, Twi, you don't need to remind me the same thing repeatedly."
"Well, excuse me for being so concerned for your condition and mental health," Twilight excused. "And I take it that you're still..."
"Traumatized?" Sunset finished. "Yes, I am. But I don't want to talk about it."
"Right," Twilight agreed. Checking the time on her digital watch. "I think we should get going for class. Are you ready?"
Sunset stood up, "Yes, let's go. Snips, Snails, come on."
So the four went out of the band room and make their way for their first morning class. They passed by a group of students stopped glaring at each other and instead gave Sunset very remorseful looks. Ever since her return to this school after the holidays, the school board agreed to give her plenty of space, and never interacted with her, even if they want to see if she's okay or not.
Sunset just scoffed at them and keep going. Snips and Snails kept their guard up to make sure nobody tries to bother her, and Twilight herself can see how regretful they are but she couldn't point a finger to say anything to them.
But as if ignoring them isn't bad enough, a certain blue colored student with white stylish hair and sports a black crop top, and lime sports shorts spotted the redhead walking by, not wanting to waste the chance, the girl caught up with them and stopped in front of their tracks. Much to Sunset's dismay.
Sunset narrowed her eyes at her unwanted bystander. "Night Glider." That venomous tone sends shiver down the athlete's spine.
Night Glider gulped and hold herself together from attempting to run. "H-hey S-Sunset," she stuttered, it's making her feel embarrassing.
"What do you want, Night Glider?" Sunset blurted out, making the girl dead nervous than she is just now.
"L-look, I know what we did was fucked up," she tried her best to explain. "But c'mon, there's gotta be at least something any of us could do to make it up to you. So I thought, "Maybe I should check up on you," you know?" She gave her a nervous grin.
Sunset raised her eyebrow. "Really? That's the best you could do? Pathetic." That word stung the athlete really good.
"Sunset," Twilight tapped her shoulders. "Come on, we should just keep going."
"She's right, boss," Snips said. "We should just ignore everyone else like usual."
"No, wait!" Night stopped them, random thoughts playing in her head, pondering on what to possibly offer. Until then, it clicked her head. "Why don't you read my book?"
Sunset gave her a bored look. "Since when you started making books?"
"Ever since Anon A Miss," she answered. "It usually involves things that happened around me since last Christmas, and everything else that followed, especially that involves you. Then check it," she pulled out her book from her satchel. The cover has a full moon on the upper left corner and down below is the book's title. "Check out NightPoint."
Sunset rolled her eyes at the book. "Not interested." That icy tone hurt Night even more. Sunset ignored that hurtful look and walked away, with the other three following her.
But the athlete still has something to say before they disappear into the crowd. "It's on Sale, you can find them on the internet!"
"No, Sunset, wait!" That familiar voice just made Night's mood even worse. Knowing who that girl is.
The girl was too late to catch up when Sunset and the other three are no longer in the crowd but the girl was not letting up.
"You can ignore her silly book and go read my book! " The blue curly-haired girl bragged, pulling out a book with a few clouds as its cover art. "This one's called HighPoint."
Night gave her a hard shove. "Hey, get lost, High Winds!" She sneered.
High Winds returned the gesture but even harder. "No, you get lost! I made this book first! And stop stealing my thing!"
"No, you're stealing my thing!" Night growled.
"You snooze, you lose, bitch!" High Winds pressed even further.
Night shoved her hard, knocking her to the ground. "Cock-sucking whore!"
Anger boiled in the girl's veins, she kicked Night Glider in the kneecap with a strong kick, making the white-haired girl screamed in agony. "Tit-fucking slut!" High shouted.
****
But Sunset and the others are already lone gone before the two athletes started fighting, as they're farther enough to even hear the commotion back there. But even if they do, Sunset wouldn't care.
Just as they're almost to their first class, which was close to the trophy case, they came across with other unwanted bystanders on their path. Much to Sunset's frustration. It was Fleetfoot, Soarin, and Spitfire. They're both looking over some trophies in the trophy case and also whispering.
"Are you sure you got that in place?" Soarin whispered to either of the two.
"Yeah, I got it down, alright," Spitfire whispered back.
"I don't know, that small piece looks like it's out of place," Fleetfoot pointed out.
Spitfire groaned. "Okay, just give me another two minutes."
Soarin turned to look back and was surprised to see Sunset. He quickly regroup and warned them, "Guys, Sunset's here!"
"Already?!" Spitfire cried in surprised.
They immediately turned around and keep their smiles up as best as they can.
"Sunset Shimmer," Spitfire began, keeping her tone sound convincing as possible. "We are so honored to see you here."
Sunset gave her an icy stare. "What's all this about?"
Soarin cleared his throat. "Well, you came in just about time to see what's in the trophy case. It's something that makes you feel special."
Fleetfoot picked up a bouquet of red roses and added. "And also a beautiful gift."
"The Wondercolts helped put all these together," Spitfire claimed.
Soarin gave her a confused look. "No, you did it." He pointed out.
Spitfire shrugged. "Okay, I took part in this a little but the rest also did their own part."
"No, you did most of the work," Soarin claimed.
"I did, but not everything on my own," she denied.
"Nah, you did everything."
"Will you two quit bickering?" Fleetfoot hissed at them, before returning their welcoming attitudes to Sunset. "So anyway, what do you think?"
Sunset maintain her deadly stare on the three athletes and studied the trophy case. Most of the trophies have designs with her faces on them, there are also old photos of Sunset crowned as Fall Formal queen three times, even small artwork of Sunset standing gracefully by the grassy field, and one shows Sunset laying sideways on the beach with a seductive stare. And there's also a paper hanging in between the two trophies that contains a poem that says nice things about Sunset.
Sunset was unfazed by all the designs of her, she gazed back to them with a weary stare. Fleetfoot gulped and mustered all the courage to gift her with these roses.
"So um..." she said with difficulty. "To make things even better, I got you a gift by myself." She nervously reach out the roses to Sunset.
Sunset bored her eyes on the roses showing no interest of them. "Red roses?" She questioned her. "Really?"
Fleetfoot gave her a nervous smile. "The truth is... I'm... I'm... gay..." she whispered at the last part.
"Uhm, Anon A Miss exposed that about you," Soarin whispered to her.
"I don't want to hear about it!" She snarled at him and turned back to Sunset. "But the actual truth is..." she gulped again, resisting the urge to shut up. "I really liked you since the Battle of the Bands and...I never knew your Anon A Miss..."
Sunset was taken aback by this but keeps her cold nature. "Say what?"
"It's true!" She reasoned with her. "Even back when you're a bully, I'd never thought you'd make yourself so obvious! You always hid your involvement of those bad things, but nothing like Anon A Miss!" She took a moment of silence before continuing. "I wan to be on your side but I'm too scared to even stood up for you. It gets worse when Anon A Miss exposed my secret that I'm gay and all, at least Soarin and Spitfire never disown me for that, but got angry with Anon A Miss. So I thought about giving you something to cheer you up, so I bought these roses."
"You've been keeping them for a long time?" Twilight asked her.
Fleetfoot nodded. "Yeah, and the thing is though," she stared sympathetically at Sunset. "I bought them the same day when you... you... you know..." She couldn't bring herself to bring that up.
Sunset kept her gaze at her. She knew what Fleetfoot was talking about. So she let her continued.
"When the assembly came out, not only the CMC are found out to be Anon A Miss but also how Rainbow Crash set you up with Gilda and her goons, and what they did to you, I...I thought I was too late," and soon, tears formed in her eyes. "At first I thought I was but the second they mentioned you survived I was relief." She glances down at her roses. "And months after that, I couldn't bring myself to give you these, thinking that I'm desperate for your forgiveness. But it's not like that, and when Spitfire came up with the idea with the trophy, it gave me the chance to give these to you."
Sunset stared down at the red roses extending to her reach. After a little moment of thinking, she slowly accepted the roses.
"While I don't know what to feel or think about you, Fleetfoot but I appreciated your honesty," Sunset said with no emotion. "But, it wouldn't matter anyway if you stood up for me. You'll be beaten and taken to the abandoned factory alongside me. And what if you're not lucky enough to survive that?"
Fleetfoot was shocked to hear that, not realizing what would've happened if she stood by her. If she did, would she also survived all that with Sunset? Or would she take the worse beating from Gilda than what Sunset got? Would she be killed first before Sunset?
"Don't overthink about it," Sunset advised, and turned back to the other with an icy glare. "And as for you two, it takes more than that to make up for being one of the worst offenders of Anon A Miss." She rolled her eyes at them and return her gaze to Fleetfoot. "And I'm unfortunately don't have the same feelings as you have for me."
Fleetfoot was heartbroken to hear that, but even if Anon A Miss never happened, she knew Sunset wouldn't be interested in her.
"Alright, I understand." She whispered.
Without a word, Sunset went on her way with her friends followed her from behind. The Wondercolts stared back with sadden looks, as they watched them making their way to their class.
"Welp, all that hard work we put through was for nothing," Spitfire said in disappointment.
"Again, that was you who did all of it," Soarin pointed out.
As the bell rings the second they entered into their classroom, Twilight took her seat next to Sunset with the boys sat behind them. And as usual, cold stares and whispers are given against each other, even the teacher's words aren't enough for them to stop. She made a mental self-note saying that she must find a way to fix all of this.
If only...
Time Travel Isn't an Option
Twilight weave through the hallways moments after the bell rang. And as usual, seeing her classmates being in each other's throats always makes her feel uncomfortable, it's even worse than being treated as a black sheep in Crystal Prep. She parted ways with Sunset to use the restrooms and regroup with her afterwards to discuss their project they're assigned to do by the end of the week.
When she made it to her destination, she stopped when two familiar people standing by the door. Yes, it was none other than the horrible offenders of Anon A Miss; Lightning Dust and Gilda.
What she heard, they're the same people who beaten and kidnapped Sunset to the abandoned factory to intentionally left her to die. They, alongside Rainbow Dash and the CMC, would've faced time in juvie if it weren't for Sunset's mercy that they're still here. Twilight's lucky that Sunset vouched for her that she'll never get them on their bad side. Knowing how Gilda and the others can do such a thing makes her feel scared and worried.
Knowing their job is to protect the CMC, and seeing them guarding the restrooms would mean that any of the middle schoolers could be in there.
No point in letting her fear of them getting in her way, Twilight walked over to the door but stopped when their murderous gaze met hers filled with instant fear.
"I take it some of them are in there, correct?" Twilight asked after breaking the silence.
Gilda huffed. "Yeah, that's a good guess." That cold tone made Twilight flinched, but that was expected.
"Are you going to let me pass...?" She spoke meekly. But they just glared at her without answering her question. So she pressed further, "Look, I never had a problem with any of you since I came here, and I was never here when the incident happened." She pointed out.
They rolled their eyes in response, but they gave in. Understanding the gestures, Twilight head inside. When she closed the door behind her, she heard a familar voice suddenly shouted. "Ah'm coming! Ah'm coming!"
Twilight startled at the sudden noise but recoiled when knowing exactly who that was, followed by the sound of water flushing into the toilet.
"Uhm... Apple Bloom?" She called. "It's just me, Twilight Sparkle."
The sound of the girl's voice made the middle schooler calmed down. "Oh, okay. Ah'll be out in a second."
The bathroom stall opened to find the girl with a tired look in her eyes. Even though the CMC had Gilda and her group protecting them, it was still bad enough they had to be taken care of by the same people who nearly killed Sunset. Every day since their return, they had to stick with them while they stay on guard to make sure anyone never put harm on the three girls. And they never stop this constant fear and worry threatening them as they stay on their side, every night they suffered nightmares of them being tortured by Gilda and her gang behind Sunset's back. And Sunset wasn't there to send them to jail for breaking their part of the deal.
Twilight can see the state she's in, not physically but mentally. That's what she can tell. It's written all over the girl's face.
"Are you okay?" Twilight's voice was full of concern.
Apple Bloom bitterly chuckled. "Of course not," she winced, instantly regretting responding with that tone. "Sorry, ah've been feeling miserable lately."
"Yes, I know," Twilight said with a whisper as she watched the girl sat back against the closed door and letting out a sigh of despair. Twilight sat next to her to bring her some closure. "How miserable are you?"
"A lot," Apple Bloom answered, not bothering to look back at her. "Ah know ah deserved it but..." she finally looked up to her. "Ah'm tired," she vented. "ah'm tired of feeling this way. Ah'm tired of this constant fear when ah'm with Gilda and her accomplices, paranoid to think that they'll do something behind Sunset's back, even if they did, they'd go to jail. But that doesn't help because all ah knew was that they'll jump me, Sweetie, and Scootalo at any moment now. This was why I intentionally stall them to a few minutes in here, just to feel safe." She lowered her head down. "But again, ah know ah deserved."
Twilight looked at her with empathy, she did not know how bad the girl went through. "Why didn't you tell Sunset about this? Why can't you have your sister to monitor you?"
Apple Bloom shook her head. "No, we tried that, we even begged her but she refused. Saying that they're perfect for the job than our sisters would do, saying if they just give time for us, or tell them how lonely we felt, none of this would've happen." She rested her hands on her face, hiding herself from what she had done, the memories of her creating Anon A Miss, making Sunset's life miserable, and her actions came back and bitten her, and all those nightmares she had every night. "Ah, just want my suffering to end..." she whimpered.
"Ah wish ah I can go back and stop myself from making that horrible mistake..."
When she said something like that clicked in Twilight's head. She couldn't put a finger on how Bloom's words gave her an idea, but it gets clearer when she stared up at her reflection in the mirror, the more she stared herself, the more she realized there's someone with magic who could've held some sort of spell that involves with time.
Wearing that hopeful smile on her face, she lay a hand on Bloom's shoulder. "I think I know something," the girl looked up to her. "I don't know if it's possible but I have to at least try. Just hang in there, Apple Bloom. You can do that, right?" The pre-teen nodded in reply, unsure on what the bookworm had in mind.
"Okay, ah guess..." Bloom said with uncertainty.
Twilight nodded in determination. "You can count on me."
Two minutes after her run-in with Apple Bloom and her "bodyguards," Twilight exited the main building and was on her way to the Wondercolt Statue. This was the surefire of Sunset's home, Equestria. The last time she was here was two months ago, after Starlight's first visit to the human world. She invited her and Sunset to Equestria for a day, and remembered how Twilight herself freaked out when she turned into a pony for the first time. She smiled at the memory but right now, she'll have an important visiting to do with Princess Twilight.
Remembering how they went in, Twilight took a deep breath, closed her eyes and engulfed into the statue....
*****
Twilight landed head first into the bookshelf, crashing into it. Adding with a pile of books landing on her head with stars spinning around her head. She shook them off and helped herself off of these books, it'd be a shame to leave them here like this. Remembering how ponies walked, Twilight sets down correctly how they walk or trot. And remembering how to use her horn for the first time, she levitated the books back into their proper place on the bookshelf as neatly as good. Now that's taken care of, time to pay her double a visit.
It didn't take her long to find the throne room considering she took time to study the castle's structure a while back. She opened the doors to find five ponies around the room mopping the floor, she never met these ponies before but if she read them right, they must this world's version of the Rainbooms. If Sunset sees them during their visit, then who knows what she'll do?
Twilight cleared her throat and began, "Uhm, hi."
The Mane five stopped and stared at her, they all look confused all of a sudden.
"Twilight?" Applejack began, putting her mop down. "How did ya get there? Ah thought yer helping Starlight and Spike to fix those shattered windows?"
"And what's with the glasses?" Rainbow added, hovering above the table.
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie popped up behind her, startling the human turned pony. "No, sillies! This must be the Twilight from Sunset's world! You know, the Twilight that our Twilight talks about!" She let out a wide grin across her face.
Rarity sighed in relief. "Oh, that explains with the glasses and the lack of wings. For a second there, I thought something must've happened that says a lot about you being demoted."
Wanting to know more of her, Rainbow flew towards her. "So anyways, what brings you here?" She asks. "Oh, try not to slip, this place has liability insurances, although we're almost done, anyway."
Twilight looked around at the mess that had taken place, which was almost taken care of. "Did something happen here?"
AJ set the mop down and wiped her forehead. "Yep, not than a few hours ago, a storm blasted through, all because of somepony who was lazy to do her part of the weather jobs," she narrowed her eyes at Dash.
"But I thought the other Pegasus had gotten that taken care of," Rainbow objected, crossing her hooves.
"You even put Derpy to take care of all of it," Applejack pointed out. "And not that ah'm saying ah'm blaming her for being... her, but it didn't work out and now this."
Just then, the opposite doors opened to reveal, Spike, Starlight, and their Twilight trotting back to the group.
"Well, we got windows fixed," Spike declared.
"Yep, it only took some spell casting to put them all back together," Starlight agreed.
When they lay eyes on human Twilight from the other side of the room, they were surprised to see her again. Especially Princess Twilight.
"Oh, other me, it's good to see you again," Princess Twilight said with delight, feeling all good to see her double again. "I'm sorry about this mess we're having right now," she turned to her friends. "Is everypony almost done?" They nodded in reply. "Good."
'Oh, I like her,' Twilight thought with a smirk across her face. "It's good to see you again, Princess." She replied. "And don't worry about it, I just came anyway."
"Well, if you're here for a chat, of course I have time to discuss matters with you," she replied. "If everypony is done, let's all sit together in the throne table. I'm sure my double has something to share with us."
Rainbow nodded. "Eh, well I got nothing to do after this, so I like the sound of that."
"Oh, splendid, I would love to hear how the mirror world works," Rarity agreed, putting her things back into her saddlebag. "I'd also love to know what threads her world has there."
"Uhm, I'm afraid that's not what we'll be discussing," Twilight dejected, "It's something important I need to talk about."
"Well then, let's all have a seat and we'll hear it," Applejack said.
When they all get a seat of their own in the throne table, they waited patiently for Twilight to speak up about why this matter was important to talk about. After a moment of silence, she finally spoke up, "Look, I don't want to spoil the mood around here but what we're talking about here is important."
"Ah, take it that it must be some sort of friendship problem?" Applejack asked.
"Kind of, but that's not about it," she turned to her double up front. "Princess, ever since Anon A Miss, everyone's lives had been... messed up lately. And, it hasn't been better months later."
Hearing that name made everyone's smiles fell. Princess Twilight, for instance knew very well of the incident, she's the only who believed Sunset when it started, and she's been keeping in touch with her ever since the assembly. For the mane five, they were shocked and ashamed by their variants for ditching a friend like that, even Rainbow Dash was furious with her other self for doing such thing that she nearly went through the portal and Twilight had to shut it down for a while until she calmed down. It was like the Gabby Gums incident but even worse when someone nearly got killed. When they told the full story to Starlight, she was also shocked and saddened as well.
"Yes, I am very aware of that," Princess Twilight said with emptiness in her voice. "What about it?"
Twilight took another moment before she replied, "I know this place is full of magic and all, although I'm not sure if it's entirely possible but, maybe if you have some sort of time spell so you can help me go back just so that Apple Bloom never resorted to Anon A Miss?"
Princess Twilight frowned, and staring at her in silence. Did she hear her right? Did she just asked for a time spell just prevent Anon A Miss?
"Twilight," she began, "I had to stop Starlight from disrupting the sonic rainboom so many times and put me through many alternate timelines, you want me to do it again because things had been messy in your world?"
"It's not just about me, nor Sunset, nor the Rainbooms, nor the CMC, but also for everyone," Twilight reasoned with her. "Half the school was rejected from becoming valedictorian upon graduation, the teachers are on the verge of losing their jobs by the end of this school year, everyone in town especially my old school sees CHS a school that was not meant to be trusted or whatever they've been saying. Well, you get the picture."
"I'm sorry," The princess shook her head. "I'm afraid that time travel isn't an option to what happened..."
"But why it's not a solution?" Rainbow questioned her. "Look, all she has to do is go back and convince Apple Bloom why framing Sunset is never worth it, then Anon A Miss never happen. Problem solve."
"You don't know what will change the future if you did something in the past," Princess Twilight pointed out.
Rainbow shrugged, "She'll just have to convince Apple Bloom to not do it, and that's it."
Starlight thought carefully about this. "I hate to break it to you, Twilight, but I think that could've solved their problems real quick." She turned to the double. "Just give me a preference of the date before it started, and then I'll send you back there."
"No, we're not using that spell again," Princess Twilight denied. "The last thing we need is to make another problem in the present if we made a mistake in the past."
"Or how about bring Sunset here before she got jumped by jerk me and the others?" Rainbow suggested.
"Ah dunno," AJ objected. "Wouldn't bringing Sunset here before the moment she got ambushed would mean that she never got jumped but rather went missing many months later? And besides, how good would that do if we just bring her here before the ambush?"
Rainbow was stunned at that valid point. "Oh... I didn't think about that."
"Or why don't we just go back and tell the girls they're making a big mistake abandoning Sunset?" Spike suggested while scratching his head.
"I got it!" Rainbow beamed up. "We were told that my jerk self had Gilda to do her dirty work, how about instead we go back and find baby Gilda, and you know...?" She made gestures suggesting they should strangle Gilda with a rope.
Understanding the gesture, everypony gasped in horror. "Rainbow Dash! That's horrible!" Rarity scowled.
"It's Gilda," she replied.
Princess Twilight recoiled and gave her a firm look. "No, we're not going that far. Ever. "
"Besides, if yah do that, then yer no better than yer double," Applejack lectured her.
Rainbow slumped back into her seat. "Good point..." she muttered.
Twilight sighed and suggested, "Wouldn't be just easier to send me back to before it started, and then I'll convince Apple Bloom not to destroy Sunset's life?"
Starlight turned her. "Yeah, that sounds way easier, but they are still many ways how we can do this. If that doesn't work, we'll have to send you to any point during Anon A Miss and see what you can to prevent further casualties," she thought about another solution. "Like help Sunset convince them even further that she's not the culprit."
"Or we can just take the CMC forward in time and make them see how their actions had affected the future?" Rainbow asked.
"Again, if we take them to the future, then they would've been missing for months," Applejack stated.
"Is that how time travel works?" Fluttershy wondered, her soft voice barely made a volume in the throne room.
"Of course it does!" Pinkie answered, gleefully bouncing her chair. "I visited that other world last week, and the other me showed me these awesome moving pictures they called them "movies", and here's plenty of examples I learned about time travelling that those 'movies' deals with! There's Star Trek, Terminator, Back to the Future, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Hot Tub Time Machine, Source Code, Time Cop, Wrinkle in Time, X-Men, and Harry Potter. Basically, every one of those moving picture thingies that deals with time travel!" She let out an even wider grin than earlier.
The girls are perplexed at her excessive rambling, none of them had a thought to say about her experience in the human world. Nor bringing themselves to ask why did she bothered to travel to the mirror world. But as they knew, she's Pinkie Pie.
Starlight recovered from her reaction and stated, "Hmm, Starswirl's spell deals with the Dynamic Time logic. Basically means whatever you do in the past, your actions becomes a greater impact of your future."
"Like all those attempts you disrupted the sonic rainboom," Twilight recalled, and realizing what she just brought up. "I'm sorry." She winced at the thought making Starlight feel bad.
"It's okay," Starlight assured her. "That was to be expected."
"So, are we going to do this now or what?" Rainbow asked. "I'd like to go back and give my past double a reality check." Her voice shifted from a bored tone to one of anger at her double.
"Rainbow Dash, calm down," the princess told her firmly. "And once again, no, I'm afraid time travel isn't an option."
"Now ah agreed with Twilight here," Applejack chimed in. "That time spell is cuckoo crazy. As much as ah want to use it and go back to save mah parents, ah knew better than to mess with the fabric of space time, for all we knew, it's bound to go wrong."
"I have to agree darling," Rarity added. "Just one mistake will create a catastrophe for the future."
"Uhm, hello?" Rainbow exaggerated. "All Twilight has to do is go back and tell Bloom it's not worth it? Simple as that."
"Applejack's right, Dash," Princess Twilight told her with a stern tone. "But it's not just that, the real reason why I never agreed to this," she took a deep breath, forming the words in her head to know what she should say. "I held emotional scars from that time travel loop thing," she shuddered at the memories of her experience with many different timelines. "While stopping Starlight, the whole thing nearly made me insane that I would've lost myself in any given moment!" She added. "And when the whole thing was dealt with, I swore to myself to never lay a hoof on that damn spell again!"
The girls are shocked to hear what she felt during the whole ordeal. Especially Sci Twi, she never had any idea how she felt since then. Now that makes her feel guilty for suggesting a time spell while the wounds from Princess Twilight's time adventure was still a sour spot.
"I am so sorry," she whispered, lowering her head in shame. "I have no idea you feel that way."
"It's okay," Princess Twilight accepted. "I moved on now, I just don't want to be reminded of that."
"Kind of like how Sunset doesn't want to be reminded about Anon A Miss," Twilight sighed. "I'm sorry if I ever wasted your precious time, but it's nice to chat and meet all of you." She gave them a warm smile. "Now, will you all excuse me, I need to get back, I don't how long I've been staying here but I knew I should get back."
But before she hopped off her seat, the princess stopped her. "Wait, before you go, there's something you, the Rainbooms, and Sunset need."
She activated her horn to levitate a small pink box from her room, and place it down in front of her double. She levitated the cover open to reveal seven colorful necklaces lay neatly in the box.
Twilight looked carefully at the objects. "Necklaces?"
The princess shook her head. "Not just necklaces, these are magical necklaces. They are meant for the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, so these are for the Rainbooms, Sunset, and you."
"Me?" Twilight was taken aback by this. How would she know anything about magic without even experiencing it? "Why me? And how come I'm one of them? Didn't their magic came from your crown?"
"Yes, well, I can't put a hoof into it, but I guess the Elements assumed that you're me, as the Element of Magic," Princess Twilight told her. "These necklaces were suppose to be waiting for you and the girls in your world's Everfree Forest, but because of Anon A Miss, I think it's safe to assumed that it's not possible anymore. The Elements knew this, so they went for an alternate option, they found themselves here in Equestria, and Princess Celestia told me how they should be given to you and the girls in an alternative route."
"When did they came here?" Twilight wondered.
"About three days ago," The princess answered. "I was about to message Sunset about these but as you know, the storm blasted through here," she briefly gave Dash a glare while the pegasi just nervously chuckled. "So I wouldn't have time to do that, and since you're here right now, I thought I should break the news to you."
"Whatever happens in your world, even if their friendships had shattered, just like what Anon A Miss did, the Elements will find one way or another to meet their potential owners." She continued. "It's because the Magic of Friendship is still inside them somewhere, even if it doesn't seem possible anymore. And with you in the picture, the Elements sees you as me, so they deemed you worthy for its power. So please, take them and give them to the girls. And remember, their power lays on your hooves, I mean hands." She finished.
Twilight looked down at the necklaces carefully. She still doesn't understand magic but if the Elements knew they made the right choice deeming her worthy for their magic, maybe she should trust how they view the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Including her.
"I will." She simply said. "And I will make it count."
The princess gave her double a faithful smile. Talking about looking at your reflection. "I know you can."
After bidding goodbye, Twilight took the box with her and made her way back to the portal and to her world. And hopefully she didn't stay here for too long since Sunset told her the time gap between here and her world was weird, she could be thirty minutes late for class by now. She's never late for class in her life.
Author's Note
Hoo! Yeah! Quite a writing, I don't know If I should keep this up, but I'll try and keep going. Hopefully.
I always have this interpretation of Twilight having some emotional scars from her time travel loop with Starlight, and yeah, that ordeal would've scarred her for life, which makes thing it's sounds plausible if Twilight feels that way. And hence why time travel is never an option. Even if it is, it's bound to go wrong like Applejack said. It doesn't matter if the simple solution is to go back and tell Apple Bloom why she shouldn't start Anon A Miss.
Yep, more reference scenes from Avengers Endgame , where Dash suggested to go back and kill baby Gilda, kind of like how Rhodey suggested the same with baby Thanos, and the scene with the girls cleaning up because of the storm blasted through kind of like how Doctor Strange's house was covered in snow because of the blizzard in Spider-Man: No Way Home .
Yeah, still need to get the girls their geodes, because the geodes would still need their owners, right? Even if their friendship was destroyed, they still need their owners. So that's why I made the Elements find one way or another to get to them, hopefully that sounds more reasonable, right?
So nope, time travel isn't an option in Princess Twilight's case, though I wouldn't blame her for what she went through in that time loop episode, I always thought it would've driven her insane if she never stop Starlight. And they'd never used that spell again. And Twilight would gladly agreed to that. Period.
Well, this is it for now. Stay safe, stay coolio. Peace!
