Spring Surprises

Chapters

Prologue - To Plant a Seed
Chapter 1 - As the Sun Rises...
Chapter 2 - Cleaning House
Chapter 3 - The Other Bad Girl
Chapter 4 - A Night of Awesomeness!
Chapter 5 - Movie Day and Garden of Smiles
Chapter 6 - Rarity's Question
Chapter 7 - Journal Talk and Club Business
Chapter 8 - Work and Play
Chapter 9 - Investigation and Reflection
Chapter 10 - Of Houses and Crusades
Chapter 11 - A Club Provoked. A Friend Down River.
Chapter 12 - A Matter of Mind and Spirit
Chapter 13 - A Look Inside
Chapter 14 - School Twists
Chapter 16 - Communication and Revelation
Chapter 17 - Griffon the Reality Check
Chapter 18 - Movie Club Fun
Chapter 19 - A Tale Told and A Wraith Released
Chapter 20 - The Farmer, the Club, and the Hunter
Chapter 21 - Swell Visits and School Efforts
Chapter 22 - A Wraith in the Boutique
Chapter 23 - What Games Reveal
Chapter 15 - CHS Affairs and the Work Ahead

Prologue - To Plant a Seed

Fillydelphia Juvenile Detention Center - Early March in the Afternoon

There were many kinds of people who found themselves in juvie, whether it be as a visitor or a prisoner. Concerned parents, thieves, schoolyard friends, murderers, lawyers for the murderers, the list goes on. The young folks who could be seen behind the bars of their cells had seen more than their fair share of people come through juvie's doors, so it made sense that many of them felt that they had seen it all, so to speak. That was, until a woman wearing a smooth blue suit, light-blue undershirt, dark-blue skirt, magenta tights, and dark-grey dress shoes came walking into the building with purpose in every step. She had red lipstick, a mole just above the right side of the upper lip, glasses with thin rims, eyes with light-pink irises, three white pearls hanging from her earlobes, and very well kept hair that was stripped in shades of pink and dark-red. Her face bore an expression that revealed a reserved composure wrought from years of practice with maintaining an appearance of dignity. It wasn't every day that the prisoners watching from their cells on each side of the hallway could catch a glimpse of someone who looked even half as prim, proper, and stuck up as she was. Not even the lawyers could hold a candle by comparison! The gossip among the prisoners was quick to begin and even quicker to spread like wildfire, but she did not care about such trivial matters as she walked down the hallway. Abacus Cinch was in the mood for taking care of business, and she had important business to attend to in this prison for teenagers.

With some well-practiced assistance from the guards, she made her way to the cell block devoted specifically to holding those prisoners who had the dubious honor of being marked for 'secure confinement'. It was a status given to the especially wild juveniles who, for various reasons, were not trusted to be around the standard assortment of prisoners without causing a whole world of problems. Make no mistake, the folks running the detention center were putting in the effort to properly rehabilitate those with the 'secure confinement' label, as they were wont to do with all of the prisoners under their watch. The Fillydelphia Juvenile Detention Center, after all, had a well-earned reputation for turning delinquents into respectable members of society. It was, however, a seriously trying task to rehabilitate teenagers who were prone to multiple levels and variations of violence, psychotic episodes, and the like. Knowing this fact all too well from working here for a good few years, one of the guards escorting Cinch through the cell block via her left side spoke to her with a hint of concern in the deep rough voice of a veteran of both work and life;

"We know who you're going to visit, ma'am, and frankly; I'm wondering if you know why she's in here."

Cinch responded in an expertly performed professional manner that hid her annoyance over being asked a question that was, in her mind, ridiculous, her voice carrying an air of intensity and stuffiness pulled from better days gone by;

"I am well aware of her... "

Her fists clinched slightly for a brief second as less-than-stellar memories popped up in her head for a moment. Said fists then slowly opened back up as she went on;

"Checkered reputation. It is of no concern to me."

The guard to her right, a younger man with less experience under his belt, told her with thinly veiled nervousness in his voice and movements, the slight tremble in his arms being a dead giveaway to all who could see him;

"Well, it should be! No offense, ma'am, but... there is a reason why she's called 'The Wrecker'."

Up until now, the prisoners that they walked passed as they ventured through the block were talking to each other from their cells or otherwise minding their own business. Albeit for the most part, since some of them were glaring at the trio out of curiosity. Once that name was mentioned out loud by the younger guard, however, every prisoner within earshot had shut their mouths and turned away from them within moments. Some of them had gone so far as to back themselves clear away from the bars of their cells in a panicked rush. Clearly, whoever this 'Wrecker' was, was not a lady to be trifled with, a fact that Cinch could see just from watching their reactions as she noted;

"As I said, young man, I am aware of her reputation."

She shrugged a little before adding;

"But, I suppose it would not hurt to hear of it from a law enforcer's perspective."

The older guard gave off a short grunt before recounting with an exasperated sigh as they made a right-hand turn to travel into a more cramped hallway that, unlike the main part of the block they had just exited, had plain white walls instead of prison cells on either side;

"Well, ma'am, she's got a track record of violence one has to see to believe! I'm talking about a whole list of counts of physical assault a mile long. Actually, make that two miles."

Reaching the end of the hallway, they approached a steel security door with a sign hanging above it that depicted the words "Juveniles with Records of Violence" written in bold black font. The older guard walked over to a metal key card-based security lock attached to the wall to the left of the door and pulled out his key card. With a quick downward swipe of his card into the device's slot, he unlocked the door, which caused it to slowly open up automatically. The trio then walked through as the guard placed his key card back into his pants pocket. Beyond the door was an equally cramped hallway, but this one was lined with cells on both sides. As Cinch walked with the guards, she looked around to find that, instead of bars, the cells were locked tight behind steel windowless doors that had security locks that only trusted personnel were allowed to access. It was a long hallway, long enough to allow for the younger guard to continue the conversation with a hint of fear over the subject in his voice, though he was no longer trembling;

"She used to be a gang enforcer for hire and let me tell you, nearly everyone she had ever fought before the cops could book her were beaten to a terrible pulp. I mean, a lot of those punks can't even fight again because of her."

"Some of those punks can't even walk again because of her," noted the gruff guard with his eyes closed as he reflected on the aforementioned long list of crimes he had briefly reexamined earlier in the day when he was warned to expect Cinch's arrival and who she was visiting.

"I swear, if I see another criminal record that long, it'll be too soon...", he thought to himself out of annoyance as he continued his escort.

Cinch decided this was the time to make a counterpoint as she adjusted her glasses;

"From what I could gather, this 'Wrecker' has not taken a single life up until she was sent here."

The younger guard was quick to reply;

"That's one of the strange things about her: She racked up numerous counts of physical assault, the kinds one could get from fighting people with and without weapons, but not one count of murder of any variation or degree."

Cinch allowed a tiny smirk to appear on her face for a moment before replacing it with her usual reserved expression as she thought to herself with hidden relief;

"Well, that is at least one key detail confirmed."

She then had a thought that prompted her to ask the guards;

"I'd imagine she's been quite the trouble-maker here, given her past crimes, am I correct?"

The older guard let out a gruff 'ha!' before explaining with no small amount of relief on his face;

"That's the thing about her that's both strange and, frankly, a breath of fresh air for us guards: she has been on her best behavior for the entire time she's been here!"

Cinch raised her right eyebrow out of controlled surprise. She knew that the detention center had a policy of keeping how prisoners behaved while under its care inaccessible to news outlets (she even had to sign a non-disclosure agreement before she could be allowed to visit the center). So, when she did her research on The Wrecker, she had assumed, based on her public criminal record, that she had at least gotten into a few fights, or even started a prison riot for good measure. She did NOT expect someone with such an extensive history of violence to be so much as somewhat well-behaved. She could not help but express a short laugh before making an honest statement while returning her face to its previous reserved expression;

"This young lady has already surprised me and that, gentlemen, is not easy to do."

It was the gruff guard's turn to laugh, his rough voice echoing in the hall as he did so before adding in a calmer fashion;

"Yeah, she surprised us all, frankly. She's got seven days left in her three-year sentence and if she keeps this up, she'll leave with a clean slate on her record. She's already been rewarded for her behavior, in accordance with our rules."

Cinch's right eyebrow rose back up as she responded out of curiosity;

"Oh? What rewards did she earn for herself?"

The younger guard explained as they reached the halfway point of the hallway;

"Well, for her first year of consistently good behavior, she got to choose additions to her detention center uniform that us guards had to approve. What she had picked was... odd, to say the least. Harmless, though."

"Odd in what ways?", asked Cinch, her raised eyebrow kept firmly in place as the older guard answered with a slight smirk;

"You'll see soon enough, ma'am."

The trio became silent as they eventually reached the end of the hallway. Waiting for them there was yet another steel door; a complete match of the ones they had just passed by, lack of windows and all. The older guard walked over to door, pulled his standard issue nightstick out from the left side of his pants belt, and gave it three strong whacks, the banging of wood colliding with steel echoing loudly around them, causing Cinch to scrunch up her face a little out of annoyance over the noise. After that, the younger guard pulled out his key card, swiped it in slot on the security lock to the right of the door, and waited. It took five seconds for the sound of locks unlocking from within the door to ring out before them, which prompted the older guard to push the door open. It looked to be as thick as it was heavy, so the old vet had to put in a good amount of elbow grease to get the door open. Even then, however, he could only do so at a slow but steady pace, which added a dramatic feel to the reveal that was playing out before Cinch, who made it a point to make a slight adjustment to her glasses again to appear as professional as possible. When the door was fully opened, the sight that Cinch was able to behold made her eyes widen for a moment as she held her chin with her right hand while inspecting what, or rather, who she was seeing. The younger guard walked into the cell and off to the right side before standing at attention while keeping a sharp eye on the prisoner inside. As for the older guard, after his work was done, he turned around to face Cinch and calmly declared;

"Say hello to Juvenile #448: The Wrecker."

During her years as principal of Crystal Prep, Cinch had encountered a few students who had served time in juvenile detention centers like this one. She had always made it a point to obtain their criminal records as well as photos of what they had looked like during their incarceration, to make sure that she was prepared for any incidents that would occur as a result of their enrollment into the school. So, she knew what a typical prison outfit for young folks looked like. When one of the guards hinted at the oddity of The Wrecker's choice of additions to her own outfit, Cinch figured she had picked out items that were not expected from prisoners, like a baseball cap, a bandana, a leather jacket, or something else of that nature: clothing that breaks the norm but nothing wildly out of place in a cell.

What The Wrecker was actually wearing, however, was outright outlandish!

Of course, she wore the standard orange prison uniform with long sleeves that completely covered her arms, matching pants, white socks, and black shoes in adherence to the detention center's rules. The additions to her outfit, in stark contrast, consisted of a long slim black cowboy hat ripped right out of those old western films that Cinch's grandfather used to watch regularly, dark grey bandages that wrapped around her head and neck while neatly leaving the nostrils of her nose untouched, different sets of matching bandages that covered the ears without blocking her hearing, big round black goggles with thick red visors that kept her eyes completely hidden, and a pair of fingered gloves that matched the bandages. Positioned on the front of her throat via a black strap was, from what Cinch could recognize, was a dark grey voice box; clear evidence of this woman's violent past. There was no way for Cinch to tell who this lady was just by looking at her, which was fine with her as she continued to inspect the prisoner and her room. The Wrecker was holding an old music player in her right hand, its attached earphones sitting on her lap with their cord dangling from her right leg slightly as she sat on the one chair in the cell that was present, her hands resting on her lap. Behind her was the standard set of amenities for juveniles in the center: a single bed that could barely fit one person with a somewhat comfortable mattress, a toilet for whenever nature called complete with an already equipped toilet paper holder (with carefully positioned curtains around them both for the sake of decency), a decent shower and tub combo built into the wall to the left (with its own set of curtains), a medium-sized bookshelf containing a decent assortment of reading material, a small closet built into the wall to the right of the toilet that housed multiple sets of her regular prison outfit, a small ceiling lamp with a single working light-bulb, and a small turned off television that was hung on the upper-right corner of the room. Other than those things, the room was quite spacious and bare with gray walls that matched the ceiling and floor.

As much as she wanted to scoff at the prisoner's bizarre choice of attire, and complain about the drab nature of her living accommodations, Cinch swallowed that temptation as she walked up to her while giving her a glare that was equal parts professional and intense, the kind that she had always given to any student in Crystal Prep during her tenure as Principal. Delivering judgement was, after all, not her objective at this juncture. The Wrecker did not flinch at this sight as the older woman stopped to stand before her with just a few feet between them. They stared each other down for almost a minute, the prisoner's goggles aimed squarely at Cinch's eyes with a silent focus that matched the older woman's intensity. With a dignified cough, Cinch broke the ice in her usual polite, though slightly snooty, manner;

"Good day to you, Ms. Wrecker. I am Abacus Cinch, and I come bearing a gift. I assure you that the guards have already approved it."

Reaching into her right pants pocket as The Wrecker cocked her head slightly to her right side out of silent curiosity, Cinch pulled out a white sealed envelope before handing it over to her. It was completely bare on the front; no name, no address, or even a postage stamp could be seen on it. After thinking about the item being offered to her for a moment or two, The Wrecker placed her music player on her lap and slowly took the envelope with her gloved right hand, her gaze refusing to move away from Cinch's eyes as she did this. The former principal then added to help satiate her curiosity somewhat;

"Think of it as... something to look forward to for when you return to the outside world."

The bandaged prisoner cocked her head slightly to the other side in response before Cinch decided to nod her head with the dignity of a professional while declaring;

"Well then, I must be on my way, as I have business to attend to elsewhere."

Briskly turning around on her right heel, she walked over to the opened doorway before stopping at about a quarter of the way. She turned her head to her right far enough to give The Wrecker one last glare with her left eye, this time with the tiniest of smug smirks added for good measure, before telling her;

"May we both get what we deserve one day."

With that, she turned her head to face forward and walked out of the cell, the guards leaving with her before closing the security door behind, the resulting noise from act of doing so and the door's locking mechanism ringing in the prisoner's ears as she looked down at the gift in her right hand.

Without another moment's pause, she used both hands to unseal the envelope before pulling out the item inside. It was a single photo that depicted a young woman with amber yellow skin and red hair with prominent yellow streaks. She was standing at the edge of a rooftop with her back facing the evening sky, her eyes closed and her arms stretched out from her sides while she expressed a gentle smile, as if she were welcoming the light from the setting sun into her very being. Her entire demeanor revealed a contentment and hope in her heart. Other than the sun and the sky, what had made the entire image pop were the flaming wings of a phoenix burning proudly from behind her through the use of expertly crafted special effects. Written at the bottom of this photo in a large artistic font with colors that matched her hair was a name;

Sunset Shimmer.

An old, fermented anger grew within the pit of her stomach as The Wrecker flipped the photo over. On its back was a single legible message that was written in a small neat black font that one would expect to see on a computer screen;

Now you know her name.

That old anger rumbled inside her as it grew in strength, trying desperately to erupt outwards like a terrible inferno. Her breath became short and quick in its repetition as she flipped the photo back over to glare at the girl it depicted. The hand that held it tensed up, ready to crush that photo with furious prejudice. But, she took a different approach; she steadied her breath, released the tension in her hand, and carefully placed the photo on her lap. As the anger inside weakened, she reclaimed her music player and, with a few button presses, started up a song that fit the mood perfectly, its choir-like intro easing her emotions further as she gently bobbed her body from side to side in its rhythm. When the song transitioned to a fearsome guitar riff that hinted at an unhappy future, she became lost to the music entirely.

Author's Note

Abacus Cinch never forgot about the Friendship Games.

But then, what's her deal now? Who is The Wrecker?

If only our leading ladies knew what was coming...

Chapter 1 - As the Sun Rises...

Canterlot City - The next morning during the weekend

Goooood morning, Wondercolts, and welcome to your Canterlot High Radio: the only student-run school radio station that’s on even when school’s out!

The enthusiastic greeting was delivered by a plain-looking white-and-black alarm clock at full blast as the radio DJ went on about the day’s weather, upcoming school events, and the importance of school spirit. Before he could get to the local morning news, however, an amber hand slammed on top of the alarm clock palm-first with annoyed impunity, its fingers reaching for the alarm switch and setting it to the off position, shutting the radio off abruptly. The owner of the hand in question, with a tired groan, slowly sat up on her bed, which was positioned between a white wall to her left and the wooden night stand to her right that held the clock. It was clear as she took a moment to stretch out her arms and back that her hair, which was red with de-saturated yellow highlights that gave off some serious bacon vibes, was reeling from a bad case of bed-hair. This was made especially apparent by her bangs, which were normally well kept, but at this moment were hanging over her eyes in a disheveled mess. Her tired eyes displayed turquoise irises and droopy eyelids. Her violet pajama shirt was slightly wrinkled from the occasional tossing and turning that was the norm for her night-time slumbers. After taking a moment to push her bangs up above her eyes so that she could see, she moved her blanket off to the side and got up out of bed. Until about a week ago, it was not like her to wake up in the morning, for she had a bad habit of sleeping in like a bear during hibernation, even though she usually went to bed at a good hour. After dealing with one too many instances of her almost being late for school, however, she finally decided to give breaking the habit a real try, even though the act of getting up in the morning was a ‘pain in the barrel and rear’ as she would put it. The girl’s name was Sunset Shimmer, and it was time for the first task of her daily after-bed ritual; inspect her bedroom.

The bedroom itself, at a quick first glance, other than the obvious lack of windows, looked like a standard room fit for a teenager with all of the essential furnishings; a bed with a plain violet blanket that matched her pajama shirt, the aforementioned alarm clock and night stand, a bookshelf near the end of the bed that contained some school textbooks as well as brown book with a regal-looking spine that she had gotten from a close friend of hers, a large recently cleaned terrarium on top of the bookshelf that contained her sleeping pet gecko named Ray, a tall black guitar bag resting on a black guitar stand along the wall to the right of the bookshelf, a television that was placed on a large white stand along the wall to her far-right, a small closet to the left of the television that was closed the night before, and a medium-sized round wooden table situated in the middle of the room. Placed on top of the table were a coffee mug, a small lamp that was left on all night to keep room slightly lit, and a framed photo that Sunset carefully picked up with her right hand. The photo depicted her being lovingly embraced by her beloved friends, the Rainbooms, while they were out on the beach during the previous Summer. The generous fashionista Rarity and the honest farmer Applejack to her right, the loyal & proud Rainbow Dash and the kind animal lover Fluttershy to her left, the friendly genius Twilight Sparkle just above her head, and the nigh-eternally happy bringer of laughter Pinkie Pie striking a pose just below her head. They were all smiling cheerfully together, with no cares in the world hanging over their heads. Sunset stared at the photo with hope and contentment etched throughout her face as her mouth crafted a smile that expressed the familiar and welcoming warmth that was filling her entire being. A warmth that was melting away the tiredness and annoyance from a moment ago. That photo was always the first item she inspected whenever she got up out of bed, no matter what dream or nightmare she had experienced while she slept.

After taking a moment to let the warmth, borne from a tried and tested friendship, flow through her, she placed the framed photo exactly where it was before and continued her inspection of the room. When one takes a closer look at it, the room’s many faults become abundantly clear to anyone with half-way decent vision. The white walls and ceiling were ridden with cracks, the visible parts of the bed’s frame had rusted spots all over it and the night stand was slightly crooked on its upper-left leg (thankfully, not enough to cause the alarm clock to slide off of it). The bookshelf had a few shelves missing, had very few books to its name other than the ones mentioned, and was also slightly cracked in places. As for the television, unlike most modern rooms that would house a flat-screen TV of some description, Sunset’s room housed an old, large, and thick CRT monitor that only had access to basic cable. Why, the only pieces of furniture that were neither remarkably old or badly damaged were the round table and the terrarium. Simply put, Sunset’s room was functional, but only just, and Rarity, she imagined, would be mortified by its appearance alone. While noting in her head to fill in the cracks, replace the missing shelves, and clean up the rust as soon as she could afford to do so, Sunset finished inspecting the room and decided to put on a fresh set of clothes pulled from the closet, which included her signature decorated black boots, a purple skirt, an orange undershirt with an image on the front that proudly depicted a burning sun that was yellow on one side and red on the other, and a black leather jacket that she had nicknamed ‘Heather’. She also made it a point to fix up her hair as best as she could while noting in her head to take a trip to the bathroom mirror later. Before she could forget, she walked over to the terrarium to check in on Ray. As if he detected her presence through instinct, the lizard woke up and, after taking a moment to shake his scaly body a bit to clear up the sleepiness, looked over at his smiling owner with a giant grin of his own. Seeing this adorable display of affection prompted Sunset to coo over how cute Ray was being before giving him a greeting as warm as her human-pony heart;

"Good morning to you too, my little ray of sunshine!"

With that, she walked back over to the closet, looked through it until she found an unopened white container of mealworms; a fine delicacy for leopard geckos like Ray. She picked it up, carried it over to where the terrarium was located, and pulled open the lid to grab a small batch of worms with her right hand. She then opened the food hatch on the terrarium with her left hand and dumped the worms into it. The worms wiggled and writhed as she closed the hatch while Ray walked over to his breakfast, clearly ready to chow down. As tempting as it was to watch her beloved pet eat like a king, Sunset had another matter to attend to before she had to leave.

She walked over to the bookshelf to pull out the book with the regal spine. There was a black pen poking out from the top through the book's pages, which served as a make-shift bookmark. She turned it to hold it at both sides, its cover prominently displayed before her. At the center of the cover was artwork that depicted a red and yellow sun on the left and a purple star on the right joined together in visual harmony. With a gentle smile, Sunset placed the book on the wooden table after carefully moving the photo off to the side with it to make space. She then opened up the book to the page where the pen was located, grabbed it with her writing hand, flipped over to the first blank page available, and began writing as if she were sending a letter to a friend.

Dear Twilight Sparkle;

I'm sorry I haven't been writing to you lately. You can thank the Winter season for keeping me so busy. No, I wasn't distracted by some wild magical event! In fact, we haven't had to deal with magic-related issues ever since that Time Twirler incident I told you about earlier. Which reminds me of something that's been on my mind for a while now...

The quiet moments between magical problems are a blessing!

Do you remember me explaining, in a previous entry, how stressed I would get over not knowing when Equestrian magic would rear its ugly head again and what we would need to do about it? Well, after dealing with, among other things, a wish-granting mirror, an enchanted smartphone, a time loop that made me swear off music festivals for a while, and a magic-powered thunderstorm, I had basically had my fill of solving one magical problem after another by the time the snow started falling. So, something as non-magical as a normal Winter season in the Human world quickly became a break that I gladly enjoyed!

Of course, it wasn't an entirely quiet season. There was one time when Pinkie Pie had made a souffle for Rarity as part of a personal holiday tradition of hers. She wanted badly to get the souffle to her before it could deflate and I was happy to help her out. We just had to get through a wild snowball fight that covered the entire street between us and Rarity's house. Let me tell you, Twi; it was the wildest, most intense snowball fight I ever had to navigate through! Seriously, it felt like a battle from this one war film I watched a while back, 'Saving Private Talon' I believe it's called. Snowballs were being thrown every-which-way, Fluttershy was huddled behind a snow fort while trembling in shock, and nearly everyone was playing the game! Even Granny Smith! I had to fight my way through the cold chaos to help Pinkie get that tasty snack to Rarity, but the joy on their faces was worth the trouble (Rarity loved the souffle). Now, with the snow melting to make way for Spring, I'm hoping that our break can last a little bit longer.

I just realized something: I never told you how the seasons change in this world, did I?

Since there are no flying, cloud-walking Pegasus Ponies around to make rainstorms and snowfall happen at scheduled times, the weather simply changes on its own! The moon moves on its own while the sun serves as the center of our solar system, but you probably figured that one out during your first visit. But, I'll bet you haven't figured out that our planet orbits the sun! All of this makes predicting the weather a challenge, but it's still possible to get it mostly right at least. Well, right enough to be able to make a living from predicting the weather as a meteorologist. I wonder what your Rainbow Dash would think of all this weather stuff? If she's anything like my RD, I would try to keep her from this world's rain clouds for the sake of farmers everywhere if she came to visit!

Anyway, I should ask before I forget; how's Starlight Glimmer doing these days? I haven't heard back from her ever since she helped us out of that wishing mirror. I remember you saying that she's helping you with some kind of secret project. I don't want to pry too hard, but you've made me curious! Let her know that my friends and I send her our love, okay?

For that matter, how have you been, Twi? I hope your duties as Princess haven't been causing you too much trouble. Then again, I'm not the only pony who has good friends at her back, am I? I hope to hear from you soon.

I know I'm saying this very late in the season, but Happy Hearth's Warming, Twilight.

Your dear friend,

Sunset Shimmer

With a sigh that filled the air in the room with contentment, Sunset placed the pen between two pages in the book and closed it while not expecting to get a response for some time. Princesses were busy like that, a fact that she was fine with. Leaving the book on the table, she walked over to the door that was to the left of the TV and opened it up to take her leave.

Of course, the simple act of leaving her room would be a trivial task, if the bedroom door had led to a hallway or a fleet of stairs. Instead, it led to a carefully positioned metal ladder that had two short handles positioned on its top at each side that held it on the bottom edge of the doorway, which allowed access to the ground below. With well-practiced methodical movements, she climbed down the ladder at a steady pace after closing the bedroom door with a rope that was skillfully fashioned around the outside doorknob and planted her boots on the ground. With a sense of relief over the ladder not tipping over for the first time in a month, she continued her after-bed ritual by checking in on what was, effectively, her DIY take on a combined living room and kitchen. There were walls built under and beyond the bedroom that revealed that there used to be a staircase that led to it, but was missing for reasons that were unknown to Sunset. As a result, the ladder, bedroom door, and where the staircase would have been served as an unfortunate combined centerpiece of the whole room, which also contained an uneven cement floor. All of the walls in the room had dried up wallpaper that was ripped off in numerous places. One of the only furnishings of note was a surprisingly well-cared for couch with a ripped off upper-right corner sitting a few feet behind the staircase with its back facing it. There were two doors placed on the walls on each end of the room; a closed door at the far-right end that led to Sunset’s personal streaming studio and another closed door leading to the bathroom that was situated at the far-left end where the kitchen is set up. The kitchen consisted of a gas-powered stove & oven combo that looked to be barely functional and dirtied up from frequent use, a medium sized closed cupboard with two shelves hanging above the stove, and an old but sturdy wooden dinner table placed a few feet away from the stove with one slightly crooked wooden chair placed at its left side. A small hook to the left of the door at the far-right end held a grocery bag containing several different varieties of potato chips and other kinds of snacks. There were two large windows in front of the couch and one above the front door that was several feet in front of the ladder and bedroom door. All of the windows were boarded up, so very little light could shine through, but a breeze could sneak its way through tiny cracks in the windows that the boards did not cover.

Sunset was never too fond of the flooring, but it was strong and had no holes in it, so she could tolerate its unevenness. The few furnishings and utilities available were far from ideal, but they served her well enough to provide comfort and a means to cook her meals. The water dripping from certain parts of the ceiling, however, she could live without. Thankfully, the water was not hitting the couch, snacks, or stove this time, so she made a mental note to fix the leakage before it could get any worse. The windows being boarded up really killed the lighting, but she made them that way for a reason: the last thing she wanted was for someone to find out that she was living here. Normally, she would be taking a trip to the bathroom to fully adjust her hair and brush her teeth, as was her custom. Instead, she decided it was time for a quick walk outside to get her blood pumping a little more before taking the time to fully fix up her hair. After all, it was Spring time, so she was looking forward to enjoying a warm morning for a change after a long Winter. She knew she would brush her teeth before really kicking off her day, and she wasn’t going to fuss over her bed-hair too much anyway. So, she walked over to the front door, undid all of the locks that she had always set up at night, and opened it up to take her leave while expecting the day, and the Spring for that matter, to be relatively peaceful.

She did not expect to see Fluttershy, of all people, squatting down near the left side of the steps beyond the door in her typical blue and white outfit and long flowing pink hair! It was a good thing the weather had turned nice recently, or else she would have been freezing cold. Sunset was about ready to slam the door in a fit of panic, but managed to calm her sharply raised nerves enough to think better of it.

”If I can slowly close the door,” Sunset thought to herself;

”I can hide out in here until she leaves!”

With that plan in mind, she attempted to do exactly that, only to be painfully remind by the door of how loudly it creaks when closing it!

”Please let her be distracted by a rat!” she pleaded to herself in rapid fear-induced repetition. She could only get the door half-way shut before hearing Fluttershy ask in her soft, genuinely adorable voice that could sooth a savage beast;

“Who’s there?”

All she got in response was a terrified 'EEEP!' and a slammed door, which made her jump a little in surprise. This had the effect of increasing her curiosity, however, as Fluttershy stood up, walked up the stairs to reach the door, and knocked ever so politely while asking softly;

“Excuse me? Is there something wrong?”

Desperate to keep her friend in the dark about her relationship with this place, her place, Sunset quickly put to use her best take on an old man’s voice, her nerves spilling through as she spoke;

“Nothing’s wrong, young lady! I’m perfectly fine! Run along now, so I can take my nap!”

Fluttershy immediately saw through the act and, during a fit of giggles, exclaimed happily;

“Sunset! I can recognize that silly voice from a mile away!”

The bacon-haired lady turned pale in an instant upon hearing that response. Sunset had messed up big time, for she had picked the voice she would sometimes use to make her laugh during parties. Of course, her friend would catch that in a hurry! Feeling defeated and with no other recourse left, she slowly opened the door, which prompted Fluttershy to take a few steps back down the stairs to make room, revealing a nervous Sunset who, with a forced smile, declared;

“Hey there, Shy! What are you doing here?”

“I was going to ask you the same question,” Fluttershy replied. She looked up at the building before her, which was an abandoned house standing with boarded up windows in the poorer, more rundown side of the neighborhood. She looked back down at Sunset with a look of worry in her eyes that tugged at her heartstrings. Sunset would not let her know the truth, but, in spite of her nerves, an idea popped into her head that she was quick to implement as she spoke after taking a breath to ground herself;

“You see... I’ve been shoring up this building here, so that if a homeless person finds it, they’ll have a decent place to crash for the night.”

The story, a half-truth to be clear, was enough for Fluttershy, who then expressed a beautiful smile that could melt ice blocks before pouncing her friend with a warm hug while exclaiming;

“That is so sweet of you to do! I’ll help!”

Sunset’s panic shot through the roof to the point that not even Fluttershy’s comforting embrace could hold it back as she responded in a frightened stutter while trying, and failing, to gently pull out of her friend’s hug;

“N-no-no-no! There is no need for that, Shy! I’ve got this under contr-”

She was interrupted by the far-from-subtle jovial southern drawl of Applejack’s voice as she yelled over at the both of them after catching sight of Fluttershy while walking down the street;

“Howdy, ya’ll!”

Sunset’s panic instantly upgraded itself into horror as she froze in place while staring down an excited Applejack wearing her favorite hat, cowgirl boots, and usual set of casual clothes as she walked over to Fluttershy, who was all too happy to release Sunset from her vice grip, turn around, and give the farmer a hug as well while telling her happily;

“It’s good to see you too, Applejack!”

With a quick laugh, she asked Fluttershy;

“What’s makin’ ya’ extra jolly today, sugarcube? Ya’ seen a cute critter scurryin’ about somewhere?”

After releasing her from her hug, Fluttershy answered truthfully;

“Actually, there was this family of rats that I was watching at this spot over here.”

She walked back down the steps, turned to face the spot she was eyeing earlier, squatted down again, and took at look. Sunset, while making a mental note to bring out the rat traps and disinfectant later, did not need to look around to know that there were rats at that spot. The adorable delight all over Fluttershy’s face was proof enough for her as the animal lover softly declared while holding her hands together out of sheer joy;

“Awwww, you are all so cute together. How’s your home? Do you get enough food to eat?”

Applejack, however, had a look of concern on her face as she slightly nervously told her;

“Now be careful with those var-” she took a moment to correct herself for Fluttershy’s sake;

“Ah mean those rats. Ya’ don’t wanna get sick from a rat bite or..." her face cringed slightly before finishing;

"What they leave behind.”

Fluttershy was too enamored by the rats to pay any attention to her though, which prompted the farmhand to shake her head and, while hoping internally that her friend doesn’t touch the rats, turn over to face Sunset before asking;

“So, what brings ya’ to these parts, Sunset?”

Until that exact moment, Sunset was enjoying the sight of Fluttershy being her sweet self, to the point that, for a short time, she had almost forgotten her terror. Hearing Applejack address her, however, made the terror return with a vengeance as she felt a big lump come up in her throat. Much to her intense relief, another distraction had caught hers and Applejack’s attention. Much to her surprise and horror, however, this distraction came in the form of Rarity, who was also walking down the street while rocking her usual fancy purple and white ensemble when she had noticed the commotion at the door. Seeing three of her friends prompted her to yell out in that well-practiced sophisticated manner that only Rarity could bring to a conversation;

“Good morning, darlings!”

Luck was clearly not in Sunset’s favor as she watched the fashionable fashionista walk up to Applejack, who was more than happy to hug her tightly. Soon after she got out of the hug, Rarity got Fluttershy’s attention by getting down on one knee next to her and gentling patting her on her shoulder while saying sweetly;

“Seeing you be so enamored by even the most...” she took one good look at the rat family, which was eating what looked to be old and stinky cheese bits, before barely containing her disgust at the sight for her friend’s sake. She then nervously finished her sentence with a well-trained, though obviously fake, smile;

“...Unique-looking creatures is always a pleasant sight to behold!”

With a dignified cough to maintain her composure, Rarity stood back up and began conversing with Applejack. This was, to Sunset, her moment to act.

There was no getting around it; her friends were going to get into the house! But, she figured, if she could keep them outside for long enough, she could at least make the place look like it was for some other homeless person and not her. So, she slowly and gently closed the door, locked it tight, and told them loudly;

“I’ll open up in a bit, girls, I just need to fix something real quick!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, she made a break for the ladder, grabbed it tight, turned it on its narrow side, and placed it under her right armpit to carry it with ease. She then made a mad dash around the living room and kitchen, looking for a good place to hide it from her friends. Before she could find one, however, a gust of wind could be felt through the cracks in the window above the door as the familiar twinge of attitude in Rainbow Dash’s voice ripped through the wall into Sunset’s ears;

“What’s up, everybody?! Where’s Sunset at?”

Mentally cursing Rainbow Dash’s super-speed, she hurriedly yells out;

“Just a moment, Dash!”

At that moment, she figures out where she can hide the ladder. She bolts over to the right-side door, shoves it open after turning the knob with her left hand, and throws the ladder into the room beyond before slamming the door shut. Unfortunately, in her haste, she did not get the ladder all the way into the room, so it was now fighting against her attempt at shutting the door. As metal, wood, and boot clashed while she battled against the vile ladder of cruel stubbornness, she heard yet another familiar voice call out to her from outside the house, the voice of Twilight Sparkle;

“What’s going on back there, Sunset? I’m told by the girls that you’re... Helping the homeless?”

”Why?!” Sunset thought to herself as frustration and horror gripped her while she continued to tussle with the ladder;

”Why are my friends coming here now?!”

In her heart, she could not, would not, let them figure out why she was here.

Not now.

Not ever.

At this moment, she was able to get the ladder all the way into the room with several kicks and shoves, allowing her to slam the door shut for real this time. Her fear temporarily replaced with jubilation over her success, she pumped her fist into the air while proudly, and loudly, declaring while momentarily forgetting about the guests outside the house;

“YES! Victory for Sunset Shimmer!”

As if on cue, the ever-cheerful voice of Pinkie Pie echoed in her ears, filling her with shock and reminding her of her terror;

“YAY! Let’s celebrate your victory with a PAARRTAAAAY!”

Sunset’s irises shrunk down to the size of pebbles, her eyelids grew as wide as humanly possible, her arms fell to her sides, and her legs buckled under the weight of her stress as she fell to her knees.

“They’re all here...” she told herself in horrified acknowledgment, here voice reduced to a whisper that only she could hear. The sounds of her friends talking becoming muffled by her thoughts as they raced like the wild animals from her world’s Everfree Forest;

”What will they say if they find out?”

“Will they be upset at me over it?”

“Will they hate me?”

“Will they help me?”

“They’re my friends! They’ll stick by me... Right?”

She then looked straight up at the ceiling while quietly asking herself in a pained whisper;

“Does the Human world have a god? Am I being punished by one right now?!”

She then remembered something that drove her to shake her head to get some composure back;

”The ladder is hidden now!” she thought to herself;

”I just need to keep it from them until they’re gone and I’ll be home-free!”

She then looked over at her surroundings before softly admitting to herself with a soft chuckle as her nerves finally dropped down a few levels;

“Heh, ‘home’, says the displaced pony girl.”

She heard Twilight ask her through the front door;

“Are you okay back there?”

“I am, Twi!” she hurriedly replied, “Let me get the door for you all!”

She ran up to the front door and, with a resigned breath, she unlocked it and opened it up to welcome her friends inside.

As they scattered about to explore the living room, Applejack was the first to make a comment;

“Now, Fluttershy’s been tellin’ me that ya’ been sprucin’ this ‘ere house up for the homeless.”

Sunset nodded while responding nervously and valiantly pretending to be calm and collected;

“Yep! This has been a project of mine for a while now.”

Applejack turned over to face her, gave her a heartfelt smile, and proudly declared;

“Land’s sake, Sunset! That’ll be one more act of goodwill to add to that long list of yours, Ah reckon! Although, Ah will admit...” she turned her head to examine the cracks and ripped wallpaper that could be seen all over the walls, “Ya’ got a lot of work ahead of ya’.”

Sunset rubbed the back of her neck with her right hand to keep her nerves steady while softly responding;

“Yeah, hehe... The work keeps piling up on me...”

Before long, it was Rarity’s turn to comment on their surroundings as she tried to take a diplomatic approach to her own reaction;

“I admit, this place is certainly not... Dazzling, per-say, but, if it is functional and keeps a person warm and safe at night...”

“Nothin’ a little elbow grease won’t fix, Ah’m sure," said Applejack in an enthusiastic tone while flexing her right bicep. Clearly, she was thinking of ways to improve the entire room by hand and tool. Rainbow Dash was quick to excitedly note as she jumped onto the ripped couch to relax for a spell;

“Not a bad couch, although it’s a bit ripped up! Just add a video game console here, a guitar there, slap some posters and fresh paint on the walls, and this room will look awesome!”

“Oh for goodness’ sake, Rainbow Dash!” Rarity responded out of frustration with her friend’s lax approach to redecorating as she went on;

“I may be more of a seamstress than a room designer, but even I know that there is far more to making one’s room a home than simply placing a few items here and there and calling it day!”

Sunset gave off a warm smile at the sight of those two bickering over how they should handle decorating a room as she turned her attention over to Fluttershy, who was walking around the place in search of more little animals to check on. As for Twilight Sparkle, who had left her dog Spike under the watchful care of her parents that morning, she was standing at Sunset’s right side when she asked her inquisitively;

“What’s the story behind this house? I mean, how did you find out about it?”

Welcoming the chance to take her mind off of her current predicament for a bit longer, she turned her head to face her glasses-rocking friend and answered as her nerves eased up even more at the sight of her lavender face;

“A long while back, I discovered this old building when I was exploring town and, when I found that no one was living here, I decided to try to fix it up myself. Apparently, an old religious family used to live here until they couldn’t afford it, so the city owns the place these days.”

Twilight raised her right eyebrow out of curiosity before noting;

“And the city hasn’t done a thing with it, it seems.”

“Not these days,” said Sunset before explaining calmly;

“I did a bit of digging to see what was up. Turns out, the house had become an historical landmark after it was sold, so it can’t be demolished unless it’s been proven to be a health and safety-”

Sunset was interrupted by the loud crash of falling metal, which prompted the two friends to make their faces scrunch a little over the noise before aiming their gaze at the right-side door, which was now wide open with the once stuffed ladder haven fallen onto the ground wide-side first. Pinkie Pie, who had made the choice to open the door in the first place, had jumped a few feet out of shock before asking a now frozen Sunset while pointing at the ladder and the now opened door repeatedly;

“Why is there a ladder in the bathroom?”

Sunset’s terror from before came back for a brief moment as her irises shrunk once again. Luckily, she was able to compose herself quickly enough to give a reasonable answer;

“Ah yes, the ladder! I had meant to take it out of there to use it to fix up the leaky parts of the ceiling later.”

Another half-truth, but it was far better than a lie, especially when the barer of the Element of Honesty was within striking distance of her face. She then pointed up at one of the damp spots on the ceiling, which just so happened to be directly above Pinkie Pie’s head. Without further ado, a drop of water fell from the spot and landed in her hair. She responded by taking a step back while shaking her hair with the fierceness of a dog shaking their fur to get the water out of it as Sunset went on;

“It’s gotta be the plumbing in this building, I swear-”

Applejack interjected while pointing at the currently ladder-less bedroom door;

“Now hold on a second ‘ere! Why in the hay are there no stairs for that there door?”

Before Sunset could respond, Pinkie Pie picked up the ladder and handed it over to Applejack while suggesting with her trademark ear-to-ear smile that could light up the gloomiest of places;

“You can use this to get to the door!”

“Much obliged, Pinkie!” said Applejack while tipping her trusty hat to her with a grateful smile before taking the ladder under her right arm with ease, thanks to her magical super-strength.

But, before she could walk over to the door to set up the ladder, Sunset had rushed over to stand between her and the wall underneath the door, her arms stretched out from the sides in panicked defense. By this point in time, the rest of the group had already moved over to where Twilight was standing, having been drawn to the crash of the falling ladder from before. Their curious eyes were switching between Sunset and Applejack as the later calmly asked her friend with a tiny speck of annoyance coming out of her voice;

“Would ya’ kindly stand aside, so Ah can take a peak?”

She pointed at the bedroom door with her free hand as she said this. Sunset would not budge easily, though, for she declared with fear and worry etched all over face;

“AJ, I’m afraid I can’t let you get inside this room!”

Now, it was Applejack’s turn to express worry on her face as she gently asked with a little more annoyance added in;

“Why not?”

Sunset took a quick breath before answering in quick desperation while grasping the wall behind her for dear life;

“Because it’s all too shocking!”

Rarity picked that precise moment to chime in out of concern for her frightened friend by saying to her with dignified gentleness in each word she uttered;

“Sunset, darling! Surely, whatever it is up there can’t be all that bad.”

Rainbow Dash had also stepped in to help with some encouraging words of her own and a thumbs up for good measure;

“Come on, girl! I don’t think anything in that room is gonna make us mad at you, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

When Applejack was confronting her a moment go, Sunset was terrified to point of shaking in place a little. But, as she heard each of her friends’ show of support, her fear began to weaken little by little. As soon as Rainbow Dash had finished, Fluttershy stepped in as well;

“Whatever it is, we’ll face it together,” she said with the most soothing smile and voice she could muster. Sunset’s heart had nearly melted at the sight. But, then along came Twilight Sparkle, who gave her some advice of her own;

“We’re your friends, Sunset. If there is something about that room that’s bothering you, you can tell us.”

Pinkie Pie, as expected from everyone else in the room, jumped directly in front of Sunset while avoiding the ladder with an expertly performed leap before happily yelling out;

“Don’t worry! If it’s something scary, we can laugh at it together! Oh! Let me practice first!”

She then belted out a loud joyful laugh before leaping back over to a spot behind the others with gusto. Sunset’s fears were at death’s door when Applejack asked her with a supportive wink and a smile;

“What da’ ya’ say, pardner? Ya’ wanna give us a chance?”

That last sentence reminded Sunset of an old and powerful memory; the memory of when she had fallen from grace and, while she wallowed in her guilt from within the crater she was sitting in, a certain princess offered her hand in friendship. The offer wasn't made in a literal sense, but the meaning behind the act was never lost on Sunset. As the memories of the wonderful times she spent with her friends as a result of her taking that offer played out in her mind, she made her choice. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, held it for three seconds, and released as her body finally relaxed and her fear died. As the warmth she had felt earlier that day returned to egg her on, she raised her eyelids and told the girls plainly with a sad look in her turquoise eyes, her arms resting on her sides;

“That’s what it comes down to, doesn’t it? You’re all my friends... You’re all my family.”

That last phrase warmed the hearts of every Rainboom present, with a slight twinge of an old pain mixed in. With a pained smile, Sunset stepped aside to let Applejack through. They all gave her warm grins that could melt glaciers together, which helped her relax a little more, as the farmhand placed the ladder along the wall with care and slowly climbed up to open the door and climb inside.

Everyone was silent as Applejack explored the bedroom. The girls outside of it each internally decided to wait for her to give the all clear before going in as well. The other girls did this to be safe, as abandoned buildings had their own set of dangers to consider, while Sunset did this specifically because she knew what was coming anyway and figured it best to settle the matter where the rest of her friends were. As she waited, she could not help but think to herself;

”Moment of truth, eh? Well, I gave them all a chance before...”

After three minutes of verbal silence, Applejack returned to the doorway, climbed back down the ladder while pulling on the rope to close the door, and stood still with her head lowered just enough to hide her eyes under her hat. All eyes were on her as Rarity asked;

“What did you find in there, Applejack?”

She kept her head lowered as she turned her body to face Sunset’s. A frown could be seen just below the shadow under the hat as Applejack asked her in a voice that was equal-parts calm and serious;

“Sunset... Level with us... Do ya’ live ‘ere?”

A collection of gasps could be heard from the rest of Sunset’s friends upon hearing this. Sunset didn’t want to say it, certainly not to her friends. But, far more than that, she couldn’t bear to lie to them now, not after they showed her so much support. With a sigh, she told them simply and clearly with her head lowered to face the floor out of shame;

“Yes.”

Even more gasps echoed from the group, with Rarity looking especially shocked, as Applejack asked without even glancing at Sunset;

“How long have ya’ been livin’ ‘ere?”

Sunset could feel tears coming up, but she held them back as best as she could while telling them all;

“Ever.... Ever since my apartment’s landlord made the rent too expensive for me to afford, which was... a few months ago.”

Silence filled the room for a whole minute. Sunset could not bring herself to look anyone in the eye until Applejack her hand under her friend’s chin to gently raise her head to face hers. The two locked eyes on each other. Sunset looked positively distraught with tears building up in her eyes, but Applejack, like the others, gave her a warm, comforting smile as she told her with a loving voice and a confident wink;

“We got ya’, sugarcube.”

Just then, the human-pony girl was almost buried in a pile of hugs as her dear friends gave her a bounty of support. Rarity made it a point to express her horror over Sunset’s living arrangement while barely able to contain her own sorrowful tears;

“Oh, sweetness, it is absolutely dreadful that you’ve had to live in squalor for so long! I ought to file a complaint with that landlord on your behalf!”

Rainbow Dash was, understandably, annoyed as she declared in visible frustration while giving Sunset’s right arm a light punch as she hugged her;

“Oh come on, Sunset! You could have told any of us about you being homeless and we would have taken you in almost as fast as I can run, you dummy!”

“There’s always room for ya’ in Sweet Apple Acres!” noted Applejack, “Just say the word and ya’ll be there in a heartbeat.”

Pinkie Pie made sure to chime in with her own brand of bouncy joy and optimism;

“You can always crash at my house! In fact, I’ll throw you a ‘Sunset’s Not Homeless Anymore’ party to celebrate!”

Before anyone else could add anything to the heartfelt chaos, Twilight sweetly declared as she moved through the group to face Sunset after everyone backed out of the hugs;

“The point everyone is making is that we’re here for you, Sunset, like good friends should be. But, I also think everyone is wondering...”

She adjusted her glasses for a moment before asking on the group’s behalf with worry in her eyes;

“Why didn’t you tell us about you being homeless?”

That entire group hug experience was enough to instill a sense of deep calm and ease within Sunset, even as her tears streamed down her face. The warmth of their friendship had that effect on her, as if a comfy blanket was wrapped around her heart. After wiping her tears off with her right arm, she looked at each of them and explained herself with complete honesty for the first time all day;

“I didn’t want to make you girls worry. You all have enough on your plates as it is, so I didn’t want to add ‘oh, your good friend Sunset lives like a bum on the street’ to the mix.”

“Such nonsense!” cried out an annoyed Rarity, who gracefully navigated through the group to look Sunset in the eye while gently holding her hands;

“Friends help one another, especially in times of dire need, and there is absolutely no shame in asking for help when you need it.”

“Sunset...” said Fluttershy, though her friends did have to listen closely to be able to hear her soft voice as she continued;

“I would love it very much if you could spend the night at my place. That way, you’ll be in a warm, cozy house for at least a little while.”

“Well, this explains why you like going to our sleepovers so much,” noted Rainbow Dash with a short laugh and a sharp side-eyed glare aimed squarely at Sunset that screamed ‘ask us for help next time’. A gesture Sunset instantly understood as she told her with one of her choice smug smirks;

“I get the idea, Dash.”

“Say it then," said Rainbow Dash to Sunset with a serious tone and narrow eyes while pointing at her chest with her right index finger.

Feeling especially guilty over the whole situation, Sunset looked away for a moment before looking Rainbow Dash in the eye while saying softly;

“I’ll ask you girls for help next time.”

With one of her fierce smirks, Rainbow Dash encouraged Sunset;

“Say it like you mean it!”

The athlete’s go-getter attitude was enough to push Sunset to say in an enthusiastic and slightly loud voice;

“I’ll ask you girls for help next time!”

Before long, the girls began to discuss how they were going to improve Sunset’s living situation. Applejack was the first to come up with an idea;

“Ah reckon we take this old rundown house and make it into a real livable home!” she declared while giving each of the girls a warm glare.

The mixture of excitement and sweetness on their faces made it clear to Applejack that they were all in agreement. Rainbow Dash was thinking of cool items to add to the place, Pinkie Pie was planning at least seven different house-warming parties in her head, Twilight was scanning the area with her eyes to get a feel for the layout while doing all manner of measurements in her head, Rarity was eyeing the windows while trying to decide what sort of drapes would be best for them, and Fluttershy could not stop herself from thinking of ideas for a special spot in the house reserved for Sunset’s pet gecko. Speaking of Sunset, she could not resist the immense joy that grew inside of her like magma rising in a volcano. Within a minute, she exploded in laughter born out of intense relief and unfiltered happiness that had gotten every other Rainboom’s attention. After taking another minute to compose herself, she looked at each of her friends while giving them a truly loving expression as only one friend could give to another and told them a truth she had known for almost as long as she’s known them;

“I know where I would be without you girls, and I’m glad I’m not there.”

Author's Note

EDIT: All these years and I finally catch the flub-up concerning how the Human solar system works! I fixed it though. :twilightsheepish:

Well, that's one heck of a morning! I hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into the life of Canterlot City's resident human-pony girl.

With the prologue and first chapter in the books, this is a good time for me to note two key details concerning the story:

I'm writing it as if it were my own take on a third season of Equestria Girls. Canon will be honored where possible (with a very specific exception that will be addressed at the proper time).
The Violence tag was added in as a safety measure, as there will be moments in the story that could warrant its use. I'll make sure to mark any chapters that clearly depict violence with a useful trigger warning.

Oh, and I am well aware of Monday Blues. Trust me when I say that there's a story behind Sunset's living arrangements.

Chapter 2 - Cleaning House

It didn’t take long for the girls to settle on a plan, which went like so: Sunset would be allowed to move into a Rainboom’s home for one week before switching to another one’s home (pending their families’ approval) while the rest of the girls handled the renovation efforts. Barring emergencies and the need to grab personal effects, Sunset would not be allowed near her house until the renovations were completed. After an intense game of rock-paper-scissors, which led to a dramatic one-on-one match between Applejack and Rainbow Dash that lasted a full five minutes, it was decided that Rainbow Dash would be the first to take in their homeless friend. She celebrated her victory by exclaiming with pride and mirth, even as Applejack rolled her eyes over her friend’s ego;

“Another awesome win for me!”

With that settled, the work that was labeled ‘Operation: Sunhouse’ by Twilight Sparkle began in earnest. For this first day, Sunset was helped by her friends as they packed up her things and took them out of the bedroom and streaming room. She had made it her business to hide her homelessness from the prying eagle eyes of her online fans. But, with money being consistently tight these days, she had to improvise by hanging large green screen curtains over the walls of her streaming room, which was only a little more spacious than a closet. The fact that she had managed to fit a halfway decent streaming PC, a desk, a monitor, a few choice video game consoles, and a decent chair into the closet was nothing short of impressive. This rough but functional setup, combined with carefully positioned lighting from two cheap lamps on the desk and a webcam with decent video quality, allowed her to use a free program on her computer that could make her greener than green room look like an entirely different place. A sunlit beach, a space station, a homely bedroom; she could pick any place available, as long as it kept up the illusion that all was well in her life. Sunset felt a deep sense of relief over not having to maintain that illusion anymore as she entered the room to take care of some personal business before the packing was done. As Applejack effortlessly carried the streaming PC with one magic-powered arm out of the room, Sunset walked over to one of the green screen-covered walls, particularly the one hanging over the wall to the left of the door. She then knelt down to grab the bottom of the green screen and lifted it up to reveal a compartment hidden behind it that had enough space to keep several large items tucked away within the wall itself. However, the one item that was present inside it was a wooden chest sealed tight with latches on the front and a combination lock between them. Sunset pulled the chest out of the compartment, the act of doing so getting the attention of her friends, who moved over to her as soon as their hands were free, curious as to what their friend had stashed in the room where many a Shimmer Code stream was held.

Sunset knew the combination to the lock by heart, so unlocking it was a simple matter. Once that was dealt with, she undid the two latches and removed the lock before lifting the chest's lid to reveal its contents. The girls reacted with several variations of ooohs and ahhhs, save for Rainbow Dash, who looked at what was inside with awe. She clearly did not expect to see this item again! That confident smirk of hers that ought to be trademarked was on full display as she commented;

"I was wondering where you had put that thing."

Inside the chest was a single book, the cover of which was marked with vivid artwork that depicted a large yellow sun, a permanent reminder of its significance in Sunset's life. This was one of her journals, the journal, the one that was given to her by Princess Celestia in Equestria so many moons ago! After she had run out of pages to write on and had the journal replaced with the one she uses to this day, she took extra care to keep this old one safe from thieves, for every word that was written on its pages was precious to her. She lifted the journal out from the chest, opened it up, and flipped through the pages as she explained in a tone laced with nostalgia;

"Even after getting that new journal from Princess Twilight, I could never part with this one! It holds too many memories for me to just toss it into a garbage can, you know?"

Applejack gave out an understanding laugh before responding;

"Ah get it, sugarcube. Ah may have extra hats back at the farm, and way too many of 'em to boot. But, this 'ere Stetson..."

She tilted her hat slightly upwards with her right thumb before finishing with a smile;

"It carries the memories Ah made with mah Ma' and Pa'. When Ah wear it, it's like they're with me everywhere Ah go."

Moved by her heartfelt words, Sunset stood back up, journal in hand, and turned to face Applejack. She gave her a look of warm understanding as she told her with the same level of honesty as the girl who bore the element;

"You wear the hat well, AJ. I'm sure your parents would be proud of you."

The rest of the girls were just as moved, with Rainbow Dash giving the farmhand an enthusiastic thumbs up, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie giving her a double-hug from both sides, Rarity trying to hold back her tears, and Sci-Twi expressing a supportive grin. It was at this moment that the student of every science under the sun made a sweet comment;

"Well then, I'm certainly adding Sunset's old journal, and Applejack's hat for that matter, to the Items to Keep Safe List that I have saved in my mind."

With that, the girls took a moment away from clearing out Sunset's things to let her read to them a few entries from her journal. The highlights included the time when she had accidentally left large scorch marks all over several parts of the royal throne room when practicing fire magic, an incident involving Sunset, one of Princess Celestia's custom-made cakes, and the wrath of gravity, her moment of triumph against an arrogant rich stallion in a competitive magical duel, and the time when poor Sunset felt the sting of one of Celestia's pranks. Rainbow Dash laughed her rear off over the last one while wishing in her head that the Principal was as cool as her pony counterpart. The other girls made sure to contain their laughter (save for a mirth-stricken Pinkie Pie) while giving their friend their support as she used a bit of laughter of her own to hide her internal embarrassment. After she was finished telling stories from her Equestrian past, the girls went back to scouring the house for more of her personal items. Sunset guided them over to a heavily boarded up cement wall in front of the washer and dryer. Once the girls were grouped together in front of the wall, she explained to them thusly;

"I've been living in this dump for quite a while and I never really got around to busting through this wall to see what's on the other side. I guess now is as good a time as any."

She gave Applejack an expectant smirk and wink before adding;

"Whenever you're ready, AJ."

Applejack chuckled with excitement as she cracked her knuckles while almost strutting towards the wall, savoring the fun to come. After taking the time to crack her neck, she took her geode, which she wore every chance she could get like the other girls were wont to do, into her right hand. She then shut her eyes and silently called upon her Earth Pony magic, which flowed through her like a fierce stream in her being. Her pony ears glowed into existence along with her pony tail hair extension as her eyes shot open like a bolt of lightning. No change of wardrobe this time around, since she saw no need to bring out her full strength just to knock down a wall. Without a single shred of hesitation, the cowgirl released the geode from her grip, placed both hands on the boarded up wall and proudly declared with the biggest ear-to-ear grin on her face;

"Apple..."

She finished her personal battle-cry with thunderous gusto as she shoved the wall forward with the raw magical strength of Celestia knows how many people;

"JAAAAACK!"

By the time she stopped to stand at the other side of the sizeable hole she had made with her bare magic-powered hands, she had caused the now broken chunk of the wall to tilt and, with a mighty crash that made the girls wince, slide down the fleet of stairs that were apparently built beyond it before crashing again at the bottom. The girls gave her a resounding applause as she turned around to face them and wiped her hands clean with smug satisfaction all over her face.

After taking the time to safely move the broken chunk out of the stairway, Applejack led the girls down the stairs, with a nervous Fluttershy holding onto Rainbow's shoulder for emotional support. Rarity was the one who asked what they were all thinking as they traveled downward;

"Why in the world would this abode's previous tenets go out of their way to seal off the entrance to the basement?"

She made it a point to visually inspect the walls on either side of the stairway before adding;

"Oh, I can only hope it was not to hold back a..."

She held back the urge to gag in disgust before finishing in indignation;

"Cockroach infestation!"

Sunset shook her head in disagreement;

"If it were cockroaches, they would have been all over the house when I had first arrived here. But, other than the occasional rat and spider, I didn't see a single pest back then or since."

Hearing that gave Twilight a rather unpleasant thought, one that drove her to ask when the pack was halfway down into the depths;

"Sunset, who did you say used to own this property again?"

"An old religious family..." said Sunset, who couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness over what her intelligent friend was getting at. Sadly, Twilight's response did not help matters much, for she replied with fear in her shaky voice;

"Oh dear... based on what I've read about how certain folks handle religious matters, I can only hope that they were not of the..."

She gulped audibly before finishing;

"Zealous variety."

Having heard enough of all this nonsense, Rarity visibly pointed her left index to the ceiling and chimed in with a raised chin and dignified expression;

"Now, dears, let us not allow our fears to replace sound judgement."

Two certain wounds in Rarity's heart stung for a moment. While she did notice this happening, they did not stop her from speaking her mind;

"I, for one, am quite certain that a perfectly reasonable explanation can be found, one that no doubt does not involve religious zealotry."

Fluttershy, with a horrified shiver, noted softly;

"Oh, I hope there aren't any poor critters trapped down here..."

Rainbow Dash turned her head to give her animal loving friend a quick encouraging smile that eased her tension a little before chiming in excitedly;

"I'll bet it's some kind of magical monster that got trapped in here and we gotta kick its butt!"

She cracked her neck in anticipation of an awesome fight, while Fluttershy whimpered at the thought of that being a thing as she lowered her head to hide behind Rainbow's back while proceeding onward. Sunset's face couldn't help but express a grimace of her own before announcing seriously;

"Trust me, Dash: if it was a magical monster, it would not have been down here for long..."

She couldn't help but recall what she, as a filly, had read about the many dangerous creatures that made Equestria their home: Timberwolves, Chimeras, Ursa Minors, and so many more. Sunset internally thanked Celestia, Luna, and harmony itself for giving Fluttershy the ability to communicate with animals as they continued downward.

Without further ado, the girls had made their way to the end of the stairway, where a single wooden door awaited them. It was locked tight, which would have deterred most people. Applejack, thankfully, was not like most people. This time, however, she only needed to use a much smaller portion of her magic to push the door open than what she had to muster against the wall earlier. Her pony ears and ponytail didn't even show up this time! The girls walked through the now opened doorway before them one at a time, the room they walked into being quite different from what they had feared. It was a large and remarkably barren room, save for a single round wooden table that held a large black chest on it that stood in stark contrast to the grey walls surrounding it. Resting in front of the chest was a small brown notebook. The only source of light that illuminated the room was a single light bulb that hung directly above the table from the ceiling. What was striking about the chest to the girls was that the fact that it was almost completely wrapped in silver duck tape and that was on top of it being locked tight via a rusted gold padlock, its key being missing from the scene. Each of the girls expressed some variation of bewilderment and, in the specific case of Rainbow Dash, excitement. She was the first one to give her thoughts on the matter with anticipation in her grin;

"Oh yeah! I'll bet there's some cool treasure in that chest!"

She then expressed a sudden gasp before exclaiming with even more excitement in her slightly cracked voice;

"Just like in the Daring Do books! Awesome!

She shot her right fist to the sky in celebration, though the others were too focused on the matter at hand to notice this. They all surrounded the table that held their apparent prizes (after Twilight carefully examined the room for traps). It was Sunset who decided to take the notebook into her hands to take a closer look. The cover showed no title, name, or anything else that would have clued her in as to its purpose or owner. After a moments pause, she flipped open the book to inspect its pages. The other girls crowded around her to see what she could find, but initially, the results were not ideal. The pages Sunset had flipped to were blank! But, she was determined to give the book a full once-over, so she pressed on. It was good thing she did too, otherwise she would have missed the one page that had an entry scribbled on it near the end of the book. It was written in plain English, so translation was a non-issue. With a breath, Sunset read the entry aloud.

To whoever is reading this, I give you this warning: leave the chest locked and sealed! DO NOT OPEN IT FOR ANY REASON!

The horror that rests inside of it drove my two friends to madness before destroying them utterly, it was all I could do to seal it away within the chest. I do not understand how this had happened; no other object was able to contain this wickedness. Still, I am not one to shy away from a gift from my god.

Please, I beg you: find a safe place where you can hide the chest from the curious and the foolish alike. Bury it if you have to! The terror it contains must never be unleashed upon the world again, or it will consume you from the inside out as it did to my friends.

I wish I could have saved them...

As for me, I need to get away from this house. Too many memories. Perhaps the city will make for a suitable buyer? May my god show you mercy and goodwill.

Now, they all had a good reason to be afraid, and it was wrapped in duck tape! Rarity, Twilight, and Sunset took several steps back away from the table while Fluttershy yelped in terror as she hid behind her long hair and Rainbow Dash, who was eying the chest with a ton of ideas bouncing around in her head, each one more foolish than the last. Applejack clenched her fists while glaring at the chest, the page's words having made alarm bells in her mind ring like the bell at her farm. Pinkie Pie, however, decided to take a direct course of action that involved walking right up to the chest and laughing at it as if it were the most hilarious joke of all time. Only Pinkie would laugh at a container that apparently held some kind of destructive force within itself. Sunset, however, was not in a laughing mood;

"Careful, Pinkie!" she exclaimed in worry while firmly grabbing her left shoulder to get her attention;

"For all we know, that could be an artifact from Equestria!"

She gave the chest a glare filled with fear of the terrible possibilities that could be contained inside of it before adding with a nervous laugh and one terribly fake smile;

"A really dangerous artifact at that..."

Sci-Twi took that moment to chime in while gazing at the box with a combination of scientific curiosity and understandable dread;

"I would bring in my newest invention to investigate this more closely, but it still has several severe bugs for me to fix first."

Rainbow Dash did a quick shrug as she suggested;

"Eh, we can just take this bad boy to your house."

Rarity belted out a most dramatic gasp aimed squarely at Rainbow;

"Really, Rainbow Dash, I do not think it wise to let that chest be in anyone's abode, especially with that..."

She shuddered audibly and visibly before finishing while pointing fiercely at the box;

"Murderous force of mystery contained within! I am quite amazed that it was sealed off at all, with duck tape no less!"

This detail caused Sunset's mind to flare up, allowing a realistic possibility to rise to the surface;

"Perhaps it's the chest that's the artifact..." she explained with a little more calmness in her being.

Sci-Twi nodded her head in agreement while uttering;

"A distinct possibility, Sunset. Which would leave me to suspect that the mystery that's sealed away is..."

Every Rainboom present had the same thought and groaned over how likely it was for it to be true. With resignation, they all declared in unison;

"Wild magic."

Rainbow Dash, being who she was, was the first to complain, and loudly at that;

"Seriously?! Every time we think we've kicked wild magic's butt for good, some more of it shows up!"

Applejack facepalmed with an annoyed grimace as she delivered her own complaint;

"Ah hear ya, RD. Ah mean, remember what happened with Vignette and Equestria Land?"

Rarity gave her a gentle smile that could soothe a breaking heart;

"It is not something one can easily forget, darling."

Sunset could feel her guilt over having brought magic into the world rising to the surface like lava in a volcano.

"Don't even get me started on Principal Celestia's little garden of horrors!" noted Sci-Twi as she hugged herself with a shudder.

After recovering, she came up with an idea that she expressed to the group while holding her chin in thought;

"Well, we don't know for sure if it is wild magic. Going by Sunset's earlier explanation of the house's origin, this item here may actually predate the Fall Formal Incident. So, it is likely that the chest is an Equestrian artifact and that the violent energy described on the page is a part of it."

Sunset's guilt was quickly replaced with relief upon hearing her friend's words. She wanted to hug her right then and there! But, there was still the matter of what to do with the chest.

"Um... I don't want that thing anywhere near animals or people, thank you..." said Fluttershy in a frightened whisper that the trained ears of her friends had caught with ease. She couldn't even bring herself to look at the blasted thing out of fear of it bursting open on sight!

"Flutters is right, ya'll!" exclaimed a worried and determined Applejack as she cracked her knuckles and neck;

"Ah would have smashed the dern thing by now, but Ah don't want that pestilence it's holdin' back to come out and zap us all into the Eternal Hills and who knows how many other folks!"

"It's okay, sillies!" exclaimed the ever-energetic Pinkie Pie;

"As long as the mysterious evil person-zapping thingy is in this chest, it won't hurt anyone!"

Before anyone could make a further remark, she grabbed the chest with hands, picked it up, and handed it over to a surprised Sci-Twi before declaring with her unique brand of happiness set to maximum joy on her face;

"If anyone can figure this out, it's you!"

The bookworm's tension and trepidation began to melt away as she locked eyes with her bubbly friend. Pinkie Pie had that effect on people. Sci-Twi carefully took the chest into her hands and promptly declared with a tiny smile;

"I'll make sure to actively avoid opening this thing during my research on the matter."

Rarity took a moment to steady her nerves with a breath or two before replying to her friend in her usual dignified manner;

"Well, I still do not approve of letting that thing be in someone else's house, let along yours, dear. But, if you are going to do this, it would behoove me to support you. Just..."

She walked over to her and gently placed her right hand on her left shoulder while giving her a look of pure concern as she finished;

"Be careful, darling. Losing you would hurt us all most terribly."

The others were quick to offer Sci-Twi their support, with Sunset promising to help her research efforts directly as well as provide protection if things go south. Even so, Applejack could not help but stare daggers at the chest as the girls walked back up the stairs. She had made it her business to walk behind her to keep an eye on their new package.

"Mah gut's tellin' me that leavin' that there chest alone is a bad idea," she thought to herself, her fists clenched and ready to fly at a moment's notice;

"And like mah Granny Smith always says; When an Apple's gut is talkin'..."

Two old wounds, one fresher than the other, flared up in the farmhand's heart as she finished her thought with a hint of frustration;

"They better be listenin'..."

Author's Note

So, the girls have found two little somethings in Sunset's house: one is awesome while the other is anything but!

What exactly is in the chest? Thankfully, this is Post-Friendship Games Sci-Twi that's investigating this mystery! :twilightsmile:

I hope you all appreciate the inclusion of Sunset's old journal. It kinda got dropped in favor of the new one in the series (understandable, given the thing ran out of paper!), so I wanted to show it some love.

As for the next chapter, expect one of those blasts from the past that I mentioned in the description and oh nelly, it is a doozy!

Chapter 3 - The Other Bad Girl

It took a great deal of time and effort to get the rest of Sunset's personal affects out of the house, but for the group of friends, it was all worth it. They were helping Sunset out and spending plenty of time together, after all! It was a good thing that, like the rest of the Rainbooms, she had kept her musical instruments, save for her personal electric guitar that was still in its bag, stashed in Canterlot High's music room (she had learned her lesson from what they called the Storage Key Mishap). As it turns out, there were very few places in the house where an electric guitar and an acoustic guitar could be safely stored without running the risk of their necks being warped by sub-optimal room temperatures. The Murder Chest, as it was tentatively named, was placed under Sci-Twi's care, who called for Shining Armor to come pick it up while giving him clear instructions to never open it. Once the items were placed outside of the house, Applejack called for Big Mac to bring in the family truck to help move Sunset's affects to Rainbow's house. He replied as simply as expected from the big guy;

"Eeyup!"

Once he arrived, it was quickly revealed that he was not the only one she had called in, for she announced to the others;

"Heads up, ya'll! Ah just told Apple Bloom the situation. She's bringin' the youngin's in to help get this stuff moved out of the way."

Every Rainboom smiled upon hearing this news, with Rarity noting with a few respectful giggles;

"Oh, dearest Sweetie Belle will be happy to assist us!"

Rainbow was less reserved with her reaction, for she did a brisk fist pump before declaring enthusiastically;

"Scoots will be too, I know that for a fact!"

Applejack chuckled with no small amount of pride before adding;

"Ah know mah little sis will be pleased as punch to help out."

She then looked over at Sunset with a knowing smile and a friendly wink for good measure;

"Those sugarcubes got a lot of love for ya'."

Sunset smiled back at her while responding sweetly as a flood of memories came rushing into her head;

"Yeah, we've got a good thing going."

Sure enough, within mere minutes of her announcement, the familiar rolling of wheels could be heard from down the street. A certain orange scooter, driven by the helmet-clad Scootaloo, came rushing towards them. Being pulled from behind the scooter was a sturdy wooden hand-made wagon large enough carry three people. Sitting in the wagon with seat-belts and helmets on were Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. They all had giant smiles on their faces as Scootaloo expertly stopped her sick ride with a loud screech from her tires, the wagon behind her slowing down to a stop soon after. She stepped off of the scooter whilst her two friends opened the wagon gate in front of them before stepping onto the street.

What happened next drew plenty of grins and barely-contained chuckles from everyone else present.

With a voice filled with excitement and pride, Apple Bloom called out to her friends;

"CMCS! FALL IN!"

Right on cue, they started marching in unison over to the Rainbooms like a trio of young soldiers. The serious expressions on their faces, along with their helmets, added to their performance tremendously, if the mirth etched on the faces of every Rainboom watching was anything to go by. Big Mac, however, was just leaning on his truck while enjoying the show in a relaxed fashion, even though he could not resist grinning a little. He knew the score all too well with those three girls. They stopped to march in place in front of Sunset for a moment before stopping to stand at attention. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack stood to her left, while Fluttershy, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie stood to her right. With their combined gaze fixed on the flame haired girl, the three young ladies announced in perfect unison;

"Canterlot Movie Club: House Renovators! Reporting for duty!"

They finished their performance with a right-handed soldier's salute, their serious expressions having never left their faces during this whole thing. Sensing her cue, Sunset saluted them back while responding in the most serious voice she could muster, her face contorting to match it;

"At ease, Movie Club."

It took the four of them all of five seconds to drop the act completely, falling into a fit of riotous laughter before the CMCs leaped into Sunset to give her one of their famous movie club hugs while exclaiming happily;

"It's so good to see you, Sunset!"

She lovingly wrapped them into her arms and relaxed into theirs for a bit for before they broke off to give each other room to breathe. Apple Bloom then declared with sadness in her eyes;

"If we had known about ya' livin' in this 'ere wreck of a house, we would've sounded the alarm ourselves!"

"Yeah, you deserve to live in an awesome house!" exclaimed a similarly distraught Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle, however, was about ready to burst into tears as she cried out;

"We're not letting our friend and Honorary Club Member be homeless!"

"Well said, darlings!" exclaimed Rarity, her face beaming with pride over her little sister and her friends as she walked over to them with tissues in hand. She gently dabbed Sweetie Belle's tears out of her eyes while Applejack explained with similar levels of pride;

"Well then, your first job will be to help us get Sunset's stuff packed into Big Mac's truck."

Rainbow Dash jumped in to add excitedly;

"She'll be living with each of us while we fix up her house."

She then pointed at herself with her thumb before finishing with a hint of smugness;

"Starting with me, of course!"

Applejack, as it turns out, didn't quite mention her friend's new living arrangements to Apple Bloom on the phone, for she was going to tell the young girls about it in person. Of course, Rainbow Dash would mention it first! The farmhand rolled her eyes over her honest error in judgement as Scootaloo's eyes were filled with stars and her mouth fell agape. She reacted with shock and rapidly building excitement;

"Sunset's... going to... live... with Rainbow Dash!?"

She straight up jumped with joy repeatedly over this news while yelling out;

"THAT IS AWESOME!"

She then high-fived Rainbow for good measure before telling Sunset with the absolute gusto and bounciness of a fangirl on cloud nine;

"You're gonna love living in her house! Rainbow has the most awesome house ever!"

Their sadness forgotten, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle gave their elder friend a look of pure love as the former declared;

"Ya'll always be welcome in our clubhouse. Just say the word whenever ya' need a place to crash for the night!"

Resisting the urge to pull the sweethearts into another hug, Sunset told them honestly;

"Thanks girls. I'll keep that in mind, although..."

She couldn't help but let her face show her trademark sideways smirk before adding gently;

"I don't think you have much room for a fourth sleeping bag and a gecko."

With that, everyone went right to work on putting her things into the truck.

By the time they had finished getting the items cleared out and watched Big Mac as he drove the truck out of sight with his cargo, the CMCs wagon and helmets included, it was half-past 3:00PM! It wasn't long after that that Shining Armor had arrived to pick up the Murder Chest (the girls made sure not to tell Sci-Twi's cop for a Best Big Brother Friend Forever about the nickname). After he left with the chest in tow, they all thought about what they were going to do next. It was a quiet day scheduling wise, so most of the Rainbooms did not have any important business until later on. The CMCs had club business to attend to, but they decided to put that off to spend time with their sisters and friends. Sunset, however, needed a shower. Thankfully, she already had one the night before, so The Stink, as Rarity had so graciously put it, hadn't set in yet. Bad breath from a lack of tooth brushing, however, was a different story! So, it was decided that they would all celebrate their efforts with a quick trip to Sugarcube Corner (formerly known as the Sweet Shoppe) for a snack and then send Sunset to Rainbow's house, so that she can wage war on cavities and settle into living with the athlete for a week. As they traveled through the neighborhood to reach their destination, the girls started talking about all sorts of things. Current plans, jokes that ranged from good to bad enough to laugh at, that sort of thing. As they were about halfway towards Sugarcube Corner, the topic of discussion changed to one that Sunset had been a curious about for some time, but didn't quite find the chance to ask about it until now;

"Girls, we've known each other for a long time now, haven't we?" she asked them thoughtfully. Pinkie Pie responded with dramatic flare and joy that was fit for the theater, her face beaming with a type of happiness only she could experience and express to the world;

"Yes, and our friendship shall last forever!"

Sci-Twi giggled slightly to herself as they all watched their peppy pink pal laugh maniacally. Once the laughter had died down, she then looked over at Sunset with certainty and happiness in her eyes and added to Pinkie's claim;

"Until the end of time."

Fondly remembering the time when Princess Twilight Sparkle had sent her the lyrics to a certain song that took a week for her to get out of her head, she felt that familiar warmth grow within her body again, this time inside of her belly. It encouraged her to give Sci-Twi a sweet affirming grin. As she continued to walk with her friends while feeling completely safe in their presence, she felt a strong pulling sensation from deep within. A strong urge to let herself sink into that warmth for a while, as if her heart was voicelessly calling her to rest within itself. Knowing what that would do to her, though, she resisted the temptation, as lovely as it was. After all, she had a thought she needed to express, and she really did not want to worry the girls;

"What I'm trying to ask is, do you all have any stories from before Canterlot High?"

Rarity responded with a dash of nostalgic laughter to start things off;

"Our lives prior to Freshman Year... goodness, it has been ages since I've last looked that far back!"

Applejack gave off a hearty laugh before adding;

"Ah got me a story or two to tell about those old days, that's for sure!"

"Um... I don't have a lot of stories from before I enrolled into CHS... but, I could tell them, if you want," Fluttershy noted softly, more to herself to than to the others. Rainbow Dash, ever attentive of her old friend's mannerisms, placed an encouraging hand on her right shoulder, which eased her tension a little. As for Pinkie, she was more than happy to oblige;

"Oh, I've got soooo many stories from before I got into CHS! Oh, there's that time when Maud and I found gemstones so beautiful that she almost smiled! I can't forget that one time when Limestone and Maud were hunting for-"

There she went, ranting at approximately 100 kilometers-per-hour about one story after another with all the excitement of a kid in a candy store. From an outsider's perspective, it would seem like a miracle that any of the other girls could make heads or tails of what Pinkie was saying! But, they all had years of practice at this, courtesy of their friendship with the positively peppy purveyor of parties. Of course, anyone who knew Pinkie Pie would also have the good sense to get her to stop before she could destroy a conversation, which was precisely what Applejack did by gently, yet firmly, placing her right hand on Pinke's mouth to shut her up before telling her sharply;

"Slow down there, Pinks! The others got somethin' to say as well, Ah reckon."

With a nod from Pinkie, she moved her hand off of her mouth while Apple Bloom chimed in while adjusting her large red bow;

"Ya' know, Sunset, Ah don't think we ever told ya' the story of how Sweetie, Scoots, and Ah first met."

The amber girl's eyes grew wide for a moment before she uttered in awe;

"The origins of the Canterlot Movie Club..."

With a chuckle, she finished with a smirk;

"This I gotta hear!"

Sweetie Belle, with a jovial giggle, declared with a slightly watery mouth;

"We'll tell you about it when we get to the snacks!"

Sci-Twi then decided to ask Rainbow Dash while moving her face to gaze at the sidewalk before them;

"What about you? You got any pre-CHS stories of your own?"

What the other girls got in response was silence. Deafening, uncharacteristic silence. Sci-Twi quickly turned her head to face Rainbow Dash to see what was going on. Gone was the confidence that she was known for. What appeared on her face instead was hesitancy and frustration. She kept her eyes locked on the path in front of her as they walked, silently refusing to give her friend's question the time of day. Scootaloo, with nervousness filling every syllable she uttered, told to her beloved idol and sister-in-heart;

"Rainbow..."

There was something else in Scootaloo's voice that Sci-Twi had recognized besides the nervousness. It was the tiniest hint of hurt. As if an old pain had seeped into the young daredevil's voice. It reminded the bookworm of how her own voice sounded whenever she was hurting inside, hence the recognition. Before she could even so much as attempt to soothe her friend, however, another voice rang out from behind the group, one that was entirely new to Sci-Twi. It was, however, familiar to the others. Familiar enough to stop them dead in their tracks, which prompted her to stand still as well. The voice had uttered a single word, which was more than enough to change the entire situation in a negative fashion;

"Sup?!"

Sci-Twi looked at each of the girls to see their reactions in the hopes of better understanding what was going on.

Fluttershy hugged herself while softly whimpering in terror.

Rarity could barely contain her visible indignation.

Pinkie Pie's smile weakened slightly while her hair lost a portion of its poofiness.

Sunset gritted her teeth to keep herself from growling, her fists tightly clenched and her eyes filled with an old fury that she was, thankfully, keeping under wraps.

Applejack, as usual, kept her emotions on the inside, but the lowering of her hat and the deep frown on her face spoke volumes on how she was feeling.

Rainbow Dash breathed slowly and heavily, her eyes expressing her frustration from a moment ago, only with hesitancy replaced by a rage that was fighting tooth and nail to come out of hiding.

Seeing all of this was worrying enough for Sci-Twi, but what had made her worry even more was seeing how the CMCs reacted!

Apple Bloom clutched her chest with her right hand for dear life while expressing a look on her face that could be best described as shock and regret personified. Sweetie Belle was not too far off by comparison, only with tears added to the mix. They were both holding onto the arms of a trembling Scootaloo, Apple Bloom with her left arm, and Sweetie Belle with her right. She held onto their arms for dear life while trying valiantly to hold back her own tears as she breathed so quickly, she was almost hyperventilating. The terrible horror the normally excitable and courageous daredevil was expressing, combined with the combo of regret and care shown by her two best friends, was something that Sci-Twi would never forget. With a breath, she turned around to walk out of the group to see who had caused her friends to produce such a profound reaction.

It was a single person, a young lady who looked to be around Rainbow Dash's age. She had tan skin, yellow eyes, the smuggest smirk the bookworm had ever seen, and white hair styled to match that of an eagle with light-purple highlights at the three front tips that looked very much like feathers. She wore a light-brown unzipped bomber jacket with white fuzz at the top of the collar, a white undershirt, a matching pair of pants, and black boots with yellow bird talons painted on them. Sci-Twi did not recognize this girl who gave off an air of trouble with her smirk alone, but she was positive her friends did. Before she could turn to ask them, however, the girl walked over to her with an arrogant strut as the group behind her turned around to see what was happening. The lady with the eagle hair stopped to stand just outside of striking distance from Sci-Twi, her eyes looking at each of the girls before her. Sunset walked over to stand next to her increasingly nervous and concerned friend before telling the new person with a deadpan voice and the most calm, furious, and piercing glare she could muster;

"Gilda."

Gilda glared back at the former bully before giving her a reply as confident as her strut was, her smirk refusing to leave;

"Sunset Shimmer."

The rest of the girls walked up to stand close behind Sunset and Sci-Twi, a fact that Gilda had taken notice of. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack stood-by-side of each other, with Pinkie Pie on the fair-right next to Applejack and Fluttershy on the far-left next to Rainbow. What she did not see, however, were the currently mortified CMCs, who their sisters had stealthily hidden behind them. With a mirthless chuckle, she remarked with a hint of annoyance;

"I see you're still hanging with those Wonderdorks."

"My friends are called Wondercolts," Sunset replied with a slight bit of venom in her voice, her gaze refusing to move away from Gilda, who raised her right eyebrow, seemingly out of confusion.

"Friends? Is that what you call them?" she asked calmly before turning her attention on Sci-Twi, who kept her composure despite the growing fear in her heart tempting her to hug herself like Fluttershy was doing.

Gilda's behavior reminded the lavender bookworm of her time in Crystal Prep way too much for her liking.

The source of that fear cocked her head off to the right for a moment as she stepped closer to Sci-Twi, stopping just close enough to inspect her without going into awkward territory. It was close enough to make her feel even more nervous, however, as Gilda tilted her upper-body forward slightly to size her up for a few seconds before noting with a frown;

"You look like her... but that ponytail... and the way you present yourself..."

She then declared after straightening her body back up, her smirk returning with a vengeance;

"Nah, you're not the Princess. You're a different person altogether, and judging by the glasses, I'd say you're an egghead."

"I see no problem with that, Gilda," noted Sunset, with more venom added to her voice as she promptly defended her friend. Gilda's response, however, was an unexpected laugh;

"Neither do I!" she remarked before continuing;

"I mean come on, who makes those cool as heck smartphones work so well?"

She then gave Sci-Twi a wink that nearly made her wince before adding;

"Eggheads like you, that's who! But, really, I should introduce myself."

With a fist bump on her chest to express her own personal pride, she declared to her;

"The name's Gilda, leader of the Griffons!"

She then asked with more politeness than either Sci-Twi or Sunset had expected from her;

"May I ask what your name is?"

After taking a deep breath to steady herself, she answered with a slight stutter;

"T-Twilight Sparkle."

Gilda's response was a hearty laugh and a surprised;

"You have the same name as her?! That's awesome!"

After taking a moment to calm down, she then noted with a friendliness that was, to Sunset's shock, not at all faked;

"Well, since you probably haven't been around those Wonder...colts... for a long time..." she expressed the last part of that name with no small amount of anger, which she had then driven back with the friendliness from earlier as she went on;

"I should give you some advice: you're better off without them."

"Excuse me?!" shouted an angry Rarity, her arms folded in increasing indignation over Gilda and her choice of words. Ignoring the fashionista entirely, she walked over to the group behind Sunset and Sci-Twi while explaining her case in a rather insulting matter;

"I mean, look at the menagerie! You've got..."

She pointed at Pinkie Pie;

"An annoying brat who wouldn't know a cool party if it hit her on the head."

Pinkie's hair lost even more poofiness as Gilda pointed at Applejack;

"A hillbilly hick from a backwards family."

AJ's frown turned into a low furious growl, though her hat was still lowered to cover her eyes. The insulting lady turned her attention over to Rarity;

"A prissy snob who couldn't tailor her way out of a paper bag."

Rarity raised her nose high with an audible huff in response to this verbal barb as Gilda gave Rainbow Dash the mother of all death glares before declaring in a low growl that screamed of hatred;

"A traitor."

Three things were keeping the furious Rainbow Dash from pouncing on Gilda in a fit of rage: Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom. The best she could do was spit at the ground near the bully's feet as she turned her attention over to Fluttershy before declaring;

"A pathetic weakling who's afraid of her own shadow."

The animal lover's response was a pained whimper as she tried desperately to hide behind her long hair. Oh, if it weren't for Rainbow being such a loyal friend, she would be wailing on Gilda for hurting Fluttershy like that! She made a note in her head to comfort her friend after this was over as the bully turned back around to face Sunset, who had just walked up to stand at mere inches from her, her rage barely contained on her face. It was all she could do to keep breathing steady and her fists from striking the jerk's face as Gilda remarked with clear disappointment on her face;

"And then there's you."

With an exasperated sigh, she explained;

"I wasn't at the school during the Fall Formal Incident. But I've heard the stories about how you fell so hard that you begged for forgiveness."

With an annoyed grunt, she reiterated while looking at ground;

"Begged!"

She looked back up to glare at Sunset eye to eye before asking calmly out of confusion and frustration;

"What did that rainbow laser do to you?"

Before she could respond, Gilda went on in a surprisingly soft serious voice;

"You used to be strong. Proud. Confident. Cool. You didn't take crud from anyone and you took down the idiots who tried to stand in your way. Everyone who was smart knew to either stand with you or stand back."

She sighed again while clearly thinking back to a past Sunset would rather forget before declaring;

"You were the Queen Bee of Canterlot High. Now look at what you've become..."

Throughout this declaration, Gilda was giving off a look of anger and the tiniest hint of what Sunset had guessed was pity. That pity gave way to anger in its entirety, however, as she finished;

"A dweeb with no claws."

That comment drew irate glares from each of the Rainbooms Gilda had insulted. But, it had yet another effect. During this entire exchange, Sci-Twi's fear kept her mouth closed, even though she wanted badly to stand up for her friends. Each insult made that desire grow more and more, but it was the shot fired at Sunset over her past that was the straw the broke the pony's back. She ran up to stand between her and Gilda and told the bully with surety that pushed through her terror and a furious gaze to match;

"You will leave my friends alone this instant!"

The other Rainbooms cheered her on with gusto. Sunset, however, settled for giving Sci-Twi a heartfelt grin and a laugh filled with goodwill as her fury was weakened by the warmth inside. She was loving the magic of friendship right now. Gilda, however, laughed jovially before telling the confused and slightly less frightened bookworm;

"An egghead with guts! I like this Twilight already!"

After calming back down, she then went back to giving her her own take on advice;

"Let me be real with you, Egg-Light. May I call you Egg-Light?"

"Do not call me Egg-Light," said Sci-Twi in a rapid pace that gave away her nerves and annoyance over the new nickname. Gilda continued on, undeterred by her request;

"Egg-Light, your buddies may talk up a big game. But when the chips are down..."

She then gave Rainbow Dash another dreadful death glare before adding;

"When their loyalties are challenged..."

She turned her attention back over to Sci-Twi as she went on;

"They'll abandon you for clearer skies."

That comment struck every Rainboom directly at a wound in their hearts, causing a sharp internal pain that drove the ones in the group to yell out words of encouragement to their friend, including the likes of "Do not listen to that ruffian!", "We won't abandon you!", and "We're in this together, ya' hear!?". Sunset herself was about ready to say 'buck it' and beat Gilda's miserable hide for her insolence, but her self-control was still keeping her reigned in, even as the self-proclaimed lead Griffon tried to deliver another insult;

"Best to drop them now, while you have the-"

Before she could finish her sentence, before the Old Sunset could make another attempt to return to enact painful revenge upon an unsuspecting Gilda, a voice that had a distinctive southern drawl to it rang out on the street where they were all standing. It wasn't Applejack's;

"YA' DON'T KNOW A DERN THING ABOUT THE PEOPLE YA' HURT, YA' RAGIN' SHE-VARMINT!"

Apple Bloom, who had spoken out in a fit of righteous fury, squirmed her way out of the group of girls to stand square in front of them, her fists clenched and ready to fly. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were right there with her, fists and all. Their faces oozed with a mixture of fear, tears, and barely contained rage. Their big sisters tried to hold them back, but to no avail. Not even they could stop them from standing up for their friends and family. Not even the bully before them, who looked at them with a shocked expression for a moment or two before her face contorted into a look of cruel, almost unrestrained malice that could scare away grown men as she stomped her way over to the CMCs before standing within a few inches between them. Their sisters stood ready to defend them at a moment's notice, with Pinkie Pie and even Fluttershy following suit. Sunset, with controlled anger, slowly and quietly walked over to within striking distance of Gilda's back, prompting Sci-Twi, who watched the situation play out with fear and curiosity in her head and heart, to follow her lead. While she knew her friends would keep the girls safe, she wondered what was it about them that made Gilda so agitated. With a growl, the Griffon told the CMCs;

"I was almost hoping your sisters would toss you three out like the trash you are."

"Don't. Insult. The youngin's," was Applejack's response, the anger in her voice, and the raising of her head to reveal a face covered in restrained familial rage, signalling a potential beating.

Gilda kept her gaze fixed on each of the club members, who glared back at her without a hint of relent, as she replied while maintaining her growl, caution effortlessly thrown to the wind;

"Why shouldn't I throw shade at these brats, after the stunt they pulled?"

That response only added to Sci-Twi's curiosity, enough to drive her to ask a question that, luckily, stopped Applejack from doing something she would regret later;

"I beg your pardon?"

Gilda's eyes went wide with shock as she sharply turned her head to face her before telling her out of confusion;

"You don't know... You actually don't know?!"

The shock and confusion within Gilda gave way to a revelation that drove her to belt out a loud fit of laughter, the kind that was always a prelude to disaster. Between laughs, she was able to utter;

"You mean they never told you about them!?"

She pointed her shaking right index finger the CMCs, who's anger slowly turned into sorrow, before adding with vile mirth;

"About the single biggest mistake they have ever made in their miserable lives?!"

The trio's sorrow become more and more prominent on their faces as Gilda hugged her sides in a vain attempt to control her twisted joy. Sci-Twi could see it plainly in their eyes: the regret, so deep and terrible in strength. It reminded her of her own and the sight of it being in the eyes of three good friends nearly broke her heart. Sunset was about to plant her black decorative boot up the bully's rear, but then she remembered the frightened friend who was nearby, and the distraught trio of friends up in front, which prompted her to relent. The Old Sunset would not have hesitated, and in spite of her rage, she was glad to not be her anymore. As for Gilda, she had finally recovered from her fit, only to get an idea.

An awful idea.

Gilda the Griffon got a wonderful, awful idea.

She looked at the CMCs, who stood their ground in defiance of her and their emotional anguish, and expressed a truly despicable smirk;

"I wonder if I should tell her the story..." she said with wickedness in every word she spoke. Her suggestion caused each club member's legs to shake, even as they remained steadfast. Apple Bloom gulped audibly out of terror, her bow drooping to match her mood. To her, to the three of them, Tartarus was opening up to claim them at last! Luckily for them, they had an angel in their corner, and she was as angry as a phoenix. With more self-control than she ever imagined having in her body, Sunset grabbed Gilda's left shoulder with her right hand, spun her around to face her dead in the eye, and told her slowly with strained fury in her voice;

"Don't you go there."

That accursed smirk of Gilda's remained untarnished as she thought for a few moments that felt like an eternity to the Rainbooms and the CMCs before replying;

"Eh, I suppose I'll let you all tell it to her. After all..."

She pointed at Sunset, and then at each and every Rainboom, save for Sci-Twi, before finishing;

"You were hurt by those brats too."

She then glared at Sunset one more time before stating calmly;

"This makes us even."

"You'll be leaving now," demanded Sunset as she released her vice grip from Gilda's shoulder. With satisfied grunt, she walked down the street away from the girls with her hands in her pants pockets while dishing out one last insult for the road;

"Later, dweebs!"

The first thing the girls did was comfort the CMCs, who turned right around and hugged their sisters with all their hearts. They all got into a large group hug that was filled with love, sadness, regret, and friendship, with Rainbow Dash making it a point to comfort Fluttershy as well. No words were spoken during the entire hug as Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo sank into the combined embrace, the presence of their friends and family helping to keep them from falling to pieces. No words were needed. As far as Sci-Twi was concerned, her curiosity over Gilda's claim could wait. Her friends needed her.

The rest of the journey was quiet, but it went on without further incident. Once the girls had taken their seats in Surgarcube Corner and placed their orders, Rainbow Dash pounded her fist onto the table where she and other Rainbooms were sitting at before yelling out in frustration;

"It's been YEARS and that bird is still as horrible as ever!"

With a dignified "hmph", Rarity replied with expertly contained indignation as she took the time to touch up her lipstick;

"Quite right, darling. Her little 'traitor' comment did not go unnoticed by me, which I find to be quite rich, coming from that dreadful rube."

"She betrayed Rainbow Dash!" exclaimed an angry Scootaloo, who was sharing a nearby table with her fellow CMCs while all three of them looked as hurt as they had felt. She looked at Rainbow Dash for a moment, who gave her a supportive smile that cut through the anger inside, before turning around to look at her table instead. Applejack tipped her hat at the trio before telling them with a smile;

"Ah'm mighty proud of ya'll for standin' up for us when ya' did."

Her smile turned into the frown of a concerned sibling as she added a tiny bit of sternness to her voice;

"But the shots that varmint had thrown at ya'll was somethin'-"

"That we all wanted to avoid, we know, big sis," responded Apple Bloom. She sounded furious, but her anger was hardly aimed at her sister and they all knew that. With a breath, she went on to loudly rationalize her club's decision while staring down at the table she was sitting at, her bow drooping once again;

"But, we just couldn't stand back and watch, ya' hearin' me?!"

"Ah hear ya', sugarcube, and Ah agree with your choice," was Applejack's response before she sighed with a voice filled with concern. She then added honestly;

"Ah'm just worried for ya'll."

"We all are," Sunset chimed in while looking at each CMC with worry in her eyes and heart. This was enough to get them to turn their heads to face the group. Thankfully, the tears had long since stopped. Sensing the opportunity, she offered to them;

"If you need our help with anything, anything at all, just ask."

Fluttershy took the chance to get up out of her seat, walk away from the Rainboom's table, and wrap the CMCs in one of her most gentle hugs, an act they greatly appreciated. She then told them in a sweet whisper that guided them away from their anguish;

"Sunset means what she said, and it comes from all of us. We're here to help you girls, whenever you need us."

Their anger evaporated and their sorrows fled into the most far off corners of their minds as the CMCs melted into Fluttershy's arms. The world around them faded away, save for their sisters, friends, and the pink-haired angel of peace who held them close.

"There there..." whispered the angel in question as their breathing steadied into a slow deep rhythm. For a wondrous minute or two, all was well in their minds and hearts. Apple Bloom thought of Sweet Apple Acres and her family. Sweetie Belle thought of singing and her sister. Scootaloo thought of flying on the back of her idol. They had to keep themselves from falling out of their chairs when released from Fluttershy's bliss-inducing grip. After composing themselves, they thanked her with a combined warm glare, their dopey smiles returning with gusto, much to their friends and sisters' relief. This, Sci-Twi recognized, was the right moment to ask Sunset a single question that has been bothering her ever since their encounter with Gilda;

"What is that jerk's deal?"

She suddenly felt the gaze of every friend she had in the building before nervously continuing while raising her hands up in defense;

"I mean, what she had done was absolutely horrible! But, I simply do not know what kind of history she has with you all."

Sunset gave off a regretful sigh before admitting while looking her dear friend in the eye;

"We really should have told you about her sooner, Twi. But, honestly, we thought she was ancient history. The kind that's best put behind us, you know?"

As if on cue, the food they had ordered had been delivered by the the waitress, which prompted a pause in the conversation as they each took their meals. A salad with dressing and a bunch of apples for Sunset, sugary sweets along with a pancake for Pinkie, a simple bagel for Rarity, a rather large cheeseburger for Rainbow Dash, a salad for Fluttershy that matched Sunset's, and a tray filled with assorted vegetables for Sci-Twi. Applejack wasn't feeling too hungry after recent events, so she abstained from ordering. The CMCs got extra-large cheeseburgers, a heaping helping of fries, and a big bottle of ketchup instead of the little packets that were normally provided. All of this food was remarkably different from the kind one would expect to be served in a bakery, but this was one of those rare occasions when Sugarcube Corner would expand their menu to non-bakery foods for a day, which the Cakes found to be a unique way to help keep the lights on and liven up their selection. It also helped that they had staff on hand who could make said food. The girls had no problems with their meals, but what the CMCs had gotten alongside their own was something special. It was a single note which made their hearts feel even warmer upon reading it;

"You'll be okay, kids! - From the folks in Sugarcube Corner."

They each had at least seven guesses as to who had asked the people running the place to write that note, but they decided to take it up with them later as they began chowing down on their food with extreme hungry prejudice. It wasn't long before their drinks had arrived as well: assorted sodas for most of the Rainbooms, a cup of jasmine tea for Rarity, and chocolate milk for the CMCs. Their sisters looked at the young girls with knowing smiles and familial love as they each happily accepted their drinks. Who could blame them for spoiling their kin this time around, especially after what had transpired earlier?

Whilst the group enjoyed their meals, Rarity decided to pick the conversation back up from where they left off after taking a graceful sip of her tea;

"While I understand your viewpoint on the matter, Sunset darling, we really should have expected Gilda to return eventually. She does come off as one to hold a grudge, after all."

Pinkie Pie gave a snort borne of rarely expressed anger as she exclaimed;

"That girl is a smile-stealing meanie!"

She then downed half of her soda in one go before slamming her glass onto the table while showing a fury on her face that was usually reserved for those who dared to commit the cardinal sin of breaking a Pinkie Promise. Seeing this kind of reaction from Pinkie of all people made the girls sitting close to her feel no small amount of concern and dread. Thankfully for them, that anger quickly melted away in favor of her traditional bubbly happiness as she declared with a giggle as honest as Applejack herself;

"Not to worry though! It'll take more than one grumpy mcgrumpy pants to ruin our days!"

She then enjoyed her meal as if she was never angry to begin with. Sunset was not entirely sure whether she should be happy or concerned for her as she returned her attention to Rarity and the topic at hand;

"You both make a fair point, which makes bringing Twi up to speed all the more important, because Gilda would probably lie to her about her past actions."

While taking all of this in, Sci-Twi thought about how she should respond for a moment before declaring with absolutely surety and calmness;

"Let me put it to you this way, girls..."

She pushed her glasses up her nose before giving Sunset a most certain glare;

"I've only seen this Gilda once and I already know that she would feel right at home in the old Crystal Prep."

This got a big "ohhhhhh!" from Rainbow Dash before she happily replied with an enthusiastic thumbs up;

"Sci-Twi with the BURN! Good on you, buddy!"

It was at that moment that the door to the restaurant opened up, revealing Sci-Twi's mother, Twilight Velvet, who walked over to the girls while holding a backpack in her right hand. Without a second thought, she got up out of her seat to give her mom a loving hug, which she happily accepted. Once the two of them had broken out of the hug, Sci-Twi asked;

"Why did you come, mom? Am I needed at home?"

With an amused chuckle, Twilight Velvet replied sweetly;

"No, but a certain ball of adorableness needs you."

The bookworm knew exactly what she meant by this as she readied herself for the pouncing to come by getting her knees with a knowing smirk on her face. The mother then placed the backpack on the ground between them and unzipped it, allowing Spike the dog to leap into Sci-Twi's arms and lick her face, much to her giggly joy.

"Sp-Spike! It's good to see you too!" she said between laughs as she gave her faithful furry friend ear scratches while the other girls gushed over the sheer cuteness of the sight before them. It was a VERY good thing that Sugarcube Corner allowed one pet per-customer or per-group, so long as they stayed off the tables and away from the food! With a quick kiss on her daughter's forehead, Twilight Velvet bid them all goodbye and promptly left the building. Sci-Twi then got back to her seat, with Spike deciding to take a seat on Apple Bloom's lap. After giving her face a good licking, much to her happiness, he made himself comfortable and asked the girls while getting pet-pets from the youngest Apple present;

"So, what happened while I was napping?"

"Gilda happened, darling," was Rarity's polite reply, which also contained a tinge of frustration over the girl in question.

Spike raised his right eyebrow out of curiosity as he responded with a bit of his typical snark;

"I don't know who this Gilda is, but they sound disappointing."

"That's putting it mildly, sugarcube," deadpanned Apple Bloom as she took another bite out of her burger. The rest of the CMCs, like her, showed clear distaste at the thought of hearing anything about their bully. But, they did not fuss or fret over it, as they wanted Sci-Twi, and Spike for that matter, to understand why they didn't like her at all.

The dog was intrigued, for he made a simple request;

"Let's hear it then: what's her angle?"

All was silent for almost a minute as the girls tried to think of the best words to start their explanation off. Rainbow Dash, in a rare twist, said exactly what needed to be said in a calm tired voice that stood in contrast to the sadness in her eyes;

"Hurting people... That's her angle."

With everyone's attention fixed on her, Rainbow Dash told them all a story she wished with all her awesome heart had never happened.

Long before I had ever set foot in Canterlot High School, and this was back when I was a little girl, I had friends I could count on, very much like I do now. Back then, two of them were who I considered to be the best friends a girl as awesome as me could ask for: Fluttershy... and Gilda. I thought I knew what was in Gilda's heart. I mean, she had a short temper and was always getting into fights. But, she always had my back, and me hers. I was a kid back then... I didn't know any better. If there were signs of trouble coming my way, then I never saw them.

I wish I had seen them.

As the years came and went, Gilda had it in her head to start up a street gang. The Griffons, she called them. She offered me a place in the gang as a founding member. I accepted without question. I mean, was I really going to leave a friend hanging? We didn't do anything illegal, so don't get me started on that, Twi! Nah, it was more like the kind of gang where we ran together, played together, and sometimes fought together.... In self-defense, I swear to the stars above, Sunset! Simply put, we didn't do anything that would land us all in jail, even though we did have to hold Gilda back from sending punks to the hospital a few times. One day, about a month or so before Freshman Year, I got enrolled into CHS! I was so ecstatic that I had to tell the other Griffons about it. They were all happy with me over the news, especially Gilda, who proudly announced her own enrollment into the school. That was a great day.

The last day when I would ever call Gilda my friend.

The next afternoon, I was doing a jogging exercise down the sidewalks of Canterlot City when I heard the crying of a little girl! I ran towards the crying, which came from an alleyway that was off to the left of the sidewalk I was jogging on. All of my instincts told me to take a peek first before rushing in.

Yeah, I know, that's what I normally don't do! Shut up and let me finish!

I peeked into the alleyway to see something that made me shake in shock:

GIlda was stomping on a little girl while she was on the ground!

Her body was hiding the girl from my sight, so I couldn't see who it was. Her crying voice was not recognizable to me.

I sure as hay did not hesitate!

I ran over to Gilda to shove her out of the way, which allowed me to stand between her and her victim, who whimpered and cried behind me. Needlessly to say, Gilda was shocked. That shock on her face turned into that stupid smirk as she told me calmly;

"Now now, Dashie. I'm just taking care of some business. Back off and let me finish."

I wasn't budging. I told her straight up;

"You leave the girl alone and maybe I'll forget about you beating her to a pulp!"

That wiped that smirk off of her face in an instant! She was angry as heck for a moment, but then she did something that I don't think she's done again since; she took a deep breath to calm herself down!

After composing herself, she gave me a genuine smile, yes I said genuine, AJ, and placed her right hand on my shoulder before telling me calmly;

"We've been friends ever since we were kids in grade school... and because you are my friend, I'm gonna give you one last chance..."

Her anger came roaring back as she demanded with a furious look in her eyes, her irises shrinking to drive home the effect;

"Step. Off."

With a breath of my own, I told her simply;

"No!"

That really shocked her! Backing up a step or two, she exclaimed angrily;

"You're gonna choose some brat you don't even know over your childhood friend?!"

Hearing those words come out of her stupid mouth gave me reason to think about what I was gonna do next. I then realized something important. Something Gilda was doing at that moment. Something I had to confront her about;

"Are you making me choose?"

I could hear the hurt in my voice when I said that. Heck, I could feel it! The fact that it was even likely that she was doing something so uncool to me made me want to explode and smash her face in. But, the girl behind me had seen enough violence as it was, so, for her sake, I kept my fists lowered and waited for Gilda's response.

I hoped she was going to say no...

"Yes, I am!" was her furious answer.

Darn it, Gilda!

I held my ground, my silence being the only response I could possibly give her. I was ready to fight if I had to, but for whatever reason, perhaps in memory of our friendship, out of annoyance, or a lack of care, Gilda turned around and left us both in a huff. I made sure to not even contact the other Griffons after that, as I just wanted to be done with the whole thing.

We've been enemies ever since.

By the time Rainbow had finished telling her story, she had already finished her meal. Sci-Twi, having never heard it before, was terribly saddened to hear of her friend having been betrayed so painfully. She held Rainbow's hands gently in hers as a show of support, which prompted the athlete to give her a small smile in return. The other girls knew the tale well, but hearing it was no less painful to their hearts. Applejack had taken her hat off out of respect. Sunset gave her friend a look of deep understanding and regret, Gilda's past misdeeds reminding her very much of her own. Pinkie Pie cried into tissues that she had pulled out from her hair and blew her nose into them. Rarity rested her hand on Rainbow's shoulder while restraining herself from expressing any of her overly-dramatic reactions. Fluttershy had tears streaming down her face as she looked at her cyan friend with utter sadness in her heart and eyes. As for the CMCs, they had left their food and their seats as they walked up to the Rainbooms' table during the story, with Spike jumping off of Apple Bloom's lap as they did so. Once it was finished, they each gave Rainbow Dash a look of pure understanding and solidarity, with Scootaloo being the only one of the three who was shedding tears. By then, Spike noted in his head to always growl at Gilda on sight as he got up onto Rainbow's lap and snuggled on it. He got more ear scratches for his trouble as Rainbow told everyone around her;

"Thanks, girls. But, there's a happy ending to this story."

The frown that was itched onto her face was replaced by one her signature manure-eating grins as she explained;

"While I did lose a 'friend' in Gilda that day, I did gain a new real friend in that little girl, who I made it my business to get to know."

She looked right at Sci-Twi and asked her excitedly;

"You wanna know who that girl was?"

Sci-Twi nodded her head, to which she replied with a chuckle and sly wink;

"Well, if she wants you to know, then she'll tell you."

She sat back, which gave her sharp-minded friend room to see something she didn't see coming: Scootaloo slowly raising her hand after some quiet nudging from her club pals, her eyes filled with an old hurt that wouldn't go away easily.

Needless to say, Sci-Two was shocked at this revelation! She had no idea that poor Scootaloo was physically assaulted! Well, she wasn't going to let her wallow in the sadness she was expressing before her eyes! Not while she had a tactical Spike within reach, anyway. She gently released Rainbow Dash's hands from her grip, grabbed her trusty dog with both hands and, with care and help from her friends, had him positioned close enough to Scootaloo for her to get what she was going for. Scootaloo lowered her head to face Spike and, once she was close, he struck her sadness in the best way any dog could: The Attack of a Thousand Licks! His target started giggling on the sixth lick and allowed herself to laugh after the tenth one, which prompted Sci-Twi to happily declare with a little bit of her unique brand of mania in her ear-to-ear smile;

"Yes! Yes, my friend! Let happiness return to you! VIA DOGGY KISSES!"

Between Scootaloo's happiness and Sci-Twi's mad-twientist laughter, the other girls couldn't help but surrender themselves to the positive vibes that were filling Sugarcube Corner, their sorrows from earlier in the day having no sway over them for a good while. Once the laughter had settled down, everyone returned to their seats, with Spike choosing to go back to Rainbow's lap for a bit longer, and enjoyed the rest of the food. As the chowing down continued, Sci-Twi decided to move herself and her meal over to an empty spot at the CMCs table, for she wanted to let them know about something important that had come to mind during Spike's lick attack. The girls were more than happy to have her sit with them, especially after she had been so sweet with Scootaloo. With a breath, Sci-Twi explained to them gently;

"I can't help but mull over what Gilda had said about the three of you."

Their hands flinched for a brief moment before continuing to eat. She noticed this, but continued on regardless;

"Of particular note was that 'mistake' she had referred to."

They experienced a second, more pronounced hand flinch, which prompted her to add sweetly;

"I'll understand wholeheartedly if you don't want to talk about that. I remember the regret I felt over..."

She looked off to her right side in remorse, the cackling voice of a certain demon ringing in her mind as she continued;

"Over what I had done as Midnight Sparkle. I didn't want to open up about my problems concerning the topic. But..."

She looked back at each of the CMCs, who were now giving her their full attention, before explaining;

"I had closed myself off from my friends on the matter and doing so nearly cost me everything I cherish."

She adjusted her glasses to prepare herself;

"I don't want that for you three or anyone else. So, I'm telling you now that while I'll respect how you wish to handle your so-called 'single biggest mistake', eventually you will need to tell someone you trust about what had happened and how it's affecting you."

They all looked away from her, their eyes betraying the pain in their hearts. She gave each of them the sweetest smile she could deliver before declaring;

"I'll be more than happy to wait for you to tell that story. I won't even look it up myself before you do, because I know you'll tell it truly."

The CMCs looked back at her with eyes made wide by shock. The Rainbooms were surprised as well, with Sunset expressing a soft reaction while glaring at Sci-Twi;

"Woah."

Each of the CMCs looked right at their sisters, not with pleading expressions, but expectant ones, as if they were waiting for them to say something. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack had an idea on what was going on, so they gave their sisters affirming nods. Just then, right as the CMCs turned back to face Sci-Twi, Pinkie Pie's entire body shook profusely and uncontrollably from head to toe! Every girl sitting at that table knew precisely what that meant and, after connecting the dots, watched the young girls' table with great interest:

A Doozy was coming!

The CMCs stared daggers at Sci-Twi for a moment or two before Apple Bloom turned to face Sweetie Belle with a look of pure seriousness, who nodded in silent understanding. She then looked over at Scootaloo with the same expression, who responded in kind. The Rainbooms kept their collective gaze fixed on the four girls from their table. Even Pinkie was watching amidst her constant shaking. The youngest Apple returned her attention over to Sci-Twi and, with her seriousness still itched on her face, made a single declaration that held considerable weight to the other girls;

"Ah, Apple Bloom, foundin' member of the Canterlot Movie Club and proud blood relative of the Apple Family, hereby, on behalf of fellow club members Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, as well as myself, make this Pinkie Promise..."

The three dear friends sharply positioned their arms, preparing themselves to perform the motions that sealed such a promise, as Sweetie Belle continued for Apple Bloom;

"To tell you, Twilight Sparkle, Sci-Twi to your friends, the story of the terrible mistake that Gilda would hang over our heads and how it's affecting us."

Scootaloo stepped in to add to their solemn pledge for her two pals;

"We may not be able to tell it today, tomorrow, next week, or even next month. But, you can bet a whole stack of Daring Do books that we will tell it to you, because you deserve to hear it from us..."

She looked away for a moment before noting softly, almost to herself;

"Instead of from that jerk."

Seeing her cue, Apple Bloom looked over at the other girls, their mouths wide open in shock at what they were hearing, and told them as sweetly as she could, her dopey smile very much on point when it came to hiding the struggle within;

"We want ya'll to be there for us when we tell her, because we know ya'll can help us pull it off good and proper."

Recovering from their shock (with Pinkie still shaking wildly), the girls nodded their heads in agreement, with Sunset showing the trio the most pride of them all. She, better than most, knew how much this meant to the young ones. Satisfied and more than a little relieved, Apple Bloom returned her gaze to Sci-Twi, readjusted her arms to make them ready, and with a final nod to her friends, the three of them did the motions and made the promise in perfect unison;

"Cross our hearts and hope to fly! Stick a cupcake in our eyes!"

Sci-Twi was moved by all of this as they finished doing the motions. She had heard stories of the fabled Pinkie Promise from her friends as well as the terrifying consequences of breaking such an oath. In fact, she had even made such a promise herself once, one that she was proud to know she hadn't broken! So, she understood its importance enough to thank each of the CMCs and reaffirm her own pledge to not look up their story until after they told it. She looked over at the other girls, who were all beaming at the young ones, happy as can be over them making such a monumental promise. As for Pinkie Pie, her body had finally stopped shaking, meaning that the Doozy was over with. Which made her a very happy Pie, as she was hoping to experience that particular one for a long time! Of course, there was just one problem:

For the first time in a super-duper long time, Pinkie Pie finally found a Pinkie Promise that she was worried could be broken! Oh, she did NOT like that idea!

Fillydelphia Juvenile Detention Center: Around that same time!

The Wrecker did what she always did during this time of the day; sit in the cafeteria while eating her meal in silence, not wanting to bother or be bothered by her fellow prisoners. Such a habit, combined with her well-earned reputation, was enough to keep most of the prisoners at arms length, which helped her maintain her currently spotless behavioral record that afforded her the outlandish outfit she was rocking. If she wanted that clean slate, which she absolutely did, then she needed that record to stay spotless for the rest of her sentence.

Tick-tock.

The image of Sunset Shimmer's picture flared in her mind like embers shooting out from a fire pit: sudden and with fierce consequences. Her rage bubbled up for a moment before she stamped it back down with steady breathing. Her preferred choice of music blaring in her ears, courtesy of her music player and earphones, also helped to settle her mood. There was a time and a place for rage, she had learned from life. The situation she was in afforded her neither of those things.

Tick-tock.

As her rage gave way to calm, other memories rose to the surface, ones that she would prefer to never forget;

Fire. Burning down a home.

Screams of sorrow. From her own voice.

Relentless fury. Pain wrought by her hand.

Tears. Streaming down a sweet soul's face.

These memories, and many others, were fuel to her own fire. Some of them were painful to bare, and she was not ashamed of the tears she had shed over them. Still, they were fuel to a fire that drove her to live, to act, and to thrive. The same fire that, in time, would drive her to fight. So, she held them all close to her heart, refusing to lose sight of even a single detail.

Tick-Tock.

The clock in her mind kept her focused with each internal tick, reminding her that soon, her freedom would come, which would give her the chance to face down one last punk. She almost smiled at the thought of that. Almost.

Years of regrets make it hard for a girl to smile.

Juvenile #448: The Wrecker - 6 days until freedom.

Author's Note

Fillies and gentlecolts: Gilda has entered the story! This chapter is more wordy than others, but I had to set the stage for certain... things. :raritywink:

Don't worry, we'll get to why she wasn't around in the canon series soon enough. I haven't forgotten about the history behind Sunset's housing situation either! :twilightsheepish:

I don't know what's worse, the Griffon herself or that thing she's referencing...

Will the CMC's keep their Pinkie Promise? Who else will contribute to Operation: Sunhouse?

What will The Wrecker do when she gets out?! WHAT IS IN THE CHEST?!

So many questions... so much to write about!

I look forward to seeing your comments on how the story's developing! :pinkiesmile:

Chapter 4 - A Night of Awesomeness!

Rainbow Dash's House - Evening time

With the excitement of the day behind them, the Rainbooms took the CMCs to their homes for the night before breaking off to head home as well. Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer arrived at Rainbow's house to clean up and get settled. Sunset's belongings were already placed in a neat pile on the living room floor. It took the pair about an hour to get all of her things set up in Rainbow's bedroom, even with help from her parents Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles. Their unyielding support of Rainbow Dash's efforts was on point from the moment she walked into the house, for they made it quite clear that they approved of having Sunset live with them for a week.

"Our daughter is the best roommate ever!" they both cried out in pride and joy, much to Rainbow's internalized appreciation and barely hidden embarrassment.

Once the bedroom was set up, Sunset took a hot shower, brushed her teeth, got her usual violet pajamas on, and walked into the room, ready to enjoy a fun-filled night with the most energetic of her friends, who was waiting for her in her own blue pajamas while sitting in front of her gaming desktop, which was already loaded up and decorated with Wondercolt stickers. She was clearly itching to play a game with Sunset, if her cocky grin was anything to go by. She looked right at her and declared with intense excitement, her hands tightly gripping her chair's armrests in anticipation;

"Are you ready to face the Lord of Crags, Sunset?!"

With a relaxed confident grin, she replied as she sat on the chair in front of her own gaming desktop, which was placed to the right of Rainbow's setup;

"I made sure to wait until now to fight him, RD. After all..."

She looked at her desktop, turned it on, and put on her black and grey headset before looking back at Rainbow. With a smirk that exhibited the sheer confidence of a gamer ready to strike, she finished her thought;

"Bosses are best fought with friends behind you."

With an enthusiastic high-five, they loaded up the game in question, Final Fantasy XIV, selected their characters, and got stuck in!

Turns out, Sunset was one quest away from unlocking the fight with this Lord of Crags, who was mainly called Titan. So, while Rainbow's character was sitting on the ground on her desktop, she watched Sunset's monitor as she made her way through the quest as a level 34 Black Mage. After burning, freezing, and otherwise disintegrating numerous enemies, she unlocked the Trial fight, allowing Rainbow to join her and two random players to form a party to take down the boss itself! Soon enough, they all found themselves watching the cutscene that introduced their target: Titan.

"Oh man, this guy's bulkier than Bulk Biceps!", Sunset exclaimed as the fierce riff of an electric guitar rang in her headset. She was NOT exaggerating, for the boss was massive in both size, width, and muscular girth! His legs were also muscular and tough in appearance, though not quite as bulky compared to the rest of his body. Thanks to Rainbow Dash deciding to put her own headset on earlier, they could use the connected microphones to speak to each other over the game audio. She decided to give her music-loving friend a little tease of things to come;

"You hear that sweet rock & roll?"

Sunset found herself bobbing her head to the beat of the drums before replying with an excited grin;

"I hear it and I love it!"

"Oh, that's just the beginning!", Rainbow noted with a sly wink and audible anticipation that she did not notice as she continued to bob her head, the music having already taken her away to far off places that matched the roughness of the sounds she was hearing, such as fighting rings and dirtied up alleyways. With an quick shake of her head, she pulled herself back to the present moment and readied herself for the fight ahead.

Round 1

Sunset and the random players in the party were of similar skill, with Rainbow having the most experience of the four. While Sunset was a Black Mage, Rainbow Dash was a Paladin, and the two randoms were a White Mage and a Warrior. They were all at least level 34. It didn't take long for Sunset to get to grips with the first phase of the fight, since Titan's attacks were clearly telegraphed. Once a quarter of his health was gone, he jumped high into the sky, which prompted Rainbow to yell out;

"Run close to the edge, QUICK!"

Sunset did as instructed alongside the party, which saved them from taking huge damage from the shockwave of the boss's landing. The second phase had begun, which caused the fight's music to be given a meatier tone with heavier guitar riffs. Sunset began to head-bang with a giddy smile for a few seconds before stopping to focus on the fight. The new phase gave Titan a new attack that spelled disaster for its victims. A disaster that Rainbow tried to help her friend avoid with a warning borne of haste and experience;

"Watch out for the Landslide!"

Before Sunset could properly react to her warning, Titan bashed her character with a Landslide to the face before she could get out of its area of effect, sending her flying over the edge of the arena and onto the ground below. The landing destroyed her instantly at a spot well out of reach of the White Mage's revival magic. The random players soon joined her, having fell next to her, with Rainbow being the only one who was defeated on the arena before they could even reach the third phase.

Sunset's right eye twitched and her mouth fell agape at the sight of her falling to her doom, terribly shocked at the realization that she had been beaten via ring-out in an MMORPG. Rainbow Dash looked at her friend in concern for... two seconds, before bursting into a fit of laughter over her reaction to being smashed into oblivion. Thankfully, she was more shocked than angry. After taking a moment to calm down, she flashed Rainbow a gentle smile to let her know she was okay before reclaiming her focus on the game. She knew she would get back at RD for laughing at her expense later.

"This big boy won't be knocking me down again!", Sunset declared to herself as the fight restarted from the beginning.

Round 2

The first phase went on without a hitch and this time, everyone was ready for the second phase. Titan's Landslide missed its mark consistently as Sunset and the Dark Knight laid in the damage, with Rainbow keeping the boss's attention as the tank and the White Mage keeping everyone's health topped off with their magic. Once his health was half-way gone, he leaped up again, forcing the party to run to the edge of the arena, which was actually getting smaller with each shockwave producing landing he made. The third phase was the most different one so far, as it involved the party attacking Titan's rocky heart, which was released from his chest! The music had changed again, with a more techno-orchestra vibe mixed with a bit of that guitar action that had been prominent during the fight thus far. It was a pretty straight forward phase that they got through easily. If they had taken too long to do this, however, the party would have been wiped by the heart's Enrage attack! Thankfully, Sunset did not need to know about that detail, much to Rainbow Dash's good fortune and relief. From time to time, the heart would attempt to encase a player in a rock tomb that the others had to destroy, which was also a non-issue for them. Once the heart was dealt with, Titan took it back inside, leaped one more time, and landed with one last shockwave. What happened next, Sunset would count as one of her all-time favorite gaming memories.

After avoiding the shockwave with her party, she watched as Titan roared in a mighty explosion that covered the arena;

"Tremble before the might of the earth!", he yelled out via in-game text before adding fiercely;

"To the last, I grapple with thee!"

The music had erupted in glorious intensity when Titan roared, going full-on hard rock as Sunset's visible giddiness and headbanging came back for more! Rainbow Dash's allowed a knowing sideways smirk to grow on her face as she played, knowing, and ready to enjoy, what was coming. Her dear friend's giddiness quickly gave way to surprise as singing got added to the song whilst they fought the boss during its final phase, the overjoyed gamer keeping her focus as she banged her head to the beat with the gusto of a rock & roller. She was hooked by the first chorus, to say the least! As both fight and song played together in an intense harmonious dance, Sunset yelled at Rainbow out of jubilation, her focus on the game maintained in spite of her overwhelming happiness.

"This song has LYRICS! I LOVE boss fight songs with lyrics!"

At this point, she was straight up giggling as the fight progressed. Titan had one more ability added to his toolkit for this last phase; the ability to call on falling rocks to damage the party. They were able to avoid the rocks enough to only take minor damage that the White Mage could heal up, but they had to do this while also avoiding the Landslide, the melee attacks, and breaking the rock tombs. As a consequence of the increased need to dodge, the damage dealers weren't laying in the hurt as much as before, which gave the headbanging Sunset enough time to catch the first main verse of the song.

Oh, how she wished she could bring out the devil horns and just go with the rockin' flow, but she needed both hands to play!

Soon after the verse was done, the last of Titan's health was wiped out, unlocking the cutscene that signaled the end of the fight. Victory was theirs!

Sunset celebrated that victory by tightly grabbing both of Rainbow Dash's shoulders to turn her around to face her, looking her dead in the eyes with a happy wide-eyed manic expression, and exclaiming;

"Where is the soundtrack?! I want the soundtrack! I NEED the soundtrack!"

Rainbow was visibly taken aback by her reaction as she nervously laughed before attempting to calm her friend down with a shaking cracked voice;

"Easy there, SunShim! I get it, the game's music is awesome!"

Now, it was Rainbow's body's turn to shake as Sunset shook it back and forth rapidly while declaring loudly and with intense happiness;

"THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER!"

Unfortunately for them, Sunset's mania caused both of their chairs to tilt and fall onto the floor blow, taking the two girls with them with a pair of loud thuds. This had the fortunate effect of knocking Sunset's mind back into a calmer state, though she could do without the slight pain on her arm and right side.

After apologizing to Rainbow for her wild behavior, the two girls brought their seats back into position and sat back on them to play the game some more. They claimed their loot and pressed onward. Their session lasted for a good hour before they logged off and took off their headsets to start the next part of their night: enjoying some music together! The songs they picked out consisted of choice pieces from the Rainboom's discography, hard rock songs from local artists, and many more besides. Once "Shine Like Rainbows" had finished, Rainbow Dash scrolled through the playlist on her smartphone's music streaming app to see what other songs they could jam to. She had the phone's volume set to blasting for the occasion, so no headsets were needed. One song on the playlist that caught her eye enough to stop scrolling was one of the oldest ones the band had ever made:

Better than Ever

She felt a strong sense of nostalgia sweep over her as she stared at the song title. It had been ages since she had last listened to that one and even longer since she and the girls had played it! Her thumb moved to hover over the play button and was about to hit it. But, something came over her that stopped her thumb in its tracks. A feeling she couldn't quite describe that silently told her to pick something else. Seeing no danger from this, she honored that feeling's request and looked for a different song instead.

"I guess it's not time yet.", she thought to herself while wondering what that feeling was and where it came from.

After doing some intense dancing to DJ-P0N3's Music to My Ears, the girls decided to chill out, having made themselves quite tired from all the fun they were having.

By the time they had gotten ready for bed, it was around 9:00PM at night. Rainbow Dash was relaxing on her bed, while Sunset was lounging comfortably under the covers of her sleeping bag, which she had made sure was packed along with the rest of her belongings earlier that day. One never knows when a good sleeping bag can come in handy. They chilled out in silence for a few minutes before Sunset expressed a thought that had been nagging her for a while while looking over at her friend as she laid on her bed;

"You know, RD. I'm surprised."

"Surprised about what?", asked Rainbow, who looked up at the ceiling with curiosity on her face.

Sunset smiled a little as she answered;

"You could have used your super-speed to make Gilda dizzy enough to fall over or at least get Twilight and me away from her. Instead, you held back from using it at all."

Her passionate friend chuckled a little before explaining;

"Yeah, well I knew you and Sci-Twi could handle that jerk. Plus, I had to help keep the squirts safe and besides..."

She clenched her fists, which were under her blankets, before adding with a frown;

"If she had my magic, she would have abused it just to make herself feel good. I didn't want to risk doing something like that."

She turned her body to the side to look back at Sunset with a smile of her own;

"Gotta be the better girl, after all."

Sunset's smile deepened as the warmth in her belly encouraged her to say with soft surety;

"You've grown, Rainbow Dash."

With a cocky laugh, Rainbow replied with a wink;

"So have you, former Queen Bee!"

That got a good laugh out of Sunset. Once she calmed down, she remarked while straightening her head to face the ceiling;

"Yeah, we've all grown over the years. I mean, any one of us could have unleashed our magic on that bully today, and who would blame us if we did?"

She sighed contently as she added with pride for herself and her friends;

"But we didn't, because unlike her, we can restrain ourselves when we need to."

At that moment, Sunset had gotten an idea that seemed like a long shot, but she figured it wouldn't hurt to try it. She asked Rainbow Dash without moving her head an inch;

"Soooo... are you sure you can't give me a single hint as to what my house will look like when it's done?"

With a chuckle, Rainbow turned her body to the other side while telling her with finality in her tone;

"Goodnight, Sunset!"

"Ah, it was worth a shot.", was her response, slightly disappointed at not getting a hint. She couldn't wait to see what the girls would do to her home! But, that was the future, so Sunset decided to focus on the present, and at present, there was a certain warmth inside her body that was calling for attention.

She knew the method by heart, for she had practiced it every night in bed when she knew she would not be disturbed. Firstly, she thought of her friends, so sweet and true, which made the warmth intensify in strength. She could feel her heart silently call to her, reminding her that it was time to rest. Secondly, she took a deep inhale and held it for five seconds as the warmth spread throughout her being. Thirdly, she exhaled deeply and allowed the breath to steady itself into a natural rhythm that she could follow. Her mind became quieter by the second. Finally, she closed her eyes and focused on the warmth itself, finally surrendering to its call and felt herself fall deep, deep, deep into her heart. Into herself. This may not have produced the same beautiful result that it did when she had followed that enchanting call the first time around, but she couldn't think of a better way to sleep as her dreams began to take her.

Sunset was laying down on her beach towel, watching her friends play on the sand together. It was 2-2 in the volleyball game between Rainbow Dash and Rarity vs Pinkie Pie and Applejack. The two teams were locked in fierce competition. It could go either way, really! Fluttershy was sitting to Sunset's left, cheering on Rainbow's team softly with little birds resting on her shoulders. Sci-Twi picked no sides, preferring to sit back and enjoy the game whilst she tinkered with her Selfie-Bot. Sunset looked at each of her friends with contentment in her heart. She then turned her head to the far-right to catch the CMCs running around the beach, chasing each other without a care in the world. Over to her far-right, she saw Wallflower Blush sitting on her towel while watching Trixie perform one of her magic tricks, with Derpy and Roseluck sitting with her while grinning from ear to ear. At that moment, she heard a vibration from her immediate right, which prompted her to look in that direction to find her glowing journal next to her right leg. She opened it up to see a single message from the Princess of Friendship;

"May you find harmony in yourself and in your life, my friend."

Sunset's contentment grew immensely as she closed her eyes to lay back on the towel and feel the cool wind brush against her skin. Her cares were gone, her mind was at peace, and she had in her life the family she found. She couldn't ask for anything more.

For a brief moment, all she saw suddenly was static before the dream's setting turned into that of pitch black darkness. Sunset's own voice echoed throughout as it uttered in a calm, almost monotone manner;

Snowfall gently raining down.

A "zzzt" and "zzzt" crying and "zzzt".

Their eyes turned to gaze at the "zzzt" below them.

"We're so sorry..."

Sunset's upper-body shot straight up with a start, her breathing being heavy as her skin produced a bit of sweat.

"What was that all about?!", she asked herself incredulously. She knew that dreams could be strange at the best of times. Heck, she had a few odd ones before. But, since when did dreams have dialogue delivered by your own voice that was partially censored by static noises? She made a mental note to ask the Princess about it later as she regained her composure, got up out of the sleeping bag, and checked the time. It was 8:00AM in the morning, according to Rainbow Dash's alarm clock, which rested on top of the dresser. She looked over at Rainbow's bed, which was left unmade by it's missing owner. She gave a sideways smirk in satisfaction as she softly declared to herself;

"Heh, keep this up, and I might actually become a morning person."

Just then, the alarm clock blared out a certain morning radio station;

Goooood morning, Wondercolts, and welcome to your Canterlot High Radio...

Sunset gave herself an annoyed facepalm before thinking to herself with a resigned sigh as she went to turn off the radio;

"Me and my big mouth!"

Author's Note

After a long day, two of our favorite girls enjoy a night of pure awesomeness!

Doesn't hurt to have a bit of fun after the heaviness that was the last chapter, no?

This chapter doubles as both a fun breather and a love letter to Final Fantasy XIV. I wish I could find time to get back into that game, it's so awesome!

I hope you liked the reference I added to the dream sequence. :trixieshiftright:

As expected from anything related to SunShim, things are not always simple...

See you next chapter, which will involve a certain nervous flower and a great and powerful pal! :pinkiehappy:

Chapter 5 - Movie Day and Garden of Smiles

The morning was rather uneventful compared to yesterday. Sunset and Rainbow did the typical morning tasks and before they knew it, they were enjoying warm plates of blueberry pancakes with glasses of milk for breakfast in the kitchen, courtesy of Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof. Much to Rainbow's surprise, her mother and father had chosen to not rant and rave about their daughter's numerous awesome achievements that morning. No, they had elected to bring up far less embarrassing topics for a change, such as the weather, work-related affairs, and the like. Of course, they were quick to show the girls genuine affection and goodwill, as they were wont to do with Rainbow Dash and her friends. But, other than that, there was no gushing from them. They just ate their food at the kitchen table alongside the girls while looking as calm as the breeze in the air outside.

No boasting over her latest triumph in sports.

No praising her for breaking multiple track running records (through non-magical means).

No gushing over her being the best at raising a school's spirit.

Not even a compliment aimed at her passing grades.

After spending years listening to her parents go on and on about how awesome she was, this peaceful reprieve was what Rainbow had hoped for. She made it a point to enjoy it in silence as she went after her pancakes.

After a minute, the peace became deafening.

She had badly wanted this, and yet, now that she had gotten it at last, by the time she was halfway through her pancakes, the peace did not sit well with her. Her intuition, her heart, was silently telling her that something was wrong and she knew better than to ignore its advice. With a sigh, she placed her fork and knife on the table and looked over at her parents. They were talking with Sunset about some news report concerning... robbers? She didn't pay much attention to that conversation until that moment, so she missed out on most of the details. She did catch her friend mention something about it when she looked up though;

"I don't know why anyone would steal from someone's grave-"

Rainbow loudly cleared her throat, which stopped the conversation entirely. Windy, Bow, and Sunset looked over at her, which prompted her to ask with far more care than she would normally put into her questions;

"You three notice anything... odd about today?"

Windy thought for a moment before responding with a head shake;

"Nope. Everything seems fine to me."

"You sure, Mom? Cause you and Dad seem..."

It took Rainbow two to three seconds to think of the right words;

"Quieter than usual."

Both parents gave their daughter a look of parental love that could melt even the coldest of hearts. Bow was the first to respond with a laugh;

"I know, this is usually the time of day when we start going on and on about how awesomely awesome you are, Rainbow!"

Their daughter tried very hard to suppress her embarrassment, but Windy's comment would not make holding back the looming blush on her cyan face any easier;

"While, yes, you are awesome and you deserve all of the praise..."

The urge to groan grew stronger in Rainbow;

"We figured you could use a little peace and quiet this morning."

Her embarrassment gave way to confusion in an instant.

"Thanks... I guess!" was Rainbow's response as her mind spun its gears faster than she could run, trying to figure out why they would break from the norm now. Five seconds later, a thought occurred to her that prompted her to ask all three of the people who sat at the kitchen table with her;

"Wait a minute... did Sunset tell you about what happened yesterday?"

Sunset gave her a sheepish grin before answering apologetically;

"Sorry, RD. But, I figured it would be wise to warn them sooner rather than later."

She wanted to get frustrated with Sunset for not asking her first before telling her parents, but she understood why she did it so quickly, so Rainbow decided to let it be as she listened to her mother;

"Rainbow, we're proud of you for being there for your friends when Gilda came calling."

Bow shook his head in disappointment before adding;

"That girl used to be as awesome as you, dear. Now...:

He sighed audibly;

"What a shame."

Rainbow Dash groaned out of annoyance before noting in agreement;

"I know, right?! To think, we used to be childhood friends!"

She gave Sunset one of her trademark confident grins;

"Well, at least I've got friends in my life who will be there by my side."

That got her a warm smile from Sunset as well as a playful remark;

"Did you take a phrase from one of our songs?"

Rainbow belted out a raspy laugh that only she could deliver;

"Hey, that doesn't stop it from being true!"

Sunset joined in on the laughter before Windy decided to gush a little, which got them to stop and listen;

"I can't blame you, 'Shine Like Rainbows' is such a beautiful song!"

"Thank you, ma'am," was Sunset's humble reply. Rainbow Dash's reply, however, could not be more different;

"Yeah, that song doesn't need a guitar solo to rock the house, it's that awesome!" she exclaimed before performing some enthusiastic air guitar with the biggest teeth-baring smile on her face to hammer home her point. Sunset rolled her eyes over her friend's antics, but she couldn't help but let a sweet smirk appear on her face as she watched the spectacle unfold. Leave it to Rainbow Dash to throw all sense of humility into the nearest trash can.

With bellies full of food, Rainbow ran off to meet up with the girls to discuss Operation: Sunhouse, leaving Sunset to make a trip of her own. In accordance with the agreement made between her and her friends, Sunset was not allowed to be anywhere near her house until the renovation was completed. This did not, however, keep her from paying Sweet Apple Acres a visit, which was a good thing for her: she wouldn't dare to miss the last CMC Spring Screening before the end of the break! Since her motorcycle was in the shop, she had to ask Windy and Bow to take her to Applejack's home, which they happily did, even though this meant them taking a slight detour from their usual work commute. As she relaxed on her seat in the back of the family mini-van, she held small notebook in her left hand and wrote on it with her pencil in her right hand;

Things to Do Today:

1. Enjoy the CMC Spring Screening (movie theme: adventure).
2. Check in with Wallflower in the school garden.
3. Help her face the girls when they visit the garden later today (she's got this!).
4. Make sure I've got no school work to do before the break ends.
5. Investigate Gilda (where are the other Griffons???).
6. Check magical journal for a response to yesterday's message.

By the time she had written down the sixth task, the mini-van had pulled up onto the Sweet Apple Acres' driveway. With a quick wave goodbye, Sunset exited the vehicle and entered the house, which had the unique distinction of doubling as a barn in both function and appearance. She was welcomed by the pleasant smell of home cooked meals that only Granny Smith could create and, sure enough, she found the old Apple matriarch cooking up some grub in the kitchen. If Sunset hadn't already eaten breakfast, she would have been tempted to chow down on some delicious Apple family cuisine. But, her stomach was not inclined to let her have another bite for a while. Instead, she gave her a fond greeting;

"Good morning, Granny Smith!"

Luckily, she had caught Granny at a moment when she could put her cooking on hold for a bit. So, she had put her food and tools down, walked over to Sunset, and with a fond smile, wrapped her thick arms around her in a bear hug that nearly made the young lady yelp. After releasing her from her vice grip, she replied happily;

"A fine good mornin' to ya' too, missy!"

She then looked over at the kitchen window, which revealed a portion of the vast acres of farmland that her family proudly owned, and asked;

"Ah reckon, you're here to see the youngins' today?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Sunset responded with a smile. She took a big whiff of the food and asked with building anticipation in her voice;

"Do I smell apple fritters?"

Granny Smith fired a hearty laugh in her direction;

"Darn tootin'! An Applejack favorite, let me tells ya'!"

She couldn't help but fondly think back to a time when a certain blonde baby kept devouring all of the fritters she could get her tiny hands on as she went on;

"Now, Ah know how much Apple Bloom and her friends love the stuff, so Ah figured Ah'd sweeten up their little shindig with some good ol' fashioned Apple food."

Despite her filled stomach, Sunset's mouth began to salivate a little at the thought of having that delicious treat. Remembering her reason for coming here, she wiped her mouth and ran through the house to get the backdoor that led to the farmland beyond. The tempting allure of Apple food could wait. Of course, she made sure to thank Granny Smith before leaving, much to the old lady's appreciation.

Sunset ran towards the farmland, which was practically covered with crops that were taller than she was. She knew the way like the back of her hand (or hoof, if she was in Equestria). Given that she had gone to that clubhouse so many times before, how could she not?

"Across the farmland..." she thought to herself as she reached the edge of a nearby forest of apple trees.

"Through the forest..."

Slowing down her pace to a controlled jog, she navigated her way through the forest carefully enough to avoid tripping on a root or getting smacked by a branch. Before long, she found and went through the other side to see a familiar sight as she stopped for a moment to enjoy the view;

"The clubhouse awaits."

Standing proudly in a large clearing that was surrounded by the forest was none other than the official clubhouse of the Canterlot Movie Club: a large wooden treehouse built with strong quality wood and careful Apple hands. It was fully equipped with a ramp to the entrance that, before Sunset's arrival, was raised by two ropes bound to pulleys that were positioned at either side of the door with two sets of levers built for controlling each pulley. A walkway was built around the clubhouse itself that was protected by sturdy railing. Dangling over this railing a few feet from the right side of the ramp was a long string that was connected to a silver tin can that hung about one-to-two feet off the ground. Knowing exactly what to do, Sunset walked over to the can, grabbed with her right hand, placed it just below her mouth, and talked into it as if it were a microphone;

"CMCs, I'm here!"

She could hear the girls' excited giggles echo from her can as she waited for a response. It took three seconds for Scootaloo to say from their end;

"Finish this phrase to get inside: When you've hit rock bottom..."

"Don't be afraid to climb back up," Sunset finished with a knowing smirk. She always did look forward to whenever they would use that phrase as a password. Without any further ado, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo walked through the door and over to each pulley. They each grabbed a lever and, with happiness covering their smiling faces, Sweetie ordered her friend;

"Pull the lever, Scoots!"

In perfect unison, they pulled their levers. From Sunset's vantage point on the ground, she could hear the not-so-subtle sounds of a wooden compartment opening up and the splushing sound of a pie hitting the back of someone's head with reasonable force. With well-acted annoyance, Sweetie Belle declared;

"Wrong lever..."

Both girls fell into a fit of giggles for a bit before calming down. Sunset tried to contain her laughter as she thought to herself;

"I'm so glad they added that lever!"

Feeling content with their performance, the two girls pulled the correct levers, thus causing the ramp to lower at a steady pace, allowing Sunset access to the clubhouse itself. As she walked up the ramp, she saw that the back of Scootaloo's head was covered in blueberry pie and whipped cream, with the girl herself striking an enthusiastic "ta-da" pose. Sunset could not contain herself anymore. Her laughter was uncontrollable and filled with honest fun-loving mirth. It took her a whole minute to recover. After that, she looked at each of the girls with love, who showed her the same exact feeling with their beaming smiles, and allowed them to escort her into the building proper.

As Scootaloo ran for the nearest towel to clean herself up, Sunset looked around the room.

"Nothing much has changed, I see," she remarked with a smile.

The walls were lined with all manner of movie posters, photos of the CMCs' friends and families, and pictures taken during previous movie outings. One major exception, besides the windows on both sides, was one spot on the wall to Sunset's right, between the framed picture of herself to its left and the framed group photo of the Rainbooms to its right. This spot was covered with a tall red banner that depicted the club's logo: a flying yellow pony donning a cape in front of a blue shield. Placed at nearly every corner of the room were authentic movie standees: the kind normally used to advertise newly released and upcoming films in actual theaters. These standees were in good condition: a clear sign that the CMCs had been careful with them. At the far end of the room was a large flat screen monitor that hung high on the wall. On the large desk below it stood an old CRT television of reasonable quality: an old piece of tech that stood in stark contrast to the modern device above. Positioned to its right were a DVD player and a VCR device that Apple Bloom was futzing around with. Both devices were stacked on top of each other. To the TV's left stood a large thick steel safe with a combination lock. Standing proudly a few feet in front of the desk was the wooden podium reserved specifically for the club leader and any speakers that were needed, the leader's gavel and sound block resting on top. Lining each side of the ceiling, on the spot where the wall met the ceiling, were little ponies hand-crafted out of paper with love in every folding, with each pony given the same color as a club member's hair in a repeating pattern. Sunset looked up at the pattern of colored ponies and said to herself with a warm smile and a whisper only she could hear;

"All these years and I'm still proud of them..."

She looked down at each of the CMCs. Apple Bloom finished what she was doing and turned around to face her with one of her recognizable giant grins. She then declared happily while rushing over to give her a big hug;

"You're early, sugarcube!"

The other girls joined in, forming a group hug that Sunset graciously accepted. She felt like her heart could just melt over how sweet her young friends could be, and she was very glad that none of her clothes got pie on them. After they broke up the hug, Sunset replied with a wink;

"I was too excited to wait, your screenings are always fun!"

Apple Bloom belted out a hearty laugh that any other Apple present would be proud of;

"Can't argue with that! Now, we just need..."

She looked around the room and recognized what was missing. With a quick gasp, she motioned to Sweetie Belle;

"Sweetie, we need them seats in 'ere, pronto!"

She ran off in a dash to complete her task, leaving Apple Bloom and Scootaloo with Sunset. Scoots looked like she could burst with excitement as she promptly yelled;

"This movie we're gonna watch is SO AWESOME! I hope we get a good turnout this time!"

"Heh, you girls usually do," Sunset noted happily as the girls watched Sweetie Belle carry the seats into the room one seat at a time. Scootaloo decided to help her out like a good friend and as they worked together, Apple Bloom gave Sunset a smile of pure adoration before telling her joyfully;

"Ah can't thank ya' enough for helping us out with that dern bird yesterday."

"It was my pleasure," noted a beaming Sunset.

With a sigh that seemed to take the wind out of her happy sails, Apple Bloom then added with a more serious tone;

"After the screenin's done, the club's gonna have a special meetin'. Ya' know the one."

The older lady understood exactly what she meant by this. With a breath, she replied with a nod;

"I may have some time to take part in that meeting before I have to visit the school garden."

"Thank ya' kindly, Sunset," responded Apple Bloom, who looked quite appreciative of her friend's willingness to take part in this important occasion.

It was long before all of the seats were placed in the clubhouse, prompted the whole group to organize them to form a proper seating arrangement. As they did this, another voice could be heard giving the club a polite greeting from the club's tin can, which was connected to spot on the wall to the left of the door that reached Apple Bloom's size. This prompted the club leader to stop her current task to investigate by grabbing the can and asking;

"Who am Ah speakin' to?"

The response came from a feminine voice that had an air of sophistication to it combined with a slight chuckle;

"The one who shall never, in her life, drop the bass."

Hearing this caused every CMC in the room to grow giant-sized smiles as they rushed over to the door. They all tried to open it at the same time, but their hands got in each other's way out of sheer excitement. With sheepish giggles, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo backed off, allowing Apple Bloom to open the door, so that they could all rush outside. With mighty laughs, they all cried out in unison;

"TAVI! P0N3!"

Sure enough, string virtuoso Octavia Melody and turn-table star DJ-P0N3 were standing at the foot of the ramp while rocking their traditional garbs, which served to perfectly emphasize the stark differences between the former's professional grace and the latter's fun-loving demeanor. While CHS's resident DJ did not appear to have brought her trusty turn-table along (she kept it stashed away nearby for later use), Octavia was deftly carrying her cello in its bag on her back. They each bore bright smiles as Octavia greeted the overjoyed CMCs in an excited yet polite manner;

"Good morning, my friends! A fine day for a film, is it not?"

They were escorted into the clubhouse by the CMCs, with Sunset waiting for them inside. She shook Octavia's hand and gave her a friendly nod, to which she replied with one of her own as well as a warm smile. She gave DJ-PON3, however, a greeting that she knew the life of every party she played in would appreciate; a showing of the devil horns, to which she responded in kind with a confident smirk. Once they were inside, the CMCs pounced on them with loving hugs that made the cello player laugh as she declared while hugging them back;

"Haha, it is so great to see you three again!"

P0N3 gave each of them an emphatic thumbs up. Sunset, at that point, knew this was going to be a great day as the new arrivals got situated.

Rarity's House: around that same time

"Oh man, since when do we miss a CMC movie screening, anyway?" complained a deeply annoyed Rainbow Dash, who kept her arms crossed while lounging on the couch in Rarity's living room. Sci-Twi, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie all sat with Rarity around the living room table, while Applejack leaned on the wall to its left. Rainbow could not help but carry on;

"I mean, we're gonna miss 'Daring Do and the Statue of Peace' for crying out loud!"

Applejack rolled her eyes at her friend before explaining while slightly annoyed at her behavior;

"First of all, ya'll seen that flick a week ago!"

She took a swig of her coffee before continued;

"Second of all, we got a bigger issue to wrangle than a screenin', and the CMCs already understand why we ain't there this time."

"Ugh, I know! We gotta fix up Sunset's wreck of a house!" Rainbow Dash admitted with the most audible groan she could manage. She then sat back up like a bolt of lightning and pointed at Applejack with a frustrated glare;

"Now, don't think I won't help make that house look and feel as awesome as our friend! I'm just wishing we didn't have to put Daring Do aside to do it!"

Rarity, after sipping on some tea, chimed in with her usual brand of politeness and grace that helped to hide her growing indignation over her friend's uncouth behavior;

"Let me put it to you this way, Rainbow Dash darling: Sunset Shimmer has had to make more than one sacrifice for the sake of her friends. Some..."

She gripped the handle on her teacup with slightly more force than what was required before finishing while easing her hand's grip;

"Larger than others..."

Every Rainboom present felt an old regret rise to the surface, which got even Rainbow Dash to stop complaining. Her frustration and petulance evaporated, she declared seriously;

"I got you, Rarity. Don't you girls worry, I..."

She looked off to the side to hide her growing shame;

"I won't leave you hanging... I won't leave her hanging either."

Out of sheer instinct, the other girls gave her a group hug, which helped to clear out the storm of guilt that was growing within them. With their minds put at ease by their friendship, the other girls followed Rarity to the living room table and took their seats. With everyone ready, Applejack declared;

"Alright, Miss Twi, lay it on us."

Not skipping a beat, Sci-Twi pulled out a large roll of blue paper and rolled out onto the table to reveal an intricate layout of a house before explaining calmly;

"I have drawn up a detailed blueprint of Sunset's house, based on the info that could be acquired via empirical real life and online sources, including publicly available photos and the like."

Sure enough, all of the key elements of the house were shown, including the rooms and other aspects of the property. Two such aspects were pointed out by Sci-Twi;

"Sunset's research was on point: this was indeed owned by religious people prior to its selling. Note the references to items pertaining to their religion that are written near spots where such items were likely placed by the previous owners. Also note the admittedly crude drawings of the marked religious items."

The other girls took a closer look at what she had pointed out, with Applejack noting with a raised eyebrow;

"Eeyup, Ah see them crosses and holy books. Land's sake, they were gonna frame those things on the walls!"

Rarity then chimed in;

"Clearly, they had a deep adherence to their beliefs. I am not one to judge people over such things of course."

"Neither am I," Sci-Twi mentioned while adjusting her glasses before adding;

"I am student of science, history, magic, mathematics, and so forth, but not of religion."

Rainbow made a point of her own while enjoying a soda that she had grabbed from the kitchen with her super-speed while no one was looking;

"Yeah, but those things are long gone now. I'll bet those folks took them with them when they ran from that Murder Chest."

Fluttershy cowered at the mere mention of that dreadful object while Applejack asked Sci-Twi;

"Were ya' able to learn somethin' about that twisted thing?"

She shook her head and told the group in frustration;

"Not yet, my new device has two more bugs that need fixing before I can start my research in safe earnest. Emphasis placed on safe, for I want to live."

"Please be careful!" whispered a frightened Fluttershy, to which Sci-Twi responded with a comforting smile;

"I will be, so you don't have to worry."

Her words soothed the animal lover's fears enough for her to refocus on the blueprint. Sci-Twi then went back to her original explanation;

"While the religious items and aforementioned Murder Chest are certainly out of the house, it would behoove us to double-check to make sure that there aren't any more surprises, magical or otherwise, hidden within the property."

The other girls nodded their heads in agreement as she went on;

"There is also this empty lot here, behind the house."

She pointed at exactly that while adding;

"I looked over the publicly accessible legal records and I can confirm that this lot is a part of the property. This gives us space enough to make an addition or two, if we can manage."

Applejack smirked at the thought before exclaiming;

"Ah'm already thinkin' of some mighty useful additions to Sunset's home! Maybe we can build her a den on that there lot? Ya' know, for her streamin' stuff?"

Fluttershy's eyes sparkled upon hearing Applejack's idea and said with gentle glee;

"Oh my, it would so wonderful for Sunset to be able to walk out into the sun for a bit before starting up a Shimmer Code stream. The birds chirping all around her..."

She sighed contently while imagining her friend being greeted by singing birds as she walked over to her den.

Rarity chuckled in a most polite manner before noting;

"While I do appreciate a walk through the outdoors every now and then..."

She got a glare and a smirk from Applejack that screamed "Ah beg your pardon?", which she noticed on corner of her eye. With a huff and raised chin, she told her;

"Why, yes I do, Applejack, but to finish my point..."

She took a breath and looked back at her friends before doing so;

"How would Sunset deal with walking to her den during, let's say, a thunderstorm or a blizzard?"

Applejack, with a laugh, looked more closely at the lot shown on the blueprint before answering confidently;

"There should be enough space in the lot for us to build up a sizable den as well as a protected path to and from it and still have room for somethin' else."

It was then that Sci-Twi got an idea that made her both excited and nervous in equal measure;

"There is one other thing we can add to the lot, but to do it right, we'll need to fill a specific prerequisite. One that we could potentially work on later today, if you catch my meaning."

Pinkie Pie jumped into conversation with her uniquely high level of energy after stuffing her face with a cupcake that she had pulled out of her incredibly large hair;

"Oh, what could that be?! A cake-baking station?! Don't worry, I've got thousands of recipes!"

Rarity, however, had made a guess as to what Sci-Twi had meant. So, she promptly told the party planner;

"No, darling, she is not referring to the idea of building a space for making your extensive varieties of cakes."

As Pinkie pouted, Rarity explained;

"She is actually referring, if I am not mistaken, to that thing that we are set to deal with later today. You all are familiar with it, I'm sure."

Just like that, everyone else's nerves shot upwards, more so for some than others.

"Ah know what ya' mean, Rares..." Applejack stated with her stetson tilted low to hide her face and her arms crossed, her voice as serious as it could get;

"Make no mistake, Ah'm gonna go through with it, and not just for Sunset's sake."

"Agreed darling," said Rarity with an affirmative nod before adding;

"We all made that Pinkie Promise together and made no illusions as to what, and who, it covers."

"It's not that I don't want to make friends with her..." Rainbow Dash explained nervously. She crossed her arms again before exclaiming out of annoyance;

"I mean, this is Wallflower we're talking about! Every time we tried to reach out to her just to talk after that garden party, she stayed away from us! Out of the seven of us, she'd only talk with Sunset!"

"Can't say Ah blame her none," Applejack said with a sigh;

"Yeah, she cleaned up her act, goin' by Sunset's own words, and Ah'm mighty proud of her for that. But, she's got some hurtin' inside that ain't going away quickly."

She clenched her fists tightly before finishing;

"Especially when she's the one who did the hurtin'."

Rarity sighed as well. She looked at each of her friends, who's faces ranged from attentive to, in the case of Pinkie Pie, unreadable, before explaining thusly;

"Quite right, darling. This brings me to my next point, dears: Wallflower had hurt us as well. If we are to recover fully, we must see beyond our pain enough to give her a real chance to face us, to get to know us whilst we get to know her. This way, we are helping each other heal."

Sci-Twi took this moment to clarify her idea;

"To be perfectly clear: I won't ask her to help us with this project right away. I want to make sure she is perfectly comfortable with being around us before I even entertain the notion of asking her. We ought to be considerate of her feelings, after all."

With her smile returned and her hands relaxed, Applejack raised her stetson before making her own point;

"Ain't no good thing to make a person feel like her feelin's are bein' ignored. We'll be patient with Wallflower for her sake, the lot can wait for that."

They all nodded in agreement. Pinkie Pie, however asked an important question with a rare grimace and an even rarer shudder;

"But that's just it: will she even be able to face us... and can we face her?"

The hallway just outside of CHS's Garden: mid-afternoon

The Rainbooms were all standing in a row, with Sunset leading the pack. Thanks to Principal Celestia, they were able to get a spare key into the school, so that they could make it to this meet-up at all. She stood at the door that led to the Garden and thus, to Wallflower. If all went well, this would be the first time that any of the girls, other than Sunset, had made contact with her in person ever since the garden party.

Ever since the Memory Stone Incident.

"Remember me!"

Those two words were at the forefront of the minds of every Rainboom present as they stood silently, powerful guilt weighing heavily on the hearts of six of them. Sunset looked at the door for a brief moment before turning to check in on the other girls. They all gave her warm, supportive smiles that showed no sign of deception or hesitation. Her fears eased and with a familiar warmth in her being egging her on, she turned back to the door and knocked on it three times. They all waited in silence for ten seconds before the sound of the door's lock being undone could be heard. The door was pushed open, but only Sunset could see Wallflower standing in the opening, looking more nervous than even Fluttershy herself!

"Good... Good afternoon, Sunset," she told her with a smile that was somehow both real and forced at the same time. Easily recognizing her discomfort, Sunset reached out to her with an opened right hand and the most welcoming smile she could muster. Slowly, Wallflower reached over with a shaky right arm to let her hand to be taken into her friend's, a sight that the other girls saw. None of them spoke up about this, not even Rainbow Dash, although she did have to be coaxed into silence by a quick gentle jab from Applejack's right fist onto her back before she could mouth off. Hand in hand, Sunset and Wallflower looked each other in the eye, which was enough to slowly ease the latter into a state of calm, her once shaky arm relaxing after about a minute. The two girls then walked into the garden, with Sunset giving her friends a quick wink before closing the door behind her. They could barely make out the conversation between them that followed;

"So... they're waiting for me... out there?" asked Wallflower with uncertainty in every word she spoke.

"That's right, Wally," answered a happy Sunset before she noted confidently;

"Did you think they would decline the invitation?"

"Even though it came from me?" the nervous gardener asked. Sunset, her confidence refusing to leave her being, answered sweetly;

"They accepted it because it came from you."

She added some softness to her voice;

"Come on, they want to move forward from that day just as much as you and I do."

As the discussion between two friends continued on, the other Rainbooms made quiet comments of their own that neither Sunset nor Wallflower could hear;

"She ain't wrong about that part," noted Applejack with a smirk. Rarity chimed in with dignity, her chin held by her right hand;

"Yes, but will dear Wallflower find the courage to welcome us into her personal sanctuary under a non-party pretense?"

"Would it help her if I made it into a party?" asked Pinkie Pie with increasing excitement in her voice as she bounced in place.

"I think a surprise party will make her even less interested in talking to us, Pinks," Rainbow Dash noted, which stopped Pinkie's bouncing as she lowered her head in childlike dismay.

"Her behavior here is... most familiar," Sci-Twi remarked in a solemn fashion as she remembered her own past behavior with a frown.

"Quiet for a moment..." Fluttershy softly requested. As they went silent, they could hear the conversation again;

"Look, I appreciate them doing this for me, I really do!" Wallflower exclaimed before going back to her soft uncertain voice;

"I want to talk with them too, but... I'm afraid of... sabotaging my efforts and theirs..."

"Her self-awareness is without question," noted an impressed Rarity. Fluttershy, however, told her with a tiny hint of annoyance in her eyes;

"Shush..."

Thankfully, this exchanged occurred during a pause in Sunset's talk with Wallflower, which ended with the former telling the latter honestly;

"There's only one way to know for sure if that's going to happen or not..."

After ten seconds of silence on both sides of the wall, Wallflower answered with a bit of surety;

"Okay, let them in."

It took the six Rainbooms all of their self-control to not verbally celebrate this moment as Sunset walked through the door and motioned to them to come into the garden. With smiles all around, they filed in one by one.

The garden, once forgotten about by all but Wallflower, the Principal, and Vice-Principal, had been filled with more plants of numerous varieties than before ever since the party that made its existence known to every Wondercolt. This was due to the combined efforts of Wallflower and the other members of her formerly one-person club: Roseluck and Derpy, who had become her dear friends alongside Sunset. In fact, as the group of girls walked over to the center of the Garden, they could see Roseluck tending to a bush to their left that was littered with flowers that had yet to bloom. Looking over to their right, they caught Derpy happily pushing a wheel-barrel filled with fertilized soil throughout the garden, hunting for empty patches of land that needed it. Rarity was the first to comment on the natural beauty around them;

"Oh, how splendid! This garden has only grown, no, bloomed in our absence!" she gushed while performing a twirl out of sheer dramatically expressed joy. Pinkie Pie bounced over to each flower bush with enough speed to leave a pink blur in her wake as she exclaimed with glee;

"These plants would make any party super-duper fun just by being there!"

Applejack gave Wallflower a tip of her hat as she walked towards her before telling her with a truthful chuckle;

"Ya'll and your two pals really made this place shine, sugarcube."

Sci-Twi walked up to the increasingly nervous gardener and told her excitedly;

"I have so many questions for you concerning botany."

She took a breath to calm herself before adding in an attempt to comfort her;

"There is no rush, of course. Those questions can wait for you."

Feeling relieved at Sci-Twi's consideration, but no less nervous, Wallflower tried to give herself some space away from the group, only for Rainbow Dash to rush up to her with her super-speed, causing the poor girl to almost jump in response. The athlete gave her left shoulder a playful gentle jab with her right fist before telling her with a smirk;

"Plants may not be my thing, but you make them look awesome!"

It was quite clear to anyone with eyes that Wallflower did NOT know what to do with all this praise being thrown at her by the girls she had arguably hurt the most. Thankfully, two of those girls had the good sense to recognize her impending panic. Before Sunset could step in to do something about it, however, Fluttershy walked up to her first. She gave her the most soothing look she could come up with while extending her right hand over to her and saying softly;

"It's okay, I understand how you feel."

Wallflower looked right back at her with wide eyes;

"You-you do?!" she asked, her panic audible in her voice. Sensing the situation just from hearing her friend's voice, Roseluck stopped what she was doing to check in on Wallflower, but was stopped by Sunset, who held her back with her right hand while watching the scene unfold. Fluttershy's angelic smile did not leave her face for even a moment as she nodded at the green-haired girl. At this point, Derpy had arrived just in time to see what was going on and put the wheel-barrel down to try to help her friend, but Applejack was able to stop her with a quick "shush". With hesitation and everyone else watching, Wallflower took Fluttershy's hand, which led to her being gently wrapped in the sweet girl's arms. The feeling of this embrace held back the panic, but it was her voice, almost as quiet as a whisper, that drove it away;

"There there... you are safe..."

Her mind started to relax along with her body. Her breathing became steady and slow as she sank deeper into the hug. But then, she hesitated as fear gripped her. Fear of being tricked into getting hurt. She looked over at each of her three friends for support. Roseluck gave her a nod and a smile. Derpy, ever the sweetheart, gave her one of her big innocent grins. Sunset, thoughtful as ever, walked up to Wallflower, placed her hand on her right shoulder, and looked at her with a warm smile of her own. Being seen was a feeling the formerly invisible girl was not used to experiencing. But, she felt it at that moment, and goodness, did it feel wonderful! With a tiny smile that one had to look real close to see, she hugged Fluttershy back, shut her eyes, and surrendered completely to her embrace. For a good two minutes, to Wallflower, all was well as her mind focused on Sunset, the girl who forgave and accepted her, and the two friends who she was glad she welcomed into her life as well. The other girls watched in support and happiness, not wanting to ruin this moment in any way. Even Rainbow Dash was thoughtful enough to not say a word, for she knew better than to upset Fluttershy. The hug was released, much to Wallflower's disappointment, but she did have gardening to do and a long-overdue conversation to deal with. This time, however, she was feeling ready to get it all done right as she opened her eyes and gave Fluttershy a grateful look;

"I needed that moment, thank you," she told her with relief in her voice.

Happy to see the matter resolved, Sunset clearly announced to the other Rainbooms with a sheepish grin while looking at each of them;

"I believe you girls may have overdid it a bit!"

The other Rainbooms suddenly looked most apologetic over their antics. Satisfied, she looked over at Wallflower while keeping her grin intact and told her apologetically;

"Sorry, Wally! I really should have seen that coming before they walked in!"

Her friend, however, waved off the apology. With the kind of beautiful smile that she only showed to her, she told her;

"It's okay. They were being nice to me."

With a giggle, she added with a hint of fond nostalgia;

"They remind me of how sweet my garden buddies have been to me."

That got her a double-hug from Derpy and Roseluck from both of her sides, much to the joy of everyone else watching. With that, she declared with the tiniest sign of confidence, her nervousness nowhere near as strong as it was before;

"Since you are all here, we might as well talk things out in my office."

She escorted the group through the garden, with Rarity commenting out of curiosity;

"Interesting! I did not know she even had an office. I wonder what it looks like?"

"Well then... you ask a simple question..." Rarity whispered in shock over the sight before her and the other girls. This "office" was, in fact a wooden shed reconstructed to have enough space to house a wooden desk that someone had clearly hand-crafted, a grey chair with matching cushioning, stacked documents and seed bags placed on the desk alongside a garden gnome bobble-head, and shelves on the left and right walls filled with more seed bags as well as all manner of garden tools and resources. Hung high on the wall behind the desk was a dark green banner that depicted the Garden Club's logo: a two steel shovels filled with dirt with their handles crossing each other and a yellow sun rising from behind them. The dirt in each shovel had seedlings poking out to complete the image. The floor, if one could call it that, was actually well-kept grass with dirt underneath and absolutely no carpeting or tiles. This office was as rugged as one could get, short of switching out the chair for one that Applejack would lovingly make herself. Speaking of the farmer, she marveled at the craftsmanship of the shed while giving Rarity a gentle pat on her right shoulder as she passed by to silently help her in her struggle against reacting in a way that was the worst kind of dramatic;

"Ah gotta say, Wallflower, you've got 'ere a beauty of an office."

She gave the wall a good few knocks with the knuckles on her right fist;

"Made with strong wood at that, Ah reckon."

She extended her inspection to the desk, which she found to be just as interesting to her expert eyes;

"Whoever made this 'ere desk knew what they were doin'!" she exclaimed in wonder. Wallflower felt a little bashful over her beloved office being shown such respect as the rest of the girls walked inside. Rarity joined them last, after managing to compose herself enough to stomach the look of the place for everyone else's sake. The other girls had their own comments on the place;

"Wowie! This office looks way more fun than regular ones!" exclaimed an ecstatic Pinkie Pie as she thought of all of the ways she could decorate it with her Party Cannon.

"Yeah, this place doesn't look boring!" Rainbow Dash remarked with a grin as she looked for ways to make it look more awesome.

"I love that you left the ground as is," Fluttershy said with joy in her eyes;

"It really helps a girl feel more in tune with nature."

Sci-Twi's comment was more focused on practically;

"I enjoy the look of this office, but I can imagine keeping the grass in check can be troublesome."

Wallflower snorted a little at that last remark before responding to it;

"Not as troublesome as you think, Twilight."

Rarity finally found the stomach to give her honest opinion on the office;

"Well... Wallflower darling. I admit to have been... taken aback by this office's... uniqueness."

After stopping for a moment to really think on her response, she finished by giving the gardener a genuinely generous smile;

"However, after recovering, I can plainly see its beauty and overall appeal."

Sunset, who had already been to this office more than once, patted Wallflower on her back to get her attention. Once they looked at each other, she told her with a smirk;

"I think we should have that talk now, don't you think?"

With a grimace, Wallflower called out to everyone;

"Gather around my desk, it's time we..."

She sighed and spoke in resignation;

"Settle things..."

Wallflower took her seat on the chair behind the desk as everyone else gathered around it. Once they all found comfy positions, with Rainbow Dash being told to not sit on the desk by Rarity and Applejack, Sunset started things off calmly;

"Okay, who wants to start first?"

Wallflower raised her hand before anyone else could, which gave her the chance to speak with nervousness in her voice;

"B-before we go any further, there is something that we all need to be on the same p-page on. I believe you had dealt with this before with Sunset."

Before she could speak further, Applejack chimed in with a look of utter seriousness on her face;

"Ah got me a feelin' Ah know what's comin' up. If Ah may?"

Sensing what the farmer had in mind, she nodded her head, which prompted Applejack to look at each of the other girls while explaining;

"Okay folks, Ah'm gonna have ya'll respond to some things. Know that respondin' honestly would help us all a ton. Understand?"

The girls standing around the desk agreed to this request. Without any further ado, Applejack asked them;

"If any of ya'll are angry over what Wallflower did to our memories, raise your hands."

All seven Rainbooms raised their hands, while Derpy and Roseluck kept their hands down. Wallflower was happy that her two garden buddies were not angry, but that happiness was tempered by the seven hands she saw around her. Without skipping a beat, Applejack asked;

"If any of ya'll hate what Wallflower did to our memories, raise your hands or keep 'em up if they're already raised."

Only three hands were raised: Applejack's, Rainbow Dash's, and Rarity's. Wallflower understood why those three felt that way, even though knowing that they did hurt her inside. She was sorely tempted to look away from the proceedings, to run away right then and there. But, looking at Derpy and Roseluck gave her strength enough to keep her feet and face her past with courage. Applejack saw the conflict on her face and gave her a honest smile, which added more encouragement to her heart, before turning to face the others and asking one more question;

"If any of ya'll hate Wallflower... raise your hands or keep 'em up if they're already raised."

Each girl's hand fell down like they were dominoes, which was a pleasant surprise to Wallflower, for she had expected the whole band to hate her guts. Sunset not hating her was understandable. She was, after all, Sunset Shimmer, the most forgiving soul in CHS! Fluttershy made sense too, given her reputation for being a kind person (the wonderful hug she had given her earlier being an example of this). Derpy and Roseluck were a given at this point, but a lot of them were perplexing to her. The girls looked around with smiles on their faces, pleased that hatred was not causing any problems this time. But there was one girl who was not smiling, let alone looking at anyone. The sadness on her face was palpable and utterly painful to behold. The others looked at this girl with shock and concern in their eyes, the Rainbooms especially. Wallflower was not as shocked, but she was no less concerned. Rarity outright gasped at the sight. Almost everyone had lowered their hands, except one. The one person who, other than Fluttershy, no Rainboom in that office expected to harbor even a sliver of hatred for anyone:

Pinkie Pie.

"D-Darling..."

"Pinks..."

"None of us are judging you, Pinkie."

"We'll hear what ya' gotta say, sugarcube."

"Oh, you poor dear!"

"We are with you, Pinkie."

Each of the Rainbooms showered their beloved pink friend with gestures of goodwill and support, and why wouldn't they? Gone was the poofiness and redish pink that made her hair so unique from anyone else's! Gone was the almost endless sea of joy in her eyes that made children everywhere laugh no matter what their moods were! Gone was her smile, one of the most beloved aspects of her character! The hatred she felt that day, the same hatred she had felt ever since the Memory Stone Incident, had reverted her appearance and mannerisms to that of Pinkamena Diane Pie: the girl she used to be before laughter took up permanent residence in her heart. The courage Wallflower had gained was erased to the point that she could not look at the other girls, especially Pinkamena. She turned right around to hide her shame, which prompted Derpy and Roseluck to try to comfort her. Even while on the verge of tears, she could hear Pinkamena address her with a plea devoid of happiness and filled with sorrow;

"Please, Wallflower! Face me... as I'm trying to face myself."

With positive encouragement from her two friends, she slowly obliged. The expression Pinkamena had given her was something akin to anger: barely controlled, menacing anger. The other girls watched in stunned silence as their once cheerful friend explained with a low growl;

"Where do you think the phrase "Light 'em up, ladies!" came from? I'll tell you..."

She leaned right up to Wallflower's face, close enough to make her feel more uncomfortable than she did a moment ago, and finished with a hiss;

"Hatred... honest to goodness hatred for the girl who messed with our minds so badly, that we nearly drove away the bestest friend we could ever ask for."

Pinkamena straightened up her back before asking Wallflower, who was several steps away from crying;

"Do you want to know what the worst part is?"

She didn't want to know, but she knew she had to. Pinkamena did not wait for a response;

"The worst part is that the joy I felt over seeing your plants... that was real."

She clenched her fists;

"The happiness I felt over your office... that was real."

She cracked her neck;

"The cheer I feel whenever I think of the idea of us becoming friends one day... that is real!"

She gritted her teeth;

"And yet... I STILL FEEL HATRED!"

She slammed her right fist onto the desk with enough force to nearly make a crack in it, the resounding thunderous collision between pink flesh and wood startling everyone else in the room. In spite of herself, Wallflower held her ground, driven by her friends' support to see this through. Pinkamena moved her fist off of the desk to let it rest on her side, took a deep breath to recollect herself, and continued with a sigh, her anger reduced to disappointment;

"I'm reminded of what my Granny Pie would always tell me... Sometimes, happy emotions can hide the ugly ones, even if they are all real. She always said that you gotta face the ugly ones, so that they don't sneak up on you and take away your smile forever and ever."

She raised her opened hands up to her face and looked at them with deep regret in her eyes;

"I... I wasn't looking when I should have been."

She closed her eyes while letting her hands rest on her sides again before declaring with genuine sorrow;

"I don't want this for me... for you... or for anyone."

She opened her eyes and looked right at Wallflower's, tears streaming down her face as she told her the honest truth;

"I don't want to hate you, Wallflower Blush. I don't want you to hate you either."

The gardener's own tears were held firmly in place by a newfound sense of shock. Her eyes went wide as she continued to give Pinkamena her undivided attention. For a brief moment, she saw a spark in the party planner's eyes as she went on with her confession;

"As the most experienced party planner in Canterlot City, I notice things people don't see right away. You, for example, always look so sad and hurt whenever you think no one is watching. But I do..."

She tried to sniff her tears back before adding a statement that tugged at Wallflower's heartstrings in a positive way;

"I see you."

She could not bare to interrupt Pinkamena, not even for that;

"I saw many of the times when you cried to yourself and only yourself, the times when you whispered to yourself how much you hated yourself. That made me so sad and I just wanted to help you smile. I still want to help you smile..."

Her hair had regained a bit of its saturation, her voice was slowly rising in pitch as it lost it's growl;

"As much as I'm angry at you... as much as I hate you... I want to work through these terrible no-good very bad feelings for the both of us."

Bits of her hair were starting to get poofy again;

"Not only that, but I want to help you work through your hatred too."

The frown on her face was wiggling about, as if trying desperately to become something else. The other girls, who watched in silent support, noticed this. Sunset especially, who felt anticipation grow within her as Pinkamena tried to finish;

"So that, we can both..."

Her breathing became short and quick, as if she was about to hyperventilate.

"We can both..."

Every other Rainboom present was thinking the exact same thing;

"Say it, Pinkie, say it!"

Her hair was going wild at this point: gaining and losing saturation while bouncing between poofiness and droopiness in rapid fire succession. Her upper-body rocked back and forth in a quick pace and the irises in her eyes shrunk down to the size of pebbles as she made one final effort with all of her heart;

"We... can... both..."

It was in that moment, that the hatred for Wallflower that swirled within her heart was washed away... by a tsunami of a feeling so great, so powerful, so unrelenting, that it made her take a mighty breath and;

"SMILE!"

She exclaimed with all of the joy, all of the happiness, all of the cheer that she could pull out from her pink heart while leaping into the air with more gusto in her bounce than ever before. She managed to avoid bonking her head on the ceiling, shocking everyone else right out of their building misery with her explosion of positivity. Her hair was as pink as a Valentine's Day ribbon and poofy like cotton candy in the circus. Her eyes were shedding happy tears that were badges of honor in her bright and bubbly mind. When she landed on her feet and turned to face her friends, who looked just as relieved as they felt, she opened her eyes, revealing within them life and joy that could not be darkened again. But, there was one last thing to show, and she showed it to Wallflower first: her smile. Oh goodness, her smile was not simply beaming, but radiating with a special kind of happiness that infected the plant expert. She had just gone through a wild emotional ride, and yet she felt that feeling flow into her being from the face of the happy-go-lucky girl that stood before her. At first, her dark emotions stood ready to hold it back. But they were not dealing with the average happiness that could come from a typical human. This incredible feeling of joy could only come from one human being out of over eight billion...

Pinkie Pie!

The tidal wave of happiness swept through the darkness in Wallflower's aching heart. It didn't destroy that darkness, for it had too much time to take root and strengthen itself to be annihilated so easily, even by Pinkie. Ah, but the party planner, true to form, had accounted for this, for as she watched her future friend struggle with the happiness swelling up within her, she started to softly cheer her on;

"It's okay to smile and laugh, when you know your happiness is real."

Wallflower's mouth wiggled uncontrollably, her body shook, spun, and rocked every-which-way, not at all knowing what to do with itself. She held on to her sides for dear life, utterly confused and more than a little terrified at what was transpiring, in spite of the internally encroaching joy. It was a wonder she could keep her balance! Terribly concerned, the other girls tried to run over to her to help her keep steady, but Pinkie yelled out while raising her right hand to the ceiling;

"No!"

She then lowered it while turning it into a fist that she held up to her chest. Shutting her eyes while looking absolutely serious, she explained simply and with a dramatic flare that Rarity would make a mental note to compliment her on later;

"She has to feel this!"

The other Rainbooms knew Pinkie too well to argue against her wisdom when it came to all things concerning smiles, so they kept their distance. Derpy and Roseluck were a bit more hesitant, but knowing of her history, they too relented. Wallflower's body slowly started to calm down enough for her to straighten herself, but she still held her sides tightly. She looked at Pinkie with tears in her eyes that came from... fear? Joy? It was hard for anyone to tell at that point. Pinkie asked her calmly, her smile refusing to leave as she pressed her hands on the desk and looked her square in the eyes;

"Take a moment to ask yourself: Are you feeling happy?"

Wallflower felt no pain, which was a good sign, but not enough for her. She looked over at Sunset with a pleading expression, silently asking for guidance. Knowing what was up, she told her sweetly;

"Remember what I taught you, Wally. Take a deep breath."

She raised her right hand to guide her friend through the process;

"Exhale slowly..."

She did as instructed, which eased her physical and spiritual tension to prepare her for Sunset's last instruction;

"Shut your eyes and be with your feelings."

She closed her eyes and allowed the feeling of immense happiness to wash over her. With another breath, she told Pinkie with a frown on her face;

"Yes, I do."

Somehow, due to some unknown law of physics, Pinkie's smile grew wider upon hearing her words. She then asked her further;

"Well then, why don't you smile?"

With an exasperated sigh and eyes still shut, Wallflower explained sorrowfully as happiness remained within her, her breath remaining steady;

"It's because I don't deserve to be happy."

The dark emotions inside her threatened to make a comeback, but not before answering to Pinkie;

"Well, as my super-duper awesome friend Rarity would put it..."

She then did her best impression of the fashionista, complete with her dignified mannerisms;

"Such nonsense, darling!"

That comment really got Wallflower's attention as the party planner switched back to Pinkie Mode;

"Everyone deserves to be happy! In fact, everyone deserves to have a reason to be happy!"

She held her chin with her pink right hand before asking;

"So then, why are you happy?"

It took two seconds for Wallflower to realize the answer, a revelation that drove her darkness further back into some far away corner in her heart. She calmly explained, her mouth wiggling once again between sentences;

"I'm happy because you're giving me a chance..."

The wiggling intensified;

"You're all giving me a chance, even though I had hurt you girls so terribly that I made the happiest girl around feel hatred..."

Her mouth was about ready to curl upwards;

"If a girl like me is worthy of a second chance..."

Wallflower opened her eyes, wiped her tears with her shirt sleeve, and looked at everyone around her with a beautiful wide smile that was as genuine as her words;

"Then maybe I'm worthy of happiness too."

The group hug that resulted from that declaration of truth could light up even the darkest room in the world with all of the smiles it carried.

Jumping into the office with all of the bluster of an egotist was none other than Trixie, who attempted to proudly announce her grand entrance while rocking her trusty magician's garb;

"It is I: The Great and Powerful Trrrrixie! I have come to assist you, friend Wallflower, with..."

She stopped herself upon noticing the gigantic group hug that paid her boasting absolutely no mind. Utterly perplexed, she asked the group;

"What did Trixie miss?"

Sunset responded by running up to Trixie, grabbing her by her right hand, and pulling her into the group hug while telling her happily;

"Just roll with it, pal!"

Trixie was about to complain at first, but as she felt the warmth of the hugs all around her, she sighed contently before admitting with a soft smile;

"Trixie approves of this... though do ask Trixie first next time."

Author's Note

Update: Reworded a sentence or two in the house blueprint scene and the Pinkamena scene for added clarity. I've also fixed up many of the grammar issues that were left behind.

We get a glimpse into the official business of the Canterlot Movie Club and we check in on that character that had a lampshade put on her for one special, only for her to be promptly reduced to the status of a background character.

At least she wasn't entirely forgotten! Right? :facehoof:

The Mane 6 got plans in mind for Sunset's house, but they won't drag Wallflower into the action, not when they gotta settle things with her first.

As for the Great and Powerful one, I couldn't think of a good way to bring her into the story without upending what was happening in the garden with her bluster, so I had her jump in right at the end, because of course she would be unfashionably late!

Don't worry, Trixie will have her time to shine. It is inevitable, according to Trixie. :trixieshiftleft:

Now, about that whole scene involving Pinkie Pie! It comes off as pretty sudden, but when you consider the whole "Light 'em up, ladies!" line and the fact that Pinkie had never put Wallflower's name on her souffle baking list, her having issues with the girl doesn't seem all that far-fetched.

That won't stop Pinkie from making folks smile though. She SINGS about smiles, for crying out loud (at least, her FiM counterpart does)! :pinkiehappy:

Part 2 of the girls' talk with Wallflower is up next, along with what happened in that special meeting of the club!

As always, I welcome and encourage your comments! :scootangel:

Chapter 6 - Rarity's Question

Once the rather large group hug had broken up, the collection of girls took the opportunity to shoot the breeze for a bit in the wooden office, mainly to give Wallflower time to recover before having her face another Rainboom. Pinkie Pie was sitting on one of the extra chairs that Roseluck had managed to find and bring in soon after her outburst. She was happily tapping on her lap while humming a joyful tune to herself, as if the outburst had never occurred. The others were either standing or sitting down somewhere in the office, with Wallflower herself sitting on her office chair while staring at the desk in front of her in silent contemplation, a frown hinting at the struggle inside. Roseluck and Derpy stood at each of her sides, their presence soothing her mind as she processed what she had just endured. Trixie, who stood near one of the walls, was caught up on what had happened before her unfashionably late arrival. Learning of Pinkie’s rage, in particular, had left her feeling quite nervous around the peppy girl;

“Trixie thought that Pinkie’s hateful side was a myth... A scary story told to shock the younger students into keeping their Pinkie Promises!” she declared in slow awe while looking at the pink girl herself with a hint of fear in her eyes. Trixie may have been great and powerful, and she would gladly make that clear to anyone. But, even she honestly doubted that she could contend with Pinkamena Diane Pie! Pinkie’s sweet smile from before refused to leave, seemingly unfazed by the magician’s comment: all the more proof that her bubbly nature had solidified its hold on her once again. With a giggle, she explained to Trixie;

“Oh, don’t worry, silly! Pinkamena only appears when my negative feelings are soooo strong, I have to bring out that side of me to get them out.”

She then held her chin with her right hand to ponder for a moment before adding;

“Hmmm, I've only had to do that two times when counting today. There was that whole thing I did with Wallflower and that time when some meanie made my sister Maud cry by kidnapping Boulder.”

She narrowed her eyes into menacing slits, clenched her fists, and declared with deftly contained anger;

“Nobody makes Maud cry!”

She relaxed her hands and allowed her eyes to show her usual mirth once again. Everyone else in that office silently swore to themselves that they would be good to Maud Pie from that moment onward. Sunset took the opportunity to address the other elephant in the room while giving her pink friend a supportive grin;

“You handled yourself well, Pinkie, although I was worried for a bit that you were gonna take things too far out of anger.”

Every every Rainboom present felt an old tension in their chests rise to the surface. Pinkie’s response consisted of a short giggle fit that instantly released that tension for them all, an ear-to-ear smile that could chase away the whole world’s nightmares, and a warm dose of truth;

“Don’t worry, SunShim, I was trying to help Wallflower and me work through our past, not bonk her on the head with it like it was a baseball bat!”

She then went right into doing what she did better than anyone: go into one of her Pinkie Rants, which was basically her talking about stuff in a pace rapid enough to make it seem like she was in an endless sugar rush (which, frankly, was not too far off from the truth);

“I was doing a balancing act between expressing how Wallflower’s actions made me feel and not shoving them in her face as if I was saying ‘YOU DID THIS! IT WAS YOUR FAULT! SUFFER FOR IT!’! If I failed, I would have hurt her and she was already hurting to begin with and that would have made us all very sad! So, I had to be super-ultra-mega careful with what I said and did, which was reeeeaaalllly tough to do when I was in Pinkamena Mode! Buuuuut I had to do it right, so that we can both heal, because if we heal, then everyone else heals, and then everyone will be smiling and happy and I get to throw a ‘Happy Trauma Healing’ party for all of us! Besides...”

Her facial expressions and vocal tone rapidly traveled between a wide variety of emotions to match up with her words as she spoke. Once she stopped speaking, however, a combo of seriousness and smiling pride beamed from her face as she shot up from her seat, stood at attention, and declared with utter surety while performing a confident salute like a dutiful soldier;

“Pinkie Pie never breaks her Pinkie Promises!”

As Pinkie sat back down to return to her lap tapping, Sunset laughed a little before giving her pink pal some more props;

“You stayed in control of your emotions while expressing yourself to Wally and kept your promise at the same time. I’m proud of you, Pinkie.”

Pinkie’s smile grew just a bit wider upon hearing her friend’s kind words as she looked over at her with eyes filled with sparkling joy. Sunset then turned her attention over to Wallflower, who was still staring at her desk, and told her sweetly while maintaining her grin;

“I’m proud of you too, Wally. You could have run off or told her to stop. Instead, you faced Pinkie and your past with courage.”

Hearing Sunset’s words got Wallflower’s immediate attention, for she looked up away from the desk to see on her face the smile that always found a way to warm her troubled heart. With the tiniest of genuine smiles, she responded honestly and with a hint of relief;

“Thank you. I’ll be real with you: I was so terrified, not so much of Pinkie, but of the pain I caused her and all of you, that I was tempted to run and hide. But, I held my ground because I wasn't alone...”

She looked over at each of the Rainbooms and then at Roseluck, Trixie, and Derpy before adding;

“Not being alone...”

She chuckled softly and finished with a warm glare aimed squarely at Sunset;

“I’m not quite used to that yet...”

Rainbow Dash gave Wallflower a confident toothy smirk that only she could deliver and told her;

“You’re not running from your mistakes anymore.”

The athlete gave the gardener a friendly pat on the back strong enough to make her upper-body tilt forward a little, which made her express a small cute yelping sound out of surprise, and added before she could respond;

“That’s awesome!”

Surprised by Rainbow's compliment and not quite knowing what to do with it or with herself, Wallflower’s sharply rising nerves caused her to blurt out;

“My people friends and plant friends are awesome too!”

She quickly covered her mouth with both hands out of sheer instinct as her nerves went through the roof. Oh, her mind had picked a bad time to overshare! She was about ready to apologize profusely and run out the door when Roseluck and Derpy gave her a double-hug from both sides, with the latter happily declaring with a voice as sweet as her heart;

“You’re an awesome friend too!”

Feeling herself being wrapped up in the arms of her two dear friends was enough to ease her nerves. This gave her the chance to shut her eyes and begin to perform the self-calming technique that Sunset had taught her a few days after the Memory Stone Incident. She remembered each step she learned from her by heart;

”Breathe in for five seconds... Hold for five seconds... Breathe out of five seconds...”

As Wallflower performed this technique in steady repetition, her body began to relax more and more, eventually sinking into her friends’ arms. They recognized what was going on and promptly gave her body a gentle squeeze to encourage her relaxation further. Before long, the plant-lover’s nerves had settled, her mind and body in a relaxed state. Every Rainboom present watched Wallflower closely, but they kept their mouths shut to avoid disturbing this moment. Even Trixie, who was also watching, knew better than to interrupt with her boasting, although this was a mighty challenge for her. After about a minute or so, the two friends released their grip on the club leader. Once Wallflower opened her eyes back up and looked at the other girls, Applejack asked with no small amount of concern in her voice and facial expression;

“Sugarcube, do ya’ need us to meet ya’ at another day and time, so ya’ can fully recover?”

Fluttershy took the chance to chime in with her usual soft voice that gave off fluffy vibes;

“Um, we’ll understand if you need more time before facing another one of us.”

The green-haired girl with freckles shook her head and told the girls with surety;

“No, I know I can face one more of you before I need a break. But, yes...”

She chuckled sheepishly;

“This will take more than one meeting to get right.”

All of the other girls nodded their heads in agreement before Trixie, who could not contain herself any longer, declared with absolute gusto and dramatic flare while staring Wallflower in the eye;

“The Great and Powerful Trrrixie is proud of you, Wallflower Blush, for continuing to face the girls you once wronged!”

Every girl’s eyes were on Trixie as she finished whilst performing a theatrical bow;

“Know that I, your Great and Powerful friend, will have your back!”

A certain human-pony girl couldn’t help but smile on the inside upon hearing Trixie’s words. Wallflower was more than a little relieved to have such support, as she knew in her heart that she needed all of the help she could get! Without skipping a beat, the stage magician raised her upper-body back up, turned her attention over to each Rainboom, and threatened with seriousness in her voice and a narrow glare;

“You Sonic Rainbooms may have the right to be angry with Wallflower, but if you take things so much as a step too far...”

She gave Sunset a quick side-eye before finishing;

“Then you shall face the full brunt of Trixie's Great and Powerful wrrrath!”

Sunset could not blame Trixie for making this threat. After all, she had almost taken things several steps too far at best during the Memory Stone Incident, so it was understandable that her friend did not want history to repeat itself. It did help that Trixie forgave her for nearly physically lashing out at Wallflower in the yearbook room.

She did forgive her for that, right? Sunset decided in her head to check on that later.

Self-glorified braggart or not, the Rainbooms knew that Trixie would make good on her threat and they had their own reasons for not wanting to go too far. They all nodded their heads in response to her words, with Sci-Twi taking this moment to switch gears;

“Okay then, who else wants to talk with Wallflower?” she asked while looking over at each of her friends. Pinkie, having already done her bit, was enjoying a bag of gummy bears that she had pulled out from her poofy hair, her mind having traveled to a sugar-fueled plane of existence that only Sunset could comprehend, albeit barely. Rarity decided to be the one to step up before anyone else could think to do so by walking gracefully over to stand in front of Wallflower at the end of the desk that was opposite to her. She asked her with the dignity and politeness of a royal;

“Perhaps you would like it if I were to be next to ‘settle things’, as you had so aptly put it earlier?”

Wallflower nodded her head, grateful that the ever polite member of the band was next in line to speak her mind. As far as she was concerned, this would make for a much more pleasant change of pace compared to the raw emotional intensity that was... Well, Pinkie! She couldn't help but think to herself;

”I wonder if we’ll discuss her feelings over a cup of tea?”

She actually liked the idea of enjoying some tea with the sophisticated tailor, despite the topic that would be discussed. What she actually did was more than a little different by comparison. The fashionista asked Wallflower while maintaining her dignified demeanor;

“Wonderful darling! Do you mind if one of your fellow club members helps me find a suitable flower for me to pick?”

Utterly perplexed by what was asked of her, but seeing no harm in it, the gardener turned over to Roseluck and told her;

“Rosey, please help Rarity with her... Request.”

Visibly confused, but happy to help her friend out, Roseluck walked over to Rarity to escort her out of the office and into the garden. Before they left, however, Rarity told the other girls;

“Make sure to meet us at the center of the garden, as it is spacious enough for what I have in mind.”

With that, the two girls left the office, leaving behind a whole slew of perplexed students. Applejack adjusted her Stetson as she asked aloud out of sheer confusion;

“What in the hay is goin' on in Rare’s head?”

It took a few minutes for the girls to reconvene at the noted location, with Rarity holding a single picked flower in her right hand, which was hidden behind her back. With everyone standing together in a circle, she looked over at Trixie and asked her politely;

“Trixie darling, do you happen to have those smoke bombs of yours?”

Rarity’s behavior was becoming stranger by the moment, which did not go unnoticed by the shrewd and perceptive Trixie;

“Trixie wonders what you need a smoke bomb for,” she told her purple-haired friend, who replied with a subtle showing of dramatic flair;

“Presentation!”

The large and undying ego of Trixie rose to the surface as she noted with a smirk while rummaging through her pockets;

“Well, nobody can do presentation better than Trixie, but Trixie sees no harm in letting a friend have a go at it.”

She pulled a smoke bomb out of one of her pockets and handed it over to Rarity, who graciously took it with her left hand. With a graceful curtsy, she told her;

“My thanks, darling. Now then...”

She quickly looked at each of the other girls while sharply yelling out;

“Stand back, loves!”

They all did as instructed before Rarity raised her left hand to the sky while it held the smoke bomb and tossed the object onto the ground in front of her feet. She gave Wallflower a supportive smile as she did this, which was the last thing the gardener saw before a truly memorable performance began.

An explosion of smoke erupted around the fashionista, concealing her from sight for a good five seconds or more as the group of girls that stood a few feet away were glad to not have to worry about coughing up a storm. Amazingly, the well-dressed young lady did not feel the need to cough, even though she was at the epicenter of the explosion. Soon enough, the smoke started to dissipate. Once it cleared, it revealed Rarity clenching her left fist while holding an Eyebright flower in her right hand. Both hands were raised up to her chest as she looked at them with a most serious expression itched upon her face. With the skill and flare of a theater girl whilst imagining herself standing under a spotlight, she declared with dramatic solemness as she turned her focus squarely on the Eyebright;

“To give...”

She switched her focus over to her fist;

“Or not to give...”

She gazed up at the other ladies, who were confused and intrigued in equal measure;

“That is the question.”

She looked back down at her fist and flower repeatedly for a moment before she began to further vocalize her predicament with an added level of seriousness that got everyone's attention;

"I stand upon this beautiful garden..."

She looked up and gazed at the well cared for plants around her with gentle appreciation in her grin as she spoke before turning her focus back to her fist and flower, her mouth moved to express a frown;

"A lady torn."

She straightened her head and raised the Eyebright up to her face at eye level while placing her fist over her heart;

"On the one hand, my heart calls upon me to give to Wallflower Blush the generosity of a real chance; a chance to make amends for the heinous actions she committed out of fear, anger, and sorrow. Why shouldn't I give it to her? It is, after all, a similar chance to the one I had given to dearest Sunset long ago..."

She lowered her head and sighed with a tone filled with shame;

"A chance that she gave the six of us in return..."

Sunset wanted oh so badly to hug the shame out of Rarity's heart, but she knew she had to finish what she started without interruption. The other Rainbooms felt the exact same shame, so they watched in silent solidarity, driven to let her speak her peace. Rarity turned her back on the other girls with a short twirl and continued on, her arms not moving from their places;

"My life has taught me the importance of listening to my heart during times of confusion and strife. Normally, I would be remiss to not heed its sagely advice. After all..."

She did a pause for dramatic effect before asking herself with an audible sigh and a shake of her head;

"Who else can I be but a generous sort?"

The girls watching were utterly captivated by Rarity's performance, especially Wallflower, who was quite appreciative of the amount of thought that the keytar player was giving to the very notion of giving a girl like her a chance. She was, however, far from done, for she went on to consider another angle;

"But on the other hand..."

She lowered her flower-holding right hand over her heart and raised her left fist to hold it at eye level;

"My mind counters that while the Principal and Vice-Principal were quick to punish Wallflower for her actions, detention and a short time away from her beloved garden, it can be argued, might as well be several light slaps on the wrist compared to her taking from the entire student body the good memories we have of Sunset. To say nothing of her attempts at wiping away her numerous social faux pas, among other memories."

None of the girls wanted to admit it out loud, but she had made a fair point. Wallflower herself could feel her guilt's roots trying to squeeze the life out of her heart as Rarity asked herself aloud;

"Thus, I wonder: if she hasn't truly faced the music, as it were, then how can she be repentant?"

Those roots tightened their hold before Rarity, with a twirl as fierce as her uncharacteristic growl, stomped over to stand within inches of Wallflower's face while yelling out in a fit of fury;

"I could make her pay for what she did!!"

She raised her left fist to the sky, preparing to strike the terrified and guilt-ridden freckled girl square on her skull, her eyes glaring at Wallflower fiercely like a lioness eying her prey. The tailor's face was contorted with intense anger that could scare Sweetie Belle on sight. Fluttershy held on to a shocked Rainbow Dash for dear life with a surprising amount of strength to keep her from doing something drastic as she tried to wiggle out of her grasp, while Applejack yelled out in abject horror while reaching out to her with her right hand;

"Rares don't!"

Twilight was tempted to bring her telekinesis magic to bare, if nothing else but to stop a one-sided brawl from occurring. Pinkie looked on in surprise and horror, her bag of gummy bears having been dropped onto the ground at her feet. Sunset was about ready to intervene, worry oozing from her face. Trixie was simply stunned to the point of being frozen, for the perplexed yet still quite powerful Trixie did not expect something like this to happen, with Roseluck and Derpy holding Wallflower for dear life out of a quiet desire to protect their friend. Before anyone could react further, however, Rarity closed her eyes, sharply pointed her nose to the sky, and allowed her left fist to fall to her side instead of taking a swing while proclaiming in a far more dignified fashion that had little trace of the anger she had just shown;

"No!"

She twirled again to have her back face her stunned audience. Wallflower was, to say the least, relieved to have been given a stay of execution as the roots around her heart relaxed their grip a little. Sunset was quite glad to not have to hold back a raging Rarity from pouncing upon the poor girl, while the rest of the girls were not too far off emotionally. Applejack, in particular, loudly exhaled and allowed her right arm to rest on her side whilst mentally thanking Rarity for not choosing the path of violence, relief being as prominent on her face as her freckles. Derpy and Roseluck, for the sake of safety, kept holding their club leader in their arms. The fashionista explained herself aloud with no small amount of certainty;

"That would be a rube's answer."

She opened her eyes and raised the Eyebright up to her face again as she took several steps away from the group to return to her previous position and stance;

"Exacting revenge upon Wallflower would bring not healing, but pain to both recipient and perpetrator. Not only that, but though her punishment was light compared to her crimes, has she not shown genuine remorse over said crimes?

She twirled again, this time to the right of the audience, before striking a dramatic pose fit for the theater, which consisted of her placing her right wrist upon her forehead with her eyes closed while holding the Eyebright tightly by its stem, her face and voice expressing sorrow;

"Is she not deserving of mercy?"

She dropped the pose to look right at Wallflower, the freckled introvert's forlorn expression hinting at the conflict inside, before looking back at her flower and continuing;

"If one were to doubt that showing her mercy can help, they need only look to our beloved school's history for proof."

Rarity then turned to give Sunset and Sci-Twi a look of pure warmth and understanding, to which they responded in kind. She then returned her attention back to the flower and noted honestly;

"In fact, if Wallflower can summon forth the strength to call upon us, the girls who she had directly hurt, so that we may work together to resolve our issues surrounding her past misdeeds..."

She lowered her head again, only this time, she also moved both her left fist and her flower-holding right hand over her heart and spoke in a softer, more somber voice;

"If I, a lady who had hurt Sunset, my beloved friend, in a most despicable manner, can call upon that same strength to make things right with her and answer Wallflower's call for aid in spite of my own feelings concerning the flower-loving dear, then..."

She turned to face Wallflower and walked over to her with her right hand keeping a firm grip on the Eyebright as it fell to her side. Stopping at mere inches from her face again, she gracefully raised the flower up to the curious and nervous gardener to offer it to her as she declared with gentle sweetness and utter conviction, her wide grin as beautiful as the lady who bore it;

"I shall allow my heart to guide me."

The two girls looked each other in the eye in silence for a few seconds. Rarity's eyes were filled with that unique spark that only appeared when she was being especially generous and loving every moment of it. Wallflower's eyes went from being filled with curiosity to shock and then to gratefulness as she gently took the flower into her right hand. She then told her with a voice filled with both nervousness and surety in equal measure;

"I won't let you down, Rarity."

"I'm sure you won't, darling," was Rarity's heartfelt response, her voice loving like a dear friend. Both girls got big friendly hugs from the group after that, which made them giggle a little as they reciprocated the support they were receiving. The wound inflicted upon the hearts of every girl present by The Memory Stone Incident healed up just a little bit that day.

Of course, the day was not yet over, for the girls decided to chill out in the office for a spell to give Wallflower a few minutes to recover. After taking that time to quietly process the theatrical performance that had just been delivered, Sunset looked over at Rarity, who was sitting on an extra seat that was placed along the wall in front of the former while making minor adjustments to her hair, and commented on the fashionista's earlier behavior in a calm fashion;

"I gotta say, I expected you to add some dramatic flare to you opening up to Wallflower."

She gave her friend a sideways smirk before adding with a soft chuckle;

"But I didn't expect you to go full Shakespeare on her."

Rarity stopped with her hair adjusting, gazed over at Sunset, and gave her a confident giggle before explaining;

"Well, I did have the pleasure of partaking in the literary classic that is 'Hamlet', darling. So, I could not help but pull from such a marvelous piece, given the situation."

Hearing this got Sci-Twi's attention, who was sitting on the grass 'floor' while mentally checking all manner of scientific formulas when Rarity had spoken up. With excitement in her eyes and voice, she exclaimed to Rarity;

"I did not know you enjoyed Shakespeare, Rarity! I mean, 'To be or not to be" is a classic phrase that has been used on numerous occasions, so I figured you had put that phrase to use without knowing of its origin-"

"At-tut-tut-tut!" Rarity promptly declared to Sci-Twi with a raised right index finger in an attempt to politely stop her from going into one of her rants. This time, she was successful, which gave her the opportunity to declare with dignity and a soft smile;

"I will simply say, Twilight darling, that one has not truly experienced Shakespeare until they have read his works in the original Prench."

As tempted as she was to correct Rarity in regards to the origin of the esteemed poet's work, Sci-Twi opted to kept that to herself for the sake of being polite to her friend. Wallflower, who was quietly watching the conversation play out from behind her desk, made the sudden impulsive decision to take a risk. A huge risk at that, for she had only done this once before in front of Derpy and Roseluck, who were standing with her at both sides. She wasn't thinking about the consequences, but she did think of one thing: a memory of what Sunset once told her;

"There's nothing wrong with taking a chance on yourself, even if things don't always work out for you."

Without hesitation and before terror could grip her, she delivered in accurate, beautiful, but not quite fluent, Prench;

"This above all: to thine own self be true."

Again, Wallflower covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes growing wide with shock over what she had just done. To say nothing of the ten other mouths gaping at her! Rarity was the first to respond after a few seconds of silence, albeit with a stutter, for she was recovering from the shock;

"D-d-darling..."

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to settle her mind. Once she was in a calmer state, she cleared her throat in a most dignified manner, gave the horrified gardener an enthusiastic glare before continuing the Shakespearean quote in Prench, only hers was much closer to being fluent and had a sprinkling of her typical grace added in;

"And it must follow, as the night the day."

Another one of Wallflower's tiny grins crept up on her face, although it could barely poke out from behind her hands on the sides of her face. She slowly lowered her hands, revealing the full force of the grin, however small it may have been. With a quick clearing of her own throat, she finished the quote out of appreciation and with more surety than she expected to bring forth;

"Thou canst not then be false to any man."

All of this was enough to bring Rarity to tears of happiness as she stood up of her chair and walked over to stand in front of Wallflower's desk. After wiping her tears with a tissue she had taken from a thoughtful Pinkie Pie, who had kept a bunch of them stashed in her hair, she exclaimed with utter joy;

"Oh Wallflower dear, I did not expect you to be a reader of Shakespeare and a speaker of Prench, let alone speak the language with such confidence and grace!"

The poor green-haired girl couldn't stop herself from blushing if she tried, especially when she had gotten a round of applause from the whole group! Sunset, being more curious about her freckled friend's surprising ability to speak a second language, asked her with an excited smirk after the applause had died down;

"Okay Wally, we gotta know: how did you learn Prench?"

With a nervous laugh, a sheepish grin, and a quick impulsive scratch of the back of her neck, Wallflower answered whilst the other girls looked at her with bated breath;

"You can thank my mom for that one. She's been teaching me Prench herself, since most of her side of the family insists on speaking it during those rare occasions when they visit the country."

She looked over at Roseluck and Derpy with friendly love in her eyes while adding sweetly;

"These two garden buddies of my mine were the only people in the school who knew that I could speak Prench until now."

She turned back to face Rarity, who had recovered enough to give her a beaming grin with warmth in her eyes. Without skipping a beat, she happily exclaimed to Wallflower;

"And you revealed that once-hidden part of yourself to me, to us, in what I'm sure was a spur-of-the-moment decision! Such heartfelt daring!"

She placed her right hand upon her heart and added while keeping her grin strong;

"I am truly touched, Wallflower Blush. Clearly, I will not regret giving you a fair shake, as it were."

With a sudden gasp and her eyes growing wide for a moment or two, she then announced dramatically;

"Oh my goodness, darling! You have not responded to my earlier performance yet!"

She did a short respectful bow before declaring with concern in her eyes;

"I would gladly hear your take on the subject. Unless, of course, you wish to take more time to think of an appropriate response. I dare say, such a thing must not be rushed!"

The other girls made it a point to listen intently to Wallflower's response. The girl in question, appreciative as she was of Rarity being so considerate, could feel her nerves shoot up enough to threaten to hold her back from speaking at all. Her body began to tremble enough to prompt her to hug her arms out of reflex. Without skipping a beat, she closed her eyes and brought her self-calming technique to bare once again;

”Breathe in for five seconds... Hold for five seconds... Breathe out of five seconds...”

The room became silent, save for Wallflower's slow, deep, and audible breathing, which was hardly helping her that time. The other girls were visibly concerned for her well-being, none more so than Rarity. Even as the frightened gardener tried to calm down, she could hear the intrusive thoughts in her head, the kind that had been plaguing her life for a long time;

They're annoyed that you're taking so long to speak up!

They think your Prench sucks and you better believe it does!

You're nothing more than a punching bag for their anger!

You'll always be hated, like an unsightly weed.

They'll never forgive you. You don't deserve forgiveness!

You don't deserve friends!

You don't deserve to-

Before that last, most dreadful thought could be finished, she found herself suddenly wrapped up in a gentle set of arms that gracefully pushed her onto someone's chest, the act knocking that vile thought out of her head before it could sink its teeth into her heart. This hug, to her, felt very much like a warm blanket she would snuggle into during a cold Winter night with a cup of hot cocoa. She opened her eyes to find that those arms had alabaster skin! The resulting closeness and warmth helped a ton with soothing her mind, but Rarity's soft voice and kind words sealed the deal whilst she hugged her with the tenderness of a caring mother;

"Oh, sweetness, I understand your trepidation. Why, if I were in your position, I would feel quite out of sorts myself."

Seizing the opportunity granted by the lady of Generosity's surprising act of compassion, Wallflower returned her focus to her breath for a moment or two before Rarity gently gave her a simple request as she moved her body away from her chest a bit to give her some breathing room;

"Could you be a dear and look me in the eye, please?"

At this point, she was looking everywhere else she could but Rarity's eyes, her guilt not allowing her to even so much as glance at them easily. Why, even the grass at her feet was easier to gaze upon! Regardless, she was not going to deny one of Sunset's friends such a request. That, and she was sick of being a coward. Sick of living with her sorrows. With difficulty, Wallflower looked Rarity square in the eyes, much to the latter's visible appreciation. Just seeing the fashionista's purple eyes had a calming effect on her that she did not want to fight. Instead, she allowed that calm to wash over her like water raining down into a parched plant's roots. Any reprieve from her worries was fine with her, as long as it was harmless! With a soft smile, the purple-haired beauty offered the frightened girl simple instruction;

"Breathe with me, okay?"

The gardener slowly nodded her head and awaited Rarity's go-ahead, which she softly gave within moments;

"Deep breath in, eyes on me..."

She did as she was told while her gaze was locked on Rarity. The intrusive thoughts started to become quieter;

"Hold it, eyes on me..."

As she held her breath, the world around her began to fade away along with her stress. She could not help but imagine her intrusive thoughts being pulled into those purple eyes that simply had her hooked by this point;

"Deep breath out, eyes on me..."

Wallflower exhaled slowly and deeply, feeling as if she was releasing some of the old pain inside her head and heart. The dark thoughts were gone, for the moment at least. For that alone, Rarity had her genuine gratitude. She expressed to her one of her tiny smiles, to which Rarity responded with a beaming grin before releasing her from from her grip. She then giggled politely before declaring with relief;

"I'm glad to have given you a much-needed distraction from your thoughts, darling."

Wallflower looked around the room to find that all of the girls were looking at her with supportive expressions. Pinkie, being Pinkie, was the only person who wasn't standing or sitting quietly in a traditional sense. In fact, she was quietly waving a small flag that she pulled out from her hair with her right hand while busting out one of her larger smiles and standing on her chair. The flag had Wallflower's smiling face drawn on it with crayons as well as the skill and earnest of a child having a wonderful day, so it was both simplistic and adorable in equal measure. The sight of this caused her to giggle a little out of slight embarrassment mixed with appreciation before settling herself. With a breath, Wallflower looked over at an expectant Rarity and explained calmly with solemness in her voice;

"When you suggested that I deserve mercy, I couldn't help but think of a question that has been bothering me ever since that stone was destroyed..."

She sighed, looked down at the grass at her feet, and raised her opened shaking hands up to her face to gaze upon them with sadness and regret pouring from her eyes. With a clear voice that was riddled with hurt, she asked herself and the group of girls that stood with her;

"Do I really deserve mercy after hurting so many people?"

A few tears started to form in her eyes, but she opted to not wipe them. With a quick saddened sniff, she admitted;

"I... Haven't figured that out yet."

Her guilt's roots were about to take another stab at crushing her hurt, only for courage, a feeling she was relieved to have and yet not entirely accustomed to, to override it. Although it was but a seedling compared to the guilt inside, Wallflower's courage was strong enough to keep it at bay long enough for her to gaze up at Rarity, conviction replacing the regret in her eyes, and tell her truly;

"But, I'll make sure that mercy is never wasted on me."

Right then and there, the girl's nerves shot up like a bottle rocket, thus prompting her to cover her mouth with both hands again. Up until that moment, Rarity was looking at Wallflower while expressing, and feeling, no small amount of concern for her well-being. The same could be said for the others. But, once she made her confident declaration, that concern faded to make way for understanding and joy, the kind that soothed her mind enough for her to allow her arms to fall to her sides. Rarity's eyes sparkled as she gave the gardener before her a smile that was bright enough to light up the dark side of the Human world's moon! Sunset and Twilight sent her looks filled with support and the kind of warmth that could soothe a crying child. Applejack tipped her hat to Wallflower as a polite show of respect. Rainbow belted out while expressing a toothy grin filled to bursting with confidence and a fist pound to the chest to match;

"Ahhh yeah! Someone's got spirit!"

Fluttershy settled for silently sending onto Wallflower a constant barrage of gentle warmth from her kind smile, while Pinkie Pie decided, after leaping into the air out of sheer exuberance, to take a far more audible approach to showing approval of her future friend's heartfelt words. Before the friend to every plant on Mother Earth could say or do anything in response to the girls' outpouring of support, Pinkie pulled a megaphone out from her poofy hair, deftly aimed its speaking end at her mouth, and happily yelled into it before her fellow Rainbooms could stop her;

"YOU SUPER-DUPER DEFINITELY DESERVE MERCY!"

With that, every girl within a radius that covered most of the garden was given a bad case of temporary hearing loss. Although that didn't quite take away anyone's happiness, even as they grimaced and covered their ears out of shock, annoyance, and headache-induced pain. After about five seconds, Sunset, who was reeling a bit from the veritable explosion of auditory joy cranked up to eleven, declared while still holding her head with her right hand and sheepishly grinning;

"Okay, I think we can stop this heart-to-heart for now."

"WHAT?!" yelled out Trixie, her hearing having not yet recovered. Everyone else agreed without saying a word, with the pink culprit behind the vocal shenanigans scratching the back of her head with her left hand while expressing a truly apologetic look on her face, her megaphone being held in her right hand. Poor Trixie tried to get a word in edgewise, in spite of her lack of hearing;

"ALL TRIXIE HEARS IS THE SILENT OVATION OF TRIXIE'S FUTURE AUDIENCE!"

With the main purpose of their get-together having been put on hold for a future encounter, the girls (once their hearing had fully returned) decided to relax around the center of the garden. They were all quite glad to be given a reprieve from dealing with the touchy subject they had just tackled, not to mention said subject's heaviness. None were quite as glad as Sunset, Trixie, and Wallflower. Trixie was practicing her stage magic tricks to make ready for future shows with more confidence and bluster than usual, with Roseluck and Pinkie Pie serving as her entertained supportive audience. Wallflower had found a comfy spot on the grass that gave her a bit of distance from the group without leaving the garden's center and laid down on it flat on her back with her arms stretched out to the sides. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was steady, which gave off the impression that she was relaxed, even though she appeared to be as stiff as a board. Fluttershy was sitting to her left while chatting with a little bird that had flown onto her right hand. While Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were talking to each other at a spot closer to the center, Sunset and Twilight found themselves sitting to Wallflower's right while enjoying the scenery and peace that the garden provided. Wallflower recognized that these girls were with her, but she was more concerned with focusing on herself at that moment. Fluttershy's conversation with the bird did not disturb her. In fact, she found that it helped her keep calm as she let the world around her fade away while maintaining a simple mantra in her mind;

Let my stress and worries sink into the Earth... Let myself be as I am... Just be.

By the time her conversations with Rarity and Pinkie Pie had finished, he head had felt terribly heavy from the resulting stress. But, as she kept up this practice of hers, she could feel that heaviness slowly ease up, much to her relief. This encouraged her to tune more and more into her own little world as a tiny content smile began to creep up her face. She could imagine her guilt fighting gravity itself to avoid falling into the dirt below her when she heard Sunset's soft voice;

"Do you mind if I interrupt you for a moment, Wally?"

Wallflower felt no agitation upon hearing her question. She could tell from her friend's whispering that she was being thoughtful and far from rude. Frankly, Sunset's voice was quite soothing and it would take her doing something truly terrible to agitate her. Refusing to move an inch or even open her eyes, the green-haired introvert told her in a relaxed voice;

"Go right ahead."

Just then, she heard Sunset chuckle to herself a little. Wait... Was she laughing at her? Did she find her being like this funny? Is she being mean?

"No!" Wallflower thought to herself as she put a stop to her intrusive thoughts before they could get a firm grip on her. Sunset Shimmer stopped being a meanie long ago and she refused to let her own troubles drive her to be one herself again! Right when she had hit the brakes on a spiraling episode with a level of ease that she was surprised by, she heard Sunset note sweetly, probably with one of her recognizable smirks;

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you are trying to meditate."

That got Wallflower's undivided attention! Her eyes shot wide open within a fraction of a second. Since her body refused to move an inch off of the ground, she elected to aim her eyes as close to Sunset's location as she comfortably could before responding in surprise;

"I didn't know you practiced meditation!"

Sci-Twi, who had been listening in on the two of them and Fluttershy's talk with one of her many, many bird-friends at the time, decided to chime in politely and with an excited grin while moving her head over to look at the resting gardener;

"Sunset has been performing the practice for quite some time, actually. Thanks to her, I have recently considered implementing it into my daily routine as well. So, I am glad to see that you have been putting it to good use."

Words could not begin to describe Wallflower's happiness over her personal mediation practice not being labeled as weird or stupid by Twilight or Sunset. Heck, they actually found it interesting! It was this feeling that kept her nerves in check as she saw the lavender nerd stand up, walk over to stand in front of Wallflower at her feet, and ask while giving her an intellectual's visual inspection;

"How does the feeling of the dirt and grass holding your body help ease you into a meditative state? Perhaps, it is that feeling of gravity weighing you down that produces such an effect? Do you use a mantra to keep your focus properly maintained, or-"

Before she could continue giving an increasingly perplexed Wallflower a hundred questions per-minute, Sunset gently told her with an understanding wink while placing her right hand on her left shoulder;

"Take it easy on her, Twi."

With a sheepish grin, the lovable egghead nodded her head. This prompted the keeper of the garden to tilt her upper-body forward to sit in an upright position, her body deciding to cooperate. She then showed Sci-Twi quiet happiness in her eyes, her tiny grin from earlier back on her face, and explained calmly;

"I like to think of it this way: When I lay down on the ground, it feels as if gravity is pulling my stress down into the Earth while the dirt is holding me up. As if..."

She pondered for a moment before finishing her thought;

"Nature itself is keeping me grounded. Helping me let go," Just then, she heard Fluttershy speak with her usual soft voice, which got her to look over to see that the kind girl was looking back at her with the sweetest smile on her face as she spoke happily;

"Oh, I know what you mean! I've found that just being out in nature is enough for me to let go of my troubles and rest my mind for a while."

She sighed contently before declaring with appreciation and contentment in every syllable;

"Nature can really help people when they let it."

Wallflower understood that concept on a deep personal level. So did Sunset, who added while keeping much of that understanding close to the chest;

"Yeah, that's why I like to meditate outside when possible."

She gave Fluttershy a playful wink while pretending to be annoyed;

"I blame you for that, Shy."

Her gentle friend giggled a little, having understood the joke within an instant, with Sci-Twi joining in on the laughter. The acceptance and understanding shown by these three girls was not just relaxing to Wallflower's mind: it was also soothing to her heart. All of this inspired her to keep the conversation going instead of keeping silent like she did in the past. To do this, she decided to get to know the glasses-rocking lady of science with a question as she aimed her gaze back at her;

"So, where would you meditate?"

While showing a smile that revealed her joy over the thought of learning how to clear her head, Sci-Twi told an attentive Wallflower;

"I'd say in my laboratory whenever I'm alone or with Spike. Yes, it is indoors, but it is my favorite place to be in back home other than my bedroom. So, it is uniquely easy for me to be calm there. Then again, I do not mind giving the outdoors a shot."

With a raised eyebrow, Wallflower responded while actively trying to not be judgmental of the egghead's clearly different taste in meditation locales;

"Well, you have your own space that suits you just fine."

With a warm smile that was barely larger than a pebble, she added;

"As for me, if I'm gonna meditate indoors, I'll need a plant or several with me."

That got the other three girls to giggle some more in a harmless, well-meaning fashion. Hearing this got Wallflower herself to join in on the laughter. For once, she found genuine humor in at least one of her plant-related quirks and she was just fine with that. After the giggles died down, Sunset realized something that prompted her to ask;

"Where did Derpy run off to?"

With a knowing wink aimed squarely at her friend with fiery hair, Wallflower told her simply;

"You'll have your answer very soon."

The other girls, in utter confusion over the vagueness of her answer, waited in silence for about three-to-four seconds before Derpy's joyful voice could be heard throughout the garden;

"Who wants muffins?!"

With that, the other girls that were closer to the center of the garden dropped what they were doing and ran over to the provider of baked treats herself, who stood straight while holding a zip-lock bag full of lovingly baked muffins that came in a variety of flavors while showing a smile that could melt a cold heart. Her crossed eyes only served to complete the positive effect the sight had on all who looked upon her. Sunset, Wallflower, Sci-Twi, and Fluttershy stood up and regrouped with the other girls to enjoy what was sure to be a tasty snack.

Author's Note

As you can see with this chapter and the previous one, Wallflower's actions during Forgotten Friendship have some real consequences. Thankfully, the girls she's facing just so happen to have experience with rehabilitating former bullies. :pinkiehappy:

If Rarity's Shakespearean speech reminds you of a certain warrior of honor, then you know what's up when it comes to old Hasbro cartoons. If you don't, then I encourage you to watch Beast Wars: Transformers or, at the very least, look up 'Dinobot - To Be or Not to Be' on YouTube.

The CMC's meeting will be featured in the next chapter (I had to cut this one in two to keep the length reigned in), for real this time! :twilightsheepish:

UPDATE: I had to fix up a inconsistency or two (particularly one that relates to What's in a Writer's Mind).

UPDATE -THE SEQUEL: Found more inconsistencies and odd grammar choices.

I'm finally saying it: I need a proofreader.

Chapter 7 - Journal Talk and Club Business

Later that day, in Rainbow Dash's bedroom

Sunset was sitting on her sleeping bag in a lotus position whilst her magical journal, the one from Princess Twilight to be precise, rested on her lap. Normally, Rainbow Dash's bedroom was uniquely messy, since its owner needed to be repeatedly encouraged by multiple people to clean it up. Once Sunset had moved in for the week, however, it wasn't long before the room became far more organized and tidy, thanks in large part to its newest tenant. She had just finished checking on her Spring Break homework, only to find that it was all finished and ready to be turned in once school started back up. Thus, she felt it best to enjoy the peace and quiet that was a result of Rainbow having to make a trip to the grocery store with her mother, which meant her father had to tend to the house in their absence. With homework a non-issue and Sunset's chores having already been finished, she got herself some time to chill in silence while processing the day's events;

"Wallflower and the girls are off to a great start!" she thought to herself with pride while staring at the room's cyan wall. With a smirk, she added internally;

"As I expected from my friends, of course. But, that talk was just the beginning for them. For all of us. Now then..."

She moved her thoughts over to a mystery she was hoping to make progress on that day;

"What's going on with Gilda's Griffons? I mean, she bragged about being their leader, which is nothing new, really."

She groaned a little before continuing her train of thought;

"But then, why weren't they with her when she was talking with us? Last I recall, they were a pretty tight bunch. For that matter, where are they these days?"

Sunset remembered well, from Rainbow Dash, who Gilda's running mates were. Their identities she made sure to take into account in her mind;

"Let's see, the other Griffons from before Gilda's disappearance were... Lightning Dust, Short Fuse, and Rolling Thunder. Going by Rainbow's story, she had cut them out of her life after her falling out with Gilda, so she probably doesn't know what they've been up to. Now that I think about it, it's possible they may have vanished around the same time their boss did."

Taking note of this detail reminded the former bad girl of an old memory. One that, even years later, still stung her heart something fierce. With tightly clenched fists that rested under her journal and growing agitation, she declared inside her increasingly wound up mind;

"Oh, if I was there with my friends that day..."

Before her emotions could escalate further, however, she closed her eyes, willed that train of thought to stop in its tracks, and took a deep breath in before exhaling audibly to ease her feelings. With that, she calmly told herself off without being demeaning:

"No. Don't get riled up over what-ifs, Sunset."

She took another deep breath in;

"Let the past be what it is..."

She exhaled again whilst her hands relaxed along with the rest of her body;

"Not today."

Feeling much more grounded, Sunset opened her eyes and went right to work on thinking more clearly, her emotions having stabilized. All of this prompted her to let out a mirthless chuckle and decide in her head;

"It wouldn't surprise me if Gilda's lying about leading a gang these days, given the lies she spews about RD and-"

Right before she could finish her thought, she felt a strong vibration occur on her lap in a repeated fashion, which made her feel more than a little joy as she exclaimed with a beaming smile that could melt steel beams with its radiation of glee;

"Goodness, Twilight responded sooner than I thought she would! Spike must be working overtime."

Sunset quickly opened up the journal to flip over to the page that she had previously bookmarked with her pen. Directly below the last message she had written, she could see a new message had just appeared, which was written in that detailed and articulate fashion that she expected from any of her two Twilight Sparkles. Thrilled to hear from her very first friend, she read the message aloud while thanking Equestria's Celestia and Luna that Rainbow Dash was not listening in.

Dear Sunset Shimmer,

First of all, a happy belated Hearth's Warming to you too! Or should I say, Merry Christmas? Oh, I'm so glad you told me about that Human holiday! It shares so many wonderful similarities with Hearth's Warming and yet both holidays have their own unique qualities that help them stand apart from each other. It's beautiful and fascinating, really!

Now then, thanks to my Spike's efforts, I was able to take care of my duties for today early, so I've got some time to talk to you! I am so sorry for taking so long to respond! I'll make it up to you, I promise. Anyway, I'm glad the Winter season has been good to you and our CHS friends. I do agree that the quiet moments between emergencies in general can be quite the blessing. I swear, for my pony friends and me, it feels like we have to resolve a problem at least once a week! Well, that's what my Pinkie Pie says, and I have this suspicion that she's not far off the mark.

Then again, it could just be Pinkie being her wonderful Pinkie self, so I'm not thinking too hard about it. Well, I'm trying not to at least.

Regarding what you said about how your world's seasons work, allow me an inquiry:

How in Celestia's name do you Humans prepare for seasonal change without being able to control the weather?!

I suppose I am quite accustomed to the weather in Equestria being heavily regulated through magical means, but I can hardly imagine what it's like for you to have to adapt to, for example, unexpected thunderstorms or blizzards. I'm glad that your weather can at least be predicted by your Meteorologists and you have the four seasons to prepare for as well. But, to live without any way to stop a tornado or some other dangerous weather pattern... I just shuddered a little at the thought!

While I understand your concern, let me assure you that my Rainbow Dash handles Equestria's weather responsibly (post-Tank Hibernation Incident, anyway). So, if she were to visit your world, you needn't worry about her doing something foalish with rain clouds, for example. It is your Rainbow Dash that we ought to be concerned about, provided that she... Wait... I should get back to this part later in the message. Let me tackle the other subjects first so that they are not missed.

That last part made Sunset quite curious. What was it about her Rainbow Dash that made the Princess so nervous? Putting that aside for now, she continued reading.

Starlight is doing fine, actually! I sent your message to her and she sends her love to you and our friends right back! She also has a message for Juniper Montage, but she would like to send it to her in person one of these days. Which brings me to that secret project I had hinted at in the past.

Starlight, my Pony friends, and I have recently founded Equestria's first School of Friendship!

Sunset did a double-take and read that last sentence again to make sure she was reading it right before exclaiming out of sheer shock;

"A School of Friendship?!"

After taking a breath of two to recollect herself, she commented with awe in her voice and happiness and pride dancing together in her heart;

"That mare's hustle is legendary! I'm sure she and her friends will do a great job with running the school."

She then had a thought that made her laugh a little before she voiced it with a smirk;

"I have a feeling she took a little bit of inspiration from Canterlot High."

While mentally thanking her Celestia and Luna for CHS's now retired open-door policy, she went back to reading the message.

Right now, we currently have our hooves full with managing the first semester! I am proud to say that I have learned my first lesson as Headmare: Not everything has to be done by the book.

Yes, that does sound bizarre coming from me of all ponies! But, even I can stand to give those I work with some wiggle room to help out in their own meaningful ways.

Now, my duties as the Princess of Friendship haven't given me too much hassle, but dear Luna, they've been keeping me busy! Combine that with my additional duties as Headmare and...

It just hit home for me... How much I miss you all... Dear Luna, I haven't seen any of you ever since that fiasco with the Storm King's magic and it's been even longer since I last visited the Human world!

When I visit again, and you can bet good Equestrian Bits that I will, the first thing I will do is hug you, the Rainbooms, and your Twilight's Spike with all of my heart! Consider that a royal decree.

Sunset was tempted to hug the journal by the old familiar warmth that erupted throughout her being over the heartfelt decree she had just read. In spite of her numerous duties, Twilight was thinking of and missing her and the girls. She was so looking forward to seeing the Princess again! Ah, but there was still more of her message to read.

Now then, let's get back to that part about your Rainbow Dash. Have you and the other Rainbooms experimented with your Geode Magic yet? I ask this because of a fact that's both simple and alarming: Both of our Rainbow Dashes can fly. Specifically speaking, your Rainbow Dash can fly. With Pegasus wings via Pegasus magic.

If it turns out that your Rainbow Dash can also control the weather like a Pegasus upon transforming...

Another question: On a scale of 1-10, how capable is your Rainbow Dash of being responsible?

Fear gripped Sunset as she thought to herself with wide eyes;

"RD has been handling her super-speed well enough, with mistakes made along the way. But, if that girl can control the weather and she finds out without supervision or guidance..."

She then imagined something of what could happen, which is precisely what she might expect from a power-mad Rainbow Dash;

"I, Rainbow Dash, The World's Most Awesome Weather Controller, will now destroy these uncool rain clouds!"

"No, Rainbow! Farmers need them rain clouds, Ah tells ya'!"

"The Summer shall last FOREVERRRRR!!!"

Sunset internally asked the universe to watch over and protect farms everywhere as she read on while making a mental note to have a very important talk with Sci-Twi later.

I have one more topic to bring up while I still have time: how are your CMCs doing these days? If they're anything like my Crusaders, they're bound to be getting into all sorts of trouble with absolute gusto! I never really got to talk with your CMCs, did I? That's an error I'll happily correct when I visit.

Respond as soon as you can!

Your faithful friend,

Princess Twilight Sparkle

By the time Sunset finished reading, it was quite clear to her that the Princess's message spanned multiple pages. She expected this of course, for when a Twilight Sparkle started talking up a storm through any medium, it was hard to get her to stop! With a warm smile, Sunset flipped over to next blank page and wrote back to her beloved friend.

Thanks for writing back, Twi! You actually responded sooner that I thought you would. My thanks to your Spike for helping you out, I hope he's enjoying a well-earned nap. Don't worry about our Rainbow Dash, the girls and I will keep her from doing something reckless with magic. Watch, it turns out she just wants to do something harmless with Pegasus magic, like sleep on a cloud instead of doing homework.

As for our weather, the Humans have all sorts of safety precautions, resources, procedures, and other important tools for handling severe weather. Our Meterologists, for example, are usually the ones who warn us of terrible storms well in advance, so we can prepare for when they hit. They even have some seriously impressive weather radar tech that they use to predict the weather as it develops. Of course, nature loves to surprise us from time to time around here, and not every surprise is pleasant. But, we do find ways to recover from even the most damaging of storms. Simply put, Twi: we can push through the weather.

Holding back a chuckle over her joke at the end, Sunset waited about five seconds before getting a response that made her heart soar a little;

Let it rai-ai-ai-ai-ain! Such a great song, by the way.

After allowing a laugh to escape her lips for a moment, she told her distant friend;

Now, you've got that song stuck in my head!

Anyway, I should tell you about our CMCs. They're doing good right now, but yesterday... Not so much. I won't beat around the bush, Princess:

Our Gilda's back and she's meaner than ever.

A two second pause and Twilight responded with worry in every word.

Oh dear Luna, did she hurt them again?!

With a sigh of relief, Sunset replied.

Not with her fists, thankfully. She was terrible to them, but even she knows better than to throw hands with the kids when we're around...

She went on to explain to Twilight what had happened when Gilda showed up while answering any questions her royal friend had come up with. Once she was finished, it took all of five seconds for the Princess to respond with sweetness in every word she had written.

I'm proud of all of you for handling that bully as well as you did. As for the CMCs specifically:

Their past does not define them and you know why. Nothing they could do would ever make them deserving of Gilda's wrath.

If the mirror portal was in that room, Sunset would have jumped through it to hug Twilight within the time-span of a few seconds. But, since that portal was far from jumping distance at the time, she instead opted to express her gratitude through writing.

Thanks, Twi. I'll make sure the girls get that message. To be clear: the CMCs are in a better emotional state now, thanks to us helping them out a bit. I'll tell you more about that later, but I will say right now that they just did a movie screening earlier today. I was one of the folks they invited, actually.

The former bad girl had a feeling about the response her friend was going to give. Sure enough, her feelings served her well.

Ah yes! You mentioned something about Humans having movies in a previous message. I know we Equestrian folks have our own fair share of mediums through which we share our stories. So, I'm quite interested to learn how these Human movies work. For research purposes of course!

Sunset thought it was a little too easy to guess at her royal friend's reaction, upon retrospect. But, then again, Princess Twilight Sparkle always did enjoy learning about new things. With a chuckle laced with building excitement over getting to teach her friend something for a change, she told her thusly.

I'll give you the CMC's movie screening as an example then. You see...

Earlier that day, at the Canterlot Movie Club's Clubhouse

It wasn't long before Sunset found herself helping Sweetie Belle with getting the seats positioned in the clubhouse while Scootaloo prepared the projector screen that was being made to stand a little ways in front of the seats, with the club desk and all its items behind it. The seats were being organized to sit in three lines of seven, with three extra seats situated behind the main group. Twenty-one seats plus three: the standard setup for a movie club screening's audience. Of course, there was enough space left in front of the closed clubhouse door for folks coming in to have a clear path between the door and the seats. Being carefully placed on the cushions of each seat by Apple Bloom as they were positioned were recreations of Daring Do's trusty safari hat (all lovingly handmade by Rarity). Once the seats, save for three, were properly adorned, the excited Apple sister ran over to the empty space at the doorway and had several extra hats placed with care on a table that was located at the lower-right corner of the clubhouse to the right of the door. She then did a quick spin on her right heel to look upon the work her friends and her had done with beaming pride: the show was just about ready to begin!

Octavia Melody and DJ-P0N3 were going in and out of the clubhouse as they helped with providing the snacks and refreshments, not to mention the cello and turntable required for the traditional mid-movie intermission. Luckily, there was space enough for their tools of creative performance at an area to the left of the seats that was sectioned out specifically for them. Once they had finished setting up the instruments, the two musical maestros placed the assorted snacks and drinks on the table to the right of their cello and turn-table. Among the culinary options available on the table were a heaping serving of freshly prepared apple fritters, several large buckets of popcorn (both buttered and regular varieties) with a bunch of smaller buckets placed around them, and assorted sodas. By then, it was clear to anyone inside that the clubhouse was getting a bit cramped and the invited audience hadn't showed up yet! Once Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had finished double-checking that their tasks were done, they ran over to Apple Bloom to stand at both of her sides, happily admiring their handiwork alongside her. The three seats that weren't given hats were the ones at the front, but this was done for a good reason: these were the CMCs' seats, who were already wearing their hats, along with authentic replicas of Daring Do's outfit! Clearly, the girls had come prepared. Apple Bloom proudly declared as the trio waited for the guests to arrive;

"Look at what our hard work has gotten us, ya'll! Ah reckon, this 'ere screenin' will be the best one yet!"

Scootaloo could not agree with her more, for she fist pumped the air and exclaimed out of pure excitement;

"Yeah! This screening is already cool enough with any movie. But, with a Daring Do movie, I know it's gonna be one-hundred and twenty percent awesome!"

Sweetie Belle bounced with glee as she happily gushed, her voice cracking in a uniquely adorable fashion;

"I know, right?! Daring Do is soooo brave! She protects ancient artifacts from thieves and vandals while helping people whenever and wherever she can!"

While neck-deep in their shared joy over all things Daring Do, not one of them noticed a certain bacon-haired lady sneaking around to position herself behind Apple Bloom. Scootaloo, true to form, kept on singing her beloved movie/storybook hero's praises with unrelenting earnest while performing karate moves for added effect;

"She's so awesome, she stared down an ancient army of skeletons lead by the undead Dread Pirate Manebeard, told them all to 'bring it', and then kicked their bony butts with her trusty rope, a sword, and her wits! All so that the Great Jewel of the Eighth Sea could not be abused by their villainous hands!"

Not one founding club member recognized that a sophisticated young woman with well-kept black hair crept up behind Scootaloo as she finished punching and kicking the air, waiting for that special moment to strike. Apple Bloom was quick to throw Daring Do some praise of her own while switching her gaze between her friends;

"She's so faithful, she once braved the many dangerous traps left for her by that lowdown snake-in-the-grass Dr. Caballeron to take from him the Scepter of Somnambula, so that she could give it back to the village it belonged to just as she promised she would! Oh, that slimy Dr. Caballeron even tried to buy the Scepter from her with several bushels-worth of gold, silver, and gems!"

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belled performed two well-acted faux-gasps, which was Apple Bloom's cue to crank up the dramatic ham and cheese as a certain non-speaking DJ with striking blue hair and large noise-cancelling headphones stealthily moved up behind Sweetie Belle;

"But, would she let herself fall to the allure of greed?! Would she become a liar?!"

All three CMCs yelled out in shared jubilation, their combined voices a veritable cacophony of youthful joy;

"NEVEERRRRRR!!!"

Scootaloo asked her friends with a knowing smirk and sheer confidence after they almost instantly recovered from their yelling;

"And why is that, movie club?"

They all gave the same answer in joyful, loud, and proud unison;

"BECAUSE DARING DO NEVER BREAKS HER WORD!!!"

The three girls had a good laugh after that, which gave Apple Bloom time to recover a bit before declaring with that dopey smile of hers that should have been trademarked by Granny Smith on her behalf;

"That woman's got the heart of an Apple, Ah tells ya'."

It was at that moment that the Canterlot Movie Club was attacked! Fiercely pounced upon from behind by a trio of laughing teenagers, who proceeded to hug and tickle them without hesitation or regret. The CMCs tried to resist the urge to laugh, but it was all for naught. One by one, they were forced to surrender themselves to the giggles. Of course, once they found an opening, they tickled their aggressors in retaliation while yelling out with gusto and joy mixed together in a glorious blend of youthful merriment;

"MOVIE CLUB TICKLE ATTACK!"

The six girls laughed and joked as they continued their play-fight for another minute or two before stopping to take a breath while sitting on the wood floor. After that, they all got back up, with Octavia noting while smiling at her three young friends in a dignified manner with a voice that had a dash of Trottingham posh to it that only served to add to her dignity;

"I do enjoy the occasional bout of child-like fun. It gives the little girl in me some much needed playtime."

DJ-P0N3 aimed a confident grin at the CMCs while pounding her left palm with her right fist in silent anticipation. Octavia, ever the translator for her beloved silent DJ, explained with a head shake and a frown;

"Of course, dearest P0N3 here enjoys keeping her pranking skills sharp, which incidentally includes being stealthy."

That got a chuckle from Sunset, who looked over at the CMCs, who were grinning from ear-to-ear, and told them;

"Now, you better be ready to greet the guests when they show up!"

The trio gave her a simultaneous salute that was both serious and sweet before running over to stand to the left of the clubhouse door, right where the tin can walkie-talkie was hanging on the wall via the string it was attached to. Octavia and DJ-P0N3 walked over to their seats, which were on the second row, and sat down to relax while they waited. Sunset, however, saw fit to stand with the CMCs. The four girls stood in a row along the wall, with Apple Bloom in front and well within reach of the walkie-talkie, Scootaloo behind her, Sweetie Belle further back, and Sunset bringing up the rear. Almost a minute had passed before a male voice that gave off excitement with a hint of dorkiness echoed from the walkie-talkie;

"We're here, ladies!"

The girls knew there was only one lovable dork who had that voice! With joy in her heart, Apple Bloom rushed over to grab the door's knob and pulled it open while staying behind it as it moved. This allowed Flash Sentry to enter the clubhouse, who was quite happy to see everyone there;

"Told you I'd be here in a flash!" he declared with absolutely no regret over having delivered such a poor quality pun, even as everyone else in the building groaned over it (with P0N3 groaning internally). Sunset expressed exactly what the other girls were thinking as she gave Flash a welcoming grin;

"Never change, Flash."

Fearing a second bad pun would come from the young man's mouth, Sweetie Belle told him with quick politeness while motioning him to the seats and trying very hard to hide her annoyance;

"Please take your seat and hat, thank you."

With a quick nod to the four girls, he did as instructed, which kept him from overhearing Scootaloo whisper to Sweetie Belle with a annoyed glare aimed right at his back;

"I propose that we add a 'no bad puns' rule to the Movie Club Rules, Sweetie."

The young singer was not having that, however, for she declared in a whisper of her own while giving her friend a gentle yet serious glare;

"Slippery slope, Scoots..."

The daredevil pouted with a grunt as Apple Bloom closed the door. Of course, that door was closed for another minute before a new voice could be heard from the walkie-talkie. This one was feminine and had a distinctly thick Germane accent;

"We have come for ze adventure!"

Not skipping a beat, Apple Bloom opened the door, allowing Photo Finish and her Photography Club entourage to enter the clubhouse in a line, with the goggles-rocking lady herself taking the lead. Photo Finish's fellow club members were carrying their photo-taking equipment, which they placed in the space to the left of the door when they got the chance. Seeing these girls made the CMCs quite happy as they hugged them within a second of their equipment being put down, a sweet gesture that was returned in kind. After the hugs were delivered, the young movie buffs gave to the group of photographers a heartfelt greeting in their best attempt at Germane;

"Good afternoon!"

Hearing such a earnest attempt at speaking her mother's tongue made Photo titter respectfully for a moment before noting in the same language with her noticeably thick accent and a smile whilst she looked down at each of the three girls;

"Good afternoon, CMCs."

She switched back to her best English while slightly adjusting her large goggles;

"Ze greeting iz most appreciated."

She then turned her attention over to a beaming Sunset and politely greeted her as well, her smile not leaving her face;

"Sunset Shimmer, it iz a pleasure, az always."

With that, she motioned to her club members with her right hand to follow her to the seats, which they did so. As that batch of Wondercolts took their seats, yet another student walked up to the door before Apple Bloom could close it again. This one was a remarkably tall pale young man who's upper-body was built like a mountain of mass! Even his white chin was outrageously buff by normal Human standards. It was quite clear that he skipped leg day on more than one occasion though, given how average his lower-body's muscles looked compared to the mass above. A person with a build as incredibly muscular as his would find it quite difficult to go through a doorway fit for the height and width of the average Human. This was exactly the case for Bulk Biceps, who had to lower his head to avoid hitting the top of the doorway, aim his body sideways to account for his wide chest, and suck his gut in just to get inside! The CMCs and Sunset were quick to help him, of course, which he appreciated greatly. Once he was fully inside the clubhouse, Bulk Bicep gave the latter a thumbs up and picked up all three club members to wrap them up into one of his famous Bulky Hugs while declaring excitedly to them and Sunset;

"Who's up for some adventure movie fun!?"

The beauty of the Bulky Hug was that it was uniquely strong, yet it was also gentle enough to not break any bone in a person's body. Apple Bloom, in particular, was quite relieved that this was still a thing as she joined her friends in embracing the hug with a content sigh. After a few moments, Bulk carefully put the CMCs back onto the ground and released them from his friendly grip. Their famous/infamous enthusiasm rising to the surface at break-neck speeds, they loudly responded to their gigantic friend at the same time;

"You better believe we are!"

With one of her sideways smirks on point, Sunset added;

"I second that notion!"

With a combined breath, all five of them shouted out to the stars above in the same way that Bulk would normally express his own excitement;

"YEEEAAAAHHH!"

After giving each CMC a fist bump and a hug to Sunset, Bulk Biceps went to find his seat. More guests soon arrived in the clubhouse, including the likes of Micro Chip, the rest of the 'Flash Drives' band, Maud Pie (with Boulder), Limestone Pie, and Big Machintosh (who got a big hug from Apple Bloom for showing up). The arrival of one guest in particular made the CMCs especially happy from the moment she walked through the door. She had poofy red hair, white skin, wore purple glasses with large rims, and carried on her back a red backpack that displayed the image of two candy canes positioned in the shape of a heart on the front. Right when this lady had placed her backpack on the floor, the CMCs pounced her with a group hug while yelling out in jubilation;

"TWIST!"

Twist hugged them back with a big dopey grin on her face, happy as can be to be welcomed so lovingly by her friends. Once the hugs had finished, she asked Scootaloo with a noticeable and adorable lisp in her voice;

"So, on a scale of one-to-ten, how awesome is this movie?"

Scootaloo did not hesitate for even a moment;

"Eleven!" she exclaimed with an excited bounce.

With a giggle, Twist unzipped her backpack and opened it up, revealing to the CMCs a whole bounty of sugary sweets inside while explaining;

"I had these baked yesterday for the screening. I was so excited, I couldn't help myself!"

Sunset walked over to the backpack to inspect the contents herself, with the trio of kids practically salivating at the sight. The bounty consisted of chocolate bars, chocolate-chip cookies, donuts of various flavors, and peppermint candy canes. It took her all of two seconds to give Twist a supportive gaze before telling her;

"Pinkie would love these, Twist."

The candy baker looked up at Sunset and told her nervously while scratching the back of her neck with her right hand;

"Oh, Sunset, you're just saying that!"

Apple Bloom stepped in to ease the redhead's nerves with her usual gusto;

"Sunset means it and so do we, sugarcube!"

She turned her attention over to Sweetie Belle and told her excitedly with a dopey grin of her own;

"Get this delicious loot to that there snack table, on the double!"

Sweetie did exactly that while flashing a warm smile at Twist, who made it a point to join the growing audience sitting at the seats. It was a good thing there was still some room left on the table! Other students soon entered the clubhouse, including Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lyra, Bon-Bon, Sandalwood, Tree Hugger, and several others. Once everyone had grabbed some snacks, taken their seats, and put on their complimentary hats, it was clear that, much to the CMCs' joy, today's screening was a full house! Some of the guests had a sneaking suspicion as to what the movie was going to be from the moment they saw their hats, while others were utterly oblivious to the decorative hint that was on their heads. Apple Bloom led her fellow club members, Sunset included, to the front of the audience, where they all then stopped to stand in a line in front of the projector screen while facing the guests, with the projector itself having already been set up and positioned behind the seats. The guests turned quiet soon after seeing this, which prompted the young Apple to proudly declare;

"Welcome ya'll to the Canterlot Movie Club Spring Break Movie Screenin'!"

The audience cheered in anticipation of the show to come. Some students, like Octavia, opted to give the girls a polite round of applause that was reigned in by propriety. Others, like Flash and Lyra, dropped all sense of propriety out the window by whistling and/or belting out a hearty "WHOOOO!" as the rest of the crowd cheered. Once everyone calmed down, Sweetie Belle chimed in with happiness in every squeak in her voice;

"As you all know, the theme for today's film is 'Adventure'! Given past events, I believe we all have some experience with adventures!"

That last comment got everyone in the room to laugh a bit, with Flash thinking to himself while giving off a genuine smile;

"Eh, I've been more of a happy witness, honestly."

Scootaloo saw the opportunity once the laughter died down and took it with a sly smirk;

"But, do you know what movie we're gonna watch?"

The CMCs waited with bated breath and excitement sparkling in their eyes as they watched the guests show looks of confusion and thought as they tried to figure out a good answer to their question. Sunset watched the scene play out in silence, content with letting her friends take the lead this time. Oh, she knew what movie this was going to be, but she made every attempt to keep that fact from showing on her face. After about a minute, Octavia raised her right hand to get Scootaloo's attention, which prompted her to point right at the string player and tell her with gusto;

"Okay, Tavi, show us what you've got!"

With a small smile, Octavia answered after taking off her hat to hold it over her chest;

"Well, there is certainly only one movie character who wears this hat."

She paused for a slight dramatic effect before adding with a wink;

"Only one who can make you excited enough to wear her outfit."

The CMCs immediately looked down at their choice of costume, looked back up at Octavia, and promptly expressed sheepish grins. At that moment, the entire audience knew precisely what was up. Their excitement levels kicked into high gear as they joined the CMCs and Sunset in loudly declaring with joy;

"DARING DO!"

More laughter filled the clubhouse for a few seconds before ebbing away, which gave Scootaloo a chance to ask her music-playing friend;

"Ah, but which Daring Do movie are we watching?"

Octavia's head was drawing blanks within moments, given her quiet shrug and head shake. Confusion filled the minds of just about every audience member as some of them yelled out their best guesses;

"The Quest for the Sapphire Stone?" inquired Flash.

"Nope!" answered the CMCs in perfect unison with big smiles.

"The Ring of Destiny?" asked Micro Chip.

"Guess again!" said the trio of movie buffs, their anticipation growing along with their smiles as Scootaloo's eyes suddenly showed a spark for a split-second.

"Riddle of the Sphinx?" asked Twist.

"You're not even warm!" exclaimed the founders of the club while Scootaloo herself covered her mouth in an attempt to contain her excitement-fueled giggles. Luckily, someone was able to get the correct answer before they could explode out from her mouth. That someone was Lyra, who yelled out happily;

"The Statue of Peace!"

Just like that, Scootaloo's excitement erupted as she belted out a nearly-manic burst of laughter with absolutely no shame and with the explosiveness of a convention's worth of fans. She bounced in place for a moment or two before declaring with waving arms to all who listened;

"You have NO idea how much I've wanted to watch this movie with you all!"

With a level of speed that would make her idol and sister-at-heart proud, she grabbed Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom as they were watching her joyful hysterics with understanding eyes and wide grins. She then pulled them into a group hug that they happily embraced after being startled for a moment. The crowd cheered and gushed in approval as they watched the CMCs hug it out with giggles, smiles, and in the case of Scootaloo, happy tears. Once the trio had calmed down and broke out of the hug, Apple Bloom turned to face the crowd and went back to taking care of the itinerary;

"Oh, we'll all be watchin' that film mighty soon! But first, let me ask ya'll somethin': have any of ya'll watched The Statue of Peace before? Raise your hands if ya' have."

A few of the audience members raised their hands, but most did not. Of particular note, Sunset, Octavia, and DJ-P0N3 had not raised their hands. Neither did the CMCs, which surprised everyone else in attendance! Sunset quickly asked the club founders out of confusion;

"How come you haven't watched it yet? You're not ones to miss out on catching Daring Do in theaters."

The trio expressed sheepish grins again before Sweetie Belle answered on their behalf;

"Normally, that would be the case. But, it's not everyday we get to do a club screening for a movie we've never seen before."

Apple Bloom finished for her;

"So, we figured we'd take the opportunity to wait for when we can share our first viewin' of the newest Darin' Do movie with ya'll!"

The crowd voiced their approval and appreciation of the CMCs' choice. Scootaloo jumped in to continue with handling the itinerary;

"Now, since some of you have seen the movie already, be mindful of Movie Club Rule #2: Never spoil a movie for someone who has not watched it."

Sweetie Belle, with a raised right index finger, deftly added;

"Unless they willingly and knowingly consent to being spoiled."

The audience members nodded their heads in approval along with the CMCs. With that, Apple Bloom looked at the audience with her biggest, dopiest smile before announcing;

"So, with any further ado..."

She sharply looked over at Sunset before telling her happily;

"Sunset: roll it!"

Without skipping a beat, Sunset ran over to the projector behind the seats. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that this was a device that accepted both DVDs and Blurays, given the two correctly labeled disc trays that were accessible from its back. She pushed a button just to the right of the DVD tray to have it automatically move out from its container. After checking to see if the right DVD was inside the trey, she gave it a gentle push to have it move back into the container. She then pushed the clearly labeled play button and ran back to the front of the audience to take her seat that was placed at the far-right while grabbing her complimentary Daring Do hat to put it on. Seeing their cue, the CMCs took their own seats at the front, with Scootaloo sitting to Sunset's left, Sweetie Belle at the far-left, and Apple Bloom sitting between her two club mates. After a few seconds of waiting, the DVD menu for the movie appeared after depicting an appropriately themed intro sequence. Scootaloo pulled a remote out from her right pants pocket, aimed it right at the projector, which was equipped with a remote sensor bar built into its front, and quickly selected the Play option after turning around for a second to check that it was highlighted on the menu. With her job done, she put the remote back into her pocket, sat back on her seat, and readied herself to enjoy the newest addition to her favorite movie/book series ever while stomping her feet on the ground repeatedly out of sheer excitement.

"This is gonna be so awesome!" she thought to herself as the companies that were involved in the film's production and marketing were advertised. Right then and there, a certain memory of hers, one that she shared with her two best friends, flashed before her eyes for a split-second. It was far from a happy memory of hers, which involved a certain white-haired girl giving them a truly menacing glare with her fists coming at them at full speed. It scared her for a bit, to the point that her hands twitched ever so slightly without her noticing. So, she looked over at Sweetie Belle and then at Apple Bloom. Seeing their excitement-fueled mirth made her fear take a hike and her hands relax. She was going to watch a Daring Do movie with her friends! Nothing in this universe, she felt, could possibly ruin that for her. Her smile growing three sizes that day, Scootaloo looked back at the projector screen to let herself become fully immersed in the movie-going experience as the film began in earnest.

That uncool bird could wait.

The movie lasted for a good two hours and thirty-five minutes, but it was so well-paced and exciting to everyone watching, that to them, it felt like only an hour and some minutes had passed! Most of the attendees praised the film, but the CMCs were the most impressed by it. Scootaloo was the first of the three to express her enjoyment as they ushered each of the other attendees out of the clubhouse for the day;

"That was the best Daring Do film EVER! OF ALL TIME!"

Apple Bloom belted out a hearty Apple laugh before chiming in;

"Ah tells ya', that there Darin' Do just keeps gettin' more amazin' with each book and film!"

Sweetie Belle couldn't help but gush as well;

"The movie was so different from the other ones too! Normally, Daring Do has to go out in the world to find a treasure to protect from the bad guys. But, this time, she kept them away from a treasure that she was protecting in her own safe-house!"

Sunset, who was helping Octavia and DJ-P0N3 clean up the clubhouse by getting the projector screen rolled up and put away, added with a smile of her own;

"That was the most interesting part of the film, really. I mean, you typically see Daring Do brave all sorts of obstacles just to get a treasure. This time, the villains had to brave obstacles set up by her to even get near that statue."

Octavia, with a chuckle, noted whilst she swept the leftover bits of candy off of the floor with a broom and dustpan;

"A classic example of role-reversal done well, as far as I'm concerned."

DJ-P0N3 gave a quick thumbs-up in approval as she carefully moved Bulk Bicep's seat out of the room, its legs slightly cracked from taking on his weight. Sweetie Belle saw fit to gush some more;

"Don't forget about how the movie showed us why she was so driven to protect the Statue of Peace!"

With audible voice cracks and tears that revealed a moved heart, she added;

"I had no idea Daring cared so much! When I saw the reveal, I just wanted to give her a big hug!"

The sweet singer sniffed while wiping her tears with her right sleeve. Apple Bloom, with a smile, declared with surety;

"My respect for Darin' grew to the size of a fully grown red delicious apple tree thanks to that movie. After all, we do have things that we wanna keep safe."

She gave her fellow club-mates, Sunset, Octavia, and DJ-P0N3 a warm smile before adding as the last of the other guests departed;

"Like our friends."

Everyone's hearts were warmed by her words as the CMCs joined their three friends in helping to finish cleaning up the clubhouse. Once it was all cleaned up and its usual furnishings were back in place, the two practitioners of strings and dubstep took their instruments to get them safely tucked away outside of the clubhouse. Sunset decided to give her young pals a quick heads-up as she walked towards the door after the duo had left with their instruments in tow;

"I'm going to see if those two need any help and catch up with them a bit, if you don't mind."

She gave them a knowing wink as she said this. The CMCs nodded happily in response, which prompted her to take her leave. Once the door was closed behind her, the girls stood in a row in silence, their genuine smiles etched on their faces. After a few seconds, they took a deep breath, exhaled, and dropped the smiles to express calm, but serious, frowns. Frowns that they showed only to a number of people, besides their kin.

They walked over to where their banner was hanging on the wall to their left, the club's logo being proudly displaced on it. They positioned themselves to stand in a row once again, with Apple Bloom in the center, Sweetie Belle to her left, and Scootaloo to her right. They all stared at the banner for three seconds before Scootaloo noted with an indoor voice that was as serious as her facial expression;

"We haven't done this in a while, haven't we?"

Her two friends nodded in silent agreement. Sweetie Belle then moved over to the safe on the club desk. With a breath, she carefully turned its combination lock in a pattern that all three of them knew from heart. After hearing the sound of a lock being undone come from the safe, she pulled the lid open via its handle, grabbed something from inside of it, and closed it briskly. Held by her right hand with the utmost care was a single piece of paper that was folded no more than two times. She returned to her spot among her friends and handed the paper over to Apple Bloom, who carefully unfolded it whilst Scootaloo pulled two small pins out from her left pants pocket with her right hand. One pin had a red plastic handle while the other one's handle was amber. Once the paper was fully unfolded, Apple Bloom placed it on top of the banner to have it somewhat cover the club logo, allowing Scootaloo to place the pins on the paper's top corners to have it hang there. With the task done, the girls looked upon the paper in silence. Whatever this paper was, whatever was written on it, mattered a great deal to the CMCs. Enough for the daredevil among them to sing with a soft voice that was filled with confidence;

What should a colt do,

When a heart has been hurt,

And sorrow's what they feel?

Sweetie Belle joined in to add a layer of sweetness to the performance while keeping in tune with Scootaloo, their voices rising to a volume slightly above the earlier softness;

Break through your fears,

And help them, dears.

Scars, with care, will heal.

About three seconds of silence passed before all three CMCs sang in well-practiced unison, their loud and proud voices echoed throughout the clubhouse as they expressed hope, confidence, and the hint of a old wound's sting;

Brave colts, dear friends!

Raise their spirits high!

Through storms,

Pain, and fire,

Friendship shall not die!

They had finished their song, that time at least, but a young lady who had walked into the clubhouse as they were singing had a different idea as she sang out with pure hope and pride in her soft skillful delivery;

Friendship shall not die!

The CMCs knew that beautiful singing voice like the backs of their hands! They turned their heads to face the now opened door, catching Sunset standing about two steps into the clubhouse while giving them a warm smile with love in her eyes. Octavia and DJ-P0N3 were standing behind her, just outside of the clubhouse, with warmth in their smiles as well. As Sunset lead them inside, she noted to the CMCs, who's faces were basically beaming rays of love back at their three friends at this point;

"You really need to finish writing that song."

Apple Bloom chuckled a little before explaining with a hint of nervousness;

"Sometimes, the right words can be mighty tough to think of."

With a chuckle of her own, Sunset said with a nostalgic look in her eyes;

"Oh, I know that all too well, AB."

Octavia expressed a soft polite cough, which got everyone else's attention. She then calmly asked;

"Shall we proceed then?"

"Quite right, Tavi!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle, who then rushed out of the clubhouse alongside Sunset and P0N3. Octavia, seeing an opportunity, took a few steps closer to the paper hanging on the banner while noting with her chin held in thought;

"So, this is it, then?"

Apple Bloom, who had moved slightly out of the way of the curious string player to let her pass, told her while bumping her chest with her right fist to show her pride;

"Darn tootin', miss!"

A slew of memories flowed through Octavia's mind, not all of them being positive, as she declared in a soft voice that revealed her awe;

"The List of-"

Before she could finish, however, Sunset, Sweetie Belle, and P0N3 returned to the clubhouse. The bacon-haired girl and the DJ were carrying a medium sized wooden podium together, which they carefully maneuvered passed Octavia and Apple Bloom and placed in front of the club desk. This alone distracted the string player enough to leave her sentence unfinished as she watched them do their work, with Sweetie Belle waiting for them nearby while holding a wooden gavel in her right hand. Once the podium was in place, she walked over to it and placed the gavel on its spot on the right side next to the smooth top part of the podium that was angled down to aim at the desk. It was high enough for Apple Bloom to use effectively, who walked over to stand just behind it, with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle standing at her sides. With a quick grab and three bangs of her gavel, she placed back on its spot and happily announced to the other girls who had walked over to stand as a group together in front of her;

"Ah hereby call this special meetin' of the Canterlot Movie Club to order!"

She gave Octavia, P0N3, and Sunset quick friendly glares before noting;

"Much obliged to our three Honorary Club Members for comin' to this 'ere meetin'!"

All three founders applauded the honorary members, who waved at them in appreciation. After that, Apple Bloom continued on;

"Let's start with the first item of the day. Ah'll be honest with ya'll..."

Her smile vanished to make way for a sad frown as she declared with a hint of hurting in her voice;

"It ain't a happy one."

With a nod to Sunset from her and her two best friends in all of the world, Sunset looked over at Octavia and P0N3 and told them honestly with somber concern in her voice;

"Gilda's back and she's wasted no time in trying to hurt the kids and my friends."

Prior to this declaration of truth, the two musicians' mannerisms were that of politeness, curiosity, and in the case of the DJ, quiet jamming. P0N3 was bobbing her head to some sick music being played via her oversized headphones, but she had the music turned down enough for her to hear and react to the others, while Octavia gave off a dignified grin while keeping her eyes glued on Apple Bloom. Once they both heard Sunset's words, however, their mannerisms had clearly changed. P0N3 took off her headphones, an extremely rare act from the lady, and allowed them to hang from her resting right hand. Her lips formed a terribly visible frown while her left hand formed a tense fist. Her eyebrows were angled to hint at an intense scowl coming from her eyes, which were hidden behind her decorative shades. Octavia's reaction was equally vivid. Her eyes went wide with shock for a moment, before they narrowed to form a scowl of her own, both of her hands clenched into fists, and she tried to keep her breath steady as her anger rose to the surface. Sunset's temper, well known to many a Wondercolt, tried to rise to the surface, only for her to hold it back as she expressed a look of frustration on her own face. Once those three looked at the CMCs, however, their anger and frustration melted in favor of concern for the young ones.

Apple Bloom was looking down at her podium while instinctively placing her right hand on top of her big red bow, Sweetie Belle absentmindedly held her right hand with her left hand while trying to sniff back her tears, and Scootaloo hugged herself while standing as stiff as a statue, her breath erratic and short. Their hands were twitching slightly every-so-often without any recognition from their owners. The CMCs all looked positively horrified, as if old terrifying memories were haunting their minds with the vividness of a well made horror film playing in real-time. Without a word, each of their three friends walked over to them to hug them gently: Octavia to Apple Bloom, DJ-P0N3 to Sweetie Belle, and Sunset to Scootaloo. The young ladies sank into the arms of their friends, their shared terror slowly being chased away by their tried and tested friendship. It took about two minutes for them to calm down enough to wiggle out of the hugs and return to their previous positions, with the Honorary Club Members following suit. With a look of pure gratitude and hope in her smile, Apple Bloom addressed them sweetly;

"Thanks, ya'll. We needed that."

Her two fellow founders nodded in agreement, their smiles just as large as hers. Octavia, having calmed down as well, was the first to comment on the subject at hand;

"It is truly dreadful that, after all these years, Gilda is still out to hurt other people!" she complained with as much propriety as she could muster. P0N3 crossed her arms after putting her headphones back and nodded to affirm her beloved's statement. Scootaloo, with renewed joy on her face and fire in her eyes, added happily;

"Yeah, but our sisters and friends stood up to that jerk, and we did too!"

The CMCs gave each other fist bumps to celebrate that victory, however small that may have been. Sweetie Belle, with a giggle, blurted out;

"You're not gonna believe what Apple Bloom called Gilda when she was being so mean to the others!"

Hearing that made the young Apple a tad nervous as she told her with a shaky voice;

"Now now, Sweetie. There ain't no need to tell the folks all of the de-"

But, there was no stopping Sweetie Belle from exclaiming with joy and pride for her older friend;

"She called her a raging she-varmint!"

Poor Apple Bloom was quite scared as she told her off for her blabbing after giving herself a facepalm;

"Consarnit, Sweetie Belle! Ain't Ah the blabbermouth around 'ere?!"

This exchange got well-meaning laughter and smiles from most of the other girls, with P0N3 settling for a supportive thumbs-up and grin aimed at the young farmhand, who was looking around for any sign of anger or disappointment. Once she recognized that what she was getting was support, her nervousness and fear faded away as she told them while scratching the back of her neck with her right hand;

"Thanks a bushel, Ah guess."

Octavia then made it to express a dignified 'humph' while raising her chin up to the ceiling with her eyes closed. She then made another comment;

"Serves that woman right."

Sunset chimed in with crossed arms and annoyance on her face while containing her slowly bubbling anger over the bully in question;

"That girl has to find better ways to spend her time than by pushing people away."

"Ah second that notion!" exclaimed Apple Bloom. Octavia then declared to the CMCs with a confident loving smile;

"You needn't worry, girls. Dearest P0N3 and I will personally send word to every student and faculty member in CHS about Gilda's return."

The DJ saluted the girls to confirm her involvement. Sunset looked over at each CMC with her sideways smirk and told them confidently;

"What can I say? Us Wondercolts got your backs."

The smiles each club founder was beaming at their friends over such heartfelt words could melt the polar ice caps. Apple Bloom then had a thought that got her to exclaim out of pure excitement while looking at each of the other girls present;

"Gilda's a dern ingrate and make no mistake, she'll get hers one day. But..."

She paused for dramatic effect before adding with a sly wink aimed squarely at Sunset, who knowingly winked back;

"Recent events have given us the chance that we've been lookin' for, ya'll!"

She then grabbed her gavel and pointed at the paper on the banner with it while declaring joyfully, hope filling the eyes and hearts of her and her two best friends;

"The chance to finally finish our list!"

Present time, in Rainbow Dash's bedroom

Sunset not only finished regaling Princess Twilight Sparkle with the details of how the movie screening went down, but also made sure to add in the movie club's meeting as well. She knew the CMCs would be fine with her doing this, for they trusted her and the princess with such info. Once the details were written down, she waited about a minute before Twilight sent in her response.

I hope they finish that list. In fact, I know in my heart they will.

She knew her royal friend would give this kind of response, but was no less moved by it. With a breath, she replied truthfully.

So do I, Twi...

Thinking of Gilda and her seemingly unshakable disdain for the kids, among others, Sunset added to her message with a sigh.

But, they've got their work cut out for them.

Three seconds later and the princess had sent in another message.

Speaking of work, how did things go between you, your friends, and Wallflower?

With a hopeful smile, Sunset told her simply.

The first meeting between us went really well! Pinkie and Rarity spoke their peace without going overboard and Wallflower responded with honesty and confidence.

Twilight gave her response a moment or two later.

Your confidence in them is clearly not misplaced! I was a bit worried about your Pinkie, since she, like mine, is a lady of powerful emotions and inexplicable behavior. So, I'm happy that she handled herself well, all things considered. I wish Wallflower good fortune as she walks her path to personal growth. Speaking of which, how are you and the other Rainbooms walking your own paths?

Some old hurts decided to sting her heart a little upon reading that last message, but Sunset would not be deterred. She responded sharply and with surety.

They are walking them well so far, as am I. We're going to have one of our check-in sessions tomorrow, actually. That reminds me...

She felt more than a little fear, not so much of what she was going to say, but of her friend's response to it. She knew this was going to come up sooner or later. She knew it was better to get this to the princess now than later. Still, she could feel that fear try its best to hold her writing hand back from doing its job. This hesitation lasted long enough for Twilight to ask a question.

Reminds you of what, Sunset?

Reading that was enough encouragement for Sunset to push through her fear to write the message she was wanting, needing, to send her.

A while back... I found myself... Homeless. My friends found out about that not too long ago. But, the girls being the girls, they offered me their support after I explained the situation. They've gone so far as to declare that they'll renovate this abandoned building that I was stuck in while letting me crash at their places in the meantime. Obviously, I agreed to the idea and I'm now sitting in Rainbow's bedroom. I feel pretty bad about not calling for aid sooner.

Sweet Celestia, I should have told YOU about it, at least! I'm sorry Twi, I just didn't want to be a burden to you all.

That was it. The deed was done. It was now a matter of waiting for what Sunset thought was the inevitable torrent of judgement from an understandably worried pony. It took all of ten seconds for Twilight to respond.

You are a burden to no one, Sunset Shimmer, and you'll always have a room in my castle for whenever you need it.

Never let yourself forget that, okay?

It was all she could do to hold back her laughter as intense relief flooded her being. How could she be such a foal?! This pony was the Princess of Friendship! She should have known better than to think her friend would be so judgemental! Her fear deleted from existence, Sunset expressed her gratitude to her former enemy.

Thank you, Twilight. I really needed to read that!

Five seconds later, she got another message.

You've got wonderful friends. I wish them luck with the renovation project! Make sure to show me photos when...

Wait... An idea just popped into my head as I'm writing this message!

A smirk born of mischief formed on Sunset's face as she sent her response while imagining the excitement on Twilight's face.

Bring it, Princess!

Author's Note

It's always nice to see Sunset and the Princess of Friendship talk it up via their journals.

Did you all really expect Twilight Sparkle, Chief Egghead of Equestria, to NOT write a message as long as a short story?! :rainbowlaugh:

As for the CMCs, it's truly fun as heck to write for them, be they the Equestrian or Human versions. They get so fired up over anything that piques their interest and they each have their own enjoyable personalities, so aiming all of that at movies makes for some fun storytelling and world building. Plus, I got to depict them doing movie club stuff in their clubhouse!

Again, the G4 writers not letting the Canterlot Movie Club do movie club things besides going to a theater was a missed opportunity!

I'll bet you all are wondering what idea our favorite purple princess has in mind? What about the CMCs' list, what do they have written on it?

A good writer doesn't reveal every key detail right away, no? It never hurts to have a mystery or two floating about for a bit. :raritywink:

Next chapter: the Rainbooms take the stage!

Chapter 8 - Work and Play

When Rainbow Dash had returned from the grocery trip, she helped her mother get the groceries put away before running up to her room. What she found was Sunset sitting on her sleeping bag in a lotus position while writing on her journal with barely contained soft snickering. Rainbow was a prankster at heart and with the experience to match. It was that experience that helped her recognize the opportunity that presented itself. Sunset was not aware of Rainbow's presence in the room, which meant only one thing:

It was time for a prank!

With the quietness of a ninja, she snuck out of the room and back into the kitchen. She opened up the fridge, which doubled as her recently restocked armory, and inspected her current set of weapons.

Pie... a classic choice. But, she was not in the mood to clean up her floor.

Tomatoes... seeing red tomato bits and juices on Sunset's amber face was a hilarious image in her head. But, this would cause the same problem that the pie would.

Rainbow needed something less messy this time around. Something that would produce the coolest reaction possible.

That was when she saw them: the perfect weapons for the job. Her manure-eating grin was as large as her ego at that moment as she thought to herself with nigh-evil glee;

"Okay, SunShim... time to heat up your day: Rainbow Dash style!"

Sunset was still far too busy writing and snickering to notice Rainbow returning to her room with two blue plastic cups in her hands. Both cups were filled with the same drink: red fruit juice with the same amount poured into each cup. With a quick breath to steady herself, Rainbow told Sunset with excitement in her smile and voice;

"I'm home and I've got us some drinks!"

Her friend promptly closed the journal, stood up while carrying it under her left arm, and turned to face Rainbow, who was holding a cup in her right hand out to her. Sunset knew that prankster well enough to suspect trouble just from seeing that oversized grin of hers. But, she decided in her head to play along for now by taking the offered cup while giving her a confident smirk. The two friends sat down on Rainbow's bed and toasted each other while Sunset declared calmly;

"Cheers!"

They then started to take a large sip of their drinks. Or at least, they were about to before Rainbow's father called out to his daughter from the living room;

"We missed a few groceries down here!"

With an embarrassed laugh, Rainbow Dash put her cup down on her nightstand before running off at a non-magical pace to resolve the issue. Sunset, who had managed to avoid getting a drop of her drink into her mouth, saw a chance to really get the drop on her mischievous friend. Every part of her, even the bad girl inside, felt like singing over what she was about to do, if her twisted smile was any indication.

Once Rainbow had returned a few minutes later, she quickly got back onto the bed, grabbed her cup, and raised it to Sunset while proudly declaring;

"To our friendship: may it always be awesome!"

They then toasted each other again before taking the delayed sip. It took all of five seconds for the appropriate reaction to come up. Rainbow held her cup tightly after sharply lowering it from her face, which was riddled with tears born from intense internal heat. Heat that gave her mouth and tongue a most disagreeable burning sensation as she cried out in pain;

"I need water!!!"

She then ran out of the room within an instant with magic flowing through her veins, a rainbow streak left in her wake. No wings or Pony ears this time. The poor girl simply could not concentrate enough to bring them out. Sunset, with a chuckle, counted down with her right fingers, soft anticipation being prominent in her voice;

"Three. Two. One."

Rainbow yelled out to the stars in the infinite vastness of outer space;

"I NEED MILK!!!"

The bacon-haired girl laughed her butt off while holding her belly with both arms for a few seconds before an annoyed cyan girl with prismatic hair and a face drenched with water and milk came running back into the room to stand within inches of her face. She gave Sunset an intense glare before her face morphed to express a smile filled with mirth and laughter that she could not contain longer than three seconds. The two friends laughed out loud for about a minute before calming down, after which Rainbow told the victor of that day's impromptu prank battle while pointing at her chest with her right index finger;

"You haven't lost a step, Shimmer!"

"I learned from the best," said Sunset with a wink and a smirk. Rainbow Dash responded by pointing at herself with her right thumb and declaring with pride in her smile and voice;

"Well, I am awesome, after all."

It was at that moment that Rainbow had noticed the journal, which decided right then and there to emit a purple glow while vibrating repeatedly. This gave Sunset a bit of a fright as she quickly raised it up to her face to open it with both hands while keeping the pages out of sight of her friend. With a raised right eyebrow and hands on her sides, the athlete asked;

"What's going on with the Princess these days? You haven't talked about her lately."

After taking a few seconds to read the newest message, Sunset snapped the journal shut and placed it back under her right arm before giving Rainbow a solid answer while sounding as confident as she looked;

"She's doing fine, RD, I'll fill you and the girls in on the details later. Also, don't you have to help them work on my house soon?"

With a smug grin and a thumbs up aimed right at her friend, Rainbow Dash announced;

"No problem! We'll make that house of yours is one-hundred and twenty percent awesome!"

Without any further ado, she ran off at speeds only magic could make possible, leaving Sunset alone... for two seconds. She darted back into the room to give her a sharp reminder and wink, her smug grin still on point;

"No peeking!"

She ran back out before Sunset could say another word at the same speed as before.

Now, while Sunset was more than happy to keep conversing with her first and greatest Pony friend ever, she needed some time away from the journal to have a little bit of personal fun. So, after graciously saying goodbye for now to Twilight, she walked over to her gaming PC, grabbed the headphones on the desk to put them on, sat on the chair, and went to work on setting up a video game for her play. As the creator and host of the somewhat popular Shimmer Code streaming and video show, Sunset saw the need to grab any game she could find that was interesting to her. Thus, she had acquired a vast array of games over the years that covered a wide variety of genres and generations. It did not matter to her if a game was old or new, obscure or popular. If it was fun to play, she was going to play it. After looking through her library of games on her Smoke account, she picked the one she wanted to play. It was the newest addition to her library: an online cooperative game that some of her Wondercolt friend had recommended to her before. Thankfully, those friends were online at the time, as shown on her friends list. Seeing an opportunity, she opened up her Bedlam client (her username being PhoenixPony) and DM'd three specific Wonderbolts. It didn't take long for them to get into a group chat together, with Sunset greeting them all once the voice call was started up between them;

"Hey guys! I'm ready to play that co-op game you all have been raving about."

Those Wonderbolts were none other than Flash Sentry (DorkofPuns), Bulk Biceps (ArmDayEveryDay), and Big Mac (AtotheC). Flash was the first to respond with his typical supportive enthusiasm;

"Glad to hear it, pal! I have just one question though..."

A quiet pause filled the call before he exclaimed;

"Who's ready to rock and stone?!"

Bulk jumped in to bellow out with absolute intensity;

"Did I hear a rock and stone?! YEEEEAAAAHHH!"

Big Mac responded as only he would, chill baritone voice and all;

"Eeyup, rock and stone!"

Sunset listened to her friends throw all manner of verbal rocks and stones at each other while feeling utterly perplexed;

"Either magic or this game has driven them nuts..." was the mental jest she had picked to help her process what was going on as she chuckled to herself, having found humor in her friends' silliness. Once the rocks and stones were put aside, they helped her get the game set up, so that she could start the solo tutorial to get a taste of the fun that only a game like Deep Rock Galactic could provide.

It took Rainbow a solid five seconds to arrive at her destination: the rundown, abandoned, and barely habitable house that Sunset once dared to call home. Standing near the front door were her fellow band mates, with the CMCs not too far from their sisters. Applejack had two fully stocked toolboxes in each of her hands while wearing a tool belt that was just as stocked. In front of her stood a large wooden table that she had brought in from Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight had the blueprints of the house rolled up under her right arm while rocking a backpack that was clearly overstuffed on her back. Rarity was carefully inspecting one of her fabric cutting tools in her right hand while surrounded by decorative luggage, which was laid on the ground. Some of them were already opened, revealing numerous fabrics, curtains, and bed sheets that bore various shades of red, yellow, and purple as well as a wide variety of patterns. Fluttershy was talking to Angel Bunny, a few birds, and a cat about how they would help with the project, her Pony ears and Pegasus wings in full display. She wasn't using her full magical power, so her outfit was still her traditional pink, white, and blue ensemble instead of it being transformed. The CMCs, like Applejack, each wore their own decked out tool belt. Just like the others, they also wore large yellow hardhats and protective work gloves. Apple Bloom herself brought her own toolbox as well as a black box that showed the name and logo for Appleloosa Power Drills on both sides. She had placed both boxes on the ground next to her upon arriving. Scootaloo was carrying something that was no tool; a sturdy brown unmarked case that was the shape and size of a book that she carried under her right arm. Sweetie Belle carried in her right pants pocket a rectangular wooden box that fit snugly in the pocket. The trio talked amongst themselves about how they would help make Sunset's house a home, their occasional excited giggles warming up the hearts of the older girls around them.

Spike, ever the dutiful pup, had taken on the important role of watchdog. With regular sniffing of his nose, a keen eye, and sharp ears, he patrolled the area near the girls and the house for any sign of troublemakers, with a certain former principal and an angry Griffon being at the top of his 'Bark on Sight' list. Even he was wearing a hardhat fit for a dog his size, complete with adorable paw gloves that he insisted on wearing to 'look tough' as he had put it. The only person who was not wearing a hardhat or gloves was Rainbow Dash, a fact that Applejack noted with a raised eyebrow when the girls noticed her and happily said hi;

"RD, are ya' really gonna work on this 'ere house, which by the way is fallin' to pieces, without a hat or gloves?" she said with a tone not too far off from that of a concerned mother. With a quick facepalm, Rainbow gave off a sheepish grin before dashing (no pun intended) away at magical speeds.

In record time, she returned to her bedroom, scoured her closet for the hat and gloves, got them on, decided to check in on Sunset, who was busy playing Deep Rock Galactic at the time. She and her fellow players were in the midst of her first real mission when Rainbow had returned. She had noticed her friend's rainbow streak, but figured her host had forgotten something, so she didn't pay any mind until she said to Sunset almost as quickly as she could run;

"Oh, you're playing DRG? Rock and stone!"

Thanks to Flash and company, she had already learned the importance of that phrase. As much as she wanted to say it back to her, Sunset knew that Rainbow was long gone by now. So, instead, she decided to say it to her gaming pals via the game's salute feature. When her dwarf, a Driller, belted out the phrase, the others joined in solidarity with all the gusto of dwarves taking care of their nine-to-five in the deep caverns of the world. Mere seconds later, the game's Mission Control character announced to the team;

"Swarm incoming! Smoke 'em if you got 'em!"

When the game's electric music started picking up, Sunset saw that as her cue to bring out her war face and burn things. All of the things. No bug on Hoxxes would escape her cleansing flames that day.

A few seconds later and Rainbow returned to the group of girls, this time wearing proper work attire along with them. With that business taken care of, Sci-Twi called for the girls to gather around the table as she walked towards it and laid out the blueprints on it. Not skipping a beat, Applejack took a small case of pins out from one of her tool belt's compartments, carefully grabbed a pin, and stuck it onto a corner of the blueprint. She performed these actions three more times for the other corners to keep it held in place. With her work done, she returned the case of pins to its compartment and waited for her friend to speak. With a breath, Sci-Twi spoke with clarity and calm enthusiasm;

"Okay, I've drawn up a copy of the house's blueprints while adding all of our suggestions that could reasonably be implemented."

They all looked at the blueprints to find that many of their choice suggestions were added in. Rainbow Dash groaned and complained over one particular omission;

"What do you mean, we can't fit in a fitness room?! Sunset will totally need that to stay in shape!" she exclaimed.

With an apologetic grin, Sci-Twi looked over at her and clarified;

"Sorry, Rainbow Dash! But I'd rather we not risk causing a cave-in while attempting to add a fitness room and a study to the basement level."

Rainbow pouted for a bit while grumbling to herself about how awesome fitness was compared to 'egghead stuff' as she called it. That little remark got the attention of Applejack, who made sure to reward her by briskly walking up to her back and giving her right arm a good friendly punch while telling her with a groan;

"Learn some tact, why don't ya'?"

That got the athlete to learn real quick what she had done wrong. So, she looked at Twilight with a sheepish smile and said honestly;

"Sorry, Twi! You're an awesome egghead."

Sci-Twi was used to Rainbow's well-meaning digs at all things nerdy and took no offense from her over such things. Still, her honest apology brought out a warm grin from the intellectual. With the matter settled, she went on to explaining the revised blueprints and divvying out tasks to each of the girls, including herself. Only the CMCs were not given any tasks, much to their shock and dismay. Apple Bloom was the first to complain with annoyance all over her face;

"Now hold up! Ya'll haven't given us anythin' to do around 'ere!"

Sweetie Belle squeaked her own complaint while holding her hands in a pleading fashion;

"We promise to be good, honest!"

Scootaloo was more motivated than frustrated, for she declared with confidence radiating from her face;

"You can count on us! You give us a job and we'll get it done!"

The other CMCs were emboldened by their friend's drive as they nodded in agreement, their frustration weakened. Of course, all of this had made Sci-Twi more than a little nervous as she replied with a slightly shaky voice;

"Now, now, we've got something for you to do whenever you're not providing assistance with the rest of the tasks."

Hearing that raised their hopes to the cosmos! With sparkles in their eyes, they exclaimed to Sci-Twi in unified joy while bouncing over to within inches of her;

"TELL US! TELL US! TELL US!"

That was enough to make the poor scientist quite flustered. Thankfully, their sisters caught this, with Applejack telling them with pride and a hearty laugh as she ushered them away from Sci-Twi;

"Ya'll still got that mighty strong spirit of yours, Ah reckon!"

Her words got their attention and appreciation as they looked over at her with loving smiles. Rainbow Dash was quick to encourage the kids;

"Okay, squirts, follow me!"

She then motioned them to do so with her right hand. With happiness in their hearts, doubly so for Scootaloo, they followed her over to the stair-less stairway that led to Sunset's bedroom. Rarity and Applejack followed behind while the others went to do their own tasks around the house. With wide eyes, they looked around the stairway before Apple Bloom asked their sisters while staring daggers at the door;

"Where does this 'ere door lead to?"

Rarity answered politely and with an exasperated sigh that hinted at her distaste for the quality of the house;

"That door leads to what we consider to be one of the most important aspects of Sunset's house: her bedroom."

The CMCs' faces went from excited to shocked and to confused in a matter of seconds;

"Ah beg your pardon?" deadpanned Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle, however, gave a more specific question;

"You mean to tell us that Sunset has to climb in and out of her bedroom?!"

Before Scootaloo could chime in, Rainbow interrupted with a quick clarification;

"Just so you all know, we'll be handling the stairway, so that SunShim can just walk in and out of the room. You know, like a cool person."

Rarity added with a warm smile;

"We would like for the three of you darlings to help us renovate our dearest friend's bedroom into one that is up to a reasonable standard."

The CMCs gasped in shock over this momentous reveal. Apple Bloom was the first to react verbally and loudly;

"Ya'll want us to help fix up Sunset's bedroom?!"

Sweetie Belle's response was squeaky and just as loud;

"Her personal sanctuary?!"

Scootaloo yelled out her own take on the matter;

"Her place of awesomeness?!"

Their shock quickly gave way to unrelenting joy as they squealed in delight and began to bounce about in a circle while laughing out of sheer happiness and holding hands. Their sisters took a few moments to enjoy the beautiful child-like glee that was expressed in front of them before Applejack yelled out with enough volume to get the kids attention without coming off as mean or angry;

"Simmer down, youngin's!"

They did so as instructed, although their giant smiles would not leave their faces as they lined up in a row to stand at attention in front of their sisters, with Apple Bloom in the middle, Scootaloo to her left, and Sweetie Belle to her right. Applejack then explained to them with the authority of an older sister;

"Now listen up and listen good. When we first discovered this 'ere house, Ah went and took a peep in the bedroom to see what was goin' on with it. Ah won't lie to ya' none..."

She lowered the front of her hat down a bit and expressed a serious frown to emphasize the magnitude of her point;

"It ain't no pretty sight."

She raised her hat back up and gave the girls a warm smile before continuing;

"That's where ya'll come in."

Rainbow Dash stepped up to elaborate further with her usual level of gusto;

"We want you to help turn that uncool bedroom into one that's just as awesome as Sunset!"

Rarity raised her right index finger while pointing out;

"But first, we must give her room a full inspection, so that we may better understand what kind of shape it is in and plan our work accordingly."

She looked over at Applejack and told her with a little bit of trepidation in her voice;

"Surely, Applejack, it cannot be nearly as bad as you claim."

"Oh my stars, it is worse than I could possibly imagine," was Rarity's deadpanned response to gazing at the cracked, plain, and outright unappealing bedroom, her wide-eyed stare making her shock all the more apparent. With Sunset's personal affects out of the house, all that remained as the furniture, with most of it having seen better days, save for the wooden table in the center. Applejack and Rainbow Dash, after working with Rarity to get the kids into the bedroom safely via the steel ladder that was once tucked away in the bathroom, had climbed up into it after Rarity had entered it first. Seeing how the room looked surprised the farmer and the athlete, to say the least. But no one, save for Rarity, was as shocked as the CMCs. They walked around the room while inspecting every piece of furniture with their eyes in utter silence. After spending a whole minute of doing this while their sisters tried to tolerate the deafening silence, they walked up to them and stood in a row just like before. Only this time, their heads were lowered to face the floor. Apple Bloom asked in an unusually low voice that was filled with seriousness in every syllable;

"This... this is where Sunset... our Phoenix Friend... has been sleepin' in?"

She raised her head to reveal an expression on her face that every Apple in Sweet Apple Acres could point out from a mile away, the same one that any Wondercolt who knew her could catch: a look of pure righteous indignation. The voice she used when she exclaimed was a perfect match with the look;

"That just ain't fair!"

She then began pacing left and right with her hands in her pockets while looking back down at the floor. With an irritated grumble, she reiterated with the same level of indignation as before;

"That just ain't fair!"

"You said it, AB!" exclaimed a furious Scootaloo, who ran over to the cracked bookshelf and gave it a swift kick with the tip of her right shoe to express her discontent with the quality of Sunset's old lodgings;

"Sunset Shimmer deserves better than this barren lameness in bedroom form!" she declared angrily while crossing her arms and giving every crack and broken furniture in the room a glare that basically said 'I'm gonna kick your butts'.

Sweetie Belle stood still while trying desperately to not yell out of anger as she uttered;

"Sunset's bedroom should be beautiful and welcoming, just like her!"

She stretched her arms out from her sides to visually drive home her point while adding;

"This room is neither of those things!"

"Exactly, my dear Sweetie," declared Rarity, her earlier shock having given way to calm politeness and surety. She then went on to explain to the attentive children while being visibly disgusted by the state of the room she stood in;

"This abhorrent squalor that hardly qualifies as Sunset's boudoir will simply not do. Thus, it shall be your duty to do whatever you can to help turn this living space disaster into a bedroom that is utterly smashing in comparison. Fixing up the walls and ceiling alone would go a long way towards fulfilling that requirement, not to mention replacing the damaged furniture. Although..."

She looked around at the walls with a fashion designer's eye for a brief moment before suggesting;

"I would not say no to giving the walls a fresh coat of paint to start with. Perhaps some decorative wallpaper would suffice instead?"

Before Rarity could go all the way into one of her fashion tangents, Applejack stepped in to both put a stop to that and make the job ahead abundantly clear to the CMCs;

"Our point bein' that this 'ere room needs some good ol' fashioned TLC and we want your help with givin' it exactly that."

With a warm grin as encourage as the look in her eyes, she told the kids confidently;

"So then, ya'll up for it?"

With big smiles, the CMCs gave each other fist bumps before Apple Bloom promptly declared to the three older ladies that stood before them;

"Ya'll can count on us, big sis! We'll help get this bedroom all fixed up good and proper."

The three girls emphasized their shared desire by happily performing their traditional group high-five with their right hands for added affect. Right after the high-five was finished, Sweetie Belle started mentioning something that was on her mind ever since they were offered this job;

"Getting the broken stuff out is one thing, but..."

Hearing this got the other girls' attention, with Scootaloo asking her;

"What are you thinking, Sweets?"

She contemplated for a moment longer before explaining with a cheerful grin and an excited voice laced with the occasional adorable crack;

"Think about it: this room belongs to Sunset Shimmer. So, it's gotta look the part, right?"

The girls nodded their heads, which gave her clearance to elaborate further with a happy bounce;

"Well then, we need to fill this room with stuff that she would love to have in here. Stuff that screams 'Sunset'!"

Everyone else got the idea really quickly, with Scootaloo doing a fist pump while exclaiming;

"Yeah, we can bring in some video game posters! She loves video games!"

Apple Bloom jumped in with an idea of her own, her unbridled joy sparkling in her eyes;

"How about a picture or two of wide-open fields and grassy hills? She is a pony back in Equestria, ya' kn-!"

Just like that, the three young friends went silent, their exuberance stopped in its tracks as they stood as stiff as statues with their hands flat on their sides. Their eyes went wide, with their irises as small as pinpricks, for a few seconds before growing back to their original large size. Their big sisters watched them with worry in their hearts, until something happened that soothed them, albeit briefly. Slowly, but surely, the little ones' mouths curled to form three gigantic teeth-baring smiles. The sight of this had eased their big sisters' minds for a single second before they felt a familiar sense of dread as they promptly remembered the meaning behind their smiles:

The CMCs had gotten an idea.

A wild idea.

The Canterlot Movie Club had gotten a beautiful wild idea.

Luckily for the Rainbooms, CHS, Canterlot City, and the surrounding Crystal Lands, those little ones knew better than to not tell their sisters about their outlandish plans before enacting them. Well, that time at least.

Whilst the CMCs and their elder kin discussed the work to come, Sci-Twi was working with Pinkie Pie on inspecting the living room, kitchen, and laundry room. The scientist was already making plans in her head, aloud, within ear-shot of the party planner, who was looking at the uneven concrete floor with her right hand grasping her chin while showing a pondering expression on her face.

"The ceiling is still dripping from some spots, a clear sign of leaky water pipes. Will need to investigate the house's plumbing," Sci-Twi noted while staring at the ceiling, specifically a part of it that was dripping water onto the floor. She went on with her commentating to keep her thoughts in her order;

"We should consider consulting a plumber. Perhaps Applejack or another Apple can be called in to help with this?"

While she was contemplating the situation with the plumbing, Pinkie decided to look more into figuring something out herself. She reached deep into her poofy pink hair with her right hand, rummaged around inside of it, and grabbed an item that caught her attention. She then briskly pulled out what was, apparently, a hammer, and looked at it while announcing;

"Hammer...?"

With a quick head shake, she tossed it aside, causing it to land with a loud bang, while declaring;

"Nope! Too small!"

She shoved her hand back into her hair for two seconds before pulling out something tall that had a wooden handle and a round steel mallet. Its unbalanced weight forced her to hold the handle with both hands. She inspected it while noting aloud;

"Sledgehammer...?"

Pinkie then readied herself to take a swing on the floor below her with it while revealing a manic smile. Sci-Twi, by now, had noticed what was going on and managed to catch Pinkie pulling a fully sized sledgehammer out from her hair, thanks to the loud bang of the fallen hammer. She was now watching her friend's eccentric nature on full display with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. After holding her swinging position for three seconds, Pinkie shook her head again while expressing a frown and saying calmly;

"Fitting, but no."

She then moved the sledgehammer over to her right side to hold it there over the floor for a brief second before releasing it from both hands simultaneously, allowing it to fall onto the floor with an even louder bang than what the hammer produced. The first bang had made Sci-Twi wince when she heard it. But the second one nearly made her jump with its volume in spite of her watching it fall, her shock-induced stupor having taken the hint and left her alone. Before Pinkie could reach back into her hair a third time, the logic-minded lady sighed and exclaimed with a small friendly grin;

"You, Pinkie, are the wonderful living definition of inexplicable."

Pinkie's response was one of her cheerful smiles that could brighten up nearly anyone's day or night. Without any further interruption, she reached into her hair and pulled out a jackhammer decorated with different shades of pink, which she carefully positioned on the floor via its steel hammering end with both hands firmly grasping its handlebars. Sci-Twi was, simply put, in awe. She pointed right at Pinkie with her right index finger, ready to give a verbal warning about the safety measures required for proper use of such a tool, when the party planner turned on the jackhammer with its power switch. As it turned it, it was battery-powered and far from running on empty. Pinkie bounced rapidly in fierce repetition, the jackhammer hitting the concrete below with enough force to slowly create a crack in the surface. Twilight did not even wait for danger to strike, and she knew she didn't need her wings or Pony ears for this. Her hands glowed with a purple magical aura as she aimed her right hand at the jackhammer and her left hand at Pinkie, who was exclaiming in the midst of her bouncing with one of her larger smiles on her face;

"It-t-t's Par-r-r-rty Pinki-e-e-e-e-e Ti-i-i-ime!!"

Before she could continue with her performance, she found herself floating above the floor with the jackhammer gently pulled out of her grasp. Undeterred by the sudden loss of gravity, she found plenty of fun to be had with her situation;

"Weeeeeee!" she cried out.

While this was going on, the still active jackhammer was floating about a foot away from Pinkie and clear away from the floor. Both the gleeful girl and her tool were glowing with the same aura as Sci-Twi's hands, which she kept aligned with each of them, her index fingers pointing at their respective targets. With careful focus and skill cultivated by years of regular practice and study, she tuned her mind to take note of where the jackhammer's power switch was and set it to the off position with her magic. The jackhammer's hammering end stopped its rapid movement, which prompted Twilight to gently set both it and a giggling Pinkie back down onto the ground. She then felt a combination of relief and pride that, combined with her friend's mirth, encouraged her to join in on the laughter. Once the two good friends calmed down, Twilight declared with a smile;

"It is as I stated, Pinkie: you're wonderfully inexplicable."

She then looked around at the floor before noting with a head nod;

"I do agree with you though, this floor does need replacing."

As if on cue, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and their sisters had carefully climbed out of the bedroom to check on the two of them, having heard the commotion from earlier. Fluttershy, who was searching the area outside of the house for animals that could help with the project when the noise had occurred, walked in to join the group after sending a family of birds away to find other critters who could assist them. Rarity was the first of them to speak with the girls with concern in her voice;

"I hope you two are okay, darlings. We heard the banging and decided to investigate."

Rainbow chimed in with a smirk while expressing confidence in her friends;

"Yeah, but it looks like you two got this handled!"

Sci-Twi and Pinkie couldn't help but express sheepish grins as the former explained;

"Pinkie here had the idea of replacing the floor, but I had to stop her from accidentally breaking more than that."

Applejack noted with a warm smile;

"Think nothin' of it, sugarcubes. Ya'll are just fine and that's what matters. Now..."

She pointed her thumb at the CMCs, who stood behind their kin, and noted with a smirk and a hearty laugh;

"The youngins' 'ere want to bring us to their clubhouse in secret tomorrow to talk about this idea they got for Sunset's bedroom. After our mornin' check-in, of course."

The trio then ran up to stand within inches of a surprised Sci-Twi. They then whispered to her with faces full of smiles;

"The walls have pony ears, Miss Twilight."

With a giggle, she nodded her head in agreement as Pinkie stuffed her hammer, sledgehammer, and jackhammer back into her hair before anyone noticed what she was up to.

With that bit of silliness out of the way, the girls went right to work on fixing up the house. Applejack used her Earth Pony strength with control and precision to break apart the cement floor, with Pinkie helping her with disposing of the broken pieces. Sci-Twi used all manner of measuring tools to make sure that their combined efforts resulted in a more even area that they could work with. Rainbow Dash worked with the CMCs to move the bedroom's broken furniture out of the house while noting what could be salvaged and what had to be trashed. Fluttershy went back to her animal hunt, only to find that the family of birds she had just sent away came back with a whole flock ready to help! Overjoyed by this development, she thanked each and every bird and started giving them instructions on what to do. This time around, they were sent to handle pest prevention by scaring off any invasive creatures, from bugs to rabid dogs, before they could set up shop in or near the house. As for Rarity, she went through her luggage to find any fabric, sheet, or curtain that, in her mind, would fit perfectly in a home built for Sunset. After two whole hours of hard work, the formerly concrete floor was now bearing the gravel that once laid underneath for all to see, only now it was even enough for even Twilight's discerning eye to be satisfied. Which, obviously, meant that it was as straight as it could possibly be. The bedroom was now without any sort of furniture or appliance, all of which was placed with care on the sidewalk in front of the house, to be taken to Sweet Apple Acres by Big Mac upon his eventual arrival. Rarity had marked what she wanted to use for the house in her luggage, which was now closed tight and placed somewhat near the pile of furniture.

Taking the opportunity to rest, the girls were now sitting in a row next to the luggage on the sidewalk. The girls were sitting in silence while relaxing in their own ways. Fluttershy chatted it up with a squirrel that carried an acorn in his little hands. Rainbow drummed on her lap with her hands to fight back her boredom. Pinkie hummed to herself while swaying from side-to-side. Rarity checked on her fingernails in search of any damage done to her finger-polish. Sci-Twi, who would normally be triple-checking notes and such by now, decided instead to look over at the CMCs, who sat to her immediate left, out of simple curiosity. Apple Bloom was looking at one of the tools she had pulled from her tool-belt, a small hammer, in quiet contemplation. Sweetie Belle gazed down at a microphone, which she held in her right hand after taking it out of the box that was once in her pocket. Said box was now on her lap. The two kids' expressions were utterly unreadable to the egghead, much to her fascination. But what had also gotten her interest was what Scootaloo was doing. She was holding that brown wooden box of hers with both hands while it rested on her lap. She quickly looked around while showing a hint of nervousness on her face before it melted away to make room for joyful anticipation as she lifted the box's lid off of it, placed it to her left, and pulled out what was inside. It was a book with a dark-green spine as well as matching front and back covers, that much Sci-Twi could tell right off the bat. What she also noticed was that the book had a transparent sleeve that carried no cover art whatsoever, leaving both covers completely blank. Not even the spine bore any evidence of the book's title, publisher, or author! With a breath, Scootaloo began to read the book with a look on her face that was as indecipherable as her friends' were. She could not tell what was more perplexing about Scootaloo's behavior: her reading a book with no cover art on it or her enjoying it! In fact, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were acting about as strangely as well. Their faces had never been so hard for her to read before! Still, she would not allow her curiosity to run rampant at their expense, so she decided to let this oddity be for now, as it was harmless in her eyes. Instead, she gave them some heartfelt props;

"I'm glad you three came to help us out today," she said with a smile. The CMCs looked over at her, smiled back in a way that warmed her heart a little, nodded their heads to seal the deal, and promptly went right back to what they were doing before, previous expressions and all. Now, her curiosity had grown through the roof, but her strength of will rose to match it. Thankfully, her internal struggle between politeness and the acclimation of knowledge was interrupted by Rarity, who was sitting to her immediate right. With a polite tone, she declared softly;

"It makes sense that the CMCs are so driven to help spruce up this specific house."

Sci-Twi turned to face Rarity, who showed dignified sweetness on her face and the tiniest hint of an old sadness in her eyes as she continued to speak;

"They hold Sunset in considerably high regard."

Pinkie, who sat in between Rarity and Applejack, bounced in place while happily declaring;

"Yepperoni! Those four are like cupcakes and frosting: they're great by themselves, but together, they're amazing!"

Pinkie the began to salivate a little over the deliciousness of cupcakes. After belting a deep jovial laugh, Applejack added proudly while looking out at the street before them;

"Darn tootin', Pinks. What they got goin' is lot like what we all got with each other and Sunset..."

She looked up at the sunny blue sky with a wide grin and nostalgia in her eyes before finishing;

"A friendship forged in fire, snow, and magic."

Sci-Twi turned to gaze at the street while deep in thought. Her friend's words encouraged her to reflect on some of her past experiences with her friends. These memories produced a smile on her face, pride filling her heart as she looked back.

Giving the tour bus the mother of all makeovers...

Conducting both magical and non-magical experiments with Sunset...

The Dance Contest with the Shadowbolts...

Her smile grew as bright as the happiness in her eyes as she kept on reflecting while listening to the gentle breeze in the air.

The Starswirl Music Festival...

The Cruise Incident...

Camp Everfree...

"Wait..." she thought as a commonality in those last three memories revealed itself, one that made her eyes grow wide in surprise. She sharply turned her head over to the CMCs, only to find that they were already gone, their hats and gloves neatly left behind. Surprised by this turn of events, she looked over at the Rainbooms, who were clearly missing three members. From what she could tell, the CMCs had run off, which prompted their sisters to chase after them, all while she was busy contemplating things. Only Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie remained sitting on the sidewalk to Sci-Twi's right. They were looking at her with warm smiles, with Pinkie telling her sweetly;

"Don't worry about the kids, Twilight! Their sisters will keep them safe and sound!"

Fluttershy, with a fearful shudder, elaborated softly;

"With Gilda back, we can't have those little ones running around on their own right now."

She gently hugged herself and whimpered as she added;

"The last time they were unsupervised when she was around..."

Pinkie, recognizing what was eating at her friend, stood up, walked over to Fluttershy, and gave her a mighty hug from behind that quickly eased the kind girl's mind and body. Fluttershy's grateful chuckle was the party planner's cue to release her from her grip. Pinkie then looked over at the curious Sci-Twi and explained with a rarely seen serious expression on her face;

"That really big mistake the CMCs made had hurt a lot of people, Gilda included. So..."

With a saddened sigh and the loss of some of her hair's poofiness, she added softly while looking down at the cement to her right;

"She made them pay for it..."

She finished the sentence with surety, a fierce head shake, and a hint of old anger;

"With a punishment that they'll never ever deserve!"

Sci-Twi, with a grimace and internalized shudder, made sure to keep in mind the importance of never letting Gilda catch her, or the kids, alone. Just then, Pinkie's bubbly smile returned along with her hair's once lost poofiness. She then sharply looked back up at Sci-Twi and happily declared while bouncing repeatedly as she was wont to do when feeling a strong abundance of joy;

"Buuuuut, that didn't keep them down forever and they've worked super-hard ever since the Battle of the Bands to make things right with the people they wronged!"

This revelation helped to resolve a point of confusion that Sci-Twi had wanted to ask the CMCs about;

"Ah, so that's why we didn't see those girls in some of our previous major vacation trips!" she declared with her right hand grasping her chin in thought. Fluttershy nodded along with Pinkie as she stood up and turned around to face the scientist, the squirrel having run off at some point. With a smile as warm as her heart, she chimed in;

"Yes, we tried to get them to join us for the cruise, the festival, and Camp Everfree. But they turned down the invites every time, because to them..."

She looked up at the flock of birds that were flying high in the sky with peace radiating from her face before she finished;

"Making amends is far more important."

Pinkie jumped back in to exclaim in a most dramatic fashion;

"The Great Crusade, they call it!"

With her two friends watching intently, she placed her right hand on her heart, looked up at the sky with eyes filled to bursting with sparkling pride, and loudly declared;

"For they've been crusading against the pain caused by their super-terrible mistake! No scar unattended to! No hurting unhealed! No problem unresolved!"

With a sudden heartfelt sniff, she wiped a few happy tears that were produced as she spoke before finishing with a higher-pitched voice;

"They've come so far..."

Sci-Twi quickly understood the CMCs' mindset. She, too, had experience with righting wrongs she had committed. Still, she figured it best to convince them to join her and the other girls on a vacation during the Summer. They deserved the rest, as far as she was concerned. But then, she wondered something that she quickly asked herself as she scratched the ears of her beloved puppy, who had made himself comfortable on her lap during the conversation;

"I wonder how far along they are with their crusade?"

The CMCs' Clubhouse, back during their special meeting.

"This is it, ya'll!" exclaimed a positively exuberant Apple Bloom to the other girls in the room as she kept her gavel pointed squarely at the list that hung over their club logo. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were just as excited, with Scootaloo jumping in to add to their leader's point;

"After years of hard work, we're almost done with doing right by the people we've wronged!"

Sweetie Belle raised her hands and head up to the ceiling as she drove home the point further with a loud, proud, and squeaky;

"Our Great Crusade is almost complete!"

Hearing all of this drove Sunset, Octavia, and DJ-P0N3 to applaud and cheer in heartfelt support of their young friends. It was hard to tell which of those three friends looked prouder of the kids as the CMCs performed graceful bows in appreciation. Apple Bloom then took the time to explain the situation with that big beaming grin of hers on point as she walked over to the list itself;

"Let's take stock of who we've got left to help out. Firstly, we have the leadin' lady herself."

Sweetie Belle gave a certain amber-colored girl a look that was both affectionate and adorable as she exclaimed;

"The kind!"

All three of the young women sitting in attendance knew precisely what was up but saw no reason to interfere. Octavia and P0N3 looked on with knowing smirks, while the lady in question tried her best to hide the redness on her cheeks. Scootaloo glared at that same girl with happiness, gusto, and love in her eyes whilst she declared with a fist pump;

"The awesome!"

Apple Bloom, with a happy Apple glare very much on target, made her own loving contribution to the praise being delivered to the girl who, quite frankly, was starting to better appreciate how Fluttershy felt whenever she was surrounded by people who all looked at her at the same time;

"And the honest!"

After a quick pause, the CMCs all yelled out with voices full of love and happiness while pointing directly at the girl they held so dear to their little hearts;

"SUNSET SHIMMER!"

Poor Sunset had to use a lot of her inner strength to not retreat into herself out of sheer nervousness. Of course, that nervousness was quickly squeezed out of her by a surprise group hug from the trio that nearly knocked her chair over with her on it! With laughter and a smile warm enough to melt solid ice from a distance, she hugged the little ones back with gentle love while telling them honestly with a slightly shaky voice and a blush;

"Oh, come on, girls, I'm trying to be humble these days!"

That little comment encouraged them to tighten their grip on Sunset, albeit not nearly enough to hurt her. After a few seconds, they broke out of the hug to stand back near the list. Apple Bloom then looked over at each of the other girls while telling them with pride;

"Do ya'll hear that humility from Miss Sunset 'ere? A far cry from her old self, Ah tells ya'!"

After a quick bout of laughter from the whole group, Octavia decided to make a fair point while giving the CMCs a most supportive glare, her Trottingham posh in full effect;

"Come now, my young friends. Surely, you have done more than enough good deeds for Sunset by now?"

With her confident smirk back in full force, Sunset herself noted calmly;

"Well, you did talk with me after the Battle of the Bands, work with the other students to make for me those wonderful gifts I have stashed away, help me make it up to Twi for lashing out at her, help me get Wallflower to come out of her shell..."

She tried to think of other examples of the CMCs' goodwill towards her, but Octavia was quick to assist with that while giving Sunset a warm expression to ease her mind;

"Let's not forget about them taking on those background roles for that coal miners play you had organized."

She looked right back at the string player with gratitude in her eyes as she told her;

"Right, thank you."

She turned back to face the CMCs, who were still beaming with joy, and expressed to them while adding a layer of pride to her smirk;

"Trust me, girls, you've done enough to check me off that list."

Apple Bloom walked right up to Sunset and placed her right hand on her left shoulder before responding with sweetness in every word she uttered;

"Oh, sugarcube... Those good deeds we did for ya' absolutely count to us. But..."

The joy on her face was sharply replaced with a deeply rooted regret and sadness in her large eyes, the sweetness in her voice smothered by sorrowful hurting as she continued;

"Out of all of the people on that there list, we had hurt ya' the most! That don't sit well with us."

Sunset looked over at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo as she listened to their leader's words. They both expressed the same regret on their faces that Apple Bloom had. Sweetie, in particular, was teary-eyed, while Scootaloo looked down to her left side with her hands in her pockets. Right when Apple Bloom started speaking again, however, her sweetness and joy came roaring back, much to Sunset's relief;

"So, we gotta do a mighty big good deed for ya'. Somethin' that'll balance the scales, if ya' will."

Like an invisible flowing river, Apple Bloom's immense positivity had spread over to her two friends, who felt their sorrows get swept away by the currents as their smiles returned as well. Sweetie Belle jumped into the conversation with renewed vigor;

"Something wonderful!"

Scootaloo did the same thing right after her while adding an excited hop to her words;

"Something cool!"

Apple Bloom gave her pals happy grins before returning her gaze over to Sunset, who couldn't help but beam over her young friends' drive to be good to her.

"Those three little apples didn't fall far from their trees, didn't they? she thought to herself as Apple Bloom noted with a sly expression;

"Well, it just so happens that somethin' came up that fits the bill perfectly and we'll get to that in a bit. But first..."

She walked over to Scootaloo and asked her in a kind voice that was meant for consoling others during times of great difficulty;

"Ya' still wanna go through with this, Scoots?"

Her daredevil for a friend looked her dead in the eyes and told her with certainty all over her face and voice;

"I do, AB."

They gave each other a fist bump before Sweetie Belle gave Scootaloo a quick hug. The girl with the cool purple hair then reached into her right pants pocket and pulled a No.2 pencil that was recently sharpened. With pencil firmly in hand, she walked over to the list, thus creating confusion among the girls who watched her write on it from their seats. Sunset was the first to express that confusion with a raised eyebrow;

"Hold on, I thought for sure you listed down all of the people you wronged."

The other two girls nodded their heads in agreement with her claim. Apple Bloom, with an exasperated sigh, looked over at them and put that notion to bed with a most serious glare from her face;

"Not until now, sugarcubes..."

She, along with the others, looked over to see Scootaloo as she finished up her writing. She stood in front of the list as stiffly as a statue, her body hiding much of the list itself, save for the title as well as the name near the top;

#1 - Sunset Shimmer

Scootaloo felt the hands of her two best friends on both of her shoulders, which helped to drive back an old terror and pain that threatened to overwhelm her just a moment ago. With a sigh and renewed conviction in her eyes, she walked away from the list alongside them. Once they stopped to stand at the list's right side, the three Honorary Club Members looked at it closely to find what had been changed. Sunset's name and the ones below it were obviously left alone, so they skimmed passed them to speed things along. They almost missed a new name that was written just below what used to be the bottom of the list. The mere sight of this name brought shock and concern into their hearts:

#27 - Gilda

Right then and there, the shock gave way to memory as Sunset recalled why that lady wasn't on the list until that exact moment. She mentally kicked herself for forgetting this important detail.

Rainbow Dash's bedroom, present time.

Escort Duty seemed like an annoying mission type to Sunset the Greenbeard Driller when she first saw it selected on the mission table. She figured it was going to be one of those situations. The type where she and her fellow dwarves had to protect something that was tailor-made to be utterly weak and defenseless against swarms of bugs as it traveled to its destination. Bonus points if it paid no mind to any dangerous traps it walked towards, only for it to be annihilated by them within seconds due to her team not babysitting it for too long. Still, her teammates were her friends, and friendship made everything better, even escort missions! Thankfully, however, she didn't have to worry this time, for the thing they were to escort was the Drilldozer: a giant, tough-as-steel, gas-powered robot that came fully equipped with a huge mining drill that looked more like a lethal weapon than a digging tool! The dwarves took to giving the robot the affectionate nickname Doretta as they worked. While Sunset stood on top of Doretta as it slowly drilled through the cave system like a hot knife on butter, she saw that her fellow dwarf, Flash Sentry the Engineer, was petting its head. It showed its appreciation by bobbing and spinning its head around as it worked while making surprisingly adorable robot noises. She couldn't help but join in on the petting for a bit before returning to watching their rear for Glyphids. Just then, Mission Control announced to the team;

"Swarm! Swarm incoming! Lock and load, team!"

As if on cue, a whole slew of the critters came digging out of the walls and ceiling of the giant hole that Doretta was making in her wake. The Glyphids came in several varieties that time: large numbers of Grunts, Soldiers, Praetorians, Swarmers, Spitters, and even a Menace for good measure. Standard fare for Hazard 3, Sunset decided in her head as she allowed a large smile to be let loose on her face. Whilst her teammates began shooting at the swarm of bugs that crawled after them and the Drilldozer, she made ready to, as she aptly put it in a loud, excited, almost manic voice;

"PURGE THEM WITH FLAME!"

In the real world, Sunset was having the time of her life burninating virtual bugs from her computer while her three friends unleashed their own firepower upon them. Her flame-broiled mania dropped to keep the joke reigned in, she settled for a more chill disposition, smirk and all. It wasn't too long before she and her teammates found themselves defending Doretta from an endless wave of bugs as it dug into a big round rock with its giant drill. Turns out, that rock was sentient and angry at them, for it floated smaller rocks over to the robot and, later on, made laser-firing rock pillars rise from the ground, all in an effort to destroy the robot. Regardless of the challenges sent their way, however, the team kept the robot going until it finally broke through the round rock, allowing them to claim their prize. Soon after that, they made their escape onto the drop pod while carrying the head of Doretta with them. This success prompted Sunset's teammates to yell out in the Bedlam voice chat;

"Rock and Stone!"

Sunset, fired up by their shared success, cried out with enough gusto for all four of them;

"LIKE THAT, ROCK AND STONE!"

"To the bone!" exclaimed a most pleased Rainbow Dash from Sunset's left side.

Her friend's voice pulling her clean out of the immersion of the game, Sunset turned to look right at Rainbow, who was standing step or two inside of her bedroom with the door opened behind her, with Scootaloo standing just outside of the room while reading her cover-less book, which she held in front of her face. The athlete's face showed genuine happiness and excitement all at once. With a smirk, the lady with hair as fiery as the flamethrower she used in the game told her as she quietly muted her headset's mic;

"I can see why you'd play a game like this."

Rainbow replied with an excited laugh;

"I know, right?! DRG brings players challenging, blood-pumping, team-based awesomeness that's tough for other games to beat!"

"That. Sounds. AWESOME!" exclaimed a most excited Scootaloo, who rushed into the room after lowering her book to get clear sight of where she was running to, stopped to place it on Rainbow's bed with tender care, and then went right back to running up to Sunset. She then stopped to bounce in place while asking happily with excitement at the possibility at enjoying some virtual thrills all over her young face;

"May I play, please?! Kicking butt with a team in a video game sounds like so much fun!"

Sunset looked over at Rainbow with a smirk and a glare that silently said to her 'be responsible', a glare that she had caught within moments. Even though the thought of Scootaloo mining and fighting like a dwarf in the game was amazingly cool in the athlete's head, she loved her sister-at-heart enough to handle her request with care. Rainbow Dash looked down at her with a big smile and said;

"This game is awesome, but it's also super-violent for cool squirts like you."

She playfully ruffled her little buddy's purple hair with her right hand, which caused the little girl to giggle a little before Rainbow added with a slightly sterner tone of voice;

"Tomorrow, after my check-in with the girls, you and I can talk with your aunts about you playing the game while awesomely responsible grown-ups like me watch you. Deal?"

She had the little ball of energy at 'playing'. Scootaloo ran up to Rainbow, hugged her tightly, and exclaimed out of pure excitement;

"Deal!"

After releasing the athlete from her grip, Scootaloo ran out into the kitchen to grab a snack, but not before taking a moment to grab her book from the bed just as carefully as she had placed it down. While this went on, Sunset had unmuted her mic to say goodbye to her team and exited out of the game, which allowed her to give Rainbow Dash some props with a playful punch on her right shoulder;

"Good call, RD."

With a warm laugh that balanced out her overly confident smirk, Rainbow replied;

"What can I say? I gotta be an awesome role model for Scoots!"

She also added with a wink;

"It also helps that DRG's violence can be seriously toned down with mods."

The two girls went over to the bed, sat down on it, and chilled for a moment before Rainbow decided to ask Sunset;

"So, how did that special club meeting go?"

Her amber friend responded with a soft chuckle and a warm smile;

"It went well, actually. The CMCs have two more people left to check off of their list!"

A gigantic smile grew on the face of Rainbow Dash upon hearing this, which was strengthened by a loud gasp as she held both of her cheeks with her hands. She did this for a second before darting out of the room and towards the kitchen with her magical speed, leaving behind a rainbow streak in her wake. The streak lasted for half-a-second before vanishing as Sunset heard the far from subtle sounds of her loyal friend giving a surprised and overjoyed Scootaloo some hugs and praise, including the former calling the latter several variations of awesome. After about five or so seconds, Rainbow Dash returned to the bed, sitting down as if she had never left, with only an expression of pride and relief on her face breaking the illusion. As for Sunset, she silently enjoyed being a witness to Rainbow's loving reaction, if her satisfied smirk was any indication. After giving each other a celebratory high-five, the proud sister and rocker told Sunset;

"I'm glad those squirts are nearly done with their crusade! I mean, they've been working on it for years now!"

"I'm proud of the kids too," said a happy Sunset. At that moment, Rainbow Dash decided to ask her excitedly;

"So, besides you, who do they have left to make amends with? Do we know them?"

Sunset's smile gave way to nervousness as she replied hesitantly;

"Yeah... they're asking the six of us to meet them in their clubhouse to discuss the matter."

Seeing her friend act so nervous made Rainbow feel a tad concerned;

"Oh man, it must be pretty serious if they're calling us up," she asked with a look of worry on her face.

"This is probably gonna be after our secret house-renovating meeting..." she figured in her head. She then realized a key detail about the kids' request that she quickly decided to address;

"Wait, they asked the six of us to come. Why didn't they call Twilight too?"

"Remember their Pinkie Promise?" asked Sunset with a raised eyebrow. Hearing that got Rainbow to figure out the situation rather quickly as she replied with clear understanding;

"Oh... they're not ready talk about that yet."

The shaking of her friend's head affirmed her claim. Rainbow noted in her mind to not blab about the meeting or... that... to Twilight for the kids' sake. She lowered her head to look at the bed she sat on while noting softly;

"I wish we had told that egghead about it sooner."

"You and me both, RD," Sunset said in solemn agreement before elaborating with a heavy sigh;

"But it wouldn't have been right to tell her without the CMCs' involvement, and they said no every time we asked if they could be involved in that talk."

Silence crept into the bedroom for a few seconds before Rainbow's confident smirk lit it up. She looked over at Sunset and told her with beaming pride;

"Yeah, well, the squirts will tell her the story. I mean, they know better than to break a Pinkie Promise and they're awesome!"

Rainbow Dash's confidence spread over to Sunset, who smirked in silent agreement. Just then, another thought popped into the mind of her cyan pal, which she was quick to express;

"You know, with Wallflower working hard on herself and being nice to you, I'd say you're in the clear."

That got a raised eyebrow from Sunset, who asked out of confusion;

"What do you mean by that?"

As soon as she finished asking that question, her answer came to her mind, prompting her to express in a deadpanned voice with wide eyes;

"Oh."

"Exactly, SunShim!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, who went on to explain further with gusto;

"An entire high-school's worth of enemies and you managed to befriend every single one! Even our families like you now!"

She playfully punched her right shoulder with her left fist as she finished with a supportive smile;

"Like I said, you're in the clear."

It didn't take long for Rainbow's point to really hit home for Sunset and when it did, she could feel a wonderful wave of relief flow through her body and mind. Years spent redeeming herself had led to her achieving a major long-term goal: she had earned the respect and friendship of the entirety of Canterlot High-School! As tempting as it was to just let everything go and relax on the bed for a bit, a question came up in Sunset's mind that she felt needed to be considered first. With a warm grateful smile aimed squarely at Rainbow Dash, she asked herself calmly;

"Yeah, but then, who else is there?"

For a reason that she could not fathom at the time, Sunset Shimmer felt a subtle chill creep up her spine. She didn't pay too much attention to it though as she figured it was just an oddity that came with being Human. She and Rainbow talked some more before taking care of business around the house, leaving the question unanswered.

Author's Note

Fun-fact: The second part of this chapter went through multiple revisions, as I had to reign myself in from revealing too much too soon! :rainbowlaugh:

Some honest work has been done on Operation: Sunhouse and we've got a bit of CMC lore on top of that! But then, why would the kids have an unrepentant bully on their list?! Oh, when the girls find out about this... :ajsleepy:

Regarding Sunset's new game: come on, why wouldn't I let her play the best online co-op game in recent years?! Don't think Sunset playing games is a throw-away thing to me. :raritywink:

ROCK AND STONE, EVERYBRONY!

Chapter 9 - Investigation and Reflection

Fillydelphia Juvenile Detention Center - The next morning.

The prisoners were enjoying their breakfast as the sunrise shined through the cafeteria windows. The usual slop provided by the detention center was not terrible to one's taste buds and was healthy for the body. Still, the food was far from fine cuisine and the students that caused enough trouble to land themselves a spot there would quickly come to miss the high-school food. One of the prisoners sat at a table furthest from the cafeteria doors in silent solitude. Most of them made sure to keep their distance from this one, mainly out of fear born from her reputation. After all, they knew that they would be fools to mess with The Wrecker. Of course, there were some exceptions to the rule. Most of these people who had the guts to sit within striking distance of her also had the good sense to eat in silence without disturbing her. But, even then, there was that rare occasion when a prisoner or two would try to make a name for themselves in a truly foolish way. Much to her annoyance, this morning produced one such occasion. The tall buff young man who started it did so by stomping over to her left side with a swagger as she quietly munched on her ham sandwich. After stopping within inches of her, he called out The Wrecker with arrogance oozing from his voice;

"So, this is the girl that everyone's been talking about?"

She kept on eating her food, as if the guy did not even exist. This did not faze him, for he went on with a chuckle and arrogance powering his demeanor;

"The one who made every street gang in the city too afraid to kill..."

Still no response or even visible recognition from her. Figuring this to be a sign of weakness, he attempted to assert his dominance by spitting on the sandwich she was enjoying before declaring with a venomous smirk;

"You don't look so tough to me."

As he laughed at her expense out of obnoxiously loud pride as if he owned the place, she calmly took her plastic butter-knife off of her plate with her right hand while setting the sandwich down on it with her left hand. She then slowly cut off the part of the sandwich that was dirtied up by the brute's saliva. He was too busy laughing to recognize what was going on, until he caught sight of her placing the spit-ridden part of the sandwich far to her left, passing it over to him without so much as turning her head in his direction. Putting two and two together and getting disrespect, he told her with a threatening voice, withering patience, and growing anger;

"You think you're hot stuff, don't you? Well, newsflash, girly: you're trash!"

He slammed his left hand on a spot on the table that was inches from The Wrecker's left arm, who did not flinch or express any other sort of reaction, before elaborating in a most insulting manner;

"Your rep: trash! Your fit: trash! Your silent treatment shtick: trash! You probably haven't thrown hands with anyone before, have you?"

His anger giving way to an overabundance of confidence, he showed yet another venomous smile before adding;

"Oh, I'll bet you've been talking yourself up to be this big-time menace just to hide how scared and weak you are. But, in truth..."

He took a deep breath and exclaimed;

"You're a poser!"

Still no response from The Wrecker, who kept on eating her food whilst he went on his tirade, as if she was entirely alone. The other prisoners paid him no mind either, even the ones who could hear him rant and rave. The guards kept their eyes on him, but made no moves to intervene. His growing anger over being ignored drove him to lose much of his restraint as he yelled out with a growl;

"Are you deaf, girly?! I just called you a fraud! What are you gonna do about it?!"

Not a peep from her. The young man was about ready to lose it. He roared at her out of anger;

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

He got nothing from her, not even a grunt. At this point, he was fuming enough to let loose a vicious right hook aimed for her left arm, her bicep specifically. If she was a normal person, her arm would have been considerably hurt by the attack. The arrogant teenager, however, learned the hard way that she was far from normal. When he struck The Wrecker's left bicep, all his fist got for the effort was terrible pain, especially in his knuckles and fingers! He quickly pulled his now hurting right fist away and held it with his left hand while yelling out in pain for a few seconds. His target refused to stop eating her meal, as if the attack never happened. He stopped yelling to ask her out of frustration, confusion, and barely hidden fear;

"What the heck is up with that arm?! Felt like I punched a brick wall!"

It wasn't long before a guard showed up to give him a warning to not attack other people or risk punishment. After acknowledging the warning, he left for the nurse's office in a huff while clutching his wounded left hand, allowing The Wrecker to finish her meal in peace. During and after that entire incident, she was mentally tackling a topic that was far more important to her by comparison;

"What should be the fate of Sunset Shimmer?"

Once her meal was devoured, she pulled out from her pants pocket the photo of Sunset that Cinch had given to her before. She felt her rage rise from within for a moment before she forced it back down to keep her thoughts in order. At that moment, she figured it best to learn more about the object of her anger. She began by putting to use a simple yet clever method of getting info without attracting attention: listening closely to blabbermouths in the local den of scum. Luckily for her, she was already in one and most of the prisoners knew better than to bother her. All she had to do was find a suitable spot near a group of talkative teenagers and sit in silence with ears wide open. It didn't take her long to find interesting comments concerning the object of her fury:

"Sunset Shimmer? Never met the girl, but I heard she was this big shot in that high-school near Canterlot City a few years back."

"I've never been to Canterlot High, but I heard from my cousin who goes there that Sunset was a classic bad girl. Ruled the whole place! My kind of girl... at least, she was, until she got the coolness kicked out of her."

"You know what I heard? I heard she went from being the big bad bully to a crying little girl in one night. What a wimp!"

"I know she was a bully in the past, but nowadays, she's nicer than most people! She rocks a sick jacket though."

"Sunset's been rollin' with this band of girls called the Sonic Rainbooms. They got rockin' guitarists, but their songs are unbearably cute. I'm talkin' about some dumb 'magic of friendship' crud. I mean, that ain't how real life works!"

"That Sunset chick got this gaming channel called Shimmer Code. I hear it's pretty fire. Now, if only those stupid guards would let us use the Internet..."

"My little bro showed me a picture of the Rainbooms during visiting hours and man, they could make a rainbow just by standing in a row! You can't miss those dorks!"

After taking about thirty or so minutes to quietly investigate, The Wrecker returned to her table and contemplated in silence;

"It is interesting that Sunset's reputation has reached so far beyond CHS, but all this talk of her supposed change of heart is... unexpected."

Her old rage flared up again, but she managed to keep it reigned in as she shook her head before mentally declaring;

"No, all I'm getting is hearsay. Gossip filled with half-truths at best, and I NEVER settle for gossip when dealing with punks."

With a sigh, she looked over at the tables in front of her for a moment before lowering her head to look down at her music player, which was resting in her left hand while she pushed the directional buttons on it to move through the selection of songs it contained. Hers was a rather large collection of music, which came with the music player when a guard presented it to her as one of the more recent rewards for her good behavior. This meant that, even now, she hadn't listened to all of the songs available to her. As she scrolled through the list, she found a piece that stood out from the digital pile. The name of the song got her curiosity, but it was the name of the band that got her attention. With a grunt, she thought to herself;

"Still, even half-truths can sometimes point one in the right direction..."

Without further ado, The Wrecker pulled her earphones out of her pocket, plugged them into the music player, and put them on. She then pressed the play button on the player to listen to the song she picked:

Life's Like a Runway - by The Sonic Rainbooms (ft. Rarity Belle)

Juvenile #448: The Wrecker - 4 days until freedom

Canterlot City - Around that same time.

Sunset, Scootaloo, and Rainbow Dash traveled through the streets of Canterlot City together, with Rainbow on her skateboard and Scootaloo on her scooter. The daring duo wisely wore their protective gear as they rolled on the pavement in style. Riding in a basket while safely secured by seat belts was Rainbow's beloved pet tortoise Tank, who had just woken up from his Winter hibernation. The basket was carefully latched onto the long silver metal bar that connected the scooter's red handlebars to the blue board below, its red and turquoise wheels rolling loudly down the road. Scootaloo could not do awesome tricks without endangering Tank so long as he rode with her. But, she was more than happy to ride safely for the sake of her most excellent cargo. As for Sunset, who did not see the need to bring her motorcycle with her, she opted to run alongside her two pals, who were gracious enough to maintain a brisk pace that she could keep up with. While she had no complaints, given that she chose to do this and figured she could use the exercise, the panting mare of two worlds asked the young movie buff between short breaths and with a small smirk;

"How do AB and Sweetie keep up with you and your scooter?!"

"Practice!" Scootaloo exclaimed with an excited smirk of her own that was just as filled with life as her eyes were. That short exchange got a good laugh from Rainbow Dash as the trio made their way through the city, into the suburbs, and over to the little girl's house before stopping right in front of it. After parking the skateboard and scooter nearby, they walked over to the front door, with Rainbow ringing the door bell while Sunset carried Tank in her arms. A few seconds later, Scootaloo's Aunt Holiday and Auntie Loftie, opened the door, allowing the trio to walk inside. Within a nano-second of the door being closed behind them, the daredevil gave her aunts big hugs, which they gently reciprocated with love in their eyes. Lofitie told with a smile as sweet as her voice;

"Looks like you had fun today, you little lightning bolt."

That got an appreciative giggle out of her niece, who broke out of the hug and pointed at Tank, who had just been placed on a nearby table by Sunset, while telling the two women with a jovial bounce;

"You bet I did! I got to wake Tank up from his hibernation for the first time ever!"

With a quick dash, she pounced on Rainbow with a quick hug before telling her idol out of sheer gratitude while looking at her with sparkles shining in her purple eyes;

"Thank you so much!"

Rainbow Dash always loved seeing how excited her little buddy could get over stuff she liked. It reminded her of herself, actually. So, of course she rewarded Scootaloo with a quick ruffling of her hair with her right hand, which produced even more happy giggles from her. The aunts took the chance to show their own gratitude to the older girls, with Holiday verbalizing it while Loftie settled silently expressing it with a warm smile aimed at the both of them;

"Thank you for keeping an eye on Scootaloo."

Sunset nodded her head at them and responded with sweet politeness;

"It was our pleasure. Your niece is fun to be around."

"I know, right?" Rainbow Dash said to further emphasize their shared appreciation for the young lady, who looked at both of them and her aunts with adoration all over her face. She then gave Tank a quick pat on the head and sprinted off to her room. This was the girls' cue to politely take their leave after Rainbow grabbed her pet from the table he was chilling on. Before they left, Sunset told the pair of caregivers;

"We'll be out of your hair then, have a good day you two!"

But, before they could even reach the front door, Aunt Holiday and Auntie Loftie rushed over to stand side-by-side between it and the girls, who were surprised by this sudden action. The aunts then told them in soft calm unified voices that were in stark contrast to the wide-eyed familial menace they revealed in their glares;

"If Gilda hurts our niece and her little friends again, she won't be able to run."

Rainbow Dash and Sunset knew that this warning, glares and all, was meant for the big bad bird and not them. Even so, they couldn't help but feel genuine fear of just what exactly those two would do to Gilda if she crossed the line again. With simultaneous gulps, they nodded their heads in silence. Satisfied, the aunts glares melted back into warm smiles as they ushered their guests out the door. The two high-schoolers mentally swore to themselves to never draw the ire of Scootaloo's relatives as they traveled in utter silence, with Tank having been carefully passed along to Sunset for her to carry.

After stopping at Rainbow's house to drop off Tank and give him a good drink of water, the two girls went to their next destination: the home of Fluttershy. It took two seconds for the lady herself to open up the front door after Rainbow knocked. The numerous thick smells that came from animals and people assaulted the noses of the two visiting friends, but frequent visits had strengthened their resistance to such a powerful combo of scents. As they suspected from their animal-loving friend due to their shared history, a variety of critters were right there with her. Two birds sat on her left shoulder, a cat rested on her right shoulder, a trio of squirrels scurried around her feet, and Angel Bunny sat on top of her scalp while giving her owner's guests his traditional agitated glare. Fluttershy happily ushered Sunset and Rainbow Dash into the living room and closed the door behind them while amazingly preventing a single animal from falling off of her. She then turned around to face the pair and told them with a beaming smile and more strength in her voice than usual;

"I'm so glad you two could come to the check-in! Please, make yourselves at home while I take care of these cute little babies."

She said all this while lovingly petting one of the birds with her right index finger, much to its appreciation. Angel Bunny, however, tapped Fluttershy's scalp with his left foot while crossing his little arms and expressing a look of pure indignation over being called a baby. She didn't notice this as she walked through the nearby doorway that led into the kitchen and out of sight while the bunny maintained his balance, prompting her guests to sit back on a nearby couch to chill for a bit. With her sideways smirk brought to bare, Sunset commented with an approving tone;

"It just makes sense that Fluttershy would have her home double as a mini-animal shelter."

Rainbow Dash chuckled while expressing a confident grin before exclaiming in an a matter-of-fact tone;

"Of course she would do that, animals to her are what sports are to me..."

She looked over at the kitchen doorway while a subtle layer of sweetness was slowly added to her smile. She finished her sentence with a hint of adoration in the athlete's eyes;

"Her passion!"

Sunset may not have had a ton of positive experience with romantic affairs, but even she could see a certain subtle twinkle in Rainbow's eyes that made her mentally decide to have a chat with Rarity later. Whilst the two sat quietly together, Sunset could not help but think on what she wanted to say for this particular check-in. This included something that made her shudder slightly at the mere thought of it. Thank goodness, Rainbow did not notice this! The former bad girl made sure to mentally reaffirm her intention for the day;

"I've put this off too long, I will tell the girls about my... problem."

As if on cue, a certain vile voice that was all too familiar to Sunset spoke venomously in her mind;

If you tell those fools, they'll abandon you again!

"Of course, that jerk would do this now!" she thought to herself out of internalized annoyance. That troublesome pest in her head always did bother her just before a check-in. She steadied her breathing and called upon the memory of her and her friends' very first group hug. She could almost feel the warm comfort from that hug wash over her as she mentally responded to the liar resolutely and with a small sly smirk;

"You don't know my friends very well, do you?"

Ah, but the cruel voice had a response ready to go;

I know they hurt you before though, just as so many others did...

Sunset's amber fists clenched and her upper-back tensed up. Specifically, the two spots where wings used to be. Even so, her breathing remained steady and calm as she braved the tide of emotional pain being sent to her by the hateful voice within, which tried to poke at an old nerve;

Just as SHE did.

A couple of knocks on the door pulled Sunset out of her head for a brief moment. Luckily, a moment was all she required to completely recenter herself in the present moment as she looked up at the door, the voice inside having turned silent once more. Rainbow, with gusto, yelled out while running to it at a brisk pace;

"I got it!"

Opening the door, she was greeted by Applejack, who clearly looked like she got up with her rocket boosters set to maximum burn, if the energy and happiness in her demeanor was any indication. With a quick tip of her Stetson and a fist bump shared between the two competitive pals, she quickly walked into the living room before stopping to stand near the couch. She then took a hearty whiff of the air in the room and exhaled through her mouth with a relaxed sigh. She then declared with a warm grin and softness in her tone of voice;

"The smell of this 'ere house reminds me of home every time Ah come 'ere."

It wasn't long after Applejack's arrival that the rest of the band showed up as well, with Pinkie bringing in a bag full of frosted cupcakes to share with her friends. Sci-Twi, in particular, arrived while carrying her clearly stuffed school backpack, a fact that her friends did not comment on. This was, after all, a sight that was as common to them as the rising of the moon. By the time Fluttershy returned to the living room after providing animal care, she giggled at the sight of her fellow band-mates enjoying their snacks while shooting the breeze. Once everyone had settled down, Rainbow Dash decided to address a certain annoying issue right away;

"Flutters, is Zephyr here today or what?" she asked her long-time friend with a grimace at the thought of possibly sharing the same breathing space as the living embodiment of 'refusing to take the hint'. Much to her intense relief, however, Fluttershy shook her head and explained in a somewhat celebratory tone;

"No, he's still out on that cruise trip with Mom and Dad. They'll be back in two days though."

At that precise moment, every Rainboom in the room thought to themselves;

"Thank goodness, Zephyr Breeze is not here right now!"

Seeking to get things moving, Sunset looked over at their host and asked her with calm seriousness all over her person;

"Are the preparations complete?"

With a smile filled with warmth, Fluttershy answered with that soothing gentleness she was known for;

"I have prepared the space in the basement. It is ready when we are."

Nodding their heads in agreement, the other Rainbooms finished their sugary snacks and began to make their trek into the kitchen. After making a right, they walked through a door at the far end of the kitchen that led into a staircase when opened. Once inside and the door was closed behind them, they ventured down the stairs and into a clean basement with a ceiling lamp being its only source of lighting. Hanging from the right side of the lamp was a single string that allowed one to turn it on and off. The coverage from the light covered the washer and dryer that were set up in a row at the left side, as well as a large round wooden table positioned just below the lamp. Seven wooden chairs with soft seat cushions were neatly placed around the table. Expertly carved on each seat's backrest was iconography that visually represented the girl they were made for. If the average Human saw these carvings, they would seem like nothing more than creative iconography. But, to Sunset Shimmer and her Rainbooms, they were basically their Cutie Marks, albeit in spirit in the case of Sunset's friends. Placed some distance away from Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash's seats was a large cardboard box with an opened top that revealed seven tall wax candles, each one given a colorful design that was related to its rightful owner:

A red & yellow stripe pattern for Sunset, brilliant pink with red-pink balloons for Pinkie Pie, olive with scattered red apples for Applejack, a dark purple and moderate purple gradient for Rarity, simple cyan for Rainbow Dash, light rose with little white bunnies hopping about for Fluttershy, and lavender with tiny white sparkling stars placed in a perfectly organized intricate pattern for Twilight Sparkle.

Stashed with the candles were seven small round glass jars that served as simple candle holders of respectable quality, the kind one could get at a reasonable price in a reputable furniture store.

With calm oozing from their faces, the Rainbooms made their way to the table and sat upon their assigned seats, with Sci-Twi placing her backpack on a spot on the floor to her immediate right. Fluttershy, instead of sitting, walked over to the box and picked it up to move closer to the table before laying it back down. With a sigh, she grabbed one of the candles, along with a candle holder, and passed them over to the friend connected to the candle. She did this until only her own pair remained in the box, which she grabbed before sitting down with the other girls. Sensing that the time had come, the girls placed their candle holders in front of them on the table and carefully positioned the candles next to them to signal their readiness. Applejack took her right hand and reached into the right pocket of her blue jeans, which she had chosen to wear instead of her usual blue skirt. After taking a second to rummage around, she pulled out a small metal lighter. She gave Sunset, who sat directly opposite from her, a short nod. This was the silent cue for the former bully to reach up to the ceiling lamp's string with her right hand to grab it. Once she did so, she looked around at each of her friends, who were all giving her small smiles that hinted at the warmth they felt inside. With a grin of her own, she pulled the string down and turned off the light.

The basement had no windows and the door upstairs was closed tight, so it had no other source of light when the lamp was turned off. This allowed pitch black darkness to envelope the room and its seven occupants. Even though a soft whimper could be heard from Fluttershy, not a single girl present chose to run away. Instead, Applejack swiftly set her lighter alight, thus creating with it a tiny yellow flame that gave her face a gentle glow that did a fine job of highlighting her skin color and white freckles. She carefully brought the flame close to the top of her candle and, with a steady hand, she was able to light her candle. Doing this kept her spot at the table illuminated even as she snuffed out her lighter's flame. With a smile that only added to the soothing nature of her now lit candle, she slowly took it in her right hand and held it up slightly at the center of the table, allowing each of the other Rainbooms to light their candles with her own flame, one girl at a time. Once all of the candles were lit, they placed them in their candle holders. Now, each girl's face was given the same glow as Applejack's, which kept away the darkness that surrounded them and made the room uniquely cozy. The candles themselves were specifically selected for their calming and allergen-free scent. So, no nose was aggravated as the scent strengthened the sense of peace that filled the room and eased the minds of the girls. With their flames alight, Sunset started their check-in in the exact same way that she did so many times before: she softly told to her friends in a gentle fashion inspired by the motherly mannerisms of her former teacher;

"For as long as these candles burn, let no one in this room be shamed, judged, or lied to by any of us. This is a time for the truth..."

The girls, alongside Sunset, closed their eyes, took a deep cleansing breath in, and slowly released it along with any tension they had carried into the room with them. Once they opened their eyes back up, they all declared in peaceful yet firm unison;

"A time for friendship."

All was silent for about five seconds as the girls looked at each other with attentive care in their eyes, waiting patiently for the talk to start. Rarity saw fit to start things off with sophisticated poise;

"Let us begin by discussing what we've all been up to ever since our previous check-in," she offered before giving Sunset a warm grin and adding;

"I shall go first, if you wish."

After getting an affirming nod from the bacon-haired girl, Rarity went on while casually switching her gaze between her friends;

"Besides managing Carousel Boutique and watching over Sweetie Belle, I have been improving upon my emotion management skills. The results, thus far, have been smashing, for it has been quite some time since my last dramatic outburst over a fashion emergency."

With a polite flick of her meticulously stylized hair, she declared with smiling pride;

"I've only had to remove tear-stained eyeliner once in the time between the last check-in and this one!"

The fashionista got a round of applause from her friends, with Applejack belting out a heartfelt laugh before exclaiming in support;

"Good on ya, Rares!"

As Rarity took several short dignified bows and the clapping died down, Sunset noted with a proud smirk;

"That explains the breathing exercise you did with Wally."

"Indeed, Sunset darling," Rarity responded with a warm glare aimed at each of her friends, with slightly more attention given to Applejack before anyone could notice. With a giggle, she elaborated further;

"That little exercise was first used on me by my dear mother during a rather intense episode I was having over the lack of ice-cream in the freezer combined with the most horrible revelation from one of my soap operas!"

The other Rainbooms, while making sure to not roll their eyes over their friend's past behavior, noticed her having a case of the giggles over it and promptly got infected. The friendly giggling lasted for five seconds before everyone calmed down, allowing Rarity to speak some more;

"Yes, well, she went on to teach it to me after I calmed down. Now, I have two versions of the technique: one for myself and one for others. Both of them have proven to be quite effective thus far."

"A fine addition to your emotional toolbox, Ah reckon," said Applejack with a supportive wink and smile that the tailor took notice of and deeply appreciated. Rarity then remembered something that drove her to gasp a little before declaring happily;

"Goodness, I almost forgot!"

She looked at her friends with joy and pride on her face as she announced in a slightly boastful manner;

"As of tomorrow, there shall be a new employee in Carousel Boutique!"

This news took the other girls by surprise before they started showing genuine happiness for their friend, with Fluttershy expressing her own joy through words delivered with an indoor voice and a beaming smile;

"That is wonderful news, Rarity!"

With a quick tip of her trusty hat, Applejack added with relief;

"Ah'm mighty glad you're gettin' more help, sugarcube. Ah ain't no fashion expert, but even Ah know that you're gonna be about as busy as my family will be once Spring really kicks into high gear."

Rarity allowed a heartfelt laugh to leave her mouth before responding to the farmer's comment with an understanding tone;

"You are certainly correct. As much as I adore Spring fashion, dealing with it in the shop during the season itself can be a trying experience."

Rainbow Dash gave her a thumbs up before asking with curiosity and confidence all over her face;

"So, who's the newbie?"

With excitement in every flutter of her delicately prepared eyelashes, Rarity looked at Rainbow with a smile as she responded in a sing-song voice that made the self-proclaimed 'Most Awesome Tomboy in CHS" try very hard to not groan internally;

"Oh, I am glad you aaaaaasked!"

She went on to happily explain to the group;

"She is an old friend from my childhood days who goes by the name of Coco Pommel. I had stumbled upon her-"

Rarity got loudly interrupted by Pinkie Pie, who gasped before yelling out of sheer shock and jubilation while staring daggers at her;

"You RECONNECTED with an old friend?! That alone is worthy of an party!"

Before she could so much as pull a party blower, let alone a fully loaded party cannon, out from her poofy hair, Rarity quickly and firmly took her right hand with her left, which got the party planner's attention. With a sigh, she gently told her with a sweet voice and plenty of politeness;

"Pinkie darling, do be a sweetheart and let me finish my story, won't you?"

With a tiny bit of wind taken out of her party sails, Pinkie nodded with a slight pout before reclining in her seat. Rarity, with a breath, continued where she left off;

"Anyway, I had stumbled upon her by complete accident during one of my walks through downtown Canterlot. Whilst we took the time to catch up at the local tea shop, I learned that she, like me, had followed the alluring call of fashion!"

She added strong emphasis on that last word with the flare of a thespian, a fun little quirk that her friends were both familiar and okay with, before calming down with a few quick coughs and speaking further;

"But, unlike me, she was unemployed! Naturally, I could not abide by my friend going through such an abysmal ordeal and I knew that the boutique would benefit greatly from having another set of hands available. So, I offered her a position with fair pay, which she happily accepted."

She got no complaints from her friends over that, with Sunset herself declaring with a smirk filled with pride;

"Who else can you be but a generous sort?"

The whole group belted out friendly laughter, knowing perfectly well where the Equestrian in the room got that comment from. Rarity herself was quite flattered by this show of respect. Once the laughter died down, Pinkie Pie jumped back into the conversation by talking at the speed of sugar while expressing one emotion after another as she spoke;

"I've been one busy Pie ever since our last check-in! I threw a lot of fun parties, including one for Boulder, who found himself a new rock friend! Isn't that great, girls?! Maud was so happy for him! I also finally got to face Wallflower and my hatred for her without hurting her, but you know that already. I mean, of course you do, you were all there! I also caught Marble and Limestone having a fight, which made me really sad! Buuuuut, I helped them make amends with each other through the combined power of family and frosted cupcakes!"

How Pinkie managed to deliver her Pinkie Rants without stumbling on her words was one of nature's mysteries. It was also a mystery to her friends as to how she managed to remain seated throughout the entire rant! Of course, no Rainboom in the room would trade her and her oddball mannerisms for anything. Twilight was the first to react with a giggle before saying;

"I'm glad Maud and Boulder had a great time and I hope his new friend treats him well. Your comment about Marble and Limestone reminds me of the extremely rare moments when I argued with Shiny."

The other girls looked at her incredulously, with Rarity being the one to outright gasp at the notion presented to them. Sunset told her softly as she attempted to tread on a seemingly sensitive topic lightly;

"You having arguments with your BBBFF... I never thought that scenario was possible."

With a sigh, Twilight looked right at her amber friend and told her honestly;

"Yes, we have had them before. But, we worked through each and every one of them."

She placed her right hand on her heart, closed her eyes, and declared with familial love in her smile;

"I can never hate Shiny a day in my life... and he can never hate me either."

The girls' hearts were warmed by Sci-Twi's words, which prompted Applejack to note with a nostalgic tone while watching her science-loving friend open her eyes to look back at the farmer;

"Ah know what ya' mean, Twi. Ah may have had a few verbal tussles with Big Mac and Apple Bloom, but that won't stop us from lovin' each other."

She sighed contently while placing her hands comfortably between the back of her head and her chair's backrest before adding with a smile;

"A family that talks things out works things out, as my Pa' once told me."

Sunset, while thinking back to all of the times she and her friends had done exactly that, asked Applejack;

"So, anything interesting come up for you lately, AJ?"

After thinking for a moment, she responded with a chuckle;

"The farm's doin' good. Us Apples have been workin' our tails off to get ready for the Spring Harvest..."

The conversation between the seven girls went on to reveal plenty of additional details concerning their recent escapades and future plans:

The Apples' efforts to prepare for their family reunion and the noted harvest.

Rainbow Dash's efforts to lead the Wondercolts soccer team to championship gold before graduation.

Sci-Twi's progress on making upgrades to Spike's robot dog friend (among several other scientific endeavors).

Soon enough, the conversation transitioned over to Fluttershy's story of when she brought to the local animal shelter a stray male puppy who had a most striking injury;

"The poor dear has only one eye?!" exclaimed a mortified Rarity. The other girls were not too far off as the animal-lover nodded her head solemnly before continuing;

"Thankfully, the wound had healed up long ago, so he wasn't bleeding from where his right eye should have been."

Without hesitation, she pointed out in an adorable gushy voice, her eyes sparkling with love for the animal in question;

"But, the sweet little pup could still see well enough to walk right up to me when I reached out to him with my hand."

She giggled happily before adding;

"He started licking it after sniffing it twice. I think he just wanted a friend, because he didn't get shaky or squirmy after I picked him up."

The group couldn't help but gush over the puppy's adorableness, even though he was not in the house. Rarity allowed herself to shed a happy tear or two that she gracefully wiped with her right index finger as she declared;

"Oh, that furry sweetheart! I'm sure the folks in the shelter will take good care of him."

Rainbow Dash, excited as can be for the dog, exclaimed to Fluttershy;

"You should totally give that dude an eye-patch! I mean, he's already cool, but the eye-patch will make him look like a pirate dog!"

The almost-never loud lady responded to her long-time friend's suggestion by giving her a happy grin before telling her excitedly;

"Oh, he wears this little eye-patch over the wound that makes him look strong and cute at the same time. He loves it so much! I wish I had my phone, so that I can show you all the pictures I took of the pup."

The girls smiled and laughed in support of Fluttershy, with Sunset being quick to give her a gentle reminder;

"Normally, I would be fine with that, but you know the drill: only one of us can bring a mobile device to this table and it's Twi's turn today."

She briskly turned her head to face the bookworm in question, who had already pulled out her tablet and placed it on a spot near her candlestick on the table. Within moments, all eyes fell upon Sunset, who suddenly felt a wave of nervousness wash over her as she looked back at her pals. It was Twilight who asked on their behalf;

"So, how have things been for you lately, Sunset?"

Under normal circumstances, she would have plenty to talk about in regards to what she had been up to between check-ins. This time, however, compared to her friends, she had far less material to work with. Granted, she still appreciated getting some much-needed peace after that whole Time Twirler business and the great snowball war. But, it didn't sit well with her that she had so few juicy topics to bring up. Before the nerves could really flare up, however, she mentally took a step back and remembered where she was at: sitting with her friends in the safe space of their creation. With a deep breath to keep herself steady in the present moment, she explained;

"Well, other than Gilda's return, you finding out about my..."

She looked down at the table in an apologetic fashion for a second or two before looking back up at her friends and speaking further;

"Living arrangement, and the usual stuff I do with my time, things have been rather quiet for me between this check-in and the last one."

Applejack laughed in a loud heartfelt manner for a few seconds, catching everyone else's attention. After calming down, she told Sunset while giving her an understanding glare;

"Ya' have any idea how much Ah, a hard-workin' farmer with chores and work to do every day, can appreciate gettin' a little quiet time?"

She added with a wink;

"Trust me, sugarcube, you're a lucky girl!"

All of the girls laughed at this, including Sunset, who was happy to have one less thing to worry about. With the pleasantries out of the way, it came time for the Sonic Rainbooms to get right into the meat of this meeting, the very reason why they conducted the monthly check-ins in the first place. It was this reason that Sunset reminded them of when she spoke once the girls calmed down;

"Okay, I'm sure we've all put in an effort to work on ourselves ever since we last sat at this table. So, if any of you want to open up about your self-improvement experiences, be they good or bad, now is the time."

Silence filled the basement for five seconds before Applejack broke it with her voice;

"Ah've got me some stuff to unpack."

She then slowly pushed her candlestick forward, thus placing it out of the circle and closer to the center of the table while keeping it within reach of her hands. The other girls nodded as Sunset gently declared with a look of pride on her face;

"You have the table, AJ."

After making a small adjustment to her hat with both hands, Applejack spoke with surety;

"Equestria Land was food for thought, to say the least."

She chuckled a little before continuing while looking around at each of the girls, with a smiling Rarity being given slightly more attention than the others;

"As ya'll know from that fiasco as well as past check-ins, Ah'm not always honest with myself when Ah should be. After we got Vignette to see some sense, Ah figured Ah could get this problem solved real quick like, since Ah was aware of it. Yeah, Ah've been more honest than ever these days. But, still..."

She sighed audibly and elaborated further;

"There's this naggin' feelin' Ah got in my noggin' that there's more goin' on with my self-honesty problem than Ah think Ah know. Ah mean..."

She silently pondered her next words carefully for a few seconds before asking the group with worry in her voice;

"Is it possible for a girl to lie to herself without even knowin' that she's doin' it?"

It took all of three seconds for Sunset to nod her head while explaining in a somber tone;

"Yes it is, in a way. I'm living proof of that."

The other girls instantly understood what she meant by that. Applejack felt bad about accidentally poking at an old wound. As if sensing the farmer's desire to apologize for doing exactly that, Sunset gave her a look that was warm and genuine like a friendly hug to silently tell her that she was okay. Getting the message, she nodded at Sunset before expressing another question;

"Alrighty then, ya' got any advice on how Ah can check for stuff like that? Ah've talked to my folks about it and their advice has been mighty helpful. As ol' Granny Smith told me..."

She paused for a moment to make ready before belting out her best impression of her grandmother;

"Sometimes, ya' gotta stop and check yourself to stay honest with yourself."

After enjoying the giggles her performance had produced, she went on in her normal southern twang while looking Sunset in the eye;

"It's dern good wisdom, Ah reckon. But, Ah'd like to hear your thoughts too."

Once again, all eyes were on Sunset, who felt no nervousness this time as she thought of the right words for her response. Applejack needed advice and she was determined to give the kind that could help her. Once she got the words picked out in her head, she told her truthfully;

"Granny's right on the money. The trick to self-honesty is to be mindful of yourself, especially during times when you have to be real with yourself and others."

She chuckled softly to herself as memories of the early days of her redemption played out in her mind. She then elaborated further with a hint of sadness adding weight to her words;

"Celestia knows, it can be tough to be mindful of yourself. Doubly so, when some parts of you are not... pleasant."

Sunset did not have to look around the room to feel the love her friends were silently sending to her at that precise moment. Like medicated ointment tailor-made to feel soothing to the touch, their love covered the wounds in her heart, keeping them from flaring up. With relief in her breath, she continued on;

"Still, it's important that you understand and utilize mindfulness, if you want to catch any self-made lies that try to sneak their way into your heart."

The girls were moved by their dear friend's words, Applejack included, who tipped her hat to Sunset while declaring with the confidence that was unique to her extensive family tree;

"Anything worth doin' is tough to get done and Ah'll get this whole mindfulness stuff done right, ya' hear?"

That got a sideways smirk from Sunset as the farmer moved her candlestick back into the circle. The next Rainboom to step up was Rainbow Dash, who pushed her own candlestick to the center of the table with gusto. When given welcoming nods by the group, she thought to herself for a moment while expressing a look of confusion on her face. After finishing with her contemplation, she started off calmly while looking at her friends;

"I'll be real with you, something happened yesterday that took me by surprise."

She sighed before explaining in more detail;

"I was doing my morning Yoga exercises, like usual. But, when I was performing the motions and poses, I felt a single tear fall from my right eye."

She shook her head before exclaiming out of annoyance;

"That didn't make any sense to me at all! I mean, I didn't feel sad or angry at the time and I'm sure I wasn't in pain either!"

The confused athlete sighed again to cool down before going on;

"I stopped to straighten up my body and see what was going on. At first, I thought I was feeling things that weren't there. But, there it was, a tear on my face! At that moment, I did what my Yoga lessons taught me..."

She closed her eyes, placed her hands on her lap, took a deep breath in, and exhaled out before adding with calmness in the words she uttered;

"I breathed, let it be, and kept up the practice without judging a thing."

She opened her eyes again and finished with the question that had been nagging her ever since that fateful morning;

"Why did I cry?"

She looked right at her friends as she asked this. Most of them quietly thought of a good response, but Twilight got one picked out within a fraction of a second;

"What were you thinking about when the tear was shed?", she asked Rainbow, who responded with a toothy smile laced with the urge to brag after taking a second to mull;

"Well, I was thinking of some of those moments that tested us and how awesome we turned out to be when we faced them."

That detail made even Twilight confused, but Sunset was quick to step in with a question of her own;

"Okay, then how did you feel after you noticed the tear?"

Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and lowered her head slightly as she let herself become deep in thought for a moment or two before looking back up to face her amber friend and declaring calmly;

"I felt confused and... lighter... I mean lighter in here."

She pointed at the right side of her head with her right index finger as she said this. She elaborated a little more while gesturing to her chest with both hands;

"As well as in my body."

Sunset silently racked her brain for some kind of info that would help her friend better understand what she went through, but all she drew were blanks. Still, it was clear, based on Rainbow's words, that her strange experience had a positive result, so the matter did not worry her too much. Regardless, she preferred to not leave this to chance, not with her friend's emotional health involved. With a sigh and a grin, she told Rainbow calmly;

"That's something we can look more into later. For now, I suggest that you keep practicing your Yoga."

Her smile turned into a fun-loving smirk before she added;

"If you cry for no apparent reason again, try to let the tears fall as you turn your body into a pretzel."

Rainbow let out a mirth-filled snort over the well-meaning joke Sunset had fired at her direction as she tried, and failed, to hold back her laughter. After taking a few seconds to let her mirth out to play, she calmed down enough to give a playful retort;

"I'll keep that in mind, Shimmer."

With the matter settled for the time being, Rainbow Dash took her candlestick and moved it back to its place in the circle. After fives seconds of waiting for more of her friends to take the chance to chime, Sunset decided it was time to say her peace. She pushed her own candlestick towards the table's center, just as Rainbow did earlier. With eyes and ears locked on her, she calmly explained to the group;

"I'll be frank with you all: there have been some days, including very recently, when I find myself too distracted to perform my daily meditation practice. It's either an outstanding task, some unexpected event, or my overthinking brain that gets my attention, know what I mean?"

Twilight understood what it was like to have an overactive brain, so she made sure to show her friend that understanding with a caring smile. The rest of the girls gave her supportive smiles of their own, remembering perfectly well the times when they themselves were too busy to perform some self-care. Sunset sighed audibly while feeling a twinge of shame before going on;

"I know better than to mentally kick myself over my mistakes these days, and I have all of you to thank for that. Even so, the urge to do so can sneak up on me at times. But, you know about that already."

Her friends' smiles grew a little, with a spark of concern flaring up in their eyes as they listened intently. Sunset, at that moment, decided it was time to admit something important to her friends, something she wished she had told them ages ago. She did not like what she was about to say. Her upper-back tensed up again at the mere thought of it. But, she needed to open up and this space they were in, filled with peace and honesty, was the best place to do so. With another deep breath, she spoke softly with sadness and seriousness mixed together on her face and in her voice;

"There's... something else that's been bothering me for a long time now..."

The other girls' focus on Sunset was doubled in strength upon hearing this as she went on to admit;

"Sometimes, when I'm alone with my thoughts or I feel especially vulnerable..."

Her hands clench tightly as she finished while a twisted cackle, produced by one of her most painful memories, echoed in her mind;

"I hear her voice in my head."

Sunset could feel a powerful tension created from her words fill the room like smoke from a bonfire. The reactions from most of the other girls were clear and pronounced. Fluttershy held both of her hands up to her chin as if silently praying, Rarity covered her mouth in a vain attempt to muffle her horrified gasp, Applejack took her stetson off of her head with both hands and lowered it down to her chest, Pinkie Pie quickly pulled a cupcake with frosting that matched Sunset's colors out from her hair with her right hand and placed it on the center of the table, and Rainbow Dash cracked her neck and knuckles as if she was readying herself for a scrap. They all showed to Sunset looks of genuine concern for their friend, which she greatly appreciated. She looked over at Twilight, who was giving her a look that was remarkably different compared to that of the others: a knowing somber expression.

It didn't take long for Sunset to make an educated guess.

The two dear friends locked unblinking eyes on each other, comforting each other without saying a word. The others gave them three seconds before walking up to them and wrapping them up in a group hug that they both happily sank into. Once the hug was broken up, the rest of the girls returned to their seats, with Sunset and Twilight discovering that Pinkie had placed a second cupcake next to the one that was meant for the Equestrian. This one had frosting that matched Twilight's hair color. With grateful smiles aimed at the winking party planner, they took the cupcakes and eagerly devoured them, much to Pinkie's giggly joy. Applejack was the first to respond to Sunset's admission;

"We ain't judgin' ya' none, sugarcube," she told her with a friendly glare that was as honest as her words. The troubled coat-less mare could easily tell that the others thought the same, given the smiles they showed her. With a strong sense of ease flowing through her being, she made it a point to clear up a potential and understandable assumption before it could be voiced;

"Before anyone asks: no, the raging she-demon is not trying to possess me."

The tension from earlier disappeared thanks to the girls' combined audible exhaling that was filled with relief. A frown appeared on Sunset's face as she went on with a more somber tone of voice;

"But, her voice still haunts my mind from time to time. I won't lie to you: she spoke up during our talk after the Memory Stone Incident and sweet Celestia, she was angry."

Her voice gained more strength and feeling when she exclaimed;

"She wanted me to drop you all like a bunch of bad habits!"

Gasps rang out from the circle of friends who sat with her. They all wanted to make some kind of helpful comment to ease her heart, but they knew Sunset wasn't done yet, so they kept quiet to let her speak her peace. She did exactly that, her sideways smirk shown with pride;

"But, you know that's not how I work," she said with clear confidence. The other Rainbooms smiled upon hearing this detail. They all knew, and appreciated, just how faithful she was to her friends. She wasn't done yet though, for she went on as her smirk gave way to a sad frown and a regretful tone;

"I'm sorry for not telling you all about this sooner. I wanted to, but... I had to work up the courage first."

She fell silent for a few seconds, which prompted Applejack to tell her sweetly, her hat back on her head;

"Ya' needed time to get that courage of yours built up, there ain't anythin' wrong with that."

The others nodded their heads in approval, much to Sunset's sweet relief. As tempting as it was to be a little smug towards the demonic voice in her head, she decided to not poke that mental bear for now. Instead, she gave the girls a warm smile and elaborated further with renewed surety;

"I haven't been sitting on my flank, though! I've been trying to figure out the nature behind this wicked voice in my brain ever since our talk. So far, I haven't found anything conclusive."

With a quick playful wink, she added;

"At least it's not a magical problem."

The girls laughed together over her joke for a bit. Sensing an opportunity, Twilight chimed in;

"Have you looked into the scientific aspect of your predicament?" she asked inquisitively. Sunset shook her head and answered with a sigh while looking right at her intelligent friend;

"Yeah, I figured the science of mental health would give me some answers, I mean..."

She stretched her arms straight out from her sides to gesture to the whole group while adding;

"What do you think we're all tackling here?"

The girls nodded their heads, some of them chuckle a little, before Sunset continued on;

"Learning about the emotional side of it has done my short temper a world of favors. But, other than that, I haven't found much useful info yet."

She groaned while facepalming herself with her right hand and tilting her head downward. Twilight could not help but gently place her left hand on her right shoulder before responding in a soft understanding voice;

"I know what you mean, Sunset. Mental health, as a topic, has so many different notions, connotations, aspects, misinformation, and a whole bunch of other things connected to it that it can be difficult to discern fact from fiction."

Sunset kept her head low and her right hand on her face as she noted in soft annoyance;

"Don't get me started on the misinformation, Twi. I'm amazed I found helpful anger management tips online!"

At that moment, she heard the rough scraping of metal on wood come from the table. She looked up to see that Rarity had moved her candlestick to the center to have it rest near Sunset's. She gazed at the fashionista's calm face as she chimed in with proper nobility while gazing back at her amber friend;

"Your issue reminds me of my own, darling, for I have found my own progress to be held back as of late as well."

Sunset's face showed concern for her as she asked;

"What's holding you back, Rarity? We'd be happy to help you."

A grateful smile was expertly painted on Rarity's face while she answered truthfully;

"While I have become better equipped to manage my emotions when matters become tense, when it comes to dealing with my issues concerning the Sunset of old..."

She pondered silently for a moment to collect her thoughts on the matter and added while an old regret replaced her smile;

"A mental block has kept me from truly making peace with our shared past. One that has taken a most..."

She shuddered in fright before finishing;

"Dreadful form."

Before Sunset could comfort Rarity, Applejack pushed her candlestick towards the center as well and noted with a sigh and a apologetic look aimed right at her fiery friend;

"Ah've hit a mental block like that as well."

Rainbow Dash added her candlestick to the growing circle at the center;

"Same," she declared regretfully.

"Me too," noted Pinkie Pie, her hair losing a tiny portion of its poofiness as she moved her candlestick as well. Fluttershy did the same with a soft whimper, the nearly tearful glare pointed at Sunset screaming "I'm so sorry!". The former bully knew exactly what that block was for them, which she described with a voice filled with years' worth of internalized guilt as she closed her eyes and lowered her head in shame;

"The she-demon."

But, as heavy as the guilt felt within her mind and heart, she would not let it crush her now, not when her friends needed her. She looked back up at them with eyes fired up by determination and waited for them to open up further. Rainbow Dash was the first. She groaned loudly before exclaiming out of sheer annoyance;

"Every time I try to even think about the Old Sunset, the demon shows up in my head like a lame jump scare!"

That got a frustrated grunt from Applejack, who noted with crossed arms;

"It's like that demonic varmint don't want us to find peace. Well, that makes me wanna find peace even more, dangnabit."

"The d-d-demon is so scary!" whimpered Fluttershy, her arms wrapped around her waist out of sheer terror. Applejack made sure to comfort her faster than her pony counterpart could gallop;

"Now don't ya' worry none, sugarcube. We'll solve this problem together, just like we did with all of the others!" she told her with an honest smile. Fluttershy looked back at the farmer with relief washing over her demeanor, a tiny grin forming on her face for good measure. Her words lifted the other girls' spirits, Sunset's especially. Over the years, she had come to truly love those moments when her friends rose to the occasion. Rarity, with an appreciative chuckle, replied with dignity;

"Quite right, Applejack! But, how do we remove this terrifying blockage so that we can make progress once more?"

As the girls thought on that question, Sunset couldn't help but notice that, of the five affected by the block, Pinkie Pie was the only one who didn't say a word. Upon looking over at her, she found that the party planner was staring her down with narrow eyes and a serious frown. The sight of this made Sunset wince a little before settling down. Pinkie didn't look angry, thankfully, but it was rare to see her look so serious. The poofiness of her hair was back at its usual level by this point. Looking down slightly, however, Sunset noticed that her friend's pink hands, which rested behind her candlestick on the table, were rapidly switching between clenching tightly and relaxing fully. The mare of two worlds was about to try to help Pinkie out when she heard one more candlestick get pushed to the center of the table: Twlight's.

All eyes turned towards the scientist, who looked at each of them with somber regret in her eyes. Pinkie's hands relaxed again and remained so, her serious face dropped to focus on helping Twilight. With determination pushing her forward and friendship keeping her mind grounded, she explained;

"My own mental block is keeping me from making peace with my... checkered history with Crystal Prep. Granted, that dance contest was a major boon for me on an emotional level, for I've been building up a strong friendly rapport with the Shadowbolts team ever since."

Twilight took a deep breath and sighed audibly before finishing;

"Regardless, that block actively hinders my progress, and she has glasses wreathed in magical flame."

Her six friends quietly gave her their support with warm smiles and caring eyes, which she eased her mind more effectively than words could describe. Sunset decided to make a comment of her own in a calm fashion;

"So, for different reasons, we are all blocked by the demons that represent our troubling past..."

They all went back to pondering in silence for a few seconds until Rarity came up with an idea that she saw fit to express;

"Perhaps another perspective may help us find a solution?"

Just hearing that alone was enough for Sunset to get an idea of her own, one that produced an excited grin on her face. The grin got her friends' immediate attention, with Pinkie asking gleefully;

"What's making you so happy, Sunset?"

Her grin morphing into her familiar sideways smirk, she looked at each of the girls while answering confidently;

"I know someone in CHS who can give us a different perspective on things."

She turned her focus on a curious Twilight before warning her;

"I should stress, Twi: this girl's take on things will be really different from what your used to."

The bookworm giggled a little and replied with confidence;

"True, but you would not have suggested her if she couldn't assist us in a meaningful way."

Her face changed to form a determined and serious glare as she declared;

"Besides, we made a Pinkie Promise to heal the wounds we've carried all these years, Sunset. Sticking to one perspective won't help me keep it."

Her words touched the hearts of every Rainboom present, with Rainbow Dash yelling out with excitement and pride filling her voice;

"I like that spirit a lot, Sci-Twi!"

The rest of the girls showed her support as well, with Applejack asking Sunset after tipping her Stetson to Twilight;

"Alright then, sugarcube, who do ya' have in mind? One of them drama folks?"

"One of the athletes? I know a few from that old clique," Rainbow suggested excitedly.

"One of my fellow fashionistas, perhaps?" chimed in Rarity with a graceful flick of her hair.

"Um... maybe one of the eco kids?" Fluttershy asked nervously.

Before anyone else could make another suggestion, Sunset added a hint of slyness and anticipation to her smirk while looking right at the animal-lover and answered her with a chuckle;

"I'll do you one better: the eco kid."

It was all Fluttershy could do to keep herself from squealing in delight over this new information. Instead, she allowed a giant ear-to-ear smile to form on her face. The five other Rainbooms, however, looked more perplexed than enthusiastic. Rainbow Dash put their confusion into words that she chose more carefully than usual out of respect to the nature of this check-in;

"Look, I'm all for us getting extra help from a Wondercolt. But, how's she gonna help us out?"

Sunset's sideways smirk grew more and more in silence, which did little to help clear the confusion in five of her friends' minds. As for Fluttershy, her joyful excitement over what was coming became stronger along with Sunset's smirk. As she explained herself to group, their minds payed attention to not just their Pinkie Promise and what was being discussed, but also to what they were going to talk about with a certain movie club later that day.

Author's Note

You know, for a lady with an extensive history of violence, The Wrecker sure is good at controlling herself. But now, she's interested in more than just Sunset...

I hope you all enjoyed seeing our fabulous girls partake in their important post-Memory Stone friendship ritual (Official name pending! I am open to ideas!). If their seats seem familiar to you, then you remember something of FiM! :raritywink:

Who is Sunset calling up for aid? You'll find out soon enough.

Up next: the CMCs and Rainbooms come together for two very important meetings.

Also, much love to Scootaloo's lesbian aunts! :scootangel:

Fun-fact: I had a whole scene written up for the beginning of the chapter that depicted Rainbow Dash and Sunset watching Scootaloo wake Tank up from his hibernation. While the scene was filled with glorious adorabetes, the chapter was already getting lengthy enough as it was! So, I had to scrap it for the sake of pacing.

Tank's too awesome a pet to be cut from the chapter though! :twilightsmile:

Chapter 10 - Of Houses and Crusades

Later that morning...

Scootaloo was pacing left and right on the wooden floor of the CMCs clubhouse, nervousness and fear conspiring to keep her on edge and doing a fine job of it. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked on in concern for their friend as she expressed her worries whilst she paced;

"Oh man, what are they gonna say? What are they gonna do?"

Sweetie Belle tried to reason with her worried friend, her voice cracking a little as she did so;

"I'm sure they won't get mad at us over this."

Apple Bloom took the opportunity to strengthen Sweetie's words with some encouragement of her own;

"We get why ya' feel so plum worried, Scoots. But, if Sunset, Octavia, and P0N3 can understand why we're doing this, why not the others?"

Truthfully, their words did help soothe Scootaloo's worries, but only slightly. She stopped pacing to turn around to face her friends, fear all over her face as she exclaimed;

"Yeah, but what about Rainbow?! The others might get it, but you know how she feels about-"

Her words were interrupted by the voice of Sunset Shimmer calling to them from the walkie talkie can that hung from a string on the wall next to the clubhouse door;

"We're here girls," she told them.

Just hearing her voice was enough to make Scootaloo wince a little. She gulped while giving her friends a pleading expression. Sweetie and Apple Bloom looked at each other and nodded with renewed smiles before showing them to their pal, who visibly relaxed at the sight of their goodwill. Just before they could perform their usual tripe high-five, the CMCs remembered two important details:

Their list was still hanging on the wall!
Twilight Sparkle was sure to be behind the door!

Without needing so much as a prompt, Sweetie Belle rushed over to the list, removed the pins that held it in place, and took it into her hands before it could fall. She then briskly folded it back up while Apple Bloom opened the safe. She passed the list over to the young Apple, who carefully placed it in the safe and slammed it shut. While this was going on, Scootaloo ran over to the can on the wall, grabbed it, held its business end up to her mouth, and declared to the waiting guests while trying very hard to hide her nervousness;

"No phrase to finish this time, we'll lower the ramp for you. Just give us a moment."

Thankfully, that seemed to be enough for the group on the other side to wait patiently. By the time she had finished speaking, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had already hidden the list. While the former was busy getting ready at the podium, the latter went with the orange girl through the door and over to the levers. As Scootaloo pulled the correct lever while feeling hidden resignation and fear, she could not help but think to herself;

"Oh Rainbow Dash... I hope I don't disappoint you."

The group that joined the CMCs in the clubhouse consisted of the Sonic Rainbooms, Spike, Octavia Melody, DJ P0N3, Big Mac (with a happy Winona on her leash), and, to Apple Bloom's surprise and delight, Granny Smith. The little Apple rushed over to the old family matriarch and gave her a big hug, the pink bow she had picked out for the day perking up along with her mood. With a loving laugh, Granny Smith reciprocated the hug, much to everyone else's joy. Once the hug was released, Apple Bloom asked her eldest relative with that dopey smile of hers beaming rays of familial love from her face;

"Weren't ya' takin' one of your naps?"

With a wrinkled smile of her own, the old Apple told her sweetly;

"Normally, Ah'd be nappin'. But, when Ah heard about Sunset's housin' problem, Ah couldn't stand the thought of not doin' a thing to help her out. So, Ah figured, why not start off by workin' up enough energy to join in on these 'ere meetins'?"

Sunset felt a swell of gratitude in her heart as she told her happily;

"Thank you, ma'am."

Granny looked over at the teenager and told her truthfully;

"There ain't a person in the world who deserves to be homeless."

She raised her thick right index finger at Sunset's face and added with a firm parental voice that was balanced out by her grin;

"Now, ya' best remember that, missy!"

Sunset nodded at her, her smile refusing to leave her face.

"Oh, if I had somepony like her as my grandmother when I was a filly..." she thought to herself wistfully before returning her attention to the present moment. Once the excitement died down, Apple Bloom ran back to her spot behind the podium, took her gavel with her right hand, and waited for the others to take their seats. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, being founding members, took their places next to their leader, with the former to her right and the latter to her left. Thankfully, the group of attendees had brought their seats with them when they arrived, with Twilight being the only one who came wearing a backpack, which she placed to the left of her seat before sitting down. Once the group was seated, Apple Bloom rang her gavel three times before announcing calmly;

"This 'ere meetin', the first of two, of the Canterlot Movie Club has come to order."

She pointed the business end of her gavel at the audience before her and went on with a grateful smile;

"Our thanks to the Sonic Rainbooms, Spike the Dog, Honorary Club Members Octavia Melody and DJ-P0N3, and..."

Her bow bounced a little as she giggled a little before finishing;

"The entire Apple household for attendin'!"

Big Mac's response, laced with a smile, was as simple and direct as it was expected from a man like him;

"Eeyup."

Laughter filled the clubhouse for a bit before Sunset noted to the CMCs;

"Actually, there's one more guest in attendance today."

With quick and gentle movement, she raised the right shoulder of her trusty jacket with her right hand, prompting a certain leopard gecko that she picked up before arriving to crawl out from under the jacket and up to his owner's neck. His giant smile in fully display, he rubbed his head on her neck in a show of pure affection that got everyone in the room to gush. Most of the folks in attendance were already quite happy over this development, but the CMCs were the happiest of the bunch by a country mile;

"RAY!" they cried out in joyful unison before rushing over to Sunset in the hopes of giving the little guy head-pats. Their older sisters smiled lovingly at the adorable sight before them as Ray caught sight of his owner's right hand, which was placed right in front of the shoulder he was standing on. Instinctively, he crawled on to the hand, which allowed Sunset to carefully move him to within safe head-patting range of the giggling movie club, who did exactly that.

"You're one sneaky little lizard, ya' know that?" Apple Bloom commented with eyes sparkling with love. She then looked over at Winona, who was getting ear scratches from Big Mac, and noted with nostalgic joy;

"Reminds me of the times when Winona would surprise me with doggy pounces when Ah was little."

She made a mental note to play with her family's dog later when Sweetie Belle cooed while patting Ray and gently stroking his scaly back with her right index finger, her voice cracks unrelenting in their adorableness;

"You're so cuuuute! I bet you make Sunset smile every day just by being your wonderful self."

"Hehe, that's true!" Sunset thought while feeling the love she had for her beloved pet, who wagged his tail happily over the attention he was getting as Scootaloo chimed in with cheer in her voice;

"I wonder what kind of adventures you get into when you're not in your terrarium? I'll bet they're awesome like you!"

While the kids continued to shower Ray with affection, Applejack looked over at Sunset and asked her;

"So, what made ya' wanna bring your critter with ya'?"

With a quick chuckle, she told her honest pal with a voice loud enough for the kids to hear her words;

"I figured the CMCs would be nervous over what we're going to talk about in the meetings. So, I figured a visit from a certain little ray of sunshine would help them out."

"You got that right!" exclaimed a happy and grateful Scootaloo, her nerves from earlier having been soothed completely by the ancient and mystical power of cute animals. Speaking of cute animals, Ray managed to quickly crawl his way back over to Sunset and climb up to her right shoulder. Apple Bloom walked over to her and hugged her tightly while telling her with sweet softness in her southern twang;

"Much obliged, Phoenix Friend."

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo joined in on the hug while Sunset relaxed into it. They then looked up at her with pure adorable adoration on their faces, which made her heart melt in an instant before they broke up the hug. With the impromptu pet session over with, the CMCs returned to their positions at the podium while the attendees sat back on their seats, with Winona sitting on the floor between Big Mac and Granny Smith while Ray chilled with his owner via his chosen perch. With sparkles in her eyes, Apple Bloom addressed the audience;

"Now, our first meetin' concerns the work to be done on Sunset's house. Unfortunately, this means that she has to step outside for a spell."

Her bow drooped as her eyes lost their sparkle. She looked over at Sunset with a sad expression that could make a heart cry;

"Sorry about doin' this to ya', sugarcube," she told her in an upset tone. The rest of the trio looked about as sad as their leader. The fiery lady herself responded sweetly in the hopes of easing their worries;

"It's okay, girls. I could use some fresh air anyway and besides..."

She reached over to Ray and caressed his chin with her right index finger, a gesture he very much appreciated, before finishing with a smile;

"I won't be alone out there."

The frowns on the CMCs were replaced by reinvigorated beaming grins, Apple Bloom's bow rising back up to further emphasize her change of mood. Once she saw that the rest of the group were also fine with this arrangement, Sunset got up off of her seat and walked out of the clubhouse before shutting the door behind her. Unbeknownst to her and everyone inside, someone was watching them all closely.

This someone was perched on the thick branches of one of the healthy trees in the forest that surrounded the clubhouse. This tree in particular was situated at the forest's edge, giving its occupant a clear angle of the side of the building that was to Sunset's right as she walked down the ramp. The tree was some distance away from it, far enough for the naked eye alone to be of limited use. But, it was still close enough for this person to listen in on the club members and attendees thanks to a carefully placed and aimed high-powered microphone that was positioned near the edge of one of the thicker branches in front of them. This microphone was connected via a black cable to the noise-canceling headphones that the person was wearing. They were using a large pair of binoculars to keep a close eye on the meeting in the clubhouse via the uncovered window, their hands rocking soft gloves made of cloth. This person's outfit was positively covered in camouflage that helped them blend in with their surroundings. Even their equipment was rocking matching camo, including the mic, which had camouflaged cloth covering its top that doubled as a DIY pop filter. Their face and hair were hidden under the shadow created by their large hood. Their movements were slow and deliberate, all to make as little noise as possible. They could not afford to attract attention now, especially when the head of the Apple Family was nearby! Through the binoculars, they saw Sunset venture beyond the ramp and sit down on a grassy spot near it before crossing her legs into a comfy position. After taking a moment to smile at her pet lizard, who sat comfortably on her right shoulder, she placed her hands on her lap with her palms up, closed her eyes, and started breathing slowly and deeply in silence. Within about a minute, a contented smile formed on her face as her body became more visibly relaxed over time. The wind blew from her back, causing her fiery hair to dance gracefully in the air. Yet, this did not disturb Sunset in the slightest as thoughts came and went in her mind like water flowing in a creek. A creek that, in her mind's eye, she watched without interfering with its gentle flow.

"She looks so peaceful," the stealthy eavesdropper thought with a hint of happiness growing within before refocusing on the clubhouse chatter playing in their headphones. With a quick sigh, they moved their binoculars back over to the uncovered window and listened closely.

"During yesterday's special meeting, Sunset had given us clearance to call upon other Wondercolts to aid us in this project," Octavia explained to the others in a dignified fashion before adding with a determined glare;

"Make no mistake: My dearest P0N3 and I will provide you all with assistance. Sunset is our friend too, after all."

Her lady love and fellow musician added more weight to Octavia's claim by pounding her chest with her right fist and giving off a confident smirk. As badly as the CMCs wanted to hug those two with all of their hearts, they figured it best to not interrupt the proceedings. So, they settled for showing them their oversized dopey smiles, which the musical couple happily noticed. Applejack thanked them both on the group's behalf;

"You're all heart, ya' two lovebirds," she said with a relieved smile. Rarity chimed in with dignity;

"Indeed. We've only just started work on the house and already, it has become quite clear that we need all the help we can acquire."

"Logistically speaking... yeah, we need more pairs of hands to get this done!" said a sheepish Twilight as she scratched the back of her head with her right hand. Granny Smith spoke up with enthusiasm in her voice;

"Ya'll got the four of us Apples and our dog with ya'. Just tell us what needs doin' and we'll get it done good and proper!"

Winona barked happily in agreement to this claim. Rainbow Dash jumped into the conversation with an excitement-fueled suggestion of her own;

"I can send word to the other Wondercolts with Bedlam DMs. Someone's bound to step up!"

"Good call, Rainbow," noted Twilight, who elaborated further while adjusting her glasses;

"Sticking to DMs should help keep this project in-house so to speak. I'd rather Sunset not be embarrassed due to the whole city finding out about her being homeless."

"I don't think I'd be able to hide if that were to happen to me," added Fluttershy, who looked and sounded terribly nervous over such a concept. Pinkie bounced in place while asking in a rapid pace filled with glee;

"Oh! Oh! May I help, Rainbow Dash?! I've got the whoooole CHS student body on my Bedlam friends list, so I can send word to them super-duper fast!"

Apple Bloom giggled over all of this before telling the group with calm surety;

"Okay then, Rainbow and Pinkie can send word to other students who can help us."

"I second that motion!" declared an excited Sweetie Belle.

"Third!" Scootaloo exclaimed in agreement. With a satisfied grin, the club leader and founder rang her gavel once before announcing;

"Motion carried! Now, onto the business of our renovation tasks, startin' with Sunset's bedroom..."

As the group discussed the matter at hand, their unknown eavesdropper listened in on the conversation. Their thoughts traveled back to the Rainbooms' previous acts of goodwill before reaching a specific conclusion;

"The girls are taking this quite seriously. I mean, they don't frequently call up their fellow Wondercolts unless it's for a big project..."

This person could think of two other instances when that band brought in other help from their high-school peers: The fundraiser for Camp Everfree and...

They felt strong tension flare up in their shoulders as the memories of a particularly painful time in CHS' history played out in their mind. After taking several deep breaths to release the tension, they continued to listen to the folks in the clubhouse. Apple Bloom was just finishing up her explanation of what she and her two best friends wanted to do with Sunset's bedroom;

"Well, that's our plan. Ya'll got any ideas on how we can tackle it without lettin' Sunset know about it?"

The others tried to think of a way to do exactly that, save for Sci-Twi, who started to show a tiny grin on her face that no one noticed. Applejack noted with a sigh while adjusting her hat;

"Yeah, there ain't no gettin' around it: we need the Princess' help with this one. But, how in the hay are we gonna get her help without makin' Sunset suspicious?"

Sci-Twi's grin grew into an increasingly excited teeth-baring smile while eyes started to show signs of restrained manic joy. Rarity hummed to herself for a moment before making a fair point;

"Since the portal at the statue will only be opened by Princess Twilight from her castle, the only means by which we can contact her is through Sunset's journal."

The egghead could barely hold back the urge to giggle like an evil villain about to conquer the world through science. Her smile grew to be ear-to-ear in length while the discussion around her raged on;

"But, how are we gonna contact Pony Twilight without being caught by Sunset?" asked Pinkie Pie before she tossed a few small chocolate balls into her mouth while looking quite puzzled. The CMCs were deep in thought as the conversation played out. Sweetie Belle took a second away from her pondering to note;

"Stealing the journal is a big no-no, obviously."

The giggles inside the Mad Twientist could no longer be contained. Her manic giggling became more than noticeable to the others, who looked over at her with concern and confusion in their eyes. Before they could speak up, however, Sci-Twi calmed down enough to look directly at Sweetie Belle and exclaimed to her with a gleeful expression that included a hint of mania in her eyes;

"We don't have to use the journal!"

Now, the folks in the clubhouse were even more confused, with Apple Bloom putting their confusion into words with a raised right eyebrow;

"Ah beg your pardon?" she asked in as calm a voice as possible.

Sci-Twi answered by briskly taking her backpack off of the floor and placing it on her lap. She then unzipped the main bag and opened it up to feel around inside of it for a bit before pulling out a well cared for notebook with a lavender cover that bore her sparkling iconography. After returning the backpack to its previous location, she rested the notebook on her lap, opened it, and began to flip through the pages until she stopped at one bookmarked by a small brown ruler that she promptly moved aside. The rest of the group looked at the notebook as she flipped, only to see something interesting about the bookmarked page: it was NOT connected to the notebook at all! Before anyone could look more closely at it, Sci-Twi carefully grabbed the page by its top edge with her left hand, lifted it into the air, and closed the notebook with her right hand before placing the page on top of it. The lavender cover underneath the page made some more of its unique properties more apparent to the people around her. It was clearly cut clean out of whatever book it came from instead of being torn out of it. The exception to its neatness was a single large rip where its bottom right corner used to be. Nothing was written on it, not even a single equation. Applejack looked up at her excited friend and asked what the people she stood with were thinking;

"What is it about that there page that's specia-"

Her eyes went wide in shock as the dots connected in her mind. The words she uttered were filled with awe;

"No way..."

"Yes way!" exclaimed Sci-Twi as the rest of their friends and family members came to the same realization that Applejack did, their eyes also following suit. Before anyone else could react appropriately, she declared with pride;

"This, my friends, is no ordinary page: It is a page taken directly from Sunset's journal!"

Twlight's Laboratory, two days before Sunset's house was discovered.

"Sunset... I have a question for you," Twilight asked after she finished writing up the results of their latest experiment, which was an attempt to upgrade Spike's robot dog friend by giving it a list of rudimentary verbal responses (including adorable barks) that it would pull from whenever it hears someone ask it a question. The currently inactive automaton sat as still as a statue within a box built with thick transparent glass that was placed in the middle of a long desk that both Twilight and Sunset had been working on. While she was busy organizing her results papers at one end of the table, Sunset, who stood at the other end, was putting her black rubber gloves away when her friend spoke to her. Those gloves were part of the science outfit that the owner of the laboratory insisted that they both wear, which also consisted of a white lab coat and large clear safety goggles that they wore on their foreheads whenever they weren't experimenting on something. Spike was relaxing on his little bed that was placed at a safe distance away from the two scientists and their work. Once Sunset had placed her gloves on a free space on the desk before her, thinking that their hard work was done for the day, she turned to Twilight and told her calmly with a hint of curiosity on her face;

"Let's hear it, Twi."

The lavender student of all of the sciences turned away from the desk as well to face her friend, the glimmer of scientific curiosity shining in her eyes as she elaborated;

"It concerns your journal."

She then pointed at the object in question with her right index finger. Sunset looked over at it while pondering what she could be getting at. The journal was resting on a spot to the left of her gloves, its logo, a combination of hers and the Princess's cutie marks, displaying proudly on the cover. As she stared at one of her most prized possessions, Twilight explained further;

"The magic of the journal allows two-way communication between yourself and my royal equine counterpart via the simple act of writing on its pages. This leaves me to wonder about the full extent of this magic."

Sunset grasped her chin with her right hand before asking while keeping her eyes locked on the journal;

"You want to discover and understand that extent?"

With an affirmative and excited giggle, her egghead for a pal went on;

"Specifically speaking, I want to answer this question..."

She walked over to the journal, grabbed with both hands, and turned to show its cover to Sunset after holding it over her chest before getting her point across;

"Would the journal's magic extend to a piece of one of its pages, should it be removed?"

From the moment she heard the world 'removed', Sunset's mind's alarm bells rang with the fierceness of a tornado drill. With a deep breath, she managed to calm her head down. But, she still expressed worry on her face as she responded nervously;

"Twi, I'm all for getting to know how magic works, but-"

"I understand your concern, Sunset!" Twilight exclaimed with even more nervousness than her friend had expressed, cutting her off mid-sentence. This prompted Sunset to be silent, which allowed her to take several deep breaths to relieve her growing anxiety. Once she was calm, she spoke further while glaring down at the journal;

"This journal means the world to you, for it maintains a physical and emotional connection between yourself and the Princess."

She shook her head before looking back up at Sunset. Surety and determination filled her face and eyes as she declared calmly with far less nervousness than a few seconds ago;

"I will not be the one who destroys that connection."

"What was I so worried about?! It's Sci-Twi, for Celestia's sake!" Sunset thought to herself while her sideways smirk broke through her fading worry. She walked up to her, placed her right hand on her left shoulder, and responded sweetly;

"Midnight Sparkle would not have cared about the feelings of others. You do, Twi."

Twilight's heart and mind were put at ease by her dear friend's truthful words. Jubilation was added to the mix upon hearing what she said next;

"We'll take one piece from a page at the end of the journal."

Present Day, in the CMCs' clubhouse

"And after careful testing of both sides of the piece, it was revealed that the magic of the journal extends to any piece of its paper that is ripped out from it! You can thank the test messages that were sent between the two of us and the Princess for this discovery!" finished an ecstatic Sci-Twi, whose enthusiasm was matched by her visible pride in herself. The rest of the folks in the clubhouse were still noticeably shocked by this revelation to say the least. That shock soon gave way to happiness, however, as they all voiced their approval to her with cheers, laughter, and in the case of an exuberant Apple Bloom, a mighty cowgirl yell;

"YEEE-HAAAW! Way to go, Miss Twi!" she happily belted out. Scootaloo added with an excited bounce;

"Now, we can get the Princess' help!"

The CMCs were about ready to unleash upon Twilight a heaping helping of hugs born from love when Applejack interrupted them with a smile aimed squarely at her nerdy friend;

"Ah'll bet good cider that the Princess was mighty shocked when that first test message came up on her end."

Rainbow chuckled before responding on Twilight's behalf;

"Yeah, I can't help but imagine the look on her face when she saw that message tucked away on a corner of a page."

Hearing that comment caused Sweetie Belle to realize something that was too important to not mention;

"Hold on for a second!" she exclaimed with a squeak, catching everyone else's attention. With a quick breath, she elaborated;

"Say we use that page to contact the Princess and she agrees to help us with Sunset's bedroom. We're gonna be talking to her about that a lot."

Her face expressed a frown before she finished with slight resignation;

"I don't think one page is gonna be enough."

"It'll get the ball rollin', though," noted Applejack. But, before she could speak again, Twilight spoke up with a confident smirk;

"Acquiring the services of the Princess of Friendship is just the start of my plan!"

Having caught the attention of the group, she adjusted her glasses again and declared with confidence fueled by her carefully crafted logic;

"Now, listen carefully..."

Sunset could barely hear the commotion from the clubhouse, which was basically a bunch of distant unintelligible voices that she easily tuned out. The sounds that she did hear clearly were the blowing of the wind and birds chirping in the distance. Such sounds only served to strengthen the growing sense of calm within her being as she kept her focus on the flowing creek in her mind's eye. Her breathing was quiet and steady, her body was becoming more and more relaxed by the second, and her mind was as still as the dirt beneath her. Best of all: the demon inside, for reasons Sunset could not begin to fathom, had deigned to not interfere with her session. Almost everything felt right to her at that moment. As if on cue, soft footfalls could be heard from behind Sunset. This did not come close to disturbing her, though. Not even when the source of the sound, a person, walked over to her and sat down at her left side with comfortably crossed legs. Sunset, at this point, was in a state of pure tranquil focus that only a select few could interrupt without inciting her agitation. The one who sat next to her was one of that number, who gently commented while gazing at her peaceful demeanor;

"It must be quite pleasant," Twilight said with a hint of wistfulness in her voice whilst she placed her backpack on her lap and opened it up to let Spike climb out and run around on the grass in front of the pair of girls.

Now, everything felt right to Sunset.

Using her friend's voice as a guide, her slowly pulled herself out of her meditative state and into the present reality, her eyes fluttering slightly. She gave Twilight a calm attentive look while she listened to her speak further;

"To be able to get your thoughts to quiet down whenever you want."

An understanding grin formed on Sunset's face as she responded sweetly;

"I get what you mean, Twi. I found it hard to get my thoughts to shut up when I started meditating."

She turned her head to face forward, towards the forest and the path through it, and elaborated further;

"I mean, Rainbow gave me a taste of it when she introduced me to yoga. But, practicing meditation for longer than a few minutes?"

She chuckled softly before finishing with a voice laced with nostalgia;

"My brain did not like that at first."

A strong sense of relief flowed through Twilight. She allowed a small smile to appear on her bespectacled face as she responded with gentle happiness

"I knew you would understand! You may seek out knowledge in a different way compared to me, but an intellectual is still an intellectual."

It was her turn to chuckle a little before adding with annoyance filling her words as she gazed at the forest before her;

"People like us can have overactive brains at the worst of times."

Sunset saw an opportunity for some light teasing and took it with a smirk aimed right at Twilight;

"I take it you've been dealing with hearing a metric ton of equations, theories, and experiment results in your head-"

Her nerdy friend interrupted her with a loud groan while holding her head with both hands;

"When I actually don't want to hear them for a change, yes!"

She let her hands rest at her sides while adding with an exasperated sigh;

"Don't even get me started with my..."

Some certain old hurts flared up inside just enough to cause her to hug herself while shuddering slightly;

"Sub-optimal memories of Crystal Prep, Cinch, and..."

She could hear that familiar, dreaded cackle echo softly in her mind;

"Her."

Twilight took a deep breath to recenter herself. After allowing her hands to rest again, she looked over at Sunset once more and told her with genuine surety;

"Make no mistake, I am in charge of my life, not Midnight Sparkle. With that being said, finding a way to quiet my mind will go a long way to solidifying that fact."

Sunset could not help but feel proud of her friend's personal growth. Hearing her words gave her an opportunity to help her grow even more, one that she took without question. Sunset offered with that sideways smirk that any of her friends could recognize in a heartbeat;

"Well, I can give you a quick beginner's lesson. You've been meaning to try out mediation anyway, so why not do it here and now?"

Twilight's eyes sparkled with excitement over the thought of learning something new and useful. The giant smile on her face only made that excitement even more clear to her amber-colored friend, who decided to sit back and enjoy the reaction she was getting. It was surprising to her that the egghead did not belt out a happy squeal for good measure! Twilight rapidly nodded her head to further express her interest, which prompted Sunset to begin the impromptu lesson;

"One of the beautiful things about meditation is that you don't need much to give it a go. You just need time to yourself, a quiet place, and a comfy spot for you to be still on. You'll obviously have a moment of peace while the CMCs conduct their second meeting. Plus..."

She looked around the grassy area that they were sitting at before returning her attention to Twilight and explaining further with a smile;

"This whole place is quiet enough for our needs and we're sitting on comfy grass, so we're set there too."

"Ah, how convenient!" exclaimed an excited Twilight before she asked while giving her crossed legs an inquisitive glare;

"What sort of sitting position would work best for this practice?"

That got a friendly chuckle from Sunset, who answered calmly;

"Whatever position is comfortable for you, Twi."

She added with a playful wink that her friend caught just in time when she looked back up;

"You don't need to be a pretzel to meditate."

The two girls laughed at Sunset's joke for a few seconds while imagining their limbs hilariously contorted in a cartoonish fashion. Twilight then took a moment to adjust her posture and legs to maximize her comfort as best as she could, her backpack moved to her right side. She did this for a few seconds while Sunset moved to sit directly in front of her, the former bad girl's legs also crossed as she formed her usual meditating position, her hands resting on her lap with her palms opened and facing upwards. Once the two were settled, Spike, who had caught the conversation during his quick run and stopped to listened in on it, decided that this was the best moment to pounce on Twilight's lap with a jovial bark, much to her surprise and delight. With a loving giggle, she rubbed his back as he nestled himself into her lap. She asked him with a smile;

"You're trying to help me relax?"

"Is it working?" Spike asked her in return with a bit of smug slyness in his voice. He sank into his new lounging spot as he spoke, his furry body refusing to move an inch. Twilight scratched his right ear, much to his appreciation, while telling him sweetly;

"It most certainly is, you lovable canine."

While taking a mental note to give the pup a treat later, Sunset waited patiently for her friend to refocus on the task at hand. It wasn't long before she did so, the girls' eyes now fixed on each other. With Twilight ready to go, Sunset began by making a quick clarification;

"I'll guide you as you start your practice, but once you're in deep, I'll go deal with that meeting while you meditate. Square deal?"

The genius nodded her head before an idea popped up in her brain. She quickly turned to face her backpack, unzipped one of the smaller pockets, and pulled out from it her smartphone. With a few quick swipes and finger presses, she used the phone's timer app to set up a ten-minute timer that she then showed to Sunset. After getting from her an approving nod, she placed the phone on a spot on her lap between Spike and her belly with the screen facing the sky. With one final finger press, she started the timer and allowed her hands to rest at her sides, prompting Sunset to instruct her in a calm concise fashion as Twilight looked back up at her.

"To meditate is to focus while letting all other things come and go. First, let's pick something for you to focus on. You're new to this, so I suggest your breath. Got it?"

Her student's eyes sparkled again, albeit more subtly than last time, as she expressed her agreement with this suggestion;

"Such a choice may yet be effective on account of its simplicity... I've got it."

Sunset smiled over Twilight's thought process before continuing;

"Now, let's start by relaxing the body and mind. Three deep breaths should do the trick. You can breathe through the nose or the mouth. Your call."

With that, she guided her eager charge through each deep inhale and equally deep exhale, Twilight having chosen to breathe in through the nose and out with the mouth. Their breaths quickly became in sync with each other as she felt the muscles in her body ease up more and more with each breath she took, her mind becoming just a little bit quieter each time. Once the third breath was finished, she felt more ready for this session than she was a moment ago, her being feeling more at ease than usual, much to her relief. After a moment's pause, Sunset moved the lesson to the next step with a softer voice than before that gave away her helpful friend instincts that were kicking in;

"Let your breathing return to its natural rhythm."

Automatically, Twilight tried to deliberately slow her breathing down. But her friend quickly caught on to this and gently stopped her;

"Relax, Twi. The trick is not to control or change your breathing, but to let it flow naturally..."

After a short affirmative nod, she mentally backed away from keeping a handle on her breath, allowing it to settle into a pattern that her body knew from instinct alone. Sunset, glad to see her friend catching on quick, guided her further;

"Close your eyes and focus on your breath."

With her eyes gently shut, Twilight turned her attention on her target of focus as her teacher went on;

"Follow its rhythm... how it feels to inhale... and exhale."

Already, the egghead was recognizing a benefit to this session: her body was becoming more relaxed by the second and her mind's usual relentless chatter was losing its loud volume. As tempting as it was to celebrate this, she knew she had to maintain her focus. Another benefit she discovered was that Sunset's voice was quite soothing to her mind, which only strengthened her growing relaxation. Just then, a thought came up, one concerning a mystery that has concerned her as of late;

"What did the CMCs do that troubles them so deeply?"

Twilight tried to shake the thought out of her head to reclaim her focus. Sunset, thankfully, was right there to help her with gentle guidance;

"Thoughts will come up when meditating and that's okay," she softly told her with a voice as sweet as honey. This encouraged her student to let her body and brain be still again and listen closely to what was said next;

"Thinking is what the mind does all the time. So when a thought comes up, acknowledge it, let it go, and return your attention to your breath. No judgement of the thought or of yourself."

Twilight, trusting her friend, attempted to do as instructed. Acknowledging that thought of hers was a simple task, but letting it go proved to be more difficult. It was as if her mind was geared towards latching onto thoughts like it was Spike with his chew toys! Sunset saw her face become increasingly tense with frustration and sweetly gave her some much-needed advice;

"Be patient with your mind, Twilight... be patient with yourself."

The advice, delivered by the lovely auditory balm that was her friend's voice, made something click in the scientist's head within moments of her hearing it. What was she doing, letting herself get aggravated during this process? To meditate was to focus and focus, she remembered, required patience! With a deep breath to steady herself once more, she mentally stopped trying to reign in that thought of hers. Instead, she imagined herself stepping away from the thought and watching it patiently. No judgement came from her. But, as a simple impromptu experiment, she opted to avoid interacting with it altogether as well to see if this would help. It took almost a minute, but the thought faded away, allowing her to refocus on her breathing with a tiny victorious smile on her face. Sunset watched carefully as her friend became more and more relaxed over time, her smile growing to show a newfound sense of contentment within herself as she breathed naturally and in utter silence. Twilight's being had gotten closer to a zen-like stillness than ever before, and only over a couple of minutes had passed since the session started. Slowly, Sunset stood back up and began to walk away, her steps taken with the utmost care to avoid disturbing her now peaceful friend. But, before she left, she made sure to give her a considerate message in a quiet whisper;

"I'll be back, Twi. Practice for as long as you wish until then."

Twilight's contented smile grew just a little wider as Sunset walked back over to the clubhouse ramp, walked up it, and entered the building with a smile of her own.

Once Sunset returned to her seat in the clubhouse, the CMCs nodded at her in unison before Apple Bloom banged her gavel from the podium three times and announced with more seriousness on her face than usual;

"This second meetin' of the Canterlot Movie Club has come to order."

Her voice sounded just as serious, a far cry from the joy she previously exhibited. The young Apple did not waste time with pleasantries;

"Let's get down to business, ya'll. Our first item: The Great Crusade."

The large group of attendees leaned in a little closer as Sweetie Belle elaborated on her friend's words with a tiny smile on her face;

"As some of you have heard earlier, we only have two people left to check off of our list."

To say that the attendees were thrilled by this news would be quite the understatement. Their combined joy was expressed through enthusiastic cheering, whistling, and clapping. Big Mac, true to form, gave the trio a thumbs up before celebrating their success as simply as he could;

"Eeyup!"

Granny Smith shot up like a green rocket, ran up to each of the CMCs, and wrapped them up in huge hugs that only a grandmother like her could give while laughing jubilantly. The little ones, in spite of their growing nervousness, couldn't bring themselves to not smile and laugh with the others, especially not with Granny squeezing the laughter out of them! Even after the hugging stopped and everyone returned to their previous positions, some folks were still celebrating. Octavia took a more reserved approach by giving the three kids a polite nod and one of the sweetest smiles she could muster. DJ-P0N3 went for an equally simple action: she showed the girls the devil horns with her right hand. The Rainbooms were especially ecstatic, Applejack tipping her hat to the CMCs while giving Apple Bloom in particular a look of sisterly pride that was strengthened by her loving grin and hearty laugh;

"We're so proud of ya'll!" she told them happily. Rarity was no less enthusiastic about her own showing of support of the kids, who became more and more nervous by the second;

"Oh, you darlings have worked tirelessly on your self-appointed mission!" she exclaimed with dignified love in every syllable she uttered while paying special attention to Sweetie Belle before adding;

"For you to finally finish it would be a magnificent achievement!"

The club founders had started to blush profusely. They tried to look away out of sheer shyness, only for Rainbow Dash to get their attention through her boisterous mannerisms;

"But really, was there ever any doubt?" she asked with a most confident smirk on her cyan face before adding while giving Scootaloo a glare that oozed with pride;

"When those squirts set their minds on something, they'll give it their all every time!"

Pinkie Pie had to be held back from accidentally trashing the clubhouse with her wild gleeful bouncing by Fluttershy and Sunset. All three of them bore smiles of their own. The group continued to sing the kids' praises for a few more seconds before Apple Bloom had had enough. With three strong bangs of the gavel, she got the group to simmer down while declaring with nervousness filling her voice in spite of her heartfelt smile;

"Order! Order in this 'ere clubhouse!"

The noise settled down and all eyes were on the little Apple, which didn't do her nerves many favors. She glared at the audience of friends and family while looking quite bashful, with her two friends not fairing much better in comparison. She pleaded with a softer tone of voice than usual while slowly lowering her head to hide behind the podium;

"Come on ya'll, we're tryin' to be humble 'ere."

Hilariously, her big pink bow poked out as she tried in vain to hold it down with her left hand. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, by this point, had joined her at the podium by hiding behind her. The older folks in attendance gushed over how adorably humble the kids were being, with Sunset taking this moment to compliment them with a sly smirk;

"Clearly, I'm not the only troublemaker who's grown over the years."

Apple Bloom slowly rose up from her impromptu hiding place, with her two pals returning to their previous positions, albeit at a similar pace. They then rewarded Sunset for her heartfelt comment with giant smiles that radiated love and gratitude like nuclear power plants, cutting through the embarrassment shown by their red cheeks. After taking about a minute to recover, Apple Bloom reigned in the discussion;

"Yeah yeah, let's get back to business, ya'll," she declared with renewed calmness. The others nodded their heads in agreement, which prompted Sweetie Belle to move things along on her leader's behalf;

"Now, we already know that one of the two on our list is Sunset Shimmer," she said with a small grin aimed at the lady in question, who responded in kind. Scootaloo jumped in to add with an excited smile;

"Yeah, and checking her off the list is like Thanos..."

She raised her clenched right fist up to the right of her face and finished with well-acted dramatic seriousness, her facial expression twisted to match;

"Inevitable!"

Everyone present laughed for a good few seconds before Applejack asked with curiosity in her eyes;

"So then, who's the other Wondercolt?"

She held her chin with her right hand to ponder while noting aloud;

"Ah could've sworn ya' only had one person left on that there list..."

Right then and there, the CMCs' bright faces turned into deep frowns. Just the frowns alone got the audience's attention, with Pinkie Pie asking out of worry;

"What's making you so sad?"

"Not what, who..." Scootaloo answered softly, her voice laced with fear as she fixed her gaze on a deeply concerned Rainbow Dash and declared;

"And she's not a Wondercolt."

It took all of two seconds for every attendee to connect the dots, save for Sunset, Octavia, and DJ-P0N3. Rainbow's eyes shrunk to the size of pinpricks, her mouth agape for a moment before she whispered out of stunned worry;

"Scoots..."

The others' reactions were very similar, although she was the only one who expressed hers verbally. Without further ado, Scootaloo went over to the safe, opened it up, pulled the list out, and closed it tight before walking over to the part of the wall where the club logo was displayed. She then hung it on the wall with pins she pulled out from her pants pockets and moved off to left side to let everyone have a clear view of the list's contents. The three Honorary Club Members saw this earlier, but now, everyone in the clubhouse could see what the daredevil had added to it:

#27 - Gilda

Silence filled the room, the kind that made the CMCs' hearts beat faster by the second. Doubly so for an increasingly nervous Scootaloo;

"Please don't be mad! Please don't be mad! Please don't be mad!" she repeatedly mentally pleaded, her eyes locked on a wide-eyed Rainbow Dash. Her legs shook rapidly out of nervousness and terror mixed together in an emotional blender. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe in an attempt to keep the blender from going into maximum overdrive. But, before she could even begin to spiral, Scootaloo felt two hands hold onto hers. Her left hand was grabbed with firm consideration, while her right hand was held with soothing gentleness. She opened her eyes and looked at her sides to find that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had come to support their friend. The heartwarming smiles they gave her were further evidence of this. Scootaloo felt a powerful sense of ease overwhelm her terror and soothe her nerves, which allowed her to breathe deeply and look at Rainbow again, this time with a calm surety all over her demeanor. She always knew that with her friends by her side, she could take on any storm, no matter how fierce.

The daredevil's big sister-at-heart stood motionless, her red eyes glaring at Scootaloo. Everyone else kept watch on Rainbow Dash, curious as to how she was going to react. A veritable maelstrom of thoughts roared in her head. Some called for supporting the kids, while others warned of what Gilda could do to them if she caught them alone. But one thought was louder than the rest;

"What's your heart telling you?"

She closed her gaping mouth and eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke softly and with resignation;

"I should have known you'd make this choice..."

Scootaloo's worry grew sharply as she tried to keep her cool. It was a good thing she chose to not talk back at that moment, because her idol was not done yet. She opened her eyes, walked up to the trio of kids, got down on her right knee to be at her protege's level, looked at her with a smirk that oozed with pride mixed with sisterly love, and told her with a chuckle;

"After all, you have a good heart, and that's awesome."

All of those worries and fears in Scootaloo's mind were blown away, scattered to the winds by Rainbow's heartfelt words. A giant smile grew on her face, which was matched by that of her best friends. Before anyone else could speak further, Applejack chimed in while she walked over to Apple Bloom to kneel as well, her eyes locked onto her little sister and filled with understanding;

"We all know ya' youngin's will try to do right by that varmint. Even if it means runnin' the risk of gettin' hurt again."

She sighed out of worry and exasperation before adding with a smile as big as her heart;

"Ah don't like ya' goin' anywhere near her one bit. But, tryin' to stop ya' from bein' good to folks won't help ya' none."

The CMCs' were being more than simply moved by their sisters' words: they were being flown to the stars above! It was all they could do to hold themselves together long enough for Rarity to give her own two cents, which she did so with her usual brand of proper nobility after kneeling in front of an overjoyed Sweetie Belle;

"Therefore, it falls onto us, your friends and families, to watch over you, to support you as you finish the duty you have charged yourselves."

Within mere nanoseconds of Rarity finishing her comment, each CMC leaped into their big sister to hug them tightly while yelling with absolute relief and joy;

"THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

Out of the three, it was Scootaloo who was shedding happy tears. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all wrapped their little sisters into their arms and held them just as tightly. The friends and family members that were near them silently showed their support with smiles filled with love and understanding. Ray, of course, had one of the biggest smiles present. As for Winona, she ran over to the hugging Apples and barked at them with joy while trying to jump onto one of them. Recognizing this, Apple Bloom looked to her right to find the family dog was gleefully bouncing about. With a giggle, she moved her left hand to give Winona a few gentle head-pats while telling her;

"Thank ya' too, sugarcube!"

The adorable canine rewarded her by licking her hand, which produced even more giggles from the young Apple.

With the hugs delivered, Apple Bloom quickly found herself sitting on the floor while playing with Winona. Sweetie Belle was pacing left and right near the list. Scootaloo was leaning her back on a spot on the wall to the right of the list with her eyes closed. While only two of them looked the part, they were all pondering the same thing:

How to solve the Gilda Problem.

The rest of the group started discussing that exact topic. Fluttershy, amazingly, was the one who started things off;

"How are the girls going to do right by Gilda, when she's such a big meanie?" she asked with a short whimper and a look of pure worry and fear. Granny nodded her head before bringing some wisdom to the conversation;

"Yeah, that girl's more rotten than a rotten apple. Ah'll bet she'll ignore any good deed the youngin's will do for her at best."

"Eeyup," was Big Mac's affirmative response. With an annoyed groan, Rainbow Dash exclaimed;

"Darn that jerk! Why won't she move on from what happened?! I mean, it's been years since-"

"Stop yourself, RD!" yelled out Applejack, who looked at her cyan friend with concern lacing her voice and face. It took all of a second for Rainbow to realize what she had almost done. With an apologetic glare, she looked at the three kids to check on them. Apple Bloom was still playing her dog, Sweetie Belle was still pacing, and Scootaloo was still leaning, her eyes shut tight. Relieved that a potential crisis was averted, she turned her attention over to Applejack and told her truthfully with a sheepish grin;

"Sorry, AJ. It's just..."

Her grin vanished to make way for a frustration that was older than the Rainbooms band itself. Applejack noticed this and soothed her friend's mind with a gentle right hand placed on her left shoulder. She even added a friendly smirk to seal the deal. Since it was clear to the athlete that she avoided the wrath of the farmer, she nodded at her before Octavia contributed to the talk;

"Normally, it wouldn't matter if the recipient of a good deed appreciates the deed performed or not, but..." she began before stopping to think on her next words. After deciding on what to say, she told each club member, who she knew were listening intently to the conversation;

"The end goal of the Great Crusade is to heal the damage left within those who are on your list. I sincerely doubt that Gilda will be receptive to any healing methods you implement at the moment."

A fair, if uncomfortable point, much to everyone's dismay. Silence crept into the clubhouse as the group contemplated what they could do to resolve the issue at hand. Their nerdy friend, who was meditating outside, was just as quiet.

Twilight found yet another benefit to practicing meditation after five minutes of the session: the ease it provided to reflecting on past actions and events. The process, she found through experimentation, was remarkably simple. Firstly, she mentally called upon a memory of an action she took or an event she at least witnessed. Secondly, she watched the memory play out in her head from start to finish. Thirdly, she asked herself a question concerning that memory. Finally, she allowed any answers to pop up. All of this was done without judgement or force on her part. While the process was indeed simple, performing it was challenging for her at first. Even when using the most simplistic of memories, she found the very act of not analyzing every minute detail of that memory to be uniquely difficult. Regardless of this, she followed Sunset's advice to the letter;

"Be patient with my mind... be patient with myself..." was the mantra she uttered in a gentle whisper whenever she was faced with difficulties during the session. This has proven to be quite effective at keeping her grounded in a state of calm focus. Now, as she sat in the clearing where the clubhouse stood a ways behind her, she was starting to reap the benefits of being able to look back on moments in her life from a peaceful and contemplative angle. Her mind, once an almost endless stream of mental chatter, was quieter than it had ever been before. Spike, who remained on her lap throughout her session, looked up at her content face and thought with a loving grin;

"Wow... I've never seen Twi look so... at peace!"

If the camouflaged figure who sat on their tree could hear Spike's thoughts, they would agree with that notion. They couldn't help but make their own mental comment on the lovely sight;

"That's it, Twilight. Let yourself be as you are."

They decided to let themself enjoy the sight of the bookworm allowing stillness to reign within her mind, unaware of the distraction to come. Yet another benefit that came with meditating, Twilight found, was that with a quiet mind, came a stronger sense of hearing. She chocked this up to her mind not being loud enough to distract her from her senses. Even though she could hear the wind blowing in the air and the birds chirping from the trees surrounding the clearing, these sounds did nothing to disturb the peace that she happily got to know. That peace, however, would suddenly be shattered by an unexpected source. A loud masculine voice called out from forest's edge while sounding terribly concerned. Instantly, Twilight opened her eyes to visually investigate this. Annoyance could not reach her worried heart, for she saw who was calling out and promptly got up to rush over to them, with Spike bringing up the rear.

The voice that drew Twilight's attention was too far away from the clubhouse, so the group inside had not heard it when they were talking some more. Rainbow decided to suggest;

"Gilda was always a prankster. That might be something we can work with."

Pinkie's hair bounced while her face lit up upon hearing this detail. But before she could react verbally, everyone in the room got startled by the Twilight's frightened voice as it cried out from the walkie-talkie can;

"Student health emergency! Student health emergency!"

The CMCs stopped what they were doing and made a mad dash over to the can, with Scootaloo being the first to reach it. Sunset quickly ran over to the list and grabbed it from the wall. Taking advantage of having the privilege of knowing the safe's combination, she opened it, stuffed the list inside, and slammed it shut before turning her attention to the clubhouse door. Everyone else followed suit as Apple Bloom told Twilight via her can;

"Say no more, get your keister inside!"

The door flew open within seconds, prompting the trio to see what was going on. What they saw made the whole group gasp in shock. Standing at the doorway was Flash Sentry, who looked back at them with seriousness and worry all over his young face. Twilight stood with him, but standing between them while holding on to their arms for dear life was a bruised and crying;

"TWIST!" yelled out the CMCs, their shock and sadness over seeing their friend hurt abundantly apparent as they scrambled to give her a hug.

Author's Note

So, the Rainbooms and the CMCs got plans in mind and work to do!

But then, who is spying on the club meetings? What happened to Flash and Twist?

Chapter 11 - A Club Provoked. A Friend Down River.

The CMCs were consoling Twist while Big Mac darted out of the clubhouse to get a first aid kid from the house. They, along with a terribly concerned Twilight and Flash, carefully escorted the teary-eyed redhead to Octavia's seat, which she gladly gave to her. The pair were right there with her, ready to help at a moment's notice, when Twist sat down while sniffing profusely. She looked distraught and hurt all at once, the bruises on her body adding to the miserable effect. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle got down on one knee from each side of her chair and held her hands with a kind of gentleness that helped to soothe the troubled creator of confections. As for Scootaloo, she did for Twist what Rainbow Dash used to do for her years ago. She walked up to her friend and, with a big smile, slowly placed her right hand on her left shoulder while mentally readying herself to back off should Twist pull away. The tearful girl looked right at her orange friend, her breathing becoming less erratic than before. Once it was clear that she did not object to what she was doing, Scootaloo carefully tested the waters further by placing her left hand on her right shoulder. Twist started to relax a little, which gave the caring young lady the signal to proceed by looking her dead in the eyes. The two kept their eyes locked on one another as Scootaloo carefully lowered her head to rest her forehead on Twist's, an act that the girl who sorely needed some comfort gratefully allowed. Rainbow Dash saw what was happening and, knowing precisely what was up, gave her little buddy a proud smirk. Twist's breathing became steadier by the second, but the girl before her was not done. Scootaloo, with a softness that was rarely used in public, told to Twist, her smile still on point;

"The trouble has passed, little buddy."

The sweetness in her voice was like a balm to Twist's heart and mind, both of which were also helped by the trust between the two kids. The tightness in her muscles that she had carried with her all the way to the clubhouse had finally started to ease up as the go-getter before her went on with closed eyes and a softer tone;

"Let it be the past."

Through sheer instinct, the redhead's breathing began to synchronize with hers, a sense of calm forming within her being as she too shut her eyes. Scootaloo recognized this and gave her several seconds of quiet before finishing with pure goodwill in every whispered word;

"You are safe... You are safe..."

Everyone else watched this play out, relief setting in as a tiny smile as sweet as candy formed on Twist's tear-stained face. The two friends breathed as one in utter silence for a good ten seconds before breaking up and opening their eyes. They looked at each other with eyes filled with friendship before Twist showed her helper some honest gratitude;

"Thank you."

The daredevil responded by bumping her chest with her right fist. Twist looked around the room and shared her gratitude with the others;

"Thank you all," she said happily, her tiny smile growing little by little. The people around her showed her looks of love and goodwill, with Pinkie doing standing hops in celebration while looking quite gleeful to match. Granny Smith made sure to walk up to Twist and ruffle her hair with her right hand, which made her giggle. Scootaloo stepped back a bit to give the two space while watching the scene unfold with joy in her heart. She watched as the oldest Apple told Twist with the sweetness of a grandmother;

"Don't ya' worry none, sugarcube. Ya' got good folks 'ere that'll help ya' out."

Her mood had quickly improved upon hearing this, as evidenced by her now large grin and eyes made bright by hope. She gave Granny Smith a warm hug, which she reciprocated before taking a few steps back, allowing Sunset to make her way over to the bespectacled girl. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, upon seeing this, instantly moved to join Scootaloo. All three movie buffs could not bare the thought of interrupting what was one of their favorite things to see:

Sunset being Sunset.

She got down on her right knee directly in front of Twist. They looked at each other with smiles all around as the former carefully took the latter's hands into hers. It was as if Sunset was silently guiding her mind to a peaceful state with nothing more than gentleness, goodwill, and eye contact. The redhead's face winced a little as her injuries were slightly inflamed for a moment by the physical movement of her arms, only to relax once the pain settled back down. Upon closer inspection, it was clear to Sunset that most of her bruises were on her arms, with only one large bruise on her right cheek. It was amazing that her glasses were left unharmed, given what little she knew at the time. Before any inquiries on the matter could be made, however, the clubhouse door was kicked open by the right boot of Big Mac, who came rushing in while carrying a white first-aid kit with a red cross on the center of the lid. Sensing this, Sunset thought it best to move off to the side to make room for the Apple of few words, so that he could tend to Twist. While this was going on, she walked over to Flash, who was watching all of this unfold while leaning on the wall where the list used to be, and asked him with concern oozing from her face and voice;

"What happened to her, Flash?"

With an exasperated sigh, he told her as seriously and calmly as he could;

"Gilda happened."

Just like that, the whole room turned tenser than a rubber band stretched to the limit. Winona and Spike growled upon hearing the bully's name, while Ray expressed an extremely rare frown. Almost hearing the alarm bells in her head ring like crazy, Sunset quickly turned her entire body to face the CMCs, who were standing in a row together some steps away from Twist. They practically spun their bodies to face the Equestrian. Right then and there, she saw something on the kids' faces that she did not expect from them. Their eyelids were wide open, their pupils shrunken to the size of pinpricks while their irises remained at their normal sizes, and their mouths arched to form frowns as clear as day. They breathed slowly while clenching their fists, as if readying themselves for a fight. For a whole two seconds, the CMCs' faces kept up this appearance that stunned their Phoenix Friend until their expressions changed to show calm worry, their pupils back to their original size and their hands relaxed once more. Throughout this short time-span, they were staring off at no one in particular. Now, their attention was fixed on Sunset and Flash. The former was quick to notice that since the Rainbooms and the other guests were behind the kids, they did not see what had happened with them. Flash asked Twist before his amber friend could say anything in response to what she had just witnessed;

"You're okay with me telling the story?"

Even though the girl's damaged arms were being cared for by Big Mac, she could still look over at the guy who brought her to the clubhouse and nodded to give him her blessing. Without further ado, and with all eyes on him, he told the tale;

"I was jogging down the street earlier today when I had gotten a notification on my phone. It was a Bedlam DM from Octavia that said..."

He pulled his smartphone out from his right pants pocket with his right hand, raised the screen up to his face, and with swift swipes and presses with his thumb, he brought up the DM in question. He then read it aloud to his audience;

"This is a CHS Student Emergency. Gilda's back and she seeks to hurt others once again. Let no Wondercolt or those close to them walk alone so long as she's acting as a bully. That is all."

Twist gave Octavia a smile full of appreciation that the others were quick to match. She smiled back at them before motioning to Flash to continue. With a breath, he did so;

"As soon as I read the message, I looked around where I was at for any student who needed a buddy. I found myself getting closer to what I knew was a dead end road when I heard Gilda yell out; 'You're friends with those cowards?!' I ran as fast as I could and there she was, yelling at Twist while punching her arms at the dead end!"

"How utterly brutish of her!" exclaimed a mortified Rarity. Flash nodded before the frown he was rocking up till now turned into a grin. He then added to his tale;

"Yeah, but Twist was talking back at her, telling her 'They earned my friendship, you jerk!', even as she was getting beat up by her! I stomped over to the two, looking to stop Gilda before she could do any lasting harm. She managed to get a punch in on Twist's face while yelling at her 'All they've earned is a beating!' before I shoved the punk away."

He crossed his arms and allowed frustration to form on his face before finishing;

"She decided to run off instead of causing more trouble. Sweet Apple Acres was closest to us, so I got my pal here in a flash."

When that dork used his name as a pun in such a serious fashion, everyone else in the room knew that he was not in a joking mood. The CMCs turned right around in unison and walked up to Twist as Big Mac moved aside after he finished tending to her wounds. Apple Bloom declared to her with a soothing grateful voice that held a heaping helping of friendliness;

"We appreciate ya' standin' up for us."

She looked at each of her fellow club members and asked them with a big smile;

"Don't we, ya'll?"

The trio gave Twist beaming smiles as Sweetie Belle answered happily and with a voice crack;

"Yes we do! You were so brave!"

"And awesome too!" exclaimed Scootaloo.

Twist's smile had grown well beyond the level of tiny by this point. With surety in her eyes and signature lisp, she told them;

"Friends stand up for each other. You'd do the same for me."

She got a movie club hug for that comment, which the trio gave to her while being careful to not inflame her bruises. She relaxed into the comfort the hug provided, letting it wash over her like a wave of good vibes as a peaceful sigh escaped her lips. Everyone else watched this adorable scene unfold, unwilling to interrupt it for the life of them. Just the sight of it eased the tension in the room, with Winona's happy barks and Ray's renewed smile kicking it to the curb. Once the hug was released, Sunset asked Twist calmly;

"Would you like to tell us your side of the story?"

The candy lover felt all eyes fall on her, which hardly dampened her newly risen spirits. Her smile still holding strong, she suggested to her bacon-haired friend;

"I'll do you one better..."

She then raised her bruised right arm to hold it straight at Sunset. Her palm was aimed at the ceiling with her fingers uncurled and relaxed. The beloved Wondercolt knew exactly what Twist was silently suggesting and so did the others, who looked at her with wide eyes. With a gentle grin and a nod, Sunset walked up to her and got down on her right knee to be at the kid's level. Sunset made her intention clear in her mind before gently grabbing Twist's right hand with hers. After taking a deep breath, she willed her geode magic to activate, causing her eyes to be utterly filled with a bright white light: the tell-tale sign that her memory magic was at work.

Twist was walking down the street when the seeing the dead end road to her left fueled her curiosity. She had traveled this street so many times before and yet, she had not once ventured towards this dead end. So, she decided to see what was present there real quick before returning to her usual walk home. Once she walked passed an alleyway on the left side of the road, however, a certain feminine voice called to her from the shadows that place created;

"Sup?"

Twist turned to her left to see who was getting her attention. She may not have instantly recognized the voice, but she could never forget the face of its owner, who stepped out of the shadows.

"Gilda..." she responded with a mixture of awe and fear in her voice. The kid remembered well what that Griffon could do when provoked. The Griffon herself was glaring at her with a confident smirk on her face. Her eyes, much to Twist's surprise, did not so much as hint at ill intent. Even so, the redhead kept some distance from the bully, who told her with a chuckle;

"I was exploring my old stomping grounds when I caught you here."

With a shrug, she added while Twist took one step back;

"Figured I'd see how you're doing. After all..."

Gilda took one step forward, her smirk morphing into a frown as she declared;

"The thing that drove me to leave Canterlot City had hurt you too."

She spoke with a voice that was surprisingly filled with understanding and... concern? Twist wasn't sure on that last one. Still, she saw a chance to get away from a dangerous person peacefully and promptly took it by telling her nervously;

"Well, I'm glad you understand that much, but I need to get home before my parents get worried for me."

Twist was quite happy to not be insulted over her lisp that day! To her intense relief, Gilda nodded before responding;

"Yeah yeah, can't have the folks get bees up their butts, I get it."

Seizing the opportunity, Twist turned to walk back the way she came. She had managed to take two steps before the bully declared with a combination of venom and pride that made her shiver internally;

"I'll make sure to shove a candy cane down those brats' throats for the both of us."

All thoughts of going home were instantly tossed aside by Twist's mind to make way for a single, all-encompassing thought. It was this thought that drove her to turn right around, stomp over to Gilda, and look her dead in her eyes. With gritted teeth, she told her as calmly as she could while giving her a truly angry glare;

"Don't you dare hurt them over what they did."

The Griffon was taken aback by her words for a moment or two before she recollected herself. With a scowl of her own, she asked her out of annoyance;

"Really? You're going to defend them? The girls who hurt you?"

All pretense of politeness was clearly dropped by Gilda, while Twist kept her sense of friendship alive within her, even as her rising terror sought to override it. Her legs were shaking, trembling even, but her feet were kept still thanks to that single thought that guided her actions:

Do the right thing.

So, with fire in her eyes, she did exactly that;

"Yes!" she exclaimed to the bully, her fists clenched for good measure. She managed to raise her arms up quickly enough to protect her face, but not before she took one good smack to her right cheek from Gilda's left fist. Sunset did not want, or need, to see any more of this to understand her friend's plight. The last thing she saw before pulling out from Twist's memory was the Griffon's eyes, which were filled with furious contempt from her angled eyebrows to her shrunken pupils and irises.

From the moment the memory magic stopped, Sunset wrapped Twist tightly in her arms, as if she was shielding her from some unseen threat, while complementing her with soft sweetness;

"Oh, you brave girl!"

She made sure to not accidentally make her wounds sting as she hugged her. Twist, with a grateful giggle, gladly hugged her back while feeling quite protected. For a solid thirty minutes to an hour, Twist found herself having fun with everyone else in the clubhouse:

Enjoying sugary sweets with Pinkie Pie.

Doing the robot sans music with DJ-P0N3 and Twilight.

Playing with Spike, Ray, and Winona.

Making jokes with Sunset, Flash Sentry, and Rainbow Dash.

Having a drink of fizzy apple cider with Applejack and Big Mac.

Playing with cute birds alongside Fluttershy.

Chatting it up with Rarity, Granny Smith, and Octavia over a cup of tea.

By the time she was talking movies with the CMCs after giving Ray a head pat, she had almost forgotten about her scuffle with Gilda. Now, she was standing with the movie buffs several steps away from the podium;

"Ah've been meanin' to give the fourth Pirates film a shot for a long time now," noted Apple Bloom, her excitement at the thought of watching a film from a movie series she loved evident on her beaming face. With a slight chuckle, she added sheepishly;

"Ah just haven't gotten around to watchin' it yet."

Sweetie Belle chimed in while holding her chin with her right hand to ponder;

"Hmmm, I think its name is On Stranger Tides."

Scootaloo, with an excited hop, added with glee;

"You know I'm always up for watching a Pirates film. They're so cool and fun!"

As enjoyable as it was for Twist to listen to her three friends geek out over films, she figured it best to address the elephant in the room. With a bit of nervousness, she told them;

"Actually... I've never seen the Pirates films before."

The CMCs froze in silence for a moment before sharply turning their heads to face her with eyes wide with shock. With a unified deep breath, they yelled out together;

"WHAT?!"

Twist was clearly taken aback by her friends' shared reaction. Startled, but not at all angered. Before the girls could pounce on her, however, Apple Bloom, who stood between her two pals, held her arms out from her sides with her eyes closed to hold them back. Catching the hint, they calmed themselves right down, with their leader following suit with another deep breath before opening her eyes again. Once they were settled, the young Apple addressed the revelation with a look of pure sweetness and excitement fired directly at Twist;

"Sugarcube, we're gonna solve that problem together one of these days, ya' hear?"

The rest of the trio had big smiles of their own, which conspired with Apple Bloom's to chase away Twist's nervousness. After giving them a quick nod, she turned her attention to Flash, who stood behind her alongside the others, and told him;

"I'll need to head home soon."

Flash gave her a thumbs up while noting to the group;

"Before we got here, I called her parents to let them know I was watching her, so they know she's safe"

He then gave Twist a quick smirk before admitting;

"Still, it would be good to take you home."

With that settled, the young girl said her goodbyes to everyone and, after getting one last carefully applied group hug from the CMCs, she left the clubhouse with Flash Sentry in tow. The last thing she saw before closing the door behind her was the beaming grins shown by Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle as they stood at the doorway.

It took five seconds from the moment the door was shut for those smiles to slowly fade, giving way to looks of shared anger, their clenched fists twitching rapidly. Scootaloo began to express that powerful emotion on her club's behalf with a soft frustrated voice;

"Gilda..."

Just hearing her speak was enough to get the attention of the other folks behind the trio. They watched as the orange daredevil who could never forget a bully's sting exclaimed angrily;

"A person should know better!"

She punctuated her point by slamming the side of her right fist on the door with a loud bang that made everyone else wince a bit at the sudden noise. By this time, Twilight had found herself standing alongside Sunset a few steps behind the kids, specifically at her right side. Terribly concerned, she kept her eyes locked on Scootaloo, who stood as still as a statue while taking audible deep breaths to soothe her anger. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were already trying to calm her down with gentle pats on her shoulders. Twilight was about ready to step in herself when a sigh from Sunset got her attention. The two friends looked at each other before the Equestrian declared to the egghead with calm worry on her face;

"This is just a taste of the pain that Gilda can cause."

With another, more resigned sigh, she added with a hint of somberness;

"Especially when emboldened by her hatred."

As she spoke, Rainbow Dash decided to take action for the kids' sake. Sunset looked right at the young woman in question as she walked over to Scootaloo and hugged her from behind after getting down on both knees. Applejack and Rarity joined her to hold their own sisters close as well. Needless to say, the CMCs appreciated this gesture. Whilst they sank into the warm embrace of her kin, Apple Bloom declared with sadness in every word;

"We gotta stop that mean ol' bird. Ah mean, Gilda's got every right to be angry with us... But, that don't excuse what she's been doin'!"

She wiggled out of the hug and turned to face Applejack, her big watery eyes about ready to shed tears as she exclaimed;

"Two wrongs don't make a right, ya'll!"

"I agree!" declared a clearly unhappy Sweetie Belle, who got out of Rarity's hug as well to look her in the eyes before adding with voice cracks filled with indignation;

"Hurting us is one thing, but to hurt our friends as well, and over what?! What we did to the school?! That's not fair!"

Scootaloo, after wiggling out of Rainbow Dash's tight grip, turned to face her sister-at-heart, and yelled out to her with righteous frustration all over the kid's face;

"Don't even get me started on what Gilda did to you, Rainbow!"

The anger on her face melted into warm appreciation and love for the cyan teenager who knelt before her. With a smile that was just as loving, Scootaloo told her simply;

"You're a loyal and awesome friend..."

Those heartfelt words produced a smile on Rainbow's face, which got wiped away by the return of her ward's anger as she finished with a yell;

"That jerk isn't!"

The older folks watched with supportive glares as the CMCs expressed their discontent over Gilda's actions. They all knew well their refusal to let injustice slide. Sunset, however, felt compelled to do more than just watch. The kids' anger was understandable to her, yes. But, though it came from a place of goodwill, the former bad girl dreaded what that feeling could lead them to do without guidance.

She was not one to let history repeat itself if she could help it.

Sunset walked over to Rainbow Dash's back and gently placed her right hand on her right shoulder. This prompted her to turn her head to look at her, curiosity filling her red eyes. Calmly, the amber-skinned girl offered to the trio of big sisters;

"May I speak with the kids for a moment, girls?"

Rarity and Applejack looked at her as well. After a whole second, all three sisters nodded in agreement before standing back up to walk out of their friend's way, allowing her to get down on both knees to face the CMCs at as close to their level as possible. With her sideways smirk brought out to ease the tension, she suggested confidently;

"Movie Club Huddle."

The three club members had been giving their beloved friend curious glares, their anger having retreated deep within their minds in the face of Sunset's close proximity to them. Once the huddle was declared, curiosity gave way to budding excitement as the trio held each other's shoulders as well as Sunset's, while she held onto Sweetie Belle's and Apple Bloom's. They all got closer together to complete the huddle, prompting the Honorary Club Member to give her three young pals some advice with a voice just loud enough for the people behind her to hear;

"Right now, you can't control what that foal in a mare's body does."

The kids had let a short giggle slip upon hearing that insult as she went on;

"But, what you can control is what you do about it, how you choose to handle her."

She gave them a knowing wink before adding with goodwill and seriousness mixed together in harmony;

"Make sure you choose wisely."

The CMCs reacted with sheepish grins while she declared with a level of sweetness comparable to that of a loving relative;

"And never forget to think with your heads..."

The kids finished her sentence for her with knowing smiles and warmth in their unified voices;

"And our hearts."

The huddle quickly transformed into a group hug as Applejack belted out a hearty laugh before declaring with pride;

"Well said, ya'll!"

Rarity and Rainbow Dash were no less happy for those four girls, with the latter giving them a thumbs up and a smirk oozing with confidence. The former, by contrast, expressed her joy with more dignity and grace as she spoke happily while giving each CMC a look of honest love as they and Sunset broke out of the hug;

"I am quite thrilled to see how much you three have grown."

Twilight, at that point, had walked over the CMCs and told them with understanding and support in her eyes and voice;

"I, too, know how much it hurts to be bullied, how it feels to want a bully to stop hurting people."

A smile grew upon her face before she finished;

"I'll do what I can to help stop Gilda, so long as we're using morally sound means to do so."

Big Mac responded to that comment with a gentle and strong;

"Eeyup!"

Granny Smith, after busting out one of her well known laughs, asked the kids a question;

"All right, youngin's, how do ya' wanna stand up to that varmint?"

That got her a giggle from Apple Bloom, who went on to declare confidently;

"Well, Ah know we ain't gonna sink down to her level-"

She stopped herself near the end of her sentence when an idea popped into her head. An idea that caused her eyes to sparkle with excitement and joy, her feet stomping in place out of sheer giddiness while she giggled profusely. Her two best friends in the whole world caught this, with Scootaloo exclaiming with gusto;

"Something's got AB fired up!"

Sweetie Belle chimed in excitedly, her voice cracking adorably;

"What's the plan, Apple Bloom?"

The young Apple took a couple of quick breaths to steady herself enough to respond;

"It ain't no plan yet. It's just an idea that needs fleshin' out," she clarified to them. She then turned her attention to Applejack and told her with that sweet Apple honesty filling her voice;

"The three of us can get the details on this 'ere idea of mine ironed out. After that, we can pass it along to all of ya'll for inspection tomorrow when our afternoon chores are done. We won't go puttin' this to work without your approval!"

She gave the other grown-ups a loving glare before aiming it at her two friends. She then asked them;

"How's that sound to ya'?"

"It sounds awesome!" Scootaloo declared happily. Sweetie Belle nodded her head in agreement, her cautious mind grateful that they weren't going to jump headfirst into trouble without a plan.

This time, at least.

"Indeed!" added Octavia, her face beaming with pride for the kids as she walked up to them. After Sunset stepped off to the side to make room for her, the string player stopped to stand a step or two away from the CMCs. She then told them with certainty;

"No doubt, you seek to help end that scoundrel's violent wrath in your own..."

Octavia chuckled as memories that were both fond and wild came to mind before she continued;

"Unique fashion."

"Would ya' expect anythin' less from us, Tavi?" asked Apple Bloom confidently while placing her hands on her sides to make herself look sassy, although all she did was increase her adorableness by a factor of ten. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were quick to give their dignified friend knowing smirks, to which she responded with a reserved chuckle. Granny Smith, who was listening closely to the entire conversation, made sure to warn the kids with a calm yet stern voice that served to strengthen her narrow glare;

"Now, barin' emergencies, ya'll better not do a thing about Gilda without our say-so, ya' hear? That girl is a danger to others, after all."

The CMCs nodded at the old Apple and told her in honest unison;

"Yes ma'am!"

Her narrow glare melted with relief as she nodded back at them. Apple Bloom started leading her fellow club members back to the podium when Twilight spoke up once more, albeit more nervously;

"I should tell you now before we proceed, kids..."

The trio stopped to look right at her. The egghead was holding her right left arm with her right hand out of nerves and worry as she explained;

"I was informed of your Great Crusade by Pinkie Pie earlier."

The CMCs sharply turned their heads to give an apologetic Pinkie a look of surprise before Twilight, who had sensed danger, got their attention;

"She-she didn't give the details, mind you!" she exclaimed with a slight stutter before taking a quick breath as the kids looked back at her. Once she was settled, she elaborated further;

"She only gave me the general gist of it. I do not know the story behind your terrible mistake."

The kids walked over to Pinkie Pie while carefully navigating passed multiple people and stood a few inches away from her. For two seconds, they looked at the party planner with a neutral stoic expression that drove her to express a growing sadness on her face, her hair nearly completely deflated. After that, their faces formed giant smiles that swept Pinkie's sadness away within an instant, her hair regaining its vibrant poofiness. Apple Bloom spoke on her club's behalf;

"Thanks for respectin' our Pinkie Promise, sugarcube!" she told the party planner with happiness and love in every word she uttered. The whole trio got pounced upon by an overjoyed Pinkie, who wrapped them up in a big hug that they were fine with relaxing into. Of course, they could only enjoy it for about two seconds before she released them and started hopping around them. As she committed each action, she exclaimed in rapid-fire glee;

"I'm so glad I didn't make you sad or angry! I would never disrespect a Pinkie Promise, because disrespecting a Pinkie Promise is just as bad as breaking one and I refuse to hurt anyone in such a horrible way!"

The CMCs watched their peppy pink friend bounce about, content with enjoying the sight for a spell. It wasn't long, however, before Sunset moved over to Pinkie and gently grabbed both of her hands to non-verbally signal to her that she needed to calm down. Thankfully, she recognized the sign and did exactly that, her bubbly smile holding strong. Whilst Sunset proceeded to engage in some small talk with Pinkie, Apple Bloom decided to ask Twilight with a calm serious look;

"Speakin' of Pinkie Promises, ya'll made any progress with keepin' yours?"

That question got every Rainboom's attention within a second of it being uttered. All seven pairs of eyes were locked on Apple Bloom, with Granny Smith, Big Mac, Octavia, and DJ-P0N3 aiming their glares at Twilight. Both girls couldn't tell which one of them felt more nervous, honestly. Thankfully, Rarity was quick to ease things up for them by answering graciously while giving the young Apple a loving smile;

"Each of us has made great strides in that regard. However..."

Her smile turned into a frown as she finished with a dramatic sigh;

"A mental roadblock stands between us and taking the next step on our road to self-healing."

The CMCs felt worry rise within their hearts. Sweetie Belle was the first to express it;

"What would stop you from inside of your minds?" she asked while giving her big sister a most concerned glare. Within a nano-second, the three children figured out the answer and promptly gasped in shock over it. Scootaloo spoke with a shaky voice, afraid for the seven teenagers who looked back at her and her friends with an old sadness in their eyes;

"You're talking about..."

"Midnight Sparkle and..." Sweetie Belle added with just as much fear in her voice as Scootaloo's. Matching them both was Apple Bloom, who along with her two friends, finished their shared thought;

"The she-demon!"

They made sure to give each and every Rainboom present a hug that helped to chase away their sadness, with extra tight ones given to Sunset and Twilight. Once the hugs were delivered, Rainbow Dash declared to the trio with renewed confidence radiating from her smirk;

"Don't you worry, squirts, we're too awesome to give up!"

Fluttershy, with a voice as soft as a fluffy pillow, elaborated on her childhood friend's point with her usual level of shyness, albeit mixed with a hint of building excitement;

"Yes, well, we're going to visit a fellow student after this meeting, to, um, see if she can help us."

The CMCs's shared fear got kicked into space as Scootaloo pumped her right fist with refreshed exuberance and responded happily;

"Awww yeah! Wondercolt reinforcements!"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were positively beaming over this news. Octavia, out of curiosity, politely asked the band;

"Who are you visiting, exactly?"

Her beloved DJ tilted her head to her right side to silently express her own curiosity. Feeling everyone else's eyes fall upon her, Fluttershy's nerves shot through the roof. Before she could retreat into herself, however, Twilight stepped in to answer on her behalf, albeit while feeling quite nervous herself;

"We are visiting a person who, apparently, has helped Sunset in the past: An ecological enthusiast by the name of Tree Hugger."

Sunset let a knowing smirk grow on her face as she watched the CMCs's smiles erupt in size upon hearing that name. Apple Bloom did a quick bounce before exclaiming with hope in her words while gazing at each Rainboom;

"Ya'll made a mighty smart choice, Ah tells ya'!"

"Yeah, Tree Hugger's a really sweet lady!" noted Sweetie Belle with a joyful nod. Scootaloo chimed in with gusto, sparkles gleaming in her eyes;

"She'll totally help you girls out!"

Somehow, Rainbow Dash's smirk grew larger as she noted with a chuckle;

"I'm still wondering about how she'll help us, but now I'm even more interested!"

Sunset, seeing an opportunity, suggested to Octavia and DJ-P0N3;

"You two want to come along? There's some space available."

The musical couple looked at each other for a second, nodded at each other, and looked back at Sunset. Octavia, knowing exactly what was happening, moved her head to gaze at the CMCs. They were, as she expected, giving her and the DJ a trifecta of adorable pleading expressions, complete with raised upper lips and big puppy dog eyes. Satisfied and proud of her young friends, she returned her attention to Sunset and answered on the couple's behalf;

"Dearest P0N3 and I have a quiet day today, so we would be delighted to attend."

Just before the kids could cheer in celebration, Applejack stepped into make a suggestion of her own to the Equestrian;

"Well, since the youngin's have been mighty good as of late, Ah see no harm in rewardin' them by havin' them come along with us too."

She then looked over at the increasingly overjoyed CMCs and added with a wink filled with mirth;

"So long as they help us take that canoe of mine out for a spin."

The incredible amount of happiness within the bodies of the Canterlot Movie Club could not be contained any longer. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle belted out a loud and proud;

"YAY!"

Without skipping a beat, they hugged everyone in the room and busted through the clubhouse door to leave like three colored bullet trails, but not before the club leader hurriedly declared aloud;

"Meetin' adjourned!"

The smiles on everyone else's faces filled the room with happiness as one by one, they all left the clubhouse. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were the first ones to leave, determined to catch up to their younger sisters. Sunset was the last to step through the door. The moment she did, however, she saw, in her mind's eye, the memories of the CMCs giving off that unexpected look in their eyes and the fury in Gilda's eyes as she attacked Twist. Such mental images did not stop her from closing the door behind her, but as she walked down the ramp, she found that they reminded her of an old painful memory. One that drove her to shake her head in an attempt to bring herself back into the present moment. This prompted that dreadful inner voice to sing with no small amount of venom;

I'm just like you and you're just like me, yeah!

Sunset Shimmer chose to ignore that twisted voice's vile attempt at desecrating her friends' song as she kept her pace with the others.

Later that afternoon, at a river near the Everfree Forest

Three rowboats and a canoe were resting in a line on the shore of the river. The rowboats could house four people each, while the canoe could only hold up to two. On one side of the river stood the Rainbooms, the CMCs, DJ-P0N3, and Octavia Melody. The thick line of trees of the Everfree Forest stood on the other side. The cello player looked, and felt, more than a little perplexed by what they were about to do. Her significant other was not too far off in that regard, although her large tinted sunglasses hid most of her confusion. Octavia gazed at the boats before her and expressed a polite comment;

"I, quite frankly, did not expect to be partaking in a boat ride to reach our destination."

She looked over at a smiling Sunset, who stood to her right while looking back at her, and elaborated;

"I have no complaints, mind you, I simply wish to know why we are doing this."

The spirited guitar player let her smile grow a little before she answered calmly;

"Tree Hugger wants to meet us at this spot down the river that she uses to heal up and strengthen her 'spiritual self' as she puts it. That, and..."

She motioned to the beached boats with both hands and finished;

"A boat ride sounds fun right about now!"

Satisfied with that answer, Octavia noted with a nod and a smile;

"Well, I don't know anything about a 'spiritual self', but I see no harm in relaxing on a boat."

Sunset, with a smile, motioned to the group with one tilt of her head towards the boats. Without hesitation, they carefully pushed the boats into the water, got on board, and began their journey. The lead rowboat contained Sunset, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. The rowboat behind it held Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Fluttershy, and DJ-P0N3. The third rowboat contained Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. The canoe brought up the rear while holding Octavia and Apple Bloom. The cello player sat closest to the bow, while the youngest Apple in her bushel sat near the stern. The fleet of water vessels gently traversed the river, its flow giving them a bit more speed as the girls who held the paddles kept their movements under control. As the two canoeing friends kept pace with the others, Octavia could not help but look over at Sunset's boat while noting aloud;

"I had no clue that Sunset had history with Tree Hugger."

With a hearty chuckle, Apple Bloom responded with a smile;

"Yeah, that girl keeps things close to the chest."

Her smile was quickly replaced with a frown that spoke of an old hurt as her dignified companion looked back at her;

"She gets how important doin' that can be."

Octavia gave the unhappy Apple a sympathetic grin that raised her mood rather quickly. Feeling a bit chipper, Apple Bloom declared;

"Even today, mystery surrounds Sunset Shimmer like a cloud of bees swarmin' a hive."

She chuckled before smiling nostalgically;

"That reminds me of this one mystery Ah like."

Even as they talked, the pair kept their rowing steady and careful to make sure their canoe stayed aligned with the rest of the boats. With a raised right eyebrow, Octavia asked;

"Oh, perhaps you could elaborate?"

Her smile back with a vengeance, the Apple began to tell the tale, her pink bow seemingly bouncing with excitement;

"A couple of days after the Battle of the Bands, Ah'd say a day after Sunset paid the movie club a visit, the CHS Wondercolts made it their business to apologize to her for bein' so mean to her durin' that dern contest."

The typically reserved musician allowed the lingering sting of guilt to show on her face as she uttered softly;

"Yes... we all did."

It was Apple Bloom's turn to give her friend a sympathetic grin, one that Octavia deeply appreciated. She then went on with her story;

"Darn tootin'. She earned a few friendships that day. But dealin' with one apology after another had opened up wounds in her heart, the ones left behind by the Fall Formal Incident."

Both girls felt genuine sympathy for their shared friend as the movie buff sighed before adding;

"So the poor girl was feelin' plum miserable by the time she met with her band-mates later that day. Durin' their talk, she asked that she be given the next day to rest up. Ya' know, recharge and think on her next moves. Bein' good friends, the Rainbooms granted her request."

Noticing a pause in the storytelling, Octavia saw fit to comment politely;

"I do not blame Sunset for needing a break. After all the trouble she had gone through up until that point, she deserved a little R&R, as it were."

Apple Bloom quickly nodded and went on with the tale;

"Her friends had the same idea. Now, the next day came and went without any trouble, but..."

She paused for dramatic effect before continuing;

"The girls heard nothin' from Sunset."

The cello player's eyes grew wide in surprise, but the Apple was far from done, for she elaborated further;

"No texts, no calls, no visits, not even a letter! Ah'm talkin' total radio silence! Thankfully, this was on a weekend, so she didn't miss any school stuff. Her friends noticed the silence and figured she was just makin' sure she was restin' up completely."

The two girls took a moment to make sure their canoe was still on course and safe. After that, Octavia asked;

"So then, what happened on the day after?"

Apple Bloom's smile grew wider as she answered her with a subtle hint of excitement;

"Well, Ah'll tell ya'. The very next mornin' came and the Rainbooms were relaxin' together at one of the restaurants in the mall. Beforehand, they tried to contact Sunset again, only to get even more silence. But then, as they ate, they heard a familiar voice call out to them. They looked around and there she was, happy as can be! Not even a hint of misery to be found on her face, and as Pinkie would tell ya', her smile was real!"

That last part brought a grin to Octavia's face as she listened to her friend, whose smile was growing by the second, continue on;

"She walked up to them with a lively spring in her step. The girls welcomed her with friendly cheer, but then Rainbow Dash noticed somethin' interestin' in Sunset's right hand. She asked her what it was. Turns out, it was a piece of paper. Written on it was the first draft of lyrics to a song."

Apple Bloom's smile morphed into a confident smirk, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she challenged her friend;

"Care to guess what song that was?"

Octavia pondered this for a few moments. Seeing this and feeling quite impatient, the little farmer gave her friend a hint by skillfully whistling seven notes from the song in question. The musician's eyes grew wide upon hearing this as it all clicked in her head. She declared in soft awe;

"That song..."

"Eeyup... That song," Apple Bloom said in soft jubilation. With a contented sigh, she added while letting one of her most treasured memories flow through her mind;

"Sunset's song."

Octavia, as the song and its music video played in her head, noted with a smile;

"It is no wonder so many in our Alma Mater are so fond of that particular piece: it speaks to the desire to move forward."

Apple Bloom looked right at her with a serious glare and responded calmly;

"That's exactly what the Rainbooms are tryin' to do, what we're all tryin' to do..."

They both checked the canoe again, only to find that they had not veered off course. With a breath, the Apple finished with a seriousness that could not be missed from a mile away;

"Move forward."

Sensing that the conversation was over with, Octavia joined her friend in focusing on the task at hand. What she could not notice was what troubled Apple Bloom's young mind;

"Hard to do that when you're past wants to be today..." she admitted internally.

The river took the fleet of boats deep into the Everfree Forest, the trees and their leaves becoming so plentiful that they almost covered the sky. The sun's light peaked through the leaves in the form of gentle god rays hitting the water and dirt. The wind became less intense the further the group of girls ventured forth. By the time they neared their destination, the air around them became practically still. Sunset, who did not have the task of rowing, pointed out the location by yelling out to the group while pointing with her right index finger;

"Tent dead ahead!"

The girls looked at what she was referring to. The tent in question appeared to be quite large and spacious compared to what was typically expected from such a thing. It was shaped like a rectangle, light-brown in color, was tall enough for Bulk Biceps to fit inside, and had a zipped up entrance facing the shoreline. It had two windows placed at either side of the entrance. They too were zipped up: a clear sign that the occupant cared for her privacy. One by one, the boats were skillfully navigated onto the shoreline without damaging their hulls, allowing them to slow down and stop on the soggy earth. The girls stepped out of their vessels, checked to make sure they were properly docked, and then walked up to the tent's entrance together, with Sunset leading the pack. She stopped within a step from the zipped door and called out;

"We're here!"

Two seconds later, the entrance was unzipped from the inside, allowing the occupant, Tree Hugger, to gently walk through it. The expression that was shown on her face could be best described as perpetually zen. Not a trace of stress could be found on any of its features. Even her smile was noticeably relaxed. Her demeanor seemed just as chill, for she carried herself with the gentle grace of a girl who was almost impossible to startle or anger. Her thick striped dreads, which were colored in light and dark shades of orange, moved through the air with equal grace. She had left her yellow bandana with white flowers in the tent, leaving her hair unusually bare. Her outfit was quite simplistic: a pink loose-fitting long sleeve shirt and a yellow skirt that reached down to just above the knees. Instead of shoes or even sandals, she was barefooted. The way she spoke to Sunset echoed her entire demeanor;

"Sunset Shimmer, I felt your fiery energy flow down the river from here!" she happily declared whilst walking over to give her a hug. The former bad girl reciprocated with a smile as she responded sweetly;

"It's good to see you, Tree Hugger."

The rest of the group appeared quite happy with this exchange between friends as the consistently chill lady ended the hug and walked over to each of the girls. With a slightly enlarged grin aimed at a gleeful Fluttershy, she declared to the rest of the band;

"You Rainbooms bring positive vibes to every place you go."

The girls smiled to show their appreciation of Tree Hugger's words, while Fluttershy took it a step further by giving her a big hug that she happily embraced. Once released, the peaceful lady walked over to the maestros of classical-step. She then gave them a glowing comment in one of her more relaxed tones;

"The music you play together moves the soul, man!"

"Such is the beauty of music, Tree Hugger," Octavia responded with the propriety passed down to her by her family. While she did have to hold herself back from being judgmental of this lady's seemingly lax behavior, she did find it pleasing to know that the group's host had some appreciation for the musical arts. Tree Hugger's smile grew quite wide upon seeing the CMCs, who were beaming friendly grins upon her as she walked up to them. With a twinkle in her eyes, she greeted them with warmth;

"Your real smiles always make bad vibes fade away."

"Blessings!" they exclaimed in happy unison while giving her peace signs with their right hands for good measure. Feeling a little touched by this gesture, she brought out her own peace sign with her right hand and responded in voice that was both cheerful and utterly relaxed;

"Back at you, radical ones."

After she gave each movie buff a fist bump, she ushered the group into the tent. As the girls entered their host's domain one by one, Twilight, who was in the back of the line that had formed, heard a certain cruel voice in her mind comment on the unfolding situation with twisted mirth;

I wonder how that unintelligent hippie will waste our time, Sparky?

The Mad Twientist's steps were taken with strengthened purpose as she walked through the unzipped doorway, even as that voice cackled in her head like a mad doctor.

Author's Note

First of all: Twist is an absolute unit of a friend and deserves a big bowl of candy for her trouble! :twistnerd:

Gilda doesn't know it yet, but she's gone and woke a sleeping giant... Canterlot City had better batten down the hatches! :twilightoops:

As for Tree Hugger, let's just say her words will give the girls something to think about.

Oh, and I couldn't resist letting Apple Bloom channel her inner Gibbs during the river scene! Plus, I got to introduce one of the mysteries surrounding our fair lady Sunset. :twilightsmile:

Also: This chapter was posted on Sunset Shimmer Day (perhaps a day late though?)! So... Happy SunShim Day!

Equestria Girls Lore Challenge: That canoe was shown before in the animated series! Can you figure out where it is from? Post your answers in the comments, I want to see them!

Hint: It's not from the movies! :raritywink:

Chapter 12 - A Matter of Mind and Spirit

Truthfully speaking, what many of the girls visiting Tree Hugger expected to find in her tent was different for each of them. Rarity expected a veritable pigsty that would render her aghast. Applejack and Rainbow Dash thought they'd walk into a tent that had tie-dye clothing and peace-related iconography scattered about. Pinkie Pie, true to form, expected to find all sorts of fun hippie stuff that she could take inspiration from to improve her merriment-making. Octavia, having given the subject of hippie culture a passing glance once out of boredom, was worried that the host would have unhealthy items and several egregious examples of cultural appropriation on display. DJ-P0N3, with her headphones on and set to maximum wub, was too busy vibing to the beat being blasted by them to make any assumptions whatsoever. Twilight, who had never done any sort of research on hippies before, only had several stereotypes to mentally draw from, each one worse than the last. Recognizing that these would not help her in the slightest, she pushed them aside to look upon the contents of the tent with an open mind. Sunset, Fluttershy, and the CMCs, having visited Tree Hugger's humble slice of the forest in the past, were quite pleased to be here once more. The others, by stark contrast, were surprised by what they saw inside.

Very much like Wallflower's uniquely constructed office in the school garden, the grass below their feet served as the tent's floor. The girls expected that much, given their history with camping. It was what was set up on the grass that got their attention. To their left stood a set of handcrafted wooden shelves that reached to about half-way up the wall behind it. The set had three shelves, one above the other, and was wide enough to reach the walls next to it. Each shelf was neatly filled with items that were not commonly owned, let alone displayed, by most people. The bottom shelf held a wide assortment of gemstones that were carefully organized in a simple yet practical manner. Each gemstone was placed in a small glass container that was labeled by name and chakra, a term that was new to all but a few of the girls in the group. The labels were all written near the bottom of the containers, which were turned to have the words face anyone who looked at them. In fact, they were positioned in such a way that it would be difficult to accidentally push one onto the ground. The middle shelf held, much to the delight of Rarity and Octavia, a bunch of white glass teacups, a silver teapot, a silver kettle, a stack of small round saucer plates, a short stack of bowls, a metal container that was labeled 'sugar', assorted spoons, and numerous tea bags that carried a variety of flavors. Like the gemstones, these items were not haphazardly placed. The teacups and silverware were placed in the middle, with the teapot and plates on the left side and the tea bags placed in a brown box that stood alongside the sugar container on the right. The top shelf carried a whole slew of wax candles and a variety of incense sticks, which were essentially long thick pieces of wood, that were placed in two lines side-by-side. Candles were on the left and incense sticks were on the right. Placed between them was a small brown matchstick and a square tan striker. Sitting to the left of the shelves was a large transparent water container with a dispensing nozzle and a full supply of clean water. In front of the group stood several blue yoga mats that were rolled up and placed along the wall before them. Just their existence was enough to make Rainbow Dash a very happy girl. To the right of the mats was another set of wooden shelves. This one in particular was taller than the other one, but it was not quite as wide. Filling each shelf were items that made Twilight so gleeful that she had to use much of her self-control to stop herself from squealing with joy;

"Books!" she exclaimed in jubilation while staring daggers at the source of her happiness, a huge teeth-baring smile that was borderline manic having formed on her face. If it weren't for her sense of politeness, and the gentle right hand of an understanding Sunset placed on her right shoulder, she would have darted over to the shelf to grab several books for the sake of immersing herself entirely in written word. Letting friendship come before books, she allowed herself to relax while inspecting the rest of the tent. To the right of the bookshelf was a large white box that was left opened. Several colorful shirts could be seen from the girls' positions near the opened doorway. Some of them were, indeed, colored with tie-dye, while others were made colorful through more traditional means. Anyone with a working pair of eyes could see the silver peace sign medallion hanging by its necklace from the edge of the box. On the far-right of the tent was Tree Hugger's bed, which was actually a comfy-looking hammock that had her bandana resting on it. Hung above the hammock on the far-right wall was a long rectangular piece of wood that was of reasonable thickness. Carved into it was a single sentence;

You are far more than your mistakes.

Everyone in the group felt their hearts swell upon reading that sentence, some more so than others. The CMCs, in particular, placed their right hands on their hearts, their smiles beaming like god rays from the sun. There was no doubt that Tree Hugger was going to get a hug from them. It was simply a matter of when. Placed between the hammock and the doorway was, much to Applejack's surprise and appreciation, a first-aid kit. To its right was, much to DJ-P0N3's joy, a radio CD player with a stack of CDs in a round container that was placed on top of it. Rarity was the first to make a comment on it;

"I must admit, darling, that I appreciate what you've done with this place," she gushed at Tree Hugger, her dignity on point as she went on while gazing at each item in the tent;

"While it certainly veers far away from my personal standards in regards to home, or rather, tent decoration, I find that it exudes a kind of earthly beauty that is truly its own."

With a polite titter, the fashionista added while looking right at a smiling Tree Hugger;

"A friend of mine, Wallflower, would love it in here!"

These days, the mere mentioning of that specific girl's name did not make the Rainbooms tense up quite as much as it used to, thanks in large part to their talk with her not too long ago. This time, they all felt compelled to smile when Rarity's words were uttered. Pinkie's hair, somehow, got a little poofier than usual, albeit for a brief moment. Tree Hugger's response to the dignified lady's complementing of her home away from home was a simple, heartfelt, and utterly chill;

"Righteous."

It was Applejack's turn to comment on her surroundings with an honest grin as she looked around the tent;

"A girl can really take a load off in a place like this, Ah reckon," she declared with goodwill in her southern drawl. The biggest eco kid in CHS sighed peacefully before responding in her perpetually utterly relaxed tone;

"I know, right? Whenever I need to revitalize my energy field, I can come here and just exist."

The prospect of doing exactly that was clearly enticing to her, if the growing expression of pure peace on her face was any indication. Applejack, with a raised right eyebrow, noted while sounding a tad confused;

"Well, them 'energy fields' you're talkin' about are new to me, but..."

She eyed the hammock, her grin still on point as she spoke;

"Nothin' beats a good nap after workin' on the farm."

Rainbow Dash, her impatience flaring up from the inside, decided at that moment to ask the girl with dreadlocks;

"Soooo, how are you gonna help us?"

Tree Hugger, with a quick look at the athlete, responded to her while showing a complete lack of agitation through her mannerisms;

"We'll get to that, but first, I want to check each of your auras."

The girls, save for Sunset, Fluttershy, and the CMCs, all showed various levels of confusion;

"Our what?" Rainbow Dash asked incredulously. Surprisingly, it was Twilight who broke through her confusion first. With a light bulb shining like a star in her head, she pointed out enthusiastically;

"Ah, so auras are the energy fields that you were referring to!"

Tree Hugger looked over at the egghead and responded with a hint of excitement in her relaxed voice;

"Good catch, righteous learner!"

Twilight beamed with joy over the prospect of learning something new, while the subtle skeptic within her needed more info on this subject in order to believe it. As for Rainbow, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie, they along with Octavia and P0N3 looked at the hippie, their confusion holding strong. It was the string player who expressed it for them;

"I'm sorry, but could you elaborate a bit?" she asked while hoping she sounded as polite as she felt she needed to be. Fluttershy, who's smile could melt the polar ice caps, answered with rarely shown confidence while her peaceful friend took a moment to stretch her arms;

"Think of an aura as a sign of one's health."

Tree Hugger added while she raised both hands as high as she could;

"It's an energy field that surrounds each Human being at all times. A person's aura can give you an idea of their mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health..."

Once she finished stretching, she allowed her hands to rest at her sides while gazing at each of the girls with a smirk;

"If you know how to check it," she finished with soft confidence.

Twilight, after pondering for a second or two, tactfully expressed her skepticism;

"Scientists do agree that a Human is surrounded by some kind of invisible magnetic field, I'll grant you both that. Nevertheless, I have not seen any scientific reference to these 'auras' specifically."

Fluttershy, with hesitancy all over her voice and face, answered nervously while trying to hide behind the bangs of her pink hair;

"Oh, um, that's because science... has yet... to prove that they exist."

She expected to be criticized by her nerdy friend, but what she got instead was Twilight's friendly inquisitiveness. She looked at her with no hint of frustration on her face and asked politely;

"Yet, you treat them like they do exist. Why is that?"

With brisk movement, Tree Hugger walked up to Twilight to stand at about half a foot away from her. Hearing the footsteps, the scientist looked over to face the hippie while feeling as nervous as the look on her face had suggested. The expression of deep peace never leaving her face, Tree Hugger declared;

"Science explains a great many things, Twilight Sparkle."

She then looked over at the first-aid kid with a smile while noting;

"It's also useful in all sorts of groovy ways."

She looked back at Twilight and finished with the tiniest possible hint of slyness in her eyes;

"But it doesn't explain everything."

The other girls watched closely as the lavender student of every science ever took a moment to ponder while her nervousness faded. With a small grin forming on her face, she responded with clear confidence in her beloved field of study;

"It doesn't explain everything yet!"

With a quick friendly look at a smiling Sunset before returning her gaze to Tree Hugger, Twilight added;

"That fact aside, Sunset recommended you to us, and I'm inclined to trust her judgement."

Sunset's smile got an additional dash of warmth added to it. The rest of the group showed their approval of Twilight's words through head nods, grins, and in Rainbow's case, a thumbs up. With that settled, Tree Hugger walked up to Fluttershy and stopped to stand a few feet away from her. She then said calmly;

"I'll start with you, then, my most excellent friend."

The kind young lady, knowing exactly what was about to happen, straightened her posture and allowed herself to relax. Even though everyone else's eyes were on her, having her friends around made it easy for Fluttershy to sink into a state of comfort and ease. Of course, being in a place of nature helped her as well. Recognizing all of this, her green friend went to work. She raised both hands up, slowly reached out to the animal-lover before her, and began to perform graceful hand movements while keeping her eyes closed in utter silence. To most of the audience that stood around them, it was as if Tree Hugger was gently rubbing on some kind of invisible bubble that was all around Fluttershy. Sunset watched with a knowing smirk creeping up her face, with the CMCs smirking as well. The lady with dreadlocks did her thing for a good two minutes before letting her hands rest and nodding at Fluttershy after opening her eyes back up. This prompted her to move aside to let another girl get a turn. It was Sunset who stepped up to take her friend's place. She relaxed while standing still, allowing Tree Hugger to do her work her as well. One by one, the Rainbooms went through this process that seemed quite strange to most of the group, Twilight especially;

"What does she see that we do not?" she thought to herself. The scientist's attentiveness allowed her to catch some additional details about their host's actions. For starters, the way she moved her hands was deliberate, precise, and well-practiced: a clear sign that. at the very least, she was quite sure of what she was doing and its effectiveness. Not only that, but with some people, such as Sunset and Pinkie Pie, Tree Hugger took a couple of steps further back before doing her motions. With others, like Applejack and Twilight herself, she took a few steps closer to them, but not close enough to make the girls uncomfortable. Putting a mental pin on such details, the young scientist kept her eyes fixed on the hippie as she took her turn. Once the band was taken care of, Tree Hugger turned her attention to the CMCs and offered to them sweetly while giving them a bright loving grin;

"You want to get your auras checked too, little dudes?"

The trio practically shot up to her like three bullets and stopped to stand up straight at about a foot away from their peace-loving pal. With beaming smiles, they watched as she went to work on each of them without making another peep. It was at this moment that Twilight had caught yet another interesting detail: she took a few steps forward to stand before the CMCs, in front of Apple Bloom specifically, with only a foot or so between them. Like before, she closed her eyes and raised her hands up. But this time, she suddenly let them fall to her sides and stood totally still, as if she was waiting for something that caught her attention. She did this for three seconds before moving an entire step back. With a quick breath, she raised her hands and did her motions, leaving the CMCs both relaxed and curious;

"She didn't do that with any of us before..." Sweetie Belle noted internally. Sunset, who was also watching the scene unfold, raised her right eyebrow in silent thought. After a minute or so, Tree Hugger had finished with the kids and walked over to Octavia and P0N3. With peace all over her face and smile, she asked them;

"Do you want me to check your auras as well?"

The cello player, as perplexed as she was by her host's odd actions, saw no harm in taking part. She nodded politely while her beloved DJ produced a thumbs up with her right hand. Without further ado, Tree Hugger went right to work on each of them. This time, she didn't see any need to make any major adjustments to her positioning. Before long, she finished up and walked over to the clothing box on the grass. She bent down, rummaged through the clothes with both hands for a few seconds, and pulled out a pen and small notebook. Recognizing what was going on, Twilight beamed while thinking happily;

"She's taking note of her findings! A wise decision!"

Ha! I'll bet she's writing all sorts of New Age nonsense!

Without skipping a beat, the egghead mentally told her twisted inner voice to, as her father Night Light would put it, stuff it in a sock and toss it. She kept her eyes fixed on Tree Hugger as she did this, determined to understand the new ideas that this girl with such a unique perspective could bring forward. Thankfully for her state of mind, that inner voice decided to be quiet again, but not before belting out a cackle loud enough in her head to make Twilight's right eye twitch slightly for a brief moment. She made sure to mark this little moment as a topic of discussion with her friends as Tree Hugger finished writing and placed her pen back into the box. With her notebook in her left hand, she walked up to the hammock and sat on it to face the girls, who by this point were all grouped together and standing before her. They all waited with baited breath as she took a slow deep breath with her eyes closed. This simple act was enough to produce a sense of calm within the tent that helped ease everyone's minds a little. Once her eyes opened back up, she looked at the other girls with the most chill expression imaginable and told them calmly;

"Your auras are vibrant and lively, as I expected. But..."

There was a pause as she tried to think of the best words to use next. This silence did not sit well with the group, especially Fluttershy who asked with a soft frightened shudder;

"Um... But what?"

Her friend answered simply;

"Some parts of them are dim... like old light bulbs that lost some of their glow."

The girls expressed shared concern over this info, with Applejack expressing it on their behalf;

"That sounds mighty bad," she responded with worry in her words. Tree Hugger, with a quick nod, began to explain;

"Think about what Fluttershy said: An aura is a sign of one's health."

She placed her right hand on her heart, closed her eyes, and went on;

"If an aura is filled with bright and colorful life, it's a sign that you're in good health. But..."

She opened her eyes and looked at the group before her with a serious expression so rarely shown that Fluttershy had only seen it once before. She placed her notebook on the bed and finished with calm surety;

"Dim spots in an aura are signs that you have issues that can't be left alone for too long."

Rainbow Dash spoke up in response to this declaration while scratching the back of her head with her right hand, concern and nervousness filling her voice;

"Yeaaaahhh, we kinda do have a proble-"

Tree Hugger interrupted her while raising her opened right palm up to her;

"Hold on, awesome one. I have some more things to lay on you all."

As much as the athlete didn't like to be interrupted so suddenly, she figured it best to avoid getting punched in the arm by Applejack, who she knew was well within punching distance. After being given a quick confirming nod by Rainbow, the hippie declared;

"While Sunset did tell me that she and her fellow band-mates were seeking my advice, she didn't give me any details. I can only guess as to what problem you Rainbooms may be having."

She sighed audibly for a moment before adding while staring daggers at each Rainboom;

"But, I'm a Wondercolt in your class. So, I can make a really good guess, even without your auras to go off of."

It was upon hearing those words that the whole group had thought the same thing:

Checking their auras had confirmed, or at least strengthened, Tree Hugger's suspicions.

The lady of peace was not done, however. She gave the CMCs a quick glance with her eyes before fixing them on the band again and offered;

"The auras have helped me look into that guess, but one can't be too careful when handling matters of healing. So, I want to hear from you radical magical girls before I act further."

With that, her expression reverted from seriousness to a look of seemingly endless relaxation, small smile and all. Each Rainboom had their own internal struggle to bring themselves to tell her about that which plagued them. Oh, they wanted to open up, no doubt about it! Tree Hugger was there to help them and they wanted to give her the info she needed to do so effectively. Of course, wanting to do something and actually doing it were two different things. Octavia and P0N3 could see their friends visibly agonizing over their response and tried to figure out how to best help them. The CMCs were on the same boat as they readied themselves to cheer them on. They didn't need to this time, though, for it was Applejack who stepped up. She walked over to their host before stopping to stand between her and the group. With resignation and sadness all over her freckled face, she took her hat into both hands and lowered it to her chest. After taking a deep breath to steady herself with her green eyes locked on the lady of peace, she began solemnly while the girls behind her watched in quiet support of their honest friend;

"Ah'll sell it to ya' straight, sugarcube: Our past is tryin' to be today and Ah ain't talkin' about the happy moments."

Any Wondercolt from her class would quickly gain a strong understanding of what she was referring to just from hearing her words. After pausing for a moment to let her thoughts settle, the farmer spoke further;

"All those fiascos we went through, both in and out of school, left scars in each of us that haven't fully healed yet."

Her sadness gave way to a small but genuine smile as pride flickered in her eyes while she noted while putting her hat back on;

"Not from a lack of tryin', mind ya'. Ah mean..."

She turned around to give her friends behind her a warm glare before adding with a hearty chuckle;

"We wouldn't be the good friends we are today if our scars hadn't healed up even a little bit."

The tent was filled with appreciative smiles that were worn with pride by the group of girls. Twilight, Sunset, and the CMCs looked especially joyful over what they just heard. After giving them all a gentle tip of her Stetson, Applejack turned back around to face Tree Hugger, who grinned just as brightly. She then dropped her smile with another sigh and went on with renewed solemness;

"But we ain't completely healed up yet. We sure as hay weren't healed up when our memories got plum stolen. While we've been workin' on that problem ever since, Ah'm worried that Ah..."

Fear gripped the Apple's heart like a cowboy's lasso as she looked off to her right side and down at the grass. She tried to finish her thought, even though it was difficult to think it, let alone say it;

"That we..."

Right then and there, her honest nature kicked in when she needed it the most. It drove the farmer to admit after allowing herself to glare at Tree Hugger;

"That we might hurt someone over the pain inside again."

Worry and fear mingled together in her eyes and voice. The attentive hippie nodded quietly while watching with caring patience. All of the ladies behind the older Apple looked at her with concern for their friend. It was the CMCs who acted on that concern first. All three of them walked over to Applejack to stand at her left side, with Apple Bloom in the middle of the trio. The youngest Apple took her big sister's left hand into her two hands with gentle care, thus getting her attention. With their eyes locked on each other, Apple Bloom looked up at her with a face full of familial love, her smile as big as her beating heart. She then told her with absolute sweetness;

"Ya' won't hurt anybody over your pain again, ya' hear?"

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo added to their friend's sweetness with beaming smiles of their own, creating a powerful combined force of adorableness that cut through Applejack's sadness like a knife on butter. This gave the farmer's love for her family and friends the opening it needed to crush that sadness, thus encouraging her to smile back at the kids. She then added her right hand to the set of held hands that Apple Bloom had previously created and slowly got down on her right knee. Before her little sister could react, she pulled her into a big Apple hug that they both happily embraced. No more words were spoken between them for almost ten seconds as the other girls watched in joyful support. Once the hug was broken and Applejack stood back up, Rarity spoke up with dignified seriousness in every word;

"Applejack speaks of a fear that the seven of us carry, I'm afraid. Yes, we have certainly grown from the dreadful Memory Stone Incident. However, our internal wounds still persist, so they can be inflamed."

Sunset added a counterpoint with confidence in herself and her friends;

"Even if they are inflamed again, I have hope that we'll do the right thing when it matters the most."

Her words of encouragement soothed the concerns of her fellow Rainbooms, with Octavia and DJ P0N3 looking on with supportive grins. Sweetie Belle, with a bubbly squeak, spoke on her club's behalf in audible anticipation;

"Movie Club Rule Number Fourteen..."

Recognizing what their friend was going for, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom joined her to finish in confident and joyful unison;

"Hope is eternal!"

Every girl in the tent laughed after that heartfelt declaration was made, their worries weakened considerably at this point. Once the laughter died down, Tree Hugger noted to the others;

"Looks like I guessed right. Don't worry, I'll do what I can to help you break free from the past's vice grip."

It was easy to recognize the gratitude on the girls' faces, the Rainbooms' especially. Just then, their host came up with an idea that she calmly offered to her guests;

"I'll prepare us some tea, since we're totally gonna be here a while."

She had Rarity at 'tea'. Fueled with excitement that was balanced by her dignity, she exclaimed politely;

"Oh! Perhaps I can assist you, darling?"

The hippie had no problems with getting help, so she accepted the offer with a nod. The two went right for the assorted tea items on the shelf on the far end opposite the hammock. The other girls sat, mingled, and chilled out while their drinks were being prepped.

Once the tea items were prepared, Tree Hugger grabbed the kettle, which had been filled with water, and took it somewhere behind the tent. For a good five-to-six minutes, the other girls recognized and enjoyed the familiar smell of a campfire before she returned with freshly boiled water in the kettle. Soon enough after that, the girls were either sitting or standing on the grass while enjoying their cups of tea. One would think that the likes of Rainbow Dash would not touch the stuff, but there she was, drinking her tea without showing a hint of agitation. Tree Hugger, needless to say, was curious;

"What made you want to give tea a chance, Rainbow Dash?" she asked her with her traditional chill voice. With a manure-eating grin that could be seen from space if she walked out of the tent, the confident athlete answered after taking a quick sip;

"Taking chances on new things is part of what makes me so awesome! The trick is to know when to jump in and when to back off."

Rarity, with a polite titter, commented while holding her cup with the propriety of a royal and giving Rainbow a knowing smirk;

"Of course, with the two of us having been such wonderful friends for as long as we have, it was hard to not pick a few things up."

"Yeah, yeah..." was Rainbow's response, with an eye roll added in to match. Her smirk getting a visible hint of sweetness added to it was proof enough to Rarity that she took the comment well. Twilight was watching the exchange between the three girls when she decided to look over at the CMCs, who sat together with Octavia and DJ-P0N3 in a circle on a grassy spot near the the shelves. Seeing them made her realize a fact that she related to the kids inquisitively;

"CMCs, in the time that I've known you, I have never once seen you drink tea before."

The trio looked over at her as she went on;

"Sweetie Belle, I can understand, given who her sister is. But, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, I did not expect."

After the three friends expressed short bubbly giggles, Apple Bloom responded on their behalf;

"Ya' can thank Tavi for that. She introduced the drink to us when we connected with her and P0N3 after the Battle of the Bands."

The little Apple took a sip of her tea, which was jasmine with a hint of honey, and asked her four pals with a big nostalgic smile;

"Ya'll remember that day?"

They laughed along with her before Scootaloo, after enjoying a swig of peppermint tea, responded with a teeth-baring grin while giving the older pair a warm glare;

"I remember the music they played for us! It was so cool!"

The rest of the kids joined Scootaloo in giving the two musicians who sat with them glares full of warm appreciation, to which they responded in kind. While this was going on, Sunset took the opportunity to ask Tree Hugger;

"So, what are we doing next?"

Her peaceful glare aimed right at the former bad girl, Tree Hugger answered calmly;

"I want to take you and your fellow Rainbooms through a guided meditation session that will help you gain a better understanding of your invisible scars. The others are welcome to join you on this journey if they wish."

Octavia and DJ-P0N3 looked over at their host, with the former responding politely;

"While our own invisible wounds have healed to a considerable degree, I must ask to be sure: did mine and P0N3's auras also have dim areas?"

The hippie nodded before elaborating;

"Yes, but they are not quite as dim as what the others are carrying."

The cello player nodded back before declaring with certainty, the memories of past incidences, both magical and otherwise, pushing her forward;

"Then it would be good of us to take part in this session as well."

She looked at her girlfriend and asked her with dignified love;

"Am I correct, my dear?"

The DJ looked back at her with a smirk full of surety and gave her a thumbs up with her right hand. The Rainbooms also appeared to be up for making this mental voyage. However, the CMCs looked hesitant, Scootaloo especially. The typically confident go-getter asked Tree Hugger with a hint of worry in her voice and an old hurt in her eyes;

"What exactly are you going to help our sisters and friends do?"

Her two best pals were fairing no better than she was as their peaceful friend gazed at them and gave them an honest answer;

"Firstly, we'll use a deep breathing exercise that will, like the tea, help to bring your friends' minds to a peaceful state. After that, through guided visualization, they'll prepare themselves for the journey ahead. Once they're ready, I'll walk them through getting to know their invisible scars without judgement."

With a caring wink and a zen smile, she added;

"Those first two parts should help make those scars seem less scary."

Her words soothed the worries in the CMCs enough for Apple Bloom to bring her two pals into a huddle. They discussed among themselves for almost a minute before breaking up the huddle. The young farmhand looked over at Tree Hugger and told her on her club's behalf in a voice that seemed calm, but little hints of nervousness kept breaking through as she spoke;

"We'll watch the girls go through the session to see how it's done. Then we'll decide if we wanna go through it too."

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo nodded in agreement, their nervousness more apparent by comparison. Their green friend gave them a soothing glare while responding calmly;

"Taking the cautious approach, I see? It is your choice and I respect it."

Satisfied, Apple Bloom turned to speak with her club members while giving them a serious expression;

"What they're gonna do seems mighty terrifyin', that ain't no lie."

She looked off to the side while letting regret latch onto her face and noted in softer voice;

"Especially since we agitated some of them scars and made new ones, once upon a time..."

The older girls, who were listening in from their spots on the grass, made sure to keep their eyes locked on the kids to show their support. Sunset, in particular, nodded at them with an expression that was both calm and knowing, even though they would not see her do this. Apple Bloom's regret, as strong and old as it was, could not hold back the honest encouraging grin that she showed to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle when she looked back at them. With hope and determination shining in her eyes, she told them with gusto;

"But, it'll be a warm day in Tartarus before we let them folks live in fear! They're tryin' to heal the wounds from the past, same as we are! So, why not help them get through this 'ere session?"

The words of the young farmhand sent her best friends' worries packing, a fact made quite clear by the giant smiles they were giving her. Scootaloo's confidence and enthusiasm back in full strength, she proudly declared;

"You're right, AB! They've been there for us, so let's be here for them too!"

Sweetie Belle chimed in excitedly;

"Yeah, and maybe if we do this too later, it could help us finish our crusade!"

To seal the deal, the CMCs gave each other fist bumps while looking considerably confident in themselves and each other. At this point, everyone in the tent was smiling, especially Sunset and the older sisters who gazed at them with love and appreciation in their eyes. Whatever fears the girls had felt over what was coming were swept away by the immense positivity that was growing in and around them. Tree Hugger herself, upon recognizing this, walked over to the yoga mats, grabbed one, and unrolled it onto a free space on the grass while happily thinking to herself;

"That's it, girls. Let those beautiful good vibes flow freely. You'll need them very soon."

Author's Note

Firstly, the answer to the previous chapter's Equestria Girls Lore Challenge:

The canoe used by Octavia and Apple Bloom came from the Good Vibes music video! You'll see it in the part when the CMCs are carrying the sucker out of Rainbow Dash's sports store in the mall.

Note that, in the previous chapter, Applejack referred to it as her canoe. :raritywink:

Secondly, this chapter introduces CHS's resident modern hippy: Tree Hugger! I've found it fun to write for her so far. She comes off as a peaceful old soul in FiM, so I wanted to bring that into her EQG incarnation for this story.

Also, note the lack of Narcotics tag...

Yeah, we're not going down THAT beaten path! :yay:

Anyway, this chapter had gotten quite long during the writing process, even for my standards. So, I had to divide it up into two chapters that are easier to digest! The next one will feature the guided meditation session itself. What will the girls find inside?

Edit: Fixed some obvious errors!

Chapter 13 - A Look Inside

Soon enough, the girls divided up into groups at their chill host's recommendation. The Rainbooms sat at their spot together in a circle, with each band member close enough to each other to hold hands at a moment's notice. Octavia and DJ-P0N3 sat in front of each other with very little space between them. The CMCs, mimicking their beloved elders, sat together in a circle of their own. They were already giggling over the movie jokes they were making. Tree Hugger was rummaging through the incense sticks on the shelf at the far end of the tent. Positioning-wise, the Rainbooms sat to her left, with the musical lovebirds directly behind her, and the movie club trio to her right. All three groups were at a good distance away from both their host and the shelves. This meant that there was enough space for her mat, which was resting between her and the lovebirds. After a moment or two, she found a incense stick that she felt was fit for the occasion. She then took it with her right and grabbed the matchstick with her left. With brisk movement, she spun around on her right foot to look at the girls and asked them;

"I want to be sure of some things before we begin: are any of you allergic to certain plants and/or their aromas?"

The girls shook their heads, which prompted her to also ask;

"Okay, are any of you asthmatic?"

Seeing that they all shook their heads again, she looked at Twilight and asked her with a smile;

"Where's that adorable furry friend of yours?"

The egghead, with a smile of her own, told her truthfully;

"I thought it best to let him play with Winona and Ray at Sweet Apple Acres. He doesn't get many opportunities to enjoy wide open spaces."

Just the thought of Spike running around the vast farmlands with Ray riding on his back like a scaly cowboy made Twilight, the CMCs, Sunset, and Fluttershy giggle adorably as Tree Hugger returned to the shelf. She then placed the incense stick back on it for a moment, so that she could take the striker into her now free hand. With a quick swipe of the striker's brownish end, the matchstick was lit. She carefully returned the striker to its place on the shelf and reclaimed the incense. Slowly, she hovered the newly lit flame just below the tip of the stick and waited patiently. After a few seconds had passed, smoke began to rise from the darkening tip, prompting her to move the matchstick away from it. With several quick air sweeping motions, she snuffed out the flame before returning the matchstick to the shelf while holding the now burning stick steady and away from anything flammable. With her newly freed hand, she angled herself to grab an empty bowl from the shelf that held the tea items. After turning around again, she walked around each group of girls at a snail's pace while gently waving the burning wood. Every wave she performed was done with focus and intent, a fact that was not lost on her guests as they watched her work. During this process, she raised the burning end of the wood up to her lips and blew the smoke above the heads of each girl sitting on the grass. It took her a few minutes to complete her task in utter silence. Once done, she returned to the yoga mat and sat down on it in the lotus position. She then placed the bowl on her lap, and put the incense into it with the burning bit angled on the side to face the general direction of the girls. Twilight was the most attentive of the bunch, having watched Tree Hugger's actions with her natural inquisitiveness. It was she who commented on them first as she took a whiff of the scent that the hippie had filled the room with;

"I may not be familiar with what you just did, but..."

Finding the scent pleasing to her senses, she closed her eyes to better enjoy the second whiff she decided to take before finishing with a relaxed sigh and opening her eyes back up;

"I do appreciate the pleasant odor."

"Ah like this 'ere scent too, Sci-Twi," noted a happy Applejack, who closed her eyes as well before breathing deeply through her nose and exhaling audibly with a content grin. She then added calmly;

"Makes me feel like Ah'm sittin' on the porch at my house, lookin' out at the farm after a hard day's work."

Tree Hugger expressed a slight well-meaning chuckle before explaining to the girls;

"What I did was use this incense to cleanse the tent of any negative energy that would have otherwise interfered with our session."

She then gave Applejack a sly smirk and asked her;

"Can you tell us what kind of tree this incense came from?"

Always up for demonstrating and improving her knowledge on trees, she closed her eyes and took another hearty whiff of the scent that filled the room. That was all it took for an old memory to be unlocked. Seeing it play out in her mind caused the farmer to belt out a strong laugh before opening her eyes and answering with a smile;

"Cedar... Land's sake, does it take me back!"

Hearing her big sister's words caused Apple Bloom to recall that same memory, which drove her to guffaw with Applejack before exclaiming joyfully while smiling at her;

"Ah remember smellin' it too! We were on that vacation trip with Granny and Big Mac!"

The older Apple grinned back at the little one before adding with nostalgia in her grin;

"Eeyup! We went to that forest that was teemin' with cedar trees. The smell of the wood alone made our walk through the forest mighty relaxin', Ah tells ya'."

Apple Bloom shook her head, her own smile holding strong, and noted;

"Yeah, Ah tried to climb up one of them for fun..."

She looked around at the other girls as she finished as she smile turned considerably sheepish;

"Let's just say that Ah'm mighty glad that Big Mac was there to catch me."

Everyone had a good laugh over the short tale of Apple Family shenanigans. Once they all quieted down, Tree Hugger explained;

"Yeah, cedar incense is great for calming one's nerves and creating a sense of safety within and around yourself. Given what we're going to do here, it will serve us well."

Twilight smile over her words and responded while already feeling calmer by the second;

"You've made a logical choice then, given the current state of my nerves."

Pinkie Pie, much to the amazement of her six friends, was bouncing in place far less frequently than usual by this point, and even then, her bounces were tiny in height. As she bounced, she exclaimed while expressing that giant smile of hers that ought to be her exclusive property and trademark;

"The special tree smell is working already, I've never felt so chill before!"

As much as the other Rainbooms enjoyed the sight of what was Pinkie's version of being chill, they knew they had to get things moving. So, with a chuckle, Sunset suggested to their peppy pal;

"Let's make you feel even more chill, okay Pinkie?"

The happiest Pie in the world looked over at her and nodded in joyful agreement. Without a moment's notice, Sunset began to guide Pinkie;

"Deep breath in..."

The party planner, while still bouncing, followed the instruction with a comically large gasp before holding her breath with her cheeks puffed like that of a chipmunk. Deciding to roll with it while containing the urge to guffaw again, the human-pony girl continued on;

"Deep breath out slowly..."

Pinkie did as instructed by exhaling slowly and audibly with her lips puckered, almost as if she was trying to whistle. Applejack, who caught on to Sunset's use of her own personal calming technique, smiled with pride as she watched in silence. Pinkie's bouncing became less frequent as she exhaled, which was just what Sunset needed to see. Encouraged, she went on;

"Let your breathing go back to its natural rhythm... focus on it..."

The pink girl did exactly that, which caused her body to bounce even less...

"And let you body and mind relax on their own..." the former bad girl finished. As Pinkie Pie's bouncing became more and more occasional by the second, her smile slowly lost some of its size, yet it also gained a semblance of visual relaxation that her friends had never seen on her face before. Eventually, her body had stopped bouncing completely, allowing her to be still. Yet, unlike in normal circumstances, she did not appear to be even remotely bored or agitated. Everyone else in the circle, including Sunset, looked at what they were witnessing with eyes wide with shock. The CMCs, Octavia, and P0N3 were just as shocked. What everyone in CHS considered to be nigh-impossible had actually happened:

Pinkie Pie completely relaxed!

Her response to this feeling of physical and mental chillness was, true to form, one that could only come from her mouth;

"Wooooaaaahhh, even chilling out like this can brrrrriiing a smiiiillle to a girl's faaaaace..." she uttered with a drawn out slur that, to the uninitiated, made her sound like she was either considerably tired or considerably something else. It was amazing that she was sitting still at all. Of course, to her fellow Wondercolts, this was Pinkie being Pinkie, so no cause for alarm was noticed. Once the group overcame their shock, Sunset looked at each of her friends to silently check on them. With nods and thumbs up, they showed to her their readiness, which prompted her to look over at Tree Hugger and declare with a confident grin;

"We're ready!"

"We've got this, everyone!" Octavia added with dignified confidence and a nod to the circle of musicians. Upon noticing this, they showed their appreciation with smiles. They also appreciated the devil horns DJ-P0N3 had showed them soon after. As for the CMCs, their show of support was simple, loud, and filled to bursting with hope and love;

"WONDERCOLTS FOREVER! YAY!"

There were beaming grins all around the tent as Rainbow exclaimed in response;

"Awww yeah! Let's get this done!"

The girls waited quietly as Tree Hugger, after taking a deep breath to steady herself, began by asking the Rainbooms and the odd musical pair;

"I ask that you save any and all judgements for after the session. Are we clear?"

They nodded their heads, which signaled her start giving them her soft-spoken guidance;

"Let's begin by closing our eyes and taking several deep breaths to start bringing peace to our minds. If any of you have practiced meditation before, this will be familiar to you."

Twilight perked up upon hearing this and said out of excitement while looking at the hippie;

"I have taken up that practice, actually!"

Realizing that she interrupted her without thinking, Twilight's nerves started to rise within moments. Thanks to the incense filling the room, those nerves did not shoot up as high as they normally did, but the poor nerd still felt bad and nervous regardless. She looked off to her right side, only to hear Tree Hugger's words of comfort;

"That's awesome, righteous learner, and be at ease! You've done nothing wrong," she told her with gentleness in every word. Recognizing that she did not, in fact, cause any trouble with her blabbing, Twilight took a quick breath to recenter herself and went back to gazing at Tree Hugger, this time with a look of gratitude. With a short nod, the ever-zen girl went back to providing instructions while the nine girls performed their deep breathing, with the CMCs watching closely with supportive grins.

Five minutes later

At this point in the process, the participating girls felt considerably relaxed. Their thoughts came and went without judgement or interaction, as suggested by Tree Hugger. Some, like Pinkie Pie, found this part to be challenging to pull off at first. But, by now, everyone involved was at a similar level of peacefulness. Thus, it was time for the guided visualization, which their instructor began in soft earnest;

"To visualize is to imagine. A person's imagination is amazingly powerful. So much so, that you could say that it's magical."

That got a few soft snickers from the girls, with the CMCs politely covering their mouths to hold back their giggles. Tree Hugger went on without skipping a beat;

"With that said, imagine your ideal place of safety and comfort... A place where you can feel at ease without fear of danger or ridicule... It can be anywhere you want... At any time you want... Let your breathing keep you focused as you build that place up..."

She waited in silence as the girls imagined what such a place would be for each of them. Octavia's was a music room filled with all of the instruments, amenities, and quietness fit for the discerning string player, where she could play her music or listen to music in peace. DJ-P0N3's, true to form, was a fully decked out music studio where she could jam to her electric tunes without a care in the world. Rainbow Dash's was a big white fluffy cloud high in the sky that she could take a nap on without having to deal with all of the troubles and boring stuff in the world. Rarity's was one that she already had in real life: The dream dressing room that Applejack had constructed for her. Applejack's was her family barn, complete with a stack of hay that she could lounge on to recover from a hard day's work. Pinkie Pie's was a bakery's kitchen filled with the numerous smells created by her favorite sugary baked goods. Fluttershy's was a forest that had this little pond that she could sit at while feeding the duck family that swam in it. Twilight's place of peace, like Rarity's, drew inspiration from real life. It was her bedroom, which, like her laboratory, held the honor of being her personal sanctuary. That left Sunset Shimmer, who imagined herself sitting on the bed in her old home, specifically the loft she used to live in, decorative lights around her bed and all. Tree Hugger watched the girls carefully for about two minutes before continuing on with a truly soothing voice;

"Here in this space, you can prepare for the journey ahead... Take a moment now to make whatever preparations feel right to you."

The girls prepared mentally themselves in their own ways. Octavia brought her trusty cello and bow to bare. She also found a small photo of her and P0N3 hugging each other that was nestled between her cello's strings. She carefully pulled it out and, after gazing at her paramour with love in her heart, inserted it into her right pants pocket. The DJ herself grabbed her smartphone, which was placed on the turntable in front of her. With experienced fingers, she opened up a music app and selected one of her favorite playlists before connecting her headphones to the phone. She then grabbed the same photo Octavia had acquired, which was also on the turntable, and looked upon her pictured girlfriend with a grin filled with love. After that, she tucked it away in her right pants pocket for good luck. Rainbow Dash shoved her right hand into the cloud she was sitting on, rummaged in it for a brief moment, and pulled out from the white fluff her geode. Rarity walked over to one of the white drawers in her dressing room and pulled it open with her right hand. Seeing her item of choice, she took it out with the same hand, revealing it to be her own geode. Applejack looked around the barn to find a toolbox resting on the dirt next to the stack of hay she was sitting on. She got off of it and walked over to the toolbox. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was red with yellow unlocked latches and a purple handle. Feeling the love from her family and friends pushing her onward, she unlatched the toolbox and opened it up, revealing just the right tool for the job at hand. Wasting no time, she took the item, which was her own geode, into her right hand. Pinkie Pie found the biggest, pinkest, most delicious-looking cake in the kitchen. It was a triple-layer chocolate cake covered with pink frosting that stood like a skyscraper while making the other confections look meager in its presence. With absolute glee and abandon, she shoved her right hand into the bottom layer of the cake! After moving her hand in the now damaged food for a moment, she felt what she was searching for, grasped onto it, and ripped it out of the cake. She then opened up her right hand to look upon her prize, revealing her geode, which was, by some miracle, as clean as can be. Fluttershy asked the ducks to help her prepare for what she called a 'really scary, but really important task'. The biggest duck saluted her with his right wing and began swimming to the shore behind him, leaving his fellow ducks to watch over their guest. Once upon the shore, he ran to one of the trees in the forest as fast as he could with his webbed feet and stopped behind it. After a few seconds, he ran back to the shore, got into the pond, and swam over the Fluttershy with her geode held safely in his duckbill. After giving the helpful critter a few loving head pats and thanking him sweetly, she carefully took the geode into her right hand. As for Twilight, she reached under her bed's pillows with both hands and pulled out a hope chest that bore the same shade of lavender as her skin. Keeping it secure was a lock that could only be unlocked by a single password. It was good thing she knew it by heart after writing down a dozen times before burning the evidence. Once she unlocked the hope chest on the first try, she opened it up to find her geode sitting safely inside. Resting at each side of the geode were three small pictures. The two on the left depicted her sharing happy moments with the Rainbooms and her old Shadowbolts team. The one on the right showed her sitting with family: Twilight Velvet, Night Light, Shining Armor, Cadence, and Spike. Her heart soaring, she took the pictures and carefully placed them in her pockets before taking the geode into her right hand. That just left Sunset, who started by taking her magical journal from the shelf near her bed. After sitting down on the bed to rest the journal on her lap, she opened it up flipped through its pages to find one of the messages left for her by the Princess of Friendship. One particular message got her eye, which prompted her to stop flipping to read it. It was both simple and appropriate for the situation at hand;

Scars, be they invisible or not, heal when they are tended to. I know you'll tend to yours, my faithful friend.

There it was again. That wonderful pulling sensation born from the very core of her being. She noticed that, this time, it wasn't trying to tempt her into sinking into its blissful influence. Instead, it was just... existing, as if silently reminding her that it would be there for when she was ready for it. Feeling even more at ease than before, she closed the journal and placed it on the bed before getting back up. Looking over at her nightstand, she saw that her geode was resting there, waiting to be claimed by its rightful owner. With her sideways smirk at full strength, she did exactly that with her right hand. What each Rainboom did in their minds was unique to them, and yet, they also shared an aspect that united them: They all placed their geodes upon their hearts and softly made the same vow;

"The promise we made, we will fulfill. With goodness of heart and strength of will."

In real life, the CMCs and Tree Hugger witnessed something that amazed the little ones and pleased their host. The Rainbooms, without any conscious awareness or instruction, gently closed their right hands into fists and placed them upon their hearts for about five or six seconds before lowering them to their sides. They then held each other's hands with a slow tenderness that was made to be comforting. All of this wasn't done in perfect unison, to be clear. Some of them moved their arms more quickly, while others were slower to move their own. But, the fact that they performed these actions while their awareness was focused entirely inward wowed the kids, who looked at them with wide eyes. Of course, they had to work hard to hold themselves back from loudly cheering for the band. They knew that, to support them and their two other friends who were also in the midst of their own deep dives, they had to be quiet. So, instead of cheering, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo held their hands together and raised them up to their chins in a praying position. With gentle smiles that could light up the Las Pegasus Strip, they closed their eyes and did their best to mentally share their seemingly endless supply of hope with the meditating girls in silence. Tree Hugger watched the peaceful faces of the nine girls under her watch with quiet focus for roughly three minutes before continuing her gentle guidance;

"When you are ready, using your imagination, look around the area you're in and you'll find a tall door standing proudly before you... It can be of any color and material that's familiar to you..."

She waited for fifteen to thirty seconds, which was time enough for each girl to clearly envision their door. Each door bore the colors that matched perfectly with their owner's visual style, with their iconography carved onto its center. After thirty seconds had passed, Tree Hugger instructed them further;

"To gaze at the scars that eyes cannot see, you must open the door.... But, before you do this, it wouldn't hurt to give yourself a little protection..."

Some of the girls were about to grab their doors' knobs before their guide's words drove them to stop themselves before the could pull them open. Others were more cautious, with Fluttershy feeling more than a little terrified of what could possibly be hiding behind her door. Once she heard her friend's suggestion regarding protection, her fear weakened considerably, for she knew something of what that meant. Tree Hugger paused for a moment before going further;

"Think of all that is good and true about yourself and the life you've lived... Let these truths and the feelings bound to them rise up to the surface without judgement..."

It didn't take long for the girls to reveal hints that they're doing this to those in the waking world. Such hints came in the form of growing smiles and short giggles, though in the case of Octavia, she had let out a chuckle that was reigned in by natural dignity. Sensing her cue, the hippie added;

"These righteous things are now coming together to form a beautiful light that shines before you in the color that feels right to you..."

For most, the process of allowing their lights to form was easy. But, for Sunset and Twilight, it was made more difficult by two uninvited guests...

Do you really want to see a picture of your life's ugliness, Sunny?

In the waking world, their hands tightly clenched the hands they were holding and their breathing became more erratic. In Sunset's mental space, she heard the vile voice of her she-demon spit verbal poison at her. But, this would hardly damage her heart or her resolve. Sunset growled while trying to resettle herself, her eyes locked on the door before her as she spoke;

"I'll see what I need to see no matter how ugly it looks!" she declared resolutely from within her mind, as if daring the demon to come at her directly. Meanwhile, in Twilight's own mental space, she had the displeasure of listening to Midnight Sparkle's unhelpful commentary;

Wooow! The hippie is NOT a total imbecile!

The twisted voice of the winged monster spoke words that were dripping with annoyance. That annoyance was quickly joined by venom as she added;

But really, there's no useful knowledge that can be discerned from this glorified pseudoscience!

The friendly scientist had a response prepared mid-sentence, which she delivered with absolute certainty as soon as her demon finished with her snide remark;

"This place, this experience is proof enough that what you call 'pseudoscience', I call a field worthy of being understood," she exclaimed with unshaken resolve. Right then and there, before their demons could comment further, the positive qualities of Sunset and Twilight, their memories of the moments that made them, and the related positive feelings all broke through whatever blocks those foul inner voices had conjured up before they could be strengthened. Rising to the surface of their minds, from within their places of deeply powerful safety and peace, these wonderful aspects of the young ladies who carried them coalesced to form beautiful lights that flew around them like playful balls of energy. Sunset's bore an amber color, while Twilight's was lavender. Sunset watched her light fly around with a smirk, enjoying the fun distraction from the vocal remains of the monster she used to be. Twilight giggled happily as she gazed at her light, it's own playful antics reminding her of how bouncy and playful Spike could be when he was especially happy. As for the others, their lights behaved differently for them too. Applejack's orange light zoomed to different parts of the barn, as if checking to see if everything was in order. The farmer noticed this and, with a small smile, thought to herself;

"Heh, Ah reckon this little critter took a cue from an Apple or two!"

Pinkie Pie's light, which was just as pink as her skin, was also an equal to her in terms of sheer hyper-activeness. Bouncing and zooming about every which way, it's behavior kept her attention with ease. With a giant teeth-baring grin, she joyfully declared with a happy hop;

"You are the funnest ball of light EVER!"

She then tried to chase after it for the fun of it, her laughter filling the kitchen. Rainbow Dash watched in awe as her cyan light performed all sorts of tricks in the air: Loop-de-loops, corkscrews, barrel rolls, and the like. It finished by doing numerous laps around her cloud at wicked fast pace that she respected. Once it stopped to float just below her chin, she raised her right fist, which still held her geode, to the sky while yelling out with pride;

"That was awesome, little light dude!"

Rarity was marveling at her purple light via a mirror in her dressing room with the dignity and grace she was known for;

"Goodness, darling! You are positively radiating with beauty that is magnificent in its simplicity! I admit to being a tad jealous, honestly," she gushed as she watched the light float next to her in their reflections shown by the mirror. It did a few quick bounces in place to show gratitude that she instantly picked up on. Oh, how she wished she could give it dresses to try on! As for Fluttershy, she was enamored over how adorable her light, which was colored like her light-pink hair, was being. It played with the ducks in the pond, who were swimming after it while quacking happily. Giggling over the sight, she softly gushed while wearing a beautiful smile worthy of protection;

"Oh, it's so wonderful that you're making friends with those feathery babies!"

As if responding to her heartfelt complement, the light zoomed up to her and floated in place. Once she started to really look at it, she felt a sense of peace flow into her being that was gentle and powerful in equal measure, making her believe that everything would be okay. Octavia was playing on her cello one of the numerous classical pieces she had mastered over the years, Beethoven's Symphony No.5 in C minor to be precise, with her grey light as her attentive audience. With her eyes closed and her whole being in tune with the music, she had just finished the ending of the first movement before stopping to look over at her light. It floated in place without moving an inch until she bowed her head with a polite smile, giving it the clearance to bounce happily in the air to show what she was sure was its approval of her performance. DJ-P0N3 was having a full-on dubstep jam session via her turntable, with her light bouncing to the beat of her glorious room-vibrating wubs being blasted at full volume from the oversized speakers in her studio. The DJ wasn't playing a song she knew. Instead, she had found a beat and allowed it to take her away, her skills and experience conspiring with her instincts to guide her actions. The music being played was passionate, confident, and unapologetic about what it was. Just like its creator. As she played without remorse or relent, she felt something stir deep within her: an old feeling that was there for her from the moment she had scratched her first vinyl record. Meanwhile, Octavia was suddenly overcome with the urge to 'jam out' as her beloved would enthusiastically put it. When she began playing her cello again, she quickly found a rhythm that was to her liking. Using this rhythm as a foundation, she played the first notes that came to her head and allowed her skills, experience, and instincts to take over from there. The music she was playing was strong, dignified, and unapologetic about what it was. Just like its creator. During her impromptu performance, Octavia felt something stir deep within her: a feeling so old that it was born when she had performed on stage for the first time. It was a feeling she shared with her beloved DJ. One of the things that, through all of their arguments big and small, they could agree on without hesitation:

Their unending desire to move people through the power of music.

As the meditating girls became more at ease by the second, Tree Hugger, who had given them a few minutes to enjoy the presence of their lights, went back to guiding them with the gentleness that came from years of experience;

"When you're ready, look at your light and ask it to help you see your scars..."

When each of the girls did this after stopping their fun time, the lights flew around them a few times before slowly moving into their chests. Recognizing the surprise and trepidation in their partners, they stopped about halfway in as Tree Hugger encouraged the girls with the soft sweetness of an honest friend;

"Don't be afraid of your lights... let them help you... let them in..."

Out of the folks in the participating group, it was Sunset who had the hardest time with lowering her defenses. A small part of her, the part that still felt terrible guilt over her past misdeeds, believed herself to be undeserving of this light and its assistance. It took remembering how much she had grown to realize how ridiculous that notion was. With a tiny smile, she released her negativity and allowed her light into her being while softly expressing to herself, both in her mental space and in real life, the phrase that had become her mantra over the years;

"My past is not today."

Perhaps her friends had recognized this at some instinctual level, perhaps it was simply a case of good timing. Either way, the rest of the Rainbooms fully embraced their lights along with her soon after that phrase was uttered. Tree Hugger watched with soft sweetness in her eyes as each band member allowed peacefulness to cover their faces like blankets, their hands still holding each other with unconscious firmness. The CMCs, having just finished sharing their hope with the others, had caught Sunset's phrase instantly when she uttered it. Upon opening their eyes, they allowed love, warmth, and understanding to flow from their faces as they gazed at their Phoenix Friend and her band-mates, giant grins and all. They turned their heads to check on Octavia and P0N3. Like the band, they were also expressing smiles layered with peace while holding hands in a way that was subtly romantic to those who knew them. Satisfied, the CMCs looked back at the Rainbooms and watched them closely, their hope as strong as ever.

In the mental spaces made by the girls, something lovely was happening to them. Each girl's body had begun to glow in the same color that their light had borne. It was a glow that was quite pleasant to the eye, much to their relief as they inspected themselves. They could each feel their best qualities growing in strength within them. For Sunset and Twilight in particular, this also had the effect of seemingly shutting up the voices of their demons, a benefit that they appreciated greatly. Before any of them could fully enjoy this new development, however, Tree Hugger gave them more instructions;

"Return your focus to the door... when you are ready, my friends... take the knob with your hand..."

After taking a moment or two, the length depending on the person, the girls looked over at their doors and took hold of the knobs. They didn't have to wait long to get the word from their guide as the lady of peace told them;

"With a good twist and a pull, open the door and see what your eyes cannot..."

While some were more hesitant than others, they all opened the doors, letting themselves get a vivid taste of what they sought to face and overcome. Back in the waking world, Tree Hugger kept her gaze locked on those she had guided, her expression maintaining its state of zen. The CMCs watched with bated breath and giant grins. They had no clue as to what was going on in the heads of their sisters and friends, but they were certain that this deep dive wouldn't be a problem for them. Why wouldn't they be so confident? These nine ladies were Canterlot Wondercolts! They had faced all sorts of dangerous stuff and came out stronger for the trouble every time! No scar or demon could scare them!

Right?

What the Rainbooms saw in their minds insisted on challenging that belief with the intensity of a vengeful spirit! Their hands tensed and clenched tightly, something that the CMCs were quick to notice. Yet, it was the growing instability of the band members' breathing that made the kids feel a twinge of worry clash with their confidence. It took slightly over thirty seconds for the band to suddenly come out of their meditative state with a loud collective gasp that made the kids lean back out of shock! Instinctively, the CMCs got up and rushed over to them, determined to aid them as best as they could. They were halfway to the group when they saw each Rainboom look over at them with expressions of pure horror. Fluttershy, like Sunset and Twilight, was holding her chest for dear life with her right hand, her eyes raining tears filled with terror as she sniffed and whimpered. Rainbow Dash, even though she both looked and felt terribly afraid, was quick to walk over to her old friend and place her hands on her shoulders. The athlete also whispered words of encouragement that helped to soothe Fluttershy's mind and heart. The rest of the band helped each other and her out in a similar fashion, their friendship refusing to buckle under the weight of fear. Tree Hugger gazed at them quietly, her peaceful demeanor cracking just enough to let her own concern for them peak through on her face. As for the CMCs, they had stopped running while watching the band with eyes as wide as they could reasonably be. They had seen the Sonic Rainbooms look this shaken up only once before and that's a memory they would never forget. Mentally reaffirming their desire to help those girls out, they checked on Octavia and P0N3 again to be absolutely safe before proceeding further. In stark contrast to their seven friends, the musical couple was gracefully exiting out of their meditative state. If what they had seen inside of their minds troubled them, then they didn't show it as they opened their eyes and stretched their bodies. Clearly, they didn't notice the gasp that rang out from the band. But, once they saw the worry on the CMCs' faces, they quickly turned to see what was going on with the seven young performers. Seeing the terror that gripped them, the pair got up and walked with the kids to give support to the magical band that had done so much for so many people.

The Rainbooms were practically showered with words of genuine encouragement and hugs aplenty, all of which helped them recover from whatever nightmarish visions they had witnessed during the session. While Octavia and DJ-P0N3 went on to help a silent Tree Hugger prepare more cups of tea for everyone, the CMCs kept on helping the band. They had already hugged the entire roster, but they made sure to give special attention to their sisters, Sunset, and Twilight by giving them extra tight hugs that lasted a bit longer than the others. It didn't take long for the Rainbooms to show their appreciation for the kids' combined efforts, whether it be through giving them hugs as well, ruffling their hair in the case of their sisters, and other little acts of goodwill. Rarity hummed a little tune with Sweetie Belle, Rainbow arm-wrestled with Scootaloo, and Applejack play-wrestled with Apple Bloom. Thankfully, their match was not really intense, but their laughter sure was! Soon after, all of the girls were enjoying some newly made tea while sitting on the grass. Apple Bloom, her clothes and bow dirtied up from the play-wrestling, asked Sunset while gazing at her, worry oozing from her voice;

"Ah don't mean to pry too hard, but what in all that's good and green did ya'll see?"

Sweetie Belle, while giving Rarity a concerned glance, chimed in with a worried squeak;

"You all seemed so serene for a while, but then you suddenly became horrified!"

"It looked like you were reacting to jump scares that were actually scary!" noted an equally worried Scootaloo, who's eyes were fixed on Rainbow Dash. The every member of the band looked over at the CMCs. Their fear still held strong on their faces. After a few seconds of tense silence, Rainbow stood up with the speed of a rocket during takeoff. She turned her body to face Tree Hugger, who had never left her position from earlier, and told her with honesty in her heart;

"I don't blame you for what happened, Hugs."

A small, but confident smirk formed on her face as she added;

"I don't think any of us do."

Tree Hugger, appreciative of the athlete's kind words, gave her a peace sign as well as a serene smile. She was quick to notice that the other girls were smiling back at her in silent agreement, their shared terror from earlier weakened a tiny bit. Rainbow turned her back to face the CMCs with a serious expression. After sighing a bit, she started explaining in a surprisingly calm fashion, given the subject manner;

"I know it wasn't some weird dream and I'm not sure if it being one would have been better..."

She spun around to look at the large group of girls, who were all quite attentive, and continued on;

"I saw the most important moments in my life happen before my eyes, one by one."

She aimed her head up at the roof of the tent with renewed pride flowing from her eyes;

"Moments of pure awesomeness..." she exclaimed with the confidence and manure-eating grin she was so well known for. They both faltered in favor of a regretful frown as she looked down at the grass before her feet. With a softer remorseful voice, she added;

"And moments of absolute lameness."

For a brief moment, she couldn't bring herself to look Sunset in the eye. But then, her courage rose up to assist her, pushing her to glare right at the Human mare, who gave her a look of unflinching support. The rest of the girls showed the normally brass cyan girl a similar level of support. Emboldened by their silent help, Rainbow went on while keeping her eyes on the others;

"I didn't just see those memories..."

She felt herself visibly shudder as she gently hugged her arms for comfort, unable to hide the rising fear inside. After a moment of hesitancy, she spoke further with a shaky voice;

"I felt what I was feeling when those memories were made. Kinda like how your Memory Magic works, SunShim. But, for me..."

She paused for a moment to figure out her next set of words, her mind still reeling from what she had just endured. When the average person was in her position, they were likely to shut their eyes to grasp onto more comfort. But, Rainbow Dash would rather be awesome than average. In spite of her feelings, she kept her gaze on Sunset while continuing to tell her story to the others;

"It felt like those emotions were cranked up to eleven, which was seriously intense! But, as I watched the memories play out, I noticed something new in them..." she noted as calmly as she could. That got a inquisitive head tilt from Tree Hugger, while the eyes of the other Rainbooms grew wide upon hearing this. The girls listened intently as Rainbow continued while expressing confusion on her face;

"There was a thick pitch black cloud of smoke in every memory I saw. It was the size of a person and it was just... floating there... always behind me..."

Another shudder came over her while she glanced at each of her band-mates. They nodded at her while not appearing to be overly shocked by her words: a clear sign that they had seen something like that cloud as well. Rainbow spoke again, this time with an even softer tone that was just a few decibels above Fluttershy's loudest indoor voice, which was thankfully loud enough to reach the group's ears;

"After I saw the moment when Sunset lost her memories..."

She sharply released her grip on her arms, stretched her arms out from her sides, and belted out a loud;

"BOOM!"

The girls were visibly taken aback by Rainbow Dash's sudden visual and vocal impression of an explosion. Fluttershy in particular expressed a terrified 'eep!' before trying to hide behind the bangs in her hair while still keeping her eyes on her childhood friend. Rainbow took a moment to calm down while allowing her arms to rest at her sides. She added with her head lowered to face the grass, her voice riddled with resignation;

"The she-demon suddenly threw a fireball at my face while laughing like a maniacal super-villain..."

Hearing about that got another 'eep!' from Fluttershy, only at a slightly higher volume than before. She hid behind Rarity out of impulse, yet she still paid attention to Rainbow by poking her head out from the side of her friend's back. Rarity herself appeared mortified by this revelation, with the rest of the band, along with Octavia and P0N3, looking no less concerned. The CMCs visibly shuddered in fright, remembering perfectly well what the athlete's vision had referenced. Rainbow Dash looked back up at Sunset with eyes filled with sadness and guilt. After a second of silence, she finished clearly;

"I didn't have the Princess to save me that time..."

Sunset Shimmer shot up like a bullet fired upwards and stood as still as a statue. For a moment, shock covered face, only for it to be replaced by understanding, concern for her friend, and deeply rooted regret. The witnesses of the Fall Formal Incident recalled the same dreadful words at the same time;

"She needs to be dealt with!"

Sunset's regret grew in strength, but her desire to help her friends crushed it like a Yak smashing a log underhoof. Before she could act on that desire, she was distracted by the far from subtle sounds of movement that played out around her. When she looked to see what was up, she found that, one-by-one, the rest of the six wonderful girls who she proudly called her friends were standing up. Their expressions spoke of resignation, fear, and unresolved hurting that they would not turn away from. Goodness, Pinkie's hair looked like it was trying to hold on to its poofiness for dear life! Just the sight of all of this was enough to make Sunset want to do just about anything to help them. But, she had to check something first. It was a possibility that seemed obvious to her, given the situation. But, she felt it was better to be safe than sorry;

"All... All six of you went through something like that too?!" she asked with sadness dripping from every word she uttered as she gazed at each band member. The nods she got from her friends made her want to cry for them. She knew they didn't deserve this: to be haunted by demons and Celestia knows what else! But, there would be time for tears later. Her friends needed her help! Her silent show of understanding was a good way to start. Just then, the demon inside her had chosen this moment of vulnerability to drip some toxicity into her psyche, effectively butting in like the world's worst roommate;

Hahahaha, they weren't kidding around when they admitted to being haunted by you! You better watch your buddies, or they just might turn demonic!

She quickly held her head with both hands and closed her eyes while trying to get the monster in her head to take a hike. But, the meditation session's harrowing result had left her mental strength weakened. So, all she got from her efforts at that point was the wretched demon's maniacal laughter. Twilight was not fairing any better as Midnight Sparkle chimed in just before she could try to comfort Sunset;

Oh, imagine if I could meet with your friends' demons! The dark secrets they would reveal would be deliciously fascinating!

The nerd was several steps away from hyperventilating as she held her heart with her right hand while attempting to use Cadance's calming technique to regain some kind of mental footing. The other Rainbooms' plight was no less intense for them. Pinkie, who's hair continued its desperate struggle to keep its poofiness alive, tried to hold back a flood of tears. Fluttershy felt a little better after the comforting she had gotten earlier. But, she was still stressed and terrified enough to tightly hold onto her arms while trying to not whimper, her face filled with fear and sadness. Rarity tried to maintain the dignity that was expected of a lady as sophisticated as her, even as her hands trembled so much while holding her teacup that it rattled repeatedly on its plate. Applejack tried to work through her powerful emotions on the inside, but not even her tilted stetson could hide her erratic breathing and deep frown. Rainbow had her arms crossed while appearing quite grumpy over the whole situation. But, anyone who knew her could easily tell that she was hiding her own negative feelings. Octavia and DJ-P0N3, when they had connected the dots, were both shocked and deeply concerned for the band in equal measure. The cello player in particular was kicking herself for not bringing her trusty instrument along, for she knew it would have come in handy at this point. Her beloved DJ, however, was strongly considering taking her headphones off, setting the volume to max, and unleashing the power of the wubs to give those girls something cool to vibe to. The CMCs were stunned, but only for a few seconds. Like Octavia and DJ-P0N3, they had figured out what was going on based on what was revealed by Rainbow Dash. The sadness and horror being shown to them by the seven girls who they loved so dearly aggravated them. Thus, they were determined to help them overcome such dreadful feelings!

It turns out, so was Tree Hugger.

The kids were about ready to rush up to the Rainbooms to give them emergency movie club hugs alongside their two older pals when the hippie stood up, walked passed them, and stopped to stand between them and the group of clearly troubled teenagers. She closed her eyes as the CMCs, Octavia, and P0N3 stopped moving to watch her out of curiosity. After taking a deep breath, Tree Hugger began to perform a chant with a voice that was as clear as the sky and as gentle as a light breeze. Her chant was elongated and well-practiced, not to mention remarkably simplistic. It was also technically wordless, though the sound she was making could be transcribed into writing. The CMCs fondly remembered this sound, thanks to their history with the peace-lover. Their worries were eased as big smiles formed on their faces. A single beautiful thought popped up in their heads;

"The 'om' chant!"

Octavia and P0N3 were confused by the chant at first, but quickly found it to be quite relaxing. Like their three younger friends, they kept their gaze on the Rainbooms. Thus, the five of them got to see something remarkable.

Whatever the band of friends were thinking, feeling, or doing was dropped from the moment the chant had reached their ears. Sunset and Twilight opened their eyes to gaze at each other, their demons interrupted by the heavenly sound that echoed throughout the tent. For a second or two, the seven girls just stood motionless with wide eyes. But then, a wave of soothing calmness flowed through their beings like ocean waves hitting the shore of a beach. With each gentle lengthy utterance of the chant, another wave struck them from within, weakening the hold their torments had on them. Each Rainboom's breathing became steadier over time. Sunset and Twilight eventually allowed their hands to rest at their sides. As if guided by some inner force, the band sat down again and reformed their circle as their sense of calm grew stronger and stronger. Earlier, their minds were utterly rattled by chaos born from the negative feelings and thoughts wrought by what they had experienced during their meditation session. Now, that chaos was slowly fading away. But, the demons would not give up yet. Multiple times, Sunset and Twilight's demons tried to slip more lies and threats into their hearts, while the former tried to torment the other five girls as well with the visceral memories of their failures. But, Tree Hugger's chant would undermine their wicked efforts without fail. Slowly, the demons' strength became weaker and weaker. Yet, some unconscious part of Sunset and Twilight was holding on to their troubles, same for the other band members. As if she was sensing this, the tranquil young lady called out to them in between chants;

"It's okay, Sonic Rainbooms! You deserve to let go for a while!"

In their minds, they were on the brink of doing exactly that, with all that was good and true about them rising up to help them take the plunge into mental and emotional ease. The demons went in for one last mental attack, only for Tree Hugger to give the girls one more good push;

"You deserve to bliss out!"

With closed eyes, the Rainbooms took a deep breath in and exhaled audibly in unison as they internally gave themselves permission to let go. To them, it was as if the chant was carrying them away from their troubles and into a place of comfort and rest. Their bodies became more and more relaxed while their minds followed suit. It only took a few seconds after letting go for tiny blissful smiles to form on their faces, their breathing stabilized and calm. As relief flowed through the CMCs, Octavia, and P0N3, Tree Hugger continued chanting for a good two minutes to make sure her friends were completely at ease. While she did this, a thought popped into her zen-like mind;

"What will you radical magical girls do about what you have seen?"

By the time the chant was finished, the Rainbooms' renewed sense of calm helped them return to themselves, to their hearts. They gave Tree Hugger smiles filled to bursting with appreciation and gratitude once she was done. It was Applejack who calmly expressed that gratitude with a tip of her hat;

"Thanks a bunch, sugarcube."

With a gentle nod and a chill smile, the host of the tent responded with sweetness in her words;

"I saw that you needed a distraction from what was terrorizing you and few things can be more distracting than some sonic bliss."

"It most certainly did the trick, darling!" Rarity happily exclaimed with rejuvenated grace as she enjoyed her cup of tea, her hands having regained the steadiness of a seamstress. Sunset, with a sideways smirk, clarified things for the group while gazing at each of her friends;

"That chant was a great source of relief, Tree Hugger. But, we'll need more than relief to keep our Pinkie Promise."

"Precisely!" Twilight said in agreement. While looking at the friends who sat with her, she noted;

"Our session has hammered home the fact that besting our demons and healing our scars will be notably difficult. More so than any magical problem we've ever faced up until now."

She closed her eyes and called upon her memory of the day when they had made the fateful pledge that started them on their journey. Feeling more motivated than before, she opened her eyes and told the girls with increased conviction while adjusting her glasses with her right hand;

"All the more reason for us to keep that promise."

She watched them express their agreement with that sentiment with head nods, smiles, and thumbs up. She then turned her attention over to Octavia Melody, who was sipping her own tea politely, and told her;

"Perhaps hearing about what you and DJ-P0N3 have gone through could help us figure out our next course of action?"

Slowly, the maestro of strings lowered her teacup onto its plate and placed the both on her lap, her eyes closed in thought as she did this. With a sigh, she opened up her eyes and told Twilight with proper tact;

"I do not know about my beloved's experience, but I know mine was powerful in its own right. I'll need time to process it first before speaking of it in detail, if you don't mind."

Twilight understood her request within moments of hearing it. With an affirming nod, she responded plainly;

"I think we all need time to process what we've just endured."

The rest of the girls responded with several verbal and non-verbal variations of 'yep'. Satisfied, she checked on P0N3, who was sitting to Octavia's right side while vibing to the music that blasted in her headphones. The egghead decided it was best to let her be as she turned her attention towards Tree Hugger. Her inquisitiveness at full strength, she asked;

"What do you think? We could certainly use some advice right about now."

The other girls looked expectantly at their host as well. She was not at all fazed by having so many eyes glaring at her at once, given her peaceful expression. On the inside, however, she was deeply contemplating things;

"A black smoke that's always behind them... six share one demon, while one has her own... I wonder..."

Whilst Tree Hugger pondered in silence, Rainbow Dash looked away out of impatience to speak to her friends with a frustration-laced grunt;

"I'm glad we took a closer look at our scars, but we still got these annoying blocks in our heads to break through, remember?"

"Um, I'm sure we haven't forgotten about that. I certainly haven't," noted Fluttershy in her soft voice, her demeanor back to its usual level of shyness as she gazed at Rainbow from behind her bangs. Applejack calmly added her own point to the conversation, her arms crossed;

"Darn tootin'. But, our demons represent them blocks and now we've got a better idea of how they can slow us down. We just need to figure out how to bust through them. It's like breakin' down a wall: ya' gotta find the weak spots and hit 'em in the right ways."

Hearing this caused Tree Hugger's lidded eyes to rise up slightly, as if a rather weighty thought had just come up in her mind. Twilight noticed this seemingly minor change, but didn't think much of it as her host mentally decided;

"Some of them may accept the idea right away, while others may not..."

Just then, an idea popped up, one that she liked very much. Her mind was sound, but she knew better than to ignore her heart's take on things. With a breath, Tree Hugger closed her eyes and tuned into her breathing in silence. She did this for five seconds before opening her eyes and making a fateful decision;

"I shall plant a couple of seeds... and see what the girls will cultivate."

With that settled, she looked over at Twilight and declared;

"You asked for my advice and you will have it," she began with her chill voice, which got the girls' attention before they could discuss things further. With a relaxed grin, she spoke to the band;

"I could interpret what you have seen inside of yourselves in many ways. But, what I want you all to think about is this..."

She gave the CMCs, Octavia, and DJ-P0N3 a quick glance with her eyes before returning her focus on the Rainbooms and asking;

"What do your scars represent to you?"

The Wondercolts who took part in the meditation session quietly contemplated that question. The CMCs watched them closely, hoping that any answer they could give would, in turn, help the kids help them heal. As silence crept into the tent, Tree Hugger stood up and suggested to Twilight, who was already mentally going through a dozen possible answers at once;

"Perhaps a far out book may help you find your answer?"

She had her at 'book'.

Twilight shot up to her feet, her eyes and face beaming with joy as she rapidly nodded her head. Noticing this adorable sight made the other girls give the bookworm knowing smirks. Sunset, in particular, was finding immense enjoyment in watching her friend be her brainiac self. Tree Hugger guided Twilight over to the shelves that housed her collection of books. Once they stopped within inches of them, the hippie told her;

"You can borrow a book from me so that you can arm yourself with knowledge. Each book here was written by a respectable author."

Twilight looked over at Tree Hugger and exclaimed with excitement in every word;

"Oh, I'm going to do so much research!"

She pulled one of the books out of its shelf and began to quickly skim through it while holding it by its spine with her right hand. It didn't take long for her to find something in the back of the book that made her even more thrilled;

"Oh. My. Gosh! This one has a bibliography! There are so many sources to look up!" she declared before squeeing with unrelenting glee, which made her friends politely chuckle in support of the lovable nerd. But then, she realized something that was of immense importance to her. It simply had to be addressed;

"How silly of me, I didn't read this book's title!" she exclaimed with a slightly embarrassed chuckle. Within moments, she closed the book and took a good look at its front cover. The covered showed both the title and the author's name below it. They were both written in large cursive white font that gave away the item's age;

A Primer on the Self

By: Barrel Jung

"The self..." Twilight uttered softly, her mind filling with ideas on what such a concept could mean within the context of the text and the goal she and her friends were striving towards. Midnight tried to slip a unhealthy phrase in between those ideas, but they were so numerous in number that they crushed said phrase before the egghead could recognize its laughably brief existence. She looked back at Tree Hugger and noted with a sigh;

"As much as I would love to read all of these books right away, I have school work, magical experiments, and so many other important things to deal with as it is!"

She closed the book from its spine with her right hand and added while exhibiting confidence and gratitude with the smile on her face;

"I will borrow this book for now and grab some more later as needed. Thank you, Tree Hugger! I'll make sure to return it to you when I'm done!"

"Righteous," was the hippie's heartfelt response, her peaceful grin on full display. Soon after that, the girls helped their host clean up and made ready to leave so that they all could tend to their own business. Tree Hugger noted to the group as she ushered them out of the tent;

"Think well on what you have experienced today, my friends. You may come back if you need more guidance and there is nothing wrong with seeking professional help if you feel you need it."

Each of the girls thanked her either verbally or silently, with Sunset noting to herself to check with a certain profession in CHS when possible. But, before the group could make for the boats, the biggest eco kid in their school asked;

"May I speak with the CMCs real quick?"

The movie buffs in question looked up at their sisters, who nodded at them to give them permission while looking a tad confused. With that, the trio ran up to Tree Hugger and stood to listen to her words, which she uttered with a soothing gentleness;

"My offer to help you through a guided meditation session still stands. You have my word that I'll be with you every step of the way."

The CMCs gave their friend's offer some thought. Yes, such a session could become scary like it did for the Rainbooms, but it could help them in some way. This, they knew without a doubt. Then again, they still had some crusading left to do and they didn't want to delay their efforts too much. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looked at each other, as if they were having a wordless discussion. They then looked at Tree Hugger as the young Apple responded on her club's behalf with a polite tone;

"We'll keep that in mind for later, sugarcube."

All three movie buffs showed neutral expressions on their faces that their host quickly noted in her head as a sign that trouble may be brewing. As tempted as she was to resolve this right then and there, she also knew that the kids had their families and friends watching over them. So, she figured they would be fine for the time being. After giving them a nod, she turned around to walk back into her tent while the group of girls returned to their boats. The journey home was largely made in silence as the girls who had meditated felt the need to rest a bit. They definitely needed the rest, given that school was poised to open back up very soon...

Author's Note

Thank goodness the previous chapter was cut in two! :rainbowlaugh:

Seriously, everything that went down in Tree Hugger's tent had to be handled carefully, especially the meditation session! Also, the scenes that came up after the session went through more than one revision. Even now, I'm expecting to have to fix up any issues with grammar, spelling, and lore consistency that I may have missed later.

Anyway, the Rainbooms have gotten a glimpse of what stands between them and the keeping of their Pinkie Promise. What will they do from here, one has to wonder?

Up next: School's back in session as the girls return to CHS to see faces both old and.. new?! Something tells me that this will be a swell school day...

Chapter 14 - School Twists

Later that evening in Sweet Apple Acres.

If there was one thing Applejack liked to do after dinner, especially in recent months, it was to reflect.

She only did this during nights when she had a lot of things on her mind that she needed to process. Sometimes, it was easy to work through such thoughts. Just do a little reflecting on the day's events and go right to bed, easy as eating apple pie. Other times, it was harder to do than riding a fully grown bull that was seeing red! Even so, doing this healthy habit always helped the young Apple get her mind cleared before bedtime. On this particular night, she carried within her more than enough thoughts to warrant some honest reflecting. Sure enough, she was sitting in front of her desk in her bedroom: her preferred thinking space where she could put aside farming and school work to focus on her thoughts. Giving her desk a gentle glow of light was a small lamp that stood to her left. The farmer had already finished her Spring Break homework, her meal was devoured, and all of the chores for the day were done. So, there was nothing stopping her from tackling the thoughts that swirled around in her mind like a spiral.

"The cruise trip and the Star Swirl Music Festival..." she pondered to herself while absentmindedly adjusting her stetson with her right hand. The memories of those two events kept finding their way to the front of her mind ever since she and her friends had left Tree Hugger's tent. She didn't find this aggravating, to be clear. But, they were definitely annoying! Not only that, but there was something about them that caused her brows to furrow in contemplation;

"They were fun, but..." she began to note in her head. Before she could finish her thought, however, several knocks on her door echoed throughout her room, catching her attention within moments. With curiosity in her eyes, he called out from her desk;

"Who is it?"

In response, the not-so-subtle voice of an old lady came from behind the door;

"It's Granny, sugarcube. May Ah come in?"

Now, that confused Applejack to say the least! She got up out of her seat and turned her body to face the alarm clock on her night stand to do a quick check of the time. It was 8:45PM, a fact that gave her more questions than answers;

"Sure, give me a moment!" she called out to Granny Smith as quickly as she could. She knew better than to make the Apple Family Matriarch wait for too long. As she walked over to the door at a brisk pace, she wondered internally;

"Shouldn't she be nappin' right about now?"

After opening the door, she moved to the side to let Granny Smith walk in. If she was tired, then her calm focused demeanor had hid it well. Once the door was closed, Applejack asked her grandmother with a polite smile;

"What brings ya' to my room at this hour?"

The farmer was hardly complaining about being visited. After all, family and friends were always welcome in her room, so long as they knocked first. Granny Smith gave her a loving grin while telling her;

"Figured Ah'd check in on my grand-kids before hittin' the hay."

Applejack's smile grew a bit wider upon hearing this. She then returned to her chair, sat back down, and looked at the wall above her desk, her mind quickly returning to the business from before. Granny caught the furrowing of her granddaughter's brows and noted calmly;

"Ya' look like a lady with a lot on her mind."

Applejack kept forgetting how perceptive the old Apple could be. With a sigh, she responded with slightly more relaxed eyebrows;

"Yeah, somethin's been botherin' me."

She looked down at the desk, her thoughts getting louder by the second. The gentle firmness of Granny's Smith's large right hand on her shoulder turned the mental chatter's volume down quite a bit, much to Applejack's relief. She looked over at the old Apple, who asked;

"Ya' wanna talk about it, sugarcube?"

The young farmer looked back at the wall, took a moment to think on her words, and began calmly;

"Ya' know about that Pinkie Promise my pals and Ah made last Spring..."

Granny chuckled softly before noting with a grin;

"Yeah, and Ah'm mighty proud of ya' and your friends for takin' care of yourselves."

Applejack couldn't help but chuckle in return before adding;

"Well, Ah've been thinkin' back to those vacation trips we went on last Summer. The festival and that cruise."

"What about 'em?" asked Granny. Her grand-daughter sighed before explaining;

"Don't get me wrong, my friends and Ah had a lot of fun back then!"

She shuddered while feeling slightly nauseated for a brief moment before continuing;

"Seasickness and magical mayhem aside."

The young Apple got a gentle pat on the back from Granny that seemingly knocked her nausea away. Encouraged, she spoke further;

"Still... Ah've been wonderin'..."

She looked Granny Smith in the eye and asked her with concern on her face and in her country-born drawl;

"Were those trips a waste of time that would have been better spent healin' our old scars?"

The oldest living Apple in the family did not hesitate to give Applejack a meaningful response. With a narrow glare and her right index finger pointed directly at the freckled girl's face, she replied with a voice that was both caring and firm;

"Now listen 'ere, missy. Ah haven't forgotten about how much of a mess ya' were after that Wallflower girl went and messed with your brain."

The young farmer felt the sting of an old inflamed scar in her heart as she listened closely to her grandmother's words, which were given a more soothing tone as she went on;

"Oh, ya' were doin' your chores as well as any Apple ought to. But, these old peepers of mine could see the pain ya' were feelin' inside."

Applejack reflexively tilted her hat downwards while looking down to hide her bubbling emotions. Granny, with the experienced gentleness of a parent, placed her right hand under Applejack's chin and gave it a tiny push. The silent encouragement was enough to get her to look back up at Granny, revealing sadness born from regret in her green eyes. Sensing her cue, the senior Apple went on;

"Ah figured that your friends were hurtin' too."

She gave Applejack a warm grin before finishing;

"Ah'd say ya'll needed to make those trips, so that ya'll could rest up, have fun, and remember who ya' are underneath all that grit and grime inside ya'."

Applejack could feel it in her heart: that soothing sense of ease that reminded her of the hugs she used to get from her parents. A part of her was certain that they were watching over her with love. With a loving smile on a face covered with relief, she told her beloved grandmother while feeling that old scar of hers cool back down;

"Thank ya', Granny. Ah needed to hear that."

She then gave her a tight hug for good measure, which the old lady was happy to reciprocate. Applejack would sleep well that night, with thoughts of her family and friends holding vigil over her dreams. But, just before she fell into slumber's welcoming embrace, a quiet whisper echoed in her mind. Its words were not recognizable and she was far too tired to be consciously aware of its short-lived presence. Even so, on a subconscious level, she knew that it spoke of things most foul...

The next morning, at the street leading to CHS. Well before the first bell.

The Rainbooms and the CMCs walked to school on the sidewalk together alongside Octavia and DJ-P0N3. As usual, they were equipped with backpacks filled with what they needed for the day ahead. Everyone was in good spirits that day for a couple of reasons. For one thing, school was back on in CHS, which gave them the opportunity to reconnect with the numerous friends they had made in that institution. Not only that, but the end of Spring Break had also brought a certain upcoming event to the forefront of their minds. Rainbow Dash, with plenty of exuberance, was the first to bring up such a momentous occasion;

"Graduation is coming soon, girls!"

Rarity, with well-practiced refinement and poise, attempted to bring her down to Earth;

"We are all excited about graduation, darling. But, the ceremony is set to take place in late June and we are currently in March."

All that produced was a frustrated groan from the athlete as she held the top of her head with both hands, her impatience on full display. After letting her hands rest on her sides, she replied out of annoyance;

"I know! It's such a long wait!"

Applejack chimed in with a slightly annoyed glare aimed right at her friend and rival;

"RD, we've been workin' towards graduation ever since our Freshman Year! A few more months won't hurt us none."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes while refusing to say anything in response. Sunset, with a smile, added her own point to the topic at hand;

"Let's take it one day at a time, girls."

She looked over at her annoyed friend and added;

"Trust me, RD. We'll be accepting our diplomas on stage before you know it."

She only had time enough to get her eyes back on the path they were taking to their destination before Apple Bloom belted out with joy and pride in every word while her eyes remained locked on the path ahead;

"Ya'll earned your diplomas, sugarcubes!"

Sweetie Belle took this chance to gush as well while she too kept her eyes on the street;

"We're so proud of you all!" she exclaimed with joy over the thought of those seven wonderful ladies graduating. Scootaloo declared with gusto and a fist pump to the sky;

"You better believe we'll be watching you at the ceremony! We wouldn't miss it for the world!"

The young tomboy made sure to return her attention to the street they walked on before she could miss the oncoming turn. The CMCs caused the the other girls to express smiles filled with appreciation as the group made the turn together and got closer to the school. It was at that moment that a thought popped into Sunset's head;

"Once we graduate... We'll be done with CHS for good."

Another thought formed in her mind, one that she instantly marked as important;

"I wonder what the girls will do after graduation? For that matter..."

A deep frown formed on her face;

"What will I do?"

Sunset pondered her future in silence as the group arrived at Canterlot High School's front yard. The first sight to greet them was the recently reconstructed white marble statue that depicted a horse rearing up on its hind legs, the large plinth below holding it in place. The girls stopped to quietly look upon the rebuilt fixture of their school's identity with relief and pride, with Twilight's relief being more prominent on her smiling face. Octavia gazed at the statue for a moment longer before looking over at Twilight. She then asked her with a hint of nervousness in her Trottingham accent;

"Are you certain that the statue's pedestal was completely fixed?"

The egghead nodded while explaining with surety;

"Correct. From what I've heard, the construction crew triple-checked their work when they finished during Spring Break. I checked as well soon after and can confirm that there are no cracks on the statue or its plinth. Which reminds me..."

She turned to gaze at each of her friends, excitement growing in her demeanor as she announced with beaming pride;

"It pleases me to report that I have finally fixed the bugs in my newest invention, which will aid us in our efforts to keep this world's magic reigned in!"

The girls clapped and cheered before Rainbow Dash congratulated her with a smirk and fist pump;

"Awesome job, Sci-Twi!"

Applejack, with a tip of her hat, happily requested;

"Go on then, Twi. Show us the fruits of your hard work!"

"Um, if you want to, that is..." Fluttershy noted in her usual soft voice, her demeanor as shy as ever, even though it came with a friendly grin aimed at Twilight. Speaking of the egghead, she was exuding confidence from head to toe, a far cry from her days in Crystal Prep. With a quick nod at the attentive group of girls, she pulled her backpack off of her back and placed it on the ground in front of her. The large main compartment of the backpack, which had a small opening left on the right side where the zipper could be seen, wiggled a bit before becoming still again. This was an otherwise strange occurrence that the others were quite glad was not spotted by CHS staff. Twilight went for one of the smaller front compartments, unzipped it, and reached inside. After almost a second of rummaging, she pulled out an item that she was quick to show to the girls after standing up straight, her smile almost as large as her brain.

The mere sight of this object gave her friends a most potent shock. The other Rainbooms took a quick and large step back in near perfect unison while Fluttershy whimpered a little, with Rarity gasping along with a wide-eyed Sunset. The CMCs immediately hid behind the band for safety while feeling just as afraid as they looked. DJ-P0N3 had to raise her tinted sunglasses up to her forehead to get a better look at the object with her wide naked red eyes, her mouth agape in surprise and fear. Only Octavia Melody remained composed, even as she too showed wide eyes as she glared at the seemingly dangerous object that Twilight held in her right hand. It was round, dark purple in color, and had curved lines circling it that reached all the way to the center on the top and the bottom, nearly wrapping around the object. A lavender button rested on top where the lines would otherwise come together. The device had a thin tiny gap around it that clearly defined and divided the top and bottom halves. Twilight recognized what was going on with her friends within seconds and promptly went to work on assuaging their fears as she lowered her right hand to let it rest on her side while holding the item firmly;

"I can assure you, this is not the device that contributed to the rise of Midnight Sparkle!" she declared in a serious fashion. Slowly, the CMCs poked their heads out from the right side of the band. Their eyes oozed with concern, but they were not quite as frightened as they were before. The other girls all sighed in relief in almost perfect unison, with Sunset asking Twilight with a grateful grin;

"Okay then Twi, what is it exactly?"

The scientist's confident smile returned with a vengeance, which did wonders to clear away what was left of the group's fear. Glaring at her dear Equestrian friend, she explained with polite excitement in her voice while keeping the device held up before the others;

"This is the Sparkle Thaumometer Version 1.0: a portable device that can be used to track magical energies without directly affecting them."

The girls expressed various levels of surprise as Twilight went on;

"That limitation alone prevents the Thaumometer from being able to unleash Midnight Sparkle, or any entity like her for that matter. Thus, anyone can use it to safely detect and track magical energies with ease."

Sunset felt pride for her pal rush to the surface as she walked over to her. The scientist allowed the hand that held the device to rest at her side, curious as to how the feisty mare would respond. With a gentle hand placed on her Twilight's right shoulder, Sunset told her with confidence and friendliness poured into a good vibes blender;

"You've done a fine job, Twilight."

The rest of the girls cheered as they moved to join their two friends. Once they had all gathered around, however, the cheering intensified before the inventor called out;

"Hold on!"

Once silence filled the yard, she gave Sunset one of her toothy grins filled with science-fueled excitement and declared in a sing-song voice that revealed her contained glee;

"That's not all it can doooo!"

Sunset chuckled over her nerdy friend's antics while stepping back a bit and told her sweetly;

"Enlighten us then."

She did exactly that, with well-meaning enthusiasm and a tiny hint of mania;

"Not only can my ST-V1 track magical energies, but it can also analyze them and save its findings as data that can be converted into legible information at a later time!"

She looked at the girls to gauge their reactions. Most of them clearly understood her words well enough to show their support, Sunset especially. Applejack seemed confused for a few seconds before clarity visibly kicked in for her, while Rainbow Dash blurted out while scratching her head;

"Translation, please?"

The honest farmer could not facepalm harder without hurting herself. With a head shake for good measure, she looked over at her confused friend and clarified out of familiar annoyance;

"She can use that there technological doohickey to track down and learn more about the magic in our world."

Clear understanding filled Rainbow's face as she thought to herself for a few moments. Right then and there, she expressed a large smile before declaring out of sudden pure excitement and confidence;

"That means we can find those magical wisps and stop them in their tracks!"

"It would be a breath of fresh air to be able to prevent a magical problem from happening for a change," Rarity commented while giving Twilight's Thaumometer her discerning tailor's glare. After inspecting it for a second or two, she gave her friend some honest critique;

"Putting aside the less-than-stellar memories your new invention invokes, darling, I do find that its purple & lavender color scheme gives it a most splendid appearance. Visually distinct and yet not overly striking."

Twilight couldn't help but blush a little over Rarity's approval of the device. Sure, she didn't care as much about aesthetics as the fashionista did, but she never could ignore her inventions getting compliments. Sunset pondered silently for a bit while holding her chin with her right hand before asking her friend;

"What about the range? How far can it detect magic?"

The nerd looked at her and answered calmly;

"Its maximum range is precisely nine-point-one-four-four meters. Which, translated to UCS customary units, is ten yards."

Rainbow Dash noted with a raised eyebrow;

"A football player could run that distance really quickly when pushed hard enough."

With a loud groan filled with an all-nighter's worth of frustration, Twilight responded while looking at the athlete;

"That's one of the main problems the ST-V1 has: a limited maximum range, especially when it's set to detect magic in a straight line! Granted, it can be adjusted to have a width shaped like a half-circle, but it only goes as wide as two-point-one meters from both sides. I was shooting for at least twenty meters straight ahead, but I haven't been able to make a power supply strong enough, and small enough, to make that possible while maintaining the Thaumometer's portability."

Applejack walked over to Twilight and gave her a warm grin tailor-made for soothing stress before chiming in sweetly;

"Ah ain't never handled a tool that didn't have problems, but Ah ain't never handled one that wasn't useful either."

She gave her a friendly wink and added;

"Ah'd say your new Thaumo-thingy will be mighty useful."

Normally, Twilight Sparkle would take offense to one of her inventions being given such a ridiculous name. But, for a friend as great as Applejack, she was quick to make an exception. Before she could thank her, however, Pinkie Pie jumped right in between them and exclaimed with joy all over her pink being;

"You can use your amazing invention on me! That way, if I get lost, you can follow my Pinkie Trail right to me!"

Twilight giggled over her bubbly friend's suggestion and responded with a nod while gazing at each of the other girls;

"Better yet, I want to scan each of the other Rainbooms, so that our magical energies can be tracked and converted into helpful info later. I have already scanned myself, for the record."

Sunset was the first to approve of the idea;

"Sounds good to me. Fire away, Twi," she said with a smile while the rest of the band gave approving nods of their own. With that settled, Twilight raised the ST-V1 up to her chin while holding it with both hands. She then pushed up the top side of the device with her thumbs, causing it to flip open like a large pendent. What was revealed to those who could see what was under the apparent lid were two small knobs with small numbered labels written around them. Above the knobs was a small black LCD screen shaped like a square. The button remained in the center of the device, only it was clear that was situated between the screen and the knobs. While making a few adjustments by twisting the knobs with care, Twilight mumbled to herself as she was prone to do whenever she was futzing with her tech;

"Adjusting detection range and width..."

Once the desired settings were applied, she aimed the ST-V1 at Sunset's chest, who made sure to stand directly in front of her while the others gave the two some space from the sides. With one good push the button with her right thumb, the thaumometer's lines started to glow in a repeating pattern. The glow itself showed a bright shade of teal, yet another hint as to the checkered history of the device's predecessor. The glow's pattern was matched by a constant beeping sound that was audible but not loud enough to be annoying to the average Human ear. The beeping, like the glow, played in a frequent fashion as Twilight kept her aim fixed on Sunset. The scientist explained the function of her invention with the surety and enthusiasm of a teacher as she performed her demonstration;

"The ST-V1 glows and beeps when it detects magical energies. The frequency of said beeping depends on the strength of the detected magic as well as as its distance from the device's detection area."

She took several steps back while turning the right knob before stopped to stand again, the beeping's frequency slowing down as she did so, while the glowing maintained its own rhythm. She then checked the LCD screen, which depicted a long set of seemingly random numbers that reached from one end of the screen to the other. Feeling satisfied and giddy, she then aimed her device at the remaining Rainbooms while making sure that different sets of numbers were shown for each of them. Once that was done, she decided to point the ST-V1 directly at the statue, particularly where the portal was located, which produced yet another set of numbers. She was about to turn off the device when Apple Bloom asked out of curiosity and a hint of fear;

"Miss Twi, maybe ya' can scan the three of us, Tavi, and P0N3 as well?"

Twilight looked over at the young Apple and her two best pals, who all appeared to be quite intrigued and slightly apprehensive. With a grin, the scientist answered;

"It was good of you to suggest that, actually, since I'm looking to scan more CHS students later anyway. Hold still, please."

The CMCs, with a quick breath, did as instructed, with Octavia and DJ-P0N3 following suit. What followed was more than a little interesting to say the least. Twilight aimed her invention at Apple Bloom first, which produced not just a different set of numbers, but also an entirely different beeping pattern. It was slower than what the girls or the statue portal had produced, but it was frequent enough to warrant attention from the student of science. When she used the device on Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, they produced unique number sets, but practically the same frequency of beeps! Before anyone could comment on this discovery, Twilight made sure to scan the string player and her lady love, only to obtain similar results, albeit with slightly less frequent beeping. The scientist sharply raised her right eyebrow while thinking to herself and maintaining calm seriousness on her face;

"To quote Spock of Vulcan: Fascinating."

The others girls' reactions were a tad various. Octavia maintained her composure while letting concern appear in her eyes. DJ-P0N3 raised her signature shades up to her forehead to reveal red eyes wide with surprise. As for the remaining Rainbooms, they instinctively turned to check on the CMCs, who were expressing nothing more or less than shock and worry on their faces. Apple Bloom said what everyone was thinking in a slow tone filled with awe;

"This means that... the five of us got magic in our bodies..."

Scootaloo, with a nervous gulp, added with fear that she rarely expressed publicly;

"That's both awesome and concerning at the same time."

Sweetie Belle, ever the voice of reason in the movie club, noted with a worried squeak;

"Hold on! We don't know how much magic is in our bodies."

Twilight, who managed to stay calm throughout all of this, nodded at the young singer before responding;

"Precisely. That is a question that I will investigate when I return to my laboratory later tonight."

She then turned off the ST-V1 and returned it to its place in her backpack. As she did this, Sunset walked over to the five Wondercolts who were, apparently, magical to some unknown degree. With a smile that somewhat soothed their worries, she told them with certainty;

"If you had enough magic in you for it to cause trouble, it would have done so by now."

The five friends became more at ease than they were a moment ago as she went on;

"As always, if you witness or experience anything magical, let us know. Okay?"

They all nodded with grins of their own, their fears taking a backseat for the moment. Satisfied, Sunset motioned to the group while declaring;

"Let's get inside while it's still early, everyone! We can discuss magic stuff some more during lunch."

With that, the girls walked up to the front doors of the CHS and entered its halls while chatting amongst themselves about the day to come. As Sunset listened to Rarity gush over the Spring clothing line she was making, the mental voice of a certain she-demon decided to talk over both the fashionista and Sunset's own thoughts;

So many students with magic, so many potential demons, and it's all your fault, Sunny!

Leave it to the she-demon to mentally go for the throat. An old guilt rose to the surface of the mare's mind like a rocket fueled by emotional pain. The memory of when she had the gal to put on that Celestia-cursed crown and the horror that followed flashed in her mind with the vividness of a modern day movie. Her breathing became short and increasingly erratic. Her thoughts ran at multiple miles a minute and kept getting faster by the second, with the demon adding her wicked cackling to the mix just to mess with Sunset some more. Before things could get even worse, however, Rarity's voice rang through the otherwise overwhelming mental noise with dignified concern in her voice;

"Sunset darling?"

Like a gentle tug of the arm, the fashionista pulled her away from the noise inside. Sunset quickly realized that she was standing as stiff as the statue outside at just a few steps inside of the school. With a quick head shake, she looked around to find that the others were gazing at her with worry pouring from their eyes. The Rainbooms in particular showed both worry and understanding on their faces, which were balanced by the goodwill in the smiles that began to form. The CMCs were on a similar boat, only their eyes sparkled with concern and hope. Like an invisible balm, the combined goodwill and hope eased the guilt in Sunset's mind, allowing her to quietly recenter herself as the girls waited patiently for her to recover. Ten seconds of deep breathing while connecting with her personal mantra was all she needed to do exactly that. With that sideways smirk of hers on full display, she declared to her friends with confidence;

"I'm here."

The Rainbooms, Octavia, and P0N3 grinned happily upon hearing this, with Pinkie bouncing with boundless glee. As for the CMCs, they were relieved that their beloved Phoenix Friend was in higher spirits, but they were also confused. Apple Bloom, who walked alongside Sunset with her friends in tow, voiced this confusion on her club's behalf;

"Why did ya' go and say that you're 'ere? We know where ya' at," she asked with a slightly tilted head and raised eyebrow. Once the group started making their trek through the main lobby, the mare of two worlds answered with a soft chuckle;

"Sometimes, the mind can get too focused on what has happened and what could be. It can get so focused on such things that you'll find yourself stuck in your own noisy head."

She gave the little Apple and her two best pals a friendly wink before explaining further;

"Whenever I recognize that I'm stuck in my head, I do what I can to bring myself back into the present moment. The here and now."

The kids pondered this new information for a moment before Sweetie Belle exclaimed excitedly;

"Oh, so when you say 'I'm here', that means that you're back out of your head!"

Sunset nodded at her before Scootaloo noted with a teeth-baring grin;

"Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda would like that trick, Sunset!"

For added effect and before anyone could intervene, she began to quote the character in question with a half-way decent impression of his voice;

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery-"

Sunset jumped in to continue the quote for Scootaloo with a hint of playful flare, only without the impression;

"But today is a gift."

She then finished it with a softer tone of voice while returning her attention to the path before her;

"That is why it is called the present."

Soon enough, the girls were at the lockers, grabbing the items they needed while putting what they didn't need into them to prepare for the school day. They were silent as they prepared, though their moods were positive to put it simply. Sunset's short episode from before did little to dampen her spirits, as evidenced by the gentle smile she showed as she placed her magic journal in the locker. Just then, she remembered something that a certain frustratingly angry Griffon had made her forget about until that moment. Well, said Griffon wasn't there to ruin things again, she realized. After finishing up and closing her locker, Sunset looked over at the CMCs, had just placed their paper pony boxes in their lockers. She watched with love as they gazed upon their treasured possessions, their eyes filled with a seemingly endless shining sea of hope. With content sighs, they closed the lockers in near-perfect unison. Seeing the opportunity, she asked them;

"So, about that story of how you three first met?"

The CMCs looked back at her with excited smiles, with Scootaloo being the most excited by far. The other girls, upon hearing this, turned to face them after finishing up at their lockers. Apple Bloom turned her head to face her orange friend and asked her;

"Ya' wanna start us off, Scoots?"

She nodded happily at the redhead, who took a step back to give her room, with Sweetie Belle following suit. Scootaloo, after looking at the smiling friends who stood around her, took a breath and began;

"It all started about a week after Rainbow Dash's freshman year began..."

Just before she could truly get stuck in with storytelling, a polite feminine voice laced with authority and grace called to the group from further down the hall;

"Good morning, students!"

The girls could recognize that voice from a mile away. Scootaloo held back the urge to groan out of annoyance as she, along with the others, turned to face the woman who called to them. It was none other than Principal Celestia, who was walking over to them alongside her sister, Vice-Principal Luna. The two were relaxed and quite pleased to see their students, much to their relief. The girls made it a point to gather around as their school's leaders stopped to stand before them, with Sunset and Twilight standing in front of the others. Luna, her collected demeanor on point, declared;

"It is good to see you all here so early."

She gave Sunset a knowing grin before adding;

"Not to mention unexpected."

The human-pony girl laughed sheepishly before explaining;

"Well, I've started getting up early recently and the girls decided to join in for today."

Twilight, with a giggle, clarified;

"It seemed like a reasonable way to get back into the school mindset."

The whole group expressed friendly laughter, with Celestia and Luna letting polite chuckles out. Once they all calmed down, Celestia took the moment to note;

"You all arrived at an opportune time. We would like to discuss some important matters with you. Since there is plenty of time before the morning bell rings, I suggest we tackle them in my office now."

Applejack responded on the girls' behalf with respectful honesty;

"Nothin' wrong with gettin' things settled right away, Ah reckon."

The others nodded their heads in agreement, with Sunset telling the two sisters;

"Lead the way, then."

Even though she felt a twinge of nervousness, Sunset Shimmer was quite sure that whatever it was the Principal and Vice-Principal wanted to address couldn't be too bad.

Before long, they were all situated nicely in Celestia's office. Since there weren't enough seats for everyone, the group of girls opted to stand at the Principal's desk together. Celestia sat at the other side with Luna to her right with a straight posture. After taking a moment to think in silence, the former began politely;

"First things first..."

Her politeness was augmented by a gentle grin as she declared to the girls;

"As of today, we have six new students coming to CHS."

The students who stood before her were shocked for a second before jubilation covered their faces and filled their voices as they laughed, cheered, and high-fived each other. Rainbow Dash, true to form, was the most enthusiastic of the bunch;

"Ah yeah! We got new Wondercolts coming in!" she yelled out with a fist pump to the ceiling.

Once the joy eased down into a more manageable level, Octavia commented with her chin held in thought;

"So late into the school year, no less."

She looked at Celestia and Luna before asking in a dignified fashion;

"I take it they are not too far behind their peers grade-wise?"

Luna, with an understanding smirk, explained;

"You needn't worry, Octavia. These kids' grades are in line with how close we are to the end of the school year and from what my sister and I can tell, they should be able to keep up with their fellow students from here on out."

The string player sighed with relief as Apple Bloom asked with a giant smile on her face and a voice full of happiness;

"What grade level are we talkin'? Juniors? Freshmen?"

Celestia answered with a grin of her own;

"Eighth Graders, actually."

That got the eyes of every CMC to grow wide for a moment, with the other girls looking about as surprised. Scootaloo expressed her own amazement in a soft and simple fashion;

"Wow... That takes me back."

"Same 'ere, Scoots," noted a nostalgic Apple Bloom as the memories of eighth grade flooded her young mind. Celestia took this chance to elaborate further;

"Going by our clock, their bus should be arriving in about ten minutes. We would like for them to be given a tour of the school before they go to Homeroom."

Every single student in that room considered taking on such a task, but it was Sunset who spoke up first;

"I'll be happy to show them around," she declared resolutely. While the rest of the group smiled in agreement to this, Luna had a different idea;

"We appreciate your willingness to help, as always, Sunset Shimmer. While you will be charged with introducing these new students to our school, you will not be doing it alone," she said with a calm sure voice before giving the CMCs a small smirk. It took them less than a second to connect the dots and start beaming rays of joy at Sunset with their faces. She looked over at the joyful kids and gave them a friendly wink as well as fist bumps for good measure. There were no complaints or reservations from anyone in the room. With that bit of business settled, Celestia spoke once more;

"Now then, there is another topic to address. This will come up at some point anyway, so we might as well deal with it now."

She expressed an exasperated sigh before giving the girls an understanding glare filled with concern, a look that was matched by Luna, who brought up the elephant in the room;

"Recent events concerning a former student have come to our attention..."

She focused that glare on the CMCs, their smiles from before having been replaced by knowing frowns, their eyes filled with a stubborn old hurt. Their hands started to twitch without them noticing what was happening. The rest of the girls looked at the trio with worry oozing from their faces, ready to comfort them at a moment's notice. Sci-Twi, in particular, recognized the kids' twitchy hands and made sure to mentally note this for later. Looking to give three of CHS's Wondercolts some encouragement and relief, Celestia noted to them with a gentle smile and calming tone that was as soothing to Sunset as the one normally used by her royal counterpart;

"Rest assured that this school is filled with people who will help you when you ask."

Her words eased the CMCs' internal hurting just enough for them to give the Principal tiny appreciative grins. Apple Bloom spoke on her club's behalf with a softness in her southern drawl that had none of her usual exuberance, her frown back for more;

"Ah thought we were gettin' over her, ya'll..."

She hugged herself while expressing a grimace before continuing;

"When we heard Gilda's voice for the first time in years, Ah felt so dern terrified, my mind got plum flooded with one wild thought after another. Ah couldn't move my body or even stand without tremblin'."

Sweetie Belle held Apple Bloom's left shoulder with both hands as gently as she could. With a sad squeak, she added;

"I felt the same way, AB."

"Ditto for me," said Scootaloo, who held her leader and friend's right shoulder in a similar fashion while looking twice as hurt as her two pals. With a frightened shudder, she noted softly;

"When we stared that jerk down after AB talked back at her..."

She hesitated for a moment before looking up at Sunset and declaring;

"It felt to me like she brought Tartarus with her."

"That's how Sweets and Ah felt too, Scoots..." Apple Bloom noted with a rare deadpan voice while staring at the desk before her. Sweetie Belle nodded to confirm her words as she went on;

"Many of ya'll know how we feel about that awful place."

Neither Scootaloo nor Sweetie Belle released their grip on the Apple. The other girls as well as the two leaders of their school were listening to every word the CMCs had uttered. At this point, those leaders had heard enough. Celestia stood up at her desk, walked around it, and got down on her right knee to face the kids at their level, or at least close to it. They turned to look back at her as she declared with a loving expression;

"Regardless of those powerful feelings that troubled you so deeply, you stood up for your friends and sisters against a bully. I can safely speak for Luna and myself when I say that we are proud of you three."

Luna had followed her big sister's example as she spoke, promptly moving to stand at Celestia's left side before getting down on her own knee while showing the CMCs plenty of warmth on her face. Speaking of the kids, the Principal's heartfelt words cut through the hurting inside enough for happiness to ease their troubled minds. With renewed sparkles in their eyes, they beamed back at the Principal and Vice-Principal while responding in gentle unison;

"Thank you."

The Rainbooms, Octavia, and P0N3 made sure to give the kids hugs and fist bumps: silent genuine reminders that they had the movie buffs' backs. Once the Principal and Vice-Principal returned to their places at the desk, Celestia made another point quite clear to everyone else in the office;

"Make no mistake, Luna and I believe, based on what we've learned from you and your fellow students, that it is best that the CMCs stay away from Gilda."

Luna elaborated on that point while glaring directly at the trio, who looked back at them as politely as they could, in spite of the frustration growing from within their heads;

"After all, if seeing and hearing Gilda is enough to induce such an intense reaction from you, then she would surely capitalize on that reaction in a vicious manner if she were to catch you without backup."

The kids' frustration simmered down a bit, but it was still strong enough to make them question the words they had heard. They knew that Celestia and Luna didn't want them to get hurt by that loathsome bully again. Even so, they would not turn away from the duty they've charged themselves. Scootaloo told the two education officials after taking an audible breath alongside her pair of pals;

"We understand that you two want what's best for us."

She spoke calmly and with confidence, for she was determined to handle this peaceably out of respect to the two women who were in charge of the school she loved so much. Scootaloo turned to look at each of the other older girls, with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo following suite. The group gazed at the CMCs with understanding expressions as the daredevil spoke again with a smile filled with love;

"You all do."

She and her two friends turned back around to face Celestia and Luna again before she declared with utter surety;

"But, we still have our mission, one that we're so close to completing! It may not be a Pinkie Promise, but it's just as binding as one."

All three CMCs expressed on their faces pure resoluteness that the principal and vice-principal took notice of instantly. With resigned sighs and knowing smirks, they showed the kids understanding glares while Celestia herself responded with her traditional level of professionalism mixed with goodwill;

"We knew we couldn't discourage you from confronting Gilda with mere words. We'll respect your choice and provide you with support if you need it. We just wanted you to know our take on the matter."

Luna, with a hint of worry in her eyes and voice, requested to the young ones;

"All that we ask is that you be careful when dealing with her. 'Troublemaker' does not even begin to describe that clearly troubled young lady."

The CMCs responded with a quick unified nod;

"Yes, ma'ams!"

The two sisters gave the kids satisfied smiles before Celestia announced;

"With that settled, let us make sure that we do our due diligence before you all leave."

She reached into her right pants pocket with her right hand and pulled out a folded note. As she handed it over to Sunset, who quietly accepted it, she explained;

"On that note, you'll find key details regarding our new students, including their names and what school they hail from."

While Sunset nodded at the Principal, Twilight commented with inquisitiveness filling her eyes;

"Transfer students... I had guessed as much."

Luna announced before additional comments could be made;

"Unless you have any questions or concerns, that will be all."

"One last thing before we get moving," Sunset noted as politely as she could to avoid inciting the adults' combined agitation. Thankfully, her attempt was successful, for they nodded at her respectfully. This prompted her to give a simple, yet important request;

"My bandmates and I seek school counseling."

The entire band gave their school's leaders glares that were both polite and serious in equal measure. The CMCs, Octavia, and DJ-P0N3 all understood the situation instantly and made no objections or remarks out of respect. Luna, thanks to her history with the Rainbooms, was quick to recognize how much this mattered to them. So, with a small smile, she answered;

"I'll have time after school set aside for counseling. It will have to be a group session this time, as my schedule has very little room to breathe today."

Applejack responded on her friends' behalf with a tip of her hat;

"That's alright, ma'am. We can try one-on-one sessions later on."

Rarity chimed in with her usual grace;

"Besides, I do believe that we will benefit greatly from doing this particular session together."

Another nod from Luna prompted Celestia to end the conversation decisively and with a supportive grin;

"Very well then. You may go now, girls. We hope the school day treats you well."

One by one, the girls took their leave of the office. As they made their way down the hall, Rainbow Dash asked Rarity with a raised eyebrow;

"Don't you have that new employee-slash-old friend to help out after school?"

The fashionista tittered politely before explaining;

"As it happens, there is a sizable gap between the final bell and getting Coco situated at work, which I normally set aside for rest and pre-work prep."

Applejack, with a supportive chuckle, told Rarity;

"Good of ya' to keep your schedule in order, Rares."

With a growing smile, Rarity responded;

"Indeed! Wise scheduling aside, Canterlot Boutique, as important as it is to me, can wait for my mental health."

Sunset felt pride for her beautiful friend, a feeling that she was quick to express with one her best smiles unleashed for added effect;

"You've made the right call, Rarity."

The group stopped to stand at a straightaway in the hall that had another path stretching to the right. Sunset declared to the others;

"We'll group back up during lunch. See you then, girls."

She then gave the CMCs an encouraging glare and ordered;

"Come on, kids! We've got newbies to welcome!"

The trio fast-walked with her while giggling happily. With that, the group broke in two, with Sunset and her three young pals taking the straightaway while the rest of the girls took the right-hand turn.

The CHS welcoming committee stood in a row at the bottom of the stairs leading to the school's entrance. Sunset unfolded the note and took a look at it. She read the details out loud to the CMCs, who were keeping an eye on the street for any sign of the new students;

"Let's see... Their names are Gallus, Silverstream, Yona, Ocellus, Smolder, and Gabby..."

A specific piece of info got Sunset's eye enough to interrupt her for a moment before she continued;

"Interesting... they are all transferring from the same school: Mount Aris Middle School."

Hearing that made Sweetie Belle turn to face Sunset, her eyes wide with surprise as she remarked;

"That's really far away from Canterlot City."

"You got that right, Sweets," said Scootaloo, who went on to note with awe;

"Mount Aris itself is a stone's throw away from the Crystal Land's southern border..."

"What buses are they ridin' in?" asked Apple Bloom. Sunset was quick to find an answer;

"Just the one actually. They're all riding on bus nine-seven-dash-four."

She then quipped while refolding the note and stuffing it in her right pants pocket;

"Well, that'll make finding them a breeze."

The four girls waited outside as patiently as they could, albeit with Apple Bloom pacing about to keep herself calm. It took a few minutes, but their patience was rewarded with the arrival of the first yellow school bus of the morning as it parked at a spot just behind the statue. Apple Bloom stopped pacing to gaze at the buss. They all looked up at a spot above its door and sure enough, it bore the number they were looking for, which was written in bold black paint;

97-4

Apple Bloom ran up to the door with the speed of a red-headed bullet, her bow bouncing rapidly as she did so. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle quickly caught up with their pal, with Sunset Shimmer bringing up the rear. They stopped to stand in front of the door while making sure there was enough space for the students inside to make their way to the school without too much trouble. Before any words could be uttered, the door opened and a whole line of students came filing out one by one. At first, the four saw some Juniors and Sophomores make their way passed them. A few Juniors, they recognized and greeted with smiles and fist bumps. Soon after that, however, the new eighth graders came out as well. Yona, the first one out, was a lady who was as tall as Big Mac himself and had a large build overall. Her brown hair was styled to have two large pigtails hanging down behind her with two pink bows keeping them tied up. She had olive eyes, grayish amber skin, little freckles on her cheeks, and a most friendly smile. Wrapped around her neck was a green scarf with white stripes along the edge. Her sleeveless shirt was just as pink as her bows. Her pants were brown like her hair, with dark grey shoes serving to complete the look. Next up was Silverstream, who had light blue hair with light cornflower bluish gray highlights, blue violet eyes, light magentaish gray skin, and a simplistic dress that rocked a pale, light grayish orchid color. She wore around her neck a lovely necklace that consisted of a variety of small seashells. Her shorts rocked the same color as her dress and her light blue tennis shoes complemented her hair in a way that Sunset was sure Rarity would approve of. Silverstream's smile was bright and filled with excitement. Coming out from behind her was Ocellus, who came rocking a pair of sunglasses with cyan lenses that hid her eyes. She had light amaranth hair that flowed down her back and light grayish arctic blue skin that had a hint of paleness to it. Her dress bore a more brilliant amaranth color with shoulder and waist highlights that matched her hair color. Complementing her outfit was a pair of thick brown heeled boots that reached to about half-way up to her knees. Up next was Smolder, who came with a look that spoke of all things punk rock! She had cyan eyes, orchid hair that was styled like a thick mohawk, brilliant gamboge skin, a black leather jacket that the CMCs and Sunset instantly took notice of, a black undershirt with the image of a large red and yellow dragon breathing fire on the front, a skirt that matched her hair, and black shorts underneath. The other aspect of her appearance that the four girls were quick to catch was her pair of tall black boots with large light gold fire painted on the front from the top to the tip of the toes. Any old Wondercolt would easily recognize that style of footwear! Smolder walked with a face that oozed with confidence to make way for Gallus and Gabby, who exited out of the bus while keeping close together. The former, a young man to be exact, had brilliant cerulean hair that was short with parts of it combed to the side near the top to look like feathers with yellow tips poking out, azure eyes, and light blue skin. His outfit consisted of a light brown zipped up jacket, brilliant amber finger-less gloves, dark blue pants, and boots that matched his gloves, only they had white highlights around the toe area. He was holding Gabby's left hand with his right as they walked over to the others. Gabby herself, who had arrived just behind Gallus and was a bit shorter than the rest of the group, had turquoise eyes, arctic bluish gray skin, dark azureish gray hair that had a single decently sized ponytail at the back, and a necklace around her neck that carried a closed heart-shaped pendant. Like Gallus, she wore a jacket, only hers was a black bomber jacket with white fuzz along the collar. It was also unzipped, revealing an undershirt that matched her eyes. She also wore jeans that bore the same color as her hair and thick boots that matched Gallus's gloves. The six eighth graders came together to stand in a row directly in front of the CMCs and Sunset. They stared each other down. Like the other girls in his group, Gallus was giving the older students before him a friendly grin. Gabby's smile, however, was growing exponentially by the second while she glared directly at Sunset, her eyes lighting up like stars with growing glee. Sensing the lack of tension between the two groups as a good sign, Sunset started things off by giving the new arrivals a proper welcome;

"Glad to see you all, everyone!" she began with one of her friendlier tones of voice. The CMCs, as if on cue, waved at the eighth graders while showing off their typical beaming teeth baring grins. Before the four of them could say anything else, however, Yona responded jovially;

"Yona is glad to see you all too!"

That got giggles out of the CMCs and a chuckle from Sunset and Gallus, the latter having decided to chime in with a more chill demeanor and voice;

"Yeah, she likes to meet new people."

"So do we!" exclaimed Apple Bloom. But, before she could even think of introducing herself and her friends to the group, Gallus gave them a clear warning with a knowing smirk;

"So does Gabby, who is several seconds away from exploding."

Speaking of the girl, she was practically bouncing with joy at this point. Sunset, having gained plenty of experience with the likes of Pinkie Pie and the explosive joy of the CMCs, braced herself for what she was sure was going to be a familiar situation.

Within two seconds, she was faced with something quite different.

Gabby, upon her left hand being released by a chuckling Gallus, zoomed up to Sunset and declared with absolute positive fandom mixed with the happiness, and bounciness, of a fully caffeinated Pinkie Pie;

"You're Sunset Shimmer! THE Sunset Shimmer!"

To say that the mare herself was taken aback by this reaction was an understatement and a half. She held up her hands in self-defense, hoping to at least keep the clearly well-meaning joyful girl from crossing any boundaries by mistake. Sunset did her best to keep her friendly smile up and honest, even as nervousness grew from within her mind. The CMCs were surprised for a moment or two before pure delight swelled within their hearts. The fact that one of the new students was a big fan of their favorite band was wonderful enough. But the fact that Gabby was also a fan of their Phoenix Friend was the glorious icing on the cake! They started smiling brightly as they took the time to enjoy watching their beloved friend get some adoration thrown at her. Adoration that Gabby expressed in a rapid-fire pace;

"You're the rhythm guitarist and one of the vocalists for the Rainbooms! You and your band play really amazing songs! Mind you, I've only listened to a few of them and I've only seen one of your music videos, but still!"

Thankfully for Sunset, Gabby was gently and firmly pulled away from her by Gallus while he promptly told her;

"Ease up on the rocker, kid. You'll have plenty of time to talk with her later."

The young Rainboom fan pouted to herself while being pulled, which the four girls found adorable. Silverstream took this moment to explain things while giving Sunset an apologetic look;

"Yeah, Gabby discovered your band yesterday and she was hooked after the first song."

The mare of two worlds, having already taken a quick moment to resettle herself, laughed a little before responding to her sweetly;

"It's okay! I'm flattered that she likes us and our work so much."

She then gave the new students one of her sideways smirks and declared;

"But we've got places to be and things to see. Firstly, some introductions."

Sensing their cue, the CMCs lined up to Sunset's left as she spoke again while looking at the group before her;

"My name is Sunset Shimmer, but you already know that."

After letting out a chuckle along with the others, she motioned to her three young friends, which prompted Apple Bloom to exclaim happily;

"The name's Apple Bloom!"

"My name is Sweetie Belle!" said Sweetie with a polite smile and nod. Scootaloo, true to form, introduced herself with pride all over her face;

"I'm Scootaloo!"

Apple Bloom made ready to help her friends finish their introduction as only they could by saying with anticipation in every word as she, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo bent their knees down as if they were about to do a big jump;

"And we're..."

But, before the trio could do their loud and proud club introduction, Sunset made the bold decision to interrupt it by running up in front of Apple Bloom and exclaim quickly while waving her hands up;

"Hold up, hold up, hold up! We're in school, remember!"

The movie buffs straightened themselves back up while giving Sunset an annoyed glare for a brief moment before realization had set in, prompting them to express sheepish grins. After giving them a warm smile to let them all was well, she turned to ask the six kids under their watch;

"I take it each of you have your syllabus on you?"

As a veteran Wondercolt, Sunset knew perfectly well how the school handled newly enrolled students. As if proving this fact, each kid nodded at her, with Ocellus noting;

"They were mailed to us soon after we enrolled. I've never known a school to do that before."

The eldest Wondercolt present explained thusly;

"It's part of CHS's standard procedure for dealing with students who enroll late into a semester."

"Smart," Gallus remarked with a satisfied smirk.

Apple Bloom's patience, at this point, had quickly taken a backseat. With playful encouragement, she exclaimed to the others;

"Come on, ya'll! Let's show the new folks what's what around 'ere!"

With that, she sprinted up the concrete steps and over to the school's entrance, with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle not too far behind her. Sunset motioned to the six students and lead them to the doors. She could hear Gabby say to herself out of pure joyful anticipation as they went inside the school;

"This is so awesome!"

Author's Note

Disclaimer: I'll try my best to not have the CMCs overdo it on the movie references. No promises though! :raritywink:

Good on Sci-Twi for taking inspiration from a most terrible mistake to make a useful tool. Already, she is learning more about the Human World's magic. But, where will this lead?

So... CHS's new students have names that many a FiM fan will instantly recognize! Gabby being a big Rainboom fan is just asking for fun storytelling to me. Yes, I took the time to look up and use the names of the colors used in the Young Six's canon designs. No, I am not apologizing.

Chapter 16 - Communication and Revelation

CHS Vice-Principal's Office. Right after school earlier that day.

There, the Rainbooms sat together on the long dark blue couch that rested along the wall in Luna's office. The comfort that the couch provided, combined with the presence of the Vice-Principal herself, eased their nerves considerably. Being there for each other during this important time in their day finished the job, allowing a sense of ease to sweep over them. Even Fluttershy, who was normally a bundle of shyness, felt quite calm all things considered. All eyes were aimed at Luna, who sat on the matching recliner chair while giving the girls a gentle yet firm glare. Between them was a round light-blue table that was utterly bare. Clearly, the room was modified my its owner to prepare for the band's arrival. The eight ladies sat in silence for a whole minute before Luna greeted them with a warm grin;

"It is great that you have chosen to speak with me. Now, how are you girls doing today?"

Sunset was the first to speak up. With a smile, she answered;

"I woke up early, got to see Ray do a trick or two in his terrarium, watched Twi here introduce us to her newest invention, and made some new friends in those eighth-graders. Besides the usual stuff, like keeping up with my studies, I've been doing pretty good today."

While Fluttershy silently gushed over the adorableness that was Ray the Leopard Gecko, Applejack spoke as well with a tip of her Stetson hat to Luna;

"Ah've been doin' fine myself, actually. Chores have been manageable, family's doin' good, and the school day went off without a hitch."

The other girls had followed suit, revealing that they've also been doing fine overall. Relieved, but far from satisfied, Luna moved the discussion along;

"Let's switch gears over to the last few days. Have there been any issues during this time?"

Hearing that made the girls react in various ways. Applejack tilted her hat down to hide her face, though the grimace her mouth had formed was still visible. Rarity's eyes turned down to gaze at her lap, her face forming a forlorn frown. Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and looked off to her right side, her visible frustration hiding her own internal emotions. Pinkie Pie's hair got slightly less poofy, her sadness all over her face as she gazed at Sunset, who held her left arm with her right hand in a defensive posture. Fluttershy hugged herself while appearing as frightened and worried as she felt, her eyes shut tight. Twilight Sparkle, like Pinkie, was also looking right at Sunset, her eyes filled with concern and sadness. Luna felt for those girls, but she knew she had to give them a gentle push to speak their minds. So, with a sigh and an understanding glare, she asked with gentle firmness;

"Who among you will speak first?"

Tension filled the air in the room. The girls wanted, needed to talk about the more... intense recent events. Bringing themselves to do so, however, was difficult to say the least. Their worries and fears nearly silenced them, but it was in difficult moments such as this that the Rainbooms showed their hearts. They stood up from their spots on the couch like seven rockets, looked right at Luna, and declared with conviction in unintended unison;

"I will!"

Upon hearing each other speak, they gazed at each other for almost a second before smiles and laughter filled with understanding busted through the tension like battering rams. Luna took this moment to enjoy the mirth being expressed by her students while feeling quite proud of them. Once the laughter died down, she addressed them as they returned to their spots on the couch;

"You're willingness to talk about your troubles is a healthy sign."

She gave them a smirk before adding;

"Still, I would like to know who will speak first."

Rarity spoke up with calm dignity, her fears cast aside for the time being;

"Perhaps I will kick things off, as it were?"

The others nodded in agreement, allowing her to stand back up and speak some more;

"Yesterday, the seven of us alongside Octavia, her lady love P0N3, and the CMCs payed one of our fellow students a visit: Tree Hugger."

Hearing this prompted Luna to raise her right eyebrow out of curiosity as the tailor went on;

"We were seeking her assistance with getting a clearer idea as to the nature of our invisible scars, so that we may learn how to heal them properly. This way, we can make certain that we will not hurt someone over our past again."

She gave Sunset a regretful, yet resolute glare as she spoke.

The Vice-Principal hummed softly to herself before noting in a calm fashion;

"A sound goal... continue."

Rarity, with the occasional help from some of her friends, explained to Luna what happened during that visit. Once she was finished, she returned to the couch and, like the others, watched the educator closely while waiting for her response. Luna pondered what was revealed to her in silence for a couple of seconds before responding;

"Yes, Tree Hugger is most certainly a spiritual young woman. She is not a professional, but that does not discount the knowledge and experience she has on matters of the mind and spirit."

She smiled confidently at the girls before adding;

"So, you made a wise call by seeking out her aid. As for what you saw during your meditation session..."

Her smile faded into a frown as she continued to speak while gently glaring at the fashionista;

"Rarity, you did not share the specifics on what exactly you and your friends had witnessed when meditating. Only that it had given you all a fright terrible enough to warrant Tree Hugger's direct intervention."

Looking sheepish and feeling quite nervous, Rarity told Luna;

"My sincerest apologies, Vice-Principal! Even now, it is difficult to put such an awful fright in words."

Applejack stood up and, after giving Rarity a heart-warming smile, looked over at the trusted adult and offered;

"Ah'll explain my side of it, if that'll help my friends."

The other girls behind her nodded in agreement, with Luna giving the farmer the go-ahead;

"You may proceed then."

Applejack closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and as she exhaled, allowed a certain dreadful memory to play out in her mind. After opening her eyes, she told Luna with a somber tone of voice while feeling fear simmer from within;

"At first, Ah was seein' the key moments in our friendship play out one by one. Good times, bad times, and the like. Ah was also feelin' the emotions Ah had felt when them memories were made, only they were plum stronger than normal."

Rainbow Dash nodded at her friend and rival, her words reminding her of her own experience. As Applejack spoke, she kept her eyes locked on Luna to make her honesty more apparent. The school official kept her silence while listening intently. The farmer felt her fear slowly rise to the surface. She shuddered a little, but she would not stop herself from speaking further, her voice becoming softer in tone;

"When Ah saw myself and my friends betray Sunset..."

The hurt that the Apple was carrying inside could be heard by everyone present when she uttered that young woman's name. Even so, she would not let her turmoil stop her;

"Ah felt... anger. Terrible anger, sadness, and pain..." she admitted with a whimper that few souls in the Human world could ever say they had heard from her. Her friends were visibly worried for Applejack as they watched her hug herself for comfort. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Sunset were the most worried of them all, and that was saying something. But, the farmer was not done;

"Before Ah could react, the ragin' she-demon threw a fireball at my face. When she did that, Ah felt mighty afraid...", was what she uttered with a shaky soft voice before turning to give Sunset an expression filled with sadness, regret, and above all, fear. As hard as those feelings tried to make her hold her tongue, she knew in her Apple heart that she had to push forward. She had to be honest with herself. So, she did, with a pained tone;

"Just as afraid as Ah was that night..."

Everyone present knew exactly what night she was referring to. Tears welled up in her green eyes when she added with short heavy breaths while keeping her gaze fixed on Sunset, who was also doing her best to not bawl;

"Ah don't know what was more terrifyin', sugarcube: the fireball comin' at me or the threat of dyin'. Ah know, Ah wasn't actually gonna die, but still-"

That was it, that cowgirl was getting a hug, or so the mare declared in her mind as she practically pounced on Applejack, her arms wrapped tightly around her. Even through her tears and powerful emotions, the young Apple could sense what was coming. So, while wrapping her own arms around Sunset, she told her with a gentleness in her voice that was not too far off from what she had used to comfort Apple Bloom whenever she felt miserable;

"Before ya' start, ya' done apologized enough long ago, and once was enough. Ya' hear?"

Her words soothed Sunset's heart enough to bring a smile to her amber face as she replied out of warm gratitude;

"I hear you, AJ."

To say the other girls were moved by this sight would be a gross understatement. With beaming smiles and warm hearts, they watched their two pals hug it out, with Rarity showing the most appreciation via the sparkles in her eyes. Luna, with a grin of her own, gave the two ladies props;

"It is great to see you two helping each other out."

Once Applejack and Sunset broke up the hug, the latter gave Luna a smirk and told her with utter confidence;

"It comes with being a good friend, or so I've learned."

Somehow, her confidence had spread throughout the band like the world's most helpful virus, thus easing their troubles for the moment. This gave Rainbow Dash the push she needed to stand up and speak as soon as Applejack and Sunset sat back down;

"Those feelings AJ talked about..."

She groaned out of frustration before finishing;

"I felt them too."

Pinkie Pie raised her hand while announcing with a frown, her hair stubbornly maintaining its poofiness;

"Same here."

Rarity raised her hand as well. Soon enough, all five of Sunset's former enemies had their hands up in solidarity. After taking a mental note of this, Luna then asked Sunset while the two locked eyes;

"No doubt you, too, saw your memories of your friendship's important moments as well as the she-demon. Am I correct, Sunset Shimmer?"

The mare looked away from Luna for a moment before taking a breath, giving her a calm glare again, and saying;

"Yes, I did."

"And what feelings did these mental visions produce for you?" Luna asked. Sunset stood up slowly and closed her eyes. She then took a deep breath before settling her breathing into a slow barely audible pattern. While keeping her breathing steady, she answered with a soft voice filled with a lifetime of regrets;

"Well, when I saw those memories play out in my mind's eye, the emotions tied to them were difficult to work through, as you can imagine. It got really tough when I started seeing all of the times I had hurt people play out one by one..."

Twilight had nearly stood up to give Sunset a hug when she was stopped by Rarity, who carefully held her down with one hand. With a shake of her head, the mare added with shame laced in every word;

"When the demon appeared, I felt the old anger, the bitterness and fury that once drove me to be a cruel person. I also felt fear, yes, but not just of being fried to a crisp by my own twisted reflection..."

She placed her right hand on her heart and admitted;

"I was afraid of relapsing back into the old habits that landed me in that crater... Of regressing back into being the bad girl the whole school loved to hate..."

She opened her eyes to give Luna a look of pure fear that oozed out from her turquoise eyes before finishing with painful finality;

"Of becoming the demon again."

Her demon, at that moment, tried to make a most venomous snide remark in her head;

Yeah, about that, Sun-.

Unfortunately for that cruel voice, however, it took less than a second for Sunset's friends to step up when she needed them;

"You won't let that happen again," said Fluttershy with a voice that was just a hair above the normal speaking level. She was loud enough to get Sunset's attention, who spun around to catch the certainty that radiated from the typically reserved animal lover. Her fists were clenched and her eyes were filled with conviction. If she was afraid, she did not show it to Sunset, who got interrupted before she could show her friend gratitude;

"Well said, darling!"

She looked over at Rarity, who showed just as much conviction, which was balanced by her natural dignity. With a small smile, she added with grace;

"It will take far more than intense feelings from the past to push you back down into darkness."

Twilight delivered her own response before Sunset could turn her head to face her;

"You have control over your life, not the demon inside," she said with genuine confidence. When Sunset looked at her, she saw the face of a friend who was sure of herself and the friend who stood before her. Twilight's friendly smile only added to the effect. Rainbow Dash, like usual, jumped into the conversation with absolute reckless abandon;

"Yeah! If you ever need help with kicking that jerk's butt, just give us a call!" she exclaimed with a giant smirk while throwing quick boxing jabs in the air. Pinkie Pie bounced on her seat repeatedly while declaring with one of her bigger smiles;

"If that big meanie ever makes you feel sad or blue, then just say so and good ol' Pinkie Pie will cheer you up!"

Just then, a thought popped into her head that filled her bouncy heart with glee;

"Ooh! I can throw you a 'Sunset Will Never Ever Be a Bully Anymore Party'!"

Before the former bully could even blink, Applejack belted out a hearty laugh before telling her with honesty in her heart and grin;

"Simply put, sugarcube, that there demon's plum outnumbered seven-to-one..."

After a short pause, she winked at her and finished;

"At least."

The combined goodwill and support shown by six of the greatest friends she had ever known had knocked Sunset's negative feelings away like a hurricane crashing down upon a forest, silencing her demon. It was all she could do to keep her sudden fit of heart-born laughter from turning into an unrelenting cacophony of guffawing. Once the laughter cooled down, she had felt it again: the warmth, that loving pull that had always come from the deepest depths of her core. It didn't actively tempt her into plunging into those welcoming depths. Instead, its presence served as a silent reminder to her that there was goodness in her heart. After taking a few seconds to enjoy the feeling of that warmth, Sunset turned to face Luna yet again, pointed her right thumb at the wonderful friends behind her, and declared with a smirk and tone of voice that was somehow both sweet and smug;

"And Gilda treats my girls like they're fair-weather friends."

"More like we're any-weather friends!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed with pride for herself and the band she helped form. They all guffawed together over Rainbow's words until Luna got their attention, her own happiness apparent in her authoritative voice;

"Settle down, girls! There is more to discuss."

Once they did as instructed, Luna focused her eyes on Twilight and said;

"That just leaves you, Twilight Sparkle, though I can hazard a guess as to what you had seen."

The nerves within the egghead shot back up, driving her to look off to the side. Even so, she could feel the quiet encouragement she was getting from her friends and Luna. So, with a sigh, she explained with a low sorrowful voice;

"Just like with the others, I saw the moments we made together at first. But then, I started witnessing the times when I was bullied and manipulated in Crystal Prep..."

She hugged herself tightly and closed her eyes as she went on;

"The shame, fear, and hurt I had felt during those dark times were inflamed to a considerable degree..."

Her voice became shaky, even as she found the strength to straighten herself up and look Luna in the eye, before she added;

"I then saw Midnight Sparkle floating in the sky while looking down at me with that manic smile of hers. She tried to use the allure of knowledge and unrivaled magic to tempt me into letting her take back control."

In spite of her inflamed nerves, a small but powerful sense of surety grew within Twilight's heart. This pushed her to express a tiny genuine smile as she continued speaking, her voice slightly more stable;

"I told her that her poisonous deal can burn in Tartarus."

That detail got her supportive cheers from her friends, with Rainbow Dash belting out;

"Ohhhh, Midnight got shut down!"

At that moment, however, Twilight noted with a deadpanned expression that was matched by her voice, her eyes revealing a thousand yard stare;

"She responded to my defiance by firing a massive, vision covering, purple laser of magical death at my face."

Just like that, the cheer in the room had vanished. The other Rainbooms looked at Twilight with concern all over their beings. As the bookworm took several deep breaths to settle herself, Luna decided to get a little clarification before moving on;

"Just to be clear: During your meditation session with Tree Hugger, all seven of you had mentally experienced a noticeably vivid vision of a familiar demon attacking you with the intent to kill?" she asked as carefully as she could. The girls' unified response was a simple and direct;

"Eeyup!"

They all shuddered at the thought of what they had recently gone through right after speaking, with Luna watching quietly while being as still as a statue. Thanks to her experience as a guidance counselor, she could recognize that the experiences the girls had related to her were yellow flags. They were signs of trouble brewing at the very least, but there was still time enough to counter such trouble safely. Before she could fully formulate a response, however, Sunset spoke up once more;

"There is something else..."

The Vice-Principal turned her attention over to the former bad girl, who's eyes were filled with calm resolve. Yet, the older woman could see hints of an old hurt in them. Twilight was very much in the same boat, from what the educator could tell. She listened to Sunset explain herself;

"For one, we all saw dark smokey entities standing behind us when we witnessed our memories. That alone is scary enough, but... there are times... when Twi and I hear the demons we used to be in our heads..."

She looked down at her lap, her hands forming into fists on them;

"Taunting us... trying to lead us away from the honest paths we walk..."

If the meditation session's harrowing results, smokey entities and all, were yellow flags, then the demons haunting Sunset and Twilight, in Luna's mind, were crimson red! Worry shot up within her and nearly drove her to act instantly. With gentle recognition and a deep breath, however, she was able to calm herself right down. For Luna, now was not the time to act rashly. Her students needed help of a healthy kind and rushing would not provide that. What she could do now, however, was get more info. So, with a look of understanding and gentleness in her eyes, she asked the two troubled girls;

"You are welcome to not answer this question if you feel you are not ready to do so... Putting aside the Fall Formal and the Friendship Games incidents, have those two demons ever successfully led you astray?"

Luna could see it: their recognition of the out she had provided that, like with so many other students before them, had eased their worries and stress enough to help them find the strength to tackle a difficult question. It was a classic approach that she knew they needed. It took a few seconds of silent contemplation, but it was Sunset who answered first as she looked back up at Luna with renewed resolve;

"I could not hear the she-demon's voice in my head at the time... But, through my anger, she almost led me to..."

Regret covered her entire face and filled her voice as she finished;

"To hurt Wallflower during the Memory Stone Incident."

Hearing so much as a reference to that awful day drove the other Rainbooms to silently express regret on their faces too, a fact that Luna took notice of instantly;

"So, it was that incident that woke up the demon inside Sunset's mind. That's on top of it waking the other girls up to their own issues..." she thought to herself as Sunset returned to her place on the sofa. Twilight shook her head while giving her own calm answer;

"Thankfully, Midnight Sparkle has not succeeded in turning me towards a dark path ever since the Friendship Games."

Relief flowed through Luna, but she was not entirely at ease quite yet, for the yellow and red flags were still very much in place. After thinking on the words of her students for a moment longer, she figured out exactly what her next move was going to be. Just like with any other situation involving invisible scars, Luna made sure to handle this delicately. Slowly, she rose from her seat and, with an expression made soft and comforting by her smile and eyes, announced to the band;

"I'm noticing a keyword here: feelings. Old painful feelings that were likely left unresolved until the Memory Stone Incident gave them fuel, driving you to make a nearly ruinous mistake."

"Ya' hit the nail on the head there, ma'am," noted Applejack, the guilt on her face being quite apparent. But, Luna was not finished yet, for she explained further;

"I believe that it was those feelings that also contributed to your meditation session ending so abruptly and fiercely. If you can resolve and release these feelings in healthy ways..."

She deliberately paused to give the girls a chance to figure out the rest of her words. Sure enough, their eyes shined with sudden realization. But, it was Twilight who had finished Luna's suggestion for her;

"Then we will be one step closer to better understanding, and healing, our invisible scars!" she exclaimed with anticipation. Rainbow Dash was clearly all for it, given the smirk she showed when declaring;

"I like the sound of that!"

Pinkie Pie, who was showing one of her usual beaming grins at the time, had suddenly turned it into a sly smirk that she aimed squarely at Sunset, who looked a bit taken aback by this. With a knowing giggle, Pinkie noted to her;

"I remember you helping Wallflower face down my hatred. You helped her 'be with her feelings' as you had put it."

She sounded just as clever as she felt. With a head shake and a chuckle, Sunset said;

"Yeah, I made sure to learn about managing my feelings soon after the Memory Stone was destroyed, as you all know from our talks in the Monthly Check-Ins."

Luna held back a chuckle while feeling quite proud of the girls for creating and adhering to that particular ritual. With a slightly sheepish grin, Sunset admitted;

"I might have taught Wallflower a few of the tricks I picked up."

Hearing this had made Pinkie's beaming smile return with increased size and intensity. While bouncing in her seat, she exclaimed to her out of pure joy;

"That's just like you to help someone out, SunShim!"

"Learnin' healthy habits and passin' them on to others is a mighty fine thing, sugarcube," noted Applejack with a tip of her hat to Sunset, who was showing considerable relief as the girls gave her their quiet approval. She then suggested to them;

"I was thinking of walking you all through one of my emotion management methods at some point."

"A most splendid idea, darling!" exclaimed a grateful Rarity, with the others nodding in agreement. Luna chuckled before noting while giving Sunset an approving glare;

"I concur, although your friends are welcome to give the idea some thought before making a decision."

After the girls pondered their answer in silence for a moment, Twilight suggested to her friends;

"Sunset can teach us that method after this session. This will give us time to practice it before next week's one-on-one sessions with Luna."

The girls nodded at her in agreement, with Luna announcing with a smile;

"I'll do you one better, I will add that method to next week's session. I expect you all to have given managing your emotions a real try before then."

She focused her gaze on Sunset before noting;

"I will need you to stick around after the others leave, so that you can bring me up to speed."

"Yes, ma'am," was her response. After talking things out some more, the session ended with the girls, save for Sunset, taking their leave one by one. Once the two ladies locked eyes on one another, Luna asked the former bully;

"So, I take it your method involves mindfulness meditation?"

Sunset smirked as well before answering;

"Good guess!"

She then explained the details to the professional while mentally thanking the glorious mane of Princess Celestia that no demon gave her or her friends trouble during that day's session. Even so, Sunset made sure to keep a mental watch for so much as a sinister inner cackle as she talked with Luna.

Carousal Boutique. Later that day, after the meeting with the CMCs. About an hour before opening hours.

One of the things that the Belle sisters took great pride in was the consistent readiness of Rarity's prized shop. They always made sure that every publicly accessible part of the establishment was made neat and proper for the customers before opening hours. On this day in particular, they were especially driven to get everything ready well in advance. The clothing racks and hangers were fully stocked and the shelves were neatly filled. Now, Sweetie Belle was focused on giving the floor of the main shopping area a good sweeping while Rarity herself was double-checking the clothing for one of the things that she, as a tailor, saw as utterly ghastly:

Wrinkles.

While wearing her fashionable red glasses to catch those minute details that were otherwise easy to miss, she carefully inspected each garment in a brisk pace. Sweetie caught sight of her big sister making the rounds and rolled her eyes before noting to her out of restrained annoyance;

"Rarity, you've already done the wrinkle check twice now! Our stock is ready for selling."

Her words pulled Rarity out of her hunt for such dreadful things and, with a sigh and a small grin, responded calmly;

"Oh, I suppose you are right, darling."

She looked around the orderly and almost pristine shop with her eyes while turning her body around and added with a hint of gratefulness aimed at her little sister;

"Our shop and wares look positively stunning!"

Just then, the doorbell rang throughout the shop. For a brief moment, the two girls were surprised by this. Who would come to their shop so early? But then, they remembered why this day was so important. With giant teeth-baring smiles and an excited giggle from Sweetie Belle, the two ran up to the door. Rarity, with grace, opened it up to see the visitor they have been waiting for. This was a woman who appeared to be around fashionista's age with cyan eyes, two-toned cyan hair, off-white skin that was light amberish gray, and a tri-shade hair clip that used purple and two shades of red. Her outfit looked very much like a sailor's uniform for women. It consisted of a white-bordered lavender sailor collar with a red tie, a lavender shirt that had the same colored border along the edges, a lengthy scarlet skirt that bore the image of a stylish lavender hat with a red feather on both sides, a pair of lavender heels, and long fashionable socks that matched her hair. This girl was standing just outside of the shop as still as a statue. Nervously smiling, she greeting the two ladies before her with a slight stutter;

"Hello t-there! I-I hope I'm not interrupting anyth-"

Rarity grabbed her right wrist and firmly pulled her into the shop before she could finish speaking, prompting her to yelp in surprise as the door closed behind her. Sweetie quickly stepped back to give the two some space. Once the lady was no longer being pulled around and she was able to straighten herself back up, the tailor wrapped her up in an tight affectionate hug while exclaiming with joy;

"Coco, darling! I am so glad that you could make it, my friend!"

Just like that, Coco's nervousness vanished along with her bewilderment. Feeling Rarity's arms wrapped around her reminded her of simpler times, of the moments the two of them had spent as friends. With a relaxed smile, she embraced Rarity in kind while telling her honestly;

"I'm glad to see you too, Miss Rarity."

Sweetie Belle did her best to contain the urge to gush over how sweet they were being to each other. So, she settled for showing her support of their friendship with a big smile as they broke up the hug. Rarity, with a polite titter, noted to Coco;

"Oh, darling, I have never needed my friends to be so formal with me and I shan't make an exception with you."

Feeling relieved over this detail, Coco took a breath and happily nodded her head. Rarity then turned over to Sweetie Belle and announced to her with a loving grin and a soft voice while gracefully motioning to Coco with her right arm;

"Dearest Sweetie, I would like to introduce you to my childhood friend and fellow fashionista: Coco Pommel."

Coco turned to face the younger Belle as Rarity spoke. Once she locked eyes on her, however, an old memory popped into her head that produced on her face a smile filled with nostalgia and goodwill. She walked up to Sweetie, who was all smiles and more than happy to welcome a friend of her big sister. But, before she could even say hi, Coco told her softly;

"The last time I saw you... you were just a little baby Belle pulling on Rarity's hair."

That made Sweetie feel a tad embarrassed, but her smile had hid it well enough. That was, until Coco complimented her while getting down on her right knee to speak at her eye level;

"My goodness, you've become such a beautiful young lady," she told the little girl, the fondness in her voice only growing with each passing second. Poor Sweetie blushed while looking off to the side. But, she couldn't completely hide her appreciative smile from Coco's sharp eyes. Rarity couldn't help but audibly gush;

"Oh, how lovely it is to see you two getting along!"

After calming down, she then announced with calmer dignity;

"Come along, Coco! Sweetie and I shall give you a tour of our humble establishment."

Soon enough, the tour began, much to Sweetie Belle's relief, with Rarity leading the charge. As she learned more about the shop and how it worked, Coco couldn't help but feel that working here would turn out to be a great decision for her life. After all, she was going to work with an old friend.

During the tour, Coco got to know the different parts of the shop, where the clothing was located, how the cash register worked, and so forth. Rarity had even gone so far as to explain to her how the wares were organized;

"You see, darling, each line of clothing is divided firstly by the four seasons. They are then divided further by style, occasion, and..." she explained while pointing at the different racks and shelves around the trio of ladies. She deliberately paused before finishing, thus giving Sweetie Belle a cue that the little one was quick to catch. With a beaming smile, she declared with a calm nod;

"Physical Build."

Rarity turned to give her sister an appreciative grin and complimented her;

"Very good, Sweetie."

As the young one's smile became brighter than before, the tailor switched her attention over to Coco, who was giving some of the clothing present a discerning gaze, and asked her;

"Do you understand so far?"

Coco turned to give her friend a warm smile and told her honestly;

"Yes, I do."

Rarity sighed with relief before explaining;

"I must admit, the organization of the boutique's wares used to be much more extensive. So much so, that it was quite difficult for anyone other than me to keep track of it all."

She tittered gently as Sweetie Belle chimed in;

"So, Rarity and I revamped the entire system, so it's really easy for anyone to follow!"

She then let out an exasperated sigh that clearly released a considerable amount of old stress before admitting with crossed arms and slight indignation in her frown;

"It took us four hours to get that done..."

"Yes, but it was four hours I was happy to spend with you, my little gem," Rarity responded with fondness seeping out from her words as she gently patted the head of Sweetie Belle, who couldn't help but smile again. Coco giggled politely before gushing sweetly while holding her hands up to her chin;

"You two are so adorable together!"

Hearing that made both of the Belle sisters giggle a little before the trio proceeded with the tour, which eventually led them to a certain room on the floor above the shopping area. Rarity, with a dash of theatrical flare, unveiled this room to Coco;

"Behold: my tailoring office!"

Well, it certainly had at least a couple of items fit for an office, what with the desk and purple chair made of faux-leather at the far end. But, it was so different from the typical office that, if Rarity had not proclaimed it as such to Coco, she would have thought it was the world's messiest dressing room! Scattered along the walls of the room were large piles of fabrics that consisted of numerous patterns, sizes, shapes, and colors. Standing next to the desk at the left corner farthest from the trio was a tall wooden dressing cabinet with two large doors and three long drawers below it. At the far right corner was an additional pair of drawers stacked on top of each other to each the same height as the desk. complete with a tall mirror placed on top of it. The mirror itself had a wooden frame that matched the brown used for the taller cabinet. The wood used to make all three pieces of furniture had the distinct look of considerable quality, a clear sign that their creator knew exactly what to look for in wood. Much to Coco's relief, the piles did not extend to the doorway or the rest of the floor, so there was plenty of room for her and her friends to navigate the area. As she ventured forth, she quickly noticed the pair of fancy red glasses neatly placed on the center of the desk as well as the purple opened box filled with carefully organized tailoring tools sitting next to them. Speaking of tools, standing directly behind the chair was a tall white closet with its door hanging open, revealing even more tailoring tools and assorted fabrics stashed within. Hanging from the center of the ceiling was a decorative purple lamp with a long string hanging underneath the lamp itself and three large motionless white fan blades attached to it. The lamp's white light kept the room illuminated with its pleasant glow, but not enough to hide the blue diamonds drawn on the wallpaper, which pop out from the purple background. The windows on the wall to the left of Coco, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle were covered by lavish curtains that were a lighter shade of purple than the wallpaper. On the right side was a white door that had a "Dressing Room" sign attached to it via hammered nails. As for Rarity, she walked ahead of the others and over to one of the windows. After carefully stepping over one of the smaller piles to get close enough, she grabbed the middle window's curtains and, with brisk hand movement, pulled them open to let the sun in. After walking back to the center of the room, she reached up for the lamp's string and gave it a quick pull to turn off the lamp light, allowing the natural sunlight to give the room a more cozy look and feel that Coco found to be quite lovely. After turning to give her sister and friend a sure smile, Rarity declared with grace;

"I like to perform my craft while in the sunlight from time to time. It helps with my complexion and inspiration."

Sweetie Belle let out a knowing giggle while Coco tried to keep her nervousness reigned in as the two joined the fashionista in the office. As she looked upon each increasingly noticeable pile of fabrics, she slowly tried to express her thoughts on the matter to her boss and friend;

"Yes.. well, about... about these fabrics... they are..."

"Making this entire room a complete and utter pigsty?" Rarity finished jokingly with an understanding grin aimed at Coco. She then belted out a jovial titter that eased the young tailor's nerves before explaining while gesturing at the piles with her hands;

"You see, darling, this pigsty may appear to be an utter travesty against neatness to the average person. But, to my mind and experienced eyes, it allows me to quickly and easily find the right fabric for the task at hand."

Sweetie Belle added to Coco with a grin;

"She calls it her organized mess."

"Yes indeed, my dear Sweetie," Rarity acknowledge with a grin of her own before declaring with enthusiasm;

"Come along now, loves! Let us discuss the work to come!"

With grace and plenty of practice guiding her steps, she navigated her way over to the chair behind the desk and sat upon it as the others walked up to its front. After placing her chin on her clasped marble hands, she gave Coco a polite yet firm glare before speaking again;

"Firstly, it should be made clear that my sister willingly volunteers as a helper in the boutique."

Sweetie puffed up her chest while elaborating with pride in her voice and smirk;

"That's right! I help Rarity clean up the shop, take inventory, assist customers, and model the smaller outfits!"

After giggling with love and pride in her purple eyes, the fashionista gushed at the proud young Belle;

"Of course, little one, and you have been such a marvelous helper!"

Coco gave Sweetie a quick appreciative smile that she caught, which only added to her growing mood. After the two returned their attention to Rarity, she added after coughing a little to reestablish her calm demeanor, her eyes locked on Coco once more;

"However, with your arrival as our newest official employee, the first other than myself, the load that Sweetie carries can now be shared between the two of you."

The young lady with two-toned hair saw no issues with taking on some of the day-to-day tasks, but what came next would fill her with excitement;

"Of course, you will also have plenty of opportunities to work directly with me on tasks related to that beautiful profession we call fashion," Rarity declared, her own love for said profession showing in her voice and the subtle sparks in her eyes. It was all Coco could do to avoid squeeing with delight to save herself the embarrassment! Still, she could not contain her short happy hops as she responded excitedly;

"Oh, I'm so looking forward to working with you both!"

"As am I, darling," Rarity admitted with warmth oozing from her face and grin. She then aimed that soothing warmth at Sweetie Belle and ordered her;

"Do be a dear and escort our bouncy friend downstairs and show her how to handle the customers. It will be good for her to start off strong on her first workday."

The younger Belle nodded her head before taking Coco by her right hand and pulling her to the door. The two laughed together as they left the room, the door closing behind them. Rarity sighed a hopeful sigh as she stood up from her chair and walked over to stand in front of the tall dressing cabinet. With gentle care, she reached for the knobs for each door and pulled them open up, revealing a large assortment of neatly prepared clothing. There were shirts, suits, and dresses hanging via plastic hangers along a round wooden horizontal rack that was connected to both sides of the cabinet. Multiple kinds of footwear, from shoes and sneakers to high heels and sandals, were placed on the bottom of the cabinet in an organized fashion. But, standing in the center on a space between the footwear and upper-body clothing was a glass case that rested on an expertly crafted wooden pedestal. It was tall enough to almost reach the rack, which helped to make it hard for anyone with clear vision to miss. Inside this case was a single solitary outfit. It was clear that Rarity had put in considerable effort to maintain its luster, for no wrinkles, stains, or other signs of dirtiness could be found on the ensemble. Its jacket, undershirt, and skirt were held aloft by a black display stand, with only its round base being visible below them. The outfit's footwear, a pair of tall boots, were placed on top of the base to have them rest directly below the skirt. Rarity could see in her mind the memories that the mere sight of this particular set of garments had produced. They were memories both good and bad, yet she did not fear them. Instead, she welcomed them like she would welcome old friends as she gently placed her right hand on the glass. A certain memory among the wave that flowed through her head was louder and more vivid than most, for better and for ill. It hurt her that such an dreadful, avoidable moment was made, but she took it as inspiration to honor a vow that she and her dearest friends had once made together. With a smile as warm as her beautiful heart, Rarity softly declared to herself;

"As the stars as my witness, you shall always be remembered."

After taking a deep breath while letting a tear or two fall from her eyes, she spun around on her right heel in ladylike fashion and walked over to the door with purpose in every step. Confidence filled her smile as she announced with surety;

"Now then, it is time that I put the past aside..."

Once she opened the door and stepped through, she finished her declaration aloud and with a knowing chuckle;

"To partake in the events of today."

With that, she closed the door and joined the others in making ready for the work ahead, her mind filled with happy memories that were was vivid as the artwork depicted on the outfit that rested in its place of honor.

The next day. After school at the Statue Portal.

Five of the Rainbooms were working on Sunset's mess of a house directly, while the mare herself was relaxing at Rainbow Dash's house. Sci-Twi, however, was taking a much more indirect approach to contributing to the renovation effort. She was sitting in front of the side of the statue that housed the portal with her legs crossed. The CMCs were chilling out at the statue's plinth while keeping their eyes on her. Other than the four of them and and a green doggy backpack-rocking Spike, the area was basically deserted. Resting on Sci-Twi's lap was a smartphone that wore a thick silver protection case that covered its sides and back while leaving space for the back camera and side buttons as well as the ports and jacks on the bottom. The scientist held a small square device that was thick and silver in her left hand. Her right hand held a black USB cord that was expertly wound up in a rather large circle to keep its length manageable. Spike, while sitting on his rump and wagging his tail, gave each item on his owner's person a good glare before making what was apparently his third attempt at soothing her inflamed nerves;

"Look, Twi: You inspected them, I inspected them, you inspected them again, and we inspected them together. All of the devices are ready to go. This will work!"

Sci-Twi, who bore an expression that could be a front-runner for the dictionary example of anxious, was not too sure of her pup's words;

"Thank you for the encouragement, Spike, but.."

The poor girl started taking rapid breaths as she explained;

"What if the Princess gives us the signal and we proceed, only for one of the devices to suddenly break?!"

She then sharply turned turned her upper-body to face the lavender custom-built wireless router and its own wound up yellow cord that rested on the ground to her right while exclaiming;

"I can't take that chance!"

When she reached over to the router after placing the square device on the ground, a pale olive hand moved onto her right hand with gentle care, getting her attention with ease. She looked up to see the encouraging smiles of Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, who all stood in front of her. Apple Bloom, her right hand on Twilight's, told her with soft sweetness while firmly grasping the magic journal page in her left hand;

"Hold on there, Miss Twi. Ya' checked these 'ere devices more than enough for us to know that they'll work."

"Yeah! They were made by you using your awesome egghead smarts, so we know they're gonna work just fine!" exclaimed Scootaloo with absolute confidence in her smirk. Sweetie Belle's words were just as well-meaning and lovely;

"Even if one of them breaks, we know you can fix it."

Her anxiousness could not contend with the CMCs' encouragement, so it was swept away in favor of renewed confidence that eased Sci-Twi's mind. With a deep breath to fully resettle herself, she gave the kids a grateful grin while noting;

"You are not wrong. That which breaks can be fixed."

Spike picked that moment to give her his own words of encouragement;

"Remember what your mom always says: if you spend your time worrying over what ifs..."

Twilight looked over at him with understanding and love before finishing his words;

"Then you'll lose your chance to experience what could be."

Her mind was calmed at the best possible moment, for the journal page had started glowing and vibrating in Apple Bloom's hand! Twilight quickly placed the wound up cords on the ground near her and politely grabbed the page with both hands. She then gave the newly written words a quick glance before announcing;

"She and her Spike are ready!"

The group worked together to get things in motion. After unwinding the cords, they used them to connect the wireless router to the square device, which, in turn, they had also connected to the smartphone via the USB port on its bottom. Twilight spoke aloud her thoughts in a somewhat deadpanned tone of voice as they worked;

"The battery-powered Sparkle Router is already turned on and its rechargeable battery is fully charged. The modified portable wireless hot-spot should be working with the router via the Ethernet cable connection to give the smartphone direct access to the Internet."

Once the connections were fully established, she ordered Apple Bloom while handing the smartphone over to her;

"Test the connection, this device should be connecting to the school's wireless network that the Principal has generously allowed us to use."

The young Apple saw the smartphone Twilight was offering to her with her right hand. She walked up to her and had reached about half-way to the device with her own right hand when she hesitated. This lasted for a second before Apple Bloom took the device. Being the attentive scientist that she was, Sci-Twi recognized the initial hesitancy. Mentally labeling it as a minor curiosity for the time being, she watched as her friend navigated through the phone's menus and waited for a few seconds. Those few seconds felt like hours to the others as they watched her with baited breath before Apple Bloom exclaimed with joy;

"We got them Internet bars, ya'll!"

Twilight could barely contain her glee;

"Excellent, now to prepare for the transfer!" she happily declared while clapping her hands in delight. The girls took the smartphone and carefully placed it in Spike's backpack while making sure that its cord was poking out from it. Once the deed was done, Spike made sure to stand as proudly as he could, puffed chest and all, while listening to Twilight declare to him;

"My good boy, you are about to embark on an important and historic journey. Make sure you handle yourself well in Equestria, okay?"

He gave her a smirking salute with his right paw before turning to face the portal. As he readied himself, his owner turned to the CMCs, who stood at her right side, and told them;

"Keep your eyes and ears open for eavesdroppers while I tend to the equipment."

They saluted her as well while grinning from ear to ear. With that settled, she returned to her gaze to Spike and gave him her blessing;

"Venture forth, my furry friend!" she exclaimed in a dramatic hammy fashion that was purely intentional. The kids stifled their laughter over the ham and cheese before them as they waved goodbye to Spike, who ran up to the portal and leaped into it. The only evidence of his departure being the black cord that was poking through the portal from the Human world's end, with a small magical glow emitting around the spot it was poking out from. By this point, most of the cord was still wound up, but now more of it was unwinding at a rapid pace. Twilight fixed her eyes on this, hoping that there was enough cord for their plan to work. Sure enough, after about five seconds, the unwinding process stopped abruptly with plenty of cord left. Her glee had only grown in response to this development as she focused on monitoring the devices present with cheer all over her face. Apple Bloom, who had pulled her own smartphone out from her pants pocket while being excited as she can possibly be, was basically bouncing in place along with her oversized bow while exclaiming;

"This is gonna be awesome, ya'll! Ah hope it don't take 'em too long!"

Twilight couldn't help but chuckle a little over her friend's adorableness as she listened to Sweetie Belle respond with a squeak and a smile;

"It's okay if it takes them a bit, as long as things work out well on their end."

"Things are totally gonna work out!" exclaimed Scootaloo with a fist pump and a most confident smirk. Apple Bloom stopped bouncing to give her two pals a friendly glare. So, the four girls waited for three whole minutes before the smartphone suddenly started to vibrate in the Apple's hands. This startled her for a moment before she looked down at the screen and began doing several thumb swipes and presses on it. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked over at the screen from both of her sides. Once she finished, the sight that shined before the Canterlot Movie Club made Apple Bloom's giant smile turn into her best take on Sunset's sideways smirk as she looked over at Sci-Twi, who glared back at her with nervous anticipation. The rest of the club members followed suit, the sight of which eased the scientist's worries a bit. What came next deleted them from existence. With soft confidence and in perfect unison, the Canterlot Movie Club quoted to their nerdy friend what was, in their minds, one of the few enjoyable video game films;

"It has begun..."

Later that day, on the streets leading to Sugarcube Corner.

Sunset was taking a relaxing stroll through town when five of her fellow Rainbooms, alongside a now backpack-less Spike Octavia and DJ-P0N3, had caught up with her. Naturally, she was all for spending time with them. As they walked and chatted it up about one thing and another, Sunset's house was brought up by Applejack, noted to her with a smile;

"The work we're doin' on your house is goin' smoothly so far!"

The redeemed mare beamed a bright grateful smile at her friend as Rarity added with dignified gusto while keeping watch on the path before them;

"The help we've recently received has improved our progress, darling. Still, it will take a great deal of effort on everyone's part to make for you a house that is utterly smashing!"

"Our plan is proceeding as expected..." noted a confident Scootaloo, who had managed to sneak up on the girls alongside Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Spike, and Twilight. The group stopped to turn and look at the four girls and pup behind them. Twilight, like Spike, gave her friends a happy smile. The CMCs, however, showed smirks and eyes filled with secret intent and anticipation. The six ladies were quick to notice the sheer confidence the kids were exuding through the way they walked up to them. Sunset expressed to them with a smirk of her own;

"Well now, someone's got that movie club strut!"

Sure enough, that was precisely what they were doing: strutting up to their friends and kin as if they had just done something truly awesome. With a wink aimed directly at Sunset, Apple Bloom told her;

"Let's just say that, when we're done, your house will have a little somethin' that ya' won't soon forget."

As much as that little comment piqued the former bad girl's interest, she thought better of asking further. Her finished house was supposed to be a surprise, after all! Before she could respond, however, Scootaloo then announced to the group out of pure excitement;

"We talked with those new kids during lunch at school today. They've agreed to meet us at the clubhouse tomorrow after school for a movie screening!"

This news brought out smiles from everyone else present, with Sunset reacting happily while looking at each club member with goodwill in her turquoise eyes;

"That's great, girls! I'm sure they'll love it."

The other ladies nodded their heads in agreement, with Spike barking jovially over the news. CMCs beamed at their beloved friends and sisters with love in their hearts. With that settled, they rushed ahead while exclaiming in unison;

"We'll be at the clubhouse!"

Thankfully, Octavia and P0N3 made sure to run after them, but not before they waved goodbye to the Rainbooms and Spike, who waved back. The elder sisters to the CMCs shook their heads as they watched the kids run off and out of sight, with Rainbow Dash noting;

"Those squirts never run of energy, do they?"

Pinkie Pie, with a bright smile, responded with a giggle;

"I know, right? They're like Energizer Bunnies! They just keep going and going and going and going-"

She repeated herself while bobbing her head from side to side until Rainbow Dash covered her mouth to put a clamp on her repetition and told her out of restrained annoyance;

"We get the idea!"

The party planner giggled through the athlete's hand before they all continued their trek to Sugarcube Corner. It took them a good five minutes before they could see the establishment itself, which strengthened their shared growing hunger for snacks. The band and canine were a short walk away from their destination when they saw someone exit the building through its front doors.

It was Gilda.

Immediately, the Rainbooms tensed up while instinctively holding each other's hands. Spike, who stood next to Twilight, readied himself to growl and bark at the bully if she so much as looked at the girls funny. Gilda turned to look at the group, a smirk filled with venomous confidence forming on her face as she greeted them with her hands on her sides;

"Sup?"

Rainbow Dash looked around the area surrounding her former friend with her eyes, determined to catch any and all possible surprises before they could spring forth. So far, nothing had caught her eye. Sunset, with plenty of restraint brought to bare against her now inflamed anger, gave Gilda a death glare that prompted her to laugh out loud. Once she was done, she told Sunset with mirth;

"Well, at least you still have the Old Sunset's eyes!"

Sunset made it her business to express her best 'excuse me?' face, but was otherwise unmoved by this comment. Gilda spoke once more after settling down;

"Anyway, I just finished having a snack and figured I'd look for you girls. I knew you weren't hard to find around here, but man, I must be extra lucky today!"

She then focused her attention on Twilight and greeted her specifically;

"Hey there, Twilight!"

For a short moment, Gilda's venomous expression was dropped in favor of a frown that seemed to express genuine regret, but none of the girls or Spike could tell for sure. She told the egghead with a slightly soft voice that was rarely used;

"I got carried away when I called you Egglight after you told me not to. My bad, girl. Won't happen again."

Twilight was, frankly, taken aback by this admission. She still didn't know for sure if Gilda was being genuine or not. Regardless, she responded as politely as she could, uncertainty seeping through her voice;

"Thanks... I guess."

Applejack, by comparison, was having none of the bully's possible manure that day;

"What the hay do ya' want?" she asked her with a serious glare, her anger apparent in her frown. Somehow, Gilda's smirk had gained more venom as she answered;

"Oh, I figured I'd introduce you all to my awesome friends."

The emphasis she had put in the word 'awesome' while giving Rainbow a quick smug glare could not be more apparent to everyone else present. The urge to roll their eyes up to their skulls was amazingly reigned in. They slightly tightened their hold on each other's hands in a silent reaffirmation of their bond. Gilda turned back over to Sugarcube Corner's doors and told them as she grabbed the handle on one of them with her right hand;

"Hold on, I'll have them pull up."

Before the Rainbooms could even make a comment, she briskly pulled open the door and performed a whistling noise that sounded very much like a bird call. Hearing this unlocked powerful memories within the mind of Rainbow Dash: memories of when she used to roll with Gilda and her gang. Going by her history, she figured she had three good guesses as to who her old enemy had brought with her.

They were all wrong.

A few seconds after the whistling was done, the bully stepped off to the side while holding the door open, allowing a bunch of people to walk through one by one. The moment those people came within view of the girls, they were stunned by who they were seeing. The fact that they had all seen them before didn't help matters much. None of the girls were as stunned as Sunset, however, her mouth opened agape as she witnessed these familiar folks walk with the bad girl to form a line in front of her and her pals. Why wouldn't CHS's most beloved Wondercolt be so shocked? After all, she had just met them yesterday and they had helped produce a few positive memories for her.

Smolder and Yona stood to the far left, Gallus and Silverwing to the far right, and Ocellus and Gabby stood with Gilda herself at her sides. While the six kids gave the Rainbooms warm friendly smiles, with Gabby going so far as to wave at Sunset excitedly, their apparent leader glared at the band while looking terribly proud of herself.

The venom in her smile remained strong as she declared to the seven shocked ladies and their curious dog with a surprisingly polite tone of voice;

"Sonic Rainbooms: Meet the Griffons."

Sunset Shimmer's first thought expressed exactly what she and her bandmates were thinking at the time, although her friends themselves would have used entirely different words;

"Oh, ponyfeathers..."

Author's Note

Update: The Wrecker will appear next chapter, as this one is already long in the tooth as it is. I've also updated the title.

Update 2: Resolved some smartphone-related confusion in the Statue Portal scene.

Update 3: Gave Sugarcube Corner its name back! :twilightblush:

Feelings... they can be tough and confusing to deal with. Thankfully, our leading ladies are getting help with that.

With Coco's introduction, we got take a tiny peak into Rarity's place of work. Something tells me we'll see the new employee again soon!

Now, what sort of portal shenanigans are the CMCs and Twilight up to? :raritywink:

As for the ending of the chapter... ohoho, I've been looking forward to this encounter, not to mention the fallout!

Next chapter: The Rainbooms meet the Griffons...

Chapter 17 - Griffon the Reality Check

As undeniably stunned as Sunset Shimmer was, her reaction did not stop the veritable swarm of thoughts that raced through her mind as she gazed at the full roster of Griffons. These thoughts ranged from hopeful to dark and from reasonable to outlandish. There was, however, one thought in her mind that was louder than the others;

"Why... why did it have to be them?!"

Her friends were also visibly stunned, but no other Rainboom could hold a candle to the abject shock that Rainbow Dash was expressing, her mouth hanging open for added effect. To say nothing of the internalized horror she was silently trying to reign in. Spike, by stark contrast, was surprised and curious, but not utterly perplexed. He kept his right eyebrow raised while visually inspecting each Griffon present. The pup couldn't sense or smell any signs of danger from the new kids, but Gilda... Oh, he noticed the stench of bad news coming from her with but a whiff! The six Canterlot High newcomers were giving the Rainbooms friendly smiles that were as honest as what any Apple could muster. Gilda's smug smirk, however, was a clear sign that she was silently feasting upon the band's reactions like a glutton. Twilight, who was absentmindedly adjusting her glasses to make sure she was not seeing things, had to wrestle with a mind that was doing its best to freak out;

"Okay, Twilight, let's NOT fly off the handle over something you couldn't plan for! It would be far more optimal to calmly unpack this unexpected development and go from there. Let's see..."

She glared at each of the six young folks who stood with the lead Griffon as she mentally sorted things out;

"The recent additions to CHS's student body, who have shown nothing but positive behavior up to this point in time, just so happen to be members of Gilda's gang..."

It was at that moment that Twilight had realized that there were at least three reasons why that fact could spell disaster later on. This revelation drove her to laugh nervously as Gabby exclaimed in a jovial welcoming fashion;

"Hey there, Rainbooms! How are you doing today?"

Due to her pure excitement over seeing her favorite band, the young lady did not recognize that the girls were not doing well at all. By contrast, Gallus was more observant. With concern in his voice, he remarked to them;

"Something's bugging you girls..."

Immediately, the Rainbooms tried their best to keep up appearances, albeit with mixed results. Thankfully, it was Rarity who had the most success. With several dignified and somewhat restrained coughs, she resettled herself just enough to respond in a polite fashion that was expected from those who knew her;

"I hope you can pardon our initial reaction, darlings. You see, we hardly expected to see you all together here..."

Her gossip senses tingling and seeing the need to get some helpful information, Rarity decided to tempt fate by adding with carefully chosen wording;

"Let alone with Gilda, of all people, and I mean no off-"

She let out another hasty cough before adjusting her wording;

"Ill will! I mean no ill will by this admittance."

Even with her currently rattled nerves, the fashionista was able to maintain her usual graceful demeanor, if nothing else but to hide said nerves from sight. Her quick change of tact mid-sentence got her an equally quick side-eye and tiny smirk from Sunset before the mare went back to staring Gilda down with a serious frown. By this point, Rarity had given her friends just enough time to calm down before the bad girl explained herself;

"Yeah, I figured I'd surprise my flock by bringing them to you Raindo-Rainbooms as soon as I could," she said with a chuckle, her smile losing all of its earlier venom and smugness within an instant while showing a hint of genuineness. None of her Griffons had caught her near slip of the tongue, but the Rainbooms and Spike took a mental note of it. With an eye roll, she added out of clear annoyance;

"Gabby was sooooo excited to introduce me to you one day."

Gabby, like a speeding bullet, pounced upon Gilda with a tight hug on her right side. There was something terribly familiar about that hug in the mind of Rainbow Dash and it troubled her. It also troubled Applejack and Rarity, as fascinated as the latter was by Gilda's response to her remark. What came next was, for the band, an even bigger shock than the earlier revelation;

"Can you blame me for wanting to show off my big sister to the coolest band around?" Gabby asked the older Griffon with pure sisterly love in her voice, her eyes closed and her contented smile prominent on her face. Gilda patted her head with her right hand while letting a tiny grin form on her face. She also gave her a glare that one had to closely examine in order to recognize the strain it carried. Every Rainboom present did their best to not gasp over the notion of those two Griffons being related in any way. Rainbow Dash, her mouth noticeably agape, was using all of her self-control to not make a scene, even as her right eye twitched. Thankfully, no Griffon noticed the band's collective shock. Especially Yona, who belted out a hearty laugh that, much to the relief of the band, gave them a much needed distraction from their cares. Once the laughter died down, the large young lady exclaimed to them;

"Yona is happy to see new Wondercolt friends! Yona suggests we all hang out together!"

The one thing that matched the Rainbooms' happiness at the thought of hanging with their new friends was their utter distaste for the notion of hanging with Gilda. The resulting clash between the two starkly different feelings held them firmly in place as they tried to think of a safe way out of this conversation. Evidently, the lead Griffon herself was not at all fond of Yona's idea, for her eyes went wide as she suddenly stopped patting Gabby's head, effectively freezing in place. Even her grin was as stiff as a statue, which only made its strained state much more apparent. All was silent for three seconds before Gilda coughed loudly in an attempt to regain her composure. Internally thanking her lucky stars that no Griffon caught her freezing up, she turned to face her flock and declared with renewed calmness and a well acted easy-going demeanor;

"Hanging out is cool and all, but we've got somewhere to be right now."

The kids' eyes lit up with sudden remembrance, with Gabby exclaiming;

"You're right! We've got a gang meeting to get to!"

She released Gilda from her grip and turned to face the Rainbooms, who were slowly resettling themselves. She then told them in an apologetic fashion that they would have normally found to be adorable, her large sparkling eyes adding to the effect;

"Sorry, girls. We'll hang out another time."

She suddenly gasped excitedly before noting with an ear-to-ear grin and a gleeful hop;

"Oh! You can join us for that movie club's screening tomorrow! It's gonna be so much fun!"

The eyes of every member of the band, Spike included, fixated on Gilda from the moment the CMCs were referenced. They caught her glaring at Gabby with a smile that was even more strained than before and a twitchy right eye. Pinkie, ever the smiles expert, instantly took a mental note of this for later while giving the bully a slightly narrowed glare. Sensing an opportunity, Gilda took a breath to shove down her growing anger and ordered her flock with authority and revitalized calm;

"Griffons: Let's fly home!"

The kids nodded their heads as they turned to walk down the street and away from the Rainbooms, with their leader following suit. But, not before she turned her head to give them one last smirk that oozed with vile satisfaction before looking ahead once more. The seven magic-powered heroes stood as still as stone carvings while they watched the Griffons walked out of sight. Their silence was deafening and their shared appetite for Sugarcube Corner's delicious baked goods was utterly lost. A worried Spike looked up at the girls with his big puppy dog eyes, hoping that his adorableness would help them. Twilight was the first to notice this attempt. Slowly, she lowered her body, picked Spike up, and held the puppy in her arms for comfort. She only felt a little better, but she was grateful to him regardless.

Ten-to-fifteen minutes later, at Sweet Apple Acres.

The band sat together at the wooden dinner table in the Apple Family's kitchen, with Spike lounging on the floor with Winona. Even now, the girls were stunned by the recent surprise that was thrust upon them by their brutish enemy. By this point, however, they were able to reasonably communicate with Granny Smith and Big Mac, who sat with them while looking as terribly concerned as they felt. Regardless, none of the young ladies could bring themselves to speak on what had happened. Their eyes were wide open as they tried to sort out their wild thoughts, with some of them having wilder thoughts than others. Granny Smith, refusing to let this silence be, poked the feathered bear as gently as she could;

"What's buggin' ya'll more than a mosquito on a farmer's neck?" she asked with worry in her voice. Turns out, asking a question was all the poking she needed to do to get one of them to speak up on the matter.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on who one were to ask, the girl who spoke up was Rainbow Dash. Pounding on the table with both of her cyan fists, she sharply tilted her head to face the ceiling and screamed out to the sky with a fierce combination of shock and anger;

"MOTHER BUCK!"

The thunderous cry practically kicked the other Rainbooms out of their stupor with the combined force of a dozen Equestrian Applebucks to the gut! Pinkie nearly tilted her chair over on its backrest out of pure surprise, while Rarity gasped and recoiled. Applejack shot up out of her seat and took a step back away from her competitive friend while keeping a firm grip on her hat with her right hand. Twilight slowly slid down her seat a bit while holding the top of her head with both hands in an attempt to hide from the athlete's rage. Fluttershy quickly took cover behind Sunset, who was also visibly taken aback by Rainbow's explosive behavior. Like Applejack, she too was standing. But, compared to the others, her reaction was more controlled, for she was able to keep her surprisingly calm gaze locked on her irate friend, unwilling to take one step away from her. Granny and Big Mac, however, remained seated and gazed at Rainbow Dash with calm quiet intent. Rarity, hoping to bring some manner of sensibility back to the room, pleaded with the irate athlete;

"Rainbow Dash, darling, compose yourself!"

Rainbow sharply turned her head to face the tailor with wide eyes, shrunken irises, and gritted teeth. Her breathing was short, rapid, and audible. Fear nearly silenced Rarity, but she remained steadfast as she spoke with surety;

"Your anger is valid, but it would be unwise to let it rule over you like a tyrant!"

The flaring of her cyan friend's nostrils was proof that her words only inflamed Rainbow's anger even more. Before she could yell again, however, a soft frightful whimper had gotten her attention;

"Rainbow Dash..."

The furious guitar player aimed her wide eyes at the source of the voice. At the precise moment she had done this, her fury froze along with her body. It was Fluttershy, who's head was poking out from behind Sunset's back. Her face was oozing with a combination of fear and worry, tears building up in her eye ducts. The mere sight of this heart-wrenching display instantly weakened Rainbow's anger considerably. Out of pure instinct, she closed her eyes and performed a deep breathing exercise taken right from her morning yoga sessions. One long deep breath was enough to ease her mind and body. Re-centered, Rainbow Dash opened her eyes and gave her childhood friend one of her best confident smirks to send her sadness packing, only this one had a layer of regret added to it. To seal the deal, she got up out of her seat, slowly walked up to Fluttershy, and got down on her right knee to be at her level. All of this helped to soothe the animal lover's mind, but it was staring into Rainbow Dash's red eyes that finished the job. To Fluttershy, it felt as if her fears and sadness were being pulled in by the gravitational pull of Rainbow's eyes, a feeling that she gratefully welcomed. Rainbow herself had gained a better appreciation for the coolness of her friend's cyan eyes, not to mention her slowly forming smile. This silent demonstration of the bond between the two girls had the knock-on effect of cooling their friends' heads as well. With warm smiles all around, they watched as Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy hugged it out, with Granny nodding her head in approval and Big Mac smirking out of relief. Once the pair had returned to their seats, Rainbow apologized to everyone with a sheepish grin and a nervous chuckle;

"Sorry, girls! I didn't mean to make you worried and upset."

She gazed at Fluttershy with a serious frown and added;

"Especially you, Flutters."

Now, it was Fluttershy's turn to cheer up her friend;

"It's like what Rarity said, your anger is valid," she declared with that sweet little voice that could calm any person and animal. Rainbow would not have any of that, however. With a quick head shake and growing frustration with herself, she responded;

"Yeah, but the way I expressed that anger was not cool!"

"It's understandable though and Ah'm proud of ya' for takin' responsibility," said Applejack, who gave her friend and rival a proud grin as Rarity noted with a dramatic sigh;

"Indeed, darling. Of all the people for those little ones to align themselves with, who would have thought it would be-"

"Girls?"

Rarity was interrupted by the concerned southern drawl of Apple Bloom, who called out to them from just beyond the opened kitchen door. Every person in the room froze up upon hearing her as they all had a terrible thought. It was one that reminded Twilight of her equally terrible thought from earlier as she darted over to Apple Bloom. She was quick to notice that Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were standing right behind her, which did nothing to ease her flared up nerves. As she tried to hold back the urge to panic, she listened to Scootaloo speak with worry radiating from her being;

"We were in AB's bedroom when we heard Rainbow Dash scream. Is she okay?"

Her two friends looked just as worried. Twilight was finding it quite hard to reign in her overthinking brain long enough decide on a response. While the bookworm tried to sort through the huge mental pile of ideas in record time, Rainbow zoomed up next to her with her super-speed and covered for her just as quickly;

"I'm totally okay, squirts!" she exclaimed with an oversized smile that was so forced, Pinkie Pie could feel it from her seat at the table. Thankfully, Twilight was able to think of an adequate way out of this situation for the both of them;

"Could you three give us a moment, please?" she asked the kids with a more genuine grin that looked no less nervous. With raised eyebrows, the CMCs nodded, prompting the scientist to slowly close the door. She and Rainbow then turned around, with the former almost whispering to the others as soon as they walked up to the table;

"Huddle up, everyone! They'll likely be listening in!"

They all did so in a hurry, which gave Twilight the chance to quietly express the worry she had been carrying inside ever since the debut of Gilda's flock;

"The CMCs don't know about the new kids being Griffons! How are we going to break that to them?"

Granny Smith shook her head while declaring;

"Dangnabit, this ain't gonna be easy..."

"Nnnope," Big Mac simply noted with a frown and a head shake of his own. While the others deliberated on their next move, Applejack was silently wrestling with her mind over her own decision. Her face clenched tightly as she thought to herself;

"We gotta tell the youngin's somethin'! Maybe a little white lie will buy us some t-"

She suddenly and tightly shut her eyes while mentally defending against that notion;

"What the hay am Ah goin' on about?! A lie ain't gonna help us or them none!"

The truth would hurt them though.

It was not so much the thought itself that gave the farmer pause, but the voice it had used. It was her voice and that thought was certainly hers. But, that voice sounded afraid and resigned to fate all at once. Applejack's eyes shot open when the voice echoed in her mind, Her breathing stopped and her body froze in place. Even then, her mind was still at work. Yes, the truth about the CMCs' new friends would hurt them and, much to her shame, she was tempted to protect them with a lie...

Well, tempted for roughly two seconds. Two seconds that felt quite long to the Apple, to be clear.

Right as a third second had arrived, she reclaimed her breath, breathed deeply, and asked herself a simple question;

"Ma'... Pa'... what would ya' want me to do?"

She could almost feel her answer rise from her heart as she looked at her friends and kin, who were still softly debating in the huddle, and declared with an Apple's honesty and time-tested stubbornness without being too loud;

"We're tellin' them youngin's the truth, ya'll!"

Her voice, clear and strong, flew into the ears of the folks around her, silencing their argument with ease. She had made no effort to whisper, for in her mind, she had no need for subtlety. They all looked over at her out of surprise for a moment or two before confident smiles filled their faces. Granny Smith, with a grandmother's pride in her eyes, told her granddaughter sweetly;

"That's just what Ah was thinkin', missy!"

Big Mac seconded that with an emphatic;

"Eeyup."

The others showed approval as well, with Rarity clarifying;

"We all want to tell the little gems the honest truth, Applejack. What we are trying to figure out is how we ought to go about doing so."

Rainbow Dash decided to tease the farmer a little;

"I'm surprised you didn't catch on to that sooner, AJ!" she told her with a smirk. Applejack chuckled sheepishly while adjusting her Stetson hat before explaining;

"Pardon me, ya'll. Ah kinda got stuck in my head for a spell."

After letting out a polite giggle over her dear friend's silliness, Rarity steered the conversation back to the matter at hand;

"Anyway, I suggest that we break it to them gently. Blurting the truth out will almost certainly drive them into an unhelpful state of shock and panic."

As she spoke, the fashionista made sure to give a certain peppy party planner a knowing glare, to which she responded with loud confusion;

"What? I'm not gonna blab to the CMCs that the new kids are G-!"

Rainbow used her super-speed to rush over to Pinkie and cover her mouth before she could finish proving Rarity's point. Before anyone could scold her, however, Sweetie Belle's voice rang through the door;

"The new kids are what?"

That got Pinkie Pie a whole kitchen's worth of death glares from the group, to which she responded with sheepish apologetic giggles as Rainbow Dash removed her hand from her mouth. Well, they couldn't delay this any longer if they tried. Sunset called out to the CMCs;

"You can come in now!"

Within moments, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle walked through the door in a row, with the youngest Apple leading the trio inside. After moving to stand near the table side-by-side, they looked at each of the obviously nervous older folks in the room with curiosity and concern on their faces. Scootaloo appeared to be the most worried. She glared at Rainbow Dash and spoke to her;

"What's going on? I've only heard you yell that loudly one other time before."

Just then, she recognized a possibility that strengthened her concerns. With worry and an old hurt in her voice, she exclaimed;

"Did Gilda hurt the newbies?!"

Her two pals looked just as worried as she did as they gazed at Rainbow as well. Thankfully, the athlete was quick to sooth their worries, albeit with some nervousness on her part;

"She didn't hurt anyone this time, squirts!" she declared with a strained smirk before trying to add with a sigh;

"But... the newbies..."

She looked off to the side while internally wrestling with herself to find the right words to say to the movie club. Her anger from before rising up a second time was not helping matters much, but she was able to keep it reigned in regardless. Granny Smith, much Rainbow Dash's relief, stepped in for her;

"Gather around this 'ere Apple, youngin's," she told them with genuine warmth in her eyes and smile. Although they were still quite concerned, the CMCs wouldn't say no to being around Granny. They ran up to her seat and stood around her, which prompted the old lady to sweetly offer to Apple Bloom;

"Ya' wanna hop on me lap, Little Seed?"

The young Apple would hardly say no to that! With a giggle, she climbed up Granny's lap and sat comfortably on it while resting her back on Granny's chest, with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo standing at both sides. As the others watched attentively, Apple Bloom asked while looking up at her grandmother in a most adorable fashion;

"So, what's goin' on with them new students?"

Granny Smith took a good moment to think on her words before answering carefully;

"Ya' see, they... well, they're friends with this bad girl..."

"Wait a moment, a bad girl?" Apple Bloom thought to herself as the gears in the movie club's heads began to turn. Applejack, with a shaky laugh, added as gently as she could;

"Don't get us wrong, we like them youngin's!"

Rarity chimed in with as much grace as she could muster, in spite of her growing nerves;

"Indeed! They seem like quite the charming bunch. However, their friend most certainly does not like us."

"She doesn't like us?" was the thought that crossed Sweetie Belle's mind. Now, the kids could feel like they were close to figuring something out about all this and, frankly, they were starting to dread what the truth could be! Rainbow Dash, out of pure frustration and with whatever restraint she could bring to bare, added with a soft groan;

"Yeah, and she's an absolute jerk."

"An absolute jer-" was what Scootaloo had thought before she and her two best friends in the whole world had simultaneously connected the dots to a certain possibility. One so terrible and heart-wrenching that it made their eyes grow wide with shock and horror. They gasped as well for good measure as they tried to think of some other possibility that had to be more plausible than the one they had just come up with, but to no avail.

In their minds, it couldn't possibly be true! Not in a million years! But, they had to be sure, and they knew that the good folks around them would not lie to them.

It was Scootaloo who found the courage to double-check. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath to calm herself down a little, and opened them back up to gaze at the band and older Apples. With a pleading expression that was shared by Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, she asked them with her eyes locked on Rainbow Dash and a soft voice filled with fear;

"Are they Griffons?"

None of the older folks, not even the deeply experienced Granny Smith, could find the stomach to answer her question with words. Simple, slow, saddened nods were utilized instead. The CMCs gasped at this confirmation of their terrible suspicion and instinctively held each others' twitchy hands for emotional support. Granny made it her business to wrap Apple Bloom up in a gentle hug. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash rushed over to give the kids comfort as well, with the rest of the Rainbooms and Big Mac following suit. It was a good thing they all did this so quickly, for they had managed to prevent the troubled trio from having another Gilda-induced emotional episode. It would take them a few minutes to fully recollect themselves though.

Once the kids were calm again, they listened intently as the Rainbooms recounted to them their earlier encounter with Gilda and her Griffons. By this point, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were sitting on their sisters' laps, with Apple Bloom remaining on Granny Smith's. The others had already returned to their seats at the table. Once the story was told, the CMCs pondered to themselves for a few seconds before Scootaloo asked;

"Soooo... the newbies weren't mean to you in any way? No insults, lies, or attacks?"

Rainbow Dash, with a smirk, told her truthfully;

"Nope! Those squirts were happy to see us. It was pretty cool, actually!"

"That doesn't change the fact that those kids are friends with a violent and mean-spirited bully!" Twilight exclaimed out of concern rooted in an old pain. Rainbow's smirk vanished to make way for a frustrated frown as she replied with a groan;

"Ugh, I know! I mean, what if she decides to hurt the new squirts or manipulate them into hurting our squirts?!"

She crossed her arms and shook her head while adding with a somewhat softer tone of voice that revealed her disbelief;

"I didn't even know Gilda had a sister..."

Fluttershy gave Rainbow Dash a soothing smile and told her with gentle surety;

"If anything bad happens to those little angels, they've got friends like us who can help them."

Hearing her words drove the athlete to look right at Fluttershy. Her confident smirk returning with renewed strength along with her enthusiasm, she responded with gusto;

"You're right, Shy! We're not gonna leave our friends hanging!"

"Yes, indeed..." Rarity noted softly with her chin held by her right hand. Sensing that the tailor was deep in thought, Applejack asked her;

"What ya' got in mind, Rares?"

Rarity let out a satisfied grin as she declared;

"I am thinking, darling, that the feathered brute had let slip an otherwise hidden truth."

That comment got everyone else's rapt attention, with Apple Bloom wondering aloud;

"What truth did she let slip?"

The fashionista turned her head to give the little Apple a warm smile before explaining;

"When I told the Griffons about us not expecting the kids to be connected with Gilda, the rube explained that she wanted to surprise her flock by bringing them to us. She went so far as to add that Gabby was quite excited to introduce her to us."

With fluttery eyes filled with anticipation aimed at each person at the table, she asked them;

"Tell me, loves, what does that particular phrase imply?"

It took all of two seconds for Twilight to answer;

"That Gilda hadn't met us beforehand, or rather, Gabby thinks that was the case!" she revealed while adjusting her glasses. Pinkie, her hair bouncing a little, chimed in with rare seriousness in her voice;

"Combine that with the reaaaaallly fake smile Gilda was showing..."

"And her change of tact when she almost called us Raindorks..." added Applejack. Right then and there, everyone came to the same conclusion, which they declared aloud in unison;

"Gilda is keeping the kids in the dark about us!"

Applejack crossed her arms and noted with a grunt;

"Ah'm surprised that girl hasn't lied to that flock of hers about any of us yet."

Rarity nodded before adding with a stiff upper lip and polite indignation;

"Yes, that does sound like something that rapscallion would do."

Sunset, her chin held in thought, reminded the group;

"Then again, it wouldn't be the first time she's kept secrets from the people around her..."

She gave Rainbow Dash a look full of pure understanding, to which she responded in kind. While most of the people present discussed the issue at hand, the CMCs watched and listened in utter silence. In their minds, they were having a tough time with making an important decision, one that had scary possible consequences. Eventually, Twilight brought up a key detail;

"There is one thing we do know for certain..."

She gestured to the movie club with her hands while finishing with a smile;

"Those eighth graders have been nothing but good to our young friends here as well as to us."

"So far, at least," Rainbow Dash admitted with a small grin before letting out an exasperated sigh. With a renewed frown, she added;

"I just hope that doesn't change..."

She unconsciously wrapped her arms around Scootaloo in a most protective fashion. It was at that moment, however, that the young daredevil had made her decision. She tightly held Rainbow's arms with her orange hands and spoke with clear confidence;

"A really awesome girl once told me that, sometimes, you have to take a chance on someone to see if they deserve your loyalty."

Rainbow gently tightened her grip on Scootaloo while looking down at her with a smile full of sisterly pride. Scootaloo gave the people around her a large confident smirk that was laced with hope before declaring;

"I say we take a chance on those squirts!"

"Ah second that notion!" exclaimed a proud and happy Apple Bloom, with Sweetie Belle following suit;

"Third for me!" she said with a beaming smile. The three friends looked at each other with goodwill in their sparkling eyes. The Rainbooms stared at the trio for a brief moment before letting their own smiles spring forth. Fluttershy gave them a sweet comment;

"I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. I think those little ones won't hurt a fly."

Rarity chimed in with dignified positivity;

"Just because they associate themselves with Gilda does not inherently mean that they are brutes like her."

Applejack chuckled slightly before noting while giving the CMCs a supportive glare;

"Yeah, but it wouldn't hurt us none to be there for ya' durin' the screenin'."

She winked at them and added;

"Just in case the actual she-varmint tries to pull somethin' on ya'll."

The other Rainbooms nodded in agreement, with Pinkie Pie bouncing on her seat out of pure Pinkie positivity. The CMCs locked eyes on Sunset, who did the same with them. The smiles on all four girls slowly grew larger for a few seconds before the trio started giving each other fist bumps. Granny Smith, after belting out a hearty Apple laugh, told to the others;

"Ah'll be fixin' us up some grub durin' the screenin', but don't think Ah won't be checkin' in on ya'll every now and then."

She turned her attention over to Big Mac and gave him his standing orders;

"Ah want ya' to keep a sharp eye out for any trouble-makin' that might come up while the youngin's are havin' their fun, ya' hear?"

"Eeyup," was his answer.

With the matter settled, the CMCs got off of the laps they were sitting on and walked over to the door. They stopped, turned around to face the group, and smiled at them some more while Apple Bloom announced;

"We'll be decidin' on a film for tomorrow in the clubhouse. We welcome any and all suggestions!"

Before the others could blink, the kids zoomed out of the kitchen like little bullets. Applejack, with a hopeful chuckle, noted aloud;

"Ah'll bet them new kids are mighty excited for tomorrow's screenin'."

The Griffons' Hideout. At around the same time.

"I'm so excited for tomorrow's screening, guys!" exclaimed an exuberant Gabby as she bounced in place with a wide dopey smile on her face. She was surrounded by her fellow Griffons, who were all sitting on wooden chairs in a circle while watching her gush. The room they were in had all manner of items adorned to the dark-green walls, including pictures depicting happy moments shared by the gang, numerous drawings on pieces of paper ranging from birds to yaks, graffiti art painted on large pieces of cardboard, and so forth. Of particular note was the large flag that hung on the wall behind Gilda, who sat between Gallus on her left and Smolder on her right. It showed a gold-colored take on the mythological griffon standing on its hind paws while holding its claws up in an attack position over a lavender background. The flag itself bore a horizontal rip in the middle of the griffon itself that was large enough to be noticeable but not enough to leave a wide gap in the flag. A ceiling fan spun at a stead pace directly above Gabby and a single unlit lamp stood on the otherwise empty desk behind Ocellus, who sat to the right of Smolder. Silverstream sat opposite of Smolder, with Yona sitting at the side opposite Gilda. Gabby's seat stood empty next to Yona as she continued her joyful ranting;

"I mean, those Canterlot Movie Club kids seemed like super-nice kids when we talked to them and they're friends with Sunset Shimmer! I can't wait to get to know them! I wonder what movie we're gonna watch? Should we bring snacks with us? Oh, I'm about to-"

Most of the other Griffons enjoyed watching Gabby rant, but Gallus figured it was time to put a clamp on it. So, he did just that by walking up to the excited girl and gently placing his right hand on her left shoulder while saying with an easy-going voice;

"Try not to burst on us, Gabs."

Gilda, who normally found Gabby's excitement over things she liked to be both endearing and slightly annoying, was trying her best to hide her growing frustration behind a facade of calmness. As she watched her little sister show Gallus a sheepish grin, she couldn't help but think to herself;

"Why did my flock's folks have to enroll them into CH-freaking-S?! There has to be a better school within driving distance of us than that den of trash-protecting dweebs!"

She thought of Crystal Prep for half of a second before mentally writing it off as entirely uncool. Her breathing became short and audible as she tightly closed her eyes. With gritted teeth, she asked herself while her frustration slowly turned into anger;

"For that matter, why did Gabby have to find that stupid, sappy, ultra-lame song on HoofTube?!"

Before her negative feelings could morph any further, however, Gabby called out to her with worry in her voice;

"Big Bird?"

Gilda opened her eyes to see her sister, who had just walked up to her, giving the gang leader a concerned gaze. The other Griffons had followed suit. Within an instant, Gilda's anger weakened as she listened to Gabby ask her;

"Are you okay?"

Shoving the anger inside herself, Gilda gave her sister a smile that looked genuine enough to fool her flock and answered confidently;

"I'm fine, Little Chick."

She then reached over to her head with her right hand and ruffled her hair while explaining;

"I just got stuck in my head for a bit there."

The choice of words and the ruffling made Gabby smile brightly. With their worries eased for now, she and the other Griffons returned to their seats, prompting Gilda to declare;

"I know you birds are excited for tomorrow. But, let's make sure we're on the same page here."

With a quick breath, she asked them;

"Firstly, where is this screening taking place?"

Yona answered with loud gusto;

"We're going to Wondercolt Apple Bloom's house! Sweet Apple Acres, she calls it!"

"Great, the hillbilly hub. That sounds soooo cool," Gilda thought with no small amount of biting sarcasm. Keeping up her composure, she asked another question;

"Okay, do you know if anyone else is joining in on this?"

Smolder spoke up to answer on her friends' behalf;

"Yeah, the movie club kids said they were going to invite at least two more people from the school. They didn't say who though."

"Two more... wait, they better not be who I'm thinking of!" was what Gilda nearly yelled in her mind. With considerable self-control, she kept that thought, and certain unhappy memories, from being verbalized while Gabby exclaimed to Smolder;

"Oh, I hope they bring in the Rainbooms! That would make the screening even more fun!"

It was all the lead Griffon could do to contain the urge to gag violently. Thankfully for her, Silverstream had changed the subject out of pure excitement;

"While we're talking about CHS, I wanted to mention that I've been reading up on the school's history!" she exclaimed with cheer. This, for Gilda, may not have been the ideal topic of choice, but a break was still a break. Sighing out of relief, she listened to Silverstream as she went on;

"I've barely scratched the surface with the historical texts and I'm already fascinated by our school's humble origins. Sunset wasn't kidding when she said it used to be a one-classroom school!"

"I... did not know about that," Gilda mentally noted out of genuine curiosity. Ocellus, with a relaxed smile, chimed in softly before Silverstream could speak further;

"Science class has been quite engaging and informative as well, not to mention enjoyable. I look forward to when we start doing lab assignments."

"Gym class has been pretty solid so far," Smolder noted with a smirk. The six kids continued to talk about their first day of school, with Gilda listening in. Slowly, but surely, a tiny smile began to form on her face as a pleasant thought came to mind;

"CHS sucks eggs... But, I'll take my flock having a good time over what happened at Mount Aris any day."

Soon enough, the meeting had come to an end, which meant that it was time for Gilda's flock to leave the hideout. Before they did this, however, the Big Bird herself had them all gather round in a circle. Sighing deeply, she gave them some advice while giving them a serious glare and choosing her words with the utmost care;

"Look birds, I'm not gonna stop you from going to that movie screening with those..."

She used a great deal of self-control to keep her wording on point;

"Kids that you like so much. Just..."

Genuine concern filled her eyes, in spite of herself, as she finished;

"Be careful out there, okay?"

There was something else she wanted to say, but she held the words back, if nothing else but to keep her true feelings hidden. The other Griffons nodded their heads and smiled in agreement, with Gabby speaking for them with positivity in her voice;

"Don't you worry, Big Bird! We'll have each other's backs the whole time!"

Her little sister's words eased Gilda's worries. Slightly. Marginally even. But, it was enough for her to begin calling out with a smirk;

"Griffons of a feather..."

She looked over at Gabby, who exclaimed with pride and a happy bounce;

"Flock together!"

The whole gang finished their motto in proud unison;

"No matter the weather!"

One by one, the young ones walked through the door at the far end of the room opposite the flag. Gabby was the last one to go, who gave Gilda one more look of pure sisterly love before closing the door behind her. The gang leader waited for them to be well out of earshot, her old anger slowly rising to the surface as she stood as stiff as a statue in the room. After ten whole seconds of waiting, she let out a low menacing growl as she sat down on her seat to contemplate things. This time, she didn't need, or want, to keep her thoughts hidden;

"Of all the stupid things those chicks chose to get into..." she complained with a grunt. Her hands, which were hanging at her sides, clenched into tight fists as the echos of a bad memory played in her mind;

"Why would you help THEM?! They had hurt you girls! They had hurt-"

"YOU'VE DONE FAR WORSE, YOU CONTEMPTIBLE BRUTE!"

Such a dreadful memory only added fuel to her anger's fire, which compelled her to grit and bare her teeth as she tried to cool back down. Just then, an idea came up that served to weaken that fire enough for her to think straight;

"I could tell my flock the story..." she said in a somewhat softer tone of voice. She considered the notion for all of three seconds before making a fateful decision;

"No... I don't want them involved in my revenge. This is my problem," she declared with surety. After taking a deep breath to calm her anger down completely, she stood up and walked over to the flag. Gazing up at its horizontal rip, she added;

"Besides, I taught the birds well. They can take care of themselves and each other."

She allowed a confident smirk to form on her face as she went on;

"One day, when I catch those little cowards alone..."

Her smirk became venomous before she finished with ill intent oozing from every word she uttered;

"I'll balance the scales myself."

Fillydelphia Juvenile Detention Center - Around the same time.

The distinct sounds of metal being raised and lowered could be heard throughout the gym area as many prisoners of various shapes and sizes performed their afternoon exercises without pause. Dumbbells, barbells with benches, power racks, leg presses, and many other types of equipment were heavily used. Of course, weight lifting was not the only form of exercise that was being practiced. Some prisoners focused on basic push-ups, sit-ups, and the like, while others settled for doing simple stretches. However, there were a few of them who saw fit to either sit or lean on a wall to relax while they could before it was time to return to their cells.

One of them was The Wrecker.

Watching the gym from her spot on the wall to the left of the locked doors, she kept her arms crossed as she gazed in silence. As she had done before ever since Cinch's short visit, she silently contemplated what was to come;

"Sunset Shimmer..."

This time, she was not listening to music with her music player, preferring instead to keep a sharp eye and ear out for any sign of trouble. She caught such a sign in the form of a tall and muscular tan young man who carried himself with a furious scowl and fists ready to fly. He walked up to the infamous woman and angrily declared to her;

"Hey punk!"

The Wrecker chose to not give this man the time of day as she gazed at the barbells that rested on the rack above an unused weight lifting bench. The man did not take being ignored well. He furiously pointed his right index finger at her face and warned her;

"You embarrassed my homie earlier! Show some respect or I'll disrespect your goggles and hat with my fists!"

Wasting no time, The Wrecker walked over to the unused bench, leaving the young man confused as well as angry. He yelled out while stomping after her;

"Get back here, I'm not done with you yet!"

She stopped to stand before the barbell that rested on the rack above the bench and inspected the round metal weights attached to each side of the bar. Going by the size of each weight, she figured that the bar weighed three-hundred pounds at least. There was an equal amount of weights on each side and they were all placed in the same spots, so the distribution was balanced. This was perfect in The Wrecker's mind, but the troublesome man insulted her before she could proceed further;

"What? You think you can lift something that heavy? I'll bet those arms are made of noodles and not bricks," he exclaimed with mocking laughter. He wanted to beat her face in for his homie initially, but seeing her embarrass herself was an even better idea to him! While all this was going on, some of the prisoners had caught wind of what was going on and promptly spread the word through the gym. Now, all of the prisoners present were watching the scene unfold, curious as to what The Wrecker would do. They all found that out really quickly. She grabbed the barbell with both hands, placing each hand on the correct spots for proper weight lifting. She then took it off of the rack with effortless ease, taking the young man by complete surprise. But, what came next left him dumbfounded. While holding the bar down at her legs, she carefully backed up away from the bench and stopped at a spot where she had decent space around her. Without so much as breaking a sweat, she lifted that bar, weights and all, straight up to hold it above her head. She held it there while standing in place for five seconds while showing no sighs of weakness whatsoever. She then began to walk back to the bench while still holding the bar up and stopped to stand at the rack once more. Slowly, she lowered the bar back onto the rack. Throughout all of this, her stance was strong. Her breathing was stable. Her form: perfect. Silence filled the gym as The Wrecker returned to her spot at the wall. The utterly stunned young man would trouble her no further, his mind focused on a single thought born from terror;

"Sweet mercy... has that girl ever skipped an arm day?!"

The other prisoners whispered their own comments to themselves and each other. Some of them were in awe, while others simply respected her. They all feared her;

"That's The Wrecker for ya'."

"The Wraith of the Streets herself..."

"She disrespected that fool without throwing a punch!"

"I hope she doesn't wreck me!"

It didn't matter if the lady herself could hear such comments or not, for she was too focused on her thoughts to even notice them;

"What will Sunset do... when consequence comes calling?"

Juvenile #448: The Wrecker - 2 days until freedom

Author's Note

Well now, it looks like Gilda wants to take her revenge solo, the CMCs make plans for their screening, and The Wrecker is not taking crud from anyone!

Next Time: The CMCs have one doozy of a day!

Chapter 18 - Movie Club Fun

Sweet Apple Acres. The next afternoon after school.

The CMCs were carrying a storm of conflicting emotions withn their young minds.

Worry, fear, hope, anticipation, anger, nervousness, and more besides.

Pacing back and forth in a row near the front door with their hands held behind their backs, they tried to work through those feelings in silence as the Rainbooms, Granny Smith, and Big Mac watched them closely while standing near the stairs that led to the second floor. Spike and Winona were watching them too. The former had droopy ears and concern all over his furry face, while the latter appeared to be more curious than anything. Applejack, concerned for the kids, said to them gently;

"Now, sugarcubes, Ah'm sure the screenin' will go smoothly."

Sunset chimed in while giving the trio a warm smile;

"I don't think you've ever had a bad screening before, actually."

The kids stopped moving to stand directly in front of the door and looked over at Sunset. With worry painted on their faces, Apple Bloom spoke for the club;

"Can ya'll blame us for bein' so nervous though?"

Several polite knocks rang from behind door, instantly grabbing everyone's attention. Without pause, the CMCs moved out of the way of Granny Smith, who walked up to the door and looked through its small peeping hole to see who had arrived. With a warm smile forming on her face, she declared with a hearty chuckle that eased the kids' concerns a little;

"Ya'll got three friends waitin' for ya'!"

Hearing that generated big beaming smiles on the CMCs' faces. With clear anticipation and their negative feelings temporarily forgotten, they waited as Granny opened the door, allowing three Wondercolts to walk in one at a time. Once they were inside, they got pounced upon by the speeding trio of children, who were more than happy to give them hugs powered by relief and gratitude. Overjoyed, the CMCs exclaimed in unison;

"Tavi! P0N3! Twist! You made it!"

The Rainbooms, Big Mac, and Granny Smith watched with smiles of their own as Octavia Melody, DJ-P0N3, and Twist hugged the kids back. Octavia, true to form, was carrying her cello in her distinctly shaped black carrying bag on her back. P0N3 had brought with her a backpack that bore the same shades of blue and white as her outfit. As for Twist, she held in her right hand a grocery bag filled with what the CMCs had guessed was a bounty of sweets. Spike and Winona barked happily upon seeing this lovely display. Once the hug was broken up, the cello player spoke to her three young friends with dignity and grace, her grin filled with sweetness;

"Your invite was a tad impromptu, but you do not prepare for movie screenings in such a hurry without a good reason."

P0N3 bumped her chest with her right fist while giving the trio a supportive smirk. Twist, with a happy bounce, added;

"Plus, we get to help give the new students a fun Wondercolt welcome!"

Her lisp, a distinct aspect of her voice, was as prominent and adorable as ever. As infectious as their friends' excitement was, it didn't stop the CMCs' worries from rising back up to the surface. With renewed frowns that immediately made the three ladies before them concerned, they sighed audibly before Scootaloo noted;

"The situation with the newbies has gotten more... complicated."

Soon enough, the Rainbooms and Apples helped the club update their friends on recent events. Twist was shocked to say the least, with P0N3 lowering her large shades to reveal the surprise in her eyes. Octavia, by stark comparison, was mortified. Driven by painful memories, she exclaimed to the CMCs;

"Good heavens! Please, tell me those young ones haven't been cruel to you!"

"Thankfully, they've been mighty nice to us so far," Apple Bloom answered out of clear relief over that fact. Octavia was just as relieved as she let out a deep sigh before Rainbow added with a confident smirk;

"They've been good to us too, so we think there's hope for those squirts."

Octavia gazed at the combined confidence and goodwill shown by the Rainbooms and older Apples before looking back down at the CMCs. With a hopeful grin, she replied;

"On that, I agree."

The hope that was expressed by the kids' faces shined like the sun at that precise moment. Twist then took this chance to ask them;

"What's the plan, girls?"

The CMCs looked over at each other to have one of their silent conversations before nodding in agreement. They then looked back at the others as Scootaloo told Twist while giving her a warm grin;

"You said it yourself: we're gonna give them a fun Wondercolts welcome!"

No one objected to that idea, that was for sure! Soon after that, Granny went right back to watching the front porch via the door's peeping hole. Seconds later, she exclaimed;

"Eyes up, ya'll! There's a van pullin' up!"

Like rockets, the CMCs ran up to one of the windows next to the door, with the Rainbooms and their three guests following behind them. While Winona stayed close to Applejack, Spike tried find a spot where he could look through the window, if nothing else but to watch for danger. Twilight, having recognized this, quickly grabbed him by his sides and brought him up to the window so that he could see. Big Mac and Granny stood behind the group as they watched the van itself park off to the side of the road where the house stood. It was a brown vehicle with large windows on the visible side and front that were heavily tinted black to maintain its occupants' privacy. Two of those windows belonged to two larger doors that were closed together, with the passenger door and its own window to their right. The van was clearly large enough to reasonably hold a family within its confines. There was a certain aspect to the vehicle's appearance that had caught the girls' eyes, one that made Rarity gasp in shock and Spike whimper a little. Applejack was the first to make a comment;

"Ya'll seein' them little round dents on them two big doors?" she asked the others, concern dripping from her voice. Sure enough, there were indeed round dents scattered about below the doors' windows. The CMCs, in particular, were staring them down as their memories of the action flicks they had watched with family and friends rose to the surface. Scootaloo gave voice to what she and the others were thinking about with a serious tone;

"There are stories connected to that van and some of them may not be fun."

Everyone else either nodded or grimaced in agreement. Before more comments could be made, the two doors were opened, revealing a pack of Griffons as they stepped out of the van two at a time. Gabby and Gallus, followed by Yona and Ocellus, and then Silverstream and Smolder. As the kids gathered together to form a group, the sound of another door opening could be heard by the folks in the house. It came from the unseen driver's side of the van, as well as the loud slamming of a door. Within moments, a considerably old tan man came stomping around the hood of the van and towards the Griffons. The first thing that the people standing at the house's window noticed about this man was his distinctly grumpy scowl that was seemingly aimed at everyone and everything he saw. The second and third things they noticed were his red fez and the bald head it rested upon. Of course, his glass left eye and the scar that went under it were also hard to miss, drawing yet another gasp from Rarity. His garbs were simple enough: a violetish gray jacket, matching pants, a medium gray undershirt, light yellow gloves, and boots that were a darker shade of gray than the pants. Keeping his balance stable as he stomped was a dark violetish gray wooden cane that he held in his right hand. Granny Smith had to narrow her eyes to get a better look at the visitors and their grumpy chauffeur. Once she did, she quickly announced to the folks standing with her;

"Just a moment, ya'll! When old folks like him look that agitated, ya' don't wanna make 'em wait for too long."

Sure enough, she opened the door and walked out before anyone could respond to her words. Once the door closed behind her, the others watched from the window as Granny Smith walked over to the grumpy senior and gave him a friendly greeting;

"Howdy there, ya'll! Ah'm pleased to see ya' around these parts."

Even from their spot inside of the house, the teenagers and kids could still hear the eldest living Apple speak, even as she moved further away from the window. The ornery old man, who turned to face her, was just as loud. With an annoyed grunt, he responded to her greeting with frustration in every word he spoke;

"You must be the head of this house, judging by your age."

"Darn tootin', Ah am," Granny said with familial pride all over her being. As the two seniors spoke, the Griffons had walked over to stand at the old man's right side. They listened as he went from frustrated to jovial within a second, belting out a loud and raspy laugh that made his advanced age abundantly clear before declaring out of relief;

"Well, at least your home is watched over by someone with life experience!"

He suddenly started coughing and wheezing before he could speak further, prompting Gabby and Gallus to rush over to him and pat his back. Once he recovered, he reached out to Granny with his left hand and introduced himself;

"They call me Grandpa Gruff."

The old Apple, with a polite smile, shook his hand and responded;

"They call me Granny Smith."

While the two old folks talked some more, Gabby, after returning to her fellow Griffons alongside Gallus, had caught sight of the folks watching from the window. With sparkling eyes and a beaming smile, she greeted them with a joyful wave. They couldn't help but smile back at her, with the CMCs themselves waving in return. Grandpa Gruff loudly cleared his throat, prompting the Griffons to divert their attention to him without delay. With an annoyed grunt and a parental glare that could make little kids afraid for the lives, he ordered;

"You'll be in someone else's house, so be respectful of your hosts and don't cause any trouble. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Grandpa Gruff!" the Griffons exclaimed in unison. Somewhat satisfied, he looked back at Granny Smith and told her;

"I'll leave these hellions in your care then. I want them to call for me before it gets too dark out."

"That's fine by me," said Granny before motioning to the Griffons with her right hand and telling them with a warm smile;

"Get your keisters into the house, youngin's! Ya'll are gonna have fun today!"

With laughter and cheer, the gang of kids ran up to the front door, leaving the old Apple in the dust. They did make sure to leave plenty of room for her to open the door for them, though. Grandpa Gruff, with one last grunt, walked back over to the van while muttering something about an 'impatient generation'. Granny, however, found the kids' energetic behavior to be amusing and a fun reminder of her grand-kids. She walked up to the door and opened it up, allowing the Griffons to walk inside one at a time. They were greeted by the Rainbooms with handshakes, fist bumps, and smiles. Spike and WInona sniffed each Griffon for a bit before barking happily at them, which got the two plenty of head pats. The CMCs were visibly relieved and for good reason:

Gilda was not with her flock this time!

Once everyone settled down in the kitchen, with the Griffons and Rainbooms sitting around the table and the others standing near them, Gallus took a moment to point out the extra girls among them;

"I'm not complaining, but I didn't expect there to be so many extra people here!" he noted with a relaxed chuckle that his friends joined in on. Save for Gabby, who was barely containing her growing glee while glaring at the Rainbooms with a dopey smile on her face. With a chuckle of her own, Apple Bloom explained;

"Yeah, we kinda went a little ham with the invites."

Smolder responded with a smirk;

"Eh, it's no problem at all. Now, the screening will be even cooler."

She then tried to rest her legs on the kitchen table. Tried being the operative term, given that she almost instantly moved them back off of the table upon noticing Gallus' annoyed glare and cough. Sweetie Belle spoke up politely and with growing excitement in her voice;

"Yeah, but first, some introductions!"

Hearing this prompted Scootaloo to introduce her friends to the Griffons, starting with the Rainbooms;

"Now, you already know about Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and Sunset Shimmer."

She spoke with exuberance as she pointed out each band member while showing special attention, and added love, to Rainbow, Twilight, and Sunset. The seven girls smiled at all of the kids as she did this. Spike ran up to Scootaloo and gently bonked her leg with his furry head. She looked down at him to find that he was giving her one of his impatient glares. While taking the time to lean down and scratch his ears, she added with love in her smile;

"Oh, I'm not forgetting about Twilight's #1 pet, Spike."

"You better not!" the pup thought to himself while enjoying the scratching he was getting. Winona, sensing an opportunity to play, rushed over to the daredevil and started licking her leg, which made her giggle before noting;

"Same for you, Winona!"

Everyone else gushed over the adorable scene before them. Once Scootaloo straightened back up, she turned her attention over to the second trio in the room and went on;

"You may have seen these awesome girls during school. We have Octavia Melody..."

Octavia bowed her head slightly while letting out a dignified and sweet greeting;

"It is a pleasure to meet you all."

Scootaloo continued by pointing out the DJ next to the string player;

"DJ-P0N3..."

P0N3, in typical fashion, showed the Griffons a confident smirk and the devil horns with her right hand. Without skipping a beat, the movie buff introduced the budding candy-maker;

"And Twist!"

Twist waved at the kids happily, albeit with a little bit of nervousness that was not at all their fault. Silverstream noticed the grocery bag and asked Twist while pointing at it with her right index finger;

"What do you got in there?"

The little red head beamed at her and reached into the bag with her left hand while announcing;

"I made some candy for all of us to enjoy!"

She then pulled out from the bag a handful of sugary sweets, which included chocolate-peanut butter cups, small chocolate bars, and little gummy ponies. Yona hopped out of her seat and started bouncing in place with excitement all over her face;

"Yona loves candy!" she exclaimed with loud joy. Without hesitation, Twist shared her treasure trove of snacks with the others. As they munched on the candy, Smolder noted to her;

"It's pretty cool that you made this stuff."

She took a bite out of her chocolate bar and added with a smirk;

"This is some good chocolate!"

The creator of confections couldn't help but bashfully blush while responding with a nervous voice;

"Oh shucks..."

Once the CMCs finished snacking on their gummy ponies, they motioned to her, Octavia, and P0N3 while Apple Bloom told them excitedly;

"Come on, ya'll! We're gonna need some help with the final prep."

Twist quickly devoured what was left of her chocolate-peanut butter cup while the two musical love birds placed their chocolate bars in her bag for later. Once it was clear that they were ready, the movie club zoomed out of the kitchen like three rockets, with their three friends trying to keep pace with them. Ocellus looked at where the six girls used to be with a warm smile while noting sweetly;

"Those movie club kids are quite the energetic bunch."

"I know, right?!" exclaimed an exuberant Pinkie Pie as she bounced on her seat with a really wide smile filled with positivity. The others nodded in agreement, with the other Rainbooms, Big Mac, and Granny Smith smiling over the joyfulness that the CMCs frequently expressed. A few minutes of shooting the breeze later and the movie club rushed back into the kitchen. With anticipation shining from their grins, they declared in unison;

"We're ready to go!"

Soon enough, the band, gang, Spike, and Big Mac followed the trio out of the house through the back door, leaving Granny Smith to handle her business while Winona opted to curl up on the kitchen floor to rest a while. The Griffons stopped to stare in wide-eyed awe at the sheer vastness of the farmland before them. Multiple large sets of crops that were taller than most people, several barns of varying size and complexity, and numerous rows of apple trees that seemed to stretch on for miles. Everyone in the group could smell the powerful odors that could only come from a farm and its animals. The CMCs stood ahead of the others with their backs facing them. Apple Bloom, in particular, took a mighty whiff of the assorted aromas with closed eyes and sighed contently before saying aloud;

"Ah'll never get tired of that sweet Apple air."

The Rainbooms, all of whom stood to the Griffons' right side, took in the beautiful sight that was the farm while quietly reflecting on the memories that were made there. Same for Big Mac, who couldn't help but recall his parents with a small nostalgic grin. Spike looked upon the landscape in anticipation of all of the running and playing he was gonna do that day. Just then, sly smirks began to form on the CMCs' unseen faces. Within seconds, they turned to face the Griffons before Scootaloo playfully challenged them with pure confidence in her voice;

"Try to keep up, newbies!"

Right then and there, the trio ran off through the farmland, prompting the Griffons to run after them, with the others following behind. The eighth graders quickly found this chase to be quite fun as they laughed and ran right after their young hosts, who giggled with delight. They were keeping pace with the CMCs, but there was still a sizable gap between them. The others kept pace from behind the gang. They all ran through the farm and into the forest of apple trees at the edge. After a short run, the movie club stopped at the other side of the forest to allow the others to catch up. Once they did, Apple Bloom introduced the Griffons to their personal sanctuary;

"Welcome, new friends, to our clubhouse!"

She, along with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, moved out of the way to let the Griffons take a good look at their clubhouse. Their initial reaction to seeing the large and well cared for building was a unified;

"Wooooaaaah!"

Right after that, Yona gave an honest and cheerful reaction as she and the others walked up to the lowered ramp;

"A treehouse! Yaks build best treehouses around. But, this one is cool too!"

"It looks tough enough to tank a thunderstorm," noted a smirking Smolder. Gabby, with stars in her eyes, straight up gushed;

"It looks amazing!"

The other Griffons smiled and nodded in approval. The CMCs, having taken notice of their guests' positive reactions, couldn't stop themselves from feeling bashful if they tried as they walked with the others. Scootaloo thought to herself out of joy and anticipation;

"This is gonna be so awesome!"

The large group of young folks and one furry buddy gathered around the clubhouse's front door as the three movie buffs walked up to it and opened it up. While everyone filed in, the Griffons looked around the room in renewed awe. The room was decorated with movie posters on the walls and a few choice standees standing near them on the floor. Of course, the club's logo was still proudly displayed on its usual spot on the right-side wall. A long table on the left side held a whole slew of snacks fit for watching movies, including a bowl of popcorn, a bottle of butter, assorted sodas, a bowl of fresh red delicious apples, and Twist's candy bag. Placed on the center of the floor in an organized fashion were enough seats for everyone present, with acceptable walking space provided on the left and right sides. This time, there was no projection screen or projector present. Instead, the CMCs had brought their flat-screen TV and DVD player to bare. The TV was hung on a spot above the table on the far end of the room. On that table rested, among other things, the DVD player and the locked safe. The club podium was not present in the building this time around. Twist was standing at the snack table while giving the new arrivals one of her warmer smiles. Octavia and P0N3, however, were standing together near one of the standees on the right while holding hands. Their cello bag and backpack were carefully placed to the far left end of the snack table, out of the way of the walking space. They, too, welcomed the Griffons with grins. After greeting them and Twist in kind, the flock walked around the place to take a closer a look at things and chat it up with the others. Gabby looked up to check out something that caught her eye: the paper ponies that were hung around the ceiling. She couldn't help but let out a wide smile as she exclaimed while spinning around with her arms stretched out to the sides;

"These ponies are so cute!"

Sunset chuckled while walking up to Gabby, who finished spinning in time to catch sight of her. As the mare looked up at the ponies, she explained to the young lady with softness in her voice while being very careful with her word choice;

"Yeah, they really make this clubhouse shine..."

While this was going on, Smolder was eying one of the standees with her arms crossed. This one depicted a muscular man clad in a black leather jacket, a matching undershirt, and a pair of black sunglasses. He was holding up a shotgun in his right hand while sitting on a motorcycle. The name of the movie the standee was advertising was displayed below the motorcycle, while the last name of the actor it was showing was prominently displayed above him. With nostalgia in her eyes, Smolder noted;

"My mom once caught this movie's debut when she was a kid. She saw standees like this one in the theater she went to."

Scootaloo, upon hearing this, walked up to her and passed on a fraction of her movie history knowledge with gusto;

"Yeah, this is an authentic standee that theaters used to advertise the film during its original run!"

That got a surprised look on Smolder's face as she turned her head to gaze at Scootaloo before asking;

"For real, kid?"

The daredevil looked back at her with a confident smirk and nodded, prompting the Griffon to declare with a smirk of her own;

"Cool."

Ocellus was talking with Sweetie Belle, Octavia, and P0N3 about their tastes in music, with the younger Belle sister saying;

"You mentioned playing the violin when we first met, Ocellus. I bet you can play really well!"

The young Griffon blushed a little before responding softly while scratching the back of her head with her right hand;

"Well... I have been practicing regularly."

Octavia's eyes light up when she told Ocellus out of dignified excitement;

"How wonderful! I, too, play string instruments quite frequently."

The previously nervous young lady, inspired by this admittance, asked Octavia with renewed confidence and a wide smile;

"That is lovely! Which ones do you play?"

With pride being allowed to reveal itself on her face, the classy Melody explained to the interested girl;

"My main instrument of choice shall always be the cello. It is, after all, my very first instrument, not to mention my signature. However, I also play the violin, viola, and double bass. Although I am considering branching out to other string instruments."

Ocellus sighed out of admiration for such instruments before noting;

"Such a wide variety of sounds..."

Sweetie Belle giggled knowingly before adding;

"Throw DJ-P0N3's wubs into the mix and the variety shoots through the roof!"

The DJ performed record scratching motions with both hands, much to the giggly delight of Sweetie and Ocellus. Octavia let out a reserved chuckle while giving P0N3 an adoring glare. Spike, ever the watchdog, kept his eyes, ears, and nose on the people inside from his vantage point in a corner of the room, with extra attention given to the Griffons. He was almost certain that they were not a threat, but he saw no harm in being a little extra cautious. Meanwhile, Silverstream was talking with Apple Bloom near at the desk that held the safe. The subject being the club's history, which the history buff was quick to ask about;

"So, how did you girls get this clubhouse?"

The young Apple, with nostalgia all over her face and grin, explained;

"This 'ere clubhouse was built by my big sister when she was a youngin'. She passed it on to me and my friends after we founded the club."

She let out a hearty chuckle as the memory of when the trio first saw the building played out in her head. She then added;

"Of course, by then, this place needed plenty of TLC."

She looked around at the well-kept room that was but a part of the fruits of her club's past labors and finished with pride;

"As ya' can see, we fixed it up good and proper."

Silverstream smiled as well before noting to her new friend;

"I get it. My fellow Griffons and I had to really spruce up our hideout too when Gilda showed it to us. Now, it's like our second home."

Hearing the gang's name be mentioned did cause Apple Bloom to feel tense around Silverstream, to say nothing of her bully being name-dropped by the budding historian. Thankfully, that tension was quickly overshadowed by her delight at making a new friend so easily. So quickly, in fact, that her hands only twitched slightly that time. The two girls looked at each other with friendliness in their eyes. Satisfied, Apple Bloom turned to face the rest of the clubhouse and looked around. She quickly saw Yona gazing at the club logo as the Yak thought with a smile;

"Movie Club logo looks almost as cool as Griffon logo..."

Sensing no danger from her, or the other Griffons for that matter, the club leader happily called out to the folks present;

"Take your seats, ya'll! We're gonna start the film in a bit!"

Soon enough, most of them found their chairs and sat down on them. The Griffons sat in the middle row, with the Rainbooms and Big Mac behind them. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Octavia, and P0N3 walked over to stand with Apple Bloom as she got right to business;

"A huge thank ya' to ya'll for comin' today," she began with a bright smile that could light up a dark cave. Sweetie Belle, with her eyes locked on the new students, added happily;

"Firstly, we'd like to welcome the new Wondercolts to their very first Canterlot Movie Club screening!"

The trio, along with the others, gave the Griffons a most welcoming applause, to which they responded with grateful smiles, confident smirks, cheerful waves from Silverstream, and an adorably embarrassed blush from Ocellus. Once the clapping died down, Scootaloo chimed in with exuberance in every word she spoke;

"It took us a long time to decide on which movie to show for you all, so you know the one we picked is cool!"

She then gave Rainbow Dash a wink before adding;

"We're talking at least twenty-percent cooler than the average film!"

That got a short knowing laugh from Rainbow and the rest of the older Wondercolts as Apple Bloom stepped back into the conversation;

"Secondly, since we've got a whole bushel of new folks, it would be smart of us to check somethin'..."

She paused to choose her next words with care before asking the audience with a more serious expression;

"Do any of ya' new folks have some kind of disability that might affect your movie viewin' experience?"

Without skipping a beat, she clarified;

"Ya' don't have to answer that question if ya' don't want to. We're just doin' our due diligence, is all."

The Griffons stayed seated, save for one. Ocellus, with a fearful gulp, slowly stood up. The girls standing before her were clearly surprised. But, before they could react, she began to explain herself with a soft yet clear voice;

"To be clear: I can watch a movie without any trouble."

She gently adjusted her heavily tinted glasses with her right hand as she noted;

"You can thank these for that."

Sunset, her chin held in thought, politely asked her;

"So, your vision is only somewhat impaired?"

Ocellus looked over at Sunset and shook her head. Her fear weakened by the clear lack of judgement from the people around her, she answered with a somewhat more confident tone of voice;

"It's not my vision that can be hampered. My mind is considerably sensitive to bright lights and vivid colors, you see. They can give me terrible headaches at best, migraines at worst. So, I wear medically prescribed glasses with lenses designed to make such imagery tolerable for me to witness."

It didn't take long for the CMCs and the friends who stood with them to smile over this reveal. Scootaloo verbalized her positive reaction;

"Your specs protect your brain and make you look cool in the process? That's awesome!"

Ocellus smiled back at her while feeling intense relief over how accepting her new friends were being. Her fellow Griffons showed her their support with fist bumps, supportive smirks, a strong pat on the back from Yona that made her lean forward a little, and a beaming smile from Gabby. With the matter settled, Apple Bloom got everyone else's attention;

"Listen up, ya'll! This 'ere film is an old classic and Sweetie Belle's personal favorite!" she declared with confidence before Sweetie Belle literally hopped in to announce the film's name with barely contained glee and arms stretched out from her sides;

"The Princess Bride!"

The audience's reactions were a tad mixed. Most of the attendees, the Rainbooms included, applauded with certainty in their smiles. The Griffons, however, showed some uncertainty on their faces as they clapped. A clear sign that they had never seen this film before. Smolder, with a raised right eyebrow, told the trio;

"That movie sounds girly to me."

Scootaloo was quick to defend the film, if nothing else but to prevent an increasingly incensed Sweetie Belle from yelling at the orange Griffon;

"Don't go knocking a motion picture you've never seen before!" she exclaimed with an excited grin and a wag of her right index finger before elaborating;

"The Princess Bride has romance, yes, but it also has adventure!"

Sweetie Belle jumped in to add with a bright smile and excitement in her eyes, her earlier anger quickly cast aside;

"Heroics!"

Apple Bloom chimed in while performing several quick pretend sword swipes with her right hand;

"Sword fightin'!"

Some of the audience members chuckled at the sight of their hosts being so thrilled as Yona gave Smolder a pat on the back hard enough to make her upper-body lean forward. Upon getting her attention, she gave her some encouragement;

"Come on, friend Smolder, give the movie a chance! Yona thinks it'll be fun to watch!"

After giving Yona an annoyed glare and pondering her words, Smolder looked back at the CMCs and declared with a sigh;

"Fine, but it better not disappoint."

"YAY!" was the trio's response as they high-fived each other. As much as Apple Bloom wanted to get the show on the road, she knew that they still had to deal with the itinerary first. So, with after everyone calmed down, she warned the audience;

"A quick disclaimer for ya'll: this film depicts physical violence and on-screen death."

"Now, we're talking..." Smolder thought with a smirk as Scootaloo hastily jumped in to clarify further;

"Nothing horribly graphic, though! So, don't expect to see someone lose an arm or a leg."

The Griffons nodded their heads in understanding, which prompted Sweetie Belle to suggest to Apple Bloom;

"Before we begin, could you please lower the curtains over the windows?"

With a quick salute, the young Apple went to each window and lowered its curtain, causing the lighting in the clubhouse to dim a bit. Ocellus smiled slightly while breathing a sigh laced with ease as she watched Scootaloo set up the DVD player. She also noticed Sweetie Belle give her a knowing wink and a beaming smile that warmed her heart. Once the player was set up, Scootaloo opened the safe, pulled the movie's DVD case out from it, and closed it tight before returning to the player. With gusto, she opened case, grabbed the disc, and placed it into the player before grabbing the nearby TV and DVD remotes. After giving the audience an excited smile, she went with her two friends to sit at the front row, with Octavia, Twist, and P0N3 following suit. Once seated, the daredevil turned on the TV and player. After navigating the movie's DVD menu, she pressed play to start it up. The whole group sat back and relaxed as the movie began, with Sweetie Belle barely containing the urge to squeal in delight as a giant smile fueled by excitement formed on her face.

During the beginning of the film

The audience watched the sick young boy's grandfather as he prepared to read the book that was aptly titled 'The Princess Bride'. This got the attention of Gallus, who asked out of curiosity;

"Is this movie actually based on a book?"

"You bet it is!" exclaimed a happy Sweetie Belle before she prompted shushed him before returning her gaze to the film. Just in time too, for the grandfather had started telling the tale. Within minutes, the romantic aspect of the film became abundantly apparent, much to Smolder's annoyance. She could barely contain her groaning as she commented with a facepalm;

"Ugh, mushy romance... not my thing."

"Easy there, Smoldy. It's not that mushy," noted Silverstream. This was, thankfully, enough to silence the agitated Griffon. Once it was revealed that Buttercup's beloved Westley was killed, however, Smolder appeared to be considerably less annoyed when she saw Buttercup go through terrible grief. It was this grief that she had put into words with utter sadness in her voice and on her face;

"I will never love again."

The mohawk-rocking girl couldn't help but become more engrossed while reluctantly admitting to herself;

"Man, that's rough for her."

Unbeknownst to every Griffon, however, the CMCs were keeping one ear on the film and the other on them, while the Rainbooms, Octavia, and her lady love did the same from their vantage points.

Right after Buttercup is kidnapped

Vizzini, the leader of the kidnapping trio, was insulting his two hired cohorts, the giant Fezzik and the Spaniard Inigo Montoya. Gabby had no love for the leader's abhorrent behavior;

"That guy's a big bully!" she declared with crossed arms and a serious nod, having already added the character to her mental list of mean villains in stories. The CMCs smiled in quiet unison as Yona noted in agreement;

"Yona thinks Fezzik can pick Vizzini up with one hand."

That got chuckles from some of the other attendees before they all turned silent once more. At least until Inigo and Fezzik started making funny rhymes, which got everyone to laugh again.

Just before the Sword Fight

"This Inigo is quite respectable," noted Ocellus as she and the others watched him and the Dread Pirate Roberts get ready to fight. The rest of the audience nodded in agreement, with Sweetie Belle shushing them before announcing happily;

"The Sword Fight is about to start!"

Soon enough, the battle began in earnest. The two swordsman clashed with a level of skill, balance, and grace that no Griffon present had seen before. Smolder was especially enamored by this display;

"Those two can scrap!" she thought to herself. Her fellow Griffons were about as impressed. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, like the others, were enjoying the scene with wide eyes and bright smiles. Sweetie Belle was behaving in mostly the same fashion, except for the fact that she was silently mouthing each line of dialogue that was said between the two fighters with near-perfect synchronization.

Soon after the Fire Swamp scene.

Buttercup and the Dread Pirate Roberts had just been caught by the Prince and his men. Roberts' witty banter in the face of death was quite enjoyable to Smolder, who commented;

"That guy wouldn't be fazed by the largest army around."

That produced short chuckles from some of the audience members. The CMCs, however, were utterly engrossed in the film. The group watched as Buttercup made a deal with the Prince to spare Roberts' life. Once she was taken away, the pirate and the Count, a certain man with six fingers on his left hand, exchanged words before the latter knocked the former out cold. The film had cut to black right then and there, which prompted Scootaloo to pause the film with the remote while Apple Bloom called out;

"Intermission time!"

That made the new kids confused, to say the least. Looking at the CMCs, Gallus verbally expressed that confusion;

"Wait, what?"

With a polite giggle, Sweetie Belle explained to them;

"During our screenings, we like to give people a break in the middle of a film, especially when watching the really long ones."

Apple Bloom chimed in with an encouraging tone of voice, her cheerful smile adding to the effect;

"So, ya'll can take this moment to stretch, grab a snack, use the bathroom, or do other stuff before we continue watchin' the movie."

That, it turned out, was the cue Gabby needed to make a dash through the clubhouse door and all the way back to the Apples' house, which produced grins and laughter filled with understanding from the others. Scootaloo, with a head shake, added;

"See what we mean?"

She then turned her head to gaze at Big Mac before telling him;

"We're gonna need a speaker right about now."

"Eeyup," was his simplistic answer before he walked out the door as well. Ocellus, upon hearing this quick exchange, asked Scootaloo;

"What do you need a speaker for?"

"You'll see," the daredevil said in response before giving her a wink that was as cryptic as her words. Octavia Melody and DJ-P0N3 allowed knowing smirks to form on their faces as they grabbed their cello bag and backpack respectively.

Back in the Apple Family's house.

Gabby had just exited the bathroom while feeling quite relieved. She walked through the kitchen to catch Granny Smith when she was in the midst of cooking up food while Winona continued to sleep soundly on the floor. One good whiff was all it took for the young Griffon to recognize the unique scent that could only come from a home-cooked meal, which was enough to make her mouth water a little. With a big smile, she exclaimed in anticipation of the feast to come;

"That smells delicious, ma'am!"

Granny let out a hearty laugh before replying out of gratitude while expertly chopping apples;

"Much obliged, missy!"

Gabby's head tilted slightly to the right before she asked;

"What are you making?"

Granny's smile grew wide as she explained enthusiastically, her apple chopping increasing in vigor;

"Ah'm rustlin' up some cheeseburgers, veggie burgers for our vegetarian guests, apple crisps, apple salad, and some apple-pear pie for desert!"

Now, the young lady's mouth was really watering! She recovered in time to hear the family matriarch add;

"Now, this 'ere food ain't ready yet, so get your keister over to the clubhouse before ya' miss out on the fun!"

With a quick salute, Gabby ran back outside to rejoin her friends, but not before showing the old Apple some gratitude of her own;

"Thank you for the meal!"

Granny happily thought to herself as she continued her work;

"That one seems like a dern sweetheart to me."

Back in the clubhouse.

By the time Gabby had returned to the clubhouse's ramp, she could hear the soft tones of string music echoing from the windows. Frightened that she was missing out on the rest of the film, she rushed inside, only to witness a sight she did not expect to say the least. Standing to her left near the snack table was Octavia Melody. She was playing her cello with the skill and confidence of an experienced musician. Her eyes were closed and a calm smile rested on her face, a tell-tale sign that her music had taken hold of her mind. Gabby quickly came to enjoy the cellist's performance. She also noticed DJ-P0N3 was sitting next to Octavia, her turntable fully prepped and connected to the tall black speaker to her left. Yet, the DJ was simply sitting quietly, her hands resting at her sides instead of scratching records. The young Griffon looked around and saw that the Rainbooms, Spike, Twist, Big Mac, and her fellow gang members were standing around at different spots around the room, their heads bobbing to the rhythm of Octavia's strings. What really caught her eye, however, was what the CMCs were doing. They were dancing just behind the audience seats, their eyes shut and their smiles bright and content. The kids' movements matched up with the cello playing to the point that it was as if their movements were being guided by the music itself. They were no expert dancers, to be sure. Regardless, they stepped, twirled, and spun with confidence and quiet elation. They always kept close together, but never bumped into each other or tripped over themselves. There was something to their dance that Gabby, as young as she was, could tell;

"They look so... free," was her positive thought. Yeah, that was a good way to describe their dance: free. Free from worry, doubt, fear, the whole nine yards. Quiet as a mouse and careful to avoid the dancing trio, Gabby slowly walked over to stand with Sunset, who stood in front of the club logo. While enjoying the performance from her new vantage point, she softly asked the mare;

"Do the CMCs do this often?"

Sunset smirked before answering with a politely lowered tone of voice while gazing at her three young friends;

"Usually whenever either Octavia, P0N3, or both play within earshot of them."

"Both?" Gabby thought out of pure confusion. Sunset looked down at the young lady and added some slyness to her smirk before noting;

"Here's a hint: when it feels right, let the music move you."

Even more confused, Gabby returned her attention to the CMCs. About two seconds later, the unmistakable sounds that were tied to dubstep were played from the speaker, courtesy of DJ-P0N3, who was now putting the turntable to work. The Griffons' ears perked with recognition as they all looked over at the DJ, fascinated by this new addition to the performance. The dubstep was soft at first before slowly rising in volume to join Octavia's cello playing. It didn't overtake her music, as Ocellus and a few others had anticipated. Instead, the technological sounds served to augment the classical strings, allowing the two remarkably different styles of music to blend together. The resulting auditory harmony was a new and amazing treat to the Griffons' ears as well as their minds. It was at that moment that they started bopping their heads to the beat without making the conscious decision to do so. Soon enough, smiles began to form on their faces. It was Smolder who was the first to fully surrender to the music, followed by Gallus and Sliverstream. Yona and Ocellus joined them soon after. Gabby, seeing friends new and old having a good time, took a deep breath and embraced the beat entirely. Now, every Griffon and movie buff was dancing together, much to the joy of the Rainbooms and Big Mac, who were watching them closely with happiness covering their faces. Spike's reaction was quite similar, only he was also bopping his head to the beat as he smiled. The music being played had lent itself well to smooth energetic dancing, so none of the kids felt any need to really go wild. Between the two groups, the Griffons were less experienced than their movie club counterparts, but they were no less enthusiastic. Some of them stepped, spun, and twirled, while Smolder straight up break-danced. Yona was clearly more interested in stomping happily, almost shaking the floor beneath her feet with her dancing. Thankfully, no accidents occurred during this performance. The older folks and the purple dog watched as the dancing continued until Octavia and DJ-P0N3 finished their performance, allowing the song to fade into silence. The kids slowed their dancing down to a stop as the music ended, allowing themselves to gaze at each other while standing in two parallel rows with only an inch or two of space between them. The CMCs beamed joyful smiles at the Griffons, who responded in kind. The others gave the kids a round of applause, with Pinkie Pie whistling at them with tons of enthusiasm. Sunset, in particular, showed satisfaction in her smile. Apple Bloom, with sparkling eyes aimed at each Griffon, declared;

"Music... It brings out the best in people."

She got no arguments from anyone else in the room over that lovely claim. The group of young folks congregated at and near the turntable. Octavia was putting her cello and bow away in her black bag while the others talked, with P0N3 leaning in front of the table. Smolder commented to the cellist and her beloved DJ with a smirk;

"I didn't know dubstep and music older than my grandma could work so well together, but they do!"

Ocellus nodded excitedly in agreement before adding, her eyes sparkling from behind her sunglasses;

"The song was such a beautiful piece that filled my body with energy!"

She showed Octavia and P0N3 a smile filled with gratitude before telling them;

"You two performed brilliantly. Thank you."

The cellist had just zipped up her bag when she heard the two friends' words. Once she turned around to face Ocellus and Smolder, she gave them a warm smile that was appreciative and dignified. Her lady love, with a confident smirk, showed them the devil horns with her right hand, to which Smolder responded in kind. Gabby looked at the pair with starry eyes and an ear-to-ear grin while exclaiming;

"CHS keeps getting more awesome by the day!"

The other Griffons seemed quite pleased with the performance as well, with Yona mentally comparing Octavia and DJ-P0N3's music to what Yak musicians could produce. As much as the other Wondercolts enjoyed this display of appreciation for their school and good music, they all knew that they had to get things moving again. So, Apple Bloom got the others' attention with a quick cough before declaring with a smile;

"Okay, ya'll, let's get back to our seats and finish the movie!"

With that, she lead the group to the audience seats while Spike continued to do his duty. Once everyone was ready, the movie, which had remained paused up until now, was made to resume right where it left off.

After the movie had finished

With the feature presentation dealt with, the group had gathered around behind the seats to discuss what they had just witnessed. Smolder was bragging about the coolness that was a certain sword-wielding Spaniard;

"Inigo Montoya kicked all kinds of butt in that movie!" exclaimed with a laugh before adding;

"Yeah, he lost the first fight. But he fought the Dread Pirate Roberts with everything he had, so it was a loss he could take."

Gallus, who was enjoying one of the few remaining chocolate bars that survived the screening, noted with a nod;

"Yeah, but he went right after the Count later on. The guy was driven to avenge his father, after all."

Sweetie Belle couldn't hold it in any longer, she had to gush;

"Inigo is such a gentleman too!" she began with a happy squeak that got everyone's attention. Giggling excitedly, she went on;

"He helped the Dread Pirate Roberts up with the rope, even though he knew he was out to kill him. He even waited until he was ready before fighting him! Not to mention him being such a good friend to Fezzik."

Rarity, without missing a beat, started to gush over the other handsome gentlemen from the film, dramatic flare and all;

"Westley is so sweet and loyal to his dear Buttercup. He would no doubt fight the most terrifying monster imaginable just to protect her like a knight in shining armor!"

The two Belles sighed like ladies swooning over their crushes, which made Apple Bloom, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo snicker audibly. This prompted the pair to give them two fierce narrow glares that shut them up within moments. The others thoroughly enjoyed watching this humorous moment between the girls, with Sunset commenting with a head shake and a sideways smirk;

"Yeah, the movie is full of memorable characters, not to mention quotable lines."

As if they were waiting for their cue, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo ran up to stand before each other quick as a flash before taking up sword-fighting stances. Their best fencing stances to be precise. With well acted expressions that exuded politeness and anticipation, they began to reenact a scene ripped right out of 'The Princess Bride'. Scootaloo, playing as Inigo, declared with her best take on a Spaniard's accent;

"You seem a good fellow. I hate to kill you."

Apple Bloom responded with her own take on the Dread Pirate Roberts;

"You seem a good fellow yourself. I hate to die."

The others backed off to make room for the pair of movie buffs as they began dueling each other with pretend sword thrusts, cuts, and swipes, all of which were performed with their left hands. Their captive audience chuckled and giggled in delight as they watched the two fight it out while never truly hitting each other. With strong balance and smooth movements, Apple Bloom forced Scootaloo to the clubhouse door, prompting Sunset to rush over to it and open it up, allowing them to continue their fight outside. They stopped at about halfway down the ramp when Scootaloo made a daring and dramatic backwards jump onto the grass behind her. Not willing to be outdone, Apple Bloom made an equally daring leap onto a spot to the left of her friend before returning to her fighting stance. When Scootaloo got into her stance, they continued their play-fight while moving throughout the clearing. Sunset led the others outside to watch the spectacle unfold as Scootaloo noted to her worthy opponent with a knowing smile;

"I admit that you are better than I am."

Sensing what was coming and loving it, Apple Bloom asked her;

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Because I know something you don't know," Scootaloo answered, her smile turning into a smirk. Apple Bloom asked in response;

"And what is that?"

The daredevil's response was simple and to the point;

"I am not left-handed."

She immediately switched her sword-swinging hand in the middle of defending against Apple Bloom's attack and went right on the offensive, thus putting her opponent on the back-foot. As the fight progressed, the young Apple told Scootaloo with a smirk of her own;

"Oh yeah? Well, I'm not left-handed either!"

She pulled off the same hand switching trick that Scootaloo had just utilized and started to push her back in retaliation. When it came to pretend play-fighting, these two movie buffs were well-practiced experts in their playful craft. The crowd standing at the clubhouse cheered them on in delight and excitement. The battle soon became as even as it could get, the two friends holding each other off in a stand-off clash of imaginary blades. The sparkles in their eyes and the brightness of their smiles revealed the immense amount of fun they were having together. Sadly, real life would bring this epic battle to a premature close as the ringing of the Apple Family dinner bell echoed all the way to the clubhouse, hitting everyone's ears without relent. Granny Smith's voice rang out just as loudly as she announced with positive anticipation;

"SOOOOUPS ON, EVERYBODY!"

The annoyance shared by Apple Bloom and Scootaloo over being prevented from finishing their duel was quickly overwritten by the thought of devouring the delectable food that only an Apple could make. After bowing to each other like respectful combatants, they ran with the others back to the house.

Later, at Sweet Apple Acres' kitchen

The Wondercolts and Griffons were practically salivating at the home-cooked spread that graced the kitchen table they all sat around. The CMCs made sure to sit next to their sisters while the Wondercolts in general sat together on the left side while the Griffons sat on the right, with Granny Smith sitting between them. Spike sat near Twilight's right leg, hoping to sneak some falling table scraps, while Winona sat next to Apple Bloom's left leg with the simple goal of relaxing with family. Granny, with help from Big Mac, had to bring out the larger table just to make sure there was enough room for everyone and their plates! Smolder was about to grab her cheeseburger when she got interrupted verbally by Applejack, who warned her with a calm voice;

"In this 'ere house, we wait until its head is ready to eat if possible."

She pointed at Granny Smith with her right hand, which encouraged the Griffons to look over at her. Sure enough, she was slowly getting her plate ready at the counter. Keyword: slowly. Smolder politely restrained her annoyed groan before responding with crossed arms;

"Yeah, we get it. Grandpa Gruff takes his sweet time to move around too."

Gallus then gave the old Apple some encouragement;

"Take your time, ma'am. The food won't get cold in a hurry."

The other Griffons smiled encouragingly at her as Granny finished setting up her plate, grabbed it, and turned around to face the others. Seeing the smiling Griffons and thinking well of the well-meaning remarks from the two of them, she responded with a raspy chuckle;

"Glad to see that Grandpa of yours is raisin' ya'll to be considerate youngin's. Now hold your horses, Ah'll be with ya'll in a jiffy."

As the family matriarch made her way to the table, Apple Bloom complimented her new friends with a beaming grin;

"Thank ya'll for bein' so patient with Granny!"

The smiles from the other Wondercolts were just as bright. Yona took this moment to comment with pride;

"It's like friend Smolder said: we get it. Besides, Yona was raised to respect our elders, unless they're being disrespectful."

That comment got a hearty Apple laugh from Granny Smith as she finally reached her seat and placed her plate on the only free space left on the table. Once she sat down and recovered, she declared with a smirk;

"The big girl gets it, Ah reckon! Now, Ah ain't gonna make ya'll wait any longer. Let's eat!"

With that, everyone dug into their food without hesitation, with Sunset and Fluttershy obviously partaking in their vegetarian meals. The food was delicious, to say the least. This was expected by the veteran Wondercolts and Apples, but the Griffons were not entirely prepared for the unique tastiness of Apple Family cuisine. Gabby, in particular, was making adorable noises while stuffing her face with her burger, her eyes watering a little over how good it tasted. Yona was having a good laugh while enjoying her meal with reckless abandon;

"Yak food will always have a special place in Yona's heart, but your Apple food is wonderful!" she declared with proud appreciation. The other Griffons were enjoying their food about as much as those two did, and it wasn't even time for desert yet! Applejack, feeling especially proud of the effect her family's famous cooking was having on the newbies, took a moment away from chomping on her burger to brag a little;

"Darn tootin', it is! Don't go overdoin' it though, our food will fill your bellies up somethin' fierce!"

"Eeyup!" noted Big Mac before he took a large bite out of his apple crisp. Silverstream, after enjoying some of her salad, decided to mention something to Applejack;

"I don't mean to pry too hard, but I noticed that you and Apple Bloom share similar names."

Gabby had recovered from her food-induced just in time to hear her friend's words, which got her mind to put two and two together. What she got made her want to squeal in delight, but she held herself back so that she could catch how the two Apples would respond. They looked at each other with smiles filled with the kind of love that Gabby had seen before, but not from them. They looked back at Silverstream as their smiles turned into proud smirks. Apple Bloom was the one who answered with absolute familial pride;

"Applejack is my big sister!"

Gabby could barely contain her growing glee, but what came next would make the effort ten-times harder for her to pull off. Sweetie Belle gave the older Belle a swift big hug that was quickly reciprocated before announcing without a hint of regret;

"Rarity's my big sister too!"

The young Griffon did not see that coming, nor did she expect the next revelation that came up soon after. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo simply could not help themselves. With proud fist bumps, the latter added with pride;

"Rainbow Dash and I are sisters-at-heart, which is totally the same as being sisters!"

It was all Gabby could do to keep herself from exploding with unrelenting joy and shock mixed into a blend of pure positivity. With what little self-control she had left in her now vibrating body, she stood up and requested as politely as she could in a strangely monotone voice;

"Could you excuse me for a moment, please?"

Confused, but not bothered, Granny Smith nodded her head to grant Gabby her request. The young Griffon turned towards the door that led outside and briskly walked through it. A few quiet seconds passed after the door was closed and everyone else suddenly heard the loud voice of an exceedingly overjoyed girl;

"THAT IS SO INCREDIBLY AWESOOOOOOOOME!"

The sound of startled birds chirping and flapping wildly could be heard by the happy folks present in the house. Granny Smith, with a shrug and a good chuckle, sweetly remarked;

"Well, she ain't wrong."

Gabby, after returning to her seat at the table, looked at the others with a sheepish grin. Quick to catch even a hint of guilt, Sunset soothed the young lady's concerns;

"You've done nothing wrong and we're flattered that you think so well of us," she told her with gentleness in her eyes and smile. Relieved, Gabby nodded at her happily as Rainbow Dash exclaimed;

"You've got a ton of energy in your body, kid! I like that!"

Gallus, with a knowing smirk, added;

"You have no idea."

The CMCs looked at Gabby with appreciation and natural friendliness all over their faces, their hearts warmed by her genuine happiness over their familial bonds. Even so, the specter of Gilda haunted the trio's minds like an uninvited guest, so they could not fully embrace their positivity like usual. Twilight, in the spirit of preventing an awkward silence from forming, took the chance to ask Gabby;

"I've been meaning to ask, what was the first song from our discography that you listened to? You did say that you've only listened to a few songs, after all."

The big Rainbooms fan looked back at Twilight with joy sparkling in her eyes, a bright and beautiful smile forming on her face. Without hesitation, she answered;

"Shine like Rainbows!"

Hearing that admission raised the whole band's mood up to a considerable level. Rainbow Dash gave Gabby an enthusiastic thumbs up and a prideful teeth-baring smirk. Fluttershy quietly giggled while showing appreciation on her blushing face. Rarity tittered politely over the kid's choice of song. Applejack gratefully tipped her hat to her. Twilight had to hold Pinkie Pie back from spontaneously throwing a 'Thank You for Listening to Our Song Party', so the party planner settled for dishing out one of her bigger smiles. Sci-Twi herself showed just as much appreciation in her own grin. As for Sunset, she showed Gabby her signature sideways smirk and a thankful nod for good measure. It was she who responded verbally;

"I'm glad that it was that song that got you interested in our band, Gabby. It's a personal one for us, you see," she explained. Rarity chimed in with grace;

"It also helps that it was one of our first hits."

Pinkie Pie, being her excitable jolly self, jumped into the conversation with all of the subtlety of a jackhammer set to the highest possible setting;

"It went super viral! I'm talking millions and millions of views on HoofTube alone! That means it made millions and millions of people really happy!"

She was clearly overjoyed at the thought of having made so many people smile with a single song. So much so, in fact, that she bounced off of her seat repeatedly like a kid in a bounce house, her grin filled with cheer. Twilight, once again, had to calm her down. Octavia and P0N3, like the band, were pleased with Gabby's song choice, although their reactions were far more subdued: a thumbs up from the silent DJ and a polite smile and nod from the cellist. Twist's bright smile, which she aimed squarely at Gabby, could light up a dark cave. Spike grinned while thinking back to the time when he first heard the song. Rainbow Dash took this moment to brag, but not about herself this time;

"You can thank Fluttershy for the awesome lyrics! She wrote them herself!"

Gabby's sparkling eyes were aimed directly at Fluttershy herself, her smile becoming wider by the second. The poor shy animal lover felt her face become as red as a tomato. She tried to hide her face, not to mention her embarrassment, with her hands while expressing a frightened 'eep' sound. Thankfully, some gentle comfort from her cyan hype-girl settled her down real quick. Big Mac's take on the matter was simple;

"Eeyup."

Granny simply sat back and enjoyed watching the young folks have a good time together. As for the CMCs, they were about ready to explode with unrelenting joy. It was now their turn to gush over the pure awesomeness that was their favorite band ever. Apple Bloom was the first to explode;

"The Sonic Rainbooms are so dern cool and talented! They can make a song about anythin' and it would rock!" she exclaimed with joy radiating from her being like a nuclear power plant. Sweetie Belle was no different;

"They've done positive songs, fun songs, inspiring songs, and even some heavy songs!" she remarked with happy squeaks. Scootaloo finished for her friends with absolute gusto mixed with healthy fandom;

"Yeah, and they're all awesome!"

As the four biggest Rainbooms fans in the room gushed and ranted with joyful abandon, Gallus whispered to himself, not so much out of annoyance, but out of simple resignation while holding the right side of his head with his right hand;

"Oh great, there's four of them now..."

As fun as it was for Granny Smith to watch the kids have so much fun connecting with each other, she would not stand to let their food get too cold. With a carefully restrained voice powered by firm authority, she called out;

"Settle down, ya' whippersnappers! We still got some eatin' to do!"

The kids did exactly that within seconds, not wanting to upset the lady of the house. With that, the group went back to eating their food, which was, to their relief, still quite warm. Sadly for Spike, there would be no table scraps to munch on this time. As much as the Wondercolts and Apples wanted to, not a single one of them could stand to bring up Gilda as a conversation topic within earshot of her flock.

Later that evening.

It wasn't dark outside yet, but the sunset was drawing near. So, after they finished eating and had more fun with their new friends, the Griffons got ready to be picked up, with Gabby calling Grandpa Gruff via her smartphone. As they waited for for the ride alongside the others, Scootaloo walked over to the new kids and told them confidently;

"We should hang out again sometime."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded their heads in agreement, their smiles revealing their excitement over such a notion. The other Wondercolts were not that far off in terms of reactions. Not even the specter of Gilda could dampen their spirits this time around. The Griffons smiled back, glad to have made such a good impression on their friends. Minutes later, the honking of a car horn echoed from the street beyond the front door, signalling the gang members to walk through the door one by one. Gabby was the last to leave, but not before she waved goodbye at Granny Smith and the Wondercolts, who all waved back at her with smiles full of goodwill. They then stood in silence as the Griffons got into Grandpa Gruff's battered van and he drove it away. Once they could not hear its engine anymore, the group collectively audibly sighed as if they had just let go of a terribly heavy weight. It was Apple Bloom who started to verbally express their shared dilemma;

"Those Griffons are mighty nice folks," she declared with a hopeful smile that was shared by her two best friends. Big Mac seconded that notion with a sure;

"Eeyup."

The CMCs smiles turned into frowns as Sweetie Belle noted out of disappointment;

"But, they're friends with Gilda."

Big Mac's response was simple and riddled with concern;

"Eeyup."

Scootaloo's smile returned, although it wasn't quite as strong as it was a moment ago, when she added;

"But, they're not bad people."

Her friends smiled again, while the only thing Big Mac could say to that notion was, again;

"Eeyup."

Just then, Apple Bloom made a fateful decision in her head. It was about as spontaneous as she usually was. She turned to face Twilight and asked her with polite seriousness;

"Miss Twi, could ya' follow me to my bedroom? There's somethin' Ah want to show ya'."

She looked over at the others and told them;

"Ya'll are welcome to follow us, if ya' want."

She ran upstairs to her bedroom, with the rest of the group following suit.

Apple Bloom's Bedroom

One of the key items in the young Apple's room was her banjo, which rested on its stand on the corner to the far-right of the door. Standing next to the banjo and closer to the door was a desk with a tall lamp standing near the right-side edge that filled the room with a gentle yellow light. Next to the lamp, in the middle of the desk, was a framed photo of Applejack, Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Granny Smith standing together. Their smiles were filled with familial love and very few worries to speak of. Near the desk's left side edge was a small terrarium that housed a green segmented earthworm that was sleeping soundly. At the upper-right corner of the room was Apple Bloom's bed, which was long enough for her to comfortably sleep on. There were other items to speak of in the room, including the TV and DVD/Bluray player placed opposite the bed, specifically on the same wall as the bedroom door. The wallpaper was decorative and old-fashioned, with a light green background and little apples drawn just below the ceiling in a continuous line that circled the room. Now, what had Apple Bloom's entire focus was not the banjo, nor the TV or the bed. Not even the family photo had gotten her attention. No, that was given to the closet that was to the right of the TV, at the lower-right corner of the room. The rest of the group slowly filed in to follow the young Apple while still giving her room to do her thing, with Twilight making sure to watch closely while standing at her right side. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood at her left side, their faces showing an understanding that ran deep. This understanding was shared with Apple Bloom, who slowly opened the closet door. Up until now, Twilight had never been to the little Apple's room before. So, just seeing what it had to offer in general was fascinating to the curious learner. Upon retrospect, she probably should seen what was in that closet coming from a mile away, given what she knew about her and her elder sister.

Inside the closet was a whole slew of large bows that were hanging on the walls. All of them were already tied and they covered an interesting variety of colors. Most of them were either red or pink, with the pink bows being the most common ones of the bunch. But, there were a few that used entirely different colors, such as gold and white. What had also caught Twilight's eye were the labels that were placed below each and every bow, which were small pieces of paper and somewhat larger pieces of cardboard that were nailed together onto the walls. The egghead noticed that different occasions were written on each label. Most of them were standard fare: birthdays, holidays, key events in the CHS school year calendar, that sort of thing. Twilight took note of the fact that the gold and white bows were labeled 'REDACTED' and 'Wedding' respectively. She also noticed that Apple Bloom was not looking at any bow in particular, but at a blank space just below the bow labeled 'Apple Family Reunion'. With a sigh, she reached out to the spot with her right hand and gave it a good push, surprising Twilight by pushing it far enough to reveal a hidden compartment in the wall! The square gap between the piece of wood and the wall was so small prior to it being pushed that the scientist had failed to notice it until now. Apple Bloom reached into the compartment with both hands, which was noticeably deep, before pulling out a single box. Its color was a brilliant gamboge that caught everyone's eyes, Granny Smith, Applejack, and Big Mac especially, who looked upon the box with quiet reverence. Apple Bloom, silent as a mouse, walked over to her and placed the box on it before pulling off its lid with her right hand to open it. It was just big enough to fit what was contained within: a single pink bow. Just like the rest of the young Apple's extensive collection, this bow was almost as large as her head. But, it bore one major difference that made it stand out from all of the other bows: a single large rip on the top of its right loop that showed that it was halfway towards becoming split in two.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood at Apple Bloom's sides as they gazed at the damaged bow with sad expressions that hinted at both sorrow and regret. Why, just the mere sight of it drove Applejack to gently place her right hand on Apple Bloom's right shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Rainbow Dash and Rarity provided their own sisters the same comfort. Sunset, like Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, looked at the trio with concern and regret mixed together in her frown. Octavia Melody placed her right hand on Apple Bloom's left hand to show her support while giving her a gentle genuine smile for good measure. DJ-P0N3 did something that was extremely rare for her to do in public: she took off her signature shades, revealing red eyes that, along with her smile, showed the CMCs understanding and a subtly shown desire to punch the source of their sadness. Spike climbed onto the bed, walked over to the bow, and sat down while giving it a quiet glare. He outright refused to touch it out of fear of accidentally damaging this clearly important item beyond repair. Big Mac and Granny Smith watched in saddened silence, determined to listen to whatever the young ones had to say. Twilight saw these reactions and quickly made a connection in her head that she hoped was not at all factual. As the others watched the CMCs closely, Apple Bloom started to explain while gazing at her ripped bow;

"Miss Twi... Ah was wearin' this 'ere bow..."

Her voice was soft, serious, and terribly regretful. A painfully nightmarish memory flashed before the CMCs' eyes for a brief moment, interrupting Apple Bloom's train of thought as well as her words. Once the flash had ended, she checked on her two friends. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were looking right at her with the same regretful expression that she herself was showing. With encouraging nods that eased their heads and hearts a little, Apple Bloom returned her attention to the bow and continued while her hands began to twitch;

"Ah was wearin' it when the three of us had made that... stupid mistake and..."

Twilight knew what she was getting at and promptly made it clear herself;

"When Gilda made you all pay for it," she finished for the young one as gently as she could. The CMCs nodded in silence before Scootaloo softly chimed in, her fists clenched tightly, even as they twitched as well;

"The cruelty that Gilda showed us during that cold Winter day... no one deserves."

Right when she finished speaking, the three movie buffs turned to face the folks that stood around them with renewed determination in their eyes. Sweetie Belle's hands, like her friends', were clearly twitching. But, that didn't stop her from exclaiming with utter surety;

"That, right there, is why we're gonna stand up to her. Our way, not hers!"

The Apples and Wondercolts who were watching them were moved by their words and drive, their concerns eased to say the least. Spike readied himself as Apple Bloom, her determination refusing to waver, added;

"As for her Griffons, they're not our enemies."

She chuckled and smiled a little before continuing with revitalized cheer;

"Shoot, they're our friends, Ah tells ya'!"

No one present disagreed with that notion. Certainly not her two best pals, who appeared to be just as cheery. As Spike waited patiently for the right moment to come, their shared worry replaced their cheer. Apple Bloom made a terrible concern abundantly clear;

"Ah just hope them sugarcubes don't get hurt because of Gilda... or us."

The trio turned back around to face the bed, just in time to see Spike leap right at Apple Bloom with a playful bark. Instinctively, she held him close to keep him from falling, but she fell right into his trap! Without waiting for a even a nano-second, Spike licked her face repeatedly, which made her laugh within seconds. Her friends followed suit while witnessing this sudden, but adorable display of affection. The others gushed over this sight, with Fluttershy being the one who enjoyed it the most by a country mile. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo got up to Apple Bloom and Spike to give them a group hug.

But this, too, was what the clever dog had been waiting for!

Once the other two movie buffs were close enough, he began to lick their faces as well, which made the trio's laughter grow stronger and more jovial. After a minute or so of getting puppy love, the kids moved the pup back onto the bed and gave him head pats for his trouble. Once that was done, the youngest Apple in her house softly requested, her improved mood evident in her voice;

"Could ya'll give us a moment, please? We'll be back down soon."

Recognizing the need to give the little ones some space, the other Apples and Wondercolts quietly walked out of the room one by one, but not before they each gave the CMCs gentle hugs. Spike followed the group out as well. Once the kids were alone, Apple Bloom took the ripped bow into her opened hands with the utmost care and felt the urge to shed sorrowful tears. She resisted the urge, however, mainly to prevent this, one of her most treasured possessions, from being stained. With sadness and determination oozing from her voice, she declared while gazing down at the bow that rested on her palms;

"Ma', Pa'... We'll make ya' proud, ya' hear?"

A gentle warmth suddenly grew from within the kids' hearts. It eased their sadness and fueled their drive to set things right. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo didn't think too much of this phenomenon, but Apple Bloom figured that her parents were helping them in spirit.

Author's Note

Update: Reworded Twilight's inquiry about Gabby's interest in her band to line up with established lore. I also fixed a case of terrible wording in the dancing scene. Remember folks: Parallel = lines/rows are side by side, while Perpendicular = lines/rows are touching! :twilightblush:

Also, I fixed a continuity error involving Spike's history with the Rainbooms. I admit, I confused him for Equestria's Spike. :moustache:

Well, that went better than expected! In spite of their feelings towards Gilda, the CMCs and Wondercolts have befriended the Griffons. But, the big bad bird herself is still a problem. Here's hoping she doesn't become one for her flock.

Next Chapter: We check in on the band's efforts, the Griffons get a lesson in CHS history, and a certain menace is let out of her cage...

Equestria Girls Lore Challenge: Near the end of this chapter, a certain green earthworm was mentioned. Who is he, when in the show did he appear, and what is he to Apple Bloom?

Chapter 19 - A Tale Told and A Wraith Released

The next morning, at the CHS Statue.

Apple Bloom could not put into words how happy she was to be leaning on the left side of the statue.

After all, just beyond its portal was where the Princess of Friendship called her home and, oh boy, was she excited to be getting her help with the renovation of Sunset's house! Of course, with school being on for the day, neither she, her fellow club members, or Sci-Twi could contact her. Not when there was school work to do first anyway, and they were all respectable students. Still, just being around that statue was enough to give Apple Bloom's heart plenty of fuel, which consisted of excitement, joy, a dash of anticipation, an extra scoop of friendship (which was magic), and a heaping helping of hope. Since she had arrived extra early, the little Apple had time to lean back and relax for a spell, which she did without a second thought. Her mind was set alight with all sorts of ways that she and her two best pals could make Sunset's bedroom into one that their beloved Phoenix Friend deserved;

"Hangin' little lights on the ceilin' would work nicely. They'd be like them fairy lights from her old loft."

That thought made her smile brightly, but before her mind could expand on it, she heard the voice of Applejack coming from her right;

"Someone's a happy Apple," she declared with a chuckle. Even when on CHS property, the older Apple thought it best to stay close to her little sister. Apple Bloom felt a familiar sense of calm and safety upon hearing her voice. With a laugh, she looked over at her and responded;

"Of course Ah am, big sis! When we're done, Sunset's gonna have a wonderful house to live in!"

The older Apple belted out a hearty laugh that could easily infect a whole crowd with its cheer before telling her little sister;

"Darn tootin' she will! Now, Ah was gonna go practice with the girls before the first bell."

Apple Bloom was happy to hear about that, but what came next made her want to dance in place. With a knowing smirk, Applejack offered;

"Your two pals are gonna watch us play, wanna come with?"

She didn't hesitate to respond as happily as she could, her pink bow bouncing along with her body to further express her glee;

"Ah'm all for that!" she exclaimed with sparkles in her eyes. Just then, she felt her right pants pocket vibrate repeatedly, which got her to stop bouncing. While expressing a sheepish grin to her sister, who held onto her smirk, she pulled a smartphone out from said pocket. After giving the screen a few quick swipes and a good look, Apple Bloom laughed and smirked like a little kid who just away with stealing precious cookies from the nigh-impenetrable cookie jar fortress. She then showed the screen to Applejack while holding the phone with her right hand and declared in a sing-song voice;

"Lookie-lookie!"

Catching what her little sister was talking about made the farmer's smirk morph into a warm smile as she responded;

"Well, Ah'll be. Sunset's gonna love that, Ah reckon!"

Before she could react further, she noticed a certain someone walking up to her sister. With a playful grin, she quietly waited, much to Apple Bloom's confusion. That confusion would not last long, however, when that someone's voice, filled with cheer and youthful innocence, came from behind her back;

"Hey girls!"

The young Apple nearly dropped her phone in surprise! Thankfully, she managed to prevent that from happening. After quickly stashing the phone back into her pants pocket, she turned around and saw that it was Gabby who greeted the two Apples. Applejack chuckled a bit before calming down while Apple Bloom greeted the Griffon back with a slightly nervous voice;

"Howdy, sugarcube!"

Her smile was a tad shaky, but far from disingenuous. Without skipping beat, Gabby asked her;

"What were you two looking at?"

This was a problem for both Apples, a big one. Given the secrecy involved with what had been shown on that phone's screen, they couldn't blab about the details to Gabby or her friends.

Not yet, anyway.

Still, they couldn't stomach the thought of lying to them. Their Apple hearts would not let them hear the end of it if they did, to say nothing of what Granny Smith would do them! Thankfully, Apple Bloom had come up with an answer that would, hopefully, satisfy their friend;

"Oh, just some personal stuff, is all," she told her as calmly as she could. Thankfully, this was enough for Gabby, who replied with an understanding smile;

"That's fine with me. My flock and I have our own personal stuff too, so I get it."

Hearing that was a huge relief for both Apples, for Granny Smith would sleep well that night! Right then and there, Gabby showed sudden realization on her face and promptly declared;

"Oh man, I gotta meet with the flock before homeroom!"

She then rushed over to the steps that led to the school's front door while yelling to them;

"We'll talk later, my friends!"

While shaking her head and holding her hips with her hands, Applejack commented;

"That girl's got pep in her step, Ah tells ya'."

Even though Apple Bloom's mind would never let her forget about Gabby's connection to Gilda, the happiness she felt whenever she saw that excitable Griffon be herself could not be overshadowed by her old pain. After laughing a little, she responded to her big sister's comment while watching Gabby go through the front doors;

"Ah can relate to that."

The CHS Music Room, ten minutes before the first bell.

It was not everyday that the CMCs could watch their favorite band of all time practice their craft. In fact, they could count the number of times they had done this with one hand. They had no problems with this though, as it just made the times when they could watch all the more special.

Or, according to Scootaloo, all the more awesome.

The kids were sitting on their chairs while watching each band member play their instruments with skill and joy. They were in the middle of a jam session that was a prime example of fun. There was no predefined song being worked on, they just found a beat and rocked out to it while the kids moved their upper-bodies to the beat with their eyes closed and their smiles wide! The band jammed for a solid couple of minutes before stopping. The CMCs gave the Rainbooms a joyful applause, their smiles beaming across the room. The seven musicians smiled back at them and began to sit down on their seats to rest a while. Fluttershy took this moment to grab her notebook and pencil, which were on her seat, before sitting down herself. She then placed the notebook on her lap, opened it up, took her pencil into her right hand, and began to write on a blank page with a creative's excitement shining in her eyes. Rainbow Dash, while lounging on her chair, was the first to take notice of this. With a smirk that showed both confidence and pride, she declared to the others;

"Fluttershy's got the writing bug again!"

The rest of the girls, the kids included, looked over at the pink-haired writer, who was too engrossed with her work to notice the attention she was getting. At least, she was until Pinkie Pie, with a giant ear-to-ear grin that only she could produce, bounced out of her seat and asked Fluttershy while enthusiastically patting her back;

"What are you cooking up this time?"

The noticeably strong back pat produced a short surprised yelp from the animal expert, prompting her to look up at her friends. Once she saw that all eyes were on her, she instantly clammed up while quickly bringing her notebook close to her chest, holding it for dear life. Seeing the terribly nervous look on her face, her friends were quick to give her gentle encouragement. Most settled for warm looks, head nods, and thumbs up, since they didn't want to risk talking over each other and making things worse. Sensing her opportunity, Rainbow Dash walked up to Fluttershy and told her while gently holding her left shoulder with her right hand;

"We won't force you to cough up the goods and besides, we all know how awesome you are at writing songs, so you got nothing to worry about!"

The athlete spoke with absolute confidence in her friend and the kind of vocal tone that could encourage anyone to be their best self. Fluttershy, after years of being Rainbow's friend, could recognize that tone from miles away. Feeling that familiar encouragement ease her worries and doubts like so many times before, she took a breath and returned the notebook to her lap. With a grateful smile aimed at everyone else in the room and sure voice, she responded;

"Thank you, girls, I needed that."

After taking a moment to watch her friends show relief on their faces, she looked down at her notebook and continued writing as she explained;

"With graduation coming up, I want to write for us a new song to celebrate the occasion. A song for the school to remember us by."

Everyone present felt excitement at the thought of doing something so sweet for the school they loved. Pinkie Pie expressed this feeling as only she could: by doing cartwheels around the seats while somehow not knocking anything over;

"One last gift for CHS?! YIPPEEE!"

It was amazing to the others that confetti was not exploding around Pinkie as she cartwheeled about before landing on her two feet in a surprisingly skillful fashion. She even struck a pose like an entertainer on a stage for good measure. If the CMCs had score cards, they would all hold up perfect tens. After a good laugh was shared among the girls, Applejack noted honestly;

"Leavin' behind a heartfelt tune for our school sounds mighty nice to me!"

"A most intriguing idea!" declared a clearly interested Twilight, her right hand holding her chin as her mind ran through multiple ideas at a rapid pace. Rarity, with supportive dignity and a smile aimed at Fluttershy, chimed in;

"That is a lovely goal, darling! But, I must inquire, what theme does your new song tackle?"

The friend to all things living and furry looked back at the fashionista and answered with that surety from earlier;

"The future that we can make for ourselves and each other. At least..."

Right then and there, her usual nervousness crept back into her voice and mannerisms, but it was not as strong as per usual as she added;

"Um... that's just the initial idea for the theme, I haven't fleshed it out yet and I've only just started writing the opening verse."

The girls pondered her words for a good few seconds before Sunset noted aloud;

"The future..."

The Equestrian felt her worries related to that topic creep up from within her mind, which she quickly pushed back down before telling Fluttershy in a genuinely supportive manner, smile and all;

"You've picked a strong theme."

Rainbow Dash, true to form, expressed her thoughts on the matter with absolute encouraging gusto;

"That totally works for our style!"

"It is also quite fitting," noted Rarity. Sci-Twi elaborated on her friend's point;

"Exactly! After all, thoughts of the future are known to be in the forefront of a typical high-school graduate's mind."

"I wonder if I can make future-themed cupcakes for everyone?" pondered Pinkie Pie while Applejack tipped her hat at Fluttershy. The farmer then told her sweetly;

"We're lookin' forward to readin' your lyrics, once they're ready of course."

The CMCs were straight up bouncing in their seats Pinkie style in excitement over getting to hear such a song from their beloved band. The kind young lady couldn't help but beam brightly at her friends, happy as can be over getting their support. Thankfully, Twilight had the good sense to check the clock that hung on a wall in the music room: A little less than five minutes were left before the first bell was set to ring! Once she had announced this to the others, the band carefully put their instruments away and briskly walked out the door, with the CMCs following suit. Having no song-related matters to distract her as she walked with the group, Sunset's thoughts returned to the topic of her future;

"What will happen to me after CHS? Especially if the girls..."

Her mind couldn't bring itself to consciously finish that thought, not right away anyway. Just the mere notion was painful for Sunset to consider. Still, she would not let herself run from her own thoughts. So, she pushed herself to finish it while keeping a sharp eye on where she was walking;

"If the girls' lives take them down different paths... where does that leave me?"

Free from the traitors you pal around with! Better to drop them now though.

"I won't drop my friends over mistakes they've learned from, demon," Sunset mentally declared in defiance of her demon's snide claim. All she got for that remark was internal vile cackling that nearly caused her to miss the door to her homeroom. Thankfully, she caught sight of it in time to stop moving. After watching the others walk inside, she took a quick breath before opening the door to join the girls and begin the school day proper.

Later that day, in the cafeteria during lunch.

The Rainbooms sat together at their usual table while chowing down on their food. As the other students ate and socialized around them, Rainbow Dash announced to her friends with pride and excitement all over her face, voice, and demeanor;

"After school, we're gonna work on Sunset's house and this time, we'll have a whole bunch of Wondercolts to help us out!"

Sunset beamed at her helpful friends before responding;

"I'm sure you'll do a fine job, girls."

The rest of the band beamed right back at her before Rarity noted with dignity and surety;

"Make no mistake, Sunset darling: your humble abode will be the jewel of your street when we're done."

"Yeah, but enough teasin' our pal, ya'll. Don't wanna make her too curious," added Applejack with a knowing smirk aimed at her amber friend, who smirked back while thinking back to her past attempts at being sneaky. Twilight diverted the conversation to a different topic with calm seriousness;

"Okay, girls, let's discuss how we're going to handle the Griffons from here on out."

Everyone's smiles shrunk a little upon hearing this, with Pinkie Pie speaking first;

"Hold on a second!" she exclaimed. She then quickly turned her head to look around the cafeteria while expressing narrow eyes and a frown that made her appear quite shifty. After giving the area a visual once-over, she then looked back at the girls and declared with a nod;

"No birds here. We're good."

Sunset, while thanking the universe that their new friends were assigned a different lunch hour, began the discussion proper;

"Obviously, those kids have to be warned about Gilda's past at some point."

"We ain't tellin' them about that without the youngin's," noted Applejack, her innate stubbornness prominent on her face and in her voice. Rainbow Dash added to her rival's point with crossed arms and an understanding glare focused on Twilight;

"Yeah, the squirts gotta keep their Pinkie Promise and we're not gonna take that away from them."

"Indeed," Rarity began before elaborating with worry in her voice;

"While we will most certainly honor that sacred vow, based on our current knowledge, it stands to reason that Gilda will eventually start telling her gang members lies and half-truths about the kids, and us for that matter."

The other girls showed their shared sentiment with frowns and nods. Just then, Sunset had come up with an idea that made her bring back her smirk. With renewed confidence and a tiny hint of reservation that was almost hidden behind her face, she suggested to them;

"Then we just have to head her off at the pass."

That got her looks filled with curiosity in her friends' eyes as Fluttershy asked in soft nervousness;

"Um... how are we going to do that?"

Sunset Shimmer's smirk, and internalized concern, grew in response to that question.

After school, in the hallway leading to the library.

The six young Griffons stood together at a table in the first floor of the library. Specifically speaking, they were near the circle of computer stations that surrounded the statue at the center of the library. Ms. Cheerilee was restocking one of the bookshelves that was some distance away from the kids. But, they were still within eyesight and earshot of her, so they knew better than to risk causing her trouble. Most of the Griffons were calm, with Gabby showing clear and considerable excitement that was, to Cheerilee's relief, silent. Even so, the increasingly vibrant sparkles in the young lady's eyes were a sign that she would not be silent forever. As for Smolder, she was the only one of the six who looked quite annoyed over their situation. Out of pure impatience, she let out with a restrained groan;

"What's taking them so long? They told us to wait for them here after school, so what's the hold up?"

The librarian recognized that she was at least trying to keep her voice down, so she held her tongue while stealthily rolling her eyes. Yona, while making sure to not be too loud, attempted to calm her friend's growing frustration;

"Yona is sure our new friends will get here," she said with an encouraging smile aimed at Smolder, who seemed to relax a little upon hearing her words. Gabby could not contain her excitement any longer, although she could still restrain it, along with her vocal volume, out of respect to Cheerilee;

"I wonder what they want to do with us? I'll bet it'll be super fun," she declared with a wide smile filled with mirth and honest fandom. Ocellus, her chin held by her right hand, pondered for a moment before speaking with a thoughtful tone;

"But, why would they want us to meet here, of all places? I doubt they want to do a group study session with us, or else they would have informed us of this intent earlier."

Gallus added while narrowing his eyes slightly;

"Yeah, I've got an odd feeling about all this. Not bad, just odd."

The other Griffons nodded in agreement before Silverstream chimed in;

"We're meeting in a library... What's in here that's related to-"

Her question was interrupted by the sound of the library's door being pushed open by Sunset Shimmer, who led her fellow Rainbooms into the room itself. The CMCs, with Apple Bloom leading the trio, followed behind the band. Octavia Melody and DJ-P0N3 walked by the kids' sides, with Flash Sentry bringing up the rear. The Griffons all looked over at the group of teenagers and were quick to give them friendly greetings that were responded to in kind. Cheerilee stopped dealing with the bookshelves within her vicinity to watch the enlarged group of students converse, with Smolder starting things off while keeping her arms crossed and her narrow gaze fixed on Sunset;

"Now that we're together, let's hear it: Why did you want to meet us here?" she asked impatiently. Gabby quickly added with what she hoped was enough politeness to balance out Smolder's annoyance;

"Grandpa Gruff is keeping Gilda busy with chores right now, so we've got time before they start calling."

Most of the Griffons did not notice the hands of the CMCs twitch slightly when Gilda's name was uttered, save for Ocellus, who had found it a harmless oddity and nothing more. Sunset looked over at Smolder and answered her calmly while letting out a smirk that hinted at anticipation.

"We're here because we want you to learn more about CHS's history. But, we'll have you do it in a place that can only be found in this library..."

Her smirk grew wider as she finished with a softer, more secretive tone of voice;

"If you know where to look."

She had Silverstream at 'history', to say the least. Why, she could barely contain her rapidly growing excitement enough to not cause an auditory ruckus! Thankfully, Gallus and Yona were quick to gently calm her down with shoulder pats and knowing smiles. Ocellus was also visibly interested in what kind of secret location she was speaking of. Before she could make an inquiry on the matter, however, Sunset turned her gaze over to Cheerilee, who was watching the conversation closely, and declared to her with serious politeness on her face and in her voice;

"Ma'am, this humble student would like to show her peers the stories we safeguard."

The librarian smiled brightly at her and her friends before walking away while motioning for them to follow her. She guided the group over to a far off corner of the library where the bookshelves nearly surround them entirely, save for a single opening to Cheerilee's left. She stopped to stand before the bookshelf along the wall and inspected the books it carried, specifically the ones on the middle shelf. The book that caught her eye was a blue one that showed its title along its spine:

The History of the Crystal Kingdom - by Stygian

With care, the librarian took the book off from its shelf with her left hand and took a step off to the left side, revealing a sight that none of the Griffons watching had expected to see. What was once hidden behind the book was a single small blue button with a yellow base that was attached to the wall. The young eighth graders wondered what the button was for, but they did not have to wonder for long. The older Wondercolts watched with knowing anticipation on their faces as Cheerilee turned to face the Griffons and asked them with the smile she normally brought to bare when teaching a class;

"Could one of you try pressing the button, please?"

Gabby rushed over to the button within moments, prompted the other Griffons to shake their heads while giving off understanding grins. Excited and curious all at once, she enthusiastically pushed the button with her right hand.

There was a noticeable button pressing sound, but nothing else was produced.

The excitable young lady decided to give the button a few more rapid presses.

Still nothing but that sound!

Puzzled, she looked over at Cheerilee and asked;

"Am I missing something here?"

The other Griffons looked at her as well, curious as to what her answer could be. The teacher's smile remained strong as she answered with a simple yet strange request;

"Firstly, I would like for you all to step away from the shelves on the right side."

The group of students did as instructed, with Gabby opting to stand near Cheerliee, who walked over to the gap in the bookshelf that once held the history book she was still carrying in her left hand. Without skipping a beat, she gazed at the Griffons before telling them;

"Secondly, listen closely."

She then reached over to the button with her right hand and pressed it three times in a pattern that went something like this:

Tap. Tap-tap.

To the eighth graders, that rhythmic pattern of sound was interesting, but it held no greater meaning for them. But, for the older Wondercolts that stood with them while expressing knowing smiles, that pattern was basically school pride in auditory form. It was that same pattern that produced a result that took the Griffons by surprise.

Two of the floor panels that rested before the bookshelves on the right side of the nearly boxed-in area started to sink a bit before sliding all on their own, the sounds they made grabbing everyone's attention within moments. By the time the panels had finished moving, they were hiding under the panels that were once to their left. This revealed a long rectangular hole in the floor with a silver metal ladder bolted to the side of the hole that was closest to the group. The Griffons gazed upon this hole with eyes filled with wonder, their mouths agape. Their elder peers, however, kept their smiles on point as a dash of satisfaction was added to them. Smolder verbally reacted before her friends could;

"Okay, this alone is cool enough to be worth the wait," she declared, her earlier impatience tossed aside. Ocellus took this moment to comment with awe and realization in her voice;

"I see now..."

She looked over at the button and elaborated excitedly;

"You can't just press the button wildly to make the panels move, you have to push it in a specific pattern!"

Cheerilee, pleased that one of the new kids had figured this out so quickly, gave Ocellus a warm approving grin before noting;

"Of course, young lady. Be warned, though: the pattern gets changed randomly, so don't try to make this trip without a staff member to help you."

The students nodded in agreement, which prompted her to walk over to the ladder and carefully climb down it, but not before she told them with a calm teacher's voice;

"Once I've reached the bottom, begin climbing down one-by-one."

They watched the librarian venture deeper into the hole at a steady pace. It seemed to not have its own lighting, so the library's lights were the only things that were allowing the students to actually see the bottom, which was a concrete floor. Soon enough, Cheerilee had reached the end of the ladder, stepped off from it and took a few steps back to make room for the others. Without further ado, the Wondercolts, young and old, formed a line and began to join her in the hole. Sunset was the first of them to do this, with the CMCs following her. The remaining Rainbooms joined them soon after, followed by the Griffons, Octavia, P0N3, and Flash. It didn't take long for the Griffons to recognize several things about this hole. Firstly, it led to a long hallway that felt rather claustrophobic with so many people in there. Secondly, there was another blue and yellow button that was on the wall to their left, a few steps away from the ladder. Thirdly, there was a single wooden door at the far end of the hallway that Cheerilee were leading the group towards. As they got closer, Gabby noticed that the image of a tall horse standing on its hind legs was carved onto the wood. The teacher grabbed the door's metal knob with her right hand, gave it a twist, and pushed the door open. She then guided the group through the doorway, allowing them to quickly recognize that they entered what appeared to be a room that had much more space for them to spread out compared to the hallway from before. The library's light could only travel so far, however, so the room was a tad too dark for any student to notice any key details. As the group had spread out, Cheerilee moved over to a light switch that was on the wall to her right. Before the students could react, she flipped the switch to turn on the ceiling lights that hung over the room.

The Griffons were surprised once again.

This 'room' was, in fact, a long and wide hallway with eight numbered doors, four on each side, that led to what appeared to be classrooms. Lines of metal lockers stood along the walls between each door. The walls, ceiling, and floor bore the same colors as what was typically seen in the hallways on the floor above. The lockers were well cared for, which was made evident by the lack of rust and grime. But, they still showed their age in the form of dents and de-coloration. At the end of the hallway was another wooden door that hid who-knew-what to the wide-eyed Griffons, who looked around the place in wonder. Gabby was the first of them to react with words, for she declared;

"Wow, I didn't know CHS teaches classes underground!"

Applejack let out a hearty chuckle that got the others' attention. With all eyes on the Apple, she explained;

"Our school used to do some of its teachin' down 'ere long ago. Durin' a time when it stood against laws that just weren't right."

Smolder looked around the hallway with a large toothy grin laced with respect while remarking;

"So, CHS has a rebellious side to it? I dig it."

Twilight, with confidence in her demeanor and growing excitement in her sparkling eyes, chimed in when Applejack tipped her hat to her;

"Now, this basement floor is where CHS protects important items from its history and the stories tied to them. We call it the Hall of Stories."

Silverstream was about ready to bust through each and every classroom door upon hearing those words out of pure excitement, just to see what sort of relics she could find and the tales she could learn from them. But, she then felt the heavy yet gentle left hand of Yona, who helped her cool down enough to remember her good sense and politeness. She looked at her large friend, who gazed back at her with a grinning face that silently expressed understanding. The other Griffons walked around the area to explore a bit while the Rainbooms and other older Wondercolts watched them closely, thrilled to see the kids take such an interest in this part of the school that most people rarely got to see. Sunset, like the others, was thrilled. But, that stubborn subtle reservation lingered in her mind like an annoyingly catchy beat, minus the music. She held out hope that things would work out that day, but she still feared what could happen. Cheerilee, after giving the students a moment longer, brought them back together to have them follow her down the hallway to the left side classroom door that was closest to the door at the end. This door, like the others, had its number engraved on the wood just above its window:

Sunset's reservation gained strength upon seeing that number, but it was not strong enough to deter her. The door's window had white blinds that were lowered behind it, so no one could see what was inside of the classroom. This, the Griffons had noticed, was true for the others as well, while the door at the very end of the hall had no windows to speak of. With bated breath, the group of young folks waited in silence as Cheerilee opened the door and led them inside. Given that this basement floor was said to have once been used during a bygone era, one would think that a room it housed would look the part. This classroom, by stark contrast to that notion, was practically a one-to-one recreation of the room that the Griffons and CMCs went to for Homeroom earlier that day, save for the glaring lack of windows on the walls. The ceiling light more than made up for the otherwise missing lighting though. Another key difference was that there were far fewer desks present in the room. Specifically speaking, there were five desks that were meant for students: One in the middle that was the largest by far, and four smaller ones, with two of them at each side of the larger desk with walking space between each of them. Seeing all of this confused the new kids to say the least, but what really got their attention was what was on the desks. Each one held a single solitary item that was angled to face the wall where the door was located. These items did not have a single spec of dust, dirt, grime, or any other form of muck on them: a clear sign that they were treated with considerable respect and care. The Griffons were quick to recognize what each of these objects were. The four smaller desks held a closed upside-down CHS yearbook, a tall marching band leader's hat that bore the school's blue and gold colors, a large pair of teal and white noise-canceling headphones, and a sledgehammer with a long brown handle and a dark grey mallet. Standing prominently on the larger desk was an object that looked entirely out of place within a high-school setting. It was a large chest carved from black stone that had five steel locks attached to its front and five more on its back, each one bearing a uniquely shaped keyhole. The other objects were interesting enough to the Griffons, but they didn't expect this! Their minds shined with all sorts of ideas as to what that chest could be hiding. As if sensing this, the CMCs moved out of the group to stand in front of the chest while aiming their backs towards it, with Apple Bloom in the middle, Scootaloo to her right, and Sweetie Belle to her left. They beamed at the eighth graders with smiles filled with anticipation as Apple Bloom challenged them while holding back the urge to let out a sly laugh;

"Care to guess what's in the chest?"

It took them almost a second to start spouting out guesses, with Gallus being the first;

"Gold coins?"

Next, came Smolder, who suggested with a hopeful grin;

"Old Rock & Roll albums?"

Silverstream's guess was a little more sensible, given where the group had come from earlier;

"Ancient historical texts?" she asked while holding her chin with her right hand. Normally, she would show intense enthusiasm at the mere thought of such a notion, but something in her was silently telling her that this was not the time for jumping with joy. As they made their guesses known, the Griffons saw the Rainbooms, Octavia, DJ-P0N3, and Cheerilee gather near the desks, with Sunset giving each of the five items quick glances before focusing on the younger students. Her six friends, however, paid a little more attention to the yearbook, hat, and sledgehammer before gazing at the kids as well. The band stood together on the right side, while Flash, P0N3, and Octavia stood at the left. Cheerilee decided to stick with the Rainbooms as well. The CMCs' smiles became smirks that were both confident and nostalgic as the young Apple replied;

"They are heartfelt gifts..."

The Griffons dropped the guesses they were thinking of to listen attentively to Apple Bloom. With all eyes now fixed on her, she began to tell a tale that was steeped in her school's history with her best storytelling voice;

"Handcrafted and delivered by the CHS Wondercolts to Sunset Shimmer herself."

The eighth graders quickly glanced at Sunset, who was giving them a warm smile, her eyes sparkling with powerfully fond remembrance, before returning their attention to the CMCs in time to hear more of the Apple's tale;

"An offering of peace and friendship made after she had helped the Rainbooms save the student body and staff..."

She paused while her smile was dropped in favor of a frown born from an old hurt. Her eyes lost much of their earlier sparkle as she looked off to the side, her signature pink bow drooping to match her mood. She finished her sentence with soft-spoken regret in her voice;

"From a terrible fate."

The Griffons were quick to notice everyone else's reactions to this claim. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, very much like their leader and friend, showed genuine regret on their faces, even as they placed comforting hands on Apple Bloom's shoulders. Octavia and Sunset showed each other understanding with nothing more than their solemn faces, the former also silently expressing a dash of regret as well. Flash looked no less regretful, as evidenced by his frown. DJ-P0N3, wasting no time, walked up to him and gave his right bicep a playful jab that got his attention. The jab and her friendly smirk were enough to get a grateful smile out of him. The other Rainbooms watched these reactions closely while readying themselves to help raise their friends' spirits at a moment's notice. Ah, but regret would not stop Apple Bloom for long! Encouraged by the thought of what was coming next, she looked back up at the Griffons with renewed vigor and happiness. Even her bow seemed to bounce with glee as she suddenly spun over to the chest and walked over to its right side while continuing her tale;

"Moved by this act of goodwill and not willin' to suffer thieves, Sunset took the gifts..."

She stopped to stand at the chest's right side, turned to face it, and gave it two hearty taps with her hands before speaking further;

"Placed them in this 'ere stone chest..."

She allowed a dramatic pause to take effect before gazing at the Griffons and finishing;

"And hid it 'ere, away from the outside world..."

It was a simple tale, true enough, but the young newcomers were riveted by it regardless. But, there was something about it that did not entirely sit well with Gabby. She looked over at Sunset and asked her;

"But, why did you give back the gifts the Wondercolts had made for you?"

That question got the gears in Smolder's head to turn enough for her to remark while giving the mare a narrow glare;

"Yeah, returning a gift to its sender ain't cool."

The other Griffons gazed at Sunset as well, if nothing else but out of curiosity. Now, all other eyes were on her, even her band's. Thankfully, the human-pony girl was ready for a moment like this. Her earlier reservations returned, but they would not dissuade her now. She walked over to the table that held the sledgehammer and looked down at it. As the pivotal moment in her life that was bound to the otherwise ordinary tool played out in her mind, she slowly took its handle into a firm grip with both hands. After thinking about it for a moment, she decided to not lift the sledgehammer off of the desk or even move it an inch. With a sigh and a somber voice, she admitted without even looking at the attentive Griffons;

"I'm sorry to say that I wasn't always a good person."

This reveal produced a shocked gasp from Gabby, with her five friends looking quite surprised themselves. Before they could fully process this, however, she elaborated on a fact that was, to her mind and heart, an old pain;

"Years ago, I was... mean. Deceptive, manipulative, prideful, easy to anger... A full-on queen bee bully."

It was tough for young Gabby to reconcile with what she was learning about;

"Sunset Shimmer, a super-cool singer and nice person... was a bully?!" she thought to herself with a slight shudder. The mare herself did not move an inch as she went on;

"I gave the school many good reasons to hate my guts and I ruled over the halls with an iron fist. But..."

Her voice had gained a clear hint of resoluteness, her hands tightening their grip on the sledgehammer's handle when she added;

"When the girls who would one day become my friends defeated me, I finally saw where my life was going and... Let's just say I did not like where I was about to end up. So, I turned away from that path and learned to live as an honest person."

Sunset chuckled a little before noting;

"The girls helped me out, yes, but most of the students did not make it easy for me. I'll never blame them for that. However..."

She tried to think of the best way she could put this next part without coming off as insulting. Flash, however, resolved this issue for her;

"In some ways, a lot of us had become her bullies," he admitted with calm solemness and no amount of hesitation, his hands shoved into his pockets to further reveal his regretful mood. Octavia looked just as remorseful, with the CMCs doing their best to put on brave faces to hide their deeply rooted regret. Sensing the need to raise morale, Sunset released the sledgehammer from her grip, turned around, and gave the kids, Flash, and Octavia one of her encouraging grins, the sight of which eased their minds within moments. After they grinned back at her, she looked over at the attentive Griffons and spoke further, this time with a more cheerful tone of voice;

"After my friends and I saved the school, I didn't know what all those other students would say or do to me in response. Sure, I figured they'd cool their heads down a bit, but I did not expect them to give me a whole box of gifts!"

She spun around to gaze at the stone chest. With her face and voice full of appreciation, she declared;

"When I had gotten those gifts, I swore to myself that they would never be stolen or destroyed, and I could not think of a safer place for them than here..."

She turned back around to look at each person who stood in that classroom and finished with gratefulness and surety;

"In the school that, despite everything, gave me a real chance."

Everyone else in the room was clearly moved by her words. This was especially true for Gabby, who ran up to Sunset and gave her a big hug that took her by surprise. After releasing her quick as a flash, she declared to her with a wide smile and sparkling eyes;

"You're not a bully now and that's what matters to me!"

She then crossed her arms and gave her a sure nod to further affirm her claim. Clearly, Gabby's difficulties from earlier had been fully resolved. Sunset's mind and heart were positively elated, but she saw fit to restrain herself for now. The other Griffons nodded and smiled in agreement with Gabby's heartfelt words, with Smolder noting to the Rainbooms;

"You girls gotta tell us how you saved the school! That just sounds like a cool story."

"For that matter, what terrible fate did you save it from?" asked a curious Ocellus. Octavia, with a polite titter that got the others' attention, took this moment to explain while gazing at the four items that were next to the chest;

"These objects, like Sunset's chest, are tied to important stories from our dear institution's history. One day, loves, we will tell you these stories."

She then gave the Griffons a sly smirk before noting;

"But not today."

A chorus of disappointment rang out from the gang;

"Awwwww!"

Cheerilee, who was watching the conversation play out, chimed in to calm down the young ones;

"Now now, students! Let your new friends tell such stories when they mean to. All they ask from you is a little patience. Okay?"

The Griffons gathered into huddle, discussed among themselves in hushed whispers for almost a minute, and then broke up the huddle to face the librarian. They then told her in calm, if slightly annoyed, unison;

"Yes, Ms. Cheerilee."

She couldn't help but giggle slightly over how well-mannered the eighth graders were being. Applejack, like the others, was beaming at them when she walked over to the kids and told them truthfully;

"Them stories are mighty personal to us, so we wanna tell 'em right, and tell 'em we will."

She even tipped her trusty hat to them for good measure. Her words and hat tipping got them to grin back at her, which prompted Cheerilee to announce to the students;

"Come along now, everyone! You'll have other matters to attend to soon, I'm sure."

One by one, the students left the classroom, save for the CMCs, who had a different idea in mind. Apple Bloom called out to Sunset before she walked through the door;

"Could we have a word with ya', sugarcube?"

Figuring this wouldn't take too long, the mare told Cheerilee;

"We'll just be a moment, ma'am."

The librarian nodded before responding;

"I'll be waiting at the ladder."

With that settled, Sunset turned around and walked over to the CMCs, who were standing in a row in front of the five historical items. They showed her appreciative smiles as the door closed behind her. Soon enough, Apple Bloom noted to her;

"We get why ya' don't want to rush this."

"Yeah, our school has been through so much," added Sweetie Belle, with Scootaloo finishing with an understanding tone;

"It makes sense to not dump all of our adventures on the squirts in one go. Gotta let them process the awesomeness."

Her two friends quickly shot surprised glares at her, with Sunset telling her with a knowing smirk;

"Now, where did you get 'squirts' from, I wonder?"

That got a sheepish grin and chuckle from Scootaloo, while Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom giggled with her. Once she settled down, the young Apple spoke up again after returning her attention to Sunset;

"Let's just make sure we don't take too long to tell them those tales, ya' hear? Don't want to make them mad at us none."

Just then, two terrible thoughts popped into the CMCs' heads, which made them drop their smiles in favor of frowns laced with fear and regret. They turned around to gaze at each of the objects on display in silence. Sunset, recognizing what was troubling her trio of pals, walked up to them, got down on her right knee, and wrapped them up in a hug with gentle care. Having no desire in their hearts to object to this, the kids sank into the hug, letting their bodies relax, even as their minds were haunted by thoughts related to errors they wished they had never made. Yet, not even those thoughts could hold back the good vibes that a hug from their Phoenix Friend could generate for long. Thus, the kids' minds turned quiet, much to their relief. After ten to fifteen seconds of silently enjoying the hug, Apple Bloom told the mare a truth that the CMCs, and everyone in CHS for that matter, held close to their hearts;

"You're a good person, Sunset Shimmer. Don't ever let anyone make ya' think ya' ain't."

Her voice was as soft as a fluffy pillow and as gentle as the hug she was receiving. As if on cue, the trio gently held Sunset's arms with their hands in a silent show of adoration. Sunset's heart sang silently upon hearing the Apple's honest words, her mind responding by reflecting on the numerous examples of her personal growth.

The people she helped.

The lives she helped to save.

The friends she made.

Without warning, her train of thought suddenly shifted over to an intensely vivid mental image of the she-demon flowing in the air above the school parking lot. While expressing a toothy smile filled with vile glee, she firmly gripped Applejack's stetson hat, which was ripped in some places, in her left hand. This sight was horrifying enough to Sunset, but what was equally terrifying was what was tightly held in the demon's right hand:

Twilight Sparkle's glasses, which were snapped in two by the nose guard.

In the real world, Sunset quickly shut her eyes while tightening her hug around the CMCs. It was all she could do to hold back the urge to whimper in terror. The four deeply troubled girls held each other close, their shared friendship driving back the storm of internal pain, albeit slowly. After a few minutes of hugging, they released each other from their grips, recollected themselves, and gave each other warm smiles to reaffirm the bonds between them. Feeling much better, they walked out of the classroom in a single-file line, with Scootaloo being the last to exit though the door. But, before she did so, she looked back at the items on the desks one last time. With a sigh that could speak volumes if it could talk, she turned around and walked away while thinking to herself;

"Honestly... there really should be six items in this room..."

She had finished her thought just before she closed the door behind her.

Sunset's House (work in progress). Later that day.

The Rainbooms, Big Mac, and the CMCs were working hard at fixing up what would soon become Sunset's renovated abode. But, this time, they had more hands on deck, courtesy of Octavia Melody, DJ-P0N3, Flash Sentry, and Twist. With safety gear on and tools at the ready, they helped their friends with the current task of the day: Fixing up the first floor's walls and windows. By this point, the uneven concrete was replaced with new wooden flooring that was approved by Applejack and Big Mac. The wood had a beautiful brown color that produced within the young folks present a hint of the feelings connected with the comforts of home. Ah, but that was just it: a hint. They could only imagine how much stronger those feelings would be when their work was complete. Why, just the mental image of Sunset's joyful reaction to her newly renovated home was enough to inspire the Wondercolts to do their best to get this done! At any rate, with the floor fixed up, many of them focused their efforts on the current task. Big Mac, via his truck, had brought new windows and window frames that were the right sizes. The far from subtle sounds of tools being put to use and the ripping of wood could be heard throughout the house as the young folks sealed up cracks in the walls, removed the broken windows, the boards that once covered them, and installed the replacements. Rarity, true to her sensibilities, had provided new curtains, which rested in a large decorative luggage case near where the slightly ripped couch used to be. Whenever she was not helping the others, she was drawing up ideas for indoor decorations in her notebook. It was when she was drawing her latest idea that she heard three sets of feet rushing to the front door. She looked up in time to catch the CMCs, clad in construction safety gear and decked out tool belts, running to the sidewalk and making sharp right-hand turn. Big Mac followed them from behind without skipping a beat. Knowing that the Apple of few words could keep the kids safe, she returned to her artwork while smiling over how Sunset would react to what those movie buffs were going to turn her bedroom into. Twist, while wearing a yellow hard hat and safety goggles that were the same shade of purple as her glasses, was learning from Applejack how to properly use a hammer;

"The trick with this 'ere tool is to use it with restraint," she explained while showing the attentive young lady her hand-crafted hammer with her right hand. Twist listened while gazing at the hammer as the farmer instructed further;

"Ya' don't need to hit a nail with everythin' ya' got, ya' just need to hit it hard enough, and enough times, to push it in."

Twist, with a wide smile, nodded her head while saying, her lisp in full effect;

"Use restraint, got it!"

While this was going, Fluttershy was trying to get a window frame attached to the large square hole where an old window used to be, specifically one of the windows at the front of the house. Of course, she wasn't doing this alone, for she was getting much needed assistance from Sandalwood and a large flock of birds. The birds, attached to the top of the frame via safely tied rope, worked with the young man to hold the frame up, so that she could hammer it in place with strategically positioned nails. Needless to say, Fluttershy's pony ears and wings were on full display as she worked with her human and animal friends. Rainbow Dash was busying herself by working with Pinkie Pie to seal up the cracks in the walls next to the bathroom door. The damaged areas they were working on had already been cleaned by this point, the old wallpaper having been removed in the process. Since the walls used drywall material, the two friends had chosen to paint premixed drywall compound over the cracks. As they painted with their large brushes, Pinkie took this time to bring up an interesting point;

"You know, Rainbow Dash, we never got to hear you tell stories from before you went to CHS."

That got a chuckle out of the athlete before she replied;

"Yeah yeah, we all got distracted by stuff for a while. That and there are parts of my time before CHS that are..."

Her smirk vanished without a trace as she finished with a more somber tone;

"Pretty lame."

Pinkie, in a show of thoughtfulness, was quick to give her friend some comfort;

"You don't have to talk about your time with the Griffons if you don't want to."

Rainbow kept on painting while clarifying with a growing smile;

"Hey, I've got a lot of good memories from back when I was in that gang! Not even Gilda can ruin them for me."

Her smile became quite toothy as she went on;

"There was that one time when Lightning Dust challenged me to an arm wrestling match. I beat Lightning's butt three times in a row, but each match was tougher than the last! After the third match, she was so mad, she dared me to arm wrestler again, only with my left arm instead of my right arm. I accepted that challenge without a second thought."

Rainbow started to laugh out loud for a bit before managing to hold back the guffawing long enough to finish her short tale;

"Kicked her butt in ten seconds flat! She then stormed out of the hideout while yelling 'Cheating! Dash's arms are cheating'!"

Right when she finished, her laughter became louder and so distracting that she stopped painting altogether. Pinkie simply kept on painting, content with basking in her friend's happiness, her own smile holding strong. After a few seconds, Rainbow calmed down and returned to her work while noting with confidence;

"What can I say? Gilda can't ruin my good memories."

Pinkie's smile became just a little brighter and bubblier than usual. At that moment, however, the front door got pushed open, allowing Big Mac and CMCs to return while bringing in a large object that was covered in thick black cloth. Their hard and purposeful footsteps alone got everyone else's attention as they worked together to carry the object to a free space at the far-left wall. With care, they slowly lowered it onto the floor before releasing it from their hands. The others were quite curious was to what was underneath the cloth, but Applejack was the first to inquire about it;

"What did ya'll bring in, anyway?"

Apple Bloom, with a positively sly smirk on her face that was matched by that of her two friends, answered cryptically;

"Let's just say that we'll be able to make stairs for that there bedroom mighty soon."

All Big Mac said was, as expected from his sisters;

"Eeyup."

Before Applejack could investigate further, the kids grabbed the cloth and, with finely honed teamwork, lifted it off of the object and tossed it aside. The other folks got a good look at what was previously hidden for a second or two before smiling and laughing in a celebratory fashion. The young farmer gave her brother and the CMCs a grateful look expression while responding;

"Oh, that is gonna save us time and cash! Much obliged, ya'll."

Feeling proud of themselves and grateful to Big Mac for his help, the kids darted over to hug him faster than a rocket. After being taken by surprise for a brief moment, he hugged them back while letting out a soft deep chuckle. At this point, it was clear to everyone that getting started on the bedroom stairs was going to be their next task for the day.

Meanwhile, in Rainbow Dash's bedroom.

Sunset, taking the opportunity provided by the quiet in the house, was meditating on her sleeping bag. Her thoughts flowed through her mind like a gentle river and her breathing was slow and barely audible. The outside world was becoming less and less noticeable to her senses, a sign that she was sinking deeper into her meditative state. The amber girl welcomed this with quiet grace, for she felt that this was a good time to let it all go for a while. With each in-breath, she mentally chanted one half of her personal mantra;

"Let the past be what it is..."

With every out-breath, she finished the mantra;

"Not today."

She felt herself fall deeper with each full mental utterance of her mantra. In that moment, she sensed no danger to anyone, let alone herself.

Fillydelphia Juvenile Detention Center: Around the same time.

The main cell block in the facility was abuzz with chatter from the prisoners in their cells. Thankfully, they had the good sense to not cause enough of a ruckus to bother the guards who held vigil over the area. Of course, it was still difficult for many of them to contain themselves. This was not without good reason, of course, for the topic of discussion was more than a little interesting to them. The guards could easily hear the chatter from their positions;

"Today's the day when she is set free!"

"Oh buck... you mean... her?"

"That's right, The Wrecker."

"Oh man, what's that menace gonna do when she's out?"

"What do ya' think, man? Beat the breaks off of fools!"

"Who is she gonna hunt down first though?"

"Does it matter? I ain't wishin' what she does to gangstas on anyone!"

"Who here that isn't crazy does?"

The guards made sure to keep themselves alert as tension rose from within them, knowing full well of who was coming. As the prisoners continued to guess as to who The Wrecker would target, the woman herself was sitting in her cell, her entire being as silent as the shadows the ceiling light had cast. Her music player rested unused on her lap, its connected earbuds placed on top of it. She held in her her right hand the picture of Sunset Shimmer, which she stared at with intensity that could melt steel beams coming from her goggles. Just then, her cell door opened, revealing the old veteran guard and his younger, and visibly nervous, counterpart standing side-by-side at the doorway. They walked up to her together as she looked up at them with curiosity in her concealed eyes. Once the two stopped to stand before the inmate, the veteran declared to her with his gruff voice;

"It's time for your release. We'll escort you to the exit."

The only response that woman gave was a simple nod before slowly standing up while taking the music player and earbuds into her right hand. The veteran guard, who was taller than his partner, could easily see that The Wrecker was tall enough to look him straight in the eye. Between the dark grey bandages covering her face and the goggles with thick red visors obscuring her eyes, it was impossible for him tell how she felt about her impending freedom, even with his years of experience as a prison guard. In spite of the threatening demeanor that seemed to come natural to the prisoner, the guard sensed no danger and promptly brought out the handcuffs that were attached to his belt. Recognizing what was up, The Wrecker slowly placed the music player and earbuds into her right pants pocket and raised both hands up to the guard, who latched the cuffs onto her wrists and locked them with a key he had pulled out of his own pants pocket. With that measure implemented, he then motioned for her to follow him and his partner to the opened door. The trio walked down the cramped hallway, passed the sealed windowless cells, and stopped at the closed steel door at the end. The gruff guard opened it and led them down another hallway before making a left-hand turn to reach the cell block. The chatter within the block continued unabated until The Wrecker came into the prisoners' sights as she was escorted to the main pathway that traveled in a straight line between the rows of cells built into the left and right walls. The moment she appeared, every single juvenile present turned silent and as still as statues, allowing a sudden deafening silence to fill the block. With the veteran guard in front of her and the younger one behind, she allowed them to escort her down this pathway at a slow but steady peace. The gruff guard's steps were calm and cautioned, while his counterpart's were nervous and slightly shaky. The Wrecker's footsteps, however, were purposeful and stable. Every part of her demeanor, from her clenched fists to her unwavering stature, showed no weakness. As she walked, the prisoners in their cells watched her with both curiosity and fear in their eyes, minds, and hearts. They had heard the stories, some of them had even witnessed that woman's violent actions. Knowing all of this, the very notion of her being set free, and the terrible possibilities that came with it, filled the prisoners with dread. This was especially true for those few who had their own violent intentions for when they were also set loose.

After all, if they were to incite her wrath...

The Wrecker and her escort arrived at the departure station near the exit, where the woman manning the station quickly went to work upon glancing at who was now standing at the other side of her station's protective glass. She grabbed a wooden box with two hands, lifted it onto the table next to her, and reached into it with her right hand, all in clear view of the now former prisoner and the guards watching her closely from each side. After rummaging around for a moment, the woman pulled one item after another out from the box and placed them on the counter in front of her that was built just under the glass. She then pushed each item into the two-way receptacle built into the counter, allowing The Wrecker to see them on the other side. As each item appeared, the woman noted what they were with calm professionalism;

"One three year-old charged smart phone in good working condition. One small notebook with assorted drawings in good condition. One wallet containing a single valid motorcycle license. One photograph with a black cover and brown frame in good-"

As the lady noted the items, the former prisoner grabbed them and put them in her pockets one-by-one in a slow and careful pace. But, when the photographed was referenced, she hastily grabbed it with both hands before the worker at the station could finish her sentence. Slightly startled but not at all concerned, the guards kept their watch going while the woman went on after taking a quick breath;

"Condition. That is all of your personal effects. As a reward for your consistently good behavior, the Warden has ordered for sixty dollars to be placed into your wallet to help get you started. This has already been done and you're encouraged to count them. A bag will be provided for the framed photo, if you wish."

The Wrecker nodded her head in silent agreement. Soon enough, a white bag very much like the ones found in grocery stores was passed through the receptacle, which was grabbed by the younger guard. He then opened it up and aimed it the lady under his watch, his hands slightly shaky out of nervousness. After gazing at the concealed photograph, The Wrecker carefully placed it in the opened bag and firmly took the bag's handles into her right hand without a fuss, much to the guard's relief. She then pulled the wallet out from her pocket, opened it, and checked the money inside. The veteran watched the whole situation play out with his sharp discerning eyes and found no signs of trouble. With that settled and the wallet returned to its satisfied owner's pocket, he led the others to the exit doors, which were locked by a security system that only guards could operate via the wall panels placed to the left and right of the doors. Pulling out their key-cards, the two guards walked over to the panels and swiped the cards through the card slots built into them in perfect unison. This caused the doors to be unlocked, the loud sounds of metal gears spinning from within them being proof of this. After turning around to check on who they had the task of returning to the outside world, who stood as still as a statue while staring daggers at the ext, they turned back around and pushed the doors open, allowing the infamous Wraith of the Streets to leave the detention center at last.

It was a beautiful day outside, nearly evening time when going by the sun's position in the sky. The Wrecker was led to a nearby parking lot, specifically the one reserved for visitors and any outgoing prisoners who have rides waiting for them. There were a few cars of different types, makes, and conditions scattered about, but what had caught the so-called wraith's eyes was a vehicle tailor-made to stand out in a crowd. It was a motorcycle, a chopper to be precise. It was built with midnight blue steel that shined in the sunlight, a black driver's seat made of fake leather, black hand grips on the handlebars, and two dark-grey tires on the front and back. Two midnight blue saddlebags were attached to a space on the sides just above the rear wheel. The Wrecker couldn't help but express how impressed she was by this sick ride with a loud whistle, getting the guards' attention when they, too, were gazing at the vehicle. Startled for a moment, The older guard let out a rough chuckle before commenting with a smirk;

"You got good taste in bikes, kid. I'll give you that."

The two law enforcers moved closer to the bike and visually inspected it while the younger one of the two explained, his earlier nervousness eased a bit by the sight of the vehicle;

"This was sent to you by an anonymous benefactor, to be used by you when your sentence was up."

The veteran finished with a grunt and a frown;

"We've already inspected the bike. After confirming it to be safe for use, we kept it under lock and key until now. Yes, it is fueled up and ready to go."

He looked back over at The Wrecker before adding with a renewed smirk;

"Think of it as part of your final reward for behaving so well. With that said..."

He coughed loudly and declared with a professional tone and neutral expression;

"With no black marks on your prison record earned during your entire sentence, consider your full criminal record wiped clean of felonies, demerits, and so forth. Commit a felony again and it will stay on your criminal record. Do you understand?"

The woman with the black cowboy hat nodded in silence once more. The veteran then pulled out his key, which prompted her to raise her cuffed hands up to him. It took him only a few seconds to unlock the cuffs and remove them, setting her hands free. The younger guard then suggested, albeit with some hesitancy;

"A-as per standard protocol, we can use our police car to escort you to your next destination if you wish, but we can't go further than that."

After staring at the guards in silence for a few seconds, The Wrecker walked over to one of the saddlebags, opened it up, and placed the white bag inside before closing it. She then got onto the bike and inspected it further. She was quick to recognize the distinct lack of key. Thankfully, before she could even think to get agitated, the gruff old guard called out;

"You're gonna need this!"

She looked over at him just in time to catch him tossing the key over to her, which she skillfully caught with her right hand. Wasting no time, she gave the bike a much closer inspection. It appeared to be a stereotypical chopper, but she had to be methodical to catch any unique traits or bike parts that she would have to work with. Thankfully, nothing of the sort came up. So, after about a minute of inspecting, she inserted the key into the ignition slot and gave it a good twist. She then grabbed the hand grips with each hand and twisted the right hand, causing the bike's engine to come alive with loud pride. Just from the sounds the engine was making, she could easily tell that it was already warmed up;

"Fueled and ready to go indeed!" The Wrecker thought to herself with a tiny smirk that existed for half of a second before vanishing. The young guard asked her with a loud voice that he hoped could cut through the engine noise;

"Are you sure you don't want us to escort you?!"

She turned her head to look at each of the guards and slowly tipped the front of her hat's lengthy brim to them without saying a word. Before they could react, she aimed her gaze forward, got her feet into position, and with another strong twist of the right hand grip, caused the bike's engine to roar again. This prompted the guards to create some healthy distance between them and the former inmate, giving her plenty of room to maneuver. With a skilled rider's hand and experience, she slowly turned the bike towards the empty path between the parked cars and followed it towards the driveway in a safe pace. She stopped on the driveway itself, just short of the road beyond. After looking both ways, she drove onto the road and left the detention center entirely. The guards watched her drive out of sight without saying a word, the younger of the two sighing out of intense relief, while the older one grunted and thought to herself;

"Good behavior or not, protocol or not, I can only hope that letting that woman out was the right call..."

As The Wrecker herself zoomed down the open road, she took a moment to enjoy her newfound freedom by feeling the wind blowing on her bandaged face, her goggles making for excellent eye protect. Amazingly, her hat refused to leave her head. Sadly though, not even the wind could blow away the old fury that simmered within her as she kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead. It was that fury that drove her to make a certain declaration in her mind, the same one she gave for all of the other people she had hunted down in the past;

"Sunset Shimmer... Your past comes for you."

Rainbow Dash's Bedroom

Sunset was suddenly knocked out of our meditative state by a terrible chill that shot up her spine like an invisible rocket, causing her to gasp. Her eyes went wide with surprise as her breathing became short and audible. It took her a good five seconds to resettle herself, breathing and all, before she recognized a prominent feeling of dread simmering within her gut. Once her breath slowed down to its regular rhythm, she told herself aloud with a fearful frown;

"I feel like something terrible is coming..."

She stood up on her sleeping bag and looked out the bedroom window, which showed the sun as it slowly inched closer to the horizon. With her gaze locked on the outside world, she added while expressing genuine worry on her amber face and in her voice;

"and by Celestia, I hope I'm wrong."

Juvenile #448: The Wrecker - Freed from prison.

Author's Note

As of now, a wraith approaches...

Next chapter: The CMCs strike back, Wallflower faces our fab girls once again, and The Wrecker makes an interesting stop on her journey.

Now, for the answer to the previous chapter's Equestria Girls Lore Challenge:

The earthworm referenced in said chapter was Colonel Wigglesworth, Apple Bloom's pet worm who, along with his wormy friends, turned out to be an adorable unwitting pawn in the Flim-Flam Brothers' schemes. You'll find him the Season 2 short "The Cider Louse Fools".

Those two deserved better! :fluttercry:

Chapter 20 - The Farmer, the Club, and the Hunter

The next morning in CHS. One minute before the first bell.

Wallflower sat at her desk in homeroom while being nervously silent as Cranky Doodle kept watch on the students from his desk. What was causing her nerves to flare up, besides the very thought of socializing with a person for longer than a minute, was what she wanted to do after school. She knew that something like this worked before. Even so, the idea of speaking with Rainbooms again, this time at their usual table, made Wallflower feel a great deal of fear. Granted, this fear was mitigated a bit by the success she had earned through her previous conversation with the girls. It had only been a couple of days since then and she was still amazed at herself for facing down the real, and powerful, feelings expressed by two Rainbooms back-to-back! Regardless of her clear progress, the gardener was still deeply afraid of the possibilities;

"Can I keep this up?"

"Will I make a mistake?"

"If so, how would the girls react?"

"What if I hurt them again?"

"Will I-"

The first bell of the school day rang out throughout the classroom and the hallway beyond its closed door. This had the effect of knocking Wallflower out of her head and back into reality, much to her relief. Contending with her inner turmoil was frequently terrifying for the girl. Sensing his cue, Cranky Doodle stood up from his chair, walked over to the door, and opened it up to check for any stragglers. Within moments, he moved out of the way of the opened door to make space for Tree Hugger, who came into the room with half-opened eyes and a mouth that showed neither a frown or a smile: a neutral expression. The other students, Wallflower included, looked over at her with curiosity in their eyes. Cranky Doodle was just as curious, for he noted with a grunt;

"I won't harp on a student for being a few seconds late, but I'm wondering what kept you busy."

Tree Hugger turned to face his almost-permanent frown and explained with her seemingly natural calmness;

"Some unexpected trouble at home delayed me, Mr. Doodle. I won't be late again though."

With another, somewhat satisfied grunt, the teacher nodded his head and motioned for the hippy to take her seat, which she did by walking over to the vacant desk to the right of Wallflower and sitting on its chair. The plant-lover kept her eyes fixed on Tree Hugger, her curiosity growing by the second. Thanks to her getting to know the peaceful girl through Sunset, she couldn't help but think of two key details;

"She's never been late to homeroom before now... Heck, I've never seen her show that kind of expression before!"

Before she could think further, however, Tree Hugger's eyes found hers. At that moment, the hippie's neutral frown turned into the utterly relaxed smile that most people in CHS could recognize with ease. Most of the time, this would be the part when Wallflower would sharply turn away out of fear and nerves. She felt that strong urge to do so as those two negative feelings flared up once more...

But, turning away from a potential conversation was what the old Wallflower Blush would do. Today's Wallflower took a different approach.

She kept her eyes locked on Tree Hugger's and tried to show her a smile of her own. Of course, this one was laced with nervousness and genuineness mixed together in a blend that showed multiple levels of awkwardness. This did not seem to faze the peaceful girl, however, for instead of cringing and looking away like Wallflower expected, her relaxed smile grew a little bigger as she nodded her head in silence, as if acknowledging, perhaps even approving, of the gardener's attempt. Recognizing the positive result, Wallflower's nervousness eased up enough for her to lower her guard. At that moment, the relaxing vibes being generated by the hippie's peaceful demeanor slipped their way into Wallflower, which contributed to her growing sense of ease. But, before she could so much as say hi, Cranky Doodle, having returned to his desk after closing the door, cleared his throat to get the students' attention. Once all eyes were on him, he began to speak clearly while sounding perpetually grumpy;

"Okay, class, let's get down to business."

After a short pause, Cranky spoke further;

"First thing's first: Attendance..."

He grabbed his attendance list, which was written on a piece a paper, and called out;

"Wallflower Blush!"

"Here," Wallflower declared with a raised hand. Cranky, after briskly adding a check next to her name on the list, continued;

"Bon Bon!"

"Here!"

"Lyra Heartstrings!"

"I'm here!"

"Twist!"

"Right here, sir!"

This process went on for about a minute or so until everyone was accounted for. No one was absent, which pleased Cranky, although his face hardly showed that fact. As for Wallflower, she looked back on the days when she was invisible and mentally thanked the stars and Mother Earth that, at the very least, the teachers saw her long enough to mark her as present in her classes!

Once Cranky finished going through the itinerary, the students in homeroom quickly started chatting amongst themselves over a variety of topics. Thankfully, they were keeping their voices down to indoor levels of volume, so they didn't draw their teacher's ire. Wallflower, after taking a quick breath, looked over at Tree Hugger, who was breathing slowly and quietly with her eyes closed, her entire face exuding peace with effortless ease. As much as she didn't want to interrupt what was clearly a quick meditation session, Wallflower's curiosity got the better of her. While being careful to not raise her voice too high for the hippy's sake, she told her nervously;

"I-I have a question for you."

Tree Hugger opened her eyes and turned her head to face the gardener. She showed no sign of agitation, frustration, or even minor annoyance on her face, her peaceful smile refusing to vanish. Before Wallflower could react, she responded calmly;

"You are wondering why I was late to homeroom today."

The once-invisible girl's eyes grew wide for a moment as she nodded in silence. The lady of peace answered simply;

"I'll explain myself, but I want to talk to you and the Rainbooms about this. After school in your far out garden, perhaps?"

Well, that couldn't have lined up better in Wallflower's mind! She could face at least one Rainboom and get her answer in one go! She figured it best to wait anyway, since whatever was on the hippie's mind, it was clearly important enough to involve the girls and her. The gardener gave her a nod, which prompted them both to discuss other topics, with nature being their major focus. Tree Hugger's earlier neutral expression remained vivid in Wallflower's mind as they talked.

After school, in Wallflower's garden.

The Rainbooms and Wallflower were all grouped together in the latter's uniquely crafted office. Wallflower herself sat at her desk, with Derpy and Roseluck standing at her sides. They all sat and stood in silence, with Rainbow Dash being the most visibly frustrated, what with her arms crossed and her right foot tapping repeatedly. With a loud annoyed groan, she exclaimed;

"What's taking them so long?!"

Applejack, with a roll of her eyes, responded out of equal annoyance;

"Really, RD? We've only been 'ere for five minutes!"

The perturbed speedster sighed audibly before admitting;

"I know! But, Tree Hugger, Trixie, and the squirts said they'd be here by now and I don't want us to do this without them!"

"Such is a feeling we all share, Rainbow Dash," Rarity added with poise while showing her friend a smile built for soothing minds. She quickly added a clear hint of sternness to her voice, however, when she noted;

"But, given the importance of the business at hand, it would behoove us to utilize a reasonable amount of patience."

Before Rainbow could make another grumpy retort, however, the CMCs came running into the office before stopping to stand before Wallflower's desk. With bright smiles shining on their faces, Apple Bloom spoke to the older girls around them on her club's behalf;

"Sorry we took so long! We were..."

She gave Twilight Sparkle a knowing smirk that her two friends were quick to mimic before finishing;

"Busy with somethin'."

Twilight, knowing exactly what the young Apple meant, smirked back at the kids, with the other Rainbooms following suit. All of this made Wallflower feel more than a little confused, but with a more pressing matter to deal with first, she opted to let this be for the moment. She watched as the CMCs gave the Rainbooms quick hugs before turning their attention over to her and her fellow Gardening Club members. With wide smiles from the trio, Apple Bloom greeted Derpy first while giving her a look full of goodwill;

"Howdy there, Derpy! How's little Dinky doin'?"

The bright eyed girl's sweet giggles filled the office with ease before she replied happily;

"She doing great, actually. She just started making a drawing of all of her friends!"

She gave the CMCs a wink before adding;

"That includes who she calls 'the coolest movie club around'."

The kids couldn't help but blush bashfully, with Scootaloo scratching the back of her neck with her right hand while the others showed their approval of this development. Their sisters, in particular, gave them grins filled with pride, with the others following suit. As much as Wallflower wanted to get down to business, she refused to make this moment about her, when it was about three of the people who she was relieved to call her friends. Those same friends looked over at her and, with beaming smiles, declared in enthusiastic unison;

"We see you, Wallflower!"

Just like that, the weapons-grade cheer produced by the Canterlot Movie Club was fired directly into the being of Wallflower Blush. She could feel that cheer ease her troubled mind and wrap around her heart like a fuzzy blanket that carried love in every speck of fuzz, minus the itchiness. Thankfully, this feeling did not have the intensity of Pinkie Pie's seemingly magical happiness. So, she was able to process it, and her genuine gratefulness, without her body going haywire. Wallflower gave the kids a tiny nervous smile that only seemed to make theirs brighter. The others, having recognized the meaning behind their words, couldn't help but grin at the gardener, with Pinkie and Sunset being especially happy for her. The kids turned their attention to Roseluck, with Sweetie Belle saying;

"I hope you and your grandma are doing fine, Rosey."

Her friends nodded their heads in agreement as Roseluck nodded back at them with an appreciative smile. At that moment, Trixie had arrived with a great leap into the room, her flare for theatrics cranked up to a high level;

"The Great and Powerful Trrrrixie has arrived and this time, she won't miss a thing!"

The others looked over at Trixie to catch her striking one of her choice dramatic poses for added effect. As she did this, a certain hippie walked up to her left side while commenting with a peaceful tone of voice, her peaceful grin and lidded eyes on full display;

"Your showmanship is enjoyable to watch as always, you proud soul."

After moving her body into a standing position, Trixie responded with a smug smirk and a matter-of-fact tone;

"You know brilliance when you see it, Tree Hugger, for Trixie is reason enough for Trixie to be proud."

The Rainbooms, CMCs, and Garden Club members all felt, and held back, the urge to groan over Trixie's behavior, with Wallflower thinking to herself while shaking her head;

"How I managed to befriend someone as arrogant as Trixie Lulamoon, I will never know."

She thanked her lucky stars that she didn't blurt that thought out as Trixie walked up to her and declared to Wallflower with confidence and goodwill, her bombastic mannerisms placed to the side;

"Trixie was not there for you when you faced the wrath of Pinkamena. But, now, Trixie can correct that error by being here for you today."

"We're here for you too, Wally!" exclaimed a fired up Scootaloo before she and her two pals gave each other fist bumps to further affirm their continued presence in the office. Tree Hugger showed Wallflower a genuine smile as well as a peace sign with her right hand in silence, making it clear that she had the same goal. Moved by this show of support, the gardener expressed her gratitude to the five girls who stood before her;

"Thank you."

She looked around the room and extended that gratitude to the others;

"Thank you all."

Sunset, after taking a moment to think on her words, called out to the group;

"Now that everyone is here, we can proceed."

She focused her eyes on Wallflower and asked her calmly;

"Are you ready for this?"

The once-invisible girl sliently glared at each Rainboom present before focusing in on Sunset and declaring with a voice made slightly shaky by her rising nerves;

"As ready as I can be..."

Recognizing Wallflower's nervousness, Rarity quickly came up with an idea that she presented to the group with clarity and grace;

"Now, we could step up to confront Wallflower ourselves, as Pinkie and yours truly did before. But, I propose that this time, we let dear Wallflower pick who among our band she wants to face today."

The remaining Rainbooms pondered this quietly, giving the Garden Club's founder time to at least try to reign in her suddenly terribly inflamed nerves. She stood up from her set at the desk like a rocket, her eyes wide with surprise. While trying, and failing, to steady her breath, she thought in a growing panic as she shut her eyes tightly as if a bright light had suddenly shined in them;

"Wait, she wants ME to choose this time?! I haven't thought of who I want to face before now! Oh, what am I gonna do?! Will I make the wrong choice?! What even IS the wrong choice here?!"

Her panic grew faster by the second, along with a headache that was stabbing her head like a sharp knife from the inside. Instinctively, she held onto her head with both hands for dear life. But, before she could completely spiral out of control, she felt two sets of arms wrap around her shoulders like a warm blanket, stopping her panic in its tracks. She opened her eyes and looked to her sides to find that Roseluck and Derpy were hugging her tightly, with the latter giving her a large smile that was both sweet and dopey in equal measure. The former took this chance to remind her panicking friend;

"Remember what Sunset taught you."

She spoke with a kind of soothing gentleness that could settle down a thunderstorm. As if in direct response, Wallflower's mind, as rattled as it was by her nerves and panic, allowed a single mental voice, the voice of Sunset Shimmer, to echo from within with utter clarity;

"When you feel terribly stressed, worried, or panicky, what you can do is stop, take a deep breath in..."

She closed her eyes again and took a deep breath at a slow pace while making sure to feel her belly rise. She finished this just in time for her mind to give her additional instruction;

"Hold it for a moment..."

She held onto her breath while recognizing that her headache was losing its severity, enough for her to let her hands fall to her sides. As soon as she did this, the inner voice of her friend told her to finish;

"And breathe out."

As she allowed an audible exhale to be let loose, she could feel her head losing much of its earlier tension, the mental chaos from her panic having subsided considerably. Recognizing that the danger had passed, she opened her eyes again and looked around. She quickly noticed that the other girls present were all giving her genuine supportive smiles that varied in strength. Obviously, Pinkie Pie's and the CMCs' were the strongest smiles shown. Feeling relieved, Wallflower hugged her two friends in return while softly declaring with a grin that was slightly larger than the one she used before;

"I'm lucky to have friends like you in my life."

The CMCs gushed audibly over the sweetness shown by the trio of gardeners as they hugged it out, while most of the others chuckled and clapped. Applejack, in particular, belted out a hearty laugh before tipping her hat to the three girls as they broke up their group hug. Rarity then told Wallflower with a most apologetic tone of voice that was laced with dignity;

"I apologize for startling you, darling. I only intended to make a helpful suggestion, not bring chaos to your mind."

The plant-lover waved the tailor's words off with her right hand before noting to her calmly;

"It's okay, Rarity. I just didn't expect to even consider the idea of picking who I want to face today. But, when that idea got into my head, I..."

"Overthought it to a considerable degree?" Twilight added thoughtfully, to which Wallflower responded by sharply turning her head to face her and ask;

"That happens to you too?"

With a knowing smile filled with helpful intentions, the scientist explained;

"My mind loves to analyze and reanalyze facts and possibilities so intensely, that frankly, it can be quite the loud vital organ at the worst of times."

The gardener was so surprised by the lavender girl's understanding that she didn't stop herself from blurting out;

"My brain can get really loud when the mean thoughts pop up!"

Suddenly, she felt everyone's concerned glares aimed squarely at her as she instinctively covered her mouth with both hands to shut herself up before she could blab any further. Fear, that often irrational feeling, rose from within her mind within moments of her unintended admittance. But, before it could take hold of her, Pinkie Pie asked her with worry in her normally bubbly voice;

"Are those mean thoughts popping up now?"

When Wallflower looked over at Pinkie, she was stunned by the prominent concern on the party planner's face. Thankfully, her hair had not lost any of its poofiness. She quickly noticed the worry being shown and shared by the other girls. Not wanting to let this stand, the gardener slowly lowered her hands to let them rest at her sides while she quietly checked her mind. Much to her relief, the dark thoughts that would normally torment her were not present at the time. So, with a sigh, she answered;

"No... not right now, anyway."

Relief filled the room as the girls who surrounded Wallflower exhaled their tension away. Applejack, while giving the green-haired girl a calm contemplative glare, noted gently;

"We ain't judging ya' none, missy, and we're mighty glad that your mind is in a decent place."

"We can have one of us step up instead of you picking, if that helps," Sunset offered thoughtfully. Wallflower could tell that no one present was putting pressure on her to make one choice or another. Somewhat relieved, she thought about her options for a few seconds before reaching her decision. She knew this would be hard on her, but no one ever said that facing the music would be easy. With a slightly shaky voice, she declared;

"I'll pick someone to face this time."

The other girls' eyes grew wide with surprise, only for genuine support and goodwill to flow into them as they all encouraged their host to make her choice without being pushy. Rainbow Dash nodded her head at the gardener while showing one of her toothier smirks and crossing her arms. Applejack gave her a warm smile filled with encouragement, with the other band members following suit. The CMCs ran up to stand with Wallflower behind her desk while expressing beaming smiles powered by friendship. Trixie performed a graceful bow while gesturing to the Rainbooms themselves, her proud smirk on point as usual. Tree Hugger's smile, and entire demeanor, oozed with a special kind of peace that flowed into Wallflower's being so gently that she barely noticed it until tension that didn't even know was in her body had started to ease up. She turned her head to look at each of her two garden buddies, who were also giving her smiles that were bright like the sun. Fueled by all of this silent encouragement, Wallflower quietly pondered her options;

"Let's see, I've only got five more Rainbooms to face, although I'm sure I'll have to follow up on Rarity and Pinkie Pie later. But, which one should I face today? Which one feels right to me?"

Just then, she felt something from deep within herself, beyond her mind. This feeling, with gentle subtlety, silently pushed her to look over at a certain Rainboom and declare with a level of surety that surprised her;

"I choose you, Applejack."

The farmer's eyes grew wide for a moment before a small smirk that hinted at pride appeared on her face. The other girls showed various reactions. The other Rainbooms, for example, appeared to be shocked for a few seconds before acceptance and support ruled over their faces. Trixie was visibly intrigued by this choice made by her green-haired friend. Tree Hugger raised her eyebrows for a brief moment before letting them rest while keeping her eyes fixed on both girls. Derpy and Roseluck patted Wallflower's shoulders to remind her that they had her back. The CMCs revealed themselves to be a tad nervous as they looked at Applejack and Wallflower repeatedly. Apple Bloom, in particular, couldn't help but think to herself;

"Oh, Nelly... Their talk is gonna get mighty heavy real quick like!"

Speaking of the older Apple, she slowly walked up to stand in front of Wallflower's desk while the others made sure she had room to reach it. The two girls locked eyes on each other as Applejack revealed with a hearty chuckle;

"It couldn't have been easy for ya' to make that choice, missy, but ya' did it anyway."

The gardener was bewildered by the fact the she had earned a compliment from one of the Sonic Rainbooms, of all people! But, she quickly recollected herself, just in time for Applejack to speak again, this time with a more serious tone of voice, her smirk replaced with a frown;

"Let's get somethin' straight before we get into the nitty-gritty: Ah try my best to be an honest Apple."

With that one sentence, she had gotten everyone's attention. The farmer took her hat off of her head with both hands and held it to her chest. While gazing at her trusty headgear and letting a whole slew of memories flow freely through her mind, she elaborated with calm certainty;

"Ah was born into an honest family, raised to be honest, and Ah'll still try to be honest long after them Eternal Hills call for me."

Apple Bloom gave her big sister a wide smile full of love as Applejack went on;

"Make no mistake, Wallflower, Ah'll be real with ya'..."

Her grip on the brim of her stetson tightened considerably as she declared with a raised tone and increased surety;

"But, Ah won't be cruel to ya'."

Hearing this was a relief to the plant-lover, even as that horrible voice in her mind tried to distract her with terrible notions. But, before it could express so much as a single notion, Applejack looked back up at her with fiery green eyes and explained with politely restrained familial passion;

"Honesty without tact can turn into cruelty faster than a pig can eat his lunch, and my Ma', Pa', and Granny never raised no tactless Apple!"

Apple Bloom's smile grew wider and her eyes sparkled with delight as her big sister took a deep breath before proceeding with a calmer voice while fixing her gaze squarely on Wallflower;

"So, Ah'm gonna say a few honest truths. Ah won't belittle, insult, demean, or bully ya'. But, these truths will be real and, like it or not, they're probably gonna hurt."

Oh, Wallflower did not like the sound of that last part one bit! Before she could react, however, the farmer added with a more thoughtful tone of voice, the fire in her eyes replaced by a soothing softness;

"With that bein' said, Ah ain't gonna force ya' none. So, if ya' don't feel ready to take what Ah gotta say right now, just say so and we'll put a pin on it for later."

To say that the gardener was tempted by Applejack's offer was a gross understatement. The cruel mental voice took this chance to sway her in its own insidious way;

Those truths of hers will make you cry and run, you little coward! It's best that you say no now and save yourself the embarrassment.

As if in direct response to such mental devilry, three more voices echoed in Wallflower's mind. They were young, energetic, and full of hope;

Ah know ya' can face the truth, sugarcube!

You've done it before and you can do it again!

You've got courage, Wally, and that's awesome!

The vile voice was about to make a twisted retort when yet another voice, her own voice, spoke with absolute surety;

I'm done running!

That feeling from within, along with those far more pleasant voices, gave Wallflower the push she needed. With a deep breath to ready herself for what she was sure was going to be a verbal and emotional storm, the once invisible girl told Applejack with confidence that was slowly becoming a stronger part of her makeup;

"Bring them on."

The people around her were clearly moved by her show of courage, with Rainbow Dash exclaiming out of excitement and goodwill while pumping her right fist near her face;

"Ohhhhhh, you go, Wallflower!"

Applejack's eyes went wide for a moment before she gave the gardener an appreciative smirk. Wallflower's growing nervousness could be seen all over her face, even as kept her rear planted on her seat. The two stared each other down for a few seconds until the farmer's smirk vanished as she sighed audibly. With a serious expression in full effect, she began to speak;

"Ah get why ya' felt invisible, missy."

If that dark voice in Wallflower's head was trying to interrupt her focus, it was failing miserably as she kept her attention locked on Applejack as she continued;

"Most folks weren't givin' ya' the time of day in our school, even when ya' were in them big public events."

She shook her head before adding softly;

"That ain't right..."

The caretaker of plant-life truly appreciated Applejack for being so understanding, but she knew that she was far from done. As if proving her right, the Apple gave her a narrow glare and went on while placing her hat on the desk between them;

"The youngin's told me that ya' at least tried to talk with folks when ya' were havin' this problem. Good on ya' for tryin', Ah'll grant ya' that. But..."

A hint of anger was added to her voice as she declared with an even narrower glare, her hands resting on her sides;

"We both know what ya' did every time ya' messed up in a conversation though. That ain't right either..."

Applejack's hands tightened into fists before she finished with a low growl, her anger growing in strength from within her mind and heart;

"And neither is turnin' the whole dern school against one girl, just to make her feel as miserable as ya' did."

The gardener's deeply rooted guilt became terribly inflamed, but it did not have power enough to match the motivating feeling inside that she could not name. She watched with internalized dread as Applejack's anger spiked in a most striking manner. It drove the furious Apple to raise both of her fists up to the ceiling before slamming them onto the table with a fearsome thud that made her hat shake a little, Wallflower almost jump out of her seat, and the others flinch. Without letting anyone around her respond, Applejack yelled out at the frightened object of her fury;

"Tell me when Ah'm tellin' lies!"

Fear and guilt gripped Wallflower Blush's heart and mind with the tightness of vines. Both of those feelings were vividly expressed through her mannerisms and face. Such a sight was reason enough for the others to feel for her. Most of them showed their worry and understanding on their faces. Tree Hugger's peaceful expression remained steadfast, but she would not deny herself her internal feelings. Not even Applejack's anger could obscure Wallflower's predicament from her sight. Upon seeing the girl she was confronting look down to the side with a face full of remorse and terror, she took a moment to let her anger subside before saying with a soft consoling voice;

"Ah overdid it. Ah'm-"

"No."

Wallflower raised her right palm up to Applejack as she spoke with a voice that was stable and remorseful, interrupting her with ease. With a heavy sigh, she elaborated;

"You told the truth and you were not cruel to me over it. I know that what I did was wrong..."

That silent, encouraging feeling from before pushed her to look Applejack in the eye while letting her hand rest on the table, in spite of her powerful negative feelings. With a sure glare and a louder voice that was filled with the certainty from before, she added;

"But, you needed to say it, just as much as I needed to hear it."

Without conscious thought, she gave Sunset a glance so quick that only she had caught it before returning her attention to the wide eyed farmer and finishing;

"So, you've got nothing to apologize for."

It seemed, to Wallflower, that surprising herself was going to be a trend for that day. Upon realizing what she had just done, she promptly covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide with shock and fear. She expected Applejack to at least give her a judgemental glare, but she saw nothing of the sort on her face. Instead, she saw a soft smile laced with understanding that was made more evident by her gentle nod. The other girls showed their support of the pair with smiles of their own, watching with rapt attention as Applejack asked;

"May Ah ask ya' a question?"

Wallflower nodded her head while keeping her hands on her mouth, prompting the farmer to ponder for a moment before speaking again while gesturing to the desk with her right hand, a serious frown replacing her smile;

"If the Memory Stone was on this 'ere desk right now, would ya' use it again?"

Within half of a second after that prime example of a loaded question was uttered, tension rose within the wooden office like a rocket. The other girls were notably stunned by what they had heard, but it was Rarity who verbally reacted while sounding as aghast as she looked;

"Darling, don't you think that asking that question is inappro-"

"Hold on, now!" Applejack exclaimed with carefully restrained authority and seriousness while keeping her gaze fixed on Wallflower, who's hands had just fallen to her sides while she stared blankly at her, her mind lost in a raging sea of thoughts and her breathing slightly erratic. Sensing her honest friend's good intentions, but still no less concerned, Rarity stopped speaking and nodded her head in a dignified fashion to demonstrate the trust she had in Applejack. The other girls followed suit, with Wallflower's garden buddies gently rubbing her shoulders to keep her from spiraling out of stress. Her mind, at that moment, was being rocked every which way by the sea of thoughts. Not all of those thoughts were helpful;

We all know ya' ain't gonna use that vile stone anymore!

Oh, please! Of course you would use it now!

You're way too awesome to run from your problems!

Don't kid yourself. You'll always be a coward!

You have a good heart and you're listening to it now.

You were cruel before and you'll be cruel again!

Applejack looked closely at the internally conflicted silent gardener as concern rose within her Apple heart. The others were not that far off by comparison, with a tiny hint of worry breaking through the peacefulness on Tree Hugger's face. Silence crept into the room as all eyes watched the still as a statue Wallflower, who was not having much luck with calming her loud mind;

You wouldn't fall to the stone's temptation, so says the Wise and Correct Trrrrixie!

You would fall from the moment you see the stone!

A muffin made for a friend is more fulfilling than that scary stone will ever be!

You'd use the stone on your friends in a heartbeat!

Come on, girl! You've got better things to do than use that piece of trash!

You're the piece of trash who would use that thing!

You are so much better than the stone and who you used to be!

You ARE who you were that day!

The mental cacophony raging in Wallflower's head had reached a fever pitch, forcing her to tightly grasp the sides of her head and shut her eyes in a futile attempt to get some measure of comfort. The world around her was almost impossible for her to sense. She recognized the voices of some of the other girls, but they were muffled by the chaos within;

You won't use it!

Yes you will!

You won't use it!

Yes you will!

Before a splitting headache could attack her head, however, a fragrance had wafted into her nose. It was gentle, soothing even, a much needed distraction from the war inside her head. It was also, much to the delight of her heart, familiar. Wallflower, out of instinct cultivated by her life, took a deep whiff of this fragrance and allowed it to flow freely into her body. The voices in her mind became softer and softer until they grew silent after the third sniff. Her hands fell back to her sides once more and after opening her eyes, she gazed upon the source of her comfort with relief all over her being. It was Tree Hugger, who was showing Wallflower a truly caring smile. She held up to the gardener's nose with her right hand a flower with white petals and a yellow marking on the lower petal. The sight of this plant made the troubled girl's eyes sparkle as she slowly declared with a soft voice;

"Eyebright..."

The brightness in the hippie's smile grew in strength when that word was uttered. As Wallflower's mind and body returned to a state of ease, Applejack told her in a way that was genuinely apologetic;

"Look, Ah ain't expectin' ya' to give me an answer right away. Certainly not now."

The plant-lover looked around and saw that the girls were gazing at her with goodwill and support in their eyes and smiles. Some smiles, like Derpy's and Pinkie's, were larger than others, but they were all genuine. She then returned her focus to the eyebright. With gentle care, she took the flower from Tree Hugger with her right hand and held it in her fingers. While gazing at the plant, she admitted with a resigned sigh;

"I don't know."

Everyone's attention was locked on Wallflower as she stood up from her seat, walked passed the desk to stand at the center of the office, and explained while refusing to move neither the plant in her hand nor her gaze from it;

"I know that stealing other people's memories is wrong... I know that making people feel as terrible as I do won't help me grow or heal... I know that running from my problems won't make them go away..."

She tightened her grip on the flower's stem, closed her eyes, and declared with a pained voice and a short breath;

"But..."

She willed her breathing to become slow and steady again before finishing with a calmer voice that lost none of its pain;

"When I think about whether or not I would use the Memory Stone again if I had the chance... I... I can't come up with an answer."

She spun around to look right at Sunset with a pleading expression, the tear ducts in her eyes filling with water as she asked;

"Does that make me a bad person?"

Suddenly, there was a long list of folks who wanted to hug Wallflower right there and then. But, Applejack decided to use words instead. With a caring smile and honest intent, she walked right up to the gardener and told her;

"No, it don't, missy."

Wallflower sharply turned her head to look at the farmer as she added while stopping to stand close to her face;

"That just means ya' got somethin' that needs figurin' out."

With carefulness and grace, she took Wallflower's hands into hers while taking care to avoid damaging the eyebright and told her something that was as truthful as the goodwill in her green eyes;

"Ya' take all the time ya' need to find your answer, ya' hear?"

There was something about seeing Applejack's eyes up close that made the haunted young lady feel safe. Safe enough to let a truth of her own leave her mouth without resistance;

"I will," she uttered calmly, even as a tear or two left her tear ducts. Applejack let out a satisfied smirk before releasing her grip on Wallflower's hands. The latter expected her to walk away, but instead, she used her right thumb to gently wipe the tear stains off of her face before returning to the desk while Tree Hugger moved out of her way. The others beamed bright smiles at the farmer and gardener, with Derpy and Roseluck clapping and whistling in support of their club leader. Sunset, in particular, gave her two friends a proud nod. After reclaiming her hat and placing it on her head once more, Applejack turned around to face Wallflower again and declared with pride;

"Ah gotta say, you've been honest with yourself today. It ain't the first time ya' done that."

She gave the CMCs and Trixie a knowing grin when saying that second sentence, to which they responded in kind. After returning her focus over to the botanist, she added with a heavy sigh, a softer voice, and a hint of sadness on her face;

"With that bein' said, Ah'd say it's my turn now."

Everyone else in the room knew exactly what she was going to talk about. So, they all showed Applejack respectful silent attention, the other Rainbooms especially. The young Apple took her geode, which hung around her neck via a necklace, into her right hand and held it firmly. With eyes closed and an open heart, she admitted with a voice laced with an old regret;

"Ah don't know what hurts the most: What ya' did to the school... or what we did to Sunset."

Right when those words were spoken, Wallflower looked around the room to find a sight she wished she never had to see. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle all laid bare that same regret through the sadness they showed on their faces. Pinkie's hair almost completely deflated and Twilight had to take her glasses off to wipe her tears. It was all Rarity and Fluttershy could do to hold back their tears. Rainbow Dash had put up a tough front, but it was already starting to crack. Sunset, ever the understanding sort, looked upon her dearest friends with her own sadness in her eyes. As much as she wanted, needed to cheer them up, she knew that Applejack needed this chance to speak her peace more. So, as much as it pained her, she stood still and watched the honest Apple in silence. Trixie gazed at each of the girls who were once her enemies with concern, same for Derpy and Roseluck. The CMCs were about ready to hug the emotional pain out of their favorite band, but held themselves back to give Applejack time to push forward. Tree Hugger grasped her hands together and brought them up to her chin before closing her eyes. In her mind, she made a simple, yet heartfelt request;

"Universe, please help these radical girls to never forget the goodness in their hearts."

Applejack, after tilting her head down to look at the grass below, spoke once more, her regret oozing from every word she uttered with her soft voice;

"We could have listened to her, ya' know? Taken her words and the evidence she showed us into consideration... But, we didn't. Not the first time around, anyway."

She tightened her grip on her geode before adding;

"Yeah, we did stand up for Sunset and save the day in the end. That much, Ah can say with pride. Ah just..."

She tilted her head back up to look at Wallflower with sorrowful eyes and declared while doing her very best to not cry on the outside;

"Ah just wish Ah hadn't let my pain keep me from seein' what my heart never forgot!"

The farmer squinted her eyes shut while turning her head to look down at her right side. In spite of her best efforts, a single tear dropped from her eyes and onto the grass below, causing Rarity to gasp and Rainbow's eyes to grow wide. Now more than ever, Wallflower herself wanted to do something to help Applejack. After all, she too knew how it felt to carry guilt inside. But, before she could say anything to comfort her, Applejack spoke softly;

"But... ya' know what?"

There was something about that voice, the pure stubbornness that it exuded, that drove the gardener to silence. Good thing too, for the Apple had picked that moment to raise her head up to face Wallflower again, this time with eyes set ablaze by renewed fire. She then spoke from the heart with clear and fierce passion;

"Ah'll do what Ah can to make sure that nightmare never happens again! To heal the pain inside this 'ere heart of mine instead of hurtin' folks over it!"

The farmer pounded her chest with her right hand to emphasize that last part as she spoke and finished without a moment's hesitation;

"If that means facin' down a whole pack of lies told by my own brain, then Ah'm comin' after 'em with my hammer!"

It would not be an exaggeration to say that everyone around Applejack was moved by her words and steadfastness. Tree Hugger moved out of her praying stance and gave the farmer a warm supportive smile. Speaking of smiles, the CMCs were practically firing happiness lasers at the fired up Apple with theirs! Many of the others showed Applejack their approval with grins and nods of their own, with most of the Rainbooms being especially happy for her. Pinkie, being Pinkie, opted to bounce in place with absolute glee while waving around pink pom-poms that she most likely had acquired from the mysterious depths of her now fully poofed up hair. As for Wallflower, the farmer's words struck a chord in her for a specific reason. It was this reason, combined with the feeling she could not yet name, that pushed her to blurt out before a single conscious thought could be formed;

"That's exactly what I'm trying to do, word for word!"

As if on cue, she covered her mouth with both hands again, her nerves sharply rising to considerable heights. Before they could overwhelm her, however, Applejack walked over to Wallflower and, while dishing out one of her larger smiles, gently placed her hands on hers and lowered them off of the plant expert's face. Recognizing her fear and confusion, the young Apple told her simply with goodwill strengthening her words and hope shining in her green eyes;

"And that... is the honest truth."

There it was again, that sense of safety that Applejack's eyes instilled within Wallflower. She could not, for the life of her, figure out why they did this to her, but she wasn't going to complain about it. Relieved that this conversation worked out as well as it did, and grateful to everyone for the help they gave her, she couldn't, or rather wouldn't, resist the happiness that overtook her negative emotions. Emboldened by this happiness, she let out a sweet yet nervous smile that was somewhat larger than normal.

Just like that, the tension from earlier had been kicked to the curb in favor of jubilation!

The girls cheered and laughed in celebration while walking up to the pair. The CMCs were among the happiest and loudest, with Apple Bloom belting out a loud and proud;

"YEEEHAAAW! That's how it's done, Apple Family style!"

Wallflower and Applejack were taken aback by the sudden noise and praise, the former especially, but they were quick to show their appreciation. The older sister gave Apple Bloom a high-five, while Sunset made sure to give the once-invisible girl a loving hug, which she happily accepted. Wallflower still couldn't quite think of a name for that feeling that helped her. But it didn't do her any harm, so she opted to let it be for now as she and Applejack received hugs from even more people in the office.

One large hug session later...

The girls had decided to sit together in a circle at the center of the garden to rest up a bit. After being involved in that emotionally intense talk between Applejack and Wallflower, they certainly needed the respite! The Rainbooms sat together, as expected, with Wallflower sitting between Derpy and Roseluck at an area opposite of the band. Trixie and Tree Hugger sat to the Rainboom's left and the CMCs to their right. They were all chowing down on muffins provided by Derpy, which were fluffy and delicious. As they munched on their tasty snacks, Rarity took this moment to praise the pair for their handling of the earlier conversation;

"You two spoke your truths with such grace, darlings! I am proud of you both."

The pair felt their hearts lighten a little thanks to the tailor's kind words. Scootaloo turned her head to look over at Tree Hugger and tell her with a smirk;

"That was smart of you to calm Wally down with that flower. She loves plants, after all."

The hippie smirked back at her and responded in a most chill fashion;

"I figured a little aromatherapy would do her mind wonders, especially if it came directly from a plant."

As Wallflower internally basked in the memory of the eyebright's aroma, Rarity focused her gaze on Applejack and told her with a somewhat stern tone of voice;

"I will admit that you did tackle the situation with the bluntness of a hammer, but that turned out to be the apropos approach in the end."

The farmer chuckled before responding calmly;

"Sometimes, a blunt hammer is a more effective tool than a precise blade. Depends on the job, really. But, Ah do get why ya' were so worried earlier. Ya' didn't want me to accidentally hurt Wallflower over my troubles."

"Indeed, darling, and I am glad to say that you managed to avoid such a dreadful pitfall," Rarity noted before taking a dignified bite out of her muffin. Applejack, not wanting to leave any loose ends be, looked over at the gardener and began to ask;

"Just to make sure, did Ah-"

"No, you did not hurt me with your words," was Wallflower's simple yet truthful response, which she delivered just before going back to munching on her muffin. The eyebright flower from before was now resting between her right ear and her head, thus acting as a lovely piece of natural decoration. There was something off about her voice that Fluttershy was quick to notice. With nervousness and concern mixed together on her face, she noted with her traditionally soft voice;

"Um... Wallflower, I don't mean to be rude, but you sound a little... drained."

Sunset, who had also noticed this, made sure to explain to the group;

"Take it from me, being honest about difficult subjects, especially the personal ones, can make a girl feel tired in the head."

Rainbow Dash took this moment to tell the increasingly attentive Wallflower with a confident smirk that showed a hint of understanding;

"Yeah, what you and AJ did today was awesome! But, it's hard to stay awesome when you're tired."

Twilight, recognizing what the girls were getting at, finished for them with a supportive grin aimed right at the green-haired lady;

"So, we won't mind if you want to take a break before you face someone else."

Before this conversation began, Wallflower was focused entirely on eating her muffin and existing, all to replenish the mental energy she had used up earlier. Hearing the girls' words, however, had given her mind an extra boost that was just enough for her to say to them with a grateful tone of voice;

"Thanks for that, I do need a break. Facing Applejack's honesty may not have been as intense as facing Pinkamena, but it was still intense."

Trixie saw an opportunity to brag and promptly took it. Only, this time, it was not about herself;

"Yes, and you endured that intensity with such steadfastness that even Trrrrixie was moved!"

She then gave Applejack some praise as well, albeit begrudgingly;

"Trixie admits that you, too, did an amazing job. She supposes that you may yet fulfill your Pinkie Promise one day."

While her annoyance was all over her face, Trixie did let a small appreciative grin slip through her armor. She got a tip of the hat from Applejack for that and the complement. Pinkie Pie, while looking right at Wallflower and Applejack, chimed in with her usual brand of exuberance, her uniquely bright and bubbly smile lighting up the area;

"I'm super-duper proud of you both! I wanna make some fun and delicious cupcakes to celebrate!"

As if to drive home her claim, she took a mighty bite out of her muffin. As she made adorable noises while chewing on her snack, Twilight spoke up while looking at Tree Hugger, her own muffin resting on her lap;

"I'm glad that Applejack and Wallflower talked things out so effectively, but now I'm curious as to what you wanted to speak with us about. Something that made you late for homeroom, based on what Wallflower told us earlier."

The hippie nodded at the scientist with a peaceful smile while the other girls focused their attention on her. Even Wallflower followed suit, her mental exhaustion having not entirely overridden her curiosity. She did hope she wouldn't have to talk for a while, though. Tree Hugger closed her eyes and breathed in a slow and quiet fashion. She did this for a few seconds before opening her eyes again. Without further ado, she began to speak her peace with a calm voice;

"Every morning, one of the first things I do when I wake up is partake in an early morning meditation session to prepare my mind for the day ahead."

A frown slowly broke through the peacefulness that normally held fast on her face before she went on;

"Now, when you meditate, things come up. Thoughts, memories, feelings, and more..."

Her words, combined with that rarely seen frown, made the others feel concerned, with Apple Bloom asking her with worry in her eyes and voice;

"What was it that came up for ya' this mornin'?"

Tree Hugger closed her eyes and breathed deeply, audibly this time. With an equally audible exhale, she explained;

"It was not a memory, for I had never seen this before, and even now, my gut is telling me that it was more than just a thought..."

Rainbow Dash, who was never known for having a vast supply of patience, exclaimed out of clear annoyance;

"Well then, spit it out already!"

"Rainbow Dash, it wouldn't hurt to let the lady finish in her own way," Rarity noted to her out of politely expressed indignation. Thankfully, this exchange was enough to get Rainbow to quiet down, allowing Tree Hugger to continue with a layer of seriousness added to her voice, her eyes still shut;

"I saw icons... the iconography that people like you righteous ones bare with pride..."

Hearing that really got the girls' attention, especially Sunset's. After pausing for a moment, the hippie went on;

"They were floating side-by-side just above a grassy hill. The sky was blue and clear. The wind was calm and birds chirped from afar. A truly peaceful scene..."

Her tranquil smile returned for a moment before the frown replaced it again when she added;

"What interfered with that peace was a dark and fearsome storm that loomed beyond the hill, lightning striking the ground with reckless abandon and thunder roaring with the fierceness of a mother bear. Yet, the icons stayed together, facing down the storm and all its might even as it came within inches of hitting the hill."

Fluttershy had to hold back the urge to hide behind her long flowing hair out of fear, while the others showed various levels of nervousness and worry. Tree Hugger, her frown holding strong, spoke some more;

"The storm slowed down to a stop as three pairs of giant turquoise eyes glowed ominously through the dark clouds."

The fear in the other girls grew stronger, with the CMCs holding each other for comfort as their friend opened her eyes, looked upon the circle of Wondercolts, and went on while focusing her gaze on Twilight Sparkle;

"One pair expressed an uncaring cold drive..."

Twilight and Sunset felt their right hands clench into fists without direct input from them. Tree Hugger turned her gaze onto the CMCs;

"One pair revealed a hateful, vengeful wrath..."

The kids gulped in fear as the hippie started to look at each Rainboom present, one at a time;

"And one pair blazed with a willingness to judge and punish..."

She took another breath, sat in silence for a second or two, and finished;

"A lightning bolt struck the ground before the icons, causing a wall of fire to tower over them, all of which made me almost jump out of my meditative state. It took me a good while to recover."

The girls pondered what they had just heard in silence. It was Twilight who made the first comment on the matter;

"It sounds like either your imagination had gone wild or... what you saw was a warning of some kind," she said with narrow ponderous eyes before sighing and adding with a frustrated groan;

"I normally take far more stock in empirical evidence than in bizarre creations of the mind. But, you don't come off as a liar and what you have said is... unsettling to me. Too unsettling to dismiss outright..."

As the intellectual's mind went through multiple scenarios at a time, Tree Hugger chimed in, her calm seriousness still holding strong;

"The way I see it, sooner or later, you girls will be tested. Perhaps more harshly than ever before..."

Recognizing the growing tension within the group, not to mention the fear and nervousness shown by the girls, she gave them a genuinely tranquil smile and advised them, her voice filled with peace and good intentions once more;

"But, do not let fear cloud your minds, my friends. You have faced difficult challenges in the past and have grown from triumph and setback alike. I know in my heart that you will triumph again."

Her words got through to the girls, as evidenced by the renewed confidence in their eyes. Most of them smiled back, with Rainbow Dash letting out one of her confident smirks. Twilight, with a grateful nod, added to Tree Hugger's point;

"Fear can often make a person paranoid and paranoia inhibits reason."

At that moment, Scootaloo jumped into the conversation with some encouraging words and rekindled exuberance;

"It doesn't matter what kind of test comes up, we'll ace it with flying colors!"

The others chuckled and giggled over the daredevil's positive behavior, with Tree Hugger clarifying;

"All that I suggest is that you girls keep your senses sharp and be ready to show your hearts when it counts."

Sunset smiled warmly at her peace-loving friend and responded sweetly;

"Sound advice, Tree Hugger."

Even as she spoke, the hippie's warning echoed in her head;

"A willingness to judge and punish..."

The mare of two worlds was reminded of just how glad she was to not be that kind of person anymore...

Later that day, on the streets of Canterlot City

The CMCs were taking a stroll on the sidewalk, with their sisters keeping pacing from close behind. The kids were carrying three long wooden boxes, one for each of them, via the short handles that they held in their right hands. All six folks felt pretty relaxed, thanks to their walk. Applejack, with an appreciative smile, declared with joy;

"It's mighty nice to have a relaxin' stroll with our kin."

"Quite right, darling," Rarity noted in agreement while giving Sweetie Belle a quick loving glance before returning her eyes to the path before them. With a growing smile of her own, she added;

"It has been too long since we last did something like this together."

"You got that right, sis!" exclaimed a happy Sweetie Belle, her smile as bright as the sun. Her two friends' smiles were not that far off from hers in terms of brightness and sheer joy. Apple Bloom was quick to express that joy verbally with a quick hop;

"Ain't nothin' gonna ruin this 'ere walk for us!"

"Yeah!" Scootaloo said with pure certainty and a fist pump to the sky to match. She went on to say without even thinking about the possible consequences of her actions;

"Not even Gil-"

Thankfully for her, Rainbow Dash had caught on to what was happening in time to take preventive measures;

"Don't tempt fate, Scoots!" she told her hurriedly while her eyes darted left and right to check for a certain Griffon's presence. Scootaloo recognized what she had almost done and promptly shut her mouth while letting out a sheepish grin. Her sheepishness only grew in strength upon seeing the narrow glares from her two friends.

Unfortunately for these six ladies, however, fate had no need for temptation that time.

The girls walked towards a nearby alleyway on their side of the street. They would have walked passed it without a care in the world, if they had not caught sight of Gilda. Once they did so, they froze in place before turning towards the alley to see what was going on. Of course, they made sure to not step into the alley itself or make a single bit of noise. Now, they figured, was the time to investigate. They were quick to notice that GIlda was talking to a person they could not see in a clearly threatening manner;

"You know, little girl, you should be more careful with your muffins..." she said with wicked false concern in her voice. The six girls quickly guessed in their minds who she was talking to, their righteous anger rising to the surface. The CMCs gazed at each other, their hands noticeably twitching. After having one of their silent conversations, nodded in agreement before carefully hiding themselves behind the building to their right. They then placed their boxes on the ground without making too much noise and began to prepare. The little girl who was in front of Gilda and out of the students' sight whimpered sadly;

"Please, don't squish Nana's muffins..."

"Dinky!" was the horrified thought the students had at the same time. The CMCs hastened their quiet efforts while their sisters slowly walked up to Gilda's back. The bully remained unaware of what was about to come her way as she continued to terrify little Dinky;

"I mean, all it takes is one..."

She slowly raised her right foot up off of the ground;

"Little..."

She aimed her boot over the bag of muffins that Dinky was covering with her arms, protecting them with all of her heart while looking up at Gilda with terror painted on her face. Just then, when the bully was about to finish speaking and give the muffins, and Dinky, a good stomp, three furious voices yelled out from behind her;

"Gilda!"

The Griffon froze in place for a moment before slamming her foot back down to stand straight. With an annoyed grumble, she turned around to give Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash a death glare. To say that they simply looked angry would not do the righteous fury they were demonstrating justice. Frustrated, yet curious, Gilda asked them;

"Who is that brat to you, anyway?"

That 'brat', upon hearing the trio's voices, felt her terror get vaporized by relief and joy as she happily watched Rarity respond with a combination of propriety and restrained anger;

"A fine young lady who need not be troubled by miscreants such as yourself."

"We'll give ya' one chance to walk away with your dignity intact," declared a deadly serious Applejack, her fists clenched and ready for battle. Rainbow Dash then told the brute with a low growl that spoke of an anger older than the band she was proud to hang with;

"Step. Off. Now."

Emboldened by the older girls' words and steadfastness, Dinky told Gilda off as well;

"You better be nice or no muffins for you!" she exclaimed, prompting the bully to turn right around to catch the little one performing her best take on Rarity's stiff upper lip, 'humph' sound and all. As much as the trio wanted so badly to laugh at Gilda's expense and shower Dinky with praise, they knew they had to keep their mouths shut. After all, the bully was being momentarily distracted, which was exactly what they had hoped for. With a careful pace, they moved out of the way to make room for the CMCs, who walked up to stand in their place. Gilda, unaware of the quiet substitution, gave Dinky a venomous remark;

"Those muffins probably taste like trash anyway. Besides, if you keep yapping, someone's bound to shut you up."

Just before she could even think to do or say something else, she felt three strong forces hit different spots on her back hard enough to make her jump out of surprise. As she turned around to find that the CMCs were the source of theses forces, she immediately recognized three facts about what was being fired upon her: They were consistently strong, ice cold, and wet.

Very, very, wet.

Even as the constant stream of pressurized freezing wetness assaulted her body, Gilda quickly saw that the kids were blasting her with colorful squirt guns that looked more like battle-ready weapons than simple toys for children. Apple Bloom brandished a squirt pistol that she was firing with her right hand, Sweetie Belle dual-wielded squirt sub-machine guns, and Scootaloo held a squirt rifle with both hands. The water they were unleashing upon her, the bully realized, was a genuine problem. By themselves, the ammunition fired by the CMCs' playtime weaponry would have been manageable for her. But, when fired together, the combined water pressure and considerably cold temperature forced the Griffon's body to dance and spin about uncontrollably. Gilda's frequent attempts at verbal protests could be heard through the dispensing of liquid justice, but no actual words could be discerned. This fierce attack upon her person, and her increasingly drenched clothing, gave Dinky enough time to grab her bag of muffins and run over to the CMCs to hide behind Scootaloo. As she ran, she noticed that each club member was wearing a different addition to their traditional ensembles. Apple Bloom wore a black tricorne hat, her pink bow hidden underneath it. Sweetie Belle bore a black bandana that covered much of her head, her two-toned hair pocking out just below it from behind her head. Scootaloo rocked a pair of black-tinted sunglasses that hid her eyes from view. Their faces exuded determination and focus, even as their hands continued to twitch while they fired their weapons at the flailing bully. The trio pressed their attack for a few more seconds before stopping, allowing Gilda to finally get her body back under control. She turned back to face the trio of kids and stood still. Well, about as still as she could be while shivering due to the cold water that dripped from as high as her shoulders. She took a moment to check herself, only to discover two details. For one, none of the kids' shots had hit her head or face. Not only that, but her entire outfit, even her bomber jacket, was utterly soaked. She was already outraged, but hearing the amused giggles of Dinky only added to her anger. She instantly gave the little one, who was poking her head out from the right side of Scootaloo's body, a glare that made her ill intentions abundantly clear, which prompted Dinky to hide behind the movie buff out of renewed terror. Gilda glared at the three older girls with pure hatred in her eyes before making an attempt at getting up close to them. She could only take one step forward, however, before the kids fired their squirt guns again, this time at the ground between them and their adversary to form a line of drenched concrete. Having stopped Gilda in her tracks, the CMCs pointed their guns right at her chest. Their aim was steady, in spite of their hands being so twitchy. Apple Bloom declared to Gilda with confidence, determination, and a narrow glare;

"Movie Club Rule Number Six: Never let fear or hatred drive ya' to cause pain."

"We won't let you bully anyone again!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle, the squeak in her voice somehow making her sound more resolute. Scootaloo, feeling pumped, told Gilda while looking her dead in the eyes and revealing a knowing smirk;

"Yeah, and as for your revenge..."

Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, who were previously standing at the sides to give the kids room to do their thing, walked over to stand right behind them while giving the Griffon three intense glares filled with an unending desire to protect their charges, their arms crossed for full effect. As if on cue, Scootaloo finished while she and her two friends let out three smug smirks;

"You won't get it!"

Gilda gave each Wondercolt present a disdainful gaze, with special attention and fury aimed squarely at Rainbow Dash and the CMCs. But, before she could so much as make a single rancid remark, she got knocked down onto the concrete face-first by a speeding Derpy, who had rushed down the alleyway with reckless abandon while looking terribly worried. The other Wondercolts were visibly surprised by this for a moment before happiness over seeing their friend covered their faces. Derpy stopped for a moment to look down at the face-planted Griffon and told her hurriedly;

"I'm sorry!"

She then made a beeline for the CMCs while barely managing to avoid tripping over Gilda's body. Little Dinky recognized Derpy's voice and was instantly filled with joy, relief, and unconditional love;

"Nana!" she exclaimed while running up to her from behind Scootaloo. Clearly relieved, Derpy got down on her right knee and held Dinky's shoulders when she got close enough. After giving her forehead a sweet little peck that made the child giggle happily, she asked out of pure concern;

"Are you hurt, little one?"

Dinky shook her head and explained;

"Gilda caught me and tried to stomp on the muffins!"

She raised her muffin bag up to her chin before continuing with a hurt whimper;

"She was being so mean to me!"

Wasting no time, Derpy stood back up and turned to face Gilda as she tried to get back up, with Dinky quickly running to hide behind her right leg. With disappointment in her crossed eyes, the girl told the bully;

"Then I'm not sorry."

As the pair turned to walk towards the other girls, Rainbow Dash let out a loud and proud;

"Ohhhhhhh!"

The others smiled approvingly at the both of them. By this point, Gilda had gotten back up and was standing straight while refusing to dignify Derpy's comment with a response. Recognizing that she was both outnumbered and outgunned, she gave the girls one more death glare before stomping down the path opposite them in a huff. The group watched her closely until she was out of sight. Once the coast was clear, Dinky gave the muffin bag to Derpy and pounced on the CMCs with tight giggly hugs while exclaiming;

"Thank you for protecting me!"

The older girls gushed over how adorable she was being as she made sure to hug Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity as well. During this time, the CMCs' hands stopped twitching, thanks to the danger having passed. After the hugs were delivered, Dinky looked up at Derpy with sparkling eyes and told her with a bright smile;

"Friends are wonderful to have!"

Everyone around her agreed with that sentiment, even if that agreement was not revealed vocally. Derpy then told her with a voice that was as stern as her frown;

"I look away for a moment and you run off on me. You could have gotten hurt, Little Bubble."

The sparkles in Dinky's eyes instantly vanished. An apologetic frown replaced her smile as she looked off to the side while shuffling the ground with her right foot out of visible shame. She responded with soft sadness in her young voice;

"I'm sorry for running off. I just wanted to explore."

Derpy couldn't stay mad at her for very long after hearing that. Hardly anyone present could. A forgiving grin formed on her face as she lovingly played with the little one's hair with her left hand while holding the muffin bag with her right. Thinking it best to give Dinky some helpful advice, she told her;

"I'm glad you enjoy exploring so much. But, don't forget to explore with a buddy you can trust."

The bubbly child thought for a moment before exclaiming with a giant smile and a happy hop;

"Like my friends and Nana!"

"The squirt gets it!" Scootaloo noted with a smirk. Apple Bloom then took this opportunity to ask the kid;

"Now, why were ya' carryin' them muffins around?"

She looked right at the youngest Apple and told her excitedly;

"Nana Derpy baked those muffins for a party we're going to and I wanted to keep them safe!"

Derpy inspected the muffins before declaring with appreciation for the child's efforts in her voice;

"Thank you for watching over the treats, they are in good condition! Although..."

She gave her little charge a smirk before finishing;

"It would have been safer to give them to me before running off."

Dinky giggled sheepishly in response to that comment. Applejack, with a hearty chuckle, declared to everyone present;

"Well, seein' as how everyone's safe and sound now, Ah say we escort Derpy and the sugarcube to the party before we continue our walk."

Rainbow Dash gave her a thumbs up, while Rarity nodded her head while showing a polite grin. The CMCs, by start contrast, celebrated the idea with a triple high-five, or rather, a quadruple one, for Dinky had joined in on it by jumping up to reach their hands with glee. It wasn't long before the group traveled down the sidewalk together, with Dinky riding on Applejack's shoulders with the biggest smile on her face. The CMC's smiles were just as bright, their hearts made lighter by a job well done. Even so, they kept their squirt guns held firmly in their hands, ready to strike at Gilda again if she were to cause more trouble for some innocent soul.

They weren't the only ones who were ready to strike.

Laying down on the roof of the building to the left of the alleyway was a certain watchful sort who was clad in urban camouflage and a large hood. Armed with a camouflaged slingshot that was fully loaded with a small padded rubber ball, they watched the group of girls walk by with a satisfied grin on their face. While holding back the urge to chuckle in celebration, they thought with relief flowing through their being;

"And here I thought I had to give those kids backup."

They looked over to the horizon beyond the city with calm determination on their face, the mind calculating a slew of potential plans;

"Knowing that ingrate though, I will have to soon..."

Meanwhile, at the outskirts of Canterlot City.

The roadside bar situated along one of roads that led to the city proper was no stranger to quiet days, when the flow of customers was hardly plentiful. Thankfully, it also had its fair share of busy days, enough to keep the lights on. The bartender was busy cleaning one of the glasses while keeping watch on the bar itself, which was devoid of patrons. His patience, to his relief, was strengthened considerably by his time working there, so he felt no frustration, let alone the urge to smash a bottle on the table. The bar contained a whole slew of round tables with wooden seats of reasonable quality and comfort, a dart board on the wall to the right of the door, a large flat-screen TV hanging on a spot on the wall to the left of the counter, a pair of bathrooms in the back, and a wide variety of empty bottles displayed on the wall behind the counter. The TV was playing a local news bulletin concerning a recent string of grave robberies. Right when the bartender finished cleaning the glass and tucked it away on a shelf under the counter, the bar's front door flew open, revealing a new customer. Now, he had been on the job for many years, so he had seen all sorts of people, from the mundane to the bizarre, walk through that door. But, he had never seen the likes of this person, who walked up to the counter and sat on one of its stools while carrying an air of intimidation with their silence. Their hat was ripped right out of the old cowboy films from the days of black & white television and their black goggles with red-tinted visors gave off some subtle steampunk vibes to the provider of beverages. The dark grey wrappings that covered their head, neck, and ears made them look like no troublemaker that he had ever seen before. Heck, he couldn't even tell if this person was a man or a woman! The matching fingered gloves and orange prison uniform seemed entirely normal by comparison, and what was that box on their neck for anyway? This person, to him, was clearly a former prisoner. Most likely an escapee, if he had to guess. But, he wasn't entirely sure of this, so he wasn't going to call the cops on them right away. That, and he never turned down a customer for no good reason. So, he gave them his usual greeting with a polite voice that hid his growing nervousness;

"Welcome to the Trotting Horse. How may I help you?"

Strangely enough, they reached into their pants pocket and pulled out a smartphone. An old model, by the bartender's reckoning. They tapped on it with their right index finger at a brisk pace for a little while before placing it down on the table with the screen facing up. They then turned it around so that the screen was not upside down for him. Curious, he looked at it to see that the phone's notepad app was active. It revealed a single message that the customer had typed up:

Lemonade. Large. Chilled.

An odd way to place an order, but not unheard off in the man's eyes. At this point, he figured that this customer was mute or, at least, they had difficulties with vocal communication. Seeing no harm in accommodating them, he walked over to the fridge behind him and opened it up to grab a bottle of lemonade. Soon enough, the oddly dressed customer was quietly drinking their lemonade from a large glass, their phone stashed in their pocket once again. Suddenly, another patron walked through the front door. By comparison, this one was wearing a rather mundane outfit and it was easy to tell that this was a man. He walked up to the table and sat on the stool to the right of the other customer. He then called for the bartender;

"I'll have the same as her."

"How does he know that this is a woman?" he asked himself while his eyes darted between the two of them. Friends? Drinking buddies, maybe? Eh, it didn't matter that much to him at the time. Like any good bartender, he'd listen to his customers whenever they needed to spill their guts out. But, if they paid fairly and behaved well, then he wasn't going to pry too hard on their personal matters. While he went back to grab the lemonade bottle, the guy quietly pulled something out of his pants pocket, placed it on the table, and slowly slide it over to the silent woman, who angled her head slightly to get a good look at the item. Once his hand left the item, it was clear to her that this was a small white envelope. It had no address, postage stamp, or any other kind of marking, it was as blank as an empty page in a newly bought journal. As she stared at the envelope out of pure curiosity, the man whispered to her while keeping his eyes on the bartender;

"My boss told me to expect to catch you here."

"Abacus Cinch, I'd imagine..." the woman figured in her head as the man went on;

"Now, I don't care to know what she wanted me to send you. I've done my job, so I'll enjoy my drink and be on my way."

With the matter apparently settled, the silent lady took a large gulp of her lemonade, placed it on the table, and slowly took the envelope into her left hand. Once she stuffed it into her pants pocket, she finished her drink, gave the bartender fair pay for his trouble, and left the bar without uttering a word.

She drove down the road on her chopper bike far enough for the bar to be well out of view behind her before parking it on the right side curb. After turning her head to look around for any potential eavesdroppers, she pulled the envelope out of her pocket and ripped it open from its back. She carefully pulled its contents out and held them in her right hand to take a look at them. They were, in fact, two items. The first was a small piece of ripped notebook paper that showed a list of different addresses and names. Given where she was going, she had figured that these would be useful for her hunt. So, she pocketed the list with care and inspected the second item. It was a single photo of respectable quality and was clearly well cared for, for it bore no fingerprints or creases. Whatever it was that the photo depicted, the sight of it had suddenly inflamed an old festering rage within the woman. Her right hand threatened to crush the photo under her fingers and her teeth were grinding each other left and right. Old painful memories played out in mind, which only made her rage even stronger. It was so strong, in fact, that it became quite tempting for her to just let herself roar and howl to the sky above. For one whole second, she saw red through more than just her goggles as a memory flashed before her mind's eye;

Tears. Streaming down a sweet soul's face.

Yet, she managed to hold her fury in check with steady breathing and focus, her eyesight returning to normal. She recognized that rage would not help her at this point. So, after taking a few more seconds to cool down, she put the photo in her pocket as well, made her chopper roar in her stead, and drove back onto the road. As Canterlot City came into view, memories of her past actions, of justice rightly delivered, kept her motivated to stay the course, to investigate before making a move on her quarry.

After all, The Wrecker would not be who she was if she wasn't thorough.

Author's Note

Wallflower has faced Applejack, the CMCs have struck back against Gilda, and The Wrecker has been given something that has added fuel to her fury!

I know, the chapter is long, but since it tackles three of the major plots in the story, it kinda had to be lengthy.

Next chapter: We check in on the Rainbooms' house fixing efforts, CHS is rocked by a major surprise (points at the story's title), and Coco experiences a memorable work day.

Chapter 21 - Swell Visits and School Efforts

The next morning, during history class.

"One of the fascinating aspects of Princess Platinum's reign over the Crystal Kingdom was who had protected her. Not only did highly trained guards watch over her, but she was also personally guarded by the Crystal Knights: three mysterious knights who held quiet vigil over the Princess."

Silverstream listened with enthusiasm fueling her focus, her eyes sparkling with delight over what Ms. Cheerilee was relating to the class. The only times she pulled her attention away from the teacher was when she was writing down notes in her notebook. She gazed at Cheerilee with wonder in her eyes, more than willing to learn more about these knights she spoke of. The rest of the class also showed clear interest as their teacher turned around to face the chalkboard and grab a piece of white chalk. As she began to draw on the board, she explained;

"No one knows where they came from or who they were underneath their ornate royal armor, but when going by the evidence that historians have found, we do know that the Crystal Knights had stayed by Platinum's side whenever possible. No assassin could harm her, no beast could end her, and no corrupt royal could manipulate her. Not before answering to the Princess' knights."

Through well-practiced restraint, Silverstream kept the urge to squee at bay;

"History is so fascinating and fun!" she thought to herself before recognizing something about the teacher's lecture that she wanted to look into. Once she caught a pause in said lecture, she raised her right hand with the speed of a rocket. Cheerilee stopped drawing on the chalkboard and turned around to check on the class. When she caught sight of the history buff's hand, she asked;

"What is it, Silverstream?"

Without a moment's hesitation and with clear interest on her face, the young history buff asked;

"What happened to the Crystal Knights?"

The other students showed genuine curiosity over this question as well. Seeing all this, Cheerliee's eyes lit up as she showed a soft smile that revealed her internal joy;

"Oh, to see students show such strong interest in learning!" she thought with delight before answering Silverstream's question without skipping a beat;

"That's the thing: No one knows!"

The students' eyes went wide with surprise, with Silverstream's sparkling, as Cheerilee returned to drawing on the board while elaborating, her artistic work hidden by her head and arms;

"It is well known that the Crystal Knights protected Princess Platinum until her death. However, soon after the coronation of her successor and daughter, Princess Garnet, the knights vanished from the Crystal Kingdom."

After a few seconds of silent drawing, she finished her art piece and placed the chalk on the attached bottom tray that matched the length of the board. After turning around to have her back face the artwork, she explained further;

"According to the public and private records that have been restored and preserved, the royals had tried to use gossip to spread the notion that the knights had been paid off to leave the kingdom forever. But, this turned out to be a lie fabricated by those among the royalty who sought to undermine Platinum's line. Most of the citizens, by stark contrast, were more inclined to believe that the knights had quietly retired from the public eye on account of old age or injury. Others figured that they had been killed by enemies of the kingdom."

The students silently wondered what fate had befallen such a mysterious and important trio as Cheerliee added;

"While it is true that no one knows for certain as to what became of the Crystal Knights, what is certain is that they left something behind when they vanished..."

She smiled brightly before side-stepping to the right to reveal her artwork while finishing;

"Their mark."

The students gazed in surprise and amazement at the drawing that was revealed in front of them. It was a simple drawing that depicted three heater shields placed close together to form a defensive line in front of a large colored in diamond-shaped jewel. The shields were tall enough to cover almost half of the jewel. Each shield had a simplistic drawing on their front. Shown on the left shield was the moon as it began to fall over an ocean and beach. The right shield depicted a forest caught in a raging fire. The shield in the middle displayed several sparkling stars. Silverstream looked upon the artwork with eyes filled with wonder and delight. Just before she could think to recreate this mark in her notebook, however, Cheerilee noted while walking over to her desk;

"Ah, but my crude interpretation doesn't do that piece of visual history justice."

She pulled open her desk's drawer and reached into it with her right hand;

"Which is why..."

She pulled out from the drawer a large photograph that was carefully laminated and raised it up high for the class to see it clearly. Her smile still holding strong, she finished declaring;

"I have this!"

It didn't take long for the students, even the ones sitting in the back, to recognize what the photo depicted: the mark that Cheerilee had drawn up, only it was engraved onto the front of an old and immaculately crafted throne's backrest. She handed over to Apple Bloom while requesting;

"Please make sure you take a good look at the photograph before passing it to a student near you. Everyone gets a turn."

Apple Bloom carefully raised the image up to her face to give it a close visual inspection. With wide eyes, she spoke aloud in awe;

"This looks amazin'..."

Compared to the drawing on the chalkboard, the engraved mark showed far more details and was an equal to the throne in terms of quality. Clearly, it was the product of an experienced artist's hand. Apple Bloom passed the photo over to Scootaloo, who exclaimed with shining eyes while gazing at it;

"It reminds me of the ancient treasures recovered by Daring Do!"

It was Sweetie Belle's turn to gush when she got her hands on the photo;

"The carvings alone are so lovely! The part with the stars is my favorite," she squeaked in delight. One by one, the other students all got to look at the photo and make their own comments on the knights' mark. When Silverstream got her hands on it, she barely held herself back from yelling out of joy while she inspected it;

"This is so cool!" she exclaimed as her eyes rapidly moved to examine every nook and cranny of the image. She then pondered aloud;

"I wonder why the Crystal Knights left their mark behind? To show their loyalty to the kingdom?"

Smolder, who sat directly behind her, suggested with crossed arms and a smug smirk;

"I'll bet it was a warning: don't be a punk or the knights would be back to kick butt."

Before the whole class could join in on the speculating, Cheerilee declared with a polite chuckle;

"A lot of the Crystalians from the era had a similar idea in mind, Smolder."

The class cooled down and focused their attention on Cheerilee as she moved to reclaim the photo while elaborating on her point;

"It was widely believed, especially among the royals, that the mark was indeed a warning: that those who would dare to bring harm and ruin to the Crystal Kingdom and Platinum's line would be held to fierce account by the Crystal Knights."

Just when she was really getting into her lecturing stride, however, the bell had rung, signalling the end of history class. Wasting no time, Cheerliee noted to the students as they moved to depart the classroom;

"Make sure that you study the reign of Princess Garnet, for we'll be discussing her and the first signs of the Golden Age's dramatic end tomorrow!"

Silverstream, in high spirits over the history she had learned and had yet to learn, walked over to Smolder and Gallus, who were grouping up with the CMCs as they left the room, with a big smile on her face. She held her textbook and notebook close to her chest with both arms, the eraser end of her pencil poking out from her notebook like a bookmark. Smolder and Gallus opted to carry their own school supplies in the backpacks strapped to their backs. As the group walked down the hall, she thought to herself out of pure excitement;

"Oh, this has been a wonderful day so far and it's still morning!"

Smolder commented on what they had recently learned;

"I like those Crystal Knights. Heck, I like knights in general. They fight hard and look cool while doing it in their armor."

She then threw a few punches in the air to hammer home her point. After that, she asked while holding her chin with her right hand;

"I wonder what the Crystal Knights' armor looked like?"

Silverstream made a mental note to check for references to such armor in her history textbook later as she listened to Apple Bloom chime in with an excited smile that showed a subtle sign of pride;

"Well, Ah don't wanna brag too hard, buuuuut...."

The others, instantly recognizing what their friend was about to do, mentally readied themselves for the metaphorical explosion to come;

"A few folks in my family tree were knights durin' the time of the Crystal Kingdom!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, her pride being far less subtle than before."

Silverstream gasped loudly before rushing over to stand directly in front of Apple Bloom, stopping the whole group in the hall with nothing more than her pure exuberance. With stars in her eyes, she asked excitedly with giant smile;

"Your family tree goes back that far?! That's amazing! I have so many questions!"

Apple Bloom was startled for a moment before she quickly resettled herself and, with an understanding grin, told Silverstream with soft sweetness;

"Easy now, ya' might want to take a gander at where we're at."

She did exactly that for a second before realizing two things that were of equal importance.

One: she had yelled in the school hallway.

Two: she did this while random students walked by her and the group, thus getting their confused attention.

With a sheepish chuckle, she apologized;

"Sorry, everyone. I get really excited over historical stuff."

Satisfied, Apple Bloom told the confused witnesses politely;

"We got this handled, ya'll. Ya' can go about your business now."

Those students gave Silverstream friendly grins before walking away, leaving the group of young folks behind. Silverstream got thoughtful shoulder pats and smiles from the CMCs and her fellow Griffons as the young Apple declared to her happily;

"No harm done, sugarcube. One of these days, Ah'll tell ya' an Apple Family story or two."

Sweetie Belle, recognizing that the situation was resolved, encouraged the others;

"Let's get to class before we're late!"

The group of kids walked briskly together to their destination, with Silverstream gushing in her head over how nice her new friends were. They had reached a point where the hallway they were in was connected to another one that was built sideways. This one was filled with seriously heavy traffic that was produced by other students, mostly eighth-graders and freshmen. So, they had to wait for the traffic to clear up before proceeding. Scootaloo, visibly annoyed by this development, said with a frustrated groan;

"The halls can be so busy during the morning!"

The others nodded their heads in silent agreement as they watched the long crowd of people move down the hall before them. It was while they were watching that something had caught Sweetie Belle's eye. For about half of a second, she had noticed a curl of hair that bore two shades of light blue just barely poking out from a dark brown hood. This hood was warn by someone who walked between two full grown adults: a child who looked to be around Sweetie's age and was clearly being escorted by said adults. But, before Sweetie could make out anything else, the child had disappeared within the sea of walking bodies. There was something about that hair that seemed familiar to her, yet it also made her feel uneasy for a reason she could not figure out. She stood as stiffly as the statue that stood beyond CHS' doors, silently contemplating what she had just seen. It was Apple Bloom who got her out of her stupor with a quick pat on her back. When Sweetie Belle turned to look at her friend, she saw concern on her face. Apple Bloom asked her with a raised right eyebrow;

"Is somethin' up, Sweets?"

She turned to the other side to find that Scootaloo and the three Griffons were just as concerned. With a sigh, Sweetie Belle looked back at the hallway traffic just as it was beginning to thin out and answered;

"I don't know why, but..."

Her body shuddered slightly before she finished;

"I feel like I just saw a ghost."

Hearing that made her friends more confused than anything. Smolder, with crossed arms, suggested;

"A ghost? Are you sure you weren't just seeing things?"

Sweetie took a breath while thinking on the Griffon's words;

"Maybe I was. Still..."

The traffic had cleared up, allowing the group to continue their trek to the next class. Even as she walked, Sweetie Belle was almost lost in thought;

"Why did that hair look so familiar?"

A few minutes later, in Principal Celestia's office.

"So, you see as I do, sister-mine?"

Vice-Principal Luna stood to Principal Celestia's right when she made her inquiry, her face expressing a mixture of calm and concern. Celestia showed the same feelings when she looked up at her from her seat. With a quick nod, she replied;

"I am not an expert on the mind like you, Luna, nor am I as knowledgeable on spiritual matters as Tree Hugger. But, I know some things concerning both subjects and I trust you both in this case. Besides..."

She turned to face the door to her office and placed her elbows on the desk, allowing her chin to rest on top of her hands. Her eyes filled with thought and worry, she finished;

"If our suspicions regarding what troubles Sunset and her friends are true, then we must act with care. One mistake can-"

Several loud knocks from behind the door interrupted her mid-sentence, grabbing the attention of both sisters. Initially suspecting this to be a student or staff member, Celestia motioned for Luna to open the door, which she did so while the two of them put their concerns aside for the moment. Who the Vice-Principal had seen at the door were not at all who she and her elder sister had expected to meet. It was a pair of adults, a woman and a man specifically, both of whom were about as tall as her. The man had green eyes, pale white skin, and blue hair that was styled to rock a thick pony tail behind his head. The woman's eyes had a bright amber red color, her skin was pink, and her short hair was white. Their casual clothes were simplistic and wrinkle free. Nothing to write home about, but not the sort of the outfits that would render Rarity aghast. What Luna and Celestia were paying more attention to were the two adults' facial expressions. There was calm politeness on the surface, true enough. But, the educators, thanks to their extensive experience, could easily catch the subtle yet piercing glares that hinted to them of the anger that these adults tried to keep reigned in. Hoping that a good first impression would prevent tensions from rising, let alone flaring, Luna welcomed the visitors in a dignified fashion as befitting of her position;

"Good morning to you both. I hope we can be of help to you."

The pair glared at Luna intensely for two seconds that felt noticeably lengthy to her before nodding in silence. Seeking to not annoy them, she turned and led the pair over to Celestia's desk. As Luna returned to her spot next to Celestia, the principal asked these quiet guests in her usual polite demeanor, her welcoming smile doing a fine job of hiding her growing concern;

"So, what can we do for you today?"

A second later, the woman spoke. Her voice was simple enough to figure out: calm, polite, and serious all at once. There was, however, a sparkle that shined in her eyes as she spoke, the kind that the two educators recognized as one that only familial love could produce;

"Our niece is interested in possibly returning to CHS to finish her education here."

A former Wondercolt possibly returning... That was more that enough to drive away the concern that had been growing within Celestia and Luna! With happiness taking its place, the former responded with a genuine smile;

"Oh, that is wonderful news! We'll be more than happy to answer any questions you might have about our school, if it helps your niece reach a decision."

As the Principal spoke, Luna kept her eyes on the apparent aunt and uncle as they listened while standing together side-by-side. It was at this moment that she had caught sight of a curl or two of light blue hair that barely poked out from behind the uncle. It was visible from her vantage point for half of a second before it was hidden behind his back entirely. Something about that hair made Luna feel uneasy, but that didn't stop her from feeling happy to help a former student in need. So, with a warm smile built to ease tensions and hearts, she requested;

"It would help us a great deal if we got to see your niece in person. I'm sure she would very much appreciate that."

The uncle, while letting a smirk appear on his face, turned his head to his left and aimed it down while saying softly in a most encouraging fashion;

"It's okay, little bean. You can come out now."

The principal and vice-principal beamed over getting to see who they assumed was a sweet former student.

Seeing that person move into view from behind their aunt and uncle confirmed their assumption. Seeing her remove her hood to reveal her face, however, turned their smiles into looks of shock that quickly morphed into frowns. The room became full of silence and tension as Celestia thought to herself out of renewed concern;

"Sunset Shimmer, and her friends for that matter, will need to hear about this soon!"

Later that afternoon, in the halls of CHS.

Sunset Shimmer's school day started off like usual, with homeroom and science being largely uneventful. But, it was after science class that she noticed that something was off. Whenever she walked down the halls, she found that many of the students who walked passed her were talking amongst themselves, as per usual. But, there was a subtle lingering sense of unease that hovered over them, even as they talked and smiled as if all was right in the world. This was more prominent in the juniors and seniors, some of whom would give Sunset a quick concerned glance as they walked. Thinking deeply about how she could best soothe the minds of her peers, she almost didn't catch Flash Sentry when he rushed over to walk by her right side, his textbook in hand. After they showed each other friendly smiles, Sunset told him out of relief;

"Glad to see you're in good spirits, Flash."

His smile grew just a little larger as she responded confidently;

"It helps that today has been good to me. Good thing too..."

He looked around the hallway to catch sight of the other students who walked by the pair. He, too, noticed the uneasiness that hung over them like an invisible rain cloud that was about ready to release its payload upon them. With a frown and a sigh, he finished his thought;

"Since it's obvious that the school could use some support right now. It's like something's bugging the students and, from I've heard, they can't quite pin down why. I might have an idea about that though..."

He turned his head to give Sunset the kind of calm and serious look that easily got her attention. Before she could speak, he told her;

"Earlier this morning, I got called to the Principal's office. Apparently, they wanted me to warn you and the girls about..."

He sharply turned his attention to the path before him, clearly hesitant to finish his sentence. Worried for her friend, Sunset asked him gently;

"Warn us about what?"

Flash was silent for two whole seconds before sighing audibly and saying with resignation laced in his voice;

"I think it's best that I tell you all during lunch. When we're together in one place, you know?"

As curious as she was, Sunset didn't want to press him too hard. So, she gave him a nod and walked with him to the cafeteria, the unease in the school lingering in her mind.

Later, in the cafeteria.

Sunset, most of her band-mates, the CMCs, and Flash Sentry sat together at their table while enjoying their food. Sunset and Flash sat together along with the kids on one side of the table, while the other Rainbooms sat on the other side. Rarity and Sunset sat at the end of the table that was closest to the cafeteria's doors. Rainbow Dash was tapping the table with her right fingers while looking considerably annoyed. With a grunt, she asked;

"What's taking Pinkie so long?"

Applejack shook her head before noting;

"It ain't like her to be late for lunch."

As if her words had produced a pink summoning symbol covered in glitter and confetti, Pinkie Pie pushed through the doors at that precise moment. She rushed over to the table and practically leaped onto the empty seat between Fluttershy and Twilight, startling them both with ease and a gleeful grin on her face. With an apologetic giggle, Pinkie told her friends;

"Sorry I'm late! My Pinkie Sense flared up right after class had ended and it gave me the party-planning bug!"

Most of her friends smirked, snickered, and giggled over this explanation, entirely accepting of Pinkie's eccentric antics. While Twilight was also smiling, she was curious enough to ask her;

"Who are you planning a party for?"

Pinkie's smile grew wider and brighter as she declared out of excitement;

"I don't know yet!"

Now, Twilight was both curious and confused, to say the least. Just when she thought she knew all there was to know about Pinkie's Pinkie Sense, it pulls something new out of her poofy hair! Thankfully for Twilight, Pinkie already had the details lined up in her head;

"Whenever I get a hair twitch, a bouncy left foot, a right eye twitch, a left ear wiggle, and a burp in that order, that means I've got to plan a party for someone soon! It could be a new person or someone who I haven't seen in a really long time!" she exclaimed with no small amount of joy in her hyperactive demeanor. Most of the Wondercolts present, Twilight included, chalked this up to Pinkie being Pinkie. Flash, however, had put two and two together to make trouble. With a clear cough to get everyone else's attention, he began to explain as calmly as he could;

"The Principal and Vice-Principal wanted me to tell you girls that they had spoken with a visiting former Wondercolt this morning. She's interested in possibly re-enrolling into CHS."

He could feel worry grow from within him as he spoke, and it was for a very specific friend of his. When he finished speaking, he glared at Sunset, his eyes and facial expression letting that worry shine through. Sunset looked back at him while feeling quite concerned for her friend. Yes, the very possibility of a former student returning to the school excited her, but her concern tempered that excitement. The others, however, did not have this issue. Rainbow Dash, by a country mile, was the most excited. With a fist pump to the sky, a large teeth-baring smile, and loud pride, she exclaimed;

"Awwwww yeeeeaah! That's some awesome news!"

Rarity, her dignified smile revealing her happiness over the news, attempted to gently cool down her boisterous friend's exuberance;

"Try to settle down, Rainbow Dash darling. No doubt, Flash Sentry wishes to give us the details, and I'd rather you not make a scene."

Rainbow took a breath and looked around to find a whole slew of eyes gawking at the group of friends. With a sheepish grin, she settled down and focused her attention on Flash. Pinkie Pie was doing her best to not explode with joy over the news, so she opted to bounce on her chair with rapidness that nearly matched that of a jackhammer. Fluttershy and Twilight both held onto her shoulders to get her to calm down before her bouncing could break the chair. They, too, were smiling over the news. Sunset and Flash found their friends' reactions to be a fun, if short, distraction from their cares. But, once they calmed down, those cares returned in full force as they gazed at each other again with renewed worry. As for the CMCs, they beamed bright smiles full of joy for a moment before catching the worry shown on the faces of Flash and Sunset. Just the sight of this was enough to turn their smiles into frowns as Apple Bloom asked Flash the question that was on everyone's mind;

"Who is it?"

It was at that moment that Sweetie Belle thought to herself;

"Wait, she has shown interest?"

The memory of that curly light-blue hair flashed vividly in her mind, which got her to consider a possibility that was both important and unsettling. She looked over at Rarity, who was looking right back at her with eyes widened by realization. Sweetie Belle figured that her sister had the same idea as her, which made it all the more plausible to her. The pair, like the others, turned their attention back over to Flash with worry in their hearts. A worry, that, like Flash's, was focused on one person:

Sunset.

Flash looked at each of the girls and, after a moment of hesitation, he began to reveal;

"It's-"

The doors were audibly pushed open once again, interrupting Flash and prompting the group to see who had just arrived. Who they saw were three people: the man, woman, and child from earlier. The little one, a girl, stood between the adults, her hands holding theirs. This time, her hood was carried in the man's right hand, so her face could be seen by all. Simply witnessing the mere presence of the child threw the whole group into a state of shock, save for a worried Flash. Applejack slowly adjusted her hat with her right hand while softly declaring in slow awe;

"Ohhhh, Nelly..."

Rainbow Dash had to wipe her eyes with both hands to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Fluttershy tried to hide behind her hair while trying to recover from the shock. Pinkie Pie just sat there, stunned and stiff as a rock from her family's rock farm, her mouth agape and eyes wide. Twilight was also shocked to see this kid, enough to absentmindedly adjust her glasses. But, her shock was mixed with her natural inquisitiveness, which was slowly rising to the surface. Rarity was flabbergasted, her wide open mouth covered by both hands to muffle her dramatic gasp. The CMCs' reactions were not that different from Rarity's, especially Sweetie's, which was an almost perfect match with that of her sister. Sunset showed shock on her face for three seconds before a terrible realization had struck her, and her mood, like a hammer to the heart. Now, she showed a frown that revealed an old regret that was all too familiar to her mind and heart. She was sorely tempted to look away from the child out of shame. But, years of personal growth, coupled with her stubbornness, helped Sunset keep her gaze fixed on the little one as she released her grip on the adults' hands and walked towards the group's table. Flash, wasting little time, placed his left hand on Sunset's right shoulder in a silent show of support. Sunset appreciated the gesture, a tiny smile poking through her frown for a brief moment for good measure. They all watched closely as the kid walked closer to them with slow cautioned purpose in every step, the pair of adults following close behind her. As she walked, the other students in the cafeteria slowly began to take notice of her presence. The eighth graders and most of the freshmen didn't pay much mind to this occurrence. But, the rest of the students found it to be quite interesting, not to mention surprising.

After all, many of the older Wondercolts genuinely thought that they would never see that kid in CHS again!

The kid in question silently expressed calmness on her pink face, but there was a subtle intensity in her moderate scarlet eyes that made it clear to the group, to Sunset especially, that she was not in a playful mood. Her two-toned light blue curly hair bounced slightly with each step she took, a white bow tied on top of her head and angled slightly to her left bouncing with the hair. Her outfit consisted of a large red ascot worn around her neck, a lavender t-shirt with a large burgundy rook chess piece on the front, a pair of blue jeans that were a tad ripped at the right knee, and thick brown boots fit for hiking. She stopped to stand within inches of the end of the table where Sunset and Rarity sat. The girl gave the former an narrow glare that was matched by the two adults who stood with her. No anger, bitterness, or even agitation could be seen on their faces, just a calm intensity that gave Sunset pause. Her strength of will helped her maintain her composure in the face of such silent scrutiny, even as the urge to back off out of fear remained. The support she felt from her friends added to that strength, encouraging her to keep her gaze locked on the child. By this point in time, the traditional cacophony of conversations that normally rang out throughout the cafeteria had become noticeably softer in volume as more and more students paid attention to the encounter near the doors. Rarity, gazing upon the child with a knowing stare, lowered her hands from her mouth enough to declare in awe;

"Cozy Glow..."

Her voice was loud enough to be heard by nearby students, who quietly passed Cozy's identity along to their peers. The news had spread like an invisible wildfire within seconds, the shock it produced bringing the cafeteria to a rare and deafening silence. Why, even Granny Smith was watching the situation unfold from her serving counter! All eyes were on Sunset and Cozy now, who continued their stare-down. The former allowed resoluteness and regret to be shown on her face, while the latter maintained intense calmness on hers. Flash, the other Rainbooms, and the CMCs readied themselves to stand up for their friend. Many other students, including those close to the doors, followed suit, Octavia Melody and DJ-P0N3 chief among them. Everyone around Sunset, Cozy Glow, and the pair of grown-ups waited for the shoe to drop. Five agonizingly seconds had passed, during which a certain she-demon had commented on the situation from within Sunset's head;

Ohhhh, I can't wait to see how your 'friends' buck this up!

Cozy Glow, without warning, turned her attention over to Rarity, who had mostly recovered from the shock of her appearance, but was still visibly stunned. Right then and there, the kid's entire demeanor had almost instantly shifted. The look in her eyes became soft like a gentle glow and the friendly smile that formed was as cozy as a blanket. Just the sight of this eased the tension in Rarity's mind as Cozy Glow greeted her with the level of sweetness that was expected from children;

"Lady Rarity. Golly, it's been too long!"

The friendliness being exuded by Cozy Glow was enough to calm the minds of the group of students before her, at least for the most part. Sure, Sunset's friends were still ready to defend her at a moment's notice. But, now, they had hope that this situation could be resolved peaceably. This was a hope that Sunset shared with them, in spite of her regret and shame attempting to stifle it. All the same, she knew that she had to face the music as she did many times before. This time, she dared to believe, it would be through words and nothing more. Rarity, her sense of propriety rising to the surface like a bottle rocket, greeted the little one in return with a joyful smile as happy memories from days long passed played in her mind;

"It most certainly has, Cozy darling!"

With enthusiasm that was balanced by grace, she reached out to Cozy and gave her a gentle hug that was happily accepted. Flash, the CMCs, and the other Rainbooms smiled sweetly at the sight, with Fluttershy, the movie buffs, and Pinkie Pie gushing audibly. Sweetie Belle was especially happy to see Cozy again, although very much like the others, her concern for Sunset never left her mind. After releasing each other from the hug, Cozy and Rarity smiled brightly at each other before the former admitted while looking off to the side out of visible shame;

"Gee, I'm so sorry for not calling you for so long. I... I had to focus on family."

Rarity, not wanting to let her old friend's sadness slide, responded with surety, her smile refusing to vanish;

"Perish the thought! I missed you terribly, but I was certain you had your reasons for not reaching out."

Cozy Glow, after a moment's hesitation, looked back at Rarity to show relief and gratitude in her renewed grin, although it was smaller than the big and bright smile from before. Applejack, with an understanding and hearty chuckle, told the little one;

"Ya' were puttin' family first and for a good reason, Ah reckon. Ya' must have a lot of love for your folks."

The others nodded in agreement, their smiles genuine and strong, although Sunset's was slightly strained. Cozy Glow's smile grew three sizes upon hearing Applejack's words. With sparkling eyes, she exclaimed;

"Uh-huh! I love my whole family lots and lots!"

She hammered her point home by spontaneously giving the two adults near her big hugs full of giggles. Of course, given her size, all she could hug were their legs. They rewarded her sweetness by playing with her curly hair while giving her loving smiles. The entire scene was simply adorable, but try telling that to Sunset's she-demon, who remarked as Cozy went back to talking with Rarity;

Who's going to buck up first, Sunny? I'm putting money on Rainbow Dash bringing back the No Offense joke!

Sunset Shimmer refused to dignify that rancid comment with a response as she kept her focus on the situation at hand. She caught Cozy looking at the students around her while noting excitedly;

"Wow, I see so many familiar faces and some new ones too!"

Now, it was their turn to feel more at ease, as it seemed like all was going to be well from their perspective. Cozy turned her attention onto the Rainbooms and noted;

"Last time I was here, you girls were separated..."

She took a quick glance at their footwear before adding;

"and you wore really tall boots."

Cozy then looked over at Twilight and said;

"I never saw you here before though."

After the girls had a quick laugh over the past, Rarity responded with a nostalgic smile;

"Well, much has changed since you last walked CHS' halls, and not just our ensembles."

Pinkie Pie announced with glee;

"For one thing, we're all friends now!"

Confetti exploded from behind her back as she let out a big dopey smile and raised her hands to the roof, her closed eyes adding to the joy she expressed. No one dared to ask where the confetti came from. Rainbow Dash chimed in with gusto and a confident smirk;

"Not only that, but Sunset went from being a bully to being awesome!"

Sunset enjoyed hearing her demon growl out of annoyance in her mind almost as much as she enjoyed the support she was getting from her friends, not to mention what they were inferring. A friendly grateful smirk started to grow on her face as Fluttershy added softly with somewhat less timidness than usual;

"Um, we'll understand if you're still mad at her. Just know that she won't hurt you ever again."

Cozy gave the Wondercolts who spoke up a wide-eyed glare as they each said their peace, her smile from before replaced with a confused frown. Twilight was next in line;

"I wasn't around to see Sunset at her worst, truth be told," she began before giving Sunset a smile full of warmth and goodwill. She then said truthfully;

"But, I can tell you from personal experience that she is a person who I'm proud to call my friend."

The demon's frustrated growling became more mentally audible, which contrasted with Sunset's growing happiness as she heard Pinkie Pie cheerfully exclaim;

"She's sweet, fun in parties, and makes people happy!"

Flash spoke up as well with confidence in every word he uttered;

"The whole school can tell you stories about Sunset's good heart."

"We sure can!" declared the CMCs, their smiles shining like a trio of stars.

The demon was about ready to yell out an insult in Sunset's head, but Applejack's words, born from the heart, silenced her. She gave Cozy Glow a look of sweetness and said;

"What we're sayin' is the honest truth, sugarcube..."

She gave Sunset a smile fueled by years of well-earned friendship and finished with certainty;

"Sunset Shimmer ain't a bully no more."

Cozy Glow's confusion became even more visible as she turned to look at the other students who witnessed the conversation play out. They were expressing supportive grins of their own and it was easy for her to tell who they were aimed at. She abruptly turned her back to have it face the table the Rainbooms were sitting at. After taking a few seconds to silently process what she had just heard, she spoke to the students behind her, the calmness in her voice hiding the emotions inside;

"She ain't a bully no more, you say?"

Just like that, the worry felt by every Wondercolt at the table returned with a vengeance. Another two seconds of silence passed before Cozy Glow turned right around and walked up to stand close to Sunset. Close enough for Cozy to lean right up to her face as closely as her little body could allow, her intense glare having returned in full force. Sunset, in spite of her renewed regret, remained composed, her face reflecting her calm focus. The stare-down between them lasted for three seconds before Cozy declared with calm definitive certainty;

"I'll be the judge of that."

Without saying another word, she turned around, walked up to her adult chaperones, took their hands, and promptly walked out of the cafeteria with them. As soon as the doors closed behind the trio, everyone in the room collectively, and audibly, exhaled out of relief. Applejack, after adjusting her hat once more, expressed that relief;

"Well, that could've gone worse."

"Indeed..." said Rarity, who was deep in thought while eying the closed doors;

"It would seem that Sunset is not an enemy to Cozy."

"But, she is no friend of hers either," noted Twilight while giving Sunset a quick warm glance. As the others deliberated over how to best handle the kid, among other topics, the CMCs gazed down at their food in silence. Memories played out in their heads: painful moments they wish they had never caused appearing one after the other like scenes from a movie edited together to a form a reel laced with regret. At the end of it was a memory that tied them all together:

Sunset Shimmer shedding genuine tears.

The CMCs slowly took their apples with their right hands, raised them up to their mouths, and chomped on them in unison while expressing a look of shared and unflinching determination, their minds locked in on their next act.

After school, it the Principal's Office.

The Rainbooms were talking with Celestia and Luna. The main outstanding item for discussion was quickly addressed;

"If we were able, we would have warned you about Cozy Glow ourselves," said Celestia with a calm yet apologetic tone of voice. Luna finished for her older sister with a similar tone;

"But, we recognized that we would be swamped with work today, so we acted accordingly."

Sunset, with an understanding grin, responded;

"Your work is hardly ever done, so I get you having Flash warn us."

"Thankfully, it all worked out, at least for the time being," noted Twilight. Applejack took this moment to ask the two educators;

"So, what's the word on the youngin'?"

The whole band looked at the pair with polite expectant eyes as Applejack elaborated;

"Is Cozy re-enrollin'?"

Celestia and Luna looked back at them for a moment before sighing to let the tension out of their bodies. The Principal answered calmly while gazing at each Rainboom present;

"Two things."

She raised her right index finger up to have it hover next to her face's right side;

"One: She will visit us a few more times to get a better sense of the school's environment before making a decision."

She brought out her right ring finger before finishing, her eyes locked on Sunset;

"Two: Cozy Glow's current grievance is with Sunset."

She gave the lady in question an expression filled with understanding as Luna added;

"Her words, not ours."

Sunset let out a heavy regretful sigh and frown, which prompted Rainbow Dash to give her right shoulder an encouraging bump, which she took notice of, while saying with a toothy smirk

"Well then, all SunShim has to do is show the squirt how cool she is and they'll be buddies before they know it!"

Sunset gave Rainbow a small grateful smile while Applejack noted;

"Makin' friends is somethin' Sunset's mighty good at, so Ah reckon she'll warm Cozy's heart."

The mare in the room felt her friends' support flood her heart and head with good vibes as she gazed at each of them, her smile having grown much larger. They all gazed back at her with grins full of goodwill, with Pinkie waving a small flag that had Sunset's smiling face crudely drawn on it with her right hand. With gratitude in her voice, Sunset told them;

"Thanks, girls. if I need help with making peace with Cozy, I'll know who to turn to."

Yeah, like you'll actually bring yourself to ask for-

She cut off her demon's remark by suddenly hugging Rarity, who responded with a chuckle full of surprise while hugging her back. The other girls joined in to form one of their many, many group hugs around Sunset, which the Principal and Vice-Principal happily witnessed in silence. All the demon could do was, once again, grumble and growl. After the hug was broken up, the girls returned their attention to Celestia and Luna, the former deciding to speak again;

"Well, I believe that will be all for Sunset here."

She focused her eyes on Sunset and told her;

"You may go now. Luna and I have to speak with your friends some more before they can leave as well."

With a quick polite nod, she took her leave of the office, but not before turning to give her friends one more friendly look when she reached the door and saying to them;

"See you later!"

Once the door was closed and Sunset was now out of sight, the band and pair of educators leaned closer to each other over the desk between them. Celestia and Luna revealed playful smirks that hinted at their excitement as the latter asked;

"So, how goes the renovation project?"

Applejack, with a smirk of her own, answered like a seasoned home renovator;

"Progress is slow goin', but it's steady. The hardwood for the first floor is holdin' strong and a dern sight prettier than that whole mess of concrete that the sugarcube had to deal with. Them walls have largely been fixed up too, but we gotta double-check for any cracks we might've missed before we can give 'em either paint or wallpaper. Ah'm thinkin' paint myself."

"I can see why you would make that choice, Applejack darling," Rarity said in response while giving the farmer a certain glare that signaled the start of an argument. After waiting a moment, she elaborated on her point with well-practiced sophistication;

"The beauty of the right coat of wall paint is matched by the simplicity of its application. However, it would be unwise to immediately discount the detailed visual splendor of wallpaper."

Applejack shook her head while feeling the argument coming through the growing tension in her head. The others watched with interest as she delivered to Rarity her counterpoint while glaring back at her;

"A good wallpaper can be a pretty sight, true enough. But, if it starts peelin' off the wall, it'll go from pretty to ugly in a hurry."

"Not if it is properly installed, darling, and certainly not in a bathroom with a shower."

Smugness appeared on Rarity's face as she added;

"I believe it was you who warned me about that when I wanted to cover the walls of Sunset' shower with wallpaper."

"Dangnabit, when that girl makes a good argument..." Applejack thought with a sigh as she decided to offer the fashionista a compromise;

"How about this? We can paint the livin' room, bathroom, and kitchen. But, we can also add wallpaper to the basement room and maybe the den we're gonna build outside."

Rarity held her chin with her left hand while pondering in silence. She did this for two seconds, three seconds, four seconds...

The suspense annoyed Applejack by the fifth second, with the others showing far more patience. Her face was noticeably tense and her eyes were quite narrow. Thankfully for her, Rarity gave her answer upon the sixth second;

"Acceptable."

Applejack released her annoyance and facial tension with a hearty honest laugh before commenting;

"Ya' just love to mess with me, don't ya'."

"Only because it is harmless fun between us and the faces you make in response are simply priceless," was Rarity's reply, which was augmented by a friendly titter.

The other girls chuckled over the banter between the pair. Celestia, with a smile, asked the band;

"So, I take it you've gotten plenty of help so far?"

The girls looked over at Celestia and Luna as Twilight explained with excitement in her voice;

"We have acquired assistance from several of our fellow students. In fact, we are expecting more of them to help us today, which will most certainly be a boon for us."

With that matter resolved, Applejack looked over at Celestia and Luna, who had allowed their concern to melt into relief, even as the younger sister kept her eyes on Twilight. Applejack asked the two;

"Is there anythin' else ya'll need from us?"

They thought for a moment before shaking their heads, with Celestia replying on their behalf;

"Nothing comes to mind at the moment. We'll contribute to the project as well when and where we can."

She winked at the girls and added with a smirk;

"You'd be surprised at how busy a Principal and Vice-Principal can be after school hours."

Luna smirked as well, knowing exactly what her older sister was speaking of. The Rainbooms smiled back to show their understanding and appreciation before Twilight, out of continued excitement, motioned to the door while exclaiming;

"Come on girls! We have a living space that needs an extensive overhaul!"

The band rushed through the door, with Fluttershy closing it behind her as quietly as she could. Celestia and Luna sighed heavily, with the younger sister noting while a smile;

"Sunset Shimmer is lucky to have friends like them."

Celestia nodded in silent agreement while thinking of the wonderful moments the Rainbooms had made for CHS. Just then, Luna's smile turned pained as she softly declared with dread lurking beneath her voice;

"Given the path they walk, who they are, and what we suspect, sister-mine..."

Her hands clenched into fists when she finished with surety that matched her dread;

"They will need each other in the end."

Later that afternoon, at Sunset's house (under renovation).

Compared to previous days, the house was practically buzzing with activity. Along with those who stepped up early on, such as Octavia, Flash, and DJ-P0N3, other Wondercolts had also joined in on the effort. Tree Hugger worked with Sandlewood and Roseluck to tidy up the front porch. Down in the basement, Microchips and Trixie were carefully cleaning the place up. The vacant lot behind the house was handled by Fluttershy and Twist, who were looking for lost critters to rescue before work could be done out there. As for Applejack, she had a task of her own in mind;

"Okay, ya'll! Time to test these 'ere stairs!" she announced with hammer in hand and transparent safety goggles worn over her eyes. Like everyone else working on the house, she was wearing a yellow hard hat. Her trusty stetson was placed in the CMCs' parked wagon on the sidewalk, which was being watched over by Spike and Winona, who patrolled around the wagon. Some of the Wondercolts present had answered Applejack's call by rushing over to the foot of the bedroom stairs. She saw that it was Bulk Biceps, Pinkie Pie, and the CMCs who had joined her. Satisfied by the turnout and assortment of builds she could work with, Applejack explained to the lineup of workers;

"Now, them stairs behind me have been built up."

She pointed at the stairs themselves with her right thumb. From their positions, the line of friends could see the fully finished set. Like the floor, they were made with good quality wood, but this wood was a lighter shade of brown than the hardwood floor. Bolted onto the walls on both sides of the stairway were round thick wooden rails that had the same color as the stairs. Without skipping a beat, Applejack continued;

"Ah just need to give 'em a few stress tests to see how well they can handle bein' put to use. Think ya'll can help me out with that?"

The young workers nodded their heads and smiled, more than happy to help out. The first ones to be called up were the CMCs, who ran up to stand at the stairs after giving each other fist bumps. With a knowing smirk, she told the kids;

"Form a line and march up and down them stairs. If them steps make any weird noises, let me know."

The CMCs knew exactly how they wanted to do their task. So, Apple Bloom ordered them with loud excitement;

"CMCS! LIIIIINE UP!"

They did exactly that, with Apple Bloom taking the lead, Sweetie Belle in the middle, and Scootaloo bringing up the rear. Without further ado, the leader commanded;

"MOVIE CLUB: MARCH!"

The others watched with smiles and chuckles as the trio marched up the stairs, their feet and legs moving in unison like they were a bunch of little soldiers. Once they reached the top, Apple Bloom yelled out;

"MOVIE CLUB: HALT!"

They stopped to stand inside of the bedroom. They looked around, the room was now entirely bare, its furniture and other important items having already been moved out of it. Heck, the only sign that was it once lived in, if one could call it that, was the opened window. To most people, this would be nothing more than a bare room. But, to the Canterlot Movie Club, this was a blank canvas that was waiting to be filled. In their minds, they imagined what the room would look like when they were done, and perhaps more vividly, the joy that Sunset would express when they show it off to her. The kids expressed confident smiles full of warmth and love as Apple Bloom declared;

"Phoenix Friend, when we're done, this 'ere room will make ya' heart warm no matter the weather!"

With that, the trio reformed their line. Once that was done, Apple Bloom ordered her friends with a brighter smile than she had when they walked in;

"MOVIE CLUB: MARCH!"

Further into the living room, where the couch used to be, Twilight was staring intently at the blank space that its removal had left behind, her mind conducting accurate measurements at a rapid pace. She could easily hear the sound of Pinkie Pie bouncing up and down the stairs with audible cheer as she thought to herself;

"There is enough space for us to knock down a section of this wall and make it into a door. That would allow us to access the vacant lot without having to walk around the house. However..."

She eyed the white pair of electrical sockets to her right that were built into the bottom of the wall. With a sigh, she decided;

"We need to make certain that we're not going to hit any wiring before committing to this action. I need to examine the layout of the house's wiring for that."

Not even the loud steps of Bulk Biceps could derail Twilight's train of thought;

"I had found the layout after extensive online research earlier, but it is still saved on my computer at home. I'll print it out tonight, so that we can-"

Just then, an idea formed in her mind, one that made her smile brightly. She quickly pulled her smartphone out from her pocket and did some screen tapping and swiping with her thumb to bring up the text messenger app's message list. A single swipe was enough to reveal a group chat, which Twilight accessed with one good tap. Right when she hovered her thumb above the textbox for new messages, she hesitated. She then thought to herself;

"I've been meaning to bring the Shadowbolts team into this project. But, I haven't gotten around to contacting them yet."

Yeah, because those basic troglodytes don't deserve to be in the presence of their betters.

Twilight felt terror over hearing the voice of her demon in her head again, but her resolve to heal her invisible scars rose to match it. It was then that she had a revelation, one that strengthened her resolve with confidence, the kind that made her do her best take on Rainbow Dash's cocky smirk. Before Midnight Sparkle could speak again, she wrote a text message in earnest with both thumbs and sent it to the group chat. After briskly stuffing her phone back into her pocket, she declared in her mind while holding that smirk of hers in place;

"Thank you for the accidental encouragement!"

At that moment, Twilight felt a razor sharp pain in her head, which prompted her to hold it with both hands while her face tensed and frowned with pain. A certain song echoed from within her mind;

Unleash the magic! Unleash the magic! We're not friends here after all.

Before the next part of the chorus could echo in Twilight's mind, the memory of Sugarcoat's voice interrupted the song;

"We want to be your friends, if you'll have us..."

That memory was enough to get the headache to fade away within seconds, allowing Twilight to let her hands fall and recollect herself. With a calm adjustment of her glasses, she nodded her head in agreement with her heart's silently delivered advice, her cocky smile back in full strength.

Later that evening, in Carousal Boutique.

Rarity, having recently returned from helping with the renovation project, was inspecting the clothing that was neatly stashed in one of the rows of shelves that lined the walls of the boutique. Coco Pommel was busying herself at the cashier's desk by doodling on a page in her small notebook. Her creation in progress was a drawing of a dress idea that came to her head earlier in the day and she just could not resist putting it onto paper. Thankfully, it was a quiet day at work so far and she had no immediate duties to tackle. So, no harm was being done from her perspective. Just then, the doorbell rang, grabbing both hers and Rarity's attention. Coco quickly placed the notebook on her desk and closed it before declaring;

"I'll get it!"

She then walked over to the door at a brisk pace to avoid making the potential customer outside wait too long. Rarity went back to conducting her inspection. Coco opened the door, which allowed her to see what this person looked like. By Celestia's ever-flowing mane, did their appearance strike her! It was clear to Coco, upon first glance, that this was a woman. But, her outfit was tough to process to say the least! With nervousness in her voice and a slightly shaky pair of legs, Coco called to her boss and friend while keeping her eyes locked on the customer;

"Uhh, Miss-I mean, Rarity? Could you help me with this one please?"

"I'll be right there!" she replied with a sing-song voice before walking up to her friend. She was about halfway to the door when she noted;

"I see nothing wrong with helping a co-worker every now and-"

She instantly stopped speaking and stood next to Coco upon catching sight of the customer. Rarity became as still as a statue. Her eyes were wide with shock and her mouth was agape for a moment before she declared in soft awe;

"Oh... my..."

The woman who stood before them on the other side of the door was somewhat taller than the both girls and was utterly silent. The orange shirt, matching pants, brown shoes, and darkly colored gloves that she was wearing were striking enough to Rarity and Coco. But, they could not figure out what was more outlandish about her appearance:

The dark gray bandages that covered her neck and face, the matching voice box attached to her neck, the dark gray goggles with visors that were red like blood, or the long thin hat that fans of old western films would adore.

For a reason that Rarity Belle could not fathom at the time, a terrible chill crept up her spine that made her body shiver...

Author's Note

Sunset and company got visited by the past in tiny bean form, more friends step in to help with the renovation project, and...

"Sees The Wrecker at Rarity's door."

Well... "coughs" Rarity and Coco had best be careful with this one...

Very careful! :raritydespair:

Soooo, in case you readers haven't quite figured it out yet: this story is set during Season 8 of Friendship is Magic. The same season that introduced the fandom to the most demented filly in G4. As for this story's Cozy, you'll learn more about what she's about in due time. The CMCs are certainly interested in her.

On that note, I'd like to say something about this story, since we're so deep in it now:

It has so many spinning plates! Major plots, side plots, and world building (oh my)! I'm amazed I can keep track of it all, frankly. Speaking of world building, if you think that the beginning portion of this chapter that tackles the Crystal Kingdom is nothing more than fluff, then I gotta warn you:

I'm a guy who likes to pay off what I set up in my writing whenever possible, and that includes world building. :raritywink:

Chapter 22 - A Wraith in the Boutique

As a fashionista with years of experience under her belt, Rarity had seen a wide variety of people walk through the doors of her boutique. Businessfolk, athletes, musicians, bikers, a certain Princess of Friendship, police officers, and more besides. Why, she even had the honor of helping Mayor Mare herself purchase a marvelous ensemble fit for her political meetings! However, Rarity had never seen a customer quite like the one she and Coco were ushering into the main shopping area: A silent woman draped in mystery! She was able to get over the initial shock and conduct herself appropriately, though. She was, after all, a lady of class, and she was not one to turn down a customer. Regardless, Rarity could not stop herself from gazing at the woman's outfit, even as she committed the chill from a moment ago to memory. This unique assortment of clothing had gotten the tailor's initial attention with ease, but it also revealed a troubling aspect of its owner. If she were to describe this aspect, it would be natural quiet intimidation. The hat, goggles, and bandages, she found, did a great job of bringing this aspect to life. Combine all of that with the way the woman walked and it was clear to Rarity that she was faced with someone who could make multiple people shake in their boots with her presence alone. As Rarity and Coco guided the customer to the center of the shop, Rarity looked at her co-worker and friend to find that she was quite nervous, her arms shaking slightly. Rarity could feel her own reigned in nerves, so she couldn't blame her counterpart. But, she could also tell that Coco was refusing to buckle under the stress, much to her pride. Still, she made the mental decision to be at her friend's side while tending to the customer, if nothing else but to help her charge get through this situation. Once they stopped at their destination and took a step back (two in Coco's case), Rarity took this chance to try to break the ice with the new patron in the hopes of calming her friend and getting the ball rolling at the same time. She looked right at the intimidating woman and began by greeting her while putting her well honed sense of lady-like propriety to good use;

"Welcome to Carousal Boutique, where everything is chic, unique, and très magnifique!"

The woman of mystery responded by slowly tipping her sizeable hat to both ladies with her right hand in utter silence. Rarity could always appreciate a polite greeting, even if it did come off as intimidating. Before she could say anything else, however, the customer reached into her right pants pocket, pulled out a smartphone, and began tapping and swiping on its screen with her right gloved index finger. The pair of fashionistas watched her out of pure curiosity, with Rarity opting to look upon her with a tailor's eye;

"Applejack would most definitely approve of the hat, given her appreciation for such headwear. It makes me think of fashionable wandering rogues," she thought to herself before narrowing her focus on the woman's face;

"No doubt there are stories behind the bandages and goggles. I certainly cannot imagine the awful ordeal the poor dear must have gone through to need that voice box."

She then lowered her focus onto the orange shirt and pants, her eyes shining slightly with recognition;

"The rest of her garments give the impression that she is a former prisoner. Perhaps, she has recently finished her sentence?"

Before Rarity could ponder further, the woman stopped messing with her phone and reached out to the tailor with her right hand to show her the screen. It depicted a notepad app with two typed sentences;

I need a new shirt, pants, and boots. Do NOT change anything else.

Rarity read the sentences twice before noting in her mind;

"Text-based communication, and yet, her voice box should allow her to speak vocally. I will not judge, of course."

With the noted requirements in mind, she turned around and walked over to the door that led to the stairs while happily telling the customer and Coco;

"Wait here, you two, I must get the measuring tools!"

Before Coco could so much as 'eep' in fear, Rarity walked through the door and closed it behind. There, the young fashionista stood, nearly within striking distance of a woman who was equal parts mysterious and menacing. She shivered slightly before looking away from her out of nervousness and fear. Just then, music began to play from the speakers that hung high on the walls in several spots through the boutique. At this point, hearing music at all was enough to calm Coco's nerves, this song in particular having begun with an intro that combined a confident electric guitar with soft electronic sounds. As the intro played, she dared to look at the customer again, only to find that she was gazing up at one of the speakers in silence;

"Maybe she's a music fan?" Coco pondered, hoping to find some measure of common ground with her. Within moments, the song's singer began to perform;

Power... Was all I desired.

At the precise moment when the voice of Sunset Shimmer echoed from the speakers, the mysterious customer's hands instantly tightened into fists. Fists that shook with a rapidly growing anger that, internally, she was trying to keep reigned in;

"That... voice..." she thought while mustering no small amount of self control. The continuation of the song did not help matters much;

But all that grew inside of me

was a darkness I acquired.

"Control... Stay in control!" the woman told herself with mental authority, even as one terrible memory after another flashed before her eyes. Other than her shaking fists, no other part of her body moved an inch. Coco, having witnessed all of this transpire, didn't have to be an expert socialite to recognize that she was angry. No, furious! Yet, Coco was confused;

"Why would that song make her act this way?" she wondered. Coco had never heard this song before, but she didn't sense any danger from it or its lyrics. The irate woman before her, however, was sending warning signs that screamed to her mind 'call Rarity now'! She was about to do exactly that when the doorbell rang again and the door opened. This, much to Coco's relief, had gotten the customer's immediate attention, distracting her from both the song and her anger. Now, most people would have been taken aback by the sight of a person who bore an appearance as menacing as hers suddenly gazing upon them.

However, Pinkie Pie was not like most people.

Pinkie Pie ran over to the woman before leaning towards the her face with a narrow, inspecting glare. Coco quietly, and nervously, gazed at the pair. With a soft hum and her right hand holding her chin, Pinkie inspected the oddly dressed customer for a good three seconds. After that, she loudly gasped while hopping in place, her eyes wide with shock. Right after landing, she loudly expressed her shock with words delivered at a rapid-fire pace;

"I've never met you before and I've met lots of people in Canterlot City! Which means you're a visitor, which also means-"

Pinkie gasped again, this time with a longer inhale than before, and declared;

"I haven't thrown you a 'Welcome to Canterlot City' party yet!"

Coco was, in a word, stunned. In all her life, she had never encountered someone as explosively energetic as Pinkie Pie before! The customer was also stunned, but she deftly kept that feeling internalized so that she could stand as stiff as a statue while looking right at Pinkie. While this whole encounter was taking place, Rarity had returned to the main shopping area while holding measuring tools in both hands. She walked over to stand with Coco at her right side, her presence alone helping to ease her charge's mind. With a soft titter, Rarity noted;

"Oh, such lovely timing."

She then walked over to her pink friend before greeting her with polite sweetness;

"A fine good evening to you, darling!"

Pinkie gave her friend a bright smile and an enthusiastic wave before turning her attention to Coco. Within moments of doing so, Pinkie gasped again before running up to her and exclaiming with glee;

"Oh my gosh! You must be Rarity's new co-worker and childhood friend!"

With no restraint whatsoever, she began to bounce around a positively stunned Coco while speed-talking out of pure excitement;

"My name is Pinkie Pie and I'm Rarity's friend too! I haven't thrown a party for you either, Coco! But, I'll solve that problem really soon, you'll see! Oh, we're gonna have so much fun-"

Rarity, with firm grace, grabbed her excited pink friend by her shoulders and told her sweetly;

"Pinkie, darling, we can discuss party-related matters later. Coco and I have fashion duties to attend to!"

Her words were enough to get Pinkie's attention and calm her down, which prompted Rarity to release her. She then looked over at the stiff customer and the stunned Coco before declaring with a friendly gleam in her eyes;

"Ladies, allow me to introduce you to one of my dearest friends and Canterlot City's foremost party planner: Pinkie Pie."

Pinkie waved at them both while giving them one of her famous giant smiles. Coco's mind was somewhat soothed by her natural cheer. How this happened, she could not figure out for the life of her. As for the customer, the distraction provided by Pinkie had calmed her fury enough for her to keep it safely managed. She gazed at Pinkie Pie with a considerably narrow glare that her goggles kept hidden from sight. In silence, she pondered;

"This one is fueled by either genuine positivity or something else entirely. Both, perhaps?"

Before the woman could blink, Pinkie zoomed up to her and slowly moved her right index finger up to her bandaged nose. Coco was about ready to yell at the peppy girl to stop her from accidentally inciting the customer's wrath, especially since a certain song was still playing;

Like a phoenix burning bright in the sky,

I'll show you another side of me you can't deny!

Amazingly, the woman was too focused on Pinkie's odd behavior to notice the music. The party planner slowly poked her nose and declared with the playfulness of a child;

"Boop!"

As far as Coco was concerned, Pinkie had accidentally pushed the detonate button on a living anger bomb! But, before she could try to prevent an explosion, she heard Rarity titter jovially. Looking over at her with an incredulous expression, she saw that the fashionista had the demeanor of a woman who saw no trouble in the situation whatsoever. Rarity looked at Coco and, with a knowing smirk, told her with a calming voice;

"Watch for a moment, darling. Trust me."

As frightened as she was, Coco knew she could trust her friend. So, she hesitantly held herself back while watching what was going to happen next. The customer said nothing and, for a good few seconds, did nothing in response to being booped. An old and powerful memory flashed in the woman's mind, one that inflamed certain strong emotions within her. The woman's wrappings and goggles, combined with self-control, hid any facial expressions she would have otherwise revealed. All of this pushed her to make a decision. Both ladies were still for two seconds before the woman brought out her right hand, slowly reached for Pinkie's nose with her right index finger and booped it in return. Being booped was enough to make her giggle while gently holding her nose with her right hand. Rarity chuckled before declaring with a beaming grin;

"Oh, darlings, you are lighting up the shop with your sweetness!"

Pinkie's giant smile, somehow, got even bigger after she got booped. Much to Coco's utter confusion, her poofy pink hair became slightly more saturated than it was before. Of course, hearing Rarity's voice stopped her from tackling the customer with an almost bone-crunching hug;

"Pinkie, could you be a dear and watch over my office for a bit? Coco and I must get our customer an updated ensemble," she suggested to her in a dignified manner. Pinkie saluted Rarity before zooming to the stairs, leaving a pink trail in her wake and closing the door behind her. The silent woman stood back up and watched Pinkie as she left while gently rubbing her booped nose with her right hand. Coco's fear was no where near as strong as it was before, thank to Rarity's strange friend. Of course, there was still the matter of helping the customer get new clothes, hopefully without her getting seriously angry. Again.

It didn't help Sunset's song was still being played in the boutique. But, it seemed like the bandaged woman was not actively listening to it. For the moment. After Rarity walked over to her and took a few minutes to get her measurements, she declared in a graceful and excited manner while placing her tools on the cashier's desk;

"Come along then, darling. Coco and I shall help you shine!"

Without further ado, Rarity briskly returned to the woman, took her by the hand, and guided her through the shop. Coco gulped upon seeing this, her fear rising to the surface again as she followed the pair. She tried oh so hard to look at Rarity and not at the menacing silent figure she was escorting. The trio moved over to the lines of shelves that held shirts in abundance and a wide variety. Soon enough, Rarity had begun searching the shelves for the clothing that would best fulfill the customer's request. Checking each shelf she could reach, she carefully inspected the garments they held. Coco helped by checking the shelves that her boss had yet to reach, if nothing else but to keep her frightened mind busy while still being of help. Sadly, they were finding that a lot of the clothing present were not suited to their needs;

"Too bright... much too soft... good colors but the thickness of the fabric simply won't do," Rarity noted to herself as she worked. Sometimes, she would pull some clothing out from a shelf to get a feel for the textures before carefully putting it back. Other times, however, she would simply inspect clothing with her eyes before rejecting them and moving on. Coco did very much the same things, only with a hint of nervousness and fear in her voice;

"T-this one is colorful, b-but it would clash with the bandages... This one is q-quite dark, but there's too much red m-mixed in..."

The poor girl was amazed she didn't drop any articles of clothing out of rattled nerves! Sometimes, she would listen closely while working, in case the mysterious woman exhibited any audible signs of danger. Nothing of the sort came up though, for she maintained her silent demeanor. Whilst she and Rarity worked, the song echoed without pause throughout the room;

Ambition... is what I believed

To be the only way to set me free.

Once she finished with her fourth shelf, Coco used a great deal of courage to turn around and check on the customer. She quickly saw that she had taken notice of a bunch of jackets that were hanging in a circle on one of the racks nearby. Coco watched with a shaky breath as the woman browsed the lineup of jackets before catching sight of a dark gray one made of faux-leather. Slowly, the woman took the jacket's sleeve into her gloved hands and rubbed it with her fingers to get a feel for its texture. Coco, with a gulp, couldn't help but think;

"How does she look so intimidating while checking out clothes?!"

Evidently, Rarity had also taken notice of the customer's behavior, for she had noted with polite enthusiasm while walking passed Coco and over to her;

"Ah yes, jackets such as that one are quite popular among the rebellious in our fair city. Note the round silver buttons that dot the front of the collar."

The woman checked the collar and quickly found the buttons in question, which were sewn into the fabric in a vertical line on each side. She inspected them while Rarity continued;

"I find that the buttons serve as a simple, yet effective way to make the jacket stand out when surrounded by matching colors without overtaking other aspects of an outfit."

The customer gazed at the jacket for a few seconds longer, as if pondering her choice, before taking it off of its rack with both hands. With grace, Rarity took the jacket out of her hands, carefully folded it up, and looked over at Coco. With a smile, she asked her;

"Could you be a dear and fetch for us one of the large shopping bags, please?"

Coco nodded and rushed over to the bags, which were neatly stashed in a large box under the cashier's desk. She was internally, and visibly, grateful to have this chance to clear her head and do a good job at the same time. After obtaining a bag, she brought it over to Rarity, who placed the jacket inside of it without letting the clothing lose its neatness. With a similar level of care, Coco took the bag back to the desk and placed it there while Rarity guided the woman over to another rack, this one holding a whole circle of shirts that consisted of various colors and designs. A still nervous Coco opted to watch from the desk as her boss explained to their customer with practiced skill and grace;

"Of course, even the smashing style exuded by a faux-leather jacket can only be strengthened by a proper undershirt. Since dark gray is clearly an important part of your color scheme, your undershirt should reflect that."

She sighed dramatically before adding;

"Oh, but using just that color would make the shirt blend in and that would simply not do. Additional colors, such as those used by a stylish design on the front, will make it pop!"

The woman said nothing while slowly crossing her arms.

"Her muscular, dark, bandaged, and menacing arms," Coco thought with a fearful shiver. All of her instincts told her that there was something more to those arms than what her eyes could discern. Something dangerous. Still, this woman was not causing any harm, so Coco felt no need to sound the alarm. As frightened as she was, she would not dare to ruin a potentially good sale for Rarity out of terror. So, she kept her eyes peeled on both women as Rarity browsed through the shirts on the rack. It took her a good ten seconds to find one that caught her eye, which she expertly pulled off of the rack by its hanger and turned it to let the customer see its front. She then explained with a beaming smile that could only come from her excitement over showing off interesting clothing;

"This one depicts a most chilling example of artistic contrast: the head of a man draped in a hood while nearly covered in a ghostly green hue. Note the green glow along the outlines of the hood and the head. Well, half of the head, to be precise."

From Coco's vantage point, she could not see the artwork on the shirt. But, she had worked in the boutique long enough to have seen it before and it always looked too spooky for her to gaze upon for long. She figured that was the intent, a fact that she was sure the customer would catch on to as Rarity went on while making sure to not look directly at the shirt's artwork;

"As you can see, the head's right side, our left, appears to be alive with no ghostly glow. It has old scarring in multiple places, yes, but it otherwise seems to be in good health. The rest of the head, however, is a much different story..."

She shuddered audibly before catching her breath and continuing with a more serious tone and expression;

"It is bruised, battered, and cut all over. The green spectral hue I spoke of earlier covers this half of the head in place of its skin color, its glow adding to the notion that this head belongs to a person who, in spite of everything, simply refuses to perish."

That, right there, was why Coco didn't want to look at that shirt's front if she could help it! The thing looked way too spooky for her tastes. At that moment, she noticed that the silent woman's head cocked slightly to the right when Rarity finished explaining the artwork, seemingly unfazed by its terrifying imagery. Rarity, after taking another breath, added while containing her internal disgust over what she was going to speak of;

"Thankfully, this shirt does not depict a single drop of blood or other, more gruesome, forms of physical damage. Still, I make sure to keep it out of sight of children when necessary."

A quick head shake later and she noted with renewed dignity;

"We've tried to sell it on numerous occasions, especially during Halloween. But, no one has dared to pur-"

The woman interrupted her by reaching out and softly poking the head on the shirt with her right index finger, and then angling her arm to point at the shopping bag. Seeing that brought relief to Rarity's mind as she gratefully expressed;

"Oh, thank you so much, darling! Keeping that shirt out of sight of Sweetie Belle and her friends has been a challenge to say the least. I hope it serves you well, especially since it is your size."

Recognizing what to do, Coco carefully took the shirt from Rarity, folded it up, and placed it in the bag. With that settled, Rarity declared;

"Now then, let us find you some suitable pants. Oh, but what kind, I wonder?"

Within minutes, the quiet woman found herself a new pair of dark gray pants that Rarity was quick to gush over;

"I'm glad to see these jeans have caught your eye, darling! You see, they were made with a single watchword in mind..."

She raised her right index finger up to the side of her face before continuing;

"Practicality."

She lowered her right hand to point at the jeans' pockets and noted with a beaming smile;

"It comes with a respectable assortment of pockets just below the belt area in abject defiance of the fashion industry's..."

She groaned in disgust for a moment;

"Disdain for letting women use more than our purses to carry our effects with."

Her smile returned with a vengeance along with the gushing;

"The jeans are also quite flexible compared to their contemporaries. Not quite to the level of yoga pants, mind you, but they still provide ample room to stretch and move about."

The customer took the jeans into both hands, allowed them to unfold, and slowly turned them around to count the number of pockets;

"One... two... four pockets. Two medium ones in the front and a deep one on each side. Useful," she thought to herself. She quickly noticed that these jeans already had a brown belt with a silver buckle attached to them, which she figured was simply part of the set. Once the jeans and belt were added to the shopping bag, Rarity guided the trio to the boots section. The customer gazed at the rows of footwear with great interest as the fashionista explained;

"Here, we have a wide variety of boots on sale. Let us see if Coco and I can find ones that are to your liking."

She motioned for Coco to join her, which she did so at quick pace wrought by nerves and dutifulness. The two looked through each row of boots, hoping to find one that would suit their patron's fancy. They went through tall ones, short ones, thick ones fit for workers, and more besides. The customer, however, had caught sight of a pair that instantly grabbed her interest. It was a pair that was standing at the far-right side of the middle row, out of the way of the other pairs. These boots were on the short side, yet they gave off an aura of raw toughness that the woman was quick to recognize. They were dark gray with a thick rigid bottom and a whole line of matching laces that went up to the collar. What had also caught the woman's eyes was the artwork on each side of the boots: golden flames rising up to about halfway towards the collar. Before she could inspect them further, Rarity called out to her excitedly;

"You have a good eye for footwear, darling!"

She turned to look at Rarity as she guided Coco over to the boots. Her tailor's eyes fixed on them, she gushed while pulling from an expert's memory;

"These boots come from a line of clothing fit for the discerning laborer. They were made with a focus on durability and comfort, so that their owners can use them for a lengthy period of time, regardless of the jobs they take on. Every part of the boots, from the heels to the stitching, was built with this mind. Of course, the fiery artwork is strictly an aesthetic choice and a fine one at that."

She shook her head and added with a smile;

"I used to rarely work with such a line, for I thought it veered too far away from beauty in favor of practicality. But, I've learned from an honest friend of mine that practicality and beauty can go together in ways that one may not expect."

The silent woman, while listening intently to Rarity's explanation, took the boots into her gloved hands and carefully inspected them. She felt their material's rugged texture as well as the rigid heels, arches, and soles while thinking to herself;

"Tough material... sturdy construction... these boots were made for getting into scraps."

The customer gave Rarity a satisfied nod, which prompted her to graciously take the boots into her hands and get them into the bag. Once that was done, she turned to face the two ladies and told them with excitement mixed with propriety;

"It is time for our dear patron to give her new ensemble a try."

Her excitement quickly overtook her restraint as she declared with the flare of a thespian;

"To the fitting rooms!"

Rarity gave the shopping bag to Coco, took the customer by her right hand, and practically pulled her through the door in the room, all with the speed and slight mania of a tailor fueled by fashion. The silent woman couldn't even react before she got taken through another door to the right of the stairs. Before she knew it, she found herself in a well lit room that had lines of sectioned off areas along the walls. These areas were divided by their own walls and had lavish lavender curtains for entrances. By the time the customer was released from Rarity's grasp and she was able to steady herself, Coco had joined them in the room with the stuffed shopping bag in hand. Without skipping a beat, Rarity told her patron with a bright smile while gesturing to the one of the sectioned off areas with her right hand;

"Go on darling, pick a fitting room and see how your new garments fit you! If you have any issues at all, do not hesitate to inform either Coco or myself."

After giving the tailor a nod, the woman turned to Coco and politely grabbed her bag. She then walked through the curtains for one of the fitting rooms on the right side and closed the curtains behind her. Rarity waited with bated breath and restrained excitement, while Coco tried to restrain her growing fear for her friend's sake. Regardless, she could not help but think;

"Oh, if she doesn't like her new outfit and gets angry over it..."

She gulped while thanking her lucky stars that the room they were in did not have speakers built in, so the music from before was barely audible from there. The pair of fashionistas waited for a little over two minutes of silence before the curtains were shoved open and the customer stepped through. Rarity's eyes shined like stars over what she was witnessing, while Coco had to hold back the urge to hide behind her friend out of strengthened terror. Now, the bandaged woman was rocking her newly acquired clothing as well as her hat, goggles, and bandages. The faux-leather jacket's silver buttons allowed it to pop from both sides of the collar, keeping it from blending in with the undershirt. The jacket itself was left unbuttoned, so the undershirt's striking artwork could be seen by all, much to Coco's dismay. The older articles of clothing did not appear out of place alongside the newer additions to the upper-body. In fact, they all visually came together quite effectively. The jeans, belt, and flaming boots visually connected with the other pieces of clothing just as well, the boots and belt buckle standing out without overriding everything else. Rarity, her keen tailor's eye being put to use, recognized what the customer now looked like. With a giant smile a soft voice filled with awe, she described her thoughts on the matter;

"You have the foreboding appearance of a mysterious rouge on the hunt... magnificent!"

Poor Coco gulped while thinking to herself;

"I hope she's not actually hunting anyone..."

Perhaps it was a good thing that she didn't know the truth at that moment in time.

Once the newly selected clothing was returned to the shopping bag and the silent patron had put her old clothing back on, the trio of ladies returned to the cashier's desk, with Rarity opting to manage it alongside Coco and the customer standing before them on the other side. Coco nervously tallied up the prices for each item in the bag via the cash register while Rarity out one item from the bag at a time to double-check their prices. Soon enough, the total price was calculated and the boutique's newest employee began to reveal it;

"Including taxes, the retail price for your new additions is..."

A frown formed on her face while she glared at the cash register, her mind deep in thought. Curious, Rarity asked her;

"Something wrong, darling?"

With another frightened gulp, Coco looked up at the customer and tried to tell her;

"The price is-"

She was interrupted by the nearby door suddenly being aggressively kicked open by a foot that wore pink sandals with thick blue heels and long white leggings. Right when the door was opened, the owner of that footwear, Pinkie Pie, cartwheeled over to where Rarity was standing. While she was slightly surprised by her friend's loud reappearance, Coco straight up jumped in shock when the door was opened. The silent customer, by stark contrast, showed clear interest by looking over at Pinkie, who was positively beaming at her. But, she exhibited no signs of being even remotely startled by her antics. Before anyone could ask what was up, Pinkie turned her bright smile towards Rarity and declared with absolute gusto;

"I'll help pay for her clothes!"

That took everyone else by surprise to say the least! Rarity, with wide eyes, responded;

"While I appreciate your generosity, I must warn you that the retail price is-"

"Too expensive for your mysterious customer to afford," was Pinkie's quick response. She then pulled her wallet out from her poofy hair, to Coco's utter bewilderment. As she opened up the wallet and looked through it, she explained;

"My Pinkie Sense warned me that someone nearby needs my help to purchase something she really wants. It only gives me this kind of warning if I'm able to help, so I shoooouuuuld..."

"Pinkie what?" was Coco's confused response. The quiet woman at the other side of the desk noted in her head;

"She's either extremely lucky or remarkably perceptive."

Pinkie rummaged through her wallet for a few more seconds before pulling out a wad of cash with her right hand while exclaiming with loud glee;

"I HAVE THE DOUGH!"

Coco covered her ears as a reflexive response to the explosive vocalized noise, while Rarity and the customer seemed to be unfazed by it. Without warning, Pinkie Pie ran up to the latter woman's side of the desk and offered while showing her a gigantic smile, one of the largest that the bandaged woman had ever seen, that was laced with boundless cheer;

"You can use some of your money if you want! I can handle the rest of the price."

There it was again, that powerful memory that shoved itself to the forefront of the woman's mind. Encouraged by this, she nodded her head in agreement, which prompted Pinkie to hop in place while giggling like a little girl who just got a yummy cookie from her parents. After the customer pulled some of her money from her own wallet, the two ladies worked with Rarity and Coco to pay for the clothing. Once that matter was settled, the customer placed her newly purchased items in the shopping bag before the two fashionistas escorted her to the exit. Rarity, true to form, bid her farewell in a graceful fashion;

"We thank you for your time and patronage, darling! We hope you enjoy your updated ensemble!"

"Do come again!" said Coco with a somewhat shaky voice while somewhat hoping in her head that this was a one-time visit. Once the silent woman was right at the door, the two ladies backed up a step or two to give her room. This allowed her to turn around to face them and tip her hat to them. She also made sure to give a short nod to Pinkie, who was watching them all from the desk with cheer in her smile, a smile that seemed to grow a tad larger in response. Once that was done, the woman turned back around and walked through the door while being as silent as she was when she walked in.

Rarity and Coco stared at the door for a few seconds before the former noted to the latter while giving her a sly grin;

"Do not think for a moment that I did not notice how nervous you were."

Coco turned her head to give Rarity a surprised look, which prompted her to go on with understanding painted on her face;

"I do not blame you, darling. That woman most certainly made a striking first impression on us both."

Coco appreciated her friend being so thoughtful, but she was not done yet. Rarity's understanding gaze was mixed with a proud grin as she added;

"Yet, in spite of your rattled nerves and whatever fears your mind might have conjured up, you helped us fulfill our duties in our humble boutique."

Coco was already moved by her words, but what came next made her feel quite bashful. Rarity took her hands into hers and declared with clear sincerity;

"You are dependable, Coco Pommel. A fine quality in both an employee and a friend."

The poor girl couldn't bring herself to speak after hearing that. All she could do was make little noises with her voice that Rarity found charming while looking off to the side. She had almost forgotten how it felt to earn praise from her old friend. Once Rarity was sure that Coco recollected herself, she turned to gaze at the closed exit door, her eyes narrowed slightly. She then admitted with a more serious tone of voice;

"What concerns me, darling, is how my body reacted when I first caught sight of our now departed patron."

With a head tilt to her right, Coco asked out of curiosity;

"How did your body react?"

Rarity sighed before explained;

"At the precise moment I locked eyes upon the patron, I felt an awful chill creep up my spine. It felt as if my instincts were warning me of danger. Yet, she did not show any signs of being even remotely dangerous during her time here."

Coco crossed her arms while thinking for a second or two before noting;

"Yeah, she looked really scary, but she didn't act like a brute looking to hurt people."

"Pinkie's Pinkie Sense would have sounded the alarm if that woman was dangerous to us," Rarity took note of in her mind. Speaking of Pinkie, she walked up to the pair while holding her chin with her right hand. After pondering with an audible 'hmmmmm', she said;

"She's not a meanie to the three of us..."

Just then, she had a thought that made her hair lose some of its poofiness, a thought that she expressed with sadness in her voice;

"Oh, I hope she's not a meanie to someone else!"

"I most certainly hope not, darling," Rarity responded with a consoling voice that eased her friend's worries a bit. Her eyes still fixed on the door, she then noted;

"I will not assume anything about this person. Still, it would be wise to keep our eyes and ears open."

A certain painful memory echoed in Rarity's mind as she finished with a subtle mixture of wariness and regret;

"No doubt, there is still much we do not know about this silent mysterous woman."

In terms of shopping trips, this last one was the certainly more unique than most of the ones that The Wrecker could recall. Still, she had gotten what she came for without incident and was now walking through the streets of Canterlot City with a bag full of garments in hand. She walked passed one alleyway after another in undisturbed silence until she abruptly stopped and turned her head to give the third one an intense visual inspection. It was evening and the sun had almost fully set. So, the alleyway was given very little light. Regardless, The Wrecker could see a large green closed garbage can with a black lid to the left of an otherwise clear path that led to another street. She glared at this path for four, almost five seconds before returning to her walk while mentally deciding;

"My eyes are playing tricks on me."

Unbeknownst to even her sharp perception, a metal device slowly inched its way out from behind the garbage can. It was so small that the garbage can could easily crush it if it was dropped onto it. It walked with six small silver legs made of metal that were sharp at both ends and had a grey cylinder casing that safeguarded its internal parts. Built into the front end of the casing was a black camera lens. The device walked up to the edge of the left wall at a careful pace. Slowly, it moved just beyond the edge and aimed its camera at The Wrecker as she walked off into the distance. It did this for two seconds before moving to keep up with her as stealthily as possible. With no one else nearby, there was little chance of the device being discovered by random citizens. This pleased its controller, who was maneuvering it about via the computer that was set up in a nearly pitch black room. Its only source of light was the computer's monitor, which easily created a striking silhouette of the controller. Displayed in the center of the monitor was the camera feed that was being provided by the six-legged device. With a face that showed no warmth at all, she declared aloud with restrained annoyance;

"My camera drone barely poked its left front leg out into view for a moment and she nearly caught sight of it. I must be more careful if I want to discreetly keep a sharp eye on her. After all..."

The memory of a cackle fueled by madness echoed within her mind as she finished with determination and anger in her voice;

"Carelessness leads to defeat and I will not be defeated again."

With that, Abacus Cinch went right back to controlling her drone as thoughts of her tattered reputation encouraged her further.

Author's Note

The Wrecker's got a new fit, but she now has Rarity's curiosity and Cinch is keeping watch...

What? Did you think I forgot about Cinch?! :rainbowlaugh: Joking aside, I simply couldn't find a good spot for a scene involving her in the earlier chapters. So, I had to wait for the opportune moment to slot her in.

Chapter 23 - What Games Reveal

Early in the next morning, in Rainbow Dash's house.

Sunset was packing up her belongings to get them moved from Rainbow Dash's bedroom. Much to her appreciation, she was getting help by the athlete herself, Applejack, and one very overjoyed Apple Bloom. Seriously, she was beaming metaphorical rays of sunshine from her face and was basically skipping about as she put Sunset's clean laundry in the correctly labeled box. She was even humming a certain tune while she worked, a tune that everyone else in the room knew very well.

After all, all three Rainbooms present had helped make it!

Rainbow Dash, after carefully placing Sunset's magical journal in its own labeled box, gave the young Apple a knowing smirk before saying;

"Someone's a happy squirt."

Once the laundry was tucked away in its box, Apple Bloom turned to face Rainbow Dash and exclaimed with a happy hop;

"Why shouldn't Ah be?!"

She aimed her beaming smile right at Sunset, who was getting Ray into his little traveling carrier. She then aimed it at Applejack, who was stashing Sunset's video game collection into a different box. With a ton of joy in her voice, Apple Bloom explained;

"My Phoenix Friend and the best family ever are gonna be sharin' the same roof!"

Everyone else smiled at the thought of that happening, Sunset and Applejack especially. The latter teenager let out a hearty laugh before noting;

"Ah'm sure Sunset will enjoy spendin' time with us Apples."

Sunset's smile grew wider as she watched Ray run around in his carrier, his big smile holding strong and his tail wagging rapidly. After giggling over his adorableness, she gushed to him;

"I'm excited too, little guy! You'll like Colonel Wigglesworth, he's a chill worm."

Within moments of her finishing her sentence, Sunset's back got assaulted by a hug-happy Apple Bloom. Her hug tight and full of love, she declared with closed eyes and a smile that was as warm as a comfy blanket;

"Ah'm so glad ya' can live with us, even if it's only for a short time!"

Sunset didn't even need the hug to feel the affection her young friend was showing her, but it helped regardless. She gently placed her hands on the two arms that held her by the waist. Her heart as warm as her namesake, she reminded Apple Bloom;

"Thanks, AB. But we gotta get my stuff packed up first."

Apple Bloom quickly released Sunset from her grip, gave her a salute, and went right back to work alongside her sister and Rainbow. Sunset, after taking a moment to watch her three friends do their thing, joined them.

Eventually, all of her things were stashed and ready to be moved. Big Mac had brought out his truck to carry the packages to Sweet Apple Acres. As he, Apple Bloom, and Applejack worked together to lift each box onto the truck in front of Rainbow Dash's house, Sunset took this time to show Bow Hothoof and Windy Whistles her appreciation;

"Thank you for letting me stay in your house," she told them with a short grateful bow. The two adults gave her warm smiles as Windy replied;

"You are quite welcome, dear."

Bow added with a chuckle;

"Yeah, you were a fine guest."

Their smiles grew noticeably wider before Windy declared with gusto;

"I'm sure our awesome daughter and her friends will do a great job of fixing your house."

Rainbow Dash, who was unfortunate enough to be within earshot of her parents, groaned audibly while holding back the urge to hide out of pure embarrassment. Sunset had heard the groan and took note of it for later. Before she could say anything else, however, both Bow and Windy gave her a tight hug that took her by surprise. She couldn't help but smile back at them, even as the hug squeezed the air out of her lungs. Once Sunset's personal effects were safely stashed in Big Mac's truck, he drove them to Sweet Apple Acres while the girls made a beeline for CHS. Thank goodness, they had gotten up early enough to not be late!

Later that morning, in Miss Zecora's homeroom.

Apple Bloom was still as happy as can be by the time she settled into her seat in homeroom. She sat at a large desk with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sitting at her sides, the both of them looking about as cheerful as their leader. The six Griffons sat together at different sides of the desk, allowing them all to shoot the breeze with ease. Gallus had noticed the CMCs' joyful demeanor and was quick to investigate the matter once Apple Bloom was seated;

"So, what's gotten you girls in such a good mood?" he asked with a polite smirk. Right then and there, the CMCs' smiles somehow managed to hide their suddenly inflamed nerves. Those nerves became harder to hide once all of the Griffons were looking right at them. Thankfully, Scootaloo gave Gallus an answer before those nerves could become visible;

"Oh, we slept really well, had a tasty breakfast, Apple Bloom helped-"

Sweetie Belle, having sensed danger, interrupted her with a slightly louder squeak than usual;

"With chores! The morning chores, specifically. Her folks appreciated the help."

Apple Bloom felt intense relief over not having to lie, while Scootaloo did her best to hide her nervousness over nearly spilling the beans. The Griffons gave the trio skeptical glares for a moment before satisfied grins took their place. Yona declared with an understanding tone;

"Yona helps with chores at home every morning. It's okay though, because that means Yak family gets to eat fillling breakfast!"

She patted her belly with her right hand before adding;

"Yak food never stops being delicious."

The other kids laughed a little while thinking of their own morning routines. It was then that Apple Bloom thought of an interesting question. She looked at each of the Griffons and asked them;

"Ah don't mean to pry too hard, but what are your folks like?"

Smolder was the first to answer, her confidence and pride radiating from her face and voice;

"My mom is tough but fair. She runs a tight ship in the house, but she'll show mercy if someone's sick or injured."

She chuckled before warning the CMCs with a wink;

"I'm warning you though: she don't do slackers."

Apple Bloom smiled knowingly while saying in response;

"Yeah, my Granny Smith never raised no lazy Apples in our house. So, if we don't pull our weight, we answer to her."

"She's cooler than I thought," noted a pleased Smolder. Yona jumped into the conversation with oodles of pride in her voice;

"Yona lives with father Rutherford: one of the biggest, strongest, and wisest Yaks Yona knows!"

She even puffed out her chest as she spoke to further express her pride. Gallus noted to the CMCs in a stage whisper;

"She's not exaggerating, the dude's biiiiig."

The trio giggled politely while listening to their young friends talk up their families. While the group of kids chatted it up together, Miss Zecora was watching the class from her desk in silence. No one was being too loud or disruptive and the usual itinerary had been dealt with. So, she didn't mind letting them talk amongst themselves before the school day could truly rev up. Before long, however, there was a knock on the classroom door, which had gained Zecora's attention. Wanting to be polite and not sensing any danger, she looked over at Apple Bloom and requested to her;

"Miss Bloom, since this is a simple chore. Could you be a dear and open the door?"

The young Apple gave her teacher and friend a quick nod and made her way to the door. Once she opened it, she was greeted by a surprising sight: Cozy Glow, with her two guardians at her sides. Cozy, with a bright smile, greeted Apple Bloom;

"Howdy!"

Hearing her voice alone was enough to silence the entire classroom, with the Griffons looking around in clear confusion. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked closely at their friend. Apple Bloom stared at Cozy with a stunned expression. While the Rainbooms did warn her and her friends that the young one would visit the school a few times, she did not expect to see her so early in the morning! Still, an Apple was an Apple, and this Apple was polite. She greeted Cozy back after taking a quick moment to shake the surprise out of her head;

"Howdy to ya' too, Cozy!"

While this was going on, Miss Zecora had left her desk to stand behind Apple Bloom. Cozy took notice of this and told her politely, her smile losing some of its brightness;

"Gee, I hope I'm not interrupting anything, miss."

Zecora, with a thoughtful grin, explained;

"You need not worry about such a thing, for an interesting diversion is what you bring."

Cozy's smile regained its full strength as Apple Bloom and Zecora ushered her and her guardians into the classroom. The eyes of every Wondercolt present were on her now as she looked at the students sitting at their desks. The CMCs were especially attentive, their focus being laser-sharp. The Griffons were understandably curious over the whole situation. Gallus, in his mind, pondered said situation;

"Who is that kid and why did the other students shut their traps the moment she spoke up?"

In contrast to the friendly demeanor that Apple Bloom was showing, on the inside, she was tense. Granted, no where near as tense as she would have felt if Cozy Glow and Sunset Shimmer shared the same room, but still quite tense nonetheless. She followed the young visitor with her eyes while breathing quietly and deeply to keep herself calm. With her guardians watching her closely, Cozy walked up to the front of the class and turned to gaze upon the whole roster. With visible and audible awe, she exclaimed;

"Golly! Homeroom is packed these days!"

She focused her attention on Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo while Apple Bloom quietly returned to her seat at their desk. With a knowing grin, Cozy added;

"This one has some familiar faces though."

She then waved at Sweetie Belle and happily exclaimed;

"Hello, Sweetie! I hope we can talk soon."

Sweetie waved back, albeit with a smile that was somewhat strained by nervousness. Zecora, in a case of good timing, got the child's attention by asking her;

"So, how has our school treated you? I hope that its good heart rings true."

With a playful giggle, Cozy turned to look at the teacher and told her;

"It's been swell so far! I saw a lot of new people and some old classmates too. They were so nice to me!"

She held her chin with her right hand and pondered with an audible 'hmmmm' before adding;

"I haven't seen my old homeroom teacher anywhere though."

Zecora thought for a moment and asked;

"A curious development that you are quick to ponder. Is there something about this person you remember?"

Hearing this made Cozy laugh in the kind of light-hearted manner that only kids around her age could exhibit. She then happily declared;

"I'm glad you're still a great rhymer!"

Zecora smiled gratefully over the compliment while recognizing Cozy's own rhyme as she answered;

"Well, I remember she was tough on troublemakers, fair to the students, and had no love for nonsense... But I forgot about her name."

Hearing that got Cozy the rapt attention of every Griffon present. They were all silent and their eyes were widened slightly. Gabby couldn't help but think of a hope that she and her friends shared;

"Could she be talking about-"

Cozy accidentally interrupted that thought;

"Oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me!" she exclaimed with an unbothered smile while turning to face the Griffons. Her smile growing wider, she walked up to them and greeted them;

"Hello! Are you new here? I might have missed you during my last visit. My name's Cozy Glow."

Gallus refocused his mind on the present and told the young one with a polite smile;

"Yeah, we enrolled in CHS not too long ago actually. It's been cool."

"I like that super-buff teacher we have for gym class," noted Smolder with a smirk;

"The guy is really good at motivating people and flexing. He had to have been a body builder back in the day."

That got Cozy to giggle again before she responded;

"I remember Mr. Will! He's a fun guy, so I'm glad he's still around."

Ocellus added to the conversation with a somewhat reserved tone of voice;

"I don't mind Mr. Doodle's serious demeanor, since he's a fair and helpful teacher."

"Is it even possible to get him to smile though?" Silverstream asked out of genuine curiosity. Cozy answered with a sigh and a head shake;

"If it is, then I haven't figured out how yet."

That comment got the Griffons to chuckle a little before Gabby asked Cozy with an excited grin;

"Did you meet the Rainbooms?"

The young one let out a sly smile and declared with pride;

"I'm friends with one of them, actually."

Gallus immediately recognized the signs of danger in Gabby's sparkling eyes and instantly told her with alarm in his voice;

"Gabs, we're in a classroom. Let's settle down."

Thankfully, his warning got through to her. She stopped, took a deep breath to calm herself, and gave Gallus a grateful smile before refocusing on Cozy Glow, who stared at the group attentively. Apple Bloom, who stood nearby, listened closely to the conversation while Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo did the same from their seats. With reigned in excitement and vocal volume, Gabby told Cozy;

"The Rainbooms are so cool and friendly. Each of them is great in their own way."

She just couldn't resist making a tiny happy squeak. Thankfully, it was not even close to being loud enough to bother anyone. Cozy listened intently with a smile while Gallus admitted with a smirk;

"Yeah, I kinda dig that Applejack girl. She seems like a down-to-earth farmgirl who I could have a soda with."

The Apple in Apple Bloom was really happy to hear that come out of Gallus' mouth when another Griffon spoke;

"I've grown fond of Twilight's friendly disposition, not to mention her intellect," Ocellus said with a smile. Smolder added her own two cents to the conversation with no small amount of anticipation and confidence in her voice and demeanor;

"Rainbow Dash challenged me to a 1v1 soccer game tomorrow after school. That'll be a fun way to see how awesome she really is."

Yona showed clear excitement over the coming match on her face as she told Smolder;

"Friend Smolder is great soccer player, so Yona wants to see friend play."

Smolder gave her friend an appreciative thumbs up before Yona noted;

"Yona wants to get to know Rainboom Rarity. She's like rich lady, but without annoying snobbery."

Cozy beamed at Yona while responding with glee;

"I know, right? Lady Rarity is both sophisticated and nice. She's also a great tailor."

It was Silverstream's turn to comment on one of the Rainbooms;

"Pinkie Pie is seriously energetic and happy. I swear she's fueled by sugar and laughter," she admitted with a well-meaning laugh. Gabby nodded and added excitedly;

"I want to get know Fluttershy more, since she seems like a really nice girl."

By this time, the CMCs and Cozy Glow were smiling brightly at the Griffons, seemingly without a care in the world. As if on cue, Gabby happily declared;

"Sunset Shimmer is sweet, smart, and cool, just like my big sister!"

Just like that, the four kids' smiles were instantly dropped. The CMCs couldn't figure out what was worse: hearing Gabby compare their Phoenix Friend to Gilda in a positive light or seeing the wide-eyed glare coming from Cozy's face when the unaware Griffon had uttered Sunset's name. Apple Bloom had the same worry-fueled thought as her two best friends;

"Tread lightly..."

Cozy's expression rapidly changed to a raised right eyebrow that showed genuine curiosity, which kept any deeper emotions she carried inside hidden from sight. With a slight head tilt to her right, she asked them calmly;

"So, you know Sunset Shimmer?"

Gabby could not be stopped from responding with joy;

"Uh huh! I mean, we only met her a few days ago. But we're already getting to know her!"

Gallus, after placing his hand on her shoulder to calm her down, asked;

"You know Sunset too, Cozy?"

The CMCs caught sight of Cozy's hands forming tight fists for a second before they relaxed;

"We've met before," she replied as politely as she could. Smolder had noticed the fists as well. As if in response, she chimed in with a soothing grin;

"Well, we may not have known that girl for a long time, but to this Griffon's eyes..."

She pointed at her eyes with her two right fingers, lowered them, and finished;

"She ain't no buster."

The other Griffons nodded in agreement. The CMCs kept their eyes locked on Cozy Glow, readying themselves to prevent a social disaster at a moment's notice. Yet, they saw no signs of danger in the way she behaved. The young one glared at each Griffon before turning her gaze over to the CMCs. They did not see anger, frustration, or bewilderment on her face, just that seriousness from before that was calm and intense at the same time. The trio didn't know whether they should've been relieved or unnerved by what they were seeing. All the same, they kept their composure as Cozy walked towards Sweetie Belle. But right when the two kids were next to each other, she stopped and whispered to her with a level of surety that could only come from experience;

"They don't truly know her yet."

Only Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo had heard those words. Cozy walked past the wide-eyed Belle, who sharply turned her body to face her as she walked over to the pair of adult escorts and nodded at them. This prompted them to lead her out of the classroom, with Cozy herself closing the door behind her. The CMCs exhaled a breath that they had been unconsciously holding in ever since Sunset's name was dropped, relieved that, once again, a crisis was avoided. They looked over at the Griffons, who were visibly pondering what had just happened. Smolder, with a grunt, made the first comment;

"That girl's got beef with Sunset."

Gabby couldn't turn her head towards her friend fast enough. With worry in her eyes, she asked;

"What makes you so sure about that?"

Smolder shrugged while replying;

"The fists don't lie, Gabs. Talking about Sunset wouldn't have made Cozy's fists clench if she didn't have beef with her."

Apple Bloom let out a heavy sigh, which got the Griffons' collective attention. She looked over at her two best friends, who nodded at her silently with sadness covering their faces. Looking back at the gang while appearing just as sad, she told them;

"Ah'll say this much: The story of Sunset Shimmer and Cozy Glow ain't a happy one."

She sighed once more before adding;

"So, Ah hope ya'll don't mind waitin' for us to tell it. It..."

Old painful memories rose to the surface as she finished;

"It wouldn't be fair if we told it without at least one of them involved."

The Griffons nodded their heads in silence while watching Apple Bloom return to her seat, with Gabby thinking to herself out of pure worry;

"Sunset... what did you do to that kid?"

Later that afternoon.

Cozy and her adult guardians walked down the hall together. By their estimates, it was study hour, so most of the students were either studying in quiet rooms or taking this time to socialize with each other. As the trio walked passed those students who opted to socialize in the halls, Cozy took quick looks at each of the ones she could catch with her eyes. The grown-up woman to her left looked down at her and gently asked;

"So, little bean, do you think you can finish school in CHS without any trouble?"

Cozy turned her head to face the hallway before her and responded while holding her chin with her right hand;

"Hmmm, the teachers are really friendly, a lot of the students too. All that's left is-"

Seemingly from out of nowhere, a sharp pain shot up her left leg, causing it to freeze up right when she took a step with her left foot. She lost her balance and nearly fell onto the unforgiving floor, only for her two relatives to grab and hold her by her shoulders with speed and care. The pain in Cozy's leg caused her to whimper, in spite of her best efforts to not make a pained noise of any kind. The adults carefully held her still as the trio waited without uttering a word. A student who walked down the hall was quick to notice the situation unfold and had moved over to investigate. She spoke to Cozy with dignity and concern radiating from her being;

"My goodness, young one! Is an injury troubling you?" asked Octavia Melody, who carried a textbook between her hands and chest. Cozy looked up at the older student and told her with a slightly shaky voice and gritted teeth;

"You could say that."

Octavia looked at the two grown-ups who held the child in their shared grip and told them;

"No doubt you are doing what you can to help her."

She then looked down the hall while suggesting;

"But if she needs the nurse, I can provide escort to her office."

One of the adults, the man specifically, responded with polite surety;

"Wait for a moment, miss."

Octavia returned her attention to the trio and, although confused, nodded at the man. The four of them waited for all of ten seconds before Cozy breathed a sigh of relief;

"Okay, it should be good now," she declared with a tiny grin. She then wiggled and shook her left leg to test her claim. Her grin turned into a large bright smile as she giggled and repeatedly tapped the floor with her left foot, much to Octavia's own relief. The cellist smiled back at Cozy and told her;

"I'm glad you're okay."

Her smile turned back into a concerned frown when she added;

"But what on Earth was going on with your leg?"

Cozy looked Octavia in the eye and responded calmly;

"It's an old injury. That's all I'll say about it."

Octavia shook her head a bit before telling her with an apologetic grin;

"Ah, I pried a tad too hard, didn't I? My apologies."

The adult woman who stood with Cozy gave the cellist a warm smile while explaining;

"No harm was done, young lady. We're part of a private family, you see."

The man chimed in with a respectful nod;

"It pleases me to know that there are caring sorts in this school."

Cozy beamed at Octavia, who nodded gratefully at the trio. Just then, a certain young southern drawl called out from behind her;

"That there's one of many carin' sorts."

Knowing exactly who owned that voice, she turned around to see Apple Bloom, who stood with her fellow CMCs while letting out a friendly smile. All three of them were rocking their stuffed backpacks on their backs. Chuckling sweetly, Octavia greeted her trio of friends;

"Good day to you!"

Knowing what was coming, the two adults released Cozy, allowing her to zoom past Octavia to stand before the CMCs. With a beaming grin, she told them;

"Golly, it's good to see you! We didn't hang out nearly enough before I left CHS!"

Sweetie Belle giggled before noting;

"Well, we're looking to solve that problem, actually."

Scootaloo let out a sly smirk when she added with an excited tone;

"Starting right now."

Sweetie then turned her back to have it face Apple Bloom, who unzipped one of her backpack's smaller pockets on the front, reached in, and pulled out a purple folded piece of paper with her right hand. Cozy watched with curiosity on her face as the Apple handed the paper over to her while Sweetie Belle turned back to face the young lady. As Cozy reached over to grab it, Sweetie explained with her best take on her older sister's polite sophistication, minus the theatrics;

"There's a Games Club play session today that friends of ours will be running after school. It happens once a week and it's open to the public. We would like for you to attend."

The other kids and Octavia let out good-natured giggles, clearly finding humor in Sweetie's behavior. She couldn't help but laugh a little as well. Once the laughter died down, the CMCs showed Cozy expressions that were warm and welcoming, very much like the mare who held a permanent spot within their hearts. Cozy looked at each of them for a good few seconds before a tiny spark shined in her eyes for a brief moment. Once the spark vanished, she replied excited;

"I do love to play games! But where is this play session going to be at?"

Apple Bloom responded happily;

"Meet us outside the cafeteria after the final bell rings and we'll take ya' to it."

A giant smile slowly grew on Cozy's face before she declared with excitement;

"Sounds good to me!"

She spun around to give her guardians the classic puppy dog look, clasped hands and all. Smiling lovingly over how adorable she was being, they nodded at her, which made her yell out;

"Yay!"

Without further warning, Cozy pounced each adult with a big hug, much to the CMCs' and Octavia's delight. With the matter settled, Apple Bloom announced;

"Well, we better get a move on. Study Hall don't last forever and we got assignments to work on."

"We'll see you after school, Cozy!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed before the CMCs briskly walked away while waving at her. Octavia had decided to give her and her guardians a polite farewell as well;

"The young ones have the right of it. I shall see you in the play session. Ta-ta!"

She then walked down the hall to catch up with her friends, leaving the trio of guests alone. Cozy pondered the offer she had just accepted while gazing down at the piece of paper in her right hand. She carefully unfolded it and read its contents:

Games Club Weekly Play Session!

The best time to get your game on!

Today after school in the cafeteria at CHS.

Hosts: Jet Set and Upper Crust

Prominently displayed below the text was colorful artwork depicting two letters in large decorated font. One of them was a blue 'C' shaped like a horseshoe with white dots and darker stripes, while the other was a neatly drawn purple 'S' with lightning bolts on both ends and a small wing on its top left corner. She immediately recognized the meaning behind this artwork and was, for a moment, shocked;

"Could they have..."

She quickly shook the notion out of her head before it could be fully formed;

"Nah, those schools hate each other!" She declared in her head. As she stared at the art, Cozy came up with an idea, one that she instantly labeled as 'seriously risky'. Even so, she couldn't think of a better way to make her next move. After all, she was almost sure that a certain girl with two-toned hair would appear in that session. Feeling confident, she turned to look up at the two grown-ups who watched her with curious eyes and told them;

"Auntie, Uncle, there's something I want to take with me to that play session."

Those two could recognize the resoluteness in their niece's voice from miles away. With gentle nods, they listened closely to Cozy.

After school, just outside the cafeteria.

Cozy, along with her relatives, stood in front of the cafeteria doors in silence. The uncle carried a long brown bag by its single handle in his right hand, while the aunt held in her right hand a white grocery bag. They were silent for all of five seconds before the Cozy groaned with crossed arms and a frown;

"What's taking those three so long? The final bell rang five minutes ago!"

As if on cue, the CMCs called out to them from behind;

"Sorry we took so long!"

The trio turned around to see the kids walk up to them in a brisk pace before stopping to stand before them while expressing smiles full of warmth. Apple Bloom explained with a chuckle;

"We had to talk with a few friends of ours about important Wondercolt business first."

"We're glad you waited for us," Sweetie Belle noted with a happy nod. Scootaloo added with gusto and a fist pump;

"We're gonna have so much fun today!"

Cozy felt her annoyance from a moment ago melt away in the face of the CMCs' natural positivity. With a smile of her own, she replied while lightly playing with one of the curls in her hair with her right hand;

"Well, you did say that you'd take us into the session."

Without further ado, the CMCs ran up to the doors, with Apple Bloom joyfully calling out;

"Come on in, ya'll! We got games to play!"

The others moved to follow her and her friends as she pushed open the left door, revealing to Cozy a vastly different sight compared to what she normally expected from a cafeteria. A large number of the tables were still in use by many a student, but it was obvious to her that the rest of them were not present in the large room. She could see that there were a wide variety of games being played. Most of them, like the board games and card games, were played on the tables. She even saw a few video games being played on CRT monitors that were sitting on wheeled stands and plugged in via extension cords! These games were positioned at a nearby wall to make setting them up easier. At the center of the cafeteria was a large round empty space that was the result of how the tables were placed and organized. What had really caught Cozy's eye, though, were the students themselves. Of particular note was the fact that Wondercolts and Shadowbolts were happily participating together. She was stunned and wide-eyed for a moment before she quickly shook off the shock;

"The Friendship Games must've been really wild to bring both schools together!" she thought to herself while continuing to visually inspect the cafeteria. She had also noticed that the Griffons were playing a game of Monopoly at a table to the left of the empty space, while Octavia Melody and a certain blue haired girl who wore large tinted sunglasses and noise-canceling headphones were playing chess at a table next to the gang's. Soon enough, Cozy caught sight of a specific group of students who were sharing a table that was right next to Octavia's. They were all smiles and concentration as two of them took part in an intense game of UNO while the others watched the match attentively. Cozy could recognize the bacon haired faux-leather jacket clad girl among them from a mile away;

"Sunset and the Rainbooms... plus two Shadowbolts," she mentally noted. With a death glare aimed directly at Sunset and her fists tightly clenched, she watched her duel Rainbow Dash, both of their hands consisting of three cards. After a few seconds of thinking, Sunset pulled one of her cards, a yellow one with the white number five drawn in the middle and on its corners, and placed it on top of the large neat pile of cards, the top card also being yellow, albeit with the number 3 displayed instead. Her curiosity growing by the second, Cozy quietly walked up to within earshot of the two players as Sunset expressed a sideways smirk that oozed with satisfaction, savoring what was to come. She then placed a yellow card that displayed a white cancel symbol on top of the pile. She declared confidently while doing this;

"I skip you, RD."

Rainbow Dash groaned out of clear annoyance and watched as Sunset placed down another skip card while speaking further;

"I skip you again. UNO, by the way, annnnnd..."

She paused for dramatic effect before placing the last card in her hand, a yellow number two card, on to the pile. Rainbow's right eye twitched for two seconds before she groaned again while almost slamming her cards on the table. Leaving them there, she crossed her arms, turned her head to the side, and declared with frustration in her voice;

"I almost had you, SunShim!"

She sighed and turned her head back to give Sunset a friendly smirk;

"The next time we play, I'm taking you down!" she said while uncrossing her arms to offer Sunset a handshake, which she graciously accepted. Their fellow band-mates, along with Jet Set and Upper Crust, gave the pair a round of applause, with Pinkie going so far as to whistle with her fingers. Seeing this drove Cozy to consider what she was going to do. Apple Bloom had walked up to stand next to Cozy's right side while she was thinking, with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo joining them. She lightly tapped her right shoulder to get the young one's attention. Cozy looked over and saw the soft excitement in the Apple's smile in time to hear Apple Bloom suggest;

"Ya' up for a game or two with them folks?"

She allowed a small smirk to creep up her pink face before she responded;

"You could say that. But I don't know the rules for this session yet."

Apple Bloom chuckled and explained;

"We'll fix that for ya' mighty quick. The rules are simple: You can challenge anyone in 'ere to a game, so long as they're available and willin' to play."

Sweetie Belle chimed in with a calm yet serious tone while turning to gaze at Cozy;

"Don't cheat in a game. If wagers are agreed upon by all players involved, then no money or other necessities can be wagered."

Scootaloo followed suit by finishing with a similar tone of voice;

"Don't bully anyone. Period."

"And don't go vandalizin' other peoples' stuff, ya' hear?" Apple Bloom declared. Cozy gave this ruleset some thought in silence for a few seconds before slowly turning her attention over to the Rainbooms, who were talking with Jet Set and Upper Crust at their table. Her eyes fixed on her quarry and the group's conversation meaningless to her, the young one took a few steps towards the table with her two relatives following behind her. After stopping to stand as straight as a statue, Cozy Glow called out with a voice that was clear, sure, and loud enough to reach the occupied tables near her;

"I challenge Sunset Shimmer!"

Whatever conversation the Rainbooms and their two Shadowbolt friends were having was immediately dropped upon hearing Cozy speak. One by one, most of those students stood up while turning their heads to look at the child. Jet Set and Upper Crust were simply curious about this development, not to mention the child who challenged one of CHS' beloved students so brazenly. Eventually, Sunset became the only one at her table who was sitting down. She looked up at each of her friends, who showed her supportive expressions, and gazed at her surroundings. By this point, word of Cozy's challenge had spread like wild fire throughout the cafeteria, prompting the other students, the Griffons especially, to put their games on hold and watch in hushed silence. Octavia and DJ-P0N3 had followed suit while quickly noticing that the CMCs were not at all surprised by what was happening. With a sigh, Sunset stood up, turned around to face an expectant Cozy Glow, and began to walk towards her. The black heels of Sunset's decorative boots clanged with every step as she walked until she stopped to stand up close to her challenger. The two glared at each other in calm silence for two seconds before Sunset asked her;

"What game did you have in mind?"

Her voice was polite and did a fine job of hiding the self-confidence and regret warring within her mind. Cozy's own confidence was almost impossible to not recognize in her voice when she answered with a large sideways smirk that laid her teeth bare;

"Liar's Dice. Single hand. One round."

Sunset raised her right eyebrow at this while watching Cozy make a quick gesture with her right hand, to which her aunt responded by bringing the grocery bag over to her right side. She reached into it with the same hand and pulled out a small black cup. She then placed it into her left hand, dove back into the bag, and pulled out a bunch of six-sided dice, five in total. Cozy showed both the cup and the dice to Sunset with both hands while noting with clear anticipation in her voice;

"I came prepared!"

The silence quickly became hushed whispers while the CMCs nodded their heads at this development, a tiny smile appearing on Apple Bloom's face. Sweetie Belle thought to herself with a low hum;

"How interesting..."

As for Sunset, she pondered the challenge for a moment before a small smirk appeared on her face. With a quick nod, she declared out loud;

"Get the center ready!"

Without even a hint of hesitation, two of the Wondercolts who had heard her answer, Flash Sentry and Sandalwood, shot up from their seats and made a beeline for one of the empty tables in the cafeteria. With their combined strength, they lifted the table up from both ends and moved it to the round open space. With care, they slowly put the table down before moving to grab a pair of seats. Once the seats were positioned at each end, Cozy and Sunset walked over to the table and sat down. They glared at each other, even as the child placed her cup and dice next to each other on the table. Cozy's aunt and uncle moved to stand at her sides, while the Rainbooms and CMCs made sure to stand around Sunset. Everyone else sat as close to the center table as the nearby tables could allow, creating an audience around it within moments. The aunt took out another cup as well as a different set of five six-sided dice before placing them next to Cozy's. This prompted the child to pass them over to Sunset. The former bad girl was about start putting the dice in her cup when Cozy stopped her;

"Hold on for a moment," she said while expressing that calm intensity from before, getting Sunset's attention with ease. She then asked her;

"Have you played this game before?"

Sunset nodded before answering with a nostalgic smile;

"I've played it plenty of times before. You can thank the CMCs for that."

The kids in question smiled brightly at her while Cozy replied with a confident smirk;

"Good, then how about we raise the stakes a little?"

Hearing that made Sunset's eyebrows rise up for a moment while she mentally took stock of the situation. She gazed at the long brown bag being held by Cozy's uncle for about a second before replying;

"Okay then, you can bet first if you want."

She wasn't entirely sure of her chances at victory and, frankly, she had a very good idea as to what her challenger had in mind for a wager. But she would never deny any of the people she had once hurt the chance to face her down in a harmless way. Cozy Glow slowly turned her head to face the brown bag and stared at it for several seconds. To Sunset, it was as if something about what the bag contained was making her hesitate to proceed. But that hesitation gave way to action, for Cozy looked up at her uncle, who looked back down at her. Recognizing the meaning behind the quick nod and serious glare she gave him, he carefully placed the bag onto the table without knocking over any of the cups or dice. Sunset had noticed that it was zipped up along the top from end to end. The uncle had made sure that the end with the zipper was angled towards Cozy. She reached for the zipper with her right hand and unzipped the bag as far as she could, prompting her uncle to finish the job for her. She then reached into it with both hands and lifted out a long wooden cane made of walnut wood. Its length was suitable for a kid her size and it had little wings carved into it in a downward spiral pattern that reached from just below the handle down to the bottom edge. The only blemish it possessed was a thick layer of white tape that was wrapped around the middle of the cane. From the moment the cane was revealed, hushed whispers began to be delivered throughout the audience. Many of them, including the CMCs and the Rainbooms, watched the situation transpire with concern, sadness, and remembrance. Rarity, in particular, had covered her mouth with her right hand to prevent herself from gasping out of shock. Cozy placed the cane in the middle of the table, allowing it to rest between the two sets of cups and dice in a way that visually divided the playing space between the two players. Once she did this, she gave Sunset a withering glare filled with pained anger. Speaking of Sunset, she gazed at the object with regret covering her face and hurting her heart. As much as her old guilt threatened to consume her, she fought it back and turned her gaze over to the angry Cozy. The two kept their eyes locked on each other, one pair filled with anger, the other filled with understanding and regret, with neither girl willing to back down. After a few seconds that, to the audience, felt like an eternity, Sunset slowly nodded her head at her challenger. Right when she did this, the she-demon had deigned to comment on the situation;

Ohhhh, is the little girl still mad over her precious cane? You'll have the last laugh again once you win it from the brat!

The demon inside sounded terribly condescending and arrogant. But her words fell on deaf ears, for Sunset was too busy placing a bet of her own, one that took her demon by surprise;

Oh, no you don't, Sunny! That thing's way more valuable than Cozy's stupid stick!

Her friends, not to mention many of the Wondercolts that surrounded the table, were also surprised by what Sunset was doing. Apple Bloom, her eyes wide open, was the first of them to at least try to react verbally;

"She's bettin'..."

Rarity finished for the little movie buff with awe in her voice, her mouth now left bare by her lowered right hand;

"Heather!"

Their eyes did not deceive them: Sunset Shimmer had taken off her trusty faux-leather jacket, the same one that endured many a magical and non-magic adventure, and began to neatly fold it up. Cozy Glow watched this happen with her head tilted slightly to the right, a spark of curiosity in her eyes. Once her folding was done, Sunset placed her jacket next to Cozy's cane with the gentle care that was reserved for the items she truly treasured. After the deed was done, she leaned back on her chair while giving her opponent a look of pure surety and resolve. All was silent until Cozy, with a slow nod of her own, declared;

"My cane against your jacket. The winner takes them both."

A smirk that oozed with confidence formed on her face;

"Agreed."

With the wager established, the two girls put their dice in their cups and began to give them a good shake. After a few seconds of shaking, they fiercely turned their cups over and slammed them onto the table fast enough to keep the dice hidden from sight. They then slide their cups closer to their faces and carefully tilted them towards each other slightly. The pair did all of this while refusing to break eye contact from each other, determination almost sparking from their eyes.

The game of Liar's Dice had begun.

The game had captivated the audience of students from the moment the cups were slammed. Both players held the bottoms of their cups, which were now facing upwards, while silently tilting them slightly towards the center to check their dice without revealing them. No bluffs, guesses, or claims had been made for almost thirty seconds. Regardless of this fact, no witness to this game dared to make an audible complaint. For Sunset's fellow band-mates and the CMCs in particular, there were multiple reasons why they watched in silence. However, there was one reason that was the strongest of them all:

This was a personal battle that those two girls needed and they refused to ruin it.

The Griffons, who knew that there was beef between Sunset and Cozy Glow, watched closely while collectively hoping that this game would be finished peaceably. Gabby, who showed clear curiosity on her face, whispered to Gallus, who sat to her right, as quietly as she could;

"I've never heard of Liar's Dice before."

"Then watch and learn, Gabs," was Gallus' equally quiet response. Just in time too, for Cozy spoke to Sunset after glancing down at her set of dice;

"No harsh demands, no obvious acting, no striking fear into the students..."

She looked back up at her opponent, tilted her head to her right, and added with an inquisitive tone and glare;

"You're behaving very differently from the bully I remember."

She looked down at her dice once again before declaring to Sunset while showing nothing but calmness;

"Two twos."

Throughout all of this, both girls refused to release their grips on the cups. Sunset did not visibly react to her opponent's guess, opting instead to maintain the poker face that she had implemented when the game had started. With eyes locked on Cozy, she replied calmly;

"If I were to tell you what had caused me to change, and give you an apology for that matter, would you believe me?"

Cozy let out a short grunt before answering with a grin and a matter-of-fact tone while straightening her head;

"Not really."

Hearing that truth stung Sunset in the heart, but it was a familiar pain that did little to discourage her. She glanced at her dice again before looking back at her and responding to her guess in kind while keeping up her poker face;

"Three fours."

The audience was starting to react to these guesses with 'ooooo's and other noises, clearly invested in the match in progress. With her eyes, Sunset inspected Cozy's face for any hint as to how she was reacting. But she, too, had a strong poker face. Strong enough to hide the child's reaction well, which Sunset found to be impressive and a positive sign of things to come. After all, she did enjoy a challenging competition from time to time. Still, there was the heavy business between the pair that had to be resolved and Sunset saw no finer opportunity to work on it than in this game;

"My past aside, what makes you think that I would be lying?" she asked Cozy, who shook her head before explaining with a voice laced with an old frustration that her frown and eyes easily matched;

"I've heard a lot of people in my life talk up a big game about how they've 'grown as a person'."

While keeping her grip firmly on her cup, she began to act out with big puppy dog eyes, dramatic physical gestures with her left arm, and an exaggerated voice that carried a condescending layer in it;

"Oh, woe is me! I know I did horrible things to people! But I've changed! I'll never be a mean ol' punk again! Could you ever forgive me?"

Cozy finished her performance by blinking her puppy dog eyes at her while showing an overdone begging expression. After that, she quickly settled back into her previous frustrated demeanor while declaring with an annoyed grunt;

"You wanna change? Don't just say it. Put in the work. I can count the number of people I've met who did this with one hand."

Sunset and the friends who stood with her understood the kid's frustration. Twilight Sparkle herself reflected on this understanding as she watched the game progress;

"There are indeed people in the world who are willfully stagnant."

Two specific examples of that notion rose to the forefront of her mind. But not even an angry bird or a former principal could distract Twilight from supporting her friend. Sunset responded to Cozy's words with a smile that was genuine and, like her words, pulled from the heart;

"I'll do my best to earn a spot among that number."

"Oh, we'll see about that..." Cozy retorted with a narrow glare. That glare was then partnered with a frown powered by pent up anger as she finished with deliberate and venomous emphasis;

"Princess."

Every Wondercolt present felt the fire she was spitting with that remark. Sunset, in particular, felt said fire hit her in the heart. Her smile nearly overtaken by a grimace she barely managed to hold back, she took a quick breath and brought back her poker face just before Cozy took one good look at her dice and said with renewed calm;

"Four fives."

The noises from the audience were louder than before when that guess was called out. Rainbow Dash was about to fiercely say something in Sunset's defense when her mouth was covered by Applejack, who shook her head at her with a stern expression. Annoyed but trusting her friend, Rainbow relented and kept a sharp eye on the match. Nervousness crawled into Sunset's mind like a spider. After a slow check of her dice, it was clear to her that she only had one four, which only made her feel worse. Recognizing the feeling, she tried to resettle herself while showing no sign of cracking to her opponent;

Keep it together, Sunny! You can still take the win!

The demon inside was... encouraging her? Her voice was filled with frustration and anger, as she had expected from the stubborn remnant of her past. Still, for that loathsome creature to have her back at all...

Sunset put that notion aside, thinking it best to dwell on it later as she reestablished her poker face once again. At that moment, she recognized that another feeling had risen to the surface, one that was familiar to her: the strong drive to achieve victory in the things she opted to do. Under normal circumstances, she would be bringing this drive to bare.

This moment, however, was not normal;

"If I do win, then Cozy loses her cane..." she recalled with growing concern while considering the idea of sneakily letting Cozy win. The demon was all too quick to retort against this idea with fury in every word;

She dares to lump you among deceitful fools! That child should be embarrassed by you for that offense!

She hated to admit it, but Cozy giving her such harsh treatment had certainly hurt, which made the idea of getting back at her for that quite tempting. Her anger began to grow in strength from within, threatening to override with her sense of reason...

Make her pay for her insolence!

The anger inside was getting ready to blow...

You're about to see how mean I can get!

No. Sunset had had enough of the demon's prattle and this was not a time for rage. Willfully embarrass a child in public? That was not how Sunset Shimmer treated people! Besides, she had taken worse lumps than some verbal barbs. Imagining her demon being zapped into dust by her Daydream form's energy beam, Sunset focused on her breathing for five seconds, mentally stepping away from her anger to let it cool. During this time, she gazed at her dice and thought of her next move while showing no visible sign of there being trouble in her head. One possible play was to call Cozy a liar and hope that she didn't have three fours under her cup. Of course, there was also the option for her to make a higher guess than Cozy's four fours and Sunset had two guesses she could choose from. Sunset knew that, no matter what play she went with, someone was gonna call someone a liar.

Someone was going to lose.

When the fourth second had come, she made her decision. Win or lose, she would see this game through to the end. After the fifth second had passed, Sunset glared at Cozy Glow and declared;

"Five sixes."

The ball was in Cozy's court now. The audience let out many variations of 'wooooah' at once. No one thought that the guesses could get any higher than that! Neither did Cozy, who gave Sunset a smirk and narrow glare filled with satisfaction and venom as she laughed like a child who was getting away with doing something bad. She then told her without remorse;

"Golly, you're a liar!"

Both players tightened their grips on the bottoms of their cups and lifted them up at a rocket's pace, revealing the two sets of dice for all to see. Sunset and Cozy kept their eyes fixed on each other. But before they could think to look down, Rarity declared with a soft voice;

"Five sixes..."

The pair's eyes went wide with shock before they sharply angled their heads downward to check her claim. There were sixes facing the ceiling on one, two, three, four, five dice. Sunset had won! Her friends would normally celebrate her getting a win. But, like her, they had mixed feelings about this result. After all, her victory had come at a cost. With concerned eyes, the CMCs, the Rainbooms, and the audience watched Cozy stare at the dice. She showed a stunned expression that slowly morphed into realization and anger. She looked back up at Sunset with barely restrained fury all over her face, her nose exhaling audibly like a dragon firing out hot steam. Her teeth laid bare and grinding, she positively fumed at the living object of her ire while the people around them both made ready to intervene if the situation escalated further.

Yet... it didn't.

Abruptly, Cozy closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath in before exhaling with an equally slow heavy sigh. Her eyes still shut, she uttered with soft resignation;

"Good game, Sunset Shimmer."

Without saying another word or even looking anyone in the eye, she got up out of her seat and walked towards the doors, leaving her cane behind, bag and all. Her aunt and uncle followed her in silence. Every Wondercolt and Shadowbolt present felt for that child. Rarity and Sweetie Belle were about to rush over to comfort her when they saw something that, frankly, they should have seen coming. Sunset Shimmer left her chair and walked over to the departing trio, reaching them when they were halfway to the doors. The demon inside, knowing exactly what the mare had in mind, tried to dissuade her;

What makes you think she'll be swayed by your dumb idea?!

Sunset ignored that remark as she called out to Cozy;

"Hold it!"

The trio stopped walking instantly, with the child responding to her without so much as turning around, her voice laced with sadness, deviance, and gritted teeth;

"If you're going to give me pain again-"

"How about an olive branch?" Sunset told her with polite surety. In spite of her pent up anger threatening to flare up again, Cozy's curiosity won her over. She, along with her relatives, turned around to face Sunset.

What she saw threw her for a loop.

She saw Sunset stand before her while silently offering, with both hands, the cane that she had just lost, with the bag having been hastily placed under it. Her anger instantly replaced with confusion and almost feeling the alarm bells ring in her head, Cozy quickly gazed up at Sunset to catch any signs of trickery on her face. All she could find was a smile filled with a kind of warmth that no deceiver could fake. More perplexed than she was a moment ago, the kid asked;

"Wh-why are you doing this? You won the cane fair and square!"

Sunset's smile held strong as she got down on her right knee while chuckling. As she did this, she began to answer;

"Yes, I did..."

Once she was in position, she moved the cane closer to Cozy with both hands to emphasize her offer while finishing;

"But it's meant for you."

The voice Sunset had used was sweet and tender. Her smile had turned into that sideways smirk that any Wondercolt could recognize from a mile away without losing its warmth. All of this, combined with her offer, reminded Cozy of one of her most cherished memories: the time when she was first given her cane. Still quite confused, not to mention annoyed over being confused, she slowly took the cane into her hands, with her uncle grabbing the bag by its handle. With a quick narrow glare laced with annoyance, Cozy turned around again and made her leave in a brisk pace with her relatives in tow. Soon after the trio walked through the doors, everyone in the cafeteria breathed a sigh of relief. Sunset was then given a loud round of applause, with the Rainbooms practically pouncing her with hugs and fist bumps. Rarity was the most vocal of the bunch when it came to congratulating the girl;

"You handled that entire game and the aftermath with such grace, darling!" she exclaimed with a giant teeth-baring smile full of goodwill. Sunset laughed out of both relief and joy as she moved to reclaim her jacket from the table. Just then, three sets of young voices declared in satisfied unison;

"Just as we knew you would, Phoenix Friend!"

She stopped just before grabbing her jacket by its collar. Her smirk gaining a layer of slyness to it, she turned to face the CMCs while responding to their words with a playful tone;

"You knew Cozy couldn't judge me without facing me..."

Once she was facing the trio of smirking kids, she remarked;

"So, you hand-delivered her a chance to do exactly that."

With a head shake and a laugh, she finished;

"You clever girls."

The CMCs giggled happily before Apple Bloom responded while coming off as humble;

"You gotta get to know someone before judgin' 'em, ain't no gettin' around that."

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo nodded in agreement, prompting Sunset to get back to reclaiming her jacket and putting it back on. Applejack, with a loving smile, tipped her Stetson to the kids while commenting;

"That sugarcube certainly learned a little somethin' about Sunset today, that's for sure."

"My sentiments exactly, darling," Rarity noted. Gazing at the now closed cafeteria doors, she elaborated with a grin;

"From what I remember, Cozy Glow is as clever as she is prideful. No doubt she will not admit this aloud to just anyone..."

She let out a polite giggle before turning to face Sunset and declaring with utter surety;

"But I believe you have given her something to reflect on."

Cozy, with her aunt and uncle at her sides, walked down the hallway of the school, the middle of her cane held firmly in her right hand. The confusion from earlier gnawed at her mind like a puppy enjoying a tasty bone;

"The kindness she showed me... was it an act... or was it real?" she asked herself. Her inability to think of a suitable answer inflamed her annoyance enough to turn it into frustration, a feeling that she expressed with a loud groan;

"I hate being confused about peop-" she exclaimed before a familiar pain shot up her left leg, causing her to yelp instead of finishing her sentence. Her leg, like before, froze up when she took a step with her left foot. She wobbled as her balance nearly left her. This time, however, her relatives did not need to help their niece. They watched as Cozy, guided by cultivated instincts, Cozy deftly moved her entire right arm to make her cane stand on the floor before her with a loud clang that echoed throughout the hall. Right when the cane had hit the floor, she tightly gripped onto its handle with both hands and pressed down while leaning towards her right side giving the handle a glare full of pained concentration. With the cane serving as an anchor, she switched over to balancing on her right foot, leaving its stiff counterpart to hover slightly above the floor. After her body leaned a little more to the right than she would have liked, Cozy managed to re-stabilize her body and her balance. With a heavy and focused breath, she stayed as still as she could for as long as she needed to.

Five seconds...

Ten seconds...

Fifteen seconds later, the leg had lost all of its stiffness and pain. After giving her left foot a quick wiggle and shake, she slowly leaned her body again to have both feet planted on the floor. Relieved, but still no less confused than she was a moment ago, she took a deep breath to settle herself before looking up at the hallway. As her aunt and uncle placed their hands on her shoulders to give her silent support, she stared down the path before her with narrowed eyes set aflame with frustration and purpose.

Author's Note

Oh man, this was a big chapter to write! The confrontation between Sunset and Cozy Glow was the hardest scene to write, given its importance. But, I think it turned out well!

Still, something tells me that the business between them is far from over...

Chapter 15 - CHS Affairs and the Work Ahead

Compared to escorting a trio of suspicious ladies who turned out to be magical power-hungry Sirens, Sunset was not getting any feelings from this fresh batch of students that were off-putting or just plain odd. So far, at least. She caught sight of Smolder gazing at the accolades stored in the trophy case with a grin that further hinted at her interest. Taking a mental note of this, she declared to the group while looking up at and around the entrance hall with nostalgia in her eyes;

"Canterlot High has been good to us and it will be good to you kids as well."

She allowed her numerous fond memories of her time in this institution to flow freely while listening to Apple Bloom speak with a voice powered by school pride;

"Darn tootin'! CHS is full of mighty fine people from many walks of life. Ah'm sure ya'll will make plenty of friends 'ere."

Gabby's eyes sparkled again upon hearing the word 'friends'. Sweetie Belle added with a happy squeak;

"The classes here can be challenging, but that's okay, because there's so much cool stuff to learn!"

Ocellus allowed a small relieved grin to form on her face, while Silverstream could barely contain her glee. Scootaloo chimed in with her hands on her hips;

"Learning stuff is always cool, but so are sports and we've got plenty of that here too!"

Smolder smirked upon hearing about that, Gallus too. Yona, however did more than just smile, she almost shouted at Scootaloo with a gleeful tone, startling her with ease;

"Did Yona hear sports?! Yona loves sports!"

It was a very good thing for that tall lady that the entrance hall was not filled with crowds of students at the time! Sunset didn't blame her. She was a young lady in a new school, after all. So, she decided to let her little outburst slide this time. Scootaloo's shock gave way to pure excitement as she offered Yona a passionate jumping high-five, which she accepted. Gallus chuckled before admitting in a much more laid back manner;

"Same here. A good sport keeps your skills as sharp as claws."

His five friends looked over at her and nodded in agreement with knowing grins all around. Smolder, in particular, added confidently;

"It helps if the sport I'm playing is actually cool, and I haven't found one that isn't."

Sunset, looking to avoid any major delays, motioned to them while announcing;

"Let's get moving. We've got much to see before the first bell and I'd rather you not deal with the crowds until you have to."

With that, the group got together and ventured deeper into the school itself, while Scootaloo thought to herself out of confusion and curiosity;

"Claws?"

Just that thought alone reminded her of something that she didn't want to deal with at the time. So, she saved it for later.

The four elder girls led their younger potential friends down the halls of the school while making sure to move at a pace that they could keep up with. As the students passed Miss Cheerilee's classroom, Sunset pointed out a bit of CHS history;

"The school was founded about a few months after this neighborhood was built. Originally, it was just a small one-classroom school with a single teacher running the place. But, as it grew in popularity, the city officials saw the need to have the school expanded. Eventually, it became Canterlot City's first high school and the rest is history."

Most of the new students paid attention to Sunset's short history lesson, but Silverstream was the one who was the most invested in it. She barely restrained her excitement-fueled giggles as the high school student spoke. Said student recognized Silverstream's interest and, after finishing her relating of CHS's past, she noted to the young one with a playful smirk;

"Someone really likes history, I see."

It was Yona who bragged about her friend to Sunset;

"Yeah! Silverstream is one of the biggest history buffs Yona knows! Only Yak historians are bigger!"

Poor Silverstream blushed while scratching the back of her head to make herself look humble as she responded with a soft nervous voice;

"Yeah... I really enjoy learning about new things."

The CMCs knew the story well, so they were more interested in the new students' reactions. Apple Bloom was quick to compliment the history buff with her usual level of joy;

"Good on ya', sugarcube! History is mighty important, so learnin' it will do ya' good."

Silverstream's nervousness faded as she gave the young Apple an appreciative grin. The large group stopped at the door to one of Sunset's favorite rooms in CHS, which she was more than happy to show to the curious newbies. With a smile powered by years' worth of happy memories, she turned to face the others, aimed her open right hand at the door, and explained;

"This is one of our Music Rooms, where the school's bands practice their craft and make new songs."

Gabby was struck with awe as she gazed at the door with wide gleaming eyes. With a voice that was soft in volume and filled with excitement, she whispered;

"Do the Sonic Rainbooms play in this room?"

Sunset's sideways smirk appeared in earnest while she tried very hard to hold back the urge to be smug. Gabby turned around and looked up at her as she nodded. That was all she needed to start doing short rapid hops in place while gushing gleefully;

"That's so cool!"

She then stopped hopping to give Sunset a pleading expression, complete with clasped hands and big puppy dog eyes, before asking her;

"May we go inside, please?"

On Sunset's personal adorability scale, she found that Gabby was on the same level as Apple Bloom! With a giggle, she told the group;

"While we do have a tour to finish, we can take a quick peek inside."

Gabby was about ready to hug the elder student when Sunset added with a more serious glare and tone;

"But, we can't take too long."

That tidbit did nothing to stop the inevitable hug, which the young lady gave while exclaiming;

"Thank you, Sunset!"

The mare found her hug to be tight and comforting all at once, which was an odd yet pleasant feeling. Very much like Pinkie's hugs, only not quite as tight. After she took a moment to gently hug Gabby back, the two released each other and led the group through the Music Room's doors.

Sunset mentally thanked the custodians for keeping the room shipshape. Most of the instruments were safely stored out of sight. Only the drum set was left standing in front of the large window, thanks to the large amount of space it took up. The shine coming from the cymbals and drums on account of the light that beamed through the window was a clear sign that the set had been cleaned up recently. As the group filed into the room, Yona, with a big teeth-baring grin, ran up to the drums and happily declared;

"Yona loves playing the drums! Playing them reminds Yona of home!"

She then grabbed the drumsticks that were resting on the chair behind the drums, sat on it, and got ready to play within moments. Sunset, sensing what was going to happen, quickly called out to her urgently;

"Hold on for a moment!"

Thankfully, she did as instructed, which gave the senior in the room time to close the door. Once she gave Yona a thumbs up, the young lady started drumming. Her playing style was wild, fierce, and skillful to Sunset's discerning musical eye. As she expected, the rambunctious young lady's wild performance got everyone else's attention as they all stood together to watch her go ham with the sticks. From the smile alone, it was clear that she was enjoying herself immensely as she jammed without a care in the world. Yona wasn't playing any known song, but there was a clear rhythm mixed in with her wildness. After about fifteen seconds, she finished her impromptu session and raised the sticks above her head in triumph. The others clapped and cheered in celebration, with Sunset noting with an impressed grin;

"You've got talent, kid."

Yona beamed at her a proud and appreciative smile. Apple Bloom said to herself with a soft chuckle;

"That girl's got Pinkie Pie energy in her."

Sweetie Belle grinned from ear to ear over such a fun performance. Scootaloo, true to form, gave her own critique;

"That was some awesomely powerful drumming!" she exclaimed. Gallus chimed in with a calm smile;

"A lot of us have some musical chops. I play the guitar."

"Violin for me," Ocellus politely noted. Silverstream jumped in excitedly;

"I play the trumpet!" she declared. Smolder, with a proud smirk and plenty of confidence, added;

"I like to rock out on my guitar every now and then."

Hearing all of this made the musician in Sunset feel quite elated as she noted mentally while smirking;

"These kids could start their own band together, if they wanted to."

After she worked with the CMCs to reform the tour group, she led them out of the room to continue their trek through the school. Sunset was glad that Gabby was distracted by the others, which allowed her to avoid doing an impromptu performance of one of her band's songs. Sure, playing them always made her heart soar, but the clock was ticking.

Sunset and the CMCs showed the new students many of the key locales in CHS, including the gym and the cafeteria. One of their stops on the tour was the library, which Sunset introduced with a politely lowered voice as they stepped through its doors;

"Just like with any library, it's best to not make too much noise while you're here."

The new students looked around while marveling at the size and decor of the room they were now in. Silverstream was the first of them to comment on this with an excited voice that had its volume reigned in a bit;

"Oh my goodness, I've never been to a library with two floors before, and look at that statue in the center! So cool!"

Her eyes locked on the object in question, which towered over the school computers and desks that circled it. With a sigh and a smile, she declared;

"There has to be lots of history in this place alone."

Ocellus, with a muffled chuckle, added while eyeing the computers;

"Not to mention the knowledge one can gain here."

Sweetie Belle sensed an opportunity to learn more about this interesting girl with sunglasses and promptly took it;

"What subjects do you like the most?" she asked her. Ocellus turned to face Sweetie and, while clearly sounding quite shy, answered;

"I, uh, find many subjects interesting. But, I have a personal soft spot for chemistry."

That got Apple Bloom's attention, who gave her the silent glare of a girl who was plotting something fun in her head, anticipatory grin and all. Even her bow bounced a little in anticipation. But, since she wasn't ready to execute her plan yet, she kept her grin a tad restrained. While the new kids were talking with Ms. Cheerilee, who was quick to help them around the library, Sunset took this moment of reprieve to stand at a certain table on the first floor. Just the mere sight of it triggered a powerful memory within her mind, one that she carried with pride not just for herself, but for the girls who were there with her. Smiling gently and placing her right hand on her heart, she closed her eyes and, just for a moment, allowed herself to be swept away by the memory's currents;

"Cross our hearts and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes!"

That was the vow she made with them back then. The solemn Pinkie Promise that was more binding than the tightest rope tied by skilled Apple hands. Through triumphs and tribulations, the Sonic Rainbooms had worked tirelessly to keep that promise, to heal the damage caused by their troubling past. As if on cue, another memory rose to the surface, one that the mare did not fight against;

"What do your scars represent to you?"

She had a guess or two as to what the answer was for her, but the fact that she had no definitive answer yet was a sign that the work was far from done. Even so, Sunset was sure that she and her friends would honor their shared vow to the letter. With eyes still shut and her smile growing just a little, she silently performed the motions of a Pinkie Promise once again to reaffirm that vow. She could almost hear Pinkie's giggly delight in her mind. Unbeknownst to the young mare, Gabby was watching her as she did the motions, bright curiosity sparkling from her eyes. She was previously listening to Ms. Cheerilee about the library's history when she had caught sight of Sunset doing what she believed to be strange arm movements. She then turned to face the librarian and told her when she was mid-way through her history lecture;

"Ma'am, I apologize for interrupting, but..."

She pointed at Sunset, who had almost finished doing the motions, and asked when Cheerilee had caught sight of what she was talking about;

"What's Sunset doing with her arms."

Knowing exactly what was going on, the educator chuckled sweetly before turning to Gabby and explaining;

"What she's doing is what we call a Pinkie Promise."

The young lady expressed a giant excited smile before exclaiming quickly;

"That has something to do with Pinkie Pie!"

Without skipping a beat, Cheerliee raised her right index finger up to her mouth and gave her a quick and polite;

"Shh!"

With a smile turned sheepish, Gabby calmed down as she listened to the trusted adult, as hard as it was for her to do. Gabby's sudden loudness had gotten the others' attention, save for Sunset, who had just finished performing the motions known to many a Wondercolt. Now, she was standing as still as a statue while focusing entirely on her breathing, with her back facing the group that congregated around the teacher. Said teacher went into detail with a strong educator's smile on her face;

"A Pinkie Promise is an important vow that is almost entirely ironclad. It is not wise to make such a vow recklessly, for breaking a Pinkie Promise means drawing the ire of Pinkie Pie herself."

Gabby gasped dramatically, while Gallus chuckled. With a dismissive wave of his right hand, he commented calmly;

"Pinkie's 'ire'? Really? From the way she sings, she seems way too bouncy and bubbly to get angry at anyone."

Gabby giggled as she imagined Pinkie bouncing around in a room like a pink bunny. Ocellus winced a little at the thought of upsetting such a sweet soul. Silverstream appeared more intrigued than concerned. Smolder, with crossed arms and a raised right eyebrow, seemed visibly dismissive of the notion of Pinkie being angry for any reason. Yona, however, had a different take on the matter. With a grunt and a look of concern that she aimed right at Gallus, she declared;

"Yona reminded of Yak saying: Nice people wreck hardest."

"That's a good sayin', Ah reckon," noted Apple Bloom, he looked at the others in the group with calm seriousness in her demeanor and eyes as she added;

"Pinkie Pie is a total sweetheart who makes it her mission to make folks smile. But..."

Sweetie Belle walked over to stand at Apple Bloom's left side and continued the warning on her behalf with seriousness that matched her friend's;

"If anyone dares to break a Pinkie Promise..."

Scootaloo stepped up to Apple Bloom's right side and finished for her two friends with a glare that was not in a joking mood;

"The smartest thing they can do is face the music."

The combined glares of the serious Canterlot Movie Club made the entire group of new students gulp in unified fear. Thankfully, the club's giant-sized smiles returned to send that fear packing through their existence alone. Apple Bloom, her sweetness returning to wage war on all things doom and gloom, eased their concerns;

"Don't ya' worry none, sugarcubes! So long as ya' don't break a Pinkie Promise, ya' wont' have to worry about makin' Pinkie mad at ya'."

The new kids' grinned back out of relief, with Cheerliee adding some helpful clarification;

"Just make sure that you make a Pinkie Promise that you know you can keep, understand?"

The kids nodded at the librarian, who was glad to have helped prevent future disasters. With memories of trying to keep a disgruntled Pinkie from unleashing confection-based revenge on promise breakers playing out in her head, she returned to her desk. With the matter settled, the CMCs looked over at Sunset, who remained as still as she was before. They carefully walked over to her, determined to not disturb her silent peace. Her breathing was slow and steady and her smile utterly content. Both of her hands were placed on her heart at this point. In the pony-human girl's mind, she was enjoying one happy memory after another, all of them involving the numerous friends she had made over the years. Three of them placed their right hands on her left leg together with gentle care, which got her to return her attention to the here and now. She looked down at her left side to find her three young pals looking up at her. Their eyes and smiles were filled with the same feelings that Sunset showed them in kind: feelings of understanding, respect, and adoration rolled up into a tried and tested ball of friendship. As much as they wanted to hug each other tightly, they had a tour to finish. So, Sunset settled for ruffling each movie buff's hair, which made them giggle, before calling the rest of the group;

"Let's get moving, everyone. The first bell is coming up soon."

With that, the group made their way out of the library and to their next destination.

The students had arrived at one of the many rows of lockers that lined the halls of the school. Thankfully for them, the crowds hadn't fully formed yet, for only a few students had begun to trickle in through the halls. Sunset had the group stop moving, which allowed her to turn and face them before declaring;

"Okay, new kids, let's get your lockers set up! The school will have sent you your locker numbers along with your combination codes and syllabi via mail. So, I hope you have them on you."

Sure enough, they all pulled their numbers out of their backpacks and pockets before handing them over to Sunset. With a quick glance at each of them, she realized that they were all next to each other. What luck! With a smirk, she guided the group over to the row where the new students' lockers were located. Each locker had its number written on it in bold black font, so it didn't take long for them to find the ones that belonged to them. Happy as can be over having lockers so close to each other, they went right to work on unlocking their combination locks and putting their personal items inside. Sunset and the CMCs had caught sight of a few items of note before they got stuffed into the lockers. Such items included a blue protection case that they were sure contained Ocellus' spare pair of sunglasses, Smolder's guitar pick that had fire painted on it, Yona's two blue scarfs, and Silverstream's assorted seashells. Interesting, but nothing out of the ordinary. What had really gotten the four girls' attention, Scootaloo's especially, was an item that each of the six newcomers possessed: a single framed photo that bore a black cover that hid the actual picture. It was this item, out of all of the others, that they placed inside their lockers with the care and reverence normally given to family heirlooms. Gabby looked upon hers with the kind of joy that the CMCs, Apple Bloom especially, knew could only be produced by family. As intriguing as this was to them and Sunset, they instantly recognized how personal the photos were to the new kids and promptly put the topic aside for later. Once the lockers were closed and locked, they turned to face the CMCs and Sunset, the latter deciding to look at their homeroom numbers. It took her a few seconds to notice something about them that made her smile. She looked back at them and declared;

"You have the same homeroom: number two-seven-three."

They laughed and high-fived each other in celebration, relieved to not have to be separated. Their joy was surpassed by the absolute cheer from the CMCs, who were trying very hard to not yell at the top of their lungs. With giant grins and barely reigned in volume in their voices, they announced in happy unison;

"That's our homeroom too!"

Sunset, with a knowing smirk, took this moment to bask in the happiness shared by the new students and her young friends, who were now high-fiving each other with glee. With a chuckle, she corralled the group and led them to their destination.

Once they had reached the door leading to homeroom, Sunset stopped to gaze at the eighth graders, who looked back at her with smiles all around, and gave them some parting words while nostalgia flashed in her eyes;

"Take it from me, starting in a new school can be tough and scary."

Each of them nodded in agreement, with Ocellus scratching the back of her head nervously. Sunset, without missing a step, continued with a bright smile full of surety;

"But, you're never alone in CHS. If you need any help, just ask another student or staff and they'll try their best to aid you."

Her words inspired the new kids to smile back at her, with Ocellus' smile being the biggest. Apple Bloom motioned to them while speaking with heartfelt pep in her voice and a bounce in her pink bow;

"Come on, ya'll! The bell's gonna ring mighty soon, so time's a wastin'!"

As if on cue, the trickle of students from earlier had started to transform into a manageable stream. The kids quickly filed into the room, with Gabby closing the door behind her, but not before giving Sunset one last grin full of adoration. Contentment flowed through the senior's being along with satisfaction over a job well done as she made her speedy trek to her own homeroom. As if attracted to her positive feelings like a fly to light, her inner demon chose that moment to make a snide remark in her mind;

Ohhhh, if they find out the truth about you and your 'friends'...

"Raging she-demon, you will not ruin my moment," Sunset mentally responded with a thought as deadpanned as her face. All she got in response was cruel venomous laughter ripped right out of her old self's playbook. None of this was enough to stop her movements, but they certainly made her steps feel heavier than usual.

Later that afternoon. CHS Cafeteria during lunch hour.

Normally, Apple Bloom would sit with her big brother Big Mac during lunch, with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sharing a separate table together. But, for today, the CMCs had decided to sit with the Rainbooms, who were more than happy to make room for the young ones. As they ate together, Apple Bloom brought up the topic that was on hers and her friends' minds;

"Those new students are a mighty friendly bunch, Ah tells ya'!" she exclaimed with joy all over her face before she took a large bite off of her apple. Sweetie Belle chimed in with giant smile after taking a sip of her milk;

"Yeah, Smolder's cool! She looks like a bad girl, but she's also nice and confident."

She gave Sunset a warm knowing look before adding with an extra bit of love thrown into her smile;

"Reminds me of someone we know."

The mare smiled back at her. But, before the others could react, Apple Bloom spoke again, her bow bouncing to further demonstrate her happiness;

"Gallus is all calm and chill-like. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who'll fly off the handle easily, know what Ah mean?"

As two of the movie buffs continued their verbal back and forth, the Rainbooms saw that Scootaloo was quietly drinking her juice while expressing the kind of glare that people only used when they were deep in thought. Sweetie Belle added her own point to the mix, neither she or Apple Bloom noticing their friend's silence;

"Yes, and Ocellus is sweet and shy all at once. But, when we learned about today's assignment for science class, she broke out of her shell within moments!"

Twilight's eyes lit up upon hearing this as she responded excitedly;

"Ah, so she's a budding scientist? How wonderful!"

Apple Bloom snickered before noting;

"Silverstream must've broke out of her shell long ago, because she kept gushin' to me about the Golden Age of the Crystal Kingdom after we left history class. We were half-way to math class by the time she finished!"

After belting out a hearty well-meaning laugh, she added;

"Ah ain't complainin' none, though. After all, Ah can rant about this movie or that for ages once Ah get started."

"Gabby is such a sweetheart!" Sweetie Belle gushed, which got the young Apple to shake her head with a grin before responding sweetly;

"Darn tootin' she is, Sweets. Excitable too. I just figured it best to not let her know about our connection with the Rainbooms. Not yet, anyway."

The two looked over at the quiet Scootaloo, who was still very much lost in thought, with Apple Bloom asking her politely;

"What do ya' think of them eighth graders, Scoots?"

The Apple's question fell on death ears, a fact that got everyone else's curiosity instantly. Soon enough, she stopped being entirely silent, as a single phrase and a word came out of her mouth in a contemplative whisper;

"Framed photos with black covers... claws..."

Rainbow Dash, worried for her protege, called out to her with gentle firmness;

"Scoots!"

That, to the girls' collected relief, got the daredevil's attention. Blinking herself out of her contemplative state, Scootaloo looked around to find concern all over the girls' faces. With an apologetic smile, she told them;

"Sorry, everyone! I was just... thinking."

"Thinking about what?" asked Sweetie Belle, her concern giving way to simple curiosity. With a sigh, Scootaloo thought about her answer for a moment and gave it hesitantly;

"The newbies. I think they're awesome, don't get me wrong! It's just... my gut's telling me that there's something about them that's... off."

She shook her head, as if to clear out cobwebs, before adding with surety;

"I don't think it's their fault and I'm sure they're not bullies like..."

Her hands twitched slightly, with the juice box in her right hand wiggling a little as a result. She finished with a soft growl and eyes made narrow by an old anger;

"Her."

The hands of her two friends twitched upon hearing this as they placed their hands on Scootaloo's shoulders, which helped to ease her tension. She looked at each of them and was moved by their supportive smiles. Sunset Shimmer gave her a solemn yet hopeful glare that was shared by Fluttershy and Twilight. Pinkie, true to form, brought out one of her larger and more bubbly grins while thinking of a thousand ways to make the little one happy. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity kept their eyes locked on their respective sister, their sisterly instincts somewhat revved up by the mere reference to the bully who the trio of kids shared. Rarity, after pondering her response, spoke to Scootaloo in her traditional dignified manner;

"So, you feel as if there is something about your new friends that is amiss, but you do not know what that could be. This must be quite perplexing for you, darling."

Rainbow Dash, with a nod and smirk, chimed in with some helpful advice;

"I suggest you try to get to know those newbies. See what makes them tick."

Applejack, with a chuckle, added honestly;

"RD's got the right idea, Scoots. Learnin' more about what them youngin's are like should help ya' settle that there gut of yours."

Just then, Apple Bloom had gotten an idea that made her excited. As much as she wanted to shout with glee, however, she opted to use a softer more considerate tone of voice for her friend's sake. She looked right at Scootaloo and told her;

"How about we invite them to a movie screenin' at our clubhouse? Ya' get to learn a lot about someone from seein' how they behave when watchin' a film."

Scootaloo felt relief wash over her as she stared at her pal's bright smile and hopeful eyes. If anything could let her see if something was up with the new students, it was one of the CMCs' movie screenings! With a bright smile of her own, she nodded her head and exclaimed;

"That sounds awesome to me!"

With the matter settled for now, the girls continued eating their food with a little more gusto than before. As they did this, Scootaloo couldn't help but think to herself;

"Maybe I'm just overthinking things..."

After school, in Twilight Sparkle's Laboratory.

If there was one thing that annoyed Twilight more than most, it was her mind's insistence on overthinking. Granted, she found this issue to be helpful during times she needed to come up with all manner of possibilities, theories and so on. This was especially useful when conducting research. On the opposite side of the mental coin, however, overthinking had a rather negative effect that reared its head more times than she cared to count. This effect was troubling her yet again while she was sitting on her favorite spinnable chair in her laboratory. Her feet were planted on the ground, her legs were resting without being crossed, her hands rested on her lab, and her entire posture was straight like a board, but not quite as stiff. With her eyes closed and her breathing somewhat shaky, she tried to tune into her breath instead of the chaos that was her thoughts, which were running wilder than usual to say the least. As tempting as it was for her to sink into the uncountable amount of equations and objective scientific facts that swarmed throughout her mind, she was having none of it;

"Come on, brain! I want to let my thoughts go, not be carried off by them!" she exclaimed out of loud self-annoyance. She stopped herself before her frustration could turn into anger and released those feelings with a deep breath and exhale. Her demeanor slowly became more collected as she repeated the mantra Sunset had taught her in her head;

"Be patient with your mind... Be patient with yourself..."

Slowly, her numerous thoughts lost more and more of their rampancy and volume. A tiny peaceful smile began to form on the bookworm's face and a deep calm began to wash over her like a waterfall. Her breathing became slow and steady. She could feel herself sinking into a meditative state and, frankly, she enjoyed this feeling. Focusing on her mantra, she allowed her thoughts to flow without her interference, which had the seemingly paradoxical effect of calming them down. As they came and went like a river, Twilight allowed herself to sink deeper...

Deeper...

What are you without me, Sparky?

The snide dread voice of Midnight Sparkle effectively kicked Twilight out of her meditative state, shocking her into present alertness. Her breathing suddenly became quite erratic as a portion of that song, that accursed song, repeated in her head;

"Unleash the magic. Unleash the magic. If we lose, then you're to blame."

Her eyes grew wide, their irises shrinking down to pinpricks as she grasped tightly on the sides of her head. She tried to resettle her breathing, but to no avail. The twisted laughter of her dark persona rang in her mind along with the memory of her magical rampage over and over and over-

The familiar feeling of four paws leaping onto her lap gave the egghead a sense of comfort that she quickly focused on to escape from her turmoil. She looked down to gaze at her furry rescuer. Spike, who was sitting on his bed on the floor earlier, had watched his owner closely while she tried to meditate. Once her distress was clear, he had sprung into action for her sake. Twilight's comfort grew tenfold from the moment she saw his big puppy dog eyes filled with goodwill and concern. She gave Spike a loving smile as she began to pet him and scratch his ears, the chaos in her mind dying down over time thanks to the healthy distraction that was the adorable pup. A new, much more palatable thought popped up in her head;

"I would be out of my mind without you, Spike."

After taking a few minutes to play with the little guy, she spun her chair to aim her self at the desk next to her, which held a silver personal recorder that she quickly grabbed with her right hand. With brisk movement from her thumb, she hit the record button and began to speak aloud and concisely;

"Third attempt at solo mediation has produced somewhat more positive results with a troubling wrinkle attached. Unlike with the two previous attempts, I was able to quiet my thoughts without judgement or interaction with them, albeit with some difficulty at first. I could feel myself falling into a deep meditative state at a steady pace. It was a..."

She smiled again before continuing;

"Pleasant experience, not all that far off from the veritable mental break I had enjoyed thanks to Sunset's guidance during yesterday's introductory session. However, Midnight Sparkle had seen fit to kick me out of that state with nothing more than her wicked voice and a question. The vivid memory of the Friendship Games Incident denied me the chance to return to that peaceful state. Midnight's laughter did not help matters much either. Thankfully, Spike, my trusty FMB, helped me recover from what would have been a most unhelpful mental episode. I will continue to practice meditation in the hopes of not only achieving, but also maintaining a deep meditative state consistently and for a lengthy period of time."

Satisfied, she hit the stop button on the recorder and placed it back down on the table. She made a mental note to investigate Midnight's question at a later date. It was an insult, that much was clear to Twilight. But, her inquisitive nature demanded that she figure out why her alter-ego had asked her that question specifically. For now, however, there were meetings to get to that she and Spike would not dare to miss. Ones that tackled the more immediate problems that were on their minds.

About ten minutes later, at the CMCs' Clubhouse.

With three strong bangs of her gavel, Apple Bloom got everyone else's attention before promptly announcing with a more serious tone than usual;

"This 'ere meetin' of the Canterlot Movie Club has come to order."

In attendance for this meeting, besides Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, were the Sonic Rainbooms, Spike, Octavia, DJ-P0N3, the rest of the Apple household, Twist, and Flash. Apple Bloom's fellow movie buffs stood at her sides, while the others either sat or stood before them. With a sigh to clear out her nerves, the young Apple addressed the subject at hand;

"Yesterday, we decided to take a day to iron out this idea Ah came up with for dealin' with that dern bully, Gilda."

A confident grin formed on her face as she declared;

"It will be our pleasure to reveal that idea."

She then pointed at a large wooden box that was sitting closed along the wall to the left of the attendees and excitedly request;

"Go on and open that there box, Miss Sunset."

Feeling curious, she did exactly that and looked inside. What she found caused her to raise her right eyebrow and bring out her sideways smirk. With a supportive chuckle, she commented;

"Well now, this is one way to strike back at your bully."

The other Rainbooms filed in around her to inspect the box's contents. Rainbow Dash exclaimed within seconds, her toothy grin on point and full of anticipation;

"This is gonna be awesome!"

The rest of the band also expressed approval of what was revealed to them, with Rarity asking the kids out of thoughtfulness;

"While this is certainly nowhere near as barbaric as what that brute would inflict upon you, I must inquire: do you have any rules of engagement to follow?"

"Don't ya'll worry none," answered Granny Smith, who walked over to the band from behind while waving a folded piece of paper next to her face with her right hand. When the Wondercolts turned to face her, she elaborated with a smile;

"Them youngin's made sure to write up rules of engagement that got mine and Big Mac's approval."

"Eeyup," said Big Mac with a sure nod. Applejack unleashed one of her Apple laughs before telling the CMCs, who were already grinning from ear to ear over the support their idea was getting;

"Ah can't wait to see the look on that varmint's face when ya' pull this surprise out of your hats!"

"And you better believe we'll be right there with you when you do," declared a confident Rainbow Dash as she gave the kids fist bumps. The others nodded their heads in agreement before Apple Bloom rang her gavel once again. With another sigh, she spoke with relief in her voice;

"Thanks a bushel, ya'll. Now, we'll explain the details of what we're gonna do about Gilda later. For now, let's move on to the business of fixin' up Sunset's house."

Sensing her cue, Sunset gracefully took her leave, with Granny Smith following suit while noting to the others;

"The sugarcube and Ah are gonna be makin' some apple pie for ya'll. See ya'll at the house!"

With a quick wave, both she and Sunset were gone, the door closed behind them. After waiting a few seconds to make sure the mare of two worlds was out of earshot, the CMCs started smiling from ear to ear again. The smiles became augmented with giggles filled with anticipation over what was to come. Scootaloo stifled her giggles enough for her to focus on running to the safe, opening it up, and pulling out from it a certain blank piece of paper. Once the safe was closed again, she handed the paper over to Apple Bloom, who was clearly becoming the most excited of the three. The others were not too far off in terms of growing joy, save for a confused Flash and Twist. The latter asked;

"What's a paper got to do with fixing up Sunset's house?"

Twilight, while holding back the urge to let her giggly Mad Twientist side out to play, explained with a smile aimed right at Twist;

"That paper is, in fact, a page from Sunset's magical journal, taken directly from it by me with her expressed permission."

This news floored both Twist and Flash, the former noting with wide eyes under her purple glasses;

"Wait, that means you can get help from the Princess!"

"With one stroke of a pen or pencil," said a smirking Apple Bloom.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Call her up!" Flash exclaimed to the CMCs encouragingly, his friendly smile further emphasizing his good intention. The rest of the attendees, the remaining Rainbooms especially, smiled at them with similar brightness and encouragement. the CMCs looked at each other and nodded before Apple Bloom turned her attention back to the paper which now rested on top of her podium. Sitting on small thick wooden railing that kept it from rolling off the podium was a fresh pen that she took into her right hand. Without further ado and with years of anticipation rising to the surface in the form a truly giddy grin, she started writing from the top left corner of the paper, the magic within it emitting a purple light that covered the tip of the pen as she wrote;

Howdy, Princess! This is Apple Bloom of the Canterlot Movie Club, writin' to ya' with permission from our Twilight Sparkle (we like to call her Sci-Twi)!

The happy Apple made it a point to narrate the words she was writing aloud for the others to hear, to share with them this momentous occasion. Hearing her words made them chuckle and giggle politely, with Rarity commenting with genuine sweetness;

"Oh, I appreciate how polite you are being with your message, darling."

Once she finished writing, Apple Bloom looked over at Rarity and responded with an excited smile;

"This is the first time any of us CMCs have spoken with the Princess... ever!"

She sharply raised her hands to roof while saying that last word to emphasize that point before letting them rest at her sides again and finishing calmly;

"Ah figured it best to be all polite-like to make a good impression."

Just then, the paper glowed a purple light while vibrating repeatedly like a smartphone. Unfortunately, this paper, like any other, was pretty lightweight compared to the journal it came from. So, its vibrations threatened to make it slide off the podium. It was a good thing it didn't vibrate enough to start bouncing around! Thankfully, Apple Bloom was quick to hold it down before it could fall off, its magic responding to her touch by ceasing the vibrating right then and there. After giving the friends and family in attendance a sheepish grin, she looked down at the paper and moved her hands off of it to read the Princess's response;

It is great to hear from you, Apple Bloom, and I give a fond hello to your two friends as well! I have a suspicion as to why Twilight has allowed you to write to me via the separated page, but I want to hear it from you.

Of course, Apple Bloom made sure to read the response aloud as well. It was only fair in her mind, after all. The CMCs were thrilled that Princess Twilight was in a good mood and the others were not far off in that regard. Without skipping a beat, the little Apple wrote back;

Ah'll keep it short and simple: Sunset's house is a wreck and we're all workin' together to change that! Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Ah have been tasked with fixin' up her bedroom. We know exactly what we wanna do to make it truly Sunset's, but we need your help to do it good and proper. Ah know, you're a mighty busy pony right now. Comes from bein' a Princess, Ah reckon! Still, if ya' can find time to help us even a little bit, we'd appreciate it.

That was it, the message was sent. All that remained was for her and those in attendance to wait for the Princess' response. They waited in silence for two whole minutes before the paper vibrated and glowed again. This time, Apple Bloom had her left hand placed on top of the paper to keep it from falling, so it didn't vibrate for long. She took it into her hands, raised it up to her face, and read aloud;

When my friends call for aid, I'm inclined to provide them with aid when able. This time, I am most certainly able!

Everyone in the clubhouse cheered in celebration of this wonderful news. Applejack, for example, waved her hat above her head like she was celebrating a rodeo victory. Rainbow Dash fist pumped the ceiling after sprouting her pegasus wings and leaping into the air to hover above her seat, pony ears and all. Pinkie Pie bounced all over the place while confetti somehow rained down from her poofy hair. The others celebrated in more reserved ways, such as Octavia clapping politely along with Rarity and DJ-P0N3 giving the kids a thumbs up. Flash and Twist brought out the devil horns in celebration. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo yelled out while high-fiving each other over Apple Bloom's head;

"YAY!"

Speaking of the Apple, who was laughing jovially over the situation, she placed the paper on the podium, grabbed her gavel, and banged it three times while calling out with an oversized grin;

"Order in this 'ere clubhouse, ya'll"

Soon enough, the chaos died down with everyone sitting quietly once more, including a now wingless Rainbow Dash. With that settled, Apple Bloom went back to reading the message;

Sunset had informed me of her homeless status and the renovation project not too long ago, actually. So, I had a feeling that one of her friends would try to get my assistance. Now, as much as I would love for us to trade ideas around right now, we need to solve a looming problem: the limited space on this page.

Apple Bloom quickly noticed that, even with the small but legible font that she and Princess Twilight were using, almost half of the page was already used up! With a confident smirk, she replied;

Our Miss Twi already has a solution in mind. Just a moment, I'll put ya' through.

She handed the pen and paper over to Sci-Twi, who walked over to her and took them into her hands before returning to her seat. With the pen in her right hand and the paper on her lap, she began to write while narrating what was being written down just as Apple Bloom did;

Greetings, Princess! This is Twilight speaking.

Mere moments later, the Princess' response appeared on the paper, which the scientist read aloud;

It is great to speak with you again, Sci-Twi (that's a fun nickname by the way)!

After shaking her head with a small nostalgic grin, Sci-Twi wrote;

You can blame Rainbow Dash for that. Now, here's the plan...

Meanwhile, at a certain tree in the forest surrounding the clubhouse.

Unbeknownst to the CMCs and their visitors, a certain camouflaged eavesdropper was keeping watch once again with the same gear they had used last time, microphone and all. With their eyes locked on the uncovered clubhouse window, she listened to Twilight's narration. Upon learning of the plan, they mentally noted to themself;

"Oh, that girl's brain is simply bombastic!"

While grinning confidently over their choice of words, the eavesdropper heard a ping sound in their headphones, which prompted them to reach into their pants pocket with their free hand. After pulling out a rectangular smartphone that was a few generations old, they navigated its menus with their thumb to find the text message app, where a new message had been sent to them by a user named NotYourFool234. The message read as follows;

The CMCs' plan, from what you told me, is unique and... risky. You think they can handle Gilda? When that bird gets angry enough...

They sighed quietly before responding with a message of their own that was simple and to the point;

They will not have to face her alone. Count on it.

They placed the phone back into their pocket, thinking that the matter was settled. The lack of additional pings proved that their hunch was right. With determination in their eyes, they maintained their vigil while mentally declaring with surety;

"Count on it."

Later that evening, at Twilight's Laboratory.

With the CMC's plan proceeding apace and her homework easily finished, Twilight decided to get work done on at least one of two outstanding issues before dinner. As she sat on her chair in stiff silence, she found that, since both issues were of great importance, picking one to focus on was a trying matter. With a steady breath and a pondering posture, she worked through the matter in her mind;

"I could either start my research on Barrel Jung and his body of work or focus on my investigation of the Murder Chest and its violent energy. While the threat of the Murder Chest alone makes investigating the matter of great importance, the potential benefits Barrel Jung's work could have on my efforts to honor the Pinkie Promise cannot be understated..."

Before she could think further, Twilight ran to a spot on the desk that held her desktop computer and pressed a button that was resting on said spot. Once the button was pressed, the sound a door sliding open rang from a spot on the floor to the right of the desk. A large square piece of the floor on that spot tilted up to the left until it rested on the side of the desk, allowing a hole to be revealed. Rising up from this hole was a tall rectangular container that was made entirely of titanium. Its door, which had thick yellow and black caution stripes painted along the edges of its face, was sealed shut. The container had no windows or even a single opening, making it clear to anyone with eyes that whatever was inside that container was trapped in an airtight vacuum. Twilight gave it an intense glare, as if she were looking for any sign of a breach in progress. As she did this, she continued to think;

"The Isolation Chamber is holding strong according to my eyes and..."

With a quick push on the floor with her feet, she rolled her chair over to a drawer under the desk at the left side and promptly pulled it open. Sitting inside while surrounded by extra pencils, pens, assorted doggy treats, a photo of Timber Spruce, and a photo of Sunset was the ST-V1. After grabbing the device, she moved her chair back to face the chamber. After opening up the ST-V1 and adjusting its settings, she turned it on and aimed at the chamber. A rapid beeping sound was produced by the device while its LCD screen showed the results. Instead of a random set of numbers and letters, however, it depicted a name that was far more legible;

ME-08: Fatal Insanity Magic

She slowly aimed her device just beyond the chamber's left side, then the right, above it, and at the floor next to its front. As she did this, it became crystal clear that the rapid beeping only occurred when the device was pointed at or near the chamber's center. Smiling with relief, Twilight finished her thought while returning the device to its place in the drawer;

"My technology. With the ST-V1's continued success giving me valuable magical data to translate, I should be able to make all manner of useful tools related to magic detection very soon. Of particular interest to me is a magic alarm system that would activate when certain energy signatures are detected by it."

Being a diligent scientist, she quickly rolled herself over to where she had placed her notebook on another spot on the desk, which had a pen placed on top of it. After grabbing the pen, she wrote down the thoughts she had just ironed out in her mind word for word before adding more details in both written word and thought;

"This would increase the security used to contain the Murder Chest's threat to a considerable degree. Still, even with the best security imaginable, if push comes to shove... I'll have the girls and me follow Shiny's advice by firing the Rainbow Laser upon this threat before it can bring madness and death to an innocent person. If magic truly follows the Laws of Thermodynamics, then the chest's magic will be changed into something that is, hopefully, harmless."

With that last thought carefully written, she moved over to the button and pushed it again, causing the chamber to be lowered back into its hiding spot, the door closing above it. She then rolled her chair to another part of the lab that was at the end opposite the desk. At this place stood a short round table that held a certain book that was a recent temporary addition to Twilight's collection of extensive literature. But, unlike her collection, which was housed on shelves in her bedroom and mainly covered conventional scientific topics, this one covered a topic that was not what she knew to be conventional;

A Primer on the Self

By: Barrel Jung

Upon gazing at the book, she noted to herself;

"Tree Hugger seems to have made a wise call by picking Barrel Jung as an author for me to study. Why, even a preliminary search on the Internet showed that he was an expert in psychoanalysis and psychiatry who was respected among his peers. He had even invented analytical psychology! Clearly, taking a deep dive into researching his book's bibliography will produce fascinating results."

Twilight gave the book's title a sharp inquisitive glare as she asked herself;

"The self... a reference to the mind, yes, but also to something else, perhaps?"

She groaned in frustration while exclaiming;

"Gah! Which issue should I tackle first tonight?!"

As if summoned to her side, Spike barked at her from the floor while panting happily. She turned her chair and looked down at her left side to find him holding his tongue out with a big smile on his furry face. He then told her;

"I'm done with my nap, so I figured I'd hang with you for a bit."

Without warning, he jumped onto her lap and nestled his body onto it. With love in her eyes, she gave his fur gentle strokes with her right hand, her frustration cast aside by the comfort that only Spike could give her. After taking a few seconds to silently his owner's company and stroking, he asked her;

"What are you thinking about, Twilight?"

Her frustration returned, but it was not as strong as it was a moment ago thanks to Spike's adorableness giving her a healthy distraction. With a sigh, she answered;

"I'm thinking about what issue to tackle first tonight: The insights Barrel Jung's book could give me or the threat of the Murder Chest."

The pup instantly leaped off of Twilight's lap and ran over to where the Isolation Chamber used to be. After sniffing the area repeatedly, he turned around to face his owner and asked her;

"So, the chamber is fully sealed?"

"Affirmative," said Twilight. Spike was not done yet, for he also asked;

"And the chest itself is also fully sealed?"

"Affirmative times two," was Twilight's simple response. Spike, with a satisfied smirk, declared;

"Well, that means you have time to read that book and then go after the chest."

The scientist couldn't help but laugh jovial over both her dog's helpfulness and her mind's helpful/unhelpful habit of overthinking things. After calming down, she made her decision known to him;

"Looks like I'll be catching up on my reading tonight."

With that matter resolved, Spike returned to his rightful place on Twilight's lap before she spun her chair so that she could face the book that still rested on the table. Slowly, she reached for it with both hands, her face filled with the excitement that she felt only when she was about to read a good book. A loud knock on her door rang throughout the lab, interrupting her before she could so much as touch the book, let alone fall into its contents! While repressing her annoyance over being rudely denied her chance at partaking in her favorite pastime (besides conducting science experiments), she walked up to the door and opened it up. On the other side was her father, Night Light, who told her calmly;

"Sorry about interrupting your science work, Twilight, but dinner is almost ready."

Her annoyance was deleted by the growling of her stomach, which made her giggle sheepishly before she told her dad;

"I'll be in the kitchen in just a moment."

Once Night Light left the doorway, she called for her dog;

"Come, Spike! We've got dinner with family!"

He ran up to her side while almost salivating at the thought of his doggy dinner. Before they went through the door together, however, Twilight gave the book one last look while promising her in mind;

"Soon, Barrel Jung... Soon!"

Midnight Sparkle's cackling echoed softly in her mind as she traveled to where she would join her family, but the hope she felt over what she could learn from that expert's findings kept the demon from having any negative effect on her mind that time. The mental image of a Rainbow Laser zapping the Murder Chest's magic into a harmless source of clean usable energy also helped.

Author's Note

Update: Made sure to use the correct name for the Murder CHEST (why do I keep calling it the Murder Box?).

The new students seem to have settled into CHS quite nicely! But, something about them has gotten Scootaloo's attention...

Meanwhile, the Rainbooms and CMCs have their energies focused in multiple directions, with a sneaky someone looking to help out from the shadows.

Let's see where this goes, shall we?

Next chapter: The Rainbooms have a chat with Luna, Coco is welcomed into her new place of work, and Gilda puts her money where her mouth is.