Fluttershy looked down sadly at her phone, finger hovering over contacts as it had so many times for days now. She wanted more than anything to tap the icon that would open a text to Sunset Shimmer and beg her for some kind of explanation. Nothing would change though, Sunset would claim she has had her phone on her at all times meaning that the pictures posted on Anon-A-Miss was her doing. Something that Sunset heavily denied and FLuttershy wanted to believe her more than anything, but it all came down to the pictures. The rest could be circumstantial evidence, but the pictures had no other explanation as Sunset herself has said there was no way somebody else could have posted them from her phone.

Glancing up at the teacher, she was glad to see that they either didn’t notice that Fluttershy was playing with her phone, or was being soft with everything going on. She was leaning closer to the teacher being soft as all the teachers seemed to get stricter with unruly students while trying to be gentle with those who needed it with the tensions growing higher along with anxieties. It was hard to believe Sunset Shimmer would do it, which is why Fluttershy couldn’t fully buy into the theory. She just couldn’t explain the pictures so was left lost and unsure of what to do as she watched the school and her friendship group start to fall apart once more.

Changing contacts, she logged into the group chat they made without Sunset Shimmer as none of them actually had the heart to block Sunset yet. Even Rainbow Dash was holding out for something to happen that really would explain Sunset’s innocence despite what the athlete said to the contrary.

FS: I think we need to talk to Sunset again.

RB: I agree, Darling. I just experienced something truly dreadful.

RD: What, wear clashing colors today?

RB: This is serious, you uncouth tomboy!

AJ: Girls, lets not resort to insults. What happened, Rare?

PP: Is it about the new girls?

FS: What new girls?

RB: I’ll explain fully later dear, but one just shined some serious doubt on Sunset being behind AAM.

AJ: How did she manage that, sugarcube?

RB: She hacked my phone and downloaded my entire gallery in seconds. Not minutes, in seconds. Darling, do you know what that means?

PP: IT MEANS SUNNY REALLY ISN’T A SECRET STEALER?!!!!

RB: It could darling, but it also means we could have messed up. We tossed Sunset aside over something she didn’t even do instead of standing by her.

RD: I don’t buy it.

RB: I saw it with my own eyes!

RD: It isn’t possible to hack a phone that quickly and easily and copy the awful amount of pictures you have stored on your phone. Something smells fishy here.

PP: Besides you?

RD: I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that!

RB: It must be possible since I watched her do it and there is no other way she got all of my pictures.

The emergency notifications on every phone in the class went off including the teachers making everyone pull them out to see what was going on. It was the only time the students was allowed to openly use their phones during class as the emergency system was barely used, and when it was, it was best to check it out. What followed created a silence in the classroom once the video ended that made the ticking of the clock on the wall sound as if it was shouting.

Fluttershy was devastated, if the video was real and was indicating what she thought, then those three were behind Anon-A-Miss. That meant that Sunset was telling the truth, as far as the girl knew her phone never left her side since Sweetie Belle must have stolen it during the night and returned it before anyone woke up.

“What is this?” One voice asked, drawing Fluttershy’s attention and away from staring at her phone in horror to look around at half the class sinking in their seats while part of the remaining students looked devastated and the rest angry.

“Those brats are behind all this?” Bulk Biceps asked slowly, as if trying to process what they all have just seen.

“What Trixie wants to know is, what did they mean by options from things sent in.” Trixie said, anger filling her voice as several others agreed vocally.

“I want to knock their damned heads together!” Lightning Dust growled.

“Don’t even think it!” Gilda snarled as she jumped up and leaned over her desk to glare at Lightning Dust. “As much as this situation is screwed up, you don’t go after kids half your age Dust! Damn brats, now I actually owe Shimmer an apology.”

“Class, please settle down!” Their teacher called out getting everyone to settle down, taking control of the situation. “While this looks bad, please wait for more information before anyone jumps to conclusions!”

It was then that Fluttershy knew she messed up badly. They all did.

“If Ah didn’t see it with mah own eyes, Ah never would ave believed it!” Granny Smith said as she shook her head in disappointment, not only in her granddaughter, but herself. She will be the first to admit she made the mistake of believing it was Sunset after what the girl caused at that dance. At first Granny thought the girl had changed, but with the coming of Anon-A-Miss, the doubts she had about the girl solidified and she was ashamed she may have taken it out on the poor teen.

She didn’t do anything that would cause harm, she would never do that to anyone. She would never starve anyone either. What she did do was make more than plenty enough to give pretty much everyone extra big helpings of what she was supposed to give out when it came to treats she makes on the farm and brings in. She stopped giving extra to Sunset though when this whole thing started after it was confirmed it was the girl’s own pictures that showed up. She couldn’t help feeling that maybe if she was more technology savy that maybe she would have known better.

“I know what you mean, Granny. I’m still waiting for Sweetie and Scootaloo’s parents to show up.” Celestia said, shaking her head. The woman looked a mess as lunch was getting close leaving the assistant cooks to take care of things while Granny was seeing to her charge.

“What are ya going to do to the youngins?” Granny asked.

“I don’t know, I really don’t. I was about to expel Sunset because of the evidence and pressure from the parents and school board leaving me no choice. Now we know the real culprits and while I want to be angry with them so much, they have never done something like this before. And from what the girls showed me when they gave me access to the account, a large portion of the students sent in secrets to be posted. Whatever happens to the girls will also have to happen to all of the ones who sent in secrets.” Celestia explained. “What would you have me do, Granny?”

“Ah would say all three of them there girls need a good ol’ fashioned whoopin. Ah know, we can’t go doin that.” Granny said, her own frustrations at the situation getting to her. “Maybe give them suspensions or a butt load of detention. Give em to me in the kitchen, Ah’ll make em work off there sins.”

“That actually sounds like a good start. And unlike before, the parents can’t pressure me to do something to them without it applying to their kids either since most of the ones raising the most trouble are the parents to ones who sent in the secrets.” Celestia said brightening up a little.

Sunset was starting to regret staying after leaving the office as she got so many students looking at her in pity as well as giving her what she felt was fake apologies. Even as she made her way through the line to get a tray for lunch, she could feel the stares and hear the whispers that claimed to feel sorry for her. They were making her feel as if she was about to explode in a huge fireball as she grit her teeth.

To her surprise, Granny Smith wasn’t serving today and the old woman’s main assistant was there dishing up the food. It made the girl groan as the woman was worse than Granny Smith had even been lately. While she didn’t short Sunset, the woman would always send her glares. Even after the Battle of the Bands the woman would send glares Sunset’s way. To her surprise there wasn’t any glares today.

“Hello Sunset.” The woman said, handing over a tray with even larger portions than usual. Not just the treats from the Apple Farm, but the rest to.

“Hi.” Sunset sighed, taking the tray with a nod and thank you. As angry as she wanted to be, and she was angry, she was more hurt over everything. She worked so hard to prove herself after the Battle of the Bands and dished out second, third and even fourth chances to everyone around her when they messed up with her. Anything from the whole no offense thing to purposely excluding her from group activities for a long while at first. Not that she wanted to be taken on as a charity case, but when they talked about how much fun they were going to have doing something in front of her making it sound as if she was going to be included only to learn later they did it without telling her where and when.

It hurt, but they eventually came together and became like family. Or at least Sunset thought as she was sure that after defeating the Sirens and everyone started looking up to her that she had finally proven she was worthy of love and family. A part of her hated feeling the want and need for love and family, but after facing her mistakes she couldn’t help those feelings. It was a need that drove her to be a better person than she was before.

Dropping in her seat at the small table at the edge of the cafeteria away from most of the tables Sunset dug into her taco. She couldn’t help mentally snorting at seeing the people around her giving her sad looks. She wasn’t thinking about the looks, she was thinking about the shock the others had shown her when they found out she was a pony and Twilight refused to eat meat, yet she loved it. Well, love was a strong word, but beggars can’t be choosers, plus it wasn’t like she never sampled meat before in Equestria. There were non sentient creatures that was raised as livestock for meat eaters such as Griffons and going to more than one event with them where her curiosity got the better of her. And now that she was human, well, she knew her body needed it anyways.

“So, you're Sunset Shimmer?” a girl with magenta colored hair said as she sat across from Sunset.

“And you are?” Sunset asked, a little more roughly than she meant. While she didn’t know who she could trust anymore, if anyone, a part of her still wanted to exactly attack a stranger who was just being nice. Be wary? Of course she would, but she didn’t want to actually verbally attack her.

“Please forgive my rudeness, my name is Tecna.” Tecna said.

“Hey, what’s up?” A dark haired girl asked as she plopped down next to Sunset while Stella sat next to the first girl.

“These are my friends, Sunset. This is Tecna and Musa.” Stella explained.

“I’m still not going to your school for pixies, or whatever.” Sunset groaned, shoving more food in her mouth so she wouldn’t have to talk.

“We’re fairies, not pixies.” Musa huffed, though she was wearing a grin. “I like you already.”

“You would.” Stella snorted good naturedly, “Anyways, what can we say to convince you to at least come look at the place?”

“Look, I understand you are wary of something new like this. Learning you have magic can be a little shocking.” Tecna said, a look of confusion spreading across her features as Sunset burst out laughing.

“I’ve been able to use magic since I was a foal, I’m not from this world like you three I suspect.” Sunset explained.

“Care to fill us in on this? To our knowledge, this world doesn’t have a lot of magic.” Tecna said.

“Not really.” Sunset waved the girl off, “I appreciate this, I really do, but I really need to stay here in case of an emergency. Like magic from my world leaking into here and causing havoc.”

“If that’s all you are worried about, I can easily set up a communications device to get ahold of you and you can be here within minutes.” Tecna smirked while Musa and Stella gave Sunset weird looks.

“Wait, are you already some kind of guardian fairy?” Musa asked.

“Not a fairy.” Sunset countered just as the light filtering in from the windows and skylights not only dimmed, but took on a purple like shade getting everyone to look around in worry.

“Sunset?” A group of students asked as the nervously came up to the table. Looking around Sunset realized the Rainbooms were nowhere to be found.

“What is it?” Sunset sighed, standing up from the table.

“Do you know if this is more horse magic?” One of the younger girls asked.

“It’s equestrian magic, and I don’t know.” Sunset replied, confused herself on what was going on when the entire building shook violently.

“To the blonde fairy and fire haired menace, we know you are in there. Come out peacefully and the innocent people in there with you will be spared!” A voice boomed out in demand.

“Well, definitely not horse magic.” Tecna snorted in amusement.

“I swear, some guys just don’t take a hint.” Stella said, “Well girls, want to help me send them packing?”

“We would, but I’m picking up dozens of smaller magical signatures, three big signatures, and one really big signature.” Tecna said, forgoing any semblance of acting normal and pulling up a holographic display showing a 3D model of the school with dots showing magical signatures before anything else was cut off at a line that glowed purple on the image.

“Please tell me that isn’t a magical dome.” Musa groaned.

“I’m making a call then we can go see what we can do to at least stall them.” Stella said, getting nods from Musa and Tecna and a raised eyebrow from Sunset.

“Who are you calling? Ghostbusters?” Sunset snorted.

“Somebody much better than that.” Stella grinned while Tecna and Musa gave the pair weird looks at the reference.

Author's Note

I hope everyone had a good Christmas to those who celebrate it.

I keep meaning to ask here and I keep forgetting, but does anyone know what comic the cover art for the story if from? I would like to post which one it is from as well as read it. I have only read the Holiday Special when it comes to the comics so pretty much all of my knowledge of EG comes from the specials. Also, the cover are is important to the story, but some of you may worry about it in the next chapter. Don't worry, Daydream Shimmer will make an appearance so no worries.