Sunset sniffled as the last of her tears faded away. Just because she stopped crying didn't take away the pain. It didn't take away the bile that still brewed in her stomach. She still laid in her bed. Curled up into a fetal position. After Quick's threat, she immediately drove home. Not just because she was scared of Quick acting on his threat. She knew if she stayed in school for the rest of the day, she would've broken down. She didn't have the courage to tell her friends goodbye.
Everything. Everything she worked for was gone. Up in smoke.
On some level, she knew she had it coming. On some level, she knew something like this would happen. Someone would brutally take revenge on her for everything she did. In some ways, it was poetic. She blackmailed others with their dirty laundry, and now someone was using her dirty laundry against her.
But is still wasn't fair. She made amends, she made friends, she got something of a boyfriend. And now it was all gone. Some short monster had ripped them away out of nothing but spite. Was this her punishment? Was this what the Elements of Harmony wanted to do? Force her to make friends only to rip them away to make her see the pain she caused other people? Was this part of her lesson?
She didn't know. She could never know. Maybe it was meant to be. Maybe CHS was too good for her. Maybe...
This was just one big mistake. Sunset got up from her bed and saw a familiar face at the door.
The Demon. Sunset wondered what the malevolent creature would think of her now. Her dreams shattered. Her dreams destroyed. The lowest point of her life since her defeat at the Fall Formal. She imagined the Demon would look at her with scorn, mockery, contempt, or a mixture of all three. But there was none of it on her. Not even a hint of meanness. Instead the Demon looked at her with honest sorrow. Like an older sister trying to comfort the youngest.
"I'm sorry, Sunny," The Demon said. Sunset didn't respond. "Sometimes...it hurts to be right." Sunset narrowed her eyes. "Sunny, I am a part of you. I don't like you seeing you fail. I don't like you seeing you get hurt. I wish you didn't have to go through this," The Demon paused, letting a tear fall down her face, " but I guess you had to learn the hard way. Learn that love and tolerance are just...words. They don't matter. They aren't real. The only thing that matters is power." After a long pause, Sunset let out a sigh.
"You're right," Sunset said bitterly. "I tried and I tried. But, nothing worked."
"Then you know what to do," The Demon said with honest joy. "Come back to me Sunny." She raised her arms with a smile, wanting to pull Sunny into a hug. "Do what you know is right." With some trepidation, Sunset slowly, but surely, walked toward the Demon. The Demon was patient, not commenting on Sunset's reluctance. But within a few moments, Sunset was embracing the Demon like she was family.
"There we go," The Demon said, a tear of joy running down her face. "That's a good girl." The Demon patted Sunset on her back, filling her with honest love. "See how great it feels."
"Yeah," Sunset said, in a trance.
"Here is what I want you to do," The Demon said. "Think about what you wanted. Power."
"OK."
"Think about all the things you never got."
"OK."
"Now think about all the things you deserve."
"OK."
With that, a familiar blue light surrounded Sunset.
"What's happening?" Sunset said with a panic.
"Don't worry," The Demon said in a reassuring voice. "It is not gonna hurt. As long as you remember what matters."
Sunset began to remember. Being denied love, being denied what she deserved, being treated as a pawn by a bunch of lazy nobles, being treated like a tool by a so-called Princess, ending up a nobody in some pathetic human world. All those little worms who ignored her greatness. All those little maggots who denied her the greatness she EARNED. And now this new freak was GONNA blackmail HER. SHE wasn't gonna kill him. She was gonna DESTROY him. She was gonna make him WISH for death.
Her claws grew. Her fangs grew. Her skin turned red. Wings grew out of the back of her shirt. She glanced toward in the mirror at her half-transformed state.
"Yes," the Demon said happily, while still hugging her. "Yes. More. More. Don't stop."
This world was HERS. These HUMANS were pathetic. These HUMANS were weak. They had all this power. All this tech. Yet they still believed in fake gods and superstitions. THEY needed someone to unite them. Someone to LEAD them to greatness.
SOMEONE like ME!
Sunset's long hair began to stand up.
"Good," The Demon said, her smile becoming slightly vicious. "Now you need to remove the last weight tying you down. The idiots who dared to bring your hopes up."
Yes. She would forget them. THEY caused this. They robbed her of her power. They wanted this all along. They planned to make her WEAK. They planned to make it so ANYONE could mess with them. Why did she care about them anyway. WHAT good were-
One girl had demanded honesty and proof. In exchange, she had offered not only friendship but a new path.
Sunset and Applejack happily fought each other with pillows.
One girl wanted nothing to bring laughter and joy to the world. She had offered this free of charge.
Pinkie Pie happily gave a cake to Sunset, and offered her nice red-yellow party hat.
One girl sought to make the world, and not just herself, as beautiful as she felt it should be.
Rarity offered Sunset a new dress, and happily shared with her a gourmet salad.
One girl believed everyone deserved kindness, even those who were feared.
Fluttershy helped Sunset up, and offered love and kindness to a fearsome guard dog
One girl believed in loyalty. She may have not yet opened her heart to Sunset, but she never lost her loyalty to those she did care about.
Rainbow hugged Applejack to apologize for her behavior. Rainbow offered Sunset a way to make amends to the track team.
All these thoughts pooled into Sunset's mind. All of them gathered.
"Now dump them," the Demon said.
The smiling image of her friends appeared before her instead. It began to fade away. Sunset opened her eyes, and realized what was happening.
"NO!" Sunset screamed. In a burst of white light, she blew the demon away. In an instant, her transformation had reversed, and she was back to her old self. The Demon laid sprawled on the ground, in shock.
"No," Sunset said. "I said it before, and I'll say it again. I will never become you. Never-,"
"YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE SLUT!" The Demon bellowed, pulling herself from the ground. "DON'T YOU GET IT! ITS ALL OVER. YOU HAVE NOTHING-,"
"I HAVE EVERYTHING," Sunset said proudly.
"What?" The Demon asked.
"The lessons I've learned, the fun things I've done," Sunset said, her voice as sage as a being hundreds of years older. "Your right. I've lost my chances at being at CHS. That's over. But as long as I remember what my friends taught me, I can never be alone."
"You are alone!" The Demon shrieked. "You have no friends anymore."
"Not now," Sunset said. "But I can always make new ones."
"Ha," the Demon mocked. "Who could ever-,"
"If Applejack could trust me," Sunset said. ,"then someone else out there could. If Twinkle could open up to me, then someone else out there could. There are always fish in the sea."
"When are you gonna get it through your skull?!" The Demon roared. "Applejack wants your money! Twinkle just wants a slut!"
"I've heard enough from you," Sunset said, her voice proving she regarded the Demon has nothing but dirt on her shoe. Sunset was once again surrounded by a white light.
"No," The Demon yelled. Her voice went from angry to desperate. "You need me! I'm your best pal!"
"You controlled me! You made me your puppet!" Sunset said. "But you can't control me anymore." Sunset channeled the white light and obliterated the demon, who let out one last, angry scream.
"You can't destroy me," The Demon yelled as she disintegrated.
"You can't either," Sunset said with a set jaw.
The Next Morning
Sunset began looking at her laptop, searching for a new home. But every time she tried to look for new places, she found herself hesitating. While it was still painful that her time at CHS was at an end, she accepted it. Despite her phone ringing nonstop with voice messages, she chose to ignore him. Letting them forget her was the selfless thing to do. She tried to think of the new friends she would make to make the pain go away. She tried to imagine the new things she could try. But she still kept hesitating every time she saw an apartment up for rent.
Maybe she still held personal attachment to her home.
When she first came to this world, she saw it as little more than a place she could hide out. She had chosen it because it was cheap and in a decent neighborhood. But she resented the obscurity it represented. She never bothered to decorate it, imagining she would one day own Canterlot Castle.
But, now she enjoyed the small size and utility of it. It was easy to clean, easy to organize, and the neighborhood had everything, from stores to proximity to the school. She dreaded finding a place as good. She heard a knock at the door.
She closed her laptop and wandered over to the door. She opened it, and was unsurprised to find a Canterlot Police Officer. He was a tan-skinned man with blue hair. She let out an annoyed sigh. Apparently Quick hadn't kept up the bargain. She should've felt angry, but she only felt disappointment. Maybe her own betrayals made her accept someone betraying her.
"Miss Shimmer," the officer said in a neutral tone. "Your presence in needed at Canterlot High School."
"Don't worry," Sunset said. "I'm already not planning on coming back."
"Miss Shimmer," the officer said in a serious tone, "your teachers and the Canterlot PD insist it is urgent."
"Look, is there anyway I can handle the lease thing by-,"
"What lease?" The man said in confusion. Sunset also stared at the man in confusion as well. Quick didn't tell them.
"Then what is it?" Sunset said.
"I don't know," the officer said. "All I know is that they need you there immediately." Sunset stood at the door with some hesitation. With a sigh, she decided to join the man to see what was going on.
Sunset sat in the police car, her mind going over several scenarios in her head.
Could be they be planning to expel her for her forged papers?
It could be they were bringing her here to collect her stuff?
Or, in the best case scenario, could they have caught Quick, he tried to blackmail her, and his evidence was not seen as credible.
Anyways, she would cross the bridge when she came to it. When the car pulled into the parking lot, she slowly got out. Sunset was escorted down the hall.
As soon as she stepped into the school, something was wrong. Everyone stopped what they were doing and began staring at her. It was like the first day of school after her suspension all over again. Only instead of the pure hatred others stared at her with, they were staring at her with a mixture of trepidation and fear. Sunset's mind fell into a blank. Why were they staring at her like that? What had she done? Did they find out what Quick did and were looking at her with sympathy?
As she walked closer and closer to the principal's office, the anxiety in everyone's eyes grew greater and greater. Sunset felt an urge to turn around, as she dreaded what was going to happen. The only thing that kept from doing that was the officer escorting her, who could potentially turn her around.
When she came to Luna's office, her confusion only grew. The glass window in front of it had been smashed in. In her office, she saw Snips, Snails, Vice Principal Luna, and Officer Garda waiting for her. Her two former thugs were sitting down in confusion, while Luna sat in front her desk, while Officer Garda stood to the side.
"Sunset, sit down," Vice Principal Luna said. Sunset was alarmed by the fear that radiated in the woman's voice. With a sigh, she pulled a chair from a nearby table and sat down. She looked around with shock, seeing the office completely trashed. Luna had her left eye covered by her hair.
"Sunset, Snips, Snails," the blue-woman said. "I need you three to tell me that you didn't plant a bloody knife in a girl's locker." The three of them were confused by the question, but then their jaws dropped as they remembered a not so pleasant memory.
Muharib smiled. It was her first week of school, and the green-colored girl found herself with new friends. Upper class students too. Eating with them too.
"So Muharib," Bon Bon asked, "who would win a fight: Diamond Princess or Daring Do?"
"Daring Do," Muharib said with a voice that indicated certainty, "Diamond Princess relies too much on magic. Daring Do has her wits and muscles."
"But Bonnie," Lyra said. "We all know that Diamond Princess has the Magic of Justice on her side."
"I'm taking about pure fighting skill," Muharib said. "Diamond Princess relies too much on magic, but Daring Do relies on her own talents to save the day."
"You have automatically become my favorite person," Bon Bon said jokingly to the new freshman.
"Fair enough," Lyra said reluctantly.
"Excuse me," a female voice said. Everyone turned around and saw the school's peppy member of the school newspaper approaching them.
"Hey Sunny," Lyra said.
"Hey Lyra, Bon Bon," Sunset said idly, before approaching Muharib.
"Muharib was it?" Sunset said. "Can I ask you some questions?"
"About what?" Muharib said.
"Um," Sunset stammered. "I wanted to ask you some questions about fitness. You seemed quite tough for a girl your age." Muharib smiled, liking the compliment given to her ego.
"Sure," the green-skinned girl said with a smile. She got up, and turned to Lyra and Bon Bon. "Catch you bitches later." The two girls snorted and waved at her as she walked out of the cafeteria.
Muharib followed Sunset to some hallway.
"You didn't fill out my questionnaire," Sunset said with an odd smile.
"Questionnaire?" Muharib asked. "Oh, that red sheet we all got."
"Yeah," Sunset said.
"Well, I felt the questions were a bit personal," Muharib said idly. "Like how you spend your weekends, or had any boyfriends."
"Oh," Sunset said. "Well don't worry. Better late than never I suppose."
"It isn't a requirement is it?" Muharib asked with concern.
"No," Sunset said with a toothy smile. "But it would help me get to know you."
"I don't feel comfortable sharing my info with a complete stranger," Muharib said with a frown.
"But why?" Sunset said with a whimper, "Do you not trust me? Aren't we pals?"
"I just got here," Muharib said with some annoyance. "You said you wanted to ask questions about my workout-,"
"Look, just please fill out the sheet," Sunset said. Muharib was taken aback. The smile seemed forced, and underneath the 'please' was a serious edge.
"No," Muharib said in a firmer tone. "I don't feel comfortable sharing my life with someone I just met." Muharib tried to leave, only for Sunset to block her. Her face was that of someone trying to control their temper.
"It would make things easier for me-I mean, make your life easier if you just-,"
"Get out of my way!" Muharib yelled, shoving the yellow-skinned girl out of the way. "I don't want to fill out your stupid questionnaire!" Muharib stormed away in frustration, leaving behind a shaken and angry Sunset.
"That girl is the first one to dodge my games before I had them under my thumb," Sunset mused in the library angrily, squeezing her notebook over her wounded pride. "I can't have that. She's too big a risk. She's got to go."
With a smirk, Sunset pulled out her phone and sent a text to Snips.
"There's a pig you need to slaughter," it read.
"Hey Muharib," Snips said to Muharib, who was doing pullups in the gym.
"Hey, Clips?" Muharib asked.
"Snips," the rotund blue kid said, pulling out a plastic bag. "I got you a cookie"
"Really," Muharib said, gushing at the pastry. "Thank you. That is so sweet," the girl said. She took the bag and at the cookie.
"I'll throw that out for you," Snips said, taking the plastic bag. Snips smiled as she saw the plastic bag had Muharib's fingerprints.
Muharib was walking with Bon Bon and Lyra when she saw some police officer going through her locker.
"Officer," Muharib asked with concern. "What seems to be the-,"
"Do these look familiar to you," the man said, pulling out a very sharp knife with blood running down the side. Muharib was confused, while Lyra and Bon Bon looked horrified.
"I had to idea how that got in there," Muharib said fearfully. The officer suddenly took out some fingerprint powder. "Please extend your fingers." With trepidation, Muharib did. Her fingers were coated. Muharib's discomfort grew as everyone began watching.
"I got a call about a stabbing", the officer said stoically. "Your fingerprints match the one on this knife."
"I didn't-," Muharib began, before the officer pulled out his cuffs.
"I swear I never met this kid before," Muharib said fearfully while sitting in the vice-principal's office.
"That's the girl who stabbed me," Snails said, showing off the wound on his right bicep. "I was just walking up to her, and she-," he let out a small tear. "Called me freak and tried to kill me."
"Ms. Muharib," Luna said. "If you just confessed to why you did it, we can get you the help-"
"I didn't stab anyone," Muharib protested.
"The evidence points in your direction," Luna said. "I'll have no choice but to expel you."
"Expel me," Muharib said. Before she knew it, some guard was escorting her out, ignoring her pleas that she didn't do anything.
"I'm sorry Snails," Luna said to the yellow skinned boy, before pulling him into a comforting hug.
"Don't worry," Snails said. "I know you didn't do it," he finished with a smirk, watching the girl be dragged out.
Canterlot High Gazette
Knife wielding maniac expelled from school
Written by Featherweight. Edited by Sunset Shimmer
"The students of Canterlot High were terrorized by Muharib Ababi, 13, a young freshman who was soon to revealed to be a closest sadist who expressed her joy by stabbing Snails Crawler, an innocent bystander.
" 'I thought she was nice' " Bon Bon, a young student of 14 who knew said, " 'But I always knew there was something off about her.' "
"So you really did frame someone for stabbing," Luna said, glaring with icy fury at all three of them. The three sat silently in their chairs.
"Why?" Officer Garda said, looking at them with the same icy calm.
"I just," Sunset said with a sheepish smile,"...wanted. .to...be Fall Formal princess."
"And you two," Officer Garda said to Snips and Snails. "What reason did you have for going along with...this?"
"Um," Snips said, "...it..was...funny." With those words, the tension in the room grew.
"Funny," Garda said. "You think that's funny?"
"Look," Sunset said with a nervous smile. "Now that you know the truth, you can un-expel her." The two adults became increasingly incredulous. "Can't you?"
3 Hours Earlier
"Your schedule, your habits, and your appearance all point in your direction," Luna said to Quick. The freshman looked increasingly agitated as he was slowly wound down by Luna's questions. Gradually, all his excuses and alibis had been stripped away. "The shoes we found are your shoe size, you were in a position to get access to the personal information of both Sunset and Twinkle. So please, why don't you spare us the trouble and just confess-."
"Why didn't you e-expel her," Quick said with barely papered fury.
"What?"
"Why d-didn't y-you expel her," Quick said. "She d-destroyed p-part o-of the-the school. She stole people's info. She blackmailed them."
"Because here at CHS, we believe in second chances," Luna said. Quick seemed even more enraged by Luna's answer.
"Th-that's f-funny c-coming from you," Quick said, his face turning red. "You b-believe b-blowing th-things u-up i-is is f-forgivable, but a s-stupid k-knife should g-get y-you k-kicked out." Luna got confused.
"What are you talking about-,"
"Muharib ring a bell," Quick uttered. Luna thought for a moment, before she remembered.
"Muharib had stabbed a student-,"
"No," Quick said in a warningly calm voice. "S-Sunset Shimmer f-framed her for using a kn-knife." Luna looked shocked at the accusation.
"What?" Luna said with concern.
"Sunset planted that knife," Quick said defiantly. "I know. I know she would never do anything like that. S-someone m-must h-have pl-planted it."
"Sunset did that?" Luna said shocked. "Well then we'll bring her down-,"
"It is too late," Quick growled out.
"How could it be to-," Quick stood up chair in a rage than decked Luna in head with his chair.
"You know happened to Muharib?!" Quick bellowed to the stricken educator. "She got sent to juvie!" When the injured educator tried to reach the phone on the desk, it was shoved off along with all her other contents. "She got lost all her friends!" Quick angrily took the computer monitor and bashed the principal over the head with it. "She got RAPED BY A GUARD!" He said, before stomping on the already downed woman.
"SHE THREW HERSELF OFF A BUILDING AND GOT PARALYZED!" Quick said, mercilessly indifferent to the pleas of the principal. "MY BEST FRIEND! ALL OVER STUPID KNIFE!"
"Stop," Luna said, trying to fight back, but too dazed to do it.
"BUT SHIMMER BLOWS UP THE BUILDING!" Quick bellowed, "AND YOU LET HER STAY?!"
Raven looked up from her work, hearing commotion coming from Luna's office. When she looked up, she saw a chair being angrily thrown through the window, breaking into a thousand pieces, by a screaming, red-faced student. She saw Luna lying on the ground, unable to stop the situation
"Security," Raven said into a nearby phone. She panicked as the violently red-faced kid started destroying the office.
"ALL OVER A STUPID KNIFE! YOU LET HER STAY, BUT LET MUHARIB GO TO JAIL! OVER A STUPID KNIFE! PARALYZED! OVER A STUPID KNIFE!" He bellowed the same thing over and over as he proceeded to destroy the office. Furniture was overturned, the bookcase was knocked over, and he proceeded to beat on Luna more. By the time the police came, his screams had deteriorated into whimpers.
"All over a stupid knife," he said softly, a small tear rolling down his eye. "All over a stupid....knife." As he was cuffed and led out of the office, he broke down in tears. He wept as the police escorted him out of school. All the students looked at him with confusion, fear, and a little pity.
"Is this funny?" Luna asked, parting her hair to refused a black and swollen eye. "Is this amusing?" She said, gesturing to her destroyed office. Snips, Snails, and Sunset all looked down in shame. After a few moments, Sunset pulled her head up.
"You got someone arrested because you wanted to be a prom queen?" Officer Garda said, his green face turning red.
"I didn't know she would be arrested. I just wanted her expelled-,"
"WHAT KIND OF FANTASY WORLD DO YOU COME FROM?!" Garda bellowed.
Sunset felt time slow. She barely remembered standing up. She barely remembered having her rights read to her. She barely remembered being cuffed along side Snip and Snails. She barely remembered getting pushed out of the office. She regained her senses as she was escorted down the hall alongside her two former cohorts. She saw everyone looking at her. Not with anger, not with fear.
It was disappointment. It felt worse than anger. It felt worse than a beating. She had ruined everyone's trust. She had ruined everyone's faith in her. The downcast looks from everyone was more painful than anything Quick had done to her before. It was the sad looks from her friends that finally made her breakdown as she was pushed out the front door.
Sunset felt tears roll down her eyes as she was pushed into the police car. Snips and Snails also began to cry as well.
Okay, while I'm happy this got updated 12 hours before I thought the next update would happen (at the very least), I'm now super sad. Seriously, it's like you enjoy making Sunset feel more like shit than most Anon-A-Miss stories I've read.
That's.. not something you could make amends for. Huh, i guess Sunset should've jumped into the boat with her demon side while she could, since with this shit spreading on the ground, it would be really hard to find another "fish".
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Well...
If you felt worse for Sunset in this story than in most Anon-A-Miss stories, than...I've my job.
Let me clear, I'm not dumping on Sunset for the hell of it. I think Sunset is a really fascinating character. A one-note villain became an endearingly complex and sympathetic. She had a redemption story that was much better than any other.
However, I am not Sunset fanboy. This story was born from two things I found frustrating: the willingness of many to overlook her horrible past, and m dissatisfaction with both Anon-A-Miss and Forgotten Friendship.
In the former, many people make Sunset into a borderline messianic being, and ignore the fact that she spent years bullying and hurting people. Everyone who dislikes Sunset is made into an evil being, not a bunch of emotional young people who bear scars from the pain she caused. The people who've hurt Sunset were wrong to do so, but they were vulnerable human beings who Sunset dragged into her awful scheme.
In the latter, an interesting story idea (someone still wanting revenge on Sunset for a past slight) was wasted on something so petty. Not getting invited to a sleepover and not being noticed are not very compelling reasons for getting back at someone. I felt Sunset learning that her actions had consequences that would still endure would be a good lesson. Not "don't ignore your sibling" or "you have to be friends with everybody."
I approach Sunset the way others approach Bojack Horseman: you can sympathize with the character, while not glossing over the terrible things they did.
Also, this was my canon for why Sunset was still being resented months after the Formal. I have to imagine a really nasty skeleton tumbled out of Sunset's closet, and this led others to still be wary for her until she defeated the Sirens.
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Actually the CMC did the Anon-A-Miss thing because they wanted to spend more time with their sisters and thought Sunset was taking up most of their time. Not a good reason (one reason so many people hate Anon-A-Miss), but still not as petty as what you said.
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Also I never saw Bojack Horseman. Seemed way too mean spirited for me to like
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I know...
But again, it doesn't really play a role in Sunset's learning curve.
The one unifying thing of EG is Sunset's growth as a person.
Seeing how her actions could have consequences for others could've been part of that.
Instead, we are treated to a dumb jealousy plot, with a really poor resolution.
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I'll be honest, main thing I hate is how quick the rest of the girls are to abandon Sunset. Most of the stories in that subject I enjoy either have them help her find the truth, or they're called out on it. Back on topic though, with what you did, it makes me wonder why the Rainbooms would even bother associating with Sunset now. Plus makes me feel like if Rainbow Rocks happens in this universe that her not turning bad again from all the hostility makes even less sense.
Woah..."All Truths Come Out", indeed...
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I have my own views on them abandoning Sunset. But I won't reveal them until I get to my own Anon-A-Miss story.
But as to why the Rainbooms will still welcome her...
That's for next chapter.
Since you tell me rainbow rock still happen, Sunset doesn't get expelled. F you Quick you lose
Please tell me.. Sunset will still rise above this.I just realized.. they can't legally prosecute her as she doesn't really have any documents
Sunset will get a lighter sentence because of all the good she already done in making amends. Character witnesses and due to her being a person from a different dimension. They can't really deport her as the portals closed or they can't oust her or it be a headache
She'll still be punish.. but not what Quick hopes.. I would love to see his face when Sunset was bailed out and given what he thinks is a slap to the wrist. [but it isn't]
I can only hope that things do look up for her.
...okay, I rarely cursed on this site but... holy shit!
Not being a legal expert, but looking at pure crimes committed;
Sunset(and Snips, Snails):
Planting false evidence that led to a false arrest, (that led to a suicide attempt, that led to life in a wheelchair(if I've missed anything, I might have skipped over some info while reading))
Quick:
2X attempted murder
4X assault (Sunset twice, Gilda, Twinkle)
1X assault with a deadly weapon (AJ)
1X extortion/blackmail against Sunset, if the talk about the lease is used by the police
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false conviction. What Quick did is worse what Sunset did. She genuinely had no idea what happen to that other girl. She is also already served her community service for the Fall Formal. She'll have maybe 7 character witnesses that can testify her willingness to make amends.
Quick doesn't get any sympathy from me. Yes Sunset should face consequences but she's already making amends and means it. Instead of owning up Quick lashed out, Sunset went quietly.. Sunset is the better person imho
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I do intend to do a chapter on Quick.
I'm not defending his actions, but my hope is you can at least understand them.
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Bojack Horseman was a really powerful show.
Because it is a show that dares to say "there aren't always happy endings" and "being the 'hero' does not make you always." But it also says "you should still try and be better."
Bojack did terrible things but never got forgiveness for them. But he's also capable of being helpful.
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Maybe he'll feel vindictive when he hears Sunset get arrested. But will go insane when she doesn't get charged with juvie time. I hope hes been told she will not be expelled but he will... he deserves that.
I know Sunset might need to face consequences but shes already genuinely trying to reform. So i hope you don't throw her fully under the bus.
I still have nothing for Quick. The moment he hurt others and dragged them into his petty revenge scheme and didn't care if they were killed? Yeah FUCK him..... but for real this needs to be AU now. There is NO WAY Rainbow Rocks can happen as it did in canon with how that secret got it. Not logically.
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explain
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I understand he a lunatic and should be imprisoned for life.
He tried to murder Luna, I can understand him destroying the office, but the moment he targeted others and attempted to kill Luna I say he burns!
As for Sunset sighs...I can see her shoulder all the blame say she made Snips and Snails agree to it, she take the full burden and take the fall for them.
What happen to the guard who raped that girl?
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The whole framing someone with a knife thing on top of how this whole experience has physically AND mentally scarred a LOT of people just... it wouldn't line up for how Rainbow Rocks would line up. Least how I feel about it.
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Yes, but how is he less redeemable than someone who committed treason against her monarch, attacked a bunch of guards, committed fraud, spent two years bullying people, broke into people's lockers, tried to steal a crown, brainwashed a bunch of teenagers, explicitly tried to kill seven of them (including a Princess), framed Twilight for vandalism, damaged a large part of the school,
Why is Sunset more deserving of forgiveness, despite doing far, far worse things over a longer period of time? I understand she worked hard to make amends. But why shouldn't Quick have the same right to make amends as well?
10332428
Because for one thing while Sunset DID all those things as you said she made up for it AND she showed immense regret for hurting others and embarrassing them when all was said and done. She's not an evil person. Just angry. Quick in the meanwhile blackmailed her, humiliated her, attacked her, TRIED TO HAVE HER KILLED TWICE, attacked two other people and nearly got one more killed via ball to the throat, and even now shows NO regrets in how he acted and how he treated others.
Which is the key thing. REGRET. A guilty conscience that should make them feel SOME form of sorrow and anger for what he did. And even if the next chapter shows that it's FAR too late for someone like him. He's had his chances. He's had his moment to stop and reconsider but he kept GOING. Ultimately he's become just AS bad if not in some sense WORSE then Old Sunset. She never intended to kill someone. He has. So that's my reason. At some point where does 'he's just a kid/teen' excuse become unjustifiable... because quite frankly it looks like he's hit that threshold to me.
Now that we have the more complete answer to the question, with his actual starting point, it's a lot more understandable. Still not acceptable, of course, but a lot more understandable than the things he said last chapter.
On a side note: I like the moment when Sunset’s Demon self tried to convince Sunset to go back to her evil ways, only for Sunset to remember all the moments she had with the Rainbooms during her journey of self-redemption and then rejected the demon away to oblivion. It reminded me of that one scene from Samurai Jack when his anger inner-self tried to make Jack do things his way, only for Jack to reject him only to bring himself back to balance.
I love this show!
Anyway, I'm glad that Sunset didn't go down the dark path again, but in light of this revelation... I fear of what's going to happen to her next.
10332461
That scene was my inspiration. To me, that was the biggest proof that Jack was a hero. In season 5, he lost the sword because he chose to act out in anger when he didn't get what he wanted, no matter how justified. Jack's dark side went ballistic because it felt that Jack's good behavior meant it could behave anyway it wanted. But only by pushing away that toxic mindset could Jack recover.
Similarly, Sunset thought she lost everything. For a moment, the Demon convinced her that being bad was the only thing she had left. But Sunset realizes that just because things don't go your way does not give you a right to act out.
Both Jack and Sunset learn you have to be good, even when its hard.
10332428
The brainwashing and trying to kill six teenagers was because she got corrupted by the Crown.
She turned into a demon, and demons don't give a damn.
You showed her demon half almost got Sunset to take her back if she had then Sunset would been gone maybe for good.
You showed the demon is a separate being or personality all together who stop at nothing to gain control again including pretending to be her friend at her lowest point.
But she fought back and won.
Second dude she attack royal guards and it part of their job and comes with the risk and let's face it..the royal guards are useless.
The only reason they aren't dead is because they dress in gold if they wore red armor that be a different story.
The treason part I have to agree but I blame Princess Celestia, as far as we has a terrible track record in handling things.
As for the Locker thing and bullying...You never been in a high school before have you.....I'm not joking really You never been in high school...Bullying happens at a school in real life. GGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAASPP!!!!
Seriously the bullying is a terrible thing and breaking into people locker is wrong, and Sunset regrets what she done, she hates herself for how she acted.
Quick...He made excuses to what he done, what his excuse for trying to carve into Apple Jack face, what his excuse for trying to murder one of his friends.
I know it explained he wasn't trying to go that far. NEWS FLASH He cut AppleJack face nearly or has given her PTSD, he arranged for a base ball to STRIKE his friend in the throat.
In real life that can KILL or cripple, it only worked as he gambled on whatever he wind up just hurting him badly rather then killing or crippling him.
Last he lost control and attack LUNA tried to beat her to death!
The real sad tragic fact.......this was never necessary.
I mean it! all he had to do was tell them what he suspected and knew and they would call Sunset to the office as well as Snips and Snails to get the truth which they did.
After the fall at that would've been perfect.
He could gotten justice for his friend isntead went a path that could done so much damage.
He now facing assault, attempted murder, destruction of property, and he doesn't have a excuse that magic corrupted him like Sunset, nor does he regret what he done unlike Sunset.
I feel nothing towards him
But I have to see what happens next, the aftermath for the both of them, and how his family reacts and his friend.
the bit on Sunset and what she did...Sighs..wow I knew as soon as he mentioned that girl I had a awful feeling and it far worst then I ever thought.
So now what, is this it, the story end here?
Is this how it ends for the sunset of this world, no happy ending for anyone Sunset gets taken away the truth revealed and she taken away again experimented on, forced to breed and produce a army of super magic soldiers who then take over the world while Sunset is chained to the throne of the evil ruler?
10332497
Yes, the story is nearing the end.
As for how it will end...
You'll find out in the next few chapters.
You'll also learn Quick's reasons.
10332506
Will there be a sequel to this story it does it just end in this story?
i mean you took everything from her now.
Any redemption gone, her friends, gone, her staying at the school gone, any chance she had at the school gone her chances of a new life anywhere gone.
You or Quick taken everything from her.
10332548
This is part of a series of stories I am writing called Sunset's Steps. I will write a sequel to this one.
And no, Sunset will not lose her friends.
10332561
Look forward to it...Just wow..I mean i read other fics where Sunset had done some real bad things before she reformed but it very rare they are put in where everyone feels it.
It usually mention but focuses on her and the girls, this one has everyone reacting to it and the consequences that could follow with it.
They don't hate her they are afraid of her now....
snips and Snails...got damn they are so stupid! We thought it be fun one of them said...I said earlier I can see Sunset trying to take the full blame to save them but..now I think about how....
10332506
There's no reason that's gonna excuse all this. There's a thing known as a Freudian Excuse. It's the idea that the villain or antagonist has had some form of rough past and tragic childhood that excuses what his or her dark actions are like. However by contrast? There's also a thing called Freudian Excuse is No Excuse. As in even with this knowledge it makes the character MORE detestable and pathetic since it shows that even with that they CHOSE to be as bad or as dangerous as they are now. AKA. You've effectively landed Quick in the the second category. Over half your readers DESPISE Quick and unless you pull some ultra sad and tragic backstory that makes sense.... you're not gonna get a response you'd probably expect.
10332590
.
Well, here's my observation.
According to the creators, Rainbow Rocks is set six months after the first movie. Sunset had six months to prove she was a good guy, but almost everyone still distrusted her despite the fact she was no longer bad.
Why was everyone still hating her months afterwards.
I'm guessing a really nasty skeleton must've fallen out of the closet. Something that would make people really afraid to be near her.
I think of Snips and Snails as being immature in the worst possible ways. They basically reacted to getting someone framed to making someone slipped on a banana peel. Only they could go along with Sunset's schemes as long as they did. Because they lacked the mental maturity to see they were hurting people.
10332623
I never said "excuse". I said "understand."
10332646
Either way it's gonna be VERY difficult. Because I don't understand. Even if you have a good one it still..... gah it's hard to explain. I feel like there's nothing to be said about Quick that's gonna make me 'understand' him.
10332623
I sorta get why he did what he did, but make no mistake i still feel nothing towards him.
Even if say he in love with this girl, he royally screwed up, if eh was so mad at Sunset he should reveal what he suspected after the fall formal, or confronted her with it.
Either way Justice would been done, and be over.
But he choose to go down a very dirty path that left AppleJack hurt and suffering PTSD, nearly killing/crippling another and betraying his other friends.
again nearly murdering Luna, He needs to face the consequences and sure his mother going to be furious if not heart broken.
Luna better press charges on that boy as well.
Not for petty reasons but it the right thing to do, otherwise sends a bad message.
10332653
Which is my main fear. I just..... I don't know how to feel now and I hate that. Like not in a 'oh I hate what happened but love the story' no I mean I feel this was too far and pushed too much.
10332631
True true true...
Sighs I hate to say but yeah Snips and Snails aren't the brightest and Snails is a slow thinker he not dumb he just thinks very slowly on thoughts or ideas.
Snips is just a kid and acts impulsively....I figure with what they learn what happen to that girl afterwards...they going to be racked with guilt and fear.
Heck if she appeared before them in a wheelchair, they may faint or collapse shaking and crying like mad in fear and guilt.
10332657
mmmmm. I understand was a sudden shock and twist.
10332660
I feel it's too quick and shocking though. Like... too forced.
Depressive thinking does not work this way of course, but logically there's no reason she couldn't stay friends with people that go to a different school. Happens all the time.
Petty? Not to Wallflower. I've been ignored day after day. It hurts. No, my problem was that Wallflower was given no particular reason to target Sunset specifically as the 'cause' of her problems, when they manifestly weren't. Actually she probably 'overcharged' her natural social invisibiility by over-using the memory stone, but that's another theory. Anyway, sure Sunset probably bullied her at some point, but we don't see that. Instead she just seems to pick the easiest target. Admittedly that's not entirely unreasonable, but we aren't SHOWN her reasoning, and the experience is far from universal.
Side-note: Social invisibility seems to be inheritable. My mother and I have similar problems. If we don't make an effort to stand out, we just kind of fade into the background. It's very strange. It's probably down to non-verbal cues I picked up from her in childhood. Not to say it doesn't have its uses: Easy to excuse ones-self from an uncomfortable or just boring situation if no one notices you're there in the first place. Presumably would also make low-level theft easier, but I'm not the sort to try that.
Ah yes, dramatic irony. While the pathos is fine, and of course the story is interesting, there was an expressed desire for canon compliance, and that does cause a problem. I have some issues with 'world tone', but I've gone over those in other chapters so I'll pass that by.
I do not see how this could remain canon compliant at this point while maintaining any consistent internal logic. The charge would be tampering with evidence and conspiracy to do the same. Sunset may not have done the actual deed, but the joint responsibility rule renders her liable for both. In the US, the combined penalty could be 25 years for adults, or for juveniles tried as such imprisonment until they are 18 or 21, depending on jurisdiction. The juvenile penalties are the trade-off for reduced due process rights. Unless their justice system is completely different, basically nothing short of a gubernatorial pardon could alter that after the suspects confessed, not even, say, (spoilered in case I'm right) using Equestrian magic to heal a paralytic. Or a corrupt prosecutor could lead to that, I suppose: no conscientious prosecutor could fail to bring charges in such an instance, but in many jurisdictions (as has come up relatively recently), the prosecutor's office has absolute discretion on whether to charge someone.
[Edit: To be fair, the author may well have thought of something far more clever than I can, possibly somehow tying in the bits of background details. If nothing else that girl RD and Gilda keep mentioning hasn't been explained yet. These are just my thoughts as of this chapter.]
In a sort of broad philosophical sense, it is possible to make up even so egregious a wrong to someone so long as they remain alive long enough, though it could take decades. Again that would cause canonicity problems, though.
Unrelated, my theory on the slut label fell apart. I'm guessing that was a generic insult in the author's HS? It doesn't apply here to any of Quick's actual motives, and it wasn't something I really heard in my HS.
10332229
Oh you can very much prosecute someone who doesn't legally exist. Happens to undocumented immigrants all the time. For non-violent crimes the charges are typically dropped in favor of deportation, but for violent crimes they can and often are held for their sentence and only deported when it is over. With nowhere to deport to in this case, incarceration would be favored.
Side-note: The original charge going to juvie is interesting as there is not a consistent standard of proof in juvenile cases. NOW it's beyond a reasonable doubt if incarceration or a 'delinquency' penalty is in the offing, but that's relatively recent, only definitively coming about in 2012 or so (exact year depending on certain factors too fiddly to get into here). Consequently the proceedings against Muahrib may well have been under the 'preponderance of evidence' standard, which would almost certainly have been met while 'reasonable doubt' may not have been (no blood on the accused, no evidence of having purchased the knife, and a proper investigation, which would have been more likely to be done with the higher standard, likely would show the 'victim's wound consistent with self-infliction).
No idea if author knew those little tidbits but they tie in rather nicely. Given the name I assume there's some reference to real-world prejudices in there, too.
And of course there may have been to mind a rather nasty case from a few years ago about juvenile detention children being raped by staff. Quick Google shows that was boys rather than girls that were the victims, but the same principles apply.
10332428
He has been trying to rob Sunset on any and all chance to make amends, to Muharib first and foremost, never mind anyone/everyone else she's yet to make things up to.
I had a strong feeling something just like this would be Quick motive to hurt Sunset, I just got the girls wrong.
I understand why Quick did what he did but could their been no other way besides hurting others.(probably not, without evidence)
And poor Sunset despite everything she learned about friendship, and how hard she tried to redeem herself, thiers no way she can get out of this. All she can do now is take responsibility and except her punishment like she did before.
10332653
Technically he only beat Luna, who presumably did little more than guard due to not wanting to hit a student. There seemed to be no intent to kill.
Quick does certainly have a cognitive dissonance here, in that he went after those who had no idea what Sunset had done, but ignored Snips and Snails. Yes they were pawns, but they were willing pawns. One can explain not going through official channels in seeing how she got off: Kinda like diplomatic immunity in some hot-blooded cop movie, and targeting friends, while against rules of engagement, does make a certain cold-blooded sense. Does not explain the ignoring of Snips and Snails. While it's a bit of a plot hole, let's admit it: it is quite easy to forget about those two. They don't have a lot of presence.
Heck I don't think they were mentioned on the previous story on the clean-up crew... though I could be wrong. I kinda expected them to just not show up at all.
10332797
Technically he rigged a baseball thrower to slammed a baseball into a guy throat. that attempted murder there, you ever been hit by a baseball?
Do you know how hard it is, do you know how hard it throws those balls, do you know how easy it to hurt someone there in that spot?
So yes it's a attempted murder or at least assault in first degree or something.
10332885
I was only talking about Luna, not Twinkle, sorry for the confusion.
I THINK the authorial intent on the launcher is that he didn't know the damage it would do. But that's just my guess.
WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!! YOU FUCKING COPS!!!!!! SUNSET WAS NEARLY DROWNED AND APPLEJACK WAS STABBED!!!!!
CONGRATS! OFFICER GARDA!!! YOU JUST SIGNED YOUR DEATH WARRANT!!!!
10332955
WHOOA WHOOA WHOOA easy easy.
Look i know it's bad, but sighs Sunset had committed a crime.
She frame a student for a stabbing or assault with a deadly weapon, along with Snips and Snails, as much as I hate to say they commited a very bad crime.
Even if been months ago or so, it still lead to a arrest, the other kid was arrested as well, and he'll be charged as well, for the attacks and that includes the attempted murder on Luna.
Or assault with intent to kill, and destruction of property.
Any second chances he blew and should face expulsion, and juvenile hall.