Chapter I: "I know you too well"

>Be Sunset Shimmer
>Be eating lunch with your friends
>“Hey girls, you ever wonder why Anon is always alone”
>The table’s attention turns to the corner of the cafeteria where Anon sits, incessantly tinkering with whatever the latest contraption is that was the object of his current obsession.
>As you watch you catch your face twitching into a disgusted scowl.
>You hide your expression as quickly as you can, hoping none of the girls noticed.
>“Ah dunno Pinkie, Anon’s just not the type of folk who like socializing.”
>Applejack scoffs
>“Or the type who folk like to socialize with.”
>Rainbow giggles in agreement
>“Yeah, if you guys think Twilight is an egghead, Anon takes it to a whole other level.”
>Rarity chimes in
>“Oh my yes, he’s terribly involved in those little gadgets of his. Every class I have with him he just sits quietly in the corner in on one of his little devices. It really is quite difficult to approach him, for anything.”
>A whisper from behind vainly attempts to garner attention.
>“I was his science partner once… he didn’t say a word to me and just… did it all himself.”
>“He’s just plain bad news Fluttershy, He doesn’t even try in muh classrooms, he just sits there most times not even payin attention; staring at nuthin’ like he’s braindead.”
>“Nobody ever wants that guy on their side in gym class, he doesn’t even try to do anything and weighs the team down.”
>“That boy straight just wana be alone. Ain’t nuthin else to it.”
>“But Applejack, NOBODY wants to be alone.”
>Pinkie is slumped down on the table with a lost look on her face.
>“Ya just gonna have to accept it Pinkie, I don’t even think ah ever seen him smile.”
>Pinkie’s face twists until it is wide-mouthed with shock.
>“Whaaat?”
>Rarity brings her delicate fingers to her chin.
>“Now that you mention it Applejack, you’re right, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look even remotely happy.”
>“How can I have never noticed he never smiles!?”

>Pinkie smacks her face into the table and hides under her hair.
>“Oh Pinkie, don’t feel bad, Anon’s almost as good as me at being quiet and hard to notice.”
>Fluttershy delicately puts a hand on Pinkie’s back to comfort her.
>Rarity turns to you
>Please don’t…
>“Sunset,”
>Come on.
>“What do you think of Anon?”
>Silence.
>Rarity and Applejack exchange glances, before turning back to you.
>More silence
>Pinkie lifts her head up from the table and joins the collection of confused eyes
>Confused eyes just… staring at you.
>Just say something!
“Well I think he’s…”
>Someone you need to stay the hell away from
>What?
>No, you don’t want to sound like you think he’s some sort of freak
>That’s what old Sunset says.
>Even though it has been over a year since the Fall Formal incident, every now and then a little part of you forces its way into your mind and filled your head with the urge to act like that person again.
>That horrible, horrible person.
>You can never figure out exactly what brings it out of you.
>This is just one of those times.
>Anon is just one of those people.
“Okay.”
>…
>Smooth, Sunset.
>“’Okay’”? ‘Ave you even been listening Sugarcube?”
>Damn it Applejack, can’t she just let you weasel out of this one?
>“I thought you used to know Anon? if I recall him and you used to be reasonably close back before you first started dating Flash.”
>Flash? Of course you would bring that up Rarirty.
>You can’t help but let giggle from escaping your lips.
“Oh I wouldn’t say that.”
>Your chuckles meet silence.
>You sigh.

>Rainbow dash pipes up again.
>“What are you talking about Sunset? You, him and Flash used to hang out all the time.”
>’Hang out’
>Yeah sure, I guess you could call it that.
“Look girls, believe me when I say we’re better off just leaving Anon alone. He probably doesn’t want to talk to us.”
>And definitely not want to talk to me.
>”What’s yer beef with Anon anyway Sunset? You’re sweating more than a fruit bat in an applepatch.”
>It’s never easy with you is it Applejack?
”Can we drop it please? I don’t want to go into it.”
>”But Sunset, we can’t leave someone smile-less AND friendless like that!”
>What, now we absolutely have to go talk to him?
>You silently beg Pinkie not to guilt you into doing this.
>You so want to just drop this whole situation somehow.
>You want to forget Anon ever existed and just spend the day hanging out with your friends instead.
>But you’re also afraid that this is what old Sunset would do.
>New Sunset helps people, new Sunset wants to be a better person.
>But Anon?
>it couldn’t have been anyone else could it?
>”If you feel that this is too awkward for you Sunset, we can just talk to him instead, I’m sure we’re perfectly capable of handling it ourselves.”
>Rarity to the rescue.
>”We can get Twilight to help as well! Eggheads are good at talking to other eggheads right?”
>Twilight?
>Oh, darn it.
>I can’t let Twilight handle this without me, I’m the one Twilight left in charge.
>…
>This is really confusing sometimes…
“Thanks Rarity, but I wouldn’t be doing a very good job learning about friendship if I couldn’t even go over and ask someone to be my friend. Not to mention what Princess Twilight would think if I did that.”
>Applejack smiles.
>”Aw shucks Sugarcube, I’m sure –other- Twilight would be proud of yer if she heard yer say that.”
>A grateful smile creeps onto your lips
>Thanks Applejack
>”Come on then Sunset, it’s gettin real sad to look at him over…”
>He’s gone.

>Well that situation solved itself.
>Still not good that you kind of flaked on that, but at least now you got some time to mentally prepare yourself
>Or just time to anxiously wait and procrastinate.
>Ugh.
>”Oh dag nammit, he’s gone and disappeared on us.”
>Rainbow Dash stands up and looks around.
>”Where did he go? Does anybody even know where he hangs out between classes?”
>”Yah mean assuming he even shows up for his class?”
>”That too.”
>”I… I don’t think anybody knows where he hangs out, apparently he just tends to disappear in empty periods.”
>Fluttershy provides possibly the most insight on the table.
>Well, you know the actual answer to the question.
>But you don’t think you have it in you to go chasing Anon at this moment.
>Or ever.
>”Welp I guess we’ll just have to wait unti’ Tamorrow.”
>It was around that time you notice Twilight wandering into the cafeteria.
>You put up a hand to wave to her, only for Pinkie’s waving hand to completely eclipse yours in enthusiasm.
>”Hey Twilight!”
>Despite the unnaturally enormous amount of vocal power Pinkie Pie is able to emit practically without warning, it still takes Twilight a few moments to notice all of you sitting at the cafeteria.
>She waves to you as she staggers over and forces a smile, but she is visibly distraught.
>>Rainbow and Applejack ask the questions before you do.
>“Uhh Twilight, you okay? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”
>”An’ the last thing this place needs is a ghost, ‘specially after three separate occasions of things trying to take over and/or destroy the school.”
>“Oh, no offense.”
>Very funny Applejack.
>You sigh
“None taken. But what is the problem Twilight?”
>Twilight sits down at the table. Her hands are fidgeting away nervously in her lap.
>“No, not ghosts or anything like that, it’s just…

>”Yeh Twilight? What’s the problem Sugarcube?”
>”It’s my pendant, it’s gone.”
>The table is silent for a moment while they try to remember exactly what the pendant she’s referring to is.
>Then the answer appears in your head.
“Are you talking about the device you had that could absorb magic?”
>Twilight slowly nods in confirmation.
>Of all the things she could lose, she lost that?
“How- When- how could you lose THAT Twilight? Why did you even still have it?”
>Twilight shrinks back.
>Did you just raise your voice at her?
“I – I mean…”
>Applejack puts a hand on your shoulder.
>”I think Sunset is just trying ta ask how ya lost it. Where did yah see it last?”
>”Last place I left it was in my locker, then after I came back from fourth period, it was gone.”
>”You sure you didn’t just accidentally bring it to class without noticing and left it there? I did that once with my party canon.”
>”How do you accidentally bring a party canon to class?”
>Pinkie rubs her chin
>”You ask some profound questions Rainbow...”
>”I would never bring something that important to class with me, I left it in the locker because that’s the safest place I could think of.”
>”Couldn’t yah have just left it at home?”
>Oh no.
>Home discussions always get really vague and purposely left in the dark. gotta change the subject.
“So you’re saying someone broke into your locker and stole it?”
>Twilight rubs the back of her head
>”I can’t really think of any other explanation.”
>”No way Sugarcube, Canterlot’s a good school, nobody here is jus gonna up and break into a locker.”

>”More than that, what would anyone want with your pendant? Nobody here besides you and Sunset even understands how it works.”
>Rarity has a good point.
>Even though that thing caused a massive amount of chaos that almost resulted in the school being torn apart, only you seven, along with Luna and Celestia and some of the kids from Crystal Prep even know the pendant ever existed.
>You actually feel a little bad about it, all those kids had no idea what’s going on, to them it must have been like the world was ending.
>I guess they’ve never really known anything about all the stuff that’s happened here, they all just try to forget it and move on.
>Leaving the seven of you responsible for everything.
>You don’t feel sad anymore, now you just feel anxious again.
>”It doesn’t need to be someone who knows about it, it just needs to be someone who’s obsessed with egghead junk like Twilight.”
>Twilight gives a hurt look at Rainbow Dash
>”Egghead junk…?”
>”Uh… I mean… Sorry Twilight.”
>Nobody in the science clubs at school would ever break into someone’s locker, you knew that for a fact.
>It could be someone from Crystal Prep then? No, no Crystal Prep student would get away with skipping school under any circumstances.
>So who?
>…
>You know who, don’t you?

“Twilight?”
>All eyes turn to you
“Isn’t Anon’s locker right next to yours?”
>Rarity and Fluttershy put their hands to their mouths, Rainbow Dash and Applejack lower their brows in recognition.
>”Who’s Anon?”
>”Green kid, doesn’t talk to nobody.”
>”Terrible sense of fashion.”
>”He never smiles.”
>Pinkie tears up just by saying that.
>”Why would Anon take it? Sure he’s antisocial but that doesn’t make him a criminal. It was probably those two weirdos Snips and Snails or something.”
“You said it yourself Rainbow Dash, Anon is obsessed with that kinda stuff, and believe me when I say Snips and Snails are capable of doing nothing themselves.”
>”We can’t just blame him for stealing it because he’s interested in science, that’s not fair.”
>“It makes him a suspect Fluttershy, I trust Canterlot, but he don’t act like he wana be a part of Canterlot, so I don’t trust him.”
>Applejack’s got your back. Although you wish she didn’t have to defend you.
>And you definitely wish you didn’t have to blame Anon like this, considering how badly things got last time.
>But when Anon wants something he takes it. And he would want that pendant after what happened in the Friendship Games.
>”So, what do we do then?” Pinkie asked no one in particular.
>”We talk to him, jus’ like yuh wanted. Except we be a little more forceful about it.”
”He’s not just going to tell us that he has it if we ask him and he’s way too good at lying.”
>Applejack scoffs.
>”I’m trustin’ this guy less and less the more yuh talk about him. What’s the plan then? I don’t wana be raiding anybody’s locker, we’re better than that.”
>”Why not? He raided Twilight’s locker.”
>”But we don’t know that Dashie, we don’t want to break into someone’s locker when they haven’t done anything wrong.”
>”What if we follow him?”
>All eyes turn to Fluttershy.
>”I… I mean…”

>Underneath all that social ineptitude there’s a good idea there.
>Better save her before she gets upset.
“So you want to follow him? To find out where he disappears to all the time?”
>Fluttershy nods.
>”So we’re gonna stalk him then? This don’t sit right with me girls. Can’t we just tell Principal Celestia about it?”
>Principal Celestia.
>Usually you’re fine with looking to her for help, despite the fact you used to be at odds with her and the school.
>But in this case, with Anon involved, you’d rather not.
>She’d just talk to him about it and believe every word he says.
>She’d just take his side again.
“There’s no point getting Celestia involved in this Applejack, we can handle it fine ourselves. Besides, do you really want to get Anon in trouble like that? Didn’t we want to be friends with him before?”
>Applejack opens her mouth to speak but closes it again.
>She crosses her arms and averts her eyes.
>”Fine, you win, but ah still don’t like it.”
>Good enough.
>”So we just follow him after he’s had his lunch tomorrow then? Won’t that look rather suspicious?”
“I guess, hopefully we can be a little discreet about it.”
>”How discreet can seven students walking together in a hallway be? Am’ pretty sure he knows who we are since Pinkie’s been looking at him the whole time he’s been eating his food.”
>And he knows that they all sit with you.
>”hehe… sorry about that.”
>”Oh as if that guy even pays attention to anyone else, or anything besides his preciously little egg-“
>Rainbow Dash looks at Twilight.
“Um… awesome science gizmos.”
>Rainbow would be surprised how much Anon notices.
“He doesn’t know Twilight though. She can follow him.”
>Twilight stares wide-eyed at you.
>”Me!?”

>”Sunset, Anon stole the pendant off a Twilight, of course he knows who she is.”
“Anon knows Twilight had the pendant, he doesn’t know anything else about her. It’s our best bet. Sorry Twilight.”
>Twilight looks around hopefully for dissenting opinion, but the girls were slowly nodding in agreement.
>Twilight audibly gulps.
>”Well Twilight?” Rarity asks.
>”I-I’ll do it. To get the pendant back.”
>You smile.
“Thanks Twilight.”
>”So I guess I should sit at a different table then? Would kinda defeat the purpose otherwise.”
>”I’m afraid so darling.”
>”Great…”
>Twilight slumps on the table as the lunch bell rings to pull everyone out of their hallway engagements and back to the classroom.
>You and the girls begrudgingly get up and followed suit.
>Not that any of you were going to be paying much attention during class after that discussion.
>You had a bad feeling about this.
>Whatever Anon wanted with Twilight’s pendant, it can’t be good.
>Or at least it can’t be good for you.
***
>Be Anon.
>Be tired of Sunset Shimmer and her brigade eyeing you down while you’re trying to eat.
>Decide to leave early.
>Those cackling hens didn’t even notice you leave despite the fact that they were most definitely making fun of you.
>Typical.
>Walk down the hallway trying not to attract too much attention, but that’s just a curtosy.
>Everybody looks at you like you’re some kind of freak anyway.
>Most of the students scuttle away whenever they see you.
>At the very least these two-faced sheep know to keep out of your way.
>Have no class on this period.
>Convenient but irrelevant, even if you had class right you have much more important things to do.
>You decide to take the short cut to the science lab
>Don’t usually go this way, but since you’re early maybe…
>See that Flash Sentry is at his locker talking to some brainless chad friend of his.
>Typical, typical, typical.
>Screw it, taking the long way again.
>It’s fine, you don’t mind walking for this.

>Science lab is empty.
>As always.
>Only time anyone bothers to use this outside of class is science club.
>This whole science lab may as well be a preschool classroom anyway.
>The real stuff is reserved for people like you.
>Go over to the door behind the teacher’s desk.
>Normal students aren’t allowed in here.
>But you’re no normal student.
>You suffered for this privilege.
>Swipe the card through the sensor to unlock the door.
>It’s a long hallway.
>Can’t see anything, the light is busted.
>Gotta get someone to fix that at some point.
>Whatever, you know the way off by heart.
>After a few more agonizing moments of exploring the familiar darkness, you find the door.
>Finally here.
>Swipe the sensor again.
>This room was dark as well.
>Ignore the light switch, don’t need it.
>Only need the examination light.
>Sit down on the desk and turn on the other important stuff
>Computer, Magicometer, kettle.
>Could barely eat anything, need some caffeine.
>Steam filters into the darkness and out the vent while you carefully unwrap the package you had worked so hard to get your hands on.
>It looked like a pendant at a distance, but was shaped more like a locket when examined.
>Deep purple with a neon blue pattern adjuring its surface, surrounding the blank black circular centre.
>Gloves on, no idea how unstable this is.
>Generally Crystal Prep are better at this sort of stuff.
>But considering the amount of damage the girl holding onto this thing did.
>No chances.

>You haunch over the desk and adjust your glasses, making use of what little lighting you needed.
>An appropriate picture of an obsessive tinkerer must have been painted by your action: a small light illuminating a desk while darkness clung to the edges of the room.
>Just how you like it.
>Bring out the tools.
>The screwdriver shimmers in the harsh light while you use it to pry open the lid.
>The Inside is not quite as helpful as you had hoped.
>Just some circuitry and another blank space in the middle.
>Really going for the simplistic route.
>Whole thing looks dead, time to check the Magicometer.
>you’ll come up with a better name for that thing when you have the time.
>You pick up a small remote device with an antenna connected to a large battery.
>You point the antenna towards the locket and flip a switch.
>A series of popping noises and crackling occurs.
>No reading.
>Absolutely no way that’s possible.
>This thing almost destroyed the school.
>Time to dig deeper.
>Start undoing screws everywhere.
>Heaps of them, that girl really wanted this thing shut tight.
>When people don’t want you to get something, then it’s definitely something you want to get.
>A minute passes, the kettle gets louder and louder.
>You can hardly keep your hand steady as you carefully take each and every tiny little screw out, each one smaller and more delicate then the last.
>The anticipation is maddening.
>Two more screws.
>Wait, there’s another you didn’t see.
>How did you not see it?
>God damn it come on.
>Keep slipping on the last screw
>COME. ON.

>You rattle at the last screw as the entire casing starts to come off.
>You want to just rip the thing open and force it open, but you’re too afraid of damaging the delicate framework beneath.
>Twist…twist.
>The screw elevates above its resting place as the driver gradually caries it away.
>With so little friction left for the tool to keep hold, you’re forced to use your fingers to help guide its way.
>The kettle is practically screaming in the background as it reaches boiling point.
>You tug at the screw with your fingers, which seem impossibly oversized and clumsy when compared to the aggravating smallness of the object.
>Not enough, a few more times.
>Twist.
>Twist.
>Not quite…
>Come on…
>The kettle clicks off as the screw slides out with one final, impossibly satisfying tug.
>You triumphantly wipe sweat off your brow.
>There have been few moments in your life where you have needed a coffee as much as now.
>You place the screw neatly with the others and reach over to your mug.
>Spoon some ground coffee into the mug and pour boiling water.
>None of this crap has been washed in ages.
>Who even cares?
>Black coffee, milk is for cattle and sugar is for children.
>Take a sip and almost scald your mouth.
>Wouldn’t be the first time.
>Back to the matter at hand.
>You slide the bottom of the device off.
>This is much more like it.

>Circuitry, wires, bunch of fused metal to hold it all in place.
>Going to need to bring out all the boys for this one.
>Reach over and start powering up the soldering iron.
>Now…. What do we have going on here?
>It’s all analogue, with all the usual stuff.
>Semiconductors…. Transistors…
>Despite the fact that most of it is completely fried.
>That might explain why you weren’t getting any readings off of it.
>It also has resistors all over the place, all of them completely burnt out.
>The amount of power this thing was set up to filter through must have been massive.
>Yet it still couldn’t handle it.
>Where was it putting all this power?
>In the middle was what looked like a solid mass of fused metal with wires sputtering out of it everywhere.
>All the circuits flowed into this thing.
>And out of this thing.
>Wait what?
>On one side all of the circuits directed power into the fused metal core.
>On the other all the power was directed out of it.
>How does that accomplish anything?
>All the power just goes in and out at the same time, the resisters don’t add any more delay on one side or the other, so the energy just goes through it.
>Assuming energy can even pass through this misshapen metal nugget.
>You assume that this thing, whatever it was, was completely melted when the device fried.
>You can only hope that it’s still in-tact enough to figure out how it was used, nothing else in this thing makes any sense.
>How does it decide when and when not to release and absorb energy? There’s no input so not like you could plug it into a wall and charge it up.
>If you did so you would probably create some kind of wild electrical beam.
>… maybe that’s not such a bad idea.
>Give you a backup plan if Sunset or Flash decide to get involved again.

>Focus.
>Soldering Iron done.
>Let’s go.
>Only way to take a look at this thing is to crack it open.
>Have to be even more cautious though, if you fry any wires in here too badly, you’re screwed.
>You pull up your magnifier glass stand.
>Set it up carefully, can’t afford to mess this up.
>You picked up the now burning hot soldering iron.
>Delicately, you press it against the edges where the cords flow in.
>One by one they’re disconnected.
>The wires go deep.
>You put the now-free nugget onto a metal tray.
>Slowly you melt the surface…
>…
>No wires yet.
>Nothing?
>No…
>There’s something in the centre.
>The light does not reflect off of its surface at all.
>It seems to completely absorb it.
>You also can’t melt through this.
>You steadily melt the surrounding surface to reveal your prize.
>It was black.
>Completely black.
>A completely black, un-melt-able stone.
>Obsidian?
>No, it’s transparent.
>A gemstone.
>Onyx?
>No, onyx does not absorb light like this, it reflects light.
>This is why we have the computer.
>Shift the chair over and shift over to google.
>Generic search engines are the solutions for most of your problems, and Google is the best at it.
>The only results for a light absorbing gem are explanations how light is transmitted through a prism.
>Kid’s stuff, not helpful at all.
>That girl came from Crystal Prep right?
>School gets its namesake from Crystal Heights, which in turn gets its namesake from its gem business.
>Bunch of mines, bunch of exotic gems you don’t find anywhere else, and a bunch of labs making more of them.
>Guess that means you hit a brick wall again.
>She’s affiliated with Sunset, no way that harpy-follower is going to let you in on where she got this thing.
>Unless you go snooping in her locker again.
>It would be easy enough, she has one of those numbered locks.
>A monkey could break into those things, there are only 10,000 variables for god’s sake.

>If you don’t find anything, then what?
>Go transfer to Crystal Prep, snoop there instead.
>You wish you were there in the first place, but you’d need to get a higher GPA as it is to transfer, or, god forbid, get some extracurricular activities.
>Hard to do when the classrooms are more boring than watching paint dry and the students treat you’re some kind of creepy architecture they try and avoid looking at.
>Bunch of inconsiderate mouth breathers.
>Sunset always makes everything harder.
>God damn it
>She acts all nice now but you know that deep down she’s still the same.
>People like her don’t change.
>It was just then that you realized the gemstone had developed a red glow at the centre of it.
>What?
>In addition, the light emitted revealed small cracks hidden below the surface.
>The Gem is broken?
>You put it under the magnifying glass to examine it, but as soon as you do the glow starts to dissipate.
>What.
>Why?
>You move the gemstone back to its original position.
>The glow starts to return.
>The soldering iron?
>You left it on.
>You’re going to burn down the school if you keep doing that.
>Again, not the worst case scenario, but it would be quite the inconvenience.
>Well…
>The more you think about it, the more the idea appeals to you.
>You take the soldering iron and push it against the gemstone.
>The glow increases.
>This must be some strange reaction to heat, it absorbs light after all, maybe it does the same with this.
>Keep pressing against it.
>The glow becomes stronger and stronger.
>Is this what the device was for? Powering up this thing.
>But what does it do? How does it release energy?
>The glow is almost blinding now, yet you continue to press the soldering iron against it despite your better judgement.
>Something about the all-consuming red glow triggers a destructive anger in you.
>You imagine Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry at the centre of it, burning away in the centre of a sun you created.
>How appropriate
>The cracks start to spread towards the surface
>Maybe you should be more cautious about th-
-BOOM-
***
>Be Sunset Shimmer.
>Be not burning at the centre of the sun.
>Be in the hallway early in the morning by your locker.
>Be still anxious about the situation yesterday at lunch.
>True to his form, Anon had not appeared at all.
>You can barely remember the combination to your locker.
>It’s a dial lock, because those numbered ones were just way too easy to break into.
>”You alright there Sugarcube?”
>Either Applejack is good at noticing when someone is anxious, or you’re just that obvious.
“Yeah… I’m fine.”
>”Wow, you’re really bent out of shape about this whole Anon thing aren’t you?”
>You’re just that obvious.
>”What even happened between you two?”
“I really don’t wana talk about it Applejack.”
>”Oh hogwash, why not?”
>You sigh
>Sorry Applejack.
>You know it isn’t fair to be so secretive about it but…
“It’s just one of those things that reminds me of the person I used to be.”
>”So he’s just someone else yuh walked all over when you were on top?”
>Blunt as a brick as always Applejack
>”I could understand if it was like that Sunset, you’re not like that anymore, but you act like Anon is this terrifying force of nature you can’t deal with.”
>”Yeah, he just seems like your everyday egghead to me.”
>Where the heck did Rainbow come from?
>”What’s so bad about him?”
>”Answer us Sunset.”
>This was starting to feel like an interrogation.
>Your face must have shown it because almost immediately the girls back off.
>”Sorry Sunset, it’s jus’ darn frustrating having this guy pop out of nowhere and you won’t tell us anything about him.”
“I know Applejack, and I’d tell you but it wouldn’t fair to him or Flash if I did that either.
>”Flash Sentry? What does he have to do with any of this?”

“Y’know Rainbow, I’ve never been totally sure.”
>Rainbow Dash scratches her head.
>”Helpful, real helpful.”
“Alright look, I can’t tell you everything, but I can tell you that back then when I wasn’t all that nice… well Anon wasn’t all that nice either.”
>Neither was Flash, but that’s definitely something he doesn’t want getting out.
“And I may or may not have been partially responsible for why he acted that way.”
>”So you being nasty to this Anon fella is what made him a nasty fella to begin with?”
“Pretty much, and where I eventually gave up wearing a frown all the time and got friends… Anon stayed the same.”
>”When yuh put it that way it actually sounds pretty sad.”
>That’s because it is pretty sad.
“I might have tried to talk to Anon before and help him make some friends, but things really didn’t end well between us.”
>Rainbow answers this time
>”Well things weren’t exactly peachy between all of us Sunset, yet we all still made up and now we’re closer friends then we’ve ever been.”
“Yeah, but we had Princess Twilight to help us…”
>”Ah come on Sugarcube, is that still bothering you? You know we all trust you to fill in her shoes. Whatever friendship or magic problem we run into, yall are the best person for the job.”
>At least with Applejack you know she’s always being honest.
>Even so it's not like you can just believe that you can do it and everything will be okay.
>You advert your eyes for a moment.
“Between the Dazzlings and the Friendship games I never really got a chance to patch things up with him.”
>The girls are nodding in understanding, but that’s not the real reason.
“But it’s also because… well it’s because I’m kind of scared of him.”

>”Scared? Of that guy?”
>Somehow you’re not surprised Rainbow Dash wouldn’t get it.
>”He’s like, one of the weediest eggheads at the school. He probably doesn’t try in gym class coz he knows he’ll embarrass himself.”
“You won’t understand till you talk to him Rainbow. I, I never even know if he’s joking or not, he says everything with this same monotone voice, you can never tell what he’s thinking, whether he’s just trying to be nice but doesn’t realize he’s making you uncomfortable, or whether he’s intentionally trying to mess with you for his own amusement. He says thing to you that nobody else would ever say, he just doesn’t care at all what people think of him.”
>Or just not what you think of him, but you think if that was ever the case once it changed to be everybody else a long time ago.
>”Wow, that does sound bad.”
>Now where did Twilight come from?
>You really need to pay attention more.
>Wow, she doesn’t look good at all.
>”Oh hey Twilight, we were just discussing that Anon guy again, apparently Mr. small-weedy-needs-glasses-for-everything is the most terrifying thing Sunset’s ever had to deal with.”
>Twilight pouts.
>”What’s wrong with needing glasses all the time Rainbow?”
>”UHH, I mean… wow that Anon guy’s really scary isn’t he Sunset?”
>”Wait Twilight, why are yall here? Isn’t your locker all the way on the other side of the school?”
>”Only about one hundred and fifty metres away actually. But I came here because when I was at my lab yesterday, my Magicometre picked up a reading from this school, a reading that was exactly the same as the Equestrian magic I got from before.”
>Equestrian magic? Again?
>Of course this happens now of all times… why does everything always have to happen at once.
>…
>Could Anon be involved with this as well somehow?
>…
>Rainbow is giggling about something, focus on that instead.
>”Magicometre? Really Twilight?”

>”What’s wrong with Magicometre?
>Rainbow, only somewhat successfully bites back her laughing fit.
>”Nothing, it’s fine Twilight.”
>Twilight pouts again.
>”I think she means it’s a stupid name and you’re quite a fool not to notice that.”
>Who is it this time?
>Oh no.
>Oh no, no, no.
>Anon is standing in the hallway, the eyes of nervous onlookers glued to him as he briskly walks towards you and the girls.
>Everyone is speechless.
>Anon strolls up to you with the same monotone look he always wears. Except this time it’s noticeably a little more relaxed than usual.
>He’s been practicing.
>He may as well be the calmest person in the world next to your collection of shocked, and in your case probably terrified, faces.
>He raises his eyebrows.
>”Well, great to see how friendly your little club is, perhaps I should come back later when you learn how impolite it is to gawk at people like that.”
>”Ah-ah’m sorry Anon, it’s jus’ that you don’t generally talk to people and all.”
>”Am I not allowed to talk? Would not surprise me if some rule such as that was instated, it would explain quite well why people tend to shrink away from me whenever I get near them.”
>”No, no, yall can talk to us if you want somebody to talk to.”
>”Don’t give yourself too much credit farm lady, I would not affiliate with your lot if I did not have an obligation to do so.”
>Applejack looks back at you with a mixed expression that is both confused and begging for help.
>”I uh… ah’m sorry?”
>”’I’m’ or ‘ah’m’? one is a word, one is not.”
>Rainbow dash steps forward and crosses her arms.
>”Hey man, lay off her, she was only trying to be nice.”
>Anon lazily turns to her, his eyes hidden behind his glasses.
>”I gathered that, it is quite unlikely somebody would be legitimately willing to respond to me, I might appreciate the effort to lie in order to protect my feelings if she was not so painfully disingenuous in her attempt.”
>Applejack’s confused is replaced by an indignant glare.
>”Lie?”

>”Anyway, as I mentioned, I have come here for an actual reason.”
>He brings out a small object wrapped in cloth.
>”This belongs to you.”
>He give it to Twilight.
>No way.
>Twilight looks just as stunned as you were.
>Rainbow Dash, however, looks mostly angry.
>”Hey! Why do you have that?!”
>Rainbow doesn’t give Twilight a chance to accept Anon’s gift, instead she snatches it out of his hand with such force that it knocks him off balance.
>Anon stumbles back before regaining his composure adjusts his glasses.
>”Yeah, we know yuh stole that from Twilight’s locker ya thief! And I AIN’T no liar!”
>If Anon is angry he does not show it.
>”You know for a group that’s supposed to be friendly and helpful you two are proving to be neither. You’re mostly just adhering to your aggressive stereotypes. I saw her drop this when she went to her second period class, I would have given it to her at the time but she was far too invested in what she was doing to notice me. Which I do not blame her for, as it would appear I am rather difficult to notice.”
>”No way, Twilight said she would never lose something that important!”
>”Good to see you have so much faith in her, disappointing that she let you down in that regard with her lack of care in regards to her valuables. However if you are so unwilling to believe her and in-turn not believe me, then go ahead. I stole this random, clearly not very valuable locket for absolutely no reason, and now you have it back. Problem solved.”
>Rainbow and Applejack have no answer to that, despite the fact they were still fuming.
>”I can clearly see now that I would have been better off leaving it on the ground to be stepped on, considering this is how you treat people who take time out of their day to help you. Now I am quite happy to leave this conversation before we come to blows.”

>The girls are still angry, but they can’t find any retort to Anon’s linguistic traps and loaded questions.
>Which is good, since that’s all they are, traps and tricks in the form of words, all trying to make you say the wrong thing.
>”Okay Anon, we’re sorry that we weren’t exactly welcoming, and thank yall for bringing back Twilight’s pendant. You probably didn’t steal it.”
>That’s good enough, now just leave it
>”but just so ya know…”
>You put a hand on her shoulder
“Applejack don’t…”
>”I ain’t no liar, and don’t you go making fun of how I talk!”
>She points her finger right up to Anon’s face, and for a moment you swear his eyes shoot daggers from behind his glasses.
>”For one, I have difficultly imagining a better word then “liar” to define you: So far you accused me of stealing an object I was trying to return to you with absolutely no evidence. You asserted that your friend could not have possibly made such a small error as dropping a trinket, instead blaming me for its disappearance, and you stood idly by while your friend here near assaulted me.”
>Anon slaps her hand away.
>”If none of these things can be the result of dishonesty, then the only explanation is that it is the result of stupidity, which segways nicely into my second point of criticism.”
>Applejack is wide-mouthed.
>Twilight shrunk away.
>Rainbow Dash was red in the face.
>”Okay that’s it Anon, you apologize right now or I’m gonna bash your teeth in!”
“Rainbow!”
>”What, he deserves it! Nobody talks to my friends like that!”
>”Nice moral high ground there, unacceptable to question someone’s disingenuous nature, but perfectly normal to threaten with violence.”
>”Question? You straight called her stupid right to her face!”
>Anon puts his hand to his chest in order to play the false victim once again.

>”I said nothing of the sort, I merely tried to clarify exactly what her stance was, as well as her gauche use of the English language. Is it considered so heartless to point out that a person’s claims would either make them a liar or an idiot? If anything I am helping Applejack overcome her shortcomings and correct this in her further endeavours where she would normally have made a complete fool out of herself.”
>”SHUT. UP.”
>Rainbow Dash was grinding her teeth.
>Applejack finally found her voice again.
>”Stop trying to weasel your way around insults you two-faced snake!”
>”Applejack, really, the only thing I am guilty of is being honest. Or would you rather me resort to violent threats like your rather vocal friend here.”
>”Oh I aughta wipe yuh mouth out with soap!”
>”Anon, seriously, stop it, or I’m going to smash your face up so bad you won’t be able to talk your way around ANYTHING!”
>”Again with these threats, do you really think you can scare me with such language? You’re acting just like every other asshole around here who’s bigger then me and decides they dislike the way I talk. I thought the lot of you were meant to be the model students at Canterlot High. Especially you Rainbow, captain of the sport’s team, winner of the Battle of the Bands, rallied the entire school for the Friendship games. Yet here you are, completely incapable of grasping what I’m talking about. For someone who likes to think they’re so fast, it seems to me that you’re alarmingly slow.”
>You swear steam is literally spewing out of Rainbow’s ears.
>”If just you two are acting so uncharacteristic to your reputation, I’d really hesitate to see what the rest of your group is like in person.”
>”Anon don’t yuh dare-”

>”That Pink one who clearly does not fathom such concept as personal space or dignity.”
>”Rainbow’s really gonna lose control if yall-“
>”That white one so self-involved and shallow as to dedicate her life to such a trivial pursuit as ‘fashion’
>You put your hands firmly on Rainbow’s shoulders to hold her back.
>She’s shaking.
>”Anon yuh varmit-“
>”That yellow creature who-
>”Anon if yall really think yuh can get away with badmouthing Fluttershy-“
>Anon put a finger right up to Applejack’s face in a similar fashion that she did to him.
>”Let’s play a game Applejack, if you can somehow learn how to properly pronounce the simple English word known as ‘you’ then maybe, just maybe I’ll listen to a single word you feel the need to clumsily spew out at me.”
>The world slows down for a moment.
>Applejack’s face goes so red you were sure fire was about to start spouting out of her head.
>The only things free from the momentary stasis, are Anon’s next words
>”Just for the record, I’m not mad. After all, having inbred parents must be a pretty good excuse.”
>Rainbow throws you off of her with such force that you slam into the locker and smack your head against the door.
>As you slide down to the floor with the world spinning around you, you see Rainbow rocket from her original position and tackle Anon to the ground.
>A collection of screams are heard, including Twilight, as Rainbow raises fist after fist and pounds anon into the ground.
>You struggle to pull yourself off the ground and somehow call out to the swirling mess in front of you.
“RAINBOW STOP!”
>Despite your efforts it doesn’t dissuade Rainbow from her assault.
>You stumble your way towards her and attempt to pry her off before she takes this way too far, but Rainbow is clung to him like a vice, and in your current state you can barely walk let alone overpower a raging football star.

>Suddenly you feel Rainbow’s grip weakening, and consider for a moment that she might have finally gotten control of herself.
>But in the corner of your eye you see Twilight pulling at the opposite shoulder you’re tugging on.
>But not Applejack.
>With a heave you and Twilight finally manage to pull Rainbow off of him, the three of you falling to the ground in a sprawling mess of flailing limbs.
>You immediately pin Rainbow to the ground with the help of Twilight as she madly attempts to get off of the ground and back onto her defenceless opponent.
>You and Twilight hold her down for what feels like an age, but slowly, she begins to calm down.
>And the realization dawns on her of what she just did.
>The three of you turn your heads around the hallway.
>In every corner there are shocked faces of fellow students, all horrified by the sight of a frail teenager splayed out on the floor who was beaten to a pulp by one of Canterlot’s most prestigious students.
>You got up and looked down at Anon as he lay on the floor.
>He was breathing,
>At least the situation didn’t go that far.
>But it’s not like the situation is made much better by that fact.
>For one, he might not be able to walk.
>Just as that thought pasted through your mind Anon roused and started to pull himself off the ground.
>Almost without thinking about it, you offer him a hand.
>You realize how inappropriate your gesture is in the current situation, too late.
>Anon just stares at your hand for a little while, in the same cold emotionless way he stares at everything.
>Then he turns his eyes to meet yours.
>There was no mistaking what is in those eyes, hidden behind what was left of his face.
>Hate.

>Anon staggers up to his feet.
>Rainbow had made the time she had with him count, that much was obvious.
>The left side of his face is completely swollen and bloodied, there were cuts all along his cheekbone and on his lips
>You’re pretty sure his nose wasn’t that bent before either.
>Anon reaches down to the ground for his glasses.
>It was at that point you remember how blind he is without those.
>He fails to locate them immediately, at which point he drops to his knees and starts crawling around, desperately trying to get them back.
>You feel the eyes of your peers on you now, as Anon crawls around inches from you, standing there, completely stunned.
>God damn it, how does he always manage to make you look like the bad guy?
>You can’t take it anymore, you snatch up his glasses from their resting place and hand them to him.
>Anon begrudgingly accepts them and once again rises to his feet.
>Considering the amount of damage Rainbow had done to him, you must admit you were impressed how well he was handling it.
>Impressed, but part of you also wishes he was hurt enough that you didn’t have to live through this next moment.
>”Well, it seems I failed to end this before it came to blows. Not that that would bother you much Sunset.”
>He puts his glasses back on, one of the lens is cracked.
>You’re amazed the whole thing hasn’t been shattered.
>”You must have really loved seeing that Sunset, no wonder you let it go on so long.”
>He wheezes more than he talks, but he still insists on talking as long as he is able.
“I’m the one who tried to help you Anon.”
>”Help me? I find it far more likely you simply wanted to stop Rainbow before she made an embarrassment out of you both.”
>Why do you even bother talking?
>You got her off to save his ungrateful ass.
>Right?

>”Anyway, I think I’ve long overstayed my welcome, I should get going before your other ‘friend’ assaults me as well. We can only hope that Celestia is understanding of this unfortunate situation.”
>His voice is little more than a whisper, you’re sure Rainbow got some shots at his chest in while she was on top of him.
>”Don’t worry Sunset, you’ve no fear of me telling her anything, I wouldn’t be a tattletale like that. I can’t say the same for everyone else though.”
>He gestured towards the surrounding crowd of mortified onlookers.
>”Of course I’m only saying that so you know I am not the one responsible should Celestia somehow find out.
>He starts walking.
>”It’s good to see that the friends you keep haven’t really changed, even after all this time.”
>Anon whispers into your ear as he passes you.
>”Just like you haven’t really changed, right?”
>As Anon walks down the hallway, concerned bystanders come to his side and offer to help him, to which you assume he declines in an uncharacteristically polite manner.
>Finally, after far too long, he disappears down the hallway.
>You turn back to the girls.
>Applejack isn’t red anymore, but she still has the same blank stare that she had before.
>Twilight’s face is pale. She’s completely overwhelmed.
>Rainbow is fighting back tears.
>You see that Pinkie and Rarity have found their way to Rainbow’s side through all the commotion.
>Somehow made it through the crowd of people who had appeared. Constant whispers emit from them:
>”Did she really just do that?”
>” Why did she hurt that guy? Isn’t he just the weird kid?”
>”I heard that guy his some sort of disability, and Rainbow just beat him up like that?”
>Pinkie looks around at the disaster zone, tears welling up in her eyes as well.
>”S-Sunset… what just happened?”
>Pinkie asks.
>”We found out why Anon is always alone Pinkie Pie.”
>Applejack answers.