-
>"...And that's why I lost the race, I mean, I totally would have won it otherwise"
-
"Sure Rainbow" you said, rolling your eyes
-
>The lunch period was a pretty normal one, though thanks to the cold and snow you tended to spend more time in the cafeteria than outside
-
>The girls were chatting it up as always, but you found yourself focusing on something else
-
>Until you felt a nudge on your arm and turned to face Rainbow Dash
-
>"Yo Sunset, what you staring at?"
-
"Him" you say, pointing towards the corner of the cafeteria
-
>Sitting there almost completely alone was the new student, Anonymous, at least you thought that was his name
-
>You couldn't help but notice him, he was a bit odd
-
>Just showed up one day, taking the only empty table in the place
-
>If you saw him in the hallways he had his head down and walked just a little too fast
-
>If you ever saw him on the way out of school he nearly ran away, almost slipping on the ice a few times
-
>And always wearing that same, or at least a very similar, black suit with red tie and a large black coat over it, even indoors
-
>"What, you got a crush on him or something?" Rainbow teased
-
"No, it's just... I've never seen him talk to anyone"
-
>"Well he is new"
-
"He's been here for three weeks at least, you'd normally be hanging out with someone by then."
-
>"Maybe he's just shy" chimed in Applejack
-
"Maybe..."
-
>But still, you couldn't help but stare at him
-
>He never spoke unless a teacher called on him, you never saw him hang around anyone after school
-
>It's probably not your place, but you were worried about him, there just seemed to be something wrong
-
-
"I'm gonna go ask him if he wants to hang out"
-
>"Wait, what?" Rainbow began to protest, "why?"
-
"Why not?"
-
>"Well, I mean, he's weird"
-
>The other girls glared down Rainbow for saying it, but ultimately couldn't really bring themselves to say anything either
-
>Well, except other concerns
-
>"Fella is a might odd, I mean, who wears a suit to school?"
-
>"There is nothing wrong with wearing a suit anywhere, though I will say that coat is just gaudy."
-
>"Who cares what he's wearing? I don't think I've ever seen him smile once, and in math classes whenever I make a joke he's the only one not laughing."
-
"Girls, please. I know he might seem a bit strange, but you have to give him a chance. I mean, you all remember what I was like when I first came here, right?"
-
>To that the girls had nothing else to say, a few looking ashamed of judging him so quickly
-
>All except Rainbow Dash, you could tell there was something irking her about him
-
>She was Rainbow Dash though, so there's that
-
>Regardless, you would go talk to this strange loner
-
-
>You got up from your seat and made your way toward the corner of the cafeteria
-
>As you did, something began to bug you about anon
-
>He sat there, headmuffs on and ignoring the world around him as he ate his sandwich
-
>By all accounts nothing seemed out of place for just some lonely guy
-
>But as you got closer you began to realize that he seemed... Angry
-
>His face fixed into a scowl as he doodled in his binder, taking another bite out of his sandwich
-
>What did he have to be angry about? As far as you knew no one talked to him all day, he shouldn't look happy granted but he had no real reason to be angry
-
>Maybe something before school happened that bugged him
-
>Whatever it was, you ignored it and walked up to his table
-
>He didn't notice you for a few moments, but eventually you managed to catch his attention
-
>He looked up at you surprised; and quickly, a little too quickly, closed his binder and threw off his headphones
-
-
"Hi, your names Anon, right?"
-
>"Uh, yeah... Do you need something?" He asked, looking completely confused by the situation
-
"Not really, I was just wondering if you wanted to join me and my friends for lunch?"
-
>He didn't say a word
-
>Instead, his eyes began to dart around, confused
-
>Yet there was something else about the way he scanned the cafereria
-
>It's like he was looking for something specific
-
>When he failed to find it, his attention returned to you
-
>"Why?"
-
"No reason really, we just saw you looked a little bored and figured you might want to hang out"
-
>It was the honest truth, but Anon's brows furrowed as he stared at you, running your words through his head like you just told him the sky was green
-
"I mean, just if you wanted to" you quickly added, trying to put whatever doubts he may have at rest
-
>After a few more seconds of staring his mouth opened again
-
>"Sure, why not."
-
>It didn't sound very convincing, there was scepticism and caution in his voice, and his eyes kept darting about looking for that something
-
>What was he worried about ?...
-
>Wait, could it be that he thought you were trying to prank him?
-
>At that thought you felt a bit of pity for this guy
-
>He couldn't accept an offer of friendship as legitimate
-
>Maybe he had some bad times at his old school or something
-
>All the same he quickly gathered some of his things and began to follow you back to the table
-
-
>"So where about ya from?" Applejack asked Anon
-
>"Most recently we came from Oregon, but my dad has to move around a lot so I'm not really from anywhere"
-
>It started off a bit bumpy of course, Anon was initially wary when you'd gotten to the table
-
>The girls tried asking him a few things at first but the answers they'd received were usually just half hearted yes or no's
-
>Eventually everyone shifted their focus from Anon and just talked about everyday stuff, but still tried to involve him
-
>And after a few minutes Anon had relaxed and became more open to talking, the idea that you and your friends were setting him up for some kind of prank now seemingly absent
-
>"What's your pa do?"
-
>"He's a construction contractor"
-
>"Hey, my brother did some carpentry over the summer, made a whole heap of cash"
-
>"Yeah, it's good work but pretty exhausting, not uncommon for him to come home in a bad mood."
-
>The air around the table got just a little thicker when he mentioned that, none of the girls could really find a decent response
-
>He tried to change to topic once he realized everyone was just staring at him
-
>"S-so, you guys got any plans after school?"
-
>The other girls quickly latched onto the question, happy to avoid the topic of Anon's home life
-
>"Yeah, all of us were gonna head on down to Sugarcube Corner" Pinkie quickly answered.
-
>"The cakes make the best strawberry tarts, coffee's pretty good too. You should come!"
-
>Anon nearly jolted at the suggestion of going to Sugarcube Corner
-
>Or maybe just the suggestion of going anywhere after school
-
>"Oh, n-no, I have things I gotta do tonight, maybe some other time"
-
"Sure dude, but if you ever wanna tag along feel free."
-
>"Okay, thanks."
-
>For the first time since you'd met you saw a smile cross Anon's face
-
-
_______________
-
-
>It's been about a week since you met Anon, and things with him have been going pretty well
-
>He's opened up a lot, and now he even hangs out with you and the girls after school every once in a while
-
>Well, mostly just you, he seems to be a little more comfortable around you than the others
-
>All things considered though he seemed like a pretty nice guy, a bit on the quiet side
-
>But hey, so was Fluttershy
-
>Though the topic of family and home life was still a strict "no-no" around him, you even took care not to talk too much about your own home life around him
-
>And he seemed to keep even more quiet than usual when talk of the winter formal began to raise up
-
>After all, it was only a few weeks away now
-
>You were at your locker, last period was about to start and you were itching to get going
-
>It'd been a bit of a busy day, and you and the girls were planning to head on over to Sugarcube Corner later on
-
>Celestia knows you could go for a nice cup of Joe in this weather
-
>"Yo Sunset!"
-
>You look to your right to see Anon walking towards you and waving
-
"Hey Anon, what's up"
-
>"Not much, gym was a pain in the ass today, dodge ball."
-
"You're complaining that you got to play dodge ball?"
-
>"I tend to get targeted the most, anyway we still up for Sugercube after school?"
-
"Yeah, I got some stuff to do after class but we'll meet up at fou-"
-
>"Hey Sunset!"
-
-
>You turned around to see Flash Sentry also heading towards you, he looked to be in a good mood at first
-
>But you noticed something
-
>His walk seemed to slow and his smile drop just a bit when he saw Anon standing next to you
-
>And when he finally reached you it was obvious that he was not happy to see Anon
-
>And Anon? Now Anon certainly didn't look happy
-
>His brow furrowed, his fist balled up as he stuffed them into his coat pockets, even his jaw tensed up
-
>The atmosphere was pretty heavy
-
>"Hey Anon"
-
>"'Sup Flash?"
-
>"Not much"
-
>The two just stood there, glaring at each other
-
>For a moment you honestly felt like someone might start throwing around insults
-
>Or worse, start a fight
-
>Your eyes just darted back and forth between the two boys
-
>You needed to defuse this situation
-
"Hey Flash, what's up?"
-
>Flash didn't take his eyes off Anon for a second
-
>And Anon, despite being taller yet considerably thinner than Flash, kept his head low and eyes up
-
>You could see his hands constantly fidgeting inside his coat pockets
-
>"I wanted to talk to you about the winter formal" he said without even giving you a sideway glance
-
>"What's wrong Brad? One of the other hundred girls not up to your standards?"
-
>You were surprised, Anon never said anything when the winter formal came up
-
>Then again, that really wasn't saying something about the winter formal so much as just throwing around insults
-
>Also, "Brad?"
-
>"Maybe we should talk some other time" he said to you again, though it was hard to tell with him staring Anon down the whole time
-
>"Oh don't mind me, I was just leaving, wouldn't want to keep you from anything 'important'" Anon spitted out with more than just a hint of venom
-
>"I'll see you later Sunset" he said back to you, pulling his coat collar up and walking away before you could even say a goodbye
-
>Well, that was weird
-
-
>"...So finally I hear "Anon!" being yelled out by the teacher and wake up, yelling 'here! Here!'"
-
>"The teacher is glaring at me, like, she's really mad; but she says 'oh, really? Well I'm so glad you're here', all sarcastic of course. Class is having a good chuckle too."
-
>"So I think fast, and it hits me right away; I look up at her and say 'well, at least one of us is'."
-
>The girls all laughed, ranging from a little giggle to a full hearty laugh
-
>"Oh Anon, you scoundrel!" Rarity said, hiding her giggling behind her mouth
-
>The rest of the day went pretty smoothly after that... Incident
-
>Granted you liked Social Studies
-
>Before long the whole group was hanging out at Sugarcube, even Anon was having himself a good time
-
>In fact, he didn't even seem to mind making himself the center of attention a few times
-
>And when the winter formal came up, he mentioned he's been thinking about going
-
>You liked seeing how social he's been getting recently
-
>Towards your group at least, you still never really saw him with anyone else, but you never really saw him outside of lunch or after school
-
>"Yo Sunset, you alright? You've been kinda quiet today" Anon asked you when the other girls went back to talking among themselves
-
"Yeah, just waiting for something."
-
>You were waiting for a certain video call
-
>Twilight was spending a few weeks with her family in Utah, and you arranged to have her come and chat tonight
-
>Though it slipped your mind to tell Anon, he didn't really know Twilight after all, maybe you shou-
-
>Too late, your phone began to hum a familiar tune and the caller ID confirmed that this wasn't a telemarketer
-
>...Unless Twilight converted while in Utah
-
>You picked up the call, and were greeted by a familiar purple but laggy face
-
"Hey Twilight!"
-
>"Hey Sunset!"
-
-
>Immediately all the other girls rushed behind you, yelling greetings into the phone
-
>Twilight was overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught, but was still happy to see all her friends
-
>"Yo Twilight, how's Mormon town?" Rainbow quickly added before any of the other girls could say anything
-
>Twilight rolled her eyes, at least you thought she did, hard to tell with the lag
-
>But as all the other girls were chatting it up with Twilight you couldn't help but notice Anon
-
>He looked a little upset, not sad though
-
>You could have sworn he was a little annoyed by something, staring into his coffee as his finger slowly tapped the table
-
"Hey Anon, come say hi" you said, waving your hand a bit
-
>Anon went from annoyed to uncomfortable, but without saying a word he scooched on over
-
>You turned the phone a bit in his direction
-
"Anon, this is Twilight, one of our other friends"
-
>"H-hey Twilight" Anon said, trying to avoid looking directly at the phone
-
>"Hello Anon! Good to see you again!" Came out of the phone
-
>"WHAT!" All the girls screamed out
-
>Hell, even you did
-
>You quickly turned the phone a bit more in your direction
-
"Wait, you and Anon know each other?"
-
>"Well, not really. We went to the same middle school back when I lived in Utah but we didn't really speak much"
-
>"Geeze Anon, you sure get around, dontcha?" Pinkie asked
-
>"Y-yeah, small world, huh?" Anon said under his breath, scratching the back of his neck a little
-
>Anon slowly, but noticeably, slid back to his coffee, no longer seeming annoyed so much as nervous
-
>The girls didn't seem to notice though
-
>And honestly, even you were a bit too busy catching up with Twilight to dwell on it too long
-
-
>It was starting to get late and it was still a school day tomorrow
-
>You and the girls all said your goodbyes to Twilight and paid for your coffee and treats
-
>And as you walked out you all said you goodbyes and began heading your separate paths
-
>A few of the girls sticking together since they lived in the same direction, or had to take the same bus
-
>But for the most part, everyone broke off
-
>That is, all except Anon
-
>"Yo Sunset, hold up"
-
>You were already down the block when Anon, who until this point just stood outside of the cafe, started running towards you
-
>"Hey Sunset, mind if I walk you home?"
-
>It wasn't really that odd that he wanted to hang out
-
>He would usually stick pretty close to you after school
-
>And he would always try to keep you around Sugarcube longer than you had any business being there, despite not really talking much
-
>But you always saw him go the other way after you guys left
-
"But don't you live on the other side of town?"
-
>"Yeah, but I figured we could hang out a bit more"
-
"Alright, sure"
-
>You didn't see any reason not to, it was starting to get a little dark after all and you weren't a big fan of walking alone
-
>It was a pretty safe neighbourhood, but still
-
>Besides, you liked Anon's company well enough, quiet as he was
-
>"So, your friend seems nice."
-
"Twilight? Yeah, it's actually kind of a funny story, when we met we were competing against each other"
-
>"You don't say?"
-
>Anon didn't really seem all that enthusiastic about Twilight, it was obvious he wanted to ask something else and was just working himself up
-
>Finally, after a little bit of talking usually broken up by long, awkward silences, Anon seemed to gain that courage
-
>"Sooo... The winter dance is coming up soon, got anyone you're going with?"
-
>You were surprised, Anon never brought up the formal himself
-
>Maybe he just wasn't as nervous anymore
-
"Not yet, I was thinking of maybe going with Flash, but I'm sti-"
-
>"You want to go with him!"
-
-
>Something... Changed
-
>Anon was usually timid and quiet; shoulders slumped, head down, and hands in his coat pockets
-
>But the moment you mentioned Flash he lost it
-
>His brow furrowed, his teeth barred, his eyes wild and crazy, his whole body tensing and taking on a very powerful posture
-
>But most of all, he grabbed you by the shoulders to face him
-
>Anon was a skinny guy, but when those fingers dug into your skin you felt an unnatural strength in him
-
>He almost seemed to double in size right then and there
-
>But he calmed down very quickly, letting go of you less than a second after he grabbed you
-
>His face turning back to his usual expression, only with a hint of guilt
-
>"It's just..."
-
>He took a breath and tensed up a little
-
>"He's an asshole Sunset!" he yelped out, throwing his hands out
-
"Anon!"
-
>"It's true, he's nothing but a bully, the same asshole from every school."
-
"What are you talking about Anon? Flash is a nice guy."
-
>"Yeah, when he's around you or any of his jock friends, you wouldn't know what he's really like."
-
"Oh really, and what is he really like?"
-
>"An asshole jock and a bully, picking on the little guys; the geeks, the nerds, the loners"
-
>He calmed down even further, hanging his head as all the tension in him was replaced with a depressed slump
-
>"Look, I'm just looking out for you... I should head back, you know if any buses around here head towards 32 Column Pine Street?"
-
"Yeah, the number 23, there's a bus stop just a few blocks down"
-
>"Thanks Sunset"
-
-
________
-
-
>Brad was walking by with his friend
-
>Fucking Brad
-
>You knew his kind, every school you've ever gone to it was the same thing
-
>Assholes like this were always making life harder for you
-
>And in every school these guys were always the most loved for some reason
-
>You didn't get it, the other assholes and the vapid sluts sure
-
>But even the nerds and losers wanted to be these guys, when they really should have wanted them gone, why?
-
>You pulled a pencil end and a strong rubber band out of your coat pocket and waited a few seconds, after he walked past you shot it at him
-
>And what a perfect shot it was, straight to the back of the head
-
>Before he could turn you stuffed your hands back into your pockets
-
>Of course he knew you were the one who did it, after all, the only other guy in the hallway was a small geeky guy reading a book
-
>"Anon, what the fuck?!"
-
"Hmmm? What? Oh are you talking to me?"
-
>"I know it was you, what's your problem man!"
-
>You push yourself off the locker and quickly close the distance between you and Brad, hands still in your pockets and curled up into fist, ready to go
-
"My problem is you"
-
>Brad glared at you as his friend quickly showed up by his side
-
"Listen here Brad, I don't like this thing you're doing, and I'm gonna tell you this once to stop"
-
>"What thing am I doing? I haven't done anything to you man!"
-
>You take a step forward, slouching to getting right up into his face
-
"I mean talking to Sunset"
-
>"What? Why would I stop talking to her?"
-
"She's too good for you is why, stick to one of your sluts... Or your little fag friend here"
-
>Flash was getting angry, but his friend grabbed his shoulder
-
>"Come on man, forget this guy"
-
>Brad just turned away, much to your displeasure
-
"I'm telling you asshole! I see you near her again!..."
-
>You turned to leave, only to notice the geek staring at you wide eyed
-
"The fuck you staring at?"
-
>The kid quickly stood to leave, but the moment he was on his feet you gave him a swift punch to the gut before storming off
-
-
>The next day was a bit unusual
-
>Anon was always a quiet guy, but today he was... Gone
-
>He was in the school of course, but he was just distant
-
>In the halls he at most gave you a nod when passing by but didn't say a word
-
>During lunch he was pretty much the same as when you first met him, any question answered with a yes or a no
-
>During the one class you had with him he was just staring out the window
-
>Usually he at least pretended to be paying attention
-
>And finally, slightly before the end of the day you got a text from Anon
-
>"Can you meet me after school?"
-
"What time?"
-
>"5"
-
>That was certainly odd for Anon
-
>If he had any plans after school they were immediate
-
>He was always the first one in Sugercube Corner, and the mall, and the movie theatre
-
>Or anywhere really; you told him to meet you somewhere, he would go there and wait hours if he had to
-
>This was unlike him, and you kept thinking about what he was doing
-
>Other thoughts raced through your mind too, mainly Flash
-
>You figured Anon didn't know Flash and was just making assumptions based on his old schools
-
>Some bad experience with bullies turned his perceptions towards guys like Flash sour
-
>But there was a problem with that
-
>Flash didn't like Anon either
-
>He never said anything about Anon the few times you talked, but from the few short interactions you could easily tell
-
>Flash didn't just dislike Anon, he hated him
-
>You thought about confronting him about it, but remembered that Flash was helping set up the gymnasium for the winter formal after school today
-
-
>You went home for a bit after school, you didn't live far and wanted to freshen up a bit
-
>And you felt nervous
-
>Standing in your bathroom after the shower, staring into the fogged mirror
-
>There was a knot in your stomach
-
>And you were starting to have some serious doubts about Anon
-
>Still, you got dressed and headed back towards the school, eventually spotting Anon around the corner
-
>He was standing well out of sight, the only reason you managed to see him is because he began to beckon you when in view
-
>You walked up, taking note that his long coat looked a bit off, usually he only wore it open even in heavy snowfall
-
>But now he had it closed up and there seemed to be something bulging under it
-
"Alright Anon, I'm here, now what in Eque-I mean Earth is going on?" You ask with a hint of frustration
-
>"Nothing, I just wanted to show you something" he said, looking as excited as a child with a new toy
-
>Before you could ask any questions he undid the first two buttons of his coat
-
>He held it closed for a bit, looked around, and flashed it open
-
>You nearly fell back when you saw what he had
-
>Under his coat was a small rifle tied tightly just under his armpit
-
>"Cool, huh?"
-
"Anon what they hell! You brought a gun to school!"
-
>"Shhh, there might be someone around!"
-
>Your breath was heavy and heart was racing as you quickly pushed him back to make sure the two of you were out of sight
-
>You didn't even know how to react
-
"Why do you have a gun?" you asked in an angry but hushed voice
-
>"Because I'm an American, Sunset."
-
>You let out the fakest laugh you could muster, yet a bit of naughty curiosity began to overtake you
-
"Is it real?"
-
>"Yeah, my Grandpa's M1 Carbine from WW2. Got the ammo for it and everything."
-
>You were still steaming
-
>But there was just something so fascinating about it, you'd never seen a real gun in your life
-
>"You wanna go shoot it? I set up a little target range by the river"
-
>You knew that this was a really bad idea, but still...
-
"Yes!"
-
-
>"Alright, just pull on the charging handle, look down the sights, and slowl-"
-
>BANG
-
>The first shot nearly made you drop the gun, the recoil was actually fairly manageable even for you, but you weren't ready for how loud that would be
-
>"You alright?"
-
"WHAT?!"
-
>You rubbed the inside of your ear a little before handing the gun back to Anon
-
"I think that might be a little too loud for me"
-
>"You get used to it after a while... Though maybe I should get some ear muffs or something."
-
"Might help"
-
>The two of you shared a laugh before Anon fired a few more shots and you watched with your fingers stuffed in your ears
-
>He was a really good shot honestly, every time he pulled the trigger one of the cans went flying or a bottle broke
-
>And he was clearly enjoying himself
-
>But still, you couldn't help but wonder, or more accurately worry, about him
-
>And the fact that he had a gun certainly didn't ease any of your concerns
-
"Now really Anon, why do you have a gun anyway?"
-
>Anon took out the magazine and charged the gun to make sure it was empty before slinging it across his back
-
>"I told you, it's my grandpa's"
-
"Shouldn't it be your dad's then?"
-
>Anon let out a quick chuckle
-
>A very sad chuckle
-
>"You think I would trust my dad with a gun?"
-
>You knew family was a touchy subject with Anon
-
>But this? You needed to know
-
"Anon, what's going on in your house?"
-
-
>Anon turned away, but eventually sat down on a nearby tree trunk
-
>He held the magazine in his hands, turning it around a bit before stuffing it back into his coat
-
>"Me and my dad, we don't have the... Best relationship."
-
>You sit down beside him, hands on your lap as you give him your undivided attention
-
>You notice he scoots over to you a bit more, nearly pressing himself into you
-
>And his eyes?
-
>By Celestia those eyes, all that pain, all those barely restrained tears
-
>"He... Well he isn't winning any father of the year awards, that's for sure. Comes home everyday drunk and stressed."
-
>"And everyone could use a punching bag when they're stressed, right?"
-
>He let out another sad chuckle, hands tightening in his lap
-
"What about your mother? Does she also..."
-
>"Nah, back when mom was alive we were a pretty normal family"
-
>You wrapped your arm around Anon's shoulder, pulling him close to you
-
>An odd smile passed Anon's face, but you couldn't even imagine what he was feeling right now
-
>And as much as you didn't want to pry further, you couldn't help it
-
"When did she?..."
-
>"When I was about nine"
-
>Again, you felt terrible for even thinking about asking him
-
>But you had to know the whole situation
-
>You needed to help Anon
-
"What exactly does your dad do to you?"
-
>A single tear ran down Anon's eye
-
>"Depends on how bad of a mood he's in, sometimes I get lucky and he passes out right away, sometimes he just yells."
-
>He pulled up his sleeve a bit
-
>"But sometimes, things can get... Ugly."
-
>You gasped the moment you saw Anon's wrists
-
>They were covered in small, half inch burn marks
-
"Oh Anon"
-
>You pulled him even closer into a hug, letting him just rest his head against you for a few minutes
-
>And he did so gladly, tightly wrapping his arms around you and letting himself finally cry into your jacket
-
>But in that moment, one last thought crossed your mind
-
"Anon... Why do you have a gun?"
-
>"J-just in case things got too ugly"
-
-
_____________
-
-
>You didn't want to leave Anon that night, you wanted to invite him to stay at your place to get away from that house
-
>But he insisted, and ultimately there was nothing you could do to make him stay
-
>Yet all night you thought about him, you couldn't think about anything else
-
>You didn't know what to do? Tell a teacher? Call the police?
-
>Both seemed like reasonable answers but you weren't sure, if you acted too quickly you don't know what would happen to Anon
-
>If his father found out he told anyone he might kill him before anything could be done for all you knew
-
>But if you waited too long it may be too late, Anon's dad could have a particularly bad night
-
>Or Anon's strength could run out
-
>As much as you'd like to believe everything you and your friends have done for him has been enough of a push to keep going just long enough to fix things you knew problems like this couldn't be fixed with friendship and rainbow lasers
-
>Things were always easier in Equestria, and even in Canterlot High, the idea of a pony beating his own colt was nearly unheard of
-
>But in this world...
-
>"How's Anon doing?"
-
>You sluggishly brought your phone up into sight
-
>You'd been half heartedly texting with Twilight
-
>She was supposed to be back soon, just slightly after the formal
-
>But right now, you really didn't want to talk with anyone
-
"He's doing alright"
-
>It was a lie, but you weren't going to tell her that Anon might kill himself with a text
-
>"Cool, it's weird seeing him again, I'm sure he's gotten a bit better since he's with you girls now."
-
>Suddenly your attention was on the phone
-
"What do you mean?"
-
>You waited with sweaty palms, there was something going on here and you needed to know everything
-
>"Just that he never really had any friends despite being around for so long, and had a bit of a reputation."
-
"What do you mean 'so long?' Didn't Anon move after a few months?"
-
>"No, he was in my school for the whole three years."
-
-
-
>You didn't get much sleep that night, what Twilight had said just added to the tornado in your head
-
>Anon, who supposedly moved every few months, stayed in the same middle school for three years?
-
>Anon, the guy who apparently had a "reputation"
-
>When you spotted him in the halls that morning you avoided him
-
>As awful as it was to admit it, you didn't want to talk to Anon right now, there were other things you needed to find out
-
>So you rushed off to the band room, just catching Flash as he was leaving
-
"Hey Flash, got a minute?"
-
>"Hey Sunset, what do you need?"
-
"What happened between you and Anon"? You nearly yelled it out for everyone to hear
-
>Flash stared at you, a bit startled
-
>But his face turned into a scowl fast
-
>"Why don't you ask Anon? Seriously, I don't get why you hang around that prick"
-
"Hey, don't talk about him that way!"
-
>"But it's true, he's an asshole"
-
"You don't know anyth-"
-
>You stopped yourself, taking a deep breath and swallowing back your anger
-
>You certainly weren't happy about the way Flash was talking about Anon, especially considering what Anon told you yesterday
-
>But you wanted to at least give Flash a chance to explain himself
-
"What did he do?"
-
>Flashes own anger quickly disappeared, giving way to concern
-
>"You mean, you don't know?"
-
"No, I mean, I know Anon thinks you're a bully"
-
>"He thinks I'm a bully?" Flash yelled out
-
>"That guy picks on everyone, he talks shit to everyone bigger than him, he hits anyone smaller than him."
-
>"Everyone knows that trench coat wearing creep is nothing but an asshole!"
-
>You couldn't believe what you were hearing
-
>Timid and shy Anon beating up kids?
-
"No way, Anon couldn't..."
-
>"Just ask around Sunset, that guy is nothing but trouble"
-
>Flash walked off, and suddenly the tornado in your head turned into a hurricane
-
-
>"I just said he looked funny with the trench coat and when I went to the parking lot my headlights were smashed"
-
>"It was an accident, I didn't mean to knock his books out of his hands, but he kicked me in the knee when I was saying 'sorry'"
-
>"I just bump into him and he turns around and says 'watch where you're going slut'"
-
>"I just bump into him and he turns around and says 'watch where you're going fag'"
-
>"I just bump into him and he turns around and says 'you're gonna die at three pm,' and then after school he pulled me behind the dumpster and just started hitting me'"
-
>"Me and my boyfriend were just holding hands, then he walks by and says 'you enjoying the ride, slut?'"
-
>"I told him to just calm down and he gets up in my face, telling me that "my time would come'"
-
>"You ever see that dudes deviantart page? It's... Something."
-
>"I was trying to get him off this one guy and he dives for the trash and pulls out a bottle! Even smashes it against the ground"
-
>"I didn't do anything, I just saw him talking to Flash and he hit me"
-
>"Why does he hate me?"
-
>"Why did he kick me?"
-
>"What did I ever do to him?"
-
>"He's an asshole"
-
>"He's violent"
-
>"He's dangerous"
-
>"He's crazy"
-
>"He could snap!"
-
>"He could kill someone!"
-
>"He could kill people!"
-
>"Yo Sunset!"
-
-
>Finally Anon managed to find you during the second period break
-
>And you couldn't say a single word to him
-
>Everything you'd heard in the last half hour
-
>The name calling and insults, the threats, the fights
-
>Anon himself told you that he couldn't stand bullies, that "it was the same in every school," why would he bully people himself then?
-
>Was it the abuse, was he angry and felt like lashing out? Him becoming his father?
-
>Did it matter?
-
>What he was doing was wrong, whatever motives he had they weren't enough to hurt or even insult other people
-
>And as he walked towards you, you had no power or desire to fake a smile
-
>Anon had done wrong, and you weren't going to just let him get away with it
-
>"So Sunset, you ready for the winter formal tonight? Got a date yet?"
-
"No" you said sternly, yet he didn't seem to notice your anger
-
>"Cool, cause I was thinking, maybe... You and me..."
-
"Anon, stop"
-
>Anon's face dropped immediately as he looked at you confused
-
>"W-what? You don't want to go with me to-"
-
"Forget the formal!" You yelled, for the first time truly raising your voice at Anon
-
"What is wrong with you? I know you're going through tough times but that's no excuse!"
-
>Anon seemed genuinely confused, and began to take a few steps back as you stomped towards him
-
"You think I wouldn't find out about everything you've been doing?"
-
>"Sunset, what are you talking about?" He asked desperately, hands in front of him and still backing away
-
"I'm talking about you attacking the other students! If you hate bullies so much why don't you go beat up a mirror?"
-
-
>"What? What have they been saying about me?" Anon asked, his fear quickly being replaced with malice
-
"That you throw around insults towards people you don't even know, that you hit guys you've never met in your life!"
-
>Things were getting heated, you were angry
-
>And Anon was starting to get angry
-
>"And you believed them? They're lying to make me look bad! Like every other school!"
-
>Anon wasn't backing away anymore
-
>The opposite in fact, now he was also getting closer to you, and you refused to back away
-
>And in his face you could see that same crazed anger that overtook him all those nights ago, more subdued, but certainly the same
-
>"They think I'm a weird friendless loser and want to ruin me for that, they can't stand that I'm different than them!"
-
>"Who's been talking about me? Brad I bet!"
-
>You point behind you, bring your face right into his
-
"No Anon, everyone! Everyone has been saying things about you, from the jocks to the 'nerds, geeks, and loners' that you said are so picked on."
-
"Yeah, they sure are, by you!"
-
>Anon's anger was quickly subsiding, now he just seemed desperate
-
>And yet, he looked crazier than ever
-
>"W-well..."
-
>He could barely speak, just stammering out words, eyes darting about as the wheels in his brain turned
-
>"Okay, maybe I haven't been the best person, but after everything I've been through? I just thought, maybe if put the pain into someone else..."
-
"What happens to you is no excuse to be an asshole yourself!"
-
>It was obvious that Anon hoped your anger would turn to something else when he mentioned his past, but it didn't
-
>And when it didn't he pulled up his sleeves frantically to show off the cigarette burns
-
>"You don't know what it's like Sunset!"
-
>"Please, I want to be better, but I need your help! You need to fix me!"
-
>He threw himself forward and wrapped his arms around you, but you pushed him off the moment he did
-
>He backed away from you, and with an expression of pure disbelief ran off
-
-
-
________________
-
-
>You wanted to just let him run off
-
>And it seemed like that was what you were going to do for a moment
-
>But something compelled you, even long after he was gone
-
>You knew you had to look for him
-
>There was something very wrong about him
-
>As much as you wanted to ignore it, at this point too much had happened
-
>You should have talked to your friends about him, or a teacher, or Principal Celestia
-
>But the need to take charge of the situation yourself overwhelmed you
-
>The second period bell rung as you stood there, and at the bell you decided to follow him
-
>You ran all around the school, searching for Anon, all the while sending him text asking where he was
-
>And sending texts to you friends to see if they saw him
-
>You checked his second period class, glancing through the blinds but saw no sign of him
-
>You couldn't find him inside the school at all, and were certain he'd left
-
>Without even caring about your coat you burst out the back door of the school and began frantically searching for his black coat among the snow
-
>You couldn't find him no matter where you ran
-
>The search seemed pointless to you now, Anon had surely left the school a long time ago
-
>But, just as you began to head back inside, you noticed something in the cold air
-
>The smell of someone smoking just behind the dumpster
-
>You approached slowly, listening for the slightest sound
-
>The smell of the cigarettes getting stronger and stronger as you moved forward
-
>Slowly, you peaked around the corner
-
>And sure enough, a familiar black coat greeted you
-
-
> Anon's back was turned to you, and the smell of the cigarettes was unquestionable now
-
>Not only that, but several butts were in the snow
-
>None were trampled, or particularly wet, a few even seemed to have a few wisps of smoking still coming off them
-
>You stayed quiet and just watched
-
>Anon didn't notice you, and you couldn't see much of what he was doing, but you never saw him smoke
-
>You don't mean before this either, even now not a single puff seemed to escape his mouth
-
>Rather, you heard the snap of a lighter
-
>A very frequent lighting, one every twenty or so seconds
-
>And Anon's hand never seemed to travel to his face
-
>But as you watched, you did notice one thing
-
>Anon's sleeves were rolled up
-
>You would get nowhere watching, and finally you stepped out and made your presence known
-
"Anon!"
-
>He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard you
-
>Immediately he turned around, quickly stuffing his balled up fists into his pockets as he did so
-
>"S-Sunset! What are you doing here?"
-
"I was looking for you Anon, what is all this?" you said, waving your hand at his feet and the numerous butts
-
>"I guess a lot to people come here to smoke, I-I just needed to be alone though!"
-
"Anon, those are fresh, and I saw yo-"
-
>Immediately your thoughts stopped when you saw Anon's arms, covered in burns as alway, but...
-
>Some of them were fresh
-
"Anon, are you burning yourself?"
-
>"I..."
-
>Things became more confusing, yet at the same time things began to fall into place
-
"Your dad doesn't burn you... He never has, has he?"
-
>Anon quickly pulled his hands out of his coat pockets, the burning cigarette and lighter falling to the ground as he stretched a terribly burned hand towards you
-
>"S-Sunset, I can explain this, I can explain everything!"
-
"You were lying! You were lying about everything! I know you lived in Utah for three years, and the bullying and the burning..."
-
-
>His eyes started to go crazy again
-
>And again, as he did all those nights ago he grabbed your shoulders, slightly softer this time
-
>But this time, he wasn't letting go
-
>His face was beyond even the most severe desperation, his entire world was falling to pieces right before him
-
>It was as if his mind had broken completely
-
>...
-
>No, you knew now that it must have broken a long time ago
-
>"Sunset please, I can explain everything"
-
>You struggled a little in his grip, causing it to tighten as he shook you a little
-
>"O-okay, yeah, I burn myself, but it's just to forget the other pain, up here"
-
>He quickly lets go of your shoulders to tap his head, before quickly grabbing you again
-
>The moment he does, you push him away
-
>And a second later, you're face to face with that same creature you met back then, angry and twice the size of "Anon," grabbing you by your wrist
-
>Hard
-
>"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE! You have a nice loving family and tons of friends! I have a dead mom and piece of shit dad!"
-
"Do you? Or is that a lie too?"
-
>His gripped tightened as his entire face went red
-
>"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME! YOU WERE THE GOOD ONE! WE WERE MENT TO BE TOGETHER!"
-
>"WHO TURNED YOU AGAINST ME? BRAD, IT WAS BRAD WASN'T IT!"
-
>You had to get out of this now, Anon was beyond reason now and you could feel your wrists straining under his grip
-
>Summoning what little Equestrian magic you had inside you, you unleashed a small blast towards him, just enough to knock him back a little as you made a run for the school
-
>As you did though, a firm hand gripped your ankle and pulled you to the ground
-
>You looked back to see Anon on the ground, clawing at your leg and a look of murder on his face
-
>Quickly you pulled back your other leg and send it forward, delivering a powerful kick to his face that made him let go
-
>The second he did you ran back into the school, followed by the most hateful scream you'd heard in your life
-
-
"...I didn't even look back, I was terrified."
-
>"I knew it! I knew there was something wrong with him! He's not just a bully, he's nuts!"
-
>Rainbow Dash certainly felt proud of herself at lunch, quick to forget she was friends with Anon shortly after meeting him
-
>"Well there is obviously something very wrong with him, I don't want to jump to any conclusions but he could be dangerous" Rarity said
-
>"What should we do though?" Fluttershy asked, looking even more uncertain than you felt
-
>You told them almost everything
-
>The bullying, the hate he felt towards Flash, the stories about his abusive father, even the cigarette burns
-
>But for reasons even you yourself weren't sure of you left out the part where he attacked you
-
>And his gun
-
>The girls would undoubtedly react to that immediately, some of the more reckless would want to go confront Anon, others would tell Celestia
-
>But whatever they did, you felt like there would be bad consequences if they did
-
"I don't know, I'm thinking about it"
-
>"Maybe one of us should head on over to his place after school and have a little chat with him" Applejack suggest
-
>Immediately the thoughts of one of the girls getting attacked went through your mind
-
>Anon was closest to you, until the very end you knew he was restraining himself
-
>If one of the girls confronted him...
-
"NO!"
-
>All the girls turned to your loud and panicked outburst with concern
-
"I mean, I'll talk to him over the phone, try to get him to cool off a bit before talking face to face with him."
-
>"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Rarity asked
-
"Good idea or not, I don't think any of us should be seeing him in person"
-
>Or, maybe it was
-
>One last thought about Anon crossed your mind
-
>You had to find out something, just one last thing
-
"Listen, don't worry about Anon right now, leave that to me for now. Let's just forget it and enjoy the formal tonight."
-
>Though the dance was far from your mind right now, there was something else you had to do
-
-
____________
-
-
>32 Column Pine Street, that was the address Anon had mentioned, and that was the house you were standing outside of now
-
>You knew for sure it was a fake address, because this house couldn't possibly belong to the abusive, alcoholic father Anon had described
-
>It was just such a neat and tidy house in the middle of a pleasant neighbourhood
-
>The driveway and roofs meticulously shovelled, a flowery shoe mat with "Welcome" written on it
-
>This did not look like the kind of house that would create someone like Anon
-
>Still, you at least should try
-
>You rang the bell and waited
-
>It didn't take long for the door to open, as if they were waiting for someone
-
>But the man who greeted the door completely erased any thoughts that this was Anon's house
-
>He was a small, neatly dressed, slightly dorky man; a big genuine smile painting his face
-
>"Why hello there young lady, may I help you?"
-
>You suspected anon might have been lying about his father, but even then his father would have to be quite flawed
-
>Perhaps not a violent alcoholic, but at least a less than ideal father
-
>Some kind of broken man that would cause Anon to be so angry, so violent
-
>But this man looked like he wouldn't even swear without feeling guilty
-
>You figured it was useless, but even still you needed to ask
-
"Yes, does someone named Anonymous live here?"
-
>The man blinked a few times before answering
-
>"Why, yes, he's our son."
-
>You couldn't believe it
-
>This was the man behind everything?
-
>Or was he behind anything at all? Was it Anon? Was it always just Anon that was the problem?
-
>But something else caught your attention before you could dwell on it too long
-
"Wait, our son?"
-
>Another person appeared at the door, an equally small and kind looking woman
-
>"Dear, who's this?"
-
-
>"There you are dear"
-
>The woman put down a small plate and tea cup on the table in front of you, nearly dancing around the table to get to her own seat
-
>"I still cannot believe Anon never told us that he made some friends! We were getting so worried about him"
-
>The living room was just lovely, so clean you'd swear the couple knew you were coming and prepare everything just for you
-
>And of course the shelves and tables were covered in photographs of Anon, both as a young child to the man he is now
-
>And in all of them the woman looked the same, just slightly younger
-
>Anon had said his mother died when he was nine, but this woman was obviously around much longer than that
-
"Why were you getting worried? Does he usually have trouble making friends."
-
>"Well..." Mrs. Mous began to hesitate, "Anon didn't really like socializing very much"
-
>Her husband took a sip of his tea before elaborating
-
>"Anon either came home immediately and locked himself in his room, or stayed out well past midnight without saying a word, but never once did he seem to be with anyone" Mr. Mous explained
-
"Well he was a bit shy when I first met him, took a little bit of effort to get him to open up"
-
>You take a sip of the tea while reflecting
-
"And since you're always moving around I guess he just hasn't been around anyone long enough to get comfortable around them"
-
>The couple stared at you confused
-
>"We don't move around a lot, moving here was the first time we've moved since Anon was born in fact" Mrs. Mous explained
-
>"But maybe all he needed was a change of scene to finally come out of his shell"
-
>What Twilight had told you was now beyond confirmed, almost everything seemed to be lie
-
>Well, maybe not everything
-
"Mr. Mous, if you don't mind me asking what do you do for a living"
-
>"Me? Oh, I work for an accounting firm, the head office was in Utah but the company was looking to branch out, so they offered me a position here."
-
-
>It was all a lie, every single word he'd ever said
-
>His father was a small well kept accountant, not some alcoholic construction worker, and seeing Anon when he's mad made it impossible to believe this tiny man could lay a finger on him
-
>His mother wasn't dead, she was sitting right in front of you serving tea
-
>He doesn't move around
-
>Seeing how surprisingly strong he is made it hard to believe anyone could bully him without getting hurt
-
>It was all just Anon building a character
-
>The sympathetic, abused, misunderstood loner
-
>Nothing but a character he invented
-
>And for what?
-
>Anons mother had told you that anon came into the house halfway into the school day, went into his room for a few minutes, and then ran out of the house without saying a word
-
>And just then you remembered one thing that wasn't a lie
-
>Maybe some of it was, like how he'd gotten it and why he had it
-
>But you held it in your own hands, you shot it
-
>It was without any doubt real
-
"Mrs. Mous, did Anon say where he was going after he left the house"
-
>"He didn't say a word... Though a few nights ago he did say there was going to be a dance tonight"
-
>The winter formal!
-
>By Celestia, what was he planning to do?
-
>You didn't know, but you had to act quick
-
"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Mous, but I just remembered I left the stove on!"
-
>They said something behind you, but you had no time to listen, you had to move, now!
-
>You ran out of the house, and began sprinting towards the school
-
>That is, until your phone rang
-
>You pick it up, expecting Rarity or someone asking why you were so late
-
>But the voice that greeted you certainly wasn't hers
-
>"Hey Sunset, I wanted to say goodbye, I'm sorry for everything."
-
"What, what do you mean? Anon, what are you doing?"
-
>"I'm going to kill myself Sunset, I... I'm a terrible person, I can't believe what I tried to do to you, I-"
-
>It certainly sounded like he was crying, but he cried about his "abusive" father too
-
>Still, you had to know where he was
-
"Anon wait! Where are you?"
-
-
______________
-
-
>You finally reached Sugarcube corner, and just as you suspected Anon was nowhere in sight
-
>Certainly not on the roof like he said he was
-
>You take a quick peek down one of the allies but see nothing
-
>You look around a bit, but the snowfall is a bit too heavy to see all that much tonight
-
>Perhaps he is on the roof, just out of sight
-
>You consider making your way around the back of the building, to climb up and see
-
>But you knew it'd be pointless, he wasn't up there...
-
>But he was here
-
>Finally you see it, a faint silhouette of a man in a long coat standing in one of the streetlights, obscured by the snow
-
>"You knew I wasn't up there, huh?"
-
>You say nothing as he starts to walk towards you
-
>"Of course you didn't, you're smart."
-
>As he gets closer you notice his coat is just being worn around his shoulders, his arms completely hidden
-
>"So smart, and pretty, and funny and nice and all that good shit!" he spat
-
>Your silence, no, your presence alone seemed to make in gradually angrier every second
-
>Maybe the cries you heard over the phone weren't as fake as you thought
-
>His eyes were horribly bloodshot, the skin around them red and swollen
-
>The expression on his face was a dead one, a bit of anger, a hint of sadness
-
>But ultimately he just looked like he no longer cared about anything
-
>You couldn't feel a thing for him though
-
>For the first time you saw him, the real him
-
>"But don't they all seem nice at the start?"
-
"What are you planning to do?"
-
>It's almost as if he couldn't even hear you
-
>"You were supposed to be different, different from everyone else."
-
"How so?" you ask without a hint of genuine curiosity
-
>"You and me, we were made for each other! I loved you, I genuinely thought you were one of the only good people in this world!..."
-
-
>He sounded genuinely sad
-
>More than just sad, devastated
-
>As if he had lost everything
-
>But you knew that he was great at lying and manipulating, he could have been putting on a show right now just to gain your sympathy
-
>"Sunset! My Sunset!"
-
>He started taking frantic steps towards you, his left arm coming out of his coat to reach out to you
-
>You saw that there were no new cigarette burns
-
>But more so you could see the broken, crazy smile on his face
-
>He seemed utterly detached from reality
-
>"I-it's not too late! We can fix everything!"
-
>You take a few steps back
-
"After everything you've done you want to fix things now?"
-
>"Everything I've done?!" he yelled in outrage
-
>"Nonono, I haven't done a thing wrong, it's YOU who needs to fix things?"
-
"Me?!"
-
>"Yes, you can still prove that you are good! I can see it, I can see it just fine, you're fine..."
-
>"Y-y-you just lost your way, the other students, it's them Sunset, they... They've been fucking with your head! They've messed you up."
-
>"But your still good, and together we can fix it."
-
>Anon was gone
-
>There was no question, he'd completely lost it
-
"What are you talking about?"
-
>"You and me, lets go to the dance Sunset! I already have a suit, and you'd look beautiful no matter what you wear"
-
>"We'll go in, we'll say a polite hello, and then we'll kill them all!"
-
>Anon let out an insane laugh
-
>"Those assholes all deserve it, everyone of them is the same, but we'll put an end to it"
-
>"And then, we'll wait for the police, hold them off as long as we can and die together in the moonlight, holding each other as we ascend to heaven!"
-
>"You know the problem with school shooters? They never train, they can't even aim, but us, we know how to shoot, we'll become history!"
-
"NO! What is wrong with you?!"
-
-
>"S-Sunset?..."
-
"I knew you had problems Anon, but I never realized you were this messed up."
-
>Anon stared heart broken, fresh tears welling up in his eyes
-
"You're a monster Anon, you need help."
-
>Anon's despair quickly turned into a scowl, his outstretched hand clench into a fist as he pulled it back
-
>"And you're going to help me?"
-
"Oh I desperately want to... Want to call the police and get you committed!"
-
>Anon's looked to the ground, baring his teeth as fresh tears began to run down his face
-
>A slow growl built in the back of his throat until he finally let out a scream and tossed his coat off, revealing the M1 Carbine he'd been holding the whole time
-
>"YOU BITCH!"
-
>It was the same monster you saw that now distant night, only now it didn't disappear after a mere second.
-
>Quickly he raised his rifle with one hand and held it on you
-
>"WHO TURNED YOU AGAINST ME? WHO!"
-
>Logically you should have been terrified right now, the gun pointed right at you by this delusional animal
-
>But you just felt angry
-
>Angry at Anon for everything he'd done, everything he was
-
>Angry at yourself for not seeing what he was
-
"You did Anon! You're a monster!"
-
>"I'M JUST DIFFERENT, THEY HATE ME BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU HATE ME BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL THE SAME!"
-
>You calm your voice a bit
-
"Anon, no one hates you because you're different"
-
>And raise it again
-
"We hate you because you're a violent freak! Some delusional freak who wants to kill people because the first girl who ever talked to him wasn't his perfect dream girl!"
-
"You're a loser Anon! Just a crazy, violent, lose-"
-
>BANG
-
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________________
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>You immediately fall back
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>The pain is unbearable, the feeling of the impact, the ripping inside your body
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>In a second you're on the ground, and you aren't moving
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>Anon began to weep
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>A slowly growing sound that eventually erupted into a scream; a genuine, painful scream
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>He may be an excellent actor and liar
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>But there was so much regret in that roar that even he couldn't fake it
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>"Why? It... It wasn't supposed to."
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>His words could barely be heard under his sobs, but could his words even be heard at all?
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>"I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it... I didn't..."
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>He tried to walk forward, to embrace the body
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>But he only took two steps before he fell to his knees
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>"P-please... Don't leave me alone, you mean everything, everything."
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>"I... I'm not, I'm not strong enough to do this alone..."
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>Slowly his weeping began to subside as his voice grew stronger
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>"But... I have to."
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>"I have to do it!"
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>"I HAVE TO DO IT!"
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>With that last scream he ran off towards the school, leaving you in the pile of rapidly reddening snow
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>You waited a few more minutes before forcing yourself back up, holding the wound on your side
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>It hurt, more than any other pain you've ever felt
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>You knew you could bleed out very fast now, there was far more blood soaking into the snow than you'd like
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>But you were alive
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>And you had to stop him
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>You began to run towards the school as well, you weren't moving too fast but you were moving
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>Getting out your phone you dialled Rarity and waited
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>"Hello?"
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"Rarity! I need your help!"
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>"Darling! You sound horrible, are you okay."
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"Rarity, Anon is coming, I need you to get everyone out of the school!"
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>"What? Whatever is happening?"
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"No time for details, Anon is going to the school right now!"
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> Unfortunately for Sunset Anon had gotten all the head start he needed; by the time she had managed to contact Rarity, he was already standing outside the school
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>He stared at the windows; the lights, the music
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>The people
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>They were the problem, they were always the problem
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>They corrupted everyone
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>How could someone good survive in a world filled with them?
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>Even Sunset, your dear, sweet Sunset had fallen pray to them
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>She was perfect in every way, she was different from all of them when you first met her, you knew she was
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>So sweet, so pure
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>But they turned her against you
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>And they would suffer for it, every last one of them
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>His suit jacket weighted on his shoulders, pockets stuffed with as many magazines as he could fit in them
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>The M1, light as it was, felt like a block of lead in his hand right now
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>The thought of Sunset was the only one in his mind
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>He loved her...
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>He hated her
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>He wanted to shoot her again
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>He wanted to shoot himself to be with her again
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>How could she have betrayed him? She was everything, the only thing in this broken world that truly mattered...
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>It made no difference, they would pay for it
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>There was no more time to think, it was time to end this all
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>He walked towards the door and with one firm kick threw it open
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>The music stopped immediately, the students all turned, and Rarity dropped her phone as Sunset still attempted to warn them of the danger that was already there
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>No one moved as Anon's crazed eyes slowly scanned the room
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>"You... You people took everything from me, take take take, that's all you can do isn't it?... What, you're scared now? After everything you've done to me I'm the scary one?"
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>No one said a word, a few student began to shake though, some even crying
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>"Well, don't worry, maybe in heaven you 'people' will finally become somewhat decent human beings"
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>Anon began to raise the gun, much to the cries and whimpers of the students
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"ANON!"
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>Anon quickly spun the rifle around, intending to fire the moment the muzzle was on you
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>But the instant he saw you his gun lowered and his whole face filled with confusion
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>The reality of Equestrian magic was always a well guarded secret
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>So for him coming face to face with the girl he though he killed, still bleeding but flying in the air with glowing wings
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>It didn't last long, he began to tremble as his eyes reddened even further, his whole face turning red
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>He screamed and raised the rifle again
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>But before it was on you, you let out a golden beam towards him
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>It was only supposed to knock him down, but he had no magical barrier to weaken it
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>Instead he let out a painful scream as his suit instantly caught on fire
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>But even that wasn't enough to stop him, it was as if the fire was a manifestation of his rage
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>He fired a few rapid shots in your general direction, missed, and as you began to fly up he jumped forward with a scream and grabbed your throat with his left hand
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>You flew fast and frantically around the gym, students trying to clear out through any exit
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>But Anon's grip was unyielding
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>Even crashing through a window into the icy air outside did nothing to loosen his hand
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>He just kept screaming as the fire consumed him, feet frantically kicking your stomach to find purchase as his elbow and the butt of his rifle was swung towards your face
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>Finally with another beam directly against his chest you sent him crashing into the snow below
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>With one last scream he began to raise the rifle as you dived into him
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>Just as Anon managed to get the muzzle up you reached him, grabbing and pushing against it
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>But anon still had one last bit of strength, even in your current from managing to pull you down and roll on top of you, both of you gripping the rifle like a vice
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>BANG
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>The magic disappeared from you entirely, turning you back into a normal girl trapped under Anon
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>Every student outside erupted into screams the moment the shot was fired, but loud as it was it quickly silenced itself
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>Nothing could be heard except the crackling coming from Anon
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>His skin just reddened, but his suit was charred and nearly ash in places
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>But as your magic disappeared so too did the flame
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>And Anon was just a smoking mess, grip still firm on the rifle and eyes still filled with an insane rage
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>And you began to feel a very warm fluid cover your chest
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>It was... So eerily quiet
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>Now the only sound that could be heard was a very loud, very rapid heart beat
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>Only one heartbeat...
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>No words were uttered, no steps were taken, not even a breath was heard
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>The students standing in the cold stared in horror, but the shock was so great among them that staring was the only thing they could do
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>The only thing that seemed to move in the world anymore was the snowfall
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>And finally, Anon's eyes began to change
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>All the anger and hatred in them disappeared, all the misery, all the insanity
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>Everything in them disappeared, they just went dull
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>And at last, he fell over, and lay there perfectly still
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>The bullet hole was right in the center of his chest, and blood now only dripping out of him
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>He'd been shot directly through the heart
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>His life ended in seconds
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>Anon, that strange boy alone in the corner
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>Anon, that shy friend who loved your company
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>Anon, that lying, manipulating monster
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>Anon, that sick boy beyond help
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>He was dead
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>And you killed him
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>Your mind cleared as your vision went dark, the sound of police and ambulance sirens in the distance lulling you to sleep
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>It took a while for the school to truly recover from the event
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>And honestly, it'd be a lie to say it ever did
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>News reporters showed up daily, crowds of people to take photographs of the infamous Canterlot High shooting site
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>The teachers tried to keep things in check, but between fighting off constant onslaughts of reporters and providing counselling to dozens of traumatized students that proved a difficult task
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>And of course you, the girl who had killed Anon, were at the center of it all
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>Therapy session after therapy session
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>Night after sleepless night of horrible dreams
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>And a constantly resurfacing pain that took months to truly heal
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>Everyone you knew was supportive, no one told you that what you did was wrong
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>Even when you went to Anon's funeral his parents never confronted you or spoke to you at all
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>But still, it took a while to finally start recovering
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>Twilight helped, coming back after the incident, having heard of it of course but never experiencing it herself
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>She wasn't personally hurt by it, and made a good emotional foundation to help you and your friends
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>And soon enough things began to go back to normal
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>At least, as normal as they could
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>Talk about Anon would never truly disappear, even decades from now students would probably whisper about it
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>He may have killed no one, but he certainly became part of the schools history just like he wanted
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>And today, people still wonder why Anon did it
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>Was his household abusive?
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>Was he bullied to the point he snapped?
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>Was it violent media? Maybe the economy? Over bearing pressure from the education system?
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>It's funny how the very lies he told were now being repeated by everyone else
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>You knew the real answer of course
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>As terrible as it was to say, Anon was just sick, nothing more
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>But even still, you can't help but ask yourself one question
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"Could I have helped him if I just found out everything earlier?"
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>...
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>You supposed in the end, it doesn't matter
TEXT
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11338 61.05 KB 943
11338 61.05 KB 943
by OccultistAnon
by OccultistAnon