Terminal Chaos

Chapters

Illness
Delusions
On The Case!
From bad to worse
Daughter of the Sun and Chaos
Night Terrors
Discussions
Chaos Effect
Bitter Realization
Anon-A-Miss’ Fall
Fallout Girls
Nightmare's Game
Critical
Dark Depths
Magic of Friendship part 1
The Magic of Friendship part 2
The Magic of Friendship Part 3
At long Last
Family
A New Beginning
Epilogue
Like Father, Like Daughter

Illness

The Rainbooms were all gathered around Sunset's locker. However, unlike the previous times they waited for their friend, they were not engaged in any of their usual lively conversations. Normally, Pinkie Pie would be speaking loudly and cheerfully about new party ideas or a crazy dream she had, but the pink chatterbox was oddly silent, wearing a sour expression that looked out of place on her. Applejack and Rainbow Dash also looked particularly angry while the others wore dejected looks.

Several students glanced at the Rainbooms, laughing at their expense because of the embarrassing pictures. Applejack lowered her hat to cover her eyes while Rainbow Dash just growled in frustration. Fluttershy whimpered as she hid behind her hair while Pinkie Pie looked dejected. Finally, Rarity simply closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

The thing that upset them so much? It was Anon-A-Miss. The last time the troll had posted something, Applejack’s childhood nickname was revealed to the whole school. Soon she was being teased, with kids oinking at her because of ‘Piggly-Wiggly’. It was just embarrassing. But this time, Anon-A-Miss had posted pictures from the girls’ last sleepover at Rarity’s, and they were pictures that only Sunset could’ve taken, making her their prime suspect. They all felt betrayed by the girl they had taken in as their friend. Now, thanks to her, they were the school’s laughing stock.

"I can't believe she would do this to us," Rainbow Dash growled as she clenched her fists in anger.

"After what we've been through, I honestly thought she had changed," Rarity spoke, ashamed and disappointed in Sunset Shimmer.

"She really was a no good snake through and through," Applejack said bitterly through gritted teeth.

"Why, Sunset?" Fluttershy whispered but her friends managed to hear her. They waited for Sunset to show up, but as the minutes ticked by until the starting bell rang, Sunset still hadn't shown up.

"That's odd. It's so unlike Sunset to simply be late for school," Rarity pondered. Sunset Shimmer always had a perfect attendance record.

"That's probably because she knows we're on to her now," Rainbow Dash angrily pointed out. "She knew that as soon as the photos of the slumber party got posted on Anon-A-Miss that we'd know she was responsible!"

"She's as guilty as a fox caught in the hen house," Applejack agreed with Rainbow.

"We better head to class, no use in waiting around for a no-show." Rarity said with a sad sigh as she and her friends headed towards their morning class. The girls went through the day enduring mockery from their classmates who gleefully laughed at them. It was like they had completely forgotten that the group of girls had saved them twice now.

Sunset still did not turn up for any of her classes, and the girls should know as they shared quite a few of them with the fiery-haired Equestrian. Finally, the lunch bell rang and the students filed out of their classrooms and towards the cafeteria. The Rainbooms gathered at their usual table, the five girls wearing expressions of anger, annoyance or misery.

"When I get my hands on that traitor, I'll make her regret for ever posting those photos," Rainbow threatened as she bawled her fists on the table.

"Now, Rainbow darling, there's no need stoop to Sunset's level," Rarity said as she lay a comforting hand on Rainbow Dash's shoulder.

"But we can't just let her get away with this!" Rainbow shouted.

"Well she ain't answering her phone," Applejack said as she tried to call Sunset, only to be switched to voicemail. The texts she sent also went unanswered. " Yah reckon we should visit her place?"

"She probably already left and went back to her world," Rainbow Dash commented while crossing her arms. "I bet she has Twilight fooled too."

"Only one way to find out." Applejack said and the girls agreed to confront Sunset Shimmer at her apartment after school let out for the day.

The remainder of their school days was filled with the usual ridicule, but the girls soldiered on and managed to make it until the final bell. Applejack put her textbooks away in her locker, taking only the ones she would need for homework. A few students passed by whispered about ‘piggly-wiggly’ and she could only sigh.

"Hey, Applejack," Applebloom greeted her older sister. "Yah ready to go home?"

"Hey, Applebloom. Sorry, but ah won't be joining yah or Mac," Applejack says as she closes her locker and puts on her backpack.

"What?! but why not?!" Applebloom asked in surprise.

"The girls an' ah need to head over to Sunset's place," Applejack explained. "Tell Granny I'll be home late."

Applebloom watched her sister head to the exit as a frown formed on her face. She took out her phone to make a call.

"Hello?" Sweetie Belle answered from the other end.

"Sweetie Belle, we got a problem," Applebloom informed her.

"Did something happen?" Sweetie Belle asked worriedly.

"It's what didn't happen," Applebloom said in frustration and she told Sweetie Belle what Applejack had told her.

"What are we gonna do?" Sweetie Belle asked, concerned that their plan was falling apart.

"We're just going to have post somethin' that'll really rile them up," Applebloom stated. It was all for a good cause, at least that was what she kept telling herself.

The Rainbooms made their way towards Sunset's apartment, with different scenarios going through their minds as they approached the apartment complex.

Would they find Sunset at her apartment?

Would they catch her as she was in the middle of packing up all her things?

Applejack had a scowl on her face ever since they left the school and it seemed to deepen the closer they got to Sunset's apartment building.

'How could she do this to us, to me!' Applejack thought bitterly. 'We were gettin' along great. Heck, ah said she was family! Why Sunset?'

Rainbow Dash wanted to get to Sunset's apartment as quickly as she could, but was forced to keep pace with her friends.

'They're so slow. I could've been there by now!' Rainbow Dash shouted internally before shaking her head. 'No, I shouldn't be upset with them. Sunset's the one who betrayed us!'

Rainbow Dash couldn't understand why Sunset would betray them. All those times they hung out together, their late night video game sessions. Besides Applejack, Sunset actually gave Rainbow some decent competition in sports and with Sunset's ability to quickly adapt to any situation, Rainbow Dash was pleasantly surprised that Sunset had quickly become someone she was proud to call her rival, her best friend and possibly something more.

The Rainbooms had finally reached Sunset's apartment and after walking up the stairs to Sunset's floor, they found her door where Applejack immediately proceeds to furiously pound on it.

"Sunset! Sunset we know yah are in there so open up!" Applejack shouted. They received no answer.

"M-maybe s-she's not home?" Fluttershy suggested softly, a little terrified at Applejack's furious knocking. She had never seen her friend so angry before.

"Do you think maybe she did go back to her world?" Rarity asks.

"Hold on a minute," Rainbow Dash dug into her pocket and pulled out a key.

"What's that, Dashie?" Pinkie Pie asks as she looked at the key curiously.

"It's a spare key Sunset gave me to her apartment in case of an emergency," Rainbow Dash explained as she inserted the key. She remembered when Sunset had given it to her as a sign of her absolute trust and confidence. Rainbow was truly touched that Sunset trusted her so much and she had promised to use it wisely. “Okay, door’s open.”

Rainbow Dash swung the door open and the Rainbooms marched inside, calling out Sunset's name as they searched her apartment. Strangely enough nothing looked too out of place, but then they heard loud, furious coughs coming from Sunset's bedroom. They girls immediately rushed towards the bedroom and threw Sunset's door open.

Rainbow and Applejack looked furious and were ready to tell off Sunset, but their words quickly died in their throats, as all of them froze when they laid their eyes on a very sick Sunset. She was in bed with the covers pulled up to her neck, taking heavy labored breaths. Her cheeks were flushed, her face was covered in sweat, her hair looked greasy and she had dark bags under her eyes.

"Sunset!" Fluttershy cried as she rushed to her friend’s bedside, followed closely by the rest of the girls. She placed the back of her palm against Sunset's forehead and immediately pulled back. "She's burning up!"

Rainbow Dash looks down at her sickly friend, her previous rage having fizzled out. Sunset looked awful. "Hey, Sunset!" Rainbow called out her friend's name to get her to respond, but when she didn't she tried again while gently shaking her. "Sunset!"

"Rainbow, ah don't think yah should wake her," Applejack stated, as she looked at her very sick friend, a pit of worry forming in her stomach, replacing the blind rage she felt earlier.

Suddenly Sunset groans as her eyes flutter open and takes in the sight of her friends.

"H-hey," She greeted weakly.

"Sunset!" the girls shouted in relief but recoiled at the sight of Sunset's bloodshot eyes.

"How're yah feeling, sugar cube?" Applejack asked with great concern.

"Honestly, I've been better," Sunset told them before coughing violently.

"Take it easy, Sunny, you need to rest," Pinkie Pie suggested.

"Sunset have yah had anything to eat?" Applejack asked.

"Just some toast and crackers," Sunset mutters weakly.

"Then me an' Pinkie will whip ya' up somethin' real nice," Applejack volunteered.

"Yeah!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "I'll make my chicken soup! That's always good when I get sick!"

"We'll take good care of you, darling," Rarity says as she pulled back Sunset's covers to reveal her sweat-soaked pajamas that were clinging to her skin. "My goodness darling, you look positively dreadful! Did you even take a shower yet?"

"Can't....too weak." Sunset muttered weakly as she coughed again.

"Then I'll help you out of those wet clothes and get you cleaned up," Rarity volunteered as she helped Sunset get off her bed. "My goodness! Fluttershy wasn't kidding, you're boiling darling!" Her skin felt like it was burning as it made contact with Sunset through the fabric of her pajamas.

They made their way out of Sunset's bedroom and into her bathroom when Sunset felt a familiar sensation in her stomach.

"Sweet Celestia!" Sunset said as she hurried into the bathroom and knelt down in front of the toilet. Rarity held Sunset’s hair back and turned away as she did not want to see her friend blow her chunks. However, if she had been watching, she wouldn’t seen that instead of vomit, bubbles came streaming out of Sunset’s mouth. They popped silently, unnoticed.

Rarity continued to look away with a cringed expression as Sunset repeatedly puke into the toilet. Soon, the terrible nauseous sensation passed and Sunset knelt by the toilet, breathing heavily.

"Are you finished darling?" Rarity asked as she dared to take a peak. Sunset looked flushed but she was no longer vomiting. Rarity then carefully flushed the toilet and then went to disrobe her friend.

Meanwhile, Applejack and Pinkie Pie were preparing something for Sunset in the kitchen when Rainbow pulled Applejack to the side.

"What is it, sugar cube?" Applejack asks curiously.

"Are we just going to ignore you-know-what?" Rainbow Dash asked as she casts a glance towards Sunset's bathroom where the sounds of running water could be heard.

"Listen, Dash, now's not a good time to be talking 'bout that. Besides, seeing her like this makes me doubt if she even did it at all. She's in bad shape and before yah ask, she aint faking it. not even Sunset can fake being sick like this."

"Only one way to find out," Rainbow Dash made her way into Sunset's room.

"Dash? what're ya' up to?" Applejack followed after her friend and saw her picking up Sunset's phone.

Sunset's phone immediately turned on upon being picked up and Rainbow Dash saw that her wallpaper was a picture of all of them. She stared at it sadly before attempting to open Sunset's phone to the homescreen but to her dismay it was password locked.

"Didja honestly think Sunset wouldn't have put in a password?" Applejack questioned as she raises an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash.

"It was worth a shot." Rainbow Dash said sheepishly.

Some time later Sunset came out of her bathroom looking slightly better, but she was still burning up. She took a few shaky steps forward before almost losing her balance. Luckily, Rarity was there to catch her and she gently guided her to the bedroom. Rarity put Sunset back in bed.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack brought in a bowl of chicken soup and a glass of milk, Rarity helped Sunset into a sitting position, and Fluttershy helped Sunset eat as much as she could before she couldn't eat anymore. Sunset got back in her covers and was tucked in by Rarity and Fluttershy.

"The poor dear," Rarity looked at Sunset as she still breathed heavily.

"We gave her some cold medicine, so hopefully that helps," Rainbow Dash said as she looked at Sunset with worried eyes.

"Ah reckon we should spend the night to make sure she's okay," Applejack suggested.

"Excellent idea, Applejack." Rarity was delighted by the suggestion.

"Good think I always carry these in case of emergencies!" Pinkie Pie says cheerfully as she pulled out her friends' pajamas from behind her.

"Ah better let my family know what's going on," Applejack said as she took out her phone.

"Me too," Rarity said, as she too took out her phone, the rest of her friends soon following.

Appleboom frowned as she reads Applejacks text:

"At Sunset's, she's sick. will be sleeping over. Be back tomorrow. Goodnight."

She was hoping that the Rainbooms would cast Sunset out of their group, but the girl her had not shown and it made the redhead a little concerned. Now Sunset was sick and her big sister and her friends were at her place, taking care of her. This meant that she would be spending less time with her sister than before. She did not like that at all.
She received a text notification from Sweetie Belle telling her that Rarity was spending the night at Sunset’s since she was sick. Applebloom replied that she had received a similar text from her sister.

What re we going to do? They're still with her.

We'll do as we planned n' post the next secret tomorrow when they come to school.

Will that work?

Ah'm sure it will. once they come to school without Sunset and see the post, they'll think Sunset posted it when they left.

If you say so.

Trust me, come tomorrow our sisters will drop Sunset and spend more time with us.

"Applebloom, supper's ready!" Granny Smith yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

"Comin' Granny!" Applebloom replied, before she quickly texted Sweetie Belle that she would text her later. She rushed out of her room and down the stairs to the dining room.

"Where's yer sister?" Granny Smith asked from her seat at the head of the table.

"She's at Sunset's place, says she's sick and is spendin' the night there with her friends to make sure she's okay." Applebloom explained as she takes her seat.

"That's mighty nice of her," Grand Pear said from the end of the table.

"The poor dear. Ah'll see if ah can whip up somethin' for that cold of hers." Granny Smith said as she started eating.

The family enjoyed their supper in peace, except for Applebloom who was unhappy with the whole situation.

Scootaloo was playing video games in her room when there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." She called out.

Her bedroom door opened to reveal her mother Spitfire. "Dinner will be ready in five minutes, so finish up what you're doing."

"Okay, Mom," Scootaloo responded.

Spitfire smiled at her daughter before she closing the door as Scootaloo went back to focusing on her game.

Being the daughter of two star athletes from the Wonderbolts soccer team wasn't easy. There was the extra attention she received from strangers and some kids at school wanting to get close to her so they could get a chance to meet her parents. There was also the added pressure of living up to her parents accomplishments, especially their athleticism as her classmates and some of the coaches were disappointed with her performance when she was younger. But her parents would remind her that she should ignore them. Her father even told her that he wasn't very good at sports when he was younger and was teased by the other kids in school. This surprised Scootaloo considering what his career was, He told her that if she worked hard then she would definitely get better.

Scootaloo eventually did get better and soon after found great friends in Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, heck she was even friends with Diamond Tiara of all people!

Scootaloo finally beats the level before stretching her arms up in the air. She cast a glance to her nightstand at a photo of her and Rainbow Dash. The chromatic-haired girl reminded Scootaloo of her parents. She was athletic and driven like her mom, but goofy, and fun like her dad. She was super happy when Rainbow decided to take her under the wing and become her big sister.

Scootaloo giggled as she recalled the look on Rainbow's face when she first met her parents.

They always did everything together, from sports practice, hanging out at the skate park, and even the special sisters event that Sweet Apple Acres hosted every year. But then she started hanging out with Sunset Shimmer, which consequently meant she wouldn't be hanging out with her as much as she used to. Several times she had to cancel their usual hangout time in favor of Sunset and other times she brought her along and the equestrian ended up taking up Dash's attention.

Scootaloo learned firsthand how athletic Sunset was, and she had to admit that she was good but because of that athleticism, Rainbow Dash wanted to test herself against her and discovered that Sunset made the perfect training partner. Scootaloo would try to train with them but they were beyond her and she ended up sitting on the sidelines. She hated how much Sunset took up her time with Rainbow Dash and after learning a certain secret from Rainbow Dash, she feared that she will lose her. So when Applebloom brought up her plan to frame Sunset and separate her from their sisters, Scootaloo was all too eager to join in. She was worried when Applebloom called her and said that Rainbow and her friends were spending the night at Sunset's because she was sick, but Applebloom told her that tomorrow they'll post that secret which will guarantee the Rainbooms will leave Sunset.

She got up from her bed and after saving her progress, turned off her game and headed downstairs for dinner, wondering if tomorrow would be the day that they rid themselves of Sunset and get their sisters back.

"Done!" Rainbow said from her spot on Sunset's couch. She and the rest of her friends where doing their homework.
"Thanks for the help Rare's."

"Don't mention it, darling," Rarity said as she closed her book and placed it inside her backpack.

"Hey, if none of you mind, I'm going to go check on Sunset," Rainbow Dash spoke before getting up and going to Sunsets room.

"Do you think Sunset will be okay?" Fluttershy asked worriedly.

"Her fever is pretty bad, but ah'm sure she'll be better by tomorrow." Applejack assures her.

"Cheer up, Fluttershy!" Pinkie Pie says excitedly as she popped up in front of Fluttershy. "Sunny will be fine! She has us after all!"

"You're right, Pinkie. She does have us to watch out for her," Fluttershy agreed as she gave Pinkie a smile.

Rainbow Dash opened the door to Sunset's room and peeked inside to see Sunset's slumbering form resting on her bed. Rainbow Dash entered the room and closed the door behind her before approaching Sunset.

She looked at Sunset's face and although she appeared peaceful, she was far from it. She picked up the damp cloth resting on Sunset's forehead and put it in a plate filled with cold water to re-moisten it before placing it back on Sunset's forehead. She observed Sunset for a bit before reaching for her hand. She was surprised by how hot her hand was and started to grow more concerned for her sick friend.

"I know what it's like to be sick, but I don't remember ever being this hot." Rainbow Dash muttered to herself. "I wonder if Sunset has a thermometer?"

Rainbow Dash looked at Sunset for a little longer before going back to the others.

"How is, she Dash?" Applejack asks.

"She seems fine." Rainbow Dash explained as she took her seat. "Hopefully, she gets better tomorrow."

"One can only hope," Rarity added.

The girls spent the rest of the evening playing games, watching television or telling scary stories courtesy of Pinkie Pie. Although they had fun, it wasn't nearly as fun knowing that their friend was sick in the next room. Eventually they all decided to call it a night which caused Pinkie Pie to pull out several sleeping bags out of nowhere and laid them on the living room floor. Now questioning where the pink party planner got them, the girls got in their sleeping bags and wished each other goodnight before Pinkie turned off the lights.

Several hours later Applejack's eyes fluttered open before she got out of her sleeping bag and carefully maneuvered around her friends to head towards the bathroom. After Applejack exited the bathroom she glanced over to Sunset's bedroom.

"Maybe ah should check on her," Applejack whispered to herself as she made her way towards Sunset's room.

She carefully opened the door and entered Sunset's room. She walked up to Sunset's bed and places her hand against her cheek.

"She's still burning up." Applejack was concerned, Sunset's condition didn't seem to be improving. "Not much ah can do about it now." She re-moistens the rag and after placing it back on Sunset's forehead, Applejack stared at Sunset for a minute before speaking.

"Sunset, are yah really Anon-A-Miss?"

Not expecting an answer, Applejack left Sunset's room but not before giving her one last worried look.

Author's Note

Here's the first chapter to my new story, I hope you all enjoy it and for those who've read it in the forums I hope you enjoy the added content. I want to thank KR Chrome for his help with this chapter.

Delusions

Author's Note

Here's a long chapter, I'm happy to know that people really enjoyed the first chapter and I hope you all enjoy the second one. Special thanks to KR Chrome for his help with the chapter.

Delusions

Normally, Sunset Shimmer would welcome the morning feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Of course, there were times she wanted to sleep-in, like on a Monday, and especially if it was raining outside. However, she still had responsibilities of a high school student and she did enjoy hanging out with her friends.

Her life only started to change after the Fall Formal. Before that, she had been cruel, selfish, and ambitious; craving for power at the expense of others. However, after experiencing the corrupted power of the Element of Magic and being defeated by Princess Twilight and her friends, she resolved to turn a new leaf.

It had been a difficult journey. She had a lot to make up for, but at least she was not doing it alone. She had friends not and it was only after the Battle of the Bands that the students of CHS finally stopped treating her so coldly, acknowledging her efforts to be better than who she use to be. She could not really blame them for doubting her. She had been the absolute worse, but she had proven she had changed and now her life was better than ever.

This morning, however, Sunset Shimmer was not feeling too good. As the first ray of the morning sunshine came through the curtains, she felt groggy and dizzy. Also, she had severe eye crust which she rubbed away. As she sat up, the rag on her forehead slid off. That was when the pounding started and she held her throbbing head in pain.

"Ugh..." Sunset groaned painfully. "My head..." She fought the pain and threw the covers off her to get out of bed, which proved to be a mistake. As soon as she stood up, she suddenly felt lightheaded and immediately collapsed on the floor.

Sunset’s body was assaulted by aches and pains as she attempted to get back up, but her body felt weak. She could barely pick herself up. She looked around the room for anything to assist her, but only saw blurry distorted shapes. Great, her vision was failing her too. What a stellar way to start the day.

Without her blanket, Sunset began to shiver violently as she was exposed to the cold in her room. She turned on her side, grabbing the blanket and trying to pull it over to cover herself so she could get warm.

“Should’ve gotten that heater...” Sunset grumbled as she curled herself into a shivering ball to warm herself. She began to cough violently. That was when her bedroom door opened and she heard a gasp.

"Oh my gosh, Sunset!"

Who is that? Sunset thought. That sweet and gentle voice sounded so familiar.

Fluttershy immediately knelt down beside the shivering girl, taking the redhead into her arms.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?"

The source of the voice sounded very warm, but also very concerned. Sunset looked up to the figure who looked like a yellow and pink. Wait, she recognized those colors.

"Fluttershy…?" Sunset murmured weakly.

Several hurried footsteps followed and the rest of Sunset's friends crowded in her doorway.

"Fluttershy, what's-" Rainbow Dash started but cut herself off when she saw Fluttershy kneeling on the floor, holding a weak and sick Sunset in her arms. "Sunset!" In a flash, Rainbow Dash was at Fluttershy's side. She looked at Sunset who was clinging to Fluttershy, seeking her warmth. "Shy, what happened?"

"I heard a noise and came to check on Sunset," Fluttershy answered as she rubbed Sunset's back comfortingly. That didn't seem to work as the ex-unicorn continued to tremble in her arms. "I found her lying on the floor."

"She doesn't look so good," Rainbow Dash grimaced as Sunset just looked paler than before.

"Rainbow...?" Sunset asked, looking at the chromatic-haired girl. "What are you girls doing here?"

The girls looked at each other in worry. Did she not remember that they had come the day before? Maybe she was just too sick to remember everything that happened last night.

"Just looking after you, Sunset," Rainbow Dash said. "Shy, let me help you get her back in bed."

"Ah got her Dash," Applejack said as she knelt down and picked up Sunset gently in her arms. She felt the redhead's body heat through her pajamas and she was hotter than she was yesterday. She gently places Sunset on her bed before pulling the covers over her to keep her warm, but she was still shivering.

"Is there any more medicine?" Rainbow Dash ask while looking at the shivering Sunset.

"This is all I got," Pinkie Pie said as she pulled out some cold medicine from her hair. "We definitely gonna need to get more."

Rarity walked up to Sunset's bedside and placeed the back of her palm against Sunset's forehead, cringing as she felt Sunset's temperature, "She's still pretty hot if not more so than yesterday."

"Maybe we should take her to the hospital?" Fluttershy asked anxiously as she looked between Sunset and the rest of her friends.

"No..." Sunset weakly protested. "No, no hospitals..."

The girls were surprised that to hear Sunset refuse to go to the hospital.

"Why not Sugarcube? Yah need to get see a doctor," Applejack said.

Suddenly a light bulb went on above Pinkie Pie's head, causing her to gasp.

"She can't go to the hospital!"

"And why not, Miss Pie?" Rarity asked while raising an eyebrow.

"Because Sunny's an alien!" Pinkie Pie said, making everyone's eyes widen.

"Oh yeah, ah forget that Sunset isn't from this world," Applejack said, before crossing her arms. Sunset was from equestria and had managed to live here without a guardian for who knows how long. "That complicates things."

"Indeed, and that's without taking the whole magic thing into account," Rarity added.

"So, what do we do?" Rainbow Dash asked. "We're not going to just leave her like this, are we?"

The girls remained silent as they pondered that question. What could they do? Sunset needed a doctor, but it needed to be one that was already aware of her unique situation. They were then interrupted from their thought when the alarm on Rarity's watch started beeping.

"Oh my, we're going to be late for school," Rarity informed her friends.

"Really Rarity?" Rainbow Dash asked incredulously. "So you want to just leave Sunset here by herself?"

"That's not what I was suggesting, Rainbow Dash," Rarity said as she narrowed her eyes at her rainbow-haired friend.

"Oh really?" Rainbow Dash challenged as she got close to Rarity, "Cause it sounds to me like you wanna abandon Sunset."

Rainbow Dash and Rarity glared daggers at each other before Fluttershy stepped in between them, "Girls, stop it! We shouldn't be fighting with one another! Can't you see that this isn't helping Sunset?!"

Sunset coughed violently which caused Rarity and Rainbow Dash's glares to soften.

"I'm sorry Rarity," Rainbow Dash apologized as she rubbed her arm. "I didn't mean what I said, I was just-"

"I know, darling," Rarity interrupted Rainbow Dash as she gently grabbed her left hand. "I'm worried about her too."

"Ah reckon we should let Principal Celestia know that Sunset is sick an' she won't be at school," Applejack suggested. "She'll understand if some of us stayed behind to look after her. Plus there's the issue with Anon-A-Miss."

As soon as Applejack mentioned that name, the mood in the room instantly turned sour.

"Honestly, I'd rather stay here than face the school today," Rarity scowled as she folded her arms. "I have had just about enough of the jeering and teasing."

"I know my parents are chill about me staying to look after Sunset, but I have to ask them just to be sure," Rainbow Dash said.

With Sunset being sick, doubt began to set in their minds about her being the culprit behind Anon-A-Miss. However, without any proof, they couldn't rule her out just yet.

"Pinkie Pie and I can stay to look after Sunset," Fluttershy volunteered as she looked to Pinkie who nodded.

"Yah gals sure?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah, Fluttershy and I will take good care of Sunset! We Pinkie Promise!" Pinkie Pie said as she and Fluttershy went through the motions of the Pinkie promise.

"Then the three of us will go to school and inform Principal Celestia about Sunset's condition," Rarity offered.

"Good luck to the both of yah," Applejack tipped her hat. "Oh and don't forget to text or call if anythin' happens."

The girls begin filing out of Sunset's room, except for Rainbow Dash who as soon as the others stepped out, went over to where Sunset's phone was and took it. She stared at the phone for a moment, her gut telling her that this was wrong but she had to know for sure that Sunset wasn't Anon-A-Miss. She walked over to Sunset and carefully placed her thumb over the home button of her phone and unlocked it.

"Rainbow, darling!"

Rainbow Dash jumped at hearing Rarity's voice and nearly dropped Sunset's phone, "Y-yeah!"

"What are you still doing in Sunset's room?" Rarity asked.

"Just checking on her one last time," Rainbow Dash answered.

"Alright, but make it quick!" Rarity said.

Rainbow Dash sighed in relief before looking back at Sunset's phone.

"Damn it."

She was going to have to wait to check again the next chance she got. She turned off Sunset's phone and places it back where it was before exiting her bedroom and closing the door behind her.

It was much the same today as it was yesterday at CHS. Nobody had forgotten about the embarrassing photos of their slumber party that was posted by Anon-A-Miss. Kids still snickered as they walked by, but Applejack and Rarity turned the other cheek. Rainbow Dash, however, just fumed silently. Her desire to punch Anon-A-Miss in the face grew with every snide remark.

"We better head on to Principal Celestia's office to tell her about Sunset," Rarity said, ignoring a group of girls who made a snide remark at her as they walked by.

As the trio headed towards the Principal's office, Applebloom watched them from a corner as she sent a text to her friends.

Principal Celestia was going over some papers when there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." Her office door opened to reveal Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "What can I help you girls with?"

"Principal Celestia, we came to inform you that Sunset won't be coming to school today," Rarity told her.

"Is everything alright?" The Principal asked, worried about Sunset.

"Sunset's sick ma'am," Applejack tells her bluntly. "We gave her some medicine yesterday, but today she woke up feelin' worse."

"We wanted to take her to the hospital, but considering Sunset's unique situation, it wouldn't do her any good," Rarity added.

"I see," Principal Celestia thought for a moment before addressing the girls. "I think I have someone in mind that can check on Sunset, someone who knows full well about her unique situation."

"Who-" Rarity was cut off when her, Applejack and Rainbow Dash's phones message tone went off. That could only mean one thing. "Anon-A-Miss."

"Excuse me?" Principal Celestia looked at the girls curiously.

"Please excuse us, Principal Celestia," Rarity apologized as she and her two companions checked their phones. Upon looking at the new post by Anon-A-Miss, Rarity paled.

So apparently Rainbow Dash and Applejack have a crush one me, I mean I can't blame them but do they honestly think they have a chance with me? For one thing they're both more brawn than brains, not to mention they're both stubborn as can be. It took a simple text to get them to stop talking to each other lol, seriously if I decided to date either one, they'd probably dump me after simply hearing about me talking to another girl. No thanks Lmao.

Rarity swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat as she slowly turned to look at Applejack and Rainbow Dash Both girls looked absolutely devastated. Rarity could see tears pooling in their eyes, their faces drained of all color.

Suddenly, their sorrow was quickly replaced by a blinding rage which consumed them.

Fluttershy dabbed Sunset's face with a cool damp rag as she cleaned off her sweat, Sunset was still breathing quite heavily and coughing constantly.

"Oh Sunset."

"How's she doing, Fluttershy?" Pinkie Pie asked as she brought in some breakfast for them.

"Still the same," Fluttershy answered.

"Don't worry Fluttershy, it's just a cold. I got really sick some times when I was little and no matter how bad I felt, I knew I would eventually get better. And I did!" Pinkie Pie said in an attempt to cheer up Fluttershy.

"Thanks Pinkie," Fluttershy thanked her bubbly friend.

"You're welcome!" Pinkie said with a big smile.

The girls began to eat their breakfast when Sunset started to stir, Fluttershy placed her breakfast aside to go tend to her.

"Take it easy Sunset," the animal lover said.

"Fluttershy...shouldn't you be at school?" Sunset asked weakly.

"Pinkie and I decided to stay behind to look after you while Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash went to tell Principal Celestia that you weren't coming to school because you're sick," Fluttershy explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Sunset apologized, feeling bad that her friends had to miss school.

"Don't be. We're glad to stay behind to look after you," Fluttershy said.

"Thank you...both of you, I'm so lucky to have such amazing friends like you girls," Sunset complimented.

Fluttershy felt guilty when Sunset said that. Yesterday she had suspected her of being Anon-A-Miss and posting those embarrassing photos of her for the whole school to see and laugh at. But seeing her like this made her pause, and doubts began to form. Why would Sunset post those photos?

"By the way, what are those butterflies called?" Sunset asked.

"What?" Fluttershy was confused by Sunset's question.

"The butterflies that are flying around you, what species are they?" Sunset asked again, an innocent smile on her lips.

Fluttershy blinked in confusion before turning to look at Pinkie Pie who merely shrugged.

"Sunset...there aren't any butterflies."

"What?" Sunset questioned as she sat up. "They're clearly flying around you girls. Don't you see them?"

"Oooh, is this a game?!" Pinkie Pie said excitedly as she swung her arms around in an attempt to catch the imaginary butterflies. "Am I catching any, Sunny?"

"To your left, Pinkie!" Sunset pointed to Pinkie's left, but then pointed to her right as the butterflies she saw were flying around Pinkie. "They're on you now Pinkie!"

The pink haired girl giggled as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"They're tickling me!"

Sunset giggled along with her as she got up on all fours on her bed, "Here I come, Pinkie!" She leapt from her bed and onto Pinkie Pie who wrapped her arms around her, spun her around before collapsing on the floor.

"Sunset, you shouldn't be out of bed!" Fluttershy shrieked as she watched Sunset and Pinkie Pie roll on the floor, laughing hysterically. Just then Fluttershy's and Pinkie's phone alerted them to a new post on Mystable. The animal lover checked her message as Sunset and Pinkie were occupied in their own little world Her eyes widened in shock upon seeing the new post by Anon-A-Miss.

"That...that..."

"That filthy good for nothin' snake!" Applejack said venomously.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash had stormed out of the Principal's office, both girls absolutely livid. Not only were their feelings exposed to the entire internet, but they were stomped on by Anon-A-Miss. Tears threatened to cascade down their eyes as Anon-A-Miss words had deeply hurt them. Their rage was the only thing keeping them from breaking down.

"Darlings, wait!" Rarity called out to her friends as she chased them down the hall. She saw them head towards the school entrance, no doubt going back to Sunset's apartment to give her a piece of their mind. Gathering all her strength, Rarity ran ahead of her friends and blocked their path. It was risky, as the girls looked like they were on a warpath, but she needed to be the cool head here.

"Move out of the way Rarity!" Rainbow Dash growled.

"Girls, don't do anything hasty!" Rarity implored.

"Rarity, yah saw the post!" Applejack snapped.

"I know, but please calm yourselves so we can sort this out," Rarity told them.

"There's nothing to sort out, Rare's," Rainbow Dash said as she tried to walk past Rarity. "That traitor said enough!"

"That's not how Sunset really feels about, darling!" Rarity tried to reason with Rainbow Dash.

"How?! how can yah be so sure that this isn't how she truly feels?!" Applejack shouted, furiously rubbing away the tears in her eyes.

Rarity could see plain as day how deeply her friends were hurting right now, but she just couldn't tell them how Sunset truly felt about them.

"I...let's just say that Sunset holds you two in high regard and leave it at that."

Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash gave Rarity a questioning look She gave them a pleading look before causing the cowgirl and sports star to grumble before finally relenting.

"Thank you, darlings," Rarity breathed a sigh of relief, glad that her friends saw reason. "I'll call Fluttershy. To ask her how Sunset is doing."

Rarity took out her phone and after finding Fluttershy's number in her contacts, pressed the call button and held her phone close to her ear.

"Hello, Rarity," Fluttershy answered.

"Hello, Fluttershy. Do you mind if I put you on speaker?" Rarity asked. She glared at both the blonde farmer and chromatic-haired athlete, silently daring them to say anything. Rarity pressed the speaker button before speaking to Fluttershy again. "How's Sunset doing?"

"Just let out all the bad stuff, Sunny," Pinkie Pie said comfortingly as she held back Sunset's hair as the redhead puked bubbles that turned into butterflies that popped when they touched the bowl. Some managed to float away, only to be popped by Pinkie Pie.

"She's not doing so well," Fluttershy said from outside of Sunset's bathroom. "A little while ago she started saying something about seeing butterflies and then she and Pinkie Pie were rolling on the ground laughing before Sunset had to-um-throw up."

"Oh my. Listen, Fluttershy. Has Sunset been on her computer or phone since we left?"

"No, she hasn't." Fluttershy answered which made Rarity smile in satisfaction. "Is this about that post from Anon-A-Miss?"

"I'm afraid so, dear. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were greatly hurt by it," Rarity informed her.

"Oh no!"

"Not to worry, darling. Thanks to you part of the issue has been resolved. I'll talk to you soon. Tell Sunset that I hope she gets better for me. Oh and Principal Celestia knows someone who can check on Sunset that knows about her uniqueness, "Rarity said.

"Okay, you girls have a good day at school," Fluttershy said.

"Will do," Rarity ended the call and turned to look at Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Their anger began to simmer down as soon as they heard Fluttershy's answer. "Are you two satisfied?"

"Yeah," Applejack said without looking at Rarity.

Rainbow Dash remained silent for a second, her head was lowered causing her hair to shield her eyes from view before speaking.

"Sunset's gotten worse."

"Yes, from what Fluttershy described, it would appear that she has become delirious due to her fever," Rarity said.

"I hope. whoever Principal Celestia has in mind to check on Sunset can help her," Rainbow Dash said as she raised her head. she no longer had a look of fury but one of deep concern.

"Me too darling," Rarity agreed just as the starting bell rang and the girls went to their first period class, they didn't see Applebloom peeking from around the corner, a look of uncertainty on her face.

Applejack took her usual seat at the Rainbooms lunch table. As she had expected the students of CHS took the opportunity to mock her for being rejected, but surprisingly she found some students that were sympathetic to her and even told her that she was too good for someone like Sunset. She felt a presence next to her and turned to see Rainbow Dash setting her lunch tray down before taking her seat.

"Hey there, Rainbow," Applejack greeted the athlete.

"Hey," Rainbow Dash greeted simply.

"Folks still teasing yah?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah, but I just had this weird conversation with Trixie earlier," Rainbow began before taking a bite of her sandwich.

"What did yah talk about?" Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash swallowed her food before explaining, "I was on my way to my next class when I saw her walking towards me. At first I thought she was going to make fun of me but I was surprised when she asked if I was okay."

"What?" Applejack was shocked to hear this. "Trixie, the most boastful and arrogant girl in all of CHS, was askin' if yah were okay?"

"I know right? She started telling that I shouldn't let what Sunset posted bother me because it proved that I was too good for her and that I can do better," Rainbow Dash explained.

"Well Ah'll be..."Applejack was pleasantly surprised at this, never in a million years would she think Trixie of all people would go out of her way to help someone out of the kindness of her heart, let alone Rainbow Dash.

"Then she said that she'll make sure Sunset is put in her proper place," Rainbow Dash said as she took another bite of her sandwich.

"What in the hay did she mean by that?" Applejack asked curiously.

"Beats me, but she seemed real excited for some reason," Rainbow Dash finished explaining.

Applejack became worried. Should she be? Trixie was a braggart, but she was willing to do anything to get what she wanted, like when she dropped them in a trapdoor. Perhaps they should keep an eye on the aspiring magician in case she tried anything.

"Hello, darlings," Rarity greeted her two friends as she took her seat.

"Earth to Applebloom!"

"Huh?" Applebloom jerked her head to the side to look into the eyes of an annoyed Diamond Tiara. "Didja say somethin', Diamond Tiara?"

"I asked what you were doing for Christmas?" Diamond Tiara asked in annoyance.

"Oh Uh, ah'm just spendin' it with mah family." Applebloom said while scratching the back of her head and casting a glance at the Rainbooms table.

"Okay, what's the deal with you staring at your sister's table?" Diamond Tiara asked while crossing her arms.

"W-what do yah mean?" Applebloom asked nervously.

"You've been staring at her table ever since we entered the lunchroom and have been stealing glances every now and then. What gives?" Diamond Tiara asked.

Applebloom shifted in her seat nervously. She looked to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo for assistance but neither girl knew what to do. Applebloom looked back to Diamond Tiara to see her waiting impatiently for her answer, she lets out a sigh before telling her the truth...sort of. "Ah'm just worried about Applejack and her friends."

"Because of Anon-A-Miss?" Silver Spoon said from beside Diamond Tiara. "I can see why you're worried. Your sister and her friends were made the laughing stock of the school."

"Ah can't believe Sunset would do this to them," Applebloom said in a disappointed tone.

"I honestly thought she had changed. I guess not everyone can," Diamond Tiara said. "Kind of makes me wonder if I really changed."

"Yer different from her, Diamond Tiara," Applebloom assured her.

"Am I though?" Diamond Tiara questioned.

Applebloom reached over the table to grab ahold of Diamond Tiara's hands.

"Sunset was a demon who mind controlled the entire school. She ruled this school and made everyone miserable. Yer nothin' like that."

Diamond Tiara couldn't help but blush. She was touched by Applebloom's words and belief in her. No wonder she fell for her.

"Yeah, you only ever picked on us," Scootaloo teased.

"Yer not helping, Scoots," Applebloom hissed.

"It's alright, Applebloom. She does have a point," Diamond Tiara said.

The girls changed the subject back to their holiday plans, Applebloom looks at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. All three girls shared a silent look that spoke of a meeting after school.

"Finally!" Rainbow Dash said, she stretched her arms as the final bell rang and her classmates were hurrying to place their belongings in their backpacks. She heard some students snickering as they walked past her, making her grit her teeth in frustration.

She slung her backpack over her shoulder and exited her classroom. She made her way towards her locker and along the way the students continued to laugh at her. Rainbow Dash arrived at her locker. She set the combination of her lock and threw her locker door open. She angrily shoved her textbooks inside her locker and took out her jacket before slamming her locker closed. She set the lock and stormed towards the front entrance.

"Rainbow, wait up!"

Rainbow Dash turned around to see Applejack approaching her. The farm girl caught up to her and together they exited the school but waited at the entrance for Rarity. The fashionista soon exited the school and she did not look happy.

"Yah okay, Rare?" Applejack asked.

"Other than the fact I am the laughing stock of the fashion club!" Rarity answered in irritation. "But it gets worse, I'm afraid."

"How so?" Applejack asked.

"I met with Principal Celestia in the halls earlier and she informed me that the person who can help Sunset won't be available until tomorrow," Rarity explained.

"What?! But Sunset need help now!" Rainbow Dash couldn't believe it.

"That's just how it is, darling. By the way I hope that you two have cooled off now from your outburst thus morning," Rarity said.

"Sorry about that, Rarity. Ah lost my head there for a bit," Applejack apologized.

"Yeah, ditto," Rainbow Dash said in shame.

"You certainly weren't thinking clearly. I am still very upset with you two. Anon-A-Miss has already gone too far and now she's trying to provoke us," Rarity stated as she crossed her arms and glared at her two friends.

"You still think it's not Sunset?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Do you?" Rarity countered. "I'd rather she be considered innocent until proven guilty."

"It's kinda hard you know? It's hard to swallow that the girl we trusted, the girl who became family to us is tryin' to hurt us again," Applejack said bitterly.

"At least we now know that she could not have possibly made that horrid post earlier, unless you believe Fluttershy to be lying," Rarity said.

"No, Ah ain't, but ah still wanna know how Anon-A-Miss got their hands on our pictures." Applejack questioned. "The only one to take them was Sunset."

"Maybe we should check her phone," Rainbow Dash suggested.

"Rainbow, we've been over this. We can't access Sunset's phone without her password," Applejack said in irritation. Had her friend forgotten that?

"Not necessarily. I uh kinda opened her phone using her help," Rainbow Dash confessed.

"Rainbow Dash, please tell me you didn't take advantage of Sunset in her condition to unlock her phone?!" Rarity was aghast. She just couldn't believe her rainbow-haired friend would do something like that, especially to her crush.

"Look, I know what I did was wrong."

"That's putting it mildly," Applejack interrupted.

"But I wanted to make sure that Sunset wasn't Anon-A-Miss," Rainbow Dash explained herself.

"And did you find what you were looking for?" Rarity asked.

"No, I got interrupted and had to turn off her phone before I could check," Rainbow said sheepishly.

"So that's what you were really doing in Sunset's room," Rarity looked at Rainbow disapprovingly. "You know what? If it'll help convince you of Sunset's innocence then I suppose it couldn't hurt."

"Yah serious, Rarity?" Applejack stared at her friends with wide eyes.

"What other option is there? Sunset needs us right now and we can't truly help her if we're constantly doubting her," Rarity explained.

"But what if she did do it, are yah still going to help her then?" Applejack asked.

"How can you ask me that, Applejack?! Of course I still would!" Rarity said, the nerve of Applejack to even ask such a question. "It would be terrible of us to abandon Sunset while she's terribly ill!"

"Yer absolutely right. Ah should be ashamed of myself fer even thinkin' that," Applejack apologized, feeling quite low for what she said.

"It's quite alright. Just remember that even if Sunset did do this, it doesn't mean we should stoop to that level and abandon her," Rarity said.

"We should pick up some medicine on our way back. If a doctor can't see Sunset today, we have to make sure she doesn't get worse," Rainbow Dash suggested.

"An' ah got some food from Granny that'll help her with her cold," Applejack added.

"That's the spirit, girls!" Rarity cheered as they all hurried to the store to get some medicine for Sunset.

"Hey Fluttershy, is puke suppose to be rainbow-colored and glittery?" Pinkie asked from the bathroom as she held back Sunset's hair while she pukes rainbows.

"I'm not falling for that again, Pinkie. You said earlier that she was coughing up popcorn and that whenever she sneezed the room would change to a tropical forest or snowy mountain where the snow is actually vanilla ice cream," Fluttershy said from down the hall.

"But it's true!" Pinkie protested.

"I understand that you want to make this situation less gloomy, but please try to tone it down a little for Sunset. I don't think she can handle much fun right now," Fluttershy said.

"If you say so," Pinkie responded as she watch a puff of rainbow-colored smoke come out of the toilet, engulfing Sunset's face.

Sunset lifted her head away from the toilet and blinked several times before looking at Pinkie Pie. The two stared at each other for a minute before bursting in laughter. Suddenly, Sunset vomited confetti on Pinkie, causing her to howl in louder laughter.

"This is bad, girls," Applebloom said in a panic. The three Crusaders were in Sweetie Belle's room. With Rarity not in the house this was the best place to discuss their recent problem without someone listening in to their conversation. "It's bad enough that two of their friends didn't show up to school and ruin the plan we had, but now they're going to check her phone and see that she ain't Anon-A-Miss!"

"We should shut down the account while we still can!" Scootaloo suggested as she reached for her phone but was stopped by Sweetie Belle.

"Hold on a minute you two. The plan will still work despite them checking Sunset's phone," Sweetie Belle assured her two friends.

"How can you be so sure?" Scootaloo asked as Sweetie Belle released her hand.

"Trust me. When they check Sunset's phone it'll only make them doubt her more," Sweetie Belle said.

"We're home, darlings!" Rarity called out holding several bags as she, Rainbow Dash and Applejack entered Sunset's apartment.

"Welcome back, girls," Fluttershy greeted her friends.

"How's Sunset doing?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Well...it's hard to tell," Fluttershy admitted.

"What do yah mean?" Applejack asked.

Suddenly the sound of hurried footsteps can be heard just as Sunset appears around the corner of the hall, her eyes lit up upon seeing Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

"Girls!" Sunset shouted excitedly as she ran towards them. She wrapped her arms around them in a tight hug. "I missed you!"

"We missed you too, darling," Rarity managed to saw as Sunset squeezed the life out of her.

"Geez, sugarcube, ah had no idea yer hugs where this intense," Applejack said as she struggled in Sunset's grip.

"I'll say," Rainbow Dash managed to say between breaths.

Sunset giggled as she released the girls. She looked at them fondly before her eyes rolled up to the back of her head and she collapsed forward. Rainbow Dash was quick to react and caught her.

"Sunset!" Rainbow Dash said in worry as she held Sunset in her arms.

"Quick, get her back in bed!" Applejack urged as she helped Rainbow Dash gently guide Sunset to her room, they carefully placed Sunset back in her bed before placing the covers over her. "What in the sam hill was she thinkin'?"

"Has she taken any medicine?" Rarity asked Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie who shook their heads. "Rainbow Dash, go get the medicine we brought and a glass of water, quickly!"

Rainbow hurried outside to where Rarity placed her bags, she searched the bags until she found the cold medicine and hurried to fill a glass of water before going back to Sunset's room. "Here!"

Rarity took the glass filled with water along with the pills, "Applejack, be a dear and assist me."

"Gotcha," Applejack said as she placed her arm underneath Sunset's back to help prop her up.

"Sunset, we have some medicine for you," Rarity said.

Sunset opened her eyes and opened her mouth to take her pills, Rarity then brought the glass of water to Sunset's lips as she drank its contents.

"Lay her down gently Applejack," Rarity instructed to which the blonde farmer obliged.

The girls watched as Sunset's breathing began to calm down slightly and soon she was fast asleep.

"Has she been acting like this all day?" Rarity asked.

"Yes, we tried to get her back to bed, but she refused to stay in it for long," Fluttershy explained.

Rarity pondered for a moment until she felt someone tap her shoulder and turned to look at Rainbow Dash, "What is it, darling?"

"Remember that thing we talked about earlier?" Rainbow Dash asked before motioning her head to Sunset's phone that was resting on her nightstand.

"Really, Rainbow?" Rarity shook her head before going over to pick up Sunset's phone.

"Rarity, what're you doing with Sunset's phone?" Fluttershy asked.

"Putting an end to any suspicion of Sunset being Anon-A-Miss," Rarity explained as she handed Sunset's phone to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash went over to Sunset and placed her thumb on the home screen. Once her phone was unlocked, Rainbow opened up her internet browser. Her thumb hoovered over the internet history; she started to have a sinking feeling about doing this.

"Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash looked up to see her friends waiting on her to see what she had found. She took a deep breath before pressing the internet history. She looked at the recent entry which was from two days ago, the night of Rarity's slumber party.

The girls watched as Rainbow Dash checked Sunset's phone, nervously hoping that she wouldn't find anything, but then Rainbow's face suddenly turned pale. Tears welled up in her eyes as she fell to her knees. Her grip on Sunset's phone loosened and it slipped out of her hand.

"Rainbow!" Fluttershy knelt down next to Rainbow Dash. "What's the matter?"

Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy. She opened her mouth to say something but words failed her as the shock of what she had uncovered was too much. She held on to Flutterhsy's arm as she leaned her head against that same arm and openly sobbed.

The rest of her friends where speechless. Rainbow Dash rarely cried and especially not in front of them if she could help it. Applejack knelt down and picked up Sunset's phone. As soon as she took a look the color drained from her face like her athletic friend. She brought a shaky hand to cover her mouth as tears cascaded down her face.

"Applejack?" Rarity was scared. She had never seen her two friends look so devastated.

Applejack looked to Rarity. She turned the phone around for them to see and the effect was immediate. Pinkie Pie's hair instantly deflated, Fluttershy gasped, a look of horror on her face, Rarity...she simply shook her head; unable to believe what she was seeing. Her mascara ran down the sides of her face.

For Sunset's phone displayed that she was logged into Anon-A-Miss on the night of Rarity's slumber party.

On The Case!

Author's Note

Here's another long chapter, I hope that you all enjoy it and as always I look forward to your comments. I want to thank KR Chrome for his help with this chapter.

On The Case!

With most of the school mocking Applejack for her embarrassing childhood nickname (Piggle wiggle.), the cowgirl really needed some cheering up. Therefore, a second slumber party was hosted by Rarity at her place. Applejack was glad that she would not have to deal with all the mocking and jeering all on her own. With friends like these in her corner, she forgot about the students who made fun of her and focused on having fun with her friends.

The slumber party went on without a hitch. Despite the girls finding Rarity’s ‘Closet of Shame’ which housed her numerous fashion disasters that would have gotten her arrested by the fashion police, the girls decided to have fun and play dress-up, taking a chance to try out the outfits Rarity had hidden away due to how silly they had been. Cheerful laughter filled the bedroom as the girls had a blast trying out the outfits and even acting like they were part of a show while Sunset recorded the whole thing. Sunset even took a chance to try out some of the outfits.

Eventually, the slumber part of their slumber party came. The girls were tired after all that fun and decided to call it a night. Before turning in for the night, Sunset decided to write to Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Dear Twilight,

My second slumber party with the girls, and already I feel so much closer to everyone! I haven't felt so loved, so accepted, in...well...ever! I feel like I finally have a family again. Without all of you to help and support me, I'd be-well you know what I'd be. Anyway, I should get some sleep. But I wanted to let you know, before I do...that I love you all.

Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset put her journal away before finally going to sleep, a content smile on her face. Tonight proved to be one of the best sleepover's they ever had. She couldn't wait to find out what the next one had in store.

Once everyone was properly asleep, the door to Rarity's bedroom opened quietly. Sweetie Belle peeked inside to see that everyone was fast asleep. She carefully made her way inside, tip-toeing and making sure she didn't step on any of the sleeping Rainbooms; until she stood in front of Sunset Shimmer. Sweetie Belle's eyes narrowed at the former unicorn.

"It wasn't bad enough that you humiliated Rarity at the Spring Fling, but now you're taking her from me too," Sweetie Belle muttered spitefully as she searched around for Sunset's phone before spotting it next to a wall outlet, obviously being charged. Sweetie Belle grabbed Sunset's phone and frowned upon seeing the group picture of the Rainbooms, all of them smiling at the camera.

Seeing that it could only unlocked with the owner's thumbprint, Sweetie Belle very carefully placed Sunset's thumb over the home button and unlocked her phone. She needed to be very careful or else Sunset Shimmer would wake up, catch her, and the whole plan would be ruined.

Sweetie Belle scrolled through Sunset's photo album and gritted her teeth in anger at seeing some photos of Sunset with Rarity. Eventually, she found the photos of the girls trying out the outfits from the closet of shame, along with a video of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie singing while wearing cloths from it. She was about to go to her room to upload them when she suddenly had a better idea. Using Sunset's phone she went on Mystable and signed into the Anon-A-Miss account. This way if the Rainbooms checked Sunset's phone, they would find proof that she was Anon-A-Miss.

Sweetie Belle uploaded the photos and video on the site, then logged off and placed Sunset's phone back where it was before sneaking out of Rarity's room, but not before giving Rarity a sorrowful glance.

"Sorry Rarity."

She knew this would humiliate Rarity and her friends, but it was for a good reason, or so she told herself. Sweetie Belle exited Rarity's room. Despite thinking that this was necessary to get her sister away from Sunset, it didn't stop the feeling of dread she felt as she went back to her bedroom.

"So you see, by checking Sunset's phone, it'll only prove that she's guilty," Sweetie Belle said.

"Are yah serious?!" Applebloom questioned, not quite believing what she had just heard straight from Sweetie Belle's mouth

"But what about the post we made while she wasn't at school?" Scootaloo asked. "Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were with her."

"Yeah, that," Sweetie Belle scratches the back of her head nervously. "I got nothing."

Applebloom let out a groan of frustration as she leaned back and fell on top of Sweetie Belle's bed. It was supposed to be simple. frame Sunset Shimmer for posting her friends secrets, her friends cut her out of their lives and the Crusaders get their sisters back.

Sure, her being sick and not showing up to school did throw a wrench into their plans. But they never expected how great of an impact her being sick would be.

"What are we going to do?" Scootaloo asked nervously. "If they figure out Sunset's not Anon-A-Miss, then it'll only be a matter of time before they figure out it was us!"

"Maybe we should just delete the account," Sweetie Belle suggested.

"That will only make it more obvious that it wasn't Sunset," Applebloom stated before siting up. "What we need is more time."

"And how do we suppose we get more time?" Scootaloo asked.

Applebloom pulled out her phone and tapped on the screen a couple of times before showing her friends, "With this."

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at the numerous messages that were sent to Anon-A-Miss by students from their school. Most of the messages were praising Anon-A-Miss for the entertainment the posts brought them while the rest where about secrets from other students.

"What is all this?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Most these are of folks saying how much they like the posts, but the others are sendin' secrets from other kids," Applebloom explained. "Ah think they want us to post them."

"I don't think that's a good idea Applebloom," Scootaloo said as she looked over the secrets. "Some of these are pretty mean."

"Ah now, but what if we posted the less mean ones? With everyone believing it's Sunset, Applejack and her friends will be too busy trying to convince everyone that she's innocent to be lookin' for who Anon-A-Miss really is," Applebloom suggested.

"I don't know about this Applebloom," Sweetie Belle said with doubt. "What if something unforeseen happens and all this blows up in our faces?"

"Sweetie Belle's right. I'm starting to think this was all a bad idea," Scootaloo said, regretting even taking part in this.

"Listen, girls, ah know things don't look good now. But if we can buy a little more time for ourselves, then ah'm sure we'll figure out somethin'. And if we don't...then ah'll confess to the whole thing," Applebloom said, Anon-A-Miss was her idea after all.

"What?!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo raised their voices in shock.

"Why are you taking the fall for all this?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"This was mah idea, so ah'll take full responsibility," Applebloom stated.

"Not alone you're not. I posted those photos of Rarity's slumber party remember? So I'm just as guilty," Sweetie Belle said before turning to Scootaloo. "Scoots, you're the only one who hasn't posted anything, so you're innocent in all of this."

"Yeah, yah can back out if yah want. We won't be mad," Applebloom said.

Scootaloo looked at her two friends who were giving her understanding smiles, "I-"

A sudden knock on Sweetie Belle's door interrupted what Scootaloo was about to say.

"Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo's parents are here to pick her up," Sweetie Belle's mother, Cookie Crumbles said from the other side of the door.

"Okay, mom," Sweetie Belle answered, she heard her mother's

Applebloom handed Scootaloo her backpack, "Here yah go Scootaloo, get home safe."

"Thanks, Applebloom," Scootaloo thanked the youngest member of the Apple family as she took her backpack from her.

"See you later, Scootaloo, " Sweetie Belle bid the young athlete farewell as she opened the door for her.

"Later," Scootaloo said as she exited Sweetie Belle's room and walked down the stairs and towards the front door where she saw her mother and Sweetie Belle's mother

"Here you go, Scootaloo," Cookie Crumbles said as she handed her daughter's friend her jacket.

"Thanks, Mrs. Crumbles," Scootaloo said as she put her jacket on.

"No problem, sweetie." Cookie Crumbles opened the door for Scootaloo." Take care now."

"Thank you, and have a nice evening," Spitfire said.

"Bye," Scootaloo said goodbye as she exited Sweetie Belle's house with her mother and the two made their way towards Spitfire's car.

"Did you have a good time?" Spitfire asked as she opened the passenger side door for her daughter.

"I always do," Scootaloo said as she got in the car.

Spitfire closed the door once her daughter was properly seated, before going to the drivers side and entering her car, "I'm glad you've got yourself some pretty great friends."

Spitfire started up her car and as she pulled away from the curb, Scootaloo pulled out her phone and checked her photos. Scrolling through her photos, she found the image she was looking for and smiled.

"Yeah, I do."

Things were not looking good over at Sunset's apartment. After finding out that Sunset had logged into Mystable as Anon-A-Miss during the night of Rarity's slumber party, the girls were left in shock. They left Sunset's bedroom and went to her living room were they tried to process what they had just discovered.

Rainbow Dash was laying on top of Sunset's couch, her right arm hanging over the side while her left arm covered her eyes. A trail of tear stains could be seen on her cheeks as well as from the corner of her eyes. Applejack was leaning against a wall on her right side, her hat lowered to conceal her eyes. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were sitting on the floor, the party girl's mood was dull, her hair flat and even her complexion looked less bright than normal. She had a comforting arm wrapped around the shy animal lover who had curled herself into a ball and silently wept.

Rarity was sitting in Sunset's kitchen, her arms crossed, eyes closed with stains of her mascara running down the sides of her face. Unlike the rest of her friends, she got over the initial shock and started to question the so-called proof of Sunset being Anon-A-Miss. The room around her suddenly became very noir as she started to inner monologue.

"After, we all saw the internet history of the phone of one Sunset Shimmer, my friends became devastated as this was proof that she was Anon-A-Miss.

"...Or was she?

"It just seemed pretty convenient to find the proof on her phone like this. Something wasn't right. Did Fluttershy not say that Sunset Shimmer had not been on the phone or computer while yours truly, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were INschool? Also, thinking back, some things did not seem to fit.

"First of all, it was the profile of Anon-A-Miss. While attempting to use a Pseudonym that resembles the word 'anonymous', using a silhouette with Sunset Shimmer's shape and colors seems odd. Then there was the timing of it all. The profile came up the following morning after the slumber party at Pinkie Pies home, with Applejack's nickname being the first thing to be posted after she told Sunset at that very same slumber party. Coincidence?

"I think not!

"There was also what I knew of Sunset Shimmer's nature. She might have turned over a new leaf, but her cunning at intelligence have yet to diminish. Back before her reformation, Sunset had turned us all against each other and none of us were the wiser until Princess Twilight Sparkle set us straight. Sunset Shimmer had always been careful to not leave any clues that would lead to her.

"I considered the fact that she might've had someone to do her dirty work. She did use to have Snips and Snails under her beck and call.

"And the secrets that were posted....Sunset did used to spread rumors but I doubt she would just reveal such private secrets like this to hurt us. She did not do anything for a laugh, even as terrible as she had been. There had always been a purpose behind her actions, even when she humiliated me during the Spring Fling.

"Sunset was ambitious when it came to obtaining power, at least she used to be. She would much rather collect humiliating pieces of information for blackmail than just simply revealing them online.

"I looked to my friends who appeared devastated and for what I can see, still in disbelief."

Rarity gets up from her seat, a look of determination on her face as she pulled out a fancy female detective hat with a feather on the side and placed it on top of her head.

"Listen up girls!" Rarity said, gaining the attention of Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy and possibly Applejack but her stetson obstructed her eyes. Rainbow Dash was the only one to not look at Rarity. "I understand that you are all in shock after what we just learned."

"That's an understatement," Applejack said.

"But fear not for Sunset Shimmer is innocent!" Rarity declared.

"Rarity, sugarcube, yah gotta face facts. Sunset posted those photos...the proof is right there on her phone," Applejack said bitterly. As much as she wanted to believe Rarity, and she really did, there was no denying the evidence they uncovered in Sunset's phone.

"Just as sure as you were when you thought Rainbow Dash didn't show up at your bake sale with the softball team?" Rarity said while raising an eyebrow causing Applejack's body to stiffen. "Darling, we can't afford to be stubborn. It already costs us our friendship before. And I for one don't want to repeat that mistake again...especially not now."

The girls were silent as Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity looked in the direction of Sunset's bedroom. A look of worry on their faces as Sunset's coughing can be heard.

Applejack raised her head, fresh tears in her eyes as she stared at Rarity, "Then how do yah explain her internet history showing that she was logged in as Anon-A-Miss?!"

"Simple, someone else must have done it," Rarity stated. "Rainbow Dash showed us just how simple it is to get an unconscious Sunset to unlock her own phone, so the real perpetrator must've done the same while Sunset was sleeping."

"But the only ones at the slumber party were us, and ah doubt any of us would post those photos to humiliate ourselves!" Applejack pointed out.

"Applejack was right, however I was nowhere near finished." Rarity monologued internally.

"You're right, darling. I doubt any of us would do it. But you are wrong in assuming that we were the only ones at the slumber party," Rarity said as she closed her eyes tight, a pained look on her face.

Applejack stared at Rarity in confusion before her eyes widened as she understood what Rarity meant, "Rarity, yer not suggesting that Sweetie Belle had something to do with this are yah?"

Rarity opened her eyes and stared into the farmer's moderate sap green eyes, "Yes, Applejack. As much as it pains me to admit it, Sweetie Belle was the only other person aside from us and my parents that could've snuck into my room while we were all asleep and she unlocked Sunset's phone using the method that I previous discussed."

"I watched as the girls mull over this new information, it wasn't easy to accuse my sister of being Anon-A-Miss. But all the clues pointed to her...however, what I was going to say next will no doubt upset Applejack."

"Which brings me to my next point, Applejack. Other than us who else knows about your nickname?" Rarity asked.

"Just mah family. What are yah gettin' at?" Applejack asked.

"Applebloom called you the night before the Anon-A-Miss account was created and your embarrassing nickname was posted," Rarity began. She could see the gears turning in Applejack's head as her eyes widened in realization before narrowing dangerously at Rarity.

"Rarity, ah swear if yer suggesting Applebloom had anything to do with this..." Applejack warned.

"Applejack, did Applebloom say anything to you after we left to go to our classes following the revelation of your nickname being posted?" Rarity asked, unfazed by Applejack's glare.

Applejack thought for a moment before answering, "She said somethin' about how similar the profile of Anon-A-Miss was to Sunset."

"And it was Applebloom who brought Anon-A-Miss to your attention, correct?"

"Yeah," Applejack said.

"We can't ignore clues and evidence even if they paint a very grim picture, Applejack," Rarity held up Sunset's phone. "And we all know how tech savvy Sunset is. Even if she did post from her phone, she would not have left any evidence. She would've cleared her browsing history immediately."

"I look towards Rainbow Dash who still remained unresponsive, she was as stubborn as Applejack but I was confident that I would be able to convince her of Sunset's innocence. But just before I could utter a single word to her, she spoke."

"So, she's being framed?"

"I admit, I was caught by surprise when she suddenly spoke. But I quickly recovered and responded accordingly."

"Yes, that is what I'm trying to convince you all of," Rarity answered.

Rainbow Dash removed her arm from her face as she sat up, her red, puffy eyes stared at Rarity, "Then how do we prove that they did it?"

"Rainbow Dash, don't go jumpin' the gun just yet!" Applejack shouted before looking at Rarity. "A lot of what yah said makes sense, ah don't like it but that's just how it is. Say yer right and it is our sisters, how do we prove it?"

"Since they have gone to all this trouble to frame Sunset it won't be easy to find proof," Rarity pondered.

"B-but why would they want to frame Sunset?" Fluttershy asked.

"That's what I can't figure out," Rarity said as she went over all possible motives in her mind, but she couldn't find one that made sense. "Applejack, we will have to monitor our sisters very closely at home...which means we'll be spending less time here."

Applejack looked back to Sunset's room and bit her lower lip. She didn't know which she hated more: That her sister could be Anon-A-Miss or abandoning Sunset when she needed them the most.

"Wait a minute!" Pinkie Pie said abruptly. "Why don't we bring them here!"

The girls looked at each other before looking back at Pinkie.

"Pinkie, darling, while that sounds like a great idea there's barely enough room in here for the five of us, let alone eight," Rarity said.

"They don't have to stay long, just long enough for you to do your investigation!" Pinkie argued. "Besides, I have to work tomorrow after school so you'll have plenty of room until I come back."

"Actually, I'm suppose to stop by the animal shelter tomorrow to check on the new reptiles," Fluttershy said. "You'll have plenty of space to keep an eye on the girls."

"This is fantastic, we'll now doubt solve this soon."

"Uh, Rarity, did you say something?" Applejack asked as she heard Rarity start monologuing to herself.

"Yeah, and why is everything in black and white?" Pinkie asked curiously as she looked at her surroundings and herself.

"Never you mind, darlings," Rarity said dismissively as the room suddenly regained its color.

With their plan for tomorrow decided, the girls thought it would be a good idea to tidy up Sunset's apartment a bit. Applejack decided to get started on dinner with Pinkie Pie's help, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash decided to do some dusting in Sunset's living room while Rarity cleaned Sunset's bathroom.

"Hmm?" Rarity looked at Sunset's shampoo and conditioner, along with her soap and other toiletries. She didn't get a chance to fully examine them when she helped Sunset bathe, but looking at them now Rarity noticed that they were mostly products for horses. "I guess it makes sense since Sunset is a pony and all."

Two hours later the girls were sitting on Sunset's sofa in the living room enjoying the food that Applejack and Pinkie had prepared for them.

"Thanks you two for the food, it was great!" Rainbow Dash complimented as she finished her meal.

"Glad yah enjoyed it Rainbow," Applejack said as she tilted her hat up a little.

"I must agree, the meal was fantastic, darlings," Rarity offered her own compliments as she dabbed the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

"Thank you both for cooking something for us," Fluttershy thanked her two friends. " I'll do the dishes of you want."

"Thanks Fluttershy, but it would be much quicker if we all lent a helping hand," Applejack suggested, as she got up from her seat and headed towards the kitchen.

"Doesn't look like there's much room fer all of us," Applejack pointed out.

"Oh, oh, how about I wash, A.J dries and Fluttershy puts the dishes away," Pinkie Pie suggested with excitement.

"Sounds good to me," Fluttershy agreed as the three girls went to work on doing the dishes.

"I'll go check up on Sunset. I'm sure she would like something to eat," Rarity said as she prepared a plate of food for Sunset before going to her room.

"I'll join ya," Rainbow Dash said as she helped Rarity by taking the glass of juice she had and the two made their way towards Sunset's room.

Rarity quietly opened Sunset's bedroom door as she and Rainbow Dash stepped inside. She placed the back of her hand against Sunset's forehead and winced.

"She keeps getting hotter," Rarity commented as she pulled her hand away from Sunset's forehead before gently shaking her awake. "Sunset, Sunset wake up."

Sunset groaned as her eyes fluttered open, she saw two blurry shapes before they became focused and she was able to recognize them.

"Rarity...Rainbow Dash?"

"Sorry to wake you, darling, but would you like something to eat?" Rarity asked and on cue Sunset's stomach began to growl. "I'll take that as a yes."

Sunset attempted to sit up but failed as any attempt to move caused her body pain, fortunately, Rainbow Dash lent her a hand.

"I gotcha," Rainbow Dash said as she helped Sunset sit up, her forearm was burning up the longer it made contact with Sunset's back.

"Here you go, darling," Rarity said as she offered Sunset a spoon full of hot soup. "Be careful it's-"

Sunset gobbled the spoon and she swallowed its contents.

"Hot." Rarity finished as she watched Sunset swallow the hot soup without any problem. "Okay, here, have some-"

Sunset grabbed a hold of the spoon Rarity was holding as well as the bowl of soup and started wolfing it down, Rarity was aghast at the unladylike way Sunset was eating.

"Don't eat to fast, darling," Rarity said as Sunset continued to devour her food.

Once she was done she reached over to the cup of juice Rainbow Dash was holding, took it from her and guzzled down it's contents before finally letting out a sigh.

"That really hit the spot!" Sunset belched in satisfaction.

"Wow, you must've been really hungry," Rainbow Dash said in amazement at the speed in which Sunset finished her food. "And here I thought only Pinkie Pie could eat that fast."

"Oh, this is nothing compared to her. Remember the bake sale?" Sunset said as she leaned back on the headboard.

"How can I forget? She put down a bag of cash before completely devouring every piece of cake, cupcakes, cookies and other sweets," Rainbow Dash said with a grin.

"That was something I wish I hadn't seen," Rarity said before all three of them started laughing, but the laughter was short lived as Sunset broke out into another violent coughing fit.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash were quick to act but when they laid a hand on Sunset, they instantly pulled away as they clutched their hand in pain. It felt like they were burned.

"What the heck was that?!" Rainbow Dash questioned as she looked between her hand and sunset.

"This sensation...it feels like I've been burned, but how can that be?" Rarity monologued, she looked to Sunset and watched as her coughing fit began to die down. "Rainbow Dash, can you please get some cough medicine for Sunset?"

"Sure," Rainbow Dash sad before leaving Sunset's room.

Rarity eyed Sunset curiously before raised her hand over her. When she didn't feel anything she moved her hand closer until her hand was an inch above Sunset's face. She quickly, but gently tapped Sunset's cheek and was surprised to discover that it didn't burn her finger. She then proceeded to gently place the back of her hand against Sunset's cheek and despite her being very warm, it wasn't enough to cause her harm.

"How odd," Rarity whispered, but before she could ponder further, Rainbow Dash came back with the cough medicine and a spoon.

They helped Sunset take her medicine and after tucking her in they went back to the living room where Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity did their homework, while Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie took turns taking a shower. Once all the girls have finished showering and brushed their teeth, they placed their sleeping bags on the floor and after saying goodnight to each other they got into their sleeping bags and eventually fell asleep.

Sunset walked into the school with an extra jump in her step and a big smile on her face. The sleepovers at Pinkie and Rarity's houses did wonders to her mood. Besides having a blast with her best friends, Sunset felt like they have gotten much closer. She still couldn't believe these same girls who she once tore apart and almost murdered when she turned into a raging she-demon were now her friends.

No, Sunset. They're more than my friends, they're my family.

Sunset felt a warmth in her heart at that word. Family. The only family she ever had was back in Equestria and she abandoned her in search of power. Sunset's smile faltered as she thought of her mother. She missed her greatly and she especially missed being held by her. Sure, there was her human counterpart but it wasn't the same. Not to mention really weird.

Her smile returned when she spotted her friends, "Hey girls! What's going....on?"

The Rainbooms saw Sunset approach them, Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at her with visible frowns while Pinkie looked crestfallen and Fluttershy was hidden behind Rarity.

"Sunset, do you... Have you lost your phone recently?" Applejack asked calmly, her frown gone.

"Um...no? It's right here. Why?" Sunset asked as she showed Applejack her phone.

"Then you need to explain this." Applejack said angrily, her frown returning as she handed Sunset her own phone.

Sunset took Applejack's phone and her eyes widened at what she saw, the pictures that were taken during Rarity's slumber party were posted on Anon-A-Miss's page with Anon-A-Miss commenting "OMG... what a bunch of dorks! Hahaha."

"What?! How did she get our pictures?"

"They're not our pictures, Sunset..."

Sunset raised her head from looking at Applejack's phone to her friends who were all looking at her with looks of anger and disappointment. However, Fluttershy had her eyes closed in a neutral epression.

"They're yours," Rainbow Dash finished.

"All those pictures where taken by you," Applejack added.

"Wait, but-I've had my phone all this time! How did she-"

"Yeah, how did she?" Applejack interrupted Sunset as she took back her phone and leaned closer to Sunset. " How did she know about my nickname? How did she get the pictures from your phone?

Applejack pointed an accusing finger at Sunset, "It was you all along! You're Anon-A-Miss!"

"We trusted you Sunset! We thought you were our friend!" Rainbow Dash said in a disappointed tone.

"How could you do this? After all we've been through together?" Rarity said disappointedly. Unable to even look at Sunset.

"No, wait, you guys-I didn't do this!" Sunset said desperately, a sense of dread filled her as her world was falling apart. "I could never hurt any of you!"

"But you did! You must've been pretending to be our friend, when all along you were just after our secrets!" Pinkie Pie accused, she was very disappointed and saddened that Sunset would do this. "You-you secret stealer!"

"No! No! I don't know how she got this stuff, but it-it wasn't me!" Sunset pleaded to her friends who all had their hands on their hips with the exception of Applejack who had her arms crossed and Fluttershy who finally opened her eyes and is staring at Sunset with her mouth agape. "I'm not this person!"

"No, you're not!" Flutterhsy said angrily with tears spilling from her eyes as she got closer to Sunset. "You're not the person we thought you were! You're not our friend!"

"No, I...I am. I Promise!" Sunset assured Fluttershy, tears spilling from her own eyes as her heart was breaking due to her friends accusations.

"This is it, Sunset. You're not going to take advantage of us anymore," Applejack said. " I'm sorry, but you did this to us. Tell whatever secrets you want. But we don't have to listen."

With that said, the Rainbooms walk away from Sunset as she collapses to her knees and cries over the loss of her friends.

"NO!"

Fluttershy bolted up from her sleeping bag, a look of horror on her face as she panted heavily with sweat sliding down her face.

"Fluttershy! Are yah okay?!" Applejack asked worriedly as she knelt by Fluttershy's side.

Fluttershy looked to Applejack who also had sweet running down her face before burying her face in her shoulder, "Oh Applejack, it was horrible!"

"It's okay, Fluttershy. It was only a bad dream," Applejack assured her as she wrapped her arms around the shy girl.

Fluttershy continued to cry but when she felt how damp Applejack's pajamas were, she pulled away from the farmer and that's when she noticed the tear stains on her cheeks.

"Applejack, why are you crying?"

Applejack looked away briefly before looking back at Fluttershy, "Ah...had a nightmare too."

"You two aren't the only ones, dear,"

Futtershy and Applejack turned to see that Rarity Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were also awake and they also had tear marks on their cheeks. Rainbow Dash looked especially shaken up.

"Girls, did yah have a nightmare too?" Applejack asked.

"I dreamt that we abandoned Sunny because of Anon-A-Miss, we...we said such awful things to her and took away her smile!" Pinkie Pie wailed.

Rarity laid a comforting hand on Pinkie's shoulder as she brought her into a hug, fresh tears spilled from her eyes as she too had the same nightmare. Her choice of words to Sunset were anything but lady-like.

"That-that's the same nightmare ah had," Applejack said as she looked to FLuttershy, silently asking if she had the same nightmare to which she responded by nodding as she wiped away a falling tear." Did we all have the same nightmare?"

"I believe that's a definite yes, darling," Rarity said as she managed to calm Pinkie Pie.

All eyes turned to Rainbow Dash as the athlete had yet to say anything.

"Rainbow, darling, are you alright?" Rarity asked as she took notice of Rainbow Dash's trembling.

"Y-yeah," Rainbow lied.

"Rainbow Dash, you're obviously not fine, "Rarity pointed out. "Now's not the time to be acting tough, please tells us what's wrong."

Rainbow Dash bit her lip as she contemplated telling them, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned her head to see Pinkie Pie.

"Please tell us, Dashie. We don't like to see you suffering," Pinkie Pie said.

Seeing the concern in Pinkie's eyes and those of her friends Rainbow spoke up, "It's not about me acting tough."

"Then what's wrong?" Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash takes in a shuddering breath before she started explaining, "Like everyone else, I had the same nightmare about abandoning Sunset...But there's more."

Tears well up in rainbow Dash's eyes as she starts recalling the nightmare, her trembling started to get worse but suddenly, she felt several pairs of arms wrapped around her.

"It's okay, darling, we're here for you," Rarity assured her athletic friend.

Rainbow's mouth was agape, tears started cascading down her cheeks as she felt the warm embrace of her friends, "I Killed Sunset!"

Everyone's eyes widen at this revelation, they pulled away from Rainbow Dash but didn't let her go.

"Rainbow, darling, did you say you killed Sunset?" Rarity asked.

"Yes!" Rainbow Dash sobbed.

"Okay, start from the beginning," Applejack said.

"It started with us confronting Sunset about being Anon-A-Miss and cutting ties with her. Anon-A-Miss still continued to post secrets about us and after she posted something about me, I got very angry," Rainbow Dash's body was rocked by a sob. "I was so angry about the post and I wanted to make Anon-A-Miss pay. I heard laughter and when I turned around, I saw this dark shadow. It was laughing at me, calling me pathetic and stupid. I completely lost it and the next thing I knew I tackled it to the ground and started punching it."

"I yelled at it with every punch, mocking it. I was getting tired so I put all my strength into one last punch to its face. I felt really good venting all my frustration on it and as I was going to insult it, I noticed the shadow began to fade....and that's when I saw it was Sunset."

"Rainbow, it sounds to me like you didn't to it on purpose, it doesn't mean-"

"Don't you get it?!" Rainbow Dash snapped. "I was so blinded by my anger that I lashed out at anything!"

Rainbow looked at her trembling hands as they flashed with blood, Sunset's blood. Shrugging off her friends hands, Rainbow bolted down the hallway.

"Rainbow!"

The girls ran after her and saw her enter the bathroom before slamming the door closed, Rarity grabbed a hold of the door handle and tried to open the door but it was locked.

"Rainbow, darling, please open the door," Rarity asked, she pressed her ear to the door and heard Rainbow Dash sobbing inside.

"Rainbow, please open up, it was only a nightmare," Fluttershy tried to assure her friend the same way Applejack did with her.

"Dashie, pretty please open the door," Pinkie Pie pleaded, but all she got in response was the sound of Rainbow's sobs.

The girls looked to each other as they tried to think of a way to convince their rainbow-haired friend to let them in.

"Wait a minute, where's Applejack?" Rarity asked as she noticed the missing cow-girl.

Rainbow Dash was curled up in the corner of the bathroom where she continued to cry as images of Sunset's beaten face flashed in her mind, She could still feel the impact of her fists making contact with Sunset's skull. What had she done? Was she so violent that she would beat up her best friend...her crush. She shook her head in a vain attempt to wipe the images from her mind.

"Oh god....Sunset," Rainbow whimpered.

"Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow's eyes widen as she recognized that voice, "Sunset?"

Sunset was standing on the other side of the door after being awoken by Applejack who explained to her what was happening as she helped her out of bed. Although Sunset was too drowsy and still feeling sick to understand much of what Applejack had said, she at least understood that Rainbow Dash needed her help.

"Do you think you can come out?" Sunset asked weakly as her body started to sway a little, her eyelids were growing heavy but she fought the urge to close them.

"W-why are you awake? Shouldn't you be in bed?" Rainbow Dash asked as she stared at the bathroom door.

"Applejack told me that you needed my help," Sunset said as she cast a glance at Applejack who was receiving a disapproving glare from Rarity. "Come on out so we can help you."

Silence hung in the air as the girls waited for Rainbow to respond. When she didn't, Sunset tried again.

"Please Rainbow Dash, I promise that we'll help you...just like how you helped me,"

More silence soon followed until they heard some shuffling noises inside the bathroom before the doorknob turned and the bathroom door opened to reveal a tear stricken Rainbow.

"Thank you, Rainbow," Sunset said with a smile before she closed her eyes and collapsed forward.

Rainbow Dash opened her arms and wrapped them around Sunset as they both fell to their knees, Rainbow Dash hugged Sunset's limp body as she cried.

"Oh Sunset!"

The rest of the Rainbooms hugged Rainbow Dash, each girl saying words of comfort before Applejack convinced her to let go of Sunset. The girls followed Applejack as she carried Sunset back to her room.

"Are you sure, Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked with concern.

"Yeah, I can watch over Sunset on my own. You girls worry about finding proof that Sweetie Belle and Applebloom are Anon-A-Miss," Rainbow Dash assured her friends.

Rainbow Dash had volunteered to watch over Sunset. It made sense since Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie already watched her yesterday. Not to mention Applejack and Rarity needed to investigate their sisters. Despite her breakdown yesterday, Rainbow Dash assured her friends that she was fully capable of taking care of Sunset.

"Darling, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to call us," Rarity reminded her as she wrapped her scarf around her neck.

"I'll be sure to bring you whatever you need in a jiffy!" Pinkie Pie said in her usual cheer.

"Take care Rainbow. Ah know we can count on yah to look after Sunset," Applejack said as she put on her gloves.

"Yeah, and A.J" Rainbow began.

"Yeah?" Applejack looked to her friend curiously as she saw her cheeks reddening.

"I, uh, want to talk to you later...about Sunset," Rainbow Dash said nervously as she absentmindedly scratched her right cheek.

"Oh? Oh!" Applejack understood what Rainbow Dash meant which caused her cheeks to turn a rosy color.

Rarity watched her two friends as she too understood Rainbow's subtle message, "Anyways, we'll see you after school, darling."

"Bye Rainbow," Fluttershy waved goodbye to Rainbow Dash.

"Take care sugarcube," Applejack said as she opened the front door before stepping out along with Rarity and Fluttershy.

"Bye, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie wraps her arms around her rainbow-haired friend and gives her a bone crushing hug.

"Bye....Pinkie," Rainbow Dash managed to say as she felt her life being squeezed out of her.

Pinkie Pie released Rainbow Dash before skipping out of Sunset's apartment. Once everyone had left Rainbow Dash closes the door and begins to head towards living room.

"While we had our suspects, the evidence we had was circumstantial. Also, If we confronted them or if they knew we were on to them, they could simply delete the account and deny any wrong doing. No, for this to work, we needed to gather more evidence to prove Sunset Shimmer's innocence. So with that in mind I shall be paying a visit to her former associates: Snips and Snails.

"Yah alright there Rarity?" Applejack said, disrupting Rarity from her inner monologue as they were walking to school. "Yah have that look on yer face again."

"Perfectly fine, darling," Rarity said while flashing Applejack a reassuring smile.

"If yer sure," Applejack said skeptically.

"Poor Applejack. She's still upset over her sister being behind Anon-A-Miss. Can't say I blame her, I can hardly believe it myself that Sweetie Belle could be behind this dreadful business."

Rarity closed her locker as she finished placing her books inside. She was wearing her detective attire and begins her search for Snips and Snails. Along the way, she heard the laughter and whispers of her fellow students. No doubt laughing at her expense.

"It seems that everywhere I go, I bring attention to myself. This could pose a problem."

Rarity turned a corner and spotted Snips.

"The two boys were not the sharpest tools, but Sunset saw some use in them to have as her henchmen. They had been blindly loyal to the girl during her days as a bad girl, which was what led them to be literally demonized during the events of the last Fall Formal.

"Mr. Snips, may I have a word with you?" Rarity asked as she approached the young man.

Snips shielded his eyes as a bright light came on, illuminating the room that Rarity had brought him in.

"Hey, what's going on? And does the light have to be so bright?" Snails asked.

"I'll be asking the questions, Mr. Snips! Now, tell me, when you were working for Sunset Shimmer, what did she have you do?" Detective Rarity asked, stepping out of the shadows and into the light.

"Oh, lots of things. Like spread rumors or just collect dirt on people."

"I took pictures on my phone so she'd have blackmail material to keep people in line," Snails claimed.

"And you edited those pictures to make them look bad?" Detective Rarity continued, she was now sporting a new outfit with a fancy hat and a feather on the side.

"Well, she did the editing work, actually. She's really good at it, or was."

"It would seem that I wouldn't be getting much out of Sunset's old henchmen, but they weren't the only ones to question, though. There was one other, a Mr. Flash Sentry. He had dated Miss Shimmer and he should be able to provide me with information as well. They would not have dated if they had not found each other attractive, despite Sunset claiming that she only dated him to make herself more popular.

That was always her intent. All her actions had a goal that would benefit her ambition. Even if it was for revenge, she would need to gain more than just satisfaction. Anon-A-Miss had none of that. Which is why I'm here to seek the truth.

“Sunset, well, she and I had a complicated relationship. Sometimes she’d ask me questions about people that I knew and since I did not know any better, I just answered them,” Flash confessed. "By the way, that's a great outfit you have on, Rarity."

"Thank you, darling," Detective Rarity appreciated Flash's compliment. "Tell me Mr. Sentry, why do you think Sunset would create Anon-A-Miss to post our most embarrassing pictures?"

"To be honest, I don't think it's her," Flash said honestly.

"Oh? What makes you so sure this isn't her doing?"Detective Rarity asked curiously.

"Well because she seemed very happy with all of you and this Anon-A-Miss doesn't seem like her at all," Flash answered.

"Quite right. I don't believe it's her either and I'm going to find out who's really behind all this," Rarity stated, happy to hear Flash's answer.

"Say, I haven't seen Sunset at school the past couple of days. Do you know where she is?" Flash asked.

"I'm afraid Sunset has fallen ill but you need not worry. Me and my friends are taking care of her, "Rarity told him sadly.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Tell her I hope she gets better soon," Flash said sincerely.

"Of course, darling," Rarity said with a smile.

"It would appear that neither Snips or Snails had anything to do with Anon-A-Miss, and I've learned that Flash doesn't believe it is Sunset at all. Hmm, I wonder if there's anyone else who would have a grudge against Sunset that they would resort to framing her?

Rarity walked down the halls as she thought of who to interview next.

"Well look who it is."

Rarity froze as she recognized that voice and groaned in irritation before turning around.

"What can I do for you, Trixie?"

From bad to worse

Author's Note

Here's the next chapter and as always I look forward to reading your comments. Thanks again to KR Chrome for his help.

From bad to worse

Rainbow Dash was relaxing on Sunset's sofa reading the former unicorn's copy of the new Daring Do book, ‘Daring Do and the Princess of Chaos'. She had just checked on Sunset a little while ago and after giving the ill former Equestrian her medicine, she went right back to sleep.

Rainbow Dash was still feeling the lingering effects of her nightmare, as images of Sunset's beaten face would pop up every now and then. But she didn't let that bother her as it was only a nightmare and it would not ever happen. She would make sure of it as she kept telling herself.

As Rainbow Dash was engrossed in Daring Do’s latest adventure, she didn't notice someone sneaking up behind her until they wrapped their arms around her neck.

"Hey there," a voice spoke huskily in Rainbow Dash's right ear, starling the athlete.

"What the?!" Rainbow Dash jumped off the sofa and quickly turned around to see Sunset leaning on the head of the sofa, a flirtatious smile on her lips. "Sunset?! What are you doing up?!"

"I just thought you could use some company," Sunset said, her eyelids lowered and her cheeks red due to her fever. "You don't mind, do you?"

"You should be resting," Rainbow Dash said as she crossed her arms and gave Sunset a disapproving look.

"Don't be like that, Dashie," Sunset said in the same flirtatious tone as she walked around the sofa and towards Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow at Sunset's weird behavior.

"Sunset, I'm serious. You need to go back to bed and-"

"I don't wanna," Sunset whined as she wrapped her arms around Rainbow's waist and pulled her close to her, "I want to stay with you."

Rainbow Dash's cheeks turned red as Sunset held her tight against her.

"S-Sunset, cut it out!"

"Why?" Sunset said. "Don't you like me holding you close?"

Instead of answering, Rainbow Dash simply turned away. Honestly, Rainbow did like being held by Sunset, but now wasn't the time for this.

"C-c'mon Sunset, just go back to bed."

“I will if you join me.”

“S-Sunset!”

Sunset smiled at seeing Rainbow Dash look so flustered.

"You look so cute right now, Dashie."

Rainbow Dash quickly turned to face Sunset, her face heating up even more.

"C-cute?!"

"Oh yeah," Sunset said dreamily as she lifted her right hand to caress Rainbow's left cheek. "You have such beautiful eyes, Dashie." She then stroked Rainbow’s hair. “And your hair’s so colorful and soft.”

Rainbow Dash couldn't believe what she was hearing. She usually found it irritating whenever someone told her she was cute. She was anything but cute! But hearing Sunset call her cute and say that her eyes were beautiful made Rainbow's heart flutter.

Sunset cupped Rainbow's face between her hands as she stared deep into the rainbow-haired athlete's eyes.

"But you're not just cute, Dashie, you're very smart too."

"You're just saying that," Rainbow Dash said but she couldn't look away from Sunset's eyes.

"No, you are smart, Dashie. The girls know it and I know it," Sunset assured Rainbow.

"If I was really smart, I would've asked Applejack why she didn't show up at her bake sale instead of not speaking to her," Rainbow Dash said with remorse, but she quickly regretted what she said when she saw the look of hurt in Sunset's eyes. "Sunset, I'm-"

Sunset silenced Rainbow Dash by placing her thumb over her lips.

"You don't have to apologize, Dashie. I was a royal bitch back then."

"You're not that person anymore," Rainbow Dash assured Sunset as she gently wrapped her arms around the former unicorn's waist.

"Yeah, I have Twilight and you girls to thank for that," Sunset's smile returns as she recalled how the girls reached out to her in friendship. "Although it was a bit rough in the beginning."

"About that....I'm sorry I was such pain," Rainbow Dash apologized. "I guess I was still pretty sore about what you did to us that I kept reminding you how bad you were and even used it as leverage to make you do what I wanted."

Rainbow Dash remembered how she would force Sunset to do whatever she wanted without much protest, like using her as a goalie to help practice her trick shots, but she was so timid back then like Fluttershy that she didn't put up much of a protest. Rainbow even remembered telling jokes about her at her expense. Looking back at it now, Rainbow Dash felt like scum for putting Sunset through all that. That was not what friends do.

"It's okay, Dashie. We both messed up, but what's important is that we learned from our mistakes and become better people," Sunset said as she lovingly caressed Rainbow's cheek with her thumb.

"S-sure," Rainbow stammered. If her reaction to believing Sunset had betrayed her was any indication, then she hadn't changed.

"You're a wonderful person, Dashie, and I'm very glad to have you not only as my friend, but my family," Sunset said in a low voice.

Rainbow Dash felt torn. On one hand she felt happy that Sunset thought of her like that, but the other part of her felt like she didn't deserve the praise.

"And maybe we can be something more," Sunset purred.

Rainbow Dash's eyes widen at this and she felt Sunset's thumb brush over her lips.

"Sunset, what're you saying?"

"What I'm saying is..." Sunset started to lean her face closer to Rainbow Dash’s. "That you and I..."

Rainbow Dash's heart hammered against her chest as Sunset's face inched closer, her eyelids began to lower as she too leaned forward.

"Could..."

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes as she prepared to kiss Sunset, but instead of feeling Sunset's lips against hers, she instead felt something on her right shoulder. She risked opening her eyes to see Sunset's head resting peacefully on it, her closed eyes and steady breathing indicating that she has fallen asleep. She then felt Sunset lean more of her weight against her as her knees started giving in.

"Oh great," Rainbow Dash muttered in annoyance. "Way to leave me hanging, Sunset." But despite her irritation, Rainbow couldn't help but smile at seeing Sunset's sleeping face, "Come on, sleepyhead, let's get you back in bed."

"What can I do for you, Trixie?" Rarity asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"It's not what you can do for Trixie, it's what Trixie can do for you," Trixie said. "By the way, that disguise isn't fooling anyone, especially not the Great & Powerful Trixie."

"For your information, Trixie, this isn't a disguise. Of course, I wouldn't expect you to recognize the outfit worn by Shadow Spades," Rarity corrected.

"Whatever, It's not like Trixie cares," Trixie shrugged.

"Trixie Lulamoon, now there's a dame that could give even Rainbow Dash a run for her money when it comes to having a huge ego. Still, her earlier remark had me puzzled."

"What did you mean by your earlier statement?" Rarity asked.

"You and the Rainbooms have gotten a lot of attention these past two days, and none of it good," Trixie smiled mischievously at Rarity.

"Your point being?" Rarity asked, getting annoyed at Trixie now.

"Since it's pretty obvious that Sunset is behind Anon-A-Miss, Trixie thought she could offer her assistance in helping you reform her, but properly," Trixie explained.

"First of all, we don't require your assistance. Secondly, Sunset is not the one posting the humiliating photos of us!" Rarity said matter-of-fact.

"Oh good, but that still won't change Trixie's plans for her," Trixie said, her mischievous smile never leaving her. "I've had something special planned for Sunset Shimmer for quite a while now."

"You don't say," Rarity said with interest.

"Oh yes, Trixie planned this very carefully. She won't know what hit her," Trixie giggled.

"Now this didn't sound good. What does Trixie have planned for She doesn’t sound like she’s behind Anon-A-Miss, but nonetheless I intend to find out what she's up to."

"Trixie, you can forget whatever plans you have for Sunset. Me and the girls will stop you," Rarity proclaimed.

"Oh really?" Trixie said as the two stared each other down.

Suddenly, they received an alert message on their phones which only meant one thing: Anon-A-Miss just posted another secret.

Both girls checked their phones and saw a photo of Rainbow Dash holding her science paper for which she got a D and written in red letters: “Very poor, see me."

See? She has no brains in that thick head she calls a skull, she couldn't even spell buoyancy! Lol what an idiot! Must’ve taken too many hits in the head with a soccer ball!

"Seems to me like you're going to have your hands full," Trixie snickered as she put her phone away. "See yah."

"As I watched Trixie saunter away, I couldn't help but feel like she has bested me. But no matter, I need to get in touch with Rainbow Dash."

Rarity quickly looked through her contacts and after finding Rainbow Dash's name she pressed the call button. She placed her phone next to her ear and after hearing it ring three times, Rainbow finally picked up.

"Hello?" Rainbow answered.

Rarity was puzzled by Rainbow’s tone.

"Rainbow, darling, are you alright? you sound very..."

"Upset?" Rainbow Dash finished what Rarity was trying to say. "You're darn right I'm upset! I just finished a competitive match in Overwatch and some idiot was trolling and cost us the game!"

"Uh, no. Anon-A-Miss made another post...about you," Rarity said.

"What? Hold on a sec." Rainbow said before hanging up.

Rarity stared at her phone as she waited for her Rainbow-haired friend to call back. She didn't have to wait long as her phone started ringing.

"Oh they are so dead!" Rainbow seethed. "Did you find out anything yet?"

"Unfortunately, no," Rarity was sad to admit.

"Then how did they get a photo of-wait a minute! I had soccer practice when I looked at my test!” Rainbow Dash realized.

"Do you think someone on the team could've taken the photo when you weren't looking?" Rarity theorized.

"Yeah, it makes perfect sense!' Rainbow Dash said.

"Then I have some more investigating to do. How's Sunset doing?" Rarity switched topics.

"She's fine, she uh, woke up a while ago but went back to sleep," Rainbow Dash explained.

"Very well, I'll talk to you later," Rarity said.

"Bye Rares," Rainbow Dash said goodbye before hanging up.

"Just when I thought I had this case figured out, a new clue pops up and throws off everything. This Anon-A-Miss must be dealt with soon, or else they'll plunge everything into chaos."

"Scootaloo, why?" Applebloom asked.

The CMC, aka the Canterlot Movie Club, were in their clubroom looking over the newest post by Anon-A-Miss. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were really confused until Scootaloo confessed to posting it.

"Because I'm a part of this and I wasn't about to let you girls take the fall alone," Scootaloo explained.

"But Sunset and Rainbow Dash aren't here!" Sweetie Belle said in a panic. "This is bad!"

"Sorry girls, if I didn't do this now then I might have been too late," Scootaloo said, looking at her friends apologetically.

"Oh, Scoots," Applebloom was touched by her friend's loyalty. "Yah big dummy."

" I guess we all are, huh?" Scootaloo said, smiling sheepishly.

"Yeah, we really are," Sweetie Belle agreed as the three joined in a group hug. "You girls are the best!"

"Right back at yah," Applebloom agreed, they were all in this together now. There was no going back.

Their group hug was interrupted by a knocking on their clubroom door, Applebloom broke away from the hug to answer the door and is surprised to find Diamond Tiara on the other side.

"Hey there, Diamond," Applebloom greeted her friend.

"Hey," Diamond Tiara responded simply.

Applebloom raised an eyebrow as Diamond Tiara was acting strange. She shifted around nervously and her cheeks were red.

"Do yah need help with somethin'?"

"N-No, I just..." Diamond Tiara swallowed the lump in her throat, this was a lot harder than she thought. "I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to h-hang out after school?"

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle watched on with great interest as.

"Ah'd love to, but ah can't," Applebloom said in a disappointed tone. "My Granny and Big Mac won't be home so it'll just be me and Applejack, and well....she wants me to come straight home."

"Oh," Diamond Tiara was crushed.

"Sorry, but we can hang out tomorrow!" Applebloom quickly said. "Ah'll talk to Applejack so she knows ah'll be busy!"

"Do you promise?" Diamond Tiara said hopefully as she crossed her arms.

"Ah Pinkie Promise!" Applebloom said as she made the motions of the Pinkie Promise.

"Alright then, I'll see you later," Diamond Tiara says goodbye as she turned to leave.

"Later," Applebloom bids her friend goodbye as she closes the door. When she turned around, she is met with knowing looks from Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. "What?"

Rainbow Dash placed a newly moistened rag on Sunset's forehead. She watched the former Equestrian wince slightly at the cool touch of the rag before somewhat relaxing.

"Just hang on a little longer, Sunset. Help is on the way," Rainbow Dash whispered gently. She cast a glance at Sunset's hand and with a bit of hesitation she placed her own hand over it. "I can't believe how stupid I was for believing that you betrayed us." The nightmare Rainbow had last night replayed itself in her mind, but she willed those thoughts away as she focused on Sunset. "I will never hurt you the way I did in my nightmares," Rainbow promised as she laced her fingers with Sunset's. "If I want to have a relationship with you, I got to work on my temper."

Rainbow held Sunset's hand for a bit longer before pulling away and making her way out the door. She sat on Sunset's sofa, took out her notebook and pen from her backpack and started listing all the names of the soccer team.

"Can't leave Rarity to do all the investigating," Rainbow Das said to herself as she got to work.

"Ah can't believe Anon-A-Miss posted again," Applejack complained to her friends as they all sat at their usual table.

"I know, but at least we know better than to believe it's Sunset," Fluttershy added.

"But I do wonder which of our sisters took that photo?" Rarity pondered. "I don't think either of them-wait just a minute! Scootaloo!"

"She is in the junior soccer team and they practice with the senior team," Pinkie Pie said as she ate her sandwich in one bite.

"That makes sense. Since Scootaloo is also involved do you think their other two friends are too?" Applejack asked.

"We certainly can't rule out that possibility," Rarity agreed.

"Did anyone call Rainbow Dash to check if she was okay?" Fluttershy asked. When she saw the post she feared what her childhood friend's reaction would be. She did have a habit of letting her temper get the best of her.

"I called her immediately after the post went up. She sounded upset and even brought up the fact that someone from the soccer team could be behind Anon-A-Miss," Rarity relayed what Rainbow Dash had told her.

"We know it's our sisters, but now ah'm beginning to wonder if they're doing this alone," Applejack said.

"Yeah, like Anon-A-Miss is actually this secret group that wants to hurt Sunny!" Pinkie explained excitedly.

"As farfetched as that idea sounds, we can't rule it out I'm afraid," Rarity sighed. "And then there's Trixie."

"What about her?" Applejack asked cautiously.

"She came to me earlier today to offer her assistance in ‘reforming’ Sunset," Rarity told them with air-quotes.

"That's an odd thing to say," Fluttershy said.

"There's more; Trixie mentioned that she had plans for Sunset for some time," Rarity said.

"What kind of plans?" Applejack asked in a protective tone.

"She didn't say.”

"Then we better keep a really close eye on Trixie," Applejack told everyone who nodded in agreement.

"Ready to go, sis?" Applebloom asked her big sister as she was putting the books she needed in her backpack.

"Eeyup," Applejack said, acting normal as she closed her locker and flung her backpack over her shoulder.

The two made their way outside where Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were waiting.

"Hey there, Applebloom!" Pinkie Pie greeted the youngest Apple.

"Hi there, Pinkie Pie," Applebloom greeted the party girl before looking at Fluttershy. "Hi, Fluttershy."

"Hello, Applebloom," Fluttershy greeted kindly.

"Listen, Appebloom, we won't be going straight home," Applejack started to say.

"How come?" Applebloom asked, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"As yah know, Sunset's sick and we're taking turns looking after her," Applejack explained.

"Yeah," Applebloom said, feeling slightly relieved that it wasn't about Anon-A-Miss.

"Since Granny and Big Mac won't be home and ah don't like the idea of yah being home all by yerself, ah thought it would be a good idea if yah come with me to Sunset's place while ah look after her." Applejack explained.

"Ah guess that makes sense," Applebloom said. She was not sure how to feel about being at Sunset's place if she was being honest.

"Hello darlings!"

The group of girls turned to the entrance of the school to see Rarity with Sweetie Belle and Nurse Red Heart.

"Nurse Red Heart?" Fluttershy said the school nurse's name in confusion.

"Hello, girls. Principal Celestia has informed me of the situation so it's imperative we get to Miss Shimmer as soon as possible," Nurse Red Heart informed them.

"Yes, ma'am," Applejack agreed.

"I wish we could be there, but we got to go to work," Pinkie Pie grumbled as she kicked a pile of snow.

"Please help Sunset get better," Fluttershy pleaded with the nurse.

"I'll do my best," Nurse Red Heart promised as Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy left for their jobs while the rest of the group headed towards Sunset's apartment.

"So, what are Miss Shimmer's symptoms?" Nurse Red Heart asked.

"Well she has a high fever that seems to get worse by the day and she seems to be suffering from delusions," Rarity explained.

"Hmm, that sounds serious," Nurse Red Heart said in worry.

The group soon arrived at Sunset's apartment, and as Rarity inserted Sunset's spare key into the lock she heard some noises coming from inside.

"Sunset, stop, you need your-whoa!"

Rarity looked back to her friends who were equally confused as to what they had just heard. Rarity finished unlocking the door and when she opened it they were all greeted to the sight of Sunset dancing with Rainbow Dash.

"A little help here!" Rainbow Dash pleaded as Sunset dipped her. She was then pulled up and was met with Sunset's sultry eyes. Sunset's left hand was under her thigh as she lifted her right leg up.

"See, Dashie. Dancing isn't too hard. Keep this up and I'll let you lead next time," Sunset said as she gave Rainbow Dash a flirtatious wink. Suddenly, she was hit by another fainting spell as her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her body went numb. Luckily, Rainbow Dash already had a hold of her so she prevented Sunset from collapsing on to the floor.

The rest of the girls rushed to Sunset's aid and they helped her back to her bedroom. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle watched as Sunset was placed in her bed, taking notice of her heavy breathing, reddening face, messy hair and how violent her coughing was.

"I can see why you girls needed professional help," Red Heart said. "She looks dreadful."

"Can you help her?" Rainbow Dash asked worriedly.

"I'll see what I can do," Red Heart said as she took out her stethoscope from her bag and started to listen to Sunset's heartbeat. Sunset shivered as the cold metal made contact with her bare chest underneath her pajama shirt. "Her heart is beating rapidly."

Sunset opened her eyes slightly to look at Nurse Red Heart who in turn noticed that she had regained consciousness.

"Sunset Shimmer, do you know who I am?"

"Nurse Bubbles!" Sunset giggled.

"It's Nurse Red Heart, Sunset. I'm here to help you, okay?" Red Heart assured the young teen as she took out an electronic thermometer and placed it in her mouth. No sooner had she placed that it started making a beeping noise. She removed the thermometer from Sunset's mouth and when she checked the temperature her face went pale.

"What's wrong?" Applejack asked as she watched all the color drain from the nurse's face.

"She should be dead," Red Heart said in disbelief.

"How can you say that?!" Rainbow Dash demanded, aghast.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked fearfully between Sunset and the frightened looking nurse, both girls unsure of what was happening.

"You don't understand. She should be dead. Her body temperature is abnormally higher than any normal human," Nurse Red Heart said as she showed them the thermometer. "See for yourselves."

The girls gathered together to see and when they did see it, it shocked them to their core. Sunset's body temperature was over 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

"H-how can that be possible?!" Rarity said stunned at how high it was.

"It gets worse, I'm afraid," Red Heart said as she placed the thermometer back in Sunset's mouth and it started beeping again. "Take a look for yourselves."

The girls leaned close to the thermometer and took a step back when they saw the temperature. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom took this opportunity to look for themselves and they were stunned at what they saw.

"I-it keeps going up!" Applebloom blurted out.

Indeed, Sunset's body temperature was now at 465 degrees and steadily climbing, but then it got weird as Sunset's body started flashing red. The occupants of the room were left speechless as they witnessed this strange new development.

"I'm sorry girls, but this is beyond my level of expertise," Nurse Red Heart reluctantly admitted as she broke the silence.

A light bulb suddenly lit up in Rarity's head.

"I know someone who can help."

"Who?!" Rainbow Dash demanded as she grabbed Rarity's shoulders.

"Princess Twilight," Rarity said.

"Of course!" Applejack said in realization as she facepalmed. Why hadn’t she thought of that? "If there's anyone who might know what's happening to Sunset it's Princess Twilight!"

"Quick, where's Sunset's journal!" Rainbow Dash said as she started looking around frantically for the journal. Everyone started searching as well and after searching Sunset's entire bedroom, Rarity found the journal in Sunset's backpack.

"I found it!" Rarity cheered as her friends gathered around her.

"Hurry and write the message!" Rainbow Dash said urgently.

"Easy there, Rainbow. We gotta stay calm and think with a clear head," Applejack tried calming the panicked athlete.

"I know, it's just..."Rainbow cast a worried glance at Sunset as she suffered another coughing fit. She then felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to look into the worried eyes of Applejack.

"We're worried too, Rainbow, but like ah said, we need to stay calm," Applejack said. Although, she herself was fighting hard to remain calm; for Sunset's sake.

With all her friends beside her, Rarity quickly wrote the message to Twilight.

"Now all we have to do is wait," Rarity said as she closed the journal.

"Ah hope she responds soon," Applejack said with worry.

"Since there's not much I can do, I should take my leave," Red Heart said.

"Thank yah for coming," Applejack thanked the school nurse.

"I'm sorry I wasn't much help," Red Heart said with regret.

"It's not your fault, Nurse Red Heart. It is as you said. This is beyond your expertise," Rarity assured her.

"Still, I'm sorry," Red Heart apologized as she and the girls walked back to the apartment door.

"Have a safe trip home," Rarity said as she opened the door for Red Heart.

"Thank you. I hope you have a good evening girls," Red Heart said goodbye as she walked out of Sunset's apartment.

The girls said their goodbyes as Rarity closed the door. A heavy silence hung in the air as the girls retreated to Sunset's living room. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle watched their sisters take a seat on the sofa while Rainbow Dash pulled up a chair. All three girls had looks of distress.

"A-Applejack," Applebloom called her sister's attention.

"What is it, Applebloom?" Applejack asked.

"I-is Sunset going to be alright?" Applebloom asked nervously.

"Of course she is!" Applejack answered, putting on a smile to reassure her sister. "Once Twilight gets here, she'll make Sunset as healthy as a horse-ah mean, uh,"

"We know what you're trying to say, Applejack, and you're right. Twilight will make Sunset better, I'm sure of it," Rarity said with confidence.

"We'll just take good care of her in the meantime," Rainbow Dash added as she rose from her seat and went back to Sunset's bedroom.

"Where're yah going, Rainbow?" Applejack asked.

"To check on Sunset real quick," Rainbow answered as she opened the door to Sunset's room. She walked up to Sunset's beside and watched the former Equestrian sleeping peacefully.

Rainbow grabbed a rag by Sunset's nightstand and placed it inside a bowl of water. She wrung the rag before placing it on Sunset's forehead. Satisfied with her work, Rainbow Dash turned around to leave when she felt something grab her arm and pull her back on the bed.

"Whoa!" Rainbow landed on top of Sunset. As she tried to quickly get off of her, she found herself unable to.

"Hello, Dashie," Sunset purred as she had her arms around Rainbow Dash.

"S-Sunset! You were awake?!" Rainbow Dash was taken by surprise. Her cheeks flushed red as she realized how close she was to Sunset's face.

"How can I possibly sleep without you beside me?" Sunset grinned as her hold on Rainbow Dash tightened.

"Sunset, listen, you really need your rest. I don't want you passing out on me again, "Rainbow Dash says with a sigh.

"Pass out? as if I would..." Sunset wasn't able to finish as her eyelids grew heavy before she fell asleep.

"Told you," Rainbow mutters as she pulls herself free from Sunset. She tucked Sunset in and replaced the rag on her forehead. "Sleep well, Sunset."

Rainbow Dash exited Sunset's bedroom, gently closing the door behind her, as she made her way towards the living room. She saw Rarity, Applejack, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom sitting on Sunset's carpet floor doing their homework.

"I trust that everything was alright," Rarity said as Rainbow Dash returned.

"She woke up for a bit but then passed out again," Rainbow Dash said as she went up to Applejack. "Hey, AJ, do you mind going with me to the store to get some snacks?"

"Uh, yeah, sure," Applejack said.

"Do you girls want anything from the store?" Rainbow Dash asked the remaining girls.

After being told what they wanted, Applejack and Rainbow Dash left Sunset's apartment. The two made their way down the stairs in silence and it was only after they left Sunset's apartment building that Applejack spoke up.

"Ah'm guessing that this is more than just a snack run," Applejack pointed out as she cast Rainbow Dash a knowing look.

"Applejack, do you really have a crush on Sunset?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Yeah," Applejack answered simply.

"Why? What is it about Sunset that makes..." Rainbow Dash couldn't finish her sentence as her face started heating up.

"Makes what?" Applejack asked as she notices Rainbow Dash's reddening face.

"That....makes your heart do flips, "Rainbow Dash admitted as her face heated up even more.

Applejack smiled at the embarrassed athlete before responding.

"It was during the time Sunset was helping out at the farm. She struggled a bit on the first day but she sure did improve throughout the week. Ah'm one to admire hard work and Sunset worked her hardest on the farm. Ah think she was trying to prove to herself that she was no longer the person she used to be."

"But when did you started seeing her as a...you know," Rainbow Dash said.

"Ah'm gettin' to that. Ah was really impressed with Sunset's work ethic and if Ah'm being honest she looked really pretty when the sun hits her just right, "Applejack said with a blush. "But it was during the summer festival where Ah realized how Ah truly felt about Sunset. Yah see, Sunset was helping me manage mah family's booth for the festival."

"I remember that! You two were stuck doing that while the rest of us had fun," Rainbow Dash said, smiling cheekily.

"Anyway, as Sunset an' Ah were selling some of the Apple family's special treats, she opened up to me about her mom," Applejack paused, a sad look crossed her face as she remembered what Sunset had told her.

"What's wrong? Is her mom..."Rainbow Dash trailed off, fearing the worst.

"No! she's alive. It's just that Sunset an' her didn't part on the best of circumstances," Applejack assured her. "Sunset told me that durin' her stay here she never stopped missing her mom and that she's been working hard not just to prove she had changed, but to one day face her mom...and tell her how sorry she is."

Applejack wiped a tear from her eye.

"Sunset is a hard worker. She makes mistakes like anybody else and is trying her hardest to own up to them. She loves her mom and wants to do right by her and Ah want to be right there with her every step of the way," Applejack stated as she turned her head to look at Rainbow Dash. "Ah love her drive, how important family is to her, her honesty."

Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrow at the last one.

"Her honesty now," Applejack clarified. "That's when Ah knew that Ah wanted to be more to her than just friends."

"Wow, that sounds really sappy," Rainbow Dash mocked which earned her a punch in the arm by Applejack. "I'm just kidding. Seriously, though. That sounds really awesome, Applejack."

"What about yah?" Applejack asked.

"Well..." Rainbow Dash trailed off a bit as she started blushing. "Don't tell anyone this, but I actually had a crush on Sunset since she first arrived at CHS."

"Really?" Applejack said in surprise.

"Yeah, I had no idea about the bad stuff she was doing and during the time we were supposed to teach her about friendship, I was making her into my ideal girlfriend," Rainbow Dash admitted, scratching the back of her head nervously.

"Rainbow Dash, how could yah take advantage of Sunset like that!?" Applejack was stunned to hear this.

"I'm sorry. I know it was a dumb thing to do but it's okay because Sunset already liked to do some of the things I like and she had fun playing soccer with me too!" Rainbow Dash defended. "But I also like that she's a nice person. She accepts me for my faults and tries to help me with them, despite how stubborn I can be. She also doesn't think I'm stupid and that I'm actually smart."

"Uh-huh," Applejack crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash.

"Applejack," Rainbow Dash's tone turned serious as she looked at Applejack. "I don't want us to fight over Sunset, again."

"Ah agree with yah there. Ah also don't think Sunset would want us to do that," Applejack said.

"So, what do we do?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Honestly, Ah don't really know," Applejack said sadly.

"I was afraid you'd say that," Rainbow Dash said as she lets out a disappointed sigh before turning her head to look ahead.

"Ah don't think now might be the right time to think about this. We should focus on making sure Sunset is well so when Twilight gets here she can figure out what's wrong with her and make her better," Applejack pointed out.

"I guess you're right. Why give ourselves more headaches, right?" Rainbow Dash said as she gave Applejack a sideways grin.

"It's like Granny always says, ‘yah can't be worried about problems that haven't happened, yah gotta worry about the problems that are happening now’," Applejack said with confidence.

"Race you to the store!" Rainbow Dash said before running ahead of Applejack.

"Hey, no head start!" Applejack called out as she chased after Rainbow Dash.

"Rarity, I'm finished with my homework," Sweetie Belle said as she closed her text book.

"Same here," Applebloom said as she placed her pencil down on her worksheets.

"Very goo,d girls," Rarity said as she watched the two young girls put their schoolwork away in their backpacks. "I'll be right back. I just need to check on Sunset for a bit."

"Okay," Sweetie Belle said simply as she watched her sister go towards Sunset's room. When she saw the door close she immediately turned to Applebloom. "I don't think I can go through with this anymore."

Applebloom didn't respond as she looked back to Sunset's room. She was feeling a little scared after Nurse Red Heart told them that Sunset should've died due to her high fever.

"Applebloom!" Sweetie Belle whispered her friend's name just loud enough for her to hear. Applebloom snapped her head to look at Sweetie Belle who looked on the verge of having a panic attack.

"Ah..ah…" Applebloom couldn't come up with a response.

"Ah!"

A loud noise brought their attention to Sunset's room.

"That sounded like Rarity," Sweetie Belle said in worry as she immediately made a mad dash towards Sunset's room, Applebloom following close behind.

When Sweetie Belle threw the door open she saw Rarity holding her hand and looking like she was in pain.

"Rarity, are you...o...kay?" Sweetie Belle trailed off as her eyes landed on Sunset's bed were the former unicorn was coughing violently as her body flashed red. Her eyes widen when she saw steam rising from parts of Sunset's exposed skin.

"What's going on?" Applebloom asked softly as her eyes were glued to Sunset.

Sunset's coughing began to die down along with the steam and the glow. Her breathing soon became steady as her body started to relax.

"Oh dear," Rarity said as she looked at her unconscious friend with a look of pain and worry.

"Are you okay?" Sweetie Belle asked worriedly as she approached her sister.

"I'm fine, darling. It's just a little burn," Rarity answered.

"Did Sunset do this?" Sweetie Belle asked as she glanced between Sunset and her sister.

"Not on purpose!" Rarity quickly said. "Truth to told this is the second time I've been burned."

"But how come yah didn't get burned earlier when yah were handling Sunset?" Applebloom asked curiously.

"Hmmm, that is a good question," Rarity thought before extending her hand out above Sunset, she slowly lowered it closer to the former Equestrian before fully making contact with her skin. "Just like last time. I wonder..."

"Wonder what?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"The first time it happened, Sunset was coughing violently like she was just now," Rarity pointed out.

"Wait, so her coughing makes her really hot?" Applebloom asked, scratching her head in confusion. "How does that make sense?"

"I'm not entire sure. Sunset's always been a bit of a mystery to me," Rarity said. "I should really ask Twilight when she arrives."

Sweetie Belle and Applebloom looked over to Sunset, a worried look on their faces as they wondered what other things about Sunset that they all had yet to find out.

"We're back!" Rainbow Dash called out as she and Applejack returned to the apartment.

The five girls enjoyed their snacks before Rarity and Applejack went to the kitchen to make dinner.

"Can I help you, Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked as she stood next to her big sister as she put on her apron.

"Thank you, Sweetie Belle, but Applejack and I can handle it." Rarity gently turned down her little sister's offer. The last time Sweetie Belle made something, it was unrecognizable. How in the world was it possible to burn cereal, salad and orange juice?

"Oh, okay then," Sweetie Belle said dejectedly.

"Hey cheer up. How about you play some games with me?" Rainbow Dash offered as she laid her hand on Sweetie Belle's shoulder. Sweetie Belle just nodded as Rainbow Dash led her to the living room where they played video games along with Applebloom.

After finishing up another round in the fighting game they were playing, they heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it!" Rainbow Dash said as she went to open the door. "Hey Shy, hey Pinkie Pie!"

"Hi Rainbow!" Pinkie Pie greeted as she held up a box." I've brought desert!"

"Sweet!" Rainbow said as she let the party girl and animal lover inside.

"How's Sunset doing?" Fluttershy asked as she hung her coat by the coat rack near the front door.

"About that..." Rainbow began to tell them about what they had learned.

"Oh no!" Fluttershy was horrified to learn that Sunset was beyond their help.

"Has Twilight answered back yet?" Pinkie Pie asked urgently.

Rainbow Dash shook her head.

"Not yet."

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were saddened to hear that.

"Not to worry, darlings. Once Princess Twilight arrives, everything will be right as rain," Rarity assured her two friends.

"Yeah, then we can go back to showing Sunset a proper Christmas with all the people she loves!" Pinkie Pie said now having regained her cheer again.

"Way to keep the hope alive, Rares," Rainbow said, impressed that her fashionista friend just wouldn't give up.

"Of course, I refuse to give into despair. Especially when it comes down to my friends," Rarity said, casting looks of adoration to her friends.

She didn't see the looks of worry Sweetie Belle and Applebloom cast one another.

"See you tomorrow at school, darling," Rarity said to her sister as she got into her parent’s car.

"Sweet dreams, Applebloom," Applejack gave her sister a kiss on the cheek before closing the door to the Apple family's truck. "Drive safe, Big Mac."

"Will do. By the way, Applejack. Granny wanted me to give this to yah," Big Mac said as he handed Applejack a food container. "It's fer Sunset."

"Thanks, Big Mac, and tell Granny thanks too," Applejack said as she took the food container.

"Eeyup," Big Mac said before he started to drive away.

The Rainbooms waved goodbye to the retreating vehicles, before going back inside the apartment building.

"Did yah find out anythin' about the girls being Anon-A-Miss?" Applejack asked as they made their way up the stairs.

"I'm afraid not, darling," Rarity admitted sadly.

"There wasn't time fer them to be alone," Applejack added.

"Although they did show concern for Sunset and Sweetie Belle even offered to help me bathe Sunset," Rarity said.

"That was very nice of her," Fluttershy said, smiling slightly.

"But it still confuses me as to what her motive is," Rarity said as she pondered this question.

"Yeah, same here," Applejack said as she too wondered why Applebloom would be a part of Anon-A-Miss.

The girls soon returned to Sunset's apartment. After Rainbow opened the door and entered the apartment, they started getting ready for bed.

An hour later the Rainbooms were all sleeping peacefully in their sleeping bags, but inside Sunset's room, the former Equestrian was tossing and turning in her bed. Sweat covered her face as her breath was labored. Suddenly, pony ears sprouted from atop her head and her hair extended into a long ponytail. Sunset had Ponied Up in her sleep and as she did a wave of magic spread forth from her.

Princess Celestia was enjoying her afternoon tea in the royal garden. She was taking a break from her princess duties, but she still couldn't escape her work as she had to look over some documents.

"Mommy!"

Princess Celestia turned her head to the left to see a unicorn filly with a brilliant amber coat, red and yellow mane and tail and a cutie mark of a two toned sun running towards her.

"What is it, my little Sunshine?"

"I finished my levitation exercises!" The little filly said excitedly.

"That's wonderful, Sunset. I'm so proud of you!" Celestia gushed as she nuzzled her filly who she loved with all her heart. Sunset nuzzled back. She loved the warmth that emanated from her mother. It was very soothing.

Celestia pulled away and looked at her daughter. Though her filly was dyed in her colors, she had her sister's moderate cyan eyes and her innocence. Her Sunset was the only family she had left, at least until her sister returned. She continued to gaze lovingly into her daughter's eyes who widened before she collapsed to the ground.

"Sunset, what's wrong?!" Celestia asked.

"Mommy, it hurts," Sunset managed to say as her body started flashing red.

The Sun Princess scooped up her daughter in her hooves. She immediately felt an intense heat radiating from the young filly. Had it been anypony else, they would most certainly be burned. Celestia watched her daughter struggle in her arms in pain, before her eyes widened in horror as red veins spread throughout her body.

"HELP!! SOMEPONY HELP ME!!!" Celestia screamed for help, but she noticed that she was completely alone. She looked down to her daughter as steam started radiating from her body.

"Mommy, please help me!! It hurts!" Sunset begged as she looked into her mother's eyes.

Celestia stared into her daughter's eyes as they were no longer moderate cyan, but red. Tears cascaded down her eyes as she watched her daughter continue to suffer, but it didn't last long as Sunset's body completely glowed an intense fiery red before being consumed by it.

"MOMMY!!" Sunset screamed before she exploded and released an intense blast of energy that consumed everything.

"SUNSET!!"

Celestia bolted up from her head, her breath labored as sweat drenched her body. She looked around her room frantically with teary eyes, her heart beating a mile a minute. When she realized that she was in her bedroom she let out a sigh of relief.

"It was just a dream," she murmured as she placed her hoof over her chest. "No, it wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare from the past."

Suddenly her bedroom door burst open to reveal Princess Luna.

"Sister, are you alright?!"

"I'm alright, Luna. I just had a bad dream," Celestia tried to assure her sister.

"Do you want to talk about it, sister?" Luna asked as she approached Celestia's bed.

"It's alright Luna. I'm fine," Celestia declined the offer.

"You're anything but fine," Luna said, narrowing her eyes at her sister. "I saw your dream, Celestia. Tell us about her, sister. Tell us about the filly that is our flesh and blood." Princess Luna switched to the royal 'we' as she got up close to her sister's face, staring deep into her tear-filled and frightened eyes.

"Tell us why she was in so much agony?"

Daughter of the Sun and Chaos

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait, here's the next chapter. It was suppose to be longer but I've decided to split it into two seperate chapters. Stay tune for the next chapter and I look forward to your comments. Thanks again to KR Chrome.

Daughter of the Sun and Chaos

Celestia stared at her sister who continued to glare at her. For a brief moment, she saw Sunset glaring back. Luna and Sunset truly did have the same eyes when they looked angry.

Celestia sighed as she finally gave in.

"Very well, Luna."

Luna's glare vanished as she smiled at her sister.

"Thank you, sister."

Celestia motioned for her sister to take a seat next to her to which she complied. Celestia then summoned a photo album which had an image of a two-toned sun on the cover.

"It wasn't easy ruling Equestria in your absence," Celestia began. "My heart was filled with regret after I banished Nightmare Moon - you - and I wondered if there was anything I could have done differently. Maybe if I had taken the time to notice how lonely and unappreciated you felt, then perhaps I could have prevented you from becoming Nightmare Moon."

"Don't shoulder all the blame, sister. We both could've have done things differently. I could’ve reached out to talk to you, but I didn't," Luna said as she placed her left hoof on Celestia's shoulder.

Celestia placed her hoof atop Luna's, appreciating the gesture.

"Overtime, I managed to keep Equestria safe with the help of our ponies, but the emptiness I felt inside never went away. I longed for companionship and throughout the years, I dated my fair share of mares and stallions. Unfortunately, it turned out that a majority of them only dated me to improve their status among the nobles."

"I'm surprised you didn't banish them or had them removed from their positions," Luna scoffed. She remembered how the nobles tried to court her after she had returned, but she refused all their advances. They didn't take it well and tried to use her past as Nightmare Moon against her. That was their mistake.

Luna chuckled as she recalled one unfortunate noble stallion who tried to bully her into marrying him, bringing up Nightmare Moon as a reason why ponies were hesitant about her ruling alongside Celestia and that by marrying him he could improve her standing and trust amongst the ponies. He was so confident that she would accept his proposal that he didn't anticipate her glaring down at him and using the Royal Canterlot Voice as she threatened to give him endless nightmares if he dared to continue with his foolish pursuit of increasing his family's influence with such volatile methods.

Luna had never seen anypony shake their head that quickly. He ran away from her in terror with his tail between his legs and soon nopony would dare try to court her for their own selfish benefit again.

"Luna, that's not how I do things," Celestia chastised. "I simply told them that I would throw them into the sun."

"And ponies think that I'm the scary one," Luna commented, smirking at her sister. "So how did you find your special somepony?"

"I already did," Celestia said, smiling fondly.

"You still have a thing for him?" Luna asked as she rolled her eyes. "I would've thought you had moved on after so long."

"Luna, how can you say that?" Celestia said aghast. "There has been nopony like him. There will be no one else who's my special somepony," She opened the album and showed it to Luna, who immediately squealed upon seeing a baby Sunset.

"Celestia, she's the most adorable filly I have ever seen!"

Luna took hold of the photo album with her magic and began to flip through the pages, Celestia watched her sister with a warm, loving smile as she looked over the photos of Sunset.

"Sunset was the light of my life - my little sunshine. The joy she brought me filled the emptiness in my heart. I looked forward to every moment we had together," Celestia said as her sister saw pictures of Sunset taking a bath, her sleeping in her crib, her levitating objects and there was even a photo of her laughing at two unicorn guards who were covered in cake.

"She seemed to be quite the handful," Luna noted while looking at photos of nobleponies running away from flying cakes, guardponies whose armor had been turned to balloons, the fountain in the royal yard was spewing juice instead of water and there was a photo of a group of buffalo wearing pink ballerina outfits dancing in the streets of Canterlot while it was snowing. But there was something off about that snow. In the center of all this chaos was a little filly named Sunset Shimmer.

"You have no idea," Celestia said playfully. "Sunset's magic was very powerful and continued to grow stronger as she got older. Unlike Twilight Sparkle who would read up on magic, Sunset had a more hooves-on approach to magic." Celestia smiled as she looked at a very special photo. It was the day Sunset got her cutie mark.

"I'm guessing there's a story to this?" Luna asked.

"Yes, it was during the Summer Sun Celebration. Sunset had been watching me do it plenty of times in the past and asked if she could raise the sun in my place," Celestia giggled as she recalled how excited Sunset was when she asked her. "But of course I said no and my little sunshine being as stubborn as she is wouldn't take no for an answer. So as I was lowering the moon, the sun began to rise by itself. I was shocked to see this and when I tried to regain control of the sun, I felt a familiar magical signature."

"Sunset," Luna said with a smile as she listened to Celestia's story.

"I looked around for her and noticed her on top of one of the balconies. She looked like she was struggling to raise the sun and I feared that she might hurt herself," Celestia said, her tone and expression were full of concern. "As you know sister, it took five great sorcerers including Starswirl the Bearded to simply raise the sun and as a result, the sorcerers lost the use of their magic, forever. Fear gripped my heart at the possibility of Sunset losing access to her magic and I tried to discreetly tell her to stop. But she wouldn't listen and kept on pushing herself to raise the sun."

"Did...did she do it?" Luna asked, anxiously awaiting the answer.

"She did; it took her a while but she found the strength to raise it all the way," Celestia said somberly. "My ponies were not aware of what has happened and had assumed that I had raised the sun like always. I quickly excused myself and teleported to my little sunshine and what I saw I will never forget.

Princess Celestia appeared on the balcony, a look of panic on her face as she desperately looked for her daughter. She saw her sitting on the floor with her head down, panting in exhaustion at the incredible feat she had accomplished.

"Sunset!"

At hearing her mother's voice, Sunset raised her head and upon seeing the Solar Monarch she smiled widely.

"Did you see that, Mommy? I did it. I raised the sun!”

Celestia quickly closed the distance as she wrapped her hooves around her daughter and lifted her off the floor.

"Are you alright my little sunshine?" Celestia asked as she nuzzled Sunset.

"Yeah, just a little tired," Sunset responded, nuzzling her mother back.

"Can you still use your magic?" Celestia asked as she pulled away to look at Sunset.

"Yeah," Sunset lit up her horn and levitated some objects in the room. "This is all I can do now, but after I recover I'm sure I can do more complicated ones." Relief filled Celestia’s heart as her little sunshine didn't lose her magic like she feared, but she was going to wait until Sunset was fully recovered to find out for certain.

"That was a lot harder than I thought it would be and you do this everyday!" Sunset looked at her mother with adoration. "You're amazing, Mommy! I'm gonna work extra hard so that I can be as great as you!"

"I have no doubt about that," Celestia said. She knew her daughter was destined for great things. Just then a flash of light caught her eye and when she saw Sunset's flank, her eyes widened in surprise. "My little sunshine, you got your cutie mark!"

"Huh?" Sunset turned her head around to see a two-toned sun on her flank. "I got my cutie mark...I got my cutie mark!!"

"I'm so proud of you, my little sunshine!" Celestia cheered as she spun her daughter around.

"My cutie mark is just like yours, Mommy!" Sunset said amid fits of laughter. "I'm just like you!"

"That's right, my sunshine. You're just like Mommy," Celestia said, nuzzling her daughter as she held her close.

"I've heard of members of the same family having similar cutie marks, but is Sunset's special talent to become like you?" Luna asked.

"It's more than that. Sunset is meant to become somepony much greater than me," Celestia spoke with pride.

"That I would certainly love to see happen," Luna said, a smile on her lips as her niece was destined to become a great pony. "You are a very skilled and powerful pony, sister. Sunset must've taken more after you than you thought."

"Perhaps she was too much like me," Celestia said with regret. "As the years went by and Sunset was really getting into her studies, she began to see others as beneath her and didn't make any friends. I was worried that she would stray from the proper path. I thought that by showing her the mirror she could see what I always believed she would become and get back on track. I couldn't have been more wrong."

Luna wrapped her wing around her sister, she could see the regret in her eyes as tears welled up in them.

"Once again, I failed my family and repeated the same mistake I made with you." Tears spilled from Celestia's eyes as she used her magic on a nearby wall.

Luna watched as the wall began to fade, realizing that the wall was just an illusion and it revealed a painted portrait of Celestia with a much older Sunset Shimmer. Both ponies had matching smiles as they were dressed in beautiful gowns.

"I am truly like the sun. I provide light and warmth to those around me, but I burn all those who are close to me!" Celestia sobbed.

" Enough!" Luna raised her voice as she took hold of her sister with her wings, forcing the older alicorn to face her. "You can't keep putting all the blame on yourself. If Sunset were here she would agree!"

"You didn't see the look on her face when I confronted her in the restricted section of the Canterlot Royal Library. In that instant, I no longer saw myself in Sunset. But rather you," Celestia said which surprised Luna. "I ordered Sunset to be confined to her room, but she had other plans."

"The mirror," Luna muttered.

Celestia nodded, "She overpowered the guards that were escorting her and jumped into the mirror. I tried to follow after her. but the portal closed before I could and just like that, she was lost to me."

Celestia rose from her bed and walked over to the portrait, she trailed a hoof over Sunset's image as her tears continued to spill.

"I spent the next 30 moons wondering how Sunset was doing. Did she have a place to live? Was she eating well?" Celestia said as she turned to look at her sister. "I was so relieved when Twilight told me that she was alright and as much as I would have loved to see my little sunshine again, just knowing that she was in good hands and even making friends on the other side assured me that she was safe and happy."

"Have you been talking to Twilight about her?" Luna asked as she approached Celestia.

"No, the last time Twilight told me about Sunset was when she informed me about the sirens," Celestia answered. "I haven't heard anything about Sunset ever since."

"Maybe you should ask her," Luna pointed out, "I heard she is in Canterlot visiting her family with Rainbow Dash."

"I don't want to bother her when she's with her family," Celestia said.

"It doesn't hurt to ask. Does Twilight know that Sunset is your daughter?" Luna asked curiously.

"No, she doesn’t," Celestia informed her. "I mostly raised Sunset in secret until she was old enough to understand why and is able to see through the deceptions of certain ponies."

"That reminds me, sister. If you've never moved on from him, then who sired Sunset and why aren't there any pictures of them with you and Sunset?" Luna asked.

"He doesn't know about Sunset, at least not yet. As for who sired her....that should be obvious if I never moved on
from him," Celestia winked at her sister.

Luna's eyes widened as she understood who Sunset's father is, "ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT DISCORD IS SUNSET'S FATHER?!" The Royal Canterlot Voice was so loud that the room shook.

Celestia was very thankful for the soundproofing spell she had placed on her room since Sunset was born, but her ears weren't so lucky.

"Luna, please keep your voice down."

"B-but how can this; when was Sunset born?!" Luna quickly asked Celestia.

"Sunset was born 17 years ago," Celestia answered, smiling slightly as she saw the confused look on her sisters face.

"B-but how can you two conceive Sunset if we turned him to stone over a thousand years ago?!" Luna asked as she tried to wrap her mind around her niece's conception.

"It was a few days before we discovered the Elements of Harmony. Discord appeared before me and asked me to join him at his side as his Queen of Chaos," Celestia recounted.

"The nerve of him, visiting you out of the blue and asking you to be his queen!" Luna scoffed at the idea.

"Luna, this wasn't the only time he visited me. He's visited me countless times before," Celestia confessed.

"And you didn't think it was important to tell me this?!" Luna raised her voice. She was upset and hurt that her sister would keep this from her.

"I'm sorry, Luna," Celestia apologized, feeling ashamed for her past actions. " I didn't think it would be worth mentioning."

"Why would you think that?" Luna asked raising an eyebrow.

"Because he would usually show up out of the blue to tell me how beautiful I am, profess his love for me and I went along with it. He knew how I felt about him and those nights he visited me always filled me with excitement as to how he'll profess his love to me," Celestia said. "He would show up with beautiful flowers and tell me how they were the only flowers he could find that were even a fraction close to how beautiful I am. Other times our courtship was a bit more heated." A blush formed on her cheeks as she recalled one night in particular where they went a little further, but had to stop when they sensed Luna approaching.

"Stop! I don't need to hear that! Just get back to him wanting to you to be his queen," Luna said, she really didn't need to hear about that particular part of her older sister's love life.

"Very well. This was very unusual for him and as much as I loved the thought of being together with him, I couldn't just let our ponies continue to suffer under his rule while I attained my happiness." A single tear fell from Celestia's right eye. "I told him that I would love to be his queen, but I couldn't be a part of all this chaos he was spreading. I begged him to stop this and even suggested that I would throw away me being a princess and we could go live somewhere far away...together."

"I take it he refused," Luna said, her ears dropping as she observed her sister's visible pain.

"He did, but not before telling me that he would love to just run away with me. However, he said that he couldn't do it or else he would risk hurting me," Celestia wiped away a tear as an image of Discord's pain-stricken face flashed in her mind.

"What did he mean by that?" Luna asked curiously.

"He didn't elaborate, but I told him that if this was to be our last night together, then we'll make it memorable. Shortly after that night, we discovered the Elements and turned him to stone," Celestia concluded.

There was a moment of silence as Luna digested the information Celestia had shared with her. Neither sister looked at the other.

"When did you find out you were pregnant?" Luna asked, breaking the silence as she finally looked at her sister.

"It was not long after we turned Discord to stone. I was feeling a little weak and I was vomiting in the morning. It came out as bubbles, rainbows, and even apples," Celestia explained.

"That's...odd," Luna said. She didn't know much about pregnancy, but at least she understood enough that what Celestia described wasn't normal.

"I was concerned that Discord might have done something to me so I ran a diagnostic spell on myself, that's when I discovered I was pregnant with his foal," Celestia said as she looked at Luna. "I was scared. I didn't know what to do so I kept it to myself until I could come up with a plan."

"What was your plan?" Luna asked, swallowing a lump in her throat and suddenly feeling nervous.

"I decided to freeze my foal’s development until a time where I was sure I could take care of her," Celestia answered.

"Freeze your foals development?" Luna questioned.

"Yes, it's a spell that pregnant unicorn mares use to delay their own foal’s development if the situation isn't right for it to be born," Celestia explained.

"So you've waited for a thousand years and then just decided that it was the right time for you to have Sunset?" Luna asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes," Celestia answered simply.

"But why was she-?" Luna cuts herself off as she realized something very important. "You were pregnant during our battle."

"Luna-"

"I attacked you with the intent to kill you," Luna stumbled back as the full weight of her realization set in. She backed into Celestia's bed, causing the photo album to slide off the bed and on to the floor. She looked down at the album and sees it open to pictures of her niece as a tiny foal. She was so innocent and fragile. "I...I could've killed her! I could’ve killed my niece!"

"Luna!" Celestia calls out to her sister, but she was too panicked to listen.

"I struck you down! I could've caused some sort of damage to her!" Luna started hyperventilating. She grabbed her head with her hooves as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Luna, snap out of it!" Celestia yelled as she took hold of Luna's shoulders. "Sunset is fine. You did nothing as Nightmare Moon to harm her!"

Luna gazed at her sister with fearful eyes.

"But..."

"You saw the photos, Sunset was born healthy," Celestia assured her sister.

Luna was quiet for a moment but then she responded.

"Then why was she in so much pain in your dream?"

"It was because of me," Celestia answered in shame.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked as she wiped away her tears.

"As you saw from the photos, Sunset caused a lot of chaos but as she got older and her mischief got more and more out of control, I put a stop to it," Celestia began, she remembered how her daughter struggled at first to contain her chaotic impulses. "My little sunshine was miserable as she couldn’t express herself in the way she wanted, but I found a way to keep her mind occupied from her chaotic impulses by having her practice more advanced magic and promising if she mastered them, she could assist me in the next Summer Sun Celebration by raising the sun while I lowered the moon.

"She was excelling in all areas of her studies and I realized that she was a prodigy the likes of which I had never seen. Her potential in magic is only matched by one other unicorn: Twilight Sparkle. She even has a protege that has potential to surpass even herself.”

“Who?” Luna asked. She was not aware that Twilight Sparkle had taken an apprentice.

“I’ll tell you later. As I was saying, Sunset was a gifted unicorn. She stopped having any desire to create chaos and instead sought to better improve herself," Celestia said with pride, but her smile faltered at what she said next. "But then she suddenly collapsed as she was telling me how she mastered her current magic exercise. She had a high fever for three days and the doctor couldn't find out the cause."

Celestia wiped away a tear that threatened to fall. She had been terrified at the prospect of losing Sunset to an unknown illness.

"My little filly was terrified. She didn't know what was happening to her and I tried my best to comfort her, telling her that everything was going to be alright," Celestia choked up a bit, just talking about what had happened was upsetting her. But her sister needed to know. "She wanted me to hold her and I obliged. I held her close, whispered comforting words to her and I used my magic to blanket us...That's when I noticed it."

"What?" Luna asked.

"Sunset's magic equilibrium was really off. When Sunset was young, I would use my magic to blanket myself with her to help her relax," Celestia explained. "During this time I could feel Sunset's magic, which is a mixture of my celestial magic and Discord's chaotic magic. Ordinarily, they are both in perfect harmony, but it would seem that my celestial magic was more active in my little sunshine and it was throwing her body’s magical balance off."

"So your magic was hurting her?" Luna asked. She had never heard of a filly being hurt by her own magic.

"In a sense, yes. I called the doctors and informed them of this. These doctors were among the few ponies who knew of Sunset's true lineage as they were there when I gave birth to her. They asked what Sunset could have done to upset her own magic's natural balance and as I thought about it I realized what caused it," Celestia said, a look of deep regret on her face. "My efforts to reign in Sunset's chaotic tendencies was the sole cause of Sunset's illness, but the solution was simple. She needed to use her chaos magic again."

"That's all?" Luna asked. The solution couldn't be that simple.

"Yes, it is often the simplest solutions that can solve the most complicated problems," Celestia stated. "We had Sunset use her chaos magic steadily at first as to not overwhelm her, and as her condition started to improve, her use of chaos magic increased as well."

As Luna listened closely a thought occurred to her, "Sister, from what I saw in your dreams, Sunset's body was flashing and then red veins appeared throughout her body before...you know."

"What are you trying to say?" Celestia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Did Sunset experience those symptoms in real life?" Luna asked, a serious tone in her voice.

"No, she simply had a fever that gradually got worse. It got to a point where I was the only one who could physically touch her without being burned," Celestia explained.

"Do you suppose your dream could be foretelling something?" Luna inquired.

"Perhaps, and it wouldn't be the first time," Celestia answered, remembering her dream that foretold of Tirek's return.

"Another reason to talk to Twilight," Luna suggested.

"I'll talk to her, first thing tomorrow morning," Celestia said, finally relenting to her sister's wishes.

"I'm glad to hear that, sister," Luna said with a smile. "So when do you plan on telling Discord about Sunset?"

"I plan to tell him the next time he visits," Celestia answered.

"How do you suppose he'll take it?" Luna asked, curious as to how the Lord of Chaos would react to finding out that he was a father.

"I'm honestly not sure, but I always loved his surprises so I'm looking forward to his reaction," Celestia grinned sheepishly.

"I'll be sure to be there to witness his reaction," Luna giggled.

The two sisters shared a laugh, the earlier tension melting away.

"By the way, who is this pony that you mentioned is capable of surpassing Twilight?" Luna asked.

"I never said he was a pony, but he has the heart of one," Celestia said cryptically.

"Not a pony? Then who-?" Luna's eyes widen in realization as she understood who Celestia meant. "You don't mean..." Luna trailed off, her sister's smile and nod giving her confirmation. "I would have never guessed,"

"He's been right by Twilight's side since her first day at the School For Gifted Unicorns. He was her first true friend and he helped keep Twilight grounded." Celestia explained. "She struggled at first with him but it all worked out in the end and I doubt Twilight knows this but he saved her from walking down the same path as Sunset."

"What do you mean? Twilight Sparkle doesn't look like somepony who would stray from the path she is currently on," Luna asked.

"You are correct, but Twilight is a studious mare. She loves to learn new things and often times such a desire would lead a pony astray," Celestia spoke. "But he kept her from that, even seeking help when he believes she is in over her head."

"Like the incident in Ponyville involving the ‘want it, need it’ spell," Luna pointed out, Celestia had told her about that incident when she had returned from Ponyville.

"Exactly. He was very worried that she was letting her fears get the better of her and informed me of the situation," Celestia said.

"It sounds like Twilight Sparkle is in good hooves - I mean claws," Luna commented.

"Indeed," Celestia said.

"Well, I better get going. The dreams of our ponies won't watch themselves," Luna said as she made her way towards Celestia's door.

"Lulu?" Celestia called out to her sister.

Hearing her sister say her nickname, Luna turned around to see Celestia looking hesitant.

"Yes, sister?"

"Do you....do you think you can look into Sunset's dreams?" Celestia asked.

"I don't know if I can even enter the dreams of others from a parallel world, but for you, sister, I'll give I a try," Luna said before her horn glowed and she teleported away.

Celestia went back to bed and used her magic to turn off the lights. She stared at the painting of her and Sunset, debating whether or not to cast the illusion spell on it again But she decided to keep it up.

"Goodnight, my little sunshine."

Celestia said goodnight before closing her eyes and eventually falling asleep.

Night Terrors

Author's Note

I hope you are all having a wonderfull Christmas, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I look forward to your comments. Special thanks to KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for their help with this chapter.

Night Terrors

Applebloom exited the Apple family truck that was driven by her big brother.

"See yah, Big Mac!" Applebloom waved goodbye to her brother as she made her way towards the school. Her plan to get rid of Sunset using Anon-A-Miss had succeeded and not only did her sister and her friends cut ties with Sunset, but now the whole school saw her as the bad person she truly was.

As she pushed the door open, instead of seeing the hallway of the school, she found herself inside a room.

"What the- this looks like Sunset's place," Applebloom realized. She turned back to the door but found it had vanished. "W-what's going on?"

Applebloom was scared. She didn't understand what was happening. She looked around the room until her eyes settled on Sunset's bedroom door. Her legs started moving on their own as she felt something pull her towards the door. She raised her right hand to grab onto the handle and her heart pounded against her chest as she slowly turned the knob. The door slowly opened and what Applebloom saw on the other side shocked her to her core.

For right in front of her was Sunset Shimmer, dangling from the ceiling with a noose around her neck.

Applebloom slowly started backing away. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"N-no, this wasn't supposed to happen! This can't be happening!"

Applebloom's back collided with something and when she quickly turned around she was shocked to see her parents.

"Ma? Pa?"

"Why little seed? Why did yah do it?" Applebloom's father, Bright Mac asked, looking at his daughter with great sadness.

"How could yah make that young woman take her own life?" Applebloom's mother, Pear Butter, asked on the verge of tears.

"No, ah didn't mean fer this to happen!" Applebloom told her parents.

Her parents just simply turned away and as Applebloom reached out to them, they faded away along with the entire room. Once again, Applebloom found herself in a strange room.

"Oh, Sunset."

Applebloom's eyes widened at hearing that voice. She slowly turned around and saw her sister crying over Sunset's open casket.

"A-Applejack?"

At hearing her name, Applejack turned to look at her younger sister who recoiled at seeing her lifeless eyes.

"Why, Applebloom? Why did yah take her away from me?"

"Applejack, Ah didn't mean for this to happen. Yah gotta believe me," Applebloom desperately pleaded. "Ah only wanted to spend more time with yah."

"Are you serious?!"

Applebloom was startled by the sudden outburst and quickly turned around to see an angry Diamond Tiara.

"You destroyed someone's life for something as petty as that?!" Diamond Tiara said angrily.

"Yah don't understand, Diamond Tiara. Mah sister was spendin' all her time with Sunset and less time with me," Applebloom explained. "This is the time of year where yah spend time with yer family, but Applejack was spending all that time with Sunset, the same girl who tore apart her friendship with her friends."

"Then what about me? I bullied you and our friends but you offered me friendship instead of getting back at me," Diamond Tiara pointed out.

"Yer different!" Applebloom stated.

"Different how? We both bullied people and blackmailed them to get our way!" Diamond Tiara stated. "You yourself said you hated me for bullying you! Now you're doing the same thing!"

"I never bullied anyone or blackmailed 'em!" Applebloom raised her voice.

"What about your sister? You humiliated her to get what you wanted and I bet you also did it to get back at her," Diamond Tiara suggested.

"No!" Applebloom denied, shutting her eyes tight as she shook her head.

"How could you become so horrible!?" Diamond Tiara shouted.

"It was to get our sisters back!" Applebloom shouted, more to herself than anyone else. "It was the only way!"

"Oh really?"

Applebloom felt a chill run up her spine at hearing that voice. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that Diamond Tiara had disappeared.

"Diamond Tiara?" Applebloom called out her friend's name, wondering where she could have gone.

"Over here."

Applebloom turned to her left and was met with the demonic eyes of Demon Sunset.

"Boo."

"Ah!" Applebloom jumped back in fright, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Sunset's demonic form.

"Hello there, Applebloom," Demon Sunset sneered at Applebloom.

"W-what're yah doing here?! Ah thought mah sister and her friends took care of yah!" Applebloom shouted, shaking in fear as the demon looked to be behind some kind of mirror.

"Oh, they did, for a while at least. But since when can those idiots do anything right?" the demon mocked. "They did fell for the same trick twice after all."

"Mah sister ain't an idiot!" Applebloom defended.

"You know she is. You were counting on her stupidity in order for your plan to work," the demon pointed out.

"That's not true!" Applebloom denied fiercely.

"It must have felt really good to manipulate your sister to get what you want, huh?" The demon asked. "And the best part of it all is that she has no idea that it was you."

The room around them changed into a cemetery.

"Look at the result of your actions," the demon motioned behind Applebloom.

Applebloom turned around to see Sunset's headstone.

"No."

"Congratulations, sugarcube. You've become me!" the demon shouted as she exited the mirror in the form of a dark cloud before submerging into the ground.

The ground started shaking as an arm shot up from Sunset's grave and grasped Applebloom’s leg. Applebloom screamed in terror as she tried to pry her leg free, but another arm burst from the ground and grabbed her left arm.

"Let go! Let me go!" Applebloom screamed in terror, tears cascading down her cheeks as she struggled against the pale orange arms.

Suddenly, Sunset head emerged from the ground.

"So come join me!"

Sunset's hair burst into flames, her pale orange skin turning blood red. Red bat-like wings sprouted from her back as she rose into the air, taking Applebloom with her. Applebloom continued her useless struggles as Sunset fully turned into a demon.

"APPLEJACK!!!"

"Aaaah!"

Applebloom bolted up from her bed, her face is covered in sweat as she panted heavily. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. She looked around her and realized that she was safely back in her room.

"It was a dream. No, it was a nightmare," Applebloom mumbled as she looked at her clock. It was 4 in the morning.

"Ah don't wanna go back to sleep." Applebloom lay on her back. She closed her eyes and immediately saw the demon smiling back at her.

"Ah'm not like her. Ah'm nothin' like her," Applebloom told herself as she turned over in her bed, the image of Sunset hanging herself flashing in her mind.

"You don't understand. She should be dead. Her body temperature is abnormally higher than any normal human."

Nurse Red Heart's words echo in Applebloom's mind. It scared her to hear that Sunset could have died. She began to wonder if they really did succeed in separating Sunset from their sisters. If they had taken things further and posted the secrets of the students of CHS, would Sunset be driven to take her own life? Applebloom shuddered at the thought. Then there was the fact that her sister and her friends did not believe Sunset was Anon-A-Miss anymore so that completely destroyed the whole purpose of the account.

"Ah guess we gotta shut down the account then," Applebloom said before trying to get back to sleep.

"I'm home!" Sweetie Belle announced as she entered her home. She walked up to her room and as she passed by Rarity's inspiration room, she heard muffled sobs.

She approached the door and placed her ear against it. She could barely make out the words 'my fault', 'so stupid' and 'monster'. Sweetie Belle carefully opened the door and peeked inside. Instead of finding the mess of measuring tapes, accessories, and fabric which her sister called ‘Organized Chaos’, she found the room cleaned and organized. She fully entered the room and tried to find her sister.

"Rarity?" Sweetie Belle called out. She then spotted something in the corner of the room and as she got closer, her eyes widened when she saw that it was a drawing of Sunset Shimmer. However, the drawing depicted Sunset laying on the floor, face down in a pool of her own blood with a knife beside her.

Sweetie Belle started backing away, a look of horror on her face at what she had just seen.

"We did this."

Startled by the sudden voice, Sweetie Belle quickly spun around to see her big sister. Instead of wearing one of her usual fashion masterpieces, Rarity was wearing a mourning gown, with a long veil that went to her waist as it obscured her face.

"R-Rarity, are you okay?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously.

"How can I possibly be okay when I am responsible for this?" Rarity gestured back to the drawing. "I've plucked a beautiful flower from this world and in doing so made it ugly."

Rarity walked past Sweetie Belle and stood in front of the drawing. She reached a gloved hand out and traced the bloody area.

"I never knew I could be this ugly."

A spotlight suddenly turned on and dramatically illuminated a nearby mannequin that was wearing Sunset's outfit with a red and yellow wig.

"Oh Sunset, I promise to make amends for what I did to you," Rarity said as she walked towards the mannequin. Sweetie Belle watched as Rarity did something to the mannequin but was unable to see due to Rarity blocking her view.

"There," Rarity said as she took a step back, allowing Sweetie Belle to see what she had done.

Sweetie Belle was shocked to see the mannequin holding a knife in its modified hands and it was pointing straight at Rarity.

"R-Rarity, w-what're you doing?" Sweetie Belle questioned, her voice trembling.

"Seeking justice!" Rarity stated as she took several steps back before running towards the knife with the intent of being impaled by it.

"NO!" Sweetie Belle screamed in horror as she ran faster than she had run before and tackled Rarity, causing both of them to be knocked to the floor.

Both girls lay there, Sweetie Belle holding tightly to her sister, afraid to let go out of fear of her trying again.

"Why?" Rarity asked, her voice monotone. "Why would you stop me?"

Sweetie Belle lifted her head to look at Rarity or as much as she could through the veil.

"WHY!? BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE!!"

"But I have to be punished for-"

"Nobody deserves this!!" Sweetie Belle cut her off, angry tears spilling from her eyes.

"Glad you think so.”

Sweetie Belle froze. She then heard a dripping noise coming from behind her and she slowly turned her head around to see black ink leaking from the drawing, specifically from the pool of blood. The ink pooled underneath the painting until it finally stopped, only for it to start moving across the floor. Sweetie Belle was horrified at seeing the mass of ink coming closer to them, but then it changed direction and went for the mannequin. It crawled up the mannequin and spread throughout it, completely covering it but not the clothes or wig.

The mannequin suddenly flexed its fingers, startling Sweetie Belle. It moved its arms around as the ink seeped into it, revealing pale orange skin. When the ink on the mannequin receded into its head, Sunset's pale face was revealed. Her eyes were closed with heavy bags under them.

"S-Sunset?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously.

Sunset's eyes snapped open. She looked at Sweetie Belle and Rarity.

"You did this to me."

Sweetie Belle tried to speak but Sunset continued.

"You turned them all against me. You humiliated them, hurt them, all to get rid of me," Sunset spat, her tone monotone.

"I'm sorry, Sunset!" Rarity apologized, now in a sitting position as she removed her veil, revealing two ugly black marks running down her face. "I'll do anything to make up for this!"

"Come here," Sunset beckoned.

Rarity rose from the floor and started to make her way towards Sunset.

"Rarity, please don't!" Sweetie Belle begged as she tried to stop Rarity, her eyes locked onto the knife still in Sunset's hands.

"I must...make amends," Rarity said as she struggled against Sweetie Belle.

"You will, Rarity. You and your sister will make things right," Sunset said before falling to her knees.

"Sunset!" Rarity shouted.

Sweetie Belle looked to Sunset in time to see her fall face first on the floor. Rarity used this moment to break free and was instantly by Sunset's side. Rarity placed her hands on Sunset, only to immediately draw them back as she was burned by Sunset. She tried again and ignored the pain as she managed to flip Sunset on her back. The color had returned to Sunset's face but she was sweating profusely and panting heavily.

"Oh Sunset," Rarity sobbed as fresh tears spilled from her eyes.

"It's okay, Rarity. This isn't your fault," Sunset said weakly.

Sweetie Belle watched on as Sunset lifted up the hand holding the knife and right before her eyes it melted away.

"You shouldn't think of ending your life...It's too precious to let it go to waste," Sunset said, her eyelids becoming heavy. "I...really valued our friendship."

Red veins could be seen spreading through Sunset's exposed skin. Tears welled up in her eyes before turning to steam.

"Thank you...For...Everything," Sunset said before she closed her eyes and her hand fell limp on the floor.

"Sunset?" Rarity whispered her name. "Sunset!"

Rarity collapsed on top of Sunset, wailing in agony at the loss of her friend.

Sweetie Belle could only watch on in despair as she sister mourned over her deceased friend, but then she noticed the red marks on Sunset's body beginning to glow bright red. Smoke started rising from Sunset's body too.

"Rarity, get away from Sunset!" Sweetie Belle cried out, but she was ignored.

Rarity continued to weep over Sunset, ignoring the painful burning sensation she was feeling. Sunset's body started to quickly flash red.

"Rarity!"

Sunset's body, along with Rarity, was instantly consumed in a bright flash of flame.

"Aaaaah!" Sweetie Belle shot up from her bed, panting heavily as her heart hammered against her chest. She was in bed, in her own room.

"A bad dream," Sweetie Belle told herself once she realized what had happened. "It was just a bad dream."

She flopped back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. No matter how hard she tried, she could not forget her nightmare. She knew what she had to do to clear her conscience.

"This has to stop," Sweetie Belle muttered before trying to go back to sleep, filled with remorse and regret.

Scootaloo was on her way to Rainbow Dash's house to show her a new trick she had learned on her scooter. The young daredevil was excited to spend the day with her honorary big sister. When she reached Rainbow Dash's house, she knocked on the door and waited a minute before it was answered by Rainbow Dash's mother, Windy Whistles.

"Scootaloo! I'm so glad you're here. Come in, come in!" Windy Whistles ushered the young girl inside excitedly.

"Hi, Mrs. Whistles. Is Rainbow Dash here?" Scootaloo asked as she took off her coat and handed it to Windy Whistles before placing her scooter underneath the coat rack by the door.

"She sure is. You came by at a great time. We're currently celebrating something wonderful!" Windy Whistles told Scootaloo as she took her coat and hung in on the coat rack.

"Really? What is it?" Scootaloo asked as she made her way to the living room where she saw Rainbow Dash sitting on one of the sofas, talking to her father.

"Hey, Scoots. Glad to see you could make it," Rainbow Dash greeted as she got up and walked towards her honorary little sister.

"Hey Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo greeted her idol who rubbed her head affectionately.

"You'll never guess what just happened," Rainbow Dash said, a bright smile on her face.

"What?" Scootaloo asked once she noticed that Rainbow Dash was in a really good mood.

"I'm getting married!" Rainbow Dash said excitedly as she showed Scootaloo her engagement ring.

Scootaloo's mind froze for a few seconds before rebooting.

"WHAT?!"

"I can't believe my little girl is getting married!" Rainbow Dash's father, Bow Hothoof, said tearfully.

"Dad, I'm not a little girl anymore," Rainbow Dash chastised her father.

"You'll always be our little girl, Rainbow," Windy Whistles said as she enveloped her daughter in a hug and was soon joined by her husband.

"Guys," Rainbow Dash groaned, her cheeks turning red but she did nothing to push her parents away.

Scootaloo simply stared at the family in front of her, her mind still trying to wrap around the idea of Rainbow Dash getting married.

"W-who's the lucky guy?" Scootaloo asked.

"Who said anything about a guy?"

Scootaloo's eyes widened as she recognized that voice. She turned to her right to see Sunset Shimmer entering the living room holding a tray of hot beverages.

"Hey Scootaloo," Sunset winked at the young girl as she set the tray down on the coffee table before taking a seat on the sofa.

"Y-you mean that you..." Scootaloo trailed off, unable to complete her sentence.

Rainbow Dash broke free from her parents and sat down next to Sunset. She grabbed her hand and laced their fingers.

"She's my fiancée!"

"Darn right. You're mine now," Sunset purred as she kissed Rainbow Dash on the lips.

Scootaloo scrunched up her face in disgust.

"We're holding the wedding in Equestria and we're moving there too," Rainbow Dash informed Scootaloo as she finished kissing Sunset.

"What?!" Scootaloo shouted.

"I can't wait to show you Equestria," Sunset told Rainbow Dash as she stared deep into her eyes lovingly.

"Yeah, it'll be just you and me...forever," Rainbow Dash said in an uncharacteristically romantic tone.

"Let's go pack your bags right now!" Sunset said excitedly as she and her new fiancée ran up the stairs and towards Rainbow Dash's room.

Scootaloo was frozen in horror. Rainbow Dash was leaving for Equestria and she would be living there...with Sunset Shimmer.

"No," Scootaloo denied as her surroundings started to fall apart. "This can't be happening."

The floor underneath Scootaloo gave way as she fell into the dark abyss.

"Nooooooooo!"

"Nooooo!" Scootaloo screamed as she fell out of bed. She struggled to remove the covers before finally throwing them off. She panted heavily as she scanned her room and realized where she was.

"It was all a dream. Oh, thank God."

Scootaloo sighed in relief, but it was short lived as realized that Sunset taking Rainbow Dash away from her was a very real threat.

"Sunset can't take Rainbow away from me. She just can't," Scootaloo told herself. She then heard a knock on her door before it opened to reveal her parents.

"Scootaloo, are you alright?" Scootaloo's father, Soarin, asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Dad. I just had a bad dream," Scootaloo told her father.

"Was it about that demon again?" Spitfire, her mom, asked. A couple of months ago her daughter had been having nightmares that involved a demon that hypnotized everyone at her school, turning them into her slaves.

"No, it was something else," Scootaloo answered.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Soarin asked as he and his wife approached Scootaloo's bed.

"No, I'm okay," Scootaloo assured them. Talking to her parents about Sunset Shimmer marrying Rainbow Dash and leaving for Equestria wasn’t something she felt comfortable about.

"If you're sure," Spitfire said as she caressed her daughter's cheek.

"Hm-hm," Scootaloo nodded.

"Then get some rest, sweetheart," Spitfire said as she leaned forward and kissed Scootaloo's forehead.

"Goodnight, squirt," Soarin said goodnight to his daughter as he too kissed his daughter's forehead.

"Goodnight, Mom. Goodnight, Dad," Scootaloo said to her parents.

Spitfire and Soarin exited their daughter’s room and closed the door behind them. Scootaloo made herself comfortable in her bed as she tried to get back to sleep. But thoughts of Rainbow Dash running away with Sunset plagued her mind.

Rainbow Dash zoomed across the soccer field, dancing around the opposing players as she went for the goal post. A player slid in front of her to steal the ball, but Rainbow Dash simply jumped over them. She lined up her shot and kicked the ball with all her might, sending it zooming towards the goal post. The goalie jumped to intercept but missed it as the ball made contact with the net. The crowd cheered loudly as Rainbow Dash had won them another game.

"Way to go, Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow Dash turned around just in time to receive a hug from her girlfriend, Sunset Shimmer. Sunset picked her up and spun her around, eliciting laughter from Rainbow Dash.

"Babe, cut it out!" Rainbow Dash said, even though she was loving this.

Sunset gently set her on her feet but continued to hold her close.

"Can't help it. You're just so awesome, Dashie."

"Darn right I am," Rainbow Dash agreed before she leaned her head closer to Sunset and kissed her on the lips.
Sunset closed her eyes as she returned the kiss. Everything around them faded as they were lost in the kiss. Rainbow Dash felt like she was on top of the world. Her team was undefeated and going to the championship all because of her and she had the most awesome girlfriend in the world - no the universe! She would even dare to say that she was more awesome than her.

They soon broke the kiss and simply stared into each other’s eyes. Sunset's eyes radiated love, warmth, acceptance, and strength, Rainbow was easily lost in them. Suddenly, Sunset's eyes closed, her hold on Rainbow loosening as she fell forward onto Rainbow.

"Sunset?" Rainbow said her girlfriend's name in confusion as she felt her lean completely against her.

Sunset didn't respond which worried Rainbow Dash. She looked around for help but to her further confusion, everyone was gone.

"Wha-where is everyone?"

Rainbow Dash looked back to Sunset to see her panting heavily, her face covered in sweat as her body temperature started rising.

"Sunset!" Rainbow Dash cried out before looking around for anyone who can help. "Hey! Someone! Anyone! Help!"

"What good is calling for help going to do you?"

Rainbow Dash snapped her head behind her and saw Sunset's demon form.

"Hey, Dashie," the demon used Rainbow's nickname as she grinned malevolently.

"You!" Rainbow Dash yelled before looking between the demon and Sunset. "How can you be here?!"

"Don't strain what little brain cells you have, Dashie. That’s not important right now," the demon mocked.

"Don't you dare call me that!" Rainbow Dash shouted angrily. "You have no right to call me that!"

"Like you're one to talk," the demon scoffed "What right do you have to be with me when you so easily believe that I would throw away our friendship?"

Rainbow Dash remained silent. As much as she wanted to retort, she knew the demon was right.

"Nothing to say? Then allow me." The demon rose high into the air, she stared down at Rainbow Dash with a look of disgust and anger.

"Rainbow Dash, you are an arrogant, stubborn fool who dives head first into things and never worries about the consequences. Even when the consequences prove disastrous for your friends, taken what happened between you and Applejack.”

Rainbow flinched at that. That was still a sore spot for her. Ever since she found out that she had been tricked by Sunset, she made a promise to herself that she wouldn't doubt her friends again.

"And then there's me,” the demon grinned when she saw Rainbow Dash's body stiffen. "When you were humiliated by Anon-A-Miss for posting the photos of the slumber party, you went ballistic. You were so blinded by your anger that you didn't even hesitate to come after me.”

Rainbow Dash shut her eyes tight. She felt ashamed. The demon’s words stung and what made it worse was how true they were.

"You have learned nothing and repeated the same mistake, and for that you will suffer the consequences," the demon spoke with finality.

Sunset then started coughing violently which drew Rainbow's attention back to her.

"Sunset, what's wrong?!"

Sunset didn't say anything as she felt too weak to even utter a single word. Rainbow Dash was becoming even more worried when she noticed dark circles around Sunset's eyes. She then took notice of the red veins spreading on Sunset's exposed skin. She turned to look at the demon, a furious look on her face.

"What are you...doing...?" Rainbow Dash trailed off as she saw the demon sporting red veins on her body similar to Sunset's.

"Don't look so surprised. The me you're holding right now and I are one and the same. Therefore, we share the same fate, the same end." The demon grinned in satisfaction at seeing the horrified look on Rainbow's face.

Rainbow Dash looked back to Sunset and saw the red veins that had spread all over her face were pulsating. She then started to feel Sunset's body getting warmer and warmer. Rainbow's mind scrambled for any ideas on what to do, but she couldn't come up with a single one. This was beyond her.

"No," Rainbow sobbed, tears pooling in her eyes. "This can't be happening."

"But it is," The demon spoke again. "This is your fault, Rainbow Dash. You did this to me."

Sunset suddenly screamed which startled Rainbow Dash.

"What's wrong Sunset?!"

"Rainbow, it hurts!" Sunset said through gritted teeth, her body started flashing red.

Rainbow gritted her teeth. She had no idea what she was supposed to do. The heat against her arms and body started to become unbearable, but she refused to let go of Sunset.

"Rainbow Dash, I'm scared," Sunset said fearfully as steam started rising from her body.

"It's okay! I'm here for you!" Rainbow Dash assured her, fighting through the intense burning pain she was feeling because of Sunset. The demon and Sunset radiated an intense light that consumed everything, including Rainbow Dash.

Applejack dabbed a wet cloth over Sunset's forehead. The two of them had gone camping together over the weekend when Sunset had suddenly fallen ill.

"Thanks, Applejack," Sunset said gratefully to the farm girl before coughing.

"No problem, sugarcube," Applejack said warmly. "Just get some rest, okay?"

Sunset nodded before Applejack leaned close and kissed her cheek. She then rose up and exited the tent to let Sunset sleep as much as she could in her sleeping bag. She took in a deep breath before exhaling. Sunset's fever was getting worse and Applejack knew they had to cut their trip short and take Sunset to the hospital.

"Better start packing up then."

Applejack then proceeded to gather up their gear and place it inside her family truck. She made her way down to the river to wash up when an unexpected voice calling out to her.

"Howdy, Applejack."

Applejack's eyes widened upon hearing the voice and she quickly turned around to see none other than the demon form of Sunset who was leaning against a tree, grinning mischievously at her.

"What in tarnation?!"

"You don't look happy to see me," the demon spoke playfully.

"That's because Ah ain't," Applejack said while narrowing her eyes at the demon. "What do yah want?"

"Nothing much. Just wanted to ask if you had anything to say to your parents when I go see them in Heaven?” The demon asked casually.

"What are yah talking about?" Applejack demanded in confusion. Just what was the demon getting at?

The demon smiled as she knew that her next words would get a reaction out of Applejack.

“I'm dying, Applejack."

"Well good riddance, but if yah ask me yah should've been gone since we blasted yah with our Magic of Friendship," Applejack said as she went back to washing her hands and face.

"You truly are a dumb hick," the demon said, amused by Applejack’s comment.

"What did yah call me?!" Applejack turned around to face the demon again, her face turning red with rage.

"I think I know what to tell your parents now," The demon said in delight. "I'll tell them how their daughter lied about how she felt to an innocent girl."

"Ah don't lie!!" Applejack shouted, feeling insulted. "Ah love Sunset! She's family to me!"

"Is she really?" the demon asked as red veins brighter than her skin spread throughout her body. "Then why did you call me a no good snake?"

Applejack froze. She really had said that.

"And let's not forget that you assumed I was guilty before I had even arrived at school,"The demon brought up. "A relationship is based on trust, Applejack. And lies only make it worse."

Applejack gritted her teeth as she listened to the demon. What she said was the truth, which stung her even more.

"You don't deserve to have me," The demon spoke ominously before she burst into flames.

Applejack hurried back to the tent and she noticed a faint glow coming from it. She sprinted the remaining distance and when she entered the tent she was alarmed to see Sunset flashing red as she coughed violently.

"Applejack," Sunset whispered her girlfriend's name weakly before she started coughing again.

"Ah'm right here Sun-Ah!" Applejack tried to hold Sunset's hand but pulled back when she got burned.

"I'm sorry," Sunset apologized weakly.

"Don't be sorry. None of this is your fault," Applejack assured Sunset as her voice started to crack.

"I...I really wanted to....introduce you to my mom," Sunset said as her eyelids felt heavy.

"Don't talk like that. Yer going to be alright," Applejack assured her even as fear started to grip tightly at her heart.

"She....would've....really liked....you," Sunset said before fully closing her eyes.

"S-Sunset?" Applejack asked nervously. When she didn't get a response she went to feel Sunset's pulse. Ignoring the burning pain, Applejack places two of her fingers on Sunset's neck. Her face went pale when she felt no pulse.

"No."

Applejack fell to her knees as the full weight of what had just happened crashed down on top of her.

"S-she can't be gone.”

"But she is."

Applejack's eyes widened as the voice that just spoke sounded hauntingly familiar. She turned around to see her mother and father standing at the entrance of the tent.

"Ma? Pa?"

"What have yah done, Applejack?" Pear Butter asked, her voice filled with disappointment.

"Yah lied to that young girl. You led her on and broke her heart," Bright Mac said sadly.

"No, no! ah didn't lie to her!" Applejack denied their accusations.

There was a bright glow behind her which caused Applejack to turn around and see Sunset's body glowing brightly.

"Sunset! Applejack shouted her girlfriend's name as she dove on top of her. Ignoring the burning pain as a bright explosion of light consumed everything.

Applejack's eyes fluttered open as she woke up from her dream. No, it had been a nightmare. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as well as some tears. She looked around and despite her blurry vision, she was able to recognize her friends’ silhouettes.

Rarity was sleeping comfortably in her sleeping bag, but then an odd sensation coming from her hand stirred her from her sleep. Rarity sat up in irritation. She lifted up her left hand and used her right hand to lift her sleeping mask off from her eyes. When she got a good look at what was wrong on her hand, she shrieked loudly

"What the-?!" Rainbow Dash hastily got out of her sleeping bag as she scanned the room to see Rarity standing up and shaking her left hand vigorously.

"Rarity, what's wrong?!" Applejack asked in concern as Rarity's scream had cleared away all the sleep in her mind.

Everyone else was also awoken by Rarity's scream and when the last remnants of sleep left their eyes, they were shocked at the state they were all in.

"A-Applejack, why are you on the ceiling?" Fluttershy asked as she saw the farmer standing on the ceiling like she was standing on the floor.

"Why are yah doing on the wall, Shy?" Applejack asked, seeing Fluttershy with her feet planted against the apartment wall.

"Look at me! I'm floating!" Pinkie Pie giggled as she floated across the living room while doing swimming strokes

"What the hell is going on?!" Rainbow Dash asked from her spot on the ceiling.

"Can somebody please help me?!" Rarity screamed as she continued to flail her arm from her spot on the other wall of the room.

"I got it!" Pinkie Pie said as she swam towards Rarity and stopped her flailing arm. She gasped upon seeing who was responsible for making Rarity scream.

"Gummy!"

"Your stuffed alligator? That's what the screaming was about?" Rainbow Dash groaned in annoyance.

"Um, did Gummy just move?" Fluttershy asked as she saw the stuffed alligator flick his tongue. Everyone looked closely at Gummy and were shocked when he turned his head to look at them. He also blinked his eyes.

"He's real!" Rainbow Dash shouted in shock.

"Obviously!" Rarity said as she wiped away Gummy's drool from her hand with a napkin.

"Good morning, everybody!"

Everyone turned towards the direction of the cheery voice to see Sunset Shimmer. But they were more surprised at the fact that she had ponied up.

"Sunset, darling, you ponied up?" Rarity asked in surprise.

Sunset blinked at that and a mirror magically appeared in front of her.

"Huh? I guess I did."

The mirror vanished as Sunset walked to the center of the room.

"What do you say we all have some breakfast before we go to school?" Sunset offered before snapping her finger and instantly everyone was dressed, washed and sitting in a fancy dining hall.

"I-I've never thought that you could do something like this with magic," Rainbow Dash uttered as she and the rest of the Rainbooms look around the room in shock.

"This is nothing. I used to do crazier things when I was a filly," Sunset explained as she clapped her hands. Magically, plates filled with pancakes flew out of the kitchen and landed in front of her friends.

"I made them myself. I hope you like them," Sunset said bashfully as she cast a glance at Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

"I'm sure they're delicious, darling," Rarity said as she took her fork and began to dig in.

"Delicious!" Pinkie Pie said as she started wolfing down her pancakes.

"I must agree, darling. These are simply divine!" Rarity proclaimed as she ate her pancakes.

The rest of the group praised Sunset as they joyfully ate their pancakes. When the group was finished with breakfast, Sunset was about to magically clean up when she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed.

"Sunset!"

The Rainbooms shouted as the fancy dining hall disappeared to reveal Sunset's living room as the former Equestrian fell on top of her couch. They quickly took her to her bedroom and placed her back in her bed.

"She really needs to take it easy," Rarity commented as she tucked Sunset in.

"Ah'll look after her this time, girls," Applejack volunteered.

"Alright, but let us know if you need anything?" Rainbow Dash requested.

"Sure thing," Applejack nodded.

"We best get ready then," Rarity said as she looks at herself still in her pajamas. It would seem that all of Sunset's magic had worn off when she fainted, except for the food as their stomachs still felt full.

They got ready for school and after saying goodbye to Applejack, exited Sunset's apartment and headed downstairs.

"What do you suppose happened back there?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I have no idea, but I figure it has something to do with Sunset’s condition," Rarity surmised as they exited Sunset's apartment building.

"Well, we better figure this out before....before..." Rainbow Dash trailed off as she stared ahead.

"Rainbow?" Rarity looked at her friend in confusion before looking to where she was staring at and her eyes widened at what she saw.

The buildings were all floating around them, the sidewalks were checker-patterned, there were stairs leading up to the sky and to top it all off it was snowing ice cream complete with the cone.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore," Pinkie Pie said before taking a lick of the ice cream she had caught. "Hmmm, vanilla!"

Discussions

Author's Note

Here's the first chapter of the new year, I hope you all enjoy it and I look forward to your comments. Thanks again to KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for their help with the chapter.

Discussions

"You've seen ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’. Well, today's weather is cloudy with a chance of ice cream," the female reporter said to the camera. "The entire city has transformed overnight into what appears to be a fantasy candyland from a child's dream. Children are apparently enjoying this surprise weather, while adults are panicking and calling this the beginning of the end of days. But they are quickly changing their tune as they join the children in enjoying the chaos."

As she was reporting the scene, the reporter's clothes began to change from her usual business suit to that of an ice cream vendor.

"More on this as we cover the news. Back to you News Worthy," the reporter finished as she and her news crew, who were all dressed as ice cream vendors, gathered their equipment and placed them in on a sled before going in front of the sled and pulling the sled while a sled dog was sitting in place of the musher. The sled dog barked as the news crew used giant ice cream scoops to scoop away the ice cream as they made their way down the street.

"This is insane!" Rainbow Dash stated as she and her friends watched the news crew from across the street.

"I know, right?" Pinkie Pie said happily as she was covered in ice cream before comically extending her tongue to eat all the ice cream off herself in one lick.

"W-why do you suppose this is happening?" Fluttershy asked nervously as she, Rarity and Rainbow Dash were taking shelter under a store awning.

"I'm not entirely sure, darling," Rarity answered with uncertainty. She was at a loss. Despite their previous dealings with magic, this seemed way out of their league.

"We've dealt with magical threats before, so whatever this is we can handle it!" Rainbow Dash said confidently, trying to boost her friends’ confidence.

"Yeah! Rainbow Dash is right!" Pinkie Pie agreed as she was out in the open, catching falling ice cream cones and quickly devouring them.

"As much as I admire your optimism, Rainbow Dash, we need an expert’s opinion," Rarity pointed out as she took out her phone. "And seeing how our resident expert of magic is currently out of commission, that leaves Princess Twilight."

Applejack was in Sunset's kitchen, she was about to take a sip of her coffee when her smartphone, that was resting on the kitchen table, received a text message. She picked up her phone and saw that it was from Rarity.

Rarity: Darling, I need you to send another message to Princess Twilight. The situation has gotten worse.

Applejack: Worse how?

Rarity: Take a look outside Sunset's window.

Applejack raised an eyebrow at this but did as instructed. She left the kitchen and went to the living room where the window was. She expected to see something bad but when she looked, she found nothing wrong.

Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had looks of shock while Pinkie Pie had a look of disappointment.

"W-what just happened?" Rainbow Dash asked in disbelief.

"It's gone," Rarity said, referring to the chaos that was running rampant earlier had magically disappeared as everything went back to normal.

"Bummer," Pinkie Pie said sadly, already missing the ice cream.

Rarity's phone chimed with her custom ringtone for Applejack, bringing her attention away from the normal looking surroundings.

“What am Ah suppose to be seein'?”

“Applejack, you won't believe this but when we stepped outside Sunset's apartment, the buildings were floating, the people were acting bizarre and it was snowing Ice cream of all things!” Rarity responded.

“Well, Ah don't see any of that.”

Rarity was at a loss. Without any proof, Applejack wouldn't believe her. But she couldn't worry about that now.

“Just write to Twilight that she needs to get here as soon as possible, strange things have started happening and they might be magic related.”

“Alright, Ah'll get right on it.”

“Thank you, darling,” Rarity thanked Applejack before putting her phone away. "Let’s go, girls. We best hurry before something else unexpected happens.”

"Like chocolate rain?!" Pinkie Pie shouted excitedly.

"Oh, heavens no!" Rarity cried in horror. Chocolate stains were such troublesome things to get rid of. She especially did not want any of it to get in her hair.

The girls resumed their trip towards CHS, passing a bird resting on a branch just before it dived towards the ground, spinning itself around to drill through the dirt.

"Need more pancakes, Twilight?" Twilight's mother, Twilight Velvet, asked her daughter.

"No thanks, Mom," Twilight said from her place at the kitchen table where she was seated next to her marefriend, Rainbow Dash.

"The pancakes are delicious Mrs. Twilight," Rainbow Dash complimented as she took another bite of her pancakes. "Too bad Twilight didn't inherit your cooking skills."

"Hey!" Twilight narrowed her eyes at her marefriend.

"I'm only teasing, Twi," Rainbow said before nuzzling her muzzle against Twilight's.

"Twilight's not that bad of a cook," Spike said from the other side of Twilight. "I always liked what she makes."

"Thank you, Spike," Twilight thanked the young dragon before nuzzling him affectionately, making Spike smile as he nuzzled her back.

"No offense, Spike, but you got some pretty weird taste in foods," Rainbow Dash said as she recalled how Spike loved Pinkie Pie's ‘baked bads’ that were made with the help of the really exhausted Applejack that put any pony who ate them in the hospital.

"You didn't complain when I made you, Twilight and Applejack that cake for your anniversary," Spike pointed out as he took another bite of his pancakes.

"He's got you there, Dashie," Twilight giggled as she used her magic to lift a napkin to clean Spike's face.

"Maybe Spike can give you lessons, Twilight?" Rainbow Dash continued to tease.

"Maybe I could teach you instead, Rainbow Dash. I'm sure Twilight would love it if you made something for her," Spike said with a mischievous smirk.

Rainbow blinked at this, "Hey, that's not a bad idea."

Twilight Velvet watched the playful banter with a proud, happy smile. It truly warmed her heart to see her daughter so happy and with a family of her own. She and her husband were surprised that their daughter had formed a herd with two of her best friends no less. But they welcomed Applejack and Rainbow Dash with open hooves and Night Light even made a joke about how it was good to see the other mother of their grandson, much to the confusion of the future Wonderbolt and farmer.

Twilight understood the full meaning of what her father meant.

"It's too bad Applejack couldn't make it," Twilight Velvet remarked.

"The Apples are very busy this time of year so it can't be helped," Twilight explained. Despite understanding the reasons, she still would've liked it if Applejack came along.

"Cheer up, Twi. There's still the Hearth’s Warming party at your castle and all our families will be there," Rainbow Dash reminded Twilight in an attempt to cheer her up.

"I know, it's just...I wanted to show you two around Canterlot," Twilight said sadly.

"Oh." Rainbow should have realized how much this meant to Twilight, but then she had an idea. “Well, we could always plan that for another occasion... when it's just the three of us."

Twilight shuddered as Rainbow whispered the last part in her ear.

"I guess that sounds like a great idea."

Twilight Velvet couldn't help but giggle. Her daughter really did take after her husband. And speaking of which...

"Alright everypony, the games all set!" Twilight's father, Night Light called from the living room.

The family rose from the table and after Twilight used her magic to levitate the dishes to the sink, went into the living room where Night Light had set up a game of Bingo.

"Really? Bingo?" Rainbow Dash questioned while raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's really exciting. You never know if your number will be called next!" Spike said excitedly as he took his seat.

Rainbow Dash wasn't buying it. But then again, she used to think books were lame until she read Daring Do.

"Give it try, I guarantee by the end of the game you'll love it," Twilight assured her.

"Oh alright. As long as it's not that game that involves words then I'm game," Rainbow Dash said. "I swear, you and Spike were making up those words."

"Don't feel bad, Rainbow. Me and Twilight are old pros at that game," Spike assured her.

"That's because Twilight raised you in her egghead ways," Rainbow Dash said with a sly smirk.

"I am not an egghead, I am well read!" Twilight and Spike said at the same time, before blinking in realization.

The rest of the family giggled at this before getting started on the game and about twenty minutes later...

"BINGO!" Twilight announced.

"Darn, I was just one number away from winning!" Rainbow Dash whined.

"Don't worry Rainbow Dash, you'll win the next round," Night Light assured her.

The family played again and sure enough as Night Light foretold, Rainbow Dash was the winner.

"BINGO! BINGO!" Rainbow Dash cheered happily.

"Bet you like the game now, huh?" Spike asked.

"She likes any game when she's winning," Twilight added, giving Rainbow a wink when she stuck her tongue out at her.

They played several rounds more with Rainbow Dash winning two more, but despite losing some games, Rainbow Dash was having fun. Twilight loved seeing her Dashie smiling and having fun with her family.

‘I wonder if the other Rainbow Dash laughs like mine?’ Twilight thought.

"What's on your mind, Twi?" Rainbow Dash asked, seeing the faraway look in her marefriend's eyes.

"I was just thinking of the other you from Sunset's world," Twilight said.

"Oh, really?" Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, feeling jealous that Twilight was thinking of the other her. "Are you thinking that she's cooler than me?"

"Dashie, it's nothing like that," Twilight assured her. "Besides, she looks like you if you were that type of creature. And I don't know about being cooler than you since I don't know what counts as cool for them. But thinking on it now, I did feel attracted to her as I am to you."

"Uh, thanks?" Rainbow Dash wasn't sure how to respond to that.

Twilight giggled before giving Rainbow Dash a brief kiss on the lips,

"Don't worry about it Dashie, I love you."

Rainbow Dash smiled at hearing that, Twilight's words making her heart flutter and providing a boost to her ego.

"Despite her being me, I bet I'm 20% cooler than her," Rainbow Dash boasted.

Twilight simple giggled before nuzzling against Rainbow Dash who nuzzled back.

Twilight Velvet and Night Light simply smiled as they leaned against each other. Spike, on the other hand, didn't like seeing Twilight being all affectionate with Rainbow Dash in front of him. Like any other child when their parents were being affectionate with each other, public displays of affection were just gross.

"So how's Sunset doing Twilight?" Spike asked, trying to change the current lovey-dovey mood.

"She's doing great!" Twilight said happily, lifting her head from Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "She's really bonding with the girls and they've become family just like how we are."

"That's awesome!" Rainbow Dash said proudly. "Then Sunset is in good hooves with my double."

"Who is this Sunset pony, Twilight?" Twilight Velvet asked curiously.

"Sunset Shimmer was the personal student of Princess Celestia before me, but they had a falling out and Sunset ran away to another world," Twilight explained as simply as she could.

"Oh dear, that sounds horrible!" Twilight Velvet said. "Did they ever reconcile?"

"I'm afraid not," Twilight said sadly.

"Does Sunset have any family here?" Night Light asked. "I'm sure they must miss her."

"To be honest, I don't really know anything about Sunset's family," Twilight admitted.

"Maybe Princess Celestia knows," Spike pointed out.

"Oh my gosh! Spike, you're right!" Twilight said in realization. "I should pay the princess a visit and ask about Sunset's family."

"I'll come with you," Rainbow Dash offered as she wrapped a wing around Twilight. "To keep you company."

Twilight smiled at the offer, but before she could voice her agreement, Spike suddenly burped out a scroll. Twilight used her magic to lift up the letter and unfurled it before reading it.

"What's it say?" Rainbow Dash asked as she tried to look over Twilight's shoulder to read it.

"It's from Princess Celestia. She wants to see me," Twilight said as she looked up from the scroll.

"I hope it's not anything serious," Twilight Velvet said anxiously.

"I don't think it is, otherwise she would say it was urgent," Twilight informed her. "She wrote to come to the castle later this afternoon."

"Hey, this lines up perfectly with what you wanted to ask her," Spike pointed out.

"That's true, but I am curious as to what she wants to talk to me about," Twilight said.

"We'll find out when we see her, won't we?" Rainbow Dash said as she pulled Twilight close.

Twilight simply smiled before nodding.

"Don't forget me!" Spike said as he climbed on top of Twilight before resting on top of her head.

"Of course Spike, I can never forget about you," Twilight giggled.

Scootaloo raced down the halls of CHS. She had received an urgent text from Applebloom, telling her to meet in the clubroom. She had no idea what this was about, but she was sure to find out soon enough. She arrived at her clubroom and when she opened the door she was met with the depressed looking faces of her best friends.

"What's the emergency, Applebloom, and how come you guys look like your cat just died?" Scootaloo asked as she closed the door behind her.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle flinched at the word die, their nightmares flashing in their minds.

"Scootaloo… we have to shut down Anon-A-Miss," Applebloom said.

"What?! Why?!" Scootaloo was shocked. She didn't expect Applebloom to say that. Suddenly her eyes widened in realization. "Did we get caught?!"

"No, it's not that. It's just...Sunset is sick," Applebloom said softly, but Scootaloo still managed to hear her.

"Oh, is that all," Scootaloo said in relief. "Geez, don't scare me like that, Applebloom. I thought it was something serious."

"You don't understand! She's really sick! Like she could die!" Sweetie Belle said urgently.

"Hang on! Die!? Y-you're joking, right?" Scootaloo said nervously.

"Ah would never joke about somethin' as serious like this Scoots," Applebloom said seriously. "We were at Sunset's place. We saw-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up. Why the heck would you two be at Sunset's place?" Scootaloo questioned.

"Because our sisters are taking care of her!" Sweetie Belle shouted. "Sunset can barely take care of herself, Scootaloo. Not to mention she's acting a little weird because of her fever."

"Wait, what?" Scootaloo raised an eyebrow at what Sweetie Belle has said. "If she's acting weird, then where does the dying come from?"

"Her fever was 450 degrees Scootaloo," Applebloom told her.

"T-that's impossible!" Scootaloo said in disbelief. "No normal person can have a fever that high!"

"Sunset aint a normal person, Scootaloo," Applebloom reminded her. "She's from the same magical world as Princess Twilight."

"Oh yeah." Scootaloo had forgotten that part.

"The plans not working, Scootaloo. Our sisters don't think Sunset's Anon-A-Miss and Ah feel really bad for doing this to her," Applebloom confessed, her voice filled with sadness and remorse. "We gotta make this right and confess."

An image of Sunset flying off with Rainbow Dash in her arms popped in Scootaloo's mind.

"NO!"

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were startled by Scootaloo's outburst.

"Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle said her friend's name in concern.

"What do you think will happen if we fess up now?" Scootaloo asked. "Our sisters will hate us forever and Rainbow will never be my sister again!"

"But Scootaloo-"

"I can't lose Rainbow Dash, guys. I really look up to her and I was really happy that she took me under her wing and made me her honorary sister," Scootaloo pleaded.

"Then what do yah think we should do then?" Applebloom asked.

Scootaloo tried to think of an answer and then it hit her.

"We'll go with our plan to post the secrets that were sent in to buy time!"

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other before looking back at Scootaloo.

"You sure about this, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle said, unsure if this was such a good idea.

"We all agreed to do it in case something like this happened," Scootaloo reminded them.

"That's true," Applebloom agreed, although she didn't sound happy about it.

"But even so..." Sweetie Belle trailed off. She really didn't want to post those secrets, especially since Anon-A-Miss had obviously failed.

"Trust me guys, this will buy us the time we need to come up with a better plan to fix this mess," Scootaloo assured them.

"Okay, Scootaloo. We'll go with the plan," Sweetie Belle finally relented.

"Thanks, Sweetie Belle," Scootaloo thanked her friend before turning to Applebloom.

The young Apple shivered nervously under her friend's gaze before finally giving her answer.

"Okay."

Scootaloo went over to Applebloom and gave her a hug.

"Thanks, Applebloom."

"There we go, all clean," Applejack said as she wiped away the sweat from her brow.

She had spent the morning cleaning up Sunset's apartment and checking up on her. She never liked sitting around doing nothing so she made herself busy.

"Now to get started on fixing what needs fixing," Applejack declared.

Applejack went over to Sunset's bathroom and went to work on fixing her leaky pipe As she was doing so, she suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist.

"Hard at work?"

Applejack involuntarily shuttered at the sultry voice as she immediately knew who it was.

"S-Sunset? what are yah doing up?"

"Do I need a reason to hold you?" Sunset asked as she caressed Applejack's stomach. "Oh Applejack, your abs feel so wonderful."

Applejack's face turned beet red at the compliment.

"K-knock it off Sunset, Ah'm trying to fix yer sink."

"Why don't you fix me?" Sunset spoke huskily into Applejack's ear

"Okay! Time to get back to bed Sunset!" Applejack said as she got up and pried Sunset's hands off.

"Oh no, you're not escaping me that easily," Sunset said as she turned Applejack around and gently pinned her to the wall. She grabbed her hands and laced their fingers together.

"Sunset, Ah'm serious. Yah need yer rest!" Applejack said as she struggled against Sunset's grip, but was unable to free herself. "Darn girl, Ah don't remember yah being this strong."

"I get my strength from my mother," Sunset said as she gazed lovingly at the struggling Applejack. "But I'm nowhere near as strong as her."

Suddenly, Sunset's grip on Applejack loosened which confused the farmer. Applejack noticed that the Sunset had a faraway look as she looked away from her.

"But she did say that I would be strong like her if I worked hard," Sunset said as she looked back at Applejack. "My mom
would’ve really liked you."

Applejack's eyes widen as she recalled Sunset saying the same thing in her nightmare....right before she...Applejack shook her head, she shouldn't be thinking about that now.

"Sunset, Yah need to get back in bed. Please," Applejack pleaded.

"Only if you...you..." Sunset couldn't finish as she was about to sneeze. She let go of Applejack before finally sneezing away from her. But when she did, the entire bathroom came to life.

"Hey little missy, do you think you can finish fixing this leaky pipe?" the bathroom faucet asked.

"Do you guys mind? I'm trying to shower here," the bathtub spoke as the shower head was spraying water all over him.

"Make sure to get the corners," the showerhead reminded the bathtub.

Applejack stood slackjaw, her eyes locked on the talking bathtub.

"Y-yah talked?!"

"Well of course I talked, missy!" the bathtub said, offended that Applejack would say that.

"You saw him talking, Applejack," Sunset deadpanned. "You'd think with what you've experienced with magic that this wouldn't faze you."

"Well excuse me fer freaking out over a talking bathtub!" Applejack said, "Yah might be used to this weird stuff, but Ah'm not!"

"Don't worry Applejack, I'll show you all kinds of magic," Sunset purred as she caressed Applejack's left cheek. "Especially in the bedroom."

Applejack's face completely turned red as steam rose from her ears. Sunset used her left hand to grab Applejack's right hand.

"Get a room you two!" the faucet yelled.

Sunset scowled before she snapped her fingers and turned everything back to normal.

"Now with that taken care of..." Sunset grabbed a hold of Applejack's face and started leaning in.

"S-Sunset, what are you doing?!" Applejack asked in shock as Sunset's face inched ever closer to hers. she saw Sunset close her eyes as she felt her breath against her lips.

Applejack closed her eyes as she waited for Sunset to kiss her but instead, she felt Sunset's lips brush against the corner of her mouth, followed by a weight on her shoulder. Applejack felt Sunset's hold on her face loosen which caused her to open her eyes to see Sunset's face resting on her right shoulder, her face red and breathing heavily.

"Way to leave me hanging, Sunset," Applejack said, her face still red as she held onto Sunset to prevent her from falling. "Let's get yah back in bed."

Applejack carried Sunset bridal style back to her room, she placed Sunset in her bed and tucked her in, and as she prepared to leave, Sunset spoke.

"Applejack?"

Applejack turned around and saw Sunset's eyes slightly opened.

"Yeah?"

"What time is it?" Sunset asked weakly.

"It's noon," Applejack answered.

"How long was I out?" Sunset asked as she attempted to sit up.

"Not that long. Ah just got yah back in bed," Applejack said as she walked back to stand by Sunset's bedside.

"Really?" Sunset asked in confusion. "I just had this weird dream about kissing you."

"That uh, wasn't a dream," Applejack said, her cheeks turning red as she looked away from Sunset.

"So...we really did..."Sunset trailed off. If her cheeks weren't already red they would be turning red from embarrassment.

"Nah, sugarcube. Yah passed out before yah could kiss me," Applejack told her.

"Oh," was all Sunset said as they both fell into silence.

"Sunset?" Applejack said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" Sunset responded.

"Do yah really think yer mom would like me?" Applejack asked timidly.

Sunset blinked before smiling slightly, "Yes, she would."

A sincere smile spread across Applejack's lips at hearing that, but Sunset wasn't done.

"She would have loved all you girls, you girls mean the world to me. I don't know what I would do if I lost you all," Sunset admitted.

Applejack felt a sharp pain in her heart at those words. After accusing Sunset of being Anon-A-Miss and practically calling her a traitor, she felt that she was the no-good snake all along.

"Applejack, are you okay?" Sunset asked worriedly after seeing the pained look on her loved one’s face.

"Yeah, Ah'm fine," Applejack assured her, even though she was anything but fine.

Sunset wasn't convinced and so decided to say something to lighten the mood, "You know, Twilight has probably told my mom about all of you, and I think she might reward you girls for guiding me down the proper path."

"Why would yer mom reward us?" Applejack questioned. "It's what friends do fer each other."

"Well for one thing, she's the Princess of Equestria and can give you whatever your heart desires," Sunset told her.

"Yer mom's a princess?!" Applejack was shocked to hear this.

"That's right, I am the daughter of Princess Celestia, The Princess of the Sun," Sunset stated.

"You mean our principal is yer mother?!" Applejack was stunned.

"Yep, she's my mom's counterpart in this world," Sunset said, smiling at seeing Applejack's stunned look.

"How come yah never told us this before?" Applejack asked.

"The opportunity never came up and I was busy trying to make up for what I did to everyone," Sunset explained.

"That makes sense," Applejack nodded. "So Ah guess that makes yah a princess?"

Sunset nodded.

"If yah don't mind me asking, why were yah so hellbent on becoming a princess if yah already were one?" Applejack asked.

"Because I wanted to prove that I was worthy of being one," Sunset said with remorse. "Especially since my mother was such a revered princess throughout the centuries she's ruled."

"Wait, centuries?" Applejack questioned.

"My mom is an immortal alicorn so she's been around for over a thousand years," Sunset explained.

"O-over a thousand years?!" Applejack said.

"As you can imagine, as her daughter, I have a lot to live up to," Sunset said before coughing. "Not just as her heir, but because it was my destiny."

"Yer destiny?" Applejack questioned.

"You see, back in Equestria we have cutie marks that represent our special talents," Sunset began. "My cutie mark is like my mother's, a sun. But where hers represents her talent to bring about the day by raising the sun, mine's represents my desire to be like or surpass my mother."

"That sounds hard," Applejack said.

"You have no idea," Sunset responded, her tone soft. "I did everything I could to become as powerful as her, to not only prove my worth as a princess but to make her proud of me."

Applejack watched as Sunset's ears fell as she looked down at her hands.

"But I ended up betraying her." Tears welled up in Sunset's eyes as she recalled their fight just before she ran away to this world. "She must really hate me."

Sunset saw a hand lay on top of hers and she looked up to see a smiling Applejack.

"Yer mom doesn't hate you, Sunset," Applejack said gently.

"How can you be so sure?" Sunset asked.

"Because she's yer mom," Applejack said simply. "Like ah told yah when yah were helping out at the farm, yer mom will always love yah. Because she knows the real you."

Applejack closed her eyes as an image of her own mother smiling at her flashed in her mind She felt a familiar warmth envelope her heart every time she thought of her. But then it vanished and was replaced with shame as she realized how hypocritical what she said to Sunset was.

Applejack felt herself being pulled forward before being enveloped in a hug.

"Thank you, Applejack," Sunset thanked her friend.

Applejack was a little taken aback but returned the hug.

"Anytime, sugarcube."

"Princess Twilight, Rainbow Dash and young Spike, it's good to see all of you again," Luna greeted the three formally.

"Princess Luna, it's good to see you too," Twilight bowed along with her two companions before erupting in giggles.

Luna pulled them all in a tight hug which the three happily returned.

"Thanks for coming, Twilight. I hope my sister and I didn't inconvenience you?" Luna asked as she broke the hug.

"Not at all. Right, Rainbow Dash?" Twilight assured the Lunar Princess before turning to her marefriend.

"Don't sweat it. We're more than happy to visit," Rainbow Dash said as she wrapped a wing around Twilight.

"Yeah!" Spike agreed as he stood next to Twilight.

Luna eyed Spike as she recalled what her sister had told her yesterday. She leaned her head down to look the young dragon in the eyes.

"Uh," Spike shifted nervously under Luna's stare.

Lune smiled before raising her head and looked at Twilight.

"You've done an excellent job at raising him, Twilight."

"Oh, uh, thank you." Twilight was a little taken aback by Luna's compliment.

"Come now, my sister is waiting for us in the dining room," Luna said as she lead the way.

Twilight, Spike and Rainbow Dash cast a glance at one another before following Luna. They eventually arrived at the dining room where Princess Celestia was waiting for them.

"Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Spike, welcome," Celestia greeted as she approached the group.

"It's good to see you, Princess Celestia," Twilight greeted her mentor as she gave her a hug. "I hope it's alright that I brought Spike and Rainbow with me?"

"It's perfectly alright Twilight," Celestia assured her. "Please have a seat."

Twilight nodded as she, Rainbow Dash and Spike took a seat on the right side of the table. Celestia took her place at the head while her sister took a seat to her left.

"So what did you want to talk to me about, Celestia?" Twilight asked.

"How is Sunset doing?" Celestia asked.

"Oh, she's doing great!" Twilight answered. "She has been messaging me through the journals about the slumber parties she's had with that world's version of my friends. They've become really close and consider each other to be family."

"I-I see," Celestia said. Although she was happy to hear that Sunset was doing great, she still felt a pang in her heart at hearing how Sunset and her friends was family.

"Princess?" Twilight said in concern.

"I'm alright Twilight. I'm just relieved to hear that my little sun is doing alright," Celestia assured her.

"Little sun?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

Celestia's horn glowed as she cast a soundproof spell around the room, "Listen my little ponies, what I am about to tell you is something only a hooffull of ponies know. You must keep what I am about to tell you a secret until I say it's okay."

The trio was surprised at this.

"Not even tell the rest of our friends?" Twilight asked.

"You can tell them. They are trustworthy ponies who won't tell anypony else," Celestia said. "You see, Sunset Shimmer is my daughter."

Twilight's eyes bugged out as her jaw hit the table.

"Whoa," Spike uttered in shock.

"YOUR DAUGHTER?! SUNSET IS YOUR DAUGHTER?!" Twilight shouted.

"Is it so hard to believe that I have a daughter, Twilight? One would think that a pony being the mother of a baby dragon is more unbelievable," Celestia said, smiling slyly at Twilight.

"I, uh..." Twilight trailed off as she cast a glance to Spike who simply smiled at her. "I guess you got me there, but even so it's still a shock to know you have a daughter!"

"If it's alright to ask, who's the father?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"It's Discord, of course," Celestia answered with a smile.

"DISCORD?!" the trio shouted in unison.

"That was my reaction too," Luna said as she chuckled.

"You mean to tell me that you and Discord...." Twilight trailed off as her cheeks turned red.

"It's best not to think about that, Twilight," Luna advised.

Twilight looked over to Luna and when they made eye contact, Twilight's eyes widened in realization.

"Sunset has your eyes!"

"So I've been told," Luna said proudly.

"This is unbelievable.....Sunset is Celestia's daughter.....Princess Celestia has a daughter....with Discord!" Twilight mumbles to herself, her mind still processing this latest world-shattering revelation.

"So does Discord know?" Spike asked as Twilight continued to mumble to herself.

"No. I haven't had the chance to tell him yet," Celestia answered.

"Wait a minute!" Twilight said. "If you and Discord are her parents, then why was Sunset born a unicorn?"

Both alicorns blinked at this and Luna looks to Celestia curiously.

"That's...a very good question," Luna said.

"To be honest that never crossed my mind," Celestia admitted. "I was just happy that Sunset was born healthy."

"I guess that's all that really matters," Twilight said as she wrapped her wing around Spike and nuzzled him.

Celestia smiled at seeing this.

"I always felt envious whenever I see you take care of Spike."

"Huh?" Twilight looked at Celestia in confusion.

"Seeing you two together always reminded me of what I’ve lost," Celestia said, smiling sadly.

"Hey, why don't you just visit your daughter?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I want to, but she seems to be having a wonderful time with her friends from what you told me. I don't want to bother her," Celestia said.

"Is that really the only reason?" Luna asked, arching an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"My guess is that Celestia fears what my niece would say to her after all these years. They didn't part on good terms after all," Luna elaborated.

"I could ask her if she wants to see you," Twilight offered.

"Thank you, Twilight, but I don't think that would be such a good-"

"Nonsense, sister. It doesn't hurt to ask," Luna said. "This was the reason why you summoned Twilight."

"You're right, I can't waste this opportunity," Celestia realized. "Twilight, would you please send Sunset a message? Tell her, her mother wishes to see her."

"Sure thing, Celestia," Twilight said with a smile.

"Hey, I just realized something," Spike said, gaining everyone's attention.

"What is it, Spike?" Twilight asked.

"Nightmare Moon, Discord and Sunset were all villains we've faced and reformed who are all Princess Celestia's family," Spike pointed out.

"Now that you mention it..." Twilight trailed off as she looked at Luna.

"D-don't look at me like that!" Luna warned, her cheeks turning red in embarrassment. "Anyway, there's another favor we'd like to ask you!"

Celestia's face morphed into a serious one as she explained her dream.

"Ms. Pie, please don't eat that! You don't know where it came from!" Rarity implored her party planner friend as she was eating what appeared to be cotton candy.

"Of course I know where it's from, Rarity! It came from the sky!" Pinkie Pie said as she pulled out a giant butterfly net and ran outside the lunchroom. The girls saw her from the window as she swung the butterfly net over some pink colored clouds.

"First, it was raining ice cream and now we’ve got cotton candy clouds," Rainbow Dash said aloud. Strange things had been happening since the crazy scene this morning.

The water fountains came to life and started spraying water all over the students, Rarity's makeup started acting on its own and made her look like a clown, Fluttershy's pet bunny Angel transformed into one of those rabbits from The Dark Crystal. Even Trixie's bunny which she used for her magic tricks turned into a bunny dragon.

"Hey, you girls want some?" Pinkie Pie offered as she came back with more cotton candy clouds.

"Maybe later, Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy said nervously.

"Do you suppose Sunset could be responsible?" Rainbow Dash questioned. "Her room was the first thing that went crazy and we did see her change it with the snap of her fingers."

"Dashi! Are you saying Sunny is doing this on purpose?!" Pinkie Pie gasped.

"What?! No, no , no, no, no! I don't think Sunset is doing this on purpose!" Rainbow Dash said desperately. "Maybe she's doing this without realizing it?"

"That certainly is a possibility, darling," Rarity said. "I do hope Princess Twilight responds soon."

"Yeah," Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash said in unison.

Just then their smartphones’ alerts went off, along with everyone else’s in the lunchroom.

"You have got to be kidding me," Rainbow Dash groaned as she pulled out her phone to check what Anon-A-Miss had posted now.

"What the?!" a student shouted.

"How did Anon-A-Miss know this?!" another student shouted.

"Oh my," Fluttershy was surprised to see so many posts by Anon-A-Miss.

"It seems that Anon-A-Miss is now targeting the other students," Rarity said as suddenly the whole auditorium erupted in laughter, outrage and some arguments.

Anon-A-Miss was no longer holding back.

Chaos Effect

"I can't believe you!" Lyra yelled angrily at Bon Bon. "You were a member of the Paranormal Investigation Squad (PIS) and you didn't tell me!"

"I'm sorry, Lyra!" Bon Bon apologized. "But the first rule about the club is to not talk about the club. It’s a secret club after all."

"You know how much I wanted to join that club, especially after the incident at the Fall Formal!" Lyra said as she was suddenly wearing a chicken suit.

"Sorry ma'am, but that can't be done," Bon Bon said as she was suddenly dressed in secret agent attire. "Only specialized individuals can join.”

"Pukaaak!" Lyra squawked as she started pecking at Bon Bon.

"Ma'am!" Bon Bon tried to block Lyra's pecks but she jumped on top of her and started pecking at her head.

"Are you guys seeing this?" Rainbow Dash asked as her eyes were glued to the scene of Lyra pecking at Bon Bon.

"Um, not at the moment, darling," Rarity said as she watched Big Macintosh arguing with one of his friends, except that they were both in swim trunks which showed off their muscular physiques. She fanned herself with her hand. "Oh my."

"So much for the big bad girl," a student mocked as he looked at a picture of Gilda hugging a unicorn plushie.

"What was that, Dumbbell?" Gilda demanded threateningly through gritted teeth.

"I said-" Dumbbell was suddenly transformed into a musketeer. "En garde!"

"You asked for it, sir!" Gilda said as she took up a fencing stance as she too was transformed into a musketeer.

The two started their duel while all around them, the arguing students transformed into clowns, ballerinas, mimes, wrestlers and even superheroes.

"We have to stop them before someone gets hurt," Fluttershy said with worry.

"On it!" Pinkie Pie said as she put on a chicken suit and hurried over to Lyra and Bon Bon. "Pukak, pukak!"

Rainbow Dash went over to stop Gilda and Dumbbell, narrowly avoiding the tip of Gilda's rapier.

"Knock it off, you guys!" Rainbow shouted.

"Step aside, madam!" Dumbbell commanded as he moved around Rainbow Dash to continue his duel with Gilda

"I said knock it off!" Rainbow tried to stop them again but then she was suddenly teleported upside down onto the ceiling. "Oh come on!"

"There's no need to fight, boys. We're all friends here," Rarity said as she got between Big Mac and his friend, placing her hand on each of their chiseled chests. "Maybe I can be of some assistance?” Rarity batted her eyelashes as she rubbed their chests. She was enjoying the feeling of their strong muscles when she was suddenly consumed in a puff of smoke and vanished.

"Ugh! What are you doing on the Great and Powerful Trixie's stage?!" Trixie yelled at Rarity.

"Wait a minute, where did the hunks go?!" Rarity said in confusion as she looked around.

"Don't ignore Trixie!" Trixie stomped her foot in frustration. "Trixie was doing her disappearing act but you showed up instead!"

"Sorry darling, but I need to get back to the lunchroom," Rarity said hastily as she was about to leave but Trixie stopped her.

"Just wait a minute, Trixie would like to ask you something," Trixie said.

"Alright, just make it quick," Rarity said as he crossed her arms and waited for Trixie to ask her question.

"How's Sunset doing?" Trixie asked with clear concern.

Rarity was surprised, she didn't expect Trixie to ask that, "Why would you want to know that?"

"Trixie has her reason," Trixie said as she crossed her arms. "Now, are you going to tell me or not?"

Rarity eyed Trixie suspiciously, but figured that it would do no harm in telling her.

"It's....kind of hard to say."

"What kind of answer is that?" Trixie said, a bit annoyed that Rarity wasn't telling her.

"Sunset has a fever over 465 degrees, darling," Rarity told her.

"WHAT?!" Trixie gasped. "How is that possible?! No normal person can survive a fever like that!"

"Sunset isn't exactly a normal person, is she?" Rarity pointed out.

"That's true," Trixie admitted.

"To be honest, we don't know what exactly is happening to her so we sent a message to Princess Twilight to ask her for assistance," Rarity explained as she rubbed her arm anxiously. "Then there's these bizarre things that happened to the town earlier this morning and happening to our friends now."

"Bizarre how?" Trixie questioned before her eyes widened in realization. "You mean what happened with my rabbit?"

"Precisely," Rarity nodded, but then her smartphone started ringing and as she went pulled it out of her skirt pocket.
She saw that it was Fluttershy calling her. "Hello?"

“Rarity, are you okay?” Fluttershy asked worriedly. “You disappeared so suddenly.”

"I'm alright , Fluttershy. I was transported to the auditorium and I'm with Trixie now," Rarity explained.

"Thank goodness. Listen, you're not going to believe this, but everyone's back to normal," Fluttershy told her.

"What?" Rarity said in surprise.

"It's just like what happened this morning. This is all so strange.”

"I'll call Applejack to see if there's any word from Twilight and then I'll get back to the lunchroom," Rarity explained.

"Okay," Fluttershy said simply.

"I'll see you in a bit, darling," Rarity bid her shy friend goodbye before hanging up. "Well it was nice talking to you, Trixie, but I'm afraid I must be going now."

As Rarity walked down the stage and out of the auditorium, Trixie watched her leave with a thoughtful expression.

"Perhaps Trixie should see for herself how badly Sunset has fallen ill," Trixie said while nodding, a confident smile spreading on her lips.

"What....what did we just see?" Applebloom asked her friends in complete shock and confusion.

"I have absolutely no idea what just happened," Diamond Tiara commented. There was just so much strange stuff happening at once that her brain was unable to process it all.

"And I thought the people of this school were weird before," Silver Spoon remarked.

"First, it was raining ice cream this morning and now this," Scootaloo commented. What was going on? The occasional magical event was the norm in CHS since the Fall Formal, but this was on a whole other level of strange.

"What do you suppose is happening?" Sweetie Belle asked, a hint of fear in her tone.

"It's obviously magic related," Diamond Tiara pointed out. "I'm sure your sisters have it covered."

"What about Anon-A-Miss, though?" Silver Spoon reminded everyone. "She's now posting everyone's secrets."

"I'm still having a hard time believing that Sunset would do this," Diamond Tiara sighed sadly. "It makes no sense why she would do this."

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo casted a nervous glance at each other.

"Mah sister and her friends don't think she did it either," Applebloom suddenly blurted out.

"Really?" Diamond Tiara asked as she looked at Applebloom.

"Yeah, Sunset is actually really sick and they are taking care of her," Applebloom explained.

"Is that why your sister isn't here?" Silver Spoon asked.

"Yeah, Applejack sent me a text sayin' that she was staying with Sunset today while the rest of her friends went to school," Applebloom explained.

"I hope she gets better," Diamond Tiara said in concern. The old her wouldn't have worried about anyone else’s health.
But ever since CMC opened her eyes, she started to demonstrate a bit more compassion and be a little more sympathetic to the plight of others.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle's faces fell at this and it didn't go unnoticed.

"What's the matter?" Diamond Tiara asked.

"And what's with those looks?" Silver Spoon added.

"Yah see, Nurse Red Heart visited Sunset yesterday to check how she was feelin'," Applebloom began. "And well, it wasn't good."

"W-what do you mean?" Diamond Tiara asked nervously, a pit of fear growing in her stomach. "What's wrong with her?"

"She has a fever of over 465 degrees," Sweetie Belle told them grimly.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon gasped.

"And it continues to get higher," Applebloom added, her tone filled with sadness.

"How is she even still alive?" Silver Spoon asked, stunned by this revelation.

"Ah'm not entirely sure, but Rarity wrote a message to Princess Twilight usin' Sunset's journal to ask her fer help," Applebloom told them.

"How is writing in Sunset's journal going to send a message to the princess?" Diamond Tiara was skeptical.

"Beats me; it must be magic or somethin'" Applebloom shrugged.

"Maybe she can fix what's goin on," Silver Spoon said just as a fruit hat appeared on top of her head. Suddenly the group of young girls started dancing as they were dressed in festive dresses and fruit hats.

Principal Celestia was having lunch in her office with her sister, but unlike their previous rendezvous, there was tension in the air.

"I'm sure Sunset will be fine," Luna assured her older sister.

"You heard what Red Heart said, Lulu. Sunset is beyond fine," Celestia reminded her little sister.

"I know, Cellie. She also said that there was nothing that she could have done to help her," Luna also reminded her big sister with a raised eyebrow.

Both sisters glared at each other before Celestia let out a tired sigh.

"I'm sorry, Luna. It's just..." Celestia trailed off.

"I know, Celestia. I feel the same way," Luna said as she laid a comforting hand on top of her sister's hand. She gave Celestia a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure Princess Twilight will know what's wrong with Sunset and help her."

"I certainly hope so," Celestia said as she placed her own hand on top of Luna's. "Maybe she has an answer for this as well."

Celestia looked up or rather down as both she and Vice-Principal Luna were sitting on the ceiling with everything in the office stuck to the ceiling except for the door which was on the floor.

"Just what in the world is happening?" Luna asked, annoyed.

"I admit, I kind of like it," Celestia said as she sipped her tea.

"You would like it," Luna snorted as she rolled her eyes. "You've always had some bizarre tastes, Cellie."

"And just what exactly is that suppose to mean?" Celestia asked, feeling offended.

"For someone who prides themselves on order, the things you enjoy would throw anyone for a loop," Luna said with a mischievous smirk. "And that extends to your taste in men and women. I remember one time in college you wanted to start your own harem of men and women."

"I thought we agreed never to talk about that," Celestia said through gritted teeth.

"But why, sister?" Luna asked before realizing something. "Oh that's right, your plans were foiled before they could even begin by - how did you put it? - 'the most annoying person in the world'," Luna air quoted.

Luna watched her sister groan before resting her forehead on her table. How she loved getting under her skin.

"Cheer up, sister. Everything worked out for you in the long run," Luna said with a smile.

Celestia lifted her head to glare at her sister before eyeing one of her drawers containing a very special item.

"I won't deny that, but even so..." Celestia trailed off as she reached over to pinch Luna's cheek. "That doesn't mean you can make fun of your big sister."

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!" Luna cried out in pain before reaching over to punch Celestia's leg.

"So you wanna fight huh?" Celestia stood up as she backed away from her sister, suddenly wearing a wrestling costume.

"I'm gonna wipe that arrogant smirk off your face, sister," Luna declared, wearing her own wrestling costume.

"You've been saying that for years! it's not going to happen!" Celestia shouted as a wrestling mask materialized on her face.

Celestia's office transformed into a wrestling ring. Both sisters glared at each from opposite corners of the ring. Luna let out a battle cry as her own wrestling mask materialized over her face before charging at Celestia.

Gilda was fuming as she stormed down the halls of CHS. Ever since her photo of her hugging her unicorn plushie got posted, she had become a laughing stock. It didn't help that someone taped a unicorn plushie on her locker which caused everyone to laugh when she found it. But unknown to everyone else, Gilda didn't throw the plushie away, she placed it in her backpack without anyone noticing.

What people didn’t know was that Gilda loved unicorns and collected anything that was related to them. She secretly dreamed of meeting a real life unicorn. But if people ever found out about her dream then her reputation as CHS’ toughest student would be over.

"Toughest student? more like pushover."

Gilda gritted her teeth as she recalled Sunset's words to her when she beat her. Being the toughest kid in school at the time, Sunset had challenged her to a fight. Gilda was all too eager to accept and as the fight began, Gilda struggled to land a single hit on Sunset who mocked her with each failed attempt. Gilda became increasingly more frustrated and when she tried to land another punch. Sunset took this opportunity to not only dodge it but deliver her own punch to the teen’s face, knocking her out.

When Gilda woke up, she found herself in the nurse's office. She couldn't recall what happened until Nurse Red Heart explained that she suffered a mild concussion and needed to rest while her grandfather was on his way to pick her up. She also explained that it was Sunset who brought her to her office and after asking her some questions, Red Heart left her to get some rest.

It took Gilda a full week to recover and during that time, Sunset had taken over the school.

"Hey Gilda!"

Gilda snapped out of her thoughts and noticed Lightning Dust jogging over to her.

"What do you want?" Gilda asked in irritation.

"Just wanted to see how you were holding up," Lightning Dust said with a shrug.

"Pft, as if you don't already know," Gilda growled as she walked around Lightning Dust.

"I also know that you want to get even with Anon-A-Miss," Lightning Dust said.

Gilda stopped and turned her head to slightly to look at Lightning Dust.

"Anon-A-Miss posted something about you too, huh?"

"As if you had to ask," Lightning Dust growled. A video of her failing to kick a soccer ball and landing in an embarrassing position was posted and like Gilda, she was the laughing stock of the school. "She's posted something about everybody and they have a few words they want to say to her."

"Her? What makes you so sure she's a she?" Gilda asked as she fully turned around to face Lightning Dust.

"I heard Dash and her friends talking about who did it. And it's Sunset," Lightning Dust informed her.

"I heard everyone saying the same thing, except I don't buy it," Gilda said as she crossed her arms. "This aint Sunset's style."

"True, but the Rainbooms are the ones saying it. Not to mention their secrets were posted first and continued to be posted too," Lightning Dust pointed out.

"That still doesn't prove she did it, and why do it this way? Especially since she could just..." Gilda shivered in fear as she thought of the Demon that Sunset had become. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to die.”

"Neither do I," Lightning Dust said as she also shivered involuntarily when an image of Demon Sunset flashed in her mind.

"How about we pay Dash a visit?" Gilda suggested. "She'll probably know what's going on."

"And what if it is Sunset posting our secrets?" Lightning Dust asked.

"Not much we can do even if it is her," Gilda said with a shrug. "Like I said, I don't want to die or be turned into a mindless slave."

"Then I'll see you after school is over," Lightning Dust said as she was suddenly wearing a ballerina outfit and danced away.

"See yah," Gilda said goodbye to Lightning Dust before sitting on her canoe and rowing away.

"Hey, Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo waved to her honorary big sister as she jogged towards her.

"Hey, Scoots," Rainbow Dash greeted her honorary little sister as she closed her locker. "Listen, I know that we're supposed to hang out today but do you mind if we hang out at Sunset's place?"

Scootaloo's smile faltered at hearing that.

Scootaloo asked, "Why do you want to hang out at Sunset's place?"

"Because she's sick and me and the girls are taking care of her," Rainbow Dash explained as she started leading Scootaloo towards the front exit of the school.

Scootaloo was quiet for a moment before asking Rainbow Dash a question.

"Um, Rainbow Dash?"

"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash glanced down at Scootaloo who shifted nervously under her gaze.

"Applebloom and Sweetie Belle told me that Sunset was sick and.....is it really as bad as they say it is?"

Rainbow Dash stopped walking. She turned her head to look at Scootaloo who saw something in the athletes eyes that she had never seen before; fear.

"Scootaloo, she's-"

"Hey, Rainbow Crash!"

Rainbow groaned in annoyance as she recognized the voice and angrily turned around to glare at Dumbbell.

"What do you want, Dumbbell? And what's with the group behind you?"

"Them? They just want to ask you about Sunset, same as me," Dumbbell shrugged.

"And what exactly do you want with Sunset?" Rainbow Dash demanded, crossing her arm as she stood in front of Scootaloo.

"We wanna know if she's Anon-A-Miss," Lightning Dust said as she stepped in front of the group.

Rainbow Dash glared at Lightning Dust. If these guys planned to attack Sunset, then they would need to go through her first. Rainbow Dash already had too much to deal with, like Sunset's sickness, Anon-A-Miss, and the crazy reality-warping magic that was running amok. It was really weird. As soon as everything returned to normal, nobody remembered the crazy stuff that happened to them. At least, that was what it seemed.

But Rainbow Dash wasn't going to let these guys touch Sunset.

"You aren't going anywhere near her!" Rainbow Dash stated, her glare hardened.

"Like you have a choice," Hoops said as he stood besides Lightning Dust. "You can't take on all of us alone."

"What makes you think she's alone?"

The group of students turned around to see Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.

"You're still outnumbered," Score said, smiling confidently.

Rarity simply smiled as she walked towards the group.

"Oh, darling, this doesn't need to end in violence, you know."

Rarity ran her fingers across Score's chest as she walked past him. She fluttered her eyes at Hoops before looking at Dumbbell.

"I'm confident we can come to an agreement," Rarity said in a seductive voice as she placed her right hand on Dumbbell's chest.

Dumbbell, Hoops, Score and the other boys in the group were completely smittened by Rarity, their eyes instantly turned to hearts.

"Whatever you say," Dumbbell said goofily.

"We weren't going to anything to hurt Sunset, honest," Hoops said as he scratched his rosy cheek.

"Do you all promise?" Rarity asked as she walked towards Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo before turning her head to look at the group, her eyes sparkling.

"Yes!" All the boys eagerly agreed.

"They never stood a chance," Gilda chuckled which brought the Rainbooms’ attention to her. "We're not going to harm Sunset."

"We were never going to in the first place," Lightning Dust added.

Rainbow Dash blinked in confusion, "Seriously?"

"Yeah, Dash. If we even tried anything, I'm sure Sunset would kill us," Gilda said.

"I-I don't think Sunset would go that far," Fluttershy said nervously as she observed the group of students that she assumed wanted to hurt Sunset.

"She'd probably break our bones," Lightning Dust shrugged.

"Don't forget that Sunset can use magic, so she can probably turn you guys into dolls if she wanted to!" Pinkie Pie said, smiling widely.

The group of students who planned to visit Sunset paled at hearing this, some even imagined Sunset putting their dolls on display as trophies.

"I...didn't think of that," Lightning Dust said nervously as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

Suddenly, Lightning Dust and the group of students were transformed into dolls.

"Oh my!" Rarity gasped at seeing the dolls.

"The hell?!" Rainbow Dash was shocked to see this.

But it didn't last long as they turned back to normal.

"That's another reason why Sunset couldn't be Anon-A-Miss," Gilda said, completely unaware that she and the other members of her group were turned into dolls.

"I'd sure hate to be turned into a doll," Lightning Dust chuckled.

Scootaloo watched in confusion as the group started joking about being turned into dolls. She looked to Rainbow Dash and whispered to her.

"Um, don't they realize that they just turned into dolls?"

"I guess all this crazy stuff is making them forget somehow," Rainbow Dash whispered back.

"Now everyone, if you all promise to behave yourselves then we will take you to Sunset's apartment where you can see for yourselves that she isn't Anon-A-Miss," Rarity said as she walked towards the exit with the group following her.

Once Rarity pushed open the door they instantly found themselves inside Sunset's apartment building.

"Hey! we're here!" Pinkie Pie cheered.

"Wha-when-how?!" Rainbow Dash looked around in shock at seeing that they were inside Sunset's apartment building. She turned to the front door as the last person walked in. She could see the hallway of CHS just before the door closed and as she looked through the glass of the door she could see the outside of the apartment building.

Rainbow Dash walked a couple of steps towards the door and upon opening it, was met with the cold air of the outside.

"H-how can this be possible?" Rainbow Dash muttered as she stared at the outside.

"Rainbow, darling. Would you please close the door. It's freezing. Literally!" Rarity said through chattering teeth as her winter outfit started accumulating ice.

Rainbow Dash looked down at herself and noticed that she too was starting to freeze so she quickly closed the door.

"What the hell was that?!" Rainbow demanded as she wiped away the ice that had formed on her.

"Gosh, I don't remember it ever being that cold," Fluttershy said with worry.

"Indeed, this whole situation is insane!" Rarity commented as she too wiped away the ice that had formed on her clothing. "Princess Twilight cannot come soon enough."

"What are you dweeps talking about?" Gilda asked as she crossed her arms. "Are you gonna show us Sunset or not? I've got to go to work soon."

"Alright, alright just hold your horses," Rainbow Dash said as she lead everyone up the stairs, but then the stairs started moving up, essentially becoming an escalator.

"Seriously?!" Rainbow Dash said annoyed. "Whatever, at least it's useful."

"Of course escalators are useful Dash," Gilda said as she rolled her eyes. "I know you like to do things the hard way but let the escalator do its job."

The group started laughing much to Rainbow Dash's annoyance as they let the escalator bring them up to Sunset's apartment floor. As soon as they stepped off it turned back into plain old stairs. Rainbow Dash walked towards Sunset's apartment and pulled out the spare key from her pocket. Once she opened the door, the group walked in and headed towards Sunset's bedroom.

"Wait, where's Applejack?" Pinkie Pie asked curiously.

"Up here Pinkie."

The group looked up and saw that Applejack was sitting on the ceiling, reading a book.

"Howdy, y’all," Applejack greeted -looking down, or up in her case - before looking in front of her. "Yah should have told me y’all were bringing over some guests."

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Scootaloo turned around to see that the group of students were gone.

"Where did they go?" Fluttershy asked. She then felt something tug at her coat sleeve and looked down to see that it was Scootaloo.

"Look up," Scootaloo said as she pointed upwards.

The girls looked up and saw that Gilda and her group were also upside down on the ceiling.

"We're here to see Sunset," Lightning Dust said.

"And what exactly do yah want with her?" Applejack questioned as she placed her book on her lap and narrowed her eyes at the group.

"It's alright, darling. They're just here to see for themselves that Sunset is not Anon-A-Miss," Rarity explained.

Applejack raised an eyebrow at the group before standing up and as soon as she did that, she was back on the floor
along with the rest of the group.

"If yah say so, just don't make me regret this," Applejack warned.

"They'll be on their best behavior. Isn't that right, boys?" Rarity gestured to the group.

"Yes, Rarity!" the boys of the group voiced their agreement.

Applejack led the group towards Sunset's bedroom and as she reached for the door she suddenly switched places with Rainbow Dash.

"What in tarnation?!" Applejack said in shock as she found herself away from the front of the group.

Rainbow Dash just sighed before opening the door.

"I present to you, 'Anon-A-Miss'," Rainbow Dash said with a lot of dry sarcasm.

The group saw Sunset lying in bed, with blankets on top of her body, breathing heavily. She was hot and freezing at the same time, which could be seen as she breathed out fire and then icy wind. Also, there were literal dust bunnies just hopping around her bedroom.

"Oh no!" Fluttershy gasped as she pushed past the group to enter Sunset's bedroom. "You shouldn't be here. My friend is sick and needs her rest."

Fluttershy attempted to pick up one of the dust bunnies but as soon as she did, it burst into a cloud of dust causing Fluttershy to cough. The dust bunnies stopped their hopping to look at Fluttershy before they too burst into dust.

"You okay, Fluttershy?" Pinkie Pie asked as she pulled out an oversized fan and blew away the dust in a single swing.

"I'm okay. Thank you, Pinkie," Fluttershy gratefully thanked her best friend.

Gilda and her group entered Sunset's bedroom before gathering around the sick girl.

"Still think it's Sunset?" Rainbow Dash asked with a raised eyebrow, arms crossed over her chest.

"I never thought she was," Gilda responded. "I'm not stupid, Dash. Sunset was manipulative, cunning and sometimes ruthless but she isn't stupid."

"What kind of idiots would believe she's behind all this? Especially if they know what she's really like," Lightning Dust narrowed her eyes at the rest of her group.

The Rainbooms flinched at this unintended jab. Scootaloo herself cast her gaze downward as Lightning Dust's words affected her too.

Sunset groaned as her eyes fluttered open and she saw those weird shapes surrounding her bed.

"When did the Muppets get here?" Sunset asked with a small smile.

Instantly, Gilda and her group turned into Muppet versions of themselves..

"Are they here for the wedding?" Sunset questioned.

"What the?!" Rainbow Dash was shocked to discover that she was now wearing a wedding dress.

"Fer goodness sake!" Applejack said in annoyance as she too was in a wedding dress.

"Yay! We're getting married!" Pinkie Pie cheered as she was in a pink wedding dress.

"Oh my," Fluttershy blushed as she held her bouquet close to herself.

"I look simply gorgeous!" Rarity said as she inspected her own wedding gown.

"Uhhh," Scootaloo blinked as she was wearing a dress and holding a basket of flowers.

But then Sunset started coughing violently, causing everyone to turn back to normal. Her body started flashing red as her coughing fit continued.

"Don't crowd around her! Give her some space!" Rainbow Dash ordered Gilda and her group who complied.

Once he group dispersed, Scootaloo could clearly see Sunset and see didn't look good. The young athlete could see that Sunset was suffering and struggling to breath.

"OW!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she held her hand in pain. She got burned when she tried to hold Sunset's hand in an attempt to calm her down. "Nobody touch her or you'll get burned!"

Scootaloo became scared as everyone was starting to panic as they didn't know what to do. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to her right to see Fluttershy.

"It's okay. Sunset will be fine," the animal lover assured Scootaloo.

Scootaloo could see the fear in Fluttershy's eyes. She too was scared but was trying to remain calm for Scootaloo's sake.

"I think she's calming down," Lightning Dust pointed out as Sunset's coughing started to die down.

The group watched as Sunset's body stopped flashing red and her coughing stopped. The Rainbooms carefully approached Sunset who appeared to be resting peacefully. Suddenly, Sunset's pony ears twitched and she transformed into a pony.

The room went quiet before the silence was broken by Gilda and Fluttershy's high pitched squeals. They both rushed over to Sunset's bed to get a closer look at a real live unicorn.

"I can't believe it...A real live unicorn!" Gilda squealed.

"She's so cute!" Fluttershy gushed alongside her.

The pony Sunset then sneezed which turned her back into a human but still ponied up, much to the disappointment of Fluttershy and Gilda. Sunset groaned as she started to open her eyes. She saw blurry shapes but once her vision started to focus, she was able to recognize them.

"Gilda? Fluttershy?" Sunset questioned before sitting up, looking around her bedroom she noticed the rest of the group. "What's going on?"

Her eyes then landed on Scootaloo and she smiled.

"Hi, Scootaloo."

"H-hi," Scootaloo greeted back nervously.

Sunset's eyes closed before collapsing back on her bed.

"Nighty-night," Sunset mumbled before falling asleep.

The group watched Sunset carefully, waiting to see if any more weirdness would happen. Unfortunately, they were looking in the wrong direction.

"Ow!"

Everyone snapped their heads towards Sunset's bedroom door as they heard a noise.

"What was that?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I can't believe you convinced me to try this," a familiar voice said.

"Well, you said your car was in the shop and this was the fastest way to get here," another eerily familiar voice spoke.

"No way," Rainbow Dash muttered before dashing towards Sunset's bedroom door and as soon as she opened it she saw Flash Sentry dusting himself off.

"Flash?"

At hearing his name, Flash turned to see Rainbow Dash and smiled, "Hi, Rainbow."

"What are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash questions as the others gather behind her. "How did you even get here?"

"Well it's-"

"It's thanks to The Great and Powerful Trixie!"

"You!" Rainbow Dash pointed at Trixie. "How did you get here?!"

"Trixie used her great magic to transport us here!" Trixie boasted.

"Yeah right," Rainbow Dash scoffed. "You don't have magic."

Trixie smirked as she took off her hat, "Behold and marvel at Trixie's magic!"

Trixie reached into her hat and pulled out Scootaloo in a chicken costume.

"Scootaloo?!" Rainbow Dash said in shock before looking back into the room to see that she was gone.

"Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo timidly said her honorary big sister's name, unsure of what was going on.

"See? Trixie does have magic and it's more powerful than yours!" Trixie declared as she narrowed her eyes at Rainbow Dash, a victorious smirk on her lips.

Rainbow Dash glared back as sparks could literally be seen flying between their glares.

Author's Note

Here's the next installment, I hope you all enjoy and I look forward to your comment as always. Special thanks to KR Chrome and Goji for their help.

Bitter Realization

Author's Note

I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I look forward to reading your comments. Thanks again to KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for their help with this chapter.

Bitter Realization

Diamond Tiara stood waiting by the fountain in the mall. Looking at her phone's screen, she watched the clock show the time before she tapped an icon which showed a picture of herself and her friends, the CMC. She then enlarged the image to zoom into it, focusing on Applebloom’s.

In the past, Diamond had always been jealous of how close Applebloom was to her family. The Apples may not be as wealthy as the Riches, but they were very much fulfilled and no amount of money could buy that kind of closeness and happiness. Diamond Tiara's own parents were always busy, what with her father running the Rich family business: Barnyard Bargains and her mother being a member of the school board. They barely spent any time with her and whenever they did they constantly reminded Diamond Tiara to be good or, in her mother's case, strictly remind her of her social standing.

Diamond Tiara let out a sigh. Those days had been lonely but things were different now. Back then, she only had Silver Spoon as her best friend and partner-in-crime. Now, she had more friends that she could count on one hand and nothing her mother said could ever change that.

"Diamond Tiara!"

Diamond Tiara turned to her right to see Applebloom jogging towards her, causing her heart to beat rapidly.

"Ah hope ah didn't keep yah waitin' long," Applebloom said as she stood in front of Diamond Tiara.

"N-not at all, I just got here a little while ago," Diamond Tiara assured Applebloom. Truth be told, she was just so excited about hanging out with Appleloom that she came to the mall a little earlier than their meetup time.

"So what do yah want to do?" Applebloom asked.

"Shopping, of course. It is the holidays after all," Diamond Tiara said matter-of-factly. She wanted to do some Christmas shopping and wanted Applebloom to do it with her.

"Who do yah have left to shop fer?" Applebloom asked.

"No one in particular," Diamond Tiara said as she looked away from Applebloom, her cheeks turning rosy. This was her chance to subtly find out what Applebloom would want for Christmas.

"Didja get a present fer Silver Spoon?" Applebloom asked.

At the mention of Silver Spoon's name, Diamond Tiara frowned.

"Yeah," Diamond Tiara answered unhappily.

"Is somethin' the matter?" Applebloom asked as she noticed the change in Diamond Tiara's tone.

"It's nothing. C'mon, let’s go!" Diamond Tiara brushed off Applebloom's question as she started walking away.

"Hey, wait up!" Applebloom went to catch up to Diamond Tiara.

The two of them entered a nearby clothing store and started trying on outfits. Diamond Tiara and Applebloom picked out some clothes for each other. They laughed at some of the goofy outfits they had chosen for one another and complimented one another when they tried on something that actually looked good. Diamond Tiara was really enjoying being with Applebloom, and it also helped take her mind off what happened with Silver Spoon earlier.

As they were checking out some accessories, Diamond Tiara spotted a bow that would look great on Applebloom. She noticed that Applebloom’s usually bow looked a bit old and worn so she might appreciate a new one.

‘This will look great with the scarf I made for her,’ Diamond Tiara thought happily. "I'll be right back, Applebloom. I'm going to pay for this." Diamond Tiara showed Applebloom the back of the case containing the ribbon before running off to the register.

"Okay," Applebloom said as she went back to looking over some winter wear. She spotted a winter hat that had a design of a tiara that looked like Diamond Tiara's hair clips. "Diamond would love this."

Deciding to get it for Diamond Tiara, Applebloom made her way towards the register with her item in hand. After making sure Diamond Tiara was not there, she proceeded to go stand in line.

"Lyra, please wait up!"

Applebloom turned around in the direction of the voice and saw Bon Bon running after Lyra who had a frown on her face.

"I don't want to talk to you right now, Bon Bon," Lyra said as she picked up her pace.

"But Lyra!"

Applebloom watched with guilt as Lyra and Bon Bon walked away. Those two had been very close friends until Bon Bon's secret got posted online by ‘Anon-A-Miss’. In fact, a lot of friendships were damaged because of them.

"I can't believe she would go behind my back like that."

Applebloom turned again as she saw a group of girls from her school looking over some clothes.

"I know, right? What kind of friend dates the boy you like behind your back?" the girl next to her said.

Applebloom looked away as soon as it was her turn to go up to the register. She paid for her item, got it gift wrapped, and went back to where she had been to see Diamond Tiara looking for her.

"There you are; where did you go?" Diamond Tiara asked. She was a little upset that Applebloom had left without telling her.

"Sorry," Applebloom apologized. “I just went to pay for something.”

Diamond Tiara noticed the sad tone in Applebloom's voice and became worried.

"Hey, what's the matter? I wasn't being too mean, was I?"

"What? Oh no! It isn't that!" Applebloom assured her.

"Then what is it?" Diamond Tiara questioned before realizing something. "Come to think of it, you were kind of out of it throughout school today too."

"Well, I-"

"Oh, it's you."

Applebloom and Diamond turned to the source of the voice to see an annoyed Silver Spoon standing there. She had her arms folded and eyes narrowed as if the sight of the two girls together angered her. Diamond Tiara’s eyes also narrowed angrily at her best friend.

"What are the odds of running into you here?" Silver Spoon asked sarcastically.

"If that's all you have to say then go away," Diamond Tiara said in an angry tone. "I'm not talking to you, remember?"

"Wait, what's going on?" Applebloom looked between them in confusion. She wondered what had gotten between the two girls.

"You see, I misplaced my necklace and when I asked Silver Spoon if she's seen it she said no," Diamond Tiara began. "But Anon-A-Miss posted a picture of her wearing my necklace!"

"Like I said, it didn't look any good on you so I was doing you a favor," Silver Spoon spat defensively.

"Silver Spoon! How can yah say that?!" Applebloom was shocked to hear this. "Diamond Tiara's yer best friend; how can yah steal her stuff?!"

Silver Spoon didn't say anything, although she started to feel ashamed due to Applebloom's words.

Diamond Tiara just glared at Silver Spoon before storming off.

"Diamond Tiara, wait!" Applebloom called out. She gave Silver Spoon one last apologetic look before running after Diamond Tiara.

Diamond Tiara headed towards the girls’ restroom and she threw open the door as she stormed inside. Applebloom gently pushed open the door and saw Diamond Tiara by the sink, rubbing her eyes.

"Diamond Tiara, are...are yah okay?" Applebloom asked carefully.

"Does it look like I'm alright?!" Diamond Tiara snapped, causing Applebloom to flinch, Diamond Tiara's eyes widened as she realized what she had done. "I-I'm so sorry, Applebloom."

"It's okay," Applebloom assured her as she approached.

"Some friend I am, huh?" Diamond Tiara questioned as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. "I guess I haven't really changed. I'm still the same mean person I was before."

"That's not true," Applebloom said gently but firmly. "Yah apologized for shoutin' at me; the old yah would have never done that."

Applebloom grabbed Diamond Tiara by her shoulders and made her distressed friend face her.

"Yah have changed, Diamond Tiara. Sure yah can be a bit stubborn and insensitive at times."

"Gee thanks," Diamond Tiara said sarcastically.

"But yah feel bad fer what yah did and do yer best to make up fer it and be better," Applebloom finished with a smile.

"How can I be better if people won't let go of what I did....like Sunset?" Diamond Tiara whispered the last part sadly.

"What do yah mean?" Applebloom asked.

"At school, when Anon-A-Miss posted those secrets, people have been blaming Sunset for it," Diamond Tiara explained. "Even after she saved us from the Dazzlings’ mind control, they blamed her for this."

"W-well, that's because Anon-A-Miss is set up in her image!" Applebloom quickly explained.

"Yeah, but the old Sunset that ruled the school wouldn't do that," Diamond Tiara countered. "She would work behind the scenes and made sure nothing was traced back to her. I actually admired her for her power and cunning."

Diamond Tiara gave Applebloom a sad smile.

"When Princess Twilight stopped her and Sunset tried her best to make up for all the bad stuff she did, I admired her even more. I thought that if I worked as hard as she did then maybe I'll be able to make up for all the bad stuff I’ve done too."

"Yah did make it up to me and the rest of our friends!" Applebloom stated. "Quit sayin' yer that person anymore, because to me yah aint."

Diamond Tiara's heart fluttered at Applebloom's words. Applebloom's belief in her was one of the reasons she was able to even come as far as she did from the horrible person she was prior. Because of her mother, she had been condescending, rude, arrogant, and a complete bitch to her classmates. It was thanks to Applebloom and the rest of the CMC that she found a chance to change for the better.

"Thank you, Applebloom. I don't know what I would do without you," Diamond Tiara thanked Applebloom. Her tone was sincere as she placed her hands on top of Applebloom's.

"Don't mention it," Applebloom said. "It's what friends do fer each other."

"Friends huh?" Diamond Tiara muttered, her heart hammering against her chest as she debated whether or not to act on her feelings. "S-say Applebloom?"

"Yeah?" Applebloom looked at Diamond Tiara who's cheeks turned red.

"There's something.....there's something I want to give you!" Diamond Tiara blurted out. She reached into her shopping bag and pulled out the bow she had bought before handing it to Applebloom.

Applebloom took the bow and looked it over. It wasn't anything too flashy and the bow itself had an apple pattern throughout.

"Thanks, Diamond Tiara," Applebloom thanked her friend as she flashed her a grateful smile.

"Also, I have something I want to say to you," Diamond Tiara said nervously.

"What is it?" Applebloom asked curiously.

"For the longest time. I've been nothing but a bitch to you and your friends. I went out of my way to embarrass you and make you miserable just to bring you down. But despite all that, you still went out of your way to help me be a better person. It’s thanks to your encouragement that I had the courage to stand up to my mother and our relationship has gotten better since then," Diamond Tiara started to say, her heart racing as she mustered up every ounce of courage she had to continue. "I will always be grateful for what you did for me, that's why I...."

Applebloom listened with great interest as Diamond Tiara tried to finish what she was saying and was shocked to see tears spilling from her eyes.

"Diamond Tiara, are you-"

"I know I have no right to say this, but..." Diamond Tiara cut Applebloom off, her voice choking as she spoke. "But I really like you Applebloom. Would you please go out with me?"

Applebloom was left speechless. Out of all the things Diamond Tiara could have said, this was far beyond what she imagined. She watched her former bully look at her expectantly, her legs shaking a little as she awaited her answer.

"I...." Applebloom trailed off as she tried to find the right words. Although she didn't feel the same way, she did find it fun and interesting to hang out with Diamond Tiara. Not to mention she was rather cute.

Applebloom smiled, which caused Diamond Tiara to smile as her heart filled with hope. Applebloom opened her mouth to say ‘yes’ but a thought suddenly hit her which caused her smile to fade: Anon-A-Miss.

Diamond Tiara's smile faltered as she watched Applebloom's smile disappear.

"A-Applebloom?"

"A-ah'm sorry, Diamond Tiara but I can't," Applebloom regrettably said.

Diamond Tiara's heart shattered into a million pieces.

"O-oh," Diamond Tiara felt tears begin to sting her eyes. "I guess you don't swing that way, huh?"

"That's not it at all," Applebloom said, her voice cracking.

"Then wha-" Diamond Tiara was surprised to see tears in Applebloom's eyes. "Applebloom, what's wrong?"

"Ah'm sorry, Diamond Tiara, but ah can't risk yah getting hurt because of me," Applebloom tearfully said.

"What do you mean? Why would I get hurt?" Diamond Tiara asked, confused as to what Applebloom was saying.

"Because ah'm Anon-A-Miss!" Applebloom confessed.

Diamond Tiara's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't believe what she had just heard.

"You're the reason the whole school is at eachothers’ throats?"

Applebloom nodded as she cried, "Ah'm sorry."

Before Diamond Tiara could speak again, Applebloom bolted out of the bathroom.

"Applebloom, wait!" Diamond Tiara called out her crush's name, holding out a hand towards the closing door. She wanted to go after her but she couldn't will her legs to move. She slowly let her hand fall back to her side as she simply stared at the door.

Applebloom ran as fast as she could, weaving through the crowds of people as she made her way towards the mall’s exit. It had pained her greatly to see the devastated look in Diamond Tiara's eyes when she turned her down but she had no choice.

‘It's better this way,’ Applebloom thought, but it did little to stop her heart from aching. ‘Ah can't drag Diamond into this mess. Ah can never forgive myself if she got hurt because of me.’

Applebloom knew that once the students found out that she and her friends were behind Anon-A-Miss and the ones responsible for posting their secrets, then all their anger would be viciously directed at the CMC.

‘We shouldn't have done this!’ Applebloom shouted internally. ‘We should've just confessed in the first place!’

Applebloom finally made it out of the mall. She stood to the side of the door, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. When she finally did, Applebloom stood up, took out her phone and sent a group text to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

“Emergency meeting at the clubhouse!”

Scootaloo watched from beside Fluttershy as the Rainbooms explained to Flash and Trixie what had been going on with Sunset.

"That's awful!" Flash said as he looked at Sunset with great concern. "Poor Sunset."

Trixie watched the sleeping Sunset, her worry growing at having heard the details of her condition. She gazed towards Sunset's journal which was resting atop the former unicorn's nightstand before walking towards it.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Rainbow Dash demanded as she watched Trixie pick up Sunset's journal.

"What does it look like? Trixie is sending the princess a message," Trixie said as she flipped open the journal to an empty page. With a flick of her wrist, a pen jumped out of her right sleeve which she caught and she began to write her message to the princess.

Rainbow Dash was about to say something when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Rarity shaking her head. This needed to be done.

"There!" Trixie said as her pen disappeared in a puff of smoke after she finished writing her message. She closed the journal and placed it back on the nightstand. "Trixie has written her message!"

"Great, then you can go now," Rainbow Dash said.

"Hmph, Trixie's business is done anyway," Trixie said before looking at Sunset. "Trixie wishes she could cure Sunset with her magic, but it's best to leave it to the expert."

Everyone in the room was shocked to hear this. Never in their wildest dreams did they think Trixie, the most boastful and prideful student of CHS, maybe even more so than Rainbow Dash would ever admit to someone being better than her.

"Are you okay, Trixie?" Rainbow Dash asked in concern.

"Trixie is fine, Rainbow Dash. It's Sunset that we should all be concerned about," Trixie reminded her before looking at Flash. "Trixie will be going home now. Do you need me to take you back?"

"I-I'm good, Trixie. Thanks, though," Flash said.

"Very well then," Trixie said before she raised her right hand into the air.

"Trixie, wait!" Applejack tried to warn Trixie but it was too late.

Trixie threw whatever she had in her hand against the floor, which caused the entire room to be filled with smoke, making everyone to cough.

"Show off," Rainbow Dash muttered between coughs.

The smoke quickly cleared and Trixie was nowhere to be seen.

"She's gone!" Pinkie said in shock. She started looking around before exiting Sunset's bedroom to check the rest of her apartment. "She really is gone!"

Everyone heard Pinkie Pie’s shout from somewhere in the apartment.

"I guess that's our cue to go as well," Gilda said.

"We already got what we came for," Lightning Dust added as she and her group started making their way out of Sunset's bedroom.

The Rainbooms followed the group out. Pinkie Pie was already at the apartment door with Gummy biting on her hair. The pink-haired party planner opened the door for them, each one thanking her as they exited the apartment.

Gilda stopped as she turned to face the Rainbooms.

"Listen, you probably know that a lot of kids at CHS believe that Sunset is posting their secrets on Anon-A-Miss."

"Yeah, we can hear them complaining about it," Rainbow Dash said.

"Did you know that it's because of you guys?" Lightning Dust questioned.

"What?!" The Rainbooms shout in unison.

"How is it our fault that they think it's Sunset?!" Rainbow Dash demanded, feeling insulted that Lightning Dust would even say that.

"It's because we heard you blame her when your pictures were posted," Lightning Dust explained.

"I actually heard someone say that too," Flash admitted as he crossed his arms. "I managed to overhear someone's conversation about how they doubted that Sunset was the one behind Anon-A-Miss until one of them mentioned that she heard you girls saying that Sunset went back to her old ways."

They Rainbooms became visibly uncomfortable from hearing this.

"So it's really our fault that the whole school blames Sunset?" Fluttershy asked, her eyes widening in realization. "What have we done!?"

"Don't sweat it. We'll spread the word that Sunset isn't responsible and that she's at home sick with her friends looking out for her," Gilda assured them, putting an extra emphasis on the word “friends”.

"Why, that's very kind of you, darling. Thank you," Rarity thanked Gilda, although she did notice the slight jab at her and her friends.

"Later," Lightning Dust waved goodbye as she exited the apartment to join the group.

Gilda merely gave everyone a nod before exiting herself and once the group was together. The floor flipped over, causing Gilda and her group to appear in the lobby of the building. The group then made their way outside the apartment building where they proceeded to flap their arms like wings and fly off.

The Rainbooms merely watched the empty spot where the group used to be before slowly closing the door.

"Well, that just happened," Rainbow Dash said, still trying to get used to the weirdness.

"Ah don't think ah can get uses to that," Applejack stated as she let out a tired sigh.

"Quite right," Rarity agreed.

"And I thought the Fall Formal and The Battle Of The Bands were the strangest things I've ever seen," Flash commented.

"Hey, where's Scootaloo?" Rainbow Dash asked as she noticed that her honorary little sister was missing.

"I thought she was with us," Fluttershy said as she started looking around for Scootaloo.

"Yah don't think she disappeared with Trixie, did she?" Applejack asked with concern.

Rainbow Dash rushed over to Sunset's room and threw the door open. She was met with the wide eyes of Scootaloo who was by Sunset's bedside, her phone in hand and clearly startled by Rainbow Dash's sudden appearance.

"R-Rainbow Dash, you startled me," Scootaloo said, smiling at her mentor as she placed her phone back in her pocket.

"What were you doing?" Rainbow Dash asked as she walked into the room.

"I was making sure Sunset was okay," Scootaloo explained, telling the truth. "When everyone left, I didn't want Sunset to be alone in case something happened."

"That's very nice of you, Scootaloo," Fluttershy said, flashing the younger girl a smile.

"Why did you have your phone out?" Rainbow Dash asked suspiciously.

"Applebloom texted me if I wanted to hang out at the clubhouse, but I texted that I can't because I'm hanging out with you," Scootaloo explained a little nervously. Again she wasn't lying but what she didn't mention was that she would be seeing Applebloom later.

"Okay, but it doesn't look like we'll be doing much hanging out though," Rainbow Dash said regrettably. She had to act like she didn't suspect Scootaloo of being Anon-A-Miss or risk the younger girl finding out that they were onto her and her friends. Scootaloo was a smart girl. "Sorry, Scoots."

"That's okay, Sunset's your friend. You always have your friends’ backs," Scootaloo said with a smile. That was one of the things she admired about Rainbow Dash, her loyalty to her friends. Suddenly, Scootaloo felt a pit growing in her stomach but she ignored it.

"R-right," Rainbow Dash stuttered, feeling like she was stabbed in the heart. She glanced towards the bedroom door to see Fluttershy by the doorway.

"Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie suggested that we go out to get some pizza. Would you like to come with us?" Fluttershy asked.

"Pizza sounds great Fluttershy, but I'll stay behind to keep an eye on Sunset," Rainbow Dash told her. "What about Flash?"

"Flash said he isn't hungry and he's going to walk with us part of the way before he has to take a different way home. We'll be back soon," Fluttershy said as she gently closed the bedroom door.

"Say Scoots, what do you say I help you finish your homework?" Rainbow Dash offered.

"Thanks, Rainbow!" Scootaloo happily accepted the offer.

Trixie opened the door to her bedroom, throwing her backpack on her bed before collapsing on top of it. She still needed to work on her magician's exit as she wanted to appear in her house rather than back at school.

Trixie turned her head to look at her guitar resting on her guitar stand, although it now looked drastically different than what it used to look.

"It's almost ready," Trixie muttered. She thought back to what the Rainbooms had told her about Sunset's condition and while she didn't let it show, she was terrified.

Trixie had experienced loss, and although it wasn't one of her family members that had passed away, she still felt the sense of loss.

Trixie suddenly shot out of her bed and shook her head.

"No, Sunset won't die. Princess Twilight will help her and when she gets better, Trixie will make her move!"

With that said, Trixie picked up her guitar and started getting back to work. She was more determined than ever to complete her plan.

"All done!" Scootaloo cheered as she closed her textbook.

"Good thing they didn't give you that much homework huh?" Rainbow Dash grinned. "I'm going to go check on Sunset."

"Okay," Scootaloo said as she watched Rainbow stand up from the kitchen table and head towards Sunset's bedroom.

Scootaloo took this time to take out her phone and sent a text to Applebloom. She placed her phone back in her pocket and waited for Rainbow Dash to come back.

She waited for ten minutes and wondered what was taking her so long. Scootaloo decided to go check on her. She got up from her chair and proceeded to head towards Sunset's bedroom. As she neared the door, she was about to knock when she heard Rainbow Dash's voice.

"I'm such an idiot."

Scootaloo pulled her hand back and slowly but carefully turned the doorknob and opened the door to just a crack so she could peek inside. She saw Rainbow Dash on her knees by Sunset's bed, with her left hand over Sunset's.

"I can't believe I was so stupid to believe that you would throw away our friendship," Rainbow Dash chuckled bitterly. " I can't believe that I was stupid enough to throw you away. Sunset.....I'm scared."

Scootaloo's eyes widened at hearing the confession as she brought her hand up to cover her mouth.

"You being so sick scares me. What if Twilight doesn't get the messages? And if she does, what if she can't help you?" Rainbow Dash's voice started to crack, tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm terrified of losing you."

Rainbow Dash laced her fingers with Sunset's as tears started falling down the sides of her face.

"God, look at me. I'm so pathetic, I have no right to cry."

Rainbow Dash rested her head on the edge of Sunset's bed.

"I like you Sunset, as more than just a friend. Heck, I’ve had a crush on you since I first saw you in my first year at CHS."

Rainbow Dash raised her head and looked at Sunset. She then looked at the journal by her nightstand and reached over to get it.

"I hate being so powerless," Rainbow Dash muttered as she flipped open the journal. "I wish I-"

Rainbow Dash cut herself off when her eyes noticed the date on one of the journal entries.

"This is from the day of the slumber party at Rarity's, I wonder what she wrote?" Rainbow Dash said to herself as she began reading aloud.

When she was finished, Rainbow Dash closed the journal, her body trembling as she looked over at Sunset.

"I'm sorry Sunset, I'm so sorry," Rainbow Dash sobbed as her tears dripped on to the cover of Sunset's journal.

On the other side of Sunset's bedroom door, Scootaloo backed away as tears ran down the sides of her face.

"I'm sorry," Scootaloo mumbled before going back to the kitchen.

A few minutes later, the rest of the Rainbooms returned. Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash were both looking normal and the group of girls enjoyed some delicious pizza before Scootaloo had to go home. However, in reality, she was going to Sweetie Belle's house where they were going to hold the emergency meeting.

"Hey, girls," Rainbow Dash called her friends’ attention.

"What is it, Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy asked. She noticed her best friend's somber look.

"There's something you gotta see," Rainbow Dash said as she started walking towards Sunset's bedroom. The Rainbooms looked at each other in confusion before following Rainbow Dash. They entered Sunset's bedroom and Rainbow Dash picked up the journal.

"I was checking Sunset's journal and I saw what she wrote to Twilight the night we were at your house for the slumber party, Rares," Rainbow Dash explained as she flipped open the journal.

"Rainbow Dash, did you look at Sunset's journal entries?!" Rarity said incredulously. To read someone’s private journal was a terrible invasion of privacy.

"I-I know that it's bad but my eye caught the date and since it was before the photos got posted on Anon-A-Miss' page I got curious!" Rainbow Dash explained. She found the entry she was looking for and showed it to her friends. "You have to read this."

The girls looked at Rainbow Dash's pleading face before Applejack took the journal from her and they all read the entry together. Once they were done, the girls were in tears.

"Oh, Sunset," Fluttershy cried as she covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

Rarity brought Fluttershy into a hug, her mascara mixed with her tears as they ran down the sides of her face.
Applejack brought her hand down to cover her eyes, her heart filled with shame. Pinkie Pie burst into tears as she wrapped her arms around Rarity and Fluttershy, hugging them tightly.

"Girls, we have to tell Sunset," Rainbow Dash said as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "We have to tell her about our mistake."

"What mistake?"

Everyone's eyes widened and Rainbow Dash quickly turned around to see Sunset sitting up on her elbows. The former unicorn spotted her journal in Applejack's arms.

"Did Twilight send a message already?" Sunset asked as she tried to make herself comfortable.

The girls were quick to go to Sunset's side and help her into a comfortable position.

"Thanks, girls, you're all the best," Sunset smiled which twisted the knife already in the girls’ hearts.

"Sugarcube, there's somethin' we gotta confess," Applejack said, her face twisting in anguish.

"What is it? And why are you all looking so sad?" Sunset asked as she saw the sad and guilty looks on her friends’ faces. Her eyes widened as she realized what it could be. "It's Anon-A-Miss, isn't it? They posted something about you girls again, didn't they?"

"They did but..." Applejack trailed off, trying to find the best way to tell her that they HAD initially accused her of being Anon-A-Miss.

"Don't worry, whoever they are they'll be sorry they ever messed with my family," Sunset vowed before she started coughing.

The girls became even more guilty as the knife twisted again.

"Sunset, Anon-A-Miss posted the photos you took from the slumber party at Rarity's," Rainbow Dash suddenly said.

"What?!" Sunset was shocked to hear this.

Rainbow Dash took out her phone and after going to Mystable and finding the post from Anon-A-Miss, she showed it to Sunset.

Sunset grabbed the phone and her eyes widened at seeing the pictures she herself took from the slumber party.

"How did they get our pictures?! They were on my phone!"

Sunset looked up to see her friends looking at her with guilt and she immediately knew why.

"You thought I was Anon-A-Miss, didn’t you?"

Instead of answering the girls merely looked away, too ashamed to return Sunset’s gaze.

Sunset leaned back against the headboard of her bed, her eyes still wide with shock.

"After Rarity's slumber party...when the pictures got posted, we all assumed it was you," Rainbow Dash finally spoke up. "I was really upset that you betrayed us.

"We waited for you by your locker, but you never showed up," Rarity spoke, taking out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes.

"We suspected that yah might have run away knowin' that we would figure out that it was yah who posted the photos," Applejack confessed as she took off her hat. "So we decided to visit yer apartment to see if yah were still here or if yah left behind a clue to where yah might be."

"I used the spare key you gave me to open the door," Rainbow Dash admitted.

"We thought we caught you when we heard you cough but it turns out it was because you were really sick," Pinkie Pie said with remorse.

"Anon-A-Miss posted the following day while you were sick, me and Pinkie were looking after you so you couldn't have been the one who posted the secret about..." Fluttershy trailed off as she looked to Rainbow Dash and Applejack, silently asking if she should tell Sunset. Both girls nodded. "About their crush on you."

Sunset turned her head to look at Rainbow Dash and Applejack, both girls looked back at their crush with looks of misery. Sunset looked back to Rainbow Dash's phone, she scrolled through the posts until she found the one about Rainbow Dash and Applejack's crush on her. Her so-called rejection of them was cruel and meant to hurt them.

"How?" Sunset whispered, her head lowered and her hair obscuring her eyes.

"Huh?" Rainbow Dash looked at Sunset in confusion.

"HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY THINK IT WAS ME!!" Sunset screamed as she raised her head to glare at her friends.

The girls flinched at the volume and intensity of Sunset's voice, which was loud enough to shake the room.

"Sunset, darling, we're very sorry for-"

"Sorry?!" Sunset cut off Rarity. She threw the covers off herself and got off her bed. "Sorry isn't enough to explain to me why, after everything we've been through together, you still think of me as that manipulative she-demon I used to be!"

"Sunset, yah have to calm down. It's not good-"

"Calm down?! Are you really one to be telling me this, Applejack?!" Sunset questioned as steam started rising from her exposed skin. The light of the sun that shone through Sunset's window started to intensify. "Everyone knows how easily you and especially Rainbow Dash can lose your tempers!"

"Darling please, you don't want to say anything you will regret," Rarity cautioned as she tried to calm Sunset down, becoming very alarmed at the steam that continued to rise from Sunset.

"Oh, believe me, I won't regret a thing!" Sunset turned her glare to Rainbow Dash and Applejack. "You wanna know a secret? I have crushes on both you!"

Rainbow Dash and Applejack's eyes widened upon hearing this. They both glanced at each other before looking at Sunset.

"Y-yah do?" Applejack asked.

"Of course! I was hoping we could be a herd!" Sunset said, which confused everyone. "But how can we be a herd without complete trust in one another?!"

Sunset looked at Rainbow's phone, gritting her teeth as her anger grew. She then showed everyone the phone or more specifically the Anon-A-Miss profile.

"LOOK AT THIS PROFILE! HAVE I EVER BEEN SO BLATANT!?" Sunset roared as her hair burst into flames, her cutie mark appeared on her cheeks as her eyes started glowing.

The Rainbooms were in shock at Sunset's sudden change, they were even a little afraid of her.

"S-Sunset, please. Yah gotta calm down," Applejack pleaded.

"Calm down?! CALM DOWN!?" Sunset spat literal flames with each word. "How can I calm down when my so-called friends, the ones who I consider family would accuse me of betraying them!?"

The Rainbooms were silent. There was no excuse. Sunset had every right to be angry with them.

"We're so sorry, Sunset," Rainbow Dash apologized as she stepped up towards the enraged girl but she had to step back when she felt the intense heat that radiated off of the former Equestrian.

Sunset was hit with a coughing fit which worried her friends. They wanted to help her get back in bed, but the intense heat and the fire she was coughing prevented them from getting close.

"How could you?" Sunset said between coughs, her head lowered. "How could you think I would do this to you?"

The flames of Sunset's hair started dying off as she continued to cough, Her cutie mark disappeared from her cheeks as the sunlight's intensity died as it went back to normal. When her coughing stopped, Sunset raised her head to look at her friends, tears welling up in her eyes.

"If I wasn't sick, would you still believe I was Anon-A-Miss?"

The girls shifted nervously. None of them could bear to give her an answer but Rainbow Dash knew that it had to be done.

"Yes."

Sunset's heart shattered at hearing this, especially from one of her crushes. The dam broke as a waterfall of tears cascaded out of her eyes and started flooding her room.

"Sunset, darling, please don't cry," Rarity said, although she herself wanted to cry for hurting Sunset like this.

"We're so sorry, Sunny!" Pinkie Pie cried as she made her way through the already shin-high water to get to Sunset.

The rest of the Rainbooms followed Pinkie's lead as they closed in on Sunset and enveloped her in a hug as she continued to cry.

"Ah'm so sorry, sugarcube," Applejack apologized, bitter tears stinging her eyes before falling down the sides of her face.

"We're such terrible friends!" Fluttershy cried, her heart hurt so much for hurting one of her best friends.

"We're fucking idiots!" Rainbow Dash said through her own tears. Sunset's cries of pain were piercing her heart.

Sunset continued to cry, her tears quickly filling up her bedroom as the girls floated very close to the ceiling. The Rainbooms took a deep breath just as the water reached the ceiling, Sunset continued to cry even though they were all fully submerged. The girls looked around before spotting the bedroom door and starting swimming towards it with Sunset in tow. They tried to get it open but due to the door opening inward, they couldn't open it because of the water pressure.

They tried the window to let out the water, but again it wouldn't budge. They were soon running out of air and the only other option was to get Sunset to stop crying before they drowned, so they gently shook her to get her attention since they couldn't talk underwater. But then a fish swam in front of them causing them to look around to see fishes swimming around them.

‘Oh great, not this again,’ Rainbow Dash groaned in her mind.

Pinkie Pie's eyes widened in realization as a lit light bulb appeared over her head but it quickly blew out since it wasn't waterproof. Pinkie concentrated and made the lightbulb waterproof, causing it to light up again before she started swimming back to the bedroom door.

The rest of her friends, minus Sunset, watched as she reached the door, wondering what she was planning on doing. They didn't have to wonder long as Pinkie Pie grabbed the bottom of the door and flipped it, making the door now open outwards. Pinkie Pie grabbed the door handle and opened the door, causing the water to rush out of Sunset's bedroom.

The girls gasped as they each took in a lungful of air as they all laid on the wet floor of Sunset's hallway.

"That was close," Rainbow Dash said.

"Nice going there Pinkie," Applejack thanked her friend. "Pinkie?"

Applejack sat up and looked around for the party girl, only to see her flopping on the floor like a fish out of water.

"Knock it off, Pinkie," Applejack said with a sigh.

"Okay!" Pinkie said cheerfully as she stood up.

The rest of the Rainbooms did the same. They looked around the soaked hallway before it instantly dried and all the knocked over furniture were back in their original position. "What the-?!" Rainbow Dash rubbed her eyes before looking back at the clean and dry hallway.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing that happened, right?" Fluttershy said as she looked at her friends.

"Sunset!" Applejack suddenly realized as they all rushed back to Sunset's bedroom to see her getting back in bed.

"Darling, let us-"

"Please stop," Sunset interrupted Rarity as she pulled back the covers. "Just leave me alone for a bit."

"But, Sunset. Yer not feeling well," Applejack said with worry.

"It's okay, I'll still accept your help in taking care of me," Sunset assured them as she laid on her bed, finally facing the girls. "I just need some time for myself."

The girls looked at each other in worry before looking back at Sunset.

"Okay, sugarcube," Applejack agreed as she stepped up and laid her hand on top of Sunset's. "Just let us know if yah need anythin'."

"Will do," Sunset flashed them a smile as her friends left her bedroom. Once her bedroom door closed, Sunset's smile dropped as she pulled out Rainbow Dash's phone. She narrowed her eyes at the Anon-A-Miss page before turning off Rainbow Dash's phone and placing it on her dresser.

"It's good to be back home," Twilight said as she stepped inside her castle. It was late evening and Celestia was just lowering the sun.

"It sure is," Spike agreed from his spot on Twilight's back before letting out a yawn. "Too bad Rainbow couldn't spend the night, huh?"

"She said she had to take care of something and wouldn't tell me what it is," Twilight said as she made her way up the stairs and towards Spike's room.

Twilight had enjoyed her visit to her parents as well as visiting Rainbow Dash's parents. Even the surprise summons from Princess Celestia was enjoyable as they shared stories of Twilight's time learning under Princess Celestia. Stories of Sunset's foalhood prompted Twilight to share stories of her own experience raising Spike. But what Celestia told her about her nightmare involving Sunset had her worried. She even made a quick teleportation trip to her castle to check on her journal just in case she received a message but she didn't. So she continued the rest of her visits in peace.

Twilight finally arrived in Spike's room and used her magic to gently place the already sleeping dragon in his bed before pulling the covers over him and tucking him in.

"Goodnight, Spike," Twilight said before giving him a gentle kiss on his forehead.

Twilight made her way out Spike's bedroom and gently closed the door behind her. As she made her way towards her room, she paused in front of her library which contained the mirror portal.

"Maybe I should check if she sent any messages," Twilight muttered as she opened the doors and stepped inside.

Twilight saw that the journal wasn't glowing or vibrating and used her magic to pull it off its pedestal.

"Still nothing, huh?" Twilight said as she flipped open the journal. "I wonder if I should pay her a visit just in case?"

Just then the journal started glowing as words appeared on the previous journal entry.

"Oh! I wonder what she-" Twilight cut herself off as she read the message.

Dear Princess Twilight:

This is Rarity, I hope I'm not interrupting anything but we are in serious need of your help. You see, Sunset is gravely ill and we believe it's magic related since she was is glowing red and her body temperature is beyond what anything in our world can survive. Please get here as soon as you can.

Love Rarity.

Another message suddenly appeared below that.

Dear Twilight:

This is Applejack. Rarity asked me to write to you about the weird stuff that has been going on in Canterlot like ice cream falling from the sky. Also this mornin', Sunset woke up all ponied up and started usin' her magic like nothin'. We really need yer help in figuring out what's going on.

Yers truly, Applejack.

Yet another message appeared below that.

Princess Twilight, it is I, The Great and Powerful Trixie. You have to get here on the double; Sunset is very sick and needs your help!

Trixie.

Twilight was in shock. There were no responses from Sunset for days and then all of a sudden she got these messages pleading her for help that were sent by people other than Sunset. A pit formed in her stomach as she recalled what Celestia had told her happened to Sunset in the past.

"Oh no."

Anon-A-Miss’ Fall

Author's Note

And another chapter is done! I hope you all enjoy it and as always I'm looking forward to your comments. Thanks again to KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for their help with the chapter.

Anon-A-Miss’ Fall

Princess Celestia stood on her balcony, facing her sun as she used her magic to lower it to end the day so that her sister may raise the moon and perform her nightly duties as the guardian of the night and of ponies’ dreams. Her heart started to ache as she watched the sun set, just like it always did ever since her daughter ran away to the world on the other side of the mirror.

Before it was the act of raising and lowering the moon that brought Celestia pain for centuries as it reminded Celestia of her sister whom she had been forced to banish to the moon. The pain was worse during the Summer Sun celebration as her subjects celebrated her defeat of Nightmare Moon while she knew the bitter truth. The Summer Sun Celebration after Sunset had left was by far the worst one of them all, as Celestia was overcome with a sadness so great that she almost fell into a deep depression. Her heart had never been in so much pain before as that particular celebration hammered home the point that she had lost everything.

Turning her beloved to stone, banishing her sister and losing her only daughter.

Was Celestia cursed to lose her loved ones by her own actions?

Celestia closed her eyes and sighed at the bitter memory. She was forced to use a spell that sealed all those negative emotions deep in her heart in order to perform her duties. But once she was done lowering the moon and raising the sun, the princess teleported to her room, made sure her door was locked and undid the spell on her heart. As soon as she did, her negative emotions quickly consumed her heart and she let out a wail filled with agony and sorrow not only over the loss of her family but that she had the audacity to lock away her pain of losing them.

The Solar Princess opened her eyes and smiled at seeing her sister on one of the castle’s balconies as she raised the moon and brought forth the night. The moon soon lit up the sky as sparks twinkled alongside it.

With the return of her sister, the pain in Celestia's heart lessened and it was all thanks to Twilight Sparkle and her newfound friends who had found the Elements of Harmony and used their power to purify Nightmare Moon and restoring Luna to who she was before her corruption. Celestia didn't know how she could ever repay them. First, they had brought back her sister, then Fluttershy helped Discord discover friendship and somewhat change for the better and she along with the other world counterparts of her friends helped save Sunset from the darkness of her heart and taught her the value of friendship.

Truly, Twilight was indeed a special mare, not just in her ability to save Celestia's family, but with how she raised her own son; Spike the dragon. The young dragon's idolization of his mother reminded Celestia of how her own daughter idolized her. He was very smart at such a young age like Twilight and even picked up things much quicker than her. Twilight relished this and took pride in Spike's achievements. He was definitely the apple of his mother's eye.

"Somepony looks happy."

Celestia was broken from her thoughts by a familiar voice and turned around to see Discord leaning against a wall. Discord was someone who could not be ignored, but he could make himself unnoticed until he wanted to be noticed. With his unusual appearance, it was hard not to notice him unless he did not want to be noticed.

"May I ask what has the princess in such a good mood?" Discord asked, a playful smile on his lips.

"Yes, you may," Celestia answered as she started walking towards Discord, giving him a sideways glance before walking past him.

Discord was about to say something when he felt Celestia's tail brush up against his chin. Celestia turned her head to give Discord a playful grin.

"You are such a tease, Kay-kay," Discord said with a chuckle. Celestia always had a way to make his heart race. He flew towards Celestia and landed by her side. "You haven't changed at all since you and Luna turned me to stone."

He no longer had any hard feelings about that. He came to realize how out of control and inconsiderate he had been in the past. Obviously, turning him to stone had hurt Celestia more than it had hurt him.

"I'm glad that a mare who's as old as I am can still make her stallion go weak in the knees," Celestia smirked. She always got an ego boost whenever she made the Lord of Chaos nervous or speechless. He looked so cute as he struggled to talk to her. She especially loved it whenever he froze as soon as he gazed into her eyes.

Discord walked in front of Celestia and turned to face her with a bouquet of flowers he made appear out of nowhere as he made himself a tuxedo and a handsome moustache, "My dear, all time did was make you even more beautiful. And you were already stunning to begin with."

Celestia's cheeks flushed at the compliment as she took the bouquet from his claw with her magic, sniffing the flowers with a smile.

"Thank you."

Discord raised his lion paw to caress Celestia's face.

"How did I get so lucky with you?"

Celestia raised her right hoof and placed it over Discord’s arm as she leaned into his touch.

"To think, you'd still think of me as your stallion. Even after all I did," Discord said with remorse.

"I have never stopped hoping that we would be together again," Celestia said. "When I got Luna back, I knew that it was possible for you to be reformed."

Celestia expression soured, which Discord noticed.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just...I can't help but feel jealous that all it took for you to try and change was losing Fluttershy's friendship," Celestia answered, a slight bitterness in her tone.

"That's because I knew that you'll always love me, no matter what," Discord stated sincerely as he gazed into Celestia's eyes. "Just as you will always have my love."

Fluttershy might have been his friend, but Celestia was the love of his life. Although there were rumors due to how close he was to Fluttershy, but they were just that, nothing but rumors spread by ponies who did not know any better. If they did, however, then their minds might implode.

Celestia and Discord simply gazed into each others eyes, their faces slowly inched forward. Their eyelids slowly lowered as their lips inched ever closer, their eyes completely closed once their lips locked in a passion-filled kiss. Discord brought his other hand up to cup Celestia's face, literal butterflies dancing in pairs inside his stomach, his heart turning into a jackhammer as it hammered against his chest.

Celestia turned her head to the side to deepen the kiss as a familiar heat coursed through her body. Tears started to gather at the corner of her eyes before falling down the sides of her face. How she had longed to feel his lips against her own. After being separated for over 1,000 years, to feel his lips against hers filled her with joy as her love for him chased away all of her sadness.

"Ahem."

The sudden cough caused the lovers’ eye to snap open and break their kiss. They turned to the direction of the voice to see Luna standing awkwardly beside them.

"Sorry to interrupt, but the hallways are melting and there are fireworks outside for some reason," Luna explained.

Discord and Celestia looked around them to see that the walls were indeed melting and Discord himself was on fire. The sky was also lightning up with fireworks of various bright colors. It almost looked like an impromptu celebration. Celestia's horn glowed as she turned everything back to normal. She had learned how to negate Discord’s chaotic magic in the time since he had been turned to stone.

"I'm surprised it took you two this long to get back to how you were before," Luna commented as she narrowed her eyes at them. "And just like before, your displays of affection made a mess of everything around you."

"You're right about that," Discord said in a low sexy voice as he looked back to Celestia. "Remember that special night we shared? It's a good thing we went back to my dimension or else Equestria would look more chaotic than I made it."

Luna gagged and covered her mouth to stop herself from throwing up as her sister merely giggled.

"Speaking of that night..." Luna trailed off as she looked at her sister. "I believe Celestia has something she would like to inform you."

Celestia blinked as she was caught off guard.

"Oh?" Discord raised a curious eyebrow as he looked at Celestia, a playful smirk on his lips. "It has been over a thousand years and I am up for a repeat performance."

Celestia's cheeks burned at Discord's suggestion but as much as she would love to, that wasn't what Luna was talking about.

"Discord, as much as I would like that, Luna meant something else."

"Don't tell me she wants to join us?!" Discord mock-gasped. “How scandalous!”

"LIKE TARTARUS I WILL!!" Luna exploded, her face red with rage. "SHE'S TRYING TO SAY THAT SHE HAD YOUR FOAL!!"

Luna's declaration echoed through the halls, startling some of the castle staff. The hallway become deathly silent as the royal sisters looked expectantly at Discord whose eyes were wide in shock.

'I'm...a father?' Discord thought, as images of a hybrid foal that looked like a cross between him and Celestia popped in his mind.

"Discord?" Celestia called his name in worry, when Discord didn't answer she reached a hoof to him. "Dis-"

As Celestia's hoof made contact with Discord's face, his whole body cracked before falling to pieces.

"Discord!" Celestia fell to her knees as she scooped up some pieces of Discord. She used her magic to piece him back together but as soon as she dispelled her magic, he crumbled to pieces again.

"He took it rather well. Better than expected," Luna said as she walked beside Celestia, an amused smile on her lips. "For somepony who can bend reality to their whim, he wasn't prepared for the reality of being father."

It would take some time until Discord pulled himself back together.

Twilight held the journal tightly in her magic. Panic started to set in as the seriousness of the situation started to sink in.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no," Twilight frantically repeated as she used her magic to quickly fetch a quill before she started writing a response. She began to break out in a cold sweat as stray strands began to mess up her mane.

Once she was done hyperventilating and calmed herself as much as she could, she grabbed three scrolls and simultaneously wrote down messages to Spike, Rainbow Dash and Applejack; telling them that there was an emergency in the other world that required her immediate attention. She also asked Rainbow Dash and Applejack to keep an eye on Spike since he was asleep in his room.

She contemplated whether or not to send a message to Princess Celestia, but she rationalized that she better check to see if Sunset really was going through the same thing as Celestia had told her. Twilight knew about the strained history between them and didn't want to force a confrontation that they both might not be ready for, just in case this was a false alarm.

She teleported the two scrolls to Applejack and Rainbow Dash and then teleported to Spike's room to leave the last scroll beside his bed.

"I'll be back Spike," Twilight whispered as she planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. She then teleported back to the library where the mirror was kept and proceeded to go through the portal.

Twilight remembered the first time she had gone through as her body was stretched as she sped through a swirling portal. That was the magic in effect as it altered her shape and form, allowing her to blend in with the humans on the other side. It also provided her a set of clothes so she would not end up nude and draw unwanted attention. After a few times of doing this, she had gotten used to the mirror’s strange magic. It just felt a bit weird each time.

Rainbow Dash might like the adrenaline rush though if she entered the portal. The speed and unpredictability when going through the portal were probably something she would enjoy immensely.

The CMC were all gathered in Sweetie Belle's room. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle sat on the bed while Scootaloo sat in a nearby chair. All three looked miserable.

It seemed like a good plan at first. Just set up Anon-A-Miss and make it look like Sunset was behind it. First by posting Applejack’s embarrassing childhood nickname (“Piggly Wiggly”) and then put up the pictures from their slumber party where they played dress-up with the fashion disasters from Rarity’s “Closet of Shame”. Since the pictures came from Sunset’s phone, the evidence would point to her.

It was not just jealousy that drove the CMC to try to frame Sunset Shimmer, it was also the fact that they felt the girl had not been punished properly for everything she had done prior to the last Fall Formal. They didn’t think it was fair that she be shown such leniency. The girl responsible for tearing apart the Rainbooms’ friendship was now one of them. How fair was that?

When Sunset Shimmer did not show up to school, the CMC watched as the Rainbooms simmered in anger. When Sunset Shimmer did not show up until the final bell, well, it did not seem like a problem. The CMC just kept posting whatever secrets was sent to them. It just seemed like they needed to keep going to frame Sunset.

Then they learned that Sunset was sick and the girls were taking care of her. There was no way the Rainbooms could suspect her now, but the CMC kept going until they saw the state Sunset was in and how seriously sick she was.

The guilt made them feel sick at what they had done and all because of spite.

"You were right, Applebloom. We gotta confess," Scootaloo admitted as she looked at Applebloom with apologetic eyes. Seeing Sunset looking so ill was heartbreaking.

"We should tell our parents first and tomorrow we'll tell Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna," Sweetie Belle suggested.

"Yeah," Applebloom agreed simply, feeling numb emotionally.

"Applebloom, did something else happen when you were with Diamond Tiara?" Sweetie Belle asked as she noticed how the young farmer was looking more depressed than usual. Applebloom had told her about Lyra and Bon Bon, as well as her encounter with Silver Spoon.

"Diamond Tiara confessed to me," Applebloom said without warning.

"She did!?" Sweetie Belle gasped, shocked. Ever since Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara became their friends, Sweetie Belle noticed how Diamond Tiara's cheek would turn red whenever she and Applebloom were together which the rich girl tended to do whenever they hung out.

"Wow, I didn't think she would be into girls," Scootaloo commented. However, when she realized that Applebloom wasn't happy about it, she came to a sad realization. "You turned her down, didn't you?"

Applebloom merely nodded.

"What?!" Sweetie Belle was devastated to hear this. "But why-?"

Sweetie Belle's eyes widened in realization before looking at Applebloom with a look of pity.

"I'm so sorry, Applebloom."

"Ah made Anon-A-Miss to separate Sunset from mah sister, but all ah ended up doing was hurting Applejack, her friends and...." Applebloom trailed off as she remembered the devastated look on Diamond Tiara's face when she turned her down. Applebloom brought her legs close to her chest, wrapped her arms around them and rested her forehead on her knees. "This is all mah fault.”

Nobody else was supposed to get hurt when they framed Sunset Shimmer, at least they didn’t think it would hurt people so much. It was just a few embarrassing secrets, but then they saw the strife they had caused, it began to set in how terrible they were. Nothing justified hurting people to get what they wanted.

"No, it's not," Scootaloo spoke up. "You wanted to shut down the account and confess, but I made you change your mind and convince you to go along with my stupid idea of posting everyone else’s secrets. This whole mess is my fault."

"Did you forget what you said? This is a group effort. We all contributed to the problem. No one person is to blame," Sweetie Belle reminded Scootaloo.

"Yeah, you're right," Scootaloo managed to smile slightly. "Crusaders forever."

"Forever," Sweetie Belle said with a nod.

Both girls turn to Applebloom who raised her head and offered a strained smile.

"Crusaders forever."

The CMC gathered for a group hug, drawing strength from each other as they prepared for the difficulties that awaited them.

"Rainbow Dash will probably never want to be my big sister after this," Scootaloo said sadly as she broke the hug.

"Rarity will have me model her dresses forever," Sweetie Belle shivered at the thought of being prodded with needles.

"Ah have no idea how Applejack is going to react other than being really mad at me. Granny will probably tan mah hide," Applebloom gulped. “And then she’ll give me extra chores too.”

"My mom is so going to kill me," Scootaloo shuttered. Her mom had one hell of a temper.

"I don't even want to know how my parents will react," Sweetie Belle groaned.

"Well, time to face the music," Applebloom said as she took out her phone.

Scootaloo pulled out her phone also and both girls searched their contacts until they found what they were looking for. Their thumbs hovered over the call icon before finally pressing it. They brought their phones to their ears where the phones rang three times before someone picked up.

"Hey Big Mac, can yah and Granny come by Sweetie Belle's house? There's somethin' ah gotta tell yah."

"Mom, listen I need you and dad to come to my friend Sweetie Belle's house."

The Rainbooms were all in Sunset's living room. The atmosphere in the room was gloomy as they went over in their heads what had just happened. They admitted to Sunset that they originally believed she was Anon-A-Miss which hurt her and now she wanted to be left alone.

"We really screwed up huh?" Rainbow Dash spoke as she looked out the living room window, watching people canoeing on the sidewalks.

"That's an understatement," Rarity muttered sadly from her spot on Sunset's sofa. She didn't bother to wipe away the messy mascara that ran down her face.

"We have to make this right," Applejack said as she glanced at Sunset's bedroom door from where she stood with her arms crossed, leaning against a wall.

"But how?" Fluttershy cried. She was on the floor with Pinkie Pie who had a comforting arm around her shoulders. She felt like such a bitch for making Sunset cry.

"Fer starters, we stop Anon-A-Miss," Applejack stated, her hands gripped tightly on her arms.

"This is bullshit!" Rainbow Dash cursed as she looked to her friends. "We know they did it, why not just confront them?"

"Maybe you're right, darling," Rarity agreed with Rainbow Dash, although she didn't like her use of foul language. "We've already exhausted every other possible suspects and the only ones who could have known about Applejack's nickname and be at the slumber party at my house are our families."

Rarity rose from the sofa, she pulled out her detective hat and placed it over her head.

"We've already have our leading suspects along with evidence that links them to the crime. It's about time we close in on them and confront them to get a confession!" Rarity proclaimed as she ran the rim of her hat between her thumb and index finger.

"Hell yeah!" Rainbow Dash cheered, finally going on the offensive.

"It's about the only thing we got left to try," Applejack agreed. Just then she heard a strange noise coming from Sunset's bedroom. "Do yah girls hear that?"

The girls looked at Applejack before trying to listen to the noise she had heard.

"I don't hear anything," Rarity said.

"Ah think it's coming from Sunset's room," Applejack realized as she started walking towards Sunset's bedroom.

The rest of the girls followed Applejack as she reached Sunset's bedroom door and placed her ear against the door.

"Yeah, it's definitely coming from inside her room," Applejack confirmed.

"Hey, I hear it now too," Rainbow Dash said as she and the rest of the Rainboom could hear a vibrating noise coming from inside Sunset's bedroom.

Applejack turned the knob and opened the door.

"Sunset?" Applejack called out her friend’s name as she peered inside. She spotted the former unicorn fast asleep on her bed, her chest rising and falling. However, her eyes immediately caught the glowing and vibrating journal on Sunset's nightstand.

"The journal!"

Applejack quickly entered Sunset's bedroom, being careful not to wake up the sleeping girl. She retrieved the journal and opened it to the current entry.

Dear Girls:

I'm so sorry for the late reply, but for some strange reason I've only now just gotten all your messages. I'm coming over right now, so meet me by the portal.

Your friend, Twilight Sparkle.

"What does it say?" Rainbow Dash asked as she and the rest of the girls crowded around Applejack.

"Twilight's coming over. Right now!" Applejack told them.

"Awesome!" Rainbow Dash cheered loudly, but she immediately covered her mouth with her hands as she realized what she had done.

The girls looked to Sunset to see the redhead still sleeping. They let out a combined sigh of relief before quietly making their way out of Sunset's bedroom.

"Okay, we need to go meet Twilight but one of us has to stay behind to watch over Sunset," Applejack explained as she closed Sunset's bedroom door.

"I'll go get Twilight. The rest if you should stay here," Rarity suggested.

"I would like to come with you, Rarity," Fluttershy requested.

Rarity looked at Fluttershy. She could see the determination on her face and knew that she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Of course, darling."

With that settled, Rarity and Fluttershy rushed to Sunset's apartment door. They took their winter coats from the coat rack and put them on.

"Be careful, you two. There's still weirdness going on outside," Rainbow Dash warned them, worry evident in her tone.

"We will," Fluttershy said as she and Rarity left the apartment. They went to take the stairs but found a slide instead.

"We'll make do," Rarity said as she went down the slide first, followed by Fluttershy.

They both arrived at the lobby and proceeded to head out the main door. Other than people canoeing on the sidewalks, it didn't look too crazy. They hurried towards CHS, hope filling their hearts that with Twilight here everything will be alright now.

Twilight exited the portal and was immediately hit with a blast of cold wind.

"Cold!" Twilight shivered as she wrapped her arms around herself. How she wished she had a coat or at least her fur. Guess the portal was not perfect as it did not provide her any season-appropriate clothing, opting to grant her the default outfit instead.

As Twilight rubbed her bare arms in an attempt to keep warm, she didn't notice the surface of the portal gleam before moving to the next surface of the statue base. She waited for several minutes in the cold before hearing a familiar voice call out her name.

"Twilight!"

Twilight turned to the direction of the voice to see Fluttershy and Rarity running towards her.

"My goodness, darling! Where's your coat?!" Rarity was shocked to see Twilight without any form of protection against the cold.

"My coat didn't make the transition," Twilight said through chattering teeth.

"Not to worry, darling. I have just the thing in case of an emergency," Rarity assured the princess as she pulled a trunk out of nowhere. She pulled Twilight close as she opened the trunk. Some rummaging later and when Rarity closed the trunk, Twilight was now wearing a stylish winter coat.

"Wow! Thanks, Rarity!" Twilight thanked her otherworldly friend as she looked over her coat, already she feeling a lot warmer.

"Don't mention it, darling," Rarity said with a smile. "Now we really must be going to Sunset's abode."

Twilight nodded as the three friends made their way towards Sunset's place but along the way, Twilight noticed some things that were very different since the last time she was here.

"Excuse me girls, but since when can people fly?" Twilight asked curiously as she looked towards the street.

Fluttershy and Rarity followed her line of sight and saw the flying people; but judging by the way they were sitting, Rarity and Fluttershy guessed that they were driving invisible cars.

"Um, I don't think they're flying, Twilight," Fluttershy said as she watched several people driving by with their invisible cars.

"Hmm, you're right. That looks like a very awkward way to fly anyway," Twilight nodded.

"About that, darling. What you are seeing isn't normal," Rarity began. "Odd things have been happening like what you are seeing before you."

Rarity gestured to the people driving invisible cars, people canoeing on the sidewalk, and a passing snowman who raised his hat to them in greeting.

"We think it might be magic related," Fluttershy added as she and her friends waved to the snowman.

"And with Sunset being sick, you were the next expert we could turn to," Rarity explained.

"Hmm, do any of you know what could be causing this?' Twilight asked.

Rarity and Fluttershy glanced at each other before looking back to Twilight.

"We're not entirely sure, but we believe that it might have something to do with Sunset," Rarity said a bit reluctantly. She didn't want to accuse her friend, especially given that she had made that error already.

"What makes you say that?" Twilight asked. She noticed the way Rarity and Fluttershy were shifting nervously.

"You see, with Sunset being ill, we took it upon ourselves to stay over at her apartment to take care of her," Rarity explained. "We've been doing this for a couple of days now and taking turns staying with her while the rest of us were at school."

"But when we woke up, we found ourselves on the ceiling, the walls and in Pinkie's case, just floating," Fluttershy explained further.

"And Sunset herself was ponied up," Rarity said.

"Sunset ponied up?" Twilight questioned. "How?"

"We don't know, darling. She was using her magic like it was the most natural thing to do but collapsed soon after,"

Rarity answered. "And when we left her apartment to go to school, it was snowing ice cream, complete with the cone."

"Snowing ice cream," Twilight mumbled before her eyes widen in realization. "Of course!"

"Do you know what's going on?" Rarity asked hopefully.

"I believe so. I'll explain when we meet up with everypony- I mean everyone else," Twilight said, receiving nods from Fluttershy and Rarity before all of them continued their way towards Sunset's apartment.

Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie waited anxiously for Rarity and Fluttershy to return with Princess Twilight. Rainbow Dash was fidgeting from her spot on the sofa, repeatedly stealing glances at the front door.

"Dash, try to calm down. They'll get here," Applejack tried to assure her rainbow-haired friend.

"I can't help it," Rainbow Dash said. "We don’t know what’s going on and now we're finally going to get some answers."

"Ah know," Applejack understood how Rainbow Dash felt. "Just don't get yer hopes up too high."

Before Rainbow Dash could question what Applejack meant, they heard the door open and saw Rarity enter the apartment, followed by Twilight and Fluttershy.

"Twilight!"

Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Pinkie Pie quickly rushed towards the arriving group.

"Twilight, thank goodness yer here," Applejack said in relief as she gave Twilight a hug.

"It's good to see you again, Applejack," Twilight said as she returned the hug.

"Twilight!" Pinkie Pie gave Twilight a crushing hug.

"Nice to see you too, Pinkie," Twilight managed to say as she felt the air being squeezed out of her lungs.

"Thank God you're here, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash pulled Twilight out of Pinkie's grasp and gave her a hug. "You gotta help Sunset."

"I'll do what I can," Twilight assured Rainbow Dash. "Where is she?"

"She's in her room," Rainbow Dash said as she led Twilight to Sunset's bedroom.

When Rainbow opened the door, Twilight saw Sunset lying on her bed, her breath labored, cheeks rosy and her face covered in sweat. Twilight noticed the pony ears on top of Sunset's head as she made her way to her bedside; and she reached out to lay a hand against Sunset's forehead.

"Careful, darling. You might get burned," Rarity warned.

Twilight paused, her hand hovering inches above Sunset's forehead. She casted Rarity a puzzled look before looking back at Sunset and retracting her hand.

"Sunset, can you hear me?" Twilight asked.

Sunset's ears twitched at hearing Twilight's voice, her eyes fluttering open as she looked in Twilight's direction. Sunset's vision was blurry but it soon came into focus as she recognized Twilight.

"Twilight?" Sunset muttered weakly, her voice hoarse.

"Hey, Sunset. How are you feeling?" Twilight asked, her voice full of concern as she took in Sunset's state. Sunset looked very weak and awful.

"I feel...I feel great!" Sunset said cheerfully as she shot out of her bed. "It's great to see you Twilight, say how about we-"

Sunset never got to finish as she lost consciousness and fell forward. Thankfully, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were there to catch her.

"She's been suffering from hallucinations and demonstrating manic behavior due to her fever," Rarity said with worry as she watched Applejack and Rainbow Dash tucked Sunset in her bed. "Darling, you said you knew what was going on?"

"You do?!" Rainbow Dash was instantly in front of Twilight, her hands were on the Princess of Friendship's shoulders as she looked at her with pleading eyes. "Please tell us!"

Twilight recognized the look of worry in Rainbow's eyes. It was the same look she’d seen in her Rainbow Dash’s eyes whenever she worried about her.

"Let's talk in the hallway so we can let Sunset rest," Twilight instructed.

The Rainbooms nodded in agreement as they quietly made their way out of Sunset's bedroom and into her living room.

"Okay, I believe the reason for the bizarre things that have been happening to your world lately have something to do with Sunset," Twilight said.

"How can yah be sure, sugarcube?" Applejack asked.

"Simple, it's because her father is the Lord of Chaos," Twilight told them, causing all their eyes to widen.

"I'm sorry, darling. Did you just say that Sunset's father is the ’Lord of Chaos’?" Rarity asked, not believing what she had just heard.

"You see, Sunset is the daughter of our world's princess, Princess Celestia, who is responsible for bringing forth the day and my personal teacher as well as Sunset's, and Discord; who once ruled Equestria in the ancient past in a state of unrest and unhappiness." Twilight explained, stunning her friends.

"Sunset told me that her mother is a princess, but ah never would've thought that her father was someone like that," Applejack said.

"Wait, she told you that?" Rainbow Dash questioned, feeling jealous and hurt that Sunset would tell Applejack that and not anyone else, especially her.

"Yeah, she said she meant to tell all of us, but never got the chance to with her trying to make up for hurtin' folks," Applejack explained.

"So Sunny's dad was a bad guy! That makes so much sense now!" Pinkie Pie gasped.

"You don't know the half of it. Her aunt is the princess of the night, Princess Luna, the younger sister of Princess Celestia who brings forth the night was once a villain known as Nightmare Moon," Twilight added . "She threatened to cast Equestria into eternal night until me and my friends stopped her and turned her back to Princess Luna."

"Geez, was all of Sunset's family bad guys?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

Twilight laughed awkwardly as she scratched the back of her head.

"Twilight, darling. What about Sunset's illness?" Rarity asked. "If Sunset is the cause of the chaos, then it's no doubt due to her being sick."

"Yes, it should stand to reason that when Sunset gets better then everything will go back to normal," Twilight nodded while smiling.

"Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and make Sunset better!" Rainbow Dash said excitedly. At last, Sunset would get better.

Twilight's smile faltered which worried her friends.

"You can help her, right?" Fluttershy asked worriedly.

"I have a hunch as to what could be causing Sunset's illness, but I'll have to cast a diagnosis spell on her just to make sure," Twilight answered. "If my hunch is correct then I know the right pony to help her."

The girls sighed in relief.

Twilight walked back into Sunset's bedroom with the Rainbooms following behind her. Twilight stood by Sunset's bedside and after taking a few deep breaths, closed her eyes and started to concentrate. She didn't know how magic worked in this world but if Sunset was able to pony up by herself then there was no reason she couldn't. Twilight searched deep inside, trying to find that familiar feeling of her magic. She then felt a tiny spark and concentrated all her focus on it. As she did, she thought of her friends and the spark became stronger. Twilight's hair extended into a ponytail and pony ears sprouted from on top of her head.

Twilight opened her eyes and extended her right hand over Sunset, creating a dome of magic over her body. Twilight remembered what Celestia told her about an imbalance within Sunset and searched for that. It didn't take her long to find it.

"So it is that," Twilight mumbled but her friends managed to hear her.

"What is?" Rainbow Dash asked anxiously.

"Sunset's mother told me about how when Sunset was little she was very sick, and she had the same symptoms she has now," Twilight began explaining.

"She's had this before?" Rainbow Dash questioned, feeling a little relieved. "Then she can be cured, right?"

"Yes, her illness was caused by an imbalance in her magic," Twilight stated. "Sunset has her mother's celestial magic and her father's chaotic magic; normally they are both in perfect balance but when she uses one more than the other it causes an imbalance which is reflected in her being sick."

"Then how do we fix that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"We get Sunset to use her chaos magic," Twilight stated.

The girls cheered at this. Finally, they had the answer to help Sunset.

However, Rarity felt something was wrong. Her keen eye for detail looked over all the information and detected something wrong with Twilight's solution. But before she could voice it, Fluttershy spoke up.

"But how are we going to get her to use her chaos magic if she keeps passing out?"

Twilight thought for a moment and smiled as she thought of an answer.

"Then we'll just get a relative to transfer their chaos magic to her to correct the imbalance."

"Are yah going to bring Sunset back to Equestria?" Applejack asked, feeling nervous for some reason.

"It might not be good idea to move Sunset in her condition and who knows what'll happen when she goes through the portal," Twilight explained. "It's better if I go back and bring Sunset's father here."

"Oh! That makes sense," Applejack laughed nervously. She was feeling relieved that Sunset wasn't leaving.

Rarity, seeing her opportunity to speak, was about to voice her concerns when her phone started ringing. This was soon followed by Applejack's. Both girls checked the caller ID’s and saw the calls were from Rarity's mother and Applejack's grandmother.

"Hello, Mother," Rarity answered the phone.

"Hey, Granny," Applejack answered her phone as well.

Both girls were silent as they listened to their parental figures when their eyes suddenly widened.

"SHE SAID WHAT?!" both teens shouted.

"W-what's wrong?" Rainbow Dash asked nervously.

Applejack and Rarity talked to their parental figures for a bit before hanging up. They let out a shared sigh of frustration as their expressions became angry.

"Applejack? Rarity?" Twilight looked to her friends with worry.

"My mother called to tell me that Sweetie Belle and her friends confessed to being Anon-A-Miss," Rarity said as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Granny told me the same," Applejack said through gritted teeth.

At the mention of Anon-A-Miss, Sunset's face twisted in discomfort, causing her to let out an annoyed moan.

"Let's take this outside," Twilight suggested.

The girls nodded and left Sunset's bedroom, Meanwhile, Sunset's face twisted from discomfort to annoyance.

"Anon-A-Miss," Sunset mumbled in her sleep.

"I can't believe they actually did it," Fluttershy said from her spot on Sunset's sofa. They had suspected the Crusaders at first, but to have it finally confirmed did not fill them with glee.

"Ah'm so angry at Applebloom and mahself right now," Applejack said as she sat next to Fluttershy and buried her face in her hands.

Rarity simply stood to one side. Her eyes were closed but her friends knew that she was having some inner turmoil about this revelation.

Twilight looked at the Rainbooms in confusion. She didn't understand what was going on.

"Girls, what's wrong? Who's ‘Anon-A-Miss’? And how does it involve your sisters?"

The girls looked at each other, they knew they had to tell Twilight the truth.

Rarity opened her eyes and looked at Twilight who noticed the look of guilt in them. In fact she noticed that same look in all her friends.

"Darling, there's something we have to tell you."

Fallout Girls

Sunset Shimmer’s living room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The Rainbooms had just finished explaining to Twilight about Anon-A-Miss (they had to explain to her what social media was first), their suspicion that it was their sisters, their secrets that were posted and how they easily fell for the obvious frame up. Not to mention that they were going to break off their friendship with Sunset. They also told Twilight about how they told Sunset this earlier and she had not taken it well.

Twilight listened to their explanations closely, and only interrupted to ask a question about something she didn't understand. Those were the only times she interrupted them as she allowed them to finish their story.

Twilight sat on one of the kitchen chairs, her arms crossed and her eyes closed. Her posture was stiff and there was a visible frown on her face. The Rainbooms waited anxiously for Twilight to say something, anything, even yell at them. Her silence was killing them. But Twilight didn't say a word and just continued to sit there, lost in her own thoughts and feelings.

During the Rainbooms explanation, Twilight couldn't help but draw comparisons to what had happened to her during her brother's wedding. The Princess of Friendship remembered the pain she felt when her friends refused to believe her and abandoned her, so she understood the pain Sunset must have felt when the girls told her the truth.

"Twilight?" Fluttershy was the first to break the silence.

Twilight took in a deep breath before exhaling it; she opened her eyes to look at the Rainbooms.

"I'm so disappointed in you girls."

The girls flinched, not just at the fact that Twilight voiced her disappointment with them but that there was no malice or resentment in her tone. That just made them feel worse.

"After what Sunset has done to prove she has changed, after she helped us defeat the sirens, all of you still thought of her as that manipulative po-person she used to be," Twilight said in a disappointed tone. She had entrusted them to teach Sunset the ’Magic of Friendship’ and yet they were ready to throw her aside as soon as it looked like she was back to her old tricks. A shudder went up her spine as she imagined such a thing happening. She was actually thankful that Sunset was sick.

"We know we messed up," Rainbow Dash said. "And we will make things right. We promise."

Seeing Rainbow Dash looking so remorseful reminded Twilight of her own Rainbow Dash when she later apologized to her after her brother's wedding.

"There ain’t no excuse for what we did, but we swear to yah, Twilight. We will do everything in our power to make it up to Sunset," Applejack swore.

"Quite right, darling," Rarity spoke next, using a napkin to dap at the corners of her eyes. "I won't just make up for my false accusation and lack of trust in Sunset, but for my little sister’s part in framing Sunset and attempting to ruin her reputation."

Twilight saw Rarity close her eyes tightly, shame clearly visible on her face for her sister’s actions.

"We're so sorry we let you down, Twilight," Pinkie Pie said before blowing her nose on a napkin, her hair had lost all its puffiness and was now straight like all her sisters’.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Twilight reminded Pinkie Pie.

"We should've trusted Sunset more," Sobbed Fluttershy.

"We aren't worthy to be part of her herd," Rainbow Dash said bitterly.

"Wait-what?" Twilight blinked at this. Sunset’s herd?

"After we told Sunset about our mistake, she confessed that she had crushes on me an' Rainbow. She said that we could've all been a herd but we lacked complete trust in her," Applejack explained. She had no idea what Sunset meant by a herd, but she figured it must be something special to a pony.

"No way," Twilight muttered in surprise, not just because Sunset had picked out her herdmates but for it to be this world's version of her Rainbow Dash and Applejack. It couldn't be a coincidence.

"Darling, what exactly does it mean to be a part of a ‘herd’?" Rarity asked curiously. Judging by Twilight's surprised expression, she figured that it must be a very big deal.

"Being part of a herd means that you've chosen to spend the rest of your life with your special some ponies," Twilight explained as a smile started to spread across her lips.

"You mean it's the same as marriage?!" Rarity gasped.

"M-marriage?!" Rainbow Dash stuttered, her face turning red.

"A-a-ah didn't realize she was that serious about us," Applejack said. She was in a state of complete shock. She didn't even have a girlfriend yet and now the girl she has been crushing on not only liked her back but was already thinking of marriage.

"Of course, it's just like the animal herds in our world," Fluttershy realized.

"Well, since technically Sunset is a pony from another world, it does make sense," Rarity rationalized.

"I can't believe out of all the people she could've chosen, she chose you both too," Twilight said excitedly.

"What makes you say that?" Rainbow Dash questioned while raising an eyebrow.

"Because the pony counterparts of you two are my herdmates," Twilight explained, smiling brightly.

"No way!" Rainbow Dash was shocked to hear this.

"Oh my," Rarity's eyes widened at this information.

"So your Rainbow and AJ are your wives?!" Pinkie Pie's jaw hit the floor at the news before she gasped loudly, her hair regaining its puffiness as she turned to Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "Oh my gosh! Dashie, AJ congratulations!"

"It's too soon fer that, Pinkie," Applejack said, looking depressed.

"We kind of screwed that up," Rainbow Dash said dejectedly.

"Maybe not," Twilight spoke.

"What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash asked, a tiny ray of hope shining in her heart.

"You see, during my brother's wedding there was a villain named Queen Chrysalis that impersonated my brother's fiancée, Princess Cadance, who foalsat me when I was a filly." Twilight explained as her smile faltered. "I noticed something was off about her and tried to expose her, but nopony believed me and my friends turned their backs on me. Even my own brother."

A stray tear slid down Twilight's right cheek as she recalled the pain she felt when her friends walked away from her.

"Chrysalis and her army of changelings almost took over Equestria. If it wasn't for the love my brother and Cadance have for each other, we wouldn’t have been able to drive the changelings back and defeat Chrysalis. I probably wouldn’t be here now,” Twilight said as she casted her gaze on the floor. "When it was all over, my friends offered their sincerest apologies and did everything they could to make it up to me."

A smile started to make its way on Twilight's lips.

"It was during that time that we all became even closer, but not as close as I did with Rainbow Dash and Applejack."

Twilight raised her head and looked at the Rainbooms.

"I soon started to have feelings towards them and eventually worked up the courage to confess. I was so relieved and happy that they felt the same and soon we became a herd.”

That sounded so romantic and it was.

”Despite how badly they have misjudged the situation, my friends never gave up on our friendship. If you girls show Sunset how truly sorry you are then she will see how much you really care about her," Twilight assured them.

The Rainbooms felt a little more hopeful. They knew they had a lot of work ahead of them to make it up to Sunset but she was worth it.

"Thank you, darling. You don't know how much we needed to hear that," Rarity thanked Twilight.

"Yeah, even with Anon-A-Miss dealt with, it would be pointless if we lose Sunset," Applejack said as she wiped away a tear in her eye.

"That would be devastating," Fluttershy said as tears fell from her eyes.

"Sunny is such an amazing friend! I don't wanna lose her!" Pinkie cried.

Rainbow Dash brought her right hand up to her chest and clutched at her heart. The thought of losing Sunset was still very painful to her. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Applejack.

"Yah okay there, Rainbow?" Applejack asked, looking at Rainbow Dash with worry.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Rainbow Dash assured her friend/rival.

"If yah say so, but ah'm here if yah need someone to talk to," Applejack offered.

"We are all here for you, darling," Rarity spoke as she walked up to Rainbow Dash. Despite her rainbow-haired friend's tough exterior, Rarity knew that Rainbow Dash was the most sensitive one of their group, even more so than Fluttershy. It was one of the qualities Sunset liked most about Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie wrapped her arms around Rainbow Dash in a tight hug. "We're besties and you can tell us anything!"

"You don't need to endure the pain by yourself, Rainbow. We're your friends and we'll always have your back," Fluttershy assured her childhood friend.

"Thanks, girls, you are all amazing friends" Rainbow Dash was very grateful for the support. "I just wished we were the same with Sunset."

"We will be, Dash. Like Twilight said, we messed up royally but we still have a chance to make things right by Sunset," Applejack assured her friend. Just then her phone received a text message alert along with Rarity’s.

"Mother and father want me to come home. They want me there when they discuss Sweetie Belle's punishment," Rarity said after she read the text. She wasn't looking forward to seeing her little sister after what she had done but she had some choice words to say to her.

"Big Mac texted me the same," Applejack said, her tone neutral as she stared at the text.

"To think that it was because they were jealous of Sunset spending more time with us," Rarity shook her head. Her mother had told her about the CMC's reason for creating Anon-A-miss.

Rainbow Dash remained silent as an image of Scootaloo's smiling face flashed in her mind.

'How could you, Scoots?'

"Yah okay there, Dash?" Applejack asked with concern when she noticed how quiet Rainbow Dash was.

"Not really," Rainbow Dash said truthfully.

"It's about Scootaloo, right?" Twilight asked as she stepped up to Rainbow Dash.

"She's supposed to be my little sister. Not only did she stab me in the back like this, she almost made me betray Sunset," Rainbow Dash said as she clenched her fists in anger. "I don't know who I am more mad at, her or myself."

Twilight reached to gently grab Rainbow Dash's fists and gave her a reassuring smile which Rainbow Dash appreciated.

"I'd best be going now. The sooner I get the princess the better," Twilight said.

"We'll come to see you off, Darling," Rarity suggested.

"Thank you," Twilight thanked Rarity as she along with Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie put on their winter clothes and made their way back to the portal.

"Pinkie, Fluttershy and I will make sure Sunset is okay," Rainbow Dash said.

"We'll make sure to contact everyone if something happens," Pinkie Pie added.

"Good luck, girls. I'll be back as soon as I can," Twilight stated as she and her friends gathered for a group hug. Once they let go, Twilight proceeded to walk through the portal. Well, she would have walked through but her face collided with the hard surface of the statue’s base instead.

"Ow!" Twilight brought her hands up to cover her face.

"Are you okay, Twilight?!" Rainbow Dash cried in worry as she and the rest of the Rainbooms crowded around Twilight.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Twilight assured them as she rubbed her face. She looked back at the portal before reaching a hand out to touch it's solid surface. Her eyes widened in alarm. "Oh no, no, no, no, no!"

Twilight was panicking as her hands roamed over the surface of the portal.

"This can't be happening, this can't be happening!" Twilight shouted as she desperately pressed her hands against the solid surface of the statue base. "Of all the times for this to happen, why now?!"

The Rainbooms faces paled as they realized what this meant for Sunset.

"N-no way," Rainbow Dash stammered as she watched Twilight desperately search for the portal.

"If the portal doesn't work..." Rarity mumbled, unable to finish her sentence.

"Then how will we get the help Sunset needs?" Pinkie finished as tears stung at her eyes.

As Twilight started searching around the portal, Rarity's keen eye noticed a gleam reflected off one side of the statue base before it appeared in another side just as Twilight started inspecting the one it was on before.

'I wonder,’ Rarity thought as she reached out to touch the gleaming surface only for it to switch to the side next to it.

"I knew it."

"What is it, Rarity?" Applejack asked when she noticed Rarity start placing her hand against the next side of the statue's base.

"I believe the portal is moving from one side to the other," Rarity explained as the gleam moved again. "There! Did you see that? It moved again!"

The girls watched as Rarity pointed at the side of the statue's base. They saw the gleam on the surface and as Rarity went to touch it, the gleam was gone.

"Ah think ah see it," Applejack said.

"Quick, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, you two stand over there. Twilight, you stand here," Rarity instructed as each girl got into position. "Twilight, the portal should be in front of you. Do you see the light reflecting from its surface?"

"Yeah, I see it!" Twilight said excitedly.

"Alright, on the count of three we will all reach for our respective sides. If I am right about this then the portal would have nowhere to go and be trapped, therefore allowing Twilight to pass through," Rarity concluded.

"That makes sense," Rainbow Dash said.

"Let's give it a shot," Applejack said as she stared intently at the surface in front of her.

"Alright, on the count of three," Rarity instructed.

"One."

Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Twilight got into a ready position.

"Two."

Pinkie Pie looked on anxiously, hoping that this would work.

"Three!"

All four girls rushed at the statue's base and slammed their hands against the four sides. Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash hit the solid surface but Twilight passed on through, causing the portal's surface to ripple.

"It worked!" Pinkie cheered.

"Good job, Rarity!" Applejack congratulated her fashionista friend.

"It was nothing, darling," Rarity said as she smiled victoriously.

"Nothing my butt, your plan just saved Sunset!" Rainbow Dash said as she patted her friend on the back.

Rarity smiled at that but then it faltered once she realized what was going to happen next.

"I guess I'll be seeing you girls tomorrow," Rarity said.

"Yeah," Applejack said simply.

The Rainbooms gave each other a hug before Applejack and Rarity went home.

"I hope they'll be okay," Pinkie Pie voiced her concern as she and Rainbow Dash started walking back towards Sunset's apartment.

"I doubt it'll be easy for them to face their sisters after what they did," Rainbow Dash commented without looking at Pinkie.

"What about you?" Pinkie Pie asked. "How will you face Scootaloo?"

Rainbow Dash was silent for a moment before answering Pinkie Pie.

"I really don't know."

Pinkie Pie didn't press the subject further and the two continued the rest of the way in silence.

"Whoa!"

Twilight stumbled out of the portal on her hind legs before dropping down on all fours.

"Who's there?!"

Twilight saw pony Rainbow Dash fly into the room, ready to take on any intruders. When her eyes landed on Twilight, her glare turned to surprise.

"Twilight?"

"Hi, Dashie. I'm back," Twilight greeted her marefriend with a smile.

Rainbow Dash flew over to Twilight and gave her a hug.

"How'd it go?" Rainbow Dash asked as she broke the hug.

"Sunset is very sick and it appears that her chaos magic is slowly transforming the town just like how Ponyville was when Discord was released," Twilight explained.

"That sounds bad," Rainbow Dash said with worry.

"It is. I need to go get Princess Celestia immediately," Twilight said before her ears picked up the sound of rushing hooves.

"Rainbow, ah heard yah yelling. Is everything alri-"Pony Applejack started to saw but cut herself off when she entered the library and saw Twilight.

"Twilight!"

Applejack rushed over to her herdmate and gave her a tight hug.

"It's so good to see yah, sugarcube," Applejack said as she nuzzled Twilight She had missed her when she and Rainbow Dash went to Canterlot and was very happy to see her.

"It's good to see you too, Applejack," Twilight nuzzled her herdmate back before the two shared a tender kiss. "But I'm afraid I won't be staying long."

"What's the matter?" Applejack asked, looking at Twilight with worry.

Twilight explained to her the situation.

"Whoa nelly, so Sunset is the Princess Celestia’s daughter?!" Applejack couldn't believe that their princess had a daughter.

"Rainbow Dash will explain it to you while I go get the princess," Twilight said before looking behind Applejack.

Applejack saw the worried look in her eyes and smiled.

"Don't you worry, Twilight. We'll take good care of Spike," Applejack assured her.

"Thanks, Applejack," Twilight gave her and Rainbow Dash a kiss on the cheek. "Bye."

Twilight teleported herself to Canterlot.

"Ah hope everythin' turns out okay," Applejack said.

Princess Celestia stood on her balcony and looked at the scene in front of her with worry. Luna had left a while ago to perform her nightly duties so she couldn't stay to enjoy more of Discord's reactions to fatherhood.

"Princess Celestia!"

Celestia's ears perked up at the familiar voice that called her name and turned around to see Twilight galloping towards her.

"Twilight?" Celestia was surprised to see the Princess of Friendship. She should've been back in Ponyville now. "What are you doing here?"

"Princess Celestia, Sunset needs your help. She's fallen ill and is showing the same symptoms you told me about,"
Twilight explained as she stood before the Solar Princess.

Celestia's blood ran cold after hearing that.

"Then we have no time to lose," Princess Celestia turned back around. "Discord!"

Twilight looked behind Celestia and was shocked to see numerous Discords walking around aimlessly; some were walking on thin air, others were walking on top of the castle, and some walked sideways in mid air. It was a bizarre sight but perfectly normal for Discord.

"Why are there so many Discords?" Twilight wondered.

"I told him that he was a father and I believe he's in a state of shock," Celestia explained.

"This isn't good! We need him to help Sunset!" Twilight said with great urgency.

"Agreed," Celestia unfurled her wing and flew off to one of the Discords. "Discord, I need your-"

Celestia cut herself off when she reached a hoof to Discord, only for it to pass right through him.

"Celestia, what's wrong?" Twilight asked worriedly as she flew next to Celestia.

"I'm afraid we have to check each of the Discords to find the real one," Celestia said with worry.

"But that could take all night!" Twilight shouted. "Can't you use some kind of spell to detect him?"

"I did, but apparently he's all over the place," Celestia groaned. "Why did this have to happen now?"

Twilight placed a hoof on Celestia's shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll just have to check them all like you said."

"Then let’s get started," Celestia said as she flew to another Discord. Her hoof passed through him, indicating that he wasn't real.

Twilight checked a nearby Discord and discovered that he too was a fake. She took a look around to the numerous Discords before letting out a sigh.

"There's no helping it."

Twilight and Celestia continued their search for the real Discord. Celestia even recruited some of the castle staff and guards to help her in the search.

Back in the human world, Scootaloo was in the living room with her parents who were not happy with what their daughter had done.

"I can't believe you, Scootaloo," Spitfire scolded her daughter who was sitting on the sofa. "How could you do something so stupid!?"

"We're very disappointed in you, Scoots," Scootaloo's father Soarin said, looking at his daughter with disappointed eyes.

"I'm sorry," Scootaloo said in a low voice. She had her head lowered as tears fell on her lap.

After their families were all gathered in Sweetie Belle's living room, the CMC told them everything: the creation of Anon-A-Miss, their reasons and why they decided to confess now. Needless to say their families were quite angry with what they had done and chewed them out. The CMC told them that they had planned to tell Principal Celestia tomorrow. Although their families were glad that the girls decided to take responsibility and stop before things got even worse, it did little to alleviate their anger. They decided to continue this conversation in the privacy of their own homes.

"We're not the only ones you should be apologizing to, young lady," Spitfire stated. "There's Rainbow Dash and her friends, the people whose secrets you spilled and especially the one you and your friends tried to frame."

"Yes," was all Scootaloo could say.

Spitfire let out a sigh. Despite being very upset with her daughter it still pained her to see her looking so miserable. She walked over to Scootaloo and knelt in front of her. She placed her index finger underneath her chin and raised her daughter's head to look at her face.

"Listen, Scootaloo, despite what you did, we are still proud of you for taking responsibility and owning up to your mistakes," Spitfire said gently, smiling kindly at her daughter.

"R-really?" Scootaloo asked, looking into her mother's eyes.

"Yeah," Soarin agreed as he knelt down besides his wife. "It still doesn't excuse what you did but we're glad that you realize that what you did was wrong and are taking the proper steps to make it right."

"But you are still in trouble, and for starters you're going to have to do some extra chores around the house," Spitfire said as she smiled cheekily at her daughter.

"I figured," Scootaloo chuckled as she smiled slightly.

"Not to mention you're grounded," Soarin added playfully.

Scootaloo simply giggled.

"Now then, go upstairs and get ready for bed," Spitfire ordered as she rose to her feet. "We'll come up to tuck you in later, okay?"

"Okay," Scootaloo jumped off the sofa and rushed upstairs.

Spitfire and Soarin watched her go upstairs. When she was out of sight, Spitfire let out a tired sigh before taking a seat in the sofa that Scootaloo had been sitting in.

"You okay?" Soarin asked his wife as he looked at her with concern.

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired," Spitfire told him as she ran her right hand through her hair.

"Maybe we should get to bed ourselves," Soarin said in a flirtatious tone as he took a seat next to Spitfire and wrapped an arm around her.

"Not now, Soarin," Spitfire groaned, not in the mood, but she did not remove his arm from her and instead laid her head against his shoulder.

"Tell me what's on your mind," Soarin spoke gently as he caressed his wife's hair.

"Just thinking where did we go wrong," Spitfire said dejectedly. "Of all the trouble Scootaloo has gotten herself into, I never imagined she'd do something like this."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up. As parents, we did everything we could to make sure Scootaloo stayed on the proper path. But sometimes kids make mistakes," Soarin assured her. "We made some mistakes ourselves when we were her age."

"And that's the part I hate," Spitfire noted. "I don't want my mistakes to be hers."

The two remained silent for a while before Spitfire stood up.

"C'mon we better go tuck her in," Spitfire said as she cast her husband a smile.

"Sure," Soarin simply said as he and Spitfire made their way up to Scootaloo's room.

"Ah am very disappointed in yah, little seed," Granny Smith said to her granddaughter as she glared at the youngest member of the Apple family who was sitting on a chair in the kitchen with her head down. "Ah can't believe yah would humiliate yer own sister and frame her friend all because yah were jealous of how much Sunset was spending more time with her."

Applebloom shrunk under her grandmother's piercing gaze,.The way her grandmother explained her reasons behind Anon-A-Miss made it sound so petty.

'Ah suppose mah reason was petty,' Applebloom thought, admitting it to herself. She turned her attention to

Applejack who had her arms crossed and eyes glaring at her.

"Ah'm so sorry, Applejack."

"Why?" Applejacked asked. "Why would yah go through all this instead of just talking to me, Granny or Big Mac?"

"Ah don't know," Applebloom said as tears began to pool in her eyes. "Ah wasn't thinkin'."

"Nope, you weren't," Big Mac spoke, arms crossed as he narrowed his eyes at his littlest sister. "Ma and Pa would be very disappointed in yah now, Applebloom."

Applebloom's eyes widen at this. She imagined her parents disappointed faces as the tears fell from her eyes. She covered her face with her hands and started sobbing.

"Ah'm sorry, ah'm so sorry."

The family watched Applebloom cry her apologies, their hearts aching as they heard her cries and their expressions began to soften.

"There, there now, Applebloom," Granny Smith wrapped her arms around her granddaughter and tried to calm her down. "Yer Ma and Pa will no doubt be disappointed at what yah did, but they'll be mighty proud that yah took responsibility fer yer mistake and told the truth."

"Really?" Applebloom asked hopefully as she looked at her grandmother.

"Of course," Granny Smith said confidently. "Just cause yah made a mistake doesn't mean we'll stop loving yah, ain't that right, Big Macintosh?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac said as he smiled at his sister.

Applebloom looked towards Applejack who was looking at away from her with a far off look in her eyes.

"Applejack?"

Applejack perked up at her name being called at looked at her sister.

"Do...do yah hate me?" Applebloom asked nervously.

"Of course ah don't hate yah, Applebloom. Yer my little sister and ah'll always love yah," Applejack stated.

Applebloom got up from her chair and ran towards Applejack who knelt down and opened her arms to hug her little sister as she cried on her shoulder.

"Ah'm so sorry Applejack! Ah should've never tried to hurt yah!"

Tears welled up in Applejack's eyes as she held her sister close, despite how upset she was at her sister, she could never hate her.

"Ah hate myself fer falllin' fer yer trick."

"But it wasn't yer fault! We were the ones who framed Sunset!" Applebloom protested.

"Don't matter, ah was willing to throw away someone I loved just because of two posts," Applejack cried. "Ma and Pa would be more disappointed in me!"

The two sisters cried in each others arms and were soon joined by their brother and grandmother.

Rarity was at her work table, working on a sketch when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened to reveal Sweetie Belle.

"Rarity, can I talk to you?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously.

Rarity let out a sigh before removing her glasses and motioning Sweetie Belle to enter. Sweetie Belle entered Rarity's room and closed the door behind her.

"What do you want to talk about, Sweetie Belle?" Rarity asked in monotone.

Sweetie Belle flinched at Rarity's monotone voice, " I just want to apologize for humiliating you and your friends."

"I know. You've already apologized to me when I got home," Rarity reminded as she narrowed her eyes at Sweetie Belle.

Sweetie Belle was grounded and banned from using her gadgets while at home and at school. Her smartphone was confiscated and she would have to use an old flip phone with no internet access. She also had to do more chores around the house and whatever tasked Rarity asked of her.

The two sisters remained silent for a few minutes before Sweetie Belle broke the silence.

"I should probably go now and let you get back to work," Sweetie Belle said as she turned around to exit the room. She was saddened at what had become of their relationship but she had brought this on herself. She only wanted to spend more time with her big sister, but Rarity no longer wanted anything to do with her.

"Sweetie Belle."

"Yes?" Sweetie Belle turned around to look at her older sister.

"Come here, please," Rarity ordered.

Sweetie Belle did as she was told and walked towards Rarity until she stood before her. Rarity gave her a scrutinizing gaze which made Sweetie Belle nervous. Rarity then reached behind her and pulled out a hat to place on top of Sweetie Belle's head.

"Yes, I can see it now. A most magnificent summer dress!" Rarity proclaimed as she snatched some fabric and needles.

'Here we go,' Sweetie Belle thought as Rarity wrapped the fabric around her and secured it with the needles.

"I am very upset with you, Sweetie Belle," Rarity suddenly spoke as she adjusted the fabric around Sweetie Belle.

"I know," Sweetie Belle agreed.

"I hope you're ready to spend some ‘quality time’ with your big sister," Rarity said as she gave Sweetie Belle a mischievous smirk.

Sweetie Belle gulped as she let Rarity use her as a living mannequin.

"I still love you, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said. "And despite how upset and disappointed I am with you at the moment, that fact will never change."

Sweetie Belle smiled at hearing those words as tears welled up in her eyes.

"I love you too."

The two sisters were silent as Rarity continued her work, a small smile on both their lips.

Princess Luna traveled through the dreamscape as the dreams of her ponies floated around her while she searched for a particular pony's dream.

'It has to be here somewhere,' Luna thought as she scanned the dream realm.

'No!'

Luna heard a cry for help. One of her subjects needed her. Her horn started glowing as she focused on the source of the call. After a bit of time, she was able to locate its source. Her horn's magic enveloped her and she immediately transported herself to the source of the call. The Princess of the Night found herself in what appeared to be a school hallway. She looked around her for the source of the call when she heard the cry again.

"Leave them alone!"

Princess Luna quickly turned her head back and started galloping down the hall where she heard the voice. As she turned the corner, she saw a strange creature that walked upright on its two hind legs. She also saw five other creatures huddled together as they were being laughed at by the shadowy silhouettes of what she believed to be the same creatures as the girls. The girls were crying as the shadows mocked and laughed at them.

"Stop laughing at them!" the creature with the red and yellow mane shouted, growing increasingly angry at the shadows.

She rushed towards them and stood between them and the shadows with her arms stretched out.

"Back off, or else!" the creature threatened, glaring at the shadows.

"Why, Sunset?"

Both Luna and Sunset's eyes widen as Sunset turned around to see her friends glaring at her.

"I thought yah were our friend," Applejack said bitterly as she glared at Sunset with tears spilling from her eyes.

"How could you do this to us, darling?" Rarity said as she held on tight to the rest of her friends, her mascara leaving ugly black lines down her face.

"Wha-what do you mean?" Sunset was confused, why were her friends glaring at her when she was trying to help them?

"Don't play dumb!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "We know it was you who posted the photos of the slumber party!"

Sunset was taken aback by this.

"N-no, I would never do that!"

"Quit lying, Sunset. We know yer Anon-A-Miss," Applejack stated angrily.

"N-no, I- I'm not that person!" Sunset's voice started to break as tears welled up in her eyes. "I could never hurt any of
you!"

"But you did!" Fluttershy raised her voice, glaring at Sunset with absolute hate. "You did this to us!"

"N-no," Sunset took a step back, her tears starting to fall.

"We’re done being yer punching bags, Sunset," Applejack said as she and the girls turned away. "Tell all the secrets you want, but we don't have to listen."

Sunset fell on to her knees as she watched her friends walk away from her.

"No," Sunset muttered as brought her hands up to cover her face as she wept.

Luna had seen enough and as she was about to make her presence known, she sensed something. Suddenly, her surroundings faded to darkness and Sunset's sobbing stopped. She watched as the young woman rose up and wiped at her tears. When she removed her hand from her face, Luna saw that her niece had a look of determination.

"Anon-A-Miss," Sunset growled as images of the posts Anon-A-Miss made about her friends floated around her. "The first thing Anon-A-Miss posted was Applejack's nickname, then the photos of the slumber party, Applejack and Rainbow Dash's crushes on me, and finally Dash's failed test paper."

Sunset thought carefully, she went over what had happened at the sleepover at Pinkie Pie's.

"Applejack told us about her nickname, which only us and her family know.....family."

Images of Applebloom, Granny Smith and Big Mac materialized in front of her.

"During the sleepover at Rarity's, the only people there were us and her family.”

Images of Sweetie Belle and her parents materialized in front of Sunset.

"I doubt Granny Smith will do it since she probably doesn't even know how to use a computer and Big Mac doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would do this," Sunset deduced as the image of Granny Smith and Big Mac disappeared and only Applebloom was left.

"Applebloom was the one who blurted out Applejack's nickname and she was the first to tell us about Anon-A-Miss."

She looked towards the images of Rarity's family as her parents images faded leaving Sweetie Belle.

"If Sweetie Belle's involved that would mean that Scootaloo is too."

An image of Scootaloo materialized next to Applebloom's picture.

"The junior soccer team does have practice with the senior team," Sunset's eyes widened as all the pieces started coming into place. She clenched her teeth as she narrowed her eyes dangerously at the CMC. "Those little brats."

The images of the CMC burned away as Sunset seethed in anger.

"How dare they humiliate their sisters and frame me for it," Sunset muttered.

Luna watched as steam started rising from Sunset. She started to become worried when she sensed something very familiar.

"They made them go through a living nightmare. If that's what they want, then I'll do the same,"

Luna watched in horror as Sunset rose into the air and a very familiar silhouette appeared behind her.

"I shall become their Nightmare Moon!" Sunset shouted as the shadowy silhouette of Nightmare Moon started laughing maniacally.

"NO!" Luna screamed as she dove towards Sunset, but a wave of darkness pushed her back.

"Sunset!" Luna gasped as she bolted up from her bed. She was covered in sweat and panted heavily. She took a look outside to see Celestia's Sun rising in the distance.

"Sister."

Luna's horn glowed as she teleported herself to her sister's location.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but we can't seem to find the real one," a tired castle royal guard reported to the princess.

"It's alright, thank you for trying," Celestia thanked him.

"This is insane! Where could the real one possibly be?!" Twilight demanded as she used her magic to pull on her mane.

"Sister!"

Luna suddenly appeared in front of Celestia and not only startled her but Twilight as well.

"Luna? What's the matter?" Celestia asked worriedly as she took in her sister's panicked appearance.

"It's Sunset Shimmer! We must go to her now!" Luna said in a raised and panicked voice. It was almost close to the volume of her Royal Canterlot Voice.

"What happened?!" Celestia demanded.

Luna told them about what she had seen in Sunset Shimmer’s dream.

"T-that can't be possible!" Twilight shouted. She couldn't fathom that Nightmare Moon would come back through Sunset.

"I don't think my darker half has returned through my niece. It's more like she is using her image in the dream world," Luna assured the Princess of Friendship.

"Then we must go there now!" Celestia urged insistently.

"But we can't go without Discord!" Twilight reminded her.

Luna looked at the many Discords and arched an eyebrow.

"Sister, has he been like this all night?" Luna asked.

"Yes, and we spent all night looking for the real one but we can't seem to find him," Celestia explained as she looked at the Discords with worry.

"We tried using a locator spell but it showed us that he was here!" Twilight spread her wings to indicate to the surrounding area.

Luna pondered for a moment before her eyes widen in realization.

"I think I know what the problem is."

"You do?!" Twilight and Celestia said at the same time.

"Yes, you see the news that Discord is a father has shaken him so much that he's unsure of what to do next," Luna explained. "I've seen it in dreams where a pony's thoughts are so scattered that they manifest into what you see before you."

"Do you know how to fix him?" Twilight asked.

"Of course, he needs somepony to anchor his thoughts and to tell him that everything will be alright," Luna explained as she and Twilight looked to Celestia.

Celestia understood what she had to do and closed her eyes as her horn began to glow.

The Discords stopped pacing and looked towards the bright light of Celestia's horn.

'Discord, you have to pull yourself together,’ Celestia's voice echoed around everyone.

'But Kaykay, what am I supposed to do? I don't know the first thing about being a father,' Discord's own voice echoed around them.

'It's alright, I had the same thoughts as you do, doubting whether I could be the mother that Sunset deserves,' Celestia looked at the Discords with loving eyes.

'But what if I mess up and end up hurting her? Like I did with you?’ Discord admitted sadly, his tone laced with fear.

'I can't promise that you won't hurt her. Faust knows I've already done that,’ Celestia admitted, making Discord feel regret. ‘But we can't let the fear of hurting her stop us, or else we'll miss out on getting to know a very special mare. You won't be alone, Discord. I'll be here with you, and together we'll make Sunset the happiest pony in all of Equestria.’
The Discords saw the tears running down Celestia's cheeks and they began walking towards her, each one combining with the others as they drew close until there was only one Discord left.

"Thank you, Celestia," Discord thanked his love as he brought his paw up to caress her face.

Celestia smiled before drawing him close for a hug.

"Anytime."

"Then let’s go see our daughter," Discord said as he looked to Twilight and gave her a nod.

Twilight nodded back as her horn lit up and teleported herself, Luna, Celestia and Discord to her castle library. Once there, Twilight wrote a quick message to her Canterlot High friends and proceeded to go through the portal with the Royal Canterlot Family.

Fluttershy finished placing the damp rag on Sunset's forehead. She looked at the former unicorn with worry as she continued to get worse.

"Just hang on a bit longer, Sunset. Help's almost here," Fluttershy whispered gently to Sunset as she made her way out of Sunset's bedroom.

No sooner did Fluttershy close Sunset's door did the former unicorn's eyes snapped open.

"Still no word from Twilight, huh?" Fluttershy asked Rainbow Dash who was sitting on Sunset's sofa. She was looking at the journal on the coffee table.

"Not ye-" Rainbow was cut off when the journal started vibrating. She quickly snatched it up and opened it to the current entry. "She's going through the portal now!"

"That's great!" Pinkie cheered.

"I'll text AJ," Rainbow Dash said as she typed a message to Applejack, a big smile on her lips.

"I'm so happy that Sunnny will be saved, right Gummy? Gummy?" Pinkie Pie looked for her pet stuffed alligator that came to life. "There you are!"

Pinkie spotted Gummy chewing on Sunset's bedroom door knob.

"Silly Gummy, that's not food," Pinkie chastised her pet alligator as she went to pick him off the door. "We'll get you some yummy pancakes, how does that sound?"

As Pinkie pried Gummy off of Sunset's bedroom door knob, the motion turned the knob which caused Sunset's bedroom door to open slightly.

"Oops, sorry Sunse-" Pinkie Pie didn't finish her sentence as her eyes widen upon seeing Sunset's empty bed. She then started to feel a strange tingle in her body. “Uh-oh.”

Principal Celestia pinched the bridge of her nose as she sighed in irritation. Her sister Vice-Principal Luna stood next to her as she glared at the three young girls in front of her.

Both administrators did not expect that Anon-A-Miss would come to their office and confess, much less that it was these three girls.

"Words cannot begin to describe how disappointed I am in you girls," Principal Celestia spoke. The Crusaders have told them everything as well as their reasons, and she had to fight tooth and nail to not shout at them right now.

"That has got to be the most selfish, idiotic, just plain outrageous reason behind this slander I have ever heard!" Vice-Principal Luna's voice boomed in the office room.

The Crusaders flinched in fear. They had never seen their principals so angry before.

"I will call for an assembly where you three will log into the account, shut it down and apologize to the entire school," Principal Celestia stated sternly.

"As for your punishment you'll have six months of detention for starters," Vice-Principal Luna said. "Am I understood?"

"Yes," all three girls said in unison.

"You three shall stay here while Vice-Principal Luna and I step outside for a minute," Principal Celestia said as she rose from her seat and walked out of her office with her sister before closing the door.

"That went about as well as ah expected," Applebloom said as she slumped in her seat.

"For a moment, I was afraid Vice-Principal Luna was going to wring our necks," Scootaloo shuddered at the thought. "I've never seen her so angry before."

"I can't really blame her," Sweetie Belle said.

"What was ah thinking when ah started Anon-A-Miss?" Applebloom groaned. "Ah guess it doesn't matter now, we gotta face the consequences."

"I'm glad to hear that."

The Crusaders were startled by the unknown voice that came from behind them and they turned around to see Sunset Shimmer.

"S-Sunset?!" Applebloom was shocked to see Sunset.

"Hey girls," Sunset panted with labored breaths. Her hair was a disheveled mess, her face was flushed red and covered in sweat and her pony ears were twitching.

"Sunset, you should be in bed," Sweetie Belle said in concern. Sunset looked awful and could collapse at any moment.

"I just wanted to invite you girls to play a game with me," Sunset said as she smiled wickedly at the girls.

"W-what kind of game?" Scootaloo asked nervously. There was something off about Sunset.

"You'll see," was all Sunset said before she snapped her fingers.

"Alright, girls let’s-" Celestia cut herself off as she opened the door to find no one inside her office.

Author's Note

Things are starting to get serious now, Sunset appears to have completely lost it. And in case any of you were wondering how Luna was able to see into Sunset's dream despite being in another world, ordinarily she wouldn’t be able to see the dreams of the humans. But because Sunset isn’t originally from that world and still has a connection to Equestria, Luna is able to visit only her dreams. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and as always I look forward to your comments.

Thanks again to KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for their continued help with this story.

Nightmare's Game

Spitfire and Soarin were waiting by the front entrance of the Canterlot Mall for their close friend and teammate, Fleetfoot. As usual the star athletes were attracting a crowd. Being local celebrities, the couple was used to being stalked by fans and paparazzi alike. It was the price of fame, really.

"What's taking her so long?" Spitfire complained as cameras flashed behind her. There were even people recording with their phones.

"Do we have to wait by the front door? I'm freezing!" Soarin complained just as the door opened and a cold gust of wind blew inside, causing him to shiver. His teeth also chattered from the chill.

"It's not that cold," Spitfire shrugged as the cold wind blew against her face. She had a higher tolerance to the cold than her husband and daughter. She had built up the tolerance thanks to her training for winter events.

"Yes, it is," Soarin argued. He hated the cold and wished he had gotten a thicker coat. He really wanted to be back home and sit by the fireplace or the radiator.

"No, it's not," Spitfire argued back.

"Yes, it is," Soarin continued to argue.

Spitfire rolled her eyes. Her husband could be such a baby sometimes.

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is!"

Just then, the front doors of the Canterlot Mall slid open to reveal a shivering snowman.

"BRRRRRR, it's really cold out there!" the snowman remarked as he rubbed his stick arms together before shuffling past the couple and into the warmth of the mall.

Spitfire and Soarin just stared at the snowman who stopped by a kiosk for some hot cocoa .

"Please tell me you're seeing this too?" Soarin asked as he kept his eyes on the ‘Frosty the Showman’.

Spitfire didn't saw a word, her wide eyes locked on to the snowman.

The couple was so entranced by the snowman that they didn't notice the doors opened and someone sneaking up behind them.

"Hey!"

Spitfire and Soarin jumped in fright, both quickly turning around to see Fleetfoot laughing.

"Very funny, Flatfoot," Soarin scowled at Fleetfoot as he called her by her team nickname.

"Indeed it was, Clipper," Fleetfoot grinned as she called Soarin by his nickname.

"What kept yah?" Spitfire asked as she crossed her arms, annoyed that they had to wait for her.

"Oh yeah! You guys won't believe this but I saw a talking a snowman that’s alive and can move on its own! !" Fleetfoot told them excitedly. "I saw it walk in here, did you see it?"

"Kinda hard to miss," Spitfire said as she pointed her thumb behind her.

Fleetfoot looked behind Spitfire to see the snowman drink some hot chocolate, only for its lower jaw to melt. He noticed his missing mouth but merely shrugged as he continued on his way inside the mall.

"I got to take a pic," Fleetfoot said as she took out her smartphone. "Scootaloo is going to want to see this."

"Speaking of which, we're here to shop for Scootaloo's gift, remember?" Spitfire reminded her fellow teammate and friend. "Although, considering what she had just done, we might want to hold on to it for a little while."

"What do you mean?" Fleetfoot turned to Spitfire after taking the photo and pocketing her smartphone. She was suddenly wearing climbing gear.

"We'll tell you on the way," Spitfire said as she and Soarin were also wearing climbing gear.

The trio turned to face the inside of the mall to see that it had transformed into a rocky terrain. Shoppers were climbing up on the cliffs to reach the stores. Some were being assisted by Yeti security guards. The Wonderbolts trio started climbing as they made their ascent to the 5th floor.

"SHE'S GONE?!" Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy shouted in utter shock as Pinkie Pie told them of Sunset's disappearance. “How can she be gone?!” Rainbow Dash was dumbfounded at how could Sunset simply just disappear. Her eyes widened when she realized the obvious answer. “Magic.”

"We better let Applejack know," Fluttershy said as she pulled out her smartphone and started typing a message to Applejack.

"Just where could she have gone?" Rainbow Dash muttered as she ran a hand through her rainbow hair.

Applejack and Rarity were waiting by the portal when they noticed the surface of the statue's base beginning to ripple before Princess Twilight stepped out, wearing the coat Rarity had given her.

"Welcome back, Twilight," Applejack greeted her otherworldly friend.

"Thanks," Twilight gratefully said.

The portal began to ripple again as a beautiful woman dressed in an equally beautiful white gown that hugged her figure nicely, with a sun symbol on the hips of the gown, stepped out on wobbly legs.

"Princess Celestia!' Twilight called her former mentor's name as she went to help steady her.

"Thank you, Twilight," The Solar Monarch thanked her former student. "This will take some getting used to." Walking on two legs instead of four hooves did indeed feel strange, and having her forehooves changes into those strange digits was also something she needed to get a handle on. Oh, she knew what they were for as Spike and Discord used them to grasp and pick up items so she would just do as they did.

Rarity and Applejack stared at the Sun Princess with wide eyes. Not only was she a spitting image of their principal, but she sounded just like her too. However, unlike their principal, the princess gave off an aura of royalty as well. Not to mention that she was absolutely beautiful.

“Princess Celestia!” Rarity stepped forward to curtsy. “I’d like to welcome you to our world!”

The portal rippled again and a man with black hair, white eyebrows and goatee wearing a dashing suit stepped out of the portal.

"So this is the other world our daughter resides in," Discord looked around curiously. “Not bad.” He would definitely come visit again.

"Discord?" Twilight was confused at Discord's appearance for he looked like a completely normal human. When Spike came here, he always ended up becoming a dog, so Twilight believed that only ponies would become humans. Then again, the Sirens had also become humans when Starswirl had sent them to this world. She would need to see the mirror portal’s effects on other creatures to see what would happen to them. Wait, she was losing focus. They were here to help Sunset Shimmer.

"Allow me, Twilight," Discord said as he offered his arm to Celestia.

"Such a gentlecolt," Celestia complimented as she wrapped her arms around the offered limb, feeling the strong muscles of Discord's arm.

"It's what you deserve, sweetie," Discord winked at Celestia.

‘Oh my,’ Rarity's inner romantic gushed at the love and affection the princess and Discord shared.

The portal rippled again and Princess Luna stepped out wearing a midnight blue dress with stars decorating the skirt and crescent moons were on the hips of the dress. She stumbled forward before falling to her hands and knees.

"This is most unpleasant," Luna complained. She then noticed her hands and blinked. "What in Equestria?" Luna brought her hands up and started to move her fingers. "What in Tartarus has happened to my hooves?!"

She then turned to her sister and her eyes widen at seeing her current form.

"Sister, what has become of you?" Luna questioned with great concern.

"It's alright, Princess Luna," Twilight assured the Princess of the Night as she walked over to her and knelt beside her.

"Twilight? Is that you?" Luna asked as she looked at this strange creature that sounded like the Princess of Friendship.

"It's me," Twilight confirmed as she helped the Night Princess up to her new feet. "I know this is a little overwhelming, but you'll get used to it."

"If you say so." Princess Luna wasn't quite sure she would get use to this form. Her body felt strange, she was on feet instead of hooves, and she was missing her wings and horn like Celestia and Twilight.

Applejack and Rarity simply watched the royal family and Twilight until Applejack received a text message which alerted everyone.

"It's from Fluttershy," Applejack noted as she checked the message, her eyes widened when she read it. "She says Sunset is missin'!"

"What?!" Everyone was shocked to hear this.

"How can she be missing?!" Princess Luna shouted as she marched towards Applejack with Twilight's help of course. "We were told that you were looking after her, so how can she be missing?!"

"W-well yah see..." Applejack tried to explain but she faltered under the Night Princess' intense glare. It was a glare that could give fillies nightmares.

"Princess Luna, please calm down. I'm sure it wasn't Applejack or any of the girls' fault," Twilight tried to calm Luna down.

Luna continued glare at Applejack before letting out a sigh.

"You are right, Twilight. My deepest apologies, Miss," Luna apologized as she bowed her head to Applejack.

"It's quite alright," Applejack assured her. "Ah understand that yer worried about Sunset."

"That is still no excuse for lashing out at you," Luna stated as she raised her head.

"There, there now, Luna. I'm sure you'll make it up to her after we find Sunset," Discord said as he and Celestia walked beside Luna.

Celestia looked at her sister with kind eyes, silently telling her that it was alright before looking at Applejack.

"From what Twilight has told us, my guess is that Sunset must have teleported herself," Celestia stated.

"But where could she have gone?" Twilight asked curiously.

Just then, Rarity and Applejack's notification alerts were heard from their phones, telling the two teens that there was a new post on MyStable. They were still keeping themselves up to date on Anon-A-Miss.

"Must be the girls confessing," Applejack said as she checked her alert but her eyes widened when she saw what the notification was.

"It's from Sunset's MyStableaccount!" Rarity cried as she saw it too.

At the mention of Sunset's name, everyone crowded around Applejack and Rarity as they checked MyStable and looked at Sunset's profile to see that SHE was doing a livestream. They watched the video and after waiting a minute, Sunset appeared onscreen.

"Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing great!" Sunset said cheerfully before coughing. She still looked very sick.

Princess Celestia's eyes widen upon hearing that familiar voice, a voice that she hadn't heard in years. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the creature that was without a doubt her daughter.

"My little Sunshine."

Discord looked between Celestia and Sunset. He swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked at his daughter. He opened his mouth to say something but words failed to come out. Honestly, he didn't know what to say, which was a first. Guess his gift of gab was gone right now.

"I would like to welcome you all to my first ever gaming livestream, live from the computer lab at CHS, and the game we will be playing is ‘Nightmare Games’!" Sunset cheered before she grinned mischievously.

Discord suddenly shivered oddly.

"That can't be right."

"What's wrong, Discord?" Celestia asked worriedly.

"I feel a magical disturbance," Discord explained before a wave of magic spread from the school and transformed everything into a chaotic mess.

"Whoa nelly," Applejack said as she looked at the pink clouds, the checkered sidewalks, the people being strange and the buildings floating all around them. Even after days of seeing this, she was still not used to it.

"This is just like what happened in Ponyville," Twilight said in utter shock.

"Oh my," Rarity said as she stared at her floating school.

"Now, I would like to introduce you to my special guests who will be joining me in trying out this new game. Please say hello to SunDash!" Sunset said as the camera panned out to show another Sunset Shimmer wearing a shirt with her and Rainbow Dash smiling inside a heart and a cap that said ‘20% Cooler’.

"Hey there folks," SunDash flashed them a smile before she started coughing. She was just as sick as the real Sunset.

"And SunJack!" Sunset announced as the camera panned out again to show another Sunset wearing a shirt with a smiling Sunset and Applejack inside a heart and wearing a Stetson hat.

"Happy to be here everyone!" SunJack waved at the camera. She too looked just as sick as the other Sunsets.

"Say, Sunset, why don't you dress up too?" SunDash suggested.

"You know, I think you're right. I think I'll dress up as the main villain of the game," Sunset said before snapping her fingers and she transformed into a younger version of Nightmare Moon. "How do I look?"

"Much better!" both Sunsets said as they gave her a thumbs-up.

Princess Luna paled at seeing her niece become that horrible monster she once was. It didn't help that as she looked into Sunset's eyes she saw her dark side staring back.

"No, no, no ,no, no," Luna closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief. "This can't be happening. This isn't real."

Princess Luna suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around her, causing her eyes to snap open to see a familiar head of multi-colored hair.

"It's alright, Luna. Everything will be alright," Celestia assured her baby sister as tears spilled from her eyes.

The Princess of the Night felt her sister tremble and realized that this was painful for her too. She returned the hug and assured her sister as well.

Twilight and Discord watched with concern before Discord stepped up to hug both sisters.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll come to her senses," Discord told them. "After all, me and Luna did."

The Solar and Lunar Princesses raised their heads to look at Discord's smiling face.

"Although, I must admit. I'm impressed with the chaos," Discord added.

"Discord," Luna sighed in annoyance.

"Sunset definitely has your flare for the dramatic," Celestia added. "My ponies feared that you might have returned seeing all the chaos she was unleashing."

"You don't say," Discord smiled at this.

"Yes, and I've gotten quite good at reigning in her chaos," Celestia said as she separated from her sister and Discord.
She closed her eyes as she started to concentrate. Soon, pony ears sprouted from on top of her head and a pair of white wings that were much bigger than Rainbow Dash's and Twilight's emerged from her back. Her body was then covered in a light golden aura as she rose into the air.

Everyone watched as the princess' aura intensified before it quickly vanished and her eyes snapped open.

"I can't dispel it!" Celestia cried.

"Why not?!" Twilight asked.

"She must've figured out how to counter my spell," Celestia explained as she descended. "When she was younger and whenever I dispelled her chaos, Sunset would always try to find a way to counter my efforts to stop her 'fun'." Celestia air quoted with her closed fists.

"Can't yah counter her spell?" Applejack asked.

"Normally yes, given I have enough time. But considering that time is of the essence..." Celestia trailed off as she bit her lip.

"You can't undo it," Rarity said dejectedly but her eyes widen in realization before turning to look at Discord. "Can't you do something about? You are Sunset's father and posses chaos magic yourself."

Discord crossed his arms over his chest as he thought over Rarity's question.

"Ordinary, I could, but because I am unfamiliar with this chaos. I fear that my intervening will do more harm than good. Sorry." Adding chaos magic onto chaos magic could have unpredictable effects and while he was the Lord of Chaos, he came to understand that too much chaos was a terrible thing.

The group were saddened to hear this.

"And that's why I'll never eat meat. Anyway time the start the game," Sunset said as her image along with her doubles shrunk into the corner of the screen as the game started and they were in the character selection screen. But something seemed awfully familiar about the characters.

"Wait a minute, that looks like Applebloom!" Applejack said in surprise.

"And Sweetie Belle!" Rarity shrieked.

"Hmm, I think I'll chose the sorceress Applebloom," SunJack said as she selected Applebloom's character.

"I got the archer Scootaloo!" SunDash announced as she picked Scootaloo's character.

"And that leaves me with the knight, Sweetie Belle," Sunset smiled as she picked Sweetie Belle's character.

Once all the characters were selected, the screen then switched to show a forest area with the CMC standing near a campfire.

"Hey, what's going on? Where are we?!" Scootaloo asked as she looked around frantically. She was dressed in a green tunic with brown pants and leather boots. A quiver of arrows hung from her back. Her tunic also came with a hood that had a feather attached to it.

"W-why am I holding a sword?" Sweetie Belle questioned as she brought up her sword. She was dressed in a suit of silver armor with a short pink cape. She also had a shield strapped to her left arm.

"W-what's going on?" Applebloom asked in a frightened tone. She dressed as a sorceress, wearing a blue robe with apples on it and a matching wizard’s hat. She was also carrying a magic staff.

"Why, you have been chosen to undertake a quest, brave heroes!"

The girls jumped at the voice that echoed around them and huddled together in fright.

"W-who said that?!" Applebloom demanded.

"Why, me, of course."

The voice spoke again before the speaker appeared in front of the girls. She looked like Sunset's demon form but with pony ears, antlers, hooves for feet, eagle talons for hands, black angel wings and a flaming halo to complete the look.

"W-who are you?" Sweetie Belle asked in fear as she pointed her sword at the unknown creature, but something about her seemed familiar.

"I am here to guide you on your quest, dear heroes," the demonic woman said with a smile.

"What quest?" Scootaloo asked. "And how come you sound and look a little like Sunset?"

"I am a loyal servant of the great Queen Nightmare Moon," the Sunset look-a-like said.

Meanwhile, Luna became pale at hearing her own niece's voice pledge allegiance to her darker self.

"As for your other question..." the demon smiled wickedly at the CMC causing them to cower in fear. "I'm a formless being and took on the form of someone you all know and loathe."

"Someone they all know and loathe, huh?" Sunset said as she leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed.

"Gee, I wonder who that could be?" SunDash said before all three Sunsets looked to one another and shrugged their shoulders.

Back in the game, the CMC visibly gulped as they understood what she meant. They saw Sunset as a monster. Suddenly, lizard monsters wearing armor and equipped with swords and shields descended from the trees and attacked the CMC.

"Shit!" Sunset cursed as she quickly grabbed her controller.

"Sweet Celestia, I don't know how to attack!" SunJack growled as she just mashed buttons to see what they did.

Back to the game, Sweetie Belle managed to block an upcoming attack with her shield and swung her sword to slay her enemy.

"How am I doing this?!" Sweetie Belle shouted as her body moved against her will as she swiped at another enemy.

"Someone help!" Applebloom cried as she tried to cast a spell but she was attacked from behind. "Ow, that actually hurt!"

"I got your back, Applebloom!" Scootaloo said as she fired three arrows at the enemy behind Applebloom, killing it.

"Heads up, girls. Reinforcements are incoming," Demon Sunset playfully warned as she rested on a tree stump.

True to her word, more lizard monsters and even some goblin archers arrived; and the goblins aimed their arrows at the CMC.

"Girls, get behind me!" Sweetie Belle called out as her friends quickly ran behind her. She then raised her shield which started glowing before creating a barrier that surrounded them and blocked the incoming arrows.

"Good thinkin', Sweetie Belle," Applebloom said happily as she watched the enemies bang against the barrier. Just then, she raised her staff. "Lightning!”

The sky suddenly turned dark as thunder can be heard just before lightning started raining down on the enemies, completely destroying them.

"You did it, Applebloom!" Scootaloo cheered.

Back in the real world, SunJack let out a sigh of relief, "That was close.”

"Fools!"

Everyone jumped at the sound of the voice as a sphere of darkness appeared in front of the heroes before it disappeared to reveal a woman wearing a black skin tight suit with navy blue armor over her shoulders, chest, arms, legs and on her black wings. She had on a navy blue helmet with a single horn protruding from its forehead, as her hair which looked like it was plucked right out the starry sky flowed behind her. She had a symbol of a crescent moon on her skirt armor.

The CMC stared up in fright and recoiled when the woman's slit eyes glared down at them.

"They can't even take care of a bunch of worthless nobodies?" the woman said as she swung her hand and destroyed the barrier.

"My Queen," Demon Sunset kneeled before the woman. "To what do we owe the honor of your presence?"

"My dear niece, why are you wasting your time with them?" Nightmare Moon asked as she casted a glance at her niece. "Just be done with them already."

The CMC shivered at what the Evil Queen said and started trembling in fear.

"But Auntie, it wouldn't be fun otherwise," Demon Sunset spoke.

"Honestly, you're just like your parents," Queen Nightmare Moon shook her head. "Faust knows I love them but their inability to get the job done really drives me insane!"

"That's why they left you in charge, My Queen," Demon Sunset said as she raised her head to look at her aunt.

Nightmare Moon descended in front of her niece and motioned her to stand. The queen was easily taller than her niece.

"Listen closely, my niece. If you ever want to rule this land, you must do so with a firm hand and crush any nuisance before they become a threat."

Nightmare Moon then turned to face the CMC.

"Do not hesitate."

She started walking towards them.

"Show no weakness."

She outstretched her arm and summoned her spear.

"And above all."

The queen got into an attack position.

"Show no mercy."

Nightmare Moon swung her spear and sliced the CMC in half from their stomachs.

[GAME OVER!]

"SWEETIE BELLE!!" Rarity screamed in horror as she watched her sister being sliced in two.

Applejack could only stare in horror as she watched her little sister die before her eyes and being unable to do anything to save her.

Princess Luna backed away from the group that was gathered around Applejack's phone. She brought her right hand up to cover her mouth. She was stunned at what she had just witnessed. This world's version of Nightmare Moon had just killed three little girls and her niece was following in her footsteps.

"Luna?" Celestia called to her sister as she watched her retreat.

"Is this how she sees me?" Luna asked her sister as she looked at her, tears filled her eyes. "As a cold-blooded killer."

"No, no, no!" Celestia rushed over to her sister and enveloped her in a hug. "This isn't how Sunset sees you, this isn't what Sunset is like at all!"

"She's right."

The royal sisters turned to look at Applejack who's looking at her phone.

"This isn't the real Sunset," Applejack said, her voice cracking as the hand holding her phone started trembling. "The real Sunset would never do somethin' like this." She watched the shocked expression on the Sunsets before they let out an annoyed groan.

"Oh great, she one-shot us," Sunset said in an annoyed tone.

"I hate it when they do that," SunDash agreed as she brushed a lock of hair out of her face.

"Who would've figured we would fight the final boss so soon," SunJack said as she looked at the game over screen. "Well, time for a do-over."

All three Sunsets snapped their fingers and the CMC were back in one piece.

"What the?!" Applebloom looked around frantically. "Where am I?!"

"Didn't we just die?!" Scootaloo questioned as she checked herself over to see that she was in one piece.

"Welcome back, girls," Demon Sunset said sweetly. "Are you ready to continue your quest?"

"No way! I don't want any part of this anymore!" Scootaloo said as she threw her bow aside.

"Me neither, it's way too scary!" Sweetie Belle agreed as she too threw down her sword and shield.

"Take us back home!" Applebloom demanded furiously.

Demon Sunset watched the Crusaders look at her in defiance before letting out a sigh.

"Fine, if you don't really want to then I'll send you back."

The Crusaders smiled at this.

"But then you'll never see your sisters again," the demon said with a smile as she snapped her fingers and Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash appeared in chains.

The CMC cried out their sisters name as they rushed towards them.

"Ah, ah, ah," Demon Sunset was wagging her finger as she snapped her fingers with her other hand, causing Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash to disappear before the CMC could reach them. "If you want them back, you’ll have to rescue them."

"Let them go!" Scootaloo demanded.

"Didn't you hear me? You have to rescue them," Demon Sunset rolled her eyes. "Geez, what kind of heroes are you?"

The Crusaders glared at the demon before staring at their weapons. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo started moving against their will and picked up their weapons.

"Ugh, these controls are so stiff," SunDash complained .

"I know, right?" Sunset agreed with her. "It feels like the characters are fighting against where we want them to move."

Back in the game, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo glared at the demon.

"What do yah want us to do?" Applebloom asked through gritted teeth.

"Simple," Demon Sunset snapped her fingers and the entire forest was transformed into a maze. "Reach the end of the maze and rescue your sisters."

"That's it?" Scootaloo asked while raising an eyebrow.

"Yep!" the demon replied cheerfully.

"What's the catch?" Applebloom asked skeptically.

"Weeell there is one catch," the demon said before snapping her fingers and walls of vines erupted from the ground, separating the CMC. "You have to reach the goal alone." The demon laughed before disappearing in flames.

Sunset, SunDash and SunJack were looking concerned.

"This doesn't look good," Sunset said.

"These characters are good when they work together," SunDash commented.

"They did work together to make Anon-A-Miss to frame us after all," SunJack pointed out.

Everyone in the whole school was shocked to hear this.

"Are you kidding me?!' Gilda shouted as she looked at the livestream on her phone while she was riding a unicycle over a tightrope.

"Those miserable brats!" Lightning Dust yelled in outrage as she was catching flying books in the library with a butterfly net while wearing a safari outfit.

Outside the school, Applejack and Rarity stared at Applejack's phone screen with wide eyes.

"S-she knows?" Applejack questioned as she turned to Rarity.

"She must have figured it out on her own," Rarity realized. "This must be her way of punishing them!"

"We have to stop her! Sunset isn't in her right mind right now!" Twilight urged as they all looked at the school. She looked to be on a verge of a panic attack.

"We're going to need the rest of the girls for this," Applejack suggested as she closed MyStable and started look for Rainbow Dash's number.

"Allow me to be of assistance," Discord offered as he took Applejack's phone and tossed it in front of him.

"Hey, what's the big-" Applejack cut herself off as she witnessed her phone turn into a door that opened to reveal Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.

"AJ?" Rainbow Dash questioned as she looked at her best friend/rival with a raised eyebrow.

"Twilight!" Pinkie Pie called out the princess' name in joy as she leapt through the door and enveloped Twilight in a tight hug.

"It's good to see you again, Pinkie Pie, but we have an emergency here," Twilight said urgently.

Pinkie Pie pulled away and held Twilight by her shoulders.

"It's about Sunset, right?"

"Y-yes," Twilight responded with surprise. "How did you know?"

"We got notified by MyStable about a new post on Sunset's account," Fluttershy explained as she and Rainbow Dash stepped through the door just as it closed and turned back into Applejack's smartphone before floating back to the farmgirl.

"Oh, right," Twilight said in embarrassment.

"So what's the plan?" Rainbow Dash asked before noticing the royal family. "And who're they?" The two women looked like Principal Celestia & Vice-Principal Luna but were dressed way too differently like they were going out for the evening. They were with a guy in a suit.

"Darling, this is Sunset's family," Rarity explained.

"Oh, uh nice to meet you all," Rainbow Dash greeted a little awkwardly.

"It's nice to meet you too. It is unfortunate that we have to meet under such circumstances," Princess Celestia said with regret.

“What’s happening?” Fluttershy asked.

“Sunset is torturing the CMC live on MyStable,” Rarity informed them.

“No way!” Rainbow Dash said aghast. “Sunset would never do that!”

“Indeed she won’t. Sunset would never hurt young fillies,” Celestia stated. She wouldn’t if she was in her right mind.

“It must be because of her fever,” Rarity said. “Sunset has been prone to manic behavior because of it.”

“She doesn’t look good,” Fluttershy said as she watched the Sunsets talk amongst themselves. They were breathing heavily and one of them was nodding off. “We have to stop her.”

“And we will,” Rainbow Dash said as she started walking towards the school. She jumped on top of floating stones to reach the entrance.

“Rainbow, hold up!” Applejack called out to her rainbow-haired friend as she followed after her.

“We need to stay together,” Princess Celestia said as she flew towards the school entrance and landed next to Rainbow Dash. “It might not be safe to get ahead of us.”

“Chaos is a wonderful thing,” Discord said as he skipped up the floating stone steps. “But I doubt you will find what it has to offer any good.”

“You can say that again,” Luna said as she had ponied up and used her wings to fly towards the school entrance. “I doubt your chaos has produced anything good.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Celestia spoke as she smiled lovingly. “It did gave me Sunset.”

“Okay, maybe one good thing,” Luna admitted as she landed near her sister.

Once everyone was gathered at the front entrance of the school, Rainbow Dash pulled the doors open and was met with a long empty hallway with doors lining the walls.

“I don’t remember the hallway being this loooong before,” Pinkie Pie noted.

“Well, it could be worse,” Fluttershy said as she went to open a door to reveal a three-headed dragon destroying a city. It looked at Fluttershy and opened its mouths to fire lightning at her.

Fluttershy slammed the door shut immediately and leaned her back against it to keep it shut just as she felt the impact of the dragon’s attack against the door, her body trembling in fear.

“I was wrong, so very wrong!”

Rainbow Dash pulled Fluttershy away from the door and held her close.

“Nopony open any doors; there’s no telling what could be on the other side,” Princess Celestia ordered.

“Like a dog singing opera?” Pinkie Pie asked aloud.

“Try a whole play with dogs as the cast,” Discord said from besides Pinkie.

“Oooooh, I want to see that!” Pinkie said in excitement.

“I’d like to see that too,” Fluttershy said shyly.

“Are we really talking about dog opera at a time like this?” Rainbow Dash groaned in annoyance.

“Of course, you have to have a little fun or you’ll be driven mad,” Discord warned.

“He’s right.”

Rainbow Dash turned to look at Princess Celestia.

“I’ve dealt with Discord’s brand of chaos before and raised a filly who is just as chaotic if not more than her father. So trust me when I say that you’re better off having fun.” Celestia explained.

“Oookayyy?” Rainbow Dash said in a skeptical tone.

“Don’t fight the chaos, embrace it,” Discord encouraged. “Only a crazy person tries to find reason in a world gone mad. Hahahaha!”

Discord walked over to a nearby door and as he opened it he was met with a cannon that went off and blew his head off.

Fluttershy and Rarity gasped before fainting. Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Pinkie Pie were stunned before going to help their friends. But the three princesses weren’t at all alarmed that their companion just lost his head.

“Knock it off, Discord! Can’t you see you’re scaring them?” Princess Twilight chastised as she motioned to the unconscious Rarity and Fluttershy who were being held by Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

“Oh fine!” Discord’s headless body said before his head popped out from his neck in an annoyed expression.

Princess Celestia opened another door and found the cafeteria filled with students either dressed as clowns, pirates, dinosaurs and other bizarre things. She saw some students literally wrestling with their food.

“Curious,” Luna said as she looked inside what appeared to be a classroom. However, the students were upside down and their desks were sitting on them.

“Sweet Celestia!”

At the sound of Sunset’s voice everyone who was conscious turned to Applejack who was looking at her smartphone.
They rushed back to her side and saw Sweetie Belle dodging and weaving through pillars of vines that were coming out of the walls and ground. She used her sword to slash at some of them and blocked others with her shield.

“This is crazy!” Sweetie Belle shouted as she dodged and slashed her way through the vines. “How am I even doing this?!”

“Come on, come on, almost there,” Sunset muttered as she had an intense look on her face, her fingers moving the joystick on her controler and pressing the right buttons. She then noticed the vine walls gave way to stone ones just up ahead.

Sweetie Belle noticed the end of the vine maze and she broke out in a smile. Seeing the end in sight, Sweetie Belle was motivated to get there as fast as she could even though she had no control of her body.

Sweetie Belle got closer and closer to the end of the vine trap. The vines had started sprouting more rapidly as she approached the end.

Sunset had to time her reaction perfectly to avoid each vine but in doing so she put extra stress on herself. Sunset’s vision started getting blurry and her eyelids started to become heavy.

“Just...a bit more,” Sunset muttered as she started nodding off, a vine grazing Sweetie Belle’s arm as she was too slow to dodge it.

“Hang in there, Sunshine,” SunJack said as she commanded Applebloom to use a fire spell to burn the vines that got in her way.

Sweat covered Sunset’s face as she started coughing, but she continued to push Sweetie Belle harder until she finally reached the end of the vine trap.

“Made it!” Sweetie Belle cheered as the path behind her was closed off by vines.

“I sure did,” Sunset muttered weakly as she closed her eyes, a small smile on her lips.

However, Sunset and Sweetie Belle’s victory was short lived as the ceiling suddenly collapsed on top of Sweetie Belle and crushed her to death.

“Sunshine, wake up!” SunJack called out to ‘herself’.

“You’re dead!” SunDash shouted as she she made Scootaloo shoot an ice arrow to freeze the vines.

Sunset slowly opened her eyes to see a blurry screen. Her eyes soon began to focus and she saw the Game Over screen.

“Damn,” Sunset muttered weakly before pressing continue.

“Aaah!” Sweetie Belle shrieked as she found herself back at the beginning of the stone maze. “D-did I just die again?!”

Before Sweetie Belle could ponder anymore, she found herself leaping forward and just managing to avoid being crushed by the ceiling again.

“That was close,” Sunset sighed in relief. She then noticed the stone ceiling move and figured that it was going to keep slamming down as long as someone was underneath it.

“Don’t overdo it, Sunshine,” SunDash said, giving Sunset a side glance before focusing back on her game where she too had reached the stone part of the maze.

“Sorry, this game is a little more challenging than I thought,” Sunset apologized as she wiped away some sweat from her brow.

“Thank goodness Rarity wasn’t awake to see that,” Pinkie Pie said from beside Applejack. “But Sunny shouldn’t be playing video games when she’s so sick.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Princess Celestia said from behind Applejack. Her daughter was having a hard time trying to stay conscious and if she continued to push herself like this then it’ll only worsen her condition and the CMC might not be able to escape from the game Sunset had trapped them in.

Princess Celestia marched towards another door and opened it, only for flames to spew forth and consume her.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight cried out in horror as she watched her mentor be engulfed by the flames.

“Relax, Twilight Sparkle. Our sister is fine,” Princess Luna assured the Princess of Friendship.

True to Luna’s word, the door closed to reveal Celestia on fire. However, she did not seem to be cooked alive. She did not seem harmed or in pain at all.

“P-Princess? Are yah okay?” Applejack asked as she stared at the flaming princess.

“Do not worry, Applejack. Fire has no effect on me,” the Princess of the Sun said as she unfurled her wings and dispelled the fire.

Applejack’s eyes widened as for a brief moment. Princess Celestia’s hair became red and yellow when she dispersed the flames, making her look like Sunset.

“It’s not just fire; Celestia is immune to high temperatures. Which is annoying since she turns up the heat in the sauna whenever we go to the spa,” Luna explained as she shot her older sister an annoyed look.

“That explains why Sunset takes hot showers,” Rainbow Dash said as she recalled when she took a shower at Sunset’s apartment. She hadn’t paid attention to the hot and cold setting the shower lever was set in and when she turned on the shower; she shrieked in pain as soon as the really hot water hit her body.

“And why she can juggle bowling pins that are completely on fire,” Pinkie Pie said while nodding. Sunset had helped her at a birthday party where she entertained the kids by juggling burning bowling pins. During her performance, the fire had magically transferred into her hands as she tossed the bowling pins to Pinkie Pie who had caught them in a dramatic fashion, exciting the kids. As Sunset showed off the fire on her hands, she clapped them together and turned the flames into butterflies, awing the already excited children.

Pinkie Pie got paid extra for that.

“I assumed that you were all like that,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Oh no, most of us regular ponies can’t do that,” Twilight explained as she looked at her mentor. “Sunset’s is as unique as the rest of her family.”

“Oh my,” Rarity said as she started regaining consciousness.

“Yah alright, Rarity?” Applejacked asked.

“I will be,” Rarity said as Applejack helped her to her feet. “Sorry about that, I must have wasted valuable time as you tended to me.”

“It’s not your fault,” Luna told her. “You can’t possibly predict what he’s going to do.”

“I try my best to keep you all guessing,” Discord said honestly.

Twilight just shook her head and when Fluttershy regained consciousness. They all decided to split into four groups to make it easier to go through as many doors as they could.

Fluttershy and Applejack were with Discord, Rainbow Dash was with Princess Celestia, Rarity was with Luna, and Pinkie Pie was with Twilight.

“Alright, Luna, Twilight, Discord and myself will be the ones to open the doors. We have no idea what could be on the other side, and with our magic, we should be able to handle what this place throws at as, “the Sun Princess explained.

“Right,” the Rainbooms agreed as they went with their group leader to resume their search.

Scootaloo explored the maze. Separated from her friends and being controlled like a puppet, she had no choice but to do it alone.

“If it wasn’t for the fact that our lives are in danger, being inside a video game wouldn’t be so bad,” Scootaloo commented. “ I hope Applebloom and Sweetie Belle are okay.”

Scootaloo was scared. She had no idea what was going to happen next and without her friends with her, she had to face it alone.

As she turned a corner, her foot stepped on a panel. A part of the wall slid open and a horde of ravenous zombies came spilling out. She screamed as she started shooting them with arrows. She managed to get a few of them but the zombie horde was closing in. There was no escape as they swarmed her and tore her limb from limb. Some even used her arms and legs to beat on her body.

“Ow! Hey, stop that!” Scootaloo cried out as a zombie hit her head with her own arm.

[GAME OVER!]

SunDash just stared at the screen with a dumbfounded look.

“Okay, that just happened.”

“Like that time you accidentally got a kill shot on Widowmaker,” SunJack commented as she narrowly dodged a pit full of spikes, only to be impaled by spears that shot out of the wall. “Shit!”

Scootaloo materialized back at the start of the stone maze She gasped before looking around frantically.

“I-I’m back at the beginning?”

Scootaloo groaned as she realized what this meant.

“Oh great, is this going to happen every time I die?”

Scootaloo sighed as her legs started moving and lead her back to where she was before. She tried to remember which panel was it that triggered the trap, but it didn’t matter as the panel suddenly sunk by itself and triggered the trap.

“What the hell?!” Scootaloo shouted in shock as she started shooting arrows at the zombies.

“You’re not getting me this time,” SunDash said as she activated one of her abilities.

Scootaloo suddenly fired an arrow behind the zombies before firing more arrows around them and finally jamming her dagger on the ground, which started crackling with electricity which spread to the others and frying the zombies.
Scootaloo watched in amazement as the zombies were all electrocuted before dropping to the floor and disappearing.

“That...was...awesome!” Scootaloo cheered, flashing the biggest smile ever. “I wish Rainbow Dash could’ve seen that!”

Scootaloo walked forward and as soon as she did, she activated another trap which teleported her somewhere in the maze.

“What just happened?” Scootaloo questioned before seeing what appeared to be the end of the maze as she saw a forest at the end of the tunnel. “Is that what I think it is?”

“No way,” SunDash whispered as a smile spread across her lips. “Looks like I made it out.”

She moved her joystick forward which caused Scootaloo to move on ahead.

“I can’t believe I made it out,” Scootaloo said as she approached the exit. But as soon as she exited the tunnel, she was suddenly catapulted high into the sky before landing inside an active volcano.

[GAME OVER!]

SunDash starred in absolute shock at the Game Over screen, her hands trembling as she gripped tightly the controller.

“Are you KIDDING ME!!”

“That must suck,” Sunjack commented as she activated Applebloom’s shield spell to block incoming arrows from the walls as she made her way through the tunnel, only to stop as she came across a fork in the road.

One path was on fire while the other was filled with alligators.

“No brainer here,” SunJack shrugged her shoulder as she activated Applebloom’s water spell to put out the fire before walking down that part of the maze.

As Applebloom made her way down the path, she came across a dead end.

“Guess ah gotta go back,” Applebloom said out loud, but as she turned around to go back, her path was blocked by a wall that came down from the ceiling. “Really?”

Suddenly,the walls to the left and right of Applebloom started to move closer to her.

“Really? The closing walls trap?” SunJack raised an eyebrow at this. “And it’s a cutscene, just great!”

SunJack groaned as she set her controler down and ran her hands down her face in frustration.

Appebloom was panicking as she looked around at the enclosing walls. She tried a fire spell to blast the walls but it didn’t work. As the walls closed in on her, Applebloom activated her shield spell to surround her in a protective bubble. The walls impacted against the shield and to Applebloom’s delight the shield held. However, Applebloom heard a snapping sound and then her shield bubble popped causing the walls to quickly close in.

Applebloom screamed in terror as she vainly attempted to push back the walls but she was not strong enough and was eventually crushed.

“APPLEBLOOM!” Applejack screamed in horror as she watched her little sister be crushed.

“No need to shout, Applejack. Your little sister isn’t harmed in the slightest,” Discord assured her.

A snapping sound could be heard from Applejack’s smartphone and the walls pull back to reveal a flatten Applebloom who blinked twice before a breeze blew her away like a piece of paper only to be caught by a taloned hand.

“You didn’t really think it would be that easy did you?” Demon Sunset mocked as she folded the flatten Applebloom into a paper airplane and sent her flying down the tunnel.

“How the hell are we supposed to beat her if she cheats?!” SunJack yelled as she motioned to her screen. Applebloom flew down several corridors before finally being snatched up by a baby Manticore who proceeded to tear up the paper airplane. “And now I’m dead, just great!”

“Screw this!”

SunJack snapped her fingers and the maze was replaced by a forest.

“Hey! No cheating!” Demon Sunset yelled angrily at the player.

“You’re one to talk! I know you popped my shield you cheating bitch!” SunJack argued, steam started rising from her body.

Demon Sunset gasped, “What?! I did no such thing!”

“Like Tartarus you didn’t!” Sunjack reached into her screen, grabbed the demon by her dress and pulled her partly through her monitor. “Knock it off, or Celestia help me, I’m going to make you regret it.”

“I’d like to see you try,” the demon smirked.

“Uh oh,” SunDash said with wide eyes. “You shouldn’t have said that.”

“Nice knowing you,” Sunset said before coughing.

SunJack smirked as she pushed the demon back inside the game. She then tapped her monitor twice which caused her screen to display the demon’s character model. Sunjack then proceeded to change the demon’s appearance, giving her back her normal skin tone and human form. She then added a flowing white dress, golden shoes, golden bracelets, wings of the same color as her skin and the mark of a sun similar to that of her mother on the hips of her dress.

“Aaaand initialize,” Sunjack said as she double tapped her screen which brought her back to the game.

The formerly demonic Sunset blinked before checking out her appearance. Her face turned red before glaring at the player.

“You made me look like Mom!”

“We did say we wanted to be like her,” Sunset said as she had a faraway look in her eyes.

“That was a long time ago,” SunDash said, her eyes focused on her game but there was regret in her voice.

“Mom has always been so supportive of us, and we let her down,” Sunjack said sadly.

“She must really hate us,” Sunset said as tears welled up in her eyes that turned to steam. “That explains why Twilight answered the journal and not her.”

Princess Celestia listened to her daughters’ conversation and brought her enclosed fist up to press against her chest where her heart is.

‘Oh Sunset, how could you say such a thing?’ Celestia thought as tears welled up in her eyes. ‘I have never stopped loving you.’

The formerly demonic Sunset walked through the forest, a visible frown on her face as she mumbled about how ridiculous it was to make her look like her mother.

“The nerve of myself to do this to me, I’ll get myself back for this.”

As Princess Sunset continued to walk, she heard a noise nearby and when she went to investigate it, she saw Applebloom. A sinister grin spread across her lips as she had an idea.

“Applebloom!”

Princess Sunset walked with the grace her mother had taught her, she put on her best disarming smile as she stood in front of Applebloom.

“Thank goodness I’ve found you!”

“S-Sunset?” Applebloom was surprised to see Sunset here and dressed the way she was.

“It’s not really me, I’m an NPC and I’m here to help you,” Princess Sunset lied to her. She saw the hesitation in Applebloom’s eyes before she responded.

“Okay, I trust you, Sunset,” Applebloom said She was hesitant to rely on this version of Sunset. But considering her circumstances and what she had just done to the girl, she really had no choice.

“Thank you, Applebloom,” Princess Sunset said as she smiled kindly.

Inside, she smiled wickedly.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait, here's the next chapter and I look forward to your comments.

I want to thank KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for their help with the chapter. Thanks guys!

Critical

Sweetie Belle was on high alert as she wandered through the forest, her eyes darting from side to side as even the slightest noise had her on edge. All alone and armed only with a sword and shield, she could not afford to let her guard down.

“Applebloom, Scootaloo, where are you girls?” Sweetie Belle asked out loud as she searched for her friends. If they managed to regroup, then they could figure out a plan to get out of this nightmare game.

“Sweetie Belle!”

Sweetie Belle jumped at her name suddenly being called as she prepared to defend herself.

“Who’s there!?”

“Up here!”

Sweetie Belle snapped her head up to see Princess Sunset waving at her.

“Sunset? Is that you?”

Sunset landed in front of Sweetie Belle and gave her a gentle and disarming smile.

“Hi, Sweetie Belle!”

“How come you look like a princess and not a monster?” Sweetie Belle asked before her eyes widened at what she had just said. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean-”

“It’s okay, I get it. I wasn’t very pleasant earlier,” Sunset said. Although she was smiling on the outside, she was secretly furious on the inside at what Sweetie Belle had just said. “But I’m different now and I want to help you rescue Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack.”

Sweetie Belle wasn’t sure if she could trust anything from this game, but considering what she had done to Sunset, she figured she owed it to the former unicorn to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“Okay, Sunset. Let’s save them.”

“Great!” Sunset said as she gave Sweetie Belle a bright smile.

The two started walking through the forest and Sunset could tell Sweetie Belle was stealing glances at her.

‘That’s it, feel guilty for what you’ve done . You and your friends are going to pay for what you did to me,’ Sunset
thought bitterly.

“S-Sunset?” Sweetie Belle spoke.

“Yes?” Sunset looked at Sweetie Belle who appeared nervous.

“There’s something I have to tell you,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Is it about you and your friends being Anon-A-Miss? I already know.”

“H-how’d you know?!” Sweetie Belle asked, shocked that Sunset already knew about them being Anon-A-Miss.

“Once I put all the clues together, it wasn’t hard to figure out,” Sunset explained.

“And you’re not mad?” Sweetie Belle questioned.

“Oh I’m mad alright,” Sunset glared at Sweetie Belle which caused her to flinch. “You posted embarrassing photos of my friends, your own sisters!”

“I-I know and I’m sorry!” Sweetie Belle apologized.

“Saying sorry isn’t enough, Sweetie Belle,” Sunset stated. “You have to prove how sorry you are with your actions.”

“I know, I’ll do whatever I can to make it up to everyone!” Sweetie Belle vowed.

“Good,” Sunset smiled. “But I doubt Rarity will ever forgive you though.”

“H-how can you be sure?” Sweetie Belle asked nervously.

“Because Rarity is someone who holds grudges and I doubt she’ll look at you the same after this,” Sunset said.

‘She’s right,’ Sweetie Belle thought as she looked away from Sunset. ‘Rarity will want nothing to do with me.’

Sweetie Belle shut her eyes as tears began to form, the realization that the damage to her relationship with her sister was beyond repair broke her heart.

‘Oh Rarity, I’m so sorry.’

‘Why should you be sorry?’

Sweetie Belle’s eyes snapped open as she heard another voice in her head.

‘Rarity was never sorry for using us as her own personal mannequins,’ the voice spoke again. It sounded just like her own.

‘Who are you?!’ Sweetie Belle demanded.

‘I’m the feelings that you’ve been bottling up all this time,’ The voice answered. ‘In other words I’m you!’

‘You don’t sound very nice,’ Sweetie Belle pointed out.

‘Well if you had to endure the kind of nonsense Rarity puts us through, you wouldn’t sound nice either,’ the voice spoke in an annoyed tone.

‘Rarity does put us through a lot of her drama,’ Sweetie Belle agreed, remembering how she had to listen to Rarity as she vented to her about something small like breaking a nail, split ends and the occasional pimple.

‘She thinks it’s all about her. Remember the talent show? She purposely made the dresses too good so that that’s all anyone can talk about!’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice ranted.

Sweetie Belle remembered that day. She had been so excited about the play she had written. Instead of compliments for her play, the only nice things they had to say were about the costumes.

‘But Rarity fell behind on her order for a client because she had to look over the dresses,’ Sweetie Belle explained. ‘Rarity put my needs over her own client.’

‘But didn’t she want something in exchange for her time?’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice questioned.

‘What do you mean?’ Sweetie Belle asked.

‘Rarity only puts up with us so we can put up with her,’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice pointed out. ‘Like that time she treated us to ice cream only for her to ask us to help with her dresses.’

Sweetie Belle cringed when she remembered how she had to stand still for hours as Rarity worked on the dress. She could still feel the needles poking against her skin.

‘Rarity has always been selfish; and she’s never cared about us!’ Sweetie Belle’s inner thoughts shouted. ‘She picked Sunset over us.’

Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened at this. She glanced at Sunset who was smiling at her.

“Is something wrong, Sweetie Belle?” Sunset asked.

“N-nothing! Let’s go save Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash!” Sweetie Belle urged as she started marching ahead.

“Sure,” Sunset said, smiling wickedly.

‘It’s bad enough that Rarity just uses us for whatever she wants, but she prefers to be with Sunset than us!’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice said with resentment. ‘We were even forced to model a dress for her!’

Sweetie Bell remembered that day. She was planning to hang out with her friends but then Rarity sweet talked her into helping her make a dress for Sunset. She promised that it wouldn’t take long and that she needed her input on it. This made Sweetie Belle happy as she would actually be helping her sister design one of her dresses. But it didn’t turn out that way. Everytime she would make a suggestion, Rarity would ignore her and focus completely on the task at hand.

‘All that time we could’ve spent with our friends was wasted because of her!’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice growled.

Sweetie Belle frowned. Her inner voice was right. Rarity had robbed her of spending time with her friends just so she could make an outfit for Sunset and she even lied about asking her for help.

‘That drama queen doesn’t care about us at all!’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice said. ‘Not unlike Applebloom and Scootaloo.’

‘They understood why I couldn’t hang out with them, they knew how much I wanted to actually help Rarity design a dress. Too bad it didn’t turn out like I wanted,’ Sweetie Belle thought in disappointment.

‘But like Scootaloo said, at least you didn’t help make a dress for that demon,’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice said.

‘That demon?’ Sweetie Belle questioned.

‘Yeah. You know, Sunset Shimmer,’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice clarified.

‘But she’s not a demon,’ Sweetie Belle corrected her.

‘Are you kidding?! Did you forget that she literally turned into one at the Fall Formal?!’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice said aghast that she would forget that. ‘Not to mention that she mind controlled everyone!’

‘She did do that,’ Sweetie Belle thought in agreement.

‘I say we save Applejack and Rainbow Dash for Scootaloo and Applebloom,’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice suggested. ‘Those two have been there for us when Rarity wasn’t, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash have been more of a big sister to us than Rarity!’

Suddenly, images of when Sweetie Belle tried to help Rarity around the house only to fail popped in her mind. She was trying to be a thoughtful sister and help out her big sister but all her efforts went unappreciated.

‘Applejack was the one who comforted us when we were having a bad day, Rarity couldn’t even be bothered as she was busy working on her career,’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice air quoted in her head. ‘Rainbow Dash offered to give us a ride home when Rarity couldn’t even be bothered to pick us up after our afterschool club!’

The more Sweetie Belle thought of how selfish her sister was, the angrier she got.

‘Scootaloo and Applebloom are the best friends we could ever ask for, we just have to save their sisters!’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice said. ‘Crusaders forever!’

“Crusaders forever,” Sweetie Belle mumbled as all the color completely drained from her.

“Two down,” Princess Sunset grinned wickedly as she witnessed the corruption of Sweetie Belle. Pretty soon, she would have corrupted them all and then the real fun could begin.

Sunset clenched her chest as she felt something very off.

“Why?” Sunset questioned. “Why am I feeling this way?”

“It’s worse than before,” SunDash said while the feeling that something was really wrong increased as she panted heavily.

“Maybe it’s because we’re sick?” SunJack questioned as she too clutched at her chest.

Whatever it was they were feeling, the Sun trio couldn’t place the cause.

“Anyway, we’re almost there,” Sunset reminded them.

“You’re right, all that’s left is Scoots,” SunDash said to her monitor as Scootaloo was moving through the forest.

Diamond Tiara swung from one vine to another as she made her way through the forest that was her classroom. She had seen what was happening to her friends and was hurrying to the computer lab to stop Sunset before it was too late.

‘Why? Why is Sunset doing this?’ Diamond Tiara asked herself internally.

Diamond Tiara could understand Sunset being upset with her friends for framing her as the one responsible for creating Anon-A-Miss, but trapping them inside a video game and killing them over and over again was going too far. Not to mention that she did something to them that made them lose their color and judging by the look in their eyes, a part of themselves as well.

‘Applebloom,’ Diamond Tiara thought of her crush. She thought back to the pain in her eyes as she confessed to being Anon-A-Miss and compared them to how empty they looked now.

Diamond Tiara swung from one last vine before landing in front of her classroom door. She turned the doorknob and as soon as she did, the entire room changed into a race track.

Drivers, to your cars!

Diamond Tiara raced to her car which was a go-kart. She was already wearing a purple and gold racing suit as she jumped into the driver’s seat. She fastened her seatbelt and put on her helmet.

Drivers, on your mark. Get set. GO!

Diamond Tiara slammed her foot on the accelerator as she and the other drivers sped out of the starting line.

‘Hold on, girls! I’m on my way!’ Diamond Tiara thought with determination as she maneuvered her way around the other drivers. She had a race to win.

“Yipeeee!” Pinkie Pie cheered in excitement as she was turned into a firecracker and rocketed into the air. When she exploded, an image of her smiling face lit up the ceiling.

“Pinkie, knock it off. We have to find a way out of here,” Twilight reminded the party girl as she searched for an exit.

“Oh that’s easy!” Pinkie said as she suddenly appeared next to Twilight, startling the princess. “It’s right over here!’

Pinkie grabbed onto thin air and as she pulled back. The sound of a door opening could be heard as the entire room changed.

“Pinkie, how did you do that?” Twilight asked as she stared at Pinkie in amazement.

“Just a hunch,” Pinkie said as she gave a big toothy smile.

Twilight sighed before smiling at Pinkie Pie. She should’ve known to expect unbelievable acts from Pinkie. She was right at home in the chaos.

“Look, Twilight! We’re on the beach!” Pinkie Pie shouted excitedly as she bounced in place.

Twilight looked around and indeed they were on the beach.

“Well, this is a welcome change. I guess,” Twilight said as her clothes turned into a purple swimsuit.

“Maybe something exciting will happen!” Pinkie said in her usual excited tone as she was clad in a pink and white swimsuit.

“Hopefully not too exciting,” Twilight said as she and Pinkie started walking down the beach.

As they walked down the beach with the sun setting in the distance, Twilight recalled when she and her friends took a trip to the beach. They all had a fun time and Twilight definitely enjoyed the walks down the beach she shared with Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

“Someone looks happy.”

Twilight snapped out of her musing and looked at a grinning Pinkie.

“I recognize that smile, who were you thinking about?” Pinkie Pie asked as she nudged Twilight teasingly.

“I was just thinking of my Rainbow Dash and Applejack,” Twilight confessed, her cheeks turning red.

“You three must be soooo happy together!” Pinkie said as she gave Twilight a bone crushing hug.

“Yeah, we really are,” Twilight managed to say as Pinkie Pie squeezed the life out of her.

Pinkie Pie released Twilight and the princess was surprised to see her with a sad smile.

“I wonder if our Rainbow Dash and Applejack can be as happy with Sunset?” Pinkie Pie said sadly.

Pinkie Pie remembered how hurt Sunset was when they confessed to her about how they thought she was Anon-A-Miss. But what hurt Sunset the most was hearing one of the girls she had crushes on admit that they would still assume it was her being Anon-A-Miss if she wasn’t sick.

“Do you think there is any chance that they can still be together?” Pinkie Pie asked Twilight.

“I can’t speak for Sunset, but I’m sure everything will be fine,” Twilight assured the party girl.

“I really hope so, Twilight. I don’t want to see my friends sad anymore,” Pinkie said as she wiped away a stray tear.

Twilight pulled Pinkie Pie into a hug.

“I don’t want to see my friends sad either, Pinkie.”

They held onto each other until Twilight felt something wrap around her leg and was suddenly hoisted into the air.

“What in Equestria?!” Twilight was shocked to see a giant octopus staring at her.

“Twilight!” Pinkie Pie yelled. This was not good. She had seen plenty of Japanese stuff to see where this was going.

“Hmm this one’s not quite right, but it’ll have to do,” the giant octopus said as he put Twilight in his grocery basket.

“Hey, you leave my friend alone!” Pinkie Pie warned Mr. Octopus. She would not let her friend become a victim of tentacle hentai!

Mr. Octopus looked at Pinkie while raising an eyebrow.

“Sorry, but you’re too sweet for me and I’m watching my figure,” Mr. Octopus commented before he started going back into the ocean.

“Oh no you don’t!” Pinkie Pie said as she tore off her swimsuit to reveal her sushi chef uniform complete with a bandolier of knives.

Pinkie Pie jumped at the giant octopus and the two started wrestling each other. The octopus tried to wrap its tentacles around Pinkie Pie but she was too slick as she maneuvered her way around the tentacles. The octopus was getting frustrated as Pinkie Pie kept evading him.

Pinkie Pie was giggling all the while as she maneuvered around Mr. Octopus She waved to Twilight before she jumped away from the octopus and landed on the beach. A tentacle shot towards her but stopped short as all Mr. Octopus’ tentacles were all entangled. Pinkie Pie walked up to Mr. Octopus and started tickling him.

“Coochie coochie coo!” Pinkie Pie said as she started tickling Mr. Octopus.

Mr. Octopus tried to resist but eventually gave in as he started laughing. His grip on Twilight loosened and she slipped free.

“Thanks, Pinkie,” Twilight thanked the party girl as she flew next to her.

“No problem, Twilight!” Pinkie said as she walked up to the octopus. She grabbed his tentacle and with great strength she threw him back into the ocean. “That’s that.”

Pinkie Pie dusted her hands as the area around them started to change. They braced themselves for what was coming next.

Scootaloo shot an arrow through a wild boar. It groaned as it keeled over and died, vanishing moments later so she would gain EXP from its death.

“There sure are alot of wild animals here,” Scootaloo said out loud as she carefully made her way through the forest.

While these random encounters provided a good chance for her to gain EXP and level up, she really needed to find her friends so they could figure out a plan.

“Hey Scoots.”

“AH!”

Scootaloo quickly spun around was ready to shoot an arrow through whoever was behind her.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa calm down!” Sunset raised her hands in front of herself. “It’s me, Sunset.”

“How do I know it’s really you?” Scootaloo questioned suspiciously, her arrow still pointed at Sunset. For all she knew, it was a shapeshifter that had taken Sunset’s form to get her to drop her guard.

“If I really wanted to hurt you, I would’ve rammed my hand through your back and held your heart in my hand,” Sunset said.

Scootaloo mulled over what Sunset had just said before lowering her bow. That was true. Demon Sunset would not have bothered making her presence known. She would’ve just killed her.

“Why are you dressed like a princess?” Scootaloo wondered.

“Because I actually am one in real life,” Sunset answered.

“Seriously?” Scootaloo questioned.

“Yep, in my world I am the daughter of the reigning Princess of Equestria,” Sunset explained.

“Then why were you so obsessed with being the Princess of the Fall Formal if you were already one?” Scootaloo asked.

“It’s not enough that I was born a princess, I have to prove that I earned it. Especially since my mother is revered as a great and wise ruler,” Sunset explained. “I have a lot to live up to.”

“I can relate to that,” Scootaloo said sadly. Since her parents were sports stars and her mother was considered the greatest athlete of her generation, Scootaloo wanted so much to make them proud so that she could be worthy of their legacy. Naturally, people expected great things from her and the pressure to live up to her parents’ legacy was great.

Sunset smiled as she found an opening.

“I dreamed of becoming a great princess, one that everyone can look up to,” Sunset said. “But more importantly, I wanted to make my mother proud of me.”

Scootaloo thought of her own mother who she looked up to. She dreamed of becoming a successful athlete like her. She wanted so much to make both her parents proud.

“She would no doubt be very disappointed in what I had become,” Sunset continued as she briefly shifted into her demon form. “A demon.”

Scootaloo’s mind flashed with the disappointed looks of her parents when she confessed to what she had done as part of Anon-A-Miss.

“Thank Celestia I had my friends to help me become someone better,” Sunset said with a smile as she turned back into a princess.

Images of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle flashed in Scootaloo’s mind. They had always stuck by her through thick and thin, supported her and cheered her on. Back when Diamond Tiara was a bully and told her that she would never live up to her parents’ greatness, Scootaloo began to doubt herself and soon decided to give up sports entirely. But her friends and Rainbow Dash helped remind her that she shouldn’t worry about being like her parents and that she should be herself.

‘Be the best you that you can be. That’s the you your parents are proud of.’

Rainbow Dash’s words echoed in Scootaloo’s mind causing tears to well up in Scootaloo’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, Sunset.”

“I know,” Sunset said in a monotone voice.

“I was so afraid that you’d take Rainbow Dash away from me that I didn’t even consider your feelings,” Scootaloo sobbed. ”I’ve always been a little jealous of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle for having big sisters.”

Sunset watched Scootaloo sob with impassive eyes, listening closely to what she had to say.

“They would always have so much fun together and the bond they shared because they were sisters was very special,”
Scootaloo said. “Then Rainbow Dash came into my life and I really admire and look up to her. I was so happy when she agreed to be my big sister and I finally had what Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had. But then you came into the picture.”

Scootaloo wiped away at her eyes and looked at Sunset with a sad look.

“After the Fall Formal, Rainbow Dash started hanging out with you more which meant that she was hanging out with me less and less.” Scootaloo looked away from Sunset, feeling too ashamed to look at her as she continued. “So when Applebloom told me about her plan to split you from them, I agreed to join her. But after they visited you at your apartment, they decided to shut down Anon-A-Miss and confess. But I refused.”

Scootaloo risked glancing back at Sunset and saw that her expression was still emotionless.

“It was my idea to continue posting secrets, especially those that were sent to us by other kids of the school.”
Scootaloo saw Sunset’s left eye twitch briefly at the mention of that.

“When it was my turn to visit your apartment, I saw how sick you were and I started to get worried when everyone mentioned how serious it was,” Scootaloo admitted. “But what really made me realize what I did was wrong was when I saw Rainbow Dash pour her heart out to you while you were unconscious.”

Tears began spilling from Scootaloo’s eyes once again as she told Sunset what she had witnessed.

“Rainbow Dash was beating herself up for falling for our trick, she was calling herself an idiot and crying!” Scootaloo sobbed. “Rainbow Dash really likes you Sunset, she’s terrified of losing you!”

“Rainbow Dash, is terrified?”SunDash questioned.

“Of losing us,” SunJack said.

“Rainbow Dash,” Sunset whispered her crush’s name. She was very touched to hear that the athlete cared for her very much.

Rainbow Dash and Princess Celestia were watching the livestream and heard what Scootaloo had said. Princess Celestia glanced at Rainbow Dash to see her reaction.

“Oh Scoots,” Rainbow Dash muttered as she looked sadly at her phone.

Rainbow Dash felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Princess Celestia looking at her worriedly.

“Are you going to be alright, Rainbow Dash?” Celestia asked with concern.

“Yeah, I’ll be okay,” Rainbow Dash assured the princess.

Princess Celestia was skeptical of Rainbow Dash’s answer. She thought of dropping the matter but she knew from experience that if whatever Rainbow was feeling wasn’t addressed then it would only fester and grow worse.

“Rainbow Dash, tell me what’s on your mind?”

Rainbow Dash looked into Princess Celestia’s eyes and despite them not being the same color, she could see the same look of kindness that Sunset’s eyes had whenever she wanted to help.

“I’m just upset with Scootaloo for betraying me and trying to frame Sunset.”

“Frame Sunset?” Celestia questioned.

“Princess, you’re not going to like what I am going to say,” Rainbow said before telling her about Anon-A-Miss, the CMC’s involvement as well as how she and her friends reacted.

When Rainbow Dash finished speaking, she waited for the Solar Princess to say something and her palms started sweating as she imagined the look of outrage on the princess’ face.

Princess Celestia let out a sigh before she spoke.

“I’m not happy with how my daughter has been treated, and I’m especially not happy with how you and the rest of your friends assumed she was responsible for humiliating all of you. And for what, I may add?” Celestia asked as she crossed her arms. “I have taught my daughter well enough to know that she would never leave anything to incriminate herself.”

“Wait, what do you mean by that?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“It is as I said, Sunset’s skills of manipulation and information gathering were taught to her by me,” Celestia explained.

“B-but why would you teach your own daughter to be a manipulative bitch?!” Rainbow Dash was dumbfounded.

“It is vital that she learned those skills, especially for one who is my heir and has to maneuver the world of politics,” Celestia explained. “Up until my sister and my beloved were returned to me, my little Sunshine was all I had left in this world and I did whatever I could to protect her. Fortunately or unfortunately she takes after her father and myself in being able to easily manipulate ponies.” The princess uncrossed her arms as she held out her hand to Rainbow Dash with a smile. “But now isn’t the time to dwell on our mistakes. We must hurry to Sunset and after all this is over...we can talk about your punishment.”

Rainbow Dash swallowed a lump in her throat as the princess’ smile unnerved her. It looked far more threatening than it should She took the offered hand as the princess took flight and flew into an open door.

“So please, don’t be to mad at Rainbow Dash. She’s so awesome and I hate to see her look so miserable!” Scootaloo continued to sob.

‘Then why did you make her miserable in the first place?’ Sunset thought bitterly. She watched Scootaloo sob before walking towards her.

Scootaloo had her eyes closed as she heard footsteps approaching. She steeled herself for whatever Sunset would do to her, expecting a slap to the face, but was surprised when she felt Sunset wrap her arms around her and pull her into a hug.

“Sunset?”

Sunset pulled back to look at Scootaloo. She was on her knees and had her hands on Scootaloo’s shoulders as she gave her a warm smile.

“We both really care for Rainbow Dash, huh?” Sunset said.

“Y-yeah,” Scootaloo agreed, not understanding what was happening.

“I bet if we free her, she could easily rescue Applejack and Rarity,” Sunset suggested.

“You really think so?” Scootaloo asked.

“I know so. Rainbow Dash is so cool, I bet she could easily beat the Queen,” Sunset said with a smile.

“Yeah, she’ll be like ‘Hey, Queen!” and then she’ll kick her across the face!” Scootaloo said excitedly.

“And you saving her might put you back on her good graces,” Sunset said.

Scootaloo’s mood faltered at hearing that.

“D-do you really think she’ll ever forgive me?”

“Maybe not right away, but I’m sure she’ll forgive you in time,” Sunset assured her. “Besides, you’ll have your friends with you and the Crusaders always stick together.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Crusaders forever,” Scootaloo said with a smile.

“That’s right, and by saving Rainbow Dash, you save their sisters. They’ll be very happy you did that,” Sunset said as her eyes suddenly turned into hypnotic swirls.

“They’ll be very happy,” Scootaloo mumbled as her eyes also became swirls.

“Save Rainbow Dash,” Sunset whispered, grinning mischievously.

“Save, Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo repeated as she lost all her color.

Sunset stood up and stepped aside as she watched Scootaloo walk away.

“Crusaders forever,” Scootaloo mumbled as she made her way through the forest.

“Now for the finale,” Sunset said with wicked glee as she disappeared.

“Not again,” Sunset mumbled as she held her head. The pain was getting worse as sweat beaded on her forehead. Her clones were feeling unwell too.

“I don’t like this feeling,” SunDash said as she had an uncomfortable look on her face.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” SunJack said she covered her mouth with her right hand.

“Oh, no!” Diamond Tiara was alarmed to see that the last of her friends just got corrupted. Meanwhile, she was dressed as a circus performer and she was balancing on a tightrope. Her attire consisted of a purple leotard with sequins.

Diamond Tiara ran the rest of the way which caused the audience to cheer. Once she reached the end, she then leapt off the platform and was caught by Silver Spoon who swung by on a trapeze.

“I got you,” Silver Spoon said as she hung from the trapeze with the back of her legs holding on to the bar. She wore a matching leotard.

“Silver Spoon?!” Diamond Tiara was surprised to see her ex-friend.

When the two reached the other platform, Silver Spoon threw Diamond Tiara on it while she did a flip and landed next to her. The crowd loved it as their cheering intensified.

“Why are you here?” Diamond Tiara asked as she narrowed her eyes at Silver Spoon. She was still mad at her.

“I’m part of the act,” Silver Spoon said plainly. “Listen, Diamond, about what I said yesterday….”

Diamond Tiara was about to tell her off but held her tongue. The old her would have done it but she wasn’t that person anymore. She would listen before she responded.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have stolen your necklace. It was wrong of me to do so,” Silver Spoon apologized as she looked at Diamond Tiara with regret.

Diamond Tiara studied Silver Spoon for a minute before speaking.

“Apology accepted.”

“Really?!” Silver Spoon was surprised that Diamond Tiara forgave her so easily.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m only accepting your apology. I still haven’t forgiven you yet,” Diamond Tiara clarified.

“Oh, right,” Silver Spoon said a little sadly.

“But I’m sure you’ll make it up to me,” Diamond Tiara said as she smiled at her now friend again.
Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara shared a hug which made the audience go ‘aww’.

“C’mon, we better go save our friends,” Silver Spoon said as she broke the hug.

“You’re not mad at them for posting that picture with you and my necklace, are you?” Diamond Tiara questioned.

“I am, but technically I was in the wrong,” Silver Spoon said. “What about you?”

“I’m not sure to be honest,” Diamond Tiara crossed her arms. “Other than exposing you wearing my necklace, they really never posted anything about me.”

“I know the other students in our school aren’t too happy with them,” Silver Spoon pointed out.

“Yeah,” Diamond Tiara said sadly, remembering what Applebloom had told her about the reason she couldn’t accept her feelings. “That’s why she turned me down.”

“So you finally confessed to her, huh?” Silver Spoon said, smiling at seeing Diamond Tiara’s face turn red. Diamond Tiara meekly nodded. “You two make a cute couple.” Silver Spoon grinned.

Diamond Tiara smiled at this, the two then proceeded to come down from the platform and towards the exit of the tent while the audience applauded.

Applebloom raced through the forest, hurrying as fast as she could to save Rainbow Dash and Rarity. She managed to find a clearing and, to her pleasant surprise, she found Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity. Their hands were chained together at the wrist and they were dangling over a bottomless pit.

Applebloom was about to race over to them but she heard a noise and turned to her left to see Sweetie Belle emerge from the bushes.

“Sweetie Belle?”

Hearing her name, Sweetie Belle turns to the source and saw Applebloom.

“Applebloom?”

Suddenly, they both hear a noise just before Scootaloo jump out of the bushed.

“Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle and Applebloom yelled in unison.

Before Scootaloo could even register her name being called, she was engulfed in a hug by her friends.

“I’m so glad you girls are okay,” Applebloom said in relief.

“Me too, I was so worried,” Sweetie Belle said as she hugged her friends tight.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Scootaloo told them.

They soon broke the hug and looked at each other in relief.

“Did anything happen while we were separated?” Applebloom asked, ignoring the fact that her friends were colorless.

“I met Sunset, but she wasn’t a demon,” Scootaloo said.

“She looked like a princess,” Sweetie Belle added.

“She told me she wanted to help us rescue our sisters,” Applebloom said.

All three girls look back to their sisters who were unconscious as they dangled over the pit.

“Ready, girls?” Applebloom asked.

“Ready!” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo said at the same time.

“Let’s go save Rarity and Rainbow Dash!” Applebloom declared.

“Yea-wait what?!” Scootaloo turned to look a Applebloom in confusion. “What about Applejack?”

“What about her?” Applebloom questioned as she narrowed her eyes at Scootaloo.

“She’s your sister, Applebloom. We have to save her and Rainbow Dash,” Sweetie Belle admonished her friend.

“What about Rarity?” Applebloom asked as she raised an eyebrow at Sweetie Belle.

“We’ll save her after we save Applejack and Rainbow Dash first,” Sweetie Belle said as she turned her head back to their sisters and started walking towards them.

“Hold on a minute, Sweetie Belle!” Applebloom grabbed on to Sweetie Belle’s left arm and stopped her.

Sweetie Belle violently pulled her arm free from Applebloom and glared at her.

“Don’t try and stop me, Applebloom! We have to save your sister and Rainbow Dash!”

“Ferget my sister! What about yers?!” Applebloom shouted as she glared at Sweetie Belle. “Why are yah so willin’ to abandon yer own sister?!”

“I could ask you the same thing!” Sweetie Belle shouted back as she got closer to Applebloom to where their faces were mere inches from each other.

“Applejack already chose Sunset over me, and because of Anon-A-Miss she’ll never want to be my sister again!” Applebloom said angrily as bitter tears stung her eyes.

“No she hasn’t!” Sweetie Belle said. “You’re an Apple, and family is very important to the Apples. So I doubt Applejack would just abandon you! Unlike Rarity, Applejack isn’t selfish!”

As the two continued to argue, they were all being watched by Princess Sunset who was floating above them.

“This is getting good but lets speed things up shall we?” Sunset said as she conjured up a bag of popcorn.

Applebloom was getting frustrated as Sweetie Belle continued to defend Applejack while pointing out how bad of a sister Rarity was.

‘Poor Sweetie Belle, this place must be getttin’ to her if she can’t see reason,’ Applebloom’s inner voice said.

‘Why won’t she understand that ah want to save her sister for her?’ Applebloom thought in frustration.

‘If words won’t get to her, then actions will,’ Applebloom’s inner voice suggested.

‘Yer right,’ Applebloom thought as she eyed the three bound Rainbooms.

Sweetie Belle just couldn’t believe that Applebloom would abandon her own sister. The young farm girl always looked up to her big sister and loved her very much. It didn’t make sense that she would forget all of that.

‘Applebloom needs to be reminded of how much Applejack means to her,’ Sweetie Belle’s inner voice spoke. ‘We have to save Applejack.’

‘I will save Applejack, for Applebloom!’ Sweetie Belle vowed internally as she casted a glance at the chained trio.

Scootaloo looked between her best friends with worry as they argued about their sisters. She didn’t expect something like this to happen and was at a loss at what to do.

‘I bet Rainbow Dash can fix this!’ Scootaloo’s inner voice spoke.

‘Yeah! Rainbow would know what to do!’ Scootaloo thought as she turned to look at her honorary big sister.

As one, the three girls made a mad dash towards their sisters. They quickly noticed each other which caused Applebloom and Sweetie Belle to frown.

“Don’t get in my way, Sweetie Belle!” Applebloom said as she shoved Sweetie Belle aside and almost knocked her down.

“How dare you!” Sweetie Belle shouted angrily as she too shoved Applebloom.

Scootaloo used this opportunity to run ahead but just before she could get any closer, she suddenly slammed face first against an invisible wall.

“And just where do yah think yer going Scoots?” Applebloom asked as she was the one to cast a barrier in front of Scootaloo.

“What the fuck, Applebloom!” Scootaloo cursed as she held her nose. Thankfully, it wasn’t bleeding.

“You were going to save Rainbow Dash, weren’t you?” Sweetie Belle questioned.

“No duh,” Scootaloo answered as if it was obvious.

“I can’t believe how selfish you are, Scoots,” Sweetie Belle said in disgust.

“I’m selfish?!” Scootaloo was aghast at the accusation. “Can’t you guys see that Rainbow Dash is the only one that can save us all?!”

“All ah see is a no good traitor,” Applebloom said.

“Traitor?!” Scootaloo was visibly upset at Appleboom’s comment and drew her bow. “Take that back!”

“Make me,” Applebloom dared as she prepared to cast a defensive spell.

Scootaloo shot three arrows at Applebloom but she used a shield spell to block them.

“Yall have to do better than that,” Applebloom mocked as she cast a fireball spell and launched several at Scootaloo.

Scootaloo swiftly dodges the fireballs and fired three more arrows at Applebloom.

“That won’t work,” Applebloom reminded her as she casted her barrier but as soon as the arrows impacted the barrier, they exploded and released smoke that blocked Applebloom’s vision.

“Tch,” Applebloom looked around the smoke to prepare for a surprise attack but then she heard someone struggling. She casted a wind spell to blow away the wind and saw Scootaloo struggling against Sweetie Belle, their weapons locked in a tight struggle.

“Knock it off, Sweetie Belle. Don’t you see I have to do this?” Scootaloo said as she struggled to push Sweetie Belle back.

“Just like you said we had to continue posting secrets?” Sweetie Belle reminded her.

“That was different!” Scootaloo argued as she pushed back against Sweetie Belle.

Suddenly, they were both blown away by a powerful gust of wind. They both landed hard on the ground and as they struggled to get up. Applebloom used this opportunity to head towards the bound trio.

Scootaloo saw Applebloom getting closer to the trio. She pulled out a single arrow and shot it into the air where it exploded into hundreds of arrows that rained down on Applebloom.

Applebloom countered it with a fire spell that incinerated the shower of arrows but then she was suddenly trapped in a net. As she struggled against the net, she saw Scootaloo smirking at her as she got up. Applebloom growled before using a fire spell to burn off the net and free herself.

The three Crusaders glared at each other before letting out a battle cry and charging in.

“Wow, what a show,” SunJack said gleefully.

“But I can’t help but feel that this is very wrong,” Sunset said as that feeling of dread was in full force.

“Sweet Celestia, my head,” SunDash said as she held her head which was throbbing in agony.

The Sunsets watched the CMC fight each other but instead of feeling enjoyment at seeing them suffer for what they did to them and her friends, they instead felt like all this was a mistake. Suddenly, Sunset started coughing violently which was followed by SunDash and Sunjack.

Sunset covered her mouth with her hand then saw the blood that now stained her palm.

“What the-?” Rainbow Dash watched in surprise as the room she was in shifted briefly to the school hallway. “What’s going on?”

Rainbow Dash quickly checked her phone to see the Livestream of the Sunsets coughing at the CMC fighting each other

“No, no, no this isn’t good,” Rainbow Dash said as she watched with increased worry.

Celestia looked around the fading room with worry, her maternal instincts screaming at her to go to Sunset but her logical mind was telling her that if she rushed in then she would be separated from Rainbow Dash.

The shifting between the school hallway and the current room finally stopped and they were back in the school hallway.

“Are...are we really back?” Rainbow Dash questions as she looked around and to her surprise and relief she spotted the computer lab. “Princess, over there!”

“Is that the room we seek?” Princess Celestia asks as she spotted the door that Rainbow Dash was pointing to.

“Yeah, come on let’s…” Rainbow Dash trailed off as she spotted Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon coming from around the corner of the hallway and entering the computer lab.

“Who are they?” The solar princess asks.

“They’re friends of Scootaloo, but why did they go into the lab?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

Just then, the hallway started to turn back into another room full of chaos.

“Quickly, we must hurry!” Celestia urged as she took Rainbow Dash hand and quickly flew towards the door. She threw the door open but was meet with an open grass field.

“Huh?”

Princess Celestia noticed that the door was gone and she started getting frustrated.

“Pony Feathers!”

Princess Celestia stomped on the ground causing it to tremble.

“Whoa!” Rainbow Dash steadied herself so she wouldn’t fall from the earth trembling beneath her.

“My apologies Rainbow Dash, the situation is starting to get to me,” Celestia apologized.

“No biggie, I understand how you feel,” Rainbow Dash said. “But man, I didn’t realize your steps were that strong.”

“Being an Alicorn, I have the traits of all three pony tribes. This includes the strength of earth ponies,” Celestia explained. “However, my strength is far greater than any earth pony.”

“I hope your strength can help us here,” Rainbow Dash said as she looked around the empty grass field.

“Hopefully it isn’t needed,” Celestia said as she looked around for any sign of an exit. She soon heard clucking and her eyes widened.

There standing before Celestia and Rainbow Dash was a single chicken. The Princess of the Sun let out a cry of fright and immediately hid behind Rainbow Dash.

“It’s a chicken! I’m afraid of chickens!” Celestia trembled.

“Princess, it’s just a chicken!” Rainbow Dash pointed out but then this was something conjured up by chaos magic so it could be a deadly chicken.

The chicken tilted its head then started to peck at the ground.

Sunset Shimmer panted heavily as her coughing fit subsided. She knew she could not last much longer, but she was determined to finish what she had started.

“Sunset!”

Sunset stood up but was instantly hit with a dizzy spell. She managed to fight through it and looked at Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara.

“What are you to doing here?” Sunset asked, her voice hoarse. “How did you get in here? Nobody should be able to get in here!”

“We came to stop you from hurting our friends!” Diamond Tiara answered.

“Oh really?” Sunset ascended into the air and landed in front of them. “And how do you intend to do that?”

Silver Spoon was intimidated by Sunset’s new look as she towered over them with her wings spread out. Her eyes locked on to Sunset’s and she started trembling in fear. As she looked into Sunset’s eyes she felt like she was staring into Vice-Principal Luna’s eyes.

“Sunset, this isn’t like you,” Diamond Tiara said. “Why are you doing this?”

“Why? Those brats created Anon-A-Miss to frame me!” Sunset raised her. “They would stoop so low as to humiliate their own sisters to convince them that I haven’t changed!”

“I know what they did was wrong and they will definitely get punished for it, but this isn’t the way to do it,” Diamond Tiara pointed out.

“They need to be taught a lesson,” Sunset growled as steam started rising from her body. “They need to learn not to mess with me or my friends.”

“Will you just listen to yourself!” Diamond Tiara snapped. “This is the old Sunset talking!”

Sunset was taken aback by this but she quickly shook it off and glared at Diamond Tiara.

“Watch what you say, little filly. You don’t want to incur a princess’ wrath.”

“What kind of princess punishes little kids like this?!” Diamond Tiara questioned. “What would your friends think if they saw you doing this?”

Sunset opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it to think.

What would her friends think?

“I’m sure they would be horrified at what you’re doing to their sisters, and especially since you’re their best friend!” Diamond Tiara said.

Images of her friends disappointed faces popped in Sunset’s mind. Sunset shut her eyes and held her head as the throbbing intensified.

“You aren’t a monster, Sunset. You worked so hard to make up for what you did and you got five great friends because of it,” Diamond Tiara pointed out. “You inspired me to do my best to make up for my own past mistakes and now I have three new friends!”

Silver Spoon looked at Diamond Tiara as she spoke. She was surprised at the emotion behind Diamond’s words which made her theft of her necklace feel even worse.

“You and I have made great friends, Sunset! Don’t throw it all away because of some petty revenge!” Diamond Tiara implored the former unicorn.

Sunset Shimmer stumbled back, panting rapidly as sweat poured down her face before quickly turning to steam.

“I...I..” Sunset was struggling with herself as the fog in her mind started to clear.

“That’s right, Sunset. Remember who you are, who you really are!” Diamond Tiara encouraged.

“Uh, Diamond Tiara?” Silver Spoon tried to get her friends attention.

“Not now, Silver Spoon,” Diamond Tiara brushed her friend aside. She was so close to snapping Sunset out of whatever she was on.

“But, steam is literally coming out of her. Should I hose her down?” Silver Spoon asked a she was dressed as a firefighter and holding a fire hose.

Sunset’s condition got worse and worse, her breathing became more erratic and her temperature around her started to increase. Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon along with the other Sunset’s were getting worried until Sunset’s eyes snapped open and Diamond Tiara could see the horrible realization in them.

“What have I done?!”

Sunset hurried over to the computer.

“I have to-” Sunset didn’t finish as she collapsed on the floor.

“Sunset!” Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara said at the same time as they rushed to help Sunset.

“Are you o-ah!” Diamond Tiara attempted to help Sunset but because of her high temperature, she recoiled in pain. She was as hot as fire now.

“Don’t touch her, she’s too hot to handle,” SunDash said in a weak voice as she slumped against her chair. Steam started rising from her exposed skin.

“What’s happening to all of you?!” Silver spoon asked as she notices Sunjack in a similar state.

“We’re sick,” Sunjack answered.

“Can you get the girls out of the game?” Diamond Tiara asked as she looked at the screen to see the CMC still fighting.

“Not with how they are now,” Sunset began to say as she propped herself up. “They have to turn back to themselves before we can exit them out of the game.”

“I doubt they can do it themselves,” Silver Spoon noted.

“Then put me in the game,” Diamond Tiara suggested. “I can snap them out of it and you can pull us out.”

“Are you crazy, Diamond?! You can’t go in by yourself,” Silver Spoon said. “I’m going in with you.”

“Are you sure?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“They’re my friends too and it’s like they always said, Crusaders forever,” Silver Spoon said with a smile.

“Crusaders forever,” Diamond Tiara repeated with a smile of her own.

“Good luck,” Sunset said weakly as she snapped her fingers causing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to disappear.

The Crusaders were panting heavily as they glared at one another. They were covered in bruises and cuts while Scootaloo’s bow was broken.

“Don’t have much left in me,” Applebloom stated.

“Same here,” Sweetie Belle begrudgingly agreed

“This is it then,” Scootaloo said as she prepared her dagger.

“Ah guess it is,” Applebloom said as she prepared her spell.

“Don’t worry girls, you’ll forgive me once I save your sisters,” Sweetie Belle said as she readied her sword.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo charged at Applebloom, intending to finish her off first but Applebloom was ready for them.

“Enough!”

A loud voice rang out as a pillar of light shot down between the girls before revealing Diamond Tiara dressed as a princess, but her dress had armor covering her chest and arms. A diamond tiara rested on top of her head and she wielded a spear. Silver Spoon was dressed as a monk and she wielded a staff.

“Diamond Tiara?” Applebloom was shocked to see her friend here.

“What are you two doing here?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“The real question is what do you three think you’re doing trying to kill each other?!” Diamond Tiara demands.

“Get this, Diamond Tiara. Ah was trying to save their sisters but Sweetie Belle wants nothing to do with hers and Scootaloo only wants to save Rainbow Dash,” Applebloom explained to Diamond Tiara as she glared at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

“Don’t listen to her, Diamond Tiara. Applebloom just wants to abandon Applejack,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Yeah, she was going to just leave her there!” Scootaloo added.

“Applebloom, is this true?” Diamond Tiara asked.

Applebloom didn’t say anything She simply looked away.

“Girls, what has gotten into you?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“What do you mean?’ Scootaloo questioned.

“Well you’re fighting amongst yourselves, and you’re gray!” Silver Spoon pointed out.

The girls looked at each other and shrugged,

“It doesn’t matter to me, as long it doesn’t interfere with me saving Rainbow,” Scootaloo shrugged as she turned to look at the bound Rainbow Dash.

“Quit being selfish, you dodo,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Watch who you’re calling a dodo, drama queen,” Scootaloo glared at Sweetie Belle.

“Enough!” Diamond Tiara slams the bottom of her spear down which created a shockwave. “It’s time you three remember what’s really important.”

Diamond Tiara’s spear started glowing and she released a wave of energy from the tip that covered all of them.

“Applebloom, you’re an Apple. Family means everything to you! How can you forget that?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“I..” Applebloom’s mind was filled with good memories of her and Applejack. Each one depicting how much Applejack loved her.

“Scootaloo, you told me that you will always be loyal to your friends. Is this how you show loyalty to them?” Silver Spoon questioned.

“No,” Scootaloo mutters as an image of her, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom vowing to take the blame together for Anon-A-Miss appeared in her mind.

“Sweetie Belle, is your sister really as selfish as you claim her to be?” Diamond Tiara questioned.

Images of Rarity doing anything and everything she can to make Sweetie Belle happy, like take her to the park instead of attending a fashion show, even when it was raining and she was covered in mud. Even letting her do Rarity’s hair with disastrous results.

‘Don’t listen to her! She doesn’t know what she’s saying!’ their inner voices screamed in their heads.

The three CMC clutched their heads in pain while in the air, Princess Sunset was looking a little worried.

“Why those little brats.”

Princess Sunset flew down towards them but stopped as she clutched her head in pain.

“What now?!”

Princess Sunset could feel her grip on the CMC weakening.

‘No!’

The CMC’s inner voices screamed before being silenced, the color now returning to the young girls.

“What happened?” Applebloom asked as she held her head.

“The last thing I remember is-Rarity!” Sweetie Belle suddenly said. “We gotta save our sisters!”

“No you won’t.”

All five girls looked up to see Princess Sunset.

“Sunset?” Silver Spoon questioned.

“I will not let you three go back home after what you’ve done to me,” Princess Sunset spat as she turned into her she-demon form. She conjured a fireball between her hands and prepared to throw it at the girls.

“Everyone get behind me!” Diamond Tiara ordered as she raised her spear at Sunset.

Sunset threw her fireball but just as it was about to hit them, they were all teleported next to the bound sisters.

“Set them free! Now!” Diamond Tiara shouted.

Demon Sunset growled in anger before flying towards them, but just as she was about to hit them, she suddenly stopped. She looked at her hand and noticed it fading away.

“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle shouted in horror as her sister was beginning to fade away.

“Horse apples, not now!” Demon Sunset said in frustration before she collapsed on the ground. She was beginning to glitch.

Diamond Tiara noticed that the surrounding environment was also starting to glitch and fade.

“Sunset, get us out of here!”

“No.” Demon Sunset started crawling towards the Crusaders. Her left arm along with her wings and lower body were now gone. “I won’t let you.”

As Demon Sunset reached for the girls, she completely disappeared.

“Sunset!” Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon shouted as the world fell apart around them.

Just as the ground beneath them gave way, they disappeared.

The girls flew out of the computer and landed roughly on the floor.

“Okay, who’s butt is on my head?” Diamond Tiara asked before she moved the person off of herself.

The girls picked themselves up and dusted themselves off.

“I’m glad to be out of there,” Scootaloo said. “Video games aren’t fun when your literal life is in danger.”

“Hey, where’s Sunset?” Silver Spoon pointed out.

“Here.”

They all turned to the sound of the weak voice and were shocked to see the state Sunset was in. She was no longer Nightmare Moon as even more steam started rising from her body. Parts of her clothes burned and her body was flashing red.

“Sunset?” Applebloom said in a worried tone.

“Hey,” Sunset greeted them weakly before coughing. “Sorry about putting you girls through all that. I guess I haven’t changed after all.” Sunset chuckled bitterly as steam risen from where her tears were. “I’m so sorry, you girls were right about me. I am a demon for putting you three through all that.”

“No, Sunset.” Applebloom stepped up in front of the group. “Ah’m the monster for doing this to yah.”

“We were the ones who tried to get our sisters to leave you,” Sweetie Belle said as she stood next to Applebloom.

“We were the ones who posted those secrets and left you to take the blame,” Scootaloo added as she stood by her friends.

Sunset watched the Crusaders as they looked at her with remorse. She opened her mouth to say something when her eyes widened and she turned away to vomit fire that covered the computers in front of her. When she stopped vomiting fire, the computers were frozen solid. She then started coughing violently again as the red flashing intensified.

“Sunset, what’s wrong?!” Applebloom asked in concern.

“I have to get away, you’re all in danger,” Sunset said before she teleported away.

“Sunset!” Sweetie Belle shouted in concern as all five girls stared at the empty spot Sunset used to be in.

“What’s wrong with Sunset?” Diamond Tiara asked worriedly.

“She’s really sick and could die!” Sweetie Belle said in alarm.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash managed to chase away the chicken while Princess Celestia looked relieved. Then her ears perked up as she detected a familiar magical energy signature.

“Sunset.”

“Where?!” Rainbow Dash looked around her Sunset out of the window of the empty classroom they were in.

“I can sense her and she needs me, now!” Princess Celestia said as she felt the strong imbalance within Sunset.

“Then what are you waiting for? Go!” Rainbow Dash urged.

“Thank you,” Celestia said before she teleported to where Sunset was.

Sunset appeared in front of the school and collapsed on to the snow and it started melting as she made contact with the white stuff.

“Gotta go back,” Sunset muttered as she started crawling towards the portal. “I need to get back to Equestria.”

As Sunset started crawling towards the portal, a flash of light appeared in front of her.

“Sunset!”

Sunset looked up to see who she thought was Principal Celestia who then proceeded to pick her up and hug her tight.

“My little Sunshine, how I longed to hold you in my hooves,” Celestia cried on Sunset’s shoulder.

Sunset’s eyes widened as she recognized her nickname.

“Mom?”

Princess Celestia pulled back to look at her daughter’s face which looked awful.

“My poor filly, it’s okay. Everything will be alright now,” Princess Celestia assured her.

Sunset merely nodded, too sick to properly react to her mother being here.

Princess Celestia closed her eyes as she focused her magic and summoned Discord with his back facing them.

“You know, a little heads up doesn’t hurt,” Discord said in a slightly annoyed tone as he turned around to see Celestia on the ground holding a very sick Sunset.

“Discord, come help our daughter,” Celestia said, managing a small smile.

Discord’s eyes widened as he stared at his daughter just mere feet from him. She didn’t look so good but that was about to change. He carefully approached them and knelt down in front of Sunset.

“Hey, Sunset. It’s me, your dad.”

Sunset stared at this man in confusion before what he said finally registered in her mind.

‘He’s...my father?’

The two simply stared at one another until Sunset started coughing.

“Hurry, Discord. Use your magic to help stabilize hers,” Celestia urged.

“R-right,” Discord said nervously.

“So the princess has located Sunset and teleported to where she is?” Rarity questioned as she spoke to Rainbow Dash on her phone.

‘Yeah, the whole school is back to normal and I managed to meet up with the others, but Discord suddenly disappeared,’ Rainbow Dash said

“There they are!” Princess Luna shouted as she pointed outside the window of the empty science class they were in. “They are by the portal!”

“Rainbow, they are in front of the portal,” Rarity informed her.

‘Great, we’ll meet you two there!’ Rainbow Dash said before hanging up.

Rarity pocketed her phone before going to the window to see Discord, Celestia and Sunset. However, when she saw Discord’s hand glowing as he reached for Sunset’s arm, alarm bells rang in her head as her eyes widened in fear and she hurriedly opened the window.

“MR. DISCORD, WAIT!!

But it was too late. As soon as Discord made contact with Sunset and his magic flowed into her, Sunset screamed in pain.

“Sunset?! What’s wrong?!” Celestia was horrified at her daughter’s scream of agony as she thrashed violently in her arms.

“IT HURTS! IT HURTS!!” Sunset cried as red veins started to spread through her body, her temperature increasing so much that she caught on fire.

Discord watched as his daughter experienced the worst pain in her life, his heart shattering at hearing her screams.
Celestia was in a panic. She didn’t know what was going on.

Sunset let out one final scream before she teleported away.

“Sunset!” Celestia shouted her daughter’s name. Once again she had slipped from her hooves, or fingers in this case.

“Princess Celestia!”

Celestia turned to the direction her name was called and saw Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack and Rainbow Dash rushing towards them.

“Sister!” Luna shouted as she and Rarity made their way towards them.

Celestia looked at the group as tears welled up in her eyes.

“She’s gone.”

“What?!” They all said in unison.

“Mr. Discord!” Fluttershy gasped which caused everyone to look at Discord and were shocked at what they saw.

“Discord?” Celestia whispered her love’s name as he was now transparent.

“I hurt her,” Discord said before he completely disappeared.

Sunset appeared in a wooded area that was currently in the middle of a blizzard. She whimpered in agony before passing out due to the intense pain. A surge of magic spread from her body and began warping the area.

Author's Note

I hope you all enjoyed chapter and it's a very long one at that, Sunset's condition has become critical and it's only a matter of time until she succumbs to her illness. The end is in sight. Special Thanks to KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for their continued help and support.

Dark Depths

“I don’t understand. What went wrong?” Celestia questioned as she ran her hand through her multi-colored hair, filled with both confusion and growing concern for Sunset’s dire situation.

“I know what went wrong,” Rarity spoke.

“You do?!” Celestia questioned as she quickly approached Rarity and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Tell me!”

“W-well you mentioned that If Sunset uses too much of either your magic or her father’s, that her magic will be unstable and it will make her ill,” Rarity began. “I then started to take notice of all the times Sunset has used her magic since she’s fallen ill and using her chaos magic.”

Celestia’s eyes widened upon realizing what Rarity was saying.

“She was given an overdose of chaos.”

Celestia’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Rarity, her grip on her shoulders tightened.

“Why didn’t you mention this earlier?!”

“M-my apologies, your royal highness!” Rarity quickly apologized as she felt the princess’ fingers digging into her shoulders. She stared into the princess’ furious eyes and was immediately reminded of Sunset’s own furious eyes when they had confessed to her about how they fell for Anon-A-Miss and initially suspected her.

It was a painful reminder and the way Celestia was digging her fingers into her shoulders was increasing. If Celestia wanted to, she could will Rarity to burst into flames if she did not give a most favorable answer.

“SISTER! CALM THYSELF!” Luna’s voice boomed as she used the ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE.

Celestia blinked before quickly releasing her grip on Rarity.

“My sincerest apologies, Rarity!” the Solar Princess quickly apologized as she bowed her head. She had let her frustration and anger get the better of her.

“It’s alright, your royal highness,” Rarity said as she massaged her shoulders. Celestia had likely left marks but she could worry about those later.

“It’s not alright, and this is no way for a princess to behave,” Celestia said as she shook her head.

Rarity walked up to the princess and placed her hands on her shoulders.

“Your royal highness, please calm yourself.” Rarity attempted to calm her. “Sunset needs you to remain calm if we plan to save her.”

“Thank you, Rarity and you’re right.” Princess Celestia gave Rarity an appreciative smile.

“But what about Mr. Discord?” Fluttershy asked with concern.

“He could be anywhere right now,” Luna noted. Right when they needed him, he just went and vanished.

Celestia bit her lip as she contemplated what to do. Discord was obviously distraught about hurting their daughter. It would take a while to find him as well as convince him that it wasn’t his fault.

But they didn’t have the time to find him.

Sunset was running out of time.

“Sunset needs us more right now. If we don’t find her and cure her soon then she will ultimately release all her energy in an explosion that will destroy your world.”

“WHAT?!”

Everyone was stunned at hearing this new information.

“Sunset’s going to go supernova?!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“And take the Earth with her?!” Rarity yelled with horror. She looked like she was about to faint but slapped herself to prevent it.

“Princess Celestia, a-are you sure that is what will happen?” Twilight asked nervously.

“I’m afraid so, but if it does come down to that, I’ll teleport Sunset somewhere where her explosion won’t do any harm,” Celestia said. Although, she prayed to her mother that it would never come to that.

“Then let us hurry and find Sunset Shimmer!” Luna urged.

Celestia nodded and closed her eyes in concentration as she tried to locate Sunset’s magic signature. It didn’t take her long to find it.

“Her magic is out of control,” Celestia muttered as she snapped her eyes wide open.

“Take us to her now!” Luna ordered.

“Please wait for us, Sunset!”

“Just hold on, darling!”

“Don’t die on us, SunShim!”

Celestia’s golden aura surrounded them all before they disappeared.

The group reappeared in Sunset’s location, and what they found could only be described as chaos gone wild and it was no exaggeration. The weather was constantly switching from blizzards of ice cream to baseball hail to freezing summer, to chocolate monsoons, etc. The environment kept switching from floating terrain to an apocalyptic city, to a race track, a discorded Ponyville, a checkered ground, pudding ground, jello ground, cartoonish sky, edgy sky, etc.

It was all so random, insanely random, which meant that Sunset’s magic was growing way out of control and her condition was gradually getting worse.

“Whoa,” Rainbow Dash exhaled as she was astounded at what she was seeing. “Sunset is somewhere in all of this?”

“Unfortunately.” Luna looked very worried as she looked at the out of control chaos. Even Discord’s chaos wasn’t this insane. At least he was in control, but it looked like the chaos had broken free of Sunset’s control over it and it had become an unstable magical force.

Celestia looked around herself with concern. She was having a hard time locating Sunset due to her daughter’s magical signature randomly bouncing around everywhere.

“Look sharp, everypony!” Everyone looked to Celestia as she started advancing forward. “We need to-” Celestia didn’t get to finish as she suddenly vanished. She just went ‘poof’ and disappeared.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight shouted as she rushed to the spot the princess had stood before and started looking around. She was beginning to panic. She had just lost Princess Celestia.

This was bad.

“Sister!” Luna shouted as she started looking around for her sister. “Where are you?!”

Just then Luna also disappeared.

“Princess Luna!” Twilight shouted in horror as not just one but both of the royal sisters were gone. “Oh no, oh no, oh no, nononononono!”

“W-what happened to them?” Fluttershy asked as she trembled in fright. Which one of them was going to vanish next?

“Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash questioned, her eyes wide in shock as she noticed Fluttershy was starting to fade.

“Yes, Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy asked, giving her friend an innocent look before she completely disappeared.

“Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash shouted, not believing what had just happened.

“Girls, we need to-” Twilight Sparkle began to say before she too disappeared.

“Twilight!” Rarity shouted the princess’ name.

“Um, girls?”

Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked towards Applejack who was disappearing.

“Applejack!” Rainbow Dash rushed towards her friend but she was too late as Applejack vanished.

“Applejack,” Rarity whispered her name as she disappeared too.

Rainbow Dash fell to her knees and punched the ground in anger.

“Why? Why? Why?! Why?! WHY?!” Rainbow shouted as she continued to pound the ground. “Why is this happening?!”

“Maybe they just wanted to get away from you.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened at the familiar voice and quickly turned around to see Sunset Shimmer.

“S-Sunset?”

“Hey, Rainbow,” Sunset said her ‘friend’s’ name in annoyance.

“Y-you’re okay?” Rainbow Dash questioned as she stood up.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Sunset returned, raising an eyebrow.

“You were really sick,” Rainbow answered as she approached Sunset and reached out to her. “Listen, we have to find the others-”

Rainbow Dash cut herself off when Sunset stepped back out of her reach.

“Sunset?”

“What makes you think I’ll go anywhere with you?” Sunset demanded as she narrowed her eyes at Rainbow Dash. It was a look of disgust.

“Sunset, what are you saying?” Rainbow Dash asked, not understanding why Sunset was acting this way.

“I’m saying that I want nothing to do with you, Rainbow Dash,” Sunset growled.

Rainbow felt like her heart had been stabbed.

“Is...is this about me believing you were Anon-A-Miss?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Oh it’s more than that,” Sunset began. “You treated me rather poorly after the Fall Formal, if you recall.”

Sunset stepped closer to Rainbow Dash which caused her to step back.

“Making me do the most ridiculous things and saying they were friendship lessons!” Sunset spat. “Always claiming the high ground.”

“Sunset, I’m sorry,” Rainbow Dash apologized.

“Sorry?!” Sunset was aghast. “Sorry doesn’t make up for it, much less for your betrayal! Admit it, Rainbow Dash. Admit that you’ve always hated me.”

“No!” Rainbow Dash instantly shouted in denial. “I could never hate you! I-I love you Sunset!”

“You dare say you love me!” Sunset screamed. “You have no right to say that, you traitor!”

“Please, Sunset! I’ll do anything to make it up to you. I promise!” Rainbow Dash begged.

“Oh really?” Sunset smirked as an idea came to mind. “Do you still love me, even if I’m like this?”

Right before Rainbow Dash’s eyes, Sunset was engulfed in hellfire as she transformed into her she-demon form.

“Sunset, why?” Rainbow Dash questioned, her voice filled with disappointment.

“I’m waiting, Rainbow Dash,” the demon said as she spread her leathery bat-like wings.

Rainbow Dash swallowed the lump in her throat. She looked the demon square in the eyes and opened her mouth.
No words came out.

“Well?” Demon Sunset questioned, grinning in satisfaction as she watched Rainbow Dash repeatedly try to say something but failing to do so. “And you expect me to trust you.” Demon Sunset flapped her wings and took to the air. “Backstabbing traitors like you deserve to suffer.”

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash felt her feet sink into the ground and looked down to see the floor beneath her was now liquid darkness that threatened to swallow her.

“No!” Rainbow Dash struggled against the darkness but she continued to sink. With nothing solid to hold on to, Rainbow Dash was a goner. “Sunset, help me!” Rainbow Dash reached up towards Sunset, her eyes pleading her to help.

“As if,” Demon Sunset shrugged. “Why should I even bother saving a failed friendship?”

Rainbow Dash could only stare at the demon in horror as her vision started going dark until the darkness fully consumed her. She continued to struggle, desperately fighting back.

“Give it up Rainbow Dash, you’ll never escape the darkness of your own heart,” Demon Sunset’s voice echoed around the void.

‘My own darkness?’ Rainbow Dash questioned in her mind.

“That’s right,” Demon Sunset answered, reading Rainbow’s thoughts. “And you know what else?” Demon Sunset materialized in front of Rainbow Dash with the biggest, unnerving smile that exposed her razor-sharp teeth. “I’m not really Sunset, I am a physical manifestation of your hatred towards her.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened as her pupils shrunk.

“No...that’s not true.”

“It is the truth, Rainbow Dash. You can deny it all you want but your heart knows the truth,” Demon Sunset said. “You HATE Sunset Shimmer!”

The demon looked into Rainbow’s eyes. She could see the girl’s internal struggle as her face twisted in agony once she realized the truth. “NO!”

Rainbow Dash shut her eyes tight, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes as she shook her head in an attempt to banish the treacherous thoughts from her mind.

“NO!”

“That’s it, Rainbow Dash. Accept the truth your heart knows all so well,” The demon mocked as she ran a clawed hand down Rainbow Dash’s face. The demon’s finger began to glow as she lifted it back up to Rainbow’s face and poked her forehead. Demon Sunset pushed Rainbow Dash away, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she lost consciousness.

“Wallow in despair.”

“H-hello?” Fluttershy called out nervously as she looked around but couldn’t see anything due to the thick mist. “Is anyone here?”

This was scary and she was all alone without any of her friends. However, Fluttershy continued to walk forward, occasionally looking around to see if she could spot someone.

She needed to find her friends and get out of this strange place so they could save Sunset Shimmer. That was why, in spite of her fear, she continued moving. Just staying in one spot in a scary place like this would bring no benefit to her or anyone else.

“Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie!” Fluttershy called out her friends’ names but she was startled by a noise behind her, causing her to quickly turn around. “H-hello? Is anyone there?”

“Poor Fluttershy, it must be terrifying being in a strange place all by yourself.”

“W-w-who said that?!” Fluttershy asked nervously, her heart pounding furiously against her chest as she tried to look to where the voice was coming from.

“I bet you wish your friends were here, huh?” The mist cleared to reveal Sunset Shimmer. “Too bad you’re stuck with me.”

“Sunset!” Fluttershy was surprised and relieved to see Sunset. “Are you alright?”

“After what you did to me, I am far from it,” Sunset spat as she glared at Fluttershy.

“I-I don’t understand. I never did anything to you.” Fluttershy was bewildered by Sunset’s accusation.

“Way to play innocent,” Sunset spat with disgust.

“Sunset, I don’t know what it is that I did. But I’m sorry,” Fluttershy apologized.

“What’s the point of apologizing if you don’t even know what you’re apologizing for?!” Sunset angrily shouted.

Fluttershy was alarmed at the volume and intensity in Sunset’s voice, which was filled with so much hate and contempt.

“S-Sunset, Please. What did I do to you?”

“You betrayed me!” Sunset shouted, her voice loud enough to create a shockwave. Fluttershy stood her ground against the shockwave, struggling to not fall over.

“B-betrayed you?” Fluttershy fearfully questioned.

“Sweet Celestia, your innocent act is getting really annoying,” Sunset growled. “You believed that I was Anon-A-Miss!”
Fluttershy gasped.

"Sunset..."

"That hurts, you know. I thought you would be on my side at least, but I guess you never forgave me for bullying you. So, when you saw your chance to pay me back, you took it." Sunset grinned as she looked at Fluttershy maliciously. “You know, for someone who is supposed to represent the Element of Kindness, you can be really cruel, Fluttershy.”

“That’s not true!” Fluttershy denied the accusation. “I’m not cruel! I can never be cruel to anyone!”

“Funny you can say that,” Sunset said as a burning forest appeared around them, and animals were fleeing desperately from the blaze. “I believe this speaks for itself.”

Fluttershy brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she looked at the burning forest with wide, shock-filled eyes. She watched the poor animals flee for their lives as they dodged falling, burning branches. One little rabbit hurt his leg on a falling branch and couldn’t escape the oncoming blaze.

“Oh no!” Fluttershy said in horror as she quickly ran to the bunny. “Don’t worry little one, I’ll-” Fluttershy didn’t get to reach the bunny as an intense wall of fire blocked her path. “NO!”

Fluttershy desperately tried to find a way around the wall of fire, all the while the little bunny was frightened as the fire slowly approached him. Tears spilled from Fluttershy’s eyes as she couldn’t get to him. She looked around to see other animals that were trapped by the fire and she had no way of rescuing them.

“Why?” Fluttershy questioned as she looked at Sunset. “Why are you doing this, Sunset?”

“Me?” Sunset looked shocked. “Fluttershy, this is all your doing.”

“What?” Fluttershy blinked in confusion. How could she be responsible for this?

“You see, Fluttershy. This is all your innermost feelings on display and you are burning with hatred,” Sunset explained.

“All this…is my hatred?” Fluttershy couldn’t believe it. There was no way that she could be this angry.

“Don’t act so surprised,” Sunset said. “Like I said earlier, you never forgave me, Fluttershy. You secretly resented me and this is how you’ve always seen me!”

Sunset burst into flames and emerged from the fire in her demon form, glaring at Fluttershy maliciously.

"You want me to burn!"

“No! That’s not true! None of that is true!” Fluttershy cried, desperately trying to deny the accusations.

“Does this look like a lie, Fluttershy?!” Sunset bellowed as she spread her wings and the flames formed mirrors that displayed images of Fluttershy speaking to her animals.

“Oh Angel, Sunset was so mean to me today,” Fluttershy cried. Sunset had mocked her about her only friends being animals and how pathetic she was for being a doormat and letting people walk all over her.

“She makes me so mad, I just….” Fluttershy trailed off, clenching her fists in anger. “I wish something bad would happen to her!”
Angel and the rest of the animals in the room gasped at hearing Fluttershy wishing harm on another person.

“Sunset Shimmer is just the worst! She’s a monster!” Fluttershy cried bitter tears of anger, cursing herself for being so powerless in front of her.

Fluttershy looked at the image of herself in stunned silence. She really had said those things. Fluttershy cast a glance at Sunset but before she could speak, another fire mirror played back another memory.

“That Rainbow Dash is so full of herself!” Fluttershy complained as she entered her room and collapsed on her bed. “Can you believe she had the nerve to drag me into another one of her crazy stunts?!”

Fluttershy grabbed a pillow and covered her face as she groaned into it.

“I don’t know why we are even friends if all she does is use me to validate her ego.”

Fluttershy watched herself complain about Rainbow Dash, her eyes wide in shock as more fire mirrors displayed her complaining about her friends.

“I swear Rarity just sees us as her own personal models and labor.”

“Applejack is just so...pigheaded! Always thinking she’s right, not listening to anyone else’s ideas and being too stubborn to admit when she’s wrong!”

“I can’t believe Pinkie Pie ruined my silent auction! Who brings fireworks to a silent auction anyway?!”

As Fluttershy listened to herself bad mouth her friends, the more the fire around her intensified.

“Now do you see what a horrible person you really are, Fluttershy?” Demon Sunset said, showing off a satisfying grin at seeing the devastated look on Fluttershy’s face.

Fluttershy collapsed to her knees, her face buried against her palms as she sobbed uncontrollably. The demon was right, she was an awful and cruel person.

Demon Sunset sinisterly laughed at seeing Fluttershy finally broken as the flames crept closer and closer.

“Girls, where are you?!” Rarity called out as she desperately searched for her missing friends. She kept a sharp eye on her surroundings in case something happened. They had gotten separated and Rarity found her in this strange place. It looked like a clothing boutique but every item up for sale was strange, unfashionable, and completely alien to the fashionista.

She really needed to find her way out of this place. All of the hideous clothing was making her eyes hurt.

“You look lost, Rarity.”

Rarity was startled by the voice. She scanned her surroundings to look for the source and, to her surprise, she saw Sunset.

“Sunset!”

Rarity rushed towards her friend, relieved that she looked unharmed.

‘Wait a minute!’

Rarity came to stop a few feet from Sunset.

“What’s the matter, Rarity? You don’t look happy to see me,” Sunset asked as she innocently smiled at Rarity.

“I would be happy to see you, if you were actually here,” Rarity stated. “Your mother warned us about the nature of this chaotic place.”

“Did she also tell you about how you can also influence the chaos?” Sunset questioned as she walked closer to Rarity.

“I’m afraid not,” Rarity said as she backed away from Sunset.

“You really are a generous person, Rarity. To give up your own chance at happiness for your friends,” Sunset said, a wicked smile spread across her lips at seeing Rarity’s pale complexion become even paler.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Rarity stammered.

“You like me, Rarity,” Sunset said. “As more than just a friend.”

Rarity swallowed a lump in her throat before speaking.

“How did you figure it out?”

“Didn’t I already tell you? Your desires and feelings are influencing the chaos,” Sunset said as suddenly the surroundings changed into Rarity’s workspace. However, this workspace was different.

“This is…” Rarity trailed off as she recognized this as her dream workspace. There were fabrics and sketches of beautiful dresses just waiting to be made.

“What an amazing workspace,” Sunset complimented as she walked towards a nearby desk. “Truly a designer’s dream.” Sunset picked up a framed photo and looked at the picture. She then cast her gaze at Rarity who looked back at her nervously. “Catch.”

Sunset tossed the frame towards Rarity who managed to catch it. Rarity looked at the photo and saw an older version of herself with an older Sunset, both wearing wedding dresses.

“We sure look happy, don’t we?” Sunset asked. Rarity didn’t answer. “Why hide your feelings, Rarity? You were never one to give up on your ambition.”

“You already have your heart set on someone else,” Rarity answered sadly, remembering when Sunset confided in her about her crushes on Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

“That’s never stopped you from getting what you want,” Sunset stated. “Whatever happened to the Rarity that would stop at nothing to achieve her goal! The Rarity that would never give up!”

“The me that was so selfish. She only cares about her needs and not the needs of her friends,” Rarity said sadly, remembering how she forced her friends to help her finish her new line of clothes for a fashion show, all the while promising them that she’ll take them to New York with her, only for her to leave early the next morning on her own.

“That was pretty selfish of you, Rarity,” Sunset said. “But at least you won, right? That’s all that really matters.”

“You’re wrong. Victory means nothing if I lost my friends!” Rarity argued.

“That doesn’t change what you did,” Sunset said. “Just like how it doesn't change the fact that you thought I was Anon-A-Miss! Admit it, Rarity! You never forgave me for humiliating you before! When those pictures got online, you instantly thought it was me because of it!”

Rarity opened her mouth to argue, but the words were lost as Sunset’s words got to her. It was true. She was angry at Sunset for posting those photos and betraying their trust. She would be lying if she said that it didn’t reopen old wounds.

‘Have I really not let go of that?’ Rarity thought.

“Of course not. I am proof that you will never forgive Sunset for what she did to you at the Spring Fling.”

Black flames engulfed Sunset as she transformed into the ugly demon of the Fall Formal.

“I am all the hate and resentment you have for Sunset Shimmer, and not once has it ever diminished. In fact, I have only grown stronger!” Demon Sunset ( aka Sunset Satan) declared as she rose into the air, black flames spread around her and encircled Rarity.

Rarity stared in horror at the demon. She absolutely refused to believe her.

“It’s no use, Rarity,” Sunset Satan spoke as she looked at Rarity with a superior grin. “You use your makeup, beauty and fashion sense to hide that black heart of yours. But now it’s exposed for everyone to see!”

Laughter was suddenly heard as numerous students appeared behind the flames, pointing and laughing at Rarity.

“My god, she’s so ugly!”

“And she has the nerve to show her face in public like that!”

“She would have better luck winning a pig contest!”

The people around Rarity continued to laugh and hurl insults at her. Rarity covered her ears but she still heard them in her mind. Her mascara ran down the sides of her face as she fell to her knees and sobbed.

“You might be beautiful on the outside but you’re just an ugly bitch on the inside, Rarity.”

“Where the hay is everyone?” Applejack questioned aloud as she tried to see through the mist. One moment they were together and the next she found herself in this misty place. The mist was so thick that she could barely see in front of her so she needed to watch her step. A mist like this could hide a hole in the ground or the edge of a cliff.

"You made me believe I was accepted. You made me believe I was family. You made me believe I was loved. But it was all a lie!"

Applejack was startled by the voice as Sunset Shimmer materialized in front of her. She did not look very happy.

“Sunset?” Applejack questioned, not really sure if this was really Sunset. With how crazy this place was, this could be another illusion to throw her off.

“You so easily believed I was Anon-A-Miss, without even a second thought,” Sunset stated angrily.

“A-ah didn’t mean to. It’s because-”

“Because it was the obvious answer, right? A leopard never changes its spots, right? And if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, then it’s obviously Anon-A-Miss!” Sunset cut off Applejack, her voice laced with venom.

Applejack was at a loss. Sunset was obviously very upset with her and she had every right to be. She was a lousy friend.

“There’s no excuse for what ah did, ah was a complete fool,” Applejack admitted, her tone was filled with remorse.

“So you admit it then? You never cared about me at all!” Sunset raised her voice.

“No! Ah do care about yah Sunset!” Applejack shouted.

“Bullshit!” Sunset shouted back.

“It’s the honest truth! Ah...ah love yah, Sunset!” Applejack confessed.

“Honest, huh? Funny you mentioned that,” Sunset began to say before she transformed into a she-demon. “Because my existence begs to differ.”

“Sunset, why did yah turn into a demon?!” Applejack questioned, very alarmed at what Sunset had become.

“It’s because of you, Applejack” the demon said.

“Because of me?!” Applejack was aghast.

“It’s people who claim to be honest that lie to themselves the most,” Demon Sunset explained.

“Ah’m not lying!” Applejack argued.

“Must I repeat myself?” Demon Sunset rolled her eyes. “Here’s a refresher.”

Sunset Satan snapped her fingers and a fire mirror appeared in front of Applejack. The farm girl looked cautiously at her reflection before it changed to see her looking very upset.

“That no good snake! Who does Sunset think she is?” Applejack spoke with disdain as she swung her ax to split a log in half. “Ah can’t wait to see her put in her place.”

The display soon changed to Applejack’s room where she was with Rainbow Dash.

“I can’t believe we have to teach Sunset about friendship,” Rainbow Dash complained. She lay on top of Applejack’s bed, tossing a ball into the air before falling back down on to her hand.

“It’s what the princess asked us and we owe it to her,” Applejack replied. “Besides, ah kinda feel sorry for her.”

“You never wanted to help me, Applejack, but you did it because you owed Twilight Sparkle,” Demon Sunset said. “You did it because you pitied me.”

“Ah...ah.” Applejack was at a loss, her own words rendered her unable to argue back.

“For your love for me is no doubt pity as well,” Sunset Satan concluded. “For the so-called Element of Honesty, you’ve done nothing but lie. But it’s probably okay since ah’m a no good snake!” The last part came out sounding like Applejack.

“No, no, this is all a lie!” Applejack denied as she shook her head.

“You’re right, this is all a lie. It was always a lie!” Sunset Satan shouted.

Darkness started pooling underneath the demon as it rose up to form of a wave of darkness.

“What’s happening?!” Applejack demanded as she looked at the dark wave coming toward her.

“Drown in your lies,” Demons Sunset said as the dark wave started rising towards Applejack.

Applejack could do nothing but brace herself as the dark wave crashed into her, sweeping her off her feet as she was lost in a sea of darkness.

No, a sea of her own lies.

“This isn’t good,” Twilight mumbled nervously as she looked at her surroundings. It looked like a library but the titles on the spines of the books were all nonsensical. Books that did not make sense were like one of her greatest fears next to too-many-eyespots ladybugs and way-too-cheesy quesadillas. “I have to find everyone so we can save Sunset.”

“So now you want to save me.”

Twilight jumped at the voice and turned around to see an upset Sunset.

“Sunset! Thank Celestia you’re okay!” Twilight said in relief, happy to see her friend was safe.

“For the so-called ‘Princess of Friendship’, you’re not very good at being an actual friend,” Sunset said in an annoyed tone.

“Sunset?” Twilight looked to Sunset in confusion. “Are you alright?”

“Why didn’t you come to help me sooner?” Sunset asked, narrowing her eyes at Twilight.

“I-I’m sorry, Sunset. I didn’t get your messages until recently,” Twilight tried to explain.

“I needed you, Twilight. I was feeling terrible and I needed you but couldn’t even be bothered to show up!” Sunset spat.

“Sunset, I’m sorry,” Twilight apologized, tears beginning to sting at her eyes. “If I’d known sooner, I would have come running! I swear!”

“Empty words, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight’s eyes widened upon hearing a familiar voice. She slowly turned around to see Princess Celestia as a human glaring dagger at her.

“Princess Celestia?”

“I trusted you, Twilight. I trusted you to look after my daughter,” Princess Celestia said in a tone filled with disappointment.

“What did you expect?” A voice said from behind Celestia before walking around her to reveal dragon Spike. “She did a horrible job at raising me.”

“Spike?” Twilight is confused. What was Spike doing here?

“I mean, what kind of parent doesn’t let their kid make any friends?” Spike questioned as he glared at Twilight. “It’s always study, study, study with you.”

“Spike, don’t talk to me that way!” Twilight chastised. “I taught you better.”

“Yeah, taught me to fear you!” Spike fired back.

Twilight gasped.

“That’s nonsense, Spike!”

“Oh yeah? All my life, I have only ever known was your approval,” Spike stated. “I was so afraid to disappoint you that I did everything I could to make you happy. I was so afraid that if I messed up even once you’ll send me away.” Tears welled up in Spike’s eyes as he glared at Twilight. “And the worst part is that I would never know if you cared about me at all!”

“Of course I care! Spike, you are my whole world! I love you with all my heart!” Twilight said with complete honesty.

“You sure have a funny way of showing it,” Spike said as he looked at Twilight with disappointment.

“Face it, Twilight!” Sunset shouted as red veins spread throughout her body, steam started rising from her exposed skin. “You’re a failure as a friend!”

“You’re a failure of a princess,” Princess Celestia said.

“You’re a failure as a mom,” Spike said next.

Twilight started hyperventilating, tears cascaded down her cheeks as this was all too much for her to take.

“AHHHHHHH!” Twilight screamed in agony as she collapsed to her knees, sobbing as Celestia, Spike and Sunset looked on in disapproval.

She was a failure.

“Sunset! Sunset where are you!” Princess Luna shouted at the white void. “Please sweetie, I want to help you!”

“Help me?”

Sunset materialized in front of Luna. The Night Princess gasped as she saw the state her niece was in. Sunset looked very pale and there was a dark aura surrounding her.

“Sunset!”

Luna rushed to her niece but then she started screaming in pain.

“Stay away!” Sunset yelled as she held onto her stomach, her face twisted in pain.

“Dear niece, you are unwell,” Luna pointed out as she tried to approach Sunset. “Let us-”

“I said stay back!” Sunset shouted, causing the dark aura to flare. “You’re the one who did this to me in the first place.”

“W-what?” Luna stammered, suddenly getting a sinking feeling.

“When you attacked mom as Nightmare Moon, your magic did something to me,” Sunset explained before she started coughing.

“No,” Luna whispered as her worst fears appeared to be coming true.

Sunset looked to her aunt, dark heavy bags under her eyes.

“Aunt Luna.”

Sunset’s eyes rolled to the back of her head before she passed out.

“Sunset!” Luna quickly closed the distance. She held her niece’s unconscious body in her hands as she checked her pulse. She felt Sunset’s weak pulse before it stopped. “No.”

Luna looked to her niece’s calm face, her life having left her body. Luna held on to her niece’s lifeless body as she started crying.

“Sunset...my poor Sunset. What have I done?”

‘We can still save her.’

Luna was startled as she heard a hauntingly familiar voice in her head.

“You.”

‘That’s right, Luna. But there isn’t time for that now. Our niece needs us.’

“She’s gone and it’s all your fault!” Luna growled.

‘There’s still a chance to save her!’ Nightmare Moon argued.

“How can we possibly save her?” Luna questioned as she ran the back of her right hand against the side of Sunset’s face.

‘By giving her some of our power,’ Nightmare Moon said.

Luna’s eyes widened at the suggestion before they narrowed in anger.

“Are you suggesting to infect her with our corruption?!”

‘Corruption? This is our power we are giving her, a part of ourselves,’ Nightmare Moon stated. ‘Are you willing to let our flesh and blood die?!’

“It’s already too late. She’s gone and it’s all my fault,” Luna said with great remorse.

‘Don’t throw this chance away, Luna,’ Nightmare Moon pleaded. ‘Don’t let our niece die!’

“Death is a much kinder fate than what our corruption will do,” Luna said as a stray tear fell on Sunset’s face.

‘What will our sister do to you once she finds out what you did?’ Nightmare Moon questioned.

“Whatever punishment our sister deems fit, we will accept without question,” Luna stated sadly. For the crime of killing her own niece, she deserved a fate worse than death.

“I’m glad you think so, Luna.”

Princess Luna raised her head to see her sister glaring at her with a look of intense hate.

“Sister.”

“DON’T YOU ‘SISTER’ ME!” Celestia shouted using her Royal Canterlot Voice. “You have done the most despicable, horrendous, monstrous, unforgivable crime in Equestria. The murder of our daughter and heir to the throne!”
Celestia raised her hand as a golden aura surrounded it. Luna reached for her throat as the same golden aura surrounded her neck, squeezing it tight.

“Your punishment will be eternal suffering!” Celestia declared as she raised her sister into the air and created a portal underneath her. “Goodbye, Luna.”

Celestia released her hold on Luna and she fell in the portal before it closed.

Princess Luna found herself floating in a dark space.

“An eternity in darkness,” Luna murmured sadly. However, it was not meant to be as the darkness gave way to a very familiar place. “This is our old castle.”

An explosion brought Luna’s attention to the roof of the castle where, to her surprise, she saw her sister flying away as Nightmare Moon gave chase.

She remembered this.

“No, no it can’t be!” Luna took to the air, not even realizing that she was a pony again.

She chased after her Nightmare self as she attempted to strike Celestia with a blast of dark magic. Luna waited for the right moment before she fired a blast of magic just as her Nightmare self did the same. But her magic went right through her Nightmare self and instead hit her sister who let out a scream of pain.

“NO!!” Luna screamed in horror as she watched her sister fall. Her Nightmare self only laughed at her sister’s fall.
Luna dived down to where her sister landed and touched down in front of her. Her eyes shrunk to the size of pinpricks as she saw black veins spreading from where Celestia was hit on her stomach. Just then, the scene changed to Celestia lying on her bed with several doctors surrounding her.

“You’re doing great, Princess!” a female unicorn doctor said.

Celestia was breathing heavily, her face covered in sweat as she struggled with her labor.

“I can see the head!” a pegasus doctor said with excitement.

“Just a little more, Princess!” A male earth pony doctor beside Celestia encouraged.

Celestia let out a yell as she gave one final push.

“It’s a filly!” the earth pony doctor yelled excitedly but then his excitement died when he took a good look at the newborn foal.

Luna calmly walked beside the female unicorn doctor and saw for herself the damage she had done. Sunset looked very frail. She had dark purple veins spread across her body as they glowed like a pulse. Her coat and mane colors looked faded.

“Is she alright?” Celestia asked with great concern despite feeling exhausted.

“She doesn’t look so good, Princess,” the unicorn doctor said as she examined Sunset. “This is dark magic and it has hampered your foal’s development.”

“We’ll do what we can to stabilize her!” the pegasus doctor said as he and the other doctors in the room gathered around Sunset.

Luna simply watched as the doctors work to save her niece’s life. She cast a glance to her sister to see her crying. The scene changed again to Celestia encouraging a very frail looking Sunset as she attempted to walk.

“That’s it, my little sunshine,” Celestia said with a smile as she watched her foal take shaky steps.

Sunset was struggling to move her legs, each step requiring greater effort than the last. She still had the purple veins and when they pulsed, Sunset fell to the ground in pain.

“Sunset!” Celestia rushed to her daughter. She lay beside her as Sunset snuggled up to her. “It’s okay. My little sunshine.”

Luna’s heart was breaking as she watched her niece struggle to survive after her birth.

She had done this.

She had robbed her niece of everything.

The scene continued to change, displaying Sunset’s life as she continued to struggle. She could barely do the simplest spells and even that took a heavy toll on her body. She was ostracized by the other ponies as they feared catching ‘The curse of Nightmare Moon’.

It just wasn’t fair. It was not Sunset Shimmer’s fault she was like that. It was hers.
Luna collapsed as tears cascaded down the sides of her face. She had made her niece’s life not just painful but miserable as well.

“How could I have been so careless?” Princess Celestia said to herself as she looked around the empty void carefully. She needed to find the others, regroup, and figure out a plan to save Sunset Shimmer.

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

Celestia turned to her left to see her daughter, smiling smugly at her.

“Another trick of this place?” Celestia questioned. She knew this could not be her daughter. The last time she had seen her, her little sunshine had been suffering from her illness and the toll her chaos magic was doing to her body. This was merely a magical projection.

But that did not make her any less real. It was currently Celestia’s only way of speaking with her estranged daughter.

“Call it what you want but it doesn’t change the fact that you were a terrible mother,” Sunset stated as she frowned at her mother.

“I know that isn’t really you, Sunset,” Celestia said, but it didn’t stop the words from hurting her.

“So you deny your own flesh and blood, sister?”

Luna appeared beside Sunset, giving her older sister a disapproving look.

“Is it because she reminds you of me?” Luna questioned as she was engulfed in darkness and transformed into Nightmare Moon. "Sunset has inherited our best qualities.”

Sunset Shimmer changed into her she-demon form, Sunset Satan.

“The best quality Sunset inherited from you was your eyes and kind, gentle heart,” Celestia corrected.

“Not to mention my delightful sense of humor and fun!” Discord appeared behind Nightmare Moon and Sunset Satan. He wrapped an arm around them as he pulled them closer. “Come on now, Celestia. Isn’t it about time we bury the hatchet and live together as a family?”

“I would love nothing more than to live happily with my family, but right now Sunset is in need of my help,” Celestia said firmly as she turned away from the trio and started walking away.

“You’re abandoning us again,” Sunset Satan said.

Celestia’s eyes widened before she quickly turned around to see the moon shining behind Nightmare Moon before she disappeared. The moon now had the shadowy image of Nightmare Moon’s visage.

A portal appeared behind Sunset Satan as she turned back to normal, only for red veins to spread throughout her body, and steam started rising from her exposed skin. She had a look of pain as she was sucked into the portal.

Discord gave her a gentle smile as he turned to stone, before shattering into a million pieces and fading away.

Celestia was shaken to her core at seeing her family suffer the fates she had placed upon them. She took several deep breaths as she attempted to calm herself down.

“This isn’t real, none of this is real.”

“Do you honestly believe that?”

A column of flame erupted from the ground. The flames dispersed revealing a woman as tall as Celestia with flaming red hair, golden armor covering her chest, wings, shoulders, and forearms. She had golden high heeled armored boots as well as a golden skirt armor. Her midriff was bare and showed off her six-pack abs.

“Who are you?” Celestia asked with wide, shock-filled eyes.

“I am Daybreaker,” the flaming woman identified herself as she looked at Celestia with her cold amber eyes. “The smarter, prettier, more powerful version of you.”

“You’re wrong, you are nothing like me,” Celestia argued as she glared at this corrupted version of herself.

“Don’t deny it, Celestia. Deep down you know this is who you really are,” Daybreaker said, smiling deviously. “Where do you think Sunset gets her power, intelligence, beauty, ambition, cunning, and cruelty from?”

“No, Sunset isn’t like that!” Celestia denied.

“Quit denying the truth that you already know,” Daybreaker said as she flared her wings. “We were just as arrogant when we were Sunset’s age, and rightfully so! Sunset was better than anypony else, truly our daughter in every sense of the word. But then she turned against us!” Fire erupted from the ground around them, encircling around them to make a ring a fire as Daybreak raged. “You failed to remind Sunset who is in charge. You failed to teach her respect!”

“You did say she takes after us. We were rather rebellious towards Starswirl after all,” Celestia reminded her corrupted self, a sly smirk on her lips.

“Don’t look so smug; it is because of your failure that our daughter is going to die,” Daybreaker reminded Celestia, smiling in satisfaction at seeing the painful look on her counterpart’s face. “Your failure lead to us imprisoning our love in stone, your failure at reigning in our sister forced us to imprison her in the moon; and not only did you fail to reign in our daughter which caused her to run away to another world, but because you failed to properly diagnose the problem, you made her condition worse and now she’s dying!”

Hearing her corrupt self list off her failures deeply hurt Celestia. Everything she had said was true.

“And now it’s too late to save our dear little sunshine,” Daybreaker approached Celestia. “You’ll have to live with the horrible truth that because of you, our daughter, the very embodiment of our and Discord’s love, will die!”

Celestia glared at her corrupted self, tears stinging her eyes before they spilled down the sides of her face. She was right. She was to blame for everything. She was to blame for destroying her family.

The Princess of the Sun, a mare who shone as a beacon of hope, strength, beauty, knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration, finally gave into despair as she fell to her hands and knees before she wept.

Pinkie Pie ended up in a closed down and scary-looking pizzeria. She recognized it from a game Sunset Shimmer had played on her online gaming channel. Upon the stage were broken down animatronics and there were cold pizzas on the tables. Nobody was in attendance and the arcade machines were all broken. Cobwebs also covered every corner of this creepy place.

Pinkie Pie looked at her memories floating around her. They were all good memories of her having fun with her friends, especially Sunset.

Sunset was laughing in all her memories. She had a bright and beautiful smile. Pinkie Pie was super happy that Sunset was smiling. Sunset had a very rough time after the Fall Formal, but Pinkie tried her very best to lessen that by making Sunset feel appreciated and loved.

But then Anon-A-Miss happened and Sunset’s smile went away.

“Sunset,” Pinkie Pie whispered her friend’s name sadly. “I’m so sorry.”

Pinkie then spotted something in the distance. She squinted her eyes and could barely make out red and yellow colored hair.

“Sunset!” Pinkie cheered as she made a mad dash towards her friend.

When she reached Sunset, she found her sitting on a chair, staring at nothing with a blank expression.

“I’m happy I found you!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly. “C’mon, let’s go find the others, I’m sure they will be happy to see you!”

Sunset didn’t respond.

“What’s the matter, Sunny? Don’t you wanna go back to our friends?” Pinkie Pie asked.

Again there was no response.

“C’mon Sunny, everyone is waiting for us,” Pinkie Pie said gently, but Sunset remained unresponsive. “Are...are you mad at us?”

No response.

“I’m really sorry, Sunset. I was a big idiot and I’ll do anything I can to make it up to you!” Pinkie pleaded. “Let’s see that beautiful smile of yours!”

Still no response.

“H-how about I do a trick?” Pinkie said nervously a she stood back. “Nothing up my sleeve.”

Pinkie Pie reached behind Sunset’s ear and pulled out a pie.

“Tada!”

No response.

“H-how about this!”

Pinkie pulled out a stage that looked like a street corner from her skirt pocket. She then leaned against a light post as she ate a banana. Once she was done, she threw the peel in the garbage but missed it and that same peel landed on the sidewalk. She then walked towards the peel while holding a stack of pies, stepping on it which caused her to slip and the pies to land on top of her. She ended up covered in pies and looked ridiculous.

“Wasn’t that funny?!”

Sunset remained unresponsive.

“C’mon Sunset, why won’t you smile?” Pinkie Pie asked as she knelt down next to Sunset. “Please smile, Sunset.”

Sunset did not respond.

“I’m really sorry,” Pinkie apologized again, tears welling up in her eyes as her hair deflated. “I didn’t mean to take your smile away.”

Pinkie Pie rested her head on Sunset’s forearm as she started crying.

“Sunset, I’m so sorry.”

Sunset was still unmoved, even as Pinkie continued to cry.

Discord looked at the ducks that were feeding on the bread. He didn’t feel like returning back to his realm so he decided to just stay in the park. He could still hear his daughter’s scream of pain.

“C’mon, dad!”

Discord looked to see a young woman about Sunset’s age motioned her father to follow her.

“I’m coming.” the girl’s father caught up to his daughter. He was holding two pairs of ice skates.

“We better hurry or the line at the ice rink will get even longer!” the girl reminded him.

“I don’t mind the wait since I have my special little snowflake by my side,” the father teased.

“Daddy!” the daughter lightly punched his arm as they resumed their way towards the ice rink.

“Too bad we can never have that,” Discord muttered sadly as a stray tear slid down the side of his face.

“Looks like someone needs some cheering up!” Discord turned to his left to see a young woman carrying a table. “Do not worry, for the great and powerful Trixie shall amaze you with her feats of magic!”

Author's Note

Despair has fallen upon everyone, but hope has arrived. Just two more chapters left to go, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I look forward to your comments. Thank you KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for your help.

Magic of Friendship part 1

Discord eyed Trixie curiously as she set up her table in front of him. She made sure it was placed well in the snow-covered ground so it would not wobble. Of course, with how much chaos magic was permeating the air, the environment was very unpredictable. Discord knew his daughter’s chaos magic was powerful, but he didn't know how powerful and that worried him.

She could potentially be more powerful than he was and it frightened him. It was not because he felt threatened, it was because he knew that uncontrollable chaos magic was dangerous and lethal to the user.

“Behold as the Great and Powerful Trrrrixie turns that frown upside down with her jaw-dropping display of magic!” Trixie boasted as she pulled a wand out of her sleeve. “Behold!”

Trixie waved her wand before tapping the table with it. It started to shake a little before the table started rising into the air.

“See how amazing the Great and-” Trixie didn’t get to finish as her table suddenly shot up high into the sky. “Powerful.”

Trixie sighed before she muttered, “Not again”.

Trixie recomposed herself. It was not like setbacks were foreign to her. It was all part of being an aspiring magician.

“Fear not! For the Great and Powerful Trixie still has more amazing feats of magic to amaze you!” Trixie assured Discord as she pulled back her sleeves. “Nothing up my sleeves!”

Trixie spreads her arms apart and prepared to clap her hands together but was stopped by Discord. “Hey! What’s the big idea interfering?!” Trixie glared at Discord. The nerve of him! Here she was trying to cheer him up and he was ruining it.

“If you went through with what you were doing, you’ll blow yourself up,” Discord said, his voice filled with sadness. “I’d rather not see that happen.”

Discord released his hold on Trixie as he went back to sit on a park bench.

Trixie raised an eyebrow at Discord’s behavior before walking towards him and taking a seat next to him.

“It appears that The Great and Powerful Trixie is feeling off today. So Trixie shall instead use her great wisdom to help you!”

“Listen, kid, you obviously have good intentions but I’d rather be alone,” Discord said as he turned away from Trixie.

“Being alone might not be what you need,” Trixie said. “Care to share? Maybe it can help if you talk about it.”

“Like talking about things ever helps.”

“Well, you don’t seem to be doing anything else so it wouldn’t hurt, would it?”

Discord sighed. Well, it really couldn’t hurt, could it? It was not like he could make things worse by talking about it, could he?

“Have you ever messed up so badly that you can’t even imagine how to fix things?” Discord asked her.

“Trixie can’t say she has,” Trixie answered.

“I wasn’t there for my daughter.”

“What do you mean?” Trixie asked, wondering what it was that he meant.

“You see, I very recently found out that I had a daughter and I fell to pieces when her mother told me,” Discord chuckled. “I was lost. For the longest time, I was the only member of my family and now I’m suddenly a father.”

“Trixie would guess that being a parent all of a sudden would greatly impact a person,” Trixie said as she thought about her own father and what he told her about how terrified he was after Trixie’s mother told him that she was pregnant.

“Like you wouldn’t believe. My daughter’s mother, who I haven’t seen in years, helped me cope. But then she told me that our daughter is seriously ill and needed my help.” Discord closed his eyes and hung his head in shame. “But I screwed up.”

“W-what happened?” Trixie asked nervously, afraid to find out what had happened to his daughter.

“Her scream, her horrible screams of pain when I tried to help her. I had never heard anything so horrible and painful in my life,” Discord said sadly. He recalled Sunset’s confused look when he told her that he was her father before it quickly turned to a look of pain. “I’m a complete failure as a father.”

Trixie heard soft sobs coming from Discord. She rubbed her neck as she tried to find the right words to help the distraught father. She then thought of Sunset Shimmer. Despite how badly she had screwed up, she didn’t wallow in despair and instead worked hard to make up for her mistake.

“How are you going to make it up to her?”

“Huh?” Discord looked up at Trixie, a literal waterfall of tears was cascading down the sides of his face.

“What are you going to do to make things right with your daughter?” Trixie asked.

“Why bother? I’ll just make it worse,” Discord said in defeat.

“Are you serious?!” Trixie was aghast. “Don’t you care about her?!”

“Of course I do!” Discord raised his voice.

“Then why aren’t you trying to make up for what you did?!” Trixie argued, her face flushed with anger.

“I already told you why,” Discord reminded her. “I don’t want to risk hurting her again.”

“You’ll hurt her more if you don’t try!” Trixie stated, taking Discord aback. “You’re her father! Think about how she must feel if her own father that she probably didn’t know she had doesn’t care enough about her to even try to prove how sorry he is!”

Trixie was really getting worked up, for she had never felt this annoyed at someone before. Maybe it had something to do with how wonderful her own father was to her that she held other fathers to a high standard.

“There’s this girl at my school who messed up really bad and was hated by everyone,” Trixie began as she looked away from Discord. “Everyone let her know how much they despised her. No matter how hard she tried to make up for her mistakes and prove that she had changed, no one would acknowledge it.”

Trixie’s expression saddened when she recalled how she stumbled upon Sunset crying in an isolated part of the library.

“It was really hard on her, but she had five friends who were there to support her. She kept at it, never giving up and eventually she got through to everyone and is no longer hated,” Trixie finished, a bright smile on her lips as she thought of Sunset’s happy expression. “Trixie has grown to admire her and she inspires Trixie to do her best and not give up!”

“She sounds like a remarkable person,” Discord remarked.

“She is but right now she’s in trouble. She’s suffering and everyone is trying to save her but she won’t let them,” Trixie said. “It’s like all her pain has built a shield around her heart, keeping others out.”

“That sounds terrible.”

“Yes, indeed it is, but I doubt her friends will give up on her. She just needs to let someone in, but the right person needs to try to get in so she can get the help she needs.”

“Are you implying that that person is you?” Discord asked while raising an eyebrow.

“Trixie hopes, but Trixie hasn’t been the nicest person to her,” Trixie admitted sadly. “But Trixie is not deterred, Trixie will prove herself to Sunset Shimmer that Trixie is sorry!”

Discord’s eyes widened upon hearing his daughter’s name. He couldn’t believe that she was the girl Trixie was talking about.

‘No,’ He thought. ‘If Sunset is anything like her mother, then she inspires greatness in others.’

Discord then thought about what Trixie had said about Sunset’s struggles and how she never gave up.

‘She’s stubborn like Celestia.’

An image of a smiling Celestia appeared in his mind.

‘Celestia, even after all these centuries, you never gave up on me.’

An image of Sunset Shimmer appeared beside Celestia.

‘Oh Sunset, how can I call myself a father after I hurt you the way I did? More importantly, how can I call myself your father if I just sit here and do nothing while you suffer?’

A smirking Luna appeared next to her sister, and Discord smiled at the vision of his family.

“My family,” Discord whispered as he stood up from his seat.

Trixie looked at him curiously.

“Have you made up your mind?”

Discord wiped away his tears.

“Yes, and you’re right. I’ll end up hurting my daughter more if I don’t do anything. It’s time I show her how amazing her daddy is and how much he loves her!” Discord declared, smiling brightly as his confidence had returned.

“Then what are you waiting for? Go to her,” Trixie urged, smiling kindly at seeing Discord finally start talking like a real father.

“Thanks for the help, kid, I owe you one,” Discord thanked Trixie before his entire body shivered as he detected a magical disturbance. “And not a moment too soon.” Discord began to concentrate and located the source of the magical disturbance. “See ya.” He waved goodbye before disappearing.

Trixie blinked as she stared at the spot Discord was.

“D..did he just disappear?”

Discord appeared in the location of the disturbance and what he saw surprised him. It was utter chaos. Ordinarily, he would smile and revel in the chaos, but something was off about this chaos.

It felt wild as if it was lashing out.

“So you finally show up.”

Discord turned around to see a very pissed off Sunset Shimmer.

“Sunset.”

“You were never there for me,” Sunset began to say as she shook in anger. “I watched as other fillies were picked up from school by their dads, while I was picked up by a royal guard. I watched as they bragged about how cool their daddies were I watched as they told stories about what they did with their daddies.”

Tears of anger and bitterness welled up in Sunset’s eyes.

“I watched as their daddies told them how proud they were of them and how much they love them!”

The tears finally fell as Sunset told Discord about her pain.

“Why weren’t you there?!”

Discord quickly closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Sunset who was caught off guard.

“What do you think you’re doing!?” Sunset demanded.

“I’m so sorry,” Discord apologized as he held onto Sunset. “I’m so sorry that I wasn’t there for you, but that ends now.”

“W-what are you saying?” Sunset asked.

Discord pulled back and gave Sunset a reassuring smile.

“I’m here for you, Sunset, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Sunset’s eyes widened at Discord’s declaration. She lowered her head and her hair covered her eyes. She was reluctant to trust anything he said.

“You hurt me.”

“I know, and I promise to make it up to you,” Discord says with a smile. “So what do you say? Will you give your old man a chance?”

Sunset didn’t say anything as she tackled her father and wrapped her arms tight around him. Discord was surprised at first before he returned the hug.

“I see you finally got rid of your doubts.”

Discord looked straight to see a smiling Princess Celestia.

“I had a little help.”

Sunset broke the hug as she stepped away from Discord.

“You were a little hesitant, but I felt your determination,” Sunset said while grinning.

“As you should, you are the manifestation of my doubt,” Discord said.

“Was the manifestation of your doubt.”

Luna appeared beside her older sister and smiled knowingly at Discord.

“It’s about time you ponied up and started being responsible,” Luna nodded.

“Fatherhood does that to you,” Discord said with a shrug.

“Hmph, you never change,” Luna said with a smirk as she disappeared.

“See you soon, handsome,” Celestia winked at Discord before she too disappeared.

“Good luck...Daddy,” Sunset said, smiling the brightest smile Discord had ever seen before she turned into a ball of light and floated towards Discord.

Discord closed his eyes as the ball entered his heart. His eyes snapped open and hardened with determination.

“Now, let’s see what everyone else is up to?”

Discord was suddenly dressed as a security officer as he stared at eight monitors that suddenly appeared in front of him.

“This doesn’t look good,” Discord said to himself as he watched the human girls and the princesses give in to despair. Sunset Shimmer was using a divide and conquer strategy on them all, forcing them to face their demons. Well, two could play at that game. “Looks like they’re going to need Daddy Discord’s help.”

Discord snapped his fingers, creating duplicates of himself that were dressed as soldiers.

“Listen up!” Discord raised his voice, as he was dressed as a military general. “Our little girl’s magic running wild and causing some big trouble.”

“You want us to put a stop to it, sir?” One of Discord's duplicates dressed as a soldier asked.

“If it was that easy, son, I would have done it myself. Truth is, it’ll be like adding fuel to the fire,” General Discord explained, “Which I am sad to say that you all may not survive this mission, so if any of you want to back out, do so now.”

Everyone remained silent until one of the Discord soldiers stepped forward.

“Sorry sir, but I believe I speak for all my comrades when I say that it’s worth the risk.”

All the Discord’s nodded in agreement.

“Very well then, your mission is to infiltrate these chaos spaces the girls are in and deliver a message,” General Discord said.

“What kind of message, sir?” another Discord soldier asked.

“Tell them to remember the real Sunset,” General Discord said. “Good luck, gentlemen. It’s been an honor to serve with you all.”

All the clone Discords saluted before they disappeared, leaving the main Discord alone.

“Now...” Discord was now wearing a temple monk attire as he found himself in a zen garden. He took up a meditation stance in midair and closed his eyes. “Time to find Sunset.”

One of the Discord soldiers appeared above a blazing forest fire, and as soon as he did, he felt his entire body being torn apart. It was like this place was rejecting him like he was some kind of invading organism.

“Ugh! I guess this is what the general meant. Being made of chaos magic in an unstable chaotic world isn’t good for your health,” the Discord soldier said through gritted teeth, as his body was racked with pain. He tried to turn into a firefighter and conjure a giant fire extinguisher, but that seemed to hurt him so he stopped. If he got taken out too soon, he would not be able to help anyone.

The Discord soldier fought through the pain as he searched for his target. He spotted Fluttershy on her knees, sobbing as the blazing fire inched ever closer.

“Fluttershy!” Discord yelled. Though this may not be the same Fluttershy he had befriended in Equestria, the girl still needed his help. After all, Fluttershy was still Fluttershy and Discord would always help his dearest friend.

Fluttershy didn’t hear Discord as she continued to cry, but Sunset Satan did.

“Well, well, if it isn’t dear old daddy,” Sunset Satan smirked as she watched the Discord soldier’s body start to glitch. “You don’t look so good.”

“Fluttershy, listen to me! You have to remember who the real Sunset is, the Sunset Shimmer that you know!” Discord shouted with all his strength before his left foot exploded in a shower of confetti. “Ah!”

“Sorry, Dad. But this bitch is done, and so are you,” Sunset Satan smirked as she saw Discord’s lower half explode in sparks.

“Search deep down, Fluttershy! Your heart knows the truth!” Discord shouted just as he exploded into water droplets.

The droplets rained downed on Fluttershy. Some were evaporated by the fire but one managed to land on top of Fluttershy’s head. The droplet began to shine as Fluttershy muttered to herself.

“It’s no use, I’m a terrible friend. Sunset deserves better than me!”

‘Fluttershy!’

Upon hearing Sunset’s voice in her mind, Fluttershy stopped crying as her eyes widened in shock.

“S-Sunset?”

The water droplet slid down Fluttershy’s head and split in two as it neared her eyes. When the droplets touched the edge of her eyes, Fluttershy’s eyes started glowing. She saw Sunset walking beside her and looking excited.

‘Today we get to take care of those adorable hamsters again!’ Sunset squealed.

‘Thank you very much for helping me clean the hamster habitat, Sunset,’ Fluttershy’s voice could be heard saying.

The present Fluttershy realized that she must be seeing through her past self’s point of view.

‘It’s no problem, Fluttershy. I should be thanking you for allowing me to help,’ Past Sunset said.

‘Think nothing of it. You are gentle and kind to the animals. They love it when I bring you,’ Past Fluttershy said.

“I remember this,” Fluttershy whispered as she recalled how much fun they had taking care of the animals at the shelter. That was also the first time she saw for herself how kind Sunset was. She would be patient with an animal and provide them with the love and attention they deserve. She was a little hesitant to deal with furry animals but she quickly adapted, which was why she loved to handle the hamsters.

“Sunset was so happy,” Fluttershy whispered, several more scenes flashed through as she witnessed more of Sunset’s kind actions, from helping her pass out flyers for an event at the animal shelter (despite the students glaring at her), keeping her company at the animal shelter when she had to spend all night taking care of some sick animals, and even helping her take care of her sick brother when her parents were out on a date.

“Sunset has been very kind to me and has shown me nothing but kindness after the Fall Formal,” Fluttershy said as she saw Sunset’s smiling face before it twisted in pain as red veins spread throughout her body. “But now she’s suffering so much.”

Fluttershy’s eyes stopped glowing. She raised her head to look straight at Sunset Satan.

“Has the little crybaby run out of tears?” Sunset Satan mocked.

Fluttershy stood up, closed her eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling. When she opened her eyes, she gave the demon a hard glare.

“I’m done.”

“Done?” The demon raised an eyebrow at this.

“I’m done being angry and I’m done with you!” Fluttershy raised her voice.

“A little late to develop a backbone, don’t you think?” Sunset Satan questioned mockingly.

“Says the one hiding behind a disguise,” Fluttershy countered.

“Disguise?” Sunset Satan was surprised. “Why would I need a ‘disguise’? To hide from you?” Sunset Satan rose into the air, each flap of her wings caused the fire to intensify. “I am a monster, Fluttershy. You are terrified of monsters!”

“You’re wrong, I’m not terrified of all monsters,” Fluttershy said.

Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew and put out the flames of hatred.

“What the-?!” Sunset Satan struggled against the wind as she saw a giant moth descend from the sky. "THE HELL IS THAT!?"

“MOTHRA!” Fluttershy was never a fan of monster movies, but Rainbow Dash kept insisting she watched them with her. She disliked the fights between the giant monsters, but then one day she watched Mothra onscreen for the first time and Fluttershy actually found a monster that she liked.

Mothra was not an agent of destruction. Instead, she was a protector, and the gigantic moth was here to protect Fluttershy.

“Do you honestly believe this overgrown moth can stop me?!” Sunset Satan challenged.

“Without a doubt,” Fluttershy said as all the animals gathered around her and glared at the demon.

Mothra let out a roar as she flapped her wings, releasing sparks of light that rained down on Sunset Satan.
Sunset Satan glared angrily at the sparks of light as they quickly surrounded her. The sparks quickly engulfed her in a bright light which caused her to shriek. When the light faded, instead of a normal-looking Sunset Shimmer, it was Fluttershy. But she looked different. She had bat wings, bat-like ears, messy hair, paler skin and blood-red eyes that glared at Fluttershy.

“You!” Flutterbat shouted at Fluttershy as she pointed an accusing finger at her. “You are weak, pathetic, a doormat!” Flutterbat flapped her wings and took to the air. “I will never lose to you!”

Flutterbat dove at Fluttershy and tackled her to the ground. The two struggled as they tried to pin the other down. But using the self-defense trick she learned from Rarity, Fluttershy was able to gain the upper hand and pin Flutterbat.

Flutterbat glared at Fluttershy before looking behind her to see Mothra beginning to glow. She started to panic and struggling against Fluttershy’s hold but the animal lover wouldn’t let her go.

“Do you really think you can survive without me?!” Flutterbat shouted, attempting to plead with Fluttershy. “You need me to be strong, to be confident, to stand up for yourself!”

“Like hell I do!” Fluttershy shouted, surprising Flutterbat. Fluttershy had never cursed in her life. “You are poison, you corrupt everything you touch! Just like how you corrupted my memory of Sunset! But no more! I may feel frustrated with my friends, even annoyed at them. But I will find another way to deal with it that doesn’t involve you!” A yellow outline begins to surround Fluttershy. “I will save Sunset! I will beg for her forgiveness and do everything I can possibly do to make up for my mistake!”

“Why would you do so much for her?!” Flutterbat demanded. “Because she’s your friend?!”

“She’s more than a friend, she’s my family!” Fluttershy answered as her hair extended into a ponytail, pony ears emerged from on top of her head and wings appeared on her back.

Mothra let out a mighty roar as she unleashed a wave of light towards Fluttershy and Flutterbat. Flutterbat screamed in pain as the light wave completely destroyed her and revealed Sunset Shimmer lying down at a distance away from her. Fluttershy stood up and ran towards Sunset until she reached her.

“Sunset!” Fluttershy knelt down and gently held Sunset in her arms. She watched the former unicorn’s eyes flutter open before looking at her direction.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” Sunset said weakly as she gave her shy friend a smile.

“Oh Sunset, I’m so sorry,” Fluttershy apologized as tears spilled from her eyes.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to apologize,” Sunset assured her friend as she lifted her right hand to rest against Fluttershy’s left cheek.

“But I do!” Fluttershy raised her voice as she placed her hand over Sunset’s. “I was so angry that my anger consumed the kind person that I know you are. I can never forgive myself for what I did to your kindness.”

“But you saved me.” Sunset looked at Fluttershy with kind and understanding eyes. “You saved the kind Sunset Shimmer that dwells in your heart.” Sunset pulled Fluttershy into a hug which the animal lover was more than happy to return. “Thank you for saving me Fluttershy, but now you have to save your Sunset.”

Sunset pulled back from the hug and looked at Fluttershy.

“I won’t let you down,” Fluttershy vowed.

“I know you won’t,” Sunset smiled as she turned into a ball of light before entering Fluttershy’s heart.

Fluttershy stood and wiped her tears away before looking at Mothra.

“Thank you, Mothra.”

Mothra roared as her antennae glowed. Fluttershy was enveloped in a similar aura and a beam of light shot from her heart and into the sky, creating a portal.

Fluttershy smiled at Mothra before she flapped her wings and flew into the portal.

“My aching stomach, my aching arms, my aching...everything!” the Discord soldier complained as he appeared above a sea of darkness. He spotted Applejack struggling against the strong waves as she fought against the current. While the farm girl was strong with the stamina to spare, she was almost reaching her limit and growing exhausted. “Guess she needs a lifeguard!”

Discord conjured a life preserver. However, as soon as he did his entire body started glitching and the life preserver vanished.

“Okay, bad idea,” Discord groaned in pain. “Guess I’ll have to yell. Hey, Applejack!”

Applejack didn’t respond as another wave crashed into her, filling her mind with the lies she told and the lies she told herself.

‘Of course ah trust yah, Sunset.’

‘We’re friends, aren’t we?’

‘Yah are a good person, Sunset.’

‘That looks great on ya, Rarity.’

‘This tastes great, Pinkie.’

‘Yer not a doormat, Fluttershy.’

‘Ah’m not jealous that Sunset trusted Rainbow Dash with her apartment key.’

‘Rainbow Dash is not a better athlete than me.’

With each lie, Applejack felt herself losing consciousness, her body becoming heavier and more exhausted as she fought against the lies.

“This isn’t good. At this rate, she’s going to drown.” Discord had to act quickly, but without the use of his magic, his options were limited. However, he could not do nothing. Steeling himself, the Spirit of Chaos dove into the Sea of Lies in order to reach Applejack. As soon as he hit the dark water, it started to affect him too.

‘You’re a horrible father!’

‘You’re a freak!’

‘You don’t deserve to be happy!’

‘You don’t deserve your family!’

‘Freak!’

‘Worthless!’

‘Monster!’

‘Traitor!’

He ignored the voices. He could not afford to be distracted, not when he was this close. Sunset Shimmer needed her friends now more than ever, even if her dark side was trying to break them.

"APPLEJACK!" Discord screamed Applejack’s name as loud as he could and, to his delight, he succeeded in gaining her attention.

“Mr. Discord?” Applejack questioned as she recognized the familiar voice. She turned to the direction she thought she heard the voice come from but all she saw were blurry shapes. She was just about to pass out.

“Look past the lies! Remember who the real Sunset Shimmer is!” Discord shouted as he watched a wave rise and crash on top of Applejack. “APPLEJACK!”

Discord took a deep breath and dove in He saw nothing but darkness until he spotted the dim light of Applejack’s body. He quickly swam towards her but he felt something grab on to his leg.

“Sorry, Dad. But the liar has to drown,” Sunset Satan mock apologized as she pulled Discord back. But to her shock, Discord’s leg popped out before turning into bubbles.

Discord used this moment to swim with greater urgency towards Applejack (even when he’s down a leg), but the demon would not let him. Sunset Satan easily glided through the water to cut Discord off.

“Give it up. She’s doomed,” Sunset Satan said with a smirk.
Discord glared at the demon before shifting his gaze back at Applejack who continued to sink as the light began to fade from her body. Discord took in a deep breath and his body expanded until he exploded into millions of bubbles.

“What in Equestria?!” Sunset Satan was caught off guard as the bubbles consumed her.
Several of the bubbles made their way towards Applejack. One by one they popped until only one remained. The last bubble managed to float next to Applejack’s ear before it popped.

‘Remember the real Sunset Shimmer.’

Sunset Satan blew away all the bubbles, causing them to pop.

“Annoying pest,” The demon growled before turning to look at Applejack who had completely disappeared in the dark sea. “Good riddance.”

Just as she was about to swim back to the surface, she caught something in her peripheral vision. She looked back to where Applejack used to be and saw a tiny speck of light.

“Impossible.”

The demon swam towards the light and as she got close enough, she saw that the source of the light was coming from Applejack’s heart. Sunset Satan reached out to Applejack’s heart and immediately recoiled as she made contact with the light.

“Damn it! Just what is she still holding on to?!” Sunset Satan yelled in frustration.

“Where am Ah?” Applejack questioned as she found herself floating in a black void. She looked around and only saw darkness, but then she spotted a bright light heading towards her. The light turned out to be a baseball-sized orb of light that transformed into a viewing mirror. Applejack looked at the mirror curiously before it showed her Sunset Shimmer. She was walking down the halls of CHS but instead of her usual confident self, Sunset looked nervous, sad and a little afraid.

She kind of reminded Applejack of Fluttershy.

“Ah remember this. This was right after the Fall Formal,” Applejack spoke as she watched Sunset being glared by all the students which made her hug her books tighter.

“She looks so vulnerable.”

The image changed to one Applejack was very familiar with, It was Sunset trying in vain to offer her assistance in helping the other students, only to be turned down. Applejack was saddened to see Sunset try so hard to make it up to the people she hurt, but not a single person was giving her a chance.

The next scene showed Sunset demanding the Rainbooms to stop arguing, reminding all of them of their friendship and that they needed to pull together to defeat the Sirens. Applejack felt the pure honesty of Sunset’s words. She had been fighting an uphill battle and she had to do it alone.

“No thanks to me,” Applejack said in shame, remembering how, despite her helping Sunset discover friendship, a small part of her didn’t believe Sunset could be a better person.

The mirror then showed the time when Sunset was helping at the Apple Farm and she confided in Applejack about her mother. The look Sunset gave Applejack told her that she had complete trust in the farm girl to tell her about her mother.

“Too bad ah couldn’t trust Sunset enough to know that she would never betray me,” Applejack said as she recalled Sunset’s look of betrayal when she was told how her friends assumed she was Anon-A-miss.

“Don’t go beatin’ yourself too harshly now.”

Applejack’s eyes widened as she recognized that voice.

“Ma?”

The mirror of light transformed into Applejack’s mother, Pear Butter.

“Hey there.”

“I-is this another trick?” Applejack questioned, not believing her mother was actually here.

“No, Ah come from yer heart, Applejack. Ah part of me that will always be with yah,” Pear Butter said with a smile. “Just like how a part of Sunset will always be with you.”

“Then yah probably know what Ah did to her,” Applejack said as she cast her gaze down, not bearing to see the disappointed look in her mother’s eyes.

She heard footsteps closing in before she felt a hand on the left side of her face, lifting her head to see Pear Butter’s kind smile.

“Tell me, Applejack. Are yah sorry that yah hurt her?”

“Of course ah am,” Applejack admitted softly. “Mah heart hurts every time ah think about how ah hurt Sunset.”

“Then yah gotta take responsibility.”

Applejack’s father, Bright Macintosh spoke as he suddenly appeared next to his face.

“Pa?”

“Tell that girl how sorry yah are and do everythin’ in your power to prove it,” Bright Mac advised.

“Yer pa’s right. Sunset is a very nice girl and she really needs yah right now,” Pear Butter added.

“But…” Applejack was hesitant, the demon’s words about her own lies still plaguing her mind.

“Applejack,” Pear Butter called her daughter’s attention. “Tell me, how do you feel about Sunset?”

“How... I feel?” Applejack questioned.

“Yes,” Pear Butter said with a smile.

Applejack thought for a moment. She recalled all the moments she and Sunset spent together. The laughs they shared and the times Sunset made her heart flutter.

‘I have crushes on both of you!’

Those words rang in Applejack’s mind, and although they were said in anger, she knew that Sunset wasn’t lying.

Especially with what she said next.

‘I was hoping we could be a herd!’

From what Twilight had told her, being part of a herd meant that Sunset had chosen her to be her wife. Sunset loved her so much that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized that Sunset didn’t just have a crush on her, she was in love with her.

“Ah love her,” Applejack said. “Ah love her with all mah heart, ah want to take her out somewhere nice and tell her how beautiful she is.”

Pear Butter and Bright Mac pulled their daughter into a hug as she cried.

“Sunset’s very lucky to have yah, Applejack,” Pear Butter said as she rubbed her crying daughter’s back softly.

“No, Ah’m the lucky one. Sunset’s been a ray of sunshine in mah life,” Applejack said as she smiled at remembering Sunset’s smile, feeling a warmth in her heart that spread through her entire body. “Not to mention that she’s a real princess that chose a rustic farm girl like me. How lucky can ah get?”

“Go save her, sweetheart,” Bright Mac said as he and Pear Butter pulled out of the hug.

“Ah promise,” Applejack vowed.

Pear Butter and Bright Mac smiled as they started to glow. They glowed so brightly that their light engulfed the entire dark area.

“No,” Sunset Satan said as she watched the glow from Applejack’s heart spread throughout her body. “This can’t be happening!”

Pony ears sprouted from on top of Applejack’s head and her hair extended into a ponytail. The farmgirl’s eyes snapped open, causing the light that surrounded her body to spread outward and banish the darkness. Her attire also changed, becoming Amazonian armor.

“How?” Sunset Satan growled, clenching her fists in anger as she glared at Applejack. “You should’ve been consumed by your lies!”

“Yah know what they say, the truth shall set yah free,” Applejack said cheekily.

“What does a liar like you know about truth?!” The demon questioned. “You hate me-”

“NO!” Applejack raised her voice, narrowing her eyes at the demon. “It’s true ah didn’t like Sunset at the beginning, but now ah can honestly say this: Ah’m in love with Sunset Shimmer!”

“Lies!” the demon shouted as she hurled a fireball at Applejack.

Applejack dodged it and started running towards the demon. Sunset Satan flapped her wings and flew into the air but Applejack didn’t let that stop her as a lasso made of magic materialized in her hands. She threw the noose end of the lasso at the demon and ensnared her leg. Applejack pulled with all her strength and brought the demon back down to earth. Applejack quickly rushed at the demon, jumped on top of her and tied her up.

“That should hold yah,” Applejack said.

“Don’t think that this will hold me!” Sunset Satan growled as she tried to break free from her bindings but no matter how hard she tried, the lasso would not break. “Why can’t I break this?!”

“Speaking honestly, yah can’t,” Applejack stated as a matter of fact. ”Honesty is what’s keeping me from becoming yah.”

The lasso began to glow which caused the demon to changed into a discolored Applejack.

“Sunset’s a snake! A demon! She can’t be trusted!” the discolored Applejack spoke venomously.

“Enough!” Applejack raised her voice. “Ah’ve had it with yah badmouthing Sunset!”

Applejack gripped tightly to the lasso, it’s glow intensifying.

“Ah’m going to keep sayin’ this because it’s the honest truth: Ah love Sunset. She is an honest, hardworking person with the biggest heart Ah’ve ever seen. A heart that your lies tried to hide.”

The lasso shined brightly which caused the discolored Applejack to disappear and reveal the true Sunset Shimmer that dwelled in Applejack’s heart. The lasso disappeared as Applejack knelt down and held Sunset in her arms.

“Sugarcube, are yah okay?” Applejack asked with worry.

Sunset’s eyes fluttered open before looking at Applejack and smiling.

“Hey.”

“Glad Ah didn’t lose yah,” Applejack said. “Ah’m so sorry.”

“Don’t blame yourself. Doubt can play a huge part in losing sight of what’s important,” Sunset assured Applejack as she rested a hand against the farmer’s right cheek.

“Ah promise ah will make it up to yah,” Applejack promised as she placed her hand on top of Sunset’s that was on her cheek.

“You better,” Sunset giggled as she turned into a ball of light before entering Applejack’s heart.

Applejack stood up and looked at her surroundings.

“Now how do Ah get out of here?”

Suddenly, a sun appeared above the horizon. Its light shone down in front of Applejack and created a door.

“Thanks, sugarcube,” Applejack gratefully said as she hurried towards her way out.

Pain greeted the Discord Soldier as he appeared in his target’s location. He could hear cruel laughter coming from below him and looked down to see Rarity sobbing as she was surrounded by black flames as students laughed and insulted her from behind the flames.

The students looked warped and exaggerated, evil and monstrous, spitting out hateful things between their laughter.

“Better hurry,” Discord said to himself as he descended next to Rarity.

Rarity felt someone next to her and turned to see Discord.

“Mr. Discord?”

“Not quite,” Discord said as he offered Rarity a hand.

“So the deadbeat Dad finally shows himself,” Sunset Satan mocked as soon as she saw Discord.

“I would be hurt if it was really you saying that,” Discord stuck his tongue out at the demon but then flinched as his body glitched.

“If words can never hurt you, then the pain of existence will have to do,” the demon sneered.

“Mr. Discord, are you alright?” Rarity asked with concern as she took the offered hand and rose to her feet.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m just a clone created to help you and your friends,” Discord assured her. “So what seems to be the trouble here?”

“Can’t you see? I’m being mocked and ridiculed! And I deserve it!” Rarity gestured to her mocking peers.

“How so?”

“Well, just look at me! I’m so superficial and materialistic! I put so much priority on fashion, makeup and my appearance! It’s all just a facade! Even my accent is fake because I wanted to sound high class! But I’m just an ugly phony!”

Rarity buried her face in her hands and started sobbing again.

“You? A phony? Please, you’re a lady!” Discord dismissed Rarity’s claims.

Rarity lifted her head from her hands to look at Discord.

“You are Rarity. You love fashion, you want to be treated like a lady, a princess! There’s nothing wrong with being who you are!” Discord proclaimed. “I’ve met your counterpart. She is proud of who she is and her friends love her for who she is.”

“But I’m so selfish and vain,” Rarity said as she lowered her head in shame.

“We are all entitled to be a little selfish,” Discord said with a shrug. “You just have to be sure that your selfish desires don’t harm others.”

Rarity raised her head to look at Discord once again.

“I’m in love with your daughter.”

The Discord soldier’s eyes widened in shock before he smiled cheekily.

“As a father, it makes me feel happy to hear you say that.”

“But she already has her heart set on two of our friends,” Rarity admitted sadly.

“So?”

“So? So I lost my chance!” Rarity raised her voice. “It’s unbecoming of a lady to steal another woman’s lover.”

“But you won’t be stealing her. You can all be together with my daughter. You can form a herd after all,” Discord said.

“I know, but I am unworthy of ever being with Sunset. Much less be her friend,” Rarity said as she turned away from Discord. “I’ve...I’ve hated Sunset for what she did to me at the Spring Fling. Despite us becoming friends and my feelings towards her, I had never forgotten the pain she caused me.”

“Have you talked about this with Sunset?” Discord asked.

“No,” Rarity answered simply.

“Why not?” Discord asked curiously.

“You see, after the Fall Formal, which is a dance in our school, Sunset’s confidence was in shambles. The poor girl was a shadow of her former self. She already felt terrible for trying to murder us, and I didn’t want to add to her guilt,” Rarity explained.

“Which brings us here.”

Discord and Rarity turned to look at the demon.

“That was a touching little pep talk, but as you can plainly see, this bitch has a serious grudge towards me,” Sunset Satan stated.

“I can see why she would resent this monster, but Sunset isn’t that anymore and Rarity knows it,” Discord stated firmly.

“Please, I’m the real Sunset and this bitch knows it!” Sunset Satan said with confidence.

“Would the real Sunset call you that?” Discord asked as he looked at Rarity. “Remember who Sunset really is. You know this monster isn’t her.”

“Don’t listen to him. He was a villain who threatened Equestria in the past. Where do you think I get it from?” Sunset Satan reminded Rarity.

“Search your heart, Rarity. Don’t let your hatred cloud your heart,” Discord urged the young fashionista.

“Enough of your lies!” the demon shouted before firing a fireball at the Discord soldier, destroying him.

“Mr. Discord!” Rarity cried out in terror.

“Good riddance,” Sunset Satan said with a huff.

Rarity looked back to the demon in disbelief. She had just killed her own father and did not even feel an ounce of remorse.

“Remorse…” Rarity whispered before her eyes widened in sudden realization as she recalled when Sunset had asked to meet with her in private. Sunset had a box with her which turned out to be the crown she won.

‘This rightfully belongs to you.’

Rarity remembered Sunset saying that before she placed the crown on her head and curtsied. Her heart rate began to speed up just like it did back then, and that was when she started to harbor feelings towards Sunset which steadily grew as they spent time together.

‘Sunset had generously offered her spare time to help me. She even loaned me her sketchbook that she brought with her from Equestria, which contained drawings from her home, just to inspire me.’

A smile spread across Rarity’s lips as she shook her head.

“The hell is wrong with you?” the demon questioned when she saw the smile on Rarity’s face.

“I’ve been such a fool,” Rarity admitted. “How could I have let myself forget Sunset’s generosity?”

“Generosity?” Sunset Satan raised an eyebrow at this.

“Why of course, darling,” Rarity said as she placed her hands on her hips, her confidence making a radiant return. “Besides being an amazing artist, Sunset has a generous and beautiful heart. And now that I know of her lineage, it makes perfect sense why she felt so similar to Vice-Principal Luna.”

“There is no generosity in me!” the demon bellowed.

“Of course not, but you’re not the real Sunset Shimmer, are you?”

“Are you blind as well as stupid?!” Sunset Satan shouted angrily.

“No, in fact, I can see things more clearly now. You are a mere manifestation of my past resentment, something I should’ve let go a long time ago. Now, begone!”

Rarity flipped her hair, the action causing the black fire to disperse.

“And black fire is so cliche. Let’s do something better,” Rarity said as she clapped her hands, causing the dark environment to change into a bright, shining catwalk.

“So now little miss fashionista is back, huh?” the demon said before she changed to resemble a Nightmare version of Rarity. Nightmare Rarity if you will.

“I’m more than back,” Rarity said as she held something in her hand. “It’s about time I faced the ugly part of myself.”

Rarity placed what looked like a belt buckle on her abdomen which immediately looped a belt around her waist.

“I am sure you know what this is, right?” Rarity motioned to her belt buckle which was the spitting image of Decade’s Decadriver, but it was a royal purple color with sequins and diamond patterns lining the belt.

“I thought you detested violence?” Nightmare Rarity questioned as she flipped her hair. She was now wearing a beautiful dark purple gown with sequins, fashionable golden armor and high heel boots on her legs. Fashionable golden bracelets protected her forearms and a beautiful golden helmet protected her head. Her ethereal hair flowed with no wind blowing against it.

“I do. However, in your case, I’ll make an exception,” Rarity said as grabbed the sides of the buckle and pulled them back, causing the buckle to turn side up and reveal a card-shaped slot. She then pulled a card from a special cardholder on the left side of her belt, she flashed the face of the card to Nightmare Rarity before she flipped it around. “Henshin.”

Rarity inserted the card in the slot.

[Kamen Ride: Decade!]

Rarity pushed together the sides of the buckle, causing the center of the buckle to go back to its original position. Several afterimages of a colorless armor shifted around Rarity before merging with her, color returned to the armor as Rarity now became a female version of Kamen Rider Decade. Instead of magenta, the suit was violet.

She was now Fashionista Decade.

Unknown to most of her friends and so many others, Rarity was secretly a fan of the Kamen Rider franchise. Only Sunset Shimmer knew and they had binge-watched a few series while alone together.

“I’m surprised you went with Decade,” Nightmare Rarity looked at Rarity with a raised eyebrow. “I figured you would debut your own original Rider.”

“As much as I would like to, it's not ready yet,” Fashionista Decade explained as she took up a graceful fighting stance. “Art cannot be rushed, darling.”

“Well, how about I paint the walls with your blood!?” Nightmare Rarity lunged with dark magic surrounding her hands. Fashionista Decade was quick on the draw, literally, as she grabbed the Ride Booker from her hip and quickly activated its sword mode. Like a switchblade, the sword folded out and Fashionista Decade quickly swung. However, Nightmare Rarity’s reflexes were quick as she avoided the sword and got some distance between them.

Fashionista Decade pulled back the sides of her buckle once again, causing the center of the buckle to turn side up. She then took out another card from her Ride Booker and inserted it in the card slot.

[Attack Ride: Slash!]

Fashionista Decade rushed towards her Nightmare self and swung her sword. As she did, two blades of energy appeared on either side of her sword. Nightmare Rarity attempted to block the energized slash, but the impact caused a small explosion of sparks that sent her reeling.

“Damn you!” Nightmare Rarity cursed as she held onto her side in pain.

“Such language! And coming from my mouth no less!” Fashionista Decade was aghast. It was bad enough that this monster had taken her appearance and looked really good as a villainess, but she cursed too! That simply wouldn’t stand.

Fashionista Decade once again closed the distance and attempted to slash at her foe who kept dodging and blocking her attacks. Nightmare Rarity saw an opening and slashed at Fashionista Decade, causing sparks to fly. Nightmare Rarity continued her attack, sparks continued to fly with each blow Nightmare Rarity landed.

“You’re weak! How do you expect to let go of the past if this is all the strength you can muster?!” Nightmare Rarity mocked as she kicked Rarity and sent her flying.

Fashionista Decade rolled across the catwalk before coming to a stop. She struggled to get up but eventually got back on her feet.

“Look at you. You are unworthy to ever be a princess’ bride,” Nightmare Rarity continued to mock as she walked towards Fashionista Decade with the grace of a model.

“Not with you breathing down my neck,” Fashionista Decade said as she took out another card from the Ride Booker and inserted it into her buckle.

[Attack Ride: Blast!]

Fashionista Decade’s Ride Booker switched to its gun mode. She pointed the gun at Nightmare Rarity and pulled the trigger. Several powerful energy blasts shot at Nightmare Rarity. They explode upon impact and threw the demon back.

Fashionista Decade took out another card and inserted it into the buckle.

[Attack Ride: Illusion!]

Three clones emerged from Fashionista Decade before they charged at her Nightmare form. Nightmare Rarity found herself surrounded as each of Fashionista Decade’s clones started punching her. Fashionista Decade punched her fallen self square in the face, causing the demon to stumble back, only to be kicked by one of Fashionista Decade’s clones. Another clone kicked the Nightmare on her side and into the awaiting uppercut of another Fashionista Decade clone. Finally, all four Fashionista Decades delivered one final punch at Nightmare Rarity, causing her to fly off the catwalk and crash against the nearby chairs.

Fashionista Decade dusted off her hands before striking a pose along with her clones as they looked at the beaten-down Nightmare. The corrupted Rarity groaned in pain before she pushed herself off the ground and jumped into the air. She created a dark energy sphere between her hands and launched it at Fashionista Decade. There was a massive explosion that blew Fashionista Decade away and caused her clones to disappear.

Once Nightmare Rarity landed on the catwalk, she dashed the Rider, dark violet energy gathered in her hands as she wanted to finish Fashionista Decade once and for all.

[Kamen Ride: Drive!]

A tire comes out of nowhere and knocked Nightmare Rarity away.

“What the?!” Nightmare Rarity is caught completely off guard as she watched the tire go towards Fashionista Decade who was now standing up. The tire embedded itself across her chest and completed her transformation into Kamen Rider Drive Type Speed.

Drive took up a running position before she zoomed towards Nightmare Rarity.

Nightmare Rarity was left stunned as Fashionista Decade quickly closed the distance. She attempted to attack Drive but she swiftly dodged and landed a punch on her Nightmare’s left side. Drive quickly slid back around and landed another punch on Nightmare Rarity’s right. She then slid in front of the reeling Nightmare and delivered a low kick that knocked Nightmare Rarity off her feet. She then proceeded to deliver numerous consecutive punches on her.

With one last punch, she launched Nightmare Rarity into the air. Drive then pulled the sides of her buckle and once the center of the buckle was right side up, the card ejected from the card slot and disappeared. Drive then took out another card from her Ride Booker and inserted it into the Decadriver.

[Kamen Ride: Decade!]

Fashionista Decade then inserted one last card into the Decadrive.

[Final Attack Ride: D-D-D-Decade!]

Card panels appeared in front of Fashionista Decade and lead to Nightmare Rarity. Fashionista Decade jumped forward, performing a dynamic kick. She entered one card panel and came out the other end of the next one. This continued along the path of cards until she reached Nightmare Rarity and kicked her in the chest which resulted in a huge explosion.

Fashionista Decade landed on her feet and dusted off her hands. She turned around to see the defeated Nightmare Rarity lying on the ground.

“You think...this is over?” Nightmare Rarity questioned as she lay defeated. “You’ll never be fully rid of me.”

“Perhaps,” Fashionista Decade said as she pulled apart the sides of the Decadriver, causing the card to eject from the Driver and turn her back to normal. “But I’ll be sure to reign you in properly next time.”

“Fool...” was the last thing Nightmare Rarity said before she faded away and revealed Sunset Shimmer in her place.

“Sunset!” Rarity quickly knelt down next to the former unicorn as she rubbed her head. “Are you alright?”

“I’ve had worse,” Sunset replied cheekily. “Thanks, Rarity.”

“I don’t deserve thanks, not after what I’ve done to you,” Rarity said in shame.

“Don’t beat yourself up, Rarity. What matters is what you’re going to do moving forward,” Sunset stated as she got into a sitting position with Rarity’s help.

“I’m going to make up for my mistake and prove myself worthy of your love,” Rarity said as she placed her hand on top of Sunset’s.

“Looking forward to it,” Sunset said with a wide smile before she turned into a ball of light and entered Rarity’s heart.

Rarity placed her hand over her heart. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out.

“I will save you, Sunset.”

Rarity opened her eyes as she stood up. The catwalk disappeared and was replaced with white nothingness.

“Hmm.” Rarity thought for a moment on how she would reach Sunset when she had an idea. “Driver!”

Out of nowhere, a limo pulled up in front of Rarity. The handsome driver exited the driver’s side seat to open the door for Rarity.

“Where to, miss?” the limo driver - who resembled Tsukasa Kadoya - asked in a professional tone.

“To where Sunset Shimmer is, please,” Rarity said as she got into the limo.

“Right away, miss!” the driver said as he closed the door and got back in the driver’s seat before driving off and disappearing.

In a world where nothing made sense and your imagination shaped your surroundings, the best thing Rarity could do is do was what her best friend Pinkie Pie would do.

Author's Note

Sooo sorry that this took so long but it was a longer chapter than I thought and I found out I write more on weekends. I had to break the chapter into three parts so enjoy part one while part 2 is being looked over by KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji who I want to thank for their continued support of this story. I hope you all enjoy and chapter and I looked forward to your comments.

The Magic of Friendship part 2

The Discord soldier felt nauseous as he appeared in his target destination. It was a dark and dreary room with party supplies like streamers, balloons, noisemakers, party signs scattered everywhere. However, they were all without color and the way they were placed gave off the feeling that whatever party had been celebrated had suddenly died.

“I better find my target quick,” Discord said as he felt like throwing up.

He exited the room and spotted a sign hanging over a door to his left at the end of a corridor with a checkerboard pattern floor. A sign over it flickered with the word “PARTY”. He jogged over to it and opened the door to enter what looked like the party room of a pizzeria, but all the arcade games were dead, the animatronics on stage were broken, and there were rotten pizzas and cakes on the tables. As he got closer he noticed two figures sitting side by side at one of the tables.

“Oh my.” Discord came to a complete stop as he saw a Sunset Shimmer sitting on a chair, not moving an inch, with a blank expression on her face. Sitting by her side, leaning against her chair with a look devoid of any emotion and looking broken was Pinkie Pie.

Or was she Pinkamena when she was like this?

“My fault...it’s all my fault,” Pinkie said in a sad monotone voice. Her hair was flat and her colors looked dull and faded. She was a far cry from her usual bright and cheery self as the smile on her face and heart had been flipped upside down.

Discord raised an eyebrow as he looked between Pinkie and Sunset, trying to piece together what was going on.

“Hmm, I think I know what went wrong.” Discord tried to transform into a psychiatrist but the intense pain that coursed through his entire body put a stop to that. So instead he just took the seat across from Pinkie Pie. “Want to talk about it?”

“What’s there to talk about? It’s my fault her smile is gone,” Pinkie Pie said in the same monotone.

“Nothing is ever truly gone,” Discord said, smiling kindly at Pinkie.

“Except her smile,” Pinkie said as she glanced at Sunset who sat unmovingly.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Discord looked at the motionless Sunset. “I bet her smile is just hidden deep inside and begging to come out.” Discord looked back to Pinkie Pie. “And you’re the perfect pony - person for the job to bring it out.”

“No,” Pinkie declined. “That would be a bad idea.”

“Nah,” Discord wasn’t deterred by Pinkie’s answer. “You just have to remember her smile, then the rest is easy.”

“Remember her smile?” Pinkie questioned.

“Yeah, just look deep inside your heart and remember the smile of the true Sunset Shimmer,” Discord said as his body started to glitch.

Pinkie Pie’s face twitched at seeing Discord glitch. Her emotions were trying to break out of the emotionless mask she wore.

“You can’t dwell on the mistakes you made forever, or else you’ll never be able to smile again and move forward,” Discord explained.

“But I really messed up,” Pinkie said as a stray tear fell from her left eye.

“So did I, and I was doing what you are doing right now,” Discord looked back to his daughter. “But someone told me that doing nothing to make up for your mistake is even worse than the mistake itself.” Discord flinched in pain as his body glitched again. He didn’t have much time left. “If you’re feeling discouraged, just remember Sunset’s smile. The smile that’s filled with joy at seeing you, her friend.”

With that said, Discord turned into sparks and vanished.

Pinkie Pie watched the sparks slowly descend to the ground, and then she remembered when Sunset assisted her at a birthday party. As if responding to her thoughts, a large balloon appeared in front of Pinkie and acted like a screen, replaying the entire scene in front of her.

Using her immunity to fire, Sunset helped make a little girl’s day even more special. The smiles that filled the room made Pinkie Pie so happy. But Sunset’s smile was what really made her day. Her smile wasn’t just from doing a good job, it was a smile that displayed how happy she was to see her friend smiling.

The corners of Pinkie’s mouth twitched at seeing Sunset smile as more memory balloons appeared and replayed many happy memories. Like that time they pranked Rainbow Dash when she went too far with her pranking spree, the time she helped babysit the Cake twins with her and they were making funny faces at them, and even when she painted the painting of Sunset herself in art class when Sunset helped her decide what to paint by painting something that made her happy.

Color slowly started to return to Pinkie Pie with each memory as more and more brightly colored balloons filled the party room which gradually brightened and came back to life. The corners of her lips slowly started to rise and form a smile as the animatronics on stage began to perform and the games made noises.

Pinkie Pie then recalled when she found Sunset crying in a secluded part of the library after a particularly bad day of school. It was only a couple of days after the Fall Formal and Sunset was trying her hardest to make amends to everyone. But no one was buying it. They all thought she was faking it and that this was just another one of her attempts at manipulation.

“What’s wrong, Sunset?” Pinkie Pie asked

“It’s nothing,” Sunset denied.

“No, it’s not nothing. You’re so sad right now. Come on, tell me and maybe I can cheer you up.”

Sunset, seeing no reason to refuse, confessed.

“I’m trying to show people how sorry I am but they’re not giving me a chance. Maybe...this whole friendship thing isn’t for me.”

Pinkie Pie was not having any of that. She then went and pushed the corners of Sunset Shimmer’s lips up into a smile.

“There, much better. You look better with a smile, Sunset Shimmer,” Pinkie Pie positively said. Sunset Shimmer blinked as Pinkie Pie removed her hands from her lips. “Sunset, everyone is going to see that you’ve changed but these things take time. Right now, you have us so don’t hide your feelings from us, OK? We’ll stick with you no matter what.”

Soon, Sunset gave Pinkie Pie a genuinely bright smile which made the pink party planner smile in return.

Pinkie’s flat hair regained its puffiness as she regained her color as well as her bright smile.

“Best friends forever.”

Pinkie’s eyes widened upon hearing Sunset’s voice. She snapped her head to look at Sunset and saw her smiling at her as she leaned against the armrest.

“S-Sunset?”

“Sup,” Was Sunset simple reply before she was engulfed in the tightest hug she had ever experienced.

“Oh Sunny! I’m so happy to see you smile again!” Pinkie sobbed against Sunset’s chest.

“I’ll always have a smile whenever I see my best friends,” Sunset said as she wrapped her arms around Pinkie Pie.

“But I made you sad!” Pinkie sobbed as she remembered Sunset’s devastated look when they confessed how they suspected her of being Anon-A-Miss. “I took your smile away!”

“But you gave it back,” Sunset stated. She pulled away from the hug surprisingly easy and looked at Pinkie Pie’s tearful eyes. “Just like I know you’ll give back the true Sunset’s smile.”

“But you are also the true Sunset!” Pinkie countered. “A happy person who loves to smile and laugh with her friends!”

Pinkie’s inner Sunset was taken aback by this but then she smiled even brighter at hearing this.

“You know, you’re absolutely right! Thanks, Pinkie.”

“Anytime,” Pinkie said as they both hugged each other one last time before Sunset turned into a ball of light and entered Pinkie’s heart.

Pinkie stretched before taking a seat on Sunset’s chair. A lever appeared next to her and she pulled it, causing the chair to catapult her high into the air. The ceiling vanished, revealing clear blue skies with cotton candy clouds in numerous silly shapes.

“Weeeeeeee!” Pinkie shouted in joy as she disappeared into the distance while the environment suddenly turned lively as the animatronics leaped off the stage and started partying as the sun watched with a happy smile. There were huge banners that read “Go, Pinkie, Go!” and “You Can Do It!”.

The Discord soldier had appeared to where Twilight was and he could already feel the unstable chaos magic around him trying to tear him apart. He spotted Twilight Sparkle laying on her side, her arms wrapped around herself as she cried. Celestia, Spike, and a critically ill Sunset looked down on her with great disapproval and disgust.

“Sleeping on the job, Twilight?” Discord asked as he approached the Princess of Friendship.
Twilight turned her head around to see Discord.

“D-Discord? What are you doing here?”

“Just saving the day,” Discord said nonchalantly as he laid down in front of Twilight. “Honestly, Twilight. Is being labeled a failure all it takes to reduce you to this?”

“I am a failure!” Twilight raised her voice. “What kind of Princess of Friendship fails at helping her own friends? What kind of parent fails their own child?”

Discord watched as Twilight broke down. The Spirit of Chaos understood why Twilight believed THAT she had failed Spike.

He felt the same way a little while ago.

“Do you honestly believe you have failed Spike?” Discord asked. Discord looked at the angry Spike who glared at Twilight. He smiled as he knew that this wasn’t how Spike saw the young Alicorn. “Say, Twilight: is Spike happy?”

“Can’t... you... see... for... yourself?” Twilight questioned between sobs.

“All I see is what you believe is the truth,” Discord stated as he got into a sitting position.

“What does that mean?” Twilight asked.

“Think for a minute, when was the last time Spike was ever mad at you?” Discord asked.

Twilight tried to recall a time when Spike was ever upset with her, but the only time she remembered was when Spike was still a baby and was just learning how to talk. Other than that, Spike was mostly well behaved and did as he was told. He very rarely left her side and was very content.

‘In Canterlot, Spike was always with me. He never got a chance to do what he wanted and have fun like a real foal,’ Twilight thought sadly, realizing that she had deprived Spike of a proper childhood.

“So adamant were you to mold him after yourself that you deprived Spike the opportunity to make friends his own age,” Princess Celestia spoke. Being a manifestation of Twilight’s doubt, she knew what the young alicorn was thinking. “To think I envied you.”

Twilight’s eyes widen at this, she recalled the conversation she, Rainbow Dash and Spike had with Celestia and Luna.

“So Sunset’s aggression and arrogance come from you?” Twilight questioned as she took a bite of her cake. She was having a hard time seeing Celestia as anything like how Sunset used to be.

“Oh yes! Celestia always assumed she was better than other ponies and even I believed so after seeing her skills in magic firsthoof,” Luna answered, recalling the time she and her older sister were taught by Starswirl the Bearded.

“I’m ashamed to admit that I never really saw others as my equals, especially Luna,” Celestia admitted. She felt ashamed for putting her sister down whenever she struggled with magic.

“I’m sorry, Celestia. It’s just really hard to imagine you like that,” Twilight said. “But now that I think of it, Sunset did give off a presence of authority, power, and intimidation that felt eerily similar to yours.”

Luna burst into laughter while Celestia groaned in annoyance, her cheeks turning red.

“The apple certainly didn’t fall far from the tree!” Luna said as she nudged her older sister. “Better be careful about that, Twilight.”

Twilight blinked at this before turning to look at Spike who was also looking at her.

“He doesn’t take that much after me, right?” Twilight questioned, concerned that Spike may have inherited some of her troublesome personality traits.

“Relax, Twilight. You have very admirable traits,” Princess Celestia assured the young alicorn.

“I’m not sure. Twilight can get too into her research that she ignores everything else,” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “Not to mention she’s stubborn, worries over the smallest things leading to major freakouts.”

“Thanks, Rainbow,” Twilight thanked her marefriend sarcastically as she narrowed her eyes at her.

“You’re welcome, babe,” Rainbow Dash said as she kissed Twilight on the cheek.

“Every child takes after their parents, the good and the bad. The best we can do is show them our support, give them lots of love and guide them down the proper path,” the Solar Princess explained.

Twilight looked toward Spike before wrapping her wings around him and pulling him close.

“You’re right, Princess. I won’t let Spike make my mistakes,” Twilight said as she nuzzled Spike affectionately.

“How could I forget?” Twilight said before giggling. She looked towards Spike with a regretful expression. “Spike, I know I’ve made mistakes when I raised you in Canterlot. If it weren’t for Princess Celestia sending us to Ponyville, I wouldn’t have opened my eyes to friendship and more importantly, you would have continued to grow up in a closed environment.”

Twilight stood up and started walking towards her son.

“I have no doubt that if we had stayed in Canterlot, then you would have become as arrogant, prideful and snobbish as I was. That’s not what I want for you,” Twilight motherly said. Twilight bent down and placed her hands on the young dragon’s shoulders. She made a smile filled with love and adoration. “I got lucky, Spike. The day I hatched you was the greatest moment of my life. Even more so than becoming Princess Celestia’s personal student and getting my cutie mark.” Twilight watched as Spike’s eyes widened in shock but before she let him dwell on it as she continued. “I was too young then to understand, but now it’s as clear as day now.” Tears spilled from Twilight’s eyes as her smile got even bigger.

“I love you, Spike. I am honored to be your mother, to be there for you when you cry, to chase away the monsters and doubts that haunt you, to cheer you on as you take on life. You are the greatest legacy I will leave for all of Equestria.”

Tears spilled from Spike’s eyes as his lips started quivering before he tackled Twilight and embraced her in the tightest hug he could give her. Twilight returned the hug and she looked towards Sunset.

“I won’t fail you, Sunset. We will save you.”

Sunset smirked as she crossed her arms, her red veins disappearing as she returned to normal.

“Thank you, Twilight.” Sunset thanked Twilight before fading away.

Princess Celestia watched with a satisfied smile before she too faded away.

Twilight pulled away from Spike and kissed him on his forehead.

“I love you,” Twilight sincerely said.

“I love you too, Mom,” Spike said as he smiled brightly at Twilight before disappearing.

Twilight wiped the tears away, her smile brightening when Spike called her mom. She stood up before turning to Discord.

“Thanks, Discord,” Twilight gratefully said.

“What are friends for? And as a fellow parent, I understand your fears,” Discord said, giving Twilight a wink.

“Do you know how to get to Sunset?” Twilight asked.

“My main self is working on that, but I’m confident you’ll find your own path,” Discord said just as he exploded into confetti.

Twilight stared at the empty space Discord was, she then closed her eyes and started thinking of her friends. She felt the Magic of Friendship course through her, causing her to pony up. A light then shot from her heart and created a portal in front of her.

“Hold on, Sunset,” Twilight whispered before she rushed into the portal.

The Discord soldier’s heart was breaking as he saw a pale filly Sunset struggle to climb up a flight of stairs. The ugly black veins pulsated which caused his daughter great pain and made her collapse on the stairs. It was so painful to watch her struggle as the unstable chaos tried to rip his body apart.

“What have I done?”

Discord turned his head slightly to the left to see a devastated Luna who was on her knees, reaching a hand towards Sunset before pulling back. She lowered her head on to the ground and sobbed.

“None of this happened, Luna. Sunset is fine,” Discord assured. He didn’t like seeing Luna looking so defeated. It was so unlike the confident Luna he saw but then again the Princess of the Night had her own insecurities.

Luna was startled by the voice and turned to see Discord.

“Discord?”

“Your magic did nothing to her,” Discord told her.

“How can you be sure?” Luna questioned. “What if my dark magic changed something deep inside her. What if that’s the reason she and my sister had that fight that lead her to run away?”

“We both know that’s not how it went. Parents and children fight,” Discord reminded her.

“Then why do I see Nightmare Moon when I look into her eyes?” Luna asked before turning to look back at Sunset as she was surrounded by other fillies who were calling her Nightmare Moon. “Why did she turn into her?”

“To answer your first question, it is because you’re afraid of her following in your hoofsteps,” Discord answered. “Since learning about how much she takes after you, you began to fear that she will make your mistakes. Some of which she has.”

Luna shut her eyes tight as she recalled her sister telling her how she and Sunset had a fight, not a physical one like they had, but the end result was the same. Sunset abandoned her mother in search of power, like how Luna attempted to overthrow her sister and become the sole ruler of all of Equestria.

“But that puts you in a very interesting position,” Discord said. “You understand Sunset because of your shared experiences and you can help guide her on the proper path.”

Luna’s eyes widened in shock. She turned to Discord who was smiling at her.

“We both made mistakes, we’ve both hurt our family,” Discord said sadly, his smile faltered as he thought of Sunset’s agonizing scream. But he smiled again as he thought of Trixie’s words. “But if we don’t try to fix them, then we end up hurting them even more.”

Luna looked back to Sunset who was crying as she was cornered by school fillies who were calling her Nightmare Moon. Discord’s words rang true in her head. She hated to see her niece suffer and wanted to protect her. An image of a sickly foal Sunset flashed through her mind as Sunset struggled to breathe and the purple veins pulsed. The image was quickly replaced by a healthy and happy Sunset, her moderate cyan eyes filled with life and wonder.

Luna looked back at the filly Sunset who turned to look at her. She started to move toward her aunt. Her steps were shaky and weak but still, she persevered. With each step, her legs shook less and less. Her coat started to regain its color and she was now running towards Luna.

Luna opened her arms as Sunset turned into a human and collided with her. They each wrapped their arms around one another in a tight embrace. They cried on each other’s shoulders, Luna mumbling apology after apology. Finally, Luna pulled away to look at her niece.

“I’m sorry, Sunset. I almost let my guilt blind me from seeing the truth,” Luna sincerely apologized.

“It’s alright. It happens to me too,” Sunset assured her.

Luna placed her hand against her niece’s right cheek.

“We will help you, Sunset. And when we do, I’m going to hug you and never let go!” Luna said as she smiled brightly.

“I’ll be looking forward to it!” Sunset grinned as she turned into a ball of light and entered Luna’s heart.

Luna rose to her feet and wiped away her tears before facing Discord.

“Thank you, Discord,” Luna gratefully said.

“Think nothing of it. We are family after all,” Discord winked at Luna.

“Yes, yes we are, Brother,” Luna said as she gave Discord a bright smile. “I’m glad my sister chose you as her special somepony, but you better not hurt her or our niece!” Luna was now using the ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE as her wings appeared and flared, making herself look even more intimidating. “OR YOU WILL SUFFER OUR WRATH!!”

Discord’s ears were ringing from that rattling outburst but he still nodded his head.

“Now then, how do we get back to the others?” Luna asked.

“Sorry, but you’re going to have to find out on your own,” Discord apologized as his body started to fall apart. “Ta-ta!”

Discord waved goodbye to Luna as he fell apart and vanished.

“Great,” Luna groaned in annoyance. Just when she thought Discord was being responsible he suddenly disappeared on her. “No problem, I can find my way out.”

Luna took a deep breath before exhaling. She closed her eyes and started to concentrate. Since this world of chaos was similar to the dream world, Luna figured she could use her powers to locate Sunset and the others. But during her search, she detected a pony in distress. Luna’s eyes widened as she could sense the great turmoil the pony was under.

“Somepony needs my help. It could be one of Sunset’s friends or my sister!”

Luna’s hands glowed as she opened up a portal.

“Just wait a little longer, Sunset,” Luna said as she jumped through the portal.

The Discord soldier walked down the halls of Canterlot Castle. However, unlike the last time he set foot here, the halls were dark with the only source of light coming from the stained glass windows depicting Twilight and her friends’ numerous victories. These included their first battle against Nightmare Moon and sealing him in stone for the second time.

He reached the large imposing double doors that lead to the throne room. He was about to push the doors open but they opened by themselves. The inside of the throne room was just as dark as the hall, with the only source of light coming from the stained glass windows. But these depicted the Mare in the Moon, Discord being turned to stone by the royal sisters and Sunset in her human form screaming in agony with red veins spread throughout her body and steam rising from her exposed flesh.

It was a horrific depiction of her suffering.

“It’s fitting, don’t you think?”

Discord turned his head to the throne to see someone sitting on it, the upper right side of their body hidden by the darkness. However, the voice was unmistakable as he recognized it instantly.

“Celestia?” Discord asked in surprise.

“Throughout the centuries, my ponies have always looked up to me as a kind and just ruler. Somepony who can do no wrong. If only they knew the truth.”

Celestia stood up from her throne and descended the small steps, now fully illuminated by the light. The Discord soldier could now fully see her face. Her once kind, warm and radiant smile was now gone, replaced with a frown full of sorrow and regret. Her eyes that once shone with hope and love now reflected her grief. Celestia walked towards the stained glass windows, her poise still regal but no longer did she radiated with power or confidence. Instead, an air of despair and failure surrounded her.

“I have failed the three ponies that truly needed me.”

“You didn’t fail me, Celestia. I was the one who failed not just you but Sunset as well,” Discord corrected as he approached her.

“If I had tried harder then maybe I could have convinced you to stop your chaotic ways instead of turning you to stone. Then you could have been with me to raise our daughter,” Celestia argued as she looked at the stained glass with the Mare in the Moon. “If you were here then Luna wouldn’t have been swallowed by the darkness and become Nightmare Moon.”

She then turned to look at the stained glass window of Sunset.

“And if you were here then maybe Sunset and I wouldn’t have fought and she wouldn’t have to run away; and then…she probably wouldn’t be suffering as she is now.”

Celestia closed her eyes and imagined how different her failures could have been if Discord had been there. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to gaze at Discord.

“You can’t dwell on the what-ifs, Celestia. The past is the past and we can’t change it. All we can do is live in the present. And remember, I’m back, Luna’s back and now we can have Sunset back too,” Discord pointed out.

“I know,” Celestia said as she brought her hand up and laced her fingers with Discord’s. “I just can’t help but wonder.”
Flames engulfed Celestia but Discord didn’t let go. He held onto her hand as the flames died down and revealed Daybreaker.

To be honest, he found this version of Celestia to be hot in more ways than one.

“If I had been more assertive, I could have made you stop. If I had shown Nightmare Moon her place, then she would be ruling at my side. And if I had put my hoof down more firmly, Sunset would not have defied me and fled to another world,” Daybreaker said, her tone serious and commanding absolute obedience.

“You don’t need to be assertive with me for I am at your beck and call, My Princess,” Discord brought Celestia’s hand to his lips and kissed it, not even fazed by Celestia’s transformation or flames. “And even if you had defeated Nightmare Moon, there’s no guarantee that she would have stayed obedient for long. And as for our daughter…”

Discord let out a nervous laugh as he imagined how a battle between Celestia and Sunset would turn out.

“If there’s one thing she has in spades from all of us is her indomitable will to not be controlled.”

“Unfortunately, you are right. I can see our little sun doing everything in her power to fight any plans we have for her,” Daybreaker admitted with a sigh. “Being a big sister and a parent is hard. You want the best for your family but they don’t always agree with what you think is best for them.”

Daybreaker turned to look back at the stained glass windows. Discord’s stained glass was now changed to show him and Celestia in a loving embrace, the background depicting a perfect harmony of chaos and order. Luna’s stained glass also changed to show Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon fighting, the background split in half with Nightmare Moon’s half showing the moon and night while Daybreaker’s side showed the intense sun and day.

But it was the stained glass with Sunset that was unnerving, as it showed Daybreaker and Sunset Satan battling over the burning ruins of Canterlot and at the top of the stained glass depiction was Sunset’s shattered cutie mark. That particular window symbolized their destroyed harmony.

“Family’s fight, KayKay. That can’t be helped, but it’s what you do after that matters,” Discord reminded her. “I’m sure you and Luna worked things out after she was cleansed from her darkness.”

Daybreaker thought back to the events after Twilight and her friends became the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony, Luna was withdrawn at first but Celestia managed to get her out of her shell and spent some much-needed quality time with her. Luna was fascinated by all the new modern things that had popped up since her banishment. It took her some time to adjust but thankfully she had her sister and Twilight Sparkle to help her.

It was also during this period of adjustment that Celestia started to notice some similarities between Sunset and her sister. The way her face would light up whenever she learned something new, how she would excitedly tell Celestia about her new discoveries, and finally the kindness she would show ponies.

That was when Celestia realized that not only did Sunset have her sister’s eyes but also her kind, gentle and loving heart.

“We did work it out and we’re closer now than ever.”

The stained glass window of Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker transformed, no longer were the sisters fighting but they were now side by side, happily leaning against each other and smiling. The sun and the moon were both out at the same time and the image was split into night and day. But it was Celestia that was on the side of the night while Luna was in the day.

“Luna was always bright and cheerful, the day suited her so much more than myself,” Daybreaker admitted.

“The night does bring out your beauty more, and when the moon’s light hits you, you are truly divine!” Discord complimented, smiling flirtatiously at Celestia.

“Thank you,” Daybreaker thanked Discord before leaning in for a quick kiss, which was odd as their muzzles had shrunk. “But Sunset might be more difficult to approach.”

Daybreaker turned back to the stained glass window depicting their horrible and devastating battle.

“Despite having Luna’s heart, Sunset has inherited my faults,” Daybreaker began. “She has my selfishness, arrogance, pride and worst of all my rage.”

“Why do you believe Sunset has only your faults?” Discord asked.

“Because I was the same when I was her age,” Daybreaker answered. “Whenever Sunset is happy, having fun, being a nice pony and especially when I look into her eyes, I see Luna. But when she started being dishonest and manipulative, all I saw in her was myself.”

“Do you really think that badly of yourself?” Discord asked as his free hand wrapped around Daybreaker’s waist and pulled her close.

“It's hard not to when you see the consequences for yourself,” Celestia said with regret as she recalled the hateful glare her daughter gave her when she caught her in the restricted section of the Canterlot Library.

Suddenly, Discord started laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Daybreaker demanded to know as she narrowed her eyes at Discord.

“It’s just so funny seeing you actually believe that Sunset only has your bad side,” Discord explained mid-laughter. “KayKay, we were all pretty terrible in our youth. But you grow and mature as you get older.”

“Sunset is already a full-grown mare,” Daybreaker informed him.

“That doesn’t mean she can’t change right?” Discord pointed out. “In fact, that’s exactly what she did.”

Discord turned Daybreaker around to face him, holding her hands as he gazed into her eyes.

“Only you had the joy of raising our daughter and knowing who she really is, but me and Luna know who you really are, KayKay. You are this beautiful and wonderful mare who wants to help those in need, an adventurer who seeks to explore the unknown.”

Discord brought up Daybreaker’s left hand to kiss it.

“A mare who has stolen my heart and gave me the most wonderful gift I didn’t even know I wanted,” Discord said as tears welled up in his eyes. “A mare who judges herself too harshly for her mistakes, a mare who loves her family.”

Tears began to sting Daybreaker’s eyes with each kind thing Discord listed.

“You are a mare who inspires me to do my best and I bet Luna and Sunset feel the same.”

Daybreaker’s eyes widened as she recalled how in their youth, Luna would always want to be great and powerful like her. Sunset herself dreamed of becoming a great princess like her. Her family knew what kind of wonderful pony she was.

“My family,” Daybreaker whispered as her flaming hair started to change back to normal, but that wasn’t the only thing as the stained glass window started to change.

Discord continued to smile as he witnessed Celestia changed back to her true self.

“Welcome back,” Discord happily said.

Celestia smiled at Discord and just as she was about to speak, a bright glow from behind her caught her attention. She turned around and what she saw filled her heart with joy and hope. The stained glass window now depicted a pony Celestia and Sunset in a loving hug, both mares sharing bright smiles. In the background, Canterlot was bathed in the warm light of the sun and at the top of the stained glass is Sunset’s intact cutie mark.

“Thank you, Discord,” Celestia said with gratitude.

“Since you’re always trying to help us, it’s only fair to do the same,” Discord said.

Suddenly, another stained glass window appeared with, this one depicting the royal family with Celestia sitting in the center, Discord hugging her from behind, Luna hugging her right and Sunset hugging her left. They all looked so happy together. Light spread across the room and banished the darkness.

“Now that’s much better don’t you think?” Discord asked with a grin.

Celestia merely giggled. They both embraced each other as they were engulfed by a bright light.

Discord broke out of his meditation when he sensed a familiar presence nearby. He turned around to see Celestia and his soldier clone appear.

“You made it back?!”

The Soldier and Celestia broke the hug before looking at Discord.

“Sir!” The clone stood straight and saluted the original Discord. “I succeeded in rescuing our beloved!”

“I can see that,” Discord said as he floated to them. “I’m surprised the unstable chaos magic didn’t cause you to collapse like the others.”

“I must have been lucky, sir!” The clone said.

“Or perhaps there was something else that could’ve saved you from certain doom,” Discord said before looking at
Celestia. “Perhaps the two of us together somehow stabilized the chaos.”

“If that’s true then we can stabilize Sunset!” Celestia said in excitement.

“Makes about as much sense as anything,” the Discord soldier said with a shrug. “Good luck, you two.” The Discord soldier puffed out of existence.

“Shall we get to work?” Discord asked as he held out his hand towards Celestia.

“Let’s do it,” Celestia said with determination as she took Discord’s hand, closed her eyes and started to concentrate.
Discord followed suit as they both started to search for Sunset. It wasn’t easy but with both of them working together in their search, Celestia detected Sunsets magical signature.

“There!”

“I-I can’t sense it,” Discord said, a little annoyed that he wasn’t as familiar with Sunset’s magic as Celestia.

“Focus right here!” Celestia directed Discord, using her magic to guide him.

Discord focused where Celestia told him and soon his whole body shivered.

“T-that’s her?!” Discord said as his teeth chattered.

“Unfortunately, it is,” Celestia confirmed with worry.

“Her magic is beyond unstable!” Discord said with great worry. The magic that he was sensing felt was growing more and more unstable and it could explode at any minute.

“Then let’s go to her now!” Celestia urgently said as she enveloped herself and Discord in her golden aura before teleporting themselves to where Sunset was.

Author's Note

And here's part 2, I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to your comments. Thank you KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for your help.

The Magic of Friendship Part 3

The Discord Soldier found himself in a movie theatre and spotted Rainbow Dash who was literally glued to her seat.

Sitting beside her, casually eating from a tub of popcorn, was Sunset Satan.

And on the big screen was “Anon-A-Miss: The Worst-Case Scenarios”. It showed the last slumber party at Rarity’s, then it showed them confronting Sunset Shimmer at her locker, accusing her of being Anon-A-Miss, and then abandoning her, turning their backs on her, and leaving her to be harassed by the students, to suffer all alone.

Up on the screen, Sunset Shimmer stood atop the school roof. After a mournful goodbye, she just jumped right off.

Then the scene changed to show Rainbow Dash, Gilda, and a gang of students beating Sunset Shimmer to death.

Many of the scenarios showed Sunset either being killed or committing suicide. A few did show her going back to Equestria but those were rare.

In all of them, Sunset went away, never to return.

They had allowed Anon-A-Miss to destroy their friendship.

“NO!” Rainbow Dash screamed as she continued to struggle in vain against her seat, tears streaming down the sides of her face. She had been subjected to this torture in what felt like hours. Thanks to Sunset's magic, she could neither cover her ears nor look away from the big screen.

Her wide eyes continued to watch the screen as a pleading Sunset was consumed by darkness and transformed into a demon.

Sunset Satan just laughed cruelly at Rainbow Dash’s misery.

“So much for the tough girl act,” the demon mocked. “Poor Rainbow Dash, can’t even stand to see a monster like me.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t bother to listen as the sounds of Sunset’s screams of agony drowned out Sunset Satan.

Up on the screen, red veins spread throughout Sunset’s body as cracks started to form on her skin, exposing red energy. Soon, Sunset let out a wail of intense agony as she exploded in an intense blast of red energy.

Rainbow Dash watched in horror before she let out another heartbroken scream.

The Discord soldier covered his ears. He didn’t know which was worse, his body being torn apart by the chaotic magic, the pain in his ears or seeing his daughter suffer on screen.

He couldn’t take it anymore.

“Rainbow Dash, get a grip!”

Discord’s cries fell on deaf ears as Rainbow Dash was still focused on the horror playing onscreen.

“Huh?” Sunset Satan looked up to see the Discord soldier floating above her, a grin spreading across her lips. “Nice to see you, Dad.”

Discord looked to his demonic daughter, a deep frown on his face.

“I’m not your dad. My little Sunset is nothing like you.”

“Whatever,” Sunset Satan merely shrugged and rolled her eyes as she grabbed a handful of popcorn and shoved it in her mouth. “All that matters is that Rainbow Bitch suffers.”

Discord looked back to Rainbow Dash as she let out another bloodcurdling scream, watching as she herself pushed Sunset in front of an oncoming car. The sickening crash from Sunset’s body impacting the car echoed throughout the theater.

“What you’re seeing isn’t real!” Discord shouted at Rainbow. “You have to snap out of it! Sunset needs your help!”

“Give it up,” Sunset Satan said as she threw popcorn at Rainbow Dash who didn’t react to it. “She’s beyond anyone's reach.”

Discord groaned in annoyance. Was this what it was like for ponies when he messed with them? A wave of pain coursed through his body, which caused his legs to explode into leaves.

“Sorry you can’t stay to see her completely broken,” Sunset Satan waved goodbye at Discord. “Bye bye.”

“Rainbow Dash, you must listen! None of this is real!” Discord shouted desperately to the rainbow-haired athlete as what remained of his body started crumbling into popcorn. “If you don’t snap out of it, Sunset will suffer!”

The demon watched in amusement as Discord tried in vain to reach Rainbow Dash. She summoned a candy bar and took a bite as a portal appeared in front of the screen.

“Hm?”

Sunset Satan watched the portal curiously and was surprised to see Princess Luna emerge from it.

“What in Equestria is she doing here?” the demon questioned as she watched the Princess of the Night look around before spotting Discord.

“Discord? What are you doing in the dream world?” Luna questioned.

“Dream world? You mean this is Rainbow Dash’s dream?” Discord asked.

“Rainbow Dash’s dream?” Luna questioned just before she heard Rainbow Dash’s scream. She looked down to see the young woman struggling in her seat. Luna flinched when she saw the blood on Rainbow Dash’s arms. The wounds were no doubt caused by her struggling against the glue that held her in place.

Luna wondered what was wrong until she turned around and saw what was playing on the big screen. Her eyes widened in shock as she covered her mouth in horror when she saw Sunset jump off a tall building and land on her head. Her head exploded upon impact, sending bits of skull and brain flying.

Luna wanted to throw up with how graphic the death of her niece was, but the scene soon changed to show Sunset standing in front of her friends in the cafeteria. Sunset told them she was sorry for the pain she had caused them before she used a spell that Luna recognized.

It was a spell that unicorns had created to commit suicide; and when Sunset activated it, her body lost all its color before turning to ash.

Luna was horrified, but then she realized something about this.

“Rainbow Dash’s mind will be severely damaged if this goes on,” Luna realized as she turned to look at Rainbow Dash who continued to scream and struggle, unable to tear her eyes away from the horror onscreen.

“That’s the idea.” Luna looked down to see Sunset Satan waving at her. “Hey.”

“What foul creature is this?” Luna demanded as she glared at the demon.

“Why Auntie Luna, is that any way to talk your niece?” the demon said, faking being hurt.

“YOU ARE NOT MY NIECE!” Luna raised her voice.

“You’re right, I’m the result of the dark magic that you hit mom with while she was pregnant with me,” Sunset Satan said as she sneered at Luna, hoping to get a rise out of her.

“As if, foul demon!” Luna said. She wasn’t going to believe that anymore.

“You’re no fun,” the demon pouted before gesturing to Rainbow Dash. “Oh well, I’ll still get plenty of entertainment out of her.”

“Luna, you must save her!” Discord pleaded as only his head remained. “Sunset’s life depends on it!”

“I know and I will!” Luna vowed as she watched Discord’s head completely turn into popcorn which littered the floor.

“Good luck with that,” Sunset Satan scoffed at the idea. “There’s no saving her. Just a few more scenes and soon she’ll be swallowed by the darkness.”

Rainbow Dash’s body floated aimlessly in the dark abyss. Black veins were slowly spreading throughout her body. Tears spilled from her eyes from her nightmare, but little by little those tears started turning black.

“It doesn’t matter what you do. This pitiful human is beyond saving,” Sunset Satan laughed.

“You’re wrong! If I can be saved then so can she!” Luna said as she flew down to the screaming Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow Dash, you must listen to me! Sunset needs you!”

“SUNSET! NO!!” Rainbow Dash screamed as she witnessed a new horror befall Sunset.

Sunset Satan threw her head back as she laughed hysterically. Hearing the demon’s cruel cackles was starting to annoy Luna.

“ENOUGH!” Luna’s voice bellowed, causing the theater to shake and Sunset Satan to stop laughing as she covered her ears in pain.

“Watch the volume!” Sunset Satan said angrily. Soon, her anger left her when she saw Luna surrounded in a blue sphere of magic. “What in-”

The demon was cut off as Luna unleashed her magic, causing the theater and the demon to disappear. All that was left was a white void with Rainbow Dash, now freed, laying on the floor, crying as she hugged her legs. Luna knelt down and laid a hand gently on the rainbow-haired athlete’s shoulder.

“Rainbow Dash, it’s okay. You’re safe.”

Rainbow Dash managed to look up towards Luna and see her smiling gently at her. Rainbow Dash quickly wrapped her arms around Luna and sobbed on her shoulder. The Princess of the Night was surprised at first but then wrapped her arms around the young athlete as she continued to cry.

‘Poor child. What horrors has she been she forced to endure?’ Luna thought as she held the trembling girl. “There, there now. Everything is going to be alright.”

“Will it?” Rainbow Dash questioned as she pulled away. “Sunset’s dying and it’s all my fault.”

“Why in Equestria would you blame yourself for Sunset’s condition?” Luna questioned. Had the mental torture Rainbow Dash been put through done this?

“Right before Sunset put the CMC in that horrible game, me and my friends hurt Sunset WHEN we believed she was behind a MyStable profile called ‘Anon-A-Miss’,” Rainbow Dash confessed.

“MyStable?” Luna tilted her head in confusion.

“It’s...” Rainbow started, trying to explain the internet but focused on Anon-A-Miss. “Anon-A-Miss was revealing our most embarrassing secrets."

"Anonymous?" Luna interjected.

"No, 'Anon-A-Miss'," Rainbow Dash corrected before she paused. That should have been the first clue that Sunset was not responsible. She was a straight-A student so she would not have misspelled it at all. Applebloom likely spelled it as 'Anon-A-Miss' since she did not know the correct spelling.

How stupid were they, how stupid was she, to even suspect Sunset after all they had been through together? It was the same when she and Applejack broke off their friendship. Instead of just talking to Applejack and finding out the truth, she just stopped talking to her while her friend did the same.

Was she that easy to manipulate?

“Rainbow Dash?” Luna prompted.

“Oh! Anyway, we thought that Sunset was behind Anon-A-Miss since she was the only one who took the photos that were posted and knew about Applejack’s embarrassing nickname,” Rainbow Dash continued. She explained to Luna about how they found Sunset sick in bed, Anon-A-Miss posting while Sunset was sick, she and her friends realizing that Sunset couldn’t have been Anon-A-Miss, the chaos magic affecting Canterlot, and them finally confessing to Sunset how they originally believed she was Anon-A-Miss.

“Sunset was very upset when we told her, but she was more so when she asked if we would still accuse her if she wasn’t sick and we-I said yes.”

Rainbow Dash could still see the devastated look in Sunset’s face when they told her, but then she saw the other looks of betrayal, hopelessness and defeat in the other Sunsets that had died because of her.

“I’m supposed to have my friends back, I even promised not to fall for the same trick that Sunset pulled on us. But I did!”
Rainbow Dash wrapped her arms around herself as she cried.

“I haven’t learned a damn thing, and because I’m so stupid I hurt Sunset!”

Luna watched as the rainbow-haired athlete cried. She was about to say something when Rainbow Dash spoke up.

“Princess, there’s something else I have to tell you. Something just as bad.”

This caught Luna’s interest.

“Go on,” Luna allowed.

“Did you know that Sunset used to be a bad person?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I have heard about that,” Luna answered. She had learned about her niece’s nefarious plans for Twilight’s crown from the Princess of Friendship herself.

“You see, I actually have a crush on her,” Rainbow Dash confessed.

“Really?” Luna asked, the corners of her lips lifting to make a smile.

“Yeah, but because she was a bully, I realized that I could never see myself being with a person like that,” Rainbow Dash explained.

“But what about now? Sunset is no longer the terrible pony that she was before,” Luna pointed out.

“I know, and that’s the bad thing I wanted to tell you,” Rainbow Dash said.

“I don’t understand,” Luna was confused. What was so bad about having a crush on her niece now?

“You see, after we defeated Sunset, she lost all her confidence and became as timid and shy as well...Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash began, shifting nervously as Luna stared at her. “Since Twilight asked us to teach her about friendship and Sunset basically did what we asked her to do without complaining…”

Luna’s eyes began to narrow as she didn’t like where this conversation was heading.

“I...saw an opportunity to make her into my ideal girlfriend,” Rainbow Dash finally admitted.

There was silence for a minute before their surroundings suddenly changed to that of Rainbow Dash’s room.

“What the-?!” Rainbow Dash looked around in a panic, but a firm hand on her shoulder caused her to look to Luna.

“Remain calm, Rainbow Dash. This is merely my doing,” Luna assured the young athlete. “I wish to witness your claim for myself.”

The door to Rainbow’s room swung open as an excited Rainbow Dash rushed inside. She threw her backpack on the floor before searching under her bed.

“H-how are you doing this?” the real Rainbow Dash asked as she watched herself in shock. She remembered this.

“I am the Princess of the Night and I govern over the dream realm so I can freely roam and manipulate your dreams,”

Luna explained. She smirked at seeing the look of awe on Rainbow Dash’s face. “With my power, I can look through the events of your life.”

“This is so awesome!” Dream Rainbow Dash said in excitement as she pulled out a soccer ball from under her bed. “My plan to make Sunset my idea girlfriend is working better than I thought!”

Rainbow Dash felt ashamed as she watched her dream self brag about her plan.

“I thought it would be a little hard to get Sunset to like the things I do, but not only does she love sports, but she’s a freaking natural!” Rainbow Dash squealed in delight. “And she’s got some nice abs too.”

Luna looked over to the real Rainbow Dash to see her face completely turn red,

“Wow, Sunset is really amazing,” Dream Rainbow Dash softly said to herself. “She’s smart, athletic...beautiful.” Dream Rainbow blushed at this. “And with her bitch side gone, she’s actually pretty nice.”

Dream Rainbow Dash smiled sheepishly.

“I hit the jackpot!”

Dream Rainbow grabbed her backpack and placed the soccer ball inside before swinging it on her shoulder.

“Maybe I can ask her why she looked so nervous when she tried to talk to Vice-Principal Luna?” Dream Rainbow Dash asked as she exited her room.

“Curious,” Luna said. “You show genuine honesty in wanting to be with my niece, but yet you made it sound so nefarious.”

Luna looked to Rainbow Dash who had her head down in both shame and embarrassment.

“So which is the truth Rainbow Dash? Do you honestly care for my niece or she is nothing but a trophy to you?”

Rainbow Dash’s head snapped to look at Luna. Her expression displayed utter disbelief that the Princess of The Night would even say such a thing. She opened her mouth to say that her feelings for Sunset were indeed genuine, but the images of her betrayal of Sunset stopped her.

“What’s the matter? Surely it is an easy question to answer,” Luna said as she eyed Rainbow Dash carefully.

“I...I..”Rainbow Dash couldn’t answer Luna’s question. She did love Sunset but then why did she so easily assume the worst of her?

Luna could see the confliction in Rainbow’s eyes.

“You Bitch!”

Both Luna and Rainbow turned to the source of the noise and saw an enraged Rainbow Dash glaring angrily at a fallen Sunset who looked up at Rainbow Dash while holding the left side of her face.

“Rainbow, you have to listen to me!” Sunset pleaded.

“No, I’m sick of your lies!” Rainbow Dash yelled before kicking Sunset in the stomach.

“Stop!” the real Rainbow Dash shouted as she rushed over where the fake Rainbow Dash and Sunset were.

“This will teach you to spill secrets!” Another Rainbow Dash said as she and Gilda started beating up Sunset.

Soon, more Rainbow Dashes appeared and they also started beating their own Sunsets.

Rainbow Dash didn’t know what to do. There were so many of her beating Sunsets and she didn’t know if she could save them all.

“You see, these are your true feelings.”

Sunset Satan’s voice echoed around them.

“You hate me, you hate Sunset.”

“If that were true, then why do you cry, Rainbow Dash?” Luna questioned. “If you truly hated my niece, then why do you suffer when she suffers?”

Rainbow Dash clenched her fists and, with a shout, she grabbed hold of one of her doppelgangers and pulled her off Sunset Shimmer.

“Because she’s my friend!”

She threw a punch, shattering the phony in front of her. This caused all the other fake Rainbow Dashes to stop beating on their Sunsets to look at the real Rainbow Dash.

“No, Sunset isn’t just my friend, she’s my family!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she charged at her fake selves, delivering another punch that shattered another phony.

She continued to attack every last one of her doppelgangers, each of them shattering into millions of pieces. All the while, the demon continued to mock her.

“Family, huh? What kind of family betrays each other? What kind of family assumes the worst from each other? What kind of family would do these horrible things like what you did to me?”

“It wasn’t me!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she shattered another fake. “I will never hurt Sunset the way these fakes did!”

“Don’t be so sure; we both know what you’re capable of when you get angry.”

The background changed to the school hallway where Rainbow Dash and Applejack were seen storming down the hallway, both teens appearing very angry.

“Who knows what you would’ve done if Rarity hadn’t stopped you two.”

The real Rainbow Dash looked down and gritted her teeth. What the demon said was true.

“Rainbow Dash, you mustn’t let that mistake get to you!” Luna reminded her. “You saw the worst-case scenarios. Ask yourself, are you really capable of physically hurting Sunset?!”

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and looked deep within herself. As she did, the environment around her changed to show Sunset and a very angry version of herself.

“How could you do this, Sunset?!” the fake Rainbow Dash shouted at Sunset. “I thought we were friends!”

“Rainbow Dash, I’m not Anon-A-Miss!” Sunset Shimmer pleaded with her friend. “You have to believe me!”

“It’s obviously you! I mean who else would know Applejack”s nickname and have the photos of Rarity’s slumber party?!” the fake Rainbow Dash argued.

Luna watched the scene with obvious disapproval. She felt her anger rising as she watched her niece so visibly distressed. What was Rainbow Dash trying to prove with this?

“You know what? I’m done!” Rainbow Dash said as she turned around and started walking away. “Tell whatever secrets you want, Sunset. But I don’t have to listen.”

Sunset broke down crying as the fake Rainbow Dash walked away and they both disappeared.

“Wow, talk about a heartless bitch.”

The demon chuckled around Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow Dash, what was the meaning of that?” Luna demanded as she approached the athlete.

“My true reaction,” Rainbow Dash said in a tone filled with regret. “I would have cut ties with Sunset, but I would never hurt her.”

“That gives me little comfort after witnessing that,” Luna said in a disapproving tone.

“You see? You just proved my point, Rainbow Dash. Sunset means nothing to you!”

“No,” Rainbow Dash whispered. “Sunset means the world to me.”

Rainbow Dash reached into her pocket and pulled out Sunset’s apartment key.

“Sunset trusts me.”

“That was her mistake.”

“Wrong again,” Rainbow Dash countered as her hands clenched the key tightly. “Sunset was right to trust me.”

The environment changed to the park where Rainbow Dash and Sunset had just finished practicing.

“Thanks for helping me practice, Sunset,” the past Rainbow Dash thanked the former unicorn. “You sure picked up the game pretty quick.”

“What can I say? I’m a quick study,” Sunset said as she flashed her friend a smile.

“You make the perfect training partner!” Past Rainbow Dash said with a big smile.

Both girls picked up their backpacks that they used as goalposts and made their way out of the park.

“Hey, Dash?”

“Yeah?” Past Rainbow Dash turned to look at her friend who looked at her very seriously.

“You trust me, right?” Sunset asked.

“Of course!” Past Rainbow Dash said immediately. “We’re friends, aren’t we? I trust my friends.” The present Rainbow Dash recoiled at those words.

“In that case…” Sunset reached into her pocket and pulled out a key, which she handed to Dash. “I can trust you with this.”

Rainbow Dash took the key from her friend and stared at it in confusion before looking back at Sunset.

“What is it?”

“It’s the spare key to my apartment. I’m trusting you with it in case there’s an emergency,” Sunset said very seriously.

“Wow, thanks for trusting me, Sunset.” Rainbow Dash was deeply touched by this. “I promise to only use it in an emergency.”

“Thank you, Rainbow. I can always count on you,” Sunset thanked Rainbow before they both disappeared.

“So much for the Element of Loyalty; another false claim of trusting her.”

“But I kept my promise,” Rainbow Dash said. “I did use her key in an emergency, and although she probably doesn’t trust me because of what I did, I’ll do anything to get it back.”

The key in Rainbow’s hand started glowing.

“Sunset is waiting for me and she needs my help!” Rainbow Dash said as she felt power surge through her as the glowing in her hand intensified until it shone bright enough to blind everyone.

Luna had to cover her eyes from the intense light. The light soon began to die down and, to her surprise, Rainbow Dash now held a key-shaped sword where Sunset’s key use to be. The crossguard of the key was in the shape of two majestic wings, the shaft of the key had swirls that looked like flames dancing around it and those same flames led to a sun that was at the tip of the key-shaped blade. The Keyblade itself was the same color as Sunset’s coat and the keychain hanging from the bottom of the handle was a replica of Sunset’s cutie mark.

Rainbow Dash held her Keyblade high. An orb of magic gathered around the tip of the Keyblade before releasing a wave of light that consumed everything.

“LIGHT!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

The black veins on Rainbow Dash’s body faded away just as her eyes snapped open and she was covered in light. The light spread out and destroyed the darkness surrounding her.

“I-Impossible!” Sunset Satan exclaimed in disbelief before she faded to reveal an evil version of Rainbow Dash who had a navy blue skin tone. Her hair was wild, untamed and the colors looked a little off, her wings were bigger than Rainbow Dash’s when she ponied up and they too looked feral. She gritted her razor-sharp teeth as she glared at Rainbow Dash. She was dressed in a black tank top with torn blue jeans, black boots, a black leather jacket, and she had black spiked bracelets and a spiked collar.

“Nothing’s impossible when you have the Magic of Friendship,” Rainbow Dash said as she smirked at her evil self. Pony ears sprouted from atop her head and her wings appeared on her back as her hair extended. She now sported a brown leather vest over a black t-shirt that displayed her rainbow lightning bolt. Belts crisscrossed over her chest and she had silver shoulder pads. Her hands were covered in navy gloves with steel plates on the back. She also wore jean shorts that displayed her lean athletic legs and she also had on black combat boots with steel toes and wings on the heels.

“Magic of friendship, my ass!” the Evil Rainbow Dash shouted. “I don’t need those losers and especially don’t need that bitch Sunset!”

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at the evil version of herself.

“Don’t you ever disrespect my friends!”

“And what are you going to do about it?” Evil Dash mocked challengingly.

“This!”

Rainbow Dash swung her Keyblade, which created an energy wave that went straight towards her evil self. Evil Rainbow Dash simply flew into the air to dodge it.

“Too easy,” Evil Dash said confidently before she fired a crimson energy beam from her eyes at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash dodged the attack by taking flight and making her way towards Evil Dash. She delivered another swing at Evil Dash but she maneuvered out of the way and fired another eye blast at Rainbow Dash who blocked it with her Keyblade.

“Thunder!” Rainbow Dash called out as she raised her Keyblade, which was now covered in electricity. Storm clouds gathered before a bolt of lightning suddenly shot down towards Evil Dash. Evil Dash just smirked as she easily dodged it.

“Your attacks are too slow! Like you!”

Evil Dash then proceeded to quickly zoom towards Rainbow.

“Barrier!” Rainbow Dash called out as she extended her left hand in front of her, causing a magic barrier to appear in front of her.

Evil Dash quickly pulled the brakes as she stopped herself from crashing against the barrier. The barrier soon faded and Rainbow Dash closed in on evil Dash, whacking her several times with her Keyblade before hitting her hard on top of her head and sending her evil self hurtling towards the ground. Rainbow Dash quickly flew after her at an incredible speed and creating a Sonic Rainboom. She easily overtook her falling evil self and delivered a powerful swing with her Keyblade that sent her flying in the opposite direction. She repeated this several more times before sending her back into the air with one last blow.

Rainbow Dash then pointed her Keyblade at her evil counterpart. Energy gathered on the tip of her Keyblade before discharging into a beam at Evil Dash.

“Like hell you’re beating me!!” Evil Dashed roared as she stopped herself. She then fired a powerful blast with her eye beams which collided with Rainbow’s energy beam.

The two beams struggled against each other, trying to overpower the other.

“Give it up, Dash! You can’t beat me!” Evil Dash shouted as she put more power into her beam.
Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth as she felt her attack being pushed back.

“You’re weak, Dash! You’re all alone without your so-called friends to save you!“ Evil Dash laughed as she was starting to overpower Rainbow Dash.

“You’re wrong!” Rainbow Dash raised her voice. “I’m not alone; my friends are always with me!”

Suddenly, a light amber hand laid on top of hers that were holding the Keyblade. She turned to her left to see a smiling Sunset Shimmer.

“Sunset?”

She wasn’t alone as five more hands rested on top of hers. Rainbow Dash was shocked to see all her friends, including Princess Twilight.

“You guys…” Rainbow Dash soon smiled before looking back at her evil double. “You see, my friends always have my back!”

All the girls nodded in agreement as they ponied up. They all combined their energy and the Keyblade shot out a rainbow-colored beam. It easily overpowered the energy attack from Rainbow’s evil self.

“No...this can’t be happening...It’s not supposed to end like this!” Evil Dash shouted in horror before she was hit with the Rainbow Blast, completely obliterating her and revealing Sunset Shimmer.

“Sunset!” Rainbow Dash quickly flew towards the falling girl, her friends disappearing behind her as she caught Sunset

“Sunset, are you okay?”

Sunset’s eyes fluttered open before looking at Dash and giving her a small smile.

“Hey.”

“Oh thank God!” Rainbow Dash buried her face against Sunset’s shoulder and began to cry. “I’m so sorry, Sunset.”

“It’s okay, Dash,” Sunset said as she wrapped an arm around the rainbow-haired athlete.

“It’s not okay!” Rainbow Dash said as she pulled back to look at Sunset with her tear-filled eyes. “My mistrust in you caused you to be corrupted, and the real you, the one who is a loyal friend, got lost in the darkness of my heart.”

“But you managed to find me,” Sunset pointed out. “Thanks, Dash.”

“Don’t thank me, I don’t deserve it,” Rainbow Dash cried.

“Don’t beat yourself up, Dash. Everyone makes mistakes,” Sunset assured her as she laid a hand against the left side of Dash’s face. “Besides you can always make it up to me.”

“You’re right, I promise to make this right,” Rainbow Dash promised as she wiped away her tears. “And while I’m at it, I'm going to make you fall head over heels for me!”

“I can’t wait to see you try,” Sunset giggled as she turned into a ball of light and entered Rainbow Dash’s heart.

Rainbow Dash placed her hand over her heart and let out a sigh.

“Are you alright, Rainbow Dash?”

Rainbow Dash turned to her right to see Princess Luna appear out of nowhere.

“I’m fine, Princess, and thanks for helping me.”

“You’re very welcome, but you won’t be thanking me after I administer your punishment for hurting my niece,” Luna said with a wink, causing Rainbow Dash to laugh nervously. “But now we must find Sunset.”

“Right!” Rainbow Dash agreed. “Do you know how we can find her?”

“I can use my powers over the dream world to search this chaotic one and find her. That’s how I found you,” Luna suggested.

Rainbow Dash looked at her Keyblade and had an idea.

“Princess, do you mind if I try something?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Of course. If it can help us find Sunset, then go right ahead,” Luna encouraged Rainbow Dash.

“Thanks,” Rainbow Dash gratefully said to the Lunar Princess. She held onto her Keyblade with both hands and began to concentrate. “May my heart be my guiding key.” Luna raised an eyebrow at this last sentence when Rainbow’s Keyblade suddenly shot a beam of energy from the tip and created a portal.

“What did you do?” Luna questioned as she stared at the portal in amazement.

“I let my heart guide me to where Sunset is,” Rainbow Dash said simply.

“Shall we go then?” Luna asked.

Rainbow Dash nodded as they both flew into the portal.

“What in tarnation?!” Applejack shouted in shock as she found herself in a volcanic wasteland. There were volcanoes erupting all around her and lava was flowing everywhere.

But the odd thing was that it wasn’t even hot. She was not sweating bullets. It was comfortably warm and toasty.

Applejack was then startled by a car horn which caused her to quickly turn around to see Rarity waving at her from inside a limo.

“Rarity?”

The driver of the limousine exited the driver’s side to open the door for Rarity.

“Thank you, darling,” Rarity thanked the chauffeur as she exited the limo.

“You’re welcome, miss,” the chauffeur said before he and the limo disappeared.

“Ah should’ve known yah would get here in style,” Applejack said as she approached Rarity.

“Of course, I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Rarity said before she and Applejack shared a hug. “It’s good to see that you’re alright, darling. And I love your outfit. It truly screams 'Girl Power'.”

“Thanks. Ah had some trouble but Sunset’s father helped me out,” Applejack said before breaking the hug. “Glad yer okay.”

“Look out belooow!”

Applejack and Rarity looked up to see Pinkie Pie falling towards them.

“Pinkie?!”

Pinkie noticed Applejack and Rarity, which caused her to smile even more. She immediately hit the brakes and came to a screeching halt just as she was an inch off the ground.

“AJ! Rarity!” Pinkie Pie pulled Rarity and Applejack into a tight hug. “I’m so happy to see you, girls!” Pinkie Pie cried comical tears.

“We’re happy to see you too, Pinkie Pie,” Rarity struggled to breathe as Pinkie Pie squeezed the air out of her lungs.

“Glad to see yah, Pinkie,” Applejack said before noticing a portal appear in the sky. “Looks like we got company.”

The girls looked up in time to witness Fluttershy exit the portal as it closed behind her.

“Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie yelled enthusiastically.

Fluttershy looked down to see Pinkie Pie waving at her with Applejack and Rarity beside her.

“Girls!” Fluttershy swooped down and into the waiting arms of her friends who were more than happy to see her.

“Thank heavens you’re alright, Fluttershy,” Rarity said as she hugged her friend tight.

Two more portals appeared above them before Twilight, Luna and Rainbow Dash emerged from them.

“Princess Luna! Rainbow Dash!” Twilight yelled in joy at seeing her two friends.

“Twilight Sparkle!” Princess Luna flew towards Twilight and embraced her.

“I’m so glad you’re alright!” Twilight said as she hugged Luna.

Twilight felt another pair of arms wrap around her and turned to see Rainbow Dash. She wrapped her left arm around Rainbow Dash and hugged her.

“Hey, girls!”

Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Princess Luna looked down to see the girls waving at them. Bright smiles spread on the trio’s lips and they swooped down to join the rest of their friends in a group hug.

“Aren’t you forgetting somepony?”

The group turned to see Discord and Celestia standing side by side. Celestia had a serene smile while Discord waved at them.

“Sister! Brother!” Luna cried out in joy as she ran towards her family and hugged them both.

“‘Brother’?” Discord questioned.

“You are my sister’s special somepony, as well as my niece’s father,” Luna stated. “Not to mention that you’ve earned the right for me to call you brother with your recent actions.”

“Wow, Luna. I’m honored,” Discord said. He was truly touched that Luna now considered him her brother.

An eruption suddenly brought their attention to one of the volcanoes as it spewed out millions of fruit. Another volcano spat out a mountain that headed towards the group. Acting quickly, Princess Celestia zoomed towards the mountain and caught it.

“Whoa.” Rainbow Dash swallowed a lump in her throat as she saw Celestia’s god-like strength.

“And ah thought Mac and Ah were strong,” Applejack said in awe.

With a mighty roar, the Solar Princess threw the mountain back at the volcano, causing them to explode into millions of stuffed animals.

A bright smile spread across Celestia’s lips at seeing the stuffed animals. Oh how she loved them! But she suppressed her joy as she needed to save her daughter.

“Sister, look out!” Luna warned as she pointed above her older sister.

Celestia looked up to see a massive fireball falling towards her. The Princess of the Sun smirked as she prepared to catch it.

“Allow me.”

Discord appeared next to Celestia and magically summoned an umbrella. He pulled Celestia close as he opened the umbrella and used it to stop the fireball. As soon as it impacted, the umbrella it exploded into snow.

“Good thing you didn’t catch that, huh?” Discord asked as he smirked at Celestia.

Another eruption caught their attention and to everyone's shock, they saw something emerge from one of the volcanoes.

“Is that…” Rainbow Dash trailed off as she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“R-Rodan,” Fluttershy shivered in fear at seeing the giant Pteranodon emerge from the volcano.

“We have to locate Sunset before things get worse!” Twilight said as she watched the monster. She then turns to look at Princess Celestia. “Princess Celestia, do you know where Sunset is?!”

“Yes, she’s somewhere in that volcanic area!” Celestia answered.

“Figures,” Twilight said with a sigh.

Rodan looked in their direction and let out a roar before swooping down from the volcano and towards the group.

“Here he comes,” Applejack called.

Suddenly, something flew above them and towards Rodan, colliding with the flying kaiju and stopping his attack.

“What the-?! Gamera?!” Rainbow Dash was shocked to see the giant flying turtle kaiju suddenly showing up and fighting Rodan.

“He’s here to help us,” Fluttershy said, no longer feeling scared as she clutched at her heart.

“Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash looked to her childhood friend. She had never seen Fluttershy look so determined.

“Princess Celestia, show us the way!” Fluttershy said to the Solar Princess.

“Right!” Princess Celestia nodded.

The Princess of the Sun flew on ahead as Twilight and Rainbow Dash grabbed on to one of Applejack’s arms and carried her while Luna and Fluttershy helped Rarity. Fluttershy cast a glance towards Gamera as he continued to fight Rodan before looking ahead.

‘Thank you,’ Fluttershy gratefully thought.

As the group flew over the lava fields and dodged geysers of lava, they managed to reach an area of the lava field that was safe and solid. As soon as they landed, they were immediately swarmed by giant insects.

“Ew! Get away!” Rarity shrieked in disgust as she attempted to shoo the bugs away but to no avail.

“Out of the way!” Rainbow Dash said as she summoned her Keyblade and swatted the bugs away. She cast a Lightning spell, zapping the bugs. With a swing, she threw a Fire spell, blasting the bugs to ash.

Celestia’s eyes glowed as she prepared to cast a spell that would incinerate the insects, but she was tackled to the ground by a literal firefly. Discord tackled the bug off of Celestia before pulling out a rope and tying it up.

“Ow!” Rarity rubbed her head as a fruit landed beside her. “Honestly!”

Rarity looked on the ground and saw an orange.

“Alrighty then.” Rarity pulled out a Sengoku Driver and placed it on her waist. A belt strap looped around her waist before connecting to the other end. She then picked up the orange and it transformed into a Lockseed. “Henshin.”

Rarity pressed the side of the Lockseed which unlocked it.

[Kachidoki!]

Rarity then placed the Kachidoki Lockseed on the Sengoku Driver before pressing down on the shackle and locking it in place.

[Lock On!]

Rarity then made a pose as she hit the top of the knife attached to the Sengoku Driver which sliced the Lockseed open. The sound of a zipper could be heard as a crack appeared above Rarity and an oddly-shaped orange object descended on top of her. The object unfolded over Rarity and she transformed into Kamen Rider Gaim.

[Kachidoki Arms! TAKE THE FIELD! HIP, HIP HURRAH!]

“Rarity?” Rainbow Dash could not believe that Rarity, the fashion-obsessed, lady-like girl of all her friends just transformed into a Kamen Rider.

The giant insects surrounded Gaim and fired their stingers at her. The stingers impacted against her armor but they did nothing. Gaim then pulled out her DJ Gun and scratched the DJ-like disk on the side of the gun. Gaim then switched the DJ Gun’s setting to high before aiming the gun at the bugs and pulling the trigger, causing the gun to fire rapidly like a machine gun.

The rest of the group watched in amazement as Rarity wiped out the bugs, but then more showed up and merged to make a massive flying insect. Gaim looked at the combined giant insect without a hint of worry as she simply removed the Lockseed from her belt and attached it to the side of the DJ Gun.

[Lock on!]

Gaim aimed the gun at the insect as it charged power before firing it at the insect.

[TRIUMPHANT CHARGE!]

The blast completely destroyed the monster.

“Hmph!” Rarity said as she turned back to normal. She then turned to her friends and smiled at them. “Shall we be on our way?”

The Rainbooms and Princess Twilight were speechless while Discord, Celestia and Luna looked impressed.

“Rarity, why didn’t you tell me you were into Kamen Rider?!” Rainbow Dash demanded.

“I wasn’t sure how you would react,” Rarity said as she rubbed her arm nervously. “Since it’s odd for someone like me to like this kind of thing.”

“Are you kidding? That’s awesome!” Rainbow Dash raised her voice in delight.

“Really?” Rarity was pleasantly surprised by this. She figured Rainbow Dash would tease her about her hobby.

“Yeah, we should definitely watch some episodes together after we save Sunset,” Rainbow Dash suggested.

“I would like that,” Rarity said as they all continued their way to Sunset’s location.

They all soon arrived at a large lake in the middle of a charred wasteland.

“Sunset is somewhere in there,” Celestia said as she motioned to the lake.

Suddenly, there was a red glow in the center of the lake.

“What is that?” Twilight asked as she could see something surfacing from the lake.

“Oh my gosh, it’s a monster!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she was suddenly wearing a pilot’s uniform.

A monster roared as it emerged from the lake, a roar that the Rainbooms were very familiar with. After all, they had seen the movies.

“N-no way,” Rainbow Dash stuttered. She broke out in a cold sweat as she gawked at the monster.

“G-Godzilla,” Fluttershy whimpered as she started trembling.

“He doesn’t look so good,” Pinkie Pie noted as they all noticed that Godzilla was glowing red in his chest, stomach, thighs and spines.

“Don’t tell me we have to beat that thing?!” Twilight questioned as she saw the kaiju approaching them.

“Wait a moment, Sunset’s magic signature is moving closer,” Celestia noted. "But how can-”

Godzilla roared before firing his red atomic breath at the group. Celestia, Discord, Luna and Twilight jumped in front and created an energy shield to block Godzilla’s attack.

“This energy...it’s Sunset’s!” Celestia said as she and the other three Equestrians struggled to hold back Godzilla’s attack.

“No way!” Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe it. There was no way that Sunset had become Godzilla. It just wasn’t possible!

But this was the chaotic world that Sunset had created so nothing was impossible here.

Godzilla finally stopped his attack, letting out another roar before continuing his march towards the group. Each of its heavy footsteps made the ground shake.

“How are we supposed to save Sunset if she has turned into that beast?” Rarity asked.

“With the Magic of Friendship,” Twilight stated.

“Then we better do it fast. Godzilla there looks like he could explode any minute,” Rainbow Dash pointed out as Godzilla’s body started rapidly flashing red.

The group charged towards Godzilla who saw them and fired another atomic breath.

“Not this time!” Discord said as he snapped his fingers.

“What the-?!” Luna was shocked to find herself seated in what looked like a room with flashing buttons.

“Here we go!” Discord shouted as he, Celestia and Luna were dressed as Power Rangers. He pushed a lever forward which prompted the Mighty Morphing Megazord to charge ahead to intercept Godzilla’s attack.

Sparks flew from the Megazord as well as inside the cockpit from the powerful attack. Twilight flew straight at Godzilla but had to stop due to the intense heat he was giving off. Godzilla raised his arm to swat her away but it was blocked by a silver and pink hand.

“I gotcha, Twilight!”

“Pinkie?”Twilight was surprised to see a giant humanoid that was silver and pink with Pinkie’s cutie mark on its thighs. In between the humanoid’s breasts was a blue balloon-shaped crystal.

“That’s Ultra Pinkie!” Ultra Pinkie said as she pushed Godzilla away. “Sunny, it’s us! We’re here to save you!”

Godzilla simply roared in pain as lights flashed from his chest before he fired an atomic breath at Ultra Pinkie. Pinkie evaded by flying away then flew back to tackle Godzilla to the ground.

“Sunny, we’re trying to help you!” Ultra Pinkie said as she struggled with holding Godzilla down. The kaiju was not making it easy as it roared and thrashed.

Godzilla’s chest continued to flash red when the ground around him started trembling before a gigantic Sunset Satan erupted from the ground. She fired an energy blast at Pinkie, which caused sparks to fly from the impact area and forced her to release Godzilla as she fell to the ground.

“Pinkie!” Applejack shouted in horror as she watched her best friend go down.

“Applejack, look out!” Rarity warned the farmer.

Applejack turned around in time to see Mega Sunset Satan leaping right at her but she was hit by an energy blast.

“I’ve got you covered, Applejack!” Rarity said as she was now Kamen Rider Build Rabbit Rabbit Form.

“But who’s got you?” another Sunset Satan said from behind Rarity but she was tackled by a bear.

“Me!” Fluttershy shouted firmly.

Another Sunset Satan shoved the bear off of herself and glared at Fluttershy who glared back.

“Fluttershy get down!” Rarity shouted as she aimed her Fullbottle Buster at Fluttershy.

[Full Bottle Break!]

Fluttershy ducked as Rarity fired a powerful energy blast that hit both Sunset Satans and destroyed them.

“Where in the world did they come from?!” Applejack asked as they were surrounded by Sunset Satans.

Rainbow Dash knocked aside a Sunset Satan as she made her way towards Godzilla.

“Sunset!”

Godzilla roared as he looked at Rainbow Dash.

“We want to help you, Sunset! Please! You have to let us!” Rainbow Dash pleaded with the kaiju.

Godzilla merely looked at Rainbow Dash before roaring in pain. Waves of energy shot from his melting spines and destroyed whatever was behind him. Something suddenly emerged from Godzilla’s chest and it was Sunset Shimmer.

“Sunset!” Rainbow Dash shouted, feeling relieved at seeing her best friend.

“It hurts, it hurts so much!” Sunset screamed in pain. The whites of her eyes were now red and there were glowing crimson cracks on her skin.

“Hang on! I’m coming!” Rainbow Dash quickly zoomed towards Sunset but the intense heat repelled her. “No!”

Rainbow Dash powered through the intense heat but she was stopped by Twilight who teleported them away.

“Twilight, what are you doing?!” Rainbow Dash demanded as she struggled in Twilight’s grip.

“Keeping you from hurting yourself,” Twilight said, wincing from the pain of the burns on her body. “We need all of us to save Sunset!”

Rainbow Dash noticed the burn marks on Twilight’s wings before wincing from the pain of her own burns.

“Thanks, Twi.” Rainbow Dash gratefully said.

“Don’t mention it,” Twilight smiled at Rainbow Dash before facing Godzilla. She focused her magic and teleported the girls to her except for Pinkie who stood up next to them. “Ready, girls?”

Rarity and Pinkie turned back to normal and Pinkie floated next to the group as they all held hands.

“Ready!” Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie confirmed.

Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty and Magic, the Magic of Friendship and Elements of Harmony coursed through the girls as they prepared their magnificent rainbow blast. However, standing in their way was several giant Sunset Satans and an army of normal-sized ones.

“Give it up!” the demons said at once.

“Heads up!”

The demons’ eyes widened as one of the giant Sunset Satans was thrown at them, knocking the giants down.

“Big finish!” Discord said as his Megazord was flanked by two others, the Lightspeed Megazord and the Time Force Megazord. All three Megazords charged their swords before slashing forward which combined to create a powerful slash that destroyed all the demons.

“They did it!” Pinkie Pie cheered before a blast of Godzilla’s supercharged red atomic breath shot forth and hit the swords.

“She’s too strong!” Luna said from the cockpit as sparks were flying everywhere.

Godzilla fired another atomic breath, blowing off the Time Megazord’s left arm off. Another powerful atomic breath caused all the Megazords to go limp before falling forward.

Godzilla let out a triumphant roar as his body unleashed more deadly radiation that laid waste to his surroundings.

“Oh no.” Fluttershy looked on with worry as they all heard Sunset’s cry of agony.

Godzilla roared in pain as he started to fade away, leaving Sunset floating in mid-air.

“Sunset!”

Sunset looked at her friends. She managed a small strained smile as her body radiated magic that started to tear up the environment.

“I’m sorry girls, but this is goodbye,” Sunset sadly said.

“Sunset, don’t say that!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Please, darling! Don’t give up!” Rarity urged as fear started to grip her heart.

“I’m sorry girls, thank you for everything,” Sunset said as steam came out of her eyes in place of tears and as her body started glowing before she vanished.

“NO!” Everyone screamed in horror as Sunset vanished once again, this time for good.

“This..this can’t be the end,” Rarity said in disbelief, her mascara running down the sides of her face.

“No! I won’t let it be the end! Not like this!” Rainbow Dash shouted as tears spilled from her eyes.

“We can’t give up now, not after coming this far,” Applejack said.

“And we won’t,” Twilight said. “We won’t give up!”

The girls felt the Magic of Friendship course through them. The Magic of Friendship gathered in Applejack and a lasso of magic appeared in her right hand.

“W-hat am Ah suppose ta do with this?” Applejack asked as she looked at the lasso.

“Trust your heart and use it, Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said as she laid a hand on her friend’s shoulder.

Applejack looked at Rainbow’s eyes before nodding. She took a deep breath before exhaling, closing her eyes. Applejack focused on all the good moments she had with Sunset with all the laughter and smiles they shared. She swung the lasso over her head before throwing it forward. The noose of the lasso suddenly vanished.

“It disappeared,” Fluttershy said.

Applejack looked at the lasso in confusion before feeling a strong tug on it. She held the lasso tightly as she attempted to pull whatever it got. A vortex suddenly opened and Sunset Shimmer was slowly being dragged out with the rope wrapped around her waist.

“Sunset!”

The rest of the girls went to Applejack and helped her pull Sunset out.

“We got you, Sunset!”

“Hang on!”

“What are you doing? Can’t you see that when I die, I’ll take you all with me,” Sunset said in confusion as she was being pulled out.

“You’re not going to die, Sunset!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Yeah, so quit saying that!” Pinkie Pie said.

“No matter what you say, Sunset, we’re not letting you go!” Twilight said with determination.

“We’re family, Sunset!” Applejack stated.

“We’ve made some mistakes and hurt you,” Rarity said, pulling on the rope with all her strength.

“But we’re not going to make the mistake of letting you die!” Fluttershy spoke with great determination as she pulled on the rope.

“You’ll be smiling again in no time, Sunny!” Pinkie Pie said as she pulled hard on the rope.

Sunset listened to her friends' determination. She was beyond words as they made her feel so loved.

“Sunset!”

Sunset saw her mother, father and aunt approaching her at top speed.

“We’re here, Sunset!” Luna shouted as she joined the girls in pulling on the rope.

“Don’t you give up on us, sweetie!” Discord said as he joined Luna.

“We won’t let you go, Sunset!” Celestia said, looking at her daughter as she grabbed the rope and started pulling.

Seeing all of her family fighting so hard for her, Sunset felt herself wanting to stay with them. Everyone pulled with all their strength as the air around Sunset started to crack, signaling the imminent catastrophe that was about to unfold.

“Together!” Celestia shouted as everyone gave one last pull and pulled Sunset out of the vortex.

Celestia and Discord jumped towards Sunset with outstretched hands. Sunset stretched her arms towards her parents, her body flaring with unstable chaotic magic as she was about to explode.

The rest of the group watched on before they had to cover their eyes as the trio was consumed by a bright light that soon spread out and consumed everything.

The group slowly opened their eyes and found themselves in a forest covered in snow as it snowed gently around them.

“Did it work?” Applejack asked.

“Look there!” Fluttershy pointed ahead to Discord and Celestia, both who were hugging their daughter close.

“They did it!” Pinkie Pie cheered as Sunset’s body no longer had those ugly red veins anymore.

The group rushed towards them, big smiles on their faces as they saw that they were all okay.

“How is she?” Luna asked as she knelt down in front of her family. She reached out to brush a stray hair away from Sunset’s face.

“She’s going to be fine,” Celestia said with tears in her eyes. It worked. Her and Discord’s combined magic has stabilized Sunset’s and saved her life.

Everyone let out a loud cheer that shook the forest. They had saved Sunset.

A cold breeze blew which caused the group, minus Discord and Celestia, to shiver.

“Can we please get out of here before we freeze?” Rarity said as her teeth chattered. She really wished she had one of her trendy winter ensembles on right now.

Discord and Celestia looked to one another and giggled before Discord snapped his fingers, causing them all to vanish.

Author's Note

Sunset is finally saved and the family has been reunited! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and stay tune for the final chapter, I look forward to your comments. I want to thank KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for helping me get this far.

At long Last

The light of the morning sun shone through the window of Sunset’s bedroom. The warm light hit Sunset’s face, disturbing her peaceful sleep.

“Just five more minutes, mom,” Sunset groaned as she pulled the covers over her head. Just as she was getting comfortable, she felt something was off. It was not bad, just different. Different yet familiar.

Sunset tossed and turned in her bed as she tried to get back to sleep and groaned in annoyance as she realized that she wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep because of this odd yet familiar feeling. She threw the covers off as she sat up, stretched her arms and scratched her back. Her hand felt rougher than usual against her fur.

“Wait, fur?!”

Sunset quickly threw the rest of the covers off herself and realized that she was a pony again.

“H-how is this possible?” Sunset questioned as she looked at her hooves. Could she be dreaming?

“I see you’re awake.”

Sunset jumped at the sound of the voice and quickly turned towards the source where she saw a strange pony with mismatched parts standing in the open doorway.

“Who are you?!” Sunset demanded as she jumped off her bed. She stumbled a little as she wasn’t used to her pony body after being human for so long but quickly recovered.

“Is that any way to greet your father?” Discord asked as he chuckled slightly.

“My...father?!” Sunset was shocked to hear this.

“Have you forgotten already?” Discord asked playfully.

Sunset thought for a moment and recalled that when she was trying to get back to Equestria, her mother had suddenly appeared and then she introduced her to a man named Discord.

“Wait a minute! Where’s mom?!” Sunset said urgently. “She was with us and where am I?!”

“Easy there, Sunset.” Discord tried to calm his daughter. “Your mother is busy raising the sun and taking care of some royal duties but she should be back shortly. “As for where you are..”

Discord snapped his fingers which caused a balcony to replace Sunset’s wall.

Sunset cautiously walked out onto the balcony. Her eyes widened when she saw a snow-covered Canterlot.

“I...I’m in Equestria,” Sunset gasped as she took in the beauty of her old home as it bathed under the warm light of the sun. She then turned back to look at Discord who was simply watching her as he leaned his back against the wall.

“I’m guessing you have some questions?” Discord asked.

“Y-yeah,” Sunset replied nervously. All her life, she never knew her father and suddenly there he was. There were a lot of things she wanted to ask him but one question came to mind. “Where were you? Why weren’t you there?”

“Simple answer is I was turned to stone by your mother and aunt,” Discord answered. He felt guilty for not being there for Sunset while she grew up but it couldn’t be helped.

“Why would they-?!” Sunset’s eyes widened as she realized something she overlooked: her father was the bucking Lord of Chaos. She had learned about Discord’s deeds in school and how her mother had defeated him. “So that’s where my desire to rule Equestria came from.”

“Are you sure that’s all you got from me?” Discord asked as he snapped his fingers and made the furniture in the room come to life.

“Your dad is one swell guy, Sunset,” the bed said.

“He sure knows how to liven things up,” the lamp agreed.

“No wonder your mom fell for him,” the dresser spoke.

Sunset giggled at the scene which caused Discord to smile. Sunset’s horn lit up as she turned the whole room and themselves into an old-style, black and white cartoon bar.

“Interesting,” Discord commented. He was dressed in a 1920’s style suit.

“This is nothing compared to what I did to the castle,” Sunset said as she wore a dress from the 1920’s and her mane was done in that era’s style.

“Did you by any chance turn Canterlot upside down?” Discord asked as he summoned a glass of water. Instead of drinking the water, he drank the glass.

“Upside down and inside out!” Sunset said with glee.

The two of them broke out in laughter which was joined by everything else in the bar. Discord was laughing so hard that he didn’t notice the hurried hoofsteps before he felt something collide against him. He opened his eyes to see a trembling Sunset holding him tightly. He could hear her muffled sobs and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight as the bar around them disappeared. Discord smiled as tears ran down the sides of his face. He was finally able to hold his daughter in his arms without hurting her.

Sunset felt her father’s arms wrap around her which caused her to cry harder. Finally, after so many years of wondering who her father was and what it would be like to be hugged by him, Sunset had what she had been missing for so long. She felt a very pleasant warmth surrounding her. It felt similar to her mother’s hugs her but at the same time different. Even his smell was different. It was a good kind of different.

Discord pulled back to gaze at Sunset. She truly was a beautiful little mare and his daughter.

“You’re as beautiful as your mother, Sunset.”

Sunset smiled widely at hearing this. She had always heard ponies tell her this but she never truly believed them since they were just trying to butter her up. But hearing it from someone she actually trusted, especially her own father, filled her with happiness.

“You even have her smile,” Discord complimented.

“Dad,” Sunset giggled before she was lifted up and cradled in her father’s arms.

“I promise you, Sunset. I’ll always be there for you from now on,” Discord vowed as he looked into his daughter’s eyes with love and adoration.

More tears of joy spilled from Sunset’s eyes as she wrapped her hooves around her father’s neck. Discord simply held his crying daughter.

He saw Princess Celestia. Tears were spilling down the sides of her face as she witnessed her love and their daughter finally have a proper reunion.

“Hey, beautiful,” Discord flirted, giving Celestia a sly grin.

“Hey, handsome,” Celestia flirted back, giving Discord a flirtatious wink.

At the sound of Celestia’s voice, Sunset’s body stiffened. Sunset slowly turned her head around to look at her mother with wide eyes.

“M-mom?” Sunset nervously said.

“Good morning, Sunshine,” Celestia said as she locked eyes with her daughter.

Discord placed his daughter on the ground and stepped back, giving them some space as this moment was just between the two of them.

Sunset looked into her mother’s eyes with fright. After the way they had parted ways, Sunset had been dreading this moment.

“M-mom..I…” Sunset struggled to find the words to express how sorry she was for everything she had done.

Celestia watched her daughter struggle to speak. She calmly walked closer until she was standing right in front of Sunset.

Sunset looked up at the imposing figure that was her mother. She trembled as she imagined the sort of terrible punishment which awaited her. Her nerves were on edge as she watched her mother lift her right hoof before wrapping it around Sunset and bringing her in for a tight hug.

“I’ve missed you so much, my little Sunshine,” Celestia said as tears started falling from her eyes.

“Y-you’re not mad at me?” a stunned Sunset asked.

“Of course not. I was worried sick about you Sunset,” Celestia said as she continued to hold her daughter.

Tears welled up in Sunset’s eyes before she wrapped her hooves around her mother’s neck and started wailing.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Sunset cried.

Discord summoned a napkin before blowing his nose. This was truly a touching moment.

Celestia was overwhelmed with joy. Her daughter was finally back in her hooves. Celestia pulled away from the hug and sat down as she took her daughter’s head in her hooves. She leaned close to plant a kiss on her daughter’s forehead before nuzzling her. Sunset returned the affection. She felt that familiar warmth that her mother always radiated. It made her feel relaxed and safe. There was the familiar aroma of her mother’s sunflower-scented shampoo. Sunset always loved the smell of sunflowers. Whenever she had a bad day, and especially since the Fall Formal, the smell of sunflowers would always remind her of her mother who made her feel safe and calm.

“Mom?” Sunset asked.

Celestia’s heart fluttered at hearing her daughter call her mom again.

“What is it, my little Sunshine?” Celestia asked.

“I’m really sorry for how I acted before I ran through the portal,” Sunset apologized with great remorse as she remembered the heated argument she had with her mother. “You were right. I was acting like a spoiled princess.” Sunset lowered her head and started crying again. She recalled how she screamed at Celestia that she hated her and the heartbroken look in her eyes. “I didn’t mean what I said. I love you, Mom. I’ve missed you a lot when I was on the other side of the portal, and your counterpart reminded me so much of what I missed.”

Celestia brought her right hoof underneath Sunset’s chin and lifted her head to look at her.

“It’s alright. I don’t blame you for saying what you did,” Celestia said, Sunset was about to speak but Celestia continued, “I won’t lie though. What you said really hurt me, Sunset.” Sunset’s ears fell at hearing that.

“However, I know a way for you to make it up to me,” Celestia said, having a mischievous look in her eyes.

“W-what is it?” Sunset asked nervously, not liking that look in her mother’s eyes. It always meant something embarrassing was about to befall her.

Celestia opened her mouth to speak but a knock on the door caught everyone’s attention.

“Sister, I was told that you were here. May I come in?” Luna’s voice could be heard asking from the other side of the door.

“Of course,” Celestia said with a bright smile as she stood up and faced the door, a wing wrapped around Sunset as she stood by her side.

The door opened to reveal the Princess of the Night as she walked inside.

“I wanted to ask if Sunset is-” Luna cut herself off when she spotted Sunset next to Celestia. Luna’s eyes locked on to Sunset’s and it felt as if she was staring into her own eyes.

Sunset swallowed a lump in her throat as she stared at her aunt. She often wondered what her pony form would look like and was a little surprised that her coat was darker than her human counterpart’s skin tone. Sunset also noted the curious look in her aunt’s eyes, for it was the same look that the Vice-Principal would always give her whenever she saw her. Before Sunset could ponder any further, she was surrounded by a blue aura and lifted away from her mother and into the waiting hooves of her aunt.

“Hello, Sunset Shimmer,” Luna spoke in a very gentle and loving tone. “I’m your auntie, Lulu.”

“H-hi,” Sunset spoke in a nervous tone. She was taken aback by her aunt’s tone compared to the serious tone of her human counterpart. Maybe this was what she was really like around family and loved ones.

“There’s no need to be nervous around me, Sunset,” Luna assured her niece, as she ran her hoof down on top of her head.
“Your mother has told me a lot about you.”

“S-she has?” Sunset asked in the same nervous manner. “Did she tell you about the bad things I did?”

“Oh yes, you were a very mischievous little filly!” Luna teased which caused Sunset to blush. “And before you say anything, I know what you are referring too.”

Sunset averted her gaze from the Lunar Princess, afraid to see the look of disappointment that Vice-Principal Luna once gave her.

“Do not worry Sunset, I myself have made mistakes,” Luna assured her precious niece as she nuzzled the side of her face.
“I don’t hold it against you and besides we’re not who we were before.”

A wave of relief washed over Sunset as she nuzzled her aunt, Luna pulled back and looked at her niece.

“I can’t wait to spend quality time with you!” Luna said glee as she brought Sunset close for a hug. “There’s so many things I want to ask you: What’re your favorite foods? What do you like to do? And what do you think of the night?”

“The night?” Sunset questioned.

“Yes, what do you think of the night that I bring?” Luna asked with a hint of nervousness in her voice.

“I love it,” Sunset said simply as she closed her eyes. “The night is very beautiful, peaceful and relaxing. I love reading under the moonlight from my balcony.”
Luna squealed with joy as she spun her niece around, causing Sunset to laugh.

Tears welled up in Celestia’s eyes as she witnessed her sister finally met her niece and they were already off to a great start. Celestia felt an arm over her shoulder and turned to see a smiling Discord.

“Is this what you imagined it to be?” Discord asked as he watched his daughter and sister start tickling each other.

“No,” Celestia said as she leaned into him. “There’s something still missing.”

“Oh?” Discord looked at her curiously.

Celestia’s horn lit up as she enveloped both Luna and Sunset in her aura to bring them over to them. She wrapped her hooves around them and nuzzled them. Luna and Sunset returned the affection. Discord, not wanting to be left outstretched his arms like rubber to hug the three mares. The family laughed and basked in the warmth of each other’s company.

At long last, they were finally whole.

The school’s auditorium was filled with students, all of which were talking about the identity of Anon-A-Miss.

“I still can’t believe it was three little girls that did this,” Lightning Dust said to Gilda who had her arms crossed next to her.

“What I want to know is how they get their hands on that photo of me,” Gilda growled. She looked around to see the unhappy looks of the rest of the students. “Everyone here looks like they wanna murder those girls.”

“I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes right now,” Lightning Dust said.

Backstage, the CMC and Rainbooms waited for Principal Celestia to start the assembly. They all looked exhausted and Rainbow Dash almost collapsed a few times until her friends convinced her to take a nap. She was currently sleeping in a chair with her head resting on Fluttershy’s lap. The shy animal lover looked at her friend with worry. Princess Luna had told them that Rainbow Dash had suffered a great deal at the hands of her corrupted self, but she assured them that it was nothing serious and Dash just needed some rest to recover.

‘Rainbow, just what did you go through?’ Fluttershy wondered as she could only imagine the kind torture Rainbow Dash had been put through. The sound of snoring broke her train of thought and she smiled upon seeing Rainbow Dash’s carefree sleeping face with a bit of drool on the right corner of her mouth.

“She sure looks peaceful, doesn’t she?” Applejack asked as she looked at her sleeping friend/rival. “Ah could sure use a nap mahself.”

“I think we can all use some rest after what we just went through,” Rarity said as she approached Applejack.

“I sure hope Sunset is resting well,” Pinkie Pie said as she suddenly appeared next to Applejack.

At the mention of Sunset’s name, the Rainbooms went quiet as they recalled what had happened earlier today.

The Rainbooms and the Equestrians were gathered in front of the school.

“So what happens now?” Rainbow Dash asked, her eyelids feeling heavy.

“We take Sunset back to Equestria where we can monitor her recovery,” Princess Celestia answered as she lifted her daughter in her arms.

“F-for how long?” Fluttershy asked nervously.

“It shouldn’t take too long,” Discord said as he was suddenly wearing a doctor's outfit and pressed his stethoscope against Sunset’s forehead. “The worst part is over and she just needs bed rest.”

“Twilight will be sure to stay in touch and will inform you girls when Sunset wakes up,” Luna assured them.

“That’s right. You girls still have Sunset’s journal,” Twilight reminded them. “Like Discord said, the worst is over now.”

“We understand, darling. Please take care of Sunset for us,” Rarity said as she cast a glance at the sleeping Sunset in the Solar Princess’ arms.

“Give her a big hug for me!” Pinkie Pie requested.

“Take care, y’all,” Applejack said as she tilted her hat.

The Equestrians bid farewell as they entered the portal and returned home.

“Sunset is safe,” Rarity proclaimed, her tone was filled with confidence and grace. “It’s as her father said: the worst is over.”

“Yer right; we saved Sunset,” Applejack said with a smile before it faltered. “Now we just have to save them.”

The girls turned to see the nervous CMC as they waited for the assembly to start. They had a right to feel afraid right now. They had caused a ton of trouble with their Anon-A-Miss stunt and nearly caused a tragedy all because of their pettiness. It was only once they realized how wrong they were that they felt guilty.

“Better go make sure they’re okay,” Applejack said as she was about to walk towards the CMC but Rarity’s outstretched hand stopped her.

“Just a minute, darling,” Rarity said as a smile graced her lips. “I think someone has that covered.”

Rarity motioned to Diamond Tiara who walked up to her friends and attempted to ease their worries.

“Diamond Tiara sure has come a long way,” Pinkie Pie noted, remembering how much of a bully the girl had been in the past.

“She’s become a great and supportive friend,” Fluttershy added, a small smile on her lips.

“I’m not sure she’s just a friend,” Rarity said as a coy smile spread across her lips.

“What are yah gettin’ at?” Applejack questioned, not liking Rarity’s smile and what it implied.

“See for yourself, darling,” Rarity said as she watched Applebloom and Diamond Tiara.

“It’ll be okay, Applebloom,” Diamond Tiara assured her friend. “You won’t have to face this alone.”

“Thanks, Diamond Tiara. Ah really appreciate yer support,” Applebloom thanked her friend. “Ah also want to thank yah and Silver Spoon fer savin’ us.”

“I wasn’t going to let anything happen to my friends...especially my girl,” Diamond Tiara said as she reached out to hold Applebloom’s hand.

“Yer girl?” Applebloom questioned, her cheeks turning a rosy color.

“You didn’t think I would give up that easily, did you?” Diamond Tiara asked as she gave Applebloom a wink. “I know that you’re worried about me getting hurt because everyone’s mad at you, but I’ll get hurt regardless when I protect you from them.”

“No!” Applebloom suddenly raised her voice and grabbed on to Diamond Tiara’s hand that was already holding her own. “Ah’m not going to let yah get hurt! Nobody’s hurtin’ my girl!”

Diamond Tiara’s eyes widened in shock as well as those of her friends and the Rainbooms (minus Rainbow Dash).
“Did...did you just call me your girl?” Diamond Tiara asked in disbelief, her cheeks flushed.

“Darn tootin! No one is going to lay a finger on mah girl! Not if ah have anything to say about it!” Applebloom stated with conviction.

“Hey, that’s my line!” Diamond Tiara said, smiling happily as she brought her other hand and placed it on top of Applebloom’s. “The hero is supposed to say that to the princess, remember?”

“Aren’t yah the princess?” Applebloom questioned, smiling cheekily.

“Without a doubt...but…” Diamond Tiara kneeled down before Applebloom, shocking her, their friends and the Rainbooms. “You are always a princess in my eyes, Applebloom.”

Diamond Tiara kissed Applebloom’s hand, just like the knights in the fairy tales. Applebloom’s face turned completely red at this gesture.

Scootaloo’s jaw dropped at seeing Diamond Tiara of all people kneel and call someone else other than herself a princess. Sweetie Belle was overjoyed to see true love blossom. Silver Spoon was very happy for her best friend before she and Sweetie Belle hugged each other in happiness. Rarity was gushing at the scene, her inner romantic screaming at the heavens that she just witnessed a fairy tale confession.

Applejack was very happy for her sister. Despite the mess that she and two of her friends had caused, she still managed to get herself a girlfriend.

Pinkie Pie wept with joy and was already planning to throw them a party. Fluttershy wiped a tear from her eye, the wonderful moment truly touching her heart.

“Alright girls, we are about to start the assembly,” Vice-Principal Luna said as she was accompanied by her older sister.

At the mention of the assembly, the happy mood in the room fell and Rainbow Dash started to stir.

“Time to face the music,” Applebloom said as she turned to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom followed the principals to the stage. As soon as they were in plain sight, the whole auditorium erupted in an uproar.

“You have a lot of nerve showing your faces!”

The whole auditorium became full of angry shouts as the CMC endured the horrible things being yelled at them. They held hands to weather the storm.

“ENOUGH!” Principal Celestia shouted, and the auditorium instantly went quiet. ”I know that all of you are aware that these three girls are responsible for the Anon-A-Miss blog that has been posting everyone's secrets, and they would like to say something to all of you.”

Vice Principal Luna handed Applebloom a mic. The young girl took the mic and cleared her throat before speaking.

“H-hello everyone, me and mah friends are the ones who created Anon-A-Miss and posted yer secrets,” Applebloom confessed nervously. She looked at the angry glares of the students, each one whose secrets they had exposed. “Ah’m so sorry, Ah’m really sorry for hurting everyone.”

“We promise to make it up to all of you,” Scootaloo added, tears in her eyes.

“We also want to apologize to Sunset Shimmer who we framed for the whole thing,” Sweetie Belle cried.

At the mention of Sunset’s name, the Rainbooms felt ashamed for having jumped the gun and accusing their friend. The students’ anger was momentarily quelled as they recalled the live stream and how awful Sunset looked.

“Wait, what happened to Sunset?” Bonbon asked.

“Come to think of it, she hasn’t shown up at school for the last couple days,” Lyra stated.

“She looked a lot worse in the live stream then when we last saw her,” Lightning Dust noted.

Soon the auditorium was abuzz with talk about Sunset, wondering what exactly happened to her.

“Let me assure all of you that Sunset Shimmer is alright,” Principal Celestia spoke in her microphone. “Her friends have informed Vice-Principal Luna as well as I on her condition and she is in no real danger. Her family has picked her up and taken her home to recover.”

Vice-Principal Luna briefly closed her eyes as she recalled how sickly Sunset looked. She couldn’t help but be very concerned for her well-being.

“Back to the matter at hand, the girls will be properly punished as well as those who contributed to the site,” Principal Celestia said.

Most of the students in the auditorium were confused by this while others were starting to sweat nervously.

“As it turns out, Anon-A-Miss had help with gathering the personal secrets from the students,” Principal Celestia said in a disappointed tone as she glared at the students. “I am very disappointed in you and I will hear your reasons for participating in my office.”

The students who sent in secrets gulped nervously. They were screwed and they knew it. They then turned to glare at the CMC. It was their fault they were in this mess and they were going to pay.

In the Castle of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle was having breakfast with her son and marefriends.

“These pancakes are great, Applejack!” Spike praised as he took another bite of his pancakes.

“Appreciate the compliment, Spike.” Applejack tipped her hat in appreciation. “At least Ah know Ah have a leg up on Dash with my cooking.”

“Har, har,” Rainbow Dash mock-laughed before wrapping her wing around Twilight. “Twilight prefers to cuddle with me, though.”

“Yah do have comfy feathers,” Applejack admitted. “Like Twi’s feathers, perfect for snuggling on a cold day.”

“She’s like a warm blanket,” Rainbow Dash teased as she nuzzled Twilight.

Twilight nuzzled Rainbow back before stealing a quick kiss on the pegasus’ lips. Spike rolled his eyes at the PDA but then his body was covered in a purple aura and he was lifted off his seat and onto Twilight’s hooves. The Princess of Friendship nuzzled Spike before planting a kiss on his forehead.

“Who’s mommy’s special little guy?” Twilight asked as she tickled Spike.

“Twilight...stop!” Spike said between laughter as Twilight continued to tickle him.

“Not unless you tell me what I want to hear~,” Twilight said in a sing-song voice as she continued to tickle Spike.

“Okay, okay! I’m your special little guy!” Spike finally admitted.

Twilight stopped tickling him and then brought him in for a warm hug.

“Don’t forget that I’ll always love you, Spike,” Twilight whispered gently.

“Me too,” Spike whispered back as he nuzzled against Twilight’s soft fur. Her embrace always made him feel safe and at ease. “You’re the best mom in Equestria, ever.”

“What a touching moment.”

Discord suddenly appeared behind Twilight and wrapped his arms around them.

“Is there anything more beautiful?” Discord asked with tears in his eyes.

“Discord? What are you doing here?” Twilight asked in surprise.

The double doors to the dining room suddenly opened to reveal Princess Celestia and Luna with Sunset Shimmer riding on the Night Princess’ back.

“Good morning, everypony,” Luna greeted cheerfully.

“Princess Luna? Princess Celestia? Sunset?!” Twilight was shocked to see her friend up so soon.

“Hey, Twilight!” Sunset greeted from on top of her aunt’s back.

Discord disappeared and reappeared next to Celestia. Twilight gently descended back to her seat with Spike.

“What brings yah all here, Your Majesties?” Applejack asked as she bowed before the princesses along with Rainbow Dash.

“We’re just going back to see my friends,” Sunset answered as she hopped off her aunt’s back, receiving a nuzzle from Luna when she did.

“How are you feeling, Sunset?” Twilight asked with concern as she approached the royal family.

“Much better thanks to everypony,” Sunset replied as she pulled Twilight into a hug. “Thanks.”

“Any time,” Twilight responded as she returned the hug.

“Twilight didn’t mention that she’s recruited somepony else into the herd,” Rainbow Dash teased as she and Applejack stood a few feet from Twilight.

“What?!” Twilight instantly broke the hug to look at her marefriends, her cheeks flushed.

“Yah should’ve told us sooner, Twi,” Applejack said with a playful grin. “She’s a real beauty.”

“Oh! Uh...thanks, Applejack,” Sunset thanked while blushing.

“How’d yah know mah name?” Applejack asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“I’m friends with your human counterpart,” Sunset answered.

“Ahem,” Twilight cleared her throat, her cheeks still red. “Applejack, Rainbow Dash, this is Sunset Shimmer. Sunset, these are my herdmates.”

“Herdmates?” Sunset’s eyes widened at this information. “Wow, congratulations!”

“Thanks,” Twilight said, smiling happily as she walked over to her herdmates and nuzzled them affectionately.

“So you’re Princess Celestia’s daughter?” Rainbow Dash questioned as she wrapped a wing around Twilight. “I can see it, but it’s hard to imagine her hooking up with Discord. No offence, Your Highness.”

“Hmph! Well, I have a hard time believing that somepony like you would hook up with an egghead like Twilight,” Discord huffed in annoyance as he crossed his arms.

“Hey! She’s my egghead!” Rainbow Dash responded in a raised voice, her hold on Twilight tightening. “I love who I want!”

“Exactly!” Discord said as he brought Celestia into an embrace, causing her to giggle. “We can’t help who we fall in love with.”

Sunset and Luna looked at each other before giggling softly.

“Are you sure you should be up and about so soon, Sunset?” Spike asked with worry, Twilight had told him about what had happened.

“Don’t worry, Spike. I’m perfectly fine now,” Sunset assured him.

“Besides, we will be with her,” Luna said as she laid her wing on top of her niece.

“It’ll be a nice family outing,” Celestia said. She smiled warmly as she looked at her family. “There is also matters we must discuss with Sunset’s friends.”

“Oh,” Twilight’s ears fell at hearing that. “Well...try not to be too hard on them, please?”

“That depends on what they have to say,” Celestia said simply.

“Likewise,” Luna stated firmly.

Discord simply smiled as he shook his head. He didn’t want to be those girls right now.

Twilight guided the royal family to her private library. After exchanging goodbyes, the royal family went into the mirror.

“Don’t worry, Twilight. Ah’m sure everythin’ will turn out fine,” Applejack assured her marefriend.

“It worked out for us,” Rainbow Dash stated, smiling cheekily.

Twilight smiled gratefully at her herdmates. Normally, she would be a panicking neurotic mess. But, thanks to the love and support of her herdmates, she was sure that everything would turn out fine...maybe. Yeah, maybe it would turn out fine.

She could only hope.

Sunset was the first to step out of the portal. She stretched her limbs before shivering against the cold wind.

“Forgot I don’t have my fur,” Sunset said to no one. She turned to the portal to see her mom step out, followed by her aunt and father. “So that’s what you three look like here.”

“I’m still not used to this form yet,” Luna said as she took a few shaky steps forward.

“Don’t worry, Aunt Lulu, you’ll get the hang of it,” Sunset assured her as she extended her hand out for which her aunt gladly took.

“Let us be off in search of your friends, sweetheart,” Discord said as he helped Celestia by offering his arm for her to hold.

The family began heading towards the front entrance of the school before making their way inside. They wandered the halls and noticed how quiet it was.

“Is it common for schools in this world to be this quiet?” Celestia asked.

“Not unless it’s closed or there’s an assembly,” Sunset answered as she looked inside the empty classrooms.

“Not much time should have passed since we brought you home,” Celestia said. “So classes should still be in session.”

“Then it has to be an assembly,” Sunset rationalized. “The auditorium is this way.”

Sunset led her family to the auditorium and when they reached the door, they could hear loud noises coming from behind it.

“That doesn’t sound good,” Sunset said as she can make out some cursing coming from the other side of the door.

Sunset looked through the window of the door and saw the enraged students and the CMC on stage.

“That explains it,” Sunset muttered. No doubt they were outraged at the girls for posting their secrets.

“They look ready to tear those girls limb from limb,” Discord commented as he saw the murderous intent in their eyes.

Princess Celestia looked at her daughter who watched with a frown.

“Sunset?”

“Hmm?” Sunset turned to her mother who was now looking at the angry students.

“What do you wish to do about this?” Celestia asked, not tearing her gaze away from the scene before her.

“Just watch,” Sunset said as pony ears sprouted from on top of her head, followed by her hair extending out into a ponytail. She started to glow before she disappeared.

Lightning struck the stage, blinding everyone with its bright flash. Once everyone managed to blink the spots out of their eyes, they could see Sunset Shimmer standing before them.

“Hi, everyone,” Sunset greeted the crowd with a smile and a wave.

"Nice entrance," Trixie remarked. If all went according to plan, then she would love to incorporate that entrance into her show.

“S-Sunset?” Applebloom was surprised to see the fiery-haired girl here.

“S-she’s really here,” Fluttershy was stunned. She didn’t think she would see her friend so soon.

“And she looks super healthy!” Pinkie Pie said in excitement.

“Ah’ll say,” Applejack said with tears in her eyes, smiling gratefully at seeing her crush looking better.

Rarity took a napkin and dabbed at the corners of her eyes. She then handed her napkin to Rainbow Dash who wiped the tears off her own eyes.

Sunset Shimmer snapped her fingers, bringing a microphone to her hand.

"OK, you all know why you're all here. The past week has been crazy and chaotic. Sorry about that because I was sick. But it's not that simple, you see. I had a bit of a breakdown and my magic went out of control. I'm doing better now and learning to control it. Anyway, you believe that three little girls are the cause of my breakdown, and you'd be right. Therefore, I will be allowed to deal with them as I please."

The audience remained silent, waiting for what Sunset had to say about the CMC’s punishment.

The principals looked at each other with worry before looking back at Sunset. They witnessed Sunset’s cruel punishment of the CMC but they still believed that she would do the right thing.

"I've decided that these girls have been put through enough by me. Therefore, from now on, they are under my protection," Sunset proclaimed. "Anybody has a problem with that, well, you can sort it out with me." She looked at them, challenging anyone to try or say anything.

The students looked at one another. They saw what Sunset was capable of with her magic and none of them dared to go against her.

“Besides, I’m sure Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna already have a proper punishment in mind for them,” Sunset said as she turned to the two sisters, giving them a smile.

“Quite right,” Vice-Principal Luna said as she stepped up next to Sunset who handed her the microphone. “First off, the three of will receive six months of detention, your use of the school’s computers will be allowed for schoolwork only. Even then your activities will be supervised.” Luna cast a glance at the Crusaders and saw them looking down in shame. “You will also be writing a five-page paper explaining why what you did was wrong.”

"But there's more. All of you added to this problem. Nobody forced you to follow Anon-A-Miss." Principal Celestia spoke to the students sitting in the auditorium. “You fueled the fires and as a consequence, you got burned.”

Principal Celestia narrowed her eyes at the crowd. She noticed some of them looking down in shame. Perhaps there was hope that they would learn from this.

“You can all return to your classes now. I will begin calling your names to the office. Prepare yourselves."
With that said, Principal Celestia, Vice-Principal Luna, the CMC and Sunset walked backstage where Sunset was immediately surrounded by her friends.

“It’s good to see you again, darling,” Rarity said as she dabbed more tears from her eyes with her napkin.

“Glad to see yah looking well,” Applejack said.

“Glad to see you too, girls,” Sunset said with a smile as they all hugged her.

“It’s good to see that our daughter is so loved,” Discord said as he Celestia and Luna appeared. “Don’t you think so, darling?”

“It truly warms my heart,” Celestia responded with a smile, but then it faltered a little. “But recent actions have made me question them.”

The Rainbooms broke their hug from Sunset and turned to the royal family.

“We would like to have a word with them in private if you don’t mind?” Princess Celestia asked her human counterpart.

“Y-yes, of course,” the principal replied, a little shocked to see and talk to herself.

“Thank you,” the Solar Princess thanked the principal.

“We’ll talk in our band room if that’s alright with you girls?” Sunset suggested.

“Of course, darling. It’s no trouble, right girls?” Rarity looked at her friends who voiced their agreements.

“I’ll lead the way,” Sunset offered as she made her way towards the door with her family and friends following close behind. As she opened the door, she turned around to address the principals. “Bye, Mamma, bye Auntie Lulu.”

Both principals were left shocked as Sunset giggled before exiting the auditorium. The Rainbooms and CMC looked between the shocked principals and the retreating Sunset before following after her. Princess Celestia chuckled softly before looking back.

“We’ll be seeing you two later,” the Princess said before she, her sister and Discord left.

The two principal remained frozen in place until Vice-Principal Luna spoke.

“It’s the same,” Luna whispered, a longing look in her eyes. “The way she said it, even my nickname...it’s the same.”

Principal Celestia didn’t say a word. She simply let out a sigh before smiling.

Author's Note

Here's the first part of three of the final chapter, I know I said there would only be one chapter left but the chapter was too long and it would be best to split it into three chapters. Thank you KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for their help.

Family

“Here we are,” Sunset said as she opened the door to their band practice room and held it open for everyone. “Welcome to our band room. Now, I will be happy to answer any questions.”

“I have a question,” Discord said, dressed as a reporter while taking notes. “What can you tell us about the scandal going on with the band turning on one of their own bandmates over something she didn’t do?”

The Rainbooms flinched at this.

“I don’t know the answer to that so you’ll have to ask them yourself,” Sunset answered as she and her family looked at the Rainbooms.

Applejack let out a sigh and as she opened her mouth to start explaining, Princess Celestia stopped her.

“Just a minute, Applejack. Let me make this room appropriate for the discussion we are about to have,” Princess Celestia said as she gathered her magic, causing pony ears to sprout from on top of her head and her hair to extend into a ponytail as her wings appeared. A golden magical aura surrounded her hand as she waved it and caused the room to transform into the royal throne room.

“Unbelievable,” Rarity gasped as she witnessed the beauty of the throne room.

Princess Celestia and Luna walked up the red carpet and sat on their thrones. There was a third slightly smaller throne set in between Celestia and Luna and the girls assumed that it was Discord’s. But they were surprised when the Ruler of Chaos teleported next to Celestia’s throne, leaning against it.

“Sunset, come take your place at our side,” Celestia said with a smile.

Sunset’s eyes widened before she smiled brightly. She approached the small throne with the grace of a princess and sat down. As soon as she did, her clothes magically transformed into a beautiful red gown with her cutie mark on the hips. Her hair became styled in an elegant bun as a golden necklace appeared around her neck while she wore earrings that looked like Celestia and Luna’s Cutie Marks combined.

The Rainbooms and Crusaders gasped in awe of Sunset’s beauty.

“Oh, my,” Rarity whispered as she was mesmerized by Sunset’s beauty. If she hadn’t been convinced that Sunset was a princess before, she definitely was now.

“Wow,” Applejack said as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.

Rainbow Dash was speechless as she gazed at Sunset, her cheeks rosy as she was enraptured by Sunset’s beauty.

Princess Luna grinned at seeing the looks of the girls. She wrapped her arm around her niece and brought her close.

“Just look at them, my niece. You’re already knocking them dead,” Luna whispered as she nuzzled Sunset, her niece shining as brightly as her mother.

Discord was beaming with pride. He and Celestia shared a knowing look before she cleared her throat and gained everyone's attention.

“Now then, may Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle please step forward,” Celestia ordered, her voice commanding.

The Crusaders swallowed the lumps in their throats. The Solar Princess’ tone terrified them. Diamond Tiara gave Applebloom’s hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go. The three young girls stood before the royal family and took in the family’s expressions. Luna looked at them with disappointment, Sunset had an unreadable expression, Discord narrowed his eyes at them and Celestia gave them a look that sent chills down their spines. Suddenly, they all felt significantly smaller against this towering woman.

“You three have committed the crime of plotting against a member of the Equestrian royal family. I want to hear what your reasons are for this serious crime,” Celestia demanded.

All the color instantly drained from the three girls’ faces as they heard this.

“S-serious crime?” Applebloom asked nervously.

“Yes, and the punishment is banishment at best and death at worst,” Luna said, which frightened the girls.

“Now, hold on a minute!” Applejack raised her voice as she stepped up to stand in front of her sister along with Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

“Your Royal Highnesses, don’t you think that punishment is a bit too harsh?” Rarity asked as politely as she could. “They are only children.”

“Yeah, can’t you take it easy on them?” Rainbow Dash pleaded.

“I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash, but I cannot,” the Princess said.

“That’s bullshit!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “If your own family committed a crime against you, would you banish them?!”

The Solar Princess raised an eyebrow while Luna and Sunset tried to contain their laughter. Discord, on the other hand, was laughing hysterically.

“What’s so funny?” Rainbow Dash asked as he looked between Luna, Sunset and Discord.

“I tried to plunge Equestria into chaos and was turned to stone by Celestia and Luna,” Discord said after he calmed down.

“I tried to overthrow my sister and was imprisoned on the moon for a thousand moons,” Luna said with a smirk.

“I accessed the forbidden section of the library and was confined to my room but I escaped and exiled myself to this world,” Sunset said as she scratched the back of her head.

“As you can see, my family has been properly punished for their crimes,” Princess Celestia stated. She smiled at seeing the shocked look on the rainbow-haired athlete’s face. “Although you and your friends are in trouble yourselves.”

“What? What did we-oh!” Rainbow Dash realized before a look of shame appeared on her face.

“My daughter trusted all of you and you betrayed that trust,” Princess Celestia said angrily, her calm mask starting to slip. “And what makes it worse for you, Rainbow Dash, is that you had feelings for my daughter.”

“It’s not just her, Kaykay,” Discord spoke up as he eyed Applejack and Rarity. “It’s those two girls as well.”

Princess Celestia rose from her seat, her wings flaring as she walked down the red carpet towards the girls. Fearing what she might do to them, Sunset rose from her seat but Princess Luna grabbed her arm.

“Just watch, for now, Sunset,” Luna said.

“But-”

“Trust in your mother,” Luna said as she smiled reassuringly at her.

Celestia approached the girls, each step echoing around them and making the girls increasingly nervous. The columns around her were consumed by fire as she passed them. She burst into flames as she stopped in front of the girls.

“It wasn’t bad enough that you betrayed my daughter’s friendship but you betrayed her love as well,” Celestia seethed, her flaming hair extending outwards to form a circle of fire around the six girls. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t incinerate you where you stand.”

Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity held their sisters close and away from the intense flames. Rainbow Dash looked into the Solar Princess’ eyes, eyes filled with anger. The rainbow-haired athlete gathered up her courage before speaking.

“Because then we wouldn’t be able to make it up to Sunset,” Rainbow Dash said. “We know we messed up, badly, but we want to make it up to her, show her how sorry we are for doubting her and that she truly means the world to us.”

“Yeah! We love Sunny!” Pinkie Pie shouted tears pooling in her eyes. “She’s the bestest friend we’ve ever had!”

“Please, Your Highness! Give us a chance!” Fluttershy cried.

“Your Royal Highness, please believe us. Sunset is very dear to our hearts,” Rarity pleaded as her mascara started running down her face.

“Ah know yah don’t believe a word Ah say, but please believe me when Ah say that we’ll do everythin’ in our power to make up fer our mistake. Ah swear it!” Applejack vowed.

Princess Celestia continued to glare at the girls, the flames intensifying around them.

“Princess, wait!” Applebloom spoke up as she pulled away from Applejack to stand before the bringer of the day. “Blame me! This whole Anon-A-Miss thing was mah idea! If yer gonna punish someone, punish me!”

“Applebloom!” Applejack gasped.

“I’m to blame too, Princess!” Scootaloo spoke up as she stepped up next to Applebloom.

“Me too!” Sweetie Belle stepped up as well. “I’m the one that posted the photos that made Sunset’s friends believe it was her!”

Princess Celestia looked down at the Crusaders, her towering and imposing figure dwarfing them. The CMC had never felt so small, especially in the presence of a goddess. They couldn’t help but compare this feeling to when they were scolded by Principal Celestia.

“Tell me everything,” the Princess commanded.

The CMC gulped nervously before once again telling the princess, along with her family, what they had done. When they were finished, Princess Celestia simply closed her eyes, Princess Luna let out a tired sigh, Discord merely shook his head and Sunset had an unreadable expression.

“You poisoned your sisters’ love for my daughter because you were jealous of them spending more time with her,” Princess Celestia spoke, her eyes still closed. She was already formulating a plan. “Very well.”

The CMC looked at each other in confusion.

“I have decided on your punishment,” Celestia clarified as she opened her eyes and eyed Diamond Tiara. “Applebloom, what’s your relationship with Diamond Tiara?”

Sunset’s eyes widened as she realized what her mother was planning.

‘She must have noticed the way Diamond Tiara held her hand,’ Sunset thought.

“Uh, she’s mah girlfriend,” Applebloom answered with a blush as she turned her head to look at Diamond Tiara whose cheeks were red.

“I see, and how long have you been together?” Celestia asked, not taking her eyes off of Diamond Tiara.

“Um, not long. We just got together a few minutes ago,” Applebloom explained. “But we’ve known each other fer years.”

Princess Celestia smiled as she walked past the CMC and towards the rest of the Rainbooms, stopping in front of Diamond Tiara. The young girl looked up at the princess and recognized the playful look in her eye.

“Applebloom, as the one responsible for all of this, I shall punish you by taking away Diamond Tiara’s love for you,” the Solar Princess declared.

The Rainbooms and CMC gasped in shock. Even Discord comically fainted.

“W-what?” Diamond Tiara asked nervously.

“Your girlfriend poisoned her sister’s love. It’s only fitting that the punishment fit the crime,” Princess Celestia explained as she knelt down in front of Diamond and raised her hand. “Do not worry, you won’t feel a thing.”

The tip of Celestia’s finger started to glow and Diamond Tiara was starting to panic. She didn’t want to lose her love for Applebloom and there was that look in the Princess’ eyes that just didn’t add up with the seriousness of this situation. Celestia reached for Diamond Tiara’s heart to extract her love when her ears picked up hurried footsteps before Applebloom got in between her and Diamond Tiara, shielding her from the Princess.

“Please don’t!” Applebloom shouted, a look of terror on her face. “Diamond has nothin’ to do with this!”

“Be that as it may, you will never learn your lesson until you’ve experienced what Sunset and your sister had to go through,” Celestia said as she reached for Diamond Tiara again.

“Please! Ah’ll do anythin’! Just leave her alone!” Applebloom begged.

“Anything?” the Sun Princess asked with a sly smile

“Y-yeah,” Applebloom said nervously, she didn’t like that smile on the Princess’ face. It reminded her of Sunset’s smile whenever she had a wicked idea.

“I think I’ll let Sunset decide that and I’m sure she has something special planned for all of you,” Princess Celestia said with a smile.

“Oh.” Applebloom did not like the sound of that. They had experienced what Sunset was capable of when she got vindictive.

“Which brings us to what happens next,” Princess Celestia turned back to the Rainbooms. “Sunset will be coming with us back to Equestria.”

“What?!” The Rainbooms shouted in shock.

“But why?!” Rainbow Dash demanded.

“For one thing, she needs time to unwind from the hectic ordeal she has been through,” Celestia explained as she walked back to the thrones. “Not to mention that our family is finally whole again and I would like to take this opportunity to spend time with them on a family vacation.”

“Wait, yer just going on a family vacation?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s exactly right, Applejack,” the Sun Princess said as she stopped at the foot of the red carpet that led up to her throne. “A family vacation is just what we all need.”

“Then why didn’t you say so to begin with?” Rainbow Dash asked in annoyance.

“My sister likes to play jokes on unsuspecting ponies. But considering your actions, taking Sunset back home and never return to this world might be for the best,” Princess Luna said as she rose from her throne and descended down the carpet path to stand by her sister. “She may look innocent and unsuspecting but that works to her advantage.”

“Kind of like someone we know,” Rarity said with a smirk as she eyes Sunset who stepped up next to her mother.

“What can I say, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Sunset said as she gave Applejack a wink.

“I’m sure you have a lot to talk to your friends about, my Little Sunshine,” Celestia said affectionately which caused Sunset to blush in embarrassment and her friends to giggle. “We’ll go see your principals and tell them that you won’t be in school for the next few days.”

Celestia leaned down to kiss Sunset’s cheek before she snapped her fingers which caused the room to turn back to normal.

“See you in a bit, my Dreamcatcher,” Luna said her own affectionate nickname for Sunset as she kissed Sunset’s cheek before nuzzling her.

“Try not to miss us too much,” Discord teased as three copies of himself appeared around Sunset and gave her a hug.

“Daddy!” Sunset giggled before turning into a snake to wrap around her fathers and hug them back.

“That’s my little chaos princess,” the Discords said with pride before they merged back into one.

The princesses and Discord left the band room. The room was silent as everyone was wondering who would be the first to speak.

“Sunset?” Fluttershy broke the silence. “How are you feeling?”

“Thanks to you girls and my family, I’m all better!” Sunset said as she struck a pose. “Even better, I learned even more about myself and I’ve got a dad now!”

Everyone’s mood was lifted by Sunset’s happiness, but it quickly fell when they realized that they still needed to apologize for what they did.

“Sunset?” Rainbow Dash spoke up, looking at Sunset with sadness and shame. “I’m so sorry for thinking you were Anon-A-Miss.”

“We really messed up,” Applejack spoke next. She had her hat in her hands. “We said yah were like family, but we sure didn’t act like it.”

“I’ll say,” Sunset said in a monotone voice, causing the others to flinch. “Now that I’m sound of mind, tell me everything that has happened since the pictures of the slumber party at Rarity’s was posted.”

The girls told Sunset everything with the Crusaders adding their side of the story. Sunset listened closely, her face unreadable. When they had finished explaining, Sunset let out a big sigh which turned into a strong gust of wind.

“Alright, I can see why you girls thought it was me and I’m happy that at least one of you had enough sense to see through this!” Sunset glared at her friends who felt less than dirt right now. “But the fact that you girls didn’t trust me enough to know that I would never do this to any of you really hurts!”

“You’re right,” Rainbow Dash admitted, as she stepped up to Sunset. “You trusted us and we let you down.”

“There’s no excuse, we are terrible friends,” Applejack said as she stepped up beside Rainbow Dash.

“We’re simply the absolute worst,” Rarity said as she stood beside Applejack.

“Sunny, you deserve better than us!” Pinkie cried as she went to stand beside Rainbow Dash.

“We completely understand if you don’t want to be friends with us anymore,” Fluttershy bitterly said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Rainbow Dash reached inside her pocket and pulled out Sunset’s spare key.

“You should have this back,” Rainbow Dash said sadly as she showed Sunset the spare key.

Sunset reached over and closed Rainbow Dash’s hand over her key.

“Nah, it’s better with you,” Sunset said with a smile.

“A-are you sure?” Rainbow Dash said in surprise.

“Yep,” Sunset said simply.

“But I didn’t trust you, how can you still trust me with this?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

“Because, I trusted you to use the key in case of emergencies and you did,” Sunset answered. “Even when you thought I was Anon-A-Miss, you still took care of me when I was sick. Who knows how all of this could’ve turned out if I didn’t trust you with my spare.”

“I’m glad we don’t have to find out,” Rainbow Dash said as she happily placed the kay back in her pocket.

“My dad and aunt told me about what you guys went through,” Sunset suddenly said, her voice growing soft. “You literally had to face your demons in order to rescue me. That couldn’t have been easy.”

“No kidding,” Rainbow Dash said. She could still see those horrible images of Sunset’s death whenever she closed her eyes. She would be having nightmares for a long time.

Sunset could see the torment in Rainbow’s eyes and placed her hands on the sides of her face.

“Remember that those were just nightmares,” Sunset assured her rainbow-haired crush.

“Right,” Rainbow Dash agreed as she covered one of Sunset’s hands with her own,

Sunset backed away and looked at all her friends.

“What do you girls say about starting over?” Sunset offered with a smile which shocked her friends. “But this time we’ll do it right. I know you girls still have issues with what I did in the past so let’s work through them together.”

Smiles appeared on the Rainbooms’ faces before they all rushed towards Sunset and hugged her, apologizing to her profusely as they cried tears of joy. They promised that they would be better friends. Sunset basked in the warmth of her friends. She could tell that her friends were genuinely sorry for what they had done. Honestly, she couldn’t stay mad at them for long as resentment only ever brought misery. She and her aunt knew that well, and hopefully, the girls would move past their resentment. She looked over to the Crusaders and motioned for them to join. The CMC happily obliged as they rushed to join the group, offering up apologies of their own.

“Do you have everything you’ll need, sweetheart?” Princess Celestia asked as she, her family and Sunset’s friends were all gathered by the Wondercolt statue.

“Sure do!” Sunset said excitedly. She couldn’t wait to spend quality time with her family. She walked over to Rarity and handed over her journal. “You’ll be needing this to keep in touch with Twilight in case a magical event happens.”

“Let us hope we don’t have a crisis while you’re gone,” Rarity hoped as she took the journal from Sunset. “Take care, darling.”

“Thanks,” Sunset said before leaning in and kissing Rarity briefly on the lips. “That’s for the detective work and seeing through the deception.”

“Oh my.” Rarity’s face was as red as a tomato.

Discord and Luna grinned. Sunset was just like her mother. She could be such a charmer sometimes.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash felt a pang of jealousy but they knew that Rarity had earned this. They still didn’t have to like it though.

“Have fun with yer family, Sunset,” Applejack said, smiling warmly at the former unicorn.

“Thanks, Applejack,” Sunset said gratefully to the farmer.

“Bring back souvenirs,” Rainbow Dash said with a cheeky smile.

“Be safe,” Fluttershy said with concern.

“Don’t forget to take lots of pictures!” Pinkie Pie said happily.

The girls gave shared a group hug before they reluctantly parted. They waved goodbye to Sunset as she and her family stepped through the portal.

The group stood silently in front of the statue for a few seconds until Pinkie Pie broke the silence.

“I miss Sunset already,” Pinkie Pie said, feeling depressed.

“Cheer up, Pinkie. Sunset will be back before you know it,” Applejack assured the party girl.

“Did they ever said when they will be back?” Fluttershy asked worriedly.

“They mentioned that they’ll be gone for a couple of days,” Rarity said. “But they never specified exactly when they will return .”

“Ah hope they come back in time for the Christmas party at Sweet Apple Acres,” Applejack said with worry.

“We have the journal to ask,” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “Besides, Sunset needs this.”

The girls knew that Rainbow Dash was right, which was a surprise considering her track record. Sunset finally got to spend time with her family. They should be happy for her but they couldn’t help but feel like they were missing out on learning more about their friend.

“Guess we got no choice but to go about business as usual,” Applejack said in a depressing tone.

“On the bright side, we are presented with an opportunity to reflect,” Rarity pointed out.

“Reflect on what horrible friends we’ve been,” Rainbow Dash said sarcastically.

“That’s exactly right,” Rarity agreed. “While Sunset is gone, we should list the reasons why we betrayed her the way we did and then figure out how we’re going to fix things when she comes back..”

The girls flinch at that word, but they knew it was the truth.

“It’s as Sunset said, we still have lingering resentment towards her and if we don’t work through it, then we will never be able to fully trust Sunset again. Not to mention that she will no longer trust us either,” Rarity said.

“I don’t wanna lose Sunset’s trust,” Pinkie Pie said, her lip trembling.

“Then we got a lot of soul searching to do,” Applejack said with a sigh, but then she smiled. “Can’t imagine it’ll be too hard since we already faced our demons.”

“Oh! Oh! We can have a soul searching party!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly as she bounced up and down. “It’ll be way easier if we do it together!”

“Pinkie’s right, Ah’d feel a lot better about this knowing mah friends were with me,” Applejack said happily, really liking the idea.

“We’ll have it at my house. It was my turn to host the sleepover after Rarity,” Rainbow Dash said.

“We’ll have it tomorrow, how’s that sound?” Applejack asked.

“That sounds fine, darling,” Rarity agreed with a nod.

With everyone in agreement, the girls bid each other farewell as they each went back to their respective homes. They were very hopeful that everything would be alright.

“Zip! Lineeeee!!” Princess Celestia cheered as she rode down the zipline, followed by her excited daughter and a reluctant Luna. It felt nice to go on a family vacation and be like everypony else.

A week had passed by in Equestria. After instructing the staff on what to do in the absence of the royal sisters, the family kicked off their vacation by skydiving.

Both Luna and Celestia had different ideas on what to do on their vacation. Luna just wanted to relax while Celestia wanted to seek thrills. Fortunately, Sunset enjoyed both as she enjoyed visiting art museums with her aunt and even painted herself. The two even enjoyed reading together while Celestia and Discord were off spending some quality time together. Luna loved spending quality time with her niece. She learned a lot about Sunset and realized that her sister was right about Sunset having her kind heart. Sunset’s curiosity and enthusiasm mirrored her own as they both tried out the different activities that were offered.

Luna even had Sunset help her raise the moon. She offered words of encouragement as she watched Sunset try to get the spell just right. She was going to offer her assistance but was surprised when Sunset herself asked for help. Luna happily combined her magic with Sunset’s as the two of them raised the moon.

She then tried to find out if Sunset had the power to enter ponies’ dreams but unfortunately she didn’t. But Luna was surprised to discover that her niece had a power of her own, which was the power to read a pony’s heart. Luna was ecstatic as with this power Sunset could better understand and help ponies. She had the potential to be a princess that would surpass herself and Celestia. Even more surprising was that her powers also extended to other things like a single snowflake, as she was able to see all the stages of its cycle. Not counting her niece’s harmony and chaos magic, this kind of power was truly frightening.

Discord also spent one-on-one time with his daughter as they caught up on everything they missed. He taught her that, as a being of chaos, she needed an outlet as repressing her chaos magic was not healthy. He taught her how to create her own pocket dimension where she made the rules. During their special father-daughter time, Discord learned that Sunset got her creativity from himself. When creating her own pocket dimension, Sunset made her own world filled with bizarre creatures, machines, superheroes, monsters, etc. Sunset told her father that this world was modeled after the sketches in her sketchbook.

“What should we do next?” Celestia said in excitement. She just couldn’t sit still.

“Maybe we should take a break?” Luna asked, her legs were wobbly before she collapsed.

“Why don’t we go get lunch?” Sunset offered as she used her magic to conjure up a bottle of water for her aunt.

“I guess we can take a break,” Celestia pondered as she took out her list of family activities. “Our next activity is decided by you, my little Sunshine.”

“I know just the activity,” Sunset said before she started looking around. “Say, where’s dad?”

“Right here, my little Supernova,” Discord said as he appeared in front of his family with a magazine in his hand. “I was just reading an interesting magazine article.”

Discord floated the magazine in front of his family and they were surprised to see themselves on the front page.

“‘The ‘Royal Family’. Well, they’re not wrong,” Celestia read out loud the title of the magazine.

“I also picked up this one,” Discord said as he pulled out another magazine. On the cover were three images, one of Celestia and her family, the second of Cadance and her family, and finally Twilight and her family which consisted of Spike, Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

“‘Which is the best Royal Family?’” Sunset read out loud, a look of amusement on her face.

“I also found this one to be an interesting read.” Discord produced another magazine with Sunset on the cover, the magazine entitled: ‘The First Heir.’. “They really nailed the traits you’ve inherited from your mother.”

Celestia took hold of the magazine with her magic and flipped through its pages until she found the article.

“‘Princess Sunset Shimmer has the grace, intellect, beauty, and leadership required to rule Equestria. No doubt she will lead Equestria into a golden age of peace and prosperity like her mother’,” Princess Celestia read out loud, an amused smile on her lips. “‘She will set a good example for her fellow heirs: Princess Flurry Heart of the Crystal Kingdom and Prince Spike of the castle of Friendship’.”

“Wait, Spike’s a prince and Twilight’s heir?” Sunset asked in confusion. “When did this happen?”

“They’re not technically wrong,” Luna said as she was reading the article about which was the best royal family. They won of course.

“Since Twilight hatched him,” Celestia said simply. “The two of them are genuine parent and child.”

“Huh? I would have never thought,” Sunset shrugged. She and her family made their way to a nearby restaurant while ponies took pictures of them.

“What will you be having, Sunset?” Celestia asked as she looked over her menu.

“Just a simple daisy sandwich,” Sunset said.

“The common pony food is so much different than the food the staff at our castle serves us,” Luna commented. She has been loving the new food experience.

“Oh sweet Luna. You really need to get out of the castle more and experience life,” Discord said as he took a bite of the menu.

“Maybe you’re right,” Luna pondered. “Perhaps I can visit Sunset’s world.”

“I would love to have you for a visit, Auntie Lulu,” Sunset said with a smile.

“Ohhh, what fun we’ll have!” Luna said excitedly.

The family enjoyed their lunch and paid no mind to the onlookers who were excited to be eating at the same restaurant as the royal sisters and to see for themselves the royal heir. After lunch, Sunset wanted to go for a simple hike in the woods. Unfortunately for Celestia, they happened to come across a chicken and she immediately backed away and climbed up a tree.

“Are you seriously scared of chickens?” Sunset asked, giggling as she watched her mother hold on to a tree branch for dear life.

“Cellie has always been terrified of chickens,” Luna snickered, using her sister’s childhood nickname. “Back when we were living in our little cabin in the woods, there was a group of chickens outside our door and she refused to come out.”

“Not to worry, my ray of sunshine, I’ll save you!” Discord snapped his fingers which caused the chicken to disappear.

“The offending bird is now safely at Fluttershy’s house.”

“My hero!” Celestia said with joy as she teleported herself in Discord’s arms, her hooves wrapped around his neck and showering him with kisses.

Sunset and Luna gagged at the display and resumed their hike with Discord following them.

“Are you looking forward to returning to your friends, Sunset?” Luna asked.

“Yeah, I can’t wait to show them the pictures we took and give them their souvenirs,” Sunset answered as an image of Applejack, Rainbow Dash and especially Rarity popped in her mind, causing her to smile.

“What are you smiling about?” Luna asked, a sly smile forming on her lips.

“Nothing!” Sunset quickly said, but her smile and blush gave her away.

“You can’t hide anything from me, Sunset. I’ve seen your dreams,” the Princess of the Night reminded her niece.

“Fine, if you must know, I’m thinking about Applejack, Rainbow and Rarity,” Sunset said as she stuck her tongue out at Luna.

“The mares who’ve won your heart and then trampled upon it,” Luna said a little bitterly.

“Auntie, they’ve apologized for what they did and we’re going to work through our trust issues,” Sunset reminded her.

“I know. I guess I’m still a little upset that they didn’t have much faith in you,” Luna admitted. “I want you to be happy, Nightlight. After learning about what they did to you, you can understand my concern.”

“I know,” Sunset said with a smile as she nuzzled her aunt.

Luna wrapped her wing around Sunset and nuzzled her back. The family enjoyed the rest of their hike and made their way to a hill overlooking the forest.

“Alright, Sunset. Just like we taught you,” Celestia said as she watched her daughter’s horn light up.

Sunset focused on the sun and started to lower it.

“Good, now raise the moon,” Luna said excitedly.

Sunset felt for the moon and latched her magic to it, sweat formed on her forehead as she struggled to lift the moon and lower the sun.

“You can do it,” Discord encouraged.

Sunset continued to struggle. Controlling one celestial body was hard enough, but two was another thing entirely. She added her chaos magic to the mix and it helped a little, for the sun and the moon were almost together. Her cutie mark was slowly glowing the closer the sun and the moon were to each other. As soon as they were side by side, Sunset’s cutie mark and eyes started glowing. She rose into the air as she fully set the sun and raised the moon before gently descending and collapsing.

“Sunset!” Celestia was quickly at her daughter’s side. “Are you alright?”

“I’m alright,” Sunset assured her mother as she sat up. “What just happened?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Discord said as he placed his hand on his chin in a thinking position.

“Were you doing anything different, my little Dream Catcher?” Luna asked with worry as she wrapped her wings around Sunset and brought her close.

“Nothing, except that I used my chaos magic to help me a little,” Sunset answered.

“Balance!” Discord suddenly said.

“Balance?” Sunset and Luna questioned.

“When the sun and moon were together and using my chaos magic along with your mother’s and aunt’s magic to get them that way symbolized a form of balance,” Discord explained. He was suddenly wearing a lab coat and glasses.

“This makes perfect sense as Sunset is the perfect balance of all of us, despite her taking after one of us more than the other.”

Celestia smiled proudly at this and Luna pouted a little.

“My little star is simply amazing!” Discord said as he grabbed Sunset from Luna and hugged her tightly.

Sunset giggled as she hugged her father back. She was soon joined by her aunt and mother. Their moment was broken when Sunset spotted a shooting star. This family vacation had been the best time of her life, tears began to well up in her eyes before finally falling.

“What’s the matter, Sunset?” Luna asked with concern.

“It’s just that...I had a great time and I’m sad that it has to end so soon,” Sunset said as she wiped away her tears.

“You can always stay here,” Luna suggested, feeling sad herself at the reminder that Sunset had to return to the other world. “You don’t have to go back.”

“I have to go back, Auntie. I’ve made a home there,” Sunset explained. “Besides, I can’t just leave my friends.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Luna begrudgingly admitted. “You are a grown mare and you live your life the way you want to.”

“Thanks, Auntie Lulu.” Sunset hugged her aunt.

“Anytime, my little Dream Catcher.” Luna hugged Sunset back.

“Besides, we can always visit each other,” Discord reminded her. “Not to mention that you have your pocket dimension.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Sunset said to her father in gratitude.

“There’s still so much I have yet to teach you about chaos, my dear,” Discord said with a smile.

“Do your best my Sunshine,” Celestia said as she nuzzled Sunset.

“I will,” Sunset said as she nuzzled her mother back.

The family gave each other a hug with Sunset at the center, even though they knew that this wasn’t a goodbye. They just couldn’t help but feel saddened that they had to be apart.

The following day, the royal family was gathered in Twilight’s library and saying their last goodbyes before Sunset returned to the other world on the other side of the mirror.

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come with you?” Celestia asked with sadness in her voice.

“I appreciate it, Mom, but this is something I gotta do myself,” Sunset resolved.

“Always so independent, my little Sunshine,” Celestia sighed. “Don’t forget that you’ll always have a home here.”

“That’s right,” Discord said. “And don’t ever forget who you are. Now go, go and show them what a real Princess of Chaos can do!”

“Discord,” Celestia chided but still smiling.

“I promise, Dad. But I’m not going to do anything too overboard. Just a bit of chaos here and there to keep things interesting,” Sunset said with a mischievous smile.

“That’s my girl,” Discord said with pride before hugging his daughter.

“Remember to use your new power responsibly,” Princess Luna advised as she wrapped her hooves around Sunset and nuzzled her.

“I will, Aunt Luna.” Sunset replied, nuzzling back.

“I have something for you,” Luna said as she pulled away, magic covered her horn as she floated a small box to Sunset.
Sunset took the box in her magic. She opened it and gasped at seeing a beautiful silver necklace that had each phase of the moon carved into it. It also had a special charm that resembled Luna’s cutie mark.

“It’s beautiful!”

“I’m very happy that you love it,” Luna said, very pleased that her niece loved her gift. “I’ve placed a spell on it that will protect you in your dreams, as well as allow you to travel into the dream realm and find me.”

Luna brought Sunset into another hug, tears welling up in her eyes.

“The time we had was too short for me to really get to know you, but I can plainly see that you are a special pony, Sunset. I love you and I will always be there for you!” Luna cried.

Tears spilled from Sunset’s eyes as she felt her aunt’s love flow through her. With shaky hooves, she wrapped them around Luna’s neck and buried her face in the Lunar Princess’ shoulder.

“I love you too, Aunty Lulu!” Sunset cried. She then looked to her parents. “I’ll make you all proud!”

Discord and Celestia soon joined the hug, with Discord crying waterfall of tears. They reluctantly broke the hug as Sunset turned to Twilight who was standing next to the portal along with Spike who was quiet throughout the family’s tearful goodbyes to give them some privacy.

“Thank you, Twilight,” Sunset thanked her best friend as she moved close to hug her.

“Anytime,” Twilight whispered before breaking the hug. “Are you sure you don’t want to message the girls that you’re coming back?”

“I’m sure,” Sunset said as she used her magic to place her saddlebags filled with goodies inside on her back. “I want to surprise them.”

Sunset bent down to hug Spike.

“Take good care of your mom, Spike,” Sunset teased, smiling playfully.

“Like I haven’t been doing that already,” Spike said with a snicker before breaking the hug. He was then wrapped by a wing and brought close to Twilight.

“Have a safe trip,” Twilight said with sincerity.

“Thanks,” Sunset thanked the Princess of Friendship. She took one last look at her family before going through the portal.

Author's Note

Here's the second chapter, just one more to go! Thank you KR Chrome and kamen Rider Goji for your continued support.

A New Beginning

Swirls of colors danced before Sunset as she passed through the portal before she finally emerged on the other side as a human. Sunset flailed her arms a bit as she tried to regain her balance. Once that was done, she took a look around the snow-covered area. It was gently snowing. Ordinarily, Sunset would feel the chilly wind, but thanks to having access to her magic, she was unaffected by it. Sunset took a deep breath through her nose before exhaling. Instead of steam coming from her hot breath, she literally breathed out fire.

“It’s good to be back,” Sunset commented with a smile. As she began to make her way towards the school’s entrance, she heard a familiar voice.

“Leave them alone!”

Sunset looked to her right to see her friends standing protectively in front of the CMC as they were approached by a group of threatening students.

“We’ve waited too long to get back at Anon-A-Miss for getting us in trouble,” a male student with spiky neon green hair said as he glared at the CMC.

“Yah got what yah deserve fer sendin’ secrets in the first place!” Applejack argued, staring down at the group.

“Have you ruffians forgotten that they are under Sunset’s protection?” Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Sunset ain’t here now, is she?” another male student with short red hair mocked.

“But we are!” Rainbow Dash challenged.

“Sounds like somebody didn’t heed my warning,” Sunset said with a sigh. She then smiled mischievously as she sunk into the ground. A blue glow was left on the spot where she submerged into which traveled towards the group.

“Enough talk!” Another member of the group with blue hair said as he started walking towards the girls. “It’s payback time.”

The group snickered as they moved in on the girls. The Rainbooms readied themselves but then something odd happened. As the angry group got closer, they started shrinking. The started to panic as they continued to shrink until they were no bigger than the girls’ shoes.

“What the hell is going on?!” the redhead shrieked in fright.

Just then, they noticed a blue light on the ground that was coming towards them. Steam was rising from it as it got between the Rainbooms and the tiny group. The group of students was staring at it in fear, waiting for something to happen.

The ground erupted as a giant monster (to them) emerged. Its massive size left them in awe and terror. Its back spikes glowed blue and its footsteps impacted the ground with a thunderous roar. The monster looked down on the trembling group before letting out a mighty roar, making the group cry out in terror before running away. As they fled, they started to return to their normal size.

The monster turned around to face the girls before it pulled a zipper down its front. The Rainbooms watched on nervously as the monster pulled the zipper all the way down its body. They witnessed, much to their surprise, as Sunset Shimmer stepped out of the life-like monster costume with a wide cheeky grin.

“Surprise, girls!”

“Sunset!” The Rainbooms shouted in joy as they ran up to Sunset and shared a group hug.

“It’s good to see you girls,” Sunset said as she hugged her friends back.

“Nice getup,” Applejack grinned as she pulled back to see Sunset’s costume.

"Thanks," Sunset smiled. She winked and banished the costume.

“Did you enjoy your vacation with your family?” Rarity asked.

“I sure did!” Sunset said excitedly. “I really got to know my aunt and dad. And learning about them really helped me learn more about myself.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Fluttershy said, smiling at Sunset. She felt very happy for her friend.

“Let’s go someplace warm and yah can tell us all about it,” Applejack suggested.

“Sounds like a plan,” Sunset agreed before snapping her fingers and transporting all of them to the Sweet Shoppe. They were all seated with warm beverages in their hands.

“Whoa,” Rainbow Dash said in amazement.

“Just a little something Dad taught me,” Sunset said as she took a sip from her cup of lava that was actually cherry-flavored ice cream.

“My word!” Rarity gasped at seeing Sunset drink lava.

“You should see my dad drink something. He literally drinks the glass!” Sunset laughed.

“Don’t keep us waiting! Tell us about your trip!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly.

Sunset started telling her friends and the Crusaders all about her vacation, the places they visited, and the chaos she and her father caused. The girls hung on every word. Hearing stories about their friend’s homeworld was a rare treat considering that they had never bothered to ask her before.

“Sounds like yah had a mighty good time,” Applejack noted.

“Not to mention that I actually feel whole now,” Sunset said.

“Whatever do you mean, darling?” Rarity asked.

“Back when it was just me and Mom, I always felt like something was missing. Besides the obvious,” Sunset chuckled. “I always prided myself and my power, but my chaos magic felt different from my mother. I asked her about it and the only thing she told me was that it was from my father, which got me curious as to who he was and what kind of pony he was.”

Sunset’s expression turned sad as she recalled the fight between her and her mother.

“After I betrayed and abandoned Mom, I fled to this world and I set a goal for myself to prove that I was a better princess than her by taking over the school. You can all guess how that turned out,” Sunset said with a smirk. “But then I met Vice-Principal Luna who turned out to be this world’s version of my mother’s younger sister. I had no idea my mom even had a sister.”

“Ah can imagine ya were confused and surprised to learn that,” Applejack commented as she recalled how she learned about her grandfather from her mother’s side, Grand Pear. To think their mother had been a Pear which meant Applejack and her siblings were all half Pear.

“Boy, was I ever! I was not ready for that bombshell!” Sunset laughed. “I temporarily stopped my plans to find out more about her, but I could never work up the courage to talk to her. So I just observed her actions to try and learn as much as I could. She was always professional at school so I didn’t really learn much.

“You can imagine how frustrated I was. She was the counterpart of a member of my family I had no idea existed but I was too much of a coward to confront her myself. I spent several sleepless nights wondering what she was like and whether or not I was like her. So, instead of focusing on that, I decided to just focus on taking over the school...and breaking you girls apart. I’m so sorry about that.” Sunset looked remorseful as she remembered her past actions. She had been a terrible person and pony.

“It wasn’t all your fault, darling. We are as much to blame for not simply talking to each other,” Rarity assured her friend/crush.

“But anyway, now I feel whole except for one little thing,” Sunset said.

“What’s that?” Rainbow Dash asked curiously.

“I’ve got family and friends but I’m still missing that special someone,” Sunset grinned as she winked at Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity.

“Yah still think of us like that?” Applejack questioned, her cheeks red.

“With how badly we all messed up?” Rainbow Dash asked, her cheeks also turning rosy.

“The key to a good relationship is communication, and I’m afraid we failed at that,” Rarity said, feeling ashamed.

“I’ve told you before that we’re going to work on your issues with me together but that doesn’t mean we can’t do it over dinner,” Sunset answered, smiling cheekily.

The girls smiled at hearing this but it faltered a little.

“What’s wrong?” Sunset asked, noticing their fallen smiles.

“It’s just…” Rainbow Dash looked between Applejack and Rarity.

“Oh yeah, you humans are into the whole ‘monogamy’ thing,” Sunset made air-quotes as she sighed while she looked at her friends seriously. “Look, I won’t force any of you into sharing me but I still want to be with all three of you.”

The girls looked at each other before turning to look at Sunset.

“Ah suppose we can give it a try,” Applejack said.

“LIke Hell I’m missing a chance to be with you,” Rainbow Dash said with a cocky grin.

“One must not shy away from new experiences, especially if they are the key to happiness,” Rarity said with determination.

“I’m happy to hear that,” Sunset said with a smile

“Hello there, Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset turned around to see Trixie.

“Oh, hey, Trixie,” Sunset greeted the rookie magician.

“Trixie sees that you are doing better,” Trixie said. “Trixie was very worried.”

“Really?” Sunset was surprised by this.

“Of course! Trixie requires you to be in good health or her plans will be for naught,” Trixie said.

“What kind of plans?” Sunset asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Trixie will happily tell you on Christmas Eve!” Trixie declared.

“Sorry but I already have plans for tomorrow with my friends,” Sunset apologized.

“Trixie understands, for it is all of a sudden and she can’t expect you to drop what you’re doing,” Trixie nodded in understanding but she felt disappointed that she couldn’t give her present to Sunset. She had worked very hard on it.

“Yer welcome to come to mah family’s Christmas party tomorrow,” Applejack invited the amateur magician. “Yah can tell Sunset yer plans there.”

“Really?” Trixie was surprised by the invitation.

“Yep, it’s Christmas Eve and one should spend that day with friends and family,” Applejack said, smiling at Trixie.

“Then The Great and Powerful Trixie humbly accepts your invitation.” Trixie took off her hat and bowed before Applejack. “Should Trixie bring anything?”

“Just yer holiday spirit,” Applejack said with a wink.

“Trixie will do just that!” Trixie said as she made her way towards the exit. “See you all later!”

“Are you sure about inviting her to your party, AJ?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

“Sure Ah’m sure,” Applejack said as a matter-of-fact. “She might be a braggart but she’s not all that bad.”

“I wonder what it is she wants to talk with Sunset about?” Fluttershy asked.

“She did mention her plans to help ‘reform’ Sunset better than we did when she thought you were back to your old ways,” Rarity spoke with air quotes.

“I guess we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what she wants with me,” Sunset said.

Sunset plopped down on her bed. It was good to be back in her apartment. But for some reason, it felt empty.

“I guess I’ve gotten too used to having my family with me now,” Sunset whispered softly but then she remembered her aunt’s gift.

Sitting up, she reached into her bag and pulled out the box containing her bracelet. She then took it out and placed the bracelet on her right hand. Sunset laid down on her bed comfortably and closed her eyes. She breathed softly as she relaxed and focused.

Sunset Shimmer’s eyes snapped open and she now found herself in the dream realm which looked like the night sky that was filled with stars as she stood upon a cloud. She looked at her bracelet as it started glowing.

“Now, how do I use you to find Aunt Lulu?” Sunset questioned.

Just then, Princess Luna popped into existence and hugged Sunset.

“Oh, Sunset! I’ve missed you terribly, my dear niece!” Luna said as she nuzzled her niece.

Sunset nuzzled her aunt back before she pulled away.

“Now! Are you ready to help your aunt with guarding our ponies’ dreams?” Luna asked excitedly.

“You know it!” Sunset answered equally as excited.

“Then hop on my little Dream Catcher,” Luna said as she knelt down in front of Sunset.

Sunset - who was now a pony - trotted over to her aunt and climbed on her back. Luna loved to have Sunset ride on her back. With a mighty flap of her wings, Luna took to the air and flew towards their first destination.

The Sirens had seen better days. Without their magic, they had been forced to retrain their voices so they could sing a decent tune. They also had to take menial jobs to make ends meet. Surprising neither Aria and Adagio, Sonata got a job at a Mexican restaurant.

They were still technically homeless as they were living in a van that they had gotten. Right now, they were having a meal together at a table in the park. All of a sudden, Sunset Shimmer appeared with a pop.

“Yo,” Sunset waved at the Sirens.

“You!” Adagio hissed as she stood up, getting ready to attack Sunset. Aria was already cracking her knuckles, looking for a fight.

“Hey, relax. I come in peace,” Sunset said and she reached behind her back to pull out a platter of tacos. “I ever come
with a peace offering!”

Sonata gasped and grabbed the platter.

“TACOS!”

Adagio and Aria glowered at their sister before turning their glare at Sunset Shimmer.

“OK, what do you want?” Aria demanded, crossing her arms.

“Look, honestly, I know what it’s like to be stuck in a world without magic. I mean, you girls might’ve tried to use it for the wrong things but losing your magic is like losing a part of yourselves.”

Sunset then took out a box and showed them the red gems that the Dazzlings used to have.

“Our gems!” Aria yelled.

“Hold up,” Adagio said suspiciously. “What’s the catch?”

“Oh, you won’t be able to do that crazy mojo that turned everyone against each other,” Sunset said. “But these can still absorb the negative emotions around you.”

“So, you expect us to hang around places with a bunch of negativity?” Aria scoffed. That was not how they fed. Their magic and singing brought out negative emotions.

“This is the human world. Look hard enough, you can find some pretty toxic places,” Sunset said. “Trust me, I know.”

“Well.” Adagio put her gem back on. “They may not be the same but we appreciate the gifts.”

The rest of the sirens soon followed Adagio’s lead and placed their gems back on.

“Thanks, Sunset!” Sonata thanked the former unicorn.

“Don’t mention it; and if you want, maybe we can hang out,” Sunset offered.

“We’ll think about it,” Adagio said, playing with her gem.

Sunset turned around and started walking away. Adagio observed her fellow Equestrian and smirked.

“Maybe she’s not so bad after all.”

Adagio woke up with a start. She looked around the van she shared with her sisters to find them still asleep before she groaned in annoyance. “What a nightmare.”

Adagio lay back down and tossed around as she tried to go back to sleep.

Rainbow Dash was in her room reading the latest Daring Do book entitled “Daring Do and The Temple of the Moth.” Usually, she would daydream about having adventures like Daring Do but her mind was preoccupied with the strange dream she had.

It was just like the opening cutscene from Kingdom Hearts. She found herself on the beach of Destiny Islands and she saw standing Sunset Shimmer knee-deep in the water. The short remix of “Simple and Clean” played around her as Sunset turned around to face her. She extended a hand out to her as a wave rose behind her.

Rainbow Dash reached inside her pocket to pull out Sunset’s spare key. She could still remember the feeling she had when it turned into her Keyblade. Her phone started ringing and she checked the caller ID to see that it was from Rarity.

“Hello?” Rainbow Dash answered.

“Hello, darling. I called to ask if you needed a lift to Applejack’s house for her party?” Rarity asked.

Rainbow Dash got up to look outside her window to see it snowing. It wouldn’t be a good idea to go to the Apple Farm on her motorcycle.

“Sure, that sounds like a great idea.”

“Wonderful! I’ll see you in half an hour. Be well, darling Merry Christmas,” Rarity bid her friend goodbye.

“You too.” Rainbow Dash hung up and walked over to her bed. She bent down to reach under her bed and pulled out a box. She lifted the lid of the box to reveal a hand-knitted scarf and hat.

She had knitted it herself for Sunset. They were both blue and the scarf had Sunset’s cutie mark on its ends. As a reminder of who she had to thank for keeping her warm, Rainbow Dash placed the lid back on the box and placed it on top of her bed. She then went to go get some wrapping paper for her present.

Applejack and Applebloom stood before two trees, one apple and the other a pear. Both trees were intertwined at the base of their trunks and when they parted at the top, they formed a heart. Pears and apples would grow on both trees’ branches during the season. The trees symbolized the love Applejack’s parents had for each other when they planted them on their wedding day.

“Hey Ma and Pa,” Applejack greeted. “Life’s been pretty hectic last week with Anon-A-miss, Sunset bein’ sick and the fate of the world being at stake again.” Applejack chuckled before her expression changed to shame.

“Because of my stubbornness and stupidity, Ah nearly lost a dear friend...a family member,” Applejack closed her eyes as an image of Sunset looking very hurt after they confessed that they believed she was Anon-A-Miss. “Sunset is just too kind. Not only did she give a scoundrel like me a second chance, but she wants to still start a relationship with me.” Applejack smiled as she opened her eyes. “Although, Ah do have to share her with Rainbow and Rarity.”

Applejack turned to her left to look at Applebloom who was smiling at her.

“Even Applebloom got herself a girlfriend!”

Applebloom blushed but she still smiled brightly.

“Ah promise myself that Ah will never make the same mistake again, fer Sunset’s sake. She deserves that,” Applejack finished saying her peace and turned to leave. “Ah’ll stop by soon to introduce yah to Sunset. Ah know yah’ll love her as much as Ah do.” Applejack started to walk away.

“Yah coming, Applebloom?” Applejack asked as she turned her head to look at her baby sister.

“Yah go on ahead. Ah still wanna say somethin’ to Ma and Pa.”

“Alright, but don’t take too long, Bloom,” Applejack said before resuming her way back to the house.

Applebloom turned back to face the trees. She took in a deep breath before exhaling.

“Ma, Pa, Ah really screwed up,” Applebloom began. “Ah let my jealousy of Sunset and my anger at Applejack blind me. I created Anon-A-Miss and Ah even dragged my best friends into it. But that wasn’t enough, coz we posted the secrets of other students to get them to believe that Sunset was up to her old tricks again.”

Tears welled up in Applebloom’s eyes as she recalled the hurt faces and broken friendships of Anon-A-Miss had caused. All caused by her and her friends.

“If Ah didn’t see how sick Sunset was fer mahself, who knows how far we would’ve taken things.” Applebloom wiped away her tears and looked back at the trees. “Ah’m already being punished fer what Ah did, an’ Ah’ll do mah best to make it up to everyone ah hurt, especially Sunset, Applejack...and Diamond Tiara.” Applebloom’s cheeks flushed as she thought of her girlfriend.

“She has been pretty supportive of me after me, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle confessed to bein’ Anon-A-Miss. She even risked her own life to save us when the evil Sunset tricked us into fightin’ each other in a video game she trapped us in. To think she used to be a bully who would always pick on me and my friends.” Applebloom smiled as she recalled the warmth of Diamond’s hand whenever she held hers as they walked from class to class. “Ah guess Ah’ll have to introduce her to yah too.” Applebloom giggled before turning around to head back to the house.

Thanks for inviting us to the party, Rarity,” Sweetie Belle said from her seat in the car next to Rarity.

“Think nothing of it; you girls were already invited in the first place,” Rarity pointed out.

“Still, you could’ve easily uninvited us,” Scootaloo said from behind Rarity in the second row of seats.

“What would be the point of that?” Rainbow Dash scoffed. “You’ve learned your lesson, you said you were sorry and you girls were punished.”

“But Sunset hasn’t punished us yet,” Sweetie Belle pointed out.

“Yeah, her mom said that she would decide our punishment.” Scootaloo suddenly shivered. “I hope she doesn’t trap us in a game again.”

“I’m certain she won’t,” Rarity assured her.

“Since she’s a princess, maybe she’ll make you her personal servants,” Rainbow Dash joked.

“I have the perfect uniform design in mind!” Rarity joked before she and Rainbow Dash started laughing while their sisters groaned in annoyance.

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were the first to arrive at the Apple family home. The pink-haired duo made themselves at home as they had some snacks and enjoyed some apple cider.

“The Apple family cider is always the best!” Pinkie Pie said as she guzzled down a bottle of cider.

“Glad yah like our cider, Pinkie,” Applejack said as she smiled at her party-crazed friend.

“It’s so good to be able to have fun again,” Fluttershy commented before taking a sip from her cup full of cider.

“Yeah, hopefully, we don’t have to face another chaotic threat again,” Pinkie Pie giggled.

“I most certainly hope not!” Fluttershy gasped. “I wouldn’t want Sunset to go through that again.”

“There’s nothin’ to worry about. Sunset has everything under control,” Applejack assured her friend.

“Yeah, it’s not like someone will take Sunset’s chaos magic and only leave her with her harmony magic which she’ll use to clean up the chaos that her chaos magic will cause, leading her to become unbalanced and going critical!” Pinkie Pie said before smiling cheekily. “But what are the odds of that?”

“Besides, we can contact her parents and they’ll come right over to help,” Applejack added. “So there really ain’t nothin’ to worry about.”

“You’re right,” Fluttershy agreed as she took a bite from her cookie. “There’s no need to worry about something that will never happen.”

Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo soon arrived, followed by Diamond Tiara and her family.

“Filthy, it’s so good to see yah,” Granny Smith greeted her family's long-time business partner.

“It’s good to see you in good health, Mrs. Smith,” Filthy Rich greeted the Apple family matriarch.

Diamond Tiara spotted Applebloom and immediately walked up to her and gave her a hug. Their families looked with a smile. Even Spoiled Rich managed a slight smile at seeing her daughter with her girlfriend.

“It’s about time our families were joined,” Granny Smith said matter-of-factly.

“Don’t you think it’s a little early to say that?” Spoiled Rich questioned.

“Of course not. Them youngins have a strong bond that will only get stronger,” Granny Smith confidently answered.

A few minutes had passed before there was a knock at the door. Applejack went to answer it and saw Trixie with an air of determination.

“Hi, Trixie,” Applejack greeted the rookie magician as she stepped aside to let her in.

“Hello there, Applejack,” Trixie greeted back as she entered Applejack’s home. “Is Sunset here yet?”

“No, but she should be here soon,” Applejack said as she closed the door only to hear a knock again. “Huh?” Applejack opened the door to see no one outside.

“What the-?” Applejack closed the door; and when she turned around, she came face-to-face with Sunset.

“Howdy,” Sunset greeted with a wink before leaning in to kiss Applejack’s cheek.

“S-Sunset?!” Applejack was startled to see her crush with her family already inside, her cheeks turning red from the kiss.

“I hope you don’t mind that I brought my family along?” Sunset motioned to her parents and aunt behind her.

“Of course not. Make yerselves at home,” Applejack encouraged.

“Thank you for having us, Applejack,” Princess Celestia gratefully said to the cowgirl. She was wearing a beautiful and elegant blue coat with the symbol of the moon in front. The coat was a gift from Luna for Hearth’s Warming.

“So we meet again,” Discord said to Trixie.

“Indeed. Trixie hopes that you solved your problems with your daughter,” Trixie said.

“Thanks to you,” Discord said as he looked back to Sunset.

“Wait…” Trixie blinked as she looked between Discord and Sunset. “Sunset’s your daughter?!”

“Yep!” Discord said with pride.

“So you must the young woman who helped my beloved regain his confidence,” Princess Celestia said as she faced Trixie.

“Principal Celestia?” Trixie looked at the princess in confusion. “What are you doing here?’

“I’m not who you think I am,” Celestia said with a kind, motherly smile.

“She’s my world’s version of our principal,” Sunset explained. “She’s also my mom.”

“Your mom?!” Trixie was shocked to hear this. She looked between Sunset and her mother, then her father and her aunt. “Trixie does see the resemblance.”

“Thank you for what you did for my beloved, Trixie,” Princess Celestia said to the magician in gratitude. “If it weren’t for you, who knows what would have happened to us.”

“Trixie is happy to have helped,” Trixie said, although she was unsure of what the princess meant by the last part. “Sunset, Trixie has something she would like to tell you now.”

“Sure, Trixie. What do you want to tell me?” Sunset asked curiously.

“Follow Trixie,” Trixie said as she lead Sunset to the living room.

Sunset’s family and Applejack followed and Trixie motioned for them to sit. The rest of the room’s occupants noticed Trixie and decided to watch.

“Now then, Trixie would first like to apologize for what she did to you and your friends during the Battle of the Bands,” Trixie began as her facial expression changed from confident to shame. “Trixie realized that all of you could have gotten seriously hurt and I am so sorry.”

The Rainbooms were shocked that Trixie apologized and referred to herself in the first person. She rarely did that unless it was serious.

“I have been thinking long and hard and want to make it up to all of you.” Trixie removed her hat and held it in front of her. “So, what can I do to make up for my actions?”

The Rainbooms looked at each other. They smiled as they moved as one towards Trixie. The rookie magician was nervous as the Rainbooms surrounded her but it quickly turned to surprise when they all hugged her.

“Apology accepted, darling,” Rarity said.

“Just like that?” Trixie asked in confusion.

“You said you were sorry and you meant it,” Rainbow Dash said.

The Rainbooms parted from the hug and looked at Trixie with smiles.

“We’ve made mistakes ourselves,” Sunset said. “And you’re owning up to yours.”

Trixie smiled brightly at this. It gave her the courage to do what she was about to do next.

“Sunset, there’s also something Trixie would like to say to you.” Trixie’s tone became serious. “Trixie thinks you’re an amazing person. You inspire me to do my best and to never give up.”

“Wow, thanks, Trixie!” Sunset gratefully said to the rookie magician with a smile. She had no idea Trixie felt this way about her.

Rarity narrowed her eyes at Trixie. She could tell there was more to this.

“Which is why I want to ask you to be my girlfriend,” Trixie confessed, causing the people in the room to gasp. Trixie reached inside her hat and pulled out a beautiful electric guitar and handed it to Sunset. “Trixie made this for you using her own guitar.”

Sunset took the guitar and looked at it with wide, shock-filled eyes. It was painted in her colors and the light bounced off its smooth surface.

“Trixie...I don’t know what to say.” Sunset was stunned that Trixie would remake her own guitar for her.

“Look at the back of the neck,” Trixie instructed.

Sunset did as she was told and was surprised to find a metallic plate with Trixie’s cutie mark on it.

“It’s so you can always think of Trixie when you play,” Trixie explained, her cheeks turning red. “So what do you say Sunset? Do you want to be with me?”

Sunset carefully placed the guitar on a stand that she made appear. She walked over to Trixie, cupped her face with both hands and kissed her on the lips.

The room gasped while Sunset’s family cheered.

Trixie’s eyes widened in shock before fully closing and kissing Sunset back. Unfortunately, it had to end as Sunset pulled away.

“Doesn’t that answer your question?” Sunset asked in a sultry voice.

“Yeah,” Trixie said in a trance-like state.

“Although, you have to share me with Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack,” Sunset said as she turned to her other girlfriends who looked very jealous.

“Trixie doesn’t mind at all!” Trixie declared before pulling out another present from her hat. “Trixie would also like to give you this and would like to ask you out for tomorrow.”

“On Christmas?” Sunset raised an eyebrow as she took the present from Trixie.

“Yes, Trixie wants you to be a part of something that is very important to Trixie,” Trixie explained.

Sunset opened the present and it’s an outfit worn by magicians. Sunset looked to Trixie in confusion.

“It’s for tomorrow,” Trixie said.

“Okay,” Sunset shrugged. She was curious as to what Trixie wanted to show her. “But first let me give you your gift.”

Sunset grabbed her magician hat and reached inside to pull out a guitar that looked exactly like Trixie’s.

“It looks just like Trixie’s!” Trixie gasped as she took hold of her new guitar. “It even feels the same.”

“Except for one thing,” Sunset motioned to the back of the guitar’s neck where there’s a metallic plate with Sunset’s cutie mark on it. “Now you can think of me whenever you play.”

Trixie wrapped her arms around Sunset in a hug which the redhead was happy to return.

“Four girlfriends?” Diamond Tiara said in disbelief. “I thought that could only happen in books and anime.”

“Maybe this will distract Sunset from punishing us,” Scootaloo said hopefully.

“Don’t count on it,” Sunset said as she appeared behind Scootaloo. “Since you girls wanted to hang out with your sisters more, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing.”

Sunset snapped her fingers and Sweetie Belle was modeling an outfit as Sunset and Rarity worked on it.

“Sweetie Belle, you will be assisting me and Rarity as she works on her new designs,” Sunset winked at Rarity who winked back.

Sunset snapped her fingers as she and Rainbow Dash were passing the soccer ball as they ran up to Scootaloo who was the goalie.

“Scootaloo you’re going to practice with me and Dashie,” Sunset said before wrapping her arms around Rainbow Dash. “And watch us be all lovey-dovey.”

Sunset planted kisses on Rainbow Dash’s face which made Scootaloo gag. Sunset snapped her fingers again. This time she was doing chores with Applejack and Applebloom at the Apple Farm.

“Applebloom will be with me and Applejack to help around more on the farm,” Sunset said.

“That doesn’t soun’ so bad,” Applebloom said before she felt something being placed on her head.

“Safety first, we wouldn’t want you to hurt your precious wittle head,” Sunset cooed as she put a helmet on Applebloom. “We love you, Applebloom.” Sunset and Applejack hugged Applebloom who had a look of horror on her face.

Sunset snapped her fingers and turned everything back to normal.

“Now, let’s enjoy this party!” Sunset said, which caused everyone to cheer.

The party was underway and Sunset enjoyed her time with her family, both from her birth world and this one. She snickered when she made a mistletoe appear above Diamond Tiara and Applebloom’s head. Both girls blushed profusely before Diamond Tiara bit the bullet and kissed Applebloom’s cheek. The whole room erupted in cheers. Sunset made good use of her little trick as she made out with her girlfriends, each one having a dreamy look at the end. Laughter and cheer echoed throughout the Apple family home. Sunset was happy to finally have a Merry Christmas with her whole family. She couldn’t wait to see what the new year had in store.

Author's Note

This is the end, thank you all so much for sticking with this story until the end. I enjoyed reading your comments and your continued support for this story. I would also like to give special thanks to KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji, thanks to you two I was able to finish this story and I really appreciated your help and support.

Epilogue

“Luna, I’m home!” Principal Celestia called out as she entered her home. She heard laughter coming from the living room and went to investigate. She found her younger sister relaxing on the sofa while looking through an old family photo album. “What are you looking at?”

“Just some photos of our high school days,” Luna said as she was looking at a photo of herself and Celestia.

As a teenager, Celestia’s hair was dyed black and purple and cut into a mohawk. She had a spiked collar on her neck, multiple piercings on her ears, and jeans at the thigh to show off her toned legs. Her midriff was bare to expose her strong abs. She wore a denim jacket that was torn at the sleeves to expose her strong muscular arms that were crossed underneath her impressive bust. She had an “I don’t give a fuck” look on her face. Next to her stood Luna who was shorter than Celestia since she was younger, dressed in 80’s style clothing with a matching hairdo. Her bright sunny smile was a stark contrast to her sister’s. Anyone who knew them back them would never have guessed that they would become a school principal and vice-principal.

“You sure were ripped back then,” Luna remarked.

“Excuse me?” Celestia raised an eyebrow, her hand on her hips as she looked at her sister disapprovingly. “I’ll have you know I’m still as fit as I was back in high school.”

“I know, but you hide it under your clothes,” Luna rolled her eyes. “Sunset Shimmer looks almost as muscular as you when you were her age.” At the mention of Sunset Shimmer’s name, both women went silent.

“It’s hard to believe that she’s my niece from another world,” Luna whispered but Celestia heard her.

“I was at a loss myself.” Celestia recalled how shocked she was at seeing her own daughter at her school.

“Seeing her struggle after the Fall Former really got to me,” Luna said as she clutched her heart. “I wanted so badly to hold her in my arms and tell her I love her and that everything would be okay.”

Celestia felt the same way, but her confusion and doubt stopped her from acknowledging the other Sunset as her daughter.

“Say, when is-”

Luna didn’t finish as they heard the front door open and a familiar voice.

“I’m home!”

Luna immediately bolted from the couch and towards the door.

“Sunset!”

“Auntie Lulu!” Sunset greeted as she set down her bags and held out her arms.

Luna immediately wrapped her arms around Sunset and spun her around.

“Oh, my precious Dream Catcher! I’ve missed you so much!”

“Easy Lulu, don’t make the poor girl dizzy,” Discord said as he held one of Sunset’s bags.

Luna set Sunset down as she broke the hug only for Celestia to hug her daughter too.

“I’ve missed you so much, my Little Sunshine,” Celestia said.

“I missed you too, Mom.” Sunset returned as she hugged her mother tightly.

“So how’s college?” Celestia asked as she broke the hug.

“It’s going well. I’m acing my classes,” Sunset answered. She was studying to become an educator like her mother and aunt.

“That’s my princess,” Discord said as he ruffled Sunset’s head.

“Dad!” Sunset laughed at her father’s affectionate display.

“It’s good to have you home for the holidays,” Luna said happily. She was going to make the most of her time with niece.

“Yeah, so did anything exciting happen while I was gone?” Sunset asked as she and her family walked back to the living room.

“Where to even begin,” Luna said with a roll of her eyes, a playful smile on her lips as she could only imagine the look on her niece’s face when they told her that she had a twin from another world.

It would be quite the story.

Author's Note

Since we got confirmation that Sunset is older than the humane 6, it makes sense that she's already attending college. As for why pony Sunset herself isn't in college is because she obviously got held back. Human Sunset attended a different Highschool and she has the same drives like Sunset but like Sci-Twi, human Sunset is not a complete asshole like her pony counterpart. Principal Celestia never told her daughter about her otherworldly twin until now because she herself was still trying to wrap her head around it. Especially after the revelation that Sunset is from another world, then there's the whole magic thing.

Thank you everyone who has stuck by this story and enjoyed it. Thanks once again to KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji.

Sunset Shimmer is resting on her couch, the remote in her hands as she flicks through the channels but finds nothing to watch. She suddenly gets an idea and channels her magic through the remote, she brings up the menu which now displays any show in the multiverse. She finds one that catches her eye.

"The Queen and her Court, huh? Sounds promising."

Like Father, Like Daughter

Spitfire and Soarin watched in horror as their daughter was literally torn apart by zombies only to respawn and be alright a second later. They knew a lot could be done with movie magic, but it just seemed so real.

Horrified and confused, the two of them wondered what was going on.

Spitfire had heard about Sunset Shimmer. Her daughter had stories to tell about how terrible the girl was. Honestly, Spitfire had not met the girl personally but she sounded downright nasty and mean. Sunset Shimmer had not bullied or harassed Scootaloo, but she had done some terrible things in the past. Not to mention that she heard Scootaloo mumbled Sunset’s name in her sleep whenever she had a nightmare about the demon.

And now Sunset Shimmer was playing a video game with their daughter. Only, it was not in a fun way. Scootaloo was literally inside of the game and being tortured by it.

“Hey, Spits. Check out the awesome gift I picked out for Scootaloo!” Fleetfoot said as she climbed up from the edge of a cliff and held up a shopping bag. “She is going to love it.”

Fleetfoot noticed how absorbed her friends were on Spitfire’s phone and raised an eyebrow.

“Hey Cap, I thought you said it was bad to stare at your phone all day.”

Fleetfoot waited for a response but when she didn’t get one she started to worry.

“What’re you guys looking at anyway?”

Fleetfoot walked to stand besides Spitfire when the mall intercom came on.

“Attention shoppers, there’s a special 50% off sale at the furniture store. Hurry if you don’t want to miss out on this one in a lifetime deal!”

Spitfire, Soarin and Fleetfoot suddenly felt the ground shake.

“Oh no,” Soarin muttered as he felt snow land on top of his head.

“Move!” Spitfire ordered as she shoved her phone in her purse before grabbing Soarin and Fleetfoot’s hands and jumping over the cliff that Fleetfoot had just climbed up on.

“Soarin!” Spitfire called out her husband’s name.

“On it!” Soarin said as he took out a grappling hook and swung it towards the next level beneath the one they were just at. The hook latched on to a nearby stone chair and, using the momentum, the trio swung themselves over to the next level.

“Fleetfoot!” Spitfire called out to her teammate.

Fleetfoot pulled out her climbers pickaxe and stabbed it into the ice just below the edge of the the next level of the mountain, preventing them from swinging back. Soarin then released the rope and he swung to the other edge of where Fleetfoot was and used his own climbers pickaxe to latch himself to the ice. Together, they helped Spitfire launch herself over the edge and on to the next level where she proceeded to help her companions.

“Help Fleetfoot first,” Soarin suggested.

Spitfire did as he asked and as she went to help Fleetfoot, the rumbling they felt above grew stronger before an avalanche of people came down from above as they were all in a hurry to get to the sale.

“Hurry, Spits!” Fleetfoot urged her friend to pull her up.

Spitfire managed to pull Fleetfoot up and they both went to help Soarin up.

“Thanks, girls,” Soarin thanked his wife and friend.

“Oh my god, it’s the Wonderbolts!”

The Wonderbolts trio looked up to see fans falling towards them. Soarin looked back to Spitfire and Fleetfoot before pushing them out of the way just as the falling fans descended on top of him.

“Soarin!” Spitfire shouted her husband’s name as she watched him get pulled over the edge.

The two women quickly looked over the edge to see Soarin surrounded by fans as he fell down.

“I’ll catch up with you two later!” Soarin’s voice echoes as he descended with the crazed fans who were shouting for pictures and autographs from the athlete.

Spitfire watched her husband descend until he vanished into the clouds, a worried look on her face.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll be fine. He’s dealt with fans before,” Fleetfoot assured Spitfire.

“I know. He’ll probably talk them to death about his favorite pie,” Spitfire chuckled.

“C’mon, let’ get back to our Christmas shopping,” Fleetfoot said as she and Spitfire resumed their shopping.

What had Spitfire been worried about again?

“Princess, look out!” Rainbow Dash warned Sunset’s mother as several faculty members wearing wrestling costumes jumped on top of her. “Princess!”

“Do not worry, Rainbow Dash. I can handle this,” Princess Celestia assured the rainbow-haired athlete as she lifted up all the faculty members with ease and threw them out of the ring.

“Are you alright, Princess?” Rainbow Dash asked as she approached the Princess of the Sun.

“Yes, I am perfectly fine. That was barely even a warm up,” Princess Celestia said as she gave Rainbow Dash a reassuring smile.

“This is crazy,” Rainbow Dash said as she looked around at the wrestling ring. “I can’t believe this used to be the teachers lounge.”

“That’s the nature of chaos, Rainbow Dash. Which is why I love it!” Princess Celestia said with glee.

“I get that a little chaos can be fun. But don’t you think this is a bit much?” Rainbow Dash asked while pointing to the pile of wrestlers the Solar Princess had just thrown out of the ring. “One moment we’re in the hallway opening doors, the next thing I know the whole room shifts and now we’re in Wrestlemania.” Because the layout’s sudden change, Rainbow and Celestia were separated from the rest of their group.

“It’s true that under certain circumstances chaos can be fun, but in a situation like this...” Princess Celestia trailed off as she began walking towards a nearby door. “Anyway, we better find this ‘computer lab’.”

The Solar Princess reached for the door and as soon as she grabbed the doorknob, the room changed to that of the school gym.

“We’re in the gymnasium,” Rainbow Dash said as she looked around the room.

“Heads up, Crash!”

Rainbow Dash turned around and saw Dumbbell condensed into a ball and speeding towards her. Acting on reflex, she brought up her hands and to try and catch it but the princess did it for her. It was a good thing she was the one to intercept Dumbbell because he was going at an alarming speed as the impact he made with Celestia’s hand created a powerful shockwave.

“T-thanks,” Rainbow Dash thanked the princess nervously as a bead of sweat ran down the side of her face. If she had tried to catch it then she would have surely broken her hands or have the wind taken out of her.

“Oh man, I’m out!”

Rainbow Dash and Celestia turned to see a floating talking dodgeball with an annoyed look on its face.

“What the hell?” Rainbow Dash muttered as she looked at the other floating talking dodgeballs that held students in the shape of balls like Dumbbell.

“What kind of game is this?” Princess Celestia said as she brought Dumbbell up to her face to inspect him. She had gotten the basics of using her fingers to grip objects.

“It’s called dodgeball!” one of the balls said.

“And if you wanna get out of here, you gotta beat us,” another ball explained. “So, think you got game?”

“Dodgeball, huh?” Princess Celestia grinned. “It’s been a while since I’ve last played this game.”

“Let’s get them!” a dodgeball said as it threw a student ball at Celestia at high speed.

“I’m sorry about this,” Celestia apologized to Dumbbell as she used him to intercept the ball. She then threw Dumbbell and he zoomed towards the dodgeball that threw the student ball at her and knocked it out.

“Whoa.” Rainbow Dash was impressed with the princess’ throw. “Nice throw.”

“Rainbow Dash, lookout!” Celestia warned as she dodged another screaming student ball.

Rainbow Dash turned her attention back to the dodgeballs and just barely managed to dodge an incoming student.

“Why you!” Rainbow Dash grabbed the student ball and threw it as hard as she could at the dodgeball, but it merely caught the ball.

“You’re out!” the dodgeball shouted.

“No way!” Rainbow Dash protested.

“That’s the rules missy, now off the court,” another dodgeball said.

Rainbow Dash grumbled under her breath as she left the court and Celestia alone.

“Sorry about that, princess,” Rainbow Dash apologized to the princess.

“It’s alright, Rainbow Dash. This challenge is beyond what you can do normally. Besides... “ Princess Celestia grabbed a student ball that was thrown at her. “You’re not out yet.”

“Aw man!” a dodgeball whined as he was now out.

“Awesome! Thanks, princess!” Rainbow Dash said as she ran back into the field.

“Rainbow Dash, pass me the students and I’ll take them out,” the Solar Princess said as she stared at the balls.

“You got it!” Rainbow Dash nodded her head as the dodgeballs started throwing the student balls.

Both women dodged the students and Rainbow Dash proceeded to quickly scoop them up and hand them over to Celestia who then threw them at the dodgeballs and knocking them out. As Rainbow Dash kept passing the student balls to Celestia, she noticed something familiar as she threw the student balls at the dodgeball. The look of concentration on her face, her smirk, her power and the way she was enjoying herself reminded Rainbow of Sunset.

‘Sunset,’ Rainbow Dash thought grimly as she dodged another ball. Sunset was getting even worse and they didn’t stop her then she could seriously hurt herself.

Not to mention the CMC.

“Last one!” Celestia declared as she threw Dumbbell and knocked out the last dodgeball. “Yes!”

Rainbow Dash watched the princess jump in excitement and couldn’t help but smile.

“That was so much fun!” Celestia said with glee.

“Wow, princess. I didn’t know you were such an athlete.” Rainbow Dash was impressed with the princess’ athleticism.

“You haven’t seen anything yet. I’m barely warmed up,” Celestia said as she stretched.

Rainbow Dash suddenly came to a realization and she started laughing.

“What’s so funny, Rainbow Dash?” Celestia asked raising an eyebrow and giving the rainbow-haired athlete a playful smile.

“It’s just that it’s so obvious that you’re Sunset’s mom!” Rainbow laughed. She remembered when she had PE with Sunset Shimmer and how the girl had easily defeated her team during a dodgeball game.

“Maybe not as obvious as you might think, Rainbow Dash,” Celestia said.

“What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash asked, confused.

“If I hadn’t told you that I am Sunset’s mother, would you have seen the connection?” Celestia asked.

Rainbow Dash thought for a minute before responding, “No, I guess not.”

“Now, playtime is over. I fear that the next few obstacles are only going to get trickier and stranger,” Celestia urged.

True to the princess’ word, the room changed and the duo found themselves in a room with a moose.

“This doesn’t look so bad,” Rainbow Dash commented.

“I don’t think so madam,” the Moose suddenly spoke as he stood on its hind legs.

“It talks?!” Rainbow Dash said in shock.

“Of course I can talk, young lady,” the Moose huffed in annoyance. This young one really needed to learn proper manners. “Now, let us get on with the game.”

“What game?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Whack-a-mole,” the Moose simply said as two Whack-a-mole games poofed into existence.

“Whack-a-mole? Pft no problem,” Rainbow Dash said as she walked confidently towards the game. “I’m really good at this game.”

“Excellent, then we shall have a fun time,” the Moose said as he extended his hoof towards Rainbow Dash. “Good luck.”

“Thanks, you too,” Rainbow Dash shook the offered hoof before looking at her game. She picked up her mallet and waited for the moles to pop up.

A mole popped out but to Rainbow surprise, it had a mallet and attempted to whack her but she sidestepped it.

“What the hell?!” Rainbow Dash saw the mole snickered before going back in its hole.

“What’s the matter, young lady? I thought you said you were good at this game,” the Moose taunted as he waited for a mole to popped out and when it did, he dodge its strike and whacked it on the head.

“Not one where they try to hit me!” Rainbow Dash raised her voice.

“You gotta be quick on your feet if you want to win this game!”

“Rainbow Dash stay focused!” Celestia urged just as another mole popped out of another hole and tried to whack Rainbow. Rainbow Dash dodged the hit and countered back by whacking it on the head, scoring a point.

“Not this time!”

“Good whack,” the Moose complimented as he dodged another hit and countered. “But you’re still lagging behind.”

Rainbow Dash looked over to his game and saw his high score. It was already way higher than hers.

“Not for long,” Rainbow Dash said to herself. She was not going to lose. She would catch up and overtake him, claiming more scores than he had. If there was anything to never underestimate, it was her competitive spirit.

“Back off!” Luna shouted as she used her magic to blast away the numerous flying books that were attacking her and Rarity like a flock of angry birds. Twilight may get upset at her for destroying books but this was necessary.

“Thank you, Princess Luna,” Rarity thanked the princess of the night as she checked to see if her hair was alright. Those infernal books had likely given her split ends.

“Don’t thank me just yet,” Luna said as she glared at the approaching bookshelves that had bandanas wrapped around their heads and had nunchucks made of books. “Oh how I detest Discord’s chaos.”

When Rarity saw Luna’s glare, she couldn’t help but be reminded of Sunset. Guess they were related after all. Sunset did have Luna’s eyes.

Just then a giant book landed in front of them. The cover read ‘Reflections’ and as it opened and flipped through its pages, it started to glow before turning into Demon Sunset.

“What in Equestria?!” Luna was shocked by the appearance of this monster, but her shock quickly turned to anger. “How dare they turn our beloved niece into a monster!”

Luna lunged at the demon, charging magic into her fist as she prepared to knock the demon out.

“A-auntie?”

Luna stopped midway as she stared at her niece with wide eyes.

“Sunset?”

Sunset stared at her aunt’s eyes before she smiled wickedly.

“Not quite.”

Luna was shocked to hear her own voice coming from Sunset.

“Did you honestly think you had gotten rid of me? Fool,” Sunset said before she transformed into Nightmare Moon in human form.

“NO!” Luna screamed in terror at seeing her niece turn into her monster.

“The Elements of Harmony may have freed you from me, but a small part of me laid dormant within Sunset and it was all due to our magic attacking her while she was in Celestia’s womb,” Nightmare Moon smirked at seeing Luna’s face lose all its color.

“No,” Luna whispered in denial.

“Oh yes, our magic seeped into our still growing niece, where we influenced her development and made her into our image,” Nightmare Moon explained.

“That’s a lie!”

Luna and Nightmare Moon turned to look at Rarity who glared at the nightmare version of Princess Luna.

“It is the truth. Sunset. Is. Me!” Nightmare Moon declared.

“Sunset is nothing like you, she takes after her real aunt,” Rarity said as she glared at the demon. “Whenever I look into Sunset’s eyes, I see warmth in them. The same warmth that is reflected in her aunt’s eyes.”

Luna was taken aback by this. Was what Rarity saying true? Were her eyes as warm as Sunset’s?

“Care to put that to the test?” Nightmare Moon challenged.

“I would be more than happy to,” Rarity said.

“Very well,” Nightmare Moon said before turning into Demon Sunset. “Find the warmth, Rarity.”

Rarity’s eyes widened slightly before narrowing. She gazed deep into the demon’s eyes, searching for the warmth that Sunset’s eyes always displayed. But then the demon started fading.

“What is happening?” Luna asked as she looked at the library and noticed that the out of place books and bookshelves that had come alive before had started to switch back to their original forms before switching back.

Rarity eyed what was happening curiously before taking out her smartphone and checking on Sunset’s livestream.

Sunset’s eyes were closed tight as she was coughing violently.

“Don’t do this to us Sunshine,” SunDash said as she started to fade away.

“Just hang on a little longer!” SunJack urged as her controler slipped through her hand and landed on her lap.

Sunset continued to cough, dark bags beginning to form under her eyes as she started to feel very weak. The coughing finally subsided and Sunset opened her eyes and saw her blurry screen but her vision soon came back into focus as she regained some of her strength.

She then turned back to look at her other selves, offering an assuring smile.

“Don’t worry, girls, I’m still in this.”

“Goodness! Sunset can’t hold on for much longer!” Rarity said in alarm.

“Then we must get to her immediately!” Luna said as she hurried to the next door and used her magic to open it, and upon doing so she and Rarity were transported into the auditorium.

“Everything looks normal here,” Rarity assumed as she looked around the auditorium to see if anything was out of order.

“Don’t be fooled, Rarity. When it comes to chaos, nothing is as it seems,” Luna warned the young fashionista.

“Right,” was all Rarity said before spotting the exit. She and Luna made their way towards it but as soon as they got close enough, the door moved along the wall and got farther away from them.

“See what I mean,” Luna said as she eyed the door that was now out of reach.

“Oh great. Not this again,” Rarity said in annoyance. “Your royal highness, I have a plan to prevent the door from escaping.”

“Then let us hear it,” Luna said as she listened to Rarity’s plan. After hearing it, she complimented, “That’s a brilliant plan, Rarity!”

“Why thank you, your royal highness,” Rarity thanked the princess, a slight blush on her cheeks as she had never been called brilliant by royalty. Come to think of it, Sunset had called her brilliant before; and now that she knew about her royal lineage, then it stood to reason that Rarity had been called brilliant by two members of a royal family.

“There’s no need to be formal with me, Rarity. You are a friend of my niece and you may call me ‘Luna’,” the Princess of the Night told her.

“As you wish then, Luna,” Rarity said.

Both women then went to either side of the door and slowly closed in on it. Once they had it cornered, they both jumped towards it. But to their shock, the door sprouted legs, pulled itself out of the wall and ran off, causing both women to collide with each other.

“Ow. I’m terribly sorry, Luna,” Rarity groaned in pain as she held her head.

“It’s alright, Rarity. Clearly it won’t be as easy as we thought,” Luna admitted as she looked in the direction the door had run off to and saw it try and fail to hide. “If it wants to play this game then we shall oblige it, ruthlessly.”

Princess Sunset and Applebloom walked through the woods in silence. The princess noticed Applebloom stole glances at her and judging by the guilty look on the young Apple’s face she knew that Applebloom wanted to apologize to her.

‘Might as well start things off.’

“It’s okay, Applebloom. Despite the fact that you tried to frame me in an effort to break me and my friends up, I’m not mad at you,” Princess Sunset told her without looking at her.

“Really?!” Applebloom was shocked to hear this. She assumed Sunset would be furious.

“Yep!” Sunset turned to Applebloom and gave her her best disarming smile. “But I bet Applejack will be furious.”

At the mention of her big sisters name, Applebloom’s shock turned to despair.

“Yer right, she probably won’t talk to me ever again,” Applebloom said grimly as she was terrified that she had ruined her relationship with her sister.

“She’ll probably never want to be your big sister anymore or speak to you ever again,” Sunset said nonchalantly.

“Y-yah really think so?” Applebloom asked in a frightened tone.

“I know so, trust me. Nothing makes a family member disown you like betraying them,” Sunset explained as she thought about her own betrayal towards her mother. Her mother had never written to her using their journals after she left through the portal and when she written to her asking for help, Twilight was the one who had answered instead.

Applebloom couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her big sister was going to disown her.

What had she done?

“But at least you still have your friends right?” Princess Sunset said, trying to be positive. “You and I are really lucky to have such good friends. No, they’re not just friends. They’re family.”

“Family,” Applebloom repeated that word. Her friends have stuck by her through thick and thin. They even made sure that if Anon-A-Miss’ identity was ever found out, they would also take the blame.

Princess Sunset watched as Applebloom mulled over her words. The seeds of doubt had already been planted. Now to give it some water and fertilizer

“I’m sure they would appreciate it if you saved their sisters.”

Applebloom snapped out of her thought as she looked at Sunset.

“That would make them happy, but what about Applejack?”

“You’ll save her too, but you want to save Rarity and Rainbow Dash first,” Sunset assured her.

“Ah don’t know, won’t her feelings be hurt?” Applebloom wasn’t sure if this was right.

‘Like she cared about yer feelings when she decided to spend more time with Sunset?’

Applebloom was startled as she heard a voice in her head.

‘W-who is this?’ Applebloom asked in her mind nervously.

‘Ah’m yer true feelings,’ the voice spoke.

‘Mah true feelings?’ Applebloom questioned.

'Yep, an’ ah say we save Rarity an’ Rainbow Dash. Forget about Applejack,’ Applebloom’s inner voice suggested.

‘But she’s my sister; she’s family!’ Applebloom argued.

‘She also thought of Sunset as family.’

Applebloom’s eyes widened upon hearing that sentence.

‘Family.’

‘That’s right, Applejack thought of that she-demon as family. She chose to hang out with her instead of her real family!’ Applebloom’s inner voice spoke with resentment.

‘Yeah,’ Applebloom thought as she narrowed her eyes. 'She brushed me off whenever ah wanted to spend time with her, just so she could hang out with Sunset.’

‘The nerve of her,’ Applebloom’s inner voice growled. ‘We’ve been the best little sister anyone could ask fer and she treats us like a baby.’

Applebloom recalled how Applejack had literally baby-proofed the entire house just so she could be safe.

‘Ah’m not a baby,’ Applebloom thought bitterly.

‘She’s no sister of ours,’ Applebloom’s inner voice said. ‘Scoots and Sweetie Belle are more family than she ever was.’

‘They were willin’ to go down with us,’ Applebloom thought. ‘Crusaders forever.’

‘So we must save their sisters,’ Inner Applebloom urged.

‘We will save them,’ Applebloom vowed, as her whole body lost its color.

‘Crusaders forever!’ Inner Applebloom shouted internally as her voice began to fade.

“Crusaders forever,” Applebloom mumbled as she marched forward.

Princess Sunset smiled wickedly as she watched Applebloom go. It was so easy to manipulate her. Just like the old days.

“Serves her right,” Princess Sunset said softly.

“Something about this….feels wrong,” Sunset said as she suddenly felt a pit growing in her stomach.

“Yeah, I actually feel even more sick,” SunDash said as she held her stomach.

“Why do you suppose that is?" Sunjack asked before coughing.

None of the three could explain it, but they brushed it off so they could continue this game. Applebloom had already been converted so Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were next.

Soon, it would all be over.

“Must go faster!” Discord said as he turned to look at Applejack who was in the driver’s seat of the jeep that they were all on. He then turned back to look at the T-Rex that was chasing them down the jungle path. It made sounds like thunder with each foot fall as it was gaining on them, snapping its jaws which, when opened, revealed rows and rows of sharp bone-crushing and meat-tearing teeth.

Honestly, if the thing had been a shark and T-Rex hybrid then it would be cool, but right now Discord really had no time to admire his daughter’s handiwork.

“Third gear! Third gear! Third gear!” Fluttershy screamed in horror as the T-Rex started closing in. It snapped its jaws just as the jeep sped out of its reach. Fluttershy loved animals, but she really did not want to be like the dinosaurs and go extinct.

Applejack looked to the left side view mirror in time to see the T-Rex open its jaws to expose its large sharp teeth.

“Mr. Discord, can’t you do something?!” Fluttershy demanded, her terror stricken eyes were wide in fear as they were locked on to the T-Rex.

“Let’s see,” Discord reached into his pocket and pulled out a banana. “This will do.”

“Are you going to use the banana peel to make it slip?” Fluttershy asked.

“Nope,” was all Discord said as he peeled the banana. He then ate the peel and threw the banana into the T-Rex’s mouth.

The T-Rex chewed on the banana before smiling happily as she started slowing down, satisfied.

Making her slip on a banana peel? How cliche was that?

“It worked!” Fluttershy said in relief as she started calming down. “Nice work, Mr. Discord.”

“It was nothing,” Discord said as the surrounding jungle area began to disappear along with their jeep. Now they found
themselves in the front of the school and near the statue where the portal was.

“Are we seriously back where we started?!” Applejack asked.

“Remember, Applejack. Things aren’t always as they appear,” Discord reminded her as he went towards the portal.

“Mr. Discord, what are you-” Fluttershy cut herself off as she saw Discord walk through the statue’s base.

“Did he just go back to Equestria?!” Applejack was shocked by this.

However, the area around them changed and they now found themselves in the gym.

“What the?!” Applejack looked around frantically in confusion.

“Like I said, things aren’t always as they appear.”

The girls turned to the bleachers where they spotted Discord sitting down and waving at them.

“Wow, I’m sure glad you’re on our side, Mr. Discord,” Fluttershy was glad to have someone that could easily handle and navigate this unusual situation.

“You won’t be thanking me once I tell you that my daughter has completely turned your darling sister against you now,” Discord said as he flew towards them.

“W-What do yah mean?” Applejack asked nervously.

“See for yourselves,” Discord said as he snapped his fingers, which caused a TV to appear. The TV turned on and replayed what had just occurred with the added benefit of listening in to Applebloom’s and Princess Sunset’s thoughts.

“No,” Applejack couldn’t believe what she had just seen. “Ah don’t believe this.”

“Why, Sunset?” Fluttershy was on the verge of tears.

“I’m afraid so,” Discord said sadly, he really felt bad for Applejack. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I suppose.”

“Did you do something like this?” Fluttershy asked.

“I’m ashamed to admit it now, but I manipulated and corrupted the you and your friends of my world into becoming the opposite of who they were,” Discord explained.

“Oh um, it’s alright. You’re a different person now.” Fluttershy tried to look on the bright side.

“Thanks, Fluttershy. But I’m afraid that I did suffer a relapse,” Discord rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn’t believe that he had fallen for Tirek’s words and not only betrayed the only friend he ever had, but also betrayed the love of his life. “I fear that Sunset’s actions are entirely my fault.”

“But it isn’t your fault,” Fluttershy assured him. “None of this is.”

“It’s our fault,” Applejack confessed in shame.

“Hmm?” Discord looked at the two girls who were now staring at the floor with looks of shame and regret. “What do you two mean by that?”

Both girls looked at Discord before they started telling him about Anon-A-Miss, how they first accused Sunset and then how angry and hurt she was when they had told her. When both girls were finished, they waited for Discord’s response.

Discord stared at both girls, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and then exhaled. He opened his eyes to look at the two girls.

“The Apple truly doesn't fall far from the tree.”

Both girls blinked in confusion and before they could ask what he meant, Discord spoke.

“Because of my past actions, your counterparts who were in charge of my reformation didn’t trust me. They waited for an opportunity for me to mess up so they could turn me to stone again.”

Discord turned to Fluttershy and gave her a small smile.

“But your counterpart believed in me, and because of her I had a second chance.”

Fluttershy smiled at this.

“But it seems my daughter wasn’t so lucky.”

Fluttershy’s smile immediately fell.

“Because of me, she’s cursed to be mistrusted. And alone,” Discord said sadly. “I am such a terrible father, I don’t have the right to see her.”

Discord turned around and started walking away.

“She probably hates me.”

“Yer wrong!”

Discord stopped and turned his head to look at Applejack.

“Sunset doesn’t hate yah!” Applejack stated.

“And what makes you so sure?” Discord asked skeptically, fully turning around and crossing his arms.

“Sunset told me herself,” Applejack said. “When Sunset told me about her mom, I asked her about her dad.”

Flashback

Sunset and Applejack were in the farm girl’s kitchen, enjoying some BLT sandwiches. Sunset was helping Applejack with her chores as part of her friendship training. The two had been doing chores all morning when it was time for lunch.

“Thanks for the help, Sunset,” Applejack thanked the former Equestrian. “Ah really appreciate yah helping me out.”

“It’s no problem at all, Applejack. It’s the least I could do since you girls were kind enough to take me under your wings,” Sunset said as she looked at her sandwich with a melancholy look. “Especially after what I did to you all.”

“Yah were overwhelmed by the crown’s magic, yah weren’t in yer right mind,” Applejack reminded her. “That’s what yah told us, remember?”

“Yes, but I also told you girls that the magic of the crown brought out the worst in me,” Sunset reminded Applejack. “That demon came from inside me...from my heart.”

Sunset placed her right hand over her heart.

“I guess deep down, I really was a monster.”

“Was a monster,” Applejack clarified. “Yah ain’t that demon anymore, Sunset.”

Sunset gave Applejack a grateful smile before she resumed eating her sandwich. The two ate their lunch in silence until Applejack’s eye caught a family photo of herself, Big Mac, Applebloom, Granny Smith and her parents framed on a nearby wall.

“Say, Sunset.”

“Hm?” Sunset looked to Applejack who was still looking at the family photo.

“If yah don’t mind me askin’, do yah have any other family besides yer mom?” Applejack asked as she finally looked at Sunset.

“Not really,” Sunset answered with a shrug.

“No aunts, uncles, siblings or cousins?” Applejack asked a little surprise to hear that Sunset only ever had a mom.

“Nope.” Sunset said simply as she took another bite of her sandwich.

“What about yer dad?” Applejack asked.

"I never really knew my dad, but my mom used to tell me that he could always make her laugh. I asked her where he was but she always went silent and sad. I stopped asking after a while. Kinda wished I knew him. A guy who could win the heart of Princess Celestia must've been awesome." Sunset thought about the last part. Her mother never really showed much interest in other ponies but she would often catch her looking at a pony couple playing with their foal with a look of longing.

“Do...do yah think he’s passed on?” Applejack asked carefully.

“My mom never gave any indication that he passed away. I’ve seen how ponies react when they mention that their loved ones have passed on. Mom never had that look,” Sunset explained. “Not to mention that we never visited his grave.”

Sunset chuckled a bit before she suddenly had a thoughtful look as she started to recall something.

“You know, my mom said something to me that kind of gave away that he wasn’t dead,” Sunset remarked.

“What is it?” Applejack asked curiously

“When I was little, she would always read me a bedtime story to help me fall asleep. But despite falling asleep, I was still consciously aware of what was going on around me. I heard my mom tell me goodnight before kissing my forehead, but I didn’t hear her the sound of her retreating hooves.”

“Hooves?” Applejack questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Didn’t Princess Twilight mention that she and I were ponies from a world filled with magical talking ponies?” Sunset asked.

“She did mention something like that,” Applejack said as she rubbed the back of her head.
“Anyway, I could feel my mom’s gaze on me and I wanted to open my eyes and say ‘boo!’ but then she said ‘I wonder what his reaction will be when he finally meets you? No doubt he’ll fall to pieces at finding out he has a daughter, but I have no doubt that he’ll love you as much as I do.’,” Sunset quoted.

“It definitely sounds like yer father is alive,” Applejack said.

“Yeah, not to mention that he has no idea that I existed,” Sunset said. “But my mom really seems to think that he would accept me with open hooves.”

“What ever happened between yer parents anyway?” Applejack questioned.

“I’m not sure,” Sunset said as the two sat in silence, Sunset bit her lip as she contemplated telling Applejack something she had found out when she arrived in this world.

“Applejack?”

“Yeah?” Applejack looked at Sunset expectantly.

“When I-”

“Applejack!”

Granny Smith’s voice echoed from the living room.

“What is it, Granny?!” Applejack shouted back.

“Can yah help me with with these here crates?!” Granny Smith shouted.

“Sure thin’, Granny!” Applejack said. “Excuse me, Sunset.”

“No problem, Applejack,” Sunset flashed Applejack a smile as she watched the farm girl leave the kitchen to help out her grandmother.

Sunset’s smile faded as soon as Applejack was out of sight. Sunset wanted to tell Applejack that upon finding her mom’s human counterpart was the principal of their school, she inadvertently discovered that her mom had a younger sister, which meant that Sunset had an aunt.

‘Mom, never mentioned that she had a sister,’ Sunset thought as she ran her hand through her hair. ‘Just how many family secrets is mom keeping from me?’

It also didn’t help that the Principal and Vice-Principal started acting odd around her. It was only after the Fall Formal did they started acting normal. But Sunset never forgot the look that Vice-Principal Luna gave her as she, Snips and Snails started repairing the front entrance of the school. She looked at Sunset with disappointment but not as a teacher to her student, but that of an aunt to her niece.

“So what were yah saying, Sun-” Applejack returned but cut herself off when she noticed the tears falling down the
sides of Sunset’s face. “Sunset, are yah okay?”

“Huh?” Sunset snapped out of her musing and looked at a concerned Applejack who was immediately at her side. “What?”

“Yer crying,” Applejack said with concern as she motioned to Sunset’s tears.

Sunset raised her right hand to touch her face and confirmed that she was indeed crying.

“When did I…”

“Is somethin’ the matter, sugarcube?” Applejack asked in concern.

“I….I’m not entirely sure,” Sunset lied.

“It’s gonna be okay, ah’m here fer yah if yah need anything,” Applejack assured her.

“Thanks, Applejack,” Sunset thanked the farmer as the two shared a hug.

Flashback End

“So ya see, Sunset never hated yah. She really wanted to meet yah,” Applejack said.

Discord was silent as he took in the information. He let out a sigh before speaking.

“Sunset has been denied the right to know more about who she is and I honestly can’t blame Celestia for keeping that information from her. I doubt Sunset would’ve taken the news that she’s related to two of Equestria’s greatest threats rather well.”

“Sunset’s aunt didn’t react well when Sunset turned into the villain of the game,” Fluttershy noted.

“Nightmare Moon has always been a sore spot for Luna,” Discord said.

“Sunset’s the same,” Applejack said as she recalled how down Sunset looked whenever someone mentioned the time she got turned into a demon. She started to feel guilty as she sometimes brought up that sensitive subject.

“Well then, that’s enough time wasted waddling in self pity. Onward!” Discord said in his usual enthusiastic tone.

Fluttershy and Applejack shared a smile as they both followed Discord.

Author's Note

Sorry for the wait, I hope you enjoy the chapter and I look forward to your comments. Thanks again to KR Chrome and Kamen Rider Goji for their help, thanks you guys!