Five Nights at Equestria Girls

“Finally, we’re here,” said Cassidy, sitting down on a hay bale near the entrance of the barn. “I thought you said it was close by.”

“I did,” replied Susie. “You’re just not used to walking around in an animatronic body after so long of phasing in and out.”

“Oh… right. I almost forgot about that,” said Cassidy, looking down at Golden Freddy’s hand and moving its fingers around.

It was still strange to be conscious again, to know that she was physically bound to an animatronic body. Even stranger was the world she was now trapped in. It was so different from the restaurant that Cassidy felt like it was heaven. However, her happy mood was dampened by the memories of her untimely death, which were on constant repeat thanks to Sunset Shimmer. But she didn’t blame her for the images ruining her mood. She knew that Sunset was trying to help her remember who she was. Or at least that is what the kids had told her. Still, the memories haunted her and reminded her that she had uncovered a dark part of her personality.

“By the way, do you think you can still phase in and out?” asked Gabriel, curiosity in his voice.

Cassidy looked at Gabriel. “I-I don’t know, but I can try.”

Cassidy closed her eyes and concentrated on phasing out. Nothing happened at first, but then something started to occur. Her body began to fade out, becoming semi-apparent like a ghost. A few seconds later, her whole body was invisible and no longer solid. She opened her eyes to find all the kids staring at her as though she had just murdered someone. That caused her to lose her concentration, and she became solid and visible once more.

“Di-did I do it?” asked Cassidy.

“Yep,” replied Jeremy. “You did the whole ghost disappearing act and all.”

“Cool,” said Cassidy, happy to see that she had succeeded in her task.

Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy walked in and sat down while Twilight Sparkle remained standing outside. She looked over her shoulder for a moment. She hoped to see that Sunset was behind her, but all she saw was an empty dirt road leading to the barn. No sign of her red and yellow-haired friend at all. Twilight sighed heavily, pushing past her disappointment at not seeing her friend. A part of her wished that Sunset had shown up and that she hadn’t shut her out when all she was trying to do was help her. But she knew that it had to be her choice to let her in, she couldn’t force her to do it. With her wings draped over her shoulders, Twilight made her way over to where Applejack was sitting.

“She’ll come ‘round… eventually, Twilight,” said Applejack, trying to cheer her friend up a little.

“That is something I am beginning to doubt. Sunset's constant avoidance of certain questions, her inability to give me a definitive answer, the admission that she wasn’t telling me something willingly, and her pushing me away when I just wanted to support and understand her, it’s all becoming too much for me to handle anymore. I can’t-no, I won’t stand for it much longer…” said Twilight Sparkle, rambling away.

Applejack chuckled nervously. It was always awkward when the Twilight Sparkle would go on one of her rambling rampages. She could easily go on for hours at a time if she had enough to say. And that happened once when Twilight came across an inaccurate historical document about Canterlot City in the town hall’s library. Applejack recalled the mayor had gotten called to deal with her and the document. The mayor seemed surprised that there was an error but was willing to correct it, to Twilight’s delight.

“Um, sugarcube?” asked Applejack, interrupting Twilight Sparkle’s mindless rambling.

“Huh?” Twilight Sparkle had gotten jolted from her thoughts. She adjusted her glasses and looked down at her hands. “Oh, did I start rambling again?”

“Yeah… you did, Twi,” said Applejack. “But it’s fine. I know it’s hard for you right now, especially with what’s going on with Sunset.”

“Hard isn’t exactly the word I would use. More like unbearable,” Twilight Sparkle said in a small voice.

Cassidy, who had remained silent for the last five minutes, spoke up. “I hate to interrupt your conversation, but can someone please explain to me where I am and how the heck I ended up here?”

“Well, as for where you are, you’re in Canterlot City, Cassidy,” replied Applejack, answering the first of Cassidy’s questions.

“And as for how you got here, I can answer that,” added Twilight Sparkle. “It was equestrian magic that transported you to our world from a video game.”

“A video game?” asked Cassidy, confused.

“Yes. A specific video game called Five Nights at Freddy’s,” said Twilight Sparkle.

“And what exactly is equestrian magic?” Cassidy’s thoughts were swimming around in her head as she tried to process all the information she was hearing.

“It’s magic that Sunset Shimmer, the girl you met earlier, brought here.” Twilight Sparkle’s voice quivered as she struggled to say Sunset Shimmer’s name.

“Sunset Shimmer… was she the one who brought me here?” asked Cassidy.

“No, the magic she brought to our world did,” said Applejack, correcting her.

“And it did the same with you four as well?” Cassidy asked, turning to the others.

“Yes, it did,” said Jeremy, Susie, and Gabriel in unison. “We were all brought here, same as you.”

“Why… did Sunset try to bring us back? Why not just leave us be?” asked Cassidy.

“She tried to bring y’all back because she wanted to help you,” said Applejack, noticing Twilight Sparkle’s uneasiness about discussing Sunset Shimmer.

“Oh…” was all Cassidy could say as she tried to make sense of everything.

“Were you there, you know, when we were all killed?” asked Jeremy. “I mean, we did see your, um, dead body…”

Cassidy looked down at the floor. Her eyes lingered on the pieces of straw that littered the barn floor. She tried to recall her memories after she had died, but they were hazy and not fully there. It was like she was staring down a fog-covered street and trying to make the shapes of the houses. Yet, all she could see was the vague outlines of their roofs in the midst of it. Everything else was hidden from view, not yet revealed to her. And without the redhead, Cassidy wasn’t sure she could see past the fog that cloaked her mind.

“I-I think so.” Cassidy looked at Jeremy, almost as if she already knew what animatronic he was in. “But I can’t recall it at the moment. Also, why did you open the suit up, Jeremy?”

Cassidy was shocked by what she had just said. It was that she subconsciously remembered things, but that did little to comfort her. The images and feelings of her last moment before she died were still hard to bear. And being in a strange land, where no one except the four kids seemed to know, didn’t help matters either. Cassidy managed to find some solace in most of the girls’ support. Though, she did wonder why the light pink-haired girl was looking at her as though she was going to harm her. But, being trapped inside a large metal animatronic, she understood her reason for being apprehensive.

“Well, I was, um, curious,” replied Jeremy, looking away from Cassidy’s gaze.

Cassidy saw Jeremy cautiously meet her gaze once more. It was evident that he felt terrible for disturbing and discovering her rotting corpse. As the word ‘corpse’ popped into her head, she recalled a vague memory. She saw herself, now a ghost, hovering over a boy in a dark room. The boy was huddled in a ball and all alone. Cassidy tried to make out who the boy was, but she couldn’t tell. The memory was fuzzy and distorted as though she was close to losing it permanently. Try as she might, the image refused to get any clearer. Deciding that it was best to let it go for the moment, Cassidy focused on the kids.

“You were curious about it?” asked Cassidy.

“Yes,” said Jeremy. “But if I had known that your body was inside there, I wouldn’t have looked. I swear.”

“That… is weird, but I understand your curiosity. I would just appreciate it if you didn’t mention it again, please,” said Cassidy. “I am a bit uncomfortable with knowing that you saw my dead body.”

An eerie silence fell upon the barn. It was heavy. So much so, that one could easily have cut it with a knife. But the scuffling of a few feathers brushing against the hay bales broke it immediately. Twilight Sparkle chuckled nervously as all eyes turned to her. The silence had been horrible, but being the one who had broken it was even worse. She looked down as she nervously adjusted her glasses. It was hard to have everyone staring at her; it made Twilight feel like she was back at school.

“S-sorry…” said Twilight Sparkle, sounding uncomfortable.

“I-it’s alright.” Cassidy’s voice temporarily glitched as she spoke. “By the way, if I may ask, did you always look like that?” asked Cassidy, taking notice of Twilight’s large feathered wings and eyes.

“No, I didn’t. These,” Twilight Sparkle stretched her wings to their full size as she said that, “are recent. And that is also something I don’t want to talk about right now.”

“Oh… sorry. I didn’t mean to ask,” said Cassidy, her voice growing quieter with each word.

“It’s okay, Cassidy. It’s just a sensitive subject at the moment,” replied Twilight Sparkle. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Okay, good.” Cassidy let out a mechanical-sounding sigh. “Your wings are beautiful, by the way. I love their purple color.”

“Oh, uh, thanks,” said Twilight Sparkle, blushing at Cassidy’s compliment.

Fritz looked at Cassidy, which in turn made Susie look at him. He caught her for a moment, and he saw that Susie was wondering what he was going to do. Fritz knew that she wasn’t going to approve of his question, but it had to get asked. So, pushing past his fear of her anger, he turned back to Cassidy.

“So, if I can ask, who exactly killed you?” asked Fritz, ignoring the gasp from Susie. “Cause the same person killed all of my friends.”

Cassidy looked away, her shoulders slumping forward in the process. The grime-covered plastic squeaked in protest at the movement. That sound made her cringe in disgust. It was torture enough that she was dead and in a place that was unfamiliar to her. But to be trapped in an animatronic body? That wasn’t the least bit ideal. If anything, it was the worst possible thing for her. She missed seeing her human body, even though the physical one she once had, had since decomposed and rotted away years ago. But, Cassidy had resigned herself to getting used to her new body, knowing that she wasn’t likely to get rid of any time soon.

“I had gotten killed by someone that was wearing a purple security uniform,” replied Cassidy after a few minutes.

“A purple security uniform? Did you, by chance, see their name on it all?” asked Susie.

“It’s still kind of fuzzy. It might have been William something,” said Cassidy, struggling to remember precisely what the name on the name tag was.

All the kids exchanged looks of surprise and shock amongst one another.

“Then, you were most likely killed by the same person as we were,” said Susie. “But that’s just our theory.”

“Well, it's better than nothing,” said Cassidy.

Cassidy looked at Gabriel, who had been very quiet for most of the conversations. He was trapped in Freddy Fazbear, whereas she had gotten stuck in the golden version of him. That was strange to see, trippy even. Though, compared to seeing four other kids trapped inside animatronics and a girl with wings, it wasn’t as unusual. But pushing aside the strangeness of what was happening, she could tell that he had a question for her. Yet, it seemed Gabriel was too shy to ask it, at least without some help.

Deciding to help Gabriel, Cassidy said, “Gabriel, what is it? Do you have something you want to ask me?”

“Um, yes,” replied Gabriel.

“Well, Gabriel, if you something to ask, ask it,” said Cassidy, trying to sound as comforting and calm as she could.

“Oh, no, I-I don’t-. It may seem insensitive.” Gabriel became flustered as he tried to speak.

“Just ask, please, Gabriel.” Cassidy tried to remain calm, knowing that Gabriel was afraid to offend her.

“Um, okay. Why didn’t you talk to us for all the months and years after we died? Was it something we did?” asked Gabriel, shrinking away out of habit.

Cassidy stood up without saying anything and walked out of the barn. Gabriel’s question had brought up something that was still raw for her emotionally. Something that she wasn’t ready to own up to just yet. It was too painful for Cassidy to deal with at the moment. As she stopped just a few feet from the entrance, she heard footsteps coming up behind her. She spun to find that the kids and the girls had followed her outside.

‘Why did you leave, Cassidy?” asked Susie.

“I left because I… did something. Something horrible…” Cassidy said, turning away from everyone. “And I am ashamed of it.”

Gabriel approached Cassidy, resting a hand on her shoulder. That prompted her to meet his eyes.

“You killed someone, didn’t you?” asked Gabriel, his voice calm and steady, a complete change from earlier.

“Y-yes, I did.” Cassidy tried to keep her from glitching again, but it was impossible as she started to recall the memories of the night guard and the way they looked at her. The look of fear and pure panic, it was seared into her mind forever.

“You’re not the only one who has made that mistake,” said Gabriel, letting his hand fall away from Cassidy’s shoulder.

“Wait. What? What do you mean I am not the only one?” asked Cassidy, now curious as to what Gabriel was talking about.

Gabriel looked at his friends. He hadn’t brought up what happened for a reason. The reason being that Gabriel still regretted his actions that night. He knew what he was doing, but his anger fueled him, making his inhibitions fade into the foreground of his mind. The image of the night guard dying still haunted him, even now, as he stood with his friends. And afterward, Gabriel chose to ignore his friends and push them away. A choice that Gabriel wished he hadn’t made that night.

“I killed a security guard,” said Gabriel. “I killed him because I was angry that my friends and I had gotten murdered. And I didn’t care that he wasn’t the one that killed us, that he was innocent.”

“Oh wow…” was all Cassidy could manage to say as she heard what Gabriel did.

“Yes.” Gabriel turned to face Cassidy. “That is how I felt too. But over time, I decided not to make that mistake ever again. And,” he rested a hand on Cassidy’s arm, “in time, you’ll see that it’ll get easier to bear, so long as you promise to do better.”

“Okay, I will keep that in mind. Um, by the way, where is Sunset?” asked Cassidy, noticing the lack of red and yellow hair amongst the group.

“She, uh, had to get some air,” replied Fluttershy.

“Oh, why?” asked Cassidy, innocently unaware of the drama that had unfolded after she and the kids had left.

“She just needed it,” answered Twilight Sparkle, cutting Fluttershy off before she could say anything. “Let’s talk about something else, please.”

“Uh, okay.” Cassidy looked at the girl who Twilight Sparkle cut off. “What’s your name?”

“It’s, um, Fluttershy,” replied Fluttershy, hiding behind her light pink hair.

“That’s a cool name,” said Cassidy.

“Um, th-thanks. Your name is nice too.” Fluttershy ran her fingers through her hair, a nervous habit of hers.

“Thanks,” said Cassidy. “We better head back inside.”

Cassidy walked back into the barn with the rest of the kids and the girls, leaving Fluttershy alone.

Suddenly, Rarity’s phone buzzed as she walked into the barn, prompting her to pull it out of her pocket. As soon as she turned it on, she saw that she had received five text messages, all of them from Rainbow Dash. Unlocking her phone, she read the texts.

Dash: You guys coming or what?!

Dash: Come on! Guys, please hurry!

Dash: I don’t think I am alone...

Dash: My phone battery is nearly dead. Please, come!

Dash: My phone is gonna die soon! Please, find me.

“Oh, my!” exclaimed Rarity as she saw the texts she’d gotten while they were busy talking with Cassidy.

“What is it, Rare?” asked Applejack. “Somethin’ botherin’ you?”

“We forgot about Rainbow. We left her out in the woods, still lost,” replied Rarity.

“You’re right. In all the commotion of gettin’ Cassidy and the kids back to safety, we forgot about Dash,” said Applejack.

“You girls should go find your friend,” said Cassidy. “She needs your help.”

“What about you and the rest of the kids? We can’t just leave you alone, can we?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

“Well, Granny Smith’s busy sellin’ some more apples to the local grocery store. And Applebloom is havin’ a sleepover at Scootaloo’s house. So, y’all should be safe until we get back,” said Applejack.

“Okay, then. Just stay out of sight until we return,” Twilight Sparkle said as Cassidy and the kids sat down on a few hay bales.

“We will,” said Jeremy.

“Alright girls, let’s go find Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight Sparkle as she, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity left the barn and headed into the woods for the second time that night.

*** *** *** ***

“I am not Demon Shimmer!” shouted Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset Shimmer stepped away from Trixie, afraid to give in to her anger and new power. She didn’t want to hurt her, not intentionally at least. Even though there was a strong desire to punch her out and run away, she pushed it aside. The only thing that would accomplish is proving Trixie right about her being a monster. And that was something that Sunset was keen to prevent. After all, it was bad enough that the magician had made Twilight Sparkle question her and called her a monster in front of her. Turning her back to the magician, Sunset braced herself against the sink.

“Well, the Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t believe you,” said Trixie, holding her camera up.

Sunset Shimmer picked up one of the mirror shards off the floor. With the bathroom still shrouded in darkness, she couldn’t see much besides Trixie’s face getting illuminated by her camera’s light. Two cyan pupils stared back at her, reminding her that she no longer looked like her usual self. In them, she saw hurt and regret as well as shame for being dishonest to the one person she never wanted to cause any pain.

“Fine, don’t believe me,” said Sunset Shimmer, not wanting to deal with Trixie at the moment. “And why are you here, anyway? I thought the gym was supposed to be empty after school was over.”

“Oh, it usually is. It’s why Trixie uses it to record magic videos for her SnapGap account,” replied Trixie as she pressed pause on her camera.

“Wait, have you been recording all of this?” asked Sunset as she dropped the glass shard and turned to face Trixie.

“Yep. Trixie recorded every second of your transformation as well your inability to trust Twilight to see past your, uh, new changes,” said Trixie, sounding almost proud of her accomplishment.

Sunset Shimmer’s anger boiled up as she realized that Trixie had seen and recorded everything. It took all her willpower to keep herself from strangling the magician right there. The very person she despised for allowing Twilight Sparkle to see past her lies had something that could potentially damage everything she’d worked hard to earn. Her tail flicked back and forth as she struggled to calm down. Sunset backed away until her wings were flush against the tiled wall behind her. The coolness distracted her enough to allow her to relax. Once she felt she had a handle on her temper, Sunset looked Trixie in the eye.

“Wh-what do you plan on doing with that video, Trixie?” asked Sunset Shimmer, her voice trembling out of fear.

“Hmm, Trixie was planning to keep the video and possibly release it to the whole school tomorrow,” said Trixie, giving the redhead an evil smirk. “Besides, she believes the school and Twilight deserve to know the monster you are.”

“No!” screamed Sunset Shimmer as she lunged at Trixie in a futile attempt to snatch the camera from her.

Trixie managed to sidestep and dodge Sunset Shimmer’s attack. She watched as she slammed into the wall, ramming her body against one of her wings. That elicited a groan from the redhead as her eyes started to glow, and her fangs elongated. Trixie, seeing that, darted towards the bathroom entrance. Unfortunately, she didn’t get a chance to exit it because Sunset Shimmer gripped her forearm, making her freeze. Trixie could feel the tips of her newly formed claws on her skin. Her heart thundered at the thought of what could happen if she were to move the wrong way. At this moment, the magician realized she had lost her one chance to escape.

Sunset Shimmer growled as she tightened her grip on Trixie’s arm. “I don’t want to hurt you, Trixie, but you need to hand over that camera now.”

“Trixie is not going to give you her camera, not when it’s the only leverage she has against you. Besides, she needs payback for you nearly killing her,” said Trixie, squealing in response to Sunset tightening her grip even further.

After debating the idea of dragging her nails across the magician’s arm, Sunset Shimmer reluctantly let go of her. Although it was tempting to injure her for recording her transformation, she didn’t want to give in to the desire. Instead, Sunset stepped away from Trixie, her hands shaking from the effort to keep them off of her. Her eyes were still glowing, but she felt her fangs return to their usual size, to her relief. She turned her back to the magician.

“Do you realize what’ll happen if you release that video, Trixie!? Do you know what they will do to me if they see what’s happened to me!?” asked Sunset Shimmer, her voice showing her worry.

Trixie looked down at her camera. “They’ll see the monster you always were. That you haven’t changed, just like Trixie has always been saying.”

Sunset Shimmer turned to face the magician, her eyes locking with Trixie’s for a moment. “Yes, exactly. If they see that video, all they’ll see is me as is the monster I was. They’ll forget that I tried to make amends for what I did and beat me the same way that they did Twilight because of you. All the good I have done will get erased if they see that.”

Hearing what Sunset Shimmer had said, Trixie looked up at her. The beating Twilight Sparkle had received earlier that day weighed heavily on her mind. When she had learned about the injuries she’d caused her to suffer, the guilt and the reality of what she had done began to hit her. Trixie was too proud to admit it, but she knew that she had made the wrong choice. Exposing Twilight was one thing, but having her get beaten and kicked was another thing. Trixie didn’t mean for it to go as far as it did; she just wanted to show whatever it was that Twilight was hiding. Yet, with the video she had of Sunset Shimmer, something told her not to release the video to the whole school. But, that didn’t mean that she couldn’t show Twilight the video.

“Sunset, Trixie won’t release the video to the school. After what happened to Twilight, after what Trixie caused, that would be too cruel, even for the Forgiving and Generous Trixie,” said Trixie.

“Thank you, Trixie.” Sunset Shimmer sighed with relief, glad to know that the school wouldn’t find out what happened.

“But,” began Trixie, shattering Sunset’s brief moment of relief. “Trixie will show it to Twilight if you don’t reveal to her what has happened to you soon. Twilight deserves the truth, and Trixie believes it would be best that you did it before she gets forced to show the video to her.”

Sunset Shimmer walked up to Trixie and gripped her arm again. She dug her claws into her skin, a desire to injure pushing her to go further. With her sharp claws on Trixie’s flesh, it would be so easy to rip it open and watch as she writhed in agony while blood poured from her newly-made wound. To see her suffer the same way she made Twilight suffer would’ve been a delight to the redhead. But she fought it, knowing that she would regret it later. Instead, Sunset pulled her closer, close enough that the magician could feel her wings against her body.

“Trixie, if you reveal that video to Twilight before I have a chance to tell her myself, I will make you pay,” hissed Sunset Shimmer, her fangs extending as she spoke.

Trixie gulped and tried to pull her arm free. “Trixie promises.”

“Good.” Sunset Shimmer let go of the magician’s arm and stepped away. “Now, get out of my sight before I decide to destroy your camera.”

Trixie didn’t need to be told twice. In seconds, she bolted from the bathroom and exited the gym. She left behind her magic tricks, deciding to get them in the morning. That left Sunset Shimmer standing alone in the dark bathroom. No longer wanting to be there, she took one last glance at the mess she’d made before walking out. She made her way to the main area of the gym. Sunset knew that she needed to head home, to get somewhere safe and where no one else could see what she looked like now. Unconsciously, her wings flapped behind her and lifted her a few feet off the ground. But she fell and landed on her back, surprised by the sudden action of flying.

“Woah, that was… unexpected,” said Sunset as she got to her feet again.

Once Sunset Shimmer had brushed off her jeans, she looked at her wings. They flapped in response to her attention, making her jerk at the motion. She could feel the newly-formed back muscles flex as they moved, which piqued her curiosity. Deciding to do some testing, she focused on making her wings flap once. To her surprise, they responded accordingly.

“Hmm, this is interesting,” Sunset said as her wings flapped again. “Maybe I could get used to being able to fly, assuming I get a handle on them.”

Again, Sunset felt her wings flap, this time with the intent of flying. She succeeded in levitating for a few minutes. But as soon as she got distracted, they faltered, and she started to fall. Yet, just as she was about to slam down onto the ground, something stopped her descent. Her wings had begun to flap as though her unconscious thoughts were controlling them. Gently, she landed back on her feet.

“That wasn’t too bad, but maybe I should get in some more practice before I attempt anything advanced,” said Sunset Shimmer, tucking her wings against her back.

Stuffing her hands into her pockets, Sunset Shimmer prepared herself for the long walk back to her apartment.

*** *** *** ***

“Damn, I shouldn’t have left my bike at AJ’s,” thought Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset Shimmer shivered as the cold fall wind blew against her wings. It was an odd sensation to have them, especially when she ponied up, she never gained them. That was usually for Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and of course, Twilight Sparkle. But, she had to admit it was cool to finally have wings, even if it was under not-so-great circumstances. Her tail swished, reminding her of its presence. Sunset reached back and shoved her tail into her jeans. Unfortunately, for her, that only worsened it as she felt it tickling her thighs.

“Oh, for the love of Celestia, give me a fucking break!” shouted Sunset Shimmer, pulling her tail free and sighing.

She looked up at the moon that shone down on her. It was a full moon, which was her favorite phase of the lunar cycle. It reminded her of home back in Equestria. And of all the time she and Twilight Sparkle hung out at one of their ‘secret’ spots in the Canterlot Park. The night sky was void of any clouds, allowing Sunset Shimmer to see the millions of stars twinkling and dancing away. It was like a painting had come to life above her head. A small smile made its way onto Sunset’s face before disappearing seconds afterward.

The moon’s glow lit up Sunset Shimmer’s path and made it easier for her to see where she was going. The sidewalk distorted the shadows cast by its glow. She looked and noticed the night was eerily silent. No cars were driving by, no dogs barking as she walked by the fences, and no distant sounds of a siren wailing behind her. Sunset stopped and looked behind her. Not even a single cricket chirp could be heard. It was so silent that a pin could get heard if it had gotten dropped.

“That’s odd…” said Sunset Shimmer as she tried to hear something, but nothing made a noise.

After a half-hour of walking, Sunset finally came to her apartment. Thankfully, she had her keys with her. Pulling them from her pocket, she proceeded to unlock her front door. She walked in quickly, almost slamming her door shut in the process. She locked her door and tossed her keys onto her desk. Sunset didn’t want to risk any of the girls walking in and seeing her right now. Once she felt sure that no one was going to come by, she ran up to where her closet was.

Pushing past her clothes, she found a small cardboard box in the back of her closet. In black marker, the word ‘hoodies’ had gotten written on the side and the top flaps. It was a box of hoodies that the school had purchased the second year Sunset had gotten nominated for Fall Formal Princess. She had taken them for a reason back then but instead ended up putting them in her closet and forgetting them. Why she had taken them, she no longer remembered.

“Guess these will come in handy now,” said Sunset Shimmer, pulling out a large hoodie. “Hopefully, this one will be big enough to hide my wings.”

Sunset Shimmer slipped the hoodie over her head and wings. Fortunately, it fitted nicely over her wings, even giving them enough room to stretch out a little. She walked up to her mirror and turned around slightly, looking at the back of the hoodie. She let her wings stretch, making sure it could stand the force of them pushing against it. After a few minutes, she saw there was no tearing or ripping caused by the pressure. Relaxing her wings once more, Sunset pulled off the hoodie.

“Better add some padding just to be safe. I don’t want my wings to get seen by anyone, especially Twilight,” Sunset said as she set the hoodie down on her bed.

For a moment, Sunset Shimmer rested her hand on her leather jacket’s sleeve. She was hesitant to remove her jacket. She didn’t want to see the torn leather or the holes where her wings had forcibly ripped through it. It was like she was reliving the fall Formal all over again. Even now, as she stood there in her bedroom, the images of her coming home and seeing the damage it had suffered the first time played in her head. But, Sunset pushed past her feelings of panic and yanked it off, thankful that her wings weren’t a hindrance to her removing it. She held the torn jacket in her hands, eyeing the rips from her two wings. Angered at the fact her demonic appearance came back and ruined her favorite jacket, she threw it to the other side of her room.

“Ahhh! Why did this have to happen now of all times!?” screamed Sunset Shimmer as she felt tears beginning to stream down her cheeks.

Her claws dug into the skin of her palms as she clenched her fists tightly together. Sunset stomped her way downstairs, heading to her bathroom. She flung the door open and walked into the empty room. Flicking the light on, she was greeted by the sight of her eyes gazing back at her. Her cyans pupils seemed to shrink as her anger rose within her. The black sclera seemingly swallowed her irises in its inky abyss. A desire to punch something made her raise her fist at her reflection. Sunset Shimmer no longer saw herself in the mirror, only the monster she hated for existing in the first place.

Yet, just as she was about to punch her mirror, her anger disappeared, leaving shock visible in her wide eyes. Sunset lowered her hand as she saw what the girls must’ve seen the night of the Fall Formal. It finally dawned on her why the girls, and the rest of school, had their reservations about her at first. It wasn’t just what she had done to them before she had gotten her hands on the crown. It was because of what she’d become when she had placed the crown on her head. Her eyes fell to her hands, which rested on the sink as she lowered her head.

“I really am just a monster,” whispered Sunset Shimmer, the words barely escaping from her lips.

Letting go of her sink, Sunset Shimmer walked out of her bathroom. She walked back up to her bedroom and grabbed the hoodie from her bed. Ignoring the black heap of leather that was her jacket, she sat down. Reaching under her bed, she pulled out her sewing kit, the one she had gotten from Rarity a year earlier. While Sunset had seen a bunch of online videos, she had also taken a few lessons from the fashionista. They had come in handy when it came time to repair her first leather jacket. She set the small sewing kit on the bed and began to add the extra padding to the inside of the hoodie.

After twenty minutes of sewing, Sunset finally finished adding the extra fabric and padding from one of the smaller hoodies. Holding the hoodie in front of her, she examined her work. The stitching was better than what she did on her leather jacket, partly because she wasn’t working with leather. Sunset slipped it over her head, not bothering with the zipper. She was careful to avoid the claws on her wings. Once it was resting over her wings, she allowed them to stretch, testing the padding. To Sunset’s relief, it held up nicely to them pushing against it.

“Good. Now that’s been taken care of, I have got to hide my claws,” Sunset Shimmer said, leaving the hoodie on as she made her way to her closet again.

Sunset Shimmer pulled a bag of clothes she had bought a few months ago. She recalled there being a pair of worn leather gloves in it. As she pushed a few shirts aside, she found the gloves sitting below them. The gloves were black, the same as her jacket. The leather was smooth to the touch, something the redhead appreciated. They showed some heavy wear and tear in certain areas, but for the most part, they were still usable. She grabbed them and ran to her bathroom, closing the door behind her. Sunset sat on the edge of her tub.

“Okay, let’s see if you’ll work,” said Sunset Shimmer, carefully slipping the gloves on.

Once she had fastened the second glove to her hand, Sunset wriggled her fingers around. Amazingly, the worn leather held firm against the tips of her claws. She made a fist, and the gloves remained in one piece, with no tearing or seams splitting from the action. Sunset examined the back of the gloves. With the leather having gotten worn down from years of use, it was supple enough to bend with her movements. That pleased her, and a small smile appeared on her face.

“Good. At least now I know my claws won’t hurt anyone,” Sunset Shimmer said, standing up and walking over to her mirror.

Sunset Shimmer saw her eyes again. It seemed that each time she looked at them, all she could feel was a sense of dread and fear. Her eyes were the most frightening change to occur. There was an inhumanness to them, something that lacked any emotion. Yet, if one were to look closely, you could see it was still there. But the black sclera around her pupils made that task impossible do, even for Sunset herself. Right now, she wouldn’t expect the girls to be able to look at her. Taking a deep breath in, she looked away from the mirror.

“Better run to the local store. I am going to need contacts to hide my eyes.” Sunset Shimmer walked out of her bathroom and pulled the hood of her hoodie over her head.

Just as she was about to leave, Sunset remembered that her eyes were still visible. She ran over to her desk and grabbed a pair of sunglasses that were sitting in the first drawer. They had been a gift from Twilight Sparkle on her birthday. The glasses were a simple black color with two little suns on the side of the frames. Sunset was amazed that she had managed to paint her cutie mark on them, which made her appreciate them even more. Slipping them on, she grabbed her keys and walked out of her apartment, heading to the local Canterlot Market.

*** *** *** ***

Sunset Shimmer shoved her hands into her pockets, shivering as the brisk fall wind caressed her cheek. Her wings, despite being leathery and thin, provided some warmth underneath her hoodie. She was grateful for the extra warmth as the nights were slowly getting colder the closer winter got. Walking down the street, she saw a group of teenagers from Crystal Prep coming towards her. Sunset turned her head away from them as she walked under a street light. She didn’t want them to see what had happened to her.

“Ugh, who is that? And what the hell are they wearing?” asked one of the girls.

“Definitely a CHS student, judging by the symbol on their hoodie. And the fact that they just walked out of Sunset Shimmer’s apartment, that has to be Sunset Shimmer,” said another girl.

“Oh, right. That is her apartment,” said the first girl. “So, where exactly is she going at this time of night?”

“Don’t know. Don’t care,” replied the second one as they started to walk away.

Sunset Shimmer pulled her hood down further, walking faster. After a few minutes, she finally arrived at the store. The store was only a block and a half away, which tonight was a relief for her. The lights in the store bathed the front entrance in a bright glow, making her grateful she had her sunglasses on. She opened the door, and the bell above it jingled loudly. That made her turn to the cashier to see what they would do. Thankfully, they barely glanced at her before they returned to their magazine. Sunset quickly made her way over to where the contact lenses were usually stored.

“Okay, where are they?” asked Sunset Shimmer as she scanned the rows of colored contacts.

After walking past numerous colored contacts, Sunset found her eye color on the second to last row on the bottom shelf. She grabbed it and made her way out of the aisle. The longer she remained in the view of anyone with her eyes not disguised, the more she risked getting outed. She adjusted her sunglasses as she neared the counter, making sure to keep her eyes hidden from the cashier’s view. Setting the vile down, Sunset grabbed her wallet.

“That’ll be $15.28, miss,” said the cashier, ringing the contacts up.

“Here’s $16. Keep the change,” replied Sunset Shimmer, grabbing the contacts back and running to the bathroom.

Sunset Shimmer closed the bathroom door behind her, making sure to lock it before she removed her gloves. She set the vials containing the contacts on the sink counter, right next to her wallet and keys. Carefully, she removed her gloves and set them down next to the vials. Sunset unscrewed the caps off the contact vials and set them down. As she was about to turn the water on, she looked at her reflection. Somehow, in the dim lighting of the bathroom, her eyes seemed more terrifying than they did in complete darkness. Shaking her head, Sunset forced herself to focus on putting the contacts in and washing her hands. Once that had gotten taken care of, she dried off her hands and picked up the first lens.

Holding the delicate lens between her thumb and index finger, Sunset Shimmer took a glance at the instructions included with the contacts. Using her other index finger, she pulled down her bottom eyelid, being careful to avoid poking her eye with her claw. She guided the lens towards her eye, getting ready to place it. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she gently pressed the contact lens to her left eye. Sunset blinked a few times, allowing it to settle on the right spot.

Sunset looked at her reflection again, noticing that her left eye looked normal. But her right one was still surrounded by pitch blackness, a complete contrast to her left one. The image of that staring back at her was beginning to creep her out. She felt a pang of guilt, knowing that when Twilight Sparkle saw, which Sunset knew was going to happen, it would scare her. Her breathing became ragged as she staggered back, away from the sink and the mirror. Flashes of Twilight’s hurt expression made her chest tighten as panic began to set in. Her claws scraped against the tile wall behind her. Struggling for breath, she barely managed to keep herself from crying. Though, that seemed to be harder to do as the reality of what Sunset had chosen to do began to weigh on her. The pain, the lies, the regret, all of it made her feel sick to her stomach.

“No… Twilight…” said Sunset Shimmer as her mind started to play all the possible ways Twilight Sparkle could freak out.

“You know, if you had told Twilight your little secret from the beginning, none of this would have happened,” Sunset Shimmer’s inner voice said.

“I know that,” said Sunset through gritted teeth.

“If you know, then why didn’t you tell Twilight?” asked her inner voice.

Sunset Shimmer lowered her head. “Because… I didn’t want Twilight to look at me with fear. I didn’t want to see her treat me like a monster…”

“So, in order not to frighten Twilight, you kept the truth from her. Now, because of that, she is definitely going to be scared. All because she didn’t know about this side of your past,” said Sunset Shimmer’s conscience.

Sunset Shimmer remained silent, just focusing on her breathing.

“Yep, makes total sense,” Sunset Shimmer’s inner voice said sarcastically. “Give Twilight a chance, would you? I am sick and tired of trying to convince you.”

As Sunset Shimmer stood against the wall, her breathing finally slowed down a bit. Her panic also began to subside and allow her to relax a little. She forced her thoughts about Twilight Sparkle aside as she walked back over to the sink. It was hard to see her reflection, especially with just the one contact in, but she ignored that for the time being. With slightly shaky hands, she picked up the vial that held the last contact.

“Now is not the time for me to be thinking of Twilight. I need to focus on making sure my appearance is hidden,” said Sunset Shimmer as she took a deep breath and picked the other lens up, repeating the same process she did with the first one.

However, still upset by the argument she had with herself, Sunset Shimmer wasn’t so gentle in placing the lens over her right eye. The pressure applied by her index finger caused it to scrape her eye, evoking a loud hiss of pain from the redhead. She closed her eyes in an effort to ease the pain. Sunset was thankful that the pain was less intense than when her eyes had shifted. The idea of having to suffer even more pain after what she had endured earlier was less than appealing to her. Her hands gripped the edge of the sink as the pain slowly began to recede.

“Dammit! That fucking hurt,” said Sunset as she opened her eyes and loosened her grip on the sink.

Sunset Shimmer looked up at the ceiling and inhaled sharply. Using her index finger, she held her bottom eyelid down as she readied herself to fix the contact lens. Using her other index finger, she moved the lens into the right place. Her eye began to water from her moving it around so much, but she rubbed her eye and released some of the built-up fluid. That allowed her to make sure the lens was placed correctly before lowering her hand. Blinking both eyes, Sunset made sure the lenses felt comfortable and let her right eye find some relief.

“Ugh, how do people wear these damn things every day?” asked Sunset, already dreading having to wear them for an extended period.

Sunset Shimmer put on her gloves and stashed the empty vials in her hoodie. The feeling of having contacts in her eyes was beginning to subside, to her relief. Exiting the bathroom, she slipped her sunglasses on just for added protection. Just as she walked past the cashier, her phone vibrated in her back pocket. She walked out of the store and pulled out her phone to see who had texted her.

Dash: Sunset, I texted Rarity, but she didn’t respond. My phone is close to dying now. Please help me…

“Oh, Celestia! I forgot about Rainbow Dash,” said Sunset Shimmer as she shoved her phone back into her pocket. “Guess I will have to help the girls find her. It’s the least I can do after running off earlier.”

Sunset ran from the store to the nearby woods, which surrounded the neighborhood, not considering the dangers that may lurk in the shadows. The branches and brambles threatened to pull her sleeves up and scratch her skin as she began to make her way into them. The moonlight still lit up her path as she ventured further into the ever-thickening mass of bushes and trees. Yet, just a few feet into the forest, the canopy above her started to swallow the moonlight. Sunset looked at the pitch dark path ahead of her and sighed before continuing on, knowing that her friend needed her help. When she pushed past a thorny branch, it yanked her sleeve up and scraped her arm in the process.

“Ow!” screamed Sunset Shimmer as a small trickle of blood ran down the side of her arm. “Okay, I can’t keep doing this. I am going to fly.”

Sunset Shimmer made her way into a clearing, making sure that she stayed completely hidden from the view of anyone. She removed her sunglasses and shoved them into one of the hoodie’s pockets before she took it off. Her wings stretched to their full length as the fabric holding them down was pulled off. Though, Sunset’s relief had gotten hindered as she remembered that Rainbow Dash could clearly see her appearance without her hoodie hiding most of it. Or at least she would if she wasn’t careful about it. Pushing the nerve-wracking thought out of her head, Sunset flapped her wings a few times. She was happy to see that she had some better control over her flight.

“Okay, now to find Dash,” said Sunset Shimmer, slinging her hoodie over her arm.

Sunset flew low enough that the canopy hid her appearance, but high enough that she could still see a few feet ahead of her. Even with the dim lighting, she managed to see the trail widening beneath her. As tempting as it was to land and go back to walking, Sunset took the opportunity to hone her flying skills. Something told her that the practice would be useful later on. She remained flying for a good half-hour, with no sign of Rainbow Dash anywhere. When one of her wings hit a nearby branch, it destabilized her body for a moment.

“Ow! I got to stop hitting those,” said Sunset Shimmer as she slowed down to hover.

“You think?” asked Sunset’s inner voice, reminding her that it was still there.

“Shut the hell up,” said Sunset Shimmer, her annoyance clear. “You have said enough for tonight.”

“Fine, but I will come back when you see Twilight,” replied her inner voice.

“Yeah, something told me that you’d do that,” Sunset Shimmer said, rolling her eyes. “Tell me something new…”

“You telling Twilight the full truth, that’d be something new…” Sunset Shimmer’s conscience was now starting to get on her nerves for the third time that night.

A deep growl escaped from Sunset’s throat as she forced her inner voice to remain quiet. With her conscience taken care of, she focused on her task of finding Rainbow Dash. Ahead of her was a clearing with several large boulders sitting in various parts of it. She squinted in an effort to see it better, but the contacts she was wearing affected her ability to see. Unfortunately for Sunset, her wings were beginning to grow tired from all the hovering. She looked around for an area to land that was near the clearing but also far enough away that if anyone were close by, they wouldn’t see her appearance. Sunset spotted a darkened spot that was surrounded by thick, high bushes and decided to land there. Approaching the spot, she saw that there was a thin layer of fog covering the forest floor. She flapped her wings softly so she didn’t make any noise and landed in the clearing.

As her feet touched the ground, Sunset Shimmer fell to her knees as they buckled underneath her, still adjusting to going from flying back to walking. When her knees slammed against the cold earth, it sent a wave of pain coursing through her already exhausted body. She had to bite her lip to keep herself from making any noise. She wasn’t sure who could be around, but she didn’t want them to hear her, especially if it was Rainbow Dash. Once she was sure no one had heard her, Sunset flapped her wings and cleared the fog out of the area. After that, exhausted by the extended time she had been flying, they folded up and allowed her to slip the hoodie back over them. Just as she had finished pulling it down, she heard a voice call out.

“Wh-who’s there?” asked the voice.

Ra-Rainbow Dash?” asked Sunset Shimmer, not believing her luck. “It’s me, Sunset.”

“S-Sunset? How’d you find me? And why are you hiding in those bushes?” Rainbow Dash asked as she stood up from her sitting position.

“I, uh, walked her from the store I was at. Luckily, you weren’t far from it,” said Sunset Shimmer, stepping out of the bushes. “And I wasn’t hiding in those bushes. I, uh, just tripped and fell behind them. That is all.”

“Right… As much as I don’t buy that excuse, I am glad you found me,” said Rainbow Dash.

As Sunset Shimmer stepped into the clearing, Rainbow Dash saw that she was wearing one of the school’s old hoodies from a year ago. Her signature leather jacket, which she usually wore every day, was missing. That was odd to the athlete, making her wonder what was going on with the redhead. Rainbow Dash’s suspicions had gotten raised more when she saw that Sunset was wearing sunglasses ⁠— at night.

“Sunset, did something happen to you? It’s unlike you to not wear your favorite leather jacket,” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Crap!” Sunset hissed under her breath.

Sunset Shimmer had forgotten that her friends were used to seeing her with her leather jackets. It hadn’t dawned on her that the instantaneous change of wardrobe would clue the girls in on the fact that something happened. Now, she was beginning to regret her choice despite her lack of other options. Telling the girls was out of the question until she was sure that they wouldn’t panic about her appearance. After she had finished silently cursing herself for not considering the girls’ reactions, Sunset did her best to come up with a feasible excuse.

“Oh, it’s at the dry cleaning place. If I continued to wear my jacket, it would’ve come to life and beaten me in protest,” replied Sunset Shimmer, chuckling nervously at her own joke. “So, I just threw on my hoodie until I get it back.”

Rainbow Dash stared at the redhead silently before she said, “Again, I don’t buy that excuse, Shimmer. But, at the moment, I would like to find our friends first. Then, I will continue questioning you until you admit what is really going on.”

“Yeah, I agree. Let’s find the rest of the girls,” said Sunset, hoping that Rainbow Dash would forget to question her later, for her sake.

Sunset Shimmer turned on her phone’s flashlight and shone it on the paths ahead of her. One of the two ways had several footprints leading towards them. The other had a mass of thorny bushes surrounding it, reminding her of their all too painful thorns. The scratch on her arm throbbed as she remembered the sensation of the thorn running across her arm. Choosing the path without the thorny menaces, she walked over to the footprints and examined them.

Kneeling next to one of the prints, Sunset looked over at Rainbow Dash and said, “Are these the footprints you followed?”

“Yep. I followed the prints till they led me here,” replied Rainbow Dash.

“Okay. Well, if we follow the footprints back, we should find the girls,” Sunset Shimmer said as she stood back up.

“Wait, what about the path you took to find me? Why don’t we just take that one?” asked Rainbow Dash, pointing to the thorny trail on the other side of the clearing.

Sunset Shimmer tensed up at Rainbow Dash’s question. She avoided eye contact with her as she tried to come up with another quick excuse.

“Um, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Sunset said. “That path had so many thick branches and thorns that I am surprised that I made it here in one piece.”

Though a part of her could tell that Sunset was avoiding the path, Rainbow Dash said, “Okay, we’ll take the path I took.”

Before Sunset Shimmer had a chance to say anything, a low growl disturbed the usual forest sounds, making Rainbow Dash walk toward the path and say, “Now, can we get moving, please?”

Sunset Shimmer nodded and shone her flashlight beam down the path. “You go first. I’ll light the way for both of us.”

Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrow, starting to become more annoyed by the redhead’s odd behavior. However, before she had a chance to question it, another growl made her jump in response. Without waiting to find out what was behind the noise, she made her way down the path. The redhead followed her while still keeping a distance between them. As Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer made their way farther down it, Rainbow Dash spotted something familiar up ahead. It was some part of the clearing she had come across earlier.

“Sunset, this is the clearing I came across when I followed the footprints,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Good, hopefully, we’ll find the girls soon,” replied Sunset Shimmer as she felt her wings stretch against the inside of her hoodie.

Panic began to swell inside of Sunset Shimmer as she continued to follow Rainbow Dash down the path. Her wings wanted to be free, but now was not the time for that. Maybe when she got home. At least then, she would have the time to thoroughly examine everything and maybe… start to accept her fate. If she was right, she would likely remain trapped in this form for a while, so Sunset figured she might as well learn to live with it. Not wanting to risk getting exposed by her own stupidity, Sunset made herself focus on returning Rainbow Dash to the girls.

An hour passed, and when they neared the clearing, that’s when they saw flashlight beams heading towards them. As they got closer, they heard the very familiar chipper voice that they knew belonged to Pinkie Pie. They stopped walking as her signature pink hair came into view while a hand pushed back some of the surrounding bushes. Sunset Shimmer backed away as Pinkie Pie started to walk towards them, making her way towards them from the other path leading away from the clearing. Following behind her were the five other girls who appeared on the trail one by one.

“Rainbow Dash, we finally found you! And... Sunset?” said Twilight Sparkle, looking from Rainbow Dash to the redhead.

“Well, technically, Sunset found me,” said Rainbow Dash as she got squeezed into a bear hug by Pinkie Pie.

“Oh…” said Twilight Sparkle. “Well, I am glad we found both of you…”

“Yeah. Also, what the hell took you guys so long to find me?” asked Rainbow Dash once Pinkie Pie stopped hugging her.

Rarity looked away nervously. “Uh, we may have gotten preoccupied for a bit.”

“Preoccupied with what exactly?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“With talking to Cassidy and the rest of the kids,” continued Rarity.

"So, you were talking to Cassidy, and that is why you didn’t find me sooner?!” shouted Rainbow Dash, her anger at Rarity evident. “That’s why you left me to defend myself against whatever fucking creature is out there?”

“Erm, yes?” Rarity said, stepping away from Rainbow Dash.

“And who the hell is this… this Cassidy?” asked Rainbow Dash, raising her voice and sticking her arms out from her sides in an exaggerated gesture.

Applejack balled her hands into tight fists with every word she heard from Rainbow Dash. Hearing her yell at Rarity was grating at her already fried nerves. Between what happened with Cassidy and the fight that occurred with Sunset Shimmer and Trixie, she’d had enough. Applejack wasn’t going to stand for Rainbow Dash’s behavior. Narrowing her eyes, the cowgirl stepped in front of Rarity.

“Listen here, Dash, we were all preoccupied. So, don’t go losin’ your temper at Rare for something that wasn’t her fault.” Applejack stepped closer to Rainbow Dash. “None of this would’ve happened if you hadn’t run off like you always do.”

Rainbow Dash gave Rarity an apologetic look. “Sorry, Rare.”

“I forgive you, dear,” said Rarity, giving the athlete a small smile. “But, please work on your temper. You’re almost as bad as Sunset.”

Sunset Shimmer cleared her throat, reminding Rarity that she was still present.

“No offense, dear,” Rarity quickly added.

“None taken,” Sunset Shimmer said in a small voice.

Sunset Shimmer saw Twilight Sparkle walk towards her. She stepped back, still afraid of her seeing the monster she had become. Her wings, having relaxed soon after the girls came across them, tensed up the closer Twilight got to her. Hard as she tried, Sunset couldn’t help but panic when Twilight stood next to her. She knew it was wrong of her to act like one of her closest friends was going to attack her. Yet, somehow, the urge was too much for her to fight. She fought to keep herself from moving away, aware that gesture would only cause more suspicion. Plus, Sunset didn’t want to hurt her more than she already had, especially with what happened that day. As she kept her gaze on the ground, she made sure to keep her fangs out of view while she spoke.

“Twilight, what are you doing next to me? I thought you wanted space from me,” said Sunset Shimmer.

“I do. But, Sunset…?” began Twilight Sparkle.

“Wh-what?” asked Sunset, giving in to her growing urge to look at Twilight.

“I can see you’re hurting, Sunset. And despite your obvious attempts to hide it, I know you are keeping something from me.” Twilight Sparkle reached out and grabbed Sunset Shimmer’s hand. “Can I see what it is that you’re hiding?”

Sunset squeezed Twilight Sparkle’s hand, knowing that what she was going to say next would push her further away. Despite having claws, it was really nice for her to be able to have that type of contact again, even if it was through her gloves. Up until now, she had forgotten how good it felt to have that with the bookworm. However, her relief was short-lived as she knew what was going to happen when she answered Twilight’s question. Reveling in the feeling of holding her hand one last time, she forced herself to meet Twilight’s gaze.

“Sparky, I am not ready to reveal what happened. I hope you understand that,” replied Sunset Shimmer.

“Of course, I understand that Sunset. How do you think I felt when Trixie revealed me to the whole school?” asked Twilight Sparkle, squeezing the redhead’s hand gently in response to her trying to pull away. “What I don’t get is your incessant need to keep whatever it is you're hiding hidden from me.”

Sunset Shimmer lowered her head. “I know that. And I promise that I will tell you, but I can’t do it tonight.”

“No, Sunset, you refuse to tell me, just like you did earlier. Guess I was foolish enough to believe you would change your mind and see that I just want to know the real you...” said Twilight Sparkle as she let go of Sunset’s hand and walked away from her, joining Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

Pinkie Pie watched as Sunset Shimmer’s shoulders slumped forward. It was clear that she was having a bad day, and it had just gotten worse. Her instincts told her that all the girls needed to be cheered up. Today had been very rough on them all, Twilight Sparkle especially. And a party is exactly what they needed to feel better. She skipped over to Sunset Shimmer, her hair bouncing and swaying as she did. Her blue eyes shined in the moonlight, illuminating the joy in them. Pinkie Pie rested her hand on the redhead’s shoulder, seemingly unaware that she was close to touching her wings.

“Girls, I think we deserve a party,” announced Pinkie Pie.

“Pinkie, I-” Sunset Shimmer was hushed immediately by the party girl.

“No, Sunset, we need one.” Pinkie Pie turned to her friends. “Besides, I want to throw a Cheer My Friends Up party.”

“Pinkie, there’s no need to do that,” said Applejack.

“Oh, come on, AJ! Pinkie’s parties are always the best. Besides, she’s right, I could use a party,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Me too,” added Fluttershy, pulling at her hair. “The last few days have been very stressful…”

“A party could be good, Applejack,” said Rarity, grabbing the cowgirl’s hand.

Sunset Shimmer saw that gesture, and a wave of sadness washed over her. She looked up at Twilight Sparkle and stepped toward her, wanting to hold her hand once more. But when she saw her step back and look away, she understood that she wasn’t wanted. So, Sunset resigned herself to silently standing next to Pinkie Pie. She knew it was best to leave Twilight alone, especially since she hadn’t been honest with her and had broken her promise that she’d made earlier that night.

“You know this is your fault. And your fault alone…” said Sunset Shimmer’s inner voice, reminding her of the painfully obvious situation.

“I am aware of that, thanks,” thought Sunset as she saw Twilight Sparkle give her a sorrowful look before turning away.

Applejack blushed as she squeezed Rarity’s hand in response. “Okay, we can throw the party at the barn where the kids are. The kids might enjoy the party too.”

“What do you think, Twilight? Sunset?” asked Pinkie Pie, looking between the two girls.

“I… like the idea. I could use a relaxing party after today,” replied Twilight Sparkle.

Sunset Shimmer smiled, but underneath her calm exterior, she was beginning to panic. Being surrounded by all the girls and the kids, it made her worry that her appearance would slip out accidentally. If that were to happen, it would ruin the party for them. And that was something Sunset wanted to prevent, for the girls’ sake. She looked at the girls and could see that they were hoping she’d say yes. When her eyes fell on Twilight, it was plain to see that she wanted it too. But not for the same reason that the other girls wanted it. Something in her eyes made Sunset realize that Twilight wanted the party for a chance to forget what had happened that day. A chance to put the tension that occurred between them aside for a short time. So, pushing past her growing fears, Sunset took a deep breath.

“Sure, why not?” said Sunset Shimmer, giving the girls a small smile.