Five Nights at Equestria Girls

Back at the barn, all five of the kids were sitting in the heavy silence. None of them said a word as they watched the horses in the nearby corral prancing about. There was nothing any of them could talk about, and their only option wasn’t much better. The memories were too painful to dare to mention aloud, especially given what they all ended up doing. The fact that they were killers was an uncomfortable subject for them, but more so for Gabriel and Cassidy, who still struggled to deal with their situations. Guilt was the one thing they all had in common, and it was something no one wanted to bring up. So, with that not being an option, there was nothing to do except to remain silent. And having to be restrained to the barn for their safety restricted their topics for conversation even more.

Jeremy and Fritz were sitting closest to the barn entrance and had a better view of the horses. They shared a laugh when a stallion tried to approach two females and got ignored by both of them. Next to the two females, was a foal who was watching another stallion get down and roll on his back. When the stallion got up, the colt knelt on its front legs and tried to mimic what he was doing. Unfortunately, the only thing it succeeded in doing is looking like a wriggly worm with four legs attached to it. Satisfied with its attempt, the foal got back up and trotted up to its mother.

“Now, that was funny, Fritz,” said Jeremy, still chuckling at the dirt falling off the foal. “Who knew foals could be so adorable?”

“They are literally baby horses, Jeremy. Of course, they are going to be cute,” said Fritz.

“Baby horses? I have to see this,” Cassidy said, getting up and joining the younger boys by the door. “I love horses, especially when they are babies.”

Watching Cassidy hanging out with Jeremy and Fritz, Susie felt a flicker of happiness. For a moment, it seemed their worries had vanished, and they could be kids again. However, that disappeared as she looked at Gabriel. Compared to Cassidy’s demeanor, he seemed to be struggling with letting go of his memories. Susie understood why it was hard on him. She could see that he saw himself as no different than the monster that had put them in their current situation. Growing tired of sitting in the silence, she walked over to where he was.

“Gabe, why did you want to forget who you were?” asked Susie in a calm voice.

Susie had known Gabriel for a long time, but she wasn’t sure the sweet, innocent boy she once knew was there anymore. Ever since Sunset Shimmer had brought him back, all she saw was a shell of her former friend. Gabriel hadn’t really talked to anyone after Cassidy returned. And when he did, it was only because someone had asked him something and he had to respond. It hurt to see her friend, someone who had been by her side for so long, burdened with guilt. Susie remembered what Twilight had told her, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t felt some remorse for seeing Gabriel at his worst moment.

Gabriel, who was sitting with his back turned to the rest of the kids, looked over his shoulder at Susie. He could see that she was hesitant to speak to him, not that he was surprised. Gabriel knew that his behavior towards his friends wasn’t the best. However, talking to them only reminded him of the monster he turned into. And although he was aware that they had nothing to do with his actions, he couldn’t bear looking at them. His anger had led him to be no different than the person that killed them. That was a burden he chose when he decided to take an innocent life. Gabriel reluctantly shifted in his seat and faced Susie, knowing full well she wasn’t going to leave without an answer.

“Susie, I killed people. I killed them out of an act of vengeance to get back at William for murdering you. You don’t come back from that,” said Gabriel, a tinge of sadness to his voice. “You don’t take a life and remain the same. Watching the life of someone innocent fade in front of you, you lose yourself, Susie…”

Susie looked at Gabriel, trying to figure out what to say. Yet, nothing came out. She knew he was right. When she killed for the first time, the guilt weighed heavily on her and altered her personality. The sight of blood dripping from the animatronic beak remained seared in her mind. Susie was grateful that she couldn’t taste or feel it, but that didn’t change that she was no longer the same girl as before. That was the moment her innocence had gotten destroyed, leaving behind a darker person in its place, one who would relish in the future kills. So. she understood where Gabriel was coming from. Bearing the burden of murders wasn’t the easiest thing to do. And being a kid that had gotten brutally murdered didn’t help matters either. Susie sat next to him, resting a tentative hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. She half-expected him to flinch away from her touch, but instead, he seemed to appreciate the gesture.

“I know, that’s how I felt when I first killed someone. I know it’s not easy to realize you’ve become the very monster that murdered you,” said Susie as she looked down and sighed. “But Gabe, pushing your friends aside because you are a murderer is no excuse. Well, not in our case, that is. We’re all murderers, we’ve all done stuff we’re ashamed of, but you don’t see us pushing each other away because of it, do you?”

Gabriel looked at his friends and said, “No, I don’t…”

“Then what are you doing here, moping by yourself?” asked Susie. “If anything, I should be the one sitting here and moping. I was there that night, and I witnessed…”

“So, it is true. I didn’t think you would blame yourself for what I did that night,” said Gabriel as he moved his shoulder away from Susie’s hand. “That wasn’t your doing. I chose to do that out of my selfish reasons.”

“I know that now, Gabe, but everyone still blames me for that… I tried to tell them, but they refused to listen. And I don’t think they are wrong. If I hadn’t bothered to see if you were okay, maybe you wouldn’t have done that…” said Susie, her voice a mere whisper now.

“Susie. You are not to blame for my mistakes, okay? I will tell the others that you are not the reason I killed that night guard. I am appalled that they would come to that conclusion,” said Gabriel as he stood up from where he was sitting. “Let’s go clear this up and hang out just like old times. What do you say, Susie?”

Susie looked from Gabriel to the kids and then back to him. His words seemed almost too good to be true. She couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that Gabriel was willing to stand up for her, even though they were never close in life. Though, it seemed that their shared experiences and death had brought a closeness to them. If it weren’t for the genuine look that he was giving her, she wouldn’t have believed him, but she did. Susie wasn’t sure if she wanted to bring up the subject of who caused Gabriel to kill the night guard again, but she was happy to see a glimmer of the friend that she once knew. So, taking a chance, she got up from her seat and stood next to him.

“Okay, let’s do it,” replied Susie.

Gabriel and Susie walked to where the kids were just in time to see two foals racing towards the water trough. One of them was white with a few brown spots speckled all over their body. The other was pure black, even its tail and mane matched the gleamy black of it's coat. With the sun shining on them, they looked like cute little angels frolicking around in the corral. Unfortunately, one of them tripped over their hooves, sending them flying into the other. As they both tumbled down, they landed in the water trough and got soaked as a result. Gabriel couldn’t contain his laughter at the two foals shaking off the extra water. That made the other kids look at him. His laughter quickly stopped, and he looked down sheepishly.

“S-sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” said Gabriel. “I just wanted to join in on your fun.”

“It’s fine, Gabriel. We’re happy you’ve joined us,” Jeremy said, looking at his friend.

“Yeah, it’s nice to see you back to normal,” said Fritz.

Gabriel looked up at his friends. “Speaking of that, we need to talk.”

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

Twilight Sparkle was rummaging through a series of yearbooks in front of her. As she pushed past last year’s yearbook, she spotted a yearbook she hadn’t seen before. She pulled it off the shelf and examined the cover. It was from three years ago, and there was a group picture of all the CHS students on the front. Sunset Shimmer was standing off to the side of the crowd of them, looking angrier than Twilight had ever seen her before. She stared at the photo, trying to figure out how the Sunset she knew could’ve been the same one in the picture. Aside from appearance, it was hard to imagine that it was the same person. Twilight ran her hand along the smooth surface of the cover before opening the book. The first page had pictures of the students in the ninth grade listed in alphabetical order. She turned the first three pages, stopping only when she saw Sunset’s picture. There was something evil in her eyes that shocked Twilight and nearly made her close the book back up.

“Hey Twilight, you coming back with the books or…” Sunset Shimmer trailed off as she saw the open yearbook and the page showing her picture from her first year at CHS.

“Oh, Sunset!” Twilight Sparkle shut the yearbook quickly before Sunset stopped her from doing so. “I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay, Twilight. I’d figured you would’ve found that yearbook eventually,” said Sunset as she sat down next to Twilight Sparkle. “I guess you saw the photo and how angry I look, huh?”

“Yeah…” replied Twilight, setting the yearbook down and tracing the edge of the photo with her finger.

“As I told you, I wasn’t the nicest person back then. And that photo…” Sunset shuddered as she looked at the picture of herself, “is from that time. I hate how angry I look in that picture. I wish I could take it back.”

“I can see why. You look pretty terrifying in that photo,” said Twilight Sparkle as she pulled her hand away from the photo.

Sunset Shimmer looked away from Twilight as she heard her say that. “Yeah, I know. How far did you get into the yearbook?”

“I just started looking at it. Why?” asked Twilight, now curious as to what Sunset was trying to hide from her.

“It’s nothing, Sparky. I just didn’t want you to see the horrible photos of me at the Fall Formal,” replied Sunset, trying not to sound nervous as she watched Twilight eyeing the yearbook.

“I am sure they aren’t that bad, Sunset,” said Twilight as she pulled the yearbook closer to her. “Let me see them.”

Twilight Sparkle started flipping through the pages of the yearbook, skipping over the other photos of the students. She continued flipping until she reached the end, where she found a section dedicated to the Fall Formal. Her hand stopped on a page that had a picture of Sunset shoving Fluttershy aside and into the nearby punch bowl. A look of fear was plastered on Fluttershy’s face as she looked at Sunset’s conniving smirk. Twilight didn’t know what was worse, the look she saw on Fluttershy’s face or the fact that the redhead seemed to be enjoying that look of fear. She covered her mouth as she looked up from the picture and at the girl sitting next to her with a look of nausea.

“How did they let this photo get in the yearbook?” asked Twilight as she closed the book for the moment. “Aren’t they supposed to only put in photos that have been approved by the yearbook editor?”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t the yearbook editor at the time. And the person who was, well, let’s just say they didn’t like me for something I pulled on them a few months earlier,” said Sunset, looking down at her hands. “That was their way of getting back at me for what I did to them.”

“Wow,” said Twilight Sparkle, eyeing the book. “I am not sure I want to see more.”

“I don’t blame you, Twilight. But, if you want to continue, I am not going to stop you,” Sunset Shimmer said as she pushed the yearbook towards Twilight. “It was wrong of me to hide my past from you. So, I am going to change that now.”

Twilight Sparkle looked at the yearbook before glancing up at the flame-haired girl. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Sunset was willing to let her see the yearbook and wasn’t going to stop her from seeing what she used to be. That was a change from her secretive nature and one that she welcomed. It was tempting to open it and see more of what it contained, but she had seen plenty for the day. And judging by the look Sunset had on earlier, she had also seen enough as well. Twilight grabbed the book and stood up from her seat, walking over to the shelf where she found it.

“Well, I think I have done enough investigating for today. Besides, I saw how upset you were earlier Sunset, so it’s best if we stop for today,” said Twilight as she pushed the yearbook back onto the shelf. “Now, let’s get back to the others. We have a power-crazed animatronic to deal with.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Thanks. Let’s return to the girls.”

Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle walked back to the corner of the library, where the rest of the girls were sitting. There was a single table that had several chairs around it. Rainbow Dash was seated on the far side, reading one of her Daring Do books. Fluttershy sat next to her while Pinkie Pie was seated at one of the windows nearby. She was counting the pigeons that had gathered outside the window. However, just as Sunset and Twilight sat down in their seats, she turned around in her chair.

“Ooh, Applejack and Rarity are here now!” said Pinkie Pie, getting up from her chair.

Just as Pinkie Pie had predicated, Applejack and Rarity appeared out from behind a bookshelf that was near their table. As they approached the girls’ table, everyone was quick to notice that they were holding hands. There was a noticeable redness in both of their cheeks, which gave away that they had done something. Rarity kept stealing glances at Applejack, her heart thundering every time her eyes met the cowgirl’s green ones. She squeezed Applejack's hand and felt the callouses that had gotten formed from years of work rub against her palm. When Rarity got a gentle squeeze in response, her cheeks flushed as she tried to contain her joy and not reveal how happy she was to finally have her feelings out in the open. As they sat down in a nearby loveseat couch, they finally noticed the wide-eyed stares that the girls were giving them.

“Uh, did something happen between you two?” asked Rainbow Dash as she sped over to them and sat on the arm of the couch. “Cause we noticed the little glances you two have been sharing.”

“Well, Rainbow Dash, something did happen earlier,” replied Rarity, looking at Applejack.

“Really?! Did you two finally profess your love for one another?” asked Pinkie Pie, squealing quietly as she squirmed in her seat.

“Yeah, we did do that,” said Applejack, unable to contain her smile as she looked at Rarity. “And a bit more.”

“Oh, really? Did you two kiss while you were in the bathroom?” asked Sunset Shimmer, smirking to herself, grateful the hood hid her face.

“Well, erm, yes, we did.” Rarity shifted her gaze to the redhead. “How could you tell that with your hood covering your eyes?”

“I can still see, even with my hood Rarity,” said Sunset Shimmer, lifting her head and meeting Rarity’s eyes. “Plus, you left some of your lipstick on Applejack. And last I checked, lipstick isn’t something she is known to wear, especially in that shade of pink.”

Applejack wiped the lipstick off her lips with the back of her hand. It was a bit embarrassing to be caught with it on her, not that she was ashamed to have the girls know they kissed. Her gaze shifted downward as she tried to keep her embarrassment concealed from them. As Applejack bit her lip, she tasted some of the lipstick. It was strawberry, Rarity’s favorite flavor. It tasted sweet with a little tang to it, just like the girl who wore it.

“So, are you two, like dating now?” asked Rainbow Dash, a wide grin on her face.

“We are. Right Applejack?” asked Rarity, turning her attention to the cowgirl next to her. “That’s what we agreed the kiss meant?”

“Yes, that’s what we said. We decided to go from friends to lovers and see how it goes,” replied Applejack, meeting Rarity’s gaze. “And that’s the best choice I have made.”

“Mine too,” Rarity said, squeezing Applejack’s hand as she looked at Rainbow Dash.

“Sweet! You two finally realized your feelings. Now, how about we kick some robot ass?” shouted Rainbow Dash, eliciting a “shh” from the librarian.

“Hold your horses there, Dash,” said Applejack. “Sunset is the only one who knows about this Springtrap and the game he comes from. And right now, we don’t know if it’s possible to beat him.”

“Applejack’s right,” said Twilight Sparkle as she turned to Sunset Shimmer. “You’re the only one who knows about this character. And you also know the most about equestrian magic here.”

Sunset Shimmer’s tail twitched inside of her jeans, reminding her of its presence. She shifted uneasily in her chair, careful to avoid sitting on it in the process. The hair of her tail tickled against her bare skin, making her scratch at the itches that came from it. As she pulled her hand away, she recalled the hour it took to brush her tail out. Brushing it was not an easy task for Sunset. One, she didn’t have the brush she used back when she lived in Equestria. Two, it stayed in her jeans most of the day, which caused it to tangle more than it would if she had it outside of her jeans. However, she knew that she couldn’t pull it free because of her choice to conceal her changes.

For a moment, Sunset looked at Twilight Sparkle, admiring how she chose not to hide the changes that had happened to her. Her wings tried to push against the fabric containing them, reminding her that she was choosing to hide, rather than telling Twilight and the girls what she looked like. She ran her hand along the side of her arm, pushing the desire to take off her hoodie away. It was too risky, especially since she was unsure of how they were going to react to the changes. Yet, despite her uncertainty of their reactions, Sunset wanted to tell the girls and stop hiding. Sighing, she forced herself to speak.

“Twilight, I know very little about how equestrian magic works in this world. When I brought it here, I didn’t think about what it would do when it got introduced into a world without magic. So, I don’t know what Springtrap can do with it if he is here,” said Sunset Shimmer, looking at Twilight and letting her see her eyes.

“But you did see Springtrap, or something with his likeness, dissolving right?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

“Yeah…” replied Sunset, raising one of her eyebrows slightly. “Why?”

“Because I may have a theory about him. He possibly could have come across a supply of magic and somehow learned to bend it to his will. Maybe what you saw on Thursday wasn’t him at all, but rather a cellular copy of him that was made of magic,” said Twilight as she stood up and began to pace back and forth in the room.

“Why would he copy himself? What’s the point in doing that?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“I think it’s because he is planning to attack us,” said Twilight Sparkle.

“Attack us? Why in tarnation would he do that?” asked Applejack, thankful that she was still holding Rarity’s hand.

"If I am correct, I believe he realizes what we are doing with the kids. And he is likely the one who sent them after us that night.” Twilight looked at the redhead. “In the game, his goal is to kill us or rather the player, right Sunset?”

“Yes, in the game, the player has to keep Springtrap away from them, or he’ll kill them. By making sure no loud noises are near you for very long, closing any vents he’s in, and distracting him with audio cues that sound like a child, you can keep him away,” Sunset said, resting her arms on the table. “But why come after us? Is it because of the kids?”

“Yes. Springtrap might not like the fact we have been helping the kids and keeping them safe from him, and therefore he is going after us as well,” said Twilight as her tailed twitched absentmindedly behind her.

Sunset Shimmer looked at Twilight Sparkle, noticing that she was getting lost in her thoughts as she paced about the room. She wondered if there was any truth to what Twilight was saying about Springtrap. However, something seemed off about the theory, and it was bugging Sunset. If he wanted to attack them, why would he do it now? Didn’t he have ample time when the kids had attacked them at the gym the first time? Was Springtrap planning something worse? Something… that would endanger her and the girls lives? A shiver ran through Sunset’s body as the thought crossed her mind.

“Attacking my friends and me because of the kids? That can’t be it. It’s not like we are deliberately keeping them safe because of him,” thought Sunset Shimmer.

“You’re not completely wrong. You’re unintentionally keeping the kids safe from Springtrap,” said Sunset’s inner voice, breaking the silence.

“Oh, it’s you again. Why are you back?” Sunset Shimmer wasn’t in the mood to hear another lecture about telling Twilight the full story of her past.

“I am here to remind you that in the backstory of the third game, Springtrap is William Afton, the guy you’ve seen in the kids’ memories. He is the one who murdered those five kids,” replied Sunset’s inner voice.

“Oh, right! I almost forgot about that. Thanks for, uh, reminding me. Are you going to lecture me about you know what… right now?” asked Sunset, looking at Twilight as she smiled at the sight of the book worm, who seemed to be the most comfortable she’s been since she transformed into Midnight Sparkle.

“Right now? No. But I may do it later,” said Sunset’s conscience. “Now, let your friends know what I just told you.”

“Twilight, you may have a point. Springtrap is the murderer who killed the five kids we rescued. And in the third game, he was trying to dismantle the animatronics they had gotten trapped inside of, but now we have gotten in his way of doing that,” Sunset Shimmer said, leaving Twilight Sparkle staring wide-eyed at her. “He is the one I have seen in their memories.”

“Does he have a name?” asked Twilight Sparkle, walking over to Sunset’s side. “Cause that might help us figure out what to do with him and jog the kids’ memories.”

“Yes, it’s William Afton,” replied Sunset.

“Wait, hold on a minute. Don’t y’all think askin’ the kids about their murderer is a bit personal? It clearly was a sensitive subject when they were talkin’ about Gabriel,” interjected Applejack. “Maybe just ask them if it’s okay before you go bombarding them with questions.”

“Right. I’ll make sure it’s okay before I do my analysis on William based on their testimonies,” said Twilight as she looked at Sunset, noticing that her eyes were black around the outer corners.

“Good thinking, Sparky,” said Sunset as she got up from her chair and gave her playful punch on the shoulder.

Just then, the bell rang and announced the end of the lunch period. Sunset Shimmer stepped away from Twilight Sparkle and grabbed her messenger bag. As she started to walk away and head out of the library, she felt a hand grip her forearm. Her body froze as she turned to see that Twilight was the one holding her arm. She walked over to her, noticing the worried look in her mulberry eyes. Sunset placed her other hand over Twilight’s shaking one and tried to calm her down.

“Twilight, what is it?” asked Sunset, keeping her voice low as she felt Twilight’s grip on her arm loosen slightly. “What’s bothering you?”

Sunset instinctively stepped closer to Twilight, closing the space between their bodies. Right now, at this moment, her worries about her appearance faded, and she just wanted to comfort the girl in front of her. Keeping everyone at a safe distance could wait until she had cheered up Twilight, even though it was a risky maneuver. She knew that Twilight was aware of her wings underneath the hoodie. It amazed her that no one else, except for Rainbow Dash, had figured out she was hiding something. Sunset knew her change of clothes was evident to everyone, but nonetheless, she was thankful that no one else had questioned her about it.

“Careful! Wouldn’t want Twilight to see the rest of your monstrous changes, would we?” asked Sunset’s conscience, making her groan mentally at the intrusion.

“Fuck off!” thought Sunset, trying to ignore the comment her conscience made.

“Sunset, if William Afton murdered those kids and learned how to harness equestrian magic, then he is a lot more dangerous than any enemy we’ve come up against previously. There’s no telling what atrocities he might do next. I am not sure we can defeat him and walk away uninjured,” said Twilight, looking away from Sunset as she grabbed her backpack with her other hand. “I’m scared of what he’ll do to us, to you…”

Sunset Shimmer had to take a deep breath to calm her rage at the idea of Springtrap harming Twilight Sparkle and the girls. Her skin felt like it had gotten set aflame as she tried to focus on something else. Alongside the growing heat, there was an itching sensation, which grew in intensity as the burning under her skin moved up her forearm. She pulled her arm away from Twilight’s grip, afraid that she would feel the heat radiating off of her skin through the sleeve of the hoodie. Images of the girls getting severely injured flashed in Sunset’s mind, making her gumline ache in response to her fangs extending further than normal. She inhaled sharply and felt her fangs retract a few seconds later. After that, her body began to cool down, allowing the itching sensation to subside. She bit her bottom lip and forced herself to step closer to Twilight as she grabbed her hand.

“We’ll figure this out, Twi,” said Sunset Shimmer, trying to hide her elongated fangs from Twilight’s view. “I will never let William hurt you. I’ll protect you; I promise Sparky.”

Twilight Sparkle reached out her other hand and lifted the redhead’s chin, so their eyes met. “I know, Sunset. I know you’ll protect me no matter what. Now, how about we head to class before we’re both late?”

“Y-yeah,” replied Sunset Shimmer, unable to hide her fangs from Twilight as she kept her hand under her chin. Moving her head away, she felt her fangs return to their usual size. “Did you, uh, see anything?”

“No, was I supposed to?'' asked Twilight Sparkle, her curiosity piquing at Sunset’s question.

“No, I was just wondering if you did,” Sunset said, wanting to change the subject quickly. “Let’s just get to class before we are late.”

“Okay…” said Twilight hesitantly as she followed Sunset out of the library.

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

Sunset Shimmer’s next class was with Fluttershy. She was grateful that her shy friend seemed to be unaware of the changes underneath the fabric. Although, there was a nagging voice in the back of her head saying that Fluttershy had seen something but wasn’t going to speak about it. And she knew that their troubled past was likely to keep the shy girl quiet about anything she might’ve noticed. Regret flooded her mind as the redhead replayed all the times she targeted her and used her to get what she wanted. Everything in Sunset wished to take back all things that she had done to Fluttershy. Yet, she knew there was no way she could, no matter how much she wanted to do it. She walked with her head down until she reached the classroom. Just as she walked past the doorway, she heard an all too familiar, hushed, and meek voice call out her name.

“Sunset! Do you want to sit next to me?” asked Fluttershy as she removed her backpack from the chair next to her.

That made Sunset Shimmer freeze in her tracks. As far as she knew, Fluttershy was unaware of her current… changes. And if it was possible, she wanted to keep it that way until she was ready to tell the girls. She neared the spot where Fluttershy was sitting just as another student walked past, shoving her closer to the animal lover. She rested her hand against the surface of the desk, feeling her skin beginning to heat up again. She looked over at Fluttershy and saw the welcoming look she was giving her. Seeing that, she gave in and took the seat next to her.

Just as Sunset took a seat, Fluttershy’s brother, Zephyr Breeze, sat in the row next to them and asked, “Hey, sis, did you finish yesterday’s homework assignment?”

“Yes, Zephyr, I did,” replied Fluttershy, her annoyance at her brother’s lack of responsibility clear to Sunset.

“Would you mind if I just… check my answers with yours?” asked Zephyr Breeze, nervously glancing at the doorway.

Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes as she saw what Fluttershy’s brother was trying to do. It amazed her that he had made it to the 11th grade with his lack of commitment to his schoolwork. It was almost as bad as Rainbow Dash and her inability to do any of her assignments. She remembered that she allowed Zephyr Breeze to copy off of her in the ninth grade. Back then, that didn’t come for free, and she wanted something in return; information on his sister and the rest of the girls. Said information was what allowed her to hack their phone numbers and emails. In hindsight, it seemed that he didn’t care why she needed it, which made her wonder why. Staring at him, Sunset recalled a time that she had hacked in Rainbow Dash’s phone, and on a whim, sent him a text that was presumably from her. Zephyr Breeze had fallen for it, hook, line, and sinker, to her delight at the time.

“No, Zephyr. You should have done your homework last night,” said Fluttershy, being as strict as she could towards her brother.

“Aw, come on, little sis! Won’t you help me out? If I flunk this class, mom and dad will take away my phone and ground me until I can get my grades up,” begged Zephyr Breeze.

“Zephyr, I will not let you use my answers. You need to take responsibility for your grades. I am not helping you cheat, but I will offer to tutor you,” Fluttershy replied, holding her ground against her insistent brother.

Zephyr Breeze, fed up with his sister’s resistance, turned to look at Sunset Shimmer. He remembered her helping him in the ninth grade by allowing him to cheat off of her. However, Zephyr Breeze recalled that it came at a price. At the time, he never questioned why she needed the information on his sister, not that he really cared to ask why. Zephyr Breeze was just happy to have someone he could use to cover up his laziness. Looking at Sunset now, an idea popped into his head.

“You may have given up being a bitch to everyone, but maybe I can still get you to help me. After all, you do owe me for that prank pulled on me with Rainbow Dash’s number,” thought Zephyr Breeze, a broad smile appearing on his face.

“Hey, Sunset. Can you help me?” asked Zephyr Breeze in a whisper so his sister wouldn’t overhear their conversation.

Sunset Shimmer turned to face him. “Are you sure that you want my help? If so, I am going to need something as payment.”

The redhead licked her lips, making sure her sharp fangs showed as they elongated in front of Zephyr Breeze. That made him jump in his chair, bringing Sunset some joy despite the pain it brought with it. She continued to look at him, ignoring the hurt she was feeling on the inside as she waited to see his response. Exposing her fangs to Zephyr Breeze was a risky maneuver, but worth it if it would make him leave her and Fluttershy alone. His insistent begging for help was starting to irritate Sunset, and that wasn’t making it easier for her to control her anger. And she was aware that something was happening every time she lost control of her rage. It first occurred during her fight with Trixie on Thursday and her confrontation in the school gym. Whatever was happening to Sunset and her body was triggered by her getting angry, which meant that she had to be careful or someone was going to get hurt.

“Uh, no thanks, I am good,” said Zephyr Breeze, grabbing his backpack and moving away from Sunset Shimmer.

Fluttershy looked at her brother as he moved seats. She glanced over at Sunset, wondering how she got him to move. When she shifted her gaze downward, she saw something sharp jutting out from Sunset’s top lip. The longer she looked, the more she recognized what it was; a set of fangs. Every muscle in her body tensed, and she moved her arm away from the redhead. Fluttershy felt like she was back in the days of Sunset beating her up, and she didn’t like it. Seeing her with fangs, it made her wonder if she was a vampire. But, there was no way that was possible, right?

“Oh, no! Maybe she is a vampire. But if so, how come she hasn’t sucked our blood? Maybe… she isn’t going to hurt us, but then why would she hide from us?” thought Fluttershy, watching Sunset cautiously.

“H-how did you get my brother to move?” asked Fluttershy as she tried to hide her growing nervousness.

Sunset Shimmer, having gotten jolted from her thoughts, turned and looked at Fluttershy. For a brief moment, she allowed her to see the fangs which had replaced her lateral incisors. When she saw that Fluttershy was looking at her with fear in her eyes, she turned away and covered her mouth with her hand. Between Zephyr Breeze and Fluttershy’s reactions, Sunset’s confidence that Twilight would take her new appearance okay was beginning to tank. Silently cursing herself for being so careless, she remained motionless and hoped that Fluttershy hadn’t seen much.

“Sweet Celestia, that was too close! Way too close. She almost saw…” Sunset Shimmer felt the pointed tips of her fangs run along her palm as she moved her hand across her mouth.

“Sunset, are you alright? And what happened with Zephyr?” asked Fluttershy, finally allowing her muscles to relax as she shifted closer to Sunset.

“I-I’m fine, Shy. I just didn’t want you to see my-”

“Fangs?” Fluttershy asked, cutting off Sunset and making her look at her with a shocked expression. “I saw them, Sunset. But what happened with my brother? Did he see them too? Is that why he moved away from us?”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Are you frightened of me, Fluttershy?”

A quiet squeak was all Sunset got in response to her question. Fluttershy didn’t dare say anything, afraid that Sunset would do something if she did.

“Guess that answers my question,” said Sunset Shimmer, lowering her hand and looking at Fluttershy. “Do you know what’s happened to me?”

“Maybe,” replied Fluttershy. “Are you a vampire?”

“What-no, I am not a vampire, Fluttershy,” said Sunset. “I… I can’t tell you what happened just yet, but I am not a vampire.”

“O-okay, but you’re not going to hurt us, are you?” Fluttershy was beginning to shake as she tried to keep herself calm visibly.

Sunset Shimmer grabbed Fluttershy’s arm and looked her in the eye, not caring that she was exposing her appearance to her. “No, vampire or not, I will never hurt you or the girls. Believe me, please, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy looked at Sunset Shimmer, noticing the red skin that had replaced her amber skin tone. She realized what Sunset meant by she couldn’t tell her. Between the fangs and the change of skin color, Fluttershy was beginning to see that there was an excellent reason that she was hiding her appearance. It was frightening, not to mention the fact she had a sinking suspicion that she had only seen some of the changes. If that was true, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to see the rest, especially given what happened to Twilight. Mustering what courage she could gather, Fluttershy took a breath and pulled her arm away from Sunset’s grasp.

“I do believe you, Sunset. I just don’t like your new appeara-” Fluttershy stopped when she heard the sound of a doorknob turning before the classroom door was swung open.

Just then, the teacher walked in and stopped any further conversations between Fluttershy and Sunset Shimmer. As Sunset looked at Fluttershy, she saw a flicker of uneasiness in her cyan eyes. That told her Fluttershy was trying her best not to feel uncomfortable by her unsettling change of appearance. Seeing the effort that the animal lover was putting into curbing her anxiety made Sunset think about Twilight. She remembered what happened when Twilight’s geode transformed her back into Midnight Sparkle. Her mind raced about the girls’ reactions and what could happen if they were to see the full extent of what her geode did to her on Thursday. As all the possibilities of how the girls would react played through her head, Sunset’s hand curled into a tight fist.

A red aura surrounded a nearby pen as Sunset’s fist clenched even tighter. Every time she clenched her fist tighter together, the pen’s plastic shell began to bend more and more. The plastic cracked under the increasing pressure and sent little shards falling onto the metal desk beneath it. Finally, after withstanding the demand for a few minutes, the pen’s shell could take no more and broke in half. The ink cartridge inside of it snapped in half as well, releasing a spurt of ink all over Zephyr Breeze’s jeans. Several students turned to look at him, some even snickering at the sight of him getting covered ink.

“What the-?” Zephyr Breeze wiped some of the ink off of his cheek. “How did that happen?”

Sunset Shimmer looked up and unclenched her fist. The pen stopped bending, and the plastic shell covering it shattered completely. She hadn’t realized that she could do that without being aware of it. Though, with her emotions getting out the best of her lately, she wasn’t surprised that her powers were also going a bit haywire. Sunset glanced over at Fluttershy and met her worried gaze. That only made her shrink further into her chair as she tried to focus on the teacher. If her emotions were starting to affect her powers, it wasn’t good, and Sunset knew that it was only a matter of time before the girls realized that themselves. How was she going to tell the girls what happened with her powers beginning to spiral out of her control? Sunset wasn’t sure of how she was going to, but she had to try to tell them about it. It was getting exhausting having to lie to them and keep her changes disguised around them.

“Nice! Talk about karma,” said Sunset Shimmer’s conscience, taking her away from the teacher’s talking.

“Karma?! I could’ve hurt Zephyr. What’s going on with me?” thought Sunset Shimmer, looking down at her hands.

“Oh, come on! It was just a harmless pen explosion. At least it wasn’t Zephyr’s head,” said her conscience.

“You are NOT helping me feel any better about this. So, just shut up or say something useful for once.” Sunset exhaled sharply as her grip on her pencil tightened. “I am not in the mood for these mind games.”

Sunset Shimmer got jolted away from her thoughts when the bell rang, announcing the end of the fourth period. Without waiting for Fluttershy to say anything to her, she ran out of the classroom. She made her way through the horde of students in the hallway and entered the bathroom just as another student was exiting it. She wanted to make sure her hood was concealing her face well enough that no one could see her new look. Sunset knew that if the whole student body of CHS were to find out that she returned to looking like Demon Shimmer, it was unlikely she would get a warm welcome. And just as she told Trixie, there would likely be beating, worse than the one Twilight had received on Thursday. Her actions in the past had left severe scars on everyone, including her herself.

Standing in front of the mirror, Sunset was unaware that Rarity was in there as well. As she gazed at her reflection, she felt the same feeling of disgust she felt the night it all happened. The lights in the room illuminated her skin, highlighting the blood-red color it had become. She had begun the process of accepting that she was going to be stuck looking like Demon Shimmer. However, it was still a challenge to look at herself and not see the outward appearance. If she couldn’t do it, that meant there was no way the girls or even Twilight would be able to do the same. Sunset didn’t even want to think about how the girls were going to react, let alone consider how they would see her once they knew. The look of terror they wore during the Fall Formal when she had initially gotten transformed into her demon form flashed across her mind.

“How can I tell the girls about this? I doubt they’ll take it well, especially since I kept it from them rather than being upfront about it.” Sunset Shimmer gripped the edge of the sink counter, her knuckles going white as she tightened her grip.

“Well, what did you expect? You chose the coward’s way out rather than trusting them to see you as their friend,” Sunset’s conscience said, reminding her that she had made the wrong choice yet again.

“You know, you’re beginning to sound like a broken record on repeat,” thought Sunset, looking down from her gaze in the mirror.

“I wouldn’t sound like that if you would just listen to the advice I am giving you. Then again, that’s the whole point of how you ended up here, isn’t it?” asked Sunset's conscience.

“Yes! I admit that if I hadn’t been so afraid to come clean, this mess wouldn’t have started with Twilight and the girls,” Sunset Shimmer thought as she forced herself to meet her gaze. “If I had just told Twilight about my past instead of letting my guilt get to me, I would be with Twilight now, not here staring at a reflection that I can’t stand looking at.”

Rarity pulled the stall door back, stepping out and walking towards the sinks. As Rarity set her bag down on the counter, she looked at the person standing next to her. She recognized it as Sunset and turned her attention to the mirror in front of them both. That was when a small gasp slipped from her lips. Sunset’s reflection in the glass mirror revealed that her skin had lost its amber tone. It had gotten replaced with a deep red color that resembled blood or a terrible sunburn after an afternoon in the summer sun. Only one question popped into Rarity’s mind; why was Sunset’s skin the same color as the time she had become Demon Shimmer? However, that only raised more suspicions for her about Sunset’s odd behavior and outfit changes.

“Sunset, dear, how come your skin is… red?” asked Rarity, bringing Sunset Shimmer’s attention to her

The redhead looked at Rarity standing next to her. The realization that she had seen her reflection in the mirror made her hand fall away from the counter. She looked away from her as she tried to hide her face from Rarity. Her heart started to beat faster as fear coursed through her body like a runaway train going downhill. Every part of her body tensed up as she heard the sound of shuffling feet moving towards her. The sound echoed all around her in the near-empty bathroom. Sunset jumped when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder just above the scar caused by her first transformation.

“Crap!” Sunset Shimmer said under her breath. “How could I have been so careless?”

“Sunset?” Rarity asked, squeezing Sunset’s shoulder. “What is going on? You have been acting suspicious lately. And what’s with the recent change of clothes?”

Even though every fiber of her being was screaming at her to push Rarity away before she got any closer, Sunset Shimmer fought against the urges, knowing that it wouldn’t do any good if she gave into them. She tugged on the edge of her hood, wanting to keep her face hidden. Rarity had seen more than she was comfortable letting anyone else see. And if she could, Sunset was going to keep it that way. Right now, she wasn’t ready to talk about her transformation with the rest of the girls. Yet, she knew she would have to come clean about it eventually. She pushed the thoughts about their reactions aside as her mind tried to remind her of what she had to do. Instead, she focused on Rarity and trying to keep her from being too suspicious.

“It’s nothing, Rarity. My other jacket is at my apartment, I just forgot to wear it,” replied Sunset, hoping Rarity would back off.

“This isn’t nothing, Sunset. And I know you’re change of outfits is concealing something.” Rarity let her hand fall away from the redhead’s shoulder, sensing the tension her touch was causing. “Did your geode also backfire similarly to the way Twilight’s geode did? Is that why your skin looked red when I looked in the mirror?”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Are you going to tell the rest of the girls now?”

“Sunset, I am not going to tell the rest of the girls. That should be you,” said Rarity. “Have you considered telling Twilight about this change?”

“Yes, Rarity,” replied Sunset as she looked at the fashionista. “I plan on telling Twilight today.”

“Good. Twilight deserves-”

“To know the truth! I know, Rarity. Can you please stop bringing that up? I already know I messed up,” said Sunset, losing her temper with Rarity.

Rarity staggered away from Sunset Shimmer, surprised by her sudden change of mood. Flashes of what happened between her and the redhead on Thursday crossed her mind. She didn’t want that to happen again, especially since the image of Sunset’s eyes going black had gotten seared into her mind. Her hands were shaking from her nervousness at what the redhead might do next. Rarity didn’t want to be yelled at again for trying to be a friend. So, instead of responding to what Sunset said, she grabbed her bag and walked over to the bathroom door.

“Okay, Sunset, I will not bring that up. But please, talk to us. We’re your friends, and we care about you,” Rarity said before leaving the redhead alone in the empty bathroom.

Once the door closed shut, Sunset Shimmer looked at her reflection, whispering the words, “I know…”

As Rarity exited the bathroom, she walked right past Applejack and didn’t say anything. The cowgirl was quick to notice the worried expression on her girlfriend’s face. Anger rose in her as she tried to find the reason for the worried expression she saw. Just as she was about to grab her arm and ask what was going on, she saw Sunset Shimmer leaving the bathroom. Seeing Sunset was all she needed to answer her question. She grabbed her backpack from her locker and closed it behind her. Heading towards the redhead, Applejack wanted to find out what happened between her and Rarity.

Sunset Shimmer, unaware that there was an angry cowgirl heading her way, walked over to her locker. When she was about to open her locker, she felt a hand on her arm. The grip was firm, and it made her flinch as her skin began to get pinched when the culprit tightened their grip further. A few seconds later, she was getting pulled into an empty classroom nearby. Sunset heard the sound of a lock clicking shut and turned to see who had pulled her away from her locker. To her shock, she realized it was Applejack.

“Applejack, what are you do-?”

“What the hell happened with Rarity? I know it has somethin’ to do with you,” asked Applejack, cutting off Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset backed away from Applejack, realizing that she was in danger of being exposed. However, in the process, her foot got caught on the chair leg next to her. As she fell, her tail slipped free of her jeans and caught the cowgirl’s attention. Sunset looked down to find the red and yellow hair of her tail visibly displayed on the linoleum floor. A part of her knew that her disguise was up, despite the small part of her that wished she had a chance to at least warn Applejack before it had gotten exposed. She glanced up and saw that she had moved further away from her.

“This isn’t what it seems like, I swear,” Sunset Shimmer said, getting on her feet and tucking her tail back into the confines of her jeans.

“Oh, then what is it, Sunset? Cause right now, I am startin’ to think that you are hiding the fact somethin’ happened on Thursday. Somethin’ like what happened to Twilight,” Applejack said, crossing her arms across her chest as she raised one of her eyebrows

That question made Sunset avert her gaze as a wave of regret washed over her. A voice in her head told her to come clean and stop lying to her friends. She knew that her change of clothes and behavior was noticeable, and given what happened to Twilight, it was likely the girls knew what she was hiding from them. Yet, there was a part of her that feared what would happen if they knew about the way she looked. If the girls were to find out about the fact that some of her demonic powers had returned and that it made her more dangerous, Sunset knew it wasn’t going to end well. She wanted to stall until she could tell if they were going to hate her just like they did back when she was the school bully turned she-demon. Not that she would blame them if they did. Her wings flinched underneath her hoodie as she heard Applejack step closer to her body.

“I may have transformed back, similar to what happened with Twilight. But, I don’t want to say more than that right now,” replied Sunset Shimmer, gripping her arm.

“May have? Sunset, I know that somethin’ happened on Thursday. And if it’s what I think it is, it’s better that you come clean now.” Applejack’s voice had a coldness to it. “Now, what happened?”

“Applejack, I…” Sunset reached for her sunglasses but stopped when she saw the angry look in the cowgirl’s eyes.

“Tell me the truth, Sunset! I am starting to lose my patience with you keeping secrets from Twilight and us!” shouted Applejack.

“I-I…” Sunset Shimmer was beginning to struggle with coming clean, especially since Applejack was making no point in hiding her anger at her actions and choices.

“Damn it, Shimmer! Tell me what the fuck is goin’ on with you!” Applejack stepped closer to the redhead, and within seconds, she felt the fabric of the hoodie beneath her hands before she pushed her to the ground as her anger built up.

Sunset Shimmer felt her whole body getting pushed backward. As she lost her footing, she slid across the floor due to the force of Applejack pushing her down. Without realizing it, the cowgirl had used her super-strength, which sent Sunset hurtling into the nearby wall. As she felt her weight getting forced against her wings, the redhead groaned, feeling the wind getting knocked out of her as well. The padding in her hoodie did little to soften the harsh blow. Seconds after her back slammed against the wall behind her, she felt her head impact it. That made her close her eyes as a sharp shooting pain ran throughout her head.

“Applejack…? Why did you… push me?” asked Sunset Shimmer, trying to regain her breath.

Applejack, still shocked by what she did, staggered away from Sunset Shimmer. Her mind was reeling at what she had done. Applejack thought she had control of her powers, but it was clear that she didn’t have as much control as she thought she did. True, she was angry at Sunset for lying to Twilight and them, but she didn’t mean to push her. Applejack didn’t want to injure her. However, she had let her emotions get the better of her, and Sunset ended up being the target of her emotional outburst.

“I don’t know. I was just so angry at you for hiding your changes from Twilight and us that I…” Applejack trailed off, too ashamed to admit that she had physically harmed one of her friends.

“That you pushed me into the wall?” asked Sunset, groaning in pain as she pushed herself off the wall.

“Yeah…” said Applejack.

Sunset tried to push herself up, but her body still reeling from the sudden attack, collapsed back down onto the floor. She sighed, deciding it was best to remain on the floor. After all, Applejack was clearly angry at her for doing what she had done. Maybe it was better that she stayed there rather than get pushed back down on to it. Pulling her knees up to her chest, Sunset rested her head between them. Her eyes stung with the beginning of tears that threatened to be released as soon as she gave in to the growing guilt. Just as she had wrapped her arms around her knees, she felt a calloused hand rest on her forearm. Sunset looked and found Applejack kneeling in front of her, giving her an apologetic smile.

“I’m mighty sorry that I hurt you, Sunset,” said Applejack. “I shouldn’t have let my emotions get the better of me.”

“It’s… okay,” said Sunset Shimmer as she felt the cowgirl pull her to her feet. “I did deserve that. I should’ve given you a straight answer rather than choosing to be vague about it, AJ.”

“And why exactly are you hiding the fact that you’ve changed just like Twilight did on Thursday? Don’t you trust the girls and me to be there for you?” asked Applejack, stepping away from the redhead and giving her space.

“I do trust you and the girls. But if you guys were to see the changes underneath this hoodie…” Sunset Shimmer’s voice faltered, revealing her struggle to keep her tears at bay. “I am not so sure you’ll be able to look at me the same. My changes are more… severe than Twilight’s changes are. So, that’s why I am wearing this, to hide what I am afraid of showing you.”

“So, that explains your sudden change of outfits and the odd excuses for it. But,” Applejack gripped Sunset’s shoulder tightly, “I have to admit that it hurts to know that you fear our reactions, though I understand your reasonin’ for doing so. I imagine what happened at the Fall Formal still haunts you, even though that is in the past for all of us.”

Sunset Shimmer met the cowgirl’s green eyes. She didn’t care that her new skin color was visible to her, not anymore. What did it matter now that Applejack knew about what she was concealing? A look of compassion shone in her eyes, and it was making Sunset regret not coming forward sooner. Guilt and sadness grew inside of her, and her stomach ached in response to it. She looked away before it became too much to bear. Taking a deep breath, Sunset calmed herself down and tried her best to keep herself together.

“It does, AJ. Ever since the changes occurred, I keep reimagining the girls’ reactions during that night. The look of fear that you all wore makes it almost impossible to be upfront about them.” Sunset clenched her fists in frustration at how her actions had hurt her friends. “But, I am planning on coming clean today. I am not going to keep you guys in the dark any longer than I already have, you don’t deserve that after all that you’ve done for me.”

“That’s good to hear. Just remember, don’t push us away. We’ll support you no matter what’s happened to you or your body,” said Applejack, letting go of Sunset Shimmer’s shoulder.

“I will,” replied Sunset Shimmer. “And Applejack?”

“Hmm?” Applejack asked, wondering what Sunset was going to say.

“Thank you,” said Sunset, giving the cowgirl a smile of appreciation.

“For what, Sunset?” asked Applejack.

“For giving me the push that I needed to finally face my demons, so to speak. Next time though, maybe don’t do it literally. That kind of hurt… a lot,” said Sunset Shimmer, rubbing the back of her head, which was still throbbing.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I guess I let my anger get the better of me,” said Applejack, looking away from the redhead, her head lowered in shame.

“That’s understandable. I know what it’s like to let your anger get the better of you all too well,” Sunset Shimmer said, patting Applejack’s arm. “Anyway, see you later?”

“Yep,” replied Applejack.

With that, the two girls said their goodbyes and headed towards their separate classes. Applejack’s words swirled inside of Sunset Shimmer’s mind, echoing loudly and never letting her forget them. She knew there was some truth to what she had said and that she had a point. She had to trust that the girls and Twilight would support her, no matter the changes that occurred to her body. Sunset knew that she had to give the girls a chance, instead of assuming that they would hate her. They learned to accept what happened with Twilight, so there was a chance they could do the same for her. Just maybe they could see past her appearance and know that she was still their friend. She had to take the risk, despite the fear that threatened to weigh her down.

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

At Sweet Apple Acres, Gabriel was sitting nearby the door when he noticed Cassidy getting up and walking towards the corral. He followed her, wondering what she was doing. After a few minutes of walking around the barn, he saw her sit down next to the water trough. Gabriel saw the horses back away from her, and the water trough, her presence was clearly unsettling them. He was debating joining Cassidy before deciding that someone needed to make sure she was okay. After all, Gabriel was aware that she didn’t have friends like he did that experienced the same trauma.

Cassidy heard the sound of panicked nickering and looked up to see what was causing it. She saw Gabriel walking towards her and shifted away, not wanting any company. However, Cassidy heard him sit down on a hay bale next to her, not getting the hint. She sighed and pulled her knees to her chest. Gabriel was stubborn, Cassidy had to give him that.

“Hey, Cassidy. Is everything okay?” asked Gabriel.

Cassidy rested her chin on her knees, making a clanking noise that startled the horses further. “No, it’s not. Ever since Su-Sunset Shimmer brought me back, my memories have come back as well.”

Gabriel looked over at the horses, noticing that they were getting skittish with them being closer. He could see that having both of them present in front of the horses was beginning to stress them out. One of the horses snorted, tossing their head as if to say hurry up and leave already. Standing up, Gabriel held out his hand for Cassidy.

“Let’s continue this chat somewhere else. I don’t want to stress out Applejack’s horses. I am pretty sure she wouldn’t appreciate it if that were to happen,” said Gabriel.

Cassidy grabbed Gabriel’s hand and said, “Yeah, let’s go over to that group of apple trees that way we’re not visible to them.”

Together, Cassidy and Gabriel walked over to the apple trees that grew next to each other in a tight-knit group. The shade provided by the branches of the trees made the crisp fall air feel even colder. Or it would if they could feel anything trapped inside of their cursed animatronic bodies. Cassidy sat down, resting her back against a tree behind her. She turned her head and saw that the horses had returned to the water trough now that she wasn’t sitting next to it. Gabriel, on the other hand, chose to sit next to her with one knee raised and his arm resting on it.

“So, what’s been on your mind, Cassidy?” asked Gabriel, hoping that Cassidy trusted him enough to talk to him.

Cassidy’s eyes remained frozen on the green grass blades beneath her. Images of red blood dripping off her robotic hands flashed quickly in her mind. The smell of iron mixing with the oil that lubricated the animatronic body was almost sickeningly strong. Her hand, which previously rested on top of the grass, began to grip the earth it grew on as she struggled to cope with the gory images. One by one, a parade of terrified expressions on unfamiliar faces reminded Cassidy of her mistakes and the murders she committed. Guilt and pain flooded through her as she tried to ignore the echoing chorus of screams in her mind. As she sat there, she didn’t notice that her body was beginning to tremble from the sheer amount of emotions she was feeling. Cassidy got jolted from the graphic imagery when she felt a hand rest on her forearm.

“You are seeing all the faces of the ones you’ve murdered, aren’t you Cassidy?” asked Gabriel, making eye contact with her.

“Mhmm,” was all Cassidy said in response.

“It gets easier. Trust me,” said Gabriel as he let his fall away from her arm.

“It does?” asked Cassidy. “When does it get better, Gabriel?”

“After a few months, maybe even after a few years,” replied Gabriel. “It’s not something you can rush through, Cassidy. The wounds they need time to heal.”

“Well, could they please heal a little faster? I need to figure out how to get used to the reality that we are just video game characters to Sunset and the girls. And that I am stuck in a golden version of you.”

Gabriel chuckled a little at what Cassidy said. It was nice to see that her humor hadn’t gotten dulled by what she’d gone through. He understood the torment and emotional scarring that Cassidy was dealing with. The first time Gabriel became aware of his actions while trapped in the animatronic still stayed with him. The memories and the sights replayed in his mind, never letting him forget what he had done. Gabriel knew the look in Cassidy’s eyes all too well, knowing the guilt often made itself known whether Gabriel liked it or not. He had several episodes where he had become aware of what he was doing. And every time there was a voice in his head telling him to go to his friends. Yet, he never did because his shame was too much for him. So, he was hoping to prevent Cassidy from making his mistake and pushing her newly found friends away. Gabriel looked at her, hoping that his next question wouldn’t upset her.

“Did you really see us in the room with your…” asked Gabriel, stopping himself from saying the word ‘corpse.’

“With my rotting corpse? Yes, I did.” Cassidy looked down at her hands. “I was also beside you when Susie got pulled away, and you were left alone.”

“Oh, so you were the presence I felt next to me?” Gabriel asked, staring at Cassidy with wide eyes.

“Hehe, yeah,” replied Cassidy. “It was me…”

“You know, it was your…” Gabriel trailed off, too scared to bring up Cassidy’s corpse.

“You can talk about my corpse, Gabriel. I am slowly getting used to the fact you and the others saw it,” said Cassidy, knowing what Gabriel was terrified to bring up.

“Okay, well, your corpse is what told me what fate awaited me and the others,” said Gabriel, his gaze shifting downwards as the memories resurfaced in his mind.

“Oh, I didn’t know that,” said Cassidy, trying not to feel disturbed by the fact her corpse had revealed their fate.

“Y-yeah. Of course, I didn’t say anything about that to the others. I figured that worrying them further wouldn’t do them or me any good.” Gabriel pushed himself to his feet. “At first, I didn’t know it was you inside there. However, I did have a sinking suspicion that told me you were the girl from the missing person poster.”

“I was. I saw the posters on one of my attempts to escape from this animatronic body. But whatever William did to me, it kept my soul bound to it,” said Cassidy, standing up as well. “I am sorry that you and your friends had to endure the same torture that I went through.”

“It’s fine. It’s not like you could have done much. William was a ruthless foe, one that refused to lose,” Gabriel said, trying not to remember the fateful fight between him and William Afton.

“Yes, William was a formidable foe. I saw some of your fight with him before my soul got forcibly pulled away. You did a very nice job keeping up with him,” said Cassidy as she rested a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder.

Gabriel looked at Cassidy, seeing a spark of life in her eyes. It was something that he wanted to see in himself. However, Gabriel was struggling to keep his darkness at bay and keep the light from dimming within him. But seeing what was inside of Cassidy, Gabriel felt like he had a chance to change things – that he could repair the bridges that he burnt due to his insatiable quest for vengeance. Cassidy’s spark gave him renewed strength and reminded him that he was still their friend, which Gabriel was thankful for. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand.

“Shall we join the rest of our friends now? I don’t think they’ll appreciate us being on our own and risking exposure to all of us,” said Gabriel, wanting to change the subject and focus on the happier moments.

“Yeah, let’s go,” said Cassidy, pulling Gabriel away from the grove of apple trees.

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

The loud shrill of the bell ringing ended the second to last class of the day. Sunset Shimmer grabbed her bag and headed towards her locker. Her wings stretched against the back of her hoodie, making her cringe as she felt the fabric and padding move with them. She walked up to her locker and undid the lock on it. Grabbing a few of the textbooks which were weighing her bag down, she loaded them in one by one. Sunset ignored the students walking past her as she tried not to let her worries get the best of her. Hiding her changed appearance was beginning to become cumbersome, especially since the girls were getting suspicious of her change in behavior and outfits.

Just as she finished putting the last book in her locker, Sunset spotted a familiar green-haired girl walking up to the row of lockers near her. The girl stood silently by her locker and watched the passing students like a scared kitten in a cardboard box on the sidewalk. One of the students pushed the girl into her locker, walking away as she fell to her knees. When the girl’s shoulder slammed against the metal door of the locker behind her, she groaned loudly. Sunset waited, wanting to see if the girl was going to get back up. Yet, she didn’t. Instead, the girl just sat there, almost unmoving except for her shaking shoulders. Once the hallway was vacant of anyone else, Sunset decided to approach the girl.

“Hey, are you okay?” asked Sunset Shimmer, keeping her face concealed as she spoke.

The girl looked up at the redhead. Her eyes widened with shock as she recognized the voice. It was Sunset Shimmer, the school’s former bully turned popular girl. She turned away from her, not wanting to talk to the girl who ignored her. Just like the rest of the student body did every day. The girl pulled her knees to her chest and waited for Sunset to walk away, just like everyone else always did. However, she had gotten met with a hand resting on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw that the redhead hadn’t left like she was expecting her to do.

“At least let me help you up,” Sunset Shimmer said, extending a hand towards the girl.

“Okay, thanks,” said the girl as she took Sunset’s outstretched hand and allowed herself to get pulled up.

“You’re welcome. By the way, what’s your name?” asked Sunset Shimmer, trying to ignore the sensation of the girl gripping her gloved hand.

“Um, my name is Wallflower Blush. We met in ninth grade English, remember?” said Wallflower Blush, letting go of the redhead’s hand.

“Oh, right! You’re the shy girl whose first presentation was a poem about plants,” said Sunset, recalling how she came to know Wallflower Blush.

“Uh, yes. Though, I regret doing that presentation now…” said Wallflower Blush. “But thank you for, uh, helping me up.”

“Yeah. I am sorry that I didn’t remember your name, Wallflower.” A part of Sunset felt guilty that she had forgotten Wallflower’s name.

“It’s okay. No one usually remembers my name,” replied Wallflower Blush, her voice lowering as she retreated behind her shyness once more.

Sunset Shimmer looked at the shy, quiet girl in front of her, surprised by what she had said. She felt terrible that Wallflower Blush seemed to struggle with making friends. That was a feeling she had come to know all too well. Despite all the friendships she had made now, Sunset could still recall her lonely days of walking the hallways in CHS after the events of the Fall Formal. It was a hard time for her to endure. Trying to convince the student body that she had given up being the bully wasn’t the easiest task. With every attempt to prove that she was better, Sunset had gotten met with cynicism and hatred. Eventually, the school did learn to trust her, and that was the greatest feeling she’d ever felt – though it didn’t compare to when the girls had befriended her and shown her the real magic of friendship.

The redhead moved closer to Wallflower Blush but stopped when she remembered that she didn’t look exactly like herself. That was something that didn’t go unnoticed by the plant lover. Sunset saw the confused look she was giving her, which only made her regret getting close to her and letting her guard down. As her heart started to race in her chest, her wings responded to the change in her pulse. They flapped once underneath the confines of her hoodie, causing her to lose her balance in the process. Sunset tried to keep herself upright, but her center of gravity was thrown off by her wings. Unable to recover her balance, the weight of her two leathery nuisances sent her tumbling to the ground. As she fell, so did her hood, revealing the changes to her facial features.

Wallflower Blush watched in shock as Sunset Shimmer’s face, which was previously concealed by the hood, got revealed in her fall. She covered her mouth as she gasped at the extent of Sunset’s changes. Blood red skin had replaced the redhead’s usual amber skin tone, leaving her looking similar to the devil himself. Two pointed appendages sprung up on the side of her head and out of the mass of red and yellow hair, which concealed most of them. As Wallflower looked at the appendages, she saw they were still Sunset’s ears, only morphed into the same look they had when she’d transformed into Demon Shimmer. However, there was a scarier feature that caught her eye. Two long, sharp fangs jutted out from where Sunset’s lateral incisors should have been, only becoming visible when the redhead groaned in pain. When she started to get back on her feet, Wallflower Blush staggered back from her.

While Sunset Shimmer braced herself against the lockers, trying to regain her balance with her wings stretched out behind her, she looked over at Wallflower Blush. She noticed that she seemed to be afraid of her. Reaching a hand upward, Sunset realized that her hood had fallen when she had gotten thrown off balance. Panic flooded through her as it dawned on her that she had unintentionally exposed herself to someone. The very thing she feared would happen if she let her guard down occurred. Sunset’s attention got drawn back to the shy plant lover when she saw her backing further away from her. That is when she realized her appearance wasn’t making the already tense situation any better. She quickly reached up and pulled her hood back over her face.

“I am so sorry that you had to see that, Wallflower. Please, I won’t hurt you,” Sunset Shimmer said, trying to calm Wallflower Blush down.

“St-stay away from me, please!” shouted Wallflower Blush as she felt her back slam against a wall behind her.

Wallflower Blush stared at the redhead like a deer eyeing the barrel of a hunter’s shotgun. Once Sunset Shimmer had managed to get her wings to relax and stop pushing against the back of her hoodie, the hood concealing her face fell again. That allowed Wallflower to see the pained expression Sunset was trying to hide from her. Though the redness of her skin distracted her somewhat from the hurt in her cyan eyes, it didn’t prevent her from seeing it. Guilt, that was all Wallflower Blush could feel staring at her and knowing that her actions were the cause of that pain. Even though she knew that her actions were hurting the redhead, she couldn’t stop her fear from taking over. Wallflower’s hand brushed against the wall behind her. As her palms got pushed against the grainy surface, she closed her eyes in a feeble attempt to block out what in front of her.

“Wallflower…? Are you okay?” Sunset Shimmer’s voice was weak, unsteady, and sounded nothing like her usual self. Fear soon overtook her panic as Sunset tried in vain to calm down Wallflower Blush.

“S-st-stay back! You’re Demon Shimmer again!” shouted Wallflower Blush, her voice getting louder, which caused Sunset Shimmer to look behind her.

“What?! No, I am not!” said Sunset, turning to look back at Wallflower. “I just happen to… look like this at the moment.”

Wallflower Blush, not believing what Sunset Shimmer was saying, took the opportunity and bolted past her. She pushed her to the ground, saying, “I’m sorry, but I don’t believe you.”

Due to the weight of her wings, Sunset was unable to maintain her balance. As she tumbled to the floor, she felt her full weight slam down painfully on her posterior. Her back and wings were shoved into the lockers behind her, making her groan out in pain. Sunset’s annoyance at the leathery appendages was beginning to grow with every moment that passed. They messed up her ability to keep her balance whenever they moved. And having them trapped in the confines of the fabric hoodie didn’t make it any better. Sunset pressed her hand on one of the lockers as she pushed herself off of them. She tried to stand up but became a bit disoriented as the blood rushed from her head. Once her dizziness disappeared, she looked up to find where Wallflower Blush had gone.

“Wallflower, wait!” shouted Sunset Shimmer as she watched the plant lover disappear around a corner.

Sunset Shimmer debated running after Wallflower Blush, but the arrival of more students made her choose to abandon the endeavor. It was too risky and would likely make the others more suspicious of her. She quickly pulled her hood up and cursed herself for letting anyone see her. Now her secret was at risk of getting exposed by another person, someone that she wasn’t too sure would keep it. Sunset felt some happiness in the fact that she was finally going to tell the girls what happened on Thursday. She just hoped they would take it well and not react with too much fear. As she staggered her way to her lockers, she grabbed her messenger bag and slung it over her head. Sunset was about to head to her next class when she realized that Wallflower would be in it.

“Crap! Wallflower’s behavior will be noticeable, and I don’t want to scare her any more than I already have,” thought Sunset Shimmer. “What do I do now?!”

As thoughts of the possible outcomes ran through the redhead’s mind, she tried to tune them out and focus on what she should do. If she wasn’t heading to her next class, the next place she could go to was her apartment. However, she quickly ditched the idea, realizing that the girls would look there first. The next spot that came to mind was her secret spot underneath the bleachers. Granted, Sunset knew that it was only a matter of time before Fluttershy revealed it to the girls. But until then, she had ample time to figure out what to do with Wallflower Blush and possibly talk to her. She needed a chance to convince the plant lover not to spill her secret to the whole school.

“Running away is not the right choice, and you know it, Sunset,” said Sunset Shimmer’s conscience, making a point much to her annoyance.

“Do you ever shut up? I am already panicking enough as it is,” thought Sunset Shimmer, trying to ignore what her inner voice was saying.

“No, I will not shut up. I am your conscience, after all. I am just trying to tell you what could happen if you choose the coward’s way out… again,” replied the redhead’s conscience, not giving up.

“Well, I don’t need you to tell me what my choices will do. I can’t risk Wallflower revealing my secret, so I am just waiting until she calms down. And until she does, I am looking for some time to recollect my thoughts,” Sunset Shimmer thought, trying to prevent an argument with herself while she stood in the hallway.

“Fine, I was just making sure you were aware of the consequences. But if you go back on the promises you’ve made today, Just know I will be back to annoy you about that.” Sunset’s conscience was beginning to annoy the redhead even more.

“Well, since you got that out of the way, leave me alone now. I am deciding to leave my class, and I don’t feel like having your company with me while I am gone,” thought Sunset Shimmer, glancing around at the students gathered in the hallway.

“Alright, I will leave you alone… for now, Sunset. Sheesh, I try and help you, and what do I get? Your ungratefulness. I ought to hire a new conscience for you and get into retirement early,” Sunset Shimmer’s conscience said before it quieted down.

Making her choice, Sunset Shimmer gripped the strap of her bag and ran down the hallway. Heading to the back door, which led outside to the soccer field, she ignored the students around her. There was only one thing on her mind; getting out of there and trying to figure out how she could prevent Wallflower Blush from spilling her secret to the whole school. Sunset flung the back door open and ran towards the bleachers. Unfortunately, Vice Principal Luna was walking out of the soccer field with Celestia next to her. Quickly, she ducked behind the nearest wall, pressing her back against the rough bricks. The voices of Luna and Celestia grew louder as they walked past where she was hiding, thankfully unaware of her presence. A few minutes later and their voices seemed to quiet down to a whisper before fading away into the chatter of the students. Once the coast was clear, she made a mad dash for the bleachers.

Safe in the shade of the bleachers, Sunset set her messenger bag down and sighed. She sat down on the cool grass, ignoring the chill that ran through her body as it breached the fabric of her jeans. She looked down at her hands and slowly removed the gloves which concealed her claws. It was a risky move, but she didn’t care anymore. Having to hide what she looked like was taking its toll on her emotionally. Sunset knew that most of the staff and students would remain in the building until the end of the day. So, that left her with about an hour or two before anyone would risk coming across her. That gave her enough time to convince herself to go through with her plan of telling the girls and Twilight what happened on Thursday.

Her claws were sharp like a kitten’s just after it was born. If she wanted to, she was sure that she could slice through flesh and leave behind deep gashes. Sunset’s stomach churned as she saw the graphic imagery of her claws digging into someone’s arm and the blood pouring out around them. Closing her eyes and shaking her head, she pushed the images aside and tried to focus on something else. She didn’t want to imagine herself acting like the monster she was once. Yet, the redness of her skin and the sharpness of her claws refused to let her forget that she had gotten painfully and forcibly trapped in the form of her demonic self.

“Well, at least Wallflower didn’t call me a monster, not that I would’ve blamed her if she did,” thought Sunset Shimmer as she curled her fingers inward, letting the tips of her claws touch her palm.

“She didn’t call you a monster yet. There is still a chance that she will the next time she sees you,” interjected the redhead’s inner conscience.

“Fuck! You came back way too soon, you annoying little voice of mine. Why are you bothering me… again?” thought Sunset Shimmer, rolling her eyes in frustration.

“Hey, I am just offering my input on the situation. And now that I have done that, I will leave you to wallow in your misery.” Sunset’s inner voice had a sarcastic tone to it, proving that it could indeed be even more annoying if it tried to be.

“Oh, just shut up already!” thought Sunset Shimmer, reaching her breaking point with her inner voice.

To the flame-haired girl’s surprise, her conscience listened to her command and went quiet. There was nothing; no snappy remarks, no snapbacks, nothing. The silence inside her mind was a welcome relief to the redhead. Sitting there, she thought over what Applejack and Rarity had said to her. Each of them had a point; she did have to tell the girls the truth, whether she liked it or not. That was something she knew that she had to do before someone else did. Besides, she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep up the charade that nothing happened. And with the girls already catching on to what she was hiding from them, Sunset knew there was no pointing in continuing it either. Keeping her wings, fangs, claws, eyes, tail, and skin hidden was doing her confidence no good. Before she had transformed in her demonic form, she used to walk the halls with her head held high and the girls at her side. Now, she had gotten relegated to the shadows because of her choice to hide away from the ones she should’ve trusted.

Sunset Shimmer stood up from where she was sitting, throwing her hands down in anger at what she had chosen to do and at her cowardice with the girls. Just as she did that, a red aura surrounded her hand, similar to what happened in the bathroom after her transformation. It grew in brightness and intensity as her anger swelled within her. When it reached the size of a softball, Sunset looked down and unintentionally let it go as she gasped. It hit the ground and left a smoldering patch where the grass had gotten burnt to ash. The dirt beneath also looked like it had gotten set aflame with a match or, in this case, a ball of magic that she created. Sunset staggered away from the spot where she had blasted the ground, her eyes never leaving the area.

“Di-Did I do th-that?” asked Sunset Shimmer, unable to believe what she just witnessed in front of her.

As if to answer her question, another ball of magic formed in the palm of her hand. Sunset watched in a mixture of awe and fear as it grew in size. There was a tingling sensation in her hand, running the length of her arm. It felt like the magic was in her veins and a part of her genetic being rather than being an outside force. That made Sunset feel powerful, just like when she put on Princess Twilight’s crown at the Fall Formal. Only this time, it felt like she was in control of it, and it wasn’t corrupted by her past selfish intentions. Raising her hand, she aimed at the spot where the first ball of magic hit the ground. She let it go, and the result was the same as before; the grass had gotten burnt to ash, and the earth beneath got scorched. Sunset lowered her hand and tried to contemplate what she had just done.

“So, most of the powers I gained when I first transformed at the Fall Formal have returned. That’s nice to know,” said Sunset Shimmer, making a mental note to be careful with her temper.

Staring at the two scorch marks, the redhead was beginning to wonder just how many of her powers had returned. It was unbelievable that she had regained some of the magic she lost when she had gotten defeated. However, there was a part of her that was worried about having some of those powers back. Sure, Sunset knew that she would never hurt her friends intentionally, but she didn’t want to give in to the high that came with them. But if some of her powers came back, there was a chance her ability to control people’s minds came back too. She realized that if that power came back, and she was to lose control of her anger, it would make her a threat to the girls.

Just then, a little brown squirrel skittered by as if sensing her emotional distress. The squirrel stopped when it spotted Sunset Shimmer looking at it. She wondered if it was scared of her and if it could sense what she was hiding beneath her hoodie. As soon as those thoughts came, they had gotten quickly dispelled when the curious creature stepped closer to her. She held out her hand and hoped it wouldn’t be afraid of her. When it approached her, Sunset ran a finger across its head and tried to be careful with the tip of her claw. Petting the squirrel, she understood why Fluttershy was fond of all creatures, big or small.

“How would you like to help me with an experiment to see if I can control you?" asked Sunset Shimmer, gingerly stroking the back of the squirrel.

The squirrel, not sure what the redhead meant, continued its search for nuts or anything for its winter stash. Unaware that it was going to be a test subject, it scurried away from Sunset and towards a shaded corner. Meanwhile, she held out her hand and focused all her energy on the chittering creature. She attempted to make it walk back over to her. Yet, there was no tingling in her hand, no rush of power through her veins, just nothingness. She lowered her hand after a few minutes and slowly sat back down again. Relief flooded through her as she realized that she didn’t have the ability to control people. Sunset looked at the squirrel and noticed that it was giving her a weird look. It had tilted its head to the side and raised one of its eyebrows.

“You think I am crazy, right?” asked Sunset Shimmer, chuckling at the look she was getting.

The squirrel nodded yes as if it understood the question she was asking it.

“Thanks. Just what I needed today. A squirrel calling me crazy,” said Sunset. “Then again, I am the one who tried to control it and decided to talk to it.”

The squirrel tilted it’s head further to the side, almost quizzically.

“Don’t judge me, squirrel.” The redhead sighed and leaned back against the metal post behind her. “I’ve had a rough few days, okay?”

The squirrel scurried off, no longer in the mood to be with Sunset Shimmer. She watched as it ran out from under the bleachers and turned the corner. As she sat there in the eerie silence with only tweeting of birds to distract her from her thoughts, she thought about the girls. Sunset knew she had to brace herself for whatever their reactions would be. What happened with Twilight Sparkle was one thing, but she knew their past with her would change things. She was aware of the fact they were there when she had first become Demon Shimmer. Even though they had moved on, she could still see the pain she had caused them reflected in their eyes whenever they asked her about what happened on Thursday night. She had numerous chances to take off her hood and allow them to see what happened, yet, she chose not to every time. Why? Was it fear of their reactions to it? Or was it because she feared that she would lose them to her new look and that they would never be able to see past it?

“How could I have been so stupid? The girls forgave me when I asked for it, so how come I ran away from them when I reverted to my demonic self back then?” thought Sunset Shimmer, undoing the zipper of her hoodie.

“I know I am not supposed to talk according to your highness’ rules, but can I say something?” asked the redhead’s conscience.

Sunset Shimmer said nothing as she pulled off the hoodie and allowed her wings to stretch to their full size as the fall air nipped at her skin.

“How can you expect the girls to see you as your usual human self when you can’t even look in the mirror and do the same? While I understand you just see the demons of your past every time you look in the mirror, it’s not right to expect the girls to see beyond that. And what about Twilight? Is it all that fair that you left her in the dark?” asked Sunset Shimmer’s inner voice, bringing her self consciousness into question.

“I… can’t. You’re right, not that I am happy about it. As for Twilight, I didn’t even think about that…” Sunset Shimmer looked over her shoulder, staring at the leathery appendage which had sprouted from her scar. “Oh, Celestia, I didn’t think that hiding the photos of my own transformation from her would leave her unprepared for this.”

“You should have thought of that when you decided that lying to Twilight was the best thing. Your fears may be justified, but she is paying the price for your choice. And when she finally sees the physical changes you’ve endured on Thursday, I wouldn’t expect her to handle it well,” said the redhead’s conscience. “You are springing this on her without much warning, so be prepared for her to have some fear of you.”

“I am aware of that, but I can’t keep hiding this from Twilight anymore. My friends are right, Trixie’s right, even you are right, I have to tell her the truth,” Sunset thought as she dug her claws into the fabric of her hoodie, nearly ripping it in the process. “I hope she will get past the initial shock and sees me as her friend, not some monster who would hurt her.”

“Maybe Twilight will, maybe she won’t. You can’t force her to see what you want her to. Let Twilight realize it’s you on her terms. Assuming that she even wants to see you after she sees the horrible monstrosity that you are now,” said Sunset Shimmer’s inner voice, making a snide remark which hurt the redhead’s feelings.

Sunset Shimmer’s cyan eyes fell to her hands, taking in the changes that had occurred to her hands and skin. Her mind was reeling as she tried to imagine how the girls would react when she showed them what happened on Thursday. She remembered all too well their reaction to Twilight Sparkle’s transformation. She also recalled her own fear-filled response to it and how hurt it made Twilight feel. That was not one of her better choices, especially since she understood what she was going through, having experienced that after the events at the Fall Formal ended. Thankfully, Sunset had gotten over her initial shock and fear and was able to console Twilight afterward. However, some part of her felt that her conscience was right about one thing; it was wrong of her to ask the girls to look beyond her outer appearance when she couldn’t do it herself.

“That is selfish of me to expect the girls to do something that I can’t do for myself. Not to mention Twilight will likely be scared when she sees me and the way I look now,” thought the redhead as she reached up towards her sunglasses. “And what happens if I get permanently stuck like this? Will I ever be able to look in a mirror again?”

Sunset removed her sunglasses as she kept thinking about what her conscience said about her being unwilling to accept the changes. Thinking back on the last few days, it was apparent that she was still struggling to deal with what happened. Every mirror she looked at reflected the same thing back at her, and every time she looked into one, she would look away after just a few minutes. It had gotten so bad that she had covered the mirror next to her bed because she couldn’t stand seeing her reflection when she woke up. Looking back at her wings, disgust rose in her as she took in the leathery look of them. It was very tempting to rake her claws through the thin skin and destroy them. They just reminded her of what she had become because of her selfishness and wanting of something she didn’t deserve.

Yet, Sunset knew that it would do very little to make her feel better. And that it was wrong of her to hate what she looked like, given how she saw what Twilight went through on Thursday. The only way to improve her situation was to accept herself the way she was now and learn to embrace it. That wasn’t going to be easy to do, but she knew that she had to do it. If not for the girls, then for the sake of herself. Living in disgust of how she looked was no way to go through life, especially if she was permanently stuck looking like Demon Shimmer. When she saw Twilight no longer hiding her appearance and accepting it, it made her want to do the same. Having Twilight touch her wings and not seem horrified by them, made Sunset start to appreciate having them back. And Twilight’s seemingly open-minded support of her no matter what she looked like or what she had done in her past, helped to further that journey along. Sunset hoped that when she revealed everything to her and the girls, that it would go over well and that it would relieve some of the emotional weight off her chest.

Besides, the only thing that had changed about her was her appearance. Inside, she was still the same Sunset Shimmer that was their friend. Sure, she looked like a monster with her red skin, wings, claws, scary looking eyes, and fangs, but the girls wouldn’t be too frightened of her. Right? Sunset knew that the only way to find out was to stop hiding and be upfront about what happened. And the longer she stalled doing that, the more likely things were to go badly. She had to let the girls support her and help like they had said they would, even if that meant enduring their fear of her for a few hours.

“It’s time that I face my fears of rejection and learn to embrace my new situation. Besides, having wings can’t be all bad, Twilight seems to be fond of hers,” thought Sunset Shimmer as she slipped her sunglasses back on.

Just as she was about to peek out from behind the bleachers, Sunset heard the school bell ring, announcing the end of the fifth period. She grabbed her hoodie and wrapped it loosely around herself in a half-hearted attempt to conceal her wings from sight. Closing her eyes, she shut out the sounds of her classmates scrambling past her. Images of Wallflower’s fear-filled eyes flashed across her mind as she tried desperately to tune out the worried voice in her head telling her not to go through with her plan. And that if she did, it would be Anon-A-Miss all over again. Her past actions with the girls meant there was some possibility that they would hate when they saw her demonic appearance, but she wasn’t going to give in to it. Sunset was aware of the risk she was taking, telling the girls what happened. However, the risk of losing the girls and Twilight was more than enough to make her want to take it. They gave their friendship to her at a time when she didn’t deserve it, so she knew that it was only right to be honest with them.

“Oh, Celestia! Please let my friends see that I am still the same person underneath. Let them know that I never meant to doubt their friendship…” whispered Sunset Shimmer as the realization that things could go very wrong despite her hope that everything would work out dawned on her, and brought the tears she had held back to the surface.