The scent of honeysuckle and lavender surrounded Sunset Shimmer as she walked into Twilight Sparkle’s house. It was a scent she had come to know well, having been at her home many times in the past. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the sense of calm it brought her. There were picture frames filled with photos of Twilight and her family. They lined the wall of the staircase leading to the second floor. Sunset walked over to the one with Twilight and Spike at the beach. Twilight couldn’t have been more than seven in the photo, and Spike was pretty young in it as well. Spike was leaping into Twilight’s arms and was about to topple her over when the camera caught it at the right time. Sunset had to give Mr. Light credit for his perfect timing on it. The photo made her chuckle a bit and eased her nervousness for the moment. As she rested her hand on the railing, she turned towards Twilight.

“Are your parents home, Twi?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight Sparkle closed the front door, saying, “No, my parents went to visit my grandmother. She isn’t feeling well. So, I have the whole house to myself for tonight.”

“Oh, I am sorry,” replied Sunset, looking down at her hands. “I hope she feels better.”

“Me too.” Twilight stood by the door, not moving closer to Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight Sparkle looked at the redhead. She could see that she was not looking at her, almost as if she was afraid to. And there was something about her that made Twilight wonder what happened with the girls. She took a few steps closer, eyeing the hoodie she was wearing. She wondered what her wings looked like. Were they similar to hers? Did they look different? How big were they? All those questions swarmed in her head. She wanted the answers to them, and tonight she was hopefully going to get them. Moving her gaze downward, Twilight noticed that Sunset’s tail was no longer out. That made her suspicious about why Sunset would hide it.

“Sunset, why did you hide your tail?” asked Twilight Sparkle. “I have already seen it.”

“I know, but I didn’t want anyone to see it when I came over,” replied Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight crossed her arms across her chest. “How exactly did you get here, anyway? I didn’t hear you come up with your bike.”

“That’s because I didn’t take it with me,” said Sunset, hoping Twilight would drop the subject.

“Then how did you get here so quickly?” asked Twilight Sparkle, unfolding her arms. “Wait. Did… you use your wings to get here?”

Sunset Shimmer gulped. “Y-yeah, I did…”

“So, I was right about you hiding your wings underneath that hoodie,” said Twilight, closing the distance between her and Sunset.

“How long did you know about them?” asked Sunset as she looked at Twilight.

“I had my suspicions at Pinkie’s party, but I confirmed them this morning when you picked me up,” replied Twilight Sparkle.

“So much for my hoodie hiding them,” said Sunset Shimmer. “Do you want me to show you them?”

“Yes, Sunset,” Twilight Sparkle said. “Let’s go to my room.”

Twilight Sparkle walked up the stairs with Sunset Shimmer in tow. They both went to her bedroom and opened the door. Spike, who was lying on Twilight’s bed, perked his head up as he heard them walk in. He looked at Sunset, noticing that she was wearing a hoodie and sunglasses inside. That was odd to him. She had never worn anything that wasn't a leather jacket of some sort. However, considering it was getting colder as fall rolled in, he didn’t think much of it. Besides, he was too relaxed to care much less ask about it. Shifting his position, he sat up and wagged his tail.

“Hey, Twilight. Hey, Sunset,” said Spike.

Sunset Shimmer sat down on the bed next to Spike. “Hey, Spike.”

“Why are you wearing your hood inside, Sunset?” asked Spike.

“Uh, it’s because something happened to me on Thursday,” replied Sunset Shimmer, her nervousness suddenly coming back.

“Oh, what happened?” Spike asked, scratching an itch behind his ear.

Sunset Shimmer looked down. “I, um, went through some changes.”

“Changes?” Spike moved closer to Sunset Shimmer. “Can I see them, Sunset?”

Sunset Shimmer tried to move away from Spike, but there was no room for her to move. “I-I don’t think that’s a good idea, Spike.”

“Oh, come on, Sunset. It can’t be that bad,” said Spike before jumping up.

“Spike, wait-” That was all Sunset Shimmer got out before Spike pulled her hood down with his teeth.

“Oh,” said Spike as he let go and backed away. “I didn’t mean to-I am going to leave now.”

Twilight Sparkle had left her room for a moment to take her laundry out of the washer. She was about to walk up the stairs when she saw Spike leaving her room. He was sprinting down the hallway, heading towards her. There was a look of panic in his wide eyes. It wasn’t like him to leave her room suddenly. That confused her and made her wonder what had happened between him and Sunset while she was gone. As he made his way towards her, she set her laundry basket down on the ground.

“Spike, what’s wrong?” asked Twilight Sparkle, kneeling in front of Spike.

"Uh, I was asking Sunset why she was wearing her hood inside, and I saw what happened to her,” replied Spike.

“And?” Twilight Sparkle wanted to know more. “Was it bad?”

“I think you should see it for yourself,” replied Spike.

Spike continued to the kitchen, wanting to get a drink of water and to adjust to what he saw. That left Twilight even more confused than she was before. What was so bad about Sunset’s appearance that even Spike had to leave? Wanting answers, Twilight grabbed her laundry basket and made her way to her bedroom. She walked in just as Sunset was about to reach for her hood. The basket slipped from her hands and clattered on the floor. Everything in Twilight froze as she saw Sunset sitting on her bed, her secret now revealed to her. The sound made Sunset look at her, which allowed her to see what caused Spike to leave. She gasped and covered her mouth as she stepped back.

“Sunset?” asked Twilight Sparkle, lowering her hand as she tried to recollect herself.

Hearing her name, Sunset Shimmer looked at Twilight Sparkle. “Twilight, this is part of what I wanted to show you.”

Sunset was thankful that her sunglasses hadn’t fallen off when Spike pulled down her hood. That meant her eyes were still hidden, for the time being, something she was thankful for. If Twilight had seen her eyes now, Sunset was sure that Twilight would’ve fainted on the spot. Not that she would have blamed her. Even she found it hard to see them every time she looked into a mirror. She didn’t move from where she was sitting, wanting to give Twilight some time to adjust to what happened to her.

However, as the minutes ticked by, Sunset was beginning to grow uncomfortable with Twilight’s gawking at her. She understood why she was, though. This was the first time she had ever seen what Demon Shimmer looked like. And she knew that her decision to keep it on the down-low meant that Twilight knew nothing about this part of her. At the time, Sunset thought it was the right choice. She didn’t want to ruin her friendship with her because her past wasn’t the easiest thing to know about. Now, as she sat there, she saw that it was the wrong choice. And she was making Twilight pay the price because of it. Something she began to regret seeing the shocked look on Twilight’s face.

“Twilight? Are you alright?” asked Sunset Shimmer, sticking her hands into her pockets. “I know this is a lot to take in right now.”

All Twilight could do was stare at Sunset. Although she was sitting on her bed, something about her appearance made her seem threatening. Her eyes took in the changes that occurred to Sunset as her curiosity started to overpower her fear. As Sunset looked away, Twilight got a good view of what happened to her ears. They had elongated, jutting out from the mass of red and yellow hair. Unlike the cute pony ears that the girls usually got when they ponied up, these were a bit pointier and had several jagged cuts on the side. Twilight furrowed her eyebrows, wondering why they had rough cuts like that. However, she pushed that thought aside as she noticed the red skin tone that had replaced Sunset’s usual amber one. Somehow it made Sunset appear even scarier than if she had her usual amber skin tone. She pushed her laundry basket to the side as she walked over to her desk.

“A lot to take in? Sunset, this is a shock to see,” replied Twilight as she rested a hand on her desk.

“I know, Twilight,” said Sunset Shimmer, trying to keep her cool as her nervousness grew.

Twilight Sparkle scoffed. “I don’t think you do.”

“Trust me, I do,” Sunset Shimmer said, biting her lip as she recalled the moment she looked into the mirror at the girls’ locker room and saw her appearance.

Twilight met Sunset’s gaze, noticing the tip of her fang resting on her bottom lip. That made her wonder what else she was hiding beneath the hoodie and sunglasses. She also was curious as to why her changes were much more drastic. When she had transformed back into Midnight Sparkle, she could have worn a hoodie and look almost entirely like her usual self again. Yet, looking at Sunset with hers on, it was evident that the same method wasn’t going to work. That only made her want to know the reason behind the drastic changes even more. As the silence hung between the two girls, Twilight started to feel uneasy being close to Sunset now that she saw what she had hidden from her.

“I didn’t think you were going to show up tonight, considering how you’ve been so secretive recently,” said Twilight Sparkle, trying to ignore the growing tension.

“Twi, I said I was going to, and I meant it,” said Sunset Shimmer as she got up and walked over to where Twilight was standing. “Your friendship is the most important thing to me. I don’t want to lose it.”

Twilight Sparkle tensed up as she heard Sunset approach her. “Please, don’t come any closer.”

“W-why?” asked Sunset Shimmer, unsure if she wanted to hear the answer.

“I just don’t want you close to me right now. I am struggling to…” Twilight Sparkle trailed off, her heart beginning to race as she stood there.

“To look at me now that you know what happened to me?” asked Sunset, knowing what Twilight was going to say.

“Y-yeah,” replied Twilight, a part of her wishing that she didn’t feel that way towards the person who had supported her.

Sunset Shimmer remained where she stood, unmoving. Her uneasiness grew as she realized that Twilight wasn’t handling the reveal of her new appearance well. She gripped the side of her arm as she looked away, trying to ignore the tremble in her voice. Although she understood why she was afraid, it didn’t make it any less painful to see that. She knew the changes to her appearance weren’t easy to handle. The night they happened was still fresh in her mind, reminding her just how different she looked now. And the girls’ reactions to her appearance didn’t make it any easier to accept. After a few minutes, Sunset tentatively looked at Twilight and saw that she was starting to panic. She could see the quickened pace of her chest rising and falling. That made her heart drop to see that something she had no control over was frightening her friend. Her hands, which were still inside her pockets, began to shake uncontrollably as her panic set in.

“You can do this, Sunset. Just remember that this is the first time Twilight is seeing you like this,” thought Sunset Shimmer, taking a deep breath.

Swallowing, Sunset Shimmer pulled her hands out of her pockets and said, “I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I meant to break it to you more gently, Twilight.”

“Oh? So, Spike just accidentally pulled down your hood before you had a chance to do that?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

“Yeah, Spike did,” said Sunset, reaching towards her hood. “Do you want me to put my hood back on?”

Just as Twilight Sparkle went to answer, Sunset’s voice became distorted to her. It was distant like she was much further away. And it echoed around her as if she was in a spacious cave. Her feet began to stumble over themselves as her vision started to sway. Twilight’s sudden lack of balance caused her to stagger back. As she held out her hands, she felt them hit the wall behind her. She leaned against it and tried to regain her balance. However, that task wasn’t easy to accomplish as the floor felt like it was moving and shifting beneath her. Twilight took a few steps to the right, her hand resting on one of the shelves that had gotten built into the wall. She blinked several times in an attempt to clear her vision and make it stop moving. That didn’t work, and she began to feel nauseous, watching the room change and twist in front of her.

“Why does your voice sound so far away, Sunset?” thought Twilight Sparkle, her tail flicking back and forth in rhythm with her heartbeat.

“Uh, Twilight?” Sunset Shimmer noticed that Twilight Sparkle was swaying as if she was drunk or dizzy. “Are you feeling okay?”

For a moment, Sunset Shimmer debated going near Twilight. Yet, as soon as she saw the fear and panic in her purple eyes, something made her freeze up. Memories of the girls’ backing away from her played in her head. Her chest tightened as her panic tried to overwhelm her. It felt as though her legs had gotten weighed down by a ton of bricks. She struggled to get herself to move towards Twilight as her fear of getting pushed away grew. Everything in Sunset screamed at her to do something. Yet, she couldn’t get herself to let go of her fear of making it worse. She didn’t want to watch another friend of hers faint because she tried to approach them. Sunset could feel her wings and tail twitch as her heart raced in her chest. When she saw the glazed look in Twilight’s eyes, she could tell she was on the verge of passing out soon.

“S-Sunset…” As Twilight Sparkle tried to speak, her panic and fear got to her and made her knees buckle out from beneath her.

In her haste to try and remain on her feet, Twilight Sparkle grabbed a trophy and pulled it down with her. As it tumbled down, one of the sharper edges of it sliced into her leg. That left a good size gash in its wake as blood began to pour out from the wound. She screamed as a searing pain washed over her leg, and her knees slammed into the hardwood floor. The trophy clattered onto the ground next to her and rolled near Sunset. A small pool of blood formed around her leg, spreading out further as more blood trickled down her leg. Twilight tried to stand, but she was unable as her arms shook when she tried to push herself up. And having the added weight of her wings didn’t help matters either.

“Ow, that hurt,” said Twilight Sparkle, gripping her thigh as the searing made its way up her leg.

“I bet,” Sunset Shimmer, not moving from where she stood. “Are you alright?”

“Aside from my leg, yeah, I think I am fine,” replied Twilight Sparkle.

Sunset Shimmer felt bad standing there and doing nothing as Twilight writhed in pain. She closed her eyes as she tried not to ignore the wave of guilt that washed over her. After what happened with the girls at her apartment, it was hard to see Twilight freaking out because she had chosen to show her what happened to her on Thursday. The reaction she got from the others was painful to watch, and seeing it play out again with Twilight was just as bad. Sunset felt wings flap inside the confines of her hoodie as she began to get angry at herself for the mistakes she’d made. She knew all too well that it was her fault that she was in this position. The force of them doing that nearly caused her to lose her balance in the process. Thankfully, she managed to keep herself upright and not join Twilight on the ground. Not wanting to be completely useless, she forced herself to walk towards where Twilight was sitting.

“Move your jelly legs faster! Twilight needs you,” shouted Sunset’s inner conscience.

That push gave the redhead enough courage to make her way over to Twilight’s side. She stopped when she saw the small pool of red liquid forming next to Twilight’s leg. She saw that there was a layer of dried blood coating her hands, and the area surrounding the cut caused by the trophy. Luckily, it seemed to have missed any major blood vessels, which was an excellent sign to see. And the bleeding seemed to have slowed down as well.

Unfortunately, that relief only lasted for a few moments as she realized how close she was to Twilight. This was the closest she had been to her since she walked in and saw the changes. Everything in her wanted to be right next to her like they always were whenever they hung out. Yet, this time, Sunset hesitated in getting closer to Twilight. Her fear took hold of her as she questioned whether she had made the right choice. She had already shocked her enough, and she didn’t want to make it any worse than it already was. What if Twilight didn’t let her get close? What if just being this close made things worse?

“And now you’re worried about making things worse? So what if you make things worse? At least you tried to help her and be a friend. You can’t do any more than that if she refuses to let you help her,” said Sunset Shimmer’s conscience.

“But if I make things worse, I could lose her friendship. And she’ll hate me even more than she already does. I-I can’t-”

“No! You are trying to be a good friend. It’s not your fault if she pushes you away. Do what you can, and don’t dwell on what you can’t do,” Sunset’s inner voice said, cutting her off.

Sunset Shimmer wasn’t sure what would happen if she tried to approach Twilight. But there was one thing she knew; Twilight needed her help whether she was willing to accept it or not. Slowly, she knelt next to her, ignoring the smell of blood in the air. As she inched ever closer to her, she felt her heart race faster. Getting to be this close to Twilight while she looked like her past demonic self was something she hoped would be possible. And now here it was, even if it did get off to a rocky start. Yet, sitting next to her without her hood hiding her face, it felt like a weight had gotten lifted off her shoulders. It was more than she could’ve asked for considering Twilight’s initial reaction. Sunset kept a few inches between her and Twilight just in case she needed it.

“Twilight, will you let me come near you?” asked Sunset Shimmer, keeping her voice soft now that she was closer to her. “I just want to help you.”

That brought Twilight Sparkle’s attention to Sunset, who was sitting just a few inches from her. She could see that Sunset was trying to abide by her wishes while trying to help her. However, that didn’t help her feel better when she saw the changes up close. Sure, it was still Sunset Shimmer on the inside, but that didn’t make them any less shocking to see. Being this close to Sunset without her hood on, Twilight felt her body tense up as her heart thundered away in her chest. Fear washed over her the longer she looked at her. It was still too much of a shock for her, and her dizziness worsened, which made her rest her hands on the floor to steady herself.

“I-I don’t know if I want you to come near me, Sunset,” replied Twilight Sparkle, pulling her wings closer to her body.

“You’re injured, Twilight. Let me help you, please,” said Sunset Shimmer, inching a little closer to Twilight.

Twilight shifted away from her, a move that didn’t go unnoticed by the redhead. It hurt her to see that Twilight still tried to keep her away. Her ears flopped downward as she recalled Fluttershy’s initial reaction when she had revealed the changes. It had been the same fear-filled response she got from her. Yet, to see the person she cared about treating her like that, it made her heart shatter inside. Sunset closed her eyes and pushed past her pain and hurt at seeing Twilight treat her like a monster. Instead, she focused on helping her and taking care of her injury.

Resting her hand on Twilight’s back, Sunset could feel the heat radiating off her. She could see that Twilight was burning from the stress of her panic attack. There were beads of sweat dripping down her forehead. Even her hair got soaked with sweat. She could feel that her shirt had gotten drenched as well. And Sunset could feel Twilight trembling a little as her body tried to cope with the shock and stress.

“Twilight, you-” Sunset Shimmer was cut off when she felt a weak push against her chest as a hand shoved her back. And because her wings were still inside the hoodie, she couldn’t stop her fall.

“Please, Sunset, don’t touch me. Not until I can stand to look at you,” said Twilight Sparkle, looking away from Sunset. “You look like a monster, and I can’t be close to you.”

“Sparky, I am so sorry. I just wanted to help you,” said Sunset Shimmer, throwing her hood back up. She rested on her elbows as she tried to get back up. “Please, just let me help you.”

“No! I said I didn’t want you near me or touching me. Don’t you understand?” asked Twilight, glancing back at Sunset. “I am afraid of you right now!”

Sunset Shimmer pushed herself into a sitting position, saying, “I do. I am just a monster, and you don’t want my help.”

A single tear fell down Sunset’s cheek as she sat there in the silence with Twilight. Her words echoed in her head, making her feel numb. Twilight saw her as nothing more than a monster because she looked different now. No words could have expressed the pain caused by her words as they dug beneath her skin. The person she loved and wanted to be entirely honest with pushed her away, telling her that she was now scared of her. Sunset wiped the tear away, not wanting to let Twilight see her pain. Sunset didn’t want to give in to the hurt, not until she had done all she could to make her see that she was still the same person.

The sound of shuffling feet made Sunset Shimmer look at Twilight Sparkle. She watched as Twilight tried to stand up using the wall for support. At first, it was unsuccessful, and she fell back onto her knees. However, on her second attempt, she managed to get back onto her feet. Sunset could see that she was shaking even more as her body was weak from blood loss. She wanted to help her but remained where she was sitting. She had no intention of making the situation worse by not listening to what Twilight wanted.

Blood poured down Twilight’s leg as she leaned against the wall. Her leg was throbbing in time with her pulse, making her regret her decision to stand up. She looked over at Sunset and saw that she was sitting away from her, hunched over and facing away from her. It seemed that she was trying not to upset her further. She noticed that Sunset was attempting to stifle her sniffles and wiping tears off her cheeks. That made her feel guilty for what she had said to her. Twilight knew that she was just trying to help her, even though she wasn’t willing to let her get close. Maybe she had been a bit harsh in calling her a monster. Her appearance wasn’t easy on the eyes, but that didn’t mean that Sunset had changed on the inside. However, that didn’t change the fact that she had lied to her.

“Sunset…?” asked Twilight Sparkle, stepping closer to the redhead.

“What is it, Twilight?’” said Sunset Shimmer, keeping gaze locked onto the floor.

Twilight felt herself swaying as her dizziness got worse. “I… think I am about to faint…”

Just as Twilight had said that she felt herself get lightheaded. She stumbled away from the wall as she tried to keep her balance. She attempted to remain conscious. However, her body had other plans, and she felt her eyelids beginning to close. Her vision grew dark around the edges as she began to lose consciousness. As she felt herself falling closer to the floor, she saw Sunset looking up at her, pulling her hood down in the process. She didn’t get a good look at her as her vision started to get blurry, and the dark edges moved in even closer. The last thing Twilight saw before her vision went completely black was Sunset running towards her. She collapsed onto the floor with her glasses landing next to her, having gotten knocked during the impact.

“Twilight!” shouted Sunset Shimmer, running towards Twilight as fast as she could.

Spike, hearing the commotion, ran into the bedroom. He stopped at the door when he saw Sunset sitting next to Twilight on the floor. The smell of blood hit him, and Spike nearly gagged in response. Walking in, he tried to ignore the smell and his urge to vomit. When Spike got closer, he saw a trophy lying on the ground next to a small pool of coagulated blood. The sight made it even harder for him to keep his stomach contents down. Looking away from it, Spike saw that Sunset’s ears were slumped downward against her head.

“What happened here?” asked Spike, sitting next to Sunset Shimmer.

“Twilight saw my changes, and she didn’t take it well,” replied Sunset Shimmer as she looked at the unconscious Twilight. “She is scared of me.”

For the second time that night, Sunset’s appearance made someone faint. It was painful enough for Sunset to watch Fluttershy faint when she showed her, but with Twilight, it was different. Maybe it was because she loved her and wanted to finally share it with her. Or perhaps it was the fact that Twilight found out accidentally with no warning, but seeing her faint as Fluttershy had hurt more. Yet, Sunset knew that it was likely to happen no matter what she did because she had left Twilight in the dark about her past. And she was starting to see that not letting her seeing any photos of Demon Shimmer was a bad decision.

“Why? Why didn’t I just tell you the truth, Twilight? What made me think that keeping it a secret was such a good choice? Now, I may have lost your trust,” thought Sunset Shimmer, letting a tear slip down her cheek as she closed her eyes.

“Do you want me to stay here while you grab the first aid kit?” asked Spike as he moved closer to Twilight.

“Yes,” replied Sunset Shimmer, getting back onto her feet. “I’ll be right back.”

Sunset Shimmer walked into Twilight’s bathroom and turned the light on. She ignored her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she passed it, looking around for what supplies she would need. Grabbing the first aid kit off the shelf, Sunset placed it on the countertop. The next thing she needed was a washcloth to get the dried blood off of Twilight’s skin. Sunset knew that if she were going to tend to the cut, she would need to see it. After a minute of searching, she found a washcloth next to the towels under the sink and grabbed it. She went to turn on the faucet when she remembered her gloves. She hesitated but pulled them off and shoved them into her pockets. Twilight was more important right now.

Ignoring the sight of her claws, Sunset turned the faucet on and ran the washcloth under the water. Once she had wrung out the excess water, she grabbed the first aid kit and walked out of the bathroom. She didn’t want to risk Twilight waking up before she had a chance to help her. After all, she was unwilling to let her get close even though she was trying to prevent her from fainting. Sunset kneeled next to her as she set the kit down and placed the washcloth on top of it. Removing her sunglasses, she set them on the bed along with her gloves. The next thing she went to take off was the hoodie. However, just as Sunset placed her hand on the zipper, she looked at Spike.

As if sensing what Sunset was thinking, Spike said, “It’s fine. You can take off your hoodie. I know about your secret, remember?”

“I do…” said Sunset Shimmer as she unzipped her hoodie. “It’s bad that I told you before I told Twilight, isn’t it?”

“Yep,” replied Spike as he laid down.

As she pulled off her hoodie, Sunset felt her wings stretch to their full length once more. It felt nice not having them cramped inside of it. Yet, it also reminded her that Twilight hadn’t seen them. She pulled her wings close to her body and tossed the hoodie onto the bed as well. With that out of the way, she rested a hand on Twilight’s leg while being careful with her claws. Before Sunset grabbed the washcloth, she looked at her friend, wanting to make sure she was okay with her hand on her. She didn’t want to injure her more because she moved her leg away accidentally. When nothing happened, she sighed and began to wipe off the dried blood. Starting further away from the cut, she made her way closer to the actual injury. As she got to the wound, she was careful about tugging on the skin.

After a few minutes, all the dried blood had gotten removed, and she could see the wound. It wasn’t big, maybe about 4-5 inches in length and an inch in width. Sunset grabbed the first aid kit and opened it. Grabbing the gauze pads and a pair of scissors, she cut a gauze pad down to the correct size. Once she had done that, she placed the gauze onto the injury and held it there. She used her other hand to grab the tape from the kit. With one hand occupied, Sunset had to use her teeth to rip a piece of tape off the roll. She placed it on the gauze, and that freed her other hand up. Repeating the process, she continued until all sides of it had gotten sealed and secured to Twilight’s leg.

Sunset Shimmer pushed the kit aside and got onto her one knee. Slowly, she slid her arms underneath Twilight’s limp body. She was careful about her wings and tried to avoid putting her arms too close to the base of them. She pulled her close to her body, picking her up bridal style. Watching her claws, she stood up as she held Twilight in her arms. The feeling of her feathers brushing against her bare skin made her itch. However, Sunset was able to ignore the urge to scratch them and looked at Twilight. She seemed so peaceful as her head rested against her shoulder. Something that Sunset though made her look all the more beautiful.

“Oh, Twilight. I wish I could kiss you right now. You look so pretty lying here in my arms. It makes me want to give in to the temptation,” thought Sunset Shimmer as she smiled.

“Ehm, focus! Don’t think about kissing Twilight. Think about setting her down before you drop her. Besides, I doubt she’ll want to kiss you when she sees the monster you are now,” said Sunset’s conscience, making sure she was aware of reality.

“Fine! I wasn’t going to anyway. I don’t even know if Twilight likes me the way I like her. And she might not feel the same after she learns the whole truth about my past…” Sunset Shimmer pulled Twilight Sparkle closer to her body, wanting to make the most of the moment and to enjoy the embrace.

Standing next to the bed, Sunset laid Twilight down on it. Just as she was about to walk away, Sunset heard her moan and felt her hand grip her arm. The touch was gentle, almost like she was afraid of grabbing too tight. Her heart raced at the sensation, and she looked at Twilight. That made her freeze, unsure of what she should do. Yet, several seconds later, Twilight’s grip loosened, and her hand fell away. Watching her hand move away from her, it stung. It also made Sunset realize what her mistake in choosing to hide could cost her if she weren’t careful. She almost grabbed Twilight’s hand as she wanted to feel her touch again. There was something inside her that didn’t want to let go of her. But she pushed it aside, knowing that she had to tell Twilight everything before she could allow her feelings to have a say. Before leaving her side, she made sure that she wasn’t resting on her wings in a painful way.

“Wow, you look so different,” said Spike as Sunset Shimmer looked at herself in Twilight’s body mirror. “No wonder Twilight fainted.”

“I know, Spike,” replied Sunset Shimmer, examining her appearance.

Sunset Shimmer ran her hand up her arm, looking at her skin. It was so different from her usual amber skin color. She missed having it and being able to feel okay in her body. She missed looking like her usual self. Watching the girls, Twilight especially, get frightened by her appearance wasn’t making it any easier to bear. As Sunset looked at her reflection, she grimaced. The redness which had replaced the amber color made her genuinely look like a monster. The word held a new weight to it as she recalled the terror in Twilight’s eyes. That look made her regret ever lying to her and hurting her. She felt ashamed that she had chosen the cowardly option instead of trusting her to stand by her side, even if she looked a bit different.

“This… is a part of who I am. What I have become, I can’t change it.” Sunset’s hands shook a little as she felt her disgust return.

“You know that Twilight will wake up soon. Are you going to show her everything?” asked Spike, joining Sunset Shimmer by the mirror.

“I-I don’t know. I want to, but what if Twilight ends up hating me because I didn’t tell her when it happened? And you saw how she reacted when she saw just my face. She panicked, Spike,” said Sunset Shimmer, looking at him. “Not to mention that she’ll likely hate me for lying to her for a whole year.”

"I don’t think she’ll hate you forever, Sunset. But you do understand that she has every right to be mad at you, right?” asked Spike. “As for her reaction, what’d you expect? You don’t exactly look like an angel.”

Sunset let out a low growl as she heard the word ‘angel.’ “That hurts to hear that even you see me as a demon, Spike.”

“Well, it is in the moniker. But that doesn’t mean you are a demon,” said Spike, trying his best to comfort Sunset.

“However, I do see your point. My appearance isn’t exactly the easiest to look at, I should know. And yeah, I do understand that Twilight has every right to hate me for lying to her. I should’ve trusted her as she trusted me.” Sunset Shimmer felt her hands ball into fists.

There was an overwhelming feeling of anger that ran throughout Sunset’s entire body. Anger at her unwillingness to tell Twilight Sparkle the truth about her past. Anger at herself for not realizing that she never considered what would happen if she were to find out that she lied to her. That she never thought about how her actions would hurt her. But Sunset held the most anger at the fact that she had scared Twilight. The one person she loved with everything she had, and she had frightened her with her new appearance. She never wanted her to be afraid of her, although now she probably was terrified of her.

“I wish I had told her the truth about my past. Ugh, why did I have to be so afraid of telling her?” thought Sunset Shimmer, slamming her fists into the wall as her fangs elongated for a moment.

Sunset sighed and walked away from the mirror with Spike following her. She picked up Twilight’s glasses and set them on the dresser next to the bed. She looked over at her and smiled at the sight of her lying with the pillow in her grasp. As gently as she could manage, Sunset scooted next to the still sleeping girl, careful not to disturb her. She moved her stuff to the side and nestled a little closer to Twilight. Right now, all she wanted was to have a few quiet moments with her before she woke up and expected to see the rest of her changes. She just needed one chance to enjoy being in Twilight’s presence without having her appearance hidden away. Her hand caressed a few of the feathers on the edge of her wing. Enjoying the softness of them, she almost forgot that she had claws. However, she was still careful not to nick Twilight with them. After a little while, she rested her hand on Twilight’s shoulder. That caused Sunset’s mind to flash with images of a dream that she was having.

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

Twilight Sparkle was standing in front of Sunset Shimmer inside of her apartment. The front door was still open behind her. Sunset was leaning against the back of the couch, her tail flicking back and forth behind her. Her hands were resting on the couch next to her. She tapped the back of the sofa with her forefinger, letting Twilight see how sharp her claws were. That made Twilight gulp and step away from her. Sunset seemed different from how she usually was, like something about her had changed along with her appearance. When she looked at her, Twilight saw a glimmer of sexual excitement in her eyes, and that terrified her. Her wings flapped as she felt her flight or fight response kick in. She backed up, and her tail flicked a vase off a nearby shelf. It fell onto the floor, shattering into several pieces that spread out as they broke off. Twilight looked at what remained of it before looking back at Sunset. Her breath hitched in her throat as she saw that Sunset had moved away from the couch.

“Oh, Twilight! I was hoping you were going to come tonight,” said Sunset Shimmer, her voice lower and more demonic. “I was getting anxious waiting for you. I have some plans… for us tonight.”

“Pl-plans?!” screamed Twilight Sparkle. “Wh-what plans, Sunset?”

“Plans to show you how you can be. How much power you have within yourself if you just get rid of your puny human conscience. To show you… how the pathetic human I was before is boring. I can show you a wonderful time, Twilight,” said Sunset Shimmer, stepping closer to Twilight as she ran a finger from her chin downward.

Twilight shuddered as she felt Sunset finger trail down her chest before stopping right at her breasts. She gasped softly as she felt her hand move towards her right breast and gently caress it. She could feel the tip of Sunset’s claws dig in as she gave it a little squeeze. The feeling of having her massaging the sensitive flesh made Twilight moan involuntarily. Her body was betraying her as she tried to fight against her enjoyment of the sensation. Sunset used her thumb and ran it across her hardened nipple. Even with her shirt and bra on, she could still feel her nipple react to the contact. That touch elicited a stirring feeling inside of her. Something that aroused her and made her want more. However, Twilight fought the urges and pushed her away from her as she stepped back. Just as she went to further the distance between them, she felt a hand grip her arm tightly and pull her closer.

“Now, Sparky, I am not going to let you leave. I… need you. I crave you,” Sunset Shimmer whispered into Twilight’s ear, her voice soft and husky. “You… are everything to me. Besides, we can be together now. Just you… and me…”

That made Twilight Sparkle shudder again as she felt the redhead’s breath against her skin. She felt goosebumps form as she felt her hand run along the side of her arm. That soft touch made her groan and worsen as her breathing quickened in response. Frozen on the spot, she was unable to do anything as Sunset pushed her body against hers. The feeling of Sunset’s breast against her own was a strange, terrifying, yet exciting experience for her. One that part of her wanted to continue. For a moment, Twilight let her hand move towards Sunset, allowing the excitement and arousal to take control. But before she could make any physical contact, she pulled her hand away.

Sunset, seeing Twilight hesitate in touching her, grabbed her hand gently. “It’s okay if you want to touch me, Sparky. Let yourself be curious, give in to those feelings that are making you want it.”

“B-but, Sunset…” began Twilight Sparkle, trying to remain strong against the warmth that was spreading over her body.

“It’s okay with me, Twilight,” said Sunset Shimmer, pulling Twilight’s hand towards her left breast. “I want to feel your touch against my body.”

The gentle tone in Sunset’s voice made Twilight relax, and she let Sunset place her hand on her left breast. As she felt the warm flesh against her palm, she almost pulled away. But her curiosity was stronger, and she kept her hand on it. It felt nice in her hand as Twilight cupped her fingers around it. Holding it in her hand, Twilight could feel how soft and malleable it was. Despite the voice in her head telling her that she shouldn’t be doing this, she enjoyed it. It felt right to do, especially since Sunset said that she wanted her to do it. Tentatively, she gave it a harder squeeze, making Sunset moan in response and rest her hips against her. That was enough to shock Twilight out of her sexual daze, and she immediately pushed against Sunset, shoving her away.

“No! I won’t do that Sunset, I won’t let you make me touch you,” shouted Twilight Sparkle, watching Sunset Shimmer’s reaction.

Sunset Shimmer growled and bared her elongating fangs at Twilight, making the girl squeal. She flapped her wings in frustration at Twilight’s attempt to stop her from having what she wanted, what she so desperately craved. Standing back, she stared at the scared girl in front of her. Her vision grew fuzzy for a moment. But through the fuzziness, she could see Twilight’s wings and hands were shaking from shock and fear. For a split second, there was a voice in the back of her mind telling her that what she was doing wasn’t right. That Twilight was her friend and that she shouldn’t be taking advantage of her. However, hearing that only made her angrier. Her hands balled into fists as she tried to ignore the guilt that washed over her.

“Twilight Sparkle! You will not push me away. You are mine and mine alone!” shouted Sunset Shimmer, grabbing Twilight Sparkle’s arm and making her claws dig into her arm.

“Sunset, please let go of me. You’re hurting my arm,” said Twilight Sparkle, trying to pull her arm free.

“Twilight, you know I am not going to do that,” said Sunset Shimmer, stepping closer to Twilight. "Besides, the way you were touching me felt so good. You enjoyed it too, didn't you?"

Twilight Sparkle’s body trembled as Sunset got closer. “Please, Sunset. I don’t want to do this, not like this.”

“Sparky, I can’t resist you. The way your body is glowing from my touch is making me want to see how amazing it is without these pesky clothes. I want to explore the rest of you and show you what true pleasure feels like,” said Sunset Shimmer, pressing her lips against Twilight’s soft ones.

Twilight Sparkle tried to fight against Sunset, but she wrapped her other arm around her waist, preventing her from backing away. Putting her free hand on her shoulder, Twilight tried to push her away again. However, that only resulted in making Sunset tighten her grip on her waist. Her hand was resting just above the hem of her skirt, threatening to pull it down whenever she wanted. The possibility of having her undress her frightened Twilight more, and she struggled against Sunset’s kiss. She groaned as she felt one of Sunset’s fangs slice her bottom lip. Blood poured into her mouth, and she tried to pull away. After a few seconds, Twilight was able to break free of Sunset’s grasp.

Blinking, Twilight watched as Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes for a moment. The redness of her skin started to give way to her original amber color. As the redness slowly receded, she felt Sunset’s grip on her arm loosen as she stepped back from her. She looked at her hands and saw that her claws were disappearing along with the red color. That made her wonder what was happening to Sunset. Yet, she saw the still open front door and that there was an opportunity to leave while she had the chance. Making her choice, Twilight tried to pull her arm free. But just as she was about to pull her hand free, she felt Sunset weakly grip it again even as her other hand was clutching her side.

“Wait! Twilight, d-don’t go, please,” begged Sunset Shimmer as she looked up at a frightened Twilight. “I’m so sorry for what I did to you.”

Twilight Sparkle hesitated and met the redhead’s eyes. “S-Sunset? Is that really you?”

“Yes, Twilight, it's me,” replied Sunset, pulling her hand off of Twilight’s arm as she struggled to keep herself from transforming into Demon Shimmer again. “Please, get away from me. I don't know that I will be able to stay like this.”

“But Sunset, I can’t just lea-”

“No, Sparky. You need to get away from me. I can’t be sure that I won’t do something to you,” said Sunset Shimmer, fighting her transformation.

“Sunset?” asked Twilight Sparkle, taking a few steps closer to Sunset.

“Twilight, please! Stay back!” shouted Sunset Shimmer, falling to her knees as she clutched her abdomen. “I don’t want to hurt or scare you because I did something you didn’t want to do.”

“You didn’t do anything that I didn’t want you to, Sunset,” said Twilight Sparkle as she looked down. “There is something I want to confess.”

“What is it?” Sunset Shimmer asked as her fangs tried to extend.

“You were right about me. I, um, did enjoy it,” replied Twilight Sparkle, her cheeks flushing as she recalled her hand on Sunset’s breast. “Even though I wish you hadn’t forced me into it.”

That made Sunset Shimmer look at Twilight Sparkle, her transformation getting temporarily forgotten. “Twilight, I nearly took advantage of you because I wanted you so badly. That’s not excusable.”

Twilight Sparkle knelt in front of the redhead and met her gaze. Her body was still trembling out of fear, but seeing her look like her usual self helped calm her down. She could also see that she regretted what happened between the two of them. And that was enough for her to want to forgive her. With a shaky hand, she reached out and grabbed Sunset’s hand, pulling it towards her.

“Sunset, I know that you didn’t want to do that. And I have forgiven you for it already,” said Twilight Sparkle, squeezing Sunset’s hand. “I also want to give you my consent to continue. I just don’t want you to be forceful with me, please.”

“Twilight, are you sure you want to do that?” asked Sunset Shimmer. “I didn’t hold back before, and I don’t want you to say something you’ll regret.”

“I meant what I said, Sunset. I enjoyed it, and I want to continue. I just don’t want you to be forceful with me,” replied Twilight, getting onto her feet as she held onto Sunset’s hand.

Sunset Shimmer got to her feet and looked at Twilight. “I promise, Sparky. I won’t be forceful this time.”

“Good,” replied Twilight Sparkle as she stepped closer to Sunset. “Would you like to kiss me again?”

“Do you have to even ask that?” said Sunset as she ran her hand along Twilight’s jaw, leaning in to kiss her.

Twilight Sparkle let go of Sunset’s hand and wrapped her arms around her as she leaned into the kiss. This time, kissing her felt so right now that she wanted her to do it. Closing her eyes, she let herself enjoy the feeling of having Sunset touch against her skin. After a few seconds, Twilight felt Sunset pull her hand away from her jaw and break away from the kiss. She opened her eyes and stepped back, wondering what was wrong. That was when she realized why Sunset had pulled her hand away. Her claws had returned along with the rapidly spreading red skin color.

“Sunset, you’re transforming back into…” said Twilight Sparkle as she looked at Sunset, watching the changes take place.

“A she-demon, I know,” replied Sunset Shimmer, looking at her tail as it flicked behind her. “I was hoping that it wouldn’t happen. Guess I should’ve known it would come back.”

Twilight looked down, her wings wrapping around her shoulders. “If you're transforming back, does that mean you’re going to…?”

“Twilight.” Sunset grabbed Twilight’s hands, being mindful of her claws. “I’m still myself, even though I look a bit different now. I am in control this time.”

“Are you sure?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

Sunset Shimmer pulled Twilight closer to her. “Yes, Sparky, I am sure.”

“Okay, do you want to head to your room?” asked Twilight Sparkle, closing the front door with her magic.

“Yeah. I want to make sure you’re comfortable when I explore all of you,” replied Sunset Shimmer, smirking as she pulled Twilight towards the stairs.

Together, Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle made their way up the stairs. Twilight sat on the edge of the bed as Sunset sat next to her. Her heart raced as she realized what they were going to do. And since she had agreed to let it happen, her excitement and nervousness were through the roof. She tensed up, not sure of what to do now that they were in her bedroom. However, taking a look at Sunset, she could see that she had something in mind. That made her relax somewhat to see that she had an idea of what to do next. It made Twilight feel better knowing that she didn’t have to take the lead, especially since she was inexperienced in doing anything like this. Although she had read books and watched some… videos on the subject, that was nothing compared to actually doing it.

“Sparky, do you want me to remove your shirt, or do you want to do it?” asked Sunset Shimmer, sitting closer to Twilight.

“I, um, would like to do it myself,” replied Twilight Sparkle as she grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over her head.

Sunset Shimmer smiled as she saw Twilight’s plain purple bra and exposed abdomen. “Would you mind letting me see your back?”

“S-Sunset, I don't want you to see my scars. I know you don’t mind them, but I-”

“It’s okay, Twilight. I am not going to force you to like them, that has to be your choice. I shouldn’t have asked, just forget about it,” said Sunset as she took off her jacket.

“No, I like the fact that you don’t hate my scars. I just have a hard time letting you see them when all I see is a bad reminder.” Twilight Sparkle stood up and looked at Sunset. “But you are helping me to realize that they don’t define me as a person, they’re just a part of my story.”

Taking a deep breath, Twilight Sparkle turned around and let Sunset see her scars on her shoulder blades. She closed her eyes as she heard Sunset approach her from behind. Her body trembled as she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. As it moved down, Twilight tried to remain calm and still. She felt Sunset brush against the edges of her scar before settling on the back of her bra. Just as she was about to object, she felt it getting unclasped as the straps went slack, and her breasts were no longer supported by it. Twilight pulled it off and tossed it on top of her shirt.

“Wow, you look so amazing, Twilight,” said Sunset Shimmer, running her hands along Twilight’s back as she stepped closer to her. “I think you look sexy with your scars and nothing hiding your beautiful body.”

Twilight Sparkle shuddered as she felt Sunset’s hand move to her front and towards her breasts. “S-Sunset, please. I don't want your claws to injure me.”

“Relax, Sparky. I won’t hurt you, I promise.” Sunset Shimmer held both of Twilight’s breasts in her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze, eliciting a moan from her. “Does that feel good? Having me massage your breasts?”

“Mhm,” said Twilight Sparkle, unable to say more as she felt Sunset lightly pinch one of her nipples. “Ahh…”

“See? I will be careful,” said Sunset Shimmer as she lowered her hands and stood in front of Twilight, removing her shirt. “Do you want to see mine, Sparky?”

Twilight Sparkle nodded nervously, a blush growing on her cheeks.

That prompted Sunset Shimmer to unclasp her bra, letting the straps fall off her shoulders before tossing it to the side. “Do you like what you see?”

All Twilight could do was nervously look down and try to keep her eyes from getting drawn to Sunset’s perky breasts. There was a flurry of emotions running through her as she stood there half-naked in front of her. She felt excited that she was getting to see just how beautiful Sunset’s body was without her shirt on. After a few moments, she glanced up, letting herself give in to the desire to look at Sunset. Despite the red skin, which had spread to her chest, her body looked amazing. Twilight could see that she worked out regularly based on the definition in Sunset’s abdominal muscles, biceps, and thighs. When she heard Sunset step near her, she looked away for a moment before deciding to return her attention back to her. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as she found Sunset reaching towards her hand. Reluctantly, she let Sunset grab it and pull it towards her breast.

“You’re still scared to touch me, aren’t you?” asked Sunset Shimmer as she held Twilight’s hand against her breast.

“Y-yes,” replied Twilight Sparkle, swallowing hard.

“Why?” Sunset rested her other hand just above Twilight’s right butt-cheek. “I thought you wanted us to do this.”

“I- I do, Sunset. It’s just that I, um, have wanted to see you naked for a while, and getting the chance to is a bit overwhelming,” replied Twilight as she felt herself getting pushed against Sunset’s body.

“It’s okay, Sparky. This will likely not be the last time you see me naked,” said Sunset Shimmer, leaning in and kissing Twilight. After a few seconds, she pulled away and looked at her. “Now, how about we sit on the bed?”

“Okay,” Twilight Sparkle said as she moved her hand off Sunset’s breast.

Sunset Shimmer pulled Twilight Sparkle towards the bed and laid down on her back. As she held onto Twilight’s hand, she said, “Come on, sit on top of me.”

“Are you sure?” asked Twilight Sparkle as she slowly got onto the bed.

“Yes, Sparky, I am sure,” replied Sunset Shimmer, giving Twilight a playful smirk. “Besides, I want the best view of you I can get.”

With that, Twilight sat on top of Sunset, her legs straddling the sides of her hips. “Woah, this is different. I feel so in control right now.”

“I know. It feels good, right?” asked Sunset as she shifted beneath Twilight.

“Y-yeah,” said Twilight Sparkle. “So, where were we?”

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “I believe we were at the part where you kiss me.”

“Oh, is that so?” asked Twilight Sparkle, placing her hands on either side of Sunset. “Let’s get to that kiss.”

Twilight Sparkle placed her lips on the redhead’s, reveling in her newfound confidence. As she continued to kiss her, she moved one of her hands to her breast. She could feel the softness of the skin against her palm. Giving it a light squeeze, she elicited a soft moan from Sunset in response. That made her continue, enjoying the sensation of massaging the soft flesh and the reaction she was getting from Sunset. After a few seconds, Twilight pulled away from the kiss and stopped massaging Sunset’s breast. She saw that Sunset Shimmer’s nipple had hardened in response to the touching and caressing.

“Interesting,” said Twilight Sparkle as she ran her finger over the sensitive nub. “Your mammilla hardened when I barely stimulated it. It seems to be very sensitive to any contact which rubs against the nerve endings inside.”

“Sparky-”

Twilight, realizing that she had gone all analytical and scientific on Sunset, said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go all scientific about your-”

Sunset Shimmer got onto her elbows and kissed Twilight Sparkle, silencing the ramble before it started. “It’s okay, Twilight. I found it cute that you were investigating my breast. Would you like to continue your investigation some more?”

Twilight Sparkle’s eyes glinted with a hint of curiosity as she eagerly said, “Yes!”

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

Sunset Shimmer’s eyes returned to normal as she blinked and looked around the room. She saw that she was no longer at her apartment but at Twilight’s house instead. Spike was sitting next to her, curled up by her side. She removed her hand as it was beginning to tremble, and she didn’t want to wake Twilight up by accident. As she was about to get off the bed, Twilight shifted and turned towards her in her sleep. That made Sunset freeze mid-step with Spike lifting his head at the movement. Her hoodie was off, and nothing was concealing the full extent of her changes. So, if she were to open her eyes, she’d see the changes, and that could make her faint again. She gulped as she waited for any sign that Twilight was awake. When she saw her eyelids flutter, she quietly sighed and continued to leave the bed. Sunset walked over to where her hoodie was, freeing her tail from her jeans, annoyed by its presence against her skin.

“Did Twilight dream of me like that?” thought Sunset Shimmer, slipping her arm into one of the sleeves of her hoodie.

“Yeah, Twilight did dream of you nearly raping her then turned into a basic sex dream. However, I wouldn’t call it a dream per se. It was more of a crazy nightmare turned sex dream,” replied Sunset’s conscience as she zipped the hoodie closed.

“Okay, fine. I gave Twilight a nightmare, which she turned into a dream of us having sex. Do you think it was caused by her seeing my appearance without any warning?” Sunset Shimmer grabbed her gloves from her pockets, slipping them on as she sat in the window seat.

“It’s possible. If the dream involved you as Demon Shimmer, it can’t have been anything else. That would be very unlikely,” said Sunset’s conscience.

“Great! My appearance gave Twilight a nightmare. So, she is terrified of me because of what I look like, because of something I can’t control!” thought Sunset Shimmer, throwing her hands up in frustration.

“And who’s fault is that?” asked Sunset Shimmer’s inner voice. “Remember, you chose not to tell her about Demon Shimmer or let her see any pictures of what you looked like in that form.”

“Oh, shut the fuck up, will you? You’re not making me feel any better about what happened,” Sunset Shimmer thought as she put on her sunglasses, throwing her hood back over her head and leaned against the wall behind her.

“Hmph, you’re the worst person for me to be a conscience for. You never listen to me, and when you do, you’re argumentative about it. But, fine, I will shut up as you requested,” said Sunset’s inner voice before it fell silent.

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

An hour later, Twilight Sparkle began to stir from her slumber. With her eyes still closed, she moved her hand around as she tried to find her glasses. After a few moments, she was able to find her glasses and slip them on. She looked around and saw that she was lying on her bed with Spike resting his head on her leg. Twilight sat upright and blinked the sleepiness out of her eyes. She looked around and saw that she was in her bedroom. The lights were still on, but they had gotten dimmed. And she could see the sun had set behind the mountains as well, taking its light with it. Her room remained mostly untouched, except the shadowy figure sitting in her window seat. She looked down to see a familiar yellow and red tail sitting next to them. That was enough to make her realize it was Sunset Shimmer.

“Sunset… was she really… I didn’t see that, did I…?” asked Twilight Sparkle, turning to face Sunset Shimmer. “Please, tell me that I just dreamt that.”

As Twilight swung her legs over the side of the bed, there was a dull ache. That made her look down to find the gauze bandage taped to her leg. Looking at Sunset, she realized that she had patched her up when she fainted. She ran a hand along it as she tried to remember what happened before she fainted. Her memory was hazy, but it was slowly coming back to her as she stared at the gauze. Twilight looked at the fallen trophy and remembered the pool of blood it had caused when it sliced her leg. Now, the red liquid was gone, likely thanks to Sunset.

“Why the hell did my trophy fall? I remember hitting the wall when I was backing away from… Oh, right,” Twilight Sparkle said as her memories returned to her.

In an attempt to stand, she put her injured leg down first. That was a mistake Twilight Sparkle regretted as she felt a searing pain travel up her leg. She gripped the side of her bed as she tried not to give in to the pain. She heard the sound of Sunset shuffling and looked to see her pulling her knees to her chest, a soft sob breaking the eerie silence in the room. Biting her lip, Twilight forced herself to push the pain aside. Her one fang almost cut her lip as she bit down forcefully. Thankfully, the pain radiating throughout her whole leg subsided soon after. She stood up, but her body was still weak, and her legs shook beneath her weight before giving out a few seconds later.

“Ow!” screamed Twilight Sparkle, gripping the bed as she prevented herself from completely falling.

Spike watched as Twilight pulled herself back onto her feet. He padded over to her and nuzzled her hand. That cue was enough to earn him some scratches behind the ears, and his tail wagged happily behind him. When she pulled her hand away, he jumped down off the bed. He knew that Sunset and Twilight were going to want some time alone. So, without saying a word, Spike walked out of the room and went down to the kitchen. His rumbling stomach was calling the shots, and he wanted to take the opportunity to eat something.

Twilight Sparkle, hesitantly sat on the opposite side of the window seat, saying, “Uh, hey, Sunset. I wanted to thank you for taking care of my leg.”

“Y-yeah, you’re w-welcome,” replied Sunset Shimmer, pulling her knees closer to her chest. “It’s the least I could do.”

“Sunset, I can see that you’ve been sitting here crying,” said Twilight Sparkle, her wings wrapping themselves around her arms. “When I pushed you away, it hurt you, didn’t it?”

“I understand why you did. I do look like a monster,” replied Sunset Shimmer, lifting her head off her arms and looking at Twilight Sparkle. “I should’ve warned you, instead of letting you walk in and see me like that.”

Twilight Sparkle moved closer to the redhead, closing the distance between the two of them. “While I would’ve liked some warning, it doesn't mean that you’re a monster. I shouldn’t have reacted the way that I did.”

“Twilight, you had a right to react that way. I didn’t give you any warning, and I know that my appearance is a bit unsettling,” said Sunset Shimmer, her tail flicking behind her.

“Can you take off your hood, please Sunset?” asked Twilight Sparkle as she rested her hand on Sunset’s arm. “I want to see you the way you look now. I’d like a second chance to show that I can handle it.”

Sunset Shimmer reached up towards her hood, her hand resting on the side of it. “A-are you sure that you want to see it?”

Twilight Sparkle nodded. “Please, let me see you, Sunset.”

Without saying a word, Sunset Shimmer slowly lowered her hood and allowed her face to get seen. Her ears went flat against her head as she looked away from Twilight, both out of shame and fear. Nothing was hiding the red skin or her ears, and she hoped that Twilight would be okay sitting next to her. Sunset didn’t want her to freak out again, especially since she didn’t want her to get hurt. She felt exposed, sitting next to her with her hood down. And the silence that seemed to echo in the room wasn't helping. Her appearance was hard for her to even look at, so expecting someone else to do it was something that was a challenge. Yet, having Twilight's hand resting on her arm, not moving away after the reveal, it was comforting. Sunset cautiously moved a few inches closer to her, wanting to see if Twilight would let her come near her now that she didn’t have her hood hiding the changes.

Resting her hand on top of Twilight’s hand, Sunset Shimmer said, “Twilight, are you okay with seeing my appearance?”

“Yeah, I think I am. It’s not easy to look at you, but I can see you are the same person. Just because you look different doesn’t mean that you are different,” replied Twilight Sparkle, squeezing Sunset’s arm.

“Thanks, Twi. I appreciate you saying that,” said Sunset Shimmer as she removed her hand. “However, this is just some of the changes that have occurred to me. My hoodie and sunglasses hide the rest.”

“And the gloves?” asked Twilight Sparkle, pointing to the leather gloves which hid Sunset’s claws from view.

“Yes, and the gloves,” replied Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight Sparkle reached up towards Sunset’s sunglasses, making her back away. “Sunset, can I see your eyes, please?”

“I-I don’t know, Twilight. When I showed them to the girls, they didn’t react well, especially Fluttershy.” Sunset Shimmer pulled her knees away from her chest as she looked down. “She could barely look at me first when she saw them. And I don’t want to see you do the same to me.”

Twilight Sparkle noticed the change in the redhead’s demeanor as she talked about the girls. It was apparent that the reveal to them hadn’t gone as well as she had hoped. And the pain in her voice broke Twilight’s heart to hear. She wished that she had shown up at Sunset’s apartment and given her some support through that. Besides, Twilight knew all too well what Sunset endured with the girls. Memories of the girls’ staring at her with wide-eyed expressions played in her head as she looked at the redhead. Seeing them fear her the way they had during the Friendship Games was hard for her. It had been painful to see their reactions, so Twilight understood why she was struggling to let her see the rest of the changes. That pain and memory were enough to make Twilight strengthen her resolve and help Sunset as she had helped her during their stay at Camp Everfree.

“Let me see your eyes, Sunset,” said Twilight Sparkle, a soft yet stern tone in her voice. “I want to know what they look like now. Give me a chance to show you that I meant what I said about not judging you no matter what.”

Sunset Shimmer raised her hand and slowly removed her sunglasses. “Okay, this is what my eyes look like now because of the transformation, Twilight. I have been wearing contacts to hide them along with my sunglasses.”

“Woah, they look different than mine,” replied Twilight Sparkle, looking at Sunset’s eyes as she tried to keep herself from moving away. “I can see why you chose to conceal them.”

“Yeah, they’re not exactly normal at the moment. I can barely even look at myself in the mirror without my contacts in,” Sunset Shimmer said as she looked down at her hands, the sunglasses still in her tight grip.

Twilight remained motionless as she listened to what Sunset was saying. “I can’t imagine what that’s like. My changes weren’t nearly as… extreme as yours. I guess I got lucky, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did get lucky, Twilight. I wish my changes weren’t so scary because I hate having to hide them.” Sunset took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. “I am surprised that you’re not freaking out at the way my eyes look.”

“Well, I am freaking out on the inside, Sunset,” said Twilight Sparkle, reaching out and resting her hand on the redhead’s shoulder. “However, I would like to see the rest of your changes.”

Sunset’s tail flicked behind her as she stared at her hands. The next thing she had to reveal was her claws. With a shaky hand, she gripped the bottom edge of her right glove. However, she paused and looked at Twilight. She could see there was a hint of fear in her mulberry eyes, but there was something else that overpowered it; love. That unconditional love that many would search a lifetime just to find it. And here it was, staring back at her and making her feel like she was safe. Everything in her screamed at her not to lose it because if she did, it would likely not come back. Sunset closed her eyes and looked away from Twilight. Her fear of losing Twilight took hold of her and made her falter in her actions.

“I-I can’t show you the rest, I am scared to, Twi,” said Sunset Shimmer, letting go of her glove. “I don’t want to frighten you. Not like I did with the girls.”

Twilight Sparkle closed the distance between them, resting her hand over Sunset’s shaky one. “Remember what I said about not judging you no matter what?”

Sunset Shimmer nodded, unable to form any words as she stared at the ground.

“I meant what I said that night, Sunset. I won’t see you as anything but my friend, even if you look like a she-demon. Trust me, I know how that feels,” said Twilight Sparkle, squeezing Sunset’s hand. “My wings drop enough feathers that I could make a pillow out of them.”

Sunset Shimmer let out a weak chuckle at Twilight’s attempt at a joke. “But, my changes aren’t as easy to adjust to as yours were.”

“So? That doesn’t mean I will walk away just because of that,” said Twilight, starting to pull off the redhead’s glove. “Will you let me see what happened to your hands?”

“Are you sure that you want to?” asked Sunset, finally meeting Twilight’s gaze after a few seconds and resting her hand on top of Twilight’s smaller one.

“Yes, Sunset,” replied Twilight, trying to keep her patience.

“Okay,” said Sunset as she removed her hand and let Twilight remove the glove. “You can remove the glove, just be careful.”

Twilight Sparkle was about to ask why when she pulled off Sunset’s glove and saw the claws which had replaced her fingers. The leather glove fell from her hand as she moved away from Sunset Shimmer. She saw the reason why Sunset had warned her to be careful. The sharpness of her claws made them look like they could cut through flesh, maybe even metal with enough force. Twilight’s heart thundered in her ears as she realized the danger she was in. Sunset’s transformation was much worse than hers had been. Her changes were enough to transform her friend into a real monster. However, just as that word entered her mind, Twilight forced it back out. She wasn’t going to think that way about someone she cared for. Not when she had made a promise not to judge her. Swallowing her fear, she moved back and slowly intertwined her hand with Sunset’s hand, being careful not to cut herself.

“S-Sparky?” asked Sunset Shimmer, her eyes watching Twilight’s every movement. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah, I am alright,” replied Twilight Sparkle, trying to sound braver than she was. “It was just a bit shocking to see the change.”

Sunset Shimmer gently squeezed Twilight’s hand. “I know, the girls felt the same way when I showed them. At least you’re here and sitting next to me, not running away or telling me to go away.”

“Sunset?” asked Twilight Sparkle as she started to pull her hand away. “Can I see your wings? I want to see everything before I…”

“Before you get too scared to look or even be near me?” Sunset Shimmer let go of Twilight’s hand and stood up.

“Y-yes, Sunset,” replied Twilight Sparkle, her voice breaking as she forced herself to reveal the fear she was desperately trying not to feel.

“Fine, I will show you my wings, but first, I need to do this,” said Sunset Shimmer, stepping in front of Twilight Sparkle. “I may not get another chance to do this after you see everything.”

“Wha-” Twilight was cut off as Sunset kissed her just like she had back in the girls’ bathroom.

Sunset Shimmer felt her lips touch Twilight’s soft ones as she closed her eyes. She reveled in the sweet smell of lavender that wafted towards her. The scent was one that always reminded her of being in Twilight’s arms, safe from the world. When she felt Twilight lean into the kiss, she carefully caressed her cheek. She wanted to memorize the feel of her in case this was her last chance. Her blood pulsed through her veins like a river flowing through a gorge. The electricity which rippled throughout her whole body made Sunset wish she could stay there in that moment. It made her want to freeze time there and never let Twilight see her full appearance. If Sunset could’ve, she would have frozen it and enjoyed every second she had next to her. She never wanted to leave because it meant that she was going to lose Twilight, the one person she loved more than anyone. Yet, she knew that it was time for her to see the truth, to know her secret. Reluctantly, Sunset opened her eyes and pulled away from Twilight, still reeling from the high of kissing her.

“Just remember that it’s still me, Sparky,” said Sunset Shimmer as her hand rested on the zipper pull. “Please, don’t forget that I love you, no matter what I look like now.”

Twilight Sparkle nodded, not saying anything as she sat there in front of the redhead.

Slowly, with a shaky hand, Sunset pulled down the zipper. The sound echoed in the otherwise silent room, which made her wish that there was something to fill the void. She stood there for a moment, her hoodie open in the front and allowing Twilight to see how far the red skin had spread. Her hands shook as she reached up and grabbed either side of the hoodie. Sunset looked at Twilight, seeing the fear and shock that darkened her eyes. Without hesitating for another second, she pulled the fabric off her shoulders and her body. As it hit the floor with a thud, her wings stretched to their full length. Now that her transformation had gotten fully exposed to Twilight, Sunset wished that she could hide. Seeing the fear overtake the shock was painful to watch, but not as much as seeing the unconditional love in Twilight’s eyes disappear.

“Sparky, say something please,” said Sunset Shimmer, watching as Twilight stood up.

“I-Is this what Trixie was referring to? Is this Demon Shimmer?” asked Twilight Sparkle as she kept her distance.

“Y-yes, Twilight. This is a part of me, the one dubbed Demon Shimmer,” replied Sunset Shimmer. “Are you scared of me?”

Twilight Sparkle didn’t answer the question. The reveal of Sunset's transformation was a bit more than she could take after all that had happened that day. The sight of the redhead’s drastic changes was too much for her to handle. And although she had tried to stay true to her promise, she couldn’t do it. Looking at what had become of her friend, Twilight just couldn’t find it in herself to fight her growing fear. All she saw in front of was a monster that had replaced the person she once cared for. And she could see why the girls had reacted the way that they did. They had every right to treat her like the monster she was. After all, she had chosen to lie to all of them even though they were her friends. Twilight stared at the two leathery wings which jutted out from her behind her, trying not to throw up. Now she understood why Sunset had hidden it from her. Everything that was human about her was now gone, altered by the demon of her past. Her claws, her fangs, even the red skin which had replaced the amber color she had come to love. Standing there, looking at the girl who used to be her friend, Twilight started to cry as she turned around and made her way to her door.

“Wait! Twilight, don’t go please,” said Sunset Shimmer, running after Twilight and grabbing her arm. “I’m sorry that I spooked you, but I’m still the same person you were talking to just a few minutes ago.”

“No, you’re not. Please, let me go. I don’t want to look at you anymore,” replied Twilight Sparkle, trying to pull her forearm free.

“What about what you said? What happened to not judging me just because I look like this?” asked Sunset Shimmer, tightening her grip on Twilight’s forearm. “Does that mean nothing to you?”

The feeling of Sunset’s claws digging into her arm made Twilight wince as she looked back at Sunset. She could see the pain in her eyes, and that made her feel even worse for going back on her promise. And she knew that she was going to get an earful from Applejack when she learned about this. Applejack wasn’t going to like the fact that she had broken a promise, something that was one of her pet peeves. However, the impending discussion wasn’t enough to make her want to stay. As Twilight looked into Sunset’s pain-filled eyes, several more tears flowed down her cheek. How could the person she loved not be the same anymore? Why did she have to change into this… monster? Twilight could see that her friend was still there and that her actions were causing her more pain. A single tear fell down Sunset’s cheek as she slightly loosened her grip on her forearm. That only worsened Twilight’s guilt as she looked away from her

“I said that before I saw the terrifying changes that had occurred to you, Sunset,” replied Twilight Sparkle. “Now…”

“Now, I am just a monster to you, right?” asked Sunset Shimmer, her temper flaring up as she gripped Twilight’s forearm tightly. “Right, Twilight?”

“S-Sunset, can you please let go of my arm?” asked Twilight Sparkle, attempting to free her forearm.

“Tell me, do you even see me as the same Sunset now that you have seen this part of me?” Sunset Shimmer’s voice was low, barely able to stay strong as she struggled not to break down.

“No!” shouted Twilight Sparkle as she freed her forearm from Sunset’s grip, causing five deep lacerations to form. “Ahhh!”

Sunset Shimmer felt her claws rake through Twilight’s skin, drawing blood as they were yanked from Twilight’s forearm while she pulled away. She looked at the five fresh lacerations on Twilight and back at her hand. An all too familiar iron smell hit her, and she knew exactly what it was. There was fresh blood dripping off her claws, confirming her worst fears. She had injured one of her friends, and now there was no way she could take it back or undo it. Looking up, she saw the panicked look in Twilight’s eyes as she stood there, holding her bloodied arm in her hand. Sunset’s heart sank to the bottom as she realized the mistake she had made. Something told her that she had gone too far, and now she was going to pay the price for her actions. Taking a chance, she stepped towards Twilight, her wings tucking themselves behind her. She had to see if she was okay, if there was any chance that Twilight would let her come near her.

“T-Twilight, I am s-sorry. I didn’t think about my c-claws,” said Sunset Shimmer, her voice breaking as she could no longer hold back her tears.

“Stay away from me, Demon Shimmer!” screamed Twilight Sparkle as she used her powers to blast Sunset Shimmer back.

The blast sent Sunset Shimmer flying back onto Twilight’s bed, hurting her wings in the process. Her body ached from the concentrated magic slamming into her at full force. Thankfully, the bed provided a soft landing for her. Although her safety was of the least concern at the moment, she wanted to see if Twilight was alright. The cuts she had caused were deep, meaning that she was likely losing a lot of blood, not to mention in pain. Just as she was about to ask Twilight if she was okay, she heard the sound of the door clicking open. She sat up and saw a tearful Twilight leaving her alone before she even had a chance to say anything to her. As she sat there on the bed, she wished that she had never lied to her best friend. Now, here she was, lying on her bed, alone.

“I’m sorry…” said Sunset Shimmer to the empty void that was Twilight’s bedroom.

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

Twilight Sparkle walked out of her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and face as she tried to stifle the building sobs. Everything she had seen bored down on her and made Twilight wish that she had never asked Sunset to come over. That she hadn’t seen what Sunset was hiding in her past because it was too much. This time, she was aware that her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She thought that she could handle seeing whatever it was that she was hiding. However, it was evident that she had made a mistake and a promise she could never keep. Twilight finally got to see Demon Shimmer, and it was scarier than anything she had ever seen before. The changes were much more drastic than hers were, and she wasn’t sure that she wanted to know the reason why. It also made her wonder how Sunset was still herself while she looked like that on the outside. How could someone so monstrous-looking be her friend, even if it was on the inside? That answer eluded Twilight, and she didn’t care to go looking for it. For now, all she wanted was some space.

Twilight’s arm and leg were throbbing as she walked down the empty hallway. Her body was screaming at her to stop moving and rest for a bit. She was exhausted from the day’s events, and getting injured wasn’t helping it. Blood was slowly pouring out and coating her hand as she held onto her arm, but she didn’t care. All she wanted to do was get away from Sunset Shimmer and take care of the injuries that she had caused. Twilight couldn’t stomach looking at the five lacerations caused by her. Not when she had seen the claws that were responsible for them. A shudder ran up her spine as she recalled the feeling her skin getting ripped open. She covered her mouth as she fought the urge to vomit and continued walking down the hallway.

A few shaky steps down the hallway later, Twilight saw the bathroom door on the right side and walked over to it. Gripping the handle, she winced as the muscles in her arm beneath the cuts moved. Flexing them felt like a serrated knife getting dragged across them, shredding them as it progressed. The throbbing worsened as she pushed open the door and walked into the dark bathroom. She used her foot and closed the door while she searched for the light switch. When she found it, Twilight used her sore arm to turn the lights on and squinted as the darkness disappeared.

“Good thing there is a first aid kit in here,” said Twilight Sparkle as she rummaged around under the sink, pushing past towels and unused bottles of shampoo.

She grabbed the first aid kit from behind the stack of towels and set it on the counter. Bracing herself against the counter, Twilight looked at her reflection in the mirror. The fear in her eyes made her step back for a moment. Along with that, her hair had become disheveled, making her look like she had escaped from an insane asylum. The perfect ponytail she had this morning was gone now. And having blood on her hands didn’t make her look any better. Taking a deep breath, Twilight stepped back towards the sink and braced herself for the next step. The dried blood on her hands and arm had to get washed off before she could place a bandage on the cuts. However, the idea of putting her lacerations under the running water made her cringe.

“Come on, Twilight. You can do this. Just turn on the faucet and let the water touch your arm,” Twilight Sparkle told herself, trying to make it easier to turn on the water.

“Yeah, you can do this, just like how you broke a promise to your best friend. That was easy to do, so is this,” said Twilight’s conscience, reminding her of her mistake.

“Shut up! I don’t need a fucking reminder of what I did to her,” thought Twilight Sparkle, grabbing the handle of the faucet and turning it on.

“Oh, so now Sunset is Sunset again. What happened to her being a monster? I mean, she does have claws, fangs, ugly leather wings, and red skin. Hell, she looks nothing like her usual self and somehow has the audacity to say that she is still the same,” said Twilight’s conscience, almost taunting her for what she did.

“I said shut up!” screamed Twilight Sparkle in her head, growing frustrated at the taunting.

Not wanting to focus on her guilty conscience, Twilight Sparkle let go of the handle and put her arm under the water. She allowed the water to wash off the dried blood first before slowly moving her arm. Watching the reddish-brown liquid trickle down the drain was making her sick. However, Twilight continued to wash the blood off her skin. Just as she was getting closer to the cuts, she felt a few drops land on them. The searing pain from them made her inhale sharply in response. She continued through the pain until the water was rushing against the raw lacerations. Twilight squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to block out the sensation. Yet, after just a few seconds, she gave in and let out a scream of agony.

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

Sunset Shimmer, who was standing in Twilight’s bathroom, heard the scream. Her ears flattened against her head as she realized how much pain she had put her in. She clenched her fists around the sink as she tried to ignore the images of her hand on Twilight’s arm. Despite her efforts, the bloody scene kept replaying her head. The sight of Twilight pulling her arm free, the blood flowing from the cuts she had caused, and the feeling of her claws cutting through her skin all made her sick to her stomach. Sunset wanted them to leave, but she knew that they weren’t going away any time soon. Sighing, she hung her head over the sink.

“What have I done…?” Sunset Shimmer asked to empty air. “How could I let my temper get the better of me?”

“You panicked, and that resulted in you hurting Twilight. You were also hurt because she had broken a promise that she shouldn’t have. And that made you react in a way that caused you to injure the one person you love the most,” replied Sunset Shimmer’s conscience.

“Yeah, I got that Captain Obvious. I know what happened. I was there. Remember?” thought Sunset Shimmer.

The redhead turned on the water, wanting to get Twilight’s blood off her hands. She didn’t want to have the dark red liquid touching her anymore. Not when she knew how it came to be on her in the first place. To think that her claws had pierced through her friend’s skin, it disgusted her. The one thing she was afraid would happen if she allowed her claws to get exposed, occurred because she lost her temper. And Sunset felt like the monster she now looked like. Maybe she was just a monster who deserved to have her best friend hate her. Sunset wouldn’t blame Twilight if she did turn on her. After all, she had hurt her so many times over the last week and waited so long to finally come clean about the truth. She watched the clear water turn bloody as she scrubbed off the dried blood. Her urge to vomit was growing with every whiff of the metallic smell she took. Once her hands were clean, Sunset turned off the water and walked out of the bathroom.

“I remember. However, what I don’t get is why you reacted in such a way. How come you risked injuring Twilight to keep her from running away?” asked Sunset’s conscience. “You had to know that wasn’t going to work.”

Sunset Shimmer sighed. She looked into the cabinet mirror above the sink, seeing herself reflected back at her. Yet, she didn’t see herself this time, just a she-demon whose claws hurt someone she’d never wanted to harm. She couldn’t recognize herself anymore, not after what happened tonight. Her reflection showed her what Twilight saw and made her face the fact that she saw a monster. Sunset took a deep breath and stepped back until her wings were visible in the mirror. She stretched them to their full size and gasped softly. In front of her was someone who scared her and made her heart drop as she stared into her eyes. She understood why the girls and Twilight had freaked out so badly. Her demonic appearance was genuinely horrible and monstrous. Exhaling sharply, Sunset let the leathery nuisances rest on her shoulders as she decided to answer her conscience’s question.

“To answer your question, I went after her because I was desperate for her not to be afraid of me,” replied Sunset Shimmer, looking away from her reflection.

“Ah, I see. So, your fear of rejection clouded your judgment, and you acted like a lovesick puppy. And yet, you knew that it wasn’t going to make it better. It would’ve been better if you had just stayed where you were and let Twilight leave,” said the redhead’s conscience. “Why did you go after her and ask her if she still saw you as the same girl?”

Sunset Shimmer met her gaze again, wanting to see if there was any remnant of her humanity. “I did it because I needed to know if she saw me or the monster I have become. And now, I see that she was right about me: I do look like a monster.”

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

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Twilight Sparkle had finished getting the blood off her arm and hand. She hadn’t realized how challenging it was going to be to remove the dried blood off her skin. Unfortunately, she learned that it was somewhat tricky to do while trying to avoid hurting herself further. Her skin had become red from her rubbing at it for so long. Thankfully, after a few minutes, she was done with that area. Twilight moved on to cleaning the red liquid from underneath her nails. She was grateful that she had kept them short, meaning that it was a bit easier to clean them than it was to clean her arm. Once that had gotten accomplished, she turned off the water and pulled a brown bottle from the kit.

“Now to put the peroxide on,” Twilight Sparkle said as she gripped the bottle with a shaky hand.

“This is going to be a bitch to do by myself,” thought Twilight Sparkle, recalling the stinging sensation that she had come to associate with it.

Twilight grabbed a washcloth from the shelf next to her and unscrewed the cap from the bottle. As she poured the peroxide onto the cloth, she felt her throat tighten, knowing that she had to do it. She knew that she had to disinfect the lacerations; otherwise, more problems would occur. Yet, that didn’t make it any easier to apply the stinging liquid to her arm. Twilight pulled herself together and forced her fear aside as she placed the washcloth on top of the cuts. Feeling the peroxide seeping into the raw wounds, she screamed, not caring if Sunset heard her. It felt like a fire was lit inside of her skin as the liquid dripped onto her arm. She waited for a few minutes before removing the cloth off the lacerations, allowing the peroxide to do its job. Biting her lip, she tried to ignore the throbbing ache in the irritated wounds.

“Okay, Twilight, the next thing to do is put on the butterfly bandages,” said Twilight Sparkle, talking herself through the process. It helped to distract her from the pain, but just barely.

Digging around in the kit, she found a barely used box of butterfly bandages. It was almost too full, with just one or two missing from it. She remembered when she had to use one of them to help Sunset after she had cut her thumb. The memory of that day was still fresh in her head. That was an extraordinary moment for her, one that brought her joy every time she thought about it. It was the first time she had ever celebrated her birthday with the girls. And it was also her first time having a birthday party that was more than just her family. Twilight knew that Sunset had only cut herself because she got distracted while cutting the cake. If she remembered correctly, the redhead was the one who had made the cake herself, as well as the purple frosting covering it. Closing her eyes, Twilight imagined that day once more while she held onto the box of bandages.

Sunset Shimmer was standing by the counter, a chocolate cake covered in light purple frosting sitting in front of her. On the cake, the words ‘Happy B-Day, Twi!!’ was written on it in pink icing. However, the words were tilted to the side, clearly showing that they had gotten written by someone inexperienced in the art of cake writing. Around them were a few candles, and two of the candles formed the 17 in the middle. They were lit moments ago and now sat in the cake; their tips burnt black by the flames. The smell of blown candles lingered in the air, but it didn’t ruin the joyous mood.

“Sorry for the off-centered words, Twilight. I tried my best, but I guess it takes some experience to write on a cake,” said Sunset Shimmer, giving her friend a sheepish smile. “Thankfully, Pinkie Pie managed to help me make the cake and frosting.”

Twilight Sparkle walked over to Sunset, taking one of her hands. Squeezing it, she gave her friend a quick kiss on the cheek. As she felt her lips touch Sunset’s skin, she felt her cheeks heat up. It was a rush to kiss Sunset, even on the cheek. It made her feel like she was standing on top of the world. After a minute, she pulled back and was sure that there was a noticeable redness to her cheeks. In the background, she heard snickering, which she assumed was Rainbow Dash, but she didn’t care. At the moment, all Twilight noticed was the red-haired beauty in front of her and the smile she was wearing.

“Someone’s smitten…” whispered Spike as he saw his owner staring dreamily at Sunset.

“It’s perfect because you made it. And that’s more than enough, Sunset,” said Twilight Sparkle, meeting Sunset’s cyan eyes.

Twilight saw the redhead blush before she looked away, letting her know that she enjoyed the kiss too. She couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the confident redhead blushing. It was just too adorable for her. Twilight’s stomach grumbled, reminding her that she was hungry, and the cake was very tempting. She hadn’t eaten anything since lunch, especially since the girls had spent the day keeping her away from Sunset’s apartment. Now, she could see why with all the decorations and the cake. Letting go of Sunset’s hand, she stepped back.

“Well, come on! Cut the damn cake before we all grow old,” said Rainbow Dash, throwing her hands up impatiently.

“Calm down, Dashie. Sunset will cut the cake,” said Pinkie Pie, giving the redhead a sympathetic smile.

Not wasting another second, Sunset Shimmer laid the knife down on top of the cake and sliced through it. Once the blade cut through to the bottom, she pulled it out, preparing it for the next cut. The smell of chocolate wafted into the apartment and made everyone salivate at the sweet scent. She rested her other hand next to the cake, keeping it steady as she lowered the knife again. This time, the blade sliced through the cake… and Sunset’s skin.

“Ow!” shouted Sunset Shimmer as she dropped the knife and backed away from the cake.

Twilight Sparkle, being the one closest to Sunset, ran over to her injured friend. She saw that the redhead was clutching her left hand. There was some blood dripping down from the cut on her thumb. It wasn’t deep or huge, but the knife had managed to slice through a layer of skin. That left a small opening where the trail of blood originated from.

“Sunset, are you okay? Where’s your first aid kit?” asked Twilight Sparkle as she looked at her friend.

“Y-yes, I am. The kit is underneath the sink, on the right-hand side. Grab the box of butterfly bandages, please Twi,” said Sunset Shimmer, wincing as her thumb throbbed from the pain.

“Okay. Go wash that cut in the sink,” said Twilight Sparkle before she ran to grab the kit.

As Twilight got to the bathroom, she flung open the cabinet doors. She rummaged through the contents inside of it, following Sunset’s instructions. There were a bunch of towels neatly folded that sat in the back. Some of them had a sun that got split into red and yellow sections, just the sun Twilight often saw on Sunset’s clothing. In the back of her head, she wondered what significance it held for her. However, she pushed the thought aside and continued her search. She found the kit, but it had almost gotten buried by a small mountain of the Mane N’ Tail shampoo.

“Sheesh, and I thought Rarity used a lot of shampoo. Guess I was wrong,” thought Twilight Sparkle as she pushed the bottles aside, reaching for the kit.

It surprised Twilight that the redhead would use that kind of product. Although she did read some articles about horse shampoo and its benefits, it was said to be a better alternative for human shampoo, which could sometimes be damaging to hair. And it helped keep the hair’s natural oils while combating the adverse effects of harmful chemicals. Twilight closed her eyes and focused on her original task. Thinking nothing more of the mountain of bottles, Twilight grabbed the kit and ran back out of the bathroom. As she made her way back to the kitchen, she spotted Sunset hunched over the sink. Just as she approached her, she heard the water get shut off before the redhead looked at her. She set the kit on the counter as she stood next to her.

“Good. You found the kit,” said Sunset Shimmer as she saw the kit next to Twilight Sparkle.

“Yeah, I found it and a mountain of shampoo bottles. I didn’t know that you used horse shampoo, Sunset,” replied Twilight Sparkle, raising an eyebrow as she mentioned the shampoo.

“Oh, uh, it’s better for my hair than the regular shampoo,” lied Sunset Shimmer, not wanting to admit that it was because she had been using a similar product when she was a unicorn in Equestria.

“Right. I have read some articles on that. They say that it helps strengthen hair follicles, allowing for stronger, healthier hair. It also cleans the hair and doesn’t…” Twilight Sparkle stopped when she saw Sunset staring at her with a smirk.

“Twilight-”

“I was rambling again, wasn’t I?” asked Twilight Sparkle, adjusting her glasses.

“Yep, but you looked adorable when you did,” said Sunset Shimmer, giving Twilight a wink and making her smile.

“Let’s bandage you up so you can cut the cake. I have a feeling that Rainbow Dash is drilling her eye lasers into us as I speak,” Twilight Sparkle said as she opened the first aid kit and pulled out the butterfly bandages.

That made Sunset Shimmer chuckle. “Yeah, I think she is too.”

Twilight Sparkle wrapped the one butterfly bandage over the cut, trying to be as gentle as she could. Yet, despite her efforts, she must’ve hit a sensitive spot when she felt Sunset flinch away momentarily before the bandage was entirely on. She stopped for a moment, wanting to make sure that Sunset was okay. After Twilight saw that she was okay, she placed the other side down and pulled her hand away.

“All done. Now, you can cut the cake. Just please, don’t cut yourself again. I wouldn’t want to get any more injuries,” said Twilight Sparkle, seeing Rainbow Dash’s annoyed expression.

“I won’t, I promise Sparky,” Sunset Shimmer said, giving Twilight a quick peck on the cheek before walking back over to the cake.

As she watched the image of Sunset Shimmer fade back to black, it made Twilight Sparkle’s hand tremble. She struggled to keep herself from breaking down into sobs as she sat on the edge of the tub. Several tears streamed down her cheeks as she tried to ignore the memory. However, it still replayed in her head, reminding her of one of her happiest moments. After the night’s events, it brought a lot of joy, but there was also a lot of pain now. It now served as something that showed her how naive she had been. As Twilight looked at her arm, she stared at the five jagged cuts running down it. How could Sunset, someone that she confided in about her deepest worries, lie to her? Why did she hurt her? Was it because Sunset didn’t trust Twilight as much as she thought she did?

“Why Sunset…? Why did you lie… to me of all people?” Twilight Sparkle asked mentally as she looked from her arm to the bathroom door.

Looking back at her arm, Twilight saw that the cuts were just an inch and a half in depth, almost enough to require stitches. Thankfully, they weren’t very wide, only about two inches in width. She figured that the butterfly bandages should be enough to help with the healing process. Yet, there was a sinking feeling that told Twilight she would likely sustain scars from the lacerations after they had healed over. She expected that, given the severity of her injuries. But acknowledging that fact only made her gag in response. She wasn't ready to comprehend the idea of looking at the scars on her arm for the rest of her life. Not when she knew how she got them and who gave them to her.

Twilight Sparkle opened the box of butterfly bandages and grabbed a few out of it. One by one, she covered the lacerations in the necessary bandages. With the small, white bandages holding them closed, they didn’t look as bad as they did earlier. However, the jagged edges weren’t helping them to look good. Not wanting to look at the cuts that Sunset gave her, Twilight got some gauze and tape. Setting to work, she taped the gauze pad over the injury, wincing as she felt her skin moving beneath it. Twilight was finished within minutes as she didn’t want to risk sobbing in the guest bathroom. She put away the first aid kit, staring at the bathroom door like it was a hungry lion about to kill her. There was a part of her that was very reluctant to leave the room, to see Sunset after what happened.

As Twilight walked over to the door, her body shook. Fear was all she felt as she forced herself to reach for the door handle. She didn’t want to do this, but she knew that she had no choice in the matter. Gulping, she pushed the growing bundle of nerves aside and turned the handle. As the door opened, Twilight turned off the light and walked out into the hallway.

“It’s now or never…” thought Twilight Sparkle as she closed the bathroom door behind herself.

Sunset Shimmer, who had finished washing the blood off her hands, was now sitting on the edge of Twilight’s bed with her wings draped over her shoulders. The warmth of them kept her from shivering in the surprisingly chilly bedroom. Although the image of the lacerations she had caused was still ingrained in her mind, making her fight her gag reflex as she covered her mouth with her hand. And her guilt wasn’t making it any easier to resist the urge. Her cheeks were wet with fallen tears that she had just been wiping. Just as she had wiped another one off her chin, Sunset heard the bedroom door creak open. She didn’t dare look up as her ears twitched as the sounds of footsteps slowly walked into the quiet room. She knew that it was Twilight, and that made her want to cry again because she was too afraid to hear what she might say.

“T-Twilight, are you okay?” asked Sunset Shimmer, her shaky voice revealing that she was on the verge of tears again. “I-I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m so sorry…”

Twilight Sparkle just stood by the edge of the bed, too scared to come any closer than that. She didn’t want to be near Sunset, anywhere near her. Not after she felt her claws injure her. Her heart raced in her chest, making her pulse race alongside it. Looking at the floor, she saw that the redhead had cleaned up the few drops of blood which had landed on the floor. Hearing a sniffle next to her, reminded Twilight that she eventually had to say something to Sunset. The sight of her sitting on her bed made her jaw drop. Sunset had curled into a ball, her leathery wings wrapped around her with her knees pulled to her chest. That was something that Twilight wasn’t expecting to see. It was the exact opposite of the redhead’s usual behavior, and it took her by complete surprise.

“S-Sunset?” Twilight Sparkle just stared at the redhead, noticing that her claws had gotten cleaned of her blood.

“T-Twilight?” asked Sunset Shimmer, unsure if she should speak at all. “Are you alright?”

The sound of Sunset’s voice made Twilight grip her injured arm as if she was trying to protect it from further harm. When she saw the redhead’s eyes, they made her whimper as she lost control of her fear. The blackness which surrounded her eyes now gave her a demonic look. And it made the cyan stand out, showing the pain that Twilight wished she hadn’t seen. Sunset must’ve heard it because her expression changed from a mix of concern and fear to absolute fear. That caused Twilight to back away as panic began to set in again. She looked away, staring at the hardwood floor instead of the redhead. Her wings wrapped themselves around her quivering body, almost as if they were shielding her. To hear Sunset’s voice, it made her cringe and want to run out of her room. Deep down, there was a part of her that wanted to hear her side of the story. Yet, her fear of what Sunset was going to do next was almost too much.

“N-no, Sunset. I am not alright. Please, don’t ask that again,” said Twilight Sparkle, finding enough strength to keep her voice from shaking.

“B-But-”

“No, Sunset! You fucking hurt me, both literally and emotionally. I don’t give a damn if you didn’t mean to. It still fucking happened,” said Twilight Sparkle, raising her voice.

Gone was the fear. It had gotten replaced by anger. It ran through Twilight’s veins, making her skin burn as it coursed through them. She was angry at the lies, at the pain they caused her, at… Sunset Shimmer. As she thought about the last week and all that happened, her hand clenched into a tight fist. The pain of having her best friend lie to her stung like acid getting poured on her skin. And Twilight had believed the lies for a whole year. An entire fucking year. How could she have not noticed that? All the incidents where the subject was instantly changed when she asked about the Fall Formal. Or whenever she asked how Sunset had come to know the girls, they all went silent and said nothing. They all made sense… now. As Twilight looked at the redhead, all she saw was a monster and a liar that she used to call a friend.

Sunset Shimmer lowered her wings, letting her knees fall from her chest. She gripped the edge of the bed, looking at Twilight. On the corners of her eyes, tears were falling down the sides of her face. She couldn’t keep herself from crying as she heard the cold, distant tone in Twilight’s voice. It broke her heart to listen to it. But despite that, she knew that it was there for a reason. It was there because she didn’t listen to the girls and waited too long to Twilight the truth. Now. Now, she was paying the price for her actions. And it cut like a knife, deep into what little remained of her shattered heart. Sunset still cared for Twilight, not that it would matter anymore.

“T-Twilight, I’m sorry. I-I was trying to keep you from running away. I didn’t want you to be scared of me,” said Sunset Shimmer, trying to keep her voice steady as she tried to slow her crying.

“Well, I am afraid of you. And Trixie was right about one thing; you are a monster,” said Twilight Sparkle, trying to remain calm as she talked to Sunset. Damaging her room was something she didn’t plan on doing if it could get avoided.

Sunset Shimmer gasped. “Twilight, you don’t mean that, do you?”

“Yes, Sunset, I do mean that,” replied Twilight Sparkle. “Because a friend would never do this to me!”

Sunset Shimmer got up from the bed as she saw Twilight pull down the gauze. A soft gasp escaped from her lips as she saw the severity of the lacerations she had caused in full view. They were fairly deep, maybe an inch or so from what she could see. And the skin around them was inflamed, still reeling from the sudden injury. She stepped closer to examine them only for Twilight to pull her arm back and stagger away from her. Sunset’s ears flattened as she met Twilight’s panic-filled eyes.

“Don’t touch me, Demon Shimmer!” shouted Twilight Sparkle as she covered her arm with her wing. “I don’t want to get hurt again. It’s enough that you lied to me and then cut my arm because you couldn’t stand that I am scared of the way you look now.”

“Twilight, I said I was sorry,” said Sunset Shimmer. “Please, don’t keep pushing me away.”

“Just stop with the apologies, Demon Shimmer. I don’t believe you.” Twilight Sparkle’s tone was harsh and cold. “Just tell me this; were you ever going to come clean about your past? Or is it because of Trixie and our unusual circumstances, that you decided to tell me?”

“Please, stop calling me Demon Shimmer. It’s hurting my feelings,” Sunset Shimmer said as she wiped a tear off her cheek.

“Good. Now you know exactly how I feel because of your lies. Answer my question, please.” Twilight Sparkle wasn’t in the mood for being gentle anymore. The quicker she could get rid of Sunset Shimmer, the better.

Sunset Shimmer stifled another sob as she said, “If none of this hadn’t happened, I am not sure that I would’ve had the courage to come clean, Twilight. I was scared that you would walk away from me if you knew the truth. I am sorry…”

“I am sorry too, De-Sunset. But after everything that has happened, I think it’s time that I say this,” said Twilight Sparkle, looking down at her arm as she placed the gauze back over it.

“S-say what, Twilight?” asked Sunset Shimmer, scared of what was going to happen next.

“Sunset Shimmer, I am tired of the lies. I am tired of being hurt again and again. I just can’t do it anymore. I can't deal with the lies and pain. But most of all, I am done with you constantly shutting me out every time I try to be there for you and show you that I am not going to judge you.” Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath, knowing that her next words were going to be the most painful. “You have done that too many times for me to count. And I-I can’t do it anymore. Sunset, I think it's better if we don’t speak to each other for a while. In fact, I believe it’s best if we go our separate ways because I can’t be your friend anymore after all you have done.”

“Sp-Sparky, don’t, please,” begged Sunset Shimmer, her eyes tearing up as she struggled to keep her composure under the painful lashing of Twilight’s words.

“Here’s your stuff,” said Twilight Sparkle as she tossed the hoodie, gloves, and sunglasses to Sunset Shimmer. “If you care about me and our friendship like you say you do, stay away from me. I don’t even want to look at you, let alone be near you. It’s hard to believe you didn’t tell me about this because you thought I would walk away, even after I said I wouldn’t do that numerous times. And now I am terrified of you. So…”

Sunset Shimmer grabbed her stuff as Twilight threw it towards her. She waited to hear what else she had to say, hoping that the stream of endless hurtful words would end soon. It was becoming too much to bear listening to Twilight as she told her how she had fucked up and no longer wanted to be her friend. Or even be near her because she was afraid of how she looked. That last one hurt the most, especially since Twilight had judged her and ran away when all Sunset wanted was for her to accept her. However, it was all too apparent that it was not going to happen.

“Goodbye, Demon Shimmer. Get out of my room, please.” Twilight Sparkle sat down on her bed and clutched a pillow, crying as the pain of the night’s events bore down on her.

Walking to the bedroom door, Sunset Shimmer looked back at Twilight and whispered, “I’m so sorry that I hurt you. I hope you’ll be able to forgive me one day.”

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

The flight home was a depressing one as Sunset Shimmer saw the night sky as a reminder of her dark past. Even the twinkling of the stars reminded her of the sparkle in Twilight’s eyes and how it had faded away. That only made the guilt and pain worsen as she recalled the fear in her eyes. Watching it take away the sparkle she loved made Sunset wish that she hadn’t shown Twilight her appearance. The events of the night had proven to her that her fears about Twilight being scared of Demon Shimmer were right. Besides, she could see now that she had waited too long to come clean about the truth. And now the damage was done. Sunset looked at the streets below her as she wondered if there was any way she could repair the damage she had caused. Tears streamed down her face as the wind blew against her skin.

“Why did I have to be so stupid? Why didn’t I just tell Twilight about my past when I first met her?” thought Sunset Shimmer as she saw her apartment appearing below her.

Sunset landed in front of her apartment. Her wings were exhausted from the long flights to and from Twilight’s house. She unlocked her door and walked into her quiet abode. Without wasting another second, she dropped her stuff on the desk and made her way up to her attic. The attic was dusty, and there was a smell of old newspaper that lingered in the air. She didn’t come up here often, using it only to store a few boxes that would’ve otherwise cluttered her living room.

Opening the old wooden door, Sunset made a beeline for a small cardboard box that was half open with a few spiderwebs on it. It had gotten filled with pictures that she had taken with the girls for the last year. The photos were going to be part of a vast collage once she had time to get around to it. As she rummaged around in the box, she found one of her and Twilight Sparkle hanging out at Equestria Land. The photo was a happy one, with both girls smiling in it, and Sunset’s arm was wrapped tenderly around Twilight’s waist. Yet, tonight all it did was make the redhead miss the friendship she had lost.

Carrying the photo, Sunset Shimmer made her way over to a dark corner of the attic and sat down. Looking at Twilight’s happy smile, she said, “How could I have hurt you? All I wanted to do was love you and let you know that I understood your pain. Yet, I was a coward, and that cost me you, Twilight…”

Sunset pulled her knees to her chest as she set the picture down. Her building sobs broke free as Ray walked over to her. As her shoulders trembled, he crawled onto her arm. It pained the little gecko to see his beloved owner so sad. Yet, he couldn’t say anything because she couldn’t understand him. So he did what he could and nuzzled her cheek with his head. That made Sunset look up and smile at him, even though rivers of tears clouded her cyan eyes.

“Th-Thanks, Ray. I-I’m so glad that I h-have you,” said Sunset Shimmer in between sobs. “I was such an idiot tonight. I should’ve realized that there was no way Twilight could handle my past when I left her in the dark.”

In her anger, Sunset Shimmer pulled her arms apart, resulting in her claws slicing through the side of her arm. Warm liquid poured out of the fresh wounds as she yanked the tips of her claws free. She didn’t scream for fear that it would just trigger another wave of sobs to erupt from her already exhausted and weak body. It hurt like hell, yet, the physical pain did little to drown out the emotional one. As blood trickled down her arm onto the floor, she stayed where she was. Sunset felt the cuts were something that she deserved after the hurt she made Twilight endure. A sharp throbbing made its way up her arm, but she ignored it and continued to cry in the dark attic quietly. Tomorrow she would worry about the self-inflicted injuries. For now, though, she deserved to suffer in agony for what she did. So, sitting in the deathly silence with Ray curled up on her shoulder, Sunset rested her head on her knees.

“Trixie and Twilight are right about me. I am just a monster. Maybe that's all I am…”

Author's Note

Well... that could've ended better... I apologize to those who wanted it to go well for Sunset. I wanted it too. It tore me apart to do see this happen to my favorite bacon-haired girl. Feel free to leave a comment letting me know how this chapter made you feel.