Five Nights at Equestria Girls

Back in her apartment, Sunset Shimmer was sleeping on her bed with the covers tangled around her feet. There were a bunch of used tissues and tissue boxes strewn about her room. The air also had the scent of her strawberry shampoo and slightly burnt pizza, which resulted from her attempt to make a quick dinner. And by the foot of her bed was her leather jacket sitting in a crumpled heap. She had pulled it out of her closet and examined the tears on the back. Yet, despite her hope that she could fix it, Sunset could see that the damage was too significant. So, she just abandoned it at the end of her bed and decided to get some sleep.

As the afternoon sun began to set, the light shone through Sunset’s bedroom window. Disturbed by the bright light in her eyes, Sunset shifted in her bed, turning away from it. She didn’t want her sleep to be bothered, not when her waking reality only reminded her of what she had done. Her thoughts drifted to Twilight and the frightened look on her face. It had gotten seared into her memory, making Sunset wish that she hadn’t let the person she cared the most about see her appearance. She fell into a deep sleep, her mind wandering back to her dream with Twilight.

As Sunset Shimmer was sitting on her couch, she looked over at the kitchen. There, standing by the counter, was Twilight Sparkle. When she looked at her friend, she noticed that she didn’t look like Midnight Sparkle. She appeared her usual self again, with her hair in a ponytail. No wings, no tail, no fangs, and the same violet eyes that she had before the transformation. That prompted Sunset to look at herself. Looking at her arm, she saw that her skin wasn’t red anymore, and her fingers weren’t claws. It was like she had returned to her usual self — just an ordinary human, instead of being a she-demon. Meeting Twilight’s gaze again, she saw her smile at her, making Sunset smile back.

“Hey, Sparky. How is lunch coming?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“Oh, it’s coming out great. But I am sorry for the bloody mess on your floor,” replied Twilight Sparkle, her voice becoming slightly distorted.

“Bloody mess....? That is odd. Why would Twilight say that…?” Sunset Shimmer made her way to the kitchen, wanting to know what Twilight meant. “What the…”

A massive pool of blood stopped the redhead from speaking. As she saw the pool of blood slowly growing and spreading across her floor, she gasped. It was bright red, staining her floor pink as small rivers of the liquid trailed off the main pool of the reflective, ruby liquid. As Sunset stared at the puddle of red fluid, she saw more of the metallic scented substance dripping into it. She looked at Twilight and saw the source of the blood. Just like she feared, five scratches were forming in front of her, running the length of Twilight’s forearm.

“No… nonono… that can’t-”

“Oh, but Sunset, it is!” exclaimed Twilight Sparkle as her skin darkened, and her wings sprouted from her back. “And you… are the cause of it. See?”

Sunset Shimmer felt Twilight grab her wrist as a familiar burning sensation spread across her skin. Reluctantly, she looked down at her hand. And what she saw confirmed her worst fears. Her skin, like before, was becoming red as her fingers became claws once more. The sight was enough to make her stomach churn and twist as her gag reflex kicked in. And the smell of the red metallic substance wasn’t helping much. As her transformation finished with her hands, they started to drip fresh blood as if she had just scratched Twilight. However, Sunset’s attention had gotten drawn away from the blood dripping off of her as she felt her shoulder blades sting.

“Twili-Ah!” Sunset Shimmer got cut off as she felt one of her wings force its way out of her skin, causing a trail of blood to run down her back. “Please… stop.”

“But, Sunset…” Twilight Sparkle pleaded, pouting with her lower lip quivering. “Don’t you want to see the monster you really are? To feel the power coursing through your veins?”

Sunset pulled her wrist free from Twilight’s grip. Yet, it did nothing to stop her changes as her second wing popped free from her skin. Feeling two trails of blood running down her back, Sunset placed her hand near the base of her one wing. She felt the warm liquid seeping through her shirt and coating her hands as she applied a bit of pressure. Pushing a bit harder on her back, she found that she felt no pain where her wings had broken through her skin. It was as if she was no longer human. Pulling her hand away, she saw that it was coated in blood, though it was hard to see how much with her skin having gotten changed to a red color. Panicking, Sunset looked at Twilight, who was laughing at her.

“What the hell did you do to me? Why would you make me this… this monster?!” screamed Sunset Shimmer, staggering away from Twilight Sparkle.

“I didn’t do this to you, Sunset. You did this to yourself. Only you…” said Twilight Sparkle as she placed a finger under Sunset’s chin. “Doesn’t it feel great to have that power again? To have the ability to hurt and kill those so-called ‘friends’ of yours?”

The redhead was disgusted by what she was hearing. This wasn’t Twilight; it couldn’t be. Twilight would never have said things like this. Running out of her kitchen, Sunset darted for the front door. She needed to get some distance between herself and Twilight before anything else happened. However, just as she made it past her couch, Twilight landed in front of her, her wings knocking a few pictures over in the process. Sunset watched in horror as the image of her, and the girls at camp Everfree fell from the wall, making the glass shatter as it hit the floor.

“No! I am not going to hurt our friends! I won’t be the monster you want me to,” replied Sunset Shimmer, letting out a low growl.

Twilight Sparkle looked at the picture as she picked it up. “Are you seriously going to deny the truth? These girls are not our friends, not when they could barely accept us when they saw the monsters we both are.”

“Why are you acting like this, Twilight? Those girls are your friends too, and they did accept us.” Sunset Shimmer hoped her words would get through to Twilight Sparkle.

“The girls did that only after they feared us and viewed us as though we were the enemy. They hate that we’re she-demons. And they’ll never fully understand or accept us because of that,” said Twilight Sparkle as she crumpled the picture, tossing it to the ground.

“The girls are your friends, Twilight. They care about us,” said Sunset Shimmer, her voice calm, but her panic still shone through. “I care about you!”

“My… friends?! Ha, is that the best you can do, Demon Shimmer? They were never our friends. And as for you…” Twilight Sparkle stepped closer to Sunset Shimmer, closing the space between them. “You were never my friend. You were always a monster, Shimmer. Even if you always believed your own lies.”

Shocked by being called Demon Shimmer, the redhead pushed Twilight away from her aching body. “No, you’re lying. I am your friend, not a monster.”

Twilight Sparkle growled, forming a ball of magic and blasting it towards Sunset’s couch. Sunset Shimmer dove out of the way, landing on the floor just as her couch got obliterated.

“What the fuck, Twilight?! I know you’re angry at me, but that was my couch!” Sunset propped herself up on her elbows, still sore from throwing herself to the side.

“Angry?! I am not just angry, Shimmer. I am… hurt…” Twilight’s voice quivered as she spoke the last word, revealing that she was hiding her real feelings.

“Twilight…” Sunset kept her voice calm as she met Twilight’s eyes.

“If you’re not a monster, then why did you do this to me?! Me, of all people, Sunset?!” screamed Twilight Sparkle as she Sunset a clear view of the lacerations on her forearm. “This… hurt like hell. And yet, you didn’t listen to me when I begged you to let go of me. You kept your hand on me because you’re scared of me running away. And you forced me to yank my arm free, causing these marks to form…”

Sunset Shimmer started to cry as she heard Twilight Sparkle’s words. Somehow, her friend knew exactly what to say to cut away at the barrier she had put up. It was like Twilight was no longer herself but instead had become Midnight Sparkle. And gone was the person she loved and adored. As Sunset looked at her, she caught sight of Twilight’s glasses getting enveloped in blue flames for a split second. Then, the flames disappeared, and the glasses returned.

“What the…? Why did your glasses just become-”

“Flames? They did that because I am not entirely Twilight. I am Midnight Sparkle, as you have so affectionately named me. I am the demonic part of her that had gotten created during the Friendship Games,” said Twilight Sparkle, cutting off Sunset Shimmer. She smiled as her lips curled into an evil sneer.

“Wait, so you’re Twilight’s demonic side, and you’re a part of her?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“Yes, I am Twilight, and she is me. Just like you are both Sunset Shimmer and,” Twilight Sparkle approached the redhead, kneeling in front of her, “Demon Shimmer.”

Tw-Twilight-” began Sunset Shimmer before she found herself pounced on by Twilight, or rather, as she wanted Sunset to call her now – Midnight Sparkle.

As Twilight Sparkle jumped on the redhead in the dream, her body twitched, causing her to become more entangled in the blanket. As she shifted in her bed, she tightly gripped the sheets as sweat coated her skin. It was evident that the nightmare was having its effects on her. Sunset began to tremble a little as her fear spiked.

Meanwhile, outside of Sunset Shimmer’s apartment, a familiar-looking bike drove up to where Sunset had parked her bike. Rainbow Dash, having been there many times, knew that she was a heavy sleeper, especially when she was exhausted. She turned off the engine and removed her keys as she kicked out the kickstand, swinging her leg over her bike. As Rainbow Dash took off her helmet, she set it down on the handlebars. The apartment loomed over her like a skyscraper in a crowded city. It was enough to make her question if she was doing the right thing. However, she steeled her nerves and sped over to the door, not wanting to wait any longer. Rainbow Dash didn’t want to risk the voice in her head convincing her to stop.

“Sunset better be awake. I want to kick her ass for harming Twilight like that,” thought Rainbow Dash as she stood in front of the door.

Rainbow Dash shuddered as she recalled the image of the five red stripes running down the gauze. Instinctively, she grabbed her forearm as she felt the phantom pain of the injuries. She felt the faintest sensation of warm blood running down her arm as she felt her skin getting sliced open. As Rainbow Dash dug her fingers into her skin, it made the feeling of claw tips digging into her all the more real. The tighter she gripped her arm, the more tangible the sensations became. Glancing down, she removed her hand to see that it was all inside her head. There was no blood, no lacerations, just five fingernail marks of her own making. She sighed and raised her hand to the door.

Knocking three times, Rainbow Dash said, “Sunset, open up. We need to talk. Now!”

Nothing happened.

“Sunset, dammit! Get out of bed!” shouted Rainbow Dash, pounding heavily against the door.

As the athlete stood by the door, she heard a truck pull up to the apartment. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that it was an orange pickup truck with the words ‘Sweet Apple Acres’ printed on the doors. She sighed, knowing full well who was driving the truck. Crossing her arms across her chest, Rainbow Dash turned to face her friend.

“What are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash asked as Applejack climbed out of her truck.

Rolling her eyes, Applejack closed the door and walked over to where Rainbow Dash was standing. “I am here to make sure that you don’t do something stupid to Sunset.”

“Oh, like that could ever happen. Besides, Sunset isn’t our friend right now. Until I see otherwise, she is Demon Shimmer to me.” Rainbow Dash turned away from Applejack, jiggling the doorknob, making the lock click open. “Good thing she didn’t change the faulty lock.”

“Sunset will now after she sees you breakin’ into her apartment, Dash. And she still is our friend, not Demon Shimmer,” said Applejack as she followed Rainbow Dash into Sunset’s apartment.

Sunset Shimmer, still lost in her dream, was unaware of Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s presence in her apartment. She was still gripping the bedsheets as if they would somehow save her. And by now, she was drenched in sweat, with a small pool forming around her. Her blanket had gotten tossed off the bed as she kicked her feet around in her sleep. Her dream was growing in intensity, becoming a nightmare in all definitions of it. And her fear was growing alongside the nightmare as she struggled to fight against it.

“Demon Shimmer, get back here! I have not finished with you!” screamed Twilight Sparkle as she pushed herself off the floor.

Sunset had taken to hiding underneath her bed, gulping as she heard Twilight stomp up the stairs. She knew that it was probably the wrong choice. Every horror movie showed that it often wasn’t a great place to go. Yet, this was different from a film. She wasn’t in a movie; she was in real life. And Twilight wasn’t some actress on the cinematic screen just acting out her part. However, there was some part of Sunset that hoped maybe she could be safe under the bed. And perhaps there was a chance Twilight would look underneath it. As she looked at the stairs, she saw Twilight paused at the second to last step. Sunset held her breath as she watched her bend down a little and meet her gaze.

“Crap! Twilight knows I am here!” thought Sunset Shimmer as she saw Twilight’s shoes approach her bed.

Bending down on her knees, Twilight Sparkle peered underneath the bed. “Seriously, Sunset? The classic hide-under-the-bed horror cliché? I thought you were better than that…”

Sunset Shimmer scooted further away. “Twilight, please! I know this isn’t you!”

Twilight Sparkle growled, baring her sharp fangs as she did so. Losing all her patience with Sunset, she grabbed her arm and pulled her out from under the bed. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the same strength as Applejack, which made it a challenge for her. But that didn’t matter to Twilight at the moment. She wanted to make the redhead see the monster that she was on the inside. Still struggling, she managed to get her away from the bed and anything that she could use as a weapon.

“Sunset! Wake up!” shouted Twilight Sparkle.

Sunset Shimmer, suddenly confused by Twilight telling her to wake up, staggered away from her.

“Wake the fuck up!” screamed Twilight Sparkle, raising her voice.

“Wait… your voice… it sounds like….” Sunset Shimmer said as Twilight began to become blurry and the edges of vision darkened.

As Sunset Shimmer blinked, she found that she was no longer in her dream. Now, she was lying in her bed with Rainbow Dash glaring at her. Squinting in the bright afternoon sunlight, she met her rainbow-haired friend’s gaze.

“R-Rainbow Dash? What are you doing here?” asked Sunset Shimmer, still dazed from her nightmare.

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow Dash said, “I’m here because you injured Twilight, Demon Shimmer.”

“D-Demon Shimmer?! What the-” Sunset Shimmer didn’t get to finish as she felt herself getting lifted and thrown against the wall.

As her back hit the wall, Sunset felt her breath leave her body. Her wings had taken some of the blow, making her shoulder blades hurt in the process. Coughing, she tried to push herself back up, but a kick to her stomach stopped her. As Rainbow Dash’s foot slammed into her abdomen, Sunset coughed even harder, her lips getting speckled with blood. Her arm ached from the scratches that she had reluctantly bandaged up. It wasn’t easy for her to tend to the lacerations, especially when she knew that Twilight had suffered the same type of injury. Just as she recalled the memory of Twilight’s arm bleeding, she felt her legs buckle beneath her. Sunset’s hands held onto the wall as she tried to stand back up.

“What the hell, Rainbow?!” asked Sunset Shimmer as she struggled to get back on her feet. “Why did you do that?”

However, just as the redhead got to her feet, she felt Rainbow Dash’s arm across her chest. That kept her pinned against the wall as she tried not to wince in pain. The pressure of having someone pushing against the hard surface was making her arm throb where her lacerations were. Looking down at the arm, Sunset saw that it was Rainbow Dash’s injured arm.

“Why’d you do it, Demon Shimmer? Why’d you injure Twilight like that?” asked Rainbow Dash, keeping her voice low.

“Dash, I-” Sunset Shimmer tried to respond, but she was met with a fist to her mouth, cutting her lip. “Please… stop…” begged Sunset, tasting the blood from her lip as it spilled into her mouth.

“No! You injured Twilight! You made her avoid us and treat us like we were the enemy!” shouted Rainbow Dash, her voice changing as she struggled to keep her anger in control. Despite her hand hurting from the first punch, she didn’t care.

Sunset Shimmer went to speak, but she got stopped as she felt a knee impact her chest, knocking the wind out of her… again. Bending over, she clutched her stomach. As she struggled for her breath, she saw a fist heading for her head. Before she had a chance to react, Sunset felt it hit her eye, knocking her back to her knees. There was a painful throbbing around her eye socket as she felt Rainbow Dash’s knuckles land a blow. The skin around her eye slowly began to swell as she watched her vision getting tinged red with blood. Sunset rested one hand on the floor, trying to keep her balance as she held her other hand over her injured eye.

“W-why did you do that, Dash?” asked Sunset Shimmer, looking at her friend with her one good eye.

“Because… I saw the injuries you gave Twilight. She had five cuts, Sunset. Five. Cuts!” screamed Rainbow Dash, her hand balling into a fist as she spoke. “How could you do that to her…?”

Rainbow Dash stomped over to where the redhead was kneeling. Lifting her foot, she landed another blow to her abdomen. This time, Sunset completely fell, curling into the fetal position in front of her. That didn’t even make Rainbow Dash blink. All she felt was a red-hot burning rage pumping through her veins. Her friend, now lying on the floor, had injured the one person who had endured a similar experience. And although she hadn’t seen the lacerations herself, she had a sinking feeling there would be horrible scarring. All because of the redhead who was sitting in front of her.

“I’m so sorry,” said Sunset Shimmer, her wings wrapping around her injured body. “I-I didn’t mean to…”

“Oh, shut the fuck up, Demon Shimmer. Your apology came too late, and the damage is done. And you’ll be lucky if Twilight decides to even look at you.” Rainbow Dash punched Sunset in the arm, right where the self-inflicted lacerations were. It was hard enough to leave a bruise. “You are truly a monster.”

“Rainbow Dash, that isn’t okay!” shouted Applejack as she made her way up the stairs.

When she got to the top, the cowgirl stopped dead in her tracks. The sight of a bloody and bruised Sunset Shimmer curled into the fetal position had shocked the cowgirl. She met Sunset’s teary-eyed and fear-filled gaze. For a moment, she felt a wave of guilt as it washed over her, making her grip the railing. However, it only lasted a few seconds before she remembered what Sunset had done. And the reason why she had come up the stairs.

“Rainbow, watch your words. Just because Sunset injured Twilight doesn’t mean that she doesn’t still have feelings,” said Applejack.

“Why are you defending Sunset? Don’t you remember what she did to Twilight?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Don’t you remember the bandage on her arm and the red marks on it? Or did you suddenly decide not to help me?”

“I saw the bandage too, Dash! I was there when Twilight told us how she got that,” said Applejack. “But that doesn't mean we can jump to conclusions about Sunset.”

“Seriously? Sunset has claws, AJ. And she hurt Twilight with them,” said Rainbow Dash.

“I know that. I just don’t want you to beat Sunset senseless over somethin’ she might not have done purposefully,” replied Applejack, glancing over at Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset Shimmer shifted out of the fetal position and met Applejack’s eyes. “AJ is right, Rainbow. I didn’t intend to hurt Twilight. It was an accident.”

“Oh, come on! Are you telling me that you don’t have some doubts about Sunset? That there isn’t some part of you that doesn’t think she meant to do it?” asked Rainbow Dash.

That made the cowgirl go quiet. Rainbow Dash’s question made her realize that she did have some doubts. There was a voice in the back of her head telling her that maybe Sunset did intentionally hurt Twilight. Yet, she also could see the worried look in Sunset’s eyes, telling her that she didn’t mean for it to happen. Torn between the two thoughts in her head, Applejack looked away from the redhead. She couldn’t look at her as she realized that Rainbow Dash was right about her; she did have some suspicions about her. Despite her gut instinct telling her that the redhead was being honest about what happened, Applejack was unable to fight the doubt.

“Well…” Applejack’s voice lowered as she struggled to admit the truth. “I do have some doubts.”

“Oh…” was all that Sunset Shimmer could say as her ears flattened against her head.

“See? Even Applejack isn’t sure that you didn’t hurt Twilight on purpose,” said Rainbow Dash as she looked at Sunset Shimmer.

Applejack grabbed Rainbow Dash’s arm and said, “That is enough, Dash! Don’t berate Sunset when she is already hurtin’. I think you should leave her alone now.”

“No! I am not letting Sunset off the hook, not after what she did to Twilight,” said Rainbow Dash as she pulled her arm away from the cowgirl’s grip. “Why are you trying to stop me?”

“I am tryin’ to stop you because I don’t want you to go too far with Sunset. And although I do have my doubts about her intentions, I can’t let you beat her senselessly,” said Applejack, looking at Sunset Shimmer for a moment.

“Thanks, AJ,” said Sunset Shimmer as she wiped the blood off her lip.

“However, I can’t stay here and watch you if you choose to continue beating Sunset,” Applejack said as she turned her back to the two girls.

“What about stopping Rainbow Dash from beating me? Doesn’t some part of you still believe that I didn’t mean to hurt Twilight?” asked Sunset Shimmer, trying to keep her composure as she watched the cowgirl start to head back down.

“It’s not that I don’t believe you, Sunset. I’m just not sure if I should defend you right now,” replied Applejack as she paused mid-step and glanced behind her.

Sunset Shimmer watched as Applejack stood on the stairs for a moment and met her gaze. She was barely able to see through her one eye, but she could tell that Applejack was no longer on her side. It was apparent that she had made a mistake laying her hands on Twilight, but to see her friends turn on her like this? It cut at Sunset more than the whole Anon-A-Miss situation had. And that had been painful in its own right, especially considering that she had to watch all her effort in becoming a better person almost go to waste. Sighing, she rested her sore body back on the floor, preparing herself for whatever beatings would come.

“I am so sorry for what I did…” muttered Sunset Shimmer as her wing draped itself over her abdomen.

“Watch what you do, Dash. Don’t let your anger get the better of you. I don’t want to have to try and explain to the girls why you killed Sunset,” said Applejack before walking back into the living room.

“Okay, I will try to,” said Rainbow Dash, turning her attention to the redhead. “Now, to deal with you, you monster.”

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

Meanwhile, at the old electrical building, Springtrap was pacing back and forth, lost in thought. He was still fuming about his loss against Sunset Shimmer and the girls. His anger had gotten taken out on the nearby cement bricks, which now laid in a pile of brick dust. He wasn’t okay with the fact that she had beat him, not in the least. Growling, Springtrap picked up a nearby rock and threw it into the distance. As it landed in an area where there were some small bushes, it hit an electrical wire, causing several sparks to fly out. Seeing the flashes, he remembered the exposed wires that had transported him to the city.

“Hmm, I think I am going to call for some backup,” thought Springtrap as he walked towards where the sparks had appeared. “Assuming that I can figure out how to use the magic for that purpose.”

Once he got there, Springtrap looked around, searching for the source of the sparks. As he pushed past a bush, he saw that there was some electrical wiring hidden beneath an overgrowth of shrubbery. The rubber covering had gotten burnt to a crisp, making the black material brittle to the touch. And knowing that sparks had appeared when the rock made contact with it, Springtrap figured that it was a live connection. He found a spot where the black material was still somewhat pliable and carefully picked up the wire. Gently moving it around, he examined it, pondering what use it would have for him.

“This is similar to the wire that transported me here. Maybe I can call in the Phantoms using the magic I have stored.” Springtrap held out his other hand up, feeling the magic coursing through his circuits. “I just hope this works….”

Springtrap closed his eyes, feeling the magic from within him move towards the fallen wires. To keep his focus on the task at hand, he ignored the everyday sounds of the forest around him. In his mind, he tried to envision the Phantoms in front of him. Slowly, he felt a pull on the wire as though something was getting pulled through it and towards him. Springtrap dug his feet into the soft soil as he focused on that one thing, willing it to come closer. After a few minutes went by, he started to feel drained. Trying to pull the Phantoms from the game was beginning to drain his power supply as well as the magic that he had stored up. His vision began to swirl as his ability to remain conscious faltered. The strain on his circuits was almost too much, but he managed to keep pushing through it. As Springtrap felt his power supply drop even lower, he fell to his knees. Thankfully, after that happened, there was a shower of sparks as the Phantoms began to appear in front of him.

“Yes!” exclaimed Springtrap, jumping to his feet.

When the shower of sparks had subsided, Springtrap saw the Phantoms slowly beginning to materialize. The first to fully appear was Balloon Boy. He walked around and tried to take in the new surroundings. Behind him, Chica and Freddy were the next to appear. However, just as Balloon Boy turned around, he was trampled by the other two as they tripped. Foxy and Mangle materialized a few seconds later, standing where Chica and Freddy had stood moments ago. Just as their bodies had fully manifested into the new world, all of the Phantoms looked in front of them as the final member of their group appeared. It was the Phantom version of the Marionette, who remained passed out in the electrical building. Springtrap, having had to deal with the other Marionette for a while, groaned.

“Great. I forgot about you. Now, I’m gonna have two of you to annoy the shit out of me. Just fucking delightful.” Springtrap walked over to the Phantoms and pulled Chica and Freddy off of Balloon Boy. “If you six can gather yourselves, I have a job for you.”

“What is the job, Springtrap?” asked Mangle, her voice sounding garbled, almost staticky. “Cause I know that you wouldn’t bring us to this… place unless you needed something only we can provide.”

“I will tell you, but first, I need to recharge. Bringing you assholes here drained my power supply, and now I am barely able to function,” said Springtrap as he turned and walked back to the electrical building. “Follow me.”

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

At the school, Twilight Sparkle stood in front of the girls, her wings wrapped around her body. She was unsure of what to say to them, especially after Rainbow Dash and Applejack had left. And she didn’t want to explain what happened between her and Sunset Shimmer last night. Yet Twilight knew that she had to if she wanted to avoid Sunset getting beat up. The idea of having to relive the events was terrifying to her. She looked down at her arm and the red lines across the bandage, trying to remain calm while she fought against the memory of Sunset’s claws opening her skin. Just as Twilight was about to prepare herself to tell the girls about what occurred the night before, she saw Rarity turn towards her.

“What exactly did you mean by that it wasn’t like that, Twilight?” asked Rarity.

Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath, trying to keep her nerves from overwhelming her. Thinking about how she was going to explain the events of the night before to the girls wasn’t helping. Neither was panicking about what Rainbow Dash would do to Sunset Shimmer if they didn’t get there soon. So, gathering what strength she could, Twilight forced herself to speak.

“Sunset… didn’t intentionally hurt me. She grabbed me after I tried to leave my bedroom and refused to answer her question. However, I got angry and pulled my arm away, which resulted in her…” Twilight Sparkle tried to recall what happened last night, but it was like her brain didn’t want to work.

“Wait. What? You’re saying that Sunset tried to keep you from running away, and she accidentally injured you?” asked Fluttershy.

“Yes, Fluttershy. I still remember the look of regret on Sunset’s face when she realized what she had done to me. Even though I was scared and angry at her, I could tell that she never wanted that to happen,” replied Twilight Sparkle. “I feel bad that I yelled at her and pulled my arm away…”

“Did Sunset apologize?” asked Rarity, looking between Fluttershy and Twilight.

“Y-yeah, Sunset did. Or at least she tried to, but I wasn’t in the mood to listen to her.” Twilight Sparkle looked at Rarity, confused. “Why?”

“Good, that means that Sunset isn’t Demon Shimmer. And that Rainbow Dash is about to beat her up for no good reason,” said Rarity.

“Oh, dear. We can’t let that happen,” exclaimed Fluttershy, her voice cracking as she spoke.

“Fluttershy’s right. We have to save Sunset before she gets beaten to a pulp.” Pinkie Pie grabbed her car keys from her pocket. “Rarity, and I will take my car. Twilight, you can go with Fluttershy. I doubt your wings would fit in my car.”

“That’s fine, Pinkie Pie. I think I’ll fly there. What good does it do me to have wings if I don’t fly every once in a while, right?” asked Twilight Sparkle, winking at Pinkie Pie.

“Rightyo,” said Pinkie Pie. “Well, see you at Sunset’s place then.”

“Yep.” Twilight Sparkle walked out of the classroom, heading for the nearest exit while the rest of the girls walked to their cars. As she walked out into the student parking area, she opened her wings to their full size. With a single flap, Twilight launched herself into the air. “Please, don’t let Sunset get too injured.”

As Twilight Sparkle flew into the air, she saw her friends driving below her. With the bird’s eye view that she had now, she could also see Sunset’s apartment. She could see that it wasn’t far from the school. That made Twilight realize how she sometimes arrived at school before her. Glancing back at the road, she saw that the girls were still behind her. She flapped her wings again, gaining more speed as she lifted herself higher into the sky. Being so high up off the ground, she reveled in the feeling of the wind rustling through her feathers. It was still strange for Twilight to see her feathers and know that they were attached to her body. However, that didn’t stop her from enjoying the sensation of flying in the air.

“Now I understand why all birds enjoy soaring in the sky. It’s freeing…” thought Twilight Sparkle, closing her eyes for a moment.

Eventually, Twilight was right above Sunset Shimmer’s driveway. She dove down, slowing her speed as she neared the ground. As her feet touched the pavement, she let her wings fold up against her back. Glancing behind her, she saw Pinkie Pie’s pink Volkswagen pulling up to the apartment with Fluttershy not too far behind her. Not wanting to wait for them, Twilight ran into Sunset’s apartment, noticing that the door was already open. Just as she walked in, she got greeted by the sight of Applejack sitting on the couch.

“Applejack, where’s Rainbow Dash?” Twilight Sparkle asked, walking over to the stairs.

Applejack silently removed her Stetson and set it down on the couch next to her. “Dash is upstairs.” The cowgirl pointed to the bedroom. “With Sunset…”

“Do I want to know why you are here instead of defending Sunset?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

“No, I let Sunset down. I allowed my doubts to get the better of me, and I walked away,” replied Applejack.

“Okay, then. I have to help… Sunset.” Twilight struggled to say the words as she stepped onto the first step. “I don’t want to be here longer than I need to be.”

When Twilight Sparkle reached the top step, she stopped. In front of her was Rainbow Dash holding Sunset off the floor by the collar of her shirt. She could hear the redhead struggling to breathe as she fought to free herself from the chokehold of the collar. Her eyes lingered down to Sunset’s arms and legs, which made her notice the bandage on the side of her arm. That made Twilight wonder what happened to her after she left her house. She could see that there were big purple bruises up and down the length of Sunset’s body. The sight was enough to make her stomach churn, and Twilight covered her mouth as she looked at the redhead.

“Oh my god! What has Dash done to her?!” thought Twilight Sparkle as she struggled to keep her eyes locked on Sunset.

As Twilight went to meet Sunset’s gaze, she saw that she had a black eye. And she could tell that the other one had swollen shut, with some blood running down the side of her nose. She noticed blood dripping from the redhead’s mouth as she tried to gasp for air while attempting not to choke on the red liquid. It was all too clear that Rainbow Dash hadn’t spared the redhead any mercy when beating her. Before Twilight had a chance to say anything, Rainbow Dash dropped Sunset to the floor, her foot aiming for another kick. Unable to watch the scene, Twilight looked away just as she saw the athlete’s foot kick Sunset’s back right below her wings.

“Ahhh!” screamed Sunset Shimmer as she felt a blow to her spine.

Sunset Shimmer, unable to move, just laid there on the ground. As she felt Rainbow Dash kick her again, all she could do was let out a weak whimper. It was painful, but there was nothing she could do. Sunset knew that if she fought back, it would result in more blows to her body. And by now, she wasn’t in any condition to fight back. Her body was weak and sore from all the injuries she had sustained. Another kick landed on her back, this time lower than the first two, and it made her double over. Then it was followed by a fourth kick. It was harder than the previous one, causing the toe of the athlete’s shoe to cut her skin. As Sunset felt the blood trickling down her back, it reminded her of the nightmare.

“Come on, bitch! I am not done with you!” shouted Rainbow Dash as she picked Sunset Shimmer up slammed her against the railing of her bedroom loft.

“Rain-Rainbow Dash, please, st-stop,” begged Sunset Shimmer as she looked behind her. She gasped as she saw that the stairs were right below her. “Pl-please, D-Dash!”

As Sunset Shimmer felt her back get shoved harder against the metal railing, she let a gasp slip from her lips. Unfortunately, she was too weak to do any more. And her mind was struggling to remain focused on the athlete as she glanced over at Twilight. Seeing her after the nightmare she’d endured, it was enough to make her hope that it wasn’t true. Yet, Sunset knew that after what happened last night, things weren’t likely to go back to the way they were. And although she hoped that Twilight would be willing to forgive her now, Sunset could tell that she wasn’t going to do that for a while.

“I am so sorry, Twilight. I should never have lied to you…” thought Sunset Shimmer as she felt Rainbow Dash push against her.

Sunset watched as Twilight turned away from her gaze after a few moments. Her heart ached at the sight of her closest friend no longer being able to look at her. And getting called Demon Shimmer repeatedly wasn’t making it any better. However, her physical pain took precedence over the emotional torture she was enduring. Sunset looked at Rainbow Dash as she applied more pressure to her chest, making the metal bar dig into her back. She bit her lip, causing her fangs to create another cut.

“Rainbow Dash, let go of Sunset and step away from the railing,” Twilight Sparkle said, stepping closer to the two girls. “She’s already suffered enough, can’t you see?”

“No, Sunset hasn’t, and this isn’t her. It’s Demon Shimmer! Sunset is gone!” shouted Rainbow Dash as she glared at the redhead.

“Rainbow, I know you’re mad at Sunset for what she did, but this isn’t how you’re supposed to deal with it. Don’t you think I am mad at her and want to take it out on her as well?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

Rainbow Dash met Twilight’s gaze. “Yeah, it’s why I am doing this.”

“I don’t want you to beat Sunset up just because she injured me,” said Twilight Sparkle, trying to keep the athlete calm.

“Twi, I have to do this. I am sorry.” Rainbow Dash turned to Sunset Shimmer and pushed her over the railing.

“Sunset!!” shouted both Twilight Sparkle and Applejack as they watched her fall.

Sunset Shimmer felt her back, and wings slam into the edge of the stairs, forcing them into her skin. The impact made her back, and shoulder blades hurt even more. And the sudden force of her body hitting something substantial had knocked the breath out of her. A scream escaped from Sunset’s throat as she felt some of the bruises hit the edges of the stairs. One of her arms hit the corner with enough speed that the skin split open upon impact. She watched the blood pool and slowly poured itself down the stairs, closing her eyes after a few moments. The pain of having her exhausted body tossed over the railing seeped any strength she had to keep her eyes open any longer. Besides, Sunset couldn’t look at Twilight anymore, not after what she had said last night.

Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy walked in and had gotten greeted by the sight of Sunset lying on the stairs. They gasped as they saw all the bruises and cuts she had sustained. Her nightshirt was drenched with her blood, practically staining it red. It was also stuck to her body as Sunset was sweating heavily. And due to blood loss and the pain, her skin was a bit paler than usual. It was a shock to see the redhead so beaten and broken, especially since she was the toughest of the group. Just as Rarity stepped towards her, Rainbow Dash sped down the stairs and stood by the desk.

“S-Sunset?!” shouted Rarity as she ran over where the redhead was. “What happened to you?”

Sunset Shimmer coughed and pointed to Rainbow Dash. “Dash… came into my room… and beat until I looked like this....” Sunset’s voice was weak and strained as she struggled to talk through her sore throat.

Rainbow Dash scoffed. “That’s not Sunset; it’s Demon Shimmer. Why can’t you guys see that?!”

“Stop it, Dash!” shouted Applejack as she slammed her fists against the couch. “Sunset’s not Demon Shimmer; she’s our friend. And you have gone too far while I… stood by and did nothing to stop you.”

“Wait. Is that true?” asked Rainbow Dash, her demeanor suddenly shifting from angry to regretful. “Is she really Sunset?”

“Rainbow, dear, I hate to tell you this, but yes, Sunset is herself. If you hadn’t left in such a hurry, you would’ve known that,” replied Rarity, glaring at the athlete as she gripped Sunset’s hand.

“Oh…” was all that Rainbow Dash could as she saw the angered expressions of the girls. “I think I’ll leave now…”

As Rainbow Dash made her way to the front door, she heard a weak call out her name. She stopped and turned to see Sunset looking at her. It made her cringe to see the black eye she had given the redhead. However, compared to the rest of the cuts and injuries, it was nothing. Seeing her like that was almost too much for the athlete to bear. Yet, her eyes never left the sight of her injured friend as she struggled to comprehend what she had done. Rainbow Dash could see that she had gone too far with her attack. And because of her actions, Sunset was severely beaten and battered. All because she was angry at Sunset, and she had jumped to a conclusion. One that had gotten proven wrong by the girls.

“Just like what happened with Ruby Star…” thought Rainbow Dash, looking away from Sunset Shimmer.

“Please…” Sunset Shimmer started to cough, making more of her blood coat her lips. “D-don’t go. I… forgive you.”

The room went quiet as Rainbow Dash heard what the redhead said. She blinked, looking wide-eyed at her. She couldn’t believe that she’d be willing to forgive her. Yet, there was a part of Rainbow Dash that was glad that she had. Unfortunately, it didn’t do much to quell the guilt she felt. Staring at Sunset, she forced herself to stay for the moment to hear her out.

Clearing her throat, Rainbow Dash said, “What?”

“I said,” Sunset Shimmer tried to push herself into a sitting position, but her arms gave out. “I forgive you, Rainbow.”

“But why?” asked Rainbow Dash as she made her way over to Sunset. “I didn’t listen to you or the girls and beat the shit out of you. I mean, I gave several bruises and cuts. Hell, I just shoved you over the balcony because I was angry. You’re only injured because of… me, Sunset.”

Sunset Shimmer glanced up at Twilight Sparkle. For a few brief moments, their eyes met. She could see that Twilight was still scared of her. And she couldn’t blame her, especially considering what she did. Like Rainbow Dash had done, she made an assumption about Twilight. Sunset thought she wouldn’t have been able to handle her demonic self. Yet, the fact she had remained mostly calm as she revealed the changes proved her wrong. Although, it did do little to make the redhead forget that she had gotten careless, which ended up making her injure Twilight in her attempt to keep her from running away. And it made her stomach churn and knot up as she realized that her choice to conceal it from her had hurt Twilight in the process.

“I have forgiven you because I have made some bad mistakes before too. Besides, I kind of deserved that for what I did to Twilight. I wasn’t the greatest friend to her.” Sunset Shimmer looked at Rarity. “Rarity, would mind helping me to the couch? These stairs aren’t as comfortable as some might think.”

“Sure, dear, Applejack, sweetie?” Rarity saw the cowgirl look at her when she called her name. “Would you give me a hand with Sunset? My stitches might get pulled if I try to help her by myself.”

Leaving her Stetson on the couch, Applejack made her way to where Rarity and Sunset were sitting. It shocked her to see the number of bruises that Sunset had all over her body. Her hands shook as she tried to keep herself calm. However, looking at the injuries and seeing what she allowed Rainbow Dash to do wasn’t helping. And Applejack’s anger rose as she saw the blood coating Sunset’s nightshirt. She was horrified at what she had allowed to happen, though she forced herself to kneel next to the redhead. Carefully, she slipped one arm underneath her legs, trying to avoid as many of the bruises as she could. Yet, just as Applejack was about to do the same with Sunset’s back, she stopped.

“Uh, is this goin’ to hurt you, Sunset?” asked Applejack, avoiding the redhead’s gaze.

“Yes, but there is nothing you can do to avoid it, AJ,” replied Sunset Shimmer as she lifted her one arm. “Besides, I don’t think I would notice the pain with the rest of my body aching.”

“Okay, I will do my best to avoid causing you more pain.” Applejack slipped a hand beneath Sunset’s wings, ignoring the awkward feeling of touching the leathery appendages. “Let’s get you to your couch.”

Getting lifted so quickly made Sunset Shimmer sling both of her arms around the cowgirl’s neck. She wasn’t used to getting picked up, let alone as if she was as light as a feather. That made her tail twitch, instinctively reacting to her sudden fear. She held on tight to the cowgirl as they made their way to the couch. A small groan slipped from Sunset’s throat as she felt herself getting set down onto the soft cushions of the sofa. Despite her sticky, blood-coated clothes, she was somewhat comfortable. Taking a deep breath, Sunset looked at the girls, who had gathered around her.

“I’m guessing Twilight told you all what happened, right?” Sunset Shimmer saw Twilight Sparkle walk past her, heading to the kitchen. “And that’s why Rainbow Dash attacked me?”

“Well, um, yes,” replied Fluttershy. “But Rainbow only got half the story. And Twilight also said that it was her fault that she had gotten injured.”

“Yeah. Twilight said that you apologized right after the incident happened,” added Pinkie Pie as she sat down next to Sunset. “Although, she got real quiet after that and didn’t seem to want to say anymore.”

“Well, I tried to apologize, but Twilight didn’t exactly listen. Did she tell you why that happened in the first place?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“No, Twilight didn’t. How did that happen anyway?” Applejack asked, putting her Stetson back on and leaning on her hand.

Sunset Shimmer sighed. “It happened because I was stupid and couldn’t handle letting Twilight run off. So, I grabbed her arm and kind of yelled at her when she refused to answer my question.”

“What was your question, Sunset?” Rarity looked from Applejack to the redhead, waiting for her to respond.

“I was asking Twilight why she had gone back on her promise not to judge me for… this,” replied Sunset Shimmer as she gestured to her appearance. “And that is when I allowed my anger to get the better of me, and I grabbed her arm.”

“What happened after that?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Twilight panicked, and I asked her if she still saw me as the same person now that she knew about Demon Shimmer. Unfortunately, I forgot about my claws, and when Twilight yanked her arm away, I realized my mistake,” Sunset Shimmer said as she looked down at her hands.

“Woah, that sounds bad. What did Twilight do after she yanked her arm away?” asked Pinkie Pie.

Sunset Shimmer sighed. “Twilight blasted me with her powers and ran out of her bedroom. And that was after she screamed her answer at me…”

“What was Twilight’s answer to your question? Did she see you as the same person?” asked Fluttershy, nervously twirling her hair as she spoke.

“I wish I could say that Twilight saw me as the same person, Shy. However, that isn’t what happened. She doesn’t see me as the same anymore; all she sees is a monster,” replied Sunset Shimmer.

That made the girls fall silent as they exchanged worried looks. No one was sure of what to say next, especially since they could see the pain in Sunset’s eyes. A few minutes of awkward silence passed before Sunset coughed again, breaking it. Once her coughing fit subsided, she looked up from her hands and over at the kitchen area. Standing by the kitchen window was Twilight, who was not paying any attention to her or the girls. Sunset’s gaze drifted down to her arm, where the bandage was still covering the lacerations that she caused. Her breathing quickened as she remembered how she had gripped Twilight’s arm and terrified her in an attempt not to lose her. And unbeknownst to Sunset, her fangs extended as a result while her hands gripped the edge of the couch.

“Wow, I seriously fucked up with Twilight last night,” thought Sunset Shimmer as she looked away from Twilight.

“Yep, that you did,” said the redhead’s inner voice. “You should’ve known that Twilight was going to be hurt that you chose to lie to her. Besides, admitting that you likely wouldn’t have come clean if it weren’t for the situation didn’t help.”

“Oh, great. You’ve come back to remind me that I have messed up. I thought that what I did with Twilight would’ve shut you up,” thought Sunset Shimmer.

“Well, it didn’t shut me up. And you can’t get rid of me that easily, Sunset. I am your conscience, I will be around for as long as you are alive,” replied Sunset Shimmer’s conscience, sounding snarkier than usual.

“Just shut up and leave me alone now! I want to talk with my friends, not you,” Sunset Shimmer thought as she stole another glance at Twilight Sparkle.

“Fine, I will.”

Sunset Shimmer waited, but her inner voice said nothing else. Gently leaning back against the back of her couch, she was careful not to injure her wings any more than they already were. Besides, she was in enough pain as it was thanks to Rainbow Dash’s ambush beating. As soon as her sore body hit the soft cushion, she felt her body relax and let go of the built-up tension. Sunset took a deep breath and watched the slow rhythm of her chest rising and falling. It was a relief to have a moment of peace with the girls. The last two weeks had been rough with rogue animatronics trying to kill them and having her geode malfunction, which resulted in her reverting to Demon Shimmer again. Between that and the nightmare, Sunset had enough things tormenting her.

“I’m gonna talk to Twilight for a minute,” said Applejack as she got off the floor and dusted off her skirt.

“Okay,” said Sunset Shimmer, looking up at the cowgirl. “I hope Twilight is alright…”

As Applejack walked out of the living room, Rarity joined the redhead on the couch and rested her hand on her shoulder. “How well did Twilight take to your uh, recent changes?”

“At first, Twilight was a bit unnerved when she saw what happened to my face, and that caused her to faint. However, when she woke up, Twilight seemed less scared of it and wanted to see the rest. And it was after I had shown her my wings that she panicked and tried to run away…” replied Sunset Shimmer as she struggled to tell the fashionista what occurred that night.

“I’m sorry, Sunset. I’m sure Twilight will come around… eventually.” Rarity squeezed Sunset’s shoulder. “However,” she turned to Rainbow Dash, “I believe someone owes you an apology. Right, Rainbow?”

Rainbow Dash nodded. She had barely looked at Sunset Shimmer after the girls had stopped her from beating her up. Instead, she chose to keep her gaze on her hands, which made her realize that her knuckles had gotten scratched up from punching Sunset so hard. Her jaw muscles clenched as she fought against her disgust at what she did. Sunset was her friend, and Rainbow Dash had jumped to a conclusion based on one part of an explanation. And now, she felt the heavy weight of her choices bearing down on her. After a few minutes, she shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket and made eye contact with Sunset. She did her best to ignore the numerous injuries she had caused, which made her feel uneasy as she looked at them.

“I’m sorry, Sunset. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions about what happened.” Rainbow Dash’s voice seemed quieter, lacking her usual bravado. “I wish I could take back what I said to you.”

Sunset Shimmer gave the athlete an appreciative smile. “It’s alright, Dash. I understand why you did it, and I don’t blame you. However, I am going to be sore for a while, and the fall from the balcony didn’t help, but I’ll recover.”

“Thanks. By the way, what happened to your arm, Sunset?” asked Rainbow Dash as she pointed to the bloodied bandage on the redhead’s arm.

“Oh, that? Yeah, I kind of injured myself with my claws when I got home last night. Now I know how Twilight felt when I... “ Sunset Shimmer trailed off as memories of Twilight pulling her arm replayed in her mind.

“Wow... “ said Rainbow Dash, shifting her gaze to the floor. “That looked like it hurt a lot.”

“I didn’t notice the pain. At the time, I was distracted by the pain of Twilight telling me that I was a monster in her eyes. So, I didn’t realize I had injured myself until a few hours later when I found several trails of blood running down my arm,” Sunset Shimmer said, glancing at the bandage on her arm.

“Damn, Sunset,” said Rainbow Dash. “Now, I regret not listening to Twilight and hearing her explanation.”

“Yeah... “ replied Sunset Shimmer. “I wasn’t in the greatest mindset last night.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “And I don’t think I helped by beating you senselessly because I made a stupid decision.”

“Well, as I said, Dash, I don’t blame you.” Sunset Shimmer shifted on her couch. “If I had been in your position, I would’ve done the same. I should’ve listened to you girls when you said that I should tell Twilight the truth.”

“Yeah, you should’ve,” said Rainbow Dash.

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

“Hey, Twi,” said Applejack as she walked into the kitchen. “Want some company?”

Twilight Sparkle jumped at the sound of the cowgirl’s voice in the otherwise quiet kitchen. She turned around and saw the cowgirl leaning against the counter behind her. Her wings draped themselves over her shoulders as she looked down at the ground. Twilight had listened to Sunset explain what happened when she saw her appearance, and she knew that it was probably why Applejack had come to talk to her. Sighing, she decided to hear what Applejack had to say. Besides, Twilight knew deep down that she had messed up when she broke her promise to Sunset and that eventually, she’d have to answer for it.

“Do I have a choice? I know that you heard what Sunset said,” replied Twilight Sparkle, looking up at the cowgirl.

“You’re right; I know what Sunset said. And that’s why I came here to talk to you,” said Applejack as she walked over to Twilight and rested her hands on the sink counter.

“I’m guessing you're going to ask why I broke my promise to Sunset, right?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

“Yeah. Why did you break your promise, Twilight? Was seein’ Sunset’s demonic self really that bad?” Applejack’s tone was stern, yet there was a hint of concern beneath it.

“I broke my promise because I was scared of Sunset.” Twilight gripped her arm as flashes of Sunset’s claws ripping her skin open appeared in her mind. “I still am, even now. Seeing her look so vulnerable as Rainbow beat her, it didn’t change anything. I can’t see past her appearance or the fact that she hid it from me for so long…”

Applejack looked out at the kitchen window as she said, “I understand that you’re scared of Sunset, but that’s not an excuse to break a promise. So, what’s the real reason you tried to leave after she showed you her uh, appearance?”

“I was scared, that’s all,” said Twilight Sparkle, not wanting to admit the real reason she tried to run from Sunset.

“Twilight,” Applejack rested her hand on Twilight’s forearm, “I know that’s not true. Why are you lyin’ to me?”

“I’m not lying. I just don’t want to admit that I was hurt and angry at Sunset for keeping that from me. It’s bad enough that I have a physical reminder on my arm,” replied Twilight Sparkle as she glanced at the living room.

Twilight watched as Sunset talked with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. The scene brought back the memory of the night she had spent at her apartment after they had first encountered the animatronic kids. She remembered how Sunset had comforted her when she was examining her scars from the Friendship Games. As Twilight felt the lingering sensations of Sunset’s hand on her shoulder, she shuddered. How could someone who was there for her lie about their past? And why couldn’t she see through the lies sooner? Twilight grew frustrated at the fact that, despite all her efforts, she still cared for Sunset.

“Why must you make me fall in love with you, Sunset? How come you are so beautiful, loyal, smart, caring, and you don’t care about my scars? You make it impossible to be mad at you, and yet, you also make it so easy…” thought Twilight Sparkle.

“It’s okay that you’re angry at Sunset for what she did. What did you do after you came back?” asked Applejack, pulling the bookworm out from her thoughts.

Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat and looked at the cowgirl. “I told Sunset that I was done with her lying to me. After that, I said that I couldn’t be her friend anymore, that I never want her to acknowledge me again.”

“Wow, that is harsh. Do you regret sayin’ any of that?” asked Applejack.

Twilight Sparkle raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think that I regret telling Sunset that?”

“You keep lookin’ at Sunset, and I can tell that you don’t want her to ignore you. Plus, I can tell that you still care for her by the way you defended her,” replied Applejack.

“Fine, you’re right about me. I do regret telling Sunset to ignore me, but that doesn’t change what she did. She had no right to lie to me for so long and to make you girls do the same,” said Twilight Sparkle as she caught Sunset’s eye for a moment.

“You have a point, Twilight. Sunset shouldn’t have lied to you, and we shouldn’t have either. However, that doesn’t mean you had any right to break your promise.” Applejack pulled her hand off of Twilight’s arm. “She deserved better than that, and you know that.”

“Sunset deserved better than me breaking a promise? What about what she did to me, AJ? She lied to me and then said that if it wasn’t for the fact she had gotten transformed back into… into Demon Shimmer that she would’ve likely not told me at all. So, do you still think that Sunset deserves better?” asked Twilight as her wings stretched out in response to her growing anger.

“Yes, I do. Sunset is my friend – our friend. And you shouldn’t have made a promise you couldn’t keep,” said Applejack, her voice rising in volume as she spoke.

“And what exactly was I supposed to do, AJ? Say something?” retorted Twilight, losing her temper with the cowgirl.

“Yes!” shouted Applejack. “You could’ve said that it was too much for you. Somethin’, anythin’, not just runnin’ off without sayin’ why.”

“Oh? And do you think it was easy for me to say that I got hurt by the fact that my best friend didn’t trust me? Don’t you think that I didn’t want to do that to Sunset, that I wanted to say something before running off?!” Twilight Sparkle yelled back, making the redhead look at her.

Sunset Shimmer heard the commotion and got off the couch. As she made her way into the kitchen, she stopped by the counter. Twilight had backed away from her as she entered the room, something which didn’t go unnoticed by the redhead. Hard as she tried to, Sunset couldn’t fight the hurt at seeing Twilight act so scared of her. She knew it was because of what she had done, and there was no way to take that back. There was nothing she could do but wait and hope that Twilight would eventually come around. Yet, standing there and watching her act like she was going to hurt her, made Sunset wish that she’d never kept her past a secret.

Clearing her head, Sunset Shimmer said, “Is everything okay?”

Twilight Sparkle looked away from the redhead. “No.”

“Sunset, can you please give Twilight and me a moment to figure this out?” asked Applejack, her tone sounding calmer as she spoke.

“Yeah. I’ll leave you two alone. Besides, I wouldn’t want to spook Twilight any further.” Sunset’s wings draped themselves over her shoulders as she glanced over at Twilight before leaving the kitchen.

As the redhead sat back down on the couch, Applejack turned her attention to Twilight. “Look, I ain’t sayin’ that it wasn’t hard for you to do what you did. And judgin’ by the pain in your eyes every time you look down at your arm, I’m guessin’ it wasn’t easy.”

“No, it wasn’t. And today, Trixie showed me a video of Sunset transforming into Demon Shimmer, which made me realize how little I knew about her and what she endured,” said Twilight Sparkle.

“Wait a minute. Trixie recorded Sunset’s transformation?” Applejack was shocked to learn that the magician had witnessed Sunset turning into Demon Shimmer and recorded it.

“Yeah. Trixie made me watch the video after she saw me avoiding you and the girls.” Twilight Sparkle sighed. “I wish I hadn’t seen it, AJ. The sound of Sunset screaming in pain, it has embedded itself in my head. I can’t forget it.”

“Wow, I didn’t realize Sunset had gone through that much pain,” said Applejack.

“Neither did I…” Twilight Sparkle said, looking down at the floor.

“You should apologize for breakin’ your promise, Twilight. It’s the least you could do,” said Applejack. “It’s okay to be angry and hurt by what Sunset did, just don’t use it as an excuse to hurt her back.”

“I know, Applejack. But right now, I can’t stomach talking to Sunset, let alone looking at her.” Twilight Sparkle looked up from the floor and saw Sunset Shimmer meet her gaze, her cyan eyes filled with concern. “And I am not sure that I can continue being friends with her after this, either…”

Applejack stepped in front of Twilight, blocking Sunset’s view of her. “Well, before you decide whether or not you are going to walk away, you have to make amends for breaking your promise. You need to own up to your actions. I know Sunset hurt you by keeping her past a secret from you, but she cares for you. From what I know, she was trying to let you in only to have you push her away. And seeing you trying to leave out of fear hurt her feelings.”

“I am aware that Sunset cares about me, AJ. Trixie showed me the video for that reason, even though she knew that Sunset was likely to hate her for it. And that is why it hurts so much to have her lie to me…” said Twilight Sparkle. “As for why I tried to leave, I was just overwhelmed by all of it. I still am, even now, that I see her acting like her usual self.”

“I don’t need to hear your reasons for trying to run from Sunset. And I’m not saying you have to apologize for being angry or hurt. Just do the right thing and say you’re sorry for taking it too far before you tell Sunset that you can’t be her friend anymore,” said Applejack as she stepped back and turned away from Twilight. “She needs to know that you never meant to break your promise to her. And that you are aware of the pain it caused her.”

Twilight Sparkle watched as the cowgirl walked out of the kitchen, leaving her in the empty silence. The cowgirl’s words echoed inside her mind as she watched Sunset talking with the girls. And they carried a truth that she couldn’t deny. Twilight had seen the pain in Sunset’s cyan eyes when she met her gaze. And she heard it when she recalled the events of the night before, despite her attempts to tune it out. Even as she tried to run away from her feelings, Twilight couldn’t ignore the pain she had caused Sunset. She couldn’t shut out the voice in her head that reminded her that she broke a promise. Sighing, Twilight turned her attention away from Sunset and the girls, looking out the kitchen window.

“Applejack’s right, I have to apologize for what I did. Sunset didn’t deserve to get yelled at when she was trying to talk to me. She might’ve told me about her past if I hadn’t shut her out…” thought Twilight Sparkle as she rested her arms on the counter. “If only I hadn’t gotten so scared of her appearance and of getting hurt again.”

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

Rarity, who was still sitting next to Sunset Shimmer, looked up and saw Applejack walking towards her. She glanced behind her and saw that Twilight was back at the window, which made her worry about what happened. Getting off the couch, she approached Applejack as she leaned against the back of it. Rarity could see that her green eyes had grown dark as worry clouded them.

“Is everything alright, Applejack?” asked Rarity.

Applejack sighed. “Yeah, I’m just worried about Twilight. The fight between her and Sunset has really spooked her. And I’m wonderin’ if she’ll be alright…”

“Twilight just needs some time. She’s recently learned about Demon Shimmer and that we kept it from her per Sunset’s request.” Rarity turned to the redhead. “No offense.”

“None taken,” replied Sunset Shimmer. “And I hope you’re right, Rarity.”

Sunset Shimmer shifted her gaze from Rarity to Twilight, who was now standing with her back turned towards the kitchen window. For a single moment, they looked at each other, and Sunset could see that Twilight had gotten burdened with guilt because of her actions. She could see that her mulberry eyes glistened with unshed tears. That made her want to comfort her, but she thought better of it. Twilight’s reaction to her approaching earlier still played in her head on repeat. And Sunset knew that it was better not to make it worse. So, she returned her attention to the fashionista and the cowgirl.

“Well, I reckon we should head home now. We all have homework that we gotta do, and we all have school tomorrow,” said Applejack as she adjusted her Stetson.

“Applejack’s right. We should be heading home. Besides, Sunset needs some rest,” said Rarity as she turned from her girlfriend to Sunset Shimmer. “Will we be seeing you at school tomorrow?”

Sunset glanced back at Twilight, wondering if she could handle seeing her at school. She knew that Twilight wanted to be away from her. And she had to respect her wishes if she wanted any chance to repair the damage. Her heart clenched at the sight of Twilight standing so far from her. It took all of Sunset’s will power to remain seated on the couch and not walk over there. Every part of her wanted to hug Twilight while apologizing profusely, hoping that it would be enough to fix what she had done. However, she forced the thought aside and resigned herself to answering the fashionista’s question.

“Uh, I was actually thinking of visiting Sunblaze tomorrow. I, uh, have a lot of things I want to think about before I return to school. And I don’t think Twilight is ready for me to be there either,” replied Sunset Shimmer.

“Wait. Aren’t you worried about your attendance? I doubt Principal Celestia is going to let it slide without asking questions,” asked Rainbow Dash, propping her elbow up on her knee.

“Yes, I am worried about it, Dash. But if I show up to school looking like this, Principal Celestia is still going to ask questions. She might even ask more if she sees all the bruises you gave me,” said Sunset Shimmer as she got off her couch.

“Okay, you may have a point.” Rainbow Dash followed suit, walking behind Rarity and Applejack as they headed towards the front door. “So, see you on Thursday, then?”

“Yeah, but I am not looking forward to having to wear that stupid hoodie,” replied Sunset Shimmer as she looked at the blasted piece of fabric. “It makes me lose my balance because my wings are confined. And it feels ridiculous to hide them, but I don’t have the luxury that Twilight does.”

“I’m sure looking like Demon Shimmer again has its drawbacks, but don’t you think there are some upsides to it?” asked Rarity, standing in front of Sunset.

“Maybe there is, Rarity, but I don’t see them. All I see are the downsides, especially with Twilight. I wish she never had to find out like this…” said Sunset Shimmer.

“Give her time, dear. It’s a lot that Twilight has recently learned about you,” Rarity said as she looked at Applejack. “Well, we should be going now.”

Following behind Rainbow Dash, Rarity walked out the front door with Applejack in tow. Behind them was Fluttershy, who gave Sunset a gentle hug, trying to be mindful about the bruises that covered her body. As she pulled away from the embrace, she gave the redhead a small smile. And although she tried to disguise it, Sunset could see that Fluttershy was worried about her and the fact that she was so injured. Grabbing Fluttershy’s hand, she pulled her closer and looked her in the eye.

“Thank you, Fluttershy,” said Sunset Shimmer.

“For what, Sunset?” asked Fluttershy.

“For reminding me that just because I look like Demon Shimmer, it doesn't change who I am on the inside. I’m still Sunset, just with wings and a tail,” replied Sunset Shimmer, chuckling as her tail twitched behind her. “I needed that reminder, especially after I went to Twilight’s place last night.”

“You’re welcome, Sunset. And remember, you never have to hide around us. Just be yourself, Demon Shimmer and all,” said Fluttershy as she let go of the redhead’s hand. “See you on Thursday.”

“Bye, Shy,” said Sunset Shimmer, watching the animal lover walk out the front door.

The next to leave Sunset’s apartment was Pinkie Pie. Her hair had somehow deflated and lost some of its bright pink color. And her expression was not a happy one. Instead, her smile had faded into a frown as her bubbly demeanor disappeared. Seeing Rainbow Dash act so mean towards Sunset had ruined her mood, but only for a bit. As Pinkie Pie approached Sunset, she produced a cup with her cutie mark on the side.

“Oh, by the way, here Sunset. This is your peppermint cocoa. I was going to give it to you this morning, but you didn’t show. So, I made a new one and brought it to you.” Pinkie Pie held out the cup.

Sunset Shimmer grabbed the cup with her least injured arm. “Thanks, Pinkie. Your peppermint cocoa is the best and just what I need today.”

“Yay!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie, her hair gaining some of its pink color and bounce back as she skipped towards the front steps and her car. “Enjoy, Sunset!”

Sunset Shimmer smiled, but as she turned around, she saw Twilight slowly approaching her. Seeing that Twilight was still scared to be close to her, Sunset stepped away from the door. As she watched her walk past, she noticed the blood-soaked bandage on her arm. Images of Twilight pulling away and her claws slicing through her skin replayed in her mind. They made Sunset feel queasy as she tried to push them aside. However, the task proved to be more challenging than she thought. And looking at the result of her choices wasn’t helping any. She made her way to the stairs and began to head up to her bedroom. Sunset couldn’t stand to watch Twilight avoid her like she had the plague. Just as she was halfway up the stairs, she heard the door click close as Twilight left her apartment.

The redhead stopped walking for a moment and looked at the door. “Oh, Celestia. What have I done…?”

“You fucked up, that’s what you did,” replied Sunset’s conscience.

“Just shut up,” thought Sunset Shimmer as she made her way into her bedroom.

Walking over to Ray’s terrarium, Sunset pulled the lid off and reached in. Ray crawled onto the palm of her hand, and she lifted him out. She was glad that he didn’t seem to mind her appearance or claws. It was a nice change from seeing Twilight fear her every time she tried to approach her. Setting him down the bed, Sunset sat down on the floor next to him and leaned against her mattress. Her body was sore, but it didn’t matter at the moment. All she could think about was Twilight and how she could fix things. There had to be a way to get through to her and get her to listen, she just knew it.

Turning her attention to Ray, Sunset Shimmer said, “Sorry you had to see me getting beat up. I know that you would’ve done something if you could’ve.”

Ray nodded, letting out a soft chirp.

“It’s okay, Ray. I may be a bit sore, but I’m still in one piece, which is more than I can say for my friendship with Twilight. I wish there were some way I could get her to hear me out…” said Sunset Shimmer as she rested her head on the bed.

Ray glanced behind him, an idea coming to him. He walked over to her journal and let out a loud squeak.

“What is it, Ray?” asked Sunset Shimmer as she turned to look at her pet gecko.

The little gecko tapped his front foot on the cover of the journal.

“What about my journal? Is this an idea for how I can talk to Twilight?” Sunset Shimmer sat on her bed, moving the journal closer to her.

Ray nodded in response and tried to open the heavy journal.

Sunset saw Ray struggling and opened the front cover for him. Just as she did that, he scurried across the paper, pointing his foot at the writing on it. “Do you want me to write to Twilight?”

Ray nodded again, happy that his owner understood what he was trying to tell her.

“Ray, that is a great idea. I’ll write a letter to Twilight and give it to her. I just hope she reads it,” said Sunset Shimmer.

Ray let out a joyous squeak.

“Thank you, Ray.” Sunset picked up Ray, and he nuzzled her cheek. “I am so happy that I have you.”