Five Nights at Equestria Girls

Sunset Shimmer blinked as she saw the morning light pouring into her bedroom. After a few seconds, she squinted to avoid getting blinded as she sat up. Her body ached as she moved and shifted on her bed. She felt a stinging pain in her left eye, reminding her that it had gotten punched straight on.

“Guess all those karate classes Rainbow took paid off. She can punch, hard…” thought Sunset Shimmer as she lazily swung her legs over the side of her bed. “Well, at least, today, I get to see Sunblaze.”

Stumbling her way down the stairs, Sunset saw the dried blood that she had forgotten to clean last night. With her body feeling hurt and exhausted from changing her clothes, tending to her injuries, and making sure she had dinner, it made her pass out on her bed. Yet, despite a good night’s rest, Sunset was still too sore. It felt as though she got slammed into a brick wall at 100 miles per hour. Although, knowing that she had gotten thrown against a wall didn’t help her feel any better. As she walked, she could feel her muscles complaining and protesting to the movement. Sunset pushed through the pain and made her way into her bathroom.

Once she was inside, Sunset spotted the vial which held her contacts. Walking over to her sink, she grabbed them and stared at the bottles for a moment – memories of the last two days replayed in her head. The frightened expressions of all the girls and how Twilight tried to hide the fact that she was scared made her hand tremble as she tried to ignore the pain. Sunset considered wearing the contacts for a moment. She knew that going to a public place, even one with very few people like Canterlot City Ranch, was a considerable risk. Yet, there was a part of her that no longer wanted to hide anymore. Plus, her eyes still hurt from the blows, and she wasn’t willing to suffer through any more pain. So, Sunset set the vial back down and looked at her reflection.

“I hope this risk is worth it. I don’t think that I can take anyone else freaking out on me,” said Sunset Shimmer as she grabbed her sunglasses off the counter and headed towards her closet.

Sunset Shimmer rummaged through her closet, searching for shirts that had holes already made. She was tired of ruining her clothes and wanted to limit the damage as much as possible. As it was, she would have to get rid of many of her clothes, most of which were her favorites. She was less than happy that she would have to restock her wardrobe, all thanks to her massive wings. And that was assuming that the cumbersome leather nuisances would disappear. Sunset hoped that they would – and soon. She was dreading the thought of having to hide forever because she feared retribution. Her past wasn’t great, and Demon Shimmer had been a physical reminder of her past self. Although she had the advantage of flight now, it wasn’t worth it when the price was losing the one person she loved. Grabbing a blue shirt off a hanger, she closed the door.

“Why did I keep my past a secret from Twilight? Why couldn’t I trust her as she had trusted me…?” thought Sunset Shimmer as she sighed. “No wonder she hates me now that she knows the truth…”

“You know, it’s going to suck when I have to give you up. Especially… ” Sunset Shimmer walked over to where her old leather jacket was sitting. She ran her hand along the tears created by her wings. “When I have to get rid of you. After all, you were my favorite jacket to wear. And there are so many memories…”

For a moment, Sunset looked at the jacket’s worn leather of the jacket as she remembered the Fall Formal and the Battle of the Bands. Though, after a few minutes of reminiscing, she set it down and changed out her nightshirt. As she slipped into her blue shirt, she felt her wings slide into the holes they had previously made. Sunset flinched as she relived the blows Rainbow Dash landed against them. She moved her shoulders around, feeling the pain from her still sensitive bruises on her back. After she remained still for a minute, she continued getting changed. It was a bit challenging, but she did what she could not to give in to the pain. However, that task was almost impossible to do with every part of her body aching. Yet, Sunset still managed to push through by reminding herself that it was a year and a half since she first met Sunblaze.

Sunset Shimmer made her way down the stairs, grabbing her hoodie on her way to her living room. She had tossed it along with her keys onto her desk in her hurry to get the attic. And looking at it now, all it did was remind her of what happened when Twilight saw her appearance. She didn’t want to wear it. Yet, Sunset knew that she had no choice if she wanted to keep her situation under wraps. So, reluctantly, she pulled the fabric over her head and wings. The pressure of having the hoodie press against the leathery appendages reminded her that she had to be careful. Although her bruises did hurt considerably less than they did last night, it was barely an improvement.

Running into the kitchen, Sunset grabbed her gloves and an apple as she didn’t have enough time to make breakfast. She wanted to be at the ranch before the crowds just in case her sunglasses slipped. Putting on her gloves and taking a bite of her apple, she picked up her helmet and apartment keys. With them in hand, Sunset walked out of the front door and headed towards her motorcycle after making sure that her door was locked. She got to her bike and stopped for a moment.

“Crap. This is going to hurt like hell. Great, just what I needed this morning.” Sunset Shimmer laid a hand on the handlebars. “Why did you have to beat me up so much, Dash? Why?”

As Sunset slipped her helmet over her jacket’s hood, she slowly began to sit down on her motorcycle. Biting her lip, she forced herself to swing her leg over and lowered herself onto the bike. Once she was fully sitting on it, the pain in her thighs eased up, no longer feeling as though needles were getting shoved into her legs at the same time. Sighing, Sunset inserted the key into the ignition. She gripped the throttle and revved the engine for a few seconds. She wanted to see how her body would react to the vibrations caused by the engine.

“Okay, not too bad. Hopefully, my body won’t mind the twenty-minute ride from here to the Canterlot City Ranch,” Sunset Shimmer said as she eased up on the throttle.

Kicking up the kickstand, the redhead backed out of her driveway and headed down the street. Surprisingly, she was able to enjoy the morning ride. The sun’s yellow rays shone down on her, and she was barely aware of the vibrations caused by her motorcycle. Her body didn’t seem to ache as much now that she was moving around more. However, the redhead did have to shift her position a couple of times to avoid hurting herself. After a few stops, which made the usual twenty-minute long ride a forty-minute one, she finally arrived at the ranch.

“Wow, it’s been a while since I have been here apparently. I didn’t know that they added another building,” said Sunset Shimmer as she pulled up her helmet visor.

“That’s because that’s the new stables,” said a voice behind Sunset, making her spin around.

“Who are you?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. My name’s Scarlet Sunlight. I’m the new ranch hand here,” replied Scarlet, introducing herself.

“Ah. And what happened to Dawn? She always used to work here,” asked Sunset, taking off her helmet, being careful to keep her hood up.

“Oh, Dawn still works here, but now she is the manager. She got promoted last month. So, I took her place.” Scarlet Sunlight walked up to Sunset. “You're here to visit Sunblaze, right?”

“Yeah. I have been visiting Sunblaze off and on for the last year and a half. And today I’m making up for missing the anniversary of me meeting her,” replied Sunset Shimmer as a broad smile appeared on her face. Yet, as soon as she smiled, she forgot about her fangs. Seeing Scarlet jump, she turned away. “S-sorry…”

“D-did I just see you with… fangs?” asked Scarlet Sunlight, barely muttering the last word.

Sunset Shimmer gulped, her throat suddenly feeling dry. “Uh, no?”

“I don’t believe you, but I’m not going to push. Instead, I’m going to leave and hope that what I just saw was a dream.” Scarlet Sunlight stepped back from Sunset, seemingly more afraid of her now. “So, uh, Sunblaze is in the new stable, in the fourth stall. All of her tack is in the room at the end of the hall. Bye!”

Sunset Shimmer sighed with relief as she watched Scarlet run back to the building behind her. She was grateful that Scarlet didn’t push the matter about her fangs. It was bad enough that she had slipped up in keeping her changes hidden. And Sunset didn’t feel like having to deal with a scared stablehand. Thankfully, nothing happened, and now she was free to see Sunblaze. However, seeing Scarlet get frightened by her brought back images of Twilight’s fearful reaction, nearly dampening her good mood. As she pushed any thoughts of Twilight aside, Sunset put her helmet back on.

Revving her engine, Sunset made her way over to the dirt area just behind the original stables. She could smell the familiar scent of hay and horses. Inhaling deeply, it reminded her of home back in Equestria. After a moment, she was able to find her usual parking space, which Dawn had marked with her cutie mark. Sunset turned off her motorcycle and looked over at the new stables. She was glad that the parking area was close to them. Having to walk a far distance in her current outfit would likely raise some suspicion. And she was sure that other riders wouldn’t be as friendly as Scarlet, even if she had been nosey. As Sunset took off her helmet, she was careful to keep her face hidden. She slipped the helmet onto her handlebars and got off her bike. Tucking her keys into her hoodie pocket, she walked over to the new stables.

The redhead walked into the stable and got hit with the new building smell. She also noticed that several paint cans were sitting by the door. It was evident that it had gotten built recently. Scanning her new surroundings, she saw hay bales sitting in front of all the stalls. It seemed that every stall had its own supply of hay for the day. Seeing the bales of straw, Sunset almost felt a craving for them. However, that was a passing urge as her body reminded her that she was a human girl, no longer a small pony. In front of her was a long row of horse stalls. Looking down at the one end, she noticed that the numbers labeling each booth went up to 14. On the other one, they went down to zero.

“Huh, I didn’t know they had added that. Guess they are trying something new,” thought Sunset Shimmer as she glanced at the stalls.

“Sheesh, that’s a lot of stalls. Thank Celestia that Sunblaze is in stall number four,” Sunset Shimmer thought as she followed the descending numbers, hoping to find Sunblaze.

One by one, the horses that Sunset Shimmer walked past freaked out and stepped away from her. She rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the pain of seeing that. Being a pony from another world, she found it both offensive and hurtful that this world’s horses would act like this. Just because she was a bit different right now didn’t mean that she was dangerous. Yet, Sunset couldn’t blame them for acting on the basic instincts, even if it hurt. She passed stall ten as she began to wonder if Sunblaze would freak out too. Deep down, she hoped that her friend wouldn’t. After all, she was still her rider. And that would be enough, right?

“Okay, so I am standing in front of stall number… eight.” Sunset Shimmer walked down the hallway, finding stall number four. “And that means… this is your stall, Sunblaze.”

Sunblaze, who was munching on some of her oats, perked her head up. Her ears twitched in the direction of where she heard her name. As she looked in the direction, she saw a very familiar hoodie. That was the hoodie her rider had occasionally worn the few times she had visited her. Happy to see her rider after so long, Sunblaze walked up to the stall door and stuck her head out.

“S-Sunset?” thought Sunblaze as she spotted the familiar flame-colored hair poking out from the hood she was wearing.

Sunset saw the familiar muzzle poke out from above the stall door. She instantly recognized the broad white blaze on the horse. Looking at it, she also saw the red-gold eyes it had. Knowing who those eyes belonged to, she smiled. As Sunset got closer to the horse, she spotted the lovely reddish-black coat. That made her smile wider. She felt like a kid in a candy store as she approached the animal. When she got close to the door, she outstretched her hand to pet Sunblaze. However, the horse stepped back and whinnied while rearing her head up, sounding a bit frightened. Sunset sighed.

“You have noticed that something is off about me, didn’t you? There is something underneath these clothes, but it isn’t pretty.” Sunset Shimmer stepped back from the stall door. “I will leave if you want me to.”

Sunblaze nickered. “Don’t leave, please. I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“Are you sure that you want me to stay?” Sunset stepped back towards the door, her hand on the latch. “You seemed rather frightened of me when I approached you.”

“Yes, I do want you here. I miss you.” Sunblaze pawed at the ground and tossed her head. “Besides, that new girl Scarlet barely hangs out with me. I think she hates me.”

Sunset Shimmer opened the latch and swung the door open as she stepped into the stall. She closed the door behind her before focusing her attention back on Sunblaze. Making sure to give her enough space, Sunset took a few steps further into the stall. She didn’t want to spook her by accidentally doing something too soon.

“Hmm. Scarlet seemed to be nice. But then again, maybe she hates mustangs, especially pretty ones like you.” Sunset Shimmer held her hand out towards Sunblaze, a pleading look in her eyes, despite the sunglasses shielding them from view.

“Hmph. If Scarlet does indeed hate mustangs, then it’s her loss. We are amazing creatures. And we’re smarter than we seem,” said Sunblaze.

When Sunblaze saw that Sunset Shimmer had held out her hand, she looked at it hesitantly. Her senses were telling her that something was wrong, but this was her rider. Sunset was someone she had known for about a year and a half, and someone she trusted. So, ignoring her senses and instincts, she approached her rider. And slowly, Sunblaze pressed her muzzle against her palm. The weirdness of feeling the leather glove against her fur made her pull away briefly. She soon rested her muzzle against her rider’s hand again, enjoying her gentle touch. However, Sunblaze felt something sharp inside the thick leather material.

“So, will I see what you are hiding underneath that ridiculous hoodie of yours?” asked Sunblaze.

“Maybe, but when we’re in a less public area, okay? I don’t want the other riders or horses to freak out,” replied Sunset Shimmer, giving Sunblaze’s muzzle a few scratches.

“Okay. Now, are you going to brush me? Cause my back is starting to itch, and it’s driving me crazy,” asked Sunblaze, stepping back as her one back leg twitched.

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “Yes, I’m going to brush you. Just give me a minute to find your brush, okay?”

"Fine. Just hurry, please. This is getting more unbearable every minute that I stand here,” said Sunblaze, letting a small nicker escape.

With that, Sunset Shimmer walked out of the stall, making sure to close the door behind her. Following the instructions Scarlet gave her, she was able to find the tack room. Sunset made her way inside and found that it had gotten organized very differently from the previous tack room. Nothing was where it originally had been. And to make matters more confusing, it seemed that the new tack room got redesigned. As Sunset looked around, she noticed that the walls hadn’t even got painted yet. She could see – and smell – the new wood.

“Wow…” Sunset Shimmer picked up a nearby brush. “This equipment looks so… new. I wonder why they changed things,” said Sunset as she set the brush down.

Walking further into the new tack room, Sunset found that it was much bigger than the one she had gotten used to. The further she got, the more pungent the smell of new wood became. She began to make her way into the maze of cubbies as she searched for Sunblaze’s. When Sunset made one turn, she saw that the new hallway looked the same as the last one. She had to double-check to make sure that she did not see doubles. A few times, she had gotten lost with all the turns and the unchanging walls around her. Eventually, Sunset was able to find Sunblaze’s cubby. Inside of it was all brand new equipment. None of her old equipment was there.

“Fuck! They threw out all of my stuff. It looks like I didn’t show up in time to save it,” said Sunset Shimmer as she grabbed her new brush. “Well, at least they gave me new equipment. Can’t be too mad about that.”

Now with her brush in hand, Sunset made her way back out. After navigating the confusing maze-like tack room, she was finally free. Walking down the hall, she saw another rider pass her. Pulling her hoodie down, she averted the rider’s gaze. Sunset didn’t want to make the same mistake that she did with Scarlet. However, just as she was a few feet from them, she felt a hand on her arm.

“You’re Sunset, right?” asked the person.

“Ye-yeah,” replied Sunset Shimmer. “Who are you?”

“I’m Violet Night,” said Violet Night. “We met once at the animal shelter, remember?”

“Oh, right. I got covered in cake, and you were in a hurry,” replied Sunset Shimmer. “That was a fun birthday, even if I had to spend a few hours scraping cake icing off my walls.”

Violet Night nodded. “Right, sorry about that. I had something to deal with, and I needed to leave.”

“Well, it was nice to meet you, Violet,” said Sunset Shimmer, looking over at Sunblaze’s stall. “However, I must be going now.”

“Yeah, no problem. Nice meeting you too, Sunset,” replied Violet Night before letting go of Sunset’s arm. “Bye.”

“Bye,” said Sunset Shimmer, watching as Violet walked away.

Sunset took a deep breath, thankful that Violet Night didn’t seem to notice her appearance. She returned to walking back to Sunblaze as she recalled the day she had first met Violet. Something about her seemed off then, almost like she was hiding a secret. That made Sunset wonder what it was that Violet felt she had to keep hidden. As she looked behind her, she saw Violet adjusting her jacket sleeve. Her curiosity piqued, but she pulled herself away and focused on the task at hand. Now was not the time to investigate someone else who may seem shady, even if they were growing closer to Fluttershy. As Sunset approached Sunblaze’s stall, she could see that she was pushing against the door. She laughed at the sight of her being so impatient.

“Alright, alright. I have the brush. Now, stop leaning against the door, or you’ll topple over when I open it,” Sunset Shimmer said as she gripped the latch.

“Okay, I’m not leaning against the door anymore. Now, open it!” shouted Sunblaze.

“Sheesh, you’re impatient today.” Sunset unhooked the latch and swung the door open. “It’s like you don’t get brushed every day.”

Sunblaze, excited to have the door finally opened, whinnied cheerfully. Not wasting any time, she walked out of her stall, her footsteps making the floor vibrate with each step. It was nice to stretch her legs and get some exercise since her morning time in the corral got cut short. She stopped once she was standing out in the hallway. Shaking her head in utter frustration, Sunblaze looked at Sunset.

“Well? Come one! Don’t just stand there, brush me. It’s not often that I get to be brushed by you,” said Sunblaze, sounding very demanding.

Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. Carefully stepping closer to Sunblaze, she placed the brush on her back. She made one stroke, but she already heard her sigh with relief. Figuring that she got that annoying itch, she continued with the grooming. While Sunset brushed her horse, her mind wandered to Twilight Sparkle. Her friend’s behavior on the night that she revealed herself was still present in her mind. It was one thing to see her push her away. Yet, it was another to see her look so… scared. Hard as she tried, Sunset couldn’t forget the look of pure fear Twilight gave her.

“Hey, watch where you dig those bristles in, will you?” asked Sunblaze, jerking away from Sunset slightly.

That made Sunset stop brushing Sunblaze’s back and look at her. She had gotten so lost in her thoughts that she had zoned out. That was unusual for her. Yet, these days it was becoming more and more common. It seemed that her thoughts just wanted to stay on Twilight. However, Sunset knew that there wasn’t much she could do to fix things. Twilight refused to talk to her or acknowledge her presence. And it was her choice to decide whether or not their friendship was over. Despite her worries, Sunset hoped that Twilight would be willing to stay as her friend, even though she had made a mistake.

Stepping back from Sunblaze, she set the brush on a nearby hay bale. “Oh, sorry. I hope I didn’t hurt you too much.”

“You didn’t, but you do seem distracted. Do you have a lot on your mind?” asked Sunblaze as she nuzzled Sunset’s side.

“Yeah… A lot has happened since we last talked. By the way, I am sorry that I don’t come around more often.” Sunset Shimmer absentmindedly scratched Sunblaze’s neck. “Lately, it seems life keeps me more than busy. I barely even have time for myself.”

“Sunset?” Sunblaze met Sunset’s gaze, somehow seeing past the sunglasses her rider as wearing.

“Yeah?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“I do miss you, but I know life gets busy. However, I can tell something has happened between you and your friends. You don’t seem as happy as you usually would,” said Sunblaze. “So, don’t bother trying to hide it from me.”

“Sunblaze? Can I tell you something, mare to mare?” Sunset Shimmer leaned in, whispering into Sunblaze’s ear.

“Yeah. What is it, Sunset?” Sunblaze asked.

“I’m glad you and I can talk. And that you know me well enough to know when something is wrong. It’s nice to be my real self with someone. Or some horse in this case,” said Sunset Shimmer as she chuckled and smiled at Sunblaze.

“Me too. By the way, how are we able to communicate? I have always wondered why I can talk to you but not other humans,” Sunblaze asked while taking a bite of the hay bale next to her.

“Honestly, I think it is because I am a pony from a world of magic. That’s the only explanation because I didn’t get my geode until long after I met you,” replied Sunset Shimmer.

Sunblaze stopped eating the hay as she saw Scarlet Sunlight walk towards them. She picked her head up as she saw her approach Sunset. Narrowing her eyes, she stepped close to her rider. She wanted to make it clear that Scarlet’s presence was not wanted. Seeing that the blonde-haired girl glared back at her, Sunblaze snorted. This so-called snob who was trying to act like she was the popular girl wasn’t going to get under her skin. Not if she had anything to say about it.

“Relax, Sunblaze. It’s just Scarlet,” said Sunset Shimmer, trying to act like she wasn’t having a mental conversation with her horse.

“Sunset, I would appreciate it if you would keep your… horse from eating the hay. It’s supposed to be for later,” said Scarlet Sunlight, a condescending tone in her voice.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset Shimmer said, “Okay, I will. Sorry for breaking one of your rules.”

“Whatever. Just don’t let it happen again,” said Scarlet Sunlight.

Nodding, Sunset saw the blonde walk away from them. When she saw Scarlet flick her hair back with one hand, she felt herself wanting to snicker. It was evident that she was trying to act like she was popular. And Sunset could see that Scarlet was trying too hard, which only made Scarlet’s attempt all the more annoying to her. She struggled to keep from laughing as she noticed Scarlet nearly tripping over her feet. Sunset turned to Sunblaze and raised an eyebrow.

“Wow, Scarlet seemed so much nicer earlier,” whispered Sunset Shimmer, not wanting Scarlet to overhear their conversation.

“Yeah, well, that’s an act. Scarlet loves luring people in and attacking them. I have seen three riders take their horses and leave because of her,” replied Sunblaze, sneaking another bite of the hay bale.

The redhead saw that and pulled Sunblaze away from the hay bale she was munching on.

“Stop that! Do you want that blonde bitch over there to scold us again?” asked Sunset Shimmer. “Cause if so, she might kick you out.”

“No, I hate that bitch. She always slams the door, startling me. I know that she’s aware that I hate loud sounds. I swear she does it just to irritate me.” Sunblaze pawed at the ground, raising her head. “But for you, I will behave… for now. Later on, though, I may kick her, aiming for her oversized head.”

“Haha, Scarlet would deserve that. But maybe let another horse at the stable do that,” said Sunset Shimmer.

“But why? I want the glory of being able to damage Scarlet’s ego,” whined Sunblaze, her eyes doing what most would describe as a horse version of the puppy dog eyes look.

“Well, I don’t want the heartache of losing you, okay? I would miss you,” replied Sunset, her voice lower than usual as she imagined the pain of losing Sunblaze.

Hearing the pained tone in her rider’s voice, Sunblaze nudged her cheek with her muzzle. She felt Sunset wrap both hands around her neck and kiss her. As she felt Sunset kiss her, that's when Sunblaze realized that she had fangs. The whole time that she talked with her, she noticed that the redhead always hid her mouth. And now she knew the reason behind her strange behavior. Yet, instead of freaking out and risk hurting her feelings, Sunblaze just stood still. She wanted to enjoy the feeling of having Sunset’s hands rubbing her ears.

“Okay, you’ve convinced me. I will let another horse have all the glory. You’re too important to lose as well,” Sunblaze said as she kissed Sunset, nearly knocking off her sunglasses in the process.

Sunset Shimmer gave Sunblaze another kiss, happy to see that her horse cared enough to keep herself out of trouble. She rested her head on her neck, enjoying the warmth and smell of Sunblaze. It was comforting to her. Plus, the heat helped her feel better and ignore her aching joints. After having moved around so much, Sunset barely noticed the pain of her bruises. She was also glad that her hoodie had long sleeves and that she had chosen to wear jeans. Getting strange looks from passers-by because she changed her clothes and odd behavior was enough. Sunset wasn’t in the mood to get any more looks because she had gotten badly beaten and bruised. It would’ve ruined her day and turned it into a nightmare. And she didn’t want to have another one, especially after the one she had before Rainbow Dash woke her up.

Sunblaze, feeling Sunset resting her head against her neck, smiled. Right now, she was the happiest she had been in a while. Whenever Sunset was around, she always felt better. Whether it was because she and Sunset had a very close bond or simply because her rider once was a pony from another world, she didn’t know. However, what she knew for sure was that any day with Sunset became a guaranteed good day. Sighing, Sunblaze wanted to stay in the moment. She didn’t want anything to stop it. It was one of those moments that horses and people alike would hold onto for those sad, rainy days. Knowing that it was a fleeting moment, she made sure to memorize Sunset’s touch, scent, and every little thing about her. With Sunset coming around less and less often, it made these moments more pleasant. They were worth more than gold and worth every second of torture she endured from Scarlet.

“Please, Sunset. Don’t let this moment go. I love you, even if we barely see each other. My love for you stays. So, please treasure this moment… for me,” thought Sunblaze as she pressed her body against Sunset’s smaller one.

After a few minutes, Sunset stopped leaning against Sunblaze. She walked away and grabbed her lead rope, which was conveniently hanging near the entrance with Sunblaze’s name over it. Today, she wanted to go out for a ride. Making her way back over to her horse, she attached the lead rope to her halter. With the rope securely attached, Sunset led Sunblaze out of the stable. They walked over to where there was some fencing for the riders to tie their horses. She tied the rope around the wood, making sure it was secure.

“Okay, Sunblaze. I am going to get your saddle and bridle.” Sunset Shimmer patted Sunblaze before walking away.

As she walked back into the stables, Sunset saw Scarlet near one of the horses. She rolled her eyes and made her way to the tack room. Looking around, she tried to find where the saddles and bridles were stored. She was almost lost in the maze-like hallway. Taking another turn, Sunset found a section where there were saddles and bridles for each horse mounted on the wall. Each one had a horse’s name over it, making it easier for her to spot Sunblaze’s spot. She made her way over to the so-called ‘Saddle and Bridle Area’ and found Sunblaze’s saddle set in the site.

“Wow, they went all out for organization. It helps, but maybe the labeled areas such as this one is a little bit of an overkill,” said Sunset Shimmer as she grabbed the saddle.

When Sunset picked up the saddle, she saw the blanket for it draped over a rack. Deciding that she had to take out the saddle first, she walked out. It was much heavier than she remembered it being. And combined with her sore arm, it was an almost impossible task to carry it. As Sunset made her way out of the stables, she picked up her pace. Once she was standing next to her horse, she put the heavy saddle on the fence. Her lungs were burning from the amount of effort it took to carry it.

Sunblaze nickered. “What’s wrong? That saddle too heavy for a former pony like you?”

Sunset Shimmer, resting her hands on her hips, glared at Sunblaze. “No, I am just out of shape.”

Sunblaze tilted her head to the side, knocking Sunset off balance temporarily. “I’ll say. You used to be quicker on your feet. Now you move like a snail.”

“Okay, okay. I see your point. I’ll be back, I have to get your bridle and blanket,” said Sunset Shimmer, giving Sunblaze a quick kiss on the nose.

“Hope they won’t be too heavy for you,” shouted Sunblaze as Sunset walked back into the stables.

A quick trip back to the tack room and Sunset Shimmer had the bridle and blanket. Being much lighter than the saddle, she was able to carry them with one hand. Walking back out of the stables, she felt Scarlet Sunlight bump into her shoulder, shoving past her with her horse in tow. Sunset let a low growl escape, making Scarlet’s horse jump in response. She snickered and walked back over to Sunblaze. She set the bridle and blanket on the fence next to the saddle and rested a hand on Sunblaze's neck.

“See what I mean? Scarlet’s a bitch,” said Sunblaze.

Sunset Shimmer patted Sunblaze’s neck. “Calm down, Sunblaze. Scarlet’s not worth the energy. Besides, wouldn’t you rather enjoy your ride with me?”

“Wait. We’re going for a ride today?!” asked Sunblaze, letting out a joyful nicker.

“Yep. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have lugged out this heavy saddle,” said Sunset Shimmer, patting the leather saddle with her hand. “Now, shall I saddle you up?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” exclaimed Sunblaze, tossing her head up in excitement.

Smiling, Sunset grabbed the blanket from the fence and tossed it over Sunblaze’s withers. She pulled it back, smoothing the hair underneath it. She checked the blanket and made sure there were no wrinkles. Once that got completed, Sunset lifted the saddle and gently set it down on Sunblaze’s back. She checked the left side, making sure that it was balanced. She did the same for the right side as well. Finishing that, the redhead smiled to herself.

“Glad to see that I still remember how to do this.” Sunset Shimmer flung her left stirrup over the saddle horn, giving her access to the cinch strap and ring. “I am going to tighten your cinch straps now, okay? Let me know if they get too tight.”

“Okay, I will let you know,” replied Sunblaze.

With confirmation from Sunblaze, Sunset gripped the cinch strap and looped it through the ring, making sure to keep it somewhat taut. Next, she threaded it through the saddle ring, pulling it down towards the bottom ring. Repeating what she did earlier, Sunset created a singular loop. However, she saw that the cinch strap was still a little too long. So, she repeated the process, making two loops. Finally, she gripped the innermost coil and tugged on it.

“Is that too tight?” Sunset Shimmer asked, still keeping her hand on the strap.

“It’s fine. Not too tight or too loose,” replied Sunblaze, meeting Sunset’s gaze. “Glad to see you can still saddle me properly.”

“Oh, haha. Just don’t let the air out of your belly. I don’t feel like hanging upside down,” said Sunset Shimmer as she flung each stirrup back down.

“I can’t make any promises.” Sunblaze nickered and pressed her muzzle into Sunset’s side. “Now, come on. Let’s ride.”

Sunset Shimmer unbuckled the halter, sliding the first part over Sunblaze’s ears. “First, let’s get this halter off you. Then we can go riding.”

The redhead unhooked the lead rope as she slipped the last part of the halter over Sunblaze’s muzzle. Setting both of them down on the fence, she grabbed the bridle. As Sunblaze saw the bridle, she lowered her head. She had gone through the procedure many times and knew exactly what to do. The reins were draped over her withers as Sunset prepared to put it on. She slipped the headpiece over Sunblaze’s head, holding the noseband in her other hand. She held the bit to her horse’s lips and waited for her to open her mouth. Without hesitation, Sunblaze opened her mouth, allowing Sunset to slide the bit into it. Once it was sitting comfortably between her horse’s teeth, Sunset fastened the buckles and stood back.

Grabbing the halter and lead rope, Sunset made her way back into the stables again. She set the halter on the same hook with the lead rope, making it easier to gather them later. With that done, she walked back over to Sunblaze. Sunset placed her one foot in the stirrup and gripped the reins along with part of Sunblaze’s mane. With her right hand grabbing the saddle’s mantle, she pushed up with her other foot and swung herself into the saddle. She made sure to take her right hand off the mantle as she moved. Bending down, Sunset put the other stirrup around her foot before sitting back up.

“Wow, I forgot how it felt to be in the saddle,” said Sunset Shimmer, shifting around a bit to get comfy. “It’s a lot less comfortable when you haven’t been in one for a while.”

“I’ll bet. Also, you seemed to have gotten heavier. Have you been eating an excess of hay?” asked Sunblaze.

“No!” shouted Sunset Shimmer. “I can’t eat it. I am a human in this world, not a pony. I do miss it occasionally, though.”

“Well, maybe lay off the pizzas then,” replied Sunblaze.

Rolling her eyes, Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “Come on, let’s go already.”

Sunset Shimmer turned Sunblaze, facing the trail leading away from the stables. Pushing her claves against Sunblaze’s stomach as she pulled slightly on the reins, she urged her forward. In seconds, her horse started to walk. Wanting to move faster, Sunset dug her heels a bit into her horse’s hindquarters. She felt Sunblaze respond, entering into a canter. She held onto the reins as her body moved in rhythm with her horse. Some of her bruises brushed against the saddle, reminding her that they were sensitive. Yet, it was nothing Sunset couldn’t handle. She allowed herself to relax and enjoy the ride.

As they got onto the trail, the ride became less smooth. Due to the uneven dirt road, Sunset got jerked around a bit as Sunblaze tried to avoid stepping on some large pebbles. Sighing, she tried her best to manage the pain. However, every move Sunblaze made when she stepped on a rock or twig caused her knees and thighs to slam into the saddle. Thankfully, the trail was short and led into a smoother, grassier path. With the grass replacing the dirt, the ride became a lot less bumpy. Sunset found herself staring off into space as she let Sunblaze walk down the path.

“Hey Sunset, can we stop somewhere and eat? Cause I am hungry. You did, after all, interrupt my breakfast,” said Sunblaze as she slowed to a stop.

Patting Sunblaze’s neck, Sunset Shimmer said, “Sure. Besides, I completely skipped breakfast to get here for you.”

Sunblaze let out a happy whinny. “Good. Now, where should we rest?”

Sunset Shimmer looked around. There were a few paths that went off the primary way that they were on. One looked like it hadn’t gotten used for a long time. The bushes and brambles were overgrown and threatened to cut them should they dare to take it. Moving one from that trail, she found another one that seemed relatively well used. The bushes looked like they had gotten trimmed recently so they wouldn’t bother the riders and their horses. Looking down the path, Sunset saw that there was no one around. That was a good sign for her. She didn’t want anyone nearby, especially if she planned on showing Sunblaze what happened to her.

“Let’s go down the left path, Sunblaze. There’s no one there, so we should have the field to ourselves,” said Sunset Shimmer as she tugged on the reins, turning Sunblaze towards the path.

Walking down the grassy path, the field slowly came into view. As Sunset looked, she saw that the green grass stretched for miles. It was like an endless sea of green. If the grass hadn’t got cut short, she was sure that someone could easily get lost in it. She and Sunblaze encountered a hill, and she felt the sudden effect of the incline. Tightening her grip on the reins, Sunset let Sunblaze reach the top. Once they arrived, she recognized the tree sitting in the middle of it immediately. Carved into the trunk were two letters and a date. When Sunblaze came to a halt, Sunset dismounted and ran over to the tree.

“I remember this! I carved it the day we met.” Sunset Shimmer traced the carving, surprised to see that it was still there.

Waking up to the tree, Sunblaze smiled. “Ah, yes. You did that… what was it now? A year and a half ago to this day?”

“Yep. It’s the reason I visited you today. I couldn’t just leave you alone on this special day.” Sunset looked at Sunblaze, noticing the smile she had. “Do you still remember that day?”

“Do I?! I have never forgotten it. The question is, do you remember it?” asked Sunblaze.

“I do…” Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes and rested her hand over the carving, letting her mind wander back to that very day. “I was with Fluttershy, and it was about a month after the Fall Formal…”

*Flashback*

Fluttershy and Sunset Shimmer walked into Canterlot City Ranch’s stables. As soon as the redhead entered, she got hit with the strong scent of hay and horses. It was a familiar yet strange scent. It almost reminded her of her old home back in Equestria, but things were different now. She had a home here, and hopefully, friends. And lately, Sunset couldn’t bear the thought of returning. Not after all that she had done at the Fall Formal and to her former mentor, Princess Celestia. She was jolted back to reality when she felt a soft tap on her shoulder.

“Um, Sunset? Are you, uh, coming?” asked the shy-sounding person.

The redhead turned around to see the animal lover behind her. She had almost forgotten why she had come to the stables in the first place. It was some volunteer work that she had signed up for, especially when she saw that Fluttershy didn’t have many volunteers. Besides, Sunset wanted a chance to make up for what she had done to the shy girl. She needed to apologize for her actions.

“Oh, sorry. Yeah, I am coming,” replied Sunset Shimmer, her hand resting on her neck as she tried to avoid any eye contact.

“O-okay. Well, follow me. The horse we’ll be helping out today is over here,” said Fluttershy.

Sunset followed Fluttershy down the hallway. They stopped after passing by five horse stalls, which were all empty. When they got to the sixth one, she saw a glimpse of a reddish-black coat and a mane that was a maroon-gold mix. Stepping closer to the gate, she noticed what appeared to be a scrawny-looking horse inside the stall. There were big patches of fur missing, and there was mud caked all around the bottom of its hooves, running up its legs. It looked like it had lost a war with a mud puddle, a very deep one. As Sunset stood at the door, she saw the horse’s eyes meet her gaze. That gave her a good look at the unusual eye color that the horse had. In all her time in this world, she had never seen a horse with red-gold eyes. Yet, it was amazing how beautiful they were. Too bad that horse’s unhealthy appearance hid their beauty beneath it.

“What happened to it?” asked Sunset Shimmer, her attention turning to Fluttershy, who now joined her by the door, though there was some good distance between them.

“Her. It’s a mare. And she was rescued from an abandoned farm. The owners just left, leaving her to starve and die,” replied Fluttershy, her voice breaking as she said the last part.

Sunset Shimmer knew that Fluttershy was a big animal lover. She had seen her passing out flyers for the animal shelter many times. Sunset cringed as she recalled how she acted when she found out that Fluttershy turned the crown over to Principal Celestia after she got hit in the head with it. It had angered her a lot at the time. And she knew that what she did wasn’t likely to be forgotten. However, it was nice of Fluttershy to allow her to help.

“Wow, that is so sad. Why would they do that to such a beautiful creature?” asked Sunset Shimmer, stepping back from the door.

“I don’t know. But today, you and I are going to clean her up and make sure that she doesn’t have any physical injuries.” Fluttershy grabbed a lead rope, which was hanging on the wall next to the stall. “Do you know how to lead a horse?”

Sunset Shimmer waited a moment before responding. “Uh, actually, I do.”

“How?” asked Fluttershy as she opened the stall door.”I thought you were still new to this world. Or do you lead horses where you come from?”

“We don’t do that in Equestria. But when I first came here, I became interested in horses and horseback riding,” replied Sunset Shimmer as she walked into the stall alongside Fluttershy.

“Really?” Fluttershy was shocked to hear that Sunset was interested in horseback riding. She never pegged the former school bully as a horse rider.

“Yeah, I had a lot of free time without any friends…” Sunset Shimmer looked down. Not wanting to continue the conversation, she said, “May I? I may be able to help her, coming from a world of talking ponies.”

Fluttershy handed the lead rope to the redhead. “Be my guest.”

Sunset, taking the lead rope, turned her attention to the mare. She could see that the massive animal was visibly shaking. Deciding not to stress her out, Sunset slowly made her way closer. She kept her hands out and made sure to stay in the mare’s line of sight. She knew enough about scared or stressed horses to avoid making the situation any worse. When she got within two feet of her, she stopped moving.

“Hey girl, I am just going to hook this to your halter, okay?” said Sunset Shimmer, her voice calm and soft.

The mare whinnied, sounding very nervous.

“Please, don’t come near me! Please!”

The words sounded inside the redhead’s mind. She whirled around, wondering who said them. But aside from her, the only other person in the stall was Fluttershy. And she wasn’t moving, let alone speaking. So, that left Sunset confused and wondering where the mysterious voice came from. Figuring she must’ve just imagined it, Sunset focused her attention back on the mare. Reaching a cautious hand towards her, she grabbed the halter.

“Please, don’t hurt me!. Please...”

There was that voice again. Sunset Shimmer looked up at the mare. Furrowing her brows, she let go of the halter. Taking a step back, she saw the mare looking right at her.

“Did… did you just speak to me?” asked Sunset Shimmer, keeping her voice low.

“Please, don-wait, you can hear me?” asked the mare.

“Y-yeah, I think I can. But… you’re a horse,” replied Sunset Shimmer, staring at the mare wide-eyed.

“Yeah, and you’re specist.” The mare snorted and rolled her eyes. “Of course, you’re a human.”

The redhead blinked, shocked by the mare’s sudden change in attitude. Ignoring her own shock, she raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, and she looked at the mare. “I am a pony – a unicorn, to be specific – from another world. So no, I am not a specist. Just… shocked.”

“Oh… sorry. By the way, the name is Sunblaze,” said the mare, realizing that she made a mistake. Not that she trusted the redhead in front of her. That was still up for debate.

“Nice name. Mine is Sunset Shimmer. And my friend over there,” Sunset pointed to the animal over who was hiding behind the door, “is Fluttershy. She loves animals.”

Sunblaze looked at the girl who Sunset had pointed at. Aside from her teal eyes and her pink hair, she couldn’t see much. The stall door blocked most of her body from view. But from her shy demeanor, she concluded that she was safe. As for the redhead standing in front of her, she wasn’t so sure. Something was off about her, but she couldn’t place her hoof on it. And it made Sunblaze wonder if she could trust her at all.

“Well, Fluttershy, I trust. You, not so much,” Sunblaze said, lowering her head to Sunset’s height. “You promise not to hurt me?”

“Yes, I promise that I won’t hurt you.” Sunset Shimmer held up the rope. “Now, may I?”

“Fine. I will allow you to lead me, but nothing more right now,” said Sunblaze as she raised her head back to its natural height. “But, don’t make a mistake, or I’ll kick.”

“Understood.” The redhead hooked the lead rope to the halter and started to lead Sunblaze out of the stall.

Fluttershy, still standing by the stable door, just stared in awe at what she witnessed. She knew how to sense what animals wanted and needed. But that was nothing compared to seeing Sunset having a conversation with the mare. That was beyond just feeling what an animal required. Blinking back to reality, Fluttershy closed the stall door and followed Sunset outside.

“Did I just see you talking to the mare?” asked Fluttershy, a genuine curiosity in her voice.

“No, I was just soothing her,” replied Sunset, not wanting to admit the truth. “It clearly helped.”

“Yeah, I see. You’re the first person the mare has allowed to lead her. I have been coming here for about two weeks, and she always just makes it difficult.” Fluttershy walked next to Sunset Shimmer, not sure if the mare was willing to trust her.

“Huh, guess I am lucky then,” said Sunset Shimmer.

Together, the group made their way to the washing area. It was an area that had four showers, with hoses, buckets, sponges, and soaps all stored on shelves. In the back of each stall was a water fixture, which is where the hoses would get attached for use. And lining the stalls were reused rain gutters, making it easier to keep the water from muddying up the shower. To complete the look, tiles were lining the walls and floor. It was a unique feature, which only the Canterlot City Ranch had. Whatever the reason was for the ranch installing them, Sunset found them to be quite convenient.

“Wow, these are some interesting showers,” Sunset Shimmer said as she led Sunblaze into one of them.

Sunblaze began to freak out as she heard the sound of the tiles beneath her hooves. She struggled against the lead rope as she tried to get away. She didn’t want to be close to them, not with the weird noise they made every time she stepped on them. This was all so new to her, and that was scary. And having been abandoned for months, Sunblaze wasn’t willing to try anything new. But Sunblaze could tell that Sunset wasn’t going to give up. So, instead of causing a fuss and injuring the other girl, she allowed Sunset to tie the lead to a ring on the wall.

Once Sunset Shimmer finished tying the lead rope, she grabbed the hose and connected it to the fixture. When she got done with that, she saw Fluttershy trying to reach the shampoo on the top shelf. However, being shorter than the shelf, she was barely even able to touch the bottle. Sunset, being the taller of the two girls, reached up and grabbed the bottle and handed it to Fluttershy.

“Here you go, Shy.” Sunset Shimmer tried to sound nice, but she could tell that the shy girl was still tentative to take the bottle.

Fluttershy grabbed the bottle and quickly pulled her hand away from the redhead’s. She knew that she was trying to make up for what she did, but three years of constant bullying wasn’t easy to forget. It had made her high school experience worse. Plus, Fluttershy still remembered getting cornered daily by Sunset and her two cohorts. And the verbal beatings that would ensue, only for them to leave her crying in a corner. Shaking her head, the animal lover pushed the memories to the back of her mind.

“Th-Thanks,” replied Fluttershy, her voice quivering for a moment as she was still reeling from the scared feeling.

The redhead sighed. She could see that Fluttershy was still unsure of whether or not she was her friend. Yet, she didn’t blame her. After all, she had picked on her more than most of the girls. She always seemed to exploit her weakness every chance she got. And now, because of her choice, Fluttershy was terrified of her. However, Sunset was grateful that the animal lover was willing to let her volunteer. Grabbing the hose, she turned the water on and let it hit the mare’s legs.

As Sunset set to work rinsing off the caked-on mud and dirt, Fluttershy applied the shampoo and began to wash the rinsed off areas. She tried to be careful when the water hit some of Sunblaze’s bald spots. Knowing that the skin would be raw, Sunset tried to be quick so that it wouldn’t put her in any more pain. Soon after, she finished and joined Fluttershy in shampooing her. As she lathered up the fur on the mare’s neck, she looked over at Fluttershy. Something told her that she had a question she was dying to ask her. That and Sunset had seen glancing at her, wanting to say something before looking away again. Deciding to help her friend, she spoke first.

“So, what do you want to ask? I can see that you have something that you want to say.” Sunset Shimmer scrubbed below Sunblaze’s jaw, which she was rewarded by feeling her push her head into her hand.

“O-oh, it’s nothing, Demon Shimmer – oh, I didn’t mean to say that…” said Fluttershy, deciding to busy herself with shampooing with the mare's flank.

Sunset Shimmer cringed as she heard the words ‘Demon Shimmer’. That was the nickname she had earned from the students at CHS after the fiasco at the Fall Formal. It tormented her every time she walked past someone. Everyone whispered it as she walked past them, reminding her that she revealed what was really in her heart at the time. Yet, hearing Fluttershy call her that, it made Sunset regret what she did even more. She walked around to the other side of Sunblaze, standing next to Fluttershy.

“Fluttershy… I deserved to be called that for what I did to you. But can you just call me, Sunset? Please?” Sunset Shimmer saw the shy girl meet her gaze, her eyes wide with shock. “And please, what’s your question. I want to answer it. After all, it’s the least I can do after you willingly let me help you.”

“O-okay, well, I was wondering why you volunteered. I mean, you’ve never volunteered before,” replied Fluttershy, shying away from the redhead.

“I… did it because… I wanted to apologize for what I did to you.” As Sunset Shimmer spoke, her eyes started to water as tears threatened to fall. “I feel so bad about the times I left you crying in a corner. I should never have done that. I am so sorry, Fluttershy.”

The animal lover just stood there, silent. Her mouth was unable to form words as she saw the former bully of CHS start crying. It was a sight she had only ever seen once before, at the Fall Formal. Taking her hands off the mare, Fluttershy washed the soap off. She turned off the hose and walked over to the redhead, wiping a single tear off her cheek. When she saw Sunset look at her, she smiled.

“Thank you.”

“What?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“Thank you for apologizing. I forgive you. I have forgiven you since the Fall Formal. Seeing you look so scared and… lonely, I realized that all you needed was a friend,” continued Fluttershy.

“Was it that clear?” Sunset Shimmer washed her hands off as well, seeing as Sunblaze had gotten completely covered in suds.

“Yeah, it was. I noticed the way you looked at us before…” Fluttershy trailed off as she saw Sunset’s expression fall.

“You mean before I lost my temper and attacked Twilight? Then put on the crown, becoming a raging she-demon and tried to kill you?” Sunset turned the hose to Sunblaze, watching the water wash away the soap and dirt.

“Yeah…” said Fluttershy, looking away from the redhead. She was still uncomfortable talking about what happened at the Fall Formal.

The redhead didn’t say anything. What could she say? Whenever the Fall Formal and the events of the night got brought up, it almost always stopped the conversation. Getting transformed into a demon wasn’t an everyday occurrence. And for Sunset, it had some lasting effects. She was still reeling from the sight of her scars. It had been a week since she saw that she had them. Yet, they only served as ugly reminders of what she did. Once she finished washing Sunblaze’s one side, she turned to Fluttershy and said the one thing she knew that she should say.

“Thanks for giving me a chance, Fluttershy. I’m glad I chose to hang out with you.”

After that, both girls finished bathing Sunblaze. And neither one spoke after that. While they walked the mare back to the stable, Sunset looked over at Fluttershy. She could see that she was smiling. Whether that was from having some help or what she said earlier, she wasn’t sure. However, it was nice to see that she had started to fix some of the mistakes she had made. Content that she had done some good, Sunset opened the stall door and let Fluttershy lead Sunblaze in.

‘That’s all we need to do today. The vet is coming by to check on the mare later. So, thank you for your help,” said Fluttershy as she walked out of the stall, closing the door behind her.

“Okay. Well, I am happy to help then. Should I come by tomorrow to help again? I did enjoy today,” said Sunset Shimmer.

“Sure! I’d love the help. And not just because no one else has signed up yet,” replied Fluttershy. “Maybe I can ask some of the girls to help out as well.

Sunset Shimmer gulped. The idea of hanging with all the girls made her nervous. Yet, she understood why Fluttershy wanted to invite the rest of her friends. After all, they had been friends for years. That was until she had intervened and tore them apart. Luckily, Princess Twilight was able to reunite them. So, Sunset decided to push her nervousness away, for Fluttershy’s sake. And she knew that eventually, she would have to talk to the rest of the girls.

“Sounds good. So, see you tomorrow then?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“Yep. Bye, Sunset.” Fluttershy waved to the redhead before she left the stables, heading to her van.

Sunset watched as the animal lover left the ranch. Just as she was about to do the same, she heard a very familiar voice.

“Hey, are you actually coming back tomorrow?”

The redhead turned around and saw that Sunblaze was at the stall door, her head hanging over it. Meeting Sunblaze’s gaze, she knew that she was the one who had spoken. She made her way to the stall door.

“Yes, I am,” replied Sunset Shimmer. “Why?”

“Cause you’re the only one who knows how I like to get washed. So, I need someone like you to make sure that I am properly taken care of. After all, you were once a pony,” replied Sunblaze, let out a soft nicker.

“Okay, then. I will make sure I am here,” said Sunset Shimmer, patting the mare’s muzzle.

“Good. Now, go. I want my new friend to be well-rested,” said Sunblaze.

Sunset Shimmer walked away, a broad smile on her face. Today, she had hopes of making just one friend. Yet, instead, she made two. Albeit, one was a horse, not that it bothered her. She walked over to her motorcycle and grabbed her helmet. There was a tree nearby that she wanted to visit before heading home. Sunset wanted to have a reason to come back and remember where she realized that she had her first real friend.

“Today was great…” thought Sunset Shimmer as she turned on her motorcycle.

*End of Flashback*

“And then after that, I headed to this tree and carved the date along with our initials into it,” finished Sunset Shimmer as she sat down at the base of the tree.

Sunblaze smiled, nuzzling Sunset as she sat down next to her. Tucking her front legs underneath her, she lowered her back legs as well. Once she felt her whole body resting on the ground, she sighed. Sunblaze leaned down and took a bite of the grass in front of her. As she sat there, she noticed that Sunset was looking off into the distance. It was like she was zoning out as she thought about something. And whatever it was, it seemed to be troubling her too. Swallowing, Sunblaze nudged Sunset’s arm.

“Sunset, something is bothering you. What is it?” asked Sunblaze, taking another bite of the grass.

Sunset Shimmer looked down, her hand running through the grass blades. “It’s something that happened with Twilight.” She looked up, her eyes staring at the vastness of greenery in front of her. “When I was at her house, I saw something…”

“Twilight? The nerdy girl with the big glasses who seemed to be afraid of me when she met me?” asked Sunblaze.

“Yes, that cute nerd,” replied Sunset, smiling as she recalled the memory. “She had an interesting dream, to put it lightly. It was....” Sunset trailed off, not willing to admit that she was about to have sex with her crush in the dream.

“Oh? And what is this said dream about?” Sunblaze continued to munch away as she waited for her rider to speak. “I want to hear about it.”

“No, you wouldn’t, at least not all of it. I wasn’t a very nice person at the beginning of the dream.” Sunset Shimmer shuddered as she recalled the images. It still disturbed her to see herself act so vile and mean towards the one person she loved. Sunset cringed as she remembered that it had been Twilight’s dream, which only happened because she had revealed what she looked like. “But in the dream, me and her, we started to…”

“To mate?” asked Sunblaze, catching on to what the redhead meant. Although she hadn't gotten accustomed to the human language, she understood. “Or whatever you humans call it.”

“Sex. And yes…” Sunset Shimmer felt her heart race at the thought of what was going to happen in the dream. Although her thoughts about Twilight never went further than just wanting to kiss her, she had to admit it was an intriguing idea. However, she wasn’t ready to go that far yet. And what happened on Monday night put a kink into that for sure. “I am not sure how to feel about that. I mean, I am happy to see that she saw a… version of me that way. Yet, at the same time, what’s been happening between her and me, I feel like she doesn’t want to admit it. And I think that’s because of what she saw and the fact that I kept my past from her.”

“Wait. What’s been happening between you and Twilight?” asked Sunblaze, concerned.

The redhead grabbed her arms, trying to keep from wincing as she touched the still sensitive bruises as she looked away from Sunblaze. “You remember the Fall Formal, right? And what happened?”

Sunblaze nodded in response.

“Well, Twilight didn’t know… because I insisted on keeping it hidden from her. And on Monday is when she saw my she-demon form,” continued Sunset Shimmer.

“Seriously, Sunset? You deliberately kept your past hidden from Twilight and lied to her? That is just sad…” Sunblaze let out a low nicker of disappointment. “Especially when you like her…”

“Hey, I was worried that Twilight would hate me! Or did you forget what I almost did to the girls?” asked Sunset, raising an eyebrow as she crossed her arms.

“No, I didn’t forget. However, I think it shows how little faith you have in one of your closest friends. I mean, you even told me. A horse,” replied Sunblaze, meeting Sunset’s gaze. “And I am an animal. An animal.”

Sunset Shimmer exhaled and uncrossed her arms. She knew that Sunblaze had a point – even she knew about the Fall Formal. Although she had met her not long after it happened, so she wasn’t sure it counted. But either way, Sunset knew that Sunblaze had a point about her lack of faith in Twilight. It was all too evident now that she thought about it. All the girls – including the entire student body – were aware of the events. Yet, Sunset had gone through the trouble of keeping it hidden from Twilight Sparkle.

“Okay, okay. You win that argument. I don’t trust Twilight as much as I have fooled myself into believing. But-”

“No! You have to tell Twilight the truth. Explain to her what happened to you. Let her know that she isn’t alone in the demonic transformation category. Twilight needs that, and you know it.” Sunblaze lowered her head, resting her muzzle in Sunset’s gloved hands. “Trust her, as you do me. Show Twilight that she means everything to you.”

“You sound like the girls… and my conscience, you know that?” said Sunset Shimmer, giving Sunblaze a scratch behind the ear.

“Good. You need someone, or some horse in my case, to push you in the right direction. Because you need it, desperately.” Sunblaze lifted her head, getting ready to stand up. “Now, I am bored with sitting. And I really want to see what you’re hiding underneath that ridiculous outfit of yours.”

Sunset Shimmer stood up just as Sunblaze did. Just as she turned away from her, her throat suddenly became dry. Her hands started to shake as she leaned against the tree. Remembering Sunblaze’s earlier reaction, it made her hesitate for a moment. Sunset was scared to see what her horse’s response would be, especially after what happened with Twilight and the girls. She wasn’t sure if she could handle someone else freaking out because of her demonic appearance. Sunset felt the ground vibrate as she felt the heavy footfalls of the mare approaching her. With her back still turned to her, she felt her muzzle touch her wings gingerly.

“What are those, Sunset?” Sunblaze asked, nuzzling the wings again.

Taking a deep breath, Sunset reached for the sunglasses, which hid her demonic eyes from view. She looked around, making sure that there was no one around. Revealing her appearance to Sunblaze was hard enough. She didn’t need the possibility of someone else seeing it too. And she didn’t want the whole town to know what happened to her either. Seeing no one nearby, Sunset forced herself to go through with the reveal. She slowly turned around and lowered the glasses.

“Those… are my wings, Sunblaze.” Sunset Shimmer looked up at her horse, their eyes meeting. “And my eyes have also changed.”

Sunblaze’s ears laid flat against her head, pinned back in fear. She lifted her head, still keeping eye contact with Sunset. Her rider’s eyes had changed from white and cyan to black surrounding her cyan irises. Something about that shift in colors made her question if her rider was still the same. Having heard Sunset talk about her change, it was still a big shock to finally see it. A bit fearful of what else was to come, Sunblaze took a few steps backward.

“S-Sunset… what’s happened to you…?” Sunblaze wasn’t sure if she could say more. The sight of Sunset’s eye made her feel very uncomfortable.

The redhead stepped back, noticing that Sunblaze was becoming anxious. She didn’t want to scare her or make her run because she revealed too much. Yet, she knew her horse had to see the truth. She had sensed that the moment she first came to the stables. So, ignoring the nervous snort Sunblaze gave her, she lowered her hood and allowed her red skin along with her pointed ears to show. Sunset swallowed and tried to ignore the growing lump in her throat. Her heartbeat was thundering loud in her ears as she stood there. She felt like she was standing in front of Twilight and the girls all over again.

“Sunblaze, I have transformed into my demonic form again,” replied Sunset Shimmer, looking away from her horse, giving Sunblaze a look at how much her ears had changed.

Sunblaze, still unsure if she could trust the redhead, remained frozen in the place where she stood. Her eyes were wide as she took in the sight of her rider’s now blood-red skin. As she took notice of that, she also spotted the black eye. That made Sunblaze curious. Why did Sunset have that? What happened? Although she wanted to know the answer, right now, it could wait. She had a sinking feeling that there was going to be more changes. Letting out a soft nicker, Sunblaze splayed out her front legs. She was cautious, keeping her eyes locked onto Sunset.

“What else has changed?” asked Sunblaze, her voice sounding pitched as she struggled to even speak.

Sunset could hear the fear in Sunblaze’s voice. That broke her heart to listen to it. It was one thing to have her closest friend freak out and tell her to go. However, to see Sunblaze, her one companion that she could confide everything to, act like she was a monster, it stung. But Sunset knew that she had no choice but to continue. Lying to another person – or horse – was out of the question. Besides, it was getting to be exhausting having to keep her changed appearance hidden. Carefully, Sunset removed the leather gloves and stuck them into her pockets. She hoped that she wouldn't injure Sunblaze in the same careless way that she had hurt Twilight. That was the last thing she needed right now. And her guilty conscience refused to let her forget what she did.

“I was right. You do have claws!” shouted Sunblaze, flaring her nostrils as she stepped back even further.

“You knew?” asked Sunset Shimmer as she knitted her eyebrows, looking at Sunblaze. “How?”

Sunblaze let out a shrill whinny as she saw Sunset’s fangs. Without the hood blocking the light, the two sharp points were easy to spot. Seeing them, she felt her flight or fight response kick in. It didn’t help that she could see the sharp claws which had replaced Sunset’s fingertips. Sunblaze staggered back as she struggled to fight her instincts. It was a challenge, but she wanted to stay with Sunset, not run away when she needed her most. Involuntarily, her tail clamped down as she tucked it between her legs.

“Yeah, I did. I knew from the moment you touched my muzzle. Although your gloves hid those… claws… well, they didn’t hide them completely,” explained Sunblaze. “Please, Sunset, stay back. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if I have to.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Okay, I won’t come any closer. I can see you’re scared. So, I will stay here.”

“Thank you.” Sunblaze lowered her head, showing that she had relaxed, even if it was just a little. “Continue, please.”

The redhead felt her tail tug at her jeans, twitching in response to her growing anxiety. Getting annoyed with it tickling her skin, she pulled it out. She sighed with relief as the tickling menace got released. With her tail out of its confines and no longer annoying her, she gripped the edge of her hoodie. Sunset knew that this was the last of the changes she had to reveal. So, she swallowed and continued on despite her growing fear. In one swift, she pulled her hoodie over her head, freeing her wings in the process. She let it drop onto the grass as her wings stretched to their full size.

“This… is what I looked like at the Fall Formal. Except I was twice as tall then.” Sunset Shimmer looked at Sunblaze, hoping to see her look a bit more relaxed. “This is what I was hiding from you.”

Sunblaze felt her muscles tense up as she watched Sunset’s wings stretch to their full size. To her, they looked similar to bat wings, only much worse. The red skin made them look horrible, like an experiment gone wrong. Yet, having the afternoon sun shining on them from behind only served to make them even eerier. Unable to handle the full sight of Sunset’s changes, Sunblaze reared up.

Sunset, seeing Sunblaze’s forelegs in the air, staggered backward as she watched her fall back down. When she met Sunblaze’s eyes, all she could see was the whites of them. It was evident that she was nervous – or possibly frightened – at this point. Sunset stood in front of her as she waited for a few minutes for her to calm down. Seeing that Sunblaze had relaxed a little, she cautiously took a few steps closer to her. However, the closer she got, the more her heart raced in her chest. Yet, Sunset ignored that, hoping that she could reach her horse and make her see that she wasn’t a danger.

“Sunset… stay back…” Sunblaze took a step back. “Please, I am begging you…”

Not wanting Sunblaze to keep freaking out, Sunset stepped closer. Unfortunately, just as she closed the distance between her and Sunblaze, she caught the sight of her trembling. It hurt to see that she was so scared. Sunset stared at Sunblaze. She remembered how terrified Twilight was when she first saw her changes. Images of her backing away, knocking over the trophy and cutting her leg, and telling her to stay way flashed inside her head. She struggled to focus on what she was doing, but she managed to push past the memories. As Sunset took another step, she saw her raise one of her forelegs. Seconds later, Sunset felt a hard impact on her abdomen as a hoof slammed into her. The force of the hit sent her flying backward. She landed a few feet from where she had previously been standing earlier.

“Ooh… that hurt…” said Sunset Shimmer as she stayed on the ground, not wanting to move. Tilting her head to the side, she saw that Sunblaze had moved further away. “I get it; I shouldn’t have come any closer to you. I guess I can understand why you’re scared,” she turned her head to look up at the sky, “I am a monster in your eyes now that you’ve seen… me.”

Sunblaze snorted as she heard the word ‘monster.’ Tossing her head, she pawed at the ground, showing her disagreement with the word. Yet, deep down, she knew that Sunset was right. All she saw in front of her was a monster. Her rider, who now had wings, fangs, claws, and an impressive looking tail, laid helplessly on the ground. And all Sunblaze could see was a monster who had replaced her. However, as she looked closer, she noticed that there was a visible wetness on her cheek. Ignoring her flight instincts, she moved forward a few inches. Her ears swung forward as she heard an all too familiar sound. It was a sound that she had heard often when she and Sunset first met. It ended most of their daily conversations back then. Lowering her head, Sunblaze saw what it was.

“You’re crying… but why…?” asked Sunblaze.

Sunset Shimmer wiped off the few tears that ran down her cheeks. She pushed herself into a sitting position as she tried her best to stop the tears. Ignoring the dull ache that came from her stomach, she pulled her knees up to her, resting her arm around them. She couldn’t look at Sunblaze, not when all she saw was fear.

“Because it seems that everyone is frightened of me. All because of the fact that I look like my demonic self again.” Sunset bit her bottom lip, trying to keep herself from sobbing. “My friends, Twilight, and now… you…”

Hearing the pained tone in the redhead’s voice, Sunblaze whinnied softly. She took a few more cautious steps, inching closer to her. Her instincts still told her to run and not go any further. Yet, Sunblaze refused to listen to them as she rested her muzzle over Sunset’s shoulder. She ignored the large wings that wrapped slightly around Sunset’s body as she met her gaze.

“So, have you decided that I am not all that scary?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“Yes, I can see that you’re still you, Sunset. Even though those wings give me the creeps,” replied Sunblaze, lifting her head off of Sunset’s shoulder. “By the way, can you actually fly with those?”

Sunset stood up from the ground and stepped back from Sunblaze. With one flap, she was up in the air. Still flapping her wings, she lifted herself a good ten feet away from the ground. As she did that, she got a great view of the grassy fields below her. It was like a giant sea of green that stretched for miles. Even when Sunset flew higher into the air, it was still endless. The sight was excellent, and it reminded her why she loved coming there. Soon, her attention got brought back to Sunblaze as she heard her let out a low whinny. Seeing that she was growing nervous again, Sunset lowered herself back to the grassy earth, bending her knees as her feet made contact.

“Does that answer your question?” asked Sunset Shimmer as she grabbed her hoodie.

“Yes, it does. You looked cool… but also a bit scary.” Sunblaze saw Sunset grab her sunglasses. Her fear, although still present, had faded a bit when she saw her go from confident to nervous and shy. That gave Sunblaze enough courage to show Sunset that she still saw her as a trusted companion. With fear still making her body tense, she made her way towards the redhead. Before she could put them back on, Sunblaze rested her chin over them. “Keep them off, please.”

“But what about my eyes? I thought you didn’t like them,” said Sunset Shimmer, meeting Sunblaze’s gaze. “I know that they don’t look like they normally would. And that they are-”

“No! They are gorgeous. Yes, they did creep me out at first, but something is enchanting about them. I like it,” Sunblaze said, cutting the redhead off. “Now, are we going to continue this ride or what? And do you have to put the hoodie back on?”

Sunset Shimmer smiled. “Oh, so, now you like my wings too?”

“Yes. So, are you going to keep the hoodie off?” Sunblaze asked, repeating her question with more urgency.

“Alright, I will keep it off as long as you don’t go anywhere near people. I can’t have anyone else seeing me look like Demon Shimmer.” Sunset Shimmer patted Sunblaze’s neck. “Agreed?”

“Agreed. I wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt you. So, shall we visit that one pond in the secluded part of the woods nearby?” asked Sunblaze.

Just as the redhead went to respond, a voice said, “Sunset, we need to talk.”

Sunset spun around to find Trixie walking towards her. “Trixie, what are you doing here? And how did you find me?”

“A girl named Dawn told me that I would find you here. And I am here because we need to talk about Twilight,” replied Trixie as she stood in front of Sunset.

“What about Twilight?” asked Sunset Shimmer as she stepped away from Sunblaze. “Wait. Did you show her the video of me?”

“Uh… yeah. I kind of did…” said Trixie.

“Why the fuck would you do that, Trixie?! Do you realize how risky that could’ve been? As it is, Twilight’s not talking to me,” said Sunset Shimmer, her tail flicking behind her.

Trixie backed away from the redhead, unsure of what was going to happen. She remembered the feeling of her sharp claws gripping her arm all too well. And she had no intention of having that happen again. Trixie looked at Sunblaze and saw that the mare was glaring at her. That made her want to leave. It was apparent that she wasn’t welcome there and that she shouldn’t have come. However, just as she was about to start walking away, she felt a hand grip her arm.

“I’m sorry, Trixie. I didn’t mean to lose my cool like that,” said Sunset Shimmer as she let go of Trixie’s arm. “I am surprised but grateful that you were willing to tell me about you showing Twilight the video. By the way, how did she react to it?”

Trixie swallowed. ‘Well, Twilight didn’t react well. I had to force her to see the whole video. And she tried to avoid watching it twice. It wasn’t easy, but I got her to see it, and I told her that you never intended to hurt her. But I don’t think that helped.”

“Wow, I didn’t expect that. I thought maybe Twilight would see that we’re not all that different. Or at least that I understand what she went through at the Friendship Games and Camp Everfree.” Sunset Shimmer sighed. “But, I guess I fucked up not telling her when I had the chance.”

“Well, if it's any consolation, I understand why you didn’t tell Twilight. Seeing her react the way she did with the video, I realized why you were so hesitant in telling her. And I’m sorry that I did what I did to you. I see now that I should’ve just kept my mouth closed…” said the magician, looking down at the ground.

“Thanks for apologizing, but that doesn’t mean I forgive you for recording my transformation and then showing it to Twilight. However, I am grateful that you were willing to risk upsetting me to try and get Twilight to hear me out. I know that wasn’t easy,” said Sunset Shimmer.

‘Yeah, it was the least I could do considering I was careless and got you in trouble with her. And I apologize for recording your transformation that night…” Trixie met the redhead’s eyes. “That was not the smartest choice I have made recently.”

“No, it wasn’t. However, what's happened has happened. And eventually, I was going to have to tell Twilight. Most of this isn’t your fault; it’s mine.” Sunset Shimmer walked over to Sunblaze. “Anyway, I want to get back to riding.”

Trixie nodded and watched as Sunset hopped into the saddle on Sunblaze. “I hope I didn’t make things worse between you and Twilight by showing her the video.”

“I doubt that you made things any worse than they already are,” replied Sunset Shimmer.

“I hope so,” said Trixie. “And Sunset?”

“Yeah?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“I think Twilight will come around, but give her some time. And if you need a friend to talk to, I’d be glad to cancel a few magic shows for you,” replied Trixie.

“Thanks, Trixie. I appreciate that,” said Sunset Shimmer, giving Trixie a small grateful smile as she pulled her wings against her back.

The redhead watched as the magician walked back up the hill, disappearing out of her sight. The news that Twilight hadn’t reacted well to the video ruined her spirits. However, she wasn’t willing to let ruin her whole day. So, instead of focusing on Twilight and the pain of losing her, Sunset chose to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. She leaned forward and petted Sunblaze’s neck as she took a deep breath. Leaning back up into the saddle, she pushed her thighs into Sunblaze’s side and urged her forward into a walk.

“You ready?” asked Sunblaze.

“Yeah!” shouted Sunset Shimmer.

“Good!” said Sunblaze as she started to trot building into a canter. “I am ready to run.”

Seconds later, Sunblaze was galloping towards the field, heading towards the other side. And Sunset was enjoying the feeling of the wind rushing against her. Today was a relief for her, even with Trixie delivering some bad news. So, she was going to take every minute of peace she could get before having to return to school. Gripping the reins tighter, Sunset let herself revel in the happiness she was feeling right now.

Thank you, Celestia…” thought Sunset Shimmer.