Author's Note

I hope y’all enjoy the chapter. Happy Halloween!

A Punch to the Mirror of Friendship

*One Week Later*

The morning sky was a mix of red and yellow as the sun had just begun to peak over the mountains. The cold fall air felt chillier as a breeze blew against Sunset Shimmer's bare skin on her neck. Within a few minutes, the familiar marble Wondercolt statue came into view. Taking a left turn, she pulled up to her usual parking space. She arrived earlier than the rest of the girls as she wanted to give Twilight her space. However, just as she kicked down the kickstand, she saw Principal Celestia walk up to her. Turning off the engine, Sunset took off her helmet and rested it on her lap.

"Principal Celestia? What are you doing here?" asked Sunset Shimmer as she pulled her keys out of the ignition.

"Miss Shimmer, we need to discuss your recent absences. So, grab your bag and follow me," said Celestia, her tone sounding very formal, almost void of any emotion.

Grabbing her messenger bag, Sunset walked into the school building. Keeping her head, she ignored the murmurs and whispers as she made her way down the halls. She followed Principal Celestia to where her office was. As Sunset walked in, she saw that Vice Principal Luna was standing next to the desk. She had a stern expression, but her opal eyes showed her worry. For a moment, she met Luna's gaze, and her breath caught in her throat. It was as if Luna could see past her hoodie and sunglasses. Shuddering slightly, Sunset sat in one of the two chairs available.

"Miss Shimmer, you have missed two days of school in a row. That is concerning," Celestia said, looking at her sister. "My sister has raised some concern for you as this is your first time missing two days in a row."

Sunset Shimmer shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It was unnerving to have the two principals of CHS staring at her. If it hadn't been for the room's chilliness, which made her skin crawl, she would've been sweating bullets. Yet, she was still warmer than usual inside the hoodie. Sunset wondered if that was because of her leathery wings. She had noticed that despite their lack of feathers, they could still provide a bit of warmth. As she waited for the principals to finish talking, her throat and mouth started to feel dry, causing her to swallow.

"As my dear sister said, it was a concern. What caused the sudden absences, Sunset?" asked Luna, leaning forward against the desk.

Sunset Shimmer looked down. "Just some personal problems."

"Personal problems? Sunset, you have never missed a day of school because of personal problems. What actually caused it?" asked Celestia, her voice calm yet authoritative.

"I would rather not say, Principal Celestia," replied Sunset Shimmer, her voice becoming muffled as she attempted to hide her fangs.

Luna, unable to understand Sunset, walked up to the redhead. "Miss Shimmer, please remove your hoodie and sunglasses."

"Vice Principal Luna, I don't think that is a good idea," said Sunset Shimmer as she looked up at the Vice Principal.

Celestia walked out from her desk and joined her sister in standing in front of Sunset. She crossed her arms as she gave Sunset a solemn look.

"Miss Shimmer, this is our school. You follow our rules. So, please do as my sister says and remove the hoodie and sunglasses. Now," said Principal Celestia as she unfolded her arms and leaned against her desk.

Slowly, Sunset lifted her hands to her sunglasses and removed them. She folded them and stuffed them inside of her pocket. Swallowing, she gripped the edge of the hood. The girls' and Twilight's reactions made her hesitate to lower it. Sunset was trying her best not to panic about how the principals' would react. After all, if they deemed her a threat, she could be expelled. Pushing her worries to the side, she lowered the hood and braced herself for the gasps that she knew were coming.

Principal Celestia looked at her sister, unsure of what to say. First, she had to deal with Twilight looking like Midnight Sparkle again, although that had mostly gotten fixed. And over the past two weeks, most of the faculty and students had adjusted to it by now. However, now she had to deal with another student looking like her past she-demon self. It was too weird and almost too much for Principal Celestia. And she had gone through the Fall Formal, the Battle of the Bands, the Friendship Games, and Camp Everfree. Yet, this added more stress to her already stressful day, and it was almost more than she could handle. Getting up from her desk, Principal Celestia walked into Luna's office. Luna followed her as she left a confused and worried Sunset alone.

Closing the door behind Luna, Celestia said, "Okay, now we have two students who have become she-demons again. And one of them is sitting in the other room."

Vice Principal Luna smirked, placing her hands on hips. "Dear sister, you seemed worried. What could ever be the problem?"

Celestia glared at her sister as she walked towards her. "This is not a laughing matter, Luna. We have two students who have more magical powers. What are we going to do? Up until recently, being principal didn't include stuff like this."

Luna walked over to her sister and rested a hand on her shoulder. She knew that her sister, having been principal for a while, had to deal with a lot of stress. And that was especially evident when it came to what Sunset Shimmer had done at the Fall Formal. Since that incident, Luna knew that her sister had a lot more to deal with than before. It wasn't every day that a high school like theirs got hit by magic from another world. Squeezing her sister's shoulder, she smiled.

"Sister, you worry too much. The school has adjusted to Twilight's situation. Maybe we can do the same with Sunset," Luna said, glancing briefly at the redhead as she shrunk in her seat.

Celestia turned around and looked at her sister, meeting her gaze. "How are you so sure, sister?"

Luna felt a half-smile form as she heard her sister's question. "Because… I remember how you handled the situation at the Fall Formal. And do you remember my troubled phase? When I decided to rebel against mom and dad?"

Celestia chuckled. "Yeah, I remember. I also remember a lot of moon-related memorabilia all over your room. It was like you praised the moon, Luna. But what does that have to do with Sunset?"

"Okay, I'll admit that I went a bit overboard when I was younger. But I still think that nighttime is beautiful," said Luna. "You can handle this situation, Tia. You were able to handle me when mom couldn't."

Celestia looked down at the sun pin she always wore on her blazer. "You may have a point. And while the night might be your choice, I see the beauty of daylight. Then again, mom did always say that we were opposites."

"That she did, sister. So, back to Sunset Shimmer, what are we going to do?" asked Luna, hearing the late bell ringing overhead.

Celestia walked over to the door, looking out the small window in it. She saw Sunset quickly pull her hood back up as a student walked into her office. That made her realize, that unlike Twilight, the school wasn't aware of Sunset's situation. She watched as the student looked at her as they left a paper on her desk. Celestia noticed that the redhead seemed very nervous as the student walked out of the office. Just as the door closed, she saw her remove her hood again, still remembering the rule they had set. Turning away from the door, she looked at her sister.

"I think I know what to do," said Celestia.

Sunset Shimmer heard the door unlock, making her jump a little at the sound. When she saw Celestia and Luna, her ears flattened against her head. It had been a long wait for them to come out. And her heart was pounding out of anticipation and worry. A part of her hoped that they wouldn't freak out too much, but she could see that they were uneasy around her. As Sunset watched Principal Celestia sit down, she gulped.

"Miss Shimmer, are you…" Celestia struggled to say the words. It was still a strange experience for her. "Still yourself?"

"Yes, Principal Celestia. Just as Twilight is still herself, I am the same. I just have the-"

"The appearance of Demon Shimmer? Yes, we can see that, Miss Shimmer." Luna smiled as she saw the shocked expression on Sunset's face. "We hear the nicknames and the rumors. And we know how to hear the gossip. After all, we were once high school students as well, Sunset."

The redhead felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. She didn't think that the principal and vice-principal would've heard the nickname the students had given her demon form. Yet, knowing that they had – and were able to say it – was a scary revelation. Looking down, Sunset noticed that Luna's hands were quivering as if she was cold. However, the room had warmed up as the school's heating system kicked in. So that ruled out her feeling cold. As Sunset thought about it, she realized why she was shaking. It wasn't because she was cold; it was because of… her. That made her shrink into the chair and want to leave the office even more.

"Okay. Is… this why you have missed two days of school?" asked Principal Celestia, folding her hands as she tried to keep them steady.

"Yeah," replied Sunset Shimmer, not wanting to admit that she had missed school because of Twilight. "I just need some time to adjust… to this." As she spoke, her tail slipped free from her jeans.

Principal Celestia stood up from her desk, her eyes seeing the yellow and red tail flicking out from behind Sunset. "I see. Well, your teachers have been gracious enough to gather up the work you have missed." She grabbed a small folder with a stack of papers inside of it. Handing it to Sunset, she did her best to hide her shakiness. "This work is due a week from now."

Sunset Shimmer took the folder from Celestia, ignoring the slight tremor that ran through the principal's hand. Stuffing it into her bag, she glanced up at Luna. The blue-haired vice-principal seemed more nervous than she had been earlier. There were noticeable beads of sweat forming on her forehead. A gut feeling told Sunset that it was because she revealed what had happened to her. Although the two sisters were good at keeping themselves professional, it was easy to spot the subtle ways their hesitation and fear showed.

"Vice Principal Luna, are you okay? You seem a bit nervous…" asked Sunset Shimmer as she tucked her tail back into her jeans.

"Miss Shimmer, I am not nervous. Just… unusually warm," replied Luna, wiping the sweat off with the back of her hand. "It's not you."

Sunset stared at the vice-principal like a deer in headlights. She couldn't believe what she just heard. The vice-principal of a school was lying to her. Her ears perked up as she listened to a heartbeat race in her ears. As Sunset tried to find the source, she realized that it was Luna's heartbeat. That took her by surprise as she hadn't expected her hearing to get altered. Sunset figured that it was because of her transformation into Demon Shimmer. However, it also piqued her curiosity. She never had any of these little abilities before.

"Maybe my geode transforming me rather than Princess Twilight's element of magic gave me a deeper connection to my demonic self," thought Sunset Shimmer, letting her theories run wild as she tried to figure it out.

Principal Celestia cleared her throat, making the redhead flinch as she blinked from her thoughts. "Miss Shimmer, here is your pass for your first class."

Taking the pass, Sunset Shimmer stood up from the chair. She flipped her hood back up and placed her sunglasses back on. After allowing the principals to see what she was hiding, she hoped that she wouldn't get in trouble for putting them back on. Grabbing her bag, Sunset slung it over her shoulder. It was a bit heavier than before due to the folder of papers now in it. And with her wings trapped under the strap, it only made it more uncomfortable. She shifted it a little and walked towards the door.

Just as Sunset went to turn the handle, she heard Vice Principal Luna say, "Sunset, please keep your hood up. We don't want your safety at risk."

"Okay, Vice Principal Luna," replied Sunset Shimmer before she opened the door and left their office.

A few classes later, and Sunset Shimmer was beginning to feel exhausted. She had managed to get through the first period, but just barely. Twilight Sparkle made sure that she sat as far away as possible. And that only reminded Sunset that she had messed up and was the reason that Twilight was avoiding her. She heard the bell ring for the fifth time today and grabbed her messenger bag. Making her way through the crowds of students, she walked to her locker. She had made lunch the night before. It wasn't that she didn't want to sit with the girls. However, after Rainbow Dash's attack and the incident with Twilight, Sunset couldn't bring herself to sit with them… yet. And the idea of having to sit in the crowded cafeteria wasn't very appealing either.

Grabbing the brown bag from her locker, she slammed the door shut. Sunset looked around, hoping to find a way to avoid going near the cafeteria and the girls. She knew it was best to avoid them entirely, especially since she didn't want to get questioned. And she knew that the girls weren't likely to let her leave without an explanation as to why she was avoiding them. After walking down one hallway, Sunset found the back entrance leading to the faculty parking lot. Just then, she heard the familiar voices of the girls approaching. She quickly ducked into one of the empty classrooms, narrowly missing getting spotted by them.

"Applejack, have you seen Sunset today? She disappeared after biology so quickly that I didn't have time to ask her if she was going to join us for lunch," said Rarity as she walked past the door the redhead was hiding behind.

"No. I don't think I noticed Sunset walking into woodshop with me. Although now that I think about, her name got called, and she said she was present." Applejack went silent for a moment before she looked at her girlfriend, worry in her green eyes. "Sunset is avoidin' us, ain't she?"

"I believe so. Do you think it's because of what happened with Twilight?" asked Rarity.

"Probably. Twilight seemed to avoid Sunset durin' Miss Cheerilee's math class. I have never seen her sit so far from her," replied Applejack.

"Yes, that was strange. And so is Sunset avoiding us for the last week," said Rarity as she and Applejack stopped walking for a moment.

Applejack grabbed ahold of Rarity's arm as she stood next to her. "Rare, are you alright?"

"I'm okay, AJ. It's just my new stitches; they're catching on my shirt." Rarity adjusted her shirt, gently pulling it free from her stitches. "I look forward to having these removed. I don't like having them ruin my clothes because they catch on the fabric."

"At least they haven't done much damage. And you'll have them removed next week," said Applejack as she tried to console the fashionista.

Rarity took a deep breath and checked her shirt to make sure that it hadn't gotten snagged on her stitches. "Well, I hope they won't ruin any of my good shirts before then. I already have enough with Ms. Hemline putting a deadline on her latest request."

Rarity let go of her shirt and looked behind her. She had a feeling that she was getting watched. When she looked at the classroom door behind her, she could've sworn that she saw a flash of red and yellow. That made her wander away from the cowgirl and head towards the classroom door. Rarity wanted to investigate it and see if her suspicions were right. Although she couldn't understand why Sunset would avoid them, rather than just talk to them about whatever was bothering her.

"Shit, Rarity! Don't come in here," hissed Sunset Shimmer as she backed away from the door, looking around for a hiding spot.

"I'll be right back, Applejack," said Rarity as she turned to the cowgirl before making her way into the classroom.

Sunset Shimmer, seeing the fashionista opening the door, dove behind the teacher's desk. Her heart was racing in her chest, making her hands tremble a little bit. And with her bag slung over her shoulder, it's weight combined with her crouching position, made it dig into her wing. Sunset bit her lip to keep herself quiet as she felt it start to cramp. As she heard the noise of the door clicking open, she froze. Her breathing slowed as if the sound of it would reveal her position to the fashionista. Sunset leaned against the desk as she waited for her to leave.

Rarity stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. She looked around briefly as she didn't want to keep Applejack waiting. There was nothing out of the ordinary. No desk appeared to have gotten moved out of place. No books had gotten knocked over. There wasn't even the sound of someone breathing beside herself. It crept Rarity out how eerily quiet the classroom was with no one but her there. For a second, she glanced over at the teacher's desk, wondering if Sunset was behind it. But quickly shrugged it off, thinking that it was an absurd idea. With one last sweep of the room, Rarity walked back out and joined Applejack again.

"Why did you go in there, Rare?" asked Applejack, glancing back at the door.

"Oh, I just had a suspicion that someone was in there watching us. But I didn't see anyone in there," replied Rarity.

"Okay, well, let's go meet up with the rest of the girls," said Applejack as she intertwined her hand with her girlfriend's.

Getting out from behind the desk, Sunset Shimmer ran over to the small window. Once she saw Applejack and Rarity disappear from the hallway, she opened the door and bolted out of the building. The sound of her boots hitting the linoleum floor echoed off the walls. Making a sharp turn down one of the other hallways, she found the door to the back of the school. Sunset pushed past the door leading out to the faculty parking lot as she ran towards a small forested area ahead. Walking a few feet down the path, she shifted her messenger bag off her wing, sighing in relief.

"Okay, what is this place?" asked Sunset Shimmer as she passed a mostly closed-off area that looked like a garden.

Pushing past some of the bushes, the redhead saw an area with some small boulders in a triangular formation. There were also some colorful flowers planted in and around the area as if someone had been tending to it. However, aside from a few potted plants, the garden appeared to be bare. It did have some trees around it, which provided a reasonable amount of shade and kept her hidden. Sitting back against one of the trees, Sunset set her bag down and opened her lunch. It was a lettuce and tomato sandwich. That wasn't much, but it would suffice for now. Taking a bite, she leaned back and let her thoughts drift away.

Back at the electrical building, Springtrap was looking at the Phantoms. They were here in Canterlot City, though they maintained some of their ghostliness. Already proven by Freddy jabbing his fist into the wall as it turned transparent, making it go through instead of impacting the concrete. Springtrap heard a tapping noise and turned around, wanting to find the source of the sound. His eyes glowed red for a second as he saw Phantom Chica poking the Marionette. Stomping over to her, he slapped her wing and pushed her away.

"No touching that… thing. I think it's possessed or something. Besides, I don't know what it'll do to you," said Springtrap, kneeling next to Marionette.

Looking at the mask, Springtrap noticed that the Marionette's eyes had a dim glow to them. He reached out a hand and tapped the mask. Nothing happened, which didn't surprise him. After all, the animatronic didn't function properly, right? As he continued to stare at it, he noticed that its arm twitched. Springtrap stepped back and kept his eyes on it. Once again, the Marionette's arm twitched. This time, it flew into the wall behind it, knocking a few chunks of concrete onto the floor.

"Holy crap, maybe that thing is active after all," said Springtrap as he eyed it cautiously, ready to fight it.

The Marionette did nothing, and its arm laid still, no longer twitching or moving. Springtrap felt something beginning to tug at his magic. And there was a tingling-like sensation going through his circuits and wires. Wondering if it was the Marionette that was causing it, Springtrap decided to test it. Closing his eyes, he let the picture of it standing up form in his mind. He was able to focus and make the image clear as a heavy silence settled over the building. However, that got broken as a few gasps slipped from Phantoms. Wanting to see what made them do that, Springtrap opened his eyes. And to his surprise, he saw the Marionette was indeed standing in front of him.

"What the-? Can I control you?" Springtrap imagined the Marionette raising its hand, which to his delight, it did. "Shit, I can! Oh, this is too perfect."

The Phantoms looked from Springtrap to the Marionette and back to him, shocked by what he did. They had just witnessed Springtrap controlling an animatronic without making any physical contact with it. Or at least that's what it appeared to be. Wondering if he could do the same to them, they stepped away from him.

"Di-did you just… control it?" asked Freddy, still struggling with his phrasing.

"Yes, I did," replied Springtrap.

"But how? You didn't even touch it," asked Chica as she eyed the Marionette suspiciously.

"I guess it must've been the magic powering it and me. I somehow tapped into its magic and then gained control of it," said Springtrap, flexing his hand. "I wonder if I can send it on a special mission…"

As if insulted by that comment, Mangle twisted around Springtrap's neck, her wires making it impossible for him to move his head. Her eyes, although still ghostly looking, glowed white with her anger. She made sure that she had a good grip on him as she met his eyes. Letting out a loud hiss, Mangle tightened around him.

"Why not send one of us? Why'd you bring us here if we can't be of service to you?" asked Mangle, her staticky voice bouncing off the concrete walls.

In one swift motion, Springtrap grabbed Mangle's body and threw her off of him. He saw her phase just as she was about to hit the wall. As he watched her go flying out of the building, he chuckled a little bit. But Springtrap stopped when he heard Mangle growl and start crawling back towards him. Rolling his eyes, he turned his back to her and walked over to the Marionette.

"I need it to do this mission because I have you fucking idiots here for a more important task. So, suck it up and wait until I have your mission for you," Springtrap said, glaring at Mangle as she made her way back into the electrical building.

"Fine, but I hope we get to do our mission soon. This… world that you brought us to is boring. I miss the old building," said Mangle as she sat down in the corner of the room.

Springtrap growled. "You know that we would have never escaped that infested hellhole. This world, like it or not, has given us more opportunities."

Mangle sighed. "Well, what is this dumb thing's mission then? To find a flower for you and bring it back?"

Springtrap raised his hand, making the Marionette turn towards him. Happy with the result, he let the magic inside of him carry his command. He closed his eyes and felt his circuits fire up as the magic pushed the order towards it. Springtrap made sure to include the mental images of Sunset and where she lived to ensure that the Marionette would find her. As he felt the command carry over, he opened his eyes and saw that its eyes glowed brighter than before. Now it seemed that it was alive.

"Its mission… is to attack that stupid little redhead bitch who defeated my army. She'll regret the day she crossed me," said Springtrap, his voice dropping in octaves, sounding more menacing as it lowered.

The Marionette, now with the command in its system, made its way out of the building. Its stilt-like legs somehow kept it upright as it walked. Within minutes, it was out of sight from Springtrap. As it walked away from the electrical building, it made its way into the forest surrounding it. The Marionette followed the mental images given to it by Springtrap. It only had one thing on its mind; find Sunset Shimmer and attack her then return after it finished the task.

Meanwhile, at CHS's school garden, Sunset Shimmer had just finished her sandwich. Just as she threw the plastic wrap back into the bag, she heard the bushes rustle. That made her freeze. Her hood and sunglasses were off. And today, because her eyes were still sore from Rainbow Dash's punches, Sunset didn't have her contacts in. She waited for the figure to emerge as her wings tensed up along her back. Finally, a familiar person made their way past the shrubbery, carrying a lunch sack.

"W-Wallflower?!" asked Sunset Shimmer as she saw the figure walk into the lit area of the garden.

Not expecting anyone to be there, Wallflower jumped at the sound of Sunset's voice. When she looked in her direction, she stopped moving. Sunset's hood was down, giving her a good look at the changes to her face. And that was when Wallflower realized that her eyes were different. Instead of their usual look, they now had a blackness surrounding her cyan irises. And the shade from the surrounding trees only worsened the creepy vibe she got from them. Stepping back, Wallflower felt herself bump into a tree.

"Ahh!" screamed Wallflower as she jumped away from the tree, which caused her to trip and fall to the forest floor.

Sunset got up from where she was sitting and walked over. She offered Wallflower a hand, hoping that the shy girl would see that she was still just an ordinary high school student. And that her altered appearance wouldn't scare Wallflower. Giving her a nervous smile, Sunset met her gaze, her anxiety growing with every passing second.

"Don't freak out, please? I just want to help you. I know I don't exactly look nice – or like my usual self – but I am not going to hurt you," said Sunset Shimmer, her voice shaking despite her attempts to stop it from happening. She looked away, hoping to come off as less scary. "Please, trust me."

When the redhead felt a hand grip hers, she looked down. Although still visibly unsure and scared, the girl had taken her hand and was willing to allow her to help. In a quick motion, she pulled her to her feet.

"Th-Thanks." Wallflower pulled her hand away immediately. "I guess…"

"You're welcome, Wallflower. I am just glad that you're not going to run away again. You're not going to do that, right?" Sunset Shimmer asked, looking worried as she saw Wallflower's hand tremble a little.

"Why would I run? I came here to eat lunch," said Wallflower, her voice growing louder than her usual hushed tone.

"I just remembered the last time you saw… me, you panicked and pushed me down. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to get shoved again…" Sunset Shimmer gripped her arm, her ears laying flat against her head as she looked down. "I am sorry that I scared you."

"Wh-what are you doing here anyway, Sunset?" asked Wallflower, ignoring Sunset's apology as she stepped a few feet from the redhead, still too unsure if she could trust her. "This is my garden, my secret spot."

Sunset Shimmer sat back down next to her bag. "Sorry, I didn't know this was yours. If I had known, I wouldn't have come here."

"That still doesn't tell me why you're here," said Wallflower as she sat down underneath a tree, a few inches from where Sunset was sitting.

"I am only here because I don't want to sit with my friends today. I just wanted to have a spot for myself. However, it seems that I just intruded on yours. Sorry…" replied Sunset Shimmer, looking down at her as she fiddled with her sunglasses.

"It's fine. It's actually nice to have someone to talk to for once. Even if I am a little scared of you…" Wallflower took a bite of her pizza, trying to act like she didn't just admit that she was still scared. Swallowing, she asked, "Why did you not hang out with your friends, though? Did something happen?"

"Yeah…something did," replied Sunset Shimmer.

"What happened?" The question came out so quickly that Wallflower didn't realize that she had asked it until she saw the redhead cringe. She quickly covered her mouth and regretted asking it. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that…" She said as she lowered her hand.

"It's okay. You just want to know what happened. After all, it is unusual for me not to be with the girls." Sunset stuffed her sunglasses back into her pocket as she pulled her knees to her chest.

"That is why I asked. I mean, everyone here sees you as the most popular girl. Especially when you are lonely as I am…" Wallflower barely said the last sentence, too ashamed to admit that she struggled with making friends.

"Well, being the popular girl has its drawbacks. And suddenly becoming the she-demon that almost used everyone for a zombie army to take over another world and destroyed the school to do it doesn't help." Sunset Shimmer sighed and looked at Wallflower. "Sorry for, uh, dumping all that on you I know you didn't come here to hear that."

"It's okay, but, uh, are you going to explain why you decided to crash my space today?" asked Wallflower, taking another bite.

"Are you sure you want to hear it? Because… I made a huge mistake," said Sunset Shimmer as she met Wallflower's gaze. For a moment, there was a flash of fear in the girl's eyes before it was gone, replaced by genuine worry or concern.

"Yeah. I kind of want to know why you are here, with me, instead of your best friends," said Wallflower as she finished the last of her pizza slice.

"Okay. Well, last week, on Monday, my appearance got revealed to the girls. Despite my efforts to keep it from them," replied Sunset Shimmer.

"Wait. You actually tried to keep a secret from the girls? Wow… and here I thought they were your friends." Wallflower opened her backpack and grabbed her water bottle, taking a sip from it.

"They are! I just feared their reaction considering what I almost did to them…" Sunset Shimmer tried to push the Fall Formal images from her mind, but it wasn't working. And it didn't help that she looked like she did back then. Sighing, she gave up and leaned her head against the tree as she closed her eyes.

"Okay, you do have a point. And I guess my earlier reaction on that day didn't help things either," said Wallflower as she set her bottle down.

"You're right, it didn't. Yet, that's not even the worst part. That would be when I went over to Twilight's house, and I had to show her… this." Sunset's voice cracked as she felt ready to cry again. "Twilight's reaction… it was the most hurtful one. And that only makes me feel worse when I remember that I made Fluttershy faint. It still hurts that the girls had told me to leave her – and them – alone."

"Wow, that is harsh," was all Wallflower felt like she could say. It wasn't like she could say that she understood what the redhead went through. She'd never become a raging she-demon hellbent on world domination.

"Yeah, but I made it much worse when I… injured… Twilight," continued Sunset, looking away as she spoke.

"Well, that explains the bandage on Twilight's arm. It was because of… you?" asked Wallflower as she moved away, not bothering to hide that she had done that.

"Great. Now you're back to being nervous around me. I can't blame you, though. I did just admit that I injured Twilight. What else would I expect?" said Sunset as she wrapped her arms around her knees, resting her chin on them.

Wallflower saw Sunset's eyes close as a single tear ran down her face, trickling down onto the jacket sleeve. That tear made her realize that her actions had hurt the former school bully. Yeah, she did look like a she-demon – the red skin, eyes surrounded by blackness, and fangs made that more than apparent. Yet, beneath that exterior, Sunset was still Sunset. No change in her appearance was ever going to alter that. Knowing that made Wallflower inch a little closer. Her fear was still evident by her shaking hands that quivered as she tried to grab her backpack and move it closer to her. However, it wasn't about to override her capacity to see a friend in need. Moving a few strands of her aquamarine hair behind her ear, Wallflower looked at Sunset, giving her a small apologetic smile.

"Sorry, it's still an adjustment to see you looking so much… like your demonic self," said Wallflower as the redhead met her gaze. "I didn't mean for my actions to hurt you."

"That's okay. It was an adjustment for me too. It took a while for me to look in the mirror and not be disgusted by the changes," said Sunset Shimmer, her voice sounding shaky as she spoke. It was clear that she was struggling with some of the painful memories. And that they were all related to the one person Sunset had hurt the most despite every effort to avoid it – Twilight Sparkle.

"That must've been hard for you, especially concerning the events of the Fall Formal." Wallflower took out an orange and started to peel it, making the air around her smell like it.

"It was, and a huge one too. I mean, I have two wings underneath this hoodie, and they don't like getting constricted," said Sunset Shimmer, laughing a little as she remembered her first time trying to fly. "They sure aren't happy about it either. And they knock me off balance more than usual."

"Ah, that explains when you struggled to get up when I pushed you. And speaking of attacks, how did you injure Twilight?" asked Wallflower, wondering what exactly Sunset did to her.

"I injured Twilight with my… claws. And unfortunately, I had a momentary lapse of judgment in that same moment too. I got mad at Twilight for breaking her promise to me, and that's when I grabbed her arm, cutting her very badly. It only happened because I was scared to lose her…" Sunset felt her wings wanting to wrap around her as if they wanted to comfort her. It seemed that her demon form, although still scary looking in terms of appearance, had some advantages to it.

"Oh. So, you attacked Twilight because you got mad at her, and now you're avoiding her. But that still doesn't explain why you are avoiding the girls." Wallflower took another sip from her water. "My guess, it has something to do with your black eye."

Sunset Shimmer looked at Wallflower for the first time since they had started to talk about what happened with Twilight and the girls. "Was it really that clear? I thought I hid it pretty well." Sunset's voice had a hint of sarcasm as she spoke.

"And you do, but only when you have your sunglasses on. And although there is some shade here, it's still easy to see the black eye," said Wallflower as she moved a bit closer to Sunset.

"Touché. Well, I got it from Rainbow Dash. I am sure you can figure out why." Sunset Shimmer leaned back against the tree again, wiping her cheek dry.

"Rainbow Dash found out about what happened with Twilight and having previously discovered your secret changes, jumped to conclusions. And that resulted in her attacking you. How was that?" asked Wallflower as she popped an orange slice into her mouth. "Was I close?"

"Actually, you were spot on. Just like Pinkie Pie would have been. Hmm, you two may be more alike than I thought," Sunset said as she recalled the few times Pinkie Pie had figured out things without anyone mentioning it to her. It was hilarious most of the time, but there were times it had been almost borderline creepy.

"Okay, that is weird. But also, maybe you should be with your friends instead of here with me," said Wallflower.

"What?" Sunset Shimmer looked at the gardener with a confused expression.

"I mean, they are your friends. I am just some girl you met back in 9th grade. And yet, you're here with me. If you ask me, I say you should arrange a meeting or something," Wallflower explained, taking another slice of her orange. "Don't avoid them. Try to work it out and get past the problem."

"So, basically, you're telling me to talk to them and repair the damage done by my actions?" asked Sunset Shimmer, raising an eyebrow as she smiled.

"Yeah, exactly, especially with Twilight. I'm not sure how you'll fix it, but I know you will. Somehow." Wallflower ate the last piece of her orange, tossing the rest of the skin into an empty plastic bag. "Well, I've got to go now. I have to do some research on some new plants for my garden," She said, getting up from the ground.

Sunset Shimmer did the same, dusting off her pants. As she looked at Wallflower, she saw the shy girl was looking at her with a surprised expression. Looking behind her, she found her that tail had inadvertently pulled itself free and was now flicking back and forth behind her. Sunset looked up, and this time there was a noticeable blush on Wallflower's face.

"Sorry, this thing doesn't like to get kept in place," said Sunset Shimmer as she shoved it back into her jeans.

"It's okay. To be honest, I thought it looked kind of cool. If you ever stop hiding what happened to you, you would look pretty awesome with it," Wallflower said as she grabbed her backpack, slipping her arms into the straps. 'Anyway, it was great talking to you, even if I didn't plan on it."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't mean to dump all of my problems on you. But thanks for listening, even though you didn't have to. And thank you for the advice. I will arrange a meeting with my friends later," said Sunset Shimmer, slipping her hood back over her head.

"I'm happy to help. Now, I have to go," Wallflower made her way to the bushes. Before she pushed them aside, she turned back and said, "Can we be friends? I did actually enjoy talking to you a lot. It was a nice break from being alone."

Sunset Shimmer smiled. "Of course, we can be friends."

"Thank you," said Wallflower as she made a path in the bushes. "Bye!"

Sunset Shimmer said her goodbyes to Wallflower as she watched her disappear. Once she was gone, Sunset pulled out her phone. She unlocked it and went through her messages, scrolling through the list. Finding Pinkie Pie's private chat with her, she clicked on it. As the conversation loaded in, Sunset saw a video of her and Twilight at the movie theatre for the premiere of the Daring Do film that Pinkie Pie had made for her. For a moment, she wanted to watch it and remember the good times she had with her. However, a voice in the back of her head reminded Sunset that it would only be painful right now. So, ignoring the temptation to click on it, she texted Pinkie Pie.

SunShim: Hey, Pinkie Pie, can you make sure all the girls meet me at AJ's farm? I have something about the fight with Springtrap that I want to tell you girls.

Pinkie: Sure! And what about Twilight? She didn't seem to want to be near you at your apartment.

SunShim: Yeah, I know. I was there; I saw Twilight avoiding me, Pinkie. Please, try to convince her to come. I am willing to do whatever she wants me to do. As it is, I can't talk to her, so I need your help.

Pinkie: Okay, I will see what I can do. Rest assured, Twilight will be there. For how long, I can't be sure right now. I will also be bringing a batch of my special triple chocolate chip strawberry-drizzled cookies for the occasion.

SunShim: Okay, thanks, Pinkie!

Pinkie: No problem, Sunset. See ya later!

SunShim: Yep. Bye!

Putting her phone away, Sunset Shimmer grabbed her bag. She slipped her sunglasses back on before she walked out of the garden. Her talk with Wallflower helped her see that she had to try to fix things rather than avoid them. And Sunset hoped that there was a chance she could talk to Twilight and fix her mistake even though she had a sinking feeling that it wasn't likely to happen.

"I'm glad you finally came to your senses," said Sunset's inner voice. "I was beginning to worry that you weren't going to."

"Yeah, yeah, save the speech. Right now, I need to focus on dealing with Springtrap and the threat he poses to my friends," replied Sunset Shimmer, not wanting to deal with her conscience.

"Okay, fine. Just make sure you try to repair things with Twilight. That's all I will say." After that, Sunset's conscience went quiet.

"That's what I am trying to do…" thought Sunset Shimmer as she walked back towards the school building.

Later that day at the barn, all the girls were waiting outside for Sunset Shimmer. The kids all stood near the barn entrance in case anyone came by that wasn't Sunset. Pinkie Pie glanced over at Twilight and noticed that she had wrapped her wings around herself. She had managed to get her to come, but she was very reluctant to do so. And that was worsened when she heard that Sunset was coming too. However, Pinkie Pie was very persuasive, convincing her that Sunset would keep her distance. It worked but just barely. She could see that getting injured by Sunset still bothered Twilight. Yet, the fact that Twilight was there was a small victory, even if it was a small one. Just then, there was a familiar bike pulling up towards them, parking next to Rainbow Dash's motorcycle.

"Hey, girls. Sorry that I was late. I had to take my bike and get some gas," said Sunset Shimmer as she set her helmet down on her bike.

Glancing at Twilight Sparkle, Sunset felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. But she refused to let the smile show. Remembering that Twilight chose to ignore her last Tuesday was enough to make her smile fade. Yet, despite that, it was nice to see that she came. Sunset had her suspicions that Twilight wouldn't show if she knew that she was coming. However, she was glad that she had gotten proven wrong.

"It's fine, darling. We didn't mind the wait," said Rarity. "But, uh, why are we here?"

"Yeah. We haven't seen you since last Friday," said Susie, her voice sounding more human than it had previously. "That is odd in and of itself."

Sunset Shimmer noticed the change in Susie's voice. "Woah, your voice sounds less robotic, Susie. How did that happen?"

"I don't know. I think the longer my friends and I stay present in our animatronic bodies, the more human we sound and become," replied Susie. "Now, back to the reason for your surprise visit."

"First, let's get into the barn. Then, I will explain everything." Sunset Shimmer walked towards the barn, following Cassidy and the kids. Looking behind her, she saw that Twilight was hiding behind Applejack. That made her heart stop for a split second. "Wow, I seriously messed up…"

All the kids sat on the barn floor, knowing that the hay bales weren't going to support them. Rarity and Applejack sat together, wanting to remain close to each other. And although her stitches were due to get removed soon, Rarity still found it hard to move around. So, she was grateful for the cowgirl's help and support. Pinkie Pie grabbed Twilight's arm and pulled her to the opposite side of the barn, keeping the distance between them and Sunset. Fluttershy sat down next to Rainbow Dash as she didn't see any other seat available. When she sat down, she noticed a small spider was walking on the wall behind her. Fluttershy chuckled as she remembered the interaction between Mattie and the athlete. That left Sunset with no choice but to sit next to the door by herself.

"Okay, we are in the barn. Start talking, Sunset," said Susie, sounding impatient.

Jeremy gave Sunset Shimmer an apologetic look. "Sorry, Susie tends to forget that some people don't like getting rushed. And forgets that she has to have patience."

"It's fine, Jeremy. Susie wants to know, just like I am sure you all do," said Sunset Shimmer, seeing Twilight Sparkle look away as she spoke.

"Yes, we all do. So please, get on with it," said Susie.

"Okay, okay. Well, first, you guys need to know that Springtrap is back," Sunset Shimmer said, making the room fall into a heavy silence.

"What?" asked Cassidy, speaking for the first time since Sunset had shown up.

Sunset Shimmer looked at Cassidy. "Springtrap is here, in Canterlot City."

"You're saying that Springtrap, the person we know as William Afton, is here?!" shouted Susie, standing up from her sitting position.

Sunset Shimmer nodded.

"And how do you know this?" asked Fritz. "We haven't seen Springtrap since we arrived."

"Well…" Sunset saw the girls look down as they remembered what happened last Monday. It was still shocking and terrifying for them. And they were reeling from their injuries that they had sustained during the attack. "We have seen Springtrap. And he attacked my friends."

"I guess that explains the bandages and casts on your friends. Although if Springtrap attacked your friends, how come you're not injured like they are?" asked Cassidy, pointing out that Sunset seemed relatively unharmed.

"I was, uh, hiding beneath the bleachers when I saw Fluttershy running towards me." Sunset Shimmer heard some of the girls gasp, not that it surprised her. She expected that they would be a little upset by that fact. However, the one thing that did shock her was that Twilight was the only one glaring at her. "And I also discovered that Springtrap's army of himself had one weakness."

"Really? What was their weakness?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"It is metal. Springtrap's doppelgangers disappeared when I touched them with a metal pipe. So, any metal that isn't a part of them is their weakness. Unfortunately, that seems to be their only one," replied Sunset Shimmer.

"So, you're telling me that at any moment I could have taken the trash can behind me and swung it at them? And it would've kept them from beating the crap out of me?!" Rainbow Dash raised her voice as she pointed to her arm, which had gotten wrapped in an ace bandage.

"Um, yeah…" Sunset Shimmer rubbed the back of her neck as she looked at the athlete. "You're not going to punch me again, are you?"

"No, but it's tempting. I can't believe that I could've kicked some robot ass…" Rainbow Dash sighed. "Well, if Springtrap wants to come back, I am going to kick his doppelgangers asses. Then, I am going after him next."

The redhead chuckled to herself, amused by Rainbow Dash's drive to beat up an 8-foot animatronic rabbit. However, she knew that it wasn't going to be an easy task to complete. Sure, with the metal lid and pipe, she had defeated Springtrap's doppelgangers, but that was when there were just 30 or so of them. Sunset knew that Springtrap could make more and attack them in an area with little to no metal around them. And that there were so many ways that it could go wrong if they weren't careful. It almost made her sick to her stomach as she realized that Springtrap was likely to amp up his efforts to kill them. Sunset pushed her thoughts away, knowing that she and the girls would come up with a plan.

"Did you at least stay and help your friends after you finished fighting against Springtrap or William, whatever he prefers to call himself now?" asked Gabriel, noticing the tension between the girls.

Sunset Shimmer gulped. She looked away as she saw the girls' expressions change from shocked to hurt. They all remembered what Sunset did, even though she had apologized for it. And she regretted leaving them injured in the school parking lot. It wasn't easy for her to do that. Sunset knew, deep down, that what she did was wrong. And that running away, leaving the girls behind was a mistake. One that had come to bite her back now.

"No, Sunset didn't. She ran off, leaving Pinkie and everyone else badly injured and bleeding. Thankfully, I was there. Or Pinkie could've easily died from her injuries," replied Twilight Sparkle, answering the question for the redhead. Her voice dripped with rage as her hand clenched into a fist next to her.

Sunset shrunk away as she heard Twilight Sparkle speak. The anger in her voice made it clear that she wasn't happy. And if the glare from earlier hadn't made the redhead regret asking Twilight to come, she was now. She didn't want to upset her, but it seemed like she couldn't avoid it. Swallowing, Sunset tried to ignore the fact that her closest friend took the opportunity to remind her of her mistakes.

"Is that… true?" Cassidy asked, looking from Twilight to Sunset.

"Yeah…" Sunset Shimmer looked out at the horses in the nearby corral as she spoke. She couldn't take looking at Twilight anymore. "Twilight is right. I left my friends, and I regret doing it. I would never have done that if…"

The redhead struggled to admit that it was because she was fearful of the girls seeing her as Demon Shimmer. And she didn't want to anger them again after seeing their reaction to her accidentally injuring Twilight. Besides, Sunset didn't feel like revealing her situation to the kids either. After what happened with the girls and Twilight, she wasn't ready to deal with someone else becoming nervous or scared around her. It was becoming annoying, not to mention hurtful, having to watch their reactions to something she couldn't do anything about.

"Okay. Well, that aside, what did Springtrap – I mean, William – want?" asked Susie.

"Springtrap wanted to kill us," replied Pinkie Pie, holding an arm around her stomach as she recalled what the Springtrap doppelgangers did to her. "He wanted to get to… you."

Cassidy sighed. "I figured as much. I mean, we have been avoiding him for years. However, getting trapped inside an animatronic suit wasn't helping. And he was the one who put us in there, to begin with."

"What? Do you mean that Spring-William Afton is the one I have seen in your memories? And the one who caused you guys to get trapped?" asked Sunset Shimmer as she realized that the name William made sense to her.

"Yeah," replied Jeremy. "William is the one who lured my friends and me to the back room. Although we usually called him the Purple Guy because of his purple security suit."

"That explains a lot." Sunset looked at Jeremy. And out of the corner of her eye, she caught Twilight looking away. It hurt to see that, but right now, she had more significant matters at hand. "It explains why William wanted to kill us. I think he may have realized that you guys are back and aware. And with us helping you, we're stopping him from finishing his plans."

Twilight Sparkle, no longer able to stand listening to Sunset speak, got up. With her wings wrapped around her, she walked out of the barn. Not bothering to say anything as she passed the redhead. She made her way halfway down the dirt path outside before she stopped. Instinctively, Twilight felt her hand wrap around the bandage on her arm. The heat radiating from it made her remember the pain she had felt over the last week.

Twilight remembered how shocking it was to see the redhead look so different from her usual appearance. And how much it cut to realize that she had believed the lies she had told her for a year. It hurt to know that the redhead who Twilight had feelings for was the one who was going to leave scars. And that those permanent scars would never fade. Hearing her voice, seeing her hide beneath the hood, and knowing what lies beneath it, it stung. It made the betrayal hurt even more. All that she could see when she looked at her was someone who she had once called a friend. Falling to her knees, Twilight let go of the sobs that had built up inside.

"I shouldn't have come here…" thought Twilight Sparkle as she struggled to keep her sobs to herself.

Sunset Shimmer saw that Twilight Sparkle had stopped just a few feet from the entrance of the barn. And being the closest to the door, she could hear her sobs. The sound of it broke her heart. Yet, it didn't take a second for Sunset to know why Twilight was crying. She knew that it was because of her. That it was due to the fact that she had made Twilight come here when she didn't want to do that. She also knew why she had left the barn. It was because of the cuts that she had caused. And although the bookworm tried to hide the bandage beneath the sleeve of her shirt, Sunset still saw it. Looking down at her hands, she let out a shaky exhale. She wasn't sure what to do. A part of her wanted to respect Twilight's wishes to stay away from her. However, the other half of her wanted to comfort her, to make sure everything was okay.

'Don't you dare do it! Remember what Twilight said? Leave her alone. You'll make things worse if you don't," said Sunset's inner voice.

"But… Twilight is hurt… because of me. I can't do nothing, can I?" thought Sunset Shimmer, shifting uncomfortably in the awkward silence.

"You can, and you will if it's the last thing I do. You honestly can't tell me that you don't remember what when you tried to approach Twilight last Monday? Or do you want to watch her flinch away… again?" retorted Sunset's inner voice.

Sunset knew that her conscience had a point. The last time she had tried to approach Twilight, it hadn't gone well. Yet, she couldn't just sit around and not do anything. It didn't feel right to her. Not when Twilight needed someone to lean on right now.

"I have to try. I have to try and be there for Twilight, even if it might cause more damage. And sitting here doing nothing isn't going to make this better." Sunset Shimmer stood up and walked out of the barn.

"Fine. However, if you get hurt, that is on you. Not me. So, bye. Good luck not fucking it up."

The redhead's conscience said nothing after that. And that left her to walk up to Twilight on her own and in silence. As she got closer, Sunset could see that Twilight was visibly shaking as she sat there on the dirt path. Her wings wrapped around her shoulder, just barely muffling her sobs. It quickly became apparent that Twilight was shaking because she tried to keep herself from letting them out. Taking a deep, yet shaky breath, Sunset spoke.

"Twi, what's wron-"

Whipping around and jumping to her feet, Twilight Sparkle punched Sunset as she screamed, "Why the hell did you follow me?! I told you, leave me alone! Or didn't you get that, Demon Shimmer?! Can't you see that you've done enough to me?"

Sunset Shimmer got cut off as she felt a fist slam into her nose and right cheek. The impact was so quick and so forceful that it sent her flying to the ground as well as knocking off her sunglasses. As she felt her back end hit the ground, she groaned. The bruises from Rainbow Dash's attack on her were still there and still very sensitive to any kind of hard touch. Pushing herself up onto her elbows, Sunset realized that her hood had fallen. Just as she was about to pull it back up, she heard the kids walk out of the barn.

"Sunset, what is going on?" asked Cassidy as she walked towards the redhead.

The redhead didn't turn around as she heard Cassidy stop just a few feet behind her. Her ears went flat as she listened to the other kids gasp. Here she was lying on the ground, her hood down, revealing what happened to her. Sunset didn't know what was worse; the fact that she had gotten called Demon Shimmer by Twilight or the fact that she was on the ground with her secret exposed to the kids.

Knowing that the kids were still watching her, Sunset slowly sat up. She looked up at Twilight, wanting to see if she was okay. However, the tears that were still streaming down her face told her that she wasn't. Twilight had lowered her hand, letting it rest at her side, but Sunset could see that it had gotten covered in a small amount of her blood. The punch had been hard enough to cause a tiny tear in her cheek right above her cheekbone. There wasn't much blood, but a few small drops did manage to find their way down, dripping on her jacket sleeve.

"T-Twilight…?" Sunset Shimmer, unsure if she should even speak.

Twilight Sparkle backed away, realizing what she just did. As the redhead sat up, she saw that she had knocked off her sunglasses and hood, revealing her appearance. The sight made her heart race as her arm throbbed in rhythm with her heartbeat. Seeing the redhead's eyes and the blackness which surrounded them and seemed to absorb all emotion, it made her panic. Twilight felt herself struggling to breathe as fear began to rise within her. She took a few steps away from the redhead.

For a moment, Twilight looked up at the barn entrance. She saw that all the girls and the kids, minus Cassidy, were standing in the doorway. They all had shocked expressions, matching her own feelings. Not wanting to be there any longer, she took a few more shaky steps back. Something, maybe guilt, made Twilight look back at Sunset, their eyes locking. She wanted to say something but thought better of it. Instead, she turned around, not saying anything or acknowledging her friends. She opened her wings, letting them reach their full size. And with one good flap, she was off the ground. Once Twilight was in the air, she flew off and left the barn behind. She only had one destination in mind; her bedroom.

Sunset Shimmer was watching Twilight's departure when she heard a soft voice say, "Sunset? Are you okay?"

Looking next to her, Sunset saw that it was Fluttershy. "No, I am not okay. Twilight just called me Demon Shimmer and punched me. And I didn't even get to give this to her."

Fluttershy's eyes widened for a moment before she relaxed and saw that Sunset hadn't gotten any severe wounds. Once she was able to take her mind off of Twilight, she asked, "Give her what?"

"This." Sunset Shimmer pulled out an envelope from her pocket. "It's a letter for Twilight to read, so she knows that I never meant to hurt her."

"Well, if you'd like, I can give it to Twilight for you," said Fluttershy, holding out her hand.

Sunset Shimmer placed the letter in Fluttershy's hand, saying, "Thanks, Fluttershy. I really appreciate you doing that for me."