Five Nights at Equestria Girls

*The Next Week*

Applejack and Rarity walked into the hospital, heading towards the waiting room. The smell of the hospital's disinfectant was almost overpowering, and Rarity struggled to keep herself from coughing. They were able to find a seat near the check-in desk, which didn't have too many people nearby. Just as they sat down, a nurse wearing light blue scrubs appeared with a clipboard in her hand.

"Sasha?" asked the nurse.

Sasha, who was sitting with her best friend, Violet Night, got up. Her hands trembled today because she would look at what type of surgeries she wanted to do for her bottom surgery. She grabbed Violet's hand as they both walked towards the nurse. It was nice to have Violet with her as emotional support. Both girls walked past Rarity and Applejack and disappeared into the backroom, following behind the nurse.

"Thanks for being here," said Sasha. "I needed someone today."

"You're welcome, Sash. I am here for you, no matter," replied Violet Night.

Back in the waiting room, Rarity and Applejack were still sitting in the quiet. Today, Rarity was planning on getting her stitches removed. And the cowgirl could tell that she was scared by the shaky death grip that she had on her forearm. She made a couple of attempts to remove the hand that was gripping her arm. Unfortunately, the grip was iron tight, and Applejack wasn't willing to use her geode for fear of injuring Rarity. So, instead, she sat there with her hand resting over her girlfriend's.

"You're okay, sugarcube. You're just having your stitches removed," said Applejack, trying to calm Rarity down as best as she could.

"Just... having... my... stitches removed?!" shouted Rarity, turning to Applejack. "I'm sorry, dear, but I'm afraid it's not quite that simple to me."

"What are you so worried about?" asked Applejack, ignoring the few annoyed glares from some of the other people sitting around them in the waiting room.

"Well, I am worried about scarring, Applejack," replied Rarity, who now seemed a bit calmer.

"You are worried about scarrin', Rare? Don't you remember what I said two weeks ago?" asked Applejack, her green eyes meeting Rarity's worry-filled ones.

"Yes, I do. But-"

"No buts, Rare. I meant what I said. Scars or not, you're still beautiful to me." Applejack gave the fashionista a gentle kiss on the cheek, trying to keep her girlfriend calm.

"Thank you, Applejack. I am so happy that I have you for a girlfriend," said Rarity, giving Applejack a small squeeze on her arm before she intertwined her fingers with the cowgirl's strong ones.

Just then, the door next to the check-out desk open again, and a nurse wearing a mint green gown stepped out. Her nurse's scrub had a name tag clipped to its one pocket. And her hair had gotten pulled back into a ponytail. In her hand were a clipboard and pen. She looked at the clipboard before meeting Rarity's eyes.

"Miss Rarity?" asked the nurse. "Come with me, please."

Rarity and Applejack followed the nurse down a long hallway. The hospital had painted the walls a bland white, which, combined with the fluorescent lighting, made Rarity feel sick. There was nothing on the walls except for a few clipboards and a couple of whiteboards. After passing a few doors, they made a turn to the right, going down another hallway. This one had walls that had gotten painted half white and half mint green. As the fashionista took a deep breath in, she caught the scent of rubbing alcohol. It was powerful, burning her nose and throat, making her cough as a result. Eventually, after making their way past three doors, they stopped at the fourth one.

"This," the nurse opened the door as she walked in, "is your room. The doctor will be with you shortly."

Rarity walked into the room, followed by Applejack. As she sat down on the exam table, she heard the paper crinkle underneath her. That made her cringe, which didn't go unnoticed by her girlfriend. Rarity had finally settled on the table when she felt a hand wrap around her shoulder in a comforting embrace. Looking down, she smiled when she saw it was Applejack.

"Are you okay, sugarcube?" asked the cowgirl, distress in her voice.

"No, I am not. But as long as I have you, I can get through this," replied Rarity, giving her girlfriend a comforting smile. "Besides, I would love to get rid of these stitches."

"I'm sure you do, Rare." Applejack let go of Rarity's arm and stood in front of her. "Did you see that nurse's outfit?"

"Oh, I wish I didn't. That... mint green made me sick to my stomach. If I had to wear that, why it would be a crime against fashion!" exclaimed Rarity as she pretended to be shocked.

"I agree with you." Applejack chuckled as she rested a hand on Rarity's knee. "Even I wouldn't be caught dead in that color. Well... maybe for you I would... " The cowgirl turned away as she blushed.

Rarity placed her thumb and forefinger on Applejack's chin, pulling her girlfriend's eyes to her. "I think you would look amazing in mint green..."

Applejack moved her hand off Rarity's knee, resting it on the exam table as she leaned closer to her. Setting her left hand on the other side of the table, she moved even closer. With her face mere inches away from her girlfriend's, she could smell the floral perfume she knew was Rarity's favorite. She met the gaze of the blue eyes that were admiring her as she leaned even closer and closed her eyes. Applejack felt Rarity lean in towards her, closing the space between them as they grew closer. Bending down a little, she tilted her head and kissed her girlfriend. Just then, the doctor walked in and cleared their throat.

"Oh, um..." said Applejack as she pulled away from kissing Rarity and stepped back. "Sorry, doc."

"It's quite alright," replied the doctor as they sat down on the stool in the room.

Rarity looked at the doctor who was now sitting in front of her. Their black hair had some light blue highlights sprinkled throughout it. They also kept it in a messy ponytail that threatened to fall apart any second. When she met the doctor's eyes, Rarity noticed that they were two different colors. The right one was red while the other one was green. That took her by surprise. She had never seen anyone with two different eye colors. However, it was still beautiful to see. Looking down, Rarity saw the doctor's name tag. She saw that the doctor's name was Crystal Dawn. To her, that seemed like an interesting name. It sounded like a name someone would give a character in a book or movie. Rarity immediately got jolted out of her thoughts when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Huh, what?" asked Rarity as she looked in the direction of where the tap came from.

Crystal Dawn smiled. "I was asking how you are today."

"Oh, I am doing fine. Just a bit nervous about having my stitches removed," replied Rarity, grabbing Applejack's hand as she spoke.

"That is perfectly normal, sweetie. But don't worry, it's just a few snips, and then we're done," said Crystal Dawn as she gave the fashionista a reassuring smile.

Crystal Dawn got up from the stool she was sitting on and walked over to the counter. She used a key on a lanyard around her neck to unlock a drawer in front of her. Letting go of the key, she opened the drawer, which had a hand-written label that read 'stitches and supplies.' After a few moments of rummaging through the contents, Crystal Dawn pulled out a pair of scissors. She walked back over to where Rarity and Applejack were and set them down on the exam table.

"I am going to need you to lie down for me, okay?" Crystal Dawn stood at the side of the exam table. "And pull up your shirt too."

"Okay." Rarity laid back, still holding Applejack's hand.

Using her free hand, Rarity pulled her shirt up to just below her bra. Looking at her abdomen, she saw the black threads poking through her skin. It looked like her skin had gotten stitched together flawlessly, just like she would sew fabric. However, the ends of the threads poked out of the one side, which caused them to always get caught in Rarity's clothes if she wasn't careful. That caused her more pain than she cared for. And where her abdomen had gotten stitched closed, was a jagged scar from the wound that had been there. Rarity winced as she felt the doctor's cold hand touch her abdomen.

"Relax, it'll be over soon, I promise," said Crystal Dawn.

Rarity squeezed Applejack's hand as she felt the cold blade of the scissor touch her skin. As she heard the first snip, she jumped in response, unable to control her reflexes. The next snip came, and she was able to keep from jumping as much. As the doctor continued to cut away at the threads, Rarity managed to keep herself from jerking every time they got snipped. Eventually, the doctor pulled the scissors away and placed them on the counter. The fashionista saw her move the trash can closer to the table. That made her gulp and turn to look at Applejack. She knew what was coming next, and she wasn't looking forward to it.

"It's gonna be okay, Rare. She is just pulling out the threads now," said Applejack, rubbing Rarity's arm in an effort to comfort her.

Rarity did her best not to think about what was happening. With Applejack holding her hand, she found that it was easier to let her mind wander. However, when the doctor pulled out the last thread, it pulled on her skin. And that caused Rarity to yelp in surprise. It didn't hurt much, but it was a shock to her nonetheless. Thankfully, it was over quick, and Rarity relaxed soon after.

"There we go, all done," said Crystal Dawn. "You can pull your shirt down now."

Rarity sat up and sighed. Her shirt fell and covered her abdomen as she moved. "Is that all, Dr. Dawn?"

"Yep. Just call me if there is any pain or signs of infection," said Crystal Dawn as she opened the door. "You can leave when you are ready to."

With that, Crystal Dawn left the room, leaving Rarity and Applejack alone. Applejack finally managed to free her hand from her girlfriend's grasp. Her hand was red from the tight grip she had on it. Rubbing her palm, Applejack looked at her girlfriend.

"Are you okay, Rare?" Applejack rested a hand on Rarity's shoulder. "I saw the scar..."

Rarity pushed the cowgirl's hand off her shoulder as she got off of the exam table. She stood in front of the full-body mirror that was next to the sink in the room. She lifted her shirt again, revealing the scar on her skin. It was jagged and broad, running across her abdomen and covering her navel. Slowly, Rarity touched the mark, not sure if she could believe it was a part of her. She could feel the slight bumpiness around the edges, which made her cringe and pull her hand away. Looking up from it, she met her gaze. Rarity could see her shock in her eyes. Before she could turn away, she saw and felt Applejack come up behind her.

"It's just a scar, Rare. It doesn't change who you are," said Applejack as she rested her hand on Rarity's shoulder.

"I know, it's just hard for me to see..." replied Rarity, her voice quivering a little.

Applejack slowly and cautiously wrapped her arms around Rarity's waist. She let her hands move up until she felt her fingertips touch the edges of the scar. As soon as she did that, she felt her girlfriend flinch and inhale sharply. That only made Applejack move her hand further along the mark. She wanted to show Rarity that it didn't mean anything in her eyes. And that she was still beautiful no matter what happened.

"Applejack... please," begged Rarity, not wanting the cowgirl to continue touching her scar. It was too much for her. "Stop..."

Hearing the tremble in Rarity's voice, Applejack stopped. Letting her hands fall from Rarity's abdomen, she stepped back. "I am sorry, Rare. I was just-"

"I know," said Rarity, cutting Applejack off as she turned around and grabbed her hand. "But, I am just not ready for that yet, okay?"

Applejack smiled. "Okay, I understand. Do you want to head home now?"

Rarity lowered her shirt with her free hand and laid her head against Applejack's chest as they walked out of the office. "Yeah..."

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

Sunset Shimmer drove up to the Sugarcube Corner. Today, she was going to help Pinkie Pie make some desserts. She had wanted to try and get back to some semblance of everyday life before her appearance had changed. Pulling into the parking lot, she cut off her engine. Sunset carefully removed her helmet, not wanting to chance anyone seeing her with her hood down. Although Pinkie Pie had promised that they would be alone, she just wanted to be cautious. Once she got her helmet off, she kicked the motorcycle's kickstand out and got off. Sunset made her way to the entrance and opened the door, making the bell above it jingle.

"Coming!" came a very familiar voice from the back room.

A few moments later, Sunset's pink-haired friend came out into the front of the store. Sunset had to stifle a few chuckles as she saw that flour was coating Pinkie Pie's hair as well as her hands and some parts of her face. It wasn't surprising to her. Anyone who knew Pinkie Pie knew that she enjoyed baking quite a lot. And that meant there was almost no chance of walking away without getting coated in at least one layer of flour and other ingredients.

"I can see you have already started without me," said Sunset Shimmer as she wiped some of the flour off of Pinkie Pie's face.

"Yeah, I did. Sorry, but I couldn't wait to start baking. I just go so excited to smell the sweet scent of cake baking. It's my favorite, you know," replied Pinkie Pie, blowing a piece of hair out of her face.

"Yes, I know, Pinkie." Sunset Shimmer set her helmet down on one of the tables. "I still hope there is some baking left for me."

"Oh, there is!" Pinkie Pie squealed as she grabbed Sunset's hand."Follow me!"

Sunset Shimmer felt herself getting pulled towards the back of the bakery as Pinkie Pie grabbed her sleeve. A few turns later and they arrived in the kitchen. It was in a state of disarray. There were multiple cake pans in the sink, flour everywhere, and there were even a half dozen unfrosted cupcakes from an earlier batch. The redhead glanced at the oven, seeing that there was another cake inside. And from the height of it, she figured it was almost ready to get pulled out.

"Woah, Pinkie. It looks like you have already finished half the baking," said Sunset Shimmer as she picked up the list of stuff that they needed to bake.

"Yep. Now, with you here, we can finish the last half of the list together," said Pinkie Pie as she handed Sunset a baking pan.

Sunset Shimmer took the baking pan and laughed. "Okay, but I call dibs on frosting the last of those cupcakes."

"Okie dokie loki!" said Pinkie Pie as she skipped over to the timer just in time for it to go off.

Sunset Shimmer looked at Pinkie Pie, hoping that she would allow her to take off her hoodie. "Are you sure that we're alone?"

"Yeah, you can take off your hoodie, Sunset. It's fine," replied Pinkie Pie as she grabbed the cake from the oven and set it on a cooling rack behind her.

Sunset lowered her hood, trusting Pinkie Pie's word. Sure, it was okay to have her hood down when she was with her friends and the kids. Yet, out in public, it was a risk to even take off her sunglasses, let alone lower her hood. And today, Sunset had decided to take a chance because she knew it was just going to be her and Pinkie Pie. Pushing aside her worries about someone seeing her, she grabbed the next recipe off of the corkboard and looked at it. It was a recipe for Pinkie Pie's famous triple cocoa swirl cupcakes. Those were Sunset's favorite, especially with a dollop of whipped cream. As she scanned the ingredients, she was surprised at the amount of chocolate that the recipe called for.

"White chocolate chips, dark chocolate bars, milk chocolate chips... wow that is a lot of chocolate, Pinkie," said Sunset Shimmer as she opened the fridge and grabbed each type of chocolate.

"Well, it is triple chocolate swirl cupcakes, Sunset," said Pinkie Pie as she looked at the recipe. "It wouldn't be that without all that chocolate. Plus, I also use some chocolate batter as well."

"Wow, how have I not gotten diabetes from that?" asked Sunset Shimmer as she sat the ingredients down on the counter.

"Probably because you're a unicorn pony from a magical world with a metabolism that is also out of this world," replied Pinkie Pie as she set a mixing bowl down on the counter.

"Maybe..." Sunset Shimmer looked at the next ingredient. "Okay, the next thing is... fudge."

Rummaging around, Sunset Shimmer couldn't find the fudge. Furrowing her brow, she wondered where it was. On a hunch, she turned around. And as she had guessed, Pinkie Pie was eating a spoonful of fudge with delight in her eyes. Sunset chuckled, looking amused as she saw Pinkie Pie go for another spoonful.

"I should've guessed you would have the fudge." Sunset Shimmer walked over to Pinkie Pie. "Do you have all the other ingredients, Pinkie?"

"Yep!" shouted Pinkie Pie as she pulled the spoon free from her mouth, revealing the circle of fudge around her lips.

"Well, let's bake!" shouted Sunset Shimmer as she grabbed a mixing spoon.

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

Twilight Sparkle sat on the edge of her bed. Her mind was wandering back to what she had done to Sunset a week ago. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that she had lost control of her temper and lashed out. It was unlike her to do something like that. Yet, Twilight knew that it was her, or rather the anger that had pent up inside her. And unfortunately, she had taken it out on the person who had hurt her. She was aware now that Sunset didn't deserve that, especially when she had tried to apologize to her. Sighing, she pulled her phone out from her pocket. Just as she turned it on and unlocked it, she saw a message pop up. It was a text message from Trixie.

Trixie: Hey, Twilight. I thought I should send you a copy of Sunset's transformation. I think you should watch the video by yourself when you have the time.

Twilight clicked on the message, and just as the conversation opened up, the video file came. She stared at her phone, wondering if she could watch it again. She still remembered what happened the last time she had seen it. It had taken all her willpower to finish it, and not run out of the classroom. Twilight felt sick to her stomach as she recalled the pained screams Sunset let out in the video. Yet, there was some part of her that wanted to see it. So ignoring her growing nausea, she clicked on the video file.

Tilting her phone to the side, Twilight put the video in full screen as it played. She watched as the camera somewhat stabilized itself. In the silence of her room, she could hear the noise of the leather jacket ripping as Sunset's wings pushed themselves out. The sound of Sunset screaming made Twilight pause the video as soon as it was over. She couldn't stand to hear the screams as her mind replayed the fearful expression on the redhead's face. Now, re-watching the video of her transformation, she couldn't ignore the painful reality of her actions. The girls were right; she had taken it too far.

Twilight Sparkle was about to press play when she looked over at her desk. Sitting on top of her notebook was Sunset's letter. It had sat there for about a week, unopened and collecting dust. She had put it there because she couldn't stomach reading it, not knowing that she had lied to her. However, now that she knew her feelings for Sunset weren't going away, she wanted to read it. Besides, Twilight wasn't sure she could continue with the video anyway. It was too much for her to deal with right now. So, turning off her phone, she walked up to her desk and grabbed the envelope.

"Okay, you can do this, Twilight," said Twilight Sparkle, trying to gather up her courage. "Do it for Sunset."

The letter felt heavy in Twilight's hand, and it trembled as she reached towards the flap. Flipping it open, she pulled out two pieces of notebook paper. As she looked at the letter, she recognized Sunset's neat cursive handwriting. It was one of the things Twilight loved about her. She enjoyed reading Sunset's letters and admiring the look of her writing. It was almost as perfect as the redhead herself. Not wanting to wait anymore, she began to read the contents of the two-paged letter.

Twilight,

I am not sure why I am writing this letter. I am not even sure you're going to read it, especially after what happened last night. And I know that you probably still see me as a monster, not that I can blame you. I am just writing this to say that I am sorry for what I did to you. I never should've grabbed your arm when you tried to leave. You had a right to try and go. After all, it had to have been terrifying to see me look the way I do right now.

To tell you the truth, it's been hard for me to look in the mirror and see my reflection now. I am still struggling with my situation now, which is part of why I hid from you for so long. Now, I can understand why you were worried about looking like Midnight Sparkle permanently. Lately, I have been having those same worries now. It's been hard to look at my body and see my demonic self every time. It has gotten to the point where I am covering my mirrors now. And every time I see myself in the mirror, all I remember is how you reacted to seeing it. I am not sure this will be any consolation, but I never wanted you to find out the way you did last night. I originally wanted to talk about it before I showed it to you. However, as you can tell, I waited too long, and things didn't exactly go according to plan.

I am sorry that I hid my past from you, Twilight. You are right about the fact that I should have trusted you with the truth. I was terrified of losing you, but that is no excuse for pushing you away. I regret not telling you and listening when you said that you wouldn't judge me. But when you broke your promise after you said that you wouldn't, it hurt. Not that I blame you for realizing what you had promised to not run away from...

Twilight, if and whenever you read, please know that I want to make up for what I did to you. I am willing to tell you about my past and answer any questions you have. I just hope you'll give me a chance to talk to and explain it. And to apologize for hiding it from you.

Your friend, Sunset Shimmer

Twilight Sparkle set the letter down on her desk. Her cheeks were wet with tears that streamed down them. As she read it, she could see that Sunset struggled to write it down. She could tell that it was painful to do that as well. And that made Twilight feel even worse about her actions towards Sunset a week ago. She could see now that Rainbow Dash was right about Sunset trying to apologize to her. Twilight had ignored that because she was so wrapped up in her hurt and didn't want to give Sunset a chance to talk.

"Why did I let my emotions get the better of me? I made a mistake, and now, I am not sure I can fix it," thought Twilight Sparkle as she grabbed her phone.

Twilight unlocked her phone and clicked on the video timeline, scrubbing it almost to the end. She didn't want to see the rest of it right now, though she planned on doing so later. However, at the moment, she wanted to hear what Sunset had said. She needed to know if Sunset did have her doubts about her, that she feared losing her to her demonic self. Twilight wanted to see the pain Sunset endured after her change for herself. She hadn't fully grasped what occurred to Sunset until she had read the letter, but now she wanted to understand. So, with a shaky hand, she pressed play.

"No! I can't do that! If Twilight sees this, she'll push me away forever. And if I lose her, I am not sure that I can accept that," said Sunset Shimmer, her head lowering as she looked at her claws. "She'll never look at me the same after she sees this side of me."

Twilight Sparkle remained silent as she let the video continue.

"Nobody will ever look at me again... Twilight will never be able to see past this monster I have become. I am too frightening for her to be able to do that..." said Sunset Shimmer.

Pausing the video, Twilight closed out of the video and pulled up her messages. A part of her wanted to text Sunset and let her know that she had finally read the letter. However, as she saw the last text she had sent Sunset, she faltered. Twilight wasn't sure if she should message her, especially after what happened last week. She knew that she had hurt her feelings, and the fact that Sunset had recently been avoiding her made it clear. Setting her phone down, she looked at the letter again. Twilight re-read the third paragraph as she tried to figure out how things between her and the redhead had fallen so far from what they used to be.

"Why did I break my promise to you, Sunset? How could I have let my fear and anger blind me so much that I failed to see your pain?" asked Twilight Sparkle, setting the papers back onto her desk. She placed a hand on her injured arm. "You didn't deserve me shutting you out and calling you a monster, not when you were willing to tell me the truth."

Just then, Twilight Sparkle's door opened, and her mother came in. "Are you ready to head to Sugarcube Corner, sweetie?"

"Yeah," replied Twilight Sparkle, letting go of her arm.

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

An hour and three batches of cupcakes, two cakes, and one batch of cookies later, Sunset Shimmer was exhausted. She had forgotten how much baking took out of her when she had to make more than a frozen pizza or two. Looking around, she saw all that she and Pinkie Pie had baked. Every surface had gotten coated in flour, including Sunset herself. She reached up and checked her hair. And sure enough, the white powder had managed to get there as well.

"Well, I can say that we have officially gotten floured," said Sunset Shimmer as she shook some of the flour off of her hoodie.

"That's the best part of baking!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie as she set another cake down on the counter, next to the other two.

"Pinkie, what is this cake for?" asked Sunset Shimmer as she saw Pinkie Pie set it down. "I don't remember there being three cakes on the list."

"Oh, this? It's for something that will happen later on today," replied Pinkie Pie.

"Oh, okay." Sunset Shimmer looked at the assorted desserts that they had made. "Wow, I didn't think we made this much."

"Yeah! We should have enough for tomorrow and then some," said Pinkie Pie as she walked over to the cabinet. She opened the door and pulled out a stack of vanilla, chocolate, and cream cheese frosting. "Now, we get to do the fun part."

"Frosting!" said both Sunset Shimmer and Pinkie Pie in unison.

Sunset Shimmer grabbed two frosting spatulas from the drawer next to her. Handing one to Pinkie Pie, she grabbed the chocolate frosting and some of the triple chocolate swirl cupcakes. She saw her pink-haired friend grab one of the cakes and cans of vanilla frosting. As Sunset sat down on one of the stools around the island countertop, she opened the container of chocolate frosting. It was fun to bake, especially when it was with Pinkie Pie. However, there was one thing on her mind as she started to frost the first cupcake. Why, when she had revealed what she looked like to the girls, did Pinkie Pie not freak out as much as the others did?

Turning to Pinkie Pie, Sunset Shimmer said, "Pinkie, do you remember when I showed you and the girls what happened to me two weeks ago?"

"Yeah, of course, I do. I remember that Fluttershy fainted behind me," replied Pinkie Pie as she put a glob of frosting on top of the cake and started to spread it. "Why?"

"Well, I was just wondering why you didn't seem as freaked out as the rest of the girls." Sunset Shimmer had set one of the cupcakes down, entirely covered in a layer of chocolate frosting.

"I don't know. I guess I already knew that it was you. Although..." Pinkie Pie looked down at the cake. "I have to admit that I was a bit frightened, even if I didn't show it."

Sunset cringed as she heard what Pinkie Pie said. She knew that there was a small possibility that her pink-haired friend was actually scared. It wasn't like she didn't expect to hear that, despite her hope that it wouldn't happen. Yet, somehow, it still hurt even when she suspected it. Grabbing another cupcake, she began to frost it. For a few moments, Sunset and Pinkie Pie sat in silence. Neither one was sure of what to say to the other. Finally, after a while, Pinkie Pie spoke.

"But, in the end, I did see that it was you, remember?" Pinkie Pie had finished frosting the one cake in front of her. She grabbed the next one as she waited for the redhead to respond.

"Yeah... I do." Sunset Shimmer finished frosting her sixth cupcake as she gave the party lover a small smile.

"Good! So, how have you been since Twilight found out about Demon Shimmer?" asked Pinkie Pie, spreading the frosting on the second cake.

Sunset Shimmer sighed. "Not good..."

"Oh, sorry." Pinkie Pie rested a hand on Sunset's shoulder. "Want to talk about it?"

"I just keep picturing Twilight trying to run out of her bedroom. Then, I just see my hand on her arm as she pulls away, injuring herself on my claws." Sunset Shimmer's voice quivered as she struggled to keep herself from crying. "I can't believe what I did to her..."

Pinkie Pie set her frosting spatula down and walked over to the redhead was. Seeing her look so down was not okay. And if Pinkie Pie had anything to say about it, she wasn't going to let her be sad, not while she was here. She grabbed the redhead's arm. When she looked at her, she gave her a sympathetic smile. Although Sunset did look like Demon Shimmer, the last two weeks or more had proven that she was still herself — still Sunset. When she looked away, Pinkie Pie sighed. It was not going to be easy, but she was bound and determined to cheer her friend up. Squeezing her hand, she sat on the stool next to her.

"Sunset?" Pinkie Pie's tone was not her usual cheery one. Instead, it was serious, almost stern. "Look at me."

Sunset Shimmer met Pinkie Pie's gaze. "What, Pinkie?"

"You didn't mean to hurt her," said Pinkie Pie, locking eyes with Sunset. "You were trying to explain it to her, and it just ended wrong."

"That's just it. You saw Twilight's arm. She is going to have scars physically, if not emotionally as well." Sunset Shimmer bit her lip, trying not to see the images of Twilight's injured arm.

"Yeah, Twilight is going to have scars. But, she also has you," Pinkie Pie said, her eyes showing the usual kindness Sunset had come to appreciate.

"Maybe. But you saw how Twilight treated me last week when we spoke. She wasn't happy that I was there." Sunset Shimmer growled, balling her one hand into a fist as she remembered the anger that burned in Twilight's eyes.

"Yeah, why is Twilight acting that way? It seems so out of place for her," asked Pinkie Pie as she recalled what happened last week.

Sunset Shimmer looked at the cupcakes in front of her. "Because... Twilight said that she wanted me to stay away and not even speak to her." Grabbing a cupcake, she started to frost it after she felt Pinkie Pie let go of her hand. "Although I guess I already fucked that up."

"You didn't fuck it up, Sunset. You were a good friend, or at least, you were trying to be," said Pinkie Pie as she got up from the stool she was sitting on. "You can't blame yourself for that."

"But-"

"No, Sunset! I am not going to sit here and listen to you blame yourself for trying to be a good friend." Pinkie Pie's voice changed, sounding sterner as she spoke. "You didn't mean to hurt her. And just because you have to give Twilight some space, doesn't mean she'll hate you forever."

"How do you know that Pinkie?" asked Sunset Shimmer, setting her now frosted cupcake down. "How can you be so sure that Twilight won't hate me forever?"

"Because, Sunset, Twilight likes you. Like, she really likes you," replied Pinkie Pie.

"Twilight does?" Sunset Shimmer was surprised to hear that Twilight actually liked her. Not that she was sure it would still be that way after what happened.

"Yep. Although you two seem oblivious to the doe-eyed looks that you two give each other." Pinkie Pie chuckled. "Even Rainbow Dash and Rarity have been plotting to get you two together."

"What?!" shouted Sunset Shimmer, nearly falling off the stool she was sitting on. "How long have they been doing that?"

"Um, since the events at Camp Everfree," replied Pinkie Pie, eating some of the vanilla frosting which had gotten on her fingers.

Sunset Shimmer just stared at Pinkie Pie, shocked. She hadn't realized that the girls had been planning something like that for so long. Let alone planning it at all. And it was all a bit jarring, but so was the implication that she had missed all the cute, nervous glances that Twilight had given her. Sunset hadn't missed any of them. Not when she found that they made her heart race and made her smile. And they were, particularly now, a source of joy for her. Remembering them helped to ease the pain caused by Twilight avoiding her. It was one of the many things that Sunset clung to when she needed some comfort.

"Wow." Sunset Shimmer looked at the time on her phone. It was already half-past seven. Sighing, she turned back to her party friend. "Uh, Pinkie, I have to go home. I have some homework that I have to finish before Mr. Doodle gets mad at me... again."

"Okie dokie. I can finish up here anyway," said Pinkie Pie as she pulled the last cake towards her.

"Just save me some of those cupcakes, okay Pinkie?" said Sunset Shimmer as she pulled her hood back up.

"Will do!" shouted Pinkie Pie as she watched Sunset walk out of the kitchen.

Sunset walked back out to the front of Sugarcube Corner. She looked out the window, noticing that the sky was glowing with all different shades of reds, pinks, purples, and oranges. It was like a painting come to life, which was one reason she liked her name. Watching sunsets, the very thing she had gotten named after, was a favorite past time of hers. However, tonight Sunset had homework to do, so watching it would have to wait until tomorrow. Grabbing her helmet, she made her way out of the front door.

Just as the door closed behind Sunset Shimmer, making the bell ring again, she saw Twilight walking with her mother. She grabbed her hood and looked down as she made her way to her bike. She wanted to give her the space she needed. And after what happed a week ago, Sunset wasn't about to face Twilight or let her see that she was there. Getting onto her motorcycle, she put on her helmet, making sure that it was secure. Before leaving the parking lot, she waited until Twilight was inside of Sugarcube Corner. Once Sunset couldn't see her, she started her engine and drove away.

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

The drive home was fairly uneventful, aside from a stray squirrel darting across the street in front of her, nearly causing her to run it over. As she turned onto her road, she saw Twilight's mother drive past her. She could've sworn that she saw Twilight look at her for a moment. However, before she could be entirely sure, they were gone. Focusing on the road ahead of her, Sunset made the rest of the journey to her apartment. Yet, as she got closer, she spotted a shadowy figure sitting on the front steps. She pulled into her usual parking spot and realized who it was. Or rather, what it was. The dim light of a nearby lamp post lit up their face. Pulling off her helmet, Sunset growled.

"Springtrap." Sunset Shimmer set her helmet down on her motorcycle.

"Hello, Sunset Shimmer. Nice to see you again," said Springtrap as he rose to his full 8-foot height.

"Yeah, sure it is. What the fuck are you doing here?" asked Sunset Shimmer as she got off her bike.

"Ooh, feisty one, aren't you? Well, I am here to propose a final battle for the kids that you and your friends have kept from me," replied Springtrap, getting off the steps.

"Oh? Where is this supposed battle going to take place, you decrepit hunk of rotten metal?" Sunset Shimmer asked, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"At your school's soccer field, the day after tomorrow," replied Springtrap as he walked up the redhead, slowly growing in height. "Does that sound like a good deal, Demon Shimmer?"

Sunset Shimmer gasped. "How did you-"

"I have my ways. Now, answer me!" shouted Springtrap as he wrapped one of his filth-covered hands around the redhead's neck. "Or I will strangle you here."

Gasping for breath, Sunset Shimmer struggled to pull Springtrap's hand from her throat. But being made of plastic and metal, she was struggling to make him let go. After a few minutes of struggling, she felt him tighten his grip as his hand grew in size, along with the rest of him. Sunset noticed that Springtrap was now at least ten feet tall. And that forced her to stand on her toes to avoid dangling in his grasp. Yet, just as soon as she thought that she felt herself getting lifted off her feet.

"Well, do you have an answer, you monster?' asked Springtrap, knowing what Sunset's weakness was.

Still struggling to breathe, Sunset Shimmer said, "F-fine! We have a deal!"

"Good. Glad we came to that agreement," said Springtrap as he let go of Sunset.

Sunset felt her body hit the pavement. Her elbows and hands took most of the impact as she struggled to keep her head from hitting the pavement. If it wasn't for her gloves and hoodie, she was sure the rough cement would've scraped her skin. However, the impact was enough to make Sunset's hands sting. Sitting there on the ground, she flashed back to when Twilight attacked her. Images flashed inside her mind, and she struggled to force them back. After a few seconds, she managed to force herself to focus on the situation at hand. As Sunset pushed herself up to her feet, she looked at Springtrap.

"I may look like a monster, but I am not like you. I don't murder innocent children for the joy of it," said Sunset Shimmer as she brushed off her jeans. "By the way, why did you choose the soccer field? You do know about the metal bleachers, right?"

"Yes, I am aware of them, but I don't think that they'll help your friends win against my new army. I chose it because I'd like to see if you can defeat me in a playing field built to your advantage. And while that may be true, at least I didn't lie to my friends and injure the one who loves me. I didn't fuck up the one person closest to me," Springtrap said, chuckling as he saw Sunset look down, ashamed of her actions. "See? Even you know the real truth..."

Sunset Shimmer met Springtrap's gaze, lowering her hood, showing that her eyes were now glowing. The cyan irises stood out amongst the black sclera of her eyes. "Well, I may have messed up with my friends, but messing with me was a mistake."

Sunset Shimmer's voice had lowered, sounding more like when she was Demon Shimmer. As she stepped closer to Springtrap, her fangs extended. That made the animatronic rabbit back up a little bit. He wasn't expecting her to change on him suddenly. His eyes met hers, allowing him to see the fury within them. Springtrap could see that some part of her was similar to him, even if the redhead tried to deny it. He glared at her and grabbed her arm.

"We'll see about that, Demon Shimmer." Springtrap let go of Sunset's arm, pushing her back before turning around and walking away from her. "You may find that we're not all that different."

Sunset Shimmer growled, her eyes glowing brighter as she felt something... evil rise within her. "Yes, Springtrap. You'll see..."