Five Nights at Equestria Girls

“S-Sunset? What ha-happened to me?” asked Twilight, struggling to speak to her friends.

Sunset Shimmer could hear the tremble in Twilight’s voice, which made her glance at her friends, wondering how they were reacting. She could see that they were just as terrified as she was. That made her guilt at her doubts and fear grow even more. It was one thing that they had their doubts about her being their friend, but it was another thing for them to show their friend actively. Seeing their fear, Sunset Shimmer understood exactly why Twilight sounded hurt. Her attention was drawn back to Twilight when she heard her struggling to stand up. Without even hesitating, she ran over to her.

“It’s okay, Twi,” said Sunset Shimmer as she held out a hand for Twilight.

Twilight Sparkle looked behind Sunset, seeing the rest of the girls back away further from her. Even though Sunset Shimmer was standing next to her, they still seemed afraid...of her. Turning her attention to her Sunset, she tentatively grabbed her hand. As she felt herself getting pulled up, she tried to keep her wings to herself. She didn’t want her wings to extend for fear of increasing her friends’ fear of her. As soon as Sunset Shimmer let go of her hand, she saw her back away slightly.

“You’re all afraid of me. Aren’t you?!” screamed Twilight Sparkle as tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

Twilight Sparkle looked at Fluttershy, wondering if the shyest of their friends was also afraid as well. A part of her wanted not to see fear, but kindness, acceptance, or some shred of how her friend usual was. She saw Fluttershy step forward for a moment, albeit tentatively and with hesitation. Trying to ease her fear, she gave her a small smile. But unfortunately, she smiled more than she intended to, revealing her newly acquired fangs in the process. In turn, that made the shy girl squeal and hide behind her hair.

“No, I didn’t...I am sorry…” thought Twilight, her gaze shifting frantically between her friends.

“Sugarcube...are you okay?” asked Applejack, taking a few cautious steps closer to Twilight.

Seeing Applejack step closer to her, Twilight Sparkle panicked and stepped back from her. In her panic, she looked at Sunset Shimmer. She wanted her support – she needed it. Yet, she couldn’t find it in herself to let her help. Not if it meant she was going to get hurt again. Not if she was right about Sunset Shimmer not trusting her because she still saw her as Midnight Sparkle. Unfurling her wings instinctively, she staggered away from the girls.

Sunset’s heart heaved in her chest as she watched Twilight Sparkle fearfully back away from her friends. That was enough to make her force her fear and doubts aside. Without even thinking about what she was doing, she ran up to her, grabbing her shoulders. She didn’t care that the others were watching as she slowly moved her hands from Twilight’s shoulders, grabbing her hands in a tight grip. Leaning forward, she met her eyes.

“Twilight, we’re not afraid of you. Believe me,” said Sunset, a calmness in her voice.

Twilight Sparkle looked down, her thumb caressing the back of the redhead’s hand. “I-I don’t know if I can believe you, Sunset.”

But she wanted to. She wanted to believe what Sunset Shimmer said was true that they weren’t afraid – that she wasn’t scared. Yet, there was something in her eyes that made her unable to believe what her friend had said. A fear that was still present in her eyes contrasting with the calmness of her words. Twilight Sparkle tried to pull her hands away from Sunset’s grip, but she couldn’t do it.

“You’re afraid of me because I look like Midnight Sparkle, aren’t you Sunset?” asked Twilight, looking up to meet Sunset’s eyes.

The question took her by complete surprise. Sunset Shimmer didn’t expect Twilight Sparkle to confront her upright about being afraid. She had tried to hide it, for Twilight’s sake. But it seemed that despite her efforts, her fear still showed through. She swallowed, trying to keep herself calm. Biting her lip, she forced herself to speak.

“I-I…” The words struggled to come to her. Though, looking at Twilight Sparkle, Sunset couldn’t help but be honest with her. “Maybe…”

As she heard Sunset Shimmer say maybe, Twilight Sparkle yanked her hands free from Sunset’s grasp and stepped back. That was all the confirmation she needed to prove that she was right. Her theory about Sunset Shimmer being panicked around her because of her being Midnight Sparkle was correct. And to add insult to injury, she had to learn that while she looked like her. Giving her wings a quick flap, she turned her back to her friends.

“Sparky, I…”

“Don’t Sunset. I am sorry that you are afraid of me..” said Twilight as she looked up at the night sky.

“Twilight-” started Sunset Shimmer as she stepped forward towards Twilight Sparkle.

Sunset Shimmer had gotten cut off as she watched Twilight Sparkle extend her wings. She ran up to her with her hand outstretched, but she was too late. Twilight was already in the air, flying off into the sky. Standing there, watching her fly off, she couldn’t help but feel guilty for admitting her own fear. She gripped her arm, looking down in shame. She had been honest about how she felt, but it backfired on her. Her friend had chosen to push her aside because she had admitted her fear of her. Now, she understood why Twilight Sparkle had looked so hurt that day at lunch when she had done the same thing.

“Sunset, where could’ve Twilight disappeared to?” asked Applejack as she approached Sunset with Rarity coming with her.

“I know of a place, girls. But I can’t be sure she’ll be there,” said Sunset, turning around to face her friends. “We’ll need to split up.”

Rarity removed her hands from around Applejack’s arm, gripping her hand. “I’ll go with her.”

“And I will go with Pinkie Pie and make sure she doesn’t get distracted...too many.” Rainbow Dash said, slinging her arm around Pinkie Pie’s shoulders.

“Then, I will go with Fluttershy,” Sunset Shimmer said, walking over to Fluttershy. “We’ll text each other if we find Twilight, agreed?”

“Agreed.” The girls shouted in unison.

Susie groaned as she sat up, looking at the girls. She had been watching the scene play out with Twilight and Sunset. Susie had seen the fight between them. It reminded her of when she and Gabriel had committed their first murders. That had caused them to not talk to each other because they were ashamed of what they had done. From what she had seen, it seemed that Sunset and her friend were also heading down that same road as well. She used her wings to push herself to a standing position.

“Um, I hate to intrude, but can one of you please help me find my friends?” asked Susie as she walked up to the girls.

Sunset Shimmer turned her attention to Susie, saying, “We know where your friends are, Susie.”

“You do? Where are they?!” asked Susie, excited to be getting a chance to see her friends again.

Applejack cleared her throat. “They’re at my house, waiting in a barn to see you.”

That news made Susie squeal happily. To be able to see her friends again was some of the best news she had received in years. Sure, she had been around them for years trapped in the pizzeria. But for most of their time there, they weren’t themselves or aware of each other. After having committed several murders, they had collectively chosen to forget themselves and hide inside the animatronics. She couldn’t even remember the last real conversation they had together as friends. It had been so long since they had one.

“Can we go see them now?” Susie asked, barely able to contain her excitement.

Sunset Shimmer rubbed her neck, not wanting to say that she wanted to find Twilight first. “Um…”

Sensing what Sunset wanted to say, Rarity interjected, saying, “What our friend is trying to say is that we would like to be able to locate our friend first.”

Susie nodded. “That is fine. I understand wanting to find your friend.”

“So, you won’t mind if we find her first?” asked Sunset.

“Not at all. I will help you find Twilight,” said Susie, resting a wing on Sunset’s shoulder.

“Okay, well, let’s go,” said Rainbow Dash.

Applejack and Rarity were the first of the girls to leave. As they exited the alleyway, they turned left, heading to Twilight’s house in hopes that she’d be there. Behind them were Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. They walked out of the alleyway and turned right, heading towards the local library. With the four girls now gone, that left Sunset Shimmer, Fluttershy, and Susie standing in the near-empty alley.

“Sunset?” asked Fluttershy, keeping her voice calm and steady as she tried not to let Susie know she was terrified of her.

“What, Fluttershy?” asked Sunset.

“I was just wondering, where should we go” Fluttershy hid behind her hair, keeping Susie out of her line of sight.

Sunset Shimmer let out a heavy sigh, she wanted to find Twilight Sparkle but by herself. She needed that chance to talk to her alone. To have a chance at explaining her past before anyone found them. She needed to know that no one was going to interrupt them and ruin her chance. But she also didn’t want to leave Fluttershy to search for Twilight on her own either.

“Fluttershy, would you mind if I searched for Twilight...by myself?” asked Sunset, involuntarily wincing as she waited for Fluttershy’s response.

Fluttershy gave Sunset Shimmer a small smile as she rested her hand on her shoulder. She knew what she wanted, and she was okay with it too. Despite her efforts, she still feared Twilight’s new appearance. Though, she was willing to try and work on it. Plus, she had a feeling one of the places Sunset wanted to visit was the Everfree forest. And the idea of venturing into the dark woods at night didn’t seem too appealing to her.

“Yeah, you can. I will check to see if Twilight is at the dog park,” said Fluttershy, squeezing Sunset’s shoulder.

“And I will join you,” added Susie, stepping closer to Fluttershy.

“Um...okay,” Fluttershy whispered, not totally on board with Susie joining her.

Sunset Shimmer managed to give them a weak smile before it fell. What happened earlier weighed on her. And the earlier conversation with Rainbow Dash still rang in her head. She had sworn to tell Twilight Sparkle the truth, to be honest about her bad past. Her nerves had become rattled, but that was understandable. Admitting that she was a rather mean person that was a full one-eighty from the person she was now was a very nerve-wracking experience.

“Thanks, Shy. I really appreciate that,” said Sunset.

“You’re welcome, Sunset.” Fluttershy let her hand fall from the redhead’s shoulder as she started to walk towards the end of the alleyway. “I hope everything goes okay with Twilight.”

“Me too.” Sunset Shimmer pulled her leather jacket tighter around her, fighting to keep the chill of the fall wind from getting to her.

With that, Fluttershy sent a quick text to all the girls, explaining the change of plans with her and Sunset. She gave her a small wave before she and Susie walked out of the alleyway. She made her way down the somewhat lit streets of Canterlot City, heading towards the dog park. That left Sunset standing alone in the alley with the fading light of the evening.

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

Rarity and Applejack were walking down the street, heading towards Twilight’s house. They had only been there a handful of times as Twilight was pretty secretive about her room. Though they didn’t understand why she was, she had been to all their houses numerous times, mainly Sunset’s house. Nonetheless, they didn’t question it and just accepted it. As they neared the front gate, they hesitated.

“Do you think Twilight’s goin’ to be here? She doesn’t exactly look like...herself,” asked Applejack.

Rarity looked at the cowgirl. She had the same doubts as her friend. But, this was one option in a list of options. Albeit, it was unlikely to be viable. Though, there was a chance that Twilight had gone here. No matter how small.

“I don’t know, AJ. But we owe it to her to try,” she replied, her hand resting on the gate’s latch.

With a reassuring smile, Applejack opened the gate with Rarity. They made their way up the driveway, stopping once they reached the front door. Rarity was the one who knocked. She was nervous, making her hand shake as she hit the door three times. Lowering her hand, she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. Looking at Applejack, she gave her friend – and secret crush – a grateful smile. Having Applejack there, she felt better. She stepped back as she waited for Twilight’s mother to answer the door.

A few moments later, the door opened, and Mrs. Velvet stood in the doorway. Behind her stood Mr. Light, her husband.

“Hello, Rarity and Applejack. How are you two doing?” asked Mrs. Velvet.

“We’re doing good, Mrs. Velvet,” said Applejack. “We were wondering if you have seen Twilight?”

“Mhm, no, I haven’t. Have you, dear?” asked Mrs. Velvet, turning to her husband.

“No, I haven’t either,” replied Mr. Light, looking from his wife to the girls. “Is everything okay with her?”

“Yeah, we’re just trying to see if Twilight was here.” Rarity lied, giving Twilight’s parents a nervous smile.

Mr. Light arched an eyebrow, saying, “Isn’t she usually with you, girls?”

“And she was. But something came up for her, and we’re just hoping to make sure that everything was okay,” said Applejack, taking the attention off Rarity, giving her a chance to calm down.

“Hmm, well, try the school library. Twilight has spent a lot of her time there,” suggested Mrs. Velvet.

“Thanks, Mrs. Velvet. We’ll check there next.” Applejack finished with her signature sweet country girl smile.

“Okay, girls. See you later,” said Mrs. Velvet before closing the front door and walking back inside her house.

The girls made their way past the gate, locking it behind them as they left the house. Once they were far enough down the street, they looked at each other and exhaled in unison. Having to cover for Twilight wasn’t easy, especially when her parents were involved.

“Well, that could’ve gone better,” said Rarity.

“Yeah, I agree. But let’s go see if Twilight is at the library.” Applejack said, starting to walk down the street.

As they walked down the street, heading towards the school, Applejack stole a glance at Rarity. For a moment, she admired the stunning beauty that was her friend. The delicate, gem-like features, the beautiful blue-purple hair that fell below her shoulders, and the way her skin shone like a diamond in the moonlight. She wondered if her skin was as soft as it looked. Still gazing at her, she saw Rarity’s blue eyes meet hers. When the light hit them, it was like two sapphires staring back at her. Realizing that she was starting to stare, she cleared her head, focusing on Twilight and finding her.

“Do you think that Twilight will be there?” asked Applejack.

“I-I don’t know, AJ. But I am worried about her. The way she looked at us when she realized that we were scared of her. I feel terrible that I felt that way…” replied Rarity, looking down at the sidewalk beneath her feet.

“Yeah, I know. I shouldn't have acted the way I did either,” added Applejack.

With that hanging in the air, both remained silent for the rest of the walk to the school. Internally, both of them started to ponder what the other felt. Neither could admit they liked the other, afraid that their feelings wouldn’t get reciprocated. Yet, little did they know, they both felt the same way about each other. The real question wasn’t if they liked each other, but rather when each was going to admit it to the other. Finally, after half an hour of walking, they reached the school just as Sunset showed up.

“Hey, Sunset! Where’d Fluttershy and Susie go looking for Twilight?” asked Applejack as she approached Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer stopped running for a moment. She had temporarily forgotten that Fluttershy and Susie had gone on their own. As she looked at her friends, her throat closed up, making it hard to swallow. Her mind was still racing with thoughts about how she was going to confess her past to Twilight without freaking her out. And Sunset Shimmer couldn’t – no, wouldn’t – admit that she wanted to be alone with her. Whether she liked it or not, Sunset knew that Rainbow Dash had a point earlier. She had to be honest with Twilight Sparkle about her past, no matter the reaction.

Walking up to Applejack, she said, “Oh, uh Fluttershy went to the dog park to see if Twilight might’ve flown there.”

Applejack nodded. “Okay. Have you seen Twilight at all yet?”

“No, not yet,” replied Sunset, rubbing the back of her neck nervously.

“Where are you headed, Sunset?” asked Rarity.

“I am going to the bleachers to see if Twilight might be there,” replied Sunset quickly. “See you girls later.”

Before either Applejack or Rarity could ask her any more questions, Sunset Shimmer ran off. Her feet pounded against the pavement as she rounded the corner to the bleachers. Immediately, she went to her secret spot, knowing that Twilight Sparkle had come to call that spot her own as well. When she got there, all she found was two squirrels hanging out. They quickly scurried away as she walked closer to them.

“Okay, this is just great. If Twilight isn’t here, then where can she be?” thought Sunset.

She leaned against the side of the bleachers, furrowing her eyebrows as she tried to recall any other places that Twilight could’ve gone. As her mind raced about the possible locations, she remembered the clearing that was by the road leading back into the city. That was the clearing that she realized what her powers were. And where she first realized that Twilight was afraid that Midnight Sparkle was coming back. Though, looking back on it now, she could see that Twilight’s fears had gotten justified now. Pushing off the bleachers, she started the long trek to the clearing. Thankfully, it wasn’t too far from the school.

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

Twilight Sparkle was flying overhead, enjoying the feeling of the wind rustling against her feathers. She flew over the everfree forest, seeing the spot where Sunset Shimmer managed to talk her down from her fears of Midnight Sparkle coming back. She decided that it was a decent spot to land and started to dive down towards it. Nearing the clearing, she stopped her dive and hovered above the ground. She slowly lowered herself to the ground, being careful to avoid hitting any tree branches as she did so. Once she felt her feet touch solid ground, she let herself collapse to her knees.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as the sobs she had been holding back previously fell. She was Midnight Sparkle again, at least through appearance. Which, to her, was a great relief. Yet, this time it seemed different than last. It seemed that this time she was in control of herself. As she knelt there on the ground, she glanced down at her hands.

“Is it possible that I may have my...powers? Could I still open portals?” thought Twilight as she wiped the tears off her cheeks.

Wanting to test her theory, she lifted her hand outward and allowed herself to use the magic that flowed through her. A blast of bright blue light shot from her hand. She watched in amazement as the beam of light expanded. After letting the beam hit the forest floor for a few seconds, she lowered her hand. What she was expecting was a portal to be right where magic hit, but there was none. All that remained from the blast was scorch marks and a deep hole where the explosion hit.

“Woah…” said Twilight, surprised by what she had done. “It’s probably best I don’t use my new magic too much.”

Standing up, Twilight Sparkle walked over to a nearby tree. Seating herself beneath its branches, she wrapped her wings around her body. The warmth that came from the still somewhat unsettling action was comforting to her. As the cold fall wind blew past her, she felt the outer layer of her feathers rustle in the breeze. Yet, the bonus of having feathered wings meant she didn’t feel the chill of the wind.

“Oh…” Twilight Sparkle felt another stream of tears fall as her mind went back to Sunset Shimmer and her reaction. “If she didn’t trust me before I looked like Midnight, she won’t trust me now that I do.”

Just as those words slipped from her mouth, she heard some nearby bushes rustle behind her. She spun around to see what it was that dared to ruin her quiet moment. Slowly, she let her wings rest back against her sides, allowing herself to get noticed. Out of the bushes, she saw specks of red and yellow hair. She knew all too well who it was that was making their way into the clearing. That made Twilight pull her wings around herself again. She didn’t want to see Sunset Shimmer, despite knowing that deep down she did want to.

Sunset Shimmer pushed a large branch out of her way as she stepped into the clearing. She looked up and had gotten met with the sight of a mass of dark purple feathers crouched under a tree. There was Twilight Sparkle, sitting there and facing away from her. For a split second, she reached for her phone. She knew she should text her friends to let them know that she had found their friend. Yet, there was a nagging voice in her head saying this might be her only chance to talk to Twilight. Alone, without worry that the girls would show up. Making her choice, she moved her hand away from her phone and walked over to where Twilight was. She sat down on a boulder that was nearby, resting her arms on her knees.

“Twilight…?”

Her voice quivered as she spoke. She tried to sound like her typical self, but her nervousness at having to be honest was making that task near impossible. As if being honest wasn’t hard enough on its own. Looking down, she noticed that her hands were shaking. Whether from the cold fall air or her nervousness, she couldn’t tell. Probably both.

“Twilight, please talk to me,” begged Sunset, her voice shaking more with each syllable she said.

Hearing the desperation in the redhead’s voice, Twilight Sparkle let her wings relax, resting at her sides. She didn’t look at Sunset Shimmer as she glanced up. It was too hard to face her friend after hearing her admit that she was afraid of her. That pain had only gotten worse when it confirmed her theory about Sunset Shimmer not being open with her was about her being Midnight Sparkle. Despite that, it pained her to see her friend so distraught, even when that said friend had hurt her previously. Taking a deep breath, she forced her to say something.

“What, Sunset?” asked Twilight, her voice steady but weak. “What exactly do you want me to say to you? Especially after you admitted to me that you feared me…”

Sunset Shimmer bit her lip, regretting her earlier actions. She hadn’t meant to hurt Twilight when she admitted that she might’ve feared her. She regretted it the second she said maybe to the question. Watching her expression go from worried to saddened was pure torture for her. She realized that admitting her fear at the moment was the wrong choice to make. One that affected Twilight Sparkle deeply. She could tell by the stern tone in her voice, despite the weakness and calmness of her voice.

“Twilight, I have something to tell you.” Sunset stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath. “I wasn’t the...nicest person before you met me.”

That made Twilight Sparkle look at Sunset Shimmer, her mulberry eyes full of curiosity and confusion. Her anger had gotten momentarily forgotten as she realized what Sunset was doing. She realized that she was going to hear the truth about her past. And that excited her, though she didn’t let it show. She wanted to know who the redhead was before she met her at the Friendship Games.

“What do you mean you weren’t the nicest person?” asked Twilight, trying to contain the hopeful tone in her voice.

“Twilight, I mean, I wasn’t always nice. I used to be a bully,” replied Sunset. “I manipulated the girls and tore their friendship apart.”

Twilight Sparkle furrowed her eyebrows. It was hard to picture the girl in front of her as a bully. Sure, she had seen her temper a couple of times. Said temper did make Sunset Shimmer appear to be mean when she got out of control, but she usually apologized right afterward. To try and imagine her being mean without caring about the people she hurt, it was a challenge for her. She stood up from where she was sitting and walked over to where the redhead was sitting.

“What did you do to them?” asked Twilight, sitting in front of Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer gulped. “Well, the beginning of my freshman year, I ruined Fluttershy’s silent auction by sending a fake text to Pinkie Pie, saying that she wanted to use noisemakers and fireworks for a big party.”

As she started to recount all the things she did in her past, images flashed across her mind. She could see the glee-filled smile she had as she watched Fluttershy shrink away from the loud noises. It made her sick to her stomach to see how she used to enjoy seeing others suffering. Swallowing, she pushed the image aside only to have it replaced with another more sickening image. She saw herself towering over the shy girl, her shadowed face hiding the sinister grin she was supporting. The memory replayed itself as if wanting to torment her for revealing it to Twilight. Closing her eyes, Sunset forced the memory aside, not letting another second replay inside her mind.

Twilight Sparkle listened intently to what Sunset Shimmer was saying, ignoring the swishing of her tail behind her. She was intrigued by what she was hearing, and by the reaction her friend was having as she was telling her about it. She could see the toll it was having on her to bring the memories back to the surface. That only made her want to listen even more to make sure she heard everything.

“Later that year, I messed with Rarity, sending her a fake email from Pinkie saying that she didn’t want any help with the Fall Formal. Or any of the school functions that she tried to help Pinkie with.” continued Sunset, pushing herself to admit the truth. “That was when I noticed a huge rift growing amongst the girls.”

Admitting what she did to the girls aloud was a struggle. Since the Battle of the Bands, she had forced the memories aside, wanting to forget that they ever happened. All they were was painful reminders that she messed up and ruined the lives of terrific friends. It was one thing to hear others talk about what she did, but to have to talk about it was another thing. So much so that she herself rarely did it. Yet, she found herself able to admit what her actions were, even though it was painful to do it. Looking up, she continued.

“A few months into sophomore year, I heard that Applejack was having a bake sale at her family’s farm. So, me being the manipulative alpha bitch I was, then decided to mess with them. Out of the girls, they were the only two I had yet to mess with, and I wanted to change that. So, I told Rainbow Dash that Applejack had moved her bake sale to another date.” said Sunset, looking to the other side, away from Twilight.

Twilight could tell that as Sunset Shimmer recalled the memories of her past, she was struggling to continue. She could see that she was letting herself be vulnerable instead of deflecting to something else. It was amazing to see a sensitive side to Sunset that she didn’t get to see often. That made her move closer to the redhead, resting her hand on her knee. She kept her wings at her side, so it was not to freak her out. With her wings safely at her side, she scooted closer to her.

“Is that all?” asked Twilight Sparkle as Sunset met her gaze.

“I wish it was Twi. But as the Spring Formal came along, Rarity had decided to run for Spring Formal Princess. And at the time, I wanted to be the only one to win the crown. So, I got some...personal photos of hers. Just before the election was to begin, I released a video I had made using the photos and some embarrassing recordings I got myself.” Sunset cringed as she recalled the video she had made.

Twilight Sparkle knew that she shouldn’t ask the next question that popped into her head. It was wrong that she was even thinking about it. But her curiosity was stronger, overpowering her disgust at her desire to see it.

“Do...you still have the video?” asked Twilight, letting her hand fall from Sunset’s knee as she looked away in shame.

Sunset Shimmer had gotten taken aback as she heard Twilight’s question. Though she wasn’t shocked that Twilight had asked the question, knowing Twilight, Sunset Shimmer knew she had an air of curiosity that made her want to learn as much as she could. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t nerve-wracking to have her ask about the video. She grabbed her phone and unlocked it, going into her video gallery. There was the video, still sitting in her gallery from the day of the Spring Formal. For a moment, her finger hovered over the delete button. It was so tempting to delete it and say she didn’t have it. But that would have been another lie, and she was starting to regret lying to Twilight Sparkle. Silently, she clicked on the video and handed her phone to Twilight.

Twilight Sparkle took the phone from Sunset, looking at what was playing on the screen. She heard her voice playing over a series of photos. The photos showed Rarity in slightly risque lingerie, posing in various ways on her bed. It was clear that the pictures were supposed to stay private, though somehow, Sunset managed to get a hold of them. She covered her mouth as she heard some of the recordings the redhead managed to obtain. Some had gotten caught at the wrong time. Others were mashed up to sound false or mean. The video ended with the photo of Rarity standing naked in front of her mirror. Once the video had finished, Twilight looked up at Sunset.

“As I said, I wasn’t the nicest person Twi.” Sunset looked at her phone, barely able to stomach what she heard herself say in the video.

Twilight got up and sat next to Sunset Shimmer, not caring that her wings brushed up against her arms as she sat down. Right now, she was able to push her worries about freaking her friend out. What Sunset needed was a friend who was willing to comfort her after letting herself be vulnerable. She could tell that it was hard for her to hear what was getting said in the video. She looked down at the video, seeing the trash symbol on the screen. Looking back at Sunset Shimmer, she knew one way to help her let go of the past.

Grabbing her hand, she said, “Sunset, I can see that this was your past. Do you think you can delete the video? Do you think you can start to let go of what happened in your past?”

Sunset Shimmer met Twilight’s gaze, ignoring the fact she could feel the feathers brushing against her skin. To hear her raise the question of deleting the video had surprised her. After watching her reaction to it, which hurt to see how shocked she was, she didn’t think Twilight Sparkle would want to talk to her. She held onto that video for the sole purpose of reminding herself of the monster she used to be. Never once did it cross her mind to get rid of it. Though now facing that choice, she was willing to do it because her reason for deleting it permanently was sitting next to her.

“Y-yeah, I think I can,” replied Sunset, taking her phone back.

With a shaky hand, she pressed the delete symbol, and the video had gotten permanently deleted. Seeing the video was gone was strange to her, especially after the many times she had made herself watch it. She turned off her phone and slipped it back into her pocket. She didn’t want to give the video another thought. Turning her attention to Twilight, she moved away from her.

“Guess you’re still afraid of me…” said Twilight Sparkle when she noticed that Sunset Shimmer had shifted away from her.

Sunset looked at Twilight Sparkle, pushing Twilight’s wing aside so she could see her face. Now that she was sitting next to her, she could see the tears that were slowly streaming down her cheeks. Reaching out her hand, she wiped a few of the tears off her cheek. It killed her to see that Twilight was upset and that it was her doing. She pushed herself off the boulder and stood in front of her.

“Twilight, look at me,” said Sunset Shimmer as she pulled Twilight’s gaze to meet hers. “I am not afraid of you.”

“But you-”

“I just moved away because I had just made myself vulnerable, and I wanted to give you time to adjust to what I told you.” continued Sunset, not letting Twilight Sparkle finish. “I hope since you now know that about me that it hasn’t changed how you view me.”

Twilight Sparkle grabbed Sunset’s hand. “It hasn’t. You are still the same Sunset I love.”

As soon as Twilight said that, she immediately blushed. It was the first time she said anything like that to Sunset. And in a way, it felt like she was admitting her feelings to her. Right now, it was very tempting, but she decided better of it. After hearing Sunset Shimmer tell her about what she used to be like before she met her, she had started to understand why it was so hard for the redhead to talk about it. The video was also proof that she had made an effort to do better. As Twilight Sparkle watched her delete it, letting go of some part of her past, it was amazing to see the journey she had been through.

“But I do have one question, though. What is the Fall-”

“There you two are!” shouted Rainbow Dash, interrupting Twilight as she sped into the clearing.

“Why didn't you send us a text that you found her?” asked Applejack as she joined them in the clearing.

Sunset Shimmer looked at Twilight, clearly panicking about what to say. She hadn’t expected the girls to find them there. Nor did she think about how she was going to explain away her not texting them. Telling them that she admitted to Twilight what she did to them was out of the question. Revealing that to her was hard enough for her not to want to let the girls know. At least not until she had time to push the memories back to their cages.

“She was busy reminding me that you girls are my friends and that I shouldn’t have run off and made you worry,” said Twilight, knowing that Sunset didn’t want their private conversation talked about.

The redhead gave Twilight Sparkle a very grateful smile. Her attention turned to the bushes as she heard a heavy thudding coming towards them. Looking at them, she saw Fluttershy push her way past the branches, followed by Susie right behind her. As the animal lover walked over to Applejack, it was plain to see that she was still nervous about being around Susie.

‘H-hey, there you a-are.” Susie said as her robotic voice skipped a bit.

The girls all stood around nervously, none of them sure what to say next. Twilight Sparkle still looked like Midnight Sparkle, and that had to get addressed. The girls all knew that. They knew they had to apologize for hurting their friend and making her run off. Applejack was the first to approach Twilight, albeit being wary of the two large wings that draped themselves over her shoulders.

“Twilight, we’re mighty sorry that we made you feel bad. We shouldn’t have been afraid of you,” said Applejack, glancing back at the other girls before returning her attention to Twilight. “Can you forgive us?”

The rest of the girls circled Twilight and Sunset, all except for Fluttershy. She was still trying to adjust to the situation. And having been paired up with an 8-foot tall animatronic chicken didn’t help. The time she had been searching for her friend at the dog park with her was intriguing. She had noticed that Susie had kept her distance, seemingly mindful of her fear. As she stayed back, she saw Twilight glance briefly at her. It seemed that she, too, was also aware that she was still a bit fearful.

Pinkie Pie was pulling her classic I’m-sorry-will-you-please-forgive-me puppy dog eyes. Looking at her, Twilight Sparkle couldn’t help but give in. Just as with Sunset Shimmer, her anger towards the girls disappeared as soon as she heard their apologies. After all, she couldn’t blame them for being afraid. She wasn’t sure how she looked, but if Twilight Sparkle could see herself, Twilight figured that she would become just as freaked out. Pushing aside her worries about Fluttershy, she forced herself to acknowledge her friends.

Twilight Sparkle looked directly at the girls. “I can, but it doesn’t change how much it hurt to see you girls fear me.”

“We know, Twi,” said Pinkie Pie, walking up to her. “We see now that you are our friend. But I am curious about something.”

“What is that, Pinkie?” asked Twilight.

“How come Susie isn’t terrified of your appearance? I mean, it’s not every day that someone who is a kid trapped inside an animatronic gets to see someone that looks like a she-demon,” asked Pinkie Pie, finally noticing that Susie seemed not to care about Twilight’s new appearance.

Twilight Sparkle shifted her wings over her shoulders, hiding her face behind the warm feathers. Though the question hadn’t meant to offend her, it was still painful to her. To hear her friend imply that anyone else would find her new appearance disturbing felt like a punch to her stomach. Yet, if what she went through tonight with her friends was any indication, she had a bad feeling she was going to have to get used to people becoming repulsed by her new features.

As she went to fix her gaze to the ground, she felt a gentle touch against her shoulder, making her tail flick behind her in response to it. Surprised by the sudden contact, she looked up to see someone she didn’t expect. The hand that rested on her shoulder belonged to the only one of her friends that was still afraid of her. Lowering her wings a bit, she saw Fluttershy smiling at her despite the fact she still was nervous about being close to her. That made the gesture all the more sweet and endearing. And knowing that her friend was pushing past her own nervousness to support her made her smile.

“Thank you, Fluttershy,” whispered Twilight, resting her hand lightly over Fluttershy’s.

Keeping her gaze on Twilight’s eyes, Fluttershy moved her hand down from Twilight’s shoulder. She tried to ignore the feeling of the feathers brushing against her skin, but it was impossible. The way they brushed against her skin was causing goosebumps to form on her arm. As her hand reached Twilight’s, she started to pull away, but she felt her grip her hand tightly.

“I mean it, Fluttershy. I know it couldn’t have been easy for you to approach me,” said Twilight, flashing Fluttershy a weak smile.

Fluttershy squeezed Twilight’s hand gently. “It wasn’t, but I am always happy to help a friend no matter what.”

As Susie watched the scene play out in front of her, she finally replied to Pinkie Pie’s earlier question. “To answer your question, I am not all that freaked out because...well, let’s just say that I have seen worse.”

Sunset Shimmer knew exactly what Susie meant. The sickening images she had seen in her memories were still replaying in her mind. For a while, she had managed to push them aside, talking to Twilight Sparkle helped with that. Though, the subject of their conversation wasn’t a much better option. Clearing any thoughts of the discussion or the images, she pulled out her phone. As the screen turned on, she saw the time was 9:48 pm.

“Crap! Girls, we have to go now. We have school tomorrow, and it’s almost ten.” said Sunset, putting away her phone. “Let’s get Susie back to Fritz and Jeremy.”

“Just Jeremy and Fritz? Where’s Gabriel?’ asked Susie.

Sunset Shimmer sighed. “We are still searching for…”

“Gabriel,” Susie said, finishing Sunset’s sentence.

“Yes, Gabriel,” said Sunset, making a note to remember his name. “Well, let’s go.”

After that, the girls and Susie walked out of the clearing, making their way to Applejack’s farm. Walking down the road leading to the city, Susie couldn’t help but wonder what was happening between Sunset and Twilight. She had noticed the earlier argument between the two girls. Her curiosity was starting to get to her as Susie tried to figure out what was going on. Making her way over to the redhead, she tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

“Hey, Sunset? Can I ask you something?” asked Susie.

Sure. What is it, Susie?” Sunset said, looking at Susie as they continued walking.

“I hope you don’t me prodding, but what is going on with you and Twilight?” Susie continued, glancing back at Twilight.

“Guess you overheard the argument earlier, huh?” Sunset looked down at the road, recalling the argument.

‘Yeah, it was kind of hard not to when you’re sitting five feet away.” replied Susie, chuckling robotically.

“Well, the argument was over me being afraid of her appearance. I made the wrong choice in admitting that I was afraid, at least in the way that I did it.” Sunset’s eyes clouded over with a few tears as guilt washed over her again.

“Why were you afraid of her? She is still your friend, despite her appearance changing, right?” Susie’s curiosity was starting to get the better of her as she continued to ask questions.

“Yes, she is still my friend.” Sunset’s voice cracked as she struggled to keep from crying. “I was afraid of her because...I have- I’m sorry, I can’t talk about it right now.”

Sunset Shimmer walked away from Susie, wiping a tear off her cheek. She knew Susie’s questions were well-intentioned, but she knew it was too much for her at the moment, and she needed to be alone. After the ordeal with revealing her bullying past to Twilight Sparkle and the emotional trauma it raised, she was emotionally and psychologically raw. She glanced behind her at Twilight, who smiled at her when she met her gaze. Blushing, the redhead looked away, sheepishly smiling to herself.

“You did good tonight, Sunset.” said her conscience. “You did great even.”

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

Sunset Shimmer could see the excitement Susie had by the way she walked ahead of them, almost forcing them to jog to keep up with her. She and the girls all shared sympathetic smiles, knowing the comfort being in the presence of your closest friends brought. The idea of anything terrible happening to them made Sunset Shimmer walk a little closer to her friends. She didn’t want to consider imagining a world where she didn’t have them. Not after all they had done to help become the person she was now. She was grateful for their support and friendship, very appreciative.

Fluttershy shivered as another gust of wind blew past her in the open road. She wished she had remembered to wear her heavier jacket. In the haste of going after Susie, she didn’t have time to get her other coat. She rubbed her arms, trying to warm her arms up or, at the very least, get rid of the forming goosebumps. She was so focused on trying to keep warm, that she hadn’t noticed that Twilight was walking up to her.

“May I?” asked Twilight Sparkle as she stretched out one of her wings.

Fluttershy nodded. “Pl-please do.”

Cautiously, Twilight Sparkle wrapped her wing around Fluttershy’s shivering body. She made sure to keep some distance between her body and Fluttershy’s as she pulled her close. Seeing her friend shivering in the cold made her want to offer what she could. And with her wings being feathered, it provided excellent protection against the brisk fall wind. As they continued walking, she felt a hand grasp her wing, pulling it closer to its owner. Looking, she realized it was the animal lover who seemed delighted to have something warm.

“Thank you,” whispered Fluttershy as she snuggled closer to Twilight’s wing.

‘You’re welcome.” replied Twilight, looking down as she smiled.

She didn’t want Fluttershy to see her fangs, not after what happened earlier. Right now, she wanted to revel in the moment of seeing her friend enjoying her company. Just as she looked up, she felt someone touching her other wing. When she looked to see who it was, she was surprised to see it was Pinkie Pie. She watched as the pink-haired girl ran her hand across the feathers continuously.

“So soft…” mumbled Pinkie Pie as she closed her eyes, clearly enjoying the sensation.

“Um, Pinkie Pie?” asked Twilight. “What are you doing?”

Pinkie Pie rubbed her cheek against a few of the feathers, saying, “Enjoying the unbelievable softness of your feathers.”

Twilight Sparkle gave her a puzzled look before turning to Sunset Shimmer, who started to snicker at the utter silliness of what she was witnessing. Between the priceless expression that Twilight had and Pinkie Pie resting her head on her wing, it was an almost unbelievable scene that they were seeing in front of them. That laughter was infectious, sending everyone, including Twilight, into a laughing fit. The laughter broke the tension between the girls and brought everyone a bit closer together.

Once Sunset Shimmer could finally rein in her laughter, she rested a hand on Twilight’s shoulder and said, “That’s a classic Pinkie Pie move.”

Again, everyone broke out into laughter, knowing very well that Sunset’s comment was genuine.

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

By now, the moon and stars had taken center stage in the sky, illuminating the path leading down to the farm with an eerie glow. With the sun’s light gone, the road looked creepy, almost like a horror movie waiting to happen. The moon’s glow did nothing to ease the effect. The girls made their way towards the barn, exhausted from their long trek. The barn was a welcomed sight for sore eyes. Or sore feet in their case. The walk had lasted about an hour or more, not including the time they’d taken to make sure that Susie wasn't visible to the passing cars. But now they had arrived, and they were ready to sit down.

Inside the barn, Jeremy and Fritz had huddled close together, sitting on two hay bales. It had been an anxious wait for them to see if the girls could find the rest of their friends. They hoped the girls and their friends would make it back safely. While they waited for the girls to return, Jeremy and Fritz took the time to catch up.

“So, what happened when the girls found you?” asked Fritz.

“Well, when they found me, I had already killed two kids. That is what led to them finding me,” replied Jeremy, looking down at the hook.

Fritz looked at Jeremy. “Oh, wow, I didn’t realize.”

“They were like us, young. One of the kids was younger than me, Fritz.” Jeremy went silent for a moment as he recalled the kid’s corpse. “And I killed him…”

“Now, I remember why we chose to forget our memories and identities,” said Fritz, resting a comforting hand on Jeremy’s back.

Just as Jeremy went to speak, they both heard the barn door creak open. They watched as the doors had gotten pulled open, revealing that the girls had returned. They stood up and approached the girls. There was a hopeful glint in their eyes as they hoped to see their friends again.

“Did you guys find…” Jeremy trailed off as the girls stepped aside.

Susie walked out from the shadows, stopping once she saw her friends standing in front of her. She was amazed that she was seeing her friends for the first time again after being unaware for so long. Walking with Sunset Shimmer and her friends, seeing how happy they were because of their friendship, made her realize she missed her friends. Susie missed talking to them, hanging out with, and just laughing to laugh. And right now, if she still could cry, she would have.

“Jeremy! Fritz!” shouted Susie as she started to walk towards her friends.

“Susie? Is that really you?” asked both boys in unison.

“Yes, it’s me, you idiots,” replied Susie as she wrapped her wings around both of them in a warm embrace.

As the kids broke the hug, albeit very reluctantly, Jeremy made his way over to where Sunset Shimmer was. He didn’t see Twilight slink away into the shadows as he approached. His mind was somewhere else, swimming with returning memories.

“Thank you for bringing back another of my friends. I know it can’t have been easy,” said Jeremy, glancing back at Susie and Fritz, who were starting to catch up.

“You’re welcome,” said Sunset, giving him a warm smile. “Now, we should head inside. We wouldn’t want AJ’s family to realize you are here.”

With that, Jeremy, Fritz, and Susie walked into the barn. The girls started to follow suit, except for Twilight Sparkle. When she reached the door, she froze. Her mind began to wonder how Jeremy and Fritz would take to her new appearance. Susie may have been okay with it, but that didn’t ease her worries at all. What if they freaked out and thought she was going to hurt them? She wasn’t sure she could face them if that happened.

Sunset Shimmer was about to walk into the warm, well-lit barn when she noticed that Twilight had stopped outside the door. She gave her a look of worry, wondering why her friend had stopped. Taking a step away from the door, she made her way over to Twilight Sparkle. Once she was by her side, she gently gripped her wrist.

Mid-Twilight?” asked Sunset, cringing as she nearly said Midnight.

“She’s still Twilight, your friend. Not Midnight Sparkle. Get it correct, you dummy.” hissed Sunset’s inner voice, reminding her of who she was talking to.

The feeling of Sunset’s fingertips brushing against her skin made Twilight’s heart hammer against her ribcage. As she felt goosebumps run up her arm, she bit her lip to keep from pulling away. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to meet the redhead’s gaze. As she did, she saw the moonlight shining behind her, bathing her in an ethereal glow. It was enough to cause her breath to hitch in her throat. Combined with the light of the moon, it seemed that Sunset’s cyan eyes glowed brightly at her.

“What is wrong?” asked Sunset Shimmer as she stepped in front of Twilight.

“I-I don’t want to go in,” Twilight Sparkle answered, her voice shaking despite her every effort to sound firm.

Hearing what Twilight Sparkle said, the girls walked out of the barn and joined Sunset. All of them looked worried about her, which made Twilight regret even saying anything.

“Darling, why on earth do you not want to join us? Aside from its obvious lack of proper seating and cleanliness.” Rarity asked, placing a hand on her hip.

Applejack glared at Rarity as she insulted the barn. Sure, it was a bit disorderly, and hay had become strewn about, but it was a barn. Albeit, a run-down one that was in need of a desperate repair, but she let it go, deciding it wasn’t worth the effort to argue the point. She returned her attention to Twilight, wanting to focus on her friend.

“I don’t want to...frighten Jeremy and Fritz. I look like...a mon-monster.” Twilight Sparkle struggled to say the word she feared was now an accurate description of her, her wings pulling themselves close to her body as her tail flicked from behind her.

Upon hearing that, all the girls pulled Twilight close to them, surrounding her.

“You’re not a monster, Sparky,” said Sunset, her hand slipping from Twilight’s wrist to hold her hand. “Not to us.”

“Yeah, you just have wings, different skin, fangs…” Rainbow Dash trailed off as she got a collective glare from all the girls.

Rainbow Dash saw that her comments had made Twilight more self-conscious. She saw her look away as she met her gaze, making her realize she had hurt her. Sighing, she said, “Sorry, Twi. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“I-It’s okay, I guess,” said Twilight, sounding unsure of herself.

“If anything, I think it makes you look badass if you ask me.” Rainbow Dash added, trying to cheer her friend up. “I gotta say I am super jealous of your wings right now.”

Applejack gave Rainbow Dash an appreciative smile. She knew the athlete sometimes found it hard to see things from another person’s perspective. Stepping closer to her, she placed a hand under Twilight’s chin, lifting it so their eyes could meet.

“Now, listen here sugarcube, I understand your hesitation and fear. But you have to give the kids a chance. They may surprise you. Besides, it’s dark and cold out here, and I don’t want you catchin’ a cold.” said Applejack in a stern but calm voice.

Twilight Sparkle knew the cowgirl was right. She was going to have to deal with this situation. Even if she could, running away from it wouldn’t do her any good. And dealing with it sooner was better than later, especially since she would have to go to school tomorrow. Playing with one of her feathers, she started to panic mentally.

“Oh, what am I going to do?” Twilight thought, tracing her finger down the length of the feather. “If I go home tonight, how the hell am I going to explain to my mom? She’ll flip out for sure.”

With her worries increasing by the second, she started to understand the stress Fluttershy had to deal with on a daily basis. She admired her for braving it every day. Speaking of her friend, she also had to admire the amount of bravery it took for her to approach her earlier. Considering that she still seemed hesitant and fearful of being near her, she had to commend her bravery. She only hoped she could be that brave.

“Well, I’ll stay out here a little longer. When I feel ready to, I will come in.” Twilight Sparkle stated, hoping to convince her friends – and herself – that she could handle being around the kids.

“Okay, Twi. When you decide to join us, let us know,” said Sunset, giving Twilight’s hand a gentle squeeze.

Sunset Shimmer let go of Twilight’s hand, raising her arms to hug her, but she hesitated. She remembered her scars and how she had reacted to Twilight touching them. Deep down, she wasn’t sure if she could keep from pulling away if Twilight brushed against them again. Telling herself that her worries about her scars were less important than her friend, she wrapped her arms around Twilight’s back. As she wrapped her arms around her, she felt her hands brush against the base of her wings. For a moment, she felt Twilight shudder and pull away slightly before leaning back into the hug.

Twilight Sparkle returned Sunset’s hug, reveling in the feeling of her warm and tender embrace. She took a deep breath, inhaling the all too familiar smell of her shampoo. As she wrapped her arms around Sunset Shimmer, she was careful about where Twilight placed her hands — being careful not to touch her shoulders and end the hug before she was ready to. Unfortunately, she got carried away and lost in the embrace, her hands accidentally brushing against the redhead’s shoulder blades. She froze, waiting for Sunset to pull away from her inevitably.

The feeling of hands on her shoulder blades made Sunset Shimmer panic for a moment. She could tell that Twilight hadn’t meant to touch her scars, just like the first time. Though, Sunset wanted to pull away from the hug. She didn’t. Instead, she tightened the embrace, wanting to keep the contact. Yes, she wasn’t comfortable with having anyone touch her scars, but her friend was the exception to that. Her touch made the wounds seem like they were nothing.

After a bit, both Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle broke the hug. Sunset gave her one last smile before she walked off, joining the rest of the girls in the barn. That left Twilight outside, still reeling from the hug and the night’s events.

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

Inside the barn, there was a small lamp that hung from the ceiling by a wire. It barely lit up the barn, still keeping the entrance mostly shrouded in darkness. As Sunset Shimmer sat down on a nearby hay bale, she glanced at the darkened doorway. Illuminated in the light of the moon was part of Twilight’s one wing. The way the moonlight was shining on it, it caused it to look like an angel’s wing bathed in light. Chuckling at the sight, Sunset returned her attention to the kids and her friends.

“Please, join us soon, Twilight.” thought Sunset, hoping that her friend would do that.

Jeremy looked at the girls, noticing that something appeared to be off. Looking, he noticed a lack of purple hair from the group of girls. That made him look around, wondering where their missing friend was. But he couldn’t see any sign of her anywhere. He was about to ask when Fritz spoke first.

‘Hey, where’s that purple-haired nerdy friend of yours?” asked Fritz, unaware that Twilight Sparkle could hear them.

Sunset Shimmer glanced back at the door, noticing that Twilight Sparkle had moved closer to it. Sighing, she looked down at her hands. Revealing some of her past to her was refreshing, exhilarating, and freeing. She hadn’t felt that good since she helped the girls defeat the Dazzlings. A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. When Twilight had made her delete the video that she had made against Rarity, that made her realize that she could let go of it. But that joy and relief only lasted for a moment as the fact not all of her past had gotten revealed dawned on her. Though, she was hoping to change that.

Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle stood outside the doorway, looking at the girls as they chatted amongst themselves. She wanted to be a part of the group, but with her appearance having gotten altered, she wasn’t sure she could. Like a switch flipping, Twilight decided she wasn’t going to stand outside anymore. With a surge of confidence, she walked into the barn, only to stop just short of the well-lit area. Her fear resurfaced with such force, she retreated for the shadows near the doorway, hiding her wings.

“Twilight? Did you finally decide to join us?” asked Sunset, hearing footsteps shuffling around in the barn.

“Y-yes,” said Twilight, her eyes drifting over to where Jeremy and Fritz were. “It’s me.”

“Then why are you hiding from us?” asked Fritz, getting up and walking up to her

That question made Twilight’s heart race in response. It was frightening enough to try and consider what their reaction might be. The thought of them being close to her when they saw her was even more terrifying. Not to mention risky if they tripped or swung their hands around and hit her. She stepped back, keeping herself bathed in the shadows.

Adjusting her glasses, she said, “ I, um, don’t like my usual self right now.”

That made Fritz stop in his path. Glancing behind him, he saw Jeremy was just as confused as he was. He saw Jeremy get up and walk over to where he was standing. Together, they both turned their attention to the shadows, where Twilight’s voice came from.

“What do you mean? Is everything okay?” Jeremy asked.

Sunset Shimmer looked to see Twilight’s figure shifting nervously in the shadows. Seeing that she was getting surrounded, she walked up to her. She could see that all eyes were on her and Twilight Sparkle, which she knew wasn’t going to ease her friend’s nervousness. She stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the girls and the kids.

“You can walk behind me if you want to. Susie will make sure they behave, okay?” asked Sunset Shimmer, holding Twilight’s hand.

Twilight Sparkle nodded and stood behind Sunset Shimmer as she started to walk towards the lit area. Though it was terrifying to show the kids what her appearance was, she felt like with Sunset at her side that she could do it. Or at least, she hoped she could. As she stepped into the light, she took a deep breath.

“You can do this, Twilight.” thought Twilight Sparkle, gathering what courage she had.

Fritz and Jeremy watched with curiosity as Twilight Sparkle stepped out from behind Sunset Shimmer. Their eyes had become immediately drawn to the large, dark purple, feathered wings that sprouted out from her shoulders. Though her wings weren’t outstretched, they still appeared very creepy to them. When they could finally pull their gaze away from her wings, they saw that her eyes had also changed a bit. Fritz staggered back in surprise, his foot knocking over a stack of hay bales.

“Seriously, dude? She isn’t that scary.” hissed Jeremy. “We’ve seen worse than her.”

Deciding to test their reactions to her fangs, she said, “Hey Jeremy, Fritz.” She gave them a small wave as she smiled.

As Jeremy saw Twilight Sparkle smile, he noticed two very sharp, elongated fangs where her regular canines should have been. In an instant, his calm demeanor shattered as fear took hold. Stepping back, he stood next to Fritz, now seeing why his friend had backed up. Unfortunately, there was a loose floorboard beneath him. With his weight on it, it bent underneath him, sending him off balance. As he started to fall, he tried to grab onto Fritz for balance, but he only succeeded in bringing them both to the ground.

Twilight Sparkle saw the fear in their eyes and started to back away. In the process of backing away, she tripped over her own feet. She fell to the floor, the base of her wings hitting the hardwood floor. Pushing herself into a sitting position, she noticed that Fritz and Jeremy were staring at her as if hoping she would disappear from their sight. She curled her wings around herself, hiding beneath them like a warm blanket.

Sunset Shimmer looked at Twilight, her shoulders slumping in disappointment. Walking over to her, she knelt beside her. She turned her attention to Susie, seeing her walking over the heap of metal that was her friends. Just as the two boys got back on their feet, they had gotten met with a slap to the back of the head.

“Really, you two?! After everything that has happened, THIS is what freaks you out?!” screamed Susie, gesturing to Twilight Sparkle.

Jeremy and Fritz rubbed the back of their heads, glancing up at their angry friend. They had never seen this side to her. So to see it directed at them was terrifying.

“Yes, she is very...scary,” said Fritz in a low voice. “I would go as far as to say she is a monster.” He added, eyeing Twilight Sparkle.

As the word left Fritz’s mouth, Twilight Sparkle started to sob. She got up off the floor, her wings still wrapped around her body. Just as she was about to exit the barn, she felt a hand grab her arm. Looking up, she saw it was Sunset Shimmer who was keeping her from getting away. She saw the pained expression her friend wore, making her decision to push her hand off hurt even more. Once she had gotten freed from Sunset’s grasp, she ran outside and sat down on the ground, cocooning herself beneath her wings.

It hurt to hear someone call her a monster. She was well aware that she looked like a monster. But she wasn’t one, not on the inside. Right…? She did have destructive magic and features to go with it, but it wasn’t like the last time she had them. But that didn’t mean she was dangerous or a monster. She was in control this time, not equestrian magic. Yet, as much as she tried to convince herself, she couldn’t quite believe her own words.

Inside, Twilight Sparkle could hear Susie’s angry voice saying, “You dimwits! Have you looked at yourselves in the mirror? We also look like monsters, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“But she has wings and fangs.” protested Fritz, pointing to the area where Twilight Sparkle was sitting.

“So? We are kids trapped in 8-foot animatronics that are made of metal. And we have murdered kids. So, aren’t we monsters as well?” asked Susie.

Suddenly, she felt something gently brush against the outer layer of her wings. The sensation brought her attention away from the conversation that the kids were having. She hesitated for a moment before she opened her wings a little. When she did, she saw Sunset’s concerned expression looking back at her.

“Hey Twi, can I sit with you?” asked Sunset Shimmer, giving her a half-smile.

Twilight Sparkle nodded, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

Sunset Shimmer sat down next to Twilight, their arms brushing against each other. She watched as Twilight Sparkle pulled her wing closer to her. She felt the feathers brush against her bare skin causing goosebumps to form. Rubbing her arms, she tried to rid herself of the goosebumps.

Twilight Sparkle saw that and said, “Oh, sorry…”

Sunset Shimmer saw Twilight Sparkle starting to pull her wings away and reached out to grab a few feathers. She caressed a few of them, enjoying their silky softness. Her finger ran the length of one of the feathers, admiring the details of it. She watched as the strands of the feather moved with her hand. It was like running her hand against the softest cotton she had felt.

“It’s okay, Sparky,” said Sunset Shimmer, glancing up at Twilight Sparkle for a moment, a deep blush in her cheeks. “They’re very soft, and I like how warm they are…”

“Really? They don't repulse you?” asked Twilight.

Sunset Shimmer grabbed the edge of Twilight’s wing, running her hand along it. She delicately ran her fingers over each feather, making Twilight Sparkle shudder as she did so. Pleased by that reaction, she continued downward, reaching the end of the wing. As she touched the end, a single solitary feather fell and landed in front of her. Letting go of Twilight’s wing, she picked up the feather.

“Yeah, I am not repulsed. I think that your wings are beautiful,” said Sunset Shimmer as she ran her finger along the side of the feather. “Even better than the ones I had as Demon Shimmer…”

Twilight, not hearing what Sunset Shimmer said, asked, “What?”

Sunset Shimmer cleared her throat and said, “I said your wings are beautiful and that they do not repulse me. At all.”

Smiling, Twilight Sparkle reached out and grabbed Sunset’s hand. She also moved her wing, wrapping it around Sunset’s torso. Sitting here with the redhead, she felt like she was back to herself once again. Like she didn’t have wings and fangs as well as some dangerous powers. Instead, she was just Twilight Sparkle, the girl who had a big crush on the girl sitting next to her.

“They’re terrified of me, aren’t they?” asked Twilight, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sunset Shimmer’s heart broke when she heard Twilight Sparkle speak. She could tell that the kids’ reaction had affected her severely. Between what happened with the girls and now this, it was plain to see that tonight had been very rough for the book lover. She squeezed Twilight’s hand, wanting to comfort her.

“It’s new to them. The kids haven’t seen anyone that looks like you. But the kids have been through a lot, and that means they are capable of changing and adapting. Besides, they are open-minded, they’ll accept you if you give them a chance to.” replied Sunset.

“Yeah, and I will make them apologize too,” Susie said as she walked out of the barn with Fritz and Jeremy trailing behind her.

Together, Fritz and Jeremy stood in front of Twilight, who immediately tensed up her wings. That prompted Sunset Shimmer to rest her hand on Twilight’s wing to keep it from covering her mouth. She squeezed Twilight’s hand gently, reassuring her that she was there for her.

Fritz kept his gaze locked to the ground, not wanting to meet Twilight’s gaze. “I-I’m sorry.”

“For what, Fritz?” asked Twilight, daring to speak to him.

“I am sorry for calling you a monster. I shouldn’t have done that,” replied Fritz, looking up for a moment.

Twilight Sparkle wiped a tear off her cheek. She could see that Fritz was still fearful of her, but he calmed down a bit. She stood up to her feet with Sunset Shimmer right behind her. Twilight, seeing that Fritz had managed to apologize for what he said was enough to make her smile for a moment.

“I understand why you called me that. I know that it’s new to you. That’s why I forgive you.” said Twilight. “But please, don’t call me that again.”

“Okay, I won’t. I promise, Twilight,” said Fritz, walking away as Jeremy approached her.

Jeremy watched as Fritz walked back into the barn, leaving to apologize to Twilight Sparkle on his own. He rubbed the back of his head as he tried to find the courage to speak. Being near Twilight was making it hard for him to talk. But eventually, he managed to find his voice.

“Iamsorry,” said Jeremy quickly, trying to get away from Twilight.

“What?” Twilight asked, hearing only static as Jeremy spoke.

“I am sorry for the way I behaved,” said Jeremy, making sure his words were clear.

Seeing that Jeremy was still extremely nervous around her, Twilight Sparkle rested her hand on his arm. For the first time since she transformed, she felt terrible for someone else. She didn’t feel bad for herself anymore. And her talk with Sunset Shimmer made her realize that it was also an adjustment for the kids as well, that her sudden transformation was also a shock to them. Though, it warmed her heart to see them slowly adjusting and warming up to her again. She felt Jeremy hesitate to pull away before remaining still.

“You’re still scared, huh?” asked Twilight Sparkle in a soothing tone.

Jeremy nodded. “Y-yeah…”

Twilight Sparkle looked down at the ground, trying to ignore the pain of hearing that an 8-year-old boy was terrified of her. She was unsuccessful as it was all too much for her. If she frightened the kids and her friends, she wondered how her parents were going to take to her new appearance. The only thing she hoped that they wouldn’t do was freak out...much.

Something inside him made him step forward and wrap his arms carefully around Twilight Sparkle as he saw her look down. He tried to hug her, but being trapped inside of an animatronic made that nearly impossible, especially when he had a sharp hook and was trying to hug someone with two large wings. After a minute, he pulled away from the hug.

“I understand your fear of my appearance. I am still adjusting to it, as well. But that doesn’t change the fact that I am still your friend.” Twilight continued, flashing him a smile as she was purposefully showing him her fangs as she pulled her wings back.

With that, Susie and Jeremy walked back into the barn, joining Fritz and the rest of the girls. That left Sunset and Twilight alone, standing outside the barn under the moonlight. The said redhead approached Twilight Sparkle, resting a hand on her shoulder.

“So, how are you feeling now?” asked Sunset, meeting Twilight’s eyes.

“Better,” replied Twilight Sparkle as she brushed her wing against Sunset’s back.

Sunset Shimmer chuckled. “Good. We she-demons have to stick together, right?”

“What?” asked Twilight, wondering what Sunset was talking about.

“Uh, nevermind,” said Sunset, quickly realizing she almost slipped up.

Twilight gave Sunset a puzzled look, but said, “Okay…”

Together, both girls walked back into the warm barn, glad to be inside for once. As Twilight walked in, she sat down next to Susie. Twilight had just made sure she was comfortable when she looked at the young girl and noticed that she was staring at her.

‘What?” asked Twilight, growing creeped out by the constant staring.

Susie blinked and looked away. She was embarrassed that she had gotten caught staring at Twilight. But Susie couldn’t help it, and her curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to know how she had ended up getting the wings, fangs, and the tail that swished behind her. If that was wrong, so be it.

“Hey, I was wondering, what caused you to, um, gain this appearance?” asked Susie, deciding to take a leap.

Twilight fiddled with a piece of hay as she said, “I gained this because I was using my magic to hold you down as Sunset saw your memories.”

“Oh…” was all Susie could as she heard that she was the reason Twilight’s appearance had changed.

“It’s okay. It’s not your fault,” said Twilight Sparkle as she saw Susie look down.

“Okay. Also, if I can ask, do you like Sunset?” Susie asked, wanting to change the subject. “I saw the way you two acted when we found you guys in the clearing. And the way she tried to help you after your appearance changed.”

Twilight Sparkle felt her cheeks heat up as she heard Susie’s question. She didn’t expect her to ask that kind of question. But regardless of whether she had expected it or not, it made her think. After the events of the night, she felt something had changed in her view of the gorgeous redhead. Seeing a vulnerable side to her, it made her fall even more in love with her. And made Twilight appreciate the effort it took to be honest with her.

“I do, I really do,” replied Twilight as she glanced at Sunset, smiling to herself. “I love her.”

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

An hour later, the girls, minus Applejack, were getting ready to head back to their homes. Well, everyone except...Twilight. She had chosen to sit out on the porch steps with her wings pulled close to her body.

Sunset was busy making sure that her messenger bag, which she had dropped off at the farm before heading to the school, was still untouched. Rummaging through the contents of her backpack, she came across her journal, which she used to write to Princess Twilight. She pulled out her journal, her hand gripping the worn leather. On the front was a symbol that was half her cutie mark and half of another symbol she wasn’t sure of. Running her hand along the cover, she closed her eyes for a moment, recalling all the journal entries she had written.

She had written to Princess Twilight many times, mainly after the events of the Fall Formal. It helped her to change and start learning what it meant to be a friend, as well as having the support of the girls. As her mind thought about the princess, she opened her eyes and looked up from the journal. Her eyes caught the sight of one of her friends sitting on the porch steps. Deciding to see who it was, she put her journal away.

Opening the screen door, she walked out of the house. She saw it was Twilight and sat next to her. She rested her hand on her knee, trying to comfort her. That, although unintentionally, allowed Sunset to hear her inner dialogue.

“I can’t face my mom, not when I look like a demon.”

“She doesn’t even know about what happened at the Friendship Game. I couldn’t tell her.”

“She doesn’t know about...Midnight Sparkle...about the transformation.”

“...Maybe...I can stay over at Sunset’s place for a bit. If she is okay with it…”

Twilight looked at Sunset as she felt her hand rest on her knee. She saw that her eyes were glowing white like they always did whenever she used her geode to see someone’s memories and thoughts. Realizing what was happening, she gently nudged Sunset’s hand off her knee. As Sunset came out of her trance, she folded her wings over her shoulders and chest.

“I am okay with it, Twi. You can stay at my place,” said Sunset, revealing that she had indeed heard Twilight’s thoughts. “I understand that your mom doesn’t know about what happened during the Friendship Games. “

That made Twilight unfold her wings and look a Sunset with a grateful but surprised expression. She was confused as to why she would offer to help, considering that it had been a rough night for both of them. Sure, she was her friend, but she also seemed to want her privacy a lot too. Though, regardless of why she had offered, she was grateful for it.

“Twilight? Is everything okay?” asked Sunset when her friend didn’t respond to her.

Twilight blinked and looked down at her hands. “Um, yeah. I am fine. Just a bit shocked that you offered to let me spend the night at your place.”

Sunset’s happy expression fell as she heard what Twilight said. It hurt to hear that her friend would think she wouldn’t help her. Though, she could see why she hesitant to believe her. In the last few days, she had pushed her away numerous times without so much as an explanation and flinched every single time Twilight’s hand had brushed against her scars. It was only tonight that she had started to admit the truth about her past. But it was just a start to her confessing everything.

“I understand that after all that has happened tonight Sparky, that you would think that I don’t want to help you. But I do want to help.” Sunset grabbed Twilight’s hand. “So, do you want to come to my place?”

Twilight Sparkle gave the redhead a small nod. “Just let me text my mom and let her know I will be at your place for the night.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded and walked back into the farmhouse. She walked back over to her bag, resting her hand on her journal. A part of her wanted to talk to the princess after the night she had. But with her getting to spend the night with the human version of her, she didn’t want to waste the opportunity she had to reveal the rest of her past to Twilight. Instead, she pushed the book back into her bag and closed the flap on it. Just as she did so, she saw familiar cowgirl boots approach her. Looking up, she saw Applejack looking back at her, a stern expression on her face.

“Where’s Twilight goin’ to stay?” asked Applejack. “I doubt her mom is aware of her...appearance.”

“My place.” Sunset Shimmer stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. “I offered to let her stay.”

“Really?” Applejack crossed her arms across her chest, raising an eyebrow. “Is her mom ok-”

Just then, Twilight Sparkle came in with her phone in her hand. “She is okay with me spending the night, Sunset.”

“Twi, can you wait outside for a moment? I need to talk to Sunset for a second.” Applejack stood in front of Sunset Shimmer, turning her back to Twilight.

Twilight Sparkle nodded, giving Sunset Shimmer a worried look before making her way to the porch. She wondered what Applejack wanted to talk with Sunset about. As she sat on the porch swing, minding the wings and tail she now, she pushed her curiosity aside. She was just happy to have a place where she could spend the night and avoid telling her parents about what happened. At least until tomorrow.

With Twilight Sparkle gone and the rest of the girls in different parts of the house, Applejack had Sunset to herself. She was going to use this opportunity to make sure that Sunset Shimmer was going to stop hurting Twilight. In part, because she wanted to see the redhead be honest with her. And because like Rarity and Rainbow Dash, she wanted to see the two get together.

“Alright, enough of this nonsense. I see that Twilight trusts you again. I hope you are ready to be honest with her.” Applejack gripped Sunset’s forearm tightly, tighter than she had meant to. “I just hope you are ready to tell her about the Fall Formal.”

Sunset tried to yank her arm away from Applejack’s tight grip. “I know that, AJ!” Sunset tried to pry Applejack’s fingers from her forearm. “And I plan on doing that tonight. I just hope she doesn’t hate me after she knows...”

Applejack’s grip loosened, allowing Sunset to pull her arm away. It was shocking to the cowgirl to hear the redhead sound so...afraid. Now, she regretted being as...aggressive as she was. Looking down, she exhaled softly, calming herself down before continuing the conversation. Once she was calm enough, she glanced up at Sunset with a softer expression.

“If I know Twilight, I don’t think she’ll hate you. At least, after you have given her time to adjust to the news.” Applejack said.

Sunset opened her mouth to retort, but Applejack rested her hand on her shoulder, making her look down at it.

“I know you didn’t mean to hurt her, but this charade you keep playin’ with her is causing her to feel like-”

“Like I don’t trust her?” asked Sunset, meeting the cowgirl’s green eyes.

“Yeah. And you say that Twilight will hate you if you admit that you went through the same experience and kept it from her. But what difference will it make if you wait any longer? The only difference is that she’ll end up hatin’ you more for keepin’ it from her for so long. You’d be lucky if she doesn’t decide to cut all ties with you if that happens.” continued Applejack.

“Wait, has she been-”

“That doesn’t matter now. All I am sayin’ Sunset is give the girl a chance. Trust her.” Applejack let her hand fall from the redhead’s shoulder. “Just don’t wait till it’s too late.”

Sunset watched as Applejack made her way up the stairs, heading towards her bedroom. The cowgirl’s words echoed in her head. She was right, after all. She should trust Twilight. She walked out of the house and joined Twilight on the swing. As she sat down, she felt her move her wings away from her. Not realizing what she was doing, she reached and stopped her.

“Sunset, is everything okay?” asked Twilight, trying to ignore the sensation of Sunset fiddling with her feathers. “You seem upset.”

“I just have a lot on my mind, Twi. But I am okay,” replied Sunset.

“What happened with Applejack?” asked Twilight.

“I don’t want to talk about it, please,” said Sunset as she stopped playing with Twilight’s feathers and looked down at her lap.

“Okay. Do you want to go home now?” asked Twilight, resting a hand on the redhead’s back.

“Yeah,” said Sunset as she got up from the swing with Twilight doing the same. “ I am getting tired.”

“Okay, let’s go home then,” Twilight said, draping her one wing over Sunset’s shoulder as they made their way down the porch steps.

As they walked down the road, Twilight reached out for Sunset’s hand. But as she went to grab it, she felt the redhead pull away from her. That made her wonder what was bothering Sunset Shimmer. She was curious if it had something to do with whatever she and Applejack had talked about. Though, she considered the possibility that maybe Sunset was still fearful of her because she looked like Midnight Sparkle. Whatever the reason was, she just hoped that she was okay and that she would talk about it when they got to her apartment.