“Ah just love winter,” Applejack said to Sunset as she and the former Equestrian walked towards the school. “The taste of hot cocoa, the smell of new snow.”

Applejack listed as she and Sunset entered the school.

“But mah, my favorite part is spending the holidays with mah family.” Applejack turned to Sunset with a big smile. “Don’t Yah agree?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Sunset said as she looked away from Applejack so she wouldn’t see the sad look on her face. “I haven’t been home for the holidays in a long time.”

“Oh,” Applejack deflated at that and her smile faltered, she decided to change the subject quickly. “Do Yah have the same holidays where Yah come from?”

“We don’t have the same holidays but everypony-I mean everybody does get together with their families in the winter,” Sunset explained as she and Applejack reached their lockers and started putting their backpacks and coats away. “Not like it matters since I never spent any of the holidays with my family, and even after I came here I always spent the holidays alone.”

“So….you’ve been alone for the holidays all this time?” Applejack asked, looking at Sunset with wide eyes.

“Pretty much,” Sunset replied, looking away from Applejack.

“That’s awful!” Applejack said stunned, she couldn’t imagine someone being all alone for the holidays, especially one of her best friends.

“Yeah,” Sunset agreed before smiling at Applejack and hugging her. “But that was before I met you girls, and I’m not as alone as I used to be.”

Applejack returned the hug, squeezing Sunset tighter than usual before letting go.

“Gotta go to class, I’ll see you later Applejack,” Sunset waved goodbye as she walked away.

“Yeah…later Sunset,” Applejack said sadly as she watched Sunset leave, what she had said sounded so wrong. She couldn’t imagine spending the holidays all alone, so she took out her phone and sent a group text to her friends, minus Sunset.

Hey girls! Friendship emergency! Secret meeting in the library after school! DON’T TELL SUNSET.

Applejack then put her phone away and quickly headed off to class.

“So what’s this meeting about, AJ?” Rainbow Dash asked once everyone in their group minus Sunset arrived at the library.

“And why couldn’t we tell Sunset?” Fluttershy asked worriedly.

“Ah was talking to Sunset this morning and she told me that she 'd always spent the holidays alone,” Applejack explained.

“That sounds awful!” Fluttershy gasped.

“ Ah think she gets lonely around the holidays which is why I want to give Sunset the best holiday she has ever had!” Applejack told them, a big smile on her lips.

“That sounds wonderful, darling!” Rarity voiced her agreement.

“I’m game,” Rainbow Dash said. She was more than happy to help make Sunset’s holiday awesome.

“What do you have in mind?” Fluttershy asked.

“Two words, slumber parties. Ah was thinking that we each host a slumber party at our houses which leads to a holiday party at mah house,’ Applejack explained her plan.

“Ooh, ooh, let me go first!” Pikie Pie offered, bouncing in excitement.

“Okay, Pinkie just calm down,” Applejack agreed, smiling at her enthusiastic friend.

“I’ll go tell Sunset!” Pinkie said before running out of the library.

The rest of the girls soon left as they went to their lockers to pick up their stuff, as Applejack was headed to the lockers she saw Applebloom running towards her.

“Hi, Applejack,” Applebloom greeted her big sister with a smile. “Are yah ready to bake some holiday cookies?”

“Ah’m sorry Applebloom but ah can’t today,” Applejack said dejectedly, it was one of the Apple family traditions to bake cookies together around the holidays.

“What?!” Applebloom was shocked her sister never turned down a family tradition.

“Me and mah friends are having a sleepover at Pinkie Pie’s for Sunset,” Applejack explained as she placed a hand on Applebloom’s shoulder. “Ah promise to make it to yah later.”

Applebloom didn’t answer, instead, she just looked at the floor. Applejack was crestfallen to see her sister like this.

“Make sure yah and Mac get home safe, ah already told Granny that ah won’t be home,” Applejack instructed which Applebloom only nodded, Applejack hugged Applebloom before she left.

Applebloom stared at her sister’s back with a frown.

“Welcome to Party Central!” Pinkie announced as she led the girls inside her room.

“Yah sure went all out,” Applejack commented as she looked at the party balloons, popcorn, and candy on her nightstand, and a video game console setup with several games.

“Nothing but the best for my girls,” Pinkie said with pride.

The girls had a blast at Pinkie’s slumber party, Rarity braided Sunset’s hair, while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy played video games, and Pinke was telling Applejack some jokes when Maud came in carrying 10 boxes of Pizza.

“This is nice,” Sunset commented as she lay on top of Pinkie’s bed. Rarity is painting Applejack’s nails, Fluttershy is brushing Rainbow Dash’s hair and Pinkie is playing some games. “Thank you for this girls, I’ve never experienced these kinds of things before especially with friends.”

“Having friends is awesome!” Rainbow Dash agreed.

“That’s what friends do,” Rarity said as she finished painting Applejack’s nails. “Now don’t touch anything until they dry.”

“Friends are always there for each other,” Applejack began as she lay back on Pinkie’s bed. “Yah girls mean the world to me and-”

Applejack was interrupted when her phone started ringing in her backpack.

“Can someone get that for me?” Applejack asked.

“I got it,” Sunset said as she reached inside Appleajck’s backpack to pull out her phone, she put it on speaker before placing it next to Applejack’s head.

“Hello?” Applejack asked.

“Hey Applejack,” Applebloom’s voice can be heard on the other end. “Granny wanted me to check how yah were doing.”

“Tell granny that I’m doing just fine,” Applejack answered, rolling her eyes.” And to quit worrying.”

“Yeah, she’s getting her nails done!” Sunset teased.

“Okay, okay, don’t shoot the messenger!” Applebloom said, a little annoyed. “Goodnight, Piggly Wiggly.”

“Piggly Wiggly?” Sunset questioned as the rest of the girls minus Applejack stared laughing.

“It’s a nickname my Granny Smith gave me,” Applejack explained with a sigh. “When ah was little ah snuck into the pick pen when Granny Smith was feeding the pigs, she said I was there for hours playing with the pigs. It’s become a family nickname and Applebloom likes to call me that when she thinks I’m starting to get too big for my britches.” Applejack smiled. “But that’s family, yah gotta take in the good with the bad.”

“Hopefully more good than bad,” Sunset commented.

“Don’t yah worry, there’s way more good than bad,” Applejack assured her, she cast a glance around her and noticed that the rest of the girls had fallen asleep. “Ah guess it’s time to get some shut-eye.”

Sunset nodded in agreement and the two got ready for bed, but despite some time passing Sunset was still awake. It still felt surreal for her to not only have friends but participate in a sleepover, her second one too. She thought back to those lonely nights, how the only thing that kept her going was her goal to become a princess. She closed her eyes as she remembered what happened after the Fall Formal, the crushing reality of how alone she was finally got to her and she would cry herself to sleep for a couple of nights. If it weren’t for the girls' friendship then she wouldn’t have a reason to get out of bed and tackle the day with a smile.

Sunset smiled as she opened her eyes and glanced at her friends, they helped her out of a dark place despite what she did to them. Sunset couldn’t help but feel a little guilty at how they planned these slumber parties to give her the best holiday she had ever had. She reached inside her satchel and pulled out her journal, she hoped Twilight was still up.

Applebloom was annoyed, it was bad enough that her sister bailed on their holiday tradition but she got annoyed at her for telling her Granny’s message. She smiled when she heard her sister’s friends laugh when she called her Piggly Wiggly, she didn’t have to use her nickname if Applejack wasn’t such a jerk. She didn’t even need to be a jerk if it wasn’t for the stupid slumber party for Sunset, why couldn’t the slumber party be on another date?

“This is all Sunset’s fault,” Applebloom bitterly muttered. “If it weren’t for her, Applejack would be spending time with her family. Why is Applejack even doing this for her after what she did?” Applebloom didn’t understand.

“Maybe ah should remind Applejack who Sunset really is.”

Applebloom took her phone from the nightstand, went to Mystable and clicked new profile.

“Anon-A-Miss,” Applebloom typed out.

The Rainbooms entered the school looking exhausted, they overdid it at the slumber party.

“Are yah tired Pinkie?” Applejack asked, giving the party girl a teasing smile.

“What?! No way!” Pinkie instantly perked up, all traces of exhaustion vanishing from her face. “I’m a party machine!”

Applejack chuckled at her friend.

“Hey Piggly Wiggly!”

Applejack’s eyes widen as she hears her nickname behind her, she quickly turns around to see who had said it but just saw random students walking to their destination. She scratched her head in confusion.

“Did someone just-“

“Applejack! Applejack!”

Applejack turned to see her little sister running towards her in a panic.

“Look!” Applebloom showed Applejack her phone.

Applejack took her sister's phone which was on Mystable, her eyes widened when she read one of the posts.

Did you guys know when AJ was a kid she loved playing with her pigs? OMG! She sat in the mud for hours! Her whole family calls her “Piggly Wiggly” cause she loves them so much! What a pig!

“How in the….” Applejack was stunned, how the hell did her nickname got posted for all to see?

“Anon-A-Miss?” Sunset read as she looked over Applejack’s shoulder.

“Ah have no idea but their profile was created the same day as the post,” Applebloom lied. “She posted on everyone's pages so the whole school probably knows about yer nickname.”

Piggly Wiggly

Piggly Wiggly

Oink Oink

Applejack heard the mocking from the crowd but couldn’t identify who it was.

“Who said that?!” Sunset demanded, furious that someone would make fun of her friends. “I dare you to say it to my face!”

“Easy there Sunset,” Applejack calmed her friend as she lay a hand on her shoulder. “I can handle a little teasing.”

“How does this Anon-A-Miss know about your nickname?” Rarity questioned.

“And what right do they have to post it online?” Rainbow Dash asked, annoyed at the situation.

The school bell rang and students started rushing to their classes.

‘We’ll just have to find that out later,” Applejack said dejectedly as she started walking to her next class.

“Applejack,” Sunset called her friend as she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Let us know if there’s anything we can do to help.”

“Thanks, Sunset,” Applejack thanked her friend as they parted ways.

“Sis, are yah sure yah didn’t tell anyone else about yer nickname?” Applebloom questioned as she walked beside her sister.

“Positive,” Applejack answered, raising an eyebrow at her little sister. “What are yah getting at?”

“Well, the only people who know about yer nickname is us and yer friends,” Applebloom began, eyeing her sister’s reaction. “Don’t yah find it odd that Sunset heard about your nickname last night and now Aono-A-Miss shows up posting yer nickname the very next day?”

“Applebloom!” Applejack was shocked to hear her sister suggest that Sunset could be the one behind Anon-A-Miss. “How could yah even suggest that Sunset would do this?! She’s mah, friend!”

“It was just a thought!” Applebloom held her hands in front of her.”Yah gotta admit that this can’t be a coincidence. Even the colors of their profile match Sunset’s hair color.”

“Ah don’t ant to discuss this anymore,” Applejack said as she started walking off to class.

Applebloom looked at her sister’s back sadly, it hurt to see Applejack so down but a little teasing is small price to pay for her plan to succeed.

Author's Note

I hope you enjoy the first chapter of my new Anon-A-Miss story! I look forward to your comments!