Sunset Shimmer’s living room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The Rainbooms had just finished explaining to Twilight about Anon-A-Miss (they had to explain to her what social media was first), their suspicion that it was their sisters, their secrets that were posted and how they easily fell for the obvious frame up. Not to mention that they were going to break off their friendship with Sunset. They also told Twilight about how they told Sunset this earlier and she had not taken it well.
Twilight listened to their explanations closely, and only interrupted to ask a question about something she didn't understand. Those were the only times she interrupted them as she allowed them to finish their story.
Twilight sat on one of the kitchen chairs, her arms crossed and her eyes closed. Her posture was stiff and there was a visible frown on her face. The Rainbooms waited anxiously for Twilight to say something, anything, even yell at them. Her silence was killing them. But Twilight didn't say a word and just continued to sit there, lost in her own thoughts and feelings.
During the Rainbooms explanation, Twilight couldn't help but draw comparisons to what had happened to her during her brother's wedding. The Princess of Friendship remembered the pain she felt when her friends refused to believe her and abandoned her, so she understood the pain Sunset must have felt when the girls told her the truth.
"Twilight?" Fluttershy was the first to break the silence.
Twilight took in a deep breath before exhaling it; she opened her eyes to look at the Rainbooms.
"I'm so disappointed in you girls."
The girls flinched, not just at the fact that Twilight voiced her disappointment with them but that there was no malice or resentment in her tone. That just made them feel worse.
"After what Sunset has done to prove she has changed, after she helped us defeat the sirens, all of you still thought of her as that manipulative po-person she used to be," Twilight said in a disappointed tone. She had entrusted them to teach Sunset the ’Magic of Friendship’ and yet they were ready to throw her aside as soon as it looked like she was back to her old tricks. A shudder went up her spine as she imagined such a thing happening. She was actually thankful that Sunset was sick.
"We know we messed up," Rainbow Dash said. "And we will make things right. We promise."
Seeing Rainbow Dash looking so remorseful reminded Twilight of her own Rainbow Dash when she later apologized to her after her brother's wedding.
"There ain’t no excuse for what we did, but we swear to yah, Twilight. We will do everything in our power to make it up to Sunset," Applejack swore.
"Quite right, darling," Rarity spoke next, using a napkin to dap at the corners of her eyes. "I won't just make up for my false accusation and lack of trust in Sunset, but for my little sister’s part in framing Sunset and attempting to ruin her reputation."
Twilight saw Rarity close her eyes tightly, shame clearly visible on her face for her sister’s actions.
"We're so sorry we let you down, Twilight," Pinkie Pie said before blowing her nose on a napkin, her hair had lost all its puffiness and was now straight like all her sisters’.
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Twilight reminded Pinkie Pie.
"We should've trusted Sunset more," Sobbed Fluttershy.
"We aren't worthy to be part of her herd," Rainbow Dash said bitterly.
"Wait-what?" Twilight blinked at this. Sunset’s herd?
"After we told Sunset about our mistake, she confessed that she had crushes on me an' Rainbow. She said that we could've all been a herd but we lacked complete trust in her," Applejack explained. She had no idea what Sunset meant by a herd, but she figured it must be something special to a pony.
"No way," Twilight muttered in surprise, not just because Sunset had picked out her herdmates but for it to be this world's version of her Rainbow Dash and Applejack. It couldn't be a coincidence.
"Darling, what exactly does it mean to be a part of a ‘herd’?" Rarity asked curiously. Judging by Twilight's surprised expression, she figured that it must be a very big deal.
"Being part of a herd means that you've chosen to spend the rest of your life with your special some ponies," Twilight explained as a smile started to spread across her lips.
"You mean it's the same as marriage?!" Rarity gasped.
"M-marriage?!" Rainbow Dash stuttered, her face turning red.
"A-a-ah didn't realize she was that serious about us," Applejack said. She was in a state of complete shock. She didn't even have a girlfriend yet and now the girl she has been crushing on not only liked her back but was already thinking of marriage.
"Of course, it's just like the animal herds in our world," Fluttershy realized.
"Well, since technically Sunset is a pony from another world, it does make sense," Rarity rationalized.
"I can't believe out of all the people she could've chosen, she chose you both too," Twilight said excitedly.
"What makes you say that?" Rainbow Dash questioned while raising an eyebrow.
"Because the pony counterparts of you two are my herdmates," Twilight explained, smiling brightly.
"No way!" Rainbow Dash was shocked to hear this.
"Oh my," Rarity's eyes widened at this information.
"So your Rainbow and AJ are your wives?!" Pinkie Pie's jaw hit the floor at the news before she gasped loudly, her hair regaining its puffiness as she turned to Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "Oh my gosh! Dashie, AJ congratulations!"
"It's too soon fer that, Pinkie," Applejack said, looking depressed.
"We kind of screwed that up," Rainbow Dash said dejectedly.
"Maybe not," Twilight spoke.
"What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash asked, a tiny ray of hope shining in her heart.
"You see, during my brother's wedding there was a villain named Queen Chrysalis that impersonated my brother's fiancée, Princess Cadance, who foalsat me when I was a filly." Twilight explained as her smile faltered. "I noticed something was off about her and tried to expose her, but nopony believed me and my friends turned their backs on me. Even my own brother."
A stray tear slid down Twilight's right cheek as she recalled the pain she felt when her friends walked away from her.
"Chrysalis and her army of changelings almost took over Equestria. If it wasn't for the love my brother and Cadance have for each other, we wouldn’t have been able to drive the changelings back and defeat Chrysalis. I probably wouldn’t be here now,” Twilight said as she casted her gaze on the floor. "When it was all over, my friends offered their sincerest apologies and did everything they could to make it up to me."
A smile started to make its way on Twilight's lips.
"It was during that time that we all became even closer, but not as close as I did with Rainbow Dash and Applejack."
Twilight raised her head and looked at the Rainbooms.
"I soon started to have feelings towards them and eventually worked up the courage to confess. I was so relieved and happy that they felt the same and soon we became a herd.”
That sounded so romantic and it was.
”Despite how badly they have misjudged the situation, my friends never gave up on our friendship. If you girls show Sunset how truly sorry you are then she will see how much you really care about her," Twilight assured them.
The Rainbooms felt a little more hopeful. They knew they had a lot of work ahead of them to make it up to Sunset but she was worth it.
"Thank you, darling. You don't know how much we needed to hear that," Rarity thanked Twilight.
"Yeah, even with Anon-A-Miss dealt with, it would be pointless if we lose Sunset," Applejack said as she wiped away a tear in her eye.
"That would be devastating," Fluttershy said as tears fell from her eyes.
"Sunny is such an amazing friend! I don't wanna lose her!" Pinkie cried.
Rainbow Dash brought her right hand up to her chest and clutched at her heart. The thought of losing Sunset was still very painful to her. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Applejack.
"Yah okay there, Rainbow?" Applejack asked, looking at Rainbow Dash with worry.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Rainbow Dash assured her friend/rival.
"If yah say so, but ah'm here if yah need someone to talk to," Applejack offered.
"We are all here for you, darling," Rarity spoke as she walked up to Rainbow Dash. Despite her rainbow-haired friend's tough exterior, Rarity knew that Rainbow Dash was the most sensitive one of their group, even more so than Fluttershy. It was one of the qualities Sunset liked most about Rainbow Dash.
"Yeah, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie wrapped her arms around Rainbow Dash in a tight hug. "We're besties and you can tell us anything!"
"You don't need to endure the pain by yourself, Rainbow. We're your friends and we'll always have your back," Fluttershy assured her childhood friend.
"Thanks, girls, you are all amazing friends" Rainbow Dash was very grateful for the support. "I just wished we were the same with Sunset."
"We will be, Dash. Like Twilight said, we messed up royally but we still have a chance to make things right by Sunset," Applejack assured her friend. Just then her phone received a text message alert along with Rarity’s.
"Mother and father want me to come home. They want me there when they discuss Sweetie Belle's punishment," Rarity said after she read the text. She wasn't looking forward to seeing her little sister after what she had done but she had some choice words to say to her.
"Big Mac texted me the same," Applejack said, her tone neutral as she stared at the text.
"To think that it was because they were jealous of Sunset spending more time with us," Rarity shook her head. Her mother had told her about the CMC's reason for creating Anon-A-miss.
Rainbow Dash remained silent as an image of Scootaloo's smiling face flashed in her mind.
'How could you, Scoots?'
"Yah okay there, Dash?" Applejack asked with concern when she noticed how quiet Rainbow Dash was.
"Not really," Rainbow Dash said truthfully.
"It's about Scootaloo, right?" Twilight asked as she stepped up to Rainbow Dash.
"She's supposed to be my little sister. Not only did she stab me in the back like this, she almost made me betray Sunset," Rainbow Dash said as she clenched her fists in anger. "I don't know who I am more mad at, her or myself."
Twilight reached to gently grab Rainbow Dash's fists and gave her a reassuring smile which Rainbow Dash appreciated.
"I'd best be going now. The sooner I get the princess the better," Twilight said.
"We'll come to see you off, Darling," Rarity suggested.
"Thank you," Twilight thanked Rarity as she along with Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie put on their winter clothes and made their way back to the portal.
"Pinkie, Fluttershy and I will make sure Sunset is okay," Rainbow Dash said.
"We'll make sure to contact everyone if something happens," Pinkie Pie added.
"Good luck, girls. I'll be back as soon as I can," Twilight stated as she and her friends gathered for a group hug. Once they let go, Twilight proceeded to walk through the portal. Well, she would have walked through but her face collided with the hard surface of the statue’s base instead.
"Ow!" Twilight brought her hands up to cover her face.
"Are you okay, Twilight?!" Rainbow Dash cried in worry as she and the rest of the Rainbooms crowded around Twilight.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Twilight assured them as she rubbed her face. She looked back at the portal before reaching a hand out to touch it's solid surface. Her eyes widened in alarm. "Oh no, no, no, no, no!"
Twilight was panicking as her hands roamed over the surface of the portal.
"This can't be happening, this can't be happening!" Twilight shouted as she desperately pressed her hands against the solid surface of the statue base. "Of all the times for this to happen, why now?!"
The Rainbooms faces paled as they realized what this meant for Sunset.
"N-no way," Rainbow Dash stammered as she watched Twilight desperately search for the portal.
"If the portal doesn't work..." Rarity mumbled, unable to finish her sentence.
"Then how will we get the help Sunset needs?" Pinkie finished as tears stung at her eyes.
As Twilight started searching around the portal, Rarity's keen eye noticed a gleam reflected off one side of the statue base before it appeared in another side just as Twilight started inspecting the one it was on before.
'I wonder,’ Rarity thought as she reached out to touch the gleaming surface only for it to switch to the side next to it.
"I knew it."
"What is it, Rarity?" Applejack asked when she noticed Rarity start placing her hand against the next side of the statue's base.
"I believe the portal is moving from one side to the other," Rarity explained as the gleam moved again. "There! Did you see that? It moved again!"
The girls watched as Rarity pointed at the side of the statue's base. They saw the gleam on the surface and as Rarity went to touch it, the gleam was gone.
"Ah think ah see it," Applejack said.
"Quick, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, you two stand over there. Twilight, you stand here," Rarity instructed as each girl got into position. "Twilight, the portal should be in front of you. Do you see the light reflecting from its surface?"
"Yeah, I see it!" Twilight said excitedly.
"Alright, on the count of three we will all reach for our respective sides. If I am right about this then the portal would have nowhere to go and be trapped, therefore allowing Twilight to pass through," Rarity concluded.
"That makes sense," Rainbow Dash said.
"Let's give it a shot," Applejack said as she stared intently at the surface in front of her.
"Alright, on the count of three," Rarity instructed.
"One."
Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Twilight got into a ready position.
"Two."
Pinkie Pie looked on anxiously, hoping that this would work.
"Three!"
All four girls rushed at the statue's base and slammed their hands against the four sides. Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash hit the solid surface but Twilight passed on through, causing the portal's surface to ripple.
"It worked!" Pinkie cheered.
"Good job, Rarity!" Applejack congratulated her fashionista friend.
"It was nothing, darling," Rarity said as she smiled victoriously.
"Nothing my butt, your plan just saved Sunset!" Rainbow Dash said as she patted her friend on the back.
Rarity smiled at that but then it faltered once she realized what was going to happen next.
"I guess I'll be seeing you girls tomorrow," Rarity said.
"Yeah," Applejack said simply.
The Rainbooms gave each other a hug before Applejack and Rarity went home.
"I hope they'll be okay," Pinkie Pie voiced her concern as she and Rainbow Dash started walking back towards Sunset's apartment.
"I doubt it'll be easy for them to face their sisters after what they did," Rainbow Dash commented without looking at Pinkie.
"What about you?" Pinkie Pie asked. "How will you face Scootaloo?"
Rainbow Dash was silent for a moment before answering Pinkie Pie.
"I really don't know."
Pinkie Pie didn't press the subject further and the two continued the rest of the way in silence.
"Whoa!"
Twilight stumbled out of the portal on her hind legs before dropping down on all fours.
"Who's there?!"
Twilight saw pony Rainbow Dash fly into the room, ready to take on any intruders. When her eyes landed on Twilight, her glare turned to surprise.
"Twilight?"
"Hi, Dashie. I'm back," Twilight greeted her marefriend with a smile.
Rainbow Dash flew over to Twilight and gave her a hug.
"How'd it go?" Rainbow Dash asked as she broke the hug.
"Sunset is very sick and it appears that her chaos magic is slowly transforming the town just like how Ponyville was when Discord was released," Twilight explained.
"That sounds bad," Rainbow Dash said with worry.
"It is. I need to go get Princess Celestia immediately," Twilight said before her ears picked up the sound of rushing hooves.
"Rainbow, ah heard yah yelling. Is everything alri-"Pony Applejack started to saw but cut herself off when she entered the library and saw Twilight.
"Twilight!"
Applejack rushed over to her herdmate and gave her a tight hug.
"It's so good to see yah, sugarcube," Applejack said as she nuzzled Twilight She had missed her when she and Rainbow Dash went to Canterlot and was very happy to see her.
"It's good to see you too, Applejack," Twilight nuzzled her herdmate back before the two shared a tender kiss. "But I'm afraid I won't be staying long."
"What's the matter?" Applejack asked, looking at Twilight with worry.
Twilight explained to her the situation.
"Whoa nelly, so Sunset is the Princess Celestia’s daughter?!" Applejack couldn't believe that their princess had a daughter.
"Rainbow Dash will explain it to you while I go get the princess," Twilight said before looking behind Applejack.
Applejack saw the worried look in her eyes and smiled.
"Don't you worry, Twilight. We'll take good care of Spike," Applejack assured her.
"Thanks, Applejack," Twilight gave her and Rainbow Dash a kiss on the cheek. "Bye."
Twilight teleported herself to Canterlot.
"Ah hope everythin' turns out okay," Applejack said.
Princess Celestia stood on her balcony and looked at the scene in front of her with worry. Luna had left a while ago to perform her nightly duties so she couldn't stay to enjoy more of Discord's reactions to fatherhood.
"Princess Celestia!"
Celestia's ears perked up at the familiar voice that called her name and turned around to see Twilight galloping towards her.
"Twilight?" Celestia was surprised to see the Princess of Friendship. She should've been back in Ponyville now. "What are you doing here?"
"Princess Celestia, Sunset needs your help. She's fallen ill and is showing the same symptoms you told me about,"
Twilight explained as she stood before the Solar Princess.
Celestia's blood ran cold after hearing that.
"Then we have no time to lose," Princess Celestia turned back around. "Discord!"
Twilight looked behind Celestia and was shocked to see numerous Discords walking around aimlessly; some were walking on thin air, others were walking on top of the castle, and some walked sideways in mid air. It was a bizarre sight but perfectly normal for Discord.
"Why are there so many Discords?" Twilight wondered.
"I told him that he was a father and I believe he's in a state of shock," Celestia explained.
"This isn't good! We need him to help Sunset!" Twilight said with great urgency.
"Agreed," Celestia unfurled her wing and flew off to one of the Discords. "Discord, I need your-"
Celestia cut herself off when she reached a hoof to Discord, only for it to pass right through him.
"Celestia, what's wrong?" Twilight asked worriedly as she flew next to Celestia.
"I'm afraid we have to check each of the Discords to find the real one," Celestia said with worry.
"But that could take all night!" Twilight shouted. "Can't you use some kind of spell to detect him?"
"I did, but apparently he's all over the place," Celestia groaned. "Why did this have to happen now?"
Twilight placed a hoof on Celestia's shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll just have to check them all like you said."
"Then let’s get started," Celestia said as she flew to another Discord. Her hoof passed through him, indicating that he wasn't real.
Twilight checked a nearby Discord and discovered that he too was a fake. She took a look around to the numerous Discords before letting out a sigh.
"There's no helping it."
Twilight and Celestia continued their search for the real Discord. Celestia even recruited some of the castle staff and guards to help her in the search.
Back in the human world, Scootaloo was in the living room with her parents who were not happy with what their daughter had done.
"I can't believe you, Scootaloo," Spitfire scolded her daughter who was sitting on the sofa. "How could you do something so stupid!?"
"We're very disappointed in you, Scoots," Scootaloo's father Soarin said, looking at his daughter with disappointed eyes.
"I'm sorry," Scootaloo said in a low voice. She had her head lowered as tears fell on her lap.
After their families were all gathered in Sweetie Belle's living room, the CMC told them everything: the creation of Anon-A-Miss, their reasons and why they decided to confess now. Needless to say their families were quite angry with what they had done and chewed them out. The CMC told them that they had planned to tell Principal Celestia tomorrow. Although their families were glad that the girls decided to take responsibility and stop before things got even worse, it did little to alleviate their anger. They decided to continue this conversation in the privacy of their own homes.
"We're not the only ones you should be apologizing to, young lady," Spitfire stated. "There's Rainbow Dash and her friends, the people whose secrets you spilled and especially the one you and your friends tried to frame."
"Yes," was all Scootaloo could say.
Spitfire let out a sigh. Despite being very upset with her daughter it still pained her to see her looking so miserable. She walked over to Scootaloo and knelt in front of her. She placed her index finger underneath her chin and raised her daughter's head to look at her face.
"Listen, Scootaloo, despite what you did, we are still proud of you for taking responsibility and owning up to your mistakes," Spitfire said gently, smiling kindly at her daughter.
"R-really?" Scootaloo asked, looking into her mother's eyes.
"Yeah," Soarin agreed as he knelt down besides his wife. "It still doesn't excuse what you did but we're glad that you realize that what you did was wrong and are taking the proper steps to make it right."
"But you are still in trouble, and for starters you're going to have to do some extra chores around the house," Spitfire said as she smiled cheekily at her daughter.
"I figured," Scootaloo chuckled as she smiled slightly.
"Not to mention you're grounded," Soarin added playfully.
Scootaloo simply giggled.
"Now then, go upstairs and get ready for bed," Spitfire ordered as she rose to her feet. "We'll come up to tuck you in later, okay?"
"Okay," Scootaloo jumped off the sofa and rushed upstairs.
Spitfire and Soarin watched her go upstairs. When she was out of sight, Spitfire let out a tired sigh before taking a seat in the sofa that Scootaloo had been sitting in.
"You okay?" Soarin asked his wife as he looked at her with concern.
"Yeah, I'm just a little tired," Spitfire told him as she ran her right hand through her hair.
"Maybe we should get to bed ourselves," Soarin said in a flirtatious tone as he took a seat next to Spitfire and wrapped an arm around her.
"Not now, Soarin," Spitfire groaned, not in the mood, but she did not remove his arm from her and instead laid her head against his shoulder.
"Tell me what's on your mind," Soarin spoke gently as he caressed his wife's hair.
"Just thinking where did we go wrong," Spitfire said dejectedly. "Of all the trouble Scootaloo has gotten herself into, I never imagined she'd do something like this."
"Hey, don't beat yourself up. As parents, we did everything we could to make sure Scootaloo stayed on the proper path. But sometimes kids make mistakes," Soarin assured her. "We made some mistakes ourselves when we were her age."
"And that's the part I hate," Spitfire noted. "I don't want my mistakes to be hers."
The two remained silent for a while before Spitfire stood up.
"C'mon we better go tuck her in," Spitfire said as she cast her husband a smile.
"Sure," Soarin simply said as he and Spitfire made their way up to Scootaloo's room.
"Ah am very disappointed in yah, little seed," Granny Smith said to her granddaughter as she glared at the youngest member of the Apple family who was sitting on a chair in the kitchen with her head down. "Ah can't believe yah would humiliate yer own sister and frame her friend all because yah were jealous of how much Sunset was spending more time with her."
Applebloom shrunk under her grandmother's piercing gaze,.The way her grandmother explained her reasons behind Anon-A-Miss made it sound so petty.
'Ah suppose mah reason was petty,' Applebloom thought, admitting it to herself. She turned her attention to
Applejack who had her arms crossed and eyes glaring at her.
"Ah'm so sorry, Applejack."
"Why?" Applejacked asked. "Why would yah go through all this instead of just talking to me, Granny or Big Mac?"
"Ah don't know," Applebloom said as tears began to pool in her eyes. "Ah wasn't thinkin'."
"Nope, you weren't," Big Mac spoke, arms crossed as he narrowed his eyes at his littlest sister. "Ma and Pa would be very disappointed in yah now, Applebloom."
Applebloom's eyes widen at this. She imagined her parents disappointed faces as the tears fell from her eyes. She covered her face with her hands and started sobbing.
"Ah'm sorry, ah'm so sorry."
The family watched Applebloom cry her apologies, their hearts aching as they heard her cries and their expressions began to soften.
"There, there now, Applebloom," Granny Smith wrapped her arms around her granddaughter and tried to calm her down. "Yer Ma and Pa will no doubt be disappointed at what yah did, but they'll be mighty proud that yah took responsibility fer yer mistake and told the truth."
"Really?" Applebloom asked hopefully as she looked at her grandmother.
"Of course," Granny Smith said confidently. "Just cause yah made a mistake doesn't mean we'll stop loving yah, ain't that right, Big Macintosh?"
"Eeyup," Big Mac said as he smiled at his sister.
Applebloom looked towards Applejack who was looking at away from her with a far off look in her eyes.
"Applejack?"
Applejack perked up at her name being called at looked at her sister.
"Do...do yah hate me?" Applebloom asked nervously.
"Of course ah don't hate yah, Applebloom. Yer my little sister and ah'll always love yah," Applejack stated.
Applebloom got up from her chair and ran towards Applejack who knelt down and opened her arms to hug her little sister as she cried on her shoulder.
"Ah'm so sorry Applejack! Ah should've never tried to hurt yah!"
Tears welled up in Applejack's eyes as she held her sister close, despite how upset she was at her sister, she could never hate her.
"Ah hate myself fer falllin' fer yer trick."
"But it wasn't yer fault! We were the ones who framed Sunset!" Applebloom protested.
"Don't matter, ah was willing to throw away someone I loved just because of two posts," Applejack cried. "Ma and Pa would be more disappointed in me!"
The two sisters cried in each others arms and were soon joined by their brother and grandmother.
Rarity was at her work table, working on a sketch when she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in."
The door opened to reveal Sweetie Belle.
"Rarity, can I talk to you?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously.
Rarity let out a sigh before removing her glasses and motioning Sweetie Belle to enter. Sweetie Belle entered Rarity's room and closed the door behind her.
"What do you want to talk about, Sweetie Belle?" Rarity asked in monotone.
Sweetie Belle flinched at Rarity's monotone voice, " I just want to apologize for humiliating you and your friends."
"I know. You've already apologized to me when I got home," Rarity reminded as she narrowed her eyes at Sweetie Belle.
Sweetie Belle was grounded and banned from using her gadgets while at home and at school. Her smartphone was confiscated and she would have to use an old flip phone with no internet access. She also had to do more chores around the house and whatever tasked Rarity asked of her.
The two sisters remained silent for a few minutes before Sweetie Belle broke the silence.
"I should probably go now and let you get back to work," Sweetie Belle said as she turned around to exit the room. She was saddened at what had become of their relationship but she had brought this on herself. She only wanted to spend more time with her big sister, but Rarity no longer wanted anything to do with her.
"Sweetie Belle."
"Yes?" Sweetie Belle turned around to look at her older sister.
"Come here, please," Rarity ordered.
Sweetie Belle did as she was told and walked towards Rarity until she stood before her. Rarity gave her a scrutinizing gaze which made Sweetie Belle nervous. Rarity then reached behind her and pulled out a hat to place on top of Sweetie Belle's head.
"Yes, I can see it now. A most magnificent summer dress!" Rarity proclaimed as she snatched some fabric and needles.
'Here we go,' Sweetie Belle thought as Rarity wrapped the fabric around her and secured it with the needles.
"I am very upset with you, Sweetie Belle," Rarity suddenly spoke as she adjusted the fabric around Sweetie Belle.
"I know," Sweetie Belle agreed.
"I hope you're ready to spend some ‘quality time’ with your big sister," Rarity said as she gave Sweetie Belle a mischievous smirk.
Sweetie Belle gulped as she let Rarity use her as a living mannequin.
"I still love you, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said. "And despite how upset and disappointed I am with you at the moment, that fact will never change."
Sweetie Belle smiled at hearing those words as tears welled up in her eyes.
"I love you too."
The two sisters were silent as Rarity continued her work, a small smile on both their lips.
Princess Luna traveled through the dreamscape as the dreams of her ponies floated around her while she searched for a particular pony's dream.
'It has to be here somewhere,' Luna thought as she scanned the dream realm.
'No!'
Luna heard a cry for help. One of her subjects needed her. Her horn started glowing as she focused on the source of the call. After a bit of time, she was able to locate its source. Her horn's magic enveloped her and she immediately transported herself to the source of the call. The Princess of the Night found herself in what appeared to be a school hallway. She looked around her for the source of the call when she heard the cry again.
"Leave them alone!"
Princess Luna quickly turned her head back and started galloping down the hall where she heard the voice. As she turned the corner, she saw a strange creature that walked upright on its two hind legs. She also saw five other creatures huddled together as they were being laughed at by the shadowy silhouettes of what she believed to be the same creatures as the girls. The girls were crying as the shadows mocked and laughed at them.
"Stop laughing at them!" the creature with the red and yellow mane shouted, growing increasingly angry at the shadows.
She rushed towards them and stood between them and the shadows with her arms stretched out.
"Back off, or else!" the creature threatened, glaring at the shadows.
"Why, Sunset?"
Both Luna and Sunset's eyes widen as Sunset turned around to see her friends glaring at her.
"I thought yah were our friend," Applejack said bitterly as she glared at Sunset with tears spilling from her eyes.
"How could you do this to us, darling?" Rarity said as she held on tight to the rest of her friends, her mascara leaving ugly black lines down her face.
"Wha-what do you mean?" Sunset was confused, why were her friends glaring at her when she was trying to help them?
"Don't play dumb!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "We know it was you who posted the photos of the slumber party!"
Sunset was taken aback by this.
"N-no, I would never do that!"
"Quit lying, Sunset. We know yer Anon-A-Miss," Applejack stated angrily.
"N-no, I- I'm not that person!" Sunset's voice started to break as tears welled up in her eyes. "I could never hurt any of
you!"
"But you did!" Fluttershy raised her voice, glaring at Sunset with absolute hate. "You did this to us!"
"N-no," Sunset took a step back, her tears starting to fall.
"We’re done being yer punching bags, Sunset," Applejack said as she and the girls turned away. "Tell all the secrets you want, but we don't have to listen."
Sunset fell on to her knees as she watched her friends walk away from her.
"No," Sunset muttered as brought her hands up to cover her face as she wept.
Luna had seen enough and as she was about to make her presence known, she sensed something. Suddenly, her surroundings faded to darkness and Sunset's sobbing stopped. She watched as the young woman rose up and wiped at her tears. When she removed her hand from her face, Luna saw that her niece had a look of determination.
"Anon-A-Miss," Sunset growled as images of the posts Anon-A-Miss made about her friends floated around her. "The first thing Anon-A-Miss posted was Applejack's nickname, then the photos of the slumber party, Applejack and Rainbow Dash's crushes on me, and finally Dash's failed test paper."
Sunset thought carefully, she went over what had happened at the sleepover at Pinkie Pie's.
"Applejack told us about her nickname, which only us and her family know.....family."
Images of Applebloom, Granny Smith and Big Mac materialized in front of her.
"During the sleepover at Rarity's, the only people there were us and her family.”
Images of Sweetie Belle and her parents materialized in front of Sunset.
"I doubt Granny Smith will do it since she probably doesn't even know how to use a computer and Big Mac doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would do this," Sunset deduced as the image of Granny Smith and Big Mac disappeared and only Applebloom was left.
"Applebloom was the one who blurted out Applejack's nickname and she was the first to tell us about Anon-A-Miss."
She looked towards the images of Rarity's family as her parents images faded leaving Sweetie Belle.
"If Sweetie Belle's involved that would mean that Scootaloo is too."
An image of Scootaloo materialized next to Applebloom's picture.
"The junior soccer team does have practice with the senior team," Sunset's eyes widened as all the pieces started coming into place. She clenched her teeth as she narrowed her eyes dangerously at the CMC. "Those little brats."
The images of the CMC burned away as Sunset seethed in anger.
"How dare they humiliate their sisters and frame me for it," Sunset muttered.
Luna watched as steam started rising from Sunset. She started to become worried when she sensed something very familiar.
"They made them go through a living nightmare. If that's what they want, then I'll do the same,"
Luna watched in horror as Sunset rose into the air and a very familiar silhouette appeared behind her.
"I shall become their Nightmare Moon!" Sunset shouted as the shadowy silhouette of Nightmare Moon started laughing maniacally.
"NO!" Luna screamed as she dove towards Sunset, but a wave of darkness pushed her back.
"Sunset!" Luna gasped as she bolted up from her bed. She was covered in sweat and panted heavily. She took a look outside to see Celestia's Sun rising in the distance.
"Sister."
Luna's horn glowed as she teleported herself to her sister's location.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but we can't seem to find the real one," a tired castle royal guard reported to the princess.
"It's alright, thank you for trying," Celestia thanked him.
"This is insane! Where could the real one possibly be?!" Twilight demanded as she used her magic to pull on her mane.
"Sister!"
Luna suddenly appeared in front of Celestia and not only startled her but Twilight as well.
"Luna? What's the matter?" Celestia asked worriedly as she took in her sister's panicked appearance.
"It's Sunset Shimmer! We must go to her now!" Luna said in a raised and panicked voice. It was almost close to the volume of her Royal Canterlot Voice.
"What happened?!" Celestia demanded.
Luna told them about what she had seen in Sunset Shimmer’s dream.
"T-that can't be possible!" Twilight shouted. She couldn't fathom that Nightmare Moon would come back through Sunset.
"I don't think my darker half has returned through my niece. It's more like she is using her image in the dream world," Luna assured the Princess of Friendship.
"Then we must go there now!" Celestia urged insistently.
"But we can't go without Discord!" Twilight reminded her.
Luna looked at the many Discords and arched an eyebrow.
"Sister, has he been like this all night?" Luna asked.
"Yes, and we spent all night looking for the real one but we can't seem to find him," Celestia explained as she looked at the Discords with worry.
"We tried using a locator spell but it showed us that he was here!" Twilight spread her wings to indicate to the surrounding area.
Luna pondered for a moment before her eyes widen in realization.
"I think I know what the problem is."
"You do?!" Twilight and Celestia said at the same time.
"Yes, you see the news that Discord is a father has shaken him so much that he's unsure of what to do next," Luna explained. "I've seen it in dreams where a pony's thoughts are so scattered that they manifest into what you see before you."
"Do you know how to fix him?" Twilight asked.
"Of course, he needs somepony to anchor his thoughts and to tell him that everything will be alright," Luna explained as she and Twilight looked to Celestia.
Celestia understood what she had to do and closed her eyes as her horn began to glow.
The Discords stopped pacing and looked towards the bright light of Celestia's horn.
'Discord, you have to pull yourself together,’ Celestia's voice echoed around everyone.
'But Kaykay, what am I supposed to do? I don't know the first thing about being a father,' Discord's own voice echoed around them.
'It's alright, I had the same thoughts as you do, doubting whether I could be the mother that Sunset deserves,' Celestia looked at the Discords with loving eyes.
'But what if I mess up and end up hurting her? Like I did with you?’ Discord admitted sadly, his tone laced with fear.
'I can't promise that you won't hurt her. Faust knows I've already done that,’ Celestia admitted, making Discord feel regret. ‘But we can't let the fear of hurting her stop us, or else we'll miss out on getting to know a very special mare. You won't be alone, Discord. I'll be here with you, and together we'll make Sunset the happiest pony in all of Equestria.’
The Discords saw the tears running down Celestia's cheeks and they began walking towards her, each one combining with the others as they drew close until there was only one Discord left.
"Thank you, Celestia," Discord thanked his love as he brought his paw up to caress her face.
Celestia smiled before drawing him close for a hug.
"Anytime."
"Then let’s go see our daughter," Discord said as he looked to Twilight and gave her a nod.
Twilight nodded back as her horn lit up and teleported herself, Luna, Celestia and Discord to her castle library. Once there, Twilight wrote a quick message to her Canterlot High friends and proceeded to go through the portal with the Royal Canterlot Family.
Fluttershy finished placing the damp rag on Sunset's forehead. She looked at the former unicorn with worry as she continued to get worse.
"Just hang on a bit longer, Sunset. Help's almost here," Fluttershy whispered gently to Sunset as she made her way out of Sunset's bedroom.
No sooner did Fluttershy close Sunset's door did the former unicorn's eyes snapped open.
"Still no word from Twilight, huh?" Fluttershy asked Rainbow Dash who was sitting on Sunset's sofa. She was looking at the journal on the coffee table.
"Not ye-" Rainbow was cut off when the journal started vibrating. She quickly snatched it up and opened it to the current entry. "She's going through the portal now!"
"That's great!" Pinkie cheered.
"I'll text AJ," Rainbow Dash said as she typed a message to Applejack, a big smile on her lips.
"I'm so happy that Sunnny will be saved, right Gummy? Gummy?" Pinkie Pie looked for her pet stuffed alligator that came to life. "There you are!"
Pinkie spotted Gummy chewing on Sunset's bedroom door knob.
"Silly Gummy, that's not food," Pinkie chastised her pet alligator as she went to pick him off the door. "We'll get you some yummy pancakes, how does that sound?"
As Pinkie pried Gummy off of Sunset's bedroom door knob, the motion turned the knob which caused Sunset's bedroom door to open slightly.
"Oops, sorry Sunse-" Pinkie Pie didn't finish her sentence as her eyes widen upon seeing Sunset's empty bed. She then started to feel a strange tingle in her body. “Uh-oh.”
Principal Celestia pinched the bridge of her nose as she sighed in irritation. Her sister Vice-Principal Luna stood next to her as she glared at the three young girls in front of her.
Both administrators did not expect that Anon-A-Miss would come to their office and confess, much less that it was these three girls.
"Words cannot begin to describe how disappointed I am in you girls," Principal Celestia spoke. The Crusaders have told them everything as well as their reasons, and she had to fight tooth and nail to not shout at them right now.
"That has got to be the most selfish, idiotic, just plain outrageous reason behind this slander I have ever heard!" Vice-Principal Luna's voice boomed in the office room.
The Crusaders flinched in fear. They had never seen their principals so angry before.
"I will call for an assembly where you three will log into the account, shut it down and apologize to the entire school," Principal Celestia stated sternly.
"As for your punishment you'll have six months of detention for starters," Vice-Principal Luna said. "Am I understood?"
"Yes," all three girls said in unison.
"You three shall stay here while Vice-Principal Luna and I step outside for a minute," Principal Celestia said as she rose from her seat and walked out of her office with her sister before closing the door.
"That went about as well as ah expected," Applebloom said as she slumped in her seat.
"For a moment, I was afraid Vice-Principal Luna was going to wring our necks," Scootaloo shuddered at the thought. "I've never seen her so angry before."
"I can't really blame her," Sweetie Belle said.
"What was ah thinking when ah started Anon-A-Miss?" Applebloom groaned. "Ah guess it doesn't matter now, we gotta face the consequences."
"I'm glad to hear that."
The Crusaders were startled by the unknown voice that came from behind them and they turned around to see Sunset Shimmer.
"S-Sunset?!" Applebloom was shocked to see Sunset.
"Hey girls," Sunset panted with labored breaths. Her hair was a disheveled mess, her face was flushed red and covered in sweat and her pony ears were twitching.
"Sunset, you should be in bed," Sweetie Belle said in concern. Sunset looked awful and could collapse at any moment.
"I just wanted to invite you girls to play a game with me," Sunset said as she smiled wickedly at the girls.
"W-what kind of game?" Scootaloo asked nervously. There was something off about Sunset.
"You'll see," was all Sunset said before she snapped her fingers.
"Alright, girls let’s-" Celestia cut herself off as she opened the door to find no one inside her office.