Sunset Shimmer ran down the sidewalk as the snow began to fall again, trying her best to avoid the drifts that had built up at the corners thanks to the snowplows, and doing slightly less well at avoiding cars as she hurried to the Sugarplum Corner Bakery, where she knew the other five would be; they always met there at this time after school on Mundaag. She carried only her satchel, a special order from one of her first bosses who owed her a favour. It was orange, with one magenta and one yellow stripe on one side.
Inside the bakery, the five girls sat, absolutely glum, slowly nursing some milkshakes Pinkie had nicked for them… except for Rarity, who had ordered a hot chocolate. None of them said a word as the little bell above the door made its adorable ding-a-ling sound. When they turned to see who it was, they found Sunset standing in the doorway, completely out of breath, her hair flecked with snowflakes. They were, to put it mildly, less than thrilled to see her.
“Get out!” yelled Rainbow Dash.
“You ain’t welcome here!” said Applejack, completely disregarding the fact that Sugarplum Corner was open to the public and thus Sunset had a legal right to be there, since she had done nothing to get herself banned.
“No, wait. Please!” Sunset pleaded.
“Why?” Rarity asked, her voice tinged with sad anger.
Sunset, her hand shaking, reached into her purse and pulled out a book. “Look, I know you don’t trust me. A-and I don’t really blame you. I wouldn’t trust me with everything that’s happened. I can’t prove my innocence. But… I just want all of you to look at this. Please.”
She held out the book, which had a fancy blue bookmark placed near the end.
“So what’s this?” Applejack asked, suspicious.
“Remember Pinkie’s slumber party? When I pulled out my diary right as you were going to sleep and you asked about it? Here it is. In a way, it is me, the good and the bad. But what’s important now is everything after that bookmark.”
“And the stuff before it?” Rarity asked.
Sunset sighed. “We all have secrets we don’t want being aired. You all taught me that, via rainbow laser to the face. I’m not comfortable sharing the rest with you just yet. Sorry. I’ll explain, but first, please read.”
The five girls crowded around the decidedly not-magic diary. Fluttershy held it as the others looked over her shoulder, although Rainbow Dash preferred to spend her time shooting nasty glances at Sunset.
Status Update: Særrajeola 11 — Today I was invited to my very first slumber party! This is something I never even got to do back in Equestria, not for lack of trying on Her part. It’s apparently the first in a series to make me feel more at home here and get me acquainted with Aristequen customs. We’re at Pinkie’s place. No pony or humanoid has ever done anything like this for me before. These girls… Twilight was right. They really were what I needed, and I’m so glad they found it in their hearts to take me in. Right now they’ve all passed out from too much pizza and video games, giving me the opportunity to write. This has been such a wonderful experience. I can’t wait for the next get-together at Rarity’s on Sonnendaag. If I ever go back home, I’ll finally be able to tell Her that I made some actual friends like She hoped I would.
Status Update: Særrajeola 14 — My second slumber party and already I feel so much closer to everyone! I haven’t felt this loved, this accepted, in… well… ever! I finally feel like I have a family again. Or, I guess, a real family for the first time, since I never got along with mine. If I could tell the girls one thing it’s this: Without you, I’d be… well, you know what I would be, because you had to put up with me and put me, deservedly, in my place. Anyway, you girls have already conked out again, and I guess should get some sleep too, but before I do, I just want to let you know that I love you all.
Status Update: Særrajeola 16 — I feel like my entire world has shattered again. I’m accused of being Anon-A-Miss. Someone had to have hacked my phone, unless I’m actually a sleepwalker who does evil while asleep. Did that rainbow not successfully kill my demonic half? I’m getting scared. I hope I can figure this out.
Status Update: Særrajeola 19 — This makes no sense. Trixie isn’t Anon-A-Miss. Plus, she made an intelligent point; if she had wanted to ruin me, she could just tell the school my other dark secrets, the ones they don’t know about. I’m starting to be at a loss on how to proceed. Anon-A-Miss keeps going, posting gossip and secrets that there’s no way I could possibly know. The situation at this school is deteriorating before my eyes. It’s not unlike the discord I sowed when I ran the place, which is probably why everyone suspects me. I know I’m innocent, but it’s difficult not to suspect myself. No one will believe I’m not Anon-A-Miss, not even my friends. Former friends now, I guess. I don’t know what to do. Twilight… no. Princess Celestia… help me.
The final entry had teardrop stains. The five girls sat in silence as Sunset began to speak again, her voice quivering. The bell over the door sounded again, but none of them took any notice.
“That’s the story. You know, whether she meant to or not, the Princess reminded me something: You five are more than just my friends; you’re my family. You know me better than anyone… possibly even Her at this point. Ask yourselves: Would the Sunset Shimmer you’ve come to know over these past seven weeks, the real Sunset, the person I am now, would she have done such horrific things?”
Fluttershy, still holding Sunset’s diary, looked up at her. “If… if you’re not Anon-A-Miss, then who is?”
“That’s what I was pondering this weekend,” said Sunset with a sigh as she sat down at the table. She turned to Applejack. “AJ, you said we and your family were the only ones who knew your nickname, right?”
“Yeah,” Applejack said. “But I know my family would never tell. And I trust you fiv— you four.”
Sunset flinched at Applejack’s correction, but decided to keep pressing. Before she could, Rainbow Dash interrupted.
“Maybe someone overheard?”
“Possible,” said Sunset vaguely, in thought, “But that doesn’t explain the party photos. I had my phone with me the entire time after the party.”
“And the only people at the party were us!” Rarity interjected. “Well, you all and my family.”
Sunset’s eyes lit up like a pair of aquamarine beacons. “Your family?! Wait…” She turned to Rainbow. “Dash. Anon-A-Miss posted your bad science test grade, right?”
“Duh,” Rainbow Dash said in response to the obvious.
“Let’s leave aside that Mister Cranky and I don’t get along. Did you have soccer practice the day you got that paper back?”
“It was indoors because of the snow but, uh, yeah,” she confirmed.
“And the junior team was practicing too, right?” Sunset said more as a declarative than as an actual question.
“Well, yeah. They usually do their stuff at the same time as us. It was kinda cramped in that gym but we tried to give each other our space.”
Sunset nodded. She looked at all five girls with a serious expression. “I know who Anon-A-Miss is.”
“Who?” they all asked.
Sunset closed her eyes as she shook her head. “I really don’t want to say this, but it’s—”
“Yeah. It was us,” said Apple Bloom, who had just shuffled into the bakery with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo standing right behind her. All of them wore looks of extreme guilt.
“WHAT?!” every girl except Sunset cried out in absolute shock.
Applejack’s shock quickly turned to anger. “Apple Bloom, how could you?”
Apple Bloom ignored her older sister and approached Sunset. “We didn’t mean for it to go this far, honest!”
“I imagine not,” said Sunset, “but why did you do it at all?”
Apple Bloom turned away looked down at her feet as she spoke. “Well… because a’ you, Sunset.”
Sunset said nothing, but kept her expression neutral in anticipation of whatever the explanation would be.
“Y’see,” Apple Bloom began, “I was jealous that my sister walked out on helpin’ me with my schoolwork with no warning to do stuff with you. It got me real mad, and I wanted to… to make you look bad. So I created the Anon-A-Miss account, made it look like your profile, and posted the story about Applejack. Then I tried to convince everyone you did it.”
Sweetie Belle jumped in next. “After Rarity kicked me out of her room for her slumber party, I chatted online with Apple Bloom, and I felt the same way. I felt like Rarity had put your happiness over her own little sister’s. So after everyone fell asleep, I snuck into her room, took your phone, downloaded all your photos and videos, and spent the next day going through to find the most embarrassing ones to send to Apple Bloom to post.”
“And I stole your test out of your bag. Sorry, Rainbow. As soon as this whole slumber party thing started, you stopped talking to me, and it made me feel like you didn’t care about me anymore,” Scootaloo said. “But then, Anon-A-Miss got out of hand. After we posted what we could about all of you, other students started sending us their own gossip: embarrassing videos, incriminating pictures. We posted everything.”
“We’re so sorry!” Sweetie Belle said, nearly in tears, as she gave Sunset an impromptu hug. “We had no idea it was going to get so bad for you.”
Sunset let out an involuntary “Oof!” as Sweetie had practically leapt at her and nearly knocked her off balance.
“If I’d known what would happen to you, I never would’ve done it,” said Apple Bloom. “I know we prob’ly don’t deserve it, but… can you forgive us?”
Sunset sat down in the closest chair and motioned the young trio to approach her.
“I understand more than anyone what it’s like to feel alone. No one should ever be made to feel that way. And, truth be told, I’m no innocent flower. Personally, I see this as just another stage in my atonement for all the awful things I used to do. If I was beyond reproach, like these five,” she motioned to the others, “then framing me wouldn’t have worked. I’m disappointed in you three, but of course I forgive you. It’d be hypocritical if I didn’t, right?”
Apple Bloom nodded with a sniffle. She then turned to her older sister, whose upset practically radiated in sinews from her body.
Applejack sighed in maximum irritation as she held her forehead. “You girls…”
“Please forgive us, big sis. We’re real sorry!” Apple Bloom pleaded.
“Well, I guess I owe ya that much,” said Applejack. “You are my little sister, after all. And your friends were jus’ backin’ up their friend. I don’t know if we can forget this little incident. But we’ll worry about that later.”
The nine enjoyed desserts in silence.