//------------------------------//
// Sunset Shimmer 
// Story: Anon-A-Miss Aftermath: Nightmares 
// by CapNTilfy 
//------------------------------//

Sunset Shimmer entered the halls of Canterlot High with a yawn. She barely got any sleep last night from all the nightmares! She shook her head and headed to cafeteria. Time for some caffeine!

"Howdy, Sunset," a voice called out from behind her.

Sunset turned around to see Applejack. "Hey, AJ."

Applejack grit her teeth. "Land's sakes, Sunset! You look more exhausted than a bull after a rodeo!"

"I know," Sunset said as she yawned again. "I just had a rough night's sleep. I'll get some coffee in me, then I should be good until after school when I'll crash back at home."

Applejack grinned. "Sounds like a plan. See yomonsteru after class!"

Sunset blinked. "Wait, what was that again?"

"I said I'd see you after class."

"Yeah..." Sunset decided to get her coffee strong. She must've been more tired than she thought, she was actually hearing things!





Sunset reached the cafeteria, where Pinkie Pie sat at a table with a giant muffin. She did a double take.

Pinkie Pie sat at a table with a blueberry muffin roughly the size of her head, licking her lips and rubbing her hands together excitedly.

"Pinkie," Sunset said with a laugh. "Where did you get that?"

"Over there, silly," Pinkie chirped as she pointed to the counter. Sure enough, there were several muffins of the same size sitting on an oversized platter.

"Holy..." Sunset's eyes widened at the sight.

"I know, right? Who would've thought that Muffin Monday would become Monster Muffin Monday?"

Sunset turned around to see the muffin gone, then gave Pinkie an incredulous look.

"What?" Pinkie looked at her plate, then giggled. "I've eaten bigger muffins than that for breakfast... literally!" She collapsed into a fit of laughter.

Sunset folded her arms and waited patiently for Pinkie to calm down.

"Last call for Mega Muffin Monday," Granny Smith called out.

Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Mega Muffin Monday?"

Pinkie took a deep breath, then exhaled as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Yeah! What did you think I said?"

"...Monster Muffin Monday," Sunset said as she began to feel uneasy.

"Nope," Pinkie said as she shook her head. "Mega Muffin Monday."

"I... see..." Sunset walked over to the coffee machine, then hit the strongest option. She took a deep breath, then exhaled. Hopefully the caffeinated drink would set her right. She took her full cup, sipped it, then left the cafeteria.





Sunset walked around as her concern grew. Once was a little odd. A second time was worrisome. But, then again, "Mega" and "Monster" could be mistaken for each other if one was tired enough... right?

"Heya, Sunset," Rainbow Dash said as she ran up to her.

"Hey, Dash."

"Whoa," Rainbow said once she caught a look at Sunset's face. "You look like you had a monster gaming session!"

Sunset blinked. "Run that by me again?"

"I said that you looked like you pulled an all-nighter of PvP again."

..."And you didn't just say the word 'monster'?"

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "No."

Sunset sighed heavily and put a hand to her forehead. Surely she wasn't going crazy...

"Are you okay?"

"I'm starting to wonder that myself."

Rainbow approached Sunset. "Do you need to go the nurse's office or something?"

"I think I might have to..." Sunset began to feel dizzy, then passed out.





Sunset opened her eyes and found herself in the nurse's office, with Fluttershy worriedly watching over her.

"Oh, thank goodness," Fluttershy exclaimed as she hugged Sunset. "I came here as fast as I could when I heard!"

Sunset smiled warmly as she returned the hug. "I just had a sudden dizzy spell, that's all."

Fluttershy broke the hug. "Oh... that's not what I heard."

Sunset tilted her head. "Really? What did you hear?"

Fluttershy leaned forward into Sunset and whispered in her ear.

"...I heard that you were a monster."

Sunset blanched. "W-What?!" She looked down at her hands, and her skin slowly turned crimson. "No..."

"Once a monster, always a monster," the voice of her demonself echoed around her.

"No!"

"Monster," Fluttershy whispered.

"Fluttershy, please! You know me!"

"Monster."

Sunset bolted out of her bed and ran for the hallways, only to bump into someone.

"Oh, I beg your pardon," Rarity said as she got up. "I-"

"Rarity," Sunset sighed in relief. "Thank Celestia! You've got to help-"

Rarity shrieked. "Monster!"

"What?! No!"

Rarity grabbed her backpack and swung it straight across Sunset's face, causing her to see stars and teeter around dazed. Another hit caused her to black out again.





Monster...

Sunset opened her eyes. Everything was still a blur. She slowly got up off the floor as a throbbing ache in her head caused her vision to clear.

"Monster..."

Sunset regained her bearings, and realized she was in complete darkness.

"Monster. Monster. Monster." A chant began, and it almost immediately took a toll on Sunset's psyche.

"No... p-please stop!"

An all too familiar cackle reverberated off invisible walls, and a chill ran down Sunset's spine.

"Why must you once again deny what you truly are, Sunset Shimmer?" The Demonself descended from who knows where, then looked Sunset straight in the eye.

"Monster. Monster. Monster," the chant continued and increased in volume.

"You know what you did," the Demonself said.

Wallflower Blush appeared from the darkness. "Sunset," she said as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I opened my heart to you, and you callously tossed me aside."

Sunset grit her teeth.

Flash Sentry stepped from the shadows. "You treated me horribly when we dated," he said angrily. "You were my first girlfriend. What you did to me will shape my future relationships!"

Sunset felt a pang of anxiety.

Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow and Fluttershy appeared and glared at Sunset.

"No... not you guys!"

"Yeah," Rainbow said as she folded her arms. "Us."

"How dare you separate us," Rarity scolded.

"You have any idea how close we were," Rainbow all but shouted.

"And you did it all because you were selfish," Fluttershy said angrily.

"You're no fun," Pinkie said as she shook a fist.

Sunset's friends disappeared into the darkness, and the shouts and complaints of the other students grew louder... and louder... until she woke up.





Sunset Shimmer bolted upright and screamed, unaware she was awake. Her friends all yelped in unison, then ran to her.

"Sunset, are you okay?" Twilight regarded her with concern.

Sunset blinked upon realizing she was awake, then sniffled. "I... I j-just want this all to stop... I-I'm so ashamed and sick of myself..." She buried her head into Twilight's chest and wept silently as her other friends gathered around and consoled her in a group hug.

A few minutes later, Sunset's crying stopped and she began snoring.

"Oh, the poor dear," Rarity cooed as she put a hand to her mouth. "She cried herself to sleep."

"This is worse than I thought, girls," Twilight said. "I think we need to come up with a plan before school, even if it means we get no sleep."

Everyone nodded in agreement, then began their brainstorming in earnest.


To Be Continued in Anon-A-Miss Aftermath: The Next Day