Trixie did not consider herself an agressive person; in fact, if she was honest with herself she would call herself a coward, she would rather run from her problems than stand against them. But when she saw Sunset Shimmer, someone who had quickly become her closest friend, fleeing from a room crying and the people who had most likely caused her to cry running after her, Trixie got angry.
"Well? Why did Sunset just running out of there crying? What did you say to her? What did you accuse her of now?" Trixie demanded blocking the path of the three Rainboom members from where Sunset fled.
"We didn't accuse her of anything!" Rainbow protested trying to move around her. "We were trying to help her."
"Really cause to Trixie that did not look like helping." She said continuing to block the athlete.
"Uh Dashie," Pinkie asked poking her head around Trixie. "What did you guys say to Sunny, why was she crying? Did something happen?"
"You could say dat," Applejack said. The three explained what they believed to be wrong with Sunset, how they believed her old self was trying to take control of Sunset, the so-called evidence behind their reason, and Sunset's reaction and flight. By the end, Trixie was shaking in anger while Pinkie's face was oddly neutral.
"So you think meanie Sunset was Anon-A-Miss and had been controlling nice Sunset, humiliating us and the school so we would cut ourselves off from her so she could take full control. But then nice Sunset took control again and confessed, shutting down Anon-A-Miss but still can't tell about meanie Sunset and when you tried to tell her she freaked out and ran away." Pinkie summarized.
"Yes, but why did she freak out when we were only trying to help?" Rarity wondered.
"How did you expect her to react?" Trixie demanded. "You take Sunset into another room, spring questions on Anon-A-Miss on her, at a party no less, then you tell her you think she still has a demon in her even though you have no actual proof." She glared at the three. "Trixie thought you three were supposed to be her friends."
"Hey! We were just trying to help Sunset," Rainbow protested. "I don't know why she freaked out like that."
"Um girls."
"Oh, maybe when you pretty much threw her greatest fear right in her face when you told her that you think her old self was inside her? Maybe she thought you would abandon her again and got scared." Trixie scoffed. "Clearly you don't know how to talk to her Rainbow Dash."
"Yeah, and you do?" Rainbow Dash said the two now centimeters from each other. "We've been her friends a lot longer than you Trixie. And if it's not her evil self taking over then what's wrong with her, huh?"
"Um girls."
"Trixie knows what's wrong with Sunset, but she promised not to tell anyone," Trixie said then gasped when she realized what she said putting a hand over her mouth. "Trixie wasn't supposed to say that."
"Aha! She is keeping a secret!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed victoriously. "Wait why would she-"
"GIRLS!" Fluttershy shouted silencing the argument. All eyes turned to her, she cowered slightly before continuing. "Sorry. But Sunset just ran out of the house, shouldn't someone go and help her?"
"Yer right sugarcube we can settle this later." Applejack said pushing Trixie and Rainbow Dash apart. "Why don't you and Pinkie Pie-"
"No, Trixie is taking her home," Trixie declared going for the exit, she wouldn't give any of them another chance to hurt her friend again. "Maybe you should just stay away from Sunset for now Raingoons." With left the farmhouse in a huff, not listening to any response the five friends might have given.
***
Once Trixie was gone the CMC's, who till that point had listened in silence, spoke up. "Do you really think Sunset still has a demon in her?" Sweetie Belle asked, growing scared at what that false belief might cause.
Applejack rubbed her forehead at the question. "Ah don't really know. She said she didn' and it felt like she was tellin' the truth but it almost always does with her. Trixie said she knows the truth. Ah not sure what to believe."
"I'm not sure how much we can trust Trixie's word," Rainbow grumbled.
"But even if she did still have the bad side in her you'll look out for her right?" Scootaloo questioned sweating.
"Of course we'd look after her." Rainbow Dash assured her honorary sister. "We wouldn't abandon a friend in need."
"Again." Apple Bloom muttered downcast only the other CMCs hearing her.
"Maybe we should go over to her place," Rainbow continued. "Try and convince her we only want to help."
"But Trixie said to stay away from Sunset." Pinkie pointed out, looking a shade less pink.
"I'm not going to let Trixie tell me what to do, especially when Sunset needs help. I'm going to follow them, anyone with me?"
Applejack grabbed her shoulder. "Dat might just cause more trouble with the state she's in." She pointed out. "We'll give them some space, talk to her another time."
"But-" Rainbow began stoping when Fluttershy took her hand.
"I understand Dashie, I want to talk to her too, but we can't right now."
"Fine," Rainbow said sitting down, the others gathering around, none noticing the fearful look Scootaloo gave Sweetie Belle or Apple Bloom as she left the room.
***
Congradulations, you've ruined what little good reputation you had, lied to your friends, went against at least six friendship lessons Princess Twilight gave you, and after giving up all that to get your friends back you still ended up practically alone. The voice in Sunset's head mocked, she could practically hear it clapping.
"Shut up I already know how much of a failure I am," Sunset muttered shifiting in her seat. "You're not helping."
"Pardon?" Trixie asked from the driver's seat.
"Nothing just talking to myself," Sunset said. "Just want to get home and forget this night ever happened."
Sunset had barely spoken a word since Trixie had gotten into her jeep to find the redhead mopping in the passenger seat, flinching when the magician opened the door before settling down when she realized it was Trixie, spending most of the ride curled up in her seat. Trixie herself had been unusually quiet since they left the party, mostly keeping her eyes on the road with the occasional glance to her silent friend.
"So Sunset," Trixie said breaking the silence. "Trixie was thinking, that you shouldn't be alone tonight after that so she was wondering if, maybe she could... spend the night?"
Sunset lifted her head to look at her she raised an eye before giving a nodding shrug. "Sure why not? Just don't expect me to be in a good mood tonight." She slumped back down.
"That's fine, Trixie, no, I just don't want you to be alone tonight," Trixie said speeding up a bit. When they arrived at Sunset's apartment Trixie got out her phone. "I'll be right in, I just have to call mother and tell her I won't be home tonight."
Sunset muttered a vague affirmative as she left the car, shoulders slumped as she trudged to the entrance of the apartment, Lazy Ringer was still reading the same magazine. "Hello Sunset," She said, Sunset muttered in responce. "The boss called again, he's getting real angry."
"Ringer, I am not in the mood, tell him I'll call him tomorrow," Sunset said tersly heading for the stairs.
"Okay, Happy New Year's." Ringer shrugged.
"Yeah, Happy New Year's." When Sunset got to her loft, leaving the door unlocked for Trixie, her first action was to send Twilight an update on what happened, wondering how mad the Princess would be at her when she read it. Once that was done she collapsed onto her bed, alone for the first time that night with just her thoughts.
So what's the plan now Sunset? The voice asked. Your friends think the old you is coming back and you freaking out and running away certainly didn't help.
"I don't know, I guess I'll try to convince them that I really am just me and there is no demon influencing me."
Really? Then how are you going to explain your little 'memory gaps' huh? Are you finally going to tell them the truth?
"No!" Sunset shouted her chest tightening in fear. "They never believed me before and they won't know, if I say I was never Anon-A-Miss they'll think I'm lying. Telling them now would only further convince them the old me is back."
Then what's the plan? You going to lie again, come up with some fake reason about creating Anon-A-Miss or will you agree with them and say there really is a demon in you? You already confessed once why not again? And what about when the next accusation comes? Are you going to keep lying and punishing yourself for the rest of your life?
"I don't know! What else should I do! They're my friends and without them, I'd be all alone again so what else can I do?" Sunset gripped her sides panic starting to rise in her again. "What else should I do?"
"You could not argue with yourself, that might help." Trixie joked coming into the room growing more concerned by Sunset's panicked state. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"
Sunset jerked up scooting away from the magician as she sat down on the bed. "No I don't," she sniffed, "just freaked out a little from the party."
"They told me everything you know. After they practically chased you out of the house."
"Everything huh, so do you still believe I was never Anon-A-Miss or do you think the old me is coming back as well?"
"Of course not, I know your innocent and honestly I'm surprised the lengths they'll go to come up with a reason to believe your guilty."
Sunset pulled her knees up burying her face in them, "It feels like I'll never be able to prove myself to them you know, I keep trying and trying but it keeps getting worse somehow. I know now that I never really had their trust and probably never will thanks to Anon-A-Miss but now they think I'm becoming evil again.
"And now thanks to my little freak out they probably think they're right and I'll never be able to convince them otherwise!" She let out a choking sound like a sob and a laugh. "Heh, maybe tonight was a sign. Maybe I'm destined to always end up alone."
Trixie moved next to Sunset, considering what she should say to that. Her first thought being Do you really need the Rainbooms after everything they put you through? Her next thought was her wondering why Sunset felt so indebted to them that she was berating herself for something they did wrong. Her third thought being the one she spoke out loud. "But your not alone now."
Sunset looked at Trixie with a small smile. "Yeah, your right I'm not alone now. Thanks for putting up with all this, I know how pathetic I must look crying here. I used to never cry but now it's all I seem to do."
"I wouldn't call this pathetic, upsetting sure, but not pathetic. You have had a rough night, it's no wonder your a little vulnerable right now."
"Still thank you for staying," Sunset suddenly latched onto Trixie, pulling her into a hug. "I really didn't want to be alone right now."
"It's no problem, really," Trixie said not used to being hugged like that. She leaned in returning the hug. In her mind she said, "It might not have been happy but this will be a good New Year."
***
(Meanwhile in Equestria)
"See you, tomorrow girls." Princess Twilight Sparkle said waving a hoof goodbye to Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. "Everypony get home safely." Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy haveing already separated for their own homes.
"Will do Twi, see ya tomorrow for breakfast." Applejack said, her little sister passed out across her back. "Best get Apple Bloom to bed."
"Yes I must get Sweetie Belle to bed as well," Rarity said smiling at her own sleeping sister. "Poor dear tuckered herself out at the Gala."
"Not me and Scoots," Rainbow Dash exclaimed doing a hoof pump in the air. "We have some late-night stunts to practice, right squirt? Squirt?" She looked at the ground to see Scootaloo curled up fast asleep. "Or not, huh."
"I should get inside," Twilight said looking to her castle. "I hope Spike didn't get into the gems, I had them organized by color and cut."
"We'll leave ya to it." Applejack said. The three said a final goodnight before the young alicorn entered her castle.
Inside the castle was dark and quiet, not to mention clean, and after the night Twilight had had it was a welcome sight. The Grand Galloping Gala she had helped host had certainly been a lively one as Princess Celestia had put it, though Rarity's dress being stolen by a vacuum, a sea of green ooze covering everypony, and Discord doing stand-up comedy was not Twilight's definition of lively. After all that, Twilight was ready for bed but first, she had to check the gem stocks and see if Spike was asleep.
"Spike you better not have eaten all the gems or the ice cream," Twilight said, not to loudly in case the baby dragon was already asleep, when Spike didn't answer she assumed he was. After a quick check, and a double-check to make sure the first check wasn't wrong, she felt certain that the gems and ice cream were still safe. "Hmm, maybe he's starting to learn."
Still feeling tired but a bit more content Twilight felt ready to get some sleep, as she cantered past the library she heard a faint ringing. "Huh," She said looking in the library, a book was vibrating on the floor having fallen from its usual place next to the map table. "Oh a message from Sunset Shimmer, I hope she's doing better." She opened the journal to read the latest entry, the smile she had from getting a message fading as she read the tearstained page.
Dear Princess Twilight
Twilight I think I failed you, I'm not sure how but I think I really failed at being a friend. I tried to move past Anon-A-Miss with the girls, I tried to show them that I would not betray them and they could really learn to trust me but it didn't work, in fact, somehow it only got worse. Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash misinterpreted my lack of knowledge of Anon-A-Miss posts, and a few other things I don't want to go into now, as proof that the old me is coming back and I am turning back into her. I'm not sure what exactly they said, I kind of panicked when they told me, but I'm scared that it means they might cut me off again.
I really don't know what to do now Twilight, by now I'm sure they've convinced Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy that they're right and I won't be able to convince them otherwise. What should I do now? Should I still try to convince them otherwise? But I'm not sure how when they think I'm Anon-A-Miss. Or should I just agree with them? Maybe they might actually trust me if they think they got rid of any part of the old me. I don't know, I wait for your advice.
Till then, your failed student
Sunset Shimmer
Twilight put the journal down resisting the urge to power up the portal and charge through to confront her friends on the other side herself. But she would not, she had promised herself she would not come over unless Sunset specifically asked her to, until then she could only give advice. But she still needed to vent her anger, she went to the balcony of the castle looking up at the night sky.
She let out a scream, blasting magic straight into the sky, probably waking up half the town in the process but she didn't care. When she finished she was breathing heavily from the magic use and remaining anger. "I hope you'll be okay Sunset, please be okay." She muttered to herself heading back in to pen her response. Once she finished she went to her room to find Spike fast asleep, not stirring despite how close he had been to the magic blast. She went to bed in a much gloomier mood hoping Sunset took her advice.