Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or MLP: FIM.

Wet and cold, Sunset Shimmer coughed and sputtered as water was forcibly ejected from her lungs. She managed to crack her eyes open painfully, her vision blurred and distorted. Despite this, she noticed above her a creature with a bright, blonde mane. Creature being the optimum term, as even with her sense of sight failing her at the moment, she could tell that whatever she was looking at was not a pony. It made to say something, but she couldn't hear it very well for the water in her ears. She gasped, taking in as much air as she could before coughing it back out.

She shivered. The cold night air on her soaking wet form giving her a chill throughout her entire body. As her vision began to fade further, she watched the...thing, remove its coat, draping the garment over her like a blanket. She let total darkness begin to claim her as she felt herself being lifted off the grassy river-bank.

With her eyes closed, she felt the rush of wind around her, and as she once more cracked her eyes open, all she saw were the stars above flying past in a blur as whatever was holding her dashed through the night. Her lungs burned, but at least she could breathe now. She was beginning to feel warm, the heat of the new creature off-putting the cold of the night air on her soaked body. Several questions formed in her mind as she slipped into blissful unconsciousness. Just what had her? What was it planning on doing to her?...Where had that mirror brought her?

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

When she awoke yet again, she noticed the strange creature was no longer around. In fact, nopony was. Her head was pounding, and the white of the room was unbearable to her sore eyes and head. “A hospital,” she thought. “I'm in a hospital...well, at least that...whatever it was...didn't do something horrible to me. Question is, what happened, and why am I in the hospital in the first place.” She tried to remember something...anything from the night before, but everything was a blur. She brought her hooves to her face to rub her temples, when she realized that whatever she was touching her face with...they weren't hooves. Confused, she cracked her eyes open and got a good look at the appendages at the end of her forelegs and gasped in shock.

No longer the hooves she'd had since birth, there at the end of her now naked forehooves were two hands, similar to those of a monkey. Reaching up in a panic, she felt her mane, but felt neither muzzle or horn on her face. Rocketing from her back, despite her sore body's protest, she rolled out of bed, collapsing onto the ground as she noticed her hind legs were now far longer than her new arms. Scurrying on all fours, she managed to reach the window. Using her new hands, she grabbed the window-sill and used the glass to get at least a cursory look at herself.

Her coat was gone, leaving her flesh naked, save for her mane. That and her eyes were the only thing she seemed to recognize about herself. Thinking back to the night before, she remembered seeing some of the features she now bore on the creature that had obviously brought her here. Maybe it had done this. Or perhaps the portal had when she crossed over. It wasn't entirely unlikely, if perhaps whatever this species was was the dominant one in this new world. She looked down at herself, and took note that whatever world she was in, at least the hospital hadn't changed much. Even the hospital gowns were nearly identical.

Turning her head, she noticed that hers was wide open in the back, revealing her tailless backside to the new world...Oh yes. Undoubtedly identical... She sighed with a small amount of comfort, noting that at least she still had a cutie mark, though only on the left side. Closing the gown, she blew a strand of mane from her face, before wobbly standing on her hind legs. She assumed since they were longer, these creatures merely walked on the two of them. And she would even if they didn't. She was NOT going to walk around with a raised flank everywhere she went. She wasn't that kind of mare.

On wobbly legs, she made it back to the bed. At least she was the only occupant of the room. As she lay her head back on the pillow, there was a knock on the door, before a female poked her head inside. Obviously from the clip-board and the white coat, she was the doctor here. “Well, glad to see you awake dear,” she said. “You sure are lucky someone was around to fish you out of the river.”

“River?” Sunset questioned. Maybe this doctor could fill in the parts of the previous night that were lost to her. The doctor nodded.

“Of course. One of the local genin, Naruto, brought you here. Sweet boy, not sure why everyone dislikes him...anyway, he told us you were wandering one of the training fields. Said you could barely walk straight and were babbling something, but he was too far away to hear what. And then he said you fell into the river and got swept under.” Sunset Shimmer widened her eyes. That would explain some things. Why she remembered feeling cold and wet.

“What happened next?” she asked. “How did I get out of the water?”

“Little fuzzy, I'd imagine,” the Doctor replied, humming. “Well, after Naruto fished you out, he performed basic cpr. Luckily, it's required by the academy for all graduates to have at least a grasp of how to administer emergency care. Granted, he didn't do it very well mind you, but still, he saved your life. Once you'd expelled most of the water in your lungs, he brought you here. Oh, and he brought your things too. They're over in the chair in the corner, with your clothes.” Raising her brow, Sunset looked over to see her saddle-bag laying atop a set of clothing she hadn't seen before. Were those hers? Did the portal clothe her upon transition? That meant being naked was probably not as acceptable here as in Equestria. “Don't worry, he didn't remove them, one of the nurses did. And you must have dropped your bag some time before you went in the water, so your things didn't get wet...You look pretty young yourself, dear. Are you a genin too? I haven't seen a headband with your clothes...”

“Young?...Am I young?” Sunset thought, trying to come up with some answer to the question. Back in Equestria, she was considered an adult, with all the rights and privileges that came with it. More, actually, as Princess Celestia's prized student. But she was in a strange land, and the wrong answer could get her in a LOT of trouble. “Well, she looks bigger than I am...” Comparing herself to the doctor was not easy, as the majority of her form was covered by her white coat, but Sunset could at least see that the doctor was taller, and her form was...somewhat curvier, with a larger chest. Did that have something to do with telling age here? Was chest size really so important?

“I'm not a...genin...I think...” she said, trailing off as she continued to try and come up with some form of cover. “And I'm here to...here to...” As she began to rub her temples again, her headache returning, the Doctor's eyes widened. Sunset didn't know it, but she had just given the Doctor all the backstory she needed.

“Oh dear, I see. I'm so sorry...I hope that in time, the memories come back, but until then, you're welcome to stay here at the hospital.” Now Sunset's eyes grew wide. This doctor thought she had amnesia...this could work to her advantage. It would certainly go a long way toward explaining quite a few things. Quirks of her Equestrian life that they obviously wouldn't have here. As the doctor left the room, Sunset lay back and closed her eyes. Who had pulled her from the river? Somebody named Naruto. Maybe she could use his kindness to her advantage. After all, she couldn't stay in this hospital forever. She needed to get out and see this new world. Looking to the table beside her desk, she noticed the glass of water. She at first tried will it towards her...to use her magic to telekinetically bring it to her. When it didn't work, she sighed, her eyes looking up to her now non-existent horn. Gripping the object in her hand, she brought the glass to her lips, sipping the water slowly. Ironic, as it seemed that the life-giving liquid had nearly cost her her life the previous night.

Despite the doctor's attempted exposition, Sunset Shimmer wished she had more to go on. She'd really need to see this 'Naruto' and ask if he knew just what happened. Maybe she really did have some form of amnesia concerning last night. This was really bugging her. As the student...well, former student of Princess Celestia, Sunset prided herself in her abilities, and her knowledge. Not knowing something that should be totally simple, it was infuriating. It was unacceptable.

Her piece of solitude didn't last, as the door once more opened, this time revealing what she could only assume was a male of the species. Unlike the doctor, he wore darker colors, with a green vest and a face mask. His left eye was covered by his askew headband, and his silver mane seemed to go against every law of gravity Sunset Shimmer knew. “Hi” he said simply, his cheery voice doing little to offset the unease that mask inspired in the unicorn.

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Twenty minutes later, Kakashi exited the room. Waiting outside, the aged Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood with an impassive look adorning his face. “So?” he asked of his Jonin, who just sighed, scratching his head.

“I really don't know what to say,” Kakashi replied after a moment. “I don't really think she's an amnesiac...not completely, at least. She seems generally confused about last night though.” Sarutobi nodded, and motioned for Kakashi to continue. “I don't really find her to be any form of threat. Her chakra levels are practically non-existent, the symbol she is wearing is not affiliated to any known village, and she was found with no weapons. In fact, she was found with almost no possessions at all. There was a journal though. It might be encoded, but I doubt it. It reads more like a diary than anything else, and several of the entries seem to be addressed to someone name...Princess Celestia...”

Sarutobi quirked a brow at that. There was something about that name that rang familiar, but he couldn't place why it sounded like he had heard it before. He decided to look into it. For now, he needed to decide what should be done with the girl. If Kakashi didn't believe that she was an enemy shinobi, that was good enough for the Hokage, but it didn't mean she didn't have some ties to another village as a civilian. Civilian spies were rare, but not unheard of. They weren't often utilized as they weren't as plugged into the village's secrets as a shinobi was. He would need to find some way to keep an eye on her, make sure she didn't get into any trouble.

“Anything else?” he sighed, really wishing he could smoke his damn pipe right now. Damn Hospital rules.

Kakashi sighed. “Only that she seems eager to meet the boy who pulled her out of the river. Wouldn't be the first time a civilian has developed a crush on a shinobi savior...but I never thought Naruto would be the shinobi...” Despite the seriousness of the situation, Sarutobi couldn't help but chuckle. If that was indeed the case, it was indeed a comical occurrence. But he would have to meet this...Sunset Shimmer himself, before he could truly write off her presence as a benign happening.

For now, he would put off meeting the new girl. He had many more things on his plate at the moment, especially with the upcoming Chuunin exams. For now, he would leave it to Kakashi. The silver-haired ninja was chronically tardy, but his loyalty was unquestionable. And while his judgment wasn't nearly so, Sarutobi trusted the former Anbu. “I leave her in your hands. Keep me informed of her actions and when she starts to show any signs that she might be remembering the events that transpired last night, bring her to me.”

As the Hokage left, Kakashi sighed once more, running his hand through his hair. Easier said than done. It was obvious that Sunset Shimmer didn't trust him. Turning, a smile formed beneath his mask as he caught sight of the blonde hair of his student. The blonde genin was carrying two to-go containers of Ichiraku Ramen. When the blonde caught sight of his teacher in turn, he dashed over.

“Kakashi-sensei!” he shouted. “They told me that girl's awake. I figured she wouldn't exactly feel like hospital food, so I got some Ramen to go. I didn't know what kind she liked, so I figured plain Miso would be good.” Kakashi shook his head as he placed his hand on Naruto's hair and ruffled it.

“Well look at you,” he said, teasing. “If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a crush on this girl...” Naruto blanched.

“No way, Sensei. I just helped her out. I feel a little responsible for her, that's all...” Kakashi flashed an eye smile.

“Well, that's great you feel that way. Because as soon as she's clear to leave, I've decided that she's going to be released in your care.”

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Sunset was interrupted from her attempts to understand her new fingers and toes. She wiggled and flexed the toes particularly, almost intellectually, as understanding that she didn't have previously washed over her. She would have to examine the mechanics of it all further, but the way the toes flexed and extended led her to believe that they were key in how this species managed to walk upright while keeping their balance. In the middle of all this scientific discovery, she looked up at the resounding shout from outside of the room.

“WHAT!” It said, and Sunset Shimmer was now intrigued. Tenderly placing her feet back onto the somewhat cold floor, she stood. Her legs were still rather shaky, not used to supporting the whole of her body-weight. But she now understood that she could manipulate her toes to better keep her balance. Flexing her toes to somewhat grip to the floor, she tentatively took a few steps toward the door. She placed her ear to it, trying to hear the commotion outside. Unfortunately, after the initial shout, the conversation had become somewhat muffled. She reached for the handle and began to pull the door, when from the other side, somebody else pushed it open. Not expecting the sudden change in her hand-hold, she couldn't manage to stay upright and twisted, before falling onto the one who had thrown the door open.

Her eyes were assaulted by the orange jumpsuit he wore, but just the same, she threw her arms around his form, stopping herself from total collapse. Looking up, she looked into the shocked blue-eyes and bright blonde mane of her support. Something about that mane clicked in her brain. This must be Naruto. “Whoa!” he cried, trying not to spill his ramen. “Are you ok?”

“Are you the one who saved me? Naruto?” She asked. When he nodded yes, Sunset internally grimaced. She knew what she had to do, despite how demeaning it was. Naruto suddenly gasped as the arms wrapped around him tightened, squeezing for all they had as the red-and-blonde haired girl buried her face in his chest. “OH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN REPAY YOU!!!!” Perhaps it was a little much. In fact, she almost gagged at her own over-acting. But hey, she had just been through a traumatic experience, she had to act like it. And then, she thought it was time for a more subtle finish. She quickly let go of the slightly-shorter blonde, turning away as though embarrassed, and clearing her throat. “Thank you, I mean...” Kakashi and Naruto just stared for a moment, unsure of what to think.

“That was weird...but then, I guess I might have been right about that crush...hopefully, it will make it easier to convince her to live with him.” Kakashi thought, while Naruto didn't know what to think. Kakashi just sighed, placing his hand on Naruto's head. “Ms. Shimmer. This is Naruto Uzumaki. As soon as the doctor gives it the ok, you'll be staying with him.” Naruto grumbled a bit and Sunset smirked on the inside. Perfect. She could have him wrapped around her brand new finger in no time. While she was planning her next move, her stomach began to rumble, and despite herself, she blushed. “Well,” continued Kakashi, turning to leave. “I'll leave you both to eat and check with your doctor to see how soon you can be released.” Sunset stared at the containers that Naruto held up as her stomach growled again. A fearful thought crossed her mind...what was it that this species ate?

She accepted the container, as well as two thin sticks, walking over to the bed and sitting down. Opening the lid, she took a sniff. Well, it certainly smelled good. She watched as Naruto opened the lid of his own container, and gripped the sticks in his hand, manipulating them into a rudimentary clamp to scoop the noodles up. Eating utensils? Apparently ones that flaunted the apparent benefits of having opposable digits. She attempted to mimic the finger movements of her blonde savior, but failed. Miserably in fact, as the sticks didn't grip, but slipped passed each other. Her eyes went up to the boy before her. If he noticed she was having trouble, he paid it no mind.

Trying again, she again failed, frustrating her. Oh, what she wouldn't have given for some hay-fries right then. Or a nice garden salad. Deciding to just wing it, she just held the sticks together, digging them beneath the noodles and lifting a large amount from the broth. Before they could slip back into the broth, she dove at them, shoving them all into her mouth, slurping in any that hung from her lips. She repeated the process until her noodles were all gone, and then, noting that Naruto's broth in his now empty container had been drained, she tentatively brought it to her lips and drank it down as well.

She wasn't sure, to be honest, just how she felt about the food. It definitely had a pleasing flavor and warmth, but gripping the noodles like Naruto had was going to take a lot of work. She looked up to see Naruto just sitting at the window-sill, looking at her quizzically. Her eyes closed in frustration.

“What?!” She nearly growled out, cursing herself when the orange-clad boy jumped, startled by her outburst. She was supposed to be acting sweet and awkward to gain his trust. Once she had that, and only then, could she begin to let loose her true feelings. She had to be very careful what she said and how she said it until then.

“Sorry, didn't mean to stare...” He stuttered out.

“Then why were you?” She asked, her eyes narrowing subconsciously. Damn it. Like those stupid sticks, it was gonna take a long time to shake her habits.

“Your hair...” Sunset raised a brow, and absently grabbed a lock of her red-and-blonde mane.

“What about my hair?” she replied, curious to just why it was captivating him.

“I've never seen anything quite like it...” Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head, embarrassed. “I've seen silver, white, even pink, but blonde AND red is kind of new to me...it's unique.” Despite herself, Sunset Shimmer swelled in pride.

“I'm much more than unique,” she whispered under her breath, before going silent. She toyed with the sticks in her fingers as she tried to come up with something to say. All she could come up with in this case was her question. “What happened last night?”

“I'm a little curious about that myself...” Naruto said. “I was out training, and then I heard a scream coming from over by the memorial stone. Before I could check it out, you stumbled out into view, dropped your bag, did a few drunken twirls and fell toward the water. The current had you before I could get you. When I pulled you out, you weren't breathing...” Now Naruto went silent. What more was there to say. Sunset frowned. She didn't have more than a few scraps to go on, but she did manage to glean one scrap she didn't have before. Something about this 'Memorial Stone...' It wasn't much to go on, but it very well could be the point where the portal back to Equestria was. Now if only they could get out of this hospital so she could verify it...and make certain she hadn't been followed...

“Maybe we can go take a look at it later?” She asked. “It might jog a memory or two...” Naruto smiled, nodding his head.

“Sure thing. It'll give me some more time to get the apartment clean, too.” Sunset Shimmer raised a brow. How could he show her the memorial stone and clean his apartment at the same time? Even if magic worked in this world, even she as Celestia's student wasn't aware of any duplication spells...well, any that would duplicate a living being, that was...But if he was telling the truth, perhaps living with the blonde would be more beneficial to her than simply getting out of the hospital.

“Haha, what? Do you know how to be in two places at once, or something,” Sunset asked, attempting to sound sweet and ignorant again. She hoped she'd have his trust before too long. She died a bit inside every time she had to act stupid. Naruto didn't respond. Rather, he held his hands in front of him, forming a cross with his fingers. Sunset's eyes widened as Naruto became engulfed in smoke, which filled half the room. She coughed a bit as the smoke dissipated. When it did, the transformed Unicorn nearly fell from her bed in surprise.

Standing before her, between the shocked girl and her blonde savior, stood three smirking duplicates. “Yes,” announced one of the duplicates.

“Yes we can,” continued another. For once since arriving, Sunset Shimmer did not have to act dumb. She couldn't even find any words to sputter out. This was insane! She couldn't use magic at all in this world, and yet here was one of the inhabitants performing a spell she had never even heard of, and performing it without any sign of concentration or strain. Could she do that too? She would have to keep an eye on this boy, and the others like him.

Chapter End

Author's Note

Been working on this one for a while. Not sure it's really up to my standards, but I want to put it out now and get back to some other fics for a while.

This story is a FIMfiction exclusive for now, and will not appear on Fanfiction.net unless specially requested.

Peace to all my Fans

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