02: The homeless child.

Chapter 02: The homeless child

Stores closed down around the teens while some stayed open just a little later, though this did not affect the girls, who continued their walk toward the food court. Pinkie Pie and Rarity spoke together while Sunset Shimmer heard Applejack talk about Big Mac and his reasons for not speaking so much.

"Sounds like a personal problem," Sunset commented.

"Being shy is a personal problem. It's cute to other girls because it makes him more, mysterious." She moved her fingers as if to imply it was creepy.

Sunset Shimmer held her right hand over her mouth and giggled. Applejack looked at her and smiled with a chuckle.

"It's true, though!" Applejack grinned.

Pinkie Pie and Rarity stopped and sat down at some tables and chairs, Sunset Shimmer and Applejack doing the same. They put down their shopping bags and took some seats, sighing and stretching.

"We got to head home really soon," said Pinkie Pie in her usual tone of voice, her legs swinging under the table.

"While ya'll sit here, I'll go and get some food. Be right back." Applejack got up and went to the nearest cafe for sandwiches.

Rarity looked around the room, noticing that the food court was barely full. "Perhaps we should get our food, eat it and go. The mall closes around six o'clock." Rarity sounded a little worried.

"We're not going to be locked in, Rarity. We'll be alright. They do a mall check in case people are hiding before locking up completely," Sunset Shimmer said with an assuring tone.

"How do you know that?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I was shopping here for new shoes one time, and I ended up staying so long looking at clothes that when closing time came, security escorted me outside." Sunset Shimmer rested her arms on the table and smiled toward Pinkie Pie.

The three girls looked over to Applejack, who came over with the sandwiches. "Here you go everybody, fresh sandwiches for the girls who rock minus two!" Applejack announced.

The girls took a sandwich each and thanked Applejack, eating as soon as they got them open. Pinkie Pie ate ferociously, while Rarity and Sunset Shimmer took their time. Applejack was already on her second half of sandwich, and savored the last bite.

"We better hurry on outta here if we're going to get home," Applejack suggested.

Sunset Shimmer put her half-eaten cheese sandwich back in its case before putting it in her bag, leaving one side uneaten as she stood up.

"She's not wrong, girls. Let’s get going."

Rarity did the same Sunset Shimmer did with her sandwich and put it back in its box, placing it within her shopping bags afterwards. Pinkie Pie simply ate hers and smiled brightly, licking her lips in delight.

"Mmm,mm! That was a goood sandwich!" Pinkie Pie called out.

The girls laughed and motioned Pinkie to follow. They had already stood up, and were only a few meters away from the pink teen who just now realized and quickly stood, grabbing her bags and following behind. It was raining by the time they had exited the mall, but luckily the roof of the building hung over this large stretch of pavement that was the street.

Pinkie Pie, disregarding the rain, hurried out into the car park and jumped into her car. She grabbed her keys out of her pocket. There were regular keys on the large key ring, in addition to little cupcakes and donuts made of plastic. The pink teen put the car key into the key hole and turned it, starting the car which she happily backed out and drove around to her friends who waited on the side walk. Applejack, Rarity and Sunset Shimmer stood back as Pinkie pulled up. With a smile on her face, Pinkie rolled down the window and leaned out.

"Who needs a lift home?!" She grinned.

"I would like a lift if that's no trouble, dear." Rarity beamed.

Pinkie giggled. "Hop on in," she beckoned.

Rarity turned to look at Sunset Shimmer, who seemed to be thinking for the moment.

"Sunset Shimmer, will you be accompanying us?" Rarity offered.

Sunset Shimmer blinked and looked at Rarity, putting on a modest smile after her words had registered.

"No, thank you for the offer. I can walk home, there's no trouble." She closed her eyes and grinned.

Rarity's mouth went crooked on one side in the form of a smile. "Well, alright. But if you're walking home in this weather, you might as well carry this." She presented Sunset Shimmer with an umbrella.

The flame haired girl took it, thanking Rarity, who brushed it off as merely generous help. She then proceeded to head around to the other side of Pinkie's car, open its door and get in, closing it behind her and putting her bags in the back.

"Are you sure you don't want a lift home?" Pinkie Pie asked with a smile.

Sunset Shimmer nodded. "Yeah, I got things to do anyway, and besides, you don't live down my way so It wouldn't be practical for you to take me there."

Thunder rumbled in the sky and lightning flashed in the distance. A cold wet wind blew around the teen’s legs and blew her hair around. Sunset Shimmer put a hand on her cheek where her hair was longest to pull it over her shoulder so that it may stop blowing, only it didn't. Rarity leaned back, looking at Sunset Shimmer.

"Are you certain, dear? It's really no trouble," Rarity assured.

"I'm positive, I'll just walk, don't worry." She smiled reassuringly and put up the umbrella.

Applejack sighed. "I might as well head off and meet Granny Smith and Apple Bloom at the Arcade. They said they were heading there with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle."

Rarity froze and sighed. "Get in the car, Applejack. Pinkie Pie will drop us off at the arcade."

"Okie dokie lokie!" Giggled the pink haired girl.

Applejack opened up the back door and put her bags inside, stepping in afterwards and closing it behind her.

"Stay safe, Sunset Shimmer." Applejack smiled.

"I will, Applejack." Sunset Shimmer said with a smile. She held her bags over her arms and waved to the three friends as Pinkie drove off.

Sunset Shimmer watched them until they were out of sight, sighing once they were and beginning her long walk home. She adjusted the strap of her bag and held up shopping bags, both with her right hand, holding the umbrella at the same time. Rain pattered down on the pavement; the path was wet and water ran into storm drains under the sidewalk. Sunset Shimmer was already on her way, walking along the stretch of road that lead to an even longer walk home through the countryside.

"Of all the days to forget my bike," she sighed. Her walk took her past a bus stop, streetlights and other stores that happened to be nearby.

There were many other people walking along the dark street. Cars drove past, splashing up cold puddles, some of which just missing Sunset Shimmer, who would jump back and keep her distance as they passed. She watched many cars pass as the thunder started to rumble, and the lightning flashed. Sunset Shimmer looked at the sky when it happened, her mouth becoming crooked to one side and her left eye brow lifting.

She sighed and continued to move, her shoes making slight splashing sounds on the wet path, in sync with the tapping of her shoes on concrete. The thunder was bearing louder now, and Sunset Shimmer had now stepped where there was a sizeable open space near a large ally. She looked to her right and saw this ally and the large area where a building once stood.

By a brick wall were boxes, and inside one of these boxes was movement. Sunset Shimmer paused and stared out toward the boxes, but darkness concealed whatever was hiding within. She dismissed it for a rat until the next flash of lightning and sound of thunder revealed purple, scraggy and messy hair, and the whimpers of a child.

Sunset Shimmer gasped slightly and approached the boxes. "H-Hello? Is somebody there?"

Suddenly her footsteps were not alone. She heard the sounds of running and splashing. Sunset's eyes darted all around in the darkness. She put her bags inside of a box  that was turned on its side and dry on the inside, she pulled out her phone, turning on its flashlight. Suddenly the whimpering had ended and all was still. Sunset kept her phone's light aimed at the ground during her search. When she drew close to the farthest boxes pressed against the wall, she could make out a shape in the darkness, and feel the stare of another.

"H-Hello? Is somebody there?" Sunset Shimmer drew closer.

As she did, something moved quickly from the large box and pushed Sunset Shimmer over with its weak arms. The teenager merely stumbled back and fell to the wet ground, dropping her phone and umbrella in the process. Sunset Shimmer screamed as she fell, frightening what had attacked her and making it run. The teenager rubbed her forehead and looked around for her phone which lay beside her. She picked it up and turned its light to the alleyway's entrance to see a large plume of flowing purple hair vanish around the corner.

Quickly gathering her wits, Sunset Shimmer got up and started following after the hair, dangerously running on the wet concrete at a quickening pace. The walls beside her had barbed wire at the top, though she took no time to notice, no time to notice how it was sagging, as if broken and fallen to ground.

"Wait, please! It's dangerous out here!!" Sunset Shimmer called out, gaining more speed as she ran. Her shoes became slippery and would surely force her to slip.

All of a sudden, there was a loud shriek, and the sound of fallen wire twanging and moving as if an animal had been trapped. Sunset Shimmer stopped and felt her stomach churn as bad thoughts rushed into her mind. She hurried herself further into the ally, shining her light forward until it shone on a little girl, tangled in the barbed wire. The teenager paused and stared at this little girl, struggling to get out and cutting her already hurt limbs more and more. Thunder rumbled and the child let out a cry, covering her ears and curling up.

"Stop, please, you're going to hurt yourself even more!" Sunset Shimmer approached slowly.

The little girl watched as Sunset Shimmer got closer to her. Her eyes were filled with fear and pain, fear that Sunset Shimmer would hurt her, and pain of the metal spikes that dug and tore at her skin.

"I'm going to get you out, okay? But you must promise me you won't move unless I say so. Please?" Sunset Shimmer spoke in an almost pleading voice.

The little girl could not reject her help, she was stuck and she realized that she wasn't going to get out. Sunset Shimmer put her phone down, leaning it against the wall to give her light while she gently removed the barbed wire, being careful not to hurt the girl who was trapped within its coils. However, when Sunset Shimmer went to move the girl’s legs to pull the barbed wire from them, she winced and cried out in pain. Sunset Shimmer took a step back and looked around for wire cutters, if any.

"Please, don't move, I'm going to find something to cut the wires." Sunset Shimmer picked up her phone and started looking around for whatever could be used to cut the wire.

She back tracked down the alley until she found a pair bolt cutters, rusted orange and aged to the point of blunting. The teen was unsure if they would work, but if it helped the young child she had to cast aside all doubts. Sunset Shimmer grabbed the large scissor like tool and took it with her back down the alley to the purple-haired child. The little girl looked up at Sunset Shimmer with her turquoise eyes, pleading for help, and fearing it. Sunset Shimmer set her phone down again, and wedged the cutter at a loose spot on the girl’s leg where the wire did not dig in.

She opened and closed the cutters, trying to cut through the wire which snapped in half upon the third snip. When it had come loose, Sunset Shimmer grabbed the loose wire and bent it back, freeing the girl’s legs and allowing her to get off, only with the help of her savior. The teen picked up the small figure and held her until she struggled. Sunset Shimmer couldn't hold onto this wild child who leaped from her arms and onto the ground, through when she tried repeatedly to run, her legs would give out and she would fall with a cry.

"Don't run! You'll hurt yourself. The wire cut your legs, you can't run, not without your legs hurting," she frowned.

The child started to crawl away, whimpering helplessly. Sunset Shimmer slowly approached her.

"Please.. let me help you... please?" Sunset pleaded.

The little girl looked at her bleeding legs then back up at Sunset Shimmer and sniffled, the rain pelting down on them both. Sunset Shimmer squatted down and held her hand out to the little girl. The child looked at the hand and moved her left hand to reach for it, but she hesitated. She looked into Sunset Shimmer's eyes again as if trying to read her, see what her heart was, her intentions. The child could see that Sunset Shimmer was a person whose heart had been one of doubt and loneliness, she could see the teen was seeking redemption and was kind and gentle, a fire which burned with her like the fire of a phoenix. The little girl looked back at Sunset Shimmer's hand and firmly but hesitantly took it.

Sunset Shimmer smiled and helped the little girl up. The child leaned against her savior’s weight to be able to walk with her legs as bad as they were.

"Come on, I'm taking you home with me. I'll fix you up." Sunset Shimmer smiled and did exactly that, she returned to the umbrella and shopping bags, retrieving them and continuing on the long two hour walk back home.

~~~

The walk home was wet, and depressing. As they walked down a narrow path beneath overhanging trees, Sunset Shimmer kept the little girl balanced. Her arms were skinny, bony and thin, a sign of malnutrition and anorexia. The child's legs bled, the plasma flowing down to her bare bruised and cut feet. The girl winced and whimpered, crying at the pain in her shredded calves. Sunset Shimmer could do nothing to calm her. In time, they reached a long stretch of mountain road that lead to Sunset Shimmer's cliff side house, a beach was down in the valley below beside a massive lake that shined crystal blue on sunny mornings.

"Just a little longer,” said Sunset Shimmer in a soft voice.

It took no longer than five minutes to get there. Sunset Shimmer seemed to hurry herself to open the gate and unlock the front door, her concern was the child's legs which by this point, bled slightly less. Sunset Shimmer unlocked the front door of the house and ushered the girl inside. Sunset turned the lights on, and in a flash, the foyer was illuminated. The sudden flash hurt the girl’s eyes. She closed them tightly and held her hands to them, gritting her teeth and shaking from it.

"I'm so sorry!!" Sunset Shimmer cried out, running over to the little girl, dropping her bags and umbrella. "Are you okay? you're not hurt?"

The child didn't respond, she simply frowned and removed her hands. Her eyes adjusted to the light and blinked. She then gave a sad look up to Sunset Shimmer in response. She blinked, squinting a little. The teen looked at the child's bare legs and cringed.

"Those look pretty bad... Come on, I'll run you a bath." She stood up proceeded to head for the stairs.

The child watched her, turning on lights and walking into the bathroom. There she turned the taps, cold water and hot water, making it warm, just right for a little girl like the one downstairs. The little one looked up the stairs, and started to move quite shakily. She lifted one foot up one step and repeated the process for the remaining steps above. Her bony fingers clung to the railing as if trying not to fall. Sunset Shimmer checked to make sure the water was not too hot and was deep enough before turning the taps off. She smiled and exited the room to check on the child whose name she did not even know yet.

When she exited the room, she saw the little girl leaning on the railing at the top of the stairs. She was looking toward the flame hair-colored teen who smiled and approached her. Sunset Shimmer leaned down to the girl’s height and smiled.

"The bath's ready. Let’s get you out of that old dress and get you cleaned up, okay?"

The girl nodded slightly. Sunset Shimmer helped her up and lead her into the bath room. It was here that she noticed just how bad the little girl was.

Her eyes had shrunken into her skull, her arms, legs, hands and feet were almost bony. Barely any fat was there to be seen; she was malnourished and starved. Her dress was gray, ripped, shredded, and torn like rags. Her hair was long and messy, tangled and covered the girl’s face at times, and her body had scratches, healed wounds, bruises, and her face and back bore evidence of recent abuse. All of this made Sunset Shimmer guess with dread at what her past must have been like, though these bruises would eventually heal.

Sunset Shimmer frowned at this. She set the rags aside as the little girl sat in the tub, who held her legs close together and to her chest, hugging them tightly as her body was warmed by the water. Sunset got some soap and a small towel and started to scrub off all the dirt that was on the girl’s body, cleaning the wounds as well, some of which still triggered winces of pain from her.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Sunset Shimmer sighed and twisted the towel, releasing the water back into the bath before dipping it back in to wet it and wash the shy little girl’s face.

"I bet, under all this dirt, is the face of beautiful little girl." Sunset smiled and lightly rubbed under the girl’s eyes, which closed each time she got near.

Sunset Shimmer took a long look when she was done. It was easy to spot the brown, dried dirt that covered the little girl’s dark skin. The  teen started scooping up water next and pouring it into the childs hair, wetting it so she could wash it. The little girl shrugged when the stranger wet her hair. She glanced at Sunset Shimmer, biting her lip as if she had something to say, but she only kept quiet and soon turned her gaze from her.

"So do you have a name?" Sunset Shimmer washed the filly's hair, smiling as she did.

"Nyx..." came a sound as if it were a whisper. Sunset Shimmer paused for a moment and blinked, she looked at the filly in surprise and stared.

"E-excuse me..?" Sunset was positively stunned.

"My name.... M-My name is... is Nyx..." the little girl repeated in a low voice that sounded as beautiful as a Bell Bird, and the chimes blown in the wind.

Sunset Shimmer recalled the name from a book of historic figures at the Canterlot High Library and smiled. "Like Nyx of the Night, a historical warrior who protected villagers from wild animals. She lived five hundred years ago, famous for defending a village from monsters. It's a lovely name. My name is Sunset Shimmer, it's nice to meet you." She smiled.

Nyx didn't understand any of it. She turned her head away as if trying to hide, trying to shut her out, Sunset knew this and frowned, she didn't know what to do, or how to gain her trust.

"Stay right here, Nyx. I'm going to find you some clothes, ones that are better than those rags you were wearing. I'll bandage your cuts up shortly." Sunset Shimmer turned and left the room, walking down the hall to her room to find a dress that could fit Nyx.

Nyx sat still in the bath tub. She looked at her hands, she was used to the sight of skeletal fingers by this point. She then quietly rested her head on her knees and tried to remember her life before being cast out, to no avail. Sunset Shimmer dug through her wardrobe until she found a set of underwear the young girl could wear, and a top she could use as a dress.

"These'll do the trick." She smiled and closed her wardrobe.

Sunset left her bedroom and walked down the hall and into the bath room. Nyx glanced up at her and shuddered. Sunset Shimmer smiled and put the cloths on a nearby hamper and grabbed a towel out of the nearby cupboard.

"Let’s get you dried up." She held the towel in Nyx's view.

Nyx stood up and got out of the bath. She was quickly dried off and dressed with Sunset Shimmer's help. While this happened, Nyx's wounds reopened on her arms and legs. She whimpered and shed tears from the pain. Seeing this, Sunset Shimmer knelt down and opened the doors to the small cupboard under the sink, and pulled out a first aid kit, it was colored white with a red cross on the center. She put the first aid box on the table, then lifted Nyx up and sat her on the table.

Sunset began taking some bandages and bandaging up the wounds which oozed red plasma like fresh dripping water. She put disinfectant on the wounds first before applying the bandages. It stung of course, but it was worth it, if only to stop the bleeding and pain. When it was bandaged up, she cleaned Nyx's legs. The blood was wiped away with a wet cloth, much to her delight.

~~~

After her bath, Nyx sat in the kitchen as Sunset Shimmer was making dinner. However, growing concern for the child's health had gotten to the red and yellow haired teenager. She pulled out her uneaten sandwich and offered it to Nyx. The purple haired child ate the sandwich quickly, and Sunset Shimmer watched from the counter where she was preparing some chicken and celery soup for herself and Nyx.

Other than saying her name, the little girl was quiet, shaky with fear in her eyes. But other than that, she didn't do much. Occasionally she would wipe tears from her eyes, sniffle and keep her head down. It was pitiful, pathetic and sad, but Sunset Shimmer had no thought of it that way, she had thoughts of sympathy and empathy.

Sunset Shimmer glanced down at the floor then to the soup which had just finished boiling. She turned her back to Nyx and started stirring the soup in the pot. It was a mix or orange and yellow colors, with bits of meat and vegetable in the mix, Sunset Shimmer assumed it would be good for the little girl to have some. She grabbed a small bowl with her right hand, scooped up some of the brew in a ladle and poured it into the bowl. Sunset Shimmer put the ladle down and turned her attention back to the little girl. Nyx had finished the cheese sandwich and was now sitting like a statue. Her hair had been brushed over her left eye while her hair at the back was made into a ponytail. She remained motionless, unsure of what to do here in this new place. Her vision blurred frequently which only increased her confusion.

"Hey..." Sunset Shimmer spoke in a calm voice, gentle voice. Nyx glanced at her, she saw the stranger’s smile and felt warmth from it, but not enough to break open her shell.

Sunset Shimmer put the bowl of soup in front of her, the steam trail carried the smell which graced Nyx's nostrils. She looked at the bowl and regarded it with curiosity.

"I thought you'd like some soup. It's chicken and celery soup, it's a little different from the celery soup my mom used to give me, but it's healthy," Sunset Shimmer spoke quietly to the child while she poured herself some soup, joining Nyx at the table after.

Nyx moved her shaking right hand over to the spoon and grasped it lightly by the handle. She scooped up a little and tried bringing it to her mouth, but her fingers loosened and she dropped the spoon which fell to the floor with a metallic ding, the top she wore as a dress became stained, and it burned her leg a little. Sunset Shimmer got up and moved around to the child's side. Nyx clenched her fist lightly and held in her tears.

"It's okay, this is easy to fix." She picked up the spoon and placed it back on the table. "I'll feed you, you need all the help you can get. And having your arms and hands as shaky and weak as they are is only going to make things difficult. Please, let me help." Sunset Shimmer smiled.

Nyx  did not answer, nor did she reject the offer. Sunset Shimmer cleaned the wet soup mess off of the dress and started feeding Nyx with her spoon. The child opened her mouth and took in what was offered to her, chewing and swallowing the hard celery and chicken pieces and the mushy soup liquid. She was careful not to be too quick, nor to hasty when feeding Nyx. Seeing her as almost a skeleton was heart breaking, even though she hardly knew the child other than her name.

"So, how old are you?" Sunset Shimmer asked, as she was feeding Nyx the last few spoon fulls of the soup.

Nyx went rigid, she wanted to reply but hesitated. She would glance around the room and at Sunset Shimmer, before looking down at the floor and locking up again. Sunset Shimmer did not coax it out of her, nor did she pressure her, though she felt saddened that Nyx was shutting herself out, as understandable as it may have been. Sunset Shimmer took Nyx's bowl gently and walked around to the sink to put some more soup in it.

"Seven..." Nyx whispered just loud enough for Sunset Shimmer to hear.

The teen paused and turned back around to look at Nyx. The child was quiet again, her arms in her lap and her head facing her right, showing the side of her face covered by her hair.

"S-sorry Nyx, I didn't hear you." Sunset Shimmer looked at Nyx with much of the same face she had when she and Twilight spoke that night at Pinkie's before leaving the kitchen.

"Nyx's voice became shaky as if she had started to cry again. "I-I'm seven..." she spoke louder, though it was still soft.

Sunset Shimmer smiled. "I thought she was four years old, the media was wrong, and so was Flash." She thought to herself. She poured more soup into Nyx's bowl and approached the child once again.

"Now, would you like some more? You don't have to answer verbally if you don't want to." Sunset Shimmer placed the bowl down in front of Nyx, squatting down to the seven year old's height.

Nyx nodded slowly, it was a stiff nod, and she seemed to pause as if re-thinking her decision, but her nod was absolute and full, she accepted Sunset Shimmer's help and ate when she was fed. It was a slow start to restoring her strength, Sunset Shimmer's heart burned with both doubt and hope. Nyx knew she wanted to help her more than anything else. To Nyx, her heart was pure.

~~~

Nyx's bowl rested in the drainer, cleaned along with the ladle, spoons and table. Sunset Shimmer had spent quite some time cleaning everything up, and now she was preparing the spare bed for Nyx to stay in. She had taken her jacket off and rested it by the bedroom door while she put a cover on the mattress, the color of which was a dark navy blue. The bed sheets that would follow had stars on it, Twilight's cutie mark, the star-burst north star of magic also decorated a large portion of the covers, as well as the other Elements. Sunset Shimmer sighed once it was put on and tucked in.

"All done." She wiped sweat off her brow and sat down, leaning against the end of the bed with a deeper sigh. She glanced up at the window and saw it was raining again, thunder and lightning were in the distance and seemed to be moving in the direction of Canterlot City. Sunset Shimmer groaned.

"The weather here is more unpredictable then it was in Equestria..." She put her hand to her forehead and relaxed for the moment.

The door suddenly moved open, Sunset Shimmer moved her hand and looked up at the door. Nyx was standing there, she looked down at her with her one visible eye then looked to the bed, a sense of familiarity came when she saw the different Elements of Harmony that was put into the bed sheet's design, she was drawn more toward the star-burst at the center, she mumbled something under her breath but her lips read Twilight. Though the word was unfamiliar to Nyx, nor the pony it regarded, however the feeling of knowing was strong, but it was confusing, she did not remember, she did not know.

Sunset Shimmer stood up and smiled at Nyx. "Do you like it? This is your room." Sunset Shimmer held her arms to her sides, outward as she told Nyx the room was her very own.

Nyx looked at Sunset Shimmer in surprise and glanced down to her right toward the bed in silence. Her trust in Sunset Shimmer was not as absolute as the teenager hoped.

"Well, I'll tuck you in shall I? I don't have any pajamas for you so you'll have to wear the dress, I'm sorry it has to be that way." Sunset Shimmer rubbed the back of her neck.

Nyx pulled the sheets back and slid her bandaged legs under. Sunset Shimmer pulled the blankets over her as she slid in. The teen smiled at Nyx and looked into her only visible eye.

"I know you don't trust me, but I want you to know that I want to help you. Ever since I heard about you just this morning. I think it's luck that caused us to find each other like we did." Sunset Shimmer chuckled and smiled. "I just want you to know you can trust me, I will help you, I promise."

And with that, Sunset Shimmer turned out the light and bade Nyx goodnight, right as the thunder started to get louder. Nyx shrank down under the blankets as it did.

Sunset Shimmer returned downstairs, returning to the foyer where she picked up her umbrella and put it in a basket against the wall so it would not fall over. She then turned to her clothes which waited still inside the shopping bags she left them in. She sighed and picked them up, her regular school bag too, turning the downstairs lights out while she was at it and heading upstairs. She brushed her teeth quickly before heading into her room and putting her new clothes away. Sunset Shimmer sighed and looked in her school bag, pulling out the book she would use to send messages to Twilight.

She put the book on her left bedside table and stared at it, she thought long and hard on whether or not to tell Twilight of Nyx, trusting her more than anyone else. But something deep down compelled her not too as much as her mind may have wished. In the end she simply sighed and proceeded to get her clothes ready. As she pulled out her Pajama's from her wardrobe, the question of why burned within her, why couldn't she tell Twilight her most trusted friend. Sunset Shimmer simply shook her head and put her pajama's on the bed to prepare.

She returned her attention to the shopping bags and took out the tops of her new cloths and hung them up in her wardrobe and folded up her jeans and shorts, placing them in her drawers. She looked back at her bags and pulled out her fresh underwear which she put away in the top drawer of her desk. She took the bags and hung them up on her chair by her laptop table, returning to her bed afterwards and throwing off her clothes, changing into her pajama's for the night. She pulled her bed sheets aside and slid into them, the thunder growing louder. Sunset Shimmer looked up at the sky and gave it a look of displeasure before reaching for her lamp to turn the light out. Suddenly her door opened slowly and Nyx stepped into the room.

Sunset Shimmer saw Nyx and pulled her hand back. "What's the matter, Nyx?"

Nyx had her arms behind her back, she kicked at the floor with her right leg and glanced down at them. "C-Can I... s-s-sleep here... with you?" she asked in a shaky yet quiet voice.

Sunset Shimmer was surprised to hear this, she blinked and lifted an unsure eye brow. "What was that?" She asked.

"M-May I sleep here tonight... please..?" Nyx asked again pleadingly.

Sunset Shimmer thought about it for a moment.

KRRAA-CRACKROW-WROARR!!!

The loudest clap of thunder came as the storm passed over the house.  Nyx held her ears tightly and started to cry, running to Sunset Shimmer and climbing onto her bed, hugging her to escape the sounds of thunder. She sobbed as she clung to Sunset Shimmer like a child to their mother, and at this Sunset Shimmer smiled and nodded.

"Alright, get in." She smiled.

Nyx pulled the blankets down and climbed in beside Sunset Shimmer, settling down to sleep very quickly in the comfort of her savior. Sunset Shimmer looked at Nyx with a smile but then she glanced at the book, and thought about it. She closed her eyes, turned the bedside lamp off and laid down, drifting off the sleep. In the morning she would decide on what to do with Nyx.

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