I woke up the next morning at around seven. The lights were still off in Sunset Shimmer's home, so I guessed that she wasn't up yet. I stood up and stretched, however, I couldn't do that as much because of the metal plate on my back where my wings had been in Equestria. I sat back down on the couch and turned on Sunset's TV. I turned the volume down enough to a level I could hear, but it wouldn't disturb Sunset. I scrolled through the channels. Not much that seemed interesting. I selected a music channel and set down the remote. I listened to various types of music for a time, before I suddenly felt a wet something slide up the back of my neck. I jumped up, grabbed the wet spot, and whipped around. Sunset Shimmer was there, giggling furiously.
“That wasn't funny,” I cursed. “What the hell did you do?” Sunset held back a laugh.
“I licked the back of your neck,” she giggled.
“Aw, come on, Sunset,” I groaned. “That's nasty, even for me.” I grabbed a rag from my shoulder pack and wiped the saliva off my neck.
“So, I was thinking I could introduce you to my friends today,” Sunset said, still trying to hold back giggles. “They haven't left for college yet, but Rainbow Dash said she was leaving this week.”
“Sounds OK to me,” I agreed, finishing up with wiping my neck. I put the rag back in my pack and slung the pack over my shoulder.
“Come on,” Sunset said. “Follow me.” We left the house and walked a few city blocks down the road. We came to a corner shop that resembled Sugarcube Corner. I looked at the sign, and it read just that. I shrugged and walked inside with Sunset. Five girls waved from a booth nearby. All of the girls resembled my other friends, except for Twilight. These girls were Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack's human counterparts. Sunset Shimmer ordered a smoothie for herself and I. We took our drinks and sat down with the Human 5.
“Hey there,” Rainbow Dash said. She extended her hand. “Nice to meet you. I'm Rainbow Dash.” I extended my mechanical arm, only to have Rainbow withdraw her hand, shocked. Sunset Shimmer gave her a glare, and Rainbow Dash shook my hand.
“Sorry,” I said. “I had some rough times back in Equestria.”
“You're from Twilight's world?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yeah,” I nodded. “I got this from a couple accidents I had there. Same for a metal plate on my back. It's where my wings were.”
“I'm sorry too,” Rainbow Dash apologized. “I actually think that robot arm is awesome!”
“Thanks, I guess,” I shrugged. “I still wish I didn't have it.”
“Why though, dear?” Rarity asked. “I think it gives you personality.”
“A personality that I don't want,” I mumbled. I looked down and crossed my arms as I said that. Sunset Shimmer put an arm around my shoulder.
“Hey, it's OK,” she whispered. “I sort of understand what you're feeling.”
“Thanks,” I quietly said. “But I don't think anyone could ever understand what I had to go through.” I finished my smoothie and stood up. I walked out of Sugarcube Corner with my bag. As I did, Applejack gave Rarity and Rainbow Dash a look.
“What?” they said in unison.
“I'm gonna go talk ta him,” Applejack said. She stood up and began to leave, but Sunset Shimmer stopped her.
“Let him have some space,” she said. “He's right. No one could ever begin to imagine what he had to go through.” Still, Sunset looked on, wishing there was something better she could have said.
I walked, not wondering or caring where I was going. I just needed to walk. It helped me clear my mind. I walked until I heard a strange noise. It was extremely faint, but I somehow heard it clear as day. I looked around. I was in an orpheum, the same one that the Dazzlings nearly enslaved this world in, as Twilight said. I looked down, and saw small crystalline pieces. I knelt down and picked a few up. They were red, and seemed to have a strange familiarity to them. I took a small bag out of my pack and slid each shard into the bag. I put them in my pack and walked back to Sunset Shimmer's house.
Upon reaching Sunset's home, I knocked on the door. Sunset came to the door and opened it.
“Oh, Braveheart,” she cried. “You're back. Are you OK?”
“Yeah, I'm alright,” I said. “I want to show you something.”
“Sure,” Sunset agreed. I sat down at her table and pulled out the bag with the crystal shards. I grabbed a paper towel, laid it down, and poured the shards onto the towel.
“Do you have any idea what these are?” I asked. Sunset took a look at the shards.
“I don't think so,” she said, shaking her head. “Sorry.”
“It's OK,” I said. “I'm going to study them, see if I can figure something out.”
“Go right ahead,” Sunset said. “Have fun. I'm going to get some sleep. Night.” She kissed me on the cheek again, a bit longer than the afternoon before. I looked up at her. She gave me a smile.
“Good night,” I quietly said. Sunset walked into her room and shut the door. I turned back to the shards. I picked a couple pieces up and noticed that they seemed to go together. I touched the pieces where they seemed to match, and they fused together, the crack healed. I was shocked. I studied the now fused pieces, fascinated.
At a small apartment nearby, a group of girls felt a small, continuous surge of energy. They embraced the feeling.
“Holy shit,” Adagio Dazzle said. “Did you girls just feel that?”
“Yeah,” Aria Blaze agreed, confused. “We did. But where did it come from?”
“I'm not sure,” Sonata Dusk said. “I think it came from down the street.”
“You don't know that, Sonata,” Aria said.
“Yes, I do!” Sonata raged.
“Now isn't the time for this,” Adagio said. “That surge of energy was clearly a piece of our amulet being reformed.”
“How is that possible?” Sonata asked. “They were destroyed in the battle against the Rainbooms.”
“Not anymore,” Aria grinned. Sonata smiled, and Adagio gave a wicked grin, followed by a sinister laugh that echoed throughout the apartment.
