I will never leave you behind
It was the middle of the night and Sunset Shimmer shot up in her sleeping bag, scared when she woke up from her dream. It wasn't a dream, but rather a nightmare. Probably, the worst nightmare she ever had.
A nightmare she never thought it would return.
A cold sweat poured from her forehead as her heart was beating so fast and hard that it seemed to be beating in her head. Recalling the nightmare, tears rolled down her checks. The nightmare felt so real.
Her friends were... Abandoning her. Abandoning her for something bad she didn't do, despite how she had changed for the better and started to gain the trust of everyone at Canterlot High after the Batttle of the Bands.
'You don't belong here,' Sunset's stomach dropped just at hearing those words.
Sunset Shimmer looked around the room. Her friends were asleep with a look of serenity plastered across their faces. Just when she looked at them, those cruel words resounded inside her mind.
Her heart ached just at hearing every single word.
'You're not our friend.'
'How could you!'
It wasn't the first time a nightmare like this happened. The first nightmare began two days after the Fall Formal, but she hadn't told the others so they would not get worried. So on, every different nightmare happened with the same outcome. However, after the Battle of the Bands, the nightmares stopped and she lived a tranquil life. But now it returned.
With a quiet sigh, Sunset slowly slid out of her sleeping bag and quietly walked across the room towards the door, trying not to interrupt the slumber of her sleeping friends.
She closed the door behind her and made her way to the kitchen. When Sunset arrived at the kitchen, she reached up into a cabinet and took a plastic cup. She walked up to the fridge, pulled from it a cold pitcher of lemonade and poured the tasty liquid of into the cup.
Sunset took a sip from the cup and looked at the window. It was a clear night and there was a full moon on the inky black sky. The glowing light of the moon was serene and calm, but that wasn't enough to calm down Sunset.
"What if the nightmares become true?" Sunset wondered aloud as she allowed more tears to roll down her checks.
"Sunset... Is that you?" a sleepy, raspy voice asked.
Sunset turned around in surprise and quickly brushed away her tears.
"Oh, Rainbow Dash, I didn't see you." Sunset said to the newcomer.
Indeed, Rainbow Dash, the sports star of Canterlot High, was standing in the door way with a half asleep look.
"Sup? What are you doing here?" Rainbow asked as she grabed a plastic cup from the cabinet.
"I couldn't sleep," Sunset lied. She didn't want her, or the others, to know about the dream.
"Same. Couldn't sleep too," Rainbow replied while pouring some lemonade into her cup. "I woke up and suddenly got thirsty."
Sunset said nothing, shyly looking away. Finishing her cup of lemonade, Sunset turned to exit the kitchen. At this moment, she only wanted to go back to sleep and not to talk to anyone.
"Sunset," suddenly, Rainbow spoke up.
Sunset hessitated, but turned to look at her. "Yes?"
"Are you alright? I saw you crying," Rainbow said, looking concerned.
"It... It was nothing. I'm fine," Sunset replied and gave her a fake small smile to convince her.
However, Rainbow Dash wasn't entirely convinced. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest. Rainbow wasn't like Applejack, but she knew that Sunset was lying.
"Sunset, we are friends, so tell me what's the matter," Rainbow said in a stern, yet soft tone.
"Nothing's wrong, Rainbow. I'm fine," Sunset said before making her way back to the room.
But as Sunset walked towards the exit of the kitchen, Rainbow rushed towards her without second thoughts and blocked her path.
"Really, Dash, I'm fine," Sunset begged.
"No. You're not," Rainbow gave her a firm look and then her face softened. "Come on, Sunset. Tell me what's the matter?"
Sunset rubbed her own left arm, not looking at Rainbow in the eye. "You won't stop asking me, right?"
Rainbow shook her head. "No. Being the Element of Loyalty means that I have to help you when you need it. I don't like being sappy, but I hate seeing my friends upset and sad, so let me help you."
Sunset nodded and took a deep breath before looking at Rainbow with a sad look.
"I've had a nightmare."
Just as Sunset said that, there was silence between the two teenagers. Sunset Shimmer looked at Rainbow, waiting for an answer or anything. But Rainbow only stared at her, looking unfazed by Sunset's words.
"That's it?" Rainbow finally spoke up, her tone was soft.
Sunset closed her eyes and lowered her head. "Childish, right?"
"How bad?" Rainbow asked once again.
Hearing that, Sunset Shimmer looked at her confusedly.
Rainbow sighed and gently placed her hand on her shoulder. "How bad was the nightmare?"
Sunset looked at Rainbow, then at her hand and then looked back at her.
She finally came up with an answer. "You don't want to know."
"It has something to do with us?" Rainbow asked, looking a little bit worried.
Sunset stayed silent for a few seconds before giving her an simple nod.
"It began like this," Sunset began. "There was a user on MyStable called Anon-a-Miss who posted personal information about eveyone at Canterlot High."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Rainbow interrupted, raising both hands. "Is that all?"
"No, but it gets worse in this point," Sunset said as tears started to form in her eyes. "R-Remember when I was the top bully in Canterlot High?"
At that moment, Rainbow Dash realized what the nightmare meant and quickly began to put two and two together.
She began rub her shoulder, trying to comfort her. Sunset only gave her a small smile and went on with her story.
"Well, everybody thought I was Anon-a-Miss because of..." Sunset let her tears flow. "E-Everyone a-accused me of being A-Anon-a-Miss... Including you guys! You abandoned me!"
Rainbow Dash couldn't help but frown at the news. Once again, she put her hand onto her shoulder and began to rub it.
"I... I'm sorry to hear that, Sunset," Rainbow gently said, feeling bad for her.
"And it wasn't the first time," Sunset sadly said.
Rainbow raised both eyebrows. "What?"
"After the Fall Formal, the first nightmare happened," Sunset said as she lowered her head. "It went on and on until the Battle of the Bands."
"That long?" Rainbow Dash frowned at her. "Sunset, you should have told us what was going on. We could have helped you."
"I didn't tell you or anyone because I didn't wanted to worry you," Sunset Shimmer gave her a sad look.
Sunset couldn't stand it. She wrapped her arms around her, buried her head in Rainbow's shoulder and began to cry. Rainbow only stood there, looking down at Sunset with a sad look. Without second thoughts, Rainbow Dash returned the hug and gently rubbed her back.
They stood in that position for five minutes until Sunset's crying reduced to sobs.
"I will never leave you behind," Rainbow softly whispered into her ear.
Sunset Shimmer took her head off of Rainbow's shoulder and looked at her with a teary look.
"Y-You won't?" Sunset barely spoke.
Rainbow Dash simply shook her head and gave her the gentlest of smiles. "No. No matter what will happen. I will always be there for you and that includes the girls."
Sunset returned the smile with a small one of her own. "Thank you, Rainbow."
"No problem, Shimmer," Rainbow ruffled her hair and smirked at her. "Also, if someone wants to hurt you, I will kick their butt!" she finished with her usual confident smile.
Sunset let out a chuckle at the head ruffle and pulled her into another hug.
"I'm glad I have a friend like you," Sunset quietly whispered.
Rainbow gave her another smile. "Me too, Sunset. Me too."
Unbeknown to both, they were watched by the Rainbooms from outside the kitchen. Everyone had a smile on their face at this sight. Rarity put a finger on her lips and shushed quietly at the others. Everyone nodded and went back to the room.
