Phoenix

“So, where should I start?” Sunset smiled as she watch Mother Charity sit down once again, a steaming cup of coffee held in her ivory hands.

“I… I really don’t know!” the woman laughed in her mature, songlike voice, resting her hands on the table as she studied the girl before you. “I have so many questions, Sunset! Like where did you go? What happened to your arm? And your eye! I shouldn't have to tell you that those new fangled eye tattoos are dangerous!”

“I really wish it was a tattoo.” Sunset giggled as she brought her clawed hand up to the eye. It had been a shock when she noticed it reflect back at her earlier. “It’s just a reminder that what I told you on that first night is truth.”

“First night…?” the woman tilted her head, her emerald eyes glinting in the light of the room.

“Yeah, remember? I told you I was from another world.” Sunset chuckled as her mind drifted back to that first after she crossed through the mirror portal.

***

It was a surprisingly cool night considering it was the peak of summer. Or at least Sunset assumed this world had summer. She had spent the day walking around the city, taking in the sights as she remained quiet. It had been a shock when arrived, finding herself struggling on her formerly hind legs and plummeting to the ground.

She got used to the balance quickly, watching as the inhabitants of this other world strode just fine on the two limbs. Her focus slowly shifted to what had been her front hooves, now replaced with these weird, fleshy things. She wiggled them around, realizing that they were the same as the clawed paws that griffons had.

After preparing herself, she set about exploring the city, panicking in fear at the driverless carts whizzing past her, roaring as if they contained a dragon under their glossy exteriors. The more she walked, the more she connected this place to being another version of Canterlot, doubling down once she saw some familiar looking buildings.

She walked around all day, her smile growing wider and wider as she continued to take in the sights and smells and sounds of this new world. But the most amazing thing to Sunset was the slowly sinking sun, the sky getting darker and darker. She watched in awe at the colours that spread across the sky, only to give a small shiver when a cool breeze started to blow around her. She looked around, trying to find the pegasus responsible for changing the weather.

Realization dawned as the sun continued to set. There was no magic in this world. And she was alone. She had no idea of how things worked here. She got up and off of the park bench and started back towards the city proper. She had been homeless once already, how much different could it be now?

Apparently quite a lot, as the steady pattering of raindrops fell on her head. She had found an alleyway near what she guessed was the center of the city, close enough to the mirror portal and the large structure that she could use it as a marker, but far enough away that she would hopefully be hard to find when Celestia inevitably sent Ponies through to find her.

She groaned as she readjusted the cardboard box around her, coming to terms at just how much easier this was as a Unicorn. Everything was so much smaller here!

“Excuse me…?” Sunset looked up, her heart pausing. Had she somehow been found already? What was she going to do!?

“Is there a reason you are sitting in a cardboard box in weather like this?” the ivory skinned woman smiled warmly from under her umbrella, Sunset trapped in the sparkling emerald eyes that studied her.

“I’m fine…” came Sunset’s curt response, the Equestrian looking away finally. The woman didn’t seem to be one of the Princess’ guards, she looked to old.

“Then why are you sitting there in this weather?” the woman’s warm smile shifted to one of affectionate concern. “Shouldn’t a young girl like you be home with your parents?”

“Why do you care?” Sunset gave a dark chuckle as she looked back up at the woman, who had walked closer into the alley, stopping a short distance away to kneel down.

“Shouldn’t I be?”

“... I was adopted.” Sunset let out a tired sigh as she broke the silence between the pair. “And I can’t return home if I value my freedom.”

“Have you gotten help?” the woman was giving a warm, yet still worried smile as she looked at Sunset.

“You can’t get help for my situation. Besides, I doubt anyone here would want to help me.”

“And why’s that?” the woman asked gently, expression unmoving as she watched a maniacal smirk appear on the face of Sunset.

“Cause I’m from another world.”

***

“I still don’t know why you took me in after I said that!” Sunset started to laugh as she returned to reality, smiling at Mother Charity as she wiped away a tear with a delicate amber digit.

“I took it as you being delirious.” the woman eventually replied after setting down her coffee mug. “But that still doesn’t explain the arm and the eye.”

“I’m just glad that the wing went away.” Sunset said, flexing her red, clawed arm in front of her.

“A wing you say? Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to the hospital, Sunset?” the woman gently rested a hand on Sunset’s human arm.

“I’m fine, really. Heck, I’d love to show you actual proof that I’m being honest, but the people that are definitely looking for me at this point are probably tracking me by it…” Sunset frowned as she thought back to earlier in the day.

***

Sunset groaned as she made her way onto the sidewalk running along the road in front of Canterlot High School, pausing to look back. Everyone still seemed to be frozen as they relieved her memories, dealing with all the pain and struggling she had gone through since the Fall Formal. Now, though, she needed to deal with other spectators, namely those pausing to look at the girl with a wing standing on the sidewalk.

She grit her teeth as she tried to focus on the near depleted magic reserves she still had, actually thanking the Daemon for so “generously” donating its essence. She latched onto the small remnants, coaxing it into action. She could almost hear the gasps from the surrounding bystanders as she vanished, the only proof that she was even there was the small trail of blood drops that dripped steadily behind her.

She was careful to not touch anyone as she made her way farther into the city, stumbling slightly when the weight of her wing vanished, most likely to the rapidly vanishing magic in Sunset’s body as the girl continued her fleeing. She felt that the invisibility spell was about to die, so she snuck into a nearby alley, dismissing the spell as she started to stumble blindly, trying to hide from sight.

“Wah!” Sunset gave a sharp cry as the ground started to rush up to greet her as she tripped, landing with a soft thud.

“What just… What… the… hell…?” Sunset’s growl of annoyance shifted to shock as she looked back at what she tripped over, only to pause when she saw an amber skinned figure with unmistakable red and yellow streaked hair lying still on the ground.

“That can’t be me!” Sunset muttered rapidly as she started to rapidly pat her hands all over her body, only to come to a rather surprisingly simple realization. “That… that must be the me from this world…”

Sunset crawled over, gently poking at the girl’s hand in hopes of waking her up, only to freeze when she put her hand on the ground beside the girl. She pulled her hand up and away from the oddly gooey ground, her eyes widening as she her now crimson stained hand. She rushed back to the girl who was lying in a pool of her own blood, grasping at the cold wrist of the girl dressed in filthy, bloodstained rags of clothes.

No pulse, and given how cool she was, she must have been killed a while ago. Sunset gave a quick curse in Equestrian as she let the limb flop back to the ground, eyes moving to study the dead corpse of her Gaian self. Her clothes, if they could be called that, were riddled with holes, wounds visible underneath.

Bullet wounds! Sunset’s face brightened at the grim realization, a plan starting to build in her mind. She should have just enough magic left to…

A loud crack filled the air, blinding lights flashing from the two Sunset’s as their clothes were swapped.

“My thanks… Me.” Sunset said as she rested a hand on the girl’s body, before grabbing the raty towel that sat crumpled up a short distance away, wrapping it around herself as she started to run down the alleyway, away from the sounds of people entering the alleyway behind her.

***

“You still with me, Mother?” Sunset grinned as she took in the blank look from the woman sitting across from her. Mother Charity had went from a disbelieving roll of her eyes to a confused arching of an eyebrow, before settling with a thousand yard stare.

“So, if I were to believe you right now…” the woman’s emerald eyes instantly refocusing as a result of the woman shaking her head. “That would mean that you found the corpse of a girl that looked exactly like you and swapped clothes with her?”

“Hey, I’m not forcing you to believe me.” Sunset started to laugh as she raised her hands up in front of her.

“Yes, well…” Mother Charity sighed as she looked across at Sunset, a sad, wistful look showing her age to the Equestrian. “You were never the most honest girl while you were here.”

Sunset’s mirth faded, her smile vanishing as her lips drew thin, gaze falling to her arms that had come to rest on the table. True, she never really told Mother Charity anything in the past, preferring to leave their arrangement simple and without believed unnecessary baggage. Especially given what Sunset had just fled from with… her. No, Sunset never felt the need to tell the truth about what she was like when she first arrived.

“Well… You know what I was like? Curt, yet somewhat polite? Asking things that someone my age should know?” Sunset watch as Mother Charity nodded slightly. “Well that’s cause I was stuck in a brand new world, dealing with things that I never had to before. I had to learn why I had to always wear clothes, why I bled from the crotch on an regular basis. It wasn’t like that back in Equestria.”

“Plus there was all this new world facts and history. Like, Do you know how long it took me to understand that the sun and moon rotated because of the planets movements? Back home we had a more or less Goddess do that for us!”

“Anyways, rant aside, I’m sure you noticed how I changed over my time here? Slowly growing more… confident, shall we sa- No, I was a total bitch most of the time.” the two females chuckled in understanding. “I forced my chores onto others, and justified my stay with doing the other kind of work. Then… jeez time sure flies… Anyways, September Nineteenth-”

“The night you came home late, in tears and bleeding from two cuts around your shoulders and one above your rear?” Mother Charity shuddered slightly as she recalled that night. “I still don’t know why you didn’t let me take you to the hospital for that!”

“Well… it’s cause I was finally show just how much of a bitch I was…” Sunset’s amber hand went and rubbed the faint scar along her shoulder blade, a sad smile coming to her face. “I came to realize just how important friends really were…”

“Well you certainly tried your best to change while you were here.” Charity noted as she took another sip from her mug. “You practically became everyone's slave while you were here as you tried to make amends for your previous attitude.”

“I, uh… I never had friends before then… I was a spoiled brat before, but that’s part of being the adopted child of said Goddess… That night, Twilight Sparkle and the others showed me how wrong I was about Friendship. I was late because I had to try and do some clean up at the school and-”

“They didn’t realize you were hurt!?” The woman looked shocked, almost sending her coffee mug flying away in her rapid movements.

“Well, I didn’t tell them, and pretty much everyone there would have rather that I died or be locked away to be honest.” Sunset removed a strand of red hair from in front of her eyes. “Don’t blame them with how I treated them all.”

“But you said that you were starting to make friends that night when you came home? What about when you went out with them the next day?”

“I, uh… I didn’t really join in with them to be honest. The five of them were still pretty cold towards me.” Sunset frowned as she remembered the first day with the Rainbooms…

***

“What is she doing here?”

Sunset froze up as she heard Mrs. Cake’s harsh whisper directed at Pinkie Pie, the girl standing in front of the counter between Sunset and the baker. She struggled to hold back a tear as she started to shake slightly. Why did she come here? Princess Twilight had more or less forced the other five girls to be her friend, and after everything that she had done, she didn’t blame them for not wanting her around. Maybe she should have stayed home…

“Shh!” Pinkie shushed the woman, finger in front of her pink lips and all as she leaned forward. “Things have… changed, shall we say.”

“I’ll have my usual please!” Pinkie returned to her super bubbly self, though Sunset could still detect than uneasy edge to her voice, matching her slightly clumsy hopping since Sunset had met the five outside of the Sugarcube Corner building.

“And, er… What will you have?” Mrs. Cake looked over to Sunset, the single most forced smile the Equestrian had ever seen stretching across the woman’s face.

“Oh, um… J-just… Do you have any apple juice?” Sunset felt her face heat up as she stuttered lamely, staring around in a panic to try and spot something.

“Make sure to throw all bills together for her!” Sunset heard Rainbow call out as the athlete took another noisy pull of her milkshake. “She should still have tons of money from everything she’s done.”

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity responded harshly, somehow stopping the still upset teen’s drinking mid-slurp. “Now is not the time to bring that up!”

“I-I-I’ll pay.” Sunset said, giving just as forced of a smile as the woman behind the cash register. She reached down into her pocket and pulled out her surprisingly basic looking wallet, the leather pouch marked with some strands of duct tape, struggling to hold the item together.

“With your own money, I would hope…”

“I never actually took anyone’s money.” Sunset responded as she handed the woman a surprisingly crisp red bill. “Th-that was one of my rules. Besides, I make enough money from work…”

“What sort o’ job?” Applejack called out from the table as Sunset received her change, doing her best not to mention that she had been so obviously shorted by the woman adding money to the tip jar.

“Um… nothing special, really.” Sunset said as she turned around, instantly regretting it as the judging gaze of all the CHS students in the cafe locked on her. Everything seemed to close in around her as the eyes continued to bore into her, piercing through her. She turned around, desperate to be out of their view.

“Here. You can take this to their table.” Sunset opened her eyes to see a small container of amber coloured liquid, a small cupcake with more icing than cupcake, and a tall glass cup overflowing with whipped cream. Sunset thanked the woman, bowing her head as she took the tray and made her way over to the table where the other five girls were sitting.

***

“So they made you buy their drinks?” the woman scoffed. “That’s pretty childish, and I could see why you would be uneasy around them. I’m guessing things continued to get worse throughout the day, or else there would have been no reason that you would come home crying and stay in your room for the rest of the weekend.”

“They recommended that I leave them for the day.” Sunset said softly. “I had to walk home from the mall on the other end of the city since I used all my cash.”

“...Please tell me you didn’t continue with the five of them?” Charity looked extremely worried as she watched Sunset look away in shame. “...Why would you keep trying to be friends with them when they abused you so?”

“Cause I felt like I deserved it.” Sunset muttered glumly. “I just knew that I had to deal with it ‘cause Twilight went out on such a limb for me. I couldn’t let her down.”

“Did anyone there like you?” the woman asked, reaching out and resting a hand on Sunset’s human limb.

“Well… There were these four girls…”

***

“You are more than welcome to join us for lunch, love.” Sunset paused just inches away throwing her meager lunch in the trash. It had been a week and still everyone at this school hated her, no matter how hard she tried to make amends. She knew that it would be hard, especially given the hell that she put all these humans through, but this last week had been heartbreaking for her. Which is why she was surprised to hear an extremely well cultured voice call out to her.

“W-What did you say…?” Sunset asked, turning around to address Octavia Melody and the other three girls that sat with her. Vinyl Scratch seemed to be staring at her as she ate her sandwich, though Sunset couldn’t tell thanks to the girls signature glasses. Lyra was glancing back and forth between Octavia and Sunset, Bon Bon doing the same, but much more subtly.

“I said you are more than welcome to join us here.” Octavia motioned with a charcoal limb at all the free seats around the table. “Everyone deserves a chance to eat lunch.”

“...You do know who I am, right?” Sunset wore a defeated look as she studied the table. “Sunset Shimmer? Daemon Bitch extraordinaire? Trust me, you would be better off not trying to associate with me.”

Sunset turned away and pushed open the garbage bin lid, sliding her painfully dry salad into the bag before depositing the tray on top and heading towards the nearby door out into the halls, ignoring the sounds of scuffling feet behind her. She pushed open the door as the garbage bin behind her clattered shut, her eyes doing their best to make sure she wasn’t about to walk into a student as she made her way through the halls, ignoring the small pattering of scrunched up paper or other debris that was flung at her.

“Y’know, not everyone here totally despises you.”

Sunset jumped with a shriek as she spun around to face the girl that just whispered into her eat, eyes a frenzied blur as she struggled to take in the pale, off-white form of the girl standing behind her. All around the pair giggle erupted at Sunset’s display, students making crude facsimiles of it as they went about their business. Vinyl Scratch just stood there, staring at Sunset.

“D-D… Did you just talk…?” Sunset managed to squeak out after her heart started trying to burst from her chest, finally calming down to a pace more akin to the wings of a hummingbird in motion.

“What, did you think I was a mute?” one of the audiophiles eyebrows arched, a small smile coming to her face as she shook her head playfully.

“Er… M-Maybe…? Pleasedonthateme!” Sunset waved her hands in front of herself desperately as she revealed what she had thought was truth. “I’ve never heard you talk before! Though I never… Interacted with you much.”

“You mean bullied.” a smarmy grin appeared on Vinyl’s face as she responded bluntly. “Yeah, I’m not the most talkative types. Er… What’s wrong…?”

“I’m sorry about what I did… Could… Could you please stop bringing it up…?” Sunset shifted her eyes from the floor up somewhat towards Vinyl, only to pause and head back towards her feet as she turned back around and started walking away. “Who am I kidding… No one’s ever gonna forgive me here…”

“Hey, look, I’m sorry, savvy?” Sunset paused as she felt Vinyl’s hand come to rest on her shoulder, the shorter girl making her way around Sunset to stand in front, scratching at her cheek. “Look, I’m the first to admit that I suck at words. I’ve always left that up to Octy to be civil. I say things like they are, so I’m really sorry if I hit a nerve. I wasn’t trying to, honest.”

“...Why are you talking to me…?” Sunset asked, her dead, glassy eyes barely blinking as she stared through the girl in front of her. “You know my reputation… You should just do like everyone else and ignore me, maybe pelt me with spitballs or something…”

“Because, I know what it’s like to try and suffer alone when everyone has a certain view of you and you want nothing more than to change it.” the pale hand on Sunset’s shoulder tightened firmly, the glasses wearing girl frowning slightly. “Sure, my issue may pale, heh, pun, sorry, it may not be the same magnitude as yours, but it doesn't mean I don’t somewhat understand your struggles right now.”

“...Look… Go tell Octavia that I appreciate her putting you up to this, but it really would be best for you girls to steer clear of me.” Sunset shrugged the girls hand off her arm and walked past. “It’d be for the best of everyone…”

“Well first, why don’t I just add my number into your phone here?” Sunset paused and turned around, only to realize that Vinyl held a familiar little flip phone in her hands. “Really? A flip phone? This thing is ancient!”

“H-Hey! How’d you get that!?” Sunset reached out, desperate to get her phone back, only to have the shorter girl disrupt her with a devastating check from her wide, childbearing hips.

“Yeah, yeah, just a sec.” the pale girl’s thumbs were a blur as she tapped down on the buttons of the phone, clicks and small musical notes filling the air of the otherwise empty hallway. “Aaaand… There! Here ya go! Now, I know you’re probably gonna delete those numbers, but I made sure to get yours, and it’s going in all the phones of our little group of misfits. Don’t be a stranger, Shimmer!”

Sunset gingerly grasped her phone as Vinyl spun around and started back down the hall and towards the lunchroom, her mind racing in uncertainty at what had just occurred. She looked down at her address book, staring blankly at the four new numbers stored inside. It had increased the total collection of other people’s phone numbers by four hundred percent, thanks to her having already deleted the numbers of Flash Sentry, Snips, and Snails earlier in the week. She selected one, moving over and selecting delete, only to pause with her thumb over the last input needed to clear her phone of Vinyl’s number.

Why was she doing this? Sunset thought back, trying to recall what she had managed to dig up on Vinyl Scratch over the years. The girl loved music, released her own tracks online under the name DJ Pon-3, but never posed much of a threat to her. In fact, neither did Octavia, Lyra or Bon Bon. None of them had ever tried to do anything to Sunset, and she never did much to them either.

But she was Sunset Shimmer, the most hated student in the school! Why were they trying to be nice to her? What sort of game where they playing? It’s not like Princess Twilight forced them to try and be her friends. So what did they gain from this?

Sunset pushed down on the button, moving the selection over to cancel before closing the internal phone book and flipping the phone shut, storing it back in the pocket of her jacket. Only to reach back into the pocket and slide the phone into one of her front pockets, hoping that it would be more noticeable when someone tried to steal her phone again as she made her way towards her locker on the top floor.

***

“You, uh… Are you sure I should be here?” Sunset asked as she made her way through the door and into the confectionery behind the other two girls. She didn’t know why she responded to the texts that Vinyl and Octavia sent, and even less of an understanding as to why she agreed to come out to this sweet shoppe with them, but here she was. “I mean, last time I went somewhere on a Saturday it wasn’t exactly pleasant.”

The little bell above the door chimed one last time as the oak barrier shut behind Sunset, the girl looking around shiftily. The confectionery was rather full, a mixture of children, adults, and people of ages in between all sat around at tables enjoying their treats, or waiting in line to order. Sunset noticed that for once, not every single set of eyes were focused on her, judging her with laser precision. Instead, two girls with opposite colours waited patiently for her, warm smiles on their faces.

“Well hopefully we can fix that.” Octavia said as Sunset slowly walked over, the amber girl failing to not look on edge as her eyes darted around the building.

“Relax, Shim. We came here to hang out, not murder ya!” Vinyl chuckled as she slapped Sunset playfully on the arm, only to receive a blow of her own from Octavia, the cellist frowning angrily.

“Really, Vinyl! Would it kill you to have some class for once?” the girl barked before turning to Sunset, noticing the girl seeming slightly shaken. “Please ignore Vinyl’s exact phrasing, love. She means no harm.”

“Hey there, girls!” the three looked up to see a familiar looking creme skinned girl waving towards them, dressed up in a baker’s outfit. “Come on back!”

Sunset followed Vinyl and Octavia through the sweet shoppe, the trio going down one of the side hallways and pausing in front of a door. The large, colourful slab of wood opened, revealing a mint on green coloured girl who tilted her head back in a quick motion as she held the door open for the three Wondercolts.

“Well? You coming or what?” Sunset stood there uneasily as Lyra addressed her bluntly, the girl looking bored and annoyed that she had to still hold the door open. The pair studied each other, Sunset taking in just how apathetic Lyra was looking at her, before she gave a small nod and shuffled her way in, head held low.

“Ah, Sunset! What took you so long?” Sunset gasped as she took in the room around her, all the colourful decorations, the smell of sweets cooking farther away, the sounds of a cash register opening and closing. She was overwhelmed to say the least, even as Octavia tried to break through.

“She was busy moping out in the hall.” Lyra called out as she passed beside Sunset, making her way over to a colourful table and depositing herself on a comfy looking recliner.

“Come now, love.” Octavia turned back to look at the slightly frowning girl, motioning at an empty seat beside her. “Come have a seat, Sunset. Bon Bon should be finishing up shortly and joining us as well.”

“It’s considered rude in this world to ignore someone’s offer of hospitality, Sunset.” Vinyl smirked as she somehow managed to sling an arm around the shoulders of the stuttering Equestrian, pulling her towards the table with her. “I would hope it would be the same back in Equestrain.”

“E-Equestria…” Sunset corrected weakly as she sat down between Octavia and Vinyl, twiddling her thumbs due to her struggles to look either of them in the eyes. “A-And it is, but… this is just a little bit different…”

“What do you mean by different?” Sunset turned around to look at Bon Bon as the girl made her way in, a tray laden with treats held in her arms.

“She’s probably still dealing with the fact that people are still harassing her about the Fall Formal.” Lyra said, kicking her feet up onto the table. ““Daemon Bitch” is still how I hear everyone describing her.”

“Lyra!” Bon Bon scowled at the girl as she set her tray down onto the table, resting her hands on her hips as she stared daggers at her friend. “Why would you say that?”

“Well it’s true.” Lyra shrugged as Bon Bon swatted her feet off the table, the lyrist reaching towards the tray and grabbing a cookie, crumbs tumbling out of her mouth as she continued to speak. “‘Sides! She’s not putting up any sort of a fight about it.”

“Lyra, dear, I do believe it would be best for you to drop the subject…” Octavia said softly as she reached over towards the lyrist, only for a mint green hand to slap away Octavia’s.

“She’s helped fixed the damage she caused to CHS, has spent time doing, like, everyone’s homework. She’s been forced to buy student’s lunches, gets picked on in the halls, hell, those five straight up abuse her most of the time!” Lyra slowly got to her feet through her tirade as Sunset slid farther and farther into her seat, cowering at the verbal onslaught. “And what does she do? Fucking. Nothing. I’ve seen insects with more backbone than this girl!”

“Would you shut the fuck up already, Heartstrings!” Vinyl stormed over to her friend, grabbing the slightly taller girl by the neck of her shirt. “She’s been treated like shit since that night, especially by those who were instructed to look out for her!”

“So then why hasn’t she said anything, Scratch!? Huh!? Where’s the big bad Alpha Bitch that made the school a living hell for the last three plus years!?” the argument between the pair froze as Sunset bolted from the room, tears streaming down her face as a choked back sob filtered into the air, the girl making tracks towards the women’s washroom. She slammed the door shut, locking it as she stumbled over to the other side of the room and collapsed against the cool, tiled wall, sliding slowly down to her feet.

Sunset felt her heart try to rip it’s way up her throat as she continued to wail in sorrow, her cheeks inflamed from the bitter, salty tears streaming down them, her shaking hands unable to stem the flow as her body continued to quake with gut wrenching sobs. She fell harshly to her side, the side of her head blaring in pain as it connected with the tile floor, but it wasn’t even measurable compared to the pain and despair that was ripping her apart as she laid in that room, alone.

She couldn’t tell how much time was passing around her, the feelings of spitballs and gum striking the back of her head, mirroring the week that had just happened as hateful words and insults flew across the back of her eyelids, threatening to burn themselves into her retinas as the various ghosts of CHS Wondercolts circled around her, spitting curses and slander at her as she tried to will herself out of existence. Everything she had ever done was coming back to haunt her now, to remind her just how much of a failure she was. No wonder she had been abandoned back in Equestria. Why would anypony or anyone want to associate with a hopeless waste of life like her?

“...Sunset…?” the sounds of knocking reverberated through the still air in the room, an obviously worried voice following after. “Are you still in there?”

Sunset could hear a commotion from outside of the washroom, disgruntled people complaining as they were turned aside. The knocks came back, the same voice still reaching out to her, concern flowing from every syllable.

“Sunset… Sunset, I’m going to come in now, okay.” came Bon Bon’s voice, the sound of the lock being turned back open followed by the door slowly creaking open, a set of soft footsteps starting to enter the room. “Sunset…?”

“Just leave me alone!” the amber girl wailed from her prone position, curling further into herself. “Just let me die and make everyone happy for once!”

Sunset heard Bon Bon give a startled cry, the door slamming open, and a pair of rapidly approaching, heavy footsteps fill the air, before she found herself hoisted up, a pale white girl with stunning blood red eyes grimacing at her as she held Sunset’s limp body, only for the Equestrian’s cheek to explode, her vision shooting to the side as her head jerked around roughly.

“I don’t care how much you think everyone would be happy if you were dead!” Vinyl spat, half fury, half world shattering concern. “I don’t care that you think the world may be a better place without you!”

“Vinyl!” Octavia’s shocked voice flitted into Sunset’s ear, her head still hanging limp and facing the floor. “Why would you hit her!?”

“You may see yourself as some useless, stupid, waste of flesh, but I am not gonna to let you even think you should just go and die!”

“I’m terribly sorry ma’am, but you will have to use the other washroom. We, erm, have a bit of a situation going on right now.” Sunset heard Bon Bon turn away another person from the washroom as Vinyl finished her tirade.

“People mess up, they fall down!” Sunset felt Vinyl pull the her up again, the DJ wrapping her thin white arms around the taller girl as she rested her chin on Sunset’s shoulder. “They stumble and lose their way! But that doesn’t mean their lost! They just need help! We all need help at some point in our lives!”

Sunset felt herself start to shake again, tears flowing freely down her cheeks once again as she wrapped her arms around Vinyl, pulling the girl closer into her. She wailed in heartbreaking tones as she grabbed hold of the DJ, the pair rocking back and forth as the sound of the door closing made itself known.

“I, uh… I put up a out of service sign…” Bon Bon said softly as she came to rest behind Vinyl and Sunset, nodding to Octavia as the girl joined her on the floor. “I left the door unlocked, just in case…”

Sunset continued to cry, holding onto Vinyl as the pair rocked back and forth, a minute passing, then a second. It wasn’t until the third that Sunset started to quiet, her voice cracking and strained as she started to sniffle pathetically, her tears having since dried up causing her eyes to throb in as much pain as the rest of her.

“Are you feeling a little bit better?” Octavia asked warmly, gently brushing a strand of hair away from Sunset’s face, the girl hiccuping as she nodded slightly, slowly pulling away from Vinyl.

“Good!” the DJ responded, pulling back herself. “Cause I don’t know how many more tears my poor shirt can take! Hey! So you can laugh!”

Sunset started to giggle even harder between her gasps for breath, the girl wiping away at the mess on her face, looking up and noticing Bon Bon holding out some paper towel. She nodded as she took it, appreciating how warm and damp it was as she rubbed it across her face.

“Why are you girls doing this?” Sunset asked quietly, finally calming down enough to talk. “I mean, I know I didn’t do anything to any of you directly, but…”

“Well, we watched you all week, noticing just how sullen you were.” Octavia started, coming and sliding down to sit beside Sunset. “How alone you were as you tried your best to make amends.”

“You, uh… You two do the talking bit?” Vinyl interrupted, her purple shades back on her face as she backed her way towards the doorway. “Imma go find Lyra.”

“Bring her here…” Sunset’s brow furrowed slightly at just how dark and sinister Bon Bon’s tone was as she asked, no, commanded Vinyl on her way out before turning around and smiling sadly at Sunset.

“You may have done a lot, Sunset, but it’s not unforgivable. You have been trying your best to show that you are a better person now, and that’s all anyone should ask.”

“I guess the simple way of saying this, Sunset.” Octavia nodded as she took over again from Bon Bon. “Is that we want to be your friends. All four of us.”

“R...Really…?” Sunset looked between the two girls, the pair smiling and nodding.

“Everyone deserves friends, Sunset.” Bon Bon said, sitting on the other side the amber girl. “Maybe if you’d had friends back then, none of this would have happened…”

“I doubt I would have taken any of you seriously…” Sunset looked down at her legs. “Back then… I probably would have used your girls like I did everyone else.”

“Do you still want to?” the door had opened revealing an extremely unrepentant Lyra being booted into the room by Vinyl, the mint girl glaring back at her friend before turning around and asking her question again to Sunset. “Well? Do you still see us as tools to be used?”

“N-No!” Sunset waved her hands around as she looked up at the standing girl, Bon Bon slowly getting up from beside her and walking towards the girl, Vinyl taking a step back before turning around to lock the door to the room.

“Works for- Gah!” Lyra was mid shrug when she was suddenly pinned back against the wall, a low growl coming from Bon Bon.

“If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I will personally flay every inch of skin from your bones before dropping you in a vat of vinegar and pulling you out to salt your still bleeding body.”

“Bon Bon! Could you keep it PG please?” Octavia called out nonchalantly, earning a look of shocked horror from Sunset. “Ah, right. Bon Bon… can be a bit protective… yes, that is what we will go with. Don’t worry, love, she won’t actually do it… usually.”

Sunset’s mouth gaped even wider as she watched Octavia cough lightly and look away as Bon Bon and Lyra stomped over awkwardly towards Sunset, Lyra’s head stuck between Bon Bon’s arm as the pink and blue haired girl continued in her dead, vicious voice.

“Now you better apologize, and if she doesn’t believe you… I will end you.”

“Okay, Bon, you’re freaking out our guest here!” Lyra stuttered uneasily, glancing over to Sunset with a pleading look on her face as she struggled to get free from her friend’s grasp. “A-Alright! I-I-I’m sorry, Sunset! Really, I am! I didn’t think you’d flip out like that!”

“The issue, dear, is that you usually don’t ever think about what will happen when you open your mouth.” Octavia chided, giggling as she watched Bon Bon’s arm tense further around her struggling friends neck, the lyrist tapping uselessly against it.

“I-I-I-I promise to never do it again! Er, well, I can’t promise that cause I most likely will do something like this, but I promise I’ll try my best not to be so savage about it!”

“Alright, alright, you can let her go, Bon Bon.” Sunset chuckled, amused at the whole display now that the terror had passed thanks to Octavia and Vinyl being so chill about the situation. “I wouldn’t want you to kill your girlfriend.”

“Oof!” Lyra was dropped to the floor harshly, Bon Bon’s hands shooting to her mouth as her eyes widened. Octavia and Vinyl both had confused looks on their faces as they looked at Sunset. Lyra slowly knelt up before looking over and questioning Sunset. “What do you mean, girlfriend?”

“You two have been going out since Valentine’s Day in tenth grade. Hell, I heard you two in the girl’s washroom on the third floor at the start of the year.” Sunset gave a sheepish grin as she rubbed the back of her head. “You, uh, should probably keep it down when you’re on school grounds.”

Lyra and Bon Bon both wore dangerously red blushes across their faces as they looked at Sunset, the girl giving an uneasy look in response before continuing on. “B-But don’t worry about it! I never told anyone about you two going out, and especially not the fact about the washroom! It was one of my rules!”

“Er… Alright… then…” Lyra slowly sat and crossed her legs as Bon Bon collapsed to her knees shaking back and forth as her blush spread across her body. “Um… Anything else we should know? You, um, sure seem to know a lot.”

“Well, I mean… I kinda studied everyone over the years, so I know more than I really should…” Sunset pulled her legs up to her generous chest as she looked at the four girls. “Like Vinyl, you should really go public with your DJing! The tracks you release online as DJ Pon-3 are really great!”

“Wait… How did you…?” Vinyl was split between amazement and shock as she walked over and sat beside Octavia. “I haven’t told anyone besides these dorks.”

“Octavia, you should really be careful with your wandering hands in public with Vinyl.” Sunset pointed a finger to the cellist, the girl pausing her teasing of Vinyl. “I mean, Vinyl never really stops you but, same thing like the other two. People would harass the two of you about dating, especially given how wildly different the two of you appear.”

“Well, I never figured I’d have to hear my love life be criticized on the floor of a washroom by a girl that was just asked to be our friend.” Lyra said, reaching over and jabbing Sunset’s shoulder.

“S-Sorry! I’m, uh… New to this whole friend thing still.” Sunset apologized meekly, blushing as she hid behind her knees.

“Don’t you worry! We’ll get you trained up!” Vinyl beat her chest proudly, before glaring dangerously at the girl. “Just don’t go telling anyone about us, savvy?”

Sunset gave a small gulp as she nodded in response.

***

“On top of that, apparently the reason Vinyl was so touchy about me wanting to die was due to the fact that her family had more or less excommunicated her from the family, throwing her out onto the streets and such and telling her she would be better off dead.” Sunset finished as Mother Charity sat down with a new mug of coffee.

“And yet one of the other girls, Octavia was it? She cares for her you say?” Charity looked over as she finished getting reseated at the table.

“Two of them really care for one another.” Sunset shrugged. “All four of them really.”

“Are you going to tell them you are alright?” Sunset froze at the woman’s question, sighing as she looked away.

“I’m not sure…” Sunset said, starting to drag a clawed digit across the table, only to immediately stop when she realized the sharp red ‘finger’ was digging into the table and cutting it. “I think it would be best for everyone if I stayed gone for a little while…”

“Hmmm…” Charity set down her mug as she eyed the girl across from her. “What about those who took you in? Shouldn’t they be informed that you are alive and fine? Well, more or less, fine?”

“No!” Mother Charity recoiled at how defensive Sunset sounded as she looked up at her, the girls eyes wide before narrowing. “N-no, um… God, how do I explain this…? Okay, so, you know the Siren? The mythical creature that would lure in sailors with their songs? Well the myths are real, actually. See, there’s three of them, and they were actually banished here from my world. They’ve probably been living here since those ancient times.”

“And how would they survive so long? Nothing is immortal.” Charity chuckled as she watched Sunset scramble to try and explain the situation.

“They feed off negative emotions. Well, did, at least. I kinda helped destroy their magical necklaces that they used to more or less control people around them, make them fight and such.”

“And how, pray tell, did you do that?” Mother Charity slid forward on her elbows, and amused smirk gracing her face as she studied Sunset.

“Um… A magical song…?” Sunset gave an uneasy shrug as she smiled back sheepishly.

***

“Sunset Shimmer! We need you!” Princess Twilight called out from her knees, reaching out towards Sunset who had stayed back on the sidelines as the Princess and the rest of the Rainbooms had battled the Sirens, the trio of them floating in the air down on the stage at the bottom of the hill, their glowing red eyes somehow visible from this distance.

She bent down slowly, uneasily grasping the mic that sat on the ground in front of her feat, and slowly walking over to the group. The spectral projections of the Sirens floated around the teens, predatory smiles of victory plastered on each and every one of the trio. She looked back at the Rainbooms, noticing some CHS students not enthralled by the Sirens, one of them having a phone in their hand and pointed towards her.

“B-but… What could I possibly do?” she said, eyes shooting down to the mic in her hand as she walked towards Twilight, reaching out towards the Princess. “You are the six with the Magic of Friendship here…”

“You are our friend, Sunset.” Twilight said as she stood up, cupping Sunset’s hands within her own as she looked her square in the eyes. “You’re my friend, and if I’m going to be beaten today, I want you by my side.”

Sunset looked around at the other girls as they slowly made their way to their feet, each of them nodding awkwardly at her. She paused on Vinyl, the girl grinning from her car turned DJ stage as she threw up the horns and started blasting her music for potentially the last time.

“I know Vinyl, and Octavia would call you their friends.” Twilight leaned close and whispered in Equestrian, gripping the teens hands harder. “So would Lyra and Bon Bon. And I am certain that if you help us defeat the Sirens, the rest of CHS would finally forgive you as well.”

Sunset watched as Twilight backed away slightly, looking at the girl with pleading eyes before turning to face the Sirens one final time, giving a rallying cry as she did so. “Come on, girls! Let’s show these monsters just what happens when you mess with the Magic of Friendship!”

Sunset heard the song kick into full gear, Pinkie Pie and Applejack laying a steady foundation for Rainbow Dash to start her frenzied playing. Rarity’s keytar and Fluttershy’s tambourine flowing seamlessly into the song as it continued on, leaving Twilight alone, her hand holding out the mic towards Sunset.

“I, um…” Sunset stuttered as she grabbed the mic weakly, the raw energy of so much Equestrian Magic flowing around her and disorientating her slightly. “I don’t know what song you all are doing.”

“Just sing what you want!” Twilight called back over the slowly rising crescendo. “I believe in you!”

Sunset took a deep breath, staring down at the Sirens floating down there, drunk on Equestrian Magic once more as their prey attempted one last defense. She thought back to all of her time at CHS since the Fall Formal, ignoring all the hate that she had so justly received, instead focusing on the good, all the time spent with Octavia and Vinyl for tea, or listening to Bon Bon threatening to disembowel Lyra with her own mint coloured limbs. A spark started to flare in Sunset, her feet slowly starting to levitate off of the ground as sounds of confusion rang out around her.

“I knew you had the Magic of Friendship inside of you, Sunset.” Princess Twilight smiled as Sunset landed on the ground, her hands shooting up to her equine ears that now rested on top of her head, the added weight of her new ponytail swaying around behind her. A look of confidence came to Sunset’s face, the girl nodding to her friend.

“Let’s rock.”

***

“So your grew pony ears and longer hair…?”

“And then I helped blast the three Sirens with a beam of rainbow light and slash or magic, yes.” Sunset finished, smirking before continuing on. “Then the Sirens were defeated and fled with the remains of their necklaces. I would have given chase but I was kinda mobbed by grateful students.”

“And why does this matter about who took you in?” Mother Charity asked, shaking her head and looking utterly lost.

“Because it was the Siren’s who took me in. They found me that night when I didn’t come home.” Sunset frowned. She owed the Sirens her life for what they did for her, and the guilt of potentially abandoning them, even for a short time dug at her. “And even though I may have doomed them, they still took me in.”

“But then… Why didn’t you try to reach me? I was worried sick!” Mother Charity’s look shifted from lost confusion to annoyance with a tinge of worry. “I thought you weren’t coming back, especially given how depressed you had gotten over the course of that week!”

“That’s cause I wasn’t planning to come back. I tried to commit suicide…” the room grew frigid as Sunset responded, the teen unable to look up at the woman that had cared for her unconditionally for over three years. Mother Charity was another person Sunset owed her life to, and to tell her that the she intended to throw it away?

“...But why…?” Sunset flinched at just how hurt the woman sounded. Never in all her years had she witnessed Mother Charity like this. Even when Sunset caused trouble for her and the establishment, Mother Charity never sounded like this before.

“Well, I scapegoated by the students of CHS… Someone used my likeness to start spreading secrets and rumors around the school, and just as quickly as the students forgave me after the Battle of the Bands, I was back to being the most hated individual in all of CHS. Even the five who had actually started to be my friends abandoned me, and that’s what struck me hardest of all. So I approached a student that I knew was in a gang, one that constantly made comments about how I should “Watch my back” and such… And I hired her… To kill me…”

“Sunset…” the woman slowly got up and walked around the table, always keeping her eyes on the downward facing Sunset, her emerald orbs narrowed in concern as she knelt down beside the teen. “Sunset, look at me…”

“I’m so sorry…” Sunset hiccuped as she turned around to look at the woman, ashamed at what she had done that night. “I didn’t think I had anyone left…”

“You are just as important as every other member of our family, Sunset.” Mother Charity rested an ivory hand on the girl’s leg as she looked up at the softly sobbing teen. “You know as well as anyone that our family is a collection of orphans, those thrown away by their relatives and society. Those deemed failures by our culture. But we look out for each other. We always have… We always will…”

“It’s just… Things had been going so well before that…!” Sunset sobbed as she recalled what had happened not even a week before that Thursday night.

***

“Gah! Damnit! How do you always beat me!?” Rainbow Dash called out as she slammed her controller onto her legs, the screen blaring loud and proud that Sunset had won their latest bout.

“Face it, Dash!” Sunset smirked as she elbowed the hyper competitive girl none too gently. “You got a long ways to go before you’re gonna beat me in one of these games!”

“I just bought it today!” the teen wailed, flopping backwards against Pinkie Pie’s bed. “It came out yesterday!”

“Well then ya can’t blame beginners luck.” Sunset sang as she spun the wireless controller around effortlessly on her outstretched finger. “Why don’t I swap with you, Flutters?”

“U-Uhm… Thanks, but-” the buttercream teen responded holding her hands up in front of her, only to be interrupted by Sunset.

“You can play as a fuzzy bunny driving a monster truck!”

Sunset could barely get out of the way in time as Fluttershy dove for the controller, the Equestrian giggling as she got up and walked over towards the other three members of the Rainbooms. “So, you three ready for the holidays?”

“Oh, you would not believe how ready I am!” Rarity gave one of her usual melodramatic performances from the bed. “All this magic business is putting my nerves on edge!”

“Yea’,” came Applejacks response, the girl handing a bottle of her family’s signature apple juice to Sunset. “Ah’m 'bout ready ta just hit tha hay fer 'bout twenty years.”

“I’m still sad that Princess Twilight couldn’t join us.” Pinkie pretended to mope for a moment, before snapping back to her usual over the top excitability. “Buuut she did say she was going to a Hearts Warning Eve? Is that what it is, Shimmy?”

“Hearth’s Warming Eve.” she responded between chuckles. “And yeah, she should spend time with the rest of her friends.”

“I’m still surprised that Octavia and them allowed you out of their grasps for some amount of time.” Rainbow Dash commented from the far side of Fluttershy, a predatory grin on the normally meek girl’s face.

“Well, uh… They still don’t exactly like the five of you…” Sunset said uneasily, looking around and hoping to change the subject.

“Can’t say Ah blame em.” Applejack said after clearing her throat with a quick cough. “We were mighty unfriendly to ya after the Fall Formal.”

The room grew quiet as Applejack finished talking, even the game being paused as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash looked at each other uneasily. The silence was broken, however, when Pinkie Pie threw herself at Sunset, wrapping her arms around the taller girl as a fountain of tears appeared to spray from her eyes, pooling on the floor around her.

“I’m so sorry, Shimmy!” the girl apologized as she reached out, and in some Pinkie Pie reality breaking way, pulled the other four members of the Rainbooms together in a massive group hug around Sunset. “We were big stupid heads for not giving you a second chance sooner!”

“Yes, we were quite uncivilized.” Rarity said, giving a small, ladylike cough as she wrapped her arms around Sunset from behind. “I do hope you are willing to forgive us.”

“Well, I mean, I am here, after all.” Sunset giggled as she felt the other girls wrap their arms around her. “I already told you guys that I forgave you, especially since what I had done was so terrible.”

“I promise that I will never not trust you again!” Pinkie cried, threatening to crush Sunset between her arms. Sunset smiled warmly as the other girls agreed in their own ways, giving Sunset the sense of trust that they would never abandon her.

***

“Now you promise me that you will talk to me this time, okay?” Mother Charity scolded the girl, but out of love and worry instead of disappointment. “I don’t need you running off somewhere again.”

“I promise, Mother.” Sunset said as she wiped away the last of her tears, the two slowly getting up from the floor that they had just spent the last few minutes sitting on. “I’ll make sure to always keep you in the know.”

“I’m holding you to that, even more than you think.” the woman waggled a finger at the teen as she chuckled. “Now, while I still have to decide if what you are telling is the truth or not- or rather, I need to try and come to terms with some of these things if they are indeed real- I think it is time that we talk about you coming back to this House.”

“Yeah… I doubt my room is still available, seeing as-”

“It’s still saved for you. Hell, I just did the sheets again this morning!” Mother Charity exploded into laughter when she saw Sunset’s face. “Call me old and emotional, but I always had a feeling you would be back.”

“Well, um, thank you! That’s really kind of you!” Sunset scratched at her cheek with her amber hand. “My biggest concern is actually about my arm, and I guess my eye…”

“An eyepatch and long sleeve shirts.” Mother Charity grinned. “Or you could do like old Wirt with his legs and just bandage your entire arm, though your… hand may cause us some issues.”

“What about an old leather glove?” Sunset suggested as the pair walked towards the doorway leading into the main hall. “That should hide these all well enough.”

“Indeed. Though it will require a supply run.” the woman nodded as she paused just in front of the door. “Though that won’t be happening-”

“Until Tuesday, yeah… I guess I’ll just hide in my room during the day? Shower at night maybe?”

“Only if you want. I doubt most of the other children will give you any odd looks.” Mother Charity shrugged, looking back at Sunset. “It’s all up to you, dear.”

“Well I think I will hide away, to be honest.” Sunset chuckled as she stretched in place. “I already had the nickname of Daemon here, no reason to give the other orphans even more of a reason to call me that.”

“Speaking of your appearance…” Sunset paused and looked back to the woman, her emerald eyes narrowed as she pondered about something. “I don’t think I need to remind you that everyone here has to help earn their keep, but you always seemed to prefer the more… physical option… Are you sure you’re still fine with that?”

“Heh, there’s probably some sick fucks out there that get their jollies off on screwing a cripple.” Sunset laughed as the woman shook her head in disgust. “Besides, I probably still have a waiting list, don’t I?”

“Like always.” Mother Charity chuckled as she turned back towards the door. “When should I call our clients and let them know that you are back and ready?”

“Friday?” Sunset asked, trying to think things over. “I mean, I need to get used to getting my disguise ready. Don’t need to scare away any of the Johns with a Daemon eye, or scratching the fuck out of one of em.”

“I’m pretty sure there are some that would pay extra for that, Sunset.” the pair laughed as Mother Charity rested a hand on the revolving doors, stopping to smile at the girl. “Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” Sunset nodded as the woman pushed the door open, a nostalgic smell instantly invading Sunset’s nose as the pair entered the main room.

“Welcome back to the Charity House, Sunset Shimmer. Welcome home.”

“It’s good to be home.”