Sunset groaned as the sun shone onto her face, she opened her eyes and freaked out for a moment “Where am I?! How did I get here….” She slumped as the memories slowly flooded back in.

Cozy to burst the room with a grin “Come on Sunset, it’s time for breakfast.” Sunset blushed as her stomach loudly voiced it’s agreement, she hadn’t eaten anything since lunch the previous day. Cozy dragged her out of the room towards the kitchen.

Tirek smiled as he put some pancakes on the small wooden dinner table placing a knife and fork beside each one “How are you feeling Sunset?”

Sunset sighed “I don’t know. I’m grateful to have a roof over my head but on the other hand I feel like I’m intruding, like I’m taking that which I don’t deserve.”

Cozy nodded “I understand the feeling, when I first started living here I felt very much the same. Like I was an intruder taking what wasn’t mine but dad took care of me, reassuring me whenever I felt down. You need this Sunset, a safe environment not just to heal and grow. A place where you can be normal.”

Sunset smiled as she began to eat, tears forming in her eyes “Sho goosh.” Cozy and Tirek smiled as their new guest happily consumed her food. Sunset looked at them tears in her eyes “I haven't eaten more than scraps for years. Thank you so much.”

Tirek gave her a gentle hug “No-one should have to deal with that, no matter what they have done. Still you have to go to school as much as it pains me to say it.”

Cozy scowled as she saw Sunset’s fearful expression “I won’t allow anyone to harm you! No matter what happens!”

Tirek nodded “If something happens I will make a formal complaint, they will take that quite seriously. I don’t make complaints often.”

Sunset smiled weakly “Thanks, I better get ready.”

Cozy sighed “It’s not going to be easy for her is it. I doubt there will be many who would side with her, people can be quite nasty.”

Tirek frowned “Yes but they also can be quite kind, there are good and bad people out as well as every step in between. There are others who won’t go after her, don’t worry so much.”

Cozy frowned “I hope you’re right.” Twenty minutes later Sunset came downstairs with a bag in a seat of clean clothes, Cozy smiled to Sunset hiding her own misgivings “Come on, let’s get going.”

Tirek smiled “I’ll take you to school for the next few weeks, get you adjusted to living with us.” Sunset sat next Cozy who helped soothe her rampant nerves. Tirek smiled as they pulled in “Sunset, I wish you luck today.”

Sunset and Cozy headed out only to see see Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy standing there. Rainbow Dash walked over to the two of them with a frown, Cozy grimaced “Let me guess Princess Twilight wanted you to help Sunset.”

Rainbow frowned “Yes” she then turned to Sunset “I am going to honest with you, you hurt me a lot. I was alone for years because of you and that won’t go away in a day but I’m willing to try to put the past behind us. We may become friends one day.”

Sunset sighed “I understand, that is better than I expected.”

Rainbow sighed “My friends seem really eager to help you but I’m not sure why." She then muttered under her breath “I hope they aren’t doing it for other reasons.”

Sunset approached the group nervously with Cozy beside her, Rarity’s eyes narrowed at Cozy “What are doing hanging out with her? She is not the type of person you wish to associate with.”

Cozy was about to retort when Sunset snarled “You can say what you want about me, about what I’ve done in the past but Cozy is my friend! She offered me a hand when no-one else would, she had nothing to gain from helping me yet she did anyway!” Rainbow gave a slight smile as she watched Sunset stand up for someone other than herself.

Applejack frowned “Sunset, one does not earn injuries like that at her age without being involved in something bad.”

Rainbow watched as Sunset snapped “You have no right to say something like that about someone you don’t know! Besides the past is past, has she done anything bad at the entire time she has been at the school?”

Pinkie Pie rubbed the back of her head “No but she looks like scary, half her face is missing.”

Rainbow frowned stepping “I believe we all owe Cozy Glow an apology” she then turned to Cozy “I’m sorry that I let that go on so long, and to my shame I thought the same as they did. Sunset was willing to protect you, the Sunset I knew from before would never do that.” Rainbow turned to Sunset with a small smile “I believe you can change for the better, I can already see it happening.”

Cozy raised an eyebrow “You surprise Rainbow Dash, I always saw you as a dumb jock. I always took you as the ego driven type.”

Rainbow frowned “I turned on my friends over something stupid, I let my own ego blind me. I will not let that happen again. I have to discuss some things with the others.”

Sunset gave Rainbow a weak smile “Thanks Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow smiled back “Call me Rainbow.” Sunset and Cozy headed into the school as Rainbow turned to her other friends, she growled “Okay can you explain to me what the fuck was that all about? Other than Fluttershy you all criticised Cozy as soon as you saw her!”

Rarity gasped “Rainbow, language.”

Rainbow snapped “Rarity, now is not the fucking time! We are supposed to be helping Sunset, I was not hundred percent sold on the idea at first but from that short exchange I can see she is trying to change! Yet you turn on the person who seems to be her first friend!”

Applejack growled “Rainbow, Ah don’t trust that girl! Sunset should not be at the point where she can shout us down so brazenly! She wronged us all!”

Rainbow punched Applejack in the gut brining the Apple farmer to her knees “Applejack! We are supposed to teach her value of friendship, not push our pent up anger on her! She has taken an important first step and that’s what matters, think on what I have said!” Rainbow stormed off to find Sunset and Cozy leaving her friends confused and stunned.

Author's Note

I felt like Rainbow would be the one to be initially a little cautious of Sunset but at the same time be mor eopne and honest about herself after reflecting on her past actions.