Expectations of Reality

Sunset sipped her water. Carefully watching the TV news channel that was pretty boring. She sighed and turned off the television before looking out her window as the sky turned twilight. She sighed. The hospital was comfortable, much more comfortable than her current home but she wanted to escape. She wanted to be alone in case...In case she had more nightmares. She wanted to go home in case she needed to...Cut again.

She shifted her position slightly. Choosing to look at the open door to see passing nurses and patients out of pure boredom. It's not like she had anyone to talk to. Everyone hated her. Not that she could blame them. She was a horrible person.

Her breathing paused when she saw Bini walking past her door with determination but stopped and paused as someone called out to her. Bini stopped right outside her door, her eyes were bloodshot as if she had been crying. Then a girl with a purple dress and purple bow in her dark hair that was pulled into a messy bun ran up to her. Sunset stared at the unfamiliar girl's hands and dress. Was that blood? Bini had red stains on the front of her sweater and scarf and hands as well.

Bini wiped her hands on her pants in a frantic motion, but it was dried so none was coming off.

"It's not coming off, Chocolate. It's not!" She cried out as more tears filled her eyes and slowly trickled down her face. The girl, whose name Sunset now assumed was named "Chocolate" grabbed Bini's hands and pushed them to Bini's chest.

"C-Calm down. We can't panic now. He is only in emergency surgery. He could have easily died on the way over here but he didn't. It was only one stab wound. It's not like the drug dealer slit his throat."

Drug dealer?

Stab wound?

Against Sunset's better judgment, she began purposely eavesdropping. Her curiosity was peaked but she felt awful. She used to eavesdrop all the time, she was trying to change. She had to change or else...Or else...

Or else what? She would die? Would that really be such a bad thing?

"Right. Right." Bini said with a nod. She tightened her messy ponytail as a guy a bit taller than Bini and Chocolate with a mohawk, a tank top with some blood on it, and a tattoo on his shoulder.

"I called Crysalis. Arone's mom. She is coming over with two of his older brothers. Thorax and Pharynx, they just got out of college for the weekend." The guy said. Chocolate and Arone nodded.

"My brother is coming over, Thunder Afternoon. You guys have never met him but he is a pretty cool older brother. He rides a motorcycle but he was pretty pissed when I told him what happened. I am going to get the longest lecture of my life. Is anyone coming to meet up with you, Bini?"

"Um...No," Bini said with a guilty expression. "You guys know me. I am not on good terms with my family. Still living like a loner."

"You should not be proud of that." Rocky said with a wave of his hand. Bini simply shrugged.

Her friends rolled their eyes and continued down the corridor, talking with each other. Bini sighed and watched them for a moment until she looked towards Sunset's room. Her eyes grew wide when she saw Sunset staring back at her. She hesitantly entered the room before looking behind her, then back to Sunset.

"Um...Hi?" Bini said nervously. Sunset waved and gestured her inside.

"Hi, Bini. I didn't expect to see you here." Sunset replied. Bini nervously chuckled, her eyes stopping on her blood-stained hands for a moment which made her expression turn sad once again. "Are you alright?"

Bini sighed and sat down on the chair next to Sunset's bed.

"Honestly, I am not doing well," Bini admitted as she picked at the dried blood on her fingers. "I made a bad decision but I have found that I don't quite regret it. If I didn't go with them...It could have been worse. Or maybe I am just giving myself too much credit. But it doesn't change the fact that one of my friends almost died today."

"I hope you don't mind me asking but..." Sunset paused. "but...What happened?"

"Arone had a new drug dealer. Chocolate Shadow and Rocky Snow were concerned so I skipped detention to go to an abandoned building in the rundown areas of the city. The drug deal went wrong of course, as I should have expected. The guy tried to rob us without getting the drugs so when Rocky hit him, he stabbed Arone as payback. We managed to get Arone away but ran like hell until we lost him in an alleyway. Chocolate called 911. The Ambulance came. Arone is in emergency surgery now. The wound was pretty deep." Bini explained.

"That sounds like a lot. I hope your friend is OK." Sunset said. Bini nodded.

"Well, he didn't die on the way to the hospital so that is a good sign. So..." Bini shifted to her side as she grabbed her charger and phone from her jacket and plugged it into the wall outlet near her chair. "What's your story? You wouldn't be here because of the fight earlier would you?"

"That's part of it."

They settled into a tense silence as Sunset didn't know what to say next. She wasn't comfortable enough to tell Bini that her demon form had caused damage to her body. She cleared her throat, getting Bini's attention. Bini looked over to her with sleepy eyes that started to drop.

"I am going to the washroom. I will be back."

Bini nodded. Sunset grabbed her IV and shuffled over to the small but clean hospital bathroom. She closed and locked the door behind her. She briefly looked up to the small open window which brought a chill to the air as cold autumn air filtered in.

She went to the washroom and started to wash her hands in front of a small normal mirror. She tried humming to block out her thoughts when she looked up to see her reflect-

No.

Her demon form was smiling back at her through the mirror with an evil grin.

"You really thought you could hide from me forever. I feel almost bad about this. It's time we talked about our future." Her demon form said with a wave of her four-fingered hand.

"You are in my imagination. You do not exist."

"That was just insulting. No wonder everybody hates you." The demon muttered. Sunset gritted her teeth.

"If you came here to push me over the edge to commit suicide, I am already halfway there. I really don't need any more encouragement." Sunset barked. "I get enough from the people at school."

"I need you to live if I am ever to become whole again. If WE are ever to become powerful enough to-"

"I don't want to hear it." Sunset interrupted. "I am never going to become you ever again. I am a changed pon-person. I am a changed person."

"You don't honestly believe that. One wrong move and you could be back to your old ways in a heartbeat." The Demon growled. "No one will ever like you. No one will ever want to be around you. Except me of course."

"Shut up," Sunset begged as the demon's words hit her like a tone of bricks. "Shut the hell up and go away."

"They only want to be around you because of power. When we become powerful again they will just use us for their own selfish needs. You can not let those pathetic humans take advantage of us like that."

Sunset took in deep breathes, trying to not believe the demon's words but she found it was getting increasingly difficult. She shook her head and braced herself against the sink with rage directed at her other side.

"I won't abuse magic ever again. I learned my lesson."

"What lesson? You have become pathetic. Becoming a doormat like that...That...Animal freak Fluttershy. You didn't even defend yourself when that bitch Gilda hit you. You had to rely on the idiot assistant at the school Library. You are worthless. Princess Celestia was right to abandon you."

"Shut up!"

Sunset smashed her fist through the mirror. The glass shattered to the ground as she stumbled back hitting the wall hard. She bit her lip to prevent yelling in pain to alert anyone else. She deserved it. She shouldn't even be alive. Alive. What was the point anymore?

She had considered the topic of suicide before. She had considered it when she was in Equestria as well. But she had more of a reason now. She picked up and long sharp piece of glass in her bleeding hand from the ground and considered her life. Her life was worthless. She had no future. She couldn't let the demon hurt anyone else, but she would. There was always a chance she could return with Sunset alive.

She unlocked the door and slowly opened the door to her hospital room to see Bini in a deep sleep, curled up in the chair. She quickly crossed the room and picked up her clothes from beside her bed. She reentered the bathroom to dress then exited being careful of her injured hand.

She slipped the glass shard into her leather pocket. She grabbed her bag, taking one last look at Bini as the sky turned dark when the night took over. She checked the hallway to make sure they were clear before running to the nearest elevator.

---End of Chapter Nine---