As the early days of the week passed, Sunset found her psyche feeling lighter and brighter than she had felt in a while. Her injuries began to heal and the sessions with Dr.Light had been actually beneficial, which was a surprise to her. There was also the fact that her principal’s- especially V.P. Luna, and her new official friend Trixie, we’re visiting her everyday; along with the human Twilight, who admittedly has been her favorite company.

The days had also allowed the fiery maned teen to indulge and further her skills in illustration as she lost more and more pages in her sketchbook. Sunset has also found the time to write a new song of her own and practice as Luna brought in one of the amber teens guitars- per her request. The former unicorn still loved creating and playing music, the difference now was a start of a solo career instead of the band she had gotten used to.

The late afternoon had reached Sunset quick as her hour long therapy session had boosted the clock by. As the doctor and the redheads sessions went on throughout the week, Sunset found that talking and conversion had become easier, she still didn't want to open up entirely- some things were just too difficult to talk about. The nightly shaded therapists spoke with her in a calm, patient and comforting manner. Something Sunset hadn't been shown much of often.

Their session that day consisted of Nightlight inquiring the guarded teen of her personal interest, and teaching of staying in the moment of what she was currently doing, as a way to deflect her mind's quick path to destructive, pessimistic thoughts. Nightlight had instructed the teen to pay attention to the way her pencil felt in her hand, how the graphite marked her page, and listened to her hands obey to create lines. How the notes she chose to put down joined together to create the song and emotion she evoked from herself. Fortunately, Sunset had that and her new couple friends were fairly sufficient to ease her mind's depressing thoughts. Though the amber skinned teen found herself unsure of how much longer they could continue speaking of her hobbies, eventually the past would come up; in which for obvious reasons she couldn't be entirely truthful about. Sunset thought perhaps she could ask for advice on that with her new foster mother as the therapist encouraged that she sought out advice for ones she trusted to help her.

With a knock on her door, Sunset looked up and felt her lips light up into a small smile as she witnessed the ponytailed, glasses adorned teen open her door with a book in hand, bright eyes and a bright smile.

“Hi Sunnybun! Sorry I'm a bit later today- I was in my lab at school and lost track of time.”

Sunset couldn’t help but give a single blink in confusion, “Sunnybun?”

The lavender teen giggled, “Yea, I thought it was a cute nickname, I won't use it if you don't want me too.”

“No, It’s okay.” Sunset closed her sketchbook giving her indigo haired friend her attention, “I actually kind of like it, Sparkes.”

Twilight smiled, showing her dimples, “Wonderful! And I have quite the liking of your nickname for me as well. Are you looking forward to leaving tomorrow?”

“Yea I think so. I know I’m ready to not have to be in the hospital anymore but..” The redhead looked off the side as she thought for a moment. It was true, she was happy to leave the hospital and be back in her own space, even if the space was moved to an actual home with parental watch now. That made her a bit nervous. The both and only times she lived with guardians ended badly somehow, from the sun family in Sire’s Hallow, that was related to her as Stellar Flare was her deceased mother’s sister. Sunset didn't entirely blame Stellar, she didn't ask for two foals to care for at the same time. In which both fouls had powerful surges indicating their future high magical power, with Sunset’s especially being much too powerful and destructive for normal unicorns. As Sunset grew older she came to an understanding that she wasn't wanted- that she had only been there because her aunt didn't know what else to do with her. Luckley for Mrs.Flare-Burst, Sunset thought, the unicorn fillies magic levels were high enough to be sent to magic kindergarten at Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, almost too high. Then there was Princess Celestia, noticing the warm arrayed filly and thus making the setting sun’s representative her student. Sunset felt sadness, regret and longing in her, thinking about her fall and fight with the Princess that led to her running away to a whole other world.

Lastly, there was the matter of returning to school, she felt a lot of fixed emotions about that, from scared and sad to- oddly, a bit of defying pride. A part of her was looking forward into strutting into the school, looking newer than ever with a strong strut, giving a ‘fuck you’ look to all the peers that wronged her, now that the real anon-a-miss had been revealed.

The human twilight must have noticed Sunset’s sudden dampened mood, “Do you-do you wanna talk about it?” Twilight said, pushing up her glasses and sitting on the bed close to the amber teen.

Sunset shrugged, “Uh, It’s not a big deal. It’s just that I haven't exactly lived with an adult in a while, and they’ve been bad experiences. Also going back to school, I don't know how people are going to react to me. I don't know how much they know of what I did, but my friend, Trixie mentioned that there's been rumors since I've been gone for about three weeks.”

The former unicorn could see the gears in her new human friend's head, with her fist resting on chin, “I see.” Purple eyes behind glasses looked into light blue eyes, “I understand your fear, I also have trouble with my peers. Some can be mean, but you and the people you allow know the truth, I’ll give you the advice my dad gives me, to keep my head up and have confidence and trust in myself. It’s easier said than done but the times I’ve managed to be successful it went a long way.”

Sunset smiled, “ Thanks Sparkes, I appreciate it and I'm definitely gonna try. I think i'm kind of looking forward to it too, I just wanna walk up and down the halls with my middle fingers up saying, ‘fuck you bitches’.”

Twilight laughed, “Yea, that'll do it.”

The two teens laughed together, as they settled down, the two teens studied each other's faces. Sunset noticed what her human twilight looked at her lips, causing the red and gold streaked teen to smirk. The ponytailed teen readjusted her seat, collecting herself, “I was wondering,” Sparkes bit her bottom lip nervously, “Since you are being discharged tomorrow, would you like to hang out?”

Sunset grew a wide smile, feeling happiness swell the magic inside her core, “I would love to, Sparkes.”

The bookworm's eyes shined as a bright, wide smile adorned her face, “Great! I’ll meet you here at three. Also, since we finished our book yesterday, I brought a new one I thought you would like, it has magical elements in it.”

“I should be ready for our date by then, and sound’s good to me.” Sunset said, radiating a confidence she thought she had long lost as she witnessed the lavender cheeks blush.

***

On Thursday morning, Sunset Shimmer couldn’t help but feel a bit giddy because she was being discharged in only an hour. The fiery redhead will be introduced to her new home space, which she still felt nervous about- still worrying about potentially becoming a burden to the owner of the home. There’s also the fact she gets to hang out with her cru- friend that resembles an equestrian princess.

The nurse instructed her to cease the bouncing excitement in her leg as the ebony woman removed the large stitches from the teens long vertical wounds. As the nurse removed the half down stitch from the first arm a knock called from the door, “You can enter!” The nurse called to the person on the other side of the door.

Sunset was welcomed to the sight of an evening arrayed vice principal that has now become a foster mother. “Good morning Sunset, hello Chryssy.” The soothing voice said.

Sunset gave a light smile, “Good morning Miss Luna, do you two know each other?” The amber skinned teen asked, noticing how the cool colored woman addressed the nurse by first name.

The green haired nurse gave a coy laugh, “Yeah we know each other a bit, this place is familiar for us, isn’t Lu Lu?” The nurse gave a sly smirk to the administrator. Luna gained some color to her cheeks, “Yes, that’s true.” Teal eyes looked up at Sunset, “We’ve been friends since about your age Sunset, we met in… similar circumstances.” That confirmed the former unicorn’s suspicions towards a troubled past under the Vice Principals belt, now she just wondered how similar it was to the Princess of the moon past.

The teen gave her new legal guardian a nod in understanding, not wanting to pry.

“I take it you're excited to leave. I’ve got your room at my home all set up and ready, I know your little gecko will be happy.” Luna said, with gentleness in her eyes.

Sunset brightened considerably at the mention of her Ray and getting to reunite with the reptile. “I’m very happy to see him again.” Sunset said, a warm smile growing on her face.

As the nurse finished applying the moisturizer to the teens new stitch free scars, “Alright, you're all done, I’ll go check on your discharge paperwork, you should be out in the next half hour.”

With the green haired nurse making her exit, Luna walked to the seat by the amber teens bed. The two carried on a light conversation that helped soothe Sunset's anxieties a bit towards living in another’s home. Ten minutes had quickly gone by and a gentle yet stern knock paused the talk.

“Good morning, ladies.” The dark blue therapist greeted.

“Hello doctor.” The lighter blue woman greeted back, while the fore resembling teen gave a bob with a small smile.

“I know you're glad to leave, so I’ll keep it short.” The doctor handed a small stack of stapled paper to the teen's guardian. “Sunset Shimmer will have sessions with me every Friday at four, unless she decides to look out for a different therapist. There are also the prescribed antidepressants, two a day, preferably after food. These are the same ones she’s been taking here, they appear to be compatible. If they start causing odd side effects let me know and we’ll see to getting them changed.” Sunset witnessed Luna nodding along, as for the teen she only slightly understood. She knew well that she had been taking mood persuasive medication, but she didn’t fully know why they were so important to humans. She made a mental note to research it later.

“With that Miss Shimmer, I will see you tomorrow afternoon.” Nightlight gave a thumbs up to the teen and a smile.

“Thank you for helping me Dr. Light, I’ve realized it’s actually beneficial.” Sunset said with a smirk growing on her face.

The doctor laughed, “Well, good to know I’m doing my job right.”

After the hospital’s therapists left, teal eyes looked into turquoise ones, “I’m proud of you, Sunset Shimmer, you’ve truly come a long way. There may have been many bumps, but you’ve still managed to find ways to prevail.”

Sunset smiled with a bit of sadness weaving through her expression and eyes, “Thank you, that- that means a lot.” The fiery redhead found herself wrapped up in a hug, appreciating the warmth and emotion radiating from the human counterpart of the moon goddess, Sunset closed her eyes and allowed herself to be in the moment.

***

The ride to the home had been calm as the vice principal played lofi music that almost had the former unicorn drift off the sleep. As the cool colored woman pulled up to the home that Sunset would now reside in she smirked a bit seeing how the house and the larger one right next to it represented the two polaring sisters. Luna’s home was a quaint and quiet dark blue modern Victorian home. The landscape consisted of lavenders, and moonflowers. The front porch had a wall decorum to the left of the black front door, it being a smiling moon with closed eyes and glittering stars surrounding it.

As Luna unlocked the front door, Sunset looked at the home to the right of the house, being the center home at the circling court road. The amber skinned teen was able to guess it was Principal Celestia’s as it was a white modern home with many windows, decorated with sunflowers and yellow chrysanthemums. There was a similar wall decor to the left of the principal's door, except it was a sun with sharp, straight and curving rays that held the same smile with open eyes.

Fully entering the darker themed home, sunset was met with a hall that held the stairs. The right held the first room being a study with a lounge chair, large bookcase and a standard desktop. Further down the hall was the open space that consisted of the dark grays and blacks with hints of calming blues, purples and greens, decorating the kitchen and dining shared space to the living room and small bathroom on the left. Looking at the hall’s pictures, the frames held home to stellular photographs, family photos that showed child versions of her two principals, and pictures showing Luna as a teen to now with her friends, some with more romantic touches with a male, Sunset didn’t recognize.

The home was what Sunset both hadn’t and had been what she expected. The owner of the home layed down Sunsets medical files on the kitchen counter, “I’m sure you're hungry, I know how unfulfilling hospital food can be. Would you like some soup? I made sure everything was vegetarian friendly.” Luna said with a gentle smile.

“I- yes please, that would be really good.”

The redhead hadn’t truly realized just how hungry she was; for as soon as the bowl settled on the table in front of her, the teen found herself practically inhaling the wonderful liquid and solid sharing consumption.

The older woman giggled, “Right, I see that was a good idea.” Picking up the bowl and her own plate, Luna began washing off the dishes, placing them into the washer. “Come along, I’ll show you to your room.” Sunset quickly stood, suddenly feeling giddy at knowing who and what awaited her.

“I do hope you’ll like it. Putting guitars on a wall is not as easy as I had thought.” The wavy evening blue haired woman said.

“I already like it, just from the fact you cared enough.”

Luna looked back at her mid way up the stairs, giving a gentle smile with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Making sight with the open space that layed out the second floor, had consisted of another lounge chair, a coffee table, a well sized tv, and… was that her Xbox? Looking at the controllers, Sunset confirmed that. They were the same dark blue controllers with little sun stickers adorning them.

“Figured you wouldn’t want to lose that, plus we already had the tv up here.” Luna explained, walking up the door farthest to the left, closest to the stairs and opening it, “Here you are.” The cool colored woman said, gesturing to the room. Sunset entered the room to find walls painted a pastel yellow with a low bed frame that allowed the magenta comforter, decorated with her cutie mark design, to lightly touch the floor. Two white night stands both ropes with round magenta lamps. The opposite side of the room held a small closet and a tall white, vertical dresser, that made room for the gaming pc sitting on her same desk from the factory and fairy lights hanging above. The rug on the floor, centering the room was another rendition of her cutie mark. The right wall was accessorized by the guitars the teen loved to play, the rest of the walls held posters of bands, and video games she liked plus the ever so humorous unicorn poster in the center. Taking in the sight of all the care and detail to the new space she could call hers brought the all too much neglected teen to tears. Walking further into the room she caught sight of the small table, on the surface sat her ever so missed best friend's tank. Sunset briskly walked to the tank, seeing her Ray of Sunshine, he looked at her and flicked his tongue out, excitedly spinning in a circle. Amber hands picked the gecko up and brought him close her face, nuzzling the side of her face with his.

Sunset began to cry, feeling a rare happiness she had only felt twice in her lifetime. She thought maybe, this time, everything really would be okay.

Author's Note

Hi! I hope you all good holidays!
I’m pretty excited for the next two chapters! We get more Sciset and a back to school chapter.
how will will our sunny do? Is the school prepared for her return? What will they do??
So much!
Thank you all for reading!
Please feel free to comment and interact :D