Sunset Shimmer…

Go away, I'm sleeping…

A light giggle.

I know my sun, I can assure you that you will have more time to sleep later.

I’m scared… I don’t want to open my eyes, I don’t want to wake up just to be back in that awful place.

…You are no longer there, you are free and in healing.

How do you know that?

Because my sun, you proved yet again how brave and resilient you are. Like a Phoenix, you will alight again.

You promise? You promise I’m not in that cage anymore? You promise I’ll be okay?

I promise.

Sunset hesitated but fluttered her eyes open. Immediately having to squint her eyes from the bright light of the sky blue sparkling void she now stood in.

Sunset stepped a goldenrod colored hoof forward as her former mentor stood tall in front of her.

“…Princess Celestia.” The now unicorn said wistfully.

The off white pink equine smiled with an attempt to hide the sadness in her eyes, “Hello my little pony, Sunset Shimmer. I see you’ve been in quite a sorts…”

For the first time in only Celestia knows, Sunset smirked, “Oh, you know me, been getting in trouble since my first magic surge, so birth basically.”

The equine sun goddess gave a light giggle in response, Sunset was quick to catch the sadness in her former mentor's eyes.

The amber unicorn kicked her front hoof back and forth, “...So… am- am I dead?”

Princess Celestia simply turned her back to Sunset giving a follow-me command movement with her head.

The two Equestrians walked side by side for a short distance before flat screens flowed around them.

Sadness, regret and guilt filled Sunset’s being at her early memories. The memories of neglect during her foulhood. Memories of desperately trying to impress that very princess she walked with. Memories of being taunted and worn down into the bitter loneliness that lead to becoming cruel and mean. Then the brief happier memories that gave her a false sense of trust with the rainboom band member's. Their sleepover’s, defeating the sirens and finally, Anon-A-Miss.

“You’ve been through quite a lot, my little sun. Unfortunately many that I hadn't been wise enough to notice.” The Equestrian ruler turned her former student, who was shaking her head.

“No, It’s not on you. I didn't handle things the best or follow nor seek your guidance, that was my mistake.” Sunset said.

“I suppose we’ve both made mistakes… I hope you know that I do dearly miss you. You taught me a lot of lessons.” Princess Celestia replied.

“I guess that’s good. You got Princess Twilight out of it.” Sunset replied feeling a lightness to her as the memories of being with her foster mother and new friends swam around the pair.

“You know you could return to Equestria and pick back up on your studies. I know Twilight Sparkle will be elated with having a partner student by her side.” The pale blush princess paused a bit ahead of Sunset noticing her former student had stopped in front of a memory, now in her human form. Princess Celestia could tell she was close to nude but her body gave a glow that didn't expose her nudity.

The now human female turned back to her equine teacher, “As great as that sounds, I can't. Not only do I have a small wonderful group of friends now, I also have her.”

Raspberry eyes of the alicorn observed the memories of her once unicorn student, falling in love with a familiar looking human. “Is that your world’s Twilight?”

Sunset nodded, “Yeah… I don't want- I can't leave her. I feel a love and care for her I’ve never felt or thought I could feel for anypony or anyone.” Sunset reached out to the memory of the girls first kiss.

“Go to her, my sun.” Celestia smiled, nuzzling her head into her former student human neck. “I'll miss you dearly but I'm so proud of you for the happiness, friends and love you’ve accomplished.”

Sunset brought her arms around The equine princesses neck, “Thank you Princess Celestia, I'll miss you too… so much.” Sunset muttered as tears brimmed her eyes.

Celestia bumped her forehead down the Sunset’s, “This isn't goodbye, We’ll see each other again.”

“Not after a crisis or near death experience right?” Sunset said, letting out a sad laugh.

Celestia’s horn grew a bright amber light and smiled, “Yes, that I can most definitely assure you.”

Sunset smiled back as the light took over her.

***

Sunset blinked her eyes open as her eyes adjusted to the bright lights of the room. The amber skinned girl turned her to the side, seeing through the window with a bright white curtain and a view of the highway next to the hospital.

A nasal cannula rested on her face and the female grunted quietly as her ribs complained to her as she slowly sat up.

“Good morning sleeping beauty.” A soft voice welcomed a light blue woman entering Sunset's vision as she sat on the edge of the bed, “How are you feeling?”

The former unicorn shrugged as her entire body ached, “I’m not too sure yet.”

Luna nodded, “That's fair. You haven't exactly had time to process yet with being asleep.”

“How long was I asleep for?” Sunset asked, feeling a fuzzy lightheadedness in her head. She also noticed her jaw gave a severe pain at being moved.

A pair of steps entered the room, “Today is Sunday, February Ninth, that makes it three days as you were found on Thursday afternoon.” A burnt orange man with middle parted brown hair said.

“It’s great to finally see you up, I’m Doctor Horse. You’ve been through quite a lot, young lady. I have been made aware that your assigned therapist will be visiting later today. Any victim of kidnapping will need one.” The doctor explained preadjusting his round glasses as he looked at a clipboard.

Sunset simply nodded.

“Well, just to read off and give you an update of your injuries, when you first came in, you had a nasty swollen black eye that is in its last stage of healing now. Your jaw is fractured, and basically your entire rib cage is bruised with six fractures and two completely broken. You also had a narrow, long gash in your left calf, the severed your gastrocnemius muscle. You’ll need to have some physical therapy, and we’ll run you through some movement tests to see how much you need. I'll also will give you a memory test in a moment as you had a grade three concussion when you first came in.”

The hospital patient nodded yet again.

“Can you rate your pain for me on this scale of one to ten?” The doctor asked, pointing to a pain scale.

The redhead put up seven fingers.

The doctor nodded and wrote on his clipboard, “Can you tell me where the pain is?”

Sunset hesitated to speak with the throbbing in her jaw, “My jaw and ribs. My head just feels funny.”

“Funny how?”

The amber girl held back a glare at the doctor, “Just lightheaded, it’s kind of hard to think.”

The doctor repeated his previous actions, “Alrighty, I'm just gonna ask you a few more questions, are you okay with that?”

The redhead nodded just wanting the medical interview to be over with.

Luna placed a hand in between Sunsets shoulder blades and rubbed in small circles as she noticed the girl’s uncomfort.

“Ok, What’s your name and age?” The brunette man asked.

“Sunset Shimmer and seventeen.” 'At least in this world's equivalent.' Sunset thought to herself.

“Birthday?”

“March Fourteenth.”

“School?”

Sunset sighed, “Canterlot High School. Do you think I can get pain help or something before we continue? My jaw is starting to kill me. Which would be yet another thing.” Sunset said with a taste of snappiness, whispering out the last sentence.

“Yes, I can get that done for you. I'll be back within an hour or so. A nurse will be by shortly with medicine and to help you with anything else you may need.” The doctor informed, leaving after giving a firm head nod.

“Don't hurry back.” Sunset said out of the side of her mouth. The amber skinned female heard her foster mother giggle and rustle around in a small fridge in the room, “Here dear, place this on your jaw, It’ll help for now.”

Sunset nodded, taking the ice pack being handed to her and placing it on her face as she layed back down. The injured girl sighed slowly as she felt a cool blue hand comb through her hair and massage her scalp relaxing her amber girl.

“Sunset, I hope you know how proud I am of you.” Luna’s smooth voice said.

The red head opened her eyes and met her human maternal figure’s. Instead of speaking, Sunset offered a teary smile.

“Good morning Miss Shimmer, It’s wonderful to see you awake. I’ve brought you some pain aid and a food menu appropriate for you. It’s what your jaw will be best to handle right now.” A nurse with ivory skin and pale blush hair wrapped in a bun explained.

“N-nurse Redheart, thank you.” Sunset said after accepting her required medication as her acting mother looked over available options of consumption.

The nurse smiled at the amber skinned girl, “You remember, I would say it’s nice to see you but under such conditions, I can't.”

The red head nodded in agreement as she saw the liquid medication begin to run through the machinery down to her.

“Can you put an order in for the strawberry pancakes? Does that sound good, Setty?” Luna spoke up.

As Sunset nodded, the Nurse wrote the request on a notepad, “I'll let the kitchen know. They’ll bring it soon and I’ll be back with the doctor later.”

With the nurse exiting the room, Sunset relaxed back onto her bed and closed her eyes, “Take a nap dear, I’ll wake you when the food arrives here.” The woman messaging her scalp said.

The red head slowly nodded as she began to drift off.

A light tap had brought the resting girl back to the waking world. A blissful plate of golden fluffy pancakes with strawberry pieces mixed in filled the patients waking vision. Sunset almost cried at the sight but her first bite claimed the cause of her tears failing.

Luna entered her vision looking concerned, “Are you alright, Sunset?”

Sunset nodded her head quickly, “It’s so ghood.” She replied in bliss before shoving more in her mouth, quickly.

The woman giggled, “Well try to slow down, otherwise you’ll get a stomach ache.”

The only response the young adult got was a millisecond slowdown. The cool skinned woman’s teal eyes shifted to the hospital room's door as gentle footsteps entered.

A lavender skinned female with long streaked indigo hair waved at the vice principal before looking in Sunset direction.

“Princess Twilight?” Sunset said with surprise.

Princess Twilight Sparkle. The first Twilight that the school dean had met. Luna could definitely see the difference between the two Twilight’s. The original human Twilight looked like an actual high school student with younger features compared to the pony princess who looked more befitting to be a college student.

“Hi Sunset. Hello Vice Principal Luna. We’ve all had quite a rough week huh?” The equestrian princess lightheartedly asked despite the serious sadness and concern in her voice.

“Yea you could say that.” Sunset replied as the princess walked up to her and leaned down in a hug of greetings.

“How’s Equestria been? You stopped replying in the journal for a couple days, before... well you know. I was getting worried.” The redhead asked the pony princess turned human.

The long indigo haired equestrian tucked her hands into hoof like fist, “It's a bit of a long story but you remember that powerful mage I told you about?”

Sunset nodded, Dear Celestia was Princess Twilight going to find it funny when Sunset tells her that this dangerous unicorn’s human counterpart is one of her bestest friends. Sunset then wondered what her Starlight would think after learning she has a pony counterpart that is wanted and considered dangerous. The amber skinned female's thoughts then drifted to her Twilight and how both her and the pony princess would or will react to each other. Especially Princess Twilight with their relationship.

“Well basically she created a spell that could turn back time and create alternate dimensions that all ended up being super terrible in their own ways so we had to convince her to stop using the spell. She did luckily after being talked down, turns out it was all because she lost a childhood friend. All is well now as Starlight Glimmer is officially my second student.” The princess winked at Sunset after explaining her misadventure.

The redhead briefly thought if what the pony Starlight was going through was the same for her human friend.

Sunset's tapped her chin for moment in thought of the situation, “Huh, that's actually kind of impressive, did she use Starswirl's turn back spell?”

The princesses eyes lit up, “Yes! When I get back to Equestria I plan on experimenting with her to learn how she alters and adds to spells. I can write a research paper on it and utilize it too!”

The redhead smirked, “Sounds like fun. You'll have to let me know hoe that goes and I send Celestia's aid for Starlight.”

“Hmm. I'm not obsessive... well not anymore.” Princess Twilight huffed and placed her hands on her hips.

The conversation came to a pause as two pairs of footsteps entered. "Well well, if it isn't the pony princess. Where were you?! Trixie had used the journal many times for help- not that the great and powerful Trixie needed it- and yet you ignored it!" The nasal voiced magician half yelled.

"Trix, which your volume, we're in a hospital." Starlight said placing a hand on the silver haired girls shoulder.
The couple started to bicker as Trixie stated she didn't care.

Luna sipped loudly on her beverage that Sunset just noticed she had.

Sunset pursed her lips at the woman.

As the the couple bickered Luna and Sunset shared a giggle as the princess kept her fisted hands close to herself with confused eyes shifting between the pairs.

"Despite.. that." Princess Twilight started looking nervous, "Sunset...This world is obviously very dangerous, even without evil magic. Even more so it seems. I wasn't sure if it was safe for you here after you had- after that internet thing happened but now I'm sure of it."

"Woah woah woah, Princess," Trixie said with snark lacing her voice, jumping in front of Sunset's bed, "You can't just make that decision for her. The Great and Powerful Trixie is well aware that our world is troublesome but Sunny isn't going to be leaving her friends behind."

Starlight Glimmer joined the illusionist side, "I don't really know you but the situation is going to be handled efficiently. Steps to keep Sunset safe and ensure a healthy recovery are already being taken."

"The two girls tell the truth Princess Twilight Sparkle." The adult woman said from her seat.

"These steps should have been taken in the first place, Our ruler, Princess Celestia has noted her disdain for this side of the portal after I gave my reports on Sunset's state of being and I completely agree. If it were up to me Sunset Shimmer will return and resume her studies as the powerful mage she is." The princess countered.

"Hey! It's not up to you! Princess or not! Suns-" Trixie started as her voice fainted out as Sunset mentally checked out of the conversation.

She had already had the discussion with her former teacher. Right? That realm she was in was real wasn't it? It felt real. It felt like the sun goddess was right by her side like she had been in the past. Sunset knew too well how much she missed her former teacher. Not only that but also the body she was born with. The former unicorn missed galloping, missed her horn and missed her magic most of all. A deep part of her wishes she never had that argument with Celestia and never ran into the portal all those years ago. But her annoyingly persistent and curious selfish bratiness just had to cloud her mind and judgment when she was young.

There's also the underlying fear rumbling in her chest as she sat in a hospital bed for the second time as the three way argument flew past her ears. Gilda. Those boys. That gang. Where they going to chase her and hunt her down as long as she remained in this world? Sunset didn't think she could deal with that paranoia. This felt like a new trauma to add to the list, in which Sunset was still trying to understand and accept the she had any at all. It's not exactly common or outspoken in Equestria compared to the human world. To be afraid to walk down the street, to turn a corner, that simply just wasn't a thing. Yes, this world is dark and cruel and she missed the light air and bright skies and colors of Equestria so so much.

Sunset shifted her glossy eyes towards the group debating in front of her. Trixie had her hand on hips defensively as she made her points of allowing Sunset to stay in the human world, while Starlight looked so mad her face was nearly red. That was something the too definitely could share and Luna, her human foster mother, allowed the somewhat heated debate to continue but looked ready to pounce to either join or stop any altercations.

Sunset almost found it funny. Luna, the very opposite of Celestia, who was the first mother figure Sunset had ever truly known, had become the mother figure Sunset always craved. The redhead dearly missed Princess Celestia still. In the beginning there had been good and pure moments. With soapy bubble bath's from the princess after running around in the palace maze to running and playing around the palace with the princess and Philomena after Sunset had opened her egg, helped her through her first ash rise and gained her cutie mark. The ultimate ruler of the equine kingdom though, simply had little time on her winged back and those moments became rarer and rarer until they simply become none. The lunar being had proved to be what Sunset needed. The night goddesses counterpart was understanding, sympathetic, and gave the time of day or night and great advice while also knowing mental hardships and being snarky.

There was also Twilight. Her Twilight. Nerdy, scientific and adorkable human Twilight that evoked certain emotions and wants Sunset Shimmer had never known she would have for a human being. It was ironic in its own way.

The redhead couldn't leave them. Not her Sparkes, not her tactful human mother, and not her friends. Her friends, the real ones. The people that stood for her, gave her a chance, listened and cared about her. And not to forget her little Ray.

Tears soon befell from the tealed eyed patient, the four all quickly came to a stop and looked at Sunset with concern at the sound of her sniffling. Through her large tears Sunset looked up at the four females in the room and gave a large grin, "I'm okay, just thinking." Sunset wiped her tears from her flushed cheeks and took a deep breath.

"Princess Twilight, thank you for your concern, really. Tell Princess Celestia, I'm always thinking of her and I will visit Equestria soon but I'm gonna stay here." The amber skinned girl confirmed.

Princess Twilight frowned, "What? Why?"

"Because there's too many people and things here that I've learned to love. My friends, my family and my special person all have their lives here. While Equestria will always be my home and where I'm from, I've gained and started a life here too that I cant- don't want to leave behind. I miss magic and studying it but as it continues in this world I'll study and watch thing over on this end." The redhead said.

"But-"

Sunset brought her hand up, interrupting the Princess, " I know, trust me I know, this world is dangerous and scary and I've gone through alot in a short time while here but it doesn't change how I feel about the friends and people I love here."

The lavender princess wiped a tear away and nodded, "You know, I couldn't be more proud of the pony- or person you've become Sunset Shimmer, and I know Princess Celestia feels the same, even more so." The princess sat on Sunset bed in embracing her in a long hug.

"Hmm, Trixie told you." The silver haired female said crossing her arms and pointing her head up.

Everyone looked at her baffled for a moment before the indigo haired royal pony turned man looked back to Sunset, "I want a weekly report from the both of us, at least, at the end of each week, promise?" Princess Twilight requested.

With a determined smile Sunset nodded, "Promise."

Author's Note

Hiii, Back with it again after over a week, my bad

Sunny seems to be fine after the debacle, right?