Everything felt so familiar yet so foreign as red and gold hair curls tousled in light wind as she opened her eyes being met with a light blue void accompanied with a white speckled path.

‘What is this? Where am I? Am…am I dead?’

“Not completely.” A regal voice as light as day spoke.

Sunset looked up to see a white figure in the shape of an alicorn with her large wings fanned out, a heavenly light glowing behind the horse.

“Princess Celestia?” The former unicorn whispered.

The sun goddess walked up to her past pupil turned human. “Sunset Shimmer, I’ve missed you.” The white alicorn said as she bent down nuzzling her head into the now human girl's neck.

Sunset stood still, not knowing how to respond. After a moment of silence the amber human reached her arms up, wrapping them around her former teacher’s equine neck and began to sob. The ruler of Equestria wrapped her wings around the weeping human form.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” The past amber unicorn weeped, hugging her past mentor tightly. Afraid if she let go she would be alone again.

“It’s okay Sunset, Twilight has kept me up to date on your progress. I'm proud of your want and desire to become the compassionate, caring, and supportive potential friend I always saw in you .” Princess Celestia said with pride as she raised her past student’s chin with her hoof to meet eyes.

“H-how can you forgive me so easily? I was terrible, conniving, and power hungry… I was a monster.” Sunset said, looking off into the blue sparking void that surrounded her and the goddess.

“Because you’ve realized your mistakes. It’s okay to forgive yourself too.” Princess Celestia offered the girl a warm smile. The equestrian princess’s smile turned into a frown remembering why they were here. “I see… how much pain you’ve been in, not only now but in the past as well, even with me. I can’t not control your decision, if you truly desire to leave for the afterlife you can but I’d like to advise you not to…” The ivory goddess said with sadness.

“Why not. It’s not like it matters, I have nothing left, no friends, no family, no purpose.” Sunset said as tears began to fall again.

“I know it may seem that way now but I assure you, a bright future awaits you. One filled with hope, friends and love.” Princess Celestia said.

Sunset stared at her Princess then looked down at her feet, “…but I’m scared. What if I make friends or forgive my ones now and they end up leaving me again. It’s happened twice now and you saw how it broke me both times. I can’t take it again.” The human girl said with tears overtaking her cheeks.

“Sunset, trust yourself, and your destiny, the light will find you.”

“I’ve missed you.” The redhead said once again hugging the magic filled horse.

“Your time is not up, go back and claim your name, you know who you are and so will your friends. Will you go back, Sunset Shimmer?”

The unicorn transformed to human thought for a moment as determination crossed her emotions, “Yes.”

The powerful equestrian goddess smiled earnestly at her past student as a golden light shone at the top of her horn, the same golden light surrounding the human.

A pair of aquamarine eyes fluttered open and were met with a while ceiling. The eyes shifted around the room giving her brain information it needed to process where she was.

“Sunset!” A lavender figure appeared before her eyes from the right.

“Princess Twilight? I am in a hospital?” the loopy brained teen asked. She began to lift her body upward, her arms were sore with an aching pain like they had been punched repeatedly and her brain felt light and fuzzy from medicine.

“Yes to both of your questions. How are you feeling?” The pony princess turned human queried.

The fiery haired female looked up at her mostly indigo haired friend. “Im fine, a little sore, but fine.” The royal couldn't help just gawk at her emotionally troubled friend.

“Fine? Fine?! Y-you remember what happened right? I-I mea-” the scatterbrain began only to be cut off by a warm colored hand covering her mouth.

“Yes I remember, all too well.” Sunset looked down into her lap and brought her arm down with her. She looked at the heavy bandages covering her arms up the elbow. Sunset looked at them with sadness, Princess Celestia had convinced her to stay alive, to give her destiny a chance, a large part of her regretted the decision.

The princess noticed the dejected look in the girl's eyes, “Sunset-” she began but was once again cut off, this time by the room's door opening and a nurse and vice principal Luna entering the room.

Luna pointed a relieved smile towards the patient. “Good morning- or I suppose I should say afternoon. I'm so happy to see you awake.”

Sunset’s eyebrows became lopsided, “Afternoon? How long have I been asleep?”

The nurse, who had cream near white skin and light peach pink hair, wrapped into a tight bun, stepped over to Sunset’s IV, checking the girls vitals, “A day and a half, it’s one fifteen as of now, I’m your nurse, Red Heart, I’m going to go fetch the doctor for you, we have a few things to go over.”

The three females watched as the nurse left the room with a clipboard in hand. The two healthy cool colored females looked to Sunset’s direction with sympathy behind their eyes. “It’s good timing you woke up, I brought you some food you might like. It’s just a simple caesar salad and apple juice.” Luna said as she placed down a paper bag and sat in the chair on the left to the bed.

Sunset looked up at the bag and began to reach for it, finding herself to be hungry, only to discover it was difficult and painful to raise her arms so much. The two on both of her sides must have realized this, Luna picked the consumable items out of the bag, placing it down on a lap tray for the injured girl, as Princess Twilight grabbed the utensils needed, though rather awkwardly, and placed them down.

“Thank you.” The light bronze girl whispered out, feeling weak and useless.

“Please, you don't have to thank us, it’s what friends do.” Princess Twilight said, the latter almost sounded like it was a requirement for her to say- as if she were getting a point across.

After opening the plastic seal and taking a few small bits of the salad the door separating the room from the hallway opened. “Good afternoon, Miss.Simmer.” A professional voice said as the doctor, with bronze skin and brunette hair and eyes accessorized with glasses, followed by a white skinned, blue streaked haired cop walked in.

“I’m glad to see you awake, you fought a valiant battle, it was quite the scare.” The doctor started, pushing his glass up the bridge of his nose. Sunset could see Princess Twilight fidgeting as she quickly and quietly stood up and exited the room. The cop gave a curious look but shifted his gaze back to the patient, returning unphased. The doctor spoke again, “I know you’ve probably been asked this many times already since you’ve woken up but can you scale one to ten, tell me how you're feeling.” The medical professional said while pointing to a chart with varying pain emojis.

“Um, I guess eight.” Sunset said.

“Okay can you explain what hurts and the pain?” The doctor replied.

Sunset held back an eye roll, ‘Shouldn't that be obvious?’ The amber teen made eye contact with the doctor and slightly held up her arms. “My arms are sore and ache. I have a weird piercing pain in my stomach too.”

“That all makes sense. Your stomach pains come from a kidney infection. Did you have a period of time where you weren’t using the bathroom?” The doctor said with professionalism.

Sunset looked away embarrassed, “yes.” The teen said feeling a hand come in between her shoulder blades beginning to run circles into her back, which to her surprise had been comforting and aided in relaxing a little.

“That explains the infection. Luckily it's only in the early stages, so medicine and a couple days to a week will clear that up. As for your forearms, they took some heavy damage, the radial artery in one of your arms and been severed a bit, you'll need some physical therapy to help you get back their strength and skill in writing again.” The doctor said occasionally looking at the clipboard. “That concludes my talk with you, I’ll be back later with the nurse in the evening.” Sunset offered a nod as the doctor gave a pat on the shoulder to the cop passing off an indivisible mic to him.

The cop placed his bright eggshell hands into his packets, a bit shifty as he looked a bit uncomfortable, he made eye contact with teenage patient, “I’m Officer Armour, I’ve been put on your case as we’ve come to an understand heavy amounts of bullying and harassment by adults were made against you. Observing the footage of the security cameras in the school that where lent to us, it was quite obvious that the three eighteen year olds…,” the officer pulled a list out of his pocket and began reading off, “ThunderLane, Rainbow Dash, and Gilda Griff had all committed assaults against you. If you wish you can press charges against them.” Officer Armour unformed the paled amber teen.

“Oh… I-I don't want to do that, I don't want their lives to be ruined over some dumb high school drama.” Sunset said, and she meant it. She knew all too well of making bad decisions, hurting others, she's been thankful and lucky no one reported her. Sunset also didn't want to ruin Rainbow Dash, even if she cut the former unicorn deep, the prisma colored hair girl had given her a chance before, Sunset felt she could do the same. As for Gilda on the other hand and her disgusting perverted gang, she could only hope they are found out.

The cop gave a bit of a surprised look, “If you're sure, I will let you know, Miss. Griff has had a warrant made for her arrest along with three males for gang activity, I’m required to ask, have you had any problematic run-ins with them, anything to build more on their case?”

Sunsets froze, a troubled look in her eyes, she could feel herself starting to tremble and her breathing becoming quick and hard to grasp. “I-I- don't ha-ve any evidence.” She said with a shaky breath as Luna came into her vision with a concerned look.

“That's fine. All I need is a precise as possible retelling and the location it accrued. I'll take care of the rest.” The redhead then told the officer of what Glidas gang had nearly fully succeeded to do to her along with where the alley way was, by the end the girl had been reduced to sobs, remembering the fear. The evening palleteed woman gave the teen a side hug, continuing to rub calming circles in her back, a strong fire that could make the moon as bright as the sun in her eyes.

“Thank you, you're brave, being able to handle that and talk to me about it. I’ll let you get some rest.” Officer Armor said placing a voice recorder in his pocket, Sunset thought she could see tears in his eyes.

After a couple minutes Sunset had calmed down enough to continue her food made by her vice principal, it had been delicious, almost as good as the ones she would eat in the royal palace. Princess Twilight re-entered the room, “That was close, we’re lucky he didn't immediately recognize me, this long mane seems to be good at covering faces.”

Luna and Sunset gave the Princess a curious look. “That's the human version of my brother back at home, I suppose that confirms there's a me in this world, and close by.” Princess Twilight said with a raised informative finger. Sunset and Luna simply gave ‘Oh’ expressions and turned back to their previous activity.

“Hey, that actually makes me think, how did you guys get me into a hospital with no paperwork? I have no legal guardian, residence or documentation.” Sunset asked.

“Oh, don't worry about that. I have a friend who's a judge, luckily for us I just wrote it all up and he signed off on it, as he doesnt mind bending the rules. You new legal guardian and residence are both, me. I’ll be taking care of you from now on.” Luna answered.

“But-!”

“Oh no, none of that. I'm not letting you live in some dingy old factory all by yourself, it's not safe, plus you need the support, you're still so young.” The now foster mother said with sternness.

“I'm not some free loader or charity case.” Sunset said with a bit of an offended tude.

“You're right, you're not. You're a young girl going through some hard times. It's apparent it's been a long time. It's okay to ask and get help Sunset, trust me, I had to learn that lesson to.” The wise woman said.

“I concur.” The lavender Princess said factly.

Sunset felt tears come from the back of her eyes to the front. It was unusual for anyone to show they cared for her, she wasn't used to it, didn't know what to think. Could she truly trust them or would things backfire like they always seemed to?

“Good Morning, I’m glad you three could make it.” The principal of Canterlot High School started, looking at the women, all the guardians of the freshmans by their respective sides. The freshman girls all looked tired with guilt and fear written over their faces, Sweetie Bell had tear strikes down her face that were starting to build back up again.

“We are here to talk about the consequences and punishments towards their recent actions of holding ownership to a cyberbullying account that distributed secrets, on will while also being paid, and the framement of another student that garnered intense troubles from other students. I had spent all weekend thinking of what to do. After witnessing the hospitalization of the framed student I should be expelling all three of you girls.” Celestia looked down at the freshman with calm anger.

“Hospitalization? Of Sunset Shimmer? Is that why Applejack was out so late Saturday?” The youngest apple sibling asked. The other two girls looked worried, Sweetie Bell now letting the tears fall.

“Yes, I won't go into details as it's not my place.” The holder of the freshmans fate said. Cookie Crumbs, Sweetie Belle's mother held a hand over her mouth looking sadly at her daughter. The other two girls' guardians simply couldn't look at the children they helped raise.

Principal Celestia grabbed a folder, opening it and pulled three pieces of informative inked paper, handing one to each of the guardians, “As much as I should have expelled them, I decided that due to their age and proneness to immaturity and irrational thinking, these three are to be suspended for the rest of the six months remaining in the school year, they will only be allowed on campus in the morings, limited to front doors as they gather and drop off their school work to me. They will not be permitted to do any extracurricular activities until junior year, depending on their academic and behavioral records in the following year, this also includes school events and campaigns. They will not be permitted any technological access during school hours on any school devices for the rest of their school careers here. Their sophomore year will involve six more months in the first half of the year in after school detention. Plus any punishments that you choose to give them. Any questions?” The principal said, ending her informative lecture. All three guardians accepted their children's fate, feeling shame towards not keeping a closer eye on things.

The three freshman girls gave each other sad looks before entering their respective cars, all worried for their at home punishments, how they would miss each other, and how and why Sunset Shimmer was in hospital-how it was their fault.

Author's Note

Howdy doo!
Thanks for reading amazing people :D
I do wanna put it out here the before the forgiving process starts, which isn't till the third act but im saying it now anyways, im very much writing it from the headcanon that Sunset is the 7th element, that being empathy, so try to keep that mind :)
Also only a chapter away till sciset! I'm very excited
As always please comment and interact I look forward to it <3