“She’s in there. We will give you all some space,” Helia nodded in our direction as Sunset and Cheerilee entered the room. Helia and Peppermint trotted off talking, tossing nervous glances back Sunset’s way.

A white unicorn mare with a fiery mane or what remained of one was laying in a hospital. For a magical world, hospitals weren’t all that different from our worlds. Guess some things stay universal no matter where you go.

“Who is it?” She sounded surprisingly cheerful for someone who was dying. I hope I’m that cheerful when I’m on my death bed.

“Me,” Sunset said simply as the mare forced herself to sit up, wearing a shocked face.

“Sunset? Is that really you?” She asked in awe.

“Yeah it’s me. How ya feeling?” Sunset quickly sat down in a chair next to her.

“Like I got ran over by a wagon, it backed up and ran me over again,” The two chuckled at that. “I never thought I’d see you again.”

“Well I’m here now. For a good while. And I have some friends I’d like you to meet,” Sunset nodded at us as the unicorn glanced over at us with a smile.

“Hello there,” she gave a wave. “What are you names?”

“I’m Bon Bon,” I smiled at her.

“Lyra.”

“Octavia.”

“Vinyl.”

“Derpy.”

“Nice to meet you all. I’m Hearths Warming.”

“You’re named after the holiday?” Lyra tilted her head to the side curiously.

“I was born on that day. My parents kinda took the easy way out,” she admitted sheepishly.

“How much do you know about what happened?” Sunset asked quietly. “Did the Princess tell you much?”

“She told me everything. About you running to a different dimension I think she called it. I assume these are your friends from that dimension.” Sunset looked away with a frown.

“I’m sorry for abandoning you. I’m a horrible daughter. Never should have done it. I should have stayed here in the town with you.”

“Don’t say that about yourself. Everypony makes mistakes. It’s just part of being pony,” Hearths Warming chided.

“Now I know where Sunset gets her optimism from,” Derpy whispered.

“Oh and Derpy is my marefriend. I don’t know why I’m saying that but I am,” Sunset smiled as she held her hoof.

“About time,” Lyra muttered with a smirk.

“So you know about me running to that other world. If I introduce you to someone, would you be angry if I said she adopted me?” Sunset asked cautiously. She let out a sigh of relief when her mom adamantly shook her head.

“I’d say I want to meet her.”

“She’s right next to me. Her name is Cheerilee,” Sunset nodded to Cheerilee who had been watching quietly.

“Hello,” the two quickly shook hooves. “I appreciate you looking after her for me. She can be a handful.” The mare let out a cough into her foreleg. “Look after her for me please. No matter what.”

“It’s not a problem,” Cheerilee chuckled. “She can be one at times yes. She has made my life so much better and I’m very happy she’s in it. You have a wonderful daughter.” Sunset turned a bright shade of red. “And I will, don’t worry. You would have to kill me to separate me from Sunset.”

“You’re embarrassing me,” she muttered.

“That’s a mother’s job,” Hearths Warming smiled faintly. “Like the time you jumped through a cake at your fifth birthday party in an attempt to find the vanilla filling.”

“I thought we agreed to never speak of that again,” Sunset grumbled with a smile of her own.

“Please tell me you have a picture,” Vinyl gave Sunset a mischievous smirk. “So we can keep it for posterity’s sake.”

“I hope she doesn’t,” Sunset glared at Vinyl.

“Actually I do,” the mare shakily levitated a picture book as Sunset quickly helped levitate it down. “Thank you dear. My magic isn’t what it used to be.” Sunset looked away nervously before speaking.

“No problem. I will let them see this picture,” Sunset grudgingly said as we crowded around the mare to look. And sure enough, there was a young Sunset with a pout in the middle of a cake. Me and Octavia let out awws while Derpy smiled. Vinyl and Lyra burst out laughing as Cheerilee peered over Sunset’s head and patted her on the head.

“You looked adorable!” Derpy announced.

“Looked?” Sunset stared at her and feigned an offended look. “I’m not adorable anymore?”

“Adorable is for children. Beautiful is for grown ups,” Derpy answered as Sunset turned red again.

“I guess I can accept that as a reasonable answer,” Sunset smirked.

“I hope your life is a happy one Sunset,” Hearths Warming coughed out. “Just like mine was.”

“Is,” Sunset automatically corrected her. “Your life is. You’re gonna beat whatever this annoying illness this is. I got my stubbornness from you after all.”

“No you definitely got that from your father. I’m not stubborn at all.”

“No dad was the one with the arrogant streak when he was a kid,” Sunset smirked.

“Ah yes he had both. I’m the inspirational one,” the older mare proclaimed with a cocky grin. “I will stand by that forever.”

“I agree with that one. You have inspired me a lot,” Sunset admitted. “Where is my brother?” Sunset had a frustrated look on her face when she mentioned him. She had briefly told me alone that she was beyond pissed he wasn’t here with their mom. She was just hiding it so her mom didn’t see her angry which I honestly thought was sweet.

“Crystal Empire I believe. Either that or Canterlot. One of the two,” her mom replied and stared at her seriously. “I’m very proud of you by the way. You’re a gorgeous young mare.”

“Thanks Mom,” Sunset slowly rubbed her cheek against hers. “Means a lot to me.” I gave a sigh as the two hugged.

“Let’s go,” I gently pulled on Lyra. “Cheerilee and Sunset need some mother daughter time right now.”

“Why?” Lyra gave me a confused look as Octavia covered her mouth with a hoof. “You said we could stay till the end.”

“It’s over Lyra. She’s gone,” I said quietly. I nodded to the mare. She had long since gone quiet and there was a flat beeping sound.

“Mom?” Sunset muttered into her fur.

“Let’s go. We can go get coffee everyone.” Octavia gave a slow nod as she and Vinyl exited the room quietly. Octavia gave a final look at Sunset before making room for us to walk out.

“Are you sure we shouldn’t be here for her? What if she needs us?” Derpy asked worriedly. I gave a last look into the room at Cheerilee hugging Sunset who was making muffled sounds from behind as i ushered Derpy and Lyra out.

“Yeah I’m sure.”

Author's Note

So this chapter wasn't as wild. Mainly just depressing. The next one is gonna show why there is a violence tag just wait😉