Broken Promises

With the faceplate closed and flowers settled, next came the part that Sunset truly hated. She stood at the edge of the grave, and reached out with her magic for the dirt that was being offered to her and a few others. She held the dirt over the coffin, but couldn't bring herself to let go, not yet. She wanted nothing more than to give Sunray one last hug, one last mane stroke, one last anything. But she knew it would never come. Sunset was entirely unable to hold back the sob that shook her, and she dropped the dirt onto the coffin before sinking to the floor after it.

Other ponies around her, those closest to Sunray, all dropped their dirt onto Sunray's coffin after Sunset's, and all backed away. Sunset couldn't bring herself to move. She couldn't leave. Not yet. She knew she was getting sympathetic glances from all of the attendees behind her, but she couldn't care.

She just wanted Sunray.

Sunset woke to the sounds of scuffling around the entrance to the cave, and she lifted her head as best as she could.

"S-Sunray?"

The scuffling stopped, and soon after a few unidentifiable ponies gathered in the entrance of the cave, led by a unicorn in purple armour wearing goggles and a scarf. Sunset's eyes narrowed, and they took a step forward.

"St- stay back! I can still fight you!"

To prove her point, Sunset created a fire wave with the flick of her head that fizzled out after a few feet, and but she stumbled and let out a groan as she felt pain lance down her body. The unicorn took another step forward before pulling off his goggles and scarf.
Shining Armour smiled at her.

"Tell Princess Celestia we've found Sunset Shimmer! Now!"

Sunset looked at the stallion in bewilderment as a group of medics rushed towards her.

"I- I thought you w- were on vacation?"

"I was, but once I learned the caravan I was meant to be on had gone missing, I rushed back to Canterlot in time to join the search party."

Sunset nodded slowly until she felt the medics grip her head and begin treating a wound.

"Sunray?"

Shining Armour's smile fell, and he exchanged a look with another guard.

"We- we don't know. We haven't found her yet."

"Sh- she went t- to town."

The stallion nodded comfortingly.

"We'll find her, I promise."

Sunset heard wingbeats outside which she could only assume to be Princess Celestia, but she let out a cry of pain and pushed at the medics.

"L- Let me go! I h- have to find her!"

"Sunset, you're in no sta-"

"Let me find her!"

Celestia entered the cavern and looked at Sunset's broken and bleeding form in shock, but Sunset staggered to her hooves and towards the entrance.

"Please! I have to find my sister! Celestia, tell them to let me go!"

"I can't, Sunset. You can barely walk!"

Sunset grunted in annoyance, and pushed into Shining Armour, who was now stood in front of her, blocking her way out.

"Let me go! I'll use fire, get out of the way!"

"Sunset, we all know you can't use enough fire to escape."

Another grunt, because she knew they were right.

"I don't care! I'm- I-"

Sunset felt a sharp sensation in her hind leg, and turned to see one of the medics looking up at her, needle held in their magic. The world started to go fuzzy again, and Sunset felt the fog settling over her brain again, but she tried her hardest to stay upright, to fight it.

"You- how could-"

Celestia and Shining exchanged worried glances as Sunset began to stagger, her hind legs giving out and leaving her propped up on one hoof only. Despite the fog smothering her brain, Sunset tried to drag herself forward, slumping into Celestia.

"I need- need to fi- S- Sunray-"

Sunset felt her final hoof give out, and she sank down, but she wasn't done fighting, stretching her head forward in a final, futile attempt to get past her mentor. The last thing she felt before falling asleep was Celestia's hooves catching her head before she could hit the floor.