From the Ashes
Plip.
Plip.
Plip.
Clear liquid slowly dripped from the top of the small rotund tube, into the small reservoir pooling at the bottom. It flowed like molasses through the winding maze of the tube, making its way to the small needle that was resting in the amber flesh of the unconscious girl, taped securely to her as it pumped its payload into her bloodstream.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
A wide array of machinery hummed with energy, recording and monitoring the sleeping patient, taking measurements from the spiderweb of nodes that were attached to her. Each steady beep signaled a victory in the fight for life. The figure stood, jotting down notes as they read from the multitude of displays and readings, their face a mixture of worry and content. This young woman had been brought in by ambulance, raced through the slick and treacherous road conditions to get her to this hospital, all in an attempt to save her life. It seemed that the blizzard that raged last night may have helped save her life, its cold, freezing sleet and snow helped slow the flow of blood. Frostbite had been a concern, the medical staff didn’t know how long the patient had been out in the cold, and there had been worry that she may have lost her digits to the freezing chill. The figure sighed, deeply worried by the condition this girl was in. They turned around to look at the young woman.
“Is this supposed to be Tartarus?”
The figure took a step back, obviously shocked at the comment coming from the crimson and gold haired girl, before steadying themselves and walking over to the patient's bed. They paused, before reaching pulling their clipboard out in front of themself once more, peeking at the name at the top of the sheet.
“Sunset Shimmer, correct?” Sunset nodded, and the figure continued, “Nice to see you are awake hun. I’m nurse Kind Heart, and I was just in checking on your vitals. You’ve been through a lot over the last day.”
Sunset couldn’t help but give a grim grin as she stared at the ceiling fan doing slow, lazy rotations. “More like the last week.” She muttered humorlessly.
Kind Heart noticed Sunset grumbling. “Anything you want to talk about?”
Sunset closed her eye’s, rolling her head back. Everything was fuzzy, like every sense was detecting rough cotton, its scratching embrace overwhelming the normally bright mind of Sunset. After what seemed like an eternity she peered over to her side, taking in the nurse that loomed over her. Kind Heart was a rather unassuming character, dressed in standard medical uniform, her pale periwinkle skin gave way to rather stunning grey eyes and short, styled black hair.
“Why…?”
Kind Heart cocked her head. “Pardon darling?” She asked as she stepped closer, kneeling down in front of Sunset to look her in the side gazing eye.
“Why am I still alive…?”
Kind Heart frowned at Sunset’s remark. “Why ever would you ask that?”
It was Sunset’s turn to frown. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen.
“Seems I’m also a failure at one more thing…”
Kind Heart reached out and slowly grasped Sunset’s hand, squeezing lightly and reassuringly.
“I can’t say I know what drove you to this, and I definitely can’t guess why you would call yourself a failure.” Kind Heart’s tone was easing, she was trying her best to put a good face forward to this young girl who didn’t seem the type to consider suicide as an option.
“That’s only cause you don’t really know who I am… If you did…” Sunset sighed and tilted her head towards the nurse, her eyes dead and lifeless, “You would be just like all the others…”
Kind Heart reached a hand out, brushing a few strands of Sunset’s lustrous hair out of her face, taking in the depth that was the aquamarine irises of the eyes that stared at her. The nurse smiled at Sunset, causing the amber girl to frown slightly, before grasping the hand again. “Why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself? It’s going to be awhile before the doctor who headed your surgery comes in to see you.”
Sunset continued to stare through Kind Heart. “What difference would it make?” Sunset suddenly chuckled grimly, “Actually, maybe it would prove to you that I shouldn’t have been saved.” She attempted to sit up, but stopped and grimaced once her body started to argue with that idea, pain lancing through her arms, causing her to fall back down. “I guess laying down it is…” Sunset sighed, before looking once more at the ceiling fan. “It starts years ago, when I ran away from home, farther then anyone on this world could possibly fathom, all because I scorned my teacher.” Her eyes started to mist slightly, as she continued her tale. “She was like a mother to me, she saved me from the streets, brought me up with all the kindness and understanding that her many long years had imparted unto her. But in the end… I threw it right back at her…”
Kind Heart stayed silent, and Sunset didn’t know if was due to pity, or thinking that Sunset was crazy.
“When I arrived here, I was in a brand new place, somewhere I had never encountered before. Yet everything seemed similar, as if I had never left home, as if I had entered a plane of dopplegangers. To skip over some long boring details, I was enrolled at CHS, given a small apartment suite nearby the school, and soon started my studies once more. But the old me never left. I was arrogant, proud, and willing to do anything to prove I was the best. I became a bully. Not a bully that caused physical harm, no. A bully that would find your deepest darkest secret, and blackmail you with it. People feared me, listened to me because of what I threatened, and as such I continued to my destructive path.”
Sunset stopped, feeling the itch and burn from her arms, as well as the dryness of her throat. She hadn’t talked like this in a long time, her voice had grown unused.
“Could you get me some water please?” Sunset asked of the nurse, but didn’t bother to look over, waiting patiently as the nurse held a small water bottle in front of Sunset’s face, a straw sticking out.
“Thanks…”
After a few long pulls, Sunset motioned that she was done, and Kind Heart deposited the half empty bottle onto the bedside table.
“Now where was I?” Sunset pondered, “Ah, right. It continued for three years, I threatened those in grades above mine, and destroyed those below me. I was the undisputed queen bee of the school, untouchable by even the teachers. Until one day, just after the start of fall at our big dance, the Fall Formal. All my plans came undone, I became corrupted by my hubris and paid for it. At that moment, I was purified. All my sins lifted off my back, and I came to realize what I had become. The one who saved me, she asked the school to give me a second chance, and tasked five of those I hurt the most to make sure of it. It was a charity case, but I came to eventually think of them…”
Kind Heart reached out and brushed away the tears that started to trail down Sunset’s face. This was girl, a young woman who was hurting about her past. She wasn’t some sort of monster, even if she believed such.
Sunset snorted, unable to believe that she would shed tears. “Sorry, I… It’s still a fresh wound…” She shook her head before looking over at the nurse. “ I came to think of them as the one thing that I never had… I thought of them as family.” Sunset’s voice cracked, long repressed sorrow breaking through in front of a complete stranger. She wept silently, tears continuing to streak down her face as Kind Heart rubbed her shoulder.
“You know, the saying is right,” Sunset eventually croaked, her voice hoarse still, “You never know what you have until it is gone.” She slowly brought her arms up to wipe away her face, her finger soaked in the fluid that leaked from her eyes and down her cheeks. She pulled them away, looking at the bandaging wrapped around both of them, hiding the failure of her suicide attempt from her view.
“In the end, I was disowned by them. Tossed away because I was framed for actions that were not my doing… I think what hurts the most?” Sunset looked at Kind Heart, noticing the tears sliding down the nurse's own face at the telling of Sunset’s tale, “I think the fact that they didn’t even give me a chance to defend myself. They bought into the hate, and threw me away like everyone else.”
The door shuddered as a firm knock rippled through the mahogany wood, sound echoing in the small room. Kind Heart looked at Sunset, reaching out and wiping away the teens tears, before wiping away her own as she stood up. Straightening her gown she turned to the door. “You may come in.”
The door admitted a taller man, his pale lilac skin covered by his winter coat, small flecks of snow still visible on his shoulders, and he made sure to brush off the offending moisture from his hat, fresh off his head of stark white hair. “That is one heck of a storm out there, eh sis?” His voice carried a heavy bass, which surprised Sunset as the voice came such a slight, wiry man.
“Stoic, professionalism… please!” Judging by Kind Heart’s tone this sort of action from the man, who appeared to be wearing more weight in clothing than his own body, was quite a common occurrence.
The man, Stoic, slumped at his sister's remark, obviously playing it up as judging by the puppy eye’s he gave. “I am so sorry, sister dearest, is there anything I could do to make up for this?”
Face meet palm. Kind Heart groaned loudly, before she returned to her stance and rolled her shoulders. “Sunset Shimmer?” She peered over her shoulder at the teen, who nodded that she was paying attention, her gaze not leaving the ceiling fan. “This is Stoic Heart -”
“That’s Doctor Stoic Heart Nurse! Professionalism!” The bass rumbled out, interspersed with chuckles as said doctor started to strip out of his outerwear.
“He was the doctor who performed the surgery to save your life last night.” Kind Heart finished, unperturbed by her brother’s outburst. “He decided to come in slightly early to check up on you, and I was here to check your vitals before I passed you over to him.”
Kind Heart turned to her brother, who was busy pulling on his bow tie. He looked at her, wiggling his eyebrows as she upturned her own. “Here is the readings I took just before she woke up.” She stated as she handed her clipboard over to Stoic Heart, “I suggest you actually… Why do I even bother with you?” Stoic took the clipboard and flung it over his shoulder to land perfectly on one of the guest chairs that adorned the room near the entrance, as Kind Heart shook her head. “I will leave you two be, I’ll be waiting outside.”
“Now Sunset… Actually, that’s a bit long, how about Sunny?” Stoic took post beside the bed, looking down at the teen, and when he received no response he continued, “Now Sunny, you were brought here in the late evening with critical injuries due to the self harm you inflicted upon yourself. If it had not been for the timely exit of the woman who found you, combined with the reckless driving of the ambulance that delivered you, you would not be here right now.”
Sunset’s chest rumbled as she chuckled silently to herself. “If only I hadn’t been found in time… Everyone would be better off.” As soon as she finished she saw a shadow loom over her, followed by a sudden stinging on the tip of her nose.
Sunset brought a shaky hand up, grasping the tip of her nose between forefinger and thumb. She looked up the doctor, wearing a look of a puppy wondering why it’s being punished. His face was stone,a great bulwark in the form of a slight frown adorned it. “Why would you say that?” He asked, his tone demanding an answer from the teen, who laid there still staring at him. Why did he care? Yes he was a doctor, but she was Sunset Shimmer, She-Daemon extraordinaire, and she deserved no pity, no respect, no love. Yet he continued to stare down at her, patiently awaiting the answer.
Sunset swallowed, before affixing him with as much a glare as she could muster. “If you had the choice of slowly freezing to death, or going quickly which would you choose?” Venom had been hurled, hate and rage boiled in the words that came from Sunset, all directed at this damn doctor who had the gall to save someone as worthless as Sunset Shimmer. Instead the doctor looked down on her, pity evident in his eyes.
“I can’t blame that logic, but why did you feel like you had no other choice?”
Sunset was stunned, more by his remark than by the question that followed. She took a moment to digest what he said, before she looked down, certain she would be crying if she still had tears to give.
“Because I was abandoned by everyone again…” She muttered softly. “Because I had nowhere else to go and no one to look after me. Everyone hated me for something that I didn’t do.” She sobbed softly. Why? Why was she showing such weakness before these strangers. She felt the bed shift slightly, before she was lifted, pulled into a tight embrace by the doctor, and loath as she was to admit it, she was happy by this action. She wrapped her arms around him, shaking in the nook of his shoulder, as he whispered reassurances to the distraught teen. It was a couple minutes later when she pulled away, eyes downtrodden as he reached over and patted her head.
“Sunset, I cannot say that life is ever perfect, hell life is pretty full of disappointment, of failures and falling down. But while you may have hit a downwards patch, I am certain there is more good to come in your life.” Stoic Heart reached out and grasped her chin, slowly turning her face to face with the savior of her life. “I do know this though, if you didn’t want to live, you wouldn’t have woken up today.” His eyes portrayed calm, his demeanor eerily similar to Her own. “You fought through the entire surgery, refusing to give up on this world. It wasn’t just me who saved your life. You fought, tooth and nail, to stay here with us.”
He stood up, hand rubbing Sunset’s upper arm, as there came another knock at the door. Stoic immediately returned to his overly chipper mood from before. “Come on down, contestant number three!” He called out, cheesy grin plastered to his face, as the door opened again, this time admitting both Kind Heart, and a second woman, her cerise skin flush from just coming in from the cold, evidenced by the soft white fluff that covered her multicolored hair. “Ah, we also have the return of contestant number one!”
Kind Heart rolled her eyes as she guided the other woman in. “Now I am sure you remember this buffoon, as well as this girl he was no doubt pestering.” She motioned to the other woman, who had pulled off her winter coat, still slick with moisture from the snow outside. “Sunset Shimmer, this is Mi Amore-”
“Cadence is fine.” The other interrupted, smiling at the nurse, before coming before Sunset. “I’m glad to see you are still with us. I was worried you weren’t going to make it.”
Sunset looked up at her. No doubt, this city must have clones of everypony from Canterlot, and surrounding areas, as standing before her was, at least back in Equestria, Princess Cadence, Princess of Love, and adopted niece of Princess Celestia herself. Here though? Sunset had no idea what Cadence did, though judging by the quality of the outfit she wore, it was something that paid pretty decently.
“It was quite a shock to see you partially buried by the snow last night. I’m glad the storekeeper had his cell phone handy to call for an ambulance.” Cadence nodded solemnly, before asking the amber teen, “How are you feeling today?”
Sunset looked up at Cadence, surprised at who it was that found her. “Like all my senses are being assaulted by rough cotton swabs.” She stated as she held up her arms, “And these are irritating the heck out of me with how itchy they are.” Sunset frowned as she laid them back down, turning to face away from Cadence. “But most of all? I’m sad that I lived…”
Cadence gave a large frown, as she reached out to the teen. “You know, my aunt was telling stories about you this last week, saying that you were some kind of bully who had gone back to her past after tricking everybody into thinking that you had changed.” Cadence tilted her head as she looked at Sunset, who was starting to sob quietly again. “But talking with you here, just this little bit so far?” Cadence reached out and held onto Sunset’s shoulder, “I don’t think she was right.”
Sunset openly started bawling, somehow finding tear reserves as they now flowed ever freely down her face. “Now-*hic*-now do you see?” She cried, “Do you understand why I had no other choice? Not only did the people who told me that I was family abandon me, but my own teacher, no matter which world, abandons me as well!” Sunset’s hands wrung through her hair, grasping it and causing it to stick out at odd angles. “All I have are a few items in a small little apartment that I was given because I convinced them that I would rather live alone. Even my only true friend hasn’t responded to my pleas.” Sunset gave a deep sob. “Why… Why won’t you respond to me Twilight?! You’re supposed to be my protector Twilight Sparkle, but you’ve abandoned me the same as the others! How could you?!” She asked hysterically.
“Twilight Sparkle? What does she have to do with this?” Cadence asked, a queer look spreading across her face. “I didn’t know she had friends? Well, other than those three girls that showed up recently, but…”
“Twilight was the one who helped me change. She showed me the error of my ways back on the night of the Fall Formal!”
“Are you sure the girls name is Twilight Sparkle? I’m a good acquaintance with a student at Crystal Prep named Twilight Sparkle, and as far as I know she is either at home or or school, so I have no idea why she would be at CHS.”
Sunset froze for a moment. Why was she blabbing all this out? She slowly turned to Cadence. “I’m probably remembering her name wrong, sorry…” Sunset paused as she looked around at the three adults looking at her, each giving her a concerned look. “Sorry, I’m just… I’m at wits end…” She mutter unapologetically.
Stoic Heart cleared his throat. “Now Sunny, while you seem to be awake and well on the way to physical recovery, you obviously have a lot on your plate as far as mental recovery stands. Now I know you said you live alone, however I am going to have to place you into a foster home until you have been given a clean bill of health.”
Sunset was not happy to hear that. “What do you mean! I refuse to going to go back to an orphanage or foster home or whatever you want to call it! I’d rather rot in this cot!”
Stoic Heart wasn’t surprised by the teens outburst, and studied her while his sister attempted to reassure the distraught teen. “Now Sunset,” Kind Heart started, “I understand that you are a fiercely independent individual, however you won’t be able to care for yourself with your injuries as they are. You will need help with all your basic daily activities for the next little while. On top of that,” She sighed, expecting another outburst from the teen with what was coming next, “You also have to be placed under watch because of your suicide attempt.”
Sunset was raging at her life. Why couldn’t she have just died last night? Why was she still here, suffering in this mortal coil? Why?
“If I may?”
Everybody turned to face Cadence, who had cleared her throat after speaking up.
“Sorry to interrupt but, I may know a family that would be willing to look after Sunset here while she recovers.” She started, “If you were to check the listings for families that could potentially take Sunset in, you would find the family of my fiance, Twilight Velvet and her husband, Night Light. They are really kind, caring people, and would love to take care of Sunset over the holidays.” Cadence stated matter-of-factually.
Stoic Heart stroked his chin, looking deep in thought, while his sister responded to Cadence’s suggestion. “Well we have received positive word about that family, but we would have to call them in here first to meet with Sunset first, before we decide on what we would be doing.” Kind Heart said before looking over to the teen, who had gone back to laying on the bed, staring at nothingness. “How does that sound Sunset?”
The teen refused to respond, obviously unhappy at the situation. A few moments of silence passed before Stoic Heart spoke up. “Well, I’m supposed to be getting on shift here, so I suggest that we leave Sunset be for now, and go and contact this family and talk to them about the situation.” His sister nodded, following after him as he left, but paused at the doorway when Cadence didn’t follow behind.
“Cadence? Are you coming?”
Cadence shook her head. “Would it be okay if I stayed behind with Sunset for a little bit? I want to talk with her about some questions I have.”
Kind Heart smiled, then nodded. “That shouldn’t be too much of a problem. I will let the reception desk know you are here visiting, but just make sure to check out with them when you leave.”
Cadence waved farewell to the departing nurse, before grabbing a chair and bringing it to the side of Sunset’s bed and taking a seat. “Now Sunset, if my aunt is to believed as far as what has been happening is concerned, I am guessing you have been through a lot this week.” She watched Sunset, who didn’t give any reaction. “I want you to know, no matter what happens, I will not talk to anyone about what we talk about here. I just want to help a poor, innocent girl pull through something that is obviously distressing her, so much so that it caused her to consider suicide as her only way out.” She reached out and gingerly grasped Sunset’s hand in her own. “You may not think it right now, but there are people that care about you. If I didn’t would I have tried to save you last night?”
Sunset finally acknowledged the woman, looking at her with gaunt eyes. “You did what anyone who didn’t know about me would do.”
Cadence smiled at Sunset, ignoring the salt in the words Sunset said. “Except I do know about you. Celestia went into great detail about how you were terrorizing CHS for years, only to appear to be reformed, then throwing that back in the face of everyone. While I cannot confirm not deny if you were indeed a bully, I can as of right now confirm that you are at least someone who has tried her best to move past your previous actions, and that you show real sadness at what has happened to you.”
Sunset snorted before she start cackling. “What are you? A shrink?”
Cadence calmly reached into her purse and pulled out a business card. “Not exactly. I am the Dean of the students at Crystal Prep, as well as the student counselor. Now I don’t know what is said at CHS about Crystal Prep, but students there have their own problems, and I am there to talk with them anytime of the school day. I am certain I can help you out, both with helping you get past this last week, and maybe help you out with your schooling.”
Sunset tilted her head at Cadence’s last comment. “Help me out with my schooling? How could you do that?” There were a million things running through her head, dread, self pity, anger, but the calm, reassuring nature of Cadence’ actions caused Sunset to pause, and wonder what the woman was talking about.
“I could help get you transferred to Crystal Prep.”
Sunset froze. Leave CHS? Could she do that? She was unsure if she could do that.
Cadence continued after Sunset looked at her. “I know that Crystal Prep has a rather… unique reputation, but I can promise that should you decide to come, I can guarantee your admittance and transfer, as well as I will be there to personally help you should you need it.”
Sunset took a minute to digest the woman’s offer. It was definitely tempting. A fresh start at a new school? It would be nice. In addition, while she was a Pony born and raised, she definitely felt more at home here than in Equestria, and she was certain that even if it was found out that she was innocent, she doubted she had a future back at CHS.
“I, um… I don’t know. It sounds great, really! But…” Sunset stammered. This was all too much, too sudden for her to deal with right now.
“Tell you what?” Cadence reached over and flipped her business card over, scrawling something onto the back of it and handing it to Sunset, “Here is my own personal number, you can reach me at any time. I hope to see you at Twilight Velvet’s house on Monday, should everything be approved.” She smiled at Sunset, before rolling her right sleeve up. “Unfortunately I have to be getting back to Crystal Prep. Please,” Cadence asked as she stood up from the chair, “Consider my offer.” She made her way slowly to the door, before looking back at Sunset. “I will see you later.”
Sunset didn’t respond, instead she was laying down again, staring at the ceiling and it’s still lazy rotations, contemplating her future. Yes, she could transfer to Crystal Prep. She knew the students of CHS didn’t think fondly of the school for some reason, but why? She never was able to find out. She sighed heavily, desperately wishing she could talk to Twilight. She would know what to do. She stretched her un-needled hand up, splaying the fingers out.
“Twilight…” Sunset muttered to no-one in particular, “Where are you?”