//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Sunset Shimmer: Mostly Harmless? // by Hokuto Ulrik //------------------------------// Sunset awoke the next morning, or she assumed that it was morning even though it felt like she had just lay down to sleep and there was no sun to mark the passage of time, to the chime on her room's door going off. She staggered to her feet and made her way to the door. After a moment of inspecting the door in her still half asleep state, she was able to open the door. 'Ah, Ms. Shimmer. I am Eliza Song, the assistant director of this orphanage. I am in charge of our new intakes." The woman at the door, Eliza greeted. "Oh dear, your poor hair. Follow me and you can get tidied up a bit." Eliza motioned for Sunset to follow her. Sunset followed, a bit bemused by the whole situation. 'How is it that everyone is taking an alien in their midst so well.' Sunset thought to herself. They stopped just down the hall from Sunset's room. "This is one of the sonic showers. It isn't as good as a water shower, but it gets the job done. We unfortunately don't rank high enough on the station's list for those that can have water in their showers." Eliza grumbled the last to herself. "There are fresh clothes and all the toiletries you will need inside." Sunset opened the door and looked inside before looking back to Eliza. "Ummm, thank you, but could you explain how to use it? I have never used one before." Sunset said sheepishly. Eliza's eyes widened. "Oh my goodness. I am so sorry. I just assumed that you came from some place that used them." She apologized before showing Sunset how to use the shower. Sunset exited the shower feeling clean, and after glancing in the mirror after Eliza left the room, she realized that the portal had turned her into one of the beings, human, she had caught in conversation on the first station she had been on, just with pale white skin, and her hair had lightened from its vibrant red and gold, but still maintained the streaks. "You said you thought I came from some place that had showers like this? What gave you that idea?" Sunset inquired as she adjusted the tunic she was wearing. "The report that we were given was that you had stowed away on a cargo vessel and had gotten off on Cook Gateway. It said that you had just managed to escape a pirate raid on the base where the ship originated from." Eliza explained. "Oh, well. I hadn't been there very long. I have been meandering my way around for a while. The last pilot found me and chucked me off at Cook Gateway." Sunset replied, rolling with the story the station administrator must have come up with but failed to brief her on. Thankfully, she had learned to lie through her teeth by observing court at Celestia's side. "Where are we going now?" "Well after we get your belongings, we are going to the infirmary to get you checked out. See what immunizations you need and if you need any of the standard gene therapies." Eliza explained. "Gene therapies?" Sunset inquired. Genes were not an unknown concept to her, but the research into them in Equestria was rudimentary at best. "Yes. Since we are in space for most of our lives, either on stations like this or on ships, there are many things that we miss out on, like proper gravity and sunlight." Eliza explained. "The gene therapies help with countering the effects of the different gravity ratings of stations and planets throughout the galaxy and the lack of vitamin D from lack of natural sunlight. There is only so much the sun lamps can do to counter the deficiencies. They also help with the muscle density losses as well." "Interesting." Sunset replied, once again overwhelmed by the staggering advances this human society had made. They were literal light years beyond what Equestria was, where they thought the electric light was a quaint curiosity. "Then once we have the doctor take a look at you and we can properly determine your age by the Federation standard, we can work on figuring out where you are with your schooling and get you started with that." Eliza replied. "Oh, well, I'm not sure how well that is going to go. I kinda figured out how to use the monitor on the ship I was brought here on by trial and error and the same with the door this morning. I know what is probably basic reading, writing, and maths, possibly some sciences as well, but I doubt I am up to your standards." Sunset replied nervously. Which was true. She had done well with her basic primary school education, but after she had become Celestia's personal student, those had become soft subjects that she devoted little time to in favor of her arcane studies. 'Really kicking myself for not keeping up with the basics now.' She thought to herself as the pair reached the infirmary after gathering her meager belongings. "Ah, you must be Ms. Shimmer. I am Dr. Buran. It is a pleasure to meet you." A kindly middle aged man introduced himself. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well Doctor." Sunset replied with a smile that she didn't quite feel. She HATED doctors with a passion. Mostly because of the needles. "Well, hop up on the bed there and lie down. We will get started with a scan to see what we are working with, and then develop a treatment plan." He said, gesturing to a bed positioned on the wall. Sunset lay down on the bed after placing her bag on a chair. Once she was comfortable, the doctor pressed a few buttons and an arm above the bed began to pass over her, a yellowish light playing along her skin. Once it was complete, she waited patiently for the doctor to tell her about all of the shots that she would need. "Well, looks like blood type A-, height 1.56 meters, weight 54.8 kilos, age is 13 by Federation standards, and no gene therapy packages whatsoever and no immunizations either." Dr. Buran said out loud. "Well then my dear. It looks like you have slipped through a few cracks. Thankfully you are as healthy as can be despite no immunizations and gene therapies. But let's get that sorted right now." Sunset froze. This was going to mean a lot of needles wasn't it. She was surprised when there was a cold feeling on her neck and a slight pinch. "What was that?" She asked as she put a hand to her neck. "Oh, just a basic hypo injection. It is a cocktail of immunizations and things to kick start the gene therapies that was developed oh, a hundred and ninety years ago or so." Dr. Buran replied. "It is designed to work slowly as, while rare, there are occasionally groups that live separately from the rest of the galaxy. Namely those that were from the old generation ships that still have surviving crews. Most stay with their people, but some want to explore. This helps them do so and it bolsters their immune system as well as helping to correct for issues that the technology on the old ships didn't have the capability to properly treat." "I see." Sunset replied. "Any side effects I should be aware of?" "There are some, usually a marked increase in calorie consumption, but that is also part of the teenage years." Dr. Buran said with a wry smile. "But if you begin to feel out of sorts or you have any difficulties breathing, eating, drink, walking or speaking, come to me immediately, even if you have to have someone carry you." He said, his expression sobering. Sunset nodded with a gulp before thanking the doctor and leaving with Eliza. "Don't like doctors?" Eliza asked. "Not particularly." Sunset replied. "Well, thanks to the immunizations that you were given and the kickstarter for the gene therapies, you won't have to go see any unless you become ill or are injured." Eliza said. "And even then, unless you have broken a bone, gotten a concussion, or somehow developed cancer, you won't be there but for longer than we were today. Once everything settles, you will be as healthy as an old Earth horse." Sunset quirked an eyebrow at the phrase. "So now what?" She asked. "Now, we get you settled into your permanent room." Eliza explained. "The room you were in last night was for temporary housing of new residents that hadn't been through medical yet. Now you will be assigned to the room you will be in for a few years." "Is it a single room?" Sunset asked. "Unfortunately not." Eliza said apologetically. "The rooms are two people per. We just don't have the space right now to allow for a more private setup. This is the best we can do on this station." Sunset sighed. "At least it is only one other person." She replied. "Who am I going to be rooming with?" "Hmmm, let me see." Eliza said as she consulted her tablet. "It looks like you will be with a Jaqueline Apple. She is a relatively recent intake as well, she is just a few months older than you. As to why she is here, well that is her story to tell." Eliza sighed. "She puts up a strong front, but we, the adults at least, can tell that she is still having difficulties and that she probably will be for a while. Maybe you can help her. Just, be gentle, please." Sunset nodded at the woman's pleading gaze. She herself actually was an orphan in Equestria, but she was very young when it happened, so she knew just how sore a spot it could be not having any family, but to become orphaned at her current age, she couldn't imagine the pain. Eliza pressed the call button on panel next to the door. A couple of moments later, the door opened up and a pale, freckle faced blonde appeared, seemingly put out at being disturbed. "What do y'all want? I thought I said I wanted to be left- oh, Miss Eliza. Sorry about that, didn't realize it was you." The girl said. "It's alright Jaqueline." Eliza said with a small smile. "I brought your new roommate. I do hope you read my message that I sent this morning." Jaqueline blinked owlishly before turning to her terminal, which had a blinking light, indicating an unread message. "Uh, it looks like I might have missed seeing that." She drawled out awkwardly. "Yes, well this is Sunset Shimmer. She is just a couple of months younger than you." Eliza said. "I know that you would prefer to remain roomed by yourself, but unfortunately, you have the room with a bed for another girl." "Ah understand. Can't be helped that ya just don't got the space for everyone you are takin' care of." Jaqueline said before turning to Sunset. "Pleasure to meet ya. Name's Jaqueline Apple, but you can just call me Jackie." "Sunset Shimmer. No nicknames here." Sunset said, extending her hand and getting a firm handshake that she felt like it was going to dislocate her shoulder. "We'll come up with something I'm sure." Jackie replied. "Come on in sugarcube, let's get ya sorted out. Sunset glanced at Eliza, who nodded, before entering the room. Looking around she saw it was very spartan in appearance. Only some clothes strewn about and a rumpled bed that were obviously Jackie's on one side and another bed across from it. Both were built into the wall and had just enough space to for Sunset to sit up comfortably without hitting her head. Jackie on the other hand had to slouch to keep from hitting her head. "This side will be yours I guess. Ain't been here all that long and, well, Ah didn't exactly have time to pack anything before I got ejected from my...my family's ship." Jackie said, her voice hitching at the mention of her family. Sunset dug the toe of her shoe into the deck plate she was standing on. "Eliza mentioned that whatever happened was very recent, but that the details were yours to share." Sunset said, with a remarkable amount of tact and sincerity that she hadn't displayed in years. "If you want to talk about it, I'll be here to listen. I lost my family, my parents at least, when I was very young, so I don't remember them. The rest of the colony raised me, the administrator especially had taken me under her wing. I thought she was grooming me to be her replacement, but now, I'm not so sure." She added, crafting her backstory a bit more, altering some of the details of her true past to fit her new present and hopefully, future. "Not much to tell really. Granny, my big brother Mac and little sister Bloom and I were in our freighter heading back from making a delivery from our hydroponics farm to the Maia system when something yanked us straight out of witchspace and knocked everything offline." Jackie said with a shrug. "Finally got power restored and we started taking fire before the shields could start to come back up. Granny and Bloom were in the first compartment hit. Mac and Ah were on the bridge. One minute alarms are going off alongside explosions, next Ah'm getting shoved into an escape pod by Mac and getting ejected into the black. I watched the power plant cook off before the pod knocked me out." Though she told her story in such a nonchalant way, Jackie had tears running down her cheeks. Sunset then did something that she hadn't done before. Jackie started when she felt someone impact her solid frame. She almost lashed out before realizing it was Sunset and she was hugging her. "Wha?" Jackie managed in surprise. "Shut up and accept the hug." Sunset said, her voice slightly muffled by the taller girl's shoulder. "I don't give these out all that often and you definitely deserve it." Jackie gave a watery smile as she looked at the top of the weird girl's bacon colored hair. "Ah guess you're right." She said before returning the hug. "I can't imagine how much it hurts to have gone through what you did, but I do know you need to let it out. That pain, that sorrow, it will eat you from the inside." Sunset said. "You ain't gonna say I need to do that to make them proud of me are you?" Jackie asked, her voice slightly shaky. "No, you have to do it for yourself. So you can live and not just exist." Sunset replied, squeezing tighter. "When I left my home, I expected to be able to do whatever I wanted. But after the last couple of days, seeing just how BIG the universe really is, I had to let go of my ego and the selfish ambition that was driving me. I am so far out of my depth I don't know what to do. Nothing I was taught could prepare me for all this. But what I do know, what I did learn, that my teacher wanted me to learn, and I guess I did despite my ego and thick skull, was that I can't do it alone. I need, friends. I think, so do you. Even if we are just roommates that put up with each other after this, I will be here for you, to help you get through this." Jackie sobbed, both touched at the sincerity and kindness that Sunset was displaying, and as this strange newcomer was able to crack the seal on the hatch she had hidden her pain behind. The tears started to to come faster. "It, it just hurts so damn much!" Jackie sobbed. "First Ma and Pa, now the rest of my family. Gone! What did I do to deserve this?!?" Sunset merely held tightly to the other girl and as slowly as possible, eased them into a sitting position on the edge of Jackie's bed, the blonde's head nestled in the crook of her neck, whispering for her to let out the pain. The pair stayed like this for a while, before Jackie had fallen asleep, worn out from the emotional release. Sunset, as carefully as possible, maneuvered the taller, and heavier girl into a comfortable position on the bed and covered her up, letting her rest. Sunset then crossed to her bed and sat down heavily. 'I guess I owe Celestia an apology when, IF, I get home. She tried to teach me things like kindness and compassion, but I just payed lip service to it.' Sunset thought as she observed the sleeping blonde. 'She knew that I could be so much better than I was. Just a shame it took all this to get the better, nicer, Sunset to come out. I don't doubt that in this universe I will have to be ruthless to survive, but having friends and ponies, people. Gotta remember that, people, to care about, will help to keep me grounded and keep me from loosing myself again. I just hope that if I do get to go home, I can take them with me and that they will forgive me from lying to them about my past. But for now, the lie has to work. From now until the time I can return home, I am Sunset Shimmer, orphan from an unknown space colony that stowed away on a freighter and got introduced to the wider universe. I have to be to survive.'