//------------------------------// // Four: A Second and Third Meeting // Story: Her Broken Childhood // by girasol //------------------------------// The next day, the time had come for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna to leave. Even though the little filly did not want the sun princess to leave her, she knew the princess had no choice. She wouldn’t leave her alone with anypony she did not fully trust. “Remember my sunshine,” Princess Celestia said, “I trust Twilight. You can trust her. Listen to her. And please... if something is wrong. If you feel scared of anything, talk to Twilight. Do you understand?” The little amber unicorn nodded. The princess smiled, “Good,” she said before adding, “Try not to get into any mischief okay?” “I won’t.” Sunset responded with a small mischievous grin on her face. The sun princess hugged her one last time, “I love you my little sun,” she placed a kiss on the little filly’s cheek. As the little unicorn and Twilight watched Princess Celestia and Princess Luna boarding the chariot, Sunset had become uneasy. Noticing this, Twilight slowly wrapped her purple wing around the small filly, “Hey it’s alright. Don’t worry, she’ll be back soon.” Sunset looked up at her and slowly nodded her head. Twilight smiled, “Come on, lets go.” Before stepping into the mirror, Twilight paused to look at the little filly at her right, who was beginning to look a little anxious. “Hey, Sunset.” In response, the little unicorn tensed up and slowly lifted her head to look up at her. The purple alicorn smiled. She quickly glanced at the little filly’s back. She still had the bandages from the Fall Formal. She tired her best not to make her smile falter when her eyes picked up the signs of scars that were all over Sunset’s amber coat. “I want you to know that you can trust me. If something is wrong, you can tell me. If you feel scared or want to come home, don’t be afraid to speak up. Okay?” Sunset nodded before softly saying, “Okay.” “Good,” Twilight said, “You’ve got everything you need in your bag?” she asked, nodding towards the filly’s saddlebag. Sunset nodded once more. Twilight double checked her bag to make sure she had everything she needed. She knew she didn’t need much, but she still wanted to be prepared either way. Just a couple of books, in case anything... happens in the human world. And a sleeping bag with some clothes. Okay! I think I’ve got everything. “Alright then. Here we go.” On the other side of the portal, Sunset and Twilight were greeted by a certain group of colorful teenagers. “Twilight!” The group called out, not noticing the small child that came through the portal with Twilight. “Took ya long enough to come back!” A girl that seemed to have all the colors of the rainbow in her hair told her. Twilight returned the group hug, “I’m so sorry I had to leave so suddenly the night of the Fall Formal.” “Oh Twilight it’s alright. It wasn’t your fault,” a shy, pink haired girl told her. “Yeah!” A very cotton candy-like girl said, “Who knew that the school’s biggest meanie would turn into a demon, mind control the whole school, we would grow pony ears and wings only to take down the Sun—“ The cotton candy girl was very rudely interrupted by her pale, fashionista friend. Pinkie Pie was about to protest the interruption when the pink girl noticed a small, fiery haired child anxiously glancing around the group, holding on to their friend’s purple hand and hiding behind her leg. “Ohhhh.” Came a muffled noise from the curly haired girl, who still had Rarity’s hand covering her mouth. Awkward silence filled the group as the human Elements of Harmony examined the girl, not knowing what to say to her. Twilight was the first to speak up, “Girls, you remember Sunset don’t you?” Twilight gently nudged the small girl from behind her. In response, the girl buried her face into Twilight’s purple skirt. An excited yelp came from Pinkie Pie, “OF COURSE I REMEMBER SUNSET! HIYA SUNNY! CAN I CALL YOU SUNNY? OR DO YOU PERFER JUST SUNSET? OR MAYBE SUNSHIM?OHMYGOSHILOVEYOURHAIR!ANDILOVEYOURBACKPACKAJSNDMAKSBDNSKANA—“ “PINKIE PIE!” Shouted Applejack, “Leave her be!” She pulled the hyper girl back from the little girl’s personal bubble. A small whimper came from Sunset, who was clenching Twilight’s hand and had her face buried even further into Twilight’s skirt. The pink girl wilted a little, now noticing that the girl was breathing was a little quicker than normal. “I’m sorry Sunset.” Applejack shook her head, “Wah don’ we go to the farm. An’ away from...” the blond girl glanced back, quickly checking for students, “Curious eyes.” Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash piled into Rarity’s car while Twilight and Sunset went in Applejack’s truck. As Applejack hopped into the driver’s seat, Twilight opened the large door to the back of the truck. She looked down at Sunset, who was still grabbing on to her hand, “Come on sweetie, lets get inside so we—“ “No!” The small girl cried, as her eyes filled with panic. “Sunset it’s alright. Applejack’s my friend. I trust her...” Twilight noticed the girl’s cyan eyes beginning to water as her breathing became more labored, “Sunset what’s the matter?” The small girl did not respond. Instead she looked straight ahead at nothing as her breathing started to quicken. Twilight knelt down to Sunset’s level, “Breathe Sunset. I’m right here. I’m right here. Everything’s going to be alright. Breathe... breathe... breathe with me, deep breath in... deep breath out... deep breath in... and deep breath out.” Soon, Sunset’s breathing began to slow down. Twilight wrapped her purple arms around Sunset, and slightly retracing her embrace when the girl winced, “Are you alright?” Twilight felt the girl’s head nod, “Alright then. Listen Sunset, we’re going to get in the car, okay? It’s okay, it’s safe. And I’ll be right there next to you okay?” “Okay...” Sunset managed to whimper out. Twilight helped her get into the truck before she got in herself and buckled their seatbelts. Applejack glanced at the rear view mirror seeing the small child looking out the window with wide, curious eyes. She still had her small arms wrapped around Twilights left arm ever since they’re gotten into the truck. The farm girl couldn’t help but admit that it was a little odd seeing the former queen bee so timid and panic-stricken. She seemed to be afraid of everyone around her. Well everyone except Twilight that is. She seemed to wonder at the world around her, all the while being very cautious. Applejack then remembered that night of the Fall Formal after they defeated Sunset Shimmer. It baffled her to find out that the so called “Elements of Harmony” as Twilight called them, reverted the former bully into a six-year-old child. She seemed so scared. And then she had a panic attack. That memory puzzled the farm girl. The Sunset Shimmer she knew wasn’t afraid of anything. The Sunset Shimmer she saw now, seemed to be afraid of everything. That thought made the farm girl uneasy. What could have happened to the former queen of the school to make her so... broken? And those scars... where did they come from? Did she always have those? The bigger question is: Who did it, and why? Applejack shook her head slightly to push those thoughts away. She was sure Twilight would talk to them about it later. ... Once they arrived to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack got out of the car and went to open the door of the back seat to help the Equestrians out of the truck. When Twilight was about to step out of the truck, she felt a small hand yank her back in. Twilight looked back at the panicked little girl, “Hey it’s okay. I’m just going to get out of the truck then we’ll help you out. Okay?” The small girl rapidly shook her head, “No...” she whimpered out. “Sweetie it’s alright. I’m here with you. And I’m not going to leave you. I promise I won’t let go of your hand okay?” Twilight told the small girl, gripping her amber hands a little tighter. Sunset slowly nodded, “Okay.” Twilight smiled and slowly stepped out of the truck, still holding onto Sunset’s trembling hands. As Twilight helped the small girl out of the truck, they heard Rarity’s car pull up with the rest of her friends. Pinkie Pie leaped out of the back right seat as Rainbow opened the door to the left side of the car. Fluttershy opened the door to the passengers side and grabbed her bag. Rarity locked her car after everyone grabbed their things from the trunk. Applejack took out her keys to unlock the door to the front of the farm house, “Big Mac’s not here right now, and mah sister is out with her friends. Granny’s gonna come home in ‘bout an hour or two.” Sunset anxiously glanced around the house and grabbed on to Twilight’s hand even tighter. The house was big. It seemed to be a farm. The girl with the hat, Applejack, if Sunset remembered correctly, did say they were going to a farm. Sunset closed her eyes and remembered what Princess Celestia said to her before she left. “Remember my sunshine... I trust Twilight. You can trust her.” Sunset repeated those words in her head. You can trust her... you can trust her—. But what if it was a trap? What if Twilight was secretly evil and wanted to harm her? Twilight stopped in her tracks to look down at the small girl, who was now trembling. She looked very nervous, “It’s alright Sunset. I won’t leave you,” Twilight told her, hoping it would calm the girl’s nerves. Sunset sniffled but nodded her head as she moved closer to Twilight’s side when they continued walking. Just as they were all settling into the modest-looking living room, the doorbell rang. Sunset jumped at the strange noise, clenching Twilight’s hand. She whimpered and began to tremble again. Twilight gently grabbed the small girl’s other hand, “Shhh. It’s okay.” Twilight looked towards the door, “It was just the doorbell,” Twilight comforted the crying girl as Rainbow Dash returned from getting the doorbell, with three pizza boxes in hand. “What happened?” The colorful girl asked her friends, looking towards the direction where the Equestrians sat. Rarity frowned, looking towards the frightened girl on the couch, “I’m not sure darling.” Twilight quickly glanced around the room, “She just got startled,” the purple girl then looked back at the child in her embrace, “Are you okay now?” Sunset nodded in response. Pinkie Pie opened up the first pizza box that was sitting on the coffee table and immediately stuffed a pepperoni slice in her mouth. “Di in everhum!” Fluttershy opened up the second pizza box and placed a cheese pizza slice onto her plate. Rainbow Dash simply grabbed two pepperoni slices, stacked them together and took a big bite. Applejack grabbed a pepperoni, as did Rarity. Twilight grabbed a slice of cheese and handed the plate to Sunset, who still had her arms wrapped around the purple girl’s waist. The small girl frowned at the pizza, “What-what is that?” She asked her fellow Equestrian. Twilight, along with the other girls, frowned a little, “It’s pizza, sweetie. Haven’t you ever tried it?” The girl shook her head in response. Pinkie swallowed the piece of pizza in her mouth before shouting, “WHAT?! You’ve never had pizza?” The small girl shook her head. Pinkie gasped, “It’s delicious! Try it you’ll loooove it!” Pinkie stuffed another pizza in her mouth. Sunset turned back to look at the plate on her lap. She hesitated before taking a bite. After swallowing the bite, Sunset could conclude that the pizza was in fact delicious, as the pink girl said it would be. “Do you like it? Do ya? Do ya?” The hyper girl asked. The small girl nodded happily and the pink girl cheered. Twilight smiled as she took a bite of her own slice of cheese pizza. After the pizzas were gone, there was a sound of someone jangling the keys around and then the sound of the front door opening. Alarmed, Sunset wrapped her small arms around Twilight, who in response, put an arm around the girl. An old woman came into the living room. She had green skin and paper white hair. Granny Smith looked around the room, happy smiling at her grandchild’s guests, “Howdy girlies! Am a bake some apple pie soon so I’ll call y’all when—“ the older women noticed all the empty pizza boxes on the coffee table, “Land snakes ladies! How much do y’all eat?” She turned to her granddaughter, “Applejack ya better hid them boxes cause when yer sister comes home or she gonna have a fit about ya not saving ‘er any pizza,” she shook her head in disappointment, “Or for me for that matter.” Applejack blushed in embarrassment, “Sorry Granny I’ll be sure to order another box tomorrow or somethin’.” Granny Smith muttered something under her breath as she turned to look back at her granddaughter. That was when she noticed the purple girl siting on the couch, “Why if it ain’t Miss Twilight. Nice ta see ya again missy.” Twilight smiled, “It’s nice to see you again as well Miss Granny Smith!” “Oh quit bein’ formal an’ all. Granny’ll do jus fine.” The old woman’s smile faded into shock when she noticed a red haired child sitting on the couch next to the purple girl. Applejack followed her grandmother’s gaze to the small girl who was gripping Twilight’s arm. “Granny, this is Sunset Shimmer. Twilight’s takin’ care of her for a while. Sunset, this is mah grandma, Granny Smith.” The old woman hummed with a confused expression on her wrinkled face, then quickly smiled for the child’s sake, “Howdy there Miss Sunset,” she told the little girl who only stared at her in response. Wha’ in tarnation happened to that child? I swear las’ time Ah saw her she was terrorizin’ the high school. Granny shook her head as if to clear her thoughts, “Well, I best be started on the chores and den I’ll get started on them pies when yer sister gets home.” Granny went out the back door. Twilight looked down at the red haired child, who was still trembling, “Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay Sunset. She’s really nice, I promise.” Sunset slowly nodded, grabbing her brown saddle bag, which was now a backpack, and hugged it to her chest. The small girl took several deep breaths before looking back up at Twilight with several tears brimming her eyes, “I’m-I’m sorry.” Twilight gently took the small girl’s face in her hands, “Sunset, sweetie... you don’t have to be sorry about anything. You did nothing wrong.” Sunset trembled as shook her head, “You c-came here to spend time w-with your friends a-and you...you h-had to drag m-me along with you. I’m-I’m sorry.” The small girl cried out, trying to control her hiccups. Twilight sighed, hugging the small child, “Sunset. Look at me,” Twilight held Sunset’s face in her hands once more, “You don’t have to apologize for that. I would rather have you here with me than to leave with with somepony you don’t know. You did nothing wrong, I promise.” Twilight embraced her once more as she looked around the room at her friends. Applejack sadly looked at her purple friend and sighed, “Wha don’ y’all help me get the apples for the apple pie?” Sunset was so curious about everything in the human world. As the farm girl lead the group into the long rows of apple trees, Sunset wondered how humans got along without magic. This world was vastly different from Equestria. There were no pegasi, unicorns, Earth ponies, or even alicorns. She wondered what the human world would be like if they had magic. Would it be like Equestria? Or is this world not suit for magic, and that’s why they don’t have any? Applejack grabbed a basket and started picking apples from a nearby tree. The group quickly followed along. Sunset, still close to Twilight, couldn’t help but stare at the red, shiny apples. The small girl could not reach the high branches of the tree, so she watched as the apples started to pile up in the brown basket. Applejack took a glance at the basket. “Ah think that’s enough. Thank y’all for yer help. We’re gonna need fresh apples for the pies.” “No problem AJ,” the sporty girl said, “As long as you pay me back with some of that delicious cider, pleasures all mine!” “Oh that’s right,” the farm girl said, “Ah forgot ya don’t like pie.” Pie Pie stopped her bouncing in her tracks to look back at her sporty friend, “Wait, WHAT?!” Rainbow Dash tensed up a bit, quickly trying to think of a way to change topics, “Uhhhhh... umm... uh-hey! Look there’s Big Mac!” Applejack waved at her older brother, who was busy plowing the vegetable plants, “Hey there Big Mac! Did ya manage to pick up our sister from ‘er club meeting?” “Eyup!” Was all the blond teen said. He then noticed the small girl next to Twilight. Applejack followed her brother’s gaze, “Big Mac, this here’s Sunset. Sunset this is mah older brother.” The girl said nothing while she buried her face into Twilight’s purple skirt, trying to keep her breathing at bay. “Applejack! Granny wants ya to come help ‘er with the pies!” A red haired tween in overalls called out. Apple Bloom came into view as she stepped out of the back porch of the farm house. Apple Bloom waved at the rest of the group, “Hey girls! Are y’all gonna sleep—“ The young farm girl stopped mid sentence, noticing a very familiar looking fiery haired girl. The small girl was wearing a simple blue shirt, jeans, a black sweater, some white sneakers and had a brown backpack with her. “Wha-what is she doing here?” She asked her older sister. Applejack narrowed her green eyes, “Apple Bloom...” she snarled in a warning tone. The younger sister also narrowed her eyes at her sister. She glanced towards the small girl cowering behind the purple teenager and rolled her eyes, “Are ya coming or what?” She asked her sister. Applejack angrily shook her head at her sister as she started to walk towards the house. “Oh! Oh! I wanna help too!” The energetic pink girl called out to her farm friend. Apple Bloom took one last heated look at the small girl before following Pinkie Pie inside the farm house. When Apple Bloom reached her older sister, Applejack smacked her upside the head and told her something that no one could really make out. Sunset whimpered behind Twilight, “Hey what’s wrong Sunset?” Twilight asked, noticing a familiar panic beginning to escalate in the small child. The red haired child looked up at Twilight with timid eyes, “Did-did I do something bad?” The four remaining teenage girls seemed to be holding their breath, not knowing how to answer the girl’s question. Technically, in Sunset’s memory, she did nothing wrong, but in everyone else’s, she was a former bully. She was the one who destroyed the front of the school, and brainwashed the entire student body. Twilight hesitated before knelling down beside the small girl, “No sweetie. You did nothing wrong.” “But-but, that girl... she... she...” Sunset’s breathing began to quicken as she stated to tremble. Twilight held the small girl’s hands, “Honey, listen to me. You’ve got to breath. Deep breath in... deep breath out... deep breath in... deep breath out.” The small girl’s breathing began to slow down as she threw her hands around Twilight’s waist. Fluttershy knelt down beside Twilight, small tears filling her eyes, “Sunset,” The girl turned to face the shy girl. “I know how scary this must be for you. But remember, you can trust us. We’re not going to hurt you.” Sunset nodded, wiping her tears from her cheeks, “O-okay...” Fluttershy gave her a gentle smile and brushed a stray red hair behind the small girl’s ear, “Good.” Twilight and Fluttershy stood up and walked back inside the farm house along with Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Since Rainbow Dash was not very found of pies, she did not help in the slightest making them. She just stood by the doorway of the kitchen with her arms crossed over her chest, leaning against the doorway, while the rest of the girls helped make the pies. The rainbow haired teenager was not interesting in the pies. She had her thoughts set on the bacon haired girl who still had her hand clenched to Twilight’s skirt. The small girl seemed to be so curious with the pie making process. The whole time, she had her eyes peeled to how each hand mixed, folded and built the pie together. Even though she did not fully trust the small child, she was beginning to see that the former bully was truly was a child again. And a skittish one at that. She never wanted to leave Twilight’s side and jumped at any loud noise. She’s never seen a more anxious child then the small girl before her. Even Fluttershy wasn’t even that skittish. Sunset Shimmer seemed to not trust anyone around her. Rainbow took another glance at the small child. Now that she had her sweater off, she saw scars across her arms. More scars? Where could they be from? How did she not notice before? Well she was always wearing that infamous leather jacket. Did she make those scars? Or could someone else have...? If that’s the case who did it? And the ones on her face are so noticeable. How come no one’s ever noticed those? The only logical answer would be that she could have always covered them up. What could have happened to her to— A loud sound brought the sporty girl out of her thoughts. She looked up to see the small red haired girl knelling down, covered in flour on the floor. There was a now empty bag of flour on the floor and eggs cracked on the floor in front of her. The girl was shaking. She looked up at the group with so much fear in her cyan eyes, “I-I’m-I’m sorry! I....” Sunset’s breathing began to quicken and she began to tremble even harder. Tears began to escape her eyes as she stared straight ahead at nothing as she collapsed to the floor. Twilight rushed to her side, “Shhh... it was an accident... it’s okay. You’re okay. Breathe... Breathe. I’m here. Come on sweetie, breathe with me. Deep breath in... deep breath out. Deep breath in... deep breath out. It’s okay...” Sunset looked up at Twilight, tears still spilling from her cyan eyes, “Are-are y-you going to punish m-me?” Twilight took the girl’s small face in her hands, “Sunset, I am not going to punish you. It was an accident. Accidents happen. You did nothing wrong.” The small girl looked confused, but she managed to relax, if only just a little, “Y-you’re not going to-to p-punish me?” Twilight wiped away the small child’s tears, “No sweetie,” Twilight embraced the still trembling girl, “No one here wants to hurt you. I promise. You’re safe here. You’re safe. Here, why don’t you go with Fluttershy to clean up, while we clean the kitchen, okay?” Fluttershy knelt down beside the two Equestrians and entended her hand, giving Sunset a gentle smile. The red haired girl nodded and quickly gripped the yellow teenager’s hand as she guided her out of the kitchen. Once the small girl was out of sight, Rainbow turned to Twilight, “What’s wrong with her?” “Rainbow Dash!” Growled Rarity, “Don’t be rude!” Rainbow put her hands up in defense as she turned to Rarity, “I’m just wondering. I didn’t mean it like that.” “Yeah!” Apple Bloom shouted, looking galled. “Why does she look so young? Why is she here? What with the scars on ‘er face an’ arms? Wha—” It was Applejack’s turn to shout, “Apple Bloom!” The middle schooler turned to her older sister, “I’m jus’ sayin’! Last time ah saw her, she was the big school bully who turned into a demon an’ mind controlled da whole dang school!” The old green women then turned to her granddaughter, “Apple Bloom!” The said girl flinched at the sound of her name, “Ya better shut yer mouth before the girl hears ya and I whup yer sorry butt!” The girl growled in response, “Ah still don’ trust her.” Rarity turned to look at Twilight, “Darling, are you ever going to tell us what happened to her?” Twilight sighed, “Yeah... it’s just... I’ll wait until she’s asleep so I can tell you everything.” Upstairs, Fluttershy was busy trying to get all the flour off of the amber girl’s face. Sunset looked up at the kind girl, “Fluttershy,” she began. The shy girl looked at the smaller girl, noticing small tears brimming in the corner of her eyes. “What’s wrong sweetie?” Sunset sniffled a little, “Are-are they angry with me?” Fluttershy frowned a little before hearing shouting coming from downstairs. She shook her head, “No Sunset. They’re not mad at you.” “T-then why are they shouting? They probably... they’re gonna send me away.....” Fluttershy noticed the now familiar panic growing in Sunset’s face and voice. She softly and slowly extended her arms to hold her, “Shhhh... don’t think about anything else. You’re okay. You’re okay.” As the red haired girl tried to control her breathing, a sudden and sharp pain shot up her back, making her scream in agony. My back hurts so much! It feels like fire! It hurts... Her mind then began to be filled with familiar mockery. She began to hyperventilate, overwhelmed with the ghostly voices that plagued her mind. Stupid foal......stupid foal. Why can’t you die so we can be rid of you... Sunset screeched in agony as the pain increased on her back. Fluttershy held the girl tighter as she bagan to lose control of her breathing. “Shhhh.... it’s okay. You’re okay.... you’re safe here with me.... you’re safe. Just breathe, Sunset. Breathe. Deep breath in... deep breath out. Deep breath in....... and deep breath out.” “It hurts! It hurts!” Sunset yelled through her tears. Fluttershy’s eyes widened as she looked at the child, “Where does it hurt Sunset?” Sunset tried to control her hiccups, “My-my b-back!” Fluttershy’s blue eyes went wide before checking the girl’s back. The teenager gasped. She had bleed through her bandages. That’s strange... The girl thought. That should not be happening. She should be healing. Just then Twilight opened the door to the bathroom, “Fluttershy, what happened?” Twilight exclaimed, rushing to the smaller girl’s side. “I don’t know! She started to have a panic attack and then she said that her back was hurting. Twilight...” Fluttershy trailed of with tears in her eyes. Twilight looked at the small girl’s back and gasped.