"What! How?" Twilight demanded desperately pawing at the closed portal hoping it would open, that she would be able to get home. "We still had time, we had a minute left." She said looking up at the clocktower, according to it the portal should have still been open.
"It must have been damaged in the fight with Sunset." Applejack said looking up at the clocktower. She was good at fixing things and telling when something was broken and once she got a good look at it she could tell from a distance the tower was a bit more beat up than it had been before the fight. "Guess some of the debris hit the hands. Looks like it set it back a minute."
A minute, she and Spike were trapped in the human world, cut off from their friends and family because a clocktower had been set back a single minute. If she wasn't trapped Twilight might have laughed, in fact, she probably did laugh judging by the concerned looks she could feel her friends giving her.
"Eh, Twi?" Rainbow Dash asked stepping closer to the pony princess who was still leaning against the closed portal. Before she could lay a hand on her she heard a growl come from Spike whose heckles was up and he was bearing his teeth. Rainbow jerked her hand back instinctively before she realized that Spike wasn't growling at her, instead, he was growling at Sunset Shimmer.
"This is all your fault!" He shouted bounding towards Sunset letting out a furious bark. Sunset, eyes wide in fear, tried to run only for her weak knee to give out and the redhead fell in a heap on her face. She managed to get on her back just as Spike reached her, jumping onto her stomach barring her teeth at her.
"If you hadn't taken the crown or tried to steal it again, or not distracted her in the halls this wouldn't have happened. We can't go home because of you!" He shouted snapping his jaws centimeters from the terrified girl's face.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen!" Sunset said desperately fearful that Spike might actually bite her.
"It's a little late for sorry, we might never get home now!" He growled again.
"Spike stop that," Twilight said suddenly appearing next to them picking Spike up. "I know this is bad but Sunset isn't to blame for this."
"How? The fight damaged the clock and that talk in the halls probably took up more time than if you hadn't." Spike said narrowing his eyes at Sunset.
"Spike I went looking for her myself, I wanted to talk to her, its not her fault it took so long," Twilight said stroking her friend, he calmed a little in her embrace. "And the fight might have damaged the clock but it's my own fault for not checking the time on anything else. I don't want you to blame Sunset for this okay."
Spike's glare held up for a few seconds before he slumped in her arms sighing in defeat. "Your right Twilight, sorry Sunset. I just want to go home." He whimpered as Twilight hugged him.
"It's fine Spike, I'm sure Sunset forgives you." Sunset hurriedly nodded in agreement. "We'll find another way home I'm sure of it. For now, we just have to try and survive here."
"And it's not like your going to be doing it alone!" Rainbow Dash said confidently as she and the other girls came up to them.
"That right!" Pinkie said cheerfully. "We'll help you get home and make this the funnest time ever till we get you back!"
"Ya didn't think we wouldn't help ya?" Applejack said.
"I'm sure we can find some way to get you home and perhaps Sunset here might have some ideas." Rarity said looking at Sunset who was still on the ground.
"We're here for you Twilight," Fluttershy said with a confidence that matched Rainbow Dash's, if not her volume.
Twilight smiled appreciatively at her friends. "Thanks girls, and your right I'm sure we can find a way to open the portal again without having to wait two and a half years. But for now, I guess Spike and me need to find a more permanent place to stay." Twilight doubted she could stay at the library for months, possibly years.
"You can stay with me!" Rarity said before anyone else could, eyes shining with excitement. "It would be my honor to host a princess at my humble home."
"Thanks, Rarity, I think we will. Though no need to treat me any different, we're friends and I'm no princess here." She said frowning. She was just getting used to the idea and now she was just another girl. Heck, she was now even younger than she really was!
"Nonsense darling, no matter where you are you are a princess. Though if you wish I'll try to keep my excitement down but I still intend to make you comfortable."
"Thank you." She said looking at Spike beaming at Rarity, tail waging, she had a feeling he was also happy with the arrangement.
"And just where do ya think yer going?" Applejack suddenly demanded looking down, turning around Twilight saw Sunset trying to crawl away from the group.
"Oh uh I didn't want to intrude on you helping out Twilight, and just thought I would get out of the way for now," Sunset said with a forced smile.
"Not with those injuries," Applejack admonished. "Don't think Ah didn't see how you fell when ya tried to run when Spike came at ya. Yer coming with us to get help and dat's final."
"No, it's fine, really you don't need to-" Sunset's protests were cut off as Applejack lifted the smaller girl off the ground and into her arms.
"Ah said dat's final, yer getting help now. Rainbow Dash." She turned to her rainbow-haired friend who was smirking at the former bully's predicament. "Mind if we use yer house, its closest and Ah don't want to wait any longer than necessary to get her cleaned up."
Rainbow shrugged. "Sure, you still know the way to my place?" She asked Applejack nodded readjusting her grip as Sunset unsuccessfully tried to squirm free. "Alright, I'll get your truck running, bye Twi." She ran off to Applejack's truck before Twilight could return the goodbye.
"See ya tomorrow sugar cube." Applejack said.
"See you then Applejack." Twilight waved goodbye as Applejack carried the still resisting Sunset to her pickup truck.
"Now I just need to get Sweetie Belle then we can go." Rarity said going into the school.
"Fluttershy and I decided we're going to do a sleepover," Pinkie Pie pulled Fluttershy into a one-armed hug. "Have to start making up for all the missed times over the last year." She said. "It's going to be Epic!"
"Umm, yay," Fluttershy said quietly.
"Okay, I guess I'll see you girls soon," Twilight said.
"Bye girls," Spike said still in Twilight's arms.
Rarity soon came back Sweetie Belle and the other two crusaders in tow. "So I forgot I promised Sweetie Belle she and her friends could have their little club meeting and sleepover at my house, I hope that won't be a problem?"
"It's fine Rarity," Twilight assured her.
"She's really a princess?" Sweetie Belle asked in awe.
"Yes dear and please don't bother her too much, she's had a rough night."
"Okay." The three girls said in unison, something about their smile made Twilight think they wouldn't hold up that promise.
"Well, let's get home." Rarity said linking arms with Twilight, leading her to her car, which like the others had been left after school for after the dance.
Home, Twilight thought. Wondering how long before she would see Equestria again.
***
"You don't have to do this I'm fine." Sunset continued to protest as the taller girl carried her over to an old red pick up truck. Her words fell on deaf ears as Applejack practically forced her into the truck, buckling in the still protesting girl while Rainbow Dash chuckled in the backseat before getting in herself.
"Ya should really stop complainin' girl, Ah'm taking ya to Rainbow Dash's and dat's final." Applejack said sternly silencing Sunset. "Ya need help, yer covered in injuries."
"Injuries that I brought on myself," Sunset said. "Why exactly are you guys helping me anyway? I know you promised Twilight you would 'look out for me' but I think this goes beyond that."
"Because your hurt duh." Rainbow Dash said. "Besides if we're going to be friends best start helping now."
"And Ah just plain don't like the idea of leaving someone who is hurtin'," Applejack added as they pulled out of the school. "No matter what they have done, and if yer serious about turnin' over a new leaf Ah don't want ya getting an infection before ya can do it."
After that Applejack and Rainbow Dash spent the car ride talking to each other, catching up for the year they missed thanks to Sunset. Sunset meanwhile tried to make herself as small as possible while keeping quiet, except for the occasional wince when one of her scratches flared up and a yelp when she accidentally banged her bad leg against the car. Whenever she did Applejack gave her a sympathetic look and said they would be at Rainbow Dash's soon, the sympathy just made Sunset feel worse about herself.
Sunset could sort of understand Twilight being friendly, she was the Princess of Friendship from a land where people forgave easily. But Applejack and Rainbow Dash, she had tormented them for over a year, driving apart and destroying their friendships. Not to mention they had been reunited by a shared hatred for Sunset and now they were taking her to one of their homes to help her with injuries she had gained in her attempt to kill them. It just made no logical sense in the ex-pony's mind as to why they were being so nice.
Part of her thought that maybe this was a trap, that they were luring her away from the school and Twilight so they could exact their revenge. It would have been what she would do if she was still her old self and she knew plenty of humans would do the same. But she was pretty sure that wasn't the case, that for some inexplicable reason, these two truly were just being and nice and for some reason, Sunset didn't think she would ever understand, actually wanted to befriend her. It still didn't stop her nerves shooting up when they pulled into Rainbow Dash's driveway, instinctively tensing up in case she needed to run and wincing when it caused another flash of pain.
"Welp we're here." Rainbow Dash said hopping out of the truck. "Mom and Dad are probably still awake so you better prepare yourself. Come on, maybe it won't be too bad with three of us."
Applejack chuckled as she got out, going around the car to help Sunset out, putting the redhead's arm over her shoulder, stooping a bit as she did so, helping the defeated bully limp to the door. Sunset looked up at Rainbow Dash's house finding it surprisingly average for someone with Rainbow Dash's flamboyant appearance. It was a little longer than its neighbors but otherwise was an average two-story dark greenhouse with a decent-sized well-trimmed lawn, a couple of garden gnomes had been placed out and there was an empty birdbath. Though the curtains were drawn on the house a little lighted seeped through telling them Rainbow Dash's parents were still awake.
"What did Rainbow Dash mean when she said it might not be too bad?" Sunset asked Applejack as they got close to the door.
"It's been a while since Ah've been here but if they're the same parents they were two years ago... well Ah'll just say they're a bit intense." Applejack said, Sunset could tell the farmer was keeping something from her about them.
Rainbow Dash was waiting by the door for them, only knocking when they stopped. "Brace yourselves, this could get ugly." The prismatic hair teen said closing her eyes. The door opened and a large man with the same rainbow-colored hair as Rainbow Dash, though his was cut in a buzzcut, stood there looking down at them arms folded and a sterm look that made Sunset nervous even though it wasn't directed at her.
"Rainbow Dash." He said.
"Hey dad," Rainbow Dash said eyes still closed. Then she was gone, pulled into the house in a powerful embrace as her father, all signs of seriousness disappearing, danced around with her in his arms.
"Oh, I missed you Dashie!" He shouted. "Hey Windy! Rainbow's home!"
A pretty woman in an orange dress with light scarlet and orange hair came bounding down the stairs, she smiled brightly when she saw her daughter and threw herself into the hug sending the family joyfully to the floor. Applejack chuckled again while Sunset watched in shock at the odd scene before her, how long had Rainbow Dash been gone for them to miss her this much.
Rainbow Dash was trying and failing to get out of the hug, a mortified look on her face. "Mom, Dad, I left just this morning."
Apparently not long at all, Sunset thought starting to believe everyone connected to Twilight was insane, there was no other way they could all be this nice.
"That's right, you didn't come home after school, we missed you." Rainbow Dash's father said refusing to let her go.
"I had to get ready for the dance, so I went with my friends to get ready." Rainbow Dash explained as the family got back to their feet. "You remember Applejack right?"
"Of course we remember your friend dear. It's been too long since we saw you and we were so happy to hear you and Dashie made up." Rainbow Dash's mother said breaking the hug to hug Applejack who was forced to let Sunset go to do so, the redhead stumbled into the wall but managed to catch herself before she fell but ended up putting pressure on her injured leg.
"Ow," Sunset said as she grabbed her injured limb holding it off the ground, whatever happened to her leg it really didn't want her to remain standing.
"Whose's this Rainbow?" The father asked finally releasing his daughter. "A new friend?" His eyes seem to light up at that.
"Right you've never met each other." Rainbow Dash said stepping in between them. "Mom, Dad, this is Sunset Shimer. Sunset Shimmer, this is my mom and dad, Windy Whistles and Bow Hothoof."
"Sunset Shimmer? As in the girl who tore you and your friends apart for a year?" Bow Hothoof said frowning at Sunset who looked down at the reminder, preparing herself for a lot of shouting. Rainbow Dash, realizing what could be coming stepped in before her parent could say anything.
"Sunset told us she wanted to change and our friend Twilight said to give her a chance. She got injured trying to pull a prank so we took her here."
The disapproving look Windy Whistles had started to form immediately turned to one of what Sunset suspected was pity. "Oh, honey help me get her to the couch so you can look her over." The two parents took Sunset by her arms, guiding her over to a couch. "Now you just sit there and let Bow take a look at those injuries, I'll get us all a snack and maybe a few books to look through."
"Um, mom I'm sure Sunset doesn't want to see any of those." Rainbow Dash started to protest only for Applejack to take her by the shoulders.
"Ah'm pretty sure she does. How 'bout we go make sure yer rooms ready for us. Knowin' you it's still hasn't been cleaned since Ah was last here."
"Yep, best mess maker ever out little Rainbow." Bow Hothoof said with pride as he started to look at some of Sunset's nastier cuts. Applejack nodded leading a protesting Rainbow Dash away, Sunset noticed the farmer had a tendency to use her larger size to get her way with her friends when they were being stubborn.
"Now let's see what's wrong with you." Bow said.
What isn't, Sunset thought though she kept that to herself, easing back into the couch as Rainbow Dash's father started his work.
***
"Rarity I can't take your bed, this is your room." Twilight protested as her friend showed her into a large room with an opulent king's sized bed. "I can just sleep on the floor with some sheets."
"Nonsense darling, your our guest and deserve the best." Rarity said gently pushing Twilight to the bed. Spike hopped out of Twilight's arms curling up beside the bed. "I will just sleep with Sweetie Belle, not the first time we've shared a bed. The amount of time's I've had to come to her room when she has a nightmare..."
"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle whined from the door. "Not in front of the Princess!" Behind her, the other two girls giggled at their friend's embarrassment.
"It's nothing to be embarrassed about dear, now why don't you and your little friends have fun while Twilight and I talk. And please try not to break anything." Rarity said closing the bedroom door. The three girls chorused an agreement that if they were anything like their Equestrian counterparts Twilight was certain they would not keep.
Once they were alone Rarity joined Twilight on the bed. "I do hope you find the bed fine enough, I'm sure it's nothing compared to the bed you have back where you're from. Being a princess in all."
"Actually I sleep in a bed not half this good inside a tree back home, and I've been sleeping on a bed of books Spike made for me since we got here."
"I think that was rather creative of me." He said smugly.
Rarity looked horrified by what they had said but she cleared her throat and spoke calmly. "Well, I guess that is making the best of a bad situation. And that was very thoughtful of you Spike to help Twilight out." She scratched him behind the ears and his eyes seemed to melt.
"That's my job," Spike said once she stopped. "I wanted to make it as comfortable as possible."
"Well you have us now dears and we'll make you as comfortable as possible till we can get you home." Rarity said putting an arm around Twilight.
"Thanks, Rarity, we appreciate it, really." Twilight felt tears welling up at the thought of home, she raised a hand to wipe them away. "It's just hard to know I can't go home, and it might be years before I see Princess Celestia, my friends, or... my family again." Her voice broke when she thought about her parents, Shining, and Cadence.
"We will get you home soon Twilight, that's a promise," Rarity said rubbing the crying princess gently. "And perhaps Sunset Shimmer will know something about how to get you home, she found out about the portal after all."
Twilight realized they didn't know Sunset was also from Equestria, she considered mentioning it but she'd let Sunset decided when to tell them that when she was ready. "I doubt it, she's known about the portal for years, she might know a bit about it and how it works," She did somehow know things about modern Equestria that she shouldn't have stuck in this world. "But even she can't open it."
"We have that magic crown of your now darling, who knows what is possible now. This world has never had magic before and now it does." Rarity assured her.
That did make her feel a bit better, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had said the portal only opened every thirty moons but she had her crown and her magic now. Perhaps Rarity was right and that would be enough to force the portal open again. "Thanks, Rarity, I do feel a bit better now."
Rarity stood back up. "Good, now as much as I love these dresses we can hardly wear them to bed, I'm guessing you don't have any sleepwear." Twilight shook her head. "Thought so. You can borrow one of mine, now let's get this dress off."
She grabbed the ends of Twilight's dress and with a tingle tug pulled it off the sitting girl, and then proceeded to blush when she saw nothing underneath. "Spike cover your eyes!" She shouted, Spike, looked confused by the order but obliged.
"Twilight darling, is there any reason why you aren't wearing anything underneath your dress?" She asked, Twilight cocked her head confused by her friend's bizarre reaction.
"No, should I have?"
"Oh darling, yes. I know you said you were from a world of uh ponies but didn't the portal give you those clothes you were wearing. I highly doubt it spat you out without any."
"Yes, it gave me the clothes you saw me in when I came through, though I do wonder where they came from and how a portal is able to generate fabric."
"I don't think that is important now dear. I just want to know, was there any underclothes that came with the ones you were wearing."
"Yeah."
"Then why did you take them off with your dress?"
"Because they didn't match the dress and it would look weird, they're in my bag."
"Alright darling, first we're going to get into some nice silk pajamas, then you and I are going to have a talk about human women."
***
"And this was Rainbow after her first bath alone." Windy Whistles said pointing to a picture of a young Rainbow Dash with a towel tied around her looking grumpy at the camera. Sunset suppressed a laugh at the sight, though it was getting harder and harder with each picture.
"She looks a little old for this to be her first bath alone," Sunset said looking at the picture again, the Rainbow Dash in the photo had to be at least six.
"We didn't want her to be lonely in there but she wore us down." Windy Whistles explained.
"Best negotiator ever." Bow said as he continued to examine Sunset's injuries. He applied a little pressure to Sunset's bad knee causing her to gasp in pain. "Sorry, looks like it's not broken, just sprained. What kind of prank leaves in this kind of shape?"
"The very poorly planed kind," Sunset said bitterly thinking on how stupid she had been to think it could ever have worked.
"Well you'll be hurting for a few days and I'd watch those scratched for infections, the worst is your leg, looks like you sprained it with whatever you were doing, try not to put too much weight on it for at least a week."
"Thank you, and thank you for being so welcoming despite what Rainbow Dash has probably told you about me," Sunset said marveling again at how friendly these people were.
"It's no problem dear, your not the first high school bully to want to change and you certainly won't be the last." Windy Whistles told her. Sunset doubted any were as bad as she had been but again she held her tongue, she didn't want to give any new people a reason to hate her. "Oh here's Rainbow after her first soccer game," Windy said pointing to a new picture of young Rainbow, around the same age as the previous one, covered head to toe in mud yet looking like she was never happier. Sunset was glad she had never found these two when she was a bully, they were a blackmail goldmine against the athlete.
She was pulled from further musings when Rainbow Dash herself came back into the living room, now changed out of her dress and into some rather boyish pajamas and looking a little pale when she saw the scrapbooks. "Uh, we have the room ready if you're done with Sunset. And the shower's free so she can get cleaned up." Rainbow Dash said looking at her parents.
"Of course Dashie, we'll leave you with your new friend and Applejack," Windy said nodding.
"Go Rainbow, best friend maker ever."
"I think that would be my friend Twilight but thanks, dad." Rainbow Dash said helping Sunset to her feet.
"Make sure to keep her off that bad knee." Bow said as he and his wife said.
"Will do dad. Come on Sunset." The athlete said putting Sunset's arm over her shoulder as Applejack had done. "So how much did you see?"
"A lot, your parents really love you," Sunset said a little envious of Rainbow Dash's family and the unconditional love they showed their daughter.
"Yeah they're great but don't really know boundaries." Rainbow Dash smiled at that but that quickly turned into a glare. "You better be serious about changing cause if you are lying and use any of what they showed you as revenge I swear..."
"I won't, I swear I'm serious about changing. I won't tell anyone about those pictures." Sunset promised.
"Ya could tell Twilight, bet she'd get a nice laugh out of it and Pinkie would say making her laugh would be more important than some pictures." Applejack said appearing out of a doorway with another pair of Rainbow's pajamas. "And it's always nice to take miss ego here down a peg once in a while."
"Hey! My ego is perfectly balanced to my level of awesomeness." Rainbow Dash protested. "And Twilight doesn't need to see any of this to feel better."
"If ya say so Sugarcube." Applejack said. "here Sunset, I think ya can fit into these after you clean up." She handed Sunset the pajamas.
"We're here." Rainbow Dash said stopping at a door at the end of the hall with a gold star and the initials R.D. on the door. "Shower's across the hall so you can call if you need any help. Think you can get cleaned up without help."
"I'll be fine thanks," Sunset said limping into the bathroom. Once alone she was happy to rid herself of the torn clothes she had on, though she had some regret about the state of her favorite jacket, hopefully, it could be repaired cause she was not ready to give it up just yet. Setting them aside she got into the shower, leaning into the tiles to take some of the pressure off her ankle.
After the shower she was feeling better, the pain in her ankle felt a little lessened by the hot water which was a bit of novelty to Sunset. The clean clothes did fit her, though they were just a little snug in some places, but overall they fit. Rainbow Dash was waiting for her when she got out, taking her arm again and helped her into the room.
The inside of Rainbow Dash's room was about as much as Sunset expected from one of the only girls at school with an ego to match Sunset's when she was on top. The dressers and shelves were covered in awards and trophies, the walls coated in medals and pictures of Rainbow Dash, the only piece of wall that didn't have the rainbow-haired teen was a poster of the nations airforce hanging above her bed.
Rainbow Dash noted Sunset staring at it. "I plan on enlisting when I finish school." Rainbow Dash said. "I want to pilot a jet."
"She's had dat dream in mind as long as Ah've known her." Applejack said as she set some sheets and blankets down on the floor. "Dat and playing at the Olympics."
"And I'll do both, just you wait and see." Rainbow Dash said setting Sunset down gently on the sheets.
"Whatever ya say sugar cube." Applejack said. "Ah'm going to get cleaned up now."
Sunset laid back easing into the sheets on the ground. "Thank you again for helping me even after everything, I still don't really get how you can be this nice though I'll try to understand. And I really am sorry for everything, and I will do anything to try and prove it."
"It's alright Sunset." Rainbow Dash assured her. "Just own up to your past and give friends a chance, you might end up enjoying hanging out. And if you really feel you need to prove yourself helping Twilight get home will go a long way."
"I'll see what I can do about that Rainbow Dash."
Rainbow Dash smiled. "See, you're already getting it, and my friends just call me Rainbow."
Sunset nodded laying back on the sheets and closed her eyes pretending to sleep when Applejack came back, the farmer and the athlete talked for a little while. When the lights eventually went out her mind flashed with the images of what she had done and tried to do. They were all from another's perspective, and all showed her as a terrible monster they had brainwashed hundreds of innocents and tried to murder six teenagers. Then there was the pain, not from the scratches or her leg, but a searing pain racking itself over her body, the same pain she had felt when she had first transformed. Then the pain would disappear and she would shake away the flashes, Sunset assumed it was part of her punishment and would endure it and prove she could change, that was a promise she would keep before anything else.
And while she wished it was under different circumstances Sunset was happy Twilight was here, the Princess of Friendship might be able to help her really understand how to be a good friend. She just wished her actions hadn't led to the first person who was kind to her in years being trapped from her home and family, even if her actions were indirect.
It was just another thing she would have to atone for, and she would make it up to Twilight, she would make it up to them all. With that reaffirmation of her promise, she was finally able to drift to sleep.