Morning, 7:45 am…
"Sunset! Get up!" yelled Lemon.
She had just finished thebreakfast. A few seconds later, the pony girl appeared, yawning.
"You didn’t sleep?" Lemon asked.
"I did, I think I was more exhausted than I thought” Sunset yawned.
“Maybe, sit down” Lemon said.
Sunset settled next to the baby. "What will we have for breakfast?" ask, rubbing her skin.
“Eggs and bacon. Vegan version for you” Lemon put the plates on the table.
"Thank you" she said, rubbing her arm more.
“A mosquito bite you too?” Lemon asked.
"I think so, my skin burns a little" said Sunset. "But changing the subject, what time will the father arrive?" she started to eat.
“About two hours. You have to finish your magical session” Lemon answered.
“Last time I was falling down the slide that was supposed to take me to the playhouse, but if I still have the last memory, I'll be able to tell what's going on” Sunset explained.
"Let's finish then" Lemon said eating.
It only took them 30 minutes to finish eating. Sunset was in charge of cleaning, while Lemon packed the boy's things for the father's arrival. Once everything was ready, they sat down on the small sofa.
“You only have one hour, Sunset. No more. Understand? Lemon said.
“I know, I hope it doesn't take long” Sunset said.
For the last time, she held the baby and entered his memories.
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Sunset felt a strong pain in her back, she had fallen into a dark place, only a light illuminated her from above. On the floor she found the bear's arm and the elephant's stuffed animal. In the distance she saw another light, so she walked to it.
Then, another light.
"Not now, honey"
A woman's voice said. She kept showing up more lights, so she followed them.
"I said not now."
The voice sounded more aggressive when she drink all the bottle, due to a blurred vision she thought, and saw one of those monsters; She followed the light discover everything by pieces, and to escape the darkness too. Then everything went dark.
“Sweetie, be quiet now. Mommy had a rough day."
The coat monster appeared in front of Sunset, and disappeared as she approached.
“Please, go somewhere else. I'll just... just one more”
The Swamp Woman, and the Crooked Shadow. The three spoke with the voice of the mother. Sunset began to understand everything. Even the mother appeared, in a giant way for her.
"He will NOT take you from me!"
Darkness again.
“If you can't be nice and do what mom says, I'm going to be very angry. None of us want that!”
The last light, these were several, when she arrive, it was the playhouse. Once inside, didn't wait any longer, and she put the last memory in the machine. But when activate the magic something was missing. And notice a circular entry at the end.
"I wonder if... mmm" Sunset thought.
She placed the bear's arm and then, the door opened. Behind the same darkness with a slight light at the end. She went to this and everything lit up.
Sunset returned to the house, to the baby’s room, with the difference that it was daylight. She came out of the closet and in front of her had all the objects from the memories. Sunset took the mother's necklace from the floor. But suddenly, heard noises below, found objects similar to other places she lived; The owls, the star, the bottles, the keys, the puzzle, etc.
Once on the first floor, the noise came from the kitchen, there she was.
The mother crying on the floor, along with empty bottles to the sides. When facing each other, she noticed that she had the bear. Sunset suddenly felt something between her legs, it was the baby boy! he reached over to take the stuffed animal from her.
"Stay away from me!"
She pushed the boy to the ground, Sunset bent down to help him and felt the same distortion as before.
“I'm sorry, I never mean to… it's too much” the woman cried.
Sunset felt pit for the woman. Then he, the baby, caressed her head gently.
The front door noise, she watched as the baby left and followed him, before looking at the mother. When she opened the door now everything was light, too much. Sunset just listen.
"Hi there little one! Come here” a male voice said. "Did you like your gift? What happened to his arm? Don't worry, we'll fix him up."
A peace invaded Sunset and…
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And she back...
"So?" Lemon asked.
She was interrupted by a black cloud forming in front of them; Lemon got up scared, but she didn't run away. The mass of black magic took on the slight forms of her mother's monsters; Sunset saw that the mother's necklace was in her hand suddenly, she raised the necklace before the energy, slowly the magic entered her necklace.
"What the fuc-?"
“It's over” Sunset said. “The monsters were the mother all the time. When she was drunk"
“Wow…” Lemon said.
“Everything I lived there was through the perspective of the baby. Such simple things were terrifying to him” Sunset explained.
“But you said there were three, you described each one differently. How can they be the same person? asked Lemon.
“Because each one represented her mother's moods when she drank” Sunset replied. "And now, they will no longer torment the child"
“Coo! so… well, you did it” Lemon smiled, sitting back down. "And now what?"
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
"Must be the father, come on" Lemon said, running to the door.
Sunset carried the baby, she was holding his teddy bear. Even without the arm he loved him dearly. The door opened and Sunset finally saw him. A tall man with a big beard, smiled when he saw his son.
"Hi there little one! I missed you” he smiled carrying his son. "Thank you for taking care of him"
"It was nothing" Lemon said.
“He had a few nightmares, but nothing serious” Sunset lied.
“Oh... that, I just got divorced, we had problems that we couldn't solve. I tried, but she didn't. We try to move on” explained the man.
"Everything will be okay, Mr. Justin" Lemon said.
“Take care of your son, in these situations, they are the ones who suffer the most” said Sunset.
“You speak very wise for your age. I love my son, I want the best for him, believe me, I will take good care of him ”she smiled. "I have to go, thank you again, and goodbye" he said.
The man went to his car where a woman was waiting for him.
"You think the father will be better, Sun?” Lemon asked.
The pony girl saw how father and son were laughing together, they looked so happy... then a slight memory came to her, one of equestria. It didn't last more than a second. Sunset was shocked.
"Yeah... they'll be fine" she smiled wistfully.
"If you say so" Lemon said, not noticing her friend's tone. “And I'm sorry, but I have to go too. My parents are back and they will kill me if I'm not home. I'm supposed to be grounded” she laughed.
“You never said that” Sunset said, suprised.
“You know me, hehe. But seriously, will you be okay?" asked.
"Yes, I feel better now than before" the pony girl smiled.
"Glad to hear it. See you later then, and watch out for the devil” Lemon teased.
Her friend smiled and she left. Sunset entered her house and lay down on the couch, but she heard a vibrating sound from her backpack. Growl in frustration. Possibly Zest forgot something, but it wasn't her phone, it was her book. She received a message, read the message, and sighed. She didn't do anything for a few minutes until she made up her mind. She took her jacket and went for her motorcycle.
“You're very quiet, D” Sunset said.
"I'm just tired" she replied.
"If you say so" Sunset replied.
Once again, she went to school...
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Meanwhile, the heroines of the battle of the bands, gathered in the statue of the portal.
"I wish you would stay longer" Applejack said.
“Me too, but I have responsibilities in equestria. The citizens need me” Twilight said.
"We too" said Raindow sadly. "With... you know"
“I know, that's why I asked to meet here. All seven of us” Twilight said.
"Seven?" they all said.
At that moment, the roar of an engine silenced them, the driver took off her helmet, and her face was that of the famous demon girl.
"What is Shimmer doing here?" Rainbow said annoyed.
"I asked her to come here" Twilight said. "Thanks for coming"
"Why did you call me Twilight?" Sunset asked.
“Sunset Shimmer. Your attitude last night told me a lot of things. You didn't help us to defeat the sirens, but you weren't against us either. However-"
“Do you want to know what direction I will take now? Know whose side I'm on?" continued Sunset.
"Well…"
“For your peace of mind, I am not interested in take over this school. Or equestria” Sunset said. "If that will be all-"
“Wait Sunset, I know an apology won't be enough for all the pain you've been through. Now I know, the girls told me everything; The fights, insults, hits, all have been done to you” said Twilight.
“We failed you Sunset” Rainbow said. “Especially me, I was the most reluctant to believe in you; I let my emotions dominate me, I was not… loyal to you”
"We weren't honest with you, sugar cube" Applejack continued, take off her hat.
"We should been kind and generous to you" Rarity said, Fluttershy nodding.
“Maybe we could… start over? Be friends and laugh together?" Pinkie said hopefully
“Sunset?” Twilight call.
The pony girl looked at each of the girls. They seemed genuinely repentant. Sunset thought about everything that happened; all her bad moments, her adventures... and every experience lived until now.
“I accept you apology. But not the friendship” Sunset said.
"WHAT?!!" They all said, except Twilight, the princess was just surprised.
"P-Please Sunset, yes I know, we screwed up, but you have to-"
“I already did Rainbow, really, I forgive you guys. But I won't be your friend."
"Why Sunset?" asked.
“Twilight, when you beat me at the Fall Formal, that didn't make me change my personality. What really changed me was being face to face to the death” Sunset said seriously.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Rainbow said confused.
“Before this, a few weeks after my defeat, I was in a party try to make Friends, but, there was a killer. He almost killed me, I spend months in a hospital” Sunset said. Shocking everyone.
"Y-You could have called us" Rarity said.
“You never gave me their numbers, although I gave you mine. For this reason, I need to be with real friends, who, despite knowing my past, don't judge me or suspect of me when something bad happens” said Sunset.
“It make me sad you think that Sunset. Are you sure?" Twilight said.
"I am. I know you're not so diferent to them, princess. I know you care more about what I will do, that how I feel. I won't take over this world, I don't want to, I don't need to” Sunset said.
Twilight wanted to justify that, but she decided against it. “I don't approve of your new direction, but I respect it. You still have your book, you can talk to me if you need anything, okay?"
"I'll keep that in mind, bye." She returned to her motorcycle and walked away from her.
"That didn't go so well" Fluttershy said.
"So what?" asked Pinkie.
“Sunset is not interested in dominating the school or this world. She's not interested in the friendship we offered her” Twilight said.
"We're sorry we let you down Twilight" Applejack said.
“It wasn't me, it was to her. I want you to take care of her from afar, don't let her go through that pain again” Twilight said.
"We swear!" Pinky said.
"Are you? Will you be able to do this?" Twilight asked.
“We understand that you get like this, darling. But we won't let this happen again, we'll do it for you, for Sunset, and us” Rarity said.
“I will trust you once again. Maybe in future, Sunset will give us another chance” Twilight said. "For Celestia I hope so" she prayed.
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Sunset arrived at her house, and set out to clean it up. At the end of her task, she found her mother's necklace; She picked up the jewel and went to the second floor, went to her closet, inside it was a strange secret compartment. Inside there was a paper with a drawing of a very tall being without a face, with the word "FOLLOWS", another was a white hockey mask with dried blood, and a wave receiver with an installed compass. She put the necklace down next to her.
“I hate these things, but they remind me that I'm still alive” Sunset said. Her ferret jumped off the couch toward her.
"Don't worry buddy, I'm fine" Sunset smiled, let's go upstairs.
She went to the window behind the apartment, there was a fire escape. She went out to the roof, sat on the roof to play with onyx, and also to reflect on everything that has happened, the sight of her also helped her.
"Forgive me for ignoring you Onix, from now on we will spend more time together" Sunset smiled.
They played for a couple of hours and then went back inside. She left her pet on the couch, and picked up her towel and a couple of new clothes, went to the bathroom to take a well-deserved and relaxing shower. In about 10 minutes she came out with her pajamas on, go down to the living room and watch TV.
Suddenly the doorbell rang, she walked to it and opened it. Sunset thought it was Lemon who forgot something. But no, was a guy. He was a tall boy with sky blue skin with green eyes and well-combed dark blonde hair. He was wearing an elegant suit; A cherry-colored jacket, blue shirt, orange tie, a brown sweater, gray pants, and elegant black shoes.
"Lemonade Blues? What are you doing here? You weren't-"
"I came back yesterday, but I had things to do" said the boy. He showed a white bag. "Did you have dinner yet?"
"No-"
The boy came in and went to the kitchen to heat up the food.
"Yes, of course, come in" Sunset said sarcastically.
"Lemon explained to me what happened. And about something you wanted to tell me too" the boy said.
"Oh, well, I was hoping to tell you, but..."
"We've known each other since you arrived here, you're my friend and you can talk to me" Blues said, very honest.
Sunset sat on the couch still unsure. The boy saw her, took the drinks she brought, sat next to her, and offered it to her. In a few ways, like her friend, he told her the truth. Since her past in equestria, until recent events. At the end of the joke he stared at him for a while.
"So?"
"I already said that you were very strange, I felt that you were different. But it is not what I expected"
"Thank you? But I mean, will you still be my friend?" Sunset asked.
"Just because you're a pony won't make me change my way of thinking. I care more about the way you are" said Blues.
"Wow... I was expecting another reaction unlike Lemon" said Sunset.
"Could it be that I know you more than she does, or maybe because you helped me before" the boy smiled.
"Thanks, but you're still have the same look as when I met you," said Sunset.
"I already told you that my situation is difficult, but I will fix it, I swear," he said nervously, adjusting his tie.
"You better, now let's go eat" Sunset said.
They sat in the living room watching a movie while they ate. They talked longer about other topics until the evening. Then the boy had to leave.
"Will you be okay Shimmer?" asked.
"Now thanks to you two, I will be."
The boy smiled and left. Sunset cleaned up again and went to take care of her, and let Onix sleep with her, she didn't want to spend the night alone. Her window had a perfect view. She watched as the sun slowly set.
“I wish my problems would disappear like the sun every day, but they'd be back the next day” Sunset smiled. She saw how Onix played with her fingers.
"I don't know what the future holds for me, but... I won't be alone" she smiled looking at the messages from Lemon and Thunder.
"And me~" the demon smiled.
"Yeah, everything will be fine now, D" Sunset said, looking at the horizon.
She took one of her guitars that hung on her wall, and she lay on her bed to sing a song she had been writing on.
“♪♪ It's all right, yeah. I'm walking right beside you. I feel the way, feel the way that you do, too. Oh, I can't lie, sometimes ♪♪”