In a time of need

by Small Muffin


The next morning

Sunset woke up after a good night's sleep, the first in quite a while. After a quick look around the room, now illuminated by the daylight outside, she didn't recognize where she was, but the events of last night quickly came back to remind her. She was with the sirens, after they found her last night.

She was about to get herself up, but the door opened slightly, gaining her attention, and Aria poked her head through into the room. "Oh, you're up," she said, opening the door fully. She made her way over to Sunset, who was watching her very closely. "Sleep well?"

"Fine," she replied, pushing the duvet off her and swinging her legs off the side of the bed, and sitting up. "Better than I have in a while..."

"Why's that?" Aria asked.

"Dunno..." Sunset replied dryly.

"Well, alright then." she picked up Sunset's clothes, still at the end of the bed, and handed them to her, "Here, they're all ready."

Sunset took the clothes from her, "So I can leave now?"

Aria nodded, "We told you, we're not gonna try anything, you can go now." She sat down next to Sunset, "Although, if you wanna stay y-" she said halfheartedly.

"N-no, it's fine, I should probably..." Sunset sighed.

"You don't trust us do you?" Aria asked dimly.

"It's not that, it's something else," Sunset replied.

"You think we're gonna pull something, don't you?" Sunset didn't reply, "Can't say I blame you," Aria said, a strange uncertainty in her voice.

"Are you alright?" Sunset asked.

"Yeah, just still a bit tired I guess." Aria stood back up and walked back over to the door and closed it as she left.

Sunset got dressed rather quickly, walked over to the bedroom door, and was about to open it when voices on the other side caught her attention.

"This isn't gonna work you know."

"Of course it will, just trust me a minute will ya."

"What makes you think she will?"

"What makes you think she won't?"

"Well, the fact that we enslaved her school classmates and then tried to kill her are two reasons right there."

The door suddenly opened, and Sunset was greeted to a bright smile. "Morning sleepy head," Sonata said, as Adagio just shook her head, "You alright?"

"Fine."

"Great! Now I know Ari just told you that you could go, but..."

"She is going!" Adagio groaned.

"...you wanna stay for breakfast?" Sonata asked, still smiling.

"W-what? Breakfast?" Sunset asked, confused.

"Yeah, breakfast. I'm making pancakes," she replied energetically.

"Ignore her. You can go Sunset," Adagio said, "The door's this way."

"Right..." Sunset replied uneasily, following Adagio out of the hallway and into the large main room.

Adagio pointed to the door, "There you go," she said as she sat down at the large table near the back of the room.

"Aw come on, you sure you don't wanna stay?" Sonata asked as Sunset walked over to the door, "It's the pancakes isn't it? We can have something different if you want!"

"Sonata, let her go, alright..."

When Sunset got to the door, she stopped and listened to the two behind her for a moment. "But, I thought we were gonna talk abo-"

"Well we're not, alright!?" Adagio interrupted.

"But why not?" Sonata asked.

Sunset put her hand on the door knob, and was about to turn it to open the door. "She doesn't want to be here alright! She has better places to be than here, and she's better off with her friends anyway, so just drop it," she said.

Sunset's hand froze. "You're right... Her friends are probably worried about her right now anyway..." Sonata said, "Sorry for wasting your time Sunset."

Sunset let go of the door knob, "Alright," she said, "I guess I can stay for a little bit." She turned back around.

"What? No, you don't have to stay here Sunset," Adagio said politely, "Unlike someone here I can tell you don't want to be here, so..."

"No, it's fine," she replied weakly, "I mean, I am pretty hungry, and I don't exactly have anywhere to go so..."

"Don't have anywhere to go?" Adagio repeated.

"I mean, I don't exactly have any plans today, so, I guess I could stay for a bit, if you don't mind that is," Sunset replied weakly.

Adagio saw it again, that same look Sunset had last night, the one she couldn't read, "Alright."

Sonata beamed at her, "Really?!?!"

"Sure," Adagio said with a fake, but fairly convincing smile, "Sonata, you better get in the kitchen already." She looked over at Sunset, "I'll be back in a sec, take a seat."

The two of them walked into the kitchen, as Sunset took a seat at the table, "What friends?" she muttered to herself.

In the kitchen Aria was washing some plates. "Hey Ari, guess who's staying for breakfast?" Sonata asked.

"Don't tell me she actually said yes?!" Aria asked in amazement.

"Look you two," Adagio began, "There's something's not right with her."

"Really?" Aria asked blandly, "She almost died last night, and she woke up here, of course she's gonna be a bit on edge."

"No, it's something else, I saw it last night, and just saw it again now."

"Well, what do you think it is?" Sonata asked.

"I dunno, just watch her closely, and you'll see what I mean," Adagio said as she walked out the kitchen.


Twilight and the others made their way to CHS. Pinkie apparently thought it would be a good idea to go there first, they all thought it was because she hoped that Sunset would be there, safe and sound.

They had been completely silent since they left Fluttershy's house, no one knew what to say. With every step they took, they could hear the crunching of the snow below them. Eventually, the school came into view as they turned a corner.

There was a group of people outside the school waiting for them, consisting of the Wonderbolts, Trixie, Flash Sentry, Octavia, Vinyl, Lyra, Bon-Bon and the three crusaders, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. "What are you all doing here?" Twilight asked as she and the other five approached them.

"Why, we're here to help search for Shimmer of course," Trixie replied, "Why else?"

"Wait, how do yall know she's missing?" Applejack asked.

Flash pointed at Pinkie, "Pinkie sent a text to pretty much everyone about it, the rest of the school is out looking for her now."

"So why aren't you as well?" Rainbow asked.

"She wanted to meet some of us here," Lyra replied.

"Alright, listen up!" Pinkie shouted, "Our friends in trouble and we gotta find her as soon as we can, even if we have to flip this whole city upside-down! Wonderbolts, I want you all to go downtown and search every single shop, restaurant and alleyway. Trixie, you and Rainbow can handle the Ponyville apartment complex, and every place in that area."

"You want Trixie to go with her?" Trixie asked.

"Hey!"

"Alright, then you and Fluttershy can handle the Everfree Slums instead," Pinkie replied.

"The slums?... No thanks, I'll go with Rainbow..." she said unamused.

"Good. Now where was I... Ah, yeah, Flash, take your car, and have a drive around the whole city, or as much as you can, and keep an eye out for her. Vinyl, you and Bon-Bon can take your car and do the same."

"She's really thought this all out hasn't she," Rarity said.

"I'll say," Twilight replied.

"Rares, you and Twi head to the richer, classier part of town. You've got a few well respected clients up there who might be able to help. Applejack, you can go with Fluttershy to the slums, specifically that homeless shelter Shy helps out at," Pinkie said,

"Will do," Applejack replied.

"And finally, Lyra, you and Octavia can check out the Iron Will Gym, and all the surrounding area. Between us, we'll find her in no time. Now, everyone MOVE OUT!" Pinkie yelled enthusiastically.

"What about us?" Pinkie turned her attention to the crusaders, "What do you want us to do?" Sweetie asked.

"Oh, uh..." Pinkie said, "You three can... stay around this area, you never know, she might just come around here," she replied.

"Wait, you just want us to... stay here?" Scootaloo asked.

"More or less, yeah," Pinkie replied uneasily.

"Well, there's gotta be something we can do," Applebloom replied.

"Allow Trixie to tell you straight, you three are staying here, because you've already caused enough damage, and we don't want any more," Trixie replied harshly.

"...We said we were sorry," Applebloom said.

"Tell that to Sunset when we find her," Trixie said.

"Last time I checked, you owe her an apology as well, Trixie," Dash said.

"Trixie is aware of that, but it's not like I actually caused th-"

"That's enough Trixie," Rainbow interrupted, "Let's just go."

The group of people split off in their own directions, as Twilight ran over to Pinkie, "So where are you going?"

"I've got another group of people waiting down at Sugercube Corner, so I'm headed down there now," Pinkie replied.

"How did you put all this together so quickly?" Twilight asked.

"Oh Twilight, isn't there a me where you live? Surely you know I'm the best party planner ever right?" she asked jokingly, "Well that includes search parties!"

"Hm, I guess that does kind of make sense," Twilight said.

"Don't worry Twilight, we'll find her in no time," Pinkie said before turning around and running down the street.

"I hope you're right."