Little Sunny

by InsertAuthorHere

Chapter 9: Baby, Bike Bike Bike

In all the time she had known Twilight Sparkle, one feature Sunset Shimmer had come to expect was her preparedness. Whether she be a pony princess or a junior mad scientist, the girl's penchant for preparedness was often beyond words. Her life was seemingly scheduled down to the last minute of free time. She never went anywhere without triple-checking for everything she could possibly need. And now, when she had fixed up her old bike for a temporarily-diminished friend, she had taken all of the necessary steps to ensure that nothing could go wrong.

Much to Sunset Shimmer's annoyance.

“Is all of this REALLY necessary?” Sunset grumbled.

Twilight nodded affirmatively, ignoring her little friend's obvious discomfort. Sunset's mass of hair was hidden underneath a bulky pink helmet – a helmet that, in an added bit of indignity, was decorated with fluffy unicorns and bright, sparkling glitter. Her elbows and knees were covered with thick white pads, and her hands had been forced into a pair of the most uncomfortable gloves ever forged by man. And then there was the little bell installed by the handlebars, which let out a shrill shriek of a chime at the push of a switch...

Actually, Sunset had no complaints about the bell. In fact, she could not help but view it almost as a sort of mechanical spirit animal, representing Sunset's feelings of keeping her balance on a thin beam of metal while screaming shrilly at nothing. Nevertheless, she had to keep her gripes in an easy-to-follow order to avoid adding any more confusion to her frazzled brain.

“You know there are these little things called 'laws,' right?” Twilight asked. She was standing immediately behind Sunset, her arms crossed triumphantly as she admired her work. “Besides, the last thing I want is you to fall over and crack your skull open on the sidewalk.”

“That...wonderful mental picture aside, don't you think this is a little excessive?” Sunset raised her right elbow to eye level. “Okay, the helmet is...fine. I get that. But why these pads? I'm pretty sure these aren't required.”

“Yeah, well, they're sort of leftovers from Shining Armor's brief foray into skateboarding when he was your physical age. And do you want to deal with a bruised kneecap or elbow? I think not!”

Sunset sighed. “Twilight, I'm perfectly fit. In fact, I'm probably healthier now than when I was a teenager. I can take a few falls.”

“Yes, of course...but what if you get hurt and your injury gets infected?”

A chill ran up Sunset's spine and she looked into Twilight's eyes. The mania the two versions shared was beginning to force its way back to the forefront, bringing with it the madness of a thousand overprotective mothers. “I mean, you could get gangrene and we'd have to cut your limb off! Or you could get something and it looks like nothing, but when we fix the machine and get you back to normal, it also gets ten years older! And at the speed microbes replicate and evolve, it will turn your arm or leg into a nightmarish blob monster that destroys all of Canterlot! And when they try to-”

"TWILIGHT!”

The sound of Sunset's scream pulled Twilight out of her downward spiral and back to reality. “Oh...sorry. Just got a little carried away, I guess. Still, safety is important.”

Sunset let out a noise that, to the trained ear, rested somewhere in between a sigh of exasperation and the groan one makes when passing a kidney stone. “Why am I doing this again?” she said under her breath.

That was when she looked back through the windows, catching Princess Twilight leafing through her books.

Including that book.

The whistling cry of ancient doom whiffed through the trees.

“Well, let's get going, shall we?”

“Now, are you sure you don't need any help getting started?” asked Twilight. “The first time I rode a bike, my parents were right by me to keep me stable.”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Twilight, please. I'm a grown woman with a motorcycle license. I'm reasonably certain I can handle myself on something as simple as this. Now, if you don't mind, I'd really like to get going.”

Twilight, realizing the time for talk had passed, released her grip from the back of the seat. Sunset Shimmer straightened her back and took in a big, healthy gulp of the afternoon air. The bangs of her hair seemed to dance in the slight breeze, and the warm sunlight bathed over her like a spotlight falling upon a play's shining star. She let out a barely-audible war cry, leaned the bike straight, popped up the kickstand, and took her first pedal.

She made it two inches before both she and bike toppled to her right.

The grass broke their fall, but Sunset's legs still ended up tangled beneath her would-be vehicle. Twilight struggled to maintain a look of concern as she snickered at the small child pulled herself out from beneath the bike. “Simple, huh?” Twilight asked.

"Ha, ha, ha,” Sunset grumbled. She leaned over and lifted the bicycle back into a standing position. “I will figure this thing...”

Sunset's grip on the handlebars faltered just slightly, causing the bicycle's front wheel to spin to the left. The sudden movement sent Sunset falling back into the bike, and the two were rejoined on the earth once more.

---

The next two hours fell into a rather set routine. Sunset Shimmer would pull herself back onto the bicycle, make it just a little bit farther, and then find herself back on the ground. The experience was actually quite educational, as it allowed Sunset to experience the feeling of concrete, asphalt, pointy blades of grass, carelessly discarded bubble gum, and inconvenient rocks impacting her skin. And of course, all of these were accompanied by Twilight panicking at every wince of pain, berating herself for endangering her friend with such a horrendous death trap.

Finally, after the hundredth or so spill, Sunset rose back to her feet, pulled the bike back into a standing position, and seated herself on the hard plastic seat, just as she had done before. Her hands gripped the bars so tight her knuckled turned a cream color. She gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes, leaving her face resembling a rabid animal. Her soul burned with a determination she had not felt since the Friendship Games.

With a defiant snarl, she began to pedal.

And pedal.

And pedal.

It took Sunset a few seconds to realize what was happening. Her sneer relaxed into a look of surprise as she realized the world was moving around her. There was no feeling of being pushed, so it couldn't be Twilight trying something like holding the back of the seat. A smile crept across her lips as her heart skipped a beat. There was no other possible conclusion: she was moving. At long last, she had triumphed. She was riding a bicycle.

“YES!” Sunset shouted, barely resisting the urge to throw her arms into the air.

“You did it, Sunset!” Twilight also shouted. She smiled and gripped her fists into hard knuckles. “I knew you could do it! Now let's...”

That was when Twilight realized Sunset wasn't stopping. In fact, in the brief moment between the two shouting in jubilation and now, she had pedaled so far away that she was barely a speck in the distance. “Wait, Sunset!” Twilight shouted as she broke into a run. “You can't go that far! You might...might...”

Sadly for Twilight Sparkle, she had reached the limits of her endurance. She fell to her knees and panted for air, her right arm futilely reaching out to her vanishing friend. It would have been quite dramatic had she not fallen a mere fifty feet from her front driveway.

---

There were no words in any language, on any side of the portal, that could describe the joy Sunset Shimmer was experiencing.

The bicycle continued to carry her forward, skittering across the rough pavement as naturally as a feather on the wind. The cool breeze felt exhilarating against her face, refreshing her just as her walk with Spike had done that morning. Everything felt natural, as if the vehicle itself was just as extension of herself, and she felt like she could do no wrong. Not even stop signs and signal lights were enough to stop her; thankfully, traffic was miraculously light, so the story did not end with a runaway girl painting the asphalt.

Her eyes were still open, however, lest she get lost in the winding streets of Twilight's neighborhood. Thankfully, she had managed to stick to much the same route she had taken with Spike, and the familiar houses formed a helpful, if oversized, trail back to her temporary residence. There was also the possibility of another ambush by Trixie, especially after Sunset had escaped with her cell phone, but thankfully the aspiring magician was nowhere to be seen.

Sunset took in one deep breath after another. Her forehead was covered in sweat. Her legs ached from the pressure of peddling, not to mention the injuries she had taken getting this far. And yet, in this moment, everything was just as it should be. She was free. She was happy.

She was about to crash into the side of a car.

Sunset's screech was barely distinguishable from the sound made by the bike's tires as she hit the brakes. In her panic, she lost her sense of balance, sending the bike and her body tilting to the right once again. On the plus side, both she and the bike barely avoided hitting the car. On the minus side, she found her fall being broken not by a soft patch of freshly-mowed grass, but instead a noticeably overgrown, thorn-riddled rose bush. Sunset let out an unholy chorus of grunts, screams, and contemptible language as she pulled herself out of the bush, her clothes tearing and bristling against the flowers' pointy defenses.

If the driver had not noticed Sunset Shimmer's presence before the near-accident, they were certainly keyed in when they heard a child repeatedly stammering a word that rhymes with “duck.” “Hey, are you alright, kid?” asked a young male voice. “I swear, I didn't see you until...”

“Yeah, yeah, I'm fine,” Sunset muttered. “Just a little...surprised...is...”

Her pupils dilated until they were the size of pinpricks on a roll of fabric. The voice was a familiar one, and not in a particularly pleasant way, especially right now. As she slowly forced her gaze upwards to the speaker's face, her vision confirmed all of her fears. Standing in front of her, in all of his teenage faux-rebel rocker glory, was Flash Sentry. The boy she had dated as part of her schemes. The boy who grew a spine and dumped her just before her plot unraveled. The boy who was second only to Trixie on the list of people she really did not want to see in this condition.

Flash's own eyes widened in surprise. “S-Sunset? Is that you?”

“U-Um...Sunset?” The girl looked about nervously. “N-No, my name isn't Sunset. My name is....”

She looked upon the logo on the side of a van from a landscaping company: Sunset Century Groundskeeping.

She looked upon a business sign above a nearby house: Sunset & Shimmer Tax Preparers, Inc.

She looked upon a passing hearse. Shimmering Sunset Pastures: For All Your Final Resting Needs.

It was official. This was the universe getting revenge on her for bringing in the Element of Magic and kneecapping the laws of reality because she would rather be evil than study friendship.

Defeated, Sunset let out a sigh and shook her head. “Yes, Flash, it's me.”

“Wow, I...saw the pictures and everything, but this is...” Small beads of sweat ran down Flash's forehead as he struggled to find the right words. At the very least, Sunset could take solace in how awkward he was finding seeing his former girlfriend in this state was. “A-And that bike? Where'd you get it?”

Acting on some kind of reflex, Sunset bent over and pulled the bike back into a standing position. “I-It belongs to Twilight. She was...letting me borrow it for a bit.”

The two let out another forced, nervous chuckle before settling on scanning the ground for the least-awkward spot to stare at. The world seemed to crawl to a halt around them; the breeze died down, the gentle rustling of branches and wind chimes ceased, and even the sound of passing vehicles seemed to melt into an impenetrable morass of background noise. Sunset could feel her stomach churning as anxiety struggled to take hold, but the horror of the situation was so great that not even a panic attack was powerful enough to set in.

“So...what are you doing around here?” she finally asked.

“Um...going home?” was Flash's response.

Sunset's face turned bright red as she turned her head to the right. In the midst of her near-accident, she had failed to recognize the very good-sized house whose yard she was in, or the driveway Flash's car had pulled into. They were indeed the Sentry homestead, a place she had seen many times during her evil days. “Wow, I...had no idea you and Twilight lived so close.”

Flash shrugged and sighed simultaneously. “I've never been to her house, so...”

An invisible boot kicked Sunset upside the back of the head. “Right...I forgot. The one here isn't that interested in you, is she?”

“That's one way to put it,” Flash mumbled back.

The two let out a shared chuckle, lasting exactly three-point-two seconds, before resuming their awkward silence. Both looked around anxiously, trying to find some way out of this chance encounter, but nothing seemed to be leaping out.

That was when one of Sunset's sweat droplets, which had been working its way down her right arm, made contact with one of the bruises from the rose bush. The girl winced and let out a hiss as a burst of pain shot through her body. Her nerves, much like everything else in her life, began to work against her, starting with her left hand wrapping itself around the affronted wound. This was followed by her tear ducts being jolted to life, allowing a small amount of water to well around her eyes.

“Oh, geez, are you okay?” Flash asked, his eyes expanding in concern.

“I-I'm fine!” Sunset snapped. The force of her declaration shook more sweat loose, prompting a follow-up shock in her lower right leg. Not that it mattered – it was rather difficult to hide the small trickles of red along her cheek. She was not fine, and even someone considered dense like Flash Sentry could recognize this fact.

“W-Would you like to come inside?” Flash asked in a rushed tone. “We need to get those cuts cleaned.”

“I'll be fine!” Sunset snapped. “I just need to get back to Twilight, and...”

Then she remembered Twilight's breakdown.

“Actually, I could probably use a bandage.”

Flash nodded and reached into his pocket. “Just give me a moment. I need to make a call.”

---

“And then she was all 'AAAAAH!' and then her eyes were all 'Doooouy!' and then she...kinda fell over and stopped moving.”

Pinkie Pie's friends regarded her with an array of expressions, nearly all of which resembled a fish flopping on a cutting board. Thankfully, none of the other students reacted, being too busy with their own lives after school hours. Rainbow Dash leaned against a nearby trash can, silently elated to have found one that still had a lid. “So Twilight and...Twilight brought Sunset here...and didn't tell us?”

Applejack shrugged. “They probably had more important things to do than bug us all in class. Although I can't reckon why they'd come this close to Canterlot High, considering...”

“There's only one way we're going to get any answers, girls,” Rarity chimed in. “I think another visit to Twilight's is in order.”

The others nodded in agreement...save for Pinkie, who chose to express her feelings with a loud cheer. “Absolutely! We have so much to go over! Sunset's birthday is right around the corner, and we still haven't lined up the entertainment!”

Before anyone could once again attempt to counter Pinkie's nonsense with logic, a buzzing sound emerged from Rarity's skirt pocket. The fashionista reached inside and pulled out her cell phone, which was shaking something fierce. “Who is it?” asked Fluttershy.

“It's from Flash.” Rarity shrugged and swiped the screen before bringing the phone to her ear. She and the other girls then began walking towards the parking lot, their conversation gradually fading into the background noise that came with a few hundred teenagers heading home. No one paid any heed to the sudden shaking in the trash can, or how its lid slid off to reveal the smirking face of Trixie.

“So, Sunset Shimmer wants some entertainment for her party?” she whispered evilly. “I suppose the Great and Powerful Trixie can lower her standards for one day...” her lips descended into a wrathful sneer. “Especially when it comes to little cell phone thieves!”

Her ears suddenly perked at an approaching sound, coming from the same direction her unwitting victims had departed. Trixie, not wanting to get caught and have her suspension extended, grabbed the trash can lid and scuttled it back into position. As she bunched herself up into as small a ball as possible, her mind made its way back to the target of her vengeance. Just you wait, Sunset Shimmer! I'm going to make you...

Vice-Principal Luna winced as she lifted the trash can lid and tossed in a bag of garbage. “Honestly, sister, how many times do I have to tell you not to leave your old lunches in the staff fridge?! Half of those were in there for months!”

Next came Miss Cheerilee, who held her head skyward as she dumped several small bins of vomit and gunk into the trash can. “That's the last time I let Nurse Redheart borrow the library's garbage bins on burrito day!” she muttered as she left.

And next came Granny Smith, who dumped a large sack of rotten lettuce, tomatoes, and potatoes into the poor trash can. “Lousy young 'uns don't eat right anymore, I swear!” she muttered to nobody as she moseyed into the sunset.

Within the trash can, Trixie was now covered in multiple layers of unspeakable substances. Any normal person would have been screaming in horror, but she was the Great and Powerful Trixie. Mere garbage was not enough to deter her from her present course. And in any case, she had succeeded in avoiding detection...

“Let's see how hard you can kick that trash can!” shouted Scootaloo.

“YOU'RE ON!” shouted Bulk Biceps.

The Terrified and Doomed Trixie could only let out a whimper as she, and her metal carriage, were sent flying through the air, slamming into the ground, and finally rolling down the street.

---

The inside of Flash's house was nothing spectacular. A large living room with a massive television and l-shaped sectional sofa, family photos decorating the walls, a kitchen with a pristine white-tile floor and marble countertops, a bathroom stocked with potpourri and three-month-old magazines...all were fairly typical for a family with the money to blow on such things. The only atypical additions were the guitars, drum set, and amps scattered about, a reminder of Flash's particular hobby. Nothing Sunset hadn't seen before, and in quite a literal sense.

Only now things were quite a big bigger.

As was Flash Sentry. The boy she had used up and spat out.

Who could now snap her like a twig if he wanted.

Flash quickly scooted into the kitchen, returning moments later with a small box of adhesive bandages. “Thank you,” was all Sunset said before running to the bathroom and closing the door. Slowly, she slid her way down to the floor, her back resting against the door, as she struggled to regain control of her nerves. Every breath felt like the air was filled with razor blades. Her heart pounded as quickly as when she was riding the bike, but there was no joy now, only sudden terror.

The only question was, why?

Damn it, Sunset, listen to yourself! Sunset's mind burned. It was as if her head was already a burning barbecue, and someone had decided to dump another bottle of lighter fluid onto the flame. This is Flash Sentry, the nicest, dorkiest guy you know! He's not going to bother plotting revenge or nonsense like that! He's not...

A chill ran up Sunset's spine. It was the same feeling she had experienced just earlier that day.

“And look at you, still acting like you're a big girl!”

Sunset's stomach twisted into a knot. Sweat began to pour down her brow as her hands began to tremble. She felt alone, humiliated, stupid...

There was a knock on the door.

“Sunset? Are you okay?”

Flash's voice snapped Sunset Shimmer out of her funk. She slowly lifted herself off the floor, clutching the box of bandages close to her chest with both hands. “Y-Yeah, I'm fine.”

She could make out a sigh from the other end. “Well, come on out whenever you're ready. I'll be in the kitchen for a few minutes.”

As his footsteps gradually disappeared, Sunset's grip on the box tightened until the lid popped open. The flicker of resolve within her ignited into a small flame, not overwhelmingly powerful but still enough to keep from shutting down completely. Walking up to the sink (which was thankfully low enough she was able to use it, even if she had to stand on tiptoe), she set about washing her wounds and applying the bandages. After that, she would face whatever horrible revenge Flash, like Trixie, had planned for her.

A familiar smell worked its way through the bottom of the door.

Apparently the first part of Flash's plan involved fattening Sunset up with popcorn.

---

Princess Twilight tapped the pencil tip nervously against her chin. The dining room table was covered in books of the opened and closed variety, scrambled masses of paper covered in scribbles and notes, and at least a half-dozen thoroughly-chewed pencils. (To her credit, only two of them were due to forgetting how hands worked.) The notebook in front of her was likewise covered in markings alien to the normal human eye, symbolizing the ancient magicks and untold powers held within the princess' collection of tomes.

And so far, what she had read was not encouraging.

She was a hair's breadth from sighing when she heard a loud buzzing sound. Princess Twilight's head turned to the source of the sound: her human counterpart's cell phone, which was vibrating like Pinkie Pie on a sugar rush. With no sign of the other her, she pulled herself out of the chair and answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Hey, is this Twilight?”

Princess Twilight's cheeks turned red at the voice. “Flash Sentry?! Is that you?”

“Yeah, it's me!” A laugh. “I...never heard you excited to hear from me before...”

“That's because...” Princess Twilight paused, composing the words as best she could before speaking. “Actually, this is the Twilight from the other world. This world's Twilight is out at the moment.”

There was a long silence on the other end, no doubt Flash trying to recover from having his dreams crushed yet again. “That's okay,” he finally said, his voice faltering just slightly. “I just wanted to let you...I mean, her...know that I have Sunset over at my house. She had a little accident on her bike, so I'm going to make sure she's okay before sending her back.”

Princess Twilight's forehead creased with worry. “An accident? Was it serious?”

“No, nothing bad,” said Flash. “She's sitting on the couch right now, eating some popcorn. She asked me to call here and let someone know she was okay.”

“That's great,” said Princess Twilight. “Thank you, Flash. I knew I could depend on you.”

There was another nervous laugh on the other end, which only caused Princess Twilight's blush to deepen. The two exchanged a few more pleasantries before disconnecting, which finally gave Twilight the chance to exhale and calm her nerves. She was so wrapped-up in her emotions that she barely noticed the biggest problem of all:

Where was the human Twilight, anyway?

---

If Sunset Shimmer was going for a “tough kid,” look, the latest bit of first-aid was definitely a step in the right direction. Bandages decorated the girl's arms, legs, and even her nose and forehead. Even Flash had seemed a bit taken aback when he had first seen her emerge from the bathroom. “You didn't look that hurt out there.”

“I...may have gone a little overboard,” Sunset said with a chuckle. “But hey, I can manage.”

The two let out another anxious round of laughter, which seemed to almost clatter against the brick-like atmosphere of tension. This was followed by the traditional period of awkward silence as Flash handed Sunset a large, opaquely-clear bowl of popcorn, she pulled herself onto the couch, and he sat down in a nearby recliner with the rest of the bag. The two then began to mechanically eat their snack, with Sunset visibly struggling to keep from plunging her entire face into the bowl and Flash stretching his legs out after a long day.

Neither one could stand it. The silence was akin to having one's legs slowly devoured by flesh-eating piranhas while someone kept throwing salt on them. It was Sunset, obviously, who was brave enough to squeak out an opening question. “So...your parents gonna be home soon?”

“Nah, they're out of town for a while,” said Flash. “Probably a good thing, too. I have no idea how they'd react to all this.”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it.”

More laughter, more failed attempts to cover the horror of this all. The conversation starter was as dead as Sunset's career as Princess Celestia's student.

Finally, Sunset could take no more. She let out a low moan as she pulled herself down off the couch. “Well, I...think I need to get going. It's getting late and all...”

“Are you gonna be okay?” asked Flash, his features darkening just slightly.

Sunset, picking up the subtext, shrugged in response. “I know my way back to Twilight's. And besides, it's just a couple of scrapes. Certainly not the worst thing that's happened to me this week.” She snickered at her own little joke as she started towards the door. “Thanks for the popcorn.”

“Anytime,” Flash responded. He walked over to the couch and picked up the bowl – by the time she had concluded, Sunset had left only a few stray unpopped kernels to remember her gluttony. “And if you need anything, please don't be afraid to call me. We're all rooting for you!”

Sunset froze, her hand mere inches from the doorknob. A thousand possible responses flew through her mind, each clambering to escape her mouth. She could have pointed out how Pinkie Pie kept insisting on a birthday party she didn't want. Perhaps she could have mentioned how she had become the laughingstock of Canterlot High overnight. Or maybe he would have liked to hear about Trixie bullying her, or Twilight treating her like a child, or Rarity manipulating her to win points with her boss.

Any one of those would have punctured Flash's naivete like a pin striking a balloon. And as much as Sunset would have enjoyed validating her current suffering, she could not bring herself to do so at his expense. Thus, her response was only to sigh, shake her head, and say, “Thank you. You're a good guy, Flash Sentry.”

Flash chuckled just a little. The air in the house seemed to get a slight bit lighter. Sunset took a calming breath and opened the door.

And both found themselves staring in horror at what waited on the other side.

Twilight Sparkle – the human one – was standing on Flash Sentry's front doorstep. The bike she had given Sunset was wrapped tightly in her arms, as if she was cradling a long-lost child. Her clothes were soaked in sweat, to the point that perspiration was literally dripping from her sleeves. The spectacle would have been humorous, were it not for the fact that her face was wrinkled and sagging from dehydration, her breathing was as heavy and forced as a pair of bellows, and her arms and legs were not shaking from physical exertion. If Sunset did not know any better, it would have seemed that Twilight had aged fifty years since they had last seen each other.

“H-Hello, Twilight,” Sunset stammered. “Y-You okay?”

Twilight said nothing. Her eyes, however, were as expressive as ever. She scanned every inch of Sunset Shimmer's bodies, and as she took in the many, many bandages she had slapped on, her pupils turned red enough to frighten even the most stalwart of sailors.

Sunset could feel raw terror creeping over her again. It wasn't quite the same as it was with Trixie, but there was something definitely off about Twilight in this moment. “Um...I...was just about to head back to your house. Y-Y-You didn't need to...”

“Four miles,” Twilight's voice croaked.

Sunset and Flash both tilted their heads slightly.

“I ran after you...for four miles.” Twilight's grip on the bike tightened, coming ever closer to a full-fledged bear hug. “I have never...ran so far...in my life. And what happened to you?”

Sunset's eyes widened. “Oh...Oh! You mean all of these?” She motioned to the plethora of bandages adorning her form. “Well, I had a little accident...”

Twilight's head twitched.

“I-It wasn't anything bad! I mean, I did almost run into Flash's car...”

The twitch worked its way down Twilight's entire body.

“I-I wasn't hurt or anything! I just had a couple of little cuts from the rose bushes, and...”

The twitching settled in Twilight's hands, compelling them ever closer to the little girl's neck.

Flash walked up to the door, stopping just behind Sunset. “Um...Twilight? Do you need to sit down?”

“Oh...hello, Mr. Sentry,” said Twilight. Flash bristled slightly at the confirmation of which Twilight this was, but if it was noticed, nobody seemed to care enough to show. “I don't need to sit. I don't need to rest. I need to take this...Sunset Shimmer home and...show her how much I...appreciate her...”

Sunset Shimmer shuddered as Twilight's mouth curled into a murderous smile.

"Could I at least give you two a ride?" asked Flash.

"Yes..." Twilight's teeth shined like daggers behind her Cheshire grin. "That would be much faster than walking. Get to the next step much quicker..."

Twilight was officially gone. Flash seemed to be almost oblivious, like always. Sunset Shimmer could only look to the future with trepidation...

---

Princess Twilight and Night Light slowly climbed out of the basement, their backs and hands sore from carrying multiple loads of computer parts. Above them, they could see the light through the bathroom window, indicating that Twilight was still cleaning herself up after their latest escapade. “Are you sure this is okay?” asked Princess Twilight. “Sunset and I wouldn't want you to get in trouble on our account.”

Night Light snorted and shrugged. “Are you kidding? All that old stuff was just hogging up the storage rooms, anyway. Place was practically begging us to get rid of it.”

“But still, it's an awful lot of boxes.” Princess Twilight glanced back down the attic stairs. The light was dim and she was at a poor angle, but she could still make out several cardboard boxes full of circuits, wires, bulbs, scrap metal, and any number of other objects she could scarcely comprehend. “I'm sure she appreciates it, though.”

Night Light gave a warm smile as she approached the back door. “Come on, I'm certain your dad did the same thing when you were young. We've always supported Twilight's interests, at least as long as they didn't involve taking apart a thousand-dollar flatscreen just to find out how it works.” He paused just as the door handle came into view and glanced back at Princess Twilight's befuddled expression. “And yes, she really did that.”

Princess Twilight snorted as she barely held back a round of laughter. “Y-Yes, I can imagine,” she mumbled from behind her hand. Her brain, meanwhile, fought off the simultaneous urges to give her own story about the time she set the conservatory on fire because she really wanted to see how the sun worked, and a general question about whether or not a thousand dollars was a lot and how it compared to a thousand bits.

With all that said, Night Light opened the back door, Princess Twilight closed the basement, and the two walked into the warmth of the house. Twilight Velvet was seated at the kitchen table, munching on what remained of her dinner. The rest of the seats were long empty, with the family dishes currently sitting in the sink to be washed thoroughly before being thrown into the dishwasher. Shining Armor was upstairs studying, and Twilight was accounted for in the bathroom.

Which left only one member of this mixed-up family hanging.

Night Light could feel the trepidation emanating from his spouse. “Are you still worried about Sunset?”

“A little, but I'm more concerned about Twilight.” Velvet stabbed her fork into a thick slice of mushroom. “Sunset made a mistake, but this isn't how you're supposed to treat a friend.”

Princess Twilight tapped her fingers together nervously. “Well, this is...kind of a weird situation. Most people don't have to deal with younger versions of their normally mature, well-mannered friends...right?”

Twilight Velvet looked up from her dish. If one looked closely enough, they could make out the rough hint of a smile at the edges of her jowl lines. “The first night she was here, she stuffed her face into her mashed potatoes. It was adorable, but not quite ladylike.”

“Then again, Twilight can go a bit...overboard with trying to behave grown-up,” Night Light added, his voice almost mournful in a way. “I can't believe she would do something like that to Sunset Shimmer.”

Twilight Velvet rose from her spot, letting out a breath like a deflating tire. “No one has the right to do that to a friend. I can only hope Sunset forgives her.”

Princess Twilight simultaneously nodded and shrugged, for what other response could she give to alternate species versions of her parents questioning her other self's friendship/future parenting skills? “We probably should check on her,” she added. “I wouldn't want any additional trauma on top of everything else that's happened. She needs to know we all still care about her.”

Night Light and Twilight Velvet both nodded in agreement. The three walked from the kitchen to the living room in a single-file line, with Princess Twilight taking up the front and Night Light bringing up the rear. They steadied their gaze upon their fallen friend, left to rot here by her unfeeling taskmaster. Denied sustenance and isolated from others, a lesser person would have been driven to madness and despair. Instead, there was only defiance and anger from the young one, and even with her back turned to the others, they could not help but feel the desire for vengeance pouring from her very soul.

For how else could Sunset Shimmer react to having to sit in the corner?

Sunset's arms and legs were both crossed, while her face was scrunched into a grumpy frown. The wooden chair she was on, borrowed from the kitchen table, had been carefully placed so as to maximize the effectiveness of the punishment – Sunset's field of vision was completely consumed by the corner, leaving no room for distraction or escape. She was forever trapped, eternally locked within this little corner of existence, and there would be no respite until she atoned for her crimes.

Or at least that's how it would have worked, had Twilight not forgotten that Sunset still had the temporal comprehension of an adult. Instead of an eternity, the twenty minutes she had been like this felt like exactly that, leaving her more annoyed than anything else. Likewise, going without dinner wasn't a hassle – Sunset had barely eaten anything the first month she was in this world, and she had gotten used to going to bed hungry if she was short of funds or food.

“So...how are you doing?” Princess Twilight asked hesitantly.

Sunset grimaced. She wasn't experiencing the intended effects, certainly, but there was another foul trick at play that was driving her mad: the humiliation.

“I'm just fine, Twilight,” she said through clenched teeth.

“I am so, so sorry she did this,” said Twilight Velvet.

“Don't worry, I don't blame you,” Sunset said, her gaze still fixed on the corner. “It's your daughter's fault. If anyone pays for this, it's going to be her.”

The family was just about to follow up on that comment when there was a knock on the door, right as Twilight and Spike descended the stairs, the former fully dressed in her typical street attire and the latter looking freshly petted. She shot a disapproving glare at the group, although her gaze was centered on Sunset. “I'll get it. And don't any of you dare, I dunno, slip her a cookie or something.”

“I think somepony else needs a cookie,” Princess Twilight muttered under her breath.

Thankfully, Twilight's hearing was not adept enough to pick up the stray comment. She opened the door, revealing the waiting forms of her Canterlot High friends. Rainbow Dash was leading the pack, holding a pink cardboard box tightly in her arms, while the others were in a loose formation behind her. “Hey, Twilight,” said Dash. “Sorry we're late, but Pinkie thought we could use some cupcakes tonight.”

“Thank you, employee discount!” Pinkie shouted from the back of the crowd.

“How very thoughtful!” Twilight said. “Please, come on in! We just finished dinner.”

Rainbow sighed as she stepped inside. “Good, then I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I had...your...”

The others had begun walking in, only to find themselves plowing into Rainbow Dash's back. The athlete, for her part, stood as solid as a stone pillar as the others came piling on. Her attention was instead focused on the small, bacon-haired child sitting in the corner, doing her best to remain unnoticed and failing miserably. It took so long for Dash to properly respond that the others, realizing she wasn't going to move on her own accord, opted to squeeze past her and slip into the living room. Then again, it wasn't like they could take their eyes off the sight, either.

“I-Is that Sunset Shimmer?” asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight nodded. “Yes.”

“Why is she sitting in the corner like that?” asked Applejack.

Twilight cleared her throat before answering. “Because she was a very bad girl today who caused me to nearly have a heart attack, so she has to think about how her actions affect her friends.” She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, with her nose stuck just slightly in the air. “I was harsh, but I had to be firm.”

There was about ten seconds of silence before Twilight opened her eyes. She immediately noticed that everyone was now staring at her, not with awe or respect, but like they had just witnessed a mad woman telling them that clouds was made of donuts. That is, with the exception of her parents, who had instead opted to head back to the kitchen. “What?”

“Hon...she's your age,” said Applejack.

“She rode off with my bicycle,” Twilight replied.

“You told me I could ride it!” said Sunset.

“I never said where I couldn't see you. We can't let you get hurt.”

Rarity walked over to Sunset, leaned over the chair, and looked the child over. “She seems perfectly fine to me.”

Twilight's arms slid down to her sides. “B-But she almost ran into Flash Sentry's car! She was cut up in his bushes!”

“That...does seem a little scary,” said Fluttershy. “Was Flash angry with her?”

“Um...no, he...made sure she was okay and gave her some popcorn.” A fire suddenly ignited within Twilight's eyes. “B-But he could have let us know she was okay! How do we know he wasn't planning to kidnap her?”

The obvious response would have been to point out that this was Flash Sentry they were talking about, and that even the old Sunset Shimmer had only resorted to ineffectual dognapping on her worst day. Princess Twilight, of course, had a more direct counterpoint. “Actually, Flash called your phone to let you know where she was. Well, I mean, he ended up speaking to me...” Her cheeks flushed. “But it's not his fault you didn't take your phone with you.”

“And how did he get my number?” asked Twilight.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Um...because he called us first? Duh.”

Twilight could feel her heart trying to jump its way into her throat. It was several moments before she could bring herself to speak once more, and even then her voice was little more than a hoarse whisper. “L-Look, I admit I overreacted a little...”

“A little?” Sunset asked, her voice laced with acidic venom.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. She could feel the tears trying to force their way out, and she had already had enough humiliation for one day. “Fine. Sunset, you're ungrounded. We'll...talk about things later.”

Sunset nodded. “Yes, we will...”

The child jumped down from her chair and brushed herself off. The others, thankful that this awkward scene was finally at an end, let out a chorus of thankful sighs and groans. From the kitchen, the eavesdropping adults could be heard chuckling at the whole exchange.

“So, now that that's all over,” said Dash, setting the cupcake box down on the living room table, “what's the plan here?”

Princess Twilight shrugged. “I don't know. I didn't schedule a meeting.”

“Neither did I,” said Twilight.

Pinkie Pie sighed and shook her head. “Oh, Twilights, Twilights, Twilights. You have so much to learn. We were just dropping by to hang, that's all!”

“I mean, if there's any way we could be of help, we'd be happy to,” added Rarity. “But it's not some formal occasion we have to plan out and schedule to letter.”

At that very moment, the television blared to life, nearly blowing everyone off their feet with the sudden sonic boom. Everyone's eyes turned towards the television screen, took note of the DVR menu, and finally descended towards child sitting cross-legged, remote firmly in hand. Twilight's hairs bristled on end at the sight. “You're awfully cheeky for someone who was grounded ten minutes ago.”

“But I'm a free woman now,” said Sunset. “Besides, I still have to watch today's episode.”

Everyone looked about themselves, but there was no obvious answer amongst the confused glances and rolled eyes. It wasn't until Sunset moved the cursor past several episodes of “Magic Pony Land” – which clearly belonged to Shining Armor, as Twilight was far too mature and intelligent for such childish-yet-well-crafted entertainment – that they finally cued in on what she was talking about.

“Celestia Squad Alpha?” Applejack could barely contain her surprise. “Isn't that the show where they run around shooting rainbows and talking about friendship?”

“It's such a drool series,” added Rarity. “How could someone of Sunset's intelligence possibly...”

Sunset never got the chance to hear the rest of that sentence. This was partially due to her sense of humiliation and shame welling up once again, drowning out the outside world. A much larger part of this, however, was due to Rainbow Dash leaping towards her and wrapping her fingers around the remote. “We have to watch something else! Anything else!” the athlete was heard to cry as she fought to pull the device from the ironclad grip of a seven-year-old.

“But...why...?” Sunset grunted, refusing to concede hold of the little black rectangle.

Rainbow gritted her teeth. She could feel the spectre of doom approaching. “Because if Fluttershy sees what you're watching, she'll...”

But it was too late. During the struggle, Fluttershy had risen from the couch and walked behind Rainbow Dash, her gait not unlike a freshly-revived zombie out for its first meal. Unbridled terror worked its way through Rainbow, causing her to release her grip of the remote. Everyone else took a step forward, ready to offer whatever comfort they could to an obviously distraught friend. Even Sunset could feel a bit of guilt within her heart. “F-Fluttershy? Is something wrong?” she squeaked.

Fluttershy let out an animal-like screech and pounced...

And wrapped Sunset in the tightest hug she had ever experienced.

“I can't believe I found someone else who likes Celestial Squad Alpha!” she squealed. “Oh, this is the happiest day of my life! So, how long have you been watching?!”

Sunset's face turned as red as a tomato, both from the surprise and from the amount of pressure Fluttershy was forcing on her body. A small gurgle forced its way through her throat, clearing her mouth so she could respond. “I-I just started a couple days ago...”

Fluttershy did not pause to acknowledge her response. “How many episodes have you seen? What season are you on? Are they showing the original series or the Alpha-Rez one? Both are good but in completely different ways. Oh, don't you think Prism and Eventide are the perfect couple?”

Another series of gurgling noises emerged, but by this point Sunset was too far gone to form coherent words. Fluttershy's hug persisted as she went over a long string of comments, anecdotes, and theories about the show, much to the confusion of everyone standing nearby. Pinkie Pie did give a token effort of trying to follow along, but the gesture was more out of friendship than genuine interest, and even she had to give up around the point the conversation veered into a detailed breakdown of each music composer's life story.

“Yeah, she's gonna be a while,” said Rainbow Dash. She walked back to the table and picked up the cupcake box. “We should probably give her some time to cool off.”

“That's...probably a good idea,” Princess Twilight said. “Besides, I had something I was wanting to go over with everyone.”

And so the group marched out, leaving Sunset to die in peace. Thankfully for all, Fluttershy's grip had finally relaxed just enough for Shimmer to resume breathing. The older girl's face twisted in worry as she regarded the shocked, angry, and otherwise bewildered plethora of emotions splattered across Sunset Shimmer's face. “Oh my goodness, I...I didn't hurt you, did I?”

“No, it's fine,” Sunset said, doing her best to ignore the pain along every inch of her body. “I never knew you liked this show.”

“I-I'm a big fan,” Fluttershy said, to the surprise of absolutely no one within fifty feet of her. “I tried to get Rainbow Dash into it, but I...think I scared her off. And I thought you'd all laugh at me if you knew.”

Sunset looked about nervously, like she was trying to discuss a dying puppy with a traumatized young owner. “To be honest...I probably would have back then. I guess one good thing about this is that it's opened my eyes to a few things I never would have tried before. Just...” She twitched involuntarily. “No more hugs, please.”

Fluttershy smiled and nodded. In an instant, the whole room seemed to feel a little bit brighter.

---

From the kitchen, Princess Twilight watched as Sunset and Fluttershy started up their ridiculous little show. Even with the sound of five hungry mouths scarfing down cupcakes and a happy little puppy running around while looking for attention, she could still make out the bombastic theme song lyrics and the girls' strained attempts to sing along. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of Sunset so happy.

The smile didn't last long, though. She had a room full of other people to attend to.

It was time to tell them there was probably no way to get their Sunset Shimmer back.

Comments

[Wysteria]

Please let Sunset's revenge on SciTwi be merciless.

[RainbowDoubleDash]

Dun Dun dunnn....

Well, there is the long way of getting Sunset back, but that presents a number of problems, of course. Plus there's always going to Princess Celestia for help. Of course, Sunset is adamantly against that. But Sunset's adamantly against a lot of things.

...wait, now I spontaneously developed a theory vis-a-vis looking for outside help.

What if they had a version of Sunset available who was still an adult to compare to? That is...Human Sunset?

[Nyperold]

She twitched involuntarily. “No more hugs, please.”

Or at least, keep it to a comfortable level of pressure.

[Astrocity]

In her panic, she lost her sense of balance, sending sending the bike and her body tilting to the right once again.

Double typed here and maybe something else that I brushed over but can't remember.

And aww look at little Sunset! Even while riding a bicycle, she's cutely trying her best.

[Aotrs Commander]

It wasn't until Sunset moved the cursor past several episodes of “Magic Pony Land” – which clearly belonged to Shining Armor, as Twilight was far too mature and intelligent for such childish-yet-well-crafted entertainment

Bahahahahaha!

Zing!

I have every sympathy with Sunset - I never could cope with riding bikes. (Or motorbikes, for that matter.) I just can't hack any form of transport which doesn't stand up under its own power.

I almost very nearly feel a little bit sorry for Trixie.

Almost.

Excellent work, as per usual.

[VanillaWaffle]

This chapter was a hoot. It's always a boon to my day when I see this story get updated.

[Noctis Prism]

Oh crud, aging is stick. Sci-Twi guilt bomb to go off.

[Twilight_Shimmer]

Loved the update and i look forward to more!

[wolfstorm56]

She'll have to grow up *Farnsworth voice* as God intended!

[Seraph_Of_Snow]

I see the word probably in that last line. So the chance is there even if it's not that good. And even with that, it's Sunset Shimmer. I think she could learn to reign in her childish side eventually, but that's the key word. So however it goes, this isn't totally hopeless for her.

[Maldarach]

Well that's a really good story you have here.
Your idea is nice, not really used among other stories and it goes well, so for that part I'm enjoying it ^^.

But... I really need to ask things and say how I feel about your story on many points.
Of course I'll be as constructive as I can and I don't intend to be harsh, but if I have answers it might helps me to understand how you wanted to write your story.

I'm talking about the personality and attitude of the characters, and why some are living hate while others are completly uncaring and selfish about Sunset's condition.

- Pinkie : Many would tell "she's being Pinkie".
But why is she so focused about doing a party for Sunset?
Well Pinkie won't take no as an answer about throwing a party of course, but why is she forcing it?
Sunset was wrong to be angry like that, but is bad that Pinkie didn't listen.
At least, it's not that bad compared to others, and Sunset accepted the party, if she'll go back to herself. But there is still what happened at her eighth birthday too.

- Rarity : The only blame is what she has done at her boutique.
I mean doing something like this is ok if she asked, but manipulating one of her friends because of their condition is no generosity at all.
Sunset said it perfectly :
“You used me.”
“You...selfish...greedy...”
The ice cream shop isn't half of an apology and Rarity didn't half admitted it.

- Rainbow Dash : From her, it is obvious she would think about her ego first, as Pinkie thought about throwing a party before listening Sunset.
But the whole "...it's creepy for us"-"...how are we supposed to react?" and the worse "...she feels awkward around you..."?
I mean, again, Sunset said it perfectly :
"I'm the one living this".
Why Rainbow is only thinking about her reputation, if when the first time she saw Sunset after the accident she would have laughed of her, then she's being concerned about her condition but only if it would stain her image?
That's not loyalty, that's selfishness and it does not fits her, even if it's an exaggeration.
And I don't really expect her to apologize or being better...

- Applejack : With Fluttershy, I'm glad she's one of the 5 to respect/understand how Sunset is living this.
When she saw her the first time, sure she was disturbed, but this is Applejack, she is genuinly concerned and won't cross the line half the 5 had.
Hope she will stay as well.

- Fluttershy : Same goes with Applejack.
But her, she represented all the way her element.
She was listening Sunset, here for her, cheering her up maybe with the show, and told Rainbow the harsh and good truth about how awful she's acting.
There is nothing wrong yet and I'm ok with it.

- Human Twilight : I have nothing wrong with her, but the hell of a nightmare she's living...
I'll come to it with her """""family"""""...
When she was lecturing Sunset? I'm fine with that.

- Princess Twilight : I expected better from her.
Ok, she wants to help Sunset and is worried.
That's the good point.
Here's the bad ones : I have to check who started the bickering between her and her counterpart, but why is she picking a fight and trying to make H.Twilight angry/hurted?
Why is she saying mean things, and don't care about her opinion almost?
That's no Princess of Friendship, that's just someone holding a grudge or being mean for the fun (or she is trying to "keep" Sunset, I don't know...).
Hope she'll be nicer.

- Flash : Only the good thing that he may be genuinly concerned about Sunset and that he was here for her after her collision.

- Some things : Sunset speaking with Starlight was good, I don't know if she will meet Celestia but I know you would do a nice chapter if you intend to do it ^^, Vice-Principal Luna helped a bit at least, and Trixie only gets what she deserves.

- Sunset : The only bad point is that she looks blind about how H.Twilight is treated, but as she said, she doesn't have that much of an experience, but she could be concerned better no?

Now, the thing I hate the most (when I say hate is how the characters are in the story, not the reason you choose to make them like that) :

- Human Twilight's """""family""""" :

I really REALLY need to understand why you depicted them as the worst bigots, harsh, bipolar, mean, liars, vindictive and uncaring *ssholes as a family.

Why are they so cruel over Twilight?
Even Cinch was less cruel, she was mean but she had a goal (CPA's reputation), even if that's not an excuse.

Here?

Like P.Twilight, they're doing this in purpose, and without remorse.
There is no way that's kindness over a daughter, they're treating H.Twilight like shit and worse, with all the facade, fake smiles, comments about her being a failure, all goes on, I wonder how H.Twilight is that strong, and if she's not adopted, for her sake.

“Just what I would expect from my daughter.”
“Thanks again, traitor".
"I will kick you out of this house. We will drive by whatever alley you end up living in and pelt you with garbage. Your name will be scrubbed out of our family history, and every picture of you burned. You will forever be a secret shame to this family!”

Whoah...

Shunning her in anything but name and blood?
What are they fearing?

Twilight Velvet, her mere reputation as a writer is better than the *ucking sake of her daughter?
Night Light, I don't know what or if I want to know...
Shining is not helping at all, that's not a brother (glad there wasn't a single mention of BBBFF), that's undeserved hatred.
If you'll have to bring Cadence, please make her the only REAL and CARING adult here.

And that's not over yet.

Let's mention the fact they're considering Princess Twilight as their own daughter, in front of their REAL daughter, as a sweet slap in the face with the love of a knife in the back.

And P.Twilight is not helping too, because she's agreeing with whatever harsh thing her counterpart parents are saying to bring down and rejecting H.Twilight :
"She needs to know we all still care about her (about Sunset)",
“I think somepony else needs a cookie".

And again :

"We've always supported Twilight's interests, at least as long as they didn't involve taking apart a thousand-dollar flatscreen just to find out how it works.”

...

"We've always supported Twilight's interests".

Are they kidding...?

This time I've broken.

Are they working on a switch or something?
First, Twilight Velvet is (stupidly, whatever) happy that Twilight has friends, and the SECOND Sunset pushed Pinkie, she and Shining are seeing her daughter as garbage, a shame and a punching ball.

Now, her father has the nerve to say they've supported her interests?
What about her feelings, insecurities and the love she's starving in this group of people she's chained with?
I'm so done with this mess of retards.

So.
I think I have to say it again.
I really like your story. I really do.

It reminds me stories when Sunset is turning into a unicorn into the human world, and I like that kind of idea when magic involves a problem like transformation.
I intend to keep up with, and because it's a good story, waiting for the next chapters is worth it.

But, in short, the attitude of most of the characters is ruining the story.
Why half of Sunset's friends are selfish?
Why Princess Twilight doesn't like Human Twilight?
Why Human Twilight's family is acting like this, does this involves a part of the past of H.Twilight that made them hating her?

I hope most of them will change (while I don't have hope for H.Twilight's "family"), behave, apology and help Sunset in the best way.

If anything, I'm guessing you wanted to make a point about not everything is the same in both worlds (like the quesadilla hate/love), and I think that as we didn't get enough about Twilight's parents in the show, you wanted to try something.

If I'm wrong about anything, tell me.
I tried to be constructive and I don't hold anything against you, but saying why you made some characters in a way could really help me to focus less on their annoying attitude, because actually, a big part of your story involes them.

Thanks.

[InsertAuthorHere]

8853472

Regarding Sunset's friends, I admit I dropped the ball there. They weren't supposed to come across as quite as selfish or inconsiderate as they do (except for Rarity's manipulation) - the idea was that they still care about Sunset and want to help, but are also a bit put off by the weirdness of it all. (The fic was started right after Friendship Games, so they have almost no experience with magical nuisances outside of demons and mind-controlling sirens.) The next chapter will hopefully present them in a much better light, however.

Regarding Sci-Twi and Princess Twilight, there's more to it, but it's unfortunately part of the story and I'd rather not spoil it at this point. I know it takes forever for me to update anything, but this is a major plot point and ties into Sunset's own worries.

I will, however, spoil the thing about Twilight's family. It's 95% in Human Twilight's head. Her family does care about her and gives her an incredible amount of support, but her mind twists things in a way that makes it seem like she's failed them in some way. That entire scene after Sunset pushes Pinkie Pie? Nothing her family said in that scene is what was actually said - it was just how Twilight's mind chose to remember those events. Her parents aren't perfect by any means, but they do love and want to support Twilight. Shining Armor is a slightly different story, but we'll be getting into him in the next two chapters. There are probably plenty of examples where I really did just mess up, but rest assured, things are moving in a deliberate direction.

And thank you for taking the time to read and comment. It means a lot to me. And any criticism is welcome - how else can we improve?

[Maldarach]

8854173
Wow.
I really didn't expected this.

Thanks to your reply, I'm seeing this story in a new light, and I'm not bothered at all by the spoil because it lifts almost everything in my mind and what I've said in my comment away.

"...but are also a bit put off by the weirdness of it all. (The fic was started right after Friendship Games , so they have almost no experience with magical nuisances outside of demons and mind-controlling sirens.)".

The fact that they are really surprised and they don't know how to deal with this, I've understood and accepted it. That's not easy for them too, as they don't know how to help, proving they're really worried at least.
I guess I was too focused on their attitudes ^^".

About Human Twilight, well that's a mind blown.
With this revelation, I'm relieved and makes me entertained about reading.
And that's just few weeks after the Friendship Games, it makes it obvious that she may has'nt healed from that event.

I also agree that Shining being a bit lost about this whole thing is understanding, because not all characters are aware about all the magical fits that happened around Canterlot High, and I think by being carried away I wasn't thinking about that.

Thanks a lot for your explanations, it truly helped me and I hope I wasn't to hard on my thoughts.
But keep going, I'll enjoy this better from now ;)

[MoonlightEclipsed]

*sees Fluttershy's reaction at the show, then turns to Rainbow's one* uh, guess now I know why all my friends got scared whenever I brought up MLP with them xD

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

It's literally been 2 years since a new chapter has been made for this and I feel like it's cancelled

[JuliusSlouchy]

10017479
We want to believe