*THUNK!*
Somewhere, in the darkness and fuzziness, there was a strange noise echoing in Sunset’s personal universe. It was probably an anomaly, something that wouldn’t repeat, be duplicated or reoccur. A trick of the dark, messing with her sleepy brain. Too bad it hammered at a throbbing in her head , as she envisioned Vice-Principal Luna swinging a croquet mallet back and forth inside her skull with a manic grin.
*THUNK!*
Or maybe not. After the noise repeated, Sunset opened her eyes – and had a brief but very real moment of panic. Dark-framed wooden posts and an ominous shadow that loomed over her…
“Yo, Sunset! Glad you’re awake.”
The shadow moved back, and was no longer back-lit by the sun, a mop of rainbow-colored hair framing Rainbow Dash’s face. It was only slightly less creepy. Everything that had happened the last 24 hours began to spin around inside the redhead's throbbing skull. The hunger, the pain, the shame, and memories of a cold forested lake…. STOP THAT!
“Rainbow, um, I’m sorry…”
“Hey, can it. You’re gonna stay in bed today. Granny Smith’s orders, not mine. Sunday mornings are for sleeping in on anyways. Especially when you’re sick.”
“SUNDAY?!” Sunset shuddered, and tried to pull things together. And then, just as it was starting to make sense…
*THUNK*
“Huh? Whazzat?” Sunset enunciated eloquently, looking around again. Rainbow pointed out the window.
“AJ’s chopping firewood. Big Mac normally does it, but he’s late getting back from town. Something about the old truck they use giving off a different color smoke than usual. Now, if it was rainbow colored smoke, it would be cool.” An engine's low rumbling sound signaled Big Macs’ arrival, as the old truck stopped with a backfire. “Now, I am going to go see if there’s any breakfast left. I got up an hour ago to go for a run, AJ’s been doing chores. Granny’s right outside in the kitchen if you need something.” The athlete sighed, “And before you apologize again, you should know you’ve been saying it in your sleep for hours. I think we get it. No offense.”
Sunset had never been happier to hear those two words, because it meant even the stubborn athlete seemed to care. “Thanks…” As Rainbow left, she made a point of not closing the bunk room door. Sunset sighed, but she understood. Sunset Shimmer, girl genius. She realized that between Granny and Cherilee, *someone* had been through suicide prevention and response class. She was trapped. ‘Is that so bad?’
Pride was truly a deadly sin, and Sunset had almost let it kill her. Had any of a dozen people she could think of seen her between last Tuesday and Friday night, they would have seen signs. Maybe that’s why she’d isolated herself so much. That’s why she’d gone to that quiet, clear, cold lake in the woods. And now, here she was – she hadn’t even drowned right. Now, there were altogether too many people paying close attention to her. It was unnerving.
Trying to clear her mind, Sunset looked out the window, where she could see Applejack hard at work. It was quite a sight, too. The farm girl had shucked off her jacket and hung it alongside her hat on a peg outside the barn door. Sunset knew it had been Applejack who dove in after her, and who’s strong arms had carried her all this way. Watching Applejack work was somehow… relaxing. She could see how the toned muscles of her arms and legs shifted as she brought the splitting maul overhead. The way her shirt would rise with the maul, showing a strong six-pack stomach. And the way the sun glittered off her blond hair...
She was still staring bemusedly out the window when she heard Granny saying, “Right in there.”
She turned around to see an older man with a thick shock of brown hair, wearing a tweed jacket and carrying a black satchel. “Oh, don’t get up, stay right there. I’m a doctor. And yes, house calls are still a thing, especially out this far from town.” Sunset thought about running, but realized quickly she wouldn’t get far. He adjusted his glasses, pulled a chair in from the kitchen, and said, “Let’s see what I can do for you.”
“Now, sugar-cube, you said we couldn’t take you to a doctor. That’s whatcha made us promise. You said nothin’ about havin’ a doctor come to you.” A.J. was still sweaty from her chores, but she’d seen the look Sunset was giving her after the doctor left.
Sunset had aspired water and was going to have to take antibiotics, as she had opened herself up to pneumonia and other nasty threats. Her fluid balance was off, and she was suffering from confusion due to the shortage of oxygen in her blood the near-drowning had inflicted. On top of that, she was still feverish, although at least she was lucid now. Her diet needed to improve, and the doctor had discussed this with Granny Smith. Everyone was also reminded that she wasn’t to be left alone. It rankled Sunset, but the end run around the promise had not broken it. Technically.
“Besides,” Rainbow jumped in bluntly, “I had my dad call the guy who treats *me*, so you got taken care of by the doctor trusted with the most awesome athlete in Canterlot! Maybe he can prescribe you some “Rainbow Dash” and… wait, that sounds just weird.” Rainbow made a face, and shrugged. “In any case, I got to go help Flutters at the shelter.” And with that, a streak of rainbow light left the apple orchard, clearing the horizon in ten seconds flat.
“But… but… aw, she’s gonna tell. The others, I mean. About where i am, and what... I tried to do...”
“Yeah, ‘bout that. See, we already told ‘em we’d found you, and that you were sick and restin’ up. Kinda had to, since we’ve ALL been lookin’ for you. Harvest is over, so the hired hands have already gone – but you’re gonna stay right there till you get better. No arguments. If’n you need stuff from your place, just say so and one of us’ll get it.” AJ got up and headed out of the bunk room, off to take her rather delayed morning shower. Sunset knew she wasn't staring at the farm girl as she left, ponytail swinging back and forth. Then her fever-fogged brain processed what Applejack had said.
Sunset got even paler, not that it was possible. My place, huh? Oh, that’ll be a laugh. She knew eventually she’d have to explain that she *had* no place else. That she slept in the school library and used the locker room showers to get cleaned up. That she did her laundry at a coin-op within sight of the school building. That she’d lost nearly everything that hadn’t been in her locker or on her person that cold Friday night, thinking she wouldn’t need it any more. How do I explain that? I never planned to stay in this world… wait, let’s not think on it right now.
With a groan, the Sick and Miserable Sunset Shimmer curled back up in her bedding, and drifted off to sleep again - only to grab her head as the old truck outside started up again with a backfire. I knew I wasn't going to get off that easily.
I'm glad this is been adopted. I always loved this story and love to see it continue.
Please do so love this chapter!
All I have to say so far is that it is a lot less atmospheric than its predecessor, although that's probably just due to a difference in writing style; Which isn't a bad thing (although I did enjoy it in the previous story). I felt you did try to go for the same style as the first three chapters though, so I just thought I'd let you know.
My only real concern so far is that you're already laying the AppleSet shipping pretty strong. I don't feel that Applejack and Sunset have had enough interaction so far to justify that (again this may be due to personal preference, I just happen to prefer the slower type of romance stories).
Aside from that, I think overall you did a pretty good job with this chapter and like diablo; I really am glad this was adopted.
6660453 Thanks for the feedback - I propose to have at least 3 more chapters, and they will have better pacing (I hope). I was even thinking the SunApple (You know Sunset Apples are a thing?) ship may dock for for a little while, as Sunset's supposed to be feverish and somewhat out of it here. I may not have conveyed that well, and I apologize. When it does finally hits them both, it'll be a real shock. I did kind of try to emulate Wandering Sun's original feel, but I can't and probably shouldn't keep trying, since I have a style that is (fortunately for the rest of the fics here) all my own.
I regret nothing.
This is good please update soon
Love it!
6694671 Great.
Next chapter should be in 2 weeks or so, gotta survive finals.
If it was rainbow smoke then the truck would be gay
8346142
must be a chevy