Can Sunrise Come After Sunset?

by Autum Breeze

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

___________________________________________________________

Applejack sighed as she walked in the direction of Canterlot High.

Her mind was still reeling.

Sunset had a family in this world.

Granted, it was this world’s version of her family, but…

She shook her head.

This world’s version.

The idea there were other worlds and Sunset was from one of them still hadn’t fully processed for her.

“Too bad we couldn’ contact ’em,” she mumbled to herself as she climbed the stairs into the school.

Soon as Dash’s revelation of Sunset having a reflection of herself in this world likely meaning her family had one too, they’d gone to their Principal and Vice Principal.

They’d hesitated and had to pull them away due to not wanting to sound like loons or like they were withholding information from the police, but, once certain they’d been far enough away to not be heard, they explained their theory.

At once, Vice Principal Luna had gotten in contact with someone, they weren’t sure who.

After a few minutes, she’d told the girls they’d look into it, having a lead they could use to track who might be Sunset’s family.

This morning, as she’d been eating breakfast with her family, she’d gotten a text from Rarity.

They’d found Sunset’s family. They were living all the way in a town called Sire’s Hollow, a fair distance from Canterlot.

Her father was apparently MIA, but her mother and younger brother, Stellar Flare and Sunburst, still lived there.

However, they hadn’t been home when Principal Celestia called them, so she’d left them a message instead.

The question was, how long before they’d get back?

What if it took too long and Sunset was discharged? Where would Sunset live after that?

Sure, they’d learned through their principal and vice principal’s research, that Sunset had a loft less than half an hour away from school… but she couldn’t be left alone now.

In her emotional state?

That wasn’t even taking into consideration that she’d need someone monitoring her health for quite a while anyway, to make sure she didn’t have any other health issues that arise from her current health further down the line.

“Whoa, AJ!”

The farm girl stopped in place, realizing she’d been about to slam into Rainbow Dash.

Glancing around, Applejack realized, in her pondering, her muscle memory had pulled her towards her locker.

“Oh. Hey, Dash,” she said, glancing down, before turning to her locker.

While they had made up at the hospital while Sunset was being looked at, it still felt a bit awkward, considering how they’d recently been so at odds with each other.

“So…” Rainbow said hesitantly.

“So…” Applejack wasn’t sure what to say.

Rainbow Dash sighed, before slapping her cheeks and shook her head. “Sunset’s got a family here.”

“Yeah… Yeah, she does,” Applejack put her stuff in her locker and closed, it turning to RD and the two started walking towards their first class.

“It’s… still kinda hard to believe, right?” the athlete asked, seeming a little lost. “Even after everything she’s been through, she still has a family here in our world. That’s good… right?”

Applejack glanced away. “Depends on how ya look at it, Ah guess.”

Rainbow cocked an eyebrow. “Huh? What do you mean? She has family here.”

“She has a family here, Dash,” Applejack corrected her, stopping. “It won’t be as simple as reuniting a lost child with her family. Our Sunset ain’t their Sunset. Heck, she’s not even our Sunset, either. We’ve never met our Sunset, only the Pony Sunset.”

Dash still looked confused. “I don’t get it.”

Applejack facepalmed. “Dash, if there’s a version o’ Sunset’s family in our world, then there’s another version of Sunset in our world and she’s already with her family. How would you feel if another version o’ you just showed up ta be part o’ yer family?”

Dash opened her mouth to respond, paused, clearly thought it over for a moment, then closed it, nodding. “I… get your point.”

The two walked into class, though Applejack found it hard to focus.

Sunset was constantly on her mind.

She could vaguely understand how Sunset probably felt.

For over two years, she’d thought her parents were dead, only to learn they’d been stuck on an island after a plane they’d been returning from a farming convention on crashed.

Scootaloo’s parents had been on there too, so, both girls had been reunited with family after two years assuming their demise… though that was just it, wasn’t it? Assumed demise.

Applejack had gotten her parents back… Sunset would never get her world back.

That kind of grief… how do you even cope with something like that?

Pinkie Pie shared similar feelings at lunch. Being family, distant or not, she’d felt the pain of losing Applejack’s parents too…

While all their group were concerned for Sunset and her future, they noticed it was clear they were worrying more, likely because of Applejack’s parents’ believed demise.

Once school was finally out, Applejack said goodbye to the group and headed straight for the farm.

Walking up the path, she saw Grand Pear helping Granny Smith pull down a ladder they’d been using for something.

Judging by the five new clean tiles on the roof, one of her parents had been fixing the roof while they’d been keeping the ladder steady.

“Granny Smith? Grand Pear?” she asked, the two looking to her.

“Well, howdy there, AJ,” Granny Smith smiled, waving.

“Good to have you home,” Grand Pear smiled too, before it turned into a slight frown as he noticed the look on his granddaughter’s face. “Something wrong, Applejack?”

She started, before shaking her head. “Ma or Pa around? Ah gotta ask ’em sumthin’ important.”

“Sure,” Granny Smith replied, glancing at Grand Pear, who gave her a raised eyebrow in return. “Yer pa stepped out fer a bit, but yer ma just went inside. She’ll probably be in the kitchen.”

Applejack gave her thanks and went inside, quickly finding her mother standing over a pot on the stove.

“Ma?” she asked, setting her bag down on her chair.

“Yes, honey?” she asked, glancing up from her pot, only to pause, her expression becoming concerned. “Applejack, is somethin’ wrong?”

She was too honest with her feelings.

Applejack sighed and sat down, her mother coming over and putting an arm around her.

“Ma… remember how Ah called last night about stayin’ at the hospital because Sunset Shimmer was there?”

Pear Butter seemed confused for a moment, before nodding slowly. “Ah do. Ah… Ah’m still surprised ya did that. Proud, certainly, but, with everythin’ ya’ve said about her in the past, it did take me by surprise. What about it?”

Applejack glanced away and sigh. “We… we know where her family are, but… but we’re not sure if they’ll get back in contact afore Sunset gets out o’ the hospital.”

“And…?” Pear Butter encouraged her to go on.

Applejack sighed again. “If’n her family ain’t got in contact by the time she’s released… would it be alright if she stayed with us fer a while? I mean, she’ll need someone ta help her through this and… well, we kinda have experience with what she’s going through.”

Pear Butter looked confused, like she was trying to understand where Applejack was coming from, but she closed her eyes, sighing and smiled.

“O’ course, honey. If’n she wants that, she’s more than welcome t’ stay as long as she needs.”

Applejack blinked, before smiling and softly hugged her mother. “Thanks, Ma.”

“Though Ah doubt Apple Bloom or Big Mac are gonna be none too pleased by the idea,” Pear Butter laughed.

At once Applejack stiffened.

Crap.

She hadn’t thought of that.

___________________________________________________________

In Canterlot General, Sunset lay in her hospital bed, asleep, the quivering of her eyebrows implying a bad dream.

A young girl watched her, a hand resting on the poll bar of the bed.

“I’m so sorry you went through that, Sunset,” she murmured, closing her eyes and biting her lip. “I didn’t act fast enough and now I’ve failed two worlds.”

Sunset sniffled, a tear sliding down her face.

The girl’s expression firmed. “But I’m not going to let you lose this world too. I’ll do what I must to keep it safe, no matter the cost.”

Without another word, she walked out, no one paying her any mind as she passed through the reception and out the door.

Author's Note:

So severely sorry for the massive lack of updates.

We only recently got out of summer weather, despite having been almost a month into Autumn, so finding the drive to write again hasn't been as easy as i'd have hoped.

In fact, I'd planned on a much different update to another fic for this Easter weekend, even planning on it happening yesterday so I could manage an Australia Easter Day upload... but, apparently Summer wanted one last dig at us, because it's been between 28-31 degrees between Saturday and yesterday.

Today is the first good weather day this whole long weekend and, it being so close to the end of the holiday, I didn't have enough time to get into the groove for any of the major fics I'd been wanting to update.

Heck, thanks to a certain recent revelation regarding Berry Punch I'd been informed of thanks to a random Twitter post yesterday, a plotline in Unexpected Aftermath could've had more meat added to the bones, but, it would need more around it I just didn't have time to think about properly until now, so, had to shelf that idea for sometime, hopefully only until later this month.

But, I wanted to get something out before the Easter Weekend was over, so, I had to think about what could be updated without needing too much thought into it.

Then, this fic passed my view as I was going through my fics to choose an update for.

Yes, this isn't a fic you can just throw anything at and hope it sticks... but, it doesn't need some world-building, don't we?

In this world set before the Fall Formal, there's a lot of differences that need to be established.

While most things aren't going to change much too soon... but the butterfly effect is still a thing.

Changes big and small are soon to affect a timeline already effected by both Sunset's escaping The Wasteland and Screwball preventing both the Sirens going to Canterlot High and the Memory Stone being an issue.

And what got that girl over Sunset's bed have meant?

You'll have to wait and see.

Hope you enjoyed this little snack chapter and, Til next time, stay safe, stay clean and hope you had a good Easter everybody

Comments

[Baroque]

:D

[Sudrian Engineer]

I am confused, what was revealed about Berry Punch?

[ScrewBall9k]

does this means your gonna continue your screwball ff

[ToMahkAros]

Welcome back!

[Autum Breeze]

11865426
Eventually

[Sorentis Stars]

Welcome back but please don’t feel pressured to do anything just take your time with your work/life schedules.

No need to rush after all.