The clatter of hooves echoed off the streets of Canterlot as a young filly galloped for her life. She glanced back over her shoulder to see if the looming shadow was still chasing her. The moment of distraction cost her, a loose cobble tripping her and sending her crashing to the floor.

“My, my. Such a state you are in.”

The young woman looked up. The cobbled streets had been replaced by the halls of Canterlot High, tiled floors stretching away in front of her. Her friends were slumped over, pools of blood slowly spreading underneath them. Mr Burke strolled towards her, stepping almost casually over her friends’ bodies.

“You brought them to this.” he snarled. The young woman whimpered as he raised his gun to point at her face. “And now you‘ll pay the price.” There was a burst of light as he pulled the trigger.

Sunset Shimmer woke with a jolt.

Drenched with sweat, she glanced around frantically, ignoring the flash of pain that lanced through her skull. Her friends were there. Perfectly safe, mostly unharmed and sleeping quite soundly. A nightmare, she realised. Just a stupid nightmare.

Groaning at the throbbing in her head, Sunset hauled herself into a sitting position, grabbed a bottle of water from the bedside table and knocked back one of the pain lozenges Fluttershy had given her. She sat there for a while, waiting for her heart to stop pounding and the painkillers to kick in. After the events of the day before, Sunset really wasn’t surprised that she had had a nightmare like that. She shivered and shook her head, putting off those dark thoughts for the moment.

At least the sheriff had let the girls stay in the common house for the night, as thanks for saving his life. As much as Sunset begrudged the delay, the fact that neither her nor Rainbow were in any condition to travel far forced her to accept his offer. The beds were rickety and the blankets threadbare, but the girls were lucky enough to have the entire top floor to themselves.

Squinting around the dark room, Sunset saw Rarity and Pinkie Pie were still asleep on one bed, Applejack and Twilight curled up together on another. Rainbow Dash was snoring gently on one of her own. The girls had agreed to let her and Sunset have a bed each to themselves for the night, so their injuries would have a chance to heal.

It took a moment for Sunset to realize someone was missing.

She looked around the room again, but there was no sign of Fluttershy. The bed she had been sleeping on was empty and her clothes were gone. The only things left behind were her pack and nursing kit.

Careful not to wake anyone, Sunset climbed shakily to her feet, pulled her clothes on and crept to the stairs. She made her way down as stealthily as she could, checking each floor for her friend as she passed until she got to the bottom and quietly pried open the door to the outside.

Fluttershy was leaning on the railings outside, singing softly to herself as she gazed up at the stars. Her head whipped around as Sunset gently pulled the door closed behind her.

“Sorry. Can’t sleep?” Sunset asked.

Flutters just shook her head, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

Sunset sighed and joined her at the railings. “Yeah, me neither.”

“Is the pain keeping you awake? I can give you another stimpak if you want.”

“No it‘s not that, I just….”

Fluttershy gave her a look of sad understanding, “You can’t stop thinking about what happened?” Sunset didn’t answer. Luckily Flutters didn’t seem to need one. “Me too.”

Sunset absently reached up and felt the gauze around her temple. Through some spectacular stroke of luck Burke’s bullet had only grazed her. The bruises on her face were actually much more painful, but pain wasn’t what was interrupting her sleep.

“I just, I keep thinking about what happened. What I could have done differently, what I should have done differently.” Sunset turned and slumped against the railings, trying to keep her rising emotions in check. There was a moment’s silence, then she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“It’s not your fault, Sunset.”

“That’s just it, it is all my fault!” Sunset burst out as she slid down until she was curled up on the floor, her back against the rail. “I’m supposed to be the group leader, but all I’ve done is get us into trouble. First we had to leave the Vault and I almost got us killed doing that, then we were held at gunpoint when we tried to get in this stupid town,”

Try as she might, Sunset couldn’t stop the tears that started to trickle slowly down her face. “And then everything that happened with Burke yesterday! I knew he was dangerous, I knew he had a gun, and I still dragged all of you into that mess. It’s thanks to me the sheriff got shot and Rainbow got hurt and then Burke he… he tried to...” The images flashed through her mind again. The sheriff staggering. Rainbow crashing over the table. Burke raising his gun, pointing it right between her eyes. The moment of terror before he fired. The blood on her hand. Her blood.

That last image sent Sunset lurching to her feet. She managed to lean out over the railings just in time to avoid vomiting all over herself.

Fluttershy waited patiently until she was done, kindly rubbing her back to help her feel better. Once Sunset was finished, moaning and resting her forehead on the cool metal of the rails, Fluttershy spoke quietly.

“None of this is your fault Sunset.” Sunset didn’t answer, her little outburst had left her weak and shaking. “What happened in the Vault isn’t your fault, it’s the Overseer’s. And… I suppose… maybe James as well. A bit. I mean, he did leave without telling us anything so…” Flutters shook her head, “Anyway, it is not your fault and neither was what happened when we tried to get into Megaton. You know the only reason we were held up was because of how we look.”

I suppose that’s true, Sunset thought, there wasn’t really anything she could do about the color of their skin.

“As for what happened afterwards, a-at the saloon…” Fluttershy hesitated for a moment, her face pale, “Well, you heard what the sheriff said. Mr Burke he… he didn’t want to come quietly.”

Sunset shivered. That was true too. No matter what anyone said or did, there was no way that confrontation could’ve ended well. “I suppose you’re right. Maybe there’s nothing much I could have done but…” She sighed heavily. “The Geode Diviner was my idea. I feel like I’m responsible for everything that’s happened since that went wrong.”

“I think, um, I think both Twilights would disagree with you there.” Flutters sighed softly, “To be honest… I think it’s only thanks to you that we’ve made it this far.” Sunset frowned but let Fluttershy continue, mostly because she didn’t think she could talk without throwing up again, “I mean, ever since we got here bad things have happened, very bad, very scary things…” Fluttershy trailed off for a moment, her gaze distant. She shook her head swiftly and continued, “But we’re all still okay, and I think that’s thanks to you.” Fluttershy‘s lips twitched, “Also, um, when we said you were group leader, we were expecting things like work assignments and group projects. Not, um, not things like-”

“Not gunfights and nuclear bombs.” Sunset huffed and smiled up at her friend. She had to admit, she was starting to feel a little better. “Thanks Fluttershy, you’re the best.”

Flutters gave an embarrassed grin. “Um, you‘re welcome. Are… are you okay?”

“Not really,” Sunset admitted, “But I think I will be.”

The two girls stood in silence for a little while. Fluttershy was looking up at the stars again while Sunset gazed at the town, spreading out around and below them. At night, the town took on a completely different aspect. The dilapidated charm of the day was gone, replaced with a scene of melancholic beauty, an unkempt dream of survival against the odds. Or maybe, Sunset thought, I’m just in a funny mood thanks to everything that’s happened. And the painkillers. And the lack of sleep.

“Um…Sunset…?” Fluttershy’s quiet voice brought Sunset back to earth. “What’s up?”

A faint blush started to spread across Fluttershy’s cheeks. “I never did thank you, for down in the Vault.”

Sunset frowned. “What do you mean?”

Flutters twitched her hair, hiding her face slightly. “I know what you and the others did for me, about the Tunnel Snakes.”

Ah. That. Sunset had tried to make sure that Flutters didn’t find out about their efforts to keep Butch’s gang away from her, but apparently she’d noticed anyway. “How did you find out?”

Flutters put a finger to her lips and hummed, “I think I started to wonder the day after we took the G.O.A.T. You were all so careful not to let me go anywhere alone. She chuckled softly, “I finally asked Rainbow about it after what she did to Wally.”

Sunset groaned and slapped a hand to her forehead. Rainbow had been late to meet Fluttershy from the clinic and had stumbled upon Wally, Officer Mack’s younger brother, trying to give Flutters a hard time. Most of the girls would have done something sensible, like step in or call a security officer. Rainbow had not done something sensible. Instead she’d used her super speed to dart behind Wally, kick the poor fool as hard as she could between the legs, and run away before he ever realized she was there.

“Poor Wally was terrified of me after that.” Fluttershy pouted.

“Sorry about that, Rainbow panicked.” Sunset massaged her temples, remembering the grilling she’d given the cerulean twit when she heard about it. “Wait a minute, if you spotted Rainbow doing that, why didn’t you say anything to us?”

“I asked Rainbow about it when I saw her. All she told me was that she was looking out for me, making sure I didn’t get into any trouble.” An uncharacteristic frown marred Fluttershy’s features. “She‘s a terrible liar, I realized the Tunnel Snakes were targeting me. It‘s okay!” she said quickly, seeing the look on Sunset’s face, “I wasn’t scared. Well, um, not too scared anyway. I trusted the rest of you to keep me safe but… why? Why were they after me?”

“That’s… kinda my fault.” Sunset glanced sheepishly at her, “You remember the party they threw for us, when we were allowed into the Vault population?” Flutters nodded. “Well, before that trouble with Officer Mack I ran into Butch. He, um… he sort of… made a pass at me.” Sunset couldn’t help blushing slightly, as much as the memory disgusted her, “When I rejected him, he started threatening you.”

Fluttershy just gazed at her in horror. “So… so that’s why they went after me…”

“Yeah, uh, I‘m… sorry?”

Flutters shook her head. “Oh no, don’t be. I’m just sorry you had to go through that.” Sunset smiled slightly at the look of horror on her friends face. “So that’s when you and the others decided to protect me?” Sunset nodded slowly. “But, why didn’t you tell me?”

Sunset winced, but decided it was time to tell the truth. “I’m sorry. We didn’t want you to worry so we decided we would try and make the Tunnel Snakes think you were… kinda… haunted.”

Fluttershy’s mouth dropped open. “Haunted!?”

Sunset grinned, “Yeah. We told them you were protected by the ghosts of the old North block and that bad things happened to people who tried to hurt you.” She let out a quiet laugh, “Rainbow used her super speed to hide their things and we had Twilight move stuff around using her magic to really sell it.”

“That’s really mean!” Fluttershy said, but couldn’t resist giggling herself. Her smile slowly dissolved into a frown, “I, um, I do think you went a little far though. With, um, with what Pinkie did.”

“That wasn’t planned, that was all Pinkie.” Sunset shivered as she remembered.

She and Fluttershy had been strolling through the corridors when they’d ran into all four of the Tunnel Snakes. Apparently they’d decided to prove that they were big, strong men who weren’t afraid of Flutters or her ‘ghosts’. By ganging up on her. Sunset had been tensed for a confrontation when a storage cupboard opened and out stepped Pinkie, her hair flat and straight.

Sunset had never asked what Pinkie was doing in there with the lights off, let alone why she was utterly soaking wet. She didn’t ask what the rubber chicken was about, and she really didn’t want to know why Pinkie had been clutching a meat cleaver. All things considered, Sunset really didn’t blame Butch and his cronies for screaming and running away. Heck, she’d considered doing just that herself.

The sudden creak of the door behind them grabbed the girls attention. They turned to see Twilight poking her head out of the common house.

“There you are, we wondered where you‘d got to. Is everything all right?”

Sunset smiled at her. “Sorry Twilight, we just needed some fresh air.”

“It’s fine, I understand.” Twilight smiled back, “Also, Fluttershy? Rainbow’s woken up again. She wants to know if she can have some more painkillers, the bruising on her shoulder is starting to hurt again.”

“Oh, of course. I’ll be right up.” Fluttershy said quickly, pushing off the rails.

Sunset stretched and yawned widely. “I should probably try and get some more sleep too. I just hope I don’t have any more nightmares.”

Fluttershy cringed. “Me too. That’s why I came out here.” A pale blush colored her cheeks again. “Well, I mean, that and I had to… let’s just say… I-I think both of us should apologize to whoever’s roof that is, um, down there.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow and glanced over the railings at the house directly under where they were standing, grimacing at what was splattered down there.

“Nice.”

Just a short chapter this week as Sunset comes to terms with the events of last chapter.

Next week will be back to our regularly scheduled programming!

As always comments and criticisms will be welcomed!