07.00 PM

Applejack didn't say it, but she had to stay with Sunset for a few reasons.

First being curious on what was up with Sunset, though at the same time worried about her condition worsening because of her dementia, her brother did come by to drop off some clothes for school tomorrow. Looking around, Applejack watched as Twilight sat down next to Sunset on the couch in front of the TV while she was looking around at the computers section under the bed. Sunset only kept silent to herself, waiting for one of the guys came back from their jobs. Other than that, her mind felt like it was locked up with the thoughts of how many have died by her hands and how much guilt she had to suffer with.

Twilight kept trying to start a conversation with Sunset in any way she had, but Sunset didn't respond to anything Twilight said because she was stuck in her own mind. While that happened, Applejack looked around again and discovered some tools and weapons that Sunset mentioned. Besides the Thunderstrike and Plasma Cutter that she recognized. There was another tool that looks like a pistol, but the pistol butt looked like a blue tube of some kind, and the magazine was in dark orange color instead of similar color to the rest of the tool's metal, with the firing end that contains what is look like a nail, which Sunset called it a Rivet Gun.

And then there's this other tool that looked like a what lumberjacks use. If was tilted to its side with the circular saw blade sticking out at the end of it, Just looking at it gave Applejack the creeps along with the thoughts on how Sunset was going to use that thing. Plus, Sunset called it a "Ripper." Just from the way it looked, the name was appropriate.

Applejack then walked over to where Sunset and Twilight were sitting at and sat down beside Sunset. She then looked over to Sunset's face to see how was she doing, and frankly, it scared her.

Applejack could see that Sunset was still cold to her on this situation but appeared indifferent about her. Probably was split among their friends and Wallflower.

Sunset only looked back to Applejack, quickly showing her hatred for the apple girl from what she had done to her. But then her hatred vanished again with the look of remembrance as she reminded herself of the guilts she had gone through a lot with Isaac. Sunset then looked forward again in silents, while Twilight slightly looked at Applejack in doubt before looking over to Sunset.

"You doing alright, Sunset?" Applejack asked.

It was only a few moments of silence before Sunset sighed before replying. "It's been...... rough...."

"I know you shouldn't have deserved that," Twilight added as she rubs her back.

"I deserve it," Sunset replied as she looked down, Twilight became more upset. "It's all my fault."

"Sunset!" Twilight said sternly as she learned at her. "Don't blame yourself about it! It wasn't your fault."

"You sure?" Sunset asked back as she looked at her and straighten her back. "I destroyed everything that I know, and..... I don't belong anywhere... Not in the future. Not in Equestria... the only place that I belong is only in this apartment. Now the only thing I have is the family I made with Isaac and Carver and you, Twilight, can't think any more than that."

Sunset paused for a moment, then sigh. "Just..... leave me alone...."

It was painfully evident to Twilight that Sunset was stressed out about this and was starting to doubt her plan of going back to CHS to be the wrong step for her. But what else she can think about? That Anon-A-Miss fucker is torturing her and Sunset gotten much worse than the Anon-A-Miss, at least this Necromorph bullshit has gone away for now. Though she just needed some time for herself again.

When Sunset reached for a pair of round red headphones, the kind that covers her whole ear she'd slipped them on and started playing her music to distract herself. Applejack and Twilight decided to leave Sunset to her music and got off the couch, and they both walked to the door that is going to the ground floor before entering the kitchen. They both stopped there and looked at each other before they both started a conversation.

"I'm worried Twilight, is Sunset going to be alright?" Applejack asked worriedly. Twilight looked back at the teen with a stern look.

"How could you ask that?" Twilight asked back in anger. "After all you are one of the ones that put her in this position?"

"Ah' I want to fix this, alright?" Applejack replied back. "I know I've been wrong all along, ok? Ah' beg ya,' to give me a chance for this."

"Alright, but if you do something to her it's on you, alright?" Twilight threatened.

"Ah' get it," Applejack replied quickly.

"Okay, well...." Twilight then looked over to Sunset from a distance. "Sunset.... is still feeling devastated on what she'd been through. More than that, I did have some time to diagnose her condition, and the results were.... severe. Heavy mental trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder alongside the case of dementia she told you about. Especially when she failed to save someone."

"Nicole?" Applejack asked as Twilight looked over to her.

"Isaac told me a little about what happened then, and I pieced it along with the dream Luna shared with Celestia and me that Isaac was trying to save her and Sunset tried her best to help," Twilight said. "But after they found out Nicole was dead before they even arrived. Isaac was devastated to know he was already too late and Sunset felt like she failed him as a friend, again..." This made Applejack cringed.

"Now she can't seem too let it go..."

Applejack then slowly looked over to Sunset in concern, before looking back at the princess. "And you might want to be careful what you say around her with the condition because she's in. With how much insanity she went through is not healthy for someone like her and could hurt someone if someone said something that might have triggered her."

"Okay," Applejack nodded in understanding. "Ah' can't imagine all the things she'd been through."

"Me either," Twilight added in agreement. "I'm glad she's still alive after the point where the Anon-A-Miss passed her limits."

"I don't reckon we've seen the last of whoever they are. If the whole school knows that Sunset is back, so do they. And with how hard Sunset has become when they are facing her, I pity anyone that stands in front of that girl.

"That we can agree on..." Twilight nodded before rolling her eyes to Sunset.

"Makes you wonder how much toll she had to take."

Then the door where Twilight and Applejack were standing at opened and Isaac was entering the room. "Hey, there girls," Isaac greeted the two.

"Mr. Isaac," Twilight replied back with a smile. "We are doing just fine. How are you?"

"Just did some fancy heavy duty server fixing back at the police station, which was easy for me," Isaac replied. "More than that, I'm doing alright. How's Sunset doing?"

Applejack and Twilight then looked back again Sunset, still wearing her headphones blaring music, before looking back to Isaac. "Not well..." Applejack said slowly in doubt.

Isaac looked at Sunset, the sight of her frowned face did upset him. Seems she felt a little hard after returning to her original home and needed a distraction. He can see she was still feeling the guilt right now, such a hard girl she was. Like how she was doing back in Earthrise Apartments, nearly died by committing suicide now this? Isaac can't say anything more than that, besides the trauma they had with The Markers.

Isaac then slowly walked over to Sunset and sat down next to her. Then Isaac turned his head to her and patted her shoulder, which made Sunset look at Isaac. Isaac looked at her with a surprised look with her scarred eyes but noticed the sorrow look she had before. Sunset didn't tell what, but it must be something about in this town. Sunset only smiled as she looked at Isaac, before looking away and staring at the TV.

"Isaac.," Sunset called flatly.

"Sunset..." Isaac called back, then paused. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, Isaac," Sunset replied, then looked at him. "I heard from Carver you snagged a job at the station?"

"Nothing that I couldn't handle," Isaac replied with a grin. "But they couldn't handle me. So haven't found a job yet, huh?"

"Yeah," Sunset with a doubtful shrug. "Looks like you'll be handling my money problems for now."

"Yep, sucks for you. You could go back to Equestria and work for the princess? I believe Luna wanted a chance to visit the stars." Isaac replied to which Sunset laughed.

"You kidding? I'd be overworked and discredited by the countries magic board and be labeled a danger to others." Sunset replied before going silent.
Isaac shook his head at the notion, then he looked over to the girls that are talking with each other at the doors. "Those girls over there really worried about you, you know?"

"I know, I can handle them," Sunset said, sounded in a silent tone.

When Isaac noticed the look on the girls face he didn't believe her. "Are you sure, Sunset?"

"I'm fine," Sunset insisted. "There's nothing to worry about."

"Sunset," Isaac called as he stares her. "Just tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing, I'm fine," Sunset replied insistently.

"Hey, I'm much worried about you right now!" Isaac retorted as he looked at her. "You look troubled and haven't slept properly in months. I know you can't handle it."

"Isaac, I can deal with my problems, alright?" Sunset replied a little aloud, gaining the attention of the girls in the room. "Just don't worry about it!"

"Bullshit!" Isaac quickly stood up angrily from the couch, leaving Sunset to sit there and watched Isaac turned around towards her. "Every time you say that to me or anyone else, bad things start fucking happening!"

"Goddammit, Isaac!" Sunset retorted quickly, as the two girls at the door watch the conflict. "I'm already grown up, and I can handle this! You don't have to help me with it!"

"You sure about it?!" Isaac asked angrily, he waved his hand to his left side quickly. "Because the last time I let you do that, you fucking tried to kill yourself!"

"That's because I was hallucinating!" Sunset stood up with a shout.

"Just hallucinating!?" Isaac asked loudly as he tilted his head. "You tried to fucking kill yourself with your own damn self-conscious, apart from that, just because you had enough with your life!"

"Hey! Didn't you also had enough of your fucking life!?" Sunset shot back as she pointed at him. "After when Ellie left us!?"

"I gave up on humanity, but not Ellie, and so do you!" Isaac shouted back. "And you had fucking left her back on earth because we didn't get the chance to help her but we still have time to do that, it's your goddamn choice!"

"We don't have other options, Isaac!" Sunset shouted back as she widens her hands to her sides quickly. "I couldn't let us die with those fucking Brethren Moons around! How the fuck were we going to save her!? How where we going to fight a living planet and find Ellie in a two-hundred-year-old cargo frigate that didn't have any weapons?!"

"I don't know! There would be another way to save her!" Isaac shouted back. "I know it!"

"We don't have a choice to save her, and you know it!" Sunset shouted back with a nod.

"Maybe because you didn't care enough and was willing to let her die out there!" Isaac retorted as he pointed at her.

"Hey! You're the one who got me into all of this shit!" Sunset shouted again quickly, pointed quickly at him before throwing her finger down at the last sentence. "I shouldn't have entered that damned portal when I had the goddamn chance! So I won't meet you along with Carver and Ellie, and I won't give a damn about you or anyone else even if you're going to die except myself!"

Suddenly, both Isaac's and Sunset's facial expressions of outburst quickly turned into a frown and shocked expression after Sunset has realized what she just said to Isaac in a moment of silence. "D-did I.....?"

"Sunset...." Isaac slowly stepped forward to her with his hands in the air in front of to tell her to calm down.

"I...I.." Sunset limply lets herself dropped onto her sofa and bowed her head as she starts to cry. "Isaac, I didn't...."

"Sunset, calm down," Isaac then sat next to her, and Sunset let her head fell onto Isaac's shoulder as she cried with her eyes closed. "Shsss, it's alright, its ok."

"Isaac, I-I didn't mean it!" Sunset pleaded to him with a shook. Still, her eyes closed. "I-I'm sorry, Isaac. I'm so sorry....."

Isaac paused a moment before replying softly to her. "Me too, Sunset. I'm sorry, I also didn't mean it too."

They both paused in silence for a moment, redeeming their actions. "How many times have we've been fighting like this?" Sunset asked with a low voice to Isaac as she put her legs on the sofa and hugged them as she cried.
Isaac was silent in a moment, remembering how many times they both were fighting back in Luna as his tear was already pouring out from one of his eyes.

"Too many."

Isaac and Sunset both cuddled each other in sorrow after they both were fighting. Times had been hard for them back in Luna Colony, especially when Ellie left them. They both have been fighting for many times over the aftermath on fighting their way through the Necromorphs, since because it's still haunting them both. Isaac and Sunset have questioned themselves if this life is worth the price they had right now. These troubles, they can't let it go.

Twilight and Applejack were standing at the door when the two engineers started talking. They now stood in the middle of the room nearly underneath the floor bed where the computers sat. They felt very sad, shocked, and broken-hearted to have witnessed them the conflict between the two. They also felt sorry to see them fight over the things that they had no control of. Applejack regretted the treatment she inflicted on Sunset a year ago. She should have known better, heard Sunset out like a friend should instead of inflicting the pain that produced the moment in front of her. Sunset didn't deserve this, no one should have to live through the hell she went through. AJ let a tear out from her eye about this. She felt a hand on her shoulder from the princess, looking at her, she motions for her to follow her back to the kitchen. Seeing Isaac and Sunset been like this it was best to give them privacy and headed over in silents.

As they both entered, they felt an uneasiness about the situation as they kept thinking especially what Sunset had gone through besides some part of the story they knew from Sunset. Twilight knew about those Markers and Necromorphs, Applejack knew about some stuff, like the Brethren Moons that tried to kill Sunset, Isaac, and Carver. But she didn't know about the Necromorphs and Markers. Applejack took her place by leaning herself against a wall while Princess Twilight found a chair and sat down in front of Applejack. They both then looked at each other in doubt, still primarily thinking about Sunset. Twilight then decided to let that off the topic first.

"Okay AJ, after witnessing that, how are you doing right now?" Twilight asked as she rested her head against the chair.

"Ah' don't know," AJ replied with a doubtful shook. "I feel lost."

"Can we...." Twilight said but then trailed off for a moment. "Can we get our minds off this first? Talk about something to get our heads on straight."

AJ did show her agreement with a nod, but she couldn't shake off her feeling. "If this can get ma'h mind off this, Twilight. Ah, 'm fine with that."

"Ok, how's your family doing?" Twilight asked politely.

"Doing fine, to be honest," Applejack replied with a shrug. "After Sunset disappeared and the Anon-A-Miss stopped posts stopped after knowing she's gone, of course."

"I see," Twilight replied with a nod. "Principal Celestia and Luna?"

"They were still handling the school after the Anon-A-Miss," AJ replied. "Now the situation in the school was getting better because Celestia managed to get a handle on the problem within the school."

"How about Flash Sentry?" Twilight asked, knowing that she still had a small crush on the rocker at that time. "Is he with.... that another Twilight?"

"Nah, he isn't," AJ replied with a shook, then lean forward to get her back off the wall and took a chair and sat next to her. "That Twilight was trying to get with a boy named Timber Spruce. He a homeschooled kid that works as a camp co-counselor. I think it's getting serious about how often they talk to each other. Other then that, I think Flash still misses you if he remembers you after we took out the Memory Stone."

"Really?" Twilight gasped, but then reminded of Sunset which made her frowned. "He didn't do anything bad to Sunset, didn't he?"

"He was probably the only one that didn't truly believe that Sunset wasn't behind the posts. He was still hurt but not as bad as everyone else." Applejack stated as she crossed her arms and leaned her back to the chair. "The only thing he did to Sunset was confronting her about it and said how disappointed he was at her and avoid her."

Twilight paused a moment, slightly relieved. Flash didn't do much worse than that. "That's good to hear. So, who was that hurt Sunset the most?"

Applejack opened her mouth, but no sound came out of her then she closed her mouth and blinked. Applejack was pretty worried and doubt if she had to answer it. Twilight was waiting for her answer, but when she immediately noticed Applejack's expression. She feared the worst from AJ.

"Applejack...... you.....?"

Applejack silent in fear, but at last she said. "Ah'..........was the first one to hurt Sunset when the posts started. All because they were about me, Ah' did more than what Sunset said to you Twilight. I'm sorry."

Twilight frowned very sadly as she bowed her head down. "Oh Applejack..."

"Ah' know," Applejack added in regret. "This is won't end well at all."

They sat in silence for a moment of sorrow. This whole ordeal right now is really breaking Twilights heart right now. What were those girls thinking? Twilight thought to herself about that, this is very bad. With Sunset suffering the mental trauma she had, Twilight wasn't sure if this whole trouble can be fixed. But then, the silence broke by a sound of a knocking door which made them looked toward the door.

Applejack got off from her seat and opened the door. Twilight and Applejack were smiling on who was knocking on the door, Carver, and Randall. They came in and greeted them respectably. Carver and Randall asked them if Sunset was here, and Twilight answers that she was upstairs with Isaac. They all decided to check the upstairs, besides the fact that they need some privacy. They entered the room of the second floor and looked around, they somewhat looked confused that they didn't see Isaac or Sunset in there.

"Sunset! Isaac!" Carver called as they looked around. "Where are you?"

"Up here," Isaac replied from above them which where was Sunset's bed was, they all looked up to him.

"Where's Sunset?" Randall asked.

Isaac looked behind him, before looking back at them and replied. "She's sleeping."

"Really?" Twilight asked in surprised. "That's fast?"

"Yeah, I'm coming down," Isaac said before he goes down the stairs to meet them.

"How's she doing?" Applejack asked as Isaac reached them.

"She's pretty tired," Isaac replied. "You can check on her if you want."

"All right, we'll go check on her," Twilight replied quickly, then both AJ and Twilight goes up to Sunset's bed while Isaac stayed back talking with Carver and Randall.

When the girls reached Sunset's bed, they both could see Sunset was already curled up on her bed. Sunset's expression didn't leave her face after had a fight with Isaac, what a poor girl. At least, she found comfort for her rest tonight and looked a little bit cute.

"Ah' hope she'll be alright," Applejack said to Twilight as they both stare at Sunset.

"Me too," Twilight added in agreement. "I hope everything didn't go downhill."

"Twilight..." AJ and Twilight then looked at each other, Applejack clearly seems to be doubt about something. "How am I going to fix the damage I helped caused?" It is hard for Applejack to act in this situation, Twilight doesn't have a solution for it.

"Sorry, I have no idea what you should do with this."

Applejack went upset to hear that, Applejack was actually scared of Sunset. "I see, let's hope for the best."

"Yeah, let's hope for the best."

---

As two engineers flew through in zero-G, avoiding machinery that was still working, and others that fired electricity from one side to the other, while at the same time taking out another birds nest that happened to be built in the area. Behind the nest rested the other terminal that controlled the gravity in the area, where they carefully landed near it, Isaac turned the gravity back on and together headed through the circular door in front of them, where two suffered from another bout of Marker influence for a few seconds before he calmed down.

It didn't last long, only long enough for them to hear Nicole tell them that they needed to let go. Shaking their heads from the "dementia," they continued on through the next door.

Through the door in front of them and turned down the path on their left, where they had to pass through yet another door and forced them to walk down the hallway until they arrived at an area that had a Store and a Bench for them to use.
Isaac ignored the two machines since was already ready for what was ahead of him. Sunset stopped at the Bench to set a few nodes in her Contact Beam. Putting its ammo capacity up to the max. With that done she joined Isaac at the door. As she got close to him, the two got another message from Nicole informing the two of them that Convergence was almost there and that they were supposed to meet her at the base of the Marker.

Shaking their heads from the mind message they Isaac looked over at Sunset. "Final stretch, you ready?"

"Ready to be done with this? Fuck yeah, I'm ready." Sunset said with confidence as she readied her Pulse Rifle.

On the other side of the door, they found that the path forward meant that they had to go through some of the lower areas that surrounded the base of the Marker. The walkway in front of them dipped left that led to a weaving line of trench-like walkways filled with all kinds of Necromorphs.

Isaac and Sunset opened fire on the walking dead that blocked their path and continued moving forward at the same time. It wasn't long after making so much noise that the Ubermorph appeared again. The thing was as determined to kill them as the Hunter was back on the Ishimura. Sunset switched to her Contact Beam and blasted the thing back before launching a Stasis blast, giving them breathing room for the moment as they ran past it. More Undead quickly popped up, mainly Lurkers and Leapers clinging to the walls launching barbs down on them.

Isaac made short work of them but didn't check to finish them off as the Ubermorph was back up and chasing them again as they entered the next structure. Of course, as they entered the structure, some slashers burst through the vents and tried to attack them like it was going out of style.

They mowed their way through their foes and headed out of the structure they were in. From there they continued onward, where they fired at the Necromorphs that were trying to attack them and made sure to stall the Ubermorph when it appeared behind them again. They ignored it and instead flee to the interior of the next structure that was along the path they were following. That contained another group of slashers that waited for them.

"Don't you all have something better to do?!" Sunset shouted at them as she and Isaac dismembered them as they ran. The rounded a corner up to an elevator that led up to the walkway above them where they need to be,
Hit the elevator controls the two took a moment to catch their breath. When the lift came to a stop, they turned towards the left and headed towards the door that was in front of them. As they entered Sunset spotted the Ubermorph above Isaac ready to pounce on him. Sunset acted quickly as she pushed Isaac out of harm but was to slow as she felt the Ubermorph's bone blade slash down on her back making her cry out in pain. Issac swung wildly as he bashed the Ubermorph back before grabbing Sunset and pulling her away from the unbeatable Necromorph.

The Ubermorph growled in annoyance as it marches up behind them with a predatory grin. Isaac unleashed another Stasis charge on it, to which they headed towards the door with a power tube blocking the way. Isaac smashed what was keeping the door sealed before he and Sunset stumbled through. On the other side was another tube that controlled the door on this side. Smashing that as well cased the room they had just left sealed shut, effectively trapping the Ubermorph within.
"That should keep it contained," Isaac said as he pulled one of Sunsets arms over his shoulder. "Are you alright Sunset?"

'I'm... okay." Sunset weakly replied. "Let's just, get this over with." She leaned onto Isaac to help support her.

"Are you ready for this?" Isaac asked because he could see the light of Nicole off in the distance.

"Ready for the end of the world? Ha. Why not, I'm game." Sunset said with a laugh.

Isaac and Sunset waited for a few seconds before they braced themselves and headed over the walkway that was in front of them, where the base of the Titan Marker was located and knew that Nicole's path had come to an end. Sunset felt so tired as if all the fighting was now catching up to her. As the two of them stepped onto the area in front of the base of the Marker, however, they both noticed that the light coming from Nicole happened to be hiding someone else from their vision, as the moment the two of them reached their destination a javelin shot flew through the air and pierced Sunset left shoulder, flinging her away from Isaac's grasp as she screamed in pain before falling to the ground.

"Sunset!" Isaac was shocked to see her go down before he looked up to see who shot his friend.

"The research in that Marker is worth every life we just lost!" a familiar voice said, to which Tiedemann appeared in front of them, though the right half of his body appeared to be burned and charred like he was in some sort of fire. Though at the same time he reloaded the Javelin Gun that he happened to be carrying, "I won't let either of you throw this all away!" He fired another to which Isaac lifted his hand up in time to catch the Javelin as it went through his palm making him cry out in a short shout of pain.

Isaac yanked the Javelin spear out just as Tiedemann raised his Javelin Gun to finish Isaac off. Just before he fired to finish Isaac off, Isaac twisted to the side and grabbing hold of Tiedemann and disarmed him before taking his gun, turning it against him and shooting him in the man's throat.

As Tiedmann fell to his knees, clinging to the spear in his neck. Isaac walked around behind him. He then lifted the Tiedmann's Javelin Gun and fired a single spear into the man's head that came apart like a dropped melon.
Isaac looked over the dead body of the fallen director before looking over at the still form of Sunset. His heart started to break at the sight, the one that stood beside him through everything together. Now it was only just him.

"Isaac..." He looked over at Nichols floating form with a hand raised to him. He went and hugged her feeling all his worry and pain float away. It was then that Sunset raised her head and saw them embracing each other. Her eye widen when she saw a red glow appear in Nicole's eyes. "Thank you, Isaac. Now...time to die."

"What?" Isaac said before a beam of a sickly yellow and green light flew from Nicole's face and hit directly into Isaac's head.

Sunset watched in horror as this went on and knew that Isaac needed her help if they were going to fight this. Nicole lied to them; the bitch was going to die.

Reaching up and grabbing hold, she used what mental fortitude she could bring out and pulled the Javelin Spear out of her body. She cried out in pain as she tucked at the thing. It felt like hours had gone by as she tugged before slipped free from her body. Looking over at Isaac his body was twitch all over from where he stood. Sunset got up on shaky legs before she started to wobble over to her friend. When she was almost in arms reach of Isaac, he stopped twitching. Thinking he was alright, that thought was smashed as she watched Isaac rase the Javelin Gun up to his head. The Marker was winning!

Acting quickly, Sunset rushed forward with whatever strength she had and knocked the gun away before he could fire it. Sunsets helmet folded back into her chest and felt a familiar power run through her. Her magic!

She'd felt in the past during times of drama or when her friends were in danger. This was one of those times. "Alright bitch, here I come!"

Sunset grabbed hold of Isaac's head then everything went dark.

Form the look of her surroundings she must have been inside Isaac's head. "Huh, you know for a such a smart guy like Isaac you think they'll be more in here besides floating rocks."

"Sunset?"

Looking to where the voice was she saw Isaac kneeling and hunched over. "Isaac! You alright?"

"How did you get here?" He asked as sunset lifted him to his feet.

"Magic."

Even though Isaac's mask was hiding his face, Sunset could tell he was giving a deadpan look. Their attention was soon brought away as a scream filled their air as Nicole stood there in a shadowy form.

"We must be reborn."

"Goddammit, we trusted you!" Isaac replied angrily as they both looked towards Nicole in hatred.

"FUCK YOU!! AND FUCK YOUR MARKER!!" Sunset and Isaac shouted as she and Isaac lifted their Plasma Cutters and started firing with a war cry. As their first rounds hit, Nicole flashed in a bright light.

---

Sunset wakes up with a shout as she with her Plasma Cutter she had from underneath her pillow and started to shooting wildly around her with a cry. The shots of plasma rang the room the hell out as those shots gone through walls. After a few seconds of that, she stopped firing and screaming and looked around her bed while keeping her aim in front of her eyes. Then she slowly and gently lower down her Plasma Cutter down to he bed after took notice that she was still safe and sound inside her apartment. Looking at her alarm clock on the night table next to her, the time was nearly three in the morning, and when she looked at herself, she just knew she was having an irregular breathing and having a cold sweat. She then calmed herself down by controlling her breath as she put down the Plasma Cutter and put her right hand on her chest.

Then she just sits up straight on her bed there in silence, the only thing she can do right now for an eternity. She only stares blankly forward, looking throughout the window. She locked to herself again, only this time she was lost, her mind was empty. Then, she heard fast moving footsteps coming up to her third-floor bed, and she looked to her left to the stairs down to the second floor. Two figures were coming up to her, turns out that was Applejack and Twilight who had slept on the floor beneath her. They were shocked, afraid and worried to found out Sunset was the one who shoots her Plasma Cutter wildly.

"Sunset, what happened?!" Twilight asked quickly as they both came over to Sunset.

Sunset didn't say anything for the moment they came to her, but then able to reply in shock. "I...... It's nothing. It's just......... a nightmare......"

Applejack looked at the walls that Sunset shot, it was quite eerie to see how much damage the walls are. "Were you the one shooting?"

Sunset paused as she looked at Applejack then at the damage she did. With the lights on, she saw there were now several new holes in her room along the wall and one into her TV. "I did, I..... fuck....." Sunset then holds her forehead, knowing she's getting some headache.

"Sunset, look at me," Twilight said gaining girls attention. "Are you alright?" Sunset looks around but wasn't feeling all that willing to answer but reached out to slowly stand up.

"I'm....fine," Sunset replied as she staggered. "I..... better go to the bathroom."

"Ya' you do that, but first," Applejack said as she slowly reached and grabs Sunset Plasma cutter. "I think you should leave that here don't you think. Don't want you turning the bathroom into shooting gallery. We'll be waitin' down there for ya'. Check on the damage and make sure you didn't hit anything of importance."

"Ok," Sunset then slowly got off her bed and Twilight along with Applejack accompanied her to the bathroom.

As they go went down the stairs, they took notice Sunset was pretty weary right now unlike how Applejack and Twilight didn't felt weary about it. Can be seen by how limp she walk down the stair, Sunset nearly tripped on one because she missed a step. They can hear Sunset was somehow breathing heavily for a moment, her breathing was either like she just runs from something for miles or like she was struggling to breathe after she got stab hard or like she just past a near-death experience and suffered heavy trauma. She was pretty haggard for the moment because she didn't get a proper sleep, which she needs to lend a shoulder to Applejack. Once they reached the bathroom, Sunset told them that she can do it from here and entered the bathroom with the door closed.

Twilight and Applejack then headed for the couch and sat there. Still sleepy from the sudden wake-up. It was pretty discomfort for them to know Sunset has been like this every time she sleeps. At least now, Sunset got someone to keep an eye on her for the sake of her own mental safety. They both were wondering how many bad nights she had similar like this. Remembering that fight yesterday, they felt bad for it.

Twilight then looked over to Applejack who seemed to be still tired from that sudden awakening. "Well, I sure wasn't expecting to wake up like that, am I right?"

"To be honest?" Applejack asked with a little disagreement. "Ah've haven't been sleeping well myself since Sunset came back. Nor forget that ah'm still reeling from the Anon-A-Miss."

"About that Piggly-wiggly stuff?" Twilight asked with her left brow raised, then chuckled. "I don't know what to say about that."

Applejack then looked at the Princess with a surprised look. "You were in another reality when all this happen. Was Sunset telling you everything in details of everything that happened to her?"
"On some things, the rest I learned myself from accessing everything from the school library computers. I had Principal Luna show me the posts to catch me up on what set everyone off. Some of it was just ridiculous that I couldn't believe at some of the stuff. Even more so at how could student instantly blamed Sunset for it all."
"Tell me about it," Applejack added, then looked away from Twilight. "I should have known if it wasn't her, to begin with. I was just so angry I didn't even give her a chance. Now I don't know what to do."

"Will figure it out as we go along, AJ," Twilight added in agreement. "At least we dealt the Memory Stone."

"And now we need to keep the school from hurting her," Applejack added, but then they both felt the doubt. "But then again, it might be the other way around. Sunset sure seems she can fight."

"The fight earlier at Sugarcube Corner?" Twilight asked with a shook. "I didn't really see that coming."

"I don't think anyone did, sugarcube," Applejack added, she then looked at her. "At least that student deserves it for sticking her fingers in our business."

Twilight quickly recoiled in surprise with a quick straighten back to she said that. "Her name was Fleur, right? What do you mean she deserves it?"

"Actually, they all should deserve it," Applejack corrected then sighed. "We have a bad history with them. Cristal Prep, I mean."

"What kind of history?" Twilight asked curiously.

"We had a bit of a competition with those students from Crystal Prep Academy," Applejack explained as she leaned her back to the couch. "We called those competitions, Friendship Games. Well, honestly they ain't friendly enough from the inside. Crystal Prep tends to beat us to the ground because they go and won every each sport, and mocks everyone at CHS. The worst of it was when they decorate the statue in front of the school with a bunch of insults. This last Friendship Games was the first time of our school managed to beat the Crystal Prep. And that was when we met our Twilight Sparkle or Sci-Twi as the Crystal Prep students called her. The name stuck with her and has no feeling towards them, but when they lost they came down hard with the bullying and couldn't take it and the Dean, she moved her to CHS because she got hurt a lot in there."

"That's really rough for both CHS and my counterpart," Twilight commented as she thinks of it with a degree of worry. And thinking of a small plan to help her other self.

"Worse than that, neither school can't seem to develop a friendship to each other because we hate each other," Applejack then frowned upon saying it.
"Ever since we won, there had been fights with them either within during like some game or outside the school like what you saw at Sugar Cube Corner."

Twilight suddenly worried about this one. "Do you think they'll start going after Sunset?"

"Perhaps, but them seeing Sunset standing against a crowd of students like that," Applejack then thought for a moment. "Maybe Ah' don't know, do ya' think she can handle it?"

"Isaac told me that the two of them had to fight a lot of people, Unitologist and what not," Twilight replied, she then rolled her eyes with a frown face. "She can, I guess."

'Whether they would be still alive after I don't know,' Twilight thought to herself.
"Good thing Carver was there to handle it before things got out of hand," Applejack added with a smile. "But why he sounds like he was protecting his daughter?"

Twilight went upset to hear AJ asked that and made her perplexed, Twilight sighed before answering. "He had a family once, they were killed by Unitologist. Wouldn't say any more than that."

Applejack frowned at her answer, she bowed down her head. "Poor guy."

"I know," Twilight added which achieve a glance from the farmer girl, but then she reminded on something. "Sunset's been in the bathroom for a while now hasn't she?"

That statement got 'em up real quick from the couch and quickly glanced at the bathroom door. The two then went up to, and Twilight knocked it. Instead to hear Sunset replied, it was still silent. Applejack then knocked on the door again, but Sunset didn't reply from inside.

"Sunset, you okay there?" Twilight shouted through the door, but Sunset didn't reply.

"Sunset?" Applejack called out but didn't get a reply but did hear sounds of stuff falling to the floor.

"This is not normal," Twilight stated in concern as her hand was going for the doorknob. "Sunset, we're coming in."

After Twilight opens the bathroom door pretty wide, they saw Sunset inside. But what they saw were much more beyond than their expectations. Both are worried and terrified. They were very shocked to see that...

Sunset was going to stab her own eye with a needle.

Applejack and Twilight quickly ran over to her and grabbed her arms that were armed with a needle and with force to keep the needle away from her eye. As they try to intervene, Sunset was looked like she was struggling with herself. She was resisting the needle that was going for her in her eye, with the of Applejack and Twilight it made the needle going away from her eye. But it wasn't enough after Sunset gave a push for the needle to stab to her eye.

"Sunset!" Twilight shouted as they try to pull the needle-armed hands away from her eye. "Wake up for Celestia sakes!!"

"Sunset! Stop it!" Applejack shouted with a beg as she tried to stop as strong as she can.

After a moment of struggling, they felt her hands and arms starting to grow suddenly limp. They glance over to Sunset's face, who was then suddenly given a shocked look. Sunset slowly opened her hands as they held her arms and drops the needle. They let Sunset go as she lets herself slowly slumps to the floor into a sitting position. Sunset is then realized what happened becomes terrified, retracting her legs up to her chest and hugs them, the others could hear she was breathing quickly and irregularly again.

"Step 3... Step 3....... Step 3....." they heard Sunset said, which confused them.

"Step 3?" Applejack asked with her eyebrows raised. "What does she mean?"

"I don't know," Twilight then raised Sunset's head by her chin and looked at her. "Sweet Celestia, are you okay?"

"Step 3... too many sessions..." Sunset kept saying like a broken record, stares blankly at Twilight. "I kept seeing her... I kept seeing Nicole... Too much death..... Step 3...."

They only starred in silent disbelief as Sunset was only kept saying that as she froze there. Applejack just..... couldn't believe what the hell she was saying. 'Sessions?' Who could possibly hurt anyone to the point where they would hallucinate by sticking needles in their own eye.

For Twilight, however, very much concern of her safety after seeing that she just had a post-hallucinations attack again. They don't know what to do for a moment about this.

"Applejack, I’m going to stay up and look after Sunset. You should get back to bed and catch up on some some sleep. I feel like your going to need it pretty soon at school." Twilight said as she looked at AJ.

"Ya' sure you can make sure she's okay?" Applejack asked in concern.

"Don't worry I can handle her," Twilight replied with a firm tone.

"Alright, I'll be resting in the next room. Come and get me if you need help."

With a second glance back at her friend, Applejack proceeded to head to the other room where they were sleeping before. She gently lay herself down on the couch and comforted her head as her eyes looked into the ceiling. She only sighed in broken-heart and then she closed her eyes. Getting some rest for the next day's event.

---

*THUD*

Applejack opened her eyes quickly after she heard a hard thumping sound coming from somewhere in the apartment. She got up from her sleeping bag and looked around the room. She went to upstairs to Sunset's bed but found out she wasn't there along with Twilight after she inspects much closer around the room. Twilight's sleeping bag was right there on the floor, and with no trace of where they went.

"Sunset? Twilight?" Applejack called around the room. "Where are you?"
Applejack briefly stood still in the middle of the room, until she decides to go down to the ground floor. She went for the door, but then she halted when she nearly reached for the doorknob.

*THUD*

Hence then she heard the sound again, this time it was coming from behind the door. Applejacks eyes suddenly went wide when she heard it. Feeling there was someone or..... something behind the door, made her fear growing in her chest. But decided to push on and talk through the door.

"Is anyone there?"

Even it was loud enough to hear through the door, she didn't get a reply. She slowly holds the doorknob and with a deep gulp, slowly open the door that is leading her downstairs with a peek. When she glanced inside before opening it for a more clearer view, she felt relieved that there was nothing behind the door.

*THUD*

She heard it again and was nearly startled by it. Looking down the stairs and felt something really wrong there. Applejack then stepped down the stairs, slowly and step by step. Fear was becoming on her every time she got closer to the ground floor. With more and more as things weren't sitting right in this place, she knew it.

Applejack kept slowly walking down the stairs, and she can tell she wasn't quite ready about what is she going to face. Maybe she was a strong farmer girl, but she had her own fears, and this one is really creeping the fuck out of her. Applejack reached the ground floor and entered the living room on the ground floor. Applejack felt her fear growing more after noticing the whole room was in the dark, nearly see a thing in that room thanks to the only window on the far end of the opposite wall that was illuminated with moonlight from outside. And that's when she heard it was starting to rain outside.

As she stepped forward twice, she noticed the floor has been in a mess with small furniture, makeup tools, and anything else except drinks and food scattered on the floor. The sofas in that room were scattered around, at least none of them were upside down. A table was flipped upside down next to Applejack, and the radio was found broken on her left. As the rain is getting heavy, thunder strikes the night on the outside. But after the thunder, the low bright light shine the room for a moment, and Applejack was frightened on what she saw. There was a dark figure in the room with her, with the same height as her.

Applejack couldn't even dare to run, because for sure if she did that the figure would follow her. The only thing Applejack could do was only stood there frozen as she stares down the dark figure. The only thing she was scared about was what if the dark figure came closer to her and did something to her. After a moment, Applejack was surprised that the dark figure... only stood still in its spot instead of coming closer to her.

She could not dare to move or ask the figure for the moment. She would only pray that whoever this figure was is not coming to get her. But then, there was a light coming from the figure. The figure was showing reddish-orange light on the hip of the dark figure. Applejack quickly realized what the hell was that.

It was the glowing light of a RIG.

Applejack took an unconscious step back as she was surprised by what she saw. She quickly looked around the room to find the switch of the room. She found it on the wall on her left and quickly hit the switch on. The room then got shine in bright light which gave a clear look in the room. Applejack was shocked to found out that Sunset was standing right there, her back facing at Applejack. Applejack return to her original position, before stepping forward once. Then noticed something off from Sunset.

Besides the RIG and the usual Hacker Suit she was wearing, there was some sort of blindfold on her head, and much to her shock to see that there was blood on the sofas. She then fixed her gaze at Sunset in worried, what the hell she did? Applejack then gulped again and took a step forward carefully. She was silent for a moment, but then called her.

"Sunset?"

She didn't reply nor was she moving.

"Sunset, you okay?"

Sunset moved her body, by turning around at her, Applejack was very shocked as she left her jaw hanging and eyes went wide to see that…

Her blindfold covered her eyes and were drenched in blood, which terrified AJ to know that she had poked her eyes out and replaced it with a blindfold. She then, somehow, looking towards Applejack with a sharp look. A look of hate, a look sorrow, a look of anger, a look of begging for mercy.... a look..... of a madwoman. Applejack gasped at the dark grotesque in front of her. Sunset opened her mouth and say out her word.

"Applejack...... you all gonna burn for what you did to me...."

Sunset quickly pulled out her Plasma Cutter and quickly aimed it at her own head. Applejack watched in horror at what Sunset was about to do and went forward to stop her.

"SUNSET!"

*PLUSH*

---

"Hmmm?!" Applejack quickly opened her eyes and looked around from her place on the couch, it was a nightmare after all.

Applejack then got up into a sit and then massage her forehead in dizziness and fear for the nightmare she had experience. "Jesus Christ, what the hay was I just dreaming? God, what the hay?"

"Morning, AJ," a voice greeted, AJ startled a bit but felt glad to see Twilight was right next to her, sitting on the couch.

"Morning, Twilight," Applejack greeted back with a nod but faint smile. "Where's Sunset?"

"She's in the kitchen downstairs," Twilight replied.

"What time is it?" Applejack asked again as she stood up slowly from the couch while scratching her back of the neck.

"It's almost six," Twilight replied as she looked at the clock. "You should take a shower."

"Ah'-Ah' will," Applejack then got up took her clothes from her bag before heading to the shower.

After Applejack took a shower and Twilight pack her stuff up, they both went down to the kitchen and found Sunset was cooking breakfast for them. Sunset was making some bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, minus the bacon for Twilight, for them to enjoy. AJ and Twilight waiting for her at the table to finish the cook and Sunset immediately came to them with the food on her hands to them. Sunset sat down with them and started to enjoy their breakfast. Honestly, Sunset didn't lose her touch to make great breakfast after six years dealing with the Necromorphs bullshit and eating flavorless nutrition bars.

As they ate in joy, Sunset noticed Applejack was somewhat frowned. Sunset stopped eating and stares directly at AJ, then Twilight followed up to stop eating. Applejack then stopped eating after seeing them stopped. But their glance to Applejack that she can't shake it off.

"Uh, why are ya' staring at me like that?" Applejack asked awkwardly.
"You looked upset on something," Sunset stated. "Something bothering you?"

"Ah' just didn't sleep pretty well," Applejack replied.

Sunset paused for a moment as Twilight and Applejack stare at her. "I see, don't mind about it then."

"So, are you coming with us too, Twilight?" Applejack asked as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"Sure, I guess the principal could use my help," Twilight replied with a nod.
Sunset scoffed at that, now they just need to find their activities today. "Alright, so what's the plan for today?"

"The three of us head to school for one thing," Applejack replied. "other than that, nothing more than that for me."

"Me either," Twilight added. "What about you?"

"Well, first I want to replace my old locker in the school with the one we found on the ship," Sunset replied, the work locker she found was just a little bigger than the schools and would slip in easily in place. This one would also fair better than her previous locker due to the reinforced metal in the framework. Plus no one will be able to open it without a RIG to access it. Making it the perfect place for her things. "Second, I'm going to be 'decorating' my apartment with Isaac and Randall."

"I see," Twilight added with a couple of raised brows.

"Hopefully I can get a work from someone because I need money if I'm going to be staying," Sunset added as she eats a bite of her sandwich.

"Alright then," Applejack said in agreement. "Let's finish up our breakfast."

Next Chapter: Chapter 10 - Jobs And Breaking Point Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 42 Minutes