Sunset and Fluttershy ventured further into Ponyville as night began to fall over the dusk skies. What was once a simple plan to go grocery shopping and having fun together in town now felt like a stealth mission through uncharted territory. After learning someone robbed Fluttershy back on the train, any further unfortunate situations were possible, as the night sky certainly set the mood. Just like back in the human world, Sunset knew there could be imminent dangers such as robbers or thugs lurking around at night. Sticking together felt like the smartest plan, since a thief on the loose was quite alarming, especially if they were armed. While being more cautious than normal, both ponies trotted along to the grocery store, keeping their eyes peeled for anything suspicious.

"Back in my town, I've typically never had to worry about thieves or thugs until late at night." Sunset whispered, as to not potentially alert anyone nearby who could overhear her. "Would you say the crime rate here in Ponyville is just as bad as the current situation we're in?"

"Not really, in all my time here in Ponyville that didn't include swindlers, this is actually the first time I've been robbed blind." Fluttershy affirmed, quietly. "Usually, Ponyville's a pretty safe and peaceful place, but after what happened to my belongings back on the train, I'm not so confident in believing that anymore. I also hadn't considered the idea it'd be much more dangerous to be out at night, but that's because I'm often already home by that time, along with my animal friends. Either way, I'm incredibly thankful you decided to step in and stay by my side, in case something happens. Last thing we need is another thief mugging us both."

"Right, we should just stay close and lay low, at least until we get to the market." Sunset advised. "We might both be tough ponies who can stand up for ourselves, but I know from experience we might not be as tough if whoever we're up against is armed with weapons. There's a difference between being brave and being foolish."

"That's some good thinking." Fluttershy replied. "You're certainly giving me a good demonstration of your leadership skills, Sunset. Knowing how to stay calm and find a proper solution is the best way to handle any situation."

The two ponies continued on together, high on alert toward anything that could lead to danger. An ominous silence had filled the town, likely because the residents were still on their way to return home, or they were already asleep. Although Fluttershy was leaning more toward the idea of her and Sunset being unnecessarily paranoid, she somehow began to get an unsettling vibe that they were both being watched or followed. Sunset started getting this vibe too, as it seemed as if a constant occasional noise was inching closer toward their direction. However, they eventually surmised is was likely only one of the residents taking out the trash.

After a while, the two ponies made good progress together, and Fluttershy knew they were now over halfway toward their destination. Things seemed to be going smoothly, as other than a few strange noises, nothing along the way particularly stood out to them. That was however, until Sunset noticed an orange pegasus feather on the ground. It was a little dark to completely make out the feather's color, but Sunset speculated it did look like the feather Rarity found back on the train.

"Hmm, maybe I'm just being paranoid?" Sunset suggested, quietly. "This could be anypony's feather, and I'm sure plenty of pegasai live in Ponyville?"

"They do." Fluttershy confirmed. "But most of them live in Cloudsdale, and I'm fairly certain I don't personally know any orange coated pegasai around here. At least, not anypony with that particular shade of orange."

"Then it's entirely possible this pegasus we're looking for could now be lurking around town." Sunset speculated. "Don't worry though, as long as we make it to the grocery store, we shouldn't"

But before Sunset could finish her sentence, a loud noise had startled the two ponies, followed by what sounded like fast hoofsteps. Sunset reluctantly peaked around the corner of a house, and saw that the noise was seemingly created by a trash can falling over. Under normal circumstances, this could've simply been an accident, but that fact that they heard somepony running away definitely raised some red flags.

Venturing forward, Sunset already began to have flashbacks to that night she was returning home and encountered Gilda and Lily in that alleyway. Since Sunset was willing to practice using magic more often by returning to Equestria, she lit up her horn to get a better view of the surrounding area, as it seemed unusually dark in this area of the neighborhood. As she was at least expecting to catch a glimpse of some pony or creature scurrying away in a nearby direction, there was nothing. This either meant that the thief was extremely fast, or someone out there was deliberately trying to play an elaborate hoax on her and Fluttershy. The former theory seemed much more likely, since Fluttershy alluded to the idea that nopony in Ponyville would really do anything like that.

"D-Don't worry, Fluttershy." Sunset whispered with a slight unsettling feeling. "It was probably nothing, so let's just focus back on getting groceries."

Thinking about it further, Sunset remembered how remarkably fast Indigo Zap was back when she wrecked the hot air balloon. The fact that the thief was now essentially following them and able to make a quick getaway whenever necessary made Sunset reflect more deeply about what she saw back in Cloudsdale. Was it entirely possible the thief was Indigo all along? Derpy might've mentioned a completely different description of a shady pegasus that didn't match Indigo's look, but the speed of this pegasus along with the orange feathers began to make Sunset speculate further.

Although Indigo's reaction to her initial accusation seemed genuine, Sunset still considered it a possibility it was all an act to throw off her and Rainbow Dash. Plus, she really was the only pegasus in the city who was seen wearing goggles and a workout uniform, the aforementioned stolen items from Derpy's mail route. However, Sunset decided that this time around, she shouldn't just jump to conclusions too quickly. Until she met an orange pegasus with blonde hair, purple eyes, and green eyeshadow, she felt it would be better to not point hooves until she had far more solid evidence to prove whoever was responsible, guilty. The only seeming similarity Sunset could connect between the suspect and Indigo, were that they were both orange pegasai with astounding speeds, but this could've just been a coincidence. It wouldn't explain why there was another dubious pegasus who looked completely different, along with how Derpy didn't recognize Indigo at all. Whatever was the case then, Sunset and Fluttershy's only choice was to get back on track, while being alert, as usual.

Before long, they had finally reached the aforementioned grocery store. Sunset was not used to the idea of getting food from within a building in Equestria, since she vaguely recalled Ponyville having outside farmer's markets back when she was a filly. It seemed as if Equestria had been expanding upon their businesses and technology ever since she started living in the human world, which gave her even more of a reason in wanting to take an extended stay back. She wouldn't really miss having cell phones or video games, as she believed following the quest in perfecting her magic instead gave her more time to focus on something she had genuine passion for. Plus, since the portal was always going to be open, there was nothing stopping her from going back, making it so Sunset didn't really have anything to lose. Keeping in touch with her friends would be easy thanks to the internet, and she also had an opportunity to ask them where they'd be heading off to during graduation, as well as which social media platforms they would be active on.

For now, Sunset's focus was to mostly help Fluttershy gather some groceries, but realized that since they were now in a safer environment with security, it would be fine to relax a little. Plus, like Princess Twilight would've wanted, this also gave them both a nice opportunity to bond and get to know one another better. The timing after a supposed train robbery seemed a little awkward, but if there was one thing that Sunset learned in her entire journey of friendship, it's how true friends stick together in even the toughest of times. Aside from assisting Fluttershy with carrying her groceries, it would also feel nice to have a friend be comforting for a bit.

"So, Fluttershy?" Sunset addressed her pegasus friend. "Since Twilight wanted us to get a little closer during our time together, would it be okay for us to bond while you pick out your groceries?"

"I guess it would be nice, I do need some kind of need something to take my mind off of this unpleasant experience." Fluttershy affirmed, before placing several tomatoes in a bag. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, I guess to continue from the conversation we had earlier." Sunset began elaborating. "Although we're pretty different as far as interests and goals, I still find it particularly impressive how much we've both changed over time for the better. Everyone at CHS tends to acknowledge how they've never met anyone like me in their entire lives, which I could certainly understand. One day I was the bully who would take everyone's lunch money, and now I'm that chill gal whom many would want to share a coffee with."

"I can agree with that, since I've learned over time that having flaws doesn't make one weak, but keeping them does." Fluttershy replied. "In fact, starting up the animal sanctuary wouldn't have been possible if not for my improved assertiveness and professional behavior."

"Oh, the animal sanctuary you mentioned early was built by you?" Sunset inquired. "Twilight's vaguely wrote to me before on how big and beautiful it is for all those critters. You actually built all that by yourself? That's very impressive."

"Well, I did have some help from Big Daddy McColt, but it was my design and vision which made the project work out." Fluttershy elaborated, as she finished gathering tomatoes and started checking out the asparagus. "Sometimes, you can't really trust ponies to get a job done if they choose to simply deviate from the original plan without consulting the boss beforehand. But I was able to trust McColt, since I knew he would abide by my wishes. Admittedly, it's another aspect of why I started venturing further into Equestria sometimes to make new friends. I now have that courage, especially given how I used to even be shy in talking to other ponies when doing something as simple as grocery shopping."

"I can certainly understand that, since admittedly, although I didn't seem like it at the time, I guess I was also shy in wanting to make new friends, since I wasn't socially capable of talking to other ponies, outside of asking them to leave me to my studies." Sunset reflected. "Would you mind me asking what happened back then in your experience with grocery shopping?"

"It was a definite disaster for sure." Fluttershy began explaining. "I basically let other ponies cut in line in front of me, push me around, or even try swindling me for a single cherry."

"A single cherry, you say?" Sunset asked, recalling it sounded familiar when she was with Derpy earlier. "Like, trying to charge you 20 bits for a cherry? Some brown pegasus stallion with a five o' clock shadow, right?"

"…Yes, I unfortunately remember him and that incident far too well." Fluttershy winced, looking back. "How did you know?"

"Let's just say a good friend of mine vaguely mentioned something like that, and that the stallion who did so is pretty well known for trying to pull these kinds of scams." Sunset explained. "Plus, it seems karma has finally hit him ever since he let go of his most valuable and trusted employee. Let's just say that from what I've heard, he might not be in business for quite some time now."

"Oh wow, I had no idea his actions finally came back to him." Fluttershy replied with satisfaction, as she started digging through the lettuce and carrots. "Though to be fair, I was almost expecting that it'd happen sooner or later. Those who try to cheat everypony else will never get ahead in the end."

"Mhm." Sunset agreed. "And certainly learned that the hard way myself. Well, not as far as cheating when it comes to my education in magic, but exploiting others and being a total monster at CHS. Speaking of, I still feel extra bad for all those times I picked on the… other you. I might have met some scummy ponies or people in my life, but picking on the innocent when they can't defend themselves is pretty rotten and low, even for them."

"If it makes you feel any better, Sunset?" Fluttershy looked back with an assuring face. "Earlier when I mentioned I was once overly assertive to an extreme extent, I was not exaggerating. I was misled into believing being an assertive bully who would pick on the innocent would earn me respect and dignity. I had no problem covering ponies in garbage, assaulting them, or intimidating them when they were already down. It actually took Rarity and Pinkie running away in tears from my monstrous behavior for me to realize I genuinely took things way too far."

"I'm really sorry to hear you had to go through that." Sunset's ears fell back in sadness. "But I'm glad to hear you're now living a much better life than you were then, even if you still have to deal with the occasional disreputable ponies, like that train server from earlier. I guess this is a pretty big reason why I respect you a lot, Fluttershy. We not only have a lot in common as far as changing for the better, but we're also both not ashamed to admit our mistakes. What's happened in the past has already occurred, and our only choice after is to look toward the future with head held high."

"I respect you a lot too, Sunset." Fluttershy smiled as she was checking the final item on her grocery list, celery. "After all, it does take quite a bit of respect to build trust for somepony who once stole from Princess Twilight, wouldn't you say? To that end, you've certainly earned not only my respect, but also my values in fellowship."

"For sure, and I'm really glad for that." Sunset replied, as Fluttershy now officially had all the groceries she needed in two baskets. "By the way, it seems like you've got quite a lot of critters to feed back at home?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Fluttershy smiled slightly, before handing one of the baskets to Sunset. "And I've got my first big critter to feed here with me."

"Oh, but Fluttershy…" Sunset hesitated. "Are you sure? It seems you still might need both baskets. As I've said, buying me some food should not be your priority after what happened with your bag."

"I am sure, and I won't take 'no' for an answer." Fluttershy said, determined. "I'll always keep my promises to those who have my everlasting respect and trust. Plus, I shop here frequently and did the math based on today's sales. Altogether, combined with my coupons, this will only cost me 8 bits. It's also a 'thank you' present for you since you decided to accompany me during these tough times instead of simply heading home. Oh, and trust me, the critters back at home, including myself, will have more than enough to last a week with just one basket."

"Thank you, Fluttershy." Sunset smiled. "Nowadays, I couldn't imagine how I'd be living life without any friends."

"You and me both." Fluttershy responded, as she was now heading over to the register to pay.

By this point, things seemed to be going rather smoothly. Fluttershy and Sunset had both gotten enough groceries to last for quite a while, and they hadn't encountered anypony dangerous lurking around the neighborhood. The sudden noise and hoofsteps sprinting away from earlier did signify something rather unusual, but it was already decided that whoever caused it was already scared away. Regardless, Fluttershy had finished paying for both baskets of produce, as Sunset carried them both out of the store.

Unaware to the two mares, the unusual noises from earlier were actually created by a shady orange pegasus mare who was now barely visible within the darker shadows of the town, right by the grocery store. This whole time, she was stalking them to seek upon an opportunity in more thievery, as she believed what she had already stolen wouldn't be enough to satisfy her personal needs. She had finally noticed Fluttershy and Sunset exiting with baskets of groceries, and had almost decided to simply move on to another potential victim to steal from, as groceries wouldn't be worthwhile. However, this decision was abruptly changed as she began overhearing them, even if it was from a fair distance away.

"Alright, I guess we should start heading back to your cottage?" Sunset asked, somewhat quietly.

"Yeah, it's actually only about 5 minutes away from here, so we should be good by this point." Fluttershy explained, feeling assured by now that nopony was overhearing them. "I can't wait to finally get home to all my animal friends."

In the shadows, only a pair of purple eyes were barely visible. But overhearing this, the orange pegasus understood this meant another opportunity to make a fortune, especially when she had her daughter, who accompanied her during this entire discreet mission. As she finally saw Fluttershy and Sunset supposedly trotting back to the cottage, she back around to address her daughter, who was looking rather afraid and nervous of her so-called mother. The little filly was hiding in a trash can, trembling about how easily agitated and intimidating her parental figure was.

"My child, come out of that trash can right now." The pegasus demanded.

"I-I'm sorry that I knocked over those garbage cans!" The filly got out and quickly apologized for her beginner's mistake which almost had them both caught by Sunset earlier. "Please don't be mad at me!"

"Mommy will let it slide this time, because luckily for you, I have a new objective for you to accomplish, my dear." The pegasus began explaining. "In case you didn't overhear, that pegasus mentioned something about heading back to a cottage full of animals, which isn't far from here. Do you have any idea what this means for me er… I mean, us?"

"…That pegasus likes to make cottage cheese?" The filly asked, rather confused.

"No, you simpleton!" The mother snapped. "Given how that pegasus seems to like taking care of animals, she must have real compassion and be loaded with supplies to feed them all. Any animals, including you, darling. I'm sure she can't say 'no' to a sweet little angel like yourself."

"But… what does this mean for us then?" The filly questioned her mother's motives.

"Isn't it obvious?" The mother asked rhetorically. "If she accepts to take you in to her home, make absolutely sure to still be awake after she and her animal friends go to sleep. Once done, search the house for any valuables including bits, jewelry, or even basic supplies. She's absolutely guaranteed to have things like that in order to afford feeding those pathetic critters. If at all possible, try to take one of the critters with you in a cage after you leave later tonight with enough stolen goods. Perhaps I can sell it for a quick buck, mommy does need good makeup after all."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" The filly hesitated. "W-What if she catches me, or what if one of the animals sniffs me out?"

"Well, then you fail as a daughter and let your mother down." The mother stated bluntly. "If you expect to be able to eat tonight, you will not fail and be as sneaky as I've taught you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-Yes, mommy…" The filly gulped.

"Quickly now, I can still see them in the distance, that red maned unicorn and pink maned pegasus." The mother observed. "Follow them closely and make absolutely sure you do not lose them. In order to make her feel bad enough for you to let her into her home, try fake crying or telling them about how I found you, I don't care as long as it gets the job done. I'll be waiting right here for you behind the grocery store, but be sure to return back to the cottage afterward, since you'll be a prime suspect if you're missing from the household. Once you return with the goods, you will have made your mommy proud, and I… might buy you a half-eaten carrot stick as your dinner- I-I mean, reward."

"Okay, mommy." The filly said, sadly. "I'll do my best to make you proud."

Fluttershy's estimation of the time it would take to return to her cottage was spot-on. Before long, Sunset and Fluttershy had arrived at the expected destination with their grocery baskets, and were ready to part ways. Sunset had already fulfilled her duty in staying by Fluttershy's side, spending some quality time with her, and ensuring she had returned home safely. It was now a good time to say goodbye before heading home herself.

"Well, I'm certainly happy things worked out, and we got you home safely." Sunset smiled. "Thanks again for the groceries, by the way."

"Don't mention it." Fluttershy replied warmly. "And thank you for being a good friend yourself, Sunset. It's pretty late now, so I suppose you'll be heading home now?"

"I guess so." Sunset agreed, before saying her final goodbyes for the night. "It was nice spending time with you-"

But Sunset could not immediately finish her sentence, as she looked behind Fluttershy and noticed a weird noise in a nearby bush. Shortly after, both mares heard what sounded like a filly whimpering. By instinct, Sunset wanted to go check and see if whoever was crying was okay, but part of her gut began telling her this could be a trap. Regardless of this feeling, Sunset trotted over and uncovered the bush, revealing a small little filly. The reveal seemed even more shocking to Sunset as she recognized who it was.

The familiar purple ponytail, barrettes, and even the sweet voice she distinctly recalled during the times she's babysat her with Pinkie in the human world, Sunset realized this was the pony Lily Pad. It was the pony counterpart of the girl who almost got hurt and robbed by Gilda in that alleyway that night, and even gave up the money she almost lost as a gift to Sunset for showing the noble kindness to put others above herself. Knowing Lily rather well in the other world, seeing Lily in a heartbreaking state of despair immediately made Sunset forget about returning to Canterlot for now. To avoid making an awkward conversation, Sunset instinctively asked what was wrong, while pretending she didn't know Lily's name.

"What's wrong, little filly?" Sunset asked Lily, tenderly, as Fluttershy came up to Sunset, also rather concerned. "Are you lost from home or hurt in any way?"

"N-No, I'm not hurt, but I'm afraid I don't have a home now." Lily sniffled. "My mom lost her job, and my dad's company went bankrupt. A-After that, my parents blamed their failures on me, because they had to focus on so much time taking care of me. So they kicked me out of their house and completely abandoned me…"

"That's awful!" Fluttershy gasped. "I can't believe anypony could be that heartless to such a young child!"

"I can't possibly imagine what you're going through right now." Sunset empathized, before looking at her basket of produce. "I do have a home back in Canterlot, as well as some fresh groceries here. Would you like to come stay with me for a while?"

"No, I can't let you do that, Sunset." Fluttershy insisted. "You're a guest in Equestria for a little while, so I can't bring myself to let you take care of both an unexpected filly and yourself. I'm great with young fillies just as much as I am with animals, let me take her in. I've got plenty of food and cozy, warm space here in my cottage."

"Are you sure about this, Fluttershy?" Sunset asked. "I really don't mind, since I've got experience with babysitting."

"Absolutely." Fluttershy assured. "Little one, would you like to come in to have something to eat? I'm sure you must be hungry."

"I really am." Lily whimpered, truthful about being extremely famished. "I haven't been fed in quite a long time."

"Well in that case, please come on inside my cottage." Fluttershy welcomed the filly into her home. "I'll get started making some nice veggie salads."

"I was about to head home, but I think I might stay with you a bit longer, Fluttershy." Sunset decided, as Fluttershy nodded in approval. "It sounds like this filly really needs some love and compassion in her life after everything she's been through, and I want to give her just that. Let's just say, she reminds me of someone whom really connected with me."

"Love… and compassion?" Lily reiterated. "That's the first time I heard these words, and I don't feel like I've gotten anything like that."

"Don't you worry, little one." Fluttershy put a hoof on the filly. "You'll now get to experience something you've genuinely always wanted and needed. I'm so sorry to hear your own parents never gave you such a life. Do you by any chance remember their names?"

"I'm afraid not." Lily said, sadly. "I only referred to them as 'mommy' and 'daddy', and even then, after what they did, I'd honestly rather forget about them entirely."

"You don't remember your parents' names?" Sunset related. "That makes two of us, hon. Don't worry, I know exactly how that feels, and we can get through all this together. Right, Fluttershy?"

"Of course." Fluttershy replied. "Let's head into my home, and I'll get started with your salad."

The two mares and small filly entered the cottage and sat around a table. As promised, Fluttershy had prepared a nice meal for both Sunset and Lily, which was certainly much more food than the filly had truly eaten in a while.

"This is so delicious." Lily ended up finishing her meal long before Sunset and Fluttershy did. "I haven't had anything like this in so long."

"I can actually understand that feeling as well." Sunset related once more. "Do you by any chance have a name we can call you?"

"I don't actually know my real name." Lily replied."My parents weren't really involved too well in my life, that they never even bothered giving me a name."

"Well, I guess we can come up with a name for you." Fluttershy suggested. "You do kind of remind me of the flowers that grow in my pond. Particularly, those purple lilies that my hummingbirds love."

"I can see that comparison rather well." Sunset smiled, as she realized this would be the perfect opportunity to name her after that girl she regularly babysits in the human world. "How about… Lily Pad?"

"Lily Pad…" Lily thought for a moment. "I like it, it sounds pretty! But I think I'd rather go by 'Lily', at least for now."

"Fair enough." Sunset chuckled, before doing introductions. "My name's Sunset Shimmer, and that's Fluttershy."

"Nice to meet you both as well." Lily smiled.

"So, Lily?" Sunset began. "I was just about to say that from what little you've described of yourself, I can relate to almost everything."

"Y-You do?" Lily asked, somewhat nervous that Sunset seemingly grew suspicious of her story.

"Yeah, admittedly, I never really grew up with my own parents either." Sunset explained. "Well, I did have a dad with me in Ponyville, but he was primarily looking after me before I moved to Canterlot to pursue my education in magic. It's been so long that… I never really bothered to keep in touch or remember my parents' names, so I'm kinda in the same boat as you. And I also related with how much you just enjoyed that salad Fluttershy made for you. I haven't actually had such quality produce in quite some time, due to living in another town far away from here. I'm just really happy to see that we could connect on such a personal level, given how we've just met."

"Oh, y-yes." Lily replied, relieved. "I'm just happy that I finally got to eat something for dinner, since I haven't eaten all day."

"You poor thing." Fluttershy sighed. "Although I've had experience with not letting others take advantage of me, I can certainly make an exception for you, Lily. You're just a child, after all. If my brother Zephyr begged me to stay here in the cottage for a little while, I'd at most only give him a week. But for you, Lily? After what you've been through, I say you can stay here as long as you need."

Lily was astonished by how much love and care the seemingly two strangers were giving her, certainly in contrast to her current mother's treatment. This admittedly already made her feel bad that she was planning on stealing from the cottage, but she knew that by this point, she had no other choice. Her mother already made it particularly clear that she would not be forgiving at all if she fails to steal from them, and by this point, she was the only pony in her life Lily had to turn to.

"I'm so happy for this, thank you." Lily smiled, as she began to tear up with joy. "But I'm wondering, why are you being so nice to me?"

"I may not be a pushover anymore." Fluttershy began. "But I'm still always going to be the Element of Kindness at heart."

"Plus, we'd feel awful for abandoning you, just like your so-called parents, Lily." Sunset explained, before reiterating the same lesson she taught the human Lily after fighting off Gilda. "One valuable lesson I've learned over time is, there's no cost in being nice to others, and every nice thing you do will always find a way to come back to you."

"That sounds like a wonderful lesson to takeaway, Sunset." Fluttershy said approvingly. "We do hope that by doing this, you'll learn to pass on this kindness to the rest of Equestria too."

Lily smiled at this and nodded, but internally, now she was feeling extra guilty for what she was about to do to the poor pegasus who extended her home to a filly she had never even met before. Regardless, something in the back of her mind made her believe she still had to steal, as her current mother was expecting her to be a little bandit in this entire mission. She felt that perhaps she should only start stealing subtle items from the house, as to not draw any suspicion, but still felt very bad about it. Lily was admiring not only Fluttershy for being so kind, but also Sunset for being able to connect with her with common traits, as if she had met someone who finally understood her, psychologically.

"It is getting a little bit late for me." Sunset said, after looking at a clock on the wall and grabbing her basket of groceries. "I'm afraid I really have to get going now."

"Of course, hopefully we can meet again very soon?" Fluttershy proposed, as Sunset nodded, before being ready to depart.

"W-Wait!" Lily stopped Sunset, hoping she could see her again soon too. "Will I ever get to see you again soon?"

"Canterlot's a little far from here, Lily." Sunset sighed. "But… don't worry. I'm here in Equestria for at least a little while longer, so I'll be sure to visit you. You do remind me of a sweetheart girl I've connected with back in my own hometown, so I'd be happy for us to spend a little more time together. Maybe tomorrow though, as I really do have to head home now."

"Oh, really?" Lily said with a little disappointment. "Well, I'm happy for whenever you're around."

"Same here." Sunset responded, as she opened the front door and waved goodbye to the two ponies. "And again, thanks for a nice night together, Fluttershy."

Sunset had finally exited and was now prepared to go back to her house in Canterlot. She began reflecting on the wild day she's had, just exploring Equestria and hanging out with some of her new pony friends. Having some good Equestrian meals, helping her friends with their dilemmas, and encountering even more ponies of humans she knew back in the other world.

The thing that still bugged Sunset, however, was the mishap with Rainbow Dash back in Cloudsdale. It felt frustrating that she was not able to solve the mystery on whoever stole Derpy's packages and Fluttershy's belongings back on the train. All she knew was that an orange pegasus with blonde hair, purple eyes, and green eyeshadow was the prime suspect. Even then, it didn't sound like anypony or any human in the other world Sunset could immediately recognize based on the description alone. Regardless, some mysteries remain as such, and Sunset decided now it was far too late at night to do any detective work. Trotting around all over Equestria in one day had left her hooves quite exhausted, and she needed to head to bed early in order to have more time to explore further tomorrow.

As Sunset no longer had Twilight's hot air balloon, or Rarity's creator's pass to board the train for free, her only option was to trot home. It was admittedly a longer trot to get all the way home, but she didn't really mind, as these trots helped her get more and more connected with the areas and towns she's visited. Out of all her new pony friends she spent time with today, Sunset then realized she didn't really get any quality time with Applejack, but this felt understandable, knowing the human version of her. Applejack was always a hardworking a busy girl, even going as far as to do construction projects for CHS. If anything, Sunset still had more time to explore further tomorrow, so she decided she would perhaps hang with Applejack when an opportunity came up.

Trotting further around Ponyville, Sunset eventually noticed a big red barn in the distance, similar to the one owned by the human Applejack. This was not a coincidence, as the front doors opened, and coming out was the pony version of the independent farm girl she knew. While Sunset's friends often considered her the leader of their group, Sunset usually always saw Applejack as the second in command. Out of all her friends, it was Applejack who was the most rational and capable of leading a group, even if she did occasionally have some childish competition with Rainbow Dash. Since she was going to pass by the farm anyways, Sunset decided this was at least a good opportunity to say hi to her before heading home, even if there wasn't likely enough time to hang out.

"Evening, Applejack." Sunset greeted from a distance. "I've kinda been all over Equestria today, but it's nice to at least see you for a bit before heading home."

"Howdy, Sunset." Applejack welcomed her unicorn friend. "Yeah, I'm just finishin' up for the day, and it's probably a good thing we weren't able to spend any time today."

"Pardon me?" Sunset asked with confusion at how Applejack worded things.

"My apologies, Sugarcube, I more meant it was cause I've been far too busy today." Applejack tried to correct herself for the unusual wording. "Let's just say… things have unfortunately not been lookin' good for the Apple family. And I've kinda had to stay behind all day at Sweet Apple Acres to work to make enough bits. Things are kinda complicated to explain right now, so I'd rather give details tomorrow morning?"

"All right, whatever it is, I do hope things end up working out." Sunset said, rather confused and worried at what Applejack was seemingly upset about. "It was nice to see you managed a day's of hard work, though. I was thinking of trotting back to my home in Canterlot, but since you were here, thought I'd at least drop in real quick to say 'hi' for a minute."

"Trottin'?" Applejack questioned. "To Canterlot? You aren't going to be takin' the train or anything?"

"Nope, I don't have a train ticket or bits on me at the moment." Sunset explained. "I don't mind though, it'll at least give me a good opportunity to explore Equestria a little further, even if it's already nighttime."

"I wouldn't advise you on doing so." Applejack insisted. "Believe me, I've had trips deliverin' fresh apple cider to Canterlot, and one time, foolishly decided to just trot the whole way. Not only was I incredibly late by the time I got there, but I had little to no energy left after makin' it barely halfway up the mountain. It's certainly in our best interest to take the train, even if it means spendin' a little on a ticket."

"Oh, right." Sunset understood. "I guess I was overly excited on exploring Equestria today, that I didn't consider the idea of having to going back up the mountain to return to the city up there. Well, I don't have anything to buy another train ticket with, so I'm not quite sure what to do…"

"Tell you what, Sunset." Applejack began. "I do legitimately need the bits I've earned for something else, but since you're our guest in Equestria for a little bit, it's already pretty late, and you don't have a reliable means of returnin' to Canterlot, how about I let you stay at Sweet Apple Acres for the evenin'? It'd be nice to have you with me for a while, given I've kinda already been by myself this entire day due to… right, I think I'd rather discuss that first thing in the morning, the timin's not quite right now."

"I understand." Sunset replied. "And sure, I guess it would be nice to have a sleepover for a while. Although, I kinda have little to no energy left after trotting so much today, so I'm afraid resting for the night's my first priority. Gosh, now I really feel like a fool for thinking I could trot by myself all the way back to Canterlot."

"Canterlot may be relatively close to Ponyville, but never underestimate the distance, say that much." Applejack reflected. "Well, happy to have a friend over to the night, I'll show you to the guest room, and we'll both hit the hay?"

"Sure thing!" Sunset said with enthusiasm. "And thanks for considering my dilemma."

"Nah, thank you for stoppin' by, given how lonely I've been feelin' all day." Applejack smiled. "But we'll save it for tomorrow, let's just head on inside and worry about it tomorrow mornin'."

Sunset followed Applejack inside her house and went into the guest room. After how much distance she had covered in only one day's worth of spending time with her new friends, she certainly felt like a well deserved rest was due. Although Sunset was still somewhat concerned on why Applejack seemed to upset to the point of not wanting to immediately talk about it, she respected her wishes in not prying further until the next morning. It was still a pretty nice and adventurous day for Sunset, and as of now, she had finally interacted with each of her new friends during their everyday personal lives, which taught her all about their interests and how things were run in Equestria.

As Sunset then sat in her bed and went under a blanket, one other detail from today particularly stood out to her. When Starlight mentioned that she had experienced nearly the same unusual occurrences during her time in the human world, Sunset really began brainstorming what it could possibly mean. Why would they both have this bizarre dream where they could see nothing but darkness, yet only hear their own voice in the distance crying for help? By this point, considering how she still knew nothing about why Celestia forbade her from entering the portal all those years ago, Sunset believed coming up with mere theories was nothing more than a waste of time.

There was however, one theory that Sunset began to keep at the back of her mind, given what she knew, and all the hints she had already gathered. In the time she's spend in Equestria with her new friends, Sunset had unintentionally met or encountered pony counterparts of people she knew back in the human world. It gave a potential idea that since there would appear to be pony versions of those humans, both worlds had their own version of these living beings. As exemplified by Sunset's experiences with them, they could turn out to be around the same as far as personality, or drastically different. But the point still stood in that, they existed.

This eventually gave Sunset a possible idea that what she had heard that dreadful third night in the human world was the human version of herself who was native to that world. Likewise, Starlight might've also been hearing the human counterpart of herself. But even then, it wouldn't explain why their counterparts were both crying out for help, or why they themselves experienced unusual jolts of magic when moving around on the third day. Considering how this was simply a wild guess with what little she already knew, Sunset felt it'd be better to at least check what Celestia had to say when it was time to visit Silver Shoals.

Considering how the next day, Sunset would most likely be hanging with Applejack, and that by then, she would've hung out with all her friends who had welcomed them into Equestria, if it was a safe bet she had enough time to visit Celestia once again. But at the same time, she also remembered how earlier today, Starlight mentioned possibly getting in touch with somepony named Sunburst, and to let her meet his father. Given how Sunset was still perplexed on the mystery of who her real parents were, this sounded like another good stop to make the next day, assuming Starlight had already arranged everything for her.

Regardless, there were two guaranteed plans Sunset had the next morning. The first was to wake up and talk things out with Applejack on the supposed problem she was having, and the second was to finally head to Silver Shoals in reuniting with Celestia. If Starlight and Sunburst were already ready before then, she would at least consider meeting the mystery father first.

With everything now cleared up in her head, Sunset finally relaxed in her bed to start heading to sleep. Everything seemed to go rather well today other than what happened with Rainbow Dash and Indigo Zap. Unfortunately, she was still completely unaware of two crucial things. The first was that letting Lily into Fluttershy's cottage might've been a huge mistake, but the second was the theory on what she heard in that dream back then might not have been as crazy of an idea as she had believed…