Pessimism and Sarcasm

by Jerec the Ascendant

Chapter 18: Adoptive Family Quality Time

Author's Note:

Spoiler alert, there will be a similar moment in a future chapter from Sunset Shimmer's perspective in The Other Sunset Shimmer as I plan for them to crossover.

This chapter is the alternate of the episode Rarity Takes Manehatten, so the next episode on the list is, well instead of Pinkie Apple Pie, I think I'll do another Shade chapter.

Pessimism and Sarcasm

Chapter 18

Adoptive Family Quality Time

Today Shade and I find ourselves on a train to Canterlot. We received a letter from Princess Celestia summoning us to the castle. The royal guard will escort us there from the train station. Shade is excited to see the castle again, a warm and bright palace compared to the one she lived in before. Newspapers around Ponyville have been printing articles calling her and myself new royalty, and when I think about it, since Shade was born from Princess Luna’s magic, she could be considered as royal.

I suppose Silhouette and I are royalty by adoption. I wonder how she feels about that - I know I’m not exactly excited. Back home, if someone told me I’d be a prince, I’d just laugh and show them my empty wallet. And if someone told me I’d be a prince in Equestria, I’d probably have to call 911.

This summons from the Princess is the only thing that’s seemed to have come from this whole new royalty thing. I’m hoping we’re not going to be given any royal duties. This life is complicated enough just trying to stay sane in this nonsensical world.

I try not to stress about this on the train. Shade is sitting in my lap and half the train car is squeezed behind me, all watching me play Pokémon. I have a small personal bubble, at least, created by the ponies’ fear of the Shape Shifter.

Eventually the train pulls into Canterlot station and all the ponies groan as I save and turn off the game. I’ve seen arcade games in Ponyville, but I guess ponies don’t have the thumbs to make much use of anything beyond that.

Shade and I walk out onto the platform, and I get to take my first real look at Canterlot. It's an interesting blend of modern era, Renaissance, and practically every era in between - if you turned it into a sentient pony fantasy world. There are carriages going by on the cobblestone streets, yet ponies are walking on concrete sidewalk. The buildings are definitely reminiscent of the Renaissance in the materials, but modern in appearance. The area also does nothing to hide the fact that all the ponies here are well-to-do. Fancy speech, fancy dress, fancy everything.

I notice ponies in the station standing around and staring at us, whispering. I really miss my ninja skills. Shade feels awkward as well, and seems to be wishing she still had the ability to fuse with my shadow.

"Greetings, Princess Shade and Prince Jacob.” A small group of royal guards walk up to us, scattering the onlookers. “We are to escort you to the castle.”

Prince. Gah, I'm not going to get used to that. "Alright, the sooner we get to the castle, the better,” I mumble to the guard who spoke. “Lead on, sir,"

“Please follow me." He takes the front of the group, while the three others form the rest of a diamond shape formation. We head out toward the castle, with a small procession of the more curious ponies tagging along. Shade sits on my shoulders, enjoying the view. She still has her fear of unicorns, she dips her head and hides behind her mane whenever we pass one - but it seems to be lessening.

The closer we get to the castle, the larger the procession becomes, and it’s only when we finally reach the courtyard that our entourage disbands, leaving only the most curious loitering about. The castle itself is quite a sight, I have to admit. The guards take us through the gates and into the castle proper.

The back guards leave in separate ways. "This is as far as we take you,” the lead guard told us. “From this point forward, Celestia has appointed a special guide for you. She'll be here shortly." And with that, he leaves as well.

"Interesting. Well, that could have gone worse."

"How, big brother?"

"Plenty of ways, sis. Plenty of ways."

A voice sounds from down the hall. "Hello! Welcome to Castle Canterlot. I'm your guide-" The voice cuts short and I look to see a very familiar pony. Her cyan eyes are wide, her jaw gaping - she seems frozen in place. A scroll previously covered in her magic aura falls to the floor.

But then I’m on the floor, the pony constricting me with all four of her limbs. She nuzzles me profusely. "You're human! Another human! I'm not alone anymore!"

"Say what...?"

"Oh!" She leaps off me, and I sit up to see her blushing, kneading the floor with one of her hooves. "Right, you don't know.” She giggled and looked away. “See, I may look like a pony, but I'm really a human."

Shade stands like she’s ready to fight, confused and annoyed with this pony who just tackled her brother.

"Well, that is certainly something I wasn't expecting," I say, standing up. "I'm Jacob, pleased to meet you."

"Sunset Shimmer. Sorry about that, really. I just never expected to see another human again."

Sunset Shimmer, hold on, isn't that the name of the villain in that My Little Pony movie? The high school one? The Sunset Shimmer in that movie remained banished at the end, so this must be the other Sunset Shimmer. She really is human! A human unfortunate enough to have transformed upon entering Equestria. I guess things could be worse for me.

Sunset lets out a nervous laugh. "Well, we might as well get on with the tour."

"Sorry, but I thought I was here to see the Princesses about something."

"You are, but they are currently busy. They planned this tour so they can finish their meetings, and so you can see the castle."

"I see.” I glance down at Shade. She hasn’t let her guard down. “Well, shall we get going?"

---

"And finally, here is where you'll be staying for the next few days." We come to a stop in front of a set of doors, in the Royal wing of the castle. We’re near Luna's own room, which sits just opposite of Celestia's. The hall is lined with several other sets of doors, all of which seem unowned. My theory is they’re rooms designed for the royal family when they visit.

Sunset Shimmer’s magic illuminates a door handle, and she opens our suite. We walk into the main room, and it feels as though Shade and I have already been here. The room is heavily decorated - pictures and portraits dot the walls, there’s a human-sized couch against one of the walls, next to a similarly sized coffee table. Various odd knickknacks are placed around the room.

I wander through the suite and find three bedrooms, clearly decorated with Shade, Silhouette, and myself in mind. Shade's room is full of toys and games, and she hurries past me to start playing with them. There are a lot of books in my room, and random pieces of technology, too. Silhouette’s room also contains a fair amount of books, along with other study material.

All three rooms have a large desk in them, and on each desk is a note explaining the function of things around the suite. For instance, each desk also holds a candle whose flame is enchanted to send letters, the way Spike’s dragon breath works.

I walk back into the main room to meet Sunset Shimmer, and Shade runs out of her room.

“This place looks like it’s meant for a lifetime stay instead of just a few days!” she cries with glee. Glad to see she’s feeling more relaxed.

Sunset smiles at her. “We just want to make sure you’re comfortable here.”

We sit on the couch, and I can confirm that I am quite comfortable. Shade and I listen as Sunset explains how she came live in Equestria.

"So, now you're just as stuck here as the pony you is stuck in your world?" I ask.

"Yes, I’m afraid it’s too late to switch back. She's already revealed where she came from, and apparently Princess Twilight has banished her to my world. At least, that’s what I heard. So we're stuck in each others lives. That's nothing compared to you, though. I mean, abducted and stuck here as an alien experiment?"

I see Celestia has been talking about me. "Don't even know who, what, or why. Just stuck here, from a somewhat different Earth than yours. I'm just glad that my shape shifting host didn't kill me. Technically, I'm the parasite."

"A situation we believe we’ve found the remedy to," Celestia says, entering the suite with Luna behind her.

“A remedy?” I ask. “What do you mean?”

Princess Luna smiles. “We’ve been researching a spell that physically duplicates a pony, a very useful spell if somepony suffers from having a split personality. We should be able to use this spell to remove Jake from Silhouette, giving them both a physical form of their own.”

Shade jumps onto the coffee table. "Does this mean I get a big sister?!" Luna nods, her smile growing bigger. “Then let’s do it!”

Celestia pouts. “I wonder when I'll get any otherworldly adoptive children."

"Only time will tell, sister. I certainly hope you receive some - I can't keep adopting them all." The sisters giggle together. Then Celestia looks down at me.

“Jacob. Stand and move to the center of the room.” Slowly, I do as they ask. I wasn’t expecting this when we were invited to Canterlot. My palms are clammy.

"Be aware,” Celestia continues, “that there will be some pain when we cast the spell. After all, we are separating the two of you who are so tightly bound together." I nod and clench my teeth. The princesses horns glow as they channel their magic.

Perhaps this is how Shade felt when she was receiving her permanent form. My heart is racing, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I think I can hear Silhouette’s pulse too. Then it happens. I am blinded by a white light, and I feel a searing pain throughout my entire body. I’m reminded of my entrance into Equestria, though instead of falling through a black void, I’m swimming in blinding light.

It doesn’t last long, and I soon find myself on the ground, my vision slowly returning to me. I sit up, and I don’t feel much different. But then I look to my left, and I see Silhouette, examining herself.

Her anthropomorphic form has my cheeks reddening quickly. Her paws trail along her curvaceous torso and down her long, slender legs. When she stands, we all step back. She must be seven feet tall, at least, and I know that this isn’t even her true form. The princesses smile at her, though I can see they’re intimidated. Sunset Shimmer nearly cowers on the couch, but Shade bounds about the room with delight, even running between Silhouette’s legs. Japan, what have you done to me?

Silhouette looks toward me, then scoops me up in a hug. "We're separate, Jake! I can move of my own will! You're not eating up my energy reserves! I'm free to learn and grow at my own pace!” My feet dangle above the ground, and my arms go numb where she’s squeezing them. “Our minds are separate! We’re free."

Suddenly her grip on me loosens. I understand what she’s thinking. As two separate beings, I won’t be around to guide her whenever she needs my help. She’ll be forced to coexist with everypony, rather than hide in the back of my mind, or look to me for an answer. Her arms hold me tighter again, like she’s afraid she’ll lose me if she lets go.

"This is going to take some getting used too," she muttered.

“No kidding,” I respond. I wait respectfully for Miss Hourglass to release me, but my cheeks only grow redder. The awkward barrier can-nay take any more captain!

---

I’m standing on our balcony, peering into the courtyard where Luna is giving Shade a flying lesson. Silhouette has gone off with Sunset Shimmer, who had a lot of questions for the shape shifter, after she got over her initial fear. To make things easier for her, Silhouette attempted to change into a pony, but it’s not nearly as good as her anthropomorphic form.

My mind is wandering. The princesses were so quick to come up with spells to bring Shade to life and to separate Silhouette and me, but why haven't they come up with a spell to get me home? Are they even working on it? Are they trying to keep me here?

"Ah, here you are,” Celestia says, coming to stand next to me. “What's wrong my newest nephew? You seem down."

I sigh. "It's just you found those spells so quickly, but it feels like I'll never get home."

"I see.” She watches her sister and Shade, but doesn’t seem to know what else to say. So I speak again.

"It's not just that either. I've been adopted into your family, and that scares me. It makes me feel more and more like I'm trapped here. It almost seems as if...you're keeping me here on purpose."

Celestia closes her eyes. "It may seem that way to you, but Luna, Twilight, and I are still looking. Opening dimensions is something only Starswirl the Bearded ever accomplished. Perhaps Discord is capable, but I would sooner trust a dragon to give up his treasure than Discord to safely send you home.” I rest my elbows on the railing and press my forehead into my palm. “Come along,” Celestia says, turning to go back inside. “It is time for dinner. Perhaps you can show us more of your entertainment on your laptop later."

"Sure."

So ends yet another day in Equestria.

Comments

[TheVirginianist]

So Jacob and Silhouette are separated, how amazing! Though now I'm curious on what Silhouette looks like in a Drawing and Vector. And I know this is starting to get both annoying and old but, when will I (TaShawn Nanthony Matthews) appear again? And I know you've explain this a few Chapters back, but how exactly did Silhouette get inside Jacob? I somewhat understand it but not 100% of it.

And "The Other Sunset Shimmer" is about human Sunset Shimmer, right? I have to make sure I got it right.

(Note: Sorry if I keep on bringing up the idea of me, TaShawn, reappearing in the later chapters. I seriously can't help it. )

[Jerec the Ascendant]

6818010 I can definitely tell you that it won't be the next chapter in which you appear. Spoilers: it's going to be a Shade PoV chapter at the castle. As for the chapter after that, maybe.

The Aliens fused them together. In all technicality it was more he was "inside" her rather than her being "inside" him.

Yup, The Other Sunset Shimmer is my head canon of what happened to the human Sunset Shimmer.

[TheVirginianist]

6818313 Okay. I guess (Either it's during the event in which Cheese Sandwich appears and it's at the last part were I greed you & probably during the event of Rainbow Falls.. I Hope). Hopefully I'll get a dialogue/line or two/2. And do you know which chapter the fusion happened?

[Jerec the Ascendant]

6818476 The fusion occurred in the first chapter, I just have the story set up in a way so that my character actually had to find out about it.

[TheVirginianist]

6818500 Aw, makes since now. Now I Understand it 100%. Thank You, Jerec. And sorry for annoying and irritating you about asking if I'm going to reappear again. I'm so enthusiastic about reappearing and all. But I'll keep reminding you about it so you won't forget about it and on how I'll appear in a certain chapters. Don't forget that in your story, instead of my OC's name, it's my "real" (alias) name, okay?

Again, really sorry for bringing it up, I really like seeing myself in something and stuff.

[damnaion]

is alive

[Jerec the Ascendant]

6818983 Yup, with some changes and an editor.

[damnaion]

6819084 trow not every one has the energy to go beyond making a gem that not cut and or polish