A girl and an alicorn sat in silence, surrounded by an ethereal plane of starlight.
“Can I ask you something?” Sunset finally spoke.
“You do not need my permission to speak, Sunset Shimmer,” Luna replied.
“Oh, uhm... Okay, well, you said you’ve been watching me, right?”
“I have.”
“For how long?”
“Not long after your brief return to Equestria. I had hoped that I may assist Twilight in recovering that which you stole,” Luna said. “Afterwards, however, I could not simply look away.”
“Look away?” Sunset’s voice raised slightly. “I don’t get it. You spent all that time observing, and for what? If you really cared about what happened to me, why didn’t you tell Twilight? Or Celestia?”
Luna raised an eyebrow. “Why didn’t you?”
Sunset groaned. “Y’know, you’re pretty sassy for a princess.”
“I am no princess here, Sunset Shimmer.”
“Fine, whatever.”
Silence loomed for several minutes. Sunset glanced over at Luna, unsure what to make of the situation. The sister of her former mentor, a mentor Sunset had scorned and abandoned, had taken her to some starry dreamscape to—what exactly? Talk about life? Or perhaps the lack of it?
Sunset sighed and ran her fingers over her arms once more. She still marveled at how smooth they were. There was no scar tissue to catch on the inside of the gown she now wore, which was yet another oddly familiar thing. The garment was white as snow and stretched down to her ankles, and it was unbelievably comfortable. Sunset felt as though she were a child again, with Celestia’s wing draped over her.
“I still don’t understand why you’re here,” Sunset finally spoke up. “Seems like it’s a little late to start teaching me the value of life.”
“There is no value inherent to anything,” Luna said. “Not even life. Not unless we make it so.”
“Well that’s a little disheartening,” Sunset said.
Luna nodded. “Quite. And yet I have found that there is a certain liberty to it as well. We each must choose to matter to ourselves.”
Sunset rolled her eyes as she curled her legs to her chest. “You make it sound so easy.”
“That is not my intention. There is no challenge more difficult than learning to love oneself,” Luna said, her voice softening as she sat down beside Sunset. “And yet it is one I have learned to handle all the same.”
“Good for you,” Sunset said under her breath.
“Thank you,” Luna replied.
“Nnnngh... This isn’t helping, y’know.”
“I cannot truly help you, my child,” Luna said. “I can only hope to guide you towards your own answers. However, you must find them yourself.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sunset asked. “Cryptic metaphors aren’t as effective for teaching self-worth as you seem to think. No matter how you look at it, my life meant nothing to the grand scheme of things.”
“Does the moon matter, Sunset Shimmer?” Luna asked.
Sunset did a double-take. “Uhm, what? Of course it matters, Moon Princess.”
Luna looked back at her. “I told you, I am not a Princess here.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Royal jurisdictions or whatever.” Sunset waved a hand. “You know what I mean.”
“Very well,” Luna said. “The moon matters. It is a rock. A lifeless body of dust and craters. There is nothing there.”
“And?”
“How is it that something so empty can matter more than you, a living being?”
Sunset thought for a moment. “Because, y’know... It controls tides, causes eclipses, lights the night sky. People notice the moon.”
“People noticed you, did they not?”
“It’s not the same!” Sunset huffed. “The moon has impact on people’s lives!”
“As did you,” Luna said. “You made them cry. You made them laugh. You made them smile. Those feelings are as tangible as any lunar shadow, perhaps even more so.”
“And?”
“There is more to this world than what can be directly observed. The moon only matters because we believe that it does.” Luna gave Sunset a light smile. “You matter because others believe so, too.”
Sunset looked away, her long hair shielding her face from Luna’s gaze. “You’re greatly overestimating how much people cared about me. I gave up the right to be loved a long time ago.”
“And how is that?” Luna asked.
“I told you before. I was horrible. I treated everyone like dirt and made their lives miserable, so much so that by the time I tried to change, they had no trust left for me to earn. Even if I was too stupid to understand that at the time.” Sunset’s eyes peeked out from behind her curtain of hair. “If you don’t believe me, just ask your sister.”
“That is not my question to ask.”
Sunset lowered her head. “It doesn’t matter anyway,” she said. “Celestia hates me. They all hate me.”
“Do they?” Luna asked. “You speak with such certainty about the hearts and minds of others, Sunset Shimmer. They are as fallible as you.”
Sunset stifled a laugh. “Tell me about it.”
“Still, I will not pretend their actions were justified. You did not deserve the suffering forced upon you.”
Sunset raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t make any sense. How can you question if they hate me, then turn around and admit they treated me like a monster?”
“Because they acted on emotion, and emotions are fleeting things, as you well know,” Luna said. “Foolish as they were in their reasoning and behavior, they are now more concerned for your health and happiness than you seem to be. Does that make you as foolish as them?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sunset asked.
Luna didn’t answer. Instead she stood, and her horn began to glow. Before her, a dim spark flickered to life and began to grow in intensity, until all Sunset saw was its blinding glow, forcing her to hold her arms up to shield her eyes.
“Luna, what the—!” The light vanished, and Sunset heard a crack, then the world was still. She now stood on a sidewalk, and as she lowered her arms, she realized they were transparent. Before her, Princess Luna was transparent as well. The alicorn gestured for Sunset to turn around.
Sunset was greeted by a horrifying sight. A crumpled, seemingly lifeless human form lay on the pavement in front of her, dressed in a tattered hoodie and blood-stained jeans. The girl’s body was twisted at an awkward angle, like a doll thrown carelessly across the room, and one of her hoodie’s sleeves was loosely rolled up to the elbow, revealing dozens of scars.
When Sunset saw the girl’s face, she felt ill. The girl’s mouth hung open slightly, with a thin line of blood trailing from the corner of her lips. Beneath tangled locks of red and yellow hair, blue eyes stared up into nothing with an almost bored expression.
Only then did Sunset hear the screams.
Oh for the love of...MORE!!! Longer chapters!!! I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!!!!!!! I WANNA SEE THEIR REACTIONS!!!!!! DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING LIKE THIS!!!!!!
I hope this is not everything is set back before she tried to kill herself.
There should be consequences for everyone to deal with.
The CMC and their sisters and the entire school should face them.
I demand another
I think what can happen to makes it more horrible is anon a miss update tonight or tomorrow and to really make it hurt rainbow and rariety getting some texts complaining about sunset latest rumor shared while her body is being transported by them to the hospital
Well.
Hint about getting a new chapter soon, and one pops up in my Feed not even 5 minutes after I posted that.
Many thanks.
Also, great chapter, and the perspective of it is interesting.
The end of this one was heart-wrenching, and I look forward, with much anticipation, to Chapter 4.
I wonder if Luna tells Celestia and Twilight at one point, because, well, it looks bad. More than bad. And they have a right to know about what happened to Sunset, especially when her body could die at any moment.
It would be cruel from Luna if she just plays psychologist for Sunset and nothing else.
9302698
That sounds hilarious. I second this!
I know that Celestia misses Sunset horribly, and always wanted to apologise for being so distant to her; I wouldn't want to be her when she inevitably learns what happened to Sunset.
I also wouldn't want to be part of the Human 5, for that matter.
I’m really liking this story. Anon-A-Miss stories are some of my favorites.
Keep writing.
Bonny work! Sunset's living condition and self-harm's well-portrayed, suitably visceral, and packs a real punch. You write a good Luna as well, and her making contact with Sunset just after the deed's inspired. Nae bad so far, and I'm looking forward to the rest.
9302443 9302479 9302443 9299248
Source: https://np.reddit.com/r/DMAcademy/comments/9yfp7x/am_i_a_fraud/ea112o6/
The cruelest irony here is that we're on a goddamn fanfiction website.
Do you see other fandoms saying "holy fuck you guys another my little pony fanfiction what the fuck is wrong with you people can you just write something else for once isn't there enough why the fuck do you need an entire fucking website just for my little pony fanfiction get a life for fuck's sake"?
Yes. You do. And they're all wrong, and so are you.
Don't pee in other people's cereal just because it's the same brand of cereal you ate last week.
I hope Sunset won't forgive them.
I have a sneaking suspicion this will playout similar to A Christmas carol but not entirely the same, and I am betting you played "Grimm and I"
9302871
That may be a nice analogy, but it doesn't fit this story at all (and frankly, it's so simplified I barely feel like discussing it). The difference is, the authors mentioned in it added something to the old stories or put some unique spin on it, something people remember them for (unless you think modern DnD is exactly the same as the stories from the paleolithic era, in which case we may end this conversation already).
And I'm pretty sure for every author we remember these days there were thousands of hacks like this here, who just ripped it off in a rather uninspiring manner; we just don't know them because they were either completely forgotten or got pushed to the margins of the history of literature. This thing here? Even for Anon-a-Miss, which is yet another fashionable bandwagon, just like TCB or Displaced (at least the former had decency to finally croak and I see less and less of the latter these days) this fic is thoroughly unoriginal – it just combines it with suicide and emo Sunset cutting herself (already the cheapest trick in the history of cheap tricks fanfiction is known for). Which, as I checked in the Anon-a-Miss group, makes it exactly thirty-fifth story in the Suicide and Self-harm folder. Surely that makes it special. Aside from the fact that I'll never look at napkins the same way again and a budding theory that the author is SS&E's alt, but then, aren't we all?
great chapter im really wondering how this will end.
9302942 More like 'A Wonderful Life.'
Wee, internet debates! Time to throw some more into the pile.
This is, indeed, a suicide/self-harm Anon-A-Miss fic just like the probably dozen or so I've read or attempted to read before. I will admit, I consume Anon-A-Miss stories like they're potato chips-- not necessarily good, but I eat it anyways-- and some have been bland, unoriginal, or filled with cheap emotions such that I completely understand where people who dislike Anon-A-Miss stories are coming from.
That being said, I like this story. Is it the best thing out there? No. Are there some stories out there written better that, because they didn't follow a bandwagon of sorts, end up less popular than they "deserve"? Sure, and I can certainly name a few. Is this story similar to some of what I've read before? Yes. Are any of the above good reasons to diminish the value of this fanfic? No, not really. Even if it's a bandwagon, even if it's trash (both subjecting, and debating either of which will never be productive), I like it and a lot of others seem to like it too.
9303227
Well put. Anon-A-Miss stories are dime a dozen; hope I’m using that phrase correctly. Only a select few actually bring something to the table like Dead by Sunset, Dawn, Featherfall, Seven Saviors to name a few. I personally like Anon-A-Miss stories because some despite having a ton of grammar mistakes, like this comment perhaps, engage you and can’t stop even if you want to claw your eyes out.
You do you authors. Maybe in all those cliche stories, someone will find something they like.
This was a ramble from someone with too much time on their hands.
I would like another chapter please.
9302811
Oh my god, you don't think that a fanfic author might have, at some point, experienced suicidal depression?
That would be so unexpected and uncommon, for a group of people who spend a shitload of their lives indulging in escapist literature!
9302871
Swan, Swan. You're using too many words. What you mean to say is "don't be a cunt." :D
9303539
This might come as a shock, but different people have different goals in writing, and different things they get out of it. Processing grief or trauma is a very common reason why people write. There are plenty of stories that are happy and written with an escapist utopia in mind—why not read one of those, instead of complaining in the comments about why the author writes? Don't be a dink.
9303539
Then please don't read this story. Everyone aims for different things when writing, and sometimes not everyone will agree with the result. If some people want to write stories that help them process their own situation in life all the more power to them. This is a free space to write any and all stories relating to MLP within guidelines not restricting this type of expression. They aren't at the whim of the audience unless they choose to be. Criticism of the story itself is valid but I think it's rather mean-spirited to judge on motivation alone without the story as context, good or bad.
I'm enjoying your writing. Ignore those who insult you. Remember, writing is a passion which you should only commit to for yourself.
In other words, write what you love for yourself. No one else matters.
I look forward to the next chapter.
Which ends in more sappy forgiveness as if they didn't harass her into attempted suicide.
9303539
🤔
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9303539
Speak for yourself, my dude.
And quite frankly, I don't understand what you and a few others are doing here if you don't enjoy the story. It's one thing to give constructive criticism, but it's another to come in here and have nothing to contribute other than blatant, harmful complaints.
Also, authors don't write to your whim and pleasure. If you're really on fimfic to forget about things in your own life, that's completely okay, but don't tell an author they're going to fail as one just because their story doesn't fit a mold of what it is you are wanting to get out of it. They aren't your shrinks. : P
9303660
Tell that to E.L. James...
9303466
Oh, because calling people who disagree with you "cunts" is oh, so mature. Swan, unlike you, at least takes some effort responding to criticism (on author's behalf; it has a name and it isn't a pretty one, but who cares these days).
9303883
Oh, sonny Jim, I don’t give a shit that you don’t like the story. You’re just being a dickhead about it.
I enjoy Anonamiss stories. I look forward to seeing where this one goes.
9303888
You think this is being a dickhead? Good luck surviving on the internet...
The interaction between Luna and Sunset is very well written.
I can't wait to see what happens next.
Keep it up👍
9303845
Who are you?
9303902
It doesn’t matter how much worse it is on the rest of the internet, because this isn’t the rest of the internet. This is here, with you, right now.
I’ve seen this before. A lot. You’re minimizing the impact of your own actions so that you can justify having committed them and avoid taking responsibility for them. “Yes, I committed a crime, but it’s no big deal!” Sorry, but perpetrators don’t get to evaluate the severity of their own actions. That ain’t up to you. You don’t get to tell us how bad you were. Your attempt to do so isn’t fooling anyone but yourself.
9303883
Yeah. It’s called “a person who stands up to bullies”, because I don’t like seeing people hurt. It’s called giving a shit about others. You’ll notice this is a common thread among decent folk. Kind people rise to each other’s defense, because that’s our only defense against people like you. I do it because I’d hope that others would do it for me.
If that makes me what I think you’re about to call me, then fine. I’m not afraid of you or whatever name you might use to try and discredit me or minimize what I’m doing. Call me that all you want. It’s not the first time I’ve been accused of it, and frankly I’d rather be that than what you are.
Be kind. Why is that so hard? What drives you to intentionally spread such frothing toxicity? Why attack someone for doing what they love, and others for loving what they’ve done? What does it accomplish? What do you get out of making others miserable?
There are millions of other fics on this site for you to read, and I’m sure an untold number of them are right up your alley. Why expend so much of your energy tearing down the things you dislike when you can just as easily expend it celebrating the things you love?
If you don’t like the story, that’s not the author’s problem, or the story’s. It’s yours. Instead of blaming everything you don’t like for the fact that you don’t like it, take responsibility for your own feelings and accept that not everything in this world is made to cater to you.
You can be better than this.
9304126
Frothing toxicity? I wish I had such a reception as the author here back when I started in 2013 (iirc, my fic was sitting at 6:6 for a while, and for a good reason). And no one defended me back then, thank god - in fact, the only reason I'm still here is a completely blown out-of-proportion reaction to my initial comment - it's was neither the first nor the worst comment I left, and I think this author has potential (which can't be said about other people littering the New Column, no matter if they write Anon-a-Miss or not). Cue people implying I'm bitter, writing essays in the author's defence, all of it culminating with some pathetic individual I see for the first time in my life calling me a dickhead. Excuse me while I enjoy the irony of this situation.
Oh Christ on a cracker this comment section.
Other then that this is a good story
9303902
Oh, I see, you're one of those people who thinks being rude isn't a problem as long as you're not as rude as everyone else. That's cute.
You can call me pathetic all you want. But I'm not one of the kids who showed up on some guy's new story and told him it sucked just because of its premise. I would also note that my "don't be a cunt" blanket statement was directed at pretty much everyone who showed up here and offered nothing useful as criticism. At leas you seem to have read the fucking thing.
9304219
Not liking the premise is a valid reason. If I didn't like the author (which I don't do; I'm pretty sure they're a decent person) that wouldn't be kosher.
Anyway, seems like it's a lose-lose situation for me: if I wrote a long comment detailing what I don't like about the story, it'd end up with "then why do you write so much about it?"and the classic "don't like, don't read" (I think one of the people policing this comment section actually said it verbatim). If I write a short and to-the-point comment, people are screeching that I'm too blunt. Thus, so long and thanks for all the fish. You don't have to waste your time replying, this is already going nowhere.
9304191
Yeah, it's irritating when people argue in the comments where everyone can see it, and it hides actual good criticism of the story.
9304368
It’s easily one of the worst comment sections I’ve seen on this site
9304503
Yeah it is a real SJW scream fest.
9304503
Yeah, I've only seen a few of these though. This'd be the second worst one that I've seen, anyways.
9304503
Nah SJW’s are worse
I really wish to see more, and I'm really interested in which direction you're going with this story.
Please write more! Don't pay too much attention to people who dislike your story for no reason
9304614
No reason? You ain’t been reading the section much have you?
9302976
You never build a house out of diarrhea and you do not fill your gas tank with it either. Suicide and self harm are no laughing matter but it seems like a game on most of the site. Hearing it from some kid in the office is devastating but reading it here is often contemptible.
This is an awesomely sad story so far can’t wait to see where goes
9303861
She looks like an NPC hack and from what I just read the type of "story" she writes is something that's obviously going to garner attention and is in no way original.
Lot of that crap around here and fanfiction so as far as I'm concerned she paid someone to get her "book" to get sold.
And I mean paid as in there's no way any SANE publisher would make that deal.
9304527
We call em NPC's now, well mainly.