For some reason, Twilight and Rainbow Dash's friends think they're dating even if they show absolutely no signs of doing so! They were just really close friends...

Everything seemed to be going better for Sunset Shimmer since getting blasted by the rainbow of light. She was learning about friendship and how to be a friend. Then Anon-A-Miss struck.

Thinking she had gone back to her old ways, Sunset's new friends walked away from her, leaving her alone.

Now Sunset cannot find neither the strength nor the will to get out of bed.

This is a first foray into attempting to tell a story from a first person perspective from Sunset's point of view.

This story is inspired in part by my own past struggles with depression.

The suicide/self harm tag is for thoughts of self harm, and Sunset's inability to eat or do anything other than lie in bed as she sinks deeper and deeper into depression.

Featured 01-13-2023!

After transferring to Canterlot High, Twilight Sparkle realizes she has a crush on Sunset Shimmer. Being the analytical type, she develops a plan to capture Sunset's heart...using the scientific method.

Sex tag for mild sexual references.
Edited by fourths.

Profanity Warning: Sunset Shimmer isn't afraid to use pony profanity and expect that to spread to others later. While it is essentially kid-friendly profanity, profanity is still profanity.

Two weeks after her fraternal brother had gone missing, Sunset Shimmer encountered Twilight Sparkle, and ended up becoming the purple unicorn's surrogate big sister. This not only caused things to change for the both of them, but also it healed the hole in Sunset's heart in ways even the orange unicorn was unaware that she needed.

Welcome to the rebooted version of the "When Friendship Shimmers" universe. Things will be starting of differently here, with some fun HCs, a few surprises, and an altered opening. The surprises will be starting right out the gate though, if the fact that the story starting with "Season 0" wasn't already an indication that things are not the same from the original version of this universe. And here's hoping this time, people will enjoy the story I wish to tell. Oh, and let's just say...I've taken some creative liberities out of the gate.

Currently revealed HCs:
Sunburst is considered Sunset's baby half-brother, both sharing the same mother but two different fathers
Sunset has her own dragon companion known as Ray (named after the lizard pet she has in the Equestria Girls world from the original cannon, though only the name and color match)
A land north of what will become the Crystal Empire is part of the grand Eeveelution Kingdom known as Icicle Vally; making the kingdom neighbors to Equestria itself. Lightning Town & Team Strikers being from outside Equestria, but Raiden's fame of being a hometown hero is enough to basically allow them to be in equestria without any problems.

Currently revealed relationships:
Sunburst & Sunset being half-siblings
Sunset being Twilight's surrogate older sister
King Throsten; formally Prince Throsten; being an Equestrian Ally alongside the entire Eeveelution Kingdom.
Dragon Ray and Spike treating each other like brothers because of their unicorn companions being surrogate sisters
Scootaloo being Rainbow Dash's Biological LIttle Sister

Notice: While Throsten and his eight Eeveelution wives are part of this reboot, they will only appear in non-plot relevant episodes as side characters. This story is not about them, this story is about an alternate MLP:FiM world where Sunset Shimmer becomes Twilight Sparkle's surrogate sister

Update 8/12/2023 - This story now has a cover art, but this one isn't the long-term one. I did find the cover art that is up right now and thought it'd be nice to have up as this story before certain events happen. Plus, I think by having cover art for before Sunset becomes an alicorn in this universe, it adds to the progression of the story.

Update 8/14/2023 - Fanfiction author "Sunset JJ" is trying to repost this story on Fanfiction without my permission. The next chapter will have to now include the "Rob Snowden Production" notice to deter them away from copying more of this story. Please only read the version on this website as this is the only true official verison. The one on Fanfiction is being created by a story stealer.

Update 8/25/2023 - This Story has entered the featured story section as of today. Honestly, looks like this has become the popular story of this account.

Update 8/28/2023 - Someone made a comment about the way I'm portraying DID in this story. If you want the behind the scenes info, and have issues with what I'm doing with DID, read this blog post: https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/1021373/marana-milissa-and-did-behind-the-scenes

Update 10/19/2023 - A death tag has been added for saftey reasons. Not all chapters will contain instances of death though. Only chapters with the specific warning attached will actually have deaths in them. Better to be safe then sorry though.

Update 12/19/2023 - There currently seems to be an ongoing issue where trying to change the cover of the story breaks the site. Until this gets fixed, you guys are just going to have to deal with the temporary cover. I apologize for this inconvenience, but right now, this is beyond my control.

Update 12/22/2023 - While trying to figure out how to upload the cover I wanted to put on this story, I came across this one, and this is much closer to what I originally envision AS the cover in the first place. So I consider this a win.

Update 5/21/2023 - Story has been cancelled. Read the author's note in the latest public chapter to find a link to a blog post explaining why. Also, story is not up for adoption. As in no one is allowed to finish this story for me. And I better not get PMs asking about adopting it. The answer will always be no.

Hello there! It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m guessing you’re here because you want me to tell you about… well, about how all this happened.

You know. This whole, ‘turned into a fictional pony and smashed full-speed ahead into the plot of said piece of fiction’ thing.

I know, I know. Kind of cliche, really. But let me just tell you, it doesn’t feel cliche when it’s your life.

So as I was saying, it’s nice to meet you! My name is Sunset Shimmer, and this is the story of how I got transported to Equestria through this huge portal, turned into a pony that isn’t even the most like me and loved it, and helped save Equestria and the world along the way.

Yay, me?

An attempt at a semi-realistic TF/Self-Insert, with a few twists.

Twilight Sparkle is the best student at Crystal Prep Academy, and while she’s pretty happy with her situation, her unofficial big sister, Cadance, keeps telling her to try and make friends. It never seems to go well for her, until Cadance convinces her to tutor the new student at Crystal Prep, Sunset Shimmer.

Pre-read by gerandakis

Featured on 9th Aug 2018!

Sex tag for:
Volume 1: references to masturbation, and talking about masturbation.
Volume 2: references to sex, and talking about sex.

Cover vectors:
Sci-Twi by aqua-pony
Sunset Shimmer by punzil504

This story is a sequel to Friendship Is Monsters

It’s been over month since Twilight first saved Sunset's life and began to make friends. She finds herself happy for the first time in a long time and breaking out of her shell. However, as she ventures out and expands her horizons, things are gonna get messy. Secrets will spill, faces from the past will return, and new threats lie around the corner.

Maybe friendship really isn't so scary, even if your new friends are monsters.

Maybe its all you have