A Lost Sunset

by KingJoltik


The Final Note of Nothingness

Alone.

That was what Sunset was right now. She was sitting in a small booth in Sugarcube Corner, her body slumped over as she fiddled with her half filled drink. The straw spun around and around as she sat there, air blowing out of her nostrils.

“Tch...looks like its gonna be a long boring day today.” Sunset said to herself as she laid back, staring at the ceiling. “Oh well. Guess that's what happens when all your friends are busy.”

It had been a week since the incident with the Sirens. Despite the craziness of the event and though she should have probably been traumatized by it...she wasn't. If she was honest, she just felt tired after the kidnapping. She didn't know why she felt this way. Maybe it was because she was a pony and she may have experienced some crazy things in the past and was used to it. Or maybe she liked the thrills from the crazy kidnapping. Or maybe...she felt like she just really didn't care.

“Ugh...” Sunset grunted as she slumped over and put her head on the table. Just what am I doing here? she thought, After all that...nothing. I return to school and nothing happens. Even Twilight couldn't help me. The only thing she could tell me was that Princess Celestia had some old notes from some Starswirl guy about those girls...

Sunset's face completely pressed into the table as another groan expelled out of her mouth. And all my friends are busy. Every single one. she thought as she remembered earlier today.

“Sorry darling. I have to meet Sassy Saddles today. She helped Coco and has some new ideas for me.” Rarity said earlier with a twirl of her hair.

“Later Sunset! Me, Pinkie and Scootaloo are going to see the big game at the Canterlot Stadium!” Rainbow said as she scratched the back of her head with a sheepish smile. “Sorry, but I could only get three tickets.”

“Sorry sugarcube. Fluttershy and me are taking our pets to the vet today. Winona hasn't been feeling well lately.” Applejack said earlier with a sad smile. "I gotta help her there before Apple Bloom throws a tantrum."

“Sorry Sunset.” Fluttershy continued with a bow. "We'll hang out tomorrow, okay?

“They all had stuff to do.” Sunset moaned as she continued to slump over on the table. “Why are they all busy?!?!”

Even her friends at the Music Club were busy. Vinyl and Octavia were on a double date with Lyra and Bon-Bon. Trixie was too ticked off to hang out with. Apparently she was, 'too focused on killing Screwball since she messed up her morning.' Sunset still remembered when she asked what happened to Trixie earlier today.


This Morning...

Trixie was done. After forty minutes of constant hair brushing and ironing of her clothes, she was finally ready to seize the day. As she put on her usual purple colored hat, complete with sparkling stars all over it, she grabbed her backpack and equipped a small smile. “Trixie is ready for the day!” she announced to herself as she opened her front door. “Look out world, Trixie is going to-”

However, her announcement was interrupted by the most unusual sight. Well, it would have been unusual if it hadn't been Screwball sitting in the middle of Trixie's yard. Beside the prankster was a shovel and what looked like a small, dark hole.

“What the...” Trixie mumbled before walking up to the trickster, her face already beaming with rage. “What is this prankster?! What is that?!”

“It's a shovel.” Screwball said as she pointed at the tool.

“Not that. That.” Trixie replied, pointing at the hole.

“Oh that. That's a mine shaft.”

“And what is it doing in Trixie's front yard?!”

“I used it to dig the mine shaft.”

“Not the shovel you moron! What is the mine shaft doing in Trixie's yard?!”

“Well I can't dig up a mine shaft in my front yard. That would be tacky.” Screwball replied with a cheeky grin.

“Tacky?! That's your excuse?!”

“It's not an excuse. I'm doing this to strike it rich.”

“Strike it rich? With a mine shaft in Trixie's yard?! Are you insane?!”

“Not really.” Screwball said as she shook her head. “After all, I could strike iron ore.”

The statement didn't exactly reach Trixie's ears as she replied. “Iron or what?”

“Iron ore.”

“Yes, iron or what?!”

“Iron or gold?”

Trixie let out a huff as she grabbed Screwball's neck, her fingers tightening. “Listen here prankster. You either fill up this hole in Trixie's yard or Trixie swears she's gonna kill you. And Trixie means it.” Trixie's face leaned into Screwball's, their noses almost touching. If looks could kill, Screwball would have died several times alone from Trixie's angry glares. “If you don't fill it up now, you're gonna die. And then you'll be dead and you're going to stay dead because Trixie killed you!!!”

“Okay. Will you let me go so I can start filling up the hole?”

“Yes.” Trixie's grip released, only to then see nothing but a puff of smoke. She blinked at the sight, realizing Screwball had already beat a hasty retreat. Her lungs suddenly filled themselves up with air as she began to scream. “SCREWBALL!!!!!!”


Can't blame Trixie for that one. Just goes to show how far Screwball will go to annoy someone. Sunset thought as she stayed slumped over. Oh well, guess I'm stuck waiting now...for nothing. That or the day to end.

But the waiting didn't stop. In fact, it kept lingering there. Sunset kept herself in a slumped over position, her head rubbing the table as a loud groan went out of her mouth. “I can't stand it...I just can't stand it...”

Nothing has changed. Sunset thought as she kept sighing. I've been stuck here for what, four months now?! And even now...even after getting kidnapped by a bunch of hypnotizing girls from another world...nothing has changed! I'm still stuck here, unchanged. I still don't know who or what I am or what I'm supposed to do with my life. WHY?! She slammed her fists into the table, a small thud sounding out as she tried to bend over even more into the table.

She just couldn't stand it. She knew that her life situation was ridiculous. She knew that everything that had happened to her had never truly been horrible. Granted, being kidnapped was one thing, but if she was honest? She didn't care. All Sunset wanted was one single thing.

Purpose. she thought. Why am I here? What am I supposed to be doing? She lifted her head slightly as she stared deeply into the table. Am I supposed to live here in this world, not caring or anything? Just go through school and figure out the rest later? Even after four months and still no memories, am I supposed to just sit here and not know anything?!

“Hey, are you okay?” said a voice, snapping Sunset back into reality. She looked up, only to see a golden haired girl with a very peculiar set of eyes. Sunset had to blink several times as she looked at the sight in front of her. It was only after a few seconds that it dawned on her that she was staring at the girl.

“Uh...sorry.” Sunset said as she looked down again, trying to hide her rudeness.

“You didn't answer my question. Are you okay?” the girl said as she leaned over. Sunset felt like she about shrink into the seat as that question entered her ears. “You looked awfully sad there, do you need some help?”

“No. I'm uh...I'm okay.” Sunset said as she looked away from the girl. “Sorry but...could you leave me alone?” She already felt bad for saying that, especially since the reason she was sitting there was because all of her friends were doing something else. I must look like a total jerk.

However, Sunset's ears soon picked up the one thing she wasn't expecting. Despite what she asked, the girl sat down on the other side of the booth anyways. Sunset looked up as the girl just sat there, a big goofy grin on her face. Sunset could only blink at the sight as the girl began eating a muffin.

"Uh..." Sunset muttered, still confused.

"Sorry." the girl said with a gulp as she wolfed down the muffin. "I'm a bit addicted to muffins. Gotta have one whenever I can."

Sunset wanted to reply, but no words came out of her mouth. All she could do was stare at this stranger and her odd eyes. Who is she? She looks familiar. Have I seen her at the school somewhere? Sunset thought as she stared at her some more. She looks...off. Why do her eyes look like that?

After a few seconds, she fully lifted her head up and stood up straight. As she did, the girl shined a bright smile. Then she presented her hand. "So, name's Derpy. What's yours?"

"Er...Sunset Shimmer." she said as she shook Derpy's hand.

"Hiya Sunset Shimmer!" Derpy said as she shook back. "Nice to meet you!" Sunset still couldn't reply, even after the handshake. Though if she was honest, she didn't really have anything to say. Derpy on the hand, kept smiling as she said, "So...why did you look so sad earlier?"

"Huh?"

"I said, why did you look so sad?" Derpy asked with concern slowly appearing on her face. "You looked like you were really down in the dumps."

"Well...yeah." Sunset replied as she scratched the back of her head. "I'm uh, not in the best mood right now."

"That's okay!" Derpy cheered as she pulled out another muffin.

"It is?" Sunset said, confusion covering her face.

"Sure it is! After all, you can't always be in a good mood all the time." Derpy replied as she threw the muffin into the air, only for it too disappear as it landed in her mouth. Sunset could only watch as crumbs flew out of Derpy's lips. It was if the muffin had been thrown into a lawnmower of teeth. After a quickly muffin filled finish, Derpy continued, "So, why are you in a bad mood?"

"Um..." Sunset looked back down, not wanting to answer. "Let's just say life hasn't been good to me lately and leave it at that."

"Okay!" Derpy exclaimed as she kept her usual grin, except with crumbs. Sunset looked back up at her, not understanding how she could be so happy after hearing that. That is, till Derpy consumed the last muffin. Then, she spoke, "So...you're sad cuz bad things are happening to you, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Then don't worry about it."

"Huh?"

"I said don't worry about it."

Sunset blinked again as she tried to understand the girl's logic. "I shouldn't worry about bad things happening to me?"

"Uh-huh." Derpy nodded. "So bad things are happening to you, that's life. You can't change that...unless you go back in time and make sure those things never happened." Derpy then put her finger to her chin, trying to show a thinking pose. "But the doctor said you shouldn't do that..."

"What are you talking about?" Sunset asked as she cocked her eyebrow.

"Oh nothing." Derpy replied with a slight blush. "Let's just say, bad things happen and that's okay. They're just bad things, right? It's not like they're the only part of your life. So don't worry about it."

"Well..." Sunset wanted to argue back, but her mouth stopped. She wanted to say she was wrong. She wanted to say that her life was a total mess right now and things weren't going to get any better anytime soon thanks to the amnesia. She wanted to scream out that her life was nothing but some cruel joke where she was stuck in some world she didn't understand.

But she couldn't.

All she could do was sit there. She could only sit there as she realized what Derpy meant. I think I get it. What she's telling me is...I can't stop it and that's fine. I just have to let the bad things happen and keep going, don't I? It felt like time had stopped for Sunset as she kept thinking. I'm here...that's all there is, isn't it? If that's the case...

As that last thought went through her head, Sunset raised up from the table with a determined expression. She presented her hand to Derpy with a small smile. "I get it now. Thank you."

"No problem." Derpy said as she happily shook back. "What are you going to do now?"

"Heh heh....I think I'm going to go figure that out right now."

"Want a muffin for the road?" Derpy said as she presented the tasty treat.

"I'd love to have one. Thank you." Sunset grabbed the muffin and took a big bite out of the fluffy treat. "Mmm...that's good. Thanks." Sunset gave a small wave before leaving Sugarcube Corner. As she left, she looked back at the table, seeing Derpy still sit there as she ate another muffin. Sunset could only chuckle at the sight as she exited the shop, a new skip in her step.

I get it now. I know why I'm here. Sunset thought as she finished the muffin. I'm going to live my life and find out what I really want to do with myself in this crazy world. And when the time comes that the portal opens back up to Equestria...I think I'll go back and see what I really was.