Winter had come, and with it, the holiday season. Sunset Shimmer hadn't paid much attention to it in the past, seeing it as little more than an interruption to her ruling the school. But now? Well, now she had a whole new perspective, and friends to show her what she had been missing out on.
Just like what they were doing right now.
Rarity had insisted Sunset experience the holiday shopping experience, followed of course by Pinkie dragging the whole group to a bakery for snacks and cocoa. Now, the six friends were on their way to an outdoor ice rink, Applejack and Rainbow Dash having once again challenged each other to yet another friendly competition.
Yes this was much better than the past years, and Sunset walked quietly behind the group with Fluttershy, just enjoying the new friendship and honestly wondering what she had done to deserve such a turnaround in her life. Times like these always made her feel guilty, but her friends always did their best to chase off those feelings when Sunset forgot to hide them.
Sunset turned to ask Fluttershy about being unusually (for her at least) quiet, and noticed the shy girl had stopped a few yards back, having turned to look over at a stone building a ways back from the road.
"Girls?" Sunset waved the other girls back to where she was standing, them all returning to see what was going on.
"What is it Flutters?" Sunset asked, a moment before her eyes widened in realization at what had stopped their friend.
"Sunset, that sounds like...you singing." Rarity responded, turning towards the building, the other girls following suit.
"I-it does, but..." Sunset was too stunned to finish the thought that they all were thinking. Whoever was singing sounded a bit more experienced then a high-schooler.
Fluttershy looked over at Sunset, nervousness plastered all over her face, "T-Twilight mentioned similarities-you don't think that that's..."
Sunset gulped, then nodded. Whoever was in there singing, odds were it was the Sunset Shimmer from this world. Sunset was terrified. The song was beautiful, but what kind of person was her counterpart? She had been so awful, it had taken turning into a demon and being hit with the Elements of Harmony to set her on the course to redemption. Even without somepony like Princess Celestia taking her in as a personal student, Sunset couldn't help but fear the individual singing that haunting tune, though the line about saving those gone astray did help ease her fears slightly.
As the song died down, Pinkie spoke up first.
"Let's go in and see!"
Sunset’s heart stopped, "no, I don't think so, maybe we should just-"
"Thank you, thank you, now, let's finish with one of my favorites, shall we?" The girls stopped, stunned as they could hear people clap and cheer in the building. That was Sunset alright, and she absolutely sounded older than the one standing next to them.
"Holidays are coming..."
Mustering her courage, Sunset followed the other girls as they headed into the building.
To her surprise, the crowd seemed to make a point of helping them move to the front. Sunset, and the rest of the girls, were used to crowds like this leaving people to find their own space, who wanted to give up a good view of the show? So being practically pushed to the front row seats was a new experience for all.
It was once they were at the front though, that it all made sense.
Seated in the center of the stage was Sunset Shimmer. But it wasn't her. She had to be in her early to mid-twenties, with longer hair pulled into a ponytail, wearing a red and green t-shirt, jeans and worn snow boots, with an old bomber jacket tied around her waist.
"She could be your older sister..."
Fluttershy was right, the girl in front of them could easily have been Sunset's sister, except she didn't have one. She had to be this worlds Sunset Shimmer. That had to be why they let them through, they thought Sunset was, er, Sunset's little sister.
But that's not what left Sunset frozen in shock.
It was the fact that the human Sunset was sitting there, eyes closed as if lost in her own song, playing an old acoustic guitar, singing about love and peace for everyone, and looking like the happiest person on the planet.
Sunset stared at her unbelieving. How was it possible? She had gone so rotten, and yet, here, in the human world, her counterpart, having never gone through the same disaster she had, sat spreading harmony and good cheer as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Wonderful dream of love and peace for everyone, of living our lives in perfect harmony~" The human Sunset's voice resounded through the building, the crowd clapping in time with the song, slowly drawing in the six girls assembled at the front.
Finally, Sunset found herself clapping along to, unable to resist the infectious nature of the song. She even began to feel herself smile in spite of her guilt. This Sunset, for whatever reason, had embraced what she had turned down, she had gotten it right.
Fear of the shadow of her past melting away, Sunset found herself swaying with the crowd, grinning ear to ear. Maybe she'd even get to talk with her human self. Learn from her, and follow in her own (?) footsteps.
As the song built to its final verse, Sunset finally found herself able to push past the last of her misgivings.
Then the human Sunset stood up, facing the crowd as she cheered them along for the final verse.
And the pony Sunset's heart stopped as the world froze around her for what felt like an eternity.
Teal eyes met clouded grey.