Welding had always calmed me down. The relatively monotonous task made exciting only by what exactly was going on. Melting metal with what amounted to a break in a circuit having enough amperage and voltage to stop someone's heart, it was awesome. After what felt like forever without the pleasant smell of the flux of the rods burning I found that I missed it more than I ever thought I would.
Time passed quickly in the welding lab the, nameless at least to me, teacher throwing out challenges with me accomplishing them, sometimes with a bit of time needed to remember how to. It didn't take long to remember why no one who welded for long periods of time liked welding overhead though, especially after molten metal, slag, or something found it's way down my sleeve. The teacher's pleasant little challenge of my skills ended as other students came filing into the class, with him suggesting I head back to the booth I had been using.
The welding class was not dissimilar to what I remember having to go through when I was in high school, though admittedly I can't remember much at this point. A few flashes of memories of an annoying freshman, afraid to use the oxygen acetylene torch due to lighting it on fire, three times.
Shaking my head at the memory I laughed quietly to myself, trying to suppress the growing pain in my chest. If welding here had taught me anything it was that if I focused on something, the pain tended to fade back, nearly gone if not for the dull throb that returned when I lost said focus.
Despite heading over during lunch the class seemed to end very quickly, with the welding teacher walking into the middle of the room and loudly proclaiming that we needed to start cleaning up. Cleanup was one of the most boring parts, as always. Sweep up slag, put away equipment, clean the mess that no one ever seemed to want to take credit for and clean themselves, etcetera, etcetera. Before leaving however the previously unnamed teacher stopped me, introducing himself as Electric Arc, suggesting that it I had any plans on staying at CHS for a long period of time that I might look into becoming his teacher's assistant. I returned the strange man's smile and offered my own name before admitting I would probably love to take the job, if I could.
Welding always tended to calm me down, and focus me, meaning I had thrown away the anger I had felt earlier at that mare I was supposed to be escorting back to Equestria. Most of the anger at least, this universe's Sundance was still simply a victim of circumstance after all.
I shook my head. 'Can't start thinking like that. If I do, I'll end up getting pissed off again and that's not what I need right now.' Thankfully due to welding being fairly monotonous, it gives you a bit of time to think. And after an hour, or whatever time the classes around here lasted, I had decided to hell with the pretenses.
I waited, leaning up against the school building facing the student parking lot. Students filed past me to get to their rides, most using very stereotypical looking cars or of course the occasional motorcycle. Before long a yellow and red haired female walked around the corner prompting me into action.
"Hey, Sunset." My voice sounded out making the young woman in question turn back to look at me before rolling her eyes.
Sunset Shimmer turned to face me, her arms folded with her backpack hanging from one hand. "Oh, are we looking for revenge for that little embarrassment in the lunchroom? I'll have you know, just because you had to save me from that lumbering skinhead doesn't mean I'll go easy on you."
I shrugged, understanding somewhat where the thought was coming from. 'It's high school, the other students are hormone fueled monkeys most of the time.' I thought before shaking my head. "Not quite what I was hoping to speak to you about."
"Then spit it out before I lose what's left of my waning patience."
I winced internally at the edge to her voice before steeling myself. 'Going to make this as hard as possible? Fine.' "Well you see, I'm here on behalf of a mutual... acquaintance of ours." I started, trying to find the correct wording. "See, she was hoping you'd be willing to come back home as, this little self exile thing you have going on here isn't good for you."
Confused anger slowly crept into the young woman's face. "What the buck are you talking a..." She stopped as realization hit her like a ton of bricks.
"See I think you understand. Now, before you immediately shove this opportunity back in my face, I suggest you think about it." I started, walking closer to the young woman lowering my voice to keep the conversation between the two of us. Training my eyes on her shocked orbs, hoping to see some sort of hint at what might happen. "There's nothing for you here. I mean how much time is left before you graduate? I doubt you'll be much of a queen if your kingdom kicks you out."
I lifted one of my hands, palm up like I was holding something. "In one hand you have a life where you'll have to make everything up as you go. You're a smart mare, so no doubt you'll figure it out, but it won't be easy, and with how you act, you'll be alone. Surrounded by individuals as stupid as Snips and Snails for the rest of your life."
Lifting the other hand similarly to the first I glanced down at it. "In the other, well. You have a start. An old mentor who cares about you, despite your seeming hatred for her. You have some status, I mean if nothing else you were very close to the princess, that could be useful. Above all else though, Sunset Shimmer." I leaned forward, our noses inches apart. "You have magic."
Leaning away I kept my eyes on her's. Gears were turning in her head, no doubt trying to process the information I had just dropped on her. Turning I started walking away, continuing on to the next stop on my mental to-do list. 'Now that Sunset knows her options, I suppose I should go pi-' I started only for a voice to stop me.
"Wait. Hold on." Turning around, I offered the red and yellow haired woman a curious look as she walked up to me. A part of me almost expected anger and thought of ways to get away from the potentially violent woman, her look was conflicted if still trying to hold onto her outward appearance of bravado, I stayed ready for possibly having to run for it.
"Why should I trust you? When I left the..." She stopped muttering under her breath for a moment. "Princess's tutelage, I wasn't on the best of terms with her. As far as I know you could simply be part of her plan to have me thrown into some dungeon to keep an eye on me."
One of my eyebrows rose at her accusation before I chuckled and shook my head. "Sunset, you saw what she wrote to you. You've also known her much longer than I have, I don't think she'd do something like that, but that's your call not mine. I was asked to bring you back." I said, purposefully leaving out the part of my suggestion, and insistence, on the matter. "From what I can tell, she misses you bitterly and thinks of you leaving as one of her greatest failures as a princess to protect not only her subjects, but her students and friends."
I looked the young woman over, my words having some impact, though I couldn't tell to what effect. Shrugging I shook my head. "I'm not going to drag you back kicking and screaming, it's not my choice to make. Whatever you decide, I'll be leaving before too terribly long. I'll let you know before I go, just in case you decide to follow." Nodding I turned away. "Now if you'll excuse me."
It took quite a while to retrace my steps back to the diner I had talked to the admittedly kind sodajerk in, though when I did find it the effects of the trio's magic was absent causing a spark of worry to edge my mind.
I walked through the diner's doors, meeting the eyes of soda jerk he waved me over to the counter which I took one of the bolted stools in front of.
"Glad ta see ya again. Can't say I've seen those three as of yet, but their stop by here tends to be after the sun goes down." He looked over at the clock over his shoulder. "If they do end up showing up, it'll be in around an hour or two give or take."
Nodding I blew out a sigh from between pursed lips. 'I suppose that's almost to be expected. It's almost too bad I don't have any money.' I thought. Silence took up residents between the two of us, the soda jerk working, leaving to take orders and making them before returning to resume cleaning glasses. I sat in my stool trying to come up with what I should say to the three sirens. Off the top of my head I guessed that being brutally honest would be best, however I couldn't guess how they would react, similarly to Sunset Shimmer.
Honestly I thanked my lucky stars that the violent yellow and red haired woman didn't try to pull anything, though I had to admit it did occur to me she might. 'Heh, well I was ready to take a running start, though she'd probably just run me down with her motorcycle.' I thought, chuckling quietly to myself. Turning to look at the door and other patrons of the diner I felt out of place not eating something and just waiting. Many of the other patrons were ignoring me, chatting between themselves and eating or something similar.
"I don't suppose you've got any change or anything?" I heard the sodajerk ask quietly behind me making me turn around to see him polishing glass rather flamboyantly. "The owner's looking over at you and doesn't seem to be pleased that you haven't bought anything yet."
Following the soda jerk's eyes I glanced over at a large man glaring at me through the kitchen window. Swallowing hard, I dug through my pocket and found only the bits, knife, a pair of earplugs I had grabbed from the welding shop, and my ring of fog. Grabbing the small handful of bits. I looked at the gold coins for a second, doubt clinging to my face as I counted the money, with the image of the pony princess' face imprinted on it. 'Only ten huh?' I thought, 'Well it doesn't matter, they're not worth anything here anyways, less I could melt em down and sell em to a gold for cash place or something. Well if this place has one of those.' Shaking my head I put the coins back in my pocket before glancing back at the door.
"Sorry man, I'm broke as broke can be right now." I whispered. "Less you think I could mop the bathrooms to get some food or something it might be better if I waited outside."
The soda jerk nodded, glancing back at the owner. "Well that depends if you're really that hungry or not. Admittedly, he's a pretty good cook, though he'll work you for that food." A sly grin had formed on the soda jerk's face, only partially hidden by the glass he was polishing.
After a few moments I looked back outside to see the signs of the sun quickly setting before letting out a sigh. "It's fine." I finally said getting up from my seat. "Who knows maybe I can keep em from getting in here and causing the mayhem they normally do."
I offered the man a soda jerk a smile which he returned before sliding off the stool and walking away from the counter towards the door. With it's jingle I walked past the large windows that revealed more than one confused patron who watched me walk away.
As soon as I was out of light of the diner, I ducked into an alley, tucking my hands into the pockets of my jacket. The night's chill was just starting to take hold as the streets were darkening.
"Seems like I'm doing a lot of waiting today." I muttered under my breath as I looked to see if I could spot the trio of sirens.
Sunset Shimmer sat in her apartment, the sun slowly falling below the horizon casting the room into darkness as she sat staring at the black television. In the dim light, she could still make herself out from the couch she sat on. Her mind was waging a war on itself, the two sides at a stalemate waiting for that final decision, for that choice that would destroy the opposing force completely.
The choice had yet to come however.
Could she trust this new guy? How hard could it be for some random pony to make his way through the portal? She shook her head, biting at her lip in frustration. No that wouldn't make any sense. The last time she had looked through the crystal mirror, it had been moved. She could only assume somewhere that had just as good, if not better, security as Canterlot Castle. The princess wouldn't want some random pony walking through the portal. She couldn't help but wonder if this new guy was telling the truth however.
Glancing over at the unmoved journal that laid on her kitchen counter, questions slowly started popping up. Would going back be worth it? Would I want to face Celestia, and not to mention the other Princesses? How have things changed since I've been gone? Could I go back?
Before long, Sunset found herself standing in front of the closed journal. A strange sense of longing biting at her. Her hand slowly lifted to feel at where her horn had been before being changed into one of these humans.
Could she put her hatred aside to go back to being under Celestias' rule?
Anger welled up in her chest as she realized which side of the war was winning. Something defiant in her fought back. Some part of her didn't want to go back, magic or no magic, having to deal with morons like Snips and Snails for the rest of her life, hating everyone around her, being respected and feared in return.
Something pushed that anger down, started smothering the flames. Part of her missed that lush greenery, beautiful landscapes, kind ponies even if she didn't interact with them all that much beyond pushing them away. That same part wanted nothing do do with this place, with it's violence cruelty and seeming endless supply of new reasons for her to hate it. She knew the school almost in it's entirety hated her, from the teachers who couldn't prove one way or another that she was at fault to the students whom half of were blackmailed into silence with punishment of either embarrassment or other bullying. Snips, Snails, and perhaps one or two of her other informants and lackeys were probably the only people here that didn't hate her. Even her ex boyfriend, whom she never really felt any affection for...
The book was flipped open, the first page, the first message from the mare that she was so sure. So convinced was trying to hold her back.
Dear Sunset Shimmer,
It is with a joyous heart that I give you this book. This journal has an enchantment of my own making put on it that links it to a similar book in my possession. This link allows for messages to be sent back and forth between the two books simply by writing in them as you would a letter.
I don't know if I can properly express my happiness at your acceptance to be my personal pupil, and I hope that we can have many, many good times together as we both learn more about one another and magic.
Your newest friend,
Princess Celestia
The embers of anger that had been burning so hot seemed so cold in her chest as she read through the many messages that she had sent to and received from her old mentor. Any and everything from messages of encouragement when the princess was away doing her duties as the ruler of Equestria, to suggestions on how to cast a spell properly when she was having significant difficulties.
As she read she could see slowly over time how the warmness of the messages she sent to the solar monarch died. How before long it was messages from the Princess to her, trying to encourage her to speak to her, and when that failed to try to speak with other ponies.
Despite the memories that slowly flashed into existence at their jolting from the journal, Sunset Shimmer felt like she was reading about someone else's life. The small sense of excitement at the thought of being caught reading something she wasn't supposed to, except there was that voice in the back of her mind, That innocent filly speaking to the princess like she's her best friend? That was you.
A multitude of foul feeling emotions seemed to hit her at once, even through the hate filled voice in the back of her mind, Do you really feel bad over Her? She was holding you back! Trying to keep you from your place on the throne. The voice continued berating her, even as it felt like her heart was going to tear itself apart.
The war being fought didn't seem to have any winner, simply a loser who couldn't decide what she needed to do and was tearing herself apart over it.
She stopped on the last page of the journal with writing on it. The hatred towards who had once been her first friend, her only friend, seemed to hit her in the gut.
Sunset Shimmer, Queen of Canterlot High School, felt tears welling up in her eyes. One of the most powerful, if not the most powerful unicorn in Equestiran history, wept bitterly. Tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping down onto the page of the book below her, marking the page with dark spots that caused the black ink to smudge and distort.
Are you really crying over Her?
Quiet, if familiar, bickering caught my attention from my place on the floor of the alley. After what felt like ages of counting cars that passed by and seeing how many bricks made up the building in front of me the cold of the night had caused me to curl up in my hoodie, which offered adequate protection after I had zipped it up and thrown the hood over my cold ears.
Digging through my pocket as I got up I felt the pair of earplugs and took them out. They were in a stupid little plastic case that folded closed keeping them from getting crap all over them. Taking them out I hung the little plastic cord that dangled between the two plugs, forcing one into my ear I dangled the other over my other earlobe, silently hoping I wouldn't have to use them.
Poking my head out of the alley I saw three, obviously female, figures walking down the sidewalk towards the diner and subsequently me. With my hand in my pocket, clenched around the hilt of my knife I walked out of the alley.
"Excuse me ladies." I started as I stopped a few feet ahead of the trio causing them to stop. "I don't suppose you three would be Andago, Aria, and Sonata."
Surprise seemed to echo from them before the two wearing the dark red and dark green hoodies snickered. The one wearing the dark purple hoodie however seemed to grow angry as she quickly shushed the other two smacking them upside the head. "It's Adagio."
I blinked, "Really? I apologize, I admit my memory isn't what it used to be." I said scratching the back of my head.
An annoyed sigh sounded from her, "What do you want with us?" came angry question from the purple skinned young woman who folded her arms over her chest after shooting her leader a glare.
I nodded, "I'm glad you asked Aria. I am here to take you back home."
"But we haven't even eaten yet! We can't go back now!" Came the confused whiny voice of the blue skinned young woman.
A chuckle sounded from my voice before I shook my head. "No, not where you three have been staying here, I mean back to your real home. Equestria."
Three pair of wide eyes stared at me from under their hoods before the red ones narrowed, suspicious of the sudden suggestion. "Explain" Adagio ordered.
"Yes, yes of course. Please." I motioned to the alley I had been waiting in. "Step into my office."
The trio looked between one another some unspoken words voiced their distrust and confusion, however not long after I disappeared down the alleyway I turned around to see the three following. "This isn't a very nice office." I heard the confused voice of Sonata again, making me turn and give her a questioning look.
"Is she always-" I started before the other two simply nodded with Aria letting out another annoyed sigh. Shaking my head I pressed on after throwing my hood down. "Anyways, before we get into learning about how to get you three home, I do have a question. Are you three only able to feed off of negative emotions?"
The trio of sirens looked between one another before pulling their hoods down, and releasing what I still believed were some of the strangest hair styles I had ever seen, by color at least. Adagio shrugged a confused annoyance written on her face along with Aria's who's seemed perpetually bored. "We've never tried. Why do you ask?"
I nodded, "Well you see. The Princesses in power now have this weapon called the Elements of Harmony. I can't say I know what they'll do to you if you were to start going around causing mayhem and discontent among the ponies again, but it wouldn't be as pleasant as being sent here."
"Pleasant? We hate it here! There's no magic, no ponies to sing to and cause chaos, it sucks here!" Sonata's voice sounded again making me wince.
"Sonata, shut up and let him finish. If he knows how to get back to Equestria then I want out of this stupid dimension before I die of malnutrition." Aria's voice echoed off the alley's walls.
Adagio sighed pinching the bridge of her nose giving me something akin to an apologetic look before turning around and telling the two of them to shut up. A silent threat passed from the yellow skinned leader to the other two quickly silencing their bickering.
'Obviously I should keep this short and simple, if I want to keep from killing these three.' I thought before letting out a large breath. "Alright, short, and to the point. I can help you three get back to Equestria. However, you'll have to stop feeding off negative emotions. Otherwise, the Princesses that rule the country will turn you to stone or send you to Tartarus. Simple enough?" I said looking over at Sonata.
"Well you didn't have to be so mean about it." She said crossing her arms and looking away.
The blue haired member of the trio was given another annoyed look by her bandmates before they turned to me. "And what if we can't feed off any other emotion besides negative?" Adagio asked, the barest hint of friendliness that had appeared at my suggestion on getting them home had vanished.
I shrugged. "Honestly that's not up to me. The powers that be are perfectly content leaving you here to starve to death or whatever will happen if you don't continue to absorb negative emotions. I assumed you could also do the same with positive emotions, or at least eat like any normal pony can, but if not then that's for the Princesses to decide. Maybe they'll have you work someplace like a jail or something where being miserable is kinda normal."
"And what if we were to simply make you tell us how to get back to Equestria?" Aria asked, her eyes narrowing.
Putting the other earplug in, I unsheathed my knife and held it in front of me threateningly. "I'll cut those necklaces off your pretty little necks and suck the magic right out of them. Then it's a coin toss to see if you'll stay here and possibly starve, or come back to Equestria and most definitely starve."
Adagio turned to look back at the other two before nodding. The three opened their mouths and I assumed started to sing. I couldn't hear much beyond the sound of my heart pounding in my ears. The 'singing' went on for what felt like a few minutes before they opened their eyes and looked at me triumphantly.
Their faces fell when I yawned at them still with my knife held out in front of me. "So would you like to try it my way?" I asked.