//------------------------------// // Not Giving Up // Story: Distant Shore // by Artistkun //------------------------------// "What do you mean you can't fix it?!" "Ma'am, just calm down. A gem like this can't be replaced or repaired. We haven't seen a Lapis Lazuli in a millennia and judging by the appearance of this gem, it isn't replaceable and can't be fixed". "I don't want to replace this gem! I just want it to be fixed!" "Ma'am, please calm down". "I AM CALM!" "Stop shouting or I'm calling the cops on you, kid!" "I'm 27, sir!!" "That's what they all say!!" "What do you me-" "I said, OUT!!!" This was the third store that Sunset Shimmer was kicked off. Sunset sighs heavily as she walks towards her bike. She sits down and looks at the crack lapis gem. "I'm still not giving up on you, mirror. I got to keep trying". Store after store, Sunset was continuously getting kicked out because of her aggressive behavior of wanting the gem to be fixed. This only made Sunset's determination stronger than before. She goes to the Canterlot Mall to look for some jewelry stores. Every jewelry store she entered, she would get kicked out in about fifteen seconds. This raises her determination into a higher level. "Sunset?" Sunset Shimmer turns around in annoyance to see her friends behind her, they look really worried about something. Rarity took a step forehead and both of them are seeing eye to eye. "Darling, we need to talk". "Look, I'm really busy, Rarity. Maybe another time?" "This will only take a minute or two, Sunset. Please, we're worried about this obsession with yours". Rarity calmly said that made Sunset really annoyed that her friends think she was crazy. "What obsession you're talking about? I'm fine! I just need some time to fix this gem!" Sunset angrily said it made Fluttershy and Twilight scared. "That's enough, Sunset! You're scaring Fluttershy and Twilight!" Applejack shouted. Some of the people watched the heavy tension that was happening between Sunset and Applejack. Pinkie Pie quickly got in between them before they could even tear each other in anger. "Girls, let's just talk about th-" "Step aside, Pinkie. I need to talk some sense into this little pony!" "Just stay out of my business. Let me fix my problem in peace!" Sunset yelled and backed away when Applejack and Rainbow Dash were taking a few steps forward. "This isn't healthy, Sunset. Just hand us the mirror, we'll find it's rightful owner". Applejack said as she reaches out her hand to the mirror. "Sorry it had to be this way, Sunset". Rainbow said as she reaches out her hand as well. "No, Ne-Ne-Never!" Everyone in the mall gasped when the mirror had copied Sunset's expression from their earlier conversations. Sunset Shimmer began to panic when Applejack and Dash's hand were almost going to touch the mirror. She could hear the mirror screaming because it didn't want to be taken away from her. "It wants to be with me!!" Sunset Shimmer slaps Applejack and Rainbow watched as her best friend's hat was slowly reaching the ground. Sunset Shimmer gasped in horror and looked at her right hand because of what she has done. Applejack slowly looks at her best friend with her emerald eyes. Sunset suddenly felt scared when she had met her best friend's gaze, it almost resembled a wolf. She puts the mirror back to her bag and runs away quickly to the exit of the mall. "AAAAHHHH!!! I'm sorry!!!" The girls watched as Applejack was picking her hat up and put it back on her head. She was still watching as Sunset was running away from them. "That little pony... is in big trouble now". Applejack coldly said as she runs towards the direction of Sunset. "Applejack wait! Maybe she didn't mean it!" Pinkie shouted as she followed Applejack. The others did the same. "I really need to control my temper". Sunset said to herself before drinking her apple juice. She was in the beach, watching the ocean waves touch her feet. She was still holding the mirror on her left hand so that the mirror would know that it still has company. After drinking her juice, she sighs heavily and raises the mirror to reflect her face to it. "I just don't get it. Who would break such a beautiful gem like you? I guess humans don't appreciate precious rocks like yourself. Well, some of them. I'm not going crazy, am I?" Sunset asked and watched the mirror do its thing to communicate. "No, Ne-Ne-Never!" Sunset smiled and caresses the mirror like it was a person. "I'm glad that you don't think I am". Sunset lays down on the sand so that she could stare at the clouds, moving. "Why can't they just understand what I'm trying to do with you? You're the most precious gem that I have seen, even if I haven't seen other gems before with my very own eyes. If only you can tell me what I can do to help you". "Sunset Shimmer!!!!" "We know you here! We just want to help you!" Sunset Shimmer stood up in horror when she heard Twilight and Rarity's voice from afar. She looks at the mirror one last time before running as fast as she can to find somewhere safe where her friends would never find her. "Can't you just use your geode, Dash?!" Applejack asked. "I left it in my room! I thought we didn't need it!" "Of all the days you can leave it behind, It had to be today?!" Fluttershy angrily complained which made all of them look at their shy friend. Sunset quickly hides behind the rock and hugs the mirror tightly while she catches her breath. She sits down on the beach sand and looks at the mirror. "Please, mirror... Please tell me how I can help you!" "Let me... out!!!" "Let... you out?" Sunset asked in confusion. She turns the mirror to look at the gem for a second and it took her a while to get what the mirror meant to say. She quickly grabs the gem and tries to pull it out of the mirror but it was too tight. "Come on.... wow, did someone put super glue on this?" Sunset Shimmer didn't even notice that the water was slowly going towards her feet. It formed like the lines in the ancient mirror while the former unicorn was trying to get the gem off the mirror. The girls stopped and were too afraid to take a step in their friend's direction because of the strange water lines that were attached to Sunset's bare feet. "Just... a little... more..." Sunset Shimmer finally got the lapis lazuli gem off the mirror and the glass broke. The gem started to glow and Sunset released her grip. It floated in front of her and all she could see around her was the color blue. The rainbooms covered their eyes as the gem was shining brighter than the sun. Sunset Shimmer stared in awe as she could see a human figure coming out of the lazuli gem. After a good ten seconds, it was finally revealed a blue skinned girl with dark blue hair, a dark blue top that only goes up to her chest level to reveal its stomach. The skirt had reached to its legs and the gem had no shoes or sandals on her feet. She stopped floating and was about to reach the ground. Sunset quickly catches the girl and waits for the girl to regain her consciousness. A girl? It came out of the mirror... Where's the gem though? Sunset Shimmer accidentally touched the girl's back and she felt something hard and cracked in that area. It was the lapis lazuli gem from the mirror. I don't know gems can have human bodies! The gem information on the books was fake?! The blue-skinned girl looked at Sunset's eyes and the former unicorn didn't feel scared the moment they both had to gaze upon each other's eyes. The girl's eyes were like a mirror. Sunset thought it was normal for a gem to have that kind of eyes. "Y-You save me... Th-Thank you so much!" She's so.... beautiful Sunset Shimmer held the girl close, who was still adjusting to her form. She could feel the blue-skinned girl buried her face on Sunset's shoulder and started to cry in joy. They broke off the hug and looked at each other's eyes. Even if the girl's eyes were like a mirror, Sunset still found the gem the most beautiful creature in the whole universe. "You're Sunset, right?" Sunset slowly nods her head as she helped the girl stand up. She was really shocked that the girl was taller than her. "I'm Lapis, Lapis Lazuli". She's named after her kind... That's really interesting. Sweet Celestia, she's more gorgeous than Rarity!! "You actually talked to me! I'm really happy that you're the one who freed me from that mirror!" Lapis happily said as she puts her hands on Sunset's shoulder. The former unicorn smiled and both of them didn't even realize that they were leaning their faces closer to each other. "SUNSET!" "She might be dangerous!" "Get away from her!!" Sunset Shimmer looks at her friends who were all ponied up except for Rainbow Dash. They were ready to attack Lapis. She quickly got in front of her gem and ponied up as well. "Stay away from my Lazuli!"