//------------------------------// // 7. A World Without Sunset? // Story: Sunset's Wonderful Life // by sonicfan05 //------------------------------// Sunset had a stunned expression on her face and her mind nearly went blank as soon as Rebecca said those words. While it was barely even a minute, Sunset just stood there in silence for what it seems like an eternally. Eventually, Sunset shook off her stupor and gave Rebecca her deadpan look. “I’m sorry… what?” she asked.   “I said, welcome to the world in which you’re–”   “I know what you said!” Sunset snapped. “Just... what do you mean!?” Rebecca grinned. “It means that you don’t exist in this world! You are now living in a world, heck, in this universe without a Sunset Shimmer!” Sunset still had a skeptic frown on her face and let out an annoyed huff.   “Okay listen... I don’t know how you pulled this off and how you managed to get this crazy woman into my apartment and change my locks, but I want you to stop this nonsense at once so that I can go back to my apartment and find my things!” Rebecca shook her head. “You don’t have an apartment Sunset Shimmer! Or any place to live for that matter! You also don't own anything to your name because you don’t exist!” Sunset growled, already losing her patience. “You know what, fine! I’ll just go to one of my friends' houses and spent the night there, then we'll be calling the cops!”   “You don’t have friends either Sunset!” Rebecca called out as Sunset stumped away from her. “They don’t know you because you’ve never been born!”   “Walking away now!” Sunset shouted as she got further away from her. Rebecca sighed as she watched Sunset moving further and further away down the sidewalk.   “What a stubborn girl,” Rebecca muttered as she shook her head. “Whelp, I guess I’ll just let her figure this out the hard way!”   That girl is nuts! Sunset thought as she continued to walk down the sidewalk which was filled with snow. I thought her claiming to be my guardian angel was crazy enough already, but her claiming now that I don't exist now? Give me a break! As soon as I reached Twi-- Sunset immediately stopped walking and frowned after remembering her current predicament she nearly forgot about. Oh… right. I blew up to them… and they hated me. I doubt they’ll help me after that. She let out a sad sigh. Maybe… I'll go ask Principal Celestia for help? She frowned. But… would she and her sister would want to help me after I single-handedly ruined their school? I know they helped me out and stuck their necks out for me before during my dark times before, especially after the Fall Formal, but now… I don’t know if they want to have anything to do with me anymore. Sunset looked up to the sky with a sad expression, not caring that her face was getting cold from the wind nor she noticed a small tear leaking down her left cheek. “S-stop! Please! Don’t hurt me!” Sunset snapped out of her sad state when she heard someone crying out. She turned to her right and she noticed with wide eyes that there were two people on the other side of the road. She couldn’t make out who these two people are, but what caught her attention was one person tightly held the other person by the front of the coat and leaned closer to the other person’s face in an aggressive manner.   “You know the rules sissy!” The first person threatened. “If you don’t pay up, then you’ll get the consequences!”   “No please!” The second person begged. “I don’t have enough! Just give me more time!”   Sunset eyes were as wide as dinner plates. She immediately realized that someone was being bullied for “protection money”. Flashbacks of her old self appeared in her mind. While she never physically hurt anyone, but she remembered back when she was a bully herself, she used old methods like blackmailing to get what she wants. While she was personally ashamed of herself looking back, she didn’t want to see anyone suffer like that again and she certainly wasn’t going to let someone suffered in front of her now. As she rushed across the street towards the pair, she heard the first person let out a mocking laugh. “No can do! If I let you slide, then all the other losers at school will get the wrong idea! To think that I use to let people like YOU mocked me all the time!”   “L-listen, I’m sorry from before!” The second person quivered. “And I swear that I won’t mock you again and I will get you the money, just please spare me!”   “You got it coming you pathetic little cry baby!” The bully snarled. Sunset was getting closer as the first person raised their arm up, ready to strike down the victim. “Now say goodnight, Trixie!” Sunset was surprised when the assalent announced the person’s name. She even took a quick glance under the second person face, only to confirm that the person really was Trixie. While the known wannabe magician was a braggart, but Trixie never let anyone push her around, even Sunset back when she was a bully. Despite they kinda clear the air and still butting heads every now and then, Sunset isn’t going to let anyone hurt Trixie while she was around.   “STOP!” Sunset shouted. “You leave her alone!”   The mysterious person immediately stopped right before punching the living daylights out of Trixie. While the person’s back was towards Sunset, Sunset could see that this person had long blonde hair while wearing a thick leather jacket, jeans, black boots and a chain just on the side of the hip. Sunset assumed that this person was from CHS, but she couldn’t recall ever seeing this person around before. She could hear this person growl like a bear who just interrupted from its meal. “...Who said that!?” The person stated coldly.   “Me that’s who!” Sunset challenged. “Just let her go! There’s no reason to beat her up for something that she did to you in the pas–” Sunset words immediately died in her throat once the mysterious bully turned around. For starters, that bully is a girl judging from her features. Whole her hair is blonde, but there were also some red streaks in there too and there was one scare on the right side of her face. But what really caught Sunset’s attention was the person’s eyes. Not only they were yellow, but they were also misaligned.   “D–Derpy!?” Sunset gasped in shock. Before Sunset could blink, she was suddenly grabbed by the front of her coat and starring at Derpy’s enraged expression.   “I don’t know who you are or how you know me, but don’t you EVER say that name again or else I’ll break your spine! It’s Ditzy Doo! Got it!” Derpy growled. Sunset gulped and nodded. Derpy then grinned as she let Sunset go. “You must be new here,” she said casually with a sneer as she flicked Sunset chin up. “I suppose my reputation precedes me. I don’t know who told you that name, but I’ll find whoever did, then I’ll teach them a lesson. After that… I’ll come after you next!” She then turned towards Trixie who was sitting on a snowy sidewalk after Derpy dropped her from earlier. “Guess what Lunamoon! I decided to spare you, so consider this as my Christmas gift to you!” Her eyes then narrowed. “But don’t mistake that I’m doing this as a goodness from my heart, I'm doing this to give you more time to get my money! If you don’t have it for me the next time we meet, well let’s just say… you won’t be so lucky next time!” Derpy turned and walked away, but not before she shoved Sunset aside with her shoulder. Sunset watched Derpy with a stunned expression. She couldn’t believe what she just witnessed. It was like watching herself becoming a bully again, only it was Derpy of all people and she treated everyone much worse than how Sunset does in the past!   What the heck is going on!? Sunset exclaimed internally. Derpy... as a bully!? What happened to her? She was usually a very sweet girl who wouldn’t hurt a fly! Even back when I was so mean to her! Her thoughts were put on hold when she heard a moan behind her. Remembering that she wasn’t alone, Sunset immediately went over to Trixie’s aid. “Hey, are you okay?” Sunset asked with a concerned expression as she help Trixie stand up from the ground. “Y-yeah… I’m okay,” said Trixie as she stood back up and gave Sunset her shaky but grateful smile. “T-thank you so much for s-stopping her from beating me up! I… I thought that I was a g-goner for sure!” While Sunset was glad that her friend wasn’t injured, she paused when she got a good look at Trixie’s face. Trixie’s looked very… different. Instead of her usual proud and confident expression, Trixie was acting much more meek and timid. Her hair was all tied up to a ponytail, she wore a pair of glasses on her face. While Trixie looked pretty cute in that getup, this made Sunset even more confused because she had seen Trixie over an hour ago and she never looked like that from earlier.   “Um… I’m happy to help Trixie, but since when did you start wearing glasses?” “Oh, I wore them since Freshman year,” Trixie answered as she was cleaning her glasses. “My eyes weren’t the same ever since–” She paused and then looked up at Sunset as she puts her glasses back on her face. “Hold on… you know me?”   Sunset had a bewildered expression. “Of course I know you! I’m Sunset Shimmer!” She then frowned. “Don’t you… recognized me?”   Trixie shook her head. “I… I don’t! I’m sorry… are we friends back at elementary school?” "NO!” Sunset shouted. “Stop joking around Trixie! I'm in the same high school as you are!" Trixie was now starting to shake in fear. "I-I… I'm sorry! B-b-but I never saw you before in my life!"   "But you saw me all the–" Sunset paused as she watched the poor girl frightened face because of her. This made Sunset feel guilty again for her behavior. As much as was frustrated with Trixie weirdness, the poor girl was still traumatized after getting bullied.  Sunset sighed. "Nevermind... why didn’t you just report her bullying to the Principal?”   To Sunset’s confusion, Trixie appeared to be more demoralized than ever. “...she didn’t care.”   Sunset nearly flabbergasted with this sudden revelation. “What do you mean, ‘she didn’t care’?” Sunset questioned. “Principal Celestia is a kind and fair person and so does her sister! She will help you stop Der-- I mean Ditzy Doo from bullying you!”   Trixie gave Sunset her look of confusion. “Principal Celestia? No! I was talking about Principal Cinch!”   Sunset eyes widened in shock. “WHAT!? It– it can not be! Cinch can not be the Principal of Canterlot High! She used to run Crystal Prep!”   “She still does!” said Trixie. “But she also runs another Crystal Prep, specifically the Eastern Division where Canterlot High used to be!" "W-WHAT!" Sunset exclaimed with her eyes shrunk to a size of a pin needles. "But that… it can't… it's not possible!" Without a word Sunset turned towards the direction where the school should be and ran off, leaving a very confused Trixie behind. "...what a strange girl," Trixie muttered. Sunset ran for sometime now, huffing and puffing the whole way. As much as she was still skeptical about the whole thing, but after everything she witnessed, what she learned from Trixie and what Rebecca told her earlier about that she was not in her world anymore, Sunset was instantly worried. A part of her hoped that Trixie was just playing a cruel prank on her after ruining the party. The only way she’ll know for sure is to check out the school herself. Trixie has to be lying! Sunset thought. She has to be lying! There no way CHS has become another Crystal Prep! Sunset eventually approached the final turn which leads to CHS. And once she did, she was in a shock of a lifetime. To Sunset's horror, CHS was no longer there. Instead, there was a different building in its place. It was a little bigger and taller than the original CHS building. The color of the building had many shades of blue and crystals was placed in different parts of the building. The turf was a little bigger with a fence built all around the area. To add insult to injury, the podium where the horse statue used to be (and where the portal to Equestria was usually located) was now replaced with a statue of Cinch with that same authoritative expression. Near hyperventilating, Sunset drew in deep breaths to try to keep herself calm. She kept begging herself to wake up from this horrible nightmare. But when her eyes set on a plague on the side of the fence, her eyes widened when it said:   NEW CRYSTAL PREP – East Division   This… this cannot be! Sunset exclaimed internally as she touched the plague to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating. This has to be a nightmare! But… This is… REAL!    “Now do you believe me?” Sunset immediately turned towards the sound of a voice, only to feel rage when she saw Rebecca standing there with that same gentle expression.   “YOU!” Sunset roared. “WHAT DID YOU DO!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?”   “I didn’t do anything,” Rebecca said calmly. “It was you who wished for this, so I granted it! So now we’re living in a world without you being born!” Sunset took a step back, as if she just got slapped in the face. “...I did this?” she whispered, as she took a glance at the school again. “You mean all this happened… Trixie, Derpy and the school… all because I don’t exist?”   “I’m afraid so," Rebecca answered solemnly. "You made a lot of impact to this world, more than you realize!” Sunset gave Rebecca a skeptic look, not believing her words. “Okay one; I doubt it! Two; how could I possibly be the one who made Trixie, the biggest showboat on earth, Derpy, one of the nicest girl I know and preventing our school to become the second Crystal Prep?”   “I’ll be more than happy to answer your questions,” Rebecca responded as she crossed her arms. “For starters, Trixie became a “showboat,” as you call her, because she was inspired by you!” Sunset had a look of disbelief. “Um… could you run that by me again? I... inspired HER?”   “Yes,” Rebecca answered with a serious expression. “While she won’t admit it, but ever since you first showed up and bullied her in person, you actually pushed her to finally come out of her shell and gained her self confidence… even if she became a little arrogant. Yes, she despite you for a while, but her views of you changed and inspired her further on one particular night that involves you!”   Sunset thought for a moment, wondering which night Rebecca was referring to. Suddenly, her mind clicked and her eyes widened.  “You mean… the Fall Formal?”   “That’s correct,” said Rebecca. “You single-handedly showed her that magic does exist! You see, she had self doubting issues about following her family footsteps to become a magician, especially when everyone thinks that it was all tricks and no magic and that she wasn't very good at it to boot. But your actions not only gave her hope, but you made her go above and beyond to make herself become the "greatest" and most "powerful" magician of this generation with real magic… even when she’s jealous that you and her friends are more magical than her." Sunset shook her head with an amused grin. Despite Trixie's efforts to hide her jealousy, it was already a common knowledge between her and her friends since they suspected it long ago.  Rebecca continued. "She even went as far to put on a "showman" act everyday to not only have others see her as a very confident person, but to also make herself feel confident." Sunset had an awe-like expression on her face, now seeing a well known "braggart" in a whole new light.   “Wow… I have no idea that I changed Trixie’s life so dramatically!” said Sunset, looking down in thought.   Rebecca nodded. “Yes you did. But without you showing up, Trixie is nothing but a lonely, meek girl with no confidence in herself what-so-ever.”   “...and Derpy?” Sunset asked with hesitation.   Rebecca let out a sad sigh. “Derpy… is much sadder case. You know about her… eyes, right?” Sunset grimaced, already could tell where this is going. “I… I do. She told me once that she was just born like that, but she usually never let that bother her.”   “You are half correct,” Rebecca replied. “Derpy always felt that she was alienated and alone all because of her eyes. It also didn’t helped that some people bullied her because of her eyes.” Sunset craned her neck in shame, remembering that she was one of her bullies. “I know I bullied her in the past, but I never go as far as making fun of her disability! Even I have standards!”   “That’s true,” Rebecca conceded. “And unlike most bullies, you did something that helped changed her life for the better!" When Sunset gave her a questionable look, Rebecca elaborated. "She was actually having a rough time during her first year in high school. And after witnessing how much of a… *ahem*... meanie you were towards her and the others, she realized she doesn’t want to be that person, but was still scared about being herself.” Sunset frowned. “Oh… so I made her the way she is now because I scared her. That makes me feel sooo much better!” “You did… in a sense," said Rebecca. "But on the bright side, you swayed Derpy away from becoming a bully herself.” She then grinned. “But that’s not all you did to change her for the better! Do you remember what you did the day after the Fall Formal?” Sunset sighed through her nose as she thought back to that particular day. “Well... aside from going through a day of dealing with a bunch of angry students, I apologized to Derpy first... outside of my friends.”   “And do you remember how exactly you apologized to her?”   Sunset blushed as if she appeared to be embarrassed about something. “I... told her that... the reason I bullied her because I was... jealous of her bubbly personality and go-to attitude and... that she is… prettier than me.”  Rebecca had an amusing smirk on her face. “And?” Sunset gave Rebecca an annoyed look, but then she relented. “And… I told her that she is a kind person, how smart she is... and how she can cheer up others despite her clumsiness." Sunset then smiled fondly. "I told her that she can accomplish anything if she can put her mind into it and that she shouldn’t be afraid of expressing herself because there will be people who like her the way she is. And she shouldn’t let any naysayers told her otherwise… not even me.” Sunset remembered how her heart warmed up after seeing Derpy's eyes lit up in joy before she hugged her, thanking her for the kind words and that she forgave her. Sunset never felt so good for making other people happy. It was that moment Sunset decided to put into effort to make things right, even if it was a hard road for her at the time. Sunset chuckled. “While it was kinda awkward for me then because I still wasn’t good at making friends at the time, but at least she forgave me. I'm just glad that she wasn’t afraid of me anymore.” “You did more than just that,” Rebecca pointed out. “Because of your kind words, she no longer considered her disability as a curse and decided to give others a chance and become much more outgoing and a sweet heart that you know her today. And luckily, she made a lot of friends who cared about her. And she has you to thank!” Sunset couldn't believe that she not only made Trixie's life better, but Derpy's as well because of her actions. As touching as this sounds, there was still one major thing that bothered her. "What about the school?" Sunset questioned. "How do I fit in this? How does me being born and come to this world affects the school?" "Now this is where it gets complicated," said Rebecca. "But I'll try to make it simple. You know that CHS lost to Crystal Prep at every Friendship Games?" Sunset nodded. "Well at every Friendship Games, the morale at CHS decreased so much to the point that they believed that they'll never beat Crystal Prep and that they're not good enough," Rebecca explained. "Your Friendship Game was CHS' last chance to prove themselves. After they lost this one, Cinch managed to "convinced" Principal Celestia to form a partnership with her so that she can help improve the students' academic skills." She then grimaced. "But in return… Cinch will run sixty percent of the school and run it however she sees fit." Sunset stared at Rebecca with a horrified shocked expression. This was the exact same "deal" that Cinch offered to her, except Principal Celestia actually took the deal almost without a second thought. Sunset shook her head in disbelief. "No way…" she whispered before shouting angrily. "There's no way that Principal Celestia would ever agree to that witch's terms, especially letting this happened to her own students!" Sunset then gestured towards the school. "Just look at our school! Did you even see what she did to it? She took more than just sixty percent of it!" Rebecca sighed. "Well, when the whole school is demoralized, even Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal lost confidence in themselves to keep running it. And overtime, Cinch found a way to give these two an "early retirement"... and took over the school." Rebecca sighed sadly. "And Celestia and Luna left without a fight." Sunset took steady breaths, keeping herself from hyperventilating. "This can't be happening!" she cried. "No way this cannot be true!" She then paused before giving Rebecca her confused expression. "But I still don't understand what this all have to do with me?" Rebecca grinned. "That's because you, Sunset Shimmer, are the spark of your school's confidence!" "Huh!?" Sunset uttered, not expecting that answer. "But… I didn't do anything, except taking part of the Friendship Games. Rainbow Dash was the one who boosted up the school's confidence when she did a pep rally!" "That's true," Rebecca conceded. "However, she did that because she was inspired by you!” As Sunset had a shocked expression, Rebecca continued. “Thanks to your magic and your friendship, it boosted Rainbow's confidence enough to spread her school spirit to all the students. And even so, the fact that you helped save the school from the Dazzlings during the Battle of the Bands and led the team during the Friendship Games, you gave them hope and confidence that not only do they have a fighting chance, but you also made proud of being a Wondercolt, even after you lost that first round against Twilight." Sunset couldn’t believe what she was hearing. While she was indeed proud of herself for taking part in the games and helped her fellow students, but she had no idea that she made that huge of an impact to everyone at school. Even though it was sometime after the Battle of the Bands and almost everyone have forgiven her at that point, she never expected that they all thought of her that highly. But what really surprised Sunset was finding out that she was Rainbow Dash’s inspiration to do a pep rally in the first place.  Could this really be true? Sunset thought. If it is... then why didn’t Rainbow Dash tell me? "It’s because she wasn’t good at being sappy and her pride hold her back as usual," Rebecca immediately answered, nearly scaring the poor teen. "Oh I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that I can read your mind and feelings. Didn't mean to invade your privacy."  Rebecca chuckled sheepishly when Sunset gave her an annoyed glare. Rebecca’s good-naturedness was short lived when her expression became serious again. "Anyway, what you just learned was only a sample of what the world is like without you." She then proceed to walked past Sunset and headed towards the school. “Come… we’re heading inside. There’s someone we’re going to see!”   Sunset frowned. “Um… who?”   Rebecca stopped walking and turned her head towards Sunset. “Why one of your friends of course!”