//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Hopes and Dreams at Canterlot High // by Rainbow Sparkle //------------------------------// Sunset Shimmer hadn’t been entirely sure what to expect when she had accepted the offer of help from Frisk. Just from what little she had seen and heard, she had suspected that getting acquainted with things here in this new world would take some adjusting. But her teachers, even… the Princess… had always said Sunset was a quick study. That didn’t however prevent her from being rather exhausted and tuckered out within her first two weeks of living in the Dreemurr home. Both Toriel and Frisk were firm taskmasters when it came to helping her learn what she’d need to be able to ‘blend in’ and not arouse too much suspicion or curiosity. They weren’t harsh, but they didn’t hold back and piled on quite a bit. About two thirds of each day was spent learning common knowledge of the country and world they were in, while Frisk focused on getting them used to the rather fantastical technology this world boasted. If Sunset hadn’t been the speed reader she was, and in possession of a fantastic ability to absorb and retain new information… she’d have been a nervous wreck. As it was, the speed crash course was still draining and a test of endurance and mental acuity alike. Then there was the dealing with bureaucracy she’d had to undergo. She couldn’t get registered for school without some of it, and there’d be other issues as well the longer she remained in this world. So a fair bit of three separate days had been involved helping to get identification and papers sorted for her. And some folks back home think the government has too much paperwork. She snorted at that, thinking some back home would love to learn how the government here functioned. Others would groan when they learned how much more they’d need to deal with. Such was also a nice way to distract herself from the memory of how she’d responded when she met Mayor Mare… as well as the administrators of the school. Trying to unpack the possibility that this world was in some way a parallel of her own was a bit much for her right now.  So for now, she just chalked it up as some sort of weird, freaky coincidence. She had enough on her plate as it was.  Like trying to figure out how to use her magic. Aside from blending in and not letting slip to anyone who didn’t need to know that she was from another world, that was a top priority of hers. Considering how intrinsic magic was to her identity and being, not being able to make use of it was leaving her anxious and a bit irritable. As soon as school starts and I’ve got my own free time… figure out my magic. If it came down to it, she’d start from scratch and build her way back up. As frustrating as that would be. Still, as tired as Sunset was, she at least felt like she was doing alright. She had to give Toriel credit where credit was due- unless a teacher asked her something obscure, she doubted she’d have any trouble when it came to classwork itself. And on the cultural and tech front, Frisk and their friends had done all they could. There was still some stuff she wasn’t entirely sure of, but she shouldn’t wind up making an ass of herself anytime soon. Dealing with people in general on the other hand…  Meh. That was something you did only when you had to. Sunset was more than capable of ignoring people she didn’t need to interact with. And she’d always been able to handle things on her own before. Though Frisk and their friends were a bit harder to ignore, persistent as they were to try and get her to be social. There were other things to get used to as well of course. Adjusting to a different diet, a more meat based one in particular, had been a bit jarring. Even for someone studying under the Princess and getting to interact with foreign diplomats and experience other cultures. Fortunately, the Dreemurr’s had worked with her on that and she’d been pleased to learn there were plenty of more vegetarian options around. She’d get used to it, and while she wouldn’t yet admit it, she already found herself really enjoying the taste of beef… With all this though, Sunset would be lying if she wasn’t feeling at least a little bit anxious the night before school started. Which was rather unlike her. Being nervous about going to school? She hadn’t felt such in a long time… and even when she’d been picked by the Princess, she’d felt more than enough pride to outweigh the jitters she’d had. The fact that Toriel and Frisk could both pick up on such, and had made efforts to reassure her, only left her more irritated and confused. It led Sunset to spending quite a bit of time tossing and turning, rather than sleeping. So when her alarm went off, she groaned and smacked it off the shelf as she sluggishly pulled herself up and out of bed. She glared at the sunlight that streamed into her room, almost feeling like it and her former mentor were taunting her. At least a quick shower left her feeling better… and the sight of stacks of freshly made waffles as she entered the kitchen was enough to make her forget the dread she felt for the first day of school. “Morning Sunny!” Frisk happily said as they glanced over from their seat, though their expression quickly grew concerned as they saw the bags under Sunset’s eyes. “Trouble sleeping?” Sunset’s first instinct was to ignore the question. Her second one was to lie. However, if there was one thing she had learned about Frisk above all else, it was that they were stubborn. Or as their friends liked to say… Determined. Still, it didn't mean Sunset had to share much. She just gave a nod, slid into a seat, and started stacking her plate full of food. A good and solid breakfast would do her wonders, and if she was lucky, be enough to keep exhaustion at bay. “Would you like some coffee, Sunset?” Toriel asked as she came over with a pitcher of milk and set it down amongst the rest of the food. “Yes.” Sunset answered curtly, then, almost as an afterthought, added, “Please.” If Toriel was bothered by such, she gave no sign. Frisk didn’t seem to mind either. If anything, they gave Sunset an understanding nod as they dug in just as eagerly as Sunset was. Though unlike Frisk, she remained quiet, simply listening to Frisk and Toriel’s conversation. It was here that Sunset learned, much to her annoyance, they would not be riding with Toriel to the school. Sunset had hoped that since Toriel was going to be a teacher there that they’d get to avoid riding the bus. While what she’d heard from Frisk and their friends didn’t give her the impression it was a horrible experience, it did involve socializing and Sunset had nearly zero interest in such. Sure, they could walk, but Toriel had recommended the bus so Sunset could get used to being on one. They’d likely need to ride one when the weather was bad after all. It did mean they both had a little over half an hour before they’d be heading off to school. Frisk busied themselves cleaning up as Toriel left, while Sunset decided to settle herself down in the living room and make another attempt to utilize her magic. After about ten minutes of increasing frustration, Sunset had confirmed that which she’d been rather worried about. She was going to have to start practically from scratch.  At least her efforts had given her some good news- her hands could indeed be used to focus and gather magic. It was just going to be horribly inefficient until she could train and build up her thaumic pathways. Unlike Unicorns who were born with a natural and powerful focus in the form of their horn, humans didn’t seem to have anything comparable to such. It’ll be harder to do, since this world doesn’t have anywhere near as much ambient magic. If I’m not careful, I could easily give myself magical burnout. And with how little magic there was here, it’d take her weeks to restore her mana pool. Still, this was something that she was determined to work on. With her having to (practically) begin from the beginning though, there wasn’t much she was going to be able to do with about twenty minutes to make use of. But she could meditate and try to get a feel for how magic flowed through her. It was an exercise Celestia had taught her early on, as it was useful both for taking care of one’s thaumic network and for training it to be stronger and more robust. It was something most Unicorns never learned and even some of those who did so didn’t bother to practice it much. Sunset wasn’t such a Unicorn. She was a prodigy, and more than that, she wanted to be the best. More than that even, so much more. She would not, could not, settle for being just a bit more powerful and capable then her peers. Her desire to be the best was still there. She desired to be the best of the best, the pinnacle of everything someone in Equestria could achieve, and to go beyond that. She might not be in Equestria anymore, and wouldn’t be able to return for some time. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t follow such an ambition here. The book had still said there was great potential and secrets to be unlocked here, and much to learn. Sunset would learn all she could, train as much as she needed to achieve her dream. “Hey Sunny, whatcha up to?” Though she was starting to wonder if this world, and those in it, might wind up being more trying than her mentor had been. Albeit, in a somewhat different fashion. Cracking an eye open, she gave Frisk a flat look before closing it again and looking inwards. “Meditating. What else does it look like?” “Oh, I figured that bit out.” Frisk replied, which left Sunset dearly wanting to ask why they had asked then, but Frisk answered that as they added, “It’s just that I could feel magic coming off you, so I figured maybe you were doing something more.” That caused Sunset to stop, her eyes opening as she asked, “You could sense my magic?” Frisk gave a nod. “It’s a gift I’ve had for as long as I can remember, it’s one reason I was drawn to Mt. Ebott.” Frisk did rub their head a bit as they added, “Sometimes it’s not all that specific or consistent, probably why I didn’t pick up that the school statue was a magic portal.” Sunset shook her head at that. “Tis more likely it was due to it being closed and inactive. Unless someone knew what to look for… or got very unlucky when leaning against it at the right time and in the right place…”  That aside though, Sunset was quite surprised to learn Frisk had such an ability. The impression Sunset had been getting was that humans hadn’t been able to use real magic for a very long time. Though Monsters had been able to since time immemorial. That actually reminds me… “Aside from sensing magic, do you happen to know any yourself?” Sunset did recall overhearing once mentions of magic lessons, but with all the rapid learning she was needing to do to try and blend in, she hadn’t had a chance to actually make any sort of inquiries. Frisk sadly shook their head. Then tilted it for a moment before saying, “Well, I do know one spell, but that’s because I got to experience it so much it’s become rather easy to pull it off.” “From your time in the Underground, I imagine.” Sunset said, and earned a nod. The story of such, or rather a cliff notes version, had been shared with her. But little else, and not enough for her to be able to figure out just what spell Frisk might know. “Could you show me? It might help me better figure out how to adjust using my magic here if I have some kind of baseline to compare to.” “Sure, though be prepared. Unless your magic is really different, this’ll get a reaction out of you.” Frisk replied, to which Sunset could only give her a confused tilt of her head at. What kind of spell could Frisk know that’d interact with Sunset’s own? Though, as she thought about it, her mind flashed back to what had happened as she’d tried to escape Alphys’s home on her first day here in this world… She didn’t have much time to ponder it though as she watched Frisk place their hands in front of their chest, eyes closed as they took in several relaxing breathes. Then, with a pulse of magic… A glowing form of red light appeared. It was in the shape of a heart, and there was an aura of power that radiated from it. But that was the least of the things Sunset was thinking about. For as soon as she had felt that pulse of magic, she felt something tugging at her and- She stared, transfixed, at the shape of light that was now floating in front of her. She was feeling something, but it was hard to describe exactly as she stared at it. It felt like it was a part of her, no, more than that. It felt like it was the core of her very being. And that feeling intensified as it seemed to take the shape of her cutie mark, glowing a brilliant crimson and gold. “Huh… well, I guess there’s nothing that says a SOUL has to be heart shaped.” Frisk remarked, which made Sunset’s eyes go wide, her pupils shrinking to near pinpricks as she looked at the human in near horror, a touch of awe mixed in as she squeaked. “E-Excuse me?!” Frisk’s gaze was a sympathetic one, but one that was a bit… surreal to look at. Their eyes had a glow to them that hadn’t been there before, and it gave them a mystical quality that spoke of unsurpassed potential… for good or ill. “This is called a SOUL Call. It draws out one’s Soul. Dr. Alphys refers to it as the Source Of Universal Love.” Frisk explained with a soft smile. “For Monsters, it doesn’t tend to do this since their entire being is in essence an extension of their soul, but they can make it visible like this as well if they so choose. For humans though, and it seems folks from your world, it draws the Soul out.” “M-My… S-Soul…” Sunset stammered out, mind racing a mile a minute with questions, theories, and implications of something like this. “Yeah. It's rather startling the first time it happens. I nearly freaked out myself.” Frisk replied with a snort. “Anytime Monsters meet someone new, they do it so they can get a… feeling for who they’re meeting. It’s not as informative with humans though, because we don’t wear it on our sleeves, and someone who doesn’t want to share who they are can keep from learning anything even if they know nothing about magic.” “But, it can tell you at least one key thing about a human. What trait dominates the entirety of their being.” Frisk continued, humming a bit as they looked at Sunset’s own Soul, head tilted slightly.  “For humans, and Monsters too, the Soul appears in the shape of a heart. Though Monster Souls are an inverted heart when visible. They also have a color that corresponds to the trait which dominates their Soul as well. All Monster Souls are white, as the dominant trait of their Soul is Compassion.” Before Sunset could ask, still practically speechless, Frisk went ahead and described the list of traits and their corresponding colors that they knew of. Sunset did not miss the fact that such corresponded in essence to the colors of the rainbow, which made her think of the ancient and lost Elements of Harmony from Equestria’s early days. Once Frisk finished, Frisk ended the spell and both of their Souls returned to their bodies. It took Sunset a moment to regain her composure. Only after she had done so did Frisk decide to ask something that’d been on their mind since first seeing their Soul take shape. “That was what you’re Cutie Mark was, back in your world, right?” Sunset nodded. “Y-Yes. It’s the same emblem I had on the shirt I was given by the portal when I arrived here too. As I told you, it represents a core part of each Equestrian’s identity, something that makes them unique compared to any other pony.” Still, she shook her head as she said,  “A-A bit more warning next time please? Back in my world, Soul based magic is… I wouldn’t say taboo, but it’s something most folks don’t mess around with. It’s seen as risky at best, and dangerous at most.” Sure some of the most powerful artifacts in Equestria, and probably the world, were likely created with such, but not all of those are exactly nice or user friendly. The Elements of Harmony being an exception to the norm. Sunset thought silently to herself. Frisk laughed a bit sheepishly at that. “Yeah, I probably could have told you what it’d do, but I wasn’t sure if you’d believe me or not. Some of the media folks from outside Ebott didn’t believe it, even when the Monsters were standing in front of the camera’s. That though…” Sunset could understand that, but still wasn’t happy about it. However, knowing that it seemed magic here was linked to the Soul… That can’t be quite the case. There’s some ambient magic here. Sure, it’s so little that it’d be considered a magical desert or wasteland by most Equestrian mages, but it is here. Otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to have her mana stores slowly replenish. Perhaps the Soul acted as a focus then? Or maybe as something to draw magic in? She’d have to ask about that later, as she briefly glanced at the clock and sighed. Frisk understood that well enough and snickered. “C’mon, riding the bus won’t be that bad. And after the first week, you can choose whether or not you want to walk.” Frisk said as they got up, hurrying off to the door to grab their bag. Sunset just grumbled briefly before getting up and following after. The wait at the stop wasn’t long, and fortunate for her, Frisk didn’t try to get Sunset to join in the conversation they had with the two other teenagers waiting with them. Once on the bus though, Sunset was met with a low cacophony of noisy chatter amongst nearly three dozen other students, ranging from pre-teens to those on the cusp of adulthood as it was defined here in this world. Two of whom Sunset recognized as Frisk’s new friends. Fluttershy and Applejack if she remembered their names correctly. And they were waving them both to an empty seat nearby that hadn’t yet been claimed. Sunset was disappointed to find as she scanned the bus there wasn’t really a place where she could sit and be ‘by herself’ to some degree.  So with a resigned sigh, she simply followed along behind Frisk as they took their seats and did her best to let the chatter fade into the background as she closed her eyes and mentally reviewed everything she’d learned. This is nothing. You can do this. Bet before the end of their first term you’ll be one of the top students in the entire school. She told herself as she felt the bus start to move. It took a few tries, which was strangely unlike her, but she was able to settle her nerves within the very short trip from the Dreemurr household to Canterlot High. And before long, Sunset and Frisk were disgorged alongside many other students to the front lawn of the school. Some milled about, chatting with friends and catching up. Others were already discussing plans for what they’d do after school or on the first weekend as they made their way towards the doors. A few, whether eager to start school or eager to get the day over with, zipped through the throngs of young humans and into the school proper. A loudspeaker blared from one corner of the school. “Welcome everyone! Please head to your assigned homeroom for attendance! An assembly will be held in the gym!” “I’ll see ya in the gym, alright Sunset?” Frisk remarked, and Sunset replied with just a slight nod. She was already focusing on trying to navigate through the crowd as they made their way inside, though she couldn’t help but notice how… strange it felt to not have Frisk be around as she made her way to her locker to drop her things off. Shrugging it off, she made her way to her homeroom… and nearly collided with another girl. “Hey, watch where you’re going!” The girl said, pushing her way past Sunset as she double checked her silvery hair with a pocket mirror that had a wand and a crescent moon on it. Sunset thought about pointing out that she had been doing so and it was the girl who hadn’t, but decided it wasn’t worth it right now. It took a few minutes for everyone else to filter in. When they had done so, the teacher introduced herself and then it was time for roll call. Sunset made an effort to memorize the name of her fellow students. Even if she had absolutely no desire to get to know any of them, proper manners and etiquette had been drilled into her by Celestia. It was considered rude to forget the names of those one was studying or working with, and was an easy way to create minor difficulties for oneself. Although after hearing the name of the rude girl, a Trixie Lulamoon, Sunset found herself hoping she didn’t have to deal with her much in her time here. Once that was done though, it was back up and heading to the gymnasium. As much as Sunset knew that she wasn’t about to see her mentor when she got there, each step felt just a bit heavier as they drew closer.  Her anxiety started reaching its peak as they were all filing in… until she happened to catch sight of Frisk. Who gave her a strangely understanding smile, and mouthed, ‘you’ll be alright.’  Somehow, and Sunset wouldn’t be able to puzzle out why for quite a while, she actually believed them. And felt just a bit of the weight lifting off her. But only a bit. She squared her shoulders and readied herself as she stepped in and followed the others, taking her seat reluctantly as she gazed down to a platform that had been set up for the occasion. Well, one way or another, this would certainly be an experience. -*- The assembly wasn’t actually as bad as Sunset would have expected. While they were similar, Principal Celestia was not Princess Celestia. Their way of speaking was rather close to one another, and they both spoke with conviction. But the Principal’s came from her time being an educator, and wasn’t anywhere near as deep as that of the Princess.  And unlike the Princess, the warm and welcoming aura she possessed seemed much more… sincere. Sunset didn’t get the feeling like she sometimes got from the Princess that the Principal was wearing a mask, one of many she’d long since grown used to switching around with ease. Then again, the worst this Celestia had to ever deal with was troublesome parents. Or frustrating city officials. So that would doubtless be a fair bit less than the weight of ruling an entire nation. And she had someone who was an equal, after a fashion, in the form of her sister. Thinking about that had, briefly, made a pang of sympathy run through Sunset for her mentor. But then she remembered how their last meeting had gone and squashed it. It had been interesting observing everyone though. Particularly at the introduction of Toriel to the entire school as the new Literature teacher. As well as the three Monsters who were also going to be starting the year there, with the Vice Principal noting that if anyone had any questions, Mx. Frisk Dreemurr would be happy to help. Most of the student body was excited and seemed quite enthusiastic about this development. However, Sunset didn’t miss that there were a handful of students who seemed less tepid about it. Out of a school of what Sunset estimated near about seven hundred students, it was maybe two dozen or so.  She doubted it would lead to any problems, but it was something to make note of. Knowledge was power, and half way through the speeches Sunset had already decided she would to put her lessons in politics and subterfuge she’d learned under Celestia to the test here. She doubted the social hierarchy of a school full of teens and pre-teens would be a challenge to her… not that she had any real desire to be popular.  Popularity was such a fickle thing… but it’d do well to try and not make enemies that could cause her trouble. What Sunset desired was respect… and to be acknowledged as the one above all others. Sadly, while the assembly had been bearable, the rest of the school day was not. No real academic work was done, with each class following a rather basic formula. Introductions, a brief run down of what they’d be going over this term, and then they were broken up into groups to get to know each other. Socializing. Ugh. Was this really necessary? She didn’t remember her schooling before Celestia’s School for gifted unicorns having this much of it. Then again, after her first year, she’d wound up the Princess’s student. So she’d had quite a bit more to do… At least it gave her a chance to practice the cover story they’d come up with her. A foster kid who the Dreemurr’s had offered to take in after the family she’d been with previously had to move to the other side of the country. Though she was quite tired of reciting it by lunch. The meal period at least offered her a chance to unwind. With the only brief disruption to such being when Frisk and their friends came over and offered to join her so she wouldn’t be alone. “I am perfectly happy eating by myself right now, thank you.” She had said, doing her best to keep her exasperation out of her voice. From the look she got from Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, she didn't succeed as much as she’d have liked. But Frisk didn’t seem bothered, and Fluttershy gave her an understanding smile. Pinkie Pie looked disappointed for all of a second before bouncing off to where the rest were headed off to. Still, she’d enjoyed the (relative) peace and quiet. And it had been interesting picking out the various cliques that existed in the school, with a few sticking within their grade while others stretched across them. Sunset also found herself glancing towards two middle schoolers who stood out… they seemed to be practically glued to each other, and gave her the vibe of misfits. Yet they seemed to go by… largely unnoticed.  Even when one of them wound up accidentally squeezing a ketchup packet so hard it popped and got all over them, it elicited some chuckles but then was promptly forgotten. The school fools perhaps? Strange that they get ignored though… maybe they’re just so used to them? She’d have to try asking about such later on. There were possibilities, to say the least, with folks who could go by so seemingly unseen. Or at least those so easily forgotten about. Once lunch was done though, it was back to dealing with enforced socializing. By the time the bell rang to signal the end of the school day, Sunset was among those that seemed to be in a rush to get out of there. So much so that Frisk nearly missed her as she made for the exit. “Woah, slow down Sunny, no need to rush.” Frisk said as they gently caught her arm. Sunset glared at her but Frisk just took it in stride. “Wanted to ask if you were interested in coming to the park with me and the girls after school.” “I’m rather sure you know what my answer to that would be.” Sunset stated rather bluntly. Frisk just shrugged and replied, “Ya never know if ya don’t ask. Besides, I asked earlier, but ya never replied to my text. So I figured I’d try now.” “Oh.” Sunset said, pulling her phone out and seeing that she had indeed received a text from Frisk about such. And one from Toriel hoping she’d have a good first day. How had she not heard the thing go off? Ah, right. She’d set it to vibrate. She must have missed it buzzing as she had to put up with all the required chit-chatting. “Sorry. Still not used to having one of these.” She replied, which wasn’t a total lie. As amazing as the device was, she at times did forget she had it on her person. “Anyways, I’m not interested. You go ahead and have fun with your friends.” Frisk frowned a bit, crossing their arms as she said, “It’s not gonna hurt to go and be friendly with folks. You know that, right?” Sunset rolled her eyes. “I’ve had more than enough socializing for one day. I’d even say I’ve filled my quota for the week.” Still, Frisk had that look about them, and Sunset sighed and said, “Next week I’ll join you on one of these outings. If nothing else, maybe it’ll get you to leave me alone about it.” “You don’t have to if you really don’t want to, Sunny.” Frisk replied as they let go of her arm. “Not everyone is super social after all.” Sunset could only raise an eyebrow at that. “Yet you seem rather determined to try and make me be so. How curious.”  Frisk had the decency to look sheepish at that, rubbing their own arm a bit. “Well, it’s because you seem like someone who could use some friends. You don’t actually strike me as a shy introvert… or the type to be a reclusive hermit. So I guess I just find it weird you don’t seem interested in making any.” “Starting to sound like the Princess…” Sunset muttered under her breath, before shrugging and giving a confident smirk as she declared, “I can make friends if I really want to. I just don’t see a need to. If that ever changes, you’ll be the first to hear about it.” With that said, Sunset hefted her bag back up and said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some magic practice to do at the house. Need to make sure this day doesn’t turn into a complete waste of time.” She saw Frisk just nod out of the corner of her eyes as she walked past and started making her way down the sidewalk. She didn’t look back, yet she couldn’t stop a small part of herself from dwelling on the look of… disappointment that had formed on Frisk’s face. It reminded her so much of… Princess… Sunset shook her head, pushing such thoughts and memories aside. She needed to get back to the house. She was determined to make some kind of progress with her magic today, even if it took all night.