Monday afternoon crawled up quietly as Sunset was permitted to begin her solitude lunch period. This was something she was used to for years, eating in silence and alone. Except this time there was one other person. Vice-Principal Luna. Of course, Sunset had never properly interacted with the human or pony. By now the mare of the moon had been released. Sunset couldn’t help but wonder where the moon’s princess was now or if her human counterpart had a similar history.
The redhead took a bite of her cucumber sandwich. Oh, how she wished it was a crispy golden hay instead. When she got back to Equestria a crispy hay sandwich would be the first thing she would eat.
Thinking about Equestria made the unicorns feel uneasy now. She wasn’t sure what direction she wanted to take. Now, with her self-awareness, she felt icky and uncomfortable with her behavior and actions. Thinking about how Celestia was going to react to how she only allowed herself to dig into a deeper hole of anger, misery, and selfishness, made her cringe and coil in on herself.
A part of her felt like she was genuinely a monster.
She wished she could text her only friend. Sunset was still hesitant to say that word, but yesterday’s affairs had made her a teeny tiny bit more susceptible to the idea.
Sunday night had admittedly been the most fun Sunset Shimmer had ever had. When the girls arrived at the modernized Victorian home video games, laughter and pizza slices ensued. At first, Sunset found herself having trouble with the console control. She couldn’t quite figure out how to wrap her hands around it and to get her fingers to be so ambidextrous at the same time, fortunately for her, gentle and caring hands wrapped around hers, giving assurance and assistance. When Sunset felt confident enough to try on her own the girls spent a moment in eye contact causing the two to blush shyly at each other.
“J-jeez, if I had known you were so touchy-feely I would have fought harder to stay away.” Sunset cleared her throat to cover her nervous stuttering.
Twilight giggled at the comment, “It’s not my fault! You act like you’ve never played a video game in your life.”
“That’s because I haven’t.”
Wide violet-colored eyes stared at her in disbelief, “Are you serious?”
Sunset nodded, “Where I come from we don’t have this type of technology. I’ve gotten used to computers and the internet but nothing else.”
Twilight leaned in closer as her mind wrapped around the information, “Where do you come from that they don’t have basic modern-day technology?!”
“A mirror world full of ponies that focus more on magical science than the technical logical kind,” Sunset chuckled.
Twilight deflated and gave the other girl a dead look, “Ha ha, very funny,” the scientist readjusted her glasses and returned to the game, “your sarcasm has no end.”
Sunset smirked and also resumed the game on her side of the screen, “Thank you.”
‘Whatever she’ll figure it out eventually. I guess she’s gotta find the truth herself.’ Sunset thought as she exited her memory and entered the present.
The unicorn-turned-human kept to herself and her assignments as the next two days passed. As she returned Wednesday, she heard the whispers and snickers as she passed. Her call of advice with Twilight the night before was helping her mentally keep her anger in check. Which she only recently found herself wanting to let go of and unleash a fire spell that would scare everyone right into place. It’s what these idiots deserve.
No, Shimmer. You're not supposed to think like that anymore.
After sending a text back to Twilight that morning she walked along the side wall leading to the front of the school. If it weren’t for her sensitive hearing she’d never be able to hear the meek pleading from a light yellow-skinned girl at the school's equine statue.
The animal caretaker was currently holding a large stack of flyers in one arm while the other hand held out a flier for someone to take. The shy girl did this every Wednesday morning and afternoon to get attention and volunteers at the animal shelter yet never got recipients due to her quietness.
Without thinking, Sunset walked up to the girl, who had tears in her eyes. Fluttershy immediately began to cower at the sight but her emotions switched from startled to surprise as the fiery redhead took half of the stack of fliers and began shoving them into student's hands, “Shelter needs help, so spend a weekend helping.”
Fluttershy blinked in surprised confusion before following her bully. The pastel pink-haired girl had always felt something was off with the hostile girl. She acted mean but it felt as if that attitude was because she needed to be, not because she wanted to be or actually was.
Sunset continued forcing fliers to students as she headed inside the school's doors. The redhead moved her backpack to her front as she took out her glue stick from the pencil pack.
She then started applying a small amount of glue to lockers before slapping a flier to various and many lockers. As she applied the last flier on a metal surface Sunset turned to Fluttershy and held her hand out, “Mind if I get some more?”
Before Fluttershy handed them over she asked a question, “Why- why are you doing this?”
The redhead shrugged, “Got a stray cat recently, he almost ended up in there. If there are animals in the shelter like him, they deserve the luck Magma got.”
Was this the same cat Fluttershy had given its regular vaccines and shots too the weekend before? Dr.Fauna had said the kitten was a picked-up stray getting adopted. With the dots connecting Fluttershy handed the rest of the flier stack over and then watched as Sunset took small stacks and slid them into classrooms and locker slots.
“Thank you,” Fluttershy said earnestly, as she noticed students actually looking and talking about the fliers. Some even took pictures on their cell phones! It might not have been the kindest or subtlest way to do the job but it was the most attention the filers have ever gotten. The shelter owner was going to be so happy when she came back saying that the fliers were effectively all given out.
Sunset gave her a look that had the smallest bit of sadness in her eyes, “Don’t thank me, it was mostly for my cat.” She said before she walked off as she pulled her phone out.
The day continued to pass and Sunset found herself walking to her last class while her thoughts consumed her.
The annoying- no! Remember, you're supposed to not say that anymore. The student body wasn’t the only thing troubling her mind. As the magic grew with the strengthening portal, Sunset found herself growing more curious and insistent on inspecting it while the Twilight suggested they watched from afar. Something about tampering with the way things happen naturally will mess it all up.
She supposed she could get behind that. Sunset has always been one to get her hooves (or hands) dirty and into the research. That’s how you really learn, when you experience things for yourself. At least, that’s how it was for her.
There was also the worrying thought that that only recently started plaguing her was that as the portal grew closer to opening the more Sunset's future decisions became cloudy to her.
She had never considered two options, that two paths laid for her when the portal opened, but now… now she actually had someone she… looked forward to every day in this world. Sunset had never once felt that in Equestria. Maybe when she first began her studies with the Princess of the Sun but that eventually turned sour. Like this new relationship most likely will.
It was what always happened.
Except maybe this time it was Sunset's turn to leave someone in the pig waste-infested mud. But did she really want to do that? To the only person that has ever actually tried with her. Fought to be friends with her!
Those facts made Sunset's heart race and a weird weak feeling in her stomach summoned that she had never felt before.
When the portal reopens soon, should she go back to Equestria or stay in the human realm?
What waited for her in Equestria? Her magic and her original body that she found herself missing more often than not. She already decided to spare the students of Canterlot High and not make them her personal army to take the throne. Celestia and her parents were all she could think of. They both would be disappointed that after all this time she had nothing to show for, other than power and control over a high school that now, mind you, was slowly dissolving from her grasp. She’d become nothing. Just wither away as a failed prodigy. At this point, after it all, that felt like her fate.
So, what was in the human realm for her? A nerdy teenage girl who insisted on being friends just to prove that she could do it to her Aunt or whoever it was. Also a homeless cat with just as bad judgment as the indigo-haired girl. Not to mention the cool guitars and the art supplies that awaited her.
It was obvious which had more pros and which had more cons.
What about her ascension that she so desperately wanted? That’s the whole damn reason she did any of this in the first place!
How pathetic. To chase a dream so hard that appeared to never have been intended for her gain.
Her eyes began to sting but were short-lived as she was suddenly knocked hard to the ground by another body.
Sunset's eyes met reddish-pink ones that grew angry, “What the hell?!” Her raspy voice yelled, gathering the attention of other students in the hall during the class transition period.
The redhead rolled her teal-colored eyes, “It was an accident, Dash.”
Rainbow Dash stood up in a near scramble and pointed an accusatory finger, “Yeah, right! Nothing you do is an ‘accident’!”
The invisible eye roll counter dinged as Sunset did so as she helped herself up and brushed her dark blue jeans of dirt, “Look, It was an accident. In all honesty, if I was going to purposely knock myself to the ground by bumping into someone, you wouldn't be my choice.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?!” The soccer star boisterously yelled, echoing through the halls.
Celestia damn it. With this crazy dramatic kid practicing screaming, a teacher was sure to come running with the principal and Sunset would end up even more on the shit list. With the way she had been feeling the past week and a half, she didn’t want to add to the list of teachers and adults who hated her.
“Nothing, Rainbow Dash. I was just minding my own business-“
“Oh, wow! Finally,” Rainbow interrupted, “What? Did the Principal finally give you a lesson and put you in your place?”
Sunset’s face dropped as she felt anger starting to nip at her nerves, “What?” She growled.
Rainbow got closer jabbing a finger into Sunset's shoulder, “Everyone knows Diamond Tiara got you in big trouble last week. You missing the last two days was proof enough. The only thing that makes me mad about that, was that it wasn’t me who finally got you caught.”
Amber-colored fists clenched into tight balls, and her knuckles turned white as her teeth grit together. Rainbow Dash had tried her one too many times and this might actually be the day things would get physical, “You better watch yourself, Rainbow Dash,” Sunset warned in a low grumble.
Students watching began pulling out their phones and snickering.
“Do you want to be like everyone else? That’s ever been cruel and gross and mean to you?”
Twilight’s voice echoed Sunset’s head. No, no she didn’t. It was as true now as it was last weekend.
Rainbow attempted to make herself seem larger despite their height difference, “Or what?” Her raspy voice growled like a hungry timber wolf.
Unfortunately, it did make her pony instincts kick in, making her want to buck and then run to safety. Sunset closed her eyes and breathed to regain control of her fiery anger. When she reopened her brightly colored teal eyes all she saw was a scowl on a cyan face.
Sunset took a step back and put her hands up half-heartedly, “Think whatever will make you feel better, Dash. I mistakenly bumped into you and before you pick fights with me, resolve the other ones you got.”
Rainbow Dash’s face fell into a sad and conflicted look for a second before turning back into a scowl, “Huh-“
At the perfect moment with Sunset holding her hands up in surrender and attempting to back away from Rainbow's aggression, the two principles of the school appeared.
“Alright show is over, everyone gets to class,” the stern vice-principal commanded, causing students to immediately scurry. The dark indigo-blue-skinned woman turned to the girls, “Miss Dash follow me to my office now,” her heels started to clack against the floor. Rainbow, having already cowered down, followed after the woman with a bowed head and a worrying look on her face.
“Miss Shimmer.” Principal Celestia said to get the unicorns' attention.
Sunset squared her shoulders and her heart began to race. Here we go. She’d be kicked out. Now, she’d officially have nothing here, no options to make a new plan, no great future. Just like in Equestria. Her life was messed up and left in the dust in two different worlds now. And it was no one’s fault other than her own. At least she had Magma and Twilight. Maybe that was limited too but she’d take it while she had it.
“Miss Shimmer?” The principal, who now stood directly in front of Sunset, asked with concern.
The redhead looked at her with wet eyes, “I’m sorry, it was an accident. I didn’t mean to run into her.”
The principal shook her head, “I understand. Why don’t you get to class and later you can tell more about what happened?”
“Really?” Sunset asked, astonished with wide eyes.
Principal Celestia gave her an odd look, “Yes, really.”
Sunset gave a quick nod and used her opportunity to leave.
It had been an exhausting week Sunset realized. Despite spending two days in solitary with the only other student being some weed smoker that had one last brain cell fighting to keep itself alive being there as well. Detention consisted of doing homework and when she finished that too early she was sent to clean. Who knew being a janitor was so tiring? The rest of her night would be strumming on her guitar and listening to Gadget-girl ramble about whatever. Her free time used to be boring and used to plot, but now she found herself actually… enjoying time out of Canterlot High. She cared less and focused more on the budding relationship with the scientist from a protégés school. Whether she wanted to admit it or not. At this point, she wasn’t sure.
It was officially Friday, with one week left until Fall Formal and five days until the portal to Equestria opened on Wednesday morning. Part of Twilight’s rambling had included seeing through her… drone? Sunset was pretty sure that’s what the researcher had called it, that the portal was beginning to sparkle every night at exactly one in the morning, and every time it began the sparkling lasted a few seconds longer than the night before. The researcher had said she didn’t know what to make of it at first but now Sunset had noticed the girl would go quiet in thought when Sunset mentioned it was a portal.
Which was interesting, maybe the girl was starting to be willing to accept the concept at least. With the last bell ringing, students began to quickly crowd the hall before grabbing their things to go home with. As the halls cleared Sunset entered the bathroom closest to the detention room. She found herself needing a moment to herself before she showed up for her new required cleaning task.
If you had asked her a month ago who she was, Sunset would say she was one of the most powerful unicorns from her realm who was working hard in another world to prove her power and well-deserved high status as the new Ruler of Equestria.
Now?
Looking in the mirror she wasn't sure. Admittedly she looked a bit tired than she usually did and her mouth was layed in a faint frown instead of the confident smirk she was used to.
In the mirror what she saw was someone trying too hard and becoming the bully her past classmates at magic school always made her appear to be. And that stung. Sunset thought she was smart. She thought she was better than that… than them. Now, she thought she might as well be on a level much lower. At least those fillies didn't blackmail, threaten, and hide behind the fear of their peers. A tear escaped and ran down her cheek before it was hastily whipped off.
Suddenly the mirror appeared off, as if a red tint was placed on it. Sunset leaned in closer but soon regretted it as a wickedly grinning face with sharp fangs, angry red skin, and fiery blazing hair stared back at her as it chuckled with pure evil intent.
Sunset screamed and scrambled back from the mirror, her back slamming against a stall door that swung open from the impact causing her to fall on her bottom. The door swung back hitting her head.
The redhead gripped her head and writhed from the pain while trying to calm down, was that creature her? Was it some sort of premonition or vision? It looked awful, terrifying, and ugly. Sunset wanted no part of whatever that beast was.
She sat there for several moments waiting for the pangs of pain to fade away. The redhead used the stall rail to help her stand.
After exiting the restroom Sunset had her head down to her phone, despite the growing headache and her heart pounding, she typed and walked to the detention room. A mumbling sound coming from the gym distracted her attention from her path. The all-pink leader of the planning committee was mumbling to herself and writing things on a clipboard before practically bouncing to a new area of the gym and doing the same thing with a grin on her face.
“Hey, Pinkie Pie,” Sunset said to acquire the attention of the party planner as she stepped into the gym.
“Hel- Oh no, what are yoouuu doing here, Sunset Shimmer?” Pinkie said in childish annoyance.
Achieving such a negative reaction from the known bubbly and friendly girl had made the unicorn cringe. The redhead swallowed her nerves down and tucked a loose strand of gold back into her mane, “Take me off the running for princess list. Um, please.”
The bubblegum pink-skinned girl stared at her with her jaw to the floor, “W-what?! Are you serious?!”
Sunset nodded weakly, looking off, “Sorry for the short notice.” This was all she said before she walked out and resumed her way to the Vice-Prinicipal and her detention session.
Twilight Sparkle sat contented on a rattling train seat as her head was buried in a book and Lofi music whispered into her ears. After school, the train was her best way home. Other than when her parents were there to pick her up. She wasn't too keen on the idea, due to the school being so far as it was buried deep into the high city sector of Canterlot City.
Her focus kept her from detecting a trio of girls in the same uniform as her, pointing and snickering at her.
Soon the the train began to to come to a stop and Twilight gathered her things, placing her phone, earbuds, and novel in her bookbag. As the train came to a complete stop, the young genius stood and followed behind the crowd. As she walked up the subway’s stairs she was now aware of the girls following her and making comments.
“Why does she walk like that?”
“Her hair makes her look like a forty-year-old virgin librarian.”
“If I looked like that I’d be embarrassed to even live.”
Laughter ensued as if it were the funniest thing in the world. Tears stung her eyes but Twilight chose to ignore and not indulge them, she knew a reaction was what they wanted. They were just looking for an emotional opening to get her to do things she didn’t want to. People like these always did it to get her to do their homework, projects, or research. She always did it in an attempt to get them to leave her alone. She had learned a long time ago that that didn't work, no matter how much she wanted them to.
“Oh hey, Twilight,” One of the girls said with a sickening sweetness as she shoulder-checked Twilight.
The indigo-haired girl tensed her shoulders and began to walk faster.
“Hey!,” another girl grabbed her backpack pulling her back harshly.
“Don’t you know you're supposed to listen when others are talking to you? You are supposed to be so smart!” The third girl yelled in her face.
As she felt the uncomfortably and fear creep up Twilight fought her best to not let it show, “I-I,”
“I, I, what? You're all the sudden too dumb?”
Twilight squeezed her eyes shut as spit landed on her face.
Another girl from the trio grabbed her arm and yanked her, “You better not! We need you to put that big brain to use.”
An odd feeling of anger bubbled in her chest and Twilight couldn’t help her outburst, “No!”
She used the three girls' stunned moments to push the girls' grasp off of her and took off. Twilight bolted up to the stairs, running past all the people in her way earning dirty looks.
The steps of the bullying trio trailed after her. As Twilight approached the top step a hand grabbed her ankle causing her to trip and skin her right knee. A girl stepped in front of her and picked her head up with her bun showing the trio leader's angry face, “How dare you?!” The girl said before swinging her hand back and slapping Twilight across the face, hitting her eye and knocking her glasses off.
Before shock and pain settled in, Twilight pushed the assaultants legs down from underneath her and picked her glasses and herself back up to keep running.
Unfortunately, the trio was quick and ran after her.
Home was too far away, a whole twenty minutes. Twilight already knew she wasn’t athletic enough to make it.
Her thoughts raced as fast as her legs as the girls continued to chase after her. Where else could she go?!
Luckily, she began to approach the turn to the downtown part of the city. Sunset! Her town home was close enough.
With her solution, Twilight pumped her legs faster hoping to get more distance between her and the girls.
Panic and a burning sensation in her limbs prevented her from noticing the girls give up on their advances.
Instead she just ran and ran, her now messy half undone bun bouncing wildly behind her, until she reached Sunsets door.
The frightened girl rapped harshly on the door eager to get in. The fear of still being followed made hee impatient. A couple of seconds passed before she banged on the door again, “Sunset! It’s me, Twilight!”
Twilight eagerness grew as she heard the doors chain and knob lock began to be manipulated with.
“Twilight?” Sunset asked in surprise at the girl’s unusual behavior as she opened the door. As soon as it opened Twilight bolted inside, “Close the door quick!”
Sunset did as told and relocked it before turning around to the panicking girl who had collapsed in exhaustion onto the ground.
As Twilight heaved in a hunched position on the ground to catch her breath. The redhead walked away for a moment before coming back and crouching down to Twilight's level, offering a glass of water. The girl took the offer gratefully and started gulping down the drink.
After consuming the whole glass in one take, Twilight placed it on the ground and whipped her mouth, “T-thank you,” she said breathlessly.
The redhead simply shook her head, “Come on, let’s get you up on the couch.”
Twilight noticed she sounded sad.
That sadness didn’t last though, as Sunset helped her up on wobbly legs and finally looked at Twilight’s face.
The first thing on the feiry haired females face was debaffelment before it quickly turned to anger, as she brow turned down to her eyes and her teeth grit, “Who did this to you?” Sunset growled.
Twilight simply shook her head slowly, “I-I don’t know their names. They wanted me to do their schoolwork but I told them no,” a tear escaped down her face, “I should have just said yes.”
“No.”
Twilight looked at the angry girl as tears flowed down her cheeks.
“I’m glad you stood up for yourself and said no. As a bully I know that’s our worst nightmare,” Sunset said. She soon began leading Twilight to the sofa, helping her lower to the cushion seat.
“I’ll be right back. We’ll clean that knee up,” Sunset said with an angry tone. The indigo skinned girl knew it wasn’t directed at her but she was still didn’t want the amber-skinned girl to be mad.
As Twilight waited a curious orange kitten jumped onto the couch, “Why, hello,” she lightly giggled as she held out the back of her hand for the feline to sniff. Twilight soon realized she gained the stamp of approval when the cat began rubbing his head on her hand and purring.
Sunset soon returned and kneeled down in front of Twilight before she began pulling out wound aid supplies, observational eyes noticed the short tempered girl's hands trembling.
“Are you okay?” Twilight asked. Sunset’s gaze snapped up to Twilights and gave her a long look before answering with a sigh.
“Sorry. I’m just really angry and upset right now,” Sunset answered as she poured rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball.
Twilight hissed at the stinging, “I’m sorry. It’s just that you house was closer.”
Sunset shook her head, “No, I’m mad at myself. I wasn’t there to help you. If I had been they would have had nightmares for months,” she said as she opened an appropriately sized bandaid, “Mostly, I’m mad that I’m in the league as the people who did this to you.”
Sunset had whispered the last part but Twilight still caught it, “That’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known. I didn’t even know. Also, don’t say things like that. You’ve never chased someone down and physically assaulted them.” At least Twilight hoped.
The redhead shrugged that sad look from earlier returning, “I guess,” she said in a whisper before standing after securing the bandage. She headed to the kitchen and grabbed an ice pack from the freezer, along with apple juice from the fridge and a snack pack of cookies. Sunset sat down the items on the coffee table in front of Twilight, “Get some food in you and this ice on your eye,” she instructed as she gathered the first aid, “I’ll be right back.”
“Thank you, Sunset,” Twilight said with genuine gratitude.
“Don’t thank me, Sparkes,” the redhead offered a slight smile before it fell back down, “People like me don’t deserve it,” she said so quietly that it wouldn’t have been heard if Twilight hadn’t been paying attention.
As Sunset walked off with the aid box, Twilight began munching on the cookies. She hated it when Sunset talked about herself like that. Twilight noticed the small signs of insecurity early. The way the redhead held her head to the ground when she thought no one was looking, when she put herself down by saying she was mean, a bully and undeserving of basic kindness like a simple thank you. Sunset may have put up a mean front and made some bad decisions but Twilight knew she wasn’t really that way. Of course she knows you can’t change others without them wanting it themselves, but she knew she could help them when they began the process even without them truly knowing it.
Sunset's heavy footsteps came back into the room and she placed two small tablets next to the yellow beverage, “In case you get a headache.”
“Thank you, and you’ll accept my thanks because you deserve it. You’ve made me feel a lot better,” Twilight said.
Sunset scratched the back of her head, “For a girl with hearing aids you sure do hear a lot.”
Twilight smirked after taking a sip of her juice, “They do their job well.”
Sunset smirked in return, “Do you wanna go get cleaned up and then go do something fun?”
Twilight beamed, “Of course!”