The day started like any other. First block, Chemistry, Second Block, Algebra. A boring morning as usual. But what could she expect? It was High School after all, not Equestria.
Sunset Shimmer had occasionally gotten home sick. She caught herself dreaming of being a pony, learning lessons of magic under Princess Celestia’s wing. It saddened her that she couldn’t even visit.
Life wasn’t too bad. After Twilight left Sunset approached the other five, apologized, and, over the course of the year, became good friends. Sunset was forgiven, for the most part. Of course, not everyone forgets when demons and angels attack their school. Or, at least that’s what most people thought it was. It was almost funny, considering it was really a fight between two dimension traveling ponies.
Sunset’s secret was kept by her new five friends. She could barely keep from laughing. A pony in a world of humans? She couldn’t help but trudge through these thoughts during her lunch period.
“Hey. What’s wrong, Sugar Cube?” Applejack asked. Sunset shimmer looked up from her fruit salad. If she said what was on her mind it might offend her friends. She thought of a well thought lie.
“Just wondering what to do after High School, you know? Should I take up a job? Should I apply to Everfree University?”
“Oh, please stop lying, Darling,” Rarity interrupted her. “You can tell us.”
“Oh! Me! Me! Call on me!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. She raised her hand as if some teacher would appear to give her permission to speak.
“Uh, you do realize we’re not in class. Right, Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow Dash asked with a bit of humor.
“Oopsies. Sorry, Dashie!” Pinkie Pie apologized and cleared her throat. Here we go, Sunset Shimmer thought to herself.
“Sunset Shimmer is home sick because she’s the only pony here at Canterlot High and she’s learned her lesson about friendship, so she should be accepted when she goes back, but in the process she has made friends in us and would be sad to leave us! But it’s okay cause we all understand, so we should help her get home because tomorrow’s the last of the three days she can move between our worlds!”
Well, that’s Pinkie for you, Sunset Shimmer thought. Silly one moment, the super psychic the next.
“Is this true?” Fluttershy whispered.
“Every word.” Sunset confessed. “I’m sorry. I’ve learned a lot. It’s just…” Sunset felt tears run down her checks.
“It’s okay, Partner. We understand. We can’t keep you away from your kin.” Applejack said. Full of wisdom, Sunset thought.
She looked around the table. Each one of her friends, marked with an attribute of friendship. She was supposed to learn only one thing from each of them. But in reality, she had learned so much more.
It didn’t matter though. The statue that contained the portal was taken away. Some of the students felt they should take actions into their own hands and express how they felt about the whole destructive scene. The statue was broken and vandalized, so it was replaced with a new one. It cost the vandal’s parents quite the pretty penny.
A strange voice interrupted her thoughts, “Excuse me, are you, by chance, Ms. Shimmer?”
She twisted herself in her chair. It was an elderly gentleman, wearing a black suit and a black bowler hat. He carried a cane and had gray skin and gray hair protruding from under his hat. He had a symbol on his apparel, just as everyone else had, like a cutie mark.
It was a picture of a balance, like one of those old time balances where you placed an object on both sides to even out the position of the items. She averted her eyes from the symbol. It only reminded her of home, ever mark she saw on the students. Cutie marks: that’s what they really were.
“Miss?” The old man asked again.
“Sorry. Yes, I’m Sunset Shimmer. Did you need something?”
The man chuckled, “No, no, my dear. I need to talk to you about your future.”
The six girls looked confused at the strange man. Sunset knew she hadn’t applied to any colleges, that part hadn’t been a lie.
The elderly man spoke again, this time addressing the other five. “Might I have a moment of privacy with Ms. Shimmer?”
The girls nodded, picked up their trays of lunch and left. Rainbow Dash leaned over to Sunset Shimmer and whispered, “If this guy causes you too much trouble, I’ll take care of him.”
Sunset gave a half smile, “Thanks Rainbow, I’ll remember that.”
The man in the suit sat down across the table from her. His whole demeanor changed. He glared intensely at Sunset.
He opened his mouth, “Did you truly believe you could stay in this world forever?”