Sunset Shimmer woke up in her new apartment in the Crystal Empire. A month had passed since she had taken on her new job, and gotten a new home. A month since her new life in Equestria had truly begun.
'Good morning, Equestria.' She thought as she climbed out of bed. After spending so many years away from her home world, it still felt good to bask in Celestia's sun again.
After breakfast, Sunset took out a quill and some paper, and starting writing a letter.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I am happy to report that my new life is proving to be very prosperous. It has been a month since I started studying dark magic at the castle, and I've settled in quite well. I tell you, it has been nothing less than exhilarating working in this field. I understand that nowadays, dark magic is a touchy subject, but it will sure be a brilliant day when dark magic can be considered as good as normal magic.
Echo seems to think so as well. You weren't kidding about how knowledgeable he is about dark magic. I might be inclined to say that he probably knows more than Sombra did when he took up dark magic. However, he does have this lone wolf angle going for him. He never wants to leave his study unless to use the lavatories or inspect any new deliveries.
But despite all of that, he isn't the worst boss in the world, far from it actually. He listens to my opinions, despite my inexperience, and respect them, and he trusts me to get the job done. Though he hides it behind a veneer of aloofness and professionalism, I can tell he is a good pony, and I feel lucky to be working with him.
However, it has come to my attention that not many ponies around the castle seem to like him. Sure, he's certainly not the most sociable pony around, but he is very kind and polite. I can't understand why anypony would dislike him. Nonetheless, working under him is still a wonderful opportunity, and I have learned quite a lot from him. I cannot thank you enough for getting me this job, and rest assured, I will continue to do my best to make you proud.
Deepest regards,
Sunset Shimmer
Satisfied with her work, Sunset placed the letter into an envelope. As she made her way to work, she dropped the envelope off in a postbox. Soon after, she arrived at the crystal castle (which had been fully restored following Black Knight Paladin's attack), ready to continue her studies into dark magic with the Thestral Echo Alchemy, the only known researcher of the said subject that anypony knew of.
As she approached the study at the far side of the castle, she saw posted just outside the study's doors was none other than Sterling Cross. She met him the day she started working with Echo, he having been the one to warn her about the thestral. She had seen him around since then, finding him a pleasant, though somewhat boastful stallion.
"Good morning, Ms. Shimmer." The burly Earth Pony smiled.
"Morning, Sterling." Sunset said pleasantly. "Lovely day, isn't it?"
"Not as lovely as you." Sterling grinned.
"Thank you." Sunset blushed.
"I will never understand why a beautiful mare like you would want to waste your time cooped up inside some dusty old study all day." Sterling declared.
"Let's just say I like to learn." Sunset shrugged. "Reading's always been a passion of mine."
"Well, I can think of some other, more fun activities." Sterling said suavely. "Activities for two, maybe..."
"I'll bet you can." Sunset rolled her eyes. Sterling hit on her practically every day, ever since she started working. It was more playful than serious, thankfully, so she let him keep doing it. "But right now, I have work to do."
"If you change your mind, you know where to find me." Sterling winked.
Rolling her eyes again, Sunset walked into the study. She found Echo where he usually was, hanging upside-down from the ceiling (when she asked him about this, he claimed Thestrals could think better in that position).
"Hello, Echo." She called.
Echo detached from the ceiling and glided down, landing gracefully in front of Sunset.
"Good morning, Ms. Shimmer." He said curtly.
"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Sunset asked.
"Well, I just came into possession of the eldritch scrolls belonging to the dark sorceress Sepulchre." Echo declared. "There's a lot of text that needs deciphering. Do you think you're up to it?"
"Count me in." Sunset nodded.
"That's the spirit." Echo almost smiled. "Let's get to work."
The scrolls were written in an ancient script, one that was very difficult to translate. It took them the entire morning to fully decipher half a scroll each.
"Hmm, this last symbol doesn't make any sense." Echo squinted at the end of one line. "There's nothing like it in my cipher." He tilted the scroll, trying to understand it. "No matter which way I look, I can't make heads nor tails of it."
"Let me see." Sunset offered, as she peered closely at the symbol. "Oh, it's just a bit of dirt."
Using her magic, Sunset removed the dirt.
"Ah, yes!" Echo nodded. "Now I see! That's the symbol for water!" He then ran a hoof through his mane. "I guess it never occurred to me that the text could have been marred."
"Well, that's kind of has to be expected with two thousand year old scrolls." Sunset shrugged.
"Indeed." Echo agreed. "For all my knowledge and things I have learned over the years, I had gained this nasty habit of overlooking simple solutions. Good thing I have you to help, my dear assistant."
"No problem." Sunset smiled. She then noticed the clock on the wall. It's hands were both pointing to twelve. "Look at that. It's already time for lunch."
"Oh, so it is." Echo noted. "My, how time flies. I'll see you in an hour, Ms. Shimmer." He then returned to his scroll.
"Actually, I was hoping you could join me." Sunset offered. "We could have our lunch outside, in the park. It'd be a good way for us to connect in a non-work sort of way, more like friends than colleagues."
"I appreciate your offer." Echo declared. "But I'm perfectly fine eating my lunch here. Have been for quite a while now."
"You know, it wouldn't hurt for you to go outside this dusty old study every once in a while." Sunset urged. "Besides, eating something amongst all these irreplaceable documents is a little risky, isn't it? One spilled drop of sauce, or squirt of berry juice, and a priceless artifact is ruined forever."
"...You may have a point there..." Echo sighed, closing up the scroll in his hooves. "Perhaps I can eat outside, just this once..."
"That's the spirit." Sunset mimicked his earlier words.
Stopping only to pick up their self-prepared lunches, the pair went outside, passing by Sterling on their way out.
"Ms. Shimmer." Sterling nodded courteously as Sunset walked by. When Echo walked by, he frowned slightly. "Alchemy."
"Cross." Echo said flatly.
"Surprised to see you out here." Sterling declared. "I thought the sun turned you to ash!"
"Very droll." Echo grimaced, keeping a calm tone. "You seem to think that because I am a batpony, that I am somehow related to a vampony, which is of a completely different subspecies. Somepony has been reading too much of those accursed 'Twilight' books."
"No, that's just for weirdoes like you." Sterling countered.
"I don't think a stallion of your mental calibre would be much of a reader, anyway." Echo retorted.
"Echo!" Sunset called. "Are you coming?"
"Of course, Ms Shimmer!" Echo called back. "If you'll excuse me, Cross."
"You're excused." Sterling snarled.
Sunset and Echo walked over to the nearby park. They sat at a picnic table together, digging into their meals.
"Now, isn't this a whole lot better?" Sunset asked. "The warm sun on your face, the scent of flowers in the wind..."
"I suppose so." Echo admitted. "We Thestrals tend to prefer the night, though. The quiet, the bright stars... Though it wasn't as difficult as I though to acclimate to a day job, I find that too much sun can prove to be a detriment on my coat."
"I wasn't aware." Sunset declared. "Thestrals aren't exactly well-known around these parts."
"We like to keep to ourselves." Echo stated.
"But it doesn't hurt to put yourself out there every so often." Sunset countered.
"Perhaps." Echo agreed.
As they continued eating, Sunset couldn't help but notice some dirty looks thrown Echo's way by passers-by. She even overheard some highly audible mutterings.
"Who let him out of his cage?"
"He's got a lot of nerve being out in public after what he did."
"I didn't think Celestia let her pet beast out for walks."
"He eats pony food? Who knew?"
Echo visibly stiffened, his batpony ears twitching ever so slightly, but otherwise showed no other signs of being affected by their insults.
"What are they all talking about?" Sunset asked.
"Nothing." Echo said bluntly.
"It doesn't sound like nothing." Sunset frowned. "In fact, I've noticed a lot of ponies acting that way around you. What's the matter, Echo?"
"The simple fact is that some ponies lack the capacity to comprehend what they can't fathom." Echo said scornfully.
"You should say something." Sunset told him. "Don't just sit by and take it. Let them know you won't tolerate those kind of insults."
"Why would I bother wasting my time on such small-minded, prejudiced ponies when I have more important matters to deal with?" Echo huffed. "Now, I've finished my lunch. Kindly finish yours, and we can return to the study, where I can work in peace, away from judgmental eyes."
Echo got up and started walking back to the castle. Sunset hastily finished her own lunch and followed, worrying that her attempt to get Echo to come out of his shell had done more harm than good. She had only wished to help him, knowing full well what could happen when one distanced him or herself from other ponies, and was hoping for Echo to avoid that path.
Echo walked past Sterling without saying a word.
"Somepony's grumpy today." Sterling snarked.
Sterling's mood improved as he saw Sunset walking towards him.
"Ms. Shimmer." She smiled. "Good lunch?"
"Not exactly." Sunset sighed.
"Oh, I hate to see a good-looking mare like you with a frown on your face." Sterling declared. "What you need is a fun day out, and I know just where to have one."
"You do, do you?" Sunset raised an eyebrow.
"Indeed, I do." Sterling nodded. "The Crystal Faire's coming up. It'll have all sorts of old-timey artefacts, like King Sombra's very own spell book. You like that sort of stuff, right?"
"Yes, I do." Sunset mused.
"You'll probably love it there." Sterling grinned. "You'll love it even more with somepony to go with..."
"That's a great idea, Sterling!" Sunset smiled.
"Of course it is." Sterling said smugly.
"I'll ask Echo to go with me." Sunset declared.
"Say what?" Sterling's smirk slid off his face.
"It's the perfect event for him." Sunset beamed. "He'll get to come out of that study, and enjoy the things he loves at the same time."
"You're really going to ask Alchemy to go with you?" Sterling frowned.
"And what's wrong with that?" Sunset asked defensively.
"Well, to be perfectly honest, the guy's a reclusive weirdo." Sterling said dismissively. "Ponies don't like him and he don't like them, and he's a total downer to boot. You should go with somepony more social and outgoing."
"Like you, perhaps?" Sunset retorted shrewdly.
"For a start, yeah." Sterling agreed. "I'd be way more fun for you to hang out with me than that leather-winged bookworm."
"Don't be so quick to mock bookworms." Sunset frowned. "I'm a bookworm. Princess Twilight is a bookworm. Are you saying neither of us is any fun to hang out with?"
"Well, no, but..." Sterling spluttered, flustered.
"Good." Sunset glared at him. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."
Sunset trotted past the bewildered guard. As she entered the study, she found Echo already back at work on the scrolls.
"There you are." He noted. "What kept you?"
"Sterling and I had a little chat." Sunset admitted.
"There'll be plenty of time for chatting after work." Echo admonished her with a grunt. "Speaking of which..." He gestured to Sunset's scrolls.
"Of course." Sunset nodded.
They worked together in silence, Sunset waiting for the perfect moment to put her new plan into action. By the end of the day, they had all but completed the translations.
"I think that will do." Echo nodded. "A job well done, my dear."
"Thank you." Sunset smiled. "Echo, I was wondering..."
"Yes?" Echo asked.
"Well, as you probably already know, the Crystal Faire is coming up." Sunset pointed out. "And I was thinking maybe you and I could attend it together."
"I don't think so." Echo shook his head. "Large gatherings don't really agree with me, I'm afraid."
"That's too bad." Sunset said in a mock-defeated tone. "I hear the Faire will have all sorts of mystical artefacts this year. Some real finds, too. King Sombra's spell book, for example."
Echo perked up at the mention of the spell book.
"Really now?" He mused. "Well, I suppose it would prove quite the informative experience... such untold knowledge to be had in those ancient treasures... perhaps I could go with you... purely for research purposes, of course..."
"Of course." Sunset smiled victoriously. "I promise you won't regret it."
"I daresay I won't." Echo agreed. "It could prove quite the life-changing experience."
"Exactly." Sunset nodded triumphantly.
Little did either of them know just how life-changing that experience would be...