//------------------------------//
// Problems, New and Old 
// Story: The Other Sunset Shimmer 
// by Jerec the Ascendant 
//------------------------------//

	Sunset Shimmer galloped as fast as her hooves could take her. Behind her she heard booming footsteps as the giant figure of her other stalked down the hallway.

"Your body feels rather comfortable. How's mine treating you?" her other asked with a smirk.

Sunset shut her eyes and continued to barrel forward, until she ran into a wall. She opened her eyes again, looked around, and let out a gasp.

"Aww," the giant behind her taunted, clicking her tongue. "Looks like you've hit a dead end." Sunset's already rapidly beating heart only started beating faster as she turned around and backed up against the wall. Her evil twin kneeled on the ground in front of her, her massive hand reaching toward Sunset.

Blue eyes glared at her, and the giant teen grinned in triumph. "What to do with you though?" Raised to eye level, Sunset kicked and squirmed, but to no avail. “Oh, I almost forgot. I brought you a present!" The giant brought her other hand into view and, to Sunset’s horror, revealed the struggling form of her best friend.

“Flash!” Sunset cried.

He didn’t seem to hear her, though. Flash Sentry stared up at their captor. "Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends!”

"Oh Flash, I'm not who you think I am,” the other Sunset said, sneering down at him. “That would be her. But I wouldn’t worry about that, if I were you.”

Still trapped in large orange fingers, Sunset watched as Flash was raised above the other Sunset's head. He was dropped and quickly caught again, by the back of his jacket. He kicked and swung his fists at the giant, but she only let out a snicker. "Keep that up, Flash. That's an important part of this experiment."

Then she tilted back her head, opened her mouth wide, and let him go.

---

"No!"

Sunset's covers flew off as she sat up in bed. She gasped for breath, her heart still beating rapidly. Her nightmares had been growing ever darker since her first one, almost a month ago. However, this was the first dream featuring someone she knew. This only made it worse for her, as she thought about it as a possible sign that her other had done something to her old friend.

Sunset got up and slowly made her bed. She felt trapped and helpless, stuck here for the rest of her life, never to see anyone she'd ever known - never to see another human at all. Besides in her disturbed dreams, that is. Even worse was that after a whole month of training, her magic abilities hadn't grown beyond telekinesis. The sparks from her horn seemed to be bigger, and sometimes she seemed so close to successfully casting the spell, yet her efforts had yet to come to fruition.

Fortunately, Celestia’s lessons didn’t seem to require success. They continued on, despite Sunset’s shortcomings. The homework she was assigned remained her primary task, sometimes with an additional assignment, such as reading a more advanced history book or finding certain books for the princess. As more and more books were requested, Sunset thought about what Celestia might want them for. She thought the princess might be preparing something, but Sunset had no clue what. She was confused by the titles of these books, but figured Celestia would understand them. Any real pony probably would, she reasoned.

Sunset finished getting herself ready and went off to get some breakfast. She sat at a table by herself again, her cheeks burning as she felt other ponies gazing at her.

The rest of the day was devoted to practicing spells - and failing to cast them. She took breaks for meals and exploring the castle and its grounds; she found wandering around the gardens calming, even getting lost in the hedge maze every now and then. Some days she even went out into Canterlot to explore the city built around the castle. Eventually however, she'd always make her way back to her work.

She was moseying along the castle hallways, returning to her room, when she found herself joined by Celestia. Sunset would feel Celestia’s eyes on her every couple of steps, but the air between them was quiet as the two walked down the hall. Eventually, Celestia broke the silence. "How was Canterlot today?"

"It was okay,” Sunset replied. “I wandered around for a bit and looked at the shops."

"How goes your study of magic?" Celestia asked, her jaw rigid.

"The usual..." Sunset looked down, her ears flattening.

"Sunset…” Celestia bit her lip, but forced herself to continue. “I know you're facing a difficult challenge at the moment, but I need you to know that I'm here for you. Allow me to remind you that your parents wish to help you as well-”

“They aren’t my parents,” Sunset said. Instantly, she shut her mouth, looking up at her mentor with apology. 

Celestia let out a sigh. "As I've said before, I too wish this situation hadn't ever occurred. But it did, and there's nothing we can do to change it. So, once again, if there's any way I can help, any at all, please let me know."

Silence once again invaded the air, and the two turned a corner and started down another hallway. A few hoofsteps later, Sunset stopped. “There is one thing,” she said. The princess turned and looked down at her. Sunset swallowed a lump in her throat and continued. “How many ponies know about me?” she asked.

Celestia felt her cheeks grow warmer, and she quickly turned her attention to the floor between them. As she examined the long, ornate carpeting along the center of the hall, Celestia tried to count the ponies. "Many of the castle guard know,” she answered, softly. “ The doctors and nurses directly responsible for your care at the hospital, the few members of the castle staff that you've talked to, your counterpart’s parents-” Sunset blushed too, but Celestia didn’t see,  “and my niece, whom I trust. The total is around twenty ponies. Probably more than you hoped for, yet less than you feared."

Sunset closed her eyes and tried to smile. It was less than she feared, and she wanted to be grateful for that.

“Thank you, Princess,” she whispered. Then she lowered her head, her mane falling over her eyes. “Just one more thing, please. Are... are you sure that the other me can’t use her magic?"