//------------------------------// // Perspective // Story: I just wanted to go to Equestria! // by Ditz //------------------------------// I can't believe I'm doing this. I am easily able to find a nearby parking spot. Arriving at school an hour earlier may be a factor in this situation… no, its definitely the reason, because I'm at school an hour earlier. What the hell is he thinking making me wake up so early? Walking through the school grounds, I make my way to my destination through the northern part of the area. I am made aware of other students who have clearly been here longer, given the lazy stares they spend on me before returning to what they are doing. Can't say that I blame th- “Good morning!” Them… “O-oh, er, good morning.” … A-anyway… What I can do is blame that idiot for choosing the farthest area of the school from a parking lot to make me look like a fool. I swear, I'm going to cave his head in. Speaking of empty spaces, I arrive at the appointed spot where I see no one around. Because it's obvious everyone is going to be late, and I just didn't see it coming… just like the top of my head, as I soon realize when I reach for my hat. “This is all your fault, Lime! You made a fool of Trixie!” I say loud enough in the hopes that he catches my words in case he just happens to come from around the corner. But as if happens, that's not really the case. “… Figures.” I make the full trip back to my car, and straight back to the meeting spot, which now happens to be occupied by both Pinkie Pie and Lime himself, who has an annoyed, tired look on his face. “Well, look who decided to show up,” he says, and while not biting my tongue and resisting the urge to punch him now is stronger, I feel I should get on with it. “You better have a good reason for this, Lime,” I demand, straight to the point. I'm sure that this is something simple that didn't require me to abandon my beauty sleep. … “What!?” I ask, doing my best to hold myself from strangling him, even in front of Pie. He cannot be serious. “He said that Sunset Shimmer is coming back to school and that he is in charge of taking care of her while she tries to get back into the mood of things!” Pinkie summarizes. “I hope you heard it this time! It's not that complicated!” I take it back, I'm going to strangle him, and do it while staring directly into Pinkie's eyes. “Pinkie! Not helping!” Lime quiets her, attempting to diffuse the situation. “Trixie, I know it sounds like crazy talk, but there is a reason why I'm doing this!” I take a deep breath to regain my senses. I should humor him. “Fine, Trixie is listening.” “You see, it turns out that Sunset has a case of amnesi-” Trixie isn't listening. “Are you out of your god damn mind!?” I shout, looking around for support from that idiot Sentry who isn't here. “Wasn't Flash supposed to be here!?” Lemon then answers with an informative. “Yes.” “Then, where is he?” I ask. He looks around, and then replies. “Not here.” “…” “… Ha?” “Trixie is going to pinch you.” “Don't pinch me br-ouch! Dammit, that hurt!” I simply walk away. This idiot has no tact whatsoever! Ignoring his calls, I make it to the front of the school, where I notice, and recognize Flash, back against the wall, much like one of the many stereotypical teenage archetypes that never seem to die. But enough of that, I'm sure he can vouch for my opinion. … Or he would have if he hadn't just walked away. “Flash! You get back here! Trixie has to talk to you!” I call to him, but he just ignores it and continues on. “What is wrong with everyone today! Ugh!” Whatever, I'm going to the library. Maybe the books will make more sense than my so-called friends! As I head there, I suddenly take notice of a girl talking to this older man by the principal's office. The man himself isn't anyone familiar in the slightest, but the girl… of course, that hair is a very apparent telltale sign of who it is. Though, the short hair catches me by surprise. Yes, that is Sunset Shimmer in the flesh. This is my chance! I should head over there and give her a piece of my mind! Of course! I would tell her of her truths, and she wouldn't make me fall under her control, because her words have zero effect on me! Then, she would get a piece of the Great, and Powerful Triii- “S-sorry? Can I help you?” “What?” I exclaim out loud, realizing the unforeseen close distance that now separates both Shimmer and I. “Sorry! I was wondering if something was wrong, you just suddenly came up to me, and, well…” she babbles on weakly. “No! The Great, and Powerful Trixie does not require your help, Shimmer!” I exclaim loudly to assert my dominance over the conversation. Shimmer looks surprised, and actually smiles as she says. “Wait, you know my name? Oh my goodness, then maybe you can help me, Ms. Trixie!” “WHO TOLD YOU MY NAme…” I am unable to halt my words in time, and I cringe intensely as I realize the question that I just asked. Oh my god… “W-what do you want?” I mutter in defeat. She appears taken aback, but that is only little retribution to what I'm still feeling right now. Shimmer fidgets in place, visibly struggling to let the words out. “Well, I was wondering if you could help me find a person.” “Help you?” Hmm… help you. “Of course! Trixie's magnificent sense of direction and memory will not only attempt, but commit to help you, Shimmer!” She abruptly grabs my hands, and says. “Thank you! I'm looking for my friend Lemon Lime. Do you know of him?” “I…” I pull my hands away slowly, feeling bile building up in my throat. “Er, Trixie does, and being as great as I am, I will take you there for no charge!” “You charge to help find other students?” “Let us go! So Trixie finds Lemon for you,” … yeah, that isn't gonna happen. This act of hers is pretty convincing, but there is no way Shimmer could just suffer such convenient amnesia! And even if by any small iota of a chance she did, I will make sure she remembers who I am. We walk through the halls, empty as they are, they help combat the uneasiness brought about by walking alongside Shimmer. Whatever her condition is, it doesn't change the fact that she was a rat before. Caution is advisable. “Huh?” she suddenly hums, taking a detour towards the school's trophy case, where her eyes gaze upon the numerous prizes and pictures that hang there. “Is that me?” “You?” I ask to myself, while staring to check what she means, finding the answer very quickly in the form of a picture frame with a photograph of her singing back in the first grade alongside Flash. The first place plaque shining brightly right besides it after she neglected to take the prize back then. … Or at least that's what I've heard. There is no way Shimmer would just willingly give up anything that bereft her of a shiny number one trophy. “Ms. Trixie? Did I win some sort of contest?” she asks. I give the picture another look, which in turn brings back a memory from back then. “Yes, that's you back in first grade, but Trixie wasn't a student here then to know more,” I explain quickly, turning my face away in disgust. “Weren't you looking for someone?” “Right, sorry!” I hear her apologize. Dammit. “Whatever,” I sigh annoyed. From the way she is responding, it appears that she is really as clueless as Lime said. Maybe… No! That won't change a thing. Not one. The destination already set in stone, I walk. Shimmer clumsily follows behind as she tries to keep up with me, while at the same time, avoiding to get too close to me. Seems she already noticed my attitude. Good. “The gym…? Um, Lemon didn't seem the sporty type,” Shimmer correctly questions as we arrive. “Indeed,” I answer as she watches me reach the handle and push the door open. I peer inside, and stare at an empty gym. Good, it appears that luck is on my side. “Come.” “O-okay,” Shimmer gingerly does as she is told, still very naively, I might add. “See that stage over there?” She quickly turns to look at it, and her pupils dilate as she realizes what she is looking at. “I-it's that the stage that was in the picture? The one I was on?” “The very same,” I exclaim, watching her run up on top, and her eyes widening with awe as she stares over the empty area. “If only,” she whispers, frowning as she takes seat on the edge. “Stupid brain! It's not triggering anything!” “Trixie understands,” I climb the stage, taking the spot she had just stood on seconds before. She jumps down and backs up, curiously glancing up towards me. “Are you going to perform a trick, Ms. Trixie?” “No,” I state flatly. “I'm simply going to reenact a certain event,” I note as I close my eyes, and let my mind wonder to that day nearly a year ago. “What event is that?” Shimmer incorrectly asks. “The one in which you nearly ruined my future, that's what,” I growl. I nearly grin when her face fills up with realization as to what I mean. “W-what? But, I didn't really do that, did I?” “It happened last year. it was talent contest time. Of course, being a freshman, Trixie was a nervous wreck, so I was allowed to have a practice run,” I commence, grabbing my hat. “The first thing on the list was to pull off the simplest trick in the repertoire to get the audience into what I was capable of doing by pulling a rabbit out of my hat,” I continue, pulling out a rope instead. “Of course, Trixie doesn't have the rabbit on her at this moment… or the hat used in that contest.” Seemingly confused, Shimmer is slowly shaking her head. “But I don't get it, what exactly does this have to do with me?” “Then,” I carry on, ignoring her question. “As it turns out, there was no rabbit in Trixie's hat, no," I tell her, showing her the hat. "No, instead, what happened next was my old hat, catching on fire." Shimmer now stares silently, she knows where I'm going with this. “I quickly tossed the hat to the floor… right where you are standing now, actually,” I point, making her back up from the spot. “And then —coincidentally enough — you came up with fire hydrant in hand, ready to put out that fire before it spread. At this point, Shimmer can't hide her discomfort while she struggles to say. “S-so I helped you then, r-right?” Clearing my throat, I say. “Oh, looks like someone isn't even cut out to be a cheap parlor trick. How about you just get off the stage and out of the competition and just avoid me the trouble, 'Trixie',” I mimic, easily recollecting the words said back then. “Trixie figures you can guess who uttered the words, can't you? It's just exactly the person you are." “I am? Who I am…” Shimmer whispers, covering her ears as if trying to block out the words. “But why!?” “Are you truly asking why?” I return the question amused. “Simply, it's because you were a terrible person, and guess what?” I ask, jumping back down and running up to her. “'Forgetting' doesn't change who you truly are!” At this moment, Shimmer is hiding her face behind her hands, shaking uncontrollably. “Why…?” she asks again, uncovering her face, showing me a slow stream of tears that run down her cheeks. But why what? What the heck does she mean? She shouldn't be crying, this was her fault! “But why!?” she asks again, much louder, and looking up back to the stage, softly adding. “Why can't I ever remember the terrible things that I did?” The anger in me seems to pipe down, as the wording of her sentence makes something very clear. “You already knew, didn't you?” Shimmer responds with a slow nod, and adds. “Lemon told me about it… he told me that I wasn't a good person before, but, I never imagined that I was so terrible! Just from this I sound awful… I mean, what else did I do!?” I'm watching her break apart in front of me, letting herself fall to her knees as she takes in what she learned. She is not bawling, but I can see what the effect of learning what she did to me is doing to her. Something that I had been wanting to see for a long time. It's poetic justice. And yet, even as I stand here, finally watching the girl who nearly ruined me get a taste of her own medicine… “Shimmer!” I say loudly, surprising her out of her fit, and forcing her to blankly stare back at me. “Look, I, er, Trixie may have to reconsider her stance.” “H-huh? What do you mean?” she asks in a throaty voice, shaking as spasms of her previous tearing remain. “Trixie went too far, I'm sorry!” darn it, this is far more difficult to say than I expected it to be. “So please, just stop already.” Shimmer shakes her head, looking confused. “But why? I-I mean, what you said, and th- eep!” She says nothing, simply letting my hands join behind her back. We sit on that floor silently for what feels like hours, and my mind wonders as to what her thought process is, what she could be thinking. Lemon could have been right, or maybe I fell into her trap like he did? Well, whatever that is, there is something that's perfectly clear; I cannot stoop to her level. ~~~~~ Minutes pass, and she has since calmed down enough to speak clearly again. “Do you really mean that? Are you sure you can just forgive me for what I did?” “Quiet,” I shut her up, feeling suddenly irritated once again. “Trixie said her piece, and is willing to give you a chance at friendship! Just keep in mind that there will be others with events along the weight of my own, so be prepared to deal with it.” “R-right…” she nods with a tiny smile. “Thank you, Ms. Trixie.” “And just 'Trixie' is fine!” ugh, she reminds me of that Fluttershy girl. *thud* “What the…?” the sound was very brief, but that definitely came from the gym's entrance… I wonder. “Hmm, it's not very nice to spy on two lone girls, don't you know?” A long sigh reaches my ears, and Flash Sentry reveals himself. “Crap, was I too obvious?” I shake my head. “No, Trixie simply guessed,” I explain honestly. It's surprising how often that trick works. “Right,” he mumbles just as he reaches us. His attempts on trying to keep his focus on me instead of Shimmer being the most obvious thing I've ever seen. And Shimmer is staring at him with a very intrigued look of her own. "Flash?" well, perhaps her murmuring is more of an obvious telltale sign of that. I think I have a plan. “Well, Trixie was not able to find Lemon Lime, so figures that the task has to fall to you, Flash Sentry. Count this as payback for ignoring me earlier.” “What!?” they ask in stereo, but I no longer care, and I simply walk out the door and say nothing more. Those two have some issues to resolve anyway. And as return to my original library plan, I think of what transpired. It's apparent that Sunset Shimmer doesn't seem to recollect anything from her past, so it wouldn't be fair of me to treat her like the old Shimmer. “But…” I'm sure that it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out on her, just in case. “Trixie!” I call again, hoping that she'll come back, but the thunderous echoes of the door slamming shut reaches my ears, telling me that isn't happening. She is gone. Now all I can do now is stand in place, gulping. Having the vaguest hopes that she isn't looking in my general direction, suddenly going... “Um, excuse me?” “Aaah, she is!” “Sorry?” “Er, I mean…” did I say that out loud!? It's okay, it's only uphill from here! “Yes?” “Why were you following us?” she asks... slowly tripping. “W-well, you see, I wanted to talk to Trixie, and well, I saw you two come here, and then, well… I'm sorry!” I apologize. That's literally all I can do at this point. “N-no! I didn't mean anything by it, I just… I'm Sunset Shimmer, n-nice to meet you.” she greets me, stretching her arm carefully, looking as nervous as I am. “I hope we can be good friends!” I falter in my response as that moment back at the infirmary all those years ago comes to mind, but I thankfully manage to recover fast enough to reply. “Flash Sentry!” Sunset actually giggles which really helps lighten up the mood after that whole ordeal… I'll probably need to talk to Trixie about that later. “Hmm...” she hums to herself, looking at me curiously. “Y-yes?” I ask carefully. She could be thinking up literally anything. But this turns out false when she shakes her head and says. “No, it's nothing, sorry.” “Right!” that was too much to hope for, I guess. “Well, I'll help you find Lemon. It shouldn't be hard to do it,” I quickly jolt down a text and send it to Lemon, one that he is fast to respond to, given the near instantaneous buzzing of my phone. 'Wait, wat!??? Im on the lunch, i'll be waiting here with pinkie.' Expected response noted, I return my phone to the darkness of my pocket, and to inform Sunset. “Well, he is waiting in the lunch room, are you ready to go meet him?” “Of course! Thank you so much!” she thanks me, sending my heart aflutter, and into near shock. Oh boy, this isn't going to be pretty... Anyway! We set off to the cafeteria where Lemon waits. Just the two of us. Alone, except for Sunset who is with me… What? Nervous? N-not at all! “Mr. Flash?” “SUNSET! Er, I mean, yes?” totally not losing it, dude… “I mean, please, just call me Flash, it's weird to be called mister by someone who is probably around my age,” I explain, since to be fair, she never called me that before the event… that sounds much more cryptic when it's really not. “Right! And well, you see, I-” she stops partway through her sentence, shaking her head. “No, it's nothing. Never mind.” “Ah, okay,” that was weird, if not a little bit suspicious. Wonder what she is thinking about… maybe she is wondering who I am, maybe she is thinking I'm cute and she will profess her love to me, which will then turn into a friendly relationship that will lead to us becoming a couple again, and we can return to how we were back then, yes! And the-. “Flash?” she calls me again, cutting my thoughts short… … And that's a good thing. “Yes? Did you remember what you wanted to say?” Closing her eyes, and taking a deep breath, she says. “Tell me, do we know each other? Have we met beforehand?” “Excuse me?” I ask to halt for time and think. Are her memories returning from just hanging out with me this short time? “W-what do you mean?” I ask to make sure. She scratches her cheek, looking away bashfully. “W-well, I was wondering if you knew me, that's all. I mean, I figure you know about me if you know Lemon.” “Ah,” this brings back what I spied from the meeting Lemon had called earlier today. I couldn't believe what he had told Trixie! I mean, how could Sunset change? But after watching her just for a bit, I saw the difference. She really isn't the Shimmer the school has come to know. “Is something wrong?” she asks, bringing me back down to earth. “N-not at all!” “You must think I'm terrible, don't you?” “Huh?” being lost to the question is an understatement. “No! Why would you think that?” She shrugs. “Um, well, you've been acting weird when talking to me! And I thought that I had done something wrong! And I mean, if I did, I didn't meant to!” “What? No!” crap! Okay, that might have been my bad. “You see, I was acting weird because this is, um, how I act with people I haven't really met! Yes! I don't dislike you, I actually like you!” great, why don't you just propose your undying love to her now, idiot! “So we haven't met then…” comment aside, she seems to smile regardless, looking relieved. "T-thank you, I'm glad you don't think I'm some weirdo!” I try to ignore her increasingly glowing smile, trying to think of something to ask her. Anything to get off this topic! “I, er, Sunset? I know this might be weird, but I do recall having seen you around school with a leather jacket… any idea where that went?” OH NO, WHY DID YOU ASK THAT!? “Jacket?” she notes her clothes, taking a good look at herself and shaking her head. “Sorry? I may have, but given the circumstances, I probably lost it in the fire, or maybe it's in storage at the moment with the rest of the stuff that survived… Why?” … Mom is going to kill me. “No reason at all! I mean, it was just strange to see you without it, is all, ha ha…” And now she seems confused, laughing awkwardly after my stupid question. “I see, um, well, I hope that my fashion state doesn't affect us being friends, huh? Well, at least it doesn't affect your sense of direction, I think we are here!" “We are?” I look at her finger pointing towards the cafeteria entrance, noticing the other students trudging inside, lazily dragging themselves to eat lunch, dreading the hours of the dungeon they are forced to attend. Funny, I'm feeling something similar right now. “There he is!” Shimmer literally points out. “Oh,” directing my line of sight to where she aims at, I do see Lemon, who sits looking about as annoyed as he usually tends to be. “Come on!” Sunset says, tugging at my jacket. “You need some breakfast too, right?” “You want me to go?” I ask surprised. "You are being more friendly to me than I thought," I state directly. She wasn't being this nice to Trixie... though to be fair, it WAS Trixie. “Yeah… I mean, I know I'm going to sound weird, but I don't feel nervous around you,” she stares right to my eyes, that look I saw before! The one which she had before… … Before. “Flash? What's wrong?” “Sorry, I, um, just remembered I have something to do right now. Hope you understand.” She appears disappointed with my response, but she nods, and gives me a tiny smile. “Of course, I wouldn't want to trouble you any further. Thank you for helping me!” And just like that I watch her head to the lunch room, waiting until she reaches the table with Lemon and Pinkie before walking off. “Damn it!” I can't help but curse audibly. Being close to me is clearly starting to affect Sunset, maybe even bringing her memories back. But, what if the memories that return aren't just the ones I hold dear? If staying away can help keep her being the new transfer student I met before, I think I can do just that. Just do it for her, Flash.