//------------------------------// // CH17: Past to Present // Story: Sunset Helpers // by Spirit Shift //------------------------------// Sighing, Sunset leaned back against the rigid, but thankfully cushy, seat of the local bus as she and the others silently passed the time until they reached their destination. “So you guys really are dead set on visiting my boss huh?” From the seat next to her, Applejack reached over and gently nudged. “Oh stop yer belly achin’; we just wanna know more about you is all. Plus, from the way you made ‘em sound ah don’t think meetin’ yer friends will put a damper on your employment.” “Plus,” added Pinkie, poking her head up over the seat in front of Sunset, “I was pretty sure I knew everyone in this part of town, but I’ve never heard of anyone who lives where you said.” Rainbow Dash, who was sitting directly next to her, mimicked Pinkie. “That aside, I really wanna hear more about this secret stash of cash you got,” she said, a sly grin adorning her cheeks. Sunset fidgeted a little when everyone’s ears piqued in interest. Fluttershy and Rarity, who were sitting across the aisle from her, angled their heads towards her while Coco, who was sitting behind her, also leaned forwards to look at Sunset over her seat. Fluttershy, seeing her discomfort, offered a helping hand across the aisle. “You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to… especially if it’s something… you had to do,” she finished, shying down behind her seat. Sunset gave her an odd look, Fluttershy’s insinuation clearly flying right over Sunset’s head. “W-well no. It’s just, to tell you that story, I have to get a little bit into the situation I was ‘escaping’ before I found myself in this world.” Rarity glanced upwards and put a hand to her chin. “If I recall what you told us, you had an arguement with your teacher and stormed through the first exit you saw.” Sunset nodded meekly. Lowering her head she recalled the time just before becoming who she was now. “That’s the simplified version. You know how Twilight is a pony princess right?” Everyone nodded and Sunset lowered her head and closed her eyes. In her mind she began to recall her pony form standing next to Celestia. She envisioned herself with a wide grin and her head held high and Celestia with a contented smile. Surrounding them were books upon books. Thousands of books gently floating around them, showcasing spells and magical practices of all kinds that were at her hoof tips. Sunset continued in a soft tone. “I was in a similar position as her but I wasn’t quite princess material. I was close, but I was selfish and arrogant. Celestia, of course, saw that before I ever did and denied my every demand to move up in my studies.” In Sunset’s mind, the vision blurred to an image of her and Celestia walking down a pathway that slowly grew wider and, further down the road, separated entirely. While Celestia’s face remained clouded and unreadable, Sunset’s once proud grin was now a grimace, a scowl of frustration with her eyebrows furrowed in anger. “I became upset and insistent. I didn’t even realize that the Princess had become increasingly distant. She spent less time teaching me personally and instead assigned me independant lessons.” Sunset gave a remorseful smile as, in her mind, Celesta’s face unclouded, revealing teary eyes and a small sad frown. “I guess in hindsight she had already realized that she had failed as a teacher.” The memory changed once more to Sunset once again surrounded by books. However, this time the books were covered in shadow. Hundreds of books were flying around her in tornado-like winds. “Eventually, I got fed up and started researching more powerful spells on my own. I figured that I deserved my wings and that becoming stronger would ensure that everyone knew it. Of course, the Princess caught me. We did have an arguement, and I was denounced as her student and ordered to leave the castle.” The next few images montaged in her mind. Her argument with her mentor, her disownment, the guards escorting her out, her inner turmoil during the walk out, and finally... Pony Sunset glanced to the side. “Deciding that I wouldn’t let it end this way, I saw the enchanted mirror that the Princess and I had talked about and I made a snap decision.” With a twist of her head, Sunset aimed her horn to the lower part of the nearest guard’s neck and let out an electric shock, knocking him out. Before the other guard could react, Sunset pushed him with her hooves, not enough to tip him over, but just enough to stagger him off balance. With him disoriented, Sunset easily knocked him out the same way. “I over powered the two guards, quickly grabbed a few things and ran into this world.” Complete silence was what filled the otherwise empty bus. Even Coco, who had talked the most with Sunset about her life in Equestria had no idea that her circumstance had been that… serious. Either way, it was all she could do just to reach over her chair and wrap her arms around Sunset, making sure to be extra gentle. Applejack, who was also feeling the heavy atmosphere, reached over and gave Sunset a one-armed hug as well. Rarity, who was sitting too far away to do something similar just gave a small gasp. “Oh my… Sunset. I’m so sorry.” Sunset chuckled a little and turned to her with a melancholy smile. “Why would you be sorry? It’s my fault. Plus, I don’t dwell on it all that much. It happened and I’m a different person now, right?” Even Rainbow, who typically wasn’t all that great with reading the atmosphere in a room, was empathetic for the girl who was obviously reliving some bad memories. Tentatively, she voiced her next question. “Um, that was a… interesting story… but why did you tell it? I just wanted to know how you got your money.” Sunset, letting herself out of Coco’s and AJ’s hugs, shook her head. However, as she opened her mouth, she happened to glance out the window. Putting her answer on hold, she reached up and pressed a button on the ceiling. “Our stop is next. Well, aside from the fact that I felt that you all deserved to know, I also needed to give you context on how I got to that point when I came into my money.” Reaching their stop, everyone followed Sunset out onto the sidewalk as she continued to talk. “I mean if I just told you that before I came to this world I pick-pocketed the guards I knocked out you would’ve asked me why. So I decided to give you the entire story.” Applejack and Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement. With everyone off the bus the group crossed the street and faced each other. Rarity, still having a few more questions, piped up. “I’ve always wondered, but what do magical ponies use for currency?” It was then that all the dots connected in Coco’s mind and she let out an excited gasp and frantically threw her arm into the air. “Oh, oh! Please pick me! I figured it out!” she urged with the starry eyed excitement of a grade schooler. Sunset couldn’t help but smirk, remembering that the two of them covered this topic on one of their conversations. Everyone, especially Pinkie, watched in amusement as Coco’s eagerness only grew. However, when Coco realized that everyone was staring at her her face quickly turned a different shade and she quieted down. Sunset relented and held out her palm to let her answer for her. Smiling widely, Coco took a step forward and turned to the group. “Equestrians use standard Equestrian bits. Small, round coins that are a about the size of a quarter dollar and about two or three times as thick.” “I only got three from the guards though,” Sunset chimed in. Pinkie counted on her fingers and mumbled to herself for a bit. “But even so that’s like… three quarters of a dollar.  Oh, but if they are two or three times as thick, are they two or three times as valuable? That would make them like one and a half dollars or a whole TWO and a quarters dollars!  Wait, that’s not very much either.” Coco shook her head. “I said they were the same size, they aren't the same thing. Equestrian bits are made of pure gold.” There were several gasps that went around the group and a lot of wide eyes. Rarity let her jaw dangle while Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy stared at her in shock. Rainbow Dash brought up her fingers and mumbled to herself in a manner similar to Pinkie. “Screw a dollar… that’s like, thousands of dollars.” Sunset, her smirk now replaced with a sheepish look, nervously corrected her. “About five thousand seven hundred sixty-five dollars and forty-one cents to be exact. I only had three.” While the others were still dumbstruck, Sunset looked up at the sky and nervously crossed her arm as she continued her story. “I found out how much they were worth when I found out that no store would take my bits because they couldn’t afford the change. I didn’t know how long I would be here and how much everything would cost so I was super conservative. I think between then and now, I’ve probably only spent a fraction of it, and that’s not factoring in any money I made from some of my other… temporary side jobs. Nowadays with the job I have now… and my new living conditions. I put it in a savings account and haven't touched it at all.” “You know,” began Rarity as she slowly sauntered over to Sunset. “I could oh so use some investment money to purchase this brand new shiny silk roll for my creations,” she said, pressing herself up against Sunset. “I’ll pay you back of course,” she quickly added, fluttering her eyebrows suggestively. Pinkie, immediately raised her hand. “I want a brand new trampoline!!” Rainbow immediately followed suit. “I need a new g—” However, before she could finish, Applejack rounded in front of the two of them with a dangerous look in her eye. Pinkie and Rainbow immediately shut their mouths as their eyes shrank from the sight of her imposing stature. Reaching over, AJ snatched Rarity away from Sunset and brought her over to join the gasping duo. Together, all three of them continued to quiver like children under scrutiny from Applejack’s glare. Slowly moving behind the three, Applejack stood between them and put her arms around all of their necks and, in unison, the three turned around and formed a small huddle, their backs facing Sunset, Coco, and Fluttershy who were watching with both confusion and interest. “Now…” she began, her voice low with a dangerous looking smirk on her face, “I know I didn’t just hear three of mah best friends immediately start begging for money and objects, just after hearing that one of mah other best friends might have a tiny bit of extra cash lying around… did I?” Shaking in her tight grip all three answered immediately and unanimously. “No, ma’am!” “Not a chance!” “No way, jose!” Her grip loosened and she nodded. “That’s good. Cuz iffin I did hear that, ah’d be more than a little bit peeved because if ah recall, she just said it was for a rainy day. So… just for the record, I know you clearly weren't gonna do it, but let’s just say it anyway. What are we not gonna do in the foreseeable future?” Once again, immediately and unanimously “Not ask Sunset Shimmer for money!” they all answered. However, Applejack just shook her head with a devilish grin. “No, come on now, let’s make this one solid. Ah know you’ve been askin’ on the side here an’ there so let’s clear this one up as well. ” She made it a point to glare directly at Rarity who shriveled under her gaze. “With gusto now! From now on and forever more we will…?” “Not ask Sunset Shimmer or Coco Pommel for money!” “And break,” called Applejack. With a proud grin, she turned and walked over to the other three who flinched reflexively. “Glad that’s settled. Sunset, ah’m mighty proud that you told us the honest truth of how you came across your assets. While ah don’t condone how you got it, can’t nothin’ be done. So, either way I’m glad that you’re at least using it responsibly.” Sunset made a mental note to not tell Applejack that a good portion of the money she spent was to fix up Flash Sentry’s car to get him to go out with her… or that she blackmailed him into paying it back with interest after breaking up with her. So instead… she gave a nervous lopsided smirk and a thumbs up. Afterwards, the group continued on to their original goal. Merrily they conversed, as they continued down the sidewalk towards the edge of town and towards the forest surrounding it. As they neared, Rarity began looking around and examining the unfamiliar area. “Interesting, I never knew there was a forest on this side of town,” she muttered. Smirking, Rainbow and Pinkie were also looking around. “We did; some of Pinkie’s summer parties were held in this area. You probably stayed inside with your fancy air conditioning,” Dash teased. Pinkie chuckled as Rarity glared at them. Fluttershy nodded as well. “I did too. I used to come play here all the time when I moved here as a child. We had picnics and I played with the animals. I still come here to release animals that we can’t hold at the pet shop. There’s even a small, old cabin deeper in that I wanted to move into, just like a fairy in a story I read.” Sunset turned back to her and smiled. “Oh, you know about it? Yeah, my employer moved into that house and fixed it up.” Her smile turned a bit more awkward and she looked away as she continued. “She’s a researcher… of sorts.” Fluttershy tilted her head curiously. “Really? I remember that house being really run down and dirty. I was never really allowed to go in either.” Following her further, the group passed the treeline and the subsequent row of trees until they each crossed a rather nice-looking wooden bridge leading to a large ornate cabin. Fluttershy’s eyes went wide at the sight of her childhood dream house having been turned into the exact thing she had imagined it looking like when she first saw it. Rarity was equally surprised, though not for the same reason. She was surprised that it was relatively clean for being this far out, free of any vines, overgrown grass or even any weeds. Applejack nodded, a wide grin on her face. She, more than anyone, could appreciate a restored home and the effort it took. Rainbow’s head angled upwards. It was clearly two stories tall… maybe larger if it had an attic and it was also pretty wide. Clearly they were additions to the original small, two-room cabin, but still, it made the homely mansion about average sized. “It’s almost as big as Fluttershy’s house,” she muttered, her mouth a straight line. Coco, meanwhile was staring at Sunset, who had frozen up as soon as the house had come into view. “Are you alright?” she asked, looking up at her. Sunset gave her a crooked grin. “I’m fine, I just remembered that I haven't seen her in a few months… and that I basically did to her the same thing I ended up doing to the Princess.” Her face fell rapidly, turning into a downcast look. “I... I abandoned someone who trusted me.” Looking down, Coco realized that Sunset’s hands were shaking and clenched. Without hesitation she gripped one of her hands with her own. Sunset turned to see her smiling back up at her. “Well then you can call this one more step to being a better person,” she said cheerily. Sunset, wide-eyed, opened her mouth to respond when she felt someone grip her other hand. Turning she saw Rainbow, who was now glancing away with a small blush. “Y-yeah. Heck, you can use this as practice if you ever want to go back and make up with that Princess of yours,” she cheered, clenching her fist in front of her. Sunset couldn’t help but giggle “Come on, I thought we already did this whole motivational friendship thing,” she said, looking around. She flinched when Applejack came up behind her and ruffled her hair. “And it’ll keep happinin’ if you keep feelin’ bad for yourself. So get a move on.” Afterwards she gently shoved Sunset forwards down the beaten path. With little other choice, and her mood considerably brightened, Sunset made her way to her employer’s doorway. Once there, she reached up her hand and prepared to knock. Making sure her hand was clean, she prepared to knock. Taking a second to appreciate the lovely shine of the clean wooden door, she prepared to knock. Making sure the bottoms of her shoes were clean, she— “Get on with it already!” yelled Pinkie. Sunset knocked three times and took a step back. With barely held back breath she waited for any sign of someone coming close to the door. And there they were, footsteps, gradually coming closer to the door. Slowly the door creaked open. “I’m sorry!” Sunset blurted… to nothing. To her surprise, though the door was open there was nothing on this other side. That was, until she angled her head down to see a familiar red-head looking up at her with a wide-eyed look. “A-Apple Bloom?” she stammered, reeling back in surprise.