Prologue: The Coldest Day
Winter had arrived early to Canterlot that year, everyone was a buzz about the snowstorm that had swept in over-night and covered the town in a thick blanket of snow and ice. The storm had been spotted early enough to have the street cleaning crews prepped, but it still took two days for school and work to re-open.
It was a Friday night, school had been out for several hours and Sunset Shimmer had been spending the evening with her friends. However, when the festivities had started to wind down, Sunset took it upon herself to head home before it got too late. She had an essay due the following Monday and wanted to get it done before the weekend went into full swing so she could be with her friends or help them with their own homework. That was how she found herself driving her motorcycle home that evening.
The snow had started falling again as Sunset pulled into the driveway of her apartment complex. Removing her helmet she locked up her bike and made her way to her door. She was already thinking over the sources she would need to cite for her essay in her mind as she unlocked the door, ready to head inside, warm up, and get some work done.
As her door creaked open, the sound of crunching snow caught her attention. Sunset turned to see where the noise was coming from, only to quickly find a hand covering her mouth as she was forcibly pushed back into her apartment.
Sunset went to scream as she was shoved into her abode, but was stopped by the searing pain that shot through her chest. Her body turned rigid as the sharp object pushed further into her chest, tapping up against her spine as it pushed through. Sunset's body began to shake, tears welling up in her eyes as the most painful sensation she'd ever experience assaulted her mind.
“This isn't personal sweetie,” A pink skinned woman grinned viciously at her, dressed from head to toe in black, a hat placed to conceal her face. She lifted her head to look Sunset in the eyes, cold and violent blue eyes staring back at her, “But I hear you're the little leader of that... Rainbow blast thing that keeps happening. And I can't have you getting in my way.”
The knife was pulled out of Sunset's chest, and Sunset felt all of her energy leave with it. Her legs collapsed from under her weight and her back hit the floor hard. Her mind screamed at her to breathe, but the knife had cut into her esophagus, there was nothing escaping her mouth but blood. The intruder looked down, satisfied with her work, put the knife away into her coat, and walked out the house closing the door behind her.
Sunset couldn't feel anything anymore. Blood was draining from her body so fast, she wasn't going to stay conscious for much longer. She tried to move her hand, maybe reach her pocket for her phone or to cover her wound, but there was no energy to move anything. Her mind stared at the ceiling as the edges of her world began to grow dark.
This was how she died? Stabbed by a woman she had never met, because she had embraced the magic of friendship? No... No she didn't want this. She didn't want to die. There was still so much for her to do, for her to learn. She still needed to figure out how magic worked in this world, she still needed to be there for her friends.
She never got a chance to apologize to Princess Celestia.
The world grew darker, and the cold began to consume her. She was fading away, Sunset Shimmer would no longer be part of this world.
...No...
...No she wasn't going to die here...
She refused to let that happen.