//------------------------------//
// Where You Come From 
// Story: Tell Me Baby 
// by Gpizano 
//------------------------------//

	"... really? You got all the way out here to Canterlot City in that?"

"Hey, I could be asking you what's up with this situation too. I know the dirty, worn in look is considered "in" but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't step out in the same torn up clothes from yesterday."

After being rescued and then escorted last night, Sunset Shimmer had to think fast on her feet. When she came over from Equestria it had been on impulse, she didn't have anything of value on her except the clothes she'd magically attained and the magic book she had on her person from her time as Celestia's that had served as a link to Princess Twilight. This basically meant she'd had to move around from place to place, working within systems to gain food, extorting people for cash when she was bad, and crashing at Canterlot High's library more often than once when there were no other options available. For some reason she hadn't wanted Jackie to see how she lived, how she was basically homeless... maybe it was ego? That would make the most sense given her past actions. Or maybe it was because Jackie would try to get her to go with her back to Treehugger's and the last thing she wanted at that moment was to see someone from the school.

No... she didn't want Jackie running around for her anymore or seeing what was going on. Or drag her along when she had to sneak into the school after hours to get her bag from her lock. Or break down again as she left one last final note to her "friends" taped to her locker.

So she had simply stopped at an apartment building, slipped inside, and waited for Jackie to hurry off to finish her errand, probably pack, and get out of the cold. Then slipped away to get everything ready...

Although now admittedly, she was feeling apprehensive about the trip. No, she wasn't having second thoughts about riding with a near total stranger. Rather she was more worried they wouldn't be able to make it to Los Pegasus since it looked like their mode of transportation looked old and unreliable!

"Seriously Jackie, what model is this? I've never seen anything like it."

As she approached the car (a 1990 Honda Civic if she'd paid attention to when Flash or his friends talked about cars), she reached out and scratched some of the chipping black paint on the passenger's side door, revealing more of the silver metal underneath. Or at least whatever silver wasn't covered by splotches of rust. That wasn't even counting the bangs and dings and the over all dusty feeling the car had. 

"Hey now, I got this car as a birthday present when I was sixteen, I know the person that fixed it up and they did a damn good job. This thing is gonna run until the end of time! Now put your stuff in the back, hop in and let's get going. And let me give you a jacket or something, you gotta' be freezing in that!"

"Oh come on, you were out running around in a t-shirt last night, what makes you think I'm not fine?"

Opening up the back passenger door, she tossed her pack inside before noticing that Jackie was heading back around to the trunk and opening it up. 

"Yeah, I ran out because I thought it'd be a quick trip down the block to the liquor store. I was freezing my ass off!"

Admittedly Sunset Shimmer had thought she'd caught Jackie shivering in the winter weather last evening but when the blue haired woman hadn't brought attention to it, she hadn't thought to bring it up. After all, she didn't exactly have the best clothes for winter either so what could she have done?

The red head's hand moved up to catch the article of clothing tossed to her and upon examination she saw that it was a black, zip up hoodie with a rather odd piece of art on the back. It was a red outline of a woman but with devil horns and a long tail, with four words next to her in white.

"Blood. Sugar. Sex.... Magic spelled with a K?"

"Not a typo. If you never heard of that album, understandable. I know most people these days only peruse the greatest hits album or they're checking out the latest album release. Now c'mon and let's get going. Winter in Los Pegasus is a lot better out here. Cold yeah but you don't have to worry about freezing to death."

Raising a brow at that statement, Sunset Shimmer's gaze lingered on the hoodie a moment longer before she finally took off her torn leather jacket and tossed it inside. Surprisingly, the hoodie was a lot warmer than she thought it would of been. It seemed like a thin thing but the material was good and protecting her from the winter chill. 

"I get the feeling you're exaggerating. Cold is deadly no matter what."

Slipping into the passenger's seat, she closed the door behind her with only the slightest of grimaces at the loud squeak it made. The inside seemed a bit better at least, with only a couple holes in the seat covers, some fast food trash in the back, and it was less dusty than the outside. 

"Yeah, yeah. Either way, you're packed, I'm packed, the heater in the car is working. Let's ride!"

With a shift of the stick the car pulled away from the sidewalk and drove down the street, neither saying anything for awhile as Jackie navigated her way to the the nearest freeway on ramp that would take them west. With it being so close to the holidays the traffic was moderately bad but at a level that Sunset Shimmer could stand, especially since the city slowly faded away into suburbs and eventually the suburbs too faded away until it was just snow covered countryside for as far as the eye could see.

"So... how long do you think it's gonna take for us to reach Los Pegasus?"

Glancing to Jackie out of the corner of her eye, she saw the blue haired woman give a shrug, something that made Sunset think she'd be seeing that a lot from her traveling companion.

"I don't got an exact number, especially since it depends on how much we stop and for how long. But if we're talking me driving late into the night or, assuming you have a license, we switch off, then I'd say we could reach it by the same time tomorrow morning. If not, I'd say give it about tomorrow evening. We'll be there in time for Christmas and all that jazz."

"I don't have a license to drive a car, sorry..."

"No worries."

After that there was a silence that stretched on for a time. Sunset wasn't sure how long since the clock in the car was busted but it felt longer than a few minutes. With how quick everything that had happened, they really didn't know much about each other... so why not start with the basics?

"So... you're not still in high school, are you? Otherwise I'm sure you're skipping classes for this road trip."

"Nah, I graduated about a year ago. Like, I didn't graduate this last summer but the one before that, I'm nineteen now."

"Oh. So holidays off from your job?"

"Psh, call it a long holiday. I got fired after I lipped off to the manager. I mean, have you ever worked retail in a toy store? Some lady tries to assault me because I'm the one to tell her the toy her kid wants is out of stock, I push her off me and she's crying about how I'm the one who started it by putting my hands on her. I swear, the holidays drive people fucking crazy..."

Once that small rant was over, Jackie gave a small sigh and rubbed her forehead.

"Sorry about that. But yeah, I got laid off. I got some cash saved up to keep me floating and I know I can call in some favors. But I figured it could wait until after the holidays and I hadn't seen Treehugger since she moved out to Canterlot City with her folks. I mean yeah we keep in touch with e-mail and all that but I remember it was fun hanging out with her, real mellow like. Course I forgot she can be a little out there but hey."

Another shrug of the shoulders and a wave of the hand in a sign that read 'whatever, right?' 

"I'm sorry to hear that. And you don't have to apologize, I unloaded on you yesterday so fair is fair right?"

"Yeah. And don't be sorry about me losing my job. It was a drag and I was planning on chucking it in the future anyway. I plan on making it big in my band.... or at the very least finally having some people respond to my fliers for free guitar lessons and making some cash."

"Really? That could only be more cliche if you were a high school drop out as well."

"Hey, cliches and stereo-types come from somewhere right? Besides, if I was a guy with a better car, you'd be all over me right now."

"Yeahhhh, been there, done that, no thanks."

With a small smile and a roll of her eyes, Sunset Shimmer crossed her arms and leaned back in the car seat, feeling more relaxed and at ease than she had in weeks.

"Awww, disappointing." 

Jackie retorted, a grin on her face as well as she moved over to get on another on ramp, heading in the direction of Los Pegasus. Aside from the long drive, they would have to pass over the White Tail river and make it through the mountains. Or around if the mountain pass was shut, they'd have to wait and see which one it would be. 

There would be more playful banter and getting to know one another along the way. Sunset Shimmer told of her time in the human world (leaving out the facts that she was actually from a pony dimension and homeless of course), the highs, the lows, some of the bad things she did and she even talked about her ex friends. Jackie wasn't keen on talking about them without adding how they were morons every now and then, but the guitarist had to admit they sounded nice otherwise.

In turn, the red head learned that Jackie lived in Los Pegasus all her life, being basically a good kid and then something of a troublemaker when she got older. Sneaking the car without telling her parents, going to parties with her friends either in the city itself or out to bonfire parties in the San Palomino desert. She found her passion for playing guitar when she was about thirteen and hadn't stopped playing since, working to get a band going and getting songs. Sunset was actually surprised that the other had managed to pass high school and get her degree but Jackie waved off that marvel by simply commenting on Los Pegasus's 'crappy school system'. Granted Sunset Shimmer always thought she was pretty book smart and that made her classes easier but now she wondered really if it was possible to fail unless someone went out of their way to do so.

Outside of grabbing snacks at a gas station when they needed to fill up, they didn't stop until it was well into the night and they were in a town past the river, halfway through their journey. Jackie got them a cheap enough room at the downside of the room only having one bed. As nice as it was for the blue haired woman to offer sleeping on the floor or in the tub, Sunset Shimmer hardly thought it fair the driver would have an uncomfortable sleep. So it was decided they would share but Sunset Shimmer could pick whether they got something from the old diner next door or the greasy gyro/taco shop across the street.





"You know, I'm sure they had salads at that diner."

A plastic fork picked at what had been called a carne asada gyro, but it looked more like a soggy mess with mystery sauce, veggies, and some tough to chew bits that Jackie guessed was the carne asada. At the very least it was edible and Jackie had eaten worse things, but that still didn't stop her from pouting as she took another bite.

"Oh come on, at least it was cheap."

"For good reason. Sunshine I've gambled at the table of cheap plenty of times that I can figure out the 'why' when something is cheap."

"Well if you didn't like it-.... Sunshine?"

Seeing the surprise and confused look on the red head's face, Jackie grinned and nodded.

"Yeah, wanted to give you a nickname. Sunny seems cliche and like you're some kind of mobster or something. So Sunshine, cause you've got a bright, pretty smile when you show it."

"Er... thanks?" 

Unsure of how to respond to such a compliment Sunset instead took another bite of her Greek salad before returning her gaze to the TV. There wasn't much they could get outside of a couple of channels but at least on one they had some sort of crime drama going on. Not her usual watch but Sunset found some entertainment in it at least. Jackie would quickly eat her meal, wanting more to get it over with than to be in a rush before she rolled off her side of the bed and unzipped her duffle bag. 

"I managed to get my laundry done at Treehugger's before today, I got a clean shirt and a pair of shorts if you like." 

Tossing a beat up looking concert t-shirt and a pair of cotton shirts onto the bed, Jackie took another pair of the same clothes along with her toothbrush and toothpaste before heading into the bathroom to get ready for bed. Once she was out, she'd unceremoniously flop down on her side of the bed. 

"If you need it, you can use my toothpaste. Not my toothbrush though, you use my toothbrush and it's on like donkey kong."

"Ugh, yeah that's not a problem."

Wrinkling her nose at the thought, the high school student took her turn in the bathroom before returning to lie down, guessing that Jackie would try to catch some shut eye since the lights and TV were off. 

"Night Sunshine."

"... night Jackie."

Rolling over with her back to the guitar player, Sunset stared at the far wall for awhile before closing her eyes and falling asleep. Despite the small amount of room, this was way more comfortable than a bed of books back at the library!





The next morning, just as Jackie and Sunset Shimmer were waking up and preparing to finish the last league of their journey to Los Pegasus, students were arriving for morning's first class at Canterlot High School. Many were still disgruntled and angry, especially after seeing the fresh wave of Anon-A-Miss posts. There were some on the look out for Sunset Shimmer to give her a piece of their mind... but no one had seen her. 

All day there was no sign of her for any of her classes or around the campus, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Sunset Shimmer's former friends. While many had wrote it off as her simply skipping for the day, there was one that had grown worried. 

"Um... shouldn't we be worried? I mean... I know what she did of course... but... I heard she was so upset yesterday and everyone ganged up on her again..."

"Ugh, will you drop it Fluttershy?"

The two friends were walking down the hallway, intending to head to their lockers and meet up with their friends again. Rainbow Dash, the athletic, rainbow haired girl was looking less than her usual awesome self, unhappy and over all just drained from hearing about Anon-A-Miss and her secrets being shared. Her friend Fluttershy, a timid girl with long pink hair and a lover of animals, shrunk back slightly at the look Rainbow Dash gave her, knowing it was one of those 'don't wimp out on me now' looks. Of course Fluttershy knew her friend wasn't being mean, just trying to make sure she didn't make a mistake on the matter.

"I mean come on. Yeah what she said was heart felt... but accusing Scootaloo of being Anon-A-Miss? Of Rarity and Applejack's sisters of being in on it too? That's..." 

Stopping short, Rainbow Dash just sighed, not even finding the energy to vent or work up her anger.

"Scootaloo looks up to me. She's like a little sister to me in everything but blood. Why in hell would she hurt me? Yeah I don't want to believe Sunset Shimmer is behind this but it makes a hell of a lot more sense than saying Scootaloo or the other two did it."

In face of this argument, Fluttershy couldn't help but give a hesitant nod. It was like being stuck between a rock and a hard place, both options seemed impossible to believe... but one did seem more so than the other.

"Excuuuuuuuse me!"

"Eep! Oh! Hello Mister Discord!"

Without either girl realizing it, the school janitor had snuck up on them. He was an odd, older gentleman, red eyes with one bigger than the other, a goatee and white, wild hair, and over all it seemed as if his body had been stretched out he was so tall and lanky. He had a broom in hand, suggesting he was off to get started on some work but he also had a piece of paper in hand.

"Hellooooo Fluttershy! I found this before school started this morning, addressed to you and your friends! Sorry it didn't get to you sooner!"

After handing it over and with a tip of his cap, the man ambled down the hallway whistling a merry tune as Fluttershy opened the letter.

"Ugh... you gotta' watch out for weird old guys like that 'Shy. I know you're nice and all but-... Fluttershy?"

Noticing the timid girl's hands shaking slightly, Rainbow Dash looked up to see a shocked and sad expression on her face. 

"... 'Shy?"

".... Sunset Shimmer's gone."

While Rainbow Dash looked on, stunned and Fluttershy looking as if she were working herself up over the news, there was another who had heard the news, hidden in a nearby empty classroom with the door cracked open. A girl with pink and purple hair and a stylish dress her older sister had made just for her for the holidays...