The Other Sunset Shimmer

by Jerec the Ascendant

Errands

A week had gone by since Sunset and Sylri formed the friendship, and the two had gotten to know each other fairly well. Though over a thousand years old, it seemed as though Sylri had never fully matured mentally, and the two got along as though they were the same age.

This didn’t mean that Sylri was too young to teach Sunset, however. Sunset was delighted to learn that sprite magic was very similar to unicorn magic, and that spells from one could be used in the other - like translating words to a different language. Because of Sylri’s excellent grasp of the both magics, Celestia appointed her Sunset’s substitute teacher while the Princess worked on an important task. She taught Sylri how to send and receive letters, in order to delegate assignments and to keep her updated on Sunset’s progress.

Sunset was gazing out her bedroom window when she saw a flash of light. She turned to see the sprite covered in a glittering green dust, and holding a scroll.

“What’s it say?” she asked.

Sylri opened the scroll and scanned it, her mouth slowly dropping open. When she finished, she glanced at Sunset.

“Oh...just another assignment,” she said, smiling weakly.

---

The train car went dark as the Friendship Express chugged through another tunnel. Sunset sat in a window seat, Sylri on her lap. The train lit up again, and Sunset’s mane tickled the sprite as she turned to watch the scenery go by.

"So, we're going to Ponyville to judge if it’s fit for the Summer Sun Celebration?"

“Mhm!” Sylri hummed. She started braiding Sunset’s mane - the part she could reach.

“What’s Ponyville?”

“It’s a quaint hamlet outside the Everfree Forest. We should get there before dinner.”

“What about the Summer Sun Celebration?”

Sylri stopped braiding. “You know what? I’m not sure what it is. Just another pony festival, I guess.”

“I’m sure I was taught about it when I first arrived here,” Sunset mumbled, her muzzle resting on her hoof. “I had too much on my mind then to really pay attention.”

Sylri smiled and went back to Sunset’s mane. “Well, why don’t we do some research on it when we donate that book to the Ponyville library?”

Sunset down at the sprite. “Only if you don’t eat anypony when we get there,” she said with a laugh.

Sylri crossed her arms and blew Sunset a raspberry. “I won’t make any promises!”

---

Princess Celestia had advised that Sunset inspect Ponyville in disguise, and so, when the train pulled into the Ponyville station, instead of Sunset Shimmer, Panorama Slide trotted onto the platform. Panorama had turquoise and light blue where Sunset had red and orange, which she thought matched better with her eyes, which hid behind thick black glasses. Her mane was tied up in a loose bun, and instead of a fiery sun, her cutie mark depicted a large camera. Celestia had given her a matching camera, in order to take pictures around the town.

Sylri hid in the loose strands of Panorama’s mane, wishing she hadn’t lost her ability to turn invisible.

The two headed to the library, stopping every now and then to take a picture in the direction the sun would rise.

“I think it’ll work,” Sylri whispered into Panorama’s ear.

“So do I. Look at the thatched roofs and cobblestone streets. Sunlight must just stream through the cracks in the morning.” Panorama sighed. “It must be beautiful.”

Sylri tugged at the pony’s hair. “What are you talking about? I mean that cafe will work. For dinner?” The little sprite’s stomach growled. “I think you’re getting too into this disguise, Sunset.”

Sunset blushed. “Just trying to do my assignment.”

After a hay burger and fries, they were off to look for the library. The sun was setting, and Sunset couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of the little town.

“There it is, Sunny,” Sylri said, pushing Sunset’s cheek toward a large tree across the way. A large sign depicting a book stood by a door in the tree’s trunk.

Sunset cantered over to the tree. There was a "Now Hiring" sign hanging off one of the door’s handles. She stopped and gazed at it, wondering deeply about the word “handle”, and whether or not it was used in Equestria. Perhaps the appropriate word would be “hoofle”, but Sunset couldn’t bring herself to accept that.

“What are you waiting for?” Sylri whispered. “Wanna work at the Ponyville library?”

Sunset shook her head, forcing Sylri to grasp at her mane. “I don’t think Celestia would send her student to live in a place like this,” she said, looking around at the country ponies in the street. “What could I learn here?”

The door squeaked open and Sunset peered into the library. A tired looking stallion sat at a table, piles and piles of books surrounding him. He wasn’t reading any of them, though - just staring at the grain of the table.

Sunset quietly walked up to him and cleared her throat. The poor stallion jumped at the sound and looked up at Sunset with wide eyes.

“I’m sorry!” she said. “I just wanted to donate this book.” Her aura circled around her saddlebag, opening it to retrieve Celestia’s book.

The stallion looked at the book, and yawned. “Okay, thanks. You can set it down over there,” he said, waving a hoof in a nondescript direction. His eyes returned to the tabletop.

Sunset frowned and set the book down on a dusty shelf. “Excuse me for saying, but you don’t seem like the librarian type.”

“I’m not,” he said, dropping his muzzle to the table. “Mayor Mare asks ponies to volunteer here, since we don’t have a permanent librarian.”

“Why are you volunteering?” Sunset asked. “It seems like you don’t enjoy it.”

The stallion sighed and closed his eyes. “What can I say? It looks good on a resume.”

Sylri tugged Sunset’s mane. “Oh, that’s right!” she exclaimed. The stallion looked up at her with a raised eyebrow. “Uh, I mean...do you have any books about the Summer Sun Celebration?”

He groaned and covered his eyes with his hooves. “I’m sure we do, but look at this mess. Some unicorn like you might know a spell for finding specific books, but I sure don’t.”

“I actually don’t either,” Sunset said quietly. “That’s alright, I’ll look somewhere else.” She headed toward the door. “Thanks for your help!”

“Yeah, I guess,” the stallion mumbled. Sunset smiled awkwardly and left.

Sunset and Sylri wandered the town, which was beginning to grow rather dark.

“Can we go home soon?” Sylri asked. “You won’t be able to take any good pictures once the light’s gone.”

Sunset nodded, then her eye caught a glance of something curious. A white unicorn with electric blue hair had just exited the bakery, followed by a disgruntled looking mare with a brown coat and dark mane. Sunset couldn’t help but stare as she tried to understand why the two ponies looked familiar. Suddenly she squealed and ducked behind a bench.

The sudden movement left Sylri tangled up in Sunset’s mane. “What are you doing?” she hissed, trying to free herself.

“That’s Vinyl Scratch and Octavia. They went to school with me. In the human world.”

Syrli stopped struggling and looked at the ponies. “They’re from your dimension?”

“Probably not. They must be their pony counterparts.”

“Their counterponies.”

“Yeah.” Sunset stood up and pulled Sylri out of her mane. “We can go home now.”

The train ride to Canterlot was quiet. Sylri slept in Sunset’s lap, while Sunset gazed into space. She thought about the other ponies she saw in Ponyville that she now realized must be Canterlot High counterponies too. Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie - her old friends. Her heart beat fast when she imagined how her own counterpony might be treating them.

Her eyes filled with tears, which streamed down her cheeks and onto Sylri’s head.

The sprite awoke sleepily. “Hm? Sunset?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Sunset said, wiping her eyes.

Sylri sighed, then wrapped her arms around Sunset’s belly. “Please, Sunny. As delicious as your depression is, it’s not good for you. Tell me how I can help you.”

Sunset laughed, though more tears were on the way. “As long as you don’t eat me, I’ll be fine, Sylri. Don’t worry.”

“But I am worrying,” Sylri said. “And I’m going to keep worrying. I know you miss your friends, and seeing pony versions of them everywhere must be difficult, but you have me!”

The two locked eyes, each suddenly feeling a little awkward.

Sylri fluttered up to Sunset’s muzzle. “I’m your friend, Sunny. You aren’t alone here, okay?”

“Okay,” she said, blushing. “Now come down, before somepony sees you.”

Sylri fell asleep again not too much later, but Sunset was still happy simply holding her friend in her forelegs.

Comments

[Xanderfox]

Thought for a second we where going the route of "Sunset replaces Twilight" but since she went home and you didn't mention a large stretch of time going by I guess Sunset gets to meet and be terrified by Twilight during her entrance exam.

[Seeking Dusk]

So I'm guessing Sunset did the initial check to approve Ponyville as a site, while Twilight did the last checks to ensure all preparations were in place.

[Jerec the Ascendant]

7099169 Yup.

[Greatazuredragon]

Nice chapter, good work.

[MythrilMoth]

This story doesn't really feel like it's going anywhere anymore. It just feels like it's aimless, directionless, and repetitive. I'm honestly not sure how much longer it's going to be in my tracking shelf.

[VegaSakusa]

7101621
story needs more Explosions, Like this

[ferret]

7099169
She sent Sunset to Ponyville, to deliver a book to the library.