An Encroaching Sunset

by Discet

3: Experiment

Me and Rainbow marched through the cafeteria line, picking up odds and ends of meats veggies and starch. Lots and lots of starch. I ended up going with the corn.

“So she’s bi? Thats lucky for you, so you gonna ask her out?”

“Ah don’t know…”

“Hm?”

“Well yesturday she was telling me and Pinkie about Equestria. The whole place sounds incredible. Dragons, royalty, magic, like out of one of them fantasy novels. She used to be the apprentice to their ruler-”

“And now she showers with thirty other girls in a dingy locker room, your point?”

“My point is that I’m well… just some country gal. I’m not all that interesting by our worlds standards. By hers I’m about as interesting as dirt on a donkey” I said sighing. We quickly paid at the end of the line and started off.

“I really don’t think she would care all that much. Besides we're big magical heroes now, defeated evil twice! That should count for something." We started to diverge and Rainbow looked over “Uh, AJ our tables over here.”

I anticipated Rainbows teasing remark “Uh, not going to the table today, Sunset asked me to come help her out with more of her experiments” Rainbow just smiled and raised an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes “Ain’t like that, she just needed some help “

“Suuure.”

“Yeah yeah, so are you still down to make the movie this weekend?”

“You know it AJ! Cheesy horror movies wait for no one!”

I took my tray and headed out into the hallway. The crowd of stragglers heading towards the cafeteria moved around me like a stream hitting a rock. I made good time to the science lab.

Maybe Rainbow was right. Sunset’s not the same girl who left Equestria. That girl was wiped away with the demon that was inside of her. Now she was just Sunset Shimmer. One of my best friends in the world.

I opened the door seeing Sunset inside, she was wearing her labcoat and goggles her hair tied up in a messy ponytail. It seemed like she looked in anything.

She was messing around with a wrench on yet another crazy contraption.

“Where do you even get the materials for this stuff?”

“Oh Applejack! Good your here. Also, scrap-yard mostly. Though this one has a little taste of home.”

“Yeah?” I said walking over and sitting my lunch down on one of the lab counters. Taking up the sandwich

“Yeah. See I think whats been wrong with the last few was that I had no known magical source to compare the ones you girls have to. So I got Twilight to toss in a few magical gems, hopefully with these I’ll at least be able to tell if you girls have fundamentally different magic then that in Equestria”

I watched what looked like lightning chain between two of the coils at the top of the machine. “And, uh, you’ve tested this, right sugarcube”

She held what looked like some kind of eleaborate brain helmet “Well, uh, no this would be my first attempt.” She said tapping her fingers nervously on the metal cap “I mean Im sure it safe, its just recording a few things. She bit her lip and looked down “I could do a few more tests though, if you don’t want to.” She put on a awkward smile but it was obvious that she was worried I didn’t trust her workmanship

I felt my heart clench at the pained expression on her face “No, no, I trust ya sugar cube.”

Sunsets expression brightened immediately “Great, I have a couple more adjustments to make you just set up the bass and we’ll get started. She went back to her machine. I looked around for some evidence of Sunset’s lunch but failed to find any.

“Sunset did you already have your lunch?”

“What? Uh no, forgot money today, skipping”

I looked down at my plate “Well do you want my corn? We have a bit till lunch is over”

“Naw you go ahead, I’ll just grab something after sch-” She looked back and her eyes seemed to be darted right towards the ear of corn.

“Seriously, its okay. Just take a moment.”

“Well. I guess I can take a few moments.” She removed her goggles and placed them aside and joined me at the table. She took a few small bites but then seemed to work away at the corn like a machine, stripping the corn clean.

“Wow Sugar Cube, want my Jello too?”

“Oh uh” she picked a kernel out of her teeth with her pinky finger “Sorry, guess I was hungrier then I thought. Do you mind?” she said pointing at the Jello and I nodded. She took more time with this one.

We sat there eating for a few minutes as I marveled at her latest invention. With all the wires and bulbs sticking out here and there it looked like some contraption a supervillain would use.

“You know sugar cube you never did tell me why your so into all this?” I said gesturing to the contraption.

“You mean studying magic?” I nodded “Well, I don’t know, I guess its just nice to get back to. Back when I was in Equestria I studied magic all the time, artifacts and ancient spells. Before I went… well, you know, hyper ambitious She-Demon? I really loved studying. It wasn’t about what would make me powerful or what would help me reach my ends. It was just, knowledge. Pure and simple. I lost that when I came here, not that I really noticed, all that ambition driving me, but once that was gone… I realized how much I missed it.” She laughed nervously “Kinda nerdy of me I guess”

“Naw. We all have somethin we’re passionate about. Ah've got my farm, Fluttershy has her critters, and you have magic. I’m just happy you rediscovered yours” she smiled at me and I felt my heart flutter. I took the last bite of my sandwich and dusted my hands of the crumbs. “Well times a wasting, let me just set this up. "

Sunset nodded and we set up the bass and the amp. Sunset carefully affixed the giant helmet to my head. I must have looked like a plum fool, but at least no one else was around to see it. Sunset went about turning dials and flipping switches as I played out a few strums.

“Okay Applejack, whenever your ready.”

I took a deep breath and started to strum. I didn’t know many solo pieces, but I remembered a old one Dad used to sing to Mom way back when.

“Oh the days are getting shorter,

There’s a chill in the wind.

Can’t forget the trees changing

Or the way that you grinned

Oh the world keeps rolling

But your by my side.

So as long as we’re together

I’m along for the ride

Time moves so swiftly

And fall will turn to spring

So together we will take,

Whatever we can bring.

Another harvest empty.

Next year will bring more

Apples on the hillside

Rich red living decor

Oh the world keeps rolling

But your by my side.

So as long as we’re together

I’m along for the ride

The day is getting late,

Light is getting dim

Sunset’s coming early

And so ends this hymn

I finished the little song so the sound of fervent clapping. Sunset cheering in a crowd of one and I felt myself get embarrassed.

“Wow, Applejack, that was amazing!”

“Aw shucks, just a old family song. Sorry I wasn’t able to transform or nothin, ah can try again if you want.

Sunset walked over chuckling “I wouldn’t be so sure.” She reached out and rubbed ears on the…. top of my head? I checked my hair that had been extended into a much longer ponytail.

“Huh, didn’t even notice it happening. So did you get what you need?”

“Yeah this is great. I’m definitely getting something different from you then I did from the crystals.” She said reading over a printout that was spewing out of the machine. “So that was a old family song?” Sunset asked looking over the data in her hands.

“Yeah, was a old song Dad used to sing Mom on campin’ trips. Used to gross out me n’ Big Mac something fierce” I sighed looking towards the floor “Wish I could hear him play it again.”

I felt Sunsets arms wrap around me “Well I think you did a wonderful job. I’m sure he would have been proud.”

I tried to take comfort in the action, but it was difficult with my heart beating out of my chest. “T-thanks Sunset, thats awful kind of you”

“Wasn’t kind, just the truth” she said stepping back with a shrug and a smile on her face “You have a great voice. You should talk to Rainbow about maybe doing vocals some time.

“Oh shucks”

Sunset started to write down some notes in a beat up spiral notebook “Thank you so much for your help Applejack.”

“Oh, it was no trouble…”

“How’s Big Mac’s arm doing by the way?”

“Alot better actually, he’s still got it in a sling, but he don’t need the cast no more”

“Well thats good, been worried about him. And Applebloom?

I zipped up the case on my bass and set it aside. “Ah, she’s doin alright, but ah think she’s getting antsy.”

“About what?”

“She says she’s nervous about what she’s gonna do for the rest of her life. Says she wants to know her destiny. Ah tell her that she’ll always have a place on the farm, but I think she’s thinkin of bigger things. Always was a dreamin sort.”

“Well noting wrong with that. A little ambition can be good.” I raised by eyebrow with a smirk on my lips. “Hey, I said a little, I clearly had way, way too much.” She uncapped a water bottle and started to down most of it

“I suppose so. Still her and her friends seem to have fun with it. Tryin out new things. Industrious little scamps, every one of them.” I said then thought for a moment “You have any brothers or sisters Sunset?”

Sunset seemed to gag on the mouth full of water, coughing and choking as she struggles against the water.

“Sunset?”

“Gah. Kagh. I-I’m fine, went down the wrong pipe. I… no, I don’t have any brothers or sisters.” She said, taking a deep breath after.

“Oh, what about cousins?” I started to gather up the trash from lunch We got loads of them in the apple family. Or what about your parents? What were they…” I turned from tossing the refuse in the trash. Sunset was shaking violently in her jacket despite there being nothing cold about the room. “Sunset?”

“They… you know they… they were fine”. she took another slow deep breath.

“Sunset are you alright?”

“Yeah… yeah. I’m fine” she looked angry, like she did before Twilight ever showed up.

“Sunset”

Sunset snapped at me “I’m Just Fine Would You Get Off My Back!” I stepped away. I hadn’t seen that look in her eyes since the night of the Fall Formal. A cold hatred that made my stomach clench. The expression seemed to melt away back into the friend I knew. Tears started to well up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away on her sleeve shaking her head “I… I’m sorry. It… it’s not really... can we not talk about it? Please?”

I nodded “Sure thing sugar cube. Ah didn’t mean to…” Sunsets arms crossed in front of her protectively, I wanted to reach out to comfort her but she only flinched away “But if you ever need anybody to talk to…”

“Yeah. Sure, you’ll be the first to know AJ. Could you, not tell the girls about this?”

“Sure Sunset. No trouble.” The bell rung out the end of lunch and we looked to each other “Guess we should get to class"

“Yeah” Sunset started to exchange the classrooms coat and goggles for her usual leather jacket.

“Hey Sunset, would you like to see a movie this weekend?”

“Like with the girls?”

“Yes, well kinda. Just me and Dash. You see, me an Rainbow have a kind of tradition to see every terrible horror movie that comes out together. Fluttershy always got too scared, Rarity finds it repulsive, and Pinkie’s well, not afraid at all which kind of sucks the fun out of it.”

“So you want me to join you guys? Dash won’t mind?”

“Of course she won’t, the more the merrier! So long as you're not a fraidy cat that is” I teased getting a weak smile from Sunset.

“Sure Applejack, sounds like fun”

I nodded shrugging on my packed away base guitar “The shows this Saturday at 7, that work for you?”

“Yeah that works fine. You should get to class though, my next period is in here” she started to wheel the contraption towards the corner of the room and I let myself out.

"Well... a friend date is a good start right?" I said to myself, legs threatening to buckle underneath me. I took out my phone and texted Dash the change in plans. With any luck this will be another good memory for Sunset. Help her forget whatever she'd rather not remember.

Author's Note:

and chapter three! sorry for the deley. Went through way more drafts of this then I expected.
Anyways I hope everyone liked the chapter. (Can you tell I've never really written lyrics before?) Expect another chapter soon :)

Comments

[BenRG]

Sunset is probably an orphan or worse. What's 'worse'? Somepony whose family rejected her and thus she has the situation of them being alive but not willing to associate with her. That would be horrible; the sort of agony that could have set her on the Dark Path for sure.

It's interesting how much like Twilight Sunset Shimmer is in many ways. They would have been sisters-in-all-but-blood, in a better and saner universe.

[elmago02]

Seriously, the bad grammar is killing me.

[Obsidian_Winter]

The Grammer needs some work and the story could use some editing but it's really enjoyable. Looks likE it's been a while since an update. Hope you haven't given up!

[Swift Bolt]

I want the rest!!Dx good job on the story!

[BabySkittleMonster]

I bet Dash doesn't turn up, in an attempt to give the girls "alone time."

[Rusted Bronze]

I really want this to continue. Between Rainbow actually having some depth of character H&H story I love this.

[Harmony light]

I love the chapter I can't wait to read more of this story

[Witchrblizzad]

6576512

it could even be worce then that as in sunset having to run away due to abuce

[Witchrblizzad]

i can not wait for the update
Edit made nearly six months later: I don't think it will

[mylittlewierdo17]

Lol I don't know why I played myself like this. This thing haven't been updated in years For what it is worth, this was a really interesting story and the characters and plot were written in a way that it was canon enough that it was easily acceptable to believe. Hopefully one day the author finds interest in this story, but it was a great one

[Sunset Awesomness17]

Why did you stopped this story? This was getting sooo good! I was actually sad that there wasn't another chapter lol! You did good on this!

[YuriMoonWolf]

I've really enjoyed reading this! I love this ship so much and can't wait to see what happens next! 🥰💜💙😁😋