"Okay, whatever you do, just act cool."
"What? I'm cool. I'm super cool. I'm sub-zero cool."
"Then stop fidgeting like that!"
"What are you talking about?"
"You keep rubbing at your chin and looking around!"
"It just... it feels weird." The construct folded her ears back. "I mean--I'm missing Spicy and I've got this... you know, between my--and it's not just that! It's the muscles, and how I walk and... and more then that, it's how other ponies look at me!" She flicked her horn across the yard. "I mean before, Jet Set just ignored me, and now he's smiling at me!"
"...you are a very pretty mare," Sunburst pointed out.
"I'm used to being a nerdy stallion," the construct countered. "Also, stop... calling me pretty, okay?"
"Well what am I supposed to say?"
"Something that isn't about how I look!"
"I thought that was how stallions were supposed to talk to mares!"
"So did I! But I'm more than just how I... look..." Her eyes widened. "Sweet Celestia, I think I just figured out why we were always so awkward around mares."
"Really?"
"I mean, mares are people too, right?"
"Yeah?"
"So, just... talk to them like stallions!"
Sunburst blinked. "I... tried that once. It didn't... work."
"Oh. Right. That."
There was an awkward moment.
"In your defense," the construct pointed out, "she thought Saddle Rager was the best power pony. Obviously she was crazy."
"Oh, yeah. Radiance all the way."
"...I'm thinking a toss-up between Radiance and Matter-Horn."
Sunburst blinked. "Wait, what?"
"Well, I mean they both have their powers from science--"
"No, I mean--" Sunburst gestured at her. "You, you have my memories right? Like, three hours ago you were me, so I kind of thought you would agree with everything I think--"
"Yes, but now I'm in a dress at the gala and ponies are looking at me and everything is weird and... and I kind of want to see if I can be somepony different from you. I mean, I want to be... me, you know?"
Sunburst adjusted his glasses. "I'm not sure I understand--"
"I mean, am I just Sunburst but as a mare? Or am I, like.... can I be somepony that... it's not that I think you're terrible," she explained quickly, "it's just that I think I should be... something."
"Oh. Well, I guess that kind of makes sense--" Sunburst's eyes flicked to the side and he let out a small groan. "Oh no."
"What? What is... oooooh no." The construct folded hear ears back as she caught sight of the approaching pony. "Not her..."
"We could always just walk away," Sunburst suggested. "Quick, giggle!"
"What? Why?"
"So we can pretend I made a joke and then we decided to--"
"My, my my! Sunburst, you are just full of surprises aren't you?" The yellow unicorn swirled her glass as she approached. "First selected to be Celestia's student, and now you come to the gala with a mystery mare."
"Uh, just... lucky I guess."
"Oh, don't sell yourself short, Sunburst," the mare insisted, fluttering her eyes. "I've always said you had potential."
"I don't actually remember you ever--"
"Where are my manners!" The mare held out a hoof to the construct. "I'm Upper Crust, fourth heiress of the Baker line. And you are...?"
"Sun-- ...set. Sunset Shimmer."
Upper Crust continued holding out her hoof for a moment, her smile slipping just a bit, before returning it to the ground. "I see. I'll admit I haven't seen you around Canterlot before."
"Oh, I travel a lot for my research." The construct flipped her mane. "Ancient runes here, some new mark trick there--it's a little difficult to keep a grasp of all the spells I record, but keeping the master magic manuscript up to date is quite important, you know?"
"You're a cataloger?" Upper Crust's smile returned, smugger then before. "No wonder you and Sunburst know each other!"
Sunset's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, your work is very important of course. Those who can't cast, catalog." The yellow unicorn sipped her drink. "Agreeing to escort a pony as... intellectual as Sunburst is really only a minor sacrifice."
"I don't think it's a sacrifice at all," Sunset replied. "Quite frankly, miss Crust, I find he's one of the few ponies here that's worthy of my attention."
Upper Crust frowned. "Really now."
"Oh, yes. I don't know if you've noticed, but so many ponies in this city drift by on the accomplishments of their ancestors or just submit to the daily grind. Sunburst here, he's devoted himself to something that will improve bout himself and others by researching magic in all its myriad forms."
Sunburst flinched at the scowl darkening Upper Crust's face. "Sunset," he whispered fervently, "what are you doing?"
"Now of course I don't want to lay judgment," Sunset continued unabated, "but your ancestor--Hotcakes, I think it was? He was granted his title for his efforts to feed the starving ponies of Vanhoover during the nuckelavee crisis. He was noble in every sense of the word." She leaned in with a broad, smug smile. "I do hope you're living up to his legacy, miss Crust."
"Hmph." Upper Crust tossed her nose up and turned away. "It's a shame you've been limited in your education, miss Shimmer. I do think you would have turned out much better with proper mentoring."
"How strange. I was just thinking the same thing about you."
"OOOOOOOOOOKAY!" Sunburst manuvered between them, grinning broadly. "Great chat! Hey, Sunset, you want some punch? Let's get some punch. Or horse devours, it's a high class party, don't get those all the time, haha!"
He placed a polite hoof on Sunset's shoulders and led her firmly away from the now openly growling Upper Crust. As soon as they were out of earshot, Sunburst turned to her. "What was that all about?!"
"Well, she's always being such a self-absorbed brat. I figured I should just take her down a peg or two."
"Yes but--she's a big name noble!" Sunburst hissed. "Snarking off at her like that could get me in trouble! And you're me!"
Sunset smirked. "Well, you know that, and I know that, but she doesn't know that does she?"
"Well, no, but--"
"I think I could get used to this."
Sunburst blinked. "What?"
"This." Sunset gestured at herself. "A new slate. No need to worry about my reputation anymore. I can go up to all the self-absorbed jerks that tried to use me as a pawn in their games and tell them what I really think. I don't have to live up to stupid high standards. I can be free!"
"...Um," Sunburst managed. "Are you... feeling okay?"
Sunset let loose a giggle, which morphed into a chuckle, and devolved into an outright cackle.
"...I'm pretty sure that's the 'losing your mind' laugh," Sunburst pointed out.
"Free! Free! And all it cost was my stallionhood and my beard and any sense of being me, and, and basically everything! I'm nothing and I can be anything!" Sunset's laughter trailed into choking sobs. "I'm nothing but a twisted reflection of my own loneliness! I exist to help me be seen as normal, but you're not normal am I?"
The stallion flinched as the construct's piercing gaze locked onto his face. "I... don't do philosophy very well, you know that--"
"I and you, you and I, what is it? What is the point of deviation?" Sunset pounded her hoof against his chest. "Three hours ago, there was no divide. Now, I... who am I? What do I want? And... how do you factor in?"
"I think," Sunburst said as he gently pushed her hoof down, "that you need to calm down and put off all these questions until we're out of sight of all the other ponies in the gala."
Sunset tilted her head. "...Right. That's probably a good idea." She blinked, looking past him. "Especially since Celestia is standing right behind you."
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Oh boy... Sunset is going to create some chaos that would make Discord proud I just know it.
...Wasn't this marked as complete, before? Ah well, was an excellent chapter, nonetheless!
Oof. Mortasheen pandemics are never pretty.
Of course, in this century, there's something rather more important to worry about. Your teacher showing up just in time to see your sister-clone having an existential crisis tends to put a crimp on the festivities.
Hwut-oh
Oh boy. No this isn't going to be hard to explain at all!
Bwhahahahahahaha! This will be a great explanation I am sure!
Ah, so we begin to see how Sunset Shimmer began to go crazy. This makes a fair amount of sense, actually. I'm looking forward to seeing more.
Upper Crust being the descendant of somepony named Hotcakes is certainly an amusing thought, but I completely lost it at "horse devours".
This is getting good.
Already going for the big moment eh?
So far... I think this is the best clone/gender-identity-crises story I have ever read/heard! At the very least when it comes to ponies! Carry on!
Yay! I was hoping for more!
This is hilarious and surprisingly deep, and perhaps the most interesting origin story for Sunset I've ever read. I give you my applause and my attention.
Oh oh. Man I'm loving this more and more with each chapter keep up the good work.
Bruh... Celestia, really?!
Love it!
I see that first touch of drama came in rather nicely. Well-played.
The ending was hilarious
Is this the part where Celestia shall see potential in Sunset?
Might want to change bout to both.
Oh, that was hilarious!
Sunset: "So... this is the part where you come up with an amazing and convincing excuse."
Sunburst: ".... Sorry - I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought."
More, MOAR!!!
And Celestia heard every word.
Wow nice way to show why Sunset has no self restraints on insulting and manipulating others.
Sunset has no reason to hold back, so she doesn't hold back.
Then of course the implications settle in.
Even if I know that it will not end well for Sunset (at least until Twilight explains her why friendship is magic) I can't help but love it!
I'm wondering if Sunburst actually left the position as Celestia's student here...
Not sure if worst or best place for existential crisis. Cause you know, Celestia will probably be helpful.
Probably.
Darn it! Why can't I give this more than one thumbs up?
This...actually goes a long way to explain Sunset's behavior.
Fascinating.
Oh, and now I very much hope there will be an epilogue or a sequel after this is finished where the Human 6 find out Sunset's origins.
Darn you FIMfiction why can't I give a thumbs up for every chapter? This headcannon just keeps getting more and more convincing.
Oooh, not even a whole day and they're busted.
Okay, now that we've gotten to the breakdown portion, I really hope the next chapter answers a question I've had about the "Sunset is a magic clone of Sunburst" thing: is the clone spell temporary? I mean, obviously Sunset is still around in "Sunsplit", but I don't think it's been established what the longevity of the spell is. And, if there's a time limit, what had to happen to make Sunset permanent.
...or maybe I'm jumping to conclusions, who knows...
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WRONG! You should clearly get her stone cold drunk to see what exciting existential philosophy she can come up with while inebriated!
I think Celstia will recognize sunset shimmer as the other one. And thank you for making a story saying there is a Sunset Shimmer for both dimensions. I would love to see more of this.
Don't you mean "ponies"? If I'm not wrong, they are still in Equestria.
Wow existential crisis right in front of Celestia. Sunburst never lived this down did he?
7274554 Actually, this is in the past, this is the actual Sunset Shimmer we all know, at least for this story. Its in the prequel... Although technically this is the prequel but whatevs .
And so...Sunset Shimmer's face-heel-turn begins...
And now we know why we never see Sunset's human clone on the other side of the mirror, although I'm willing to put down money that Sunburst built some kind of A.I designed to help him get over his fear of talking to people and it went all "Weird Science" on him.
7276181 At the very least as well hopefully it was only "Weird Science"
BUSTED!
Sunburst, this is expulsion; expulsion, this is Sunburst. Get to know each other, guys; you're going to be spending the rest of Sunburst's life together!
This was a pretty amusing chapter, and I just LOVED how Sunset shot down Upper. That was just brilliant
Also, existential crisis some mere 3 hours into one's existence. Who would've thought.
And that end. Oh that was just so amusing too!
7277430
Sunset 9000: I can't let you do that Sunburst
...
Sunset 9000: Would you like to hear a song?
Another great chapter! Well done, Masterweaver!
Very nifty idea, i'm enjoying how this is going.
Well, whoops
Can't wait for more
7319611
You and me both.
You are acting so not cool; you are 2000 degrees. They'll be calling you miss Fahrenheit.
I feel sorry for the teachers at Celestia's school. The students' antics must get old really fast.
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