Rekindling

by VathySkotadi

Chapter 1

Sunset Shimmer had grown relatively good at handling stress. She still freaked out from time to time, but when Equestrian magic was involved, she knew how to keep her cool.

So when Princess Twilight had told them she had some news for them, and that she wanted to tell them in person, she figured it’d be some sort of new threat, some discovery about their world that Sunset and the girls would need to solve. It had been a bit weird when she’d also called Flash in, but well, everyone knew they’d had a bit of a thing in the past.

What no-one had expected was the truth: Twilight would be crowned as the new ruler of Equestria. Granted, it wasn’t that they didn’t think it would ever happen, but it felt… sudden, and soon.

More importantly, it did mean that the friend that they already didn’t see a lot wouldn’t really have time to visit… at all. And given the nature of the mirror and the two worlds, it wasn’t really in the cards for them to go visit Equestria too often either.

In other words, I was all too possible they’d never see that Twilight again.

And it had only then dawned on Sunset that she wasn’t sure she could handle that.

She’d kept a strong face. She’d pretended to be happy for Twilight—well, partly. She was happy to an extent—and she’d made sure to say a proper goodbye. And they could still talk. Twilight wouldn’t take the mirror to Canterlot, but she would take the diary.

It didn’t help, really.

Even now, a few days after the news, she could barely hold it together. She felt a crushing weight in her chest, an unshakable feeling that life wouldn’t be the same. And she could tell her other friends felt it too, to an extent. Maybe their Twilight didn’t, she hadn’t known the Princess version of herself too much, but she could still tell how it affected everyone else.

But Sunset was keenly aware that she felt the pain even more.

Because, to her, Princess Twilight hadn’t been just a friend. She’d been her mentor, her advisor. Maybe, at times, her world. She wouldn’t be here today if not for her. She’d be consumed by rage and anguish, and she would have been consumed by her own hatred.

Sunset loved Twilight. Well, she’d probably loved both Twilights. But the Princess was definitely the one who’d held the strongest of grips over her heart.

So it was not an exaggeration to say she was barely able to think. She was a zombie.

“Sunset? Sunseeet,” Pinkie suddenly broke her concentration. Sunset looked around. She wasn’t even sure what day she was on. “We’re going to the mall. Come on!”

Sunset stared at Pinkie. Normally, her pink friend would be enough to snap her out of any bad mood. Not this one, though. “Sorry, I… think I’m gonna go home. I’m not feeling too well,” she said.

Pinkie was about to complain, but Rarity pulled her away from Sunset. “We understand, darling. Go on,” she said with a soft smile before the girls said goodbye and walked away.

Sunset stood at the school’s entrance for a few more seconds before sighing. She didn’t even have the energy to walk home right now. She closed her eyes and sat on the stairs, watching as the rest of the Canterlot High students walked past. She counted them. She knew all of them by name. Once, she had ruled them. Now, she counted most of them as friends.

And then, the stream ended. The school closed behind her. The professors stayed inside, working, but no more students were out.

With more effort than it should have taken, she stood. She did need to get home. Try to do her homework. Study for next week’s exam.

She was about to walk away when she noticed something in front of her. A blue haired guy sitting next to the broken pedestal where once stood Canterlot’s mascot. Flash. He was sitting against the frame of the mirror. He sometimes looked at it, even touched its surface, as if considering going through.

Sunset approached him. “The you over there,” Sunset said, “works as a royal guard for the princess of an empire. You knew that?”

Flash looked up, a bit surprised. “Another me. It’s weird to think about it,” he said. Then, he paused. “Then again, I guess I do know two Twilights…” he trailed off, clearly hurt just by thinking about it. Sunset decided to sit next to him. He was probably the only one who could actually understand the kind of pain she was in. “What happened to the you from here, anyways? If you came from the pony world…”

Sunset shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve tried looking for her, you know? But she doesn’t even have social media. Sometimes, I wonder if maybe she found a way to get into Equestria. Maybe she found a better life there, like I did here. Time flows differently in both dimensions, so I suppose there’s also a possibility she’s just… not. Maybe she died, or maybe she hasn’t been born yet.”

“That’s… kinda creepy?” Flash chuckled.

Sunset smiled. “Yeah, but it’s just how I think…” she paused. “It’s rough, isn’t it? I’m feeling so tempted to go back there and just… I don’t know.”

Flash understood and nodded. “At least you’d know what to do. I’m considering it, but… what then? I’ve no life, no friends. I know it’s stupid to think of doing that for a girl with whom I’ve no chances, but…”

“No, no, I understand,” Sunset said, smiling sadly. “When this world’s Twilight showed up, I was threatened, you know? I felt… I don’t know. But then I helped her. For a while there I actually considered I had a chance.”

Flash nodded. “Then Timber happened.”

“Basically,” Sunset looked up. The sky was gray today. It felt fitting.

They stayed in silence for a while. Sunset was sometimes surprised that she was friends with Flash nowadays. Of all the people she’d hurt in her past, he may have been one of the most affected.

“You know; I don’t think I ever properly apologized,” she said.

“For what?”

“For using you. For leading you on and dating and then… discarding you as soon as I saw no need for you anymore,” she looked at him. He didn’t look angry or reproachful. “I was your first kiss, even. I stole that experience from you.”

Flash smiled. Genuinely. “It’s ok, Sunset. You’ve changed, and… Well, you’re a great person nowadays. I don’t regret what happened between us, anyways. I wasn’t the best as a teenager.”

“You’re still a teenager,” Sunset nudged him playfully.

“I guess,” he laughed. Then, he sighed. “I never really had much of a chance, did I? Even if over here she looks like a teen, Twilight’s actually an adult back in Equestria, with responsibilities that span literally entire kingdoms. It’s… mind-boggling.”

Sunset smiled. “Yeah, pretty much. It’s crazy to think I was once on a path to take that place,” she shook her head and chuckled. “Though if I had to guess, I’d say she’ll probably stay single for thousands of years. Celestia certainly didn’t ever find the time to settle.”

Flash paused. “Thousands? Geez. I guess it makes sense, then. Can you imagine loving someone and knowing they’re gonna die before you while you don’t age?”

“As you said: We never had a chance.”

“Yeah…” Flash dropped his head. “So, what now? How do we move on?”

“Time. Time is the only remedy for heartbreak,” Sunset patted her chest. “I heard there are some forbidden time-travelling spells back in Equestria. Maybe I should fetch one of those.”

Flash laughed.

After that, they fell silent again. Sunset stood after a while, offering a hand to help Flash up. He took it, and they stared at each other for a second.

Flash was handsome. He was a good person. He was smart, he played the guitar with a fair amount of talent. On an impulse, Sunset spoke. “Hey, Flash?”

“Yeah?”

“Wanna go grab a coffee one of these days?”

Flash narrowed his eyes. “As in… a date?”

Sunset shrugged, smiling awkwardly. “I guess? I’d understand if you didn’t want to, though.”

“No! I mean yes! Yes, that sounds great,” he stumbled upon his words. “How about, uh… Friday? I have band tomorrow.”

Sunset nodded, smiling. “Sure. We can go after school. We haven’t talked that much in the past couple of years. Maybe we can catch up a bit, too.”

Flash grinned. “That sounds wonderful. See you Friday, then!” he said, turning and starting to walk away.

Sunset waved at him with a smile.

Then, she paused.

What she had just done slowly caught up in her brain, and a bit of heat spread through her cheeks. Well, talk about rebounds. Celestia.
Well, what was done was done. Maybe it wouldn’t be a disaster.

Author's Note:

If you're used to my works, you're probably shocked to find me writing a f/m fic unprompted. And... Honestly, I'm kinda shocked too.
I haven't written a fanfic for myself in a small while, as I've been focusing on other things, and I just felt a strange drive to do this now. I've had Sunflash as probably one of the only 'het' (Sunset is clearly bi) ships I kinda dig that weren't born before... 2017 maybe.
I'm not even sure of why. I guess Legend of Everfree just gave me a possible dynamic I really enjoyed and over the years it just... settled on my mind.

But hey, if you read this, leave a comment!

Comments

[Flora Blossom]

If you feel incomplete you should try to finish it.

[Chadbane]

I have always been a fan of the idea of their romance becoming genuine after how she used him before. It’s just a really nice thought that I like to think about every now and then. I really appreciate this pairing wherever I can find it, so thank you.

[VathySkotadi]

11310590
I may try! I don't promise anything though. Still, I think it a good sign that you want me to :D

[David olvera]

Sunset shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve tried looking for her, you know? But she doesn’t even have social media. Sometimes, I wonder if maybe she found a way to get into Equestria. Maybe she found a better life there, like I did here. Time flows differently in both dimensions, so I suppose there’s also a possibility she’s just… not. Maybe she died, or maybe she hasn’t been born yet.”

I have two ideas about Human Sunset.
1) It's as Solaire Sunset said: The flow of time is convoluted.
2) Human Sunset is Amish. No internet would explain her lack of social media presence while also keeping her in the dark about her doppelganger.