> Rogue Sunset
>  by HapHazred
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter One: New Sunset
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s not easy to get a hold of plundervine seeds. I’ve wanted them for my garden for ages. One of the rarest plants in the entire world, and amazingly hard to grow. They get out of control and once they take root, they’re almost impossible to kill. Sure, they look dangerous, but something about their harsh black carapace makes them work well in some gardens. They contrast with flowers and other colourful stalks, provided you take care of them properly and make sure they don’t overgrow.

So I admit, I was willing to do dumber stuff than usual to get my hands on some seeds. Go out to my contact in the garden centre after closing time, get a packet, and try to get home after dark. Take a shortcut through a nastier part of town. Go down an alley. Yeah, I know how it sounds. I should have known better.

I guess I was used to having my memory stone with me at all times to get me out of trouble. It’s hard to get mugged when the mugger forgets what they were doing. Thing is, I don’t have the memory stone any more. It got destroyed. I mean, good. I can’t trust myself with it any more. On the other hand, it sure would have helped deal with these thugs.

There were four. Four too many. I’m not big, not strong, not fast, and fights scare me. I wouldn’t win in a fight against one person smaller than me, and there aren’t many people smaller than me, even at school. Even in the years below me. Mostly I get by by being unnoticed, but this time their eyes were locked onto me and my seeds. Two were blocking the exit. Two were blocking the way I came. It was pretty bad.

There was no way I was going to get home without something going wrong. I could feel it. Still, I had to try. I guessed playing it cool was my only option.

“Um… hey,” I said. It was my best attempt at being nonchalant. My voice kind of cracked halfway through. If I was being generous, I’d rate it a three out of ten. Not great. Certainly not good enough. “I’m, uh, going through here?”

Damn it. I even phrased it like a question. I blew it. 

“No you’re not. What’s that you’ve got there?” A finger pointed at my small paper bag.

“Seeds,” I answered. It occurred that actually if I told them the truth they might think I was so boring and insignificant that they’d leave me alone. That’d be nice. Finally, my inconspicuousness could be turned to some productive purpose.

“Yeah, right.”

Oh. Of course they didn’t believe me. I was clutching them so close to my chest it must have seemed truly precious. Which, actually, it was. It’s just that those thugs would never get any good use out of it. They wouldn’t even know what it was, or that you needed cast-iron pots to prevent them from spreading to the rest of the plant bed and wreaking havoc for potentially hundreds of years...

“No, they… they really are,” I said, my voice becoming increasingly high-pitched. Please don’t let them take my seeds… I had wanted them for so long. It wasn’t fair to lose them now…

I felt a big hand squeeze my shoulder. It was rough and uncomfortable, pinning me in place. I froze. I must have looked pathetic and weak, like a deer about to get smeared by a truck. This sucked. My life was like a rollercoaster, but the only direction it went was down.

“Hey there,” came a voice.

It was confident. Cool. Familiar. I’d recognise Sunset Shimmer’s voice anywhere. After all, I had known her for years. Watched her from afar, listened to her, hated her, wished I was her, and plotted against her. So, you know, I was pretty familiar with it. I hadn’t expected to hear it in an alleyway after dark, but hey, I’d take what I could get.

The thug who had put his hand on my shoulder glanced in Sunset’s direction. She was outlined against a streetlight, her spiked leather jacket cutting an intimidating figure.

“And you are?” Asked the thug. “We’re kind of in the middle of a thing here.”

Oozing confidence, Sunset Shimmer strutted down the alley and past the two thugs blocking my exit. “Sunset. Mind if I pick up my friend?”

There was a flutter in my heart at the word ‘friend’. I didn’t have many of those. I was saved, rescued, secure.

“Yeah, kinda.” The brute rolled his eyes, and his body changed direction to square off against Sunset Shimmer. “Kid’s got something precious and we want to see what it is.”

“It’s seeds,” I said.

Sunset glanced at the paper bag pinched between in my now-white fingers. She raised an eyebrow. “Hate to break it to you but those probably are just seeds.”

The thugs sighed. “Man. Really?”

“Yeah.” Sunset gestured at me. “She’s a gardener. Really into plants.” Sunset extended an arm and grabbed a hold of my jumper, pulling me out of my captor’s grip. “C’mon let’s get you out of—”

“Yeah, no.”

Sunset rocked back onto her heels, a long, tortured sigh escaping her. “Well, it was worth a—” she began, and then a massive fist connected with her jaw.

I wasn’t sure what I had expected. Sunset to explode in a flurry of blows, effortlessly taking down four thugs twice her size perhaps? Maybe some sort of rainbow magic to detonate from her and turn them nice? Portals to some strange dimension I didn’t understand to open up and swallow them whole? Anyway, that wasn’t what happened. What did happen was Sunset got pretty brutally beat up.

All I could do was watch, clutching my bag of seeds tight and wishing I wasn’t so pathetic.





It thankfully didn’t take long for the thugs to lose interest. Luckily for everyone involved I emptied the plundervine seeds into my pockets when they weren’t looking. The bag got torn open, and if even one of the seeds had hit the ground it wouldn’t have gone over well for anyone. 

Sunset Shimmer probably had bigger things to worry about, though. She was currently lying down on her back in a pile of trash bags. Her left eye was swollen and her nose and lip were bleeding. Her hands were also bruised.

She spat blood. “I hope those seeds are worth it.”

I crouched over her, unsure what broken part of her to try to patch up first. Not that I had a first aid kit or any kind of knowledge about healing in the first place. I just… felt like I needed to do something. “I thought you could fight!” I exclaimed.

“What made you think that?” Sunset groaned as she got to her feet. 

“Well… the leather jacket and spikes and stuff. You have that sort of look…”

“Garden-girl, I play videogames and like science. I’m a nerd.” Sunset dusted herself off. “Just a nerd with a sense of style.”

“It’s false advertising is all I’m saying!” I babbled incoherently. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry you got hurt because of me…”

“Yeah, not as sorry as I am. Ow. Last time I try to do anything nice for anyone, I swear.”

“Do you need a hospital?”

“No, no, I’m good. I just need a place to sit down…” Sunset groaned. “You wouldn’t happen to live nearby, would you?”

“Seriously? You look like that and you don’t want to see a doctor?”

Sunset looked up at me with cold, hard eyes. Strangely unfamiliar eyes. They had a hint of viciousness to them I wasn’t used to seeing in Sunset after our memory-stone related confrontation. “I’m serious.”

I paused. Something felt wrong. I could sense it in my stomach. I knew I had to make a decision, make some kind of proactive action. I felt pathetic, just looking at a tougher, stronger girl than me who had hurt herself on my behalf, and I didn’t even know where to start. Help her? I guess that had to be it.

“Come with me,” I said. “I’ve got… bandages. And ice.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She wore a sly smile, creeping over her face with oddly sinister intent. She took a step forward, and winced. “Although… if you could prop me up, that’d be great.”





I knew that my home wasn’t great. It was mostly decorated with potted plants and books. Books on herbs, botany, landscaping, and a lot of teen romance novels. My face reddened as Sunset’s eyes scanned the mess that was my bedroom. A pile of trash lay on my bed, a mixture of papers, sketches, and the aforementioned books. I immediately shoved all of them onto the floor, hoping Sunset wouldn’t read the titles, or see what I had been drawing. 

Somehow, Sunset had started to look worse. Her eye had swollen even more than before, as had her lip. She was acting more confident, though. Almost cocky. There was a swagger that I didn’t remember since before she had started reforming herself. Was she trying to impress me?

“Nice drawings,” Sunset quipped. There was a touch of meanness to her tone that made me go red with embarrassment. Sunset smiled, seeming to get off on my awkwardness. “Hey, I don’t judge. I like pretty girls too.”

I glanced askance at her. I then noted something. “Oh no!” I pointed at her neck. “Your magic necklace. It’s gone!”

Sunset’s hand went to her neck, her eyebrow raised. “My necklace?”

“Yes, the one you wear with your friends… it must have come off whilst you were, um…”

“Getting kicked into the dirt? Or was it when that guy elbowed me in the eye? You’re going to have to be specific.”

“...I wasn’t going to put it like that…”

Sunset shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. It’s just a necklace, right? I'll get a new one.” She leaned back on the bed. “Uh. You said you had ice?”

“Yes! Right away.”

I darted to the kitchen and rummaged around the freezer for a packet of ice. It was then that I remembered that I had gotten rid of them to make more space. Awkwardly, I pulled out a packet of peas instead and took them to Sunset.

“...peas?”

“They’re frozen,” I began, holding them out in one hand whilst I wrapped my other arm around my stomach defensively. “That means there’s technically ice in there, because there’s a lot of water in peas…”

Sunset shrugged. “You’ve got a point there, garden-girl.” She held her hand out. “Give it here. My eye needs peas.”

That was the second time she had called me garden-girl. It sounded alien coming from her, something she had never said before, but there it was. 

“Uh… my name is Wallflower Blush…” I began. It was only after I said it that I realised how lame it was. Of course she knew my name. Well, probably. People had been known to forget…

Sunset ignored me and sunk into the mattress. “This sucks. I can’t believe I look like this.” She eyed me. “And I know who you are. Jeez.” She adjusted the bag of peas over her eye. “Must feel pretty good to be the powerful one for once, right?”

I winced. Not just at the sharpness of tone, but because actually, I had been in power for a long time. I held sway over the memories of others. It was as close to a power-fantasy rush as reality could get. Now, without my stone, I was probably the most vulnerable I had ever been…

Sunset smirked as if she could read my mind. I grit my teeth. I knew when I was being played with. I guessed that Sunset was in a bad mood from being beat up, but I still felt uncomfortable, off-balance, and on edge. She was making me feel out of place in my own bedroom and I was starting to hate it. She was acting like how she had been acting years ago when she was the tyrant of Canterlot High.

“Just… do what you need to, I guess,” I muttered meekly.

“Seriously?” Sunset sat up, surprised at… something. She shrugged, and folded her arms in a hunched fashion. “I mean, uh, sure. You don’t have to look at me like I’m a damaged puppy, you know. I’m fine.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise either. I hate it.” She collapsed back into the mattress. “Just enjoy being not-beat-up. It’s not like I’ll remem—”

My phone rang, cutting off our conversation. Just as well. Listening to Sunset’s aggressive, accusatory voice was awkward. I supposed that’s what people were like when everything hurt. Still, I was glad for the distraction.

I looked at my phone’s screen and froze. I swallowed, glancing at Sunset Shimmer, lying in my bed and staring blankly out of one eye at the ceiling. I then looked back at my phone.

The person calling me was… Sunset Shimmer. I blinked, and looked back at my guest, and then back to the name on my phone. Sunset Shimmer, Sunset Shimmer.

The unease returned, worse than before, coiling around me like a snake. I stepped back away from Sunset. “I need to take this,” I told her, leaving the room and shutting the door.

“Yeah sure, whatever.”

I flattened my back against the door, making sure Sunset couldn’t watch or leave without alerting me. I then raised the phone to my ear, and answered.

I cleared my throat. “...Hello? Wallflower Blush here.”

“Hey there. You doing okay? Look, I know it’s late, but Twilight’s been bugging me about this online. It’s about some sort of magic disturbance… and you’ve had some experience with magic, so I figured I’d ask you about it.”

It was clearly Sunset Shimmer’s voice… but that wasn’t possible. Sunset was here, in my room, injured. She couldn’t make the call.

“Where are you?”

“Um… home. Are you alright? You sound a bit shaken.”

I was shaken. Suddenly the strange behaviour Sunset was exhibiting… the missing necklace, the aggressive attitude... it added up to a frightening picture. She was an imposter. I wasn’t sure how it was possible to look so perfectly like another person, but that… that had to be the explanation. Right?

Was this something to do with the magic that had been infesting the school? Turning girls into demons, opening portals, dropping the memory stone like trash from a roadside picnic?

There must be a less dramatic option I just wasn’t seeing. I had already had my run-in with magic through the stone. No way that sort of thing would happen to a girl like me twice. Still, I pressed on.

“You’re sure you’re at home?”

“Yes. Wallflower, what’s—”

“I have to go.” I ended the call. Nervous, I turned back to face the door to my room.

I opened the door a crack. Sunset was still in my room, staring blankly at the ceiling. The packet of frozen peas was still plastered to her eye, and she was holding it in place. Her other hand was lying at her side. I didn’t see any sign of a phone. This couldn’t be a prank. Not unless she had the same sort of sleight of hand as Trixie.

I felt so stupid. If this was a joke, it would make complete sense. Sunset really had just been pretending to be different before, in front of her friends. She had always, always, always been trouble to me. Cornering me in corridors, teasing me, ever since I first met her. I must have used the memory stone on her more times than anyone else, simply due to how often she caught me off guard and embarrassed me, lording her popularity over me like an arrogant goddess.

This would track. Of course it would. I had just fooled myself into thinking she was different because she was just so convincing and smooth, and had sacrificed her memories to save her friends. It had probably been an act. A big play. I had just fallen for it because I wanted her to be nice to me. I’d fallen for the con.

I opened the door back to my room. Sunset’s open eye lazily drifted towards me. 

“Hey. Good call?”

“Wh-what’s going on?” I had meant to sound more confident, but my voice came out in stutters and starts. “Is this some big game? You rescue me and then make me feel bad and then… do something to make me regret it? Is that it? Were those thugs your people?”

Sunset sat up. “Hey, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I like the whole accusatory attitude you’ve got going on. Well, other than the stammer at the beginning, but we can workshop that.” Sunset got to her feet, looming over me. She was taller than I was… not by much, but you didn’t need to be much shorter than someone to be intimidated. “What’s the big idea, garden-girl? Growing a spine? Or is it...”

In a flash, her empty hand shot towards my phone. I tried to leap back, but I was too slow. Even injured, Sunset Shimmer had reserves of strength that I simply didn’t. She looked at my recent calls, and her eyebrow raised. “Oh yeah. That’d do it. Whew, bad timing, huh?”

I backed away. “Or if you’re some sort of imposter, that’s… that’s cool too I guess…” False confidence had been replaced by fear. Sunset was in control of the room again. She had always been in control.

“Imposter?” Sunset threw her head back and cackled. Like everything else about her, it had a predatory edge. She threw me back my phone. “Garden-girl, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m not the imposter. That thing on the other end of the line is the imposter. I’m the real deal. Sunset Shimmer, one and only.”

“Isn’t that what an imposter would say?”

“Well yes. But I’m not the imposter, whatever you think. I have a pretty good relationship with my double. She doesn’t know I exist, and I get to live my life without ever having to worry about people looking for me… because they think I’m at school like a good little girl.” Sunset’s grin became manic the more she spoke. “Pretty cool, huh? It’s not like people will believe there are two of us, so whatever I do, they think she did it. I can go where I want. I can do what I want, to whoever I want, no consequences, guaranteed. All that at the low, low cost of not existing. Could be worse, right?”

Discrepancies in my mind began to add up. Times Sunset had found me and teased me, even after her supposed reformation. Gaps between what others saw in Sunset and what I did. Could it be that I was just remembering this Sunset? This… this was the true Sunset? And the one at school was a nice, kind imposter wearing Sunset’s face?

It was all insane. She was insane.

“Oh, don’t look like that,” Sunset said, rolling her eyes. “It’s not like you’ve got anything to worry about. You’ll just erase my memories and go on living your comfortable little life of being ignored, right?” She put a hand on her hip. “Come on. Where’s the weird alien stone? Hit me with your best shot.”

“You know I can’t do that any more,” I said, then clasped my hand over my mouth. It occurred too late that actually, she might not know that. She might think I could still take memories, and I had just let the cat out of the bag…

But wait. How would she know I could take memories if she wasn’t the real Sunset? If I had taken her memories in the past… surely she couldn’t remember them?

Sunset’s eyes widened, and she clutched her stomach, a laugh escaping her. Disbelief crept over her face. “Wait, you mean you can’t use your stone any more? What happened to it?”

There was no sense hiding the truth now. “It got destroyed. To… to save the other Sunset’s memories, and those of her friends. It’s gone.”

Sunset whistled. “Didn’t know you had the guts, garden-girl. I’m impressed.”

“Please don’t call me garden-girl.” I frowned. “How did you know I took memories, though? Have you been watching me?”

“Hmm? Oh. Uh, yeah.” Sunset shrugged. “What? I was bored. You know what it’s like when nobody even knows you exist? You do what you’ve got to do to not go crazy.” 

I sucked air in through my teeth. Sunset caught my look and rolled her eyes.

“Well, sure, but you did that to yourself! That’s a big difference,” Sunset went on. “You even tried to use that memory stone on me. Several times. Just because, what, you were embarrassed?” Sunset seemed close to exploding. “That’s insane. You’re insane! I’m angry all the time but at least I’m not crazy!” Sunset exploded in a splutter of outrage, whatever angry feeling she had been keeping chained down bursting out at last. “Truth is, garden-girl, that I’ve been the only one to ever notice you, and the only one to ever remember you. And you kept trying to erase everything I did! That’s… rude, is what that is.”

Sunset leaned closer to me… much too close, intimidatingly so. My blood rushed to my head from the proximity. I knew I was turning red from the closeness. If I still had my memory stone, this would be the exact sort of thing I’d erase from Sunset’s memory. I was blushing against my will and Sunset could see me. Swirling in me was a mixture of discomfort, fright, and embarrassment. I knew I looked weak, and I knew Sunset knew I looked weak. Why would I want anyone to remember seeing me like this?

A thought like a needle penetrated through the shame to the surface of my mind. “How did you remember if I erased your memories?” I asked. “That doesn’t make sense.”

Sunset shrugged. “Well, since your rock is broken I guess there’s no harm in me telling you.” Seeming to calm down somewhat, Sunset sighed and twirled her hair around her finger. “Basically, you missed. Whenever you tried to hit me with your memory rock, you hit the other girl. Who knows what you messed up in the process!”

Oh.

Oh, when I heard that, I wished Sunset would just kill me there.

“Yeah. Look, it’s not a glamorous trick, but it works. I was just pretending to lose my memories because, well, I thought it would be funny. But we can pretend I’m immune to memory alteration because of something in my DNA if that sounds more interesting.” Sunset slid closer to me like a cat. I shrank away, and Sunset purred at how uncomfortable I was. “Wow, you really don’t do well when you’re close to other people, do you. You’re redder than a strawberry.”

“I don’t… like attention.”

“Oh please. Don’t even try. You’ve been asking for attention, trying to get noticed since as long as I can remember. You resented me so bad for just being popular that you turned the entire school against me. Well, not me. The other one.” Sunset gave me a small, mocking applause. “I like the attitude, but the execution didn’t quite cut it. Then again, you were also so good at sabotaging your own popularity by literally removing people’s memories of you. What was it you said you erased? Awkward hellos, bad conversations, literally all public speaking? And you’re surprised nobody remembered you? Come on, that’s basically all of everyone’s memories of you ever. Highschool is ninety-nine percent awkward and bad conversations, and the last one-percent is having to stand in-front of class and speak publicly.”

“Fine! I can’t handle attention!” I snapped, my words catching in my throat. “Are you happy?”

“No, but I’m getting closer.” Sunset sighed. “Look, it’s okay. We’re the same, right? We’re both invisible, forgettable losers. I literally got replaced by an alien and nobody even noticed, not even the alien. That’s not great for self-esteem, is it?”

“I guess not.”

“But I can help you. You don’t have that dumb rock any more. You can’t sabotage yourself nearly as much as I can help you.” Sunset’s sinister grin widened. “I want to help you. You know how hard it is, being forgotten by everyone and finding the one person in the same boat as you, and they spend their time being an absolute loser? It’s rough. I’ve had it way harder than you, and don’t you forget that.” She straightened, breathing in and smiling. “It’s a good thing that I love the freedom this gives me, or else I’d be as useless as you.”

I winced. I no longer knew whether this Sunset was a friend, a bully, or just plain insane. Maybe all of them, or maybe none. This Sunset was like a basket full of cats; maybe she’d purr or maybe she’d scratch. I didn’t have a way of knowing until she drew blood. 

All I knew was that I needed to talk to… someone. Anyone. Any person who wasn’t this Sunset, this absolute mess of a human being, flip-flopping between cackling and sulking. 

Sunset’s arm wrapped around me, and her leering face inched closer to mine. 

“I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship. Don’t you?”

If the Sunset I had confronted with the memory stone was an angel, then this one was a demon.




> Chapter Two: Old Wallflower
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a normal day, school wasn’t painful. Dull, depressing and mind-numbing, yes. Nobody talked to me, nobody found me or looked at me. If someone did, I’d ruin it and they'd find a better person to talk to. Leave me behind. The day would go on, and I’d just wish for it to be over. It was bad, but never scary.

Today wasn’t a normal day. Today was like needles prickling across my skin. I knew that there were a pair of eyes on me, and for the first time in my life I had no idea how to deal with them. No magic stone, no air of invisibility, no friends to protect me. It was like being a mouse, aware that there was a cat prowling, following my every move. If I just stepped out of line…

A hand shot past me, and a leather-bound arm blocked my path. The clatter of thin, cheap locker-metal rattling caused the entire contents of the corridor to spin and turn to face me, alarmed by the sudden noise. 

Eyes like ice glared at me through narrowed slits. A smirk, predatory and gleeful, danced on Sunset’s lips. I knew at once which Sunset I was cornered by, but the rest of the school didn’t. The rest of the school wouldn’t even think twice. When wasn’t Sunset pulling some strange stunt?

“Hey there, garden-girl,” Sunset said, her voice sliding between her teeth arranged in a toothy grin. “You did a nice job with that first aid. I owe you one.”

I clutched my books close to my stomach. “Um… thanks.”

“I’m serious!” Sunset went on loudly, as if putting on a play, dancing in front of the crowd. “I owe you, big time. If you ever have a favour to ask, don’t hesitate, because we’re friends!”

The other students saw Sunset’s smile, her cocky stance, her confident glare. My heart sank when I realised they weren’t just looking at Sunset. They were looking at me, at my pathetic cowering frame and unkempt, dishevelled look. My scared eyes melted in comparison to Sunset’s. Sunset had turned all the attention towards me, but I wasn’t ready. She was a goddess, and I was just some dumb mortal, and Sunset knew it.

“I, uh, have class, so…”

“Oh, right.” Sunset spun, her back sliding against the lockers. “You know, if you wanted you wouldn’t need to go to class. Who would stop you?.”

The rest of the students in the hall hung upon every word of our conversation. I grimaced. The entire school was used to Sunset being in unusual situations. If she was acting a bit weird, so what? Weird was Sunset's middle name. The difference this time was me. I was the focus of attention and was at a loss as to what to do.

“They’d notice,” I said, my voice falling into a whisper. “Because you’re sort of attracting attention…”

Sunset leaned in closer. Oh, she knew how her proximity made me afraid. She had to know. Everything about Sunset was designed to aggress and overwhelm, from her confident posture to her intoxicating aroma. I wanted out, but couldn’t move. I was shellshocked and Sunset was revelling in it. This time it wasn’t within the cosy comfort of my own home; it was here, at school, in front of everyone.

“Yeah, and imagine how jealous they’d be,” Sunset said. “Anyway, you did me a real solid last night. We should do this more often.”

A confused chatter rumbled through the body of students. I winced. “I’m not sure…” I began. I wasn’t even confident enough to tell Sunset to go away, to stop putting me on the spot. What were the others thinking? Would they think me and Sunset were friends? What did this mean for the other Sunset? What did they think I did for her? Did they think she was in trouble? That I was in trouble? Or that I was trouble?

If only I had some room to think, but Sunset was invading my space with gleeful abandon. I felt hot and sweaty and my brain wasn't working. I closed my eyes to try and focus.

"I..."

I opened them again, trying to retort something, anything to Sunset, but the she was already gone, empty space replacing the overwhelming presence that had pinned me against the lockers. Finally, I breathed, but I still felt the weight of dozens of pairs of eyes on me as well as the soft lingering smell of her hair. 

The crowd began to disperse. The throng of people shuffled past me, and once again I disappeared...

“You okay?”

I jumped. Sunset appeared, as if by magic. This one had a soft look, a restrained look. She was the Sunset I knew. She wore the necklace and didn’t look like she was hovering between tormenting me or ranting about her own life.

“I’m… I’m fine,” I replied, scanning the hallway to see if I could catch any sign of her frightening double. “I… where did you come from?”

“From the bathroom.” Sunset tilted her head. “You look a bit shaken. Was something wrong last night? You hung up pretty quickly…”

My thoughts raced. I was used to keeping things to myself, but not lying. Not being questioned. “I… um…” I rubbed my temples, pausing to find an explanation and failing. “It’s complicated.”

How could I tell her that there was some clone of her wandering the halls? A clone, or… whatever she was. I began to panic again. What if she had been right? I had always known that Sunset was weird, involved with magic I knew little about. What if there was more to her than I knew? Than anyone knew? If I let slide that I knew she had replaced a student at Canterlot High, what would she do to me? Or would she just think I was crazy? 

I had no idea what to do, and the crushing weight of everyone’s attention was making it hard to think. 

“If you can’t talk about it, that’s okay, but if something’s not all right, you can talk to us. Us former bad guys have got to stick together.” She winked.

The bell rang, cutting through the awkward quiet between us. I turned away. I still had no idea where to begin with this, so I decided to run away.

“I need to think about it. I’ll… find you after class.”

I’d either find her, or be found by her… whichever version of her that might be.





I decided that, ultimately, I needed Sunset Shimmer’s help. At least, I needed her advice. I still didn’t want to tell her the details; I didn’t, for instance, want to let her know that there was a double of her on the prowl, or that I thought she might be an alien or a bodysnatcher or… any of the other things the new Sunset had said.

I didn’t need to explain that to let Sunset know I had a problem, though. Technically, it was memory stone related, so… she’d understand. Probably. Maybe.

I slunk between the students on our way out of the classroom. Sunset didn’t seem to notice me; she was still adjusting her bag as she exited through the door. I caught up to her, squeezing between two students larger than me, and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Sunset?” I asked.

Sunset turned and looked at me, her eyes flaring with recognition. “Right, we were in the middle of something.” She softened. “Do you want to head outside and talk privately?”

I nodded. After this morning, I didn’t want to be anywhere near a crowd. 

I scanned Sunset’s face. It was amazing how identical she looked to the other Sunset. If either of them was a shapeshifter or an alien, they were too indistinguishable to tell. It was only their expressions that made it possible to tell them apart. There was no predatory smirk on this Sunset. 

We walked outside and away from the throng of teenagers. In the shadow of the school, Sunset turned to me.

“So, what’s wrong?” she asked.

I took a deep breath. Don’t mention specifics… just the broad strokes of the problem.

“Last night I got into some trouble,” I began. “I was walking home and took a stupid turn, and got cornered by some thugs.” 

“That’s terrible. Did they hurt you?” Sunset leaned in, scanning me to check if I was hurt. I recoiled from her, awkward and uncomfortable.

“No, that… that actually isn’t the problem, surprisingly. Well, it’s still pretty bad, but I was fine.” I went on. “I got rescued by this… person. I don’t want to say who, but they basically saved me, and that was really nice of them. The problem is that they’re also kind of… bad.” I frowned, and sighed. “I mean, I think they’re bad. They’re overbearing, rude, I’m pretty sure they like making me uncomfortable, and worse, now they’re following me and trying to put me on the spot, and I don’t know why.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “They’re bullying you? Here, at school?”

“They’re sort of doing that, yeah. It’s complicated, though.”

“It doesn’t sound complicated. You said they like making you feel uncomfortable?”

There was no other explanation in my mind for the other Sunset’s sinister look whenever she got close to me, or saw me shrink away or melt to pieces around her. She got a kick out of seeing me weak, I could tell. Then again… there was something off about her. Something I couldn’t yet place… 

“They’re also in kind of a bad place,” I said, trying to rationalise my thoughts. “So I don’t know how much of it they mean and how much of it they just do by accident. They did help me, and sometimes they seem… kind of like me, I guess.” I looked to the side. “I wondered if you had any advice. Since… well, before I’d just use my memory stone, now I don’t really know what to do. I’m trying to change and to become better, but I’ve never… been better than what I am. But you have.”

Sunset folded her arms and tilted her head. She was silent for a moment. “Well, I guess it’s up to you if you think this person is hurting or helping you. If you want help, I’d need to know who they are.” Sunset held her hands up. “But if you don’t want to say, that’s okay for now. I guess.” Sunset scratched her head. “I suppose it’s possible they’re just trying to get your attention? Like how colts pull a— I mean, like how boys pull a girl’s hair in kindergarten or something.”

“I wish they wouldn’t.”

Sunset tilted her head upwards. “Well, if you think there’s a part of them that’s good, then you should try to at least set boundaries. Let them know that you’re upset and aren’t going to put up with that behaviour. I mean, I’m not sure I buy that they are trying to help, but if you’re convinced they are…”

I glanced away, deep in thought. “Truth is, garden-girl, that I’ve been the only one to ever really notice you, and the only one to ever remember you.” Maybe it was true that the other Sunset just wanted my attention. It was… ironic, in a way, that as I had been invisible to everyone else, she had been invisible to me. Now that I thought about it, if she couldn't talk to anyone without them thinking it was her... that could mess a person up... I knew that from experience. She might just be socially awkward.

“If anything escalates, you need to tell someone, though. It doesn’t even have to be me,” Sunset continued. “I’m sure you don’t need anything like this on your plate making things harder.”

I nodded. “That makes sense.” I breathed in. “Thanks. I guess I just needed to straighten things out in my head.” I rubbed my forehead. “I guess I’m just going through a lot.”

Sunset gave me a small pat on the shoulder and smiled broadly. “Well, you’ve made some big changes. I know what it’s like to change like that. Remember, you’re not alone!” She turned and moved away. “I’ll see you around. You have my number, so call me if you want to talk.”

I nodded. “Sure. Sounds good.”





My garden was quiet. It wasn’t always quiet. For a long time it had been silent. Like a grave or a basement. Now, there was an ambient sound that was characteristic of life. Other people hanging out, having lunch, talking quietly. It was never noisy, but at least it wasn’t silent. 

I dug a hole in the earth-filled cast-iron pots I had prepared for the plundervine seeds. They were aggressive, and if I let them, they’d spread to the entire garden and kill most of the other plants. Which was bad, obviously. I knew what measures to take, though. Gardening was sort of my thing.

I mulled over what Sunset had told me. It felt eerie, getting helped so readily by her. I get that she hadn’t always been nice herself, so maybe she felt a sort of kinship with me, but… I was at a loss as to how I was supposed to feel about it. I wasn’t like Sunset. I hadn’t turned everything around and started helping other people with their issues. I just worked in the garden like I always had.

It had felt more right, I guess, when Sunset had been my enemy. Or at least, when I had thought she was my enemy. 

Beep.

I looked around, and saw a hunched figure in a dark leather jacket punch a small machine. It was roughly the size of a microwave… actually, it might have even been a microwave, once.

“Shut up!” came Sunset’s voice. “What’s making you go off now?” The larger girl turned to eye me. “What? I mean, hey.”

This was the other Sunset. The one I was afraid of. I swallowed. “Hey.”

Sunset threw her strange contraption to the side, where it fell onto the grass in a dismal pile. Beep! She folded her arms. “Saw you talking with the other me today.” She glared at me out the corner of her eye. “What? Can’t tell which of us is real?”

“Not really. Does it matter?”

“Of course it does?” Sunset threw her hands in the air. “Wouldn’t you want to know which of us is an imposter? Think about it. She could be lying about everything she says just to stay popular. That doesn't scare you?”

“I don’t think she’s that bad. Actually, she’s nicer than you.”

“Pfft. Well, that’s not hard.” Sunset got to her feet and strode towards me. She stopped just short of colliding into me, and loomed over like a skyscraper. “I don’t pretend to be nice. What, you want me to bend over backwards to be friendly and loved? Like the other one?” She bent over me. “Do you want me to be nice to you?”

“It’d be a good start,” I replied glumly. “Do you even want to be friends with me? Or just try to scare me?”

“Not being nice and being bad aren’t the same thing.” Sunset sat down. “I can’t stand the idea of being like the other one. Look at it from my perspective. You get replaced by some clone and all of a sudden everyone likes you as soon as you do anything different. Then you, the real you, does anything normal and people act like you’re some sort of freak.” She glowered, not at me, but just in general. “Well? Do you think I’m a freak?”

I hesitated. “Why do you care what I think?”

Sunset sighed. “I guess we’re both freaks.” She got to her feet. “Just don’t tell her about me. I don’t want to have to deal with my imposter realising she left a pretty big loose end. You know what happens to loose ends, right?” Sunset made a scissoring motion with her fingers. “They get cut. Snip, snip.”

“Uh… sure.”

Sunset stared at me for a bit. There was a long pause. “I guess I shouldn’t be upset. I said I’d help you get noticed by others, right? Why should I be mad if you’re talking to the other me?” She folded her arms. “Do whatever you want. If you want to make me the bad guy just to cozy up to her, that’s fine by me.”

“It’s not like…” I began. I put down my trowel and sighed. “What’s your deal anyway?”

“I don’t have a ‘deal’,” Sunset growled. “Nice plundervines, by the way.”

Beep!

The strange contraption Sunset had been playing with continued to make noise. Sunset gave it a stern kick. “Shut up! Geez!” She glanced over at the plundervines and murmured to herself.

I glanced at my handiwork. The vines were, as expected, already taking root. I looked up at Sunset, surprised she had recognised them. She shrugged.

“What? I know things.” She rubbed her forehead. “Those what you were carrying around last night?”

“Yes,” I replied. “Thanks again for the help.”

“Yeah, well, whatever.” Sunset got to her feet. “You’re okay, I’m okay, that’s all that matters.” She picked up her contraption and examined it before turning back to me. “It’s real late. Why are we still here?”

“Because I’m planting these,” I replied.

“Yes, and you’re finished.” Sunset tilted on one leg impatiently. “Everyone else is going home.”

I looked at my plants. I had pretty much finished, it was true. If I kept working on the plundervines, they could get agitated, escape their cast-iron pots, and spill over onto the other plants. Sunset was also clearly… waiting for me? She was tapping her foot and checking her watch.

I stood up, slinging my backpack over my shoulders as I walked over to her. I hunched slightly, unsure. “Um… are we going then?”

“Sure,” Sunset said. 

We left the garden past a pair of students, who both noticed us. I instinctively moved a little behind Sunset. “Isn’t it bad if you get seen with me?”

“Not really. They’ll just assume you’re with the other girl, right? Since you’re ‘friends’ now.”

I quickened my pace to walk alongside Sunset. The school was quickly emptying itself of students, but I still wasn’t certain about being seen with her. I wasn’t sure why. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a trap of sorts. 

Together, we made our way outside. The streets were busy. It was rush hour. A gaggle of boys from the school magazine were chatting by the bus stop. I caught a flash of sly glee from Sunset. She turned to me.

“Hey, want to promote your garden a bit? Get it some publicity?”

I looked at her, then over at the boys from the school magazine. Realisation dawned. I held my hands up, shaking my head quickly. “Oh, no, I’m not—”

“Come on, I’ve got a plan. Just go with it and improvise.” Sunset’s hand snatched mine fast as a whip, and I was pulled towards the crowd. Before I was able to stop her, or stop my heart from racing, I was spun into a social situation I wasn’t prepared for.

“Wait—” I began, but it was too late. Sunset was already talking.

“Hey guys. Looking for something to write about?” Sunset’s smile was as sweet as honey, and as sly as a snake. “Wallflower here’s got a great new addition to her garden.”

I knew I wanted to be seen. To be acknowledged. To be given praise like everyone else. Who wouldn’t? That didn’t change the fact that this was unfamiliar. Uncomfortable. I opened my mouth. Everyone was looking at me. Everyone was waiting for me to say something and my mind was blank…

“Plundervines!” Sunset said, her eyes only rolling slightly at my inability to speak. “Really rare plants. There’s not many left around, and they’re pretty dangerous too!”

“Don’t tell them that!” I exclaimed.

“But don’t worry, Wallflower’s got it all under control because she’s the best.”

My pulse quickened. I felt dizzy, even. I was somewhere between panic and mounting anger, and I was struggling to control myself. “I don’t!” I exclaimed. “I mean, I do, but I can’t…”

“I’ve never heard of plundervines,” one of the boys, Pipsqueak, said. “They’re rare, huh? How did you get them?”

“Oh, we don’t need to dwell on that,” Sunset said with a nonchalant laugh. “Just be sure to go by the garden at some point soon to—”

I pushed Sunset away from the magazine club and against the bus stop sign, which she hit with a clatter. “Stop! I didn’t ask for this! If you want to make a scene so badly, why don’t you just tell them about how you rescued me from—”

I sensed something I had never felt before from this Sunset. I felt her hands, closer to claws, grip my shoulders. Squeeze. Her eyes narrowed to slits, and her pupils were pitch black. I had seen the barrels of guns in movies and video-games, and they held a terrifying resemblance. Her scowl was not dismissive, or snarky. It was dangerous and desperate. She pulled me away from the boys in the magazine club, far away enough for them to not be able to listen in. They could still see us, though.

“That’s not funny,” Sunset snarled in a low voice.

I was so shocked that my panic and anger were blown away by momentary fright. What had I done? What had angered Sunset like that?

Sunset scanned my terrified expression, and her features softened. Her grip loosened, and she more gently pulled me away from the crowd. Pipsqueak backed away slightly.

“Um… I’ll… see you around then?” 

Sunset and me moved away from the others. “You can’t tell them I rescued you and got in a fight. If you do, and they write about it, the other girl will find out and I’ll get cornered. She'll find me. I’m…” Her eyes widened abruptly, and she let go of me, as if burned. As if I hurt her. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have scared you.”

Sunset was frozen, the hand that had grabbed me hovering in place, stiff and frozen.

The whiplash of emotions I experienced was enough to stun me into quiet silence. I forced myself to speak. Now, for the first time, it was like this Sunset was actually listening to me, not walking over me.

I took my chance to direct the conversation for the first time; to be in control over her.

I took a step away from her, glad to finally have some space to breathe. “I’m not ready for you to just… push me into situations like that. I can't deal with it all!” I folded my arms defensively around myself. “You might have only been dealing with not being given attention for a year or so, but I’ve been like this my whole life. I’m not… used to it.” 

Sunset swallowed, her stiff posture relaxing. “I… right.” She looked at the pavement, downcast. “I guess we’re not so similar after all.”

Sunset turned to leave, but I held my hand up to stop her. “No, wait…”

I could tell her to leave and never come back, but there was something feral and frightened about her that made me not want to. She was like me. She was angry and bitter and confused, and whilst nobody would blame me if I asked to be left alone, at the same time, nobody would have blamed the other Sunset if she hadn’t forgiven me, but she did. 

Not only that, but I felt… something. I couldn’t tell what yet, but I knew I wanted to find out. I couldn’t do that if she left… 

“What?” Sunset asked. “Look, if this is because I tried to help you last night, just… forget it. Like I said, I probably didn’t even help anyway so it’s not like you actually owe me or anything. I just wanted… I don’t know.”

“It’s fine, it’s just that if you want for us to be friends, this is just something we need to, I don’t know, talk about. Right?”

Sunset hesitated, and for a moment regained her cocky, arrogant air. “Sure, I guess. It’s not like I have anyone else to talk to really.” She cleared her throat. “So, uh…”

“We can talk at my place again,” I said. “It’ll be nicer this time now that you won’t be horribly injured.”

“Please. I wasn’t even that bad. See, I’m already mostly healed up. I only needed lots and lots of makeup to cover up the fact that I’m mostly blue right now.” Sunset pointed at her face. It was true that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but anything other than a cursory look revealed that she was still pretty out of shape. Literally. She swallowed. “But, uh, sure. Yeah, we can meet up there.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

Sunset left. I relaxed. I slumped against a light-post and closed my eyes for a moment, processing my exchange with Sunset.

“So… about those plundervines…” Pipsqueak began.

“I… I’ll tell you about them later,” I said. “I have a lot of thinking to do.”




> Chapter Three: First Time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I’ll be round in a bit. I’ll bring pizza. You're a vegetarian so that’s what I’ll order.

I held my phone over me as I lay in bed. My stomach was a whirlpool of anxiety, and I had barely eaten. I hadn’t ever had friends over to my place. At least, not when they weren’t injured after fights with thugs.

I rolled onto my stomach. Sunset was more a mystery to me than ever. What advice could I ask anyone about it either? After all, nobody knew she even existed. Without going into specifics, there was only so much I could ask.

I began typing on my phone. I had a talk with my friend, I began. We’re going to have a discussion. I guess that’s progress?

I hesitated, then sent the text to Sunset Shimmer. I then rolled back onto my back and waited. It said a lot about my situation that I had to have two contact details for each Sunset. I had renamed my first contact to Sunset One. The new one was simply called New Sunset. I liked to keep things simple.

My phone vibrated, and I took a look at what Sunset One had replied. That’s good! Let me know if you need any support.

I relaxed. I wasn’t sure what support she could give, or whether I even needed any. I wasn’t so convinced that the new Sunset was trying to torment me any more. She just seemed… feral. That was the best way to describe it. Still, I liked that Sunset still wanted to help.

Maybe I was overexaggerating, and Sunset One would be perfectly understanding about New Sunset. Still, New Sunset was averse to being found out, and I guessed that the person she wanted to hide from the most was Sunset One.

I paused. It did seem odd to me that the fact there were two Sunsets had gone unnoticed by the school. I didn't expect most of the average students to really pay much attention. Even after she began to act differently, it wasn't like most students to question the weirdness that surrounded Sunset, whichever Sunset that might be. For Pinkie Pie, Rarity, the headmistress and Sunset Shimmer herself to miss it though? Either Sunset was much, much more discreet when she wasn't around me, or...

A horrible thought struck me. What if it had been my fault? By messing with the memories of the school, especially the memories of Sunset Shimmer on a daily basis, had I been unwittingly helping to conceal the original Sunset from them? 

I had no way of knowing. At the time I didn't realise there were two of them, so any side-effects I might have caused would have been beyond my means of predicting. 

I didn't know how I felt about the possibility, and tried to push it out of my mind. Instead, if Sunset was simply unusually indiscreet around me... why would that be? 

“I suppose it’s possible they’re just trying to get your attention? Like how colts pull a— I mean, like how boys pull a girl’s hair in kindergarten or something.”

It seemed stupid for Sunset to have risked discovery for no other purpose than to get my attention. Who would take such a risk for some shy nobody?

My doorbell rang, startling me. I jumped to my feet and scrambled to the door, a jolt of unfamiliar anticipation making my heart race slightly. I got to my door in a flash, and then gradually composed myself. I took a few deep breaths. I didn’t want to seem on edge.

“Hey? Anyone home?”

“Um, yes!” I shouted through the door, and unlocked it. 

Sunset Shimmer was on the other side, holding a large pizza box. She rolled her shoulders, as if to appear loose and relaxed. “Cool. Can I come in?”

I noted Sunset’s softer demeanour, as if she was tiptoeing around me. “Yes, sure. I’m surprised you remembered the address. Nobody knows where I—”

“Nobody knows where you live. Yeah. I know the schtick,” Sunset interrupted, a flash of her acerbic nature resurfacing. “It’s fine. I remember.”

Sunset entered the house, handing me the warm cardboard box. She hesitated a moment, holding back from going further inside until I started moving. I led her back to my room, where I put the pizza on the desk, brushing aside some of my books.

“So… how’s stuff?” Sunset asked. 

“Stuff is fine,” I said. 

Sunset sighed. “Okay, look, I don’t like being awkward. Let’s just eat pizza and talk, okay?” She strode towards the box and opened it. “See? Vegetarian. There’s peppers and artichokes and stuff.” She pinched a slice between her fingers and moved it towards my face. “Here.”

I let Sunset place the slice on my open palm. “Thanks. You shouldn’t have.”

“I like pizza.” Sunset picked a slice for herself. “Anyway, look… I get that I shouldn’t have been so pushy. So, uh, sorry. I just thought you needed a push or something. Anything.”

“I believe you. And I agree that I do want people to look at me. It’s just that I can’t quite deal with it… at least not yet.” I took a small bite out of my pizza and sat next to my bed on the floor. Sunset joined me, leaning against the leg of my desk. “I guess… maybe I’m just not built to be the centre of attention.”

“You could be if you wanted to. You could be the most popular girl at school.” She tilted her head, pondering for a moment. “Well, actually, maybe not the most popular girl at school, but you’d be up there! Top five for sure.”

I giggled. “You’re being silly.” I held my hand up and began counting down. “First is Sunset Shimmer. The other one, not you. No offence.”

“None taken.”

“Second is Pinkie Pie. Third is Rarity, Fourth is Rainbow Dash. Fifth is… Uh… Fifth is hard. Spitfire maybe?”

“Yes yes, sure. And I’m saying you could at least beat Rainbow Dash. She’s so awkward. Have you seen her try to act casual? It’s so forced.” Sunset giggled girlishly. It was a flash of humanity I hadn't expected.

“I meant to ask… sorry to go on a tangent… How is it the other Sunset didn’t find out about you?”

“Not sure. If I hadn't seen her coming I'd have been made for sure, but she wasn't exactly discreet. She arrived during summer break, right, and to be honest, she seemed pretty awkward. Clearly a psycho. Walking on four legs, barking at everything and everyone, and every now and then she’d, like, squint and growl whilst muttering something about a horn. You know. Alien stuff.”

“When you say bark…”

“Bark as in shout, not as in woof woof.”

“Right.”

“She was clearly bad news. I’m not judging. I’m bad news too. She was a schemer and had some big plan or whatever, and it all exploded when that other girl, Twilight, showed up.” Sunset glowered. “I’m pretty sure she’s an alien too.”

“Yeah, I remember.” I peered at Sunset. She had a hunted look to her, glaring to her side. “You know, I don’t think they’re actually aliens? Just sort of magical creatures from another world.”

“Please. Magic is fake. If they’re from another world, they’re an alien. I even made a device to track the energy fields that they use to turn into… like… those strange furry monsters. You know. The beeping microwave? I bet they can change their shape using cell restructuring or something using the energy field as a trigger.”

I clicked my tongue. Having used the memory stone, I was confident that actually, it was magic, but I didn’t want to get into a debate about it with her.

“Anyway, back to my story… After that whole mess, that’s when I started hating her.”

“Not before?”

“No way! Look, she was obviously a bad girl, whoever or whatever she is, but at least she had the decency to act like me. I respect that. Even if she was mean, and cruel, and bullied people and shoved them around… she still didn’t change how people saw me. I mean, me. That was all stuff I would have done anyway. But now… Even if I did want to go back and chase her off… how am I supposed to do that now everyone believes I’m nice? I can’t be nice. I’m not built for it.”

“I think you’re pretty nice.” I hesitated. “Sort of. Well, not really, actually. But you have sort of flashes of goodness that I like.”

Sunset waved my objection away. “Who cares? Even if she leaves, there’s no ‘Sunset Shimmer’ that’s me any more. I thought at first, hey, having a double isn’t that bad. I don’t have to go to school or anything. But then she destroyed my actual identity.”

“I don’t think she meant to. I don’t think she knows you even exist.”

“Yeah, well, speaking from experience, how fun was that for you?” 

I swallowed. “Not fun.”

“No, it wasn’t.” Sunset grit her teeth. “I shouldn’t have let her just push me around without at least biting back. I had the option to go out in a blaze of glory, and I chose whimpering in a corner instead, like a coward. Hey, even you lashed out at her with your memory stone. You’ve got more guts than me, I guess.” 

“You could still talk to her. She’s actually quite nice… she didn’t have to forgive me, but she did. I think that, whatever she is, she genuinely has changed.”

Sunset shrugged. “It still doesn’t change that I don’t have a real identity to go back to. That bridge is burned, collapsed, a big steaming pile of rubble jutting out of an impassable river… busted, so to speak.” She retracted her legs and began hugging her knees. “It’s not even worth the risk. The best thing I can do is make the most of my freedom. It’s the one thing nobody can take away from me.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. I hesitated, then opened it again, this time with more confidence. “You don’t… look very free.”

Sunset didn’t reply immediately, instead hunching down more and more. When she did speak, her voice was closer to a murmur than the confident, braggadocious statements she usually spouted. “Maybe. Freedom is a spectrum. There’s always stuff we can’t do and always something you can. Me, I’m kinda free. I can do what I want without repercussions, so long as nobody ever knows it’s me. It’s true that you’re more free than me, though. You can also do whatever you want, but the only person stopping you is you.” Sunset’s fists clenched, turning white. “I can’t tell you how frustrating it is watching someone who could have what I can’t just not take it. You could have it all if you wanted. A popular garden, everyone wanting to be your friend… you even had a cool science stone that gave you amazing powers. You’re pretty, and smart, and dedicated to your garden and being good at stuff.” Sunset paused. “I’m so tired of seeing people ignore you. So… sorry if I make mistakes. I shouldn’t have made stuff miserable for you. I’m just tired.”

Blood rushed to my cheeks. I had never had anyone say things like that about me. Not even the other Sunset, who had forgiven me… me... for everything. People appreciated the garden, but nobody praised me for having taken care of it. Nobody had called me smart. Nobody had called me pretty. The other Sunset had been nice to me, but she had never wanted me.

It must have said something about me that just a few words of praise was enough to overload my every thought and instinct. My mind was haywire, and I had no idea of what to say, or do, or even think. I didn’t even know how I felt, really. I had been thrown into a whirlpool of rapidly changing emotions in the past few days that I simply didn’t know where I stood. 

I decided then not to think about me, but about Sunset. Yes, I felt special for the first time in a long time, but Sunset was hurting, and I wanted to make it better.

She had a hunted look, and she was still hugging her knees like a scolded child. How long had she gone without anyone telling her she was smart, or pretty? Months, certainly. Years possibly. She had been hiding and lying and scheming, but with nobody to talk to or be near. 

I could empathise.

I shifted towards Sunset, focussing entirely on her in a desperate attempt not to confront my own insecurities. Maybe along the way, I could do something, anything, to make things better for her. Give her the kind of attention I would want.

I reached my hand out, and froze inches away from her. Her eyes were staring into mine beneath furrowed brows.

“What? Are we getting touchy now?”

I swallowed, and recoiled. “Sorry, I… was just going to, uh…”

Sunset sighed, and stared at me, scanning me for a moment. Her eyes glanced up and down, assessing me. Her lips curled upwards. “If you’re going to hesitate like that, you don’t deserve to make the first move,” she quipped, and pounced.

An ocean of insecurities washed over me as her mouth locked with mine. My hands were outstretched uselessly. I thought that I should do something with them… curl them around the back of her head, or slide them around the small of her back, like I had seen in movies and television shows. Was I supposed to do something with my mouth, or tongue? Should I have pressed into her, or leaned back? Let her own me, or wrestle back control? In the end, I did nothing.

When Sunset pulled away, it was on her terms. My own heart was racing, and my stomach was tied in knots. It had been my first kiss, and I was so terrified of doing something wrong that I couldn’t even respond, react, move, or breathe.

“Ha…” Sunset began. “Probably shouldn’t have eaten pizza before doing that.” She licked her lips. “Cheesy.”

I hung in place. I felt a mixture of amazed and ashamed. 

“You can say something, you know.”

I didn’t know what to say.

“Okay, be that way. I’m getting more pizza. If you wanna' go again, let me know.” 

I caught my breath. “I’m sorry. I’ve been… um.”

“Was that not what you wanted?” 

“I was… kind of aiming for a hug or something…” 

“What, just a hug? I’m clearly vulnerable.” Sunset took another bite of pizza. “You could have done whatever you wanted with me and I’d have been into it.”

I squeaked. “You could have warned me?”

“Where’d be the fun in that?” Sunset put her pizza down, and swallowed. “Okay, shall we try again?”

“What?”

“Try again. This time you’ve got a warning. Okay? Look, I may be messed up but I know what I want. I’m not dumb. I’m done pretending I’m not into you. I want to try again.” 

I swallowed, my temperature rising. 

“So… what? Did I read the room wrong? You just want to hug it out instead?” Sunset folded her arms. 

“I…” I ran my hand through my hair. “I don’t know what to do.”

“I don’t care. Figure it out.” Sunset leaned closer, her nose brushing against my cheek. I felt her breath and her long fiery hair setting my skin alight. “What do you want, Wallflower? Should I tell you what you want?”

Every nerve I had lit up with electricity, piercing me as I heard her speak my name. “I just want one… person. One person to want me.”

“I’m a person.” Sunset bounced her head from side to side. “Okay, a bit of a disappointing one, sure. Kind of aggressive. A jerk. Whatever. I’m still human. Do I count?”

“You count,” I told her. “You definitely count.”

Sunset kissed me again and this time I made a decision. I made my muscles relax. I let her take me over. I was done being stiff and awkward, and I didn’t have the nerve to be in charge yet. So I let Sunset invade me without a fight. For five seconds I would let myself be free… be open. For five seconds.

Sunset leaned over me, and I collapsed backwards onto the floor. Sunset followed, and pressed into me more and more. I hadn’t even realised my eyes were closed. I guess it was instinct. When they were open again, she was on top of me. Her hair brushed into my eyes and caused them to tickle furiously. I honestly didn’t care.

I wasn’t used to physical contact. Not of any kind. Regardless of my lack of experience, I was pinned against the floor by Sunset’s lips. I had surrendered all control to her for her to do as she wished.

As Sunset overwhelmed me with an explosion of physical contact, I discovered how much I had needed touch until then. Sunset was giving me so much of it, all at once. Had I the ability to, I’d have whimpered, and I was so, so glad that Sunset was preventing me from making such an embarrassing sound by filling my mouth with her tongue like an occupying force in a surrendered country.

When Sunset pulled away again, I was panting, and to prevent me from following her back up she pinned me in place with a firm hand on my chest. Her absence was cold and icy, but my skin remembered her like a tingle.

“That was a bit better,” Sunset said. “Still cheesy, but hey. Flavour adds to the experience.” She rolled onto her back next to me, and we both stared at the ceiling for a moment. “I’ll be real, I didn’t think I’d be as into this as I am, but… I guess I am.”

I was too.

“Why me?” It was a dumb thing to ask. I knew it as soon as I blurted it out like an idiot. 

Sunset’s hand drifted over my arm, pulling up my sweater in order to stroke my skin. “Well for starters the colour green looks great on me,” she said, suave charm dripping from her every word. “Also, come on. We’ve been over this. Pretty, smart, dedicated, yada yada. Come on. You went and grabbed plundervines in the middle of the night just for your garden. That’s pretty cool. Stupid, sure, but cool.” Her fingers moved down to brush against the skin of my hand. “And you’re a fighter.”

“I’m not a fighter.”

“You absolutely are. Just because you don’t have the memory stone any more doesn’t mean you aren’t the sort to use that kind of thing when you have it. Deep down, you know how to bite back. I like that.” Her lips moved closer to my ear, her voice a tantalising whisper. “Next time we kiss, feel free to remember that.”

I swallowed. The memory stone was not something I was proud of, and even Sunset’s sultry words couldn’t quell the shame and embarrassment. “You… like that?”

“Well, yes and no. It was frustrating seeing you ruin your life with it. But think about it. Every day you’ll see people who don’t do the sorts of things that other people think are bad because they’re scared of being punished.” Sunset moved into me again, turning her body to face me. “What you did was probably wrong. I’m not one to judge. But you did it when most people would have been too scared to.” Her fingers wrapped around my face and turned my gaze towards her. Her eyes, slanted and mischievous, stared into mine. “Doesn’t that impress you?”

I remembered the fear I felt when tampering with the memories of others. What if I got caught? What if they resented me? Sure, those sensations had dulled over time, but I remembered feeling them. Did that make me brave? Or stupid? Did the difference even matter to Sunset?

“I don’t want to do it again.”

“That’s fair. You tried it, you got burned, and you won’t do it again. I respect that, too. What are we without mistakes?” Sunset grinned. “I’m just saying. You’ve got more nerve than you give yourself credit for.”

“If I’m going to hurt people, then I don’t want it.”

Wildness flashed in Sunset’s eyes, and her lips curled into a snarl. “Yes you do! Yes you do. I’m not the other Sunset! I’m me, and you don’t have to pretend around me.” Sunset’s eyes were widened now, and her hand tightened around my wrist. “You did what I wanted most! You’re like me! You want the same things as me! To bite back! Right?”

An understanding gnawed at the back of my mind. A kernel of truth revealed. The kiss had blurred my mind, but the fog was clearing. Sunset wasn’t just interested in me because she had been watching me. She needed me to be like her; to be vicious and cruel. She had been needed the bitter, vindictive Wallflower Blush that had used the memory stone endlessly, without a care in the world. She had been interested in a villain. She needed a villain to empathise with, because that was what she saw herself as. A weak villain that didn't even have the courage to lash out at the person who unwittingly destroyed her identity. She had confused my old anger for courage.

She hadn’t just been interested in me. She also needed me to be who I was whilst I still had the stone. She needed me before I changed.

Sunset’s grip tightened around my hand with violent desperation. My mind followed this thread of realisation to its final destination. Sunset Shimmer hated herself. No wonder she empathised with me; we both, ultimately, felt we were pathetic. 

But she wasn’t pathetic. She wasn’t cruel! She had rescued me from thugs. She had tried to apologise! She made me feel special, wanted. If she was worthless, why would she have tried to do those things? She was the first person to pay attention to me without the memory stone, the first person to kiss me and lie next to me and touch me the way I wanted to be touched. What else was I supposed to do but tell her she was worth something? 

“You are like me,” I insisted. My voice was the strongest I had ever heard it. “I don’t want to be a bad guy and neither do you. You're more than just an angry version of another person.” I tightened my own grip on Sunset’s hand. “Aren't you?”

“Being bad is all I have left.”

“You’ve got me now.”

Emotion by emotion, Sunset gradually broke, each piece of her eroding away before my eyes. What must have been years of loneliness and isolation came crumbling down around her. “Well… that just makes this harder, doesn’t it?” she choked, then collapsed into me.

Sunset’s face buried into my sweater. Her eyes were invisible, but I could feel the wetness of tears through my thick clothing. I turned towards her, and embraced her in a long hug that lasted hours.

What else was I supposed to do? I pulled her into me and held her close.





I began dialling on my phone. I glanced towards Sunset, who was resting by the wall. She gave me a curt nod, and I made the call.

Moments passed. Eventually I heard a voice on the other end.

“Hello?”

“Sunset? It’s me, Wallflower Blush. Um… you’ll never guess who I bumped into…”




> Chapter Four: Last Time?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Both Sunsets sat opposite one another in the empty classroom. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Twilight were all present as well. Side-by side, it was difficult to mistake one Sunset for the other; Sunset One looked calmer, more mature, and confident. New Sunset was unmistakably hounded and on-edge.

“So, I suppose that answers the question of where your human counterpart is,” Twilight said. “This answers quite a few questions I’ve had, actually. Inconsistencies, mostly. Rumours and stories of you acting out of character, that sort of thing.”

“She hid her tracks well enough.” Rarity examined Sunset's doppelganger. “I didn’t even realise myself… but looking back, yes, there were times when I felt something was just a bit… off.”

“The memory stone won't have helped either,” Sunset One said. She kept her distance, as if befriending a wild cat. “Who knows what memories were getting caught in the crossfire whilst Wallflower was using it.”

“Yeah, yeah, blame the memory thing,” New Sunset growled. “But come on; you didn’t think everyone went along with your existence a little too easily? You were walking on four legs. You were only fitting in because I warmed your seat.”

“Once we met Twilight, who went to a different school, I guessed that you were in a similar situation; living in a faraway place or something. I'm sorry, If I’d have known you were in hiding, I’d have looked for you sooner…”

“You wouldn’t have found me. I got pretty good at hiding from you girls. Besides, it’d have been better for you if you didn’t find me. I’m only talking to you because Wallflower thought it’d be a good idea.” Sunset paused. “That and I... can't do this any more.”

Months of isolation were fully visible on New Sunset’s face without her cruel smirk hiding it. She was tired, and had reached the end of her ability to hide by herself in complete isolation. No wonder that she had begun risking her precious secrecy to interact with me. She had been desperate, and I couldn’t blame her.

“So, what now?” Rainbow asked, resting her hands on a table. “There’s two Sunset Shimmers! You can’t both go to school.”

“Why not?” Applejack asked.

“Well, it’s… I mean, there’s probably paperwork or something.” Rainbow frowned. “Actually, nevermind. I don't want to look like I care about paperwork.”

New Sunset tensed. I put my hand on her shoulder, so gently that I was afraid she couldn’t feel me at all. 

“We’ll work something out together,” Sunset One said. “It’s good that we finally know you exist. Now, we can do something to fix this.” She breathed out. “Firstly, I’m not an alien. I’m actually a unicorn from another land beyond the portal. I’m sort of your pony counterpart, if that makes sense. I'm not an imposter; I really am you, just different.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s still an alien. I’ve been tracking the wavelengths your weird science has been giving off ever since you arrived.”

“Wavelengths? You mean the magic leaking from Equestria?” Twilight asked.

“Magic is fake and everyone knows it. It’s some sci-fi electromagnetic field. Otherwise how would I be able to detect it using wires and stuff?”

“Because you can tap into magical fields using advanced modern technology with the right approach,” Twilight explained. “It’s what I’ve been studying for years! The scientific analysis of magic.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Oh no, it’s happening again…”

“That’s ridiculous. If you can detect it with scientific implements then it’s science. Magic doesn’t exist. It’s one of the things that defines magic! Look, here's what it is. There are two dimensions, that much I know, existing out of phase. The portal 'thing' isn’t a portal; it’s a device that alters the phase we resonate at in this dimension, which is what causes you to shift from one place to another.”

“You figured all that out from watching us?” Sunset One asked.

“I’m smart. Apparently the only smart one if you guys insist on believing in fairytales and magic!”

“I am literally a unicorn.”

“If it’s from a different planet then it’s still an alien! Ugh! Wallflower, get me a whiteboard. I need to explain this to these idiots.”

“I’m not sure it’s that important,” Twilight interjected. “What matters is that you know about the portal, the other dimension, all of it. Your, um, unique rationalisation is not critical.”

Sunset One approached me as Twilight and New Sunset began arguing. Applejack and Rainbow Dash began ignoring them and talked amongst themselves, and I noticed that the others were similarly disinterested in the discussion on the finer differences between magic and science. 

“It’s like looking in a mirror from years ago,” Sunset told me. “Except the reflection is warped from the long time spent isolated, and also having been brought up in a magic-less world, among other things. I’m glad you decided to try to help her; I know from experience that it’s hard to be me without friends.”

“I didn’t have that much choice in the matter,” I admitted. “She sort of just… picked me.”

“Well, she could have picked a lot worse.” Sunset's smile faded. “She wouldn't have opened up to me. Ever. I wouldn't have. I'd have seen me as a rival."

"Will she come around?"

"I’m pretty confident that things will turn out all right. After all, I did. We might be messed up, but we're still the same person deep down.”

“If you say so. I get the feeling that this isn’t really resolved yet.”

Sunset leaned back. “Stuff like this rarely gets resolved in one go. You and I both know that. You can make a change and it feels like the biggest deal at the time, but the day after that and it’s just more challenges and effort to make it stick. This is why she needs a friend she can open up to. Right now, that isn't me. I know that I could be difficult, especially back before I found friends."

"I'd like to help," I said. "I... like her a lot."

Sunset softened and looked at her clone. "I'd appreciate it. If you need help, let me know… but she clearly likes you.”

I straightened. “I think that I’m okay with keeping her company for a time.” I smiled. “Especially once her rougher edges get a bit worn down.”

“Yes, well, I had a fair few of those. Like I said, let me or the others know if you need help.” Sunset patted me on the shoulder. “Thanks again.”





“Do you, um, feel better now you’ve actually met her?” I asked Sunset.

Sunset, my Sunset, leaned back on the bench in the garden, adjusting some switches and knobs on her mysterious beeping device. “I guess. On one hand I can’t just go on a rampage if I want to any more, but on the other it’s less stressful. Besides, I’m kind of over being mean for no reason anyway.”

Beep!

“I meant to ask… I saw you with that thing earlier.” I gestured at her modified microwave. “What is that… exactly?”

“It’s a microwave.”

“Well, I can see that...”

“I changed some stuff inside it to make it more susceptible to the dimensional wavelengths, which actually aren't that far off microwaves. At first I just used it as a detector. If there was dimensional energy radiating from something, it’d go beep.”

Beep!

“Speaking of, those plundervines have a fair bit of that energy in them. Pretty sure that’s what’s setting it off all the time.”

“They’re magical?” I asked, looking at my precious plants. “I guess that makes sense. They do grow extraordinarily fast! And are also very aggressive.” I tilted my head. "Kind of like you. Aggressive, dangerous, but you grew on me pretty fast."

“That's... cute? I've never been compared to a plant before. Anyway... I’ve since modified the device a bit more. I can even affect the energy fields now if I’m careful.”

“Like how Twilight did at the Friendship Games?”

“Hmm? Sorry, I wasn’t there. All I've seen is her lab.” Sunset sighed. “Give me a that much funding and I’ll make her 'magic' look like cheap tricks.”

“She opened a lot of portals and became a sort of demon.”

Sunset whistled. “I could easily turn myself into a demon thing. Not that I think it’s a competition. I’m just saying that I could.”

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t.”

“I wasn’t going to!” Sunset folded her arms and tilted her head. “She was pretty hot as a demon though... could be fu~un...”

“No!”

“Kidding, kidding.”

For a moment we sat in silence as Sunset adjusted her device some more. I began tending to my garden, too. Some of the students visiting noticed us together. Blood rushed to my cheeks. It felt strange, being romantically involved with anyone for the first time. It felt even stranger knowing that the person I was involved with was… complicated.

“Hey. I want to show you something,” Sunset said, and took me by the hand.





We went outside the school to the site of the portal. I remembered it well. It was here when the pony Sunset had confronted Twilight and turned into a demoness in front of everyone. It had been the start of the school’s complicated relationship with magic. 

“What are we looking for?” I asked Sunset, glancing over at her anxiously. “This is a pretty magical place, you know.”

Sunset set her modified microwave on the ground. “Magic is fake, Wallflower. Watch this.”

Beep!

Boop!

“Moment of truth!”

Violet and orange light flickered inside the microwave, crackling and dancing inside its cheap plastic interior. With a buzz, lightning arced from its door, now sprung open.

Sunset’s hand wrapped around mine, eyes fixed on her device. “Now that’s what I call science!”

I clutched Sunset’s arm. I would have been frightened, were I not with her. There were few things I could think of that scared me any more. Magic, memory stones, even public speaking didn't seem so bad any more.

Like curtains being parted, the fabric of reality itself bent itself open. Electric strands like wires popped at the seams, and before my very eyes, a portal to Equestria opened up in front of us both.

It was a gaping hole in what I considered real and tangible, the size of a person. On the other side, I could see hills… forests. A fantasy land I had only glimpsed before at the Friendship games. This was the world the other Sunset came from.

Sunset laughed.

“Ha ha! I knew I could do it.” She stamped her foot. “Take that, alien me! Magic is conclusively worse than science!”

“You know you could have asked Sunset to activate it?”

"Where's the fun in that? No way I'm relying on her fancy 'magic'." Sunset spun around and clutched my arms, looking into my eyes. “What? I wasn’t kidding when I said I wasn’t lazying about at home instead of going to school. I was studying for this.” She faced the portal. “I needed to know what kind of world is on the other side that sends stuff like alien me over to our world. So I made it happen! Me! By myself!”

A kernel of anxiety grew inside me. “You’re not going to go through, are you?”

Sunset paused.

“Well, I mean, sure. Why wouldn’t I?” She turned to face me, looking into my eyes. “The other Sunset has already pretty much taken my life at this point. Meeting her confirmed it; there’s a me-shaped hole in that other world that is waiting to be filled. I’ve got to at least see what it’s like.”

“What about me, then?” I asked. “What was the point of me?”

Sunset bit her lip. “At first… I just wanted someone to remember me. Not the nice, kind me… but the me I am.” She held my hands. “I wanted someone to remember that Sunset Shimmer was me. Not her.” With her thumb, she stroked the outside of my hand. “I didn’t expect to find someone who… well. Liked me. Wanted me.”

Truth be told, I didn’t know if liked was the right word. I just knew what I felt in my body and heart when I was near her and I knew for certain that I didn’t want to let her go.

“You can’t leave,” I said. “That’s not fair.”

Sunset spluttered. “Well, I was going to come back. And I'm not leaving now! That would be crazy, and even I'm not that insane.”

Oh.

“I mean, the plan was originally to leave and never come back, but you changed that.”

I mellowed. I had imagined that this was some sort of goodbye. An ending.

“Sorry, I guess I didn’t read the room right. You’re coming back?”

“Yeah. I mean, probably. If I can. The energy field might work differently on the other side, so it might take some time to adjust my machine…”

I frowned. "No, no, I don't want to hear that. I don't want maybes! Your counterpart told me to look after you, so if you go and get stuck on the other side, she’ll never forgive me.”

“She probably will though…”

I felt frustration build inside me; I knew that Sunset wasn't going to ever stop wanting to see the other world, and honestly, I didn't want to stop her. However, I was just a bit tired of Sunset making these decisions without me at least biting back.

“No talking.” I lunged, taking Sunset by surprise for once by locking lips with her. The lessons I had learned from letting Sunset take control the evening before had been branded into my mind, and this time, I knew exactly how to handle her. Sunset was like a wild animal, but with confidence, I knew I had tamed her. 

In fact, the way she melted in my mouth made me think that she enjoyed being tamed.

Sunset rocked back on her heels, off-balance. Her arms wrapped around my back to keep her from falling, and despite my small frame, I was steady enough to keep her close against me. When I pulled away, it was on my terms. It wasn’t me left lingering, hovering for more, but her.

“If you don’t come back I’ll never kiss you again,” I said.

Sunset’s fingers moved on their own towards her lips. She swallowed, catching her breath.

“Um… understood.”

I drifted my hand down her side, brushing against her waist, and softened. “I’m serious. I’ll have to come and get you otherwise.”

“Well, we can’t have that,” Sunset replied, trying to salvage some control over the conversation. “I’ll figure it out. If there’s magi—… I mean, the energy field on the other side it can’t be that hard.” She leaned down and picked up her microwave. Behind her the portal closed shut. "Questions for later."

"If I can get someone to take care of the garden, maybe I'll come with you."

"Whew. That's a lot of pressure on me to make it work, then." Sunset whistled. "I haven't got complaints."

We began walking back towards the school. Sunset snaked her hand into mine.

"Nicely kissed, by the way."

"Thanks."






Fin