Equestria Noir Side Story "From Sunset till Dawn"

by Jacoboby1

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, Sunset Shimmer, Princess Celestia, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Original Character, Other
Length: 5730

A side story regarding the origin of Sunset Shimmer set in the Noirverse

It's amazing how one event can change everything. But it's also amazing how one's life choices come back to effect them. I know you have no reason to hear my story. You all saw how it ends, and probably can guess how it began. But, if Celestia does come after me, I want somepony to know the middle. I want somepony to know the full story.

I want somepony to know that my fall was nothing short of a dive....

Published 2013-10-30 00:30:04 UTC
Last updated 2013-10-30 00:30:04 UTC

From Sunset Till Dawn

Equestria Noir
Side Story
“From Sunset ‘till Dawn”
By Jacoboby1

Perspective: Sunset Shimmer

My life used to be so simple. There was no dispute. I was the greatest unicorn of her generation. As a child I mastered telekinesis before I was even out of diapers. My parents were overjoyed about the fact their daughter was such a talented magician.

My father was a teacher who taught astronomy in our home Canterlot. My mother was a magician too, but not nearly as strong as I was. Before I was born, my parents didn’t have a lot of money. They got together after meeting each other during a library visit from my dad’s school. It was love at first sight, at least that’s what my mother always told me.

I was born the only child of Shimmer Star and Glory Sunset. As is tradition in most families, my name combined aspects of both of theirs, Sunset Shimmer.

When my gift for magic revealed itself I put it to good use. I plowed through my tests in school and was shown to be a prodigy, particularly in the field of pyromancy. My parents couldn’t afford to send me to Celestia’s School of Gifted Unicorns initially. But I wouldn’t have it, I was the best, I deserved to be taught by the best.

So the day came around when I, at six years old, presented myself before a crowd of judges from the school. My task was nothing special. I wasn’t asked to hatch open an egg or anything. My task was simply to cast a growth spell on a seedling, and turn it into a tree.

Suffice to say, I nailed that spell. I caused the tree to not only grow, but grow to such a level that the classroom is now being used by the Botanomancy club for gardening purposes.

That tree garnered the attention of Princess Celestia. She came in, said I had potential and wanted to take me on as her personal student. Suffice to say, I was excited.

For the next thirteen years of my life I spent it with Celestia in her castle. I trained under her, learning magics I’ve never even heard of before. My parents were also treated well thanks to me being Celestia’s student. My mother wrote a biography about me and how she raised me. It was a little exaggerated and honestly overly flattering, but the nobles bought the books. Probably to see if they could get their own children to be as amazing as I was.

My parents and I went from barely scraping by, to being invited regularly to parties, seminars, and several other events normally reserved for the nobility. Meanwhile, I spent every waking moment studying, honing my magic to be the best it can be. My life was perfect, I was happy. Celestia was a great teacher. My parents were set pretty much for life thanks to my mother’s book.

It’s amazing how one day and one phrase can change everything. I was nineteen at the time.

________________________________________________________

I was woken up early by my mother one early summer day. We had since moved from our simply house in the lower terrace to a much larger one in the Noble Quarter. My mother woke me up saying, “Sunset, Princess Celestia just sent a letter. She said you are to come to the castle at your earliest convenience.”

Receiving a summons from Celestia wasn’t a new thing at our house. But, judging by how early my mother got me up, the matter was very important. I got up, fixed my mane, may have gazed in the mirror for a few minutes, and then set out for breakfast.

Father made a decent living as a teacher as well, but not nearly the same amount of money as Mother. Every day he’d put away his cigarettes, pull me into a hug, call me the greatest treasure he’d ever been given, and then send me off. That was the best part of the day, even with the smell of cigarettes afterwards.

Mother tried to get him off the habit, but teaching can be a stressful job.

I went about towards the castle. Ponies parted as I walked, I held my head high like my mother told me to. Even nobles thought twice before crossing my path. I was the best, everypony knew it, so they shouldn’t hinder me.

One colt didn’t get the message, he was chasing a ball that got away from him. The ball went wide as his friend threw it, and it hit me on the head. The colt ran up, tried to apologize for what happened. I gave the colt a glare, put the ball under my hoof, and used a piercing spell to pop the stupid rubber thing. I tossed it back at him and said, “Tell your friend to keep better track of his things.”

I left the colt and his friend crying. I didn’t care though, they should’ve been better at aiming.

Another distraction came as I walked away from those brats. I heard a commotion and saw a group of mares and stallions from my school. Curiosity got the better of me and I walked over. One of them I recognized, He had to have been a junior. He was tall, a unicorn, with a white coat and long gold hair. This was Goldensword, pretty much the latest on the road to winning ‘pretty boy of the year’ from all the cheerleaders at my old school.

On the ground before him was a pegasus I didn’t recognize. He was violet colored, with a bright reddish mane and green eyes. Judging by his lack of clothing, he wasn’t well off. In fact, he was skinny, what was a peasant like him doing in the noble quarter?

Goldensword smirked down at the pegasus. “That will teach you foul chickens to even come near the Noble Quarter,” He said, arrogance dripping from his very tone.

The pegasus got up, looked at Goldensword and said, “I just, wanted to see Grace.”

“Grace Light?” Goldensword laughed, “You mean to tell me that you think you can date one of the richest mares in town?”

“She said I could…” The pegasus said.

“Get real Starshot,” Goldensword said. “Grace would never stoop to taking a dumb chicken to prom.”

“Goldensword leave him alone!” I turned and saw Grace Light was pushing her way through the crowd. Lithe, beautiful with long golden curls and a blue coat that was to die for, she was the epitome of unicorn beauty in her time. She pushed and shoved her way through until she got her way to the pegasus. She helped the stallion to his hooves.

“Grace?” Goldensword said, in shock and confusion. “Why are you even bothering?”

“Because I do actually like him Goldensword!” Grace shouted at the stallion. “I actually have a brain to see who I’d rather go to prom with. Starshot is kind and sweet, he’s never acted arrogant or showy, like you so often do.”

“But he-” Goldensword tried to start.

“I don’t care if he has a fifth leg growing somewhere,” Grace shouted. “I love him! He loves me! That’s all that matters! Go whine to one of your other groupies to take you. They’ll soon find out just how much of an arrogant jerk you are.”

At that point, I just laughed. Everypony hushed up and looked at me. “Well, it seems the Light household has lowered their standards significantly,” I said as I strutted into the center of the crowd.

“Shimmer?” Goldensword said, surprised.

“Hate to spoil your fun,” I said, “but I had to come in and say just how impeccably stupid they both are.”

“Excuse me?” Grace shouted.

“Do you really think there’s a future between you two?” I said with a laugh. “Your father will disown you, your kids will be mongruls, and you’ll be lucky if your poor friend here even can afford to put a roof over your heads.”

“But...we are…” Starshot tried to say.

“In love?” I laughed out loud. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. You can’t just say you’re in love and expect everything to go your way. Love is for idiots who can’t think their way out of paper bags. I’m sure your children will be the same way.”

Everypony else laughed with me. I got a kick out of putting those two in their places. I didn’t need love. I didn’t care for it. It was idiots like them that believed love and friendship solved everything.

I never laughed harder in my life.

____________________________________________________

I walked further in the Noble Quarter, strutting my way to the castle. It was within sight when another distraction happened. I saw a mare, an earth pony, come running up to me. Her brownish coat was covered with rags. She looked at me, with pale blue eyes, and said. “Some bits milady?” She asked. “My daughter and I haven’t eaten in weeks. Just a few bits would help stave off the hunger.”

I rolled my eyes, beggars like her plagued the noble quarter, hoping to get some bits for whining. I however, was not going to oblige. “If you couldn’t feed her with your own money,” I said, glaring at her. “What makes you think you’ll be able to feed her with mine? Get lost beggar!”

I then turned and marched down the noble quarter towards the castle. I tuned out her pitiful cries for me to come back. She wasn’t going to get my hard earned money. I thought there should be laws against bothering nobles.

I was about to head up, when yet another distraction stopped me. I saw an old ‘friend’ of mine. Her name was Nightspeller, a pretty young mare with a black coat, short violet hair and pretty green eyes. She was standing in front of a guard. I noticed she had a filly strewn over her back. The filly couldn’t have been older than five or six, with a blue coat, a silvery blue mane, and closed eyes.

Nightspeller begged the guard, “Please, this filly needs a doctor.”

The guard shook his head, “I’m sorry ma’am, this hospital is reserved for those of nobility. I can’t let her in without permission.”

“She’s half starved, probably sick from being left out in the cold.” Nightspeller implored. “Please, to take her to a hospital in the lower terraces would take too long.”

“I can’t lose my job ma’am.” The guard said. “I have a wife and son at home. If I let you in, the owner will find out and I’m sunk.”

Nightspeller than saw me, and called. “Shimmer! Is that you?”

I sighed, and walked over, a little sick of the distractions at this point. “Yes Nightspeller?”

“It’s been a while since school,” She said, trying to act friendly.

“Right,” I said, raising an eyebrow. “So, you want to get that filly in the hospital?”

“Yes,” She said, “but they won’t let me in because I’m not a noble. I was thinking y-”

“Forget it.”

“What?” She asked.

“You honestly expect me to stoop to helping some staved urchin get care meant for nobles?” I said, laughing.

“But Shimmer,” Nightspeller said, “I helped tutor you, I was one of the ponies who helped you become what you are, doesn’t that account for anything?”

“Please,” I groaned. “The only reason I even tolerated your presence was so that I could pass that class.”

“But I thought we were-”

“Friends?” I scoffed. “As if, like I’d ever want to be friends with a no talent hack of a unicorn.”

“Shimmer,” Nightspeller said, looking back at the filly. “She could die…”

“Good, fewer worthless unicorns to worry about,” I said, walking off.

I left Nightspeller behind that day. All I could think about was how dare she even think of using her connection with me. As if I’d ever waste my time making friends.

Little did I know how much those thoughts would bite me in the flank later.

______________________________________________________

I entered the throne room, the way lined with fantastic stained glass windows, paneled with lavender hued stone, and columns in between each panel and window. Before me was the throne, a beautiful golden affair, carpeted in red, with cushions, lanterns on either side, and some kind of magical waterfall, apparently to echo the larger waterfall of Canterlot, decorating it. Princess Celestia sat there, looking like a serene statue of alabaster, decorated with golden harness crown and horseshoes.

“Sunset, I’m glad you could make it.” She said, her voice like a soft breeze in my ears.

I gave a curt bow and said, “Sorry I’m a little late, I had some distractions this morning.”

She nodded and descended from her throne to me. “Let us begin today’s lessons then.”

“Princess,” I said, looking at her. “Why did you want me to come so early?”

She smiled and said, “Nothing gets past you my student. I wanted to get the lessons done early today. We are taking a trip this evening.”

“A trip?” I asked in curiosity. “To where?”

“Patience my student,” She said, “I already informed your parents you will be unavailable for a time. This, Shimmer, is probably the most important day in all of my time with you.”

I smirked. We were going to do something different. In my heart I was excited, who knows what she has planned for me. Nearly a decade and a half’s worth of training has built up to this.

I spent the entire day plowing through my lessons with Celestia. I once again was flawless in my magical performance. Every lesson, every spell, everything was perfect.

That evening, after dinner Celestia brought me to a terrace. On it was her throne sky carriage, a pair of solar guards pulling it. I then asked the million-bit question, “Where are we going?”

She just smiled and said, “A very important place, in the most unlikeliest of places.”

___________________________________________________________

We flew in the evening sky towards our destination. We passed over some farming village towards a forest with trees going on for miles. This was the legendary Everfree Forest. A place where nature itself ruled.

Our carriage touched down at the foot of a large palace in utter ruin. I’m, quite frankly, amazed the double-doors were still intact. The rest of the place was open to the sky, with walls that were only half-there, and a small tower by the entrance that was more than half gone. At least that’s what I could see from the front. There may be more intact bits, beyond this facade, but I was none too sure.

I hopped out of the carriage and looked up at the palace. I then looked to my mentor, “Where are we?”

“This, was once my home, my student,” Celestia said. “Or at least one of my homes for a long time.”

“What happened to it?” I asked.

She looked to her guards and said, “Keep the carriage safe, we may need to leave soon.”

The guards simply nodded and Celestia used her magic to open the doors into the palace. I followed her inside.

We found the center of the ancient palace, and at the center of this room was a pedestal on which was mounted six orbs, surrounding a seventh. The ancient monument was covered with vines, and moss. A sign of the time that had passed since anypony had been here.

Celestia stood beside me, and looked over at me. “Are you aware of the tale of the Mare in the Moon?”

I nodded. “Who hasn’t heard of it?” I said. “Everypony was told that old mare’s tale. Don’t eat your vegetables or Nightmare Moon will gobble you up.” I then blinked, and then looked at the orbs. Then I looked back at Celestia, “You mean to tell me…?”

“That the story is true?” Celestia said, “Yes, it is. Nine hundred and eighty years ago, I banished my sister to the moon after she fell into darkness. There was nothing I could do to save her at the time.”

I blinked, reeling from the realization that the tales and legends about the Elements of Harmony were real.

“Are those the Elements then?” I asked, pointing at the orbs.

“Correct.” Celestia said, “Inside each of them, are the sealed remains of the Elements. Only to be awakened when they are needed.”

“But why call me now?” I asked. “I’ll be in my late thirties by the time Nightmare Moon comes back.”

“I called you here Shimmer,” She said. “To see if you are worthy of being chosen as one of the Elements. Each Element responds to a virtue, Kindness, Generosity, Loyalty, Honesty, Laughter, and the most important of all, Magic.”

I made a count and said, “But, what about the seventh orb?”

“Seventh?” She asked.

“There are seven orbs there, why do the legends only say six?” I asked, pointing.

“That orb is more of a symbolic orb.” Celestia said. “The Elements will work with six, the seventh one you don’t need to worry about. The one I want you to focus on, is magic.”

“Magic?” I said.

“Indeed, for the pony who wields magic will be able to unleash the full power of the Elements. The magic of friendship will be used to cast away darkness, and defeat my sister, allowing her to be free from her curse forever.”

I smiled, knowing I was more than worthy of the honor and power. I said, “Where do we start?”

“First off, I will call the spirits of the Elements.” Celestia said, “There are six of them, one for each Element. Normally, the Elements need the other five ponies to work. But, I can use my magic to allow the spirits to do a sort of, pre assessment.”

“Is this really necessary?” I asked. “You know I’m more than ready for this. The sooner I have Magic, the more time I’ll have to train and use it.”

“That will be for the spirits to judge, not me.” She said, and her horn glowed with a bright golden light. I shielded my eyes from the light. When I moved away my hoof, I was standing in a white room, far different from the room I was standing in. A group of outcroppings made of stone surrounded me.

Five lights surrounded me, one red, one blue, one violet, one orange, and one pink. I then watched as the orange light shot forth towards an outcropping of stone nearby. The orange light formed into a tall, muscular-looking stallion. He had long bronze colored hair and a bright yellow coat. He looked like he was wearing something out of a period piece play, brown tunic, with a feathered cap.

The blue light fired next, I saw another Earth pony come into existence. She was shorter, with a pink curly mane that poked out of the bonnet she was wearing. She was also wearing period piece clothing like the other Earth pony.

The red light shot towards another outcropping. This one revealed a pegasus with a cyan colored coat, with a long dark blue mane. He was clad almost from the neck down in armor, it looked like it was made of dragon scales to be honest.

The pink light shot forth next, forming into a beautiful looking pegasus. Her mane was rose colored, and looked fairly long as it went down from her head, flowers tied into it. Her body was not really covered by clothing, more like a selection of vines, leaves, and other plant life, it almost made her look like she came from the Deerlands.

The violet one then shot towards the last outcropping. It formed into the most elegant looking unicorn stallion I’ve ever seen. Tall, handsome, with a long curled violet mane, a type of rich violet tunic and a small circlet on his head. He had to have been a prince of some sort.

“Who, are you all?” I asked.

The unicorn spoke up, “We are the Spirits of the Elements of Harmony. The first wielders of the items more than fourteen hundred years ago.”

I was shocked to be standing among some of the first heroes of pony kind. I always dismissed them as legends, but, here they stood.

“Am I dreaming?” I asked.

“No silly willy.” The pink earth pony said, “You’re just having receiving a vision. Only, wouldn’t that make it a dream too? Ah well, details.”

“The point is,” The cyan pegasus said in a rather gruff voice. “Celestia brought you here to judge if you are worthy of leading the other Elements of Harmony.”

“Others?” I asked.

“The time will come,” The white stallion said, “When all six elements come together, and as one defeat evil. For the power of friendship cannot be gained alone. No pony is an island, as the poets say.”

I thought, ‘This was ridiculous! These were practically gods among ponies and they talk about friendship? Friendship is worthless! A waste of time! Power is everything!’

But, what I said was. “I hope you sprits find me worthy, and allow me to accept the power. For if Equestria has any hope to succeed, it’s in me.”

The spirits looked at one another, saying silent messages to one another. The yellow pegasus said, “It is not our task to select who is worthy of Magic. For none of us are the Element of Magic.”

“Then, who is?” I asked. “There are five of you, and six elements.”

The white unicorn looked a little bitter as he said, “Our last sibling, has been known to be the most elusive of us all.”

“Well!” I yelled. “If she hopes to have Equestria saved, she’d better show her face!”

I then felt a strong wind come behind me. I nearly fell forward and then turned around. Standing before me was a unicorn, tall, violet colored, with a long violet mane that cascaded down her shoulders. Her aura just radiated with magic, I felt it just by looking at her. Her sharp green eyes looked on me.

I heard the white stallion say in shock, “Izanami!”

The violet unicorn called her Izanami. The first unicorn to ever exist. The most powerful magic user in history, seconded only by the princesses.

There was no doubt in my mind that she was the Element of Magic. I stood there, dumbfounded before her.

When she spoke, it was a voice that demanded your absolute attention. “So, you are Celestia’s newest prospect.”

I found my voice and said, “I am, Sunset Shimmer, personal student of Princess Celestia. I have come because Nightmare Moon is to return. I need Magic in order to defeat her. I believe you will find I am more than worthy of the power that Magic can provide.”

She looked at me a long time, a silence held over the room.

Whens he spoke, her tone was as cold as ice, but as furious as fire. “You? You think you are worthy of holding Magic? A selfish, self-centered little twit like yourself? What do you know of friendship, oh, aside from it being a ‘waste of time’.”

“Friendship?” I asked. “I don’t need it! I need the power to save Equestria! I am the most powerful unicorn of my time! I deserve the power!

”No. You don’t deserve power. You deserve contempt. Not only do you spurn friendship, you spurn the very virtues of the Elements of Harmony. Each of my brothers and sisters can agree with me.” She said, pointing behind me.

I turned, each of them looked down on me with contempt. The butter yellow pegasus was the first to speak.

“You had the chance to be kind. Instead you chose to be cruel. You popped that poor colt’s ball, instead of returning it to him,” she said shaking her head.

The pink pony spoke next, “Oh, you were a meanie weanie. You aren’t meant to use Laughter to mock ponies who are truly in love! Laughter is meant to bring joy, not sorrow!”

“Then you had the chance to be generous, which of course you spurned,” the unicorn stallion said with a sniff. “What would it have hurt to have given that poor mother the bits to see her child through to another day? Nothing. Except your precious ego.”

“And, of course, you showed no loyalty to somepony who helped you in the past,” the cyan pegasus spoke up, with a frown. “She gave you her time, and knowledge, and you repay her by spitting on her, and her efforts.”

“Lastly, you are being dishonest,” the earth pony stallion, in the vest, and feathered cap said with a frown. “You say you want to fight evil, but all you want is the power for yourself, so you can elevate yourself above all others, who you see worthy of contempt.”

I turned back to Izanami, looked at her cold eyes as she said, “If you cannot uphold these elements, what makes you think you’re worthy of the most powerful Element of all?”

I couldn’t believe this. I was outraged. They dared to say I wasn’t worthy! I was the greatest! I was the strongest! I deserved the power!

“If you will not give me Magic!” I yelled, my horn glowing. “Then I will make you give it to me!” I fired my horn towards Izanami.

The magical blast hit Izanami in the chest, but she didn’t even move. It was like she was so powerful it didn’t even phase her. I was shocked, Izanami then looked at me and said, “You, are not worthy of Magic. There is another among my descendents who will wield the power of Magic. Celestia will train her, hone her into a true Element of Magic. You however, will never again be brought before us. You, will never wield the Element of Magic...without a grave price.”

With a flash of light, I was back in the altar room. The ponies were gone. I heard hoofsteps behind me, I saw Celestia, a grim expression on her face. I glared at her and said, “You! You did something! I demand a retrial!”

“If you are standing here, with no crown upon your head.” Celestia said, “Then, the spirits deemed you unworthy of the Elements power. There is nothing I can do my student.”

“Then make them listen to you!” I yelled. “Make them give me what I deserve!”

“No Shimmer,” Celestia said. “The power of friendship must be earned.”

I glowered at her. “I know what you truly want,” I said.

“What is that?” She asked.

“To keep me from becoming an Alicorn!” I yelled.

Celestia blinked in response.

“I overheard you saying I could be the one! The one who should stand at your side as your equal, if not your better! I am more powerful than any unicorn before me! I deserve the power of the Elements! I’ve done everything you’ve asked! I studied harder, trained longer, all those years of learning and I get nothing?!”

Celestia closed her eyes and said, “Only because, you learned nothing.”

“Make me a princess!” I screamed. “I know it’s within your power to allow me to ascend! None deserve it more than I!”

“Apparently you forgot what Izanami said,” Celestia said. “Another has been chosen.”

“Show me this chosen!” I yelled. “I’ll put that lousy bitch in her place!”

“No Shimmer!” Celestia implored. “Can you not see? You’ve failed. You’ve failed to learn the lessons that I tried to teach you. You failed to learn humility, kindness, and love. All I see in you is ambition and arrogance. You will never be a princess until you can learn the true power of kindness.”

I turned and stomped back towards outside, mumbling. “You’ve just made the greatest mistake of your life….”

______________________________________________________

Over the next few days, I poured myself into my studies. I saw no one, not even my parents. I searched every text, every scroll, every book in Equestria for a way to use the Elements. None of them told me anything new.

Every time I asked Celestia, she would brush me off. Our lessons became shouting matches. I then, read in a text about a mirror. A mirror where if one were to walk into it, a new world would lie on the other side every thirty moons.

I found out where Celestia was keeping the mirror from a drunk guard. I knew that something in that world could help me prove to Celestia I was worthy of the Elements. I was right, but not in the way I expected.

When I got to the mirror. I looked into it and saw myself, not as a regular unicorn, but as a princess. Tall, adorned with beautiful wings and a glistening crown and regalia. Even Celestia herself was bowing before me. I wanted nothing more than to chase that dream. I leapt inside, leaving behind the drugged guards.

I told you what happened in the mirror already. I ended up in a human world. It was paradise in there, I was queen of the school. I had everything I could want and more. Recognition, power, and above all, no Celestia that deterred me.

That all changed during the latest cycle, when I heard of Twilight Sparkle becoming a princess when I stuck my ear out of the portal. I wanted to prove to myself I was her better. I wanted to take Magic from her, and force it to be my master.
Little did I know, that lead to my downfall.

As I put Magic on my head, I lost control. I became a monster, under control of the mirror spirit Lilith. She tried to have me build an army to take over Equestria. Twilight Sparkle and the human counterparts of her friends stopped me.
I already told you what happened after that, how Private Eye came in and helped Twilight Sparkle defeat Lilith. Freeing me, and all the inhabitants of the world. I was brought back to Equestria. It was there I learned the hard truth from Celestia.

I had been gone for twenty years.

___________________________________________________________

After I left, my parent’s life fell apart. Word of my failure spread like wildfire throughout Canterlot. When it came to light that I was rejected as Celestia’s student, my parents became a laughing stock. Sales tanked horribly on my mother’s book. Several nobles tried to get refunds.

My father and mother tried to demand money from Celestia, that didn’t work out. Celestia knew that they would squander it. Unable to hold a job after what happened, my father and mother were fired from their respective jobs. They left Canterlot in shame.

My father found work in Manehatten with a construction crew. But that didn’t last long. The cigarettes finally caught up with him. He had lung cancer, and without the money to afford the doctors they were used to, there was no cure.

My father died two years after I selfishly left them behind.

My mother, completely lost it. She tried to rob a noble’s house to get money instead of getting a job. The noble, I think his name was Irenius, had her arrested and the courts declared her mad. She kept going on about how it was all Celestia’s fault, she was schizophrenic, started seeing images of me and our perfect family. She was admitted into an Asylum, where she died five years after I left.

After Celestia told me all this, I fled the Crystal Empire to find their graves here, in Manehatten.

I learned all this in the couple of days I’ve been back. I’m still biologically in my twenties, but I’m almost forty. I found out in some old records where this grave was. That’s, when I met you Spera.

________________________________________________________

I sat on the bench, the leaves on the trees in the graveyard had become their fall colors. I held some hot chocolate in my hooves, looking down into the hot beverage, not taking a sip. A scarf was wrapped around my neck, to keep out the growing cold. It was nothing compared to Northern Equestria, but it’ll get there soon.

I looked over at the stallion sitting next to me. He was in his mid twenties, with black hair, green eyes, and a grey coat. Funny, if you put him and Private together, they’d look like brothers kind of.

“Quite a story,” He said, sipping his own hot chocolate.

I sighed, “I know it’s unbelievable.”

“With the things I’ve seen,” He said, “your story is tame by comparison.”

“Why even bother listening to my story?” I asked. “I figured you business ponies don’t care for nobles. Especially washed up ones.”

“You’re different, Shimmer,” He said. “You got to power through your own merits. You didn’t let fate control you. You chose to fight, and that is why I’m giving you a hot chocolate. You’ve been running for a long time, it’s time for a break.”

I nodded and took a tentative sip from the hot chocolate. “I can’t go back to Celestia. I can’t face her after all I did.”

“You know,” He said. “There’s an old apartment I own on the lower east side. I used to have it as a safe house. If you want, I can let you live there until you get on your hooves.”

“Awfully generous,” I said, giving him a narrow glance. “What’s the catch?”

“The catch,” He said with a smirk. “Is that I’d like to have a drink with you sometime.”

I laughed, “Seriously? You’re flirting with me? I am like, forty you have to remember.”

“I always did like older mares,” Spera said, giving me a smile.

I’ll admit, it was rather nice to have somepony care. I didn’t know whether or not I’d see this through but, I needed a place to start.

“Sure, Spera,” I said, “I’ll take the apartment, as for the drink, well, I do like sunflowers.”

“I see you are not a mare that’s easy to please,” Spera said with a laugh.

“Nope, my story was proof of that. Let’s see you dance, you suit,” I said, with a smile. “But who knows, maybe things will hit off.”

“Sunset, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.”