Thirty Days and Thirty Nights

by EldritchNexus

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Other, Romance, Changelings, Original Character, Equestria Girls, Tragedy, Sunset Shimmer
Length: 5793

This is a prequel to "Sunset Eclipsed", elaborating on Sunset Shimmer restarting her life in the human world, her growing relationship with Craw, and how it all came crashing down.

(This story is set between MLP: Equestria Girls and Sunset Eclipsed.)

After the whole fiasco at the Fall Formal, Sunset Shimmer tries to salvage her life now that it's been completely derailed and her reputation exposed to the entire school.

Little does she know that something sinister is afoot in this world, whether she realizes it or not.

Published 2015-09-10 21:40:04 UTC
Last updated 2015-10-24 19:24:39 UTC

The Fall Formal Aftermath

"Whoa...bummer!" grumbled Pinkie Pie, after bumping into the base of the statue.

Sunset Shimmer, who stood at the wrecked doorway of Canterlot High, heard this. She looked out to see Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash standing around the statue that housed the portal to Equestria. The portal that, from that moment on, was sealed shut, and would never open again for another thirty moons. And here she was now, stranded on the wrong side.

Terror seized her, Terror and guilt. She wanted to scream out, break something, do anything that could vent her frustration. But she was too sad and weak to do any such thing. Instead, she sat down against a wall when Snips and Snails had gone further back into the building for more supplies, and cried her pain away in silence. She didn't care who was watching her, didn't care if Vice Principal Luna was going to punish her even further for discontinuing her work on the doorway. She needed this.

Hateful, sickening memories flooded through her: The day she abandoned her studies with Princess Celestia, the year she spend bullying the other students, the pain she felt when she put on Twilight Sparkle's crown, and the madness that consumed her mind when she turned into that...abominable thing. And it was all her fault. She understood this completely. Sunset Shimmer, former student of Princess Celestia and unicorn extraordinare, not only caused trouble for every other person around her, but had thrown away her own life at this expense to pursue her own selfish desires.

And now the tidal wave had reversed direction, and she wasn't at the top. In fact, she was now at the mercy of everyone around her. All the bullying, lying, cheating, and manipulating she had exercised at this high school was going to be her undoing. She could just imagine all the students at this school lining up to give her a thrashing for what she did.

And her little "stunt" just a few minutes ago was bound to have the local authorities--the police, the FBI, even the National Guard--come after her. They wouldn't care if she was repentant, or that she had all her evils practically zapped away by the powers of a set of magical artifacts from the same magical world that she originated from. For all they would know (or care), she was a dangerous criminal or terrorist. She'd be lucky if she was just sent to a state prison for what she did, and especially what she tried to do.

"Sunset Shimmer." said the voice of Vice Principal Luna, who was now standing in front of Sunset. "Could you stand back up? I want to talk to you."

Sunset said nothing, and didn't move even an inch.

"Sunset, please." said Luna. "I just want to talk to you."

Sunset Shimmer slowly stood back up, and looked into the vice principal's bluish-green eyes.

"You're going to have the cops arrest me, aren't you?" whimpered Sunset, stiffly. "I bet I'm getting the death penalty for this."

"Now, don't act like that, Sunset." said Luna, who put a hand on Sunset's shoulder. "No, I already talked it over with my sister, and with Twilight Sparkle. We all agreed that we should not report this to the police. However, we will have to try hard to keep things quiet about what happened here to the rest of the town."

"What's the point, Ms. Luna?" questioned Sunset. "The entire student body knows what happened here. And they know now about how I've been acting since the day I came here."

"Don't you worry, dear." said Vice Principal Luna. "We will also make sure the students keep quiet about what happened here, too. I promise that as long as you go to this school, you will not be harmed by any student. But still, I am certainly curious about you, and how you came to be here to begin with. Would you mind sharing this with me?"

Sunset nodded mechanically. She pointed towards the statue in front of the school. Twilight Sparkle's friends had since vacated from the area to go back to their homes.

"You see that?" she said.

"Yes, of course." nodded Luna.

"Well, concealed in the base of that statue is a portal to a parallel world." explained Sunset. "A world inhabited by magical creatures, mainly ponies. There are three kinds: Earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns. In that world, which is called Equestria, I was a unicorn, and could use magic there."

"And yet, you are but a teenage girl on this side." said Vice Principal Luna. "And you were unable to use that magic, I take it?"

"Yes." said Sunset. "A unicorn can only use its magic through its horn, and this body has no horn. Therefore, I cannot use magic at all, unless I have a magical artifact channel it out."

"Like Twilight Sparkle's crown?" deduced the vice principal. "But why does the portal change your body so?"

"I have no idea." said Sunset.

"But the portal is right there, so why don't you simply walk over there, and go back to where you belong? Surely, that would be safer for you than staying here?"

"I can't." said Sunset, who now had a frustrated tone in her voice. "The portal only opens every thirty moons, and it deactivated right after Twilight Sparkle used it to go back to Equestria."

"Thirty moons? So that means you would have to wait a month before you can use it again?"

"No. Not thirty nights. Thirty lunar cycles!" corrected Sunset, bitterly. "And I don't know why! I didn't build the thing, so don't ask me how or why it works that way!"

"But that would mean that it won't open again for two and a half more years!" gasped Luna. "Sunset, why did you not tell me about this earlier? If I had known that, I would've wanted you to go through that portal!"

"Well, I wanted to go back." said Sunset. "But Twilight Sparkle told me to stay here."

"Why ever would she do that?" asked Luna.

"To seek out the magic of friendship." mumbled Sunset.

"What was that, dear?"

"Nothing." said Sunset. "Look, this is going to be a very long, painful thirty moons for me. I just know it. So if you don't mind, I'd like to go back to my apartment. If you need me to do anything, I'll take care of it later."

"Understood, Sunset." said Vice Principal Luna. "Tomorrow is Saturday, so if you don't mind, I would like you to come back then, and help some more on the damages your demon form caused to the school."

"Okay, Ms. Luna." said Sunset. "Well, good night. And thank you for being so understanding."

Vice Principal Luna opened her arms, and gave Sunset a warm hug.

"Good night, Sunset." she said. "Oh, and one other thing?"

"Yeah?" replied Sunset, whose eyes were watery again.

"I would like you to try experimenting with that portal." said the vice principal. "Maybe you could find a way to get that thing opened before another thirty moons come to pass. Not that I'm worried that our strategy will fail, but it is always good to keep your options open."

"I'll keep that in mind. Bye!" Sunset pulled herself away, and walked along the sidewalk to Dodge Boulevard. She turned right until she reached the apartment complex. She went in through the front door, where the landlord was yawning slowly at his desk.

"Wow, I thought you'd never come back!" he said to Sunset, once he noticed her. "So, how was your school dance? Did you get crowned again?"

"Nah." said Sunset, lightly.

She sniffled a little. The landlord heard this, and took a close look at Sunset, noticing her dirt-stained face, saline-drenched cheeks, disheveled hair, and tattered jacket.

"Holy mother of--!" he exclaimed in surprise. "What da heck happened to ya?!"

"C'mon, Frosty. It's been a long night, and I'm very tired." said Sunset, dismissively.

"But look atcha!" said the landlord. "Why're ya all dirty and ruffled up? Stay right there."

He grabbed a handkerchief from a drawer in his desk, and walked up to Sunset. He was at least half a foot shorter than Sunset, yet nearly twice her age. He had to stretch his arm ever so slightly as he rubbed the dirt off of his tenant's face.

"Who in their right mind could possibly do this to a beautiful young woman like you?" asked Frosty, once he finished rubbing the last speck of dirt off Sunset's nose. "It just ain't right."

"It's nothing, okay?" Sunset shook herself away. "I've just had a rough night. A very rough night."

"Honestly, I've never seen you in this condition, though!" said Frosty. "How could a tough lady like you have such a hard time?"

"It's complicated, Frosty." said Sunset, after a brief pause. "But it's been a long night, and I'd just like to go up to my apartment."

"That's okay, Ms. Shimmer. But wouldn't you like me to do something about that jacket of yours?"

He felt through one of the holes in the back of Sunset's leather jacket.

"It looks like a dog gnawed on it or something." commented the landlord. "If you'd like, I have a friend in town that's a tailor. He could fix it for ya, and then it'll be back to you tomorrow afternoon. Would you like that, Ms. Shimmer?"

Sunset Shimmer took a moment to think about it. Then she took off her leather jacket, and handed it to her landlord. She brushed some dust off of her purple t-shirt, and sighed.

"Actually, that would be kinda nice right now." she said, with a weak smile. "But please, just call me 'Sunset'. I'm not really in the mood for formality tonight."

"I have to say, Sunset: You're awfully polite now." said Frosty, with a smile of his own. "A lot more than this morning, that's for sure. Can I expect more of this, or is this just a one-time deal?"

Sunset paused for a moment.

"To be honest, I really don't know." she said. "Good night, Frosty."

"Good night." said Frosty, who gently patted Sunset on the back as she passed by him. "You're a good girl, Sunset. Don't you forget it."

"Thanks." Sunset acknowledged.

She went up to her apartment, and sat in the kitchen. After guzzling down a bottle of water to moisten her dried throat, she slid out of her long black boots and then went over to lay on her bed. Since she wasn't completely tired, she decided to switch on the radio beside her bed. She adjusted the dial, scanning the stations until she found one that came in clear.

"Fresh from the assembly lines here at Sombra Industries, the SombraTech Mark II combat shotgun is now available at over five hundred stores throughout this fine country to gun enthusiasts, hunters, farmers, private collectors, home owners, security organizations, and military personnel alike." said a man's voice on the radio. "For a modest price of $649.99, you will be able to defend your home from intruders of all kind. Whether you are fending off a gang of thugs, keeping unwanted guests off of your property, or putting some poor beast out of its misery, the newest upgrade of our third hottest-selling firearm is guaranteed to accomplish its task for the man or woman that wields it in their hands. New features include adjustable firing rate, compatibility with three different types of ammunition, a built-in auto-loader, and a collapsible laser scope for long-range targets."

Sunset Shimmer thought about this for a moment. At first, she thought it wouldn't be too bad an idea to get herself some protection, since it was likely that someone might decide to exact their vengeance on her for her actions in the past. But almost immediately, she rejected the idea of her ever using a firearm, even for self-defense. Even if she wanted to purchase a gun, she had nowhere near enough money to afford one, wouldn't be allowed a license since she was only a high school student in this world, and anyone with common sense would know better than to shoplift from a gun store.

Not that she would've needed a firearm to prove she could defend herself. During the time she spent here in the human world, she had learned several self-defense skills, such as boxing, kickboxing, tae kwon do, and fencing. She also had a couple of improvised weapons in her possession: a sledgehammer (which she had previously dropped by the statue in front of Canterlot High and never picked back up) and a golf club (which she kept under her bed to keep intruders out of her apartment).

But she seemed reluctant about doing this, since she was deeply troubled by the recent events at the Fall Formal. She decided that she would worry about it tomorrow, switched the radio off, and gently fell asleep on her bed.

The Morning After...

A very tall man with pale skin, a gaunt body clothed in ragged black, and long black hair stood by the statue in front of CHS, bathed in the moonlight. He looked at the statue's base, then back at the destroyed doorway of the school. He inhaled through his nostrils, and sighed deeply.

"So...warm." he said, quietly. "Still fresh. Just as I suspected."

A couple of people walked up to the statue from the other side.

"I bet she's still here, hiding like the coward she is." said a voice. "I'll teach her to bully my kids like that."

"Don't you think you're taking this too far?" said a young woman's voice.

"Trust me, I know how to deal with these types." said the first voice.

A man and a younger woman, presumably the man's daughter, walked around to the other side of the statue, where they saw the stranger standing erect under the starlit sky.

"Oh...sorry." said the man. "We were expecting someone else to be here."

The stranger turned around to talk to face the man and woman. He glared at them through his red-rimmed sunglasses, which had lenses darker than the night itself.

"Whoever you're looking for..." he said coldly. "You won't find them here."

He approached them.

"Okay...well, good evening then." said the man.

But the stranger came closer and closer to the father. He bent his head forward so that he was a few inches from the parent's face.

"Yes..." said the stranger. "A very good evening."

"Okay." said the man. "Thanks, mister."

"Hey, dude. Like, what's your problem?" said the girl.

Faster than a shooting star, the stranger clasped his long bony hands around the necks of the man and his daughter, and held them up in the air. The man dropped a taser that he had kept concealed in his pocket.

"You will leave this place, and never come back." the stranger told them, eerily. "If you do, I'll be waiting. Do you understand?"

"Y-ye..." choked the father. "Yes sir..."

The stranger let the two go, and watched as they ran away panicking in the gloom.

"I have use for you yet, Sunset Shimmer." the stranger said to himself. "I can't let anyone try anything questionable around you...yet!"

It was two hours to sunrise, and Sunset rolled around in her sleep, moaning uncomfortably. She was experiencing a night terror. After ten minutes of nonstop whimpering, she woke up, her skin beaded in sweat. She shook her hair, and bawled her eyes into her hands. She climbed out of bed, and got a bottle of water out of the fridge. She opened it, and took a huge swig from it. She took a throw-pillow off the couch, and screamed into it.

"C'mon, I've gotta get a hold of myself." Sunset said to herself. "Everything's gonna be okay, girl. Maybe things will get better."

Sunset Shimmer woke up groggily the following morning, yawning noisily. She decided to turn on her television, switching to Channel 15. Just as she suspected--yet she wish didn't--there was a news report involving Canterlot High.

"For those tuning in, Canterbury had a rude shake in its slumber, as seen here." said a reporter. "Last night, a strange incident has left Canterlot High School without a main entrance."

Sunset cringed, rubbing her legs together nervously.

"While nobody was seriously injured, the actual cause has been nigh impossible to identify." said the reporter. "We have a few witnesses here with us, who claim to have seen what happened."

The reporter went over to a tough, thuggish-looking man that was gaping in awe at the wreckage.

"Sir, do you have any comments on this? You have seen what caused this, correct?"

"Oh, yeah." said the man, absent-mindedly. "I know what did this."

"And that would be...?" asked the reporter, who was holding his microphone up to the witness's mouth.

"Aliens." said the man in a professional tone.

"Excuse me?" asked the reporter.

"Spacemen wrecked the place. I tell ya, just like Mr. Wells would've described it! I saw them abduct someone in their UFO, and they started shooting death rays at the school!"

If it weren't for the fact that she herself was involved in the actual (and traumatic) event, Sunset probably would've burst out laughing.

"Um...thank you." said the reporter, who was clearly as unamused as Sunset. "Moving on to the next witness..."

He went over to another man, who was holding a gilded cross in both of his hands.

"The End of Days is upon us!" said the man. "The Prince of Darkness has sent his emissaries upon our mortal world! Repent, or we will all burn in a sea of everlasting flames!"

"Well, thank you for that vivid insight." said the reporter, rudely brushing the man off so that he could find another witness. "Okay, how about you?"

He held the microphone up to what looked like a homeless person.

"Terrorists!" shouted the man, who was clearly intoxicated on something. "They blew up...the...the...school. They want to get back at the government! They want their message to be made clear!"

"Sir, what terrorists would you be referring to?" asked the reporter.

"The ones that stole weapons from the Army!" said the witness. "Look at that! Don't tell me that doesn't look like a bazooka blasted that doorway apart!"

Sunset Shimmer growled again. She stood up, and turned off the television set. She scowled at the blank screen, angry at how out-of-proportion the people were acting. On the other hand, though, at least none of them seemed to suspect that she actually had anything to do with it. For a while, she thought about whether or not she should leave town. But then she dismissed the idea, thinking that if that were the case, she should've just ran straight for the portal last night, when she had the chance. At least here in Canterbury, she would have a chance of waiting for the portal to open again.

After a brief shower, she put her clothes back on and slipped into her knee-length boots. Sunset then went downstairs to speak to Frosty.

"Hey, Frosty." said Sunset, meekly waving her hand.

"Sunset, I was just watching the news!" said Frosty. "Man, it's no wonder you came back looking like that! I'm just grateful you're still alive, after...whatever the heck happened at that school!"

"Thanks for the concern, Frosty." acknowledged Sunset. "How'd you sleep?"

"Oh, fine." said the landlord. "Especially since Nose Nip went and fixed my alarm clock. The stupid thing was beeping on and off all week!"

Then Sunset frowned a little, and Frosty noticed.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"No, it's just that I watched that same news report." said Sunset. "I'm a little scared, to be honest."

"Wow, are you serious?" said Frosty, in disbelief. "You, Sunset Shimmer, the toughest girl I've ever met, are scared?"

"Mmm-hmm." nodded Sunset.

"Now, now, I can tell when someone's serious. Please, come take a seat with me." the landlord pointed to a stool behind his desk.

Sunset felt obligated to sit herself down, and nervously crossed her legs. Frosty sat down on his own chair, and turned it to face Sunset Shimmer.

"Now please, could you tell me what's wrong?" requested the landlord. "Don't be shy! You can tell me anything you want!"

Sunset Shimmer nervously adjusted herself, and turned her head to face the front door for a moment.

"Okay, Frosty." said Sunset. "I think I might have made some enemies at my school. In fact, I probably made a lot of enemies."

"Really?" said Frosty, evenly. "And are you afraid that they might do something to you?"

"I am." said Sunset, nodding slowly.

"Should I call the police about it?" asked Frosty. "Because I practically have Police Chief Star Shield on speed-dial."

"Nah." sighed Sunset Shimmer. "It'll just over-complicate things. I just want you to turn away anyone that might come looking for me. I'd rather not be disturbed."

"Understood, Sunset." said Frosty. "Anyone that comes looking for you with intentions to harm you will have to deal with me and Nose Nip first."

He reached underneath his desk, and pulled out--to Sunset's surprise--a double-barreled sawed-off shotgun, which he then twirled for a while in his hand.

"You see? This is how determined I will be to keep my word." said Frosty. "Nobody gets away with hurting my tenants, unless they fail to pay the rent. Even then, I'd never let 'em get hurt too badly. It'd be bad for business, after all."

"Thanks, Frosty." smiled Sunset. "I really appreciate this. But, do you think you could put that gun away? I get really nervous around firearms. Especially shotguns."

"Oh, right." said Frosty, checking to make sure there were no shells loaded in the gun's twin chambers, and then placing the weapon back under his desk. "Let's just keep this a secret between us, shall we? I'm technically not allowed to own a shotgun that's had its barrels sawed off like that."

"No problem." said Sunset.

"But, if you'd like, I could pull a few strings to get you a temporary license to use firearms." offered Frosty. "After all, that's the beauty of our nation's Bill of Rights. And I happen to know a guy in my hometown of Baltimore, that could lend you a revolver or even a hunting rifle."

"No thanks." declined Sunset. "Guns just aren't my style. I'm more into hand-to-hand and close-quarters combat...if any combat at all."

"Then how about I buy you a hunting knife or a switchblade?"

"I'm the kind of girl that prefers to use blunt objects, if any weapons at all...and I've already got that part covered."

"Well, if you insist." nodded Frosty. "But if you'd like, I could have Nose Nip drop you off at the school to see you safely there. Hell, I'd do it myself, if I weren't so obligated to check up on the other people living in this building."

"Well, I guess that'd be okay." said Sunset. "But just for the first few days. I'd like to see if things can blow over."

"Right, then." acknowledged her landlord. "By the way, I've also gotten around to fixing up your cell phone."

He opened a drawer in his desk, and handed a mobile phone to Sunset.

"I've even payed the latest bill for it." he added. "If you have any problems at your school, just whip it out and give me a holler. Nose Nip and I will come charging in!"

"Then I guess I'll keep that in mind." said Sunset with a small grin.

"Good morning, boss." said the voice of Nose Nip, who just walked in through the front door, before turning to notice who was sitting with Frosty. "And it's good to see you, Sunset. Mr. F here told me you had a little problem last night."

"You have no idea." said Sunset, slightly uneasy about it.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're okay." said Nose Nip.

"Thanks." Sunset grinned.

Nose Nip had always been nice to Sunset, ever since the night she stumbled onto his apartment building.

TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO...

Sunset slowly and cautiously walked down the road from the statue she had emerged from just a few minutes ago. She had already discovered that she was unable to use magic, on account of her transformed body. She considered walking back to the portal to go back to the world where she could use it, but decided that she had already sealed her own fate in Equestria. Not only had Princess Celestia disavowed her as her star pupil, but banned her from entering the palace. Adding to that, she broke into the palace again to get close to the artifact that overwhelmed her curiousity, and then used it for selfish intentions.

If she crossed over again, she would probably suffer an even worse fate than simply being unable to use magic. She formulated her plan to get back at Celestia for denying her the power she deserved. It would be a long, monotonous, and risky task, but she believed that she might be able to find some way to attain power in this world. If she was lucky, she might be able to recruit some of the locals to assist her in her conquest.

But then she stopped at the intersection of Excalibur Avenue and Dodge Boulevard, and examined her own anatomy. To her dismay, she discovered that she was now physically younger than she was in Equestria, by at least two years. There was no way that she could possibly get any of the kind of support she'd want, and just because she had the body of a sixteen-year-old teenage girl. Sunset cursed under her breath, and looked around for someplace where she could sleep the night away. She walked down Dodge Boulevard, and noticed an alleyway.

There was a stack of cardboard boxes against the brick wall of one of the buildings, which Sunset Shimmer promptly approached with the intention of laying either on top of them, or underneath. She extended her hands forward in an experimental fashion, bending her new body's appendages up and down, and grabbed one of the boxes. Suddenly, there was a loud, shrill yowling noise and a stray cat that was hiding underneath the box dove out between Sunset's legs. Immediately afterwards, a string of loud barks announced an oncoming dog, which knocked Sunset clean off her feet as it chased after the cat. Sunset toppled over, and banged her elbow against a glass bottle, which shattered beneath her and caused her to cry out in pain.

Growling furiously, she grabbed the top of the broken bottle, and tossed it after the dog and cat. But it missed, and shattered against a side-door in the building opposite the one with the brick wall. There was a loud grumbling noise, and a tall man built like a lumberjack opened the door and poked his head out.

"What's going on out here?!" he demanded. "Who's out here throwing stuff?"

He looked around and saw Sunset laying on the ground, clutching her elbow. Confused, the man walked towards her, avoiding the bottle fragments that littered the pavement.

"Hey, girl! Are you hurt at all?" asked the stranger.

When he tried to pick her up, Sunset hastily kicked her foot at the man's knee.

"Hey, hey! I'm not gonna hurt ya!" said the man, cautiously. "You look like you're in serious pain. Why don't I get ya inside, and my boss can help you out!"

Since Sunset was in too much pain to argue, and felt she had nothing to lose, she permitted the man to carry her into the building. He set her down in a chair, and went into another room.

"Yo, Frosty!" said the man's voice. "I just found a girl out in the alley, and she's hurt pretty bad!"

"I'll be right there, Nose Nip." said a second voice, who Sunset deduced to be Frosty.

A shorter man wearing spectacles entered the room, and gently grabbed Sunset by her wounded arm, inspecting it for glass fragments.

""Geez louise!" he commented. "Don't worry, I've got some tweezers right here."

He pulled off Sunset's leather jacket, and carefully plucked the pieces of glass out of her arm. When he picked the last fragment out, he wiped the blood off her elbow with a piece of fabric. After that, he came back and put a band-aid over Sunset's wound.

"There you go, young lady." said Frosty. "It looks like I just saved you a trip to the hospital."

"Where am I?" asked Sunset Shimmer, as soon as the pain eased up.

"You're in my apartment building." said Frosty, who looked rather sore that Sunset didn't thank him.

"No, I mean what's this world called?" asked Sunset.

"Um, Earth." said Frosty. "Kinda thought you could figure that out for yourself."

"Now, now, Frosty." said Nose Nip. "Maybe English isn't her first language?"

"It is my first language." said Sunset, loudly. "I'm just new around here, okay? I actually meant 'what's this town called'?"

"Canterbury." replied Frosty. "So, you're new around here, huh?"

Sunset nodded slowly.

"What state?" asked Nose Nip.

"What?" asked Sunset.

"Which state of the country are you from?" asked Nose Nip again.

"I'm not from this country." said Sunset.

"So you're...an immigrant?" asked Frosty, curiously.

"I guess so." said Sunset.

"Who do you live with?" asked Nose Nip. "Because if your family has a phone number, I could tell them that you're here, and they can pick you up."

"I don't have a family." said Sunset. "It's just me, and me alone."

"Do you at least have a house somewhere in town?" asked Nose Nip. "Because I have a truck, and could drop you off somewhere."

"No." said Sunset. "I don't even have a home..."

Her eyes began to water.

"I got kicked out." she whimpered. "And they...they wouldn't let me come back!"

"Now, you're going to be okay, little lady." said Nose Nip, putting a comforting hand on Sunset's shoulder. "You're gonna be just fine. By the way, do you have a name?"

"Sunset Shimmer." replied the girl. "My name's Sunset Shimmer."

"You have a beautiful name, Sunset." said Nose Nip, with a smile.

"I know." said Sunset.

"Well, if you'd like, you could stay with me, Ms. Shimmer." said Frosty, before catching himself. "I mean, you could stay in my apartment building. I have a nice little room up on the third floor that I think would suit you perfectly. It's pretty cheap, too. Do you have any money on you?"

"Unless you take bits, then no." said Sunset.

Frosty whispered into Nose Nip's ear:

"What the heck are 'bits'? Some kind of foreign money?"

"Search me, boss." said Nose Nip.

Then the two men looked back at Sunset.

"Well, I'm sorry but I don't know what to tell you." said Frosty. "I run a very strict regiment with my tenants. If you don't have a way to pay your fee, I'm going to be legally obligated to expel you from this building after a couple of days."

"Great, just great." groaned Sunset. "First, I'm in a town in a country I'm not even familiar with, and now I'm at risk of getting in trouble with the local police without doing anything wrong!"

Nose Nip turned to Frosty.

"Boss, do we have to kick her out?" he asked. "I mean, just look at her! She's practically defenseless!"

"Um...yeah!" said Sunset, who decided to exploit the situation. "Please, have mercy on me, O honorable and merciful Frosty!"

"Sorry, missy, but if you want to actually live here, you better be able to pay the rent, which is $84.99 a month." said Frosty. "And that's pretty cheap compared other apartments in this town. If not, you better get ready for a long walk back to...whatever city you came from."

"Vanhoover." said Sunset, involuntarily, before clasping her hands to her mouth.

"What was that?" said Frosty. "Did you just say 'Vancouver'? So you're from up North, in Canada?"

"Sure, let's go with that." said Sunset, who decided not to correct him, as it would just raise more questions.

"Oh, wow!" Frosty suddenly smiled. "You're Canadian! Then that changes everything! Why the heck didn't you just say so? I absolutely adore Canadians, especially the girls. I tell you what: If you agree to do a little work around the building every once in a while, then you can stay as long as you want."

"I will gladly do whatever you say, 'boss'." said Sunset, who got up from her chair and bent down to nuzzle against her new employer. "Whatever you say."

And she hugged him.

"Easy there, kid." said Frosty. "We only just met!"

"That reminds me, Sunset." said Nose Nip. "What school do you go to?"

"I don't go to any schools right now. You could say I jumped ship." said Sunset, letting go of Frosty.

"Well, you could go to Canterlot High." suggested Frosty. "I mean, since it's just around the corner from here."

"Canterlot High?" repeated Sunset.

"Yeah, it's a pretty neat place to go to." said Frosty. "And I happen to be good friends with Ms. Celestia, so you could probably start there when the next semester starts."

"Celestia?" gasped Sunset, alarmed.

"Yeah, she's the principal there. She's a very nice lady, too." said Frosty. "I think you'll like her. Plus, her sister Luna's the vice principal there."

"So, this really is some kind of alternate world from the one I came from." thought Sunset. "Maybe I could find a way to make a difference here, after all!"

"Okay, Frosty." said Sunset. "That sounds good to me! So, about that apartment..."

PRESENT DAY...

"About that apartment of hers..." said Frosty, who was talking to Nose Nip about Ms. Zecora upstairs. "Could you take that sledgehammer of yours and knock her door down with it? I know she's in there! I know she's just dodging the bills!"

"Oh, I would, but I already lent mine to Sunset over here." said Nose Nip. "Just last night."

"Oh, yeah!" said Sunset, who snapped out of her deep thoughts. "I left it at the school! I'll be right back!"

And then she ran out the door before Nose Nip and Frosty could respond to her...only to come running back a couple minutes later.

"Oh, right. The police probably took the stuff as evidence." said Sunset. "Sorry."

"Ugh." said Nose Nip. "Second time this month. Don't worry, Sunset. I don't blame ya."

"If I could, Nips..." said Sunset. "Could I come with you to the hardware store?"

"Sure." said Nose Nip, nodding happily.