When the Sunset Shimmers

by Pizzema Forte

Rating: teen
Tags: Sad, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sunset Shimmer, Princess Celestia, Human
Length: 3997

Exactly thirty moons ago, I came to this strange, new earth. I didn't know what I was doing, and I still don't... Maybe, it's time I go back home...

One of the hardest things is knowing I chose to come here. Sometimes, I have my regrets. Sometimes, I know it's for the better in the end. Sometimes, however... It's too much to handle. I've been away from everybody in Equestria for so long now... Thirty moons ago I left, and now, here I am, being blessed with the opportunity to go back to the place I loved so much...
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Rated Teen for language.

Published 2014-03-17 00:10:11 UTC
Last updated 2014-03-17 00:10:11 UTC

When the Sunset Shimers

Step by step, I grow closer and closer to my destination. The littered sidewalk has become a pathway to where I want to go. I know where it’s taking me. I trust the sidewalk, and allow it to be my guide. Heck, I don’t even look up as I walk. Instead, I choose to stare down at my pink and black footwear. If I weren’t so concerned with blending in, high boots wouldn’t have been my choice of shoe. I would have gone with some used sneakers, personally. However, if I want my plan to succeed, I can’t dress myself like an unwashed, poor person. That’d get me negative attention, but not the kind I’m looking for. Instead, I’d like people at this school to know I’m the boss. I’m dominate. Nobody rules over me.

Nobody.

I’ll admit, when I first arrived here thirty moons ago, I had a lot of trouble fitting in. I didn’t know how to use my new body. I could barely walk, couldn’t use magic, didn’t know where to go, who to talk to, or what to do. When I first stumbled into the land, I wanted to immediately head back home. There, everypony was like me. We all went by the same laws and traditions. Here, everything is different. You’re always expected to were clothes, the educational process is much longer and more complex, and although they lack magic here, they’re much more developed when it comes to technology. They have gismos and gadgets I’d never dreamed about in Equestria.

Equestria did have its benefits, though….

In Equestria, it’s far easier to find your place. How I managed to not only fit in, but soar above everybody else, I have no idea. In Equestria, almost everybody has a job. Most ponies got along with each other there, as well. I hardly ever saw ponies fighting. There, ponies were almost impossible to rip apart. Here, the people are so gullible you can destroy entire relationships through one message. Heck, if I wanted to, I could probably rule over in this world within a matter of days. This world isn’t important to me, though.

Equestria used to be…

Really, no world is that important to me. I just can’t wait to get everything I need in this world so I can take over the damn country of Equestria! That’ll show Celestia who’s ready! I’ll have that bitch thrown in a cell….

Ah, Celestia… She was my mentor, my teacher, my instructor, and above all, my friend. When I was a young foal, she’d taken under her wing and taught me well. Steadily, I advanced in magic. I studied a lot. She was always….so impressed with me. I don’t blame her, though. I was the most advanced unicorn of my time.

Then… the princess said that one day she’d like me to rule beside her one day. I was extremely excited. I was going to go from her faithful student to a real princess. I would be royalty of the land. I swear, I wanted it so, so bad… I studied twice as hard as I used to. I practiced magic and spent every moment of my day slaving away over informative literature and spell books. I used my horn so often I only had time to “recharge” it when I slept. Even when I slept, I awoke before Celestia brought up the sun just so I could spend more time studying. More than anything, I wanted to prove to her I was ready for my place at the throne as soon as possible. After all that hard work studying, however…. She wouldn’t let me. She said I didn’t know enough about friendship to fill the spot she needed!

FRIENDSHIP?! Really? I spend hours upon hours studying, practicing, struggling, and succeeding only to be told I wasn’t ready because I didn’t know enough about something as overrated as friendship?

All I remember after that was how disappointed, sad, confused, and utterly pissed off I was. With the mixture of negative emotions brewing within me, I had no choice but to let them out. I happily aimed my bullets at the target that created all my pain in the first place. I lashed out on my mentor. When she remained stoic through the situation, I became even angrier. After I was done spewing out my emotions onto her, she casually walked away as if nothing happened. Later that night, she came to comfort me when I was crying, and after all she did, she still had the nerve to say she understands why I lashed out as if I was sorry about it.

After everything that night, I went to the lower regions of the castle. I found an old library of books and artifacts Celestia had abandoned. Most of the books were dusty with useless information. If I wanted revenge, I would have to find something much bigger than The Everyday Life of a Teenage Dragon or Starswirld the Bearded: Spells, Potions, and Remedies. No, I needed information that would blow the regal bitch to bits and pieces! I needed something that would have her kneeling before me!

That’s when I found it.

Its gorgeous, reflective surface stared me right in the eyes. It’s purple, well-crafted rim was twinkling before the single candle I’d brought with me. I then smiled. Something about the mystical mirror caught my eye, as if a magical aurora was surrounding it, luring me. I lifted my candle, and after a long moment of examining it, I saw a little note on the corner that was covered in an inch of dust. When I blew away the debris, it had a message written in big, black letters.

See you in thirty moons.

At the time, I didn’t know what the note meant. I simply set it back down. Then, when curiosity struck me, I placed my hoof to the mirror. To my surprise, a sparkling magic rippled through it like a pebble tossed in a lake. Then, I was even more confused. I took in a breath and again touched the mirror. This time, I stuck my hoof in deeper. The seemingly solid surface easily let my hoof slip into it. Quickly, I pulled back out. Whether it was because I didn’t believe what had happened, or I wanted to investigate further, I put my hoof back in. Again, it slid in far past the mirror.

That time, I didn’t pull out. No, that time, I put both hooves in, then my head. I could barely see anything before me as I was instantly sucked down the vortex. Swirls of vibrant colors were the only thing in my vision. I spiraled down the portal before popping out of-

Suddenly, my trail of thought is disturbed by a well-crafted statue meeting with my foot. My eyes rise from my shoes and meet the frozen stallion above me.

“Here…”

Yes, it was that very statue that led me to where I am now. The very first thing I saw when I left the portal….

I make my way to the opposite side of the masterpiece. I stare at the exit while my large, teal eyes grow wide.

Damn… The very first day I came here was crazy….

When I first came here, I was clueless… I was clueless to what I was looking for, what I was actually doing, and what I could possibly achieve from exploring the place. I started to study the people here. I started to study their emotions, culture, and how they socialized. Whenever I saw two ponies having fun together, I’d curse them. Friendship. Friendship was the one thing that kept me from my rightful place on the throne.

I sigh and take in a breath. Maybe, I would have returned to Equestria if I would have known my time limit. By the time I tried to return, it was too late… Now, though, I don’t think staying here is that bad of an idea. Through the many moons I’ve been here, I’ve realized how stupid most of the people here are. I could use them to my advantage in the long run.

Returning to reality, I press my fingertip to the surface of the statue. Just as I expected, my finger went right through with no hesitation. Truly, it had been thirty moons…

Think about it, Sunset Shimmer! Right now, you can go back to Equestria! I stop for a moment and think. No… Why would you want to go back to a land ruled by a snobby bitch who doesn’t know a good princess when she sees one! She’s got her head so far up her ass she can’t even see how great others are! Like she’s all that amazing!

I huff out angrily at the thoughts of Celestia. She was the real reason for all my misery! I bet right now that cunt’s sitting high ‘n’ mighty at her throne while I’m here…

I’m not going to lie, at certain times, I miss Equestria. I don’t miss Celestia, but… I miss having magic, the ponies, and some of the traditions. I miss Hearth’s Warming and the apples and the sunsets…

The sunsets in Equestria make the ones here look like nothing….

Nothing….

I shake my head and try to forget about Equestria’s finest features. I look back at the portal before me. My mouth becomes dry and I swallow. I feel my heart nearly stop as I press my hand against the portal’s surface again. This time, I just don’t stop at the surface. My hand goes in deeper, and under the glittery surface. I feel tears invading my eyes as I see my hand form into its original shape: a hoof.

Oh, a hoof… the “hand” I was born with… The same object my mother bandaged when I was a little filly and scraped it. The same hooves I used to have to wash in an irregular fashion. The same hooves that stomped the ground and sent a thunderous clap throughout the room when I was lashing out at my mentor. They were the same hooves that felt, held, cleansed, hit, rubbed, and carried many things.

Slowly, I pulled my hoof back out. It returns to the form of a hand. I examined it for a brief moment. The flesh of my hand was soft and squishy, unlike the hooves I used to posses. My mom always told me my head was as hard as my hooves…

Oh, my mom… she was an absolute angel. She had a voice so gentle it would put Celestia to shame. She was supportive, sweet, and extremely kind. Out of all the ponies, I miss her the most. She always used to tell me how amazing I was and how proud she was of me… When I was sad, she’d comfort me and give me kisses until I was smiling again. Whenever I was studying too hard, she’d force me to take a break and make me some food. One of the hardest things about staying here is knowing one thing…

When I was ten and my dad died, my mom wasn’t the same anymore. She was depressed… Whenever I’d come home from studying with Celestia, she’d greet me with a hug, kiss, and silence. She grew more attached to me over time. Every moment I was home, she’d try to spend time with me. I couldn’t tell if she was trying to fill the void of a father, or she was just lonely. Honestly, I think it was a combination of both.

One evening, when I was in my room practicing a new spell Celestia wanted me to learn, my mother came in the room. I’ll never forget the expression on her face. Tears had stained her wrinkly, orange cheeks. Her eyes were emotionless and sparkling with fresh tears. I immediately ran to her and wrapped my hooves around her. She embraced me and started crying not long after our warm embrace began. I can still feel her tears on my shoulder as if she’d cried to me yesterday.

After a long while of weeping, she at long last stopped and picked her head up. She looked me in the eyes and said something I’ll never forget.

“I love you, Sunset… You’re all I have… Please promise you’ll never leave me….Please….”

I didn’t hesitate to wrap my hooves around her again and whisper, “I promise” in her ears.

After a series of events that demolished me, however, I broke that promise. I left. To this day, I haven’t returned. Sometimes, I still cry when I think about my mom. I know that every night she looks up to the sky and prays I’ll return soon. I know all she wants to do is see me again…

That’s one of the things that hurts the most. I hurt my mother by my own will. I abandoned her and the country she lives in… I chose to leave her.

I know I won’t be leaving her forever, though… I’ll come back. It’s just a little vacation, and when I return, I will have more power than Celestia herself. Then, Mom will be prouder than ever.

“Don’t worry, Mom…” I choke out as I stare into the memorizing portal. “I’ll be back…eventually…”

At that moment, I don’t even reach up to wipe my tears as I feel them start to trickle down my face. I simply stare at the portal.

Okay, Sunset… You can either make her wait and show her how successful you’ll be one day… Or you can return now... you can see her again… You can make her happy…
I stare at the portal and think for a moment. I’ve come this far… I can’t go back. I just can’t. I can’t show Celestia I’m weak…
I can’t show the world I’m weak.

No, if I ever want to prove to the world I’m strong, I’ll have to show them with all the strength inside me. I’ll have to prove I’m stronger than anypony… than Celestia!
I step away from the mirror and keep my head up. If I ever want to achieve my goal, I’ll have to make sacrifices. Even if I’m sacrificing the happiness of somepony I love…

I sigh and turn to walk away. If I stare at that damn gateway another second, I’ll jump right through it…

Jump right through it…

My legs stop me where I am. Slowly, I turn. I make eye contact with the forbidden portal once more. It’s… so eluding. It wants me to come back to Equestria… I want to go back to Equestria.

I turn completely around and face it with my body. I’m no longer being controlled by my selfish mind, but my heart. I take several steps towards the enchanted statue; one foot in front of another. As I reach it, I pause. I stare at it for a moment.

Five minutes….All I need is five minutes to tell Mom it’ll be okay… I need five minutes… Send her one letter, and leave… It’ll only make things better for her, and you can continue with your plan…

Taking in a breath, I enter the portal without even examining my surroundings. The very moment I enter, I’m sucked in the swirling vortex I remember from thirty moons ago. Hundreds of unknown colors swirl around me. An adrenaline rush shivers through my body as I swerve through. It only lasts a mere ten seconds before I’m thrown into Equestria once more. I land on the ground, no longer a human. I’m again a pony… Just like the way I was born.

Not remembering how it feels for so long, I arise to my hooves. I’m a bit wobbly at first, but quickly get the hang of it. I smile with confidence. My horn lights up. Man, it feels so strange. The aurora tickling a body part I haven’t even had for thirty moons brings back many memories. I sigh as my horn lights up the area around me. The mirror’s located in the exact same room it was in when I first came here. Shocker.

I look around the room. My main concern is to find some parchment. I can easily send the letter to my mom’s home via magic. That’ll be no problem. My only problem will be finding a parchment and quill.

I look around the room. All I see around me are books, old artifacts, and a staircase that leads to a door. There’s a hot ray of yellow light seeping through the crack beneath. I quietly trot upstairs, trying to make the least amount of sound I possibly can. The few stairs that creak under my hoof are an annoyance, but I’m sure they’re not loud enough for me to get caught.

When I reach the top of the stairs, I press my ear to the wooden door and listen carefully. After a few seconds, I hear nopony. No hoofsteps. No talking. Nothing.

With a smile, I open the door with my magic carefully. It creaks loudly as I poke my head through the large crack I’ve created. I stare down a brightly lit hallway with a regal, purple carpet on the ground. There’s nopony around from what I can tell. Slowly, I make my way down the hallway. I listen carefully and keep my guard up, desperately trying not to be discovered. I walk down the hall further. There are several closed doors I don’t dare to open. I don’t know if Celestia could be hiding behind any one of them. Seeing that bitch again would be my worst nightmare. It’s bad enough there’s one in the alternate world as well. She just can’t leave me alone, can she?

I remain careful as I come to a corner. Looking down the hall, I several doors widely opened. Surely, Celestia can’t be in all of them. Hopefully, I can just get some parchment and leave. That’d be perfect. I am as quiet as I can, going down the halls. I come to the first opened door, and see nothing but a large bed and a setting sun. Celestia must be out on the stand, lowering it carefully… This is my chance.

With a quicker pace, I trot down the hall and see another opened door. This one has a podium, parchment, quills, and a pile of scrolls. Just what I’m looking for…

I smile, going further into the room. With a sly smile and my magic, I pick up a large piece of parchment and an ink-dipped quill. Trying to be as quick as I can, I start writing. I start the letter to my mother with a smile.

Dear Mother,

I regret to inform you I won’t be coming back soon. I am, however, safe from harm and promise to make you proud very soon. I’ll send you another letter thirty moons from now. Please know I love you and I miss you greatly.

Love always,

Sunset Shimmer.

I smile, satisfied with the results. If I had all the time in the world, I would have continued to write several pages explaining my predicament. Unfortunately, my time is limited and I know I must return back to the mirror now. I don’t want to be caught by her royal highness.

I gallop out of the room, and freeze nearly the second I get out. My ears perk up and I swivel them around, trying to detect the sound I thought I heard. Talking…? Yes. Chatting. I gasp as I recognize the calmer, sweeter tone to belong to Celestia herself. As quick as my hooves carry me, I run out down the hall with full speed. I feel my heart pumping fluids through my pony body at a very fast rate. Beads of perspiration form on my forehead as I go faster and faster. Behind me, I can her hoovesteps speeding up.

Shit! She’s catching up!

I run faster and faster, pushing myself beyond my limits. I can’t be caught! I can’t be caught!

My breathing intensifies as I at long last make it to the door I desire. I open the door with my magic and glance down the hallway, only to see Celestia turning a corner at a walking place. I gasp and run through the door, leaving it wide opened behind me. I run down the stairs and to the mirror. There, I take in a large breath and jump through it with no further thoughts. My heart rate slows down as the mirror again consumes me. I’m swallowed by color and a familiar vertigo. I’ve never felt so relaxed in there before, and before I know it, I’m again in the human world with no horn. I smile, and stand to my feet when I realize where I am. Thankfully, nothing was hurt but a little bit of my pride.

Once I regain myself from the short trip, I look around. The letter…. Where was the letter?

Frantically, I look around. It’s nowhere on the ground around me. I check the pockets in my skirt. Not there either.

“It must still be in there…” I say with a sigh.

If Celestia wasn’t aware I’d been there then, she was definitely aware now. Oh, well… When I return someday, I’ll see her suffering. I’ll see my mom proud, though. Gosh will she be proud of me. I can’t wait to see the happiness in her eyes when I come back and take my revenge on the world. Heck, maybe I’ll have enough power to bring Dad back… That’d make her so, so happy…

Slowly, I start to walk off. I look up and smile with tears still damp in my eyes. The sun is setting. The sunset looks great today. Sparkling shades vermillion, pink, and purple mix together and light up the sky in a beautiful arrangement of shades. Glitter seems to rain from the sky and sparkle within the masterpiece. Sometimes, nature is beautiful. It’s on days like this I don’t feel as bad about sleeping on a park bench and wearing the same clothes every day. It’s these evenings where I don’t regret leaving my mother behind like I did. When my day ends like this, it almost makes me not as angry about the idiots that surround me. Sometimes, when the sunset shimmers like that, it reminds me that there’s a little part of Equestria lingering on this very earth.

A Letter to Her Mom

The tall, white, regal princess stands before an opened door. Below, rays of light highlight a table, a shiny, reflective surface, and many ancient artifacts and books. It was a familiar room to her. Although she seldom visited the basement, she did know the treasures it held inside. One of the most precious is a portal.

Slowly, the sun princess walked down. The steps and entered the basement.
I suppose Sunset Shimmer decided to pay me a little visit? She sighs. I’m sure she’ll be back eventually… Maybe the next time the portal opens.
Celestia approaches the mirror with a frown, marveling its perfect beauty.

Maybe one day, they’ll return…

The pink eyes of the princess soon landed on a large patch of parchment an inch before the mirror. It didn’t seem like a significant detail, but it was definitely one she hadn’t noticed before.

Curiously, Celestia raises the paper to her eye level and scans over the message.

Dear Mother,

I regret to inform you I won’t be coming back soon. I am, however, safe from harm and promise to make you proud very soon. I’ll send you another letter thirty moons from now. Please know I love you and I miss you greatly.

Love always,

Sunset Shimmer.

The regal pony sighed heavily as she felt tears welling in her eyes.

I’m sure she would have loved to know that before she passed away….