"I'm sorry Sunset, but everyone thinks you are turning back into being a bully."
That quote burned into Sunset's soul while the howling wind driven rain slowed her down on her walk home.
The day went as planned: she went to her boyfriend Flash Sentry's house right after school. They studied for an upcoming test, did some making out, and had dinner cooked by his father, who was the town's unofficial authority on spare ribs.
Everything went well for the couple right up until after dinner, and they were alone in Flash Sentry's room. Sunset was planning to get more 'intimate' with him before he opened his mouth.
So instead of sharing a magical moment with the boy she loved so dearly, she was walking home in the rain because of what he said.
She was, without a doubt, furious at first. But, as she continued to walk in the rain, she realized he had a point.
"Am I really turning back into a bully?" she asked herself, trying to keep her balance against the wind.
"I mean, I did push Fluttershy earlier in the week. But, that was because she got in my way, and I was late for class. Or was it the time I shoved Rainbow Dash during the soccer game? I wanted to be the first one other than her to score a goal. Maybe it was the time where I ate Applejack's pie? It wasn't my fault that I got the munchies after Flash brought his stash that day. Was it when I 'accidentally' spilled paint all over Rarity's new fashion line? That was because I... no, that was on purpose. Fuck that bitch."
Sunset took a deep breath and began to realize what she was turning into again. She knew she was going back to her bad old habits, but that nagging voice on the back of her head did not want to hear it.
Hah! Bully?! It's called getting your way hun. Don't let those weaklings-
Sunset Shimmer blocked that thought when she noticed something across the street and at the edge of the forest that surrounded the town. It was a small kitten, trying to find shelter underneath one of the wooden fences that bordered the town.
Sunset's heart melted when she shone her phone's flashlight on the creature: small, gray, wet fur, and baby blue eyes. Sunset slowly crossed the street, hoping to keep the kitten and bring it home.
"C'mon little guy," Sunset said to the kitten as she crossed the empty street to get closer to the shaking kitten. As soon, Sunset crossed the street and into the muddy pathway, the kitten left its place and wobbled deeper into the forest.
"No kitty!. Don't go!" Sunset cried out. The farther she entered the woods, the soggier her feet became. She trudged on, even if her feet were soaked and the mud was slowing her down and ruining her boots. A few minutes looking around into the forest, she heard a whoosh overhead in the trees, yet thought nothing of it.
After the second or third time, she heard that 'woosh' overhead, she began to realize the sounds might not come from the leaves above. As she looked up at the trees, Sunset Shimmer spotted a human figure in the treetops, looking at her. She used her phone to get some light at the figure, only to see the figure covered in a tattered cloak. As soon as the figure realized it had been spotted, it flew from the branch and gave chase to a retreating Sunset Shimmer. As Sunset continued her frantic retreat through the mud, she could hear the flying figure get closer to her.
All of a sudden, Sunset felt the ground get a lot harder, and she gave chase through the forest. She didn't care what direction she was going to, as long as it was as far away from the flying figure as possible.
She kept looking back at the figure as she ran, oblivious to the danger ahead of her as she slammed full force into a tree. All Sunset heard was a loud *thump* coming from the side of her head and losing all functions as she fell down. The last thing Sunset remembered before blacking out was the foliage overhead and the sensation of the rain landing all over her body.
***
As soon as she awoke, Sunset immediately gasped for breath in the pitch black of the night. A quick check of her extremities proved to her she was not paralyzed from whatever just happened. But, something was amiss.....
Her clothes were dry.
Floor beneath her was also dry to the bone.
The night sky was visible with not a shred of evidence of rain. But, what was even more disturbing was that the stars were in different places than before; some were even non-existent.
As she got up, she also noticed the trees were different as well. It felt surreal that; even though she knew she was in a different place, she felt as though she had a nostalgic feeling to it
It's like I'm....
pfft, nah.
As she walked around, she felt as if the forest was a bit wilder than the one she entered. Again, the ground was dry and no evidence of rain or even the kitten.
Things got more confusing when she cleared the forest and stumbled upon an endless plain.
"Heh, must have ended on the other side of the forest from all that running. I guess I have to go back the other way."
As soon as she began to turn back into the forest, she heard another whoosh from overhead.
"Goddammit, not this shit again!" Sunset thought as she clenched her fist. She saw the figure flying overhead, although it was shaped differently than what had chased her; she was ready just to start swinging at anything that came too close to her.
"Listen here, you stupid snot nosed knuckle fuck, I don't know who the fuck you are, but fuck with me, you are fucking with the best! do you understand that!?" Sunset Shimmer screamed to the floating figure.
Without warning, the figure fired purple beams at Sunset, whose only reaction was to get out of their way and to run.
"Magic eh?" Sunset instantly thought with a smile on her face.
She immediately stopped running, and turned to face her attacker.
She extended her arms to the flying figure and in her mind she began to concentrate. Sunset had no idea if the magic physics she learned in Equestria applied in that world, but at that point she was left without many options.
The sensation she felt from her hands actually brought her back to old times. That sensation concentrated on the center of her palms and gave off her familiar opal beam that she had used so many years ago. Unfortunately, the beam missed the figure. The second and third time also missed the flying figure, and the figure decided to go straight for Shimmer.
"This one wants to play chicken, eh?" Sunset Shimmer smiled in glee as she continued to fire the opal beams from her palms. Every time she shot what she thought was a direct hit, the four-legged figure would dodge and get closer.
Sunset stopped firing, hoping to blast the figure into a million pieces when it got close enough. The figure glided to Sunset, occasionally flapped its wings to gain speed. When the figure was 10 feet out, Sunset fired her overcharged spell, only to see that the figure had summoned a barrier at the last second and deflected the blast. The figure did not stop and eventually ran over Sunset.
The impact of the figure knocked Sunset out for a second. She was a still woozy when she got on her knees. The 4-legged figure was in front of her, slowly getting closer. Sunset slowly raised her hand at the figure, having the strength for one last beam. Sunset at that point was ready for almost anything. What she wasn't prepared for was the figure using the horn on its head to illuminate the area around the two, revealing the purple alicorn figure and the implications that figure had for Sunset Shimmer.
"Twilight?!" Sunset asked in shock.
Twilight had a giant smile on her. "Sunset?!"
Both girls and alicorn embraced each other, still illuminated by Twilight's light. As they broke off, Twilight could only observe at the woman she left behind from her time at Sunsets new home. "You are still in the form from the other side! How is that possible!?"
"I don't know. I was caught out in the storm, and a figure attacked-"
"Bipedal and hidden under a tattered robe?" Twilight asked.
"Yes! How!?"
"That 'thing' has been harassing Ponyville for a while now. I thought it was just another monster from the Everfree Forest."
"I see," Sunset replied. "If it's not too much, can we go to Canterlot? Maybe Princess Celestia might help."
***
Good news was that Sunset still remembered the back alleys and side streets in Canterlot so she wouldn't be easily seen.
Bad news was that she was having a major nostalgia attack at almost every corner and every turn. Even revealing that she was a regular at Doughnut Joe's as well. What gave Sunset a massive nostalgia attack was being across the street from her old home. It was in the upper-middle class district of the city and home to the managers and supervisors of the businesses that the upper class held. Among those managers and supervisors were Sunset's parents, at least her father was a manager. He was also proud of her daughter becoming the personal protege of the princess of Equestria.
That father was the first one to answer the door. He looked nothing like his daughter, save the fact she inherited the unicorn gene from him. He became mortified when he saw the unknown species standing at his door. His wife (and an older, earth pony look alike of her daughter) was also in the living room and gave off a sharp scream as well.
"Wait! Mom! Dad! It's me!" Sunset said, try to quell their fears.
"Go away monster! you are not our daughter!" He screamed as he slammed the door in her face with his magic. Sunset walked on, dejected but focused on the task at hand.
Twilight and Sunset walked past the sleeping guards in front of the castle gate and went directly into the castle interior. Canterlot Castle was serene at night, with only night guards and Princess Luna usually awake.
Sunset and Twilight's plan to sneak into Celestia's chambers were interrupted by twenty-day guards armed with spears that were hiding in the shadows, as If they were expecting them.
Among those waiting in the shadows was Princess Celestia.
"You have a lot of nerve coming back, Sunset Shimmer!" Celestia bellowed.
"H-How did you know?!" Sunset asked in complete surprise
"I sensed it was you when you arrived here," Celestia answered. "But, the more important questions is: why are you here?"
"Well, I don't know, I was being chased by the thing that has been harassing ponyville back into the other world. I ran into a tree and when I came to I ended up here."
"Odd," Princess Celestia commented. "But what is that figure that's har-"
As if by command: every single candle in the castle went out. The unicorn guards, both princess, and Sunset herself illuminated the hallway with their combined magic and realized they were not alone.
"It's the robed figure!" Twilight screamed while pointing at the creature, which was on one of the corners of the hallways, as everyone began to aim their horns (and hands) at the animal, it began to fly around the room, swooping down every so often. As everyone was looking ahead and prepared to duck out of its way should it decide to fly near them, Twilight just stood there and analyzed the figures movements and had its flying pattern in her head.
So when the robed figure flew in the same predictable pattern, Twilight fired a beam that directly hit the robed figure, causing the robe to catch on fire, fly through one of the painted window panes, and straight into the direction of the Everfree forest.
As everyone caught their breaths, Celestia made a suggestion. "Sunset, I believe that the figure has something to do with you being here. If you can defeat the creature, you might be able to return back to the other world."
"But, don't you want me to return here?" Sunset asked.
"If you defeat that creature and still cannot return home, come back here and we can find another way."
"Ok," Sunset Shimmer replied. She wanted to say so many things to Celestia and her face showed it.
"Before you say another word," Celestia added. "I have already forgiven you."
"Even after all what I've done?"
"Sunset, the ability to forgive is one trait all should have. And I have forgiven you the day you went to the mirror."
Sunset was in the verge of tears when she approached and hugged her former teacher, mentor, and friend.
Typical protocol, when someone gets that close to the Princess, was to beat the living snot out of the offender. But, many of the guards knew Sunset when she was just a young protege, so they knew she wouldn't hurt the princess.
As soon as they broke the hug, Celestia whispered "as long as the magic of friendship is inside of you, you will be destined to do great things."
Sunset Shimmer nodded while wiping away small tears and bolted out the castle doors, with fire in her heart that was not felt since back in her student days. Twilight was right next to her
"Any ideas to defeat that thing?" Twilight asked.
"No, but I have an idea anyway," Sunset said as she rapidly made her way back to her parent's house.
It happened again.
More screaming, more orders to get out of their house. Sunset knew what to do this time...
She began to sing.
A small, but simple nursery rhyme, one that Twilight never heard of before, but one that soothed Sunsets parents and made them believe in something that was damn near impossible.
"S-Sunset?" Her mother asked.
Sunset nodded with tears streaming down her eyes. Both parents joyfully embraced their long lost daughter.
"Celestia told us you ran away," her father explained in a shaky voice.
"I-I did. We had an argument, and I ran off and stumbled into another world."
"You could have just come home," Her mother sobbingly said.
"I know, I just didn't want to disappoint you."
The entire exchange brought tears to Twilight's eyes as well, but all of it was interrupted by a roar coming from the forest so many miles away.
"Mom, Dad. I have to take care of that."
"We know sweetie," her father said. "Please be safe."
"I will," Sunset Shimmer replied.
"Will you come back?" Her mother asked.
"Not yet. Besides, I can't be in this form in Equestria my whole life. Everypony would think I'm an ape or something," she said with a small laugh.
Her parents giggled as well.
"When I come back, I will be in my old form again. Until then, I won't stop making you proud in that other world."
"That's my girl," Her father said as Sunset got up and walked out her home for the last time, one more time.
***
That night was warm, so Sunset had no problem dealing with being exposed to the air riding on Twilight's back.. They landed on a cliff overlooking the former castle of the two sisters.
The looked around for the figure, but the darkness kept it hidden.
"Twilight. I want to apologize for ever-"
"No need to; you have proved how much remorse you have over this. And besides: you wouldn't have done it if you knew it would have created that big of a mess," Twilight replied.
Sunset nodded with a broad smile on her face.
"Tell you what Sunset Shimmer: If you are still around after we defeat this thing, let's have a tea party."
"Tea Party?" a confused Sunset Shimmer asked.
"Yes."
"That's kinda out of character for you, Twilight" Sunset observed with a chuckle.
"So is the fact we let our guard down and the thing is right behind us, that's also out of character," Twilight said, as they looked back to see the figure towering above them.
Before Twilight or Sunset could have made a move, the figure grabbed Sunset by her leather jacket, flew her towards the castle, and threw her through a glass pane. Sunset tumbled down the grand hallway, feeling the sting of the many shards of glass piercing her skin. Once she came to a stop, Sunset ran a few fingers through her arms and realized that she was not bleeding.
She didn't have time to examine the rest her body further because the robed figure landed in front of the shards of glass she threw Sunset through.
"I had enough of you!" Sunset screamed as she fired continuous pulses from her hand towards the figure, but it kept dodging its attacks and moved closer to Sunset and eventually reached out and placed Sunset's wrist in a death grip from its hands.
Sunset Shimmer whelped in pain and dropped to her knees. In a corner of her eye, she noted that Twilight flew in through the broken window undetected and hid in the shadows, waiting for a perfect time to strike.
She looked at the hand that was under the figures death grip and realized that the hand that was causing her so much pain seemed familiar. It looked like...
NO.....
She yanked away the robe and revealed the figure that attacked her and ponyville.
"What?!" Sunset screamed.
"That's impossible.." Twilight whispered.
It was Sunset Shimmer.
Well, it was a discolored, more menacing version of her. From its face and demeanor, both girls knew this one was trouble
"What the hell are you!" Sunset demanded.
"I am the evil and hate in your heart. You thought you gotten rid of me. But oh no, I've been hiding under the surface. Brooding, manifesting, scheming. I was the one that gotten you that far at Canterlot High, and you let that purple twat and her friends change you. But guess what: Not only am I taking my rightful place as owner, but I'm taking over this world instead!"
A maniacal laugh from discolored Sunset Shimmer began the process of 'transforming' Sunset. Sunset's mind was racing with the events and experiences that caused her hatred in the first place: the fight with Princess Celestia, the first days struggling to live when she first entered the mirror, her forceful rise to power through high school. It was consuming her, and rapidly.
"Sunset! This isn't you! Remember your friends back in the other world! Remember Princess Celestia's forgiveness! Remember your family!" Twilight screamed.
"Can it! This one is mine!" The discolored Sunset yelled as she continued the process.
"No."
"What?!" the discolored Sunset screamed.
The images in Sunsets head turned from fear and hatred to love and friendship. The beautiful memories of her friends, family, and even her boyfriend and their first kiss after her transformation.
It was too much for the discolored Sunset Shimmer. It popped and disappeared like a bubble that was within the reach of a child's index finger.
Sunset Shimmer immediately collapsed into heavy breaths, while nursing her wrist. Twilight glided down to her friend and they embraced. It was over.
Or so they thought.
The skies opened up above them, and it began to rain. Each drop on sunset made her melt, and within seconds she was melting into a puddle.
"Sunset Shimmer!" Twilight screamed in fear.
"It's okay Twilight. It means I'm going back. I'll have to wait a few more years to come back home. Tell my parents I love them."
"I will."
"And Twilight?"
"Yes, Sunset?"
"Can I take a RAIN check on that tea time?"
"Sure," a tearful Twilight replied. "And that was a terrible pun."
"I know."
***
As soon as she awoke, Sunset immediately gasped for breath in the pitch black of the night. A quick check of her extremities proved to her she was not paralyzed from whatever just happened. But, something was amiss.....
Her clothes were wet and muddy
Floor beneath her was not a floor, it was a water puddle.
The night sky was visible with scattered clouds chasing the rain clouds that came before them. But, what was even more revealing was that the stars were in back in order.
As she got up, she also noticed the trees were wet and dripping of rainwater. It felt surreal that; even though she knew she was in a different place just then, she felt slightly refreshed as if it was all a-
"Mer?" was the sound that came from one of the buses around her. Sunset Shimmer's phone survived the rainstorm, so she aimed the light it to reveal the kitten she was chasing.
It was still shaking, and that time it was ready to go with Sunset. She gingerly picked it up and carried it with her leather jacket... but not to her home.
***
"Woah, Sunset! What the hell happened?!" Flash Sentry asked when he opened the door to reveal a wet and muddy Sunset Shimmer carrying a kitten in her now ruined leather jacket.
"Long story. Have any tuna?"
The kitten was the first to be clean. Washed and dried in the sink of Flash's bathroom. The kitten (a girl) took a nap on a pile of towels Flash placed on the floor for her.
Sunset took all of her clothes off in the bathroom and creaked the door open in front of Flash large enough for just her head to pop through and nothing else.
"Listen Flash: I'm sorry about earlier. You were right.I was just defensive.I'm going to be better, I promise you."
"It's alright, Sunset."
Sunset smiled as she slid her head back in the door and locked it. As she turned the shower on, she remembered what she wanted to do with Flash earlier.
I promised I would be good, I promised I would make my parents proud. Still... I guess it wouldn't hurt to be bad once in a while.
"Hey Flash? Can you get me a pair or shorts?" Sunset asked as she peeked her head out the bathroom door again.
"Sure," Flash Sentry replied as he went into is drawer and pulled out his spare 'Canterlot High PE shorts.'
Flash was confused about the request as he approached her. "I thought I gave you a pair of shorts already."
"You did."
Sunset grabbed Flash Sentry by his shirt and drew him in. She gave him a very deep kiss. And dragged him into the bathroom like a Trap-Door spider dragging its prey to its doom.
Author's Note
I'm starting a Skype group for fans, pre-readers, proofreaders, editors and people who can help me and everyone else in the chat become better in writing. If you want to join this group (and Skype is free to get and register btw) add me (louisros1990 is mine skype) and tell me you want to join the group.
