The end was coming, and Sunset Shimmer was not scared.
It was normal for humans and ponies alike to fear death. Whether or not they believed in an afterlife, it was the ending of their existence on this mortal plane. It was a time of reflection and sorrow, where the soon-to-be-deceased found themselves facing their past failures and triumphs, friends and foes, and the answer to the most damning question of them all: “Have I lived a life worth remembering?”
For Sunset Shimmer, the pony-turned-human, the answer was a resounding, “Yes.”
As she lay in the hospital bed, her body reflected her many years. Her once-vibrant hair had long since gone from yellow-and-red to gray-and-slightly-less-gray. She was far from obese, but her form was definitely far more heavy-set than she had been in her youth. Her yellow skin was wrinkled and worn from years of living life to the fullest, and that was not to mention all of the fantastic and amazing adventures she had experienced. And if this form was striking, her pony self was even worse. When she had gone to Equestria to say goodbye to her mentor, she was barely able to stand on all four legs.
Sunset whimpered slightly at the memory. This did not escape Fluttershy's attention. “Wh-What's wrong?” she muttered, which was amazingly audible despite the clanking of her false teeth.
Her friend only smiled. She dared not mention how Celestia and Twilight had cried when they saw their student, friend, and ally in such a state. Perhaps it was her own fault for not visiting as often as she should have, but things were always so busy back in the human world. As more and more magic began to leak into the world, and more of Starswirl the Bearded's banished enemies kept popping up for her and her friends to deal with, it was always such a challenge to keep the peace between both worlds. She could still remember being called before the United Nations and having to explain that this was not some invasion from an alien universe, if only to prevent a full-blown counter-offensive into her own world.
And in the end, it had all paid off. The existence of both worlds had not only become common knowledge, but just a matter-of-fact for daily life. Exchange programs, diplomatic conferences, and other such things had helped foster a sense of coexistence between the two very different cultures. More and more humans were becoming able to use magic, albeit to nowhere near the extent a unicorn or Alicorn could, and with Sunset's knowledge of its workings, she was the obvious choice for running the many, many scientific explorations of its workings and effects on the world. She had even served as the first headmaster of the Canterlot Magic Academy, the first technical school for magic in this world, for almost ten years. When she wasn't battling monsters or other nasty things, of course.
The same story was true in Equestria, albeit in reverse. Human technology was seen as a wonder by the ponies, who had largely gotten by on the clever use of magic. The ability to work complex machinery without relying on magic and unicorns greatly helped to equalize the playing field between the three races. Equestria's first parliament had come into being only a few years after the portal's existence stopped being a secret, and had both given the ponies more of a voice in their government and helped ease thousands of years of crushing responsibility from the princess' shoulders. The ponies had even gone so far as to develop their own versions of cell phones, personal computers, and cars, each of which were designed to work with a species of quadrupeds.
But none of that compared to what surrounded her.
Sunset had known the end was coming for some time. It wasn't one of those things where she could predict the exact moment and write a fifteen-page final speech to the loved one that found her body, as is found in far too many stories for young readers, but it was kind of hard to ignore coughing up blood and an eternal agony in your chest area. She had wanted to keep things low and pass away quietly, but Twilight – sweet, inquisitive, very human Twilight – would have none of that. They were never quite lovers, no matter what the press made it out to be, but she was still one of Sunset's closest assistants during her studies into human magic, and she would do anything for the friend that taught her how wonderful friendship could be. So a couple of calls and posts on social media were made, and word quickly spread of a heroic figure's oncoming demise.
The tiny hospital room was packed with people and gifts. Cards from her former students, as well as people and ponies she had never even met in person, adorned every surface that wasn't currently occupied by a warm body, thanking her for her guidance and the inspiration she had brought into their lives. Her six best friends, all of them very old themselves, were obviously in attendance. Rainbow Dash was struggling to stay conscious in her wheelchair, having just gotten off a trans-oceanic flight. Fluttershy continued to pat and rub her friend's hand as if she were a wounded bunny. Rarity had just returned from chucking her phone out the window; no corporate call was going to interrupt this moment. Applejack, looking more and more like Granny Smith without the girth, removed her hat as she cried on the inside. Pinkie Pie had just finished tying a single red balloon to Sunset's left wrist, and while it had taken everything to keep her from throwing a lavish event to cheer up her dying friend, this compromise was more than enough to ease Sunset's pained heart. And Twilight, ever so shy but faithful, stood next to the head of her bed, struggling to keep herself composed and hoping her thick glasses obscured the tears in her eyes. They didn't.
But they were not all. Sunset's family was here, as were those of her friends. Not everyone could make it, but far more than she could have ever hoped had dropped everything to spend some final moments with their beloved mother, grandmother, and auntie. The older adults smiled and wished her well, while the younger ones occasionally asked when she would be getting better and if she'd be at their piano recital next month. A few were stationed outside to keep off the media hounds, and even more simply had to be out of the room. The sight of somepony who had shown such strength in life, who had inspired them to be better, and who had taught them that anyone can change, was just too much.
Sunset's breathing became heavier, and she could feel something hard gripping down in her chest. Her vision dimmed as her body began to shut down completely. But even if these last moments, she could not help but smile. Once, she was a runaway student of Princess Celestia, who had fled to another world because she wanted things she was not ready for. Now, she was an idol of millions. Equestria regarded her a princess in all but title. Her accomplishments in the human world had helped to usher in a new age. She had wined and dined with kings, queens and presidents. She had saved all of existence from countless monsters, and brought an end to an ancient old unicorn's negligence. And through all of this, she had created a lasting legacy that would continue to positively influence both worlds for years to come.
I just want to know one thing, she thought. How will I be remembered?
Rainbow Dash's head perked up. “Hey, remember that time Sunset Shimmer was a psychotic bully that ruled over Canterlot High, became a raging she-demon, and brainwashed everyone into being her army so she could conquer Equestria?”
And then Sunset Shimmer was dead.
Author's Note
The moral of the story is:
You may live a life of charity, friendship, love, and peace. You may bring joy to the world and leave things better than you found them. But in the end, you will be remembered for that one goat.
