What Once Was

Light gray clouds hovered in the sky overhead, casting a dull shadow across the suburban sprawl that spread from the outer edge of the Crystal City. The small buildings passed by Sunset Shimmer at an even pace as her boots stomped along the sidewalk at a quick jog. Some people waved from their doors as she passed, a wave she was happy to return, while a few others rolled their eyes or ignored her entirely. She was fine with that too, she wasn't out to make friends. She was out for the gentle tension in her legs as she got her daily exercise, and the wonderful cooling wind that blew her hair and leather jacket back.

She wound her way through town, until the houses began to thin, giving way to a stretch of road that wound away from the suburban sprawl up towards the grasslands between them and the forest beyond. She could already see a modest wooden cottage coming up on her left between her and the trees. Fluttershy's well-worn van was sitting in its usual place on the dirt beside the cottage, covered in dirt, rust, and what were probably animal droppings. There were a pair of birds perched on the front hood, whose little heads turned to watch Sunset Shimmer as she passed, but quickly went back to chirping at one-another.

Her steps slowed as she left the end of the road and reached the forest's edge, leaning her hand against the rough bark of a tree for support. She could feel the sweat coating her body, and the fire in her chest of a workout that had done a lot of good. Her chest heaved as she gulped in as much air as she could, leaning her back against the tree trunk to look back out across the city of Canterlot. The smaller suburb in front of her was framed by the much larger city beyond, whose shining crystalline spires and office buildings stretched almost to the gray cloud cover overhead. It was, in its way, perhaps even more magnificent a sight than the Canterlot of her world.

Not that she had ever bothered to stop and just look at her home town. She had been so absorbed in her studies and her plans for the future that she had preferred to stay inside with her books, and those times she did need to leave for some research project, looking at the scenery was the last thing on her mind. She wondered idly if Canterlot even looked the way she remembered it at all. Maybe she had been paying so little attention that she didn't even remember it properly.

She snapped out of her reverie when she felt something cold touch her wrist. There was a spot of water on her skin, which was soon joined by several more light touches, bombarding her in a slow escalation of intensity. Her eyes turned skyward towards the clouds that were now gently assaulting her with a light shower. The branches overhead shielded her from most of the rain, but some water still trickled through the foliage to drop on the shoulders of her leather jacket, and the wind was blowing it from outside the forest, soaking her front after a couple of minutes.

She almost expected to see some pegasi up there, kicking the clouds into gear to get the water to fall. There were none, though. Things weren't made to happen here, they just kind of happened on their own. She had gotten used to it by now, of course, but suddenly she found herself feeling strangely nostalgic for a place she hadn't liked all that much, at the time. It was a strange feeling, that almost made her feel alien in her own body all over again. Like she didn't belong in this bulgy bipedal form, or these restrictive clothes she had to wear at all times.

Well, nobody ever came up here. She could do something about at least one of those problems. Her hands tugged her leather jacket off swiftly, and followed suit with her shirt and bra. The rain and wind were chill, but not unpleasantly so. In fact it felt good after her jog through the city. Enjoying the sensations, Sunset Shimmer unbuckled her jeans and boots, and slid the rest of her clothing off. She bundled her clothes together by the base of the tree, and stepped away from it.

Her toes sank pleasantly into the soft cool grass as she let the rainwater wash over her. The sweat from her exertions was washed away bit by bit, dripping from her chin, elbows, and chest. She noticed with some bemusement that her nipples were stiffening in the chill wind and rain. Human bodies had so many strange reactions to things that her first several months here had been spent just trying to figure out what her body was doing, only to discover that it was reacting to anything and everything. Goosebumps, stiff nipples, the hair on the back of her neck raising when she was scared, all utterly pointless and yet they kept happening anyway.

Sunset Shimmer look a deep breath and plopped down on the grass, leaning back on her hands to look out over the town. The crystalline spires were now practically glowing as the city lights met the rainwater on the buildings, silhouetting the entire city in a haze of color. She had to admit to herself, it was a beautiful sight that she'd never seen anywhere else in any world before. She brushed a lock of matted wet hair out of her face so that she could see it better.

The soft raindrops dripped onto her body from the clouds, running down her flesh to the grass below. The water moving down her bare skin sent a soft shiver down her body, but not an unpleasant one. It was like feeling dozens of slightly chilly fingers brushing her bare flesh, tapping on the tips of her shoulders and breasts before running their way down the length of her body. It felt like a massage, soothing away the stresses of her week and the strain of her jog.

As her mind drifted her hands moved down across her body, using the rainwater to brush some of the dirt from her stomach and chest. She had to admit there were advantages to not having fur. It might be a bit colder, but getting mud and dirt out of fur was a lot harder than simply brushing it off of bare skin. Also this flesh was sure a lot more sensitive than her old body had been. Her fingers brushing lightly over her breasts sent soft, pleasant shivers running down her spine.

She leaned back slowly on the grass, her head come to rest against a convenient tree root as her hands continued to run over her skin. The rain was cool, but not uncomfortably cold, and started to feel a little better as she felt her body beginning to heat up again for an entirely different reason. Her palms ran up her skin to the center of her breasts, cupping her nipples and stroking them in wide circles. She felt her legs twitch almost immediately, and the sensation of moisture beginning to gather between them.

She moved one hand down her body, her fingers sliding through the tuft of fiery pubic hair between her and her goal until her index finger reached the magic little button at the top of her slit, pressing and stroking it in quick, light taps. Her legs twitched again and her breath came in just slightly deeper gasps than before. Her second hand slid down over the first, just beyond it to the slick, waiting slit that lay between her legs.

The world began to fade out of her consciousness, disappearing into a nonsensical blur as her body was consumed by the sensations. The cold of the rain did battle with the heat of her body, but it only made her feel more alive than ever as she began to rock her hips back and forth in time with the motion of her fingers inside of her. The rain caressed her entire body from without, and her pleasure warmed her from within. A sea of sensation that buried her in desire.

Her legs spread wider as she added a second finger, pushing both inside of her up to the knuckle and rhythmically pumping into herself as the fingers of her other hand continued to stroke at her clitoris in a careful rhythm, with a careful touch. She had no idea how long she was there, stroking and pleasuring herself as the gentle rain beat down on her bare body. Her mind didn't begin to clear until she felt the sweet relief of release wash over her and push a deep, reflexive moan of pleasure from her throat.

At last her orgasm freed her mind from the prison it had locked itself in, and she found herself back in the real world. Her hand continued to stroke idly at her vagina, even as the rain washed away the evidence of her impropriety. She had been thinking about something before, she was pretty sure. She couldn't remember what, though. It didn't really matter either, she realized. She was here, now, and she was happy. Where she was, what she had or hadn't been thinking in the past, that was all just dust in the wind.

And if she ever decided to revisit that past, she could. Nothing stopped her, so why lie here worrying about it?

Sunset Shimmer sat up slowly, and promptly sneezed so hard she sent her wet hair flying up and over her face. She sniffled in the scent of hair conditioner and wet grass and rubbed her nose with one finger. Now she had officially spent way too much time out here in the rain.

With an irritated grumble she climbed off of the grass and moved to put back on her now soaking-wet clothing. Ugh, she was going to have to walk home like this... maybe she could sweet-talk Fluttershy into letting her stay and warm up, or give her a lift home. Fluttershy was a sweetheart, after all, and she would do anything for a friend.

So would she, Sunset Shimmer realized as she slid on her shirt and pants just for the sake of decency as she carried the rest of her clothes bundled in her now-useless jacket down the road toward Fluttershy's cottage. Perhaps the biggest reason not to worry too much about what came before was that her friends were here now, and it just wouldn't do to lose sight of the most precious thing in her life.

Author's Note

I haven't written a story with a lot of description and detail in quite some time. Action and comedy tends to have a huge focus on timing and physicality, so frequently delving into internal monologues and setting descriptions can be somewhat counterproductive. This was a pretty fun little excuse to give it another whirl, however. I don't know how successful it was, but I had fun with it, and I hope it allowed some of you to have a little fun as well.

For the record, I didn't mean that as innuendo, but have whatever kind of fun you choose. I won't judge you.