It's funny... I remember this one very clearly, yet Run Thirty-Three is missing from my thoughts... Although, I guess it would be hard to forget this one. I doubt I'll ever forget, even if I do ever escape. I doubt I'd forget even if my memory was wiped. I still have nightmares from that run on some nights...

Why did this have to happen?

Saturday night. At some point, Sunset's brain had set up some kind of calender and clock that told her what day it was and the time of day. She's grateful for that. Because without it, she wouldn't have any idea what those things were anymore. Why did it matter if it was December 20th? In two weeks, it'd be that same day. Missed some stupid concert? Well, just wait two weeks and get to go again! Or, better yet, go to the same one every two weeks whether you want to or not! Fun, right?!

Sunset's bare feet carried her forward, her toes burning from snow and the negative degree temperature. Her skirt, which she'd worn for the past "two weeks", was filthy and had the edges worn off completely. Her shirt had ripped sleeves, leaving her arms out to take the brunt of the fierce winds. Her leather jacket was long gone. What happened to it, she didn't know. Maybe it was blown off with the wind or maybe someone stole it. Not like it mattered. It wasn't helping much with the cold.

Besides, it's not like she minded the cold. Cold was just something she felt. It's not like anything that might've damaged her would've stayed for long. The only thing she felt towards the cold was mild annoyance. It was only slowing her body down, no matter how much she didn't want it to.

An alarm went off in her head. Apparently it was eleven o'clock. So she only had one hour to get home. Oh well. No scenic route.

Looking up, her eyes traced up and down the streets. Most of the buildings were pitch black, leaving Sunset to wander by the moonlight. It was almost poetic. Sadly, the moon was not full, so no points for that.

Drip... Drip... Drip...

Feeling something land on her arm, Sunset touched her finger to her forearm and found her skin now bore several drops of... what she hoped was water. Forcing her gaze upwards, she could just barely make out the outlines of the clouds rolling across the sky.

"Weird..." Sunset murmured to herself. "It's not supposed to storm tonight..."

"The world was burning. Everything was burning. Blood painted every wall and road. Smoke spread through every gap, blanketing the world in a nauseous gas. Beneath the smell of smoke, there was an aid scent of burning flesh. Over the sound of crackling flames, the cries of children and adults alike rang loudly." Sunset spoke through gritted teeth as she approached her apartment building. It was a fairly familiar quote. Yet it was one she couldn't quite place.

Maybe later.

Fingering the key in her hand, she pressed it testingly against the sensitive skin on her wrist. With a light tap, she moved the object up her forearm. Staring at her arm, she could almost imagine the jagged scratches that her key could place on her.

"From the ashes, a Pheonix will rise, for they are immortal. Many envy the Phoenix while others pity it. Forced to relive it's life after an excruciating death. Nopony knows if it hurts the Pheonix, being burnt to a pile of ashes. Many hypothesis that the Pheonix actually dies and a whole new being is born from the ashes. However, with the ban from studying these creatures passed down by Princess Celestia, we may never know the mysteries about this beautiful creature." A certain animal flashed across her mind as she recited one of the many documents she'd read dozens of times over.

Reaching forward, her hand landed on the door to her apartment building. With a shuddering breath, Sunset whispered to herself; "Is this what burning to ashes is like?"

When Sunset first entered the building, the few people still awake and on the bottom level immediately began staring at her. They were whispering about her... Murmuring about her... Talking about her...

Drip... Drip... Drip...

The students... They were whispering about her from the second she walked into the building... They were staring at her with contempt and disgust... People she had talked to refused to look at her... Someone was going to hurt her... Someone was going to break her... Something was going to... to...

"STOP!!!"

Clutching her head in her hands, Sunset ducked her head and sprinted towards the staircase, nearly tripping on the first few steps.

They were pointing at her... Laughing at her... They threw things at her... They stole her school items... They glared at her... It all hurt... It hurt so much...

After Sunset had dashed up nearly ten flights of stairs, she collapsed onto the carpeted floor, the effect from the cold really taking it's toll on her. Balling her hands into fists, she pushed herself off the ground-

They spat at her... They kicked her... They punched her... They threw her against the wall... They dragged her to the ground...

"AH!!!"

Something grabbed her ankle.

Jerking her right foot upwards was all it took for whatever had grabbed her to disappear. Looking over her shoulder, all Sunset saw... nothing. Nothing had grabbed her... Nothing was going to grab her...

Nothing was going to hurt her...

Sunset's eyes were wide, pupils dilated. Her heart was beating way too fast. It was just her stupid imagination! Why was she getting so worked up?! Nothing was-

creeeeak

Her head snapped back to in front of her. The hallway in front of her was dark, with most of the lights being shut off. The only one that was on was at the end of the hall. Around the small beacon of light, the shadows were moving. Something was in the darkness, waiting for her to come towards it.

It was one of the students, wasn't it?! They found out where she lived, didn't they?! They came to hurt her! They came to... to...

"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"

Forcing her body to stand up, Sunset dashed up the stairs once again, ignoring the burning agony in her feet. She lost count of how many times she stumbled. She didn't care. All that mattered was getting away from the pain...

Soon enough, Sunset had reached the very top floor. Pressing her back against the wall, Sunset stared down the stairs she'd just ran up, waiting for someone to come up. Her feet nearly gave up on her. Her heart was beating so fast, she couldn't even count the beats.

Or maybe she could've if she was focusing on it. Or focusing on anything except for any flicker of movement that crossed her vision. It was only a matter of time before something came up these stairs...

They threw her down flight after flight of stairs... They tossed her through panes of glass, the jagged edges cutting her arms and legs... They gripped her throat, strangling and suffocating her...

Her hand slowly raised his hand up to her neck, feeling the sensitive flesh there. She could imagine just how easy it would be for someone to crush her windpipe. To end her life... End her life...

Sunset's eyes turned to the door to her right. The door, she knew, led to the roof of her apartment building. The roof... At least a hundred feet off the ground, probably more.

Then, like a flash of lightning, a thought crashed down on her.

What if you killed yourself?

K... Kill herself? No! No way! That's...That's crazy! S-Suicide is just not an... option... right?

Why not?

"B-Because... I've gotta get out of here! Out of this loop!"

And do what?

"W-What?"

Do you think your friends would be happy to see you? Do you think they'll be sad that you were gone? Do you think they know what you're going through?

Tears stung the corners of Sunset's eyes. "O-Of course they'd be happy! They-"

Haven't had their world altered. Chances are if you do get out, those two weeks will be your last chance. Then it'll happen all over again. The pain. The yelling. The fury. The tears. It'll all happen again. Only this time, It'll be permanent.

Her hands clamped over ears and she squeezed her eyes shut. "No! That's not true!"

Your friends will still hate you.

"Stop..."

Twilight will still ignore you.

"Please... Stop..."

Celestia will still despise you.

"Stop! No more! Stop saying these things!" Gripping her head tightly, she rammed her head as hard as she could against the nearest wall. "Get out of my head!"

And lastly...

"NO! GET OUT-"

You will still hate yourself.

The door in front of her slammed open by some unknown source, letting the cold, harsh winds rip into her bare flesh once again. The moon was out of sight. The clouds now seemed to have streaks of crimson across their surface.

You never did stop hating yourself after the Fall Formal, did you? Even if it was just the tiniest bit of anger, planted securely behind the front of your mind, it was there, wasn't it?

"I... I-"

That small part of you can see why your friends would think it was you. Even after that incident with the Sirens. It was the same for them. They all have a small bit of anger held towards you.

"T-That's not true! My friends..."

They're only human. You say you forgive and forget. Yet, forgetting is the hardest thing to do. Every time they make a mistake, your brain reminds you of their past ones. It's just human nature.

"S-So? We're still friends! They called me a member of their family!"

Right before they abandoned you.

That hurt like a shot to the chest. It was right. It was right before Anon-A-Miss happened.

Sunset buried her face in her hands, warm tears coating her freezing palms.

11:55

Her eyes snapped up. "W-What...?"

No response.

Staring out the door, Sunset could feel her body beginning to inch closer. Biting her lip, she forced herself backwards and averted her eyes. "No! That's not what I want!" Her eyes fell to the staircase...

Or where it should've been. Instead, it's place was a blank white wall. "H-Huh?" Reaching towards the wall, she flinched at the cold feeling it had. Like it had been sitting in this weather for hours.

Spinning in place, no sign of any exit to the tiny room she was in was visible...

Except for that door.

"Swui... Sheeis... Um... Princess?"

"Yes sweetie?"

"What does this word mean?"

"Well, let me see what it is-"

"Princess?"

"Um... I think that's enough reading for tonight Sunny..."

"Aww! But it was just getting good!"

Sunset's hands clamped tightly against her elbows as she stepped out onto the roof. Like she'd anticipated, it was much colder out here than inside. Her first instinct was to rush back through the door, but if she was going to get out, the exit would have to be out here...

Right?

Her bare feet slowly padded across the cold concrete. She swiveled her head around frantically, looking for anything other than just the barren wasteland of gray. But nothing was within sight. She couldn't even see the outlines of buildings in the distance. It was like they weren't there anymore.

One harsh gust of wind carried a thought with it. One that hit Sunset hard.

What if you jumped?

"STOP!!! That's not what I want! It's not!"

What do you have to live for?

"..."

Who do you have left exactly?

...

Who would care that you're gone?

"no one..." Sunset murmured, her legs trembling.

Who would cry at your funeral?

"...No one..."

Who would miss you?

"NO ONE! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR?! DO YOU WANT ME TO SCREAM IT TO THE HEAVENS?! NOBODY WOULD FUCKING CARE!!!"

Sunset's legs gave out and she collapsed onto her stomach. Tears fell from her face in heavy streaks, blood-chilling wails escaping her mouth along with each one. The pain from the cold was washed away and replaced by an avalanche of... sadness.

Sunset raised a hand to her face. Her fingers were shaking violently. "W-W-Why..." Her voice, strained from her previous vocal shout, came out ragged and rough. "Why does n-nobody care...?"

A horrendous scream tore through the calm night air. And it was made by a voice that a certain Principal would recognize anywhere.

Craning her head in the direction of the scream, Principal Celestia looked towards the area where it had originated, concerned etched across her face.

"Sunset?"

"Nobody would care..." Sunset placed her palm onto the floor and slowly began pushing herself up. All the while, her friends' smiling faces flashed through her mind. None of them would care.

Almost automatically, her body began shuffling forward. Her steps were slow and uncertain. A nagging thought questioned whether or not they wouldn't care. But it didn't surpass that. Just a small thought that brushed the bridge of her consciousness.

Soon enough, she felt the edges of her toes disconnected from the floor. Gazing downwards, she realized that she was standing at the edge of the roof. It'd be so simple... Just step... forward...

Yet she hesitated.

Memories flooded her mind. The sleepover with her friends, playing guitar as a member of the Rainbooms for the first time, the hours she'd spent writing in her journal to Twilight, even memories from when she was Celestia's student began resurfacing.

Did she really want to throw that away?

"N...No..."

"Ha! Look at this!" Rainbow Dash's voice flashed into her mind, taking Sunset by complete surprise. "She can't even take her own life! What, don't want to do us all a favor?"

"W-What?"

"I know right?! I mean, I can't throw my "Sunset's Dead" party until she does it! She's gonna keep us from having a party!"

"A... A party for my death?"

"Honestly, the sooner I don't have to look at her dreadful being the better!"

"It's pretty humiliating and that's coming from me. To think she thought we were friends!"

"Ah'm ashamed that Ah lied ta Twi. Sayin' we'd give this varment a chance? What was Ah thinkin'?"

Tears returned to her eyes. "You... You lied? Why... Why would you lie to me?!"

"I wished the Elements had just killed you. Would've saved me a lot of pain and time I could've spent with my real friends. I don't know what Princess Celestia saw in you. Goodbye, Sunset."

"Tw-Twilight? No... No! It's not true!"

This is what your friends think. There's no need for hesitation.

Her resolve was in tatters. Being beaten down by all of her friends... It reignited the pain she'd felt on the very first run.

And she suddenly felt very sleepy.

"You're right..." Wiping the last few tears from her eyes, Sunset took a deep breath. "Maybe... I won't be reborn this time..."

"Goodbye."

And Sunset fell.

"Damnitdamnitdamnit!" Celestia tore down the street, her eyes never leaving the building she'd heard Sunset's scream from. It didn't take long for her to realize that the building was an apartment building. And it took even less time to realize where that scream came from.

The roof.

She wasn't dense. She knew what was happening at her school. And she knew what kind of effects situations like that could have on a highschooler. And she'd be damned if she didn't do anything to keep that from happening.

"Don't you dare Sunset..."

At last, Celestia reached the front door to the building. Her feet ached, but she could rest later. Right now, Sunset could-

A sickening cracking sound froze Celestia in place.

Eyes wide, she slowly turned her head to the left. Towards the sound... Celestia hesitantly took a step towards the side of the building, worry worming its way into her mind. "W-What was that?"

Peeking around the side of the building, she couldn't really see anything out of the ordinary. A dumpster, an employee's only back door, and a few stray trash bins. Placing a hand of her chest, Celestia took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

It was fine. Why was she even worrying? It was probably just-

*CRACK*

Celestia's eyes shot open just as something warm landed on her right cheek. Staring down in front of her, Celestia's breath got caught in her throat. She instinctively took a step back, a hand raising to cover her mouth.

"No..." It had to be a trick... She was seeing things! She had to be! There wasn't any other explanation for what she was seeing.

So why was she crying.

"AAAAH!!!"

Sunset couldn't feel anything. It was an odd situation to be in. It was like her brain had stopped doing its job. She couldn't even feel blood running through her veins. Nerves were dead. She couldn't even "think".

The one thing that she could do was see.

Her eyes were stuck open in a wide eyed stare. The need to blink never came. It was very odd indeed.

There was only one thing in her direct line of sight. A pair of snow-covered brown shoes. They might've looked familiar. Who knows?

It was very quiet as well. She couldn't hear anything either. Was there anything to hear? Was there anything to feel?

Who knows?

...

12:00

Sunset woke up.

Remembering...

[///_______________]
13%

[X] Would you like to run in the background?

...

Complete. Would you like to open configuration?

[X]Yes______________________________>[ ]No

...

[X]>Options

[ ]>...

-[ ]>>Notifications
-[ ]>>Processing

-[X]>>Memory

--[X]>>>Reboot
--[ ]>>>#?"#/%¿&¡

Reboot beginning in [10] [Seconds]. Thank you for your time.

...

File [SUNSET SHIMMER] has been rebooted [25]/[51] times. Shutdown will now commence.

Shutting Down...

Author's Note

Oh yeah baby! It is here! The Prequel to "It's Always The Same"!

Just a heads up, the runs will not be in order. The next chapter will actually be taking a step back a bit.

Also, not all the runs will be like this one. Some might be... humorous? I don't know what to call it actually. And there might be one that's "worse" than this one. Can't wait... Woo...

Anyone notice the discrepancy in this chapter? Please point it out!

Hope you enjoyed! Any criticism is greatly appreciated! :D