Long Live the Queen
“Popcorn, check, movie check, games check-and presents, check!” Dima held out the box and looked at it taking a moment to admire it before putting it back on the table.
A seventeen-year-old young man with rusty skin and hair, and darkling eyes, Dimitry Danielov, often called “Dima” or “Dimwit”, looked at his watch before he looked around for or her. Sunset Shimmer said she would come to hang out with him today at this very minute, and that was good enough for him! Nothing could please him more-she was his very good friend after all. It would also be an opportune time to invite her to Harry’s open house next week.
For Dima, or “Dimwit” as his friends, and sometimes bullies back when he was a newer student, depending on who you talked to, this was exciting: For most of the time he knew Sunset Shimmer, she was utterly depressed. Though the the trip to Disneyland they had taken over the Thanksgiving break had helped for a time, it was hard to say if the results were even going to be permanent; Sunset was a odd girl always up to something and always socially awkward about it and a bit edgy ever since they first met. Also mysterious, like something out of a book. But lately? She really perked up, and was becoming more open...and affectionate.
And it was kind of a relief for him as well; he was under duress for the entire weekend because his oldest sister had been calling him about her relationship problems with her likely soon-to-be ex-husband, Delger. Dimitry always had his doubts about Delger anyway, as he was not entirely sympathetic to the Danielov family life. Dimitry’s Jewish father had left the Soviet Union out of fear for his own safety. While Delger also hailed from the Soviet Union as well, he had much less strong opinion on the matter. “That’s life” he’d always say. Always the pragmatist. Still, Dimitry felt that some family members went too far. Cousin joked that Delger must have been former KGB, which Dima thought was actually kind of harsh. But then again, it was easy enough for Dima to believe, because there was no room for warmth in Delger’s eyes. To say it would cause many family feuds was a understatement. Breakouts and accusations of murder and espionage would always come around the family dinner table worse than thanksgiving from family members from multiple political parties. All to Dima’s annoyance.
What’s worse was that Delgar kept ranting on and on and on about this strange occurrence he had in later life, he talked about the man he met, the strange man, and his mysterious box. And he was completely obsessed with finding him again. Dima though would always ignore him though when he talked about strange occurrences.
But Dima tried to ignore these thoughts, his older sister’s life and family feuds wasn’t something he had much time to deal with ,he had better more positive things on his mind. Sunset Shimmer was coming over today, and he had a very special event planned. Something he was planning on doing since Sunset and his last big trip together. Something he knew would really make Sunset happy after a few months of hardship being the ‘new girl’. He had Harry, the first friend he made when he moved to the United States, but over the years, he made more and more friends, and Sunset Shimmer was winning a particularly prominent place in his heart, though Skydancer, a fellow Senior, seemed determined to be the first to beat her to the punch. She was a fine girl, but not exactly Dima’s type.
KNOCK KNOCK
Dima got everything in the living room well adjusted, and it was quite nice, a standard middle-class home. Couch, big screen TV, rugs, all of the assorts. Dima’s parents had good paying jobs running a independent business, and the Equestria City economy was always one of the better areas to partake in such enterprises. So he and Sunset would have.lots of room for him and Sunset to hang out and play around-non romantically of course- he liked Sunset just not that way. Just do goofy teenages things- hang out- watch TV...Talk, chat...all of that stuff.
His thoughts were suddenly disrupted by a shout: “Hey Dimwit! It’s me Sunset! Open up, it’s hot as tartarus in here!”
“Coming!” Dima rushed to the front door as Sunset Shimmer entered.
Her boots very highly muddied and they were tracking all over the carpet. She realized he was looking down at her shoes, and quickly huffed breathlessly, “let’s just say I never take the road from the park on a bike.”
“I can see that,” Dima said, frowning at the now stained carpet, “well at least you got here safely, you weren’t speeding again on you?”
“What-Shocked that I’m the only girl you know who can actually get ticked riding a bike.” Sunset chuckled as she jumped on the couch putting her feet on the coffee tabel, much to Dima’s dismay.
Courtesy was important to him, but then again, Sunset Shimmer was even more so, so he suppressed his concerns.
Sunset Shimmer could be best described with fiery red hair, each lock enhanced by a blazing yellow streak. She was always wearing a black leather jacket, the same one she had when he had met her all that time ago. Slim-good looking, she had a seemingly perpetual smirk on her face. It was a bit condescending looking to the naked eye but Dima just thought that was her way. She definitely had a love of teasing and getting under your skin, but mostly in a playful manner-mostly.
From what he had learned, Sunset was a girl of simple means, simple home, and a simple lifestyle, she did most on her own, which hardly seemed to suit her dress sense or her personality. Regardless, that was how it was: She ate alone, she did her homework alone, and apart from him, he was the only one who she regularly hung out with. Although for some reason she had taken in two younger students Snips and Snails...Story goes she punched out a bully who was threatening them with a switchblade. Every since them they owed her in there minds a ‘life debt’.
They were bigger pop culture nerds than Dima-though sadly not very bright. Many would say the same about Dima, but she already knew better.
“So what did you want to do today and no, I’m not marathoning that space show again..”
Dima moaned playfully, “ah, but I thought it was your favorite!”
“I’d rather watch pretty pretty horse horse,.” Sunset snickered leaning back on the couch arms behind her head. “Oops sorry I was talking to a Horsey.”
“Hey! The new series is way better than the old stuff believe me!” Dima said defensively. “As are most kids shows, especially the ones with effort.”
“Yeah-yeah-” Sunset laughed
“Well anyway, I have everything all ready for our day together.” Dima said getting excited holding out the movie. “Favorite movie, popcorn, and a bit of something special for you.”
Sunset eyes widened as she ran over trying to grab the present, Dima being particular tale held it up smirking. “Give give give!”
“Ok-ok…..I think you’d like it watching the movie anyway.”
Dima gave her the box as she teared through it ripping the wrapping right off. She pulled open the box her eyes widening as she marveled at it.
“Is it?”
“Yep.”
Sunset pulled out the dresses, one was blue and gold, and the other was dark purple, and it came with a black and red cloak and golden crown. A custom model of Queen Grimhalde costume aka a Evil Queen Costume. Sunset had been wanting these ever since she and Dima had gone to Disneyland together, however, being so young, she was also very broke.
Snow White was her favorite Disney Princess, and Queen Grimhalde was her favorite Disney character, as were most of Villains of Legend.
“C-Can I wear it,” Sunset asked giving Dima a innocent looking expression. “Pretty please?”
Dima shrugged. “Your costume I just thought-
Before he could even finish that sentence Sunset rushed to the bathroom; one could practically see the dust trali still floating in the air as she slammed the door behind her.
Now he always liked Sunset Shimmer, for as long as since the day he found her one day wondering around Canterlot High all alone the halls of Canterlot High, looking quite alone and nervous- like a cat lost from it’s home. Apparently she was some foreign student, but form were she didn’t say. Maybe Canada? Her accent sounded American enough. Regardless-she was definitely not from around here.
Being from a foreign father himself, Dima had figured he had some idea what it was like and wanted to help her, and from his efforts, not much, but sometimes, a little help went along way. Foreign exchange students were not often mistreated per se, but it was always difficult to adjust to the culture of the States. Dima never really spent much time in the old country, he couldn’t even speak Russian as fluently as English, but the fact he wasn’t born in the USA was enough to make him considered a foreigner by some students. He was lucky that he had some family to help him out when his sister was around, but once she was gone, by that point he was established enough to not be bothered by the meaner students of the school. So he took her under his wing in a way,-for when it came to highschool needing a friend was all that one needed in order to not become a complete social outcast.
In spite of their similarities, it still took time to get her to break down her barriers. He tried to help her with her with her homework in the library followed by the park, and eventually to his house. Dima discovered that she was quite smart and easy to pick up on many things. She already knew quite a bit in the maths and sciences. Also a very moody girl as well, cranky a lot of the times and prone to a temper that Dima had born the brunt of several times in the past.
However, the considerable amout of time and effort invested into this project paid off.
Slowly, she opened up to him and as she began to express how she felt about the things around her, he began to show her more and more of what he liked, pop culture, history, etc etc. She didn’t get into a lot of what he liked but tolerated it and if he asked she would watch it Though Dima could tell she would have this judgmental look every time she’d show her something. However! One thing Sunset really took too was Disney films-Apparently she said they were like her home-especially the ones based on Fairy Tales. But it wasn’t until two things happened that Dima noticed a pattern emerge.
One; Showing Sunset the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
The other- Their Trip to Disneyland
Disneyland was probably one of the best times the two had in a while- Sunset loved it. It wasn’t called “the Happiest Place on Earth” for no reason. Dima had wanted to take her after saving up his money after months of working at his parents shop for minimum wage. But it was all worth it to take Sunset there-after all the Fairy Tales Dima had introduced her too she was going to get the closest to viewing them in person. From what Sunset had told him they were the closet thing that reminded her of home, whatever that mean; he didn’t think Canada was that magical. The rides, the food, just to get away from it all and enjoy some time with a friend- and the heat and crowds, it was fun. But all that time Sunset had her eye on thing, something that Dima noticed throughout the trip. It was the catalyst to the gift.
Well I’m glad she likes it, he thought to himself in a relaxed satisfaction.
***
“Oh my gosh it’s beautiful...Evil Queen costume.” Sunset said in a hushed whisper.
Sunset marveled at the costume, she loved the fabric and it just felt right. It didn’t even have the hood, now she could show off her own hair instead of hiding it under the cowl. Just imagining herself in this gave her goosebumps.
Because Dima had given this to her, she thought that she had to be grateful, it was very generous gift. But in Sunset’s heart, she felt that she deserved something like this. She could have always gotten Dima to give her the gift anway. She had her ways.
He knew she liked the Evil Queen, but just as much, she admired Snow White, who reflected the Equestrian ideal Princess - yes, she was indeed not from this coutry, or even from this world. However, while Sunset Shimmer considered herself to be intellectually and ethically invested in Snow White, something about Queen Grimhalde appealed to her emotions, and as a result, she liked her .
Well….Liked was a understatement, Sunset Shimmer adored the Evil Queen-not only as her personal favorite villain, she took it a step further. She related to her very much, from her envy at others, her regal bearing, and her tendency to toy with what appearned to be a twisted, demonic form of alchemy, something Sunset was looking into shortly before she left Equestria. Ever since Dima first showed her Snow White. Out of all the Disney Villains she would always get the most excited watching her. What Dima didn’t know was that Sunset when she was younger fantasizes of being a Queen of stature and grace. But while she understood that there were ideals to achieve, emotionally, she often felt that she didn’t have to deal with what she considered the pathetic things like honesty, generosity, friendships, kindness. She understood intellectually that they were critical, but emotionally, she felt that such things were beneath her.
Sunset was in a nice restroom, lit by a window high on the wall, no light was needed. The toilet, as always, was spotlessly clean, and its lid was of a rug-texture. A comforting place. She occasionally wished she could have a home like this, and perhaps she could live with- a thought occurred..
Well, that was in the future, and the future holds any possibility.
She took the trouble to take a look at it on the mirror before even putting it on; she could already tell that it was going to be perfect. Dima had given her this costume, because he always felt that she was meant to be a Queen. Although from were she came from the title of princess was the highest rank in the land-but she might change that if things back home ever changed.
Sunset held out the costume and took a moment to marvel it for a moment before putting it on. Tossing jacket aside she let the dress attend to her naturally. She put the lovely pink dress around her dazzling body and wrapped the black cloak simalously admiring how it drifted behind her back. With the crown it was the perfect ensemble for her.
She locked herself in the mirror she spread her cloak wide and said in the most regal voice she could muster. “Magic Mirror on the wall-who is the fairest of them all?”
***
Outside, Dima waited until she came out and looked a bit taken aback. Dima was surprised just how natural she looked in that costume as if it was made just for her. It complimented a decent figure, at least for Dmitry’s young standards. As far as he could tell, Sunset was definitely a 10, but that outfit made her an 11.
One of the single biggest reasons why she became so deeply into the wonderful world of Disney was because this was the simplest and easiest way to connect to others. Disney was popular and Disney films were always well liked. Sunset thought that if he could knew something that everyone else knew that perhaps she would be able to fit in more-or at the very least start and tag along in conversation better.
But Sunset was odd, most people liked Villains as fun-but Sunset she took the love more personally. She didn’t seem to understand them any more than anybody else intellectually, however, her feelings were very different than her thoughts on this subject.
He gulped, trying to find the right words: “Ah, well, you look nice.”
“Is that anyway to talk to your queen?” Sunset said quite harshly, but with a rather wicked smirk.
Dima tensed up. “Sorry.”
Sunset laughed, though it felt more like a cackle. “Always fall for anything I say, don’t you?”
Dima laughed awkwardly, he couldn’t tell with Sunset’s humor sometimes. Then again, this was how it was with the humor of most people. Maybe this was all on him, and not on her. Slowly, Sunset entered the room, Dima made sure not to step on the ends of her black cloak.
“So uh- what do you want to do?”
Sunset took Dima’s hand. “Let's go to your room for a bit and just enjoy the quiet.”
“Uh-ok.” He didn’t think that Sunset would have enjoyed the “quiet” unless she had a very particular reason.
“And can I borrow one of your arm chairs please.”
Part of Dima felt he had already done a lot: “Why?”
“A Queen needs her throne, peasant.” She said smirking deviously at him.
Dima grinned and shrugged; he just plain couldn’t see the harm in it. Then he quickly thought of something: “Well,” he began, thinking he was playing along, “a King...needs his Queen...to rule...yes?” he asked, hesitating to say each word. He liked her, and her openly expressive and unusual tics, but she came across as a bit young, and perhaps a bit too determined to fit in with everybody else. He liked her unadulterated alien self, not this pseudo-human she kept behaving as. He knew perfectly well, of course, that Sunset Shimmer couldn’t have been an alien, that was absured, but something about her actual self felt otherworldly, and that was what he liked about her most. Except there were times, mostly in Canterlot High, she seemed to be doing some kind of Google Translate impression of human behavior, which felt completely artificial to him. Then again, she was a sophomore, and that was the most awkward time for most Canterlot High students.
She folded her arms and scoffed with a smile, “well, one day, you’ll learn how to do it right.”
“Well, in any case you are missing something-“ Dima went to the kitchen and came back handing Sunset a blood red Apple giving her a playful smile. “What is the Evil Queen without her signature poison apple?”
Sunset tried to think of a “human” response, and suddenly found herself out of ideas: “Uh, ...unarmed?”
He gave a grin and shouted, “an Evil Queen with a guillotine!”
She grinned and laughed, “oh yes!”
“Well then, let's have my day with my Evil Queen begin!”
His Evil Queen she thought. She liked the sound of that.
***
“Slave in the magic mirror-come from the farthest space-”
Sunset got up and began reenacting the scene along with the Queen making even the same judgment, Dima couldn’t help but laugh, “Through wind and darkness I summon thee, speak-let me see thy face.”
“You are good at this.” Dima laughed; she also did the same for Snow White, but with less success.
Sunset smirked back and jumped back on Dima’s bed. The two got close to one another in a very cuddly manner. Dima didn’t mind because they were both in such a giddy mode, Sunset was loving her costume and Dima was just enjoying a nice time with Sunset. A win-win in his book.
At this moment, Dima was feeling strangely warm and strangely awkward with this beautiful girl sitting next to him. Realizing he never been this close to a girl, or at least one in a dress, Sunset tomboy biker look made it hard to realize it. She did look really good in that costume, the way she looked in a crown and cloak, and the way the dress hugged her slender figure was utterly enticing, her stomach shifting as she chuckled at her favorite dwarf, Dopey. Dima laughed with her, pointing at the television and shouting “this is me! Literally me!”
“You right, just need the hat and you could be twins.” Sunset said giving him a light slap on the shoulder.
“ Come on Dima-don’t be silly, it’ a cool costume that's it. He said; yet she looked so natural in it, like she was mean to have it. “ Don’t you start believing in Destiny - that’s only in fairy tales ”
When the Queen died, Sunset suddenly did something he called “zoning”. It was as if she could no longer hear anything for a while. Sunset Shimmer didn’t always show emotions in a way that translated well to most people, and had he known what she actually was, he would understand why.
The fact that she zoned for so long was unnerving to him, and at the soonest opportunity, he seized a chance to heckle the movie: “Necrophilia is magic!”
His voice caused her to completely snap out of it: “Necrophilia?” Sunset asked. There were things that she was not exposed to in Equestria, as she was still very young when she first ran away.
Dima’s face suddenly changed and flushed a bright crimson; a part of him felt like he ruined her innocence, that he was a serpent in the Garden of Eden.
Sunset Shimmer felt like she asked a bad question, but she was familiar with the “philia” suffix, and knew it often meant something dirty. She’ll have to look it up online later. It probably wouldn’t have too many icky images...would it?
She muttered, “you know, Snow White gave the Evil Queen magic shoes that made her dance until she died in the end. That’s my kind of woman. To bad that’s not the version we got here. She’s just a little prissy pansy- Evil Queen should be the one making her dance till death. I know I would.”
In Sunset Shimmer’s culture, the beautiful Princess was somewhat ideal, as that was, after all, what ruled her country….arguably with a bit of an iron fist, but whatever worked. It was a divide in Sunset’s heart- a princess like Snow White and her culture, but a Queen who ruled with a iron first like Grimadale.
Dima was surprised that anybody would even attempt try to relate to Snow White: Most girls solely related to the Evil Queen, at least ironically. However, Sunset Shimmer seemed to try her hardest to be sincere about everything. Sometimes it was great, she let everybody know exactly what she was feeling - just, sadly, not what she was thinking - but it came with the downside that she seldom really tried to do much to help others, though that bit, Dima wondered, was it really part of her alien tendencies, or was it Sunset trying to emulate the rest of the people she knew and not doing it right? After all, Dima realized that people these days valued “sincerity” over “morality”, but that was a problem: If everybody cared only about being sincere, the amount of good done every day would plummet.
Another thing Dima loved though about Sunset and her sincerity, was her unique way of viewing things. Much of what made her unique was her distinctly sensory style of thinking, her understanding of things often being influenced by visuals and sounds, perhaps explaining why she preferred immersive video games over books, and why she barely understood the often frivolous word games the other girls in Canterlot High would partake in. She was also very surprisingly good with many of the Special Ed students, because she had shared traits with them, as many of them also tended to think in sounds and sights rather than through narrative words.
But even how she reacted to this movie was odd but fun.
While most people watched movies and reacted to scenes the same way Sunset for her part reacted very differently when it came to certain moments of Snow White and Seven Dwarves, or any other movie for that matter.
Most people liked classic Disney movies, yet Sunset - Dima realized that she liked them, but for very odd reasons and her reactions to certain scenes were quite the opposite of what he was used too. It was almost like they were painful to her, in some way, and for some reason, she kept coming back for more, like she was masochistic.
For example, Sunset would always tense up and excited as the evil witch started to trick the poor princess. Ironically Sunset right now was taking a large bite out of her own Apple, mouthing the lines of the Queen as the movie played. Watching this again in costume, she was having an epiphany watching it for the first time. As if seeing things from the Queen's perspective truly for the first time, beginning to realize that now she was in a place where her mentor could not bother her, Sunset Shimmer could now potentially have the authority to behave in this way, and without anybody to stop her - oh, but it would be for good of course!
Well, most of the time.
“Her breath-will still-her blood will chill.”
Dima watched as Sunset malevolent grin continued to widen. Just watching it now, the respect she had for Snow White was fading, and fast.
Her grin looking far wider than was normal for humans, as if she originally belonged to a species that didn’t have cheeks, she said flatly, “that’s what you get for getting food from creepy old strangers. You’re lucky it wasn’t a roofie...bitch.”
Of course, it was clear enough that she really wasn’t thinking entirely about the movie, but amused by something else. But what? Sunset was so secretive. All he knew about where she came from was that she just showed up to start her sophomore year one day, and that she used to hang out at the basement level almost any other time she could be found, as if she was practically living there. It was only weeks ago that he got word that she was now living in a family-owned slum, and also working there as a cleaning lady. Dima realized that the chances of her being there without adult supervision were extremely slim, so either she was secretly allowed to live on her own, or this family took her in. He would have liked to press Sunset on the issue, but she rarely spoke about her home life at all, except that her family recently took some chronic juvenile delinquent named Asuka Langley-Sohryu, who in spite of her Japanese name, often communicated with them by swearing in German, under their wing, a young runaway who insisted on being a little crook. Asuka stole Sunset’s purse to use a payphone to contact a father who apparently didn’t want anything to do with her, or at least was trying to protect her from something, and Sunset had to wrench it back.
On top of this, she seemed to deliberately maintain her details about her previous life to be extremely scant, and she kept it that way. She tended to avoid answering questions through any method possible, and emotionally behaved in bizarre ways unlike anybody else. She flipped out when she saw a stage magician, and got furious over perceived “bragging”, and tended to violently assault people who had any kind of following, as she too, considered this to be a kind of unacceptable arrogance.
She did well to avoid telling anybody the truth about herself, because if she did, most would view her as insane, and the remaining few would basically treat her as an animal for the zoo. Even her body was hardly human. Just walking was actually extremely painful, every nerve of her body stretched in ways completely unnatural to her, her body stretched in ways it wasn’t supposed to. Some people took the pain and tried to prevent others from feeling the same, and others threw the pain back at the rest of the world, and still others did a little bit of both. Sunset was of the latter category.
She came from the world known as Equestria, and as far as she knew, only she, among all the people on this planet, had the secret of cross-universal travel. Not even another planet, Equestria was another nature, another reality entirely, it was a world in which the physics didn’t follow the complexities of nature in our world, but followed a far simpler logic.
It was inhabited by many beings, przewalski’s horses, minotaurs, griffins, and many other species, but the most common were known as Equestrian ponies, or simply just “ponies” or “Equestrians”. They vaguely resembled a cross between the ponies of our own world and primitive primates like tarsiers, but unlike either of them, the Equestrians had their own civilization and language, which of course meant that they had their own culture.
One of the first things one has to understand about Equestrian culture is that it is very conformist and dictated by rigid hierarchy. Any flamboyance (unless you were the aristocracy or elite) was interpreted as stepping away from one’s social position, and thus indirectly, a threat to their monarchy, thus, flamboyance was reserved for the uppermost classes. As a result, Sunset Shimmer was extremely confused by the extremely individualist American culture. She was just grateful that she didn’t get saddled with the even more individualistic British culture! She couldn’t imagine being stuck with a British man.
Now she did give credit for the more demure behavior of Disney underdogs and the more flamboyant behavior of Disney overdogs, as this was, in her mind, culturally acceptable. However, Sunset Shimmer actually had trouble with Equestrian culture; her parents were not ordinary, but part of an ancient aristocracy to the east of Equestria, a province that long wanted to cede, and they frequently tried to back it, trying to set up their daughter as a future political figure of Equestria so that she could make this possible. Not raised on the same values or the same background as most Equestrians, she almost had as much trouble with Equestrian culture as she did with American culture.
Socially awkward and unused to the culture here, Sunset Shimmer was very susceptible to bullying, which made the problem all the worse for a while. However, Sunset Shimmer, realizing that she was different, rapidly came to the conclusion that if she was going to walk among them, she was going to have to fight them herself. She initially got physical with them, but between her poor human skills reducing her charisma to nil and the greater familiarity the teachers had with older students, she tended to get in trouble more for defending herself than any “queen bee”, as she learned they were called, would be in trouble for assaulting other students. She learned this lesson painfully with Gilda.
However, she learned other ways.
She was thinking about the time that she got two “valley girls” to fight until they essentially stripped each other down. It was hilarious. They tried to reveal that she undermined the head cheerleader - who she undermined because the cheerleader in question put too much pressure on a fellow sophomore named Pinkie Pie. Sunset decided to induce justice. Besides, that cheer captain bragged too much.
And worse was the soccer captain: Gilda had an irritating knack of overhyping herself, though ironically, this was also to be encouraging to the girls as well, meaning that Sunset punished Guilda for, unfortunately, one of her only redeeming qualities. In spite of this, she often tried to use Rainbow Dash as a tool with which she could have her way among the students, and tended to use emotional abuse as a means of motivating Dash. Rainbow was constantly tense and prone to breaking down, and Sunset Shimmer found herself strangely capable of relating to her, so she decided that Rainbow deserved to be avenged, and did so by means of spreading a negative but all too true claim about Gilda.
Of course, soon events would entail that would cause Sunset Shimmer to have a different opinion of Rainbow….
But that was later.
“You do realize she poisons Snow White, right?” Dima asked, not sure he wanted an answer.
She sighed, “yeah, I know. It’s just...it’s so dumb. If this is what kindness looks like, I want no part in it.”
“But kindness is good right-that’s why Snow White wins.”
Sunset eyes narrows. “She wins by sheer luck. In the real world, this isn’t kindness, this is weakness. People like Snow get preyed upon, and pitifully torn to shreds.”
Dima wasn’t sure how to counter that, so he pointed out another factor: “You do know she only is dead because the Queen tricked her, right?”
Of course Sunset knew, and that’s why loved it; she simply thoughtfully rested her chin on her hand, and ironically, bit loudly into an apple-yet she still cackled. Watching Snow White get what she deserved, defying her Queen by her mere existence. Keeping her from her destiny. She had to be exterminated.
It went on for a while, and Dima decided to keep the movie going hoping she’d settle more. She did, but sadly her mood quickly soured, her ears being pulled back - another strange quirk of hers that nobody else he knew did. When she was angry, her ears and eyebrows would shift back slightly.
Sunset fist clenched her first and shifted her cape dramatically as the movie progressed. “Stupid dwarves, I would have squashed them all like the vermin they were.”
“But they are the good guys?” Dima asked. He was shocked, not long ago, Sunset Shimmer claimed that Dopey was her husbando.
“Then I’d rather be on the side of evil.” Sunset hissed back.
Dima was badly confused; nothing in the works Keel Lorenz could easily explain this erratic behavior.
Sunset hated this part; it was so unfair….the Queen was, as far as she could tell - at least emotionally, she was prone to emotional reasoning - the rightful leader of this country. And people were slandering her and fighting her. There was no obedience. The Queen was largely depicted as acting alone and unassisted, no loyalty in sight. From an Equestrian perspective, this was not how you treated your monarchs, as their monarchs were generally partly divine. If she were Queen she would have sent a army to burn there village to the ground show know mercy
Dima though never understood her though; As Sunset thought of what she would do Dima could see her malevolent grin returning again.
“What are you-
Sunset wrapped herself around him now. “Imagine it Dima-hordes of armies sacking the Dwarves home.”
He grinned and giggled back, “you’re sick Sunny, you know that?”
She chuckled back, “yeah!”.
Finally the Queen had died in the movie.
“Jesus, fuck Kharma.” Sunset was having practice with words generally uncommon in Equestria, and sometimes the combinations she chose were awkward.
“Yeah, Kharma is a real bitch, ain’t she?”
“It’s totally not fair. She’s the Queen, they need to obey her!” She looked at him somewhat smugly: “Wouldn’t it be nice for a single person to just have all the power? Make all the bad things go away?”
“Why?”
“Because let’s face it, most people don’t live to achieve much in their lives. Their lives are solitary and short. We could give them more to live for. Something to unite them behind.” He used to entertain these discussions with her, he used to maintain this, because at the time, she sounded wise. However, she kept repeating the same ideas over and over like a broken record. Eventually, he realized this was less about inner expression and more about ideological conversion...or about maintain his attention.
“Maybe we can do this, through law-” he began, but was cut off.
“No” she snapped firmly. “An aboslute ruler could bring absolute justice.”
He casually sipped on his tea, hiding more emotions. “My ancestors certainly didn’t think so.”
With a passionate hand gesture, partly in a failed effort to mitigate the constant pain of being in a body that didn’t entirely belong to her, she spat out, “and look at what they created? The second or third worst dictatorship in history!”
“And your idea isn’t similar?”
There was a long, painful silence. She was carefully choosing her words.
“A monarch is chosen by Tau- er, ‘God’.” She almost said “Tau Sunflare”, a name of one of Equestria’s chief deities. This mentality of humans, especially American humans, was also difficult for her to grasp, because her people could easily prove that gods existed. In fact, in Equestria, to be an atheist or an agnostic was to be what a flat-earther or a Scientologist was here. Also, Equis was flat, and so their atheists, agnostics, deists, monotheists, and other raving loonies (at least in Equestria), also believed in a round Equis, and they believed that Equestria’s outer spheres programs deliberately concealed how round Equestria was to hide the nonexistence of Celestia’s status as a deity. By contrast, in this universe, all planets were round. Nobody could prove anything about God either way, but it was highly unlikely that God was a higher version of humanity who could summon the sun, and barely more likely that God was a childish chaos spirit. At first it was exciting, it was a realm in which Equestrian myths and conspiracy theories were real. From the belief in “Bighoof”, which turned out to be the Earth Onager, to the belief in the “Mammalians”, an invading outside race, which turned out to be, of course, humans, to the round Earth, to the semi-governmental body uniting all nations, which was the UN, something Equestria didn’t have any equivalent of, and most politicians on this world seemed to be completely disingenuous criminals, something that was also fairly uncommon where she came from. All conspiracies were real here.
However, after a while, she got bored with it. She hoped there was more out there, this universe was so incredibly boring and empty. Where she came from, there were Chaos spirits, demons, dragons, griffins, and diamond dogs. Here, it was strictly humans who owned all sentience. Life among these people was nothing short of dull and tiresome, their stricter physics restraining what they could do. The ease and flexibility of her world didn’t seem to entirely transfer to this one.
Maybe that's why they made so many stories about magic.
Humans seemed to be entranced by the simple cheats to manipulating matter that magic had to offer for them. They wanted nothing more than to have the power to easily control a stubborn, rigid nature that stuck to its own patterns and seemed Hell-bent on drawing humanity with it. Sunset Shimmer, unused to living life without magic, was perhaps more divided than most on her feelings on the subject; on the one hand, living without magic was a fresh new experience for her, but on the other hand, much of her old life revolved heavily around it. It was basically a fresh emptiness that she constantly lived with. Fortunately, it was the absolute easiest to satiate her desires with human-made media.
“I don’t deny God, but does he always choose who’s king? A monarch is a person, a person equally capable of faults. Same as you.”
Dimitry hardly meant this personally, but she took it as such.
She frowned at Snow White; truth was, part of her hated this movie, because she feared its implications, that the Evil Queen was not chosen by Tau Sunflare. And fear breeds obsession, which led to her obsessively focusing on the details, which ultimate led to an intense admiration. Thus, she both hated and loved this movie.
“You know how come you get so defensive about the Evil Queen, but not other royals?...What about Emperors, they are higher. And ten times more evil and ruthless-you’d love that. Instead that outfit why not put on a black cloak and hood while ranting about blowing up planets. After all don’t you love powerful villains?.” Dima said sarcastically, thinking of his favorite movie and honestly favorite Villain in fiction.
Sunset dramatically wrapped her cloak around her and gave Dima a contemptuous pompous look of a high and mighty aristocrat. She scoffed, “well for your information, the fact that these emperors in fiction are far more evil is precisely why I don’t side with them. I’m an Evil Queen with dignity!” She had picked up upon a particular human trait; a kind of dignified irony that did not come naturally to most Equestrian ponies. Many said things with a humorous sincerity, which she had learned.
“Beside Queens are chosen by gods….And Emperors like the one in you're fiction are nothing more than filth or pathetic old men with parlor tricks.”
Dima blinked. “The Emperor is the most powerful being in the galaxy?”
“Don’t be a nerd on me Dimwit!” Sunset snapped. “First off, he’s a pathetic old man, he’s nothing compares to the radiance of Queen Grimmadel….Even Emperors in your history apart from the Kaiser, they were nothing more than up starts from pathetic families.”
Dima blinked; “uh, do you know who Augustus Caesar was?” Not that it mattered, he realized. family, blood ties, this was dangerous discussion and very elitist. Dima might have not liked the Soviet Union because of his family but one thing he could respect was that it at least tried to start out from a ideal place of worker rights. Talk of monarchs and artistoricats, didn’t matter were it was coming from but it was out of date stuff. You didn’t have to be related to anyone to be important. Sometimes the most important people were the nobodies.
“But she’s an evil Queen, and it’s just a movie.” Dima argued back, not sure where this was coming from. “From the 30’s, and she hardly does anything in the movie!”
“That isn’t the point, she was chosen, she is a true artistoricat of good blood.” Sunset hissed. “She is fairest -I am the fairest!”
Dima got a bit nervous now as Sunset temper rose. “Blood doesn’t mean anything, character does- and both are terrible people.”
Sunset eyed him now darky Dima realized he might have gone to far.
“But you're not of course- you are a good person.” He said, voice shaking a bit. “Y-You are the fairest of them all.”
“Hey Dimwit?” Sunset said clearly changing subject.
“Yeah?”
“Are you into role play?”
“Um………… huh”
“Role play- Snips and Snails blather on about it.”
“Oh-” Dima sighed, why did it always have to be those two? “Yeah.”
***
Sunset sat on the armchair as if it was like a throne, as Dima himself, he sat on the ground opening up his lap top. Unaware Sunset was looking at him the whole time...her mind deep in thought. It was not that Sunset wanted to play a bit of role play with Dima while she was in the costume. Dima wasn’t the best actor, but he indulged her, after all you didn’t cosplay unless wanted to role play a bit just for the heck of it. So they moved the room around to make it look like a throne room of a palace just for a bit of fun.
“Huntsman-you will take Snow White to pick wild flowers,” she said in her most Queenly voice. “And then in the forest, you will kill her.”
They changed up the role a bit so that Dima was obedient huntsman instead of a treacherous one, “Of course you're majesty.” He snickered playing along. “Shall I use dynamite?”
Sunset opened her eyes wide in anger, and her ears twitched again. Dimitry realized he wasn’t taking this seriously enough for her taste and made an apologetic expression.
Sunset giggled with glee. “Oh just imagine if I could actually command my own huntsman to take out my enemies.
“Hey-that would be something.” Dima said under his breath as he kneeled, knees starting to hurt a bit though..
Look at Dima….Sitting on the ground like that, wonder if I can get him to grovel at me, he seems like someone who would. . No, I’m not really into guys like that. I just would like a strong guy who can be himself. He’s good enough at that. If I wanted him to be somebody else, he’d suck at it.
An old thought replaced with a new one, Sunset asked, “Dima, can you stand up for a second.”
Dima got up and stood in front of Sunset unsure what she wanted.
Slowly Sunset smiled a malevolent grin as she got up majesty spreading her cloak around her and said in a very regal tone. “Dima Dima near the wall who’s the fairest of them all.”
“Uh-You are?” Dima said with a clear uncertainty. “Is there a point to this?”
She nervously licked her lips for a second. She was beautiful, but she was kind of on the young side, and she was also...different. Not always in a good way. In some ways it was charming, like an alien completely out of her world. Probably one of the most loveable things about her. However, it was sometimes too difficult, like talking to another species entirely. She also tended to favor emotional reasoning over rational reasoning, and he wasn’t sure if it had anything to do with her background, or her youth, or both. As a result, he had ordered some books about erratic behavior written by Dr. Keel Lorenz, a former Austrian psychologist, now the German Minister of Social Services. Wouldn’t be the first time and Austrian took on an important role in German government.
“Dima, Dima, on the wall who’s the fairest of them all?” she said again, this time more playfully.
“Uh, you are?” It was unusual that she didn’t playfully call him Dimwit this time.
She squeezed and began to dance around the room like a little girl almost. She snoke red got up close to her and whispered in his ear. “Dima Dima on the wall who’s the fairest of them all.
Dima took a moment and whispered you are. “You are.”
She laughed and began to twirl her dance around Dima watched feeling his cheeks go red a bit. He was either regretting this decision or to get the costume or he was noticing things he couldn’t.
But some of this was ironic. She was not without some humor on it...but, it was strange. There were many people in this world who could have irony and sincerity at the same time. Some people were never anything but both at once. Sunset Shimmer was different. She alternated, swinging from one end of the pendulum to the other. It was almost as if she wasn’t even human. Again, in a way, this made her seem more sincere and easier to understand than most human beings. She was charmingly otherworldly, and he loved that about her.
Still, her efforts to fit in and be like others were a pain in the butt. He knew that some of this was a desperate attempt to mimic the cool irony all those dorks and goths tried to create, which made some of them come across, at least to him, as big phonies.
But that’s what Dima liked about Sunset-so all he could do was roll his eyes.
Sunset continued to skip around like a philly going. “Dima Dima on the walls who’s the fairest of them all.”
“You are.”
“Look Dima.” She held out her red apple and put it in front of his face. “My poison apple- one bite, and I can put anyone who I despise into a eternal sleep.”
He grinned. “Oh I’m sure you’d love that.”
Sunset looked at the apple deliciously, several ideas coming to her. “Yes- yes I would.”
“I know what i would also like.” Sunset said in a sly voice.
“What?” Dima asked.
Sunset then reverted to her Queen mood. “Huntsman, kiss the royal hand.”
Dima blinked. “What?”
“You heard me-Kiss the royal hand.” Sunset said holding out her hand.
Dima got a bit nervous as he began to walk up to her slowly, he wasn’t sure if this was right or not yet he did it, and worse-he liked it.
Sunset smiled. “Again.”
He kissed again.
“Again.”
He kissed again.
“Again!”
He did so, but then, she gave a soft moan. Dima realized what this meant, and stated “okay, this is getting uncomfortable.” Dima scootched back. “I don’t think I like this game very much anymore.” Actually, he did. That’s why he knew he had to stop.
Sunset seemed a bit taken aback a bit her lip looking annoyed. “Oh-Okay….T-That’s fine.” she sighed. “Well will my huntsman at least rub my feet, they hurt.”
Dima sighed. “Well, that can’t be so bad.”
“Dima.”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
Dima gavea light chuckle as he started to rub her feet. “No problem….Hey? What are you doing tomorrow?”
***
Soccer
So boring and so dull; at least Sunset Shimmer though that as Dima dragged her to one of these games. Apparently he wanted to show school spirit or whatever that meant. It was such a dull and boring concept. What’s worse she had wear her normal black leather jacket again. She wanted to be in costume; feel like a Queen like Dima made her feel yesterday. Granted she could be alone and feel like a Queen.
“Can we go back to your house?” Sunset moaned as she leaned up against the bench. “I’m bored!”
“Come on Sunny, the game is just halfway over.” Dima said cheering.
“But it’s so boring, what is the point of it all-pass the ball back and forth make a goal, bla, bla, bla-” Sunset laid back down and let out a loud groan. “This is so boooring
Dima seemed quite happy despite Sunset moaning, though in fact it was nice or started out nice, actually. Plus, it wasn’t really like he liked soccer. He was there to get her familiar with the school, and because Skydancer made him promise to arrive. She was sitting next to him on the bleachers, watching the game below. Everything awkward from the other day? Completely forgotten. Over. No Queen costume, no mood swings, no maniacal laughter just good fun at the beach. And that was nice, she was able to start again with a fresh new day. Though she kept the outfit, she liked it.
Plus Dima had reason to be here.
“Hey did you hear about that explosion at the mansion in England?” One of the students said passing by.
“That was a while back, I thought.”
Sunset was enjoying her time with Dima, though mostly she was on her phone texting and looking up news on social media. It was one of her pastimes since arriving. Seeing the gossip and keeping tabs, it was a good way to know what was going on in the world.
A lot of it pertained to strange Alien sightings, a box shaped spacecraft going around. Most likely a hoax by students lying her. She eventually figured out that some humans would say anything for attention.
Still she was relaxing with her only friend.
And then she walked in.
Rainbow Dash was probably just about the gawkiest creature she had ever seen. Back then, she had a face decorated with acne scars and prominent spectacles. There was no way anybody could have known what she was going to grow into. She had shyly been edging her way to the bleachers to join them, uncharacteristic for her even back then.
She sat next to Dimitry, and looking at Sunset with some kind of strong intent, she said, “Ah, well, Sunsets disappear you know!”
Sunset grinned, rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Okay, I get the message, I’ll be right back.”
Under the pretense of getting herself a 7up, Sunset clambered up the concrete stairs, until she turned around, and saw something: Rainbow immediately acted somewhat...inviting...towards Dimitry, right after she left. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she could see it in their faces and their body language - Rainbow was leaning back, but grinning broadly, braces for all to see. She played with her hair for a minute. As for Dima, he immediately relaxed, something Sunset hadn’t seen him do for a long time. His sudden change made her extremely uneasy. He hadn’t done that for her all day!
Her face began to heat, and her eyes began to sting. It was obvious. He was into brace-face, but not her.
Her eyes twitched: She was Dima’s Queen.
-That Night-
That Night Sunset put on her costume again, Dima seemed to really like it.
The two of them watched another Disney movie in his room, Snow White again; another favorite for it had another Villain that Sunset seemed to connect with quite a lot. She scooted over to Dima closer than normal now, closing in and wrapping herself around hm. He responded and closed in as well pulling her into a hug.
Sunset snickered as she rested her head on his shoulder. “This is nice isn’t it.”
“Uh-yeah-you are clingy today.” Dima chuckled.
“What can I say I feel like a cuddly Queen today.”
Dima shrugged and continued to watch the movie. Sunset leaned in a bit closer to his ear and whispered. “Dima, Dima in my hand who’s the fairest in the land.”
“You are. You are.” Dima said intetnrally rolling his eyes, yet he found it cute.
Sunset sighed and held on tighter now.
Dima continued getting more a kick out of Sunset reaction to the movie than the actual movie itself at points; again amazed by how differently Sunset would react compared to other people he would know.
Wrapping her cloak around her, she held it close as smiled deviously as the Queen prepared her apple.
“Excellent.” She hissed. “That will show those pathetic monarchs to mess with a woman with power.”
Dima patted Sunset head. “If we were dating this would be weird-and I’m ok with this. Sure do like ruthlessness don’t you.”
“Of course.” Sunset said thinking of home. “ Princess Celestia was always to soft for her own good, that’s why she couldn’t handle a student like me.”
Then the apple scene curse.
Sunset always got a kick out of this scene, it excited her, thrilled her with great joy that she couldn’t help but laugh victoriously at someone deserving victory. Watching such a weak and pathetic enemy who didn’t even deserve her title let alone be apart of the aristocracy fall was something or delicious to not enjoy. Her intense evil grin confirmed this.
Sunset felt like being edgy and joined in with the Queen. doing a painfully fake “evil cackle” at this; Sunset viewed herself as aristocracy, as her family indeed was, and tended to feel that personal flamboyance was a means of reminding others what their proper place actually was. Dimitry wasn’t sure what was worse, that this was obviously a laugh to punish - which is more than slightly culturally unacceptable in the United States - or that she was doing this in her evil Queen cosplay.
“Why do you always have to go insane during this part.” Dima sighed as Sunset went through another round of laughter; he knew she could be emotionally on edge but this was ridiculous. What was causing her to be this way. “Is-Does Sunset like being evil?”
“Snow White is nothing but a peasant her deserves to squashed.” Sunset hissed manichally laughing again. “I’ll crush her like I will all my enemies!”
“ But you aren’t crushing anyone ” Dima thought hoping that outfit was’t going to her head.
“Snow White!” Sunset hissed. “She thought she was so very special but she’d learn friendship meant nothing! Only the Dark power did! What a pathetic excuse for a princess. HAHAHAHA...HAHAHAHA!”
“That’s-not the lesson at all….” Dima tried to say.
But Dima was ignited as Sunset cackling filled room like she was watching another movie altogether.
Sunset was imagining something-Rainbow on the ground with poison Apple in hand as Sunset sat over her cursed body. Right now Rainbow was in her way of achieving something she wanted. And like back home when Sunset wanted something she’d do what it took to get it.
Dima turned the movie on pause again and just sat there and watched as Sunset mad cackling echoed across the house-thank goodness it was empty, although he did worry about the neighbors. But he could tell her laughter felt more intense and personal than before.
“She’s just excited.” Dima thought trying to deny everything. “Please”.
However the more Sunset cackled, the more he felt like he was enjoying it, he didn’t know anyone else who would be this upfront.
Then to Dima’s surprise Sunset just sat down wrapping her cloak around them like a blanket placing her arms around him in a hug. Dima slowly put her arm around her and hugged her right.
“Dima?” Sunset said in a hush whisper.
“Yeah?”
“Who’s the fairest of them all.”
Dima sighed. “You are.”
Sunset giggled excited and held him tight. “I’m you're Evil Queen Dima, don’t forget that.”
“I won’t.” Dima patted her head and began to browse his phone. “What’s this? Dima looked up at the computer and it said Rainbow Dash epic fail; Lighting account.
As Sunset watched from behind, something about her changed, her face became gaunt and then intense as she watched the video she began to mutter under her breath. “Her breath will still- her blood will chill.”
As Dash hit the mud Sunset burst out into manichal round of evil laughter.
Dima shook his head sadly. “Sunset...no… Not like this.”
Sunset scowled. “What? I thought you wanted an epic fail!”
“Not her.”
Sunset eyes narrowed. “She’s nothing more than a pathetic peasant who deserves to be the mud were she belongs. Hardly fair.”
“She isn’t a peasant.” Dima said, sounding upset. “That’s a person, you aren’t a Queen Sunset, this isn’t a monarchy.”
“Well it should be.” Sunset snapped back at him. “Canterlot High needs change.”
“And who’s going to do it? You?”
“Yes,” Sunset replied. She was giving him the hardest stare that she ever gave him, and he realized that she meant business. “I could change Canterlot High and everything would be better.”
Dima jaw dropped. “You're crazy.”
“No i’m not!” Sunset said her face becoming manic. “If I could have the power I could rule with a iron first, all would go to my will-those who disobey me would fall beneath my feet!”
Dima watched as Sunset paced back and forth her cloak billowing as she movies. “Canterlot High would be converted into a dungeon, and I would use the students as a army to conquer-”
“Sunset you can't do half of this stuff , you're fifteen.”
Sunset frowned. “Fine I’ll do it through social media-the boring way. Gee abs I thought you wanted unique dimwit. What do I look like a cliche.”
“Would you have a king?” He asked all of a sudden stopping her in her tracks.
Sunset scoffed. “Of course not- a loyal huntsman yes, but a King-I have no need a of a King. I barely need henchman.”
“Oh?” He frowned.
Sunset cupped his chin and smirked. “But that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be my Huntsman.”
Dima would never admit-he liked it. There was sick part of him that liked that fact that Sunset basically acted like a Villain. It was probably just his rebellious edgy teenage side talking but the fact that Sunset could so easily play the part of the villain and do it so well was definitely a plus in his eyes.
“Well-” Dima got on his knees and bowed. “Let me be the first to pledge my loyalty to the reign of the Evil Queen of Canterlot High.
Sunset smiled smugly, yet still noticed that Dima eyes were darting to the video of Rainbow Dash. So long as she was around and in Dima’s good graces, she’ll never have her loyal huntsman on her her side.
“Yes-long live the Evil Queen.”
-***-
A few days passed; Sunset simmered and stewed back home her mind was going to unpleasant places. It was obvious that he liked Rainbow. That was the only explanation that she could think of. Yes, that was it. That’s totally why he relaxed around Rainbow. Totally. And why he got all bent out of shape when he saw the video
But why? What did Rainbow have that Sunset didn’t? Sunset was prettier than her, hotter than her, and Rainbow was more human, she was less intense, and she was more human, and she knew his area of expertise, and she was more human-
Yes, unfortunately that must have been it. She was unfortunately suffering from a problem that Rainbow didn’t have: She wasn’t one of their people. The thought crushed her. She had been an alien living on a planet that she couldn’t leave, because if she were to return home...
If Sunset couldn’t be human, then what could she be?
She couldn’t be anything else than what she was...no, of course she could be. Maybe something above and beyond any species. After all, would not all respect a Queen?
“He did pledge his loyalty to the Evil Queen of Canterlot High.” Sunset said.
Sunset saw the outfit and snickered darkly a idea came to her...a terrible horrible awful idea.
Quickly she put it on and got out her phone. “Snips Snails! Meet in Canterlot high now!”
Later that Night
In the middle of the night it was cold and was dark, but Sunset didn’t care; she wore her Queen costume as the wind caused her cloak to billow dramatically behind her. Her eyes narrowing as her patients thinned.
Finally though they arrived.
Snips and Snails; two students who she found annoying, yet kept around. Their eccentricity was the stuff of legend at the school. For instance, when Snips was told his hands were dry, he likced them. And Snails? He created an OC named “Captain Awesomeman”, a combination of tv mogul’s Bart Baltan’s “Captain Crony-Man” to teach children about why Corporatism was good (or at least, that’s what Bart Baltan thought) and AwesomeSauce, a comical video game character. And Snails went around telling everybody he knew about it.
However, they had been useful a few times in the past, mostly just with keeping tabs on other students. They made good servants to her, aristocracy always had a few and they fit the bill. Though she’d never admit deep down part of her wanted to look out for them-in her own, bizzare way.
As they arrived the two gave confused looks at they noticed Sunset in her outfit, they tended to accept a lot but this took the cake. “Der Sunset why are you-”
“Silence”! She bellowed causing them both to flinch. “Did you swipe the key like I asked.”
Snails held out a small bronze Key which Sunset quickly swiped from him as she headed to the front door. Managing to unlock it. “I managed to knock out the security camera; they won’t notice for a few hours. Now follow me-and bring the supplies.”
“Excellent-see what happens when you listen to me.” Sunset said, her voice a tad higher than normal.
Sunset kicked the door opened as the three of them headed down the hall. Sunset strutted down in a brisk pace her cloak billowing behind her until they entered the science lab.
Taking out a bag Snips and Snails pulled out a bunch of concoctions and other machinations as Sunset smiled deviously; taking the ingredients and starting to mix them together in some of the viles. Her mind thinking of Dash all the while, she wasn’t about to let that upstart take away what she had been building this last few years.
The main ingredient was ipecac, a substance Sunset read was useful for regurgitation, which she was able to gain from the school’s infirmary. Back in Equestria Sunset was a expert in magic, and much to her teacher aire she loved the dark arts-despite having to sneak through the library to get all the good books about them. Another reason to love the Queen-she practiced the dark arts too. Thankfully she managed to sneak a few with her before she escaped. However she thought that normal ‘earthy’ ingredients would do just well; best not to go overboard and get caught.
Besides, she was well-aware that at least half of the dark arts on Earth didn’t work. Most of it being nothing more than cheap parlor tricks-or cults that just wanted an excuse to do sacrifice without any of the actual backing behind it. Not to say that there weren’t legitmate spells on this world, which she sought out desperately, but there was hardly anything useful that she could find. Perhaps one day she could bring magic to this world. She could be quite powerful if that happened.
Still she pressed on, channeling the Queen with ever vile pored.
“A flash of wind to fan my hate!” Sunset hissed, she held up the vile and took out a syringe needle. “A thunderbolt! To mix it well.”
Snips and Snails had no idea what was going on. Sunset was always odd but this seemed to take the cake in regards to her bizarre behavior. But whatever what was going on, she was being weird about it. However they were always into role play.
“When do you think we roll.” Snips asked.
Snails shrugged. “Not sure-I don’t get this kind of campaign.”
Sunset looked upon the vile the moment of truth, there was no turning back. “Now! Begin thy magic spell!.”
“Magic!” Snails said looking excited. “Are we gonna be casting spells.”
Sunset sighed. “Unfortunately not...I’m just being dramatic...Ruin the mood mutch..”
Taking the needle Sunset took the substance and took out a large red apple and began to infuse the two together. “Dip the Apple in the pool, let the sleeping death seep through.”
“Sleeping death.” Snails asked.
“I don’t see the skin?” Snips said.
Sunset frowned. “It’s supposed to look like a skull ok, sadly we don’t live in a animated world otherwise it would like a skull.”
“Are we killing something.”
Sunset rolled her eyes. “No you idiot-I’m being dramatic! But we are going to give someone a poison Apple for the ultimate humiliation.”
“Ooooh!?
Sunset eyed her poison apple and chuckled darkly.“Yes….I am Dima’s Evil Queen, I am this schools Evil Queen-and Rainbow Dash will be the first of my many victims.”.
Snips and Snails shuttered as her laughter echoed through the entire school, her plan was perfect, Rainbow Dash was going down.
***
The open house continued, and as to be expected, nothing happened, except that Sunset Shimmer remained as long as she possibly could. It was a costume party and Sunset and Dima went as the Evil Queen and the Huntsman. The place was filled with various students with costumes of all shapes and sizes. But Sunset didn’t matter, she kept Dima close holding his arm tight-almost declaring that he was hers and hers alone.
The party itself was quite large though, perfect for making getting in well for any social status. Some the popular highschool students were here, and some of the less popular ones were there as well. It was a who-who of Canterlot High and a bit of the neighborhood as well. Harry Frenzy was one of those students who was popular on value of simply having been a recent graduate, friendly, and notoriously great at throwing parties, and thus he had an eclectic social circle that he insisted on trying to maintain even when he was attending college. This was also likely because Harry was one for the dramatic anyway, dramatic enough to get the attention of some people and dramatic enough to drive others away, and a costume party just fit the bill perfectly for him.
Dima heard the familiar shouting: “Hey hey hey! Dima my man! How’s it hanging?”
Harry was tall and pale, and his head was gifted with thick dark locks; he was famously melodramatic in contrast to the stoic Dimitry, expressive and passionate, nothing you wouldn’t expect. And wherever Harry was, Rarity was often guaranteed to be close by. Rarity likely harbored a crush on the older soon-to-be college student, but if Harry felt the same way, he was careful not to show it. Rarity, who was capable of sewing, crafts, and secretly, skilled with a welding torch, often only made the most creative costumes. This time, she had assembled an anthro dragoness costume, complete with elaborate makeup and foldable wings. If she had intended on impressing Harry, she certainly had succeeding in impressing everybody else.
“Oh what a-delightful costume,” Rarity said as she saw the two of them approach.
Sunset huffed, not wanting to deal with her.
“Hey Rarity,” Dima said
“Come with your Queen, Dimitry!” Sunset said with a sly smile, tugging him along. “You're Queen demands beverages.”
“Of course.”
“Well, that was very rude,” Harry muttered to Rarity.
Sunset loved playing the role-however she didn’t talk to many much, preferring to observe and just watch. Getting a good sense of the crowd around her and really looking to see just who was here. Such social knowledge would prove useful in the future. However, her smile disappeared immediately because she saw Dash walking next to her older sister, Skydancer. Her eyes narrowed as she watched her walking into another room. With Dima distracted, she followed him with haste.
“Hey Dash,” Sunset hissed. “Dancer.”
“Oh aren’t you in Dash’s class?” Skydancer said.
Rainbow moaned. “Yeah she is.”
“Like my costume-Dima got it for me.” Sunset said regally swaying her cloak, trying to impress Dash.
Dash, dressed as a female Robin Hood, green cloak with rugged outdoor looking clothes and fake bow and arrow, merely shrugged. “Eh what ev’s. Her countenance suddenly changed upon the sight of him, while Skydancer, an athletically built young woman with yellow skin and rainbow-colored hair like her sister, dressed as Little John.
Sunset’s eyes narrowed before she calmed herself and snickered. “Look, I even have a apple.”
“Is it poison?” Rainbow chuckled. “Or am I going to bring sin to the world?”
Sunset gave her a mischievous grin. “I don’t know-wanna try?’
Dash laughed, but then her face shifted from a more sincere smile to a more “polite” smile. Sunset Shimmer wondered if she read her expression and gained a second opinion. “What, am I gonna die?”
Sunset did her best to make the right facial expression. “What are you Dashie? Scared?”
“Oh don’t play those types of games.” Skydancer scolded. “She’d eat anything if you gave her a challenge.”
“No I wouldn’t,” Rainbow said defiantly, however, her sister’s words were true: Rainbow’s lack of common sense used to be very easily exploited. Zephyr Breeze once dared Rainbow to swallow worms for a nickel. Because she wanted a quarter, she swallowed five.
Dima suddenly appeared, looking mostly at Sunset; “what’s going on?”
“Dimwit,” Sunset said, giving him a faux grin, “Dashie and I were just playing a little game of chance is all. Nothing to worry about.”
Dima just blinked unsure what to say and shrugged. “Ok.”
Skydancer pulled Dima aside “Hey I got something to show yuh-so I was thinking of going to this weird place, it’s a long drive, all the way up to Washington! And I was wondering…...”
The conversation faded out as the doors closed leaving once again Sunset and Dash alone. Again Sunset mood darkened as the two girls glared down at one another. Their eyes filled with a intense annoyance. Dash never liked Sunset, always thought she was suspicious and strange, and Sunset never liked Dash by just how easy she seemed to have things in her life.
Dash looked at the Apple, her own eyes narrowing. “Oh….Game on!” She took the Apple and took a bite.
Sunset closed the door; her moment was now, she was the predator and her pray was the Rainbow haired girl. Now to unleash her venom.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Sunset snickered. “Afraid you can’t survive the poison Apple.”
“You wouldn’t actually poison it.” Dash said looking nervous. “I know you aren’t that nervous.”
Sunset shrugged and played coy. “Maybe, maybe not….Just take a bite.”
“Well….Fine!” Dash took a big bite.
Sunset eyes widened, now was the moment of truth. “Finally.”
Dash held her stomach and began to vomit on the ground, getting on her knees.
Sunset eyes widened with devious glee, and as Dash continued to vomit Sunset chuckled lightly until it burst into a full blown laughter. It was so riching to watch her like this, all cocky and confident, now to have her stomach churning in pain as she oozed out loads of vomit into the ground.
“What’s wrong Dashie, all that running finally get to you.” Sunset said as she continued to laugh hysterically.
Dash continued to vomit on the ground as Sunset stood before her laughing maniacally at her torment.
But now-the ultimate test of loyalty.
“Hey Dimwit!” Sunset called. “Have a second?”
Dima entered the room Sunset spread her cloak wide and smiled. “So Dima, you thought little Dashie was cute-well look at her now!
Sunset pulled her cloak away revealing Dash clutching her stomach in her own vomit. Dima looked shocked and appalled. In Sunset mind this was a good sign, finally Dima saw Dash for the girl she was-and this would cement her status here and with him.
“What the?”
Sunset took out her phone and handed it to him
“Take a picture, let's show Canterlot High how their upcoming star player,” she stated sarcastically, “can't even keep in her dinner!” Sunset said, burst out cackling again.
Sunset’s grin was wide and malevolent, finally her huntsman would prove himself to her at last. Dima looked back at Sunset and then Dash, so many conflicting emotions right now. Yet right now he was seeing a side of his old friend he had never seen before and for once, he didn’t like this side, not one bit.
“No! Sunset-I-I’ve never seen this side of you before,” Dima said looking shocked. “And I don’t like it.”
“I AM THE EVIL QUEEN!” Sunset shouted getting several stairs. “YOU ARE LOYAL TO ME!”
Dima shook his head: “No.”
Sunset jaw dropped and in a instant she slapped him hard. “You-you!” she didn’t even finish her sentence and stormed off.
Dima had many feelings, but hardly knew how to show them. He just helped Dash up as the two walked up and away. Sunset just standing there seeing herself in the mirror and what she had become, not even seeing that he took a moment to look back at her.
Sunset looked one more time outside and scowled.
After this day, Sunset would be more subtle more discreet; she’d find a new way to rule Canterlot high. Sunset Shimmer the evil queen of Canterlot high wasn’t defeated -merely evolving. Control the emotional demon inside her-let it out only when necessary. She had to be less extreme.
She rasped to herself, struggling to breath each painful breath through her sobs in a body that was already in constant pain: “I’ll find someone better than you Dima-I’ll be the Queen of this school, or even yet-I’ll get to the point, where I won’t need anyone.” Sunset sighed. “I should have learned when I left Celestia-friends and mentors are nothing, you have only yourself and nothing else.”
