Sunset inhaled under the warmth of afternoon's light. Her eyes were closed in silent contemplation, her ears blocked out by white earbuds. Her mind wandered in a dark abyss, consumed by emotions she kept hidden from the world. Even with her senses dulled, she could sense the presence before her. A gentle hand touched her shoulder.

"What's up, kiddo?"

"Um...Are you Sunset Shimmer?"

"Yeah. You're Diamond Tiara, right? I've seen you hanging around with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle."

"I was wondering if I could talk to you about something..."

Sunset recognized the look on the child's face. It was one she'd seen in the mirror many times before.

"Yeah. I'm all ears."

Diamond moved beneath the closest tree, masking herself in the shade.

"Lately, I've been feeling...Really tired..."

"Of what?"

"I don't know..."

"I can take a guess."

Diamond gazed directly into Sunset's eyes.

"Nothing is really fun anymore. I just don't want to do anything, and I feel...Sad...All the time."

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume my friends pointed you in my direction."

"They told me you've felt the same things before."

"I never stopped feeling them. I guess...I just have more experience than the others."

"Can I make them go away?"

"I wish I could say yes, but...I've never seen a case where someone was cured."

"How long have you felt this stuff?"

"Since I was younger than you."

"..."

"...Come on. Let's get something to eat."

Sunset led Diamond to a restaurant in town. They took a booth in the farthest corner, away from prying ears.

"Thanks for lunch."

"Don't mention it."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What do you do when you feel like this?"

"A lot of things I probably shouldn't..."

"Huh?"

Sunset rolled up the sleeve of her shirt. Dark scars lined her shoulder.

"I don't understand."

"Have you ever thought about hurting yourself?"

Diamond's face twisted in horrified shock.

"It's not something I'd recommend unless you plan to end it on the spot."

"You..."

"Yeah..."

The two sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity.

"H...How did it start?"

"I jumped in front of my neighbor's truck when I five. That should've been the first red flag. I didn't think twice about forcing him to crush me."

"How did you survive?"

"My mom pulled me away seconds before he hit me. Neither of us got hurt, but I got a good scolding for it. I knew what would happen, but for some reason, I just didn't care."

"Jeez..."

"Tell me, have you ever asked yourself what the reason for our existence is?"

"I mean...Sometimes..."

"There's so much bad shit it's enough to drive a person crazy. Therapy and medication might control the symptoms for a while, but reality comes back to bite us in the ass eventually."

"So I'm stuck feeling this way forever?"

"There are moments when the pain regresses, but it never fully subsides."

Diamond leaned back. She sighed in defeat.

"What do I do now...?"

"You made a good call coming to me. Finding people who feel the same way you do might provide some relief in the long run."

"Would it be okay if I hang out with you, then?"

"Absolutely."

Diamond followed Sunset to the outskirts of the city. Clouds began to fill the sky with a dark gray hue. Sunset lit a cigarette and drew on the unlit end. She held it out to her new companion.

"Want a drag?"

"I guess at this point, it doesn't really matter."

"Trust me, the sooner you quit worrying about small shit, the better off you'll be."

Diamond took the cigarette from her friend's hand.

"Don't smoke too fast."

Diamond puffed the stick and blew the excess smoke away from her face.

"So what did you mean earlier, about ending it on the spot?"

"You could say I'm vigilant to the point of borderline paranoia. If shit gets bad, I'm jumping ship. I'm not giving anyone the satisfaction of adding me to their body count."

"You mean if you don't have a choice?"

"The way things are going, it's a real possibility. There's been a string of cyber attacks recently that are putting people's lives at risk. If the attacker's in another country, the situation could easily devolve. Regardless, it's beyond my control anyway. All I know is, I'm not sticking around for a pointless bloodbath. If history's anything to go by, there's nothing down that road worth gaining."

"Isn't there anything we can do?"

"Not really. We're just collateral. No one cares what happens to us. We could scream until we're blue in the face and it wouldn't make any difference. The way I see it, if people think I'm disposable, I can return the favor."

"I guess that's fair."

"That's my golden rule. Give what you get: no more, no less. Be kind when the opportunity presents itself, 'cause you'd be surprised how many people feel like us."

"Really?"

"They're fed up just like we are. Just look around. You've got rampant addiction, poverty, famine, domestic abuse, all sorts of vile shit to contend with. This world sucks on so many levels. If I had it my way, things would be a lot different."

"I wish I was a superhero."

"Don't we all."

"By the way, what were you listening to earlier?"

"A band called Staind. I don't know if you like rock music, but I grew up on those guys."

"Mom and dad only listen to classical. I've heard some bluegrass at Apple Bloom's place, but I don't know much about rock."

"Here. I think you'll really like this song. There's lots of melody and harmonized chords."

Diamond put the earbuds in. When the chorus hit, her eyes went wide.

Sunset and Diamond reached the older girl's home just as it began to rain. Once they were inside, Sunset closed the door behind them.

"Well, this is my humble abode. You're welcome to whatever's in the fridge. My room's in the back. We can play video games or watch a movie if you want."

"Actually, can I take a nap?"

"Yeah. I'd imagine having all this dumped on you would be exhausting. You can take my bed if you want."

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

"Of course. Let's get you tucked in."

Diamond snuggled under the blankets, eager to rid herself of the anxiety she now lived under. Her grateful smile did little to hide her heavy heart.

"I feel awful." she stated bluntly.

"What's wrong?"

"I used to be a huge jerk. I don't think I'll ever live that part of my life down."

"I know the feeling. Self-resentment's a bitch and a half."

"To top it off, now I have to add the fear of death to the list."

"I want you to do a mental exercise with me. Imagine you were never aware of your own mortality. You didn't know you were going to die. Would you still be afraid?"

"Probably not."

"We've been conditioned to think death is the be-all end-all, but the components that make up our chemistry never disappear. The nature of reality is chaos. Even if this life is nothing more than random chance, that randomness will eventually circle back around. Trillions of years from now, when the universe is submerged in darkness, matter will compile itself some other way. Don't give up yet. This could just be a stepping stone to something new. That thought is what keeps me going."

"I think I understand. I'll always exist in some way, right?"

"Right, and until then, I want you to do what I do. Approach the world with a defiant middle finger."

"...Thanks."

"Hey, people like us have to stick together. I have faith we'll come out on top in the end. Even in the deepest ruin, there's always a foundation."

"If I die in my sleep, I think I'll be okay with it now."

"Just try to hold out as long as you can. I'll be here every step of the way. If push comes to shove, I'll make sure your end is as quick and painless as possible."

Diamond closed her eyes. Sunset held her hand as she drifted off.

"Sweet dreams."

Author's Note