These Chapters will be dedicated to Sunset's journal and will follow a different format than standard to help differentiate. Hopefully it'll be easy and intuitive enough to catch onto... hopefully

• Italics will be what Sunset is actually writing in the journal itself
• Bolds will show what Sunset herself is putting emphasis on, intentionally or unintentionally. (Yes, she's even unconsciously writing a little bolder in reality.)
• Anything in Brackets shows what's happening in real time as Sunset is writing. Pauses for thoughts or distractions and Mutterings to herself. Also anything that would be overly redundant or just plain boring but still ends up in the journal.
• Page Breaks indicate breaks between writing.
• (Things in parenthesis are Sunset's own notations, again for clarity through elaboration)
• Anything ~~struck out~~ is a mistake Sunset made while writing or wished to correct herself. (She still has a preference for ink, even without a proper quill. Meaning pens: ballpoint this early on)

Testing

[...]

Testing

[...]

Hello?

Are you there?

Well, it would appear my suspicions were correct. The connection between this journal and its twin has been severed. Whether from the damage caused by the NMC’s attack or it simply doesn’t work with the pair on different sides of the portal, I can’t be sure. I would guess the latter first but it’s most likely both. Even if my diagnostics were wrong, which is entirely possible with only my personal magic to cast them, I’m still sure Celestia would have responded by now if she could. (Even with how I left things, or possibly because of how I left things. I may very well be a criminal back in Equestria right now.)

[Sunset pauses and taps the pen thoughtfully, considering the possibility.]

[“...Whatever” she finally mutters and continues writing.]

Thankfully though, the rest of my tests show most of the other enchantments either intact or still stable enough to fix. Most importantly, the privacy enchantment is still working. Only I will be able to read what’s written here without my permission or some strong magical intervention, which I don’t believe is available here in high enough levels.

It may be the best thing that could have happened actually, as I would prefer whatever I put in these pages be only available to me and not privy to the princess. I alone will have the credit for bringing any discoveries home. I’ll also not have to worry about anyone here learning of my true nature from these logs.

In addition to practical notes and knowledge, I will also be sharing my impressions and experiences in this world for future prestige (and until then, reference). If everything works out, I’ll publish it myself after accomplishing a high enough status back home. After some editing of course. But I suppose I’m getting ahead of myself. So without further ado…

Day 3
(Technically speaking, I’ve actually been in this world 18 days. However, for just over two weeks of that time, I was essentially in a coma. So from my perspective, and the one I’ll use for simplicity, it’s only been three. The one night before the coma and now the two after.)

[Objective and factual accounts of the events after Sunset’s arrival follow, without commentary or bais until the end...]

Initial Impressions:

[...]

I’m honestly not sure how to feel about all this. On one hoof hand, I’m still alive and now have a condition that keeps me perpetually in my prime and opens a whole new world of ‘magic yet not magic’ up to me. I’ve gained access to advanced technologies and the opportunity to learn about an entirely unknown sapient species and their culture.

All it cost me was becoming a monster, with the potential of losing myself completely even after the change has been reversed. I’m also cut off from a home I don’t know if I can ever return to. Am I a criminal? Am I contagious? Would ponies even accept me anymore? I’ve been told that there seems to be an instinctual uneasiness about NMHs in those who have not grown used to being around them. We can feel unnatural to somepony without them even knowing why. Would that be even worse in Equestria?

[...]

I don’t know. Even just no longer being a pony is strange enough without all that on top of it. While these humans seem as intelligent as ponies, their culture and society is notably different. They not only lack personal magic (or at least any they can use), most don’t even believe magic is real. It’s fantasy and myth to them. Some still do believe, or attribute it to certain things like music or love as a kind of metaphor but even then they can be thought of as outliers. The other closest thing is the various religious beliefs but that seems like an entirely different can of worms I’d rather not deal with. Still, myths usually tend to have some basis in fact, so I would surmise there must be at least SOME magic in this world but it’s simply not at all commonplace. (I mean there has to be, right?)

Also, save for some of their manes (which they simply call hair), they have significantly less color variation than the average pony population. There’s the constant wearing of clothing as well, though I suppose with that ‘hair’ being only really significant in a couple places, it’s required for protection from the elements. I know these are more petty concerns but it will take some getting used to nonetheless.

What’s not petty though, is the loss of my horn. Without it and only my personal magic available, I’ve lost a great deal of what made me great. I’m still as brilliant and adaptable as always of course, but I won’t lie and say I’m not concerned.

Then there’s this whole parallel factor. On top of a human Cadence popping up, I’ve learned the city I’m in is also called Canterlot. It’s not the nation’s capital and this Cadenza is no princess, but the fact they exist here at all has certainly brought up some questions. Are there more counterparts here? Is there another Celestia?

[...]

Is there another me? If there is, is she anything like me? Dr. Amore had the same mane, voice and even the same ‘sense of humor’ as her alicorn counterpart. But as said she certainly isn’t a princess, and is also more mature than the Cadenza I had to share so many of my lessons with. She’s married and has a career she earned, as opposed to simply being given her position for growing a horn. I also believe she’s older, though since she’s an NMH (infected), I may be wrong.

[Sunset pauses, giving a quick huff before writing again]

I need more data. It’s as simple as that.

In pursuit of that, I’ve asked to join MIST. If I’m going to master this new power, this is the place to do it. Hopefully I’ll stay at this branch. They only have a couple branches out there so I’m not really worried but I want to make sure I’m where Aya, the woman who saved me, is. I haven’t met her yet (she’s out of town currently), but I’ve already deduced that she’s the most powerful NMH. It turns out she had to intervene and actually dominate my mitochondria with her own when the suppressants weren’t stopping my transformation alone. I’ve learned only awakened can do that effectively and she was one of the first, so she’s the one that can teach me the most.

Beyond that though, I’ve not been able to learn too much more. Most of my time since waking up has been spent on tests, physical therapy, resting and eating. (Turns out NMHs require a notably higher caloric intake than normal, something to do with our metabolism.)

Will write more soon.

[“Harmony do I hope my hoofwritting gets better.”]

Priority research topics (when opportunity finally presents itself): Cars, guns, computing technology and communication methods, in varying degrees of importance. Even in my first day I deduced that these humans have quick and accurate means of long distance communication and information sharing.

[Several notes regarding MIST and it’s personnel follow, mostly names and positions for future reference]

-List incomplete: More than a third of this branch’s employees, including Aya, are currently across the country helping set up the “Manhattan” office (another sudo-parallel). Will make an updated list later.

Day 5

There have been arrangements made to have me stay at the home of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash for the time being. It’s not really practical for me to stay in the MIST infirmary long term after all. They have an extra room and were willing to let me stay with them until my long term situation is decided. That and living with MIST’s primary medic will mean I’ll be more likely to have somepony someone around that can help if something goes wrong.

[“Gotta work on getting these pronouns down before I make people suspicious”]

I was concerned about money, as until I’ve convinced Rupert to take me on, I have no income for rent. Miss Dash however just winked at me and said something along the lines of “Don’t worry about it right now, first month’s free. Plus once you get your gold back, you’ll have plenty for a while.” I didn’t have that much, I wonder if gold is worth more here.

Still not much to report. I’ve learned a bit more but want a more complete picture before giving any ignorant guesses. Still stuck doing mostly therapy and recovery.

Gold is worth A LOT more here!

Day 9

Big Update

Rupert has agreed to let me work for MIST. I’m sure to ace Okay, I’m not sure to ace whatever written portion there is; I’m smart but even I can’t correctly give knowledge that I simply haven’t learned yet. I’m also not too confident about the physical evaluations. Like most unicorns, I never put that much stock in physical abilities. Thankfully, Dash and Fluttershy have said it’s more to rule out disqualifications and prove competence, rather than impressing anyone. If I pass that, I’ll be trained to the required point of performance, not expected to start there. So that’s a little more hopeful.

[“It would still be nice to impress them though...”]

I AM concerned this may all be for nothing more than a janitor or secretary position or the like. Granted that’s still an official ho-Foot in the door but this’ll be much simpler if I can get them to actually take me seriously. Well if they don’t, then I’ll just have to show them what I can do.

I also gained prolonged access to a computer, an old ‘laptop’ that Dash loaned me that she says she barely uses anymore. I’ve actually had access to it for three days but have been too engrossed in research to document anything.

Simply put, human technology is amazing. They are not only decades ahead of Equestria in many areas but have devised innovations we’ve never even considered. They have world wide, near instantaneous communication. A vast network of information sharing and storage exists as what they call the internet; I have a thousand library’s worth of knowledge available to me in one plastic, folding plank. They’ve created incredible weapons, some that could theoretically end the world several times over- okay, that last one may not be so great but even just firearms alone would revolutionize Equestria’s military. And there’s just So, SO much more, too much to write here.

And it’s all mine to learn about and bring back, on top of what I’m sure to learn and help push forward with Neo-Mitochondria. I’ll be able to lead Equestria into an entirely new age! Technologically, biologically, and maybe even culturally (the entertainment these humans have!). And if I truly don’t age, I won’t even need to become an alicorn!

No, I can become something even more.

I’ll be so beloved for the future I’ll bring, it won’t matter if Celestia won’t make me a princess. The kingdom's ponies will.

And even if they don’t, I’ll have too much leverage for them to deny me again.

Author's Note

This something new I'm trying and hoping will work out honestly. I hope Sunset's more personal perspective will help elevate the story some and give greater insight into her development. Plus it's also kind of fun so yeah, there will be more if that needs to be said.

Also, smaller snippets will show up in main chapters sometimes as well, where deemed appropriate yet don't have enough substance for their own 'chapter'.

But there we go! The beginnings of my third Story and first non-displaced story! I know the site isn't quite what it used to bein terms of traffic but hopefully I can at least entertain enough people to make this worth continuing. Not that I'm planning on stopping, the next chapter is mostly done infact, but it would still be nice

But for now, as always, Thanks for reading and hope to see you next chapter! Have a good one!