Sunset's human world origin

Sunset’s bedroom
Date: Nov 4th, time: 4:00 pm

*Sunset’s perspective*

Sunset was at her desk, reading one of the new books Brigid had got her. It was a book on this world’s history. Sunset never liked history class, even back home. It was the absolute dullest subject with nothing but 1,250 some odd years of boring treaties and only the occasional war that ended in, guess what, a peace treaty. It doesn’t help that there seems to be a law forbidding history books to be anything other than dry, dull sludges that applies to this world as well. Mom and Dad were alive during a much more interesting part of Equestrian history. Also helps, they told their stories way better.

“Okay, my head is starting to hurt.”

Sunset turned to look out her window, where she saw Anzhong sitting in the yard. What’s he doing? Curiosity getting the better of her, she went outside to get to the bottom of things.

“You’re wondering why I’m sitting out in the yard.”, Anzhong said.

“How did you know?”, Sunset responded confusedly.

“I was not fortunate enough to be born with an innate intuition like you. I had to be taught how to listen by my mother, but over the years I have managed to fine tune the ability to the point I don’t need eyes to see. To answer your question, I am meditating.”, Anzhong said.

“Meditating?”, Sunset asked.

“It means to think deeply or focus one's mind. It can also be done to strengthen one’s mind and intuition. Come sit down. I’ll teach you.”

“I actually know how to. My old [Equestrian word for mentor] made us do these daily meditations. I never liked them.”

“Hmm, would you still care to join me? It will help with your headache”

• “Okay”

Sunset walked over and sat to Anzhong’s left, and that’s where they stayed until the sun started setting.

“We should head inside. It’s going to get too cold out here soon, and I need to start on dinner.”, Anzhong said.

“Do you always do all the cooking?”, Sunset asked

“Yes, I do all the cooking because there are still things I can not do without working eyes. This world was not built with people like me in mind. Ever since Brigid and I got together, back in college, she’d done all the shopping because not a single item or price tag in any of the major shopping centers have braille on them. I can count on one hand how many stores I can effectively shop at.” Anzhong took a deep breath to calm himself. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have unloaded onto you. It wasn’t appropriate.”

Sunset got up and hugged Anzhong. “You don’t need to say you're sorry. My mom received a back injury that means she can’t walk right or run at all or climb stairs or up steep hills. She’s lucky she has other means of getting around, but our home wasn’t built with people like her in mind at all. We lived on a mountain so stairs and steep hills were everywhere, and nobody cared. That was going to be the first thing I fixed when I got the power I wanted, but my plans went a bit- what’s the word?”, Sunset asked.

“Awry”, Anzhong answered.

“My plans went awry. Maybe now that I’m here, I can fix this world for you.”

A massive smile spread across Anzhong’s face. “Maybe you can. I suspect you will do many great things in your life. I am hoping that one of those great things is to become a great warrior. Sunset, I would like to teach you the skills my mother and father taught me.”

“What kind of skills?”

“The skills to become a ninja.”

“What’s a ninja?”

That caused Anzhong to pause. “You are the first person I’ve met that didn’t know what a ninja was. I’ll tell you all about them over dinner.”

Katon family backyard
Date: Nov 5th, time: 7:00 am

*Sunset’s perspective*

“Down, a little further. Now back up again. Good, now a few more.”, Anzhong said.

“What is the purpose of this, exactly?”, Sunset said, exasperated.

“It’s to build up your upper body muscles. Ninjas need to be able to lift up their own body weight to do what we are legendary for.”

“Okay, training’s over. We need ta get ready f’r work.”, Brigid said through the door.

“Coming! Come on Sunset.”, Anzhong said.

“Thank Celestia”, Sunset said.

“Sunset, Platinum wood is comin’ back today, n’ ya are proficient enough with English dat we are goin’ to leave ya with a babysitte’ today.”, Brigid said.

“Wasn’t he arrested, and what do you mean babysitte’?”, Sunset asked, getting nervous.

“The police need ta get a warran’ ta arrest him, and dat takes time. Aside from dat, it was always da plan ta leave ya with a babysitte’ as soon as ya could communicate well enough.”, Brigid said.

“But I want to stay with you.”, Sunset said, now very nervous.

“Sweety, ya don’t need ta be scared. Y’r goin’ to be watched by me very good friend. We’re practically siste’s.”, Brigid said.

“Yeah, Aunt Minerva is great. She makes da best cookies.”, Emi said.

“She’ll take very good care of ya, she lives right across da street, Ah’ll only be gone for a few hours, n’ y’ll be with Emi. She’s ‘ere so ya can meet ‘er. Come on.”, Brigid said.

Sunset said nothing and just took the offered hand. Brigid brought Sunset over to the living room.

The woman standing there was tall, slender, and had a bit of muscle. Her skin was darker than Brigid’s but still fairly light. Her features were all very soft, and her smile was warm and gentle. Her hair faded from black to purple, and her eyes were emerald green. “Hello, Sunset. My name is Minerva Reads. I’m a friend of your mother, and I’m hoping we can become friends too.”, Minerva said in a voice even more gentle than Anzhong’s.

Sunset didn’t respond and hid behind Brigid’s leg.

“We’re still tryin’ ta get ‘er comfortable around new people. Hey Sunset, Minerva is like ya. She gets da same sort a’ feelin's ya do.”, Brigid said.

That got Sunset to come out a little bit. “You do?”, Sunset asked.

“Yes, and I can tell that there is something truly magical about you.”, Minerva said.

What? Does she know? Sunset’s brain was running haywire at that comment.

Brigid knelt down and brought Sunset into a hug. “Minerva will take care a' ya. Can ya be good f’r Minerva?”, Brigid asked Sunset.

“Okay”, Sunset said quietly.

Minerva’s house
Date: Nov 5th, time: 8:00 am

*Sunset’s perspective*

“What is all this stuff?”, Sunset asked.

“Odds and ends. Stuff I need for my magic.", Minerva answered.

"You can do magic?"

"Not the kind of magic that's on TV but yes."

Maybe I can learn to use this world's magic and find a way to get home, but I'll need to earn her trust first. “Brigid and Anzhong go to work every day. Why aren’t you at work?”

“I have the luxury of working from home. I’m a computer programmer.”

“What’s a computer programmer?”

“Well, computer programmers write the instructions computers follow to do their jobs.”

“Oh, that’s cool.”

“Sunset, Sunset, Sunset, this is Anura.”, Emi said excitedly.

“Hi”, Anura said shyly. Anura looked almost like a younger version of her mother. The only differences being her eye shape more resembling Emi’s and her skin being more tan.

“She’s shy, like you.”, Emi said.

“What? I’m not shy.”, Sunset said indignantly.

“Yes, you are.”

“Get over here, and I’ll show you how shy I am.” Sunset began to chase Emi.

“Aahhh” Emi ran away.

“Hm hm hm, I think she’ll be just fine.”, Minerva said.

Minerva’s office
Date: same day, time: 12:00 pm

*Minerva’s perspective*

“Come in, Sunset.”, Minerva said.

Without having needed to knock, Sunset opened the door and entered the office. “Brigid said that you’re like me. Anzhong said that he’s also like us, but that doesn’t seem to be his best area. Can you tell me more about us? What are we even called?”, Sunset asked.

“Well, to answer your question, we are called psychics. We can also be called witches, and depending on your definition of what a witch is, we are. I, personally, see them as different but very closely related.”

“What’s a witch?”

“A witch is someone who practices magic. Now, it’s not the same as what you’re familiar with. Magic is more like asking for what you want to happen and using the properties of things found in nature to manipulate our minds, bodies, and spirits.”

“Can you teach me to be a witch?”

A happy smile spread across Minerva’s face. “Okay then, why don’t we start now?”

“Okay. By the way, what’s the difference between a ninja and a witch?”, Sunset asked while exiting the office.

“A ninja is just a witch with pointy toys.”

Minerva’s kitchen
Date: same day, time: 2:00 pm

*Sunset’s perspective*

“So basically, being a witch is knowin’ how to cook well.”, Sunset said.

“That is 50% of it, yeah.”, Minerva said. “There are some magical entities that are more like what you are familiar with, but they are extremely dangerous. Have you ever heard of a skin-walker or wendigo?”

“I’ve heard of wendigos. They are spirits of ice that feed off conflict and hatred.”, Sunset answered.

“The wendigos I am referring to are similar, but not the same. The wendigos of this land are people who have been transformed into monsters by the consumption of another human’s flesh and murder. They are creatures of the winter but also represent gluttony and starvation as the more they eat, the more they grow, never able to be satisfied. Humans are their prey of choice. Skin-walkers are witches that have been corrupted by the temptation of evil magic. They have the ability to turn into, possess, or disguise themselves as an animal and are very dangerous.”, Minerva said in a tone that says that she had made this speech many times before.

“What do your wendigos look like?”, Sunset asked, clearly scared.

“They are tall, blue humanoids that are basically skin and bones.”, Minerva said in the same tone.

“Are there any here?”

“Skin-walkers aren’t found this far east, and there hasn’t been a wendigo sighting in over a hundred years. That doesn’t mean they aren’t still around though. Wendigos don’t come close to the city. They only attack lone travelers in the woods. Don’t ever go far into the woods without at least one other person, and if you do ever see either one, get into a car, go to the closest city, or find a large group of people. Only newly turned wendigos will attack a large group.”, Minerva said. “Let’s get back to cooking. Defense against evil magic and creatures can be our next lesson.”

Sunset quickly nodded to that.

Katon family front yard
Date: same day, time: 5:30 pm

*Brigid’s perspective*

“Hey Sunset, did ya like y’r time with Minerva?”, Brigid asked.

“Yeah, she taught me about magic, all sorts of different countries, wendigos, and skin-walkers. We also made cookies.”, Sunset said like an excited little girl.

“Sink-walkers and wendigos ey? How’s ‘bout ya go inside and get some homework done.”, Brigid said.

“Okay”, Sunset said.

Looking back up to Minerva, Brigid said, “Ya taugh’ ‘er ‘bout wendigos and sink-walke’s?”

“Yes, because they are a very real threat, especially to people like Sunset and me.”, Minerva said.

“‘Here is no proof ‘hat wendigos or skin-walke’s exist. ‘Here’s jus’ stories.”

“There also isn’t any proof that my abilities are real. Just your experiences and stories.”

Brigid had no response to that.

“You believe in my predictions. Can you at least take what I say about these creatures as ‘better safe than sorry’ cautionary tales.”

Brigid ran her hands down her face. “Why do you have to be so reasonable?”

“Because I’m best friends with the most stubborn woman in all of Canterlot.”, Minerva said with a smile.

Brigid just growled at that comment.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”, Minerva said

“Bye”, Brigid said and went back inside.