Residual Highsby Gusto StarstormChaptersConfusion and ShockAllies and OppositionConfrontations and ConversationsDemons and DinosaursConfusion and ShockAuthor's Note So, I have been without internet for a week, and I just got it back. Just in time too, as I have been on a roll with these smaller fics. This one is for my favorite girl. As I've stated in my bio, I'm an absolute sucker for Sunset Shimmer, mainly because of my undying love for redemption arcs. Obviously she's no Siegfried or Riku, but she does the job very well for me. So it was only a matter of time before I took my own hand at a fic for her. This fic is a bit of a smaller one, obviously, playing with a little premise I came up with, and using my own personal headcanons for Sunset and her situation in the human world. I also throw in a little nod to fighting games because I am an absolute nerd for that stuff. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you enjoy the future chapters as well. Confusion and Shock Last night had been the worst of her life. No two ways about it. Sunset Shimmer sat on her bed in Celestia’s house, knees brought to her chest as she tried to cry more. That might sound odd to the uninitiated, actually wanting to cry, but the former unicorn was the farthest thing from ‘uninitiated’. Ever since she got home, it was as if the tears just stopped flowing. No matter how many bad thoughts pervaded her mind, how many things she remembered herself doing, how many mistakes she made, it was as though her metaphorical floodgates were sealed shut. Perhaps were it not a magically-induced facing of her inner demons, that would have been a small comfort. But Sunset Shimmer did not become Princess Celestia’s student for nothing. She knew magic better than most could ever hope to. And this fact did not bode well for her. The knock on her door pulled her from that thought only temporarily – in all honesty, she’d barely heard it, and part of her wondered why they even bothered to knock. Still, she let out a small “Come in”, just barely loud enough for the person on the other side of the door to hear it. In came Celestia, Sunset’s caretaker and principal. And by the look on her face, well… actually, Sunset couldn’t tell, for once. It was far less angry than she was expecting, but still held all the disappointment she felt deserved to be thrown her way. … Actually, if she was being honest, it held less. “Sunset,” she began, still maintaining the same calm she always did. “Last night was… I’m not even sure what to say after that.” “You don’t have to say anything,” Sunset lamented, not being able to look Celestia in the eyes. “I’ll pack my things and be out of your hair by the end of the day.” Silence engulfed the space between the two, as a thousand thoughts ran through the unicorn girl’s mind. Even hearing that same voice brought the memories back in full swing, reminding her of her failures with both Celestias. There was probably a million and one things that the older woman wanted to say to her. She could imagine any one of them… “Sunset, I’m not kicking you out.” … Except that one. That was not on the list. Abject shock was her initial response, in a large enough quantity to actually let her look to Celestia dumbfoundedly. The idea that after what she saw, she still was willing to let Sunset live here? It was something near impossible for her to wrap her head around. “But… why?” Celestia smiled. “I told you once that I’d never give up on you, didn’t I?” “I’d assume this goes well beyond what you meant when you said that.” “Perhaps. But I’m not about to go back on my word, especially given that the Princess herself believed in you.” Sunset Shimmer looked away, remembering Twilight, and how she’d pulled her out of that pit. How she had offered her friends as teachers, to try and help her find a new way. It was hands down the single nicest thing anypony had ever done for her, and far more than she could ever repay. But of course, Sunset knew it was all a farce. There was no way those girls would ever want to help her… Still though, at least she wouldn’t be on the streets. So hey, silver lining. “But I assume I’m going to be punished,” Sunset said matter-of-factly. “Not to say I don’t deserve it.” “Well, other than obviously helping the construction crew once they start working on the wall,” Celestia explained. “You’re suspended until further notice, and not allowed on campus except to help with the construction. I think that will be ample punishment.” That got Sunset’s attention. “… What, that’s it? You’re not going to take away my video games or my TV or my phone or anything like that?” To this, the principal of CHS shrugged. “I know next to nothing about magic, but something tells me you’re not exactly in the mood to use those for any sort of wrongdoing right now.” Sunset looked away in acknowledgment. ‘She’s right. But who knows how long this will last…’ “Now then, I’ve sent Luna out on the town to pick up a few things, so I’ll be here. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” When she didn’t get an answer, Celestia decided to give the girl some space. As the door shut softly, Sunset was left to ponder on her feelings further. Unfortunately, it was getting her nowhere, and the more she thought about it, the more upset she got. Eventually, desperately needing something to get it off her mind, Sunset booted up her PS3. The first thing she did was check to see if Priz was online, and sure enough, they were. ‘PrismaStrider’, or as Sunset knew them, Priz, was one of the only people she had in her friends list. They met playing Street Fighter, which they still played together on a regular basis. It was always a good de-stresser after a long day of school or of plotting to come home and enjoy some fighting games with them, and it helps that Priz was usually always up for a match. And so, Sunset went into their messages, and sent them one. VesperPrincess: Hey Priz. PrismaStrider: Yo VesperPrincess: You up for a few rounds? PrismaStrider: Always That brought some small comfort to soothe Sunset’s fraying nerves. Booting up Street Fighter 4, Sunset got into a lobby immediately, and the two wasted no time getting to it. Priz picked Yun for the first round, but Sunset took her time. On any normal day, she would have picked Adon. She’d always liked the Muay Thai fighter, seeing quite a bit of herself in him. But now, everything she’d liked about him – his confidence, his take-no-shit attitude, his drive to become the best – it all reflected negatively in her mind, because it was all things that she couldn’t stand about herself right now. Eventually, she just went with a random fighter… And it gave her Adon. PrismaStrider: LOL Sunset sighed, but played anyway. She wasn’t even that good with Adon, and now that she didn’t feel that same spark he once had, her play was even worse. The first round lasted about 15 seconds, and the second, while longer, ended up being a Perfect on the part of Priz. So, for the second round, she tried random again. Dan Hibiki… The character she looked down on the most because of his undeserved arrogance (at least Adon could back up his ego). Okay, she could work with this. If she recalled correctly, he played kind of like Ryu and Ken. Anyone could play Ryu and Ken, so she could probably figure out Dan. … Or so she thought. His fireball was pathetic, the EX version only reaching half the range of his betters, his moves felt clunkier in a way, and Priz’ Makoto was as strong as ever. She just couldn’t keep up. ‘Okay, third time’s the charm, I guess. Come on, gimme something good.’ Rufus… Her most hated character… The universe really was just messing with her now. Even Priz noticed, as before the match even began, the connection was stopped, and Sunset received a message. PrismaStrider: Hey u okay? U never go random Honestly, hearing that only made the situation worse. Priz was worried something was up, despite them not knowing each other. How was she supposed to react to that? Well, by asking a question, apparently. VesperPrincess: Priz, are we friends? PrismaStrider: Ur in my friends list yeah VesperPrincess: No, no, like are we ‘friends’ friends? There was a bit of a longer pause between messages, which sent a bit of worry through Sunset’s body. Did she just make it awkward? Probably, that wasn’t just something you asked someone you’ve only played online with. Eventually, Priz did respond back. PrismaStrider: If you’d like to be sure PrismaStrider: Is something up? You seem kinda out of it VesperPrincess: Yeah… VesperPrincess: I messed up real bad last night, and now I feel horrible. Understatement of the century right there. She couldn’t even describe how horrendously she fucked up with words alone. All she’d ever wanted had come crashing down around her, and all because she was arrogant enough to believe she deserved something beyond her ken. And now, no one was here to help… PrismaStrider: U wanna talk about it? PrismaStrider: Hop in VC with me and u can vent Eyes widened in genuine shock, Sunset couldn’t believe what she was reading. Sure, Priz had said they’d be friends with her, but they were willing to try and help? Well, who was Sunset to – to use a rather strange Earth expression – look a gift horse in the mouth? Plugging in her headset and hopping into VC with Priz, the thoughts of what to say flooded the former unicorn’s mind. There was so much she wanted to talk about, so much she wished she could put into words. But she was not about to unload all of that onto Priz, especially considering half of it could probably have her committed to an insane asylum. She would have to parse details and choose her words carefully. But first, probably good to make sure the connection worked. “Um… h-hey, can you hear me?” Silence. “… Priz? You there?” More silence. Sunset sighed. “I’ll disconnect and tr-” “Sunset Shimmer? Is that you?” Five little words was all it took, sending a chill up Sunset’s spine so intense that she feared she might freeze from the inside out. Five little words from one familiar tomboyish voice. She didn’t want to believe it. It couldn’t honestly be… “R-Rainbow Dash?” “It IS you! This is great!” Rainbow Dash continued talking, but the words were tuned out by Sunset’s thoughts, which were racing faster than she could hope to keep up with. Namely, thoughts screaming at her that she was an idiot. ‘Of COURSE it was Rainbow Dash! I mean come on! Prisma Strider!? She might as well have used her real name! This whole time I’ve been playing Street Fighter with her, and now I’ve basically just screwed over any chance of ever playing games with Priz again! Ugh, me and my big mouth!’ Whatever Rainbow Dash was talking about, Sunset stopped listening. She just left the VC, unplugged her headset, and turned off the PS3 before she could get any kind of messages asking what was up. The last thing she wanted right now was to be reminded of her failures, of the charity case she’d been reduced to. But if that was the case… then why did it hurt so much, thinking about her? Allies and OppositionRainbow Dash rushed through town, paying little mind to the people she had to swerve past and avoid on her way. Ever since she had found out about her friend ‘VesperPrincess’ earlier, she knew she had to get out of the house and find her. Initially, she’d planned to have her mother drive her around, and had only turned Street Fighter on to pass the time. Funny how life had a way of dropping bombshells on her. That was five within a week, if her count was correct. She couldn’t just sit down after that. Unfortunately, finding her would-be friend was easier said than done, as not a single person in the high school actually KNEW where Sunset Shimmer lived. Even Flash Sentry had been a bust, as they always hung out at his place, rather than hers. Already, she’d been at this for an hour, and every single person she’d asked from school either looked at her with confusion or disdain. Usually though, it was confusion then disdain, as they realized Rainbow’s end goal. Suddenly, she went from hero to enemy as they demanded to know why she wanted to find Sunset. But Rainbow Dash had neither the time nor inclinations to explain her reasoning. She had a mission, and that mission took precedent. Even as the athlete’s body kept screaming at her to stop, to take a moment to catch her breath, there was no drop in speed from her. Stopping meant wasting precious time, time that could be used searching for a clue. As she turned a corner, her momentum was stopped dead by the feeling of slamming into another person. Letting out a groan of irritation, the girl underneath her tried to push Rainbow Dash off. “Watch where you’re going!” she exclaimed, using her significant strength to get the other girl off of her. “Sorry!” Rainbow told her, getting back to a sitting position. “I was in a hur-… Wait a minute. Indigo Zap?” Sure enough, when the girl opened her eyes, she came face-to-face with the star athlete of Crystal Prep. The other girl ran a hand through her blue hair, before opening her own eyes and meeting Rainbow Dash’s gaze. She said nothing for a bit, but slowly her expression broke into a smug grin. “Well, if it isn’t the only girl in Canterlot who can even hope to keep up with me,” she taunted, though Rainbow knew it was in a good-natured way; contrary to popular belief, the two of them actually got along pretty well. “Watch out,” Rainbow Dash retorted, standing back up. “Next time, Indigo the Invincible is gonna be left in the dust!” “I’ll believe it when I see it. Now, what’s got you in such a hurry anyway?” Her eyes widened as Indigo reminded her exactly of why she was here. “I’m looking for someone, actually. Have you seen a girl named Sunset Shimmer? She’s abo-” “About yay high?” Indigo asked, making a gesture to Sunset’s approximate height. “Leather jacket? Hair kinda looks like bacon?” “Yeah actually, that’s dead on!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “So, you’ve seen her?” “No, but you’re the fifth girl today to ask me if I have.” To that, Rainbow sighed. Still though, she could guess who the other four were, and it was good to hear they were as dedicated to it as she was. “What happened anyway?” Indigo asked. “Did this Sunset girl run away from home or something?” “No, I don’t think so. I was playing Street Fighter with her earlier. But…” For a second, CHS’ star athlete struggled to find the words. She knew she had to keep it secret what went down last night, but she also wanted to convey what was going on properly. “Sunset made a big mistake last night,” she eventually answered. “And now she’s feeling horrible about it. Like everything’s crashing down around her. Me and the girls, we… we wanna find her, so we can help her through it. So that she knows she’s not alone.” In her mind, Rainbow Dash also silently tacked on ‘So that she knows we’re being genuine.’ Indigo stared for a moment, seemingly awestruck. After a bit, she regained her composure, and pulled out her phone. “Rainbow, can I see your phone for a bit? And could you unlock it for me?” “Uh, sure?” Rainbow said, pulling out her device and doing so. Immediately, it was snatched by Indigo, who began typing away on both with incredible fervor. Soon enough, she pushed a button on her own phone, and a ringing noise came from Rainbow Dash’s, confirming she’d just got a call. “There,” the Crystal Prep athlete told her. “Now you have my number. If I find her, I’ll shoot you a text.” Rainbow Dash blinked, before taking back her phone. “Oh, thanks Indigo.” “No problem. Just do me a favor?” “Sure, what’s up?” “Shoot me a text if you find Sunset, please,” Indigo asked her, her usual bravado fading for just a bit. “Now I’m worried about her, and I don’t even know this chick.” With an assured nod and a fist bump between them, Rainbow Dash set back out on her way. With a new ally on her side, her resolve was doubled, and especially knowing that now they had six people searching. They’d find Sunset. She was sure of it. She was feeling a little less sure of it after her trip to the mall. Two hours of this was all that Dash could take. Two hours of going around, asking random people from her school (and occasionally Crystal Prep students whenever she ran into them) if they’d seen Sunset Shimmer, and getting not a single clue as to the girl’s whereabouts. Seems her idea to check the busiest place she could think of was a bust as well. Sneaking into a secluded part of the mall, she checked her phone to see if she’d gotten any updates from anyone. Much to her chagrin, it seemed the girls were just as empty-handed as Rainbow Dash had been. “Dang it, Sunset,” she grumbled. “Why’d you have to be so good at hiding?” “So, it’s true then?” A familiar voice rang in the exhausted girl’s ears. Footsteps could be heard behind her, and it was easy to tell it was from two different sets of feet. Turning around to offer a cursory glance at the source of the noise, Rainbow Dash found two different girls approaching. Lyra Heartstrings and Bon-Bon, two of her classmates, the latter of whom looked like she was ready to throw hands at any second. “Oh, hey you two,” Rainbow said casually. “What’s up?” “Don’t give me that, Dash,” Bon-Bon said. “Word on the street is you’ve been asking everyone who’d listen if they’ve seen the She-Demon.” Rainbow deadpanned at the mention of this name; it was unsurprising that they've already come up with something. “Yeah, I have. Why, do you know where she is?” “No one does, you’re wasting your time! Stop looking for her!” “Afraid I can’t do that, Bon-Bon.” Rainbow Dash could swear she saw a vein bulging in Bon-Bon’s neck upon hearing that, but she didn’t comment on it. She wasn’t here to make the other girl angry, but that seemed unavoidable at this point. “Have you ever considered that maybe she doesn’t wanna be found? That maybe she knows everyone’s pissed at her?” “Not everyone.” The baker girl rolled her eyes. “You don’t count, Dash.” Those words caused a sudden surge of… something, in Rainbow Dash’s stomach. Anger? Maybe, but it felt more controlled than usual. Whatever it was, she tried to beat it back. Snapping at the couple would do no good. “And why don’t I count?” she asked, honestly curious. “You’re all buddy-buddy with Princess Twilight!” Bon-Bon answered, crossing her arms. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for what she did, but giving that bitch a second chance was a stupid call!” “She was wronged by Sunset too, you know,” Rainbow Dash retorted. “How she chooses to react to that is her call.” “Yeah, but she didn’t have to deal with her since freshman year, now did she? Don’t you get it, Dash!? NO ONE here wants you to find her!” “Well, I wanna find her, and that’s good enough for me. Now I’m sorry, but I gotta get going.” Rainbow Dash stepped around the two and was about to continue her search. She had been expecting something like this, so she’d prepared for it a bit. She wasn’t about to stoop to fighting someone else, especially someone who has every right to be angry. “Oh, that is SO like you!” Or at least, that was the plan. Once again, that feeling within her bubbled up, this time coming closer to the surface, as she felt herself inching toward snapping back. She knew it wasn’t fair to them, but that last comment got under her skin for various reasons. Clenching her fists unconsciously, she turned back and watched as Lyra placed a hand on Bon-Bon’s shoulder. “Okay, listen, I’m mad at Sunset too,” the green girl said. “But there’s no need to take it out on Dash. Maybe we should just calm do-” “No!” Bon-Bon stopped her dead in her tracks. “Don’t give me that, Lyra! I’m not gonna calm down! This is exactly the kind of thing Rainbow Dash would pull!” “And what do you mean by that, Bon-Bon?” she asked, trying to tame the growing something inside her. “Go on, enlighten me.” “You’re putting what YOU want over what everyone else wants! Just deciding that your way is right!” “Excuse me? I’m not the one who came over here demanding that someone else do what I want. You’re the one lecturing me about how I should handle the situation.” Bon-Bon was seeing red at this point, and Rainbow Dash could feel it in her veins that she was close to her breaking point too. And then the baker girl said it. “You don’t get it, Rainbow Dash! You don’t know what it’s like to be mind-controlled!” She felt a crack. “And you don’t know what it’s like to grow wings!” And another. And another… “Oh, what does that have to do with anything!?” Until finally, the dam burst, and the something building up inside of her finally let itself free. In an instant, she felt a surging heat throughout her body, burning, almost on the verge of explosion. Rainbow Dash took a step forward, leveling a glare at Bon-Bon that could have cut through diamond. “Tell me… do you know what it’s like to feel magic coursing through your veins?” Another step forward, as the poor girl’s glare weakened under the star athlete’s scrutinizing gaze. “Do you have a clue what it feels like to grow wings on your back?” she continued. “To be able to fly? To turn a demon back into a human? Do you know what it’s like to have the knowledge that something as simple as friendship did all of that? Did a bunch of stuff I would have called nerdy fantasy junk before I saw it happen right in front of me?” One more step, and Rainbow Dash was within inches of Bon-Bon’s face. Her fists were clenched tight, something akin to white hot rage running through her. Yet despite how it burned within, she couldn’t bring herself to lash out. She honestly wasn't sure how to describe this. Tranquil fury, maybe? It sounded contradictory as all hell, but it was all she had. Which was good, as she had no desire to hurt Bon-Bon anymore than she knew she already was. But while she might not raise her voice, or throw out insults, there was no way in hell she would back down now. The baker girl tried taking a step back, but Rainbow took another step forward. She was not getting out of this. “Answer me,” Rainbow demanded. “Do you have any idea how that feels? Any idea at all?” “W-well,” Bon-Bon shrunk, avoiding the taller girl’s gaze. “I guess not, bu-” The athlete cut her off. “Exactly. You don’t know. You can’t know. Just like I can’t know what it’s like to be turned into someone’s zombie minion. And yet you wanna sit there and call me selfish for acting on experiences you don’t get? I didn’t do that to you, so what makes you think it’s okay to pull that crap with me?” “Rainbow Dash, it ain’t like that!” Lyra stepped in. “Look, I’m sorry if we offended you, w-” “Don’t.” One little word, and Lyra’s whole train of thought was cut off. “Don’t apologize for anything,” Rainbow Dash told her, her glare having softened only slightly. “I don’t want your apologies. Just don’t try to talk me out of this, because there’s nothing you can say or do that’ll convince me.” “But… you’ve dealt with her the whole time she's been here, just like us,” Bon-Bon said, still trying to keep some footing in this argument. “You've seen and felt every bit of it! Doesn’t that mean anything? Doesn’t that bother you at all, everything she’s done?” “… Do you honestly think that hasn’t crossed my mind?” The two girls went silent at that, looking to Rainbow Dash, as if begging her to continue. “I don’t know if you were able to see this, but Sunset tried to incinerate me and my friends last night,” she said slowly, letting the words hang on the air a bit. “While she was a demon, she was ready to march you all to your deaths. But what she did to me and my friends was direct. “I was up until the sun rose, just thinking about that, replaying last night in my head. I didn’t get any sleep at all, because I was reconciling the fact that despite living through that – that despite adding that to the ocean of bullshit she’s put everyone through – that I still want to give her a chance. To reach out and try to help her.” Taking a deep breath, Rainbow Dash shook her head, and looked to the girls, the tiredness in her eyes starting to show. “I’ll ask one more time,” she said, the finality in her tone clear. “Can you imagine what that must feel like?” Neither girl answered. They couldn’t even meet Rainbow Dash’s eyes anymore. “Listen, if you don’t want to forgive Sunset, I respect that. You have your reasons, and they’re completely justified. But I have my own reasons for why I want to give her a chance. My own reasons for why when I find her, I’m GOING to give her a chance.” Not even sparing the two a second glance, the star athlete turned her back, and ended with “And if you can’t respect that the same way I respect your reasons… then I don’t know what to tell you.” With nothing more to say, Rainbow Dash walked away, leaving the other two in a stunned silence. She didn’t know where she would search next, but her resolve was stronger than ever now. It didn’t matter how long it took. If she kept searching, eventually, she’d find a clue. “That was quite the rousing speech, Miss Dash. I had no idea you could be so articulate.” … Or she could find her vice-principal. That worked too. Luna stepped forward, with a surprisingly warm smile on her face, and many bags on her arms. It didn’t take a genius to figure out the implications. “That makes two of us. How much did you hear?” “Everything up to and including Miss Bon-Bon saying no one wanted to find my niece.” “Yeah, well I disagree wit-… Wait, did you say ‘niece’?” Luna nodded. “Well, in truth, Celestia hasn’t adopted Sunset yet, though I’d still like to think of her as such.” Rainbow Dash snapped her fingers, as if a realization had hit her. “Ah. So that’s why you didn’t just expel her on the spot.” “Well, that, and no one would believe the reason for her expulsion anyway. Though obviously, I couldn’t just let her deed go completely unpunished.” “Of course. But if you’re family, then you gotta know where she lives, right?” “I do, as a matter of fact,” Luna said, her expression hardening slightly. “However, if I tell you, the information is to remain strictly confidential. The last thing myself or my sister needs is a group of disgruntled students or parents at our doorstep. Can you promise me that?” “Scout’s honor!” The vice-principal smiled softly, placing a hand on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder. “Then follow me. I’ll take you to Sunset.” Author's Note LyraBon! Yay! This was an interesting chapter to write for a number of reasons, and most of them relate back to that scene. Being perfectly honest, I didn't pick them for any specific reason, I just needed someone to oppose Rainbow Dash here. It honest-to-god could have been anyone, but the first ponies to come to mind were the power couple. Oh well, suppose that's fitting, pride month and all. I honestly had a great time and a great challenge in writing the argument scene, because it was interesting to write it from the perspective of Rainbow Dash knowing, and openly acknowledging, that the hurt Lyra, Bon-Bon and everyone else is feeling is valid. I'm pretty proud of it, all things considered. So now, we come to the end of the second chapter, where it seems like things are looking up for Rainbow Dash. Tune in next time, to see where the results of Luna's interference takes us. Confrontations and ConversationsSilence engulfed the room, as its lone inhabitant stared at the ceiling above, silently replaying the events of earlier in her head. She still couldn’t believe it, honestly. How had she never put it together? Was she too busy during matches to make the connection? ‘Well, it’s not like I really thought about Priz when we weren’t playing Street Fighter,’ she reminded herself. But saying that only made her feel worse. Priz had been the closest thing she had to a friend before the incident, and now that bridge was probably little more than a pile of ash. ‘But still, Rainbow Dash sounded pretty excited when she’d found out…’ No, she couldn’t let herself think like that. It was fake excitement, and Sunset knew it. It had been nearly 3 hours since the incident, and it had left her completely drained. Nothing caught her attention, not her video games, not the internet, not her books. She’d just sat there, letting her mind drift back to everything she’d done. And every single instance of herself being mean to Rainbow Dash and company specifically. Looking back on it, she had been right to fear them. They had the Elements of Harmony, they embodied some of the most powerful forces in Equestria. Yet she genuinely thought she could win? Demon powers or no, she was just one mare. One mare who was clearly never meant for that kind of power… “I’m such a fuck up,” Sunset said to no one in particular. “I can’t believe I ever thought I was good enough for…” No amount of willpower could let her finish that sentence, and no amount of sadness let her shed even a single tear. She wanted nothing more than to admit to it and bawl her eyes out, but just like earlier, it seemed that this strange high she was under was trying its damnedest to keep her calm. It was almost ironic, wanting to be an emotional wreck, but that was how she felt right now. Her frustrations, however, would continue to grow, as a knock on her door could be heard. “Come in,” she uttered weakly. Slowly, the door creaked open, and the despondent girl saw her ‘aunt’ Luna there. She seemed to have a smile on her face, but for what, Sunset had no clue. “Glad to see you’re resting,” Luna told her. “I cannot imagine how much that blast must have hurt.” Sunset sighed. ‘Hurt’ wasn’t the proper word, but then again, she didn’t know what the proper word even was. Still though, the concern shown was kind of nice. No one knew how doting Luna could be outside of work, but right now, it was appreciated. Honestly, the former unicorn was beginning to feel like she’d taken it for granted. “I do have some news though, Sunset. News that I think will brighten your day.” “What? Did you get me some chocolate or something?” Sunset asked, making a half-hearted attempt at a joke. Luna shook her head, but her smile was still strong. “There’s someone here who’d like to see you. I believe you know her better as ‘Priz’?” That all-too-familiar chill ran up Sunset’s spine, as she jolted upright and looked to Luna like she’d grown a second head. Rainbow Dash was here? That just didn’t add up in the poor girl’s mind. But sure enough, her vice-principal moved out of the way, and there, waiting in the doorway, was the school’s resident athlete and new hero. ‘How fitting, I suppose. The hero came to confront the villain…’ “I’ll leave you two alone, I have to go help Tia with dinner,” Luna announced. “Are you fine with vegetarian, Rainbow Dash?” “That’s cool with me,” the teen answered. “Wait, you’re staying for dinner!?” Sunset sputtered. "Y-you can't just spring that on Celestia like that." "Actually, she was the one who suggested it first." Stunned silence was Sunset's only answer, mostly because she knew that was exactly the kind of thing Celestia would pull. Luna grinned and closed the door behind her. While she had no idea how well this would go, she had confidence in Rainbow Dash. The girl seemed determined enough to reach Sunset, and she clearly wouldn’t stop until she’d made her point. She’d just have to hope Sunset actually listened. The tension in the air was palpable, as Sunset looked to Rainbow Dash with a mix of confusion and sadness. The rainbow-headed teen was the first one to try and break this tension. “So,” she said, placing her hands in her pockets. “You feelin’ okay?” Sunset looked away. “Am I feeling okay? Are you kidding me right now?” Rainbow winced, but otherwise was unfaltering. She grabbed the chair by Sunset’s desk, turned it around and sat down. “You’re right, that was a stupid question,” said Rainbow. “I got a better one: Are you happy to see me?” The redhead didn’t even have to think about that one. “I’m more confused than anything. Why are you here?” “Are you serious? Girl, you dc’d and went offline when you found out it was me. Of course, I was gonna be worried. I spent the last two hours or so trying to find you.” “You ever consider I didn’t want to be found?” Rainbow shrugged. “Y'know, Bon-Bon said the same thing right before I gave her the third degree.” Sunset’s eyes widened. “You did WHAT!?” The athlete raised her hands placatingly. “No no, it wasn’t that bad! I just… well, we got into an argument. Honestly, I say ‘third degree’, but… I’m actually surprised at myself. It was like, no matter how angry I was, I couldn’t bring myself to yell at her. Like something in me was keeping me calm.” That part right there got Sunset’s attention. So, it wasn’t just her, then. The Element bearers were feeling it too. Part of her supposed that made sense, as it seemed to be the through-line for it all. They’d all represented an Element, and despite being in a different state of mind, she’d heard them clearly. A hypothesis began to form in her head, and before she knew it, she’d voiced it aloud. “I think that was the Elements’ residual magic in you,” Sunset explained, a small well of frustration building within her. “You’re still feeling the high from last night, from when you used the Element of Loyalty. And I'm still feeling the aftereffects of taking that directly to the face.” “Really?” Rainbow asked, looking to her hands. “So, like, the Element is still with me?” Sunset nodded, still not willing to meet the girl’s gaze. “Don’t worry. I’m sure the high will wear off, and it’ll all go back to normal. I’ll go back to being that scheming bitch, and you can go back to hating me, just like everyone else…” Silence reigned supreme, as Sunset continued to find more interest in her bedsheets. Had she found the strength to look at Rainbow Dash, she might have been surprised at what she saw. “Sunset…” she asked, looking a bit hurt. “I don’t think you want to go back to being that girl. Am I right about that?” “Maybe… but it’s not like I have a choice.” “There’s always a choice,” Rainbow told her reassuringly. “And you’re not alone. You’ve got friends to hel-” “But we’re not friends!” protested Sunset, a twinge of sadness in her voice. Rainbow Dash dared not say anything, seeing Sunset shrink into herself, avoiding her gaze as if her life depended on it. The despondent look she wore said it all, though. Patiently, she waited for Sunset to elaborate, and eventually, the redhead found the strength to speak again. “… You’re only doing this because Twilight told you to. I don’t know anything about friendship, but even I know that’s not a friend. That’s a glorified parole officer, at best.” And there it was, exactly what Rainbow Dash had been worried about. Part of her had already assumed that Sunset was privy to their conversation with Princess Twilight last night. It was the other big reason she was up as long as she was, as she agonized over the possibility of the former unicorn dismissing them. It seemed distinctly believable that Sunset would view this as her being a charity case for them, and that scared Rainbow even more than the possibility of being burned alive. Even now, she wasn’t sure of the words to convince her would-be friend otherwise. But she was going to try. “Sunset, look at me. Please…” The girl didn’t initially, but even after half a minute, Rainbow Dash did not give up. Eventually, Sunset’s resolve was weakened, and she did what was asked of her. Finally, they were able to look each other in the eyes. Teal met magenta, and sadness met determination. “Even if the high wears off,” Rainbow started, voice dripping with resolve. “I won’t abandon you. Even if Twilight hadn’t directly asked me to, I would have been here.” “How can you know that, though?” she questioned. “How can you be so assured it’s really you? What if it’s the Element’s doing, and has nothing to do with what you want?” Without even an ounce of hesitation, Rainbow Dash shook her head, crossing her arms as if in defiance of the very notion. Sunset always did ask the hard questions, and no amount of guilt took away her ability to shake others. But CHS’ star athlete would not be shaken today. “I’m doing this because I want to do this. I might not know nothin’ about magic, but I know what I’m about. And if the Element is making that stronger right now, well… Loyalty picked me for a reason, right?” Reaching out once more in a desperate attempt to get through to her, Rainbow Dash put her hand on Sunset’s shoulder, and offered her a comforting smile. Already, she could see the pain in the girl’s eyes, and somewhere within, that made her heart hurt too. “Sunset, I get why it looks fake to you,” Rainbow said. “Believe me, I was up all night thinking on this. But this is what I really feel. I’m here for you, and I know the others feel the same.” “… But it doesn’t make any sense.” Sunset choked out, feeling her emotions well up to a point where even the high couldn’t fully tame them. “After everything I’ve done to you - to everyone - you want to try and help me? What could possibly make you think I’m worth that effort!?” “… Well, I can’t speak for the others on that front. But do you wanna hear my reason?” Sunset said nothing, only offering a simple nod. Rainbow Dash took in a deep breath, feeling that same intense warmth from her chat with Bon-Bon. Only this time, it was not burning, but rather enveloping her. The words came to her, as she exhaled, all of her worry washing away. “Sunset… I saw friendship perform miracles,” Rainbow Dash said, merely saying it out loud making the warmth feel even stronger. “It fixed what was broken faster than I thought was possible. It let us win against impossible odds. It protected us from death, let us sprout wings and fly, let us use powerful magic. And it turned you back from that demon you became to the human sitting in front of me. I watched it do all of that with my own two eyes…” The athlete leaned in, placing her hand on Sunset’s knee. The other girl looked to her in shock, and Rainbow Dash offered the warmest smile she could muster. “And I’m supposed to believe it can do all that, but it can’t help one girl who’s in a bad way find a better one?” To say that Sunset Shimmer was dumbfounded would have been an understatement. Yet, even so, some part of her could feel the conviction in the other girl’s words, and part of her could genuinely believe them. From within, a warmth of her own started building up, and she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. And then, Rainbow continued. “And if all it takes to start you on that better way is to give you a chance,” she explained. “To extend the hand of friendship, then I say ‘Hell yeah! Sign me up!’ And no amount of Loyalty magic, or lack of it, is gonna change that! I want to give you that chance to be better. I want to try to be your friend. All I need is for you to let me in.” The floodgates broke, and before Sunset knew it, she was crying again, for the first time since last night. She practically threw herself into Rainbow Dash, hugging her like she’d never hugged anyone before. And to her surprise, it felt good, especially as she reciprocated the gesture. She had no idea how long they sat there for. But it was long enough. Long enough for the warmth to completely overtake them, and long enough for Sunset to truly believe. “Th-thank you, Rainbow Dash,” Sunset whispered. “I-I just… thank you so much.” Rainbow smiled. “What else are friends for?” The former bully allowed herself a small smile, wiping away a stray tear. “I'm certain I haven’t completely changed, and I know once this wears off, I’m going to start feeling those old feelings, but I promise I won’t squander this. I… I really do want to be a better person, I just… I’m worried I can’t change fast enough.” “Maybe you can’t, but I think I’ve made it clear where I stand. Besides, it’s… actually strangely comforting to know you haven’t done a complete one-eighty. That lets me know it’s really you wanting to do this, y’know?” Honestly, Sunset wasn’t sure what to say to that. It sounded insane at first, but the more she ruminated on it, the more it made sense. This was magic even she barely understood. She could only imagine how much it worried them to not know its capabilities. Still though, she was glad her new friend was understanding. ‘Friend…’ she mused, remembering the conversation with Twilight the night before. ‘Twilight said I can seek out the Magic of Friendship, or I can be alone. I wonder if she’d be proud of Rainbow Dash here. She’s helping me take the first step, after all. And if the others really feel the same…’ Then, suddenly a thought occurred to Sunset. Rainbow Dash had said that the other girls all felt the same. That dulled the warmth slightly, replaced instead by a twinge of fear. But… maybe there was a solution? “Hey Rainbow Dash?” “You know can just call me ‘Rainbow’ if you’d like, right?” the other girl interrupted. “Or ‘Dash’, or even RD. All my friends can.” “Right, sorry,” Sunset continued, rubbing her arm in mild embarrassment. “Anyway, Dash. Friends… share things with each other, right?” “Yeah, they do?” she answered, giving Sunset a concerned look. “Is something wrong?” “Well, kind of. Can I, um… confide in you?” “Have at it.” The fact that her new friend didn’t hesitate at all on her answer was huge for Sunset. With slightly bolstered confidence, the girl got back on her bed, and looked Rainbow dead in the eyes. “Okay, so here’s the thing,” she said, trying not to stutter. “I really do want to try, but… I’m kind of scared to face all of you at once. L-like it’s nothing against you guys, it’s jus-” “Too many bad memories?” Sunset nodded, feeling a slight bit of shame, but also some relief at being able to get it out in the open like that. When she looked back up, Dash was on her phone, and gestured for Sunset to come over and look at it. Hesitantly, she walked over, and on the screen she saw the following: RD: Good news I found Sunset! RD: And she wants to try being friends with us! At first, Sunset thought nothing of it. Then the messages started coming in. AJ: That’s wonderful, Sugarcube! I can’t wait to see her! R: I concur, that’s fantastic! F: I’m really glad she’s okay. I was starting to worry. PP: That’s great! I can’t wait to throw her a big ‘We Forgive You and We’re Glad You’re Our Friend Now’ party! Rainbow Dash said nothing throughout this whole ordeal, giving Sunset time to digest the incoming messages. They really did seem happy about it. Like obviously with a text, it could just be fake happiness, but considering how well it was going with Dash, part of her was inclined to believe. What Dash texted next, however, solidified it. RD: There is something else tho RD: She’s nervous about meeting us all at once RD: She was hoping we could do one-on-one sessions before we hang out as a group The words ‘several people are typing’ popped up, and not long after, a flurry of messages hit her in quick succession. PP: Okie dokie lokie! Just gimme a call when she wants to see me! R: I’ve no issue with that. The last thing I want is to overwhelm her, darling. AJ: Whenever she’s feeling ready to see me, I’m up for it. Rain or shine. F: I understand completely. Please tell Sunset that she can take as long as she needs. I won’t rush her. “… Wow.” Dash grinned, the sheer shock in that one syllable almost being amusing. Again, she knew Sunset was new to this whole thing, so she wasn’t going to hold it against her, but it was clear they had a lot of work to do. Which gave her an idea. “And, since I’m already here,” she told the redhead with an implying tone. “You wouldn’t happen to have a second PS3 controller, would you?” “I do actually,” Sunset answered, pulling them out. “Sometimes Luna and I play together. Why?” “Well, you up for some more Street Fighter?” “... Oh? O-oh, sure! But um… I should warn you, I’m not really sure who I’ll be picking.” “I take it you were trying to avoid your mains earlier?” Sunset nodded, looking down to the floor. “Yeah. I don’t know, I’m just not feeling Adon or Master Bison anymore. I see too much of myself in them…” Suddenly, Dash put her arm around Sunset, giving her a reassuring smile. “Well then, we’ll just find you a new main! We’ll see who catches the new Sunset’s eye!” “The new Sunset, huh?” she mused, turning on the console with a small smile. “Yeah… let’s do it.” Author's Note Would you believe me if I said this wasn't the end? Now, this would probably be the point where any normal person would cut it off, seeing as the two actually did get to meet up and talk it through. However, I am not a normal person, and I had one more idea in mind, that you'll get to see next time. As for this, well, I'm sure it's obvious this was the funnest chapter for me to write. I've had that whole 'friendship performing miracles' speech prepared for a long time, and I'm glad I finally got the chance to use it. It just feels to me like if they were going to be assured for trying to help her from the word 'go', then this would be the reasoning. Anyway, I've rambled long enough, and I'm going to rest. Like always, if you liked this, feel free to leave a like or comment. Next time, we shall get to see what this madman has in store. Demons and DinosaursHad you told Sunset Shimmer 24 hours ago that she’d still be in the human world, playing video games with Rainbow Dash, she would have laughed in your face and called you an idiot. Funny how quickly things change. It was about 9 at night, with the last 4 hours or so basically being non-stop Street Fighter, their only respite being when they went down for dinner. After a hearty serving of vegetarian chowder (a personal favorite since Sunset came to Earth), they continued their experimentation, the red-haired girl trying out every single character in the roster. Eventually, she found someone she could stick with, in the form of Sakura. To her surprise, there were quite a few characters she was decent with – even Dan, who, after a few rounds, she realized could actually be kind of funny – but Sakura’s whole story spoke to her. Much like Sunset herself, she was a student, and her eagerness to impress Ryu warmed her heart. And maybe provided some inspiration for how she wanted her next meeting with Twilight to go. Perhaps with enough effort, she could end up making at least one princess proud of her. The night was nearing its apex as the two girls were locked in what would be their final match. Sunset blocked Yun’s attack on the screen, and countered with a quick jab, followed by a low heavy kick. Because it knocked Yun down, that gave her a chance to unleash a Super move. With about half a bar left and enough meter in her Ultra gauge, Sunset did the classic input that she knew by heart as a ‘Shotokan’ staple. Down, forward. Down, forward. And the button for all three punches. “Ah, no!” Dash exclaimed, seeing the cinematic play out on the other side of the screen. “Oh yeah, Dash!” Sakura’s ‘Shinku Hadoken’ shot out, catching Yun as soon as he stood up, and dealing the last bit of damage needed for Sunset to take the round. Yun’s scream could be heard as he fell to the ground, and the victory animation played, giving a much-needed sense of accomplishment for the former bully. “Alright, alright, not bad,” the athlete said, patting Sunset on the back. “Seems you’ve found a new main, huh?” “Maybe. I think I might try a couple of others though. I also really kind of liked Fei Long.” Rainbow Dash chuckled, before looking at the clock. “Well, as much as I’d love to keep this up, I really need to get home. But still, thanks for letting me in, Sunset.” To this, Sunset smiled. “I should be the one thanking you, Dash. I didn’t believe it was possible but… well, you’ve opened my mind a little.” “Well, don’t expect me to give too many speeches like that once this whole thing wears off. I’m not usually this good with words.” Sharing one last giggle and a quick hug between them, Rainbow Dash was taken home by Luna, and Sunset was given a chance to finally ruminate on all that had happened today. And boy howdy, what a day it had been. She didn’t dare call this the best day of her life, but the latter half of it was up there. What should have been impossible had been handed to her on a silver platter, all because of one stubborn athlete who genuinely seemed to believe there was hope for Sunset Shimmer. She should have had every right to hate her former tormentor, but instead, she planned to stand by her. And now that she knew that, the last thing Sunset wanted was to let her down. Letting out a slight yawn, Sunset realized all that excitement had genuinely drained her. Unfortunate, too, considering she had so much to think about. Like how tomorrow, she had something to look forward to, and now she had to start planning to meet the other girls one-on-one. The main problem was she had no clue where to begin, and no idea what she should even offer to do with them. But with another yawn escaping her lips, Sunset gave in, and let her head hit the pillow. Perhaps she could sleep on it. Sunset awoke not in her bed, but rather on a cold hard ground, staring at the blankest, most empty ceiling she’d ever seen. It seemed to go on forever, like an endless void, matching everything else in whatever direction she looked. “Okay, not what I was expecting in my dreams tonight.” A cursory glance around the area gave her no info, and yet it seemed to her like she should have been looking for something. But where her eyes failed, her ears succeeded, detecting a sound in the distance. What it was, she couldn’t entirely tell, but it was coming from behind her. Sure enough, looking back revealed a small blotch of red in the distance, and a small pit in her stomach formed. Without even knowing for sure what it was, Sunset had a hunch, and stepped forward, some part of her wanting confirmation. Slowly but surely, each step brought her closer to both the sight and the sound. First thing to become clear was the noises, which were nothing more than growling. Not like a beast, but rather like a person pretending to be an animal. Second thing to become clear were the streaks of yellow that only made Sunset’s unease grow. After what felt like a few minutes (though she really had no idea, given how weird dreams could be), the truth was revealed, and it was exactly as Sunset had feared. Sitting there, on a leather couch in the middle of the void, was her. Or rather, a form of her. One she’d hoped she’d never see again. But… something about her was off. Was her hair different? And why was she in pajamas? “‘Roar, I’m gonna eat you!’” the Demon said, a lax smile on her face as she brought a toy T-rex’s jaw over to a toy triceratops. “‘Ah, no!’ Heh heh… these things rule.” The dark creature looked to her human self, and Sunset tensed at what that could mean. She saw those black sclera and it reminded her how distinctly inhuman she had been only a night before. Now the beast was staring her down, and she had nowhere to run… “Oh hey, you made it,” Demon Sunset said. “Good on ya. I’ve just been playing dinosaurs, you wanna join me?” Hearing that made Sunset grateful she wasn’t drinking anything, because she would have spit it out on the spot. Of all the things her Demon form could have said to her, that one was so far out of left field that she was pretty sure it came from a different stadium. On a different continent. “I-I’m sorry, what?” Sunset sputtered. “Well, we gotta do something while we’re asleep, right?” Demon Sunset asked innocently. “And this is all I got for now. I might get more, but I dunno.” “… Where did you even get those? Why is there a couch in my mind?” The Demon shrugged, still smiling like an idiot. “Don’t know. Still though, it’s comfy. So are these jammy jams.” Sunset raised an eyebrow at that. “You know, I feared I’d see you again, but this was not what I was expecting.” “Well, I wasn’t expecting a couch or toy dinosaurs, but hey, we got ‘em. You want one?” “NO!” Sunset protested. “You will,” the Demon declared smugly. “No one can say no to dinosaurs.” “… Okay, what’s up with you?” Her dark counterpart tilted her head, looking at Sunset as if she’d asked a far more difficult question than what was actually asked. The confusion on her face didn’t last very long though, as she just went back to her dinosaurs, earning the ire of her human self. “Hey! I was talking to you!” “Well, I don’t know what you meant by that,” Demon Sunset answered, jabbing the T-rex with her triceratops. “Like, ‘what’s up with me’? That’s kind of a vague question. Do you mean like, why am I here? Or do you mean like, why am I doing this?” “Well… both, I guess?” Sunset shrugged, furrowing her brow at her other’s antics. “And why do you seem so… mellow?” There was a brief silence, as her monstrous caricature placed the playthings to her side, leaning back into the plush leather. She grinned, and Sunset could see that while the demon had fangs still, they were far less pronounced than she remembered. “Well, why I’m here first,” Demon Sunset said. “That one’s real easy: I never left.” ‘Okay, yeah, that tracks,’ she thought. “I know, don’t it?” Sunset took a step back. She was about to ask how the Demon knew what she was thinking before it occurred to her. They were in her mind. No shit her thoughts could be heard. “Anyway,” Demon Sunset explained, shifting on the couch to get comfortable. “After we got destroyed at the Fall Formal last night, I’ve just been here. All I remember is getting hit by a giant rainbow blast. And now everything’s… just great.” “Oh my god. I don’t-… I’m not even sure what to say to that.” In truth, soon as Sunset heard that, she tried to stifle a chuckle. The idea of a raging she-demon brought down by getting her high was quite amusing, loath as she was to admit it. “Why? Were you expecting something of me?” Demon Sunset asked. “Well…” Sunset rubbed the back of her head. “Guess I was imagining you’d be a little more ‘haunt my nightmares’ and a little less ‘want to play dinos with me’.” “Well, why would I want to do that?” “Well, I don’t know, I guess-… like, aren’t you an evil me or something?” Demon Sunset barely moved, but her human self could see that the word ‘evil’ brought her a mild discomfort. She looked away from Sunset for a second, her smile faded. “I don’t mean to sound mean or anything, but YOU were the evil you,” her Demon half said, voice barely above a mumble. “I’m just you after you put on the Element of Magic.” A sea of emotions ran through Sunset at that declaration, and she couldn’t even look her Demon side in the eyes anymore. With no semblance of time, it was impossible to tell how long they’d avoided each other’s gaze. It could have been hours, or it could have been seconds. All she knew was that the Demon found the strength to look at her first. “But that’s okay,” she said. “We’re not evil anymore. And plus, once the high wears off, we’ll be even less evil. Because by then, our friends will have helped us a lot. Well, unless it wears off tomorrow, but today was pretty fun with Rainbow Dash, right?” Sunset’s eyes widened. “You knew about th-… wait, what am I saying? Of course, you’d know about that if you never left.” “Careful, someone’s learning,” the Demon joked. “But seriously girl, I saw everything. And I felt everything. All that sad junk you felt? I felt that too. Same with all the happy sappy stuff you had with Dashie.” “All of it?” Sunset asked. Demon Sunset nodded. “All of it.” “Even the part where I laughed so hard at Rainbow’s story that my drink came out my nose?” “Especially that part, babe. Felt weird as hell, but it was worth it.” Once again, Sunset was face-to-face with something that simply made too much sense, despite the insanity of it all. First it was Dash, but now it was herself. Still though, it added up that if they were truly the same person, she’d feel everything. But even so… “So, what happens to you, then? Are you just going to be stuck in my mind for the rest of my life?” Demon Sunset shrugged. “I think I’ll just fade away over time, so don’t worry, I won’t be here forever.” “And you’re okay with that?” “Sunset, what part of ‘I’m you’ did you not get?” To that, Sunset looked away. “… Kinda hard to reconcile that when we’re having a conversation.” The Demon chuckled and looked her human half dead in the eyes. Despite the dilated pupils and generally laid-back demeanor, Sunset could see a familiar spark of something behind them. Thankfully, it was a spark of something she didn’t actually hate about herself right now. “I don’t mind, really,” she said, her smile almost as strong as Rainbow Dash’s had been. “I’m part of you, Sunset Shimmer. I’m you, just different. You’re Sunset and I’m SunDOWN. I’m Vesper. I’m Evening. I’m… Evening. Even. -Ing. Making things even. Yeah… that’s who I am.” Sunset blinked in confusion, and Demon Sunset blinked in kind. “… What was I talking about?” Demon Sunset asked. “Whatever it was, it made about as much sense as anything else today.” Finally giving in, Sunset decided to sit down on the couch. A wave of levity enveloped her as the leather seemed to have the perfect amount of give, making the sofa far more comfortable than she’d been expecting. Hell, it was even more comfy than the couch out in her living room, and that was saying something. But hey, she could work with that. “I guess if you’re not going to fuck with me, then you’ll just be here to remind me where I was. I can live with that, Eventide.” The Demon looked to Sunset upon hearing that. “Eventide?” Sunset offered a small smile. “I am NOT calling you ‘Demon Me’ if we ever talk again. You’re Eventide now.” Eventide smiled as well. “I like it. Sounds all fancy and old-fashioned.” “Heh, I figured you would.” The two Sunsets sat there in contentment at the situation they’d found themselves in, as a silence settled in between them. Suddenly, all of the problems in her real life seemed a little smaller, as she found this small bit of relief within her own mind and heart. It was genuinely nice to know that her own inward fights wouldn’t be quite as difficult as she thought. Still though, now that she was here, that left one last question. “So… what now?” Eventide looked to Sunset. “What’dya mean?” “Well, we’re stuck here until I wake up, so what do we do?” “… Wanna play dinosaurs?” Sunset rolled her eyes. “You’re really not going to let that go, are you?” “C’mon, you can be triceratops,” Eventide offered, waving the toy in front of her human half. “I know he’s your favorite.” Maybe it was the adorable figure she was looking at, or maybe it was the boredom that she knew would come from sitting there for Celestia only knows how long. But eventually, Sunset relented, grabbing the triceratops, and earning an excited squeal from Eventide. And so, they sat there, playing dinosaurs. Once again, definitely not what Sunset had been expecting her dreams tonight. But after the unbelievable day she’s had, maybe that was a good thing. Author's Note So there you have it, that's where this madman decides to end his fic. I've read quite a few Sunset redemption fics that have her Demon half appear, and with the premise I'm going with, I had a silly idea come to mind. So, I decided to share it with you guys. Obviously, I know nothing about being stoned, but this isn't a normal high either, so I feel like there's some leeway. Either way, it was super fun to write. And yes, if I continue on the Sunset side of the Obsession-verse, Eventide will make another appearance. Thank you all so much for reading, this is my first multi-chapter fic that I've finished on this site. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope I've made a returning reader out of you. Until next time!
Confusion and ShockAuthor's Note So, I have been without internet for a week, and I just got it back. Just in time too, as I have been on a roll with these smaller fics. This one is for my favorite girl. As I've stated in my bio, I'm an absolute sucker for Sunset Shimmer, mainly because of my undying love for redemption arcs. Obviously she's no Siegfried or Riku, but she does the job very well for me. So it was only a matter of time before I took my own hand at a fic for her. This fic is a bit of a smaller one, obviously, playing with a little premise I came up with, and using my own personal headcanons for Sunset and her situation in the human world. I also throw in a little nod to fighting games because I am an absolute nerd for that stuff. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you enjoy the future chapters as well. Confusion and Shock Last night had been the worst of her life. No two ways about it. Sunset Shimmer sat on her bed in Celestia’s house, knees brought to her chest as she tried to cry more. That might sound odd to the uninitiated, actually wanting to cry, but the former unicorn was the farthest thing from ‘uninitiated’. Ever since she got home, it was as if the tears just stopped flowing. No matter how many bad thoughts pervaded her mind, how many things she remembered herself doing, how many mistakes she made, it was as though her metaphorical floodgates were sealed shut. Perhaps were it not a magically-induced facing of her inner demons, that would have been a small comfort. But Sunset Shimmer did not become Princess Celestia’s student for nothing. She knew magic better than most could ever hope to. And this fact did not bode well for her. The knock on her door pulled her from that thought only temporarily – in all honesty, she’d barely heard it, and part of her wondered why they even bothered to knock. Still, she let out a small “Come in”, just barely loud enough for the person on the other side of the door to hear it. In came Celestia, Sunset’s caretaker and principal. And by the look on her face, well… actually, Sunset couldn’t tell, for once. It was far less angry than she was expecting, but still held all the disappointment she felt deserved to be thrown her way. … Actually, if she was being honest, it held less. “Sunset,” she began, still maintaining the same calm she always did. “Last night was… I’m not even sure what to say after that.” “You don’t have to say anything,” Sunset lamented, not being able to look Celestia in the eyes. “I’ll pack my things and be out of your hair by the end of the day.” Silence engulfed the space between the two, as a thousand thoughts ran through the unicorn girl’s mind. Even hearing that same voice brought the memories back in full swing, reminding her of her failures with both Celestias. There was probably a million and one things that the older woman wanted to say to her. She could imagine any one of them… “Sunset, I’m not kicking you out.” … Except that one. That was not on the list. Abject shock was her initial response, in a large enough quantity to actually let her look to Celestia dumbfoundedly. The idea that after what she saw, she still was willing to let Sunset live here? It was something near impossible for her to wrap her head around. “But… why?” Celestia smiled. “I told you once that I’d never give up on you, didn’t I?” “I’d assume this goes well beyond what you meant when you said that.” “Perhaps. But I’m not about to go back on my word, especially given that the Princess herself believed in you.” Sunset Shimmer looked away, remembering Twilight, and how she’d pulled her out of that pit. How she had offered her friends as teachers, to try and help her find a new way. It was hands down the single nicest thing anypony had ever done for her, and far more than she could ever repay. But of course, Sunset knew it was all a farce. There was no way those girls would ever want to help her… Still though, at least she wouldn’t be on the streets. So hey, silver lining. “But I assume I’m going to be punished,” Sunset said matter-of-factly. “Not to say I don’t deserve it.” “Well, other than obviously helping the construction crew once they start working on the wall,” Celestia explained. “You’re suspended until further notice, and not allowed on campus except to help with the construction. I think that will be ample punishment.” That got Sunset’s attention. “… What, that’s it? You’re not going to take away my video games or my TV or my phone or anything like that?” To this, the principal of CHS shrugged. “I know next to nothing about magic, but something tells me you’re not exactly in the mood to use those for any sort of wrongdoing right now.” Sunset looked away in acknowledgment. ‘She’s right. But who knows how long this will last…’ “Now then, I’ve sent Luna out on the town to pick up a few things, so I’ll be here. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” When she didn’t get an answer, Celestia decided to give the girl some space. As the door shut softly, Sunset was left to ponder on her feelings further. Unfortunately, it was getting her nowhere, and the more she thought about it, the more upset she got. Eventually, desperately needing something to get it off her mind, Sunset booted up her PS3. The first thing she did was check to see if Priz was online, and sure enough, they were. ‘PrismaStrider’, or as Sunset knew them, Priz, was one of the only people she had in her friends list. They met playing Street Fighter, which they still played together on a regular basis. It was always a good de-stresser after a long day of school or of plotting to come home and enjoy some fighting games with them, and it helps that Priz was usually always up for a match. And so, Sunset went into their messages, and sent them one. VesperPrincess: Hey Priz. PrismaStrider: Yo VesperPrincess: You up for a few rounds? PrismaStrider: Always That brought some small comfort to soothe Sunset’s fraying nerves. Booting up Street Fighter 4, Sunset got into a lobby immediately, and the two wasted no time getting to it. Priz picked Yun for the first round, but Sunset took her time. On any normal day, she would have picked Adon. She’d always liked the Muay Thai fighter, seeing quite a bit of herself in him. But now, everything she’d liked about him – his confidence, his take-no-shit attitude, his drive to become the best – it all reflected negatively in her mind, because it was all things that she couldn’t stand about herself right now. Eventually, she just went with a random fighter… And it gave her Adon. PrismaStrider: LOL Sunset sighed, but played anyway. She wasn’t even that good with Adon, and now that she didn’t feel that same spark he once had, her play was even worse. The first round lasted about 15 seconds, and the second, while longer, ended up being a Perfect on the part of Priz. So, for the second round, she tried random again. Dan Hibiki… The character she looked down on the most because of his undeserved arrogance (at least Adon could back up his ego). Okay, she could work with this. If she recalled correctly, he played kind of like Ryu and Ken. Anyone could play Ryu and Ken, so she could probably figure out Dan. … Or so she thought. His fireball was pathetic, the EX version only reaching half the range of his betters, his moves felt clunkier in a way, and Priz’ Makoto was as strong as ever. She just couldn’t keep up. ‘Okay, third time’s the charm, I guess. Come on, gimme something good.’ Rufus… Her most hated character… The universe really was just messing with her now. Even Priz noticed, as before the match even began, the connection was stopped, and Sunset received a message. PrismaStrider: Hey u okay? U never go random Honestly, hearing that only made the situation worse. Priz was worried something was up, despite them not knowing each other. How was she supposed to react to that? Well, by asking a question, apparently. VesperPrincess: Priz, are we friends? PrismaStrider: Ur in my friends list yeah VesperPrincess: No, no, like are we ‘friends’ friends? There was a bit of a longer pause between messages, which sent a bit of worry through Sunset’s body. Did she just make it awkward? Probably, that wasn’t just something you asked someone you’ve only played online with. Eventually, Priz did respond back. PrismaStrider: If you’d like to be sure PrismaStrider: Is something up? You seem kinda out of it VesperPrincess: Yeah… VesperPrincess: I messed up real bad last night, and now I feel horrible. Understatement of the century right there. She couldn’t even describe how horrendously she fucked up with words alone. All she’d ever wanted had come crashing down around her, and all because she was arrogant enough to believe she deserved something beyond her ken. And now, no one was here to help… PrismaStrider: U wanna talk about it? PrismaStrider: Hop in VC with me and u can vent Eyes widened in genuine shock, Sunset couldn’t believe what she was reading. Sure, Priz had said they’d be friends with her, but they were willing to try and help? Well, who was Sunset to – to use a rather strange Earth expression – look a gift horse in the mouth? Plugging in her headset and hopping into VC with Priz, the thoughts of what to say flooded the former unicorn’s mind. There was so much she wanted to talk about, so much she wished she could put into words. But she was not about to unload all of that onto Priz, especially considering half of it could probably have her committed to an insane asylum. She would have to parse details and choose her words carefully. But first, probably good to make sure the connection worked. “Um… h-hey, can you hear me?” Silence. “… Priz? You there?” More silence. Sunset sighed. “I’ll disconnect and tr-” “Sunset Shimmer? Is that you?” Five little words was all it took, sending a chill up Sunset’s spine so intense that she feared she might freeze from the inside out. Five little words from one familiar tomboyish voice. She didn’t want to believe it. It couldn’t honestly be… “R-Rainbow Dash?” “It IS you! This is great!” Rainbow Dash continued talking, but the words were tuned out by Sunset’s thoughts, which were racing faster than she could hope to keep up with. Namely, thoughts screaming at her that she was an idiot. ‘Of COURSE it was Rainbow Dash! I mean come on! Prisma Strider!? She might as well have used her real name! This whole time I’ve been playing Street Fighter with her, and now I’ve basically just screwed over any chance of ever playing games with Priz again! Ugh, me and my big mouth!’ Whatever Rainbow Dash was talking about, Sunset stopped listening. She just left the VC, unplugged her headset, and turned off the PS3 before she could get any kind of messages asking what was up. The last thing she wanted right now was to be reminded of her failures, of the charity case she’d been reduced to. But if that was the case… then why did it hurt so much, thinking about her?
Allies and OppositionRainbow Dash rushed through town, paying little mind to the people she had to swerve past and avoid on her way. Ever since she had found out about her friend ‘VesperPrincess’ earlier, she knew she had to get out of the house and find her. Initially, she’d planned to have her mother drive her around, and had only turned Street Fighter on to pass the time. Funny how life had a way of dropping bombshells on her. That was five within a week, if her count was correct. She couldn’t just sit down after that. Unfortunately, finding her would-be friend was easier said than done, as not a single person in the high school actually KNEW where Sunset Shimmer lived. Even Flash Sentry had been a bust, as they always hung out at his place, rather than hers. Already, she’d been at this for an hour, and every single person she’d asked from school either looked at her with confusion or disdain. Usually though, it was confusion then disdain, as they realized Rainbow’s end goal. Suddenly, she went from hero to enemy as they demanded to know why she wanted to find Sunset. But Rainbow Dash had neither the time nor inclinations to explain her reasoning. She had a mission, and that mission took precedent. Even as the athlete’s body kept screaming at her to stop, to take a moment to catch her breath, there was no drop in speed from her. Stopping meant wasting precious time, time that could be used searching for a clue. As she turned a corner, her momentum was stopped dead by the feeling of slamming into another person. Letting out a groan of irritation, the girl underneath her tried to push Rainbow Dash off. “Watch where you’re going!” she exclaimed, using her significant strength to get the other girl off of her. “Sorry!” Rainbow told her, getting back to a sitting position. “I was in a hur-… Wait a minute. Indigo Zap?” Sure enough, when the girl opened her eyes, she came face-to-face with the star athlete of Crystal Prep. The other girl ran a hand through her blue hair, before opening her own eyes and meeting Rainbow Dash’s gaze. She said nothing for a bit, but slowly her expression broke into a smug grin. “Well, if it isn’t the only girl in Canterlot who can even hope to keep up with me,” she taunted, though Rainbow knew it was in a good-natured way; contrary to popular belief, the two of them actually got along pretty well. “Watch out,” Rainbow Dash retorted, standing back up. “Next time, Indigo the Invincible is gonna be left in the dust!” “I’ll believe it when I see it. Now, what’s got you in such a hurry anyway?” Her eyes widened as Indigo reminded her exactly of why she was here. “I’m looking for someone, actually. Have you seen a girl named Sunset Shimmer? She’s abo-” “About yay high?” Indigo asked, making a gesture to Sunset’s approximate height. “Leather jacket? Hair kinda looks like bacon?” “Yeah actually, that’s dead on!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “So, you’ve seen her?” “No, but you’re the fifth girl today to ask me if I have.” To that, Rainbow sighed. Still though, she could guess who the other four were, and it was good to hear they were as dedicated to it as she was. “What happened anyway?” Indigo asked. “Did this Sunset girl run away from home or something?” “No, I don’t think so. I was playing Street Fighter with her earlier. But…” For a second, CHS’ star athlete struggled to find the words. She knew she had to keep it secret what went down last night, but she also wanted to convey what was going on properly. “Sunset made a big mistake last night,” she eventually answered. “And now she’s feeling horrible about it. Like everything’s crashing down around her. Me and the girls, we… we wanna find her, so we can help her through it. So that she knows she’s not alone.” In her mind, Rainbow Dash also silently tacked on ‘So that she knows we’re being genuine.’ Indigo stared for a moment, seemingly awestruck. After a bit, she regained her composure, and pulled out her phone. “Rainbow, can I see your phone for a bit? And could you unlock it for me?” “Uh, sure?” Rainbow said, pulling out her device and doing so. Immediately, it was snatched by Indigo, who began typing away on both with incredible fervor. Soon enough, she pushed a button on her own phone, and a ringing noise came from Rainbow Dash’s, confirming she’d just got a call. “There,” the Crystal Prep athlete told her. “Now you have my number. If I find her, I’ll shoot you a text.” Rainbow Dash blinked, before taking back her phone. “Oh, thanks Indigo.” “No problem. Just do me a favor?” “Sure, what’s up?” “Shoot me a text if you find Sunset, please,” Indigo asked her, her usual bravado fading for just a bit. “Now I’m worried about her, and I don’t even know this chick.” With an assured nod and a fist bump between them, Rainbow Dash set back out on her way. With a new ally on her side, her resolve was doubled, and especially knowing that now they had six people searching. They’d find Sunset. She was sure of it. She was feeling a little less sure of it after her trip to the mall. Two hours of this was all that Dash could take. Two hours of going around, asking random people from her school (and occasionally Crystal Prep students whenever she ran into them) if they’d seen Sunset Shimmer, and getting not a single clue as to the girl’s whereabouts. Seems her idea to check the busiest place she could think of was a bust as well. Sneaking into a secluded part of the mall, she checked her phone to see if she’d gotten any updates from anyone. Much to her chagrin, it seemed the girls were just as empty-handed as Rainbow Dash had been. “Dang it, Sunset,” she grumbled. “Why’d you have to be so good at hiding?” “So, it’s true then?” A familiar voice rang in the exhausted girl’s ears. Footsteps could be heard behind her, and it was easy to tell it was from two different sets of feet. Turning around to offer a cursory glance at the source of the noise, Rainbow Dash found two different girls approaching. Lyra Heartstrings and Bon-Bon, two of her classmates, the latter of whom looked like she was ready to throw hands at any second. “Oh, hey you two,” Rainbow said casually. “What’s up?” “Don’t give me that, Dash,” Bon-Bon said. “Word on the street is you’ve been asking everyone who’d listen if they’ve seen the She-Demon.” Rainbow deadpanned at the mention of this name; it was unsurprising that they've already come up with something. “Yeah, I have. Why, do you know where she is?” “No one does, you’re wasting your time! Stop looking for her!” “Afraid I can’t do that, Bon-Bon.” Rainbow Dash could swear she saw a vein bulging in Bon-Bon’s neck upon hearing that, but she didn’t comment on it. She wasn’t here to make the other girl angry, but that seemed unavoidable at this point. “Have you ever considered that maybe she doesn’t wanna be found? That maybe she knows everyone’s pissed at her?” “Not everyone.” The baker girl rolled her eyes. “You don’t count, Dash.” Those words caused a sudden surge of… something, in Rainbow Dash’s stomach. Anger? Maybe, but it felt more controlled than usual. Whatever it was, she tried to beat it back. Snapping at the couple would do no good. “And why don’t I count?” she asked, honestly curious. “You’re all buddy-buddy with Princess Twilight!” Bon-Bon answered, crossing her arms. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for what she did, but giving that bitch a second chance was a stupid call!” “She was wronged by Sunset too, you know,” Rainbow Dash retorted. “How she chooses to react to that is her call.” “Yeah, but she didn’t have to deal with her since freshman year, now did she? Don’t you get it, Dash!? NO ONE here wants you to find her!” “Well, I wanna find her, and that’s good enough for me. Now I’m sorry, but I gotta get going.” Rainbow Dash stepped around the two and was about to continue her search. She had been expecting something like this, so she’d prepared for it a bit. She wasn’t about to stoop to fighting someone else, especially someone who has every right to be angry. “Oh, that is SO like you!” Or at least, that was the plan. Once again, that feeling within her bubbled up, this time coming closer to the surface, as she felt herself inching toward snapping back. She knew it wasn’t fair to them, but that last comment got under her skin for various reasons. Clenching her fists unconsciously, she turned back and watched as Lyra placed a hand on Bon-Bon’s shoulder. “Okay, listen, I’m mad at Sunset too,” the green girl said. “But there’s no need to take it out on Dash. Maybe we should just calm do-” “No!” Bon-Bon stopped her dead in her tracks. “Don’t give me that, Lyra! I’m not gonna calm down! This is exactly the kind of thing Rainbow Dash would pull!” “And what do you mean by that, Bon-Bon?” she asked, trying to tame the growing something inside her. “Go on, enlighten me.” “You’re putting what YOU want over what everyone else wants! Just deciding that your way is right!” “Excuse me? I’m not the one who came over here demanding that someone else do what I want. You’re the one lecturing me about how I should handle the situation.” Bon-Bon was seeing red at this point, and Rainbow Dash could feel it in her veins that she was close to her breaking point too. And then the baker girl said it. “You don’t get it, Rainbow Dash! You don’t know what it’s like to be mind-controlled!” She felt a crack. “And you don’t know what it’s like to grow wings!” And another. And another… “Oh, what does that have to do with anything!?” Until finally, the dam burst, and the something building up inside of her finally let itself free. In an instant, she felt a surging heat throughout her body, burning, almost on the verge of explosion. Rainbow Dash took a step forward, leveling a glare at Bon-Bon that could have cut through diamond. “Tell me… do you know what it’s like to feel magic coursing through your veins?” Another step forward, as the poor girl’s glare weakened under the star athlete’s scrutinizing gaze. “Do you have a clue what it feels like to grow wings on your back?” she continued. “To be able to fly? To turn a demon back into a human? Do you know what it’s like to have the knowledge that something as simple as friendship did all of that? Did a bunch of stuff I would have called nerdy fantasy junk before I saw it happen right in front of me?” One more step, and Rainbow Dash was within inches of Bon-Bon’s face. Her fists were clenched tight, something akin to white hot rage running through her. Yet despite how it burned within, she couldn’t bring herself to lash out. She honestly wasn't sure how to describe this. Tranquil fury, maybe? It sounded contradictory as all hell, but it was all she had. Which was good, as she had no desire to hurt Bon-Bon anymore than she knew she already was. But while she might not raise her voice, or throw out insults, there was no way in hell she would back down now. The baker girl tried taking a step back, but Rainbow took another step forward. She was not getting out of this. “Answer me,” Rainbow demanded. “Do you have any idea how that feels? Any idea at all?” “W-well,” Bon-Bon shrunk, avoiding the taller girl’s gaze. “I guess not, bu-” The athlete cut her off. “Exactly. You don’t know. You can’t know. Just like I can’t know what it’s like to be turned into someone’s zombie minion. And yet you wanna sit there and call me selfish for acting on experiences you don’t get? I didn’t do that to you, so what makes you think it’s okay to pull that crap with me?” “Rainbow Dash, it ain’t like that!” Lyra stepped in. “Look, I’m sorry if we offended you, w-” “Don’t.” One little word, and Lyra’s whole train of thought was cut off. “Don’t apologize for anything,” Rainbow Dash told her, her glare having softened only slightly. “I don’t want your apologies. Just don’t try to talk me out of this, because there’s nothing you can say or do that’ll convince me.” “But… you’ve dealt with her the whole time she's been here, just like us,” Bon-Bon said, still trying to keep some footing in this argument. “You've seen and felt every bit of it! Doesn’t that mean anything? Doesn’t that bother you at all, everything she’s done?” “… Do you honestly think that hasn’t crossed my mind?” The two girls went silent at that, looking to Rainbow Dash, as if begging her to continue. “I don’t know if you were able to see this, but Sunset tried to incinerate me and my friends last night,” she said slowly, letting the words hang on the air a bit. “While she was a demon, she was ready to march you all to your deaths. But what she did to me and my friends was direct. “I was up until the sun rose, just thinking about that, replaying last night in my head. I didn’t get any sleep at all, because I was reconciling the fact that despite living through that – that despite adding that to the ocean of bullshit she’s put everyone through – that I still want to give her a chance. To reach out and try to help her.” Taking a deep breath, Rainbow Dash shook her head, and looked to the girls, the tiredness in her eyes starting to show. “I’ll ask one more time,” she said, the finality in her tone clear. “Can you imagine what that must feel like?” Neither girl answered. They couldn’t even meet Rainbow Dash’s eyes anymore. “Listen, if you don’t want to forgive Sunset, I respect that. You have your reasons, and they’re completely justified. But I have my own reasons for why I want to give her a chance. My own reasons for why when I find her, I’m GOING to give her a chance.” Not even sparing the two a second glance, the star athlete turned her back, and ended with “And if you can’t respect that the same way I respect your reasons… then I don’t know what to tell you.” With nothing more to say, Rainbow Dash walked away, leaving the other two in a stunned silence. She didn’t know where she would search next, but her resolve was stronger than ever now. It didn’t matter how long it took. If she kept searching, eventually, she’d find a clue. “That was quite the rousing speech, Miss Dash. I had no idea you could be so articulate.” … Or she could find her vice-principal. That worked too. Luna stepped forward, with a surprisingly warm smile on her face, and many bags on her arms. It didn’t take a genius to figure out the implications. “That makes two of us. How much did you hear?” “Everything up to and including Miss Bon-Bon saying no one wanted to find my niece.” “Yeah, well I disagree wit-… Wait, did you say ‘niece’?” Luna nodded. “Well, in truth, Celestia hasn’t adopted Sunset yet, though I’d still like to think of her as such.” Rainbow Dash snapped her fingers, as if a realization had hit her. “Ah. So that’s why you didn’t just expel her on the spot.” “Well, that, and no one would believe the reason for her expulsion anyway. Though obviously, I couldn’t just let her deed go completely unpunished.” “Of course. But if you’re family, then you gotta know where she lives, right?” “I do, as a matter of fact,” Luna said, her expression hardening slightly. “However, if I tell you, the information is to remain strictly confidential. The last thing myself or my sister needs is a group of disgruntled students or parents at our doorstep. Can you promise me that?” “Scout’s honor!” The vice-principal smiled softly, placing a hand on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder. “Then follow me. I’ll take you to Sunset.” Author's Note LyraBon! Yay! This was an interesting chapter to write for a number of reasons, and most of them relate back to that scene. Being perfectly honest, I didn't pick them for any specific reason, I just needed someone to oppose Rainbow Dash here. It honest-to-god could have been anyone, but the first ponies to come to mind were the power couple. Oh well, suppose that's fitting, pride month and all. I honestly had a great time and a great challenge in writing the argument scene, because it was interesting to write it from the perspective of Rainbow Dash knowing, and openly acknowledging, that the hurt Lyra, Bon-Bon and everyone else is feeling is valid. I'm pretty proud of it, all things considered. So now, we come to the end of the second chapter, where it seems like things are looking up for Rainbow Dash. Tune in next time, to see where the results of Luna's interference takes us.
Confrontations and ConversationsSilence engulfed the room, as its lone inhabitant stared at the ceiling above, silently replaying the events of earlier in her head. She still couldn’t believe it, honestly. How had she never put it together? Was she too busy during matches to make the connection? ‘Well, it’s not like I really thought about Priz when we weren’t playing Street Fighter,’ she reminded herself. But saying that only made her feel worse. Priz had been the closest thing she had to a friend before the incident, and now that bridge was probably little more than a pile of ash. ‘But still, Rainbow Dash sounded pretty excited when she’d found out…’ No, she couldn’t let herself think like that. It was fake excitement, and Sunset knew it. It had been nearly 3 hours since the incident, and it had left her completely drained. Nothing caught her attention, not her video games, not the internet, not her books. She’d just sat there, letting her mind drift back to everything she’d done. And every single instance of herself being mean to Rainbow Dash and company specifically. Looking back on it, she had been right to fear them. They had the Elements of Harmony, they embodied some of the most powerful forces in Equestria. Yet she genuinely thought she could win? Demon powers or no, she was just one mare. One mare who was clearly never meant for that kind of power… “I’m such a fuck up,” Sunset said to no one in particular. “I can’t believe I ever thought I was good enough for…” No amount of willpower could let her finish that sentence, and no amount of sadness let her shed even a single tear. She wanted nothing more than to admit to it and bawl her eyes out, but just like earlier, it seemed that this strange high she was under was trying its damnedest to keep her calm. It was almost ironic, wanting to be an emotional wreck, but that was how she felt right now. Her frustrations, however, would continue to grow, as a knock on her door could be heard. “Come in,” she uttered weakly. Slowly, the door creaked open, and the despondent girl saw her ‘aunt’ Luna there. She seemed to have a smile on her face, but for what, Sunset had no clue. “Glad to see you’re resting,” Luna told her. “I cannot imagine how much that blast must have hurt.” Sunset sighed. ‘Hurt’ wasn’t the proper word, but then again, she didn’t know what the proper word even was. Still though, the concern shown was kind of nice. No one knew how doting Luna could be outside of work, but right now, it was appreciated. Honestly, the former unicorn was beginning to feel like she’d taken it for granted. “I do have some news though, Sunset. News that I think will brighten your day.” “What? Did you get me some chocolate or something?” Sunset asked, making a half-hearted attempt at a joke. Luna shook her head, but her smile was still strong. “There’s someone here who’d like to see you. I believe you know her better as ‘Priz’?” That all-too-familiar chill ran up Sunset’s spine, as she jolted upright and looked to Luna like she’d grown a second head. Rainbow Dash was here? That just didn’t add up in the poor girl’s mind. But sure enough, her vice-principal moved out of the way, and there, waiting in the doorway, was the school’s resident athlete and new hero. ‘How fitting, I suppose. The hero came to confront the villain…’ “I’ll leave you two alone, I have to go help Tia with dinner,” Luna announced. “Are you fine with vegetarian, Rainbow Dash?” “That’s cool with me,” the teen answered. “Wait, you’re staying for dinner!?” Sunset sputtered. "Y-you can't just spring that on Celestia like that." "Actually, she was the one who suggested it first." Stunned silence was Sunset's only answer, mostly because she knew that was exactly the kind of thing Celestia would pull. Luna grinned and closed the door behind her. While she had no idea how well this would go, she had confidence in Rainbow Dash. The girl seemed determined enough to reach Sunset, and she clearly wouldn’t stop until she’d made her point. She’d just have to hope Sunset actually listened. The tension in the air was palpable, as Sunset looked to Rainbow Dash with a mix of confusion and sadness. The rainbow-headed teen was the first one to try and break this tension. “So,” she said, placing her hands in her pockets. “You feelin’ okay?” Sunset looked away. “Am I feeling okay? Are you kidding me right now?” Rainbow winced, but otherwise was unfaltering. She grabbed the chair by Sunset’s desk, turned it around and sat down. “You’re right, that was a stupid question,” said Rainbow. “I got a better one: Are you happy to see me?” The redhead didn’t even have to think about that one. “I’m more confused than anything. Why are you here?” “Are you serious? Girl, you dc’d and went offline when you found out it was me. Of course, I was gonna be worried. I spent the last two hours or so trying to find you.” “You ever consider I didn’t want to be found?” Rainbow shrugged. “Y'know, Bon-Bon said the same thing right before I gave her the third degree.” Sunset’s eyes widened. “You did WHAT!?” The athlete raised her hands placatingly. “No no, it wasn’t that bad! I just… well, we got into an argument. Honestly, I say ‘third degree’, but… I’m actually surprised at myself. It was like, no matter how angry I was, I couldn’t bring myself to yell at her. Like something in me was keeping me calm.” That part right there got Sunset’s attention. So, it wasn’t just her, then. The Element bearers were feeling it too. Part of her supposed that made sense, as it seemed to be the through-line for it all. They’d all represented an Element, and despite being in a different state of mind, she’d heard them clearly. A hypothesis began to form in her head, and before she knew it, she’d voiced it aloud. “I think that was the Elements’ residual magic in you,” Sunset explained, a small well of frustration building within her. “You’re still feeling the high from last night, from when you used the Element of Loyalty. And I'm still feeling the aftereffects of taking that directly to the face.” “Really?” Rainbow asked, looking to her hands. “So, like, the Element is still with me?” Sunset nodded, still not willing to meet the girl’s gaze. “Don’t worry. I’m sure the high will wear off, and it’ll all go back to normal. I’ll go back to being that scheming bitch, and you can go back to hating me, just like everyone else…” Silence reigned supreme, as Sunset continued to find more interest in her bedsheets. Had she found the strength to look at Rainbow Dash, she might have been surprised at what she saw. “Sunset…” she asked, looking a bit hurt. “I don’t think you want to go back to being that girl. Am I right about that?” “Maybe… but it’s not like I have a choice.” “There’s always a choice,” Rainbow told her reassuringly. “And you’re not alone. You’ve got friends to hel-” “But we’re not friends!” protested Sunset, a twinge of sadness in her voice. Rainbow Dash dared not say anything, seeing Sunset shrink into herself, avoiding her gaze as if her life depended on it. The despondent look she wore said it all, though. Patiently, she waited for Sunset to elaborate, and eventually, the redhead found the strength to speak again. “… You’re only doing this because Twilight told you to. I don’t know anything about friendship, but even I know that’s not a friend. That’s a glorified parole officer, at best.” And there it was, exactly what Rainbow Dash had been worried about. Part of her had already assumed that Sunset was privy to their conversation with Princess Twilight last night. It was the other big reason she was up as long as she was, as she agonized over the possibility of the former unicorn dismissing them. It seemed distinctly believable that Sunset would view this as her being a charity case for them, and that scared Rainbow even more than the possibility of being burned alive. Even now, she wasn’t sure of the words to convince her would-be friend otherwise. But she was going to try. “Sunset, look at me. Please…” The girl didn’t initially, but even after half a minute, Rainbow Dash did not give up. Eventually, Sunset’s resolve was weakened, and she did what was asked of her. Finally, they were able to look each other in the eyes. Teal met magenta, and sadness met determination. “Even if the high wears off,” Rainbow started, voice dripping with resolve. “I won’t abandon you. Even if Twilight hadn’t directly asked me to, I would have been here.” “How can you know that, though?” she questioned. “How can you be so assured it’s really you? What if it’s the Element’s doing, and has nothing to do with what you want?” Without even an ounce of hesitation, Rainbow Dash shook her head, crossing her arms as if in defiance of the very notion. Sunset always did ask the hard questions, and no amount of guilt took away her ability to shake others. But CHS’ star athlete would not be shaken today. “I’m doing this because I want to do this. I might not know nothin’ about magic, but I know what I’m about. And if the Element is making that stronger right now, well… Loyalty picked me for a reason, right?” Reaching out once more in a desperate attempt to get through to her, Rainbow Dash put her hand on Sunset’s shoulder, and offered her a comforting smile. Already, she could see the pain in the girl’s eyes, and somewhere within, that made her heart hurt too. “Sunset, I get why it looks fake to you,” Rainbow said. “Believe me, I was up all night thinking on this. But this is what I really feel. I’m here for you, and I know the others feel the same.” “… But it doesn’t make any sense.” Sunset choked out, feeling her emotions well up to a point where even the high couldn’t fully tame them. “After everything I’ve done to you - to everyone - you want to try and help me? What could possibly make you think I’m worth that effort!?” “… Well, I can’t speak for the others on that front. But do you wanna hear my reason?” Sunset said nothing, only offering a simple nod. Rainbow Dash took in a deep breath, feeling that same intense warmth from her chat with Bon-Bon. Only this time, it was not burning, but rather enveloping her. The words came to her, as she exhaled, all of her worry washing away. “Sunset… I saw friendship perform miracles,” Rainbow Dash said, merely saying it out loud making the warmth feel even stronger. “It fixed what was broken faster than I thought was possible. It let us win against impossible odds. It protected us from death, let us sprout wings and fly, let us use powerful magic. And it turned you back from that demon you became to the human sitting in front of me. I watched it do all of that with my own two eyes…” The athlete leaned in, placing her hand on Sunset’s knee. The other girl looked to her in shock, and Rainbow Dash offered the warmest smile she could muster. “And I’m supposed to believe it can do all that, but it can’t help one girl who’s in a bad way find a better one?” To say that Sunset Shimmer was dumbfounded would have been an understatement. Yet, even so, some part of her could feel the conviction in the other girl’s words, and part of her could genuinely believe them. From within, a warmth of her own started building up, and she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. And then, Rainbow continued. “And if all it takes to start you on that better way is to give you a chance,” she explained. “To extend the hand of friendship, then I say ‘Hell yeah! Sign me up!’ And no amount of Loyalty magic, or lack of it, is gonna change that! I want to give you that chance to be better. I want to try to be your friend. All I need is for you to let me in.” The floodgates broke, and before Sunset knew it, she was crying again, for the first time since last night. She practically threw herself into Rainbow Dash, hugging her like she’d never hugged anyone before. And to her surprise, it felt good, especially as she reciprocated the gesture. She had no idea how long they sat there for. But it was long enough. Long enough for the warmth to completely overtake them, and long enough for Sunset to truly believe. “Th-thank you, Rainbow Dash,” Sunset whispered. “I-I just… thank you so much.” Rainbow smiled. “What else are friends for?” The former bully allowed herself a small smile, wiping away a stray tear. “I'm certain I haven’t completely changed, and I know once this wears off, I’m going to start feeling those old feelings, but I promise I won’t squander this. I… I really do want to be a better person, I just… I’m worried I can’t change fast enough.” “Maybe you can’t, but I think I’ve made it clear where I stand. Besides, it’s… actually strangely comforting to know you haven’t done a complete one-eighty. That lets me know it’s really you wanting to do this, y’know?” Honestly, Sunset wasn’t sure what to say to that. It sounded insane at first, but the more she ruminated on it, the more it made sense. This was magic even she barely understood. She could only imagine how much it worried them to not know its capabilities. Still though, she was glad her new friend was understanding. ‘Friend…’ she mused, remembering the conversation with Twilight the night before. ‘Twilight said I can seek out the Magic of Friendship, or I can be alone. I wonder if she’d be proud of Rainbow Dash here. She’s helping me take the first step, after all. And if the others really feel the same…’ Then, suddenly a thought occurred to Sunset. Rainbow Dash had said that the other girls all felt the same. That dulled the warmth slightly, replaced instead by a twinge of fear. But… maybe there was a solution? “Hey Rainbow Dash?” “You know can just call me ‘Rainbow’ if you’d like, right?” the other girl interrupted. “Or ‘Dash’, or even RD. All my friends can.” “Right, sorry,” Sunset continued, rubbing her arm in mild embarrassment. “Anyway, Dash. Friends… share things with each other, right?” “Yeah, they do?” she answered, giving Sunset a concerned look. “Is something wrong?” “Well, kind of. Can I, um… confide in you?” “Have at it.” The fact that her new friend didn’t hesitate at all on her answer was huge for Sunset. With slightly bolstered confidence, the girl got back on her bed, and looked Rainbow dead in the eyes. “Okay, so here’s the thing,” she said, trying not to stutter. “I really do want to try, but… I’m kind of scared to face all of you at once. L-like it’s nothing against you guys, it’s jus-” “Too many bad memories?” Sunset nodded, feeling a slight bit of shame, but also some relief at being able to get it out in the open like that. When she looked back up, Dash was on her phone, and gestured for Sunset to come over and look at it. Hesitantly, she walked over, and on the screen she saw the following: RD: Good news I found Sunset! RD: And she wants to try being friends with us! At first, Sunset thought nothing of it. Then the messages started coming in. AJ: That’s wonderful, Sugarcube! I can’t wait to see her! R: I concur, that’s fantastic! F: I’m really glad she’s okay. I was starting to worry. PP: That’s great! I can’t wait to throw her a big ‘We Forgive You and We’re Glad You’re Our Friend Now’ party! Rainbow Dash said nothing throughout this whole ordeal, giving Sunset time to digest the incoming messages. They really did seem happy about it. Like obviously with a text, it could just be fake happiness, but considering how well it was going with Dash, part of her was inclined to believe. What Dash texted next, however, solidified it. RD: There is something else tho RD: She’s nervous about meeting us all at once RD: She was hoping we could do one-on-one sessions before we hang out as a group The words ‘several people are typing’ popped up, and not long after, a flurry of messages hit her in quick succession. PP: Okie dokie lokie! Just gimme a call when she wants to see me! R: I’ve no issue with that. The last thing I want is to overwhelm her, darling. AJ: Whenever she’s feeling ready to see me, I’m up for it. Rain or shine. F: I understand completely. Please tell Sunset that she can take as long as she needs. I won’t rush her. “… Wow.” Dash grinned, the sheer shock in that one syllable almost being amusing. Again, she knew Sunset was new to this whole thing, so she wasn’t going to hold it against her, but it was clear they had a lot of work to do. Which gave her an idea. “And, since I’m already here,” she told the redhead with an implying tone. “You wouldn’t happen to have a second PS3 controller, would you?” “I do actually,” Sunset answered, pulling them out. “Sometimes Luna and I play together. Why?” “Well, you up for some more Street Fighter?” “... Oh? O-oh, sure! But um… I should warn you, I’m not really sure who I’ll be picking.” “I take it you were trying to avoid your mains earlier?” Sunset nodded, looking down to the floor. “Yeah. I don’t know, I’m just not feeling Adon or Master Bison anymore. I see too much of myself in them…” Suddenly, Dash put her arm around Sunset, giving her a reassuring smile. “Well then, we’ll just find you a new main! We’ll see who catches the new Sunset’s eye!” “The new Sunset, huh?” she mused, turning on the console with a small smile. “Yeah… let’s do it.” Author's Note Would you believe me if I said this wasn't the end? Now, this would probably be the point where any normal person would cut it off, seeing as the two actually did get to meet up and talk it through. However, I am not a normal person, and I had one more idea in mind, that you'll get to see next time. As for this, well, I'm sure it's obvious this was the funnest chapter for me to write. I've had that whole 'friendship performing miracles' speech prepared for a long time, and I'm glad I finally got the chance to use it. It just feels to me like if they were going to be assured for trying to help her from the word 'go', then this would be the reasoning. Anyway, I've rambled long enough, and I'm going to rest. Like always, if you liked this, feel free to leave a like or comment. Next time, we shall get to see what this madman has in store.
Demons and DinosaursHad you told Sunset Shimmer 24 hours ago that she’d still be in the human world, playing video games with Rainbow Dash, she would have laughed in your face and called you an idiot. Funny how quickly things change. It was about 9 at night, with the last 4 hours or so basically being non-stop Street Fighter, their only respite being when they went down for dinner. After a hearty serving of vegetarian chowder (a personal favorite since Sunset came to Earth), they continued their experimentation, the red-haired girl trying out every single character in the roster. Eventually, she found someone she could stick with, in the form of Sakura. To her surprise, there were quite a few characters she was decent with – even Dan, who, after a few rounds, she realized could actually be kind of funny – but Sakura’s whole story spoke to her. Much like Sunset herself, she was a student, and her eagerness to impress Ryu warmed her heart. And maybe provided some inspiration for how she wanted her next meeting with Twilight to go. Perhaps with enough effort, she could end up making at least one princess proud of her. The night was nearing its apex as the two girls were locked in what would be their final match. Sunset blocked Yun’s attack on the screen, and countered with a quick jab, followed by a low heavy kick. Because it knocked Yun down, that gave her a chance to unleash a Super move. With about half a bar left and enough meter in her Ultra gauge, Sunset did the classic input that she knew by heart as a ‘Shotokan’ staple. Down, forward. Down, forward. And the button for all three punches. “Ah, no!” Dash exclaimed, seeing the cinematic play out on the other side of the screen. “Oh yeah, Dash!” Sakura’s ‘Shinku Hadoken’ shot out, catching Yun as soon as he stood up, and dealing the last bit of damage needed for Sunset to take the round. Yun’s scream could be heard as he fell to the ground, and the victory animation played, giving a much-needed sense of accomplishment for the former bully. “Alright, alright, not bad,” the athlete said, patting Sunset on the back. “Seems you’ve found a new main, huh?” “Maybe. I think I might try a couple of others though. I also really kind of liked Fei Long.” Rainbow Dash chuckled, before looking at the clock. “Well, as much as I’d love to keep this up, I really need to get home. But still, thanks for letting me in, Sunset.” To this, Sunset smiled. “I should be the one thanking you, Dash. I didn’t believe it was possible but… well, you’ve opened my mind a little.” “Well, don’t expect me to give too many speeches like that once this whole thing wears off. I’m not usually this good with words.” Sharing one last giggle and a quick hug between them, Rainbow Dash was taken home by Luna, and Sunset was given a chance to finally ruminate on all that had happened today. And boy howdy, what a day it had been. She didn’t dare call this the best day of her life, but the latter half of it was up there. What should have been impossible had been handed to her on a silver platter, all because of one stubborn athlete who genuinely seemed to believe there was hope for Sunset Shimmer. She should have had every right to hate her former tormentor, but instead, she planned to stand by her. And now that she knew that, the last thing Sunset wanted was to let her down. Letting out a slight yawn, Sunset realized all that excitement had genuinely drained her. Unfortunate, too, considering she had so much to think about. Like how tomorrow, she had something to look forward to, and now she had to start planning to meet the other girls one-on-one. The main problem was she had no clue where to begin, and no idea what she should even offer to do with them. But with another yawn escaping her lips, Sunset gave in, and let her head hit the pillow. Perhaps she could sleep on it. Sunset awoke not in her bed, but rather on a cold hard ground, staring at the blankest, most empty ceiling she’d ever seen. It seemed to go on forever, like an endless void, matching everything else in whatever direction she looked. “Okay, not what I was expecting in my dreams tonight.” A cursory glance around the area gave her no info, and yet it seemed to her like she should have been looking for something. But where her eyes failed, her ears succeeded, detecting a sound in the distance. What it was, she couldn’t entirely tell, but it was coming from behind her. Sure enough, looking back revealed a small blotch of red in the distance, and a small pit in her stomach formed. Without even knowing for sure what it was, Sunset had a hunch, and stepped forward, some part of her wanting confirmation. Slowly but surely, each step brought her closer to both the sight and the sound. First thing to become clear was the noises, which were nothing more than growling. Not like a beast, but rather like a person pretending to be an animal. Second thing to become clear were the streaks of yellow that only made Sunset’s unease grow. After what felt like a few minutes (though she really had no idea, given how weird dreams could be), the truth was revealed, and it was exactly as Sunset had feared. Sitting there, on a leather couch in the middle of the void, was her. Or rather, a form of her. One she’d hoped she’d never see again. But… something about her was off. Was her hair different? And why was she in pajamas? “‘Roar, I’m gonna eat you!’” the Demon said, a lax smile on her face as she brought a toy T-rex’s jaw over to a toy triceratops. “‘Ah, no!’ Heh heh… these things rule.” The dark creature looked to her human self, and Sunset tensed at what that could mean. She saw those black sclera and it reminded her how distinctly inhuman she had been only a night before. Now the beast was staring her down, and she had nowhere to run… “Oh hey, you made it,” Demon Sunset said. “Good on ya. I’ve just been playing dinosaurs, you wanna join me?” Hearing that made Sunset grateful she wasn’t drinking anything, because she would have spit it out on the spot. Of all the things her Demon form could have said to her, that one was so far out of left field that she was pretty sure it came from a different stadium. On a different continent. “I-I’m sorry, what?” Sunset sputtered. “Well, we gotta do something while we’re asleep, right?” Demon Sunset asked innocently. “And this is all I got for now. I might get more, but I dunno.” “… Where did you even get those? Why is there a couch in my mind?” The Demon shrugged, still smiling like an idiot. “Don’t know. Still though, it’s comfy. So are these jammy jams.” Sunset raised an eyebrow at that. “You know, I feared I’d see you again, but this was not what I was expecting.” “Well, I wasn’t expecting a couch or toy dinosaurs, but hey, we got ‘em. You want one?” “NO!” Sunset protested. “You will,” the Demon declared smugly. “No one can say no to dinosaurs.” “… Okay, what’s up with you?” Her dark counterpart tilted her head, looking at Sunset as if she’d asked a far more difficult question than what was actually asked. The confusion on her face didn’t last very long though, as she just went back to her dinosaurs, earning the ire of her human self. “Hey! I was talking to you!” “Well, I don’t know what you meant by that,” Demon Sunset answered, jabbing the T-rex with her triceratops. “Like, ‘what’s up with me’? That’s kind of a vague question. Do you mean like, why am I here? Or do you mean like, why am I doing this?” “Well… both, I guess?” Sunset shrugged, furrowing her brow at her other’s antics. “And why do you seem so… mellow?” There was a brief silence, as her monstrous caricature placed the playthings to her side, leaning back into the plush leather. She grinned, and Sunset could see that while the demon had fangs still, they were far less pronounced than she remembered. “Well, why I’m here first,” Demon Sunset said. “That one’s real easy: I never left.” ‘Okay, yeah, that tracks,’ she thought. “I know, don’t it?” Sunset took a step back. She was about to ask how the Demon knew what she was thinking before it occurred to her. They were in her mind. No shit her thoughts could be heard. “Anyway,” Demon Sunset explained, shifting on the couch to get comfortable. “After we got destroyed at the Fall Formal last night, I’ve just been here. All I remember is getting hit by a giant rainbow blast. And now everything’s… just great.” “Oh my god. I don’t-… I’m not even sure what to say to that.” In truth, soon as Sunset heard that, she tried to stifle a chuckle. The idea of a raging she-demon brought down by getting her high was quite amusing, loath as she was to admit it. “Why? Were you expecting something of me?” Demon Sunset asked. “Well…” Sunset rubbed the back of her head. “Guess I was imagining you’d be a little more ‘haunt my nightmares’ and a little less ‘want to play dinos with me’.” “Well, why would I want to do that?” “Well, I don’t know, I guess-… like, aren’t you an evil me or something?” Demon Sunset barely moved, but her human self could see that the word ‘evil’ brought her a mild discomfort. She looked away from Sunset for a second, her smile faded. “I don’t mean to sound mean or anything, but YOU were the evil you,” her Demon half said, voice barely above a mumble. “I’m just you after you put on the Element of Magic.” A sea of emotions ran through Sunset at that declaration, and she couldn’t even look her Demon side in the eyes anymore. With no semblance of time, it was impossible to tell how long they’d avoided each other’s gaze. It could have been hours, or it could have been seconds. All she knew was that the Demon found the strength to look at her first. “But that’s okay,” she said. “We’re not evil anymore. And plus, once the high wears off, we’ll be even less evil. Because by then, our friends will have helped us a lot. Well, unless it wears off tomorrow, but today was pretty fun with Rainbow Dash, right?” Sunset’s eyes widened. “You knew about th-… wait, what am I saying? Of course, you’d know about that if you never left.” “Careful, someone’s learning,” the Demon joked. “But seriously girl, I saw everything. And I felt everything. All that sad junk you felt? I felt that too. Same with all the happy sappy stuff you had with Dashie.” “All of it?” Sunset asked. Demon Sunset nodded. “All of it.” “Even the part where I laughed so hard at Rainbow’s story that my drink came out my nose?” “Especially that part, babe. Felt weird as hell, but it was worth it.” Once again, Sunset was face-to-face with something that simply made too much sense, despite the insanity of it all. First it was Dash, but now it was herself. Still though, it added up that if they were truly the same person, she’d feel everything. But even so… “So, what happens to you, then? Are you just going to be stuck in my mind for the rest of my life?” Demon Sunset shrugged. “I think I’ll just fade away over time, so don’t worry, I won’t be here forever.” “And you’re okay with that?” “Sunset, what part of ‘I’m you’ did you not get?” To that, Sunset looked away. “… Kinda hard to reconcile that when we’re having a conversation.” The Demon chuckled and looked her human half dead in the eyes. Despite the dilated pupils and generally laid-back demeanor, Sunset could see a familiar spark of something behind them. Thankfully, it was a spark of something she didn’t actually hate about herself right now. “I don’t mind, really,” she said, her smile almost as strong as Rainbow Dash’s had been. “I’m part of you, Sunset Shimmer. I’m you, just different. You’re Sunset and I’m SunDOWN. I’m Vesper. I’m Evening. I’m… Evening. Even. -Ing. Making things even. Yeah… that’s who I am.” Sunset blinked in confusion, and Demon Sunset blinked in kind. “… What was I talking about?” Demon Sunset asked. “Whatever it was, it made about as much sense as anything else today.” Finally giving in, Sunset decided to sit down on the couch. A wave of levity enveloped her as the leather seemed to have the perfect amount of give, making the sofa far more comfortable than she’d been expecting. Hell, it was even more comfy than the couch out in her living room, and that was saying something. But hey, she could work with that. “I guess if you’re not going to fuck with me, then you’ll just be here to remind me where I was. I can live with that, Eventide.” The Demon looked to Sunset upon hearing that. “Eventide?” Sunset offered a small smile. “I am NOT calling you ‘Demon Me’ if we ever talk again. You’re Eventide now.” Eventide smiled as well. “I like it. Sounds all fancy and old-fashioned.” “Heh, I figured you would.” The two Sunsets sat there in contentment at the situation they’d found themselves in, as a silence settled in between them. Suddenly, all of the problems in her real life seemed a little smaller, as she found this small bit of relief within her own mind and heart. It was genuinely nice to know that her own inward fights wouldn’t be quite as difficult as she thought. Still though, now that she was here, that left one last question. “So… what now?” Eventide looked to Sunset. “What’dya mean?” “Well, we’re stuck here until I wake up, so what do we do?” “… Wanna play dinosaurs?” Sunset rolled her eyes. “You’re really not going to let that go, are you?” “C’mon, you can be triceratops,” Eventide offered, waving the toy in front of her human half. “I know he’s your favorite.” Maybe it was the adorable figure she was looking at, or maybe it was the boredom that she knew would come from sitting there for Celestia only knows how long. But eventually, Sunset relented, grabbing the triceratops, and earning an excited squeal from Eventide. And so, they sat there, playing dinosaurs. Once again, definitely not what Sunset had been expecting her dreams tonight. But after the unbelievable day she’s had, maybe that was a good thing. Author's Note So there you have it, that's where this madman decides to end his fic. I've read quite a few Sunset redemption fics that have her Demon half appear, and with the premise I'm going with, I had a silly idea come to mind. So, I decided to share it with you guys. Obviously, I know nothing about being stoned, but this isn't a normal high either, so I feel like there's some leeway. Either way, it was super fun to write. And yes, if I continue on the Sunset side of the Obsession-verse, Eventide will make another appearance. Thank you all so much for reading, this is my first multi-chapter fic that I've finished on this site. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope I've made a returning reader out of you. Until next time!
