Destiny of Sunrise
Written by: Wakin Up
Chapter 1: Sunrise Shimmer
Over twenty years ago, Sunset Shimmer emerged from a portal that connected her harmonious world of ponies, pegasi, and unicorns to a dimension of humans. Initially, her arrival in the human world was marked by feelings of awkwardness and isolation. Adapting to a completely different world with a different form was a challenging and daunting endeavor. However, as time passed, she found herself becoming more and more accustomed to her new surroundings.
In her new life as a teenage girl, Sunset quickly picked up the ways of her human counterparts, even a bit too well. She learned how to navigate the human world, achieving her goals with cunning and manipulation. In the following years, her primary goal was to obtain and harness the power of a crown stolen from her homeworld, Equestria. She sought to use this magical crown to seize control of Canterlot High School and essentially dominate Equestria. Sunset Shimmer aimed to establish herself as a powerful and feared figure, employing manipulation, intimidation, and disrespect to maintain her authority.
In a climactic showdown, the power of friendship triumphed over Sunset Shimmer's dark ambitions. Her quest to harness the power of the stolen crown was thwarted, and she experienced a profound revelation. In that moment, Sunset understood the grievous errors of her ways, realizing that genuine connections and true friendship were far more powerful than any magic she had sought.
Her transformation from a ruthless antagonist to a kind and caring individual marked the turning point in her life. She set out to be a beacon of light in the lives of others, determined to mend the relationships she had damaged. The once-feared bully was now on a path of redemption and personal growth.
After graduating from Canterlot High, Sunset and her six friends established the Friendship Agency, an organization with a dedicated mission to manage and harness the magic present in the human world. Their relentless efforts were focused on protecting humanity from the magical calamities around the world and promoting unity among the people.
Many years had gone by and Sunset Shimmer remained in the human world, going on countless magic adventures with her friends and allies. She was soon given the unexpected surprise in bringing a new life in this world, which brought her both joy and unease. The world was shifting into darker territory due to the emergence of black magic, a dark form of magic birthed from misery and despair. The raw power of black magic destroyed the pure magic that was brought into this world. Eventually the world fell into darkness and society became fractured.
During this time, on the first day of spring, Sunset Shimmer brought a baby girl into the world. She was given the name "Sunrise Shimmer” as her gentle appearance contrasted her mother's edgier persona. However, the joy of Sunrise's birth was overshadowed by the tragic loss of Sunset as the former unicorn’s life came to an end. The newborn baby was alone in this world as her mother was now gone, and her father had completely gone down the path of darkness. The Principal of Canterlot High School, Celestia, stepped up to be the guardian of Sunset’s baby girl, who has been under her care since.
MONDAY - SEPTEMBER 7, 2037.
The morning light gently filters through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the living room. Celestia lies peacefully on the sofa, her chest rising and falling in rhythm with her steady breaths. She must've fallen asleep on the couch after returning home late last night from her evening job. She has to work quite often these days, especially due to caring for a child alone.
Celestia's eyes fluttered open and she was greeted by the comforting sound of humming emanating from the kitchen. She had heard the same tune many times before from the same source. Slowly rising from the sofa, she adjusts to the stiffness in her aging body, surprised to find herself cocooned in a fleece blanket. It must have been placed on her while she was sleeping. “What time did I get home last night?” She asked herself.
Approaching the kitchen, Celestia discovers the source of the melodious tune. In the kitchen stands a young girl, her hands deftly moving as she prepares coffee with a soft smile on her face. The girl had short hair that was a soft shade of pink with streaks of sunny yellow. Her bright purple eyes had a unique phenomenon of shimmering in light. Celestia gazes at her with a look of tender affection, marveling at how quickly the baby she adopted has grown.
"Good morning, Sunrise," Celestia greets calmly.
Sunrise stopped her humming and turned to her guardian with an innocent smile. "Oh, good morning, Mom," she responds cheerfully. "I'm making coffee for the first time!"
“That tune you were just humming.” Celestia said. “You've been humming that same tune your whole life. I always wondered where exactly you heard it from.”
“I donno either.” Sunrise said. She turned back to the coffee, her short hair swaying in motion. “I just know it somehow.”
Celestia chuckles softly. "On another note, I appreciate the fleece blanket." she remarks as she walks in the kitchen. “I had another late night last night.”
"Why do you have to work another job?" Sunrise inquires. "Aren't you already a principal?"
Celestia smiles warmly. "In today's economic climate, it doesn't hurt to earn some extra income. Now, I'm ready for that coffee."
Sunrise beams with pride, eager for Celestia to try her creation. "Today we have iced Colombian roast with oat milk and three pumps of vanilla swirl!" she announces excitedly.
As Celestia takes a sip of the coffee, her eyes widen in surprise at the taste.
"So? How is it?" Sunrise asks eagerly, her eyes shimmering with anticipation.
"It's good, sweetie," Celestia replies softly.
Sunrise presses for honesty. "C'mon, be honest."
"Okay, you want the honest truth?" Celestia asks teasingly.
"Yes!" Sunrise responds eagerly.
"It's bitter. Very bitter," Celestia admits gently.
Sunrise's face falls momentarily, her excitement dimming. "Aww," she moans, disappointment evident in her voice.
Celestia quickly reassures her. "It's okay, sweetie. I'm still proud of you for trying. I'm always moved by your kindness."
Sunrise's smile returns, her eyes shimmering once more.
"Now, who wants breakfast?" Celestia asks. "I know a little someone that may want my special cinnamon french toast."
Sunrise gasps with excitement. "I do," she says eagerly.
"Alright," Celestia chuckles. She began to gather the ingredients. Sunrise eagerly helps, her clumsy yet enthusiastic movements adding to the kitchen's lively atmosphere.
"So, are you excited for today?" Celestia asks as she cracks eggs into a large bowl.
"Very excited," Sunrise responds, her eyes wide with anticipation. "I've read so much about Canterlot High in the book written by Dr. Sparkle! All of the phenomena that happened two decades ago, the mysterious origins, the birth of new magic around the world."
Celestia nods, understanding Sunrise's admiration. "You sure look up to her, don't you?"
Sunrise's excitement bubbles over. "Well, yeah! She's like the greatest scientist in the world! I can't believe she was one of your students!"
Celestia smiles fondly. "Most of the heroes we had those days were my students."
"That’s so cool!" Sunrise's shimmering eyes widened in amazement.
Celestia turned and looked at Sunrise's face. “You look so much like her.” Celestia thought to herself with a smile. She turned back to the bowl of eggs and began whisking. “Yep, there was something special about some of those students. Something I was never able to figure out. But all of this was decades ago, it's all irrelevant in our world’s condition today.”
Sunrise never understood how or why the world changed so much in such a small period of time. The world is now plagued with black magic, which tears society apart more as time goes on. This has been going on since March 20th, 2023, which was the day Sunrise was born.
“Just know that the way Twilight Sparkle describes Canterlot High is not the way it is today.” Celestia explained as she placed the coated bread on the heated griddle pan. “Never thought I’d be running a high school with security at every entrance and exit, roaming every hall, or monitoring every club meeting,.” Celestia turned to look at Sunrise. “The students are not as free as they used to be, but it’s to keep you all safe.”
“Safe from what exactly?” Sunrise asked as she tilted her head.
Celestia turned back to the griddle. “Chaos.” she said softly.
“And you’re cool with me going?” Sunrise asked. “You never had me go to school until now.”
Celestia finished placing the coated bread slices as they sizzled on the griddle. “I know you will be safe. Besides, your studies are becoming more advanced, I’m working a lot more and don’t have the time to continue teaching you.” Celestia paused. “That being said, I can't keep you sheltered from society any longer. You need to meet people, and hopefully make friends. But remember, after your classes where do you go?” She asked.
“Your office.” Sunrise answered.
“Good.” Celestia said with a smile. She started flipping the french toast slices. “The french toast is almost ready. Could you set the table, please?”
Sunrise nodded. As she began setting up the table, her mind wandered on the possible adventures that await her.
***
Sunrise sat in the passenger seat of the car as Celestia drove. She gazed out of the window, spotting a few delivery drones here and there. Sunrise had always lived a sheltered life. She didn’t go out much, and whenever she did, she was with Celestia. The young girl was nervous about being alone around other people for the first time.
Celestia parked her car in the staff parking lot. “Alright, here we are,” she said, unbuckling her seatbelt. “Oh wait, you need this.” She grabbed her purse from the backseat and pulled out what looked like a smartwatch.
“What’s this?” Sunrise asked Celestia as she handed her the object.
“It’s a school identity band. You can’t enter the building without it and must have it on you at all times while in the building. It has all your information on it as well as a feature to track where you are in an emergency.”
“Track?” Sunrise’s eyes widened in concern.
“These bands connect to devices only the security team has,” Celestia explained. “It would be easier for them to find students during an evacuation.”
Sunrise gazed down at the device. “This all seems so…serious,” she said softly.
Celestia placed a hand on Sunrise's head. “You’re in good hands, sweetie.”
Sunrise smiled and put the device on her right wrist. She looked back at Celestia. “Am I good to go?” Sunrise asked.
“Yes,” Celestia said. She leaned over and planted a kiss on Sunrise’s forehead. “I love you,” she said softly with a gentle smile.
Sunrise grinned. “I love you too.”
The two exited the car, and Celestia locked it up. Sunrise looked around the campus parking lot as the wind gently blew her soft pink hair. The campus looks a lot different from the old pictures she had seen. It seemed a lot more…colorless.
“Now, you’re going to walk around to the front.” Celestia explained to Sunrise. “That is where students enter. Faculty and staff enter back here”
Sunrise nodded, and she parted ways from Celestia. As she arrived at the front of the schoolyard, she spotted the lines where teenagers were lined up to enter. They were long and ended close to a stone pedestal that caught Sunrise's attention. She walked closer to it to get to the end of one of the lines, and with each step, she felt a strong sense of intrigue. She stood in line as she waited to enter the school. Once she finally reached the entrance, Sunrise met two tall men in security uniforms that had the Wondercolt symbol on the hats.
“Wrist out,” one man said sternly.
Sunrise moved the sleeve of her white jacket to expose her right wrist where her bracelet device rested. One of the men used a device to tap it, and a check mark appeared on his screen. Her information was displayed: STUDENT. CLASS LEVEL: FRESHMAN, FULL NAME: SUNRISE SHIMMER, GENDER: FEMALE, HEIGHT: 160 cm. The man examined the information and gestured for her to move forward.
Sunrise walked through the entrance, where another security member gestured for her to walk through a tall full-body scanner. A small LED light lit up green, and the guard gestured for Sunrise to move forward. Finally, she was in the Foyer.
“This is it,” Sunrise said to herself. “Canterlot High School.” She took a moment to scan her surroundings. Students were scattered everywhere, walking around and talking. She went off to look for her locker. She found herself accidentally bumping into a student or two as she attempted to navigate the bustling hallways.
Once she found it on the second floor, she opened it and was greeted by an empty space. She sighed and took another look around. The chatter that surrounded her started to echo in her head. She took a deep breath and pulled out her phone. Her home screen displayed a selfie of her and Celestia with a birthday cake, a photo from her fourteenth birthday way back in March. Sunrise began to miss the company of her guardian as she felt navigating through so many people was overwhelming.
She unlocked her phone and went on the school’s app to find her class schedule. On the app, her first class, “Basic Communications,” was found and the room number. She tapped the classroom number, and a small image popped up displaying a map from her locker to the classroom. “ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME: 3 MINUTES” appeared at the top of the image. Her first class started in ten minutes. She put her shoulder bag in her locker and began walking to her classroom so she wouldn't be late. It’s a good thing Celestia gave her a walkthrough of the app. Technology sure has come a long way.
Sunrise walked into the room of her first class and sat at a table in the front by the window. Everybody in the classroom seemed to be in their own world, not paying much attention to each other. The class soon filled up after a few more minutes had passed. Sunrise began to stare out the window, her attention once again fixated on the pedestal outside in the middle of the schoolyard. It seemed to serve no purpose, but for some reason, Sunrise found it familiar.
“Good morning class.” A voice called out. Sunrise turned around and saw an older woman with bright green skin. Her dark green hair was tied in a single braid. “My name is Wallflower Blush, I will be your communications teacher. Before we begin, I'm going to take attendance.” She looked down at the computer on the teacher’s podium and began calling names.
Sunrise sat in her seat, mentally preparing her way of announcing her presence. It all began to feel overwhelming to her.
“Sunrise Shimmer” Wallflower called out.
"Uh…I’m here," Sunrise called out timidly, her voice barely audible. She slowly raised her hand slightly up to be noticed.
Wallflower saw the girl that was presented and paused. Her eyes widened at the sight of what seemed like such a familiar face.
“You look just like her…” Wallflower said softly.
“Like who?” Sunrise asked, making an expression of confusion.
Wallflower, caught off guard by the young girl's confusion, looked back down at the computer. “Oh, just an old friend of mine from a very long time ago.” She chuckled and looked at the names of the students.”
“Curly Fries.”
There was no response. Wallflower looked up and gazed around the classroom. “Curly Fries?” she called out again. Still no answer.
Sunrise turned to her right and noticed a girl with bluetooth pods in her ears. The girl had curly gold hair and bronze-orange skin. She looked down, obviously not paying attention. Sunrise tapped the girl's shoulder, which made her jump up.
“Sorry to bother you…” Sunrise whispered. “I think the teacher is calling you.”
The girl, beyond annoyed, took the bluetooth pods out of her ears. “What do you want?” she sneered.
“Curly Fries.” Wallflower called out with a sharp tone, causing the girl to quickly turn and gaze at the tall woman hovering over her desk.
“Present…” Curly Fries said softly.
Wallflower raised an eyebrow. “Give me one reason to put effort into your education if you can’t pay attention during attendance?”
The whole class let out an “oooh”
Wallflower walked back to her desk. “Now, class, please understand that I do not believe in confiscating belongings. I believe that success in a class is what you make it. So if you want to pass, I advise you all to behave.”
Curly Fries sneered at Sunrise, making her feel like sinking in her seat. She felt horrible, and didn't mean to rat her out. Sunrise wanted to keep as far away from This girl as possible.
Wallflower finished taking attendance and walked to the desk to face the classroom. “Now…” Wallflower continued as she turned on the smartboard. “We are not going to do much today. I'm going to put you in pairs for a presentation. I want each duo to do a small five minute presentation on something you both find interesting. Once you're in pairs, you can begin to discuss a topic.”
Wallflower began putting people in pairs. Sunrise sat frozen at her desk with her hands clasped together, hoping she would not be paired with Curly Fries. It’s not that she didn’t like her, but she feared the Curly loathed her. Sunrise thought for a moment. Maybe, if she was paired with Curly Fries, she could make up for her mistake.
“Sunrise Shimmer…” Wallflower called, causing Sunrise to wince in anticipation. “You will be paired with…Brilliant Light.”
“Huh?” Sunrise looked up, relieved that she heard a completely different name. She felt a soft tap on her shoulder. She turned and met the face of a boy with bright teal eyes behind a pair of glasses. His skin was a soft indigo and his wild hair was a deep midnight blue and dark green. He was a handsome young boy and Sunrise somehow felt she recognized him.
“Hi, I'm Brilliant Light.” He said, extending out his hand to her.
Sunrise blushed from embarrassment, not knowing what to do. “I'm Sunrise...Sunrise Shimmer.” she said softly, grabbing onto the boy's hand.
The boy shook Sunrise's hand. “Wow, that’s a beautiful name!” Brilliant Light commented with a grin. “I feel like I've heard it before…”
Sunrise smiled as she put her hands together, not knowing what to say. “So um, topic…what interests you?”
Brilliant Light gestured his finger for Sunrise to lean forward. She leaned over and Brilliant leaned close to her ear. “Magic…” he whispered.
Sunrise's eyes widened and she turned to meet his eyes. Why did this boy have an interest in magic? It only existed before the birth of this generation and has been long forgotten over time.
“Not the black magic that afflicts our society today.” Brilliant explained. “No, no. Not that. No way. I mean the magic that came into our world twenty years ago.”
“I know what you’re talking about.” Sunrise said softly. “The magic controlled by seven friends. One of them, a girl from another world, a mirror world that is nothing like ours, a world where magic is abundant.”
“I see you know a lot.” Brilliant Light said with a grin. He looked into Sunrise’s eyes and noticed something. “Your eyes…are they…shimmering?”
Sunrise quickly looked down. “Y-yeah…no idea why they do that…”
“How did such a genetic anomaly occur?” Brilliant Light asked, curiosity eminent in his face.
Sunrise shrugged. “I dunno…” she mumbled. His attention was not something she was used to.
Brilliant Light read Sunrise’s body language and sat back into his seat. Something about this girl was strange. It seems she has never interacted with another human in her life. She was definitely an odd and interesting character.
When the bell rang, desks began to creak, bags rustled, and voices murmured, signaling the end of class as students prepared to depart.
“Don't forget to work together on the topics you agreed on!” Wallflower called out. “We will be starting presentation tips tomorrow. Check your school email to purchase the ebook.”
Sunrise sat up from her seat and pushed it in the desk. She didn't bring much with her. “It was...um…nice to meet you, Brilliant Light.” She said softly. She turned and started to walk to the door.
“Wait.” Brilliant quickly got up from his seat as Sunrise turned to face him. Once they stood face to face from each other, Brilliant was once again lost in her strange eyes. “Alright so if we are going to present about magic from back then effectively, we have a lot of research to do. You wanna go to the school library after classes?”
“Oh…I can't.” Sunrise answered. “After classes I can only go to the Principal's office.”
Brilliant looked at her with confusion. “Why…that's odd.”
“That's what she, my Mom, ordered for me to do.” Sunrise said. “She wants to make sure I'm safe.”
“Wait… Principal Celestia is your mother?” Brilliant asked.
“Yes. Well. Not my MOTHER, mother.” Sunrise explained. “I'm adopted. She’s my legal guardian.” Sunrise paused and looked out of the window, her gaze falling upon the pedestal outside. “I was never told who my mother is…'' she said softly.
“I'm so sorry, Sunrise…” Brilliant Light said softly. The noise around them started to quiet down as less students were in the room. “I'll join you.” he said with a smile.
“Huh?” Sunrise looked at him.
“I'll join you in the principal's office.” Brilliant Light said as he started to walk to the door to leave the class. “My tablet has every PDF from old news articles, academic research, and my own notes I've taken over the years.”
They both started to walk. As Sunrise passed the teacher’s desk, she locked eyes with Wallflower Blush. Wallflower smiled and gave Sunrise a wave. Sunrise nervously waved back with a soft smile. She turned back to Brilliant Light, who was holding the classroom door open for her.
“Alright. I guess you know where to find me after classes.” Sunrise said with a grin. Maybe this boy has answers to her questions. The answers that were never given to her.
Brilliant Light flashed a charismatic grin, pulling down the rim of his glasses with a smooth motion. He aimed a playful wink at Sunrise. "I’ll see you later," he said with confidence and intrigue.
***
Sunrise knocked on the door to Principal Celestia’s office. “Come in,” she heard her voice call out from the other side. She opened the door and found Celestia working at her desk.
Celestia looked up and smiled. “Hey, sweetie, did you have a good first day?” she asked.
“Yeah…” Sunrise said as she closed the door behind her and walked to Celestia’s desk. “By the way, there should be a boy coming here.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow. “A boy?”
“Yeah…” Sunrise said softly as she put her hands together.
“Oh? You've already got a boy coming to see you? That was quite fast,” she teased.
“I-It’s not like that,” Sunrise blushed as she started waving both of her hands.
“I’m just teasing you,” Celestia chuckled. “So why is he coming?”
“Well, in basic communications, we were paired into groups of two, and we have to do a presentation next week on something we’re both interested in. We both have a common interest in a topic and…” Sunrise paused. “He asked if we could discuss it in the library. But I told him our deal, so he offered to come join me here.”
Celestia smiled. “A common interest…” A knock was heard at the door.
“That must be him,” Sunrise said. She ran to the door and opened it. On the other side stood Brilliant Light, holding a tablet. There was a small device hovering next to him.
“I’ve got everything we need in here!” Brilliant Light said with enthusiasm.
“What’s that?” Sunrise asked, pointing at the floating device.
“This is Spark,” Brilliant Light answered. “He is my AI drone companion. I made him myself.”
“Woah,” Sunrise said in awe. “Are you some kind of super genius?”
Brilliant Light smiled. “I take after my Mom,” he said as he walked into the office.
“Your Mom…?” Sunrise asked softly.
“Yes, well--”
“Brilliant Light?” He was caught off by Principal Celestia. “Is that you?”
“Oh, hello, Principal,” Brilliant Light said. “Yes, I’m Brilliant Light. I hope you don’t mind me working on a project with Sunrise here.”
Celestia walked closer to him and smiled. “Why, I haven’t seen you since you were a baby.”
“Huh?” Both Sunrise and Brilliant were caught off guard.
“You know me?” Brilliant asked in confusion.
“Not quite,” Celestia answered. “But I know your mother very well. She was a student here a very long time ago…” Celestia turned to Sunrise. “...and is now the greatest scientist in the world.”
Sunrise’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe it. “No way…” Sunrise turned to Brilliant Light. Upon looking at him, she saw the resemblance to the young woman in her favorite book: “The Science and Mysteries of Magic and Friendship,” written by Dr. Twilight Sparkle. “You…You’re Twilight’s son?!”
Author's Note
This story has plagued my mind for many years, and now I'm finally bringing it to life. I hope you enjoyed it!
*If you spot any errors, please DM me rather than comment. I don't have an editor and I write pretty much on my own
