Book one of "Who We Become".
Sunset always knew that she was destined for greatness, but she never dreamed of how great she could become. Not until she had seen it - the mirror had shown her as an alicorn. Ignoring Celestia's warnings, Sunset goes l...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
There was seldom any peace anymore. In the days since returning from Equestria, the world had grown harsher and colder. Day by day, things only seemed more and more bleak, and Sunset was left wondering why she bothered at all.
Every day was spent going through the motions. Sunset just did what she always did, only because she always did it. She didn't even remember what happened. She had been talking with her replacement, then she heard Celestia's voice. The next thing she knew, she was lying on her bed back at New Horizons while staring at the ceiling. It was only later that she learned there was a three day gap between the two events.
And there was the vibrating. Everywhere she went, it followed her, no longer confined to the book. A constant echoing reminder of the world that had abandoned her, a fake promise that someone was reaching out for her. It would stop only long enough for her to get used to the silence before catching her unaware.
There were other things. Despite her caution to avoid them, sometimes she would be caught off guard by a mirror. It was the last class of the day, and the girl who sat in front of her was using a pocket mirror to fix her makeup. Sunset hadn't expected it, so she hadn't avoided it. And once she noticed, it was impossible to look away.
The mirror reflected the surroundings perfectly. Nothing was there that shouldn't be, for a change, it just showed the girl applying her lipstick, and Sunset's desk positioned behind her. And that was all. Where Sunset herself should have been, there was just the chair she was sitting in, empty.
The lack of her reflection captivated her, and she didn't even realize that she was staring. Eventually, the other girl noticed though. She turned around and cheerfully asked if Sunset needed her for something.
Sunset said something as well, but she couldn't remember what it was afterwards. Whatever she'd said caused the other girl to stop looking so cheerful and turn back around, though.
The rest of the class passed by. The teacher continued talking about something, the upcoming exam or something like that. It was hard to tell, Sunset only heard some of his words. Other students seemed to be busy taking notes. Sunset wondered if she should as well, until she realized she already was. She looked down at what she had written.
I don't need me anymore. Equestria doesn't need me anymore. I thought I was going home. I don't have a home. I don't deserve a home. I have nothing. I am nothing. I will only ever be nothing. I don't need me anymore.
Sunset kept writing her notes.
A tone sounded over the intercom, alerting everyone that afternoon announcements would be made. Vice Principal Luna always ended the day. It was another voice that Sunset heard.
"Sunset Shimmer," Celestia said over the intercom. Sunset already knew which Celestia it was. "Do not think you belong in this world any more than you belong in mine. You could never belong anywhere, no one would ever want you."
