Ever since their daughter had disappeared from Canterlot, the family of Sunset Shimmer had more or less been wondering why Sunset Shimmer would do such a thing. Sunset had grown up in a really nice neighborhood, in a really nice house. But her parents Wild Fire and his wife, Solar Eclipse, were some of Canterlot's elite who always mingled around with the other elites.
While most parents who raised families in Canterlot would push their fillies and colts to pursue a certain goal, these two ponies were happy with whatever their offspring would end up doing. Sunset had magic far beyond belief and the two adult ponies knew that their daughter had a bright future ahead of her. The day that Sunset became Celestia's student was the most joyous day of their lives, but at the same time, both Wild Fire and Solar Eclipse could only wonder if a monster had been unleashed by their daughter becoming a protégé of Equestria's ruler.
"Wild Fire," sighed Solar Eclipse as she looked at the same picture of Sunset that Celestia owned. "I just can't seem to process what our Sunset Shimmer has done. Do you think that we pushed her too far?"
"Dear, you know firsthand that our daughter was trying to learn things that she wouldn't understand," replied Wild Fire as he walked into the living room. "We always preached to our children that great goals take time to be accomplished. Apparently, Sunset didn't listen to our messages and whatever she did was her own fault."
Still, Wild Fire had a desire to see Sunset again. After all, he was a pony that always wanted to have a daughter as much as he had a son. Said son had gone on to pursue a career as a firefighter in Manehattan. His son had taken his time in achieving his goals, Sunset Shimmer had not for reasons unknown.
"Maybe it was because she was impatient," said Solar Eclipse as she got out of her chair while her father looked out the window. "Our daughter just couldn't take her time and decided to abandon everything she had so wanted to seek it by force."
It was at this point that a thought crossed Solar Eclipse's mind. A lot of the attention that ran through the family was focused on their son and less on their daughter. Sunset wanted to get their attention by any means necessary and they would just ignore it. Could it be that the two of Canterlot's most elite put tons and tons of pressure on their daughter to make her act this way, or was it something else?
"Actually, Wild Fire," said Solar Eclipse sadly as she walked away from the window. "Do you think that because Sunset never made any friends here in Canterlot, she became the way she did?"
"What do you mean?" wondered Wild Fire. "Why do you say that, Solar?"
"I mean think about it," replied Solar Eclipse, talking like an observant parent would about their child's behavior. "Remember when Sun Spark would have his friends over and he enjoyed it? Sunset was always focused on her studying and trying to improve on her magic. Not once did she seem to interact with anypony, heck she never even had a make believe friend or stuffed animal she’d talk to."
At that moment, tears were beginning to form in the corners of Solar Eclipse's eyes, as the memories of her failure's to try and help her daughter become friends with other ponies started to creep back into her mind.
"Why didn't I help her?" cried Solar Eclipse, burying herself into the ground. "I should have encouraged her to make friends and I didn't."
"There was nothing you could have done, Solar," remarked Wild Fire, crouching down to his wife's level. "Making friends was something that Sunset had to do on her own. All we could have done was to have both of us at least encourage her to make friends, and we didn't. That is a mistake that we both made, there’s no denying that."
The words didn't help Solar Eclipse and she continued to cry harder into the carpet, wanting to see her daughter again after such a long time. In fact, Wild Fire also began to show a little emotion at that moment. He had always believed that he and Sunset had a special bond that couldn't be broken. But, when she disappeared from Equestria, he felt like his world had come crashing down with a tremendous force.
"I know, I know, Solar," Wild Fire whispered. "We both want our daughter to come home again. It doesn't matter if she gave up her dreams of becoming Celestia's student. We just want to see our daughter again. But that’s never going to happen, it has been years and we have not even recieved a letter. Chances are, she has forgotten all about us."
Suddenly, the sounds of knocking was heard on the door and Wild Fire got up to see who it was. Upon opening the door, he discovered a royal guardspony on the other side, taking his helmet off in respect.
"Sir Wild Fire," he said, bowing his head to Sunset's father. "We have some urgent news that you and your wife need to understand."
This caused Solar Eclipse to stop crying and get up from the carpet, a look of worry on her face for seeing this armored pony on her doorstep would mean that something major had or was currently happening.
"Well, what is it?" asked Solar Eclipse. "Tell us, young colt."
The guard closed his eyes for a moment and then took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure. After a brief silence, he uttered the words that both Sunset Shimmer's parents had been wanting to hear for so long. "Your daughter has returned to Canterlot," he said, and Solar Eclipse collapsed onto the floor again, filled with relief.
Wild Fire was almost going to do the same thing. But, he had been a Canterlot firefighter and thus, he tried to maintain his composure like a firefighter would.
"She was accompanied by Princess Twilight Sparkle." The guard informed them.
Both parents knew that they couldn't wait any longer and immediately ran out of their house and towards Canterlot Castle where their daughter was, leaving the Royal Guardspony feeling very befuddled and bewildered by what had just taken place in front of him.
"Sunset Shimmer," cried Solar Eclipse as they continued to run as fast as their feet would carry them. "At last you’ve come home. But why?"
Slightly disappointed in this one, I'd think after a few years they would have thrashed this out pretty well by now, not on the coincidental eve of her return. But a nice look into their thoughts is still good.
I'm sorry, but I have to take this off my watch list. You're far too inconsistant with the plot. In one chapter you have Sunset telling everyone that her parents were pushing her to become a princess and in this one, you place all the blame on Sunset and say that her parents simply didn't pay enough attention to her. You do this part after you have them say they tried to teach her to take her time with things. To make things worse you had them take years to figure out what went wrong.
I tracked this in the hopes things would improve. I was pleased when you said you would take more time to release chapters because I thought you would take more time to wright them out. But it still seems like you're rushing things.
This is really a shame because we don't have enough stories here about Sunset's family.
I'm very confused, which is is it? Sunset Family pushed her too far or did Sunset imagine it all?
The story was going good now..PPPPPPPPHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT..........on what's going on.
I'm tempted to take this off tracking, but will give it another chance.
7041763 I think you're confusing this with the original chapters 1 and 3, which pinned the blaim on her parents. That was cut out from the updated chapters because I felt that was trying too hard to excuse pre Rainbow Rocks Sunset Shimmer's behavior.
7042022 Thank you for helping in clarifying that.
making sunsets parents care creats some issues as she has never once mentioned her family and sunsets actions in the first movie come across as a person who wants to be loved all of her actions make it seem like she wanted princess celestia to show her love and affectation she has never once mentioned her parents but she has expressed regret for letting celestia down
7042186 Well, Twilight and the mane six don't really talk about their parents much. I mean, Twilight never even mentioned she had a brother until he was getting married. It seems like talking about your parents isn't a very common thing in Equestria once you come of age. Doesn't mean you don't still love them.
7042565 yes but sunset is in another diminsion and never talks about them the only one she has expressed any regret leaving was princess celstia thats who she feels she let down
Interesting.
That's pretty much how it is in a nutshell.
The reason is quite a shock solar.