The Origin of Sunset Shimmer

by Godslittleprincess

Chapter Three: Aunt Austerity

Two days later, Sunset Shimmer and her mother got off the Friendship Express onto Canterlot station, Sunset carrying her saddlebag while Prissy Pen levitated a small suitcase. On her head, Sunset wore a black, wide-brimmed hat while her mother wore a black, lace kerchief around her neck. They both craned their necks over the crowd, glancing every which way as if they were looking for somepony. Then, Sunset Shimmer spotted a white-haired unicorn mare with a coat like warm honey levitating a sign with her mother’s name on it.

“Mom, look, over there,” Sunset called, pointing at the mare with her right hoof.

Sunset and Prissy Pen approached the mare. She wore a simple black dress which was partially covered in the front by a white pinafore, indicating that she was a maid. Her mane was covered by a loose black hairnet.

The mare looked at the two of them and asked, “Are either one of you Mrs. Prissy Pen?” Her voice was tinged with a slight Germanian accent.

“I am,” replied Prissy with a small smile, “and this little one is my daughter, Sunset Shimmer.” Her smile grew a bit as she pushed her daughter forward to introduce her.

“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” said Sunset with a sweet smile and a polite nod.

“I am Frau Zuckermane,” answered the mare, smiling in reply. “Your sister-in-law has sent me to fetch the two of you and help you with your things.”

Frau Zuckermane took the suitcase from Prissy Pen and motioned for the two of them to follow her. As Sunset Shimmer and her mother followed Frau Zuckermane through the streets of Canterlot, Sunset couldn’t help but marvel at her surroundings. Ponies dressed in fine clothes bustled between different shops and buildings. Craftily wrought lampposts and perfectly trimmed trees lined the streets. However, the most beautiful part of the city, at least to Sunset, was the castle in the backdrop with its towering spires and the purple and gold roofs that shone in sunlight.

“We’re here,” announced Frau Zuckermane when the three of them had stopped in front of a white mansion with ornate oak double doors.

Although pleasing enough to the eye, Sunset couldn’t help but feel that the house seemed rather cold and aloof in comparison to the busy streets and shining castle she had seen earlier. Although disappointed with the mansion’s appearance, Sunset remained optimistic. Maybe it will feel homier on the inside.

Frau Zuckermane pulled a rope that was hanging out of the wall. From inside the house, Sunset Shimmer could hear what sounded like several bells chiming. A short while later, a young mare, also outfitted in a black dress and white pinafore, answered the door.

“Ah, Frau Zuckermane,” the mare greeted in a Prench accent. “The madam and the young miss are waiting for the guests in the parlor.”

“Thank you, Plumeau,” replied the older mare. Then, turning to her two charges, she said, “This way.”

Sunset and her mother followed Frau Zuckermane into the mansion, taking careful note of their new surroundings. Sunset’s relatives were obviously ponies of fine taste. All the furniture and decorations looked like they belonged in an art museum, almost too exquisite to touch. Although in awe of the trappings surrounding her, Sunset Shimmer couldn’t imagine anypony living in such a place for long periods of time any more than she can imagine somepony making herself at home in a museum.

Frau Zuckermane led them down a hallway where they reached another set of oak double doors. Frau Zuckermane opened the doors and entered, followed by Sunset and Prissy Pen. Inside, a tight-lipped unicorn mare and a sour-faced unicorn filly, both dressed tip to tail in black, sat stiffly on two finely upholstered chairs.

“Madam,” said Frau Zuckermane, addressing the mare, “your sister-in-law and niece have arrived.”

The gray-coated mare waved a hoof, which seemed to signal Frau Zuckermane’s dismissal, for the kindly maid left the room soon after. The mare who Sunset assumed to be her aunt got up from her chair, walked over to Prissy Pen, and looked her over up and down with her steel-colored eyes, her facial expression unchanged.

“So, you must be Prissy Pen,” she said in an affected tone of voice that somehow revealed little emotion. “I’m Austerity. I’m sure my husband has told you about me.”

“I haven’t kept in touch with my brother as much as I would have liked,” admitted Prissy Pen rather apprehensively, “but, yes, I believe he did mention you.”

Austerity’s gaze turned to Sunset Shimmer. As soon as Sunset met her aunt’s gaze, she immediately felt a shiver run down her spine and realized why her mother had suddenly gotten so nervous. The look in Aunt Austerity’s eyes was like two sharp knives ready to strike, made all the more intimidating by their almost metallic color.

“And who, pray tell,” Austerity intoned, icily, “is this?”

“M-my name is S-sunset Shimmer,” said Sunset, fearfully. “P-pleased t-to m-meet you, Aunt Austerity.”

Aunt Austerity raised her brow and pressed her lips together even tighter. Sunset didn’t know that lips could even flatten that much, and if her aunt’s gaze hadn’t been so terrifying, she would have laughed at the absurdity of Aunt Austerity’s current facial expression. Then, Austerity turned to Prissy Pen.

“I didn’t know that your daughter had a stuttering problem,” she noted, matter-of-factly. “She will have to get that fixed.”

Sunset felt her cheeks redden with embarrassment. Then, she looked up and once again, took notice of the unicorn filly. The filly appeared to be about Sunset’s age and had a peach coat and a deep purple mane. Sunset could have sworn that she saw the corner of the filly’s mouth twitch upward a bit if only for a moment. After the filly’s lip twitched for the second time, Sunset realized that the filly was laughing at her, which made her face to burn hotter.

“Prune Tart!” Austerity called, causing the plum-maned filly to come to her side.

“You called, mother,” replied the filly, retaining the same pinched facial expression from earlier, which Sunset found hilarious even though she forced herself not to laugh.

“Dear, please introduce yourself to Aunt Prissy Pen and Cousin Sunset Shimmer,” Austerity instructed.

“Aunt Pen, Cousin Shimmer, I am Prune Tart. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Cousin Prune Tart, despite what she had just said, did not look or sound pleased at all, not one bit. Instead, she looked as if just looking at Sunset and her mother was the most tiring chore in all of Equestria, and her voice sounded almost as cold and affected as Aunt Austerity’s. However, the same chilling voice that made Austerity seem intimidating merely sounded comical coming out of Prune Tart.

“My husband’s funeral will begin in a few hours, but until then I will have one of the servants show you to your rooms,” announced Austerity, stoically. “I hope they are to your liking.”

Then, Austerity levitated a bell from one of the side tables next to the chairs and rang it loudly. Shortly afterwards, Frau Zuckermane entered through the double doors.

“Yes, madam?” said Frau Zuckermane.

“Take my sister-in-law and her daughter to their rooms,” Austerity commanded, “and make sure they meet us back here in time for the funeral.”

“Of course, madam.”

With that, Sunset Shimmer and her mother began to follow Frau Zuckermane out of the parlor and over to another hallway where the guest rooms were. Although Sunset Shimmer kept herself from saying so, she was glad to no longer be in her aunt and cousin’s company. She certainly hoped that her first impression of her relatives was completely wrong, but Aunt Austerity and Cousin Prune Tart seemed completely insufferable.

---

After attending the funeral, Sunset Shimmer and her mother found themselves once again in the parlor. Only this time, Aunt Austerity expected them to socialize with the rest of the funeral guests. While Prissy Pen was able to make conversation with her sister-in-law’s stuffy guests, Sunset Shimmer, under her aunt’s instruction, was not allowed to say anything more than “Yes, ma’am” or “No, ma’am” or “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.” The tediousness of her “conversations” with the older ponies bored Sunset so much that she could have fallen asleep standing up with her eyes open. Sunset Shimmer tried to entertain herself by eavesdropping on her mother’s conversations, but she found them to be equally dull, at least until she overheard something that peaked her interest.

“So, your daughter is interested in studying magic, you say?” asked the mare talking to Prissy Pen.

“Yes, she is,” replied Prissy, “and she’s very talented.”

Sunset Shimmer beamed at what she had heard, trying to make herself look as talented yet adorable as possible. She often postured herself this way whenever one of her parents praised her, and despite the somber occasion, today was no different.

“Is she now?” remarked an approaching stallion. “Then, you simply must enroll her into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.”

“Oh, do they teach magic there?” asked Prissy Pen.

“Do they teach magic there?” replied yet another guest. “Anypony who has ever made a name of themselves studying magic went to that school. It was founded by Princess Celestia herself.”

“How much does enrollment cost?”

“Oh, not much,” replied Aunt Austerity. “Just 10,000 bits give or take a few hundred.”

Prissy Pen frowned, eyes widening. Sunset Shimmer’s jaw dropped. The cost of tuition at this school was everything she and her mother had set aside for a house.

“Oh, good gracious, child,” Austerity grumbled. “Has no one told you how unbecoming it is for a young lady to walk around with her mouth hanging open?”

Aunt Austerity then lifted Sunset Shimmer’s jaw with her front hoof, shutting Sunset’s mouth. Even though Sunset wasn’t one of those ponies who despised physical contact, something about her aunt’s touch, despite how slight it was, repulsed her. She had half-expected her mouth to freeze shut and fall off her face the moment Aunt Austerity made contact.

“Is something wrong, Prissy Pen?” asked Austerity, turning to the mare in question.

“Well, it’s just that 10,000 bits is a little more than we can afford right now,” explained Prissy Pen. “Sunset and I have been saving that money for a new house. Isn’t there another way to find my daughter a good magic teacher?”

“Well, the public school system’s magic program is fairly adequate,” stated the stallion from earlier, “but if you want the best of the best, no other school will do. Besides, if your daughter is as talented as you say, all that talent would be wasted in a lesser school.”

“But where will we live?”

“Why not here?” suggested Austerity. “I certainly have room to spare. Besides, you are family after all. It’s only proper.”

Something about the way Aunt Austerity said those last two sentences made Sunset Shimmer and Prissy Pen cringe. However, before Prissy could get a word in, the other guests began clamoring in agreement with Austerity.

“Why, excellent idea!”

“Austerity could use the company now that her husband’s passed.”

“You certainly must accept.”

Prissy Pen glanced at her daughter who was shifting her weight from hoof to hoof rather uncomfortably. Sunset Shimmer glanced back and saw a look of uncertainty cross her mother’s face. Neither knew what to say in response to Austerity’s offer.

After a few moments of silence, Prissy Pen finally opened her mouth and said, “Sunset and I will have to discuss the matter privately before we make a decision, but thank you so very much for your concern.”

---

“Sunset sweetheart, do you want to go to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns? It certainly is the best place to study magic here,” Prissy Pen asked her daughter later that night in the privacy of their room.

“I think so,” replied Sunset Shimmer, “but do we have to live with Aunt Austerity?” Sunset made a face as if she had just tasted something bad.

“Darling, I know your aunt seems rather, well, severe, but maybe living here won’t be so bad. You’ll have Cousin Prune Tart to play with, and we’ll both certainly be comfortable enough.”

Sunset Shimmer rubbed her chin in thought. She really wanted to be the best that she can possibly be with her magic, and that school seemed like the best place to learn how. However, Aunt Austerity frightened her, and Cousin Prune Tart didn’t seem to be much fun. Would going to that school be worth putting up with her aunt and cousin?

“We might as well try,” said Sunset, shrugging. “Besides, maybe I’ll have so much fun learning magic at school that living here won’t be so bad.”

“Alright then,” agreed Prissy Pen, wrapping her foreleg around Sunset’s shoulders. “I will let your aunt know first ting in the morning. All in all, not too terrible of a start to a new life, don’t you think, dearest?”