//------------------------------// // Gimme Shelter // Story: Children of the Star-Another Sunset // by Grey Ghost //------------------------------// “And stay out, ya little bastard!” The door slammed and Sunset struggled to pick herself up off the ground. She looked back at the door to what had been her home with tears in her eyes. “Granny!” Sunset cried, looking up at the door, ignoring the pain in her scraped knees. No answer came from behind the door and Sunset started to cry, shivering in the cold, night air. After crying herself out, Sunset rose to her feet, glancing at her surroundings. She started walking down the street, wincing from her scraped knees with every step. She followed the street lamps, not knowing where to go. “H-hello?” Sunset called, looking around, frowning when she didn't see anyone. She walked down the street, hugging herself. “Mom… why did you have to leave?” she asked, continuing to wander aimlessly. Eventually, she paused at an alleyway, seeing a waiter from a restaurant tossing out a bag of garbage into a dumpster. Staring at it for a moment, she moved over, pulling the bag out of the dumpster. Tearing up, she ripped it open, rummaging around for food. Eventually, she found a burger that looked untouched except for some mashed potatoes that had spilled onto it. Resisting the urge to toss it away, she took a bite, swallowing it as quickly as possible. Her face scrunched up and she resisted the disgust building in the pit of her stomach. Her hunger compelled her to finish the burger, shuddering when she did. “Why does Granny hate me?” Sunset asked, walking further down the alley. She spotted a box, crawling inside of it. It was surprisingly roomy, enough to let her sit up without issue. “Did I do something bad?” She hugged herself, wracking her brain for a reason for all this. “It doesn't matter...” She laid down, hugging her knees. “I'm just a bad person...” Somehow, she drifted off to sleep, sniffling softly. Sunset peeked out from her hiding spot, waiting for the waiter to bring out the trash. She had no idea how long she had been in the alley, only that her PJs were dirty and starting to fall apart. She shivered, a cold wind nipping at her skin through the holes in her pajamas. Finally, the waiter appeared and she had to keep herself from drooling. She moved closer, only to slip on a candy wrapper, face planting on the ground. “Owie...” She groaned, pushing herself to her elbows. “Are you okay?” a voice asked, causing Sunset to freeze as she was helped to her feet. She trembled, lifting her head up to look at the waiter. “Umm… I’m fine,” Sunset said weakly, pulling away from the waiter. The waiter frowned, looking her over. His eyes widened as he noticed the box behind her, along with the blanket resting inside it. “Have you been... living out here?” “O-of course not.” Sunset blushed, her eyes darting side to side. “Hey.” He reached out, gently taking her hand. “Let’s get you something to eat, okay?” Sunset sighed, letting herself be led by the adult. He led her inside, sitting her at a table. “Hey, Chilli!” he called, looking towards the kitchen . “What is it?!” a voice called back. “I know we’re closing up but, you mind cooking up one last meal?” “And why should I do that? I gotta get home to the family!” “Well, I found a little girl out back. I think she’s been living out there.”’ “That’s awful! Okay, I’ll cook her up something tasty. Ask her what she’d like!” “What would you like, sweetheart?” the waiter asked with a smile, looking down at Sunset. “Umm, grilled cheese and tomato soup?” Sunset asked, not looking the waiter in the eyes. “One grilled cheese and some tomato soup!” the waiter called back before sitting with her. “What's your name?” “Sunset Shimmer,” she answered, fidgeting with her pajamas. “My name's Quick Quill, It’s nice to meet you.” He smiled. “Do you know how long you’ve been out there?” Sunset shook her head and frowned. “No, I haven’t been able to look at any calendars or anything. The days just blurred together.” “Alright.” He nodded. “Can I ask where your parents are?” “I don’t have a dad and my mom is dead,” Sunset answered, her frown deepening as she stared down at the table. “Oh, I’m sorry.” He reached out, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Will you be okay by yourself for a few minutes?” Sunset just nodded, not looking away from the table. “I'll be right back.” He got to his feet, moving over to the phone. Sunset knew he was probably calling the cops, what else was he supposed to do with a worthless little girl like her? He returned as promised with her food in tow. She thanked him and ate in silence, waiting for the police to come and take her away. Her suspicions were confirmed as a pair of officers arrived not too long afterward. One went to talk to Quill, while the other kneeled in front of her. “Your name is Sunset right?” The officer asked, giving her an easy smile. She nodded, pushing her plate away from her and not looking at the cop. “My name is Night Light, it’s nice to meet you.” “Nice to meet you,” she mumbled. “What’s gonna happen to me now?” “My partner and I are gonna take you down to the station and get you a shower and some clean clothes,” he explained, “How's that sound? “That sounds alright,” Sunset replied, putting a hand in her tangled up hair. He stood back up, holding his hand out to her. She took it and stood up, knowing she didn’t have much of a choice. “We ready to go, Air?” Night asked, turning to his partner. “Yes, I have all the details this man could provide,” his partner replied in an even voice, turning towards Night Light. “Take care, Sunset,” Quill said, watching the three leave the restaurant. Sunset got in the back of the police car and watched the street lights blur by. “You know,” Night Light started, “I have a little girl too. She’s only about five, her name is Twilight.” “That’s nice,” Sunset said, still looking out the window. Night frowned but let her sit, quietly driving to the station. Once they arrived, Night took her inside, letting her take a shower while they got her some clothes. “Don’t feel too bad about her dismissing you earlier,” Air said. “She’s just scared out of her mind.” “I know, it’s just... hard seeing a kid like that...” Night sighed, placing a fresh set of clothes on a bench outside of the showers. “Bad things happen to good people,” Air said. “That’s why we’re here in the first place. To keep as many bad things from happening as possible.” Night nodded, walking out of the room. “Did you call CPS?” “Already taken care of. They should be sending someone down soon.” The sound of the shower stopped and after a few minutes, Sunset stuck her head out of the doorway. “I'm finished.” “Okay, there’s clothes waiting for you on that bench,” Night told her, pointing at the bench. She swiped them, then a few moments later stepped out, adjusting her shirt. “You look good, can we get you anything else while we wait for someone else to arrive?” “No, thank you.” She shook her head, not meeting his gaze. “Okay, just tell us if you need anything.” Night and Air sat close by as they waited for CPS to arrive. She went quiet again, hugging her knees. Eventually, a middle aged woman came in, her hair done up in a bun and glasses. She walked over to the trio and sat down. “Are you Sunset Shimmer?” “Uh huh,” was Sunset's quick response. “I’m here to help you,” the woman said. “How did you end up on the street?” “My mom died and Granny didn't want me.” “So your granny threw you out?” The woman asked, motioning for the two cops to be ready. Sunset nodded. “She called me a bad word.” “Do you know your granny’s name?” Night asked, clenching his fist at the story. “Moonglow Shimmer,” Sunset muttered, looking at her feet. The woman nodded. “Okay, I’m going to have a chat with these two officers, why don’t you try and get some sleep? Someone will show you a nice and comfy place you can rest up. I’ll be back to talk to you soon.” Sunset nodded. “Okay.” She rose to her feet, never lifting her gaze. Another officer came and led her away, while the woman pinched her brow. “So, I think we need to go and have a chat with one Moonglow Shimmer,” she said. “Damn right we do.” Night Light clenched his jaw, looking like he was about to explode. “I think it’s best if she does most of the talking, Night,” Air cut in. “You’ve got too much of a personal investment in this. You don’t want to get in trouble with the higher ups if you wanna make commissioner.” “You're right, you're right.” Night Light let out a long sigh. “We’re ready to go when you are, Ma’am.” “Good, I’ll let you lead the way in your cruiser then.” She stood up and walked towards the door. Night Light quickly obtained Moonglow’s address before leading the social worker to her home. The social worker knocked on the door of her house, straightening her glasses on her face. “Yes?” An older woman, presumably Moonglow, asked, cracking the door open. “Are you Moonglow Shimmer?” the social worker asked. “My associates and I would like to have a word with you.” “That's me,” Moonglow said, opening the door, “Have I done something wrong?” The three walked inside. “Well, we found a little girl by the name of Sunset tonight,” the social worker said. “She claims that you kicked her out.” Moonglow stiffened. “I assure you, I did no such thing.” “Then could you let us see your granddaughter?” Air asked calmly. “After all, she should be here if you didn’t kick her out.” “S-she’s not here,” Moonglow assured, “She’s at a summer camp.” “It’s Fall,” Night Light deadpanned. “Fine, I threw the little bastard out,” Moonglow admitted, spitting the words out in disgust. “Child abandonment is a serious crime,” the social worker stated. “I'm old, not stupid,” Moonglow countered. “I’d beg to differ,” Night muttered. “What was that?” “Nothing,” Night said. “Why would you throw your own granddaughter out onto the streets?” the social worker asked with a frown. “Because, her mother went to that filthy clinic and had her,” Moonglow spat. “I assume you mean a fertility clinic?” “I certainly didn’t mean an abortion clinic,” Moonglow said. “I still have that flyer she showed me.” “We’ll need to see it,” the worker informed her. Moonglow nodded and walked over to a nearby desk and rummaged through it. She handed over a pamphlet to one Nebula fertilization clinic. “So, am I under arrest?” Moonglow asked. “I think we both know the answer to that.” The worker gestured to Night Light who stepped forward, pulling out his cuffs. Sunset stared out of her window, watching the clouds roll by. She had been at her new foster home for about two weeks and despite the efforts of her foster family, the most she had done was sit here. The Zests, the couple that took her in, ran a music store downstairs, but she had only been down a few times. She let out a sigh, glancing over at a picture of her and her mother. The two of them were at the beach and throwing up peace signs with large smiles. “Sunset?” her social worker, Mrs. Soft Heart called from the doorway, giving a light knock. “Oh, hi Mrs. Soft Heart,” Sunset said, standing up from her seat by the window. “Are you here to check in on me again?” “Yes, but,” she moved over, sitting on the bed, “I have something to talk to you about.” “What is it?” Sunset asked with a tilt of her head as she sat next to her. “We did some digging.” She turned, looking into the girl’s eyes. “Sunset, we found your father.” “Huh… my dad?” Sunset asked, blinking in confusion. “That's right Sunset.” Soft Heart nodded. “He was very surprised to find out about you.” “He knows about me?” Sunset gasped. “He does now.” Soft Heart smiled. “He wants you to live with him.” “But… what about the Zests?” Sunset asked, toying with the bottom of her shirt. “Do you want to stay here?” Soft asked. “I don’t know,” Sunset admitted with a frown. “I mean, I’ve always thought about my dad, but the Zests went out of their way for me. C-can I meet my dad first before I decide?” “Of course you can, sweetie.” Soft smiled soothingly. “Does next week sound good?” Sunset nodded and smiled. “Mhmm, that sounds really good. What’s my dad’s name?” “His name is Star Dust and he’s a very smart man.” “Wow, Star Dust, that’s a cool name,” Sunset said, starting to picture her father. “I can’t wait to meet him.” “I know he can’t wait to meet you.” Soft smiled, looking at her. “Thanks for doing this for me, Mrs. Soft,” Sunset said and smiled up at the social worker. “Of course, Sunset, it’s no problem at all. Now, how has your week been?” “It’s been pretty good,” Sunset replied. “The Zests are nice and Mrs. Zest made me a cupcake with frosting that matched my hair color last night because I helped with the dishes.” “That was nice of her.” “Yeah, it was really tasty,” Sunset said with a nod. “Mrs. Zest says she might even teach me how to make one just like it.” “Do you like it here, Sunset?” “I think so,” Sunset said. “I mean, I still miss my mom a lot, but the Zests are really nice.” “Have you made any friends?” “One, this pink girl that seems to like coming to the store a lot. She’s super hyper and a little weird though.” “Does she have a name?” “It was really long, but she said I should just call her Pinkie Pie,” Sunset replied. “I’m glad you made a friend.” Soft Heart smiled at her. “What about the Zest’s daughter?” “She says I’m her sister now so that doesn’t count as a friend,” Sunset replied with a giggle. “I take it you two have been getting along?” “Yeah, she’s a ton of fun,” Sunset said. “And she loves music.” “That's wonderful,” Soft Heart said, standing up. “Thank you for answering my questions.” “You’re welcome, see you soon Mrs. Soft Heart,” Sunset said, waving at her. Soft Heart waved back, walking out of the room. The week passed agonizingly slowly for Sunset, and she found her apprehension growing as the date grew closer to the meeting. Finally, there was a knock at the door of the music shop after closing and Sunset rushed over to open it. Standing there was a green man with a warm smile, wearing a thick pair of glasses and a sweater. “Hello, are you Sunset Shimmer?” he asked. “Uh... um...” she stared up at him, suddenly tongue tied. He just smiled and chuckled. “I’m Star Dust, it’s very nice to meet you.” “N-nice to meet you...” Sunset muttered, casting her gaze at the floor. He knelt down, putting a hand on her shoulder. “There’s no need to be scared, I’d never hurt you. Heck, I don’t think I could even hurt a fly.” She nodded, but couldn't bring herself to look at him. “You’re quite a lovely little girl,” he said. “Lucky for you you didn’t get any of my looks,” he joked and tugged on his glasses. That got a short giggle out of Sunset. His smile grew. “Why don’t you show me your room here? I’d like to talk to you more and get to know my daughter.” She nodded, quietly leading him upstairs. The Zests were already upstairs, waiting for them. “Hello,” Star Dust greeted. “I’m Star Dust, thank you for taking care of Sunset for all this time.” He held out a hand to them. “I’m Orange Zest and this is my wife, Lime Zest,” Mr. Zest introduced, shaking his hand. “And believe me, it was no trouble at all,” Mrs. Zest added. Star Dust smiled and pulled his hand away from the two. “I’m glad to hear it. I didn’t know what to think when I was first told about Sunset’s situation. I had almost forgotten about donating a sample to that clinic. But after some thought and talking it over with my significant other, June Bug, we both thought it was best that I did my duty as a father and took care of Sunset.” “Why don't the two of you get to know each other?” Mrs. Zest offered, “We’ll get dinner ready.” “Don’t mind if I do,” Star replied. “I’m sure if your food is as well prepared as your store, then I’m in for a treat.” “We’ll blow your socks off!” Mr. Zest assured, heading downstairs. “So, do you have any questions for me, Sunset?” Star Dust asked, looking down at her. “I mean, this has to be quite a lot to take in.” “Um...” she shuffled quietly, not sure what to say. “Why don’t I start?” He chuckled and sat on the edge of her bed. “What do you like to do for fun?” “I like to read...” Sunset muttered. “I like to read too,” he said with a bright smile. “June Bug complains that I have my nose buried in books far too often.” He glanced around the room, his eyes landing on the picture on her night stand. “Is that your mom? She’s very pretty.” Sunset stiffened, biting her tongue. He saw her expression and his look fell. Deciding to take a chance, he pulled her into a hug. “I know you miss her very much. But she’s not really gone as long as you remember her.” “Why?” She asked, not hugging him back. “Why what?” He asked, confused. “You’re supposed to be my dad but you’ve never been there. I don't understand, didn’t you and mom love each other?” Caught off guard, Star took a minute to compose himself. “How about I explain it, okay?” “Okay,” Sunset replied, looking up at him. He sat back down, pulling her into his lap. “See, a few years ago, I didn't think I’d ever meet my special someone. I was a very busy man. So, I went to a place where a man can...” He searched for the right words. “Donate a tiny bit of himself. Your mom took that tiny bit and made you, but we never met.” “...People can do that?” Sunset asked in awe and confusion. “Just… make a baby without ever meeting each other?” “It's not exactly that simple, but yeah.” He nodded, pulling her into another hug. “And I know I haven’t been there for you before, but I want to be from now on. You’re my daughter, Sunset. You deserve to be raised in a good home. And this one seems very good. So, the choice is yours, do you want me to be a part of your life?” Sunset raised her head, looking up at him. She studied his face before answering. “Yes. Yes I do.” She wrapped her arms around him, returning his hug. A tear threatened to spill down his cheek. “Thank you, Sunset. I promise to be the best father I can be.” “I’ll be the best daughter ever,” she counter-promised. “Just be yourself and you’ll succeed at that,” Star said with a smile, stroking the back of her head. “Who’s June Bug?” “Well, at first she was my lab assistant,” Star said with a chuckle. “And now she’s my significant other. And hopefully when I find the right moment,” he pulled out a small case and revealed a ring, “she’ll be a bit more than that.” “So...” Sunset looked at the box. “She’s gonna be my new mom?” “Well, she’d be your stepmother,” Star said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But don’t think I’d try to replace your mother in your heart.” Sunset nodded, resting against him. “What do you do?” “I’m an astrophysicist,” Star Dust replied. “Technically I should’ve introduced myself as Dr. Star Dust to the Zests.” “What's an astro-psychic?” She asked, blinking. “It means I study space,” he answered with a chuckle, ruffling her hair. She giggled, giving him a smile. “That sounds amazing!” “I’ve certainly enjoyed it.” He smiled back at her. “How would you like it if I let you take a look at images from one of our satellite telescopes? I believe it has a nice view of the Horsehead Nebula.” “Really?” she asked, her eyes sparkling. “Of course,” he replied. “In fact, I could even buy you a telescope of your own if you’re interested in studying the night sky.” He leaned in to whisper into her ear. “In fact, I could even print out images from our telescopes and sneak them home for you if you’d like.” “Seriously?” she asked, giggling. “Of course,” he said. “You seemed so excited when I brought up space that I can’t help but want to nourish it. It reminds me of myself when I was your age.” “Really?” she asked, hanging on his every word now. “Yup, I remember how I begged my folks for a telescope. And I finally got one for my birthday when I was… actually I think I was eight like you.” He leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. “My family was very poor growing up, my parents saved up for two years in a row to get me that telescope.” “Wow,” Sunset said. “They sound really great.” “They are,” He agreed, “They were almost as excited to find out about you as I was.” He looked down at her, pushing his glasses back up his nose. “Anything else you want to ask?” “Th-they like me?” Sunset asked, a look of complete surprise on her face. “Granny didn’t like me.” “Well, they have to meet you first silly,” he reminded, poking her nose, “But I know they’ll love you.” Sunset’s expression brightened. “Umm, what’s June Bug like?” she asked. “June’s always ready to bring a smile to your face. Though, she really doesn’t like drama. I remember we were having a meeting about our budget and two of my co-workers got into an argument over who got what share of the money, and after a few moments June lost it.” “She sounds interesting,” Sunset said. “Lost it how, though?” “June can get very loud when she’s angry,” Star explained, “by the time the meeting was over, those two walked out with their tails between their legs.” Sunset giggled. “I think I’m gonna like her… at least until I get in trouble.” Sunset perked up, pulling away from Star. She dropped to her knees and with a little heave, pulled a box out from under her bed. “What’s that, Sunset?” Star questioned, arching his eyebrow. “Granny didn’t throw all of my stuff out,” she said, opening it up. Inside were a few toys,several knick knacks, a hand stitched stuffed animal, a journal and what looked like a photo album. Star picked up the stuffed animal, what looked like a yellow horse with a red mane. “Did your mother make this?” he asked, “it’s lovely.” “Uh huh. She made it for me when I was little. Her name is Daydream.” “That’s a perfect name for her,” Star said, putting the stuffed animal back in the box. “What did you want to show me?” Sunset grabbed the journal from the box, climbing back into his lap. “I used to um...” She blushed, cracking open the journal, exposing old crayon writing to the world. “So you wrote down your thoughts,” Star said. “That’s adorable.” Sunset nodded. “I used to stay up late, imagining what my dad was like.” “So how do I stack up to what you imagined?” Star asked with a chuckle. “Am I less than what you hoped for?” “No way.” Sunset shook her head hard enough that her hair smacked her in the face a few times. “You’re better than all of it!” A warm smile broke out across his face and he pulled her into another hug. “That’s quite touching, Sunset. Would you mind sharing some of what you imagined me as?” “Um... Okay...” she flipped to the beginning of the journal, stopping on a crude picture of a little yellow girl holding hands with a red woman and a blue man, who was, as far as Star could tell, dressed like a police officer. “So you thought I’d be a cop, huh?” he asked, looking at the drawing. “I never thought of being a cop myself… the asthma would’ve got me booted anyway.” “You have asthma?” “I do,” he replied. “It’s under control now so I can basically do any physical activity I want without needing my inhaler too much. But when I was your age, it was bad. I coughed and wheezed just walking up a flight of stairs.” “That sounds bad.” Sunset flipped to another, slightly better drawn picture of herself and what looked like an old timey explorer. “Looks like you read some Daring Do before drawing this one,” Star said with a smile and ruffled her hair. “She’s my favorite...” Sunset admitted with a blush. “She’s a good character to look up to,” Star said, nodding. “She’s smart, brave, and can think on her feet.” “She’s amazing.” Sunset flipped to another page. This one of herself and her parents putting on a rock concert. “Heh, I hate to burst your bubble on this one, but the closest I got to being a rock star was playing the trombone in my high school band. Though June plays the guitar. I’m sure she’d love to teach you.” “Mom let me watch Rocky Horror Picture Show,” Sunset explained quietly, “I used to dream about us singing and dancing.” “June and I love that movie,” Star said with a grin. “Watching it is a Halloween tradition with us. I can’t believe your mom let you watch it.” “Mom was like that, letting me watch things as long as she was there to explain things about them,” Sunset answered. Sunset narrowed her eyes poking at his chest. “You're not a transvestite are you?” Star had to stifle a laugh. “No, nor am I from Transylvania.” “Okay, good.” Sunset seemed much more relaxed, a smile on her face. “I’m very glad to see you smile like this,” Star said. “It’s much better than just seeing the top of your head while you stare at the floor.” “I’m sorry...” Sunset frowned, once again casting her gaze to the floor. “You don’t have to apologize,” Star said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “You were nervous, and for good reason.” “Um, do you wanna ask another question?” Sunset asked, fidgeting a little. “How are you doing in school?” he asked. “I haven’t been to school in a while... since Mom died.” Sunset lifted her gaze a little. “My teachers said I was really smart though.” “I’m glad to hear that,” Star said with a smile. “If you’re as smart as you are pretty, then you’ll be able to get into any school you want when college application time comes around.” “Think so?” she asked, looking up at him. “I know so,” he said, his smile growing. She smiled back, leaning on him. “Mr. Dust, Sunset!” Mrs. Zest called out. “Dinner’s ready~!” “Come on, let’s go get something to eat.” Star Dust put Sunset back on her feet, standing up. Sunset hesitated for a moment before reaching up and grabbing his hand. He smiled and held her hand, walking downstairs with her at his side. “Talk about anything interesting?” Mr. Zest asked, putting a plate of spaghetti onto the table. “Yeah, Dad told me that he studies space and that he’d get me a telescope!” Sunset answered excitedly, her mouth watering as she twirled noodles on her fork. “I had no idea you were interested in space,” Mrs. Zest commented, taking her seat. “I didn’t either, but when he started talking about it I got excited,” Sunset said, a noodle hanging from her lip. “You shouldn’t talk with your mouth full,” Star commented with a grin. Sunset blushed and chuckled nervously. “Sorry, got a little carried away.” “It’s alright, dear,” Mrs. Zest assured her. “I’m just glad to see you out of that funk.” “Okay,” Sunset said with a smile. “Dad also said that Miss June Bug could teach me how to play guitar.” “Gonna start a band?” Mr. Zest asked with a smile. “Well… that could be fun,” Sunset said, her eyes closing as she pictured it. “Though… I don’t know anyone that would join my band.” she frowned. “You’ll just have to make more friends won’t you?” Star reached over, ruffling her hair. “I guess so,” Sunset said slowly. “I mean, Pinkie wanted to be my friend, so it can’t be that hard, right?” “That's the spirit.” Star smiled, returning to his meal. “Yeah!” Lemon chimed in, finally having joined the conversation, “Sunny’s gonna be the most popular girl in her school, I just know it!” “I take it you’ll be leaving us, Sunset?” Mrs. Zest asked, looking between them. “I think I am,” Sunset said with a nod and a sad smile. “Thank you for letting me stay with you. Can… can I call you guys to tell you how I’m doing? I like you guys, too.” “Of course you can sweet heart.” Mrs. Zest reached over, gently taking Sunset’s hand. Sunset smiled and got up, hugging Mrs. Zest gently. Mrs. Zest hugged her back, sharing her sad smile. “I hope you’ll visit us, Sunset.” Lemon got up, joining in on the hug. “Yeah, we’re still sisters, Lemon,” Sunset said, sniffling a little. “I’ll mark the days,” Lemon replied, letting Sunset pull away. “I’ll be sure to bring her over to visit,” Star promised. “You’re fantastic people from what I’ve seen.” “Thank you, Mr. Dust.” Lemon smiled. “You’re welcome.” Star Dust turned to Sunset. “No need to get teary just yet, you’ll be here for another week or two while we get everything sorted out.” “Okay, Dad,” Sunset replied, wiping at her eyes with an arm. “I can’t wait.” Star Dust beamed at being called Dad. Sunset sat back down and the four of them enjoyed a nice dinner. Sunset had to keep herself from bouncing in her seat as her father drove them to her new home with him. What little she had was in the trunk. “We’re almost there, Sunset, so try not to bounce right out of your seat,” Star Dust said with a chuckle, glancing back at her for a split second. “Sorry.” She blushed, relaxing herself to the best of her abilities. “You don’t have to apologize,” Star assured her. “June’s been excited to see you too. She worked very hard to get your room ready with me. She was a total taskmaster.” “I get my own room?” Sunset asked, sounding surprised. “Of course you get your own room,” Star told her. “And it looks great, if I say so myself.” “I bet you put stars on the ceiling,” Sunset guessed with a giggle. “Uh… of course not,” Star replied, chuckling nervously. “That’d be silly.” “You’re silly, Dad,” Sunset teased, sticking her tongue out. “Oh great, now I’ve got my daughter teasing me too,” he said with an exaggerated sigh. “Something tells me you and June are going to get along great.” He pulled into a driveway and parked the car. “Is this our house?” Sunset asked, peeking out of the window, taking it all in. “Yup, welcome home, Sunset.” Star turned back to her with a smile and undid his seatbelt. Sunset unbuckled her seatbelt, hopping out of the car to get a better look at her new home. “I didn't think it’d be so big...” Sunset muttered in awe. The house, or mansion to Sunset’s eyes, was at least three stories tall. “I know right?” Star asked, stepping out of the car. “We got the place pretty cheap too. The guy who made it was a little wacky.” “This is so amazing!” Sunset beamed and jumped out of the car. “I can’t believe that I get to live here!” “And, there's a guest house out back,” Star added, grabbing her things out of the trunk. “Wow, I guess you make a lot of money as an astro-thingy,” Sunset said, walking up to the front door, still taking it all in. “Actually, I get most of my income from giving lectures to students around the country,” Star clarified, “But like I said, we got this place pretty cheap.” “That sounds super cool!” Sunset said with a grin. She knocked on the door. “Coming!” A woman's voice called a moment before the door opened. A white skinned woman with long green hair and green eyes looked down at her. “Oh, Sunset!” She beamed. “You’re even prettier than Star said you’d be!” Almost like lightning, Sunset withdrew back into herself. “Hi...” she muttered shyly, looking at her shoes. “I’m sorry,” the woman said with a frown, kneeling down. “I didn’t mean to scare you. My name’s June Bug, I’m very glad to meet you.” “Nice to meet you...” Sunset muttered, sneaking a peek at her. “I hope we get along,” June said with a soft smile. “Do you want to see your room?” “Yes, please.” She nodded. June stood up and led Sunset upstairs with Star carrying her things behind them. She opened a door on the second floor hallway and stepped out of the way so Sunset could step in and take a look. Sunset peeked in, looking around the room. It was done up in her colors, though the walls were bare. From the ceiling hung a model of the solar system, surrounded by glow-in-the-dark stars of various sizes. A writing desk sat against the wall, with an empty bookshelf next to it. “Do you like it?” June asked hopefully as Star put her things on the bed. “We didn't put anything on the walls,” Star added, “We thought you’d like to decorate it yourself.” “Thank you so much,” Sunset said, taking everything in. “I love it. It’s so perfect. I can’t believe you two would do so much for me.” “How couldn't we?” Star asked, producing a box from under the desk. “We have one last thing to go with the room.” “What is it?” Sunset asked, looking at the box and trying to get a good look at it from all angles to guess its contents. “Pull up a seat, Sunny.” Star smiled, coining a new nickname. Sunset smiled and sat at the chair in front of the desk, looking up at her father with an eager expression. He placed the box in front of her, opening it up to reveal a... black rectangle. “What is this?” Sunset asked, poking at the rectangle with an unsure expression. “You have to open it sweetie,” Star encouraged. She looked it over and found a way to open it to reveal a screen and letters and numbers arranged in a way that seemed odd to her. “Is this… a computer?” Sunset asked. “Yes it is. It’s a portable one called a laptop, and it’s all yours.” Star smiled, kissing her head. “Can you teach me how to use it?” Sunset asked with an excited smile. “I’ve never had a computer before. I’ve only seen them on TV.” “Indeed I can,” he responded with a smile, “I'll need a bit to set it up. Why don't you let June show you around?” “Okay,” Sunset replied and got up. She looked at June nervously and waited to follow her lead. June smiled, leading her out into the hallway. “I assume your dad told you why we got this place so cheap?” “He said the person you got it from a wacky guy,” Sunset replied, only sneaking glances at June. “The man who built this place was way into spy movies.” June reached out, knocking on a wall. “There’s secret passages and hidden rooms everywhere.” “That’s so cool!” Sunset said, bouncing in place. “This is the most awesome house ever!” “Now Sunset,” June started, getting her attention, “If you find any let us know okay?” “Of course!” Sunset said with an excited nod. “I can’t believe this is a real place!” “Neither could I.” June smiled. “You just gotta be careful okay?” “Okay, Miss June Bug,” Sunset replied with a nod. “I won’t go into any passages and stuff without your or Dad’s permission.” “Thank you, but sweetheart, you can just call me June.” “Okay June,” Sunset replied. “Dad says you were his lab assistant. Does that mean you’re super smart too?” “I like to think so.” June grinned. “Hopefully you got your dad’s brain juice.” She reached over, gently tapping on Sunset’s head. Sunset giggled and let her touch her. “Thanks, you’re nice. I’m glad you’re my dad’s special someone.” “And I’m glad you're his daughter,” June countered, turning a corner, “And here.” She stopped in front of a door. “Is our green house.” “You have a green house inside the house?” Sunset asked with a tilt of her head. “Aren’t those usually in people’s backyards?” “We have a sky light.” June smiled, ushering her inside. Sunset looked over the rows of plants, seeing tomatoes and several other fruits and vegetables as well as flowers. “You grow food in here?” Sunset asked, looking at one of the tomatoes. “It's something we do to take our minds off work,” June explained. “I like it in here,” Sunset said. “It’s pretty. Can I help you and Dad water the flowers sometime?” “If that's what you want.” June nodded. “We’ll even let you plant some things of your own.” “Really?” Sunset asked with an eager look. “Thanks! I’m gonna find some really pretty flowers and plant them!” “And your dad told me you were shy.” June grinned, ruffling her hair. “Well, Dad likes you, so I can trust you,” Sunset said, rubbing her arm. “Plus, he said you worked really hard on my room.” “Thank you for trusting me, Sunny.” June picked a flower, putting it in the young girl’s hair. Sunset put her hand to the flower and smiled. “You’re welcome, June.” “Wanna see your dad's workshop?” June asked, walking to the door. “Yeah!” Sunset cheered, rushing to her side. “That sounds cool!” “Just promise you won't touch anything, okay? Most of his projects are very delicate.” “I promise,” Sunset agreed with a nod. “I wouldn’t want to break any of Dad’s stuff.” June led her to another room, this one full of machines and tools. “This is where your dad works out all his crazy ideas.” “Whoa, it’s like something out of a sci-fi movie in here,” Sunset commented, looking around the room. “I thought Dad studied space, what’s all this stuff?” “Just inventions your dad thinks up from time to time,” June explained, letting Sunset explore, “Most of it never gets finished, but it helps him relax.” “What are some of the things he’s finished?” Sunset asked, her hands placed deep in her pockets to keep from touching anything. “He did finish that electro-radar a few weeks back.” “Electro-radar, what’s that?” Sunset asked, looking up at June curiously. “You see Sunset, every living thing has a tiny bit of electricity inside of them, it's how our brains work. Your dad wanted to make something that could find that but, it just found everything that had an electrical charge.” “That’s so cool!” Sunset beamed. “Do you think Dad’ll teach me how to build stuff too!” “I think he’ll try to spend every moment he can with you.” June smiled, patting her head. “You know, you start school next week.” “Yeah, Dad told me during the car ride.” Sunset shifted on her feet a little. “Are you excited?” “Y-yeah, I mean, it’s a chance to make new friends.” “That's good.” June lead her out into the hallway again. “Sleipnir academy is a really nice school.” “I dunno if I’ll be able to pronounce that.” Sunset scratched the side of her head. “Yeah, it takes a bit to get the hang of,” June agreed, “But, in the meantime, we get to go clothes shopping!” “Sounds fun! Mom and I loved to go shopping together!” “Excellent!” June grinned. “We can go tomorrow, how does that sound?” “It sounds great!” Sunset beamed. “Where are we gonna go?” “Where do you want to go?” “Um, is there a mall close by?” Sunset asked. “About twenty minutes away.” “Then let’s go there!” Sunset said with a grin. June chuckled, showing Sunset around her new home. Sunset took everything in, sticking close to June’s side. Eventually, she even held the woman’s hand as they returned to her bedroom. “Dad!” Sunset called, pushing her bedroom door open. “We’re back!” “Did you have fun with June, Sunny?” Star asked, turning away from her laptop to look at her. “Yeah! She showed me all the cool stuff in your house!” Sunset gushed, rushing over to him. “It’s your house now too, Sunny.” He chuckled and ruffled her hair. She giggled, wrapping her arms around him. “Is it ready?” She asked, gazing at her laptop. “Yes, I’ve got the parental blocks up and the general settings taken care of,” Star said, pulling her into his lap. “All that’s left is to teach you how to use the laptop and show you the internet.” “Internet?” She asked. What's that?” “Hmm, it’s a little hard to put into words,” Star said, scratching his chin. “But it’s full of information and in a few years time, it’s going to be an integral part of people’s lives.” “Oh.” She nodded her head slightly. “It’ll be easier just to show you.” He moved his finger across a pad on the laptop and pushed a button as a cursor was over an icon on the screen. The screen changed, and a word was on the center of it. Google. “What's 'goo-gal’?” Sunset asked, staring at the word. “It’s a search engine, you type words into the box right there, and it’ll show you things related to that,” he explained, typing in ‘stars’ to demonstrate. “Woah.” Sunset leaned in, watching in awe as pictures of stars flooded the screen. “Yup, and you can find a lot more than this,” Star said. “Researching homework assignments will be a cinch. Plus, you can talk to people all over the world. Just make sure you have us with you if you wanna do that. People can pretend to be someone they’re not.” “Talk to people? Like a telephone?” “More like an instant letter,” Star corrected. “There’s quite a few places where people can send messages to one another. In fact, my old college has a forum where students can talk to one another about classes and things like that.” “Oooh! That's really neat!” Sunset beamed. “You think everything is neat,” June teased. “Nuh uh,” Sunset said with a pout. “I don’t think spiders are neat. They’re gross.” “I like spiders,” June giggled, “My mother’s an entomologist, so I grew up around a lot of bugs.” Sunset shivered at the thought. “Eww, I don’t think I’d like that at all.” “Suit yourself, Sunny.” “Anyway,” Star cut in, chuckling at their exchange. “On to teaching you how to use this. First, is the track pad. You just move your finger along it to control the mouse cursor.” He demonstrated it for her. Sunset smiled as she soaked up her father’s words, learning. The teaching continued for a while until Star told her she was ready to try it on her own. She beamed and typed several things into the search engine, her mind racing with possibilities. “Okay, dinner time,” June cut in as Sunset was in the middle of typing something. “Who wants pizza?” “I do!” Sunset called, pushing away from her desk. “Pizza sounds great, June,” Star said. “The usual place?” “You got it!” June called, “We going out or ordering?” “Why don’t we go out so Sunny can see more of her new town?” Star suggested. “I think that's a great idea,” June agreed, “Get ready to go Sunny.” “Okay!” Sunset rushed to the bathroom to wash up. She came back into her room and put on a jacket. “Ready!” “You have to put your shoes in first,” June reminded. Sunset nodded and put her shoes on and tied them up tight. “What kind of pizza are we getting?” Sunset asked. “What kind would you like?” “Umm… pepperoni!” Sunset answered. “Then pepperoni it is!” Star declared as he walked into the room. “Alright, let’s get going then,” June said, taking Sunset’s hand and leading her down to the car. Sunset hummed, skipping along. June and Star couldn’t help but smile as they entered the car. Star started it up and took them out of their driveway. Sunset watched from her seat as the scenery flashed by, trying to take in every detail. “Oh Sunny, my parents said they’re visiting next weekend,” Star said, getting her attention. “They’re excited to finally meet you.” “I can't wait to meet them.” Sunset smiled. “What are they like?” “They’re very nice,” Star said. “Both of them are educators. My father is a professor at a nearby college and my mother is a Superintendent.” “What's a super-tendant? Is that like a superhero?” “No, a superintendent is a position on a county’s school board,” Star explained. “They make sure the schools are doing what they’re supposed to and that they’re performing well.” “Oh. Sounds boring.” “It may not be an exciting job, but it’s important,” he said with a chuckle. It didn't take them long to pull up to a small pizza place called “Cheese’s Pizza.” Sunset looked at the sign as she held on to her father’s hand. They took a seat and a waitress walked over to them. “Hi there, what can I get you to drink?” she asked in a friendly voice. “Um...” Sunset shrank in on herself, her words dying in her mouth. “How about a root beer?” Star asked, coming to her rescue. Sunset nodded and the waitress jotted it down. “And for you two?” the waitress asked. They gave their orders, and the waitress walked off. “You okay Sunny?” Star asked, looking at her in concern. Sunset nodded again and put on a strained smile. “You can tell me if something's wrong okay?” “I-I’m just a little nervous,” she managed to get out. “Nothing to worry about.” “Is that all?” He asked with a frown. Sunset nodded again. “Yeah Dad, that’s all,” Sunset told him. “Alright, if you say so.” He reached over, ruffling her hair. Her smile grew a little and the waitress took the rest of their drink orders. “Ready to order?” The waitress asked, taking out her notepad. “We want a large pepperoni pizza with extra cheese,” June said. “With some bread sticks,”Star added. “Seriously, breadsticks too? Where ya gonna put all that ya scrawny nerd?” June teased, smirking at him. “Always need the brain food.” He smirked. “Oh, then maybe we should get an anchovy pizza just for you?” she retorted. “Fish is a big brain food after all.” “Bleh anchovies.” He stuck his tongue out, winking at Sunset. Sunset just giggled as she watched the two. “So, a large pepperoni pizza with extra cheese and breadsticks, will that be all?” the waitress asked with a smile. “You got it.” Star gave her a thumbs up. The waitress nodded and walked off. “That was funny.” Sunset smiled and sipped her root beer. “Thanks, we’re certified comedians,” Star said with a smirk. “Yeah, don’t quit your day job sweetie,” June said. “We’d go broke if you tried taking your act on the road.” “And don't quit yours.” He reached over, poking her cheek. “Try that again, see what happens,” she warned playfully, narrowing her eyes at him. He matched her glare, poking her cheek again. June reached over, pulling his glasses off of his face. “Hey! I need those to see!” He complained, vainly grasping at her hands. “I warned you not to poke me again,” she said, keeping the glasses just out of reach. “Plus, I told you contacts are better. But did you listen, no.” “I'm not taking the risk of poking my eyes out,” he countered, frowning. “Oh you’re such a big baby,” she teased, putting his glasses on and kissing his nose. Sunset was in hysterics at this point, nearly spilling her drink. “Guess I was worried over nothing,” Star said, adjusting his glasses. “Sunny seems to be feeling just fine.” “I just... get nervous...” Sunset explained, taking a deep breath to calm herself. “It’s okay, sweetie,” June assured her. “Your dad and I are here for you.” Sunset nodded, giving them a smile. They continued to talk and eventually their pizza and breadsticks arrived, causing Sunset’s mouth to water. “Dig in!” Star smiled, biting into a breadstick. Sunset nodded and took a slice of pizza, biting into it. “Mmm, so good,” Sunset said, smiling. The three of them spent the next half hour, and by the time they were done, Sunset was stifling a yawn. “I think someone needs to get to bed,” Star said, ruffling her hair. “How about we go home and I read you some Daring Do to lull you to sleep?” “I’d like that a lot dad.” Sunset smiled, rubbing at an eye. He smiled and quickly paid. On the ride home, Sunset nodded her head as she tried to stay awake. In an effort to keep herself awake, she decided to ask a question. “Hey dad?” “What is it, Sunny?” Star asked, not taking his eyes off the road. “Could other moms have made kids with that stuff you donated?” Star blinked, the thought dawning on him. “It’s possible,” he admitted. “But I think you’re the only child that’s mine. Plus, if you do have siblings, I’m not allowed to know about them.” “Huh, why not?” Sunset asked with a tilt of her head. “Well, it's a little complicated.” Star frowned. “But the law says that I can't. If we ever hear from them is if their parents tell them about me and they decide to contact me.” “Okay, if that happens, I wonder if they’re nice?” She wondered aloud. “I hope they're as amazing as you are.” Star smiled, pulling into their driveway. Sunset giggled and soaked in the praise. “Thanks, Dad.” “Come on.” Star got out and unbuckled her, picking her up. “Let's get you to bed.” Sunset nodded and wrapped her arms around him. She smiled contently as he carried her upstairs. “We can skip brushing your teeth just this once okay?” “Okay,” she said, getting into her pajamas. She then crawled into bed and looked up at him with a hopeful smile. He sat next to her bed, the first Daring Do book on his hands. “Ready?” She nodded eagerly. He cracked the book open to the beginning, starting to read aloud, going so far as to give the characters distinct voices. He only got two chapters or so in before she finally fell asleep. He smiled at her and kissed her forehead. He then carefully walked out of the room and slowly closed the door. “She’s such a cute kid,” June whispered, waiting in the hallway. “I can’t believe she’s mine...” Star said, glancing at her door. “I can,” June said with a smile. “She’s as easily excitable as you are. She even wants you to teach her how to build things like you do.” “She does?” he asked, blinking in surprise. “Yup, her eyes lit up in your workshop. She’s definitely your kid,” she told him, kissing his cheek. He smiled, pulling her into a deep kiss. “I just wish I could’ve met her mother.” He pulled away, looking into her eyes. “What, did you want to replace me with her?” she teased with a soft smile. “What? No way, you're one of a kind, June,” he chuckled. “I wouldn’t replace you with anyone, not even a goddess.” “Keep that up and you’ll give me a swollen head,” June said, patting his cheek. “I bet.” he pulled away from her, heading to their room. “I just hope I can be a good dad.” “I know you will,” June said, walking ahead of him. “To Sunset, and possibly others.” She added a bit more of a sway to her hips. “Oh? You wanna make one of our own?” he grinned, watching her hips. “Well, I was thinking that Sunset could use a little brother or sister,” June said, looking over her shoulder to catch him staring. “Wouldn’t you agree?” “I do very much indeed~” he grinned, opening their door for her. “I’ll put on that outfit I know you love~” she sing songed as the door closed behind her. Star couldn’t wait to get to bed that night.