//------------------------------//
// The Angry Brat 
// Story: Sunset's Hearth's Warming 
// by ThomasZoey3000 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 5: The Angry Brat


The next two days went by without a hitch. Sunset, along with the aid of Concrete Slab, helped Moon Crest to decorate the Shimmer family home until it became the brightest home in all of Canterlot, if not all of Equestria. Sunny Rays and Sun Drops became very good friends, and spend more than a few hours building snowponies. Sunny Rays managed to surprise Sun Drops with how quick she could make snowponies, and of course there were a few snowball wars. Sunflower got a chance to share some stories with Moon Crest, and even share recipes with Sunrise. Overall, they were all getting along quite well.

All of them except for Granite Slab. Even as Hearth's Warming got closer, his attitude didn't change a bit, he still complained about being in Canterlot, and would insult Sunny Rays' room, or anything else in the Shimmer family home. His parents spoke firmly to him, but he just kept on going. Needless to say, his attitude kept Sunny Rays away from him.

Two nights after talking with her Aunt, Sunset was making her way back to her bedroom to write to her friends back home. She had spent the majority of the day hanging out with Sunny Rays, Honey Tree and Cheery Tree, and took many pictures of the beautiful town. As one might expect, ponies looked at her digital camera strangely, but once she explained it was just an ordinary camera, they didn't seem to be bothered by it.

As she got closer to her room, a young voice barked out; "get out of my way!"

Sunset looked down the hallway and saw Sunny Rays trying to get to her bedroom, but Granite Slab was blocking her path.

"I'm sorry...I...I just wanted to..."

"I said get out of my way, or I'll smack you."

Sunny Rays moved aside and Granite walked past, showing a smug look towards Sunny Rays. Sunset looked at him firmly and said with a serious tone in her voice; "threaten my sister like that and you'll regret your choice."

"Yeah right, you can do nothing aganist me, so buck off loser!" And he walked off downstairs.

Sunset shook her head, "he's not going to last long with that kind of attitude." She walked over towards Sunny Rays, "you okay Sunny Rays?"

"Yes, but I don't like Granite Slab. He's a real meanie."

"Yeah he is," she sighed. "Now, what is it you need from your room?"

Sunny Rays looked to the stairwell, then towards her parent's bedroom. She whispered to Sunset, "I want to make something special for Hearth's Warming for all of the family."

"All of the family huh?"

"That's right, but I can't say what it is yet," she giggled and gave Sunset a wink.

"Okay Sunny Rays, I won't ask. But do you need help getting your supplies over to my room?"

Sunny Rays nodded. Although she had alot of power in her magic, even she couldn't carry everything on her own. Sunset took some of the more heavy supplies, while Sunny Rays brought over the rest. Once they arrived in Sunset's room, Sunny Rays asked Sunset to leave her alone so she wouldn't spoil the surprise.

"Sure thing Sis, just let me grab my journal and I'll go downstairs."

Using her magic, she picked up her journal and went downstairs to write, and to spend just a bit more time with her family. However, she hadn't seen Granite Slab sneak back upstairs and had been spying on them. He poked his head in towards the bedroom and watched as Sunny Rays went to work on her arts and crafts project.

"Oh it'll be a surprise alright, but not in the way you think it will be," and he chuckled to himself as he walked away from the room.


A few hours later, everypony was asleep. The lights around the house had been turned off, and the hallways were silent, apart from a few sounds that come from a house in the nighttime. However, the peace and quiet wouldn't last long as one pony was getting up. It was Granite Slab. He silently walked over towards Sunset's bedroom. He pushed open the door and sitting in plain view was a big piece of cardboard.

"Perfect, the stupid brat left it out to dry."

He walked into the bedroom, grabbed it with his magic and took it out of the room. He walked silently downstairs, and being as quiet as he could, he tore up the cardboard and scattered the pieces all over the kitchen.

"This will surely convince my parents that we should leave," he thought nastily to himself.

Feeling mighty proud of what he had done, he went back upstairs and climbed back into his sleeping bag. He shut his eyes and went to sleep.


Once again, the sun hadn't even gotten up by the time Sunset Shimmer woke up. Sunny Rays was still fast asleep and surronded by stuffed toys, "how she's able to sleep like that I'll never know," she thought to herself.

She was just about to step out of the bed when she heard, "what in the name of Celestia?!"

The sudden noise made her fall out of the bed, and made her crash to the floor. "Ow," she groaned.

The sudden cry had also gotten the other ponies up, and they went downstairs to find out what was going on. Except for Granite Slab, he just smirked to himself.

"This ought to be good." He walked to the top of the stairs and waited.

"Mom, what's going on?" Sunset asked.

She and Sunny Rays soon found out. They, their parents and three of the Slab family members looked at the kitchen, which was covering in glittery cardboard and glue.

"My surprise!" cried Sunny Rays in shock. She ran into the kitchen and pulled one piece up. It was a picture of her mother, which had been torn in half, "it's ruined."

"What surprise? Sunny Rays, what's going on?" asked Sunrise.

"I had a special surprise that I was going to give to you, Daddy and Sunset on Hearth's Warming, but now it's destoryed."

Sunset lifted another piece up, which showed the previous family photo of four, still intact.

Sunflower was horrified, "I am so sorry Sunny Rays, I don't understand how this could've happened."

There was a quiet chuckle from upstairs, which Sunset heard loud and clear. She stormed out of the kitchen and towards the stairwell, where she saw Granite Slab, chuckling to himself.

"Did you do this?"

"I won't say anything to you loser."

Sunset raised an eyebrow at him, "so you did destory her surprise. How you can be so cruel I'll never know."

Granite Slab snickered, "fine, you got me, I destoryed the picture." This got the attention of everypony and they came to the stairwell, except for Sunrise, who was trying to calm the now sad Sunny Rays. "I ruined the picture, I figured it would be the best way for us to be kicked out of here and never come back. Personally, I don't like being around losers anyways, I rather go back to Manehatten."

Concrete shouted angerily, "why you little brat! You would dare destory something so valuable for your own selfish game?! Why I ought to..."

Sunflower stopped him before he could do or say anymore, "I am so sorry everypony. Maybe it'd be best if we go back to Manehatten, before our son ruins your Hearth's Warming."

Granite Slab smiled, "I'll go get my things." He knew he would be punished upon getting home, but it would be worth it.

Sun Drops wasn't happy, "why do we have to be punished as well? I don't want to leave, I was just starting to enjoy our visit here."

Moon Crest stepped forward, "from one parent to another Sis, if you leave for Manehatten, then you're just letting him win. If you stay though, you're still in control and he'll learn he can't get away with stunts like that."

"But he'll ruin your holidays."

"Not if he stays in a different part of the house, on his own, then nopony will get hurt," said Sunset, and she looked in a different direction.

Moon Crest looked and nodded, "We can clear out a portion of the basement, and Granite can stay down there. If he tries to get out at night, Sunrise and I will hear him loud and clear."

"Well, I'm all set to leave," smirked Granite Slab.

Concrete Slab looked to his wife, "it's your call honey, what do you want to do?"

Sunflower looked to all the ponies on the main level, then to her smirking son. She took in a deep breath, sighed and spoke firmly to him, "Granite, you will be punished, but not in the way you're thinking!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"For destorying Sunny Rays' little picture, you will be sleeping in the basement of this house till after Hearth's Warming." Her voice rose up, making him shiver, "and so help me, if you pull anymore stunts like this again, you will get no presents and you will spend all of Hearth's Warming in the basement. Do I make myself clear?"

"No! I will not..."

"Do I make myself clear?!" Sunflower shouted angerily.

This scared Granite Slab, and in the end, obeyed his mother.

Sunflower then helped Sunset, Moon Crest, Concrete and Sunrise to move much of the stuff in the basement out of the way. Luckily, there was a bed down there, but it was old and covered in dust.

"I will not sleep on it!" snapped Granite Slab.

"Fine, then you can sleep on the floor, cause we're taking your sleeping bag away. Oh and your things will stay upstairs with your Aunt and Uncle."

"Ugh! You're the worst parents ever!"

Sunflower called down the stairs, "Moon Crest, is that room ready?"

"Yep, it's all ready!" he called and walked back upstairs.

"Good. Now Granite, you go downstairs and stay down there. Think over your actions and your words, and for goodness sakes, make the right choice."

Granite walked in, then turned to speak, but Sunflower slammed the door. He of course tried to open it to get out, but she locked it.

"You're not coming out till we say so!"

"Whoa, now that's how you handle a misbehaving child," muttered Sunset.

Sunflower walked back towards the kitchen, all the while Granite pounded on the door like a pony out of his mind. Sunflower picked up some of the pieces with Sunny Rays, "you know, some of these photos aren't destoryed, maybe you could..." she looked behind her and whispered, "put them all together in a heart, that would be nice."

That cheered Sunny Rays right up, "thanks Aunt Sunflower."

"My pleasure."

After helping to clear up the mess, Sunflower helped Sunny Rays take the photos back upstairs. The remaining pieces sadly had to be thrown away, "such a shame, I bet it would've been lovely," sighed Sunrise.

"I bet it would've," nodded Concrete Slab.

Sunset sighed and shook her head, "I may've been bad moons ago, but not even I would cause damage or destruction. At least not on my own," and she shuddered just thinking over when she turned into a raging she-demon.

At the door, Granite Slab continued to pound away, "I want to go home! I don't want to stay here! Let me out!"

"Scream all you want, you're not getting what you want," snapped Sun Drops, and she walked away.


While Sunny Rays went back to work on her picture, Sunset decided to go into town alone. Before she had left Ponyville, Twilight had asked her to deliver some invitations for a hearth's warming party to all her fillyhood friends. She found Minuette, Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine at Donut Joe's, and she found Moondancer at a book store.

"Hello Ms Shimmer, what brings you here?" she asked.

"Twilight asked me to give this message to you." And she pulled the invitation out of her saddlebag. Moondancer accepted it and read it.

"Thank you Sunset, I'll be sure to go to her party. It sounds like it's going to be a blast." Using her magic, she placed it inside of her saddlebag, "so, how are you doing? Last time I saw you, you were upset."

"Yeah well everything's changed, I've been accepted by my family again, but now we have to deal with a cousin of mine and his bad attitude."

"Bad attitude?"

"Yep, it's a long story, but apart from that, we're okay." She then noticed a book that she knew Twilight wouldn't have in her library, "since I'm not going to get back to Ponyville till after Hearth's Warming, after I buy this and wrap it up, would you mind taking this back to Twilight's castle?"

"I think I can do that."

"Great. Can you come by my parent's place before you go to Ponyville?"

"Yep, I'll definetly do that." Using her magic, Moondancer pulled out another book, which was her timetable book, "I'm going to be busy this afternoon, but I think I can arrive this evening."

"Okay, thanks Moondancer."

"No problem, and I hope you and your family can sort out that cousin with the bad attitude."

"I hope so too."

The two ponies went their seperate ways. As Sunset turned a corner though, she could see her grandmare; Sunbeam Shimmer merely looking around, though it didn't look like she was looking for books.

"She hates reading, why is she here?"

The answer became clear as Night Glide came out with a book, and from what Sunset could see, was a history book on railroads and trains of Equestria.

"Are you done yet? I want to get going," snorted Sunbeam.

"Yes dear, I'm done, I found my book...oh look, there's Sunset." He had looked in a direction and saw his granddaughter.

"What is she doing here? Traitors like her don't deserve..."

"It's a public bookstore honey, any pony is welcome to come here, even Sunset Shimmer." And before Sunbeam could say anything, Night Glide walked over towards Sunset, "good afternoon Sunset, it is good to see you again."

"You as well Night Glide."

Night Glide chuckled, "please Sunset, you can call me Grandpa if you want to. I know of some of your adventures, and I must say I'm quite impressed on how you help others. I must also say that you've certainly grown up since the last time I've seen you, you've become such a beautiful mare."

Sunset blushed hearing that, "oh geez Grandpa, you're making me blush."

"Well it's true."

"Night Glide! Do I have to come over there and drag you out of here, or are you going to walk away from the traitor?!" Sunbeam bellowed.

"Oh for crying out loud," he groaned. "Sometimes your Grandmare can be extermly rude. I'll see you later Sunset." He turned and walked back towards his wife.

"As if Granite Slab wasn't enough to deal with already," Sunset thought to herself.

She picked up the book she wanted to give Twilight, and after paying for it and got it gift-wrapped, she headed off back to the house.


When she arrived, she heard pounding on the basement door. Sunset was surprised, "you got to be kidding me, he's still pounding away?"

"Afraid so," sighed Sunrise. "It's a good idea to have him stay in the basement as punishment. That being said, sweet Celestia, that boy is giving me quite a headache." She sighed, "oh well, can't give in or he'll never learn."

Sunset nodded, but still she walked over towards the door and spoke to him, "take it from me kid, your way is not going to get you far."

"Oh shut up!" he snapped, "and let me out!"

"I'm serious Granite, you could get a whole lot more than just being told to stay in the basement. The choices you make can land you in colder, dark places."

But still Granite just kept pounding on the door.

"Leave him alone Sunset, he'll learn in due time."

Sunset sighed, "as you wish Mom."

She walked up the stairwell and towards her bedroom. Sunny Rays had already finished her project and hidden it, and like always, she had cleaned up her mess.

"I should get some lessons from Sunny Rays on how to keep things neat and tidy," she chuckled to herself.

"Hey Sunset, everypony else is in a bit of a snowball war and from the looks of it, your dad and sister are in trouble, do you mind giving them a hoof before they're beaten?" called her mother.

"Sure, I'll give them a hand, er hoof!" She smacked her forehead again, "there I go again. Sooner or later, I'll get it right."

She walked back down the stairs and headed for the outside. Before she did, she heard Granite pound on the door some more.

"You might not give up kid, but lucky for you, neither do I." Sunset was determined to help her cousin change his ways before the holidays were done. Somehow, someway.