//------------------------------//
// A Lavender Filly 
// Story: The Ties that Bind 
// by the7Saviors 
//------------------------------//

It was getting late in the afternoon when Sunset Shimmer finally stepped out of the study.

One quick glance around the room was enough to confirm both Twilight and Trixie's absence from the living room. Looking over by the fireplace, she could see some playing cards scattered about and forgotten by the two fillies. She sighed in annoyance and made her way over, taking all the cards in her magic and neatly stacking them together.

Setting them back on the table, she looked over to the rack on the other side of the door and noticed both her and Trixie's scarves missing, confirming her suspicion that they had gone outside to do... something. Turning to the window, she could see that the snow had stopped falling, though the sky was still just as grey as this morning.

She was pondering whether or not to join Twilight and Trixie when the door to the bedroom suddenly creaked opened. Ancient Scroll gave a loud yawn as he trotted out of the room. It wasn't until Sunset addressed him that he saw the orange filly standing near the table.

"Afternoon, Uncle Scroll," she greeted with a small smile, "hope you slept well."

Ancient Scroll cracked his neck a few times before trotting into the kitchen as he answered.

"Oh, not too bad," he stopped and looked back to Sunset with a knowing smile, "considering the headboard was completely disconnected from the bed frame."

Sunset winced and rubbed the back of her neck.

"I knew we forgot something," she muttered under her breath. She turned to Scroll with an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry, Uncle Scroll. Trixie and I got into a fight and things got a little... intense. We tried to clean everything up," she added quickly, "but I guess we missed a few things..."

Ancient Scroll merely chuckled in response as he continued towards the kitchen.

"It's fine, Sunset," he called out, "what's important is that you and Trixie tried to fix your mistakes..."

Sunset sighed in relief, until Scroll spoke again.

"...and that you and Trixie will be going back into that room to make sure everything is compeletely clean. That means fixing the bed properly."

Sunset's relief turned to dismay and she groaned in disappointment.

"Yes, Uncle Scroll," she grumbled.

"Speaking of Trixie," Ancient Scroll mused from the kitchen, "where is the little  ball of fire? And Twilight for that matter?"

"I guess they got bored and went outside," Sunset answered as she hopped up onto the armchair Twilight had occupied earlier, "I was thinking about joining them, but Twilight took my scarf."

"I see," Ancient Scroll responded as he trotted out of the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee held aloft in a green aura, "well as long as they don't wander too far from the cottage it's fine."

He grunted as he sat in another - somewhat less comfy in Sunset's opinion - armchair opposite the one Sunset was sitting on. He blew some of the steam from the cup and took a small sip of his coffee before addressing Sunset.

"So, little filly," he began with an inquisitve raise of his brow, "what do you think of our newest addition to the cottage?" 

Sunset Shimmer's eyes widened slightly in surprise, not having expected the question.

"Well..." she hesitated, trying to gather her thoughts about the lavender filly she had only just met.

"She's... very polite," she offered, "a far cry from Trixie, actually."

Ancient Scroll nodded with a small smile.

"And?"

"And if her reaction this morning to you teaching us magic is anything to go by, she obviously has a thing for it," she paused and looked at Scroll questioningly, "actually, why did you decide to teach us magic all of a sudden?"

Ancient Scroll chuckled and leaned forward.

"You want to know how I found the little filly?" he asked in a conspiratorial whisper.

Sunset raised an eyebrow and waited for his inevitable response.

"I walked into the cottage, just before the sun started rising behind those grey clouds and spotted her standing in the doorway of my study," he barked out a laugh, "by the look I saw on her face, you'd think she had stumbled upon some lost city of gold!"

His laughter died down into chuckles and he turned to look out the window briefly before turning back to a slightly confused Sunset.

"To answer your question, little filly," he continued leaning back in his chair, "it's because that little display showed me that there were still foals like her out there that were willing to learn what an old stallion like me knows."

He took another sip of his coffee and his gaze turned somewhat somber as he looked at Sunset.

"It's like I told little Twilight," he said in a quieter tone, "I'm not getting any younger, and I'd like to pass on what I know before..."

He trailed off and shook his head.

"Ah, but this is a bit too heavy to be laying on a filly your age," he said with a wan smile.

"No, I... I understand, Uncle Scroll," Sunset responded, staring at her hooves, "really I do. and I'm glad I get to learn magic from you of all ponies."

her brow furrowed and she continued to look at her hooves.

"My last teacher... wasn't as great as I thought she was... a lot worse in fact."

Ancient Scroll thought to ask the filly for more details, but ultimately decided against it. He had been trying to coax that story out of her ever since she showed up on his doorstep roughly a year ago to no avail. He supposed he'd just have to wait a bit longer.

"I'm sorry to hear that, little filly," he said genuinely, then smirked as he tried to bring Sunset's spirit back up, "you can rest assured though, I'll probably be the best teacher you'll get this side of Equestria," 

That seemed to do the trick and Sunset giggled.

"I hope so," she said meeting his smirk with her own, "Twilight isn't the only one who likes to learn about magic."

For the next few minutes, they sat in a companionable silence, listening to the crackling of the fire still blazing in the fireplace. Ancient Scroll continued to drink his coffee and Sunset stared out the window thoughtfully as snow began to once again fall outside.

"What do you think happened to Twilight?" Sunset mused, her contemplative gaze still locked on the grey sky outside. Ancient Scroll tapped the side of his cup with a hoof and hummed to himself as he thought.

"Can't be too sure, little filly," he finally answered, "but I think it might be something similar to what happened to Trixie."

Sunset turned to Ancient Scroll, her eyes widening in horror.

"You're saying her parents were-"

"I'm not saying anything for certain, Sunset," Ancient Scroll interjected sternly, "but yes, I do think it has something to do with her parents." 

Sunset Shimmer looked at Ancient Scroll for another moment before turning her attention to the fireplace.

"...When she first showed up last night, I asked her about her horn."

Ancient Scroll polished of his cup of coffee before responding.

"And what did she say?"

"Well I was trying to figure out what she could've done that would've caused that magical burnout," she answered, looking over to Ancient Scroll with a bit of shame, "I knew she was sad about something, but I was just curious about the spell she tried to use."

Ancient Scroll nodded slowly, then gave Sunset another stern look.

"Being curious is all well and good, Sunset. A little curiosity is healthy for a growing young mind, but there's a time and place to give voice to that curiosity. Now tell me, was that the time and place?"

Sunset lowered her head, abashed. 

"No, Uncle Scroll."

"As long as you understand," Scroll said, nodding in satisfaction, "now then, what did she say?"

"She told me she couldn't remember what she was doing, but she thinks it was an accident," Sunset replied, "she said she panicked."

Ancient Scroll stared into his empty cup with a thoughtful frown. After a minute of silence, Sunset spoke.

"Do you know what kind of spell she used, Uncle Scroll?" she asked apprehensively.

"...I think so, little filly," he responded slowly, "but if what she told me is true..."

He trailed off in thought and Sunset furrowed her brow in impatience.

"What?" she asked, "what did she tell you?"

He gave a slow shake of his head and looked up at Sunset.

"Sunset, do you remember how long it took you to travel here from Canterlot?"

Sunset blinked in confusion at the sudden question before lifting a hoof to her chin in contemplation.

"Well, I had to do a lot of stuff to get here," she recalled, "but I think it took about... two months?"

"Two months..." Ancient Scroll mouthed to himself.

Sunset looked at the old stallion with a mix of bemusement and frustration.

"Why did you wanna know that?" she asked, her impatience seeping into her voice, "what does that have to do with..."

Her question faltered as she noticed the look of awe on Ancient Scroll's face.

"That filly told me she was from Canterlot," he said, suddenly, "same as you, little filly."

He hopped off his chair and began pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace as he spoke.

"And yet she suddenly shows up here, in the middle of nowhere, lost, confused, and alone," he stopped and turned to Sunset, "now tell me, little filly, do you think she ended up here the same way you did? Or even Trixie for that matter?"

Sunset sat there for a minute as she ran several possibilties through her mind.

"No..." she said after some time, "she looked really confused about what was going on and really desperate too..."

Ancient Scroll nodded and continued his pacing.

"Here's what I think," he offered, "I think that little filly had herself a magic surge - a mighty powerful one at that. As to why I couldn't say, but I do believe that, under some kind of stress, she focused all her magic on one thing and one thing only."

"What do you think she focused on?"

He stopped his pacing once more and sat down in front of the fireplace as he looked back over to Sunset,

"Trying to get away from something."

Sunset mulled that over for a second before realization dawned on her.

"Wait," she said, eyeing Ancient Scroll incredulously, "you're saying she accidentally teleported here? From Canterlot?"

Ancient Scroll nodded grimly, "I'm saying it's a strong possibility."

"Wha - but... but that," Sunset sputtered in her bewilderment, "trying to cast something of that magnitude at her age should've killed her!"

"And yet here she is," Scroll replied, sitting back in his chair, "safe and sound in my humble little cottage on the edge of Equestria."

Before Sunset could muster up a response, the front door slammed open and Trixie sauntered inside.

"The Brave and Triumphant Trixie has returned!" she announced, floating her scarf back onto the rack. Twilight trotted in behind her rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Trixie, running away from a pack of angry squirrels does not make you brave or triumphant," she shook her head as she levitated Sunset's scarf next to Trixie's, "why did you even try to take their nuts anyway?"

"Trixie was going to use them in her performance," Trixie huffed in response as she sat in front of the fire.

"Now how in Celestia's name were you planning to do that?" Ancient Scroll asked in amusement.

"That is Trixie's business," she responded haughtily.

Twilight rolled her eyes again and turned to Sunset who had been staring at the lavender filly from her seat on the armchair.

"Sorry about using your scarf without asking, Sunset," Twilight said with an apologetic smile, "Trixie said you wouldn't mind."

"No, it's... it's alright, Twilight," she replied distractedly, "don't worry about it."

Twilight gave her a grateful smile before trotting over and sitting next to Trixie as they warmed their hooves by the fire.

Sunset continued to watch Twilight with her brow furrowed.

"That filly is one of a kind isn't she?" Ancient Scroll mused, as he observed Twilight try to explain why it was a bad idea to provoke nature.

"...Yeah," Sunset replied slowly, "yeah she is."