Twilight Velvet's heart hurt seeing her husband looking so forlorn. She was so glad that Shining was willing to take Twilight along for his date with Cadance. She had been the one to receive the message from the mail pony this morning, and she was able to get them all out the door before waking Night Light up and giving him the tragic news.
Night Light was sitting in the living room, paging through an album that hadn't been pulled out in years. It was something he got from his parents after they had passed a few years ago. His parents had had their children later in life, so it hadn't been a surprise. He actually had been somewhat estranged from them, after they turned out his younger sister. No, what seemed to have him so sad was the little mare that showed up in half the pictures of the album in his forelegs.
She was a red maned filly with a white coat. As he flipped the pages of the dusty album, she grew up picture by picture, until there was just a single photo of her as a young mare, still with some youthful roundness to her face, holding a diploma with her name barely legible on it, 'Shining Dawn'.
"When she left... well, by then I was just starting my career and we'd just gotten married, remember? We didn't even find out she was gone until we went to my parents for Hearth’s Warming months later, remember? I think you were madder at them than I had been, and it totally ruined our surprise for them. Hah, I think that might be why you proposed to name our boy after her." Night Light murmured to his wife as she sat down next to him, hugging him and letting him lean into her.
"I never had the chance to really be close to her, but she always seemed a bright young mare. I'm so sorry Nighty, I always hoped that... well, that she would have met our children..." replied Twilight Velvet. Her husband slowly nodded his head, slowly closing the album before picking the letter up again. It was from the mayor of a little village called Ponyville.
From what Night Light's parents had told them, Shining Dawn had wanted to find her former coltfriend who had broken up with her to move back to some remote village. It escalated to an argument where things were said that couldn't be taken back, and she left the very next day on a train out from Canterlot. They had thought she would come to her senses and return in a few days, then in a few weeks, and then too much time had passed and they were sure she didn't want to return.
A year later, they had taken some weeks off and looked for her in the village she was heading to, only to find that the stallion she was going to visit had already rekindled a previous relationship with his village sweetheart and had a foal of his own named Sunburst. With no other clues as to her whereabouts, they had returned to Canterlot and simply hoped she would reach back out to them.
"Oh Velvet dear, if only she had sent us a letter, even once! To tell us what happened... or for help, or anything... I know we could have done something." Night Light groaned as he gripped the letter. For a long time Night Light had thought to himself that she must be out there just making her life. The letter stated otherwise.
Dear Mr. Night Light:
Please let me begin by apologizing for being the bearer of this tragic news. I must first inform you of the death of Shining Dawn. As per our records you are the only surviving relative above the age of majority, for which reason we have sent you a detailed report below on the findings of the investigation made.
Shining Dawn's remains were found near the bottom of a place called Ghastly Gorge. We were able to confirm her identity by her belongings in her saddlebag. It is believed that she had been trying to look for gems in the gorge for some extra money when some rocks collapsed and from what they could tell she died instantly from a blow to the head.
While I offer my condolences for the tragic death of your sister, I must also continue with a further critical piece of information that I believe may have been unexpected for you.
You see, based on clues with the remains we were also able to date when this tragedy occurred to 13 years ago. Around that same time, we had another important case in the area. A pony fitting the description of your sister had arrived the day before, and used a pseudonym to rent a room. She arrived with a little 2 year old foal.
When the mare did not return, nor could she be found anywhere in the nearby area, the village authorities thought the abandonment of the foal had been intentional, and as we had no clues as to other relatives at the time. Her mother had disappeared without a trace, and she hadn't mentioned her intent to go to the gorge to anypony.
Please understand that the village did its best for the interest of the foal. She was transported to Canterlot, where she was remanded to the Greater Canterlot Orphanage. They should have further information for you if you provide the following information:
Case No. 8-1278-9634
Name: Sunset Shimmer
Description: Amber coat, red and yellow striped mane
My Condolences,
Mayor Mare
Mayor's Office - Ponyville
Night Light had a niece his own son's age, that grew up in the same city, without any family. Well, Twilight Velvet would let her husband have his tears for a bit longer, but soon she would drag him to that orphanage to find her niece. They would make sure that filly knew she had family willing to open their doors and hearts to her.
"Ma'am, I understand you want that information, however I am not permitted to just give out the address of adoptions or wards of the state," the bureaucrat in front of her said again in the same droning voice he’d been using throughout their meeting. They had now spent the last couple hours finding someone at the orphanage that could provide more information on the whereabouts of their long lost niece.
"Look, we aren't looking to rip her away from a loving family if she has been adopted! We just want the chance to meet her and let her know she has family if she wants to get to know us, or if she ever needs anything. You won't tell us who adopted her, or how long ago or anything!" Velvet replied, getting more and more fed up with the unhelpful attitude. Her husband was quietly letting her take the lead on this venture, still under a cloud of grief.
"Ma'am, look... To be honest this is a very unusual case. I get that. I'm also not really allowed to make exceptions since these rules are to help protect the foals, alright? Here is what I can do. I want you two to write a letter for her. I will send a letter from the orphanage, with yours attached, and she can decide if she will approach you," the onsite administrator capitulated to the couple.
"Yes! I mean, yes, that is fine. We will write it out immediately if you don't mind lending us the paper? Thanks." Twilight Velvet leaped at the chance, which was their best and only shot at making contact.
She quickly wrote out a letter, having already gone over what she wanted to say in her mind dozens of times on the way over to the orphanage. She then passed it to her husband, who took a lot longer to write something out, but in the end they had a heartfelt letter asking for the chance to get to know her, as well as offering the chance to meet the rest of her family.
They sealed the letter and addressed it to Sunset. The administrator took it and laid it down on his desk while he finished writing up his own letter. Then he placed both into a larger envelope before looking up to the couple. "I'll mail this out immediately. Now if that concludes our business, have a good day." He dismissed them.
The couple slowly walked back home. Now all they could do is wait and hope for a response.