Memories are made of bliss. Whoever said that had a point. I’m Sunset Shimmer and after making our way back to our home, me and rest of the pack had found our old photo album. Man, I still can’t believe it’s only been a few months since I first met my new friends. I still remember the first night.
<Flashback: A few months ago>
The sun had peeked through the window of the house, causing a young Sunset to stir from the light over her eyes. Taking it as a sign, she woke up letting a yawn out as she ran her hand through her hair.
“Huh? Where am I?” She said before remembering why.
“Oh yeah. The shittiest day of my life happened…” She muttered, thinking about the events that led to her being here.
Anon-a-Miss.
CHS attacking her
And her backstabbing ex-friends who made it their mission to make her life a misery.
“Friends my toned ass…” She muttered to herself as she went to freshen up. As she did, she noticed that the people she was staying weren’t around.
“Wonder where everyone went?” She asked herself as she went out to look for them.
When she found them, she noticed what they were doing.
Squalo was attacking a large, wooden pillar with wooden rods sticking out of them, punching and kicking at fast speeds, as well as making sure to avoid the pillars. With one roar, he punched hard to leave an indent in the wood.
Falco was blindfolded in the middle of an arena. With a jolt, he dodged a kunai coming his way before flipping sideways to avoid the next one coming from the left, then leaning back to avoid another coming his way. He then did a break dance as he avoided a stream of kunai flying his way simultaneously and he finally grabbed one coming his way, just centimetres away from his face.
Sandy was on a log, her left leg out as she held two bowls filled to the brim with water. Sweat poured as she tried to maintain her balance and not drop them. She was in a state of focus as she gritted her teeth
Shade’s exercise was simple as he began to pull a large bungee cord, wrapped around a log, clenching his teeth as he took a step and the pressure increased and he had to dig his feet into the earth.
Flora was on a platform with thinner logs in front of him. She then began to leap on each one, maintaining her balance as she did when she danced on them, making sure to keep an eye on her footing.
Each one wearing a white gi with a black hemline
All the while, Lumen was watching them with a critical eye.
Sunset slowly approached them, wondering what was going on.
She then heard Lumen speak.
“Squalo! Good power but your strikes are too slow! Try and increase your speed a bit. Falco! Good reactions but your instincts need work! Sandy! Good form of maintaining your balance but loosen up a bit! Shade! I can see your strength increase but your balance is off course! Flora! Good agility but try not to make it a dance! This isn’t some high school prom!”
“Um…what’s going on?” Sunset asked as she approached the old man.
“I see you enjoyed your beauty sleep.” He said with a smile.
“Yeah. Best sleep I had in a while.” She said before going back to what she saw.
“So, what is going on?”
“It’s training.” Lumen answered but that just added more questions for the bacon-haired bombshell.
“Training?”
“Yes. These five are training their fighting prowess.” He said.
“Why?”
“Helps improve their health, builds their confidence and allows them to defend themselves. They agreed as they thought they owed me.”
“Did they?” she asked.
“No. I did what anyone with a heart would do. Besides, I was initially reluctant to.”
“How come?”
Lumen just remained silent.
“It’s rather personal.” He said cryptically.
‘Could it have to do with that dragon transformation?’ She thought to herself.
“So, I believe you are hungry.” He said, wanting to change the subject.
“Yeah. I need some breakfast.” She said as her stomach grumbled, making her blush.
Lumen just laughed.
“Come on. let's have some breakfast’ he said before yelling: “Everyone! Training is over! Time for breakfast!” He said as everyone stopped what they were doing and rushed over.
“Well, looks like Sleeping Beauty is finally awake!” Falco snickered.
“Hey, I was comfortable and I didn’t want to leave my bed.” She said with a sheepish grin.
“Ahh, fugeddaboutit. Let’s get some grub!” Squalo said as he made his way to the kitchen.
“You heard the guy! Ah’m done with training and ah’m hungry!” Sandy bellowed as they all entered the kitchen.
Everyone soon began to get everything they need from ingredients to cutlery. Sunset watched as they began to get everything ready, unsure on if she should help or not. Flora saw it and spoke.
“Ay, amiga! You wanna help?” She said as she laid the different plates.
“Can I?” She asked.
“Why not? Sensei found you so come on and help out.”
Sunset smiled a bit and began to get the glasses, laying them around the table, while the boys got the tabletop ready
“So what’s for breakfast?” Sunset asked.
“Looks like we are doing a signature breakfast draw.” Flora said, confusing Sunset.
“Every once in a while, we cook our own food. Helps build our skill set for future issues.” Sandy clarified.
“Ahh…” Sunset said.
“And since we only have one stove, we draw lots to see what we are eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner.” Squalo said, grabbing a bottle of full fat milk.
“Understandable.” She said as she saw the many ingredients around the counter
“So, what are you choosing today, my students?” Lumen asked
“Dunno yet. We were about to do the randomiser for our meal.” Shade answered.
“OK, I will also take part. Just make sure you clean up. We are not savages.” Lumen said as he walked off.
“Where is he going?” Sunset asked.
“Dunno. We do see him going to some shrine but that’s it. We are not allowed to enter unless we say so.” Shade said.
“Really?” Sunset spoke, a little surprised.
“Yeah. We saw the shrine but for some reason, we keep on getting this feeling of a savage animal watching us so we turn back.”
With everything prepared, Sandy got a glass bowl with five names and dishes in them.
“Hey Sunset, wanna take part?” The cowgirl asked with a smile.
“You want me to take part?” Sunset asked in a shocked tone.
“Yeah. You’re staying here, now. Won’t be fair if you were left out now, won’t it?”
Sunset smiled a bit, taken aback by their generosity.
“Get me a paper and pen please. I got some food to try.” She said as they were handed a pad and black pen.
Writing it down she placed it in the bowl with the other suggestions.
“OK! The choices are…!” Sandy announced as she read the names of the breakfast dishes:
Sandy then shook the bowl and placed back on the table, reaching her hand inside, she picked out a name.
Sunset’s
“Looks like we are having your idea.” Sandy said.
“YES!” Sunset cheered.
“That means you are making it.” Falco said with a cheeky smile.
Sunset froze in place.
“What.” She said flatly.
“Your idea. You’re cooking.” Shade spoke.
“You’re kidding.” Sunset said as she began to deflate.
“No. You may be a guest but that don’t mean you can slack off.” Lumen said in a serious tone, but the smirk on his face meant he was enjoying her reaction.
“AW! COME ON!” She whines childishly. Everyone chuckled as she pouted like a child.
An hour later, while the others were chilling in the living room, the kitchen door opened as the scent of cooked omelettes and fresh oranges filled their noses.
“Alright guys!’ An exhausted Sunset, in an apron plus a towel over her shoulder announced, her hair in a messy ponytail as she panted. ‘Breakfast is up!”
All of the others cheered a bit as they entered the kitchen, drooling at the sight of the freshly cooked omelettes, grilled fish and glasses of orange juice. Quickly, the teens grabbed their plates as they rushed to the table, eager to dig in after training for a while. Sunset and Lumen grabbed their plates, going at a more reasonable pace.
Especially when they saw them eat their food at an extremely savage pace, filling their mouths full of egg and fish while chugging their juice.
Lumen had let his presence be known by clearing his throat, to which all the teens saw him with shocked looks.
“So, manners are not something important anymore?” He asked with a raised brow.
All of them gulped in slight fear.
“Just for that, you five can clean the dishes after you are done.”
“Yessir…” They said as they shrunk in themselves and continued to eat at a more reasonable pace.
They had a bit of pleasant conversation, with Lumen giving advice on how to improve their skills. They also had a few moments of pleasant conversation. Sunset watched this happen while eating her own omelette with a smile on her face. It felt nostalgic, watching them talk like a family of misfits.
“You know, you guys are like a family from here.” Sunset commented. Everyone looked at each other and nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, kinda does, don’t it?” Squalo spoke
“I mean, Sensei is our father. Shade and Sandy are the elder siblings while Flora is the smack talking sister and yours truly is the younger cheeky brother.” He said as he pointed at everyone.
“And what about me?” Squalo had to demand.
“The delinquent middle child.” Falco said as he snickered, along with everyone else.
Squalo didn’t find it amusing.
“I’LL SHOW YOU DELINQUENT YOU OVERGROWN---!” He didn’t get to finish as Lumen went over and struck a pressure point by the base of his neck.
“ACK! ACK!” He groaned in pain
“No fighting during breakfast!” He demanded.
“Yeah, we’re not your ordinary family, Sunset. But we are as close as close can be.” Shade said with a smirk.
Sunset looked at him and everyone else and he had a point.
“You know…If you don’t have a place to go, why don’t you stay with us?” Flora asked.
This caught everyone’s attention.
Sunset also looked shocked.
“You sure?” She asked.
“Hey, you can cook an amazing meal and you are a betrayed soul. Lumen wouldn’t have brought you here if he didn’t trust you.” Shade spoke.
“You sure you wouldn’t mind a she-demon being amongst you?” Sunset spoke with hesitation.
Squalo shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, we’ve all done awful shit in our lives. But we don’t let that hold us back.’ He then looked at Lumen. ‘What about you, boss?”
Lumen closed his eyes in thought. “She does need a place to stay. I will allow it.”
Sunset’s eyes widened at the thought.
“BUT!” He added as everyone listened carefully.
“She will be training with us. She’ll do the same exercises and lessons and find her own style and will earn her keep by doing the chores in the house. Is that OK, young girl?” He asked.
Sunset’s eyes moistened but she let a smile show.
“Yes! I’ll glad to be here!” She answered in happiness.
Lumen smiled along with everyone.
“Well, welcome to the madhouse, Sunset! Hope you are able to ride into hell!” Falco said as all raised their glasses.
“Here’s to our latest member of our small family!” Shade said.
“CHEERS!” They said, clinking their glasses.
After a while, Sunset decided to collect her stuff at her apartment. When she got there, she saw the various amounts of graffiti and words “GO TO HELL, SHE-DEMON!” or “DROP DEAD LIKE THE BITCH YOU ARE!” along with the various eggs, broken windows and paint splotches all over the area.
She sighed when she entered and saw her home trashed.
“I don’t believe it...They wrecked my home!” She yelled in despair before grabbing what wasn’t damage from some clothes to her guitar. She wanted to find her journal but found a note instead. Reading it, she gritted her teeth.
“You don’t deserve this journal, so don’t even think about lying to Princess Twilight, you demonic hellspawn!” RD, AJ, R, PP, F”
“Can’t believe they did this...” She growled before leaving, her eyes clenched such to try and hold the tears
<End Flashback>
The pack were looking through the photo album with nostalgic smiles on their faces.
“Sure came a long way from that day, huh?” Sunset said.
“Yeah. I mean, remember your foist day at training?” Squalo asked.
Sunset scowled.
“Remembered? I seem to remember getting my ass kicked by you.” She said.