//------------------------------// // Chapter XII // Story: Being A Parent Is Hard // by TheKing2001 //------------------------------// I stood behind a tree watching Moondancer and another mare sitting in the grass talking. I was debating trotting over there. I had already meet the other mare. I didn’t want to meet either really but Princess Celestia was making me make friends. Stupid in my opinion. I don’t need anypony but me and my books. I saw black suddenly I was in the old Royal library, reading a book on the mirror. “What are you doing here?” I flinched at the voice behind me and looked up. My eyes widened at the two royal guards and Princess Celestia. “P-Princess Celestia,” I stammered out. “I told you that you could never come back here. What are you doing? You’re supposed to be making friends!” Celestia demanded. I shot to my hooves and glared at her as the guards lowered their spears at me. “You’re a hypocrite! You have no friends! I hate you!” I teleported away and the black coat I had been wearing fell to the floor. “Sunset, wake up. Wake up Sunset.” My eyes shot up and I was panting in my sweat. Ruby was sitting on my lap with a concerned look. “Are you okay?” She asked. I looked at her in confusion. “Yeah why wouldn’t I be?” I raised an eyebrow and rubbed my eyes. “You were yelling I hate you in your sleep,” Ruby answered. “Was it directed at me?” “No! Just a bad dream. I didn’t even know you were sitting on me to be honest,” I admitted. “Uh why are you sitting on me anyway and what time is it?” “It’s Christmas silly! And it’s about eight am,” Ruby beamed at me. I let out a groan and rested my head back on my pillow. “Too early. Come back hours from now when I’m available for business,” I grumbled. I closed my eyes and rolled my head to the side. Ruby started shaking me again. “Aunt Cherry is making cinnamon rolls. Mom and Aunt Cheerilee sent me to wake you up. Especially Aunt Cheerilee.” “Cool. I’m exhausted, Ruby. Come get me in a few hours please,” I mumbled. “Save me a cinnamon roll please.” I felt the weight on my lap disappear as Ruby climbed off me. “You got it,” Ruby announced and I heard her running down the stairs. “Mom, Aunt Cheerilee? Sunset won’t get up and says to come back later when she’s awake and available for business.” “Well, that won’t do. I’ll go get her,” Mom announced. Oh shit, I thought to myself. If you’ve never been woken up by Mom, let me tell you. It’s an experience. She typically yanks my blankets off. If it wouldn’t be embarrassing for us both, I’d sleep naked just so she never does it again but like I said, that would be embarrassing. And would scar my cousin if she saw anything. I faintly heard footsteps on the stairs and I rolled over, shoving my face into the pillow. “Sunsettttt. Wake uppppp,” Mom sang and I stayed as still as possible. It was cool it was Christmas but eight am is too early for my brain. I had been up late helping bring gifts out and stuff and turn the Christmas lights on. Cherry was very eager to teach me all their traditions they did as a family. Apparently they did this every year. A part of me is jealous at that. I missed a lot when I ran away through the portal, but I gained a lot too. A loving mom, two friends and a great family. And a pretty cute cousin too. I felt a pair of hands grab my blanket and yank it off. I instantly curled up into a ball and grumbled. “Your cousin is waiting for you. Lets go sleepy head,” Mom smirked. “You can keep your pajamas on too.” I cracked open an eye and stared down at my pajamas decorated by tiny versions of my cutie mark. “Okay,” I slipped out of bed and trudged down the stairs into the kitchen. “Well there’s Sleeping Beauty,” Cherry teased. I slowly turned and glared at her as I got a cup of coffee. “Woah. That’s an intense glare. Never get in the way of Sunset and her morning coffee.” Instead of being nervous like I expected, she let out a giggle. She was scared of nothing. Berry snickered as she bit into a cinnamon roll. “What happened to your hair, kid? Looks like a vacuum sucked it up!” Aunt Berry and Aunt Cherry both laughed and I smirked faintly as I sipped my coffee, enjoying the familiar warm feeling spread through my body. “I move in my sleep a lot,” I explained. “Sometimes I sleep walk.” “I found her in the shower fully clothed, snoring one day,” Mom piped in with a grin. Cherry smirked and rolled her eyes. I was beginning to realize constantly rolling our eyes was a family thing. We all did it. I did, Mom did, Berry did and Cherry did. I’ve even seen Ruby do it a few times. I really fit in that aspect. I surprisingly fit in very well. “I would have paid to see that!” Cherry laughed. Mom gave her a wink and gave me a evil grin. “I took a picture. I’ll send you it later.” My eyes widened. “You better not.” Moms grin widened. “It’s only fair after Berry showed you the picture of me in the cheer leader outfit. When we get home, I’ll show you some good of her in highschool.” “You better not,” Berry grumbled with a grin. “It’s only fair,” Mom retorted and let her comment float in the air. “We should go open gifts before Ruby kills us.” Cherry and Berry gave laughs while I drank my coffee. “Slow down girl. There’s more coffee,” Berry laughed. I sheepishly set the cup down and turned red. Cherry stood up and grinned. “Let’s go to the living room.” ------------------------------------------------------------- Mom slid a large box my way and I raised an eyebrow. “Uhm what is this?” I asked curiously. Mom snorted and rolled her eyes. “It’s a present for you. Duh silly.” “Oh uh you didn’t have go get me anything. I’m fine,” I mumbled. I didn’t really expect to get anything nor want anything. I already have a decent family. What else could I want? “It wouldn’t be fair for us all to get gifts and you be left out,” Cherry pointed out. “Plus, we kinda went crazy getting you stuff because this is your first year with us.” “I did the same because I wanted you guys to like me. Kinda stupid of me thinking that to be honest,” I admitted. “Yeah a little. We already adored you without even meeting you so. Heck, I even have a picture of you on my fridge,” Cherry smirked. “Same here,” Berry piped in with a grin as Ruby sat on her lap, playing with a toy I had got her. Mom eagerly nodded at my gift. “Open it,” she urged. I rolled my eyes but complied and stared at the box curiously. “What’s a Yamaha?” I asked. My fingers traced the white letters on the box. “It’s a guitar company,” Mom explained. “We have a musical showcase when we get back from winter break at school. You said you loved how guitars sound and wished you could play so I got you one. You can make your own band with Lyra and Derpy maybe. I’m sure they would love to.” My eyes widened. This was the first she had mentioned a musical showcase at school and it sounded really cool. Maybe people would finally forgive me and I could work my way to being liked. I already had a surprise for Lyra. “You really got me a guitar?” I asked in awe. “You didn’t have to buy a brand new one. I would have settled for used.” Mom lifted my chin up to make eye contact. “Only the best for you,” she smiled. “Take this to your cousin,” Berry told Ruby and she nodded. She grunted as she tried to push a large box and Berry smiled before subtly helping her. “It goes with your guitar.” “Wanna help me open it?” I asked Ruby and her eyes lit up. We both stared at it in confusion. “Uh what is it?” Ruby asked. I gave a shrug. “I honestly have no idea,” I admitted. “It’s an amp for the guitar. You plug it in and it strengthens the electrical signal from a pickup on an electric guitar, bass guitar, or acoustic guitar so that it can produce sound through one or more loudspeakers,” Aunt Berry explained. Aunt Cherry looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “You Googled that, didn’t you?” She asked with a smirk. Berry scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Shut up.” Aunt Cherry slid something to me and I careful opened it. “It’s a guitar stand. Holds your guitar,” she explained. “Wow. This is cool,” I gave a rare smile. “Her smile does light up a room. You weren’t kidding sis,” Aunt Berry grinned. I turned a bright shade of red. Ruby set something next to me. “Uh what is it?” I asked and stared at it. “Sis says you’re really into metal and rock music right now so we got a bunch of posters and pictures for your room,” Aunt Berry answered. “Just one question,” I raised a hand. “What’s a Slipknot?” Cherry let out a strangled gasp. “Only the best metal band ever! We really need to get you to listen to them later today,” Cherry clapped her hands. “You listen to metal?” I asked in shock. “Well, not anymore. As a kid I did all the time. Even dragged my sisters to a few shows back then,” Cherry smiled fondly. “Good times.” “The music wasn’t the greatest, but spending time with you two was amazing,” Mom agreed with a fond smile of her own. “Definitely,” Berry piped in. “I remember you two sneaking me in and dressing me up to appear older than I was.” The three shared a laugh. “Now that was funny,” Mom chuckled as she handed me a small item. I carefully opened it and peered inside. A bunch of photos of my cousin and my two aunts smiling faces were inside. “So you can have them on your wall or nightstand,” Mom explained. “They are all recent and a few old ones are in there too.” “Do you like them?” Cherry asked with a smile as she bounced her leg with Ruby sitting on it who instantly laughed. I held the pictures close to my chest. “I love them.” ------------------------------------------------------------- “So how was your first Christmas?” Cherry asked as we watched Thomas and the Magic Railroad movie. Ruby was sitting on my lap curled into a ball, her eyes focused on the screen. “It was really good. I didn’t actually expect any of this when I got adopted,” I smiled. Ruby let out a small yawned. “I’m glad. Thanks for the model kits and such by the way,” Cherry grinned. “I was looking at getting a Concorde kit for months now. It’s really big too. At least i just cleared up some space in ny house for some stuff.” “Thanks for the stuff for my Xbox and all the wine glasses,” Berry admired a glass as she swirled her red wine in it and took a long sip. “These are pretty good quality too. I’d say takes a while to make.” “How do you know that?” I asked in awe. I had just saw glasses but she saw more apparently. “I run a wine company. It’s my job to know everything from the grapes we use to the glasses,” Berry explained. That did make sense. Berry let out a laugh and pointed at Ruby. I had completely missed her falling asleep. “Oh my gosh. Definitely a worthy picture!” Cherry picked her phone up. “Smile!” I gave a big grin and she took the picture, smiling. “Absolutely adorable. This is going on Facebook, if it’s okay with you two.” Me and Berry shrugged. “Merry Christmas, by the way Sunset,” Mom said as she walked in the room. I looked at all of them. “Merry Christmas you guys. I uh love you,” I turned red and rubbed my head. The three sat in stunned silence. Thay was the first time I had said that this whole time. Cherry was the first to speak. “We love you too.”