Sunset Shimmer was finally ready to move house. Her old home simply had too many bad memories, even if the girls had made her life far more joyful, many of her decorations, possessions, and more were from a dark time in her life, when her psyche led her to try and enslave a full school.
Sunset was grateful that Twilight had come from Equestria to defeat her, offering a hand in friendship and ensuring she was taken care of. She was doing a lot better now, given she understood what friendship was about. The girls truly cared for her, and she would always adore them.
Speaking of the girls, they were coming over today to help her pack up, and go through her old stuff scattered about to see if there was anything Sunset didn’t need to keep or could donate. As if on queue, and shaking Sunset from her thoughts, her doorbell rang. Sunset opened the door to her wonderful friends, who were thrilled to see her. Sunset stepped aside and held the door for her friends.
“My, I see you’ve already started, darling,” Rarity quipped, looking around at the labeled and taped boxes scattered about.
“That I have,” Sunset replied, nodding. “There are only a few rooms left, but the attic I’ve left for us to tackle together. It’s just a lot up there that’s a bit… overwhelming” she said, rubbing the back of her head.
“Leave it to us to help you get organized, Sunset!” chimed in Twilight, who pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Sunset smiled at her friends, gesturing for them to follow her. She led them into a hallway where she pulled on a string, stairs unfolding and meeting the floor with a subtle thump.
“Sorry if the attic is more than a little dusty,” Sunset said, climbing up the stairs. Inside were boxes covered in more than a few years worth of dust and cobwebs. From the outside, you’d think that a small appearing house wouldn’t have this large of an attic. Two people could easily share the space and not get in each other’s way no problem.
Pinkie Pie let out a very loud, very dramatic sneeze, causing dust to fly about everywhere, the girls all coughing and waving their hands to clear away any dust in the air.
“Like I said… more than a little dusty,” Sunset coyly said, letting out a small, awkward chuckle. After a moment of silence, the girls simply all laughed as they spread out and got to work, Sunset treading over to the back part of the attic, where the older things were.
Gosh. This particular part of the attic was full of boxes of various things she grew up with as a foal, which she had taken with her when she left Equestria. So many painful memories. She opened the first box. Inside were a variety of toys.
A memory deep in Sunset’s mind stirred as she pulled out a baggie of Tiniest Pet Shop toys.
Her parents no longer had faces in her memory, but their arguing voices were drowned out by her foal minded imagination. You see, her Tiniest Pet Shop toys were recently married, and were expecting puppies, but her boy dog, Fabian, was caught cheating! Now that Sunset thought about it, it was a harrowing mirror image to her real life as a kid, but she chuckled at the cheating dog. Whatever her parents were arguing about was long forgotten.
Another memory clawed its way to the front of Sunset’s mind as she sorted through the box of toys. Right. Funny Bands.
“[REDACTED], you’re drunk aren’t you?” it was her mother’s voice. Her father stumbled into the living room where Sunset was organizing her Funny Bands by shape. Actually, nevermind, that was too hard for her little mind, so she organized them by color instead. Her father wobbled and hiccuped.
“What kind of example do you think you set for her! All she’ll grow up to remember you as is the dad who was a deadbeat drunk! Shape up and wake up or we’re done!” her mom shouted at the stallion. He fumbled as he tried to step towards her, angrily reaching out a hoof at her. Her mother dodged easily, as he was far too drunk to land any hits.
“Promise me you’ll try, [REDACTED]!” her mother’s voice wavered, tears streaking her cheeks.
“I, hic promise...” [REDACTED] said, stumbling up the stairs to somewhere else in the house.
Sunset returned to reality and put the Funny Bands aside, their wacky shapes still intact. Sunset then dug deeper into the box, sighing at the Kenworld dolls she now held in her hands. Reliving her painful childhood was not on her to do list today, but these needed to be sorted through.
Sunset was in middle school now. She was preparing to take the entrance exam for Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Her studies, however, lay astray at her side, the little yellow filly had two Kenworld dolls held in her levitation spell. She was making them kiss, even though in her filly mind, they were frenemies who were secretly together.
To her ignorance, Sunset’s parents fought again. Her father had, once again, come home drunk for the nth time.
You PROMISED me you’d try! For her! For Sunset!” Her mom’s voice rang in Sunset’s ears. Sunset turned her ears towards the sound and the mention of her name.
“I know you were with that mare! Every time it happens, you come home drunk!” it was Sunset’s mom’s voice. Sunset could hear the tears she knew rand down her Mom’s cheeks in her quavering voice.
“I can smell perfume on you over the alcohol! And don’t lie to me [redacted]! I know you’re seeing that mare at that bar! Don’t you-” her mother’s voice was cut off by the sound of what can only be described as the loud thud of a hoof connecting to bone. She cried out in pain. Sunset found herself swept up in her mother’s magic, her books and toys coming with. Before she knew it, she was at her Aunt’s home, taken there by a teleportation spell her mom had cast.
Sunset grimaced at the Kenworld dolls she held in her hands. Her upbringing was nothing short of chaotic and damaging. Another memory flooded Sunset’s mind as she set the Kenworld dolls aside, pulling out a set of various Blueberry Longcake toys. Right. Her aunt gave her these when her and her mom moved in with her.
“Please don’t say ‘I told you so’, sis...” Sunset’s mom had been crying, her aunt holding her mom and stroking her mane.
“I promise I wont, Starbright,” her aunt said, who met Sunset’s eyes. Sunset had cast aside her Blueberry Longcake toys to give her mom a big hug, squeezing her tightly.
“Why did I stay?” Sunset’s mom questioned, sobbing into her sister’s chest.
“I don’t know, Starbright. Even when ponies are horrible, we find ourselves attached, and we find ourselves too afraid to do more about it. You did the right thing, leaving. For your sake and Sunset’s. It’s okay, Starbright. You don’t have to have all the answers,” her aunt’s voice soothed her Mom, and she pulled away from the embrace. “Now, we need to take photos of your injuries, okay? I’ll go get my camera so the court has what they need.”
Sunset grimaced. The humans here in this world sure knew when to leave when people were awful. She couldn’t understand why her mom stayed, and still didn’t. Sunset trudged on to a dusty old pack of Animal Pals plates.
“Hi honey,” came Sunset’s mom’s honeyed tone. “Do you have a few minutes to talk to mommy?” she said, brushing some hair out of Sunset’s face. Sunset looked up from her Animal pals plate and put her fork down. Her mother’s eyes were puffy and red, her cheek swollen and bruised.
“You’re a smart filly. I’m sure you recognize that Daddy is a bad bad man. Mommy will protect you. I swear it. I’m gonna make sure you get into that academy, my love. You’ll be safe there.” her mother held her face in her hooves. Sunset was a smart filly. She knew that her dad was a bad pony. He hurt her mommy!
“Okay Mommy,” Sunset replied, holding her mother’s hooves in her own. “I love you Mommy…” she said, putting her forehead to her mothers. They shared a tender embrace, not wanting to let go.
Sunset grimaced at the memory, tears welling in her eyes. Her dad really was a horrible pony. Her mother was the only pony that mattered to her. But the last memory that came was the worst of them all. Sunset’s hands shook as she held the Sketch-And-Etch, the last toy in the box.
Sunset had been playing with an Sketch-And-Etch, trying to draw one of her many imaginary friends, tongue stuck out in deep focus. The courtroom that surrounded her made no difference to her drawing. When she messed up her drawing, she huffed frustrated, shaking the Sketch-And-Etch to start over.
“Custody battle of Mrs. Starbright Shimmer vs [redacted], for full custody of Sunset Shimmer, daughter of Starbright and [redacted],” came the voice of a judge. “The jury has concluded and made a final decision. I, Judge Lawforth, hereby grant [redacted] custody of Sunset Shimmer.
“Per the evidence given, Starbright Shimmer will not be granted any visitation rights. This court has deemed her an unfit mother. Starbright will also be expected to pay child support to [redacted].” the judge banged the gavel.
All around her, Sunset’s world came crashing down. She was a smart girl. Her mommy said so! This couldn’t be right! Her mommy would protect her! The little filly began to weep as she hugged her mom for the last time. Her father pried the two apart with force, Sunset crying out in pain from his strength.
“Mommy!” she cried out desperately as her father forced her away in his magic, her mother held back by guards as she reached out a hoof, crying helplessly for her daughter. “Mommy don’t let him take me!” Sunset pleaded with her mother, reaching out a hoof of her own.
“I love you forever and always, my sweet sweet Starshine!” her mother cried, putting her hoof down, ceasing her resistance against the guards. Her mother’s sobs rang in Sunset’s ears, as her own shook her body to the core.
Sunset never saw her mom after that. She had gotten into Celestia’s school, but by the time she was legally old enough to live her own life, her mother had passed.
-
“Sunset? Sunset!” came Fluttershy’s voice. Sunset was shaken from her thoughts to a gentle hand on her shoulder and Fluttershy’s sweet voice.
Sunset didn’t realize she had been crying, looking at the leftover image of a crudely drawn, imaginary pony friend on the Sketch-And-Etch she held in her hands. She placed the Sketch-And-Etch off to the side and stood, meeting Fluttershy’s eyes.
“Sorry, these toys... brought back... a lot of memories...” Sunset said quietly, wiping her face.
“That’s okay Sunset. It’s okay to not be okay, you know. Do you need a break? Why don’t we take a break?” Fluttershy suggested. By now, all of the girls had come over to see what was going on. Each had placed a comforting hand somewhere on Sunset’s back or shoulders.
“A break sounds lovely, don’t you think, darling?” Rarity added, rubbing her hand on Sunset’s back. Sunset nodded, sniffing.
The girls returned downstairs and headed to the kitchen, where they took Sunset’s mind off of things and cheered her up. Before long, she felt better, remembering why she was so grateful for her friends in the first place. She may have fled from her life in Equestria, leaving behind painful memories, but this? This was all worth it. Her friends were all worth it. They were her found family.
Sunset stood from where she sat and pulled them into a group hug. “I love you so much, girls.”
“We love you too, Sunset.”