The Sunset before the Sunrise

by SilverMistyStar


Chapter 1: Sunset Shimmer's First Year

On a cold Canterlot night, a mother pony ran to the doorstep of the castle. Making sure she wasn't seen, she left a basket, and ran before any pony knew it was her. Later that night one of the royal guard ponies found the basket and took it to Princess Celestia. When they opened it they were surprised to find a baby inside. The baby in the basket had a yellow body and a scarlet and yellow mane. She was a beautiful baby with a striking look. "I think I will keep her." Princess Celestia said thoughtfully. "I will call her Sunset Shimmer!"Just then, a fuss came out of the baby and they quickly fetched her a bottle. She drank it down very fast, she was obviously very hungry. Celestia did love Sunset, but after about a week of having her she realized she was very busy and she would need someone to watch over Sunset Shimmer while she was busy or away. So she hired a mare named Twilight Velvet, who also had a young baby named Twilight Sparkle. And an eight year old colt named Shinning Armor. The two adult ponies thought the babies would get along well, but little did they know that they were so wrong. On their first play date they build book forts, but they never finished them cause they kept ruining each others fort. Twilight Velvet and Celestia were very surprised at the turnout, but yet Twilight Velvet still was the royal foalsitter. After about two weeks of foalsitting, the two foals did not change their attitudes toward each other. It was either hitting, kicking, or ruining each others toys. They were constantly fighting with one another. Celestia desperately tried to get them to get along. But they just didn't get along. One day, Shining Armor tried to break up one of their fights and he got bucked!
"Ow!" Shining Armor moaned.
"What's wrong?" Asked Twilight Velvet.
"I tried to break up the fight and I got bucked! It hurts ow!" When Celestia heard about it, she knew she had to punish the girls. Although she did not want, to she gave Sunset a little smack on the flank.
"Waa!" Sunset cried.
"You must learn not to hit!" Celestia said firmly. Sunset whimpered and threw herself into Celestia and cried. "Sunset it's ok don't be sad. "You just need to be a good filly." Celestia said soothingly.
"Ok mommy I will twy." Sunset said sniffling. Then she ran off to play with the other fillies.
"So cute." Celestia thought. "But she is kinda being, mean I will need to keep an eye on her." One day, as she walked in to see how Sunset Shimmer was behaving, she saw that Twilight Sparkle had not started the fight at all. Sunset had! She watched them for the whole day, and every time they fought it was caused by Sunset Shimmer. Either she hit Twilight Sparkle, and then Twilight cried and hit back, or Sunset Shimmer stuck her tongue out at Twilight causing her to do the same to Sunset. Celestia knew she that she had to disipline Sunset more, and better, but it was a very hard thing to do. If only Luna was here to give her guidance, but she was locked in the moon for trying to put Equestria in eternal night. Suddenly, she snapped out of her daydream, Sunset was pulling at her mane.
"What is it darling?" Celstia asked.
"Come see my fowt mommy!" Sunset Shimmer said excitedly
"Alright sweetie. Have you stopped fighting with Twilight?" Celestia asked.
Sunset went quiet and looked very guilty.
"Honey have you stopped?" Celestia repeated.
"Ah maybe, kinda, I twyed." Sunset Shimmer admitted.
"Sunset." Celestia said in a firm voice. "You need to try very hard to be nice to Twilight, or Mrs. Velvet will not come to watch you anymore."
"Weally?" Sunset Shimmer asked with very big, and concerned turquoise eyes. They started walking down the hall to the playroom where the fort was.
"Yes really. Now show me your fort. I'll race you there!" Celestia said laughing. They raced down the hall to the playroom. They shrieked, huffing and puffing when they arrived.
"Well, you must be winded." Said Twilight Velvet with a chuckle.
"Very!" Laughed Celestia. Then Sunset showed her mom the small fort that she had made with books, blankets, and toys.
"It is a very nice fort Sunset. Did Twilight Sparkle help you?"
"Yes we built it together." Sunset replied.
"Maybe this is going better than I thought." Thought Celestia happily. Then she told Sunset that she had to go to attend to some business, and she left the room to do just that. She had to write a letter to her friend, Spells Lulamoon. She thought that Spells' daughter Trixie might get along with Sunset Shimmer. Trixie was a little rebellious herself. Or at least that is what Spells had said. She and Spells set up a play-date for the two toddlers. When the day of the play-date finally came, Celestia got to see Trixie for the first time. Trixe was kind of showing off by wearing a starry, light purple cape and hat. She was a blue pony with a blue and white streaked mane.
"The Gweat and Powewful Twixie is hewe." She said introducing herself.
"Why hello Trixie. I am Princess Celestia. And this my daughter Sunset Shimmer." Celestia said kindly.
"Hewwo." said Sunset Shimmer. "Wanna pway with me and Twilight?" Sunset asked in a sweet tone.
"Suwe." Trixie replied." And they ran to the playroom. The adults didn't hear any loud noises coming from the room, so they chatted. Meanwhile in the playroom, the fillies were getting along great! But Trixie and Sunset were being a little mean to Twilight. But not very mean. Trixie showed off her magic, Twilight read, and Sunset tried her best to be nice. It was hard, but she did it and she was actually pretty nice. And as the week went on, she only got nicer. She was becoming a nice, friendly filly. But she still kinda had a mean streak in her.