Rise of the Maximals

by Jongoji245

The Meaning of Family

August 20th/2008

"They're going to find your real parents?!" Flash asked.

"Keep it down!" - Cosgrove berated - "Even walls have ears."

"Anyway, it is great to finally see your parents." Crescendo added.

"Yeah..." Sunset had a sad tone in her voice.

"What's wrong?" Asked Chelsey

"There are just so many questions to ask, like why did they leave me with them." Sunset lowered her shoulders "what if I have to move away?"

"Maybe you wouldn't have to" - Hooflock added, wrapping his arms around his friends - "seeing you are already in much better company."

As they noticed Sunset's face brighten up, they thought of other positive thoughts.

"And you know, there is a house for sale in our neighborhood" - Diver pointed in a direction away from school - "you wouldn't have to use a bus."

True, Sunset did have to work fast early in the morning just to catch the morning bus.

"You really think so?" Asked Sunset with a happy, but yet calm manner.

Throughout the song each of her friends explain the pros of being part of the neighborhood. Cosgrove mentions just how much Sunset had changed how proud her parents would be. Zipper explains how she and her friends taught them to be more courageous while running circles around her. Diver mentioned the possibility of them swimming, though Cosgrove retorts that they should take this slowly. Chelsey mentions that though her family could be much taller than hers, it would be great hanging out with them.

---

September 3rd/2008

Throughout the rest of August, Night Dancer had volunteered to house Sunset as the investigation continues. On the first day of September, Sunset and Night Dancer sat across from each other on a table. The latter of the two noticed Sunset's uneasy face as she merely stirred her cereal.

"You've been awfully quiet, Sunset." - Night Dancer walked up to her - "what's wrong?"

"Night Dancer, I haven't got a chance to say this when we first met," - Sunset lowered the spoon - "I want to say-"

Suddenly the conversation was interrupted by the doorbell. Opening the door, Night Dancer met with Mae Horsetails, the police department's detective and Indigo Blue's mother.

"We have much to discuss." - Mrs. Horsetails sat on in front of Sunset, placing a file on the table - "Now, Ms. Shimmer, as you are aware, we have been conducting an investigation for the past few weeks. And..."

Pushing the file towards her, Sunset opened it, revealing a whole trove of birth certificates, family trees, and financial records. When she found the adoption form signed around the same time as her birth, she began to frown.

"Why did they leave me with them?"

"According to a couple witnesses," - Detective Horsetails cleared her throat - "Hydia threatened to arrest them for stealing from her garden before you were born."

Sunset then noticed a piece of newspaper: a morgue article. According to this, Ember and Jetfire , her parents were reported dead, the first by suicide a few days after her husband's death by an accident at a factory. Immediately she dropped the pieces of newsprint.

Mae sorted the papers back into the folder before standing up.

"We hoped to contact any of your extended relatives, but almost none had an available." - closing the folder, Mae began walking towards the door - "We deeply apologize if this does not bring much good news."

Just as Night Dancer locked the door after the detective left, Sunset immediately ran to her room, slammed the door and began to cry. The woman kept her distance for a few good hours before knocking on the door. Slowly opening the door, Night Dancer found her guest curled upright on the bed, her head between her knees. She sat next to her.

"I am so sorry," Night Dancer rubbed Sunset's shoulder "I knew how much this meant to you."

Sunset raised her tear stained face, "I am just so confused, if I don't have a family to begin with, then what is a family in the first place?"

Throughout the song, Sunset first asks if a family looked like her, sleeps beside her or thinks that they're the best people. Night Dancer answers that family is more than just being friends, and that the center of it all is love, no matter the difference.

At the end of the song, Sunset hugged Night Dancer. She looked to the horizon, thinking about what to do next. The following evening, The woman of the house was on the phone.

"Hello, Claire?" - Night Dancer turned to her guest sleeping soundly on the bed - "I am thinking about adoption."