Chapter Five - Brunch
“Sunset, the train for Canterlot leaves in a half hour,” the Princess of Friendship said gently.
I looked back from the view of Ponyville, the warm breeze trying to make me forget the inevitable trip and occasions. I sighed, giving another glance out off the balcony before turning and moving back into the room. “I really appreciate this, Twilight,” I said, meeting her eyes. “Letting me stay here, and teaching Sunshine a bit about magic while I go take care of these meetings.”
The brunch meeting was my sister Morning Glory's idea, an opportunity to reconnect and talk before the actual service. Apparently, she was the one that had asked Celestia to let me know about Mom, and I was grateful for that. Today I was going to meet with her and Dawning Dew for lunch, something that Human Twilight had decided to not take part in, thankfully. It was going to be hard enough facing my family without the awkward questions that may arise from a strange mare accompanying me. The two Twilights would be working on her mobility and unicorn magic since we might be here a few days. I had forgotten just how much of Equestrian architecture and convenience had evolved for use by either hoof or Unicorn magic, something the Twilight from across the mirror had no experience in using.
“No problem,” said the purple-coated pony as we walked to the front entrance. “Besides, with Starlight Glimmer out on a show with Trixie, I’d have nothing else to do today.”
I glanced back towards the library we had just left, the empty spots on the shelves obvious even from our vantage point. I had a momentary vision of Twilight stalking the shelves like a lion, picking books off at random.
“Right,” I said with a small grin.
“Well, almost nothing,” she admitted. “But Applejack is bringing the first batch of fall cider to the castle today and I thought that’d be a great way to teach basic levitation AND introduce her to this world’s version of her friends! It will be so amazing.”
I shook my head, my smile never wavering. “You have fun with that. I’m sure she’ll be pulling books from shelves like she was born with a horn in no time.” I hesitated as I stood on the stoop, some worry bubbling up.
"What's wrong?"
“It's been a while since I've set hoof on Equestrian soil,” I said. “I feel like I’m trespassing.”
Twilight draped a wing over my shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Nopony here besides my friends knows about what you did, only that you’re another friend of mine visiting. I did arrange for someone to go with you to the station to show you the way since you've never been to Ponyville before.”
“Who…”
“HI SUNSET!” a voice cried in glee as a pink pony burst out of nowhere with a cloud of confetti. “Are you ready to have a great time?”
I hung my head, mane sliding forward to hide my face as I coughed up some of the colorfu paper. “Of course,” I said. “Pinkie.” I lifted my head and looked at the pony, seeing both the similarities and differences in her grinning face.
“Aw, c’mon, Sunny!” she said, prancing in place. “I can give you a short tour on the way! There’s Sugarcube Corner, the Couch & Quill shop, Rarity’s boutique…”
“How about when I get back, Pinkie?” I asked. “The train I need to catch is leaving soon.”
“Okie Dokie Lokie!” she said, turning and starting to hop away.
“You’d better follow her before she gets distracted,” Twilight said, smiling.
I nodded and leaned towards her for a second before setting out after the party pony.
“You couldn’t have gotten Rarity or Fluttershy though?” I asked.
The train rattled and rumbled along its way, and free from the distractions of helping my Twilight get around and setting up travel arrangements with Princess, so many thoughts started to tumble about my head.
I hadn’t seen my older sisters since probably my fifth or sixth moon as Celestia’s student. About the time I started getting arrogant if I recall rightly. I frowned as I remembered my actions at the time, studying morning and night by myself. I had a few ponies at the time that might have been willing to be friends but my attitude had pushed them away, thinking them to be a needless distraction from searching for some way to keep Celestia's approval. I sighed and shook my mane, trying to focus on the upcoming reunion with my sisters.
Canterlot was exactly as I remembered it and making my way through the streets to the cafe was simple. As I entered, I had barely time to let my eyes adjust to the lighting change before I heard a lyrical voice call out.
“Sunset! Over here!”
I followed the voice and saw two unicorns sitting at a table off to one side, their gold and rust coats standing out against the cream colored walls. I trotted over and stood at the edge of the table as they stood and moved in close.
“I’m so happy to see you!” Morning Glory, my older sister said, immediately moving in and nuzzling against me, her bright smile dimming slightly. “I just wish it was a better reason.”
“I know, Glory,” I said, returning the equine version of an embrace. I turned to Dawning and repeated the gesture. “How are you both holding up?”
Dew screwed up a half smile that was the same as I remembered of my oldest sister. “About as well as can be expected,” she said, giving me a light shove as we moved to sit at the table. A teapot and three sets of cups and saucers sat there. Glory poured the tea and passed it around.
“So, I got to know,” I said, doctoring my tea with a sugar cube and a touch of cream. “What happened? Mom wasn’t what I would call old and took pretty good care of herself.”
“Nothing happened, Sunny,” Glory said. “The doctors said it was an aneurysm.” She glanced down, a tear welling up in her eye.
Dew leaned forward slightly. “She went in her sleep, Sun. She never felt a thing.” She took a sip of her tea. “I just wish she could see you now, though.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Well, you were still a scrawny little filly when you went off to be the Princesses' student,” she said with a smile. “You’ve become a pretty young mare while you’ve been gone.”
“And from what I’ve heard,” Glory piped up, “You’ve had some amazing times while away. You'll have to share your stories sometime.”
“Hold it,” I said, my teacup clattering back into its saucer as my grip on it faltered. “What have you heard? And from where?”
“We were commissioned to touch up some of the murals in the Palace a few moons ago,” Dew said, putting a hoof on Glory to calm our excitable sister down. “In passing, we asked the Princess if there had been any news of you.”
“What did she say?” I said in a tiny voice.
“That you were helping those that needed it,” Dew said. “And had become somepony we could be glad to call our sister.”
I sat dumbstruck, feeling tears behind my eyes.
The rest of the brunch went back and forth between memorable stories from foalhood, exchanging tales from our absence - slightly edited or vauge from me - and finally turned to the subject we had been trying so hard to ignore.
“So,” I said. “What do we do now?” I looked at Dew, the eldest sister.
“Mom left pretty precise instructions as to what to do,” she responded. “Including letters to each of us. The service was already arranged so all we had to do was schedule it. There's only one thing we haven’t gotten done yet because we wanted to wait till you got here.”
“Which is?” I asked.
“The house,” Glory said. “Mom left the house to us, but Dewy and I already have our own places.”
“And I’ll be moving in with Hue after the wedding,” Dew said. “I do hope you’ll be able to make that? I’d love to have you both there.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” I said. Dew had started to glow when talking about Diamond Hue, a young gentlecolt that she had met at a painter’s conference a year ago. She seemed happy, even in this trying time.
“Saaaaay,” Glory said, leaning over in a way that reminded me of Pinkie. “You’ve been kind of tight-lipped about any romance stories, sis.” She poked me in the ribs. “Spill!”
“Nothing to tell, really,” I said, mind flashing through my memories. Flash Sentry had only been a way to cement power and even now was just a good friend. “I wasn’t really looking for anything like that lately.”
“Don’t be a pest, Glory,” admonished Dew. “You know Sunny wasn't the most socialble of fillies when she was younger. It’ll happen when it happens.”
“Aw,” she said, sitting back and taking a despondent sip of tea.
“After all, she can’t flit about like you,” Dew finished with a good-natured dig.
“Hey, I’ll have you know that I’ve been seeing Soarin for three months now.”
"Soarin?" I asked.
"One of the lead flyers for the Wonderbolts!" Glory crowed happily.
“You’re seeing a Wonderbolt?” I asked. “You’ve moved up in the world, Sis.”
“We'll let you decide about the house,” Dew said, sliding a set of keys over. “I understand that you’ve also scheduled a meeting with the Princess?”
My stomach twisted. “Yeah, later today.” I fidgeted with my hooves. “I’m rather anxious about it, despite everything.”
"Why are you nervous?" Glory asked.
I closed my eyes. "I didn't exactly leave under the best circumstances," I hedged. "There may be some hurt feelings to deal with."
From both of us, I thought.
“It will turn out ok, Sun.” Dew reached over and touched horns with me, sharing our own special little expression of love. “We’ll still love you, regardless.”
After a few more exchanged hugs, I departed for the palace, lost in my thoughts.
Dawning Dew, usually so serious and direct, was getting married. Morning Glory, the filly that never stayed with a colt for more than a few days was actually getting serious with somepony, and an athlete at that.
I was happy for them, but there was still that ache in my chest.
I came up to the doors of the palace and looked at the guards.
“My name is Sunset Shimmer,” I said softly. “I have an appointment to speak with Princess Celestia.”
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Whoops, extra 'g' in Starlight's name there!
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Holy moly, this is a pretty good story so far~
I though Glory was the eldest? Or is it that Sunset is the youngest?
Rumor: Starlight is seeing Trixie in more than best friends.
Yeah, that's the sort of thing that The Princess would have said, isn't it? Non-specific and uninformative without being an outright lie. I know that she's just protecting the Mirror and Sunset's understandable shame at her crimes. Still, it is sometimes irritating that the Princess of the Sun has this uncontrollable urge to be cryptic.
Well, that's a bit of a relief that the usual 'one or more of Sunset's family are pissed at her' plots found in 'Sunset comes home' stories like this isn't being used.
so did you get those commissions
8103948
I know she will soon.
sorry if I'm too used to youtube but honestly, shouldn't the reply's be under the comments.
8452576
Trust me,It's better this way. Consider it an adventure of sorts.
Well this was nice. Ha love the fact her sisters tease her about who she might or might not be dating.
9683188
Says YOU mister SUNLIGHT!
Glad to see things are going well with sunset and her sisters.