Sunset's Hearth's Warming

by ThomasZoey3000

Dad's Side of the Family

Chapter 2: Dad's Side of the Family

It was still dark out by the time Sunset Shimmer woke up the next morning. She let out a big yawn as she climbed out of bed and looked out her window to the beautiful scenery of Canterlot. For some reason, the town just looked better in the winter time, maybe it was the shine of Luna's moon on the snow that made everything shine.

"If only the girls could see this," Sunset thought to herself. Then she rememebred, "oh that's right, they can see this."

She went over to her saddlebag and pulled out a digital camera. Before leaving, she had promised her friends that she would take photographs of Equestria, just to show them everything and some of the ponies she knew. She opened the window a little bit, and took a quick picture, which turned out very well.

"One down, and many more to go."

But that would be for later, right now she wanted to be with her family. So she put the camera back into the saddlebag and went downstairs to see if anypony was up. She paused though on the stairs as she looked to the Hearth's Warming Tree. After she had finished telling her story, and putting her things away, she had helped Sunny Rays to decorate the tree, and even though it wasn't lit up, it still looked wonderful.

"Is that you Sunset?"

She looked to the kitchen and saw a pony in there. Sunset walked down the stairs and found her mother working away on breakfast.

"Yeah Mom, it's me. Hope you don't mind, I just wanted to come down and spend time with you guys."

Sunrise smiled just hearing that, "that's sweet of you to say Sunset, but your sister is still asleep and so is your father. I swear, when it's winter time, I can never seem to get those two up. Except on Hearth's Warming Day, then they get me up."

Sunset giggled, "kind of like when I was little."

"Oh yes, just like when you were little. Why I seem to recall that one time you got us up at three A.M., and wouldn't go back to sleep, so we had to have an early start to Hearth's Warming."

"Yeah my bad." Sunset blushed with embarrassment. "But I was only just a filly then."

"I know you were," giggled Sunrise. "You just did what any young filly or colt would do on Hearth's Warming. Now enough chit-chat, and help me with this breakfast."

"Okay Mom, I'll give you a hand...er, hoof. Ugh! There I go again. One day I'm going to master the two lingos."

Despite the lingo confusion, Sunset did help her mother with making breakfast.

After breakfast, Sunset and Sunny Rays went outside to play in the snow. Sunset was making a snow angel when suddenly, she got hit in the face with a snowball.

"Who threw that?" she asked in surprise.

The snowball as it turned out came from Sunny Rays, who had a sly grin on her face.

"Sneaky little sister, you're starting to act like me." Using her magic, Sunset piled some snow together to create a snowball of her own, "but there can only be one me, so head's up!" And she threw it.

Sunny Rays tried to dodge it, but it hit her on the side of her head.

"Oh it's on," she giggled.

Shocking Sunset, she managed to create at least fifteen snowballs all at once. She would've admitted that she was becoming a very powerful unicorn, but for now, she had to duck for cover as Sunny Rays' snowballs were flying her way.

"Hey no fair, you got fifteen, and I can only make one at a time!" she cried out.

After the fifteenth snowball was thrown, Sunset lifted her head up to look in Sunny Ray's direction, but ended up with a snowball to the face.

"Better make that sixteen," she giggled.

Using her magic once more, Sunset packed some snow together and threw her snowball. Sunny Rays ducked for cover, and it flew over her, and right into the face of Moon Crest, who was heading to the workshop.

"Who threw that?" he asked firmly.

Sunset gulped as she lifted her head up from a snowbank. "Sorry Dad, that was meant for Sunny Rays, hope you're not..." but she was cut off as another snowball hit her, once again being thrown by Sunny Rays.

Moon Crest chuckled, "you got to watch yourself, Sunny Rays is a snowball throwing champion, and so am I." He picked up some snow with his magic and threw even more snowballs at Sunset.

"Hey that's not fair, it's two aganist one!" she cried.

The two ponies just laughed and continued throwing their snowballs. That was until there came a whistle from behind them, then both got hit in the head with snowballs. It was clear who was coming to Sunset's rescue, it was Sunrise. She ran past the two ponies and ducked behind the snowbank with her oldest daughter.

"Need a hoof?" she asked.

"Yes please."

"Very well then. Pack as much snow as you can, then we'll toss on my mark."

They worked as quickly as they could, and before long, they had enough snowballs. Moon Crest and Sunny Rays had also packed as much snow as they could, and waited for the other two ponies to strike.

"Let them make the first move," Sunrise whispered to Sunset. "I know their style of snowball fights, and they can't wait too long to hit their targets, so they'll waste their snowballs."

Sunrise was correct. Tired of waiting, they threw all their snowballs right at the mother and daughter. It lasted for almost a minute, and stopped once they were out.

"Uh oh," groaned Moon Crest.

"Alright Sunset, fire at will!" cried Sunrise.

Sunset nodded, and using their magic, both mother and daughter threw a ton of snowballs at Moon Crest and Sunny Rays. Now they had to run for cover, but they were getting hit. They ducked behind the workshop, but no sooner had they gone behind the shop, then the snowballs stopped.

"Uh oh, they're going to come round. Get ready Sunny Rays."

Sunny Rays nodded and packed as much snow as she could into making more snowballs. They waited, keeping an eye in both directions, but neither Sunset nor Sunrise appeared.

"Huh? Where are they? I thought for sure they would've snuck around."

"Uh Daddy, I think they're coming in from above."

They were indeed. Using their magic, the two ponies had lifted all their snowballs over the rooftop and over top of them. There was a cry of 'Bombs away!' and all the snowballs fell. A few got Sunny Rays, but the rest got Moon Crest, and it didn't stop until he was up to his neck in snow.

"Got you!" called Sunset.

Moon Crest looked down to his youngest daughter and winked. She winked back, and with her snowballs, floated into the air. They never saw her coming until it was too late. Both Sunrise and Sunset got hit by dozens of snowballs until they cried "we Surrender!"

At last, the snowball war ended and three of the Shimmer family members went back inside to drink some hot cocoa, while Moon Crest went to his workshop to begin work.

"Don't you want some hot cocoa Dad?" Sunset asked curiously.

"Maybe later, my work is going to keep me warm during this time, so I'll be fine," he answered.

As she walked back into the house, Sunrise explained to Sunset that at this time of year, Moon Crest gets alot of requests from ponies all over Equestria, and sometimes beyond the country itself, so most of the time he's out in the workshop. Sunset was very impressed.

Later that afternoon, Sunset was helping her mother bring up some Hearth's Warming decorations from the basement. There was quite a lot of decorations, and sadly many of them were in boxes surronded by all sorts of other things.

"Yeah your father and I haven't really had the time to clean out the basement."

"It's alright Mom, it's at least better than what my apartment used to look like."

"Used to?" Her mother asked with a raised eyebrow. Sunset then explained that the last time she came to Equestria, her friends went into her apartment, cleaned it up and decorated it to make it a wonderful place to live. Sunrise smiled, "well now, that was a nice surprise from..." she was suddenly cut off as both ponies heard knocks from the front door.

"Must be carolers," said Sunset.

"Could be. You better go get your father, he loves it when ponies came by to sing Carols."

Sunset nodded and ran up the stairwell, past the Hearth's Warming tree and out to the backyard. Sunrise walked up the stairs and towards the door. Sunny Rays was hiding in the kitchen, because she had seen the ponies coming and not knowing who they were, she was scared to meet them. Sunrise opened the door and saw two adult ponies and two little ones, one boy and the other was a girl.

"Hello there, just give us a minute and my husband will be here soon," said Sunrise. "He loves Carols."

"Oh we're not here to sing Carols," said the female adult pony. "I'm actually looking for a pony named Moon Crest Shimmer, is this his home?"

"Yes it is, but how do you know Moon Crest?"

Before the pony could answer, Sunset walked back into the house with her father right behind her. With one look to the female pony, his jaw dropped open.

"It can't be...Sunflower?" he gasped.

The pony, known as Sunflower, nodded and smiled, "hello brother, it's been a long time hasn't it?"

"Brother? You're the actual Sunflower, the only sister of my husband?" Sunrise asked in surprise.

"That would be me, and one of the many Shimmer family members kicked out of the family for many moons."

Sunset shook her head, "shouldn't have happened." From her previous visit, she knew about the accident involving her grandmare's favourite statue being broken, the years of ignoring Sunflower, and then being kicked out. It was something Sunset never liked, and if she had time during her previous visit, she would've spoken with her grandmother about this. "Maybe this time I'll have a little chat with her," she thought to herself.

"You guys must be cold out there, come on in," Moon Crest offered kindly.

The four ponies walked into the house, where they sighed over the warmth of the house. Sunny Rays stepped out of the kitchen to see these ponies, but ducked behind Sunset when the young colt stared angerily at her.

"Sorry about him," Sunflower said kindly, "he often gives that look when he doesn't get what he wants."

"It's perfectly understandable Sis," Moon Crest said kindly. "So uh, what brings you and your family here? I haven't seen you walk the streets of Canterlot in ages."

"Well normally we don't walk around Canterlot, mostly due to the fear of running into my mother. But this year, Concrete Slab and I agreed that perhaps this could be a chance to start patching things up with her, so we agreed to come here. Plus there's the Hearth's Warming play we've been wanting to see for a long time."

"Ah I see, well it is a good one." Moon Crest's expression changed, "though I don't know if you'll get anywhere with Mom."

"Well we'll see." She then introduced her family, "I've been with Concrete Slab for the last fifteen years, and we live in the downtown section of Manehatten." Concrete tipped the hat he had on top of his head. He was a big stallion with a grey coat and solid black colored mane. "And these are our little ones; Sun Drops and the gruff looking one is Granite Slab."

"Hi," Sun Drops called cheerfully. Her brother just huffed.

"Come on Son, say hello to them," his father said firmly.

"Fine!" he groaned, although he didn't sound like he was happy. "Hello. There I said it, can we go now?"

"Watch your tounge boy."

Sunny Rays cowarded behind Sunset. To her, Concrete Slap looked gruff and mean. Sunset turned and spoke calmly to her sister, "it's okay, I'm sure he's not really mean. Firm maybe, but not mean once you get to know him."

"Well they are lovely children," smiled Sunrise. "I'm Sunrise Shimmer, and these are our daughters. Our youngest, who is hiding for now, is Sunny Rays. She's only three years old and has her own cutie mark. Oh and don't worry about her hiding, that won't last after an hour and a half."

"Hour and a half? Wow, that's an improvement from the last time I was here," Sunset thought to herself.

"And this is our oldest daughter; Sunset Shimmer. She's actually come home to spend the holidays with us."

"Come home for the holidays? You mean you don't live here?"

"Not really no," Sunset answered with a shake of her head. "I live far off from Canterlot, and I don't really get too many chances to come here to see my family, with the exception of now."

"I see."

Concrete Slab looked out the window and groaned, "we better get going honey. Cloudsdale is about to drop a ton more snow all over the place, and if we don't find a hotel soon, we'll be left out in the cold."

"I'd rather be in Appleloosa," grumbled Granite Slab.

"That's enough Son!" his father said firmly.

Sunflower sighed, "you're right Concrete. I guess we better go, maybe we'll run into each other again soon Moon."

The family was just about to walk out when Moon Crest piped up, "uh finding hotels around here at this time of year isn't easy. There are so many ponies visiting from all over Equestria and beyond that they are usually all filled up. I think it would be better if you just stay here with us for Hearth's Warming."

"You...you really want us to join you and your family?" Sunflower was surprised to hear her brother say that.

"But of course. Family is family, and around here, family is always welcome, ain't that right Sunrise?"

Sunrise nodded. He didn't even need to ask her, she would've said yes to the idea of them staying. "We can give up our room for you two," she said, pointing a hoof to Sunflower and Concrete, "and as for your kids..."

"I rather sleep in the snow," grumbled Granite.

"Watch your tounge!" snapped his father.

Sunrise thought about where the kids could go, then after a thought came into her head, she looked back to Sunny Rays, "you wouldn't mind giving up your room for them would you?"

"But where will I sleep?" she asked with a worried tone in her voice.

"No problem," said Sunset. "You can join me in my room. Remember I do have a big bed up there, so there's plenty of room for two or more ponies."

"I don't want to sleep in a little girl's room," snorted Granite.

"Fine, then you can sleep outside the room," Concrete said firmly. "What about you Sun Drops? Do you want little Sunny Rays' room?"

The little pony nodded her head. Sunflower smiled at the scene, "very well then Moon Crest, we accept your family's invitation to stay here."

Moon Crest smiled at this response.

That evening, Sunny Rays was getting the last of her favourite stuffed toys and a blanket from her room. She couldn't sleep without these. As she walked out of the room, she bumped into Granite Slab.

"Opps sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"Just stay out of my way, and you won't get hurt!" he snarled angerily.

The little light grey unicorn stormed off with a sleeping bag on his back. Moments later, Sunny Rays heard; "yuck, this is way too girly for my tastes, it's going to hurt my eyes for days!"

Sunny Rays felt hurt. She was very proud of her bedroom, and didn't like hearing somepony say rude things about it.

She walked over to Sunset's room where she found her sister writing into a book. It was the journal Twilight and Spike often put on the portal stand to allow them to go through the portal. However, when Sunset's in Equestria, she borrows the book so she can talk with her friends back home.

"That Granite Slab is a rude pony."

"Yeah I know I heard him." Sunset sighed and looked up to her little sister, "reminds me of what I used to be like, and with time, that attitude will land him in trouble."

"You mean him 'turning into a demon and being defeated by a princess and her friends' kind of trouble?"

"Doubt it. Not every pony with attitudes like that will get their flanks kicked by the Princess of Friendship. No, it'll probably be something else."

"Like what?"

"I don't know Sunny Rays, I really don't know."

While Sunset continued to write to her friends, Sunny Rays set up her stuffed toys and blanket on the bed. Despite being a three year old, she was good at organizing things into a proper order.

"Besides, I wouldn't worry too much about your cousin," Sunset continued, "if he causes trouble, then his parents will deal with him. Plus, he'll have to go through me to get to you."

She suddenly felt Sunny Rays give her a big hug.

"Thank you Sis."

"You're welcome Sis," smiled Sunset.

At that moment, Sunflower walked into the room, "I just had a rather interesting conversation with your father, and he told me that he kicked you out of the family a few moons back. Yet here you are, how did that happen?"

"What? Didn't Dad tell you?"

"Not really no. He said that I should talk to you, and hear your side of the story."

"Very well, I'll tell you." Sunset put down her pen, sat upright and began. "Well you see, after being kicked out of the house by my dad, I went to Princess Twilight's parent's house where they took me in for a while, and then..."

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Where can I read Sweetie Belle's Big Adventure?

[ThomasZoey3000]

8612748
You can find it in my stories selection, it was the one I had posted before this one.

[Magic135]

Who knew Moon was a snowball pro?

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

"Okay Mom, I'll give you a hand...er, hoof. Ugh! There I go again. One day I'm going to master the two lingos."

You will eventually.

Shocking Sunset, she managed to create at least fifteen snowballs all at once. She would've admitted that she was becoming a very powerful unicorn, but for now, she had to duck for cover as Sunny Rays' snowballs were flying her way.

Impressive.

"Hour and a half? Wow, that's an improvement from the last time I was here," Sunset thought to herself.

Mhm.

Sunrise nodded. He didn't even need to ask her, she would've said yes to the idea of them staying. "We can give up our room for you two," she said, pointing a hoof to Sunflower and Concrete, "and as for your kids..."

So then where will they sleep?

While Sunset continued to write to her friends, Sunny Rays set up her stuffed toys and blanket on the bed. Despite being a three year old, she was good at organizing things into a proper order.

How good of her.

11087264
Ikr.