The Blazing Dawn

by DeadpoolMLP

Back in the City

Sunset could smell the city air from the train. It was familiar, yet, filled her with yet more anxiety. She hadn't been home in 6 years, and hadn't stayed longer than a few days in 10. The hint of smog brought her back though. Playing in Celestial Park, going to the local cafes for lunch, roaming around the back alleys in search of treasure. Manehatten held a special place in Sunset's heart. This city was something special. Where anypony could do anything. She cherished those memories, but the more she thought back, the more she worried.

Her parents. She hadn't told them a word before going through the portal. Even though they had raised her, she hadn't even bothered to send them a letter telling them she was alive. In fact, in the months leading up to her running away, she had cut ties with pretty much everypony she loved, instead burying herself in her studies of magic, and the study of alicorns. Sunset sighed at that. Back then, she had assumed ascension was something a pony could achieve through academic prowess and magical ability, but she had forgotten to factor in the most important part of the process: Alicorns stand for something. Celestia, the Alicorn of Truth. Luna, the Alicorn of Justice. Twilight, the Alicorn of Friendship, and Cadance, the Alicorn of Love. But what did she stand for? Back then...nothing. Celestia always told her she had the potential to ascend, but lacked the willpower, and the understanding of who she was.

And to this day, she still didn't know. Who IS Sunset Shimmer? What does she stand for? What is her desti-

Sunset jolted forward as the train came to a halt, falling into the lap of the stallion next to her, a dark blue coated pegasus with a leather jacket and a pair of bronze rimmed goggles hidden behind his long brown mane, a single red stripe going down the middle of his mane and tail.

"Watch it lady!" the stallion huffed, pushing her off him, and into the aisle in front of them both.

Sunset picked herself up, brushing herself off before letting out a hearty sigh. That was something she certainly remembered. Good Ole Manehatten Spirit. The city where everypony is in a hurry, and is only out for themselves. While she wouldn't call the ponies of the city mean, more rude if anything, she would certainly pin them as cut throat. See, the caviate to the unlimited opportunities of Manehatten, is that there are bound to be at least three others looking to take the same opportunity as you, so you either give it all you got, or starve on the streets. There was no hoof-me-downs in Manehatten.

---

As Sunset exited the train, she took a big wiff of the air, smiling as she looked around Grand Lunar Station, the largest train station in Equestria. She loved this place, and while she didn't exactly spend too much time here as a filly, it was a staple of the city. You wanted to get into the city, you started at Grand Lunar.

Walking to the entrance, she looked out on Mane Street, looking at the Skyscrapers lining the skyline, as if in defiance of the gods. To think a small fishing village would become the economic hub of all of Equestria.

"Right..." Sunset gulped, dreading what came next "Guess I better get on my way....home..."

While the student of Friendship completely intended to find her way home, that didn't mean she didn't dread it. Her parents had always been very loving, and supportive, but they also had a tendency to freak out, or, at least her mother did. Her Father had always been a stone faced smartass, while her mother, was a bit of the social butterfly, yet extremely caring mother that, while everypony loved, Sunset knew was an emotional trainwreck just waiting to make you awkward around your friends, even if it was unintentional.

Sunset looked around, weighing her options, when she heard the sound of a honking taxi-carriage. Before her eyes, was a sight she hadn't seen in years. An old friend named Fuji, strapped to a taxi carriage.

"SUNSET! IS THAT YOU?!"

Sunset blinked, stunned by the sight of the Apple Family cousin. Fuji had been Sunset's first real crush, though she later realized it was more of a 'Hey, I'm a filly who's going through puberty, and you're a the first colt I saw on the playground, so therefore I am in love with you' situation. "Fuji?"

The bright red stallion pulled his cart to the side of the road, smiling like crazy "Well git in Sunny! Where do ya wanna go?"

Sunset, trying to grasp the amount of cosmic irony required for this type of coincidence to occur, decided to go with it, and trotted into the parked taxi. "Uhhhh....you know what? I'm starving. Take me to Joe's. I could use a slice a' 'Za right now."

With a whinny, the stallion reared up, starting onto the busy road "GOT IT!"

It took a minute for Sunset to adjust to the speed of the carriage, Sunset still getting used to her hooves again. "Geez Fuji, you sure got swole."

"Swole? Sunny, where in the Zap Apple jam have you been? Everyone on 16th street had assumed you wer' dead!"

Sunset winced hard at that. 16th street was a block away from her house, so she could only imagine what her parents thought. That was one of the benefits/downsides of growing up in the city. City blocks were like little communities of their own, and streets were like little subdivsions. Everyone from 14th to 17th probably knew the name Sunset Shimmer, and the fact she had been Celestia's star pupil probably extended that to at least 10th to 20th street. And the fact that she had dropped off the face of Equestria probably was the talk of the town when it happened.

"I was...finding myself. Still am. I just needed some time to myself." Sunset replied, doing her best to try and hide the truth.

"What kind uh nonsense is that? I mean, you wer' always a bit of a lost soul, but y'all just droppin off the face of the planet? What kinda answer is that?"

Sunset chuckled. She had always found Fuji's accent amusing, even if it was a little mean to make fun of it. Fuji wasn't a dumb pony, he was actually incredibly intelligent when it came to farming and could tell a story like nopony else could, but he was never the strongest mathmatician, and had a bit of a "breaks everything he touches" problem. "Don't worry about it Fuji. I'm back, and that's all that matters, right?"

"Ah guess so."

As the carriage pulled up to the little pizza store tucked away between the theaters on Broadway, Sunset let in a huge rush of air into her nose. That smell. the intoxicating aroma of fresh Pizza, Manehatten style. It was like a drug. If there was one thing that Sunset would absolutely say is worth the trip through the portal, this was it.

Climbing out of the taxi, Sunset smiled at Fuji, "You wanna join me?"

The Earth pony let out a snort, smiling as he left off his harness, "Ah could go for a break."

The two made their way inside, Sunset's brain getting all giddy at the sound of the little bell ringing as they opened the door. It was a blast from the past that she had always loved that little bell, because that meant Pizza Time.

The Owner, a stone grey stallion with a burnt coal mane gave them both a grimace, "What'll it be?"

Sunset, out of instinct, got her usual, "Stuffed Crust Triple Cheese with apricots on top please!"

The Stallion raised an eyebrow at this, almost as if he recognized the order. "Alright....and you?"

"Ah'll have a large cheese slice."

"Roight....That'll be done in about 20 minutes. Ya can both wait at the table ova' there." the Stallion pointed to a small table by the window, with a pair of wooden chairs set up on either side.

"Cool." Sunset said as she took her seat.

Fuji followed, taking his seat and looking at Sunset "So where have ya really been?"

Sunset sighed "it's complicated. I think the only pony in this town that would probably understand a lick of it is my dad. How...have my parents been?"

"Aren't ya gonna go find out yerself?"

Sunset closed her eyes and took a breath "That was the plan...kinda avoiding it at this point."

"Well Ah'm not gonna tell ya. Ya'll'll just have to find out yerself."

Sunset stuck her tongue out at Fuji in retaliation, showing that, while she was almost 20 in pony years, she still had the maturity of a 5 year old.

A teenage colt then approached their table, Sunset nearly choking on her own breath at the sight of him. She knew him purely by the sight of his dark brown coat, and jet black mane, which she remembered being much lighter when she last saw him.

"Would you like any appetizers or refreshments?" The Colt asked, clearly having not slept the night before.

Sunset failed to summon words, being stuck with the worst case of Deja Vu she had ever experienced. She knew this colt. She had been there when his parents brought him home.

"D-does your name happen to be Sparkplug?" Sunset managed to stammer out.

"Yeah, why? Actually, you know what, I don't care. Do you want something to drink?"

Sunset smiled nervously, "Y-yeah. I'll take an Ice Tea, lemon please."

Sparkplug wrote it down in his notepad, seeming to be annoyed by the whole situation, only added by his grogginess.

"And you?"

"Water sir. No Ice."

"Cool...." The colt spoke, his voice almost sounding like he was high on something, writing it down before walking to the back.

"Ya know him?"

Sunset smiled, looking to the back "I was there the day his parents brought him home. They lived a floor above us."

"Huh..."

After a minute or two, Sparkplug came back with their drinks, Sunset smiling at the colt as he went back to the kitchen, "He seems like he grew up nice"

"Eeyup. Lots of ponies 'round here grew up pretty well. It's a good neighborhood."

Up until this point, Sunset had been hesitant to return home, but this little series of cosmic coincidences warmed her heart. Life goes on it seems. Even without her, the city never sleeps, and the ponies in it never stop moving forward.

It was then Sunset heard that bell ring again, and froze in place as she spotted a pony she hadn't seen in 10 years.

Her Best Friend, Spitfire

Author's Note:

GASP! If only it hadn't been in plastered on the image of the fic.

Yup, Sunset and Spitfire were childhood friends.

Here we go boys.

Let the shipping commence

Comments

[The Bricklayer]

And so the ship has begun to sail... And you know, this may be just me, but I think this song fits them.

[Viper Pit]

don't worry sunset you will find de wey

I'm not sorry

[Mr Swanky Hat]

Let the shipping commence

On it!twistedsifter.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/giant-ship-that-ships-other-ships-blue-marlin-2.jpg

[Monduvd]

and hadn't seen stayed

Should be "since".

[vinviasshine]

Yeeesss ship-

Also looking forward to next chapter good work!