Equestria Rewritten

by darlinglightfoot

Family Day

Twilight and Starlight trotted together down the cobbled bridge, exiting the school of friendship. "It's a shame that Darling hasn't been in her lessons. She's really fallen into the books." Twilight lamented.

"It will pass, you of all people know what it's like to be stuck in a book-" They shared a laugh.

"Perhaps... if her magic isn't to return... she should transfer here..." Twilight suggested.

"I think we should not make any decisions in haste-" Starlight replied, defensively. Neither knowing the state of Darling's condition.

"Ah- Flurry!" Twilight said, watching as her niece trotted past with Sunbeam by her side. "Will your parents be here for family night? Starlight has been going on and on about the fantastic progress you've been making!"

Flurry smiled and nodded. "They've never missed a thing!" She answered, rolling her eyes playfully.

"And Sunbeam?" Starlight replied, inviting the colt to join in on the conversation.

"My father..." Sunbeam said, almost in a whisper.

"Oh it has been such a long time since I've seen your mother and father!" Twilight laughed to herself, Starlight and herself sharing a knowing glance.

"Yeah..." Sunbeam laughed awkwardly.

As Flurry and Sunbeam trotted away, Flurry asked a burning question. "Are your parent's traveling often?"

"It's just that, they are always working and Canterlot is such a bustling place." Sunbeam said with a dismissive smile. "My mom is also one of Princess Twilight's advisors, so you know how that can be."

"Really, perhaps I know her!" Flurry said enthusiastically.

"I'm certain that you do!" Sunbeam laughed. The younger pony's wing's began beating anxiously. "I actually have reserve practice soon, Flurry, I'll catch you later!"

As the sun set, the families of every creature in the school of friendship had begun arriving. Cadence and Shining armor embraced their daughter happily as they reunited. Families across the yard all shared reunification moments just the same.

"Flurry!" Shining said, "Introduce us to your friends!" her parents insisted in unison.

Flurry looked about the courtyard. There she could see Berry Patch, her mother, and younger brother. Daffodil, Dusk, and their father. Pound Cake, and Mrs. Cake. Lastly, she noticed Sunbeam sitting alone on the bench. "Well..." Flurry sighed. Gesturing toward Sunbeam "I think my friend is a little... lonely... can I please be excused?"

Her parents shared a proud glance and turned to give her a nod.

Trotting up to her friend, she took note of his patient and excited demeaner. "Is your father late?"

"Oh, Flurry! No! He's right there!" Turning around to take note of where her friend was pointing, Flurry noticed a unicorn with nearly the same coloring as her friend.

Sunbeam flittered up on his wings "Dad!" He said waving him over. The unicorn trotted over. He was in formal guard gear, just like Flurry's own father... She recognized him as captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard.

Joining the three of them, Her parents joined them. Shining Armor shook hooves with Sunbeam's father. "Flash Century! I has been such a long time." Shining exclaimed.

"Shining Armor! Your little filly goes here too?"

Looking over at their children, they took note that their respective children most certainly weren't little anymore. "Looks like your colt ain't much of a colt any more!" Cadence chimed in.

"You know each other?" Flurry and Sunbeam asked in unison.

"The captains of Equestria's royal guards have got to keep in touch!" Flash Century insisted.

"Where's the wife?" Cadence asked.

Flash rubbed his hoof over his hair smiling sheepishly. "She's actually-"

Interrupting her husband, appeared an orange pony with a red and yellow mane. Covered in a magenta cloak, she was hardly familiar to Flurry Heart, but something told her that this was somepony she should know.

Immediately, it became extremely evident that both Sunbeam's parents were... unicorns.

Flurry Heart's mind began to race, how could this be possible? It all began to make sense, Sunbeam must be adopted, that's why he was so stand-offish about his parents!

Berry Patch and Flurry Heart sat at the table together, chewing scones. "I never knew that Sunbeam was adopted?" Berry asked... "I mean... My brother and I were, it's really nothing for him to be ashamed of!" She sipped her drink. "My family is just that, my family, and I'm darn proud of it!"

Flurry nodded in agreement. "I just don't know what to say about it, I feel so sorry for pushing him for something that was really none of my business."

"Maybe it's best you don't say a word." Berry Patch shrugged.

Sunbeam worked out in the weight room just along the outside of the gym. Flurry Heart trotted in awkwardly. "Oh hey, Flurry." Sunbeam said nonchalantly.

"Hey!" Flurry said happily. "I just wanted to apologize for pressuring you about your parents the other day... I had no idea you were adopted and I talked to Berry Patch, because I knew she had personal experience-"

Sunbeam jolted up, laughing. "Whoa, whoa? I'm not adopted-" He chuckled. "Not that that would even be a bad thing, I just am not."

"But- Your parents... They're both unicorns and you're... not?"

Sunbeam groaned, half laughing. "Come with me." He said, pulling a sigh as he flew quickly out the door to the weight room.

Flurry trotted quickly before taking off to fly alongside him.

"It's not good to make assumptions about ponies, Flurry." Sunbeam insisted. "I know you mean well, but sometimes you just... have leaps in your logic..." He sighed as she spun, flying backwards as he spoke. "you wonder how I got my wings? Why I don't talk much about my parents?"

Flurry felt embarrassed. "I didn't mean to pry."

"If you really want to know... You are my friend, and I trust you." Sunbeam said, stopping suddenly before diving out of the sky.

Flurry halted abruptly, trying to follow him swiftly.

They stopped outside a large home, nearly castle like, a few miles outside the Canterlot city limits. "You live here?" Flurry asked. Admiring the fine home. "It's so beautiful..."

"Have you ever thought about how taxing it was on Celestia to raise both the sun and the moon for a thousand years, while Luna was banished to the moon?" Sunbeam asked, seriously.

Flurry heart shook her head in confusion. "She was the most powerful Alicorn of all time."

"It was horribly taxing on her, magically, emotionally..." Sunbeam replied to his own question, entirely ignoring Flurry Heart's answer.

"What a silly thing to say!" the alicorn insisted.

"Twilight knew this... That she could not be her best if she was meant to control both the sun and the moon everyday." Sunbeam laughed. "When Celestia and Luna gave their talent to her... she knew that Equestria needed more rulers..."

Walking through the home they entered a study where the same orange pony with the red and yellow mane trotted about. It was suddenly incredibly evident that Sunbeam's mother was an alicorn...

"Oh Sunbeam!" She shouted suddenly. "You can't just bring over guests- Hello, Flurry Heart."

Flurry bowed strangely. "Hello."

"I guess the cat is out of the bag now!" She shouted, glaring daggers into her son. "You mustn't remember me... My name is Sunset Shimmer..."

"Y-you're an a-alicorn?" Flurry asked, stunned. "I thought there were only five alicorns in Equestria?"

Sunset Shimmer chuckled awkwardly. "Five KNOWN." She heavily emphasized the second word. "It's so complicated really....

It was quite some time ago. Years before Sunbeam was born, when I returned from the human world. It was a slight readjustment, but Equestria was a place I always knew I'd return to.

...Twilight approached me, when I returned from the human world... she asked me if I would raise the sun each day... it was the least I could do for her. She said, I had proven myself in the human world, and that Celestia would want us to share in the power..."

"Why do you keep it a secret?" Flurry Heart interjected.

"I once thought..." Sunset sighed. "I once thought all I wanted in this world was the power... to be a princess, like you, like Twilight... But I learned that there are more important things than attention and power." Sunbeam smiled as his mother embraced him, in an attempt to give an example. "Twilight approached me, when I returned from the human world... she asked me if I would raise the sun each day... it was the least I could do for her."

"I just don't understand why you hide away?" Flurry reiterated.

"You've never wished you could be just like everypony else?" Sunset asked.

Flurry nodded, knowingly... understandingly... "But, isn't it lonely?"

"I have my friends and family-" Sunset insisted. "I just don't want everypony to hate me after all I have done... betraying them when Celestia was my teacher." she shuttered from the memory as tears welled in her eyes.

Flurry sat and held Sunbeam and Sunset's hooves each in one of hers. "I think it's time you forgive yourself, and let everybody see the princess you can be... the one you are inside and out."

Twilight placed the crown of Sunset's head. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" Twilight asked. "You do not need to feel any obligation, but everypony has forgiven any trespasses you've committed. That was another life, my friend."

Sunset walked out onto the balcony and confidently raised the sun behind her. "

"Equestria, Behold the Keeper of the Sun. Princess, Sunset Shimmer."

Sunbeam rushed over to his mother and father who embraced him quickly... "I will never miss another family day, conference, game, race... anything... I'm going to be there for you." Sunset promised "I'm sorry that I let fear rule me..."