A Starlit Sunset

Chapters

The Beginning
The Accident
The Sorrows

The Beginning

The orange Pegasus was desperately flying through the Canterlot skies, the purple unicorn underneath her, watching her caringly. The Pegasus had just gone into labor with her first child, yelling in pain as she flew through the air towards the hospital. The little filly in the mother’s womb was eager to get out, for it was about 2 weeks early.

She dropped to the ground next to her husband as they arrived in the hospital. “Help!” The purple colt yelled. The nurses came rushing in, and carried the mare on a stretcher. The mare was rushed into a room, where the doors nearly slammed shut. Immediately they went to work. For time was rushing past as they did their job, but for the colt, time seemed to have slowed down, leaving him in an utter state of impatience and suspense.

After what seemed like hours, the colt soon heard the crying of a young filly. The nurse called him into the room, revealing the mare holding a bright orange unicorn. Her hair as soft as silk, the yellow and red colors showing bold and bright. The purple colt slowly walked up to the orange filly with bright green eyes and a big smile across his face. The filly calmed down at the sight of her father, and let out a giggle. The proud parents laughed, and hugged their new child with open arms. “Sunset Shimmer.” Her mother announced. The colt nodded in agreement. Sunset Shimmer, the perfect name for a radiant young unicorn.

A couple years passed, and another filly was born. This one, like a flower she sprouted, had the most beautiful of lavender fur. Her mane was unique, unlike much others in the town. The ocean blue strips in her mane stood out against the bold purple color. Her violet blue eyes twinkled at Sunset. Sunset Shimmer, now 2 years of age, stared at her new sister in awe. The parents watched carefully as Sunset examined her new sibling. “Name?” Sunset asked, looking at her parents. “Starlight Glimmer.” The parents chuckled. “Starlight.” Sunset looked at her new sister. Starlight let out a giggle as she lifted her hooves to her sister. The orange filly took a few steps back, looking at her parents in slight alarm. With encouragement, Sunset walked up to her sister, and held her hoof. Starlight let out a burp, and everyone was left giggling.

Starlight’s birth was a difficult one. Her size was larger than Sunset’s, and larger than any filly’s at birth for that matter. She was about ¾ of the size of Sunset, which was shocking to her. A lot of newborn fillies she knew were very small, but she liked her sister. The uniqueness she spread was joyful and the two played in harmony, running around and squealing. They were told many times to quiet down, and they did, but only for about five minutes. Then they went right back to running around and squealing!

The years passed. Sunset was now 5, able to talk and prance around. Also at this age, her parents began teaching her to use her magic. Starlight found her horn intriguing, always caressing it and staring at it in the mirror. Sunset pranced around her little sister, who was now 3 years old. Starlight giggled and grabbed her sister’s tail as it flew around her. Sunset fell with a thump, alarmed at first. Soon, though, they were all giggling.

“Starlight!” Her mother called, coming in from the kitchen, smiling. “Are you pulling at her sister again?”

“Uh uh!” Starlight smirked, and giggled.

“Yes she is!” Sunset whined.

“Oh, don’t act all dramatic now! I heard you laughing!” Her mother smiled, and went back in the kitchen.

Her father sat behind the two fillies in his chair, his glasses sitting on his snout, smiling at the fillies. “Starlight, be nice to your sister now.” Her father encouraged her and sat on the floor, pushing some toys over. Sunset saw her favorite toy, a plush unicorn with a rainbow on its chest, her cutie mark a bright yellow star. Sunset caressed the doll, and held its silky blue mane in her hooves. The dolls fur was a bright neon pink, Sunset’s favorite color.

“Girls! The sun’s going down! Want to watch?” Her mother came out from the kitchen and sat next to the purple colt. “Yes, yes, yes!” Sunset jumped up and ran outside and climbed into the tree. This was their family tradition, sitting in the tree and watching the sunset at night. Starlight smiled at her sister and sat at the bottom of the tree. “Down!” She called to Sunset.

“No!” Sunset protested. Starlight’s ears flattened in disappointment, and she sat on the ground, staring down in sadness. Her father looked at her and smiled warmly, picking her up and setting Starlight in his lap. The young unicorn’s eyes widened and she looked up at her father. Her father smiled again, and Starlight laid against his warm chest, staring at the setting sun.

“Daddy, when can we go watch Princess Celestia raise the sun during the Summer Sun Celebration?” Sunset asked from above.

The colt chuckled. “Once you and your sister are older, we’ll think about it,” he replied. “Okay?”

The unicorn sighed. “Okay.”

The girls were off to bed once the sun had set, after playing under the starlight, of course. They enjoyed that, especially Starlight herself! She always loved playing under the watch of the moon and its brilliant night sky, as the stars twinkled like thousands of fireflies on a summer’s night. The moon always glowed bright in the night, caring off the fear of children with its warmth of the night. Starlight was happy she had something watching over her dreams as she slept. The girls shared a room, so she could always count on her older sister if she did have a bad dream, or a nightmare. Sunset could do the same, but in a different way, only asking for comfort, which was always delivered. The two loved each other so much, and occasionally told made up stories of faraway lands before they went to sleep. They always had great dreams when they told stories.

The time had come for Sunset to go to magic school! Starlight didn’t like the idea, but Sunset was so excited, she was virtually jumping off of the walls. She promised her little sister, who was now nearly the size of herself that she’d be back in time to play. Starlight sighed sadly and nodded, hugging Sunset before she left. Her mother took her there, walking with her since Sunset was a unicorn, and not a Pegasus. Sunset appreciated her mother doing this, and smiled with anticipation as they walked to Canterlot. She hoped to see the Princess there, and her mother just laughed. Sunset was slightly offended, but her mother corrected her laugh, saying that it might happen. Sunset went happily trotting along the pathway, nearly to the gates of the kingdom. She looked around in awe as they walked through the streets, staring up at the large white buildings. But what amazed her most was the vastness of the castle. It stood ahead of them, its towers shooting up into the sky with many array of colors decorating them. The castle itself was colorful too, but mostly white and gold.

Finally, Sunset and her mother reached the school, where inside stood a crowd of young unicorns. They checked in to get interviewed by some teachers, and sat down on a bench. Sunset couldn’t keep still as she waited, fidgeting every few seconds in her seat. Her mother looked at her and smiled, chuckling. Sunset groaned. “How long is this gonna take?!” she exclaimed, putting her hooves out, then crossing them.

Her mother stared at the crowd. “We shouldn’t be much longer, dear. Just be patient!”

“Patient?! I can’t be patient!” The young unicorn moaned and leaned against the cool, gray wall.

The Pegasus chuckled again. “Yes you can. I know you can!” She smiled warmly at her child, and Sunset merely shrugged.

After what felt like hours, Sunset and her mother were called into a classroom to be interviewed. They were asked a few questions, then Sunset was asked to perform a spell on a phoenix egg. Sunset’s eyes widened and she nodded. Staring at the bright orange and red egg, and charged up her horn, feeling the magic within her rush towards it and making her horn spark. It soon began to glow a bright, pale blue and she shut her eyes, sweating. Her mother watched in shock, as she had never seen Sunset do this before. Sunset, however, was having difficulty, and her magic went out due to drowsiness. She breathed heavily and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She tried again, this time with more force. In a book she read, it talked about a powerful magic which many ponies had tried, but it didn’t state the outcome. She tried to perform this magic, it mixing with her current magic to make a less dull blue, and a slight green shade. She shot a beam of magic at the egg, the brightness of the beam nearly blinding the teachers and her mother.

After the light had dimmed, in the nest that the egg used to be, a large burning phoenix stood in its place, its wings like fire and its eyes looking at the ponies in the room, as if they were prey. Sunset looked at the bird in awe, but her mother was panicking. The teachers, too, were panicking. The odd magic that the young unicorn had used was dark magic, forbidden to be used by any pony. None of them realized she had used it, but the teachers knew that the phoenix was born with an odd “curse” by Sunset. The large bird quickly turned its head at Sunset and she flinched, backing up a bit. The phoenix cocked its head and looked down at her, but not at her face. Oh no, it was looking slightly past her. Sunset became confused then looked at what it was looking at, which was her flank. Her flank used to be bare, but not anymore. Sunset realized a balance she could create between the dark and normal magic while doing the spell, giving her a cutie mark representing just that in the shape of a sun. Sunset jumped around in glee yelling, “I got my cutie mark!” over and over again. The bird cawed at her and she stopped, turning to it suddenly. “Uh oh,” she said.

The phoenix cawed again, but this time sounding more like a hiss as it jumped up, spreading its giant wings into the air. It seemed to glow as it stood there for a split second, then it dived down for Sunset. Her mother’s eyes widened and she reached for her daughter before the Phoenix could get her. But before she or the phoenix could get Sunset, the phoenix froze, and a yellow glow of magic surrounded it. The mare and the filly’s eyes widened and then looked behind them. There stood Princess Celestia, holding the phoenix still. Without looking at the two, the princess quickly removed the small amount of dark magic within the bird, and it flinched. It looked around, confused, then stared at Princess Celestia.

Celestia turned to the teachers first, but talked to everyone, saying, “Is everypony alright?” They all nodded, trembling. Then the princess looked down at Sunset and her mother. “You two are okay as well?” she asked.

They both nodded and Sunset stared at the princess in awe. The princess looked troubled at the sight of them, but looked back at the phoenix. She smiled. “I can take care of it, unless you want to.” She looked back down at Sunset.

Sunset shook her head. “No thank you, Princess!” she replied. “I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.”

“Well I know something you may be ready for.”

The Pegasus and the unicorn looked up at her with curious eyes.

“Would you like to be my student, Sunset Shimmer?” Celestia asked.

Sunset gasped. “Yes!” she said quickly. “Yesyesyesyesyes!”

The princess chuckled. “Good. I’ll see you next week.” Then she flew off with the phoenix.

Sunset had a big smile across her face and was jumping up and down excitedly. Her mother, still in awe, smiled and walked up to her and held her hooves. “Do you know what this means? Do you know what responsibility you must take?” Her mother asked her, seriously.

“I think so…” Sunset replied, now calming down and putting her hoof on her head in thought.

The two made their way home, before catching a glimpse of Princess Celestia and the bright glow of the phoenix. Sunset gazed up at the two in amazement, her mother smiling behind her, looking up as well.

“Someday I will be just like her!” Sunset smiled at her mother, as they continued making their way home.

“We’re home!” Sunset came bursting in the doors as they arrived at their house.

“There’s my little girl!” Her father picked her up in his arms and hugged her tight. “How was it?”

“She is now, officially, a student of Princess Celestia herself.” Her mother smiled proudly, as Starlight came into the room.

“I made a bird come out of its egg, and then Princess Celestia came and announced it!” Sunset smiled proudly.

“Announced what?” Starlight asked, looking up at her sister.

“Oh! Starlight! I thought you were still napping!” Her mother said.

“Starlight! Starlight!” Sunset pranced around her sister, as her mother was about to continue her thought.

“What? What’s going on?” Starlight sat down, confused.

“I’m Princess Celestia’s student!” Sunset smiled. Starlight sat and stared at her.

“Sunset, dear, she doesn’t quite understand.” Her father sat Starlight on his lap. “Starlight is going to be with Princess Celestia and do spells and work for her and stuff!” The colt explained.

“Oh…” Starlight looked down.

“What’s wrong?” Sunset sat next to her sister, sympathetically.

“Are you going away?” Starlight looked at her sister with big, teary, purple eyes.

“Oh, no!” Her mother ran her hoof over Starlight’s mane. “Sunset isn’t going anywhere. She is just going to be away a bit more than she already is. But, don’t worry! She’ll still have plenty of time with you!” Her mother reassured her, and kissed her on the head, smiling.

“Okay.” Starlight said, and got off of her father’s leg.

The two fillies ran to their room. “Tell me all about it!” Starlight smiled.

“Okay, well first, I was sent up. They gave me this big bird egg, I can’t recall what it was…” Sunset paused and thought for a moment. “A phoenix!” She smiled.

“Oooooooh!” Starlight smiled, in awe. “I’ve seen pictures of those, and I’ve seen them in the sky! They are so pretty!” Starlight lay back on her bed in awe.

“Yeah! And then they told me to hatch it with my horn, and so I took my horn, and I tried so hard! It hurt my brain!” Sunset put her hoof on her head.

“Wow!” Starlight said.

“And then, and then I tried again, and this… this beam came out of it,” Starlight gasped. “And the phoenix hatched, but it was… evil!”

Her parents listened from outside their door at how Sunset explained this to her sister.

“Evil?!” Starlight put her hoof over her mouth.

“Yeah! And then out of nowhere, Princess Celestia came just as it was about to charge at us, and she froze it with her magic, and took all of the ‘dark magic’ out of it.” Sunset sat on her bed.

“Dark magic?” Starlight asked, sitting up.

“I don’t understand much of it either…” Sunset lay on her bed in confusion.

Their parents came in after it was silent for a while. “You girls okay?” Their father asked.

“Yes!” Starlight said.

Their mother walked up to Starlight and kissed her goodnight.

“Mommy?” Starlight asked. “Is Sunset…” she paused, and whispered. “…evil?” Starlight asked.

“No, no, no!” Her mother said. “We don’t know where that came from, dear.” She hugged her daughter and walked over to Sunset, and whispered. “Be careful with what you say to her, sweetheart. She understands things a little bit differently than you do.” Sunset nodded.

Their parents walked out, and Starlight quickly fell fast asleep. Sunset sighed and looked out her window, towards the moon. She began to remember the story that her parents told her, a couple nights before, about Princess Luna getting banished. She was so in awe at the “mare in the moon”. She liked whispering to Nightmare Moon, although she would never hear her. Her prayer tonight was slightly different.

“Princess?” Sunset whispered. “Do bless my dreams tonight.” She looked up at the moon. “I don’t know why dark magic came out of me. It has scared me.” She sighed and watched the moon. She thought she could make out a bit of a sparkle in it, before she lay down.

Sunset’s dreams were odd. She was back at the magic school, but the room was empty. It was only her, and the phoenix. Sunset looked down on it, and its broken egg shells. A voice came out of its mouth, but Sunset was quite aware that it was not the phoenix’s voice.

“My, dear subject.” Sunset gasped. It was Nightmare Moon’s voice! “You’ve come so far!” The phoenix cocked its head at the strange voice coming out of its beak.

“I have?” Sunset asked.

“Yes, little filly. You’re so good at this!”

“Good? At what?” Sunset became confused.

“You’ll find out soon enough. Rest now, you have a big week ahead of you.” The voice left the phoenix’s beak, and it cawed at her.

Sunset woke up with a start, whipping her body upward and breathing heavily. Only an hour had passed the night, and she looked back up at the moon. She could’ve swore the mare in the moon was gone for a split second, and appeared again.

She lay back down, and fell asleep.

Sunset slept very light the rest of the night, and woke up to Starlight jumping on her and her bed. “Sunset, Sunset! Wake up!”

Sunset moaned. “What?” she asked drowsily.

“Princess Celestia’s here, and she has a gift!” Starlight giggled and jumped off of the bed.

She sat up a bit more and with the news, she became more awake. “A gift?”

“Mhmm! Come on!” The pink unicorn rushed out of the room in excitement.

Sunset pondered the statement for a moment, then shrugged. She climbed out of bed and stretched, then went to her mirror to fix her morning hair. She made herself as presentable as she could, then walked out to the living room, where her parents and Starlight stared at Celestia in awe.

Celestia turned to look at Sunset, and she smiled. “Good morning, Sunset Shimmer.”

“Hello, Princess Celestia,” she replied, yawning. “What are you doing here?”

Her parents gave her a look for saying such a remark, but Celestia just chuckled. “I thought I’d come by and meet the family of my new student. And might I say, your parents are a cheerful couple.”

Sunset grinned and looked down.

“Show her the gift! Show her the gift!” Starlight urged.

“Okay!” Celestia acknowledged. She brought out a spell book that had large, curly words on the front that said “Spells for Advanced Unicorn Magic”. “I’m sure you’re well aware of the olden unicorn Starswirl the Bearded?”

Sunset nodded and took the book in awe.

“Well, he wrote most of the spells in this book.”

“Wow!” she exclaimed, hugging the large book as best she could. “Thank you.”

The radiant princess bowed her head. “You best be getting to studying, Sunset Shimmer. I have high expectations for you!”

Sunset nodded again and watched her leave the house. She sat down and opened up the huge book, flipping through each spell. Starlight looked over her shoulder with big, curious eyes. “Wow!” she exclaimed.

“I know!” the filly’s sister replied, giggling. Their parents watched them, smiling. Sunset looked up at them, eyes filled with wonder. “Can I begin practicing?”

They nodded, and Sunset leapt up from the floor, running to her room. She stumbled a bit, trying to hold the book, but managed.

Starlight fell onto the floor and watched her go, sadly. She looked down and sighed. Her mother walked over to her and knelt down, lifting the filly’s chin. “We’ll make sure she plays with you. It’s still just the morning!”

“But the morning’s our play time!” Starlight said. “We always play up until my naptime!”

“Well, her schedule is going to be a bit different now that she’s starting school.”

Starlight sighed again and looked down.

Her mother was indeed right. Over the next few weeks, Sunset and Starlight grew apart. Starlight was beginning to be much lonelier than usual, and Sunset stayed locked in her room, studying.

When Sunset studies, she studies hard. She pays no attention to the world around her, she can’t even recall hearing the birds chirp. When Starlight is complaining about a thunderstorm, Sunset says she never heard it. Her parents began worrying about her when this started happening, but they reassured themselves by saying that it’s the kind of effort that Princess Celestia expects.

Starlight had to move out to her own room, because Sunset never talked when she was in there, only to herself. Starlight would sometime cry to herself because she was so lonely, but Sunset never made a sound towards her. She had changed, Sunset had changed.

With Starlight now in her own room, in which she never went in because she was so lonely, Sunset still didn’t make a fuss about it. Normally, Sunset would make a whole fuss about it, she merely shakes the house!

Starlight just wanted to be with her sister. She missed the times when they sat in the tree together, now that Starlight was big enough too. That tree had now grown leaves on the branch that Sunset used to sit on, because no one has sat there in months.

The Accident

The next week did not change. Sunset stayed locked in her room, working on spells, and Starlight decided to stay in her own room as well. This left their parents staying on the couch. Everyone felt like their whole world had been turned around, except Sunset. She didn’t even notice she had been doing these things to her family.

As time went on, Starlight never even got to see her sisters’ face. The only thing she had from Sunset was pictures, and her little stuffed doll. She held this and cuddled with it every night, in comfort. She would cry herself to sleep most nights because of how lonely she was, and cursed Sunset secretly for it. She felt that nothing could fill this empty space. That big, empty, dark place in her heart, she felt, would never be filled ever again. Until one day, that may all change. Starlight’s birthday.

It was a joyous occasion for the filly. All of her cousins would come to finally give her someone to play with. And on this day, Sunset would be forced out of her room. Finally, Starlight would see her sister again! She couldn’t wait! Her parents made all kinds of food for the party, too. They made dandelion sandwiches, hay burgers and fries, all kinds of apple things, and cake! The cake was Starlight’s favorite, too. Chocolate cake with strawberry icing. She could smell it being baked all the way from her room. The amazing aroma of chocolate and freshly made strawberry icing; she drooled at the thought of its taste!

When the party started, Starlight jumped around, saying hi to every pony she passed. She had her favorite beany on, and her hair was braided very nicely. Her mother had helped her do so, and she honestly really liked the look. She played with her cousins – some her age, and some much older than her. She looked over at Sunset, who was reading the same spell book on the couch. Starlight frowned and trotted over to her sister, sitting next to her. Sunset flinched in shock and looked at her.

“Oh, hi Starlight!” she said. “Happy birthday!”

“Thanks,” Starlight said, sadly. “It would be better if you’d put the book away.”

Sunset’s eyes widened and she looked at the book. Secretly, Sunset was actually practicing a spell for her sister’s birthday, and it wasn’t yet ready. But, she assumed it would be okay to do anyway and nodded, closing the book.

Starlight’s big purple eyes widened and she looked in Sunset’s bluish green eyes. Sunset smiled and hugged her sister tight; Starlight hugged back.

This was the first time Starlight had hugged her sister in months.

“Hey, show me what you’ve learned!” Starlight smiled.

Sunset just replied, “Okay!”

Starlight giggled. “You can pick up the book!”

“Oh!” They laughed as Sunset went to the book.

Their father looked over at Sunset, and smiled. “May I have everypony’s attention please? Sunset would like to perform!” Everypony gathered around Sunset, Starlight sitting right in the front and center.

Sunset turned page after page after page, looking for the right spell. She skimmed the page and closed it and smiled.

This trick was one of the very famous tricks of Starswirl the Bearded. Sunset would use about half as much force as she did when hatching the phoenix, and would fill balloons-Starswirl would fill such other, more serious, things-with candy-Starswirl also used more serious items-and make them so large they popped, sending the candy everywhere.

Sunset used her magic to pick up a balloon and started blowing it up so big, and then she quickly put candy in and continued blowing it up.

The fillies’ eyes were growing bigger as the balloon was, with smiles almost as big.

The balloons pop, making the fillies scream, but then smile and laugh as the candy went everywhere.

They scattered, chasing the candy into other rooms of the area, some even went outside! Sunset ran off after her sister, but as Starlight ran into another room, and Sunset turned the corner, she bumped the electric fireplace, turning it on. Some of the paper from the candy went in there! Sunset didn’t realize what she did, and kept running.

The proud parents turned around and gazed up at the flames, as they got out of control and reached higher and higher. “Get out!” The colt yelled, and ran off into other rooms to make sure that no other fillies were in there.

Sunset and Starlight darted out before their father. Starlight stopped and gazed up in fear at the flames. The room was getting hotter and hotter and more demolished by the second. “Get out!!” The colt yelled, pushing them outside. The two ran back in to make sure no one was still in there. The fire made its way to the kitchen, and the house exploded into flames.

The fillies were screaming, and thrown back a couple of feet from the blast. Most of them were already bursting into tears as the fire ponies came in. Mare after mare, colt after colt were running in to get their child.

“Mommy! Daddy!” Starlight was sobbing her little heart out, running to the house in flames.

“Starlight!” Sunset herself was also sobbing, but she couldn’t lose her sister too, and she ran after her.

One of the mares from the fire department saw them running, and ran up to them and held them back.

“Stop it!” Starlight screamed. “My parents are in there!” She stared at the flames, as she tried to fight her way to the flames. Sunset too, was staring, and crying.

Starlight fell to her knees as they sprayed the burning home. Most of their friends were gone already. The only fillies in the yard were Starlight and Sunset.

Two motherless fillies. Two fatherless fillies. Many brother-less stallions, and sister-less mares. A mother, and a father, missing a daughter. A mother, and a father, missing a son.

After the fire had been contained, Sunset and Starlight were still found on their needs in their crisp yard, crying. One of the stallions walked up to them, and kneeled down, and hugged them. The two sisters hugged him so tight, and cried a little bit harder.

“I found something.” He said, calmly, and handed the two a doll. A plush unicorn with a rainbow on its chest, her cutie mark a bright yellow star. Starlight held the doll, and held its silky blue mane in her hooves. The dolls fur was a bright neon pink, Sunset’s favorite color. The two cried at the sight of this doll. Surprisingly, the only damage, was a bit of split ends.

Sunset stared at the doll, and wiped her tears. She managed to say, “You kept it?” Starlight looked over at her, and sniffed, and nodded.

Sunset hugged her sister tight, and Starlight began crying again. The stallion picked the two up and put them on his back and trotted over to the fire ponies. They looked back at the home, and the only thing that stood in the yard after the disaster. The tree that they sat on every night.

The fillies were sent to an orphanage, where they made little friends. They mainly stayed in their room, comforting each other. They played together and with the doll, but refused to let any other foal or filly touch it. When they were interviewed by some ponies, they stayed together and told their story. Many times, they were offered to be adopted, but it would only be either Sunset or Starlight that world be adopted, not together. They refused each offer, never wanting to be separated.

In the night, they shared a bed and would mostly cry themselves to sleep, which was not unusual for Starlight. She was used to it. Sunset, on the other hand wasn’t used to this. She didn’t understand this sadness. It seemed to envelope her in darkness every night, and Starlight was her only ray of hope. The same went for Starlight, and together, they helped each other fall asleep calmly and in peace. Or what they felt was peace. They prayed to Celestia at the setting of the sun, as if that was their new tradition. They prayed that things would get better for them, and that a kind family would take both of them. But as days went on, this hope seemed to be slowly lost. No offers came in for them to be adopted, and Sunset refused to go to Princess Celestia’s teachings because she didn’t want to leave Starlight alone and have her potentially get adopted without Sunset. Celestia was okay with this notion, and just sent letters to Sunset explaining what she had to do in the meanwhile while she was still mother and fatherless; while they were still mother and fatherless.

Sunset also began teaching Starlight magic, since she was getting bigger and Sunset was unsure of when Starlight should start learning magic. She learned basic levitation first, seeing as that would be a helpful spell to use in her future.

Sunset and Starlight sleepily walked each other to breakfast one morning. They sat on a bench together and called their spots. It was crucial to “call your spot” at this orphanage, because the fillies were moody, snatch-y, snobby, and many other words.

After calling their spot, the two sadly made their way to the breakfast bar, where bread and butter, yogurt, hay, and many other breakfast foods were served. Starlight got herself some bread and butter and a juice, while Sunset only ate a bit of hay. They made their way to their spots, only to find two colts sitting there.

Starlight was lost for words, as she usually is, but Sunset stood up for her. “Hey, we were sitting there!” She got in front of her sister protectively, in case anything happened.

“Oh you were? Sorry, it’s ours now!” One of the colts said, and they snickered.

Sunset’s eye twitched angrily, and her horn twinkled.

“Sunset, are you oka-“ Starlight got cut off when her eyes shrunk and her horn was slightly surrounded with black bubbles, and a purple beam was shot at the table, making the colts jump up in alarm, as well as every other pony.

Sunset’s eyes went back to normal and her horn sparkled green again. She looked around at every pony staring at her in horror. “What? What’s wrong?” She looked around, even her own sister was backed away. “Starlight, what did I do?”

Starlight just stayed silent and trotted to her room, leaving her breakfast in a crisp at the table.

The head mare of the orphanage came trotting in. “What in the name of Celestia happened here?!” She went around to make sure every pony was alright, and her eyes went to Sunset, as every other ponies were.

“I-I don’t know what happened!” Sunset blurted out.

“Well we do!” The two colts stood up and fixed their glasses. “It’s dark magic!” Every pony gasped.

“D-D-Dark magic?!” Sunset trembled. “Where?”

“There!” Every pony pointed at Sunset.

“M-M-Me?! Dark m-magic! No! Where did you get that idea?!”

“We saw it with our own eyes!”

The mare walked up to Sunset, and said with a very gentle voice. “Are you sure you didn’t do that?” Sunset nodded in plea. “Call this a warning.” The mare stood up and fixed the tables.

The two colts looked at Sunset and stuck their tongues out in defeat. Sunset trotted over to their room and went in.

She found Starlight sitting on her bed, rocking herself back and forth, and stroking the doll.

“Starlight!” Starlight flinched and looked her way. “It was a mistake! I never did that dark magic!”

“I saw you…” Starlight said in a quiet voice.

“I know you saw me, but Starlight, I never did it!”

Starlight looked up at her sister with her big purple eyes, and nodded.

The ponies of the orphanage weren’t the only ones to see this mishap, however. A couple was about to come in to interview some children when they saw Sunset through the window. They wanted her, and they wanted her now. So that’s what they did. They went in and talked to the head mare, saying that they wanted her in their household oh so deeply, but the mare said that they would also get her sister.

“She’s never allowed anypony to take just her or her sister. It has to be both of them.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate!” exclaimed the mare. “She has so much potential with us.”

The head mare thought for a moment. If they did adopt her, there would be no more complications with her magic. But poor Starlight would be heartbroken! Maybe it’s just best for the orphanage, the head mare thought. She looked up at them again. “Well, maybe we can strike a deal, but she has to be interviewed first.”

The couple lit up and nodded. The head mare led them into the room where Starlight and Sunset would get interviewed, then trotted down the hallways to their bedroom to get them. Starlight and Sunset were separated, one on each side of the bed, when the mare came in. “Sunset, Starlight, someone’s here to interview you.”

“I’m not going,” Sunset said in sorrow and stubbornness.

“Neither am I,” Starlight said.

“Girls, I have really high hopes for these two! Please?”

The two sisters looked at each other for a moment, then at the head mare. “Will they take us both?” Sunset questioned.

“I have a feeling they might,” she replied with a smile. “Come with me!”

Sunset looked at Starlight with a smile on her face, but Starlight didn’t seem all that pleased. The orange unicorn cocked her head a bit. “What’s wrong?”

“Something doesn’t feel right,” her sister replied. “I don’t think we should go…”

“Come on! We may actually get adopted!”

“But they won’t be our real parents!” Starlight argued.

“No one will ever be our real parents again, Starlight. But we can have a home again! Don’t you want that?” Starlight paused for quite some time, and Sunset just stared at her with tears in her eyes. The filly nodded and they were off to the room where they found the couple in their chairs. Sunset and Starlight sat across from them, and Starlight stayed close to Sunset, afraid of what’ll happen. Sunset put her arm around her sister and looked at the couple. Sunset began with an introduction.

“Hello, I’m Sunset Shimmer, and this is my sister Starlight. We were sent here just about a year ago after our parents died, and we’re so glad to have someone offer to adopt us.” Sunset had no enthusiasm or excitement in her voice, since she had done this dozens of times in the past. The couple smiled and introduced themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Punch (as in the fruit punch) and said that they were pleased to meet them. Starlight just rolled her eyes.

“So how old are each of you?” the stallion asked.

“I’m 7, and Starlight’s 5,” Sunset replied.

“Ah, and are you two always this close?”

Starlight gave him a cold look, but Sunset calmed her down. Starlight knew what was going on, and she wasn’t about to let it happen.

“Yes. We wouldn’t ever let one of us go and not the other,” Sunset said.

“Well, that’s sweet,” said the mare. “But we only want one of you, I’m afraid.”

“It’s not gonna happen!” Starlight nearly yelled.

“Sometimes that’s what must happen,” the mare argued.

Sunset stood up on her chair. “No,” she said harshly. “Me and my sister are staying together whether you like it or not! You will not have just one of us. If you want me or Starlight, you have to take us both, or not at all.”

The couple looked at each other and paused, thinking. Then they looked back at the sisters. “Well then, maybe your hopes of getting adopted are gone, if that’s your notion,” stated the stallion.

Sunset looked at him, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that if you keep saying that, then maybe neither of you will get adopted.”

This made the girls think for a moment. Was he right? Will they never both get adopted by the same family? Sunset was beginning to see Starlight’s view on these two. She didn’t like what they were saying, and they were actually making sense! Is the only way to get a home, and a new family, to split up? Sunset had to erase that image from her mind. She couldn’t even begin to imagine her life without Starlight without breaking down into tears. Starlight, too, began crying at the thought. She didn’t ever want to leave Sunset’s side as long as she lived. And so their decision was final.

“We’re not going,” they both said.

The couple gave them a hard look. “Very well,” the stallion said. We’ll just have to take her… by force, he then thought.

The two ponies stood up out of their chairs and walked out. The stallion whispered something into the mare’s ear, but it was hard to tell what. The mare nodded and they left the room. Sunset sighed in relief and hugged Starlight, a tear rolling down her cheek. Starlight hugged back and continued crying, but was calming down. “Let’s go back to our room,” Sunset said warmly and smiled.

Starlight smiled back and slipped off of the chair. She looked back at Sunset as she made her own way off of the chair and began walking out. Sunset turned into a doorway that led out into the lunch room, where the couple was waiting. They grabbed her and swiftly ran off. Sunset’s eyes widened and she tried fighting their strong grip, yelling and beginning to cry. Starlight rushed out and immediately began crying again. She ran off towards the couple and Sunset, and kicked at them. The mare looked at her and kicked her away.

At this time, the ponies of the orphanage watched them as this all went down. Sunset reached out for Starlight, and Starlight reached back. But the couple were too quick. They took Sunset into a taxi and used their magic to keep her in place. Starlight ran out and the head mare suddenly grabbed her, keeping her from running out.

“STARLIGHT!!” called out Sunset, sobbing.

Starlight began sobbing. “SUNSET!!”

“Calm down, child,” the head mare said.

“NO! I WON’T CALM DOWN!” Starlight screamed. “That’s my sister! My only sister!!”

“The couple had already signed a contract adopting Sunset. When they finished talking to you two, they asked me if I could send them her things.”

Starlight looked back at the street, which was now empty. There was no Sunset, no taxi.

The Sorrows

Sunset’s new mother stopped the magic that was surrounding Sunset and took a deep breath.

Sunset pounded on the window, and cried harder. Her sister was all alone in that orphanage, her worst fear.

“Calm down, Sunset Shimmer!” The stallion said, calmly, but a bit sternly.

“Don’t call me that!” Sunset yelled at him.

“Everything alright back there?” The taxi driver said.

“Perfect…” The mare put on a fake smile and then looked back at Sunset.

This orphanage that Starlight was left all alone in was no ordinary orphanage. When you leave, obviously, you can’t come back. Not only that, but you don’t remember anything. Sunset will forget her sister, slowly, but surely. It also affects the pony left there, if another relative gets adopted. They don’t remember. The ponies do know that something bad happened, but they didn’t know what, and they had very little memory on that fact. This spell was cast by the head mare of the orphanage. She hated seeing ponies in fear, or trauma, so she did something about it. When she made the orphanage, she cast an invisible spell, surrounding it. Anyone who went in, couldn’t come out unless they were adopted, or are adopting, and whoever goes out, can’t come back in. The mare found this very pleasing, and more relaxing for her. Even though it takes time, it’s worth it. But she didn’t realize the consequences.

They arrived back at their home-Sunset’s new home. The stallion and mare led her up to her new room, in which Sunset slammed and locked. She also put a protection spell over it, so no one could enter or leave, except her.

The two new parents stood at the doorway, their face practically in the door as Sunset slammed it.

The mare sighed. “What are we going to do?”

“She has to come out at some point.” The stallion reassured her.

But his assumption was incorrect. Sunset never left her room. She hardly ate or drank anything. She would sneak out on her own a lot to go to Princess Celestia’s teachings, and even then, she hardly did anything.

Celestia constantly asked what was bugging Sunset, but all she did was shake her head. Celestia worried every time she saw her student. Every week, Sunset seemed a bit thinner, dirtier, smellier, and sadder.

“Come on, child. Tell me what’s wrong.” Celestia said with deep sympathy on Sunset’s third month of teachings. However, Celestia knew what was bothering Sunset. She just wanted the filly to explain to her to help her feel better.

Sunset just sighed. This was the first time Celestia had heard even a part of Sunset’s voice in 2 months. Seeing Sunset every week made Celestia’s heart melt more than it already was.

Coming up was the nine hundredth and seventy-eight anniversary of when Celestia had banished her sister, Luna, or known at that time, Nightmare Moon. Every anniversary, every day, month, hour, was harder for Celestia. But, seeing Sunset sad as well, made Celestia even more upset. Celestia, however, knew why Sunset was upset, even though she never showed it. She tried to stop the head mare from casting the spell on the orphanage, and Celestia was much like Sunset, in the sense that both of them lost their younger sister. But being the ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia had much knowledge, and knew that the both of them would get their sisters back, in time.

As Sunset grew older, she began to take her wish to be just like Princess Celestia to a whole new level. She wanted to learn advanced magic, darker magic. Celestia refused to let her know such things, and kept to the speed that all other young unicorns learned at.

When Sunset left the orphanage, Starlight felt forever alone. Like she would never find someone she loved as she loved Sunset. She felt herself crippling. She wouldn’t eat anything, only drink. Other than water, the only thing she drank was Apple Juice, Sunset’s favorite. She only felt closer to Sunset when sleeping in her bed, drinking apple juice, or looking at the one picture she kept.

This picture was of Starlight the day after she was born, when Sunset first met her. Sunset’s magical horn twinkled in the reflection of Starlight’s bright blue eyes. Her proud mother and father stood by them closely, loving on them as they said “Hello” to each other for the first time.

Starlight couldn’t help but smile at this photo, but like any other, she also cried. She cried from the sorrows of Sunset no longer being at her side. She cried and whimpered that her mother and father were gone. She had no one by her side, no one but herself.

Starlight became her own enemy. After only 6 months of Sunset being gone, Starlight began feeling guiltier, that it was her fault that Sunset was gone. Every day, Starlight would yell and scream at herself. “IT’S YOUR FAULT SHE’S GONE! YOU MONSTER! YOU FOOL! YOU DID THIS!”

Starlight became her own arch enemy, and every day when she saw herself in the mirror, she screamed. She began learning magic after about a month of this anger, and she used this magic in ways that no one ever thought. She tried teleporting Sunset to her, she even tried teleporting herself to Sunset, but she couldn’t. Since the orphanage was protected with a protection spell, no one can get out, or in without being adopted, or up for adoption.

This consequence began to darken Starlight’s soul. Every night she had nightmares that Sunset would never be at her side again, that she would become a monster, and murder Sunset, or her loved ones. She feared that she might even take her own life.

No matter how much pain it caused, she didn’t even leave her room. She wouldn’t welcome any visitors, even if it meant she wouldn’t be adopted. She only saw a pony when they brought her food, or water, or even apple juice. Even then as time went by, she began refusing the juice, whether it kept her happy or not. Nothing changed as Starlight grew older.