Christmas At the Witch's House

Friends, happiness, a dwindling bad reputation, and love; these were all things Sunset Shimmer once had. However, one horrible day during the holiday season, a mischievous MyStable blogger called Anon-a-Miss started posting secrets about some of the students of Canterlot High, including her five friends: Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. At first, her friends didn’t think she was behind it, but it wasn’t long before even they began to suspect she was up to no good like she used to be in the past. Sunset tried to plead innocence but it was no use, everyone was completely convinced she was the culprit and she was scorned and treated like an outcast.

After an absolutely horrible afternoon of loneliness, ridicule, and hateful ranting, Sunset sat outside the front of the school in front of the big horse statue going through her things and making sure she had everything in her backpack. This was it. She finally had enough. She was making a very serious decision. After a whole week of non-stop false accusation, she had decided to run away. Before zipping up her backpack, she took out her magical journal that she used to write messages to her best friend and former rival, Twilight Sparkle. Sunset knew Twilight was the only one who believed she was innocent. She opened the journal to a blank page, got out a pen, and prepared to write. However, as the tip of the pen was less than half an inch from the paper, Sunset hesitated. Her friend’s words of guidance echoed in her head.

“Sometimes, all you can do is stay strong, stay yourself, and find your family.”

But at this point, Sunset believed it was all hopeless. There was nothing she could do to make anyone believe her. She was thinking of writing one last message to Twilight telling her that she was sorry for being unable to take her advice, but she remembered that Twilight was a princess with a lot of important royal duties. Sunset didn’t want to bother her with such disappointing news that would probably just waste her time.

“Sorry, Twilight,” Sunset said putting her pen and journal in her backpack without writing a single word. “It was fun while it lasted,” she sadly said taking one last look at the school and shedding a single tear before beginning her journey to find a new home.

Sunset walked at a fast pace most of the time, she was very eager to get as far away from that horrible school as possible. In just a few hours, she had traveled quite a ways. At dusk, she had passed through a small town that looked like its residents preferred to live their lives based on older times in history. At night, she found herself walking through a dark and eerie forest. This was a part of her journey that Sunset did not expect and was not happy with.

“Did I miss a turn?” Sunset asked herself shining a small flashlight on a map she was holding. “I guess I should’ve asked for directions.” Then she came across a fork in the path where a directional sign pole stood between two paths. She shined her flashlight on the signs but the writing was very old and worn away to read. She looked at the map again. “I guess I’ll go this way then,” she said as she took the right path which led deeper into the forest.

After awhile, Sunset was beginning to get nervous. The path was dark, snowy, and cold and seemed to go on forever. Sunset began to sweat as she started to regret venturing into a forest at night. Sunset couldn’t shake the frightening feeling that she was being watched. She looked around at her surroundings but saw nothing. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from a nearby bush and Sunset’s anxiety started rising. She pointed the flashlight in numerous locations trying to find the source of the noise. There was a moment she thought she heard a small giggle like that of a young girl, but she couldn’t find anything. Then she heard a noise behind her back down the path and turned to see what looked like a tall shadowy figure holding a long stick-like object in its right hand.

“Run!” Sunset thought she heard the thing say as it reached out its left arm toward her with glowing eyes.

Now absolutely frightened, Sunset gasped and took off running down the path away from the creature as she possibly could. Tears of fear poured from her eyes. She dared not look back in fear that the creature might be right behind her. After a whole minute of running, Sunset tripped and fell right on her face, dropping her flashlight and map. But she quickly got up and hid behind a tree to avoid being seen if the creature was still chasing her. She peeked from behind the tree and felt a little relief to see that the creature wasn’t there. But her fear soon returned when she a rustling from a nearby bush. She froze and prepared for whatever was behind the bush to come out. To her surprise, a black cat with gold eyes emerged.

Meow! The dark feline said as it approached the shaking girl.

Sunset let out a sigh of relief. “Hi, little fella,” she gently spoke to the animal. “What are you doing out in the middle of the woods? Do you know a way out of here?”

The cat began walking down the path and acting on instinct, Sunset followed it. After a minute of walking, they came to a snowy yard and a big mysterious-looking house that appeared to be at least five floors high. The sound of thunder was heard as Sunset stared up at the house.

“Is this where you live?” Sunset asked the cat, even though she knew it would be impossible to get an answer out of it.

Deciding to take her chances in the big creepy house, Sunset walked across the yard and knocked on the front door. To her surprise, the door opened but no one was there. Sunset and the cat entered and she shut the door behind them. She found herself in a dimly lit room. Two candelabras hung on both sides of the opposite wall above two vases of roses on top of two tables. There was a door on both the right and left wall.

“Hello,” Sunset called.

There was no answer.

“Hello,” Sunset called a little louder.

She thought she heard the faint sound of murmuring but there was no one there.

“Is anyone there?” Sunset asked nervously.

Just then, the door on the left wall started opening slowly and light was beaming through the expanding crack. Sunset nearly jumped when she heard the creaking sound the door made. When the door finally opened all the way, there was a young girl holding a candle standing in the doorway. She looked to be about fourteen years of age, she was a little shorter than Sunset. She was slender and had fair skin, blond hair tied back with two braids, bangs hanging about her face, her eyes were green. She wore a large navy blue dress topped with a white apron, and brown leather boots. She stared at Sunset with a curious expression on her face.

“Who are you?” the girl asked softly.

“I’m sorry,” Sunset politely apologized. “I didn’t mean to intrude upon your home, but I’m lost. Would it be okay if I could have a place to stay for the night?”

“Of course, you’re welcome to make yourself at home,” the girl answered understandingly. The black cat that Sunset met walked up to the girl and meowed to her. She knelt down and gently stroked the feline’s back. “And where have you been all day?”

“So this is your cat?” Sunset asked. “I found him out there and he led me here.”

“It’s a good thing too. The forest can get pretty scary at night.”

“Tell me about it.”

“You must be very cold and hungry. I was just about to roast some chestnuts.”

“That sounds great,” Sunset said. It had been sometime since she had anything to eat.

“Okay, follow me,” the girl said leading Sunset and the cat through the left door.

They entered a small room where an empty and cobweb covered dresser stood in the upper right corner next to another door and a desk and chair stood in the lower left corner of the room. A pair of scissors sat on the desk.

The girl led them through the other door and into a huge dining room. In the center of the room, on top of a big rectangular red carpet, was a long rectangular table with a white dining cloth draped over it. Eight chairs surrounded the table. On both side of the table were two tea sets and two glowing candelabras. On the opposite wall were three windows, two shelves of red wine bottles on each side, on the right side of the wall was a door leading to the kitchen, and in the middle was a huge blazing fireplace. On top of the fireplace were two candlesticks on each side and a portrait of a rose in between them. Sunset set her backpack down on the left side of the fireplace and she, the girl, and the cat all gathered around the warm fire. Sunset and the girl roasted and ate chestnuts together and told funny stories and jokes.

“By the way, I never asked for your name,” Sunset said.

“It’s Viola,” the girl replied.

“That’s a pretty name,” Sunset complimented. “Mine is Sunset Shimmer.”

“That’s very nice too.”

“Thanks.” Then Sunset reached into her pocket and pulled out her cellphone. She let out an annoyed groan when she looked at it. “The battery’s dead.”

“Did you need to call someone?” Viola asked concerned.

“No, not really,” Sunset assured her.

“So, where are you from?”

A sad expression formed on Sunset’s face. “It doesn’t matter. I ran away and I can’t go back.”

“Why? Don’t you have any friends or family back where you come from?”

“I don’t. No one wants me around.”

“What happened?”

Sunset let out a heavy sigh as she prepared to tell Viola her sad story. This girl helped her so she owed her something. “It’s a long story.”

Sunset told Viola everything about herself from the day she first came to Canterlot High to the rise of Anon-a-Miss, she left out all the magic parts of the story to avoid sounding crazy.

“Oh, Sunset,” Viola said looking visibly horrified. “That’s terrible.”

“I know,” Sunset sadly agreed. “First time I’ve been blamed for a crime I didn’t commit. But because of my past, no one wants to believe that I’m innocent. They all think I’m still the horrible person that once ruled the school with an iron fist. I guess I’m just not meant to have friends.”

“I doubt that,” Viola said. “Sunset, do you believe in fate?”

“Why do you ask?” Sunset asked confused and curious.

“Do you think you’re the only person here who is all alone in the world? How many friends do you think I get up here in this big creepy-looking house?”

“Don’t you have any family here?”

“It used to be me and my dad. But he died not too long ago.”

“Oh dear, I’m so sorry,” Sunset said extremely sympathetically realizing she might’ve caused Viola to remember some sad memories. “So it’s just you and your cat?”

“You could say that.”

“Wow, and I thought I had it rough.”

“What I’m trying to say, Sunset, is you and I aren’t so different. We’re both lonely outcasts with no family or friends to speak of. But I think there’s a reason you and I met tonight. That fate must’ve brought you here to my home.”

Sunset was starting to see where she was going with this. “You think you and I are destined to be friends? Even after everything you’ve heard about me?”

“There are no cellphones or computers in this house, so you don’t have to worry about this Anon-a-Miss person having any power here.”

“That is true.”

“And since my father passed away, it would be great to have another person in this house. I mean, if you would like to stay.”

“You would offer me a place here?” Sunset asked feeling her spirits lift.

“Why not? You said so yourself you don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Sunset felt tears of happiness begin to slide down her cheeks. She now felt like she hadn’t failed to take Twilight’s advice after all. She felt like she had finally found a place to call home and a new friend, someone to call family. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Well, I think it’s time we went to bed. It’s getting pretty late, and you’ve been through quite a lot.” Viola said.

Sunset nodded in agreement.

Later that night, Viola led Sunset to a bedroom where Sunset changed into her pajamas and was now tucked in ready to call it a night.

“Viola, thanks for everything,” Sunset gratefully said.

“Sweet dreams, Sunset, my new friend,” Viola replied and gently closed the bedroom door leaving Sunset to finally get some much needed rest. Sunset enjoyed having her own bed, it beat sleeping in the school library.

After bidding Sunset good night, Viola and the black cat walked down the hallway together.

“I sense this one is different from the others,” the cat suddenly spoke. “What do you plan to do with her?”

“I’m going to take my time with this one,” Viola replied in a less innocent tone. “She’s still hiding something and I want to know what it is. I have a feeling I’m going to have fun with this girl.” She said with a sinister grin on her face that was not natural for a girl of her age.