“Sunset!” Principal Celestia cried, slamming open the door to the algebra room and interrupting a test.
“What is it, Celestia?” Sunset asked, glancing up from her test.
“It's just horrible! Your sweet sister, Apple Bloom, has been kidnapped by the Dazzlings and Principal Cinch!”
“What, No!” cried Mr. Crafty Crate, the algebra teacher, dropping his newspaper onto his desk.
“Yes, they’re torturing her to tell them how to get to the pony world!”
“Whatever shall we do?!” Rarity shrieked.
“They’ll have to go through me if they want to get my “sister”!” Sunset declared, clambering atop her desk and striking a heroic pose. The class cheered with excitement.
“It is up to you to save your sister, Sunset!” Principal Celestia told her, placing her hands on her shoulders.
“Wait a minute! What about my test?”
Mr. Crate leapt to his feet, crying, “Forget the test; I’ll give you an A+ for inspiration. Save Apple Bloom, Sunset!”
Sunset straightened her jacket, carefully applied some lip balm, and fastened her rollerblades. “I’m on my way!” she said in an angered growl.
She zoomed out of the classroom to the the cheers of her classmates. As she cleared the door, she realized that she was in Crystal Prep.
“Well, well, if it isn't Sunset Shimmer?” Principal Cinch, the dastardly older woman, came out of the shadows!
“Help me, Sister!” a pleading voice rang out. Looking up, Sunset saw her sister Apple Bloom tied to a chair with a giant laser pointed at her!
“Don't worry, Sis, I’ll save you!”
“Haha, not until you get past us!” Adagio chuckled as she, Aria and Sonata came swooping down from the ceiling.
“Easy Peasy!” Sunset replied, scoffing.
Using her martial skill, Sunset dodged and defeated the sirens with ease, round-house kicking Adagio, punching Aria in the face, and diamond-punching Sonata! The defeated Dazzlings fell to the ground.
“Ugh, such fools!” Principal Cinch yelled disgustedly. “Whatever, you will never stop me!” she laughed.
“Think again!” Sunset threw a ticking time bomb on the ground. Dashing quickly towards Sweetie Belle, she untied her ropes and hoisted her over her shoulder.
“NO!” yelled Cinch!
BOOM
Sunset carried her sister back through the door to Canterlot High as its rival, Crystal Prep, exploded behind them. Smiling, she gently set Apple Bloom on the ground.
“You’re the greatest sister in the world, Sun!” Apple Bloom cried, giving Sunset a massive hug.
“Oh, you know me,” Sunset said, blushing.
“No really, you’re the best sister ever! I don’t know what I’d do with-BEEP-out you!” Apple Bloom replied.
“Yeah! you’re BEEP an amazing BEEP sister and I love you so much BEEP!” Sweetie chimed in.
“Wait... where did you come from, Sweetie Belle? Why are you both beeping? Wait -- you’re not my sisters!
“...I’m dreaming,” Sunset whispered, shedding a tear as she woke up in her lonely bed.
Sunset loved the human world more then anything, and was mostly content with her life. She had the greatest of friends, better technology than any Equestria enjoyed and a loving principal/caregiver who would do anything for her. But she did feel that something was missing in her life: a sibling. Sunset wanted one more than most lonely single children did. All her friends had siblings or at least someone who was practically a sibling, which made her feel left out. The idea of someone younger or older than her there, to teach or to be taught in a way a parent never could, fascinated her more than ever.
Sunset yawned, pulled on a pair of pants and zipped up her jacket before groggily stumbling down the hallway to the kitchen. The smell of fresh toast and eggs made her stomach grumble.
“Morning Sunset!” The cheerful and loving sound of Celestia’s voice rang out the moment she entered the kitchen. Her principal and legal guardian was at the stove, frying an egg. "Morning Tia!” Sunset replied, walking up to the fridge and grabbing some leftover waffles. A loud snore came from the table behind her. Sunset put the waffles in the toaster and walked over to Luna, draped over the table, fast asleep, with her giant coffee mug still clutched in one hand.
Reaching back into the freezer, Sunset plucked up an ice-cube and, creeping up behind the snoring woman, dropped it down the back of her shirt, crying, “Wake up, Luna! You have to be at the school by 6:30!”
“Don’t cut the funding!” Luna shouted, jolting upright. “Ooh, that’s cold!” She hopped up, rummaging around inside her shirt before throwing the ice-cube away.
“Sister, remind me why I chose a job that makes me get up so early in the morning?”
Celestia laughed as she sat down to eat. “Because we wanted to be in education, and this was the best way for us to do so together. Besides, you're the one who stays up all night!”
“I get insomnia and I don't need much sleep!”
“And you binge watch TV shows!” Celestia joked.
“Well, it’s the school's fault for having those poor kids be at school by 7:50! Tell me Sister, why is it that every year dozens of 8th and 9th graders write essays and speeches on starting school later in the day and we never seem to listen to them?”
“You know what the school board and Superintendent Faust say: it has to do with parents, schedules and electives!”
Celestia paused as she noticed Sunset poking at her waffles disinterestedly. “Is everything alright, Sunset?”
“Oh, it's nothing,” Sunset said sadly.
“Go ahead and tells us, Sweetie,” Luna encouraged her. “You know we are strong believers in Student Principal Confidentiality.”
“Or confidentiality about Equestria!” Celestia chimed in.
“Look, it's just...” Sunset paused. “Have you ever thought of adopting a child? I mean you two love children so much, and neither you nor your pony counterparts have found Mr. Right yet. Why not have a baby before you get menopause?”
Luna and Celestia stood, staring blankly in confusion. They exchanged glances. Where had this come from so suddenly?
There was a moment of silence as Celestia contemplated her response. “In point of fact, Sunset, we’ve often thought about adopting another child. Luna and I have always wanted to be mothers to a son and daughter but...”
“But agencies would find it ‘weird’ that that two sisters want to jointly adopt, and might not accept it. Not to mention that we’re busy with our jobs,” Luna added.
“The only reason we let you under wing was because Princess Celestia knew that we could make sure you wouldn’t destroy this world.”
“I guess what Luna and I are saying is we just don’t have the time, and we have you fill our void. Why do you ask that?”
“I don't know; I’d just like to have like a little brother or sister, I guess!”
Luna and Celestia began to laugh, but quickly checked themselves as they realized how serious she was. ”Sunset, I understand if you feel lonely, but being a big sister isn't always the best! Like, Luna, remember the time when you were five and you ruined my second grade art show project right before it it was going to be submitted?”
“I guess," Sunset said, rolling her eyes.
"Shoot, it's six fifteen,” said Celestia, scrabbling for her keys and buttoning her blouse.
“Well, you're the one who had to go on about Sunset’s needs,” Luna retorted, heading out the door.
Celestia grunted. ”Sunset, are you coming with us or are you rollerblading?”
“I’ll rollerblade; I don't like waiting in the library and Miss Cheerilee is really boring to talk to!”
“Okay, see you in the hallways. Oh, and don’t worry about us and our maternal needs; you're practically our daughter!”
Honk! Honk!
“Coming Lulu; don't have a cow!” Celestia yelled angrily.
“Have a nice day at school—only a few days left!”
“Bye!” Sunset waved after them, still feeling depressed.
“If only I had someone to yell at,” she sighed.
As the morning went on, Sunset’s depression was progressively pushed from the forefront of her mind. This world’s history, literature, and even its sciences were so different from Equestria. The contrast between this world and her native dimension never ceased to fascinate. And yet lunch had now become her favorite time of the day, for she it gave her the chance to talk with her new friends. Even better, they were now seniors, and had opened campus, so she no longer needed to eat the shuck they called “food” in the cafeteria. Even better than that, Pinkie had convinced hers—and good friends!—Mr. and Mrs Cake to let them eat at their bakery and sandwich shop for a very low discount!
Rarity slammed open the store doors and yelled, "Oh, girls! The greatest possible thing has happened to me!”
Pinkie ran up to Rarity and whispered, "Umm... Mr. and Mrs Cake tell me not to yell because it disturbs the customers.”
“Whoops, sorry everybody!” Rarity blushed and walked over to the table were all her friends sat.
“You're okay, just be careful next time, okay dear?” Mrs Cake says, serving sandwiches to the girls.
"As I was saying the greatest thing has happened to me!” Rarity said.
“We know, Rares, you got accepted that dumb fashion and arts college, you couldn't stop blabbering on about it in Government!” Rainbow said, very annoyed.
“And in Child Development,” Twilight said with her face in a textbook.
"Yes, but the rest of the girls don't know I got accepted in William Jay Crockett!”
“That's great for you Rarity!” Sunset smiles. "I forget, why do humans attend more school to learn their destinies in life?”
“Well, not everyone knows what they want to do with there life!” Fluttershy said timidly.
“Yes, and collage is supposed to get you trained for a profession and makes sure you want to do it! I’d suggest you do it, Sunset, because people who don't go to college, statistically speaking, end up in minimum wage jobs and have a very poor in life!” Twilight added.
The cafe door opened. "Sorry I’m late, girls, but I was putting up signs for the Sisterhood Social! Hey, Mr. Cake, mind if I put a signup sheet in this here building?”
“Not all AJ, and will be willing to cater for it if you'd like!”
“Thank you, but Big Mac and Granny always get busy with the food a week before! But when Pound and Pumpkin get older I'm sure they would love to do it! It may be called 'sisterhood', but Granny's always willing to let brothers and sisters join!”
“Will keep that in mind!”
Applejack walked over to the table, "So I'm assuming you're signing up, Rares?”
“Of course! Sweetie Belle is one of the most coronated 8th graders I know! We will cream you this year,” Rarity says as she does her nails.
“We will see!”Applejack said, writing their name down.
Sunset tries hard to ignore the conversation.
“Fat chance! Scootaloo and I are the fastest and most awesome runners in the world!” Rainbow snarks.
“Don't forget Maud and me! She's really good at crushing grapes!”
AJ wrote it down. "Hey Twi, you and Shining are so close; why don't you do it?”
“Oh, we used to, but ever since Cadence has come into his life and he's now with Flurry, I think our days are over!”
“Oh well, it's always fun to watch!”
“I just got a text from Zephyr asking if I could text him my old sophomore Analysis paper." Fluttershy hold up her phone. "Gosh, I wish he would stop asking me for my old papers."
“Why not ask him he wants to do the social with you?”
“I will, only if he promise he'll actually do some of the work!”
“Your brother is such a loser, I don't know why you don't just punch him in the face!” Rainbow smirked.
“I would never do that; he's my baby brother! Though he is pretty annoying.”
“Not as obnoxious as Sweetie. She took my entire makeup box just so her friends could do one of those online click bate makeup tutorials! Not to mention mom and dad give her special treatment!”
Sunset couldn't take it. "Why do you guys always seem to insult your siblings? Don't you know that you're lucky to have them!”
“I'm sorry Sunset, if this topic's bugging you, I forgot you're an only child!”Applejack said. "And I know you wish you could do it, but like I said: watching's just as fun!”
“I know!" Sunset moaned.
“Maybe you could go with Limestone!” Pinkie said.
“I don't know her that well, and it wouldn't be the same!”
“Hey guys, we should be heading out! We don't want to get detention for being late like last time!” Twilight said.
“Who's paying?” Rainbow asked.
“I guess I will?’ Sunset groaned.
“You sure, sugarcube? I mean, you don't have to!”
“It's fine, you guys run, besides Vice Principal Luna will be easier on me if I'm late!”
“Kay! Bye Sunset!” AJ said
“Bye, Darling.”
“See you in PE, bestie!” Pinkie hugged her.
"See yah!”
“Hey, Sunset!”
“Yah, Twi?”
“I bet you'll find somebody who will fill that gap!”
“Thanks!” Sunset said as Mrs Cake came to the table and handed her the bill.
“Don't worry, dear, the mr and and I both were only children and we had a lot fun!”
“Its not just that, I want someone like me!” Sunset whispered to herself.