Sunset Shimmer’s head was reeling from another meeting with the layers. Tree Maker was arrested, his home raided and now after twelve years she was going to have to face him. Several of his friends in the Royal Guard lined up to be character witnesses. Several of her former classmates… Sunset felt like she was going to be sick.

The ponies of Canterlot were trying to pretend like the Tarasque hadn’t almost attacked the city. Life carried on as normal. Those that had fought tried to cover up their physical and emotional battle scars. Sunset had a bandage on one ankle and bandages around her middle. She had several broken ribs and some strains and sprains. She had cuts and scrapes all over her right side. Her fur was covered in ointment. She survived the worst of the fall by sheer luck by landing on a dead bush. Iron Rim had not been so lucky. Military funerals were largely private fairs for close family. It was hard for Sunset to get a good idea what the true death count was because most ponies were trying to deny how serious the attack was.

Sunset walked into a fancy cafe in the rich end of Canterlot. She picked a table in the corner to sit at. Sunset carefully maneuvered into her seat without bumping her bandages and watched the door.

Lighting Shimmer walked in the door. He was wearing a suit collar and had his main gelled back dramatically. He had a swager in his step and a confident smirk on his lips. Sunset fought the urge to roll her eyes.

“Well hello there sis. It has been too long! Can I buy you a drink?” Lightning said with a thick but slightly off upper class accent.

“I’d take a cup of black coffee and you don’t have to pay if you don’t want to.”

“It’s nothing sis.” Lighting said casually. “Oh waiter!” Lightning pulled out a gold bit. “One black coffee and one chocolate mocha keep the change!”

The waiter looked shocked at the size of the tip. “Yes sir.” he hustled off.

Sunset opened her mouth to start asking questions when Hope opened the door. Hope eyed Sunset’s bandages.

“Why if it isn’t my favorite big sis!” Lightning enthusiastically hugged Hope. “Can I get you food and a drink?”

“Sure let me look at the menu.” Hope said, completely ignoring Sunset.

Sunset’s younger siblings bustled into their seats chatting about work.

“Today was great! No doppelgangers causing drama today!” Hope glared at Sunset.

“I can’t believe that happened. Of all the stores she could have walked into!” Lightning exclaimed.

“I was just very unlucky that day.”

The image of Iunae shaking during their meeting flashed through Sunset’s head. Sunset bit her tongue.

The waiter brought her and Lightning’s drinks and took Hope’s order.

Sunset stirred her drink quietly as Hope and Lightning continued to gossip about ponies she didn’t know. They kept talking and talking. Sunset didn’t feel like she could interrupt. Eventually the waiter came back with a drink and food for Hope. Lightning gave the waiter another generous tip on top of the bill.

Sunset slowly sipped her coffee. She watched her younger sibling’s body language. They were clearly very comfortable with each other. But there was also a subtle formality between them. Lightning was careful to not invade Hope’s personal space and Hope kept her eyes off Lightning’s face.

Sunset watched the door waiting.

“Sunset?” Lightning called out. “You keep watching the door. Who do you think is going to come walking in?”

“Pipsissewa.”

Hope burst out laughing. Lighting gave a nervous smile.

“What?” Sunset stared at her younger siblings.

“Did you seriously think we invited her?” Hope asked.

“Yes. Why didn’t you invite her?”

“She’s a leache! She does nothing but ask us for bits!” Hope said indignantly. “We had to cut her loose.”

Lightning stared at his drink. The happiness and confidence was gone from his face for the first time since walking in the door. “Our lives were going in different directions and we lost touch. I haven’t spoken to her in years.” he said quietly.

Sunset took a deep breath. “What do you do for a living?”

“I am a board member of ENB” Lightnight said, his happiness returning.

Sunset’s jaw dropped. “How did you get in!?” Equestrian National Bank was notorious for only hiring insiders.

“I went to school with the CEO’s son. He and I started dating when we were teenagers and we are still together.” Lightning said his swagger returning.

“Wow. Well congratulations.” Sunset said earnestly.

“What about you?” Hope said aggressively.

“Princess Luna talked to you about the mirror?” Sunset asked.

“Yes.” They both nodded.

“I work at an assisted living facility for the elderly over there.”

“How long have you been working there?” Hope asked.

“A little over a year.” Sunset said.

“I’m surprised you haven’t been fired yet.” Hope said with a smirk.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Sunset fought to keep her voice steady.

“Face it sis you are terrible at taking care of ponies.” Hope said dismissively.

“Excuse me! Last I checked I bottle fed both of you when our mom was at work!” Sunset snapped. “I even skipped school when dad got a job so someone was there to take care of the two of you!”

“Oh boo hoo! You want to know why I work at a shop and not somewhere more respectable and high paying. Because I dropped out of school when mom and dad died. I took care of our family. Where were you?”

“I didn’t know! And Princess Celestia said you were taken care of.” Sunset said defensively.

“Bull shit!” Hope shouted. Several patrons looked over at their table. Hope ignored them. “I don’t believe that for a second.”

“I didn’t know!” Sunset was wide eyed. “If I had known I-”

“You what!?” Hope demanded.

“I’m sorry.” Sunset’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me. I’m sorry I became too self-centered to care.”

“Sorry doesn’t cut it sis.” Lightning said quietly. “You left. When we needed you you weren’t there. We built our lives from nothing and now… we don’t need you anymore.”

“I understand.” Sunset tried to contain her tears.

“We are building a new family together and we don’t really want you in it.” Hope said bluntly.

“I see.” Sunset took a shaky breath.

“Maybe we’ll see you around but don’t expect us to acknowledge you.” Lightning said sadly.

“Okay.”

There was a long pause.

“Good bye sis.” Lightning and Hope left the cafe.

Sunset stumbled out of the cafe in a state of emotional confusion. Memories of her childhood loving and caring for her siblings were resurfacing. They collided with the memories of her adolescents of being a self centered brat.

I should be happy. They have good lives and I don’t have to think about them ever again. I cut them out of my life years ago. Why does their rejection hurt so much!

Sunset wandered south through Canterlot.

Walking the familiar road calmed her. Her mind drifted to her parents.

A fire. They didn’t deserve to be burned to death. What was Princess Celestia doing for them? Was it not enough? Did Celestia help her sibling or not? Why does everything come back to Celestia?

Sunset remembered the day she met the high princess. Celestia had sat across from her at a table and asked to describe her ambitions. Sunset had struggled to answer. Her parents had drilled her on how to talk to the princess. They had rehearsed questions and answers. Light Shimmer (her mother) reminded her how important it was for her family that she impressed the princess. Sunset had panicked as the answers she had rehearsed slipped away from her.

“I want to be a princess” she had blurted out. Sunset had cringed. That wasn’t what she was supposed to say. Sunset had frantically searched her brain for a convincing way to cover up what she just said.

Princess Celestia didn’t seem phased by her response. “What responsibilities would you like to have if you were a princess.”

Sunset had signed in relief. “I would like to travel equestria helping poor families improve their situations.”

“Why do you say that.”

“My parents told me that they need me to be rich and successful and being a princess is the most successful job I could have. If I became rich and important I could use my success to try to help other ponies who need a little luck.” Sunset tried to explain her dreams. “I know it’s not practical but I would like to matter. And I feel like if I was a princess then I would matter. And that seems nice.”

“Why do you think you don’t matter now?”

“I don’t. My classmates don’t talk to me and they don’t notice when I stay home to… for any reason. When my parents and I go out no pony notices us. Well dressed ponies walk past us like we don’t exist. They look at me and my family with pity or disdain. Or they ignore us. They don’t value the work my parents do and they don’t think that I will amount to anything. And it feels bad. Or I… It makes me feel sad. I just wish someone would take the time to notice me but I don’t know if that will ever happen. I want to achieve something, do something good, show them that someone like me can be important.”

Celestia smiled.

The memory faded as Sunset stared at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Some of the classrooms had foals in them doing a variety of activities. Celestia kept the schedule full of summer camps when school wasn’t in session. The summer camps were open to non students as well as students but Sunset’s family could never afford them for her and her siblings.

Sunset kept walking.

Sunset’s mind wandered back to her parents. Every year on their anniversary they would tell the story of how they met, fell in love, conceived Sunset and got married.

Light Shimmer had moved to canterlot with her step dad and younger half brother through her father after her mom died when she was fifteen. Her younger half sister through her mother opted to live with her step father.* She said living with him was unbearable and she would try to be out of the house when he was awake. He put food on the table which she needed while she finished school. Her step dad was an alcoholic with violent tendencies. One night she came home and found him beating her half brother. Her step father slammed his head repeatedly into the stove creaming about something. Her father cracked her brother’s skull open and Light Shimmer had passed out and woke up in the hospital. Her step father was in jail for the rest of his life and she was on her own.

Sunburst lived in Canterlot his whole life. He grew up in one of the middle class neighborhoods before his dad came down with cancer. Chemical exposure at his job sucked the life out of him. His mother got a job and got Sunburst and his brother through school before being diagnosed with early onset dementia. (Her grandparents had waited a while before having kids.) Sunburst and his brother had a falling out and his brother moved away.

Sunburst and Light Shimmer met at a work party. They worked different shifts at the same company. The company ended up going under and the two of them got new jobs together. They dated for a year when they found out the Light Shimmer was pregnant. They got married shortly before she was due. Sunset was born in the Canterlot hospital in February after almost thirty six hours of labor. With a foal they hadn’t been expecting her parents could only afford a small house in the poorest neighborhood but they were determined to make it work.

Sunset trotted down the street looking for a particular house. She had to stop and read street signs as she wound her way through the crumbling neighborhood. Foals played with worn toys in unkempt front lawns.

Sunset’s heart stopped when she spotted it. The house where she used to live. The once sky blue paint was faded and peeling and the red mailbox she had painted in art class was now duct taped to a rotting post. The house at least looked structurally sound. And there was a new shed in the lawn.

There was a small grey pegasus filly in the front yard playing with a set of action figures. There was an infant colt napping on a blanket next to her.

Sunset felt a mix of relief and sadness seeing an unfamiliar family in her old home.

“Are you from the government ma’am? We sent in tax papers yesterday.” a young mare’s voice pulled Sunset out of her thoughts. A grey and white pegasus mare that looked no older than her was standing on the front steps.

“I’m not a tax collector. I’m sorry to worry you.” Sunset looked at her hooves.

“Then why are you here? Why were you staring at my foals?” she asked politely. There was something about the pegasus that was vaguely familiar.

“I… I used to live here. When I was her age.” Sunset said slowly. “I just wanted to swing by and see if the place had changed. I’ll leave.” Sunset turned and ran away before the mare could respond. She hoped the pegasus didn’t recognize her.

In her haset to run away Sunset lost track of the turns she made. She found herself wandering the streets she didn’t recognize. The old internal map of her neighborhood had been deleted by her adolescent brain. The streets were laid out in a grid. Sunset knew if she kept walking north she would wander out of the neighborhood.

A beautiful sunset fell over the house as she walked slowly down the street. She stopped suddenly by a smell.

She stared at a house in front of her. It looked like a tree had fallen on it. The roof had caved in. Sunset was surprised it was still standing after such a serious accident. Darkness was falling fast. The lights were on in the house. And her smell was everywhere, fresh and old.

Sunset walked up to the house and knocked on the door. The sounds of frantic shuffling drifted outside and porch light flickered on, then the door creaked open.

Despite the best efforts of the light Sunset had a hard time making out her sister’s form but she could smell her and that was enough. Sunset was hit by the full force of memories from the human Pipsissewa and the words from pony Lightning and Hope all at once.

Sunset’s legs gave out and her eyes filled with tears again. Neither Pipsissewas deserved to be abandoned by her families.

“Sunset? Is that you?”

Sunset was breathing hard. She tried to stand up and swayed on her hooves. Sunset stared hard through her tears. She wanted to look into her sister’s eyes and try to make her understand she was sorry for leaving. Pipsissewa was shorter than Sunset. She had always been small. She looked a little fat. Her muscles were toned. She didn’t look very healthy. Sunset looked closely at her sister’s face. There was a scar she had never seen before. It looked old the way it had healed.

“Sunset Shimmer?” Pipsissewa cocked her head. Her horn lit up and the two ponies were able to see each other clearly. “What are you doing here?”

Sunset struggled to speak. “I don’t have a good answer. I’m really happy to see you. How are you?”

“I’m okay.” Pipsissewa said emotionlessly. She stared evenly at Sunset. “How are you?”

“I’ve been better. My life seems to have taken a turn and I have been having a lot of ups and downs.”

“That’s great. What are you doing here? At my house. What do you want from me?”

“I just want to talk to you. But I understand if you don’t want to talk to me.”

Pipsissewa took a deep breath. She stared out at the empty street. “If I let you in, will you leave whenever I tell you to leave?” she said in a tired voice.

“Yes.”

Pipsissewa turned around and walked back into her house. Sunset trotted in after her. The house was dark and musty. It was an old house and it looked like it was on its last legs. There was a large board in the middle of the living room holding up the cracked beam of the ceiling. Sunset eyed it nervously. Sunset contemplated different spells that could repair the beem but thought it would only remind her sister of her superior education.

Pipsissewa gestured for Sunset to sit on her couch then trotted off into the kitchen. Sunset waited. A few minutes later Pipsissewa returned with two bowls of soup, two mugs and a hot tea pot.

“Are you hungry.”

Sunset bit her lip. She hadn't eaten all day. “I am but I don’t want to impose. If you don’t want to feed me you don’t have to.”

“I offered. And I have left overs.” Pipsissewa floated her a bowl of hot soup and poured her a cup of tea.

“Thanks.” Sunset said quietly.

Pipsissewa sat down on a nearby chair. “What happened to you? How did you get injured?”

“I fought with the legionary against the Tarasque and… I guess these are my battle scars.”

Pipsissewa nodded “I saw the Royal guard kill it. I hope I never see one again.” Pipsissewa took a long sip of tea and then asked “What do you want to talk about?”

“Honestly I don’t know. I just want to talk to you.”

“That doesn’t help.” Pipsissewa said flatly.

“We’re sisters and I don’t know you and you don't know me.”

“That’s true.”

“So I want to get to know you.”

“Why.”

Sunset wanted to say because we are sisters but found she couldn’t. “Because you are the only family I have left.”

Pipsissewa looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“I had a talk with Lightning and Hope today and they told me that they don’t really consider me a part of their family. I don’t blame them.”

“So I’m the emotional rebound sibling?” Pipsissewa said sarcastically.

“That’s not what I meant. I just wanted to talk to you. At the very least I would like a little closure.”

“Closure for what? The relationship we never had.”

“You don’t remember when we lived together do you?”

“Not really. I remember us visiting you twice at the palace and I heard lots of stories about you from… everpony but I don’t remember living with you. I was too young.”

“I used to run home from school to bottle feed you. You cried a lot more than Hope or Lightning. I used to sing to you and you would fall asleep in mom’s hooves.” Sunset stared at a spot near her sister’s head.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything I’m just thinking out loud.” Sunset said sadly.

“Listen I don’t mean to be rude. But I’m not interested in opening up to you right now. I have a lot going on in my life right now and I can’t afford to have my heart broken. You’ve already walked out on me once. I can’t afford for you to do it again.”

“I understand. I’m being selfish. I should just leave.” Sunset stared at her untouched soup and tea. She stood up quickly.

“No!” Pipsissewa blurred out. “You’re injured. You don’t need to leave. I’m sorry. I’m not a very good host. Is there anything else I can get you?”

Sunset stared into Pipsissewa’s eyes. They were full of emotions. For just a second Sunset was tempted to give in. Sunset looked at her hooves. “I’ll be fine. I can teleport.”

Pipsissewa cleared her throat. “Okay.” she was back to being emotionless.

There was a soft groaning sound from the ceiling.

“Do you want me to fix your beam?” Sunset asked cautiously.

“You can do that?” Pipsissewa asked amazed. “I’ve been staring at library books but all the spells are too advanced for me.”

“Yeah. I can fix it. Hold on.” Sunset concentrated. It had been a while since she had performed this kind of spell. She focussed on every fiber of the beam and carefully knitted them back together. There were popping and creaking noises. The wooden plank fell down. Pipsissewa caught it. Finally the beam looked normal.

Pipsissewa looked impressed. “Nice work! It looks better then when I moved in.”

“”Oh. Well I’m glad I could help.” Sunset said awkwardly. She gave a hopeful smile.

Pipsissewa looked away.

“Maybe I’ll see you around.” Sunset said.

“Same.”

Sunset walked out the door. Sunset walked west until she reached the edge of the neighborhood. She stared at a mass of black berry bushes. She felt nub. Twilight’s probably worried about me. I should go to her.

Sunset struggled to focus. Eventually she pulled together enough motivation to teleport back to the palace.

“There you are! I was so worried!”

Sunset was tackled off her hooves by her girlfriend. Twilight planted a big wet kiss on Sunset’s cheek. Sunset smiled and nuzzled Twilight’s neck.

“When the two of you are done making love we have stuff to talk about.” Moon Dancer said grumpily.

“We can afford to give them a little time for them to be affectionate.” Princess Cadence said slyly.

Twilight blushed deeply. She scrambled off Sunset. Sunset stood up and wiped her cheek off.

“Princess Cadence.” Sunset bowed stiffly.

“It is good to see you up and well.” Princess said calmly.

“So… How was your day?” Sunset asked Twilight.

Author's Note

For all of my readers I do intend to finish this story. I hope you are all well and safe.

I am aware tat MLP generation 4 has concluded. I am still sticking to the notion that this story takes place with the continuity season five continuity with a smattering of season six. I don't think I have anything from season seven and beyond. Obviously the four equestria girls movies are included. I have seen a smattering of episodes and shorts from their own series but I am not really including anything from them.

1) minor retcon. I want Subset to have and aunt and an uncle.