Author's Note

This story originally belonged to HarryBuilder. He gave me permission to re-write and continue his story.

A Holiday Shock.

Loneliness, sadness and betrayal. Those were only three words that Sunset could say how she felt as she walked in the cold streets of canterlot.

It was just so hard for her to Believe just about a week ago she was celebrating christmas with her friends. The five girls who were there for her, who helped pull her into a new life, who treated her like family.

But now they, like everyone else at CHS, had turned their backs on her because they believed she had returned to her old ways again. All because of a Mystable user known as Anon-A-Miss who had been spreading secrets around the site.

She felt her phone vibrating, meaning another post was out, she didn’t bother taking out her phone and looking at it, knowing it was just another reason for everyone to unjustly hate her. But that too wouldn't change anything.

"Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow. Why?" Sunset wondered for the umpteenth time as tears slowly trickled down her face.

How could they abandon her like this? They promised they’d always be there for each other. Did they honestly forget all they've been through since the Fall Formal to the Sirens at the battle bands?

Or were what they promised just empty words? She thought that she finally had the family she never had back in Equestria.

As she was crossing the road, Sunset thought back to the day she and Applejack were talking about the holidays and how she was never really close to her family.

She stopped in the middle of the street as she thought back to her days growing up within the city of Canterlot. She was only a four year old filly when she was found in the royal gardens of princess Celestia.

She didn’t remember anything before Celestia found her and brought her to her castle. She learned much later that she was diagnosed with amnesia. Even though she did have family, she couldn’t remember any names. All she did remember were the words to a song and part of her name which was just 'Sun' which left her clueless.

When Celestia took her in as her pupil and named her Sunset, she was the only pony Sunset ever considered a mother. She had raised her, took care of her, taught her and she repaid her kindness by running away and betraying her.

“This is the biggest mistake you’ll ever make.” Sunset remembered yelling to the princess before she fled through the mirror to the human world.

But she was wrong. That wasn’t the biggest mistake Celestia ever made. That was the biggest mistake that she'd ever made.

“I’m so sorry, princess.” She whimpered, wishing she could just go back in time and tell herself to not turn her back on Celestia. Maybe then none of this would ever have happened to her.

She had written to Princess Twilight what had happened, but she had yet write back. She was worried if Twilight was too busy to answer or if she actually cared to reply.

'Stop thinking like that! Twilight would care about what's happening!' She told herself mentally, but right now she would've loved a hug from the princess or anyone else who would care about her.

She looked to the sky, and saw some shooting stars, she than remember stories that if you make a wish on a shooting star before it disappeared it would come true.

Now normally she wouldn't believe that superstitious nonsense but right now, feeling so alone and sad she was willing to take any chance to take it away and have the one thing she always wanted.

So she closed her eyes, brought her hands together and began to chant.

"Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish a I wish tonight." She then looked up and spoke her wish as she saw a star race across the night sky, "I wish to finally have a real family." She whimpered, more tears flowing down her cheeks.

She waited. and waited for something, anything or anyone to show up and grant her wish.

But there was nothing.

Nothing but silence.

Sunset walked back to the school and sat on the steps, crying into her hands as she sobbed. Her heart full of pain and grief.

The Shine family were in their family car when they passed by CHS. The matriarch of the family, Golden Shine, looked out of the window and noticed a girl that looked like their missing daughter that had disappeared all those years ago.

One thought came to Golden's mind as she stared at the girl.

“Sunray?”

Sunset sat alone on the steps of the school. She sobbed into her hands as she thought about her friends betraying her.

As she was about to leave and head back to her apartment, she was stopped by a family of four. She felt like she knew them, but at the same time, she didn't.

"Excuse me, what's your name?" Golden asked, hoping that in her heart, this was her missing daughter.

"My name is Sunset Shimmer, ma'am." Sunset replied, watching the look on the woman's face turn from hope to sadness.

Golden felt like her heart had been shattered. The girl looked like her little Sunray.

Flame Heart noticed his wife's look and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He'd never forgive himself for what happened that day. He'd let go of the guilt and forgive himself the day that Sunray came home.

"I apologize for my wife's erratic and emotional outburst. You look like our daughter, who we lost many years ago because I turned away for a second and she went missing." Flame Heart quietly said, feeling the same pain that seared his wife's and son's heart.

Sunset winced at the woman's expression as the lady sobbed into her husband who comforted her.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Sunset said softly,

"Don't be. So how come you're outside school?" Flame asked, raising a brow in confusion. He had no clue why she'd want to sit outside in the freezing cold and snow.

"My friends betrayed me. They kicked me out. Now I have nowhere to go." Sunset muttered, closing her eyes as she lowered her head, not wanting pity from the couple.

Suddenly, Golden had an idea. They could bring the girl home with them and look after her. She didn't want the girl to suffer in the cold, alone by herself. She didn't know if was the maternal instinct in her, or the desire to help out.

"Sunset? Why don't you come with us. Nobody deserves to be outside in the freezing cold by themselves. Why don't you come with us and stay for the night?" Golden offered Sunset, smiling warmly with a motherly smile.

"Sure. Why not?" Sunset said, agreeing with the woman's wishes.

Golden looked to her husband and nodded to him. They'd assumed what Sunray would look like growing up. It seemed this girl looked exactly like her baby girl.

Sunset followed the couple and their kids to their car. Once they were all in, they drove back home.

The family, plus Sunset, climbed out of the car and walked into the home. Sunset looked around in awe at the place.

She was introduced to their kids, Helios and Honey Glow. She knew that she'd get on with the both of them.

They enjoyed a family dinner together and eventually went to bed.

As soon as Sunset laid in the bed, she passed out from exhaustion. The redhead slept peacefully, her mind blank and silenced.