Boast Busters

Sunset rested her head on her desk, idly looking at Roseluck and Derpy through a half full glass of whiskey. Or half empty if you’re that type of pony. Sunset was feeling like a half empty type of pony today.

“Didn’t we just do this? Because I’m getting a serious case of deju vu right now,” Sunset said as she lifted her head and cracked her neck.

“I don’t know. I think so?” Derpy scrunched up her muzzle in confusion. “You drink way too much. It’s only one pm.”

“I’m super stressed today and admittedly, a little depressed,” Sunset admitted sourly and swirled her glass with her magic before downing the liquid, savoring the burning sensation.

“What’s wrong?” Roseluck asked once she and Derpy exchanged worried looks.

“It’s nothing,” Sunset waved a hoof dismissively.

“Just tell me. You’ll better if you get it off your chest?” Derpy gave a lopsided grin her way and Sunset sighed.

“I’ll tell you all layer together. It’s just complicated bullshit really,” Sunset blushed and tapped a hoof against her desk. “It’s family shit.”

Roseluck and Derpy both nodded slowly. All of them knew Sunset’s family was a touchy subject that none of them dared bring up, not even Trixie did and she didn’t really care much for personal space or privacy. She tells them everything and over half of it Roseluck wished she didn’t know. She really didn’t need to know how good of a lay Berry Punch was.

Sunset levitated her glass down the stairs into her shared kitchen with Silverspeed and rubbed her eyes for a moment before standing up.

“I wanna go do something. Let’s go get the others and do something. Something fun preferably. Like hang out at the lake or go take Dinky to play with some ducks. I could use a mood pick me up,” Sunset declared after a moment of thinking.

Sunset laid lazily on a chair and watched the sun reflect across the blue water, rolling her eyes as Trixie jumped into it.

“Thank Celestia it’s not too hot out,” Roseluck fanned herself with a hoof next to Sunset in her own chair as she idly watched Shoeshine and Dinky floating on their backs. “You aren’t gonna join them?”

“Later,” Sunset promised and smirked as Derpy splashed Trixie before she glanced over at Silver Spoon snoring in the sand curled in a ball with Silverspeed reading a magazine next to her.

“What did you wanna talk to us all about?” Roseluck asked curiously and Sunset inhaled.

“Hey!” Sunset shouted and Shoeshine lazily looked over from her spot on the water.

“What?” Shoeshine called back.

“Can you call come here please?” Sunset called and they all nodded as Shoeshine and Dinky started swimming to shore with Trixie and Derpy following after.

“What’s up?” Silverspeed asked and stretched her forelegs out, watching Derpy shake her body to get the water off.

“I’m not really good at talking about family or anything like that,” Sunset started once the others stood next to her and flicked her eyes over the top of her sunglasses. “So give me time to do this my way please.”

“Go,” Trixie wagged a hoof and finished squeezing the water out of her tail.

“It’s complicated not really knowing where I come from. And it’s a bit hard trying to figure out who the hay I’m supposed to be in life when I don’t even know where I’m from,” Sunset grumbled and flopped backwards in her chair.

“Aren’t you from Canterlot?” Dinky asked and Sunset shrugged.

“Allegedly. But that just gives me more questions. Who’s my mom and dad? What are they like? Do I have more siblings or is it just me? Did they have a good reason to abandon a filly in the cold on the castle steps or did they just not want me?” Sunset continued and Derpy looked around before hugging Sunset. “I mean, in all honesty you guys are really the only family I’ve ever actually had outside of Celestia. I know we’ve only been friends for four months but-”

“We know,” Roseluck cut her off and smiled slightly. “You think it’s too early to call us that but we love you too.”

Dinky reared back on her hind legs and wrapped her forelegs around Sunset’s neck, giving her what the mare realized was one of her get better hugs that Dinky gave often and Sunset rubbed the filly’s back.

“Thanks Dinky.”

“You’re welcome!” Dinky chirped with a wide smile as Shoeshine hugged Sunset, Trixie, Roseluck and Silverspeed following suit shortly after. Sunset smiled slightly and nuzzled them in succession.

“Have you ever asked about where you’re from?” Silverspeed asked. “There’s gotta be records somewhere. Fillies just don’t come from nowhere, after all. There’s probably hospital records or something.”

“Probably somewhere. I never really cared enough. Celestia is pretty much the closest thing to a mom I’ve ever had. Looking for records was the bottom of my list. I was always busy reading, sleeping or playing video games,” Sunset answered and snickered at Dinky’s stunned expression. “Yes Dinky, I play video games. I’m the best.”

“You should play against Button Mash,” Trixie commented and yawned. “He’s really good at them. How he doesn’t have his mark yet I’ll never know.”

“Maybe,” Sunset said quietly and her eyes locked on the sun dipping below the horizon. “Maybe.”

“You should come over later. Daisy would like the company,” Roseluck offered and gave a small smile. Plus Roseluck wasn’t entirely comfortable of leaving Sunset alone with these thoughts. She highly doubted Sunset would hurt herself but she did know Sunset would just drink herself to sleep and that in her eyes was just as bad. “Or go to Trixies. She could use some too.”

“I hate choosing. Screw it, I’ll go to Trixies if you don’t mind,” Sunset answered and Roseluck shrugged. Shoving two alcoholics together might end poorly but she also internally hoped they’d keep each other in check.

After all, nopony has better advice for am alcoholic than another alcoholic. She should have asked Berry Punch to join the two as well. Maybe next time.

Wild Card trotted through the Everfree, his horn the only source of light in the dark forest as he eyed around him warily.

“Stupid forest. How can any of these ponies live so close to this infernal forest?” Wild Card grumbled to himself and he narrowly avoided a patch of Poison Joke.

He paused outside a cave and raised an eyebrow before shrugging. Hopefully he could find some rocks or something rare he could sell for bits inside. He could always use more money for food and his room. Stuff like that.

“Oh buck,” he whispered with wide eyes at the giant snoring blue Ursa Minor in front of him. “This was a mistake.”

Wild slowly started backpedaling to avoid waking the sleeping giant, counting his steps as he kept his eyes locked on the creature.

“Just one more step,” Wild mumbled and froze as his back leg crushed a stick as he gave a startled yelp before jamming his hoof in his mouth. His eyes widened as the Ursa shifted slightly and yawned, sitting up and staring at him.

Lyra stretched out in her bed and held her stuffed plush in her hooves before nuzzling the cream colored earth pony next to her.

Lyra and Bon Bon both froze as a faint roaring sound shook their house, the two slowly looking at each other in fear.

“W-what was that?” Lyra asked finally as Bon Bon gulped and licked her lips.

“N-nothing good.”