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Myriad Thoughts

by Tale Swapper

Chapter 9: New Family, Old Questions

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Sunset watched Fluttershy, mute surprise writ large upon her face. She'd expected much the same as she'd encountered with the other girls, especially considering Fluttershy's demure nature. What she hadn't expected was the all encompassing Stare Fluttershy was projecting onto her friends.

After their confrontation, all had seemed well. Fluttershy had drawn her friends inside, and served them hot tea (Rainbow Dash forcing Zephyr Breeze to take cover in his room) and a few snacks. However, Fluttershy had then asked for an explanation- one which, as each girl explained her revelation, had made her quiet more and more. All the girls, including Sunset, had thought the tensing of shoulders and the closed eyes to be a sign of guilt, and as Rainbow finished her explanation, they'd waited for her to break the silence. She did in a spectacular fashion. After standing, she had opened her eyes, locked gazes with her three friends, and held them spellbound, beginning a lecture that would make any mother proud.

"...what we did to Sunset was irresponsible, wrong, and cruel. None of us should have needed to have reasons to trust Sunset, and yet we all abandoned her to the rest of the school. I know I was wrong, that we have to trust Sunset. And you still need proof? We're still not supporting her openly? NO. This ends now. This will take time, but..."

Sunset sat back and listened to Fluttershy work. She knew full well why Fluttershy was so upset- the shy girl empathized with everyone, and had to have been torn apart by the feelings of her companions. Her old anger over the way they'd treated her at Sunset's manipulation was still sore, and she was not going to let wounds like that fester.

Sunset reached over, and pulled the bowl of popcorn onto her lap. I'll let her talk for another five minutes. She glanced up at the clock. ...might be able to spare ten.


It was hours later, at the Sweet Apple Acres that Sunset finally had a few minutes to herself. After Fluttershy had calmed down and Rainbow and Rarity had been dropped at their respective residences, Applejack and Sunset had gotten home right before dark, and eaten dinner with the family. However, exhaustion had settled upon Sunset's shoulders. Four of her friends had come to their senses, but her problems weren't nearly solved. What she had done to Fluttershy had left far deeper wounds than she'd expected... or intended.

What did I do to Pinkie that she's still so hostile? How am I going to prove my innocence to the rest of the school? She looked out the window into the snow-covered fields, sitting on the plaid loveseat in the sitting room. She looked accross the room, scattered paraphernalia from a dozen Apple family members adorning walls and shelves. Do I even belong here?

That was a question which had haunted her since the Battle of the Bands. After that, she'd found herself drafting apologies to Celestia, and requests for magical textbooks and newspapers from Equestria to Twilight. She hadn't had much here, after all, except her friends.

And then Thursday had happened. She'd almost asked Twilight if she could just go back to Equestria right away, but the little stubborn voice inside here hadn't agreed with running- even if it had seemed like the best option. She'd gotten some advice from Twilight, though, which in retrospective, had made sense. Though I many not have found my family. It seems to have found me, instead.

She made a mental note to get the journal, and let Twilight know all that had developed. Still, was this where her family was? She could forgive Applejack and the others for doubting her, but the fact they'd turned on her so quickly was unsettling, to say the least. Applejack's quick apology and their follow-ups from Rainbow and Rarity, as well as the revelations surrounding Fluttershy, gave her hope. But uncertainty still gnawed at her gut.

"Finally thinkin"?" a deep basso voice rumbled out from behind her.

Sunset turned, and saw Big Mac approaching, a tray held in his hands. he set the tray, which contained two steaming mugs, a few almond cookies, and a brown bottle, on the coffee table, then sat down on one of the armchairs nearby. He tilted his head, waiting for her response.

"Yeah, I guess. You startled me a little." she said after a moment's surprise.

He nodded, then picked up one of the mugs, and poured a measure of liquid from the bottle into it. He sat back and took a long sip. At Sunset's questioning glance, he gave a small smile. "Brandy." He paused for a moment. "Medicinal."

Sunset frowned. "Why are you drinking brandy? Do you expect me to have any?"

"Naw." He took another sip. "Help me talk a bit. You're havin' second thoughts, and I don't talk easy. This helps." he said, taping the mug in his hands.

Sunset reached over, and picked up the unspiked mug. She took a long draw, and found it to be mulled apple cider, served hot. She looked up at Big Mac, who was studying her closely. He spoke softly. "Granny was a gang member."

Sunset's eyes widened. "What?..."

"I won't tell her story. It ain't mine to explain. But she did some bad things before she came here. Applejack ran away from home. I beat a man half to death once for tryin' to hurt my boyfriend." He shrugged. "We all do things we regret. None of us have clean hands. You're wondering if you can trust us. Well, believe me; Applejack knows you're tryin' to change. She thought you'd slipped." He put his mug down, and looked Sunset int he eye. "She forgot what we do for family, is help catch em'. Like I woulda caught her, if she'd held her anger long."

Sunset's eyes were wide with shock. "You had a boyfriend?" Upon looking at Big Mac's droll look, she shook her head. "Yeah, I know that's not really important, compared to the other stuff. So... why didn't you step in to help her with Rainbow? When I broke them up the first time?"

Mac snorted. "We all assumed they'd get over it. And by the time we realized what was goin' on, trying to get her to let go of her anger wasn't gonna happen. She's stubborn. Get's it from Granny, so far as I can tell."

"But you would've done it for me?" Big Mac nodded. "Why?"

In response, Big Mac turned to look out the window. He pulled in a long breath. "You'rw off a lot worse than she was. Ah saw where you were livin'. We knew you didn't have a home, but we weren't sure how bad it was. When Applejack was feudin' with Dash and Pinkie, she was only hurtin' herself. S'what hate does. Even self hate." He nodded at Sunset. "You had some of that after the Fall Formal. Bled it out over the last few months. If it had come back, you woulda been freezin' from without, and pulled apart from within." He shook his head. "I woulda said something, if Granny didn't beat me to it. No one deserves to suffer like that."

"And that's why we're takin' you in." He looked back at her. "We may not be the right family for you, but at the very least, we're gonna be good hosts. And I know that if you stay long enough, you'll be family if you leave or not." He smiled at her. "You deserve a family- but more than that, you need a home. Let us be that for ya, for now, at least."

Sunset got quiet, then nodded. "Thanks. I... I never expected this. It's... a nice feeling." She turned and looked out he window, pale moonlight reflecting off a few solitary tears.

After several minutes of sipping cider in silence, Sunset turned back to Big Mac. "So... bro. I heard you have a girlfriend."

"Eeyup."

"Does she know your barn door swings both ways?" she said teasingly.

"Eeyup."

Sunset got very quiet, then muttered "Lucky lady."

After that, there was only the clatter of mugs and the crunch of cookies to be heard from the darkened room.

Author's Notes:

For lo, my thoughts wandered to the land of what might be and could be and once was. And I realized the truth of the Apple Family. And lo, did a scene with the silent Apple and the reforming Sunset appeared before me.

My inspiration for this piece came to me earlier this evening. My earlier thoughts on what should happen felt entirely too much like filler. This is much better. I t did mean that I'm posting this far later than I would have liked, but I prefer quality over quantity. Big Mac has always struck me as a being (pony or human) of silent wisdom- much good and quiet thoughts behind unassuming eyes. Here, with a tiny bit of brandy as a lubricant, we get a glimpse of that wisdom. And yes, Big Mac in this world is bisexual. Are you going to tell him he can't be?

Saturday draws to a close. Sunday will see our focus shift to our secondary characters- the Crusaders, the Dazzings, the Administrators, and the bullies. It won't be a very substantial chapter, but don't worry; the chapter after that will be a doozy. And the one after that.

Next Chapter: Quelling Furor Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 16 Minutes
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