This takes place a month after Rainbow Rocks.

Third Person View

Raphael and Sunset were at her apartment, relaxing since it was a weekend. Raph was giving Sunny a back massage, which Sunset really liked. A few minutes later, Discord appeared. Raph then stopped massaging Sunset, giving an embarrassed look that said, "it's not what it looks like!" Discord smirked and asked, "am I interrupting anything?"

"Discord? What the shell are you doing here?" Raphael asked, trying to hide his embarrassed blush. "Princess Celestia sent me," said Discord. "Is something wrong?" Sunset asked with concern. "Oh yeah, there's a giant emergency," said Discord, "and the princesses are going to need your help! Both of your help!" Raphael stood up and asked, "am I going to need my Nightwatcher outfit?" Discord shook his head and said, "I don't think that'll be necessary Raphie." Raphael scowled at the nickname Discord gave him. "Come on Raph, let's go!" Sunset said as she and Raphael stood up. Discord then snapped his fingers, and the three of them disappeared. A few minutes later, Raphael, Sunset, and Discord were in Equestria. "Where is everyone?" Raphael asked as he had his sai in hand. Sunset was in her unicorn form. However...

"Ah, you brought them, wonderful!" Sunset's father Ray said. Sunset and Raphael gave confused looks as not only did they see Sunset's father, but also her mother, her brother Garrett, Princess Twilight, and a blue beaver and a red dragon with a lazy eye on the left. "Of course I did Mr. & Mrs. Shimmer," said Discord, "they totally fell for it!" Sunset looked at Discord and asked, "Hold on a minute... are you telling me that there was no world threat, and you tricked me and Raphael into visiting my estranged parents!!??!!" Garrett took a few steps back, knowing Sunset was pissed. "Yeah, ain't I a stinker?" Discord chuckled.

Sunset growled and stormed out of the room, enraged. "Well that backfired," said the blue beaver. Twilight looked at Sunset's parents and Garrett and said, "I'll go talk to her. Wait here." She then left the room and found where Sunset was sulking.

"Sunset? Can we talk?" Twilight asked, trying to be compassionate. Sunset glared at Twilight and asked in an accusing voice, "Were you in on this?" Twilight looked down and sighed, "just... hear me out on this one, Sunset. Garrett really wanted Raphael to meet your parents. He basically wanted you all to spend time together like a family." Sunset laughed incredulously, "Are you kidding me?!?!?!?! Do you even know what it was like for me when Garrett was imprisoned?!?!?!?!?! They were cruel to me! They emotionally abused me! Because of that upbringing, I was an awful person, I mean, pony! You get my point!" Twilight nodded and said, "I do. And I understand why you and your parents are estranged. In fact Garrett and I knew that if we did ask you to visit your parents with Raph, you would have said no." Sunset hissed with sarcastic venom, "oh, you don't say..." Twilight sighed and said, "That's why your parents reached out to Discord to bring you and Raphael here. But it was Garrett who only wanted to spend time with you." Sunset sighed sadly, "we're a broken family, Twilight. Garrett might as well be the glue that holds us together. I just... Can't forgive my parents for all the emotional scars they've given me. I am actually surprised Garrett managed to forgive them for basically abandoning him." Twilight gently put her wing on her back and said, "Garrett had friends that told him that hate in his heart will consume him. Just do this for Garrett, please. Besides, his prison friends are there too." Sunset looked at Twilight and said, "Well, I guess I would be curious to meet the prisoners who helped my brother survive. Okay, I'll grin and bear it. But only for Garrett, Raph, and you." She and Twilight then got back into the room, seeing that Sunset's parents, Garrett, Raphael, the blue beaver, and the red dragon were still there.

Sunset walked over to Garrett and hugged him. "Hey little bro," she said. "Hey Sis," said Garrett, "want to introduce your Special Somepony to Mom and Pop?" Sunset smiled and looked at her parents. She almost didn't recognize them. They looked older and tired. "Mom, Dad," began Sunset, "I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Raphael Hamato. Raph, these are my parents, Ray and Chara Shimmer." Raphael shook their hooves and said, "It's nice to meet the both of you again." Ray confusedly asked, "Again?" Garrett then whispered to his parents about the time spell. "Oh right, time travel..." Ray realized. "Nonetheless, it is nice to meet you under better circumstances," said Chara. "I'd beg to differ," thought Sunset. "I am honored to meet you, the warrior who rescued Princess Celestia and our daughter," said Ray. "The honor is mine Mr. & Mrs. Shimmer," said Raphael. "Mind if I introduce you to my friends?" Garrett offered. "Sure," said Sunset as she smiled a little, avoiding eye contact with her estranged parents. "Sunset, Raphael, these are my friends from prison, Billy and Mero," said Garrett, "Billy, Red, this is my sister Sunset and her boyfriend Raphael." Sunset shook their hands and said, "Hi. It's nice to meet the both of you." Billy smiled and said, "Nice to meet you too. Garrett talked a lot about you in prison. He really missed you." Garrett blushed a little. "Well I ought to thank you and Mero for helping my brother survive prison," said Sunset. Raphael shook Mero's hand and said, "I thought you'd be taller. And is Red a nickname?" Mero nodded and said, "Yeah, it is. Cuz I'm a red dragon. And I have this power where I can grow to any size. Nice mask by the way." Raphael smiled and said, "Thanks. I agree with Sunset on Garrett. I doubt anyone would mess with Garrett when you protected him."

"We weren't gonna let a young colt get harmed in prison," said Billy, "hey, who wants some grub?" Everyone decided to eat some dinner, having conversations with each other. Sunset and Raphael got along great with Billy and Mero. The two former prisoners had a great respect for Raphael. And Sunset's parents really liked Raphael. After a few hours, Sunset wanted to go home. As she hugged Garrett goodbye, Sunset whispered, "You and Twilight owe me big time." Garrett whispered, "How about a double date next time? You and Raphael, me and Twilight?" Sunset chuckled and whispered, "make it a triple date with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, and you got a deal. Goodbye for now, Garrett." Discord then snapped his fingers, and he, Sunset, and Raphael disappeared. A few minutes later, the three of them were back in the human dimension, and Sunset was back in her human form. "There you go, home again, home again," said Discord. Sunset gave Raphael the look, and Raph said, "Hey, uh, Discord? Sunset has something to say to you..." Discord got close and said, "Yes Sunny?" Sunset forcefully grabbed Discord's goatee, glaring at him in the eyes, and angrily growled, "You listen here, you two-faced trickster! If you trick me and Raphael into visiting my estranged parents EVER again, I will find a spell that strips you of your powers, and I will fucking kill you! LITERALLY! GOT IT?!?!?!?!?!" Discord fearfully whimpered and said, "Crystal clear! Toodles!" He then disappeared. Sunset sighed and said, "I never want to do that ever again." Raphael hugged her and said, "I know what you mean."