Sunset Shimmer arose with a feline-like stretch and a soft yawn. The sunlight just barely touched the edge of the high, castle window just yet, basking the familiarity of her old bedchambers in an orange glow. Dust could be seen swirling slowly in the air in the beams of sunlight. The quiet serenity of it all caused Sunset to sigh softly in satisfaction. She smiled softly at the books scattered across the room, left over from some late-night study session. Celestia really hadn't touched a thing in her room the entire time she was gone. It was hard to tell if that meant that Sunset had been missed and was expected to come back, or if Celestia just didn't want to remember that she ever existed. It felt like a lifetime ago, that she slept here each night, and it all came rushing to her at once with a feeling of nostalgia and a twinge of regret. She had everything she ever wanted, and yet she demanded more. "How foalish of me," she muttered. "I suppose the grass is always greener on the other side after all."
The gentle knock on the door woke her from her reverie. With her magic, she unlocked the door. Oh, how she had missed that, being able to do so many things without lifting a hoof. "Come in!" she called. The knob turned in a golden aura, and Celestia stepped in adorned in a pink bathrobe and carrying two mugs in her magic. "Morning," Sunset greeted the alicorn. She gently grasped the mug she was offered in her hooves, still unpracticed in their use. It wasn't too hot to hold, but it did teeter in her unsteady grasp. With a brief nudge of support from her magic, she balanced the cup between her hooves. It was like chopsticks all over again.
"And a good morning to you, Sunset Shimmer," Celestia crossed the room and took a seat on the floor next to the bed. She was careful to step over and around the minefield of books in her path. She wasn't the least bit surprised that Sunset hadn't moved them. She smiled at her former student, looking her over briefly. "You look much better," she noted, "I take it you slept well?"
Sunset yawned once more as she nodded her head. "It's been a long time since I slept in my own body and home," she explained, "It's...refreshing." The corners of sunset's lips raised up just slightly in the briefest and smallest of smiles, but it didn't go unnoticed by Celestia.
"Funny," Celestia quipped with a giggle, "My sister said the same thing."
The unicorn's jaw dropped. "Wait," she replied, "Princess Luna, the real Princess Luna from this dimension, is back?" She raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her host. "Why are you so forgiving, Celestia? You've been betrayed so many times, and yet you still forgive so easily..."
Celestia shrugged in response. "Perhaps I have a soft spot for family," she answered. She gave a knowing smile toward her guest, and Sunset turned her head to the side, unable to look her in the eye any longer. Celestia frowned. She hadn't expected, nor had she wanted, a negative reaction to that statement. Her hoof reached up and gently turned Sunset's muzzle to face her once more. The redhead was crying. The tears rolled silently down her cheeks, and she continued to avert Celestia's saddened gaze.
"Sun, look at me," Celestia pleaded. Her voice was gentle and caring, and there was a hint of hesitance in her voice. She didn't want to step on any more eggshells. Slowly, but surely, Sunset's eyes rolled back up to meet hers. Celestia steeled herself and continued, "You are my daughter. You always will be, no matter what you do, understand?" Sunset nodded. "I adopted you for a reason, and that reason wasn't for power or to find an heir; it was a spark. I saw a spark in the eyes of a young filly in an orphanage as she taught herself how to levitate three objects at once. I saw not skill, but drive and passion. These are the traits that make you loveable, Sunset."
Sunset's tears were flowing freely now, and her breath hitched several times in her near inaudible sobs. Celestia went on, undeterred by Sunset's reaction. This was something she needed to say. "I love you, Sunset Shimmer, and others will too. They just have to see you shine."
The mares embraced in a tight hug, Sunset crying deeply into Celestia's pearl fur. Her hooves grasped tightly at the fur of Celestia's back as if she would melt away if Sunset ever let go. "Thank you," she whimpered. "I-I love you too."
Celestia stroked her fiery mane and cooed, "Think nothing of it." She broke the embrace to look Sunset in the eye, holding her at foreleg's length with her hooves still on Sunset's shoulders. They shared a smile with one another, and Celestia spoke first, "Let's get you ready, alright? You have a big day ahead of you. Know you are always welcome here."
Sunset Shimmer nodded and wiped her tears. Knowing that her mother loved her, Sunset's hope had been restored.
Twilight was frantic. She was furious. She was absolutely, unquestionably confused. How could Celestia do this? Twilight thought that once she became a princess of Equestria, she and Celestia were supposed to be peers, equals. This was an affront to everything Twilight had worked so hard to obtain to this point. It was an absolute outrage!
"Spike!" she called out frantically, "Are you done with the sixth floor yet!?" She couldn't help the twinge of frustration that made its way to her voice, no matter how hard she tried. The young princess had been up all night rereading Celestia's letter. She couldn't believe her eyes. She'd even sent one back in response refusing to acknowledge the letter as a legitimate request, but Celestia had insisted. It frustrated Twilight to no end. She and Sunset Shimmer were nothing alike; they didn't get along. What could she possibly teach her? Sure, she was the Princess of Friendship, but she was no miracle worker! She left things of that variety to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. She still wasn't sure how Fluttershy kept tabs on Discord the way she did.
That being said, she'd received the request from Celestia herself, and as such, she had woken Spike up to clean just before sunrise. She may not have liked it, and she may have fought it, but she still highly respected Celestia. She'd make sure the castle was spotless, even for Sunset Shimmer. It was now noon, and the dreaded guest would be arriving any minute, so of course Twilight was getting desperate to have everything in place. "Are you kidding me?!" Spike asked rhetorically from two stories up. "This place is huge! I can't possibly clean the entire thing to your ungodly high standards in seven hours! Hire a real servant!"
"What?! Oh no, oh no, oh no! She'll be here any minute!" Twilight teleported into the room Spike was currently working feverishly to dust with a loud pop. To be completely honest, Twilight hadn't even seen this room before. It was some sort of dining hall, she guessed. There was a large table and several china cabinets and vanities, fully stocked with items Twilight couldn't recall ever seeing either. She shook her head and addressed Spike. "Though she's unwanted, she's a guest just the same! This castle has to be spotless!" Twilight's horn burst with bright light as she concentrated. Several dozen dusters were conjured and went to work on each and every surface of the level simultaneously.
When the stone shone with the same glisten it did the day it appeared, Twilight finally dropped the spells and sighed deeply in relief. It only took a couple minutes, but that spell had been exhausting all the same. "There," She stated satisfactorily, "That was the last floor!"
"Don't you think this is a bit excessive just for Sunset Shimmer?" Spike asked, stifling a yawn less than masterfully. "I mean, she won't be here long before we're forced to run her back out of Equestria."
"Spike!" Twilight responded, aghast that he would say that.
"What? It's only true!" Spike protested.
"If Princess Celestia believes Sunset Shimmer has truly changed, I'm inclined to believe her!" Twilight huffed.
Spike rolled his eyes and trudged off, mumbling under his breath, "She thought Discord changed, too..."
"What was that!?" Twilight shrieked.
"Nothing!" Spike darted out the room and down the stairs into his own.
There was a moment of silence as Twilight sat alone in an attempt to regain her composure. She was asked to be nice, and be nice she shall. Not to say that doing so wouldn't be a challenge, especially if Spike kept up with his current attitude. She barely got a minute to herself before she heard the telltale sound of two pegasi flapping simultaneously to pull a sky chariot. She teleported and found herself at the entrance to her castle. She felt a twinge of nostalgia. She missed the old, wooden door Rainbow Dash broke down once a week. This new crystal door was just... gaudy.
As she stood on one side of the door, she heard the distinctive voice of Sunset Shimmer on the other, though the edge it had once held seemed to have all but disappeared. "When...why...how did this get here?" Sunset asked no one in particular. Twilight grinned. She was told to be nice, but she couldn't stand to let this golden opportunity pass.
Her grin became a sneer as she swung open the door. She took two steps to clear the distance between herself and the unicorn before her. Sunset gulped loudly as the princess pressed her muzzle inches from her own and placed a single hoof under her chin. After a second of careful scrutiny, Twilight jabbed, "You must be new here," in the best impression of Sunset Shimmer she could muster. Her sneer never left as she turned and retreated back into the castle, hips swaying in her victory. That little bit of revenge would be sufficient.
Sunset stared wide-eyed through the doorway for several seconds, careful not to make any sudden movements. That had thrown her through a loop, but the fact that those had been the first words she ever spoke to Twilight was not lost on her. Still, she was largely unaccustomed to being on the receiving end of such behavior. "Buck my life," She thought. Tentatively, she made her way into the castle, and Twilight closed the door behind her. The throne room in which she now stood shone with an immaculate polish the likes of which she'd never seen, and the alicorn sitting upon one of the thrones was eyeing her suspiciously. She retracted the previous statement she'd formulated in her head, replacing it with, "Buck my life hard!"
Oooooo, Sunset Shimmer as Celestia's adopted daughter… a very interesting twist, will be very keen to see where you go with this story.
Edit: Also noticed this-
She barely got
4387016 Thanks. Fixed. This is possibly going to become a very twisty story. Lol. I'm glad you enjoy it so far.
4387045 What? I could make the ship tease drag on FOOORRRREEEEVVVVEEEERRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JK. I won't...maybe.
4387120
So Sunset is Celestia's adopted daughter... interesting , i also find what a Twilight said about her and Sunset being nothing alike to be very ironic.
Dohohoho, does Twilight know Sunset is Sunbutt's adopted daughter?
Oh I like this so far. Following~!
Love It! I'm actually excited for this ship!
Twilight would be less than a pony if she couldn't take the opportunity to repay in kind some of Sunset's barbs but I hope she gets over it soon. Oddly enough, I think Sunset will be the key figure in any attitude turn-around. The quicker she convinced Twilight she's sincere and really wants to learn, he quicker Twilight will be willing to help.
A bit of advice: Don't tell Twilight that Sunset is Celestia's adoptive daughter; it will distort their relationship in several ways, none of which either of them will like.
4388121 I'm glad you like it, and I feel like your avatar is perfect for your comment. Lol. And to answer your question, she has nooooo idea.
4388037 Lol. Purposeful irony is purposeful.
4388296 Yay!
4388308
There's more to it than that, and that's why it needs to be revealed eventually. Spoilers.
4388322
Oh I just realized how my avatar fits with my comment
But still, when Twilight eventually finds out, there'll be shit
Shit. Now I have to write a SunLight clop or something.
Tidbit: Rhetorical questions... while not illegal, it's kinda' weird just seeing them appear in text without being attached to a character's internal monologue, and is typically a no-no.
Another great chapter, but I expected nothing less from you. You're definitely gonna' get featured.
So much yesss. And aww, I love the interactions between Sunset and Celestia. seemed a bit rushed, but, you'll get better as you write more. heheh, other than that, can't wait to see what happens next!
4388327 Oh they'll both have something to find out, trust me.
4388857
You've made me a little more intrigued, now.
4388340 I've been watching the featured and popular boxes very closely, and I'm nowhere near featursd. Lol. Thank you though.
The Two Between is a good SunLight clop, very story heavy. It's super BDSM though, so idk if it's your thing or not.
4388591 This is my 11th story, but I've been getting that rushed complaint a lot with this one. It's not usually a problem for me... Any sugfestion on how I can fix that?
4388660 Lol. For the purposes of this story, and for the sake of the ship, she'll have to deal...
4388861 Allow me to feed you food for thought. How are they so close in age, both students of Celestia, and yet they never knew each other?
4388898
But..
But...
Sunset's older...
Or at least, is supposed to be.
Where are you going with this?!
4388903 Spoilers.
4389276
i.imgur.com/yQHOCZ0.gif
4389284 You'll know in a couple more chapters.
4389299
I can't wait that long
4389305 It just might spoil the entire story to tell you my headcanon on this subject.
4389320
Fine, I'll wait.
4389346 Sorry.
4388322 and it is the best Irony too
4388660 Well i think Celestia has enough political know-how to maneuver around what Twilight does and does not want, how else do you think she got Luna to eat her spinach when they were young?
nowadays Luna has to eat three bowls of spinach a day. (or night if you prefer)
4389358
Thou must not feel the need to apologize for the agony thou hast cast upon us. We shalt survive and come out stronger to torture thee at a later time
4389552 I would love to see Luna forced to eat spinach. xD
4389710 The torture will be worth it.
4388870 Aye. It's alright. Pacing was always an issue with me, as well. Try to think that instead of thinking that you're writing the characters, let the characters write themselves. That way Sunset can really think about why the heck Celestia was so willing to forgive her. Or, better yet, you could've had princess sun butt explain the story behind her and Luna, and leave Sunset to her own thoughts, mulling over what happened in the movie. Maybe some people think it's rushed because they don't like the fact that it's so short, and want more action on what's happening around Twilight and Sunset Shimmer. But, I can't change your style of writing, because then that wouldn't be fair. That's all I can come up with for now. I hope this helps. XD
4390209 Thanks.
so i am waaasy late on the e.q.g. train. only just saw it for the first time last saturday.
only reason i caved at all was to read a few stories and ya know get it.
this i am liking very much so far.
i patiently await more my good author.
4391109 Thank you.
I was a little hesitant to watch it at first too, but unlike a lot of bronies, I actually enjoyed EG.
4389930 Well she had to eat something while on the moon, and that was all Celestia would send her.
Ok so I wasn't sure about this, don't get me wrong I love the idea of Twilight helping Sunset get better but then I got to this line:
That caught my attention, and that will keep me in. While I haven't paid much attention to most Sunset Shimmer fics, I don't think I've seen one that has Celestia being her mother, adopted or otherwise. I look forward to seeing more.
4391637 Omg! That's terrible!
4391666 I'm glad I did something original.
Oh, and I love your avi. Gurren Laagan is awesome.
4392325
To the best of my knowledge there is only other person that has Sunset being Celestia's daughter and that is me. There might be others but I really don't know.
Thanks, and it is always nice to meet another person who has watched the Gospel of the Digger.
Do I detect some shipping in the future?
4392371 You do indeed, friend.
4392325 yep , some say that the image of Nightmare moon that was on the moon before her release was made up of all the bowl's of uneaten spinach.
(i can't keep this joke running much longer)
4392983 Lol. You don't have to. It's been funny enough. Quit while you're ahead.
4393072 Ok
4393139 I literally dreamt of Sunset Shimmer. I'm investing a lot of brain time into this story.
4393673 (maniacal laughter)
but seriously that is a bit strange, though you might be thinking a bit too much about it, or you subconsciousness is trying to tell you something...
4389961
Mighty confident, there.
I'll make you regret those words
4394503 It's telling me, "Why did you skip a day!?! CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER!!! " I might be having too much fun writing this story.
4394843 Once again, the avatar fits, sorta'.
4395352 i guess so.
4395352
I knew I chose an awesome avatar for a reason
4398704 Chill. I'll probably write another chapter tonight. No need to explode my shit.