“You had a question, Miss Shimmer?”
Celestia gave her best, most reassuring smile to the girl seated before her. As troubled as Sunset’s past had been, she was a precious student of Canterlot High and deserved nothing less than her full attention. It was especially true now – the girl had saved them all at the Friendship Games, and had emerged from her shell wonderfully ever since. No longer a bully or a nervous doormat, Sunset had matured to a confident, kind young woman that any principal would be proud of.
“Uh… yeah. Yeah I do.”
Uncharacteristically for her modern outlook, Sunset seemed hesitant. The yellow redhead glanced around the office, though it was entirely unchanged since her last visit. Luna sat at her own desk, eyes on some papers as she quietly gave Celestia the lead.
“It’s a little weird. But I really have to ask.” Sunset seemed to take strength as she went on. “And I’m not trying to make fun of you or anything, but you guys are really, really strange.”
Celestia gave her traditional melodic laugh and glanced to Luna. The bluehead remained fixed on her papers, giving no sign that she even heard.
“You handle this, Tia,” was the unspoken comment. And the tiny strain in Celestia’s laugh told her sister, “Gee, thanks for the support.”
“I mean, I know I’m not one to talk.” Sunset went on, even though Celestia was too polite to state the obvious. “Being a magical pony, and everything. But that’s the thing – when I came clean about all that, neither of you so much as blinked.”
Celestia blinked at that, more from the verbal cue than anything. Luna did not.
Sunset was picking up steam. She leaned forward in the chair, gesturing with her hands. “A few months later, three sirens mind-control the school, including you guys, in an evil bid to turn the world to their will. We beat them with the power of friendship and rock, and the next day your first announcement is to remind us of the chess club tournament!”
“AND THEN!” Sunset shouted, interrupting as Celestia made to reply. “Then we had the Friendship Games! A giant tendril… plant… whatever ran rampage on the motorbike track. But did anyone call the police? The army? Did you even dismiss the school, or cancel the freaking tournament? No! We went right on going. Then our universe’s Twilight went mad with magic power, and the next thing I hear is that you’ve accepted her transfer!”
“Going mad with magic power is not grounds for barring someone from Canterlot High.” Luna noted in a deadpan voice, giving the first sign she was listening. Blue-green eyes glanced pointedly at Sunset. “We checked after the Fall Formal.”
“Right, and then there’s me.” Sunset planted her fingers on her chest, looking to Celestia with fevered certainty. “Seriously, there’s something wrong with you two.”
“Sunset…” Celestia began.
“No, let me finish! This has been eating me for a while.”
“Obviously,” Luna noted, earning a, “Weren’t you going to leave this to me, Sister Dearest?” glance from Celestia.
Sunset went on, ignoring the jibe. “More than all that, even: look at me! Demon succubus queen? Check. Mind controlled the student body? Check. Would have destroyed the world? Check. And what did you do when I was defeated? Not call the police or government, or even demand I go back to my freaky pony world. Do you remember what you did?”
“We made you help clean up,” Celestia said, smiling at the memory. Truly, friendship was a wonderful force that could make even a bad egg like Sunset redeem her ways.
“And you sent me home at eight!” Sunset rose from her chair, arms flailing with the words. “Eight o’clock! All, ‘A growing girl needs her rest, Miss Shimmer.’”
“It was a school night,” Celestia replied with ease.
“But what about the rest!?” Sunset shrieked. “Demons! Magic! Ponies! Magic ponies! Suspiciously-fast redemption!”
“Sunset.”
A hard edge entered Celestia’s voice, reserved for her rowdiest students. The effect was immediate – Sunset silenced her rambling, though she remained standing, and looked expectantly for Celestia to continue.
The principal would oblige – but on her own time, not Sunset’s. Celestia rose, stretching her long legs with an honest smile. Sitting suited her poorly. She was a fidgety pacer, a thing that got her into plenty of trouble at Sunset’s age.
She stepped around the desk and settled a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. The act itself was normal – Celestia wasn’t shy about touching, be it a high-five in the hallway or a warm embrace for a crying student. Sunset didn’t flinch, but her incredulous look remained.
“I hope this doesn’t discourage you,” Celestia began. “And I hope it doesn’t sound condescending. But Sunset… unnatural threats to the people of this world didn’t begin when you came through that portal. And they won’t end with the Friendship Games, either.”
Celestia wasn’t sure what Sunset had been expecting, but that clearly wasn’t it. The girl’s face swept from bemused indignation to shock.
Celestia rubbed the shoulder, getting a good grip in case Sunset fainted. “This city has the misfortune of being built on a Ley Line. I don’t know if you have them where you come from, but they make the area a wellspring of magic that draws dark things to it like moths to a flame. They prey on the people here – innocent bystanders, even the families and students of Canterlot High.”
“Wait,” Sunset managed. “Go back. How? I mean… you?”
“Not just me,” Celestia said. “Luna, too, along with much of the faculty. Redheart, Iron Will, Cranky Doodle, Nagatha…”
“Nagatha?”
“Miss Harshwhinny. Do you know her?”
The breath caught in Sunset’s mouth, and departed with a hiss. “Yes. Definitely.”
She shook her head. “Okay, I can accept that monsters exist here. But what do you guys do? Write them referrals?”
Celestia had never quite grasped the nuances of sarcasm – she had a calm, honest reputation because that’s exactly who she was, and it took her a second to see the disguised wit. Another gentle laugh, and she gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile. “No, of course not. We kill them.”
The smile dipped as she realized it wasn’t calming at all. Sunset had startled at the words, and stumbled out of her grasp.
“Oh, don’t worry!” Celestia called, her mind finding an answer. “We won’t kill you, of course. I know you’re a nice girl, and I’ll do everything I can to protect you. I just want you to understand that if we seem calm in the face of strange events, it’s because they’re not strange for us. Again, I don’t want to belittle you. I know that the Fall Formal was a terribly exciting day for you. But for us…”
She shrugged, at loss for a better way to phrase it. “…It was Thursday.”
“Friday,” Luna corrected.
“No, definitely Thursday.” Celestia nodded. “It was a school night.”
“Ah. So it was.” And Luna returned her attention to the papers.
Sunset wobbled on her feet, but waved off the balancing hand Celestia offered. “Okay… I’m sorry, but you guys seem crazier than ever now. You’re Celestia – ever smiling, ever offering second chances to losers who don’t deserve them, and don’t get me started on what you’re like in my world!”
Celestia caught something in that last sentence, but Sunset gave her no chance to interrupt. “You’re the goodiest of goody two-shoes, and now I hear you hunt monsters? By killing them? How can you be both?”
“Hunting monsters doesn’t pay the bills,” Luna noted unhelpfully from her desk.
“Or nurture the youth.” Realizing that her bigger smile was perhaps a touch creepy given the circumstances, Celestia let it fall. “I see your point, Sunset. From my perspective, though, there is no difference. As principal, it is my joy and duty to guide, support, and protect my students. Hunting vampires falls in the final category, and thus into my realm of responsibility.”
“Vampires?”
“They’re our most common enemy.” Celestia shrugged. “They, ah, tend to favor preying on high school girls, and so–”
“I’m in.”
Like a turning key, Sunset had changed. Her frustrated, confused expression was now one of intensity, her green eyes meeting Celestia’s without fear.
Luna laughed. “No you’re not.”
“Well I’m not ignoring this!” Sunset stood straight and ready, defiantly casting her lot.
Celestia’s smile returned. She was proud of Sunset, and so said nothing as the girl went on.
“There is no way, no how I’m hearing all this and doing nothing about it. If these things are a danger to my friends, you bet your bottom bit I’m going to protect them. Heck, I’ve already saved this world twice!”
“This is a bit different,” Celestia said, hoping to talk her down gently. “Things… get violent.”
“I can do violent.” Sunset grinned savagely. “I did violent my first two years here. Now I’d just be doing it to undead perverts instead of innocents.”
“Ooh, I take it back.” Luna set down the papers, seemingly interested for the first time. She looked to Celestia, a smile dancing on her lips. “Let her in. We’ll see how it goes.”
Sunset nodded. “Principal: I’m in, and that’s that. If I didn’t and something happened to Applejack or Pinkie or someone, I’d never forgive myself. And I’ve studied a lot about magic, so maybe I can help from that end. You can’t possibly already have someone like that on your team.”
“We… don’t,” Celestia conceded. Luna’s rare note of support had left her outvoted. And if Sunset was this determined, maybe it was better to bring her in. Who knows what trouble she’d get into on her own?
“Alright, Sunset. Meet us here after school, and please: don’t mention any of this to your friends.”
“I don’t think they’d believe me.” Sunset chuckled and turned to leave. “Thanks, principals. I promise you won’t regret this.”
As her hand fell on the doorknob, Celestia’s voice stopped her. “And Sunset?”
“Yeah?”
The warm smile was back in place, greeting the girl as she looked back. “You aren’t a loser.”
Sunset opened her mouth, then closed it quickly with a grateful nod.
“Thanks,” she said. The five-minute warning bell rang, and she was out the door before it was done.
Well, color me intrigued. I love the idea of the principals having history with the supernatural. Definitely looking forward to more of this.
This was amusing. And I loved this bit:
Even when she hunts vampires, Celestia remains Celestia.
EDIT: It occurs to me that a story about her Equestrian counterpart hunting vampires would be amusing—and short.
Celestia as grow/up Buffy I'm in!
Since there are ley lines, does that mean there are magic practicioners in the area
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"That was fun, who wants Chinese?"
Huh, Sunset Shimmer as supernatural defender? Sounds good to me. So wonder what kind of equipment they'll use for dealing with supernatural threats.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the school faculty. That's one unlikely group indeed.
Don't underestimate the power of spontaneous musical numbers, Sunset!
This looks like it could be really fun. Eager to see where this goes.
Nagatha Harshwinny. Headcanon accepted.
On a separate note, I'm in!
Please, please tell me Celestia and Luna have a jet-black 1967 Chevy Impala with a trunk full of silver, holy water, and rock salt,
You win from the description alone.
I'm going down this highway of craziness, and you're coming along for the ride. (a quote from Kamen Rider Drive)
Okay, that's one hell of an opening chapter. Humor, sass, sarcasm-everything you could ever need.
Definitely want to see where this goes.
I am so in, do I need my own vampire hunting gear?
Ah, so they have a local hellmouth to deal with. As long as the mayor is a bit more sane everything will turn out fine... well mostly fine.
I loved this. Like, fave, and on to chapter 2!
*After remembering that pony Celestia controls the sun...*
She has a sunlight gun, doesn't she/shot
*cough*Boktai, anyone?*Cough*
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Yup. It would be.
I'm so glad I found this story.
Recently I've been making sketches of the HuMane 7 if they started to gain tighter control over their magic in the human world. With the barriers between worlds weakening around Canterlot, they would be forced to become magic busters.
I would watch that so hard!
Well to be fair that chess tournament was a national tournament
It seems like an interesting idea. But what kinda route is it going to go? Will it be like "The Secret World", with big organizations fighting against all kinds of supernaturals all around the globe, most of them being based on real life stories and lore. Or will it be more like "Super Naturals" where it's more about just 2-3 people and the super natural beings are just kinda... There just for Drama, and no reason for it at all other than oh look, super natural things!
Oh I've had plenty... I should probably go act on them.
7048384 Who cares! There's bound to be zombies! And where there's zombies, there's shotguns blasting off heads! Lock and load bitches! Wooooo!
Someone pass me an A-20 Canister rifle and a ghost's suit of infiltration. Imma provide sealth recon, fire support and assassination.
I'm sure I'm not the one to invented the concept of taking elements from movies and/or TV shows and adapting them uniquely to the MLP universe so that the story elements are noticeable but aren't a point blank rip-off style cross-over, but I like to think I am since I didn't see these starting to pop up until I arrived here 2 years or so ago. :3
Regardless, tracked.
So...if Sunset is Buffy, and Celestia is Giles, who is everyone else?
In the words of possibly the greatest vampire ever:
This should be the banner for every awesome and silly idea like this.
I could just imagine Sunset becoming a Pyromancer! Burn all the things!!
Let me find my sword and brush up one my fire magic, then I can jump worlds and help, even if I do much prefer ice most monsters do burn very well.
That was quiet the intro. I'll see how this story goes.
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the undead do have a tendency to burn rather well, just make shure you have some Holy water aswell. Watch some supernatural and you will learn the best way to kill just about any kind of Boogieman in existance.
What a brilliant start!
Also you should probably add the principal and vice principal tags since these aren't the princess horses that rule Equestria.
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*Grumble Grumble new tags*
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You know, I had a story idea like this a while ago, but it was a subplot to a huge story, that presented Principal Celestia as a high ranking agent to the SCP foundation. She was there as a principle AND over looking a non-dangerous portal to another world and keeping records of activity. Lol
But great beginning, gonna continue.
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Proton packs? Lightsabers? Cheese?!
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Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Robert Frost
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cheese grommet CHEEEEEZEEE
Oh my
Finished the first chapter, and the only thought I have had going throughout has been, “It’s Buffy. This is going to be Buffy meets EQG without the annoyance of a jossover.”
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You tell me, I've never seen Buffy. >_>
I’m gonna be sick...
Now now, I’m a fan of the show, yes. But I’m a realist, and friendship does not fix everything and make it all okay and better.
And that should Tuesday!!
I think Sunset counts
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Only Started this story but if you pay attention well the "magic of friendship" is weaponize emotional based magic, and not every bad guy is reformed. Sombra was killed at least 3 times, Terik, CozyGlow and Chyrssalis never reformed, the Pony Shadows after Stygian was yanked out of him pretty much was sucked into a black hole, Storm King was turned to stone and shattered. So yea when friendship can be converted into giant lasers it's pretty strong, also friendship does include things like team work and supporting allies so in life in death situations it is valuable. So it makes Celestia's comment only slightly cheesie and more an over simplification.
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...that has got be one of the lamest ways I’ve read someone try to put the MoF into a scientific thingy.
That said...can’t believe I’m saying this, but it makes sense. Still slightly sickening and dumb...but it makes sense.
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full auto hallow-point blessed silver
She's not wrong
And we can't have a student fall asleep in class due to a lack of sleep now can we
Indeed
Who has a dance on a school night?!
Well, fair is fair, I guess.
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My high school had its prom on a Thursday. Tomorrow was a 3 day weekend.
This.... really does explain a lot. And hey, Sunset gets an outlet for some of that repressed anger she's got!