An old saying came to mind, “So quiet you could hear a pin drop.” That was what the spacious room became. The only noise for nearly a minute was the sound of the newly hatched baby dragon, Grunt, gurgling and feeding in the arms of his mother, Smolder. Every pair of eyes in the room switched back and forth between Flurry Heart and Sunset Shimmer. Flurry’s expression was one of indignant disdain, Sunset’s was more a mix of confusion and knee jerk anger at being called out. Twilight Sparkle, the second largest alicorn in the room, but not by much, stepped between the two before anything destructive could happen.
“Flurry!” Twilight said in a disapproving tone that was usually reserved for fillies. “That was completely uncalled for.”
Flurry sat on her haunches and crossed her forelegs. “Why? Why would you invite the ‘wandering alicorn’ for this? Or did she just stick her snout in, inviting herself? After all, she just shows up whenever she feels like it, gets treated like a princess-”
“Never claimed to be one.”
“And then just disappears to Celestia knows where. But when here, she gets your full and undivided attention like the she’s the Duchess of Maretonia. It’s ridiculous! I wanted to be here for the hatching and I missed it to take care of Smolder’s students!”
“Technically, they are your students as well, Flurry,” said the orange dragon with a little bit of heat in her voice. “As the Princess of Friendship you are vice headmare/mistress to me at the school. And I personally don’t think you have a leg to stand on when it comes to accusing a pony of galivanting off on some mission or adventure. You take off from your duties on a whim at least two to three times a month with little to no warning.”
“I am just following up on friendship missions and whatever other problems crop up all over Equestria. That is also MY duty, since Aunt Twilight tossed me this bone of her old title and castle,” Flurry snapped, her face twisting as if somepony had shoved a lemon in her mouth.
Sunset scowled, her wings beginning to unfurl. She had no problem letting the younger alicorn scold or belittle her, she had heard worse, but something bristled in her heart straight through to her core at hearing Flurry speak so flippantly about the great honor Twilight had bestowed upon her niece. “Hey, don’t talk that way about your aunt, who, just to clarify, DID invited me here.”
Flurry’s fiery blue gaze returned to Sunset. She pointed an accusing hoof and said, “She’s not noble, or royal, or even family. She had no right to be here.”
“Flurry Heart,” said Celestia with an edge to her voice.
“Well, think about it,” she continued, “Twilight raised Spike and names him as brother in all but blood and her brother was my father making Spike my uncle. Celestia and Luna founded modern Equestria as we know it and are basically mothers to us all. Only a fool would turn them away, but Sunset Shimmer is just a pony who comes and goes as she pleases. She’s supposedly Celestia’s daughter, but refuses to take a crown or title or responsibility, which is suspicious at best and dereliction and refusal of duty at worse. She might as well just be one of the useless guards in the background.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Sunset saw Tempest’s posture stiffen even under her armor and the stout unicorn took a deep breath to school her emotions. Much like herself, Sunset knew Tempest would gladly take all the criticism from any direction about herself and her abilities, but no pony insulted her guards. If Flurry had not been a princess…
Sunset’s scowl deepened, her lip beginning to curl in a snarl as she prepared to launch a verbal counterattack. But then, for just a second, Sunset thought she heard a cackle. Not from anypony in the room… almost like the memory of a laugh… like a dream. Her teal eyes focused hard on Flurry Heart and began to take on a faint glow. For just a moment, like a shadow, she saw… Sunset was not sure what she saw. It was… almost like a ghostly presence and then blink, it was gone.
“That is enough, Princess Flurry Heart.” Celestia’s stern usage of full name and title broke the trance Sunset had slipped into. “Let this be the final word on the matter. Sunset Shimmer is MY daughter. She is of my blood and even if she had been adopted, I claim her lovingly as mine. Just as I claim YOUR mother, my niece, Cadence. Your mother, who was married to your father, who was brother to Spike. Sunset IS family. I have nothing else to say on this matter so it drops now or you can leave before you upset the baby.”
It had been quite some time since Sunset or anypony present had heard Celestia speak with such authority. Power, both magical and of presence, radiated from Celestia as she drew herself to her full height, eyes focused and hard, mane waving with a rare ferocity. The thinly veiled, “or else” hung in the air while Flurry recoiled from the unexpected retort.
Flurry sighed, defeated. “Fine, I’ll go.”
“No,” Sunset said quickly, “you haven’t seen the baby and that’s not fair and in a small way, you’re right. Maybe I don’t deserve to be here. You’ve been working hard to keep Equestria safe. All I’ve done is travel and go where I wanted, do what I wanted.”
“Sunset,” Twilight pleaded, placing a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. Sunset brushed the hoof away, but held onto it for a moment so that Twilight knew she was not mad at her.
“It’s okay, I'm just going to get some coffee and some fresh air.” Sunset gave Flurry as much of a berth as possible given the size of the other alicorn and stepped out of the room. With her brain still lacking its much desired caffeine Sunset started the long trek back towards the kitchen.
“Shall I end the recording now?” asked Raven after a few seconds of walking.
“You filmed all that?”
“Of course, you told me to. If you like, I can edit out the part where the significantly larger pony came in and interrupted the moment. I believe the words uncouth or unbecoming come to mind. However, it was nice to have some questions answered about who everyone was and your family.”
Sunset was about to say yes to having the film edited, but there was still something bothering her about the entire exchange. Sunset had managed to avoid running into Flurry Heart for years in the past when she would only visit Celestia and Twilight for a day or two. But during her previous extended stay there had been no way to avoid her.
Upon Twilight’s request they had both attended the Grand Galloping Gala. Sunset had not really been interesting in going, but Twilight had given her the big, pleading purple eyes that were impossible to say no to. At least she had not been relegated to the terrible duty of greeting all the stuffy upper crust of Canterlot and high society players at the door. However, many still did try to approach and strike up a conversation or steal a dance. Such functions served as springboards to making deals and contacts and many wanted to woo the daughter of Celestia. Sunset had been cordial… mostly.
When she had finally bumped into Flurry Heart the large, light pink alicorn with pastel lilac and blue hair looked and gave off the impression of feeling as out of place as Sunset felt. They had spoken, basic pleasantries, told a few stories, she even managed to get a small snort and laugh out of Flurry after making a lewd comment about Lord Sterling’s necktie. And then they bowed to one another and went about their evening. It had not been, at least in Sunset’s opinion, a bad first impression. There were even a few delightful similarities between the human Flurry Heart, which Sunset had known well, and her immortal alicorn counterpart.
But then, later in the year for Hearth’s Warming Sunset had spent most of her time with Luna and Celestia while Twilight bounced back and forth between everypony. Even Cadence had finally left the Crystal Empire to come join them though Sunset had not spoken to her for her own... reasons. Flurry, for reasons unknown seemed to shoot Sunset a dirty look every chance she thought the goldenrod alicorn wasn’t looking. They had only spoken hello and goodbye the entire celebration. Clearly there were issues going on and Sunset had a sneaking suspicion SHE was the issue.
“You know what, hold onto all of it for now. I want to review something.”
“Understood,” Raven replied.
Sunset stopped half way to the kitchen to admire a painting she had passed before, but not really thought much about. It was an artist recreation of the “Crystaling of Princess Flurry Heart.” Gathered around the foal were a cast of familiar faces. All the princesses, Shining Armor, Starlight Glimmer, and an orange and white stallion with glasses and a wizard’s robe. Sunburst, if she remembered correctly. It looked like it had been a pretty momentous occasion. Sunset heard the approaching hoofsteps, but continued to stare at the painting.
“You didn’t have to follow me. I’m okay.”
“I chose to,” Luna replied simply. “Baby dragons are adorable, but once they start belching fire it is best to leave the room. I cannot stand the smell of burnt hair, disgusting.”
Sunset smiled at her aunt who smiled back and nuzzled her niece.
“Don’t let the artist interpretation fool you,” said Luna as she casually brushed out some of Sunset’s still bed frazzled mane with a magic construct hairbrush. “As you are an artist yourself, you know that what you see is not always how things really went. That was a hectic day indeed. Young Flurry Heart, who had been born with power far beyond her control, temporarily destroyed the Crystal Heart and nearly doomed the entire empire to die from the encroaching northern cold.”
“Like a deadly tornado, Mom once called her.”
Luna nodded, pleased to make Sunset look more presentable and the brush disappeared. “She has always been difficult to deal with. A child born a princess and an alicorn. Not something any of us can claim. Even with our destinies set for us neither Celestia or myself were born with our wings. Flurry Heart has known she was destined for greatness and has had the power and physical prowess to accomplish almost anything she sets her mind to since the day she was born. However, knowing that has also made her reckless, stubborn, and at times, dangerously arrogant and disrespectful. Her mother and father did their best to raise Flurry in a loving environment and teach her the benefits of being a humble and compassionate ruler, but as you all too well know, sometimes it is never enough.”
Sunset shuddered for a moment, several terrible memories flashing through her mind at once, most of them of her mother towering over her with a disapproving glare. “So, like I was, but only worse.”
“From what my sister has told me of your up bringing, yes, far worse. You were a brat and a bully, but more along the lines of most spoiled, privileged foals. Despite those undesirable qualities, you learned how to play the game of Canterlot high society, despised it, but learned it. As I understand, you only took things too far once you were on the cusps of adulthood and she showed you the mirror. You demanded to be made a princess and have a crown of your own as if they would legitimize your existence and accomplishments. Heh, if only you had known the truth then perhaps things would have gone different.”
Sunset nodded soberly. “Different, but not necessarily better.”
“You were, thankfully, tempered and brought down to bear full witness of your shameful behavior, which only made you better, stronger. This, I know from personal experience as well.” Luna paused, she knew they were alone, but they were still in the open and voices carried. She lowered her voice and pressed her side into her niece’s, wrapping Sunset in a warm and comforting wing. “Flurry does not play the game. She plays her way and anypony or creature that questions it that is NOT an alicorn just simply gets stepped on. Again, Cadence did her best, but the Princess of Love lacks the power to keep her daughter in check let alone temper her. Twilight tried to curb her ambitions by granting her the title of Princess of Friendship.”
“So that’s how she got Twilight’s old castle, I always meant to ask.”
Luna nodded. “The Castle of Friendship had been integrated into use by the school. Even with dual purpose, there were still plenty of unused rooms. It seemed like a good use of the space and with the hope that Flurry would become more temperate dealing with friendship missions and helping with the various students. It did work, for a time, but after a few decades Flurry saw the title as a consolation prize. Her eyes turned to Canterlot. It is no secret what she truly desired was to claim my throne to rule beside Twilight, but I refused to endorse this as well as Celestia. Not yet, not with the way she has been behaving.”
“So, Twilight took on the burden of both day and night right from the get go and has had to do most of the work all by herself. And in typical Twilight fashion, tries to tirelessly please everypony.”
Luna gestured for Sunset to follow as they walked towards Luna’s private wing of the castle. “Come, we can talk more in my sanctuary. I am not usually up at this time either and also require the ‘Nectar of the Gods.’”
“Please tell me you mean coffee and not some weird blue milk from a griffon plant somewhere I probably don’t want to know about.”
Luna smiled. “Oh, it’s most definitely from a plant. These particular beans I have imported from an island off the Zebrican coast. My personal favorite coffee thus far.”
“Aunt Luna, you are my freaking hero.”
----------
Sunset sat back in the comfortable lawn chair completely splayed out with one leg over the armrest in a most undignified manner that would have been construed as lewd if any creature saw her and Sunset did not care a single bit. They were in Luna’s tower, well above most of the eyes of those below. She let out a happy sigh as the warm brew rushed through her system telling her neurons and synapses to fire like a perfectly tuned V8 engine. Sunset paused, how long had it been since she had last heard an old gas powered V8? The pondering left as quickly as it had arrived.
“Ohhhhhh, yeah. That’s the good stuff alright.”
Luna sat down next to her niece and smiled blissfully. “Agreed. Curious, did your mother ever tell you that most of the coffee grown in Equestria was actually obtained long ago from the dimension your father hailed from?”
Sunset stared into her cup a moment before looking out over the horizon. “No, must have slipped her mind. Though she did mention that the first time she tried coffee with him she spat it back in his face on accident. Guess that’s another thing I need to thank her and my father for.”
“Well it was mostly Star Swirl’s idea. That old colt fell in love with the stuff. The beans spread far and wide and over the centuries new beans and flavors emerged.”
“That’s not surprising. It’s very similar to how different flavors of distilled alcohol spread as well. Families taking recipe secrets with them as they traveled, trying new, local fruits and items to ferment, creating something new. All it takes is time and a passion to pass on what is learned.” Sunset fell quiet, her hoof reaching for the rings around her neck. “I guess I’ll get to witness that now too. How things change, evolve over time. How the world marches on… yet we just continue… above it all… alone.”
“It can be lonely if you let it,” Luna said matter-of-factly, “but it need not be. I spent one thousand years of my life trapped alone. It was dreadful. Thankfully, I do not remember much of it, spending most of the time in a dream-meditative state. When I awoke from time to time, I desperately wished for the company of another. Oh, how I lusted for it. Now that I have my guard again, I need not go without such pleasant company.”
Sunset choked for a moment on her drink as some of it went down her windpipe. After she finished coughing, she eyed her aunt suspiciously. Surely, she had heard that wrong. “Come again?”
“Oh! Pardon my poor manners. I had not offered you their services before since you were married and I assumed you would have declined. But now, if you feel the need that only another pony can fill you simply have to ask and I will order the thestrals of your choice to slick your burning lust.” Sunset’s jaw hung open as a pleasurable smile crept across Luna’s face. The thoughts and memories that were likely going through Luna’s mind made Sunset glad for once she did not have her geode and yet her imagination betrayed her anyhow.
“As you know, I created the thestral Lunar Guard over a millennia ago to serve me in all capacities I saw a need. They do not exist naturally, so I took it upon myself to mix ritual magic with an alchemical formula that gives the pegasus, earth pony, and unicorn volunteers their new forms. As soon as I returned from the moon and was restored my crown and title, I recreated the guard once more. As thestral, not only do the ponies have superior night vision and stamina to remain awake for longer than the average pony, but also better reflexes, physical conditioning, and often, as a delicious side effect, an increased libido. Upon their graduation from their rigorous training and a successful completion of the transformation ritual, they are given the opportunity to sexually satisfy their mistress.”
Sunset’s jaw hung open. Did her aunt just say she offered up sex as a graduation present to ALL her thestrals? And then a heartbeat later, offer them up as partners to… her? “I… I don’t know how to respond to that.”
“It’s quite all right. I have made the same offer to my sister and to Twilight, strangely, both declined the service even though I know from their dreams they have considered it. I do not press, however. I, on the other hoof, spent a thousand years alone and have no desire to be left unsatisfied again for as long as I live. Life is truly at its most blissful when a fit stallion is rutting me while I feast upon a delicious marehood. The fulfilment of bodies grinding together, the sounds of mutual climax. The best, I assure you. I have no interest in having foals so spell precautions are naturally applied. Besides, like my sister, I think of all our subjects as our children in a way.”
“Annnnnd just like that, this conversation went from awkward to just flat out creepy. I love you, Aunt Luna, but seriously you can stop now. I… will take your offer under consideration, but for now I think I’m okay.”
“Oh, come now, Sunset. Do not tell me you are going to be a bitter old prude about this like my sister. I assure you, they are quite discreet and willing to do whatever you ask of them. Gladly so. As I understand from what I have overheard their service to me is one of the most appealing perks of undertaking the ritual and joining the Lunar Guard.” Sunset sighed, her expression saddening, eyes distant while she touched the rings again. Luna’s smile fell away. “I have offended thee.”
“No… I’m just remembering. You were right before. It does get lonely being on your own. I remember… I… was having a particularly bad day, saw a happy couple that was just all over each other and I just… well, like you said, I just wanted to be touched. More than that I wanted to be filled, satisfied, and rutted so hard that I would just be left lying there panting for an hour. So, I found, well humans had people who took care of that sort of thing for you, like what you said your thestrals do for you. So, I paid for time with a… stallion who I was assured from his handler could keep up with me. Even in a human body I had alicorn stamina and was not easily satisfied. His name, or at least the name he used was Obsidian and he was… big. I mean he was taller than me, built like a piece of, well, rock and yeah, his stallionhood was all in proportion.”
Sunset let out a few breaths to get her shaking under control, one hoof continuing to press the rings to her breast bone. Luna waited patiently with a kind, but neutral expression on her face.
“He did exactly what I told him to do and it was… absolutely fucking amazing… and I hated myself afterwards for it. I hated how good it felt, I hated how easily he made me come, and that he did it again, and again, and again. I held it together until after I asked him to leave and then I sat in the shower for a few hours crying. I mean, Twi was… gone, but I still felt like I shouldn’t… that I didn’t deserve to feel happy or satisfied.”
Luna pulled Sunset into a hug as she wiped a stray tear away. “Niece, never feel as if you are unworthy of love and happiness. It is far too fleeting as you well know. Find it, hold it close, and cherish it.”
“Thanks.”
Luna levitated the empty mugs aside, standing and stretching. “Come now, we are both awake and have many hours left in the day. It has been years since you and I shared a small adventure. Let us fly and see what trouble we can participate in or advert until Twilight feels it is time to set the sun!”
Sunset smiled, stretching her own wings and body. “Sure, I think I’d like to get out for a bit.”
“I too would like to see more of this world,” said Raven, still attached to Sunset’s shoulder.
“The glass spoke!”
Sunset laughed at Luna’s incredulous expression. “Right, sorry, Luna, Raven. Raven, Luna, she’s like my assistant, but also likes to point out when I am doing something stupid.”
“I will have to reassess that particular threshold given all the new data I have now been acquiring.”
“You know, until I can properly introduce you to more ponies maybe just staying quiet and observing is best.”
“Understood.”
----------
The door to Donut Joe’s opened and all the conversations inside came to a screeching halt. The customers took a moment to assess the two alicorns standing at the entrance with matted fur, wild, messy manes, and a few scratches they had managed to stop the bleeding to, but had not fully healed yet. Sunset leaned over to her aunt, pulled a twig from her star filled blue mane and whispered, “I told you we should have cleaned up and just sent the Lunar Guard to get the donuts for us.”
“Nonsense!” Luna dismissed as she strolled to the center of the dining room. “The common ponies like to see their royals hard at work to serve them in all their capacity! Behold, citizens! We have come to enjoy victory pastries after vanquishing not one but TWO angry, ravaging hydras that had wandered from the forest and eaten a farmer’s crops and two of the farmer’s family! Thou art safer in the thine presence than ever shall be in your lives!” Sunset face hoofed, moving to the cashier to order. The atmosphere soon after returned to normal.
“We don’t need another vanquisher,” Sunset heard a pony mutter, “we need another princess to see to our needs.”
Against what most, especially Isabella, would consider proper royal protocol, Sunset turned to the muttering pony who probably did not realize alicorns had superior hearing. Or maybe he did and just had been daring them to respond. Sunset Shimmer, had no qualms with picking up the thrown gauntlet, as it were.
He was a young adult unicorn, but still looked like he could have still been in high school giving his almost coltish features. Judging by the finely sculped mane that was held with gel and purple silken ascot, Sunset guessed a son of a noble or wealthy business pony. His dark brown eyes were bright and hooves polished to a shine that had never seen a hard day’s work on a farm or front line labor job.
“I’m sorry, but do you have a problem with us helping the common pony when monsters eat their family members and livelihoods?”
The beige stallion jumped for a moment, clearly not expecting Sunset to call him out. He recovered a moment later and dabbed his chin with a napkin before speaking. “That’s all well and good, but that is what the guard is for, is it not? Otherwise, why do we need to pay so many taxes for all that armor and equipment they use? What we need in Canterlot, if not in all of Equestria is more representation from the royal family. Ever since Princess Twilight canceled the night court hearings the grievances and petitions by both the nobility and the common pony take twice as long if not longer to be heard by the crown. The princess needs to clear up more of her schedule for us, appoint a night court regent again, or Princess Luna needs to take back her crown to help in that capacity. Otherwise, our government will continue to operate at only a snail’s pace of efficiency. You would know that, Lady Sunset Shimmer, if you attended court once in a while instead of just tinkering in a lab or going on adventures. No doubt also financed by our taxed bits.”
Sunset bit back her first response to leap to Twilight’s defense, however… he was not entirely wrong. Luna eyed the young noble’s son with a cold stare, though it was slightly diminished in intimidation with a pink glazed and sprinkled covered donut levitating just to her left.
“Princess Twilight works tirelessly for the betterment of all. Thou should be grateful she-”
Sunset pushed the donut into Luna’s mouth. “You’re right, there is more that we can do and both Luna and I will see to it that your words have been heard and this will be brought before Her Majesty. In fact, I’ll talk with her about it tomorrow. Thank you.” Sunset wrapped her foreleg around Luna and teleported the pair away. A moment later they appeared just outside the castle gatehouse.
Luna gave her niece the stink eye before smiling, face coated in glaze and sprinkles. “You really are your mother’s daughter sometimes.”
Sunset shrugged. “Twilight’s stressed enough as it is. The last thing she needs is tomorrow’s headline to read how two alicorns got in a shouting match with the locals in a donut shop over court politics. Besides, I never realized that court proceedings had slowed down so much without the night court. My fault for not paying attention.”
“Mmm,” Luna grunted her agreement, feasting on another donut. “Tis true, however. It was not as difficult to catch up at first, but Twilight has spread herself out across the many aspects of the bureaucracy, partly because she enjoyed the process and partly because she micromanages to an unsustainable degree. In the past, she had her personal student, Luster Dawn, assisting her on such matters as filing and standing as regent of the night court. However, Luster wished to pursue her own ambitions and eventually a romantic relationship. Twilight officiated their wedding. We were invited. It was like an island luau, which was odd, but enjoyable. Have you ever had a pineapple daquiri? Delicious.
“*Ahem*, yes, as I was saying, the results were immediate. Once Luster Dawn left Canterlot, Twilight had to cancel the night court, unable to see to both herself. Not long after, Celestia and I saw it necessary to return to Canterlot. Which was just as well, given my sister’s health began to deteriorate.”
Sunset nodded. “Raven.”
“Yes, Sunset?”
Make a note to remind me to talk to Isabella before breakfast tomorrow, before she steals Twilight again.”
“Notation made. Of course, that requires you to actually get up before breakfast.”
Luna eyed the glass device curiously. “A personal assistant at your beck and call instantly because they are literally stuck to you. Strangely convenient. I think you may have your next great invention since your SunLight crystals.”
“Heh, not going to happen for a looooong time. Raven is by far more complex than anything I can program and that does not even begin to get into the fact that Equestria lacks the necessary equipment to crunch code of such complexity. Not to mention the circuitry and casing. No, she’s one of a kind.”
“Perhaps that is for the best.” Luna levitated over the last of the donuts to Sunset. “Will you be joining me later for another session of dream walking, dear niece?”
Sunset rubbed her chin before politely shaking her head. “Thanks for the offer, but not tonight, I have another project I have been interested in working on and I think I have just enough material to get it started. Plus, I want a good night’s sleep to catch Twilight in time before the nobility get their dirty hooves on her again.”
Luna smiled genuinely, pulling Sunset into a hug. “My heart is warmed and comforted that you care for her so. Go now, so that you will be rested. Our princess needs you more now that I believe either of you realize.”
Sunset trotted away, heading straight for her room with the bag of donuts in tow. Once she was secured in her residence with the wards in place again, Sunset set Raven down on her charger and retrieve a rather large, translucent crystal and a toolbox. Using her magic to summon the tools she needed Sunset began to shape the crystal and smooth a part of the surface until it was flat and reflected like glass.
“What evil scheme are you hatching now?”
“You know that actually hurts my feelings, Raven. I used to actually hatch evil schemes because I was a raging bitch with mommy issues.”
“I would shrug nonchalantly and beckon you to continue if I had the necessary body parts.”
Sunset retrieved a cord that had been at the bottom of her saddle bag that had followed her from the human world. She plugged it into the tiny connection port on the side of the case of her PAAL and then examined the other end, a smirk creeping across her face. “What do you think the chances are I can get you to display my favorite games on this crystal like a monitor?”