Princess Celestia looks to her doppelganger and to Pinkie who she's hugging.
"You are princess Celestia, I suppose." said the principal getting closer.
The princess releases Pinkie and stands up.
"And you are principal Celestia."
"Quite right, princess." replied the principal bowing her head.
"Oh, please, you don't need to bow to me, I'm not your princess."
She then looks to Pinkie.
"So, I guess you aren't 'my Pinkie', right?"
"Sorry, but no."
"I was about to ask what brings you to Equestria, but I suppose was Sunset's idea."
"Mom?"
"And talking on her..."
Sunset turns a corner and saw both Celestias and Pinkie.
"Why you left the room?"
"I felt that isn't right to me stay there at that moment."
Sunset put a hoof on her mother's left foreleg.
"I know things will be weird for some time, but we will make this work, give them some time to process this."
"You're right. So wanna explain why your principal and your Pinkie are here?"
"I brought them to support me. Also, I want you to know them."
"I see. So what do you have in mind?"
"What about we go to sugar cube corner, so Celestia could see a bit of Ponyville."
"Wouldn't be weird, Sunset, if suddenly there are two of us walking around?" asked the principal.
"Oh, right, Equestria never had two Celestias."
"And what about two Pinkies?"
"Nah, it isn't that abnormal. Twilight told me that Ponyville faced a 'pinkie invasion' once."
"Okay" said Pinkie unsure what it means.
"I can change your appearance with a spell, principal. That way we won't call much attention."
"Hit me with your best shot, princess."
Princess Celestia lits her horn and with a flash, principal Celestia was turned into a unicorn with a cream coat and light blue mane and tail.
They sit on a table at the sugar cube corner, with principal Celestia trying to figure out where Pinkie gets that fedora and fake mustache since they aren't wearing any clothes.
"I have to thank you, Celestia, for caring so much about my Sunset."
"Was a pleasure, princess. Sunset could be a difficult girl to deal with sometimes..."
"Hey! I'm here"
"But I can't see my life without her."
"You feel, silly, isn't it?"
"Yeah, Pinkie. What about we leave my mothers to talk?."
"Lead the way, Sunny."
After they left the Sugarcube corner Princess Celestia lowers her head and looks to her forehooves.
"I guess she told everything to you."
"Yes"
"And I think you hate me after knowing how I hurt her."
"Not all." principal Celestia extends her hoofs and touch the princess's, "I won't lie that know how you made her suffer pisses me, and to be honest, when she told me, my first thought was to cross the portal and punch your face, but this will not change the past. I do not approve of what you did but, blaming you won't make all the pain Sunset felt disappear. She forgave you, and if my little Sunset says that you are sorry, it is enough to me."
"Thanks, Celestia."
Pinkie (the pony one) reaches the table with various goodies.
"Hello and welcome to sugar cube corner, princess Celestia and Celestia from another franchise with a disguise"
Principal Celestia blinks a few times.
"You know what? I won't even ask. Nice to meet you, Pinkie. What you brought to us?"
"A four-layered dark forest cake to you, and a pineapple pie to the princess."
"Thanks, Pinkie."
"You're welcome, princess. I'd love to stay and talk, but Mrs. Cake is calling me."
"Bye."
Pinkie then walks away and began to take other consumers' orders.
"So, Celestia, you said that Sunset is a little difficult to deal with sometimes."
"Yeah, sometimes she has a tantrum, like when she wanted to buy a motorcycle and I said no because she hadn't her driver's license yet, so some shouting, tears, and hugs happened, nothing far from a usual relationship with a teenager. She's a precious girl."
"I see that you really love her."
"Yeah, we hadn't the best of starts, but after the fall formal I realized that Sunset wasn't evil just because of evil. She was just a lost child, afraid to be alone and even more afraid to make a friend, so I took her home and opened my heart to her and soon she ended opening hers too."
"I guess you are her mother more than me. You never made her suffer like me."
"Sunset didn't tell me everything about her life before she came to Canterlot City, but sometimes she talked about how she admires you. Believe me, she never stopped seeing you as her mother figure."
"Maybe I am just being silly, I know Sunset is a full-grown mare, but I'm afraid that I may not be a good mother to her."
"And this feeling is what makes me know that you, even with your flaws, will be a good mother to her."
Both mares stay in silence for a while, just enjoying their food, until princess Celestia spoke.
"Can I ask you a personal question?"
"I guess so. Go on."
"What happened?"
"Pardon?"
"What is your story, Celestia."
"Oh. Well, as you know, I'm not an immortal princess, so maybe my life will be a bit boring to you. Luna and I were born in Vanhoover, our mother worked as a math teacher and dad was a columnist on Vanhoover Dialy, until Canterlot Press offered him a way better job, so when I was 15 and Luna was 12, we moved to Canterlot City, where we live since then. Luna and I had some troubles with each other, mostly because I don't want to spend my time with her because I saw her as a child, so when she was 15, she had some bad friends and they stole a car and caused an accident where a woman was seriously injured, but fortunately alive."
"And I suppose that she and her friends were caught."
"Not really. I was passing by and saw them running away, I ran and caught Luna, she was so afraid, she thought that they killed the poor woman. I hugged her, look into her eyes, and said: 'Go home and not tell anything to mom and dad, I will fix everything.' After I saw her running home, I got into the car and started to run from the crime scene. A few blocks later, the Police caught me and I was accused of car theft and running over without a fatal victim. I spent a year and a half in jail"
"You go to jail to protect her?"
"Yes. Was my fault that she ended with so bad company, if I was a better sister and gave her the care she deserved, she never would do something so stupid."
"Your parents didn't do anything about it?"
"I made Luna promise don't tell nothing, and when they asked me, I swear that I indeed robbed the car because I was bored. In my trial, I pledged guilty and said that I was sorry for running over the woman, so I was sentenced to a year for running over and six months for car theft."
Princess Celestia takes a deep breath before saying something.
"I'm not sure if I admire or hate you. Seriously, how in Equestria you could be so better than me? Seems that for every wrong decision I made, you did the right choice. It's not a surprise that Sunset loves you so much."
"Don't push yourself so hard, princess. I'm sure that if I had to deal with all your responsibilities, I would probably make the same mistakes. Thankfully, I'm just a principal, not a princess."
"Speaking on it, how did you get this job?"
"Well, I started as a simple geology teacher, but after twelve years of lecturing, I was promoted when the old principal retired. And about you, Sunset said that you run a school for unicorns"
"Yeah. After Starswril disappeared, I thought that Equestria would need a place to teach the next generation of unicorns, so all our knowledge wouldn't be lost, and decided to open the school. Initially, it was named 'Starswril's institute for magical knowledge preservation' but the ponies always called it 'Celestia's school for gifted unicorns' so I changed the name."
"I guess we aren't so different, after all, we both care about the young ones." pondered the principal
"I blame the multiverse."
"I blame the cows."
"What? why?"
Celestia saw a confused look on the princess' face.
"Sorry, it's a line from a cartoon that Sunset and I used to watch when she was living with me. So..." said the principal resuming their chat, "did you ever get married? I guess a woman, pardon, a mare beautiful as you certainly called a bit of attention over the years."
"Unfortunately, no. I had some lovers over the years and was proposed by some mares and stallions, but I never get married."
"So, work before fun, right? Believe me, I know how do you feel."
"And about you?" asked the princess
"I had some valentines, but nothing too serious so marriage was not an option."
"And what about kids? I do not know how this works in your world, but in Equestria, isn't that abnormal if a mare decides to be a single mother."
The princess saw a sad look on Celestia's face.
"Yeah, some years ago, when I was around my 30's, I thought about artificial insemination, but while realizing the exams, I was diagnosed with endometriosis, so even if I did it, would be a high-risk pregnancy."
"But you tried anyway." said the princess sadly.
"Yes, but I suffered two spontaneous abortions. After that, I realized that I would never be able to carry a child."
"I'm sorry." Said the princess holding Celestia's hooves between hers with a caring look on her face.
"When Sunset came into my life I thought that the universe was giving me, giving us a chance to be complete, to be happy. The day I signed her guard papers was one of the happiest of my life."
"We're back."
Both mares turn their heads and saw Sunset and Pinkie coming closer to the table.
"So, 'mommies', how was the talk?"
"Your mother and I had a good time, Sunset."
"Yeah, Celestia and I aren't so different after all."
"It's good to hear that, I guess."
"Don't worry, Pinkie, it's a good thing. The princess and I, we both love Sunset and all we want is that she could be happy."
"Indeed. I know that with Celestia, Sunset is into the best hands I could ask for."
"And I know that even if she made some mistakes on the way, the princess really loves you, Sunset. And I not even want to punch her face anymore."
"Wait, you haven't given up this idea before agreed with this meeting?" asked the princess surprised
"Nah, you can't blame me for dreaming." replied the principal with a smirk.
"I have three words for you, Celestia. TO THE MOON!"
Both Celestias share laughter before the princess began to talk again.
"We should do this again."
"Yeah, my house, next time? I mean, if you have some time to spare."
"I'd love to, Celestia. We can keep in touch through Sunset's journal."
Sunset breathed relaxed.
"To be honest, this day was way better than I was expecting."
"Me too, Sunny. I guess is time to go home."
"You're right, miss Pie." said the principal leaving the table.
Once in Twilight's castle, the princess turns back the principal in Celestia and they cross the portal back to Canterlot city. After exiting in front of CHS, Celestia stretches her limbs, happy to be in her old body again.
"This was... interesting."
"It takes some time to get used to this tingling, but in a few minutes, you will be totally ok."
"Thanks, Sunset. Well, I'll take you home. Pinkie, want a ride, too?"
"Sure. Hey, we can stop at the Pizza Palace on our way."
"Sounds great, I'm a little hungry too" replied Sunset.