“I hope they get here soon,” Princess Cadance sighed, as she along with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna waited for Twilight and her friends to arrive. She and Luna were also nervous, due to knowing who one of the friends was. Both of them had gotten Spike's letter a few hours ago, explaining the situation
“Don’t worry, Cadance. Shining Armor should be arriving with them soon,” Celestia assured her.
There was a knock on the door and the princesses saw Shining Armor ducking his head in, “Um, Princess Celestia, there’s a pony here to see you.”
“I’m sure they can wait,” Celestia said.
“Actually, sister, I think it would good for you to see this pony now,” Luna said, with Cadance nodding in agreement.
“You know who it is, don’t you?” Celestia asked, eyes narrowing at them.
“We may have an idea, yes,” Luna answered.
“Well, if you think I should,” Celestia said hesitantly, already moving towards the door.
“Yes. You should,” Cadance agreed.
Celestia followed Shining out the door and down the hall to a room a few doors from the nursery. She walked in to find a bipedal creature standing nervously in the middle of the room. She was confused for a moment, before she noticed the hair. Despite the appearance, she would always recognise that mane anyway.
“Sunset Shimmer?” She asked, hoping this wasn’t a dream and that her former student had returned.
“Princess Celestia, I know you probably have mixed feelings about seeing me. But I want you to know,” Sunset started, with tears starting to drip down her face. “I am so, so, sorry Princess. I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I was a horrible student and pony. I did so many terrible things, I ignored your teachings and ran out on you. I don’t know how I could possibly make it up to you. But I'll-” She was shock to find herself in Celestia’s wings. “How can you forgive me so easily? I thought you would hate me.”
“Oh, my dear Sunset. I could never hate you. I was sad and scared of the dark path you were heading down, just like my sister,” Celestia assured, crying herself.
“But you were right to be scared, because I did end up on that dark road,” Sunset tried to say.
“But you found the right path again, my dear student. And you did it by yourself. And I am so proud of you for finding it again,” Celestia looked at her ex-student, a watery smile on her face.
“I didn’t do it all on my own,” Sunset smiled. “I did it with the help of my friends.”
“Yes, so Twilight has told me. I also saw what you did for the other world’s Twilight,” Celestia said.
“What? How?” Sunset asked.
“One of those rifts opened up near me, and I saw what happened,” Celestia answered.
“Oh,” Was all Sunset could say.
After that, they spent a few minutes just hugging in silence. Celestia then ended the hug and looked at Sunset, smiling.
“Now, I do believe you, Twilight and friends came here to see a baby,” she said. Sunset just nodded. “Well, let’s not keep everypony waiting.”
They walked out of the room and over to where Twilight, Shining and the others were waiting outside of the nursery. Twilight smiled at Sunset when she simply nodded in a ‘it’s all good’ way, then turned to Shining when he cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.
“Before we go in, I should probably tell you. Seeing the baby might be a bit of a shock,” he advised.
“Come on, big brother. I’ve meet babies before. I expect meeting this one won’t be any different,” Twilight said, as she and the others walked into the nursery. She smiled down at the unicorn foal, until she gasped when the wrappings fell away to revealing big alicorn wings.
The foal simply sat there cooing as Twilight stared, not believing what she was seeing. “Of course, I could be wrong,” she managed to say. Sunset stood there, just as stun, but her arm automatically reached into her pocket and pulled her phone out for a photo, the girls were not going to believe this without the proof.
“The baby is an Alicorn?!” Twilight exclaimed, as the baby continued to burble.
“It looks that way,” Cadance said tiredly.
Rarity was still in shock as she said, “But… But… But I thought Alicorn wings had to be earned by accomplishing some great, princess-worthy deed!”
Applejack nodded in agreement. “Yeah. How can you just be born with ‘em?”
“The birth of an Alicorn is something Equestria has never seen!” Celestia told them.
“It is beyond even our understanding,” Luna agreed.
“That’s not very reassuring,” Fluttershy said nervously.
“Wow! A unicorn, and a Pegasus! So, she could be a super-strong flyer and have crazy baby magic!” Pinkie exclaimed.
“Well, I know all about super-strong flying!” Rainbow bragged.
“And I can help keep tabs on your magic!” Twilight suggested.
They heard the baby starting to sneeze and stood in awe as a beam of magic shot from the little one’s horn and through a couple of floors above them.
Sunset couldn’t help but say, “The Force is strong with this one.”
“What?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow at her.
“Um, never mind. It’s a human reference,” Sunset blushed, before looking back at the baby as Celestia spoke.
“It appears her magic is more powerful than that of a new-born unicorn!” she said, after getting her wits about her.
Luna looked out the nearby window. “The crowds have already started to gather.”
Pinkie randomly blew up a balloon, then said “This Crystalling is gonna be some party!” Before popping the balloon.
“Do you think we should call it off?” Cadance asked Shining.
“Um, we’ve all faced a lot worse than baby magic,” Rainbow scoffed.
“I can’t imagine cancelling such a beautiful and important ceremony over something so potentially adorable!” Rarity commented, everyone agreeing with her.
Celestia turned to Cadance. “In light of the little one’s abilities, this Crystalling might be more important than ever. Perhaps you should address your subjects and remind them of that,” she suggested.
Cadance nodded in agreement before leaning over to kiss the baby on the forehead, as she obliviously babbled away, then walked out to see to her subjects. Twilight walked over to where Shining just stood to the side, eyes closed and snoring.
“Shining Armor! Do you have everything you need for the ceremony?” She asked.
“Huh? Oh, no! I still have to interview the honour guards, choose the purity crystal, and pick a crystaller!” Shining panicked while pacing, before sitting down shaking.
This guy seriously needs to relax and have a coffee, Sunset thought.
“Alright, take it easy. Pinkie and Sunset can stay here with me and keep an eye on the baby,” Twilight calmly said, turning to watch the baby climb onto Pinkie’s face, giggling. “Oh, if you don’t mind, Sunset.”
“Nah,” Sunset replied. “I don’t mind. I sometimes help human Pinkie Pie with babysitting, and besides, no way am I giving up the chance to look after a baby alicorn.”
“And we’ll all help Shinin’ Armor with everythin’ else,” Applejack suggested. Everyone turned to see that Shining had again fallen asleep.
“That is, if you can stay awake long enough to tell us how,” Rarity raised an eyebrow.
Yep, he definitely needs a coffee, Sunset couldn’t help thinking again.