Seventeen Years Before Nightmare Moon Returns
Canterlot
Sunset Shimmer, apprentice to Princess Celestia, walked up to her master's chambers. She had a few grimoires with her, stacked in her arms. She summoned magic to her horn, and opened the doors. She walked in... Right into Celestia. Her books fell from the impact, caught only by Sunset's magic.
"Ah-Princess Celestia-!"
"Sunset, my dear student," Celestia said with a smile, "please watch my son for a bit? I need to mediate between the Griffin Kingdom and the Wulfenstein Confederacy. A war may be imminent, if I don't intervene right now."
"I-" Sunset stumbled, but instinctively she nodded, "o-of course, Princess-!"
"Thank you~!" Celestia beamed, and teleported away in a flash of golden light. Sunset rearranged her books into her arms, and closed the doors behind her. She looked around the room.
Unlike most of the rooms in Canterlot Castle, this one (while with well appointed furniture and some beautiful decor) was littered with toys, crayon drawings, and other signs of a child's residence. Said child waddled into the room proper, looking about with large blue eyes.
"Mommy?" He asked plaintively.
Sunset held in her sigh, and set her books onto a desk. She put as gentle a smile on her face as she could, and leaned down.
"Mommy had to go to work, Prince Ryan," she said, "I'm babysitting-"
"SUNNY!"
The little boy toddled over and hugged one of her legs happily. He nuzzled her knee, smearing some snack remnants onto her dress. Sunset bit back another sigh, and let the little human grab her hand. He pulled her over to a play table, covered in crayons and various drawings. She sat down and watched him scribble frantically. He held up a mess of red, yellow, and orange.
"Look! Look! You, Sunny! You!"
"Mmhm," Sunset sighed, "very nice."
"This you!"
"Really great," Sunset threw in, annoyed. Ryan set his paper down, staring at her.
"Sunny really like it?"
"Yes, I really like," Sunny deadpanned. The little boy began to tear up, and Sunny's eyes widened.
"N-No! I really do! I really do!" Sunset insisted. She quickly lit up some crayons with magic from her horn, and cast an impression spell onto a blank piece of paper. It came out as an image of the little human prince, once she held up and showed to Ryan. Sunset smiled.
"See? I-I made you one too!"
Ryan's eyes widened in amazement, and he waddled around to hug Sunset tightly... While Sunset did her best to keep him from crumpling the paper in his tiny fingers.
"Sunny! So good!"
"Ah, heh, glad you like it," Sunset said, patting the little boy awkwardly on his head. The doors opened. Ryan looked over Sunset's shoulder, and then buried his face in her chest with a little whimper. Sunset looked back, and held back a grimace.
It was Minister Black Soring, a member of the opposition party in Canterlot's Parliament. He was a tall, dark furred and maned unicorn man-With eyes as sharp as obsidian, and a pointed beard. His mane was swept back, in a shoulder length cut. His clothing was well tailored, impeccable as always. His hooves were cloven, and lined with silver.
"Apprentice Sunset Shimmer," he stated, "I have a proposal for Princess Celestia to look over before it leaves committee."
"She's out right now," Sunset said, "an emergency mediation between Griffinstone and Wulfenstein."
Black Soring narrowed his eyes.
"I see... I trust you can keep watch over these papers, as well as our princess's... Pet?"
Ryan whimpered again, and Sunset found her arms wrapping more tightly around the little human.
"Her son, you mean," Sunset hissed. Soring snorted.
"Princess Celestia is long lived. She must keep herself entertained. If she finds it in taking care of some ape that resembles a legendary human... I will not question it. But do not get too attached. She will get bored with it... As she has with many other things before."
Black Soring left the papers on Celestia's desk, pushing aside several other papers. One, a drawing by Ryan, fell to the marbled floor. Soring stepped on it carelessly with his hoof, as he headed out the doors. They shut behind him. Ryan peeked up over Sunset's shoulder, as though not sure he was really gone. Sunset sighed and rubbed his head.
"It's all right... I don't like him either," she said. Ryan beamed at her.
"Love you!" He said happily.
He threw his arms around her neck, and planted a messy kiss on her cheek. Sunny sighed and patted him on the back.
"Yeah yeah... Lucky me," she muttered.
Still, she let him scribble with his crayons, and helped him draw other things. Until he slept.
It was several hours before Celestia reappeared back in her chambers. The sun was dipping beneath the mountains, as the moon and stars began to rise. She looked around quickly, her magical senses locking onto her apprentice... And her son.
Her son was sleeping on the couch, a blanket thrown over him. Sunset was resting on the couch with him, one of her hands playing with the dark locks of his hair. Celestia smiled and swooped over, gently pulling her son up into her arms. He stayed asleep, nuzzling into her bosom. Sunset started, standing up at attention.
"Your Highness-!"
"Shhh," Celestia chuckled softly, "it's all right... Did everything go well?"
"Ah, well..." Sunset glanced aside, "yes. He got tired after running around for a while, and finally collapsed. But I didn't want to move him. Did... Did everything go well with you?"
"Oh yes," Celestia sighed, "it took a while, but both countries finally saw the wisdom of not throwing their peoples' lives away over a matter of pride. The diplomatic corps will see to the rest."
Sunset nodded.
"Good... Good," she said, reaching up to squeeze her bicep. Celestia's smile softened a bit more.
"I know you're not comfortable with foals... But you did very well."
"No, that's not it," Sunset admitted, "it's more..." She made a face.
"Lord Black Soring visited," she stated. She shook her head. Celestia nodded slowly.
"I see... And?"
"And... He said that... You regarded the prince as a... A hobby. A pet," Sunset groused.
Celestia nodded slowly.
"I am aware of that," she said.
Sunset glared at her.
"Well... Why don't you do something about him?!"
Celestia stroked her son's back, just feeling and listening to his heartbeat.
"All things come in the proper time and place," she said. "My son is my son, regardless of what anypony says or thinks."
Sunset couldn't help her next words.
"But such disrespect-!"
"If I punished everypony who said terrible things to my son, I would have no time left for anything else," Celestia said. She kissed the top of his head. "And his opinions are ill informed."
"So... He is human?" Sunset asked.
"He's my son," Celestia stated, gentle but still firm. Sunset flushed, but nodded.
"Y-Yes... But... I mean..."
"Hm?" Celestia looked over at her, curious.
"What is it, Sunset?"
Sunset looked aside.
"Whether or not he's human... He is mortal... He'll die."
Celestia slowly nodded again, her eyes far away and towards the moon.
"One day, yes... But sooner or later? We all die. Even I will pass on, one day."
Sunset's jaw dropped. Celestia didn't pay her mind. She stepped forward into the emerging moonlight, and held Ryan out just enough to study his sleeping face.
"I have loved and lost so much in my life," Celestia said softly, "but if you stop reaching out to love... You will become cold. Alone. You will never know the joys of life... Only the security of loneliness. And that security... Is little better than a prison."
Sunset stared at her mentor in silence.
"Power only goes so far, Sunset," Celestia said softly, "even my own... Is not enough to change everything I want."
Sunset nodded and bowed.
"I... I will go to my room now, Princess."
"Sleep well, Sunset," Celestia said gently, as the younger woman left the room.