“What’s her punishment again?” I repeated in surprise and a mix of disgust. I really didn’t believe what I heard.
“Rebuild the school entrance with Snips and Snails,” Luna repeated. I glared at her, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Both sisters flinched at my outburst. And rightfully so I suppose. I rarely cuss at school or ever really. I have to be really mad to cuss. “She’s injured! And is just a kid. Same with Snips and Snails. We legally can’t make them do this!”
“So we just leave them with no punishment?” Celestia sighed. “Be realistic Cheerilee. We have to punish them somehow!” I fixed my glare on her instead.
“Suspend them. Give them detention or ban them from after school events for a year! They aren’t trained to build an entrance. If it falls apart because they built it and it kills someone, that’s on you two. Not on me or them. Secondly, neither of you have even told their parents. And thirdly, this is unpaid illegal labor of a minor,” I snapped.
“They are also getting detention and banned from all school events from a bit,” Luna explained.
“And we need a school entrance Cheerilee. We can’t just have a giant gaping hole in the wall!” Celestia sighed.
“Then I’ll pay someone to fix it. End of story,” I snapped.
“You don’t have to. It’s going to be fixed regardless,” Luna announced.
“Well Sunset isn’t doing this. Call Snips and Snails parents or I will. And you can take that as a promise,” I stepped out of the breakroom before they could reply and slammed the door shut. I stormed down the hallway. I stopped and stared at Sunset, Snips and Snails laying down bricks and sighed before continuing forward.
“Sunset, Snips and Snails,” I called out and the three slowly turned to face me.
“Yes Miss Cheerilee?” They all three asked in unison cautiously.
“Quit working. Snips and Snails, your parents are being called right now. Sunset, you’re coming with me,” I announced. The three gratefully set down their tools and sighed. Snips and Snails sat down while Sunset started to wander off. “Sunset. Come back. We’re taking you to the doctors to get checked out.” Sunset paused and shook her head slowly, tossing me a sad look.
“I want to be alone.”
-------------------------------------------------------------
I paced back and forth the foyer of my house worriedly. Glancing at the clock didn’t help. One a.m. The Fall Formal had ended hours ago and I still was worried about Sunset. The memories of tonight raced through my mind. Like I said before, if I didn’t see it all with my own two eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. Girls with wings, magical crowns and a world full of pastel colored ponies and a pony princess.
It was such a crazy night. When I became a teacher, I assumed it would be less chaotic. The most I assumed I would have to do was break up a few fist fights. Not become a mind controlled soldier to take over another world by a magical being. I had never even imagined this would happen. Not even in my crazy middle school years when I imagined anything was possible. Hell, I believed that robots could turn into cars and other appliances. Now that I think about it, if a world full of ponies existed, does any other planets have life? That would be groundbreaking. I kept pacing back and forth, listening to the rain pounding on my roof and glass windows. Only in Canterlot can it switch from snowing to raining in a month or so. A loud knocking sound came from my front door and I ran to it hopefully, unlocking it and swinging it open. My eyes widened at the sight in front of me. Sunset stood in front of me, clothes drenched with water and her hair flattened against her head from the rain.
“Uhm hi. Is it okay if I come inside?” Sunset whispered. I gave a quick nod and grabbed her, pulling her inside and shutting the door.
“Go into the bathroom and take your clothes off. Wrap yourself in a few warm towels and I’ll make some hot chocolate and food for us both. That way you don’t get a cold,” I told her sternly. She gave an unconvinced nod as she walked away. I whistled as I stepped into the kitchen and started pouring water and hot chocolate powder into the chocolate maker, turning it on. I quickly set two mugs down before turning to the fridge and grabbing some spaghetti from the fridge. I pulled two plates down and microwaved Sunset’s first before mine. I balanced our plates and cups in my hands before returning to the living room where Sunset was waiting.
“So where did you go?” I asked as I sat down. I slid her food and hot chocolate to her and she sighed, ignoring the food. She wrapped a hand around the mug.
“Fluttershy took me to the doctors. She refused to leave me alone,” Sunset admitted nervously. “She shouldn’t have even made me go.”
“And? What did they say?” I leaned forward, worried. I hope it wasn’t super serious.
“They gave me some pain medicine to take and bandaged up my injuries. I lied to cover up what had happened,” she wrapped her arms around her legs.
“Where are the medicine bottles at?” I asked as she patted her pocket and I nodded. “What was that all about, Sunset?” Sighing, she looked away.
“I was a bitch. I ran the school with an iron fist and bullied everyone. Blackmailed everyone to get what I wanted. I sabotaged Rarity and Lyra during the Fall Formal and Spring Fling respectively,” Sunset shoved her face into her lap and I sighed.
“You’re not a bitch. You just made a mistake. We all make them. It’s what makes us human,” I chided. “Don’t say that about yourself.”
“I could have killed Princess Twilight and the others. I enslaved you and the rest of the school to invade Equestria. And I turned into a demon,” Sunset said dryly. “That’s more than just a mistake. Not to mention the mistakes I made before. You don’t know anything about me.” We made eye contact before I broke it sighing.
“I want to know the real Sunset Shimmer. Tell me everything.” She gave a startled look my way before nodding.
“You know how Princess Twilight is from another world of ponies?” Sunset asked me.
“Yes.”
“I’m from that world too. I’m a unicorn in that world. I was a powerful one who was Princess Celestia’s prized pupil till we had a fight and I ran away, angry at her and the world. I jumped through a magical portal and ended up here. I abandoned everypony I cared about because I didn’t get made a Princess. I was selfish and stupid to demand that she make me a princess,” Sunset squeezed her legs tighter to her chest. She was quiet as I absorbed the information I just received.
“So hold on. Princess Celestia?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Yes. She and Princess Luna ruled Equestria together. Princess Luna was banished to the moon for her crimes after she tried to kill her sister and take over all of Equestria,” Sunset explained. Now THAT was a lot to take in. I know they fight sometimes, but I don’t think Luna would try to kill Celestia. Then again, I didn’t think there was a portal to a different dimension in my jobs front yard either.
“Wow. What was the fight over?” I asked curiously. Sunset sighed again and wiped a tear away.
“I never cared for making friends. I didn’t know how and I only cared for studying. Princess Celestia ordered me to make friends and banned me from the library till I did. I tried so hard to do it but I just couldn’t. I snuck back into the library and started reading some books. She and two royal guards found me and she confronted me, mad. She said I didn’t even try to make friends. I called her a hypocrite and that she didn’t have any friends and that I hated her. I ran away and overpowered two royal guards who were guarding the room to the portal, flinging them against the wall till they were out of breath and jumped through the portal,” Sunset finished explaining, full blown crying this time. With a sigh, I stood up and sat next to her, hugging her. She hesitantly leaned into it.
“So that’s why you said you liked hay and daisies,” I smirked. “Makes a lot of sense now.” We sat in silence till I forced her to drink more of her hot chocolate.
“Can I ask a uh question?” Sunset’s eyes flicked up to me.
“Yes of course,” I nodded and drank from my own Best Teacher mug Derpy got me last year.
“Does this change you wanting to uh adopt me? This changes a lot,” Sunset mumbled and I had to strain to hear her.
“It does,” I sighed after a moments hesitation. Sunset’s eyes went wide and she wiped another tear away.
“O-okay. Sorry for asking. I’ll uh be going and get out of your hair then,” she slipped out of my hug and stepped to the door. I was slightly frustrated she just wrapped towels around herself and didn’t change her clothes. I could have phrased this a bit better. I quickly stood up myself and stood behind her.
“If you leave right now, I’m calling the police and reporting you as a runaway,” I said calmly. She froze with her hand on the door handle.
“Why?” She managed to get out. I took a deep breath.
“Because. I already signed the papers the other day. Storm Rain is a friend who works in the adoption agency and forged a bunch of papers so I could do this. That’s what the papers she dropped off were. To adopt you,” I said. “It’s already done,” I tapped on a folder of papers on the bookcase near the front door. “It’s all in here.” Sunset turned around, letting go of the door handle and picked the file up with shaky hands, opening it and reading the papers. She dropped them to floor and tackled me in a hug.
“Ow!” I mumbled, rubbing my head. I was gonna be feeling that in the morning.
“Sorry,” Sunset said softly. “Why did you do this?”
“Because you’re a smart, strong young women who deserves a chance. And you make my life so much better than it was before. And you make the house seem so much more lively,” I hugged her back.
“Thank you. Thank you so much,” Sunset mumbled into my neck and I felt warm liquid on my shirt. It was slightly uncomfortable because of how warm the tears were but eh. She’s worth it.
“Ready to go back to the living room?” I asked as she let go of me.
“Yeah.” We both climbed up from the floor and stepped into the living room, sitting in our respective chairs. Her eyes flicked to me as I ate some of the pasta, looking for a TV show. I quickly settled on Blue Bloods. Good cop show. Highly recommend.
“What do you want me to call you?” Sunset asked suddenly as I wiped my mouth with a napkin. I glanced over at her and was happy to see her eating finally.
“Cheerilee is fine. Anything you want to call me is fine really,” I smiled at her. She nodded at me before speaking. What she said next made everything inside feel warm.
“I think I’ll go with Mom.”