Twenty-four years after old Lunar Lock Mirror destruction. Two years after new mirror restored.
It was almost eleven o'clock at night when Sunset Shimmer spotted the flashing red and blue police lights bouncing off the sides of the brick buildings and glass and then moments later the Canterlot City Police car they were attached to. She felt her wife’s fingernails dig into her right leg even through the denim jeans. No small feat considering Twilight generally kept them short. Normally, Sunset did not like having a hand on her while she was driving. It was an unnecessary distraction and driving in the dark was hard enough even for her sharpened senses, but she was not about to tell Twilight Sparkle no this time, not if it brought a measure of comfort.
“It’ll be okay, babe. I don't see an ambulance or wrecker truck so it can't be that bad, just breathe for me.”
Twilight swore under her breath before taking a deep inhalation to try and calm her growing anxiety. In addition to digging her fingers into Sunset's leg her own right leg had not ceased from thumping on the floorboards. “The only thing he assured me of was that she was okay, but when I pressed for details, he hung up! Why did he hang up on me?! I needed more information!”
“I’m sure Flash had his reasons.” Sunset parked their car and jumped out. Twilight fumbled with her seatbelt because her hands were still shaking and for some reason such a menial task was not cooperating and adding to her frustration. “Let’s find out.”
Twilight practically jumped from their car, forgetting to close the passenger door. Sunset closed it without comment and slowly took note of the situation. There were two vehicles in parking spaces that were currently blocked by the police cruiser. She recognized one immediately as her daughter’s Bronco. The other was an old RX-8 that was currently, or had been for a long time, sand blasted and was a battleship grey primer color. Something about that naked matte grey canvas offended the artistic part of Sunset’s soul. Her mind offering up the fire haired woman a number of possibilities. Sunset made a note to check later on what it would take to repaint a car.
Next, she noted the two teenagers sitting on the curb by the strip center sidewalk. Her daughter, Aurora Shimmer, and a boy about the same age Sunset did not recognize. Neither were restrained. Which was a good sign that things had not escalated after they had been caught doing... whatever it was they had been doing. A moment later another vehicle stopped next to their car and a man and older boy exited. It was probably safe to assume they were here for the boy in question.
“What were you thinking?!”
Sunset’s attention returned front and center. The unexpected shout from her wife beckoning her focus. Sunset marched over to Twilight and put a careful hand on her shoulder to quietly calm and reassure her love that it was all going to fine. Twilight swallowed her next scathing statement, took another breath, and nodded her thanks.
“You okay?” Sunset asked while looking over her wife's head. Both Aurora and Twilight replied with, “Yes,” simultaneously. What might have been comical, however caused Twilight’s hackles to spike once more.
“Do you know what she was doing?" Twilight spat. The question clearly directed towards Sunset Shimmer. "Drag racing! In a parking lot of all places!”
Sunset was thankful for the darkness and long shadows that were thrown around by the mixing red and blue lights. It all hid the smirk that threatened to break her parental neutral expression. Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh. Keep it together, Shimmer. Be the tough, authoritive parent. Especially with others nearby. Seriously, of all the wild possibilities of trouble that two teens, especially a boy and a girl, could get up to at night drag racing was not near the top of my list.
Sunset suppressed her inner thoughts and turned her attention next to the officer who had been leaning against his car while looking at his phone.
“Lieutenant Sentry,” Sunset said with a pleasant smile that was not condescending nor suggestive. Or at least she hoped it did not come across as such given there were persons unknown nearby. “What an unexpected surprise. Didn’t think you were working the streets anymore. Not since your last promotion.”
“Your mom knows the cop?”
Aurora Shimmer squirmed as all the eyes turned towards her and the boy who had spoken. “Just shut up, Middlebrook. This is not a good thing.”
“Actually,” Sunset corrected, easily understanding the side conversation. She silenced both of them with a side eye that was easy to see even in the dark, “it is.” Sunset's attention returned to the blue haired man in uniform who had a few streaks of gray along his sideburns and above his ears. They added to his handsome, distinguished features in her honest opinion. Flash Sentry smiled politely and gestured to the teenagers on the ground.
“Yeah, I’ve picked up a few extra patrol shifts just to make sure all that that desk time doesn’t make me slow and flabby. Plus, you know, the overtime money is nice. Anyhow, I was behind the laundromat at the end of the complex when I heard the sound of squealing tires and revving engines. I come around and see three cars finishing a race. One drove away and these two lined up for another go. As soon as they took off and reached the end again, I turned on my lights and put an end to it before someone accidentally got hurt or worse. I ran both their licenses and found no priors. After staring at the name for honestly longer than I should have needed it hit me that I recognized Aurora.”
“Are they being charged with anything?” asked the boy’s father.
“I thought it best to contact the parents first before moving to standard procedures since their records are currently clean. I could charge them with reckless driving and endangerment as well as exhibition of acceleration. Both misdemeanors, which usually means the cars would be impounded and they would find themselves in lockup until you came to get them. Points on their licenses and fines, sometimes community service. That depends on the mood of which judge you get. It's selfish, but I was hoping to avoid the excess paperwork. But if you think it’s best to make this official to teach them a lesson we can still go that route.”
“I would rather not.”
Sunset nodded, “Agreed. I think, if you are willing, we can handle the proper punishments ourselves.”
“Absolutely we can!” snapped Twilight. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?! How embarrassing this is for me?! Your Aunt Cadance and your cousin are at our house right now! I was just talking about how wonderful my girls are and how you and Sunna never cause any real trouble! Now what is she going to think? That I am a liar! Or worse, a bad mother!”
“Okay,” Sunset turned to Twilight and leaned in close. “I need you to calm down, babe.”
“I AM CALM!”
“Twi, I love you, I respect you, and I trust you with my life, but I think it might be best if you let me handle this one.” Even in the dark and under the shadow of Twilight’s black framed glasses Sunset could see her wife’s disapproving scowl, glassy eyes welling with barely contained tears. She could see her wife was an emotional wreck, both relieved and infuriated at the same time. However, Sunset held up her hands defensively and stood her ground. “I need you to look at this honestly and objectively, Twilight. We both know I have more experience with delinquency and can relate to her better on this topic. I think it would be best if you head home now before Cadence starts to think something bad happened and we’ll me you there. It will give you a chance to cool off and clear your head. Then we can talk punishment, okay?”
Twilight’s face scrunched up and twisted unpleasantly as if she had just bitten into rotten fruit, but ultimately relented. “Fine. You talk to her first. But I will get my say in.”
“Absolutely.” Sunset turned back to find that the boy was already walking away next to his father while the older one, presumably an older brother, moved to the driver's side of the parked RX-8. She returned her attention to Flash Sentry, who had been waiting patiently. He smiled at her. It was warm and honest and brought back memories that she had not visited in many, many years. Sunset always thought he had a great smile. It was one of his best features. “I assume none of this will get you in trouble? You have your own life and career to think about.”
Flash shrugged, but Sunset knew that playful little smile of his. It was flirtatious and yet also fraternal. One that spoke of history between them and no hard feelings. She had seen it on his face many times. The face of the boy who was now a grown man that was still after all these years always happy to help and back Sunset up on whatever she needed. Whether it was fighting out of control toaster robots or providing a lift after an unexpected car break down. It was that honest smile and helping hand that had drawn her to him when they first met freshman year. When her intentions then had been anything but pure. When they had both been young and had a lot to learn.
You are going to be a good husband and father someday, Flash Sentry. I know it.
“Since the others are now out of earshot," Flash said softly, "I think I can safely say I would likely have it much worse if I had to book my captain’s niece at the station. I don’t think either of us would hear the end of that. And then that would get to the media and I know Twilight has reason to worry about her company’s reputation, even if it does not affect you directly as much. Rumors, speculations, social media shit storms, blah, blah, blah. You know I’m not a fan of 'who-you-know' favoritism and this has to be a one time thing, but if the parents can handle this it will be better for everyone, don’t you think?”
Sunset extended her hand and Flash took it and shook. They held their gaze for what some might have considered slightly longer than courtesy required, but their mutual history allowed for it. She owed him a hug and maybe a lunch later when this was all said and done. Perhaps more. They were friends, Sunset reminded herself. They needed to stay in touch. That was a concern for later, however. Flash was doing them all a huge favor and a certain teenage daughter of hers would be made aware of that. Sunset glanced over her shoulder to make sure Twilight was back in their car before holding out her hand to Aurora.
“Keys.” The item in question laned in Sunset’s hand without protest. “Get in.”
With one final wave, Sunset climbed into the driver’s seat, making a few adjustments for her two meter tall frame, and drove away as soon as her daughter was seat belted in. However, she did not turn to head home. Aurora noted the detour immediately.
“Uh, Mama…”
“Okay, to start with you should know I agree with your mom. This was really foolish and I do want to know what you were thinking.”
Aurora sighed and groaned, lightly hitting her head against the window glass with an audible thunk. “I wasn’t, okay? Is that what you want to hear? I was just trying to have a little fun with some friends. The parking lot was empty. No one was going to get hurt.”
Sunset stopped harder than necessary and the sudden, jerky movement shocked the younger Shimmer as the seatbelt locked and bit into her shoulder. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but from what my eyes could see the parking lot narrowed right there at the end where the strip center turned the corner and the back of that Mexican restaurant create a kind of alleyway. And, oh yeah, let's not forget that it's also a BLIND corner. Anyone could have been driving up the other direction while you two were trying to slow down. That’s a head on collision, maybe even worse. Trust me, car accidents are not as fun as they look in the movies. Your mom nearly died once when we got rear ended right into an intersection.”
Aurora just crossed her arms and pouted, slouched in the chair with her eyes straight ahead. Sunset took that as her cue to continue both driving and voicing her thoughts.
“I get it.”
“Uggghhh! Here it comes.”
“No, seriously, mini-me. I do.”
“I hate that nickname. I’ve always hated it. It’s stupid. This whole thing is stupid! I could have been doing so much worse things.” Sunset clenched her teeth and fought to keep her face from twisting, but knew it was still twitching. There was just something about having a teenager snap back that made Sunset want to make incredulous faces and her ears to fold back. “I just needed some stress relief! My head feels like it is going to explode!”
“Like I said, I get it. I had my fair share of problems as a child too.”
Aurora growled and slapped both her hands over her face. Even before her daughter continued, Sunset could feel that the dam holding Aurora's emotions completely broke. “You were not even a child! You were a goddamn pony! My birth mother was a fucking horse from another dimension! And I. I turned into a fucking horse unicorn! I walked through a piece of concrete and found myself in a castle in another universe! That’s so messed! I am so screwed up from all of this it’s not even funny! And I can’t tell anyone, especially not my friends, because who would believe me about magical pony land and magic mirrors and shit! And you are trying to just be the 'I'm the cool mom, it's all good I can relate' about? Seriously?!
“Are you even really my mom? Huh?! I mean, did some guy stick his dick in a horse and here I am? Or was I just adopted by a magical alien? Was that cop my dad? You two were smiling way too much and he has blue eyes like me! I think about this sort of crap every day now! This, all of this, is all so messed up and has been stressing me out for almost two years and you are trying to bullshit me with the ‘you get it’ line?! Who the fuck even are you?!”
“Enough.”
“No! Don’t you get it? I‘m a freak! Because you’re a freak! What even am I, huh?! You have never been fully honest with me on anything! Did I come from a donor or did you just magically spawn me from Hell? Am I a monster? Why was I even born to begin with?! What's the truth, what's a lie? What is anything?!”
“Aurora Shimmer! I said that’s enough!” Sunset raised her right hand, which caused the girl to recoil a bit. Sunset had to stop the SUV again and clenched her fists in air. She had never had to strike either of her daughters more than the lightest spanking or tap on the head when needed. She was honestly terrified to do more for the same reason she had to let go of the steering wheels so as to not risk causing severe damage to the vehicle. Aurora had seen Sunset bend solid metal and other objects with inhuman levels of strength despite her attempts to not 'show off' in front of them. It took several more calming breaths before Sunset felt confident enough to continue driving.
“M-Mama?”
Sunset took the wheel again, her eyes straight ahead. “Sorry. You hit a few nerves there. Also, I am once again going to owe my mother another string of near sobbing apologies.”
“What do you mean?”
Sunset glanced over to her daughter, taking everything in. Her wild pink and red striped hair was currently pulled back into a ponytail and her piercing blue eyes were wide and glassy, filled with genuine concern and all the emotional turmoil that came with being a teenager. She was still wearing her cashier’s uniform with name tag and apron from the small mom and pop grocery store she worked for mostly hidden by her faded blue hoodie. It didn’t clash too badly with her pale golden skin tone that was a lighter shad than her mother’s. Much like a teenage Sunset Shimmer, in more ways than one, Aurora could make just about any clothing choice look fashionable.
Sunset and Twilight had both agreed that if Aurora wanted some extra income for herself to pay for her car and personal expenses, she should understand what it is like on the bottom first. And at sixteen years of age there was no shortage of things Aurora wanted to have, do, or try. The only major stipulation was that it did not interfere with her school grades. School work always came first. Naturally, Aurora objected at first. Claiming that her mom, Twilight, was plenty rich and that the idea was profoundly stupid. (Sunset noted that it was not that BOTH her parents were rich, just Twilight) Sunset and Twilight were united in agreement on the issue and Aurora eventually relented and applied for part-time jobs. The store owners, the Baskets, were good people. Sunset and Twilight had both been pleased that Aurora chose to work at their little store despite the only slightly higher than minimum wage starting pay.
Sunset finally smiled as her attention returned to the dark road ahead. However, it was a sad, melancholy smile that did not sit well on her mother's beautiful face, Aurora thought. Despite being over forty years in age, Sunset Shimmer still appeared to be in her late twenties. Twilight as well. For years, Aurora thought nothing of it, but after learning about Equestria and the world on the other side and what her mama really was...
It was then that she learned that magic was real and that her mom had been constantly monitoring the portal for activity and possible loose radical particles. She had also suspected magic was the reason they still appeared to be in their late twenties physically. Twilight had many theories and hypothesizes, but tests had not yielded any conclusive results. Aurora had always wondered what was so special about those chalk boards in the home lab that were labeled, "DO NOT ERASE!"
Learning the truth about what those complexed equations were for and that both her parents had apparently transformed due to magical surge overloads and lived had not helped her psyche. More stories came to light including magical mishaps, super powered geodes that gave their group of friends powers, and of course, learning that the woman that gave birth to her was an all powerful alicorn pony with massive wings and a horn.
“I never really appreciated how deeply words can cut when they are aimed to hurt, coming from people you love the most,” Sunset finally said. “Sure, I’ve had plenty of others insult and try to cut me down over the years. Nobles, snobby upstarts, people or ponies who thought they could get under my skin. Later, I had to deal with other parents who thought that just because I'm an artist and sound engineer they could insinuate that I'm not important and that I'm just mooching off Twilight. But they didn't know me, none of them did. I could take anything they said about me and shrug it off because I knew then and know now that I am better in every way that matters.
"However, when I was about your age. I was easy to anger. And when I got angry, I got mean. I used to lash out at my mentor and teacher and I chose my words deliberately. I was angry. I wanted to hurt her. I was quite hormonal and impulsive and arrogant and I thought I could rule the world if I really put my mind to it. At the end, just before I fled Equestria, I said some of the meanest things I could think of just to try and get a reaction out of her and dammit, did she have a poker face. But now I know, despite how cool and collective she appeared, I was hurting her so, so damn much. Just like you did to me.”
“But, didn’t you say that your teacher was also your mom?”
“I didn’t know that at the time… but she did. Still kind of a sore spot. I’m mostly over it” Mostly
“I… I’m sorry. I’m just… I don’t know why.”
“Shhhhh. It’s okay… well, it’s not, but it will be. I just wish you had come to me or your mom about how you felt. Especially since you couldn’t confide in your friends about it. I guess I forgot for the most part about how much of a shock to the system it is to find out we are not alone in the universe and that just across a magic mirror is something most could only dream of. I was so messed up when I first came here. Even after I was taken in and healed up by medical professionals I was still stewing with distrust and full of confusion on how to actually live. I didn't trust anyone. I didn't have anyone to talk to about what was bothering me. The whole world put me on edge and the only way I could protect myself was to lash out first. It was a lonely, dark path. Not something you want to go through.”
Silence hung as Sunset made her way towards their home, continuing to take the longer, scenic route. Twilight would likely gripe about how long they were taking, but at the same time, she was smart enough to figure out what Sunset had been up to. If nothing else, Cadence would be there to help her calm down.
“So, what happens now?”
Sunset glanced to her daughter before turning her eyes back to the dark road ahead. The allegory was not lost upon the former Equestrian. She shrugged and said, “Now, we go home, we hope your mom has cooled off, and we talk about what punishment best fits the crime. If she is still boiling then you let me deal with her and you go to bed and we talk about it in the morning, but either way the talk is going to happen.” Aurora had nothing to else to add to that statement and sat quietly for the remainder of the ride.
Once safely back in their driveway, Sunset took note that Cadence’s car was still parked off to the side. Sunset made a point of not handing the keys back to Aurora. She did not object or throw a fit, which Sunset felt was a point in her favor. Unsurprising, everyone was still awake and in the living room once they entered.
Twilight jumped from her seat, but bit back whatever she was going to immediately say when she caught the pleading look in Sunset’s eyes that was begging for calm and collective the clam and collective Twilight Sparkle. After a taking a deep breath with a swish of her arm, which brought a small smile to Cadence’s face, Twilight asked, “Are you okay?”
Aurora sighed, shoving her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. “You already asked that, but yeah.” The teenager paused and glanced up to meet her mother’s slightly wet, amethyst eyes. The fire of defiance and sharp retort dying in her throat before she finally shrugged. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you or make you mad. I just needed to do something spur of the moment. I… Mom, I think I would like to see a therapist.”
Twilight glanced up at Sunset who smiled and nodded.
“I can make arrangements with my doctor or one of her colleagues as soon as they are available. And thank you for the apology, but that still does not get you off the hook for… drag racing of all things.”
Sunset stepped up and slipped a hand between the pair. “We already had this discussion. I think it might be best, since Sunna is already in bed, if we sleep on it an-”
“Did you win?”
All the eyes in the room turned to the teenage boy who suddenly felt sheepish for speaking up. Sunset could not control herself and began to snicker. Aurora smiled at her cousin, Azure Light, while Cadence and Twilight both looked slightly taken aback by the question.
“Yeah, twice actually,” Aurora answered with momentary pride before remembering that her keys were no longer in her possession and the implications that fact came with. “But, in truth it was stupid. I shouldn’t have done it.”
“Okay, I guess we’re not sleeping on this.”
Cadence clapped her hands upon her son’s shoulders and began steering him towards the door. “Now that we know everyone is safe, we should head out. It might be summertime but some of us still have work in the morning.”
After a quick goodbye, Twilight turned back to her eldest daughter and frowned. “You know you are grounded, right? Please tell me we are on the same page with that?”
Sunset dangled the keys as emphasis. “She knows she made a mistake. Like I tried to say, we talked about this. Aurora, go get changed and ready for bed.”
“Why are we not addressing this right now?” asked Twilight, her voice layered with frustration and pleading concern.
“Because it’s late and we are all tired and liable to say something nasty and hurtful and I’ve already had enough of that tonight.”
Twilight jerked back and quickly glanced back and forth between her daughter and her wife. “What? What did she say?”
“Nothing that can’t wait to be addressed in the morning. Seriously, I did WAY worse things… not that that is an endorsement or a recommendation. I’m just saying, in the grand scheme of 'BAD' it could have been worse and she just has to accept that she is not good at being bad.”
Now it was Aurora’s turn to arch a brow and feel slighted. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Sunset Shimmer sighed and held up a finger. “Remember the time you tried to steal a toy from the drug store under your shirt, but it was painfully obvious?” Second finger. “Or, how about the time you thought you could get away with blaming your sister for the broken glass to Grandma Velvet’s China cabinet?”
“Technically, that was both their faults since they were trying to play baseball in the house.”
“Ohhhh, or time you tried to impress your friends when you stole your mom’s experimental hover board and ended up breaking it because it was not ready.”
“Uggghhhh!”
Twilight rubbed her temples. "You were lucky it did not spontaneously combust!"
Sunset spread her hands and motioned with her hands to try and entice her daughter into making a flippant comeback. “Do I need to go on? I have a few more.”
“No.”
Sunset sighed dramatically but smiled. She stepped up and wrapped her arms around her oldest, who tried to pull away from the hug, but not terribly hard. Twilight smiled at them both and quickly trapped the teenager between them eliciting another groan of rebellious embarrassment. The two adults however did not let go and instead pressed their foreheads together while maintaining their hold.
“Mama! You’re going to suffocate me with your boobs!”
“Well, at least it will be done with love.”
“And we do love you, Aurora. With all our hearts. Never forget that,“ Twilight quickly added.
“I LOVE EVERYONE!”
Twilight gasped as arms from an unexpected eleven year old wrapped around her waist and found their way to further trap her sister in the group hug.
“God! Not you too!”
“You’re supposed to be in bed,” Sunset added, but Sunna just smiled and pressed her face into her mother’s back.
“I’m seriously just going to let one rip if you people don’t let me go.”
Sunset and Twilight quickly backed away and both gestured to the stairs.
“Bed.”
“Both of you,” Twilight added.
Once Twilight heard the two bedroom doors close, she slipped an arm around her wife’s waist and cuddled close. “Were you a terrible filly?”
“The worst. Honestly, we have lucked out. She’s smart, they are both smart. Aurora’s is just trying to process all the different junk going on in her head in addition to growing up. Throwing magic mirrors and other dimension in on top of that didn’t do her any favors. But I think in time she will be okay.”
Twilight nodded. “I was the perfect child. I did not do anything wrong.”
Sunset reached down and grabbed a copious about of Twilight’s left butt cheek eliciting a pleasurable squeak. “Your dad said you blew up the garage when you were ten, burning a chunk of your hair and most of your eyebrows off. That’s why your parents gave you the backyard lab for Christmas.”
“You were not supposed to remember that story.”
Sunset grinned. “Eidetic memory. Works even better when your mom saves the pictures as evidence.”
Twilight jutted out her bottom lip and pouted. “Shit.”
“LANGUAGE!” shouted Sunna before scrambling away, revealing that she was, in fact, not in her room.
“BED!” Twilight shouted before gasping as she was scooped up bridal style by her amazon goddess of a wife.
“As you wish.”
Twilight giggled and happily wrapped her arm around Sunset Shimmer's neck and nuzzling into the embrace. Everyone was home safe. The sun would rise tomorrow. Everything was going to be just fine.