//------------------------------//
// What's Her Name? 
// Story: Like Mother Like Daughter 
// by I Vicious I 
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The castle lay cloaked in the stillness of the late-night hours, its towering spires reached toward a moonlit sky. A silver cascade of moonbeams spilled through arched windows, casting ethereal patterns on the cold, stone floor. Sunset Shimmer moved with ghostly silence, her steps a mere whisper against the smooth surface, as if the very castle itself held its breath.

The air, crisp and cool, carried the scent of aged wood and a faint trace of lavender, perhaps the staff had cleaned the grand hallway right before they left. The ambient sounds of the sleeping castle were a distant lullaby – the occasional creak of a window shutter, the hushed murmur of night guards that exchanged watch duties. Her every breath hung in the air, visible in the pale moonlight which created a delicate dance of mist.

Sunset glided through dimly lit corridors, the darkness embraced her like a conspirator, and concealed her presence. The only illumination came from flickering torches as they cast wild shadows that played tricks on the eyes. The faint echo of her hoofsteps resonated through the hallway, accompanied by the distant Chirp of Crickets from the castle grounds.

The tapestries that adorned the walls seemed to shiver in the night breeze, their embroidered tales narrating silent stories of the castle's long past. As Sunset walked by, she raised her hoof to brush against the fabric. The coarse texture against her hoof served as a stark reminder of the time she had once spent living within these walls.

As she the approached the throne room, the silence deepened, the heavy doors loomed over her like guardians to a secret realm. The two guards stationed at the entrance stepped forward upon seeing somepony approach, only to be swiftly rendered unconscious by a silent blast of Sunset's magic.

Sunset's stood in front of the large, ornate doors and took a deep breath, the sensation of returning here sent electric waves through her body. With a hum of her magic, the large doors creaked open, protesting the intrusion, and she slipped through into the heart of the castle's nocturnal embrace.

Upon entering the throne room, the pony was met with a breathtaking sight. The vast chamber was illuminated by the soft glow of magical sconces, which cast a warm radiance that danced upon the polished marble floor. The ceiling soared overhead, and was adorned with a celestial mural that mirrored the night sky; a tapestry of stars that gleamed in the darkness.

At the far end of the room, sat Princess Celestia on her ornate golden throne. Her alabaster coat caught the ambient light, and her flowing, ethereal mane seemed to shimmer like strands of liquid sunlight. The room was silent, save for the distant rustle of Celestia's feathers as she adjusted her regal posture.

The atmosphere carried a sense of reverence, with an almost imperceptible tension that underlined the quietude. The pony could taste the anticipation in the air, a mix of excitement and trepidation, like the charged air before a magical display. As Sunset advanced towards the throne, the taste of the air changed subtly, hinting at the magic that permeated the throne room.

Celestia felt an overwhelming sense of both joy and sorrow when she laid her eyes upon the faded yellow mare. 

"Hi, Celestia," greeted Sunset. Her tone, quick and informal, would have been deemed extremely disrespectful from anyone else. However, coming from Sunset, it added an extra bite to her words. Sunset's gaze shifted to the lavender unicorn peacefully sleeping beside Celestia, her head nestled on Celestia's wing. To maintain privacy in their conversation, a hum of magic emanated from Sunset as she enveloped the sleeping unicorn in a soundproof bubble. "You don't seem surprised to see me again. For all you knew, I might never have returned, or something worse could have happened."

Celestia smiled, as she barely managed to suppress her urge to cry. "I knew you were okay; I could sense it in my heart, and I had faith that you would return one day." she said calmly as she gently brushed her wing along the flank of the young pony in her lap, feeling a semblance of sentimental bliss at the sight of her daughter once again. Sunset pursed her lips, as she observed the tender moment. "How did you manage to infiltrate this place without triggering any alarms?" Celestia inquired, curiosity etched on her face.

Sunset shook her head and rolled her eyes, as if the answer were glaringly obvious. "Your security is abysmal here. I simply incapacitated the guards I encountered and cast an invisibility spell on their unconscious bodies, ensuring nopony would notice," she explained casually. Celestia shot Sunset a disapproving glare. "Don't worry, Celestia. I didn't harm them; they'll wake up tomorrow and just think they fell asleep on the job," Sunset reassured, her matter-of-fact tone was accompanied by a devious grin. After a few seconds of having received an annoyed stare in response, Sunset sighed and shifted her attention to the sleeping pony. With a soured tone, she inquired, "What's her name? Is she my replacement?"

Celestia's poised temperament was broken with this stab in the heart. "No, I could never replace you, I will always love you Sunset!" she exclaimed.

Sunset gave a slight turn of her head, and squinted her eyes. "Really? Let me guess, your top student who adores you is now cuddling with you in your throne room. That sounds pretty familiar Celestia," she remarked.

Celestia stood up, gently lifting the sleeping unicorn and carefully placing her back down on the throne. "How dare you say that! How could you ever think I would try to replace you? You are my daughter, no matter what!" Celestia walked forward, her tone stern as she administered a dressing down upon Sunset. "Nopony could ever replace you, and furthermore... "

Sunset Cut Celestia off. "If you cared, why didn't you come after me? Do you realize how alone I felt?" The weight of her words hung in the air as tears welled up in the corners of Sunset's eyes. Celestia, with a stern expression, took a deliberate step forward, positioning herself protectively in front of Sunset. A charged silence enveloped them, each locked in a gaze that conveyed unspoken emotions, before Celestia at last shattered the stillness.

"I wanted to - so badly, but deep down, I knew it wouldn't benefit either of us. You had to navigate your own path, face challenges, and yes, even experience failure. I always intended to be here when you returned and needed support." Celestia's words hung in the air, met with a stunned expression on Sunset's face. "That's why I won't impede you now; I have faith that you'll return to me when you're ready."

Sunset bit her lip and turned away, not wanting to admit defeat in lieu of there being a semblance of truth to her words. Celestia sighed, "also, I don't need another castle destroyed fighting another family member" she quipped, a wry grin lighting up her face. The remark elicited a small smile from Sunset, who swiftly attempted to conceal it with a quick sweep of her hoof to her mouth.

Sunset kept her gaze fixed on the floor, reluctant to meet Celestia's eyes as she studied the unforgiving surface beneath her. She struggled to find the right words, she eventually mustered the courage to lift her eyes and connect with Celestia's face. There, she was greeted by the same motherly smile that had been etched in her memory from the first day they had met.

Sunset turned away, her hooves resonated on the floor as she trotted back towards the grand double doors of the throne room. Celestia's words resonated within her, and created a conflict between the wisdom of her mentor and her own aspirations. Standing at the entrance, Sunset began to close the doors. Just before they sealed shut, she turned to face Celestia. The warmth of a familiar smile played on the lips of the sun princess. "Goodbye, Mom, I love you," Sunset whispered softly as the doors closed behind her.

Finally dropping her smile, Celestia started to cry softly, and managed to mutter "I love you too" to the now closed door. 

As her tears persisted, the initial gentle sobs escalated into an intense and aggressive bawling. The room echoed with the raw emotion of Celestia's anguish, the force of her cries filled the space around her like a tempest of sorrow. Celestia walked over to her throne, sank into it, and observed the still-sleeping Twilight. Hot tears continued to streamed down her face. She wept into her hooves until she was exhausted; until there were no tears left. Finally, she turned her attention to Twilight, who breathed peacefully in and out, seemingly unaware of the emotional storm around her. 

With a tender touch, Celestia brushed her wing lovingly across Twilight's face. In response, Twilight twitched and sneezed, reacting to the gentle feathers. She smiled down at her slumbering student, and whispered, "I won't repeat the same mistakes. I can't." The resolve in her voice echoed through the quiet room, and signaled a commitment to change and grow.