It’s too cold.
It doesn’t matter.
We’ve been in here for too long, Twilight will get suspicious…
Sunset will get suspicious.
Another splash of cold water was due. Why was her mind berating her now? Now, of all the opportunities it had to remind her of all the mistakes she made in her old life… Or… alternate life? What was this world, anyways? Some sort of depression-induced delusion? A cosmic joke presenting her with a depiction of what could have been?
I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.
Why? Everything has gone right— no banished sister, no missing apprentice, two little fillies that love you—
This isn’t right! This is not what happened!
She couldn’t be this selfish… could she?
“Princess?! Are you alright?” The voice calling from downstairs brought another fresh wave of tears. She let the faucet run again as she stared at her water-stained reflection.
Why must you tell her? her traitorous reflection asked, a clever metaphor that she herself had made to impart the well-deserved blame. The fact that her own subconscious was siding against her was, if not disturbing, worrisome.
“Because it isn’t right.” A little chat with herself always helped to set things straight. It certainly wasn’t a sign of madness…
Why? Aren’t you happy?
“My happiness is irrelevant. This isn’t right.” Celestia turned around, drying her face with a towel. Sunset is obviously worried. Twily and Luna likely are, too. She didn’t want to scare them off.
She opened the door with a glow of her golden magic, taking a deep breath before going downstairs; she absolutely didn’t want to approach her children and student with her face stained by tears. Her makeup was already ruined, and her mane a terrible mess. Another reason for them to worry wasn’t necessary.
In and out… the slower the better. Celestia was fairly familiar with stressful situations. She ruled a nation, after all. However, this one felt ten times more difficult. She felt like a little filly once again, about to be scolded by her teacher for doing something wrong.
But I didn’t do anything wrong, did I? If not… why did she feel so nervous?
When Celestia reached the library’s first floor, it was silent as a graveyard. “Sunset?” she timidly called, confused by the absence of the fillies and Pinkie Pie.
“In the kitchen, making some tea! By the way, Pinkie took the girls into town; she’s going to tell my friends about the picnic,” Sunset’s voice rang. Hearing her relaxed Celestia a bit, but since she hadn’t decided what to do about her current predicament, the familiar voice was a meager comfort.
The alicorn walked up to a purple couch, sitting down uneasily. She patiently waited until Sunset returned, but her body seemed to have other ideas. Her brain choosing this exact moment to overreact, her breath suddenly quickened, her trained psyche barely managing to hold it inside. Everything in this strange new world was trying to break her down, and frighteningly, they were succeeding.
“Here we go, all done,” Sunset said as she appeared in the doorway. “I know you like jasmine tea, but I’m all out. I made chamomile instead; I hope you like it.” That same need of approval ever present, Celestia barely crushed the urge to comfort Sunset, her mind suddenly reminding her of what was wrong with this world.
Sunset levitated the plate over to a small coffee table in front of the couch. Not missing a beat, she proceeded to serve the beverage, taking Celestia’s every movement into account in the hopes of deciphering her mentor’s ailment.
“Sugar, Princess?”
“Yes, Sunset. A spoonful, please,” Celestia said, without cracking her composure. Sunset couldn’t know anything, at least not right now.
Sunset delivered the teacup to Celestia, who grabbed it with her own magic. The delicate smell of chamomile soothed her nerves a bit.
A couple of awkward seconds passed after Sunset finished pouring her own tea. Only the heavy breathing of both mares, each worried about two different matters altogether, broke the tense mood.
Celestia’s mind didn’t have the opportunity to wander off thanks to Sunset, who gathered enough courage to address her teacher. Clearing her throat, she asked, “So… Princess, what’s new up at the castle? How are the girls doing?” Sunset smiled uneasily, another testament to her still-improving social skills.
Celestia chose her words carefully, her eyes not once focusing on Sunset. “Nothing new, really. You know how boring castle life is.” It was a pretty vague answer. Her student would probably see right through it, but if Celestia guessed correctly, Sunset in Twilight’s position wouldn’t have the bravery to argue with her teacher. Celestia had tried to correct that annoying habit, which Sunset developed early on studying under her wing, but even now, years later—in an alternate universe to boot—it came back from time to time.
“Okaaay… so, have you told them yet?” Sunset’s voice carried an air of uncertainty. She wasn’t convinced of the veracity of her mentor’s response. Yet, as Celestia predicted, she did not pronounce it.
“Told them what?” It was a reflex; Celestia hadn’t even registered the words coming from her own mouth until Sunset’s eyes widened in terror.
It all happened in the span of a second; the unicorn’s horn burst into a terrifying light show, or, for the more magically inclined, a very powerful spell. Even if alicorns surpassed unicorns by an order of magnitude, Sunset Shimmer as Twilight in this other reality was one of, if not the, most powerful unicorns to ever exist. Her spells, even for immortal beings such as Celestia, were something to be wary of.
“Show yourself, Changeling!”
What? A changeling? No! you’ve got it all wrong! Celestia held up a hoof. “Sunset, wait! I—”
“Shut up! Don’t call me that! Where’s the real Celestia?! What did you do with the children?!” Sunset roared. Her fighting instinct kicking in at full force, she prepared to unleash her spell and finish off the loathed bug-pony, but then something caught her attention.
Celestia’s purple eyes, deep pools of knowledge and wisdom, ever calm, even in dark times. Faking them was impossible. Sunset knew them too well; she’d grown up under the same loving gaze, the same patient smile…
“Sunset, listen to me, I’m not going to hurt you.” Celestia’s calm voice took hold of the unicorn, the bright aquamarine aura diminishing slightly.
“B-but… Celestia, you—”
“I’ll explain everything. Please, sit down,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. Though she had assumed leadership in this situation, inside, Celestia was utterly terrified. Not even in her wildest dreams would she have expected this outcome. Changelings? Something must have given her away… something very important that she missed from her morning routine. Then again, waking up with two little fillies claiming to be her daughters was certainly a change from her morning routine. “Well… I’m sure you—”
“Who are you?” Sunset started, debating whether or not to trust this fake. “You were acting weird. I thought you were sick or something, but… you didn’t know.” Her voice lessened as she brushed her hoof over her mane to somehow calm herself.
“Didn’t know what?” Celestia asked.
Sunset’s gaze suddenly turned back into a baleful one, her horn glowing to clarify the point.
“I’m not saying anything until you explain yourself first,” she growled.
Celestia nodded rapidly in response. “I understand.”
“Fair enough, you have my attention.”
Celestia took a deep breath; she could feel the unsteady beat of her heart in her ears. Multiple scenarios passed through her mind. Would she accept her? Would she even believe her? There was only one way to know. “I… I’m not your Celestia.”
“What do you—”
“I’m not your Celestia,” she said, interrupting Sunset by extending her hoof. “I think something else might have brought me here.” The unicorn certainly did not look impressed.
“Brought? From where?” Sunset asked, crossing her forelegs while sneering at the princess.
“That’s… That’s actually a good question, Sunset.” Celestia smiled, seeking some sort of comic relief. When the unicorn didn’t reciprocate her gesture, she reluctantly continued.
“I think that some sort of spell was cast, which brought me here from… an alternate reality.” The last part came out as a whisper, but Sunset managed to understand. It was a wild guess, yes, but it made sense; Starswirl’s mirror existed, so there must have been another way to travel between universes. Sunset hadn’t said anything yet; she was still expecting a more elaborate explanation. “I understand this might seem—”
“What? Ridiculous? Impossible? You should write Daring Do with such amazing stories.” Sunset’s voice reeked with sarcasm, her head shaking with a bitter laugh.
“Please Sunset, let me explain. Have you… Have you ever read Starswirl’s multiverse theory?” Approaching the subject from a more scientific point of view seemed to have a positive effect on Sunset’s behavior. Her expression morphed into a thoughtful one, as she cautiously nodded.
“Yes, it was his last work before he died.”
“Mysteriously disappeared. We don’t know if he actually died.”
Sunset huffed, frustrated by Celestia’s cryptic responses. “So? It’s only a theory; that doesn’t explain anything.”
“Sunset Shimmer! I can’t explain myself if you keep interrupting me like that,” Celestia said, appealing to the unicorn’s student side. Sunset was definitely more short-tempered than Twilight, and it was becoming an issue for Celestia at the moment. If she didn’t calm her down soon… she didn’t even want to think about that.
Sunset rolled her eyes, but acquiesced nonetheless, motioning with her hoof for Celestia to continue.
“Long ago, millennia before I ascended to Equestria’s throne, terrible monsters ruled the land, feeding from our little ponies’ negative emotions. Starswirl managed to banish them to another world, where their magic couldn’t harm anyone else. He succeeded, but it was already too late. The tribes became enemies amongst themselves, and Windigos took advantage of this… you know the rest.”
“Why is this important? I had history lessons too, you know.” A stern glare from Celestia quieted Sunset’s protests.
“Later on, much later, I found out that he also created a portal to travel between these two worlds. We sent some of our better soldiers to explore it, but they never came back. Since then, I have prevented anyone from accessing it.”
“A portal between worlds…? Why haven’t I heard anything about it?”
Celestia let slip a little conspicuous smile. “Ask your brother and sister-in-law. The Crystal Empire holds more secrets than you can imagine.”
Sunset suddenly lowered her gaze, as if confused about something. She rose from the couch, her brows furrowed thoughtfully. “I don’t have a brother,” she said, taking a deep breath as her voice cracked. “Only Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance live in the empire.”
Slowly, realization dawned on Celestia—realization that she had done something unforgivable, something plainly stupid. There were similarities, but also obvious differences between her world and this one. Of course things had been different; Sunset Shimmer was an ORPHAN! How could she be so clueless?
“Sunset, I—”
“I hope that you aren’t making this up,” Sunset said. Despite being dangerously close to crying, her voice was harsh and unforgiving. “Because if you are… If you are, so help me Faust, I will destroy you.”
“I-I’m not making things up, Sunset, I pro—”
“How different is this world of yours, then?”
“I don’t think—”
“Tell me!” Sunset yelled, making Celestia cringe. It seemed that she had no other choice. Denying Sunset’s request would mean another outburst from her, an outcome that Celestia was trying to avoid by any means necessary. On the other hoof, telling her would mean explaining how she had ruined her life, and replaced her with a ‘newer model.’
But what else could she do?
“First off… Neither Twilight nor Luna are my daughters.” She decided to explain this ‘easier’ part first. Maybe when she reached the peak of her story, Sunset would have calmed down a bit.
The mare made no discernible reaction; for as much as she loved the girls, she was interested in more important information.
“Luna… Luna is my sister. She controls the moon, and rules over the domain of dreams and nightmares.”
Once again, no reaction.
“Twilight Sparkle is my faithful student, the Element of Magic, and the newly crowned Princess of Friendship.”
Sunset widened her eyes, recognizing the initial description as her own. She fidgeted with her mane trying to form a coherent question. “I-I’m not your student… What am I, then?”
Tears ran freely down Celestia’s cheeks as she shook her head, the smaller mare’s voice drilling holes through her heart.
“You were my student… then something terrible happened.”
“What?”
It’s now or never, Celestia conceded to herself. “I happened, Sunset. My foolish desires and my selfishness—I changed you, turned you into a weapon. When I tried to fix my mistakes, it was too late… You were long gone.”
“G-gone? Did I… die?” Sunset asked, her voice hitching in her throat.
Celestia shook her head rapidly, the mere thought terrifying. She wanted to comfort Sunset by pulling her close with her wing. At the attempt, the unicorn backed away, slapping the feathery appendage with her hoof.
“No, Sunset… you… You asked me about the portal between worlds— how I knew so much about it?” As Sunset nodded Celestia continued, “Well, I had groomed you your entire life for a fate that turned out to be someone else’s. You weren’t the real element of magic; Twilight was, and you were furious. I tried to help, but… you ran away. You crossed the portal. I couldn’t do anything.”
“You didn’t try to search? To rescue me?!” Sunset screamed, stomping the ground angrily. Celestia instantly felt the same voice, the same anger from all those years ago, return in full force.
“I thought you were dead, Sunset! I was stupid… I didn’t want to face everything that I had done to you,” Celestia said, lowering her head in dejection.
Sunset didn’t say a word. Instead, Celestia just heard the soft ‘thump’ of the mare falling on her haunches, and sobbing faintly into her hooves.
Celestia wasn’t faring any better; her ethereal mane seemed to have lost most of its colorful shine, fading into a more grayish hue. What could she do now? She wanted to hug Sunset, to tell her that everything was going to be fine, but she knew her love wouldn’t be accepted, and… and that was alright. She’d screwed up— she had to deal with her own mistakes.
She’d have to learn something eventually.
Sunset mumbled something unintelligible, her head shaking as if talking to herself. Celestia scooted closer to the yellow mare, trying to decipher what she was saying, but her attempt was short-lived. Sunset suddenly raised her head, tears no longer streaming from her eyes.
“What… what happened to her? Sunset? The other Sunset, I mean?” she croaked.
Celestia blinked, confused at being suddenly addressed. She licked her lips; forming a veritable answer was more difficult than she expected.
“She came back.” Sunset’s ears perked up for a moment. Then Celestia continued, “When Twilight ascended to alicornhood, the other Sunset tried to steal her crown, the element of magic, a mere week after her coronation. Twilight and her friends from the other world managed to stop her, and helped her onto a path of redemption.”
Sunset nodded absentmindedly at the explanation. It was surprising how she still stood after receiving so much disconcerting news. She was a strong mare, Celestia knew that, but how much more could she take before she broke down?
“Sunset, for everything that has happened, for everything I’ve done, I need you to know that I’m sorry. I-I’ve got nothing else to say. Over the centuries, I’ve destroyed countless lives with my foalish actions, but what pains me even more is that I keep making the same mistakes. I’m an old mule, I will never learn. I’d like to ask for your forgiveness.”
Labored breathing… but nothing more. No screaming? No cursing? The quiet, more than Sunset’s crying, was unbearable. Celestia had to know—would she forgive her? Just let it go like nothing happened? I wouldn’t, Celestia reminded herself with a bitter laugh. How hypocritical of me, speaking of forgiveness when I still hold countless grudges that I’m not even willing to forget. But Sunset… she is a better mare than I will ever be.
She closed her eyes, allowing them a moment of peace. A few seconds passed, or were they minutes? Celestia couldn’t tell; her mind was busy somewhere else. The silence was ideal for her mind to wander off to more peaceful lands.
Celestia couldn’t be sure, but Sunset seemed to be mirroring her actions, if the faint breathing she heard was something to go by.
Her eyes remained tightly shut, paralyzed by foalish panic. She suddenly sensed movement, but it wasn’t until she felt warmth on her side that she understood what had happened— the single outcome she hadn’t expected.
“I-I forgive you, Celestia,” Sunset whispered, her voice muffled by the princess’s fur. Relief washed over Celestia, more quickly than she expected. She wanted to ask why— why for some forsaken reason Sunset had forgiven her. She didn’t deserve it, she’d ruined her student’s life! How…? Why…?
Sensing the bundle of nerves that Celestia had become, Sunset broke the embrace and looked up at her with a sincere smile. “I know you. You are a kind and gentle pony, Celestia, but you’re not perfect. Nobody is. If I forever held a grudge against you, I would be forgetting that single important fact.” Sunset laughed quietly, forcing Celestia to smile. “Not to mention… everything that we’ve been through together—well, the other you, but still—you raised me like your own daughter. I can’t hate you, ‘Tia, and I’m sure the other me thinks the same.”
Celestia stared with tear-stained eyes at the unicorn wrapped at her side. Could it be true? Was her mind playing tricks on her? No… the tears were real alright— warm, salty, but not sad. Not happy, either, but it was a start.
“Well,” Sunset said after a moment, shaking herself of the sadness, “you still need to explain a few things.” She giggled, poking the alicorn in her belly.
Some of the tension had left the room, now that the truth was out, yet Sunset could still see that Celestia didn’t feel comfortable enough around her. She hasn’t forgiven herself, that mare! Her thoughts made her laugh. Celestia was quite the stubborn mare; she wouldn’t accept Sunset’s forgiveness— not now, at least. .
“So… How do you think you were sent here? Some botched spell? Discord perhaps?” Sunset’s inquiry diverted Celestia’s attention from her guilty brooding. She wouldn’t press the matter now, Celestia probably needed more time to assess her thoughts.
“From what I gathered this morning,” Celestia said, clearing her throat, “Discord. While he’s not directly responsible for what happened, he definitely knows something. He wouldn’t tell me, though. He truly is infuriating from time to time.”
Sunset furrowed her brow, analyzing the situation. “If it wasn’t Discord… You mentioned the mirror— any chance you went through it without knowing?”
“None, I’m certain. Besides, the mirror only connects with one universe, as far as I know.”
The unicorn deflated at the response. She knew it was a long-shot, but it would have made sense. Sunset suddenly gasped, then ran towards the nearest bookshelf and rummaged through its contents.
“Sunset? What are you doing?” Celestia asked.
“Starswirl’s theory of the Multiverse! I’m sure you gave me all his works; maybe there’s something we can work with.”
“Good thinking there, Sunset,” Celestia said, smiling proudly. Seeing her faithful student use all her knowledge for good filled her with joy.
“Ugh, here it is.” The yellow mare pulled out an enormous book with her magic. With strange symbols carved in its wooden cover, and dust littering the brittle yellow pages, it must have been more than a few centuries old. She levitated the antique spellbook to the same table where now cold beverages stood surprisingly still, considering the events prior.
“I know the magic described here is purely theoretical, but maybe we could create something functional from it,” Sunset explained, looking for a specific page. Celestia nodded in agreement, her mind finally focusing in the matter at hoof.
“I think you are right. If my memory serves me, other magicians have tried the same, most of them royal archmages. I’ll send a letter to the archives; they can send their notes here.”
Sunset brightened at the suggestion. She had read material about this particular subject, but most of it was aimless rambling written to discredit Starswirl. To read the real magic theory—from the royal archmages, no less—was incredible. “You sure?” she asked, barely containing her glee.
“Of course I am. Well, that is, if the archives are the same here,” the Princess laughed, Sunset following suit.
“Great! Oh… Oh shoot!”
“What is it?”
Sunset face-hooved while mumbling under her breath. Ever so slowly, she looked up at Celestia, smiling nervously. “Uhh, well you see, remember that picnic I promised Twilight and Luna earlier?” she asked.
Celestia widened her eyes slightly. “I see… “
“I could call Pinkie and tell her that we can’t attend. She’d understand.”
“No, I’ll go. I want to spend some time with Luna and Twilight, you see… I missed seeing them like this—they do need me around now,” Celestia chuckled, blushing. It felt nice to confess how she felt. Keeping it all bottled up didn’t help much.
“Alright,” Sunset laughed. Looking at the clock, she added, “I think we should get going, then. I know the walk to the Acres isn’t too long, but ponies are more likely to make a fuss if they see you here.”
Celestia nodded at the explanation. As she made her way to the door, something caught her attention. Or more accurately, something didn’t. “Where’s Spike?”
“Spike who?” Sunset asked, confused.
It happened again; this world was having fun cheating her gullible mind. Sunset never had an entrance exam, so she hadn’t hatched Spike from his egg. Sadness attempted to overtake Celestia once again, sadness over what was missing; she was more prepared this time, though. She would find a way to return home—there was no point in sulking around.
Home… Where is my real home? Where indeed. She’d had this argument earlier; it was starting to become repetitive, but her consciousness was right in a way… Things had gone better here, she couldn’t deny it. It was… perfect. In appearance…
“I’ll… I’ll tell you later,” Celestia answered. “We’ve got a letter to write, don’t we?”
“Yeah, and a picnic to go to,” Sunset responded, a slightly guilty frown occupying her face.
“It’s quite alright, Sunset. I love spending time with your friends,” Celestia laughed, quickly changing the subject, which put a smile back on Sunset’s face.
“Alright then. Just tell me if you’re feeling… off about anything,” the unicorn said, closing the book she was reading. “We better leave now so we can catch up with Pinkie and the girls.”
Celestia agreed, and they stealthily left the library to head towards the acres. There was just one minor inconvenience; Ponyville wasn’t a city where important events happened often. A visit like this one was such a major occurrence that it deserved its own holiday. Sunset did not want to be faced with admirers wanting to catch a glimpse of the Sun Princess. Thus, the most sensible option, apart from directly teleporting to the farm—which was, according to Celestia, ‘a rude way to travel’—was taking Old Ponyville Path.
Known also as ‘the lovers road’ for its lovely scenery, the old roadway had been the only way of connecting Sweet Apple acres with Canterlot, as well as Equestria’s other big metropolises, before Ponyville was built. It wasn’t by any means an ugly or unmaintained road of a backwater town, but the perfect combination of versatility and the earth ponies’ connection with nature. It was absolutely wonderful.
Though it wasn’t completely silent nor deserted, the path was peaceful enough to soothe both mares’ agitated nerves. Celestia wished she had someplace like this in Canterlot to clear her mind and unwind her emotions whenever she felt down.
“Celestia?” Sunset asked timidly, pulling the princess from her sightseeing. When she didn’t continue, Celestia smiled, encouraging Sunset to finish her question. “About your world’s Twilight… How is she as your student? I mean, how much of a difference is there between us?”
Celestia hummed in thought. She couldn’t blame Sunset for still being concerned about her so-called ‘replacement.’ Hmm… Sunset and Twilight, both brilliant magical prodigies, powerful unicorns not seen since Starswirl’s era. But still… as alike as they may seem on the surface, look how everything turned out…
Apart from the obvious, Twilight was more anxious than her counterpart, while Sunset was more short-tempered and rebellious. Teaching them both had been a… an interesting experience to say at least.
Sunset stared expectantly at her teacher. Her gaze too intense for Celestia’s liking, she quickly diverted the unicorn’s attention with a small laugh, gaining enough time to gather her thoughts. “Sunset, you see, my universe’s Twilight grew up in very different circumstances. Ever since she was a little filly, she studied day and night to enter my school. And she managed to get in, not by the sleepless nights with her muzzle stuck in a book, but by a fortunate accident of destiny which I’m sure you can relate with.”
Sunset’s eyes widened as her pace slowed slightly. “The Sonic Rainboom!”
“Exactly. Like you, she had a magical outburst that I had to suppress. She was an extremely clever filly. Extremely cute, too, which may be another unwritten requirement for my school,” she said, poking Sunset with a wing. Sunset blushed, letting out a small giggle. “She grew into a smart and loving mare, but I unintentionally encouraged her to become reclusive, which left her with few friends other than her family and myself.”
“Huh…” Sunset looked down at the ground, appearing to contemplate this new information. The sudden change in demeanor confused Celestia; in an attempt to encourage Sunset, she draped a wing over the smaller mare’s frame, a gesture which was quickly accepted.
“What is it, Sunset?”
“I was just thinking… Before I came to Ponyville, I was… well, as Rainbow would put it, all the fame of being your student had gone straight to my head. I mistreated other students, and heck! I even yelled at Fluttershy when I first arrived here! I’m not proud of what I’ve done…”
You’re not the only one, Celestia thought sadly, tightening her grip on Sunset’s barrel.
“Twilight chose to be left alone. I chose to hurt other ponies, thinking I was somehow getting revenge for what others had done to me,” Sunset said, crestfallen. “I wonder… what if—”
“Sunset Shimmer! Don’t you blame yourself for things long past. You and Twilight are completely different ponies—products of different circumstances. Do not compare yourself with her, it isn’t healthy.”
“But—”
“If anyone deserves to be blamed, it’s me, for not being aware of what happens with my students,” Celestia said, laughing at her own expense.
Sunset sighed, lowering her ears. Talking Celestia out of something was near impossible, and if she kept evading her questions like that, Sunset would never get to the bottom of the Princess’s problems. “Alright, but I’m not finished; I am a curious mare, y’know.”
Celestia nodded, smiling knowingly. After a couple of minutes walking in silence, Sweet Apple Acres’ trademark trees came into view, their sweet smell permeating the air while the sound of someone applebucking gradually reached their ears.
As expected, the figure of Big Macintosh appeared a couple of trees ahead of them. Sunset waved enthusiastically at the stallion, while he, at seeing the princess alongside her, widened his eyes slightly before bowing awkwardly.
Both mares giggled at the stallion’s expense. Walking in his direction, Celestia took notice of how Sunset’s cheeks slowly flushed. A devilish smile took form on her lips. A little crush, eh, Sunset? she thought, barely containing her laughter. I wonder…
Finally face to face, the stallion wasted no time welcoming his guests. “Howdy, Princess, Sunset,” he said, removing his hat. “How’re you two doin’ this fine mornin’?”
Celestia giggled as Sunset’s blush seemed to intensify. “We’re fine, Big Macintosh, thank you. We’re actually wondering if you had seen little Twilight and Luna playing around here? We’re having a little picnic here and I would rather not have my daughters destroying the barn.”
The stallion chuckled, shaking his head. “Fluttershy came here asking for ‘em, too. Sadly, I haven’t seen ‘em ‘round the orchard, but I reckon if they came here, they must be by Apple Bloom’s clubhouse.”
“Wait, Fluttershy was looking for them, too? Oh geez, that means Pinkie must have lost them on her way to Rarity’s and stuck Fluttershy with the job.” Sunset facehooved. “Somehow I knew something like this would happen.” Big Mac patted her back in sympathy.
“Aw shucks, Miss Sunset, have a little more faith in your friends.” Sunset recoiled from the unexpected touch from the earth pony. In turn, afraid of doing something wrong, he let out an awkward laugh while scratching the back of his neck.
The giggle that escaped Celestia’s lips earned her a glare from the unicorn mare. It was an interesting exchange—an encounter between a former recluse and, if what she remembered from Twilight’s letters was correct, not the most talkative of ponies.
The alicorn decided to intervene, even if the cuteness of her unresponsive student was too much to pass up. “Mister Macintosh, if you would be so kind, could you tell us where the clubhouse is?”
“Eeyup. Follow me, Princess,” he said, once again assuming his somewhat confident posture. He took a seemingly random path through various orchards’ trees, the couple of mares trailing not far behind.
With Big Mac facing away from them, Celestia couldn’t help but smirk down at the flustered mare beside her. Sunset huffed in response, choosing not to honor Celestia’s glance with a response. She focused instead on the road, the trees, the… birds? Anything that could distract her from Macintosh’s flanks.
“We’re here,” the stallion announced, stepping into a clearing after a couple of minutes of awkward walking. He pointed at the small treehouse above them, a treehouse that sadly lacked the fillies they were looking for. Luckily, the fact that the children didn’t have a habit of cleaning their own messes left them with some clues to their current whereabouts.
“What is that?”
“I’m not particularly certain, but I’m going to go with paint,” Celestia answered as she inspected the suspicious container, amused by the fillies’ antics. “It seems that they did come here at some point, so I would presume they’re somewhere around the farm.”
“They’ll probably be messin’ around the house. C’mon, I’ll walk y’all—”
“Don’t worry, Mister Macintosh, we’ll find our way to the house. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of work to tend to.”
“It ain’t a problem, Princess. I could—”
“It’s okay, Mac, we won’t get lost… I hope,” Sunset insisted, smiling reassuringly.
“Alrighty then, I’ll see y’around.” He sighed. Bowing to the princess, he turned around to continue his various jobs in the farm.
Once Big Macintosh was out of earshot, Celestia fixed Sunset with a sly smile, which the unicorn countered by glaring as best as she could, her cheeks burning a bright crimson.
Whereas teasing and taunting could be described as an area where she lacked expertise—that was more Cadence and Luna’s department—Celestia never lost an opportunity like this to participate in the tomfoolery of joking about her student’s attempts at love.
It was just too rich to let it slip.
“So… Big Macintosh? It’s always the quiet ones, isn’t it?”
“Princess! I’d never—”
“No, it’s okay to like big stallions, right?”
Sunset’s fur was, appropriately, as red as an apple. With a dumbfounded expression, she stared motionless at her tormentor, a nervous tic on her right eye the only proof she was still alive.
Celestia laughed wholeheartedly, scooping Sunset into a tight bear hug. The sudden movement broke the unicorn out of her stupor.
“I’m proud of you, Sunset,” Celestia said, confusing the poor mare even further. “Your love life is as important as your friendships. I couldn’t be happier if you and Mister Macintosh decided to be special someponies.”
“I—you—urgh! C’mon! We’ve got to find the girls!” Sunset exclaimed, her brain not quite working correctly to form a proper rebuttal.
Celestia nodded, yet a glint of her earlier giddiness remained in her eyes. Sunset stared intently at the ground as they walked—or better yet, cantered—towards what the Princess supposed was the Apple family’s house.
“So… when’s the wedding?”
“OH, COME ON!”
“Too easy, Sunny. Too easy.”