“So, what does your father do for a living?” Shining Armor asked, making Sunset almost slip in the snow, traces of her mirth going up in a puff of snow.
“Wh- Where'd that come from?” she asked as she turned to him, making him take a surprised step back.
“Well, it's been on my mind since I talked to Twiley this morning,” he replied, making Sunset raise an eyebrow.
“I … never told you?” she asked, getting a flat look from him.
“Sunset, for the longest time, I thought you were an orphan. You never talked about your dad.”
“Right...” she replied as her ears fell, getting an alarmed look from Shining.
“I mean, if you don't want to talk about him—“
“I can, it's just … difficult,” she quickly replied, her heart aching in reflection to their reunion yesterday. They walked on for a moment longer, Sunset taking in a deep breath, before looking to Shining. “My father, he studies magic, particularly in restoring old forgotten spells, for the Institute of Magical Preservation. He's really proud of it too.” She then adopted a small smile, “He actually asked if I'd like to check it out sometime...” she added, making Shining appraise her for a moment, before nodding to himself.
“Are you happy?” he asked, making her blink in confusion.
“Huh?”
“That you two got back in touch?”
“It hurt … getting back together,” she admitted, looking away as she did. “Our pride kept us apart for so long. But, he was the one waiting. I-” her eyes started to well up, making her glare at the ground. I'm not gonna cry again. Not in front of Shining, or anypony else, dang it! “I feel … muddled,” and drained. “Happiness is in here somewhere,” she said as she placed a hoof on her chest, “I know it is, but I'm still sorting it out from everything else.”
“...I think I understand,” he replied, before adopting a small smile, “Guess it was a good thing Twiley and Trixie were with you.”
“Yeah, I don't think I could have done it without them,” Sunset said quietly, a smile on her face.
“Are you going to invite him?” he asked in an oddly curious tone, getting a considering look from her.
“You mean for the feast?” she inquired, getting a short nod. “I … don't think I will. We've already lined up tomorrow evening together, along with some distant relatives I haven't seen since...” she let her sentence peter off before letting out a sigh.
“Sounds like tomorrow's a big day,” he said, getting an unamused look from her.
“It's Hearth's Warming—“
“And this time, you're spending it with family,” he added, giving her a smile that warmed her cheeks.
“Yeah, with family...”
Following that, they continued their trek to the castle in silence for several minutes, giving Sunset some time to sort through her feelings, before bringing herself back to level ground, lest she drain herself again. She wasn't fond of the notion of oversleeping two days in a row. And as she got her thoughts in order, something completely obvious decided to come to her attention.
That being the stallion walking at her side.
“S-So,” she began, blushing at her stutter, “Shining, how've you been these last few years?” she asked, getting a troubled look from him.
“It's been all over the place," he admitted, "I'll tell you what, the academy is a lot rougher than anypony feels like admitting,” he said, adding an exasperated sigh. Images of Shining Armor tripping and crashing through an obstacle course came to mind, getting a short chuckle from Sunset.
“I heard boot camp was the worst part,” she said, getting an agreeing nod from him. “Honestly, I'm impressed you made it.”
“Oh ye of little faith,” he replied in a deep voice, “I'll have you know that I made all the others look like foals!”
“Really?” Sunset asked with a raised eyebrow, making Shining's ears drop.
“Okay, not really. It was rough. And I mean really rough,” he then adopted a smug smile, “But I managed,” he replied confidently, getting a small smile from her.
“Clearly,” she replied, tilting her head as she gave him a coy look. “Tell me, how'd you get Captain of the Royal Guard so quickly? How long have you been back?”
“I got out of the academy a little over a week ago, actually.”
“So you were named captain right out the gate?” she asked, failing to hide her impressed tone.
“That's right!” he replied, chest puffed out at hearing her surprise.
“How?”
“How'd you become one of Luna's students?”
“I hatched Spike,” she replied flatly, positive he knew that. Shining's ears fell briefly.
“What I was going for was-” he then shook his head, “You tried your best, right?”
“Right,” she replied, before blinking in realization, “Oh, I get it. You tried your best too. But, is that really enough to nail Captain of the Royal Guard, at your age?”
“Well ... there may be some talent and luck involved in that too,” he replied sheepishly, getting an inquisitive look from her. “I managed to impress Sour Night, the former captain, early on. That's the luck part, as for talent...” his horn then glowed, wrapping the surrounding environment with a small pink shield that molded perfectly to the surroundings. “I've been told that my barrier magic rivals old Prismashield the Dauntless.”
“R-Really?” Sunset asked, wide-eyed, “Then, that means at the very least, you could shield all of Canterlot if you wanted to!” Even I would find that challenging!
“Haven't tried it,” he admitted as his magic winked out, “But with some prep' work, I think I could.”
“And being the big brother of one of Luna's students had nothing to do with it, right?” she asked in a playful tone.
“Hey,” he said defensively, “I'll have you know I kept Twiley in the dark about my application for the post.”
“I was just teasing, Shining,” she said in a cool tone, “I know you wouldn't do something like asking your sister to put in a good word for you,” she added, getting a surprised look from him. A look that made what she said play out through her head, making her blush at the unintended compliment.
“Th-Thanks,” Shining replied sheepishly, before clearing his throat. “I'm still getting familiar with the castle guard, but it's going smoother than I thought it would.”
“Maybe helping at the end against Shadow Flare has something to do that,” she remarked off-hoofedly, eyeing the castle gates as they came into view.
“Probably...” he replied, both falling silent before they reached the castle grounds. Shining then coolly addressed the two guards overseeing the entrance, giving Sunset a moment to appreciate the castle beyond.
The front face of it was scorched, burnt marks reaching out from the balcony of the old room for Luna's former students. The space itself was draped over by loose cloth, and materials were resting on the loft, waiting to be put to use once the holidays were past. There was a crater in the courtyard, filled in by snow, fire having licked the surrounding statues and bushes.
“-And our good Ms. Shimmer here seemed concerned about you,” one of the guards pointed out, making Sunset's ears perk up. Her body felt rigid as she felt her coat start to go from orange to red. Slowly turning her head, she looked to the guard she'd addressed back when the castle was under Shadow Flare's control, a devilish smile on his face.
“R-Really?” Shining Armor asked, getting a nod from the guard, who was easily older than Sunset and Shining combined.
“That's right Captain! In fact, she looked quite bothered when I told her you were-” Sunset gave him a glare; a pleading, threatening glare. The old stallion was unaffected. “-summoned by our newest princess.”
“I was worried about a good friend, alright!” Sunset let out, getting a small chuckle from the stallion, making Shining clear his throat, his coat starting to match Sunset's.
“That's all, carry on,” Shining said in an commanding voice, making the guards stand at attention, giving him a salute as he briskly trotted onto the castle grounds, Sunset a pace behind him.
“So ... you were worried about me?” Shining asked, breaking the awkward silence that fell over them, making Sunset eyed the snow for a moment before looking at him
“Is that surprising?” she asked, “I didn't know your shield magic was so strong, so I thought you'd been sent to the moon like the Shadowbolts.”
“So, you were worried about me,” he repeated, a bright smile on his face, as if it were the best news he'd heard all year.
“I- That is-” Sunset let out, before biting her tongue. Oh come on Sunset, just spit it out and get it over with! “Yes. I was worried about you... Were you worried too?” she asked, looking to him from the corner of her eye.
“A little,” he said, sounding like he wasn't bothered in the least, making her ears fall, which he noticed. “I mean- Yes, but not a lot,” he quickly emphasized, getting on odd look from her, “When everything went down, Princess Luna seemed confident that everything would be alright. Seeing her faith in the three of you was inspiring. I understood where she was coming from.” He then nodded to himself, “I had a good feeling you'd be able to manage Shadow Flare,” he then gave her a small smile, “But that didn't stop me from running when I heard the commotion.”
They both then paused, reaching the scorched stairs to the castle, where the 'battle' ended. Sunset's eyes drifted towards the burnt balcony, before looking to the spot Shadow Flare stood when she released Celestia. Despite the wintry chill in the air, she could feel the heat from that battle, and the sad smile on Flare's face as she resigned herself to her fate.
“That was what, the seventh time the courtyard's been destroyed?” Shining asked, pulling Sunset from her recollection as she winced at the number, “Since you three became Luna's students, that is.”
“I don't really keep count,” Sunset replied, certain this was actually the ninth time. “Shouldn't take much effort to fix. If Trixie and Twilight were here, we could get it done very quickly.”
“I can picture that,” he said, pulling his eyes from the mess as he turned to the castle. “Do you want to talk to Celestia first?” he asked, getting a considering look from Sunset, before she nodded.
“Yes. I'm curious to know what she wants to talk about,” ...And I have questions, she thought, glancing to the side, before turning towards the castle. “Is she with Luna?”
“Pretty close. She's staying in her own room,” he explained, the way he said it getting a curious look from Sunset.
“Celestia has a room? As in, not a guest's room, but a personal room?”
“Yep. Princess Luna had one prepared a long time ago.”
“Huh. Luna really was counting on that prophecy...” Sunset said, frowning at the idea, before heading into the castle.
“Prophecy?”
“Twilight has a book Luna gave us, full of poems that appear prophetic,” she explained, letting out a small sigh. “I might just give Luna a piece of my mind concerning that.”
“Since she counted on all of you because of an old book?” he asked, getting a nod from her, “Okay. Just keep in mind, as Captain of the Royal Guard, I'm obligated to get in your way if you attack her highness,” he said in a playful tone, making her raise an eyebrow at him.
“As fun as that would be, I wouldn't attack Luna. Not for that, nor for anything.” She then adopted a smug smile, “Not that you could stop me if you tried.”
“I wouldn't know about that,” he replied confidently, “I pushed back Shadow Flare's shadows pretty effortlessly,” he added coolly. “And she seemed to be putting you through the ringer.”
“S-She tricked me, alright,” she replied, glaring at nothing in particular. Well, besides her lack of foresight. “If I hadn't wasted my magic-”
He placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder, making her flinch in surprise, her mood switching from upset to flustered so quickly that she ended up confused. “I mean- That is...”
“Sunset. What happened, happened,” Shining said, “What's important is that you learn from it, and don't let it happen again,” he said, prompting her to look him in the eyes, before giving him an agreeing nod. “So, the next time somepony bigger than you decides to have a chit-chat—“
“Don't go at it alone, and don't get caught off guard,” Sunset finished. She then held her head up, a fiery look in her eyes, “Better yet, magic first, questions later!”
“Well, I wouldn't go that far...” Shining replied sheepishly.
“Yeah, I think next time I'll just open up with a binding spell, then a magic lock,” Sunset continued, a sinister smile on her face, “Then once they're bundled up and in the dungeon, questions!” she declared, sounding very into the idea, which got a small laugh from Shining. “You think I'm joking?”
“No, not at all,” he replied with a smile, “Kind of feel sorry for the next villain you come across,” he said, getting an unamused look in turn.
“Yeah, just what I need,” Sunset grumbled, “Another foe under my hoof. Then it'll be even more 'Sunset Shimmer the Hero'!”
“That's really bothering you, huh?”
“Why shouldn't it? I didn't see a trace of anypony else getting credit!” she said as she turned towards Shining, “Where was Trixie the hero, or Twilight!” She then scoffed, “For that matter, you should be getting credit too, since you saved the day at the very end!”
“I wouldn't know about that,” Shining replied, getting a confused look from Sunset, “I'm Captain of the Royal Guard after all. Being a hero is sort of part of the job.”
“What, so ponies expect you to be heroic?” she asked, surprised by the notion.
“Kind of, I guess? Being a guard is like being a Shadowbolt, only with a lot less fame.” His face then scrunched up, “And a lot less cloak-and-dagger for that matter. At least, that's the impression Sour Night gave me about being captain.”
“That's not really fair,” Sunset replied in a put off tone as they reached the stairs leading up to the princesses' rooms.
“Maybe, but I don't mind,” he said with certainty, “I didn't join the academy to become a hero. I did it to protect what's important to me.”
“Wow, how original,” Sunset replied sarcastically, getting a small laugh from Shining.
“It's not like my motivation needs to be original for it to be important, right?”
“I guess,” she said, before glancing to the side, “It's just, everypony has something they want to protect, right?”
“Well, yeah,” he replied, before adopting a sagely look, “But we're all busy ponies. It's nice to count on others to help us protect what's important. Like how everypony counts on Princess Luna to protect Equestria. I guess I just want to be more on the active side of protecting than the typical pony.”
“Well, it kinda helps if your special talent is protection magic,” Sunset replied with a small smile, getting a sheepish look from him.
“True enough. But, I think I'd still take this path, even if it wasn't my talent.”
“Yeah, you probably would. We have to protect what we hold dear, right?” she asked, getting a nod from him, which made her adopt a determined look, “Which is why I'm going to ask Luna to set everypony straight!”
“Princess Luna is busy,” a guard they were passing decided to chime in, “and she doesn't wish to be disturbed at the moment.”
“O-Oh,” Sunset replied, caught off guard by the fact that they'd reached their destination, making her look to Luna's door. She then blinked, spotting a new door in the hall, opposite Luna's. It had Celestia's cutie-mark branded on it. “This … hasn't always been here, has it?”
“The room itself has been here for a long time,” the guard replied, “From what I was told. The door however, is new.”
“Celestia wanted to see Sunset,” Shining pointed out, getting a nod from the guard, who turned to Celestia's room, and gave it a soft knock.
“Highness, Ms. Shimmer and Captain Armor are here to see you.”
“Please, let them in,” Sunset heard from the other side, prompting the guard to open the door for them. Shining invited Sunset to enter first, which she took, stepping into the unfamiliar room, her mouth falling open as she entered.
How did Luna keep this hidden? Sunset thought wide-eyed, seeing a circular room with a domed, opaque crystalline roof. Half of the walls were crystalline too, letting in all the daylight the afternoon sky had to offer. On the opposite end was a balcony, granting view of the eastern horizon, where the sun rose. Despite all the light, the air was cold, making Sunset look around, spotting a fireplace, its hearth cold with neglect.
On the wall adjacent to the fireplace were paintings, and a number of portraits of ponies Sunset didn't recognize. There was one in particular that caught her eye. A unicorn stallion and mare, both carrying features shared by Celestia and Luna.
Sunset's eyes then shifted to the room's owner, blinking in surprise.
Celestia sat on the stone floor, next to what was likely the biggest bed in Equestria. She was wrapped up in the blankets, a pile of books cluttered around her. On an ottoman close to her was a silver tray boggled down with snack-cakes. Her disheveled pink mane reached to her shoulders, a strand running past her face as she looked to her guests, adopting a conflicted smile as she closed the book she'd been occupying herself with. Despite her large stature, she seemed small, the aura of presence she wore as Shadow Flare nothing but a distant memory.
“Highness,” Shining began, standing tall as he took a step forward, “I'm aware that you only summoned Sunset. Shall I take my leave?”
“Please, stay, Mr. Armor,” she quickly replied in an almost tired voice, “I have nothing to hide here, and see no reason to exclude you.”
“About that,” Sunset began, approaching Celestia, “Why'd you summon me?” she asked in a hard tone, prompting Shining to give her a subtle look that she took notice of. “If I may ask,” she quickly added. Celestia glanced to the side for a moment, as if prepping herself up for something, before looking Sunset in the eyes.
“I wanted to apologize to you,” she said resolutely, getting a surprised look from Sunset.
“What for?”
“I, as Shadow Flare, intended to fuse my shadow into your being...”
“But that was as Shadow Flare,” Sunset pointed out, “You're not her, you're Princess Celestia,” she said, making the princess look away for a moment.
“Please... Call me as you call my sister.”
Without the title? Sunset thought, before nodding to her.
“As I said, that was Shadow Flare. Far as I'm concerned, you and her are two different ponies, so you don't need to apologize.”
“I can't ignore what we did- What we tried to do,” Celestia replied, a guilty look in her eyes, “I feel like I've wronged you, and I at least want to be able to offer—“
“I said no,” Sunset said sternly. “I don't want it. You owe me nothing, Celestia, so just drop it,” she said, getting a surprised look from Celestia. Shining then cleared his throat, getting a look from Sunset as he stepped close.
“While I'm quite fond of your forwardness, maybe some kindness would be nice too?” he whispered, making her blush, his words reminding her of who she was talking to.
“S-So yeah, no apologies needed,” Sunset added, looking to Celestia for a moment. Kindness, huh? So I need to be more considerate ... as always, she thought, her ears briefly falling, before she adopted a determined look. “So, how have things been since yesterday?” she asked, before grabbing onto the thread she offered, “Are you going to attend the feast tonight?” she asked eagerly, hoping that was the case.
“I've declined my invitation,” Celestia said frankly, pulling the book she'd been originally looking through closer.
“What? Why!?” Sunset asked, taking a step forward, brow furrowed.
“I would feel … out of place.”
“Out of place?” Sunset mirrored, blinking as she realized the position Celestia was in.
She'd been locked in the sun for one thousand years, and hours after leaving her prison, she lost her only friend. Out of all the ponies in Equestria, there was only one who could claim to understand Celestia.
“What about Luna? She'd be there. I know she'd make you feel welcome.”
“Yes, she undoubtedly would,” Celestia replied, an odd and familiar gleam in her eye as she said it. “But I do not wish to trouble my sister any more than I already have.” She then pulled the blankets closer, opening her book, as if trying to say that the conversation was over.
“And you think closing yourself off in here isn't causing Luna any trouble?” Sunset asked with a raised eyebrow, getting a considering glance from the princess. “I saw her cry when she welcomed you back the other night. I can't recall ever seeing her cry!”
“As I said, I don't want to cause her any more trouble, which staying in here should accomplish,” she replied, the glint returning, a shine Sunset recognized; pride.
She was resolved to stay out of Luna's way, her pride setting her on the belief that it was the right thing to do.
That's right, Sunset thought in realization, The shadow was drawn to light. It was drawn to me because I was radiant. Celestia, she was radiant too. So she's similar to me in some ways. Sunset's brow then furrowed, Or maybe it's more that I'm similar to her?
“Celestia,” Sunset began, looking to draw on those similarities, “the shadow was drawn—“
“Call her Shadow Flare, or simply Flare,” Celestia quipped, giving Sunset a small glare, before blinking, and glancing to the side. “I'm sorry, but please use her name.”
“I understand,” Sunset replied, recalling Flare's feelings towards freeing Celestia from her possession. “Shadow Flare was drawn to your loneliness, born from the 'light' you cast, just as she was drawn to the envy my 'light' cast.”
“Yes, what of it?” Celestia replied, making Sunset frown.
“What was your light?” she asked, getting a considering look from Celestia, before she gave her attention back to her book.
“It doesn't matter,” she replied, leaving Sunset standing there speechless for a moment, before she adopted a frustrated glare.
'It doesn't matter'!? It does! That's what caused all this, isn't it!? Sunset took a heated step forward, She said that just to shut me out! That stubborn royal pain in the- Before Sunset could open her mouth and voice her thoughts, Shining placed a hoof on her shoulder, making her flinch in surprise, prompting her to turn towards him with a glare.
He matched her glare with a cool look. His eyes were calm, and he was giving her a reassuring smile, and those forces combined worked wonders on blowing out her fuse. She blinked, looking at him for a moment longer, before glancing to the side, letting out a small sigh. Dang it. Why'd Twilight have to leave so early? She's much better at dealing with this than I, she thought as she glanced back to Celestia, who was busy looking over her literary shield.
Sunset looked from the princess, to Shining, considering how to approach this. She wanted Celestia to go to the feast, to be happy, and to make Luna happy. So how was she supposed to do that? She considered it for a moment, before adopting a determined look.
“Celestia, you should go to the feast,” she insisted, getting a glance from the princess.
“I said no,” she replied, her tone just as unyielding as Sunset's.
“And I'm saying otherwise,” she replied, making Celestia raise an eyebrow at her.
“You think to command a princess?” she asked defensively.
“Funny, I don't see you wearing a crown,” Sunset replied snidely, getting a flustered look from the white mare.
“Why- Why are you so insistent!?” she asked, getting a soft look from Sunset.
“Because, you'll never end your loneliness by staying in here.”
“...I know that,” Celestia replied, her ears fallen as she looked to the window. “I know. But...” Her sentence trailed off, making Sunset look out the window as well, her eyes widening as she realized a similarity between them.
Celestia reaching out of her regret-coated shell, was similar to Sunset reaching out to her father. There was a fear behind their in-action. An unreasonable, self-obsessed, pride-born fear. One that kept Sunset away from her father for far too long. One the kept Celestia to this room. She was afraid to reach out, because she didn't trust herself anymore. Celestia felt as if she had betrayed her sister, and possibly Equestria.
As if seeing the heart of the problem for the first time, Sunset was hit with an epiphany, understanding what needed to be done. And it was something her friends would have beaten her to, had they been here at this moment.
“Celestia, can I be your friend?” she asked, getting a surprised look from her company. Celestia gave Sunset a blank look for several seconds before letting out an unexpected bout of laughter.
“Be friends, after we were nearly yelling at each other?” she asked, making Sunset let out a sheepish laugh.
“I have a bad habit of yelling at ponies, especially ones I like.”
“I wasn't aware I'd 'earned your approval',” she replied, a warm expression on her face.
“I may be a little narcissistic,” Sunset admitted, “Stubbornness tends to catch my eye.”
“Ahh, so she admits to being stubborn,” Shining chimed in playfully, making Sunset blush, which prompted more laughter from Celestia.
“Th-That aside,” Sunset said, trying to hide her embarrassment, “from what Luna's told me, I'm pretty sure you're the kind of pony I'd like to call friend.”
“Well, that's reassuring...” Celestia replied, putting her book to the side.
“Celestia,” Sunset began in a teasing tone, “are you really somepony who'd be content sitting in a room for the rest of time?” she asked, prompting Celestia to raise an eyebrow.
“Care to guess what being trapped in a bright yellow ball for one thousand years does to somepony's patience?” she asked almost whimsically, getting a hesitant laugh from Sunset.
“I-If you can joke about it, then things are already looking up, right?” Sunset asked, making Celestia blink in surprised.
“Yes. I suppose you're right,” she said, her smile becoming more serene. A smile Sunset was used to seeing on Luna's face. Their statures and colors were different, but there was little doubt to the fact that Luna and Celestia were sisters.
“So, you're going, right?” Sunset asked with a hopeful smile, “It's the Hearth's Warming Feast. I can't think of a better time for you to reconnect with Equestria.”
“I know my sister is eager to meet you,” Shining chipped in, “If you can be friends with Sunset, then you're practically already Twilight's friend!” Celestia looked between the two of them for a moment, before adopting a coy smile.
“I'll think about it,” she replied, making Sunset raise an eyebrow at her.
“So, since you're Luna's older sister...” Sunset began, deciding to take a page from Trixie's book, “Have any embarrassing stories about her?”
“You want to hear a story? But all that is practically ancient history,” Celestia replied, before her eyes widened at the crone-ish implications. “A-Actually,” she added in a flustered tone, “Yes, I have plenty of stories.” She then adopted a considering look, before she started to smile in recollection. “Oh dear... Which to choose? Oh, I know! This may surprise you, but between the two of us, I was the well behaved sister.”
“You don't say?” Sunset replied, with a touch of sarcasm.
“Indeed, it's true, and how it vexed her so,” she said, a fond glint in her eyes. “'Luna, why can't you be more like your big sister' they'd say. She always made the cutest face when they lectured her.” She then began to laugh, bringing a hoof to cover her mouth, “This one time, she tried to prank me by dropping a bee hive on my head. Didn't quite work out as planned. Suffice to say, she couldn't fly straight for days.”
Her laughter was golden, bringing a smile to her company, making Sunset nod to herself in understanding. “So- So naturally,” she managed to get in between her giggles, “it was easier for me to capture her, and coddle her for her foolishness.” The mental image of the always wise and composed Luna being coddled, disgruntled in the process flashed through Sunset's imagination, eliciting a short laugh from her. “Oh how I miss those days,” she added, a bittersweet smile on her face, before she appraised Sunset. “Now, I may be a millennium out of touch, but I'm pretty sure you're supposed to reciprocate,” Celestia said with a playful smile, making Sunset blink for a moment, before adopting a considering look.
Thinking on it for several seconds, Sunset picked out a tale of her own, in similar nature to Celestia's. It starred Trixie being the fool, the mare being coddled by Twilight in the aftermath as Sunset berated her. And in that vein, Celestia and Sunset swapped stories for a little over half an hour, both enjoying the exchange. Things shifted when the princess gave Shining Armor a considering look.
“What of you, captain? Have you stories to offer?” Celestia asked. Shining was caught off guard by the question, quickly losing himself in thought, before adopting a rueful smile.
“Six years ago,” he began, “Sunset and I were looking for a gift to buy Twiley for Hearth's Warming.” Sunset tilted her head in recollection, before her eyes widened, her face flushing.
“Let's not tell that one,” Sunset quickly said, getting a put off look from the stallion, getting a curious look from Celestia.
“Oh? Why not?” the princess asked innocently, prompting Sunset to look from her to Shining. “Go on captain, continue your tale.”
“Well, she insisted on a copy of...” he then frowned slightly, “I don't remember what the book was, but I knew Twilight wouldn't like it.”
“It was a book on the theory of relative magic,” Sunset replied, upset he forgot that detail, making him nod.
“Right! That was it. I wanted to get her something she could share with her friends, but Sunset wasn't having any of it—“
“So we talked it out like civilized ponies and chose to do both. The end!” Sunset concluded, getting a flustered look from Shining.
“Civilized ponies, eh? That's a lot more tame than the version I recall,” he replied with an raised eyebrow, making her turn to him.
“And that's as tame as it's going to be. I was a stubborn mule, okay? I don't want to share that story,” she explained, getting a concerned look from him.
“Even the part when we found out Trixie makes for a poor Spike-sitter?” he asked, getting a small smile from the mare, which she quickly hid. The two continued bickering over the memory, oblivious of the princess watching the exchange. Celestia's eyes looked between the two of them, adopting a knowing smile, before she cleared her throat. They both looked at her, having actually forgotten about her for a moment, making them both blush in unison. The sight made Celestia giggle.
“H-Highness?”
“What's so funny?”
They asked in unison, making Celestia wave a hoof in an assuring gesture, while trying to control her escalated laughter.
“It- It's nothing, worry not,” she replied with a smile, “You needn't finish the tale, Mr. Armor. Though I do admit-” She was interrupted by a knock at the door, making them stare to it in surprise.
“Sister, may I come in?” a familiar voice asked, making Sunset's ears perk up, recalling what drove her to the castle in the first place. She turned to the door, ready to welcome Luna inside, but she hesitated. Celestia had adopted a somber look at hearing her sister's voice. She then glanced to Sunset, considering something for a moment, before taking in a deep breath.
“You may,” Celestia replied, the door opening in short order, Luna wearing a surprised look when she noticed Sunset.
“Ah, I suspected you were here,” Luna said, glancing between Sunset and her sister, before adopting a hesitant smile.
“You wish to speak with her,” Celestia stated flatly, getting up, wearing the blanket as a robe as she walked towards the balcony, “Don't mind me, I have some words to share with the captain anyway, then I'll need to be getting ready.”
“Getting ready?” Luna asked curiously, before her eyes widened in hope.
“I need some fresh air, and I've heard that Ponyville is plentiful of that,” Celestia replied, giving Luna a small smile, before going outside, ushering Shining Armor, who gave Sunset a confused look, before following after the princess. Luna looked from Celestia to Sunset, her surprise evident. A childish grin followed, making her approach Sunset, catching the mare with a hug.
“I don't know what you said to Tia, but it brings me great joy! Thank you for saying it, Sunset.”
“I-It was nothing!” Sunset replied, terrible flustered, Luna's gratitude spawning butterflies in Sunset's stomach. She put a hoof around Luna's shoulder for a moment, returning the hug, before breaking free from it. “S-So, about this whole hero nonsense..." she said, trying to steer the conversation away from more unexpected praise.
“Ah yes, from the letter I received, it sounded like you were upset about that?” Luna asked, getting a firm nod from Sunset. “I admit to having given it some thought, and have a good idea on how to tackle it,” she said, a very suspicious grin on her face.
“And that is...?" Sunset asked, a feeling of foreboding coming over her.
“Sunset Shimmer, I do believe this has been a long time coming,” Luna began, standing tall as she gave Sunset a calm, warm look. “Will you take your place by my side, as Sir Tell Tale has before?”
Sunset paused, her thoughts coming to a halt, unsure if she heard Luna right.
“Huh?”
“Sunset Shimmer, will you be my knight?”