Observing Sunset
Chapter Ten “Observing Sunset”
Sunset was not particularly thrilled about her current circumstance, being confined to a pony’s side, but it was made outright unbearable since he was a talkative idiot. Surprisingly, Peter wasn’t quite as enthusiastic about the situation either, having been taken away from his marefriend. Yet, he went along with Celestia’s advice, escorting Sunset around Canterlot, Ponyville, and other locales in Equestria with a smile. Sunset bemoaned at the aspect of being stuck with this pony for three months, but she took it as an opportunity to learn about him, should the opportunity rise to take the crown again.
Peter never realized it, but ever since they left Canterlot together, Sunset Shimmer had been watching him out of the corner of her eye diligently. If it had been up to her, she would never have given her associate a second glance. In her opinion, interaction with ponies had nothing to do with the study of magic. Ponies were troublesome, and very few of them interested Sunset in any way. Peter came off as aloof and dimwitted, further fueling Sunset’s curiosity of how the stallion managed to become a knight in the first place.
Sunset’s demeanor softened. Maybe there was something to learn. If Peter could become a knight, there was hope for her yet to continue her studies, and considering Celestia spoke highly of this crazy stallion, Sunset was ready to study his every action to get what she wanted. She had a motive. Now, she just had to practice patience.
The first time Sunset noticed Peter was in Ponyville, the stallion spoke sporadically with a pink mare. They were pulling some sort of prank on another mare with a rainbow mane. It was juvenile, considering his knightly status, but everypony seemed to laugh genuinely, even after the one called Rainbow Dash tackled him to the ground and locked her hooves around his neck from behind in a submission hold. He was a knight, yet everypony in the village spoke to him freely. There wasn’t a hint of intimidation to be felt. Peter was just a normal pony to everypony in the village, in spite of his heroic feats and knightly status.
Sunset groaned inwardly. She couldn't really remember what it was anymore that made her sink into this soliloquy, only that it was big enough to shake her from her daydreaming momentarily. The mare had no idea what to make of the loudmouth, and she frankly didn't care. This had nothing to do with her wanting to become a princess or alicorn. The pranks were only a means to get attention. Sunset immediately blocked out everything and returned her gaze to a book she was reading.
The second time Sunset noticed Peter, it was only to realize that the stallion had the attention of every single pony in the vicinity. The local klutz named Derpy Hooves had lost her grip on a rope holding a suspended piano in midair, causing the item to fall quickly towards the mare. It threatened to crush her being, but a bright yellow shield soared through the air, shattering the piano into dozens of pieces of broken wood and assemblies before it could connect with the mare.
Every eye was on the stallion as he caught his shield and helped Derpy back onto her hooves. The mare embraced him, uttering countless phrases of gratitude while tightening her hold. However, the piano and its owner weren’t quite as enthused, distraught over the prized possession that was destroyed. Yet, Peter simply reached into his knapsack, offering the pony a bag of bits to cover the damages. From her distance, Sunset could see that what the stallion offered was more than enough to pay for three pianos. He even spoke up for Derpy’s mistake, ensuring the mare was forgiven and allowed to keep her job.
Once they departed from the village, Sunset couldn’t help but ask why Peter spoke highly of Derpy. She was accident prone and bound to make another mistake sooner than later. Oddly enough, the stallion waved a hoof dismissively and simply replied that everypony deserves at least one second chance, especially if they have good intentions. Sunset simply dismissed the comment with a huff. Unbeknownst to Peter, Sunset’s attention was definitely and firmly focused on him.
She couldn’t quite figure him out. Was he forgiving or just naive? Perhaps she had more to learn than she originally believed.
The third time Sunset noticed Peter, it wasn't actually the stallion himself that she was watching. As they passed through Manehattan, Sunset listened to a pair of spectators chatter about the knight. He revealed his identity to the world, going from a no-name to a celebrity overnight. Plus, Princess Luna deemed the stallion her personal knight, a considerable feat since the mare was not particularly known to be open or friendly.
A pair of spectators seemed like they were not in a fond mood. Judging from their freshly-pressed dresses and permed manes, they were high-class. They went on, saying it wasn’t right that a country bumpkin slithered his way into Canterlot and rose above the ranks of most aristocrats in the world in little to no time at all. To Sunset’s astonishment, Peter passed by the mares, not paying their words any mind, and they immediately fell silent upon receiving his gaze.
The stallion simply shrugged and joined back with Sunset. When he glanced over, he saw that their body postures were stiff and faces dark. He soon chuckled sheepishly, lightly informing the mares that they had every right to feel the way they did. Even now, he didn’t believe the position he was in, but the stallion offered a vow to protect the land, the princesses, and all inhabitants as long as he drew breath. The high-class mares simply shared a smile as he left their vicinity.
Sunset’s demeanor softened once more. Peter would never abandoned his roots, holding a sense of humility and humbleness that made him approachable by everypony. Her mentor always carried herself as such, hence why they had a firm relationship. With a simple nod, Sunset took note. If she was going to become a princess, maybe it was time to lighten up.
-u-
For a while afterwards, there weren't any specific moments that Sunset noticed Peter, and that was most troubling, even as they traveled to Saddle Arabia, the Crystal Empire, and Baltimare. Still, she never went out of the way to watch him. That would have been too troublesome, seeing as Peter was a very energetic individual. Still, her mind simply collected what information it could about the stallion.
Peter never brought attention to himself. He was an outworlder, but the stallion acted no differently from anypony else. He was quirky, talkative, and surprisingly dorky. Sunset learned through many conversations that Peter was a college pony that was often picked on in school. With his strength to shatter stones and defeat dragons effortlessly, it was a wonder that Peter simply kept his powers hidden to preserve a sense of balance.
Then, she learned of his philosophy: with great power comes great responsibility. Just because he had his abilities didn’t mean he should use them freely. Sunset found herself irritated the more she watched him. Peter was reminding her more of Celestia, an all powerful pony with a very laxed persona. They both only wanted to make the world a better place with their power, but they held onto their morals. Power wasn’t everything to them. For Celestia, her pupils and sister were more important than her own status as princess.
That was the fourth time Sunset noticed Peter. She asked why he wanted to become a hero and knight. With a somber gaze and empty smile, he simply replied he wanted to make his late uncle proud.
The fifth time Sunset noticed Peter, everything changed. There was almost a tangible feel to it in the air. They had stopped momentarily and talked. Peter asked about Sunset and why she wanted to become a princess as fast as she wanted to. To put it simply, she felt that she was ready and felt Celestia was holding her back.
Surprisingly, Peter didn’t berate her, even after she attempted to steal to further her agenda. His response, as always, was simple yet effective. Sometimes, it’s not a matter of how fast one reaches the goal. Celestia had eons of life experience to know if Sunset was truly or not. Afterwards, Peter added that children don’t always agree with their parents, but by the end of the day, a mother only wants what’s best for their daughter.
If Celestia didn’t care, she wouldn’t have bothered in the first place or given Sunset a second chance after she ran off. There was that sense of optimism once more. There was truth to his words, as simply as they were stated. It boosted her confidence just a little. It was then that she came to realize that this wasn’t a form of punishment from her mentor, but a lesson; and Sunset was finally beginning to learn what Celestia had been preaching her entire life. The fact that it had to come from a motor-mouthed stallion spoke volumes.
For the first time since they met, Sunset uttered a soft yet genuine, “Thank you.”
After that, Sunset stopped counting how many times she noticed Peter, because the stallion suddenly exploded into this noticeable pony in her eyes. They returned to Canterlot with lighter dispositions, but per Celestia’s advice, she continued to observe his actions. As if the world had been holding him back, Peter embraced the ever stoic Princess Luna openly and gave her a warm kiss. Rumor had it that Luna was one to blast her oppressors with lightning should they cross her, but the princess faltered, holding a visible pink flush on her dark blue features. Peter just had that effect on ponies, as Sunset concluded.
For a few months, Sunset steadily opened her heart. Somehow, Peter’s energetic charm warmed her over. She was mellow, finding a way to keep the stallion grounded. Their hesitant alliance soon morphed into deep friendship. Peter personally admitted that he had a soft spot for redheads. The pair often chatted during the day. Sunset acted as an advisor for the knight, escorting him on his missions and lending advice. She was intelligent and a prodigy. Soon, Celestia moved the mare into Canterlot as a permanent resident to help her further understand the depths of friendship, and Sunset had retaken her place as Celestia’s pupil.
It was thanks in part to an aloof stallion. This conviction in Peter was startling. The way Sunset often spoke of and praised the stallion, it was almost as if she was willing to die for him. Granted, they were often on the frontlines together, and they had often saved each other’s life. It still sent a thrill of fear through Sunset, who told herself it was only because Peter was a complete idiot who couldn't handle that kind of respect. The truth was, from the gazes they shared, Peter knew exactly how Sunset saw him, and was going to do everything he could to continue to deserve it.
In the span of a few months, they filled a gap in each other’s heart. They shared a close platonic friendship, and both were perfectly content with the fact. Sunset filled in the void Gwen Stacy left as a friend, and Peter practiced patience when nopony else would. They both vowed to protect each other, both physically and emotionally. Peter would protect Sunset just as he firmly did for Luna and Celestia. As a knight, he was bound to the princesses. Once Sunset claimed the title, that vow would be solidified.
-u-
Sunset watched quietly from a distance as Celestia stood before Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn shouted at the top of her lungs, pointing a hoof angrily at her mentor. There was a twinge of guilt pulling at Sunset’s chest as she watched the spectacle. Twilight accused Celestia of leaving her just like everypony else had recently, considering she retook Sunset back under her wing. There was anger and paranoia in her voice. It was as if Sunset was looking in a mirror reflecting the past, of a time she mistrusted Celestia.
With tears in her eyes, Twilight continued to lash out at everypony around her. Celestia was ‘replacing’ her as a pupil, Luna took away something that was ‘rightfully’ hers, and Peter left the ‘nopony’ for royalty. Twilight was an emotional wreck, evident by her bloodshot eyes and venomous scowl. The unicorn cried out, claiming that she’ll never forgive any of them, and she charged out, vanishing in a burst of light.
Celestia could only inhale deeply before sighing, shaking her head sadly. Peter mirrored the alicorn’s actions, frowning. Sunset simply placed a hoof over her mentor’s, earning a small nod from Celestia. They both understood this pain of anger and regret. However, they could hope that Twilight would learn from her mistake as Sunset did. Sadly, that was not meant to be right away. That was the last time anypony saw Twilight. She left Ponyville without a trace, leaving her friends and Spike behind.
Nearly a year had passed since Sunset and Peter were assigned together. The coronation had been completed, and the headlines were already spreading. There was a new alicorn princess in Equestria, and her name was Sunset Shimmer. She hailed from Canterlot as the new wielder of the Element of Magic, succeeding the former Twilight Sparkle. Having escaped the paparazzi, the former unicorn embraced her mentor and reveled in the present. Her mane grew in length somewhat, holding a glowing yet luminous glitter. They spent years apart due to her arrogance, but here they were united, as if nothing had transpired.
Soon, the alicorn shared a glance with the stallion across the room, who stood upright clapping his hooves. Sunset managed a smile, nodding. She did meet her goal, but there was much to learn still. With a stallion as unusual as Peter, enlightenment would be challenging but ultimately rewarding. She would continue to observe him. Not as a study subject, but as a best friend.
To be continued…
Stats
Page generated in 0.015 seconds
Total duration
1,128 users online
1,681,507 hits today, 1,822,946 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Hmm that was interesting. But you kinda skimmed through ALOT. Show don't tell.
In a span of a year, Sunset Shimmer had learn many valuable things about the value of true friendship with Peter there alongside her to guide her. And through that journey, she has earned her reward that she had long sought for. Behold, Princess Sunset Shimmer! She knows not what the future has in store for her, but she knows that her past won't define, because her past is not today.
But goddammit... Twilight is becoming more bitter, delusional and paranoid by the second, falling down the same path that Sunset once walked down, and has left believing everyone has 'betrayed' and 'abandoned' her. She has really not gotten over Peter's rejection and its tearing her apart. Such sad irony. 
Well he did had one certain redhead as a blind date.
img11.deviantart.net/82d8/i/2016/271/3/a/jackpot___commish_by_ameliacostanza-daj8d75.jpg
Poor Twilight....
I would have loved to read the dialogue between the Celestia and Twilight...as well as a bunch of other stuff like the missions that Peter and Sunset went on where they would share their own stories.
Oh wow...I did not expect that. That was....wow. I don't want this story to end, it keeps getting better and better!
7830646
Trust me. I am the last person to let "show vs tell" slip by without a big fuss. However in this case and the chapter itself, it is written like this on intention. Notice how there isn't a single line of dialogue in it? ( there is a "thank you" but that doesn't count.) I'd have LOVED to have written out all of this into it's own capters. I'm a slcie of life nut who is all about character interactions. I'd have had a field day with those chapters. However, this is not a standalone series, but a spin off. Hence it's shortness and glossing of some details.
Unfortunately that is the nature of the best when it comes to spin off series. They are not intended to be a stand-alone series. In which case, there would probably been a good 5-10 chapters covering the events of this one.
However, keep in mind: Every chapter we write here, is one more chapter we could have been writing in Shattered Dimensions; which is next on the chopping block.
Reminds me of Peridot logs a good way to show character development
as for Twilight 
I already now this won't end well 
Was it really so necessary to make Twilight fall so low?
7957725
This is a spiderman story after all, it wouldn't feel right of some pony didn't hit rock bottom
Princess Sunset looks awesome!
With every web there is a shadow.