Sunset's Redemption

by ThomasZoey3000

A Celestial Visitor

Chapter 8: A Celestial Visitor

Heavy rains continued to pour down from the sky, but again, Sunset Shimmer was not even focused on that, she was thinking back to what happened at the Shimmer family house, and everytime she did, she would burst into more tears and cry all over Twilight Sparkle's bed sheets. Twilight and Spike often went upstairs to check up on her, but she insisted on being alone.

"I still can't believe it," said Spike, "I'm sure she would've handled her friends ignoring her, but for her parents to do this."

"Yeah, it's not something she was prepared for. I'll admit," Twilight confessed, "that when we were writing back and forth with the journals, she said she wouldn't be surprised if her parents were a little angry at her, but to be betrayed like that, it's just something awful."

Twilight Velvet was waiting downstairs when the duo came back down, "how is she?"

"Not doing so good. We're going to wait till she calms down, then we'll see what she was wants to do." Twilight looked down to the floor unhappily, "Mom, if I was in Sunset's position right now, you wouldn't hate me, would you?"

"Of course not Twilight, your father and I will always love you no matter what you do."

Twilight hugged her mother happily, but still couldn't help but feel sad for Sunset Shimmer.

A knock came at the door. Spike went to answer, and he and the Sparkle family were surprised by the pony visiting, "I hear Sunset Shimmer is in town, may I speak to her?"

"She may not be willing to talk right now," answered Spike, "you might have to wait."

"Actually Spike," said Moondancer, "I think now is a good time for her to talk with somepony else."

The pony nodded and passed the Sparkle family, and up the stairwell to Twilight's bedroom.

Sunset was still sobbing into Twilight's pillow when she heard a knock at the door, "Twilight, I told you I just want to be alone for a while!" she cried.

"Sunset Shimmer, I want to talk to you."

The door opened, revealing that the pony on the other side was not Twilight Sparkle, it was in fact Princess Celestia.

At the Shimmer family house, Moon Crest was putting new locks on the door to Sunset's old bedroom. He was doing it with a smile on his face, "she's never getting these back," he said to himself.

He soon finished and locked up the door. Feeling proud of himself, he went to check on Sunny Rays.

"Hey, how's my favourite daughter doing?"

Sunny Rays didn't answer. Instead, she just looked down to the floor and sighed. Since her father had kicked Sunset Shimmer out, she refused to speak with him or her own mother.

"Come on Sweetheart, it's for your own good."

"But what about her? What will she do now?"

"Don't know, don't care. That girl caused us enough problems, we're not going back to that again. Now forget about her, and let's move on."

Moon Crest was about to walk out of the room when he heard Sunny Rays say, "I still love my Big Sister."

Silence filled the tiny bedroom. Moon Crest shook his head, "you have no big sister, you never have, you never will." And with that, he walked out of the bedroom and back to his workshop.

Sunrise Shimmer walked into the bedroom next, she had heard everything.

"You hate Sunset too don't you?"

Sunrise sighed and walked over towards her youngest daughter, "I'll admit, I was mad at her, even after she disappeared, but over these last few days, I've grown to love my first daughter again."

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

"I thought your father was just going to ground her, but I was wrong. But believe me, I wouldn't have wanted to kick her out of the family. No, that's just taking things too far."

"But then, why did he kick her out?"

"It's something your dad's side of the family does," answered Sunrise. "They always firmly believe there is only one side of the story, and the pony being blamed should be hated forever. His mother and his sister, they haven't spoken in years." A thought then came to Sunrise's head, "maybe there is a way to change your father's mind on Sunset. Don't worry, everything will be okay, I promise."

"I hope so, cause I didn't like seeing her sad."

"Me neither." And with that, Sunrise went to find her husband.

Sunset Shimmer couldn't believe her tear filled eyes, her former teacher was standing in the doorway and without guards behind her. She thought she knew why.

"Okay Princess Celestia, arrest me, throw me away. I surrender peacefully, though I won't be surprised if you use force."

She held out her hooves and prepared herself for the chains that would keep her from escaping. But it didn't happen.

"Sunset, I am not here to arrest you, I came to talk to you."

"And then arrest me?"

"No, I will not arrest you." Princess Celestia walked into the room, closing the door with her magic and sat next to the bed. "I saw the newspaper report on you, and I thought you might need somepony to talk to."

"I don't know about that," Sunset groaned. She wiped away her tears and sat upright, "there's nothing really to talk about."

"I think there is. Why don't you start by telling me how you feel right now."

"Alone. Miserable. Betrayed. Robbed. Honestly, the list is quite long, but in a way, I deserve this and so much more."

Princess Celestia raised an eyebrow at this, "Begging your pardon Sunset, but nopony deserves what you're going threw right now."

"How can you say that? I went aganist your wishes to leave the mirrors alone, I harmed the ponies I cared about the most, I turned friends aganist one another, I stole Twilight's element of harmony, and nearly conquered Equestria." Sunset paused and took in a deep breath as she tried to hold back the tears, "I should never have come back, cause all I was going to get were angry stares and payback for what I've done. Nopony wants to forgive me, except Twilight Sparkle and Spike."

"You forgot one other pony."

"Who?"

Princess Celestia showed a smile, "why me of course. Sunset, I will admit you were my most difficult student at times, but it doesn't mean you were my least favourite, or most hated student. You're loyal to the core, just like you always have been, and from what Twilight Sparkle has told me, your loyality has helped so much in the human world. You stopped the sirens, stopped rumors about students being spread, and even had a fundraiser for your school's new team uniforms. Not to mention you were a big help during the Friendship Games."

"Perhaps, but still, after everything I've done..."

"I was more concerned about your well being instead of being mad. I had always hoped you would come back and we could talk, and now we finally have that chance." She lifted a hoof and used it to lift Sunset's head up, so she could look her former teacher in the eyes, "I don't hold grudges aganist you Sunset Shimmer, I firmly believe that you have learned from your mistakes and deserve another chance. I will always care about you, no matter what my faithful student."

Sunset wanted to smile, but she couldn't.

"Thank you Princess Celestia, I'm glad you're not mad, but let's face facts," she paused and lowered her head again, "I'm not wanted in Canterlot, they'd sooner throw me in jail than forgive me. This whole trip was a waste of time, I should have never come back." It was no use, Sunset couldn't hold back the tears.

Princess Celestia lifted her wings and used them to bring Sunset in for a hug.

"It's okay my faithful student, just let it all out. Don't face this all alone."

"Thank you Princess," and the tears really flowed. Princess Celestia didn't mind a bit, after all, she knew what it was like.

Sunrise went out to the workshop and found her husband hard at work, he was humming to himself. Sunrise rolled her eyes, it meant, 'I don't want to hear it, so don't try talking to me right now'.

"You know Moon, I swear by Celestia's name, you are immature."

"No, I'm just chosing to ignore this conversation. What's done is done."

"You're just like your mother you know that?" she asked with a firm look. "She too holds grudges, and never tries to patch things up."

Moon Crest said nothing and went back to work. Sunrise used her magic and took his tools away, "I think it would be best if you spoke with your father right now."

"You've already told him that I'm coming didn't you?"

"Now why would I do that? It is your choice if you want to talk to him or not. Just know, this is the only way you're going to get Sunny Rays to talk to you again."

She turned and walked back to the house.

"That mare, honestly how can a Stallion finish his work when she demends something?"

Still, she gave him the firm look, so he had to go. He left his workshop and went over to his parent's place.

His father was the only one there, and surprising enough, he was standing out on the front porch when Moon Crest arrived, "Sunrise gave you the look again, didn't she?"

"How did you guess?"

"When you've lived as long as I have, you get a sense for these things. Come inside Moon, we can talk in there."

Moon Crest followed his father inside the house where he grew up. It looked just the same as it did when he was a young foal, even the family pictures of the three ponies were the same.

"I take it you banished Sunset Shimmer from your family?"

"Okay seriously, how did you know that one?"

"You take on your mother's side of the family, that's how I know, plus there's the newspaper article on her. Yes your first daughter was a little troublesome, but she didn't deserve that."

Moon Crest huffed, "I still stand by what I did, and that's not going to change, no matter what you say."

His father raised an eyebrow, "is that so? Well let me remind you of the bitter dispute between your mother and your sister. When she was younger, your sister accidently knocked over one of your mother's favourite cat statues, and as we both know, your mother does not like it when somepony touches or breaks one of her statues."

"Yeah I know that, I almost broke one once, but I caught it."

"Yes and your mother thanked you for doing that, she just gave you a warning. Your sister on the other hoof," his father continued, "was not so lucky. She got yelled at for a long period of time, and despite her efforts to make up for the mistake she made, your mother did not want to forgive her. You see, your mother firmly believed your sister knocked over and broke the statue on purpose."

"But she didn't. Did she?"

"Of course not, your sister would never do such a thing, but try telling your mother that." Moon Crest's father took in a deep breath and continued, "over time, your mother ingored your sister and then one day, she told her to leave. That was thirty years ago, and your mother has missed your sister graduating with high honors, missed her wedding and even missed seeing the arrival of her own fillies and colts. I tried to talk to your mother about this, but she refuses to forgive and forget."

"Last Hearth's warming," he continued, "she showed up during a party, you might remember that one." Moon Crest did remember as he, Sunrise and Sunny Rays had been invited, "anyhow, she came by and asked if I could give your mother a card. It was a simple holiday card which also read 'I'm so Sorry, please forgive me'. You know what your mother did? She threw it out, she didn't even read it."

Moon Crest couldn't believe it, he knew his sister had been kicked out, but he didn't think about the damage caused by the bitterness till now.

"Your sister wants us to be a family again, but as long as your mother has it her way, that will never happen."

On cue, Moon Crest's mother returned from shopping, "hello Moon Crest, it is good to see you again. What brings you out in this dreadful weather?"

"My wife sent me here to speak with dad."

"Oh really? Why is that?"

Moon Crest's father sighed and walked up to his son, "it's too late for some ponies to make amends, but don't let those actions forever keep you away from your daughter Sunset. Talk to her, learn her side of the story, you just might be surprised by what you learn. Don't go thirty years or more before you decide to talk to her again, cause by then, it might be too late."

Moon Crest was silent for a moment, then he turned to leave, "I'll keep that in mind Dad."

He walked out the door and back to the house.

"I do hope you make the right choice my son," his father said quiety. "For your daughter and family's sake."

At the Sparkle family house, Moondancer and the Sparkle family were chatting away. Princess Celestia had left sometime ago, leaving Sunset alone in Twilight's room.

"I hope Sunset's okay," said Spike, "hopefully knowing that Princess Celestia holds no grudge will cheer her up."

Hoofsteps could be heard on the stairwell. Everypony looked and saw Sunset Shimmer coming down, but instead seeing a smile, they saw the same sad look she had when she arrived at their home.

"I am happy that she forgives me, but this trip has brought about nothing but bad news and terrible memories." She looked over to Twilight Sparkle, "I thank you for trying to help, but we know this was a worthless trip."

"What are you trying to tell us Sunset?"

Sunset took in a deep breath and said; "tomorrow, I want to go home and never come back."

Comments

[Magic135]

Glad Celestia is on Sunset's side.

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

"Yeah, it's not something she was prepared for. I'll admit," Twilight confessed, "that when we were writing back and forth with the journals, she said she wouldn't be surprised if her parents were a little angry at her, but to be betrayed like that, it's just something awful."

It's just wrong for someone's own parents to do that to their child.

At the Shimmer family house, Moon Crest was putting new locks on the door to Sunset's old bedroom. He was doing it with a smile on his face, "she's never getting these back," he said to himself.

It's just a room damn it!

"I thought your father was just going to ground her, but I was wrong. But believe me, I wouldn't have wanted to kick her out of the family. No, that's just taking things too far."

I'm glad Sunsets mother still cares.

"It's something your dad's side of the family does," answered Sunrise. "They always firmly believe there is only one side of the story, and the pony being blamed should be hated forever. His mother and his sister, they haven't spoken in years." A thought then came to Sunrise's head, "maybe there is a way to change your father's mind on Sunset. Don't worry, everything will be okay, I promise."

https://m.

"You take on your mother's side of the family, that's how I know, plus there's the newspaper article on her. Yes your first daughter was a little troublesome, but she didn't deserve that."

Well, that's good to know Sunsets grandfather is on her side as well.

"Of course not, your sister would never do such a thing, but try telling your mother that." Moon Crest's father took in a deep breath and continued, "over time, your mother ingored your sister and then one day, she told her to leave. That was thirty years ago, and your mother has missed your sister graduating with high honors, missed her wedding and even missed seeing the arrival of her own fillies and colts. I tried to talk to your mother about this, but she refuses to forgive and forget."

What a sad story.

"Last Hearth's warming," he continued, "she showed up during a party, you might remember that one." Moon Crest did remember as he, Sunrise and Sunny Rays had been invited, "anyhow, she came by and asked if I could give your mother a card. It was a simple holiday card which also read 'I'm so Sorry, please forgive me'. You know what your mother did? She threw it out, she didn't even read it."

https://m.

Moon Crest's father sighed and walked up to his son, "it's too late for some ponies to make amends, but don't let those actions forever keep you away from your daughter Sunset. Talk to her, learn her side of the story, you just might be surprised by what you learn. Don't go thirty years or more before you decide to talk to her again, cause by then, it might be too late."

Mhm.

Sunset took in a deep breath and said; "tomorrow, I want to go home and never come back."

What!?!? 😨