Every action taken is like dropping a pebble in a pond, creating ripples that extend ever outward. Every choice has consequences, good and bad... Putting on a Crown may have changed Sunset Shimmer's life...but it also Changed two worlds...
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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
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Still loving this so much. Celestia and Luna are so human here, and so pained by Sunset's pain. They're right to not take everything at face value, but it does lend credence to Sunset's… behavioral issues.
Thank you.
10073927
Best advice i give to RPers and writers alike is that “characters, major or minor, are real people in their world. They should have the depth, flaws, strengths, and issues of real people. They love, laugh, cry and live lives regardless of whether you're observing them or not.”
These women might only be minor characters, but they are still people. I want them to feel real, while still being true to who they are portrayed as in the canon.
I’m glad youre enjoying the end result.
"Sore wa himitsu desu." Well now I'm even more intrigued in that secret, I'm excited to know about Celestia's backstory.
I think your phycological analysis approach to this is my favorite part.
Gosh , IMO the hallmark of a *good* SunShim story is when approaching the Sunset-Celestia relationship and their baggage, which I think you've succeeded with honors here. Also noticed some interesting bits here and there (aside from the obvious Principal Celestia hook) and I'm waiting with bated breath to see what the implications on the story will be
Also Sunset deserves all the hugs
10074187
Yeah, the baggage of the Sunset-Celestia relationship is something that I feel is fundamental to Sunset's character, in so many ways, and yet, its almost entirely glossed over in the actual canon. Even their reunion was...somewhat rushed (though filled with a lot of non-verbal cues and body language), and other than the brief synopsis of "Sunset was Celestia's student before Twilight", we don't get a whole lot. What we do get, if you pay attention though, is stuff that raises the eyebrows of anyone who understands psychology and behavior. Things that stand out to me, in particular, often raise more questions than they solve, or are little things that most people wouldn't inquire too deeply about. As an example, at the very end of the first Equestria girls movie, Twilight comes back through the portal into pony land, and while her friends and Cadence and such are asking about what she saw and how it went, Celestia's first and only inquiry is "Sunset Shimmer? Is she alright?" Everything else--the Elements, Twilight herself, the other world, the Crown of Magic, it's all secondary to her desire to know about Sunset's well-being. Or the fact that the journal Sunset possesses was personally crafted as a set and gifted by Celestia. Now it was mostly a "Magical MacGuffin" sure, but I like to explain things from a character view first, and that journal is not a piddly artifact, considering it can traverse to another realm/dimension/whatever, and then be used to force a connection between worlds that otherwise requires 2.5 years to charge up for a bare three days. Even the backstory comic for Sunset shows a level of personal interaction that we don't even see with pony Twilight.
I'm working the paths we're presented with to the best of my ability, and its drawn a very clear psych profile for me about their interpersonal relationship, and that's the route I'm going. It's...something that will be cropping up as the story progresses, because for anyone, our parents are part of what make us who we are, and are a source of a great deal of both good and bad baggage we carry through life. Sunset only remembers Celestia. That was the mare who shaped so much of her fundamental development, influenced her personality, her habits, her coping skills. The process of dealing with that broken relationship, with the wounds its left on Sunset (and Princess Celestia too), is part of the story in bits and pieces, and will both affect and be affected by other characters. I hope you enjoy how it plays out, friend, and I'm glad that you like what I've done so far.
As for the things you've picked up on, I assure you, nothing in my writing is an accident. Every word chosen, every thing noted in detail, every hint or seeming throw away comment, is deliberate. So those things you've noticed? They mean something, somewhere, in the greater tale of the universe I'm building in this tale and the eventual side stories connected to it.
10074184
I'm glad you like it. Psychology, sociology, analysis of behavior...they've always been a...bit of a hobby of mine, and are something I like bringing in when I do Storytelling, either as a written word or as a campaign.
*rubs paws together wickedly* I can't wait to see what you folks think of the next handful of chapters.
10074350
This is something of a pet peeve of mine with both Luna and Sunset's "fall" stories. Canon just seems to handwave with a "They were wrong, Celestia was right", and I find those completely unsatisfactory. In Sunset's case we're just told she was "power-hungry" but never *why*. If she desired power, there must have been a reason that seeded that lust in her, even if by the end she had completely forgotten it.
I've read several stories going into Sunset's past and her relationship with Celestia (the MADverse and Sunset Reset are among my favorites), but this here IMO is what sets this story apart. I can't remember other stories who have gone into such detailed analysis of the characters' psychology.
It also helps that this backstory pretty much aligns perfectly with my headcanon for Sunset's past, so I might be biased a bit
10074403
I...actually think its because people miss the point of Celestia. If you pay close attention, Celestia isn't "always right", but the public PERCEPTION is that she is. Celestia shows some traits that Sunset shares in the few episodes that dig deeper into her character: Self doubt, a temper, and self-flagellation (all three are present in the episode where Starlight Glimmer swaps her and Luna's cutie marks, and we see her confronted with the concept of Daybreaker as well as the memory of Nightmare Moon.) Celestia is a good example of an immortal who is still just a "person" at heart--she wants to do right and good, but she's not perfect. She makes mistakes, just like everyone, and when one is essentially an immortal God-Queen, even if you aren't actively worshiped, not a lot of people are going to feel like they can challenge your statements and decisions. No one ever seems to say "...Hey, Princess? You sure that maybe this is a good idea?"
As for the detail, I dont like plot holes or unanswered questions about things, so I go dissecting everything I can find to piece together the answer. Character psychology tops the list. :P
10074418
While I *do* agree with you in that, I think the issue is in part a fault of the writers. With the limited interactions the audience had with her early on we didn't really get to see any flaws on Celestia as a character. The first chink in her armor was the Wedding, and even there it was more a case of her being railroaded/getting an idiot ball stuck on her horn for plot reasons. It wasn't until later seasons (4 and onwards) that she began to be written as a more flawed, "human" character.
What I mean to say is, IMO, back when both Luna and Sunset's backstory were written, it was way before the writers really began to delve into Celestia as a character, so the perception, not only amongst the pony public, but also among the audience, she was still the Big Good who can't do no wrong.
10074445
Fair enough, and there is probably a measure of truth in that—the target audience was, after all, little girls, and i suspect Celestia was never meant to be anything more than a sort of nebulous background/minor character initially. They certainly didn't plan for the show to...explode...quite the way it did, especially with the demographic it ended up with as fans (or in the case of some of us, returning fans. *hugs a very well loved vhs bootleg of rescue at midnight castle*). And even if the creative team did write up a complex backstory for luna or even sunset, it may have simply been something they couldn't fit in or find a place for, for any number of complicated reasons, be it ratings, time, censors, finding a good place to put it in, etc. It’s not uncommon, at least in my experience, to end up with more story than you have the ability to tell easily and quickly.
Holy crap, you’re writing is amazing! And honestly I’m dying to know just what Principal Celestia is hiding. How does she know about the nickname ‘Little Sun?’ Maybe she knows human Sunset or could possibly be pony Sunset’s real Mom. I’m so intrigued...
10130492
I was rereading this story and had a thought about that the first time I read this chapter that I never put down. Putting it in spoilers in case it is anywhere near correct, or in case you don't actually want an answer.
My guess regarding the Principal question: during the period that Celestia and Luna were estranged, Principal Celestia got pregnant and had a miscarriage. Possibly one bad enough to void her chances at future pregnancy. During her pregnancy, she used that as a nickname when she would talk to her potential future child.
I would actually be upset if it turned out that Sunset was born in the human world, I saw another story that went that route, and I felt it kind of cheapened Sunset's attempts to fit in in some ways.
Amazing. Simply incredible writing and an even more incredible payoff. I don't think anyone on this site has done a Sunset-Celestia relationship more justice and given it more depth than you Majadin. It's a privilege to be able read this story. Keep up the great work!
There are a lot of uncomfortable connotations that go along with Principal Celestia's reaction to the nickname "little sun" that the Princess gave to Sunset. One of the major ones even at baseline is heartbreaking.
I like the fact that Luna brought up the logical thought that they only have Sunset's side of the story, as I've read stories with the Celestia-Sunset mother-daughter dynamic where a character, either Sunset herself or a version of Celestia is angry that Celestia could kick her out if they had that relationship, without getting her side of the story (if they could).
I mean, at least in The Fall of Sunset Shimmer, there was a bit of a buildup to Sunset being discovered in the restricted section as she had obsessively badgered Celestia about the mirror daily since it was shown to her, and that would cause Celestia's patience to wear thin, breaking at the point of discovering her, and kicking her out in irrational anger. She may have not meant it or may have meant it to be temporary to allow Sunset to cool herself and her ambitions. Wouldn't justify what she did, but would explain it, since, even after their falling out, Celestia still cares about Sunset as evidenced by the end of the first EqG movie ("Sunset Shimmer? Is she alright?") and Forgotten Friendship.
so already people have probably guessed this, but as of reading up to this point, i think Human Celestia, tried to have a child at one point in time, but it was tragic to say the least, or maybe they did have a child and some kind of accident happened, hence why 'Little Sun' ticked something off in her. Though i can also see it being a nickname Celestia's parents might have called her when she was young, though doubtful since Lunie would have known.
Also i wont lie i definitely had a few thoughts that maybe Sunset was Celestia's child but was afraid of all the backlash she may have and so left Sunny at a orphanage, till she came to CSGU where she could properly care for her kid.... but again just mindless theorys that i have had over the years haha
That’s a phrase I’ve not heard in a long, long time.
This background does fit perfectly with Sunset's actions.
DUDE WHAT THE FUCK, I'M CRYING HERE. SERIOUSLY WHAT THE HECK.
Actually this makes me wonder how much time did you spend planning this all out. Like, you've managed to fix and connect every single plot hole or lack of information on Celestia and Sunset's relationship LIKE A GODDAMN PRO. I'm honestly in shock. You've managed to make every single character involved interesting.
Your attention to detail is making me ill with jealousy 😭😭 You are REALLY GOOD at this, talented is an understatement, makes me wonder if you have major in psychology or something like that.
I'll admit EQG wasn't my favorite, actually a point of anger for me for a while and where this isn't the first this fic may hopefully pan out to be the last nail in the shelf that makes me like EQG at least from the extent that dedicated fans have always made perfect side stories for existing plotlines.