Chapter 4 - A grave mistake
Days passed as Sunset continued her studies. After she and Copper realized what they’d done, they were astonished and Sunset couldn't believe that she led them to do that. They vowed to keep it secret and never speak of it again. Both were ashamed and decided to give each other a little space. While they did see each other from time to time, they didn’t interact due to the events of that one night.
After her fuzzy mind got back on track from that night, she was able to focus on her work. She was sitting in the Canterlot library, researching for a paper on the Pre-Equestrian era. She kept to herself and silent around others. She seemed to be acting like her old self, only colder. She sighed as she rubbed her forehead. She knew that she shouldn’t have taken the relationship too far, Celestia warned her about such a thing, and yet, one night, one impulsive act landed her and her coltfriend in this situation. As long as she didn’t...No! She didn’t dare think about it!
“Sunset dear?” a voice asked.
The mare’s head perked up and snapped to look at Dusty Pages, her brow furrowed.
“You do know the library’s closed now?” she asked.
Sunset shook her thoughts that swirled around in her mind away, she blinked a few times, “Whoa, really?”
“I announced it over the intercom ten minutes ago.”
“Oh...” Sunset held her head as she closed the book, “Sorry Dusty, I guess I was thinking...”
Dusty frowned, “Sunset...is something wrong?”
Sunset shook her head, “No...”
“I don’t mean to pry, dear, but you look tired and a little pale. Plus, you seem a little distant. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine...” Sunset muttered. She stood up and levitated her books up.
“Well, if you’re okay, I wish you a good night...” Dusty said with an uncertain look.
Sunset nodded. The librarian turned and began to leave.
“Yes...” Sunset muttered, thinking she only heard it, but Dusty perked up.
“Did you say ‘yes’?”
Sunset’s eyes widened, “You heard that?”
“Yes,” replied Dusty, now fully turned around, “You want to tell me what’s wrong?”
Sunset gulped, she never intended for Dusty to hear that. Dusty might be aging some, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have ears. The librarian was good at keeping quiet, but...how is she supposed “Hey I slept with my boyfriend and now we’re ashamed and we’re taking a break from one another”? She thought of something else quick.
“Copper and I...” she began, “Had an argument...” Yes, that sounds good, “A big one...”
“Oh, my,” Dusty lightly gasped, “I figured you two weren’t hanging out with each other anymore...”
“We didn’t break up...we’re just taking a break...” Sunset explained, “I feel dirty...like a jerk...”
“I don’t want to get into your personal issues, but I do want to encourage you not to give up on him.”
“We’re not, we did talk a little bit but think we still need some time apart...” Sunset lied Why am I lying like this?
“Well, I just want you to know, if you ever want to talk to me, you can,” said Dusty.
Tell her!
Sunset forced a smile and nodded, “Sure. I’ll consider that.”
Dusty patted her shoulder, “Good night.” She turned and began leaving again.
“Good night,” Sunset muttered.
The mare briefly scolded herself inwardly as she left the library, she felt ashamed and did want to make it up to Copper, but he’s rather distant as well.
Two weeks had passed, and no matter what Sunset did, she and Copper couldn’t reconnect as they used to. They did hang out some, but it later became awkward and Copper showed his shyness around Sunset for a while.
Celestia caught wind of this and asked what was going on, but Sunset told her what she told Dusty. She felt guilty by lying to her mentor, but how could she tell Celestia that she and Copper slept together? He’d left a couple of days ago to go visit his cousins in the mountains, Sunset heard one had been in an accident and they were going to go help him get around and ensure he has a good recovery.
Having a break from her studies, Sunset was sitting on her couch, drinking some water. Her mind kept returning to Copper, and...
Suddenly her stomach began to churn.
“Oh, no, not again,” she muttered.
She bolted towards the bathroom as her nausea returned. She lifted the lid of the toilet, slid down next to it, and...
Sunset began vomiting into the toilet. It went on for a couple more minutes before she stopped. She heaved and huffed as sweat poured down her brow. She lit up her horn and flushed the toilet. Standing back up, she turned on the sink and began washing her hooves and face.
When she woke up this morning, she had the urge to run to the restroom and had to vomit. This was the fourth time she’s done so. She called in sick to Celestia and assured her she’s got a small bug, but she’s mostly feeling fine, which was true. Other than her vomiting, she felt fine. But what’s going on here? Sunset wanted answers, but she hates to leave her home at this time, her sickness doesn’t seem so bad. However, she thought if something was wrong with her, she needed to find out what.
After some more consideration, Sunset decided to go pay a quick trip to the hospital and get to the bottom of this. She wrote a note down if anypony came to check on her that she was out and feeling better before heading out the door.
The walk to the hospital seemed to drag on forever since millions of thoughts were running through Sunset’s head. The memories of hanging out with Copper, to his family, and that night of impulsiveness. She didn’t pay anypony any mind as she continued.
When she arrived, the doors slid open and a burst of cold air greeted the mare, sending a shiver up her spine. She went to the receptionist and explained the throwing up and feeling fine other than that. The receptionist wrote Sunset down for a quick appointment and had her sit down in the waiting room.
The hour Sunset waited felt like two until she was called back to meet the doctor. Before Sunset knew it, she’s laying on a bed tilted up so she can sit upright.
The brown stallion with a white mane and white lab coat on is sitting in his seat holding a clipboard as he writes down his information.
“How long have you been feeling sick?” he asked.
“A day or two,” replied Sunset.
“Any other symptoms?”
“No.”
“Any family relatives?”
Sunset froze, her mind went to her parents but she kept her cool and said, “No. Plus, I’d like to keep this discreet for now.”
The doctor raised an eyebrow but then shrugged, “Very well.”
He asked her a few more questions before he took some x-rays and checked for any other symptoms. As time began going on, Sunset began dreading the answer. Her heart raced as her breath became short. It couldn’t be, could it?
Finally, after one last checkup, the doctor had a smile on his face.
“Is there something wrong with me?” Sunset asked with trepidation.
“No, quite the opposite,” the doctor’s smile grew, “Congratulations Miss Shimmer, you’re pregnant.”
You’re pregnant. You’re pregnant.
Those words hit her like a runaway train, her eyes widened, her pupils shrank and her breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t believe it. It felt like the world was weighing down on her. She felt guilty, she felt like she wanted to scream, she felt like she wanted to hide forever. But she couldn’t do anything. She was frozen, and she’ll forever be reminded of that night.
The world blurred around Sunset as she walked home, still processing what had been told to her.
After receiving the news, Sunset practically went into shock and the doctors had to monitor her to make sure she was okay. Sunset made sure they didn’t contact Celestia and she’ll tell her when she gets back. Of course, that was a lie. She had no plans to do that. Eventually, she recovered and walked out of the hospital without another word.
She was a magic student in Princess Celestia’s school and so was Copper. How would Celestia take this? How would Copper? How would his family take this on what they’d done to get her pregnant? What about her parents?
Sunset audibly gulped. They were the biggest concern of hers. They’d raised her well and taught her to be very decent, but how will they take this? Will they hate her forever? Will they scold her? Both? She isn’t sure and she’s lost. Sunset did her best to calm her nerves down and to try and figure out a way to solve this...
But there isn’t an easy way to do so.
Eventually, she arrived home and shut the door behind her. She sank into her couch and stared blankly into space.
You’re pregnant. You’re pregnant.
“I’m pregnant...” she whispered to herself.
Her eyes snapped open with realization and she felt the need to throw up again, not because she felt nauseated but because of the situation she’s landed in.
She screamed at the top of her lungs, levitating some books into the air and throwing them across the room. She hit the couch angrily a few times, grabbed a flower pot and threw it into the opposite wall, shattering it.
“No! This cannot have happened to me!!” she shrieked, “Why me?!” Stupid mistake! It was just a mistake and not meant to happen! Why in Equestria did I sleep with Copper?! And after Celestia told her not to take the relationship that far?! What an idiot, this is all a mistake! “One big mistake, Sunset! One big mistake!” she cried, looking at her belly, “Why?! So much for responsibility and integrity as a prized protégé!”
She hated herself, she hated the fetus inside her, she felt hateful towards everything at the moment.
“What if Celestia banishes me? What if I fail all of my magic because of this?” she asked herself. Then she slapped herself, “Get a grip, Sunset! All of that’s gossip!” Then again is it?
As she continued to process this news, she felt the need to scream again. She shot a beam of magic at a vase, shattering it and let out a snarl.
Why me? Why me? Why now? Why now? Why now?
Sunset tried breathing in and out before making her way to the kitchen. She filled a glass of water, drank it, and grabbed an apple from the fridge. She sat back down on her couch to think.
Maybe she could hide the fact she’s pregnant? That could work, but her belly would grow and it would be impossible to hide it any longer. She’s pretty well known around the school and Celestia would eventually know something is fishy if she started acting strangely. Sunset wonders if Celestia somehow knew of the note and her situation. What else could she do?
Despite her high emotions and the world closing around her, regardless of how she looked at it, there was no escaping from the reality of what’s been done.
“I chose to be reckless,” she said to herself, rubbing her sore cheeks, “I chose to disobey Celestia,” “I...” She closed her eyes tight.
“I... I have to tell the truth...” she said in a whisper, feeling all of her energy fading as if that one line took it all out.
Opening her eyes, seeing she’s gazing at the floor, something caught her eye.
An unopened letter. Slightly perking up, she saw the mailpony had slipped in her mail soon after she left for the hospital. Scooping the letter and the rest of her mail up in a grasp of magic, she brought the letter up.
When she saw the return address, her heart sank to the lowest pit of her stomach.
“It’s from my parents...”
She stared at it, unblinking for a few minutes, processing what she’s seeing. She opened it and began reading the letter.
Dear Sunset Shimmer,
Hello sweetness! It’s your mom and dad writing to you from Vanhoover! We are so so sorry that we haven’t been able to contact you for so long. We’ve just been swamped under work for weeks, again and again, every time we seemed to catch a break, something else would pop up! But now, your dad and I have managed to reunite in Vanhoover and spend some quality time together. While we’re doing that, we thought we’d send you a letter to tell you we’re sorry and that we’re coming to visit you in a couple of days!!
I can’t wait to hear about what we’ve missed and how your life’s been going so far! By the way, we did get your letters and read them many many times over! We’re looking forward to seeing you, Sunset! We love you!
All our love,
Mom and Dad
“No...” Sunset whispered, completely horrified, her heart racing as if she might have a stroke, “No... no no no no no!” She hopped to her hooves and began pacing, “Not now! Not when I haven’t figured everything out yet!”
Right after Sunset was knocked to the ground, she was kicked while already down. How is she going to explain everything to her parents?! They hadn’t contacted her in months and she felt as if she were free from them and didn’t bother contacting them after so long!
Sunset cast a bubble to keep sounds muffled, and when it was cast, she let out a loud scream that vibrated the bubble, nearly popping it.
One wrong move led to consequences... And now things are about to hit the fan... 
I wanted to really show the stark contrast of this Sunset's character before she became uptight and rude like she was before the mirror incident, one that recognizes her actions and decides to own up to them.
Anywho, I hope you liked this chapter! 
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holy crap
11216771
Indeed.
Dang...
I knew this would happen, especially the way the ending of the previous chapter implied. I'm curious and dreading what will happen next with the upcoming visit from Sunset’s parents, as well as her unborn child.
Not the baby’s fault Sunset, but she shouldn’t worry so much everypony would help her even Copper.
11217054
But I hope you enjoyed. :)
I believe she came to know and accept that, but she's still in a whirlwind of emotions, you know? And I don't know, with how things are going now... who knows what might happen?
Hmmmmm, I wonder.........................could we be seeing the origins of one purple-smart bookhorse?
11231668
Actually no, because we see a certain bookhorse in chapter 1;
She gazed around at the ponies heading to and fro across Canterlot’s streets, even spotting a white unicorn with a shiny blue mane heading over to meet his mom keeping a presumably 3-year-old purple filly close by. They didn’t look as if they could be her friend.
They don't do x-rays if someone is sick.