• Published 23rd Nov 2020
  • 8,394 Views, 1,300 Comments

The Queen and her Court - Eternal Sunset



Anon-A-Miss has ruined Sunset's life, they have turned Sunset's friends and the students of CHS against her. But with some encouraging words from Twilight, Sunset is reminded of who she is and is ready to fight back.

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The Queen's Therapy

“What has she told you about me?” Sunset asked, wanting to gauge her therapist’s reaction.

“Something outrageous as you being from another world filled with magic,” Cinch said as she removed her glasses to pinch the bridge of her nose, it was the most unbelievable thing she had ever heard her friend say. “She told me that you would back up her preposterous claim.”

“I can,” Sunset said. “Only if you promise to keep this between us.”

“Doctor-patient confidentiality, Miss Shimmer. Anything said and done here will just be between us,” Cinch assured her.

“Alright, here goes,” Sunset said as she started to concentrate, she could feel the magic as she ponied up.

Abacus Cinch couldn’t believe what she was seeing, this normal looking girl not only sprouted pony ears but her hair grew into a ponytail and she is covered in a red aura. She collapsed on to her chair.

“Are you alright?” Sunset asked in concern.

“Yes...just give me a moment,” Cinch tells Sunset as she calms herself down, she mustn’t show weakness. “So Celestia hasn’t gone insane.”

Cinch straightened her clothes and sat up straight.

“Now then, Miss Shimmer. Please have a seat so we can get started,” Abacus motioned to the seat in front of her, Sunset did as she is told. “Principal Celestia has told me that you were recently cleared from being accused of operating a gossip blog called Anon-A-Miss.”

“That’s right,” Sunset confirmed.

“Can you tell me about that,” Cinch inquired.

“Yes, you see it started the day after a slumber party at a former friend’s house.” Sunset began as she explained how Anon-A-Miss posted Applejack’s secret before posting the pictures of Rarity’s slumber party. “They believed I was the one behind Anon-A-Miss and broke off our friendship.”

“It sounds to me like you didn’t mean much to them if they cast you out so easily,” Cinch openly criticized.

“I thought the same,” Sunset agreed with her. “But I don’t entirely blame them considering our history.”

“Principal Celestia mentioned how you were a former bully that terrorized the students,” Cinch said.

“Yes, I was rude and used underhanded methods to get everyone to obey me.” Sunset agreed. “My former friends were among them.”

“How is it that you were all able to become friends after what you did to them?” Cinch questioned.

“They made a promise to another friend to look out for me,” Sunset answered sadly.

“Did you all talk about what went on between all of you?” Cinch inquired.

“No,” Sunset answered.

“It is important to talk with your friends about any hard feelings they may harbor towards you, otherwise you’ll never be able to become real friends.” Cinch explained.

“I realized that now,” Sunset admitted sadly.

“And what about your feelings on all this?” Cinched asked. “Do you harbor any resentment towards your former friends for betraying you?”

“Not so much resentment as I feel angry towards them,” Sunset admitted. “Whenever I think about the good times we shared, how they told me I was like family to them...I’m reminded of their hypocrisy.”

Cinch watched as Sunset balled her fists in anger before calming down.

“Understandably, you feel anger towards those who betrayed you,” Cinch said. “Just as long as you don’t do anything harmful.”

“I’m not and I won’t,” Sunset assured Cinch.

“How are you expressing your anger?” Cinch asked as she took some notes on her notepad.

“I’ve been distracting myself with helping my fellow students and community,” Sunset answered.

“That’s very admirable, how do you manage it?” Cinch asked.

“I have experience with organizing events, plus I also had help,” Sunset answered.

“Ah yes, you’re followers,” Cinch said. “I thought everyone didn’t want anything to do with you because of Anon-A-Miss?”

“That is true, but I was able to convince some students to see things differently,” Sunset told her, not telling the therapist the real reason for how she convinced them.

“Fascinating, you must have a way with words if you were able to convince them to help you.” Cinch is very impressed with Sunset.

“Yeah,” Sunset laughed nervously.

“What about your former friends, how are you handling them?” Cinch asked.

“They are all very sorry for assuming that I would betray them and apologized profusely, they’ve asked for a second chance so I let them help me in my endeavors to help the school heal to test whether or not they deserve a second chance,” Sunset answered.

“Why allow them to earn a second chance?” Cinch questioned, eyeing Sunset critically. “Your fellow students as well, why help those who ridiculed and blamed you for something you never did?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do,” Sunset answered softly. “Everyone has suffered because of Anon-A-Miss, not just me.”

“But that doesn’t mean you aren’t deserving of help as well,” Cinch pointed out. “You are the biggest victim of this incident, yet you took it upon yourself to not only help others but clear your name as well. Sunset, it’s very obvious that you are a very thoughtful person but you mustn’t forget about yourself. Having this kind of responsibility must be stressful, especially when everyone is against you.”

“Not everyone was,” Sunset interrupted.

“Yes, Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna never doubted your innocence,” Cinch said. “They are very concerned with your well-being and asked me to help you, Sunset is there anything that you want to tell me?”

Sunset was silent for a moment, Cinch waited for Sunset to speak and when she assumed that she wouldn’t she was about to say something when Sunset spoke.

“Why?” Sunset whispered.

“Why what?” Cinch asked, watching as Sunset’s body started to tremble.

“Why did they all turn on me?” Sunset asked, her voice shaky. “I thought that I had finally made up for what I did and that everyone had forgiven me, then they all started blaming me and accused me of going back to my old ways.”

Tears spilled from Sunset’s eyes as she remembered how everyone turned on her.

“My friends told me that I was family and yet they threw me away!” Sunset raised her voice as the bitter memory of her former friends abandoning her played in her mind. “I became the bitch everyone assumed I was to find out who Anon-A-Miss was to get them back, I endured the accusing and hateful stares for them!”

“So your former friends were your motivation?” Cinch asked.

“Yes!” Sunset shouted. “They meant the world to me that I was willing to do anything to get them back!”

“Do you still want them back?” Cinch questioned. “Even after what they put you through, do you still want to be friends with them? Can you trust them not to hurt you again?”

“I want to, but I can’t,” Sunset answered.

“Why not?” Cinched inquired.

“Not until I get them back for their betrayal,” Sunset confessed. “But I don’t want to hurt them.”

“So you want revenge?” Cinch questioned bluntly to which Sunset nodded. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting revenge, especially if you don’t want to harm them.”

“Really?” Sunset asked, a hopeful glint in her eyes.

“Yes, I understand the word revenge may sound off-putting but I have taken revenge on Celestia for a past transgression and vice versa, and we remain friends to this day.” Cinch explained. “It helps with getting the point across about how much their blunder hurt you.”

“I’ve already told them that they need to work out their issues with me if they want to be my friends again,” Sunset informed Cinch as she wiped her tears.

“It certainly won’t be an easy task,” Cinch said, placing her notepad on her lap. “Will your former friends be up to it?”

“That’s what I’m going to find out,” Sunset responded.


“So how have things been going for you, Applejack?” Luna asked as she and Applejack are in a special attached room to Luna’s office where she advises students.

“Pretty good,” Applejack answered, from her seat in front of Luna. “Mah family’s doing alright and our business is doing good.”

“What about Sunset?” Luna inquired.

“She’s willing to give me a chance to prove ah can be trusted,” Applejack said, staring at her hands. “Which is more than ah deserve.”

“Are you feeling alright, Applejack?” Luna asked, a hint of concern in her tone.

“To be honest ma’am, ah’m not.” Applejack admitted. “Ah’ve been such a lousy friend to Sunset when all she’s been doing is looking out fer us, ah was so willing to believe the worst in her that it never occurred to me that she might be framed. Even when ah started to have doubts about her guilt, Sunset confessin’ to bein’ Anon-A-Miss made me instantly go back to believing she betrayed us and was makin’ fools of us all along!”

Tears ran down the sides of Applejack’s face, as she finally vented.

“To make it worse ah didn’t hold anythin’ back as ah pounded her face into the ground,'' Applejack looked at her hands in horror. “Ah can’t shake that feelin’, all because ah was too stubborn and stupid to see the truth!”

Luna watched the cowgirl break down, this young girl was holding in this much pain.

“Ah hate mahself,” Applejack sobbed. “Ah’m supposed to be the element of Honesty but ah lied to Sunset’s face.”

“How did you lie to her?” Luna asked.

“Ah told her she was mah best friend, someone who ah can proudly call mah family.” Applejack answered, rubbing her tears away with the back of her hand. “But ah quickly threw her out when ah fell for Anon-A-Miss’, didn’t even give her a chance to explain.”

“Even family makes mistakes,” Luna reminded her. “What’s important is making up for those mistakes.”

“But Sunset isn’t the one who made a mistake,” Applejack pointed out. “Despite calling Sunset family, ah didn’t treat her like one, ah was angry and disappointed in Applebloom for her part in Anon-A-Miss but ah never yelled at her or threw her away. Ah told her ah loved her and hugged her, ah never did any of those with Sunset because ah never truly accepted her into mah heart.”

“Can you accept her into your heart?” Luna questioned. “Given what Sunset has done to you, can you truly move past your history with her?”

“If ah didn’t believe ah could then ah wouldn’t have chosen to serve her,” Applejack chuckled bitterly. “Besides, Sunset was able to move past who she was and if she can do it then so can ah.”

“That’s a good attitude to have,” Luna said with a smile.


The rest of the Rainbooms waited outside Luna’s office, they waited in silence for the Vice-Principal to finish talking with Applejack. They heard the doorknob being turned and saw the door open before Applejack steps out.

“Thank yah for yer help, Vice-Principal Luna.” Applejack thanked Luna.

“Anytime, Miss Applejack. I’m always here if you need to talk,” Luna said, smiling kindly at Applejack.

“Thanks,” Applejack turned to face Rainbow Dash and smiled.

“Guess I’ll be going next,” Rainbow Dash volunteered, wanting to get this over as quick as possible

Luna walked back into her office with Rainbow Dash, the rainbow-haired athlete turned to her friends to see them smiling encouragingly at her and Pinkie Pie giving her a thumbs up. Once inside her special office, Luna motioned for Rainbow Dash to sit.

“Let me start by asking how you are doing Rainbow Dash?” Luna asked as she took her seat.

“Fine, I guess,” Rainbow Dash muttered, not meeting Luna’s gaze.

“Is there anything you want to talk about?” Luna inquired.

“Other than how badly I screwed up my friendship with Sunset,” Rainbow answered. “I had a great thing going until I fell for Anon-A-Miss’, god I’m so stupid.”

“You’re not stupid, Rainbow Dash,” Luna said.

“Then why did I fall for such an obvious frame-up?” Rainbow questioned. “I was fooled by Sunset into thinking Applejack bailed on me, I promised myself that I would never be fooled again but I was fooled!”

Rainbow Dash slammed her fist against the armrest of the sofa.

“I must be pretty stupid to not only be fooled again but to let Sunset keep stringing me along when I was too stupid to see what was going on!”

“We can all be blinded by our anger, Rainbow Dash,” Luna stated. “Even Sunset.”

“I’m surprised she doesn’t hate me,” Rainbow Dash mumbled.

“She doesn’t?” Luna questioned.

“She wouldn’t be so playful if she was,” Rainbow Dash said, finally raising her head to look at Luna. “I don’t see hate in her eyes when she embarrasses me, I don’t see hate in her eyes when she chewed us out. All I saw was the pain we caused her.” Rainbow runs her hand through her hair. “I’m always supposed to have my friends’ backs, but I turned my back on Sunset and despite my betrayal, she was willing to take the fall for us by admitting she was Anon-A-Miss.”

“Sunset must think highly of you girls if she was willing to go that far,” Luna said.

“I wish we thought the same, or at least I thought I did.” Rainbow Dash said sadly.

“Then why did you agree to serve Sunset?” Luna questioned.

“Because I want my friend back,” Rainbow Dash said, her voice cracking. “I have no right to say this after what I did but Sunset is my best friend, my family. I want to prove to her that I can be trusted to be her friend again, to fight for her as she did for us.”

“What if she doesn’t want to be friends again?” Luna asked. “What will you do if she rejects your friendship?”

“Then I’ll just continue to serve her as her loyal subject,” Rainbow Dash answered, smiling at Luna as her tears fell. “ We may no longer be friends but I’ll always be there for her no matter what.”

“I don’t think Sunset would want that for you,” Luna said, becoming alarmed at how far Rainbow Dash is willing to go for Sunset.

“I know,” Rainbow Dash admitted.


Luna’s office door opened as Rainbow Dash stepped out, she looked at her friends and without saying a word sits down on the floor beside Pinkie.

“Who would like to go next?” Luna asked.

“Um, I would if it’s alright with everyone?” Fluttershy meekly asked Rarity and Pinkie who nodded.

“Right this way please,” Luna guided Fluttershy inside her office, the shy animal lover glanced at her friends before the office door closed.

“How are you, Fluttershy?” Luna asked as she and Fluttershy took their seats.

“Um, I’m fine. Thank you for asking,” Fluttershy politely thanked the Vice-Principal, she felt nervous.

“Perhaps this could help?” Luna asked as she took one of the stuffed animals from on top of her desk and handed it to Fluttershy who gladly accepted it.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy thanked Luna as she hugged the stuffed animal.

“Don’t mention it,” Luna said with a smile. “You look like you needed it.”

“You have no idea,” Fluttershy said as she snuggled the stuffed animal.

“You must have suffered a lot of teasing when Anon-A-Miss posted those secrets,” Luna commented.

“It was something fun I did with my friends but everyone just laughed at me,” Fluttershy explained, making a pained expression as she remembered those bad times. “But the worst thing is that I blamed Sunset for it.”

“Sunset used to bully you in the past correct?” Luna asked to which Fluttershy nodded. “How were you able to become friends with her.”

“It just naturally happened, I admit that I was a little afraid of her when Twilight asked us to look after her but when she apologized for what she did, I saw how sorry and sincere she was so I immediately forgave her,” Fluttershy explained, she smiled briefly before it disappeared. “At least I thought I did.”

“It must have been very painful to think that a friend betrayed your trust?” Luna said.

“It is,” Fluttershy started tearing up. “And Sunset was in greater pain when we betrayed her.” Fluttershy bitterly said as she started tearing up. “As much as I suffered, I at least had my friends to support me. Sunset had no one. I yelled at her, told her she wasn’t our friend!”

An image of Sunset’s tear stricken and devastated face flashed in Fluttershy’s mind, causing her to cry harder.

“I should have known, I should’ve known that Sunset would never hurt us.” Fluttershy sobbed. “Even after we abandoned her, Sunset never stopped helping us. She helped me from a group who cornered me and demanded that I and my friends do something about her tyranny, she helped make the photoshoot at the animal shelter a huge success. She made the ultimate sacrifice to help me face my ill feelings about her.”

“It’s not easy to face oneself,” Luna said.

“It’s terrifying!” Fluttershy cried. “I had so much hatred for Sunset.”

“Do you still hate Sunset?” Luna questioned.

“I’m afraid to find out,” Fluttershy softly said. “But it wouldn’t be fair to Sunset who faced the hatred of the school all alone, I want to be brave. For her.”


Fluttershy stepped out of Luna’s office, her friends saw her tear-stained face and quickly went to comfort her. Fluttershy appreciated their support but it reminded her of how Sunset had non. The girls held on to Fluttershy for a while longer before they parted, Pinkie Pie looked at Vice-Principal Luna before stepping forward.


“You have a very nice room, Vice-Principal Luna.” Pinkie complimented as she looked around the room. “Your couch is very comfy too!”

“Thank you, Pinkie. I did my best to make a calming environment for my students.” Luna thanked Pinkie.

“You’re doing a great job!” Pinkie said, a bright smile on her lips before gasping.

“Is something wrong?” Luna asked, a hint of concern.

“Your smile is just like Sunset!” Pinkie said in excitement.

“Really?” Luna bashfully asked.

“Hmhm! You have this kind and welcoming smile, and your eyes shine with happiness!” Pinkie explained, her cheerfulness faded as she spoke her next words. “I haven’t seen Sunset smile like that since I took it away.”

“Hasn’t she been smiling when she took command of the students?” Luna asked, knowing that Sunset masks her pain.

“She’s smiling but it doesn’t fully reach her eyes,” Pinkie Pie answered solemnly. “Sunset is very good at masking her pain with fake smiles, the other girls can’t see through it but I can.”

“Have you told any of your friends about this?” Luna asked, she's impressed that Pinkie was able to see through Sunset's fake smiles.

“No, we were too busy trying to figure out what Sunset was up to.” Pinkie Pie admitted sadly.

Luna noticed that Pinkie Pie’s physical appearance seemed to fluctuate between bright and dull.

“And after we learned the truth, Sunset stopped her fake smiling and we saw how unhappy and angry she was.” Pinkie Pie said, her hair deflated and becoming straight. “Vice-Principal Luna?”

“Yes?”

“Am I a bad person for what I did to Sunset?” Pinkie asked.

“I wouldn’t say you are a bad person, you simply made an error in judgment,” Luna answered. “A bad person wouldn’t be feeling as bad as you are for hurting someone.”

“But I feel like a bad person for what I did to Sunset,” Pinkie said dejectedly. “I’ve done my best to make Sunset smile after the fall formal, she was so sad and guilty for what she had done. The smile Sunset wore is of gratitude and belief in us, her former friends. No matter how many people rejected her help Sunset was still able to smile because of us.”

“Why didn’t I believe Sunset?”

“That’s a question only you can answer,” Luna said. “But are you able to believe in her again?”

“Of course!” Pinkie said with a raised voice. “Sunset has always believed in us, I may have given up on her then but not anymore!”

“So you’ve learned from this experience?” Luna questioned.

“Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!” Pinkie spoke in conviction. “I have to be better or else Sunset won’t be able to smile again.”


“So how have you been, Rarity?” Luna asked the young fashionista.

“I’m a little shaken up, to be honest,” Rarity answered, her expression mixed with sadness and exhaustion.

“How so?” Luna inquired, taking some notes.

“This incident has revealed an ugly side of myself that I thought I had long conquered,” Rarity answered, a faraway look in her eyes. “It also appears to have grown since then.”

“Does this ugly side of you have anything to do with Sunset?” Luna questioned.

“Yes,” Rarity answered simply, feeling ashamed to admit it. “Do you remember the incident at the Spring Fling?”

“Yes, you had uh...wardrobe malfunction,” Luna answered a little awkwardly.

“Sunset had sabotaged my dress to come undone in front of everyone,” Rarity said as she closed her eyes, biting her lower lip as she recalled that horrible moment.

“How are you sure that it was Sunset?” Luna questioned.

“Because I saw the look on her face when my dress fell apart,” Rarity said as she opened her eyes to look at Luna. “A smug look of satisfaction as everyone was laughing at me.”

Luna saw Rarity’s grip on the armchair tightened before relaxing.

“You must have hated her.”

“I still hate her,” Rarity growled. “I can never forgive her for what she did!”

“Then why did you become her friend?” Luna questioned, it didn’t make sense for Rarity to befriend someone she hated.

“Because I promised Twilight I would if Sunset apologized for what she had done to me,” Rarity answered.

“Did she apologize?” Luna inquired.

“She did, and I let bygones be bygones.” Rarity said before sighing. “At least that’s what I thought.”

“I’m guessing Sunset’s apology wasn’t enough?” Luna asked as she scribbled something down on her notepad.

“I thought it was, I even felt a sense of satisfaction seeing her openly hated and despised by everyone after we defeated her.” Rarity said, a hint of sadness in her voice. “But it was not enough to undo what she did.”

“Have you talked to Sunset about this?” Luna asked. “Perhaps you two can work something out.”

“We never did talk about what had happened, during our fight was the first time I admitted how deeply hurt I was for what she did to me.” Rarity admitted. “I sometimes wonder if we ever got around to talking about the incident, would we have become better friends, and maybe I wouldn’t have fallen for Anon-A-Miss’ trick?”

“We can’t dwell on what-ifs, Rarity. We have to keep moving forward with the decisions we’ve already made,” Luna reminds.

“You’re right, I’ve already said my piece to Sunset and she’s giving me a chance to earn her trust,” Rarity said.

“What if she doesn’t trust you again?” Luna asked. “What will you do then?”

“I don’t know,” Rarity admitted. “But I do know that I still want to continue to be there for Sunset.”


Principal Celestia is in her office with Vice-Principal Luna and Abacus Cinch, they had just told her information about the girls’ session that they are allowed to share. Principal Celestia looked very concerned.

“Sunset Shimmer feels unappreciated here,” Cinch said bluntly, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed. “All her efforts have gone to waste.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Luna defended.

“They may appear to acknowledge her now but how long will that last,” Cinch questioned, not even looking at Luna. “Principal Celestia, it’s obvious that you two can see her achievements but no one else is. Not even her so-called friends.”

Principal Celestia was quiet, her eyes are closed as she was deep in thought.

“If Sunset feels underappreciated, then let’s show her how much we appreciated her,” Celestia said as she opened her eyes, a smile on her lips.

Author's Note:

I wonder what Principal Celestia has planned? I hope you enjoy the chapter and I look forward to your comments.