• Published 26th Dec 2021
  • 6,153 Views, 105 Comments

Monument of Regret - Eternal Sunset



With Anon-A-Miss destroying her reputation at school and her friends abandoning her, things couldn't get any worse for Sunset. Until she recieves a surprise visit from Equestria.

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Punishment

Sunset sighed as she opened her locker, it had been over a week since her former friends cut ties with her, blaming her for Anon-A-Miss and posting humiliating pictures of them and Applejack’s nickname for everyone at school to laugh at. Anon-A-Miss kept posting more secrets of the girls before they started posting secrets from everyone else at CHS, and because she was called out for being Anon-A-Miss in a crowded hallway, everyone blamed her. Sunset had been trying to figure out who Anon-A-Miss might be, she first assumed that it was Trixie but after confronting her about it she realized that it couldn’t have been her. She tried to find other leads but they all came up empty, during her investigation she had to endure the spiteful looks from the student body. Unlike after the Fall Formal, she had to face the students' hatred all on her own.

Suddenly, Sunset felt her journal vibrate in her backpack, she quickly reached inside, pulled it out, and flipped it open to the new entry to see a single line.

Sunset, meet me at the portal.

Sunset was confused by the entry, not only by how short it was but because Twilight wanted to meet her by the portal. She started to worry if something might be wrong, so she placed her journal inside her backpack and closed her locker as she quickly made her way towards the Wondercolt statue. As she was running down the hall she ran past the CMC, who took notice of her.

“I wonder why she is in such a hurry?” Sweetie Belle questioned.

“Do you think someone did something to her?” Scootaloo asked, looking at her friends with worry.

“N-no, ah don’t think anyone would try to hurt Sunset,” Applebloom assured Scootaloo and herself, she noticed how Sunset has been receiving hateful looks from the students of CHS and couldn’t help but feel guilty. “Maybe we should check to see if she’s okay?”

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle nodded as they went after Sunset, despite their initial plan to break up Sunset and their sisters, the CMC started feeling guilty. No matter how many times they told themselves that Sunset deserved to be hated by everyone she’s wronged, deep down they knew what they were doing was wrong. They reached the front entrance of the school when they noticed Sunset standing in front of the Wondercolt statue.

“What do you think she’s doing?” Scootaloo asked, the three of them are standing on the other side of the doors as they watch Sunset.

Scootaloo got her answer when she saw Sunset step back as the surface of the statue’s base started glowing. Sunset waited anxiously for Twilight to emerge but it quickly turned to surprise when it wasn’t Twilight who stepped out of the portal but Princess Celestia. Sunset and the CMC watched as a tall woman stepped out of the portal and almost fell over as she wasn’t used to walking on two feet, once she steadied herself, the princess looked at her former student and frowned.

“Hello, Sunset Shimmer.”

“P-Princess Celestia?” Sunset stuttered, withering under the Princess’ gaze. “W-what are you doing here?”

“I’m simply here to put an end to your misguided ambition,” Celestia answered.

“W-what are you talking about? What ambition?” Sunset asked, she was confused as to what the princess was referring to.

“I have been informed of your situation and couldn’t help but be reminded of how you pulled a similar stunt in the past,” Celestia said as she walked closer to Sunset. “How you purposely sowed discord so you can swoop in and save the day.”

“No!” Sunset raised her voice. “Princess Celestia, you have to believe me. I’m not the one behind Anon-A-Miss!”

“Enough!” Celestia raised her voice, as she stopped in front of Sunset. “I will hear no more of your lies, Sunset Shimmer.”

Before Sunset could say anything more, the portal started glowing and Twilight Sparkle stepped out.

“Twilight!” Sunset said in relief. “Thank goodness you’re here, you have to tell Princess Celestia that I’m not Anon-A-Miss!”

“But you are,” Twilight said.

Sunset noticed the disappointed look on Twilight’s face.

“Twilight?”

“I asked Princess Celestia for help in figuring out who Anon-A-Miss might be when she noticed how similar this was to something you did in the past,” Twilight explained as her eyes narrowed at Sunset. “She told me how you pretended to be bullied at school so you can gain sympathy from her and she would help you figure out how to uncover the truth, but you tricked the Princess into teaching you how to gather information, better use it to your advantage and learn that you can do it all under her very nose.”

“No, Twilight. That’s not who I am anymore!” Sunset pleaded as tears welled up in her eyes, her only friend who had been by her side throughout this whole ordeal now believed her to be a liar. “I’ve changed!”

“Sunset Shimmer, for your crimes in Equestria and in this world I will now pass judgment on you,” Princess Celestia spoke in an authoritative tone.

Sunset slowly backed up in fear as a golden aura surrounded Celestia as she ponied up, the CMC watched in amazement at Celestia’s regal form.

“Please, listen to me! I didn’t do any of this!” Sunset begged as tears spilled from her eyes, she looked to Twilight to see her turn her head away, not bearing to see what was about to happen.

“I’m sorry, Sunset,” Princess Celestia said as tears ran down her face. “But you brought this on yourself.”

Celestia raised her hand towards Sunset and fired a golden magical blast at her.

“NOOOO!” Sunset screamed in horror as she was consumed by the magical blast.

The CMC are horrified at what they are seeing, Sweetie Belle covered her mouth as she silently screamed, Scootaloo was shaking and Applebloom stood there frozen. When Celestia stopped her attack, her hard expression softened as she gazed at Sunset Shimmer. The young girl had been turned to stone, her expression of horror forever on her face as her arms were held in front of her. Celestia walked closer to the statue and placed her palm against the left side of Sunset’s face and gently caressed it, she felt cold.

“Do not cry, Twilight,” Celestia said without turning to face her student. “You did the best you could to set Sunset on the right path….it just wasn’t meant to be.”

As Twilight continued to cry, Celestia’s gaze turned to Sunset’s backpack that lay behind the statue. She walked around the statue and bent down to pick it up, as she stood back up she noticed the CMC staring at them from behind the entrance doors.

“It appears that we have an audience.”

This caused Twilight to look at the Princess before looking at where she was staring and her eyes widened at seeing the CMC who realized that they had been caught and scrambled to get away from the door.

“It’s alright girls!” Twilight called out. “You don’t need to hide!”

The CMC looked back to see Twilight motion them to come out, the girls exited the school and nervously walked towards the Princesses. Their eyes glanced at the Sunset statue.

“I’m sorry you had to witness that,” Celestia apologized. “And I’m so sorry for all the trouble she’s caused.”

“I-it’s okay,” Applebloom mumbles, still in shock.

“W-what are you going to do with her?” Scootaloo asked, turning to look at the statue.

“She will stay here,” Celestia spoke, her voice firm. “Sunset chose to run to this world to escape her punishment, so this is where she will remain.”

“So you’re going to leave her here?” Sweetie Belle questioned as she looked around the empty lawn.

“No, I will place her in a suitable spot where she won’t disturb anyone anymore,” Celestia said, looking at the statue.

“I think I might know a spot, Princess,” Twilight spoke up.

“Show me,” Celestia said as Twilight led her to the spot, the CMC following after them.

Twilight led them to the woods behind the school, Twilight struggled a bit through the snow but the snow melted before Celestia, making a path for her and the CMC.

“Here it is,” Twilight said as she showed them a spot surrounded by trees. “It’s far enough away from the school and well-hidden unless you’re looking for it.”

“Yes, this will do nicely,” Celestia said as she snapped her fingers and the Sunset statue appeared in the center of the small clearing on a pedestal.

The group stared at the statue, some with regret and others still in shock. After a few minutes, Celestia clears her throat.

“We should be going now, Twilight.”

Celestia turns around to walk back when Twilight speaks up.

“Just a minute, Celestia.’

Celestia turns to see Twilight walk up to her and motion for her to give her Sunset’s backpack, Celestia obliges and watches as Twilight rummages inside it before pulling out Sunset’s journal.

“The journal?” Celestia questions.

“You see, this journal is the only means of communication between our worlds. If something magical happens my Canterlot friends need some way to inform me about it,” Twilight explains as she walks over to the CMC. “Do you girls mind giving this to your sisters’?”

“S-sure,” Applebloom said, wide-eyed as she took the journal from Twilight, she stared at the cover briefly before looking back at Twilight.

“I’m sorry again for what happened with Sunset, tell them that they can contact me anytime and…” Twilight closed her eyes as she tried to fight back her tears. “Tell them I’m sorry about Sunset.”

“A-ah will,” Applebloom assured her, still in shock.

“Thank you,” Twilight thanked her before turning around and leaving with Celestia.

The CMC stayed there as they turned to look at the statue of Sunset, the shock slowly being replaced with guilt as the full weight of what just happened finally settled in. Sweetie Belle is the first to break down in tears, followed by Scootaloo, Applebloom falls to her knees as tears cascade down her face.

“What have ah done?”

Author's Note:

This is the first part of my new Anon-A-Miss story, I'm still working on another one but I thought I might leave you guys with something while you wait. I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to your comments.