Chapter 2: Moon’s Comfort
As Sunset Shimmer ran off to her room, Luna heard the sound of crying all the way from her throne room. Luna got up to go see where the sound came from, and she followed it to Sunset Shimmer’s room. There, she opened the door to find her lying on her bed, crying into a pillow. Luna approached Sunset Shimmer quietly, and as she did, Sunset Shimmer raised her head from the pillow. Luna now stood next to Sunset Shimmer, hoping that she’d find a way to calm her sadness. Sunset Shimmer turned her head. In front of her she saw Luna frowning, and all she could do to respond was look away from her. “Are you alright Sunset?” Sunset Shimmer sniffled, and with a deep breath she sighed, “No…..not really.”
“What is bothering you, dear niece of mine?”
“Well, just now I found out that dad…..my dad…..had been turned to stone….by mom.” When Luna heard this she stood there in silence. She didn’t know what to say, for not even Luna had known about this.
“Turned…to stone?”
“Yes.”
Again Luna paused in silence, speechless.
“I am so sorry to hear this, Sunset. I never imagined that my sister would do such a thing.” Sunset Shimmer turned her head slowly back towards Luna. She thought that Luna would had known about this, but just then she remembered that Celestia had hid him shortly after he was turned to a stone statue.
“Y-you weren’t there….when it happened?”
“No, I thought Celestia would’ve told me about this by now. I suppose she didn’t to keep me from getting hurt. To keep you from getting hurt.”
“Oh.” Sunset Shimmer sniffled, and looked at Luna. “I…I remember when dad was a pony…an alicorn pony.” Sunset Shimmer got up from her bed, and walked over to her dresser. There, she opened a drawer on the dresser, and inside was an old photo. She used her unicorn powers and levitated the photo out of the drawer. At the same time, once the photo was taken out, she closed the drawer, and headed towards Luna. She gave the photo to Luna, and Luna levitated it with her unicorn powers. Luna looked at the photo, and in it she saw Celestia, a young Sunset Shimmer, and Discord, but in the form of an alicorn. He had large wings, one of them resting on Celestia’s back. The other was sticking up in the air. And in the photo, Luna also noticed something. She had been in it too.
“Everyone I love- er, loved, is in that photo” Sunset Shimmer said quietly.
Luna looked up from the photo, and with a very small smile, her eyes watered. “This photo of yours, it is of my sister’s wedding. I remember this day, when she married Discord.” Luna placed the photo beside her as she sat on the bed. “You were really little at the time, when you could barely speak.” Sunset Shimmer looked at Luna, and took a second look at the photo. She saw Celestia and Luna both wearing gowns that sparkled in the light. “Mom’s dress, it’s very beautiful.”
“Indeed it is,” Luna replied, “and guess what? I helped pick it out.” As Luna said this, she smiled at Sunset Shimmer.
“I can tell, because your dress is even prettier auntie Luna.”
Luna blushed, and smiled at the same time. She had never been complimented like that before, and certainly not from Celestia. Luna then spread her forelegs out from left to right in a welcoming hug. “Aww, come here you!” Luna said with joy. Sunset Shimmer smiled, jumped forward, and gave Luna a really tight hug. As she smiled, she asked, “Can you tell me more about daddy?”
"Of course my dear, but another time, for I want this moment to stay special.” And with that, they continued to hug until they felt they needed to let go of each other. And before they let go, Sunset Shimmer thought to herself, Well, I guess everything’s okay, even without dad, as long as I have Luna by my side, I’ll be alright. And as she thought that, she smiled even bigger just knowing she was lucky to have an aunt like Luna.
Chapter 3: Fun for a Filly/ Realization
Cake, balloons, and a table set up with a buffet of food on it were all set up in the Canterlot Garden right outside of the royal castle. This was all set up by Luna, for she felt that Sunset Shimmer deserved a little more happiness after what had happened the night before. “Ah, perfect.” Luna said in a happy tone. “Wait a minute, something is missing. I have the food, decorations, a good location for the surprise…” Luna mumbled to herself, “GAMES! I forgot to put in the games! Oh, what’s a party without games, especially for a filly like Sunset.” Luna face-hoofed herself as she realized that the games were missing. “Okay Luna, think. What do fillies like Sunset like to play?” Luna lost herself in thought. All she could do at the moment was think, and think, and think, until she came up with an idea. “Wait! I got it! I’ll set up a game of pin the tail on the pony!” As Luna said that, she ran off to the inside of the castle for an old pin the tail on the pony set she got when she was a filly. It was in a box, and the box was covered with dust. “This will be perfect; I hope thy niece is pleased when she sees all this” Luna said to herself. Quickly, Luna rushed back over to the garden and set up the game. “Ah, now it’s perfect. Now all that’s missing is dear Sunset Shimmer.” With that, Luna went back inside the castle to Sunset Shimmer’s room. There, Sunset Shimmer was levitating two pony figurines: One of Celestia, and the other of Luna. When Luna walked in, she’d seen Sunset Shimmer playing with them. “DIE DIE DIE!!! SUNSET SHIMMER IS BEST PONY!!!” Sunset Shimmer exclaimed. While yelling this, the Luna figurine was repeatedly hitting the Celestia figurine. Eventually, she stopped levitating the Celestia one pretending that Celestia had given up. Luna stood there. Silent. Staring at the red, yellow, and orangish pony. Luna shook her head to get back to what she had planned. She then stepped forward and approached the filly. Sunset Shimmer turned her head as Luna came forward. “Oh, hi Luna.” She said with a smile.
“Hello Sunset,” Luna replied, “Um, you wouldn’t mind coming with me somewhere, would you?”
“Um, no I wouldn’t mind I guess. Unless it’s one of those really gross restaurants I don’t like”
Luna giggled. “It’s not my dear, I promise.”
“Well, okay then.” Sunset Shimmer said.
“But there is, one, slight twist to this. I want you to close your eyes.”
“Close my eyes? How will I see where I’m going?”
“Don’t worry,” Luna giggled, “I’ll guide you there” As she said that, Luna smiled, and took hold of Sunset Shimmer’s hoof. They began to walk. They made it out of the room, then headed towards the stairs all the way at the end of the hallway. Once they got there, they slowly went down the stairs, and headed towards a door that led to the garden. They made it. Sunset Shimmer and Luna were now in the garden. “Can I open my eyes now?” Sunset Shimmer asked.
“Yes, you may open them.” Luna smiled. As soon as Sunset Shimmer opened her eyes, Luna stood on her hind legs and yelled, “SURPRISE!” Sunset Shimmer gasped in awe. She looked at all the balloons, the table full of her favorite meals and desserts, the game of pin the tail on the pony, and then looked at Luna with a big smile. “T-this….all….for me?!”
“Yes Sunset. Now go, enjoy yourself. After all, it is for you.”
Sunset Shimmer took a deep breath, and said in an exhale, “Thaaank yooou.” Sunset Shimmer was very excited. She ran over to the table and started eating first what she loved the most: Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. She looked up at Luna as she took several huge bites out of the cookies. “They’re delicious!” She exclaimed with her mouth full of cookies. Luna chuckled.
“I’m glad you like them. And you have a little something right here…” Luna used her hoof and pointed at her own mouth, showing where there was a chocolate stain on Sunset Shimmer’s muzzle. Sunset Shimmer took a napkin from a pile of napkins she found at the end of the table, and wiped her face with it. “Is it off?” She asked.
“Yes, it’s off.”
“Yay!” She squealed. Sunset Shimmer than looked around, and saw the game pin the tail on the pony set up on a nearby tree. She ran towards it, and found the blindfold for it on the ground. She used her magic, and levitated the blindfold to put it over her eyes. As she did this, she said, “Luna, Luna! Spin me, spin me!”
“Okay, okay, I will.” Luna said while giggling softly again. She went to Sunset Shimmer, and placed a hoof on her back. “Ready?” Luna asked.
"Ready!” Sunset Shimmer said with determination. Luna began to spin Sunset Shimmer, faster and faster she went, until finally she was dizzy. At first Sunset Shimmer struggled, but Luna guided her towards the paper with the pony on it. Sunset Shimmer was levitating the tail, and stuck it to the paper hard. She lifted her blind fold, only to see that she was off. Way off. She had pinned the tail to the head of the pony instead of its tail. “No way! Redo! Redo!” Sunset Shimmer demanded.
“Sorry Shimmer, but no redo’s.”
“Ugh, fine.” Sunset Shimmer grunted. Luna looked around to see if there was anything else to entertain the young unicorn with. She couldn't find anything, so she had no choice but to ask, “Sunset, is there any other games you would like to play?” And as Luna asked that, Sunset Shimmer thought for a moment.
“No, no not really.” Sunset Shimmer shrugged. “Ya know, I’ve never really been out here…do ya think you could show me around?”
“Of course I could. Where would you like to go?”
“Well, I’ve heard there was a statue area of the garden. Could you show me where it is?”
“Yes. Just follow me.”
And onward the two went to the statue garden. As they walked there, they passed the Canterlot labyrinth. It was dark, so the labyrinth appeared in a dark square shape. Sunset Shimmer looked around, and up ahead she saw a figure of something. It was the first of many statues built, glowing in the moonlight. Sunset Shimmer picked up the pace, and trotted over to the statues. “Wow! Look at this one!” Sunset Shimmer said excitedly. She had been looking at the first statue she’d seen. It was of a pony that wore a cape, holding a flag. “That flag represents victory.” said Luna. Sunset Shimmer stared at the stone statue, and took note of every detail on it. She then turned her head, only to find yet another statue. As she saw it, she trotted over to it and gazed in awe at its beauty. The statue was of three fillies, one on top of the other, all happy, and seeming as they were playing a game. “That one represents friendship.” Luna told Sunset Shimmer.
“They’re all so pretty,” Sunset Shimmer said as she looked around, “but…what’s that one?” Sunset Shimmer had lifted up and pointed her hoof to an odd looking statue. She slowly walked towards the statue, wandering what it was and what it meant. The statue itself stood out from the rest to begin with, only because it towered over all the other ones. Not only was it taller in size, but what also made it differ from the rest was that it was not a statue of a pony. Instead, it was a statue of a draconequus. This creature contained the body of mixed animal parts, and the head of a pony. Sunset Shimmer stopped in front of the statue. She looked up, and began to stare at it. She thought she saw something familiar about the statue, but she couldn’t quite put her hoof on it. She squinted her eyes, trying to think of what made it look familiar. The head. She squinted her eyes a bit more, and stared at the head longer. Luna had been looking at a statue behind the draconqequus statue. She turned her head to the left, and saw the back side of Sunset Shimmer just standing in front of the other statue. Luna for a brief moment panicked, afraid of what Sunset Shimmer’s reaction might be. But she calmed herself, and slowly approached the young filly. Then, finally, as she realized what and who the statue was, Sunset Shimmer gasped quietly, putting her hoof over her mouth. Her ears lowered slowly, and her eyes began to water. Luna took a deep breath in from her nose, and let out a big sigh.
“D-dad?” Sunset Shimmer whimpered.
“I…I should’ve told you sooner about this…I am so sorry Sunset.”
Sunset Shimmer just stood there, staring at the statue. She sat down, and let her head hang downwards. Tears ran down her cheeks to the tip of her muzzle, ending up falling to the ground. She began to shiver, and goose bumps formed as the thought of being turned to stone came across her mind. “He…he never did anything wrong. He was always a happy pony; he always laughed and had a grin on his face. He was always there to cheer me up…why would she turn him to stone?” Sunset Shimmer asked in a quivery voice.
“Discord; the beholder of chaos and disharmony. He was turned to stone because of this reason.”
“Beholder of disharmony? I don’t understand.”
“He brought fourth disharmony to our land after some time. But the only reason to this was because he wanted to entertain himself. He started out with simple tricks and pranks, but as he continued to do this, it got worse, and worse, and worse, until it got to the point where it was so bad the kingdom began to fall apart.”
“What? No, it can’t be true!”
“But it is,” Luna replied, “and the only way to put an end to his ways was by trapping him in a stone prison. If we had not done this, our kingdom as we know it would most likely be found split in two.”
“But, but chaos is what makes us unique. That’s what dad once told me…it was the last thing he told me.”
Luna grew a worried look on her face, and stood silently once more. Sunset Shimmer got up, and turned around to look at Luna. She knew Luna couldn’t say anything else the minute she looked into her eyes. Then, for the first time, Sunset Shimmer used her teleportation spell correctly, and teleported herself to her bedroom inside the castle. Luna, disappointed in herself, headed back to the castle as well, only to go the other direction into her throne room.
Chapter 1: A Father of Stone
“So where’s dad?” Sunset Shimmer asked. Celestia and Sunset Shimmer were walking down the main hallway of the Canterlot Castle. Sunset Shimmer’s father had been missing for a long time, and the only pony who knew where he’d gone was Celestia.
“Shimmer. …I think it’s time I told you the truth,” Celestia began, “your father did not go off to protect another empire…..he had been turned to stone, by me, and I hid him…..in a place where nopony would find him.”
“What?!” Sunset Shimmer yelled. “Why?!?”
“Because Sunset, if I had not done this, our kingdom would’ve been a living nightmare. I wanted to protect our subjects, I wanted to protect you.”
Tears filled Sunset Shimmers eyes. For her father, Discord, was always there to cheer her up when she needed him. And the one thing she last remembered him say was, “And remember this, Sunset, chaos is what makes us unique. All your flaws, and the disharmony found inside you, is what makes you, you.”
“You knew how much I loved him, and how much he loved me, why would you take him away!?”
“He was cruel and dishonest, Sunset. If I had not imprisoned him in stone he would’ve brought chaos to our word! He would’ve destroyed everything! You even!”
“But chaos is what makes us unique!” And with that, Sunset Shimmer ran off to her bed room, without saying another word.
"Sunset Shimmer, come back! COME BACK HERE NOW!!!” Celestia had yelled at the top of her lungs, using her Equestrian voice even. She had never used that voice ever since she was little, because when she was little, she was told to only use that voice when addressing her subjects if they had done something wrong. But her subjects had never done anything wrong, because they always obeyed their sun princess.
