Three Words
Sunset Shimmer sat by Canterlot High's school yard, having longed for this moment of rest. Even though the Friendship Games ended two days ago, the toll that such a tournament, especially its last event (if it could even be considered a legitimate competition), had taken on her was still weighing on every sore muscle and vibrating ache through her body. Turning into an angel like warrior of fire and light was awesome in more ways than she could digest, but it wasn't all sugar and rainbows.
Once the dust had settled and she could finally let go of the tension and, most importantly, the adrenaline, well... simply put, she fainted on the school grounds not long after, and after some inspection at the infirmary, she was taken home by Rarity and Applejack whom... man, honestly, as the two of them babied her like she was made of glass, all the while bickering with one another as to which were the real priorities, a part of Sunset had to wonder:
‘Is this what it’s like to actually have parents?’
Even then, though, she fell asleep on the couch she was resting on while Applejack cooked her something and Rarity went about cleaning and organizing every single corner of her house. She woke up the next morning to find her shoes removed, blankets on top of her, and an apartment so clean and tidy that she barely recognized it.
Oh, and to a ready-to-eat meal served just by the table next to her, covered with a small table cloth and adorned with a note that, Sunset would bet, was originally Applejack but was then remade by Rarity.
Luckily enough (or so she thought that morning), she had just enough time to eat, shower, change and get ready for school. She did consider skipping, but she didn't want to worry her friends.
Which turned into painful irony, almost literally so with her aching, when everyone and their cousins decided they simply had to remind her over and over that she should have taken the day off.
Seriously! Friendship could be awesome but dear Celestia could it be taxing at times!
All in all, though, she was still glad that she showed up yesterday. Learning that Twilight Sparkle, this world's Twilight Sparkle, would be transferring to Canterlot High was some of the best news she had gotten in like... ever! Oh, she just couldn't wait to show her around the school! Wait, no, not like showing her to the school! Showing her the school! Right, like she did for the Sirens some time ago, even if the school wasn't anywhere as interesting as Twilight herself and...
She smacked herself around the head, and though it hurt, she told herself she deserved it.
On a side note, what had become of the Sirens, anyway? Sunset Shimmer made a mental note to look into that soon, but for now, she had her current conundrums to worry about.
There were simply so many, so many conflicting thoughts in her head right now that it was making the whole experience of practically rewiring herself after the Fall Formal, in order to see the world in a new way, seem like an easy ride (which was anything but!) compared to what she was currently undergoing.
And it certainly didn't help when, during the picnic her friends held yesterday, right after school, to celebrate the team's new Wondercolt, just as Twilight was growing comfortable around them, who decided to show up? Well, who else but Princess Twilight Sparkle, of course!
To the surprise of no one but herself, Sunset Shimmer's mind started going places and oh dear Luna of the Night, what places! She was confident even her own former self would be appalled by the outrageousness!
‘Goddess gracious, Princess Cadence would have a field day with me...’
But... this wasn't really Equestria, so no Princesses to worry about. Well, except the occasionally visiting Princess Twilight, but... that was a whole other kind of worry. But no, their counterparts in this world were... well, mundane, for lack of a better term. Just a couple of Principals, or Dean in the case of the recently found Cadence (scratch that one from Sunset's list of unanswered questions about this world), and in Twilight's case, a normal student just like her friends...
...a normal student that created a device beyond any technology seen in this world, tangled with otherworldly energies of a nature beyond even their source's comprehension, and through all that, ultimately became what couldn't be put in better words than “Angel of Darkness and Destruction” that was as deadly as she was beautiful...
‘...okay’, she told herself, ‘you've got issues, girl.’
Geez, no wonder Princess Celestia kicked her out. In a way, though, as regrettable as that felt, it had probably been for the best. Sometimes, the right path is not found only in the wisdom acquired, but also in the way it was learned, even if it was a painful way...
She dared wonder for a moment... what would Princess Celestia think of her now? But she didn't entertain the thought for long. Partly because of fearing the answer, and partly because... well, she just realized that she had company.
“Hey, Sunset!” Lyra spoke.
“How're you doing?” Bon Bon asked right after.
Right, Sunset thought, Canterlot High's resident lesbian couple. An odd case because, simply put, Sunset Shimmer knew for a fact that these two were “in the closet”, having spotted them being far more intimate and affectionate with each other when away from the prying eyes of their classmates than when they were on school grounds. It was something that the redhead's former self once considered using as blackmailing material, which... was outright disgusting to the Equestrian herself nowadays, who was retrospectively glad that she never found these two worth blackmailing for anything.
But... not long after the Fall Formal, Sunset happened to learn by simple trade of word that apparently just about everyone in school either knew of their relationship, assumed it, suspected it, or was convinced one or the other, if not both, were secretly crushing on their “best friend” and waiting for whatever would come out of that.
In other words, these two were the walking embodiment of worst kept secret in high school history!
“Hey guys!” She finally replied, smiling at them, “How's it going?”
But... transparency – and the occasional episodes of craziness – aside, these girls were two of the sweetest girls you could find in campus.
“All's fine, thanks for asking!”
“We were just going for ice cream at the store on the next block.”
Of course you were, the Equestrian thought with a roll of her eyes. That ice cream store was easily one of their favorite spots.
“But we just ran into Prin...cipal Celestia...” Lyra added, hesitance in her voice as she looked back at the direction the two of them came from. It made Sunset raise an eyebrow.
“She was asking for you.” Bon Bon continued.
“Are we sure she was?” Her girlfriend questioned.
Bon Bon looked back at the musician with disapproval written all over her face, “Of course she was! Didn't you listen?”
The limette girl rubbed the back of her head, “Not... what I meant.”
Sunset blinked and cocked her head, “Am I in trouble?”
The look Bon Bon gave her was somewhat similar to the one she gave her girlfriend, but with an identity of disbelief rather than denunciation.
“Are you joking? After you single handedly saved the school and everyone the other day?”
She chuckled, “It wasn't just me.” She replied, feeling a little awkward, “The magic I wielded during that fight wasn't mine, it was everyone's...”
“Still!” The pink-and-blue haired girl insisted, “Someone had to wield it and stand up to the challenge, and personally? I don't see many others doing that much.”
Feeling herself blushing, she looked away while rubbing the back of her head, “Well, my friends did so that other time when... you-know-who was the problem.”
“Hey!” this time, it was Lyra who jumped to the occasion, “The past is in the past, girlfriend.”
“Yeah,” Bon Bon added, “I mean, we know th-”
“It's okay, guys.” She interrupted, somewhat awkwardly if the couple was asked, “I... should go see Principal Celestia now, uhm...” She then reluctantly extended her arms at them, “...help me up?”
The two lovers seemed confused for a moment, then suddenly remembered the redhead's present condition and they each took hold of one of her hands, helping their classmate up to her feet.
“Thanks.”
“Will you be fine on your own?” Lyra inquired.
She nodded and gave them a small smile, “Don't worry, I already got more than enough with Applejack and Rarity looking after me.”
“Aaaaww, they do!? That's so cute!”
“Alright, if you say so. Principal Celestia should be by the school's statue.”
“Thanks.” Sunset spoke before softly walking away.
In a matter of minutes, the redhead was by the school's front yard and - as told - she found the woman she was looking for resting against what remained of the school's statue. It had been a real shame, losing their mascot and icon during the fight against the aforementioned Angel of Darkness. But... the missing stone equine was the last thing in Sunset's mind right now, especially with Celestia looking like... that!
Had their principal had a sudden strike of fashion passion?
If only Rarity would see her now... Celestia looked downright gorgeous! Rather than her usual, formal attire, the woman was wearing a white, almost regal summer dress, along with matching sandals to die for, and golden jewelry decorating her neck, arms and ankles. Every student passing by, male or female, was taking a look of wonder and/or appreciation (if not something more) at her on the way and for good reason! This woman was looking unbelievably attractive!
With steps far more awkward than before, Sunset softly approached the yet-to-notice-her beauty. Celestia looked almost like in awe of the sight before her. She was resting against the statue and facing away from the school, her eyes darting softly between the clear skies and the town before her. Birds even seemed to fly by to further complement the view just for her, and man, even while just gazing at the skies, the aurora haired lady was just irresistibly captivating...
“Prin...cipal Celestia?” She called softly as she approached, almost as if fearing to perturb something sacred.
The woman in question turned her head to look at Sunset Shimmer, surprise coloring her magenta eyes before shifting to recognition. She straightened away from the statue and properly faced the younger and shorter woman. Sunset couldn't help noticing the curious, almost humorous smile in her expression.
“Principal?” She repeated, almost like an echo, before turning her eyes away, looking left and right as if searching for something before they finally settled on one spot, “Oh, I see...”
Sunset Shimmer had to turn around to look at whatever the lady was referring to. Following the woman's sight, her eyes soon fell on one of the upper windows of the school building, where she spotted two familiar figures.
That of Dean Cadence and... and Principal Celestia.
The same woman who was supposedly standing behind Sunset Shimmer right now.
It didn't take long to put the pieces together. Understanding dawned upon the redhead almost as fast as she turned back around, once again facing the woman but this time with realization, recognition and, most important of all, terror all clear as day in her eyes...
“So that's what my counterpart here looks like, uh?” The woman commented carelessly, before adding with a chuckle, “What a queer taste in fashion she has...”
Sunset couldn't help taking a couple of steps back before daring speak again.
“P-P-Princess Celestia...!?”
The addressed woman slowly, and as softly as she always carried herself, looked back down on the younger lady, a tender smile and caring eyes gracing her face, none of which the teen felt deserving of.
“It's been a long time... Sunset Shimmer.”
Sunset immediately turned her head down, recoiling back two more steps and suddenly feeling like she was twelve years old all over again, her body huddled and arms hugging her torso as if trying to shield herself...
“W-why...” She began, but her voice was failing her...
“Why am I here?” The Princess offered for her, and if Sunset had been looking, she would have noticed her former mentor giving a small, casual shrug, “I believe it is due time.”
Her head shaking no, she couldn't help taking yet another step back, head further and further down and her dawn-colored hair cascading over her face.
Carefully, as if testing the waters, so to speak, Celestia took a step forward. “Sunset, please... look at me.”
Taking a deep breath, the redhead started to straighten up and lift her sight to meet her former mentor's eyes... but just as she was about to, her old insecurities came back to haunt her, lashing at the back of her mind like an unforgiving whip.
Disapproval.
Rejection.
Disappointment...
Those were the emotions she feared, and expected, to find in her tutor's eyes, and what even the threat and fear of death couldn't do before, this fear did, forcing Sunset Shimmer to recoil back and hide her face in shame again.
“I-I c-ca-”
“HEY!” a raspy voice cut through every sound in the front yard and the streets, as a rainbow-colored blur dashed by before stopping right between the once mentor and once pupil. “What's going on here!?”
Appropriately enough, the interruption was delivered by no other than Sunset's loyal friend, who was now standing before her, her back turned to the redhead as if shielding her.
“Rainbow Dash!?” The Princess spoke, her voice soft even under transparent surprise.
Rainbow's own tone of voice wasn't much different, if a lot less poised, “Principal Celestia, what in the world-!?”
“No, dummy!” A new voice broke in.
All eyes turned to meet the new presence near them. Standing just a couple of meters behind Sunset Shimmer, a girl whose mere proximity emanated pinkness and jollity smiled at them.
“That's obviously the Celestia from Sunset and Princess Twilight's world since our Principal Celestia is currently handling the paperwork for our Twilight's transfer to Canterlot High! I believe Sunset said she was... Princess Celestia?”
“Of course,” said Princess replied with a humorous chuckle, “leave it to Pinkie Pie to make simple out of the complicated.”
“Thank you!” the pink-clad teen responded in kind.
Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, couldn't help but to roll her eyes in annoyance. “Well, that explains all the regalia...”
“Uuuuuhhh, regalia?” Pinkie teased, “What a choice of words, Dashie!”
“Hey, I do read, okay!?” the school's main athlete defended herself before turning back to face the visiting royal, “What that doesn't explain is what's her business harassing our friend!”
To that, even drowning in anxiety as she was, Sunset couldn't help but to jump at, “She wasn't-! N-no, you got it all wrong!”
“Wait, what?”
“S-she wasn't...” She began again, but the moment she noticed Celestia's eyes focused on her, she once again shrunk into herself, words dying in her throat.
“Rainbow Dash...” Celestia called, getting the shielding teen to focus on her again, “I assure you, I wish nothing but to exchange a few words with Sunset Shimmer, if that's okay...”
The girl in question looked at her Principal's doppelganger sternly and straight into her eyes, as if trying to catch any signs of malice. She wasn't yielding easily, that much was certain, and a look back at Sunset only made her stance all the more firm, fists clenched, even if mostly just to hint at how far she would go for her friend's sake, regardless of the unlikelihood of such drastic scenario coming to happen.
“With all due respect, Your Highness...” she spoke, her tone respectful yet still holding an edge, “It doesn't look to me like Sunset wants to speak with you.”
Celestia's eyes dropped for a moment, as if considering her options, lips slightly pouted and a hand on her chin. To the woman's credit, Dash admitted to herself, the visiting Princess wasn't out to force things to go her way. After a moment, she gave a soft sigh - everything about this lady had to be so graceful and suave, it was starting to get on Rainbow Dash's nerves - and addressed the teenage girls again.
“If such is true, then I promise I will take my leave most immediately.”
Dash, for her part, stubborn and defensive as she usually was, remained adamant before the Princess, attentive to any signs of deception, almost eager to find a flinch, a nervous thick or anything that would imply a bluff...
...alas, as much as it pained her to admit it, she couldn't find anything. Not in the woman's expression, or body language, not even in reading between the lines. Princess Celestia felt like an open book, transparent in her intentions and lacking anything resembling an ulterior motive.
“But,” the woman added.
‘Of course,’ Dash wanted to protest, ‘There's always a but...’
“I'd like to hear it directly from my former student, if you'll allow it.”
Truth be told, Rainbow Dash was tempted to not allow it. Her fists were growing pale from how tightly she was clenching them as the fear of failing her friend, of failing to protect Sunset in her hour of need, became a more pressing reality, yet even now, she hadn't given up on it. She knew that, in the end, it was really Sunset's own choice, but for some reason - specifically, her subconscious perception being far more attuned than any of her five senses - she couldn't help but to intuitively fear that her redhead friend, in her current state, would give into abnegation and appeasement rather than self-regard and esteem, therefore disregarding the latter things. On that note, though…
‘...when did I become such a wordy egghead?’
“Sunny?”
Pinkie Pie's voice brought both Sunset and Rainbow out of their inner debates for the moment, eyes turned on her, even though the redhead remained quite slouched.
“What do you wanna do?” The pinkette asked, now standing right next to her recoiled friend. Rainbow Dash almost wanted to kiss her friend for that smart choice of words.
A moment passed before Sunset Shimmer could finally answer, but Dash didn't like how she seemed to grow more collected during the wait.
“I... I have to at least...”
“No, you don't!” Her rainbow haired friend interrupted almost violently, turning around to properly face her friend, “You don't have to do anything you don't want to! It's not your job to take care of absolutely everything that comes your way! I mean, for crying out loud, you just fought on behalf of ALL of us less than two days ago!” She then took the redhead by the shoulders, crouching slightly and further cutting the distance between them so that Sunset could look at her in the eyes while still remaining shielded from the visiting princess, “Girlfriend, please, think of yourself for once at least. You don't have to do this if you're so uncomfortable...”
To Rainbow's hope, her friend nodded. To her dejection, she answered: “But I can't run away forever...”
She sighed, hating the fact that she simply couldn’t disagree with that statement. Why did nearly all of her friends have to be this relentlessly brave? Why couldn't they be more like Fluttershy from time to time? Oh, who was she kidding? Even Fluttershy could be unbelievably brave at the right times.
“Do you want us by your side?” Pinkie asked, her hand rubbing the redhead's back.
Sunset Shimmer seemed to consider the offer, as in, really consider it, because when she gave her reply, the words sounded forced out of her throat.
“I...'d rather not... I'm sorry, I...”
“It's okay.” Rainbow reassured, rubbing her friend's shoulders. “You don't need to apologize.”
And if she was to be honest, she was sick of just hearing Sunset sounding so sorry.
She and Pinkie Pie exchanged a glance and a nod before Rainbow spoke again.
“We'll move out of earshot... but not out of sight.” She added the last words as a warning, glaring threateningly at Celestia over her shoulder. “Let's go, Pinkie.”
“Have fun!” The pinkette added before the two left.
Sunset couldn't tell whether her friend was trying to lighten up the mood or if she somehow actually meant that.
For better or worse, Celestia waited until those two girls were far enough for them to speak privately. For the former pupil, though, each passing second felt like an agonizingly long minute.
“You've actually made some amazing friends.” She commented as she watched the duo walking away. “I'm-”
But interrupting any further words, Sunset Shimmer threw herself down on her knees, head still down and hands on her knees, her entire self an expression of shame...
“I... I can't...”
“Sunset...”
The call almost prompted the young redhead to raise her head, but she held back.
“I can't face you!” She almost screamed, voice out of control and her eyes fighting back tears. Again, she recoiled herself from the realization, not wanting to make a scene, or at least, not bigger than needed. “I... I just can't, not after everything I did. I... how could I even look at you?”
She paused for a moment, taking a few breaths to compose herself. Every word she spoke felt like it would further shake her already crumbling dignity...
What little of it she could hold onto nowadays, that is.
“You were right...” She eventually continued, “you were always right... I was a fool... a reckless, pretentious embarrassment of a pupil, to think I was anywhere near worthy to stand beside you... let alone above you... I didn't even deserve to be your pupil.”
She took another breath, conflicted over how often she seemed to need them. She didn't know why her former mentor never took these pauses to interject into the conversation, but she was grateful for it regardless.
“I did wrong... and... oh, Faust, it would have gotten so out of control if it wasn't for Twilight, but... I swear, ever since... I've been doing my best to make up for it...”
She felt a knot form in her stomach as she realized how naive and arrogant her claims must have sounded.
“I-I know... it's not my place to judge.” She continued as newfound fears began to crawl in.
What if Celestia had come with the intention of punishing her? She had committed crimes and even attempted far bigger ones, after all. Princess Twilight had decided to leave her on this world to repent on her own terms and under the watchful eyes of her new friends, but what if Princess Celestia – the top authority in all of Equestria – decided for a different fate for her traitorous student? Even if it was something as simple as having her return to Equestria in a form of conditional liberty, that already meant losing too much for Sunset.
It meant losing nearly everything she ever came to value.
“I know... I have no right to ask for anything...” She continued, her voice hoarse and quivering.
She couldn't believe it would come down to daring ask something from her former mentor, after how their last days together had gone down. But... at this point, what choice did she have?
“Please...” She downright begged, “J-just... give me some time... to... to prove that I changed... and to atone and compensate for my past. I... k-know... nothing I do will ever undo what has been done... but if I can just...”
“It's okay.” The Princess finally interrupted.
For a moment, silence ruled between them. Sunset Shimmer knew neither how to interpret those words nor how to respond to then. Thankfully for her, the odd pause was there in case she wanted to say something, not with the expectation for it.
“I understand your request, and I can see that you need your time to come to terms with everything. So... I'll be taking my leave soon enough...”
Somewhere in the back of Sunset Shimmer's mind, the thought was inevitable: 'Here it comes...'
“Only...” there was always a “but”, or a similar conjunction, “before I depart, and this is only if you're okay with it, could I convey what I hoped to express through my visit here?”
Needless to say, the redhead was extremely relieved and thankful to have her request granted. So... as scared as she was about the request, there was really only one reasonable reply she could.
“Of course... Princess.”
She then closed her eyes, but perhaps, this was a mistake, though a minuscule one notwithstanding, for such was Celestia's grace and finesse, even in a body that was not her usual one, that her former pupil didn't notice the woman's movement until she was all over her.
Her heart skipped a beat, or several, as it dawned upon her that Celestia - Princess Celestia - was now down on her knees like her, pressed up against the teenager, and holding her in her arms.
The first reaction was silent shock, soon followed by alien bewilderment. Something about this warmth was just... incongruous, if not downright unknown. For a curious and ambitious mind such as Sunset's, this would normally awaken wonder and a myriad of questions, and yet, not a single, concrete inquiry came to her mind at the moment. For there was only that: The moment, the warmth... and the words softly spoken into her ear.
Three words, nothing less, nothing more.
Slowly, almost tentatively, she pulled back just enough to take a look at her mentor's face. Her own face hid none of the disbelief currently overwhelming her, while the princess just returned a warm, motherly smile and a nod to confirm what her former student could barely digest, but was left with no other option but to do so, regardless of how unthinkable it was for her.
For despite how few they were, those three words that meant everything she could dare hope for and more.
Her quivering lips tried to return the smile for a brief moment, and for the first time, she dared look into her mentor’s eyes… but it all soon changed, for her emotions were far beyond what she could hold, and the tears were already running down her face with no restraint, before her breathing broke into sobs and, guided by the princess’ hands, she buried her face into the woman’s shoulder, openly and unashamedly crying her heart out.
As she cried like a kid, the princess simply held her, firmly yet softly. No more words were spoken, but Celestia’s chin against her head and her hands stroking her back were more than enough comfort. All her regrets, all of her lamentations, all of her sins and all of her fears, she cried them down onto this forsaken, yet now rekindled friendship.
When she finally opened her eyes, she had lost track of time and, as she soon realized, of nearly everything for the brief moment of her until now unrealized sleep. Her unfocused eyes caught a hint of pink as she regained her consciousness, and recognition drew in her first word…
“…Fluttershy?”
The one to say something next, though, was sadly not Fluttershy…
“Oh, she’s awake!” …but rather, Pinkie’s… currently-torturously loud, chipper voice…
With a finger on her lips, the more soft-spoken pinkette hushed her friend silent. By now, Sunset realized that she was laying on one of the school’s front yard benches, with her head rested on Fluttershy’s lap. Next to them, both Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash looked at her.
“Hey, Sunset.” The latter girl greeted her.
“Did you sleep well?” the girl cradling her asked, a hand caressing the redhead’s hair.
She gave her friend a soft smile before replying, “Like a baby.”
Fluttershy smiled back, “Princip… I mean, Princess Celestia carried you in her arms after you fell asleep, and left you here with us just as Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie finished explaining things to me.”
“I’ll admit…” Rainbow Dash continued, “She seems… cooler than I originally gave her credit for.”
“Yeah, she told us to take care of you.” Pinkie added, “Oh! And that she’s proud of you for making good friends.”
“She said that?” the princess’ former pupil voiced, feeling like she might cry again if it wasn’t because of how dry her eyes felt.
“She did.” Fluttershy confirmed, “She also said she’d like to hear from you again, but clarified that only when you feel ready for it.”
Looking back, she was basically rediscovering once again how much of a fool she used to be. Why did she ever doubt Princess Celestia?
“Girls?” she called. All eyes drawn to her.
“Yes?”
Taking Dash’s and Pinkie’s hands in hers, and leaning against Fluttershy’s abdomen, Sunset Shimmer smiled at them and from the bottom of her heart, spoke three words for them.
“Thank you all…”
