Chapter 9: The Love of Family

When Cadance arrived at the castle, she knew she would have to talk to Celestia. It was not a conversation she was looking forward to, as she had let Sunset stay with the Sparkle family, and be adopted by them. She had no clue how Celestia would react to that, but, Cadance believed what she did was right, and she would stand by it.

Celestia had taken off the second half of the day, so Cadance made her way to Celestia's quarters. She knocked, and let herself in, knowing that Celestia would probably be caught up in thinking about Sunset.

"Cadance, what are you doing her?" Celestia asked after Cadance had come in.

"I have news for you, of Sunset Shimmer," Cadance replied, with an even tone.

"Sunset? But how? Is it something that the mirror can do? Or is she still in Equestria."

"I regret to inform you that Sunset is indeed in the other world. However, I also now know that you did not miscast your spell. There was indeed another Sunset Shimmer there that night."

"But, how do you know this?" Celestia asked, confused.

"Because I found her," Cadance said calmly.

"Then she must be brought here at once!" Celestia exclaimed.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that, Auntie," Cadence replied.

"But, why not?"

"How would you feel if you found yourself in another world and were suddenly summoned before the highest reigning official? She hadn't even heard of you before a few days ago," Cadence said, with unwavering confidence.

"But she is alone in this world, and I have a duty to her, as her mother," Celestia stated.

"Except she is not your Sunset, nor is she alone in this world. The family that found her has decided to take her in, they have decided to adopt her. And I know that this family will care for her, I know them."

"You should have talked to me about this before making such a rash decision," Celestia said, her emotions beginning to show.

"No," Cadance replied, firmly. "I am also a princess, so I do have the authority to make such a decision. And my choice was well thought out. The reason I didn't bring this to you is because, first of all, it had to be worked out quickly, and second, you would have made a rash decision."

Celestia gasped at this. "Do you really think that I would make a rash decision?"

"Yes, auntie, I do. You are too emotionally unstable right now, and you would have trouble differentiating between this Sunset and your daughter. Not only that, but you didn't treat Sunset like a daughter much to begin with. Yes, I was jealous of how much time you spent teaching her, but that was all you did with her, you were a teacher to her, not a mother."

"But she needed space, after what happened with her parents," the Princess of the Sun countered.

"She needed love, not space!" Cadance exclaimed. "When my parents took me in, they gave me love, even after they told me that I was adopted. Space is something you give somepony a little of, after trying love. You gave her too much space, allowing her to grow distant."

"And you really think that this other family would raise her better than I would?" Celestia snapped back at Cadance.

"Right now, I do. You don't have any experience raising foals, just with being their teacher. This family already has ponies that are growing up and being loved. You would focus too much on your Sunset, and not enough on her. Hay, you even threw your Sunset out of your castle, and for what? Hoping she would return, begging your forgiveness? Or to have her realize that she needed you? Yes, your Sunset did make mistakes, but so did you. Honestly, I think that the family she is with now is the best family for her."

Celestia lowered her head. She was not used to being reprimanded, but she knew that Cadance was right, she was in no state to raise a foal. She could have been more motherly to her Sunset, but she hadn't. She realized that if her Sunset ever did return, she would have to ask for her forgiveness, and try to be more motherly as opposed to merely a teacher. "Will you at least make sure that this Sunset is well cared for, and happy?" Celestia wound up asking.

"I will. I do foalsit for her new family," Cadance said, before walking out the door. As she exited, she turned her head and said one more thing to Celestia. "At least now you know at least one Sunset is safe and sound. I'm sure the other one is doing well, too"

After all that had happened, Sunset needed to have a few minutes alone, she made her way up to Twilight's room, well, now it was her and Twilight's room. Sunset sat down on the floor and wondered if all that had really just happened. Had she really met a princess and then get adopted by a family she had just met a couple days ago. Either she was dreaming, or this really was a land of magic. After all that she had seen, she decided it must be the latter, there were just too many details for this to be a dream. Sunset got lost in her thoughts, thinking about everything that had happened since she fell through that portal. She knew she wouldn't be missed, the only friend she ever made was Starlight, and she had already been forced to move away from her. As for her dad, she didn't think that he cared whether or not she was there.

Sunset was so lost in her thoughts, that she didn't hear Shining Armor come in. He was a blank expression on her face, neither happy nor sad. "Sunny?" he said.

Sunset was pulled from her thoughts. "Oh, Shining, I didn't hear you come in."

"How are you feeling?" he asked, knowing that she was just forced to face the facts about her parents, and then suddenly she was adopted by his family.

"I'm honestly not sure," she replied. "It's just so much to take in." She looked up at him, and asked, "How did you convince them anyways?"

"Well, part of it was that you reminded me of myself, in a way, as well as Cadance. I knew that you needed a home, and, after our talk, I wasn't sure if you would open up to anypony else. Also, Twily really likes you, she always wanted a sister."

"Well thank you, Shiny. Can I call you Shiny?"

"Yes, you can. Twily calls me that all the time," he replied. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

"No, I think I'm good," Sunset said, before getting up to hug him. "Thanks for doing that. It means a lot."

He hugged her back. "No problem."

Shining made his way downstairs before Sunset. Sunset then walked to the top of the staircase, looking out on the Sparkle family, now her family. She then started singing, as she descended the stairs.

"So much has happened in these last few days.
Oh so many things have turned my gaze.
But there’s nothing more surprising to me
Except finding a brand new family."

As she finished singing the verse, she finished going down the stairs. But, the flow of the song was still uninterrupted, as she walked to the front of the living room.

"But now that I am here
I cannot help but wonder
But now that I am here
I cannot help but think
About what it will be like
And what I have in store
I have to believe
That it is something mooooore."

At this, Shiny picked up the song, by himself, singing words of encouragement to her.

"We know that a lot has happened to you
But you are family now, this is true
And family loves each other, each and every day
No matter what anypony will do, and come what may."

As he finished this verse, he walked up to Sunset, and smiled at her, continuing to sing.

"Because now that you are here
You do not have to wonder
And now that you are here
You now can see
What it is like
And what you have in store
For the Love of Family
Is so much mooooore"

Then, Twilight Sparkle started singing, about what she knew about family.

"Shiny has always been my best friend
And Family is here till the end
With them you will find love so strong
And you will see that you belong"

As she finished, she walked up to her new sister, smiling at her, as the rest of the family, except Sunset joined in.

"Because now that you are here
You do not have to wonder
And now that you are here
You now can see
What it is like
And what you have in store
For the Love of Family
Is so much mooooore"

The Sparkle family was now surrounding Sunset, as she then joined it.

"Because now that you are(I am) here
You(I) do not have to wonder
And now that you are(I am) here
You(I) now can see
What it is like
And what you(I) have in store
For the Love of Family
Is so much mooooore"

Sunset then finished out the song alone, with a huge smile on her face.

"For the Love of Family
Is so much mooooooooooore."

As the song finished, everypony had a smile on their face, and they all hugged each other.

"It looks like you have nothing to worry about, Sunny," Shining said.

"Nope, apparently not," she replied. She had experienced so much more happiness in the last few days than she could remember ever feeling in her life. This was what Equestria truly had to offer her, the joy and the love of family.

Author's Note

Okay, yes, another chapter released on a day that's not a Friday, I just get so excited. Also, I know that this has less words than my last few chapters, but the way I ended it seemed like the perfect way to do so, and that it would be forced if I did it any other way.

That song up there, fully original to me, I even know what it sounds like, but I do not have it sung out yet or anything, I will post when I do have it recorded for everyone to hear. Making that song was really hard, but when I was able to come up with the lyrics, it was really rewarding. Putting it in format with the rest of the story, was, however, hard on me. I tried to show what I imagined happening, while also keeping the flow of the song continuous.

We also had a Cadance Celestia conversation. That went as well as I had hoped. In fact, while I was writing that part, someone commented on my last chapter that it would be interesting to see it.

So, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, however short it may be.