Chapter 14: A Parent's Love

Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer were Princess Celestia's personal protégés. They both had rigorous class loads on top of that, but they both remained the top of their classes, partially due to being taught by the princess herself. Spike helped the girls out when he got old enough, using his dragon fire to send letters from the mares to Celestia. They also got their own library/study room. They still lived with their parents, but sometimes stayed the night studying, making sure to send a letter to their parents with Spike. They both had sessions with the princess, some of which had both Twilight and Sunset, while others were individual.

Today was one of the days that Sunset had her lesson with Celestia. It was a spring day, nearly eleven months since Sunset had come to Equestria. She made her way to the princess's study. She knocked on the door, as she always did, and waited for the door to be opened by Celestia. Or for Celestia to walk up behind her because she was early again.

Inside, Celestia was talking to Cadance. "Cadance, are you sure nopony has come out of the portal?" Celestia asked.

"Again, I am sure. I put a spell on it to alert me if anypony uses it," Cadance replied.

"I just wish that she would come home," the princess of the sun said.

"I know, auntie. But that is her choice to make. She may not want to return any more than the Sunset you are now teaching," Cadance said.

"I know," Celestia said sadly, before hearing a knock on the door.

Cadance raised her eyebrow.

"Today is actually one of my sessions with the other Sunset. I have separated them in my mind. I know that you were upset with me at first, but even when I made the decision I had made the distinction. She needs teaching. And, I know that she has a loving family," Celestia said.

"I might not agree with what you are doing, I do see where you are coming from," Cadance said. "Are you going to talk to her about the Sunset from our world today? You have avoided it for so long."

"Yes. I will, today. But, I would like you to be with me. Part of talking to her will require taking her to the mirror," Celestia responded.

"Then yes, I will stay with you," Cadance said.

The elder princess nodded, before opening the door to Sunset.

"Princess Celestia! Princess Cadance!" Sunset said.

"Welcome, my little pony," Celestia said.

Cadance just smiled at Sunset.

"So, what is my lesson about today? You were very vague last time, something about learning about myself?"

"Yes," her mentor replied. "More specifically, about your counterpart."

Sunset gasped. The princess knew about her counterpart?

"Worry not, Sunny. You are not in any trouble. But I have avoided this conversation for far too long. Come on in, sit," Celestia invited her in.

Sunset came in and sat down. "So, you know about the other Sunset Shimmer?" Sunny asked.

"I do not just know of her, I knew her," Celestia replied.

"Just as I recognized you, so too did Celestia. Only a bit sooner, though she did not realize it. At the Summer Sun Celebration," Cadance said.

"So, how did you know her, if I may ask," Sunset said.

"She was my personal protégé and adopted daughter," the princess of the sun responded. "I took her in as my protégé as I did you and your sister, and not long after, her parents died, as I understand yours did, and so I adopted her, though I kept it quiet. You are not a replacement for her. I understand fully the difference between the two of you."

"Then why did she run away through the portal to my world?"

"Because of me," Celestia admitted. "I was a terrible mother to her, treating her as a student, and being distant. She grew cruel and unfriendly, eventually demanding that I announce her as my daughter and equal. She wanted to become an alicorn, like me, and that she could do an even better job of ruling Equestria than me. When she confronted me and knocked out some of my guards, I knew that her staying in the castle was a bad idea, and that perhaps she could see the light and get some perspective from being out in Equestria, so I told her that she was no longer allowed in the castle. Had she asked forgiveness, I would have given it. But, she was so stuck up that she left. A few days later, she teleported to the mirror room and went through, as you did from your side."

"So basically I'm a reminder of something you would rather not think about?" Sunset asked.

"No. As I have said, you both are very different. And I do wish to think about her, to remind myself to be a better pony. I was hoping someday she would return, but she has not as of yet."

"Also, there is something you should know. Both of my parents did not die. Only my mother and unborn sister did," Sunset said.

Celestia looked puzzled. "Then why did you want to stay here?" she asked.

"Because my father was not the man that he used to be. Their deaths affected him so much, that he changed into something unloving," Sunset replied.

"I'm so sorry," Cadance said to her.

"But now I have a loving family," Sunset said. "Princess, is that all you wished to talk to me about?"

"No, it is not," Celestia said. "I wish to know how dangerous your world is, as well as the risk to my daughter in staying there."

"I doubt there is much risk," Sunny admitted. "We have not had a war in a long time, and even longer since there has been one on American soil. There aren't the great creatures you have here either. There, we are a different species, humans." Sunset projected herself as a human in front of Celestia. "That is what we look like. The portal on our side is in front of a school, so she could probably fit in there for a bit. We also have progressed much further in technology, as we have no magic. The weather is all natural as well, we have no way to control it."

"Thank you, that eases my spirit. There is another thing I wish to show you, but Cadance has it," Celestia said.

"Is it the mirror?" Sunset guessed.

"Yes, it is."

When they arrived at Cadance's quarters, they entered, before closing the door. "This is the mirror that brought you to our world, as well as the Sunset from our world to your world," Celestia said.

"Why today?" Sunset asked. "Why would you bring me to the mirror today?"

Celestia bowed her head. "It is because today it is open. It opens every thirty moons, and closes again after another moon. I was hoping that my Sunset would return, but this is not the case. I at least want to know if she's alright."

"So you're wondering if I will go see if she is alright? I will do so, but I will be back later today, even if I have found no answer," Sunny replied.

"I ask no more of you, Sunset," Celestia said.

So, Sunny went through the portal.

When she came out, she again was human. It was a strange feeling. She looked around to see the school in front of her. It was the middle of the day, so class was probably in session. So, she decided to look in the windows to see if she could see her counterpart.

She walked around, and had so far not seen any sign of, well, herself. She was walking and not really paying attention when she accidentally ran into a green girl with a striped sweatshirt. "I'm so sorry," Sunny said.

The girl looked up. "Sunset Shimmer?" she asked.

"You know me?"

"Of course I know you. Or, heard of you. Not very nice, I've heard," the girl mutters out.

"Sorry, I misspoke, I meant my sister, I'm Sunny," she said.

"Okay," the girl said.

"What's your name?" Sunny asked.

"Wallflower Blush," the girl responded.

"So my sister goes here? I've been out of touch with her for a while."

"Yes, she does. When I first saw her, she was socially awkward like I was. But then after the Fall Formal, she changed, started being mean," Wallflower said.

"Well, I hope she becomes nice," Sunny said.

"Yeah, today is one of the last days of school, so no one is going to see her again for a while. Have you come with your family to take her home?"

"No, just me today," Sunny said.

"Okay, well I better be going," Wallflower said before running off.

"So at least she's okay," Sunset said to herself. She then looked at the sun, and saw that it was just a little past midday. Maybe the reason she hadn't seen anyone in the classrooms was because it was lunch. She didn't want to make a big commotion, so she decided to not head inside.

Instead, she decided to head to her old house to see if there was anything she wanted to grab from there while she was on this side of the portal.

When she arrived, there was no car in the driveway, so she assumed her dad was at work. She checked under a rock, to see a key still hidden there. She unlocked the door and went inside. The house was cleaner than she left it. She then walked up the stairs to her old room. It looked exactly the same, except there was a sticky note on the mirror. It read, "Dear Sunset Shimmer, my daughter, I am sorry for what a horrible parent I have been. I realize now that I was wrong. I understand that you may have moved on, but I come in here and check every day for at least a note from you. I do have problems, but I am getting better. I long to hear from you, even if it is few and far between. Maybe someday we can reunite, though I do not feel as if I am ready. However, if you are, I will talk to you. I hope you have found someplace that is good to you, like your mother was. I know now that you are not the reason for her passing, I was just looking for something to blame. Please, at least come visit sometime. I love you. Your father, Dusk Shimmer."

Tears filled Sunset's eyes. She knew that she could not see him, not yet, and that she had a family back in Equestria now. He said himself that he was not ready yet. But, she decided to leave him a note in response. "Dear Dusk Shimmer, my father, I forgive you. I am not able to come home yet, but maybe someday. I now am in a far away place, with no communication. However, every chance I get, I will come leave you a note. It may be months between correspondences. I am happy where I am at now, so worry not about that. It makes me think of how good mother was. I do not blame you for wanting to place the blame on something, I did too, but after you, I could only blame myself. But now I no longer do so. I will visit you sometime. Just please, keep getting better, and be the best you that you can be. Your daughter, Sunset Shimmer."

She then stuck the note on her mirror, right next to her father's note to her. She then went downstairs, and looked in the fridge, to notice a distinct lack of alcohol. She smiled. At least he was getting better. She then left to go head back through the portal, putting her key back under the rock.

Sunset stepped back through the portal, starting on two legs, but then fell onto all fours. The two princesses were waiting on her.

"How is she?" Celestia asked.

"Though I did not see her, I did hear of her. She does go to the school there, and apparently she's not very nice. I apologize for taking so long, I had some business of my own to take care of. Princess Celestia, if I may, could I use this portal every time it opens?" Sunny asked.

"Of course," Celestia said.

"Yes, I am the keeper of the mirror, so I will let you know when it opens," Cadance said.

"Thank you both," Sunset said, before they all hugged.

Sunset and Twilight continued to learn under Celestia, and Sunset used the mirror every time, continuing her conversation with her father, through notes. She had been fortunate enough to not run into anyone else in the other world. And she timed her visits to be during the school day, so she could sneak and see the other Sunset in class. Her father still was not ready to see her again, he was too scared.

Throughout the years, the two sisters grew up, learning much about magic. Sunset had a great home with a great family, as well as a great teacher. She was close to her sister, even though the two mares didn't really make any friends, they were very close to each other and their brother. Unknown to Twilight, but easily seen by Sunset, Cadance and Shining Armor had grown even closer, and even went out together, though Twilight thought it was just as friends. So, the two mares did well in their five years at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, and did a bit much studying, but enjoyed each other's company, as well as helped each other study. All was good in Sunset's life, and in Equestria.

Author's Note

Thus ends Part II: Family. It ended strong with a small reconciliation between Sunny and her own father. Wait, this looks like an ending. Especially those last two paragraphs. That's right, because all that's left is an Epilogue.

The name for this chapter came last of all, and it is fitting for this chapter, Tia's love for her Sunset, and Dusk's love for his daughter, though not ready to see her. It is about parents loving, even though being unprepared and unable to show it. Even though Dusk cannot see his daughter, he still tells her that he loves her, and Tia shows her love for her Sunset in concern, and wants to know if she is okay. She also knows that she cannot go and check on her, it would hurt her and Sunset too much, and she knows that she cannot force her daughter to come back.

The conversation between Sunny and Tia about other Sunset was the only other important conversation I really needed. And then, I had a stroke of genius. Add in the Human world. I didn't plan that, it came to me while I was writing Celestia saying that she wanted to know that her Sunset was okay. And of course I had to include Wallflower Blush, I am obsessed with Forgotten Friendship. But, even though this is technically the end of The Sunset Also Rises, there appears to be so much more I can do. And indeed there is so much more I plan to do. This is only book one of my Rising Universe. Though I will not reveal anything about the future books, just know, I have a huge plan.

Also, Sunny's first of holidays seemed like they would be in this fic, but they are not. They didn't really have a place in the narrative. They are still being made. They will be my holiday specials, made on the days that they represent, so the first one I believe will be Winter Wrap Up. (That song just came on, as I was writing it, xD.)

I hope everyone enjoys this!