Reborn

Chapters

Princess' Arc 1: Beyond the Not-So-Dark Portal
Princess' Arc 2: Of Tribulations and Bubble Baths
Princess' Arc 3: Virgin Sirens
Princess' Arc 4: Introspection
Princess' Arc 5: Motherly Love
Princess' Arc 6: Ball of a Time
Princess' Arc 8: An Hour of Generosity
Princess' Arc 9: An Hour of Laughter
Princess' Arc 10: An Hour of Kindness
Princess' Arc 11: An Hour of Honesty
Princess' Arc 12: Of Selfish Ponies
Interlude 1: The Next Choice
Prologue: Choices to be Made
Princess' Arc 7: An Hour of Loyalty

Princess' Arc 1: Beyond the Not-So-Dark Portal

“So, uh… Excited to be going back to Equestria?” Aria asked as the four Equestrians sat still at the kitchen table.

“I… I’m not sure, to be honest…” Sunset gave an uneasy smile back to her sister. She had hardly slept the previous night, her mind racing at the thought of returning to Equestria and confronting Celestia. Apparently the Solar Diarch had not been heard from in months, other than small messages passed to Princess Luna who was currently running all of Equestria by herself, just as Celestia had done for millennia. Princess Twilight was unaware that Sunset was alive, the unicorn begging the Sirens not to reveal the fact yet as Adagio started to inquire about the availability of Twilight’s current schedule.

“We were kinda amazed when she said she was your daughter.” Sonata chuckled, smiling and hoping to pick up the mood. “I didn’t know that she had had a lover again. Mind you it’s been a long time since we were in Equestria.”

“Y-Yeah, she…” Sunset became quiet as she paused at her endless stabbing of her bowl of cereal, her eyes growing visibly misty. “She’s done as much for me as the three of you have…”

“I appreciate the high praise.” Adagio said, a patient smile on her face. “It’s not everyday you get compared to the literal Goddess of the Sun.”

“So, um… How exactly are we getting to Equestria? I doubt that it would be possible to get within a hundred metres of the school, let alone the statue portal.” Sunset asked before taking a spoonful of cereal. “And I really don’t wanna go back to that place…”

“We don’t blame ya, cause neither do we!” Aria said, a hint of fire to her voice as she answered her sister’s question. “Princess Twilight had been to our house once while you were… away, and she transferred the portal to one of the rooms upstairs.”

“Wait… What?”

“It’s Magic, Sunset. What else is there to explain?” Adagio chortled gaily as she watched Sunset’s expression shift to confusion before looking at the vibrating journal that glowed a faint purplish colour. “Looks like she’s replied…”

“What’s she say, what’s she say!?” Sonata jumped up to her feet, her breakfast burrito trailing crumbs onto the table beneath her.

“I think Sunset has about twenty minutes to go shower and get ready.”

“So tell me again why you three aren’t coming with me?” Sunset asked hesitantly from in front of the ornate looking mirror that had been previously covered by a draping cloth.

“Do you not remember how big we were back there?” Aria asked in amusement, crossing her arms as she crossed her head. “Unless the Mirror was put in a field we would probably destroy whatever room it was in, let alone the mirror itself!”

“It was Starswirl who exiled us after all,” Adagio added, resting a friendly hand on her sister’s shoulder. “We never crossed the portal.”

“Plus I think Ponies would recognize us and who knows what would happen then, hehehe…” Sonata scratched at her cheek errantly, an embarrassed smile on her features.

“But… How can I do this without the three of you…?” Sunset looked around at them, the sorrow in her eyes intermixed with the hesitation of her body language. “I need the three of you…!”

“About time you say that!” Aria snicker as she playfully swatted at one of Sunset’s breasts, the orb jiggling and swaying as it owner gave a small bark of annoyance.

“We would love to be with you, Sunset…” Adagio added sadly, a tired frown coming to her face. “I think all three of us would like to see home again…”

The room was awkwardly silent as all three Siren’s fell silent, sad, pensive looks on their faces as they looked at the floor. Sunset realized that it had been an unimaginable amount of time that the Sirens were away from Equestria, over six millennia apparently, so of course they would want to see their ancestral home, even if for a moment.

“... I’m sorry, you three…” Sunset said, walking around and grabbing the three of them in close, the group sharing a loving embrace together. “I wish I knew someway of getting you three back home…”

“Promise you’ll write?” Sonata asked, her face back to it’s normal cheeriness, even if the mood in the room was still tinged with sorrow.

“Of course I will, Sona.” Sunset laughed as she ruffled the Siren’s head, before she gave an extremely uneasy smirk. “But, uh… stay here for a little bit, just in case I need to run from an angry purple Pony Princess…”

“I’ll have the hammer ready!” Sunset watched as Sonata somehow produced a cartoonish hammer of immense size out of nowhere.

“Uh… I don’t think we’ll need that, Sonny.” Aria said as she gently took the hammer away from Sonata before depositing it against something covered under more cloth. “You just be careful, Sunset… it sounds like you’re gonna be having quite the party over there…”

“You telling me to be careful?” Sunset looked at Aria in unadulterated shock, a hand coming to rest over her chest. “Here I thought you were go an’ tell me to go and sleep with Celestia!”

“Well now that you say that- Ow! The fuck was that for!” Aria had a rather lecherous look on her face that quickly shifted to pain after Adagio’s fist connected with the crass shoulder.

“You have fun, Sunset, and remember that we will be waiting patiently for your return.” Adagio smiled before looking over and scowling fiercely at Aria.

“You three try not to burn down the house while I’m gone, alright?” Sunset chuckled as she walked over to the mirror, pausing hesitantly in front of it. There was magic radiating from it, just like the statue at CHS, and she found herself drawn to reach out towards it, the surface rippling like water as she rested a palm against it. She took a deep breath as she felt a chill run down her spine, before looking back at her sisters one last time. They all smiled warmly as Sunset turned back to facing the mirror, and stepped through.

“W-Wooaah!” Sunset landed uneasily on the other side of the portal, her entire world still spinning from the magic that transported her back to her native world. Her arms were flailing around beside her as she tried to keep her balance, but to no avail as she landed in an unappealing heap on the cool, crystalline floor.

“Ooowww…” she groaned as she brought her hand up to rub at the aching pain in her jaw.

Only for something hard and not finger-like to connect with said jaw.

“W...What…” Sunset’s mixture of shock and understanding vanished as she heard a deadly calm voice, filled with uncontrollable emotions bubbling and trying to break through. “What in the name of Celestia…”

Sunset slowly craned her head up towards the voice, taking in the sight of a lavender unicor- Alicorn, with an instantly recognizable mane of deep, dark blue with two stripes of purple and magenta running down it, the mare’s violet eyes pinpricks of shock as her wings flared out behind her. Sunset could only give an incredibly uneasy smile as she looked up at Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria.

“Erm… Uh…” Sunset stuttered as she laid there on the floor, grasping at straws in regards to what she should say right now. “...Hi…?”

“S… Sunset… Shimmer…?” tears started to build in the corners of her friends eyes as she stared down at the friend that had just appeared through the portal, the friend who’s funerals she had attended on both Gaia and Equestria. “Y-You’re… Alive…?”

“Um… yes…?” Sunset responded as she tried to push herself up to a standing position, her legs and back screaming at her until she realized that she was a pony again, her shock and happiness put to the side as Twilight started to slump to the ground.

“But… but you were dead… We all saw the body… An-And the funerals…!” she said softly as she shook her head back and forth, Sunset starting to slowly walk over, pausing the first time she came down on what was supposed to be her front right hoof, the limb thankfully still bandaged but the form of a clawed arm unmistakable, causing Sunset to frown as uncurled the digits, the “hand” more akin to a griffon’s or a dragon’s than a humans. “I must… I must be seeing things…!”

Sunset instantly put the concerns of her corruption to the back of her mind as she galloped over to her first friend and wrapped her in the tightest possible embrace before starting to talk. “You’re not seeing things, Twilight… It’s me… I’m, uh… Oh stop crying, would you? You’re gonna make me cry for god's sake!”

Twilight Sparkle refused to stop crying, instead deciding to start bawling loudly as she wrapped her own hooves around her friend and pulling her in close, causing Sunset to inevitably start crying softly herself, a veritable deluge of emotions pouring from the pair of ponies as they sat embracing one another in Twilight’s throne room.

“Twilight!” a shocked pair of voices cried out, one that Sunset recognized, belonging to Spike, and the other to a mare that the returned Equestrian did not recognize in the slightest as the duo barged into the room, the telltale aura of magic visible around the unicorn mare’s horn.

“Twilight? What’s wrong, why are you crying?” the pale lavender unicorn asked, her magic dieing down as she realized the Princess was safe, though her eyes paused as she turned towards Sunset, voicing her confusion. “And who is that? How’d they get in here without us knowing?”

“She looks kinda familiar…” Spike said, tapping his little dragon claw against his little dragon chin, Sunset amazed at the familiarity between him and his canine counterpart. “Twilight? Are you gonna stop crying now?”

“Sh-Sh-She’s alive…” Twilight sputtered out as she bared her face into Sunset’s shoulder, shuddering harshly as she continued to sob loudly. “She’s alive, Spike!”

“She…?” he asked, looking just as confused as the mare beside him, until his young mind focused on the most important word that Twilight had just repeated twice, his eyes shooting back to Sunset, studying her. “Wait, alive? Wha...t… Wait a second! Ketchup and mustard hair…! S-Sunset… Wh-Wh-What are you doing here!? You’re dead! Wait, don’t tell me you’re a ghost now come to haunt us! Dragon souls don’t taste good, I promise! I-”

“Sunset, as in… Sunset Shimmer?” the mare asked, starting to sound annoyed at more or less being ignored, turning to look once again at Sunset herself. “The one who’s funeral you went to with the other Princess’ that no one, and I mean NO ONE else was allowed to go to?”

Twilight made muffled, garbling noises, as she continued to shove her muzzle into Sunset’s shoulder, the amber unicorn giving a small chuckle as she wiped away the tear running down the left side of her own muzzle, before turning and nodding to the mare and dragon duo. “Yep, that’s me, Sunset Shimmer herself. And relax, Spike, I’m not dead, so how could I be a ghost? Besides, hasn’t Twilight ever told you that ghosts don’t eat souls?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were alive!?” Twilight suddenly wailed as she pulled back slightly from Sunset, leaving her hooves to rest on the unicorn’s shoulders, her face a mess of tear soaked fur as she stared in disbelief at the sight of her friend. “Why didn’t you tell anyone that you were alive!?”

“...I’m sorry about that mess, really…” Sunset said softly, looking away from her friend as shame tore through her body and mind, her eye narrowing as her ears flopped down. “I… I don’t think I will ever be, or should ever be forgiven for what I did, and what I put you all through these last few months… But believe me when I say that it wasn’t easy on me either… I… It took me this long to just to try and accept my life on Gaia… to accept them, and everything they did for me while I was Fireside Glow… How could I see any of you before I came to terms with who I was…?”

“You… You are going to have a lot more explaining to do, Sunset.” Twilight said firmly, the alicorn having stood up straight and magic’d away the mess that had covered her face while Sunset was staring at the floor. Sunset’s face fell, her frown deepening as she brought her muzzle closer to her chest, the disappointment evident in her friend’s words. “But… I’m glad you are still alive…”

Sunset looked up, noticing the hoof outstretched from her own saviour, the sad, hopeful smile on the pony’s face as she reached out once again to Sunset Shimmer. Sunset looked between the hoof and the face of the owner, a small, sad smile coming to her face as she chuckled softly. She slowly reached out and took the hoof, accepting the assistance in getting to her feet. “Thank you, Twilight… And I am sorry about that…”

“I know you are…” Twilight whispered as the two pulled in close in another loving embrace, before pulling away and giving a small cough, followed by motioning to the pair of bystanders in the room. “Now, where are my manners. You of course know Spike, but you probably haven’t seen him as he normally is, and our other guest is Starlight Glimmer.”

“Nice to properly meet you.” Sunset nodded towards Starlight, the mare nodding though she still wore a confused look on her face. “I do hope you don’t judge me by what my previous legacy has done.”

“Heh… It doesn’t hold a flame to what I’ve done, no offense.” Starlight chuckled sheepishly as she looked away, rubbing a hoof against the back of her head.

“She’s my newest student in the Magic of Friendship.” Twilight said, walking over to stand beside the unicorn. “And I wouldn’t be so sure, Starlight. I actually think the two of you could- That’s it!”

“What’s it!?” Spike yelled back instinctively, snapping to attention as he scurried over towards Twilight.

“Starlight! Show Sunset here to the main kitchen! Myself and Spike will be down shortly after making sure the castle is secured against any… Guests.” Twilight started shoving the pair of unicorn out of the room, before she paused and finished her thought. “Sunset, why don’t you tell Starlight here all about how you stole my Element of Harmony? I am certain the two of you can bond greatly over how much trouble you two have caused me in particular.”

“...Ouch.” Sunset said bluntly as the door slammed shut behind the pair, her eye shifting slowly from the door over to Starlight, the mare looking at Sunset in bemused shock. “Oh… Did she never tell you about that?”

Princess' Arc 2: Of Tribulations and Bubble Baths

“Wow, you must be really powerful to use Starswirl’s spell like that.” Sunset commented as the pair sat across from one another at the kitchen table, a look of admiration on her face as Starlight looked away in embarrassment. “I remember when I snuck into one of the restricted sections of the castle’s library. Some of the spells in there…”

“While I appreciate the praise, I would much prefer to move past my, well, past, if that were fine with you?” Starlight’s blush slowly faded away as she looked back at Sunset. “Is there a reason you’re wearing bandages and an eye patch?”

“Oh… these, right…” Sunset’s muzzle turned downwards slightly as she frowned, her good hoof coming up to prod at the leather piece covering her right eye. “Would it be fine if we waited for Twilight to join us? It sort of involves her.”

“I swear I will never get used to this castle!” the pair of unicorns jumped as the door to the kitchen flew open, Twilight Sparkle grumbling loudly as she trotted over to sit between her two apprentices. “Sorry for the delay you two, I may have gotten a teensy bit lost, as embarrassing as it is to say that.”

“No worries, Twilight.” the amber unicorn chuckled humouredly. “You don’t wanna know how long it took me to get used to the other Canterlot.”

“So what did you want to wait for me to talk about?” Twilight asked after the pair shared knowing chuckles, Starlight left completely ignored for the moment.

“Right… Um, promise me you won’t freak out? Both of you, I mean…” Sunset trailed off as she took her hoof to the bandages, grunting annoyedly as she struggled to remove them. “God damnit do I miss my hands already!”

“Er, Sunset?” the unicorn looked up as she heard her name, noticing Twilight wearing a silly grin, slowly motioning a hoof up towards her horn.

“...I hate you…” Sunset snarked as she rolled her eyes before focusing on her magic, a nostalgic feeling running over her as her magic flowed to the tip of the horn on her head. She let out a pleased sigh as she felt the bandages start to-

“Oh my Celestia!” Sunset’s magic stumbled as she lost her focus, and nearly her balance, as she heard Starlight cry out in horror. “That’s… That’s dark magic!”

“You know I asked you to stay calm for a reason…” Sunset grumbled as she resettled herself, continuing to use her magic to remove the bandages from what would be her right arm back on Gaia, and finally her eye patch, everything coming to lie in a neat pile on the table. “So, as you can see, I didn’t exactly get out of that ordeal unscathed…”

“Your eye looks just like the daemon’s…” Twilight said softly as she studied the form of her friend intently. “And then the clawed hoof- or rather hand…”

“Part of the reason I came over here, besides needing to tell you that I’m not actually dead- and that was totally the top priority, I promise!- was to see if you knew of a way to get rid of these… Back on Gaia, well… I have a tendency to tear things apart with these claws.” Sunset looked at the alicorn with a mix of sheepishness and hope. “I was hoping that maybe you knew of something… Sadly it’s been too long since I’ve had a chance to go through the Royal Library, and I was hoping to save meeting with… her…”

“...Sunset… You know you’re going to have to talk to her most of all, right?” Twilight’s tone was somber as she let out a small sigh. “She hasn’t been out of her room since your apparent death… Princess Luna has been running Canterlot for the last, well pretty much the last whole month now. And if anything, she would be the only one powerful enough to help. Do you remember what happened… I think three months back? Princess Celestia, Luna, and myself came over to Gaia at the re-”

“Yes, I remember… When you girls tried to fix me then.” Sunset nodded, cutting off her friend gently. “It didn’t work, though that may be due to a combination of Gaia being so barren of magic and… her trying to do it herself…”

“Well I think we should be able to do it here.” Twilight nodded firmly, before frowning and reaching out a hoof towards her friend. “But we will need Celestia’s and Luna’s assistance, and that means you need to talk to her.”

Sunset sat there in silence, her head tilting towards the table, the mirror polish reflecting her contrasting eyes perfectly. Revealing herself to Twilight was one thing, sure, but to Celestia? Sunset’s head shot up, worry and concern marring her features. “You say she’s been staying in her room since the funeral? Surely you, or at least Luna have talked to her, right?”

Twilight shook her head silently.

“...I’m so sorry… I…” Sunset’s head slumped, a tear coming to her eye as despair swelled in her core. “I’m sorry…”

“I’m certain that I am speaking out of place here, but wouldn’t it be best to just get it over with?” two pairs of eyes turned onto Starlight as the unicorn finally spoke up again, a simple look on her face. “The longer you wait the harder it’s going to be. Trust me, I, uh, have similar experience with this sort of thing.”

“I also think your mother would love to see that you are alive.” Twilight added, causing Sunset to jolt suddenly before freezing entirely.

“...Fine, but we need to keep my visit secret. That’s my stipulation on this whole thing happening, alright?” Sunset said sternly as she looked between her two hosts, the pair nodding in agreement. Sunset gave a content sigh, subconsciously bringing her clawed hand up to her face as if she were human, and wiping it down her muzzle, before pausing at the end.

“Oh… My… God…” she said, stunned as she ran her hand down her muzzle again, a maniacal look coming to her face. “Muzzles are so squishy!?”

Not even half an hour had passed between Sunset’s realization of the plushiness of Equestrian Ponies and the small pop and flash of light as the trio appeared right in front of Canterlot Castle. Whilst Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer were standing there unadorned, Sunset Shimmer shifted around uneasily, her bandages and eye patch were once again being worn, but her entire body was tingling thanks to an illusionary spell to hide her presence to others.

“Okay, we can go.” Sunset whispered, the other two mares starting to walk up the stairs at her comment.

“Now remember, Sunset,” Twilight started quietly, pausing to greet the guards standing in front of the doors, giving a false explanation that allowed the three to enter. “We are going to get you to her room, but it has to be you who talks to her. Starlight and myself will use Maredenkainen's Shifting Wall to allow you into her room, as it would be unwise for us to try and break down her door.”

“There are usually four guards stationed outside her room, though.” Sunset said shortly after the pair ahead of her stopped to talk with yet more guards. “What’s your plan for dealing with them?”

“Oh, you’ll see…” Sunset heard Twilight giggle, a dangerous giggle, a giggle that made her amber ears fold flat against her head.

The trio stopped at the end of the hall leading to Princess Celestia’s royal chambers, the three of them taking a momentary peak down the hall before hiding back around the corner.

“Six guards…” Sunset groaned, her amber hoof connecting with her muzzle. “What are we gonna do now?”

Twilight merely grinned and closed her eyes, her magic springing to life around her horn. Suddenly a tall, black, chitinous looking creature popped into existence beside Twilight, it’s teal mane and iridescent eyes instantly recognizable.

“Sunset, you remember what spell stones are, I hope?” Twilight asked as the replica of Queen Chrysalis stood beside Twilight, slowly blinking.

“Well, yeah I do. Small objects enchanted to produce spell effects on demand.” Sunset nodded quickly before looking back at the Changeling Queen. “What does that have to do with Chrysalis here?”

“Well the armour of the Canterlot Royal Guard act partially like a spell stone, and one of the spells included is a recent one, to aid in the detection of illusioned Changelings.” Twilight nodded towards the Chrysalis doppelganger, who momentarily erupted into green flame, which revealed a second Twilight Sparkle when they vanished. Twilight’s magic formed around her horn again, and around her twin.

“Go towards the guards, then stop and start talking to them, ask to see to the Princess. When they detect you are a changeling, break your illusion and flee.” the duplicate nodded at her maker’s instruction, trotting down the hall.

The trio waited patiently, until…

“An illusion! What are you hiding!?” one of the guards yelled before cries of panic shot through the gathering followed by the sounds of hooves running away from the room after “Queen Chrysalis”.

“Now! Come on, Sunset, we only have one shot at this!” Twilight shouted as the trio ran around the corner, dashing down the hall and stopping at the wall to the left of Princess Celestia’s room. “Okay, as we planned, Starlight.”

The other unicorn nodded, and the two closed their eyes, their horns igniting as they channeled their magics into the section of wall. The surface started to crawl, as if water were streaming down it, before it gave a subdued, snapping sound as if made of elastic bands as it snapped back into shape.

“Now, Sunset.” Sunset nodded towards Twilight, and slowly walked towards the wall, hesitant. She paused, looked back at the straining mares, took a deep breath, and walked through the wall.

The room, while a mess of indescribable proportions, had not changed in the years since Sunset had last stepped foot in it. She looked around in awe, trying her best to not get washed away in a sea of nostalgia. As dark as the room was, thanks to the large window of the room being hidden behind a set of great drapes.

Sunset paused when her eye fell upon the bed, and the unsightly mess of a blob discernible atop it. Whilst it was an incredibly well known secret that Celestia was actually a massive slob, the state of the room and its belongings were not of slovenliness. The dark pit in her stomach dropped more as she realized that she had indeed caused all of this…

She took a step forward, followed by another, watching where each hoof or daemonic paw landed as she made her way to the bed, before pausing a couple feet from the edge. The mass on the bed raised and lowered, the steady breathing intermixed with nigh unhearable sobs, causing Sunset to look at the ground in shame.

“E-E-Excuse me…” Sunset said loudly and unsteadily, the mass on the bed shaking as it woke in shock, the room suddenly filled with blinding light causing Sunset to avert her head from the radiance glowing from the figure’s horn.

“An intruder!?” Celestia yelled, slightly asleep as she turned to face the covered figure in her room. “How’d you get in here and past the guards!?”

“...” Sunset stood in silence, slowly looking back towards Princess Celestia as she felt the light start to die down.

“Answer me!” the Princess demanded, her voice loud and demanding respect.

“...I’m so sorry…” Sunset said softly, opening her eye and looking at Celestia, the alicorn’s features shifting from indignation to confusion.

“That voice…? But…” Celestia muttered in disbelief, her horn igniting with magic once again, the hood being lifted from Sunset’s head, before dropping unceremoniously on her back as her head came into Celetia’s view. “S-Sun...set…? No, this is just… just another nightmare! You’re still dead and-”

“I’m so sorry…” Sunset interrupted in a minuscule voice. “I never meant for this to happen… But I promise you… I am real, and I am alive…”

Sunset felt herself suddenly lifted off of the ground, watching as she was slowly levitated over towards Celestia, the Princess’ magic depositing Sunset in front of her. A single, impossibly pure white hoof reached, shaking noticeably, towards Sunset’s face. She sat there on the bed, watching as the hoof touched her muzzle, starting to rub up and down as tears came to Celestia’s face. Sunset brought up her front hoof to rest on Celestia’s as she looked into the alicorn’s eyes.

“I’m so sorry… Mom…”

The pair sat in silence, Celestia’s eyes reduced to pinpricks as she looked over the features of her daughter long though dead. Her whole body had started to shake now, tears running down her face in great streams as she shook her head.

“No… You… Sunset…? Are you…”

Sunset nodded, still trying to prove to her mother that she was really and truly alive, only to give a small, undignified squeal as she was wrapped up in Celestia’s towering embrace, hooves and wings surrounding the unicorn as her mother started to cry loudly.

“Y-Y-Y-You’re really alive! Oh, Sunset, I-” the princess was unable to keep herself from blubbering embarrassedly as she rocked back and forth with the unicorn held firmly in her grasp. “You have so much to explain, young mare, but that can wait! Oh I can’t believe you’re still alive!”

“Dear Sister, We felt a commotion from thine room! We-” Sunset was freed from being swung back and forth as she heard the large double doors to the room fly open, a familiar voice calling out as the sounds of hooves entered the room. The freedom of motion was short lived, however, as Sunset soon felt herself being thrust forward towards the newcomer.

“Look, Lulu!” Celestia cried with unrestrained joy as she held out Sunset like a newborn foal. “Sunset’s alive!”

Sunset hung there awkwardly in Celestia’s front hooves, her rear hooves just barely unable to touch the floor she was dangling over. Sighing in defeat, even as a blush of embarrassment flooded her face, she looked up at Celestia’s sister and grinned sheepishly. “Er… Hello, Princess Luna.”

“Sunset Shimmer…?” the Princess of the Night looked at the amber furred unicorn in her sister’s grasp with slight shock. “But thou wast dead! We saw it with mine very eyes!”

“Well… that wasn’t actually me me, but-”

“It doesn’t matter at the moment!” Celestia interjected happily, her magic hoisting Sunset into the air as the alicorn removed herself from her bed, standing proudly as she set her daughter on the floor. “Sunset is alive, and I intend to make the best of it before we deal with the why’s!”

The drapes covering the windows were flung to their sides, daylight streaming into the room and revealing the terrible state of Celestia’s private chambers. She looked around before pausing when she noticed the barely restrained looks from both her sister and daughter. “Well… Maybe a bit of tidying is due first.”

There were shared giggles from the trio as Celestia’s magic flared to life, her room transforming before Sunset’s very eyes. Books returned to their shelves, a broken vase was repaired and replaced gently onto its stand, the bed was made. All that was left…

“Mayhap, dear sister, you should take a bath.” Luna said, smiling with a mix of embarrassment and teasing. “A month of being sedentary has not done well to thine complexion.”

“...” Sunset remained silent, looking away and giving a rather sheepish shrug of her shoulders when Celestia looked her way.

“I guess you are right…” Celestia grumbled, trotting forward and hoisting Sunset up in her magic before stopping and opening the doors. “We shall be in the royal bubble bath!”

“So, um…” Sunset stood at the edge of the massive indentation filled with steaming hot water, bubbles beyond measure, and one alicorn sighing contently. She had just finished removing her cloak, leaving it piled next to her boots near the door, leaving her with her bandages and eye patch still equipped. “I guess this is where I’m supposed to start talking?”

“Mmm…” Celestia gave the laziest shrug Sunset had ever seen, the mare resting peacefully in the water as a set of rubber duckies floated past her.

“Umm… I’m not sure if I should enter or not…” Sunset added once she finished walking to the side of the bath, sitting down behind Celestia. “I don’t want to get these bandages wet and-”

“Well then just take them off, Shimmy.” replied Celestia in a lackadaisical manner, turning to look at her returned daughter, studying the bandages and the eye patch. “Though you are now making me worry as to why you are wearing bandages and an eye patch.”

“...” Sunset looked away, unsure of what to say. She opened her mouth to respond, only to feel warm air wash over her suddenly exposed daemonic limb.

“Oh…” Celestia responded lamely as the sound of Sunset’s bandages and eye patch collapsing to the floor rang through the room. “Is… Is that remains of the corruption?”

Sunset nodded, hunching over in shame as she looked at her mother.

“The eye as well?”

Another nod.

“...Well we can’t have you walking around like that, can we?” Celestia’s face broke into a goofy grin, moments later breaking into laughter as she stared at the response she was getting from Sunset. “Come now, Sunset! You know I would be unable to say no to help you. We will go with Lulu to the Tree of Harmony after the bath. I am certain the Elements of Harmony have finished recharging by now.”

“W-What? Just… Just like that?” Sunset looked lost as she stared at Celestia perplexedly. “But- After everything I’ve done to you and Twilight, I-”

“I never blamed you for your actions, Sunset.” Celestia interrupted, only to have Sunset interrupt her mother back.

“But why!? You-You-You took me from the streets and into your care, loved me like a daughter and took me on as your personal protege! And I let it all get to my head, believing that I should get things that weren’t really mine to have simply because you were my mother!”

“And I allowed you to let your pride blind you!” Celestia yelled sadly, tears starting to build in her eyes once more. “I allowed you to become haughty and vicious, I failed to treat you like a daughter and caused you to run away! It haunts me to this very day that I drove you to go through that portal, Sunset! That I made you feel like you had to prove to me that you were stronger than I! What kind of mother drives there child to that point!?”

“You did nothing wrong, Celestia…” Sunset sobbed, looking at the ground as tears streamed down her muzzle. “If I had listened to your lessons on the true meaning of Friendship…”

The sound of water cascading onto itself could be heard as Celestia hoisted herself from the seated position she had in the tub and up to her feet. She made her way out of the bubbly water and came to rest in front of Sunset Shimmer, seating herself before the smaller unicorn. “I… When you first left, and the portal closed I was left in despair. The loss of you, if even for a short time, nearly shattered me, Sunset. I never had the strength to search you out on the other side of the portal, blaming myself for failing you as not only a teacher, but as a mother. I thought that the loss of you was my punishment, and I prayed every day that you were able to find your destiny in that other world.”

“Why would you ever blame yourself!?” Sunset cried, looking up at the sorrow filled form of Celestia. “Just look at what I did on Gaia! I stayed the same power hungry, egotistical girl that I was under your care! I drove yet another school into fearing me, blackmailing and threatening my fellow students… I even returned to Equestria to steal Princess Twilight’s crown, her own Element of Harmony!”

“And you did that because I ignored you, Sunset. When you needed me most as a mother, I abandoned you, treating you only as another student under my care…” Celestia bowed her noble head towards the ground. “If I had shown you true love and friendship as I preached… Maybe none of this would have ever happened…”

“You did more than anyone else in this world has ever done for me, Celestia…” it was Sunset’s turn to bow her head, going so far as to lay down and prostrate herself before her adopted mother. “You did show me true love and friendship, and I took it all for granted… I will never accept you apologizing for your actions, and I forgive you entirely if you believe you failed me…”

Celestia shifted around until she was lying beside Sunset, draping one of her great wings over her daughter affectionately. “I won’t accept your forgiveness until you forgive yourself, Sunset… We are both to blame for the events of our separation, and while it has been an arduous and cryptic path, I believe you are better for it…”

“And how can I forgive myself…?” Sunset sniffled into her hooves, unable to look up at Celestia. “All I’ve ever done is hurt others…”

“I think you know some people that would beg to differ.”

“...Huh?” Sunset finally looked up at Celestia in shock.

“Besides Twilight and myself, who were both devastated with your apparent death, there are at least three other Equestrians who care deeply for you.”

“And look what I did to them as well…” Sunset muttered. “I abandoned them too…”

“And yet throughout everything we were still grieving for your loss.” Celestia said as she smoothed the mane of her depressed daughter. “We all love you, Sunset, no matter how much of a failure you believe you are. We all are here for you, no matter what.”

“But-”

“We have all moved beyond your past Sunset. It’s time you realize yourself that you’re more than your mistakes.”

“...I... I don’t know if I’m strong enough…” Sunset said softly.

Celestia gave a warm smile as she maneuvered Sunset around to be face to face. “You believed that the Pony of Shadows lived under your bed for six years, you can believe in yourself for one minute.”

Sunset sat there and looked between Celestia’s eyes, taking in the warm smile that the sun Princess wore.

“...I… I guess I can try…” Sunset said, a sad frown coming to her face as she tried to move her head away, only to remain face to face thanks to Celestia’s strong grasp. “If all of you are here for me…”

“We will always be here for you, my dear daughter. No matter your struggles, you have a loving family that will always be in your corner. Your past is not your today.”

“So it was a good bath I take it?” Twilight Sparkle asked as she watched Celestia and Sunset depart from the private bath chamber, the duo positively glowing in cleanliness.

“I forgot what it was like to have a Royal Bubble Bath…” Sunset groaned happily, rubbing her daemonic paw through her mane.

“Now what?” Starlight asked, the mare trying her best to not show how out of place she felt.

“I think now we meet with Luna and head to our former castle, and the Tree of Harmony in the cave beneath.” Celestia said as she continued down the hallway, her mane and tail flowing behind her in an ethereal wind. “It is time we finally remove this corruption from my daughter. Twilight, you and Starlight return to Ponyville and contact Fluttershy. We will need her help to get Discord to reign in those vines of his.”

“Wait… Discord?” Sunset asked in confusion as Celestia turned the corner.

Princess' Arc 3: Virgin Sirens

“Ohohohohoh!” Sonata called out loudly, earning the attentions of her sisters as the trio sat around lazily in the living room of the house. “The book is vibratin’!”

“We can see that ourselves, numbnuts.” Aria snapped as Adagio reached out and grabbed the book that the trio had just spent the last hour watching intently, not making a sound, save for when Aria or Adagio shut Sonata up with a quick, guttural noise. “Hey! What the hell, Dagi!? I was gonna-”

“She is heading to the Sister’s old castle, apparently the Elements of Harmony are kept there to suppress something of Discord’s…” the lead siren dictated as her eyes scrawled across the scripture slowly appearing on the paper, giving a small chuckle when she recited the name of the ancient spirit of Chaos. “Ha, Discord… I guess he had some tricks left over from before he was turned to stone. Anyways they are going to try and finally purify the corruption from Sunset…”

“Tell her best of luck!” Sonata yelled, scrambling across the floor towards Adagio on her knees, looking up at her matriarchal sister intently. “Tell her I’m gonna have tacos ready for when she gets back!”

“Dear god, not tacos again…!” Aria groaned as she leaned back against her chesterfield. “Of all the foods in this entire goddamn world for you to fall in love with!”

“It’s better than having steak all the time!” was the cyan Siren’s response, sticking her tongue out at her brutish sister.

“Enough, you two.” Adagio quelled the escalating squabble with a firm command, shutting the journal after writing a quick response to their newest sister. “Now, Sonata, I believe you had a question that you wanted to ask of us, but you needed to wait for Sunset to leave, correct?”

“Oh! O-Oh…!” Sonata sat back on the floor, removing her arms from Adagio’s legs and wrapping them around herself. “U-Um… Right, uh…”

“Spit it out already, Sonny.” Aria barked from her seat, earning a quick glare from Adagio.

“E-E-Everytime I looked at Sunset, a-a-after she said we were sisters again I mean, I get this feeling… D-Down in my tummy…” Sonata laid her hands across her firm abdomen, hidden comfortably under her magenta top. Unbeknownst to her, since her eyes were glued on her “tummy”, the faces of Adagio and Aria erupted into abnormal expressions, Aria’s face becoming host to an uncharacteristically adorable blush, while Adagio’s face shifted to one of being completely lost. “An-An-And in the car- on the way back, I… I couldn’t stop holding her hand, or wanting to brush her hair out of her face, and… Um… Are you two alright?”

“Sonata…” Adagio said softly, shattering the pregnant pause as she looked between her other two sisters uneasily. “Are you sure that’s what you feel?”

A quick nod from the ponytail’d Siren.

“Do you know what it is, Adagio!?” the bubbly Siren was starting to become distraught, worry weaving its way across her face as she started to sit up straighter in a panic. “Is-Is-Is-Is something wrong with me!?”

“Yup, its cancer.” Aria said, looking away and chortling uncontrollably as she slammed one of the arms of her chair in rapid beats.

“Aria!” Adagio shouted unintentionally loud as Sonata burst into tears, babbling incoherently at her crude sister’s remark. “Sonata, please calm down. Aria was joking, in as poor of taste as usual I will add.”

“Then wh-what’s wrong with me?” Sonata sobbed, hiccuping as she wiped away her sudden stream of tears. Adagio’s face grew thin as she looked away for a moment, taking a breath as she looked over at Aria, grimacing warningly towards the purple Siren, before looking down at Sonata once again.

“I think… that you are in love with our dear sister.”

…

The room was silent.

…

Adagio and Aria blinked slowly in unison as Sonata sat there, staring up at Adagio.

…

“Well of course I love Sunshim, silly!” Sonata burst out laughing, rolling around on her back as she clutched at her ribs. “She’s our sister, you goofs!”

The other two Sirens shared looks, Aria laughing quietly as Adagio wiped a hand down her face.

“I meant that you love love her, Sonata.” Adagio said, silencing and stilling Sonata.

“What, like… sleep with her, love her?” Sonata asked from on her back, her ponytail splayed out around her like a halo of hair.

“Oh, Celestia, is this rich!” Aria shot up to her feet, nearly doubling over in laughter. “Sunset hasn’t even been back with us for a day, and you want to take her out back and give her a ruddy good seein’ too!”

“Coming from the virgin.” Adagio smirked from her chair, her smile showing that she knew she had already won the upcoming battle as Aria froze, turning to look at her leader in frenzied shock.

“The FUCK are you goin’ on about, Adagio!?” the crass Siren bellowed, crossing her arms defensively. “I am not a fuckin’ virgin, you cunt!”

“Oh, Aria, when will you learn that I can see through your lies.” Adagio crossed one leg across her knee, steepling her fingers as she grinned menacingly at Aria, like a spider with fresh prey in its web.

“Oh? Pray, do tell me, oh supposedly omniscient one.”

“Whenever you tell a massive lie, such as right now, the ring finger on your left hand starts spasming uncontrollably.” the poofy haired Siren nodded towards her compatriot, the purple skinned girl shaking her head.

“Really now? Well I’ll have you know that…” Aria started off hot, but once she brought her left hand in front of her face and noticed the mentioned finger spasming her bravado was lost, her blush deepening as her secret came out. “Ya well- I know you aren’t any different, Adagio! I know for a fact that you’ve never done the deed yourself!”

“W-What!?” Adagio’s composure slipped for a fraction of a moment as Aria unexpectedly returned fire upon her, her stony visage of predatoriness slipping for a fragment of a second of a second, and Aria took notice. “I have too do-”

“I saw that look, Adagio!” Aria pointed out, literally, as she started to laugh even louder. “I guess all those people you took back to your room over the years got the knockout treatment, huh?”

“I could say the same about you, you loose lipped temptress!” Adagio shot back, jumping up to her feet and storming towards her sister, the pair literally bumping heads as they glowered at one another.

“So neither of you two know what I should do then?” Sonata asked, cluing the two fuming Equestrians back into the real world, the pair looking over at Sonata in confusion. “And here I thought I was the weird one for never having sex with any of the humans…”

“How could you be interested like that in food though?” Aria asked, backing away with a small huff before dropping back down onto her ancient chesterfield. “Like, maybe you can, Sonny, when it comes to tacos, but these Humans?”

“It is true that over the years I’ve never quite found one that would be a proper… fit, shall we say…” Adagio added as she reclined back into her bergère. “The inhabitants of this world are quick to anger and fight, their practices barbaric, especially in the early days when they would try to swoon us.”

“Are you kidding me? It was awesome whenever the dudes would beat the shit out of one another for our affections.” Aria chuckled, before nodding over to Sonata. “And I don’t think we need to bring up the stuff that seems to happen whenever she turns someone down.”

“The question, though, is why now?” the room grew silent at Adagio’s question, all three lost on what to say, the over six thousand year old beings once again encountering something new.

“I mean, you all remember Valentine’s day, right?” Aria asked suddenly, leaning up from her seated position. “We kinda made her black out when we pointed out the different points that people- or ponies- would find attractive with her, remember?”

“Well, I mean… I still do love her personality…” Sonata pointed out simply. “Even though she’s been so depressed, and had such a hard time, she still is able to be so positive, and kind, and always looks out for others before herself…”

“And I think most people on this planet would give their left nut to see her clothesless, even for a minute…” added Aria in her usual crude manner, her eyes going blank momentarily.

“Plus she is amongst the most intelligent mortals that we have ever met.” Adagio nodded, before continuing. “Maybe there is more to this, but for now we must try and assist Sonata with this situation, as if we tell her outright, things may be incredibly awkward.”

“There’s no saying that she would accept though…” Sonata added glumly, a tear coming to her eye. “And I don’t know if I could live with her saying no…”

“Well… I could find out if she’s into girl’s if ya want.” Aria shrugged, surprising Sonata with her offer to help. “I mean, she’d answer me if I asked, and I’d be the least likely to get confused looks from her.”

“So… What…? You just walk up to her and ask her what her sexual orientation is?” Adagio chuckled at the absurdity of the plan.

“Sure, why not.” Sonata giggled into her hand. “I guess I can wait.”

Adagio let out a sigh as she buried her face into her palm.

Princess' Arc 4: Introspection

“Really now, dear, didn’t your mother ever tell you staring is rude?” Sunset had been unable to keep her eyes off of the draconequus once he had literally popped out of thin air. He stood there looking down at her, a playful smirk on his crazed looking features as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna returned from the cave that held the Tree of Harmony. “I mean she only has ten millennia of experience, surely she-”

“Will not hesitate to return you to being a statue if you continue with your loose lips.” Celestia’s bark carried an air of friendly annoyance, but held a small, threatening edge. “I see the two of you have met.”

“You’re… Discord…” Sunset said slowly, trying to compose herself as she watched Discord reach out and grab the mouth that separated from his face before reattaching it with a roll of his entire head. “The… The spirit of Chaos that threatened Equestria itself…!”

“Yes, yes, tis I.” Discord said, bowing as innumerable clones of himself appeared and started clapping, a beam of light glowing down around his as roses started to drop around his feet. “And though you and your mother have yet to properly introduce yourself to me, Princess Twilight was more than gracious to explain your situation, Sunset Shimmer.”

“Well then, mayhaps you will finally remove your cursed vines from the soil of our fine lands?” Princess Luna’s voice was less playful than her sisters as the alicorn duo stopped just ahead of Sunset and Discord.

“As I’ve told you- one, thirteen, seven, porcupine- this many times, my dear Luna,” Discord’s paws split into a variety of shapes and creatures as he held them out towards the night coloured sister. “the Plunderseeds were never meant to easily removed.”

“I-Is the ground supposed to be shaking like this?” Sunset asked ominously as she felt something tremble beneath her hooves.

“Ah, yes. Discord’s little greenery project.” Celestia gave a small sigh, shaking her head slightly. “Let us do this quickly, Luna, we mustn't tary.”

Sunset stood there, struggling not to move as the gemstones the sisters had recovered started to move, coming to orbit around the pair, three to a sister. She gulped as she noticed Discord take an unnaturally long stride beside her, getting away from the unicorn as the Elements of Harmony started to glow brightly.

“Er… Can we-” Sunset never got a chance to finish her sentence before a literal rainbow of light shot out and into the sky before coming crashing down on her. Just like during the events of the Fall Formal, she could feel pure harmony washing over her.

However just like at the Friendship Games, her thoughts and memories started vanishing, her very essence being washed away by unrelenting light. She opened her mouth, but to no avail, as white flooded over, under, around, and through her, washing away her very being…

“What do you mean, it didn’t work!?” Twilight Sparkle yelled as she assisted her mentor in getting the limp body of Sunset Shimmer into one of the near in infinite guest beds in her castle.

Near everypony in Ponyville saw the massive rainbow of light shoot up into the sky before pivoting and rushing back into the ground. The fact that it was from the Everfree Forest had ponies fearful, and of course as soon as Twilight mentioned that nopony should worry, Celestia, Luna, and Discord popped into being beside her on the impromptu stage the Princess of Friendship had conjured, the still form of Sunset Shimmer floating between them.

“I-I-I don’t know!” Celestia stuttered as she finished setting Sunset down on the bed. “I don’t know what went wrong, alright!?”

“Er, don’t look now, ladies,” Discord said after clearing his throat loudly. “but it seems that “corruption” you all spoke of is spreading.”

Sure to the spirit of Chaos’ word, the red of Sunset’s front right limb was slowly creeping up the unconscious unicorn’s limb in a mixture of splotchy marks and veiny strands.

“Do something, Celestia!” Twilight begged from across the bed, her face lost as she pleaded with her mentor.

“...Discord…” the solar alicorn’s voice was small, her posture defeated as she rested a hoof on the head of her daughter. “...Please… Save her…”

“...Say again?” Discord looked down at Celestia, confused. “You must be mistaken, Celestia. I am the spirit of Chaos, not-”

Discord stopped his tirade once Celestia looked up, her ever flowing mane prevent Twilight from seeing the look that had just stopped the draconequus dead in his tracks, a sad look of his own spreading over his features as he walked forward, resting a scaly paw on Sunset’s head.

“Well…?” Twilight asked, watching as Discord stood surprisingly still for once in his life.

“...I’m not sure…” was his soberingly sombre response as the red colouration fully consumed Sunset’s limb.

The pair of ponies resting on the sides of the bed let their full weight collapse onto the floor as they slowly realized the depth of Discord’s response.

Sunset fumbled around awkwardly as she continued to fall.

She didn’t know how long she had been falling, and the first sensation she awoke to was the feeling of nothingness even as she realized all the nothingness around her was going the opposite direction she was.

Yet all around her whispers could be heard, small flashes of misty shapes materialized before vanishing as Sunset struggled to stop panicking, her voice still lost to whatever this indescribable limbo was.

“Traitor…”

Sunset turned to the side, just in time to see a shape wink out of existence.

“Whore…”

Another voice behind Sunset, or was it…

“Bitch…”

Shapes suddenly sprang up around her, her motion stopping instantly as she jerked around, like a marionette on its strings as the voices continued all around her, more and more misty shapes coagulating in the void.

“Liar…”

“Coward…”

“Thief…”

Sunset tried to bury her face in her hoofs, flattening her ears against her head in a vain attempt to shut out the voices as she wailed in mute silence.

“We tried so hard…”

“We gave you so much…”

“We let you into our house…”

Sunset froze as a trio of instantly recognizable silhouettes coalesced in front of her, their hairstyles unmistakable even as the rest of the shape was a sea of mist. Each “figure” had a pair of piercing, judgemental shapes of hate filled magenta that stared down at her, moving in time with the voices echoing in Sunset’s head.

“We called you Sister…” the three figures echoed of one another before shattering in an explosion of wailing cries, swirling around one another and forming another shape, one of lavender and vitriol.

“I saved you from the problems you caused…”

“I convinced others to give you a second chance…”

“And you decided to make them all think you were dead…”

A third figure bloomed from the second as Sunset wept openly, her body refusing to shake even as she choked silently on her cries of sorrow, even as the figure of mist slowly shifted into one of pure light.

“I took you off the streets…”

“I taught you everything you know…”

“I gave you your life…”

“And you tried to usurp me…”

The figure reached out it’s monolithic hand towards Sunset, grabbing her and bringing her up to its inhuman eyes, filled with regret and furor.

“And yet…” Sunset paused as the voice instantly changed, a dual tone to this one as the sounds of hooves clopping against glass echoed through the air. She looked up, unable to glance behind her as the hooves grew closer and closer. “All of this is nothing compared to the single being that judges you worst of all…”

The pony shaped figure made her way around Sunset’s figure, everything vanishing once more into blackness as the figure came to a stop in front of Sunset, reaching down with a hoof as the force that restrained her let go, letting the unicorn collapse to the ground in a heap. Sunset found her head slowly pulled up, the black shape slowly gaining colour, an unnatural red seeping up the limbs towards the head, the pony’s mane and tail erupting into fire before settling down somewhat.

“And that’s us, Sunset…” the corrupted version of her pony self said as the blackness finished retreating into her sclera, the aquamarine orbs looking down at her duplicate with remorse, pity, and anger.

“No…” Sunset’s voice finally returned to her as she shook her head, refusing to accept the figure that loomed before her. “No… You’re gone- I defeated you!”

“Is that what you tell yourself, dear?” the pony laughed as she sat down, before pausing and motioning to Sunset with a roll of her eyes. “Do sit up, Sunset, you lazy oaf.”

“Why are you still here!?” Sunset yelled, rising instead to all fours, glaring indignantly at her evil self.

“You may have rid yourself of the corruption from the Element of Harmony you stole from Princess Twilight, but you can’t get rid of parts of yourself so easily.”

“There’s no way you can be part of me!”

“Look, would you stop yelling? Please?” the figure rubbed at her ears, a look of annoyance on her muzzle. “And seriously, please sit down. Look, I even got you a drink!”

Sunset gasped as a table instantly appeared between herself and the other her, its surface an exact replica of-

“And if I remember right, you really enjoy Sonata’s fresh made lemonade, correct? Oh, who am I kidding, of course we do!” Sunset looked down in shock as a non distinct white mug materialized on the table near her, her doppelgänger already floating her own version of the mug up to her lips and taking a sip.

“You know, it sure is something for Sonata to wake up so early every morning to start making food for the family, eh?” the figure gave a sad smile as she watched the amber unicorn finally sit down at the table. “There we go, good little pony. Now we can finally talk like the intelligent, civilized being that we are!”

“...Why are you here…?” Sunset asked again, slowly.

“Like I said, I’m a part of you, Sunset.” the figure responded simply, rolling it’s shoulders lazily. “You, and everyone around you, may think of me as a byproduct of your interactions with the Element of Magic, but that only magnified me.”

“But you still admit you are caused by the Element then.”

“Seriously?” the figure groaned, ramming her face into her front hooves. “Will it get you off if I say yes? Look, I’m you, alright? I’m all your negative feelings all bundled up into one tiny little equine shape of depression, loneliness, hatred, jealousy, and all other sorts of emotions.”

“...Your my literal inner daemon.” Sunset responded cooly, her face a stony visage of disinterest.

“Sure, we’ll go with that. But as long as you continue to see yourself as you do now, things will never change, Sunset. That arm and eye of yours? They’re yours until you realize the truth.”

“What truth? That I’ve done nothing but ruin everyone’s and everypony’s lives that I’ve ever been a part of?” Sunset hiccuped as she finished her sentence.

“That you need to forgive yourself… Everyone else has…” the figure gave a small sigh as she set down her mug, twirling it around and studying it. “Well, maybe not everyone, but you know what I mean. Princess Celestia, Princess Twilight, the Sirens… They’ve all forgiven you, Sunset.”

“Yeah, right, like they’d ever really do that…” Sunset rested her head on her table, laying her hooves over her eyes. “Did you not hear those voices? See those figures?”

“They were figments of your own self deprecation and self hatred, Sunset. They were all facets of you and how you see yourself in the eyes of those around you.” the red pony stood up and slowly walked around the table, coming to stand just to Sunset’s side. “But you have all the truth that those aren’t true.”

Sunset looked up as she felt her shoulder being nudged, the reality in front of her having been replaced with a blank white canvas, a collection of smiling faces appearing and disappearing, pleasant words and compliments ringing through the air.

Twilight Sparkle reaching out a hand from the lip of a crater, a hopeful smile on her face.

The rain being blocked by a massive white wing as Princess Celestia smiled down at her.

The Shadowbolts waving towards her to come join her at their lunch table.

Octavia, Vinyl, Bon Bon, and Lyra all handing her different sweets with smiles on their faces.

The beaming faces of the three Sirens when they learned from Sunset that she would be coming back to live with them, that she still wanted to be their sister.

“...Come oooooon! We still haven’t shown her the narwhal room!”

“Well I think we all agree that it’s better that you are again.”

“It’s time for a cuddle puddle!”

Sunset sat there as more and more memories came flooding through, tears streaming freely down her muzzle, her body shaking slightly.

“See…” the other her said as she rested a hoof across Sunset’s back. “The only one holding you back is yourself, or me…? Whatever you know what I mean.”

“So I’m just supposed to say whoops and move past every mistake I’ve ever made then?” Sunset asked, looking over at herself.

“Accept that you have made them, but that you will move forward a better individual because you know how to be better.” the figure smirked, before suddenly getting overly excited and point towards the screen. “Oh! This one is awesome!”

Sunset turned back to the screen just in time to see Celestia, soaking wet and covered in bubbles looking at her, a motherly smile on her face as everything started to wash away into a pure, blank white, her mother’s voice echoing with all the love that she had.

“...Your past is not your today.”

“What you two are worrying about!” Discord added with sudden and surprising mirth, backpedaling and slapping at a leg.

All eyes instantly trained on Discord in mortification at his comment, three sets of mouths opening only to be silenced by a groan coming from the suddenly moving form of Sunset Shimmer.

“Remind me to never ask to be blasted by the Elements of Harmony ever agai- Oof!” Sunset would have finished speaking if it weren’t for the fact that she was suddenly covered by an alicorn twice her size, her mother’s tears raining down on her in a steady stream. “M-M-Mom! You’re heavy!”

“Sunset!” the Princess cried, wrapping her hooves around her daughter and pulling her up. “Thank creation that you are alright!”

“Better than alright…” Sunset squeaked out as she tried to pull free from Celestia’s grasp. “And I’d love to show you! Would you kindly let me go?”

Once Sunset was released from the loving clutches of her mother, she held up her daemonic looking hoof, a cocky grin on her face. “Now you see it?”

The next instant everyone in the room was looking at a regular looking amber pony hoof, cries of joy echoing through the room and Sunset gave a pleased chuckle. “Now you don’t.”

“Oh, Sunset! I’m so glad that it worked in the end!” Twilight cried happily, before scowling at Discord. “And you! We should blast you back into a statue for the next ten thousand millennia for that stunt!”

“Hey, Twilight?” the purple alicorn, as well as everyone else looked back over towards Sunset, only to be blinded momentarily.

A new figure hovered over top of the bed, tall and with a long tail of fire to match her equally fiery head of hair. Her elongated ears sticking off the side of her head as her toothy, maniacal smile looked back at the Pony Princess of Friendship, her aquamarine orbs nearly hidden in the blackness surround the tiny pinpricks of colour. The red figure’s large, batlike wings gave a lazy flap as she raised her clawed hands up and towards Twilight.

“Boo!”

“Now what did we learn?” Celestia asked, struggling to keep herself from laughing.

“Never pull pranks on friends that think you’ve died a second time and come back as a daemon.” Sunset spat out, groaning as she turned her head over in her new guest bed. “Seriously, Twilight! Did you have to go full power on me?”

“...You started it…”

Princess' Arc 5: Motherly Love

Author's Note

Hey all, just wanted to give you all a fair warning!

This chapter was originally gonna be a short one, but then as I wrote it I realized what I wanted this chapter to be. So as a result I just copied an old chapter and retrofitted it some to fit with Reborn, so if you think you read this before from me, you have.

Sunset in Equestria was one of the old stories that I deleted over on Moon-Lite, and one of the chapters featured Sunset with her dear old Mom, Celestia. I decided to copy it over because I think the ending scene is one of the single best scenes I have ever written, and I am not sure if I will ever top it.

Sorry for the rambling, I just wanted to warn you all that this is not an entirely new chapter.

Princess' Arc 5: Motherly Love

So I guess what I’m saying is that I’m gonna stay here for another day. I need to spend a little bit more time with Mom, and Twilight wanted to show me around Ponyville. Sorry!

Sunset gave a soft sigh as she set the pen back down, the magic aura around her horn fading away as she waited for a response from her sisters on the other end of the portal. She hoped that they wouldn’t mind her taking an extra day, considering that it took no time at all, relatively, to deal with the main reason she crossed over the mirror portal.

“So, have they responded?” Sunset turned around in her seat to look at the alicorn entering her room, giving a small chuckle as she shook her head.

“I literally just informed them, Twi.” she said as the purple mare walked her way over towards her, sitting down beside her friend at the table.

“I’ll be honest, Sunset…” it was Twilight’s turn to give a low sigh as she hung her head. “I still feel uneasy about the three of them…”

“Well if you want my personal opinion, they’ve done a hell of a lot more than the girls you chose.” Sunset winked as she nudged Twilight playfully in the side, before giving a low sigh of her own. “And to be honest, I would be fine never seeing them ever again… But once I reveal myself to be alive, it will only be a matter of time until they find me…”

“Well, uh… That may complicate my plans for the day…” Twilight gave a sheepish smile, causing Sunset to start worrying a little bit.

“You don’t want to meet with the Rainbooms, do you?” Sunset shot up to her feet, growling defensively as fire started to burn through her veins.

“Um, Sunset? You’re, uh, showing your daemon a little.” Twilight pointed out, causing Sunset to look down at the red seeping up her fur before vanishing as the amber mare started grumbling as she sat back down. “And no, not them… per se…”

“...” Sunset pitched an eyebrow as she looked over at Twilight as she crossed her hooves in front of herself, her eyes returning back to their normal, non-black colouration.

“I want to introduce you to the Equestrian versions of them, the ones that I thought they were…” Sunset watched as Twilight gave a forced smile, her eyes darting back and forth uneasily.

“...Sure, why not. I doubt they are as bad as the ones I know.” Sunset huffed reluctantly, just in time for Celestia’s Journal to vibrate. “Ah, good, they replied… Ahem…”

“Yes, Sunset, that should be fine. It will save the ears of myself and Sonata for at least the rest of the night from Aria’s incessant bitchi- Er… I think they may be having a squabble…” Sunset hurriedly shut the journal as she watched the journal page getting covered in scribbles. “Anyways, when did you want me to meet with them?”

“How about we start tomorrow morning?” Twilight suggested, getting back up to her hooves with a small, knowing giggle. “I know Princess Celestia wanted to have the rest of the night with you.”

“Works for me. I guess I may not need your room, cause knowing Mom she’s probably gonna demand I spend the night at the Castle.” Sunset chuckled as she rubbed the back of her head.

“Ah, Sunset, you’re here!”

Sunset couldn’t help but give a small chuckle as she entered the throne room of Canterlot Castle, waving a hoof at the guards as they stepped aside to allow her access. “Sorry I took so long, had to talk with the others from across the portal first.”

“The Sirens…” Princess Luna said hesitantly as she walked forward towards the unicorn, receiving a nod in response. “Well We shall assume that all your deeds are finished then. My sister awaits you in her room. Shall We alert her to thine arrival?”

“No need, I’ll just pop over there quick.” Sunset gave a warm wave before she popped out of existence in front of Luna, appearing back in reality before the door leading to her mother’s room, the quartet of guards instantly lowering weapons or readying magic as she appeared.

“What’s with- Oh! Er, sorry you four!” Sunset apologized quickly, rubbing the back of her head. “I guess I should have teleported to the end of the hall instead.”

The guards grumbled as Sunset walked forward, pushing open the door, calling out her arrival. “Hey, Mom! I’m here!”

There was a clatter as Celestia fell off her bed, the snoring that had been echoing throughout the room being replaced with a shocked cry as she collided with her plush, rug covered floor. “Wha- Oof! O-Oh, Sunset! You’re early!”

“No, I’m actually a few minutes late.” Sunset chuckled as she walked over to the mess of legs that was one of the rulers of Equestria attempting to get up off of the floor. “Why were you napping?”

“I was not napping, thank you very much.” was the Princess’s retort as her horn flared to life with magic, the room being replaced by a sudden burst of light, blinding Sunset momentarily. As her vision returned she noticed the formerly bedraggled, bed-headed form of Celestia was replaced with her normal, regal looking self. “And shame on you for being late, young filly!”

The room burst into laughter as mother and daughter approached one another, wrapping their hooves around each other lovingly.

“Well, shall we go then?” Celestia asked as the pair separated, giving her daughter a knowing wink. “We have much to do, and I would hate to have to keep the sun up late.”

“Sure! But first… Could… Could I see Philomena…?” Sunset looked down at the floor, kicking a it absentmindedly with a hoof.

“But of course, dear!” Celestia beamed, scooping Sunset forward as they trotted through the hallways. “Let us visit your old room, as I suspect that is where she is resting.”

“My… My room?” Sunset asked hesitantly, secretly amazed as she had thought Celestia would have changed that room for other use after Sunset had run away.

“But of course! And, er... if I may make a selfish request…? Would it be alright if I had the portal moved to the castle? I would like to be able to have you arrive here sooner.”

“Y-yes! Of course, mom! But what about Twilight?” Sunset asked as she rubbed up against her mother in affection. “I don’t think she would like losing the portal, if I am completely honest…”

“True… Perhaps I could interest her into further studying the portal! It was one thing to move the anchor point on Gaia, but adding a second entrance here...” Celestia trailed off as she rubbed back against Sunset. “But we shouldn’t keep poor Philomena waiting, she’s been waiting to see you again since your last visit.”

“My last visit was, like, a couple hours ago, mom.” Sunset grinned before putting on a fake frown. “You would know that if you loved me and paid attention to when I come and visit.”

“Oh hush… We both know how much of my life you are.” Celestia said as she ruffled Sunset’s mane with a wing, earning a peal of giggles from the unicorn, before the pair grew silent.

“I was so worried I would never see you again…” Celestia whispered solemnly. “First I had lost Luna all those years ago due to my ignorance, and then I lost my daughter due to my own stupidity…”

“Don’t you dare insult yourself, mom!” Sunset said louder than she expected. “We both know it was my arrogance and pride that drove me away. I felt like I deserve something that I hadn’t earned, all because-”

“All because I ignored you.” Celestia interrupted. “We can keep going in circles every time this is brought up, Sunset, or we can accept that we are both at fault.”

“Fine… It’s not like I had to deal with this when you blasted me with the Elements of Harmony.” Sunset said as she puffed out a cheek in annoyance.

“There’s the Sunset I remember!” Celestia chuckled as she stopped in front of a door. “And just in time too.”

Sunset paused as she looked at the door, it’s maple hue still the same, and just at eye height was a sun split amongst two different sets of yellow and red.

“I remember how happy you were the day you got your Cutie Mark.” Celestia said wistfully. “You did nothing but show me, so much so to the point that I had to get poor old Shoe Shine to find paint of the right colours so you could paint it on the door.”

“Rest his soul.” Sunset muttered as she traced over the design. It was still as sloppy as the day she painted it, the colour bold and unweathered. Slowly she looked up at the top of the door, at the flap that rested shut to allow exit and entry even if the door was closed.

“Are you ready?”

Sunset looked up at her mother. Sure, she had met with Philomena already since she had arrived here, but that wasn’t in her room. She never thought that she would be back here.

Slowly, Sunset nodded in response, reaching out with her magic and twisting the door handle, pushing inward. Light poured out of the room, blinding Sunset momentarily, though it did not deafen her to a familiar squawk. She felt a mass of cool heat and feathers collide into her, a choir of happiness coming from her as her hooves wrapped around the bird that was trying to suffocate the unicorn in happiness and feathery hugs.

“Oh, Philomena! I hope you’ve not been playing tricks on anypony of late!” Sunset was so relieved that the phoenix still remembered her, still wanted to be with her. She remembered how much she had ignored Philomena before she vanished across the the portal.

The phoenix made a low whistle like sound as she landed on Sunset’s outstretched hoof, hiding itself behind its wing.

“Whatever are we going to do with you?” Sunset chuckled, noticing that she was still outside of her room. “Well? Want to fully welcome me home?” She asked, the bird giving a happy caw and launching once more into the air, floating gaily into the room.

“You didn’t change anything…” Sunset murmured as she looked around the room, taking in the view of her childhood. The bed was still covered in the blanket that Celestia and herself had knit by magic, the colours garish and contrasting harshly, though it still held all the love that had been poured into it by the pair all those years ago. Bookshelves, laden with tomes of knowledge and fantasy, hid the walls from view, breaking rarely to allow something else space to be displayed. A desk sat in the corner, a fresh candle sitting in the corner with a phoenix quill feather and an inkwell beside it, for once uncovered by books and tests as Sunset had used it for in the past.

“Well? What do you think?” Celestia asked as she walked up to Sunset, taking a seat beside the crying mare.

“Thank you.”

“Do I really have to get sized for a dress, mom?” Sunset complained as a full team of salesponys scrambled over-top, around, and underneath her, struggling to get measurements and sizes as Celestia sat to the side, giggling to herself the whole while.

“But of course, Sunset. How else would I be able to show you off at the ball tonight?” She asked with a not so innocent look of childish glee.

“A-A ball? Tonight?” Sunset blanched at the prospect as she wailed. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner!?”

“Because you would have run away back across the portal and I would have a Diamond Dog of a time getting you back here.” Celestia said with a grin.

“Exactly!” Sunset shot back as one of her hoofs rose against her will, a jungle of measuring tapes wrapping and lining it.

“I’m thinking something frilly…” Celestia said as she looked up and away in fake thought, a delicate, gold shod white hoof raised to her muzzle. As soon as she mentioned that, three more salespony seemingly popped into existence, a small army’s worth of different frilly dresses in their magical and physical grasps.

“Really? I’m not a little filly anymore, mom! I can make my own choice!” Sunset whined as she saw Celestia peering through the various choices of dresses.

“We both know what your fashion sense is like, dear.” The Alicorn smiled as she peered over at Sunset. “Rarity would have had a fit had she known you.”

“I happen to be popular in the other world partially thanks to my fashion sense, I’ll let you know!” Sunset retorted, gaining a small chuckle from her mother, before muttering softly to herself. “Maybe ‘cause I have a tendency to wear tight, low cut tops…”

“What was that?” Celestia asked, earning a confused look from Sunset, deciding to ignore the comment as she turned to ask one of the salespony’s a question. “How much for that in pink?”

Sunset sighed as she sat down in the booth, happy to be away from the prying eyes of the nobles trying to figure out who was the strange gold and crimson haired amber unicorn that was with Celestia.

“Sorry if they are making you uncomfortable, Sunset.” Celestia apologized, laying a hoof along Sunset’s own. “I could-”

“Don’t worry mom, it’ll pass.” Sunset gave a small smile as she looked over her unaging mother.

“I probably should announce that my daughter has returned though.” Celestia stated. “That would probably help explain who you are.”

“You mean you haven’t done that yet? No wonder people are trying to find out who I am, I’m like an alien to them!” Sunset said as she banged her head off the table. “Do people at least know that I will be at the ball tonight?”

Celestia only grinned sheepishly as she took a sip of her tea, earning a look of annoyance from Sunset.

“How have you survived for so long?” She asked bluntly, taking a sip of her own tea. “I mean, seriously. Luna must have worked incredibly hard to make up for you.”

“I’ll let you know that I have been the ruler of Equestria for such a long time for a reason, missy.” Celestia said, puffing out her chest proudly.

“Cause you have control over the sun and moon, so why would anyone want to make you mad?” was Sunset’s simple, matter-of-factly response.

“I say!” Celestia said, faking hurt.

“I say indeed! Twilight has told me about how they saved you from not only Nightmare Moon, but also Queen Chrysalis, Discord, and Tirek! Why have the people not overthrown you and Luna and promoted Twilight to being in charge yet?”

“I’ll let you know there were reasons for all those occurrences!” Celestia replied, blushing in humiliation.

“Oh? Pray, do tell.” Sunset chuckled as she looked over to the elder royal sister of Equestria.

“Well Lulu got the jump on me, Queen Chrysalis was powered up by all that love, Discord got the jump on both me and Lulu, and Tirek had absorbed most of the magic of Equestria so we-”

“So Luna caught you having one of your famous midday snoozes, Queen Chrysalis had all the love of a single pony, don’t even get me started on Discord, but Tirek could be sort of understood.” Sunset interrupted her mother with a smirk.

“I never said they were good reasons.” Celestia pouted, rather adorably Sunset would say to others.

“Is there any such thing as a good reason for all that cake?” Sunset said as she looked at the tray being brought out from the kitchen, the waitresses seeming to struggle to move it.

“I was feeling peckish.”

The two ponies stood silently at the mouth of an alley, a pair of apartments sat as guardians to the small paved road between them. It was rather clean and well maintained, no litter or refuse piled along the bottom of the buildings.

“Hard to think that this was home…” Sunset said quietly, staring at the cobblestone road that was devoid of life.

“One of my biggest regrets is allowing poor children like you to languish in this city.” Celestia said sadly. “I have made sure that no other child should have to suffer like that.”

“I’m not sure I will ever be able to thank you enough for saving that day… “Not only did you save my life, but you gave me a home, an education… love…” Sunset said as she wiped away an errant tear, the memories of that day slowly coming back to her...

The unicorn filly gave a small cough into her amber hoof as a drop of water leaked through the roof of her cardboard shelter. The cold autumn night had been intensified thanks to the storm that came in, drenching Canterlot in a deluge of half frozen sleet and hail. Her cough had been getting worse over the last few days, and the gnawing of pain in her stomach reminded her of the last time she had a morsel to eat.

“Why is life so unfair…” she muttered hoarsely, her throat rebelling at her attempts of vocalization.

She gave another small look into the banged up dish that sat at the end of her box. It was still empty, not a single pony stopped to even give her a look again. At least the guards hadn’t chased her out of this alley yet like they had all the others. Her body shook as yet another chill ran through her body, the mangled box offering little protection even when it wasn’t damaged. A sneeze ripped through her, causing more soreness of her throat and earning the annoyance of somepony living in one of the adjacent apartments.

“Oi! Shut up ya rancid tramp!” she heard yelled out as a large can pelted her box. She sighed in defeat, her tired body feeling like lead. At least the mice weren’t crawling all over her again tonight like they had been for the last few days.

As if the world didn’t dislike her enough yet, a loud crack of thunder reverberated through the skies, lightning racing down through the sleet filled air only to strike a lightning rod attached to the roof of the apartment to her left, shaking the building. Am ominous rumble filled the air, the sound of metal shaking against itself followed by a pattering against the cardboard. She peeked her head out, just in time to see emergency exit of the apartment rip free of the poorly maintained building and starting it’s plummet down onto her.

She gave as shrill of a cry as she could manage, a crackling wheeze as others would call it, as the metal descended towards her. She shut her eyes. This was it. At least there wouldn’t be ponies angry with her anymore.

Pitter...

She opened her eyes. Was she dead? She softly padded her face with her hooves, her eyes looking around her. She was still in her box, liquid slush oozing through it and onto her. She could hear something else though, through the sounds of the winds starting to pick up. Was that… flapping? Agonizingly slowly, she hefted her body out of the box, rubbing her mangy coat and thin body against the cobblestone, but was unable to stand up, her body too weak to support her, so she resigned to flopping down on her side. There, high above her, was a pegasus so white, she thought it was made of snow. It flapped its wings in a steady beat, its head coming down to reveal that it had a horn.

“I swear,” She heard the mare say, her voice calm and soothing. “Why do ponies not take proper care of the infrastructure of Canterlot? It’s not like we don’t have the magic and technology to do so.”

The mare paused when it looked down, noticing the shivering filly on the ground looking up at her.

“Thank you for saving me…” The filly croaked out, the mare barely hearing the sound over the storm raging around them even though the apartments stood to their sides. “You aren’t gunna make me leave, are you?”

Slowly the mare fluttered down to the ground, the metal still levitating in the air, giving a worried look as she responded to the shivering child laying before her. “Whyever would you ask me that, young filly? Why are you out in this storm, and wherever are your parents?”

The mare looked around, trying to pierce the weather that was starting to grow more intense. Mention that the weather team has been holding back, and they take it as a challenge. She thought as she looked back down at the filly, taking in how dirty and small she was.

“I don’t got none…” The filly said, still unmoving even as half frozen sludge started to pool around her. “And I’m living here ‘cause the guards kicked me out of my old alley again.”

The filly heard a massive crash behind her, noticing the metal safety escape had fallen to the ground, followed by a window opening and a familiar voice shouting at her.

“Would you shut the buck up you miserable waste of flesh!?” The voice called out in a slurred manner, the pony in question leaning out the window and throwing a large glass bottle in the direction of the filly.

All of a sudden the storm ceased, the air growing quiet as if time itself stood still. The filly could actually start to see the sunset as she closed her eyes in anticipation for yet another bottle to connect with her bruised and battered body. But once again, no contact came. She heard the slurred voice gasp, and she opened her eyes to see why, childish curiosity kicking in.

“Pr-Princess Celestia!” The voice called out in sobering calm. “My apologies, your highness! I hope I didn’t spray you with anything while I tried to remove that pest down there!”

“What did you just say?” the filly could feel the air chill again, a cold fury freezing the air as the mare responded.

“Princess… Celestia…?” The filly was in shock, what was the Princess doing down here?

“I-Uhm… What do you mean, your highness?” The pony visibly gulped, its bloodshot eyes blinking rapidly as it looked at the upset royalty staring him down.

“Why would you ever think a poor, homeless filly is a… What did you call it again?” Celestia asked of the stallion, her look demanding that he respond.

“A-a-a-a… A pest! That’s what I said!” He said with an incredibly nervous chuckle, hoping that it would be what she was looking for. Silence filled the air, before the stallion let out a surprised yelp as he suddenly popped into existence in the freezing cold, standing right before Celestia, the Princess’ face a disappointed frown.

“That was wrong, both as an action, and as the answer I wanted. Try. Again.”

“U-uhm… A misser…” The Earth Pony stallion trailed off, looking around for a means of escape.

“I’m. Waiting.” Celestia’s tone said what she would not. This stallion had no more chances.

“A-a mis-sserable waste of-f fles-sh.” He said as he watched her. He could see her anger boil over, the motherly love that she always shared with everypony vanished and he could swear her hair erupted in flame.

“I want you to think about this while you spend the next few days in the royal gaol.” Celestia whispered. “I want you to ruminate over your inaction to save a poor child's life, and how you were so uncaring as to harass her for actions beyond her control.”

“B-b-but! Ever since she showed up, the number of vagabonds-” The stallion started, only to be wrapped in a shell of magic, the aura matching the colour that surrounded Celestia’s horn.

“You do not get to say anymore.” She said, as the stallion popped out of existence once more. Celestia let out a sigh as she turned around and looked at the filly, the apathetic child giving a small smile and look of gratitude, the Princess’ heart wrenching in her chest.

“Thank you, Princess.” the filly said, enjoying the calm weather that Celestia had brought about. “I think I’ll be able to sleep better tonight.”

Celestia sat down, staring at the thin child before her. It’s amber coat was patchy and filthy, its mane and tail of intermixed yellow and red matted and infested with filth. Yet its small smile and sad looking eyes showed a look of great appreciation, of a love for a Princess that probably didn’t even know she was here.

“What’s your name, my child?” Celestia asked as she used her magic to bring the filly to a sitting position in front of her, the child sitting in the shade of Celestia’s large body.

“U-uhm… I don’t got one… Just whatever the ponies would call me…” the filly looked down at the ground, obviously trying to paw at the cobblestone, but instead its body wavered in weakness.

“How about… Sunset?” Celestia asked, smiling as she looked at the filly that looked up in awe at the royal leader of the country, the mare looking around and taking in the sunset, enjoying how the light seemed to shimmer in the air. “Yes, Sunset Shimmer. How does it sound to you?”

“I like it, I guess? But why does it matter if I have a name?” The filly asked innocently.

“How else am I going to introduce you to the staff back at the castle?” Celestia responded with a small chuckle, the filly’s face erupting into a gasp of shock.

“W-what are you talking about, Princess?” The filly asked, unable to comprehend what she was hearing.

“Well, I mean to bring you home with me, adopt you as it were.” Celestia smiled as she grabbed the filly in a shell of magic before depositing the child on her back, just behind her wings as they flared open.

“You don’t gotta do that!” The filly said, coughing and sniffling as it tried to break free. “I’m fine on my own!”

“I think the first order of business is a nice hot bubble bath, and a large helping of cake. What kind do you like?” Celestia asked as she took to the skies, heading back towards the castle, using her magic to finish setting the sun. She was lucky to be there, any later and this poor child would be incredibly hurt, if not worse. Good thing the construction board let her know of the building in question, even though they were unable to do anything about it thanks to some ‘frivolous paperwork’ as they called it.

“Princess!” The filly called out in annoyance as the pair flew through the sky.

Sunset slowly trotted over to her mom, wrapping a hoof around the taller alicorn as best she could.

“Thank you mom. For everything.”

Princess' Arc 6: Ball of a Time

Author's Note

Chapter compliments of Rixic~ >;'3

Princess' Arc 6: Ball of a Time

“So, uh… What exactly did you want me to do now?” Sunset shifted around uneasily beside Princess Celestia as the pair waited for the huge, immaculate wooden doors to the castle to open, letting the growing crowd outside to enter and enjoy the spontaneous ball being held by Princess Celestia and one “Very Important Pony”.

“You get to stand beside me here as we welcome all the fine ponies that will be joining us tonight.” Celestia smiled as she looked down at her daughter. The pair were wearing similar looking dresses, their haunches covered by thinner fabric showing a repeating pattern of their respective Cutie Marks, leading up to delicate gold embroidery on an iridescent white fabric.

“Who all is coming, though?” Sunset’s voice perfectly conveyed a minuscule fraction of the worry that was running rampant through her currently.

“Royal nobles, middle class business ponies…” Celestia trailed off, coughing gently as she looked away from her daughter, who instantly looked unimpressed at her mother’s attempt at duplicity.

“Say that again.”

“There may have been a hint dropped off at all of the local newspaper companies that I had a really important, very personal guest to introduce.” Celestia said, refusing to look down at her daughter.

“How… Local…”

“Equestria wide…” Celestia said softly, before gasping as she watched Sunset tilt over.

“Hello, and welcome, everypony!” Celestia said as she walked up onto the small stage that had been prepared in the ballroom. “I hope you all had a great day, and I welcome you all to this very impromptu ball!”

Cheers and polite clapping rang out from the crowd, causing Sunset to look out at the small sea of ponies that filled the room. Sure enough, it seemed like every single member of the upper echelon was here, judging by the amount of expensive looking suits, tuxedos, and dresses she saw around her. Members of the press could be seen off to the side, a small section cordoned off to allow them to set up their cameras and other devices.

“Now I do have an important announcement to make, but it will have to wait for a little bit first. I want you all to enjoy yourselves here, so please feel free to dance and take in the dishes that the Royal Chefs have prepared for us all tonight!”

More cheers and polite clapping followed Celestia as she departed from the stage, Sunset bringing a hoof to her chest to try and calm her raging heart. The sound of the live orchestra soon filled the air, ponies moving to the ball floor to start dancing, others off to the side to have more personal discussions.

“Ah, it looks like the Chefs prepared everything that I requested, good!” Sunset gave a small jump as she heard Celestia come up from behind her, the amber mare spinning her head to the side in shock as she watched her mother approach. Countless media personal soon started to flood towards her, Sunset barely able to discern there numerous questions as they neared.

“I am sure you all have countless questions about my announcement,” Celestia said warmly, obviously well practiced at dealing with the media given her millennia of experience. “But you will have to wait just like everyone else. In the meantime, why don’t you all go and interview some of the other guests? In fact, why not this mare here?”

Sunset did all she could to not yell out at her mother as the alabaster alicorn motioned towards Sunset with a delicate, gold shod hoof. A few newspony’s approached her, whilst others rushed off into the rest of the crowd, leaving Sunset with little time to glare at the retreating, chuckling form of her mother.

“You look new! What’s your name, and who are you here with?” one asked, his magic already flaring to life as he pulled a pen and notepad out of nowhere.

“U-Umm, my name?” Sunset shifted around, straightening herself before and giving a cocksure grin that she had not worn since her days of dominating Canterlot High School. “Heh, call me Fireside Glow, and I recommend that you all don’t forget that name. As far as who I’m with? I’m more than important enough by myself to get a personal invitation from Princess Celestia herself, thank you very much.”

Sunset chuckled darkly on the inside as she watched the various writing utensils scribble rapidly across the sheets. If her mother was going to throw her to the timberwolves, Sunset was just gonna have to do the same.

“Is everyone having a good night?”

All the eyes in the room turned up towards the stage once again as the lights dimmed, save for a magical spotlite-like beam of light shown down on Princess Celestia as she walked up to the front of the wooden platform. Acknowledgements and thanks sounded throughout the great hall.

“That is great to hear.” Celestia’s smile widened as she looked around the room, before giving a self knowing chuckle and motioning with her royal hoof. “I would recommend that all members of the press hurry to their area, as I am about to make my special announcement.”

The night had gone on long, with Sunset eventually giving interviews to all the various newspaper outlets as word spread amongst them.

“Now, as you all know, I am indeed quite old.” small chuckles echoed from the crowd at Celestia’s comment, the mare smiling as she walked back and forth on the stage. “Though as history will have taught you, I have never taken a significant other, mainly due to my immortality. By lacking a significant other, that also meant that I lacked children.”

“But that would be a lie, if it were written in a history book recently.” gasps and murmurs now spread through the crowd. “You see, over twenty years ago, I adopted a young filly. A young filly that was actually living on the streets you see, one that had been sadly abandoned, and had run away from her orphanage at a young age due the noble families of the era reducing funding to the local infrastructure.”

“I took that filly in, and kept her secret, enrolling her in my school for magic as my personal protege. She is here tonight, recently returned from a personal quest of discovery, and I would like to finally introduce you all to my daughter.” Celestia stepped aside slowly and looked behind her, holding out a hoof towards the hidden form of Sunset, a beam of the alicorn’s light shining down in time with Celestia’s reveal.

“Please welcome my daughter, Sunset Shimmer.”

There were shocked cries, gasps of amazement, and a few dropped cameras as Sunset strode forward confidently, though with an incredibly warm smile as she looked out amongst the crowd. She couldn’t help herself but look over at the media section and give a small wink as the various unicorns and pegasi struggled to reset cameras.

“Hello, everyone- er, everypony.” Sunset gave a small chuckle as she corrected herself. “As my mother, Princess Celestia, so kindly said, my name is Sunset Shimmer, also known as Fireside Glow to the media members joining us.”

“I am… Indescribably happy to be standing in front of you all tonight, knowing that my mother, her sister, my friends, and myself no long have to hide the fact that I am the adopted daughter of Princess Celestia. As my mother said, she adopted me off the street when I was barely five years of age.”

“...She saved my life that evening, and I will never be ungrateful for that fact. She brought me into her life, and has been the largest portion of mine ever since.”

“I only recently returned to Equestria after many years abroad on a pilgrimage of personal discovery and growth, and I would like to think that I am now a better pony now then the one I was when I left.”

“Thank you all for listening to me ramble, and I hope you all have a good rest of your night. Thank you!”

Sunset smiled as she waved, the lights slowly coming back on as she trotted back towards her mother, the pair sharing a loving embrace as the sounds of cameras clicked away loudly, intermingling with the all of the talking that arose from Sunset’s introduction.

“I am so proud of you, Sunset.” Celestia beamed proudly as she encased her daughter in hooves and wings. “Of the individual you have become.”

“It only took me all my life so far, trying and failing to take over Equestria after running away to another world, getting blamed by an entire school and subsequently trying to kill myself, become sisters with Equestrian monsters, getting shot like twelve times, and blasted by the Elements of Harmony,” Sunset took a deep breath as she recited her past. “but I think that I can finally say that I can properly accept that compliment… Mom.”

Sunset felt a warmth build inside of her as she watched Celestia smile down at her, before reaching up and brushing away the single tear running down her mother’s muzzle.

“I love you, Mom… Thank you for saving my life.”

“Thank you for being a part of mine, my dear, dear daughter.”

Sunset yawned as she slid off her old bed, Philomena giving a happy squawk as she fluttered over and landed on Sunset’s head, balancing precariously as she tried to straighten her owner’s mane.

The mother and daughter pair of Celestia and Sunset had departed soon after Sunset’s introduction, the pair deciding to turn in early for the night. Or at least had planned to, only for Sunset to receive a quiet knocking at her door shortly after she had turn out the lights.

Celestia had brought late night snacks in the form of slices of cake and a pair of glasses filled with cold milk, as well as a small bowl of sugar water of Philomena to enjoy. The pair sat on Sunset’s, happily enjoying their cake and giggling at various happenings from the ball.

“C’mon, Mom, time to get up.” Sunset yawned as she looked back over her shoulder and poked the mass hiding under her covers, a playfully annoyed groan emanating from the alicorn Princess hidden beneath.

Sunset had stopped Celestia the previous night as the mare was leaving the unicorn’s room, Sunset asking her Mom to sleep with her, saying that she would appreciate sharing another moment with her mother.

“I don’t care…” Celestia groaned, burrowing deeper into her daughter’s bed. “I’m not raising the sun today, the ponies can all have a day off…”

Sunset chuckled as she rolled her eyes, Philomena singing a delightful tune that sounding slightly of laughter before fluttering up off of her owner, who was slowly raising to her hooves and turning to face her bed.

“I guess you know what this means then..” Sunset said, her voice heavy with warning and implication. Celestia seemed to freeze under the covers.

“No…” was all the alicorn could utter before Sunset gave a loud cry and leapt up on top of her bed and started digging her hoofs into the unprotected sides of of her mother.

“It’s time for the tickle monster!” Sunset yelled between fits of laughter as she mercilessly tortured her mother, Celestia giving desperate pleas of mercy as she laughed like schoolfilly from her daughter’s assault, bucking this way and that in an attempt to dislodge Sunset.

“Promise me you’ll return soon?” Celestia said with a small smile as she sat on her throne of pillows.

“Regularly.” Sunset respond with an equally small smile. “And I hope the research goes well, so I can bring my sisters back with me.”

“I do believe that we can a spellstone set up so that the Sirens can visit Equestria again.” Celestia gave a small chuckle. “I am still amazed that they seemed to have turned over a new leaf of sorts.”

“Oh, they’re still troublemakers, and definitely don’t regret their actions, but I think they would like to see Equestria as peaceful guests instead of mythical monsters.” Sunset chuckled uneasily as she rubbed the back of her head. “...I should get going, Twilight’s waiting for me. Wants to introduce me to the Equestrian versions of the Rainbooms…”

“Remember that they are not the same as their counterparts from that other world.” Celestia said darkly, a frown of disappointment coming to her muzzle. “But I do hope you enjoy your time with them. They are all good ponies.”

Princess' Arc 8: An Hour of Generosity

“Wow…” Sunset looked around in barely restrained awe at the sheer size of the boutique she had just entered, dresses lining the walls as mannequins displayed various outfits and accessories. “The other Rarity would faint in jealousy of this place!”

“I take it she has similar aspirations?” asked the pale, marshmallow white unicorn mare that made her way down the stairs, her magic slowly levitating a pair of red, horn rimmed glasses to rest just in front of her unmistakable mane of luxuriously coiffed hair.

“She’s a seamstress as well, yes.” Sunset nodded towards the Equestrian Rarity as she landed on the main floor of the shop. “Nice to meet you, Rarity.”

“The pleasure is mine, Sunset, dear.” Rarity gave a polite bow before moving over to Twilight, wrapping her hoof around the alicorn affectionately. “And Twilight, so good to see you, of course!”

“We just met the other day for tea, Rarity.” the purple mare chuckled as she pulled back. “I do hope that we caught you at a good time?”

“But of course, darling! I always have time for my friends!” Rarity giggled as she took a step back to address the two mares, Sunset freezing when she realized a familiar glint come to the fashionista’s azure eyes.

“Oh no…” the amber unicorn uttered softly. “Not you too…!”

“Oh I have just the most fan-tabulous dress for you to try on, dear! Come this way!” Sunset never got a chance to struggle as Rarity’s horn lit up with her magical aura and Sunset found her hooves no longer on solid ground.

“Twilight! Help!”

The alicorn merely stood still, laughing quietly as she watched her friend being helplessly dragged to the back room.

“This dress is amazing, Rarity.” Sunset complimented the now frizzy haired mare, genuinely impressed at how well the fabric had all come together in the end to sit across her. “Like, really, this is superb- but, uh… I don’t exactly have a way to pay for it, nor do I imagine it would travel across the portal all that well.”

“Oh, pish posh!” the mare chuckled, waving a hoof at the model standing and shifting on her runway. “It’s the least I could do to try and show real Generosity!”

“Well I deeply appreciate it, Rarity. Thank you.” Sunset gave a deep bow, causing the mare to giggle in embarrassment.

“Rarity? Are you here?” a squeaky voice called out as a bell rung in the air, signalling that somepony had just entered Carousel Boutique.

“I’m in the back, Sweetie.” Rarity called back. “Er, do you know my sister? I would hope that the other me would have a sister as well, regardless of her personal… actions.”

“Yup, other you has a sister as well.” Sunset nodded as a young unicorn, coloured the exact same marshmallow white as her sister entered the back room, her poofy, dual coloured tail flicking behind her.

“There you are, Rarity! You promised to take me to Apple Bloom’s for the Cutie Mark Crusaders meeting!” Sweetie sounded exactly as she did back on Gaia, maybe a little bit more like a squeaky toy, but that may be due to how time and age worked different in the two worlds.

“Of course, dear, a promise is a promise after all.” the older sister responded, nodding her head as she levitated her work glasses onto a nearby table.

“Nice to meet you, Sweetie Belle.” Sunset smiled warmly as she waved to the filly, the younger child looking slightly confused.

“Er, h-hi…?” Sweetie looked over to her sister, a questioning look on her face.

“Oh! However rude of me! Sweetie, this is Sunset Shimmer! She’s the friend of ours that lives through that portal. She knows the you from that world.” Rarity set about to straightening her mane as she introduced her sister to her new friend.

“Isn’t she the one that stole Twilight’s crown?” Ah, childish innocence... Sunset couldn’t help but chuckle as Rarity’s face somehow paled even more, Twilight giving an uneasy cough as she strode forward.

“She’s become a better pony since then, Sweetie.”

“I’m sorry, Sunset.” came Sweetie’s apology, the filly looking embarrassed that she had even mentioned that.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m used to it.”

“I am terribly sorry you two for having to leave like this,” Rarity said, appearing from out of nowhere with a pair of sunglasses and stylish hat on her head. “But our hour was just about up, anyways. Do you know where you are off to next?”

Twilight pulled a hoof up to her face, pawing at her chin as she pondered where her and Sunset were off to next. “I believe it was…”

Princess' Arc 9: An Hour of Laughter

“Welcome back to Sugar Cube Corner!” Pinkie Pie celebrated loudly as the duo of Sunset and Twilight entered slowly, both quite hesitant at first. Once it seemed like there was going to be no explosions of confetti, or showering of cupcakes, they each took another step in.

And straight into an explosion of cupcakes and a showering of confetti, courtesy of Pinkie Pie’s party cannon.

“Bleh- Pinkie!” Twilight growled as she spat out a mouthful of surprisingly cupcake flavoured paper. “I said no-”

“Welcomewelcomewelcome! A fine welcome to you!” the pink on pink Earth Pony sang, prance to and fro in the sweet shoppe, completely ignoring Twilight as the alicorn tried to calm down her friend, failing each time during Pinkie’s two minute long welcome song.

“Heh…” Sunset couldn’t help but chuckle as Pinkie finished her song, a battery of party modified artillery going off around the shop as the pink mare stood bombastically on top of her lavender friend.

“Laughter, yes!” Pinkie said between giggles, flinging herself at Sunset and wrapping her hooves around the amber mare. “Pinkie’s still got it!”

“Nice to meet you.” came Sunset’s response as she watched Pinkie float away, completely encased in a pale red bubble. She landed just as a flash of white whisked away all the confetti and smushed up cupcakes that had painted every surface of the Sugar Cube Corner.

“Nice to meet you too, Sunset! Now! How do I get a “Sorry-That-The-Other-Me-Is-A-Great-Big-Meanie cake through the portal for you to have when you get home? Would a box do it? Or maybe I could-”

“Look, I get you girls want to show me that you are different from the versions of you that I know, but you don’t really have to try so hard, alright?” Sunset said tiredly. “I thought that it was going to be me projecting onto you girls.”

“Well I made a Pinkie Promise to never make anyone cry when I was a little filly, and I intend to honour it! Especially if there are other versions of me that won’t!” Pinkie beat at her chest, a dedicated look on her face.

“Well I’m pretty sure that she would have done the same.” Sunset slowly trotted over towards a table, sitting down in front of it. It may be a completely other world, but the floor plan of Sugar Cube Corner was exactly the same between them.

“Well if she did then she broke it! And no one breaks a Pinkie Promise!” Sunset leaned back as she watched the pink mare somehow erupt in flames.

“Ya know, I never knew why you- either of you, I guess?- were so dedicated to these “Pinkie Promises”.” she said as Pinkie calmed down, slowly trotting over to the table. “Like, I know it’s not a good thing to break a promise, but you seem to take them incredibly seriously.”

Pinkie Pie nodded as she reached the table, before her mane somehow distended back into her tail and pulled out a platter covered in cupcakes, depositing them on the table before taking a seat of her own.

“That’s because Pinkie Promises are serious business.” responded Pinkie, a warm smile on her muzzle as Twilight joined the pair at the table. “Plus I don’t want to stick a cupcake in my eye, hehehe.”

“So, uh… Are you not intrigued by what Pinkie’s done here so far?” Twilight asked softly.

“Who, me?” Sunset lifted a hoof up to herself, looking at Twilight in amusement. “The other Pinkie did stuff like this all the time, in case you forgot.”

“True…” Twilight pawed at her muzzle. “I wonder if there is a correlation…?”

“Huh… Good job decorating the cupcakes, Pinkie.” came the amber unicorn’s genuine compliment. “You decorated them in everyone’s colours!”

“Seriously…!” Sunset barely managed to get out between her desperate gasping for air, her lungs burning as she slammed a hoof against the table. “Y-You gotta… stop…!”

“And she said-” Pinkie started, a friendly, maniacal look on her face as she stood up on her hind legs on top of the table. “You gotta be kitten me!”

Fresh peals of laughter erupted from the two gasping and wheezing mares that were half glued to the table at this point do lack of air, the table vibrating from their matching strikes onto the wooden surface.

“N-No more…! P-P… Please…!” Twilight begged, even as her face was split in a rictus grin. “W-W-We’re gonna be late… F-F-For-!”

Princess' Arc 10: An Hour of Kindness

“Wow…!” Fluttershy said in quite surprise as she watched the cat slowly make its way out from under the gnarled mass of roots and towards the outstretched hoof of Sunset Shimmer. “I didn’t know you were so good with animals…!”

“Hehe, that tickles, kitty!” Sunset giggled as the feline slowly sniffed at her amber hoof, before walking up and headbutting it. “Aww, you’re a good kitty, aren’tcha!”

“It’s odd to see you having trouble with the animals, Fluttershy.” Twilight commented as Sunset hoisted the cat up into her hooves and started pawing at its belly. “And I didn’t know you like cats either, Sunset.”

“Are you kidding? I love pussies!” Sunset chuckled, before pausing as a small blush came to her face. “Er, cats, I mean. And dear Celestia do I miss my hands…”

“Hands?” the meek, buttercream coloured pegasus slowly trotted over, her hooves suddenly shooting out as Sunset held the happily purring cat out towards her.

“Here, Let me show you!” Sunset gave a happy chuckle as she deposited the cat onto Fluttershy before taking a few steps back. A quick flash of light later and a figure that Fluttershy did not recognize had replaced the amber unicorn. “Aha! I knew I could- Er… I guess I need some clothes…”

Twilight couldn’t help but chuckle as Sunset’s human body flashed again, now properly clothed. “Wow… I didn’t realize that there was such a height difference between worlds.”

“You’re telling me… You are a really little pony.” Sunset said as she crouched down towards the alicorn that barely came up to the top of her legs.

“I’m not that small! You’re just really, really tall! Even back on Gaia I barely came up to your shoulders!” Twilight puffed out her cheeks. “Why I’d say you’re just as tall as Celestia darn near!”

“So, um, this is what you look like in that other world?” Fluttershy asked, alerting Sunset and Twilight to the fact that they had momentarily ignored her.

“Oh, um, yes! Right, the reason I did this. Can I see the kitty there again?” Sunset asked, shifting around towards the pegasus and holding out her hands.

The cat seemed interested in the strange creature that smelled somewhat like the pleasant mare that had lured her out from beneath the tree, smelling the dangling bits stretched out towards her. After a few cautionary smells the cat was deposited into the arms of the human Sunset Shimmer, looking around until an extremely pleasant sensation blossomed from behind her ears.

“There we go…” Sunset chuckled as the cat started to purr like a jet turbine, Sunset’s long fingers scratching the cat behind the ears. “Hooves are great for running and all, but fingers can do sooo much more!”

“So, um…” Fluttershy started, Sunset noticing the tone in her voice and how it was similar to every time one of the other mare’s had had questions or comments about their other selves.

“The other Fluttershy always helps animals, yes.” Sunset said, shifting her hand to the belly of the cat, slowly as to avoid teeth and claws. “And she was one of the ones to be very un-kind. And no, I do not hold it against you.”

“Phew…” Fluttershy wiped a wing against the side of her head.

“But if you also have a pet rabbit… I’m liable to strangle the damn thing.”

“Eeek!” the pegasus reared back, wings flaring in shock at the fiery heat coming from Sunset’s glare.

“At least the other Fluttershy didn’t try and bite me, unlike that damn daemon rabbit!” Sunset groaned as subconsciously moved a hand down to her shin. “Good thing that it it had a hard time getting through my boots…”

“Pleasepleaseplease tell me she didn’t send animals after you!” Fluttershy yelled minutely from behind her hooves.

“Oh, god no!” Sunset’s hands flew up as she responded apologetically, giving an uneasy look. “Sorry about that, Fluttershy. I meant nothing by it.”

“But why would she be so upset with you?” Sunset and Twilight shared awkward looks as they contemplated on how to describe the situation, Sunset depositing the cat back onto the ground.

“Sharing secrets does that on Gaia, I guess?” Twilight shrugged before looking over to Fluttershy. “Did we catch you at a good time?”

“Oh, yes! Right this way!” the trio made their way through the small field and towards Fluttershy’s cottage. “I guess we’re lucky that Discord enchanted the cottage so he could fit.”

“Oh, right, I guess I should drop the spell now.” Sunset chuckled as she paused in place, closing her eyes as she drew on her magic, reverting back to her unicorn form after a brief flash of light. “Heh, there we go. Don’t need anyone- pony freaking out.”

Princess' Arc 11: An Hour of Honesty

“Ah mighty appreciate tha help, ya two.” came Applejack’s country drawl, followed by a dull thump as the earth pony deposited a few bundles of hay onto the floor of the barn.

“No worries, AJ.” Twilight said as she finished levitating a few hay bundles of her own onto the floor. “I’m just glad that you got over the whole “too proud to ask for help”.”

“Ouch.” Sunset chuckled as she did similar to Twilight. “Should I get something to deal with that, Applejack?”

“Ah’ll be fine, Sunset. Ah’m used to tha ribbin’ at this point.” Applejack adjusted her stetson as she looked over at the amber unicorn. “But Ah appreciate tha offer. Ta be totally honest right now, Ah feel a slight bit bad that Ah asked y’all for help when’n y’all came her ta visit, ‘specially after knowin’ what went an’ happened ta ya across tha portal.”

“I’m more than willing to help a friend.” Sunset said, smiling tiredly. “And don’t worry what happened with the other you, you’re two different individuals.”

“Well still, at least allow me ta treat tha two o’ ya to some good ol’ fashion Apple family hospitality for yer help.” the mare said as she trotted towards her friends. “Granny Smith should be just abou’ finished with some fresh Apple Family apple pie.”

“Sounds good to me! Lead the way!” Sunset followed after Twilight and Applejack, relishing the idea of a hot piece of pie after stretching her magical muscles.

“Well now that the lot o’ us have had a bite, Ah have a question for ya, Sunset.” the amber mare looked over to the farmer, her magical fork and knife dissipating into thin air.

“Uhm, I guess?”

“Ah wanna hear abou’ what went and happened ta ya.” the farmer said, resting her hooves on the table in front of herself. “Ah know ya say that it don’t matter, shugahcube, but Ah don’ think Ah’ll be able ta sleep right proper knowin’ that somepony related ta me cause so much trouble.”

“I’m not really sure about that, AJ.” Twilight said, eyes darting over towards Sunset. “It was-”

“It’s fine, Twilight.” Sunset sighed, pushing her plate further onto the table. “And what should I say, AJ? I got framed for someone- pony else spreading secrets of the school students. Everyone came after me and I was abandoned by the Rainbooms.”

“Do ya know who was behind it yet?” Applejack asked as she got up, walking around and collecting each of the mare’s now empty plates.

“No, and if I can be honest, I’m not sure if I want to… I’m not sure what I would do if I found out who it was behind it…” Sunset said darkly, watching as the tips of her front hooves gained a slight, reddish tinge.

“I know you would be the bigger pony.” Twilight said as she rested a hoof delicately across the back of her friend.

“If’n Ah can add somethin’...” Applejack looked back over her shoulder as she put the plates into the rustic, double wide sink. “This whole thing sounds an’ awful lot like tha whole “Gabby Gums” incident.”

“Gabby Gums? What’s that?” Sunset looked over to Twilight for clarification, the mare giving a bit of a sheepish grin.

“Well, uh… AJ’s and Rarity’s sisters, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, along with one of their other friends, Scootaloo, were trying to earn their Cutie Marks, and thought maybe they could get something by working on their school’s paper.”

“The lot of ‘em went an started postin’ pictures and blowin’ the whole thing outta proportion!” AJ said with a grumble. “Asleep on tha job…”

“They shared all sorts of embarrassing stuff, and got worse over time.” Twilight explained, removing her hoof from Sunset’s back. “It got to the point that there was… infighting… You don’t think…?”

“Hey now, the situations may be somewhat similar, and I may not like the Rainbooms, but I’m not gonna go and hoist the blame for Anon-A-Miss on those three.” Sunset said firmly. “Hell, I helped the three of them with their studies, especially Scootaloo. Though…”

“Hmm…? What’s with tha look, shugahcube?” Applejack asked as she noticed Sunset staring intently at her.

“Piggly Wiggly.” Sunset said neutrally, only to watch as Applejack’s eyes grew small, a blush of indignation coming to her face.

“Now where’n tarnation did ya hear that!?” the mare demanded loudly.

“Who else knows about that name. Just your family I’m guessing?” Sunset felt a pit start to build in her stomach, increasing tenfold as Applejack nodded. Twilight was looking on in silent confusion.

“And Apple Bloom is your sister. Oh for- Celestia damnit!” the large, oaken table shattered in half as Sunset drove her suddenly clawed, daemonicly red paws through it, her mane and tail literally igniting in fury. “I should have known! How could I have been such an idiot!”

“S-S-Sunset, calm down!” Twilight yelled, teleporting to her friend’s side in an instant, grabbing the furious mare’s head with her hooves. “What’s wrong? Do you really think it was her?”

“And her two fucking lackeys, too!” Sunset bellowed, her voice echoing with a second, more sinister voice. “The week after the sleepover at AJ’s is when people started harassing AJ with pig noises and shouting out Piggly Wiggly. The weekend before was when Apple Bloom said that name out loud for me to hear!”

“Look, just calm down for a moment, please!” Twilight begged as her friend started to hover in mid air, her eyes swirling with blackness. “Sunset!”

“...Ow…” Sunset brought a now amber hoof up to her aching jaw as she collapsed onto the floor of Applejack’s kitchen, her colouration reverting instantly after Twilight’s hoof connected with her muzzle. “...Fuck… I am so sorry, Applejack! Let me fix your table.”

“It’s not a big deal, Sunset.” Applejack nodded as the two halves of the kitchen table flashed brightly before being returned to a single, solid piece. “We all did tha same when we heard taht tha girls were behind Gabby Gums.”

“AJ! What’s happen’ in here?” came a young, familiar voice. “Me’n tha others heard a huge crash!”

Princess' Arc 12: Of Selfish Ponies

Sunset watched as three younger fillies rushed into the room, an earth pony with her red hair tied back with a large bow, a pegasus with orange fur and stylized purple mane, and Sweetie Belle bringing up the rear.

“Oh, hi again, Sunset!” Sweetie Belle squeaked as she waved at the mare she had seen earlier in her sister’s boutique. “Do you know my friends as well?”

“You three…” the three fillies were caught off guard with how deadly Sunset’s quiet voice was, venom dripping from every syllable. “Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle… The secret spreaders…”

“O-Oh… You, uh, heard about that, huh?” Sweetie Belle said awkwardly, a slight, scared tremor coming to her voice as she rubbed the back of her front leg. “Yeah, not our brightest moment…”

“You… You three ruined my life!” Sunset yelled loudly, the room shaking and causing the fillies to all back away in panic as Applejack and Twilight rushed to the unicorn’s sides.

“Sunset, relax. That’s not them.” Twilight cautioned, trying and failing to pull Sunset’s head toward her with her hoof.

“Hey now, Ah don’ need ya ta break anythin’ else now, ya hear, Sunset?” Applejack warned as she stepped between Sunset and the trio of trembling fillies.

“After everything I did to try and atone…!” Sunset could feel herself vibrating violently as she stared blankly through Applejack. “You three…”

“Sunset, these three are innocent! You know that!” Twilight dashed to stand beside Applejack.

“Innocent…?” the swirling blackness in Sunset’s eyes calmed, slowly starting to ebb as the mares breathing calmed. “They… No, no you’re… Oh god…”

“Sunset!” came the mirrored cries from Applejack and Twilight as Sunset collapsed onto the floor, her head rushing into her hooves as she started bawling loudly.

“I’m no different than them…!” she sobbed, looking up at the pair of mares. “I went and judged someone without knowing the truth- Just like those five!”

“It’s fine, Sunset. Anypony would be emotional if they found out who was behind the destruction of their life.” Twilight said gently, trotting forward.

“But those three are innocent! I shouldn’t have yelled at them like that!”

“No, you shouldn’t have, but everypony goofs up at some point in their lives. If anything, Sunset, you should blame me for what happened to you.” Sunset looked at Twilight in shock, slowly shaking her head as she babbled incoherently. “It was me that left you in their care without taking the time to really get to know them…”

“No, Twilight! How could you have known that they were going to be different?” Sunset started shaking her head. “If I wasn’t such a total bitch when I first arrived, I- Hey, you three? I’m really sorry for yelling at your girls. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“A-As long as yer not really mad with us…” Apple Bloom managed to get out between chattering teeth as her sister helped the three of them back up onto their shaky hooves.

“No, I’m not mad with you three exactly… Just the versions of you three in the other world potentially.” Sunset gave an uneasy chuckle as she wiped away her tears. “Again, I’m really sorry about that, and I hope you don’t judge me too harshly for my outburst.”

“Well it was better than having your idol literally rain on top of you.” Scootaloo grumbled as she tried her best to still her still quaking limbs.

“An’ gettin’ shunned by yer family…” added Apple Bloom softly, kicking at the floor.

“Ah believe that they meant ta say yer apology was accepted, right?” Sunset watched as Applejack looked back at the three fillies, a slight hint of a grimace on her face as she stared at her younger sister.

“Y-Yep!” it was Sweetie Belle’s turn to speak up in her ever squeaky voice, her two friends nodding in time.

“Still… I’m sorry…” Sunset rubbed the back of her head as she slowly stood up. “And I do appreciate that your fine looking past it… I just don’t look forward to having to meet the other three of you if they are behind Anon-A-Miss.”

“That does worry me…” Twilight said, taking a half step back to give Sunset a little personal space. “I do hope it won’t affect your meetings with them.”

“Oh, Celestia… Please don’t remind me that I still need to meet with those… Yeah.” Sunset shuddered, her eyes clenching. “Anyways, I think we should head back to the Castle, Twilight. I should get back home.”

“U-Uhm… Sunset?” Apple Bloom had walked forward. “Ah… Ah know it ain’t much, but Ah’m real sorry if’n the other… us’ were tha ones responsible fer ya tryin’ ta go an kill yerself.”

“I don’t know why they would do it, but I hope you knock some sense into them!” Scootaloo said, earning surprise glances. “What? What was their motivation for spreading secrets like that?”

“I hope everything goes fine for you, Sunset. You really are a nice pony, even if you can be scary at times.” Sunset gave an uneasy chuckle at the squeaky comment from Sweetie Belle.

“Thanks, you three. I appreciate it. Now let’s go, Twilight. Thanks again for the pie, AJ, and, uh, sorry about the table.”

“Mom? What are you doing here?” Sunset paused as she entered the map room of Twilight’s castle, surprised to see the snow white form of her mother standing there waiting.

“Hello, Sunset.” the alicorn responded, a sad smile on her face. “Twilight? May I ask you to wait for a moment longer? Sunset and myself have something important to talk about.”

“O-Oh, uh… Sure? S-Should I give the two of you some space?” Twilight started backtracking, only to pause when she watched Celestia slowly shake her head.

“Sunset.” the amber unicorn stood ramrod straight as she heard her name, nodding quietly. “Ha… As you well know, I am quite protective of you, and while I have messed up in my raising of you at time, I am still focused on your well being.”

“Quite so.” Sunset interjected. “You crossed across the portal with the Elements of Harmony to try and rid me of my supposed corruption.”

“Right. And as you know, I am indescribably impressed with how you have changed since you left all those years agos. Yes, you may have had some hurdles along your way, but once you found your way, you have done nothing but try and improve yourself.”

“If anything, your speech last night at the ball only cemented the fact that I am beyond proud to call you my daughter. You have shown that you have grown, becoming someone that can be looked up to, regardless of your fiery outbursts.”

“That is why, here alone with the one who finally set you on your path, where no one else can judge you, I bestow upon you the gift you always wanted.” Sunset gave a surprised gasp as she found herself starting to float lightly into the air, a pale light starting to glow around her. “Many will say this was a selfish action for me to invoke, and I will not deny it. I do this so that I will have to know the pain of loss.”

Sunset made a startled sound as the light brightened, her mother’s voice starting to fade away as she felt ancient magics flare to life around her, suffusing itself into her very being. Amongst the last things she heard, was Twilight giving a shocked cry, and her mother whispering impossibly softly, yet her words unmistakable to Sunset’s ears.

“I love you, my daughter. Always know that…”

“Princess Celestia! What did you do!?” Twilight Sparkle shouted as she watched the glowing, unconscious form of Sunset descend softly onto the floor.

“I did the same as I did with you, Twilight.” was the mare’s response as she walked over to her daughter’s slowly dimming body. “I granted her her childhood dream, and myself the knowledge that I will never have to bury my daughter.”

There was a groan from Sunset, the mare starting to shift as she awakened from her momentary blackout, causing Twilight to rush over to her friend with a worried look in her eyes.

“You made her an alicorn!?”

“How else could I ensure her eternal life? To ensure that my only daughter will be safe.” a single tear rolled down Celestia’s muzzle. “For once in my length life, I desired to be selfish, Twilight.”

Twilight stood in silence as she watched Sunset move a hoof up to her head, another low groan escaping from her lips. “Mom…? What… What just happened…?”

“I gave you your wish, my daughter.” Sunset blinked as she looked up at her mother, pausing when she noticed the sorrow filled look on the Princess’ features, a similar look coming to her own face as realization dawned on her.

“No… Mother, how… How could you? Don’t you worry what everyone else will say? What they will think when the hear that-” Sunset slowly shifted around, only to be silenced with a simple movement of Celestia’s regal head.

“I have granted you eternal life, Sunset. All so that I can sleep in peace. I have been the most self-serving individual that Equestria has ever known.” Celestia knelt down fully, prostrating herself before her daughter. “...Can you ever forgive me…?”

“Mom, you…” Sunset reached out, gently rubbing her hoof along her mother’s face. “Of course I forgive you. All your life you have lead Equestria, focusing entirely on the well being of both the country, and those that inhabit it. I think you are allowed to have one selfish desire.”

“But it will affect you for all eternity, my dear, dear daughter. Immortality is more a curse, than a blessing. It will lead you to more pain and suffering than you can possibly comprehend, and I forced it upon you for my own greedy whims. My own desire to not feel that pain.”

“I think becoming the thing that I wished to be on my birthday every year will more than enough compensation.” Sunset chuckled, looking back at the wings she now wore. She could feel them their, but their movements were awkward, due to the limbs being entirely new to Sunset. “But… If it means that you won’t suffer by losing me? I will gladly be your selfish reason.”

Celestia’s face contorted, emotions raging as she reached forwards and grabbed her daughter, embracing her tightly as tears streamed steadily down her face. Sunset couldn’t help by cry softly herself. While her single greatest desire from her youth may have been fulfilled, the thought of being an Alicorn Princess had long faded from her wishes. Her ascension was not a grand happening that all of Equestria would see, and she was happier for it. This was for her mother, the one who had rescued her from the streets and raised her as her own. The mother who worried for her every day even after she ran away because of her own youthful pride.

“I love you, mom.” Sunset said, closing her eyes as she focused on her magic, a brief smile coming to her face. Celestia gave a surprised sound as a flash of bright light erupted from her daughter, her limbs suddenly stretching out farther to embrace the now larger figure.

“Sunset, give me some warning when you try transformative magic! You could have-”

“I knew what I was doing, mom.” Sunset chuckled as she reached out with a hand and scratched her mother on the head, the alicorn’s annoyance, as well as her face, freezing over at the sensation blossoming from behind her royal ears.

“O-Oh…! Oh my!” Sunset laughed as she watched her mother’s rear leg start to shake, urging the girl to press the attack. “W-W-What is this feeling? S-Sunset, I demand that you stop! This- This is unsightly for a Princess!”

“Oh ho ho! No way am I stopping now, mom!” Celestia’s face drew back in fear as she watched a predatory look spread across Sunset’s face, even as her blush deepened. “I think you need to get a visit from the Tickle Monster instead!”

“Twilight! H-Help me! I- Hehehe!- I beg of you!” Celestia couldn’t help but emit loud peals of filly-like laughter as she felt the full fury of her daughter’s mad tickling for the second time that day, only enhanced thanks to the range of motion provided by her now human fingers.

“I, uh… I’ll see you around, Sunset…” Twilight waved awkwardly, a sheepish look on her face as she blinked out of existence.

“Twilight! Ho-Ho-How could yooou!” Celestia wailed as she shifted around in weak attempts to dislodge her daughter.

“Hey girls, I’m back!” came a happy shout, followed by a pained groan, alerting all three Sirens that currently resided in the living room that they should rush upstairs.

“Sunset! You’re back!” Sonata yelled joyously, vaulting up the stairs on all fours as she rushed to see her favourite person.

“You should have told us, you jerk!” came Aria’s grumbling response as she rushed to button up her jeans properly.

“I do agree with Aria, for once.” added Adagio, earning a none too friendly gesture from the pigtailed Siren. “What prevented you from- Oh my!”

“Ouch.” Aria grimaced as she took in her sister’s appearance.

“Sunshim! What happened to you!?” Sonata rushed to her sister, pawing gently at the welt building around her left eyes.

“And what’s with all that… raw magic flowing off of you?” Adagio walked up, pacing around Sunset who stood there trying to comfort the tearing up Sonata.

“Uh… First- Never tickle an alicorn Princess, she is liable to put her hoof in your eye.” Sunset chuckled, a painful knowing on every song-like tone. “And second, I’m, uh… I’m an alicorn now.”

“Surprise?” Sunset smiled awkwardly as she watched all three of her sisters face’s drop in awe and disbelief.

Author's Note

Oh boy...

So, uh, surprise, everyone! Sunset's an alicorn now? ^^;

I'm biased cause I love the character of Sunset Shimmer, and I know that if she were in the show proper that she would have every reason to be an Alicorn at this point. However my Sunset still has some things to figure out if she were to be a proper Alicorn Princess(tm), so instead I focused on Celestia, and the fact that she doesn't ever want to lose her daughter again.

I hope you all don't freak out too much about this happening, and I PROMISE that this isn't going to break the story. Sunset isn't going to be any different that she is an Alicorn now.

Besides that, we are now at the end of the Princess' arc, so that means it's time for all of you readers to vote on which group Sunset should reveal herself to next! 8'D hopefully this will make you guys focus more on that then the whole Alicorn thing >.>

ANYWAYS! Here are the Three groups for you all to vote on! Comment here, or in the blog that is live, or PM me here!

Orchestra Group
Shadowbolts
Sparkle Family

Reminder that after these three are done we will be going to the Rainbooms! So don't ask for them yet xD

Interlude 1: The Next Choice

“So I figure invite the five of them over for dinner and explain to them the situation.” Sunset explained to the three Sirens lazing around the room with her.

Sunset had spent all of the last two hours talking with her sisters, describing her adventures in Equestria and how she had learned to control daemonic appearance. Now they were planning out who to reveal Sunset to next.

“Think you can explain everything in one night?” Aria asked lazily.

“Oh, probably.” Sunset shrugged. How hard could it be to explain to the five members of the Sonata dubbed, “Sparkle Family”?

“You are keeping in mind that Twilight Sparkle will most likely have to be restrained, right? Lest she decide to dissect you.” Adagio burst into laughter as she watched her newly immortal sister react to her statement.

“Sonata… Why did I let you convince me to tell them, again?” Sunset looked over towards the bubbly sister, a worried look on her face. At least until she sat there and waited for Sonata to respond. “Er… Sona? Is there something on my face?”

“...”

“What was that?” Sunset leaned forward, trying to hear what the Siren was mumbling quietly.

“Huh, wha?- Oh! Sorries!” Sonata suddenly sat up straight, a blush, probably of embarrassment Sunset guessed, spreading across her face as she realized she had just ignored her sister. “What were you saying, Sunshim?”

“Are you okay? You’ve been… out of it ever since I came back, to say the least.” Sunset gave Sonata an incredibly worried look.

“I believe we are all still in shock that you are once again with us.” Adagio interjected, chuckling softly. “And we still don’t know what to think of it- other than happiness of course.”

“Well I’m still surprised that I mean so much to the three of you.” Sunset chuckled as she leaned back, scratching at her cheek as a sheepish grin came to her face. “It’s kinda flattering to be called sister by three Equestrian myths.”

“Even though we almost ruined Equestria?” Aria added her own chuckling to the room as she reclined further in her seat. “Those were some pretty fun times.”

“I should see what sort of records of your three’s past I could get from Celestia.” Sunset scratched at her chin, faking thought.

“Do remember that history is almost always written by the victor, for the victor.” Adagio said with a hint of exhaustion. “We were merely doing what we had to to survive.”

“But how did the three of you survive over here? Especially with next to no magic?” Sunset asked, looking over at her orange haired sister.

“We could still feed on negative emotions,” Adagio responded, shifting around in her seat. “but it was never the same as back in Equestria. Because Magic is so linked with Ponies, it satiated our hunger infinitely more.”

“But then… What about after the Battle of the Bands?”

“Oh, that…” Sonata piped up softly. “Yeah, our necklaces were destroyed, meaning we couldn’t feed on negative emotions, but it didn’t mean we were gonna die or anything.”

“It just meant that we had to be careful with our own magic.” Aria flopped around lazily on her seat as she added onto Sonata’s statement.

“Sorry about that… I guess?” Sunset scratched at her head in slight confusion. “I mean… It sucks that you lost your original necklaces, considering how long you had them, but you were trying to mind control everyone…”

“Well if we won then we never coulda been sisters!” Sonata shot to her feet, tearing up as she realized the potential issues that could have arisen if she and her sisters had won the Battle of the Bands. “Not worth it, for realsies!”

“At least Celestia was kind enough to make us pseudo-replacement heartstones… Hmmm…”

“Addy? What’s with that look?” Sunset watched as an uncharacteristically confused look came to Adagio’s features.

“Well if she’s your mother, and we call you our sister, what does that mean our relationship with her is now?” Adagio slowly turned to Sunset, a devilish look on her face as Aria erupted into laughter, actually tumbling from her seat in her explosive mirth.

“Oh! Does that mean we get a real mommy now!?” Sonata’s look of worried shifted instantly to Sonata branded innocence as she looked over at Adagio with hopeful eyes.

“Ugh…” Adagio's face fell into her waiting palms as she shook her head back and forth.

“I’ll make sure to ask her sometime.” chuckled Sunset as she watched the different reactions from her sisters. “For now, why don’t we nail down a night to do this? What about Friday? That way it gives them the weekend to digest it.”

“It works for me.” Adagio groaned as she got up to her feet and trudged over to the kitchen, Sunset hearing what sounded like a fridge opening followed by a glass bottle landing on the counter.

“Addy? What are you doing?” Sunset asked slowly as she walked around the corner in time to see the lead Siren taking long, steady pulls from a wine bottle.

“Self medicating at the thought of having to call Celestia “mother”.” Adagio collapsed onto the counter, Sunset starting to laugh at the thought of the overly self confident and proud Siren stooping down to “mortal” levels. “Why don’t you go talk to Sonata about what you want to do for the supper. I’m going to go bathe in bleach.”

“Tacos!” the bubbly Siren could be heard from the other room, amazing Sunset at just how perceptive the girl’s hearing could be regarding the right subjects.

“No! No more tacos for at least a week, Sonata!” Aria yelled, Sunset rounding the corner back into the living room just in time to see Aria wrap Sonata in a choke hold. “You gotta do something good for them!”

“Come on, Ari, let the poor girl go.” chuckled Sunset as the girl walked over and easily separated the two struggling Equestrians. “Sonata, why don’t you go and think of something a little fancier than tacos? I’m sure it would be easier to explain the situation to them with a proper dinner…”

Sunset paused as she finished pulling Sonata up to her feet, leaving Aria still laying on the floor grumbling. “And maybe some alcohol…”

“Oi, Shimmer! Least you could do is help me up, too!” Aria swatted at her sister as she finished getting up to her own feet. “Why don’t you come out to the garage with me? I need a pair of strong arms for something.”

“Fine, fine.” Sunset followed her crass sister diligently into the garage, unaware of the pair of eyes watching the pair make their way into the mammoth room. “What do ya need lifted? Hell, I may as well use my magic.”

“I need help getting the new engine into place. I went and bought a custom piece around the time you first showed up and it finally fuckin’ showed up.” Aria pointed down to a fair sized wooden crate, the exterior marked with various branding, most likely of the place her sister had purchased it from. “Sadly it’s heavier than I thought. Took three dudes, seriously, to carry the damn thing from the transport truck into here.”

“Well, uh… I guess it’s a good thing I can use magic then?” Sunset rubbed the back of her head as she gave a sheepish smile. “I guess tell me where ya want it? It’s gonna be weird, so I’m gonna be a little slow.”

“Heh, is this gonna be the first time your shove something into hole?”

“...Goddamnit, Aria…” Sunset sighed, facepalming and shaking her head as Aria wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Really?”

“What? I mean, you were a street walker there for a little bit. Probably had all of Canterlot lining up for you.” Aria shuffled over towards the box, picking up a pry bar and starting to work away at the box. “Or were you busy clam diving?”

“...I should feel insulted right now.” Sunset groaned, walking over and pushing Aria aside, her hands glowing as the lid of the box tore off and floated away, encased in a raspberry coloured aura. “Yet I’m not surprised given just what you’re like, Aria.”

“And what do you mean by that?” Aria had moved over to the bike resting in place, starting to clean away some dust that had settled.

“Well you’re like, really raunchy- like all the damn time. You kept on groping me while I was amnesiac, and you were the first to pay to grab at my arms. At least my “clients” were… somewhat respectable.”

“You wound me, Sunset. I am quite respectable, thank you very much.” Aria did a perfect, Adagio-esque pause, resting her hand delicately against her chest.

“Suuure you are. But why are you bringing this up? Need I remind you that it was you who got protective of me as we were leaving the Charity House.” Sunset rolled her eyes as she moved over to the box, pausing as she reached out once again with her magic and effortlessly hoisted the large vehicle component up into the air.

“Well I guess I gotta know what sorta “guests” you’re gonna be bringing to the house once things start to calm down again.” a dull “Thwap” filled the air as Aria discarded her cleaning rag back onto her workbench. “Am I gonna have to tell Adagio to pick up some extra toys on her next trip?”

“...Is this seriously just about my orientation?” Sunset walked over to the bike, engine hovering in the air beside her.

“Pretty much.” Aria chortled as she shifted around to let Sunset get a proper view of where she was gonna be putting the engine. “I mean, we’re sisters now, right? May as well get everything out.”

“Whatever.” Sunset let out a tired sigh, shrugging her shoulders. “Seriously, if it matters that much to you, I guess, just like a large portion of the mares in Equestria, I could be described as bi-sexual.”

“Playin’ for both teams then, huh?” Aria nudged her sister playfully.

“Well when the mares outnumber the stallions three-to-one, you kinda look past gender. I mean, I don’t know what it was like back in Equestria when you three were last there, but most of us Ponies just look for the right individual.” Sunset explained, maneuvering the block of metal to wherever Aria was instructing. “I mean some want looks, some want personality, some want something else.”

“Well what about you then?” Sunset paused for half a moment at Aria’s question, an unusual… feeling to the Siren’s inquiry.

“I guess it just takes time for me. I gotta spend time with someone first, get to know them.” Sunset shrugged as she held the engine in place, Aria going about connecting various doodads. “I mean, it’s not like I’m blind- I appreciate when someone’s attractive, but it’s gotta have more than that. I mean, look at Sonata. Most people couldn’t get past her childlike innocence to appreciate that she’s a freakin’ bombshell by Gaian standards.”

“Like you.” Aria’s hip connected with Sunset’s.

“Yeah, I know I’m hot- hell, I used it to help me when I first arrived. You do not wanna know just how many times I overheard dudes talking about jerking off to photos of me.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “Hell, some people would pay just to have Addy sit on their laps. She’s got some serious hoops.”

Aria looked back just in time to see Sunset make curving motions around her hips, the Siren bursting into laughter. “Hoops? Seriously? That’s a first.”

“Would you rather I say flanks? Not sure that term works here.” Sunset couldn’t help but chuckle. Aria may be eternally crass, but she was usually more playful about it than lecherous.

…Usually…

“Well what about me then? You gave the other two glowing recommendations, so you better have something good for the superior sister.” Aria stood up fully, cocky grin on her face as she rested a hand on her hip, obviously eagerly awaiting Sunset’s commendation.

“Well for one you’re a total bitch-ass punk.” Sunset stood there, stony faced as she responded, before erupting into laughter as she watched Aria start to deflate. “And you may appear super tough and ready to throw down, but you’re actually really sweet, and care a lot for your sisters. Yes, you constantly harass them, but that’s all out of love and not knowing what to do since you crave looking tough.”

“...R.I.P. me…”

“But you let people know what you think, you’re bold and follow your own path, which is admirable. Oh, and I guess you would fit into most people’s opinions of “hot”- I mean you may not be to the extremes like Addy, Sona, or myself, but you’re a looker yourself, and if you’d ever show off a little skin, I think people would have a hard time not looking at your muscles.”

Aria stood there, her face a wall of red as Sunset finished her description, trying her best to come to terms with both the blunt destruction of her persona, but also a glowing recommendation of her own from her sister.

“Uh… Did I go too far?” Sunset asked as she watched Aria’s hands shoot up to her face as the girl rushed from the room in a mad dash.

“Heya, Aria- Whoa, hey! Wait- Aria!” Sunset walked slowly from the garage and back into the house proper, noticing Sonata standing at the bottom of the stairs and looking up them. She scratched the back of her head before turning around, pausing and giving an adorable, startled cry when she noticed Sunset, before clearing her throat and asking a question. “What just happened?”

“I… Don’t… Know…” Sunset gave a confused look, shaking her head. “She started harassing me about stuff- like my sexual preferences, which is a little much, even for Aria- and then bugged me when I described why people would find you and Adagio attractive. So I tell her and she goes total blush mode and runs off!”

“R-Really?” uneasy chuckles emanated from the bubbly Siren as a blush slowly spread over her own cyan features, a finger absentmindedly twirling her hair about. “That sure is funny- Yup! Er… What did you tell her? A-A-About us, I mean?”

“Hm? Oh, just that the two of you are attractive in your own ways, that’s all.”

“Ah… I-I see… Well, uh, back to planning dinner!” Sonata started off mumbling to herself, before jumping in place and proclaiming loudly as she vanished back into the kitchen, leaving one very confused Equestrian left at the bottom of the stairs.

“...Could someone explain to me what the hell just happened?”

Prologue: Choices to be Made

“So uh…” Sunset looked around the car sheepishly at her newly christened trio of sisters, taking in the varying emotions on each of their faces as they looked back, or up, at her. “On a scale of ten to murder, how angry are you all at me?”

“Well let’s just say that you are in the dog house for a little bit, Shimmer.” Aria chuckled darkly as she looked back over her shoulder as she sat down in the front passenger seat of Adagio’s car. “Hell, we outta build you a damn dog house to sleep in!”

“Aria, sit.” Adagio half commanded, half laughed, as she sat down in the driver’s seat, shifting around to look back at Sunset. “Though Aria is right, there is going to be some punishment for you.”

“Oh!” Sonata started to jump up and down as best she could from beside Sunset, her cyan arms still wrapped firmly around Sunset. “Ohohohohoh! I know! She could help me with the house cleaning!”

“House cleaning? I thought we all did that though…” Sunset responded, looking down at the energetic Siren with a bemused look, a small pang of worry starting to feaster in the back of her mind.

“Well… Let’s just say that some of your memories as Fireside Glow are not an accurate example of what our family is really like, dear Sunset.” Adagio said as the car roared to life, her eyes glinting dangerously from the rear view mirror.

“Sonny is usually the sole housekeeper, no matter where we live.” Aria chuckled as she looked back at her fellow Siren. “She even has… Oh… Oh, this is good!”

“Okay, I am now officially terrified…” Sunset said as she watched Aria’s face split apart with a predatory grin, causing the unicorn to look down at Sonata. “What does that look mean? That look is god damn horrifying!”

“You, dear sister, are going to be wearing one of Sonny’s maid outfits while you help with the housekeeping.” Aria’s grin morphed from vicious to lewd as she continued. “And not only that, you are going to be the personal maid for the three of us at our personal fine dining establishment here in town.”

“You guys own a restaurant?” Sunset asked, before immediately focusing back on the first parts of the declaration. “Wait… Maid outfit? Personal maid? What-”

“Don’t worry, Sun-Shim!” Sonata beamed up at her sister as the car started to pull away from the Charity House. “They just need a few small adjustments and they should fit you just fine!”

“Um… A-Addy? Can you stop the car? I think I want to go back to the Charity House!” Sunset said loudly, just in time to hear the click of a switch followed instantly by the clunk of the locks in the back seats being disabled.

“Sorry, my dear little Equestrian.” Adagio’s voice sent a shiver down Sunset’s spine, the lead Siren mirroring the exact same menacing presence she’d had during the Battle of the Bands as she looked up once more at the rear view mirror. “But you are going to be coming back with us.”

“Oh, fuck…”

“Well… I’ll be honest…” Sunset looked up at the imposing structure standing in front of her, the house both familiarly welcoming and strangely threatening at the same time. “I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be walking into this place again.”

“Well I think we all agree that it’s better that you are again.” Adagio smiled as she walked up beside Sunset, wrapping a delicate yellow hand around the taller amber girl’s, fingers interlocking affectionately.

“She’s still a punk if you ask me.” Aria grumbled as she stood to the other side of, crossing her arms as she grimaced playfully, only to switch to a look of shock when Sonata rushed forward.

“Mine!” the girl sang out, giggling playfully as she wrapped her arms around Sunset’s bandaged one, dancing to and fro.

“Wha- Hey! That was mine!” Aria shouted as she stormed over and tried to separate Sonata from their sister’s limb.

“You snooze you lose!” Sonata stuck her tongue out at Aria as she refused to budge, Sunset struggling to not start chuckling at their display.

“I’d be careful if I were the two of you,” Sunset said, frowning awkwardly as she tried to pull her arm away. “I don’t want to claw you girls…”

“What are we going to be doing with that then?” Aria asked, the Siren still refusing to stop her struggle to get a hold of Sunset’s crimson arm.

“Mayhap Celestia will be able to help.” Adagio said, squeezing her sister’s hand firmly, a reassuring look in her eye as Sunset turned her head.

“M-Maybe… But I don’t know if I want to see her right now… See her like this…” Sunset looked down at the ground, fear building in her gut at the idea of seeing Princess Celestia.

“You know that we are going to have to talk to her, Sunset. You know how much she loves you.” Adagio said softly, moving around to stand in front of the girl whilst refusing to let go of her hand. “Remember when she brought the Elements over?”

“That was… different…” Sunset started to object, only to slump her shoulders and let out a long sigh. “No it wasn’t… Alright, why don’t you give her a call then? Er… message her? However you do it.”

“What about everyone else then?” Sonata asked, drawing attention to her. “When are we gonna let them all know you are fine?”

“Well who all needs to know? I don’t exactly want this being public you know.” Sunset commented as she felt Adagio start to drag the pile of Equestrians slowly into their house. “I am supposed to be dead after all.”

“Those orchestra girls from CHS would probably be best to let know.” Aria said, shrugging as she brought up the rear. “They were pretty devastated when they thought you were dead.”

“Oh! The Twilight Sparkle and her family need to know as well! They were really trying to care for us.” Sonata added as the family crossed the threshold of the house.

Adagio chuckled as she let go of Sunset in order to close the door behind the group, before adding her own opinion. “The other girls at Crystal Prep would be good to tell as well.”

“Okay, so Princess’, Orchestra, Sparkles, and Shadowbolts… Anyone else?” Sunset chuckled as Aria shifted over and seemed to dance back and forth over whether to grab the open hand or not.

“...” Adagio made an audible silence as her mouth grew thin, alerting Sunset and causing the girl to frown. “You know who…”

“Er… Who, Addy?”

“No…” realization dawned on Aria as she finally roughly grabbed hold of Sunset’s hand, her language starting to shift from Gaian to Equstrian. “No- Fuck you, no! Those bitches should go rot in Tartarus!”

“Would someone mind-”

“The Rainbooms, dear.” Adagio interrupted Sunset, the teen freezing as her face fell as she started to stutter over herself.

“No- N-N-N-No! No I refuse!” Sunset tore free from her two sisters as she took a quick step back. “By Celestia’s beard, no! The other groups are friends and family, they deserve to know I’m still around, but they… No…”

“Sunset… You know I’m right.” Adagio said sadly, frowning apologetically as she crossed her arms in front of herself. “But they can wait till later. We should focus on those other four groups first.”

“...Alright, fine…” Sunset shrugged after a moment of silence, an angry scowl on her face as she looked back up at Adagio. “But they’re last, got it!? I don’t want them knowing a fucking thing till I go knocking down their doors!”

“Hey now, where did this come from?” Aria said with a shocked voice, yet overwhelming pride on her face as she looked over the seemingly literally fiery teen.

“I just… There’s some stuff with them, alright?” Sunset said, cooling down instantly as she rubbed at her amber arm unconsciously. “But really, they are last- I don’t care whose first, but they are last.”

“Works for us.” Adagio, Aria and Sonata all nodded, with Adagio pulling out her phone and swiping and tapping at it before continuing. “So today’s a Monday, April Sixth to be exact, so that gives us… two weeks to get this all done, alright?”

“Fine, fine…” Sunset sighed, shaking her head as she gave a tired smile. “Seriously though, what’s next right now?”

“Oh! Ohohohohohohoh!” Sonata started jumping up and down before running around to grab all three of her sisters and somehow pull them into the living room, where Sunset got a brief moment to notice a pile of cushions, pillows, and other soft looking things before all four Equestrians were somehow simultaneously launched at them.

“It’s time for a cuddle puddle!”

Author's Note

Alright everyone, here it is! The prologue for Reborn, the sequel to Phoenix!

We pick up immediately at the end of Chapter 25 of Phoenix as the four Equestrian sisters get into Adagio's car, as well as set up for the first major storyline, the reveal that Sunset is still alive.

Here's the fun part~! You all get to help choose which way the story progresses for the first four chapters~ ^^ A Choose-Your-Own-Adventure sort of idea! There are four groups of people that need to be informed that Sunset is alive, and you all choose the order~

The four groups are as follows, as well as a brief description of what sort of things you can look forward to with them:
Orchestra Group: The four girls who ended up being Sunset's truest friends at CHS, the four that, other than Sunset's fellow Equestrians, where the most devastated with her apparent death. Their meeting will be a lot of mixed emotions, ranging from joy to anger, happiness to sorrow, as well hearing just what may have happened at CHS regarding the months since that fateful night in December.

Princess’ of Equestria: The leaders of Sunset's native home, the beings who she is most tentative to announce herself to, the Princess' of Equestria would be the ones who could help Sunset potentially cure herself of her corruption, as well as teaching us about their own histories with Sunset Shimmer.

Shadowbolts: The group of girls at Crystal Prep Academy who eventually became the closest friends of Fireside Glow apart from her sisters, Indigo Zap, Sunny Flare, Lemon Zest, Sour Sweet, and Sugarcoat have been trying their best to help the Sirens cope with the loss of their "Sister", and are the closest things to friends that the three Equestrian monsters of myth have.

Sparkle Family: The family that would have taken care of Sunset in another time (>;'3), the Sparkle family have been nothing but supportive of the Sirens since their loss of Sunset, even as the Sirens turned ever further inward. Their lives have progressed and changed since Sunset's "death", and the Siren's feel guilty that they have ignored the family's attempts at compassion.

So there ya all go! Tell me which one of the four you would like to see first, be it in comment here or in a private message, and I will use that to help direct my choice~ ^^

Princess' Arc 7: An Hour of Loyalty

Author's Note

Heya!

Just a heads up that these next few chapters are gonna be short ones, just focusing on quick interactions between Sunset and the Pony Rainbooms~

Hope you enjoy these! ^^

Nyhll~

Princess' Arc 7: An Hour of Loyalty

“So, what's this I hear about a ball being held suddenly in Canterlot?” Twilight asked shortly after Sunset teleported back to Ponyville.

“Mom being needlessly theatrical…” Sunset chuckled weakly before attempting to change the subject. “Now who are we meeting first? I’m going to be uneasy the entire time, though, so heads up.”

“You should calm down soon enough. I figured we would start with Rainbow Dash- Though, fair warning? I’ve tried to tell her not to ask about the other her, but I promise that one of the first three sentences out of her mouth will be asking about her.”

“Joy…” Sunset snarked humorlessly as she rolled her eyes. “Where’s she at? I haven’t seen a soccer field around Ponyville, so I don’t know where else she could hang out at.”

“She should be-”

“Right here!” came a bombastic voice, instantly recognizable as it cut off Twilight Sparkle, its owner appearing just as fast as she effortlessly hovered a few feet above Twilight. “And when can I come over to the other world and beat the stuffing out of the other me? Why the hell would she abandon you like that? I thought she was the Element of Loyalty.”

“...Are you done?” Sunset asked flatly, staring at the pony form of Rainbow Dash as the pegasus finally landed.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight hissed venomously, her wings flaring up as her eyebrows tilted down. “I thought we agreed that you wouldn’t talk about that subject!”

“Well ex-cuuuuse me, Princess!” the rainbow maned mare exclaimed with an overly dramatic rolling of her eyes. “But I take personal offense at the fact that the me from another world would betray someone like that!”

Sunset sat there and glowered as Twilight and Rainbow bickered back and forth with one another, already regretting that she agreed to meet Twilight’s friends.

“Look, any friend of Twilight’s is a friend of mine!” Rainbow said loudly, breaking Sunset out of her fuming. “I’ve given Starlight a second chance and she’s been perfectly fine.”

“That’s very similar to what the other you said, ya know.” Sunset said, alerting the other two to the fact she had sat there listening to them argue.

“Ya, well, I’m not her, okay?” Rainbow started by sounding insulted, before her tone shifted to being more annoyed. “I hope you realize that.”

“You’re right, sorry.” Sunset’s head hung in shame as she realized that she was still trying to project the Gaian Rainbow Dash onto her Equestrian counterpart. “Look, why don’t we go and do something? Get our minds off of the happenings in the other world?”

“I’m done cloud busting for the time being.” Rainbow shrugged as she looked over at Twilight. “What about you, egghead?”

“...I was the one who set this whole thing up, Rainbow.” came the “egghead's” snapping retort.

“Wait, so you’re telling me that there are more Daring Do books!?”

Sunset hunched over as the entirety of Sugarcube Corner glared over at the overly excited pegasus that was now hovering in the air on rapidly beating wings. The trio had spent the last half hour sitting in Sugar Cube Corner relaxing and sharing tales, Rainbow usually boasting of her accomplishments.

“Yes, but if you don’t calm down then you are going to get us kicked out.” Sunset whispered as she shook her head, not bothering to look at the crowd of eyes looking in the direction of her table.

“Ohmanohmanohman! I want them- All of them! How much do I owe you!?”

“Well they don’t use Bits in the other world, Rainbow, so there isn’t going to be an easy way to do this.” Twilight said, still glaring at her friend in annoyance.

“And there’s no telling that the transfer across the portal won’t affect them.” Sunset added, pawing at her chin. “For example, whenever me and Princess Twilight cross we end up wearing clothes on Gaia, whereas when we return here to Equestria, we aren’t wearing anything.”

“So if you were to transfer the Gaian Daring Do books over to Equestria then they would probably just change to the Equestrian version…” Twilight crossed her arms in thought. “But what about your magic journal? It didn’t change.”

“True… But I still don’t know why.” Sunset tilted her head back and forth as she continued to ponder. “I mean, our saddles and backpacks shift back and forth, which doesn’t give much hope for the books to not change into their world’s variant.”

“So what you’re saying is that I have to go across the portal if I ever want to be the ultimate Daring Do fan then…?” Rainbow stared at the pair with puppy dog eyes, a look that caused Sunset to give an uncontrollable laugh when she saw it.

“I guess so, but-”

“Then it’s settled!” Rainbow rocketed back up into the air as she boldly shouted her claim for all to hear. “I’m gonna go to this other world, read all the Daring Do books so I can finally prove I am her ultimate fan, and beat up the other m- Oh crap! Is that the time!? Gotta dash!”

The pair sat there in silence as Rainbow vanished from Sugar Cube Corner in a rainbow coloured stream, the door slamming open before shutting just as fast, leaving everyone to sit and pontificate on what had just occurred.

“So, uh…” Sunset slowly shifted her head towards Princess Twilight, her eyes still locked on the door. “Is she always like that? Protective, I mean.”

“Rainbow? Yeah.” Twilight nodded with a knowing chuckle. “She tends to say what’s on her mind, for better or for worse, but she will always be at your side when you need it. I guess that’s why she’s the Element of Loyalty…”

“Sure wish I had one of those…” came the sombre response from the amber unicorn. “Er, who’s next to visit with?”