Author's Note
I took a nap and had a dream. This was the result.
Enjoy.
Disciplinary Actions
To say that Sunset Shimmer's world had crashed in around her was a massive understatement.
The former CHS queen of mean was currently picking up chunks of debris and flinging them into trash bins, all the while replaying the events of the last few days, and even longer than that, in her mind. It didn't matter that she'd been sentenced to clean up the mess created by her extremely mad desire for power causing her to dip into magic she was absolutely not prepared to handle. It was a small price to pay for her actions really.
She felt as if Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna had gone way too easy on her, and should have had her locked up in jail. Or worse, sent back to the pony version of Equestria with Twilight Sparkle to face the wrath of the powerful Princess of that world. She shuddered at the thought of what her former mentor might have done to her...though she had the notion that it could not be anywhere near as bad as what she was doing to herself.
She absolutely hated herself. She had done things no one should ever do, and as a result had destroyed part of the school and nearly destroyed part of her first world as well. She refused to let herself forget that, and she played her lastest mantra over and over as some sort of self punishment.
'You're a horrible person, Sunset Shimmer! How could you do something so evil?! First you betray your mentor, then you come here and betray everyone you know here too! You are horrible and stupid, and the punishment you have right now should be alot worse!!'
Tears welled up in her eyes as she threw a brick into a bin with enough force to actually knock the bin over. The contents spilled out, right at the feet of Principal Celestia, who had come up unnoticed. Sunset gulped.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that."
The Principal stared at her in silence, seeming to gaze into her very soul, and Sunset shifted uncomfortably, dropping her own gaze to the floor. She looked so miserable, and soooo guilty. Principal Celestia had been wondering if perhaps another method of discipline might have been better, or if perhaps her current punishment should have been supplemented with something else too. She had come up with an idea, but she was still undecided as to whether or not to actually use it. For the moment, she took a breath
"How are you doing?"
Sunset looked up, staring at her in surprise.
"Why would you ask that?" She questioned, slightly disbelieving.
"Because contrary to whatever you may be telling yourself, I do care about you and your well being, Sunset."
Sunset blinked. "But why would you?"
Principal Celestia raised an eyebrow at the completely confused question.
"Why would I not?"
"Because I'm horrible!" Sunset burst out in pained indignation, self recrimination and shame clearly evident on her face. "I did terrible things here! I used people! I tricked people! I...I tricked you. And to top it all off I destroyed the school and could have killed people in the process. You shouldn't care." Her head hung low as her voice dropped to a near whisper. "You just...shouldn't care. I'm too horrible."
"You're being punished for your actions, Sunset. And you're accepting it quite well. I believe people deserve a second chance. Even you."
"But this just doesn't feel like enough!" Sunset gestured around her to the mess. "Cleaning all this up just doesn't feel like it's anywhere close to enough to make up for things. It doesn't feel like enough punishment."
Principal Celestia was starting to seriously consider using her recent idea.
"What would you have me do then?"
"I-I don't know. Put me in jail? Send me back to my world? I don't know."
"What purpose would either of those serve? Your life would be wasted in jail. And returning you to your world would banish you from the new friends that you have made."
Sunset sighed miserably. "I'll finish cleaning but...it just seems like so little. And it doesn't make me stop hating myself. I'm a bad person, Principal Celestia, and that's just not going to change."
"You are not a bad person. You are person who has made mistakes. Serious ones, but mistakes all the same. But if you feel you need something extra to help you feel like you have paid more fully for your wrongdoings, then I believe I have a solution."
Sunset looked up, apprehensive yet curious.
"What?"
"You have thirty minutes left of your clean up time for today. When you are finished, wash up and report to my office. I will explain then."
"Yes, Principal Celestia."
As Sunset turned, the Principal placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Sunset?"
"Y-yes?"
"Please remember that I do not see you as a bad person. You have a good heart, or you would not be feeling so bad about your actions."
Sunset nodded and the Principal squeezed her shoulder before letting go and walking away down the long hallway.
'Well, Celestia. It appears your idea is needed after all. That child needs it if she is ever going to forgive herself.'
With that thought, she turned a corner and headed to her office. Meantime, Sunset went back to work, wondering just what the Principal had in mind.
******************************************
Half an hour later, Sunset found herself slowly approaching Principal Celestia's office. The heavy wooden door had never looked so large and ominous before. Her heart was beating so heavily against her chest that it was becoming rather painful. She paused at the door, taking multiple deep breaths to steady her nerves, then wrapped her shaking fingers around the handle, hesitating just briefly before opening it.
"Principal Celestia?"
The Principal looked up from a stack of papers.
"Sunset. Please come in. And close the door."
Sunset obeyed before walking across the room and standing rather uncomfortably in front of the large desk. Principal Celestia studied her.
"I have been watching you, Sunset. I have noticed how miserable you are, and I felt you were beating yourself up quite harshly over your actions. My conversation with you earlier confirmed that. Before I make a suggestion, do you still feel as though you have not been punished quite harshly enough?"
Sunset sighed. "It just feels like I got off too easy. As bad as I was, and everything I did...well, the clean up just doesn't feel like enough. I hate myself, and cleaning up just gives me time to hate myself more."
"I see. Very well then. I said I had an idea that may help you, and I do. Sunset, have you ever been spanked?"
Sunset's jaw dropped as her eyes widened. Whatever she had expected, it wasn't that! It took a moment to formulate an answer.
"I mean I...well yes, a couple of time, back in my world. When I was small and got into mischief."
"And your feelings afterwards?"
Sunset shifted, her eyes downcast as she thought about it.
"Well I guess I felt better? I mean, I felt like I paid for whatever it was I did and I could move on."
"Mm. I see. So it definitely helped."
"Principal Celestia, I really don't like where this is going." Sunset muttered.
"Sunset, you told me you did not feel as though your current punishment is enough, and you stated you hate yourself and cannot let it go. You just admitted that physical punishment helped you in your world. I am offering you this because I feel it will help you, but ultimately it is your decision."
The Principal left her desk and went and took a seat on the short sofa. Her eyes locked on Sunset, who stared back at her wide eyed.
"I will sit here and wait. If you decide that I am correct and this will help you, you do not have to say a word. Just walk to me and let me do the rest. If you think I am wrong, you are quite free to walk out the door and we need not discuss this matter again. The decision is entirely yours."
Sunset felt very much like a deer caught in the headlights, frozen and unsure which way to run. The only thing holding her in place was the nagging little thought in the back of her head that was screaming at her that Principal Celestia was right. She stood silent, carrying on a verbal battle internally with her conscience.
'But this is ridiculous!! I mean...I know what I said, but...'
You mean basically admitted this was something that would help.
'I just was saying that being made to clean up wasn't enough! But I didn't think a spanking would be an actual idea!'
Why not? You deserve one anyway. But the fact is, it would definitely help your guilt and you know it, Sunset Shimmer.
Sunset couldn't think of an argument. Her conscience had a valid point and she knew it. She knew very well how effective this punishment was for absolving guilt and letting a person feel like they'd paid for the mistakes and that they were forgiven for once and for all. And truthfully, she wanted those feelings...even if she knew that the method of getting them was anything but pleasant.
Principal Celestia watched her in silence, seeing her inward battle with herself written all over her face. At last Sunset took a deep, shuddering breath, and without saying a single word she gathered every ounce of remaining courage she possessed, and slowly moved across the floor to the Principal's side to accept her fate.
Principal Celestia extended her hand, waiting patiently, and Sunset hesitated only for a few seconds before she placed her own in it, taking yet another deep breath as she was drawn closer and guided into a embarrassingly familiar position across the waiting lap. There was nothing hurried or mean in the Principal's guidance. She took her time gently adjusting the now trembling form across her knees, making sure she was as comfortable as possible given the circumstances, and then rubbed her back in an effort to help soothe her nervousness.
Sunset for her part nearly jumped out of her skin as Principal Celestia's hand gently caressed her back in slow comforting circles, causing the girl to slowly relax and steady her nervous breathing in spite of her current position. Her heart was hammering and her stomach was rather knotted, but in spite of everything she found herself completely trusting the Principal, knowing that she wasn't going to do anything to cause any actual harm.
"I believe you know why we are here, Sunset, but just so I am completely sure you fully understand, please explain the reason to me."
This was the part she had always hated. Being made to spell out her sins in full before any punishment was delivered. She preferred to just get it over with. However, knowing an answer was expected, Sunset swallowed hard and forced herself to form the words.
"I terrorized other students, lied and deceived quite a lot of people, including you, tore apart friendships, and ended up doing things involving magic that destroyed part of the school and almost destroyed another world."
"And?"
"And I have spent a lot of time beating myself up over all of it."
"After we're through here today, I do not want you beating yourself up any further. You will take this punishment and afterwards you will move on. And if at anytime you feel like beating yourself up again, come and talk to me. Alright?"
"Ok."
Figuring that there had been enough discussion for the moment, Principal Celestia wrapped her left arm securely around Sunset's upper body, making sure she would not fall off, and then raised her other hand.
SMACK
Sunset jumped and released an involuntary yelp of surprise, not expecting that first swat to be quite so hard. Tightening her hold slightly, the Principal brought her hand down again with the same amount of force.
SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK
"Ow..." Sunset complained quietly, squirming just a little, her body tense as the swats fell.
Principal Celestia didn't lecture or scold...she let her hand do all the talking as she continued to cover every inch of Sunset's backside with the hard smacks, not letting up or slowing down in spite of all the whines and whimpers she was starting to draw out of her.
Smack Smack Smack Smack Smack Smack
"Owwww." Sunset yelped, tears already spilling from her eyes as she squirmed in a futile attempt to avoid the Principal's hand.
This was starting to get to her. It was slowly starting to chip away at the massive guilt she had been suffering from, breaking it off little by little with each and every swat. She was trying not to plead for leniency, knowing she deserved whatever she received, but it was impossible to stop squirming. Her tears flowed more freely as she thought about the behaviour that landed her here, prompting her to go from whines and yelps to soft crying.
Principal Celestia paused briefly, studying her and debating whether or not to proceed as she was doing or increase the effectiveness of her swats. After a few seconds, she made a decision and reached under Sunset to unfasten the button on her jeans. Sunset whimpered through her tears, obviously knowing what was coming, but to her credit made no attempt to stop it. With the jeans successfully unfastened, the Principal tugged them down to Sunset's knees and resumed the spanking on the seat of her thin underwear.
Smack Smack Smack Smack Smack SMACK
"Ow!" Sunset yelped, before lapsing into harder crying as she wriggled and squirmed.
That hurt so much worse without her jeans! But she wasn't going to protest it. She did have it coming. Principal Celestia slightly increased her force, but kept her pace the same, silently willing the girl to just let go of her guilt already. She aimed lower, targeting her unprotected and much more sensitive sit spots.
SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK
Sunset wailed at this, and flung her hand back in an attempt to protect herself, but the Principal captured it and held it aside as she continued her task. She could see the deep redness of her sit spots, and knew her backside was the same, and she really just wanted to end this as soon as possible.
'Sunset, please just let it go now. I really don't want to keep doing this to you. Please just let go.' she thought to herself as her eyes started to water.
As if hearing the silent plea, Sunset let out another wail.
"Ow! I'm sorry! Please...I'm sorry..."
With that she broke down entirely, going limp across the Principal's knees and sobbing for all she was worth. Sighing in relief, Principal Celestia took a breath and decided to end with a few memorable swats.
SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK
Sunset didn't even notice as her jeans were replaced, but she suddenly found herself gathered up in the Principal's arms, being hugged tightly as soft words of comfort were spoken in her ear.
"I'm sorry!" She sobbed as she curled into her. "I'm s-sorry!"
"Shhhh. I know. And you are completely forgiven, Sunset."
It took several minutes, but gradually Sunset calmed enough to sit up straight in Principal Celestia's lap and take a deep, slightly ragged breath.
"How do you feel?"
"My butt hurts."
The Principal laughed outright at this, not missing the slight pout that accompanied it.
"Besides that."
Sunset pondered it for a moment.
"I actually feel better." She admitted. "I guess I needed that more than even I knew. Erm...thanks."
Principal Celestia smirked slightly. "Are you thanking me for spanking you?"
Sunset blushed intensely. "W-well yeah, sort of." She mumbled. "But I meant more like thank you for caring about me. Especially enough to uh...do that."
"You're welcome."
The Principal hugged her tightly once more, only letting go when Sunset did, and then they both stood.
"I better get home." Sunset let out a yawn. "I am worn out and I need rest so I can get in here bright and early to do some more work before classes."
"I'll see you tomorrow, Sunset."
Principal Celestia walked her out and watched her leave, smiling slightly to herself.
As Sunset started up her motorbike, shifting uncomfortably on its seat, she smiled widely, feeling at peace with herself for the first time in a long time. While she knew it might take time for everyone else to be so forgiving, she at least forgave herself, and her heart was light as she kicked the bike into gear and roared off into the distance.
