"Whooaaaa! Ack!"
THUD
"Ow."
Sunset slowly sat up, shaking her head in an effort to clear it from the groggy effect of traveling at high velocity through the portal to Equestria. She rubbed her muzzle lightly where she had hit it on the floor when landing.
"Sunset!" Twilight's overjoyed voice broke through her scrambled thoughts. "I'm so happy to see you!"
Sunset struggled to stand up, but she needn't have bothered. Twilight tackle hugged her, knocking her straight back down onto the floor as her forelegs wrapped constrictively about her ribcage.
"Ahhh! Heh, yeah good to see you too, Twilight." She returned, with a slightly fond smile as she patted her friend on the back. "Er...could you let me up now?"
Twilight quickly scrambled up, looking embarrassed as she rubbed a hoof along her neck. Sunset picked herself up off the floor and brushed her coat free of whatever miniscule traces of dust might be on it, and then smiled warmly at the bookish mare.
"Thank you so much for your help with my plans, Twilight. I couldn't have managed without you. I just...hope she likes it."
Twilight patted the suddenly nervous unicorn on the back. "It's alright, Sunset. She'll love it. Now, you have exactly fifteen minutes to pick up your order from Pinkie Pie, fifteen minutes to grab your other order from Rarity, and fifteen minutes to get back here and be ready to go. Then fifteen minutes to the castle, for a total of exactly one hour."
Sunset blinked. "You really thought that all through. Ok gotta go! Be back soon!"
She went flying out of Twilight's castle and ran down the street, arriving at Sugarcube Corner out of breath and barely able to talk as she gestured wildly to the waiting Pinkie Pie. Luckily, Pinkie knew exactly what she was after, and immediately popped a large square box in front of her.
"How's that??" She asked excitedly, lifting the lid to expose the contents.
Sunset's eyes widened. "Pinkie, it's absolutely amazing! Even better than I hoped! Thank you!"
She hugged the squealing party pony, levitated the now safely closed box in her magic, and ran for the boutique. Rarity was awaiting her arrival with eagerness.
"Oh Sunset, there you are! And remarkably earlier than the time Twilight gave me! Oh no matter, here is what you requested of me. I do hope it meets with your approval, darling!"
She levitated a small box over between them, lifting its top with great care to display what lay within. Sunset let out a dramatically loud gasp of amazed pleasure.
"Rarity!!! Oh my gosh. This is...I can't...ITS PERFECT!!"
She flung her forelegs around the startled fashionista for a massive hug. Rarity chuckled.
"I am so pleased it meets with your satisfaction." She said, levitating it into the saddlebag on Sunset's back and making sure the flap was securely fastened. "And I must say, darling, you could not have chosen a more fashionable and absolutely heartfelt gift."
"I hope she likes it." Sunset stated, brow creasing in worry.
"She will love it." Rarity assured her. "Now hurry! Back to Twilight's with you! I dread to think what would happen to her sanity if you showed up even a second later than the time she meticulously alotted to you."
They shared a hearty laugh before Sunset bid her farewell and went running back for Twilight's castle. Twilight looked at her clock instantly.
"Oh, you made it back with five minutes to spare!" She grinned. "Well, may I see the finished products while we wait those five minutes?"
Sunset showed her both items.
"Oh my goodness. Pinkie and Rarity really outdid themselves." Twilight exclaimed, examining both with an awed expression. "So. You have a speech prepared, or are you going to be like Rainbow Dash and just simply blurt out whatever comes to mind?"
Sunset snickered and then grew serious. "I didn't really plan a speech." She admitted. "But can I ever go wrong by just speaking right from the heart?"
Twilight smiled. "No. And whatever you say to her, I have a very positive feeling that she will love it."
A knock on the castle door interrupted them, and Twilight opened it to display a royal guard standing at attention.
"Royal carriage here upon the request of Princess Twilight Sparkle to escort one Sunset Shimmer to Canterlot immediately."
Twilight turned to her friend. "Go put the final part of your plan into action." She hugged her. "And I want to hear all about it later!"
Sunset chuckled as she walked down the steps and hopped into the waiting carriage. The sturdy pegasi took to the sky, flying directly for Canterlot, and she inhaled deeply as she gazed off into the distance.
'I really hope she likes this.'
Upon her arrival, Sunset was escorted along the long hallways to the large but cozy room that the Royal sisters used as their private dining and snack room when they couldn't be bothered to go to the actual dining room. Twilight had spoken to Luna of Sunset's plan, and the Princess of the Night had promised to have her unsuspecting sister in this very room by the specified time.
Sunset checked the clock on the wall. She had just a few minutes to get ready. She quickly placed the box on the table, before removing its contents and setting it carefully in place at the head of the table. She placed the small box from Rarity next to it with great care.
Satisfied, she stepped back and waited. It was almost time. Just a few more seconds...
The door opened exactly at the specified time, and Celestia briskly strode into the room.
"Alright, Lulu, what was so important-"
She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of who was in the room.
"Sunset!" She exclaimed in a mix of surprise and joy. "What a pleasant surprise!"
Sunset smiled nervously. "Well, I mean...I wanted to do something special so I uh, well..." She waved at the table, unsure how to explain.
Celestia approached, and when she saw what day on the table, she stopped again, completely taken aback.
There was a large round cake, decorated with white frosting, and on the top was a collection of icing roses, with the words "Happy Mothers' Day!" carefully written around them in soft pastel colors that matched Celestia's aurora mane and tail. The speechless monarch looked at the now fidgeting unicorn.
"I'm...well...Princess Celestia, you have always been extremely kind to me, and well, I grew to love you and see you not just as my friend and mentor but...like a mother. And I wanted to do something special for you to honor that, so I, uh, that's why the cake."
Sunset wasn't sure what to expect, but Celestia caught her in a hug and nuzzled her the way she had as a filly, with all the love she could put into it.
"And I grew to see you as a daughter I never had." She admitted, tenderly.
Sunset relaxed, smiling. "So uh, you want to inhale the cake first, or um, open the gift?"
Celestia's eyes lit on the box. Her horn glowed, and her magic enveloped it, opening it with care. Her eyes went wide and filled with tears as she saw its contents. Two pendants set with gemstones hung on a gold chain, one pendant designed to look like Sunset's cutie mark, the other designed to look like Celestia's. But it wasn't just the pendants themselves that had brought on the tears...it was what they said.
Carefully etched into Celestia's pendant was the word "Mom", while Sunset's bore the word "Daughter".
With no hesitation, the princess placed the gift around her neck, and captured Sunset in another hug, wrapping her in both her forelegs and her wings. Sunset smiled through happy tears of her own, nuzzling into her chest, content to just stay there indefinitely.
At long last, Celestia reluctantly let go and wiped her eyes.
"Well! How about you help me eat this delicious looking cake?"
Sunset grinned. "Wow, I must be special if you're sharing it."
"Well now I am offended." Celestia stated in mock anger, eyes twinkling. Then she sobered. "You are special, Sunset."
Sunset hugged her tightly once more, drew a breath, and uttered the phrase she had wanted to say for so long.
"I love you...Mom."
Celestia inhaled sharply, her embrace tightening, before she nuzzled her and responded back with extreme tenderness.
"I love you too, Daughter."
When they broke apart, Celestia gave her an impish grin. "Now I challenge you to a cake eating contest. Who can eat their half of the cake first!"
"Oh it's on!"
They grabbed their forks and dove into the cake, laughing and playfully insulting each other as they devoured it bit by bit, both of their hearts full of nothing but pure joy.
Oh! Almost forgot! It is a given that Celestia won the contest. Because after all, who can beat the mighty Princess of Cake?
