A Mother's Forgiveness

by PrinceOfDarkness

Rating: mature
Tags: Tragedy, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Death, Alternate Universe, Sad, Romance, Princess Luna, Suicide / Self Harm, Equestria Girls, Princess Celestia
Length: 3386

In an attempt to reunite them, more of Sunset's scars are revealed.

After Anon A Miss, the students of CHS and the Mane 5 throw Sunset a secret 16th birthday party.

Everyone is on the list except for one.

Sunset's mother.

In an attempt to reunite them at the party, more of Sunset's past scars are revealed and things don't go as planned.

Published 2021-06-19 10:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2021-06-19 10:00:00 UTC

Reunited at last.

"Remember, we need to keep certain people apart. We don't want any fights and arguments at her party." Rarity warned Pinkie, "So be sure to keep them apart from each other."

Pinkie scribbled down Rarity's instructions, going over the guest list for Sunset's secret surprise party.

The pink girl held up the guest list and showed it to the others.

"Did you add everyone to the list?" Rainbow asked Pinkie.

"Yep. Seeing them here, along with everyone else and us will make Sunset really happy!" Pinkie sang jovially.

"Because when they're here, it will remind Sunset that she means a lot to this school and everyone here. So she'll know we're sorry for what we did to her during Anon-A-Miss and that we do truly forgive her." Fluttershy enthused.

"That's the most important thing here." Applejack stressed with a firm look, " We have ta remind her that she's welcome and wanted here. Not that we're keeping her around because we have ta."

"Is Princess Twilight invited?" Rarity asked. Making sure Sunset's first best friend was invited so that she didn't feel alone.

"Yepperoni!" Pinkie Pie said. "I wonder if we're forgetting someone." The usually bubbly girl's scratched at her chin and searched her mind for anyone they might have missed.

Another happy smile grew on her face. "We forgot about Sunset's family."

"Does Sunset have a family?" Rainbow asked, frowning.

The group fell into silence at the thought.

"I'm sure she's mentioned them at least once or twice." Rarity mused in thought.

"Who are they?" Fluttershy asked Rarity. The fashionista's face became more pensive at the question.

"No, she really hasn't mentioned them at all." Rarity muttered quietly.

"I think I can help." They all turned around and saw Flash coming into the room with a smile, holding a box with a gift inside for Sunset.

"What's that ya got?" Pinkie asked happily in her usual bouncy self.

"Just a gift I got for Sunset." He said with a shrug.

"Do ya know about Sunset's family?" Applejack asked the rocker.

"Not exactly." Flash said. " A week ago after getting back with her I talked to her about my family and asked about hers."

"And?" Applejack interrogated. An uncomfortable and nervous frown formed on the rocker's face.

"Enough about me. What was your family like back home?" Flash asked. Flash had taken her out for a meal thinking she would love it.

The bacon-haired teen looked down at her plate uncomfortably.

"Sunset, is everything alright?" Flash asked softly, looking at her with concern.

"I... didn't really have that many relatives to be close with." Sunset said with a sad frown. "I cared more about myself than anyone else."

"What about your parents?" Flash asked gently, not wanting to pressure her in any way.

"My dad... I didn't ever really know my dad." Sunset muttered sadly, feeling that same pang of loneliness as she always did after Anon-A-Miss.

Flash put a gentle and loving hand on Sunset's shoulder. "I'm sorry I asked."

"My mom...I was a terrible and selfish brat." Sunset said, her eyes wet. "I was so mean to my mom, no matter what every nice thing she did for me." Her eyes darted back and forth nervously in hopes that they could change the subject. "And I ignored her once I was deep into my studies in hopes of becoming a princess."

"Sunset, I want you to listen to me." Flash's voice was both strong and soothing. "I know you did mean and selfish things in the past. But you changed and became better. If your mom was here-"

"She'd find out I bullied all the students, became a literal demon, blew up the school and had community service twice." Sunset replied.

"Sunset I-" Flash tried to reach her shoulder and give it a gentle comforting squeeze.

"I caused the entire school to hate me, and if they still do then so will she." Sunset muttered, looking away sadly.

"You've stopped the sirens, saved the school and worked hard to make it up to-" Flash tried to reason.

"I failed her." Sunset sniffled with certainty. Hiding her depression from Flash. She felt her eyes water more and tried to blink them away.

"So how's the new job going?" Flash said with a gentle smile. Sunset smiled at him, grateful for changing the subject quickly.

"That explains everything." Applejack muttered. Feeling worse for the way she had treated Sunset during Anon-A-Miss.

Rainbow looked at the farmer. "What do you mean?"

"Remember that talk ah had with Sunset?" Applejack asked. Rainbow nodded confusedly. "Sunset was being mostly truthful, but there was somethin' that she didn't talk ta me about."

"What didn't she tell you?"

"Why was she willing ta leave her family behind fer a world she knew nothin' about." Applejack muttered under her breath. "Ah didn't want ta pressure her about it because ah didn't care at the time. Ah was concerned whether she was a lyin' snake in the grass." Her eyes widened in shock and sadness. "But how bad was their bond that she would leave her without a second thought?"

Fluttershy was in tears as they streamed down her cheeks. "Poor Sunset. She hated herself so much to the point she thought her mom wouldn't care." Not even she could fathom the idea of her reaching that severed connection with her parents and brother.

Everyone else felt just as upset at the revelation. Pinkie's hair had drooped and gone flat.

Pinkie's hair puffed up again, and her trademark grin returned. "I just had the best idea ever!" Pinkie pulled her party cannon and allowed confetti to cover everyone.

After managing to dust off the confetti from their bodies, the girls returned to their conversation.

Rainbow looked at the pink-skinned girl. "What's the idea?"

"Why don't we go to Sunset's locker, contact Princess Twilight and get her to help us find her mom, get Twilight to tell her all the good and heroic things she did and bring her with Twilight to the party!" Pinkie chirped joyfully. "Bringing Sunset and her mom back together would be the most beautiful and sweetest gift ever!"

Everyone couldn't help but smile at the though.

"That's...a pretty good idea." Applejack said with a wide smile. Everybody else was in agreement with her.

"RIght then" Rarity said with a smile. "It's settled. we get Twilight to help find Sunset's mom, talk to her and invite her to the party as a surprise for Sunset"

"When Sunset realises that her mom still cares about and loves her, she'll be really happy." Fluttershy gushed with joy as she smiled.

Pinkie grabbed her pen and added her to the guest list.

Everyone left the cafeteria and headed towards Sunset's locker.

An hour later...

The girls had Sunset's journal with them, all they need to do now was open it and find a clear page to write on to contact Twilight.

As they read through Sunset's past messages with Twilight, the group felt worse as they realised that she was truly innocent and never was Anon-A-Miss.

After wiping their eyes, they found a clear page to write on and began to contact Twilight in hopes of finding Sunset's mom so they could reunite them at the party.

They were waiting outside the portal for Twilight to come through with Sunset's mom.

As they had contacted Twilight, they had all found out that Sunset's mom was the equivalent of Principal Celestia.

Why didn't Sunset tell them she was royalty? DId she really think she'd betrayed her mother to the point where she felt she had to isolate herself from everyone including her own mother?

Was Sunset ashamed of herself to the point that she didn't want to see her mother again? Those thoughts caused Fluttershy to nearly tear up. She wanted to see Sunset smile again.

Seeing Sunset with her mother again would prove that she's been truly forgiven by everyone, and not being kept around because of Twilight.

The animal lover wiped her eyes and waited for Twilight to reply to them in Sunset's journal.

Eventually, Twilight landed through the portal next to them as another figure slowly walked through it after twilight.

Princess Celestia looked like her human counterpart but instead of wearing a suit she wore a white dress with gold high heels and a necklace with a sun-shaped pendant.

Twilight cleared her voice and spoke up.

"Guys, this is Princess Celestia. My teacher and Sunset's mother. Princess these are mine and Sunset's ex-friends." Twilight introduced calmly.

The group of friends led Twilight and Princess Celestia to the cafeteria in the school where every single student were waiting for her to surprise her as an apology after Anon-A-Miss.

Sunset arrived at the school as she parked her bike, locking it so it couldn't be stolen. She walked up the steps of the school and walked into the building, unaware of the surprise laid out for her.

Oddly enough, the school was silent when it was usually very noisy and busy.

Sunset eventually somehow made it to the cafeteria.

Why did I come here? To the cafeteria of all places? Sunset thought to herself, confused at why she subconsciously led herself to the room.

Sunset pushed open the doors to the cafeteria and walked in, unaware of the surprise she would recieve.

"SURPRISE!" A mixture of voices yelled out, as Sunset looked around in shock and confusion.

She checked her watch and noticed the date.

It was her birthday...

Why had the school done this for her? Didn't they hate her? They sure did when they attacked her because of Anon A Miss. As Sunset looked around she noticed a face she thought she would never see again.

"Hello Sunset, my sweet daughter. I've missed you."

Author's Note

This story will contain depression, suicidal thoughts and Sunset trying to commit suicide.

This story's second chapter will be a bad ending and sad chapter, whereas the following chapter will have an alternate happy ending.

Bad Ending.

Sunset looked at her in shock and horror.

Princess Celestia was here.

At the party.

Her own mother was here.

Why?

Those questions went through Sunset's mind as she stared at her mother and teacher in complete fear.

"Sunset? Are you okay?" Princess Celestia asked, reaching out a hand to comfort the girl.

As Princess Celestia walked forward, Sunset walked backwards. Trying to escape her mother.

Why was she here? Her mother didn't deserve her at all.

The only other pony good enough to be a daughter to Celestia was her penpal Twilight who she could always trust and write to about anything.

She failed her mother, Twilight was her replacement.

Celestia deserved to have a better daughter and student than herself.

In her guilt and depression, she glanced up at her mother sadly.

"I'm sorry. But I don't deserve you." She sobbed as she left the room and climbed up the stairwell until she found a way to the roof. Once she managed to climb up it.

What she didn't know was that her former friends and her mother were chasing after her.

Why did they care? They hated her, she meant nothing to any of them.

She took one final gaze at everything around her and sadly smiled before breaking down into tears as she sobbed.

She took a few steps back to reach the front of Canterlot High.

A fall like this would be enough to kill her.

Perfect.

She didn't blame her mother, Celestia was innocent and was trying to be a good mother whereas she had been a terrible and bratty daughter demanding to be a princess.

Her mother and former friends deserved better, they wouldn't miss her.

As she was about to take the final step, she heard the door to the roof open as Flash, her former friends and her mother screamed out to her, to get her to stop. Why did they care now?

She didn't belong to this world, she'd only caused problems for the people here by bringing magic to it.

She took the final step back and let herself fall. Embracing death as she landed with a resounding thud

Everyone stared wide-eyed in horror as Flash, Princess Celestia and the human counterparts of the elements ran down the stairs to where Sunset had fallen to.

The heartbroken princess ran over to her now deceased daughter and cradled her in her arms gently, sobbing all the while as she rocked the dead teen in her arms. This had to be a nightmare! This just couldn't be real! This couldn't be happening!

Fluttershy stared on in horror as tears of sadness began to trail down her cheeks. All she wanted was for Sunset to be reunited with her mother and spend her birthday with her.

Princess Celestia kissed Sunset's forehead softly, carrying her daughter in her arms to the portal as she left back to Equestria to bury Sunset in her homeworld.

Although she was buried in the pony Equestria, she was given a funeral in the human counterpart world. Every student and teacher at CHS as well as Mayor Mare came and gave a speech.

They wanted to show Sunset they were truly sorry for not acting properly during the Anon A Miss debacle. They could never earn her forgiveness.

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were arrested and placed in juvie until they were eighteen as punishment for Anon-A-Miss and causing Sunset's suicide.

In Equestria...

Princess Celestia looked down at her daughter's grave, surrounded by Luna, Cadence, Shining Armor, Velvet, Twilight and the elements of harmony. Even Discord decided to show up.

Celestia looked down at her daughter's grave one final time, reading the inscription.

Sunset Shimmer
Friend and daughter
1998-2014
You will be missed

Good Ending.

Sunset looked at her in shock and horror.

Princess Celestia was here.

At the party.

Her own mother was here.

Why?

Those questions went through Sunset's mind as she stared at her mother and teacher in complete fear.

"Sunset? Are you okay?" Princess Celestia asked, reaching out a hand to comfort the girl.

As Princess Celestia walked forward, Sunset walked backwards. Trying to escape her mother.

Why was she here? Her mother didn't deserve her at all.

The only other pony good enough to be a daughter to Celestia was her penpal Twilight who she could always trust and write to about anything.

She failed her mother, Twilight was her replacement.

Celestia deserved to have a better daughter and student than herself.

In her guilt and depression, she glanced up at her mother sadly.

"I'm sorry. But I don't deserve you." She sobbed as she left the room and climbed up the stairwell until she found a way to the roof. Once she managed to climb up it.

What she didn't know was that her former friends and her mother were chasing after her.

Why did they care? They hated her, she meant nothing to any of them.

She took one final gaze at everything around her and sadly smiled before breaking down into tears as she sobbed.

She took a few steps back to reach the front of Canterlot High.

A fall like this would be enough to kill her.

Perfect.

She didn't blame her mother, Celestia was innocent and was trying to be a good mother whereas she had been a terrible and bratty daughter demanding to be a princess.

Her mother and former friends deserved better, they wouldn't miss her.

As she was about to take the final step, she heard the door to the roof open as Flash, her former friends and her mother screamed out to her, to get her to stop. Why did they care now?

"Sunset." Princess Celestia began. "You need to forgive yourself." She said softly, walking towards her daughter as Sunset sobbed, tears trailing down her cheeks.

"I don't know how to..." Sunset replied forlornly, looking away from her mother. Why did her own mother still love her?

Sunset looked around herself and noticed where she was standing. She then realised exactly what she was doing and her eyed widened in fear.

She felt herself slowly walk towards her mother, eventually being wrapped up in her arms. The amount of warmth, softness and comfort it brought helped her as she hugged her mother tighter.

Her ex-friends, Flash and Princess Celestia lead her back to the cafeteria as she saw everyone's expression. Guilt, sorrow and heartbreak.

When she looked to her mother she noticed her expression as she felt herself being hugged tighter by her mother.

"I am so sorry Sunset. I failed you by causing you to run away. To hear from Twilight how much you hate yourself and think you don't deserve me breaks my heart. Twilight wasn't, isn't and never will be a replacement. Because you can never be replaced. You are my daughter and I love you. Never think for one moment that I never will."

That was enough to set Sunset off as she sobbed into her mother, whimpering and sniffling as she sought comfort. She just wanted her pain to end. She sobbed into her mother, releasing all of her pent up agony.

Celestia only held Sunset tigher, rubbing her back comfortingly, seeing her daughter so upset broke her heart. She never wanted Sunset to feel Twilight was a replacement and that she loved Cadance more.

After managing to calm down, Sunset looked around and noticed how heartbroken everyone looked at seeing Sunset so upset.

Cadance had yelled at her for that, for playing favorites.

Her ex-friends decided to speak up, Fluttershy being the first out of all of them.

"Sunset...I am so sorry for what I said to you during Anon-A-Miss. Seeing you so upset and feeling unloved broke my heart. You deserve to be happy. We're all so sorry for what we did. I'm so sorry big sister." Fluttershy sobbed as she hugged Sunset.

The bacon-haired girl was taken aback. But something within her felt happy being called that by the girl as she was a few months older than Fluttershy and had viewed her like a little sister.

She hugged fluttershy tighter as she too sobbed into the animal lover.

Eventually, all of her friends apologized to her.

She felt a little bit better as she kissed Flash, leaning into it and applying a slight pressure to the kiss as the two lovers made out. She heard her mother sob and glanced at her mother who had joyful tears in her eyes.

"What? It's a sweet moment." Princess Celestia said, smiling at her daughter and possible future son-in-law.

Eventually the sun began to set as Celestia headed towards the portal, followed by Twilight and Sunset.

Princess Celestia noticed Sunset give her a pleading look.

"What's wrong, Sunset?" She asked softly, hugging the girl as Sunset leaned into it, enjoying the safety she felt in her mother's embrace.

"C-Can I come too? I've missed being a pony and I want to spend some time with you." Sunset asked shyly, blushing as she looked away.

"Even it if means you have to sit in day court with me and your Aunt Luna?" Celestia asked softly, smiling at the thought of having family time but frowned at it having to be in day court.

"Yeah, I don't mind." Sunset said, cuddling into her mother more, feeling slightly drowsy.

The trio walked through the portal as they made it to Twilight's castle.

After making it through, Celestia teleported herself and Sunset to her chambers so she could put Sunset to bed.

After getting ready for bed, Celestia carefully used her magic to tuck Sunset into the bed, pulling the sheets over the sleepy unicorn as she climbed into the bed and pulled Sunset into her.

Sunset couldn't help but drift off to sleep, smiling happily as she felt her mother's wings wrap around her as she was held to her mother's barrel. Warm and soft.

Celestia watched Sunset fall asleep as she planted a soft kiss on her little filly's forehead.

"Sleep tight, Sunset. Sweet dreams!" Celestia cooed, smiling at having her daughter back in her hooves.

Celestia felt herself drift off next to her daughter as the two fell into a light slumber.