Author's Note

In this chapter, we learn more about Sunset's childhood.

Luna is now in overprotective mother mode. She is like a mother bear and Sunset is her cub.

Motherly Care: Chapter 4.

Sunset awoke, laying on top of Luna's body. She sighed and laid back down, not wanting to get up. She was content to stay in her mother's cozy, warm arms where it was safe and nothing could hurt her.

Being cuddled soothed her. It helped her relax and calm down. Being in the arms of someone who loved and cared for her reassured her subconsciously.

Sunset yawned, and nuzzled her mother's chest, earning a soft kiss to her forehead and her mother's gentle hand running softly through her hair.

"Someone's comfortable." Luna cooed teasingly, enjoying the intimate contact with her daughter. Even though she was a teacher and Vice-Principal, she'd helped other children find their adoptive parents. It broke her heart every time. A possible son or daughter to love once again given to someone else.

Now she had a daughter, someone she could relate to in some aspect. Sunset, like herself, was a rebellious child. She had the same liking of clothing as Chrysalis. The cyan-haired woman became another mother to Sunset who understood her.

"Mhm." Sunset replied, nuzzling her mother as she curled into the woman's body. The redhead closed her eyes in a failing attempt to get back to sleep.

Luna grinned, holding back the maternal urge to shower Sunset in kisses and shows of affection. She knew that Sunset was a special case due to her 'circumstances' of arrival at the school, but it didn't change the way she saw her sweet baby girl.

She loved Sunset deeply and always would. She would be a better mother than her own. Her parents weren't very accepting of her dating Chrysalis, hence why she rarely spoke to them.

"I love you, baby girl." Luna cooed, planting another kiss on her daughter's forehead. The two laid like that as they cuddled.

Sunset wouldn't admit it, but the term of endearment that Luna called her meant a lot to her. Only Luna would ever be allowed to utter that word to her.

The motherly educator lowered her head and looked down at the girl. She'd wanted to know more about Sunset's previous world that she'd lived in.

"Sunset? If you're comfortable with it, can you tell me about Equestria?" Luna asked, waiting for a response. She lovingly ran her fingers through Sunset's hair, relaxing her sunshine girl.

"Why do you wanna know?" Sunset asked, concerned as to why her mother would want to know about the world on the other side of the mirror portal.

"I'm just curious, my sweet girl." Luna answered, wrapping her arms around Sunset, moving the girl's head from her chest, placing it on her shoulder as the girl snuggled further into her mother's embrace.

"In Equestria, your counterpart is a princess who controls the moon and the night sky. Princess Luna can also see and interact with dreams. She can sense nightmares and stop them. She's an alicorn, which is a combination of pegasi, unicorns and earth ponies."

Luna's eyes widened as the information sunk in. Her counterpart was a deity who could control the moon and the night sky. She wanted to know more about Equestria.

"Sunset, you know how my sister is the principal of CHS, right? What is her counterpart?" The educator asked softly, curiosity in her voice as she spoke.

The redhead went silent as the memories of being Princess Celestia's student came back to her. All the times she'd acted out in front of Princess Celestia just to get her attention. She wanted Celestia to be her mother, but the mare didn't feel the same way.

Sunset sobbed, tears trickling down her cheeks as she looked away from Luna, not wanting pity. All she wanted was a mother's love. Celestia was the closest thing at the time she had to a mother figure.

Luna's maternal instincts went into overdrive as she soothed her baby girl, kissing the top of her head and humming to her as she gently ran her fingers up and down the girl's arms. She comforted her distressed daughter as best she could.

Eventually, Sunset calmed down enough to the point she buried her face in the crook of Luna's neck.

The motherly educator smiled at the girl's playful antics. She loved when Sunset would open up like this, acting more childlike and playful.

"Would you like to tell me what happened? What made you so upset?" Luna asked lovingly, her words like honey as her mother's voice lulled her into a state of relaxation.

"Your sister's counterpart is a deity and princess who controls the sun. When I used to be her student, we'd often read and study together. I looked up to her and saw her as a mother figure. Well, she was my legal guardian and sort of stll is. When I once accidentally called her 'Mom' in public, she scolded me and told me that we could never be that. From there our relationship started to get worse." Sunset began, looking away from Luna in shame.

The educator could tell that it heavily affected her sunshine girl. The pain in her words when she felt rejected by the princess broke her heart.

"You don't have to tell me anymore if you don't want to." Luna soothed lovingly, not wanting Sunset to feel forced into telling her.

"N-No, you're my mom, you deserve to know about my past. After our relationship got worse, she took in Cadance as her niece, who also became a princess. She treated Cady, or 'Big Sis' as I called her, more like a daughter than her niece. She was the perfect filly, well, girl to become a princess. After seeing all of the interactions between Cadance and Celestia, I read books in dark magic and snuck into the library at night. Princess Celestia found me and we argued. When we met again after that, I rebelled against her and fled through the portal. All I wanted from her was to be my mom. All I wanted was the love she showed Cadance to be shown to me!" Sunset sobbed, placing her head back in her mother's chest as she cried.

Luna's heart broke when Sunset started to cry. She could feel her fury growing. Not towards Sunset, but towards the princess who broke her sunshine girl's heart. She wept for Sunset's pain and damaged childhood. The way that Sunset had been raised was one she despised. Sunset had been neglected when it was Princess Celestia's job to take care of her.

"Oh, Sunset. My sweet baby girl. I had no idea your childhood was so heartbreaking." Luna sobbed, holding back tears as she pulled the redhead into her arms. Princess Celestia had fucked up with Sunset. Luna cuddled the now sleeping girl as she grabbed her phone and text Chrysalis about what Sunset had told her.

When they'd have the chance to go to Equestria, not only would they visit to learn more about Sunset, she had something else in mind.

She was going to have a chat with the princess.

Luna grabbed her phone and informed Chrysalis about what Sunset had told her. Once the girl would wake up, she'd tell her that she'd told Chrysalis.

Luna ignored the desire to harm her sister's counterpart and focused on watching over Sunset as the girl slept on her body. Soon enough, Luna had fallen asleep too, holding Sunset in her arms as mother and daughter slept.