t was 3:00 p.m. on a Friday
Sunset finished another miserable chemistry class, one filled with nothing but angry and fearsome leers from everyone but the teacher who gave her a sympathetic look as she walked out the door. The leers she received because of their belief she was guilty of something she didn’t do. And that was Sharing their secrets on MyStable, first, it was just her friends than almost everyone in the school. After the second post, the girls left Sunset in the dust to be kicked around by the other students, whose secrets followed a few days after.
The teachers and staff such as Mr. Doodle, Ms. Cheerilee, Dr. Hooves, Mr. Will, and even Nurse Red Heart didn’t believe Anon-a-Miss’s ridiculousness, they had long since the Battle of Bands accepted That Sunset was a different girl and would never do this. They have tried many times to make their students realize the same thing but got jack-squat, so the only thing they could do now was to keep them from trying something foolish on Sunset and give the poor girl moral support.
Though Sunset tried to avoid the cafeteria, not just because the largest majority of students were there but also because Granny Smith the lunch lady as well as Applejack’s grandmother was there too. She didn't want to even think about what the old woman would do to her. But what she didn't know was that Granny Smith was one of her biggest supporters as she truly believed Sunset was innocent. She even helped by 'accidentally' leaving the best food by the kitchen backdoor, where Sunset could take it. She just wished Sunset would trust her and that her granddaughter would listen to reason.
Before leaving school, Sunset went to her locker which had been stained with red paint that spelled, “GO BACK TO HELL SHE-DEMON!”. Sunset just miserably sighed as this was the new normal for her and began to take her things out of her locker, and just after she closed it she was grabbed from behind and slammed back first into the lockers. She gasped and saw it was non-other than a severally angry Rainbow Dash with Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy standing behind her, the former two looking angry but not as much as the prismatic girl and the latter two just scowling at her in disappointment or looking unsure at her in Fluttershy case.
“Well well well, if isn’t Sunslut She-demon, heading out to do her dirty work!” Rainbow growled as Sunset trembled.
“G-girls, please. Just let me leave, please.” Sunset pleaded, but Rainbow’s grip just tightened as Applejack slammed her hand next to Sunset’s head.
“Why? So you can keep on stealin’ everyone’s secrets, Anon-a-Miss?!” Applejack shouted as Sunset flinched.
“No, no! Girls please, how many times do I have to say it? I’m not Anon-a-miss!” Sunset proclaimed as tears formed in her eyes.
Rarity then Suddenly shot forward, “Liar! It is you! I can’t believe we ever called some ruffian like you our friend!”
“I AM your friend!” Sunset Assured desperately.
“Well, we don’t want to be friends with you, Secret-stealer!” Pinkie yelled pointing her finger at Sunset.
“Girls, please You have to believe me! I never hurt any of you!” Sunset begged as she looked at them pleadingly, “I-I love you.” Fluttershy trembled before she sent a hateful but tearful glare at Sunset.
“Well, we HATE you, Sunset Shimmer!” She screamed as Sunset looked at the most ‘kindhearted’ member of the group in disbelief. She then tries to reach her hand to her, “N-no, Fluttershy, you can’t-”
She was suddenly cut off when Rainbow grabbed her arm and twisted. Sunset screamed as she felt it twist out of place before Rainbow kneed her in the stomach, and she felt the pain in her chest and arm, “Try and touch her again, and I kill you!” Rainbow hissed as she dropped Sunset and the girl fall to her knees, clutching her stomach with one arm as her other was limp.
“Come on girls, we should waste our time anymore with this piece of shit.” Applejack said, as the other girls, nodded before the cowgirl grabbed Sunset by her shirt and lifted the terrified girl up to her scowling face, “That’s all you’ll ever be to anyone, I bet that’s why that princess tossed ya out like yesterday’s garbage!” Applejack then spat Sunset right in the face before she slammed her back into the locker as Sunset felt another pain at the back of her head and one in her heart from the cruel words she knew was probably true before Applejack reached into her bag and she saw her pull out her journal to talk to Twilight but was too hurt both inside and out to stop her.
“And we’ll be keeping this, so you can’t try and trick princess Twilight too! So if your smart you’ll leave and never come back!” Applejack said, then readjusted her hat and walked away with the book under her arm as Sunset weakly reached for it. The girls followed behind the cowgirl with Rainbow sending Sunset a warning glare, Rarity huffed and flipped her hair before turning her chin to the ceiling, Pinkie just stuck her tongue at Sunset and Fluttershy followed in the back as her glare melted into a sorrowful expression as she turned to the Sunset was looking down at the floor with her eyes closed trying not to breakdown and the timid girl mouthed, “I’m so sorry.” before rushing after her friends.
Once they were gone Sunset pulled her legs up and still kept her sobbing inside her as any passing student just snickered or ignored her.
It wasn’t fair, it just wasn’t fair.
Once the halls were clear, Sunset was still trying hard not to cry when she felt someone gently grab her arm. She flinched but didn’t pull away, just ready to accept her eventually beatdown. But instead, the hand carefully helped her to her feet she looked up to see the concerned face of Principal Celestia.
Celestia saw the heartbroken expression on the red and yellowed-haired girl’s face, as she looked down at her, “Sunset, what happened?” She asked, But Sunset just looked away in shame.
Nothing, I just fell.” She lied, not wanting to face her old teacher’s counterpart but Celestia was having non of it.
“Sunset don't lie to me, I know it was your friends or ex-friends that did this to you,” Celestia stated, as Sunset just frowned Celestia then made a sad smile, raising a hand to place on the girl’s shoulder. “Sunset, if you need help with all this, just say so, I can help you. I care about you.” Sunset’s eyes widened at the last before scowling.
She then swatted away the woman’s hand as she glared at Celestia’s shocked face, “Care about me? I find that very hard to believe Ms. Celestia!” She sneered before she bolted to the entrance.
Celestia too shocked to follow, held her swatted hand in the other as she remembered that Sunset’s words were similar to the ones she said when the girl and her once best friends came to warn her about the dazzlings but she and her sister rebuffed their warnings and flat out insulted Sunset. Celestia looked down in shame as she knew the girl was in a lot of pain as she and Luna looked into her leaving conditions and learned that Sunset had no family or home here, and she felt powerless to do anything to help the girl. “I’m sorry Sunset.” she whimpered.
She then looked sadly to the lockers and saw that Sunset had left her bag and things, she then gasped in horror when she saw the barely visible bloodstain on the locker, if Sunset was bleeding out there without anyone or medical attention, she was in danger. She then gather up Sunset’s things before sprinting to her office, getting her own stuff, and gave a quick phone call to Luna to tell her while she looked for Sunset, she would watch the school as well as have a word with her former friends.
“You just find that poor girl, Tia! I handle the school and once you find out what those deserters did to her I’ll have a word with them tomorrow!” Luna ordered. Celestia smiled, knowing that Luna was an expert on showing rotten teens who was boss. She hopped into her car and hit the gas.
Sunset ran through the cold streets of Canterlot, as the snow started floating down slowly at first before it began to pick up speed. Sunset didn’t care about snow or the bitter cold she felt through her thin leather jacket. She lost her friends, the whole school was out to get her and she just yelled at the woman who was one of the few who did believe her and offered to help her, but now probably hated her just like her counterpart.
Sunset felt tears in her eyes that were about fall but clutched her eyes shut ‘Don’t cry! Crying makes you an easier target!’ She mentally chanted as she rubbed them with her good arm’s sleeve. She remembered whenever she cried after the fall formal the kids often tried to take a shot at hurting her, so from that day forward she swore she never cry and show her weakness again.
She eventually came to a bridge, she braced her hands on the supports, she looked down into the icy river and saw a useless, abandoned, and hated girl’s reflection. HER reflection.
Without her journal, she couldn’t contact Twilight, the only friend she could possibly have left for help. Though she was sure Twilight would turn her back on her just like everyone else did.
She whimpered, “No one wants me. No one loves me! They say they’ll be there for me but they just abandon me.” the former unicorn looked back to the river below her, she saw her reflection furrowed her brows. She knew she had only one option, she hesitated for a second but shook her head “No one would miss me, they’d be happy I’m gone.” Sunset then pushed herself onto the railing and stood on it. She took a breath and closed her eyes before she leaned forward ready to fall into a watery grave until…
“NO!” Someone yelled before they grabbed her waist and pulled her off the railing. Sunset was shocked for a moment but just yelled and thrashed around, trying to free herself. “Let me go! LET ME GO! No one wants me in this world anymore! JUST LET ME JUMP!”
“Absolutely, positively NOT!” The person shouted, they sounded like a man it sounded deep but also gentle, Sunset slowed her struggle and turned to look at the person. Her eyes slightly widened, when she saw an ash-gray-skinned man, who had blood-red eyes and a black thick mullet hairdo, with sideburns running under his cheekbones. He was wearing a dark red winter coat, rimmed with white and black fur, dark gray pants, boots, and a vermillion scarf. Sunset silently gasped, as she recognized this man,
“You, your, Director Sombra of The Crystal Empire Corporation!” She said, the CEC was the biggest technology company in the city, creating appliances for the rich AND offering aid, provisions, and resources poor, but mostly the latter, and Sombra was one of the wealthiest people in Canterlot.
Sombra seeing the girl was no longer struggling, put her down but still keep a firm grip on her shoulders should she try to bolt and jump, “I see my reputation proceeds me. Now young lady what is your name?” He asked but Sunset hesitated on talking to this man, not only because he was a total stranger but also despite the fact he was known by the world and she could see in his eyes he was a kind and generous man, he was also, from what Twilight told her from her adventures, the Crystal Empireès former tyrannical ruler’s counterpart.
“S-Sunset.” she whispered. But Sombra frowned as he could barely hear her, “Speak up!” he said firmly yet un-harshly.
Sunset straightened up and repeated herself a little louder, “Sunset! My name is Sunset Shimmer.”
“There, that’s better.” Sombra said satisfied, before moving on to his next question, “Now then Ms. Shimmer, can you explain to me why you’re out in this weather, alone and without warm clothes and planning to jump to an ice-cold death?” Sunset flinched at his question, mostly at the word ‘alone’.
She was going to answer when she suddenly felt light-headed, “I-I was…” Sunset’s eyes then rolled to the back of her head, as she passed out and Sombra caught. It was then that he noticed her right arm felt a little stiff, and she had a blood mark on the back of her skull. He bit his lip, knowing she need medical attention STAT but the hospital was too far from until he remember there was someone he knew very well who could work medical miracles and was waiting for her back at his home.
“Hope may be the only one who can help you right now.” He then lifted the girl up and carried her back to his Limo bridal style, noting she was surprisingly light. He then carefully place her inside and turned to his driver, “Back to the mansion, and make it fast. This girl needs help.”
“Yes sir!” The driver answered before the car took off as the forecasted mighty blizzard began, weak but would grow stronger.
“Where is she?! Please god, Where is she?!” Celestia as she rounded another corner. As soon as she drove off, she went straight to Sunset’s home which was just an abandoned building with faulty power and no heat. She turned the place upside down but found no sign of the fiery-haired girl anywhere.
She did, however, load all of Sunset’s spare clothes and important items into her car, vowing that once she found the girl she would not let her stay in this place one moment longer and would let her stay with her and her boyfriend whom she moved in with a few months ago.
She then spent the last hours driving through the city searching for the girl. The blizzard that was predicted had begun it was a little flurry with only a few snowflakes sprinkling but soon they were picking up in speed and numbers, so Celestia was forced to slow down to avoid getting herself and/or someone else into an accident.
She was starting to get really worried about Sunset being out in this weather, She wondered if she went back to her abandoned apartment, “I’m not sure if she could be safe or warm in this, blizzard, she might have some warmth once she makes back to her…” Celestia trails off, as it just now came to her that she had all of Sunset’s meaningful items AND her warm blankets. Meaning once she returned home and found all of her stuff was gone she wouldn’t have any reason to stay in there anymore.
“Oh no…What have I done?” Celestia whispered as tears built in her eyes, she knew that if Sunset, in her injured state or not, stayed too long out in snow and cold she would never survive and it was all her fault. Celestia had stopped her car and pressed her head against the steering wheel as she wept, she had failed her student, a young girl who had such a bright future ahead of her whom she began to see as more than a student but failed to protect her from a cyber gossiper and forced her to sleep outside in a killer blizzard.
“I’m so sorry Sunset,” She sobbed quietly, she then started her car up again and headed back home with a broken heart, though she would’ve preferred to freeze out here as punishment for her failure and to just reunite with Sunset Shimmer again.
She really needed to be in her boyfriend’s arms right now.
Sunset groggily reopened her eyes, she felt her head throbbing, her arm was aching, and her heart feeling emotionally weak. She looked around and found herself in a bedroom, a very dark but cozy-looking and expensive one, and she was currently laying on the most comfortable bed she felt in a long time.
She was a little confused and frightened at first, then she let out a yelp when she felt a hand placed on her own, “Don’t worry sweetie, your safe.” She heard a woman’s voice. She turned to it and saw next to her was a woman in a light blue shirt with a gold wing staff/twin snakes pin on the right side of her chest, a yellow skirt, and a brown coat, her skin was purple, her hair and eyes were cyan and her smile made Sunset feel something she had not felt in years.
Hope.
There was also something about this woman that vaguely reminded Sunset of Twilight, but she pushed that thought aside. She tried to sit up but groaned as she felt a sharp pain in her arm.
“Ooh, I wouldn’t advise moving that arm for a while.” The woman said, gently pushing her back down, Sunset then saw her arm was in a blue cast with gauze wrapped around it, underneath, “I’m afraid it was fractured and on the way here it worsened, you were lucky Sombra found you when he did.”
Sunset’s eyes widened, “You know him?”
The woman nodded with a smile, “Indeed, he and I grew up in the same orphanage together, we’ve had a few ups and downs but we worked through them and together, we were able to create all of this.” She said, gesturing to the whole building before she blinked with a face of realization, “Oh right, where are my manners? My name is Radiant Hope, Sombra’s right-hand woman.”
Sunset raised a brow, “Really?” She asked, before darting her eyes in confusion, “I kinda thought you were…” She trailed off, not wanting to sound rude. But Hope merely giggled and held up a hand.
“Don’t worry, you wouldn’t be the first to insinuate that,” She assured, “But since we grew up together Sombra is more of a brother than a lover to me, and his heart already belongs to another lucky woman,”
Sunset leaned forward in curiosity, “Who?” she asked, but before Hope could answer, the door opened, and in walked Sombra, wearing a black dress shirt and pants, a red vest with a crystal shard pin on the left pectoral, and holding a dark cane with a red crystal for a handle.
Sunset flinched a bit before Sombra walked over, moving his eyes up and down her form. He then turned to Hope, “How is she?” He asked, as Hope sighed and stood back up, holding a doctor’s bag.
“Well, she has a few bumps and bruises, a rather large one at the back of her head, some cuts on her arms, and two big scars on her back, and she is also very malnutrition. It’s a miracle she still has the strength to move at all,” Hope explained, Sunset flinched when she mentioned the cuts. She had been cutting herself. Hope and Sombra didn’t seem to notice.
"I managed to clean up and bandage the wounds and thankfully they aren't infected but she needs plenty of food and liquids and will have to keep her bandages on for four days if she ever hopes to recover." Hope continued as she frowned a bit, and gestured for Sombra to lean in as she whispered into his ear, "Also I could see in her eyes that she had endured a lot of mental and emotional pain before you found her, so she'll also need plenty of support to avoid killing herself, again."
Sombra hummed, and the two nodded before Hope turned back to Sunset, brushing her cheek with her hand, "See you around Ms.Shimmer, I hope you have a speedy recovery." She said with a warm smile as she turned and walked out of the room.
Sombra then sat down on the bed, still holding his cane, and looked at Sunset in the eye before he asked, “So, Ms. Shimmer now that you are in a somewhat better condition, could you please tell me why you are out there in the cold, trying to kill yourself?”
Sunset bit her lip in hesitance, she really didn’t want to tell him about her and Anon-a-miss, but the look in his eyes, a look she had only seen in Princess Celestia when she demanded to know what happened after she had a fight in magic school, and how he needless decided to bring her to his home and help her, she felt like it was the least she could do for him. So she sighed and began to tell her tale, “Well it all started a few days when this MyStable user called ‘Anon-a-Miss’ appeared out of nowhere and started spreading secrets around…”
Applejack walked into her living room with a satisfied smile and Sunset’s journal under her arm. Now that she had this book, Sunset couldn’t try contacting Princess Twilight and tricking her as she did to them.
She still couldn’t believe that after everything they had been through, she actually had the gall to backstab her and the others by posting their secrets online. Well, she wasn’t going to let her get away with it this time. “I should’ve known a snake like ‘er couldn’t really change.” She spat as looked at a photo of her, Sunset, and the rest of the Rainbooms after the Battle of the Bands and she scowled at Sunset who was clearly smiling a fake smile.
“I told ya we were yer’ family Sunset and then you go and backstab us like this, well I hope you rot like the spoiled apple you are.” She said before she chucked the photo in the trash can, and stomped to her bedroom with the book still held under her arm, “Tomorrow me and the girls will go to Principal Celestia and tell her to kick Sunset out of CHS, there’s no way she’ll believe that hewey about Sunset’s innocent!” She decided as she marched up the stairs.
As she stomped up she didn’t see Granny Smith plucking the haphazardly thrown photo out of the Trash can, dusting it off carefully as she looked down at it in pity, “I’m really sorry my Jacklyn’s bein’ such a stubborn old mule Sunset,” She said, looking at the fiery hair girl in the picture before she glanced up to where Applejack went and shook her head in disappointment, “Applejack Darlin’, when are ya gonna see it’s not Sunset who turned traitor but yer’self?”
“And then after I ran out of the school, I went to the bridge, I was so full of pain and loneliness, I just wanted it all to stop so I decide to jump and, well…you know what happened next,” Sunset whimpered, finishing her story. Her eyes stinging with tears which she struggled to keep from falling.
Sombra looked at the girl in sympathy, he couldn’t believe what he heard from her. Hope had told him that Sunset had suffered from mental and emotional pain but he didn’t think it was this bad. When she mentioned the names of her friends, he was shocked to hear the name of the daughter of one of his most trusted employees. ‘I’ll have to have a talk with her about that,’ he thought.
He could understand the pain she was going through. He could see how she was struggling not to cry, which he knew would only hurt her even more if she didn’t let her sorrow and pain out.
He then wrapped his arm, around her shoulders and pull her close to his chest. Sunset silently gasped, as she braced her hands on his chest. She looked up at him and saw him giving him a small sympathetic smile, similar to the one Celestia gave her earlier. “Ms. Shimmer, I can clearly see you have been through a lot, and I’ll be willing to help you. But first, you must do something for me and just cry.” Sombra advised.
Sunset’s eyes widened, “Wha-What?” she said before shaking her head and looking away from him, “N-no. I-I can’t.”
“You can and you should. You’ll feel a lot better, trust me on that.” Sombra pressured.
Sunset shook her head again, as the tears in her eyes grew “No, No! I won’t cry! Crying just makes me weak!” She insisted, using all of her strength to hold back the sobs in her throat.
Sombra then used his hand to rub her shoulder, “No, it doesn’t make you weak. It just shows that all you’ve been through truly hurt, and despite that pain, you still find the strength to move forward,” He explained as he held Sunset in both his arms as Sunset was letting soft, hiccuping breathes, “It’s alright Sunset Shimmer, it only you and I here, you don’t have to be afraid of being ridiculed by anyone. Just let go. Let go.”
After that Sunset couldn’t take it anymore. She let one sob, then another, and then another. Until finally she was bawling her eyes out and her tears streaking down her cheeks like waterfalls.
“IT’S NOT FAIR!! IT’S NOT ME!! I’M INNOCENT!! WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?! I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS!!!” Sunset cried loudly and wholly as she buried her face in Sombra’s jacket while he held her and rubbed her back like a father comforting his child.
He could tell none of what she was saying was directed towards him, but rather to the ones who had hurt her the most, her friends. “There now young lady. It’s okay, just let it out. Free yourself of all your pain and sorrow.” He soothed the broken girl as she drained out her tears.
After a few minutes, Sunset’s cries turned to weeps and whimpers before she finally silenced herself as she looked at Sombra’s vest in embarrassment, while the man just continued to hold her as he smiled down at her, “Feel better?” He asked.
Sunset didn’t say anything but nodded, feeling very ashamed that she broke down in front of a complete stranger. Sombra felt her nod and rubbed her back, “Alright, now how about we go downstairs and have some dinner? Perhaps then you’ll feel better.”
Sunset felt her stomach growl, she hadn’t eaten all day, and dinner sounded really good right now. “Okay,” she croaked, as Sombra helped her up to her feet and guided her downstairs. As they walked down the redwood stairs Sunset saw on the navy blue, fabric walls were paints and pictures of things from around the world and on a few occasions, Sombra made an appearance.
There was one photo that caught her attention, it was old, just brown and goldish, with no actual color. In the photo of what looked like a park, there was what looked like a younger version of Sombra and Hope, and inbetween them was a tall young woman, almost as tall as Vice-Principal Luna, with long hair curled at the end and wearing a blue and yellow gown, and blue bangle bracelets and necklace.
Once they reached the bottom floor, Sunset gaped in awe and the beautiful and oriented interior of the manor, “Wow,” she gasped.
Sombra smiled at the girl’s face going from sorrow and shame to shock and interest. He held her shoulder as he gestured to the room around them, “This manor once belonged to the woman who took me and Hope in when we were young, after she moved overseas to help others she entrusted all of this to me despite my, um.” Sombra let out a sheepish cough, “Teenage drama, and through that trust, I was able to make the CEC an even more successful company than ever, dedicated to helping those who can’t help themselves.”
He turned to Sunset with a sincere smile, “People, who like you, have no one or no one left to turn to,” he said, Sunset blushed and looked away with a smile, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Just before she could make a reply a servant woman approached them, “Pardon me sir, but lunch for you and Ms.Shimmer is ready.” she informed with a slight curtsey.
Sombra smiled and gave her a closed eye wave, “Thank you Dusty, we’ll be there shortly.” he said, he then gave Sunset a head gesture to follow him. The girl watched him walk down the halls before she turned to Dusty with an awkward expression and she looked back with her emotionless stoic expression, which reminded her of the guards back in Canterlot.
…until Dusty gave a slight grin, “I hope you find our humble bode to your liking young Mistress Shimmer,” She said, giving Sunset a wink and Sunset smiled back before they both turned and went in opposite directions.
As she walked towards the dining room she passed by another photograph, this one looked a little newer, it had pictures of a teenage Sombra and Hope with two other girls. The older-looking one had purple eyes, white skin, and pink hair and was just a few centimeters shorter than Sombra and the younger one had pale blue skin, teal green eyes, and short cornflower blue hair.
Something at the back of Sunset’s head scratched at her, sensing something familiar about the two girls. She shrugged and pushed that thought aside.
When she reached the dining-room she gaped in awe and the large table and the amount of food on it.
There looked like enough to feed the whole school.
She saw Sombra sitting at the table and gestured for her to join him. Sunset licked her lips and walked forward only to stop when she saw a large black Mastiff dog growling cautionously at her.
“Uhh, nice doggy?” Sunset eased backing up slowly.
Sombra spoke, “Don’t worry Sunset, Diablo is just protective of me. I’ve had him since I was a boy and we’ve been comrades ever since,” He gave Diablo a good scratch behind the ear, making the dog relax.
Sunset relaxed as well and walked forward again, “Well that really-WHOA!” Sunset was interrupted when she tripped over a wood groove and fell to the ground, “Ugh, sorry!”
Sombra chuckled and then noticed something, “Diablo-”
As Sunset picked herself up, Diablo approached her and soon she found herself face to face with the jet black canine as he growled. Sunset didn’t dare break eye contact as she, Sombra, and some of the servers, held their breath at what the dog would do, while Diablo had never bitten anyone before it didn’t mean he wouldn’t try.
Diablo’s face then soften as he made a friendly whine. He moved his head forward and gave Sunset a big friendly, and slimy upwards lick on the face. Sunset grimaced in disgust and slight relief from Diablo’s ‘kind gesture’, while Sombra and the other adults snickered.
“Uh, thanks pal,” Sunset thanked as she rubbed Diablo’s head as he panted and wagged his tail. It seemed Diablo was going to like having Sunset around.
Sunset stood back up and a waitress cleaned her face of the dog drool. The girl then finally joined Sombra at the table shooting the amused man a scowl, “Not one word!” She hissed.
Sombra held up his hands in surrender, still smiling, “I didn’t say anything.” he mused as Sunset rolled her eyes and took some much need food.
After eating, Sunset decided to look around the manor, there was a library, an art gallery, a rec room, and there was even a horse stable and corral outside. Sombra had promised Sunset he’d show it to her tomorrow.
After two hours of exploring Sunset decided to go to sleep early and rested in her guest room. Most of the staff had returned to their homes or retired to their rooms in the manor, Sombra was one of the few still awake. He was sitting in the living room with the fireplace keeping him warm as he was reading a book.
‘It seems as though Ms.Shimmer is taking her new accommodations quite well, this should mean a good fortune in the future,’ Sombra thought to himself. He felt very sorry for Sunset, being betrayed by your best friends was really painful and then he recalled the mother of one of them, ‘I know Posey would never teach her daughter to act like that. Still, I should bring this her atten-’
Before he could finish that thought the doorbell rang, Sombra got up and opened the door. His eyes widened as he saw a very distraught Celestia, with her hair disheveled and lacking its usual shine, black streaks of her mascara on her cheeks, and her eyes bloodshot. “Celestia? What’s wrong? Where have you been?” he asked. Celestia let out some hiccuping weeps before she rushed towards Sombra and buried her face in his chest as she sobbed.
“I’m a failure, Sombra! A stupid, naive, foolish, utter failure of a principal who can’t help one poor girl or stop a whole school full of unjust, spiteful students!” she wailed into his shirt.
Sombra simply held her close as she drained out all her tears, he rubbed her back and rocked her gently. He then guided the sorrowful woman over to the couch and sat the two of them down as he continued to hold her. After a few minutes, Celestia finally calmed down but still kept her head on Sombra’s chest.
The man gently cleaned the woman’s face with his hands and tilted her chin upwards to him, “Tell me everything.” he said gently.
Celestia sighed and began to explain, “At the school, there’s this mystable user has been spreading student secrets, and everyone blames one person, a former bully, but has grown into a beautiful, kind young lady.” Celestia started tearing up as Sombra’s eyes widened in surprise, Celestia’s story was very familiar, “Everyone believes her, even her own best friends betrayed her! She’s being hurt by everyone, even herself and I, I don’t, I don’t know how to help her because now I’ve doomed her to freezing to death alone and injured!” Celestia yelled before burying her face in her hands, crying again.
Sombra held her close as she sobbed. Sombra knew Celestia had a habit of placing the blame of her loved ones’ pain on herself, believing that if she just tried harder she could’ve helped them, but he knew that was a lie. “This girl what is her name?” he asked after Celestia calmed down again, he had a good feeling who this girl was.
“S-Sunset, Sunset Shimmer,” Celestia sniffled, “Sh-she, has beautiful golden skin, long locks of red and yellow hair, and, and sea-green eyes, just like, Luna’s.” she then sighed sadly, Sombra could see that Celestia saw so much of both her sister and herself in Sunset and it only hurt worse since she felt like it was her fault Luna was hurt on…that day.
Sombra smiled gently at her as he stood up, still holding her hand and she stood up with him, “Come with me,” he said as he lead Celestia upstairs. He then brought her to a guest room, as Celestia looked at him confusion. Sombra then opened the door slowly and Celestia made a quiet gasp of shock. There sleeping on the bed was Sunset Shimmer, her arm in a blue cast and her head wrapped in bandages, but the rising and falling of her chest and the quiet snoring she was making was proof enough that she was alive.
“Sunset!” She yelled silently, overjoyed that she was alive but didn’t want to awaken her. She had to pull every muscle in her body together to not rush over and hug the girl, instead she turned to the man with tearfully confused but relived smile, “H-how?”
Sombra explained, “I was out for a nice drive when and I saw her about to jump up off the bridge in the park,” Celestia gasped in horror as she covered her mouth. Sunset had tried to kill herself. Sombra then quickly added, “But don’t worry I caught her before she could jump! She lost consciousness and so I brought her back here to recover,”
“Hope managed to fix up her injuries but she’ll need to keep on the bandages for 4 days,” Sombra finished as Celestia looked back at Sunset in sympathy. The girl had been through so much, it hurt Celestia so badly to see a young, gifted mind like her feel so lost and alone that she only had one option of escape.
“I really am a failure,” She said softly. Sombra furrowed his brows and shook his head at her however, “Tia-”
“No. Sombra this is all my fault,” Celestia interrupted as she turned to him and hugged herself while looking away, “I should’ve tried harder to help her, or tried to inforce my word to my students not to harm her, or tried to find the real Anon-a-miss, or, or,” Celestia choked up as she kept trying to pile the blame of Sunset’s suffering on her.
Sombra then pulled Celestia into a firm but gentle hug, “Celestia you did the best you could for her. This is the first time Cyber-bullying has had this strong of an impact on CHS, it natural you don’t have many methods on how to stop yet” he comforted, “I know you can help Sunset Shimmer deal with wrongly directed accautions, and find the real culprit.”
Celestia just sniffed and looked at him, “How can you be so sure?” she asked.
Sombra smiled at her as he stroked her cheek, “Because you were the one who pulled me from my own darkness, who showed me that there were those around me who still loved and cared for me even though everyone else said I was beyond saving. You have the gift of seeing the good in others Tia, and when you do you do everything you can to help them reach it, and I know you can do it for this girl as well.” He answered softly as Celestia smiled and leaned into his touch.
“What did I ever do to deserve you?” She asked softly, her eyes shimmering as she moved a hand to Sombra’s face.
“I asked myself that very same question, my love.” Sombra answered back lovingly. The two kept their gazes locked on each other as they leaned in closer and then, they closed their eyes, and their lips met in gentle kiss. It lasted only a minute before they broke apart and they opened their eyes to see the other smiling.
Sombra then pulled a out yellow piece of paper with the word ‘Forever’ on it. Celestia smiled and from her own pocket she pulled out her own piece of paper with the word ‘Always’ on it.
“Always,” they said softly in unison. They chuckled lightly before they turned to the sleeping girl, not even disturbed by their quiet noise.
Celestia and Sombra approached the slumbering Sunset. Celestia kneels down, and smiles sadly as she whispers, “I don’t know who did this to you, or why they did this, I don’t know how to put a stop to this or how to convince my students your who they think you are. I don’t even know who you are.” She then brushes some of Sunset’s hair out her face, “But I do know that I never allow anything to hurt you again Sunset. I swear it.”
Sombra knelt down next to her and placed his over Celestia’s on Sunset’s cheek, “We both do,” he added, it was clear Sunset had won a deep place in both his and Celestia’s hearts.
Sunset’s mouth twitched into a smile for second as she leaned into the hands touching her, “M-mommy? D-daddy?” She mumbled. Celestia felt a bittersweet warmth in heart at Sunset’s words and Sombra was no better.
“Let’s let her rest,” he whispered to his beloved, smiling sadly.
Celestia sighed and nodded to him, before she placed a small kiss on Sunset’s head as the girl smiled from the contact, “Sweet dreams sweetheart,” Celestia whispered.
With that the two adults left the room exited the halls. Celestia closed the door behind them gently, “Let’s retire to our own room, I need to relax after tonight.” she suggested. Sombra nodded and offered her his arm, Celestia giggled at his chivalry and humored him by looping her arm with his.
As they walked Celestia spoke, “I brought many of Sunset’s prized possessions in my car, their still loaded in there,”
Sombra nodded as he opened the door to the master bedroom, “I’ll have the staff empty it out tomorrow,” The bedroom had carpeted floor, dark wooded furniture, red velvet walls, the bed was a king size with a dark oak frame, rounded shape, dark red bed covers, white pillows and red translucent curtains.
Celestia slid off her her yellow work jacket, placed on the dressing table, “I’ll just get changed for tonight,” She said with a hint of mischief Sombra was familiar with as she disappeared in the closet with a bit of sway in her hips.
Sombra they took off his own jacket and put in on a chair near him. He went over to the washroom and opened the drawer, took out his toothbrush and brushed his teeth. Once he spat it out he heard Celestia walking out, turning off the lights, “I didn’t take you to want to go to sleep so soon Tia,” he commented as Celestia was heard locking the doors, and sitting on the bed.
He heard Celestia giggled as turned to walk out, but did look up as he was checking his shirt, “Who said ‘sleeping’ was how I wanted to relax?” Sombra raised a brow and as he stepped out of the bathroom he looked up and gaped in awe and blushed brightly.
(Warning; things are about to get spicy)
There sitting in the dark, on their bed, was Celestia wearing a white and pink fringed set of sleeping lingerie with a silk curtain on the bra. She was sitting in a alluring pose with smirk and eyes easily reconized as ‘bedroom eyes’.
“Wouldn’t you rather have some fun in the sun, my Black Knight?” She asked seducively. Sombra knew what she was playing, and he could play that too.
Copying her smirk he walked to her as he unbutton his dress shirt and vest. “Perhaps, but perhaps you could better explain to how one has fun in the sun when it practically nighttime?” he asked in faux confusion as his shirt fell from him.
Celestia simply snorted, “My god, Just shut up and take me already Sombra,” she ordered. Sombra complied and peeled off his undershirt. Celestia bit her lip and purred as she gazed at Sombra’s toned body.
The director then pounced on top of naughty principal as they laughed and wrestled on the bed. They looked at each other, blushing from the heat and panting before Celestia grabbed Sombra by the back of his head and pulled their lips together in furious and hungry kiss.
The two rolled around on the bed as the sound of their make-out were heard among the creaks of the bed with Sombra moving his hand up and down Celestia’s back.
After a day like today, a little roughplay in bed was just what they needed to unwind
