Broken Promises

Sunset let out her first sob as the last petal landed, and felt her legs shaking underneath her. Princess Celestia stepped up next to her, giving Sunset a quick hug with her wing before raising her own set of flowers, blue orchids, the symbol of the Celestial guard, and letting them drop onto the coffin. Sunset buried her head into Celestia's wing as she tried in vain to stop sobbing. The Princess pulled Sunset in closer, and not for the first time, Sunset found herself likening the Princess to her mother; the loving side of her mother; just always available rather than in rare circumstances.

She knew she was supposed to show a brave face here, as Celestia's personal student, it was her job to be a good example to others, to do her Princess, her mentor, proud. But in that moment, she didn't care. She was a sister first, but as a sister, she'd failed. Sunray hadn't even been supposed to be there; it should be Sunset being buried instead.

She would have preferred that outcome a million times over, but fate had had other ideas, and Sunray had ended up on convoy instead of Shining Armour, Princess Cadances' coltfriend. She couldn't really blame the pair for taking a holiday, and it was sheer bad luck that Sunray had ended up on the convoy instead. A case could be made that it was wrong to put a Pegasus on a cold weather convoy, but Sunray had been pushing for the promotion, captain of the Celestial Guard. It hadn't been a bad thing, at first, but when it went wrong...
Sunset let out another sob.

It should have been me.
Sunray had had so much life ahead of her...

Sunset and Sunray stood side by side, watching dimly as the two coffins were lowered into the ground. Sunset, personally, didn't know how to feel. Her parents had never been particularly caring to her and Sunray, but the times they had been were often the best memories she had. Now 14, Sunset was top of her class at CSGU, and Sunray, at 12 was quickly rising the ranks in flyer's schools.

Their parents, as apathetic as they'd been, had always been supportive of them, always pushing them to be better. Sunset wished they'd been more focused on making good memories with them, and now the option to make more was gone, she could feel her heart breaking slightly. She wanted to be sad; she really did, but the bitterness of her parents indifference to events, such as when she'd found Sunray injured in an alley made it hard to be completely sad.

Sunset sighed and pulled Sunray, who was crying, closer. Sunset had always done her best to shield Sunray from her parents' indifference, and so it didn't surprise her that her younger sister was genuinely distraught. Unfortunately, Sunset was starting to get the feeling life wasn't ever going to be fair to the duo, as they now had to deal with the social care services, and Sunset had heard enough horror stories of siblings being separated for the prospect to terrify her.

She supposed that ponies desperate enough for bits to break into a home didn't care who they hurt. Maybe her dad, Solar Flare, shouldn't have fought back. Maybe Cloud Shimmer, her mother, should have just shut up. Given them what they wanted. Maybe then they would still be alive. It was thoughts like these that haunted Sunset, thoughts that wanted to blame her parents for not trying to put her and Sunray first, rather than their wealth.

Maybe then she wouldn't be so completely terrified of what came next.

She sniffed sadly as she lifted a bunch of flowers in her magic, dancing them in the sky to follow a small ritual that had been in the Shimmer family. She remembered watching Cloud Shimmer do the same ritual when Gran died, hoping beyond hope that it would grant her the rest that she clearly had deserved. While part of Sunset wasn't sure her parents deserved to rest for all the turmoil they had put her through, the rest of her still loved them, and so she cared.

Sunset let go of the flowers, and watched them float onto the coffins, Orange Foxgloves for her dad, Red Roses for her mother. She sighed sadly, and rested her cheek on Sunray's head as she continued to cry into Sunset.

"Sunset Shimmer?"

She didn't recognise the voice, and wasn't sure it could be anything good. Not now.

"I'm sorry, can it wait? I want to spend some time with my si-"

Sunset was turning as she spoke, but found her voice failing her as she realised she was face to face with Princess Celestia. The Princess Celestia. Of course, she'd seen her at the school before, but they'd never spoken. It took a moment for Sunset to realise she was staring, and she shook her head before bowing quickly.

"P- Princess Celestia."

She felt Sunray look up in surprise from her shoulder, and then copy Sunset's bow.

"Such formality won't be necessary, My Little Ponies. I'm here to talk to you about your living situation."

Sunset shuffled nervously.

"We- uh, we don't really... have... one..."

Celestia only nodded.

"I thought as much. Sunset, I would like to make you an offer."

Sunset nodded hesitantly.

"You're easily the most talented unicorn to ever come through my school, and I have recently found my schedule to be free enough for me to consider this. I would like it if you became my personal student, which would put you in my care at the castle."

Sunset couldn't believe her ears.

"Me? Student? Castle?"

Celestia nodded, and Sunset took a moment to steady her breathing and stop herself from freaking out where she stood. Then a thought occurred to her.

"Sunray- can she stay with us? If she can't I won't accept. I won't leave her alone."

Sunset wrapper her hooves protectively around her sister and Celestia's eyes softened.

"I wouldn't dream of separating you. She would have a room next to yours."

Sunset shared a look with her sister, and saw her own amazement, excitement and confusion reflected in them. She turned back to the princess.

"Then yes, I'd love to."

The Princess smiled at her.

"I'll come and find you at the end of the ceremony. I truly am sorry for your loss."

Sunray could only nod next to Sunset, who found herself barely able to reply.

"Th- Thank you, Princess."