Here's the finale to Sunset's little story arc, and we get to meet with Celestia again and see her connecting with Sunset. This is the ten-percent mark of the series, and the story is far from finished.

Sub-Volume 2 - Fortunes and Tragedies

Chapter 7 - Attention (Starr, 1981)

Written by Zack Wanzer and James Riddle

Life was so far beginning to get better for Sunset Shimmer now that her abusive mother had been arrested. As the household didn't have a guest room, there was the possibility of her sleeping on the couch, but then Vincent offered to share his room with her, which she accepted; he let her sleep on the bed whilst he slept on the floor. ("Apparently, it's good for your back," said Lullaby.)

Sunset's first night at the Sentry household wasn't without problems. Around 11 at night, she was tossing and turning in her sleep. Vincent heard her, and so he stood up and approached the bed.

"Sunset? Sunset!"

"AAAHH!"

Sunset woke up with a shriek, and then quickly covered her mouth. She noticed Vincent standing there and sighed with relief.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"I had a nightmare," she said sadly.

"Don't worry," said Vincent. "It's only a dream. They can't hurt you."

"Vincent?" asked Sunset, just as the boy was about to lie down again.

"Yes?"

"Will you... sleep with me?"

Vincent's cheeks blushed bright red. "Wh-what?"

"I just want a friend close to me so I don't get another nightmare," said Sunset, feeling rather sheepish.

"Okay," said Vincent. Sunset lifted the covers so Vincent could join her in bed and he then pulled them over himself, Jiji the cat nuzzled in between them.

"Goodnight, Sunset," said Vincent.

"Goodnight, Vincent," said Sunset.

Both kids then closed their eyes and went back to sleep. This time, Sunset had a more peaceful sleep and she cuddled up to Vincent, resting her head on his chest. As she slept listening to his heartbeat, Sunset had a dream...

She found herself in a meadow as the sun was setting. It was a very peaceful scene and she had nothing to worry about. But then, suddenly, she heard a voice.

"Sunset..."

"Who's there?" asked Sunset.

"It's me, my little sunshine; your father."

"Daddy?"

There stood Noble Shield, alive and well, it seemed. Sunset almost thought she would cry, so she ran up to her father to hug him.

"You're alive!" she cried. "How is this possible?"

"I am alive in your dreams," said her father.

"Aww..." Sunset pouted with disappointment and looked as though she was about to cry.

"Oh, please don't cry, little one," said Noble Shield, wiping his daughter's eyes.

"I'm sorry, dad," said Sunset. "You've been gone for six months, and I longed to hear your voice again, even if it was for one last time..."

"I know, dear," said Noble Shield sympathetically, giving her a hug. They were silent for a moment before Sunset spoke up again.

"Dad? There's something I want to tell you about what's been going on, since you died."

"What's that, dear?"

Sunset told her father about how Vincent had helped her out.

"He's such a wonderful boy, daddy," she said. "Kind, gentle, willing to be there for you if need be."

Noble chuckled. "Sounds like you're in love, dear."

Sunset blushed. "Wh-what? H-how could I be in love with him? I'm only eleven going on twelve!"

Noble just laughed. "Never mind that, dear. There's plenty of time yet before you two start a serious relationship," he said.

"I just hope I don't do anything to drive Vincent away," said Sunset.

"Try not to worry, dear," assured Noble, placing a hand on her shoulder. "One day, when you least expect it, things will work between you two."

"You really think so?"

"Of course," said Noble Shield. "I know so."

Suddenly, a bright light filled the area. "Wh-what's happening?" asked Sunset.

"You are waking up," said Noble Shield. "But remember this; I'll always be in your heart, my little sunshine..."

Back in the bedroom, Sunset woke up; it was morning, and she was still cuddling with Vincent who was still asleep.

"It was just a dream," she said to herself.

"Mom! Mom! Do you see that?" little Fictionary called from the doorway.

"What are we seeing?" asked Flash, turning on the lights. Vincent and Sunset groaned as the light got into their eyes.

"Turn off that light!" cried Vincent, covering his eyes.

"Vincent's got a girlfriend! Vincent's got a girlfriend!" Fictionary sang cheekily. Both Vincent and Sunset blushed with embarrassment.

"I only slept with her just so she wouldn't have nightmares," protested Vincent. "I didn't want her to sleep alone."

"And we're just friends," added Sunset.

"Vincent!" scolded Lullaby. "You're too young to be sleeping with a girl!"

"Sunset was scared," explained Vincent. "She asked me to sleep there and comfort her."

"While I'm glad you were helping Sunset feel better," said Lullaby, "I'm still not pleased that you did what you did. You could've told me or your father."

"I'm sorry, mom," said Vincent. "But we didn't want to disturb you while you were sleeping."

"I wouldn't even have minded if you came into my room; remember that if you're having a bad dream, you can always tell us."

"We'll remember, Mrs. Sentry," promised Sunset.

"Good," said Lullaby. "Now, come on down, kids; breakfast is almost ready."

"We're coming," said Vincent, getting up.

"Right behind you," said Sunset.

For the next couple of weeks, Sunset lived with the Sentry family. In that time, she felt like another child to the family, and they all cared for her best as they could, Vincent especially. When Lullaby or Page drove them to school, the car was rather crowded; Flash sat in front with the parent driving whilst Vincent was squeezed in the rear seat between Sunset and Fictionary - not that he minded.

During that time, Icy Heart remained in her prison cell and didn't dare make an attempt to escape, not unless she wanted another visit from Whiplash. This was her temporary home until the court could arrange a trial for her and determine her sentence.

With Icy Heart incarcerated, Sunset would need to be put under a foster home to take care of her, and whilst she was living with the Sentries, her stuff from her old home was being packed away in boxes until another family could take her in full time. Come one early May afternoon would Sunset find her new family...

MAY 3, 2008

Lullaby Strings was having tea with Celestia. By this point, Celestia was now a single mother at thirty-seven, and her hair changed color from being just light grayish mulberry to having streaks of light arctic blue, light aquamarine, light sapphire blue, and a darker shade of mulberry.

"Thanks again for inviting me, Lullaby," she said.

"It's my pleasure, Celestia," said Lullaby. "How's your family doing - parents, Luna, and your respective daughters?"

"They're all doing quite fine," said Celestia. "I don't know if I told you this, but I've recently been promoted to becoming principal of Canterlot High."

"Oh, that is good news!" remarked Lullaby.

"You wouldn't believe the actions of the former principal, Abacus Cinch," continued Celestia. "Back then, I was merely an English teacher, and whilst my students viewed me as a mother figure, they were terrified of Abacus' presence; she even used medieval ways to punish students when they misbehaved!"

"That witch!" snapped Lullaby. "Why that school even chose to hire her, I don't know."

"Well, she resigned earlier this week," said Celestia. "I heard that she chose to turn her attention to politics or something like that."

"I hope she doesn't become president," shuddered Lullaby.

"Ha! The idea!" chuckled Celestia. "Can you imagine - President Abacus Cinch? She'll have cleared the country by the time she ended her first four-year term! Makes Hilary Clinton look sane by comparison!"

The two ladies both laughed. As they were talking, Vincent was walking past to the kitchen for a snack. He stopped when he took a quick glance at Celestia; she was a family friend to both the Sentries and Shimmers. He also noticed that Celestia loved children. Quickly, he ran back upstairs; he'd suddenly had a great idea.

"Sunset?! Sunset!"

She was in Fictionary's room, and they were playing with dolls together. Both girls looked up in surprise noticing Vincent burst in with excitement.

"Vincent?" asked Fictionary. "What're you doing here?"

"Sorry, little sis, but I want to bring Sunset down for something."

"What for?" asked Sunset.

"Wait and see," smiled Vincent. He took Sunset by the hand and almost dragged her downstairs.

"Whoa!" said Sunset.

"Mom! Mom!" exclaimed Vincent, running into the living room with Sunset in tow.

"Yes, dear?" asked Lullaby.

"I think I know who can take Sunset in," explained Vincent.

"Who?"

"Miss Celestia!"

Celestia was surprised and a bit confused, so Lullaby explained everything. Celestia couldn't believe a word of it.

"It is absolutely shameful," she said at last, "to treat children like rubbish when they've done nothing wrong. I'm so sorry you had to suffer from Icy Heart's abuse for eleven years, Sunset."

"It wasn't your fault," said Sunset.

"Can you please take her in, Miss Celestia?" begged Vincent. "She deserves to have a loving mom."

"I think I'll discuss it with your mother," said Celestia.

"She's right," said Lullaby. "Run along, you two. I'm very sorry about that, Celestia."

"Oh, it's quite alright, Lullaby," said Celestia. "However, I must ask; why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

"I didn't want to bother you when you had your own child to take care of," explained Lullaby. "I was worried that it would be imposing."

"Oh, nonsense!" laughed Celestia. "Whenever Luna or I are busy, the other takes care of both our daughter and niece. If we can handle two children, a third shouldn't be a hindrance, especially when their grandparents help take care of them."

"Then you won't mind?"

"Not a bit, Lullaby," said Celestia. "Whilst we're making arrangements, I'd also like to use that time to get to know Sunset better."

"Splendid," said Lullaby. "I'll let the children know."

So Lullaby called the children back down.

"What is it, mom?" asked Vincent.

"Miss Celestia has agreed to adopt Sunset."

Sunset looked at the other woman with eyes wide with wonder. "You really mean it?" she whispered.

Celestia smiled. "Of course."

Sunset just stood there, and then, as tears came to her eyes, she smiled and ran up to Celestia, hugging her tightly. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" she sobbed. "You have no idea how much this means to me!"

As Sunset cried into Celestia's shirt, the latter gently patted the former's back. For Sunset, this was the first time she felt genuine motherly love.

"It's so heartwarming," said Fictionary. Vincent didn't say anything; the small tear in his eye did all the talking.

JUNE 30, 2008

Over the next several weeks, whilst Celestia worked out the paperwork (and having told her family beforehand), she and Sunset began bonding; Celestia understood what Sunset liked and didn't like, what her favorite foods were, and what Noble Shield normally did when she was younger. It felt like Celestia and Sunset had actually been mother and daughter from the start.

During that time, Vincent, Fluttershy and Song Cue had all completed fifth grade and could now finally move on up to middle school; Vincent to Canterlot Middle and Fluttershy and Song Cue to Rainbow Falls Middle.

There was also the trial of Icy Heart; she was found guilty on multiple counts of child abuse, several counts of obstruction of justice, and one count for murder. For her crimes, she was sentenced to fifty years of prison without parole. By the time she would be released, Icy Heart would be eighty-nine years of age.

By the end of June, after Sunset turned twelve years of age, she was now officially a member of the Faust-McCracken family under Celestia's care.

"Thank you all for taking care of me," said Sunset to the Sentry family.

"It was all we could do, dear," said Lullaby. "Now promise me you'll listen to everything your new mother tells you?"

"I promise," said Sunset, and she gave Lullaby a hug. She did the same thing for Page Turner, Fictionary, and Flash. Lastly, she went to Vincent.

"Thank you for everything," said Sunset, giving Vincent the biggest hug she could. "You've saved me from going to an orphanage and you stood by my side when I was sad."

"That's what friends are for," smiled Vincent, returning the hug.

Suddenly, before Vincent could react, Sunset gave him a kiss on the cheek. His face went bright red.

"Aww, that's so cute!" said Fictionary. "I think Vincent's found love!"

Vincent didn't reply to that; he just looked at Sunset and smiled sheepishly. Sunset giggled upon seeing his expression, and went to join Celestia in her car.

"Ready to go?" asked Celestia.

"Yep, I'm ready to go to my new home, mom," smiled Sunset.

And with that, Celestia drove them to their new home. Sunset looked out the window and waved to the family one last time, and they waved back, Vincent especially. He was still smiling and blushing as he waved, and touched his cheek where Sunset had kissed him, and then felt a warm sensation in his heart.

Am I falling in love with her?

AUGUST 1, 2038

"...it was also around that time that I realized I was in love with your mother, and vice-verse."

Dawn Spark looked at her mother with sympathy; she never realized how hellish Sunset's life was with Icy Heart's presence.

"Mom, I'm sorry for everything grandma Icy put you through," she said.

"Us too," said Twilight V. "That was a beautiful story, aunt Sunset."

"I loved how grandma Lullaby took down mean old auntie Icy," giggled Violet.

"I liked that part too," smiled Sunset. "When I was first welcomed into Celestia's family, you should've seen great-grandpa Artemus' reaction - 'Not another girl in the family! I don't want to be the last man standing!'"

The children laughed, and the adults joined in as well. The laughter soon died down, and Sunset sighed.

"Artemus was a great man, God rest his soul," she said. "He always wanted a son, but it seemed luck was never on his side. Of course, three years after Solar Crystal had her daughter, she gave birth to her son, and you can imagine Artemus' ecstasy when he found out ten years ago - he was the first male born to the Faust family in three generations. Sadly, it was too little, too late as Artemus died of old age at eighty-five, three years after his first great-grandson was born."

"It's a real shame," said Dawn quietly.

Then Dusk looked in the book and noticed a picture of Twilight and Vincent with another boy, all three in the picture were around eleven or twelve.

"Hey, mom," he said. "That's you, uncle Vincent, and Comet Tail, isn't it?"

Twilight looked at the picture.

"Oh, yes, it is, Dusk," she replied. "This was taken when we were in middle school."

"Can we hear about it, mommy?" asked Violet. "Please?"

Then Vincent looked up at the clock. It was ten minutes to eleven in the evening.

"It's getting late," said Vincent. "Perhaps we'll tell you in the morning."

"Aww," the girls moaned with disappointment.

"Comet Tail and Song Cue are coming by tomorrow as well," said Sunset.

"Oh yeah," remarked Vincent. "How could I forget? Silly old fool I am sometimes. But don't worry, girls," he continued. "When Comet and Song Cue come over tomorrow for the afternoon, we'll tell you everything."

"Okay, dad," said Dawn, hugging her dad and then kissed him. Vincent kissed his daughter in return.

"Goodnight, Dawn," said Sunset, kissing her daughter as well.

After everyone had said goodnight to one another, Vincent and Sunset went upstairs to their room. Vincent noticed that his wife looked a little uneasy.

"Is something wrong, dear?" he asked.

"It's just bad memories," sighed Sunset. "What will our daughter think when she hears of how I treated you back in high school?"

"Sunset..." Vincent put his hands on his wife's shoulders and massaged them gently. "That was in the past. Besides, it wasn't your fault."

"I know, but... how will she view me as a mother? I've done what I could to raise her in a way Icy Heart never could."

"Sunset, please..." Vincent kissed his wife on the lips before speaking again. "You're a strong woman, Sunset. You've changed my life and I've changed yours. Life has turned out for the best for us both."

This made Sunset feel a little bit better.

"Thank you, Vincent," she said, hugging him and resting her head on his shoulder. "You know how to make me forget my worries."

And with that, they broke from their embrace, changed into their pajamas, kissed one another goodnight and went happily to sleep.

FOOTNOTES

Solar Crystal is the daughter of Celestia and (Mirror-World) Sombra. Whilst she is technically the first born child to them, she's younger than Sunset (Solar was born February 1998), and as a result, Solar is rather jealous of her foster sibling and often tries to outshine Sunset.

Artemus being the "last man standing" of the Faust family is a partial reference to an American sitcom by parents watch, Last Man Standing featuring Tim Allen; he plays a husband who has a wife and three daughters, his oldest being mother to his grandson.