Sunset fidgeted anxiously in the passenger seat of the navy blue sedan, her nervous gaze staring at her clasped hands in her lap, oblivious to the scenery outside as it whizzed past, the late-Friday afternoon drizzle offering some, but not a lot of comfort as she occasionally cast a glance to the driver of the car, the faded phthalo blue skin of the Canterlot High Vice Principal's skin actually going well with the dreary weather outside. However, unlike how she presented herself to students and faculty, Luna's seemingly permanent scowl somewhat softer as she kept her opal eyes on the road, though this did little to calm Sunset down.
However, Luna couldn't help but cast a somber, side-ways glance toward the fidgeting teen, who in the last week, after having been blamed and abandoned by her friends and the school for being such, had she herself been revealed by the infamous gossip blog Anon-O-Miss to have been homeless, with the girl having been taking shelter in the school's library after it closed. And Luna could tell that the true reason behind Sunset's nervous energy wasn't that she had been caught, but because she felt she knew where Luna was taking her in regard to the fact that Sunset had been technically trespassing after school hours. Luna knew this because she had a troubled past laced with delinquency as well. Heck, she practically knew the route to the police station by heart.
But, despite the nagging voice in her disciplined mind to offer some punishment, Luna knew that Sunset had been through enough…and that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo had taken plenty of punishment on her behalf already. But right now, Luna knew from her earlier conversation with her sister that at that moment Sunset didn't need punishment…
But Compassion.
"Sunset," she began tentatively, her voice stalling when she saw the tell-tale sign of tears starting to brim in the girl's wide, fearful eyes, the reaction confirming the phthalo woman's suspicions. Realizing just how scared Sunset was, Luna decided she might as well try to quell her fears.
"Sunset listen," she began tenderly, with a bit of firmness sprinkled in, "I know that you realize what you did was trespassing."
Sunset flinched, the amber-skinned girl instantly gripping the end of her vibrant crimson and yellow streaked hair, biting back a whimper as a single tear managed to escape her eye. And upon noticing the offending drop of liquid, Luna felt her otherwise hard heart soften. For the last time she had seen Sunset so upset…
Was just the week prior, when her friends abandoned her after accusing her of being Anon-O-Miss.
"But," Luna quickly added in, catching Sunset's attention, the girl looking from behind her hair to meet the vice principal's stunning opal eyes, "rest assured that I am not taking you to the police station."
"How did you…?" Sunset began to question, her eyes wide in shock that Luna had successfully guessed why she was so nervous.
"Because I've been in your position before," Luna interrupted with a hint of a mischievous smirk on her lips, which greatly confused Sunset. And when Luna began to explain, Sunset found a new level of respect for the master of disciplinary action at Canterlot High.
"Believe it or not, I was a bit of rebel in my teen years; cutting class, graffiti, petty theft."
The nonchalant manner in which Luna rattled off her past offences surprised Sunset, the teen actually letting out a few giggles as Luna went on, only for the small smile on her face to fall as she saw Luna scowl. And while at first, she believed she had done something wrong, Sunset was a bit relieved that Luna's scowl was not one of admonishment, but a sigh she had come upon an unpleasant memory.
"Well, eventually I fell in with a bad crowd. And I mean BAD. They drank, smoked, did drugs, destroyed private property. Then one day, they decided to rob a store. I knew I should not have gone with them, but against my better judgement, I did. Well, we ended up tripping a silent alarm. This lone cruiser pulls up. Everyone else scattered but I was too scared to move. Then the officer steps out of the car, and too my surprise, it was Chief Solaris…my father."
This caught Sunset by surprise, the teen having had no prior knowledge of Celestia and Luna's family…not even in Equestria.
"Now, I could tell he was surprised, and admittedly disappointed when he saw me in such a situation, but he still arrested me. Though I could tell he was conflicted."
Sunset thought she knew where the story was going, that Luna ended up spending the night in a cell.
However…
"But instead of taking me to jail, or even home…he takes me to this diner. Orders himself a slice of apple pie a la mode. He told me that the tart, saltiness of the pie blends perfectly with the sweet richness of the ice cream, but you have five minutes to eat it before the ice-cream melts and it turns into a soupy mess. He said I had five minutes to make a choice."
"A choice?" Sunset inquired.
"Yes, a choice to keep going down the path I was on…or to change my life for the better."
Luna released a soft chuckle as she cast a look Sunset had not received from the Vice Principal since she started attending CHS.
A look of understanding.
"So, I changed…right there."
"Woah," Sunset silently replied, her eyes now void of tears as she stared wide-eyed at this usually private woman who had just opened up to her about her past. And it confused Sunset.
"Why are you telling me this?"
Luna merely chuckled.
"Because I know what it feels like to be in your position. To feel like the world is against you, like you're all alone. Longing for a chance."
Luna paused a moment, the woman taking a deep breath as she turned down the street of a neighborhood Sunset recognized as being home to Canter lot's upper middle-class demographic. And the moment she pulled to a rather immaculate looking two-story Cape Cod-style house, its white façade giving off an almost regal glow, which Sunset figured made since giving her past in Equestria.
"And a certain someone figured you had been alone long enough."
"Huh?" Sunset said as she looked at Luna as they pulled into the driveway of the home, the older woman sending Sunset a playful wink as she got out, allowing Sunset to see that another car, a good-looking white SUV with gold trim was in the driveway…
With its owner standing at door.
And at that moment, Sunset knew she would be lying if she said she didn't feel her nerves spike again as she tentatively got out of the car. And once she was out of Luna's sedan, Sunset chanced a look at the house, her eyes twinkling at the immaculate, yet at the same time imposing dwelling. In truth she had thought that the two principals of CHS would live in a smaller, more humble dwelling. But to learn that they lived in something tantamount to a low-cost mansion, Sunset was blown away.
"Welcome Sunset, to our home."
Pulling her attention away from the house, Sunset was met with the beaming smile of her principal, surprised to find that Celestia had traded her professional attire for a more casual golden blouse, as well as denim capris.
"Wow," Sunset said with a soft, nervous chuckle, "I did not expect you guys to live in a place like this."
Of course that was a lie.
"Yes, I know," Celestia laughed back, stepping aside to give sunset room to enter the house when she opened the door, "we get that a lot. A lot of folks have something entirely different in mind when they think of the dwelling of a school principal."
With that, Celestia opened the front door, allowing Sunset to be the first inside.
And the moment she stepped through the front door, she was quite impressed.
"Woah!"
Upon stepping into the house, Sunset was immediately bombarded with the astonishing sight of an immaculate foyer that took up two stories of the home, a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling at the very center. Upon entering further into the house, Sunset passed two archways to her left and to her right. On the left there was a spacious living area, complete with a large sectional sofa, a glass coffee table, and 60-inch TV mounted on the parallel wall. And at the back was another archway leading to what Sunset could only assume was a sunroom. And on the right of the foyer was a nice dining room, situated perfectly by a breakfast nook that separated the space from the finely furnished kitchen.
"This way, please," Celestia called gently, bringing Sunset's attention to the older woman as she started making her way up a flight of L-shaped stairs that led to the second level, but not before Luna turned Sunset's attention to a door that was situated beneath the stairs.
"One thing before you go up, Sunset…basement, off limits."
And with that, Luna slammed the door shut, leaving a bemused Sunset and annoyed Celestia on the stairs.
"Don't mind her," Celestia said with a chuckle as she put an arm around Sunset's shoulders as she continued to guide her up the stairs, "Luna's a pretty big gamer and she has claimed the basement as her 'Lunar Base.'"
Sunset snorted back a laugh as Celestia finally led her to the second floor, the staircase opening up into a small open space, with two doors to the left, and two doors to the right.
"Those two doors are mine room and Luna's," Celestia said as she gestured to the two doors on the right before motioning to the two doors to their right.
"That is the guest bathroom, but it is connected to the guest room, which will now be yours for as long as you like."
With that, Celestia led Sunset to the door in front of them, opening the door before stepping aside to let Sunset enter. Upon entering the room, Sunset's mouth fell open as she took in the sight of the maroon wallpaper, accentuated by a mahogany bed frame which supported a queen sized mattress, mahogany nightstands at each side, each adorned with a small desk lamp. And against one wall was a matching vanity, sitting opposite a small table, a reading chair by its side, both pieces of furniture sitting by a wardrobe closet.
But what really caught Sunset's attention…
"Is that my guitar?" she asked.
"Yes," Celestia responded with a giggle, the older woman leaning against the door frame as she watched Sunset pick up her pride and joy, "I took the liberty of bringing it here, to make you feel more at home."
This stopped Sunset in her tracks. And as she turned to face Celestia, the principal offered Sunset a warm smile as she approached her.
"Home?" Sunset inquired, her smile still present but with an air of confusion added to it. And when Celestia took note of this, she placed a gentle hand on Sunset's shoulder.
"Yes," Celestia said tenderly, reaching forward, tenderly cupping Sunset's cheek. And Sunset didn't know why, but feeling Celestia's soft fingers caressing her skin made her unconsciously lean into the touch.
"Sunset," Celestia began, bring her other hand up to cup Sunset's other cheek, keeping the girl's focus on her, "in the past few months I have learned a lot about you. I've learned that beneath that cold, hard exterior you paraded yourself around in was just a facade. And believe me, if things at the Fall Formal hadn't turned out as they did, I would have had a serious conversation with you."
Sunset looked away at that, the girl pulling herself from the older woman's hands as she wrapped her arms around herself, a sorrowful expression taking full possession of her face as she responded to Celestia's statement.
"I know," she whimpered, biting back a sob as she looked back at Celestia, the principal feeling her heart break as she saw a thin line of tears form in Sunset's eyes.
"And I'm sorry…for everything."
Celestia couldn't help but smile, her heart slightly mending as she could tell by Sunset's tone and posture that's eh truly regretted her actions.
"I know you are," Celestia cooed as she placed a gentle hand on Sunset's shoulder, guiding her to sit on the edge of the bed, which Sunset did without protest. But once the two were comfortable, Celestia's smile fell as a great feeling of sorrow weighed down on her.
"But I am the ope who should be sorry."
"What?" Sunset whispered as she looked incredulously at her principal, who looked at the floor in what appeared to be shame.
"I am sorry I wasn't there for you during everything that has happened before last week. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt when you were accused of being Anon-O-Miss. But instead, I went with the crowd and assumed the worst. You see Sunset, as a principal I failed. And as a result, I hurt you by not stepping in when I should have."
Sunset, although shocked by this revelation from her principal, couldn't help but smile at this.
"Well, I don't blame you. It's hard to shake the kind of reputation I had."
"But that still doesn't excuse my inaction, especially when I found out about your living situation. And when I had confirmation from Princess Twilight that you were not of this world, and learning your history…I knew something had to be done…for both our sakes.
"What do you mean?" Sunset inquired, wondering what Celestial meant. And for Celestia, this was crucial moment, not just for herself, but Sunset as well. And so, after taking a deep breath, Celestia began to clarify.
"Sunset…I am not old like your PRINCESS Celestia…"
This was said with a warning glare, only for Sunset to raise her hands in defense with a small grin.
"I didn't say anything."
This earned a chuckle from Celestia as she continued to speak.
"But I'm not young either. And I came to the realization that, even though I have Luna, my friends and colleagues at the school, as well as my students…I craved something more. And when I saw you in your time of need…"
Celestia paused as she cast a longing gaze at Sunset, who seemed to watch the older woman with transfixed curiosity.
"That's when I knew we were what we both needed."
Celestia paused as she took a shaky breath, bringing her hand up to caress Sunset's cheek, the action making Sunset hum, a small smile on her face as she once again leaned into the touch. And if Sunset was being honest, this was the same touch she had hoped for back in Equestria.
Which is what made Celestia's next statement all the more shocking.
"Which is why if you chose to stay, Sunset, you will never want for anything ever again. You will have a home…"
A pause.
A long, suspenseful pause as Celestia stared longingly into Sunset's eyes.
"And Luna and I could be your family."
At that moment, Sunset stilled, the girl pulling her face from Celestia's hand, her mind reeling at what she had just heard.
Principal Celestia…wants to…adopt me.
Soon the smile on Sunset's face faded. And try as she might, she could not get it to stay, nor could she calm her mind as it kept reminding her that even though she was cleared of being Anon-O-Miss and her part in the Battle of the Bands, a deep feeling of self-doubt still made her feel like she had done nothing of any significant value to deserve such treatment. And the more she thought of the pain and trouble she had caused, as well as received, the more she fell into a deep state of despair. As this occurred, tears threatened to fall from her eyes, but she held them back. That is until…
"Sunset?"
Turning to Celestia, all Sunet could do was stare at the woman before her, her face twisted in concern as she tentatively extended her hand. How, after everything she had put her and the school through, could Celestia still treat her with such kindness. She should hate her, resent her, make her suffer the same as she had made others suffer. However, Sunset reminded herself that Celestia was always the kind and caring person she was before her, and that the pony that was once her princess and teacher was just the same. That neither could not hate anyone, or anything; try as they might. Instead, she treated the pony-turned-human with the love and kindness she had been deprived of…and deprived of others.
And she was asking her to be her daughter.
Something she felt did not deserve.
Unable to hold back anymore, Sunset allowed the tears building in her eyes to fall freely down her face, while bringing it into her hands. Her shoulders began to violently shake as she began to release painful sobs of agony. She soon brought her arms down and wrapped herself in an embrace of self-loathing. And the moment those tears started falling, Celestia pulled the sobbing girl into a tight embrace.
"Sunset," she began softly, rubbing soothing circles on the teen's back, "I'm sorry if this is too much to take in…"
"No," Sunset managed to choke out as she continued to cry, "I-it's n-not that-t…"
Celestia looked at Sunset with curiosity, the rainbow haired woman using her hand to make the hurting girl in her arms look at her.
"What is it then?" she cooed as she used a thumb to remove an offending tear from Sunset's cheek.
"I d-don't…" Sunset began, but couldn't finish, as her previous thoughts of self-doubt weighed heavy on her. Bringing her knees to her chest, she brought her head down and cried into her knees. Celestia, still trying to provide comfort for her student, tried to think of what could be making her so upset.
But luckily, she didn't have to guess.
"I don't deserve your kindness."
That made Celestia still. Looking into the tear-filled eyes of a broken girl, eyes once filled with malicious intent, were now filled with heartbreak; and HER heart went out to the broken girl. But, to Sunset's surprise, she saw Celestia's face melt into a warm smile, and her eyes fill with love and compassion. Sunset lowered her head and cast her gaze to the floor. As more tears began to fall from her eyes, she felt two hands cup her face, lifting it so she was face-to-face with Celestia.
"After everything you have been through, you deserve to be happy," said the comforting woman as she used her thumbs to wipe away the tears. The wide-eyed teen was then brought into a comforting embrace. One arm encircled her, as the other brought a hand down to rest on her head, which pulled it close to the chest of the warmhearted deer before her. Soon, Sunset began to relax as the steady heartbeat of Celestia calmed her. The sobs had stopped, but the tears kept flowing through her closed eyes.
And while Sunset had adopted a sheltered state of mind when it came to her feelings, a very bad trait she developed from her time in Equestria, she knew that she could at least trust Celestia enough to confide in her. And so, with deep breath, Sunset steadied her voice before she began to speak.
"It's just," she began, her gaze once again falling to her lap, "I'm just so confused right now. I pretty much was the worst person ever, then Princess Twilight came along and practically blasted the evil out of me. I was finally on the right track to being accepted by my friends after the Battle of the Bands, but then the whole Anon-O-Miss thing happened. And I guess…I just let myself think that the universe wanted me to be alone…that I didn't deserve friendship."
Celestia released a light gasp of surprise, astonished that Sunset would truly think that of herself.
"And I guess I also feel kind of guilty. I mean, it's been months since the Fall Formal, but I still feel HER inside of me. She always shows me what I did and what I could have done."
At this point Celestia could see Sunset's resolve breaking, a thin line of tears appearing in her eyes as she spoke. Before long, Celestia's heart broke as she heard Sunset's breath become uneven, a clear sign she was fighting the urge to cry again.
"You all could have died because of me," she finally said in a pained whisper, the tears now coming without any gateway.
"You should hate me," she quietly sobbed.
"Everyone should hate me… but you all have given me a second chance. And now, y-you are welcoming me into your home. Offering to be my m-mother…and I-I…I-I feel like…I don't deserve it!"
And with that everything came forward once again as Sunset brought her hands up to her face, her shoulders shaking as her body was once again racked with violent sobs. At this point, Celestia's heart was shattered as she watched this usually strong, independent girl reduced to such a self-doubting mess. And it was only when she placed her hand on her thigh that Celestia saw just how broken she was when Sunset flung herself at her, her arms wrapping around her middle as she cried into her chest.
For several minutes Celestia didn't know what to do except comfort Sunset by running her fingers through the hair on the top of her head, the action seeming to calm Sunset down to the point that her sobs become soft whimpers, accompanied by a hiccup or two. And after just sitting in silence for a few minutes, Celestia finally decided to offer Sunset comfort in words.
"I stand by what I said Sunset…you deserve to be happy," she said, continuing to run her fingers through her hair
"And with us, with me and Luna, and your friends as well, you will have that…you'll have a FAMILY and FRIENDS that will love and always support you…Never doubt that."
And after a few moments of silence, Celestia received the shock of her life in the form of a soft confession, one she knew that Sunset must have kept bottled up for much longer than she had been in her world.
But she never pried.
"I Love You…Mom."
Those words, those four simple words, where all Celestia needed to know that Sunset had accepted her offer…
To be her daughter.
But, before Celestia had a chance to respond, she noticed that Sunset's breathing had slowed to the point where it was almost tranquil. And upon looking at her face, Celestia let a soft smile trace his lips as she saw Sunset's eyes were closed, all these factors indicating she had fallen asleep. For a few more minutes Celestia just stayed in place, continuing to comfort Sunset, the teen letting out unconscious hums of content as she did so. And it was only after making sure she was in a deep enough sleep that Celestia removed herself from her hold, taking extra care not to wake her. And after a little extra effort to get her more comfortable on her bed by taking off her jacket and boots, Celestia moved to get off the bed. But before she did, she made sure to give Sunset a gentle kiss on her forehead before whispering…
"I Love You Too…My Big, Brave Girl."
And with that, Celestia quietly moved himself off the bed before leaving the room, not noticing the small smile that had spread on a sleeping Sunset's face. And once the door was closed, Celestia couldn't help but smile brightly at the thought of what had just transpired. But soon her face took on a look of sheer determination.
"I won't fail you again, Sunset Shimmer," she whispered, a lone tear sliding down her cheek.
"I Promise."
"