Sunset couldn't be happier.
Despite the hardship she still faced after she was proven not to be Anon-O-Miss, her actions at the still very recent Battle of the Bands lead to her finally being accepted by the student body of Canterlot High, her actions prior to and during the fall-formal know a distant memory.
Or Old News…
As a certain vice-principal glumly recalled, her repentant gaze falling squarely on the girl who had tried to warn her and her sister of the Dazzling's plan. Unfortunately, the Dazzling's had gotten to Luna and Celestia first, the trio of sirens succeeding in putting them under their spell. And not long after that, the Rainbooms, plus Sunset, had come to give their warning, only for them to be rebuffed by the older woman, the group clearly not knowing what was at play. But for both sisters, it was a living nightmare, for while they were under the siren's control, they were fully aware of what they had said and done.
And it tore them apart.
Especially Luna, who, while under the influence of the Dazzling's spell, said some things she wished she could take back. And while she did find solace in knowing that it wasn't entirely her fault, what she said to Sunset still weighed heavily on her mind.
"Perhaps Sunset Shimmer is just eager to make someone else out to be a bad element so that her actions at the Fall Formal will become old news."
Luna replayed that moment over and over in her mind. It made her wish that all the cliché myths about brainwashing victims waking up without any memory of their actions was true. But unfortunately she and her sister, as well as everyone else who was affected, were fully aware of what was happening. And needless to say, the school counselor would definitely have their work cut out for them more than the aftermath of Anon-O-Miss.
"We're going to have to talk to her," Celestia said, her voice pulling Luna from her private lament, green eyes meeting purple as they both were now looking upon their daughter and niece as she celebrated with her friends, Princess Twilight and Spike, all while mingling with her fellow students, who now seemed to be ready to openly give her a chance. Unfortunately for both grown women, it was hard to smile, the memories of what they had no control over at the forefront of their minds.
"All of them," Luna finally responded with a hurt tone, which did not go unnoticed by her sister, who pulled her obviously emotionally sister into a side hug to comfort her. It did make her feel better, but only a little. But in the end, the inevitable came. As the other students departed, and Twilight and Spike had returned to their home world, the two principles and the Rainbooms where all that remained in the gymnasium, the contest winners having decided to help stay and clean up, feeling it was the least they could do.
Taking a deep breath to steel themselves, Celestia and Luna made their way over to Sunset and her friends, who were busy chatting and laughing as they cleaned up. But out of the corner of her eye, Sunset could see her mother and aunt approach them. And while she wanted to hug them out of pure excitement, she refrained, remembering how she wished to keep their new relationship secret until such a time she felt appropriate. But the moment she saw the two sisters' crestfallen expressions, any trace of a smile on her lips or bounce of excitement in her step vanished.
"Girls…" Celestia called, loud enough that the remaining five of the Rainbooms could hear them, all clearly oblivious to the somber aura radiating from their principals. Applejack, in her gung-ho way, merely greeted the two women with a wide smile and a tip of her Stetson, all while flinging a bag of trash over her shoulder.
"Howdy Principal Celestia, Vice-Principal Luna! We're just about finished here. So don't y'all worry, we'll be outta of yer hair in no time."
"That is good to hear, Applejack," Luna said with a bit of a forced smile, only for it to disappear once again, this time not going unnoticed by Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, the blue athlete and pink party-girl's own brash and boisterous voices calling everyone else's attention to Luna and Celestia.
"Everything good, VP Luna?" Rainbow dash asked, going to stand alongside Sunset, Pinkie and the other girls following close behind, each once happy face falling as they took in the tense atmosphere.
"Yeah," Pinkie Pie added next, "you look like someone gave you the wrong flavor of ice-cream."
Luna and Celestia couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the party girl's analogy. But unfortunately, it wasn't enough to quell their inner turmoil.
"Girls," Luna began hesitantly, trying to find her nerve that briefly eluded her, "Celestia and I…well, mainly I would like to apologize."
This caught the girls by surprise, each looking at the two school authorities as if both had grown a second head.
"But whatever for?" Rarity inquired, the fashionista clearly having a hard time thinking about what could make the two women before her want to apologize to them. Luckily, she or the others didn't have to wait long as Celestia answered.
"For not listening to you when you warned us about the Dazzlings."
All the girls' eyes went wide with understanding, even Sunset who knew all along that something was off when they went to see Celestia and Luna seemed genuinely surprised. Off course in hindsight, it was obvious, but it still came as a shock.
"But that wasn't your fault," Fluttershy squeaked out, the shy girl fiddling with her pink hair as she spoke.
"Yeah," Sunset courted, stepping up to the two women, the youngest of the pair looking at Sunset with more sorrow than her sister, "it was all the Dazzlings. They put their spell on you and took over your mind. I'll be honest, I feel so stupid for not realizing it sooner."
"No Sunset," Celestia said as she placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "you are not stupid for not seeing it. None of you are. Looking back, none of us could have known."
Celestia paused for a moment, looking at Luna, who know stepped toward Sunset, the hurting aunt looking upon her niece with a look of deep sorrow. And Sunset, with her heightened power of empathy, found herself nearly brought to her knees by the anguish that flooded Luna, who placed her hand on the girl's shoulder, a silent indication that what she was about to say was very serious.
"I think…before we continue, it might be time to let your friends in on our secret."
Sunset's eyes widened, the fiery-haired girl having known this moment would come, though she wished it was on her own terms. But upon seeing the determination and hurt in her aunt's eyes, eyes which seemed to form a thin line of tears, as well as the small, encouraging smile from her mother, Sunset knew at that moment that she could indulge her aunt on this, especially if it meant helping her release whatever personal demon she had. Sunset even convinced herself that letting her friends in on her secret would build even more of the already delicate trust between them. And so, after giving her aunt a firm nod and determined expression, Sunset went to stand between the two most important women in her life. And after sending them both a tender smile, Sunset turned to face her friends, who all looked at their friend with great curiosity.
"You guys know how during the whole Anon-O-Miss thing, it came out that I was homeless?"
"How could we forget?" Applejack responded somberly, the cowgirl looking down in a mixture of sorrow and shame.
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash added, nervously rubbing the back off her neck as she spoke, "not exactly our proudest moment."
Sunset, despite herself, offered her friends a warm smile, a small indication to the still very guilty quintet in front of her that there were no hard feelings. In fact, to her, there never were. With that in mind, Sunset, after looking at her mother and aunt, each offering an encouraging nod and smile, decided to reveal her secret to friends quickly, like ripping off a band-aid.
"Well, let's just say, it didn't take long for that situation to change."
Slowly, the girls began to connect the dots, each seeing the proud or sheepish smiles of Celestia and Luna's faces, and the adoring smile Sunset sent them as she looked back at them. But what Sunset did and said next really shocked them. Walking back to join Celestia and Luna, Sunset snuggled into her mother's side, the taller woman placing a love arm around her daughter's shoulder as Sunset used her free hand to take Luna's.
For the five other girls, it was a sight to behold.
"Well, after they found out…Mom and Aunt Luna took me in."
The girls' eyes went wide, their brains almost certainly short circuiting as they tried desperately to register what they had just heard; Sunset Shimmer, their friend, had been adopted by Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna. And as they slowly started to come back from their shock, the youngest of the sisters took the opportunity to address.
"I thought it was best to let you five in, since what I have to say is linked to our current 'family situation.'"
This was said in a somewhat playful manner, all eight of women enjoying a little chuckle. That is until Luna's smile fell, a clear sign that it was time to be serious.
"Now, with that said…What I said to Sunset…and what I said to you girls about feeling threatened by the Dazzlings, you should know that I had THOUGHT it, but not in such an accusatory way. It was more a sort of concerned way, if that makes sense. And I was going to suggest that maybe you were letting your nerves get the best of you."
The girls nodded in understanding, starting to piece together that Luna's rational mind had meant to address them in a calm, caring manner. But as Luna explained, they realized just how much power the siren song had.
"But that spell...It was like being a puppet, moving the way they wanted you to move and saying what they wanted you to say. And I tried, I TRIED to fight it. But as I went to speak my thoughts, their spell twisted my words, my inflections to the 'accusations' you heard me say."
"And the worst part…I could see the effect it had on you all."
Luna paused to release a low sigh, fighting back the tears.
"And there was nothing I could do about it."
Luna took a moment to steady herself, trying furiously to blink back the tears that threatened to spill.
"I hurt you all…but worst of all, I hurt my nie-"
"NO!"
All eyes turned to Sunset as she stepped away from the two sisters, their eyes wide as they saw Sunset stand before them, her brows furrowed in anger, her own eyes brimming with tears as she addressed her aunt.
"THEY hurt me, Aunt Luna. They used you, like they used all of us. Good People, under the control of Evil Forces do terrible things."
Sunset paused a moment, her face relaxing into a sorrowful frown as she cast her eyes down to the floor.
"Believe me…I know."
"I believe what Sunset is saying," Celestia added in, placing a loving hand on her sister's back, "is that while we all may have said or done things we are not proud off, we can find comfort in knowing that it was because our actions and words were not solely our own."
"Mom's right," Sunset concurred as she now addressed the group as a whole, "and I ca tell you guys with the utmost confidence that like before, we can move on from it…so long as we stay together. Right guys?"
With that a chorus of affirmation rose from the group.
"Heck Yeah!" Rainbow Dash yelled.
"Darn Tootin'!" hollered Applejack.
"Here, Here!" proclaimed Rarity.
"Yay!" Fluttery shy whimpered.
"CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO FLY, STICK A CUPCAKE IN MY EYE!" Pinkie Pie declared, the pink girl giving her friends and teachers a good laugh by emphasizing her point, her right eye soon being blinded by a chocolate frosted cupcake.
"Now that that is all settled," Celestia said, the mood now much brighter after having the tender heart-to-heart, "what do you say Luna and I treat everyone to ice-cream?"
Pinkie Pie didn't need to be asked twice, the hyper girl bolting from the gym, leaving the chocolate frosted treat behind, almost like in a cartoon, all while loudly declaring…
"ICE-CREAM!"
This earned another round of laughter from everyone as they followed behind a rapidly retreating Pinkie, Celestia leading the way.
"Yeah, that sounds great, Mom," Sunset said cheerfully, finding a great feeling of satisfaction radiating through her now that she could openly call Celestia her mother around her friends. But as she trailed behind the group, Sunset was suddenly stopped by a hand on her shoulder, as well as the soft voice of Luna.
"Hey…"
Turning around, the teen was met with the warm smile of her aunt, her tender gaze making a feeling of warmth and calm wash over Sunset.
"Hey," Susnet responded, her own smile conveying the comfort she now felt around her aunt. And this ensured that Sunset melted into the gentle embrace that Luna bestowed on her. And with what Luna said next, Sunset felt her joy grow even more.
"I Love You, Sunset."
And all Sunset could do was smile.
"Love you too, Aunt Luna."
And as Sunset pulled away, the two shared a warm smile before Sunset went to catch up with the others, leaving Luna, who just stood in silence, her mind reeling at the thought that that girl, that innocent child…
Was her niece.
Yeah, she thought to himself with a smile, I can get used to this.