Pretty close to a Perfect day - PART 1
PROLOGUE
In a dark, dingy place, where few ponies ever thread, a certain someone was ranting like nuts.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold; But the correct term would likely be revenge is a dish best served when you have absolutely nothing to lose, and are also really petty. And this certainly applied to this particular Unicorn.
“Okay. Okay. This is it! Not even STARSWIRL figured this out. But I did!!! No one believed in me but here I friggin’ am!! If nothing else, after today, even if I die, or get killed, or get thrown in the darkest cell of Canterlot prison, or maybe Tartarus– Do they throw regular ponies in Tartarus? Nah, probably not. A-anyways. Even if everything else goes wrong, I’ll go down in history as a pioneer of the mystic arts!! A genius of technological marvels! A brilliant explorer of a brave new frontier!!”
‘Hermes’ was what he called himself; He was an moderately humble Unicorn scientist that studied travel based magic from a young age, and since those early years, he tried braving frontiers no one else dared; Mostly because no one else cared to. He was not particularly tall or built– like many in academia– His fur was a grayish brown that could resemble bronze in the right light, his mane was an unkempt white-ish blonde, and he wore glasses that had been cracked for a long time.
Moldy, unkept, abandoned, unfunded, breaking several safety violations, there were more than a few words one could use to describe the ‘observatory’ lab he had made his home, but above all else, ‘lonely’ would describe it most; to those that cared for companionship, of course.
“Yeah, yeah, no pony thought I could do it. No pony even dared to even try; The most brilliant minds in Equestria shunned me; Thought lowly of me, gave up on me, were… Like, super rude to me!!! But this will show everypony; everywhere! Hermes will be a name known in more than one universe!!”
There were litters of machines and paraphernalia littering the room all the way to the ceiling; To anybody else, they would be incomprehensible, but to this Unicorn, it was a perfect thousand-piece puzzle he had put together.
And speaking of puzzles; He had a board full of notes, pictures, data, and evidence. Things that would seem pointless to others, but not to him. A myriad of information on this world and others; Mish mashed in organized chaos.
Pictures of places that no one in this world had seen, much less been; Pictures of ponies no one in this world had met, but very much knew.
Objects that made no sense; A shattered mirror pieced together that did not cast reflections was surrounded by coils, a telescope that could not see connected to dozens of wires, each of these with multitudes of runes engraved in them, all brought into sense and context with his magic, and his creation. Whenever the machines lit to life, they would shake the foundations of the room, dust would fall from the ceiling, and you could feel the energy on your skin.
“Payback; That’s just the cherry on top. At the very least, the world will know what I’m capable of! That I DID it! That I, Hermes, have discovered how to bridge the gap between universes!!! Not just one; but ANY universe! Even STARSWIRL gave up on this magic; On this technology!! But I didn’t.”
The dull sound of his hoofsteps echoed on the walls of his lab, as he moved from one place to another, frantically fiddling with devices; His magic floated gears, mechanisms, circuitries and runes all around him, with intentions only he knew.
The most important one at this moment was akin to a crown; A technomagical crown made to be retrofitted around the horn of a Unicorn, specifically with his Multitudes of wires, circuitries and runes all were exposed on it’s halo, as if you could see the innards of the machine. He looked at himself in a small mirror, making sure everything was fit properly, then unsuccessfully covered his face with a hood, clumsily trying to pull it forwards, only for it to slide off the machinery.
Magic and technology, meshed together to perfection, or as close as one could achieve, with these resources.
“Today’s the day; The best shot I'll have at her. She’ll be distracted; As will everypony, and amidst the festivities, BOOM. I’ll strike. Twilight Sparkle... I’ll make you pay for all the time you cost me; And everything you took from me. Revenge is a dish best served warm and toasty!! …If your wife isn’t around to turn me into mulch, that is. …NO! I thought of everything! I got this! Today’s the day!! Payback will be mine!!!”
He proudly posed and gazed at the ruin he called a lab, then, with all the determination a nerdy scientist with no proper social life could muster, made his way towards his destiny.
“Celestia be my witness. Twilight Sparkle, this will be the worst day of your life.”
Pretty close to a perfect day - Part 1
Waking up was so, so easy for Sunset Shimmer these days.
You know when you have something special you’re doing the next day, some sort of event, gathering, meeting a friend; Or even something as simple as knowing you’ll get to see something new?
Something to look forward to the next morning?
This was how she had felt every morning, for well over a year; for well over multiple years.
And now, as she laid in bed, quite comfortably too, already feeling the invitation of the sun peeking behind their curtains, she chose to stay in there, and appreciate its softness and comfort. A premeditated laziness, one might say; She certainly would, as she waited for a delightful sound she was quite used to hearing.
And there it was, without further ado, A bell towed quietly above the building they slept on, which resulted in the sound Sunset oh-so-eagerly awaited for. She folded her wings close in expectation.
The cutest yawn in all of Equestria, one belonging to none other than her wife, Twilight Sparkle.
Feeling the light shuffles of the waking Alicorn forced a grin on Sunset’s face, even when she continued to pretend she was asleep. Every little grunt and cute sound made by the stretching of her partner got her closer and closer to giggling, but she held on, steadfast.
Another adorable yawn, as Twilight sat up in bed, without difficulty. Sunset remained still, making good usage of the king-sized bed they had cherished for ages now; A more than comfortable size for two growing Alicorns, after all.
With every shudder and stretch of the fabric, she could feel her wife’s movements, scanning the room, and then resting her gaze on Sunset.
“Gooood morning, my Sun…!” Akin to a kind whisper, akin to an pleasant invitation, Twilight spoke close, waiting for her wife to open her eyes.
And, mischievously, Sunset did no such thing.
“Heeeelloooo, Goood morning, Sunsun…!” Another futile attempt, another loving, inviting whisper.
And stalwartly, she kept her eyes closed.
“Hey. Hey sweetie. Wake up.” There you go, she was starting to get demanding, here comes the best part.
The tiniest of smiles crept up in Sunset’s lips, just in time for her wife to plant a kiss on her cheek. “Wake up.”
Silence. Were she not pretending to be asleep, she likely would have dared, defied the Princess of Friendship to drag her out of bed. The best kind of defiance, really.
“Wake up.” A kiss.
“Wake up.” Another kiss.
“Wake up.” And yet another loving kiss.
Her indomitable warrior spirit was close to being broken under a barrage of loving kisses, and frankly, Sunset Shimmer was prideless enough to accept that sort of defeat, but she certainly wasn’t one to go down without a fight.
“Wake up wake up wake up wake up” Kiss after kiss, it was more than clear to her wife that this was yet another game being played by Sunset, and that she was not about to lose.
That final barrage was enough to force Sunset’s hand, as she opened her eyes with the widest, most pleased grin, and flipped over, pinning her wife down and unleashing her own barrage of kisses. “Well well well, look who’s awake!” That would have sounded more confident, if it was not being drowned in a savage attack of loving kisses.
Even after that vicious attack of loving smooches, even while being pinned down by her wife, Twilight Sparkle still maintained a certain professional composure. “Gooood morning. You’ve got a big day today; Lot’s to do, and I wanna make this absolutely perfect for you, Sunsun. What do you say?”
Finally, Sunset allowed herself to stop playing the game, hovering above her love with unending delight. “I’ll say this day’s already pretty damn perfect, if you ask me.”
“Oh really… Why’s that…?” With an eyebrow raised, a tilt of her head, and a mischievous smile, Twilight knew she was playing with fire.
Letting out a loving growl, delighted to be in that exact position, Sunset stretched her wings, but dared not to move an inch away from her love. “‘Cause from where I'm standing, the view’s pretty good.”
And there it was, a proper kiss on the lips, one they shared many times before, but much like the warm glow of dusk, or the gleam of the stars in the sky, never got old.
With mischievous giggles, Sunset would have taken it even further, but her wife placed a hoof on her mouth. “Down, girl!! We’ve gotta go get ready! I need to take a proper shower, and you oughta tidy up too. Let’s get outta bed already!”
Sunset let out the biggest pout and puppy eyes she could muster. “Aww… Aren’t we celebrating me today…? Why can’t I have a bit more bedtime with my wife!!!” She said, with a jokey tone, that certainly didn’t hide much of her desire.
“Because we have to make appearances, and a bunch of other stuff I wrote down on a checklist, I forgot– I'll go get it— And you gotta go tidy up. Mwah.” With one final kiss, Twilight teleported out of bed, and immediately started stretching and yawning once more. Sunset nearly tumbled away, cursing quietly for not being able to enjoy this moment for a little while longer.
Before entering their bathroom, Twilight gave her one mischievous wink and a tail graze. “Keep that energy in mind for tonight, Sunsun.”
And with that statement, and a dumb grin on her face, Sunset considered lowering the sun herself, right now.
But, responsibilities were responsibilities, and the best rewards were ones gifted after a long day of hard work. She hopped out of bed, and did her own morning stretches, while opening the blinds swiftly.
The sun didn’t blind her; It scarcely had ever, for years, now. The beautiful sights of Ponyville sprawled below those windows, and the light of the town almost reflected on the ceiling of their room.
And what a room it was. As Sunset made her way to the closet, she admired every bit of the environment. With a mixture of bricks and wood, the architecture was far from royal, but quality. A cozy, surprisingly humble place, considering its residents were two princesses. Closets, bookshelves, the comfiest chairs you could get to match tables meant for study, a king sized extremely cozy bed, and, one of her favorite corners, a comfortable vanity mirror with pictures of all their friends and the adventures they shared, and besides it, her Valkyrie armor was mounted on stand.
She had always followed her wife’s schedules diligently, and trusting on them, she took no rush on selecting an outfit for the day, delighting herself on hearing Twilight's hums in the shower echoing from the bathroom beside them.
She gazed at two potential garments, one finely put together fiery frilly dress, and one of her favorite leather jackets, that had gold spikes on it, no less. “Hey Sparkles, since the party is for me, do you think that I could–”
“--You could, but Rarity might attack you on sight!” Her voice echoed from inside the shower, knowing exactly what her wife was up to.
“Heh! I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it!” With a confident grin, Sunset took the jacket and its accessories, and laid them out in her bed, fully aware of the potential consequences of her actions.
“I could always hide behind Applejack, she’d be too distracted macking on her girl to actually criticize my outfit, heheh!” No response from Twilight other than delightfull giggles echoing from inside the bathroom, and Sunset took that as endorsement, as she prepared her outfit for the day.
But her gaze landed back on her armor, mounted in the corner.
She couldn’t resist.
With incredibly fluid rehearsed magical motions, she floated each individual piece of that armor set customly made for her, and adorned it, an action that took less than ten seconds.
And now, looking at the mirror, it was as if she was prepared for war; Or at the very least to a battle with a legendary mythological beast, and she was a stranger to neither.
The armor covered her body nearly entirely, giving away very few weak spots; Allowing for a comfortable flexibility as well, with a mixture of plates, chainmail and cloth. It even covered the top part of her wings, giving her the appearance of having razor sharp feathers, from a certain angle. The helmet covered the horn as well, with its own metallic plating for it, Perfect for fencing, with her red/gold hair cascaded from under it. The metals were mixtures of bronze and gold, which matched her color perfectly; Enchanted steel made to sustain the highest of temperatures.
She had adorned that armor dozens upon dozens of times, There were dents and scars in nearly every plate, much like the Alicorn who wore it. And sometimes, she still felt as if it was maybe too big for her. As if she hadn’t earned it.
But the best feeling was when it fit just right. As if that armor was a part of her skin.
She glanced at a photo on the vanity, shying away from her reflection; The picture had all her friends smiling and gathered around her; And she smiled awkwardly, the first month anniversary of her ‘joining the team’ so to speak, Before Midnight Sparkle, before becoming an Alicorn, before everything. Pinkie had hastingly prepared a cake, and that younger Sunset wasn’t even sure if she deserved eating, after everything she had done. She looked small, shriveled into herself, even.
Looking away from the old Sunset to the current Sunset filled her with confidence.
“It’s gonna be a party, not a battle, you know?” The delighted giggle of Twilight echoed quietly in the room, snapping the warrior out of it, as she entered it with a towel wrapped over her mane. She joined her wife side by side, looking with pride at their reflections.
“Hey, if it’s a good party, I’ll get some use out of this.” Sunset smirked, nuzzling her wife; Or more an attempt at a nuzzle, as they bonked their heads with the enchanted steel of her helmet, resulting in both of them breaking into giggles.
Beholding her own reflection, Sunset’s expression changed a bit, and her wife could read her like a book; And if there was anything Twilight Sparkle was known for, was being a bookworm. “Sunsun. You more than earned it. You look formidable. Heck– Remember that time in the Hall of Unity, where you scared that griffon waiter so bad he almost soiled himself, and it was with just a glare?”
A mischievous snicker bubbled up immediately from her wife. “Heheh. That’s the last time that guy spills a drink on my Princess. That was a fun visit; I hope Celestia lets us tag along this year, too.”
The same kind of giggle bubbled up on the Princess of Friendship, following with those adorable snorts. “If her inviting Discord to some parties is anything to go by, I imagine she’ll appreciate us being there to make another mess next time too.”
Just reminiscing on the many disastrous parties they had participated in involuntarily caused a hearty chuckle to come out of Sunset. “Pff hey. At least we’re also professional mess fixers. We totally averted a diplomatic incident! Canterlot almost got sold, but we fixed it, heh.”
With better aim this time, Twilight nuzzled her proper. That nuzzle almost resulted in sparks, with its friction, Sunset could feel her joy, feel her love, as if they were her own. “That we did. Anyways, put the armor away sweetie, we gotta go get ready, lots to do!”
Sunset complied, Magically binding the armor inside her horn. One of the many perks of being an Alicorn, Is that where Unicorns would usually be able to store a bag, maybe a suitcase’s worth of contents magically within them, an Alicorn could push that much further with ease; Twilight herself nearly carried a library around with her, everywhere she went.
With a confident, gleeful demeanor, The Princess of Friendship beckoned her forward. “Let’s put on our duds and get to it! Big day!”
And as always, her joy was contagious. This was going to be a perfect day. “Ya ain’t gotta tell me twice, Sparkles.”
Their community center was, with all modesty, the best building in Ponyville. Sure, there might be some arguments to be made regarding that, but considering the beautiful columns that were literal trees that they built the structure around, all of which aided on it’s support, once you passed by the gorgeous, three-floor library, the arboretum/community garden, and even the recreational/visit area on the first floor, your arguments would likely fade.
And that wasn’t to mention the beautiful clock tower that shined for all of Ponyville, with bells that towed in special events. The fourth floor belonged to the princesses alone, it was where they resided, but they certainly didn’t mind sharing the rest of the building. Neither of the two needed anything more than this; Even if neither would shy away from living in Canterlot Castle in the future.
All that mattered was the present, and in the present, they were happy.
As was their usual routine, Twilight floated a checklist in front of them as they slowly moved by the hallways and rooms of their community center, greeting any of the early rising ponies that were visiting; There was always a certain calm hustle and bustle in the building, and they adored it.
And of course, Twilight was as organized and efficient as ever, as she listed their responsibilities for the day.
“While I go check on the preparations with Pinkie on the sugarcube corner, you’re flying to Cloudsdale to find Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy and help them make sure the skies are clear; Applejack and Rarity likely already finished their tasks, but you and me can check on them respectively after, just in case!”
She spoke joyously, and Sunset regarded her with adoration, being a bit distracted. Just a bit.
“After 10 O’clock, Celestia’s coming by Ponyville, for that Alicorn space lesson you have today, you two can enjoy yourselves while I take care of all the rest of the preparations! Liiiike for example, checking on who RSVP’d; which, by the way, fun stuff; Spike’s coming from the dragon lands, and not only will my parents be coming by, but your parents will be here too!”
Once there was no reaction from Sunset, just that dumb grin, Twilight knew exactly what was happening. She wrapped her checklist into a tube and bonked her wife on the head a few times for good measure. “Stop! Being! Distracted! By! My! Big beautiful eyes!”
Nothing but giggles emerged from Sunset, delighted to have been so predictable. “Heheheh It’s not my fault!! You try being less adorable and gorgeous!!”
With a pout and a fluster of her cheeks, Twilight’s eyebrow was raised. “How much of that did you listen to?”
With a little smile and a tilt of her head, Sunset tried being cute to earn her forgiveness, almost with a purr, because she had listened to none of it.
It worked.
The day was already looking up wonderfully.
Deep, focussed breaths.
Sunset and Celestia stood face to face, on the outskirts of town, ready to begin their lesson.
“Remember. The strength of the Earth Ponies, the elegance of the Pegasi, and the magic of the Unicorns; You need to master all of them to truly be able to call yourself an Alicorn.” There was always wisdom behind her words, but the kindness and gentleness that came with her lessons was what always kept Sunset smiling during them.
It still felt a bit strange at times, to be a pupil of Celestia once more, but what came above that strangeness was joy, regardless of her reservations. They were truly happy to work with each other again.
These lessons were one of Sunset’s favorite things to do as an Alicorn. A full exploration of just how far she could go, how strong she truly could be. “...Right. And only when I unite those powers as one is that I can reach my true potential–”
“--While remaining humble.” They both completed together, in unison, which led to them both snickering.
After the laughter subsided, Sunset let out an exhale, not a bad one, either. “Well… I could write a book about being humbled.”
“And I wager it would be full of wisdom, Sunset Shimmer.” Celestia did not even hesitate, with that same pleased smile she carried often around her newest oldest pupil. “And I also wager Twilight would be first in line to read it. If I did not beat her to it, of course.”
“Good luck trying to beat Twilight Sparkle at reading a book, one written by her wife no less…!” They shared more amused snickers.
“Shall we begin?”
“We shall!”
Both of them breathed deeply, feeling the wind on their faces, feeling the grass beneath their hooves, hearing the quiet sounds of Ponyville in the distance, tuning out everything, feeling everything.
As they channeled the power of fire and light around them, gathering their energy, Celestia gave more wisdom, Readying herself. “You are a meteor that will never burn up, that will fly higher and higher; going up, up, up. Concentrate on that power and GO.”
Immediately upon that final word, they both took off in a corkscrew manner, shooting upwards into the sky at tremendous force, much like a meteor, but flying away from the planet instead of towards it.
Even after having done this dozens of times, it still felt exhilarating, channeling all of her strength to break the atmosphere, fly like a shooting star; Sunset was quite used to the idea of being surrounded in flames; She was utterly immune to them at this point.
“If you need assistance, do not hesitate to ask, Sunset!!” The voice of her mentor was barely audible on their ascent, and regardless, the Princess ignored her, despite being thankful.
She pierced the clouds like a fiery arrow, The wind viciously raged against her, but she did not falter. The higher up they reached, the easier it got, she could see the sky change from blue to a darker hue, and finally, for what felt like either ten minutes or ten seconds, she was utterly devoid of weight.
Exhaling steam, she shook her head, gaining her bearings, and letting out a chuckle, taking in the sights.
“Welcome back to the final frontier, Sunset Shimmer!” Celestia’s voice rang out gleefully.
Looking around at this place; The place of all places, was always a delight. She spun around on multiple axis, using both magic and her wings or even just bodily motions to move around, feeling weightless, And Celestia did the same, akin to almost prancing. She could see stars brighter than ever, the moon, closer than ever, and Equestria was her roof, this big beautiful blue and green planet that was her home.
They were now in Space.
It was quiet; But not completely, there was almost a hum that her planet emitted, as it spun.
And of course, the main event, the Sun.
Their Sun.
Celestia floated near her, with a giddy smile. “Never gets old, does it?”
With a grin from ear to ear, Sunset nodded enthusiastically. “Never. Man, I'm so glad I can stare at it without burning my eyes now.” She let out a chuckle. It was as if she could see the true nature of the star, bathe in its light fully, be one with it entirely, and in a way, it certainly was.
“Our Sun is forever giving. And just like me, you can draw power from it, be one with it. Bathing in its light and flames will give you strength, allow you to heal faster, make you stronger; And although it’ll take some getting used to, you will learn to raise and set it with ease, in that, I have the utmost faith.” She spoke every word with confidence and pride, not on herself, but on her pupil. Sunset wasn’t the only one that felt lighter than air.
Every word was kind. Every word gave her courage. Sunset opened her wings, almost akin to a solar panel, and allowed herself to bask in that light as much as she could. Flames and sparks flowed across her fur, as if they were part of her, and she glowed. And it felt incredible; One of the best sensations, like embracing a lover.
“Gosh, look at you–” Celestia’s words stuttered, as she smiled fully, beholding her student with pride.
“...Look at me…!” Sunset gave her the same warm smile.
The Queen of the Sun let out a delighted sigh, almost holding back joyful tears, as she gazed back at her star. “You certainly imprinted with it phenomenally well; I am overjoyed to see how well you take up the power of the Sun within you, despite the interesting proficiency you have with it’s flames, as opposed to me with it’s light, I have no doubt you will master both, my student…!!”
“I have a good teacher!” She did not hesitate with her response, smiling back as she tried a couple of different spins and tricks with the weightlessness of space. She remembered fondly, the first time she did this with Celestia, and how back then, the Queen struggled a lot more to keep her delighted joy in check.
“Perhaps, if you’d like, tomorrow you could raise it?” She poked at her pupil, with a nudging delighted smile.
Letting out a nervous chuckle, the Princess had her doubts. “Maybe– I dunno, last times I did it, it was kinda—”
“The more you do it, the easier it’ll get, Sunset. And someday, it’ll be as easy as breathing…!”
With a short, happy chuckle, the Princess beheld the star once more. It felt hard to believe that one day this would be hers, and that one day, she could easily manage it. And yet, the mere thought of it made her smile.
They changed their stances, now, channeling their magic on their hooves so they could walk on space itself, making the floor they desired, something that was incredibly easy to perform with no gravity, a kind of magic made for Alicorns.
“Besides. It is not just the Sun that will give you strength, Sunset. Your strength will always come at its greatest from within.” She pointed at her Pupil’s heart, with that same earnest smile.
With a quick chuckle, the Princess delighted herself, making light of the situation. “Heh, yeah, I do fight really well when I'm pissed.”
“Your anger and your rage are certainly good places to draw your strength; after all, those emotions are akin to wildfires. Few would be able to subdue you… But you must always remember, that inner strength comes from every emotion, even joy.”
Tilting her head, Sunset followed her, a bit confused. “Joy?”
Celestia nodded, as she gazed at the constellations above them, with ease. “Yes, Sunset. Happiness. As an example, think of me– I spent 1000 miserable, busy years ruling alone… And then, when I tried training a pupil, somepony to someday take my place, I… I failed terribly…”
“Really…? Who…?”
“You, Sunset.”
“Oh.” The Princess nearly burst out laughing on her lapse of memory, but contained herself, respecting her teacher’s teachings.
“Once Twilight freed my sister, brought her back fully, I could feel it. I could feel that good things were coming. And have I ever been so glad to be right… Because she brought you back to me, too…!” She beheld her pupil with love and pride, and Sunset looked at her with the same appreciation.
“...Twilight is everything…” Was all that the Princess could muster to say as her cheeks got red, thinking of her love and all she had done for everybody everywhere.
With a nod, Celestia gazed back at her sun. “I have never been more fulfilled and happy than I have been these past few years. I have gotten my sister back, I have gotten my original pupil back, and both of my students are excelling in ways I couldn’t have even dreamed of even with my wildest bursts of hope…! Equestria is safe, and it is thriving. And I am now more sure than ever that my legacy will stand firm… I could not be any happier.”
There was so much faith and trust in those words; they made Sunset’s heart flutter. She tried not buckling under the weight of that responsibility; And she never would again. “That’s… Really, really nice, but how does it help you fight…?”
A short chuckle came from the Queen, delighted to continue. “Because, dear Sunset, I am so happy, that I know for a fact that if there was anything threatening this happiness, I would not hesitate to face it, and to protect that joy, I would be capable of anything.”
Now that, Sunset could easily understand. “Hmm, yeah, I get it. If there was anything threatening Twilight, I would do absolutely everything in my power to crush it.”
The love that her pupils shared was an endless source of amusement, and even more of joy. “And I have no doubt you would be happy to do so, protecting your loved ones with all your might. And if you manage to unite your anger and your happiness into one single drive, I believe you would be unstoppable.”
That amount of faith in her still felt strange, but it simply made her smile. She chuckled, and let out a half joke, half truth. “Eh, power is awesome, but what good is it, when there just aren’t any good fights around?”
And yet, the Queen saw through that easily. She was well aware that her pupil loved a good battle, and never wanted that energy to be wasted. “Peace is what all great warriors strive for, Sunset. And do not worry; Trouble is always around the corner in Equestria; You can trust me on that; Although I believe trouble would think twice, before facing you.”
They shared giggles, and then agreeable nods, another lesson well taught.
And it was time for the next one. “So– As your Alicorn powers go, how has been the development of your telepathy? I wager it has not gotten out of hand?”
With a nod, The Princess reminisced on recent events and discoveries. “Well, I wouldn’t call it telepathy per-se, as far as I know, whenever I’m having physical contact with someone, it’s as if I can feel their feelings; Though it depends on how loud they’re feeling it, I think. And I’ve been getting better at looking through memories, too; It’s almost like… It’s almost like I’m listening to the pony I’m ‘reading’ retell their own memories to me, in an incredibly short amount of time… It’s kind of freaky, but not bad, really. …Have you figured out why I got this power…?”
“All Alicorns are blessed with their own particular eccentricities, Sunset. This is only the latest and most surprising example of that. And personally, I believe we have only scratched the surface of what Alicorns are capable of doing...” She spoke, not listlessly, but with an almost sort of excitement.
That sort of statement was certainly bringing about a certain curiosity. Sunset, for a moment, wondered if, in her following 1000 years of rule, she would discover things about her and Twilight, that even Celestia and Luna were incapable of doing.
“And I have no doubt that you and Twilight will discover great things, on your future rule.” Who’s the mind reader now? Sunset chuckled nervously, trying to remain humble; Celestia really did know her well.
The Student considered speaking more of the subject, but held her tongue; She was about to mention how any sort of physical relation with a lover was certainly enhanced, when she could feel what Twilight felt, at the same time. Awkward, weird, she changed her mind on saying it instantly.
“O-oh, and there’s one more thing too. We found out that I'm not just able to read memories; I can show others my memories, too. Like– I can make others see what I've seen, feel what I've felt, the same way that I can see for others. It was a… Very strange discovery.”
With her ears twitching in curiosity, the Queen perked up, approaching her pupil. “Oh? Could you demonstrate?”
“I-I’ll try.” they leaned on each other, and Sunset concentrated. With a jolt, and with her eyes glowing, she remembered something.
It was my entrance exam to the ‘Princess Celestia school for gifted Unicorns’. I had studied for so, so long, so, so hard, for well over a year, and despite being just a filly, despite being nervous, I refused to show it. My parents were there to support me, even if they weren't sure I could do it. I went a tad overboard, getting frustrated when my spells didn’t work, and the resulting magical emotional burst I let out nearly burned the room down; If not the whole school. I thought everything I ever wanted was beyond my reach, but you saw more than just clumsy destruction in me. You saw my potential, and brought me in as your first Pupil. It was everything I had ever wanted.
With a giggle, Celestia recoiled. “My, that is incredible! It was like I was there! What an interesting power…! And well, what a nostalgic memory…!” Her giggles covered the delight she felt on being brought on a trip down memory lane. The first time she had met Sunset felt like eternities ago at this point… And she was a very cute little filly. The Queen considered pinching her cheeks, but restrained herself.
The Princess shrugged, trying to stave off the feeling of reliving such a memory. To her, a more interesting power would have involved explosions. “Pff yeah, it sure is something. I’ll get back to you when I’ve found an actual use for it.”
With an understanding nod, Celestia had no doubt. “I am certain that much like all else you’ve learned, you’ll wield it diligently.”
Sunset chuckled with a tinge of awkwardness. “You know, it’s kind of embarrassing– Some ponies around Canterlot have started calling me ‘The Princess of Empathy’, because of this power.”
“Oh? Do you not like it?”
Scratching the back of her head with her hooves, she got a tad sheepish, trying to hide her disappointment. “Well, Not exactly, It’s just… not what I expected. I suppose I’m still trying to figure out what I am, in that stance too, other than, well, an inheritor of the sun…”
“Hm… ‘Princess of Empathy’ is certainly not what I would call you, either; Even if it does have a ring to it.”
Sunset beheld her mentor with expectation, hoping for a purpose.
And Celestia caught on to that glance, with a smile. She let go of the invisible floor she had made for herself, and allowed herself to float recreationally. “Tell me, Sunset. When was the last time my sister visited you?”
“Well, we meet for training a couple times; And she visits Twilight for her training as well– Oh, you mean in my nightmares? Huh… I don’t know… I don’t remember? –Wait. Back before Midnight Sparkle returned. Holy crap, has it really been that long…?” She pondered, gazing at nothing, trying to recall.
With a joyful giggle, Celestia nodded. “Indeed. It seems that since all that long ago, Since your ascension to Alicorn-hood– And even with you eloping with Twilight– You have had no nightmares. No fears.”
“W-well that doesn’t sound right…?”
The Queen did not let up, demonstrating just how much faith she had in her pupil. “You adorned the mantle of the Valkyries— A lost mantle, mind you, and you earned it, Slaying a mythological beast, no less. It had been unheard of anypony slaying a Legendary Phoenix; And you did so, without fear.”
Again, Sunset attempted to be humble, trying to make light of her accomplishment of slaying that building-sized bird of flames, trying to not just accept flattery from the Queen of the Sun herself. “The land of dragons was in danger, I had to help— And I mean, it's just armor I wear, I don’t really like… Well, I’d like to, but I don't call myself a Valkyrie in public.”
But Celestia did not let up. There was a time and a place for humility, and Sunset had no need for it at the moment. “And yet, you have become a master of combat– You slayed a legendary Phoenix, earning you that title; the title of Valkyrie Phoenix. And with it, I think, you would have earned another. To me, at least… You are Sunset Shimmer, The Princess of Valor.”
Now that. That title. That stirred a fire within her. She considered, for a moment, her name going down in legend with that title. But shaking her head, she decided to reign it in, remaining humble once more. “Aww, c’mon. I have, like… fears…?”
Celestia suppressed a chuckle. “Name the last time you were scared.”
“W-well, first thing that comes to mind is when Twilight became Midnight—”
“Five years ago.”
“Still though, like. I’ve got. Phobias?”
“Name one.”
“Clowns are weird, I guess?”
“Aren’t you best friends with Pinkie Pie?”
“Shoot. You’re right. Clowns are awesome. Damn.”
With a hearty chuckle, Celestia delighted herself in floating mindlessly around her pupil, who was considering her words.
Sunset attempted to shift the subject away from praise to her, still, after all of that, attempting to remain humble. “Oh yeah! Me and Twilight never found out any book or anything at all that reported on what happened to the original Valkyries; Only ones that reported on how they fought, and what kind of magic they used… I figured you might know, since you were alive and ruling at the time…?” Sunset had spent hours studying and mimicking moves she had found on ancient, dusty books, adding them to her already wide skill set of fighting prowess
With a change in demeanor, Celestia fidgeted with her mane, the Princess of Valor could notice that she was acting a tad different; And she appeared to be blushing…?
“Ah, the Valkyries…”
A moment of silence Where Sunset tried deciphering her mentor’s gaze.
“...ahem. It is an interesting tale, but one better for another time. Let us get back on the subject, Sunset; We were talking about your strengths, were we not?”
“O-oh. Yeah.”
Fidgeting, wondering, and floating much the same, Sunset gazed above her, to Equestria, then back at Celestia. “...I guess when we talk about strength, I still sometimes wish I was strong like you…”
“Why would you wish to be strong like me? When you’re strong like you! There is nothing more beautiful than that.” Celestia did not hesitate, coming closer. She poked Sunset in the chest, aimed at the heart, and a jolt went through the Princess of Valor.
Daughter.
Sunset blinked, considering if she had felt what she had just felt, but Celestia did not stop talking. “Trust me, it’s not about the amount of strength; it's about playing to your strengths. And you already do so incredibly. I hope, with time, that you will no longer have doubts.”
“S-sorry, old habits.” Sunset gave out a genuine smile, trying to forget the accidental mind reading she had just done of her mentor, no matter how good it felt, no matter how strange.
Chuckling, with the sheer lightness of how far she had come, she spoke, not with doubt or anxiety, but honesty. “I suppose sometimes I… Sometimes I still don’t feel worthy.”
“Me either.” Celestia gazed at the stars.
That Statement made the Princess’s ears twitch with surprise. She beheld her mentor, in expectation.
“We all make mistakes, Sunset. It is how we recover after stumbling that matters. You above all are a stalwart example of this; It is no wonder you are a Valkyrie Phoenix, having risen from the ashes again and again...” She gave her pupil a warm smile.
Finally, Sunset nodded, accepting the faith her mentor was placing on her. “...I guess you’re right. I’ve been… Weightless, for years. And I haven’t lost a fight since I beat Midnight Sparkle, either. It’s like I really have become fearless…”
Speaking with pride, containing her joy, she wrapped her lesson with a beautiful ribbon. “It suits you. You have become strong, truly strong, and yet, you have proven that you possess a kind heart. It suits you.”
“Y-yeah, I guess it… I guess it does…!”
Finally, with Sunset accepting that, the Queen of the Sun couldn’t resist anymore, embracing her pupil in a tight, loving hug.
“W-woah!!” They spun around in space a bit disoriented, as Celestia let out giggle after giggle. Her happiness was bursting out of her, And Sunset could feel it all.
“I am just so, so proud of you…!”
I am so, so happy to have you back.
It wasn’t just the loving embrace of her mentor, but the fact that her emotions were on the surface, and Sunset could read them, even unintentionally. She giggled, so Sunset giggled too. She felt pride, so Sunset felt it too. She felt joy, so Sunset felt it too.
That sort of parental approval was something that the Princess was still getting used to, even after five years of having it; And it fueled her in unimaginable ways.
The giggles subsided, and Celestia let go, with them both still smiling. “Well, I believe with that, our lesson today is over. What’s next on your day? Festivities in Ponyville, no doubt?”
Pondering, her gaze lied elsewhere, on the moon, no less. She stared at it, reminded of something. “Oh yeah! I’ve been meaning to ask, ‘cause I don’t get to talk to Luna often; How’s Twilight imprinting with the Moon? I always forget to ask her ‘cause uhh…” Because most of the time she spent with Twilight was loving Twilight, and not caring about much else.
“Ah, yes!” Celestia turned to the moon, much like Sunset, snickering. “Luna has indeed provided me with reports on how Twilight has been doing in her lessons; And as you and I know well, Twilight is an overachiever. Although Luna has told me her pupil struggled to fully imprint with the Moon at first. (I’ve been told she almost draws powers from the stars around her, not just the moon!) She has told me that not only Twilight already has mastery over the tides, but her control of dream magic is already quite advanced!”
With a quiet snicker, Sunset nodded. “Oh, that much I already know, heheh.”
“Really? How?”
“Oh– Um, I, Uh,”
Fluorescent lights buzzed, the AC hummed, and Sunset could not care less, leaning back on her chair and popping the collar of her spiked leather jacket smugly. She kept her wings unfolded, and gave out an-ever-so-confident grin.
The classroom was nigh empty, except for her, and her teacher, Twilight Sparkle; Who wore her usual overly buttoned fancy outfit, complete with tie, skirt, glasses, and held her hair neatly in a bob. Her wings were folded, with strong focus on discipline, as usual.
“Whatever.” Leaning confidently back on her chair, Sunset smugly rolled her eyes.
And the teacher would not accept such an attitude. “Whatever? Your insubordination requires correction, Shimmer. You are by far, my most unruly and unkept student. A certified trouble maker, if you will.”
Tilting her head, akin to a taunt, Sunset continued to smirk. “Put it on my tab, teach’.”
Approaching her with unwavering confidence, Principal Twilight stared her down. “Oh, I think I will. You’ve been a bad girl, and you require discipline.”
Leaning forward, unintimidated, nearly muzzle to muzzle, Sunset stared her down right back. “You know what they say about taming lions, teach’… They bite.”
But before this could go any further, a glowing portal opened in the classroom, and Princess Twilight Sparkle stepped through it. “Hey Sunsun! Guess what! Queen Luna taught me how to go inside dreams now! --O-oh. Um…?”
Sunset’s demeanor changed entirely, getting embarrassed and flustered upon seeing her girlfriend in her dreams of all places– her actual, real girlfriend. “U-uh.”
Beholding both of their outfits, and even the environment, Twilight tilted her head, containing a snicker. “So, um, what did I just walk into?”
Fidgeting with her hooves, Sunset tried finding the right words to maybe cover for whatever this was, but the teacher Twilight, AKA dream Twilight, beat her to it, with a confident, entertained smile. “Sexy teacher dream!”
Sunset facepalmed, and Twilight couldn’t help but break out into laughter. “HAHhahahihihi…! A-and is this a recurring dream?!”
“No!” Sunset tried covering.
“Yes!” Dream Twilight shamelessly nodded.
Even more laughter from her Love, and the dream version of her also amused herself quite a bit, joining on the snickers, and then continued. “Oh, this is nothing. You should see her ‘Knight in Shining armor/Princess rescue’ dream. It gets even raunchier.”
“That’s enough out of you, dream Twi…!!” Sunset desperately tried stopping her, flustering with embarrassment.
With endless delight, the Princess came closer, smiling at her girlfriend with a lot of enjoyment. “Oh, this is delightful. I love these powers already. May I take over from here, me?”
The Teacher Twilight happily stepped away, with a confident smile. “Oh, by all means, me!”
With a cocky smile, the Princess waved her horn, showcasing her newfound knowledge of nightly dream magic in full display. The teacher Twilight faded away, not before stating “Have fun, you two!” And with the same glow and change of the dream, Princess Twilight was now dressed exactly like the dream version of her; In full teacher getup.
She adjusted her glasses, getting closer. “Now. Where were we?”
“Um… Discipline?”
“Oh yes. Discipline.”
“...Sunset? Hello?”
“--Twilight just told me about it. Yeah. She just told me. Normally.”
Shrugging with a giggle, Celestia paid it no mind, turning her gaze to the cosmos once more. “Ah, I am so happy for you two. I wonder how your rule will affect our Equestria; Being starkly different from two sisters ruling, of course…!”
Gazing at the stars, Sunset smiled. “...I’m not afraid. Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it.” They both exchanged caring looks, full of joy for their lives currently; And full of appreciation for Twilight Sparkle.
Turning back to the farthest cosmos, Celestia closed her eyes, and spoke listlessly, and yet, with a smile. “...One day, when our task is done, and you two are more than ready… me and my sister will brave the cosmos, and return to stardust once more… I have never had a chance at having a family, apart from her– But I am so, so happy that I will get to leave Equestria to you two. I couldn’t have possibly asked for a better legacy.”
Her joy was infectious, even if Sunset didn’t want to see her gone. “...Well, I hope you two stick around for a long time still. We’ll miss the hell out of you both, when you go…”
Celestia let out a couple of delighted snickers, pleased to be missed. “Do not worry, Sunset. We’re not vanishing simply; And besides, one day, one day very, very far from now, I have no doubt you and Twilight will do the same.”
For a moment, a brief, longing moment, Sunset wondered what it would be like, to fly across the cosmos together with her love for eternity. Becoming stardust together, Nebulae, after leaving behind a legacy of love in the world that belonged to them.
Then, blinking, she shook those thoughts off, because you can't make out if you’re stardust. Give it a couple thousand years.
They both remained quiet for a little while longer, simply admiring the view.
And then, a familiar feeling rose within sunset, as her horn glowed with a purple streak, and she looked down to Equestria. Her entire demeanor changed, ears twitching, tail whipping. “Oop. Twilight’s calling me.”
“Oh? How do you know?” Tilting her head, Celestia had noticed the magic that swirled around Sunset’s horn; Without her usual color.
With her face slightly reddened, Sunset fidgeted, wanting to go, but being respectful. “Oh, um, Cadance helped me and Twi put a spell together– We can call each other from nearly opposite corners of Equestria now. It’s mostly for emergencies, but–”
“--Heh, I should have known. See? You two are already discovering new inventive ways to use magic. Well don’t let me keep you, it is likely about today’s festivities! I will see you down there. Oh, and Sunset; Happy Anniversary.”
With a cheerful grin, Sunset nodded. “Thanks! Yeah, lots of people RSVP’d; Even my parents!”
Celestia’s demeanor changed entirely, with a frown. “Oh. Your mother will be there.”
The Princess raised an eyebrow. “Play nice.”
And the Queen frowned harder. “I’ll play nice if she plays nice.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle, turning back to Equestria. “Heh. I’ll see you down there, Queen Celestia. Thanks for the lesson, it was incredible; as usual.”
She let gravity overtake her, flipping downwards, and descending upon Equestria at high speeds, akin to a shooting star, heeding the calling of her love.
And Celestia remained up there a little while longer, appreciating that she had never been this happy— Not in a thousand years.
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Oh gosh everyone's so happy. Too bad it's about to go to hell.
That's what she did in EQG!
BIRTH MOTHER VS ADOPTION MOTHER RAP BATTLE INCOMING