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Sunset Shimmer is MAD about EVERYTHING

by Justice3442

Chapter 10: Chapter 10: The One in Which Pinkie Mostly Continues To Be Ignored

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Author's Notes:

To address a few comments I've gotten and some I may get, I've decided to go with The Journal of the Two Sisters explanation that Luna and Celestia are from a race of alicorns, which would make the baby's birth unprecedented in a way at least in the fact that Cadance is ascended but still of the typical pony race so, supposedly the expectation is she'd give birth to one of the other three races.

Chapter 10: The One in Which Pinkie Mostly Continues To Be Ignored


Sunset Shimmer cautiously poked her head down the hallway that would lead to the kitchen before continuing forward. Things were likely going to get awkward and quite likely heated with her adopted mom, but there was also a couple other ponies out and about that could make for similar exchanges. She probably hadn’t done much to endear herself to Twilight this trip. Even if she was confident their friendship was intact, she wouldn’t blame the princess if she was a bit… dare she think it? Peeved with her and ready and willing to hash out the situation in much the same manner Sunset herself had a few times today.

Of course TWILIGHT still had a thing or two to answer for herself!

Sunset stopped and glared upwards as if she was trying to turn her eyes inward on the offending organ inside her skull. Shut UP brain! Maybe I could have just told Twilight what was bugging me instead of spending a good portion of today antagonizing her at every opportunity!

Sunset’s mind was more than happy to offer a counterpoint, Or maybe Twilight Sparkle, being such the clever cookie that she is, could figure it out for herself!

Sunset grunted and pressed onwards. Arguing with herself wasn’t going to help and she wasn’t looking for Twilight just yet anyhow. Besides, there was another pony Sunset needed to keep an eye out for. Princess Luna likely had an even better reason to be upset and Sunset couldn’t think of anything that would help her verbally defend herself there. Plus the Princess of the Night was still something of a mysterious boogeymare to Sunset. Sure, Twilight had written her about Princess Luna returning from the darkness and even adjusting to modern pony life. It even sounded like it was a bit awkward for the lunar princess at times, but said talks also clued Sunset into the fact that Luna was also more than capable of pouring on the ‘scary’ if it suited her. Still, maybe they could swap stories about transforming into horrible monsters that nearly destroyed worlds and bond over that at least.

Sunset let out a sigh that echoed in the empty and quiet crystal hallway. Despite having spent much of her time with Celestia learning everything she could about her new mother, Princess Luna was a bit of a blank spot for her. She wished she knew more about Celestia’s sister, but her mom always steered conversations about that particular topic away until they were talking about something else. Eventually Sunset just avoided the topic altogether, seeing as bringing up Nightmare Moon never seemed to bear any fruit…

Come to think of it, Princess Luna seemed to know very little of Sunset herself… It sounded like Luna simply knew Sunset as a former pupil of Celestia’s and not that Luna and Sunset were actually kind-of, sort-of family in a way. Maybe they could also bond over the fact that Celestia wasn’t very good about talking about personal things that were bugging her even with those closest to her… Well… maybe bugging her…

Sunset felt a tense pit in her stomach as she considered the very real possibility that Celestia just didn’t care about her anymore. Even with Sunset taking the journal with her as an admittedly subtle hint that she kinda, sorta, maybe felt bad about things and was willing to talk, Celestia never tried to write her back. Maybe Celestia really did feel there was no reason to reach out to her and just wanted her out of her life.

What else was she to think?

Sunset shook her head. Plaguing herself in self-doubt wasn’t going to help. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering… And oh-boy, had Sunset proven that time and time again. Sometimes spectacularly.

Sunset stopped as she reached a pair of massive crystal doors. If this castle’s layout was anything like the one in Canterlot, there’d be a dining area behind them with the kitchen neatly attached. Her target was likely hiding away in said kitchen and not the dining area so she probably had one more room to figure out what she was going to say and hopefully keep the exchange civil instead of launching straight into an angry tirade.

Sunset sighed again. Yeah, right… Like you have a chance of keeping your emotions at bay here. Sunset thought as she opened one of the doors in a turquoise glow of her horn and stepped inside the dining area.

As suspected, there was a long, ornately carved table with equally extravagant chairs surrounding it in the room. Light poured in from giant windows and everything sparkled with fractured light as the sunbeams hit the furniture, which sometimes sent out prismatic rainbows of light off in a random direction.

Sunset would have stayed to marvel at the room’s beauty, but she had a job to do!

Also Princess Luna was standing in the room and shooting Sunset a death glare so she was very likely going to die.

Sunset met Princess Luna’s steely gaze with panic as her legs locked up on her. I’m… I’m done for!

Luna simply stared forward for a moment. Obviously angry, but maybe content to sit on her feelings quietly? Sunset made a quick mental prayer that Luna would simply walk out of the room and let her be.

And then Luna spoke, “That was a very unkind thing you said to my sister in the nursery.”

Sunset swallowed. This was exactly what she expected Luna to say, provided she spoke and didn’t just blast her or like… use dream magic to make her go crazy. So what was the appropriate response?! ‘Hey! You and I both transformed into horrible, powerful, entities with a penchant for megalomania! We should be friends!’ Maybe she should bring up the monsters born of darkness thing?! Was that too soon?! Maybe… Maybe she could build up to that and lead with something else?! I mean… At heart, she was just trying to help Cadance, and it’s not like she didn’t feel sorry for…

Sunset closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I know,” she said. She opened her eyes back up. “I know I went too far… Mom…” Sunset cringed and then continued, “Princess Celestia does have a habit of pushing ponies harder than she means to but…” Sunset gave Luna an unsure expression. Taking things this direction might clear the air a bit or just make the Princess even angrier. On the other hoof, she really did feel bad, and should at least try to explain herself. “But I don’t think Celestia is to blame for me deciding to steal Twilight’s crown, transforming myself, and almost attacking Equestria. I… I got to that point all on my own and it wasn’t fair of me to even accidently suggest Celestia was responsible for doing that to me or”— Sunset lowered her head and tensed a bit “—any other pony… And I’m sorry I made her think that…”

Luna’s steely gaze softened a little. “Mother,” she said simply.

Sunset looked back up. “Ex… excuse me?”

“You referred to Celestia as ‘mom’, and if that’s what she is to you then you needn’t change how you address her around me.”

Sunset wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “Oh…”

Luna continued, “If Celestia took it upon herself to adopt you, then I believe your family tie is not something that can just be dismissed… If you still think about her in that regard, you have every right to express it.”

Sunset’s face lit up, her eyes suddenly becoming warm and moist. “So… So… Does mom still think of me as her daughter?”

“I’m afraid it is not my place to say.”

Sunset’s eyes widened and she felt her heart began to pound against her chest cavity as if it was trying to escape.

Luna met Sunset’s surprised look with one of her own. “My apologies,” Luna said. “I did not mean to alarm with my reply… But it sounds like you and my sister are overdue for a talk.” Luna turned to shoot a sour look at a pair of doors that no doubt led to the kitchen. “A fact only today I have been made aware of,” she said in an annoyed tone.

Sunset let out another sigh and shook her head. “That’s mom for ya, always playing it close to the vest when something is wrong.” Sunset paused. Did… Did she really just casually blurt that out to the princess who transformed into the legendary Nightmare Moon?!

Luna turned back and let out a small mirthful chuckle. “You indeed know her well.” She smiled warmly at Sunset. “And your words in the nursery, while perhaps misspoken, were not necessarily untrue. Though it is good that you are sorry,” Luna said with a nod. “Forgive my earlier coldness, but I know so little about you. I was trying to figure out what kind of pony you are.”

Luna was apparently a goldmine of sentences Sunset wasn’t sure how she should respond to. Sunset decided to get some clarification. “Well… what kind of pony do you think I am?”

Luna’s smile grew ever so slightly. “I think you are very kind, Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset bit at her upper lip. It had become glaringly apparent to her already that she was not prepared for this day, but she was NOT prepared for this day!

Luna continued, “Kind, well-meaning, but perhaps a little too eager to take the world on your own shoulders when it’s in your best interest to ask others for help. And yes, you haven’t quite mastered the anger that dwells in your heart, but it’s an anger that stems from the belief that you know what’s best.” Luna chuckled again. “Clearly you’re not always correct in this area, but as I’ve come to understand it, you’ve made great progress in that regard—” Luna opened her lips into a tooth-filled smile. “—Princess Sunset Shimmer.”

“Pa-pa-princess?!” Sunset exclaimed. She unfurled her wings and pointed at one with a forehoof. “Oh… These?! No, no, no, no, no! I just… I just got these when I suffused myself with pure friendship energy while trying to save my friends… and er… my world…” Sunset blushed slightly. “Maybe this one, too.”

Luna laughed and shook her head. “Quite the Princess-worthy deed. While my sister and I were born to the alicorn race, you clearly earned the gifts bestowed upon you.” Luna looked up, her eyes going distant as if she was looking at something far outside this room. “Though I confess I find it quite interesting we now live in a world where ponies, even ones that have achieved alicornhood, can give birth to other ponies with this gift.”

Sunset couldn’t help but put on a slightly devilish grin. “Me too!” As if catching herself Sunset suddenly cleared her throat. “But why do you think all that about me? You’ve just met me!”

Luna looked down at Sunset again, smile already on her face. “You remind me so much of another,” Luna said as she nodded towards the kitchen. “In fact, my sister had to go to great lengths to convince me you were adopted.”

Sunset unexpectedly felt her heart began to soar. “… Oh?”

Luna nodded. “Yes. In hindsight, yelling at my sister as to why she told me nothing about her daughter or the stallion who sired you was perhaps not the best way to start that particular conversation.”

Sunset smiled happily and let out a long laugh of joy and relief. Never could she have dreamed that things would go well with Luna, but clearly she had misjudged the alicorn mare. Regardless of what happened centuries ago, the mare before her was warm and comforting, things Sunset desperately needed at the moment.

Luna continued, “You are unequivocally the daughter of Celestia in mind and spirit.” Luna’s tone turned wistful. “I wish I could have known you when you lived at the castle. I would have been overjoyed to have you as my niece.”

Sunset’s laughter suddenly caught in her throat and turned into something quite different. She let out a series of quiet sobs as Luna’s word struck a chord deep within her and emotions overtook her completely. She didn’t know feeling acceptance from her would-be adopted aunt would touch her so, but the lunar princess provided her with a reassurance she didn’t even know she was looking for.

Luna trotted over to Sunset and gently wrapped a wing around her. “Shhh… Dry your eyes, little one. Save your emotions for those whom you came here to speak with.”

Sunset looked up in surprise. “How did you…”

Luna grinned. “Well, I think I figured out one thing that is different from my sister. You have the courage to face your past demons head on.”

Sunset cringed and ran a foreleg over her moistened face. “I think you might be a little disappointed about me in that regard… in multiple senses of the phrase.”

Luna let out another mirthful chuckle. “No, I doubt that,” Luna replied as she lightly pulled Sunset to her momentarily in a quick hug then parted, backing up a few steps. “How do you feel?”

Sunset smiled at Luna. “Happy,” her smile quickly fell a pit of wide eyed fright, “but also terrified.”

Luna nodded. “Take heart, my little pony. The greatest monsters are usually not outside but within us.”

Sunset winced and looked away. “Ain’t that the truth…”

“Hah! Well, I meant in our thoughts, but you have a point.” Luna smiled warmly. “Still, you have strength and resolve and both will serve you well for the two you’re going to speak with.” Luna turned towards the dining room doors and began to trot off. “I’ll leave you to it.”

Sunset smiled and nodded. “Alright…” Sunset felt her face heat up slightly as the next words rolled out of her. “Thank you, auntie…”

“Farewell, my dear niece,” Luna said, unable to conceal her smile or the fact that she ended up skipping out of the room instead of the dignified trot she usually carried herself with.

Sunset grinned after the mare for a moment before her brow crinkled. “Waitaminute?! Two?!”

“Oh!” A soft, surprised voice sounded out from the direction of the kitchen. “Hello again, Sunset.”

Sunset turned her confusion and levity quickly fleeing in the face of her anger. She locked her bloodshot eyes with the pink alicorn standing just a bit aways from her.

“WHY AREN’T YOU IN BED?!”

-ooo-

The alicorn baby giggled happily as it flapped her wings, filled its horn with magical energy, and let loose a small blast into the air. This was quickly followed by another blast and another as the baby gleefully shot small beams of destruction in all directions. Each blast was intercepted by a purple beam that ended in a shield, catching the blasts in midair before they could do further damage to the castle.

“Well! At least she’s having fun!” Pinkie said with a smile on her face as the baby flew her one way then the other as Pinkie held onto the pink mass of wings, horn, and devastation. Pinkie’s smile suddenly capsized, sinking into the deep ocean of terror she suddenly sported on her face. “Because I’m still convinced we’re all going to die!” she shouted shrilly.

For each yellow blast the baby let fly, Twilight Sparkle had a shield ready to counter it. She jumped and ducked, got up on her hooves then back to her belly, all while continuously letting out counter energy to intercept that baby’s own magical blasts before they could do any damage.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie let out a happy “Whhhheeeeeeee…!” That ended with the sound of terrified sobbing as she held onto the baby with both hooves. If the weight of a fully grown mare meant anything to the baby, it didn’t act as such. Instead it continued to fly in a happy circle of magical blasts shooting out wildly around the nursery.

“Pinkie, hold her still!” Twilight cried as her eyes darted across the room to track the tiny bundle of mayhem.

“I’m TRYIiIiIiIiIiIiING!” Pinkie exclaimed as she put her hooves down and dug them against the smooth crystal ground as best she could. However, between the baby’s flying strength and the floor’s smoothness, Pinkie’s extra drag did little to slow the baby down as small wafts of dust drifted up from Pinkie’s extremities being dragged along.

Beads of sweat appeared on Twilight’s face as another baby blast fired out. This time Twilight ducked as the blast fired overhead.

‘Knock, knock, knock!’

Twilight turned to the nursery door with a relieved expression. Oh, thank Celestia! She wasn’t sure who was on the other side, but it was pretty undeniable that she could use some help. At the very least whoever was out there could maybe grab hold of Pinkie and slow the baby down somewhat.

“Come in!” Twilight said. “Watch out! There’s a lot of magical beams being shot about in here!”

As if to punctuate the statement, the baby fired a couple more blasts which Twilight quickly countered.

One of the nursery’s giant double doors opened, revealing Spike holding a rolled-up scroll. “Hey, Twilight!” Spike greeted, holding up his free claw. He looked around briefly. “Hey Pinkie! How’s it—”

‘PCHOOOOO!’

“—Ah!” Spike let out a startled yelp and ducked as a blast of magic sailed over his head.

“I told you!” Twilight said. “Magic beams!”

“Yeah! I got that!” Spike replied. He turned to Pinkie once more. “How are you holding up, Pinkie?”

Much better than expected!” Pinkie replied happily as the baby continued to soar overhead, Pinkie dangling ineffectively below it. “But I thought we’d all be dead already, so the bar was pretty low to begin with!”

The baby let out yet another blast. Twilight dove to her right and fired another counter from her horn. “Hey, Spike… You probably have some nice weight to you, right?”

Spike placed his claws on his hips and gave Twilight an indignant look. “What are you implying?”

“Well, if you could help by maybe grabbing Pinkie and try to stop this baby from flying around and blasting everything in sight, I’d be most—”

‘PCHOOOOO!’

Twilight cringed and put up circular barrier a mere moment before her eyes went cross-eyed at the spot the magical blast of energy just hit in front of her face.

“—grateful!”

Spike cocked an eyebrow. “Why don’t you just put up a barrier like the one you just used?”

“Uh…”

‘PCHOOOOO!’

Twilight’s barrier fell away as she quickly countered another blast. “Because that would only help me?” She replied. “And then Pinkie might die?”

I DON’T WANT TO DIE!” Pinkie screamed shrilly.

Twilight nodded towards Pinkie. “And I have it straight from the horse’s mouth that Pinkie doesn’t want that!”

“No, not around yourself,” Spike said. He motioned with a claw to Pinkie and the baby. “Around the baby!”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Oh!” Her horn glowed purple followed by the soft sound of magic rippling. “Good idea, Spike!”

“WHY DID YOU TRAP ME INSIDE WITH THE BABY?!” Pinkie yelled as the baby continued to fly with Pinkie latched on to her, the purple ball of energy both she and Pinkie were in doing little to dull the fun it was apparently having flying about the room.

“You’ll be fine!” Twilight said. “Hanging onto the baby like that you’re pretty much out of its arc of fire! Just keep holding on!”

Pinkie replied with a series of sad sobs as she continued to be Equestria’s least effective anchor for a baby.

Twilight looked back down at Spike. “I’m sure the baby will tire itself out soon.” Twilight’s face lit up. “So how’d Starlight’s talk with Sunburst it go?”

“Actually, she’s probably still talking to Sunburst.”

“Oh?” Twilight asked with interest. Her eyes suddenly caught something and she stared at the scroll in Spike’s claw intently. “Hey wait, is that my list?!”

Spike put on a sheepish smile and quickly hid the scroll behind his back. “Is what your list?”

Twilight gave Spike an unamused look. “Spike, I’m an adult pony, not a newborn foal. I have a pretty rock-solid understanding of object permanence…” Twilight’s ears perked up as if a thought just occurred to her. “Hey, Pinkie!” she called out. “Try covering the baby’s eyes for a second!”

Uh… Okay!” Pinkie shouted back. From underneath the baby, Pinkie rapidly shifted her muzzle and head downwards, causing her long collection of pink curls to flip in front of her face. She followed this up by throwing her head back causing her mess of curls to land on the baby’s face.

The baby responding with a terrified scream as it began firing even more magic and flying the giant purple orb containing it and Pinkie into walls, pillars, and furniture.

“THAT ONLY MADE THINGS WORSE!” Pinkie informed in a terrified tone.

Twilight nodded. “Okay, so the baby is filled with a profound sense of unease and fear when it believes the universe has suddenly been unmade.”

“WHY WOULD YOU THINK OTHERWISE?!” Pinkie replied.

“It's an alicorn baby born from pony parents!” Twilight exclaimed. “We know next to nothing about it! I guess maybe we should be happy it’s not overjoyed at the thought of everything around it suddenly winking out of existence!”

Pinkie flipped her hair down off the flying foal’s face and back over her own. Able to see again, the baby merrily resumed its joyous game of flying all over the place and blasting at the barrier Twilight created around it and Pinkie.

“I’D SETTLE FOR THE BABY WANTING TO TAKE A LITTLE NAPPY-WAPPY ONCE IT THOUGHT THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO DESTROYEE-WOYEE!” Pinkie shouted.

“Don’t say that!” Twilight said. “We want the baby to grow up to be a force of good, not an evil entity that destroys everything around it until it decides it’s time for bed!”

“I’M NOT CONVINCED THAT’S CURRENTLY NOT THE CASE!”

Twilight rubbed at her chin with a forehoof. “Gee, figuring out the motivations for a newborn who can fly and shoot building destroying levels of magic out of its horn sure is a lot harder than I would have thought.”

Uh, Twilight?” Spike interjected. “When would you ever use that information like… ever?”

Twilight turned to look at Spike. “Well Spike, considering Sunset seems intent on having her own baby alicorn and hey… I might want a child at some point, even if it does turn out to be a flying force of near endless power. So yeah, I’m pretty sure this is a worthwhile endeavor.”

“Heh-heeeee… Fair enough,” Spike replied.

Twilight glanced over at the baby who had decided doing loop-de-loops in its magic bubble was now preferable to doing circles around the room. All the while, Pinkie held fast as the baby took her upwards and downwards again, the pink mare alternatively letting out sounds of excited joy and terrified dread as if she was currently riding the world’s most extreme roller coaster.

Twilight put on another thoughtful look. “Huh… I’ll have to ask Cadance and Shining how much the baby eats… I wonder if all this excess energy it’s putting out could be used to efficiently generate electricity.”

Spike gave Twilight a blank look. “Are you seriously considering making some sort of baby power plant?”

“I’m just thinking pragmatically!” Twilight exclaimed.

“HeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEY!” Pinkie exclaimed as the baby continued to gleefully do loop-de-loops. “WeEeEeE cAaAaAAn MaAaAaAaAybEeEeEeE siIiIiIiIick the baAaAaAaAaby OoOoOon the NeEeEext ViIillaAaAan WeEeEeEeEe HaAaAaAve to FiIiIiIiIight!”

“Oh, good thinking, Pinkie!” Twilight said. “I should really start a list here.” She turned towards Spike, “Speaking of lists…”

Spike sighed and produced the list. “Yeah, this is the list. Starlight wanted me to thank you and say ‘one part’ was useful.”

“What?! Just one part?!” Twilight cried in disbelief. “But there’s SO much there!” Twilight narrowed her eyes. “Wait, did Sunset send you back with the list?”

Spike shook his head. “Actually she came back to the castle before me. I was kinda wondering if you’ve seen her.”

Twilight groaned. “I didn’t even know she came back by herself! What is that girl…” Twilight trailed off as realization set in. “Wait… So if you’re back, then Starlight is alone with Sunburst?”

Spike nodded.

Twilight frowned heavily. “Did you tell her about the positions I suggested?”

“Well, she knows that’s a thing on the list.”

Twilight puffed out her lower lip in a pout. “She knew about it and she still didn’t want it?”

“‘fraid not,” Spike said shaking his head.

Twilight sighed. “But I was hoping if things went well with Sunburst they could be part of my control group!”

Spike raised an eyebrow. “Control group? What’s uh… What’s going on in the other groups?”

“Oh, you know… Various objects, items… foodstuff…”

“Foodstuff?”

“FoOoOoOoOdSuUuUuUuUuff MaAaAaAaAaAkes EeEeEeEvEeEeEeEryEeEeEeEeE thIiIiIiIiIing beEeEeEeEter!” Pinkie called out.

“Wow…” Spike uttered as he stared down at the list. “Even—?”

“YeEeEeEeEeEeEeEs!”

Twilight nodded. “What little data I have so far seems to confirm that theory. With some outliers, of course. I highly recommend you avoid chunky peanut butter if you attempt anything towards the bottom of that list.” Twilight frowned. “I am not in the control group.”

Spike cringed and grabbed the sides of his head. “Ah! Why would you even try that?!”

“We were out of creamy!” Twilight exclaimed. “Peanut butter was on the docket for that day!” Twilight threw out her forehooves. “What was I supposed to do?! Cancel the experiment?! I don’t think so!”

Why are you even researching this?!”

Twilight narrowed her eyes. “Sciiiiiiieeeeeeence? Look, if Starlight didn’t want the list and she and Sunburst are still talking, what are they talking about?

“Oh, well we got to the bit about sharing something embarrassing from your past or something you regret and then Starlight blurted out the whole cutie mark stealing thing and then Sunburst sort of admitted he hasn’t done much with himself and then… I guess they wanted some private time to talk about that?”

Huh…” Twilight uttered. She smiled slightly. “Well, so long as they’re talking, I guess this was a win.”

-ooo-

“So, let me get this straight…” Sunburst said as he stared out in front of him with a serious look on his face. “You used a combination of Grey Haven’s magical dispelling and Shining Color’s stain removal spell to steal cutie marks?! You then contained them using your own take on Jelly-jam’s preservation spell?!”

Er, yes?” Starlight said. She floated over a goblet filled with a deep red liquid to her lips and tilted it, taking a big sip.

“Brilliant!” Sunburst said as a quill suspended in midair by a yellow glow feverishly danced across a blank scroll in front of Sunburst as he stared down at his own writing with a slightly delirious and giddy look.

Starlight smiled pensively at Sunburst. “Well, I’m flattered you’re excited by the evil dark magic I created to steal cutie marks, but I don’t think this is what Twilight had in mind when she wanted us to ‘reconnect’.”

“Sure, sure!” Sunburst said as he put his quill down in an inkwell, turned to face Starlight, and floated his own wineglass up to his lips. Putting down his wine, he smiled widely at Starlight. “Now for the brainwashing, did you simply wear the ponies down through mundane means, or was there a spell for that too?”

Starlight’s smile only turned more embarrassed as she brought her glass back up to her lips and tilted it along with her muzzle until both were pointed skyward. She looked back down her, now empty, glass. “Er… I umm… Is there more?” Starlight asked as she held up her wine glass and waved it from side to side.

“Oh! Umm…” Sunburst glanced to a shelf filled with scrolls, removed several with a yellow glow of his horn and pulled out a full bottle of red wine. Starlight took the bottle in an azure glow.

Sunburst glanced down at his scroll. “So… er…. Would you say it was harder removing a cutie mark from a princess? I mean… magically speaking, of course.”

Starlight uncorked the bottle of wine, brought it straight to her lips, and took a couple of gulps.

-ooo-

Still!” Twilight said forcefully as she stared at the list. “I put a lot of effort into this friendship lesson!” Twilight let out a groan. “Don’t tell me Sunset convinced both you and Starlight that the list was useless!”

“Hey, I tried using the list!” Spike said. “But I guess Sunset was sort of right in that it fell apart pretty quickly… I mean, aside from that ‘if all else fails’ bit, I couldn’t find much that would help when Starlight and Sunburst started awkwardly wondering why you asked Starlight to do this in the first place. I mean…” Spike held his claws up in a shrug. “Maybe Sunset had a point that just asking Starlight to reconnect with Sunburst for the sake of friendship is kinda a weird thing to do?”

“But I got all my friends when Celestia asked me to come to Ponyville and make some friends!” Twilight said, motioning to Pinkie to make her point.

“IiIiIiIiIiI caAaAaAaAaAaAn’t feEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEl aAaAaAaAaAnythIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiING buUuUuUuUuUuUt the buUuUuUrniIiIiIiIng iIiIiIiIiIn my aAaAaAaArms frOoOoOoOoOm hoOoOoOoOldiIiIiIiIiIiIng OoOoOoOoOoOoOn!” Pinkie replied as she continued to be spun around as she held on tightly to the baby.

“You’re doing fine!” Twilight shouted at Pinkie.

“Yeah, but Celestia didn’t write you a big list on how to do it!” Spike insisted, pointing at Twilight’s own big list. “And you even tried to avoid making friends and only made some when you all saved Equestria together!”

“See, I thought about that!” Twilight said. “Sending Starlight to save the world and make some friends in the process is going to be part of my advanced lessons! This is only lesson one.”

Spike gave Twilight a concerned look. “Wait… Are you just hoping something will come around to threaten Equestria, or are you planning on making something happen?”

“Well, I figure Equestria is threatened often enough that the chances of me being able to create and utilize a lesson for Starlight based on this fact is probably solid enough, but I have several contingency plans in case—”

Spike threw his claws up in front of him. “Sorry I asked. But I think Sunset’s point is that making friends should be a bit more natural process?”

Ugh!” Twilight exclaimed. “Sunset again! I don’t even know what’s going on with her! She’s been messing things up and getting on my case all day!”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on her?”

“Me?!” Twilight cried as she pointed a forehoof towards herself. “She’s the one who's been getting into shouting matches with Princess Celestia and me at every turn!”

Spike scratched the back of his head. “Well, I think she’s sort of lashing out at you because maybe she has some issues with you and Starlight?”

“What?!” Twilight exclaimed. “But she seems to like Starlight! Don’t tell me she’s jealous because I made Starlight my pupil and not…” Twilight trailed off as she thought about her last, nearly complete sentence for a bit. “… Whoops.”

“‘Whoops’?” Spike parroted as a cocked an eyebrow. “I’m sure you can do better than that!”

“Hey! Things were different when I met Sunset! We still lived at the library. I was figuring out the whole ‘Princess of Friendship’ stuff still. Time was running out before we had to go back so it’s not like I had a lot of time to sort this all out…”

“Well… It’s not like we left right away… I mean, after we defeated Sunset we still stayed for the Fall Formal.”

Twilight went quiet for a second. “… A cute guy asked me to dance, Spike! I’m not made out of stone.”

Spike narrowed his eyes slightly. “Why did you so readily agree to dance with Flash, anyway?” he asked. “I mean… you’d only been a human for a few days and suddenly you were all gaga for the guy!”

Twilight narrowed her eyes at Spike. “I don’t know Spike. Why did you go all gaga over the Rarity in that dimension despite being a dog? Heck! Why do you have a crush on the Rarity here despite being a dragon when she’s a pony?!”

“Heh-heeeee…” Spike chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. “I formally retract my question…”

Twilight sighed. “Alright, so I could have handled the whole Starlight/Sunset situation better… But I mean… Why doesn’t Sunset just come up to me instead of lashing out all the time?”

“Twilight, Sunset has the emotional stability of a cantaloupe… And not like just any cantaloupe from Ponyville market. This cantaloupe grew up fat and has been picked on by the other cantaloupes all his life for being bigger than them!”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Spike, for the last time, nopony cares how much you weigh! I mean, it’s not like anypony has ever once said anything to you about your weight!”

You did just a few minutes ago!”

“I wasn’t calling you fat!” Twilight exclaimed. “I was just hoping your and Pinkie’s combined weight might slow the flying baby down!” Twilight turned and briefly looked at the baby as it continued to effortlessly do loop-de-loops as Pinkie held on tight. “Though on further consideration, I’m not sure it matters what you weigh as the baby seems to have no concept of gravity when it’s flying.”

“Okay, fine! But what about that time that Rarity called me her chubby little Spikey-wikey?!” Spike cried out as he held his claws facing upwards in front of him.

“Spike! She just thought she was being cute! Rarity has a rather large collection of things she’s called you including ‘her big, strong, Spike-wikey’ and ‘Spikey-wikey the brave spider shooer-awayer! What she calls you depends on what she wants from you or even just how she feels at the time! Besides, that’s coming from a pony who occasionally eats her own weight in ice cream.”

“But she cries that out,” Spike said. He licked his lips. “And then her tears are yummy and sweet!”

“…Okaaaay!” Twilight said awkwardly with a nervous smile. “Well, putting the subject back on track, what’s all this about Sunset being unstable?”

Spike’s jaw dropped. “You mean you honestly haven’t noticed the signs?!”

What signs?!”

>-ooo-<

Sunset Shimmer lifted the bun of a hamburger as she sat in a booth next to Fluttershy. As Sunset examined everything under the bun, her eyes began to fill with tears. “There’s… sniff… There’s pickles on my burger even though I specifically asked for no pickles… I think the girl who took my order still hates me because of what I did at the Fall Formal.”

Fluttershy reached over a hand to pat Sunset on the shoulder. Sitting across a red table from Sunset and Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash raised a hand to her forehead and Rarity sighed as she scratched Spike’s chin.

“Not this again,” Rainbow Dash uttered in an exasperated tone.

“There, there…” Fluttershy said in a comforting tone. “I’m sure it was an honest mistake.”

“Indeed,” Rarity chimed in as she momentarily glanced away. “Sunset, that girl doesn’t even go to our school and she looks to be about 30…”

“No!” Sunset exclaimed tearfully. “I deserve this!” she cried as she took a bite of her burger and swallowed. “This is my penance for all my evil ways.” Sunset took another bite. “Sob… Oh, pickles make it taste so weird!”

Spike looked up at Sunset in concerned and suddenly hopped out of Rarity’s lap and ran across the brick floor. “Uh, Twilight?” he said as he approached the purple princess turned human. “Sunset’s kind of having a moment and can maybe use your help?”

“In a moment, Spike!” Twilight said without looking back at Spike as she waved a hand at him behind her back. Twilight stared intently at a screen on a red, rectangular machine that stood slightly higher than a human as Pinkie Pie leaned backwards with her head in an opening of the machine, her mouth pointed up. “This machine apparently has hundreds of drink combinations despite it’s relatively small size! I’m trying to figure out how it works,” Twilight continued as she pushed a few buttons on a screen and a stream of colorful liquid poured down into Pinkie’s waiting mouth.

>-ooo-<

Sunset Shimmer stood with her arms wrapped around Applejack and her head buried in the cowgirls shoulders. Sunset let out powerful, sorrowful sobs as she clutched Applejack tightly.

Applejack sighed and gently patted Sunset on the back. “Now Ah’m sure the store just ran out of your favorite flavor of microwave burritos and that there’s no one who's following you around to buy up your favorite things before you can get to them ‘cause they’re mad atcha…”

Spike eyed the scene then turned to Twilight, patting the girl on the leg with a paw a few times. “Uh… Twilight? I think—”

“Oh my GOSH, Spike!” Twilight said as she leaned down on a grocery store counter, her head on top of the bar scanner as a male grey-faced cashier with an annoyed expression so deeply ingrained on his face that it looked like it was chiseled in stone stood motionless holding a TV Dinner. Twilight continued in her giddy tone, “This machine uses condensed LIGHT to scan those weird zebra print looking things and—OW!” Twilight suddenly bolted straight up and covered an eye.

“Are you alright?!” Spike asked in concern.

“Fine!” Twilight replied as she immediately bent back down, putting her face right up against the bar scanner. “Just that condensed light is really bright!”

“Ooo!” Pinkie exclaimed as she zipped up to Twilight. “Are you looking for the little gnome inside the machine who enters the grocery numbers to the checker’s computer?!”

“There’s a gnome?!” Twilight asked excitedly.

The grocery checker’s shoulders slumped forward as he let out a long, continuous sigh.

>-ooo-<

Sitting on a light-blue couch in between an annoyed-looking Rarity and Rainbow Dash who both leaned forward with their elbows resting on their knees and hands cupping their chins, Sunset Shimmer let out a loud, anguished moan as tears practically shot out of her eyes.

Sitting diagonally away from the other girls on a light-blue loveseat, Fluttershy grinned sheepishly as she sat next to Pinkie and whispered, “Maybe showing Sunset ‘Up’ wasn’t such a great idea…”

“Her?!” Pinkie said. She turned forward with wide, glassy eyes as she puffed out her quivering lower lip. “I just thought this movie was about balloons and a flying house! Sniff… I feel so sad and betrayed!”

Sitting on Twilight’s lap who sat in a big easy-chair, Spike looked up. “Uh, Twilight? Maybe you should try to comfort your—”

“Oh, Celestia!” Twilight exclaimed as she stared in front of her intently. “And they do this all with computers?!”

Spike sighed. “Nevermind…”

Applejack sat on the floor cross-legged with an elbow propped against a knee and a cheek resting on her fist. “Buckle in, y’all… We’re only five minutes into the film.”

<-ooo->

“Okay!” Twilight said in a huff. “So I can get distracted in that other world! I can’t help it with all the technological wonders they have just all over the place!” Twilight threw back her head and moaned. “Still, I guess I should talk to Sunset about all this… Even if I didn’t mean to spurn her with Starlight, I guess I sort of accidently did…” She turned back to Spike. “Okay, Spike… I’ll find Sunset and bring this all up with her. I’m sure we can work things out without too much trouble.”

Spike smiled and gently punched one of Twilight’s shoulders. “Now that sounds like something a Princess of Friendship would say!”

Form the center of the room, the baby’s elated cries grew as Pinkie’s terrified shrieking increased.

TwiIiIiIiIiIiLiIiIiIiIiIiIiIght! The baAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAby is OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOnly geEeEeEeEeEeEtIiIiIiIiIiIng FaAaAaAaAaAaAsteEeEeEeEeEeEeEr!”

Twilight turned to look at Pinkie and the baby in concern. The pair were now little more now than a pink blur suspended in a magical purple bubble. “Thanks, Spike… But maybe we should help Pinkie first.”

Spike scratched the back of his head. “That’s, uh, that’s also probably a good thing for the Princess of Friendship to say...”

Next Chapter: Chapter 11: Hope You Packed a Toothbrush Because We’re Going on a Feels Trip Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 39 Minutes
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