A look into the past

Twenty-Three Years Ago.

We find a seven year old Starlight Glimmer pacing around the living room of her house where she had set up a game of book Jenga. She was waiting on her best friend and second player, Sunset Shimmer, who is twenty minutes late at the moment. Starlight was extremely worried for her best friend because her parents aren't exactly, good parents.

"Is she okay? What's going on? She's always on time! What's going o-" Starlight's rant was cut off as there was a knock on the door.

She rushed towards the door and opened it. Sunset was standing in the archway of her best friends front door.

"Hey Glim Glam." She greeted shyly. "I'm sorry I'm so late."

Starlight stared at her friends eyes, because one of them was very noticeably blacker than normal.

"Sunny, How did you get that black eye?" She asked without thinking.

"Um. I uh. I-I....I.....Ran into a doorknob. Yeah. That's what happened." Sunset answered hastily.

"No, It's not! Sunset you've let your parents do....this to you for too long. You need to tell somepony!" Starlight said exasperated.

"...Please don't make me." Sunset said, scared that if she did her parents would hurt her even more than normal.

"Sunny...." Starlight started. Sunset seemed to shrink in on herself. Starlight sighed.

"Okay. I'll drop it for now. Let's focus on playing our game, okay?" Starlight tried.

"...Okay..." Sunset agreed shyly.

And so the two young fillies played their little game of book Jenga for awhile, happily letting their fun distract them from the grimness of Sunset's life.

Until Suddenly, the books topple over towards Starlight.

"AAAAH"

""STARLIGHT"

The young mauve unicorn braced herself to be smothered by a bunch of books, but the pain never came. She opened her eyes and saw that Sunset had caught them all. The young filly began to float and pick random things up from around the room.

"Wha-huh?" Starlight gasped. There was a bright shine that engulfed the room.

As it died down, Starlight rushed to her friend, "Sunset! Are you okay?!"

As the filly made sure her fellow unicorn was alright, she realized Sunset had gained her Cutie Mark. It was a red and yellow sun, shaped not unlike Celestia's own mark.

"Sunset...You, You have your Cutie Mark!" Starlight exclaimed in awe.

Sunset perked up at those words. "I-I do?" she asked in shock.

The orange filly looked at her flank and sure enough, there it was. Her own Cutie Mark.

"I have my Cutie Mark!" She said in shock.

Suddenly, her body on autopilot, bolted out of Starlight's house and rushed to her parents.

"MOMMY! DADDY! I'VE GOT MY CUTIE MARK!!" She shouted excitedly as she found them outside strolling around.

"Please be proud of me...." Sunset begged to herself in anticipation.

"Huh? Oh. That's cool." Her Dad said.

"Let's send you off to Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns and see if it's any good." Her Mom said. before muttering quietly to her husband so that Sunset couldn't hear her.

"Maybe she'll be useful for a change a make us some money. Even if she doesn't, we'll be rid of her for good."

The father nodded in his agreement before picking Sunset up with his magic and carrying her over to the nearest carriage.

"Take this to Canterlot." He said dismissively to the driver.

"Wh-What!? B-But I-" Sunset tried to get out.

"No buts, Sunset. You don't want to disappoint Mommy and Daddy would you?" Her Mom shushed her, sending her a glare that promised another beating if she didn't comply.

"O-Okay. Yes, Mom." Sunset said reservedly.

Meanwhile, Starlight was standing off to the side quietly, feeling a mix of emotions. Happiness that her best friend got her Cutie Mark. Anger at how shitty her parents were. And anguish as she thought that this was the last time she was going to ever see Sunset.

Sunset looked over to where Starlight was standing and mouthed,

"I'll call you. I promise!"

To which Starlight nodded silently. The mauve filly was relieved that she would hear from her friend again. She waved from her spot, afraid of getting the attention of Sunset's parents by shouting her goodbyes.

One Week Later:

Sunset may have been hundreds of miles away from her parents, but she still had plenty of reminders of what would happen if she messed this up. Namely the many scars hiding just under her fur. Like the one on her right foreleg that she was rubbing while she waited in the hall.

"Sunset Shimmer?"

"Here!" She yelled as she was jolted out of her stupor.

"You're up kid. Get a move on." The stallion said, ushering the nervous filly into the testing hall.

Before Sunset could protest the door was shut behind her, leaving her alone with the examiners. The unicorn took a few calming breaths and walked towards the four ponies watching her.

As she neared the middle of the auditorium, Sunset's eyes were drawn to the wooden hoof-pulled cart loaded down with hay, and much to her confusion, a large purple egg.

One of the examiners was a blue stallion holding a clipboard in his magic. "Sunset Shimmer?" He asked

"Y-yes."

"Well Sunset, your the last foal for today and I need to get home to my family, so I'll make this fast. That," he said, pointing to the egg, "Is a dragon egg. We need you to hatch it. We don't care how you do it, just do it. Got it?"

"Got it." Sunset said, racking her brain for anything she knew about dragons. The egg needs...Magic, right? She thought to herself, Yeah! All I need to do is channel all my magic into the egg, and it will hatch! Then Mom and Dad will be proud of me!

Confident in her magical abilities, Sunset splayed her legs and started channeling as much raw Mana into the egg as she could. Unknown to her, Celestia was watching from the room next door.

"Hmmm. This one is something special. She's no prodigy, well, not yet at least. But maybe after a few private lessons she'll be a suitable protege."

As the Princess mused about Sunset's magical prowess, the filly exhausted her mana reserves. She collapsed onto the floor with a smile on her face, confidant that when she looked up she would be greeted with the sight of a baby dragon.

As she looked up her confidant smirk melted off her muzzle, and was replaced by a look of abject horror. The egg was still sitting there, unchanged.

Her look of horror quickly morphed into one of pure, unbridled rage.

"NOOOOOO!" she screamed, magical flames coiling off of her in waves and incerating everything besides the ponies inside Celestia's hastily erected shield, "HATCH DAMN YOU! HAAAAAATCH!"

And as quickly as her surge of power had appeared, it was gone. Leaving a broken filly lying in the ashes, quietly sobbing. "Please…" she whispered, "Please hatch, I-i need you to hatch. Please…"

Her pleas were met with no hatching from the egg.

"Sunset?" Celestia asked from behind her, "Why do you need the egg to hatch so badly?"

"Because if I don't get into the school mom and dad will..."

"What will they do Sunset? I need you to tell me so I can help you."

"I-I can't tell you." Sunset said, so scared for her life that she didn't think she could trust the Princess.

"Sunset…" Celestia said, laying down and wrapping the filly in her wing, "What your parents are doing is wrong. They need to be punished for it, but I can't do anything unless you tell me what they're doing to you."

The Alicorn was lying of course, there was more than enough evidence to put them both away for life. But unless Sunset admitted that her parents beat her, she would always be the same broken filly.

".....I'm sorry….." the filly whimpered, nosing her way between Celestia's forelegs.

"Sunset? What if...what if I showed you that I could protect you from your parents? Would you tell me then?"

".......yes…...." Sunset said hesitantly.

"Alright then. Come with me, little one."

"....o-okay...." Sunset said softly from in between the Alicorn's forelegs. Celestia levitated the young filly and placed her on her back.

"Hold on to me Sunset." Celestia told her. Sunset nodded shyly and held on to the Alicorn princess tightly.

Celestia's horn lit up and as she prepared a spell. Sunset tried and failed at stifling her giggles as her body began to feel tingly as the Celestia's magic engulfed both of them. The sound of the filly's laughter made Celestia crack a small smile. After a small build up, the duo of motherly Alicorn and small filly teleport to Sunset's hometown.

"...whoa..." The filly said in awe as she had just teleported with Princess Celestia, all the way from Canterlot back to her home town. That was REALLY far.

"Now Sweetie, where can we find your...parents." Celestia asked the filly on her back.

"...um, can we please do something else first?" Sunset said, trying her best not to freak out.

"Of course we can, my little filly. Is there anything you want to do specifically?"

"May I please just ride on your back while you walk around for a little while?" Sunset asked shyly.

Celestia smiled softly at the filly's request.

"Of course you can, Sunset." Celestia said cheerfully.

Celestia had carried around a giggly filly for the next thirty minutes or so. They had passed by many a pony on there little adventure. Celestia had really enjoyed the little adventure with the filly, but then she asked her to stop in front of a couple ponies that seemed to be having a meal together.

"Are these your parents, little one?" Celestia asked when she came to a halt.

"No, They're Glim Glam's Parents!" Sunset said happily from atop the princess.

"Glim Glam?" Celestia inquired.

Sunset bent her head down to look Celestia in the eyes, which was a little weird since they were upside down because of Sunset's position.

"Starlight! My best friend! Those are her parents!" She said as if that fact was as clear as day.

"Oh. Well, do you want to talk them?" Celestia asked, already deciding that she was going to question the two ponies in front of her. Sunset gave a nod before placing her head back on top of Celestia.

The Princess walked over to the two ponies and stopped next to them. They didn't seem to notice her yet.

"Have you noticed that Starlight has been really depressed lately?" The dad asked.

"Yeah, I asked her about it, but all she did was grumble something about how 'You wouldn't understand', and, 'I hate Cutie Marks'." The mom responded.

"Ahem." Celestia said to get the couple's attention.

"Can I help yooooooo......" The stallion said, "Princess!" He quickly dropped into a bow, his wife following his lead.

"So sorry Princess! How may we help you!?" The mare asked frantically.

"You may rise now you two." Celestia told the couple, who then scurried to their hooves.

"I'm here because I am concerned about this little filly's life." Celestia said while motioning to Sunset who was still on her back. She gave a small wave to Starlight's parents. "I also happened to overhear your conversation about your daughter, Starlight, who is Sunset's best friend, Glim Glam, I presume." She continued.

"Yes. Starlight has been very upset over something lately. And as for Sunset-"

"Can I please talk to Glim Glam!?" Sunset interrupted.

All three adult ponies look towards her.

"Please? I really, really, really, need to talk to her." She asked shyly.

"Of course you can, Sunset. You don't mind if the three of us watch over you two while you talk, do you?" Celestia asked, having no intention of letting the filly out of her protection any time soon.

"..if that's okay with you guys..." Sunset said shyly before burying herself in Celestia's mane.

"Alright, well let's go talk to your daughter."

"Of course, Princess." The mare said with a small bow.

Ten minutes later, we find Sunset in front of her best friend's bedroom door, about to knock. She turned around to see Celestia nodding softly and mouthing 'Go ahead.'

"Okay, Sunset. Deep Breaths. In, out." The filly said to herself. She braced herself before knocking on her best friend's door.

"Go away Mom." The voice of Starlight came through the door.

"I-It's me, Glim Glam..." Sunset told her friend behind the door.

The door unlocked and swung open. Sunset was then engulfed in magic and pulled inside Starlight's room.

"Oof!" Sunset gasped as she pulled into a hug by her best friend.

"IT. HAS. BEEN. AN. ENTIRE. WEEK!" Starlight shouted as she held her best friend who might as well be her sister.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't have any chances to call or write you."

"Well....did you pass the entrance exam?"

"I'm not sure yet. I wasn't really given an exact answer." Sunset admitted.

"Well, if you HAVE passed, you promise me you'll visit OFTEN alright?" Starlight said as she pulled away from the hug to look Sunset in the eyes.

"I promise, Glim Glam."

"Good. Now give me more hugs." Starlight said firmly as she resumed hugging her bff.

"Oh my me, this is so cute!!!!" Celestia thought to herself.

At that moment, Starlight seemed to have just realized that Princess Celestia was standing in her doorway.

"Sunny?"

"Yeah?"

"Princess Celestia is standing right behind us."

"I know."

"Oh. Well it looks like she want's to talk to us, so maybe we should stop hugging for now."

"Okay. Again, I'm sorry for worrying you"

"It's okay, Sunset." The two fillies finished their conversation and parted from their hug. Again.

"Hello Princess Celestia! I see that you are inside my room!" Starlight said as calmly as she could.

"OH MY GOSH PRINCESS CELESTIA IS IN MY ROOOOM!!!!!" The little filly thought to herself.

"How astute of you Starlight." Celestia said with a small smirk, "Is it okay if I ask you a few questions Starlight?"

"Of course Princess. What do you want to know?"

"Well, I overheard from your mother that you apparently 'Hate Cutie Marks.' I would like to know if everything is alright dear."

"Well..." The filly says, scuffing the floor with a hoof, "Whenever one of my friends get a Cutie Mark, they become obsessed with it. They spend all their time doing whatever their special talent is and forget that I even exist..."

"And You were scared that the same would happen with Sunlight, weren't you?"

A tear runs down her cheek, "I was. And I thought it did."

Sunset hugs her friend tightly, "I would never leave you Starlight."

"So cute!" Celestia thought to herself

Starlight held her friend close, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I would never leave you Glim Glam." Sunset said.

"You better not!" Starlight said with a playful angry look, causing both fillies to giggle.

"I never will."

The two fillies separated from their hug and gave their attention back to their princess.

"I'm glad to see that you were able to work it out by yourselves." Celestia said with a smile.

"Is there anything else you would like to talk about while we are on this topic, Starlight?"

"No Princess. But can I ask you something?"

"Of course, by all means."

"Is Sunset going to go to your school?"

"Of course! She proved to be very exceptional on her entrance exam." Celestia said happily.

"She did? What did she have to do?"

"We have ponies try to hatch a Dragon egg, which is pretty much impossible, to gauge there magical abilities." Celestia said.

"Really? That seems a little....cruel to the foals. Giving them a test they can't pass."

"I know dear, I don't like it, but it's really effective and in the case of Sunny here, destructive." Celestia told the two fillies.

"If we were to make a normal way of testing their abilities a foal with incredible abilities like Sunset would probably destroy it. Dragon Eggs are indestructible until they hatch." She informed them.

The Princess left out the part about Sunset destroying the testing hall in her

"Wow Sunny! I never realized that you were so good at magic!"

The orange filly blushed, "I didn't either Glim Glam."

"She was one of the best I have seen in a long time. So good, in fact, I would like to make you my personal student, Sunset!" Celestia said cheerfully.

"Well? What do you say?"

Said filly simply stared at the Princess.

"Are- are you serious?"

"Very Serious!"

Sunset launched herself at the Alicorn, tears running down her face as she hugged her, "Thank you!"

"You are quite welcome, little one." Celestia said with a smile.

Starlight looks on with slight jealousy. "I wish Mom would hug me like that...." She thinks.

Her look went on without the other two noticing thankfully because she lost that train of thought as best as she could.

'Mom isn't bad at all, I just wish she would hug me more often. She definitely is nowhere near as bad as Sunset's Mom'

"Princess?" Sunset asked.

"Yes, my dear?"

"I need to go to the bathroom..." She said with a blush.

Both Princess Celestia and Starlight shared a small laugh at this.

"Go ahead Sunny." Celestia said in between her chuckling.

"Thank you." The filly scurried downstairs to use the bathroom.

Celestia and Starlight looked at each other after Sunset left.

"So, Starlight, can I ask you about Sunset's parents?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

Celestia raised an eyebrow at this.

'This may end up being easier than I thought'

"They beat her. They neglect her. They hate her."

'That's what I thought'

"You realize I'm going to put them in dungeon right?"

"It's what they deserve." Starlight said spitefully, "It's my fault this is still happening. I should've told somepony..."

"Starlight, look at me." Celestia said as she slid her hoof underneath the filly's chin.

"Don't you dare blame yourself, you understand me?"

Celestia pulls the filly into a hug.

"Shh. It's okay. Don't cry." Celestia said comfortingly.

After a little while, they pull apart.

"Better?"

"Sniff A little..."

"Now Starlight, I need you to tell me why you didn't tell anypony. Can you do that?"

"Because Sunset begged me not to. She was afraid her parents would hurt her more..."

Yep. Definitely torturing them myself.' Celestia thought.

"I saw her room once."

At least she HAD a room. But this cannot be good'

"She...she sleeps on the floor. She doesn't even have a bed Princess..."

The floor cracks a little as Celestia got a 'little' angry. The Sun Goddess took in a deep breath to calm herself.

"Sorry. Just a little Absolutely Livid. At this point, regardless of evidence, they're going to be thrown in the dungeon by sundown." Celestia said

"Promise something Princess."

"Of course dear."

"I don't care what happens to them, just promise me Sunset will never see them again."

"Pssh. You might as well have asked me to make you a million cakes. I was never going to let them near her ever again."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome"

Celestia knocked on the door of a rather sad looking home near the edge of the village. Sunset was once again on her back, this time holding on to the Alicorn dearly.

After a minute there was no response.

She knocked again.

"Ugh! Go away!" A bitchy female voice sounded through the door.

She knocked non-stop until somepony answered.

"WHAT!?!" A gruff looking stallion answered as he swung open the door.

"Greetings." The Princess said with a smile that never reached her eyes.

The stallion stared in shock and horror a few seconds before gulping it down.

"Shine! Princess Celestia is here!" He yelled for his wife.

"Please come in, Princess." He continued, ushering in the Sun Goddess.

"Thank you." She said following the stallion inside.

Shinny Dew, Sunset's horrible adoptive mother came running out of the living room soon after.

"Princess Celestia! What a surprise!" She said with clearly fake enthusiasm.

Celestia took note of her panic lurking just below the surface, waiting for a reason to jump out.

This is going to be fun The Alicorn Goddess thought to herself.

"What brings you to our home, Princess?" The stallion asked timidly.

"It's about your daughter here." She said, placing the filly next to her, "She made quite the impression at her enterance exam."

Sunset hid behind Celestia's leg when her parents glared at her.

"Ugh! I thought we were rid of her for good! WHY IS SHE BACK!?" Shinny Dew screamed in her thoughts.

It was hard to ignore their glares at the inoccent filly. But Celestia did. "I just need to ask you a few questions and I'll be out of your manes."

The two adoptive parents shook their heads to clear there thoughts.

"Of course, Princess!" The stallion said.

"Well firstly, I'll need to collect her belongings so Sunset can move to the school full-time. Is that alright?"

That caught the two ponies off guard.

"Uh that's not necessary right now! She left all her things at her friend's house! Starbright Glummer!" Drilling Heart, Sunset's terrible adoptive father said hastily.

The mother nodded in agreement.

Wow. That's....that's just sad honestly. Celestia thought, "Oh! Alright then. I'll just stop by there later."

Sunset's parents breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay. Pardon me for asking, but can we move to a table to talk? My legs are getting tired." Drilling asked. Shinny shot him a look that said "Are you kidding me!?"

"Of course. Lead the way."

The two nervous ponies lead the goddess and filly to a dining room with a table for four.

"May I get you anything?" Shinny Dew asked the Princess.

Celestia had no intention of eating anything in this house, but she had to keep up the act, "Some tea would be nice."

"Tea! Coming right up, Princess!" Shinny said happily.

After about ten minutes, She came back with three cups of tea. She placed one at Celestia's spot, her own, and her husband's spot.

Celestia adopted an overly confused look, "Why is there only three? What about Sunset's cup?"
Of course you didn't get any for your daughter you bitch.

"Oh! Silly me. I must've forgot." Shinny said through gritted teeth with barely hidden disdain. She sent a glare at Sunset who shrunk into Celestia's fur.

Celestia put a hoof around her and whispered to her, "Don't worry sweetie, she can't hurt you now."

Shinny Dew came back with one more cup of tea.

Let's see how you like this, Sunset. Heheh. Shinny Dew thought to herself.

"Oh, let me get that for you!" Celestia said, levitating the cup to Sunset and purifying it with a simple spell, which went unnoticed by everypony in the room.

"Here you are Sunset."

"Thank you Princess. T-Thank You, Mother." Sunset said timidly.

"Don't worry about it Sunset." Shinny Dew said with fake cheerfulness.

'It'll be nice to see you in pain one more time before you're out of our mane for good.'

"Thank you for the tea, Ms...?"

"Dew! My name is Shinny Dew!" Shinny Dew said hastily.

"Well Ms. Dew, I have to ask. Why did neither of you attend your daughter's entrance exam?"

"Uh...."

"What?"

"Well except for in special circumstances, it's customary for the foals parents to attend as well. So why weren't you two there?"

Say it. Say it you bitch! Tell me that you didn't come because you hate her! Tell me!

"Because we were busy with stuff that day!" She said hastily, hoping that excuse would work.

"Hmm. Odd. Today is Sunday. The one day everypony has off. What could you possibly have been doing that was more important than your daughter?"

"Um...We..We had a....thing that day...?" Shinny Dew tried.

"Regardless of your reasons, because you weren't to take care of your daughter, she spent the first two days sleeping in an ally. If it wasn't for my aide, she probably would have spent the entire week there!"

"While she was in my care, your daughter told me that she's been having problems at home. But she wouldn't tell me what they were. Would you two know anything about that?"

"THAT LITTLE SHIT SAID WHAT!?" Drilling Heart snapped.

He then got up from his seat and went after Sunset.

Celestia grabbed the stallion and slammed him into the table, shattering it, "I've had enough of this farce!" She said, digging a hoof into his back.

"Wh-What? What's going on!?" Shinny Dew said in terror as she backed up from the Alicorn.

"Do you take me for a fool?!" Celestia said, kicking the stallion next to his wife, "The moment I met Sunset I knew something was wrong!"

Shinny Dew Jumped back from her husband's form in shock.

"What are you talking about!?" Shinny Dew screamed in disbelief.

"I talked to Starlight. She told me everything. The beating. The neglect. The hatred. From both of you."

"That -hrrk- little bitch from the Flounder's house!?" Drilling Heart coughed from the floor.

Celestia kicked him again, "Shut up."

"Hurrk!" He coughed in pain.

"You two are going away for a long time. Forever in fact. Once I've tired of torturing you, I'll just turn you to stone for my statue garden."

"N-No. Please!" Shinny Dew said in terror as she backed away from Celestia even more.

"Please don't do that to me!" She begged.

The enraged Princess followed her, "How many times has Sunset said that to you? How many times has she begged for mercy only to receive none?"

"I-I...I.." Shinny Dew trailed off.

"Countless times. I want you to remember that a hundred years from now, when I turn you back from stone just to taunt you. When you're sitting in my statue garden, still barely conscious."

"I-I'm sorry!" She said with tears in her eyes.

"Please forgive me, Princess!"

"I don't want to die!" She shouted in terror.

"Oh, I'm not going to kill you."

"Y-you're not?" Shinny Dew said with a little hope.

"No. I'm going to make you wish I did."

Shinny Dew galloped out of the house as fast as she could.

Only for a golden band of magic to grab her legs, slowly dragging her back inside.

"Where do you think you're going?" Celestia said darkly.

Shinny Dew clawed at the ground. All the while pleading for mercy.

She clutched the door as hard as she could.

"Please let me go! I'll never bother Sunset or you again! PLEASE!" She begged.

"I know you won't." Celestia said, her mane smoldering as she yanked the mare inside.

"No no no no no! Please don't!" Shinny continued to beg.

A band of magic wrapped around her muzzle, "SHUT UP YOU BITCH!" Celestia yelled, her mane bursting into flames.

All Shinny could do was silently cry and helplessly thrash around.

"I SHOULD JUST KILL YOU NOW! SAVE MYSELF SOME PAPERWORK!"

Celestia felt something hugging her leg and looked down to see Sunset clinging to her leg.

"Please calm down, Celestia." She said timidly.

Her look of rage slowly melted, "S-sunset?" She blinked and looked down at the filly at her hooves, sobbing in fear.

"I don't want you to be a monster too!" She cried.

"Sunset....I'm so sorry...." The Alicorn said as she pulled the filly into a hug as she teared up, "I don't know what came over me...."

Sunset cried into the Alicorn's soft fur.

"Please don't be mad anymore!"

"I won't be. I can't be. Not with you."

"Promise?" She said as she looked into the goddess's eyes.

"I promise." She said, kissing the filly's forehead.

Sunset nuzzled the Alicorn's cheek.

"Okay. I'll wait for you to finish up with....them in my room." Sunset said after they separated from the hug.

"Okay, pack whatever you want to take with you sweetie."

"I will!" She said before heading to her room.

Celestia looked down at Shinny, "Don't think this changes anything. Got it?"

Shinny nodded in fear.

"Good. Now get up and help your husband."

She moved to obey the command and helped her injured husband up.

"If you come along quietly, I might go easy on you. Sunset's been through enough. Don't try and escape or make a scene, understood?"

"Yes Ma'am." Shinny said reservedly.

"FUCK YOU!" Drilling Heart said much to Shinny's horror.

Celestia backhoofed him across the room, "Shut up."

Shinny looked at the Princess in horror and moved to go help her husband up again.

"FU-" He was cut off by Shinny clamping his maw together.

"Hmm. At least your wife has more than a single brain cell." Celestia said, turning towards the stairs, "Don't try to leave."

"Of course not Ma'am." Shinny said as she held her husband.

"What the fuck is your problem!? Let me go!" Drilling said.

"No! We're fucked anyway, so if we comply, Princess Celestia may go easier on us!" Shinny said.

"You should listen to your wife." Celestia said as she walked up the stairs, "I don't want Sunset to even think about you two ever again. You going quietly helps her forget."

"But I won't hesitate to punish you for stepping out of line."

"I completely understand, Ma'am!" Shinny said hastily.

"Good. Make sure your husband does to."

"Yes Ma'am." Shinny said obediently.

"Which room is Sunset's?"

"The first door on the right." Shinny answered.

Celestia knocked on the door, "Sunset? May I come in?"

"Of course Celestia!" Sunset's voice came through the door.

"Thank you." Celestia pushed open the door and was shocked by what she saw.

It was terrible. There was cracks everywhere. A closet with the doors barely hanging on. There was no bed, only a sheet and a pillow. The only thing Sunset had with her was a stuffed toy that seemed to be stitched together by her own hoof/magic.

"Oh sweet mother Faust!" She said as she surveyed the sad scene, a hoof covering her mouth, "Is this what Starlight saw...?"

"Do you like my friend? Starlight gave him to me for my fifth birthday! His name is Hambo!" Sunset said happily as she levitated her stuffed buddy towards the Princess, effectively distracting her from the state of her room.

"He's wonderful sweetie. What is he?"

"Starlight said it's a mythical creature called a 'Hooman'! I love him!" Sunset said happily.

Oh if only you knew Sunset....

"That's wonderful sweetie. Is...is that all?" Celestia asked sadly.

"Yep" Sunset said.

'I'm going to give you the biggest room I can' Celestia thought to herself.

Celestia promised herself.

"Then let's go sweetie. Do you want to ride on my back again?"

Instead of answering, Sunset hopped onto the Sun Goddess's back.

"Well okay then." She said, walking downstairs, "Let's go." She said to the other ponies.

"Yes Ma'am." Shinny said complacently.

She pulled her grumbling husband along when he refused to get up by himself.

"Keep quiet and I won't make you ride in the luggage car."

Shinny nodded and Drilling blew a raspberry.

"Wow. That's pretty immature of you." Sunset said from atop of Celestia's back.

"Most males are." Celestia said with a smirk.

Sunset giggled at that remark.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Drilling shouted before being bucked in the face by Celestia.

"I guess you're going to need a muzzle then, aren't you?" Celestia said, weaving one around his head with her magic, "There now isn't that better?"

"I don't know why he wont shut up. I'm sorry Princess!" Shinny said.

"Don't bother. He'll be punished in the comfort of his own cold cell soon enough."

Shinny kept quiet like she was told after that, trying to be as compliant to Celestia as possible.

"At least one of them knows how to listen, right Sunset?"

Sunset chuckled at that comment.

"Where is the train station dear?"

"Three streets down to the left I think." Sunset informed the princess.

"Thank you dear." When she reached the station, she walked up ti the ticket booth, "Hello. Before you ask, yes, I'm really the Princess."

"Do ponies really ever think you're an impostor?" Sunset asked inquisitively.

"You'd be surprised."

"Sweet mother of Celestia! Princess Celestia is here!" The teenaged stallion in the ticket booth gasped in shock.

"Oh, Faust? She's on vacation."

She put a hoof over her mouth, "Oops! I'm not supposed to tell ponies that..."

"H-How may I help you?" The stallion said with a dopey smile.

"When does the train leave for Canterlot?"

"In ten minutes, milady!" The teen answered dutifully.

"I'll need three tickets please."

"But there's four of you?" The teen questioned as he got three tickets to Canterlot ready.

"Don't worry about that. The stallion is riding in the back."

"But coach still requires a ticket Ma'am." The teen said confused.

"Consider him.... luggage." She said with a smile.

"Whatever you say Princess!" The teen said with a shrug. He gave the Sun Goddess three tickets.

"Thank you." She said, giving the young Colt a rather large tip. "Buy something nice for your marefriend, okay?"

"Th-Thank You so much Princess!" The teen said happily.

'Now I can buy Sparrow that fancy scarf she wanted!' He thought to himself.

"Your welcome." Celestia said as she walked away, a smile on her face. "That's how you treat ponies Sunset."

"Okay!" Sunset said happily from her perch.

"I'll try my best to act like that with other ponies!" Sunset continued.

"Good. Maybe there's still hope...." She whispered to herself.

Shinny continued to drag Drilling by his legs, keeping quiet all the while. She was being very complacent.

Hmm. She might make a good toy eventually. Mother knows I need the relief.

"Okay Drilling." Celestia said as she reached the luggage car, "You have one chance to help yourself. One."

She took the muzzle off his head.

"I'm willing to let you ride with your wife if you apologize to me and Sunset."

Drilling's response was to spit at Celestia's face.

The Alicorn calmly tilted her head to the left, causing the spit to completely miss her and Sunset. "Alright then."

She then proceeded to punch him in the mouth hard enough to nearly shatter his jaw.

"AAAGH!" He screamed.

"Serves him right." Shinny mumbled to herself.

Celestia then hogtied him with her magic, wrapping it tightly around his muzzle.

"Some ponies just don't know when to give up."

She said, shoving him into the luggage car and slamming the door.

Shinny gulped when Celestia looked at her. She had her ears folded back in submission to the Alicorn Goddess.

"Hmm." Celestia said as she examined the smaller mare, "Perhaps I might make use of you yet."

"Uh...." Shinny said nervously.

"No matter. Follow me." She said, leading the way to the first class carriage.

Shinny followed the Princess and Sunset obediently.

"Yes Ma'am."

"Tell me Sunset. Who beat you the most? Your mother or your father?"

"My father. Definitely my father. Mother actually used to be nice, but Dad got her to be mean too."

Shinny's head drooped as she remembered the times when she was happy.

"Hmm. Thank you Sunset, you've given me something to think about."

"Of course, Celestia." Sunset exclaimed happily from her roost on Celestia's back.

"Here we are Sunset. Are you ready?" Celesta asked as they waited for the doors to open.

"I'm very ready, Celestia!" Sunset said happily.

The Princess strides outside as the doors open, Shinny following close behind. Her guards meeting her at the luggage car.

"Greetings Princess! Is this mare the prisoner you want us to transport?"

"No Sargent. The pony you'll be locking up is this one." She said, pulling open the door to reveal Drilling Heart, murder written on his face.

The Sargent punched the stallion in the face.

"Don't you dare look at the princess like that!" She shouted.

"Pffft." Shinny snickered at her husband's treatment.

The stallion thrashed against his bonds, his muffled yells promising pain he couldn't deliver.

"Put him in the deepest, darkest cell we have."

"Yes Ma'am! May I ask what we shall do with the mare?" The Sargent asked.

"Find her a room. Put her under guard and arrange for meals to be delivered."

Shinny looked at the Princess in shock.

"Thank you, Princess." She said gratefully.

"Your welcome. Time will tell if you deserve it." Celestia said as readied a spell.

Shinny flinched back slightly and braced herself.

"No need for that, Shinny. Guards. I'm going find a room for Sunset. Keep an eye on them" she said before teleporting to her room.

Sunset rubbed her eyes to find herself still riding Celestia's back in the aforementioned Sun Goddess's room.

"Whoa." She said in amazement.

"Alright Sunset, I think there's an empty room near mine, and if there isn't, I'll make it empty."

"Thank you, but you don't have to kick somepony out of their room for me." Sunset told the princess.

"I guess we'll see if there's one nearby."

Celestia said, walking out of her room and down the hall.

Sunset hopped off of Celestia's back and followed behind her on hoof.

"I believe this one is empty." The Princess said, pushing open the door to reveal a lavishly furnished bedroom, complete with a separate study, and even a small kitchenette in the corner, "It's a bit big, but I'm sure you'll grow into it." The Alicorn finished with a smile.

Sunset jumped up and wrapped her hooves around Celestia's neck in a hug.

"Thank you so much, Celestia!" She exclaimed happily.

"Your welcome sweetie. I hope you like it."

"I definitely will!" Sunset said before galloping inside towards the bed. She tucked in Hambo into the bed after getting into the bed.

Celestia sat down with her forehooves on the bed, "Do you need anything sweetie?"

"Would you mind tucking me in?" Sunset asked with the cutest puppy dog eyes ever.

"Of course Sunset." She said as she tucked the filly in, giving her a kiss on the forehead, "Goodnight sweetie."

Sunset sighed happily and went to sleep right after mumbling, "Good night. Mama."

Celestia's heart melted, "Goodnight daughter." She said as she left the room.

Author's Notes:

For anybody who cares, Starlight and Sunset while in Equestria are both 30, and Twilight is 25 in present day. In the past, both Sunset and Starlight are 7 years old. so at this time Twilight was 2.

MAAAAAAAAAAAN this chapter is so long!

Thanks to The Lurker for co writing this chapter with me. We decided to rp out some of the parts of this story since we were both stuck on what to do.

If anyone wants to join, here's a link to my discord server. https://discord.gg/sBvqM2u

stay tuned for next chapter which will hopefully be released MUCH sooner than this one.

Edit: Im adding in some lines that I forgot to put in. So yeah. Sorry for that.