Changelings and ponies had always been natural enemies of each other, especially with the crystal ponies when they were around. Why wouldn't they be? Changelings were like parasites, feeding off the love that ponies gave off and driving them to illness.

However, Changelings had begun to decline. What started out with as seven hives have diminished down into three, all of which had gone into hiding so well that most ponies didn't know what changelings even were. Even Celestia had not seen one for quite a while, a long feat for an immortal pony.

Until she found a nymph. A new Changeling Queen.

Unable to find it within herself to abandon the changeling, Celestia ends up taking the nymph back to Canterlot under guise as Twilight Sparkle. The plan was simple; find the hive that Twilight belonged to and return her back to be raised with her race.

Of course, despite everything she learned through her long life, she had forgotten that things were never that simple.

For starters, she did not anticipate herself to grow fond of Twilight as time began to pass, or to beam in happiness when Twilight began to refer to her as mom.

Many Many Thanks to my Pre-Readers: Rewrite and Doctor Disco (Welcome to the Team Doctor!)

Can a daughter's love help wear down the darkness caused from anger and hate in one person's soul even when some of it may be justified? And will it give said person a reason to go on when that anger and hate is stripped away taking away the false strength it gave to face the day after a painful past?

They don't need me.....Pinkie pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and even Fluttershy plus everyone else at Canterlot High. They don't need me....they hate me.....they won't miss me

I should just leave.

Sunset Shimmer is miserable, lonely and heartbroken.For everyone, including the Mane 5 have accused her of being Anon-a-Miss and they now all hate and despise her even though it is not her doing. Even when the original Anon-a-Miss confessed to her and promise to tell everyone, that still won't change for her. So Sunset decides to take things to her own hands.

Set during the Equestria Girls Holiday Series and when the real Anon-a-Miss confesses to Sunset personally instead of in Sugarcube Corner with the Mane 5.

Note: This story was conceived of long before the second EQG movie was created, so it's a bit outdated compared to later information that emerged. It just took me a long time to finally write it.

It should have been a simple affair. Wait for the portal to open again. Apologize for the past to Celestia. Move on as friends. Sunset Shimmer has been waiting for the opportunity to make amends for her past misdeeds, having learned of the magic of friendship from her new friends. She wants to deal with her regrets and right her wrongs.

She never expected that things could go so horribly wrong in two days. It should have been simple, but a discovery of a familiar dark artifact renders things more complicated than she could have ever foreseen. All she wanted was the power to protect her friends from their enemies, but now she is the enemy. Can Twilight Sparkle and her friends save Sunset Shimmer from herself a second time?

After the Friendship Games, life at CHS has settled down. No more magical villains to face, or impending disasters. Sunset and the others can go back to living as normal teenage girls. Or as close to normal as a group of magically empowered girls and a former unicorn from another universe can anyway.

But when Sunset gets into trouble, someone she never expected comes to help her, and her life will never be the same ever again.

Disclaimer: I don't own My Little Pony Friendship is Magic or any of it's characters. I'm just a fan.

Cover art done by my very good friend PrettySoldierPetite. (EDIT 07/08/19: And now with new cover art!)

Proofread by Dragon of Shadows

Pre-read (post ch 12's publishing) by Setokaiva

FEATURE BOX 11/28/17!

EDIT: Added the MLP: FIM tag because of recent events, and I really should have put it in before this anyway.

EDIT 04/14/19: While the content of this story does not qualify for the "Dark" tag, I have been advised to give a warning that chapter 6 contains a scenario that may trigger some individuals. Tags: psychological abuse & gaslighting.

EDIT 10/16/19: Now with a TV Tropes page!

Side Story
Swimming Lessons

After the Friendship Games, Sunset feels it's time to return home.

Only when she gets there, Twilight's castle is nowhere to be found, Cadance just got her horn, and Princess Celestia is still calling the bacon-haired pony her prized student rather than a failed one. And just reliving her past isn't on the table thanks to a pair of wings Sunset seems to have sprouted upon her return to Equestria.

With Sunset being back before she's supposed to, will the world stay as harmonious and on track, or will everything go down in flames as Sunset has to deal with allegations that she's really a changeling in disguise, a nerdy stallion with blue hair that wants to be her coltfriend, a pretty pink princess in need of remedial magic lessons, and an annoying purple pre-teen pony that will absolutely not go to bed without first being read Starswirl's Complete Mystical Mysteries Compendium?

Only time will tell

Sunset Shimmer, has finally decided to return to Equestria to right all the wrongs that she has done on both sides of the crystal mirror. She is even ready to face whatever punishment Celestia sees fit, no matter how great it is.

Imagine her surprise when she is forgiven AND given another chance to be Celestia's student again.

As she makes amends and hoofs out apologies, she will also make some friends with both old and new faces, including Celestia's adopted son, Lockon Astros.

And little does she realize that, fate has plans for her once again. But this time, she will earn more than just the redemption that she seeks.

(Credit for the cover art goes to SunsetMajka626 who has both a DeviantArt and a Derpibooru account.)

It’s the Christmas season, and all are at home with their families...except one. Labeling her as a scapegoat during the Anon-a-miss incident, a number of students have abducted Sunset, intending to make her pay for all the secrets she spilled....Again.
There's just one problem....She didn't.

You guys know Dainn's "Anon-A-miss" Story. But if you don't, leave now, and go read his story. This story is a direct branchoff from his, continuing immediately after chapter 5 of his story. You NEED to read his story up until chapter 5, to understand what's going on in this one.
This will be a darker telling of what goes on after chapter 5 of his story.
The original story belongs to Dainn! Be a stalker and follow him, his story is really good!

Sunset Shimmer ran away. There's really no other way to say it. One can call it exile, tactical retreat, or even a permanent change in residence, but the facts are the same. She turned her back on the only reality she had ever known, and ran away. By the time she stopped to look back, the damage was done. It was too late. Celestia would never forgive her. She would never forgive herself.

There's someone else who will, though.

Written for Fan of Most Everything's Imposing Sovereigns contest.

This story takes place during the events of A Different Sunset after chapter 7.

While the Elements bearers discovered themselves and fought Nightmare Moon head on, the brave citizens of Ponyville armed themselves against the dark goddess's evil army.