Sunset Shimmer smirked superiorly as the palace guards came to attention when she passed them by, she loved how the proud guards of the Princess showed her respect. It made sense that they would defer to her, she was Princess Celestia's one and only apprentice, her personal student. She knew it was her destiny to one day rise to the same level as her mentor and it did the guards well to treat her as such. She was in a good mood today, she had just aced another exam, obviously, and was on her way to her private lesson with Celestia. She wondered what the Princess would be teaching her today and hoped that it wasn't another lecture on how she should be making friends.
When she got to Celestia's suite the Princess' aide, Raven Inkwell, was waiting for her. "Good afternoon, Ms. Shimmer," She said not looking up from her paperwork.
"Raven, is Princess Celestia waiting for me?" Sunset asked, normally Celestia greeted her herself.
"No, Princess Celestia is still working on your next lesson," Raven told her.
"I guess I move too fast for the lessons," Sunset said with some pride that even Princess Celestia was having to work to come up with something Sunset did not already know. "But why was I not told of this sooner."
"Princess Celestia sent a message to your journal this morning, you must have just missed it. Anyway, she said for you to take the rest of the day off and suggested you take the time to do something other than shutting yourself in your suite and read, perhaps go out and find a friend."
Sunset was a little peeved when she left the suite, but she had the rest of the day off and she wasn't going to waste it. She started heading off in the direction of her own room, Princess Celestia didn't understand being as perfect as she is, for Sunset to do as well as she did, she needed to take every minute of her free time getting stronger, she would not fail, especially not over something as pointless as friends.
***
Princess Celestia stood in front of Starswirl's Magic Mirror, contemplating whether she should show it to Sunset Shimmer or not. It was a last resort she had planned, despite her apprentice's talent she had yet to make a single friend and an unfortunate number of enemies for a pony as young as her. She had already needed to up security twice to keep some of the angry students from attempting a revenge on Sunset, both for her pupil's safety and the safety of the other students. This mirror, which along with creating a portal to another world every thirty moons, could also show a glimpse of possible futures to the viewer.
When Celestia had last looked into the mirror herself when she first thought of showing it to Sunset, she had seen two outcomes. One where Sunset understood and finally accepted friends into her heart, and another future that concerned Celestia greatly, a future filled with pain and darkness for her young student. Because of that second possibility, she hesitated to bring Sunset to the mirror, and desperately hoped another option would present itself, anything that could avoid the possible future she saw for Sunset.
It was because of this hesitation that she had given Sunset the day off, hoping that this time she would listen to her and try and make at least one friend. But she doubted that would happen after the many times her student had ignored her advice on friends, with a sigh she covered the mirror again, tomorrow she would bring Sunset to the mirror and hope that she would make the right choice. Deciding to enjoy one last day in her sunlight before she made her fateful decision, she left the mirror room and wished she would not have to return again.
***
Twilight Sparkle gulped as she stood before the four judges that would decide her future, if she failed, she would never reach her dreams. An Earth Pony opened the door and rolled in a wagon with a large purple egg with green spots, the side showing directions to open the egg and reveal the dragon inside. It looked easy enough, she had read all about how opening a dragon egg with magic, Shimmering Star said all that was needed was focus, power, and a little confidence.
"Well, Miss Sparkle," One of the female Unicorn Judges said, no emotion in her voice. Twilight flinched at the tone, she needed to impress them now!
She tried to gather her magic, she just needed to follow Shimmering Star's advice, she pointed her horn at the egg and tried to enwrap it in her magic and force it to open. A few seconds passed and the egg had not moved, her horn had not even gathered any magic, she glanced at her mom and dad, they looked nervous too. She tried several different poses, hoping one would be the magic pose that got something to happen.
Why won't it work?! Twilight thought panicking, she knew she should have been able to do this, but nothing was happening. Up on the stands one of the male Unicorn Judges yawned, blinking tiredly, she had to do something soon or she'd never be like Princess Celestia or the Mysterious Student.
"We do not have all day Miss Sparkle," The female Unicorn Judge from before said as all four Judges wrote down on their clipboards. Twilight knew she was going to fail if she didn't do something.
Putting all her effort she tried one final time to get the stupid egg to open, all the books said that emotion could amplify a Unicorn's magic and she certainly felt a feeling of desperation, this time she felt a little of her magic gather and for a second, she thought it might work, but then it started to fade. A few sparks came from her horn before she gasped as the magic left her. She slumped down where she sat. "I'm... sorry for wasting your time."
This was it; her life was over, she didn't care what happened now, she knew she'd never get close to being like her idol now. She was about to get up to run to her parents when an explosion behind her startled her. Her magic flared and in a second the dragon egg burst open showing a tiny newborn dragon. Twilight had a momentarily feeling of joy to see she'd managed something when she felt a terrible pain in her head, she saw a flash of light then she couldn't see anything.
***
Sunset Shimmer was flipping through a copy of Advanced Magic Vol. III rereading about tracer spells, idly wondering what Princess Celestia was doing. Sometimes Sunset felt a little bored with the lessons if she was honest with herself, she enjoyed the time around Celestia, especially when Cadence wasn't around. But she just felt like there wasn't much left for the Princess to teach her, she just wished she could become an Alicorn already, she knew she was stronger than Cadence but for some reason she was still just a Unicorn.
She closed the spell book wondering what she should read next when an explosion rocked the castle. "What was that?" She asked, her horn flared, and she teleported onto a walkway. She looked to the sky and saw a soundwave the color of a Rainbow moving across the sky. Sunset had never seen anything quite like it and, curious, watched it move, she considered trying to find the source of the explosion when something else caught her attention, a dragon bursting through the roof of the exam room!
"What in Equestria!" Sunset shouted in surprise, there was no way a Dragon had made its way into the castle undetected; it was just impossible. Sunset teleported again into the exam room, determined to get to the bottom of this, and she teleported into something else she thought was impossible.
The Exam Judges were floating in a violet aura, none made any effort to try and break free, though Sunset doubted any of them had the strength to do that. At the other end of the room was a pair of potted plants also covered in the same violet aura, though the plants and floating Judges were not what caught Sunset's attention. The Dragon she saw outside was standing on the exam floor, now that she could see his body, she could tell he was not really that large, he had no wings which meant he wasn't a true adult, and he wasn't trying to take anything, so he wasn't under any greed effect. That left only magic induced growth, something she thought only she and the Princess were capable of on such a scale. When she saw the little Unicorn hovering in a ball of violet magic, she couldn't believe she was the cause of this.
No way, no way can she be capable of this, Sunset thought as the filly squirmed in the ball, clearly in pain from what Sunset was sure was a massive overload of magic. "Okay how to take care of this," Sunset said to herself. "Easiest way would be just to knock the filly out, but I don't know how that will effect what she's done, maybe..." It wasn't her style, but she could do anything, so she reached out trying to telepathically reach the filly and guide her to release the magic.
You need to stop; you are going to explode if you don't get your magic under control. Sunset said in her mind as it linked with the filly.
I... can't please help! The little filly begged.
If you can make it then you can unmake just follow my instructions. Sunset commanded. You are having an overload, to make it stop you need to calm down, focus on your inner core, and take control of your magic, then disperse it, after that the effects of the spell should return to normal.
It hurts, I can't control it! The filly responded, panicking. Sunset's eye twitched, this was why she didn't work with others, they can't do anything right.
Then don't focus on yourself, focus on me, and let me take the lead. Sunset said as she linked her mental presence to the filly. After that it was relatively simple to ease the little Unicorn into releasing the magic safely like a gentle hoof helping the filly guide a ship. When Sunset opened her eyes and released the connection the violet magic and its effects had dissipated. The Judges were shaking themselves off, the Dragon had returned to the size of a newborn and started sucking on his tail, to Sunset's mild surprise the potted plants turned into a pair of Unicorns Sunset did not recognize but guessed were the filly's parents.
"How is it possible for another Unicorn to manage that much raw power?" Sunset muttered; she had never encountered a Unicorn that was capable of that even with a surge. She was still mulling over what it could mean when she felt a little hoof against her leg, she looked down to see the filly, tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do this," She said.
Sunset sighed. "Next time keep your magic under control, otherwise you might blow yourself up for good." The filly withered under her words and Sunset felt a small pang of regret for her words, the filly might never use her magic again after this, and it would be a waste to let such talent be neglected. "But you do have a lot of potential, with the right teacher you could really become something. And I'm sure that after that display you have earned a place at the school, right."
Sunset looked at the Judges who all hurriedly nodded and scribbled down on the clipboards. "See you around," Sunset said trotting off.
"Wait I don't know your name," The filly called out.
"Trust me you will know it once you've started at the school. Oh, and congrats on the Cutie Mark, suits a student at this school."
As Sunset left the Exam Room, and the little filly hopped about in joy as she realized she had gotten her Cutie Mark, she failed to notice looking down on her from the hole caused by the Dragon, Princess Celestia smiled as an idea came to her, one that could save her student.
***
A week passed and Celestia had not called for Sunset once, she had even gone to Raven to see if anything was wrong only to be told that Princess Celestia was planning something and to just be patient. Patience, now that was a word Sunset hated, why should she have to wait for anything, or anypony? Tapping her hoof impatiently on the table she wondered what Princess Celestia was planning that required over a week to get ready!
Sunset was about to go and search for the Princess again when she heard the familiar buzzing noise of the journal Celestia used to contact her. Sunset flipped the journal to the newest page and read the words as they formed.
Sunset Shimmer, would you please come to the throne room, I have a very special surprise waiting for you, your next and greatest test. The journal read out. Sunset was out and running down the hallway as soon as the journal stopped forming new words. Finally, a new test, perhaps this would be the test that finally made her into an Alicorn. In her running she barely noticed the two Unicorns heading for the exit, her focus solely on getting to the throne room as quick as possible.
She burst into the throne room, slightly out breath and trotted to a stop a few feet from Princess Celestia. It was fitting that this next test took place here, where someday she would join Celestia has a Princess. "I'm here," She said smiling up at her teacher.
"I see, and in so fast, I almost thought you teleported here," Princess Celestia said chuckling slightly.
"I would never teleport before you Princess," Sunset said not realizing her teacher wasn't serious. "It would be rude."
"Hmm, well I'm sure you are waiting to know what your next test is, my talented student," Celestia said, Sunset nodded fervently. "Well, here she is."
Princess Celestia stepped to side revealing the little filly from the Exam Room, looking up at Sunset and Celestia with wonder. What is she doing here? Sunset wondered, wait, Celestia has been building something for the last week involving this little Unicorn. What if she's going to be my replacement and this 'test' is just to prove it.
"Sunset Shimmer, this is Twilight Sparkle, she is a new student and I believe that you two are already acquainted," Celestia said.
"Princess Celestia, did I make a mistake or something?" Sunset asked. "Did I fail in some way?"
"No, why would you ask that Sunset?"
"Why else would you bring another student to one of my lessons if not to replace me," Sunset said looking at the filly, Twilight Sparkle, who was starting to cower at the older Unicorn.
Princess Celestia frowned at her student. "I brought her here because she is important to your studies from now on, Twilight is not your replacement, she is your new student."
"Student!" Sunset and Twilight said at the same time, Sunset in shock while Twilight looked like she had been given the best Hearthswarming gift ever.
"Celestia what do mean student, I'm still just a student here myself!" Sunset exclaimed; Twilight oblivious to her words as she jumped about happily.
"And you will continue to act as my personal student, but you will also be teaching young Twilight Sparkle how to control her magic and learn new spells. I know you are qualified to do it Sunset, and perhaps you will learn something from your time around her. I will leave you two to get familiar."
Sunset stuttered for an answer as the Princess left the two ponies alone, Twilight stopped her hopping as she settled down next to Sunset. "So, you are really Princess Celestia's student, the Mysterious Student?"
"Uh I have been called that a few times," Sunset said still not fully in the conversation.
Twilight gasped. "I've read about you! You're the most talented Unicorn in Equestria!" Sunset smirked slightly at the praise. "And I get to be to be your student! Best day ever!"
Sunset wasn't so sure about that, but at least she would get to watch and see just how talented this Twilight Sparkle truly was. And if she proved to be as skilled as Sunset expected it might be worth keeping her close, she might prove useful when Sunset became a Princess. So, for now, she'll play nice and be a teacher, it was all for her dream, that is all.