Chapter 1 - The Birth Of A New Sun
Once upon a time you died a death you will never remember. You believe this will be the end. Fortunately, the light heading your way growing brighter and larger seems to promise otherwise. As the empty void around you fleas from the light, you begin to feel familiar sensations. Unfortunately, one of them you wish you could have been left without. A pit in your newly forming gut tells you there was something in your past life you were denied. Something small, yet so crucial, it's absence leaves a hole you wish to fill, even as you begin your new life.
As you open your eyes you see a feminine equine with a horn on it's head standing above you. Her coat is a bright orange and her mane is a mix of yellow and red, the rest of her obscured by a cloak. A name comes to mind even though you can't remember meeting her before. Not that you remember much of anything of your past life. "Good, your breathing." She proclaims. "A spell this complex has a tendency to require a few practice casts to work out the kinks. Fortunately for you, I am more talented than even I gave me credit for. You should know my name, but just to get introductions out of the way my name is Sunset Shimmer. Do you have a name, or am I going to have to give you one?"
As you absorb your situation and the information given to you, you begin to look over yourself. "I don't remember if I..." Before you finish your sentence, you begin to realize a horrifying fact. As your eyes widen and your breath quickens, you look from Sunset to yourself again and again, each time the fear in your gut growing larger and larger until this information can not be denied. You are not only her species.
You. Are! HER!!! "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
"As much as I can see finding out you are a clone can be rather scary. I am going to have to ask you to please shut the hay up." A small amount of fear is replaced with contempt at her words. "I created you to help me with my research, not to wake up the whole castle." As you place your eyes back on Sunset you notice a dome of light surrounding the two of you.
"So." Sunset continues. "You have no name and no knowledge of being a clone?" Sunset places a hoof to her chin in contemplation as looks to your flank to see no cutie mark. "Well, as I said before, kinks are to be expected when casting a new spell. Still, I suppose this isn't too bad a side effect. As for the name. I think I'll go with something simple. From now on your name is Twin-Sun Shimmer."
Your fear is fully consumed by contempt as you stand to your hooves. "What?" You scream. "Your just going to name me after yourself?"
"I don't see why not." She huffs. "I am your creator after all. I brought you into this world, therefore, I get to name you as I please."
Your contempt disappears as your eyes widen again, this time misted with tears as you begin to recall her words. Creator? Brought me into this world? "Does... Does that mean your my M-mom?"
Sunset's frown deepens as her eyebrows harden. "Don't call me that. I will not be your mother. Maybe I did give you life, but you are a fully functional individual, and I will treat you as such."
"Oh." You hang your head as you begin to feel that pit in your stomach resurface stronger than before, your tears flowing faster as you contemplate why you even care, only to come up without an answer.
Sunset gives you a studying glance before then giving you a knowing smile. "I created you with all of my knowledge, so you should know what I want, where I can find what I want, and how you can help me get what I want. Correct?"
You eye Sunset with a questioning glance. "You want to learn about the mirror and ascension and you believe we can find the information we need in this library."
"Yes exactly. Now we've wasted enough time. We could be caught at any moment and I don't think Celestia will be very happy finding me in the restricted section. Never mind with a second me. And seeing as you seem so insistent on seeing me as your mother. If you help me find a way to ascend, I'll let you ascend as well, and I will adopt you as my daughter."
Before Sunset can say another word you wrap your hooves around her in a tight embrace. "Thank you thank you thank you."
"Let go of me right now." She commands.
Realizing your mistake you quickly let go of her and hang your head, tears once again leaving your eyes. "Sorry Mo- I mean Sunset."
Sunset holds her temple with a hoof trying to relieve some of her anger. "Lets just get to work now shall we? Your not going to become anypony's daughter if Celestia finds us here and decides clones are too dangerous to allow them to exist."
Your heart stops for a moment as you think of the implications. "Y-you don't really think she would-" You swallow a lump in your throat.
"In all honesty. I don't. But then I've come to realize, I don't know as much about her as I thought I did. Now, come on and help me find answers."
Looking through book after book you begin to discover the extent of the knowledge that has been pushed upon you little by little, as though the books themselves were teaching you about not just how to use them properly, but the very world you now inhabit and the secrets of magics you could never have imagined. As the information continues to enter your brain, you drop your books and hold your head in an attempt to stop the rising pain.
"Hey." Sunset calls out as she trots back your way. "We don't have time for this." As you turn back to her with a pleading look you see her horn light up as your head begins to calm. "That should help with the pain. I'll give you a few minutes, but..." Looking back to the book in Sunset's view you wander what she's found. "WHAT THE HAY IS THIS?!" She screams.
"Princess." You hear a guard call out from afar before he gallops away.
Looking in the direction the guard left for only a moment, Sunset turns her gaze back your way. "Go hide as best you can." Without another word you gallop off to find a place to hide behind the wall of an open doorway.
As you hear the sound of hooves getting closer you begin to feel your fear resurface. Peeking from the doorway you see the one pony you hope you will never have to meet. As large as two or three of you, a coat as white as clouds, and a mane bright and colorful flowing with magic, her head adorned with a long horn and large wing connect to each side of her barrel. "Celestia." Grasping your muzzle you hope nopony heard your announcement.
From your hiding place you watch as Sunset and Celestia argue amongst each other. "Liar." Your fear grows again as Sunset throws her book at Celestia. As their conversation goes on you see Sunset grow angrier until she breaks into tears her features revealing sadness, only to soon become angrier than ever.
Meanwhile, Celestia reveals no emotion until the end of their argument as her face shows more disappointment than anger, and her wings flare out with authority. As the guards take Sunset away Celestia looks back your way. The sound of her hooves leaving the library tell you she did not see you.