//------------------------------//
// Sunset Rises  
// Story: Summer Sunset 
// by RobRoyale 
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Chapter 12

Celestia and Luna could feel it, a great disturbance in magical energy was transpiring inside the palace. However, the disturbance gave them a cold feeling inside. The battle was faring well, too well. The changeling forces were unable to make any ground against the Equestrian forces and were scattered. Their firing positions were sloppy, the attack squads were disorganized, and they made no attempt to turn into Equestrian guards to flank them. Causalities for the Equestrian forces were as minimal as a sprained hoof or a magic headache from one of the cannon operators. 
The most the princesses had to do was whip up shield bursts from incoming changeling fire. Celestia hadn’t taken her lance off her back and this made her uneasy. The battle hadn’t been going on for very long but it felt like they had been there for hours.
“They aren’t making any attempt to overrun us.” Celestia said to Luna.
Luna rubbed her chin. “Tis been a long time since we fought Sombra. Perhaps in the thousand years we were gone proper military tactics have become obsolete?” 
“I would like to believe that, but this is their stronghold and we haven’t even seen Chrysalis.” 
“Isn’t that a good thing, sister?”
Celestia frowned and looked to the broken changeling defenses below. “Yes, but…” She trailed off and the uneasy feeling increased. She calculated that Sunset and the others were inside the palace already. If they had been captured, Chrysalis would have been making demands and if they had rescued Twilight they would have been out of there by now. This combined with the magical disturbance made a pit form in her stomach. “What was that power we felt?”
“I’m not sure sister, but we best remain on guard until we hear from—” Luna went silent, then she charged forward to the head of the cliff. “Get back!” She threw up a massive shield, right as a beam of dark purple energy collided with it. The shield stopped the blast, but it still shattered with the shockwave, knocking Luna back.
“Luna!” Celestia ran to her side, helping her up. 
“I’m alright, Tia.” Luna shook her head. “What was… what in Tartarus is that?” 
Celestia looked up. “Chrysalis!” 
Chrysalis was flying towards them at rapid speeds. Celestia fired multiple beams of magic at her, but she dodged them. Her movements were so fast each time she dodged it looked like she was blinking out of reality.  Celestia grabbed Luna and jumped back as Chrysalis hit the ground full force. As Celestia landed on her hooves, Chrysalis’s face appeared in front of her and the next thing she saw was the ground. Celestia growled and pulled her head up from the dirt spitting some out. Luna dusted herself off and the two alicorns glared at Chrysalis. 
“What is this, Alien Isolation?” Luna frowned.
“What?” Celestia raised an eyebrow.
“Videogame.” 
“Ah.” She turned back to Chrysalis looking her over. “I’m giving you one chance Chrysalis, give back Twilight and I won’t send you to Tartarus! 
The changeling queen looked at them with dark purple eyes. She laughed letting out a demonic screech. “Oh Celestia, can’t you feel it? This power?”
Celestia growled and took the lance off her back twirling it around with magic. “I can and I’ll tell you now, I’m not afraid of you.”
“So naïve.” In the blink of an eye, Chrysalis was at her throat upper cutting her, then spinning around, slamming her tail into Celestia’s side. She tumbled across the ground, then sprung up unfolding her wings and charging forward, aiming her lance for the queen’s chest. Chrysalis disappeared and appeared to the side tripping Celestia. 
Celestia’s face met the ground again. “Eargh!”
“Tia!” Luna shouted, summoning a dozen swords around it. It was a spell she had not used much since she had fought Sombra, but it was no less deadly. The swords flew at Chrysalis, however she weaved in and out of them, advancing on Luna. She summoned a large battle-axe and brought it down on Luna. Luna raised her sword and blocked. She jumped back and unleashed a flurry of sword strikes. Chrysalis blocked and parried them with lightning fast telekinetic reflexes. Luna summoned another sword and launched herself in a frenzy striking everywhere, looking for an opening but Chrysalis continued to parry without missing a beat in between. 
“Is that the best you’ve got?” Chrysalis smiled deviously.
Luna scowled and she summoned more blades, attacking her on all sides. Chrysalis unfurled her wings and jumped up. She dodged the blades, reared her head back, and fired a large dark purple blast. Luna dashed to the side avoiding the blast, but Chrysalis was there to meet her. Her eyes widened as time slowed. How can she— The wind was knocked out of her as Chrysalis blasted her to the side. 
The two sisters got up slowly, facing the changeling queen. Celestia spat out another mouthful of dirt. “Where did you get that power?”
“You still haven’t figured it out?” Chrysalis grinned darkly. “Teacher~”
Celestia’s eyes widened and her jaw slackened. “W-what…”
“So resourceful, yet so blind. Allow me to teach you something, Celestia.” She grinned widely flashing her fangs. “Twilight Sparkle is no more!” 
“N-no.” Celestia’s lower lip quivered. She could feel the power inside Chrysalis and it was Twilight’s. The disturbance in magical energy she felt was Chrysalis taking Twilight’s power away. 
Chrysalis turned to palace and smiled down at the changelings below. “I took all her love and magic, now she is nothing more than an empty husk. Once I’m through with you, I’ll be able to finally bring Equestria to its knees!” She cackled.
“No!” Celestia screamed. She charged at Chrysalis, her eyes brimming with tears and her teeth clenched in anger. Their weapons collided and they dueled with their telekinetic grips. Luna charged into the fray, swinging her blade and the two sisters went on the offensive. 
Chrysalis hopped off the cliff, flying up into the sky. The two sisters followed suit, unleashing magical beams of yellow and blue. Chrysalis dodged them with ease and fired back. Each blast was larger and more devastating than the sisters. They evaded and blocked with their weapons. When the energy faded they didn’t see Chrysalis in sight anymore.  Celestia looked frantically left and right. 
“Up here!” Chrysalis yelled. She had a massive ball of energy above her horn the size of a two-story building. The second the pair looked up, she launched it towards them. Celestia and Luna looked to each other and nodded. Celestia braced herself and fired at the ball with her own magic. Luna dove under it and came up around the other side, climbing the air towards Chrysalis. Before Luna reached her, Chrysalis disappeared. Luna quickly looked around, but couldn’t see her. She heard a scream from below the ball of energy.
Chrysalis had appeared behind Celestia and drove a hoof into her back breaking her defense and propelling the unsuspecting alicorn into the ball of dark energy. The energy exploded and from the smoke, Luna saw Celestia fall to the ground. Luna rushed for her, but Chrysalis flew out of the smoke in an instant and drove a hoof into her stomach, then another into her back. Luna felt the wind leave her and she coughed hard. Chrysalis then seized her with magic and threw her down onto the unforgiving ground. 
The two sisters struggled to stand. Celestia front was marked with magical burns and she cringed as she stood. Luna wheezed and spat a little blood. Chrysalis landed in front of them with her horn aglow. 
“As much as I would enjoy this, you two aren’t making this any fun.” She grinned.
Celestia coughed and glared at her. “You… monster…”
Chrysalis raised her muzzle and smirked. “Why, thank you. 
“Thou… is heartless…” Luna bit back. 
“Now that’s just hurtful,” Chrysalis giggled. 
“You have hurt others… you… killed Twilight… don’t you dare talk about being hurt.” Celestia rose her head charging her horn. “You’ll pay for this…” 
Chrysalis shook her head and laughed again. “I doubt that, well I guess I’ve drawn this out long enough.” Her horn glowed bright and she aimed it directly at the two alicorns. “Burn in Tartarus!”
“Chrysalis!” There was a flash of light and Sunset came out of the nowhere, slamming her hoof into Chrysalis’s jaw. The force blew the changeling queen back, sending her into a tumble across the ground. Sunset landed on her hooves and charged forward. Her body was glowing bright red like fire and the sword she wielded burned with a crimson flame. As Chrysalis stood, Sunset upper-cutted her under the jaw then flipped her body around roundhouse kicking her in the cheek. Chrysalis growled in pain but countered, unleashing an outward blast of magic. Sunset jumped back landing ten feet away. 
Chrysalis rubbed her cheek. “You’re becoming a real nuisance,” She growled. “I was just going to take your magic and love, but now I think you’ll suffer like the princess!” 
Sunset’s expression darkened and her irises glowed bright blue. “No, you’re going to suffer, Chrysalis. I’ll make you regret the day you were born!” Never in her life had there been such anguish and fire like this. At one point, anger was second nature to her, but it could never compare to this. Her body burned with the fires of rage and hate. She wanted to see Chrysalis suffer, she wanted to make her pay for what she did to Twilight. There was no fear now, the future or the past no longer mattered to her. There was only this moment.
She blinked out of reality, appearing behind Chrysalis. Chrysalis whirled around, bringing her axe across aiming for Sunset’s head, but Sunset blocked. The force of the block blew back the wind and ground around them. The magical energy around them sent sparks and tore up the ground. Chrysalis growled and reeled back, bringing her axe down. Sunset rolled to the right and came up, nailing Chrysalis in the face with her hoof. Chrysalis stumbled back, but came around firing a massive wave of magical energy. Sunset planted her hooves on the ground and shrouded herself in a shield. The blast made contact with the shield and exploded. When the dust cleared Sunset was gone. Chrysalis grinned manically at her handy work, until she noticed a glow out of her peripherals. She turned and saw Sunset massing energy at the tip of her horn.
“My turn.” She fired. Chrysalis threw up a shield to stop the blast, but was met with a force greater than she anticipated. The energy broke through the blast and she roared in anger as the energy tore and burned her flesh. She tumbled across the ground in a heap of limbs. Her body smoked and crackled with electricity. She stood up slowly, baring her teeth at Sunset.
“That shouldn’t be possible…” She sneered. “You should be cowering in my sight! You should fear me! I bested the princesses and you’re just standing there unphased!”
Sunset kept her gaze focused.  “You took the one pony I have ever truly cared about away from me,” She stepped forward twirling her sword. “I have nothing to fear anymore!” 
Chrysalis growled, but then a devious smile grew on her face. “So you don’t fear punishment ?”
Sunset raised an eyebrow. “What?” 
“I’ve been watching you and Twilight ever since you arrived here. I’ve learned a great deal about you. Aren’t you afraid of being punished by Celestia still?” Chrysalis flashed her a dark smile. “Don’t you worry that your transgressions will never be paid back? That the power you have is a reminder of your wrong doings?”
Sunset’s expression didn’t falter. “Maybe before, but even when this is over, I don’t care if Celestia punishes me. I don’t care that what I’ve done in the past may haunt me for the rest of my life. Twilight forgave me, that’s all that mattered. Through her, I forgave myself. I’m a better pony because of her.” Her horn lit with magic and her eyes glowed white. “I could never fear anything now that you took her away!” 
“My, my,” Chrysalis scoffed and licked her lips. “That love you have sounds divine. Once I’m through with you, I will savor its consumption.”
“That’s your mistake!” Sunset screamed and fired a beam of energy at Chrysalis, who countered with her own. The blasts collided, and the pair were locked in a power struggle. Chrysalis growled, pushing against the energy but Sunset stood her ground, eyes locked on the foe before her. 
“You’ll never take away my feelings for Twilight!”
“I took hers! What’s to say I can’t take yours?!” Chrysalis snapped back.
Sunset dug her hooves into the ground as her magic surged and her magical beam broke through Chrysalis’s. The blast sent her flying back into a nearby rock face smashing through it. She groaned, getting up and looked to see Sunset standing over the rubble above her. “I won’t let you.” 
“Twilight is gone! Accept it!” Chrysalis locked horns with her.
“Wrong! She’s still there!” Sunset’s eyes glowed and her horn surged with magical energy. Chrysalis’s body glowed bright blue.
“W-what are you doing?!” She struggled to break away but found herself bound to Sunset’s magic.
“A little trick I picked up from Twilight!” Sunset smirked as the energy flowed around them. Her body glowed brightly and Chrysalis’s form began to recede. “You may have taken Twilight’s power, but you don’t have the knowledge to wield it!”
Chrysalis roared and curled up writhing in pain. “How! How can you, then?”	
Sunset smiled. “Because Twilight isn’t gone! She will always be in my heart!  She’s still alive and giving me her power to stop you!” The energy drained completely from Chrysalis and she regressed to her original form. A ball of light surrounded Sunset and engulfed her. 
Chrysalis struggled to stand on all fours. “This… no… this is impossible… my power! Give it back!”
“This ends here, Chrysalis.” Sunset stepped out of the orb of light. Energy sparked off her body and she was sporting a pair of unfurled amber wings. 
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Chrysalis yelled. 
Celestia and Luna looked on from afar with slight shock. “Well, we didn’t see that coming.” Said Luna. 
“Sunset…” Celestia said softly. “I never thought I would see something like this…”
Sunset raised a hoof, waving for Chrysalis to come at her. “C’mon, I’ll show you how outclassed you really are.”
Chrysalis growled. “Alicorn or not, when I’m through with, you there won’t be anything left but an empty husk!” She  summoned her battle axe and flew up firing multiple magical beams at Sunset.  
Sunset ducked and rolled dodging them then flapped her wings gaining altitude. Using her magic, she propelled herself forward like an arrow. Chrysalis readied herself and swung her axe at Sunset. But she teleported behind Chrysalis while summoning her magic into a ball above her. Sunset brought the magic down on top of Chrysalis, sending her into the ground. Sunset went into a dive, firing another blast of magic into Chrysalis, embedding her deeper into the ground. Propelling herself forward, she drop kicked Chrysalis in the stomach. 
Chrysalis yelled in pain and coughed up green blood. Sunset jumped off and kicked her to the side, sending her flying across the ground. Chrysalis struggled to get up and as she did, Sunset grabbed her hoof with her magic and swung her around throwing her against another rock face. Chrysalis fell to the ground and looked up her eyes widening in horror.
Sunset had a ball of magic charging at the tip of her horn. Her eyes were glowing with ethereal light and torrents of fire had whipped up around her. “This is for Twilight!” 
“Wait, Sunset! Don’t hurt me!” Chrysalis took on Twilight’s form and looked at her with pleading eyes. “You wouldn’t hurt me! I thought you loved me.” 
Sunset’s eyes thinned. “I do.” She took a step forward and aimed the ball of energy at her. “I do love Twilight, and you can burn in Tartarus for taking her form!” 	She unleashed the blast at Chrysalis. The energy ball exploded on impact and covered the area in cyan light. Celestia and Luna covered their eyes at the sight of the blast. When the dust cleared and the light faded, there was a massive crater where Chrysalis was. She was at the bottom of it in a tangle of limbs wounds and burns marking her entire body. Sunset stood at the top of the crater and summoned another ball of energy.
Chrysalis looked up and raised a week hoof. “Pl-please, m-mercy.”
“Mercy…” Sunset mumbled. “You expect mercy for what you’ve done?” She yelled. 
“P-please. Yo-you wouldn’t kill me… Twilight wouldn’t like that.”  Chrysalis looked up hopefully.
Sunset paused for a moment. Celestia and Luna had walked over along with numerous guards. They stood on either side of Sunset waiting. Sunset turned around and walked away from the crater. “Celestia… deal with her.”
Celestia nodded solemnly. “Prepare an escort. I will see Chrysalis to the gates of Tartarus.”
Luna nudged her. “We will handle that sister, you have something else to attend to.” She pointed a hoof to Sunset.
Celestia looked between Luna and Sunset, then nodded. She walked up to amber uni—Alicorn who was trudging towards the cliff face. She stopped at the edge and looked down at the smoking and ruined battlefield. The cannon fire had ceased and the changelings were retreating to the palace. 
Celestia coughed and began slowly, “Thank you, Sunset Shimmer. Without you, Luna and I would have been done for.”
Sunset kept her gaze down on the battlefield. “Are you worried about the power I have?”
Celestia was taken aback and looked away. “Well, no… I’m proud that you’ve come this far, really I am, it’s just… what it took for you to get here.”
“You think I wanted this?” Sunset now turned to meet Celestia’s face and she glared.
“What? No, I would never assume, but you seem very attuned to this power…”
“Well, I don’t intend on keeping it.”	Sunset looked back to the field below.
“What? Sunset, I’m afraid I don’t have the ability to take that power away. Transferring magic is one thing, but taking just the power away I’m afraid is not as simple as you think.” Celestia stated.
Sunset frowned. “No, that’s not what I mean.”  Celestia raised an eyebrow in confusion but then noticed Sunset’s gaze. She followed it and saw a group of ponies and dragon coming towards them across the field. Sunset unfurled her wings and glided down towards them. Celestia followed behind. 
The group of ponies were carrying Twilight’s decrepit form across their backs. Sunset was met with fake smiles as she landed on the ground in front of them. 
“Is it over?” Asked Applejack.
Sunset nodded. “Yes.”
“You took Twilight’s magic from Chrysalis?” Rarity tilted her head towards the wings. 
“Yes… now lay Twilight down.” Sunset instructed.
“Sugarcube, I get that we’re in a battlefield but…. This doesn’t feel like the proper place to… bury her.” Applejack went silent by the end.
Sunset shook her head. “No… just watch.” The mares laid Twilight’s body on the ground. She looked peaceful in her unconscious state. Sunset breathed slowly and lowered her head until their horns were touching. She giggled a little. “It’s funny… there was a time where I wanted this power and was ready to do anything necessary to get it. Now I have it… and the price could never be worth it.” 
She and Twilight's bodies glowed brightly with ethereal light. The energy from Sunset’s horn sparked and flowed into Twilight. Slowly, her body lifted from the ground and purple streaks of magic flowed around her. The ridges on her body faded and her form filled back in. Her coat and mane shifted to its original brilliant purple hews. The wings on Sunset’s back dissolved into particles of light and two wings sprouted from Twilight’s back and the feathers glistened in the light. Twilight’s body, fully restored, floated back down to the ground. 
Celestia and the others gawked in shock at the transformation. Twilight’s eyes were still closed. 
“T-Twilight?” Pinkie Pie moved close nudging her with a hoof.
There was no response. 
“Twilight!” Pinkie Pie nudged her head again.
Still no response. The others were growing concerned and even Sunset’s smile was slowly flipping around. 
Pinkie Pie pulled out a megaphone. “Twilight!” 
Twilight’s eyes snapped open and she yelled gripping her ears. “Ah! Pinkie!” 
“Twilight!” Pinkie Pie pulled Twilight into a spine-crushing hug. The others quickly joined, practically glomping onto the poor Alicorn. 
“Twilight, you're alive!” Rainbow Dash yelled, ruffling her mane. 
“We were so worried, sugarcube!” Applejack said, tearing up. 
Twilight’s voice was muffled by them. “Girls… Can’t… Breathe!” 
Sunset giggled at the pony pile and sat on her haunches, wiping beads of sweat from her forehead. It worked. She saved Twilight. If she had to be honest with herself, she was only half certain restoring Twilight’s love and magic would work. 
Celestia draped a wing across Sunset’s shoulder and smiled. “Words can’t describe… thank you, Sunset.”
Sunset smiled back and nodded. She felt that even if she were still punished after this, it wouldn’t be as severe.  The girls let Twilight have some breathing room. Spike embraced her literally picking her up. Even the grown drake cried tears of joy. Celestia smiled and walked over as he set her down. She lowered herself to embrace Twilight, who happily hugged her back.
Finally over. Sunset smiled at the thought. Twilight was safe, and the changelings wouldn’t be bothering them anymore. She tilted her head to the sky, just content to sit there now. Part of her wanted to run over to Twilight and embrace her, but the massive power spikes had drained her. Talks and feelings could wait till later for her.
“Sunset.” Twilight’s voice snapped her out of thought. Sunset looked to her and smiled. 
“Hey, Twilight.” Sunset waved her hoof. “How are you feeling?”
Twilight blushed and smiled sheepishly. “I kind of have a headache, though I’m not sure if that’s from dying and coming back or Pinkie Pie’s megaphone.” 
They both giggled. “Probably both.” Sunset said.
Twilight walked closer to her. “Sunset, thank you, I-“ Sunset cut her off putting a hoof to her lips.
“Tell me later.” 
Thud.