The Tale of the Second Alpha

by Bergen

The Beginning of the Fall (Sunset's Backstory)

"Great, you're already awake. Come I have much to teach you and not much time to do it." Celestia said to Sunset with a warm smile well still holding the teacher-student relationship with Sunset that he had to have toward her at all times. Celestia's facade pained her, but she knew that it was the only way to guarantee Sunset's safety. Celestia couldn't lose another family member, she had already lost too many.

"Ok mommy." Sunset said as she hopped off her bed. Celestia cleared her throat and Sunset noticed her error. "Sorry, I mean your highness." Sunset corrected herself, a forced smile coming from Celestia at Sunset words.

"That's better. Now get your things together and meet me in the throne room in fifteen minutes." Celestia said to Sunset in the same manner that a master would their app, she hated holding up this facade.

"Ok..." Sunset responded back quietly, the amber filly awkwardly rubbing her foreleg.

"Hey Sunset, you can still call me Celestia. You just can't call me Mom or Mommy or anything along those lines." Celestia said down to her daughter.

"I know, but why?" Sunset asked Celestia, the white alicorn's smile fading into a disappointed frown.

Celestia let out a heavy sigh as she spoke to the amber-colored filly. "Sunset, we have already had discussions about this." Celestia said to Sunset but she didn't give up.

"I know, but why can't the world know that I'm your daughter. It would make it easier for the both of us." Sunset asked Celestia, the white alicorn beginning to grow tired of this discussion.

"Maybe, but I can't risk putting you in danger if Equestria's enemies learn that I have an heir to the throne." Celestia said down to Sunset, the amber-colored filly looking down at the teal colored carpet that was in her room. Celestia using her gentle hoof to make so that Sunset was looking at her. "I don't know what I would do I lost you Sunset. I've already lost too much of my family." Celestia said to Sunset. Sunset remembering when the white alicorn told her about the Mare in the Moon and how she was really Nightmare Moon and even further her own little sister Princess Luna. Celestia being forced to banish her own sister with the famed Elements of Harmony.

"I hope you understand?" Celestia said to Sunset with her patented warm smile.

"I-I understand." Sunset said to Celestia well still having a ton of questions in her head that she decided it to be best to keep to herself.

Good, now get yourself ready and meet in the throne room in fifteen minutes. Today I am going to teach the basics for teleportation. So make sure that you get something to eat before you meet me. I want at your best." Celestia said to Sunset returning to her teacher-student that everypony thought she had with the amber filly.

"Ok Princess, I'll be there in a few minutes." Sunset said as she trotted over to the wooden nightstand that was next to her bed and used her magic to place a brown saddlebag that had her cutie mark embroiled into it. "And I'll make sure that I get something to eat from the kitchen before our lesson." Sunset said with a warm smile.

"Excellent, I'll see you there then." Celestia said as she exited the room, closing the door behind her.

Sunset just stood there for a few more seconds as she turned her head around to look at the full body mirror that was located at the far end of the room. Sunset trotting over to the mirror and staring directly at her reflection.

Sunset was first at doubts that she was the 'long lost' daughter of Celestia, given that she only shared only one similarity to her mother and that being both of their cutie marks were suns. A cutie mark that she had only earned a few weeks earlier.

Outside Sunset's cutie mark she had almost no similarities to her mother, their coat, eyes, their manes and tails were entirely different. She wasn't even born an alicorn to make impossible to doubt that she was a royal. Sunset had originally asked her parents if she was Celestia's daughter as nothing more than a joke. A prank that a five-year-old would play on her parents just to get attention. Little did she know that she had unintentionally been right and she was the only known offspring of Princess Celestia and the current heir to the throne of Equestria.

Her foster parents told her that she shared most of her features from her father, her real father. A father that she hadn't even met, a father that whenever she asked her foster parents or even Celestia about she was always met by one of two answers that he either died before she was born or that he left Celestia the moment that he found that she was parent and that he was paid to remain silent. Sunset didn't know which version of her father's whereabouts was true, even if either the two stories that she was being told were true.

Sunset continued to stare into the mirror her mind running several hundred miles per hour.

"What if ponies found out who I was?" Sunset thought as she continued to stare at her reflection "What if they found that I more than just the prize student of Princess Celestia?" Sunset continued to think as a stunning realization came to her.

"What would the enemies of Equestria do to me if I was found out. Could I even defend myself." Sunset thought, she wasn't an alicorn. She was just a regular old unicorn. She didn't have god-like magical powers that made her practically immortal. Her magic, while more powerful than any other unicorn that she has seen, was still nothing compared to the magic of what Princess Celestia could achieve.

"You would kill them." Sunset heard somepony say, catching her off guard.

"Who said that?" Sunset asked the seemingly empty room.

"I did." The same voice said. Sunset returning her gaze to the mirror and taking a step backward in fright at what she saw. Sunset seeing an alicorn version of herself staring back at her. The alicorn version of herself having its wings spread open, green eyes that were a darker shade than her normal eye color, and staring at her with a devilish grin. The alicorn also wearing a golden crown that had a large gemstone that was blackened version of her cutie mark. Her mane and tail also had a thin stripe of black going through it.

"What are you?" Sunset asked the pony in the mirror. Sunset moving her head in each direction in curiosity. The strange alicorn version of herself following all of her moments while still keeping a devilish grin on her face that sent a shiver down Sunset's spine.

"The better question is who are you." The mirror version alicorn of herself said back.

"Fine, then who are you?" Sunset asked the mirror.

"Who I am isn't really what's important right now, but you can just call me Nightmare for the time being." The alicorn version of Sunset saying to the real Sunset.

"How you even able to do this, Nightmare?" Sunset asked the alicorn version of herself.

"This is a magical mirror, and it allows me to communicate with you." Nightmare said to Sunset, the amber unicorn's eyes widening at her words.

"Wait, is mirror is magical?" Sunset asked her reflection, taking a step backward from the mirror. The alicorn following her actions and looking like it was walking away into a blue abyss.

"Of yes, and in more ways than one." Nightmare said.

"How, what kind of magic does it process?" Sunset asked Nightmare trotting closer to the mirror.

"You will come to learn the fullness of this mirror in time, but first, you must go to your lesson for the day. Princess Celestia won't wait for you forever." Nightmare said to Sunset as her stomach growled for the need of food.

"Also get some food in that stomach of yours. I wouldn't want

"Ok, will I ever see you again?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"Oh, I can guarantee it, my dear." Nightmare said with another devilish smile showing a set of pointed white teeth.

"Ok, I guess I'll see you later." Sunset said as she turned around and began trot away from the mirror. This time, the alicorn in the mirror didn't follow her actions.

"I look forward to it, my pet." Nightmare said catching Sunset's attention.

"What did you call me?" Sunset asked Nightmare turning around to face the mirror. Her eyes widening when the alicorn was gone and the mirror was only reflecting her usual unicorn self.

"Huh, strange." Sunset thought as her stomach rumbled again with another growl.

"Ok, ok, calm yourself stomach." Sunset said to her uncooperative stomach and beginning trot toward the door. "There got to be something worth eating down in the kitchen." Sunset said to herself as she opened and closed the door to her room with her teal-colored magic.

As soon as the door closed the alicorn version of Sunset returned broke into a small fit of maniacal laughter. The amber alicorn's body then burst into green flames and transformed into the body of a tall black alicorn that had pointed white teeth and was wearing a set of light blue armor with a flowing mane that looked like the night's sky.

"Just wait, my dear Celestia." The black alicorn laughed in a manner that could make your blood freeze. "Soon your precious little sister won't be the only one to fall to my powers. If your daughter is anything like her aunt then it will only be a matter of time when she follows in her hoof steps." The alicorn going by the name of Nightmare Moon said.

"I thought you gotten rid of me by banishing me the moon Celestia, but you were wrong." Nightmare Moon laughed as her body began to dematerialize. Her disappearing from the reflective surface. Her maniacal laughter being the only reminder of the crazed pony's presence.

---

Back in the present day of the Crystal Empire, Twilight's friends were still waiting for her just a few feet away from the mirror portal to the human world. Most of them barely left the room, only Fluttershy and Applejack leaving whenever somepony got hungry. Alpha was still in the Crystal Empire but had returned to resting as a mountain-sized guard dog on the outskirts of the city.

All of Twilight's friends were currently on edge, none more so than Rainbow Dash. You had been pacing back and forth in front the mirror portal. In the day since Twilight, Zulu, and Theta left to the human world Rainbow's wing had repaired enough that she didn't need to have it wrapped in a protective gauze anymore. Rainbow's wing was still not strong for her to fly, but she could still open both of her wings without much discomfort.

"Rainbow, pacing quicker won't make Twilight return faster." Rarity said to the pacing pegasus. Rarity finding her best way to past the time being by sewing a brand new dress. Her hoping to make for a new line inspired by Twilight's ascension into princess status. The dress being a dark purple dress that was designed to match Twilight's eyes.

"Then what to you suppose I do!" Rainbow shouted back Rarity frustrated. Rarity stopping her sewing and staring at Rainbow for a few seconds wide-eyed. It didn't take long for Rainbow to notice her error. Rainbow face hoofing when she realized her error.

"I'm sorry, Rarity. I'm just frustrated that Twilight hasn't gotten back yet." Rainbow apologized to Rarity.

"I know Dashie, I'm frustrated too. I want are purple alicorn back, that doesn't mean that I release all of that frustration at my closest friends. I have better ways of releasing stress."Rarity called out Rainbow as she returning to sewing her next line of dresses. Rainbow taking a take step backward in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, Rarity." Rainbow apologized to Rarity for the second time.

"Don't apologize to me Rainbow, apologize to yourself." Rarity said back to Rainbow not looking up from her sewing.

The door to the room that held the mirror portal opened and Celestia and Luna both trotted in. All of the ponies that were present in the room rose and prepared to bow to the two royals. Their movements being halted by the forehoof of Celestia.

"Please skip the formalities, my sister and I come as two worried friends wishing for news on the whereabouts of Princess Twilight Sparkle, King Zulu, and Theta. We are equal at the current time." Celestia said as she entered the room.

"My sister is right." Luna said as she followed after her older sister. "Now is there any updates as to the current status of the mission to return the Element of Magic back to Equestria and the possible capture of Sunset Shimmer?" Luna asked the other ponies that were in the room. Celestia's body flinching slightly at her sister's words. She didn't want to capture her daughter, she just wanted her to come home.

"No, nothing at all. I'm sorry your highnesses. The no pony or dragon has gone in or out of the portal since Twilight, Zulu, and Theta went into it yesterday." Fluttershy explained to the two alicorns.

"It's alright, she still has another day to get her Element of Harmony back." Celestia said as she trotted up to the mirror. The mirror's surface circling in a small blue vortex showing that it was still active. Rainbow sending a death glare the white alicorn's way. A glare that Celestia either didn't notice or simply didn't care to give her attention to.

Celestia let out an internal sigh as a thought came to her. "And hopefully bring my daughter back to me."

"Princess Celestia, I have a question." Rainbow said catching the attention of Princess Celestia.

"Yes, Miss Dash?" Celestia said turning her head to face the cyan pegasus.

"Why do we have stay here when we could be helping Twilight take down that evil Sunset Shimmer?" Rainbow asked Celestia, her flinching slightly at the mentioning of her daughter being evil.

"Miss Dash, I have already told why you, and your friends, are unable to follow after Twilight." Celestia said to Rainbow.

"I know, but keep thinking that your hiding something from us." Rainbow said to the white alicorn.

"Rainbow, what are ya doin'?" Applejack asked the cyan pegasus.

"Relax AJ, I know what I am doing." Rainbow said to Applejack while keeping her gaze on Celestia.

"Do you?" Celestia snarled at Rainbow.

"You say that we can't help Twilight, but why?" Rainbow asked Celestia unphased by her words.

"I told you! I said that bringing all of you through that portal would upset the balance of the alternate world that is through that portal." Celestia said to Rainbow gesturing her hoof in the direction of the mirror portal.

"What is on the other side of that portal that we could possibly disturb the balance of?" Rainbow continued to press.

"It is another alternate universe where there are all another version of all of you. Including myself." Celestia said to Rainbow. "Does that satisfy you?" Celestia asked Rainbow bitterly.

"Not in the slightest." Rainbow snarled at Celestia. "Who is this Sunset Shimmer?" Rainbow asked Celestia.

"I told you, she was my personal student before Twilight came along." Celestia all but shouted back at Rainbow. Memories of Celestia spending time with her daughter flashing before her eyes.

"There's has to be something more than that. You wouldn't have sent Twilight after this Sunset Shimmer if you didn't have another reason for it." Rainbow said to Celestia, both of the ponies anger growing as they continued to stare each other down.

"I have nothing to hide from you Miss Dash. I just want Twilight to return to Equestria with her crown and Element of Harmony in hoof. Not that I don't wish for her to also return with Sunset Shimmer if possible.

"If you ask me it would be better for Twilight just to rid that world of that Sunset Shimmer." Rainbow spat at Celestia. Celestia's rage building as Rainbow continued to refer to her daughter as nothing more than an object.

"No, it wouldn't." Celestia said to Rainbow, her irritation toward the cyan-colored pegasus growing with each passing second.

"Why do you say that?" Rainbow spat at Celestia. Celestia beginning to regret making Rainbow the Element of Loyalty.

"I don't believe in the concept of capital punishment. Sunset Shimmer might have done some terrible things in her life, but she doesn't deserve to be killed for her crimes. She is still a citizen of Equestria after all, and all of the citizens of Equestria and granted a trial for their actions." Celestia said to Rainbow still trying to remain civil. Something that Rainbow wasn't going to give her in return.

"And yet you don't mind sending Twilight into a battle against the forces of evil with a high likely hood that she would be killed!" Rainbow shouted back at Celestia, and the white alicorn snapped.

"That's enough!" Celestia shouted with a booming voice, her eyes flashing open with them burning with anger. All of the ponies taking a step backward at her outburst, while all expect one. That one pony being Rainbow Dash. "I have grown tired of this discussion!" Celestia shouted as she turned away from Rainbow and began trotting toward the door of the room.

"Tia, are you alright?" Luna cautiously asked her older sister.

"I'm fine, Luna. I just need a moment to myself." Celestia snarled as she trotted past her younger sister.

"Do you even care about her!?" Rainbow called out to Celestia bitterly, the white alicorn's movements coming to an instant halt.

"What. Did. You. Say?" Celestia spat bitterly at Rainbow, her doing a quick 180 to face Rainbow again. All of the others in the room slowly began to retreat backward as the two ponies. Rainbow, however, stood her ground as Celestia slowly approached her.

"You heard me." Rainbow snarled at Celestia, the white alicorn's anger only growing by the second. "Do you even care about Twilight?" Rainbow asked Celestia bitterly. The other ponies in the room's eyes shifting between Rainbow and Celestia as they stared each other down.

"Of course, I care for Twilight. She is a Princess of Equestria and I practically raised her like my own foal for the last decade." Celestia said to Rainbow trying to control her anger. Unfamiliar rage building within the white alicorn as Rainbow continued to press.

"While you have a funny way of showing it!" Rainbow shouted back at Celestia.

"I might not be the best at showing my love for Twilight, but can assure you that I love her just as much as you do. Perhaps even more so." Celestia said back to Rainbow, her barely contained anger at the cyan pegasus about to reach its tipping point.

"Horseapples!" Rainbow shouted back. "I would never abandon Twilight. I'm the Element of Loyalty for buck's sake!" Rainbow continued to shout and Celestia snapped.

Celestia closed her eyes and stayed silent for a few moments. Her brain blocking out any and all words of hate coming from Rainbow.

"That might be true, Miss Dash." Celestia finally spoke with her eyes still closed. Rainbow's words of hate coming to a halt as Celestia continued to speak to her. "But there is one thing that you have forgotten about me." Celestia said slowly, Rainbow breaking her stance against the alicorn for the first time and slowly beginning to retreat backward.

"I was the once the Element of Magic!" Celestia shouted as her eyes flashed opened revealing two white dots where her pink eyes used to be.

Celestia's horn ignited with her golden magic and she wrapped her aura around the body of Rainbow and forced her against the wall. Rainbow feeling a sharp snap in her right wing as slammed against the wall of the room. "And I am very powerful with it!"

"Tia!" Luna shouted as she saw her sister assault Rainbow.

"SILENCE!" Celestia shouted back at her sister, her eyes still being blank white dots. Everypony taking a couple steps backward in fear.

"Now!" Celestia continued to shout as she returned her attention back to the cyan pegasus that was squirming in her magical grasp. "You might not agree with my methods, but you have no right to question them." Celestia said to Rainbow as she released her magic around the pegasus' body and she fell to the floor in a loud thud.

"This that understood." Celestia said down the Rainbow as her eyes returned to their original pink color.

"sniff... Yes." Rainbow whimpered as she cried underneath Celestia's hooves. Her just now realizing just how much bigger Celestia was than her.

"Never question my affection toward Twilight ever again."

"Of course, never again." Rainbow whimpered back as she hid behind her hooves.

"Good." Celestia said before turning around to see the shocked faces of the other ponies of the room.

---

Sunset continued to trot through the halls of the Canterlot castle, the amber filly having a small skip in her step as she neared the kitchen for the castle. Sunset having all but forgotten about the conservation that she had with the alicorn version of herself.

Sunset trotting into the kitchen and being met by one of the cooks. The cook being a pink unicorn with a magenta mane and eyes. The mare's mane having had its ends tied up in a single bow and covered in a black hair net. The mare's cutie mark being a cherry topped cupcake with four jelly beans surrounding it. The mare going by the name of Sugar Belle and despite being only a cook at the castle for a few months she had quickly risen to being one of the prized chiefs on the grounds, especially when it came to baking.

"Whatcha making Sugar Belle?" Sunset asked the pink mare, catching her attention. The mare stopping her frosting of a pink colored cupcake with light blue frosting. There another dozen cupcakes exactly like it.

"Oh, Sunset!" Sugar Belle exclaimed as she noticed the amber-colored filly. "I'm just putting the final touches on the cupcakes for the arrival of Princess Cadence in the next few days." Sugar Belle said as she finished the frosting of the pink cupcake. Sugar Belle using her magic to put some blue, pink, and white sprinkles on the cupcake.

"You want one, I can always make more?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset as she held the cupcake that she just finished in her light blue magic.

Sunset's brain was wondering what Sugar Belle meant by 'Princess Cadence' but her stomach was hurting so much from hunger that she didn't really care at the moment.

"I will ask Celestia about this 'Princess Cadence' later." Sunset thought as she took the cupcake from Sugar Belle with her teal magic. Sunset examined the cupcake for several seconds before taking a single bite into the cupcake. Sunset's eyes widened before slowly closing as she took another bite of the cupcake. Sunset letting out a small moan as she dug into the pink cupcake.

"I was going to ask if you like it, but based on your expression I got my answer." Sugar Belle said at the sight of the sugar comatose face of Sunset. Sunset having to cover her mouth her hoof to stop any of the crumbs of the cupcake from coming out of her mouth.

Sunset quickly finished her cupcake and used her magic to tossed the leftover paper wrapping in a trash can that was nearby. "Thank you, Sugar Belle." Sunset said to in gratitude to Sugar Belle.

"Don't mention it Sunset, it is an honor to just have the prodigy of Princess Celestia herself to be eating my food." Sugar Belle said with grandeur, Sunset's muzzle flushing pink in a blush.

Sunset cleared her throat as she began speaking to Sugar Belle again. "Thank you Sugar Belle, but I'm no Princess Celestia. She's a Princess that has raised and lowered the sun and moon for over a millennia." Sunset said to Sugar Belle modestly. One of the many non-magical lessons that her mother had been teaching her ever since she got her cutie mark. "I'm just a regular old unicorn, I'm nothing special." Sunset said looking up at the small horn that protruded out of her forehead.

"Don't be so modest Sunset. I can, and I can assume that Princess Celestia does as while, tell that you are destined for great things. You just have figured it out yet." Sugar Belle said as she took out a wooden bowl out of the kitchen cabinets and began to make another batch of cupcakes.

"But I already got my cutie mark. I know my destiny." Sunset said not sure what Sugar Belle was getting at with her statement.

"Cutie marks aren't your destiny my dear, Sunset Shimmer. They are simply just something that helps guide you to find your true calling in life." Sugar Belle said with Sunset with some food for thought.

"Now, I have to get back to work and you have a lesson with the Princess to get to." Sugar Belle said to Sunset as she returned to her baking for the arrival of the anomaly that was Princess Cadence.

"Right... thanks, Sugar Belle." Sunset said slightly defeatist as she began to trot off, her movements coming to a stop when Sugar Belle called out to her.

"Hey, Sunset!" Sugar Belle called out to Sunset.

"Yes, Sugar Belle?" Sunset said stopping mid-trot.

"Keep your chin up, this your big day. You are learning teleportation today right?" Sugar Belle said to the amber filly. Sunset nodding her head. "Then you should be excited. I could never have imagined doing something so difficult as teleportation when I was your age." Sugar Belle, her stopping when I thought came to her mind.

"Tartarus, even now I doubt that I would ever be able to pull it off right now if I tried." Sugar Belle thought out loud as she returned to Sunset. "You are one powerful unicorn Sunset Shimmer, and there are great things in your future. Just make sure that you don't use sight of the things that are most important." Sugar Belle said to Sunset, the baker's kind words making her feel a little better.

"Thank you, and I will." Sunset said to Sugar Belle with a genuine smile on her face.

"Good, now go you don't want to keep the Princess waiting." Sugar Belle said to Sunset, urging her to run off to her lesson.

"Right, it was nice talking to you Sugar Belle, and thank you for the cupcake." Sunset said in gratitude to Sugar Belle as she began to trot out of the kitchen.

"You too Sunset, now back to work." Sugar Belle said more to herself as Sunset left. The pink mare returning to her job of creating cupcakes for the arrival the enigma that was Princess Cadence.

---

Back in the present day, all of the ponies inside the room that held the magic mirror were standing there with their mouths open in a state of pure shock. They had just seen Princess Celestia explode at Rainbow Dash. Princess Celestia, the seemingly perfect ruler of Equestria for over a millennia. An alicorn that many of them saw a perfect god-like figure. Celestia never showed any signs of weakness to her subjects, her always looking like the strong impenetrable ruler that Equestria needed. Even Luna and Cadence rather saw her in any other emotion other than calm. And almost never in anger, or in this case pure rage.

Out of all the ponies present, the one that was most surprised was Celestia own sister Princess Luna. Luna, unlike the rest, had seen Celestia when she was angry. But had never seen her blow her top at somepony, yet alone one of her subjects. Even when Luna had turned into Nightmare Moon, Celestia wasn't angry at her. The only thing that she saw Celestia direct at her during her darkest hour was if anything pity, never anger.

Celestia snorted as she turned to leave the room. "I grow tired of this. I'll be in my quarters if you need me." Celestia said as she

"Tia..." Luna tried to stop her sister. Luna's words coming to a stop with Celestia white hoof.

"Don't Luna, just don't." Celestia said quietly to her younger sister.

"What the buck just happened?" Applejack thought out loud as she comforted the crying Rainbow Dash.

"I don't know, dear Applejack. But I do intend to find out." Luna said as she exited the room calling after her sister.

---

It didn't take long for Sunset to trot from the kitchen that was located in the lower levels of the castle and across the large castle and to the throne room. Sunset arriving that large double doors that marked the entrance to the throne room with still a few minutes to spare. There was a single royal guard standing in front of the door.

A guard with brilight orange coat stood in front of the throne room. The guard looking like his mane was made of fire. The guard being one of the commanders of the royal guard and having been the personal guard for Princess Celestia for longer than Sunset had been alive.

"Another lesson with the Princess, Miss Shimmer?" The guard asked Sunset.

"Yeah." Sunset said quietly as she continued to stare at the large doors that were in front of her.

"Nervous little one?" The guard asked Sunset as he saw her nervously kick her front hooves into the carpet of the long hallway that led to the throne room.

"A little bit, this is my first lesson in teleporting." Sunset said to the guard.

"I see, well good luck to you during your lesson." The guard said to Sunset with a warm smile on his muzzle.

"Thanks." Sunset said with a sigh.

Sunset brought in a deep breath as she ignited her horn and opened the doors to the throne room. Sunset entered the room to find Celestia sitting on her throne reading some papers. Celestia's reading coming to a stop when she noticed Sunset entering the room.

"Sunset! So good to see you again, please come closer." Celestia said to Sunset rising to her hooves.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, Princess." Sunset said, her still not used to referring to Celestia by her title and not 'mom' or 'mommy'.

"Of course not Sunset, just getting some paperwork done before our lesson. Nothing is more important than your greatest magical challenge to date." Celestia said to Sunset as she stepped down from her golden throne.

"Of course, Princess!" Sunset squealed in delight as she clopped her forehooves together.

"Excellent, now get yourself ready. We are going straight to the manticore of training today, so to speak." Celestia said with a warm smile. Celestia's words getting an amused giggle out of Sunset. Her mother always used the strangest analogies.

"Alrighty Princess!" Sunset exclaimed as she took her saddlebag off her back with her magic and set it out the floor of the throne and did her usual stretches before doing advanced magic. Celestia smile only getting larger as Sunset continued to refer to her by Princess rather than any maternal pronouns. She still didn't call her by her first name, but it was filly-steps in the right direction.

After Sunset finished her stretching she stood in the center of the room and waited for Celestia's next instructions. "So what next?" Sunset asked Celestia eagerly awaiting the beginning of her next lesson.

"I believe that it would be best to start out with a simple spell to warm up that beautiful horn of yours." Celestia said to Sunset, the amber-colored filly's muzzle beginning to turn pink with a blush. "Just do a simple spell to warm your horn. Like an ice spell for example." Celestia said to Sunset, her student nodding in agreement.

Sunset was an expert at most spells, but ice spells were ones that she struggled with more than most to master, maybe some cruel irony that the world wanted to play on her given her name and who her mother was. Sunset was much better at spells that had something to do fire. But Celestia wanted an ice spell and she had learned quickly that if Celestia suggests you to do something she is really ordering you to do it, she's just not being an ass about. And it's not cursing if you are referring to an actual ass.

---

Sunset followed her teacher's instructions and her horn lit up with her teal magic and her left hoof was wrapped in her magical aura. Sunset closed her eyes and began to feel her left hoof that she was holding up get colder. Sunset slowly opened her left eye to see that a small ball of white snow had formed in her hoof.

"Good, keep going Sunset. You're doing perfectly." Celestia encouraged Sunset.

Sunset didn't respond as talking would break her concentration the ball being extra difficult to maintain as it was currently the middle of June and it was currently ninety degrees outside and she had to make sure that snow didn't melt and to replace any that did. Sunset would've been sweating through her coat if it wasn't for the castle's magical air conditioning along with its own natural conditioning, AC that only lowered the temperature inside the castle to around seventy degrees.

"Perfect, I believe that would be a perfect warm up for what I am going to teach you today." Celestia said as Sunset expertly handled the snowball that was in her hoof. Sunset let out a sigh of relief at Celestia's words and her magic left the snowball. The

"Th-thank you, Princess." Sunset said to Celestia breathing heavily, Sunset just then realizing that she hadn't been breathing during her 'warm-up', something that Celestia told her multiple times not to do.

"Alright, now that you have warmed up your horn yet's start with the easiest form of teleportation and move up from there." Celestia said to Sunset.

"Ok, what's that?" Sunset asked Celestia.

Instead of answering, Celestia's horn glowed with her golden magic and she disappeared in a flash of blindly gold magic and appeared further down the long hallway that made up the throne room a few seconds later.

"Teleporting ten feet." Celestia said as she teleported back to Sunset's side.

"Ok, how do we began?" Sunset asked Celestia.

"Alright, now just concrete on a location that you want to teleport to."

"Anywhere?" Sunset questioned as she lit her horn again with her teal magic.

"As this is your first teleport, I recommend something easy. Like there." Celestia said pointing a corner of the throne room that was about ten feet from where Sunset was currently standing.

"Ok." Sunset said as she looked at where her teacher was pointing. Sunset's horn

"Now, make sure that you have a perfect mental image as to where you will be teleporting. Even a single thing being wrong could completely strange where you end if you end up in one piece at all." Celestia said as Sunset continued her spell.

"Good thing I have a photographic memory." Sunset thought as she closed her eyes and focused on the corner of the throne room. Sunset painting a perfect replica of the corner in her mind.

"Now be careful, one drop in concentration and you could end up somewhere that you had never wanted or different parts of your body can end up in different places.

"Hmm hmm." Sunset hummed as her horn glowed bright teal with magical energy.

"Now, cast a simple location spell on where you are focusing on." Celestia said to Sunset.

Sunset did as Celestia commanded and her the exact location of the corner of the throne room.

"Do you see the exact coordinates of where you want to go?" Celestia asked Sunset, making sure that her question wouldn't break Sunset's concentration.

Sunset didn't respond verbally but she did nod her head at her teacher's question.

"Come find me." Sunset heard a voice that she hadn't heard before say in her mind.

"What?" Sunset thought out loud, her mind changing to the voice inside her head. Sunset not noticing that her change in focus also changed the location to where she was teleporting to. Her focusing on the location of the pony in question instead of the corner of the throne room.

"Sunset what's going on?" Celestia asked her student with concern in her voice.

Sunset didn't answer instead her horn only glowed brighter as she performed a more advanced version of teleportation. Sunset's horn glowed so brightly at Celestia had to cover her eyes with her white hoof to stop herself from going blind.

Sunset was concreting so much and her eyes were closed so hard that her eyes began to water as she continued with her spell. Sunset let out a high pitched scream as her horn hummed with magical energy. Her scream was then followed by a loud popping sound. Almost as if somepony had opened a bottle of champagne. And then nothing.

Celestia removed her hoof from her muzzle and her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

"Sunset!" Celestia exclaimed as she could no longer see her daughter. A scorch mark in the shape of Sunset's cutie mark, where she had been standing. Sunset shouldn't have been able to complete long distance teleportation yet, the big question was where had Sunset ended up.

---

"No, NO, NO!" Celestia shouted as she fanatically searched the room for her daughter.

"Guards!" Celestia shouted at the top of her lungs and the royal guard that had been standing just outside the room rushed into the room. His golden spear being held in his green magic.

"Yes your highness, what happened? Is there an intruder? Are you alright?" The guard asked Celestia quickly his green eyes scanning the room for any noticeable threats to the Princess.

"No, I'm fine." Celestia said to the guard, him relaxing and returning his golden spear to a holster that was on his right side. "My student, on the over hoof, is a different matter entirely." Celestia said to the guard, his green eyes widening at her words.

"Sunset! What happened to her, Celestia!?" The guard asked Celestia dropping all previous formalities. "Tell me!" The guard pleaded with Celestia his green eyes beginning to water.

"I don't know. I was teaching her the basics of teleportation and... and..." Celestia said quickly and breathing heavily. Her hind legs buckling as she continued to hyperventilate.

"Celestia calm down." The guard said rushing to Celestia side. Him placing a reassuring hoof on Celestia's shoulder. Celestia's breathing returning to normal from the guard's mere touch. "Now, tell me what happened." The guard said to Celestia as he began to run his hoof through Celestia's flowing mane.

"I-I was teaching Sunset the basics of teleportation and everything seemed to be going perfectly fine and then..." Celestia began to say, her stopping mid-sentence unable to continue.

"And?" The guard urged Celestia to continue.

"And then I lost her!" Celestia cried out her pink eyes beginning to swell up with tears. "She was gone, she disappeared, and she didn't reappear where I had told her to." Celestia said as her breathing began to heighten again. Her falling silent for a few moments before speaking again.

"Sunbeam, just find my Sunset, I can't lose her." Celestia pleaded with the guard. "I have already lost too much of my family." Celestia said as she stared directly into the green eyes of the guard that was in front of her.

"Don't worry Tia, we're going to find her." Sunbeam said to Celestia as he wrapped his hooves around her in a tight hug. "She probably just teleported herself to another part the castle by mistake." Sunbeam said to Celestia pulling out of the hug. A half a dozen more royal guards arriving in the throne room. The throne room beginning to feel smaller with each passing second.

"You called Princess." One of the guards said as they all stood at action near the rear of the room.

"Are you alright, Princess?" One of the guards, a young white unicorn stallion with a two-tone blue mane and a cutie mark that was a dark blue shield with a magenta star on it.

"I-I'm fine. Commander Sunbeam, explain the situation." Celestia said while still sitting on the ground.

"Of course, your highness." Sunbeam said returning to his role as the leader of the royal guard.

"The personal student of Princess Celestia, Sunset Shimmer has gone missing." Sunbeam said to the other guards, the six guards all sharing a concerning look.

"Permission to speak freely, Commander Sunbeam?" One of the guards asked, him an orange pegasus with a dark blue mane, asked his commanding officer. Commander Sunbeam nodding his head in response. "How is did Miss Shimmer go missing exactly?" The pegasus guard asked Sunbeam.

"A mishap during a teleportation spell. The exact of which is currently unknown." Sunbeam said sending a quick look Celestia's way. The other guards shared another concerned look and mumbled a few things underneath their breath. Sunbeam would've under other circumstances slammed his men for speaking out of term, but this wasn't normal circumstances and he needed all of his men to be on the same page.

It was silent, outside of a few whispers along the royal guards, until the young white unicorn guard stepped forward.

"What are our orders, Commander?" The white unicorn guard asked Sunbeam.

"Your orders are to the entire castle and the surrounding areas for the lost Sunset Shimmer." Sunbeam ordered at his men. "Privates Shining Armor and Lightspeed, I want the both of you to search the West Wing of the castle. The young student's living quarters are located in that section of the castle and is the most likely place she would end up in." Sunbeam said to the white unicorn that happened to the older brother of Twilight Sparkle and a white pegasus guard with a spiky black mane. Them both giving a single head nod and saluting their C.O.

"Corporal Warhammer and Private Red Wing, you search the left wing of the castle." Sunbeam ordered at two pegasus guards, one blue and the other red. Them both nodding in unison at their orders.

"Sergeant Broadsword and Private Silver Bullet you search the surrounding areas of the castle. Miss Shimmer could've teleported herself anywhere, and we have to search every possible location for the missing filly." Sunbeam ordered an older tan unicorn with brown hair and a large mustache and a light gray guard that was also a unicorn with a two tone mane of blue streaks of slightly different colors. The two guards both

"Do you all understand your orders?" Sunbeam asked his men.

"Yes, sir!" The half a dozen guard in question all said in unison saluting their commander.

"Make sure that your search isn't too obvious. I don't want to cause an unnecessary panic among the populous." Celestia said as she returned to hooves, she still needed to look like the seemingly perfect ruler of Equestria. Even if she was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"Did you hear that, men?" Sunbeam said to the other guards under his command.

"Yes, sir!" They all said in unison giving a salute to their commanding officer and their Princess.

"Very well, you have your orders, now execute them." Sunbeam ordered at his men.

"Yes, sir!" They all said as they all broke off into three, two stallion crews to search the castle and its surrounding areas.

---

"Aren't you going to go with them?" Celestia asked Sunbeam as the double doors of the throne room closed with a loud slam.

"No." Sunbeam said as he looked Celestia directly in the eyes.

"You aren't, why?" Celestia asked Sunbeam genuinely shocked.

"Because I am needed elsewhere." Sunbeam said to Celestia, the white alicorn's muzzle turning slightly pink in a blush.

"Sunbeam, I'm flattered but happened between can never happen again. Not that I miss us.

"I don't care Tia and I'm not trying to get back with you. I just don't you to go down the same dark path that took your sister all those years ago." Sunbeam said to Celestia and her raged spiked.

"I will never be like my sister. I will never hurt my family for selfish reasons!" Celestia shouted but Sunbeam remained unfazed.

"Are you sure about that Celestia?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"Sunbeam, just find my daughter." Celestia said frustrated.

"Tia, please." Sunbeam pleaded with Celestia.

"That's an order!" Celestia shouted at Sunbeam. She didn't want to play the 'Princess card' but she just wanted

Sunbeam let out a defeated sigh as he spoke. "As you wish." Sunbeam said in defeat as he slowly trotted away.

Celestia watched the commander slowly leave the throne room, the sounds of the doors opening and closing again thundering throughout the large room. Celestia let out a heavy sigh as she said. "Oh, Sunset. What have I done."

---

Sunset landed in her new location with a heavy thud as she landed hard in a pile of some kind gray dirt that Sunset had never come across before. Her first reentering not being the best.

"Ugh, oh!" Sunset exclaimed as she slowly returned to her hooves, her spitting some of the gray dirt out of her mouth. Sunset finding it slightly easier to raise her body off of the ground.

"Where am I?" Sunset thought out loud as she examined the soil in her hoof. Small drops of soil falling out of her hoof and slowly falling toward the ground. That was when something in the corner of her eye caught her attention.

Sunset slowly turned her head to see a large green and blue ball that took up most of the black void that completely surrounded her. It didn't take her long to realize that she was staring at was her home. Her very own planet, she wasn't in Equestria anymore. Tartarus, she wasn't even on the same planet anymore.

"I-I'm on the moon!" Sunset exclaimed as she stared at the large green and blue planet that was directly in front of her.

"Huh! Impressive little one. You're even more powerful than I had originally thought." Sunset heard somepony say from behind her. Sunset flinched at the sounds behind her.

Sunset slowly turned her head toe what it was behind her and she took a single step backward at what she saw. Behind her was a tall black alicorn with a flowing dark blue mane that looked the night sky. She had slit teal eyes that reminded Sunset of a dragon's. Her having bright blue armor over her black body. The armor covering her hooves, chest, and head with a blue helmet that her long black horn poked out of. The chest plate of the armor having a large crescent moon in the middle. The black alicorn's cutie mark being a crescent moon over a large purple spot.

"Who-who are you?" Sunset asked the black alicorn taking another step backward in fright.

"You have no need to fear me little one. You probably know me better from this form." The black alicorn said as her black body erupted in green flames. The black alicorn's appearance burning away and being replaced by an alicorn version of Sunset. Her armor remained but was now red and had a blackened sun in the chest piece replacing the crescent moon.

"Nightmare?" Sunset said as she recognized the alicorn version of herself.

"Yes." Nightmare said as she returned to her original form.

"How did I get here, or is this just some really strange dream?" Sunset asked herself out loud as she stared at the green and blue planet that was in front of her. Sunset sitting on her haunches and just stared at the large planet that was in front of her. Sunset getting a sight that very few ponies had ever seen.

Nightmare Moon smiled devilishly to herself at Sunset's words. "This is going to be too easy." Nightmare Moon thought as trotted over toward Sunset and took a seat next to Sunset.

"Sure, a dream. A very powerful dream." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

"What happened, how did I end up here?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"You must have just pushed yourself past your limits with your last spell and passed out. Don't worry little one, I'm sure that you are just sleeping in your bed recovering right now." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

"I see. So what now?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"I heard that you are being taught magic by Princess Celestia as her personal protege." Nightmare Moon said down to Sunset

"Really, how would you know that?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"I know of many things little one." Nightmare Moon said as she tapped her chin in mocked thought. "Things that might just include some... magic." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, her getting an expected spike of interest from the amber filly. Nightmare Moon could stop herself from smirking as she saw Sunset's small ears perked up at her words.

"Calm yourself Moony, you don't have her just yet." Nightmare Moon to herself as she continued to reel Sunset in.

"You know about magic!" Sunset exclaimed as she jumped up and down in excitement. Nightmare let a genuine smile spread across her face as she watched the amber filly slow rise and fall in the lowered gravity of the moon. That was when Nightmare did a mental check as she felt the presence of something that she had thought she buried centuries before.

"No! Not Adorable! Disgusting!" Nightmare Moon shouted internally as she silenced the last remnants of her host. The fallen Princess of the Night of Equestria, Luna. She wasn't going to ruin all of the work that she did so easily.

"Why yes, little and I can teach many things." Nightmare Moon said as her pitch black horn ignited with her teal magic that reminded Sunset of her own. Nightmare Moon's horn than charged up and in a puff of blindly light she had teleported to the right side of Sunset. Her laying down right next to her.

"Y-you can teleport?" Sunset asked Nightmare whipping her head around to the black alicorn to her right side.

"Why yes, and that's not all, my dear." Nightmare Moon said as her magic began to charge up again. "I can teach you many things about magic, even some spells that your actual teacher Princess Celestia would deem not natural." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, her almost spitting out the name of her rival.

A happy smile spread across Sunset's face for a few seconds before it disappeared as an unknown thought came to Sunset's mind. "I appreciate the thought, but I going to have to decline. I already have a great teacher that most other unicorns would kill to have as theirs. Plus is just a dream right." Sunset said to Nightmare.

"Hmm... this might be a little more different than I had originally thought, but no matter. That Princess Luna was a hard nut to crack but still cracked nonetheless. No pony can resist the power of the darkness." Nightmare Moon thought as she changed tactics.

"I understand Sunset, but please if take this from me as a gift, free of charge." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset with fake humidity. Nightmare Moon conquering a strange hardcover book that Sunset didn't recognize but knew that Celestia wouldn't approve of her having.

The book was an old hardcover spellbook that looked to be that's cover show a black alicorn that reminded Sunset of Nightmare. The black alicorn had six strange gemstones with all different colors. Sunset first thought that the gems were the fame Elements of Harmony. But they were different. They were different colors and gave her a vide of evil that she just couldn't logically explain. The book must have had at least seven hundred pages in length based on its sheer size.

"I hope you can read ancient alicorn." Nightmare Moon said as she presented the book to the amber filly.

"Yeah, my m..." Sunset began to say, catching herself midsentence before she could reveal any important information. Information that Nightmare already knew, but Sunset didn't know that. "I mean Celestia thought me it when I was younger.

"Perfect, now take this book as a simple parting gift from me to you." Nightmare Moon said as she gave the large book to Sunset. Sunset examined the strange book in her magic.

"Thanks, but if this is a dream how will be able to read it when I wake up?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"You'd be surprised what you can find if you just believe enough." Nightmare Moon said down to Sunset as she used her magic to summon a portal behind Sunset.

"What's that?" Sunset asked Nightmare Moon as she stared at the teal vortex that was behind her.

"That is a portal my dear, a portal that will take you back to the waking world." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset telling her a half truth.

"Can't you come with me?" Sunset asked Nightmare as she slowly trotted toward the portal.

"So many questions, a little surprising that you haven't seen through my facade yet. Or figure out my true identity yet for that matter." Nightmare Moon thought as she made up a believe lie for her banishment. Stupid Elements of Harmony, but she would return soon and she would need some support back home for her plan to be successful.

"I'm afraid not my pet. This is your dream and you must leave it alone. But don't worry I am sure that will see each other again soon." Nightmare Moon said, her words seeming to work on Sunset as she gave her a single head nod in response.

Sunset then trotted through the portal and returned to Equestria. The portal closing shortly afterward.

"Yes, I can guarantee that we will see each again." Nightmare Moon said as she jumped into a fit of maniacal laughter. The first part of her plan to turn Celestia's own daughter against as revenge for banishing her to the moon over a millennium ago having entered its first stages.

Author's Note:

If you were wondering why this chapter took so long to write than just look at the word count of this chapter and you will get your answer. This is the longest chapter I have ever written, plus I also just started my first semester of college so that also took a little bit of my free time away from me. I hope that the next chapter will take less time, but you never know with.

I wanted to return to Equestria so that I could give some needed development toward Celestia as one of her many criticisms is that she seems to not care for Twilight. Me seeing Celestia as giving her motherly instincts that she had toward Sunset and directing it toward Twilight. Her just not understanding how parenting works as she never truly raised Sunset. It also gives her another reason for adopting Cadence and making her an alicorn. I also just wanted to write Celestia in a situation where she wasn't the seemingly perfect god-like figure and her exploding at Rainbow Dash at the idea that she doesn't really care for Twilight seemed like the best and the most fun way.

I'm moving away from the human world for a few chapters (three planned) to give the backstory of Sunset Shimmer. Don't worry I will return to the mane story and finish my Equestria Girls story and finally move into Season 4. And even though I made it pretty obvious, Sunbeam is Sunset's father. I will confirm in-story later, but until I won't torture you with completely not subtle hints.

I used Sugar Belle in this chapter because her age was never actually stated in the Season 5 premiere and I didn't want to just make another one off OC. Also having Sugar Belle give so insight on cutie marks to Sunset just seemed appropriate.