The Tale of the Second Alpha

by Bergen

The Black Book (Sunset's Backstory)

Sunset exited the portal and found herself stepping out the mirror that was in her room. Sunset wobbled in place as her hooves made contact with the carpet of her room. This was Sunset's first time going through a portal, and the sensation was strange, to say the least.

"Wow!" Sunset exclaimed as she nearly fell on her face from the strange feeling of walking through the portal. "That was weird." Sunset said as she turned her head around just in time to see the portal that took her back home close behind her.

Sunset looked down at the old book that she held in her magic. The book was covered in some of the dust from the moon and Sunset blew it off to get a better look at it. "Hmm... what's so special about this book?" Sunset said as she examined the book in her magic. The book looking like any other old spellbook that Celestia had given her for studying.

When Sunset was done examining the book, it only being slightly different in weight from when she was on the moon. She returned it to its cover and stared at it. The black alicorn that reminded her of Nightmare staring right back at her. Sunset's teal eyes falling on the title of the book. Like Nightmare had told her the title was written in the ancient alicorn language. A language that many ponies considered be a dead language as only the Princess and some scholars were still fluent in it.

"Lux autem Tenebris." Sunset read the title of the book, her ancient alicorn was perfect but she was able to understand what the title meant and it didn't make sense to her.

"The Light of Darkness." Sunset said as she translated the book's title. "What does that mean?" Sunset said as trotted over toward her bed and laid down on it. The book being placed on near her front hooves.

Sunset continued to stare at the book, her contemplating opening and reading the book. The book gave off a dark vide that Sunset couldn't understand. Then a thought came to Sunset's mind.

"Why am I scared. This is all just a dream right." Sunset thought as she waved off her previous fears. Sunset's horn ignited with her teal magic and she wrapped it around the cover page of her newest spell book. The cover slowly opened and Sunset's muzzle was engulfed by a giant puff of a tan powder.

Sunset coughed as she cleared the smoke from her head with her left hoof. "cough... cough... cough... Dusty!" Sunset said waved away all of the dust from her muzzle. Sunset was then hit with a massive dose of fatigue as her eyes began to droop. "Oh, I'm tired all of sudden." Sunset said as she let out a yawn. "Can you even be sleeping a dream..." Sunset mumbled as she slowly succumbed to effects of the powder that was released by the book. The powder being made from the seeds of the poppy flower.

Nightmare Moon's image returned to the magical mirror that was behind Sunset and she watching her hoof work with glee.

"Yes, sleep my pet. You have had a long day and I want to make sure that you are at your best before I begin to turn you against your own mother." Nightmare Moon said from the magical mirror that was behind Sunset. The black alicorn laughing letting out another fit of laughter as the spell book that she gave Sunset magically disappeared from Sunset's bed. Nightmare Moon soon removed her presence from the mirror, leaving the amber unicorn sleeping in her own bed. Nightmare Moon not doubting that when she awoke that she would truly believe that happened between the two of them was nothing than a dream. At least until the time was right for her to think otherwise.

---

Back in the present day of the Crystal Empire, Celestia was currently trotting through the halls of the castle. Her actions of the last five minutes playing over and over again her mind. She wasn't proud of what she did to Rainbow Dash, but she didn't regret her actions. Rainbow was out of line and she needed somepony to put her in her place. At least that's what she continued to internally say to herself as she slowly trotted back toward her living quarters in the castle.

Celestia really just some time to herself.

"Tia, I need to talk to you!" Celestia heard her little sister call after her. Celestia movements came to a stop as she let out a heavy sigh. She turned her head just enough to see her younger sister of the corner of her right eye and spoke to her.

"Luna, I know you are just trying to help, but I am not in the mood for a lecture from you. I know what I did to Miss Dash was wrong, but it needed to be said." Celestia said back to Luna, her beginning to slowly trot toward her living quarters again.

"I'm not here to lecture you Celestia, and even if I was. My words wouldn't be worth anything as I probably would've done the same thing given the circumstances." Luna said to Celestia as she quickly trotted up to her side. "I probably would've even gone further than you did." Luna thought as she followed her older sister.

"Don't flatter me, Luna. I know what I did was wrong, but I don't regret it in the slightest." Celestia said as she took a left down the hall that led to her living quarters.

"Celestia, I'm trying to flatter you." Luna tried to speak with her sister, but Celestia wasn't in the mood.

Celestia ignored Luna's words and she continued walking. Her passing the guard that was posted in front of her room. Celestia didn't as much as acknowledge the guard's existence. Something that he had gotten used to over the many years.

"Celestia please don't push me away, don't do what I did to you all those years ago." Luna called out to her sister as she began to open the door to her room with her golden magic.

"Luna, I appreciate what you are doing, but I just need to be alone right now. I hope you understand." Celestia said back to Luna as she entered her room and closed the door behind her. Luna just stood in front the door for a few seconds before she let out a sigh and turned to speak to the guard that was stationed just outside her sister's room.

"Guard." Luna said to the guard that was stationed at her sister's room.

"Yes, your highness." The guard said to Luna in his usual military way. The guard was the same commander that had been Celestia's personal bodyguard for the last two and a half decades. His orange coat had paled over the years and it made him look more like a walking orange creme popsicle. His mane of was still burning as bright as ever, aside from a few sneaks of graying hair.

"I want you to watch after my sister, I worry that she could do something drastic." Luna said to the guard.

"You don't have to order me to watch after the Princess, your highness." Commander Sunbeam said to Luna. Sunbeam then took a quick look at the closed door before returning to the blue alicorn. "I'm been doing just that for the last two decades without a single complaint." Sunbeam said to Luna.

"Excellent, then resume your post soldier." Luna said to the commander.

"Of course, your highness." Sunbeam said to Luna.

"Damnit Celestia." Sunbeam groaned as he turned to knock on the door to the Princess' room.

"Leave me alone, Luna!" Celestia shouted at the closed door, her incorrectly assuming it be her sister.

"It's me, Tia." Sunbeam said softly. Celestia muscles loosened and her snarl left her face.

"Oh..." Celestia said as she took a quick look at the full body mirror was in her room to her direct right. Celestia quickly fixed her frazzled mane the best that she could and then continued speaking to Sunbeam. "Please, come in." Celestia said to Sunbeam and the doorknob was encased in the commander's green magic and the door slowly began to open. Sunbeam entered the room and quickly closed the door behind him, locking it.

Sunbeam stood in front of for a few moments in silence. Neither of them looked at each other directly. Celestia looking at her hoof while Sunbeam made it look like he was scanning the for potential threats to the Princess well-being. You could cut the awkwardness in the room with a knife if wanted to. The awkward silence continued until Celestia falling broke by speaking to Sunbeam.

"What is that you want, Sunbeam?" Celestia asked the commander, her not even able to look him directly

"Your sister has ordered me to watch over you for the time being." Sunbeam said to Celestia in his usual guard way.

"You didn't answer my question." Celestia said seeing right through the commander's bullshit.

Sunbeam let out a sigh before he spoke. "Is it true?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"Is what true?" Celestia asked playing dumb. She knew what, or who to be more accurate, he was talking about but she had already yelled at one of her subjects that day. She didn't want to get into another argument.

"You know what I'm talking about." Sunbeam said to Celestia, the white alicorn gaze falling even away from him now. "Did... she really come back?" Sunbeam asked Celestia quietly.

Celestia still couldn't look at Sunbeam, she was too ashamed. It was her fault that Sunset had left in the first place. Maybe if she was a better teacher, maybe if she was better at protecting her from the darkness of the world, maybe if she wasn't scared of what would've happened if other found out of her having a child in the first place. Maybe, just maybe. She may never know.

Celestia's brain continued to run through her regrets of being a terrible mother before she finally silenced them and spoke to Sunbeam.

"Yes, the rumors around the castle are true. Sunset did come back." Celestia said to Sunbeam, the orange guard's eyes lighting up with hope.

"Where is she?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, hopeful that he would be able to see the amber unicorn for the first time in almost fifteen years. His hoped being dashed when Celestia spoke again.

"I don't know, she went right back through the portal that she fled through in the first place." Celestia said laying eyes on Sunbeam for the first time.

"Oh, I see." Sunbeam sighed. "Why did she come back?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, another rumor that had been going around the castle coming to his mind.

"Is it also true that she stole the crown of the newest Princess of Equestria?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"Yes, yes it is." Celestia said with a single head nod. "Princess Twilight, along with King Zulu, and the Alpha's apprentice Theta went through the portal to find Sunset and return the Element of Harmony back to Equestria." Celestia explained to Sunbeam. "And hopefully bring Sunset back with them." Celestia thought as finished her last statement.

"King Zulu?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, him not familiar with the name. Sunbeam despite still being technically the rank of a commander he hadn't been in command of the royal guard for several years. Him giving that command over to Shining Armor about five years earlier.

"Yes, he is the newly crown king of the Changeling Kingdom." Celestia said to Sunbeam, his green eyes widening at her words.

"Changeling!?" Sunbeam exclaimed.

"Relax, Sunbeam. Zulu can be trusted. As strange as it may sound he is the one that originally warned us of the return of Omega and even assisted during the Destruction of Canterlot." Celestia said to Sunbeam, the armored unicorn calming down a little bit.

"Ok, have they any of them returned yet?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"No, but they still have a full day before the portal closes again and won't reopen for another month." Celestia said to Sunbeam.

"Is there anything else?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, hoping to get any more information about the current situation of Sunset Shimmer.

"No, nothing at all." Celestia said in defeat, but Sunbeam wasn't convinced.

"Are you hiding something from me, Celestia?" Sunbeam accused Celestia, his words taking the white alicorn off guard.

"What?" Celestia asked puzzled.

"You heard me, Tia. Are you hiding anything from me?" Sunbeam pressed.

"I am not hiding anything from you Sunbeam. I know nothing about what is happening through that portal. And if I did know anything more I would tell you, but I just don't." Celestia said to Sunbeam.

"I believe that I have the exact same right to know what happens to Sunset that you do Celestia!" Sunbeam shouted at Celestia, him being the only guard that had the balls (or the insanity) to argue with Celestia.

"Why would you have any right to know about my Sunset!?" Celestia shouted back at Sunbeam.

"Because she's my daughter too Celestia!" Sunbeam shouted back and Celestia fell silent. "Or have forgotten that small little detail about our Sunset too!" Sunbeam continued to shout.

Celestia felt the corners of her eyes beginning to water. Of course, she remembered that Sunbeam was Sunset's father. How could she forget something like that?

"I'm sorry Sunbeam." Celestia began to apologize to Sunbeam, only for him to cut her off.

"Save it, Celestia. You weren't the only one that lost a part of them when you decided to abandon Sunset." Sunbeam said as he turned to leave the room. Sunbeam's movements stopped and turned his head to face Celestia.

"Did you ever love me, Celestia?" Sunbeam asked Celestia and she continued even look at the armored stallion anymore.

"Do I have to answer?" Celestia asked as she recalled the moments that the two shared.

"Yes." Sunbeam said bluntly.

"Maybe, all those years ago." Celestia said quietly as her memories of spending time with Sunbeam all those years ago. Celestia had a few relationships before Sunbeam, all of them in secret, of course. But Sunbeam was really the only one that she missed once it was over.

"Maybe before Sunset was born and everything changed." Celestia continued the memory of Sunset's secret birth flashing before her eyes. Celestia remembering that she was more thankful at the time that Sunset wasn't born an alicorn than that she had just given birth to a beautiful amber-colored filly.

"Maybe even when Sunset was just a filly and I had to watch her grow from afar." Celestia said turning her head to face Sunbeam directly. Celestia's pink eyes watering and on the verge of opening the floodgates.

"Maybe even when I lost my Sunset." Celestia continued as she swallowed an invisible apple in her throat.

"Maybe... I still do." Celestia as tears began to flow down her cheek.

"That's enough Celestia, save your pity for someone who still cares." Sunbeam said as he turned around and began to open the door to Celestia's room with his green magic.

"Do you still love me?" Celestia called out to Sunbeam. Sunbeam could hear the desperation in her voice. She was in her worst shape since when Sunset had put herself in self-exile over a decade earlier.

Sunbeam's movements came to a stop and he let out a sigh, his green magic releasing from the door and it closing with a quiet shut.

"I have always loved you, Celestia." Sunbeam said to Celestia without looking at her. Celestia's eyes widened and her ears perked up at his words.

"Maybe not romantically after all of these years, but I would still be the first one to take an arrow for you." Sunbeam said as his green magic wrapped around the doorknob and he began to open the door. The candlelight from the hallway shining into the dark bedroom.

"All of my guards would take an arrow for me." Celestia said to Sunbeam

"Yes, but they would do it because they'd have to. I would take an arrow for you because I would want to." Sunbeam said as left the room, his words leaving Celestia completely speechless.

---

Back in the past, Celestia had been nervously pacing the throne room for the last half an hour or so. It might have been a few minutes, it might have been a half an hour, it might have been several hours. Celestia didn't care, time had seemed to stop for her. Sunbeam had at least made sure that he made one of staff of the castle to watch over the princess as he and his men search the castle for the missing Sunset Shimmer.

"Are you sure that you are alright, your highness." The staff member that Sunbeam had watch over the Princess asked Celestia. The staff member being the newest guard of the royal guard. Her being a light gray, almost silver, unicorn mare that had a dark blue mane that also had light blue highlights. Her going by the name of Silver Bullet.

"I'm fine." Celestia said to Silver Bullet quickly as she continued to pace up and down the throne room.

"Are you sure? You seem on edge." Silver asked Celestia, the white alicorn's movements coming to a halt and her sending a glare that could cut marble Silver Bullet's way. Silver Bullet taking a cautionary step backward.

"I have just lost my prized student, and I have no idea if she is safe. I think that I have the right to be 'on edge'." Celestia said to Silver Bullet as she continued to pace up and down the throne room.

"I understand that Princess but don't you think that it would be far more effective if you were helping search for your student?" Silver Bullet asked, the white alicorn's pacing coming to a halt and her letting out a heavy sigh.

"Perhaps, but I don't think I could ever forgive myself if I was the one that found my little Sunset hurt... or worse." Celestia said to Silver Bullet.

"You must really care for this Sunset Shimmer." Silver Bullet said to Celestia, trotting over to the white alicorn's side.

"Of course, I care about Sunset. She is my student after all." Celestia said to Silver Bullet as she took a seat on her haunches. The mid-day sunlight shining straight through her flowing mane.

"I know, but you sound more like a mother being worried about her lost foal than a teacher being worried about a lost student." Silver Bullet said to Celestia, the white alicorn's muscles tensing up at Silver Bullet's choice of words. Celestia couldn't tell if Silver Bullet knew of her true relationship with Sunset, she made sure of it that not that many knew of it, and patronizing her. Or if Silver Bullet was just being a worried member of her royal guard that had a cruel sense of irony.

Celestia took her time before responding to Silver Bullet, she needed to make sure that she didn't say anything that could compromise her secret. There were a few moments of awkward silence until Celestia finally spoke.

"I can see why would think that. I have practically raised Sunset since she has become my student. So you could say that I could've put some motherly instincts onto Sunset." Celestia said with a slight pause. "Do you have any foals of your own?" Celestia asked Silver Bullet.

"No, I don't have any of my own. But, I did spend a good amount my teenage years as a babysitter so I know what it feels like when you lose a child that you are looking after." Silver Bullet said and Celestia couldn't stop a small giggle from coming from her lips.

"I'm sure that Sunset is perfectly fine, Princess." Silver Bullet said placing a reassuring hoof on Celestia's shoulder. Celestia was taken a little off guard by Silver Bullet's actions. Sunbeam was usually the only guard that would touch her without her before hoof permission, but she accepted the gesture nonetheless.

"Thank you, Silver Bullet. You are now reviled from duty." Celestia said to Silver Bullet, taking the young mare a little off guard.

"I have direct orders from Commander Sunbeam himself to watch over you, Princess." Silver Bullet said removing her hoof from Celestia and standing up straight.

"And I am the Princess of Equestria and overrule his original command." Celestia said to Silver Bullet, the young mare still not looking convinced. "Don't worry, I will be alright. I have been through worse situations than this." Celestia said to Silver Bullet, memories of her having to fight her own sister for the fate of Equestria flashing through her head.

"I hope that Sunset Shimmer is alright, Princess." Silver Bullet said to Celestia.

"I do too, Silver Bullet. I do too." Celestia said to Silver Bullet as the doors to the throne room closed. Celestia now being alone again, her brain continuing to think up the worst possibilities of what could've happened to her Sunset.

"Oh Sunset, please be alright." Celestia thought as her guards continued to search the castle for the missing filly.

---

In the West Wing of the castle, Private Shining Armor, and his partner Private Lightspeed were busy searching that part of the castle for the missing Sunset Shimmer.

"Where do you think Miss Shimmer could be Lightspeed?" Shining Armor asked Lightspeed as the two guards continued to search through the castle. Them being sure not make it look like they were doing nothing more than their normal patrolling.

"Why are you asking me, you're the one that can actually control magic. I'm just a pegasus." Lightspeed said to Shining Armor as the two neared the part of the castle where Sunset's room was located.

"Point taken, but just flatter me on this." Shining Armor said to Lightspeed.

"Fine Shining, I'll make you feel better." Lightspeed said sarcastically as he let out a small sigh. "I'm no expert, but I would guess that if Sunset Shimmer would've teleported anywhere it would probably be the place that she felt the safest." Lightspeed said as the two guards turned down the hallway that led to Sunset's room.

"And what would be?" Shining Armor asked Lightspeed.

"Wow, you are thick." Lightspeed said him completely unaware that in the next fifteen years he would soon be the one taking orders from Shining Armor. "Anyway, I would say that the best place to look would be the young filly's room." Lightspeed said as the two guards reached Sunset's room. "Speaking of which, Shining Armor would you like to be the one to do the honors.

Shining Armor just shook his head as the two guards took positions on both sides of the door. Shining Armor checked the doorknob of the door and found that it locked. Shining than softly knocked on the door with his hoof and spoke. "This is the royal guard, if there is anypony in there please open up."

There was no response.

Shining Armor and Lightspeed shared a look before Shining Armor knocked on the door again, this time being louder than the first. "This is the royal guard, open up or we are breaking this door down." Shining Armor said at a near shout.

There was still no response.

Shining Armor and Lightspeed shared another look and Lightspeed gave his partner an affirmative grunt. "We're coming in!" Shining Armor shouted as he bucked the door open with his hind legs. The door launching open from Shinning Armor's kick. The door hitting a wooden dresser that was next to the doorframe with a loud crash.

Sunset, who was still sleeping on her bed, jumping (literally) to life at the crash.

"What's going on!" Sunset shouted startled, her body jumping to life.

"Our apologies Miss, but you wouldn't happen to be Sunset Shimmer, would you?" Shining Armor asked Sunset.

"Um... yeah, would you two mind telling me what's going on." Sunset said and the two guards shared a look.

"Lightspeed, inform the Princess that we have found Miss Shimmer, you are the pegasus and can get to her faster." Shining Armor said to Lightspeed.

"Copy that." Lightspeed said as he opened his wings and flew out of the room and started flying back toward the throne room to inform Celestia.

"Soldier, please tell me what is happening."

"Don't worry Miss, the Princess has been searching for you ever since you disappeared during your teleportation lesson." Shining Armor explained to Sunset.

"She's... she's been looking for me." Sunset said as itched her forehoof.

"Yes, she looked really worried when I saw her last." Shining Armor said to Sunset.

"She was worried about me?" Sunset asked genuinely surprised that Celestia would actually send her royal guard after her if she went missing.

"Yes, you should've seen her. I have never seen the Princess in a worse state." Shining Armor said to Sunset, the amber filly's eyes widening as he continued.

"She broke her facade for me." Sunset thought as she built up her courage to ask another question to the young guard.

"Did she say anything else about me?" Sunset asked Shining Armor.

"Not that I am aware of. Come with me, Miss. I'm sure that the Princess will be more than happy to see you." Shining Armor said, Sunset's face losing a little bit of its original light.

"Alright, I'll be right behind you." Sunset said as she hopped off her bed.

"Excellent, follow me." Shining Armor said as he began to lead Sunset out of her room.

"Of course... what the." Sunset said as she took a quick gaze at her bed. Her surprised to find that the book that Nightmare had given her had disappeared.

"What is it?" Shining Armor asked Sunset when he noticed that she was following after him.

"What, oh nothing." Sunset said with a shake of her head. "It's nothing, come on the Princess must be going crazy right now." Sunset said as she quickly changed the subject and trotted out of her room.

"Of course, Miss Shimmer." Shining Armor said as he closed the door to Sunset's room behind him with his magenta magic.

---

The moment the door closed the image of Nightmare Moon reappeared in the magical mirror that was next to Sunset's bed.

"Ha, ha, ha... excellent." Nightmare Moon said with maniacal laughter. "Everything is going according to plan." Nightmare Moon said as her horn ignited with her teal magic. The spellbook that she had given Sunset reappearing on the bed. Some strange and aggressive humming coming from the book as the red eyes of the black alicorn glowing brightly.

"Don't worry, soon you will become more than just something to collect dust with. Soon my little pet will come to learn the true power of darkness.

The book responded to Nightmare Moon's words by making so that all of the gemstones that surrounded the black alicorn glow.

"Yes, soon they will be found, maybe not by me, or even my future puppet. By someone that will unleash their full power, and once they are unleashed nothing will be able to stop them." Nightmare Moon said with a slight pause, a devilish smirk appearing on the pitch black alicorn's muzzle.

"Not even the great Elements of Harmony could stop them." Nightmare Moon finished her thought. The book seeming to accept her words and its aggressive humming to an end.

"This is going to be too easy." Nightmare Moon said as her body disappeared from the mirror in a fit of maniacal laughter. The bright eyes of the black alicorn that was on the cover of the spell book dying down with the six gemstones following shortly after.

The gemstones looking similar to the original form of the Elements of Harmony just being different colors and slightly different shapes while still being arranged in the same manner with five gemstones surrounding a single larger gemstone in the center. The gemstone that was in the middle being a large red rhombus. The gemstone that was directly above it being a slightly smaller red triangle. The gemstone that was to the one in the middle's direct right was a lime-green circle that looked almost like a large green pearl. The gemstone that was to the one in the middle's direct left was an orange four-pointed star. The gemstone that was to the right and below the one in the middle was a black five-pointed star. And lastly, the gemstone that was to the left and below the one in the middle was a brown parallelogram.

All six of the gems glowing simultaneously before burning out and leaving the book alone in a room. The book waiting patiently for its next victim to fall into its trap.

---

Celestia continued to nervously pace up and down the throne room. She was half way through trotting back up to where her golden throne was when the doors to the throne were opened and an exhausted pegasus guard flew in. Celestia did a quick 180 to see one of the two guards that Sunbeam had assigned to search the West Wing of the castle. The part of the castle that was the most likely place where her daughter would have end up after her teleport mishap. Private Lightspeed, she thought his name was.

Celestia hopes were the first time in the last few hours as the pegasus guard landed.

"Is there any word on the location of Sunset?" Celestia asked the guard the moment that he landed. "Did you find her!?" Celestia demanded the guard to answer.

"Yes, your highness." Lightspeed said to Celestia catching his breath. Lightspeed having his fastest since flight school. "Did you find her!?" Celestia demanded the guard to answer.

"Did you find her!?" Celestia demanded the guard to answer.

"Yes, your highness. Private Shining Armor and I found Miss Shimmer in her room sleeping safe and sound. The overload from her spell must have knocked her out." Lightspeed said to Celestia and her the corners of her pink eyes began to water.

"She's alright! Oh, thank heavens she is alright." Celestia sighed internally at the news that her daughter was alright.

"Where is she now?" Celestia asked Lightspeed.

"Private Shining Armor was with her when I left to inform you of her discovery." Lightspeed said to Celestia.

"I see... take me to her." Celestia said to Lightspeed.

"Of course, your highness." Lightspeed said with an affirmative head nod. '"Follow me." He said as he led Celestia out of the throne room. Lightspeed and Celestia's movements coming to a halt when they both saw Shining Armor turn down the corner that connected to the hallway that the throne room was.

"Private Shining Armor, do you have the package?" Lightspeed asked Shining Armor.

"Yes, she right behind me." Shining Armor said to Lightspeed, looking behind him to see Sunset slowly following behind him. Sunset turning around the corner that led to the hall that the throne room was on. Sunset's eyes being directed straight at the ground and her tail wrapping underneath her belly. Sunset looking like a shameful filly that had just been caught having her hoof in the cookie jar.

Celestia motherly instincts kicked in and she rushed past Lightspeed and Shining Armor and hugged Sunset. Sunset being taken off guard by Celestia's movements and the force of her hug. Celestia being much stronger than she had previously thought.

"Oh, Sunset..." Celestia whimpered as she embraced Sunset in a motherly hug. "I thought I lost you." Celestia as tears began to flow down her cheeks.

"Princess... too tight... I... can't breathe." Sunset grunted through the death hug that was receiving from Celestia.

"Oh sorry!" Celestia said pulling out of the hug while still having her forelegs on Sunset's shoulders. Sunset was about to completely pull out of the hug when the both of their eyes met. Sunset noticing something in Celestia's eyes that she hadn't seen before.

Sunset always thought that she shared no similarities between her mother when it came to their eyes. Sunset's eyes were teal, her mother's eyes were pink. But now it was different. Her mother's eyes weren't filled with the same blank stare that she had perfected to show no emotion. These eyes were different. They were puffy and red from tears, tears that Celestia shed for her. Sunset being able to see some new tears beginning to dry on Celestia's white cheeks. She had truly cared about her like a mother would care for her foal. True Celestia was her mother, but she had never thought that she had seen her any more than teacher cared about her student. But this was different.

It was a good kind of different, a different that Sunset hoped when soon turn into a regular occurrence. Sunset resting her head up against her mother's chest and enjoying the sweet and warm embrace that her mother's body gave her.

Lightspeed and Shining Armor both shared a look as they watched Celestia and Sunset having their moment. Lightspeed than cleared his throat and spoke.

"We'll the two of you some alone time." Lightspeed said catching Celestia's attention.

"Yes, thank you guards. Please inform Commander Sunbeam that Sunset was found perfectly safe." Celestia said to Lightspeed, the two guards both acknowledging their Princess' words with a bow.

"Of course, your highness." Lightspeed said in response, he and Shining Armor trotting off to continue their final patrols for the day.

There were a few moments of silence as Celestia and Sunset continued their tight hug. The silence finally being broken when Sunset spoke.

"Um... Princess." Sunset said to Celestia catching her attention.

"Hmm hmm..." Celestia hummed with a nod of her head.

"I'm sorry for what happened." Sunset said to Celestia, her mother rejecting her words with a shake of her head.

"No, I'm the one that should be sorry. I'm the one that should be apologizing to you." Celestia said to Sunset, her pink eyes feeling with tears again.

"But... I did teleport." Sunset lightly protested.

"Yes, you did, but you don't have any control over you ended up. You could have ended up somewhere else completely." Celestia said to Sunset, flesh tears beginning to flow down her cheeks again. "I can't risk losing you again Sunset, not again." Celestia said through her newly formed tears. Her hug around her daughter tightening.

Sunset was going to protest further, but she just couldn't. Celestia was her Princess, and her teacher, and her own mother. What she said was law and there was no way to change that. Besides the last thing that she wanted to do was bring even more pain to her mother.

"I understand, Princess. Thank you." Sunset said as she fully embraced her mother's hug.

Silence fell upon the two for a few more seconds as Sunset just enjoyed the warming embrace of her mother. A thought coming to her mind as the hug between to two continued.

"Princess?" Sunset said in her mother's embrace.

"Yes, Sunset." Celestia said looking down at her daughter.

"Can I... ask you a question?"

"Sure, anything." Celestia said to Sunset, not sure where her daughter was going with this conversation.

"I know you said that don't want me calling you this." Sunset began to ask, Celestia already knowing what she was about to ask. "But don't you think it would better... at least for now. That I could call you... mommy now?" Sunset asked Celestia.

Celestia would've under normal circumstances immediately shut her down and insist that she refer to her by Celestia, or at the very most Princess. But this wasn't normal circumstances. She had almost lost her daughter physically that day, and she wasn't going to lose her today mentally.

A warm smile spread across Celestia muzzle as she softly spoke to her daughter. "Of course, my little Sunset. You can call me whatever you want." Celestia said as her tight hug around Sunset increased. Her making sure that she didn't hurt her daughter. She was so much stronger than the small filly.

A warm smile spread across Sunset as she tightened her small hooves around her mother. Sunset wanted this to last forever. She

Another round of silence fall upon the two, it wasn't an awkward silence either of them wanted to put to an end. No, it was a peaceful silence. It was a silence that neither of them wanted to end. But life never does what you want it to do and the silence was broken by the voice of a young mare that Sunset didn't recognize.

"Auntie, who's this?" Sunset heard somepony say behind her. She didn't recognize the voice, it sounded similar to Celestia but younger. Sunset estimating her to be in her early to mid-teens. Sunset taking special note of whoever was talking had just called her mother, auntie.

Sunset reluctantly pulled out the hug that her mother was giving her and turned around to see where the words coming from. Sunset eyes falling on a bright pink young mare that looked to in her early to mid-teens that had a tri-tone mane that was split equally purple, magenta, and gold. She had purple eyes and a cutie mark that was a blue crystal heart that was surrounded by two golden brackets. But the part of the pink mare that took the most of Sunset's attention was the fact she had both a horn protruding from her forehead and a pair of feathered wings. She was an alicorn!

"Um... Princess." Sunset said to Celestia, reverting back to calling her mother by her title. Her mother might not be against calling her mom anymore, but she still needed to keep the fact that were related a secret, at least for now. Celestia didn't like seeing her daughter pulling away from her, but she knew that it was a necessary evil.

"Who's this?" Sunset asked Celestia pointing at the pink alicorn that was in front of her.

"This is..." Celestia began to answer her pausing as she saw the confusion in eyes of both her daughter's and her adoptive niece's eyes.

"Why did today have to be when Cadence was scheduled to visit?" Celestia internally cursed her poor planning. Cadence was actually scheduled to arrive the next day but Cadence was known to appearing before she was actually supposed to arrive.

"This is Princess Cadence." Celestia finally answered. Sunset's teal eyes widening as she whipped her head around to look directly at the pink alicorn. Her remembering the name when she talked to Suger Belle earlier that day.

"Princess!" Sunset all but shouted her eyes about ready to pop out of her skull. Sunset than dropping into a snarl as she stared the pink alicorn down. Her already marking the pink alicorn as a rival. Cadence being the tipping point to her falling into the darkness. She just needed the right push in order to fall head first into the loving embrace of the black void.

Author's Note:

My very first chapter since I broke the milestone of fifty chapters. I would like to thank you all for sticking with me for this long and hopefully you stay with me until the very end of this story.

Sunset vs Cadence for the attention and approval of Celestia, this should be fun.

What are these six gemstones that Nightmare Moon is talking about? While let's just say that they are the only things that can stand against the Elements of Harmony. Six things that I fandom as been speculating to have existed for years and I am now including them. I will introduce them all completely in time.

Celestia thinks 'Oh, thank heavens' when she learns that Sunset is alright because I wasn't sure what her concept of religion would be and her saying 'Oh, thank me' sounds stupid.