• Published 8th Aug 2015
  • 2,968 Views, 146 Comments

The Tale of the Second Alpha - Bergen



Equestria, the vast land ruled by ponies. But this was not always the case. Long before the rule of the princesses Equestria was ruled by dragons the leader which was the Alpha. This is the tale of the Second Alpha.

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Blood is Thicker than Water? (Sunset's Backstory)

"Um... hello." Cadence addressed Sunset with a wave of one of her forehooves. Sunset didn't say anything, her only continuing to send a death glare the pink alicorn's way. Sunset standing in a defensive position in front of her mother.

Sunset's actions didn't go unnoticed by anypony however, Celestia letting out an internal sigh at her daughter's actions. She wasn't surprised by Sunset being protective of her. Sunset didn't know who Cadence was. She was just random alicorn that had just shown up and called her auntie. Sunset needed an explanation and she needed it fast.

"Um... auntie... who's is this?" Cadence asked Celestia. Sunset's anger only growing at the pink alicorn that was in front of her. She wouldn't address her directly. What a something that Celestia had told her to never say again.

"My name is Sunset Shimmer!" Sunset spat at Cadence, the teen taking a step backward from Sunset's outburst.

"Um..." Cadence stammered as she swallowed an invisible knot in her throat. "Nice to meet you, Sunset."

"Pleasure, and its Sunset Shimmer to you." Sunset snarled, a snort from her as she continued to stare Cadence down.

Cadence blinked her purple eyes a few times before she spoke again. "Um... auntie can I talk to you for a second?" Cadence asked Celestia.

Celestia sent a quick look her daughter's way before Celestia finally spoke to the pink alicorn. "Sure Cadence..." Celestia said her gaze falling back on her daughter who continued to send a death glare Cadence's way.

"Sunset could you go to your room while I discuss with Princess Cadence?" Celestia asked Sunset, her words taking Sunset by surprise.

"What?" Sunset asked Celestia turning her head to face her mother.

"You heard me." Celestia said down to her daughter, her words now being more powerful and forceful.

"Why?" Sunset asked Celestia turning her body completely to face her mother.

"Because Princess Cadence and I have very important matters to discuss and I want to do it in private." Celestia said down to Sunset, her leaving no room for Sunset to rebuttal.

Sunset was going to protest further but quickly decided against it, she didn't want to make her current situation any worse. "Fine Princess." Sunset spat at Celestia as she began to slowly trot away. Celestia letting out an internal sigh as watched her daughter slowly trot away from her. Sunset quietly mumbling to herself as she turned the corner down another long hallway.

"What's up with her?" Cadence asked Celestia once Sunset had turned the corner.

"You don't want to know Cadence, trust me you don't." Celestia said as she turned back around to trot back into the throne room. "Come on Cadence, you must have very important things to talk to me about." Celestia said as she entered the throne. The evening sun shining just perfectly through the windows of the throne room.

"Indeed auntie, I do." Cadence said as she followed after the taller white alicorn. The double doors of the throne room closing behind the two alicorns.


Sunset didn't follow her mother's orders to go to her room, she wasn't a child, she instead trotted down to the kitchen of the castle. She was hungry and she needed something to eat, plus she liked talking with the castle's chief Sugar Belle.

Sunset trotted in the kitchen to find Sugar Belle pleasantly humming to herself as she was busy making a cake. The pink looked so happy and peaceful that Sunset debated either or it was a good idea for her to interrupt her.

Sunset pushed away her thoughts. She needed somepony to talk to, and after Celestia, Sugar Belle was the pony that Sunset felt must comfortable talking to about her problems. While there was that one guard that always seemed to stationed guarding Celestia, but he was nothing special to Sunset. Right?

Regardless Sunset slowly trotted up to Sugar Belle and cleared her throat.

The sudden sound broke Sugar Belle's concentration and she yelped out in startlement. Her blue magic left her horn and the bowl that she holding started to fall. Sunset's reflexes were lucky fast enough and she was able to catch the

"Sunset!" Sugar Belle gasp when she saw Sunset.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Sunset apologized to Sugar Belle as she placed the bowl that she barely caught with her magic on the counter that was in the middle of the large kitchen.

"Oh, you're fine little one." Sugar Belle said to Sunset as she picked the bowl with her magic and continued to stir the batter of what would certainly make a delicious cake. "You were able to catch this before it hit the ground. So no harm was done." Sugar Belle as she tasted a small sample of the cake batter.

Sugar Belle then paused as she remembered something that heard of earlier that day. "Does the Princess know where you are Sunset, I heard that she had sent the royal guard looking for you?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset.

Sunset's eyes drifted toward the ground as she recalled her last moment with her mother. "Yeah, she knows where I am. I was just talking to the Princess before coming to talk to you anyway." Sunset said to Sugar Belle. Sunset's words striking Sugar Belle's interest even further.

"You wanted to speak to me. Why?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset curiously.

"I just need to somepony to talk to about something, something that I'm not comfortable talking about to the Princess." Sunset said to Sugar Belle, catching the young mare's attention even more.

"Oh..." Sugar Belle said as she placed the bowl of cake batter that she was working on down on the counter and trotted over to Sunset. "What is it that you want to talk about?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset as she kneeled down to be at the same eye level as the amber colored filly.

"Do you know who Princess Cadence is?" Sunset asked Sugar Belle, her question taking her by surprise.

"She's the Princess' adoptive niece. She took her in and made her an alicorn when she saved her hometown from a love stealing unicorn, or something like that. I don't have all the details." Sugar Belle said to Sunset. Sunset adding the much-needed information to the database of a brain that she had. "Why do you ask?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset still curious as to the reason for the mentioning of Princess Cadence.

"Because, she's here and..." Sunset began to explain, her being cut off by Sugar Belle gasping.

"She's is!" Sugar Belle gasped, covering her mouth with her hoof in shock. "She wasn't supposed to arrive until tomorrow!" Sugar Belle all but shouted as started to run all over the castle's kitchen looking for the cupcakes that she had made for her. Cadence having arrived at the castle for the next few days to celebrate her fourteenth birthday, and her first birthday since becoming an alicorn.

Sunset was hit with what felt like a sledgehammer as she watched Sugar Belle scramble to gather all the things that she needed to greet the young princess. Her being completing unaware that she had already been speaking to one.

"I was supposed to have been told the moment that she arrived, bucking ponies." Sugar Belle vented to herself in frustration. Sugar Belle holding a plate of blue and pink (Cadence's favorite colors) in her blue magic.

Sunset watched as Sugar Belle trotted past her and was about to leave the kitchen. Sugar Belle movements stopped and she turned her head and spoke to Sunset.

"Sunset I am sorry, but I have to run this over to the throne room for the Princess Cadence." Sugar Belle said to Sunset genuinely sorry for leaving the amber-colored filly.

"No... no..." Sunset said with a defeatist tone of voice. "It's fine." Sunset snarled bitterly as she closed her eyes to stop any tears that could flow out of her teal eyes. "You go do whatever you need to do." Sunset said in the same defeated tone, her half-heartedly urging Sugar Belle to continue.

"Are you sure that you will be alright?" Sugar Belle asked Sunset seeing the despair on the filly's face.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Tell the princess that I'll be in my room if she needs me when you see her." Sunset said to Sugar Belle.

"I will, and keep your chin kid." Sugar Belle said

"Right." Sunset said as she trotted past Sugar Belle, her heading towards her room.


In the throne room, Celestia and Cadence were busying talking to each other about the pink alicorn's slightly unexpected visit.

"It's to see you again, Cadence." Celestia said to Cadence.

"I feel the same way auntie, but you never answered my question. Who was that amber filly from earlier?" Cadence asked Celestia. Celestia's muscles tensed up, she had completely forgotten that she had never told Cadence about Sunset.

"Do I tell her?" Celestia thought as she debated telling the young alicorn the truth about her relationship with Sunset or just tell her what everypony else outside of a select few actually knew.

It didn't take long for Celestia to come up with an answer.

"She's... my student, my personal student a protege if you would like to say." Celestia said to Cadence. The pink alicorn's eyes widening at the older one's words.

"Oh really, how long has she been your student?" Cadence asked Celestia, and Celestia had to think for a few seconds to determine how long she had been Sunset's official teacher.

"Sunset had just turned eight when I took her under my wing, and she has just turned nine not that long ago. So, a little over a year." Celestia said to Cadence. Cadence was about to ask Celestia another question when there was a knock on the double doors of the throne room. The knock taking both of the alicorns by surprise.

"Were you expecting anypony, auntie?" Cadence asked Celestia.

"Technically, I wasn't expecting you to arrive for another day." Celestia said sarcastically to Cadence, the pink alicorn's muzzle turning slightly pinker than usual. Cadence letting out a small laugh as Celestia spoke to whoever was behind the door.

"Who is it?" Celestia asked whoever was behind the door.

"It's me your highness, Sugar Belle." The voice of Sugar Belle came from the behind the door. The pink eyes of Celestia widening at the sound of her favorite chief in the castle.

"Oh, Sugar Belle! Please come in." Celestia said to the closed.

"Sugar Belle?" Cadence asked Celestia, having never met the castle's top chief.

"She's the castle's top chief, and I have heard from some of my staff that she has been creating something special for your arrival.

"Really?" Cadence exclaimed, almost literally jumping for joy.

"Yes." Celestia said to Cadence as the right door for the throne opened and Sugar entered the long room. a plate of blue and pink cupcakes being held in her blue magic as she trotted toward the two royals. Cadence's pink eyes widening when she saw the cupcakes.

"I apologize for my tardiness your highness, was not aware of Princess Cadence's arrival until a few minutes ago." Sugar Belle said as she placed the cupcakes on a wooden table that was covered with a white cloth that was on the right side of the long room. Cadence walking over and using her light blue magic to pick up a pink cupcake and take a small bite out of it. Cadence letting out a pleasureful moan as she took another bite of the cupcake, this one larger than the first.

"How is the cupcake, Princess?" Sugar Belle asked Cadence as she finished her first cupcake.

"It's fantastic, thank you." Cadence said as she picked up another cupcake, this one a blue one, and started eating it.

"No worries Sugar Belle, neither was I." Celestia said to Sugar Belle while sending a playful glare Cadence's way. Cadence having to cover her mouth with her hoof to suppress a laugh.

"If that will be all then you can go about the rest of your day Sugar Belle." Celestia said to Sugar Belle. Cadence having a bite of a third

"It is but..." Sugar Belle began to say her not sure how to discuss the well-being of Sunset to Celestia.

"Yes?" Celestia said to Sugar Belle, intrigued by her strange pause.

"Do you believe that I could talk you for a few minutes in privacy?" Sugar Belle respectively asked Celestia.

"Why?" Celestia asked Sugar Belle as to where her priced chief was going with this conversation.

"It concerns Sunset." Sugar Belle said to Celestia, her eyes widening at the mentioning of her daughter.

Celestia recovered quickly and spoke to Cadence. "Right, Cadence do you think that you could give Sugar Belle and I a few moments of privacy?" Celestia asked Cadence, taking the pink alicorn slightly off guard.

"Oh, of course, I'll be right outside." Cadence said as she began to trot toward the double doors of the throne room. "But I will take one more of these." Cadence said as she took another cupcake, this now being her fourth. Cadence than disappearing through the left of the double doors.

"Now, what is it that you wanted to discuss with me about my student?" Celestia asked Sugar Belle, her voice becoming more and powerful.

"Right, Sunset was the actually the one that told me of the arrival of Princess Cadence." Sugar Belle explained to Celestia, the white alicorn nodding in understanding as Sugar Belle continued to speak.

"But when I left to bring the cupcakes that I made for the young Princess, Sunset just seemed blue." Sugar Belle said striking Celestia's interest even more.

"What are you saying, Sugar Belle?" Celestia asked Sugar Belle.

"I'm saying that I fear that Sunset might feel like she's being ignored, and I fear what she will do. She's such a powerful little filly and I fear what would happen if all that power was used for evil and not good. I mean I might be rushing to conclusions, but I remember hearing about the tells of the Mare in the Moon and Sunset just keeps reminding of that legend." Sugar Belle said to Celestia. Celestia's eyes widening and her muscles tensing up when the thought of her very daughter following in the hoof steps of her fallen sister.

"I see." Celestia said somberly. "Thank you for bringing your concerns of my... student to my attention. You may return to your current occupation.

"Thank you, your highness." Sugar Belle said as she began to trot toward the double doors of the throne room.

"No, thank you. You have no idea how much your words mean to me." Celestia said as Sugar Belle exited the throne room. Cadence quickly trotting back into the large room after Sugar Belle's exit.

"What was that all about?" Cadence asked Celestia.

"Guards!" Celestia shouted, her sudden outburst taking Cadence off guard.

Celestia announcement was quickly followed the same half a dozen guards from earlier and Commander Sunbeam all entering the throne room and standing at attention.

"Yes, your highness!? What are your orders!?" The six guards and Sunbeam all asked their Princess as one. Them all standing at attention.

"Auntie, what's going on?" Cadence asked Celestia with a look of pure confusion on her face.

Celestia ignored Cadence's question and spoke to the seven guards that were standing at attention in front of her.

"Private Armor and Private Speed would you both be so kind as to escort Princess Cadence to her guest room." Celestia politely ordered at Shining Armor and Lightspeed.

"Yes, your highness." Shining Armor and Lightspeed both said in unison.

"Auntie, what are you doing?" Cadence asked Celestia. This time, Celestia turning her head in the direction of the younger alicorn and answered her question.

"I'm sorry Cadence, there was something that was brought to my attention. Something that I have to attend to as soon as possible." Celestia said to Cadence, the pink alicorn nodding her head in understanding. She might not have had all of the information, but she was used to getting only what was needed from Celestia.

"I understand." Cadence said turning her attention to the two guards that were meant to escort her to the room that she was going to spend the next week at. "So which ones of you are going escort me?" Cadence asked the group of seven guards that were in front of her. Privates Shining Armor and Lightspeed both stepping forward.

"That would be the both of us, your highness." Shining Armor said to Cadence, him completely unaware that he was currently speaking to his future wife.

"Excellent, follow me, I know the way to my room." Cadence said as she took the lead for the two guards. Them becoming nothing more than passive observers as Cadence left the throne room with the two young guards in tow.

"What is it that you wish us to do, your highness?" One of the five remaining guards asked Celestia once Cadence had left with her guard escorts.

"Nothing, I wasn't expecting for all of you to answer my call. You are all dismissed and can return to your regular portals." Celestia said dismissing the rest of her guards.

"Yes, your highness!" The guards, excluding Sunbeam, all said in unison. The four guards saluting their Princess and turning to leave the throne room.

"Are you coming, Commander?" A young guard asked Sunbeam, noticing that the older guard hadn't moved since Celestia finished her orders.

"Yes, I just have something that I have to talk to the Princess about. Return to your post Private Bullet, I'll be right behind you all." Sunbeam said to the younger guard.

"Yes, sir." Silver Bullet said as she exited the room.

"What are you hiding, Tia." Sunbeam thought as she shifted his attention back to the white alicorn.


"What's really going on, Tia?" Sunbeam asked Celestia once the two were alone in the throne room.

Celestia let out a sigh and dropped her 'princess' face as she spoke to Sunbeam. "It's... complicated." Celestia said to Sunbeam, not really sure how to explain her concern for her daughter to Sunbeam.

"Try me, Celestia." Sunbeam said to Celestia trotting up to her side. The two staring into each other's eyes. Memories of Celestia spending wonderful times with Sunbeam when she was young, or younger, flashing into her mind as they continued to stare at each other.

"One of my staff had come to me saying that she feared that Sunset had been blue lately, and feared that a young filly of her power could lose her way." Celestia said to Sunbeam, her wording not really helping the guard that was standing next to her.

"What do you mean, Tia?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"Sugar Belle, the pony that warned about Sunset, told me that she fears that she might fall into the darkness of the world and use her great power for evil, rather than for good." Celestia said to the orange guard, Sunbeam nodding his head in understanding as Celestia continued. Sunbeam was aware that Sunset had been found by two of his men. Him looking award both them greatly for finding the missing filly.

"I can't lose my Sunset, Sunbeam. I already almost lost her physically today, I can't risk losing her to the same darkness that took my sister tomorrow." Celestia said to Sunbeam.

"Celestia, you're overreacting." Sunbeam said putting a reassuring hoof on Celestia's shoulder.

"Maybe, but I can't risk losing my Sunset."

"Would you like if I talked to her as well?" Sunbeam asked Celestia. While Celestia would adore having Sunbeam's assistance. Sunset didn't know her true connection

"No, as much I would love your help. I would have to decline." Celestia said beginning to trot away. Her movements coming to a stop when Sunbeam called out to her.

"Why's that?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, the white alicorn letting out a heavy sigh.

"Sunset doesn't know the true extent of her connection to you. As far as she is aware you are nothing more than my own personal bodyguard." Celestia said to Sunbeam, the orange guard's face dropping at her words. He understood her reasoning behind her decision.

"Sunset still believes that her father is dead and I don't want to think that I have been lying to her, her entire life. That might just help her fall further into the darkness of this bucked up world." Celestia said, Sunbeam taking a step backward. Celestia rarely, if ever cursed, this just showing how much frustration she had built up within her.

"I understand Celestia, I just hope that one day Sunset will be able to learn about me." Sunbeam said as Celestia began to trot away.

"I do too, Sunbeam." Celestia said as she opened the right double door for the throne room with her golden magic.

Sunbeam let out a heavy sigh as the double doors of the throne room closed, him now being alone in the large room. "How did we get to this moment, Celestia?" Sunbeam thought out loud. Memories of him spending pleasant times with Celestia when he was just a captain flashing into his mind. He debated whether or not he was just made a commander as a way to shut him up after Sunset was born. But he hated to think of Celestia like that.

He was good at reading ponies, but Celestia had been hiding her secrets for over a millennia, and she rarely if ever opened up to anypony. He was really the one that was able to get information out of Celestia, and even if he did Celestia was still able to leave out of the most important details.

If Celestia was really this concerned about Sunset following in the hoof steps of the fallen Princess Luna, then he had to treat like an almost certainty. Besides, Sunset was his daughter too.


Back with Sunset, the slow trot back to her seemed to last forever. Sunset's head looking down at the ground, her not even noticing when she finally came to her room until she noticed the sun door decoration that hung on the outside of her door.

"Does anypony even really care about me." Sunset thought as she entered her room. Sunset using her magic to let some of the candles that were in her room to add some much need light.

"I care about you." Sunset heard somepony say, the voice taking Sunset off guard with her heart seeming to jump into her throat from shock.

"Who said that?!" Sunset announced to the empty room, or so she thought.

"Relax, my pet. It's just me." Sunset heard the same voice say, Sunset now recognizing the name.

"Nightmare!" Sunset exclaimed as she turned to face the full body mirror that was at her bedside. Her gaze falling on the black body of Nightmare. Nightmare now no longer having any fear towards showing her true form towards Sunset.

"Yes, my dear." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset with a nearly devilish smirk on her muzzle.

"How have you been?" Sunset asked the black alicorn happily.

"I can honestly say that I haven't felt any better these last hundred years, all of it because of you." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, the amber filly's muzzle turning slightly pink in a blush. Knowing that had Sunset hooked she began to slowly reel her in.

"What about you my little Sunset? How have you been doing since I saw you last?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset, the amber filly's face dropping as she stared at the ground. Nightmare Moon knowing that she had Sunset's hooked on tight and continued to reel her in, even faster this time.

"What's wrong my pet?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset, faking any genuine concern for the filly's well-being.

"It-It's nothing." Sunset lied.

"Oh please, my little pet. You can tell me anything." Nightmare said to Sunset, trying to emotionally connection with the amber filly.

"Ok, I don't know if the Princess still cares about me." Sunset said as she rubbed her left foreleg awkwardly.

"Oh, why's that?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset.

"Well... this Princess Cadence showed up and she just blew me like I was nothing." Sunset said, Nightmare taking special note of the mentioning of another Princess of Equestria.

"Princess Cadence?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset, intrigued by this Princess that wasn't her sister. Or the sister of her host to be technical.

"She's apparently the Princess's niece. I don't know, and I really don't care." Sunset said turning away from the image of the black alicorn.

"Oh, don't be like that." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset her best reassuring voice. The black alicorn wishing with every fiber of her being to touch the amber filly. Physical contact making reassuring somepony so much earlier. Damn, those cursed Elements of Harmony. But she could sense that their chains on her were weakening and she was going to need an apprentice once she returned. And she knew that she would Celestia's hooves tied as she would not just have to defeat her little sister for the second time, but now her own daughter. Possibly banishing both of them, and then she would have Celestia all for herself.

"You can tell me anything. You trust me, don't you." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

Sunset bit her lower lip as she continued to speak to the black alicorn. She didn't want to speak ill will of her mother, but she needed to let out her frustration and she trusted Nightmare, she would never betray her, right?

"I trust you." Sunset mumbled out and Nightmare knew that she had her. Sunset let out a heavy sigh as she continued to speak to the black alicorn. "I just keep thinking that the Princess doesn't care about me." Sunset said to Nightmare.

"Which Princess?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset in mocked confusion.

"Princess Celestia." Sunset said not noticing the black alicorn's sarcasm.

"But I'm her blood!" Sunset shouted at the mirror, only getting a laugh from the black alicorn. "What? What are you laughing at!?" Sunset continued to shout. Nightmare finding twisted delight in the little filly's misplaced anger, but anger could easily be turned into misplaced hatred if the right steps were put in place.

"Are you sure about that?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset with a devilish grin.

"Yes, sh-she told me herself." Sunset said as tears began to fill her eyes.

"You might share the same blood as Princess Celestia, that doesn't mean that you are her daughter." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset and the amber filly began to slowly trot backward in fear and denial. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, she didn't want to believe what she was hearing. Her mother still cared about her, she... she just...

"B-But... I-I am h...her daughter." Sunset whimpered as she continued to trot backward. Small clear tears

"Blood is thicker than water, Nightmare!" Sunset shouted at the black alicorn and Nightmare willing allowed a piece of her to return to the surface, just this once. The black alicorn's body warping into the form of a dark blue alicorn with teal eyes and a flowing star-like mane.

"No, it's not!" Princess Luna bitterly shouted at Sunset, the amber filly falling backward and cowering behind her forehooves. Luna's teal eyes burning with hatred toward her former sister.

The blue alicorn then began to slowly warp its body out of the mirror and took a step into Equestria. Princess Luna wasn't really there, her body was translucent and she cast no shadow on the floor. But her burning teal eyes made Sunset slowly begin to trot backward.

"You have no idea what family really means to your dear Princess Celestia." Luna bitterly spat at Sunset as she stood above her. A river of fresh tears flowing down her cheeks as Luna continued to speak to her.

"She doesn't care about you!" Luna shouted. "Why would she, your nothing but a pathetic, cowering, unicorn!" Luna shouted and Sunset spirit was broken. Her rolling over to her side and implanting her head into the carpet of her room. Sunset releasing a year's worth of tears in the ground.

"That's enough Luna, you served your purpose." Nightmare Moon said to her host. The blue alicorn walking back into the mirror and returning to the form of the black alicorn of darkness, Nightmare Moon.

"I'm sorry that you had to hear that, my little Sunset." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset trying to sound like an old comforting friend.

"Is it true?" Sunset asked the black alicorn standing up with shaking limbs.

"I'm afraid so, Celestia might pretend to care about you. But I am afraid to tell you that the only thing that your mother has for you is fear." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

"Why?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"Your power. She's scared of you may dear. And fear can drive ponies to do " Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, the amber filly looking up with her small horn that protruded out of her forehead.

Sunset's eyes became filled with anger and she wiped away her remaining tears with her hoof. "Then if my mommy fears me, then I might as well accept it." Sunset said with determination in her voice, and Nightmare knew that she had her.

"Excellent, and I have just the thing that will make sure that your mother will respect you." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, catching the amber filly's attention even further.

"What?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"The answer you seek in resting a top your bed." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

"This book..." Sunset said confused while holding the black book in her magic. "Nightmare, I know that books are powerful, but how will this make my mother respect me?" Sunset asked

"Open it and you will soon come to learn all of the things you will need to become the most powerful unicorn ever, maybe even more so than Princess Celestia." Nightmare Moon said being intentionally vague.

"Ok, whatever you say." Sunset said as she opened the cover of the book and began to read the contents of the black book. Sunset's life being forever altered by her one decision.


Sunset had been reading the black book that Nightmare had given her for the last few minutes. Her soaking in all of the knowledge that was in the book like a sponge. She knew that her mother wouldn't approve of her reading the book, but she didn't care. If this book could give all of the answer all of the questions that she wanted than her mother could go to Tartarus. She was going to prove her... mother wrong. She was the rightful heir to the throne of Equestria. Not that worthless pink what's her face.

Sunset stopping her reading when she came across something in the early pages of the black book that caught her eye. "Um... Nightmare." Sunset said to the mirror behind her. The black alicorn presence having never left the mirror since Sunset had entered the room. She wanted to make sure that everything went smoothly.

"Yes, my pet." Nightmare Moon said, urging the amber filly to continue.

"I have a question." Sunset said, catching the attention of Nightmare even further.

"Yes, what is it?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset with genuine interest.

"What are the Anti-Elements. The book keeps mentioning them, but what are they exactly?" Sunset asked Nightmare, a happy smile spreading across the black alicorn's muzzle.

"They're just what they sound like." Nightmare Moon said. "They are the only things that can match the power of the famed Elements of Harmony." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, the amber filly's eyes widening at her words. Sunset's mother having told her many stories of the great power of the Elements, so the idea something being able to match them seemed impossible to her. "You may know them by a different name, the Elements of Chaos." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset. Sunset's shock levels reaching a new maximum that she didn't even know existed.

"The Elements of Chaos! I thought that those were just an old fillies tale." Sunset said shocked that such powerful objects could even exist. She had heard some of the staff of the castle talking about the Elements of Chaos, but she had never actually considered them to be real.

"Oh, I can assure my little Sunset. They are just as real as you or I."

"Do you know where they are?" Sunset cautiously asked Nightmare.

"No, no pony does. They're one of the great mysteries of this world." Nightmare Moon said, cursing herself for not forcing her current host for not finding the Elements of Chaos when she had the chance.

"But, what I do know that there are six of them." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset.

"Like the Elements of Harmony." Sunset added, Nightmare nodding. Sunset was a fast learner, which was good.

"Yes, that's why they are also known as the Anti-Elements. They are the physical manifestation of the worst that this world has to offer." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, the amber filly's heart beginning to beat faster as she began to fully understand what she was getting herself into.

Sunset instinctively pushed the black book away from herself at Nightmare's words. Her movements didn't go unnoticed and she was quickly called out on it.

"What are you doing?" Nightmare Moon asked Sunset with genuine concern in her voice. Her concern not being for the filly's well-being, the worst mental state the better. No, she feared that Sunset's knowledge of the Elements of Chaos might have brought her back into the light. She was dealing with the daughter of Princess Celestia after all. Shepard of the Light for the ponies.

"This book... it contains dark magic, doesn't?" Sunset asked Nightmare.

"The darkest, what about it." Nightmare Moon said thinking nothing of it.

"My mom... she told me to stay away from the dark arts." Sunset said to Nightmare, a thought popping into the black alicorn's head.

"You're losing her Nightmare, you need to reel her back in before she breaks your line." Nightmare Moon thought to herself as she changed strategies.

"Your mother can go to Tartarus!" Nightmare Moon shouted, Sunset's muscles tensing up at the black alicorn's words. "She is holding you back from reaching your full and true potential. She has been stopping." Nightmare Moon continued to say to Sunset. "This book will give you the power to show her that you should be fear.

"But, I don't want to be feared. I want people to love me." Sunset expectedly

"Sunset, there's a lesson that this book will teach you." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset softly and delicately. The black alicorn knowing that her next words could capture Sunset or lose her forever.

"What?" Sunset asked.

"That only the weak are loved, while only the powerful are feared. They are never both." Nightmare Moon said to Sunset, her words seeming to work on the amber-filly. Sunset looking back toward the black book in deep thought.

"You only have to choose which you want to be." Nightmare Moo said and Sunset made the decision that would bring her down a path of no return.

"I want power, and everypony else be damned to Tartarus!" Sunset shouted making up her mind to accept the darkness as her newest friend. Sunset's coat taking on a darker tone and her teal eyes beginning to gain a slight tint of yellow.

"Excellent, I'll be back in time my pet." Nightmare Moon with her trademark devilish smirk.

"I will be waiting." Sunset said as the image of the black alicorn disappeared from the mirror behind her.

Sunset brought the black book back to herself and began to start reading it again. If this book could give her the power that she wanted then so be it who's hooves she had to step on to get it. Regardless of how close the pony was to her. She had a set a goal for herself, and Sunset never gave up on a goal that she had set up for herself. And this was no exception.

Unknown to both Nightmare Moon and Sunset somepony had been listening in on their conversation. She hadn't been listening in for that long, but she had heard enough to know how dire the state for her daughter was. The door to Sunset's room being slight ajar and Celestia standing just outside.


Celestia quietly closed the door to Sunset's room behind her with her magic and the moment the door closed she dropped to her haunches and the floodgates to her eyes opened. Celestia opening crying just outside her daughter's door.

"I'm losing her, not again. I'm losing somepony else I love to the darkness. Why again?" Celestia pleaded to an unknown power, her aware that somepony was watching her current mental breakdown.

"Tia, are you alright?" Celestia heard the unmistakable voice of her previous lover, Sunbeam.

"No, Sunbeam. No, I'm not." Celestia said wiping away some of her tears with her white hoof.

"What's wrong?" Sunbeam said taking a seat next to Celestia.

"I'm losing her, Sunbeam." Celestia said to Sunbeam as she buried her face in her hooves.

"What do you mean?" Sunbeam asked.

"She found it. I don't know she did it, but she found it." Celestia said more to herself as she violently shook her head back and forth in denial.

"Wait, slow down Celestia. What did she find?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, the violently shaking of Celestia's head back coming to a stop. Celestia still having her face hidden in her white hooves.

"The black book." Celestia said to Sunbeam as she took her head out of her her hooves and stared up at the ceiling of the hallway that she was having a mental breakdown in.

"I don't follow." Sunbeam said in confusion, him having heard of this mysterious 'black book' before, but based on Celestia reaction to having her daughter process it. He could tell that it wasn't a good thing.

"The black book contains the most powerful dark magic known to pony-kind." Celestia explained to Sunbeam, the guard's green eyes widening

"How did Sunset get her hooves on something like that?" Sunbeam asked Celestia with a panicked tone of voice.

"I don't know, I thought the book was destroyed when I..." Celestia began to say when revelation struck her.

"What is it, Tia?" Sunbeam asked Celestia.

"I know how Sunset got the book, but that's not possible." Celestia began to ramble to herself. "Unless..." Celestia said to herself, her rambling leaving Sunbeam in a state of confusion.

Celestia then face hoofed in shame when she realized her error that she would quickly come to regret for years to come. "I'm an idiot." Celestia said to herself. The white alicorn completely forgetting about the presence of Sunbeam next to her.

"What are you talking about, Celestia?" Sunbeam finally asked Celestia, his words taking the white alicorn by surprise.

"It's nothing, I just now know what I have to do." Celestia said raising her full height, Sunbeam quickly following suit. Celestia began to turn and face the door to Sunset's room before stopping half turn and speaking to Sunbeam.

"I don't believe I have ever thanked you Sunbeam." Celestia said to Sunbeam, her words taking the commander a little off guard.

"Thank you, thank you for what?" Sunbeam asked Celestia, not sure where she was going with this.

"Thank you for... everything. You were at my side through all the good and the bad. Even when the had the chance to expose me because of Sunset's birth, you didn't. And I thank you for that." Celestia thanked Sunbeam.

"Your welcome Celestia, and I would've never exposed you for Sunset's birth." Sunbeam said as his muzzle flushed with a blush. "I loved the two of you too much to betray you like that." Sunbeam said to Celestia as he began to slowly trot away.

"Well.. . thank you again Sunbeam. I owe you a debt that I could never repay." Celestia said to Sunbeam, the guard's movements coming to a stop at her words.

"You owe me no debt Celestia, Sunset's well-being is enough payment for me. Just make sure that she doesn't end up like Princess Luna." Sunbeam said to Celestia.

"I'll do my best." Celestia said with a small smile.

"That's enough for me, Tia." Sunbeam said to Celestia as he continued to trot away, him leaving his daughter's mother to deal with Sunset. She had defeated the forces before and he trusted her with his life.

"Ok, Celestia, let's do this." Celestia said to herself as she turned to face the door to Sunset's room completely. Her pink eyes burning with determination.

Celestia opened the door to Sunset's room with a quick swing of her hoof. The quick motion of the door opening hitting the wall with a loud slam. The sound startling Sunset, who jumped out of her bed in shock. Landing on the carpet of her room in a small thud. Sunset grunting in slight pain as she sent an angry death glare her mother's way.

"We to talk Sunset." Celestia directly to down to Sunset. Her white coat and radiate mane somehow seeming to drive the darkness out of the small bedroom. The black book hissing as it magically closed itself and cast an invisibility spell on itself at the inclusion of the white alicorn.

Celestia noticed the book's seeming sentient but logged it in the back of her mind, she had a more pressing issue at the moment. She could deal with the black book at another time. She had to bring her only daughter back in the light. She wasn't going to lose another loved one to the darkness again.


Back in the present and the world of the mirror portal, Sunset was still sitting on the bleachers of the soccer field. The memory of her meeting a pony that she would soon learn was actually Nightmare Moon flashing through her mind as she sat on the metal bleachers. The cold breeze of fall blowing through her raging fire that she had for a head of air. A meeting that would eventually lead her down a path darkness and destruction that would lead to having a falling out with her mother and going into our form of self-exile to escape her troubles.

Sunset cast away the memory with a shake of her head. She needed to stop caring about the past, she might not have liked the outcome of her time as the apprentice of Nightmare Moon, but regardless it happened and she couldn't change the past. Even if she wanted to.

Sunset shifted her gaze over to her brown backpack that had her cutie mark embroiled on a flap on the front of the bag that she had brought with her. Sunset picked up the brown bag and unzipped the largest pocket and pulled out a book. This book wasn't like the book that Nightmare Moon had given her when she was just a filly. This book wasn't black it was brown and intend of having a black alicorn on the cover it had her cutie mark. The book looking very similar to the backpack that it had come from.

The book was something that her mother had given her when she was younger, it being one of the few things that she had taken with her when she left Equestria. It was a magical book, the book allowing her to send messages back a forth to Celestia via another journal that Celestia had in her possession.

Sunset opened the book and flipped through its many pages until she came across a page that was blank. The last entry in the book being years ago when Sunset decided to leave Equestria. Her having not written anything in the book for years. She had considered destroying the journal on multiple occasions but just like the picture that she had with her mother. Every time she tried to destroy either one of them she just couldn't. Maybe it was a part of her brain urging her to return to Equestria and apologize to her mother for the things that she had done, she didn't know.

Either way, Sunset continued to stare at the blank page that was in front of her. The almost golden pages of the book staring back at her, taunting her. Sunset felt the sides of her eyes beginning to tear up as she continued to stare at the book.

Her heart and her mind were at odds again. Her heart pleaded with her to write to her mother, to write something. To write that she was sorry for what happened. To write that she missed her mother. Write that she wanted to return to Equestria. But most of all her heart wanted her to write that she loved her mommy and that she never stopped loving her. Even when she mind was too clouded by the darkness to recognize it.

But her mind pounded in her head. Her mind telling her that she was being weak, that love was a weakness. Her mind demanding Sunset to return to her mission. To reach her goal. To get the power and recognition that she deserved. To return to Equestria and rule over it as its Queen. To finally show her mother that she was better than her. To finally achieve what she never could under Celestia. To finally earn what she always wanted, freedom.

Sunset shut her eyes and covered her eyes as her head and heart continued to fight for dominance. But already knew who would win in the end, it always won. Even when she was just a filly, it always won. No matter how hard she tried to stop it, it always won in the end. So she rarely ever tried fighting.

Sunset opened her eyes and stared down at the opened journal in disgust. Sunset slamming the book shut and shoving it back into her backpack. Sunset re-zipping her backpack and swinging over her right shoulder.

She had a job to do. A job that needed to be finished. A goal that needed to be reached. And when Sunset made a goal, she didn't stop until that goal was reached, no matter who she had to step on to get to her goal.

The image of Twilight Sparkle flashing into her mind and her anger increased as she thought about the mare that Celestia was so eager as to take her place. Celestia never really cared for her. No, she never loved her. She was just using her. And if she never cared about her, then why should Sunset care about her.

Sunset's blood boiled with anger as she made up her mind. "It's time." Sunset thought out loud as she rose her feet and began to walk across the metal bleachers of the soccer field back to the school. The metal underneath her feet banging with a loud clang after each step that she took.

Sunset walking back to the parking lot of the high school to she Twilight along with the rest of her friend, excluding Rarity walking out of the school. They were all laughing. Sunset was too far away to hear what they were saying she could tell that they were happy. Why were they happy, she was going to win. Soon they would be nothing more than the dust underneath her boots.

Sunset watched with burning anger as Twilight, now joined by Theta and Zulu, and her friends walked back to their respective cars and all sped off heading in the direction of Rarity's boutique. Sunset growled in anger as she saw her years of effort to drive the five friends apart to being made useless by a single wimpy princess from Equestria.

Sunset snorted in anger as she watched Twilight, along with Theta and Zulu climb into the passenger seat of Applejack's green truck and sped away from the school.

"So this is how it's going to be." Sunset snarled as she watched the green truck drive away. "While if you want a war Twilight, then a war is just what you are going to get." Sunset said angrily to herself as she walked over to her car and climbed into the driver seat. Her car roaring to life with a simple turn of the key. Sunset pulling out of the parking lot and beginning to drive back to her house.

Sunset ready for the insanity that was going to go down the following day.

Author's Note:

The Elements of Disharmony or Chaos are real, and they will play a vital role in the story as I move forward. You have also already seen one of them and two of their bearers. There will be six of them just like the Elements of Harmony and they will all have their own special bearers. These things are going to be fun to write.

I'm not done with Sunset's backstory, I still have to write her falling out with Celestia and her self-exile. Her backstory will just now be told at the same time as my version of Equestria Girls.

This chapter also has my theory has to how Shining Armor and Cadence met. I know they met in the comics but I don't read the comics and I am not considering any of them in the writing process for this story.

Nightmare Moon was fun to write, the pure embodiment of evil and chaos that she is was fantastic. I like really dark characters and you don't get much darker than Nightmare Moon, both literally and metaphorically. If you were wondering, Nightmare Moon's plan involving Sunset was to see her as a way to take break Celestia mentally and then corrupt her like she once did Luna. I changed my mind involving Nightmare Moon. Instead of her being a creation by Luna as a way to cope with her loneliness. She is now a completely separate entity of pure chaos and evil that was created by the anti-Elements of Harmony to corrupt all that it comes across. This darkness corrupting things of great power until it comes across the most powerful of them all.

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