Princess Celestia sat on her throne overlooking papers. The sun princess had made a discovery the day before which she was very excited about. As she finished, the doors to the throne room swung open and the a unicorn marched in.

"Hello Sunset Shimmer." said Celestia warmly.

"Save the formalities." replied Sunset seething.

Sunset had her saddlebag on her side holding her personal journal.

Celestia was taken aback by the harsh tone.

"Princess, how long have I been here?" asked Sunset.

Celestia took a moment to think this over.

"It has been quite a while now. I am afraid I have lost track of the exact time." answered Celestia.

"Then why have you held me back?" asked Sunset.

"I have done no such thing." answered Celestia.

"You have held back my studies..." began Sunset.

"I am teaching you at the pace I believe best suits you." replied Celestia.

"I am ready for more advanced spells!" snapped Sunset.

Celestia thought for a moment.

"Is this about the mirror?" asked Celestia.

"That is only a part of it." answered Sunset.

"Not even I use that mirror. I am not keeping only your away." explained Celestia.

"Are the rumors true?" asked Sunset bitterly.

"I am afraid you need to be more specific." answered Celestia.

"I heard guards talking about "another pupil" earlier." stated Sunset, venom in her words.

"Yes. Her name is Twilight Sparkle and she was study with you in a few days." confirmed Celestia.

"I will not share my position!" screamed Sunset at the top of her lungs

"Sunset Shimmer, please stop this." requested Celestia.

Sunset merely began to laugh maniacally. A black aura began to surround her horn.

"You been studying dark magic!" gasped Celestia in horror.

"Since you where holding me back, I took the incentive." said Sunset.

Sunset cast a spell and trapped Celestia in a sphere of dark magic.

"There is a new Queen of Equestria." said Sunset confidently.

However, the sphere of dark magic was shattered by a light flash.

"I am afraid that simple spell will not be sufficient." stated Celestia.

Sunset smirked and shot a beam of dark magic which encased the door. Moments later, frantic hoofsteps could be heard.

"Princess!" cried a guard.

"Now nopony can interrupt us." said Sunset.

Sunset aimed her horn at Celestia. The princess braced herself, but nothing came.

"What is she doing?" asked Celestia to herself.

The answer came when Celestia felt her limbs pull apart.

"The Blood Manipulation Spell!" exclaimed Celestia.

"Correct. I've mastered the Blood Manipulation Spell all by myself." gloated Sunset.

"You've broken one of the greatest taboos!" cried Celestia.

"I don't care!" spat Sunset.

"Not even Sombra could master that spell." thought Celestia.

"So, what do you think of my progress, Princess?" asked Sunset smirking.

"Please stop this. You can come back. Please don't throw everything away." begged Celestia.

"How pathetic." spat Sunset.

Suddeny, Sunset felt her own body tighten up. Celestia landed on all four limbs in total control.

"You're using the Blood Manipulation Spell on me!" exclaimed Sunset.

Celestia discontinued the spell freeing Sunset.

"I did not want to do that." said Celestia regretfully.

Sunset fired a beam of magic and Celestia had to do the same. The two beams collied and Sunset's began to overtake Celestia's.

"How weak." scoffed Sunset.

Sunset looked over expecting a look of fear on Celestia's face, but saw a look of remorse instead. Then it hit Sunset.

"She's holding back." said Sunset in fear.

Celestia unleashed her full power and overcame the magic of Sunset. Celestia's magic hit Sunset who crashed against the wall. As she fell to the floor, the spell she case on the door broke and guards rushed in.

"You're majesty, what is going on?" asked one of the guards.

"Sunset Shimmer attempted to assassinate me and seize the throne." answered Celestia sadly.

"We'll take her to the dungeon." stated the guard.

Celestia didn't say a word.

"Your majesty, the traditional punishment for these crimes in execution." noted the guard.

Celestia remained speechless.

"I will not let it end here." said Sunset.

The guards surrounded Sunset, but she teleported away in a flash of light.

"Find her!" cried the guard.

"I know where she will go." stated Celestia.

Sunset landed just feet from the mirror. She picked herself up, but her body hurt from colliding with the wall.

"Damn." cursed Sunset.

Sunset walked to the mirror and stood in front of it when the doors flung open.

"Sunset Shimmer wait!" exclaimed Celestia.

A spiteful Sunset Shimmer turned around to face her former mentor.

"Goodbye Princess." said Sunset smirking.

Sunset Shimmer turned and quickly jumped through the mirror portal to a destination unknown.

"Not again." said Celestia, tears forming in her eyes.

The guards quickly caught up with Princess Celestia.

"Have you found Sunset?" asked one of the guards.

"She went through the portal. I am afraid she is gone now." answered Celestia.

"Ma'am, what should we do about Sunset's pet phoenix Philomena?" asked guard.

"She hatched Philomena from an egg and raised her. Philomena is too used to ponies and couldn't survive in the wild. I will raise her now." answered Celestia.

"Wise as always." replied the guard.

"Prepare for the arrival of Twilight Sparkle. She will stay at the library in Canterlot with Spike." stated Celestia.

"Yes ma'am!" cried the guards.

"I was hoping she and Sunset would be roommates. " thought Celestia.

The guards left and Celestia took one finally look at the mirror.

"Take care Sunset Shimmer. I hope we shall me again one day." said Celestia sadly.

Back in present day, Celestia paced through the hallways of the palace. It was almost time for her to raise the sun and she was on he way to relief her sister so she could sleep. She reached Luna standing on the balcony, but her mind was clearly elsewhere.

"Are you still worried about Twilight my dear sister?" asked Luna.

"Yes." answered Celestia.

Celestia adverted her gaze which tipped off Luna.

"What else is wrong?" asked Luna.

"Nothing." answered Celestia.

"Please do not lie to me sister." requested Luna.

"I had a dream about...her." confessed Celestia.

"Twilight?" asked Luna.

"No." answered Celestia.

"Then tell me who?" asked Luna.

Celestia couldn't face her sister.

"Sunset Shimmer." answered Celestia softly.

"Please speak up." said Luna.

"Sunset Shimmer!" cried Celestia.

"That dream has shaken you." noted Luna.

Celestia blinked in surprise.

"You knew?" asked Celestia stunned.

"Of course. I have dominion over dreams." answered Luna.

"Then why..." began Celestia.

"You can not runaway from this." explained Luna.

"First I failed Sunset and now I failed Twilight. I am a horrible teacher" said Celestia sadly.

"That is not true. Please do not beat yourself up sister." said Luna comforting.

"Oh Luna, I failed you as well." sighed Celestia, tears building in her eyes.

"I allowed my own jealous to overwhelm me. You are not to blame." replied Luna.

Luna wiped the tears from her sister's eyes.

"I will raise the sun." said Celestia.

"Will you be okay?" asked Luna.

"Yes." answered Celestia.

Luna lowered the moon then walked into the palace while Celestia raised the sun. As she walked, a scout approached Luna urgently.

"Your majesty, we have vital news." said the scout.

The scout passed his information to the princess whose eyes became wide as saucers.

"For now let us keep this mum. I don't think Celestia can handle now she has returned as well." said Luna worried.

In a cave outside the capital of the Crystal Empire, a group of stallions had gathered. The Free Crystal Army was the resistance group dedicated to returning Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor to power. An old brown Earth Pony stallion and black hair with a dagger as his cutie mark stood in the center. General Rusty Dagger had never pictured he would be here. Suddenly, a scout returned.

"What is our group motto?" asked Rusty Dagger.

"For our homeland we shall remove the usurper and restore Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor to power. Praise the Crystal Heart." answered the scout.

Rusty Dagger sighed in relief knowing this was correct. He had created this motto to prevent another Changeling infiltration.

"Report." ordered Rusty Dagger.

Sombra has built a cult of personality around himself. He destroyed the statue of Spike the Brave and Glorious replacing it was a statue of himself. He had put portraits of himself all over including a massive one outside the palace." said the scout.

"Also, it appears there might be another Equestrian unicorn with him now. Rumors claim she is quite powerful." noted the scout.

"I see." mushed Rusty Dagger.

The general let out a long and worried sigh.

"They'll be coming for us soon." noted Rusty Dagger gravely.

In the Crystal Empire, a unicorn paced back and forth in room. Sunset Shimmer was very nervous as she paced, her mind was buzzing. Like Twilight, she was given a former guest room for her new residence. Sombra reclaimed the royal bedroom as his own. As she paed, the door opened as Twilight Sparkler entered. The lavender unicorn shut he door behind her.

"Sunset, what did you want to talk about?" asked Twilight.

"I was hope you could tell me a little about what's been going on since I left." answered Sunset.

"Of course. You where that bitch's pupil too." noted Twilight irked.

Sunset knew she was irked at Celestia not her, but couldn't help but notice Twilight seemed cute. Luckily for her Twilight felt the same.

"She took me under her command and promised to help me hone my magic..." began Twilight.

"But, she only held you back." said Sunset.

"Exactly. I can only help but wonder how many unicorns she's sabotaged." replied Twilight.

"Who knows." sighed Sunset.

"She sent me to his backwoods, Podunk town called Ponyville and I actually bought the bullshit about learning "the magic of friendship" she fed me." continued Twilight.

Twilight stopped for a moment.

"I made "friends" there too. I wouldn't be surprised if they where informants for Celestia." said Twilight.

"I wouldn't put it past her." shrugged Sunset.

"They where a probably inbred hick earth pony, an arrogant bitch pegasus, a stuck up snob unicorn who tried to use me for my Canterlot connections, a pathetic pegasus who is afraid of her own shadow and an obnoxious earth pony who drove me crazy. Plus, my baby dragon servant Spike." explained Twilight.

"How did you get a baby dragon servant?" asked Sunset shocked.

"I hatched him." answered Twilight.

"I hatched a phoenix." noted Sunset.

"Anyway, Nightmare Moon returned actually being Princess Luna and we stopped her. She was Celestia's first victim." said Twilight.

"I thought that was an old mares' tale." confessed Sunset.

"Then Discord escaped and we beat him. After that, Queen Chrysalis impersonated Cadence and almost married my brother, but I had to stop her too." said Twilight, wishing she aided the Changeling.

"I knew Cadence back when I was Celestia's pupil. She was too cheery for me. I couldn't stand her." stated Sunset.

"Her and my brother fooled me too. I knew something was wrong but, nopony would believe me! Not even Celestia! Then I forgave them!" cried Twilight indignant.

"It's not your fault." said Sunset.

The two unicorns shared an almost intimate glance before an awkward feeling set in.

"Anyway, we defeated Sombra after the Crystal Empire returned then Shining Armor and Cadence were placed as the figurehead. Fortunately, Master Sombra showed me the truth and when Celestia tried to use Discord against me that was the final straw." explained Twilight.

The lavender unicorn bore a devious smirk on her face.

"Then I helped Sombra regain power." concluded Twilight proudly.

"Wow. That is impressive." admitted Sunset.

"What about you?" asked Twilight.

"I hatched a phoenix egg and became Celestia's pupil. She held me back so I studied dark magic myself." answered Sunset proudly.

"What was the strongest spell you mastered?" asked Twilight curious.

"The Blood Maniupulation Spell." answered Sunset.

"I mastered that too." confirmed Twilight.

A flashback suddenly hit Sunset Shimmer.

"Yes. Her name is Twilight Sparkle and she was study with you in a few days." confirmed Celestia.

"Sunset, is something wrong?" asked Twilight.

Sunset stepped back a bit and shook her head.

"I am fine." answered Sunset.

Outside the room a cloud of black magic had been observing the meeting. It returned to the throne and Sombra took his form.

"So they've mastered the Blood Manipulation Spell." mused Sombra concerned.

Author's Notes:

A/N: So there is this chapter finished. I know there was an IWD comic called "The Fall of Sunset Shimmer" but, the comics aren't canon to the TV series. Next time, the Crystal Empire fights the anti - Sombra rebels. Please review.