Everypony was in shock. A clearly injured Sunset Shimmer walked over to Celestia with a visible limp. She stopped and faced her former mentor eye to eye. A minute passed before before Sunset decided to speak.

"Hello your majesty." said Sunset.

"It has been a long time." said Celestia.

"Yes it has." replied Sunset.

Another minute of silence followed.

"This is really uncomfortable." confessed Sunset.

"Agreed." said Celestia.

Both let out a laugh.

"How are you?" asked Celestia.

"I'm okay." answered Sunset.

"What happened to you?" asked Cadence worried.

"I began to doubt Sombra and Twilight ratted me out." answered Sunset.

Sunset winced in pain.

"I confessed to Twilight and in order to stay quiet she forced me to kill a filly after we captured Trottingham. Sombra was angry about the two Element of Harmony bearers escaping and began beating Twilight so she told Sombra about my doubt to save herself." explained Sunset sadly.

The others where left to process this.

"I believe we should start from the beginning." proposed Luna.

"What made you doubt Sombra?" asked Celestia.

"I saw the senseless slaughter and it turned my stomach." answered Sunset.

"You claimed to murder a filly." noted Shining angrily.

Sunset hung her head.

"I was forced to." said Sunset.

"You could have refused!" snapped Rainbow.

"If she did then Sombra would have killed her on the spot." retorted Celestia.

"You mentioned Sombra hurting Twilight." said Cadence worried.

Sunset winced at this.

"Yes. tried to stop Sombra, but was unable to." said Sunset.

Shining Armor gritted his teeth.

"I truly feel bad for everything I did." said Sunset.

"That's crap!" cried Applejack.

"Twilight forced me or else she would rat me out...which she did anyway." said Sunset.

"I didn't buy your crap in Manehattan and I ain't buyin' it now." said Applejack.

"You met before?" asked Fluttershy.

"We fought in Manehattan and tried the same crap." answered Applejack.

"I mean it." stated Sunset.

Applejack spat on the floor.

"That's shit. I bet anythin' you're a spy." said Applejack.

The others either where surprised or suspicious.

"I promise I'm not a spy!" declared Sunset.

"I believe you." said Celestia.

"She doesn't have an once of remorse in this!" cried Applejack.

Sunset recoiled in pain.

"She doesn't care about the ponies she hurt or the families she destroyed!" cried Applejack.

"That's what this is about." realized Pinkie.

"What?" asked Applejack confused.

"You're upset because your parents are gone." answered Pinkie.

"Don't be silly!" snapped Applejack.

Rainbow was about to talk, but got cut off.

"Please, please Sunset and I alone." requested Celestia.

Everypony focused on the solar rule.

"Sunset and I need to talk." said Celestia.

"Okay." agreed Luna.

Luna ushered the others out of the room leaving Celestia and Sunset.

"I truly missed you Sunset." began Celestia.

"I am sorry about..." started Sunset.

"That is ancient history." cut off Celestia.

Sunset's look of regret show her true remorse.

"What was the other universe like?" asked Celestia.

"The creatures there are bipedal creatures who call themselves "humans" princess." answered Sunset.

"What are they like?" asked Celestia.

"They're similar to us, but have some differences. They're actually omnivores." answered Sunset.

"Oh." replied Celestia in surprise.

"I meant what I said." said Sunset.

"I understand." said Celestia.

"The others don't." sighed Sunset.

"Unfortunately, they have reasons." said Celestia.

"I know. I just want to prove them wrong." stated Sunset.

"You will." replied Celesta.

"How?" asked Sunset worried.

"It will take time." answered Celestia.

Sunset had a saddened look on her face.

"What is wrong?" asked Celestia.

"Nothing." answered Sunset.

Celestia raised her eyebrow.

"Please, do not lie to me."replied Celestia.

Sunset let out a defeated sigh.

"I know what you said, but I cannot shake the guilt at what I did." admitted Sunset.

"Your guilt is overwhelming and you obsess over your actions." said Celestia.

Sunset was surprised by how accurate this was.

"How did you know?" asked Sunset.

"My sister." answered Celestia.

"Wait. The Nightmare Moon legend." realized Sunset.

Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon and I had to seal in her the moon where she stayed for a thousand years. After her return, Twilight and the Element of Harmony bearers defeated her with the Elements and she returned. She has expressed the same remorse as you since then." explained Celestia.

Sunset was left speechless.

"Maybe you should speak with her." proposed Celestia.

Sunset thought for a moment.

"Yes." answered Sunset.

"Sunset, how exactly did you escape?" asked Celestia.

"Teleportation." answered Sunset.

"But, your magic must have been disabled." relied Celestia.

"Sombra underestimated me. He used a spell that worked on most unicorns, but my magic was stronger and I broke it." said Sunset.

Celestia shook her head.

"You don't believe me." said Sunset sadly.

"No. No. No. No. No." said Celetia quickly.

"Your body language is honest." replied Sunset.

"Forgive me. I just wanted to be certain." said Celestia.

Sunset remained silent.

"Sunset, I made mistakes with you. I should not have let another pony gone down this path. Especially, after I let my sister go down that path." said Celestia.

"No!" exclaimed Sunset.

Celestia was taken aback by this.

"It was my fault! I sucked as a student! I isolated myself and let myself go down a path of darkness! t's not your fault!" cried Sunset.

A moment of silence followed as both took this in. They then hugged.

"I think I have an idea!" declared Sunset.

Sunset found the others listening in which didn't surprised her. Luna offered her support ad Sunset raced to the hospital. The other Element of Harmony bearers ad Spike quickly ran behind. Sunset reached the hospital and raced to the room where Rarity and Trixie where then went in freaking out both injured ponies. The Element of Harmony bearers plus Spike arrived as Sunset approached Rarity.

"She'll kill us! Stop her!" exclaimed Trixie.

"Please don't! I have a little sister back home!" cried Rarity.

Applejack ran over and tackled Applejack.

"I you ya couldn't be trusted!" snapped Applejack.

"You don't know what you're doing." replied Sunset.

"We're stopping a murderer." said Rainbow.

Sunset used her magic to sent Applejack backwards into the others.

"I'm sorry." said Sunset quickly.

Sunset turned and cast a spell on Rarity.

"Rares!" cried Applejack.

Rarity blinked briefly before using her magic to teleport out of her hospital bed.

"Oh my." gasped Fluttershy.

"I'm better." stated Rarity.

"What?" asked Applejack confused.

"Sunset used a spell to cure Rarity." answered Pinkie.

"I am a former student of Princess Celestia as well. I've learned a lot of spells in my life including spells to heal severe injuries." explained Sunset.

The others caught Rarity and Trixie up to speed.

"What about me?" asked Trixie.

"Of course." answered Sunset.

Sunset used her magic to heal Trixie.

"Much better." said Trixie.

Trixie used her magic to teleport out of her bed.

"Well, I must be leaving." said Trixie.

"Wait. We need you." said Sunset.

"No we don't." scoffed Rainbow.

"She has a past with Twilight. That could be helpful." said Sunset.

"We know her much better." said Spike.

"No. We need her as well. Trust me." replied Sunset.

The others thought this over.

"You healed Rarity, so I'll trust ya." said Applejack.

In Manehattan, search parties combed the city looking for Sunset Shimmer with no result. One of the guards noticed she had escaped and was killed by Sombra angrily. In the office, Somba waited impatiently for results. Twilight had volunteered to lead the parties and scoured the city looking for Sunset. With no success, Twilight returned to Sombra.

"Master, I have bad news." said Twilight.

Sombra snarled at this.

"What?" asked Sombra.

Twilight gulped nervously.

"We searched the entire city." answered Twilight, "We could not find Sun..."

"Don't say her name!" snapped Sombra.

Twilight winced in recoil.

"Damnatio memoriae." thought Twilight.

"I am waiting." noted Sombra impatiently.

Twilight shook her head.

"We have found no trace of the traitor." said Twilight.

Sombra slammed his hooves on the desk.

"Dammit! I want her head!" declared Sombra.

"Yes Master. I want to killer her for you." replied Twilight.

"We never should have trusted her." mused Sombra.

"Master, that harlot deceived us all." said Twilight.

Sombra got angrily at this.

"Nopony deceives Sombra!" screamed Sombra.

Twilight winced at this.

"I am so sorry Master." said Twilight.

"Twilight, you will no longer share your kingdom." said Sombra.

Twilight thought for a moment before she realized what he was talking about.

"So, I shall rule Equestria on my own." stated Twilight.

"Yes. The undisputed Queen of Equestria." confirmed Sombra.

"Thank you Master." said Twilight happily.

"The fool still expects a kingdom of her own." thought Sombra pleased.

"Master, do you think Sunset as realigned herself with Celestia?" asked Twilight worried.

Sombra became concerned by this possibility.

"With the way Sunset left, I am not too worried about this." replied Sombra.

Sombra tried to remain confident, but was more trying to reassure himself.

"I must be certain I can trust Twilight." thought Sombra.

An idea came to Sombra.

"Twilight, our next target will be...Ponyville." stated Sombra.

Author's Notes:

A/N: That is where we'll end this chapter. Next time, we have the attack on Ponyville. Please review.