Author's Notes:

Okay, here it is. Oh yeah, I had to make a few small changes. The biggest change was that the Empress is now called the Queen. Chapter 8 will be posted on April 20th. Though things are moving really slow for this story, so I might push it to May 4th. This time it really on me, not so much anypony else. I have just been so busy with other stories. I'm not saying that I'm dropping this one, I'm saying that this is hitting some rocky ground.

Sunset arrived on the other side. Back in Equestria, or at least she hoped it was still Equestria, she found herself in a dimly lit, crystal room. It was covered in dust completely. It looked like nopony had been here for years. There was some light, but she couldn’t figure out at all where the light was coming from. She looked out the window. It was pitch black outside. The stars didn’t even shine.

She walked over to what she could figure was a door. Opening it, she found several long hallways. She took a deep breath and walked outward. As she walked, she began to notice that the color of the crystal walls were shifting. From the first room she left, the crystal walls were a blue and purple. Now they were slowly tinting to a dark purple and black.

As she walked, she began to get this feeling of being watched. It wasn’t a feeling like somepony being behind her, it was more like there were eyes all around her. Either way, something clearly knew she was here.

Soon, she came up to a doorway. Walking through it, she found a crystal table sitting all to itself. There were no chairs around it, yet everything was telling her there should be at least six thrones, but why thrones?

Looking away from the table, she saw strange looking tanks that lined the walls. Five empty tanks, with the numbers 003, 004, 005, 006, and 007 under them. This room seemed a bit unusual, and yet everything was telling her this was all completely wrong. That this was never how the room was suppose to look. Soon, she realized it. This was the room from the vision that Nightmare Moon had given her, and indeed, it was very different.

Sunset suddenly heard a voice, no, it was like a whisper, a painful whisper. It was coming from the table. She walked closer so she could hear the voice better. Once she was close enough, it came in clear, but somehow at the same time, distorted.

“The chains. The chains.”

She looked around for the chains but saw nothing. Soon, though, she spotted two pairs of chains at opposite sides of the room. They were placed in such spots that if there were tanks there instead, then all the walls would be lined up perfectly. She walked over to one pair. As she got there, she felt so much anger and rage. The chains were covered in cut marks. Some were broken like they were beaten.

She felt a strange urge to grab them. Grabbing one, she was hit by a vision as the gem glowed. She saw a mare beating a body over and over. The mare had so much rage and anger in her.

She dropped the chain upon hearing a voice. She looked toward the direction of the voice and saw a strange looking old, tall, blue stallion. He wore a heavy, dark red robe and had a strange looking crown on his head.

“Who are you?” Sunset questioned.

“I asked first. Who are you and what are you doing here?” The old stallion became annoyed.

Sunset saw no reason to argue with him. “My name is Sunset Shimmer.”

His old eyes widened, “You’re the one she spoke of.”

Her eyes widened. “‘She’, as in Princess Twilight Sparkle?”

He nodded a yes as he walked over to the table. “The princess was a strong and smart mare. She never gave up the battle to the very end,” He placed his hand on the table. The whispering from the table got louder and yet more distorted. It was now just gibberish, and yet the final parts sounded so sad. The old stallion turned towards Sunset, “I was one of her advisors near the end. My name is Ragnorog.”

“That name, you're not a pony are you?” Sunset questioned as Ragnorog walked over to the doorway.

“No, I’m not a pony I’m a jutland. Do you wish for some tea? The kitchen is just ahead. Once we get there, we can talk more.”

Her stomach rumbled, “Actually I--”

“Sounds like you are hungry. Follow me, I’ve got some food, too.” He walked down the hallway. Sunset could feel that something was wrong yet she couldn't place it. She decided to follow.

Soon, they arrived at the kitchen. He walked over to a small table and set out some plates. Sunset walked over and sat down. She looked around. The place was covered in webs. It looked like very little traffic came through here, if any at all. Ragnorog poured some tea into a cup and brought it over with some small biscuits.

Sunset took a drink and grabbed a biscuit. “You said you’re a jutland. Those are from the far North East. What are you doing down here?”

“I, like other advisors, was taken in by the Princess when she separated from Equestria.”

Sunset’s eyes widened. “Twilight separated from Equestria. When did this happen?”

“Well, it’s been about five years now. I wasn’t told all that happened. Only that she had grown a hatred for the princesses of Equestria.”

Sunset truly became concerned, what could've happened to put a hatred between them? “Please, tell me what happened here.”

He looked at her with confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I mean the castle. It looks so empty. And that room we were just in. It looks so different from what I was told.”

“What do you mean?” He looked around, “This place has been like this since I arrived long ago. Twilight doesn’t bring her friends by anymore. At least not for a long time.”

“Wait Twilight is alive?” Sunset jumped at that.

“What do you mean? Of course, she is alive.”

Sunset sat back down. Originally she assumed what the mare that had attacked her had said was true. Then again the mare only said that Twilight might as well be dead, not that she was actually dead. Sunset had to figure out what was going on. It was clear that the messages she had been getting from Twilight before the diary went up were not exactly true. Then again Twilight’s messages were so short and left little to nothing to gain from.

“Can you tell me where Twilight is?” Sunset finally questioned.

“Hmm, let see if I remember correctly she was in the Crystal Empire a few days ago or was it a few months ago? I’m sorry, it's so hard to keep track over her. Though I think I saw her going into the basement a few days ago.” His words made no sense. Was he saying that he didn’t remember or was he lying?

“Can you show me where the basement is?” Sunset got up.

“Sure, of course.”

They got up from the table and walked over to the exit. Yet, shortly after they left the kitchen, the tea in the cup seemingly vanished and the biscuits began to quickly degrade. It was like they were extremely old.

Ragnorog led her to the basement. She felt a distinct amount of fear upon seeing the dark stairway. Soon, she could hear the voices returning but different. She still couldn’t understand them yet at the same time, she felt like they were telling her to stay far away from the basement. The voices got louder and louder. It began to sound like three voices this time instead of just one. Three very familiar voices. Sunset walked to the stairway ever so slowly as the voices kept getting louder and more frantic. Yet, at the same time, Rogorak was backing away.

Suddenly, Sunset stopped at the first step as a tear could be felt going down her cheek. The voices were now coming in clear as day. The voices were of Cadence, Luna and Celestia. These weren’t the same voices that she heard from the table, but they were definitely the voices of the princesses.

“Ragnorog, do you hear those voices?” she questioned as she turned towards him. However, he was gone. Yet, at the same time, the castle wall began to darken even more. The walls began to shake as the voices got louder and more clear.

“Get out Sunset!! Get out now!!” She heard the voices yell aloud. She ran from there as quickly as she could. Turning towards the stairway for a moment as she ran, she looked in shock as the stairway was gone. In fact, the walls were now acting like liquid as they began closing in on her. She ran as fast as she could as it seemed like the castle was coming alive. She ran past the kitchen, making her way back to the room with the table.

Suddenly, the walls stopped as she got halfway there. The echo of a large door screamed through the halls. Somepony else was inside here.

“She's here. She's here.” The voices were getting extremely frantic and scared. It was like they were in tears. “Run back to the portal Sunset, quickly.”

She didn’t question the voices and ran as fast as she could. Soon she got to the room where she had met Rogorak. Getting past the table she found herself being stopped as the floor opened up and grabbed her. Crystals rose and acted like rope, pulling her down into a hole. She tried to struggle as a male voice spoke, “You will be going nowhere. The Queen has been waiting so long for this meal to return.”

“Who are you?” Sunset questioned as she continued to struggle.

“Once Twilight sees what the Queen has planned for you. It will send her deeper into my darkness.” The male voice laughed aloud. “Soon she will be mine!!”

Sunset tried her hardest to struggled as the rope-like crystals wrapped tightly around her, pulling her deeper down into the abyss. Tears filled her eyes as everything was going black. “No, please it can’t end like this,” she struggled and struggled. Her mind began to flash through memories. Was this her end? Was this where she was going to…. die?

Soon, the darkness completely engulfed her. She could see nothing. She could hear nothing. She could smell nothing. She could feel nothing. All her senses were empty. Yet, in all of this, darkness there was still a glow. The same glow that had been following her. She assumed it was from the castle, but in this darkness, she realized it was coming from her. She looked towards the source and saw that the necklace was glowing. No, the right half gem was glowing. Was the necklace special? What magic was powering it? It was then that she realized that this same glow had always been there. Not in front of her but always there during the visions.

She began to hear a voice. One voice. It was Celestia. “Please, Sunset close your eyes. Put your trust in the gem.”

“Okay, Princess.” Sunset closed her eyes. The gem began to glow brighter and brighter.

Meanwhile, in the other world, the other half of the gem was glowing so bright, the Fine Gentleman looked with confusion and terror as his machine began to shake erratically. The left half gem without warning ripped itself out of the machine and started flying around the place, trying to find a way out. The Fine Gentleman knew this was not good. If it found a way out, it would surely find the other half. He had to stop it.

Back in the world of Equestria, Sunset could feel the gem begin to burn as it glowed brighter and brighter. A great light began to emanate from her. It was so bright that the darkness could not touch her.

“What is this light?” The male voice roared in agony “Damn you, Princesses!!”

Without warning, Sunset was shot out of the ground. She found herself back on the surface. She began to run, yet she was stopped upon hearing an all too familiar voice. “Where are you going little mare?” The same voice of the mare that had attacked her.

Sunset’s eyes widened, as she turned towards the table and caught the sight of cold winter blue and purple eyes under the long black mane of a dark lavender mare in a strange fusion of dress styles. It was a fusion of a red arabian abaya and a blue english medieval dress with a black corset over it all that pushed up her shape to perfectly show off her breast. Draping from the back a purple cape with turquoise lines that matched up perfectly with turquoise lines that traced along her face up to the bottom lids of her eyes. The lines were in such a spot that could almost be seen as tears. Upon her head, she wore another fusion between a purple turban and a teal headdress. All this twist of styles was top off with shiny maroon bladed high heels with the blades being in the shape of a very familiar star.

Sunset looked in terror as she couldn’t believe her eyes for though the unusual fashion seemed off putting and the mare’s body looked different, the face was unmistakable. It was the face of Twilight.

“Twilight, you're the mare who attack me?”

“Who? Oh, wait? You actually know this face?” The mare held her hand up to her own face, creasing it so.

Sunset’s eyes widened. “Who are you? Why do you have Twilight's face?” Sunset was horrified.

“Oh, she’s still here. She will always be here. Do want to talk to her?” Her face began to contort as the table glowed brightly. Tears fell from the mare's eyes as she spoke with Twilight’s voice. “I’m sorry, Sunset. I tried to stop her. Really, I did. It was so horrible watching what she did to you. Go! Get out of here!” She screamed in agony as dark magic flowed out of her. “She’s returning, she is getting ready to feast. GET OUT OF HERE NOW!!”

Sunset ran from there as fast as she could. She didn’t know what was going on, or how. All she knew was to get out. Back in the room, Twilight fell to the ground as pain filled her body. “Hurry Sunset, please hurry.” She began coughing up blood as her fangs grew outward. “I can't hold them back anymore. If you ever see my friends again, tell them I’m sorry. Tell them, that I love them--” Suddenly she screamed aloud. So loud. Her coat began to turn into a darker lavender, her mane went up like a black flame, her flesh twisted and changed in shape and form, and her eyes were transforming. “Oh poor Twilily, you know this is my face now. You can’t fight who I am.”

Sunset arrived at the room with the mirror. As soon as she stepped inside the room, the floor became like goo as the male voice returned. “Twilight can be so stubborn. Like it matters, the Queen is back in control and soon she shall feast on your flesh and blood."

Sunset forced her way through to the mirror. She pushed as strong as she could. She was so close to the mirror, but the ooze of the crystal was pulling her back. She just had to reach a little closer. Just a little more. It looked like she wasn’t going to make it. And when all hope seemed lost, a yellow hand reached out through the portal from the other side. Sunset heard a voice.

“Sunset reach for me!” It was Flash’s voice. Principal Celestia must have called him. He was reaching through the portal.

Reaching for his hand, she grabbed it and yelled, “I’ve got it.” He tried pulling her but it was no good, the goo was pulling back stronger. Suddenly Sunset heard a roar. The wall on the other side of the room opened up. The Queen was charging right at her like wild boar chasing down her food.

Sunset looked right at her. Tears fell from her eyes. How could this happen to Twilight? But most of all, Sunset’s tears were on the only idea she had left. There was only one way to stop this goo, she just hoped it would work. “Flash!” She yelled through the portal. “Throw your gun into the portal!”

His eyes widened, but he didn’t question it. He grabbed out his gun and threw it into the portal. Sunset saw it fly threw and caught it. She then turned while still holding Flash’s hand. “Keep pulling!”

Aiming carefully, Sunset let the last tears fall as she pulled the trigger and unleashed a fury of bullets. They tore through Queen, sending her crashing into the goo with the final shot going right through her head. This sent out a shockwave that loosened the goo’s grip on Sunset. On that, Sunset was pulled free and through the portal.

She landed on the other side in Flash’s arms as he held on tightly to her as they fell to the ground. “You're okay?” Flash asked. Sunset confirmed as she clutched tighter to him. Without warning, the ground shook. They got up upon feeling the shaking and moved from the spot.

The stone began to shake uncontrollably. They all saw this and ran out of there as quick as possible. Suddenly, black crystal shot forth from the portal, ripping the stone apart and covering half the school in black crystal before the portal finally closed, forever.

******

Back underground, in the laboratory, the Fine Gentleman had to catch his breath as the gem finally calmed itself long enough for him to contain it. “Damn it. What was that? The gem has never acted like that. I need to contact the Queen about this.”

******

Back in Equestria, in a twisted distorted crystal castle, the very same castle that Sunset had been in, the Queen laid on the crystal ground. Her body was completely still. It did not move at all, for a moment. Suddenly it rose up and let a scream so loud that the crystal around her began to shatter.

The male voice spoke up once she was done, “Well that almost killed you. It was certainly a strange weapon. It looked a lot like the revolvers that that co--”

She interrupted him with a mad roar, “CORPSES NOW!!”

Suddenly several corpses fell from the seemingly nowhere. Strange-looking chain blades shot out her sleeves and wrapped around the bodies as they fell. “I was so close to feast upon her.” The strange-looking chain blades began glowing maroon red as the bodies began to contort and twist and despite them being long dead, they began to scream in agony as she licked her lips and showed her fangs.

******