Sunset Shimmer's POV:

Okay… Confession time. My name is Sunset Shimmer, the Gold Phoenix Ranger and the Princess of Empathy. Yes, even I have a confession to make. What, did you think that just because I was the leader of the second generation of the Wild Force Rangers that I was perfect? Hardly.

To be honest, I’m probably the least perfect of them all. And yes, both of my titles add up to quite the workload to be sure. And to be honest, I’m not sure if I’m worthy of either of them. But I digress, this needs to be said and I’m just delaying the inevitable.

I grew up on the streets of Canterlot, unliked and ignored by everypony who passed me by. Despite its reputation as the most beautiful city in Equestria, it still has its dirty underbelly. After all, the filth needs somewhere to go, according to the nobles at least. It has its slums, its cracks, the places where ponies can slip through unnoticed, like me.

I had a mother, and a father, but to be honest… I can only really call them that in name. They were the ones who birthed me, nothing more. Father ran out on us quickly, to him my mother was just another fuck-buddy who just so happened to give him a child he couldn’t care less for. Mom… tried to care for me as much as she could. Damn did she try, but without much money to support us,times got tough. Too tough for her to handle. One morning, I just found her there on the floor with several empty bottles of beer beside her, not moving. I ran and never looked back.

For my first few years of life on the streets, it was simple. Just make it through the day and get food to eat and just live out the nights in my cardboard box. Yeah, that’s right. The only thing I could call home was a cardboard box in Canterlot’s Old Town district. It was just me and my wolf plush, Sparky along with a mysterious aquamarine jewel in the shape of an orb gifted to me by my mother to keep me company. Yeah, don’t ask me why I named a wolf plush Sparky. Guess I thought it was cool at the time.

Every day I was forced to take food and other supplies from shopkeepers when they weren’t looking, hoping to Mystic Mother above that I wouldn’t be caught. Eventually, they wised up and installed security cameras, so that plan went out the window pretty fast. I’d heard of the Royal Guard and how quickly they could catch a fleeing criminal. Mind you, I was six at the time, so my young mind thought that they would toss me into a cell in the dungeons forever and throw away the key and just forget about me.

Funny, looking back I now, realize that couldn’t have been further from the truth. If I had just gone up to one and asked for help, I probably would have received the help I needed and a home for me would have been found. Any place would have been better than where I was forced to take shelter.

Now, you may be wondering why nopony reported me to the local orphanage. Well, to be honest I’m not really sure myself. Maybe they assumed I wasn’t worth the trouble of tracking down, or that I was just a miscreant kid who got up to mischief without my parents knowing. Sorry, if the paper I’m writing this down on seems wet or smudged in any way, that’s my fault. I-I’m sorry, but this is a hard part of my life to write about and one I’d rather forget but it needs to be told because it's important to how I became the pony I am today.

Either way, that was my life. There wasn’t a single moment of happiness where I felt safe and secure… Well, except one. Every day at the crack of dawn, I went up near the castle and watched Princess Celestia raise the sun as she always did every morning. I’ll admit that I wanted to be in that position, or at least be admired instead of some piece of street crap nopony could care less about.

Late one night, there was an especially fierce storm. The clouds roiled and rumbled with thunder and flashes of lightning. Rain poured down like a monsoon upon the city of Canterlot, and everypony except me was safely in their homes, sheltered from the torrential downpour. As for myself, I was forced to cuddle under a stolen muddy blanket, soaked to the bone in my cardboard box holding my plush wolf as if he was the only thing that could keep me safe. If I hadn’t been too scared to listen, I would have heard a distinct screeching sound, like a bird, but far louder than anything I knew existed. Something truly gigantic, hidden deep within the cloud cover was soaring above the skies of Canterlot, bringing thunderbolts all around, as if were angry at something. One struck the building closest to me setting off a spark which quickly grew into an inferno, setting the building ablaze. I knew I had to move, so I wrapped my blanket around me, grabbed everything I owned, and just ran.

I didn’t know where or how far I ran along the cobblestone streets of Canterlot, but eventually I ended up at Donut Joe’s Donut Shop. Even this late at night, it was busy. There was a squadron of Royal Guards just chowing down on their pastries, served by the ever friendly proprietor, and in the back having a late night cup of coffee was Princess Celestia herself. I squeaked in fear, still quite afraid of what the Royal Guard might do to me if they ever were to catch me and hid under a table, hoping not to be noticed.

“Crimney, it’s raining cats and dogs out there! The hell were the weather teams doing changing the schedule like that?” One grumpy unicorn guard grumbled.

“I dunno, probably another mix-up. Look at it this way, they’ll have to give us several days of direct sunshine to make up for it!” His earth pony companion said, patting him on the back.

“That’s not exactly a consolation when you take into account that we have patrols scheduled for the next few days, and in full armor no less...” The unicorn replied.

“Quite the storm eh boys?” Joe asked coming over and topping off their coffee mugs. “Haven’t seen one this fierce in ages. Last time this happened, the Maresler Building got hit with lightning several times! It was as if the Mystic Mother herself was angry at the city and its inhabitants. Mind you, considering…”

Joe then cut himself off and murmured something under his breath. I caught the word “Humans” but nothing else as he was speaking to softly for me to hear. Suddenly, the lead commander in charge of the Guard Squadron, a stone grey pegasi got a call on his headset and at once dropped his donut to the floor and sat up straight.

“Men, there’s been a report of a fire in the Old Town district. Seems a bolt of lightning hit a building and it’s in danger of lighting up the whole street. We’ve been ordered to clear the way for the Fire Department.” He ordered with a air of authority about him.

With a cry of “Yes sir!” all the guards except for the unicorn and the earth pony men moved out and ran out into the streets of Canterlot, ready to do what they did best: protect Equestria. I stayed in my hiding spot, scared out of my wits as I peeked out at the guards that didn’t leave yet. Did they know I was here? Were they waiting for me to turn myself in?

“Privates Phalanx and Rumble, why did you not leave with your squadron?” Celestia questioned, sipping her coffee.

“As your guards, it would be irresponsible of us to leave you here by yourself, Princess.” The unicorn replied stiffly.

Celestia smiled good-naturedly and laughed softly, “You have little need to worry, my little pony. I’m sure I can hold out against an assault of pastries by myself.”

“But Princess-” The earth pony began before Celestia silenced him with a raised hand.

“I will be fine, do not worry.” She said gently, but firmly, “Go rejoin your fellow guards, I will be here when you return.”

Both guards looked at each other before saluting, “Yes, Princess!” They said in unison before exiting out the door into the storm outside. I let out a sigh of relief before shrinking back into my hiding place, hoping to wait until closing time before helping myself to some of the donuts the guards had been eating earlier.

Suddenly, I felt a warm presence behind me before I was pulled into the embrace of Princess Celestia herself. It was something I’d hadn’t felt in such a long time, the love of a mother’s embrace.

“Hello little one. What are you doing here so late on a night such as this? You should be in bed, asleep.” She asked, her voice as warm and loving as a warm summer day. I simply gestured out the window to the rapidly burning blaze which could be seen on the other side of the city.

Celestia’s eyes widened in horror, before she looked at me with tears in her eyes, “Little One, please tell me you didn’t live… there?” She asked in a worried tone, holding me tighter..

“In a cardboard box, just right next to that place. It’s probably gone now.” I sobbed. My only place of refuge and safety, burned to the ground in an instant.

“But… But I thought any orphans we find are taken to orphanages!” Celestia whispered as her face took on a serious expression. Joe came over and put a hand on her shoulder.

“That’d be true, but some always manage to make it through the cracks. I’ve seen them, fighting everyday to survive, just trying to get by with whatever bits and food they can scrounge up. It’s a sad fact of life, Princess.” Joe said sadly while shaking his head in pity. “She’s not the first I’ve seen to come in here. I’ve seen them out back, scrounging through the bins trying to find leftovers. I don’t mind, unlike the rest of the ponies in this city it seems I’m the only one with a heart for the young… “

“No offence Princess.” He quickly added.

Celestia shook her head sadly and gave Joe a smile while still holding me to her chest letting me sob into her dress.

“Well then… There’s only one thing to do.” Celestia muttered before she pulled back and gently lifted my chin, looking directly at me, “How would you like to live with me, Little One?” She asked, her voice tender and caring. “But of course, I will need to get your name first.”

“S-Sunset. Sunset Shimmer.” I responded nervously, the words sounding strained through the lump in my throat. Here I was, talking to the most powerful mare in all of Equestria, the one who guided the fate of the whole planet just because she controlled the sun and moon, and she had just offered to take me in? There had to be a catch somewhere, nothing like this happened for free!

But she simply smiled and giggled at my shyness.

“Sunset Shimmer.” Celestia murmured, rolling the name in her mouth before looking at me with a gentle, loving smile, “That’s such a pretty name for a pretty little filly. So, Sunset, what say you?”

There was only one answer to give.

“Yes!”

And so my new life began. I thought it was to be full of peace and joy, but how wrong I was…

I admit, for the first few years of my life at the Canterlot Castle, all was well. As it turned out, I had very powerful magical potential, and Celestia took me on as her personal student. I loved learning about every spell I could get my hands on, and when I overheard Celestia mention to her niece Princess Cadance that there was a very good possibility of the first Alicorn ascendence in ages, I got it into my head that she was talking about me. I poured myself into my studies even more, impressing my teacher with my rapid progress. But for whatever reason, it still wasn’t enough, I never ascended. I got bitter, angry even. It was only a matter of time before things boiled over. I was growing more arrogant with each passing day. I never let anyone into my own personal room at the castle. At one point, Celestia finally had enough and sent me out on the town just for me to get some fresh air. Eventually, I wandered to a nearby park where Princess Cadance, was foalsitting a little girl. I bit back a snarl but sighed. It’d happen someday, I just knew it. Eventually, that little girl whom I would later call my best friend wandered over.

“Hey, do you want to play?” Twilight asked as she held a ball in her hand.

“No, I said flatly. “I’m in the middle of something here, or hadn’t you noticed?”

“What sort of something?” She asked. I let out an aggravated sigh.

“In the middle of studying a very important spell. I’m Celestia’s personal student, or didn’t you know?”

“So am I!” Twilight proclaimed, puffing out her chest a bit.

I frowned. I knew Celestia had taken on another student, but I’d never cared enough to meet her.

“Well, let me give you a tip. Study very hard, because you know what happens if you don’t?” I asked with a sneer.

“No, what?” Twilight asked curiously, in that way only a little kid could. I leaned in close.

“They send you all the way back to Magic Kindergarten.” I smirked. “Now you don’t want that do you?” That was yet another in a long list of mistakes I regret. If I hadn’t said those things, Twilight may not have become such an intellectual shut in and a bad friend until Celestia sent her off to Ponyville in preparation for Nightmare Moon’s/Luna’s return. Several years passed, and now I was nineteen years old. I still hadn’t become an Alicorn and I was furious about it. So furious about it, I confronted my own teacher.

“Sunset, I’m sorry, but with your attitude towards everypony I can’t possibly allow you to ascend!” Celestia told me. That only made me more furious.

“This is your fault! You put these damn ideas into my head, and look what happened! I’m a product of your own selfishness! You want to be the only Alicorn on the throne! That’s why you sent Luna away, isn’t it? Because you want all the power to yourself.” I sneered, and Celestia looked as if she’d been punched in the gut. Yet another mistake on my part.

“No, that’s not it and you know it Sunset. What happened to the girl I raised? The kind little filly who would do anything for anypony? You were so empathic to everypony’s problems, you’d try to help them out in anyway you could. Now look what you’ve become.” Celestia said sorrowfully.

“Then I’m sorry for what I’ve got to do. I’m sorry PRINCESS, but your reign is at an end.” I snarled and produced a red and gold trimmed item not unlike a conductor’s ticket puncher, but with numbers like a phone on it as well. Celestia’s eyes widened.

“Sunset, don’t!” She cried, but it was too late. My path was already set in stone.

“Magical Source, Mystic Force!” I yelled and punched a ticket and threw it and it enlarged itself and covered me with my body gaining crimson and golden armor and bat wings sprouted out of my back. I was an Alicorn, but not the one I should have been. The power, it was overwhelming, but terrifying at the same time. But I didn’t care. I had what I wanted, and now I intended to use it. Strike three for mistakes I regret.

I fired a blast of flame from my horn at Celestia who threw up a golden shield around herself before leaping forwards and drawing a navy blue and gold trimmed sword which she swung at me and I blocked its blow with a blade of fire before kicking my own teacher backwards into her throne. Royal Guards, led by Steel Sentry rushed into the room, but I put up a wall of fire between me and them.

“Sorry boys, but this battle is between me and her. You’re not invited to this private party.” I smugly remarked, my head turned towards them, but Celestia used this chance to strike back and fire a gold blast of energy at me which I rolled to the left to avoid and then swung my sword which Celestia blocked again with her own blade before she punched me in the face making me stagger backwards. Next thing I knew, I was enveloped in a bubble of golden energy before Celestia recited a spell which somehow demorphed me and sent me back into my regular wingless state. I curled up on the floor sobbing, realizing what I had tried to do and just how far I’d fallen. I’d taken Solar Flare’s personal morpher, the one she used in the battles against humanity and let her influence of the power she’d put into that morpher corrupt me. No, that wasn’t right. I’d made so many mistakes and let my pride and arrogance get to me that it was all too easy for the morpher to take control. As I continued sobbing in shame, Celestia pulled me into a hug and just let my tears flow, like she had done all those years ago. I don’t know why she was giving me a second chance, I sure as Tartarus didn’t deserve it, and I still never have really figured that part out to this day.

Years passed, and after the incident with the Solar Cell Morpher and me nearly killing my own teacher, I began to wisen up and eventually, when the rest of the Mane Seven’s Cutie Marks got switched around, me and Twilight were the only ones to be able to complete Starswirl’s unfinished spell to save them and restore everything back to normal. That was when it happened. That was when both Twilight and I ascended, the proper way. No grabbing power for myself, no arrogance and pride influencing me. I ascended because I wanted to put back what went wrong. Like a phoenix burning bright, I had showed my other side. The side I’d forgotten about long ago. Empathy.

It wasn’t long before I discovered the meaning of that aquamarine crystal I still kept as a keepsake of my mother. It was during when me and the rest of the Elements were cleaning out Luna and Celestia’s old castle. I’d wandered off on my own and found an old and disused room with a red and golden crystal, similar to the one I had just lying on the floor, seemingly forgotten. Its power called out to me, and as soon as I touched it I felt something I couldn’t explain. Ancient power, long before Equestria. As soon as I picked it up, I was teleported to the beautiful paradise known as the Animarium. It was a haven, and I found myself in a stone temple where a pure white alicorn mare waited for me.

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time Sunset Shimmer. My name is Princess Shayla, and this is the Animarium. I knew someone had to pick up the Phoenix Crystal and become it’s chosen guardian. I must admit though, I was shocked when I found it’s new guardian to be the holder of the Elephant Crystal.” The mare said, and I took a quick look at the two orbs. Now they displayed tiny animals inside of them, the aqua one being an elephant and my new Crystal a bird of some type.

“And just as the Phoenix is Queen of the Skies, you shall lead the newest generation of the Power Rangers Wild Force.”

“I’m not qualified to lead anything. If you know who I am, you know what I used to be like. Trusting me with power is like trusting a fox with guarding a henhouse. Things will go badly, I can assure you of that.” I replied.

“If you really believe that, why did you pick up the Crystal in the first place?” Shayla asked, and I found myself unable to answer that. Shayla let me go, to ponder my thoughts, clear my head and such and as I was walking through the streets of Ponyville, I heard a groaning and then screaming sound coming from an alleyway. I initially passed it off as ponies having a tryst, but something felt… off. They weren’t ones of pleasure, but pure terror. I rushed down the alleyway and found a group of rough looking stallions, the leader of which was grey furred and bald headed with a handlebar moustache taking turns raping a little filly in the behind. I snarled. I couldn’t let this pass me by. A golden phone appeared in my hand, though at the time I took no notice of it due to my pure fury.

“Hey, what the BUCK do you think you’re doing!?!” I roared and the lead stallion laughed.

“Taking what’s rightfully ours, of course. She’s just another prize in a long line of them.” He answered. Now I was truly furious. They had the outright gall to call this filly, and from the sounds of things, others as well possessions as if they owned her. I was in such a rage, my wings had ignited in pure flame and the other stallions took a step back in fear. Good for them.

Without even knowing what I was doing, I put the phone to my ear and called out “Legendary Wild Access!” and I felt a power overtake me. But unlike when I morphed into the Dark Solaris Knight, it felt warm and comforting, like a mother’s soft embrace and the next thing I knew I stood in a gold formfitting bodysuit with red trimming on my gloves, shoulders and boots.

“Take them down, Little Firebird.” A male voice said to me and I drew my Crystal Saber and charged. I may not have known what the future held for me at that point, but I did know one thing, my past was not today...

END

Author's Notes:

Okay, last POV chapter, so next time around it's going back to third person point of view. In this chapter, we learn that Sunset has regrets, just like all the other Rangers do and probably has the most regrets of them all and how she gained her animal crystals and become the Gold Ranger for the first time. It's interesting to note that not all monsters are obvious, some can seem just like anyone else, until you catch them in the act. That's what being a Power Ranger's all about, protecting those who can't protect themselves, not just from Orgs, but from all monsters. First off, I'd like to credit both the Abyss and Summer Dancer for giving me inspiration for Sunset's backstory, and more specifically their stories "Sunset's Sunrise" and "Sandbox" respectively. They can be found here.

https://www.fimfiction.net/story/260562/sunsets-sunrise

https://www.fimfiction.net/story/342249/sandbox

Next Time: Vapor's Vengeance!

One more thing, if you're a Lego and a Power Rangers fan, then you'll definitely want to see this made a official Lego set. Clicky clicky![/b]