[FFML] [MLP] [Alt U] [Dark] Sunset - Through a Mirror Darkly - Prologue

[Ariel Schnee]

Sunset - Through a Mirror Darkly

by

Ariel Schnee



Prologue



She was Sunset Shimmer. Proud pupil, and protege, of Princess Celestia. 
Once a lonely orphan, but then picked by the Princess Herself. Taken to the 
palace, and made Her student.

She had been given the opportunity for the education she had so desperately 
wanted. An education that had been unavailable to a lowly orphan. And she 
seized it with both hooves. And she had studied hard, for years. She proved 
herself the better of many of the nobly born fillies and colts.

Decades had passed, and she had grown from a little filly to an adolescent 
of around thirty-three. Just starting to enter her adolescent years.

She was glad she was a pony. Most species only lived close to a hundred 
before they died of old age. Ponies lived to slightly over five-hundred 
before they died of old age.

She was the pony equivalent of one of the those species' teenagers. One 
with great knowledge... and power. And with what, she had thought, was a 
family.

Princess Celestia was like a mother to her. And had confided to her that 
She thought of Sunset as a daughter. She had even called her Her 'Little 
Sun'.

There were others Sunset was close to as well. Like Cadence. Who she 
thought of like an older sister. Cadence had told her that she thought of 
her like a little sister. And that she'd be there for her.

Shining Armor, a rising star in the royal guard. She thought of him like a 
big brother. He thought of her like a little sister.

Twilight Sparkle. She thought of her like a little sister. Twilight thought 
of her like a big sister. And adored her.

Celestia had looked at her with pride, and told her how proud she was of 
her.

Was...

Was being the operative word. All that was in the past now. They would 
[b]never[/b] look at her that way again.

They had learned the truth. The truth she had tried so hard to keep from 
them. The truth of... [b]what[/b] she really was.

When Princess Celestia had somehow stumbled across her in her secret labs 
conducting her "experiments"... It had been..... bad. When She discovered 
that Sunset had been doing this for years, it had gone [b]really[/b] bad. 
When She discovered that Sunset was hiding her real cutie mark under an 
illusion... And had been for years. And that Sunset's familiar wasn't really 
an eagle, but a... ... ... Yeah. ... Even more bad. ... And when they 
learned of her beliefs. The she worshipped a Dark Goddess. Of what 
ceremonies she performed. Of just [b]what[/b] exactly she did with that 
sacrificial altar... It had gone straight to Tartarus then. ... Then when 
they had learned she was an [b]undead soulless vampony[/b]. ... It had gone 
right into Tirac's cage.

Princes Celestia had put her on trial, and forced her to tell the Truth 
with truth-telling magic spellcraft. So, she had told the Truth. She would 
[b]never[/b] forget the looks of disbelief, horror, disgust, disdain, 
loathing, revulsion, and etc.. that She had looked at her with then.

She was questioned by others, tried, and convicted. Now here she was, in 
this cell... somewhere in the Canterlot dungeons. Her magic nullified by the 
magic-nullifier on her horn, chained to the wall, and waiting for it. 
Waiting until the dawn came. And with it, a fate [b]worse[/b] than death.

Sunset sniffled, and let a tear fall down her muzzle. And then the dam 
broke. And she cried, and cried, and cried into the uncaring night.

[hr]

In Her Royal Chambers, a snow-white alicorn was laying on Her bed... 
Sobbing... Powerful, heart-rending, grief-filled sobs of despair... and 
mourning.

"Oh My Little Sun." She mumbled to Herself. "Why? Why did you do it? Why? 
Why?"

She stiffened when She felt a hoof touch Her. Then she heard the voice of 
one She cared about.

"Auntie?" asked Cadence. "Are you alright?"

Celestia whirled Her head around at the stupid question and snarled 
"[b]NO[/b] Cadence! I [b]AM NOT[/b] alright! I just learned that My 
daughter, My  precious Little Sun, is a [b]MONSTER[/b]! A [b]THING[/b]! An 
[b]ABERRATION[/b]! You know [b]WHAT[/b] we do to undead vamponies! You know 
[b]WHY[/b]! To let some[b]THING[/b] like [b]THAT[/b] free to roam! To let 
[b]IT[/b] continue unopposed, to do who knows [b]WHAT[/b] to My little 
ponies! I had no [b]CHOICE[/b]! I [b]HAD[/b] to sentence her to exile to 
Tartarus!"

Then Celestia's rage fell away, leaving only the countenance of a 
devastated mare. Then she laid her head back down, and let out a 
heart-rending wail. "[b]MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER! MY LITTLE FILLY! MY LITTLE 
SUN![/b]"

Cadence glomped onto Celestia, offering what comfort she could. Trying to 
comfort the grieving, devastated mare. Trying to do what little she could to 
ease her emotional suffering, and pain, now.

After a while, Celestia's sobs had quieted down.

"Yes, this [b]is[/b] a [b]terrible[/b] situation." said Cadence. "But... 
Remember that's she's [b]not[/b] really Your [b]daughter[/b]. You took her 
from the orphanage, and made her Your [b]student[/b]. You never really 
[b]adopted[/b] her."

Celestia just cried. "..." She muttered.

"What?" asked Cadence.

"..." Celestia said in an inaudible tone.

"I couldn't hear that." said Cadence.

"[b]YES SHE IS![/b]" screamed Celestia, causing Cadence to rear back in 
sudden shock. "[b]SHE IS MY DAUGHTER! SHE'S MY BIOLOGICAL DAUGHTER![/b]"

Cadence just sat there... stunned. "W...W... [b]What?[/b]" she asked in a 
shaky voice.

"It was the only way." said Celestia in a quite voice. "She was born a 
unicorn. Not an alicorn. She was weak, and helpless. And there was the 
Zebrican assassin's order. The Order of the Red Hoof Blades. They have 
wanted Me dead a long, long, long time. But lack the power, ability, or 
items to kill an Alicorn. But if they had known she existed... They would 
have struck at her. Just to hurt Me emotionally. I had to hide her. I had 
to. ... My pregnancy, and her birth, were secrets. Only a select, and 
trusted, few knew anything. And so I gave birth to her, and her brother. 
Then cast powerful magics to hide their real auras. So that the Red Hoof 
could not trace them. Then I had them sent to an orphanage. So that they 
would be safe from them there. I... I... I only got to hold them for a few 
minutes. Before I lost them by sending them away to keep them safe. Then... 
Then I got her back. [b]I.GOT.HER.BACK.[/b] I was [b]soooooo[/b] happy. I 
had My little filly back again. True, as a [b]student[/b]. But... It  was... 
[b]something[/b]. ... ... ... ... And then today... This [b]horrible[/b] 
[b]horrible[/b] day... I have lost her [b]again[/b]! ... ... And tomorrow... 
Tomorrow I... I... I have to... have to... have to [b]DO WORSE THAN TO KILL 
MY OWN DAUGHTER![/b]" Celestia wailed out Her despair, and grief. And then 
She fell limp.

"[b]Brother?![/b]" asked Cadence in shock.

Celestia tearfully said "Yes... Her twin brother... Sunburst."

"[b]Sunburst![/b]" exclaimed Cadence. "Starlight Glimmer's 
[b]coltfriend[/b]! [b]That[/b] Sunburst?!"

"Yes." said Celestia.

... ... ... "Wow." said Cadence. "Just... wow. That's..."

Celestia just sniffled.

Moments passed... ... ... ... ... And then Cadence softly asked "Do they 
know?"

Sniffling, Celestia looked at her and asked "What?"

"Do they know?" asked Cadence once again.

"Yes, and no." Celestia said, a single tear falling lonelyly down Her 
muzzle. "I told Sunset the truth about being My daughter. About what 
happened, why I did it, and how I felt. I didn't tell her about Sunburst. 
... ... Sunburst doesn't know any of it either. ... ... She... She... She... 
[b]FORGAVE ME![/b]" wailed Celestia. After a while, She calmed down again. 
"She said she understood why I did it. And that she wanted us to be mother, 
and daughter. Even if it had to remain a secret. She told Me that she knew I 
loved her. And then she told Me that she loved Me. That everything's fine 
now, and we could be together."

...

...

...

...

"Why didn't you tell her about her brother?" asked Cadence. "Why didn't you 
tell Sunburst, or Starlight, anything?"

Celestia sniffled and said "Sunburst was adopted, and has a happy family 
that he loves deeply. I... I..... didn't want to mess that up. His adopted 
parents don't know anything about it either. It's best not to break up that 
happy family. As for Starlight... There was no reason for her to know 
anything."

"She's going to marry Sunburst one day." stated Cadence. "You [b]do[/b] 
realize that, don't you?"

Celestia shrugged.

"Those two [b]love[/b] each other." Cadence said. "Believe me, I 
[b]know[/b]."

"Perhaps." Celestia said. "If she does, I'll consider telling them. If she 
doesn't, then I might only tell Sunburst. ..... ... Perhaps you are right, 
and I should tell him. No reason to tell Starlight unless she actually 
[b]does[/b] marry him. If she does, good for him. She's a [b]very[/b] smart 
mare, she is."

"She's the [b]most brilliant[/b] mage since Starswirl the Bearded." Cadence 
stated. "She took many of his spells, and [b]improved[/b] them [b]beyond[/b] 
what Starswirl could have ever envisioned. She [b]finished[/b] many of his 
spells that he [b]couldn't[/b]. She has an [b]entire wing[/b] in the 
Canterlot Library [b]dedicated[/b] to her. She [b]unlocked[/b] the secret of 
[b]true[/b] temporal manipulation."

Celestia nodded at Cadence at that one. "She outdid the Time Lords on that 
one." Celestia stated rather proudly.

"Yes." said Cadence. "They just showed up one day, and asked to study the 
spell. They said they were rather impressed by it. That 'Doctor' fellow was 
particularly nice about the whole thing too. So was his granddaughter. 
Susan, I believe her name was."

"Starlight is worthy of Sunburst..." Celestia stated. "The two of them will 
achieve much together. I don't suppose you can...?"

"[b]Auntie![/b]" cried out Cadence, shocked. "I [b]don't[/b] meddle with 
ponies's emotions! ... .... Not after that last time... Eugh... I 
[b]didn't[/b] know they were brother and sister..."

Celestia shuddered at that. They had managed to get the spell canceled... 
Only for the two siblings to decide they really [b]did[/b] love each other, 
and to run off [b]together[/b]... somewhere. Yes... Cadence had good reason 
not to mess with ponies's emotions ever again. ...

...

...

...

...

"Maybe it's not so hopeless..." said Cadence. "Maybe Sunset's not completely 
evil. Maybe there's still hope for her somehow."

Celestia shook Her head. "Cadence, she's a [b]necromancer[/b]. And a 
worshipper of a Dark Goddess. She was [b]foalnapping[/b] ponies, 
[b]sacrificing[/b] them, animating their [b]dead bodies[/b], binding their 
[b]souls[/b] to them, and making them her [b]undead servants[/b]. She also 
willingly practiced Nameless Rites, and Unspeakable Rituals, to became an 
[b]undead vampony[/b]. And drank the [b]blood[/b] of other ponies. She also 
[b]willing [i]sacrificed her soul[/i] to her Dark Goddess, [i]destroying it 
utterly[/i]![/b] Just to gain [b]True Immortality[/b]! ..... .....  Once a 
pony's gone [b]that[/b] far, there's [b]no[/b] coming back again."

Cadence sighed. "Yes, she foalnapped ponies and sacrificed them. But, 
[b]all[/b] those ponies she sacrificed were [b]guilty[/b]. They were 
[b]murderers[/b], [b]rapists[/b], [b]pimps[/b], [b]drug dealers[/b], and... 
Ugh. The worst ones of them. Ewww, they were [b]foal molesters[/b]. Sunset 
actually did us all a [b]favor[/b]. Getting rid of ponies like [b]that[/b]."

Celestia sighed. "I know Cadence. If it had just been that... Then I could 
go easy on her. But, she's an [b]undead soulless vampony[/b]. And a 
[b]necromancer[/b]. One whose [b]real[/b] cutie mark is a talent in 
[b]subduing[/b], [b]binding[/b], and [b]controlling[/b] the dead. ... And 
that [b]thing[/b] she [b]bonded[/b] to. ..." Celestia shudders. "A Shadow 
Bird..."  She whispers. ... ..... "You [b]know[/b] I [b]cannot[/b] let an 
undead vampony like [b]that[/b] roam around free." She says in a very sad 
voice.

"Couldn't you just banish her instead Auntie?" asked Cadence, while 
stroking Celestia's mane very gently.

"No." stated Celestia. "If I did, she'd just start doing the same wherever 
I banished her. It would be an [b]act of war[/b] against whatever country I 
sent her to. Considering what she would do to the poor souls there... 
Literally, the poor [b]souls[/b] there."

"What about Stone Imprisonment?" asked Cadence.

Celestia sighed. "No. It wouldn't work. Her necromantic powers, and True 
Immortality, would weaken the Imprisonment in a matter of weeks. The only 
way is to... to... to... to... cast her body... into... Tartarus... to... 
to... b... [b]BE IMPRISONED NEAR TIRAC'S CAGE![/b] My... My... [b]MY OWN 
DAUGHTER![/b] ... [b]MY LITTLE FILLY![/b]..."

Celestia broke down, and wept again. Cadence held Her, and comforted Her as 
best she could. It was going to be a [b]verrrrry[/b] long night.

[hr]

Sunset had finally got herself under control. She didn't think things could 
get worse. She had lost [b]everything[/b], and [b]everyone[/b], she cared 
about earlier today when her mother had caught her. She had lost them all 
when they heard the Truth from her own lips, and they had all rejected her. 
She was going to be condemned to Tartarus by her [b]own mother[/b] tomorrow! 
[b]Forever[/b]. ...

'Such is the fate of an undead soulless vampony necromancer.' she thought 
rather sadly.

...

'[b]No![/b]' she thought. 'I [b]WILL NOT[/b] let this happen! I am Sunset 
Shimmer. I am smart, proud, mighty, majestic, worthy, strong, and 
[b]sooo[/b] many other things.'

'I am a brilliant academic, a gifted spellcaster, powerful, driven, 
passionate, full of life... I [b]know[/b] what I want to achieve in life! 
Er... Unlife? ... ... And I have the skills, and dedication, to [b]get[/b] 
there!'

'I am the youngest unicorn to achieve the spells I have achieved. I am an 
Elite Necromancer in the Circles of Death. I am an undead vampony! I am 
Truly Immortal! I am a faithful worshipper of a Dark Goddess. The Dark 
Goddess Liananna, Goddess of Darkness and Shadows. I am well regarded 
amongst those who worship Her. I [b]AM NOT[/b] giving up! I [b]WILL[/b] find 
a way out of this! I [b]WILL[/b] break free!'

She struggled against her bonds, a determined expression on her face. She 
pulled on the chains with all her might. She flexed her muscles, trying to 
weaken the chains' hold.

Then, in a flash of darkness, a bird teleported into the room.

Sunset stopped struggling, and looked at the bird. An expression of wonder, 
relief, happiness, joy, and other such things spread across her face.

"[b]SNOWBANK![/b]" she exclaimed in happiness. "[b]YOU'RE ALIVE! THANK 
LIANANNA![/b]"

She was crying tears of joy.

"Oh I'm [b]soooooo[/b] glad to see you again my friend." she said, her 
voice one of intense relief. "But... how? I thought Celestia had... killed 
you..."

Snowbank warbled a trilling tone, that was relaxing. Well, to Sunset it was 
relaxing. Most beings would be covering their ears in pain now.

"[b]HA![/b]" she exclaimed. "I should have known not even a Sun Goddess 
would get the better of [b]you[/b]! Think you can help me to escape now?" 
She gestured to the chains with her head.

Snowbank warbled something that might have been interpreted as something 
like 'Of [b]course[/b] I can. [b]What[/b] do you take me for? I am a being 
of [b]Darkness[/b] and [b]Shadows[/b]. It's really easy. I'll have you out 
of there soon.' Of course, Sunset heard it loud and clear. Thanks to their 
telepathic, and empathic, link with each other. A link that had now come 
back. A link that was no longer snapped.

"How?" she asked. "I felt the link the [b]SNAP[/b]! I thought you had 
[b]DIED[/b]!"

"Sorry to worry you Sunset." Snowbank sent. "I had to dive into the Shadow 
Plane to escape Sunbutt's solar laser. I'm sorry that I worried you my 
friend."

"You had to dive into the Shadow Plane?!" Sunset exclaimed. "That's just... 
Wow... You've [b]never[/b] had to do [b]that[/b] before."

"I was never in such danger before." he explained.

"Yeah." she said. "Mom's solar lasers [b]do[/b] pack a punch."

He looked at her. "You still call Her [b]that[/b]?" he asked, with just the 
faintest hint of disapproval there. "After She [b]betrayed[/b] you?"

She sighed. "She might have rejected me..." she explained. "But, she's 
[b]still[/b] my [b]mother[/b]. And... I still [b]love[/b] Her."

He shook his head. "You're free to feel as you want to feel. Still, I think 
your soft feelings for Her may be your undoing."

"Maybe..." she said. "Hey. How about getting me out of here now, alright?"

"Hold on." he sent. Then his right wing started to glow dark. He passed it 
over  the chains. The chains crumbled to dust. He did the same for the horn 
cap. And then, it too, crumbled to dust. Sunset's body was completely 
unharmed.

Sunset fell down to the floor, twisting in mid-air to land on all fours. 
She shook her head, and body, like a dog does. Then she regained her 
balance.

"Let's get out of here." she said.

"Where will we go?" he asked. "You're a wanted criminal with an 
imprison-on-sight order just waiting to be issued on you after you escape. 
There aren't many lands that would accept us. Of the ones that would, 
[b]very[/b] few are capable of standing up to Her. Of the ones that 
[b]are[/b], we'd be in more  danger from the inhabitants there than we would 
from Her."

"The mirror." she explained. "I know where there's a mirror that opens a 
dimensional tunnel gateway between universes. If we can make it there, we 
have a chance."

"Isn't that the mirror that only opens for three days every thirty moons?" 
he asked.

"Yes, it is." she said. "And tonight's the [b]last[/b] night it will open, 
until another thirty moons. We've got less than [b]two hours[/b] to get 
there, and get through it."

"We're going to just go there [b]now[/b]?" he asked.

"No." she explained. "We've got to get out of here first. Then, we'll loot 
the place a little. No reason to leave empty-hooved afterall. I [b]am[/b] 
Celestia's daughter. That gives me a [b]right[/b] to some of the things 
here."

"Sounds like a plan." he said. "Well, let's get out of here first. Then 
loot the place, get to the mirror room, and go through it to... wherever 
then."

Sunset had her ear pressed against the door. "We'll need to make a stopover 
in the guardroom too." she said. "There are guards in there. And I'm feeling 
rather..." She let her retractable fangs out. "Hungry."