Flickering Flame

Twilight could not think of a way to respond. She was in to much shock to even think of a way to respond. She merely and seamlessly looked at Sunset. She thought for a second and then finally thought of some words she could utter.

"So you heard about that?" Twilight slowly sipped her drink. "Didn't think anypony would tell you?" Twilight kept her eyes locked on Sunset. She was watching Sunset very carefully.

"Oh lets just say the pony who told me is very close friends to me." Sunset sipped her orange juice. The situation was becoming rather awkward and really quickly.

"Well.....ummmmm....." Twilight pondered as she tried to think of some way to respond.

"Already dumbfounded?" Sunset said rather condescendingly "It's fine really, I'm happy your engaged with Flash." Sunset actually sounded rather sincere.

"Wait really~?" Twilight nearly dropped her glass of water. "Flash and me were the whole reason you freaked out nearly a year ago....The Empress thing?" Twilight was angered by sunsets response. Acting as if this didn't bother her.

"I think it's best we don't mention Empress unless you wish to speak with her.." Sunset said as she kept her voice on the calm level.

"She is the last thing I'd ever want to talk about~!" Twilight gritted her teeth slightly.

"How about we all just sit quietly and eat our breakfast?" Celestia said trying to intervene

"I must say I agree with Celestia, angry is no mood to be in when your eating." Sunset smiled as she set her Orange juice down.

"I think after you being gone for months gives anypony a reason to be upset with you...Nopony knew if you were DEAD OR NOT~!" Twilight said as she was getting upset. Sunsets right ear flicked slightly and her lower right eyelid twitched slightly. She closed her eyes  deeply and calmingly.

"Wit all due respect Twilight... Why don't you just eat your damn breakfast. you had no problem getting engaged and living your happy princess life without me here~!" The whites of Sunsets eyes shifted to a shade of black. "Don't you dare play victim!"  Sunset growled and bared her teeth which had fangs now.

"Oh and you are the victim.. Tooooootaaaallyy~!" Twilight put her hooves on the table as she now slightly stood out of her chair.

"I nearly died and gave my life for you and everypony else. What a breakfast I have come to today. Full of self centered ponies. Ponies who only believe what they want." Sunset looked at Celestia. "I will be off to my room now, thanks for allowing me to come to breakfast with you." Sunset got out of her chair and bowed slightly and respectfully, her eyes returning to normal as she did. She then slowly looked at Twilight. "Sorry it had to be this way Princess." Sunset walked out of the room closing the door behind her. While nopony was looking and nopony could see her. She finally let the tears flow. She began to walk to the balcony as she hummed some sad tune to herself. "What did I do, why has it come to such a stupid and selfish start. Empress explain to me~!" Sunset stomped her hoof now very angrily. Sunset breathed deeply and slowly let out a singing note. "I can't believe. That when I breathe. There's something good inside of me. Just one good thing inside of me. So close to me. That. memory. Of that one good thing inside of me. Just one good thing inside of me." she sang slightly as her horn glowed and projected the image of her demon Empress before her. Empress let out a singing not herself.

"If I went out the back door nobody would stop me. But where would I go?. Cause I ain't ever had a real home. So what do I know?. So I could keep running, hide until they find me. But what would that do? If they could only know what I knew. What would it prove?" The holographic projection of Empress sang.

"I should've seen the writing on the wall. Instead I'm left to fall. Cause the longer I'm away. The more we stay the same. Looking back where I thought I knew it all. Instead I'm left to fall. Did I throw it all away?" Sunset sang as she referenced to her past actions. Back when she had let Empress take hold for the first time. Was it once again time to let her rove the point? Would it be worth it? "I can't believe

That when I breathe. There's something good inside of me. Just one good thing inside of me .So close to me .That memory. Of that one good thing inside of me. Just one good thing inside of me...." Sunset blinked letting a tear fall slightly. Twilight was right , Sunset did care about her engagement. She was jealous but that was no reason to let it all fall. sunsets horn stopped glowing as she stopped singing. as she ended with one line. "I know I'm no good but my heart beats true. You know I'm gonna fight, though I might be scared to lose. You took me in and I fucked it up again. An empty promise, no I won't pretend 'Cause in the end we need someone to solve em. Nobody can fix me if I'm part of the problem." Sunset wiped the tears out of her cyan eyes as she turned entering the castle from the balcony. She ran right into the pearly white chest of Celestia.

"You act the opposite of what you just showed, young Sunset." Celestia said with a smile that was half hidden behind her flowing mane. Sunset quickly sniffled and dried her eyes completely.

"How much of that did you see?" Sunset asked calmly, but with a dry throat.

"I came in after you projected Empress." Celestia sighed. "Is Empress still a part of you, or was she the one who perished when the portal exploded?" Celestia said as she gave a rather calm smiles still. "Was that really her there or was that you trying to feel less alone?"

"She never came to me after the explosion. Not one nightmare no sign. I actually wish I knew if she was alive." Sunset sighed as  her eyes began to fill with tears again. "She knew how to deal with problems."

"Now Sunset you know as well as anypony that she was a problem, not a solution." Celestia's smile had faded.

"That's not what I meant, So Empress caused allot of collateral damage but that doesn't mean she didn't do what was right in the end." Sunset bluntly said.

"Sunset, didn't you say you would be going to your room? you seem like you could use a little rest." Celestia suddenly changed the subject. Sunset gave a sly smile.

"Yeah your right I was off to my room, who said anything about sleep when I got there though?" Sunset giggled as she walked by Celestia. The whites of Sunsets eyes changed again as she was walking away.