This is the story of Sunset Shimmer's rise and fall from grace.
Shimmering Sunset
1
Princess Celestia yawned, having woken up only minutes prior to her stepping out onto her balcony, a cup of strong tea grasped in her magic.
It was that time of day once again, to lower the moon and raise the sun.
She set her cup on the railing of the balcony and smiled at the moon. "It won't be much longer my sister. I will see you once again, only a matter of years left till the prophecy is fulfilled."
She lit her horn, the golden glow nearly blinding, and the moon lowered below the horizon. As she turned her attention toward the sun, it peeked above the horizon opposite the moon and rose.
Celestia gasped and dropped to the deck.
"What is this? I... I didn't raise the sun... But if not me, then who?" She looked out over Canterlot, and let her magic gently flow over the city. Then further, touching Ponyville and Cloudsdale, and even further and further.
Then she felt it.
A point of magic so brilliant it was like looking at the sun.
The sole Princess of Equestria's eyes grew wider and wider as she focused her sight upon a small filly, floating in the air, her horn and eyes glowing so brilliantly that it was hard to look at.
The filly was not alone, and was being stared at by a younger unicorn colt and an older unicorn mare, all various shades of orange. It seemed they were a family, and the filly's flank was seething with light.
Princess Celestia was stunned. A pony, a young unicorn filly had just raised the sun. No single unicorn had ever been able to raise the sun before. When it had been the unicorns duty, it had taken many of them working in concert, and many would not live long lives due to the magical stress.
But this filly, as she dropped to her hooves, was not suffering from a severe level of magical drain. She looked excited, bouncing around in circles as she stared at her new cutie mark.
Princess Celestia had her duties to perform, that much she knew, but this, this changed everything.
Perhaps this was the one she sought to bring the Elements back from their thousand year slumber.
This filly had a destiny that was beyond the Princess' wildest dreams.
In a flash of light, she teleported directly into the throne room. "Kibitz? Kibitz? I need you right now."
The mustached unicorn rushed into the throne room moments later. He'd never heard the Princess sound so urgent in a long time, not since the great cake shortage of 975 ANM.
"Princess Celestia? Whatever is the matter? Is something wrong?" He was concerned that something horrible was happening, and prayed this time it was not something as dire as an eclair shortage.
"Nothing is the matter my old friend." She looked positively giddy with excitement. "This morning, it was not I who raised the sun."
"But, how is that possible?" He paused, and a look of horror came over his face. "Can it be? No! Is Discord back?"
Celestia stepped down off the throne and hugged the stallion with a wing. "No, not Discord, though I feel he will be returning sooner than later. How is my schedule for today?"
Kibitz drew a scroll from his perfectly tailored jacket. "You have important negotiations with the delegates from Cervidas first thing this morning, right after breakfast. After that, you are scheduled to negotiate a trade agreement between Germaneigh and Prance."
Celestia frowned ever so slightly, then sighed. "Very well. How about this afternoon?"
"Prince Frisian Winds from Vaporia, sky nation of the pegasi is arriving. You need to be here to welcome him."
Celestia tapped her hoof impatiently. "This evening?"
"The Canterlot Nobles Charity Drive. It would not do to have you be absent. You already know how the nobility is constantly watching you for any mistakes you might make."
The Princess rilled her eyes. "Fine. Tomorrow morning?"
"You have open court all day tomorrow till dinner time. After that, you are free of any scheduled events."
"Then set tomorrow evening as such. Princess Celestia is to pay a visit to Sire's Hollow." She noted the look of confusion on Kibitz's face. "The filly who raised the sun, she is from there."
Kibitz paced back and forth, then stomped his hoof. "That will not do Princess."
Taken aback, Celestia stared at her servant. "Whatever do you mean?"
"A... A filly raised the sun? By herself? I will personally let the Deer nation's representative know that something important came up and you will not be available this morning."
"Please, make sure the poor dear is tended to in every way she could possibly need."
"Did... did you just make a deer pun?"
"Why, yes, I believe I did. Please don't let her know my slip of the tongue. I know they have a distaste for that particular term." She smiled softly. "Then I should be off."
"After you eat breakfast perhaps? Give the filly and her family time to have theirs and celebrate her new cutie mark."
"Yes, I agree. That would be a good idea."
...
"We're DOOMED!" Stellar Flare was freaking out as a stallion wandered into the back yard.
"Flare my dear, what's wrong?" Solar Prominence asked, a couple cups of coffee floating in his bright red magic.
"Sunset... She got her cutie mark." The mare looked terrified.
"Sunny?" His eyes lit up. "She did? What is it?" He rushed over to his daughter, who was looking frightened at her mother's freak out. "Oh my... but... why are you so distraught?" He saw the cutie mark. An ornate yellow and red sun, just like her mane and tail.
"She... Sunset Shimmer... she raised the sun..." Stellar Flare cried out in dismay.
Solar Prominence's face paled. "N-no... If Princess Celestia finds out our daughter has the power to take over her sun... she's going to be so mad. She... She'll banish us all, and then imprison us all in the place we're going to be banished too."
"Mommy? Daddy?" The filly was scared now, and was crouching down and trying to hide behind her little brother. "Sunburst, I'm scared."
"Sunny!" The colt giggled and hugged his big sister. "Wub yoo."
The parents seemed to calm down and were now whispering to each other, casting glances at their daughter. Nervous glances that made the filly equally nervous.
"What are we going to do with her? If her special talent is controlling the sun, then..." Stellar frowned, whispering to her husband.
Solar hung his head. "We have two options. One, face the Princess when she comes, and she will come, and endure her wrath... or have Sunset Shimmer leave Sire's Hollow."
"She's just a filly who just earned her cutie mark. We can't just cast her out... can we?" Stellar wanted to cry. She loved her children with all her heart. "I... I say we face the fact that our daughter... she'll most likely be taken away and we will never see her again."
Solar sighed long and hard. "I agree... we'll all face this together."
"Mama! Papa! Hungry." Sunburst called out. "Bweaky!" It was obvious the little colt wanted breakfast. With their decision made, the family all headed inside to eat a somber breakfast. It would most likely be the last meal they had together as a family.
...
Celestia finished her leisurely breakfast and rose to her hooves. "That was a wonderful breakfast, thank you Silver Grace." She smiled at the young earth pony mare who had prepared the meal.
"Y-you're welcome." The cute young mare beamed nearly as brightly as her white coat. Her long, wavy mane was three shades of silver, blue and white, and her light gray eyes shone as she was praised. It had been her first time preparing food for the Princess.
"Kibitz? I shall now be off."
"Dental hygiene, Princess. You do not want food stuck between your teeth."
"Of course, you are right Kibitz." She smiled sheepishly. A pearly smile was always important when meeting her little ponies.
...
Sunset Shimmer sat in the center of her bedroom, more nervous than she'd ever been before. Her parents, while proud she'd finally earned her cutie mark, were also terrified at what it represented.
She was a direct challenger to the Princess herself, the ruler of all Equestria. If her special talent was the same as the Princess', than that meant she could never ever use it again. She'd heard some stories about ponies who were denied being able to make use of their talent, and had all become poor, bitter and angry ponies. She didn't want to become like that.
She looked out the window, toward the sun, shielding her eyes with her hoof. "It's not fair. Why did I have to be up early to watch the sun come up, and then go and bring it up on my own. Princess Celestia's going to be so mad at me."
"Why would I be mad at you, my little pony?" A voice so gentle and clear spoke to her, moments before a flash of soft light filled her room. A moment later, Sunset found herself staring at her reflection in a perfectly polished, golden boot.
Sunset slowly looked up... and up, past the petrel set with a pink gem, and finally at the smiling face of none other than Princess Celestia. She'd never seen the Princess in person, only in paintings.
Those paintings did the sun Princess no justice. She was more beautiful than the filly could have ever imagined.
"Might I know your name?"
"S-s-s..." The filly stammered, unable to say her own name. She then screamed and bolted from the room. "MOMMY! DADDY! PRINCESS CELESTIA'S HERE TO BANISH ME!"
Celestia blinked, then took a moment to calm her shock and put on a gentle expression on her face as she ducked through the doorway and into the hall. "Hello?"
A moment later, a yellow coated stallion skidded around the corner and slammed into the wall. His yellow and orange mane a total mess. "Princess Celestia? You... you really came? I'm so sorry. Our daughter didn't know what she was doing." He nearly slammed his face into the hardwood floor as he bowed. "Please don't be angry at her."
Stellar Flare joined him in slamming into the wall moments later before bowing next to her stallion. "We're so sorry about this. Please don't banish her. Banish me instead if you must, but spare our little girl."
Celestia was taken aback. What did her little ponies think she was like? "Please stand. I am a guest in your house, though I had expected to appear in your yard. I am sorry for intruding like this."
Stellar jumped to her hooves. "Yes your Majesty. Please, our living room is much more comfortable than the hallway." Solar joined her moments later.
Less than a minute later, there were five ponies in the living room. Celestia had been offered the sofa, the whole sofa, as it was the only seat that was large enough for her much larger form.
The filly was hiding behind one of the chairs, while her little brother was looking up at the Princess with curious eyes. "Big pony." He giggled.
The parents both paled and Stellar scooped him up with her magic. "Please excuse Sunburst. He's just just learning to talk."
"That is alright Stellar Flare, Solar Prominence. I am not here to punish any of you, least of all your daughter, Sunset Shimmer."
"You're not?" Solar looked to his wife, equally sharing in her disbelief.
Stellar, feeling a little more at ease, asked the question that first came to her mind. "Then why are you here? We know why you came, because Sunset... well, she raised the sun this morning. What's to become of our little Sunny?"
"There is only one other pony who has ever solely been able to control the sun, that being myself. To find out your daughter, your adorable little Sunny, can do the same, came as quite a surprise to me. But it was a delightful surprise. It has been a very long time since I have seen a unicorn with such an amazing talent." Her smile was one of joy, not an expression of anger and disappointment. "I would like to ask if it is alright if I take her, to be my own personal student at my school for gifted unicorns. I assure you, she will receive the best education you can imagine."
Stellar suddenly smiled, all her fears just washing away. "R-really? You'd do that?"
"But..." Solar spoke up. "Sire's Hollow is so far from Canterlot... Would we ever see our daughter ever again?"
"I would never keep her away from her family." Celestia replied. "Holidays, summer, and whenever she feels the need to see you again, she is more than welcomed to return home. You are equally welcome to come visit her whenever you wish. I will ensure all travel expenses are fully reimbursed, for any and all of you, at any time."
"Did you hear that Sunny?" Stellar hugged the stunned filly. "Princess Celestia want to teach you herself."
"What would I be learning?"
"Everything you would learn in your current school, as well as lessons that cannot be taught there. Magic, ancient history, as well as helping me to raise and lower the sun from time to time. It is your special talent, after all, and I cannot possibly keep you from feeling its call."
Sunset Shimmer's smile grew so wide. "I... Mommy, Daddy, can I? Can I please?"
"You have out blessing, Princess." Stellar bowed her head, though this time a much more polite bow and not one of fear and veneration.
"Thank you both, my little ponies. School starts in two more weeks. I shall return then to bring her back to Canterlot with me. Till then, I shall visit each morning, so Sunset Shimmer and I can both raise the sun together."
Sunset nearly squeed in delight and was not dancing and bouncing about the room. Her antics earned a giggle from Celestia.
...
The last two weeks of summer had gone by so fast, and Sire's Hollow was blessed with a morning visit by their Princess every day. It was no longer a secret that Sunset was going to be going to Canterlot for special lessons under their Princess herself.
The entire village was proud of the young pony.
On the day that Celestia finally came to take the filly away, the entire town was there to see her off and wish her the best.
Sunburst and another filly his age, one Starlight Glimmer, waved at Sunset as she boarded the pegasus drawn chariot along with the Princess.
Sunset waved as the chariot took to the sky, to take her to her future.
To Be Continued...
