Hoofsteps echoed the halls of Canterlot Palace. Torches burned lowly as two shadows were cast upon the aged walls. Celestia crown Princess of Equestria, and Sunset Shimmer chosen student of her majesty. Neither spoke, but moved forward slowly and with purpose. Each with hopes and dreams. Neither knowing what hardships each would yet have to bear.

Celestia's mind was one of age and experience while her student, Sunset Shimmer, was one of youth and unyielding ambition. Amidst such thoughts of Sunset Shimmer was a longing of only acceptance and real lasting love. Celestia's thoughts were those of motherly concern for the mare she thought of as a daughter, but to whom she dare not press too far in the direction of family fearing to lose Sunset.

Sunset's ambition was not tempered by kindness, humility, or love. It was a razors edge forged in loneliness, loss, and desire for intense love from the only mare who mattered in the world to her. Countless hours spent in magical theory and practice. Untold sleepless nights to improve just so she could make her place at Celestia's side. A dream of family, but one bound and proven to the aged through strength and force of will.

Celestia's care for her precious student borne out of grief at the loss of her sister, Luna, who ages before had been sealed on the moon for rebellion. When Celestia saw Sunset's eyes she saw the driving force that emptiness had brought about, but little did she understand that it was not power for power's sake. It was the unfettered love of a mother to its child that above all was desired. Formerly given, but as years had gone by seen less and less.

The two together rounded a corner and came to a room filled with a magic mirror which was said to be a portal to an unknown and mysterious world. Celestia would use this mirror to gauge her precious student so as to both teach and save her hoping against hope that something would click for Sunset and help allay her unbridled ambition. Something that would help show her dear Sunset how true power came from friendship and was bound by the deep concern for one another. Little did Celestia know that her very actions would bring about such a change, but not in the manner she expected.

The two stared at the mirror for a time until Celestia began to speak.

" My dear Sunset do you know why I have brought you here?" Celestia asked still looking forward.

" I couldn't really say to be honest." Replied Sunset as she blew a part of her mane out of her eyes.

" I brought you here so that you could use this mirror. This mirror has the ability to help those who look into it discover a bit about themselves. Who they are, and what they really want. It doesn't give straight answers, but rather draws upon the hopes, dreams, and overall desires of the pony looking into it." Said Celestia.

" This is a waste of time. I have assignments to finish and a life to live. I know you mean well Princess, but this doesn't seem all that important to be honest and if it were I think you and I would have come here a long time ago." Stated Sunset suddenly looking at Celestia.

" Sunset I promise you this is important, and for your information your other assignments are postponed for the time being. Consider this the most pressing assignment you currently have. I want you to look into this mirror and see yourself, determine who you are, and what you want to accomplish." Celestia stated calmly.

" I still don't see the point. I already know who I am. I'm Sunset Shimmer one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria. That's all I need to know." Sunset said.

Celestia calmly breathed in and out desperately hoping and thinking of a way to reach her student. Rattling her mind for something that would convince her student that what they were doing really was of import.

"Sunset I also brought you here because I have been concerned as of late concerning your attitude towards other ponies. You look down on them, and instead of showing others kindness you only seem intent on throwing it away and being aloof. Cadance has even tried to befriend you and all you did was belittle her. My dear Sunset these things must stop and if you are ever going to improve and become more than what you now are you must take this seriously.

"Its a teachers job to look out for their students. I'm trying to make you stronger by helping you and showing you where you are weak at. Please listen to me and look in the mirror. Please try to understand I know this is difficult for you. I've been a teenager once to. I know how difficult things must seem." Celestia said, while looking into her students eyes with silent pleading.

" You? What could you possibly know about how I'm feeling. Your basically just telling me I'm weak to my face." Sunset replied.

"Sunset that isn't true I..."Celestia paused.

She thought to herself of the last time she had tried to use only words without force to help another pony. The last time she had it had cost her her sister. Her failure to act upon her words to her dearest Luna had caused a rift which had never healed, and lead to the eventual birth of Nightmare moon.

Celestia steeled herself, and took a deep breath.

" Sunset Shimmer I am tired of this. You will look into the mirror, and you will tell me what you see, and we will then discuss it together. This is not open to debate!" Celestia yelled bringing one hoof down crushing stone beneath.

" You don't get to yell at me! You spend more and more time away from me and I barely see you anymore. If I don't want to do it then I won't! Its as simple as that!" Sunset yelled back.

"SUNSET SHIMMER! You will look into the mirror! Do not challenge me in this!

"If you refuse to do this then your time as my student is done, and you will no longer be welcome within Canterlot palace's halls." Celestia sternly replied.

Sunset Shimmers jaw dropped. Tears threatened to escape her eyes.

"Fine! I'll look into your damn mirror since its obviously so much more important to you than me!" Sunset yelled back.

Internally Celestia jumped a bit. She had started to suspect that her lack of attention to Sunset might have been a driving force in the young mare's behavior in the previous few months, but realized she may have underestimated it. Her real intent was not to truly dismiss Sunset, but only to scare her into action. The somewhat emotional display from the mare was disconcerting to Celestia to say the least.

Sunset looked into the mirror. She saw herself equal to Princess Celestia. She saw the love and adoration from her mentor she always wanted. Adoration and love for her accomplishments, but also for her power and strength. A powerful mother, and daughter, together ruling Equestria side by side.

Sunset continued to gaze and saw herself challenging Celestia for the thrown after many years. Taking her power for her own. Celestia's own Sun would be Sunset's! The very power her mentor wielded would be hers and all ponykind would acknowledge her! Through gaining Celestia's power she would forever have her mentors love. For what was love save strength? Strength that radiated from every pore of the body, and down to every cell. Ponies would bow and Celestia herself would acknowledge her, Sunset, as the better.

Celestia remained quite throughout the time pondering to herself. Hoping what she was doing was right. Desperately clinging to the idea that what she had done she had not done too fast. She began to openly worry as the mirror had taken on a dark glow. Normally the mirror would glow the same hue as the users own magic, but this was new to her.

"Sunset what do you see please tell me?" Celestia asked.

Sunset told the aged ruler the images that were passing before her in every detail. Lands being annexed and more power gained. More than Sunset had ever thought possible to posses.

Celestia was beyond worried at this point, and outright panicking. Her mind went back to ages before to think upon Sombra, but instead of seeing Sombra she saw her little Sunbeam who had become the very thing Celestia had hoped to avoid.

She quickly grabbed her precious student in her hooves and pulled her away from the mirror and the mirrors magic dimmed and waned the color returning to its normal hues. Celestia breathed a sigh of relief, but just only.

Upon her students face were tears and a runny nose. Tears of bounless joy and unbridled happiness brought about by the insanity of the moment.

" Sunset....Sunset...SUNSET!" Celestia screamed in a vain attempt to bring her Sunbeam back to her.

" You were so proud of me." Sunset finally stated.

"Sunset I've always been proud of you, but these images the mirror showed you aren't real. Please tell me you understand that and that they can't ever be real. Please Sunset tell me you know that." Princess Celestia begged.

"They aren't real....But they could be" Sunset answered.

"NO! You will not pursue such a course." Celestia cried with tears of her own beginning to run.

" I can and I will. It was too beautiful not to." Sunset stated evenly a bit of a frown starting to show mixed with confusion at the aged teachers face, in whose hooves she was still being held.

Celestia's heart dropped like a rock.

She looked at her little Sunbeam and remembered their first hide and go seek. Tucking Sunset in at night or sharing her bed with her during a nightmare or storm. Celestia's heart became stone so as to save the one pony she had left in the world.

Celestia calmly looked at Sunset banishing all emotion and began to speak again.

" Sunset Shimmer I am beyond concerned. What you are telling me shows to me an unstable mind in desperate need of help. For the time being your time as my student has ended.

" You will remain in the palace where you can be watched and cared for and we will find appropriate help so that in time you can resume your studies with me. This is not a punishment, but a precaution not only for you but for Equestria. You pose too grave a threat if permitted to pursue a course of action like what you have seen. I fear it would destroy you and in the process bring about the termination of many lives" Celestia declared with somber feeling.

Sunsets eyes filled with tears anew, but tears of despair. In her minds eye she saw all hope of gaining love and acceptance vanish. All her years of effort and work being put to naught. Countless sacrifices, in her mind at least, made for Celestia. Friends she could have had and time that could have been spent in other pursuits. Sleepless and tear filled nights brimming with a loneliness as heavy as a mountain. Her own horn began to glow and Sunset was lost to the power of her angered soul.

" You can't do that! I gave up everything for you! Studied till I could barely walk or sleep!

" You can't take this from me! YOU WON'T TAKE THIS FROM ME!" She cried.

Sunset's angered mind still bore some logic as she knew that powerful as she was she could not hope to accomplish anything against the sun princess. She grabbed the mirror in her magic and crushed it in her magic aura. Glass shattered and energy erupted from the mirror scattering in every direction creating a tornado of glass and magic. Sunset was quickly sucked in and Celestia stayed still too paralyzed by fear to act.

Sunset screamed in rage and pain. Rage at her inability to do anything right. Hate for being so weak as to show her emotions and a fire erupted from the mares body blending in with the serene, but deadly circling whirlwind of glass and magic.

Cuts began to appear over the young mares body with burns as well. Blood began to run crisscrossing the mare's mane the blood blending in and dyeing the remaining portions a black and red hue.

Celestia came to her senses pushing forward with her magic in a desperate appeal to reach her daughter in all but name.

"SUNSET!!! Please don't do this!" The sun princess cried in anguish with cuts starting to form on her own white coat dripping red as she walked forward to reach her student...No daughter from this Tarturus of a situation.

Within the last visages of Sunsets hurt mind she realized what had occurred. A primal fear erupted and she desperately lashed out with her magic in a vain attempt to reach the aged ruler.

"Mother! Please help me!!! Mommy help me!!!" Sunset cried her coat smelling of blood and smoke.

Celestia pushed forward raising a shield. Not since Nightmare moon had she seen such a horrifying display. Her precious Sunbeam was being cooked and cut alive by a torrent of magic, fire, and glass. It was as though all of Sunset's pain and anguish were being made manifest for her to see. Her mind was shaken, but she pressed on.

The whirlwind began to stop as Sunsets, and the broken mirrors, magic began to run out. Metal and glass fell to the stone floor. The young mares body fell to the ground landing on the cold unforgiving stone.

Celestia lowered her shield and lit her horn for a light too afraid to fully look. She approached the unconscious mare who only minutes before had seemed so arrogant, but beautiful. Arrogant because of youth, but beautiful because of her determination and inner spirit. Then she reached the spot her precious stud...Her precious foal had landed.

There for Celestia to see was a barely alive Sunset Shimmer. Her once beautiful coat was dyed black by fire with burn wounds oozing pus. Blood flowed freely from too many wounds to count, and to her utter anguish Celestia beheld her students horn and face. The horn had shattered under the pressure of magic and her once wonderful face was to Celestia's view only charcoal.

Her Sunset...Her little Sunbeam....All that seemed to be left were embers.

Author's Note

Sunset's not dead....Almost, but not quite. She's holding on, but only just . Stayed tuned for the next chapter. Also I beg your patience. This is only my second attempt at a story, but I can say my grammar and punctuation has improved Please also note-NONE OF THIS IS REAL. ITS A STORY! And I hope you enjoyed it