"What... what are they?" I asked, doing my best not to sound too demanding. I don't think I managed to do so. Not well, at least. "And how would they plan on attacking you, if they they ever got an opportunity?"

I was scared.

I was terrified even.

So was Twilight. That much was clear from her demeanor.

Luna stayed quiet.

None of that mattered to me at the moment.

It wouldn't do us any good. Taking a stand against Chrysalis had taught me that choosing to submit to your fear would get you nowhere fast. Action was required to protect those precious to you.

You can protect nothing.

The curse, the Nightmare, was still trying its darndest to rattle me.

As if I'd let it.

I forced myself to focus on the problem at hoof. I didn't want to ask my mentor how such a thing could be possible. Killing an immortal goddess? The very notion was absolutely ridiculous, but if she said it was possible then it had to be the truth. And I had to know how.

That's why I had to ask. If I knew exactly what the curses were and how they might go about trying to accomplish such a thing, I could try and figure out a way to stop them from doing so.

Or I could die trying.

The more likely outcome.

ENOUGH!

I did the best imitation of Celestia I could. It must've been a decent one because the curse finally quieted down.

"Both excellent questions," my mentor let go of me before standing to her hooves. She slowly walked to the center of the room, her horn sparkling to life as she moved. "To answer the first..."

She used some of her mana to spawn a black, gaseous-like entity in front of herself. It was hard to distinguish its more distinct features due to its undulating nature, but what I could identify resembled a head, a torso, and four lanky legs. It also had two glowing red pupils where its eyes should have probably been. They were... unsettling, to say the least. They were the exact same shade as Chrysalis' had been when the Unknown took control of her body.

I couldn't lie to myself. Seeing it made my skin crawl and my heart pump faster. I had never seen the Unknown's true form back in the Empire, but I could feel the same aura it had coming from the thing Celestia had summoned.

"What you faced in the Crystal Empire is referred to as a 'Curse'," she began, a look of disgust spreading on her face. It was strange to see it, her expression. I couldn't recall seeing a similar visage from her before. "Curses are entities that were created for the sole purpose of destroying Equestria," she turned the monster around for each of us to get a clear view of it from every angle. Not like it helped much. The entity was nearly formless. "They possess, or are composed of, if you will, a nearly endless amount of mana. While that would be a problem normally, the only way they can properly utilize said power is to make a pact with a mortal."

...

"But... But that doesn't make sense. Unless..." Twilight looked absolutely horrified, but she managed to steel herself and speak. "Can they only form pacts with mortals? If so, why would the Nightmare have ever come after Luna?"

"Another excellent question. However, I can only speculate on the reasoning as to why such a thing happened to my sister," Celestia's horn sparked with more energy, a faceless and featureless alicorn now standing beside the curse. "If a curse is somehow able to convince my sister or I to make a pact with it," she fused the two beings together, merging them into one.

A blinding flash of light forced the three of us to turn away. Twilight, Luna, and I shielded our faces with our forelegs, but I noticed my mentor looking directly at the light. I'm not certain how she did it, but she never seemed to have a problem with effulgence. She almost looked bored, if I'm honest. Often times, I'd catch her staring directly into her sun too, longingly. It was almost as if its radiance had no effect on her.

It probably doesn't.

Once the light fully dissipated I was able to see once again. Strangely, there was no longer anything to see. Both the manifestation of the curse and the alicorn were gone.

I don't... OH!

"That would be the end." Twilight's voice came out barely above a whisper. She realized the truth before I had.

"That is correct, Twilight," Celestia confirmed it. "At this point, with the mana my sister or I possess..." Her head lowered a fraction. "Nothing would be able to stand against one of them with such a massive level of power." My mentor faced me. "That is most likely the avenue they would take to defeat us," she turned to Luna. "turning my sister and I against one another."

...

...

...

It was a horrifying possibility that silenced all of us. I couldn't lift my head, much less say anything in response. With how strong the Unknown had been when using Chrysalis' body, I could easily believe Celestia or Luna would be utterly unstoppable. And if all the curses wished for was the destruction of Equestria...

...

But... what if-

"What if... what if it's not one of you two that makes the pact?" Apparently, Twilight couldn't lift her head either. Her question drew the curious glances of both the Sun and the Moon Princess.

"Are you trying to imply someone like Discord could be tempted, Twilight?" Celestia asked. It was a genuine question. The sisters were quite clearly confused and the elder was trying to get to the bottom of it.

"N-No. Not Discord," the purple mare shook her head. "What if it's another alicorn?"

...

Celestia was quiet, her eyes clearly conveying the calculations her mind was doing.

"There are no others, Twilight," Luna's head shifted, going slightly askew. "Why ask such a silly hypothetical?"

"Well..." Twilight scratched at the back of her head. "You see, that's..." She turned her head my way, looking at me with a pleading expression. She didn't need to say or do anything more. I understood.

"As soon as the curse retreated," I drew the sisters' attention away from the purple mare and onto myself. "After the Elements saved me, I had to make a decision on... what to do with Chrysalis."

"An unexpected quandary, to be sure," Luna grew a bit more energetic at the mention of dealing with the troublesome bug. "but pray tell, Sunset, what does that have to do with another alicorn?"

...

"Sunset?" my mentor kept a measured expression. "Is there something you wish to tell... us?"

...

Can I... can I really just tell her?

I wasn't exactly proud of what I'd done, but I would make the same choice again without hesitation to ensure their safety. If anyone threatened her I would do anything to protect my mentor.

"I was going to... eliminate her," I confessed, holding my head high. I wasn't going to hide what I'd decided. I had to stand by it, even if it wasn't what she would have done.

"Good." A pleased smirk came to Luna's lips. "Nothing wrong with tossing out refuse."

Her older sister's expression didn't change. For the better or for worse.

"But you did not..." the Princess of the Sun stated void of any emotion whatsoever. "Why?"

"Cadenza managed to convince me it wasn't the greatest idea," I replied honestly. "And then... she..."

...

Do I just say it?

I wasn't sure she'd even believe me. As far as I knew, alicorns didn't just spring into existence like that. Much less likely a normal pegasus just randomly turning into one.

"Transformed into an alicorn," Twilight declared with the utmost confidence, looking up to face the two of them. The Sisters' stunned gazes settled on her. "My sister... is an alicorn now. And the ruler of the Crystal Empire."

...

...

...

Neither Luna nor Celestia said a word. Surprisingly, both were obviously and, quite apparently, using their innate ability to assess a creature to see if Twilight was telling the truth. Celestia doing so made sense, but Luna mirroring her sister's actions surprised me. The truth must have been just that difficult to believe.

"Could it have happened so soon?" my mentor finally whispered, more to herself than to any of us. A smile slowly crept its way onto her face. "Has she really ascended?"

"'Tis actually possible, Sister!?" Luna turned her doubtful expression towards the elder alicorn. "Never before has a mortal become one of us. Could Cadenza really have-"

The look on the ivory mare's face said enough. She was practically about to burst into flames. It started at the tips of her suddenly unfurled wings. Small flickering embers of fire began to move their way inward into her torso. Her coat became a subtle shade of yellow before shifting to a fiery orange. In an instant she was aflame, raw sunlight forcing us to shield our eyes once again.

"S-SISTER!?" Luna gaped at the burning mare with a foreleg held aloft. Celestia didn't even acknowledge her sister. Twilight and I merely tried to watch on, covering our own eyes as well. The two of us were mesmerized by the beautiful sight, in spite of the blinding light. She was even more brighter than what had occured before. Her joy boiled over, the sunlight encompassing her body flowing off of her in radiating waves.

It felt divine. Her flames, the very essence of her soul washing over us like Luna's ocean. It felt so heavenly I nearly lost myself to the bliss. It felt as if my mentor's joy itself had been passed on to me. As if I was experiencing what she was from the news. From the looks of things Twilight felt the same. The goofy smile that came to her lips made her look even cuter than usual.

And then, just as quickly as it had began, it was all over.

My mentor's joyous demeanor remained, but the display of overwhelming emotion faded away like the last remnants of snow on a sunny day.

"It's returned..." Celestia no longer saw any of us, her gaze focused on something far away that the rest of us couldn't see. "She's returned."

...

"Who, Your Highness?" Twilight was able to find her voice first. The Alicorn of the Sun didn't even appear to hear her.

"Celestia?" I dipped my head, speaking quietly. Her eyes widened, my words seemingly able to get through to her. "Are you... okay?"

"I'm so much better than okay, Sunset." She was on me faster than I could think, lifting me into the air and twirling me around before hugging me tightly. "The Princess of Love is back!"

She already knew?

Of course she did. It made sense. It probably had to do with one of Cadenza's past lives.

"Celestia..." Twilight looked at her teacher first and then back at the white alicorn. The dark mare was just as astonished as we were. She clearly had no idea what was going on. "Hoooow did you know that?"

"Know what, Twilight?" the Sun Princess tilted her head, her smile still bright and careless. If I didn't know any better I'd wager she'd start dancing at any moment.

"How did you know that my sister was the Princess of Love?" The unicorn asked, lifting a brow.

...

"I wish to know how this is possible as well, Tia," Luna agreed with her protégé, nodding her head. "You didn't mention anything like that to me either."

"Well..." My mentor suddenly grew sheepish, scratching at the back of her head uncomfortably as an awkward giggle escaped her. "You see..."

Crap.

It really didn't seem like she wanted either of them to know what we'd spoken about before.

"I maaaay have accidently mentioned it when the two of us were talking while you girls were gone," I stepped in. My mentor gave me an appreciative smile, though she was still clearly panicking. Luna's face twisted up in suspicion.

Twilight clearly didn't need her mentor's outlandish ability to see through lies. The violet unicorn was staring at me like I was dumb.

"Sunset... that doesn't make any sen-"

*POP*

A burst of light blue magic originating directly in front of Celestia made Twilight and I yelp in surprise. Both of our horns were powered in an instant, each of us glaring at the rolled up piece of parchment like it was a curse itself.

"Calm yourself, girls," Celestia took the scroll into her telekinesis, a much more comfy giggle coming from her. "It's only a message." She blinked repeatedly once she had a chance to fully focus on the scroll, her giddy smile stretching even further. "This seal... it's..." She opened the scroll faster than I'd ever seen her open a letter. Almost as fast as she cut the seals on a freshly packed cake.

"Who sent it, Sister?" Luna asked, her own curiosity piquing at the sudden mysterious message.

"It's from Cadenza!" the princess was practically vibrating at this point.

"From my sister!?" Twilight brightened up a couple notches at the news as well. "What's it say!?"

My mentor cleared her throat.

"Greetings, Your Highnesses," she began with gusto. "I'm not certain this letter will find you, but I figured using my new magic would be the fastest way of corresponding with you." My mentor was enthralled by the letter, just like the rest of us. "So I'm guessing by now you've had long enough to speak with the girls and my sister about the Empire and my recent... developments. As the newly appointed ruler of the Crystal Empire I'm reaching out to make a request of both you, Princess Celestia, as well as you, Princess Luna."

Celestia was nearly foaming at the mouth with excitement. Luna was intrigued, but some doubt still lingered in her. Twilight was listening intently, her older sister's words something she clearly valued very highly. I was just happy the letter had taken away the heat that had been directed at my mentor.

"I believe you'll both agree that we must speak face to face on those developments, as well as the future of the Crystal Empire, the... Changeling Hive?" Celestia paused, a slight look of confusion coming to her face. She quickly shook it off. "and their relationships with Canterlot. I eagerly await your responses as well as your presence in the Empire. With warmest regards, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza," the confusion returned to the Sun Princess' face. "P.S. My sister? is anxiously awaiting your responses as much as I. Please don't keep us waiting."

"Her... sister?" Luna asked, looking at her pupil. "I don't understand."

Twilight smiled awkwardly, not saying a word, but chuckling uncomfortably and looking away.

"I'm a bit confused myself, Sister," Celestia's eyes sped over the contents of the letter, reading it through a second time. "Twilight is here with us. What could she possibly mean?" The Princess of the Sun turned the parchment over in her telekinesis, examining the back of it as well and finding nothing.

"Welllll," Twilight looked my way once again. For a second time, she didn't need to say anything.

"So, uhm..." I scratched at my mane. The Sisters' sudden gazes were a little more than just discomforting. "I'm pretty sure... she's talking about... uhm Chrysalis."

...

"What?" Luna deadpanned, the look of disbelief on her face nearly forcing me back onto my flank. My mentor didn't look any better, her own disgust palpable. The Sun Princess looked even more distraught than when she'd mentioned the curses.

"Chrysalis is... Cadance's older sister," Twilight drew the ire of the two sisters to herself, thankfully.

Thanks, Twilight.

"What!?" Celestia mirrored her younger sister's initial reaction. Luna was now completely bewildered.

"And..." Once again, I became the lightning rod. "Cadenza is... going to be working with her and the Hive moving forward."

Princess Celestia fell on her rump.

Princess Luna... Princess Luna was incensed.

Author's Note

Fun. The political ramifications of this are probably not gonna be fun for them.