Sunset Shimmer failed as a pupil of Celestia– The shadows took advantage of her ambitions and the darkness within, and twisted her into a demon.

…And then Twilight Sparkle, saved her. If only she had known Twilight was the newest pupil of Celestia, her replacement, the living proof of all her failures, before she made a paladin pledge to serve and protect her as a life debt.

A conflict of interest, there. Her guilt, her shame, and her regrets, direct her to be as far away from her past as possible. And her debt to Twilight, her desire to repay her for being saved by her, and even her admiration to her replacement keep her close from all of the things that make her feel weak.

…And now that Twilight became an Alicorn, she realizes she needs a fucking break.

This is an illegitimate prequel to the Princess and the Peasant, due to it being set on the same universe, but at an earlier time frame to that fic! Though it's only a prequel, it's not fully related to that story, barely, even, as you might expect. There will be few references, but it's very much a stepping stone to more being done on that universe!