13

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News came to the Crystal Empire quickly, Canterlot the capital of Equestria has been conquered by an invading force. Thanks to Luna who has been maintaining a barrier around the castle, as the invading army used cannons both large and handheld and war machines that no one on Equestria has ever seen before. They even somehow made a massive fortress appear right outside of the city that is armed with cannons that are pelting the barrier.

"I don't know how much longer, the unicorn mages can maintain the barrier," Blueblood said to Celestia by the magic journal he's using to communicate to Celestia, which he's writing while talking. "Comeback quickly."

"The lower city is overrun," Raven Inkwell shouted running into the throne room.

"How the gate is magical strengthen," Blue Blood said putting all of his power into holding up the barrier over the upper city. He joined in on the effort the other unicorns are doing to keep the barrier up.

"The gates were open from the inside," Raven said.

"In the sky!" a royal guard shouted pointing to the window.

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In the sky -

From the custom built airship modeled after the Dazzlings in their dragon forms once again breath the air of Equestria as they and their pride lead the invasion. The airship is a L30 that has been improved on the design, using magic of flying carpets for the balloon covering which allowed it to carry more bombs and ammo for the 20mm autocannons, 2 for each side of the front and rear gondolas. There are also four maxim machine guns, two on the front and back of the airship on top, and two for the two side gondolas that also house the propellers.

The airship is protected by 4 C-Class airships, while 4 more are launching their attacks on the castle. The smaller airships are crewed by golems, a pilot, a forward gunner operating a 76mm breech-loading cannon, a rear gunner operating a 20mm Autocannon, and a top gunner operating a QF 1 AA.

The golems are armed with either a Pieper Revolving Carbine, Browning 1917 .30 caliber machine guns, or maxim MG08 machine guns, while carrying a box of ammo to their backs. Thanks to the fact that they being golems are super strong. Which is why they are able to handle using the Mauser 1918 T-Gewehr as a normal rifle. They're also either carrying a Webley-Fosbery automatic revolver or a M1916 as side arms.

Under the command of their military pride members the golems have already overran the lower city after the units already in the city open the gates for them. With the military vehicles and using the tanks to destroy buildings here and there and wounding a few guards, the guard ponies quickly gave up or ran away. Leaving only the upper city to take.

"The ponies haven't changed a since we last were here," Adagio said.

"I had hope for some fun but, at this rate we'll take the city before Sunset comes over," Aria said.

"This is way too easy," Sonata said watching the golems firing the 7.7 cm Feldkanone 96 neuer Art cannons they brought with them at the barrier. The barrier that magic users can bring up need focus and concentration to be used, and strong enough attacks will break it. Which would take days with spells, black powder cannons, catapults and arrows for someone of princess Luna's level. But she never had to deal with advance weapons from Earth.

A heavy shell from the Ordnance BL 9.2-inch howitzer a heavy siege howitzer broke down the barrier and several other attacks struck the castle. Firing grappling hooks from harpoon guns, the airship, became stationary to the castle and golems began sliding down onto the castle roof tops. A few shots from their guns handled the guards with them running and giving up. (1)

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Inside the Throne Room -

The door to the throne room has been barricaded with anything the guards in the room could brace up against the door. They had closed the door letting in the castle staff and other ponies before they saw the enemy soldiers and closed the doors. That's been a couple of hours now, and the enemy soldiers haven't tried to enter the room.

"What do we do?" Blue Blood ask Raven Inkwell as they stood awaiting for the enemy soldiers to burst into the room.

"Hope that the princesses and the Elements get here," Raven said keeping a brave face.

"Isn't there a secret passage way?" Blue Blood ask.

"No, not that I know of, the princess never told me of anyway out," Raven said looking out the window seeing the city outside has completely been taken over.

Right behind the throne that Celestia sits on the wall open revealing a large red furred catwoman standing behind it. She has a long red mane with a yellow stripe on it, that reminded Blue Blood of Sunset Shimmer. She also has a manticore tail, the wings of a sphinx and the glowing eyes. She wore a grey military uniform, armed with a sword and a one of those small hand cannons. And the woman wore the crown of magic.

The catwoman walk around the throne and sat down on it, behind her came several of the golems who spread themselves out around her in a row, all of them carrying those hand held cannons.

"I'm surprise to see you here, Bluey," the catwoman said.

"That voice," Blue Blood said staring at the catwoman. "Sunset?"

"Yes, its me Bluey. Thanks to being abandon to die in the other world through the mirror, I have gone through some changes," Sunset said.

"But the princess said that you were lost," Raven said.

"Blue who is she?" a young guard ask.

"Oh you, don't know? No one told you about me, well let me introduce myself to you all who weren't around back then. I'm Sunset Shimmer, the daughter of your princess Celestia," Sunset said shocking everyone.

"What?" Raven asks.

"You're her daughter?" Blue ask.

"I sneaked into her room enough to read her private journals and learned about her having me after a wild night. She hid me so that her image wouldn't be ruined, but kept me around as her student. And as I said before, she abandon me to die in the other world, never even writing to me after I ask her to help me. So, I decided to build up an army and equipment them with the advance weapons of Earth and take what's my birth right," Sunset said.

"And you're a cat now?" Blue ask.

"The people on that world are all cats, which the magic mirror transformed me into and while, I was there became the head of my own pride. Like the herds around here," Sunset said waving her hand.

From the windows, bursting into the room came more golems followed by more catwomen and 3 sirens that Raven remembers reading about.

"The Dazzlings?" Raven asked remembering how the princesses mentor and the other pillars had banished them.

"Yes, we're back and here to help Sunset," Adagio said.

"Bluey just surrender now, seeing how the guards as before when I was here, are completely useless. Most of them just surrendered after a display of force, or or run away hiding behind something. Like guard Dirty Coward over there, hiding behind the cook," Sunset said recognizing one of the guards. "And he's still a great example of the guards who are just for show and when things get rough they pee their pants."

"I didn't pee!" Dirty Coward said.

Sunset responded by grabbing him by her telekinesis and slamming him into a wall and flung a display sword from it's stand. The sword slammed into the wall right between his legs. And in front of everyone in the throne room, yellow liquid ran down his legs.

"Same as always," Sunset said as she turns to her aunt. "When I was still living here, when I was captured by a timberwolf during an trip with mom. He left me when the timberwolf attack and I had to deal with it myself. And mom did nothing to punish him for leaving me to die. So, I went and made his life as a guard horrible. Giving him potions that gave him nightmarish diarrhea when he and all the guards were marching in a parade."

"That was you!" Dirty Coward asked.

"Yup," Sunset said as she took out her personal M1916 and fired several shots around his body causing him to scream.

"Enough," Raven said blocking Sunset's hold on Dirty Coward who is trying to get away from her.

"At least you're not like mom who does nothing," Sunset said remembering how Raven was the one who interacted with her the most, as she takes aim at Dirty Coward again who grabs the nearest thing to shield himself.

"Wow!" Sonata said staring at the scene.

"You're actually using a baby to shield yourself?" Aria asked.

Dirty Coward had grabbed a baby and using the baby to shield himself from Sunset's weapon. The baby is one of the castle staff's children who was with the other children in the daycare. Raven quickly sized the baby and painfully twisted the soon to be exguards arms. (2)

"Just to let you know, I'm also broadcasting all of this up over the city, for the big reveal of who has taken over. But this is better than I had hoped for. Showing that the royal guards of Canterlot are such cowards that they will even use a baby as a shield, if that means that they can live," Sunset said.

Raven looked outside the window and up into the air and indeed saw what's happening in the throne is being shown to the entire city.

"What now?" Raven ask, seeing that there is nothing she can do and Sunset's time in the other world has changed her.

"Surrender the city and no further harm will be done. After that, I'll wait for mother to come home and we can settle matters. And you can look through mom's things in her room and you can see for yourself that what, I'm telling you is the truth," Sunset said.

"Very well, as prince of the royal family of Canterlot, I surrender the city to you, my cousin," Blue Blood said, not wanting anymore ponies being harmed.

"Mother either you're watching or will be told what happens. You have two choices, you actually use your magic to teleport yourself here, or don't and abandon your responsibilities just like you did to me. After all you never take responsibility instead of having others do it for you or kicking it down the road to do later and let a small problem grow bigger. And if you send anyone else to handle a problem you made yourself, you just shown that you are just as much as a coward as Dirty Coward," Sunset said.

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Crystal Empire -

Using a long range viewing spell by combining their magics together, Celestia could only stare at Sunset who is no longer a pony and came back for revenge. Celestia was hit by an avalanche of emotions, seeing the daughter she abandon having return and her harming her ponies in her takeover, and her revealing it out for all to see so that any chance of handling it quietly is now impossible.

"Well sister?" Luna spoke up looking at Celestia. "Do, I have a niece or not?"

"Yes, you do. A one night stand finally bare fruit. I found myself with child and I did keep it secret to avoid scandal. Now it's all over and everyone knows," Celestia said.

"Celestia why did you never told…. It makes so much sense now. Why Sunset was always trying to get me to tell her how I became an alicorn. She already knew she's your daughter and she just wanted you to treat her as one," Cadance said remembering how Celestia told her not to tell her.

"Why would you do that?" Twilight looking at her mentor in disbelief.

"I had to maintain my image," Celestia said, causing Luna and Cadance to look at her with disgust.

"And now your mistake in not being a mother to your child has come back and has conquered Canterlot," Cadance said.

"And why in the world would you allow a guard like that in the royal guard?" Luna asked.

"He's from the noble class and it's been used for years for nobles who want titles, they joined and the soldiers who actually do their jobs are sent elsewhere. It's just a place for them to play soldier and have a military title. It's the reason why they're useless," Shining Armor said.

"Didn't you try to change it?" Twilight ask her brother.

"I submitted forms all the time to Celestia and she never did anything to change things. And I complained about Dirty Coward to her while I was still captain and she never did anything and now he showed that he's more than willing to use a baby to protect himself," Shining Armor said.

"I see that now," Celestia said her head low.

"Too late, so many guards are just cowards who can present themselves well but when it comes down to them putting their lives on the line. They turn and ran," Shining Armor said.

"There is much I will need to do after this," Celestia said.

"And how are you going to handle Sunset? Using a long range teleportation spell, is both dangerous and will use much of our magic," Luna said.

"Really? You can't just pop over there?" Rainbow Dash ask.

"No, long range teleportation spells are dangerous because unlike short ones, if you're not careful you can teleport to someplace that has something or someone already there. And it's very draining," Twilight explains.

"That's why I need you to combine your magic with Luna and Cadance to teleport me back to Canterlot. I have no choice but to handle this myself," Celestia said.

"Only because you either do it yourself or lose face," Luna said.

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Canterlot -

Celestia appeared in front of her throne with her daughter Sunset still sitting there. Around her are the captured castle staff and the guards, both Raven and Blue Blood are also with the group. Around her are the soldiers and the other cat women that came with Sunset.

"Mother," Sunset said.

"Daughter," Celestia said.

"I was really expecting that you to hide and send the one you replaced me with. I can see why you got her, unlike me she's completely devoted to you and never questioned any of your commands to her. A prefect tool for you to use, as I actually questioned you and didn't just blindly believe in you. Am I wrong," Sunset said.

"No you're not, I left you when you leap into the mirror. I no longer have to worry about you and replace you with someone, I can easily control," Celestia said and her eyes widen as that's not what she wanted to say.

"I place a truth spell on the throne room. As long as it's up anyone inside its range can't lie when answering a question to them," Sunset said looking down at Celestia. "Can't trust you at all. This is the only way to get you to tell the truth. Am I wrong?"

"No I would have twisted everything to suit my needs," Celestia said unable to fight the spell.

"Did you actually ever cared about me at all?" Sunset ask.

"No, you were just a mistake, that I was glad to get rid of when I saw my chance to leave you in that other world," Celestia said trying to fight and losing but remembers that such a spell works both ways. "What's your plan to Equestria."

"Take the throne, rule it and make changes to how things are. Learned a lot in the other world, what works and what don't. Equestria is stagnant and has hardly changed under your rule. I'm going to change that so that unlike your government, mine can handle problems that show up and not having to place everything on the backs of a few ponies. Me and my pride will bring advancements to this world and raise the standard of life for everyone. By doing something that you take great amount of effort to avoid at all cost, actually putting effort into ruling. While you, mom spent all of her time just going to events and making yourself look good while doing as little as possible. I am going to handle things myself, or at least send people who can do the job and not sending someone young and have no real life experience and hoping for the best. Sending Twilight Sparkles out to deal with aunt Luna when she was Nightmare Moon, and expecting her to be able to handle it was just dumb. I would have explained things to her first and send her with people who could help her and not just hoping that she would meet the right people randomly. Did you just took a gambit," Sunset answers. (3)

"Yes, Twilight was just too focus on studying and not making any friends, the ponies that she knew she just never got close to. I hoped that putting her in a situation where she needed to have others to help her would make fire forced friends," Celestia explains.

"There's more than that isn't there?" Sunset asked.

"Her cutie mark matches the one on the tree of harmony as do the other elements. I had people search for the ones who had the same cutie marks and found that the other 5 all live in Ponyvile. So I sent Twilight there and hoped for the best," Celestia said. (4)

"Hoping for the best, just like how you use to send me out to handle things by myself?" Sunset asked.

"No, I was trying to get rid of you. Sending you off on missions that I know there's a good chance that you would die," Celestia said.

"You're more of a monster than, I thought. Don't you feel any shame or guilt?" Sunset asked.

"Only that I was caught and can't hide it," Celestia said.

Celestia gave a yelp of pain as she was struck by a dart on her leg. Looking at where it came from, Celesita saw a blue furred mature catwoman who is glaring at her. Celestia looks at the dart and to her horror the flesh around the wound is turning to stone.

"Mom, meet Celestia who took me in after you abandon me, and raised me as her own kitten. She unlike you, actually put effort into being there for me, and is the only family besides my pride, I need," Sunset said.

"What's happening?" Celesita asked as more of her body is turning to stone fast.

"She used a stone spell on you, that is turning into a statue. Don't worry, it can be reverse, but that won't be for a very long time," Sunset said watching coldly as the woman who gave her life is turned to stone in front of her.

"Sunset please stop it!" Celestia begged.

"Would you do the same for me?" Sunset asked.

"No, I wouldn't!" Celesita said as the only thing left is her head.

"Why should, I do that for you then," Sunset asked.

"There's no good reason to save me," Celesita sobbed as she completely turned to stone while revealing how much of a monster she really is underneath the mask she wears for the public.

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Author's Notes -

1 - Seeing how the guards are never doing anything useful during any attacks, them actually having to fight off an invasion. They be running away after even one enemy soldier shows up.

2 - The guards would be that dirty and willing to put others before them.

3 - Sending someone out on something that they have to figure out themselves is one thing. But doing that when the entire world is at stake or lives are on the line, is just dumb. It only works because it's fiction.

4 - That's the best reason why Celestia sent Twilight to Ponyvile and never explained anything to her. The other ponies who have the cutie marks as on the tree all lived there.

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