//------------------------------//
// Chapter 20: Endgame, Part 2: Dance with Daybreaker! 
// Story: Dark Star of Shadows 
// by Super Ponyman 
//------------------------------//

(The Crystal Empire, The Train to Equestria.)

Dawn Star sat on the train to Equestria, more determined than ever. He was not going to let anypony else die when Daybreaker gets to Canterlot, although he had no clue how to defeat her. 

Twilight Sparkle sat next to him and said, "Uh, Dawn Star. Are you ok?"

Dawn Star sighed, "I just saw my mentor and friend die in front of me. I'm also now king apparently, so no I'm not ok. What do you want?"

Twilight Sparkle put a hoof on Dawn Star's back, he and everypony had shed their armor and weapons, they were going in under the cover of nightfall, and the sound of rusling clothes would give them away. 

Twilight said in a comforting voice, "They will always be with us Dawn Star, even if they are dead. You know that right?" 

Rainbow Dash flew over to her Fire Alicorn friend, "Yeah, cheer up Dawn Star. Daybreaker is all alone now. We can beat her, I know we can!"

Applejack winked at Dawn Star, "Yeah! Daybreaker is as beat as a rattlesnake without teeth. We can beat her if we all work as a team."

Rarity said to him, "We will win darling. Besides, Daybreaker may boast that she is pretty, but all that red and white is hard on the eyes." 

Fluttershy gave Dawn Star a weak smile, "Yeah. She will lose because we have the magic of friendship!"

Pinkie Pie gave Dawn Star a big grin, "Yeah! That big fire-covered meanie is going down!" 

Dawn Star looked around at the Main Six, and said, "Well thanks for the support everypony. I feel a little better." 

Dawn Star turned to Twilight and said, "but I'm still trying to figure out why Daybreaker keeps going after everypony close to you. It's like she is actually trying to destroy your family and everypony close to you."

Twilight Sparkle looked at Dawn Star, confused, "What do you mean?"

Dawn Star took out a journal, "Ok. Example 1, Every time Daybreaker attacks it's always in areas with a member of your family or somepony you and your friends helped... First she went after Starlight Glimmer's village, as Starlight Glimmer was the one who saw Daybreaker first when she switched Luna and Celestia's cutie marks. Starlight was also your student during her lessons in friendship. Thus, Daybreaker would attack Starlight. Then, she attacked Shining Armor because he has a personal connection with you since he is your brother." 

Dawn Star paced back and forth, "Then she killed Tirek and King Sombra, who both had encountered you before and you beat them, almost as if she was trying to prove that she is superior to you. Don't these events seem connected somehow?" 

Twilight Sparkle nodded, "Yeah they do, but who would go through all that trouble to get at me?" 

Dawn Star put his book away and said, "I don't know Twilight, I've read through the history of you and your friends. However, When I looked for the entry where Starlight encountered Daybreaker in her nightmare, the page was torn out. Almost as if somepony took the page and ran off. Rather interesting to say the least..."

Applejack said, "Everypony, do y'all remember Trixie? She had a pretty big grudge against you Sugarcube." 

Dawn Star raised an eyebrow, "Who the hell is Trixie?"

Twilight elaborated, "Trixie is a stage magician who tried to surpass me in magical abilities when I was just a unicorn. She eventually gained access to the Alicorn Amulet, an artifact of immeasurable power, at the cost of the user becoming evil and vindictive. She still lost though..." 

Dawn Star eyes went wide, "Really? I'm impressed by her ambition, but she still failed. Pity..."

Rainbow Dash spoke up, "Yeah! But Trixie has been missing for a long time, and the only way she reached that level of power was with the Alicorn Amulet, and that was thrown out a long while ago." 

Fluttershy chimed in quietly, "It could be Starlight Glimmer trying to flex her power, but that doesn't seem likely... Starlight was reformed, so she can't be Daybreaker."

"Whoever it is, she seems to really really dislike Celestia." Pinkie Pie chimed in, smiling and bouncing up and down.

Twilight Sparkle shook her head, "Argh! The only one I can think of that doesn't like Celestia and interacted with Starlight Glimmer is..." 

A dreadful thought just blew into her head, sending chills down her spine. She looked out into the distance and saw a fireball heading for Canterlot.

"Oh Sweet Celestia, Daybreaker is nearly at Canterlot!"

The train came to a screeching halt as it stopped at Ponyville first, they saw a shadow in the distance. 

Twilight Sparkle was the first pony to ask, "Who is that?"

The shadow got closer, it was Spike, he had grown pretty large and he was carrying somepony over his shoulder. 

Dawn Star looked at the pony, he recognized it immediately from the bright white coat. 

He shouted out, "HOLY CRAP THATS CELESTIA!" 

Everypony stared at the body of the sun princess in shock, "CELESTIA!" 

The princess got up and slumped over on Spike's shoulder, "Ugh. Twilight... and Burning Star. You are a sight for sore eyes."

Twilight Sparkle asked Celestia, "So if your not Daybreaker, than who is?!" 

Celestia got up and said, "Twilight, there is only one pony who has that level of hatred for me and Equestria..."

Twilight gasped, 

"Oh my Faust it's her..."

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room)

Princess Luna stood stalwart, looking forwards and waiting for Daybreaker to arrive. She said to herself, "I'm going to have to do a lot of explaining to everypony later... but this seems like the only way."

Luna took a deep breath and stepped into the moonlight, feeling a dark force cover her again. Luna's fur became pitch black, her eyes became reptilian, and her body increased in size. 

Where Luna once stood, the Mare in the Moon known as Nightmare Moon now stood! 

Luna inhaled as she felt the moonlight on her fur, she had to do this or Daybreaker would destroy this world. Nightmare Moon spoke, feeling her voice grow deeper. "I am going to need to explain a lot later, but let's do this..." 

Nightmare Moon faded into shadows, if Sombra could do it, so could she.

Daybreaker crashed though the door of the castle, she said in a teasing voice. "Oh Sister... where are you? I'm back for my throne, and your head on a spike!" 

Daybreaker heard a voice from the shadows, "Daybreaker! I have returned to defeat you!" 

Daybreaker looked around, and saw a shadow take shape on the throne. Upon HER throne sat Nightmare Moon! 

"Well well, you have returned to you better form Luna. You are much more beautiful in this form than your previous one." 

Nightmare Moon spoke, "Really, you are trying to flatter me with my beauty? Daybreaker... I'm still Luna under this form. And unlike you, I still retain my sanity." 

Daybreaker reared up and ignited her horn, "I do not care what form you take, I do not care how many soldiers you throw at me, I WILL DESTROY THIS KINGDOM!"

Nightmare Moon's gaze softened, "Celestia, I know you're in there. Please, come back to me..."

Daybreaker just laughed, "Luna! Don't you see? I want to do this! This is what I'm supposed to be. Im supposed to rule by fear, it's the only way to get respect from Anypony." 

Nightmare Moon blasted Daybreaker with a wave of darkness, "I know about Fear! I've distributed and received fear. You only impose it on others because you lack any authority over this world." 

Daybreaker unleashed all Tartarus on Nightmare Moon, pinning her against the wall. "No Luna! You are wrong! Fear is what makes us strong. Fear and lies!" 

Nightmare Moon braced for the end, when Daybreaker was hit by a blast of red lightning. 

It was Dawn Star! 

"You will not hurt her anymore Daybreaker!" Dawn Star yelled, flaring his wings and igniting his mane and tail. 

Twilight Sparkle stood behind Dawn Star, eyes full of rage. "How dare you harm Luna!" 

Daybreaker stared down her attacker, "you wish to face me alone? Hah! You won't last ten seconds against me Burning Star. Besides, Twilight wouldn't strike down her own teacher."

A beak of golden energy hit Daybreaker in the back, "You're not Me!" Said Celestia, limping in behind Daybreaker.

Luna ran over to her sister, "Oh Celestia! I knew that you weren't her!" Luna reverted back from Nightmare Moon to herself and gave her sister a hug, tears flowing down her cheeks. 

Twilight Sparkle stepped forwards, speaking in the Royal Canterlot voice, "Listen up Daybreaker! You are all alone now, so surrender and we will not harm you, much."

Dawn Star pushed Twilight behind him, and said in his speech voice, "Now that I know you're not Celestia, this will make this so much easier for me."

Daybreaker snarled, "What?! No! I had this all planned out! I was going to win, not you!" 

Twilight Sparkle tackled Daybreaker to the ground, she began to ignite her horn, "You are not Daybreaker! Your not even an Alicorn!" 

Twilight fired her magic point blank at Daybreaker's head. The White fire covered Alicorn skidded backwards, her body seemed to be flickering. 

Twilight Sparkle stood tall as the form of Daybreaker disappeared, revealing the real mastermind.

In the place of Daybreaker stood a beige colored unicorn with a red and yellow mane resembling flames. She had a cutie Mark of a blazing sun on her flank. She had a look of pure rage on her face.

Before them stood Celestia's first student and exiled unicorn, Sunset Shimmer!

Twilight Sparkle said, eyes full of strength. "I should have known it was you! You couldn't just let this grudge go, huh Sunset Shimmer?! I guess some ponies never change."

Dawn Star looked confused, "Who is Sunset Shimmer exactly?"

Twilight Sparkle explained to Dawn Star, "Sunset Shimmer was Princess Celestia's student before me. She was very powerful, but when she didn't get what she desired as quickly as she wanted, she turned cruel and dishonest, eventually abandoning her studies to pursue her own path. She hated me and Celestia so much for taking me as a student afterward. She came back one day and took my element of magic, My friends and I followed her and were warped to another world. We attempted to reform her on that world, and she did come around..."

Twilight sneered at Sunset, "But I guess all of it was a farce after all, huh?" 

Dawn Star began to put two and two together, "Ok I'm starting to see, that makes sense... she would lock up Celestia and take her place, use Daybreaker as a way to destroy Celestia's image, and then use the sense of fear to destroy Equestria and take over while she tried to dispose of you, Twilight Sparkle..." 

Sunset Shimmer screamed and unleashed a storm of fire in all directions. "You forgot about me! because you wanted Twilight Sparkle over me since she was stronger! You took away this world from me, now I want it destroyed!"

Dawn Star shielded The Princesses from Sunset's Fire Storm. He then fired back with a beam of red energy. It hit Sunset in the chest and staggered her backwards. 

Sunset Shimmer teleported past Dawn Star and smashed him over the head with her hind legs, knocking him out. She then smacked Twilight with her hooves. She was intent on destroying her replacement.

Twilight Sparkle fell to the floor from Sunsets strike, she said. "What is your deal Sunset?! I thought you were content with your life back there. I thought you changed!" 

"Are you kidding me? I'd never change even if Celestia accepted me as her Student. I never wanted to be there! Celestia forgot about me and replaced me with you!" Sunset screamed in Twilight's face, before jumping back and firing a bolt of energy, Twilight shielded it with great difficulty.

Twilight Sparkle responded, "You left! She didn't abandon you!"

Sunset continued to attack, "I was supposed to be Celestia's student!" She fired another bolt of energy, Twilight blocked again, but she was wearing thin. 

"I was supposed to be the bearer of the Element of Magic!" Sunset screamed, unleashing a beam or red energy, Twilight began to sweat, trying to block Sunset's attacks. 

"I was supposed to be an Alicorn and the princess of friendship! You deserve none of this you egg-head!" Sunset finally broke Twilight's shield and blasted her with all she had. 

"NOW I WILL TAKE WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY MINE! Die Twilight Sparkle!" 

Sunset charged a giant beam of fire, then fired it at Twilight. 

Suddenly, the beam was blocked by none other than Dawn Star, who stood his ground against the angry Unicorn Mare. 

Dawn Star spoke in a fearsome voice. "So, all of this. All the death, all the bloodshed, all the destruction. All of this because you were jealous of Twilight Sparkle? How desperate are you?"

He put his hoof up, pointing at her. "You are responsible for what happened to you, Sunset! You chose to be unruly and it cost you your status as student of Princess Celestia, this is on you... you can't blame anypony else for your own arrogance and deception, and you have to face the consequences of your actions!"

He said in a voice that intimidated even Celestia. "You will not harm Twilight Sparkle." 

Sunset Shimmer winced in pain as a black hoof hit her in the chest. She backed up and blasted him, he deflected it.

He punched her again, this time sending her flying across the room. He said in a booming voice, "You will not harm The Princesses!"

Sunset smacked him in the face over and over, he didn't even budge. Dawn Star pinned Sunset against the wall with his horn against her throat. 

He roared in her face, "YOU WILL NOT HARM ANYPONY AND YOU WILL NEVER HARM ANYPONY EVER AGAIN!"

Dawn Star slammed his hoof against the Unicorn's face, leaving a crater against the wall from the impact. He finally stopped smashing her face into the wall. She was unconscious, and her face and body was covered in bruises.

Dawn Star finally said, "So say I, King Dawn Star, the desendant of King Da'irko, and rightful ruler of Equestria..." 

Dawn Star picked up the unconscious Unicorns body and looked over to Celestia, "Now instead of sending her to a different dimension, lock her up."

Celestia felt the words he said ring in her head, "Dawn Star... you mean your the "last living descendant of King Da'irko and rightful ruler of Equestria?" 

Twilight Sparkle nodded, "yep. He is, he's not lying either, it's written in the history books. Everypony knows, including me."

Luna and Celestia stood in shock as Dawn Star flared his wings out, they broke through the sheet he wore over his back and folded to his sides.

Celestia walked over to Dawn Star and said, "You are an Alicorn? How?"

Dawn Star simply said, "I had these wings since I was born..."

The rest of the main six showed up and saw Dawn Star standing over the Unicorn known as Sunset Shimmer... they all stood there in shock. 

Applejack was the first to speak up, "So Daybreaker was never real?"

Dawn Star shook his head, "No, it was an illusionary image. This was all a desperate attempt by this mare known as Sunset Shimmer. I can't believe that you all offered her a chance and she accepted it, then she stabbed you in the back... all because she was jealous of Twilight Sparkle... how pathetic." 

Rarity said with a huff, "Hmph, after giving her a chance to be good, she betrays us. How disgusting."

Rainbow Dash looked on with disappointment, she said "Sunset Shimmer... what a jerk."

Luna asked the obvious question, "so what are we going to do with her?" 

Dawn Star walked towards Celestia and said, "As rightful king, I propose that we lock her up in a place where she will never bother anypony ever again... say, Tartarus?"

Celestia nodded, "Yes. I think that would be fitting punishment for her."

Sunset regained consciousness and said out of fear, "Wait, what? You can't lock me up, I'm the rightful student of Princess Celestia."

Twilight Sparkle walked over to her and said, "Not you're not! You are not her student, and you will never be her student again!" 

She then smacked Sunset in the face, knocking her out again.

Twilight sighed, "That felt good."

Dawn Star said to Celestia and Luna, "Considering that I'm the descendant of the Old Equestria Royal Family, does that make me king?"

Celestia and Luna nodded, "I guess it does, do you want to be king?"

Dawn Star shrugged, "Well, Yeah. I think you two deserve a rest from all the politics of royalty. Don't you think?"

Twilight Sparkle was about to bow and leave, then Dawn Star stepped in front of her. "Twilight, I've thought hard about this... I need a queen." 

He bent down, "would you be my queen?"

Twilight Sparkle teared up, "Of course! I'll be your queen!"

Celestia cut in, "then its settled. We will have a coronation next month That should give you all enough time to prepare a dress, write vows, etc."

Dawn Star then said, "Great! I'll prepare for the coronation. See you in a month Twilight!"

Twilight Sparkle went red in the face, "Y-y-yeah. See you in a month..."