Chapter Eleven
"Your next goal is going to take years if not decades." Luna was lying on her backside in the middle of Dawn's tower, wiggling around. It was dusk of the new moon and Luna had shrunk to the size of a regular pony. Her hair was far from its ethereal quality as it obeyed gravity like every other pony's mane. Dawn stood expectantly, very much amused by the night princess's antics. Luna had been very stand off-ish ever since Dawn learned how to traverse the void but a couple days of intense self-defense training seemed to remedy that. "You will be re-developing 'everyday' spells with dark magic. Healing spells, crafting spells, etcetera." The little alicorn rolled over to meet Dawn face to face.
"You will be asleep tomorrow right? I was thinking of seeing my parents for the day." Luna looked as tired as Dawn felt. They had been training for the last two days but Luna's fatigue seemed like a month in the making.
"Yes, yes. What you do while I am asleep is of little consequence." Luna yawned. "Do you have any questions about your new goal? I know it is a broad goal but this is what I need you for and I have decided it is better to just let you have free rein over your studies."
"No, sounds pretty straight forward... And thank you."
"Good." Luna gave another exacerbated yawn. "I hate sleeping. How you ponies do it every night is beyond me."
Dawn looked out to the deep purple horizon. The first stars will be coming out soon.
"I best be off to bed."
"Sweet dreams."
"Ha!" Luna laughed before getting swept away in a whiff of dark smoke.
Off to Twilight's. Dawn had been planning a way to make to make up ousting her to her family and the princess. She had confronted Trixie of all ponies to make it happen. They had planned a romantic evening on top of the world. Dawn was a closet romantic, despite her inability to pull it off for herself, so she had no problems playing the part required for the night.
Apparently Trixie and Twilight had been dating for quite awhile, over two years in fact. Twilight had managed to keep it all secret for so long. It was startling to think she could be so cunning.
In a whiff of smoke, Dawn was whisked away through the void to Twilight's library. She was only visible in that mutilated tree for a second before pulling one unsuspecting purple unicorn through the void to their new destination. Their hooves met an uneven ground. Dirt.
"Dawn! This is kidnapping! Where did you take me?" Twilight demanded.
"Twilight. I planned this." Trixie was behind Twilight.
Twilight turned around to see a table set for two, her fillyfriend, and the most spectacular view of Equestria. More importantly a telescope pointed up at the most amble sky Dawn could find. They were on top of Mount Everlast, the mountain that towered over western Equestria, boarding the untamed lands of the buffalo region and posh Las Pegasus. They were on the southern side of the mountain so there was no light pollution to contest with their star gazing.
"I cleared the skies. Luna is asleep which means there is a new moon rising and I will be your waitress this evening." Dawn announced to the purple unicorn, giving a small subservient bow.
"Yes that vagabond of a pony helped too." Trixie said, guiding Twilight to a seat. "I focused the telescope on our constellation, it will be appearing soon."
Twilight was speechless as she took up a cushion next to the table. Dawn disappeared into the shadows of the mountain behind her, reappearing only moments later with dishes of food prepared by Chef Stew, who was more than happy to help. She trotted over to the couple who were shoulder to shoulder, tails intertwined. With a smile, she set the table for the two mares.
"So you two aren't fighting any more?" Twilight asked Dawn.
"Well we still have disagreements on how I improved her show." Dawn answered with sly smile.
"YOU DESTROYED TRIXIE'S..." Trixie started to yell but quickly caught herself, taking in a deep breath to quell her anger. "I do not see eye to eye with her."
"I just wanted to make up ousting you two to your loved ones." Dawn added.
"It was long over due." Trixie said, as she nuzzled Twilight's neck. Twilight hid behind her bangs.
With the table all set, Dawn needed to make like a tree. With one last little enchantment, leaving a small orb in the middle of the table to illuminate their dining, she was gone in a poof of smoke with a "Just call if you need anything" hanging in the air behind her.
Their night went on without a hitch, ending with Dawn dropping them off at Twilight's Library. When she made it back to her tower she was being drawn into bed. Manual labor sucks. How do ponies do that all day? Dawn's body was sore from the morning's training. The bed welcomed her like an old friend.
----
"Dawn?"
An unfamiliar carpet floor was underneath her.
"Dawn wake up. What are you doing here?"
A hoof was poking her in the chest.
"Ehh." Dawn groaned.
April's giggle resonated through Dawn's ears. "What in Equestria are you doing in my bedroom?"
Dawn's eyes cracked open, revealing her surroundings. Her body had an old ache throughout. "Where am I?" She asked as she yawned and stretched.
"In my bedroom... Why are you in my bedroom?"
Dawn moved her mass above her legs and pushed against that frienemy 'Gravity'. She looked around the room, blinking out the sleep in her eyes. I must have sleep cast. That's embarrassing... April looked at Dawn with caring, confused eyes. Roll with it. "Wanna grab some breakfast?"
April's right eye brow lifted cautiously. "I can't. I have work."
"Bummer." Dawn said nonchalantly, she knew she had work. Looking around the room again, Dawn saw posters of the Wonderbolts and some bands she didn't recognize draped along April's walls. "I did not figure you for a fan..." She admitted.
April looked at the poster Dawn was pointing to. "Pretty sure every pegasus is..."
True enough. "What time is it?"
"About ten after sunrise, I'm running late. I was in the bathroom and when I came out you were laying on my floor..."
Maybe I am a morning pony... Dawn rolled all her joints, stretching out any kinks she felt. "Where do you need to go?"
"To work... I'm running late. Dawn, what are you doing sleeping on my floor?"
Dawn stepped forward to kiss April. She focused on her mother with her magic. That is not something I want to think of. Keeping the thought of her mother, the void acted to her will, pulling both Dawn and April to Dawn's mother's location.
"DAWN!" Yelled an excited mother. "April you are late!" She added as she came in for a landing. "Oh my princesses! Dawn, what are you doing up this early?"
April, regaining her senses, stepped to a rated 'G' distance from her fillyfriend. "I would like to know that too."
"I could use some breakfast, would you care to join me mom?"
"Ah, mystery solved. She's been sleep casting." The black pegasus cast a knowing smirk at Dawn. "No sweetie, I have work. You are welcome to go home and eat."
"What's sleep casting?" April asked, cocking her head at Dawn's mother.
Dawn leaned and pecked April on the cheek only to be devoured by black smoke an instant later. Dawn walked through the void and into the middle of her parent's kitchen. "Well good morning my little filly."
"Good morning." Dawn mumbled, as she walked over to join her dad at the breakfast table. She lit up her magic to find some very familiar bowls, spoons, cereal and milk.
"So now that you can be anywhere in Equestria with that horn of yours, are we going to see you home more often?" The giant of a stallion asked, flicking his tail in anticipation.
"As long as you keep buying fresh milk and cereal." Dawn replied, pouring her cereal.
"So that's all it takes?" Dawn's dad laughed. "Your room is still a pig sty I hope you intend to go clean it."
"I was thinking of taking all the books with me."
"We bought them for you Honey Buns. Celestia knows we have no use for them other than a substitute for fire wood."
Dawn gargled a response through the slurry of cereal in her mouth. Her father returned to his paper. As soon as her cereal bowl was cleaning itself, Dawn excused herself from the kitchen to trot up to her room. The door to her room was broken. The frame around it was splintered. Inside, all her books were on the ground, some open, some closed. At the entrance of her room there was a cleared spot with books gently stacked on top of each other. It looked like somepony had tried to start cleaning but got overwhelmed by the task at hoof.
Dawn ignited her horn, brining to life dozens of books in front of her. They started to stack along the walls. When one book rested another sprang to life. Pretty soon all of her books were stacked on the floor along the walls, leaving nothing but singed carpet, a scrap piece of paper, a letter from Twilight and the scattered remains of her childhood trinkets. The singed carpet was where the box was forged. Dawn plopped on to her bed, satisfied with her work. She levitated the scrap piece of paper and letter for her inspection. Dawn quickly read through Twilight's letter. I should reply to this. She put down the letter to the side of her as she inspected the scrap piece of paper. It had the tiniest runes and letters she had ever read. She had to squint to focus her eyes to read it. It didn't take long for her to realize this was the enchantments and spells she used to split that box in two.
"Why did I do that..." Dawn let out an annoyed sigh at herself. She summoned a quill, ink and tome from her bank. The tome opened to the last page where a loose sheet of paper titled 'knowledge' was lodged. While straining to read the silly little writing on the scrap piece of paper, a quill danced along the blank pages of the tome, copying the procedure. Once she was done and satisfied, she summoned a blank scroll from the desk nearby.
Twilight,
I hope you can forgive my delay on writing you back. I have sent a scrap piece of paper with the letter that I hope will explain why it is so. I made that spell shortly after receiving your letter and to make a long story short your letter not only got lost but forgotten. So as an apology I give you that crude enchantment. Have fun with it. I know you can make it thirty times better. The box I used it on not only glows now but grew in mass which of course means it could use your expertise. Who knows maybe one day it will be an every day spell. I would love to work on that alarm spell with you. Have you tried Doctor Shiwlnick's 'To-Catch-a-Blush' spell as a basis for a starter?
Dawn
Done and Done. Dawn rolled off her bed and sent the letter away in a wisp of ethereal pink smoke that seeped through the walls of her room. Dawn then turned her attention to the hundreds of books that littered her room. She closed her eyes as she stretched the void to swallow the entire room up. She magically pushed all the books to her tower at the castle and when she opened her eyes her room was extremely bare. Lonely. I don't see myself spending another night in here... Dawn gave one last longing look around the room. With a heavy sigh, she left the room with the broken door behind her.
-----
Dawn spent the rest of the morning in her decimated garden with her father. "Two weeks without me and everything dies..." She repeated still completely baffled. The sun was high in the sky, bearing down on her.
Suddenly a black blur collapsed on top of Dawn, forcing her to buckle under the pressure of the passenger on her back. "My little Dawn." Her mother was hugging and nuzzling her.
"I just got a letter Dawn. From CU." April's voice said.
Dawn was still being crushed by her mother's affection.
"I showed it to your mother..."
"You got in?" Dawn asked, gasping for breath from her unrelenting mother while trying to act surprised all the same.
"I did!" April cheered.
"Oh Dawn you still have to come visit us!" Some where along the way, in middle of her nuzzling, hugging, and kissing, Dawn's mother started to cry.
"Aww." April cooed. "I will make sure of it Eve."
Oh great she's signing me up for things now. "Mom, can you get off me?" Dawn finally managed to ask in between her mother's sobs.
The black sobbing mare with the crossing blades for a cutie mark slowly got up off the pink unicorn. "I'm sorry Sweetie." She said, once she had composed herself.
Once Dawn was dirt free from her recent encounter with the ground, she went and hugged April, offering congratulations. She tried her best to be sincere and surprised it 'all worked out'.
"I'm just so surprised I got in." April ended up saying for the fifth time.
"I think we should plan a trip to Canterlot. So we can help you find a nice apartment." Dawn's father said, while holding his nodding wife.
"Thank you Eve, Stu." April flew over to Dawn's parents and gave them an enduring hug.
Disturbing how she calls them by there nicknames... and hugs them. I missed something... "Why wouldn't she just move into the castle with me?"
As the latest sentence crafted by the brightly colored unicorn drifted into Ever Watch's ears, something looked like it broke in the mother's face. She had a telling eye twitch and was stammering in place as she attempted to reply to her daughter.
Luckily, April and Dawn's father were both quick to a solution. "No." They said in unison.
"Oh..." Clearly I missed something.
April face hoofed at the sign of Dawn's confusion. "We should really date a 'lot' longer before we even consider living together."
"Yes!" Dawn's weak kneed mother squeaked.
"Oh..."
"Let's go get something to eat, celebrating my good fortune. The ponies at the university said it was pretty much going to be chosen at random this late in the semester, that is if I was even still in the running." April said, massaging her temples now.
"It will be our treat." Dawn's mother said as she stepped up, flaring her wings with unfounded pride.
----
"So Dawn, what is sleep casting?" April asked with a sly smirk on.
Dawn's mother giggled at the question.
"Ahh so she's sleep casting again?" Dawn's father asked, donning the same sly smirk as April.
"Right into poor April's room." Her mother answered.
"I guess that explains why she was up early enough to have breakfast with me."
Dawn looked around the restaurant her parents insisted on for any ponies who might be listening. There's only a few unicorns in this town, why am I worried?
"When was the last time she sleep cast?" Dawn's mother asked her husband.
"Those orby things in our kitchen." Dawn's father suggested.
"That's right. At least they didn't destroy our house."
"She's destroyed your house by sleep casting?" April asked.
"The last time something like that happened, the fire station got destroyed too." Dawn's mother snickered.
"And half of our house..." Her father added, redundantly.
"No way!"
"Yep, that's our Dawn." Her mother bragged, flaring her wings a bit. "Thank Celestia no pony was hurt."
"Thank Celestia nothing bad happened this time." Dawn's father added, casting another smirk at his daughter, who was intentionally trying to ignore the conversation. "So what were you doing in April's bedroom Honey Buns?"
"I thought she was sleeping when she did it."
"Oh she was." Dawn's mother corrected. "But she was mad at the fire fighters the night she blew them up. All the other times it has happened she was either mad or happy about something. Like the first time. Oh it was so cute..."
"Mom!" Dawn couldn't take it any more. No more laughter at her expense.
"Aww... Fine. Sorry sweetie." Her mother cooed.
April giggled. "I've never seen you embarrassed." April said as she scooted closer to Dawn to nuzzle her.
"It is hardly table conversation. That's all." Dawn dismissed, rubbing away her blush with a spare hoof.
"It's like peeing the bed for unicorns dear." Dawn's mother whispered to April only to receive a glare that could turn a cockatrice to stone from Dawn.
"Oh, don't be embarrassed Honey Buns. Remember what that doctor said..." Dawn's father attempted to comfort but every one was getting the glare from Dawn now.
The sky blue pegasus lodged a hoof into Dawn's chest, discontinuing the glare. "I'm no unicorn and I'm interested. Stop being embarrassed." She ended her assault with a peck on the neck that had a subtle nibble in it. What in Equestia's name has been wrought on this day? Dawn nearly melted in her cushion. "What did the doctor say?" April asked Dawn's parents.
"Oh, she's a keeper." Dawn's father said, giving a knowing smile. Her mother was choosingly oblivious to what her husband was referencing. "Well the doctor said our Dawn was far more magical than any other filly she had come across." His wings erected framing the pride of his words in typical pegasi fashion. "That's when we got her magic lessons, books. The works."
"Aww, see that's nice." April commended, elbowing Dawn in her side.
"Uh huh." Dawn let out. Where is that food! Food will squelch this conversation.
"You are lucky Dawn. Not every pony has parent's like yours."
"Uh huh." Dawn rested her chin on the table in defeat, letting her orange and purple bangs fall on the front of her face. That food is lost to the void. Dawn closed her eyes. She contemplated on getting lost to the void herself.
"So why does she sleep cast? Just because she has a lot of magic?"
"Well no, all the training she's had put a stop to that kind of sleep casting. Like we said she has a reason I'm sure." Her father was likely casting a scrutinizing look at Dawn. "She popped into your room..."
"I'm with Dawn let's talk about something else." Chirped Dawn's mother, Dawn's father and April chuckled at the mother and daughter's expense only to die off into the silence they wanted.
Ahh, silence. Dawn was sure if she did invent that alarm she and Twilight were thinking of inventing, it would be going off but she didn't care. Silence is Silence.
The silence lasted for quite a bit. The three pegasi attempted to start casual conversation but failed miserably. The silence was only broken by the setting down of plates and bowls on the table. Dawn opened her eyes. Waitresses were setting food in front of the waiting ponies. One waitress was waiting for Dawn to move her head. She begrudgingly obliged.
"Well this looks lovely." Her mother commented.
April was right. Unicorn food is tasty compared to this pegasus restaurant. Dense breads, salad's to graze, and no deep fried anything... Dawn started to graze the salad she ordered. It's at least sweet. She always felt like she was missing something when she grazed like pegasi and earth ponies. Utensils. Her parents bought utensils for her to use when she was first able to use magic. Civilized way to eat. I'm no cave pony. Dawn let out a labored sigh as she grazed in peace, letting her mind wander aimlessly. Boiling hot oil would be pretty dangerous for hooves to handle...
"So Dawn, what does the princess have you doing?" Dawn's mother asked across the table, trying to strike some conversation.
"Gonna blow up the sun so there can be eternal night." The subtle sounds of the ponies grazing at the table came to complete stop. Dawn let out a heavy sigh as soon as she realized there was, apparently, not enough sarcasm in that sentence. "I'm joking." April had face hoofed at the situation.
"What did you do to your poor parents to make them think for a second that you were telling the truth?" April asked, as she slid her hoof down her face.
"You are the only pony that 'trusts' me." Dawn said weakly.
"That is not true! Dawn, we trust you." Dawn's mother snapped.
"Clearly." Dawn said, her mouth dripping with a sarcasm that even her parents could pick up.
"Can you blame us? Why would you joke about something like that?" Dawn's father asked.
"Why would I joke about anything..." Dawn retorted.
"I can't believe you think we don't trust you." Dawn's mother said with a skeptical tone.
"Well two weeks ago you thought I was on the run from the law..." Dawn countered, remembering not so long back ago.
"What?" April asked out of surprise.
"Well there are few things you find 'interesting', why wouldn't we jump to a few conclusions." Dawn's father defended.
"A few? I wouldn't be surprised if you thought I blew up the princesses themselves." Dawn said, now on the offensive, her voice rising throughout the restaurant.
"I...We..." Her mother was stammered as she tried to retort.
"I make one mistake and you guys think I am accountable for magical assault against our princesses." Dawn added, rising her voice still.
"It was not just one mistake Dawn and you know it." Dawn's father fired back, raising his voice above Dawn's level, his wings springing up in defense
"Justify it all you want..." Dawn said as she relaxed into her cushion, satisfied her father's outburst.
"Stop." A demanding voice said. "All of you." It was April. "Now." Her wings were fully extended looking very intimating. "Where in Equestria did all this come from?" She asked, settling down herself, seeing her words had gotten through to the family.
The family remained silent.
"Dawn?" April asked, turning to her. Dawn had a small smirk of satisfaction on.
Dawn let out a sigh. Her smirk disappeared and was replaced by a face laced with annoyance. "I need a break." She said as dark clouds surrounded her, leaving a very distraught April in her wake. Dawn blinked her eyes to the new source of light in her eyes. She was on her favorite hill overlooking the town. Peaceful. Dawn closed her eyes as she recounted what had just happened.
It has been a long time since I've fought with them like that.
Tears started to flow down her face out of shame. Dawn buried her eyes under her hooves as she made accusations against herself.
Why did I just do that? I was actively trying to hurt them... April won't trust me any more. Not after what I just did. I'm a spoiled brat...
Dawn closed her eyes, successfully letting her mind drift into a light sleep.
----
"Good afternoon Dawn."
"Hey Luna..."
"I'm in your dream right now I hope you don't mind sharing for a little while."
Dawn let out a sigh as she looked around. She was in what felt like her backyard as a child.
"You have loving parents Dawn." Luna said as if stating a fact of nature.
"Oh?"
"You do. Right now you might as well be an open encyclopedia titled 'Dawn'. I see your troubles."
"Oh..."
"Don't you worry Dawn. I never remember my dreams and that is what this is. We are sharing." Luna's voice echoed though out the open backyard. Luna was a giant of a figure, yet so small and approachable. Dawn chucked it up to dream logic. "I have seen horrid parents throughout Equestria... and some of the best. And your parents are some of the best." Luna projected love to Dawn which felt like a tight embrace.
"I yelled at them. I hurt them."
"They will forgive you. Do not to worry so much."
"But April..."
"April has seen a new dimension to you. You know full well you can share your feelings with her. I see you haven't though." Luna was doing barrel rolls in mid air in front of her as if flying at top speeds but going no where.
"I'm so stupid..."
"Indeed you are." Luna agreed hastily with a laugh.
Dawn walked to a tree she planted when she was a young foal. "I sure do like to muddle things up don't I?"
"You are over thinking it all. I promise you."
Dawn grunted a response.
"Oh! One of my favorite nobles to haunt just fell asleep for a quick nap. I will see you tonight." Luna said before disappearing in thin air, leaving Dawn in a slowly dissolving backyard.
----
Dawn was laying on top the hill she had fallen asleep on. April was nestled right next to her. April's muzzle was set right next to hers, resting on Dawn's forelegs. Dawn's eyes creaked open. The sun was resting on the mountain range that crowded her home town. April didn't notice Dawn's consciousness.
"I'm sorry." Dawn whispered.
"It's alright, nopony is perfect." She answered back, nuzzling up Dawn's forearms.
"Especially me." She said as she lifted her head to rest it on April's.
"Especially you." April repeated, nuzzling greedily into Dawn's chest.
Dawn watched the sun set on the tall mountain range while taking in deep breaths of April's mane. April's scent was once again intoxicating; it chilled her mind and heated up her body. It brought a calm to her mind that rivaled that of Celestian monk's.
"Were my parents angry?" Dawn asked, her voice slightly quivering in anticipation of the answer.
April remained silent for a moment, thinking. "No, sad maybe. Scared for sure."
Scared about what?
April seemingly sensing Dawn's thoughts continued. "Their only daughter has moved away and they think her only reason for coming back to town is leaving soon too."
Probably true.
Dawn meditated on April's words before contemplating on her next question, that one question that has been burning in the back of her mind for weeks. She surrendered her face into April's mane, hiding from the world. "Why do you trust me?" Dawn asked, mumbling into April's mane.
"Hmm." April unburied her head out of Dawn's chest, forcing Dawn up herself. April met Dawn's eyes. "Why do you trust any one?"
"I rarely do." Dawn admitted.
"And when you do?"
"I guess..." Dawn had no clue why any pony would trust any other. There has got to be a reason. "...when I want somepony's trust I start to trust them first."
"See? You aren't as bad at this kind of stuff as you may think."
"I think I am perfectly horrid at this kind of stuff." Dawn joked, almost glowing with April's small praise.
"You are... but not as bad as you think." April said, giggling. She pulled herself on top of Dawn with her forelegs around her neck, pushing Dawn onto her back. Muzzle to muzzle now, April looked down on her prey and smiled a smile that made Dawn's tail quiver with excitement.
------
After dropping off April at her house, Dawn decided to walk home in hopes thinking of a way of getting her parent's forgiveness. Dawn felt a familiar magic being pushed and weaved near her.
"Hello Luna. Sleep well?" She asked in the direction of the magic, a dense darkness in a corner off the street.
"Yes, thank you." Luna said, walking out of the dark corner's shadows. Luna was as small in stature as she was the night before. "You have a pleasant day?" She asked in a cheery voice.
"It could have gone worst... and better." Dawn replied, sounding very apathetic.
"Oh?" Luna asked, letting curiosity slip into her voice.
"Yah, I needlessly yelled at my parents and junk.... Opened up some raw wounds."
"Ahh yes." Luna broke into a light skip around Dawn. "The trust issues I assume?"
Dawn hummed an affirmative response. She couldn't help but feel better by Luna's cheery skipping and demeanor. "Ideally I'll work it out with them tonight."
"Is that why you are walking?" Luna asked, stepping in front of Dawn to inspect her while back peddling.
"Mmhmmm."
Luna skipped next to Dawn's side, only to walk besides her. She kicked up her legs, exaggerating the movement of walking. "I do not envy earth ponies, they have to do this all the time."
"Doesn't seem to bother them."
"That's because they do not know the joy of flying or magic." She paused, contemplating her own words. "Poor things... I will leave you to your thoughts." She broke into a skip to look Dawn into the face again. "Your family will understand your frustrations I am sure of it."
"I will be back tonight." Dawn said in a flat tone.
Luna started to skip to a near by shadow. "Feel free to destroy something, anything really. I want to get out of night court early." Luna called back jokingly.
"That would not help my situation."
"You mustn't be so selfish Dawn." Luna cackled as she seeped into the shadows.
Dawn's house wasn't far now. She walked slowly, trying to buy herself more time to think of what to say. It didn't help much and she soon found herself at the door step. I don't live here any more... Do I knock? Do I just walk in like I still do live here? She decided on the latter. She opened the door with a flick of her magic.
"Hey Honey Buns." Dawn heard as soon as she stepped into the family room. Her father was alone, listening to the radio. He was wearing a very stoic expression with a subtle hint of love for the pony that just walked in.
"I'm sorry." Dawn blurted out before he could say anything else.
Dawn's father cocked his head at his daughter, still wearing a stoic face. "You have nothing to be sorry about." He regained his previous posture. "You were right on all counts. We should trust you a bit more. You are our daughter and we know you will make us proud." He said, ending with a small smile.
"Umm, where's mom?" Dawn asked, looking around the room to make sure she wasn't lurking in any shadows.
"Oh I sent her to bed... she just about collapsed when she saw your empty room." Dawn's father shook his head, laughing. "It was hard enough on her to deal with an empty bed..."
"Oh..." Why is that funny?
"Don't you worry about it." Dawn's father got up from his cushion and pulled his daughter into a bear hug. "You can accept our apology from me." Breaking the hug and keeping a hoof on Dawn's shoulder, he looked in her eyes. "I trust you will be making an appearance or two around here every once in awhile? It would make your mother walk on rainbows."
"Of course..." She may have winced a bit saying it. Damn, I'm committed.
"Good." He stepped back to take a lecturing posture, flaring his wings a little. "Now that 'That' is settled we will just have to forget about you rudely leaving your fillyfriend alone at a restaurant." He paused to let his words sink in. "We know we taught you better, yes?
"Yes..." Dawn started to answer but was tackled by a black blur of a pony. Her mother was hugging her as she did in the garden and as she had done countless of times before that.
"I am so sorry!" She repeated over and over.
"Eve, everything is fine. I was just teasing her for leaving April at the restaurant." Dawn's father placed a comforting hoof on his wife.
She crawled off of Dawn, who was collapsed on the ground. Dawn's mother wiped her eyes free of tears. "Oh... " She took a very pegasus styled stance with her wings flared out as she composed her self for a lecture. "Yes, that was very rude Dawn. I hope you apologized to her."
"Yah, I did." Dawn answered as she got up.
"Good."
Metal walked into the room from up stairs, spotting his parents both in their lecture postures. "Oh! What did Dawn do this time?"
All eyes were cast one him as he walked to the group, expecting some tragic story. A wonderful thought popped into Dawn's head. "Metal! Lemme show you guys what I did to the princesses that was interesting." Before she could see the horror spreading on her parent's faces, she ignited her horn. In a brilliant flash of pink Metal's facial hair sprouted into fully grown mutton chops and mustache.
Dawn burst into a fit of giggles as her parents went wide eyed at Dawn's newest victim. The laughing felt good. Not enough laughing today. Dawn's brother slowly realized what travesty had befallen his face as he felt around his face with a free hoof.
She felt this was a good time to leave them before they start asking too many questions. "Wears off in a couple of hours. Enjoy." She said as she vanished into the void.
Books towered around her. Her books. The books her parents lovingly gave her. Dawn ignited her horn, lifting random books from the surrounding stacks for her to organize onto the towering bookshelves around her. Book after book Dawn inspected it then willed it to the shelf it belonged. A tear started to creep into her eyes as she did so. Not stopping, book after book; she blinked the lonely tear away. This is my home now...