Since the Dawn of Time

by Starlight Fire

Chapter 5: Dawn's Tale

Chapter 5: Dawn's Tale

(I do not own My Little Pony. Please support the original series. It is, after all, awesome.)

(Also, some inspiration for certain details was acquired from other stories. Inspiration for the horn blade mentioned came from "It's a Dangerous Business, Going out your Door" (which you should read if you haven't. It's good). Inspiration for wing blades also came from someplace else, possibly several. That being said, if you see something in here (anywhere in the story!) that belongs to you and you want written credit for it, please let me know.)

* * * * * * * * *

Everypony found a cushion and sat, waiting.

"...Really? Everypony wants to hear this?" Dawn was a bit surprised.

"Why wouldn't we, sugarcube?" asked Applejack.

"Most of this isn't even in the history books," Dawn explained. Twilight nearly salivated at the thought of that. "The majority of what I'm about to tell you precedes even the Princesses here. Ponies aren't generally interested in ancient history, from my experience." Celestia and Luna gave each other small, knowing grins. "Finally, I get to hear her story! She never told us, and I always wondered," Luna thought.

"Wait! Wait! How long ago is this?" asked Pinkie Pie.

If mists could grimace, Dawn's mist did just that. "My story begins before the world as we know it came to be." Pinkie's jaw dropped all the way to the floor. "...Yes, Pinkie. I'm ancient."

Twilight's mind was racing with the possibilities of new knowledge. "Wait! Before you begin, could I get my note taking equipment?"

"Why ever would you want to take notes on something like this, Twilight?"

"Knowledge! Learning! Think of the possibilities!"

"I hate to point out the obvious, here, but..."

"I know, you were there," said Twilight, "but I wasn't! And I like ancient history! Oh, I'm so excited! I'll be right back!"

"Celestia?" Dawn asked.

"Yes?"

"Is she always like this?"

"It's one of the many reasons I've enjoyed have her as my personal student." Dawn smiled at this.

Twilight came back with a heap of note taking materials and the makings for tea. "I thought we might like this while listening."

"...Hey, look at that, I can smell. Sort of. That smells delicious. I wish I could have some..." said Dawn.

"Do you like tea?" asked Twilight.

"Yes, but more for the connotation than the flavor, although I do like the flavor. Tea time was always a calm part of the day for me. Over the years, it became a sort of... sacred ritual, if you will."

"Is everypony settled?" asked Luna. This was answered by nods all around. "I must hear this story."

"Very well," said Dawn. "There are two things I must mention first, though."

Luna face-hoofed.

"First of all, I would like to explain a little bit about Alicorns. I realize that many ponies currently use the word 'Princess' to refer to a pony with both wings and a horn, but, in the course of history, not all Princesses have had both, and not all who have had both were Princesses. Sometimes, they weren't even royalty. At other times, there were some who were royalty that could not be called a Princess. You cannot call a royal stallion a Princess. It is not done." Celestia chuckled. "Some would use the term 'Alicorn' to refer to ponies having both wings and a horn. Others argue that ponies shouldn't be called 'Alicorn' unless it can be proven that the genetics of the pony in question contain elements of all three types of ponies: Unicorn, Pegasus, and Earth Pony. Still others argue that the term 'Alicorn' refers strictly to a pony's horn. I will be using the second definition, although technically it doesn't matter at this point in time whether I use the second or first. A horn, however, is a horn. I will not be calling a horn an Alicorn."

Dawn continued. "Furthermore, it is an extremely rare pony that is born having traits of all three pony types. For your information, Celestia was born a Pegasus and Luna was born a Unicorn. Celestia's horn and Luna's wings grew in quickly, though, so they might not remember. Do two remember that at all?" Both shook their heads.

"The second thing. Please feel free to ask for clarification at any point if something is unclear."

Twilight noticed the mist had begun to take a vague shape of a pony. The image was still quite fuzzy, but Dawn's magic seemed to be returning.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Long ago," Dawn began, "there were two great Alicorns, one was a stallion named Dae, the other was a mare named Naite. Dae guided the sun throughout the sky. When the sun was not in the sky, Naite made sure the moon and stars were visible to give guidance and light. They ruled the world with love and kindness. The two had been married for ages and were loved by all: Pony, Griffon, Dragon, Zebra, creatures great and small. Or so the ancient rhyme went.

"The world was beautiful and prosperous. Famines and droughts were almost unheard of. The plains were grassy, the forests lush, the snowy regions crisp, the tropical regions dense with gorgeous vegetation and exotic creatures, and even the deserts teemed with life. Perhaps I am looking at this through the rosy lenses of nostalgia, and life was by no means perfect, but when I remember the days I lived in that world, I remember paradise.

Dawn continued. "One day, there was a great celebration, for Naite had born foals. There was feasting across the lands and fireworks throughout the nations, and it was all to herald the birth of the royal twin daughters.

"It was the arrival of new life from two so beloved that was so special, not the fact that the foals were twins (though some would have argued differently). Although not always the case, Alicorns have a high tendency of coming in pairs. As you all must be aware by this point, Alicorns, though Pony through and through, are unique. We have longer lifespans and greater strength. Sometimes, this greater strength manifests itself in strange ways. Sibling Alicorns' powers tend to be somewhat opposite of each other, though this does not mean they do not ever cooperate. Opposites may initially appear to compete, but often cooperate in complex ways. It is my opinion that this is the Universe's way of attempting balance, although I have no idea why the Universe itself would want to attempt such a thing.

"For the longest time, every Royal Couple's powers had been that of Sun and Moon, Day and Night, Light and Shadow, and had been so with their children and their children's children. This time, though, this was not the case.

"The older of the two sisters, the first one out of the womb, was a soft red in color, with eyes of intense crimson and mane and tail the shifting colors of the day sky, the night sky, the dawn, and the dusk. The younger sister had a lush coat of a rich green, with eyes that silently spoke of the oceans and mane and tail the colors of river, stream, and earth. What was strange about these newborns was they that had come into the world fully Ascended.

"Dae and Naite determined before long what their fillies' areas of strength were. The green filly was good with plants and animals. Nature. She always knew instinctively where the best places to plant seeds were. She could tame Ursa Majors with her voice. Harvests for a hundred miles around her would be made more plentiful simply by her brief presence. She never had trouble finding water or food, even in an ostensibly rough and uninhabited place. The red filly seemed to have a strong connection with the passage of time. She often surprised her parents by knowing (and reminding them) when they needed to move the sun or the moon. She could affect the speed at which things happened (often giving her a greater advantage in Hide-and-Seek). Her exact appearance would even change depending on the time of day. The Royal Couple soon declared the power coupling of their girls to be Sky and Earth, Flow and Nature, Time and Life. They named the green filly, the younger one, Silvia, in accordance with her connection to Nature and Life. The red filly they named Dawn Twila, in accordance with her connection to Time and its passage, which ponies often mark by the sun and moon in the sky."

* * * * * * * * *

"Hold it," said Rainbow Dash. "Your name is Dawn Twila. Was that you?"

"Yes," said Dawn.

"Wait! So... wait, you can manipulate time?"

"Yes." "At least... I could at one point. I doubt I could now," thought Dawn.

Rainbow's mouth hung open for a full second. "That. Is. So. Awesome!"

Dawn nearly had a form at this point. She was regaining regular sight and hearing (regular for an apparition, at least) and her expression was visible. Rainbow's reaction elicited a small smile from Dawn, although her eyes were pained. The Princesses remembered that face very well. Thinking back, they realized, no matter what the rest of her face might be doing, the pain had never truly left her eyes. "Not that we ever thought to look for it," thought Celestia. "I wish I had, now. Maybe we'll find out?"

"I have a question," stated Twilight Sparkle.

"Yes?"

"I've heard the terms 'Ascendance,' 'Ascendancy,' and 'Ascended' a few times now. What's their significance?"

"Ah!" exclaimed Dawn. "Ascendancy is a very old expression that, in contexts like this, simply refers to the event where a pony becomes an Alicorn. I've never been terribly fond of the term; it makes us sound like we're above everyone else. We're not. I may have been absurdly powerful at one point--" Celestia and Luna looked at each other and smiled. Dawn had always been fond of referring to herself sarcastically if she had to refer to herself at all in casual conversations, and the tone she had just used was a very familiar one. "--but I'm still Equine. I'm not perfect. I can still get hurt, make mistakes, and do things I regret. I believe a more recent term is 'Alicornification,' but I personally think that term sounds ridiculous. Seriously, just try saying it several times in a row sometime."

"Why is it that the ones most recognized for their ability always try to downplay how obviously fabulous they are?" Rarity muttered.

"Uh... Rarity?"

"Yes, Applejack?"

"They don't. Not always. Not all of 'em."

"Why, whatever do you mean?"

"Well, Ah don't know about yerself, but Ah still remember that Blueblood jerk back from the Gala."

"...Ah," Rarity said. She looked like she was about to say something else, but she was interrupted due to Dawn chuckling. "Whatever is so funny?"

"Oh, well... most of the Blueblood clan had a tendency to think highly of themselves back in my day. I guess some things don't change."

"Sadly," muttered Rarity. "My night was ruined and he got cake all over my dress."

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that," said Dawn.

"OH! OH! I want to say something!" Pinkie piped up.

"Go ahead," Dawn said.

"So, you're like, a Princess and all? 'Cuz your name is Dawn Twila, and the red filly you described in your story was Dawn Twila, and Dawn Twila was one of the Royal Couple's daughters and the Royal Couple was royal and all, and Dawn Twila was you, and you're Dawn Twila, so that means you're royalty and all and OMIGOSHTHATMEANSYOU'REAPRINCESS!"

Dawn's apparition was half-formed. She blinked twice. "...I was then, yes."

"What happened?" asked Fluttershy.

"That's coming. Are there any more questions?"

"Actually--" said Twilight. Everypony groaned, sighed, or face-hoofed depending on what they were most likely to do. "Hey! She said this stuff isn't in the history books, and I'm curious, and it should be left for posterity," she defended herself. "Um..."

"Yes?"

"You're, um... I..."

"Go on."

Twilight seemed to be struggling for the words. "...You're becoming more visible?"

"Ah. Good sign. Probably," Dawn thought. "I think being around you all has sped up my... recovery? It's not a great description, but it's the best term I can come up with right now. As long as you're taking notes--" Twilight magically readied her quill. "--I'm no longer having to rely solely on my magic for basic sensory perceptions." Twilight grinned at her particular vocabulary usage. "I can simulate ocular and aural stimuli based on what is happening in the immediate vicinity and translate them accordingly. It is also becoming easier to project and maintain a visual representation of myself to ease interaction with other beings."

Twilight was a very happy pony.

"OK, now what does that mean in non-egghead?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow!" Rarity exclaimed.

"What'd I do now?"

"SHE IS A PRINCESS. That is not. How you speak. To a Princess!"

"She also doesn't care about the formalities right now."

"It's true," Dawn mused. Twilight relaxed visibly. "Ah... she was trying to be careful. Even though she really doesn't have to be..."

"Ah, well... fine," Rarity muttered.

"Simply put, Rainbow, it's getting easier to hold a form of sorts that you can see. I think I've gotten my face sorted out, anyway."

"You're doing better than that," said Celestia. "Your head and forelegs are pretty much the way I remember them, even if the details are a bit fuzzy. It's getting easier to make out your horn, and I think we'll be able to see your wings soon. Your hair's a bit messy though."

"It always was messy. I never could do anything with it." said Dawn.

"No, no," Celestia laughed. "I mean I can't make out any specific colors very well. I can see something there, but it's teasing me."

Dawn held up a translucent, slightly blurry hoof and inspected it. "This is encouraging. I wonder... hmm. Fascinating. Where was I?"

"Time and Life?" offered Luna.

"Ah, yes." Dawn began again. "Our particular power pairing was Time and Life. It wasn't a common combination, but it was welcomed with open forelegs all the same."

* * * * * * * * * *

"We were frequently given opportunities to use what seemed to be our special talents. Although Silvia got her Cutie Mark pretty quickly, I didn't get mine. It didn't matter very much back then; we weren't in the position of high ruler, and one almost always wore clothing when one went out in public. It still bothered me, though. How was I supposed to know my purpose in life if I never got my Cutie Mark?

"My friends never cared whether or not I had a Cutie Mark, for which I was grateful. I had six very close friends. All of them were Alicorns (we were a little more common back then), but none of them were royalty. There were times I was envious of them for that. I remember them well.

"One was named Gusty Orchards. He always told you what he thought if you were to ask, although he tried to be as nice as possible about it if it wasn't particularly complimentary. His coat and eyes were bright orange and his mane and tail were a deep red.

"Another was named River Trickle. She nearly always had a kind word to say. Her coat was a soft pink and she had a mane and tail of gold. Those who looked into her blue eyes always said they were calming. Except for when she was angry. One did not want to look into her eyes when she was angry. Fortunately, this was not a frequent occurrence.

"A third was named Frosty Pie." Pinkie Pie perked at hearing that somepony else that long ago shared part of her name. "She always knew how to make others smile, even if they were having the worst possible day. She had a deep rose colored coat and eyes, and a mane and a tail of bright turquoise.

"A fourth was named Aero Mach. He was bold and outspoken, but he would never let anyone down if he could help it. Sometimes, he caught me by surprise with how much he cheered me on. He did that for everyone, though, and it always made me smile. I remember him going to extreme lengths just to make somepony feel important sometimes, and if one was in trouble he would risk life and limb. He was respected by all. His coat was an almost violent yellow, his eyes were bright red, and his hair had vivid blue strips. Needless to say, he was distinct.

"A fifth was named Lava Gem. Her coat was the color of a perfectly finished amethyst in bright light. She had a pure white mane and tail and silver eyes. If she found anyone in need, she would stop at nothing to make sure that need was met. She always knew how to style her hair perfectly, too. Before my hair went ethereal I was always envious. She tried to teach me her techniques, which I always thought was undeniable proof that she cared about even the little things.

"Finally..." Dawn paused.

"Finally, there was Evening Flame. I remember the first day I met him, when he moved to the capital. His coat was a sapphire blue, his eyes were a deep, intelligent emerald green, and his mane and tail were the rich red of a fire ruby. He was a focused stallion, there was no question about that. I remember when he met the other five. They already knew each other, but somehow Evening brought them all closer. He united them; he tended to have that effect on others. He kind of became their leader, after a short amount of time. With him, they all went on adventures and misadventures, and would come back with the best stories. I remember...

"I remember how much I loved him..."

The library was silent. Dawn continued.

"I remember our wedding day. That day was perfect. My parents, my sister, my friends, and him. Him. He meant so much to me... together, we had one daughter. A Unicorn. We named her Midnight Skies. She was a little purple filly with bright pink and silver hair, and big lavender eyes. The way she always bounced around asking questions about everything was always so adorable, though my guess is that she probably exhausted the palace staff on more than one occasion. I never heard any complaints, though.

"I had it all."

* * * * * * * * *

"You... had a family of your own? Why did we never know about them?" asked Luna.

"I'll get to that," Dawn said with a small sigh. She, or her apparition, looked towards the floor and tapped a hoof against it as if she were thinking about something. "These ponies actually are important for you ladies to know of," she told Twilight and her friends. "They happen to be your ancestors."

Twilight Sparkle's eyes got huge. "Wait! Each one of us is descended from one of them?"

"Yes," Dawn explained. "If my guesses are correct from what I could gather when I got to know you just now, Applejack is descended from Gusty Orchards, Fluttershy from River Trickle, Pinkie Pie from Frosty Pie, Rainbow Dash from Aero Mach, Rarity from Lava Gem, and you, Twilight, from Evening Flame, and, by extension, Midnight Skies as well."

"But... wait, you two were married."

"Yes," Dawn said. She and Twilight looked at each other for a moment. "Ah, you must be asking for confirmation if you're related to me, as well." Twilight nodded. "Yes. Yes, you and I are related."

Rarity squealed. "Twilight! You're related to a Princess!!!"

Twilight sputtered a bit. "Wait, so that means you're my great, great, great... how many greats?"

"I have no idea," said Dawn. "And if you're thinking if addressing me as your x-number-of-greats grandma, stop. Dawn is fine." Twilight blushed.

"Now, hold on a moment," Applejack finally managed. "Mah some-odd-number-of-greats grandpappy was... one o' you Alicorns?"

"Yes."

"Woah."

"The same goes for the rest of you."

The expressions on the faces of The Six had varying degrees of "woah" in them.

* * * * * * * * * *

"If my life had never changed, I would not have complained. But it was not to be. Remember the ancient rhyme I told you about? It was only mostly true. Not all loved the way things were, and unrest was growing.

"I remember the first time I came across the unrest. I was in the marketplace picking up my favorite Honey Lemon tea when I overheard two ponies off to my right arguing. One was saying something about how things needed to change. He was saying that the ponies in power were simply waiting until everyone had been lulled into complacency, and then they would swoop down and make everyone's lives miserable. Exactly what he meant, I am uncertain. Perhaps he thought some freedoms would disappear or that some disaster would happen and he'd have to deal with it without help. (In retrospect, perhaps even he didn't fully understand what he meant.) The other was trying to convince the one that the ponies in power were kind and considerate, and cared for their subjects. He was saying how such an idea held no water, and asked why the first thought such a thing. The first darkly said he wasn't the only one. Apparently there was an entire group that thought this and was plotting to overthrow my parents before they tried anything.

"As if they would have tried anything. The two continued, but I got my tea and teleported back to the palace immediately. I don't think they knew who I was; whenever I went out in public by myself on non-official business, I always disguised myself. If I was shopping, I went as a Unicorn. They would not have suspected a green Unicorn of being Princess Dawn Twila.

"This was the first time I ever remember being seriously worried about anything besides my Cutie Mark and grades in school. I asked my father about it. He hadn't heard anything about a plot to overthrow the throne, but said he would look into it. Then he asked me to sit down. He wanted to talk to me for a moment. He told me about a time, long ago, when he was young and his father had to leave the palace for two weeks to strengthen the seal on a great evil. He called it The Oblivion. He did not know how all that was had come to be, but the Oblivion hated it. It hated it all and its only desire was to destroy everything that ever existed. To wipe it all out. As long as it remained sealed, it could not bring the harm it wanted to.

"While it itself had been successfully sealed, however, its essence could not be contained, and thus roamed free. And it was cunning. Cutthroat. Subtle. It could manipulate a situation without leaving a trace of having done so. Any being with free will can make their own choices, for the good, for the bad, for anything. But they can be influenced before they choose what they will do, and they often do not realize it. Occasionally, this is for the best; those that do realize it sometimes try to remove all influences of anything from their lives, and often become paranoid at best, not knowing what to believe. The Essence of the Oblivion, however, frequently took advantage of the lack of awareness most of us had. It would suggest things in such a subtle manner that the being under siege would often think those suggestions to be products of their own thoughts.

"Father said that the Essence of the Oblivion had been getting stronger lately. Perhaps it was attempting to scare our subjects. We all know what mass fear can drive large groups to. Most of the time they scatter in all directions, and their biggest impact is the screaming heard from a distance. But sometimes? Sometimes they calm down. They collect themselves. They plan. They plan to eradicate whatever is making them afraid, whether they have all the facts or not. If they finish planning and nothing stops them, they act. And if they act without having all of the facts, the results can be disastrous.

"Father said I probably shouldn't be worried. It might not be the influence of the Essence of the Oblivion. It was likely just another young radical set on changing the world with no idea what he or she was truly doing.

"I wish he could have been right about that..." Dawn looked towards the floor.

"I remember the day the first fight broke out. It happened about two cities away from the castle. At this time, I was already married. My friends all had their own families and were living in various places in Equestria. I was holding court when Silvia, my sister, teleported in. She was shaking and bruised. Her white dress was torn and stained and she was crying. Needless to say, court was adjourned immediately. She told me everything that had happened. It had started as a verbal spat and soon escalated into an all-out melee. ...Not everyone survived."

Dawn paused. "...And it was only the beginning."

She continued. "Soon, things like this began happening every month. Then weekly. Then daily. No one truly understood when or why it all started. My theory is that the Essence of the Oblivion decided to use doubt and fear to spread unrest, but what do I know?

"Soon, there was dissent between those with differences. Ponies, Griffons, Dragons, and Zebras had all lived in harmony together. Now, everyone was suspicious of everyone else. It was not uncommon for anyone to carry a weapon at all times, even in their sleep. If any group suspected an individual of anything, ancestors help the individual. Many Zebras banded together and moved to the desert lands. Most Griffons took to the higher mountain ranges with harsh terrain. Dragons would be around one day and simply be gone the next.

"There was fighting among Ponykind as well. Unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth Ponies began having difficulty cooperating. They weren't fighting each other yet, but trusting each other was essentially unheard of at this point.

"Mother and Father were doing everything they could to keep the peace, but they couldn't stop anyone from preparing for war. And prepare for war they did.

"I remember that day..."

* * * * * * * * *

Celestia and Luna looked at each other. They had seen war in their lifetime, and they both agreed that peace was better. But Dawn had been there for those wars they were caught up in, and she had always been strong for them and supportive of them, even when it looked like there was no hope. How terrible of a war was this that she had kept knowledge of it from the both of them even after all that they had both seen?

* * * * * * * * * *

"I was standing on the balcony outside my chambers watching that morning's sunrise when the horizon began to move. I used my magic to focus on what was happening, and I saw armies in all directions. The Dragon armies were coming from the north, the Zebra armies from the southwest, and the Griffon armies from the southeast. Fires began appearing in areas where cities were supposed to be. Through my magic, I heard cries... for help, for mercy... that went unheeded. An alarm went off somewhere in the city, and the Pony armies that had somehow amassed assembled.

"Father and Mother came together and sent up a magical flare to try to talk to everyone, maybe reach an agreement, but it was too late. Zebras, Griffons, and Dragons all declared themselves independent of the rule of King Dae and Queen Naite. Each group declared war on all the other groups. Left with no choice but to defend those still under them, Mother and Father prepared to defend Ponykind. Silvia and I did the same. Surely the Guardians of Light, Dreams, Life, and Time could do something?"

Dawn laughed bitterly.

"What we value can control us. How do you think a Guardian of Life would feel when her best attempts to keep Death under control were not good enough? How might constant failure no matter what was tried affect anyone? I did the best I could to tell her she was still valuable, worth something. That these wars weren't her fault. But with destruction all around and the palace staff unable to keep the stench of blood out of the castle halls, she never believed me. I can't say that I blamed her, but even she could not have stopped everyone from doing what they were going to do. She... she said she needed more power. Something that would allow her to end all the fighting.

"She became obsessed with the idea.

"She... my sister... my sister whom I loved and cherished... in trying to stop the great evil that had broken out, she succumbed to it.

"Oh, Silvia..."

* * * * * * * * *

Dawn's apparition was fully formed by this time: horn, wings, mane, tail, everything down to the very armor she had been wearing that one fateful night over 1,000 years ago. The white chain mail saddle she wore was quite elegant; it covered her entire torso and extended past it like a short dress. Her shoes were taller and more elaborate than even the ones Princess Celestia normally wore, and appeared to have been composed of what looked like blue diamonds. Extremely sharp iridescent wing blades both protected and weaponized her feathers. She also wore some head protection made of the same stuff her shoes were; it extended a sort way down her neck in the back, and in the front came up over her head and between her eyes. There were holes for her ears to fit through, however it encased her horn in a very sharp, pointed blade. Celestia and Luna remembered their own similar horn blades which had, like Dawn's, been specially designed for spell casting in the heat of a battle. The visible fur of her coat was a brilliant red like that of the sky in the morning or evening. Her mane and tail had reds, oranges, pinks, blues, purples, and white and black mixing together in ever changing ways. They waved in an ethereal breeze like Celestia's or Luna's, and appeared to crackle with something similar to electricity occasionally. Her wings also had a narrow, red aura about them.

Twilight concluded that apparitions were apparently incapable of shedding tears, even if they wanted to.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Silvia became the big threat. When one is corrupted by The Oblivion, his or her best traits become twisted in the worst way possible. Silvia had wanted to end the fighting. There cannot be fighting if there is no one left to fight.

"The death counts increased exponentially. Day after day, hundreds-- if not thousands-- of reports of beings who had been slain came pouring in from everywhere. Father went off to battle a now corrupted Silvia, and Mother stayed back at the castle to encourage ponies still under her protection and to keep things running as smoothly as possible. My husband and friends banded together to go off adventuring and to do whatever they could. I acted as a sort of wild card; sometimes I was at the castle, sometimes I was leading armies with Father, sometimes I was leading armies on my own, and sometimes I went on missions with my friends, who were known as an elite group by this point. I had mastered quite a few spells in my youth, and occasionally tried something slightly different with them, leading to discoveries. I also discovered that I had an uncanny talent for armor, weapons, and fighting in general. Such a discovery did not please me, but I used it to our advantage all the same.

"After awhile, it finally looked like we might have some hope. It was not to be. You see, Silvia, before she was corrupted, not only had the ability to support life, she could also cause it. I remember several times where she had created a new flower and wanted me to taste-test it... She didn't lose this ability after being corrupted, but her entire being, her thoughts, her desires, had been twisted and warped. We soon began seeing creatures such as manticores, Changelings, and Windigoes. It was frightening. And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse...

* * * * * * * * * *

"Note to self:" thought Twilight. "Although apparitions apparently are unable to cry, they can shiver and shake from strong emotion."

* * * * * * * * * *

"The Oblivion wanted to destroy everything. Silvia had the ability to create life. Residual Chaos magic was unavoidable.

"Chaos magic is not bad in and of itself; it's merely another type of magic. Magic, here in Equestria, is neither good nor bad. It's what one does with it that is good or bad. If a pony uses Chaos magic, he or she is simply using Chaos magic. I digress.

"The creation of a life wrought from the surrounding chaos and filled with the desire to obliterate all was devastating. I believe you are familiar with him. He is a Draconequus. His name is Discord."

* * * * * * * * *

Celestia and Luna gaped. "You... did you see that... beast come into being?" asked Celestia.

"Unfortunately, yes. I wish I hadn't... those images will be burned into my memory for the remainder of my time," said Dawn.

"Wait... are we talking about the same Discord?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Because the Discord we fought was pretty lame..."

"What do you mean, Dashie? He made me a Grumpy McGrumperson!" said Pinkie.

"I couldn't tell the gosh-darned truth ta save mah life!" said Applejack.

"I was mean to everypony..." muttered Fluttershy.

"He made me fall in love with a rock!" whined Rarity (and yes, it was much closer to whining than complaining).

"And I lost hope! And you!" Twilight said, pointing a hoof at Rainbow Dash.

"Yeah, yeah, I mean AFTER we got all un-Discorded and stuff. Y'know... he didn't even run. I mean, seriously, right?"

Dawn drew a breath. "Apparitions breathe and shake but don't cry and can't drink tea. Fascinating!" thought Twilight. "How long had Discord been at large?"

"Less than a day, I think," answered Celestia.

"That would explain it. Chaos magic isn't the easiest to control, and in theory, if one is imprisoned in stone, he, she, or it would need to get their magic back afterwards. Chaotic types of magic take longer to reacquire than ordered types of magic. He was still warming up. You six have my deepest thanks for doing what you did," said Dawn. She rose and bowed to them. They were still trying to understand how to feel about that gesture when she settled back on her cushion. "...Luna?" she asked.

"Yes?" answered Luna.

"Are you alright? I know how much you wanted to hear this, but--"

"No, no, please go on. We're too far along to stop now." "As much as I'm beginning to hate my curiosity for making her relive all this... no wonder she never said anything about her past."

"Very well." So Dawn continued.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Silvia, now called Annihila, and Discord went to the mountain where The Oblivion had been sealed away. Together, they destroyed the seal and unleashed that ancient sealed evil into the world. And the world began to break. Cracks appeared in places that had once been solid. Lakes frothed for no discernible reason. Mountains spewed forth lava. Uncontrollable storms swept across the lands with high frequency. Cracks turned into chasms. Frothing became flooding. Storms swept up the lava, becoming devastating firestorms. The magic in everything turned violent and dangerous.

"We all tried so hard and it still wasn't enough. I remember the day when I went out with my father up Everfree Mountain (I realize that's a forest now, but it was the world's tallest mountain back then). We two with our forces met those three with their forces. We fought. Our forces managed to chase Discord and The Oblivion away, but I believe they were allowed to. My father and I were left facing Annihila. I tried to do something, anything, when she made her first attack, but Father wouldn't let me. He put himself between Annihila and me... and Annihila Stared. He... he shook... and fell to the ground...

"I remember screaming the whole time. My Dad...

"He died that day. He died slowly and painfully. When he began slumping, I knew what I needed to do. I charged. I had my head lowered...

"My sister vanished when my horn impacted her side. I don't know where she went, but she was gone, for the moment.

"I ran over to where Dad was laying on his side. He was struggling to breathe. I wasn't going to let him go without saying good-bye. I got to his side and told him I loved him one last time. He looked at me, and I know he heard me, but his eyes closed before he responded. They never opened again. His body disintegrated and went up into the sky after several moments... I assume that's what Alicorns do when we go.

"I was the only one left on the mountain, which began to tremble. I needed to tell Mom what had happened, so I flew directly to the castle. I found Mother in her study. Judging from her expression, I suppose I must have looked terrible. She asked me what had happened out there. I had to tell her... she would have to take over the sun and all... and grieve.

"But what I didn't know was that she was with foal, and quite far along at that. Sometimes, news like that can send a mother to be into shock. She... she went into labor within minutes. I rushed her to her bedroom. She was screaming and crying, as was I. I could not get help... all the nurses were out helping any wounded they could find. The two foals were delivered safely, which was surprising. But Mom...

"Mom didn't make it. I brought her the news which eventually killed her. ...I didn't even get to say good-bye..."

Dawn shuddered before continuing. "...Mom and Dad were the ones who handled and maintained the moon and stars and the sun, respectively. Without anyone to manage them, they began to break as well. The moon crumbled, the stars fell from the sky, and the sun began to go out. It was the end. There were few of us left... but we weren't going without a final fight. I sealed the two babies my mother had just had in a pocket dimension in suspended animation... I didn't know how soon I would be able to take care of them, and newborns are needy. I knew they would be safe there no matter what happened.

"I had to quickly create another pocket dimension for the rest of our subjects. Or, well, my subjects, I suppose, since I was technically the only ruling Alicorn left at this point. I needed to talk with my daughter quickly. My husband and friends were all there when I told her that if I we didn't come out of this alive or if she ended up in a strange area with the rest of our subjects and we weren't anywhere nearby, she needed to take up the mantle of the leader. That was the last time I ever saw her.

"With our subjects and my newborn sisters safe, I froze time. I had to at that point, otherwise the world really would have fallen apart. The sun was black, the sky was starless, there was fire all around the horizon, the plains were smoking from meteor impacts, the ground was hot from lava spewing forth in various places, the oceans and rivers were gone, and if one positioned themselves correctly, he or she could see all the way to the center of the earth.

"I had my husband and five friends with me. I would have been perfectly fine with them staying with everyone else, especially since they all had families, but they insisted on coming with me to fight The Three. I was glad they came with me at the time, because that made it seven on three instead of me on three.

"We ten were the only ones left in the world at that point. Everyone else had either been sealed away or killed. And we fought. We fought long and we fought hard. They were... too much for us. I knew a team spell that might be able to help, so we activated it. All of them... my closest friends... and me. It was actually working! We had focused everything on them... but they fought just a little too hard for us. I knew we couldn't just defeat them... we all did at that point. I had to briefly break out of the spell and use my time abilities to send Discord away. I didn't know where I'd sent him, I just knew that he wasn't there anymore. I came back in focused back on Annihila and The Oblivion. Together, we began to pull the world back together and seal them away. We almost did it, but at the very last moment, The Oblivion reached out and struck my friends as a final move of spite. They all fell.

"We may have defeated the villains, but we didn't do it in time... My friends had been dealt mortal blows. Evening Flame had taken the brunt of it. I...

"I remember that I was holding him in my forelegs when he died... And then I was the only one left. I had lost everything that had previously mattered to me. My parents, my sister, my friends, my family... all gone."

* * * * * * * * *

It was so quiet in the library that one could have heard a pin drop on carpet.

* * * * * * * * * *

Dawn continued. "I wasn't about to let their sacrifice be for nothing. With everything I had left, I focused on the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, and Time itself. And it all began again. I essentially restarted Time. I sent what remained of the stars back up to the sky. Dust from the moon was everywhere but where it should have been. I compacted it into a sphere and shoved it back up to where it needed to be. I located what had been the sun. I shoved an absurd amount of energy into reigniting it. And I did it all at the same time.

"I noticed a flash of light on either side of me. I had finally gotten my Cutie Mark... but I didn't care about that anymore. What I cared about just then was the six pieces of regalia my friends had been wearing. They were all glowing... apparently, when my friends went, they'd infused what they were wearing with their magic. My husband's looked different than the rest, and he'd left a special message with it. The message said to use these to keep peace and harmony in the new world.

"...Then, with the sun on one horizon and the moon on the other, I wept..."

* * * * * * * * *

She appeared to be weeping now, too. "Correction: apparitions can cry, though maybe not with real tears," thought Twilight.

* * * * * * * * * *

After regaining her breath, Dawn continued. "I was broken that day and I never fully recovered. My soul had literally shattered, but there were other ponies who needed my attentions. I had to keep going. I knew that my sealed subjects would land somewhere safe... when I undid the barrier to the pocket dimension they were in, about one in five landed where I was. I don't know where the rest landed. I only know that my daughter, Midnight Skies, landed with them.

"I brought back my two baby sisters. They were crying and needed attention. Those of us who were capable of magic erected tents to stay in. I had nothing left after the battle... I was very grateful to the unicorn who erected the tent that could hold my sisters and myself. I tried to get some soft dirt, since that was the only thing available there, and form it into a makeshift bed for the foals. I could get them cleaned up later. They went to sleep and I just lay there near them.

"Grass started growing in after a few days of focused effort from various ponies, and soon we had food. I did everything I could to feed my new sisters...

"After a few days, my magic started coming back. A week after the battle, I was able to manage the sun, moon, and stars. I knew it wasn't a job meant for one pony alone, but I was the only one who could manage at that point.

"About a month after the battle, ponies began to rebuild. Soon, we had a small town. They had chosen me as their leader soon after noticing my Cutie Mark--"

* * * * * * * * *

Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. "Yes?" Dawn asked.

"What is your Cutie Mark?" she asked

"Twilight, I assume there was a light show when you summoned me?" questioned Dawn.

"Yes," said Twilight. "Was... was that your Cutie Mark?"

"It should have been. That's what always showed up before."

Rainbow Dash whistled. "No wonder they selected you as their leader."

"What happened next?" asked Luna.

* * * * * * * * * *

"I suppose it could be called a castle, but it was actually just a really large house that my sisters and I ended up moving into. I led my little ponies and protected them from danger, and they helped me raise my sisters. I remember the first night that was actually peaceful... the older one was fast asleep in her bed, and the younger one looked like she was about to climb out and go exploring.

"I picked her up, set her on my back, and went outside. She appeared to be entranced by the moon. It was full and bright that night, so I guess I was getting the hang of this business of managing the skies. I wasn't doing it the way mom and dad always had; my magic didn't naturally cover those areas. I had to use Chronomancy. Still, I was learning about some of the nuances and nopony actually said anything about something being out of place, so I must have been doing alright. Anyway, the little blue Alicorn I had on my back really liked the moon. I prodded her magic a little bit and discovered it was very similar to Mom's, as were aspects of her appearance (coloration can be significant in an Alicorn). She would probably grow up and be able to handle the moon and stars. I remembered that the ancient word for moon was Lunos, and thought about how to make a name out of that for a girl according to ancient tradition. I settled on Luna. It was pretty and fitting, I thought. As she batted at my hair, I told her someday the night sky would be hers. She giggled at me. I don't know if she understood me or not at the time, but I smiled either way.

"I took her back inside and set her in her bed. She looked pretty happy. I looked over at my other little sister, who was still curled up tightly. I knew about tradition and power pairings, so logically she would be the one handling the sun someday. I prodded her magic and was able to confirm this... it was really similar to Dad's, though maybe not quite as fierce. She was still a kid, though, so no problem there. I needed to name her... Solaris came to mind, but that was a male name, and this was a girl. I had to think about this one carefully... and eventually settled on Celestia. Some of the ancient word-roots made sense for this.

"Well," I thought, "I've been through the role of mom before... let's see if I can play it with my sisters... but I should make it very clear that I'm not their mom. I don't want them knowing about the past unless it's absolutely necessary though! They shouldn't have to think about those things..." I looked out the window; it was almost time for sunrise. "Let's just see how this goes, shall we? They need to be loved and taught. I think I can do that. I've got to try, at any rate."

* * * * * * * * *

Celestia and Luna were gaping. "And yes, I'm talking about you two," Dawn told them.

"We're sisters? And you never told us?" Celestia asked.

"Like I said... you didn't need to know about what had just transpired. If you remembered it, so be it. If you didn't, better to keep you from being scarred. As with everypony else."

"What'd they look like when they were little???" asked Pinkie Pie.

"Oh, they were the cutest little things!" said Dawn. Celestia silently face-hoofed and Luna groaned. "Celestia's coat was white with a hint of pink and her hair was a really soft pink... kind of like yours, Fluttershy." Fluttershy eeped at the mention of her name. Upon realizing what Dawn had just said, she blushed a bit. "Luna's coat was a dark blue and her hair was somewhere in between blue and purple, depending on what the lighting was like. You two," she said, turning to the Princesses, "were so curious about everything. I'm not sure what I would have done without you... I know you didn't really have a choice in the matter, but I'm still glad you were there." The two smiled. "Although... that doesn't mean you never got into mischief where I had to make some minor sacrifices to clean up after you two. I still remember that one incident when you were fillies. I've always missed that teacup..."

"What incident?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Ah!" Dawn laughed. "...maybe another time." One could almost feel the relief radiating from the Princesses. "It's a long story."

"Oh, I'm certain we have time to--"

Celestia cut Rarity off apologetically. "Actually, Dawn I don't think you'd finished telling the story?" she hinted like a sledgehammer.

"Everypony, for now you should just know that Alicorn foals are capable of epic mischief. You two--" she said to the Princesses, "--remember the major parts from here on out, I'm sure. Feel free to jump in if you wish." And Dawn continued.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Over time, we managed to rebuild. Beasts would roam the plains at night, so we eventually moved the establishment up the nearby mountain. We called the land we lived in Equestria, and the city we lived in Canterlot. Ponies just liked those names, I guess. I still had the regalia left by my friends... and since my friends had infused the trinkets with their magic before going, they had some interesting properties. The message had said to use them for peace and harmony. Each one's magic hinted at a sort of value that was strong in the pony that had worn it, and after some thorough examination, I decided that they should be called the Elements of Harmony, and that they would be called Honesty, Laughter, Kindness, Loyalty, Generosity, and The Spark, or Unity. I understand you six call it the Element of Magic. This is technically accurate... sometimes, it takes a bit of magic to spark a friendship and bring ponies together.

"As we rebuilt over the next 3,000 years or so, we started seeing beings who were not ponies reenter. When I'd constructed the pocket dimension, I'd attempted to grab everyone still alive, not just ponies. After seeing what had happened, some of those who had originally left our protection begged to come back under it. I was a little concerned about everyone's ability to respect each other's differences without starting a war, but I didn't want to turn them away, either. What I finally decided on with the help of some trusted advisers was to make them have their own tribes or kingdoms but still be under the protection of the Equine crown if they wanted to be. Though... not all of them did... there was a war with the Griffons at one point. Anyway, they'd help us and we'd help them. This resulted in those who were not ponies having their own kings or queens or chiefs or whatever titles they gave to their leaders with me being the High Empress. Me, an empress! I'd never considered such a thing in my youth, and the very idea is still somewhat amusing. I'd always been a Princess... I figured that my sisters should probably have the title of Princess, now, so they did.

"I needed Element Wielders, but there was nopony who could do it at the time... So I trained Celestia and Luna to wield two each, and I took on the remaining two."

Celestia cut in. "I always had Generosity and Kindness."

"I got Honesty and Laughter," said Luna.

"I took on Loyalty and the Spark. It amazed me that that worked out so perfectly," mused Dawn. "Over time, I also took on students. Some of them became quite famous. Have you ever heard of Star Swirl the Bearded?" There were five nods and one very excited nod. "He was one of my students, although I'll tell you right now he didn't always have a beard. There was a time when he was just Star Swirl. A while after he grew a beard, some of our Pegasi warned of an approaching Ice Age. At least, that's what they called it. I'd never heard of such a thing. Apparently, someplace in the world was gaining a chilly climate for no discernible reason that we could find. But there were ponies there. I talked to Starswirl about it and he volunteered to go do some field research. Just because I pulled the world back together once upon a time didn't mean I knew everything about it. I located the source of the cold and teleported him there. He was there for quite a few years... then suddenly the ice came here. The land was still largely uninhabited, so when six ponies from the cold lands arrived, they didn't find anyone around. What happened next was where the Hearth's Warming Eve story comes from, I understand. There were many ponies who came from those lands; far more than were already under my protection. It was the perfect time for Celestia and Luna to really get out there and be Princesses."

"Those were some fun times," said Celestia. Luna didn't quite look like she agreed.

"Indeed," continued Dawn. "For a little while. ...But only for a little while." She paused for a moment. "It was all fine until he returned. Do you remember what I said about what I did to Discord during that final battle in the war? About sending him away? I didn't know where I'd sent him. It turned out that I'd sent him a little over 3,000 years into the future. Celestia and Luna were managing their respective skies by then, and I was taking care of a lot of background business. It was a peaceful day as far as I was concerned. Suddenly, it was a peaceful night. Five minutes later, it was a peaceful day. I looked out the window, and suddenly my sisters came crashing into my study screaming about how they couldn't do what they were supposed to. I scanned the area with my magic... and sure enough, Discord had returned. Although, I suppose he technically hadn't returned so much as we caught up with him. Relativity and all. It's a..." she tried to explain when she saw some confused expressions. "It's a Chronomancy thing. When all that happened, though, he was at full strength, as he had been during the war. And he was nasty."

Luna shuddered. "We had to work very hard in order to protect our subjects, and we didn't do a perfect job."

"We couldn't do a perfect job," Celestia added. "We did the best we could, though."

"All things considered, I think you two did admirably. Do you want to tell this part?" Dawn asked.

"Well... for about 1,000 years, we were all living in hiding..." Celestia began.

"And fear," added Luna. "Discord was brutal and those were some of the darkest times I remember. And I know what dark times are; I have caused some. Now that I understand that he originated from a being who essentially wanted to destroy everything, I know why. He was always going on about how wonderful chaos was. Chaos this, chaos that. But all he really wanted to do was destroy things. To make us all suffer."

"He enjoyed it, too. I think that more than qualifies him as being evil," said Celestia. "I suppose it makes sense now that he thought he was the original ruler of Equestria. When he came into existence, he was in power. After the... time jump?" she asked Dawn, who nodded. "After the time jump, he was still in power. We only defeated him by sneaking up on him while he was laughing at a village he'd just burned. We took the opportunity to hit him with the Elements."

"We hit him hard," added Luna. "He deserved it, as far as we are concerned." Celestia and Dawn nodded in agreement. "We were unable to eradicate the monster, though. He was only turned to stone. Dawn thought it would be a good idea to set him in the Canterlot gardens, though I cannot remember why, exactly."

"Chaos magic can be a bit unpredictable," Dawn understated. "I didn't know if he would be able to escape or not, and if he was right there, all one of us would have to do is look out the window and see whether or not the statue was still intact."

"That was brilliant, by the way," said Celestia. "Things would have gotten..."

"Ugly?" offered Dawn.

"Very. Things would have gotten very ugly very quickly had I not noticed the statue was missing from the garden that day."

* * * * * * * * *

"Now, hang on a minute," said Applejack. "Ah thought he was bad because he caused chaos?"

Dawn tried to explain. "I believe I said before that chaos in and of itself is neither good nor evil. It just is. It's what you do with it that's good or evil. Your actions, your decisions. I'm pretty sure I'm not a bad pony and I use Chaos magic sometimes." "...At least, I hope I'm not a bad pony. I want to do the right thing... but with some of the things I've needed to do in the past... I wonder sometimes," she thought to herself.

"You... use Chaos magic?!" Twilight Sparkle was shocked.

"Only sometimes. It's useful for certain things, although it's harder to control."

Twilight had to think about that piece of information for a minute.

"I think we're almost finished with the story... shall we continue?" Dawn asked. Twilight and her friends all looked up and paid attention.

* * * * * * * * * *

"The next thousand years were spent rebuilding. Again. I feel like we did a lot of that..." said Dawn.

"Looking back, I suppose I understand why ponies did not like the night like I thought they should," began Luna. "There were more monsters after Discord, and they all came out at night. They were... not friendly to ponies. Also, ponies associated the dark of the night with a lot of the dark times they had gone through. Furthermore, they worked very hard during the day. Rebuilding was not easy. They needed their rest. At the time, though, I could not see that. I could only see that what I tried to give them once every 24 hours was not being appreciated as much as what my sister, Celestia, gave them. Since I so closely identified with what I gave them, I felt like I was not appreciated."

"I could see it in her face, too," said Dawn. "I wished I could have encouraged her more, but what I could say wasn't working. At the time, I was simply their guardian. Sometimes, encouragement from someone who you already know loves you can't compare to encouragement from someone you want to hear it from and know you probably never will." Luna nodded in agreement.

"I became very bitter over time," she said. "I... I started hearing voices. Inside of my head. I could not get them out, and I eventually began listening to them. I think most of it was me starting to give in to the idea that I would never be loved by anypony besides my sister, or, well... sisters, as I know now. I was starting to believe it, and tell it to myself. But... when I look back, there was something else, too, I think."

"You bet there was. The Essence of the Oblivion was getting out again," said Dawn. "And unlike my father, I had no idea how to stop it. You were the most powerful target who was vulnerable, so of course it went for you. I just wish I'd seen it earlier."

"And I didn't notice like I should have," added Celestia.

"One night... it just became too much. I... it told me to give in, and I did. I suddenly had the power to keep the night over Equestria indefinitely. It... it felt good. Surely they would appreciate me now. Surely they would appreciate what I gave them if they just looked. Instead, they cowered. I... I almost stopped myself, but I found myself unable. I knew it was wrong and I kept doing it anyway."

"This is when I found myself wishing I had told them a little more about the past," said Dawn. "Not so much that they heard the bloody details, but enough to recognize the threat. I had to put a plan into action, and fast. It drained me..."

"We found ourselves out on the plains," said Celestia. "I had tried meeting her in our very own castle in the Everfree Woods, but the flora and fauna were suddenly hostile. Dawn, why was that? I've always wondered. Do you know?"

"Ah... yes. The Essence of the Oblivion took the form of Annihila. Annihila is the one who you gave in to, Luna. Annihila... was the original Nightmare, if you would like to look at it that way. She had life-related magic, so she could do that to the woods. It makes perfect sense, now that I think about it." Celestia's expression looked like it should have included a light-bulb over her head. "Anyway, the plains."

"Yes. Dawn and I found ourselves out on the plains standing against... Nightmare Moon." She cringed. Luna motioned for her to go on, so she did. "I... Dawn told me to take the Elements and use them if I had to. She said she needed to set the backup plan into motion. I had no idea what you meant, Dawn, and I still don't. But I did it anyway. We fought for a long time..."

"I was sincerely fighting by that point. I had no desire to stop," said Luna.

"What had happened with my sister had burned into my memory, and I didn't want the same happening with Luna. I didn't know how much she'd been affected, but I knew there was still time until she was completely consumed. I figured Celestia would have to hit her with the Elements, and since it was only her using them, Luna would not be healed. I would have taken three, but one of us would have had to use Laughter. I had never quite recovered my ability to laugh... and Celestia didn't quite have that ability at the moment, either. It was most effective, therefore, for her to use all the Elements by herself. I set up the magic field... and aligned my very being accordingly. When Celestia hit Nightmare Moon with the Elements, I was able to catch Nightmare Moon in the field. I had forgotten my weakness, though. All those years ago, when my soul had shattered, caught up with me that very moment, and I lost my physical form. The field still worked and transported Nightmare Moon to the moon so Luna could recover and her dark side could weaken some. I discovered that I could take each piece of my soul and lock some of the Essence away, and I used a time-lock, which is the most powerful lock I could come up with on short notice. If something is time-locked, it exists at a single moment in time, and only that moment. The piece that had gone with what could not be extracted from Luna split in half. Half of it came back to Equestria, and that's the part that my consciousness had stayed with. Everything's been... a bit hazy, though. I'm not clear on very many details since that night; it's as if I've been trapped somewhere where time doesn't exist. I don't even know if I'm getting these final details right. How long has it been?"

"About 1,000 years," said Celestia.

"What happened when I came back?" asked Luna.

"I'm not sure. I probably got that other piece of me back, but I don't remember the details," explained Dawn.

* * * * * * * * *

"And that," and Dawn looked directly at Pinkie Pie, "is how Equestria was made. Now you know."

Pinkie's jaw dropped to the floor in response.

"Ladies. The story is not yet over. This is where you come in," said Dawn.

(To Be Continued...)

Author's Notes: Here, have some head canon. Long chapter is long.

On this day of this month of this year, this Tuna of Gratitude is presented to Glassed for being awesome. Everybody go read his stuff!

And very special thanks to The Equestrian Gentlecolt! He is an awesome proofreader! Go read his stuff! (And thank you for the gold fish, sir. That was hilarious!)

And as for the rest of you... thank you to all of you that are actually reading this story. I honestly didn't think it would get this far. I'm glad I was wrong!

...Comments??? *prepares to Rarity* Pleeeeeeeeeeeease??? vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Comments

[Sixpence]

I'm faving this story solely based on this chapter...

Well, that, and the others are really good, but whatever :P

I really love a solid piece of headcanon, at least when it's properly explained and expanded. This is some seriously good stuff right here.