Daybreak

by Leafdoggy

Chapter 28

A heavy stillness had fallen over the party. Angel and Fluttershy were inside the house, still talking, and the guests were left to wait and worry. The adults were, for the most part, huddled together and talking in hushed tones. The only exception was Twilight, who had broken off so she could sit at another table with Daybreak and Royal Gala and make sure they were alright.

The two children, as could be expected, were not alright. Royal Gala was stretched out on the bench, her eyes shut tight as she clutched her aching head, while Daybreak sat beside her and stared into the tablecloth like it went on for miles.

Twilight sat across from them quietly and reached out to lightly tap Daybreak. “Sweetie? Are you okay?” She kept her voice as soft and calm as she could, hoping it would soothe them.

Daybreak shrugged without looking up.

Twilight frowned. “And Royal Gala? You don’t look very good.”

“Mmmnn,” Royal Gala grumbled.

“Do you need anything?” Twilight asked, only to be met with more grumbles. “Would you like somepony to go get Luna?” That got a nod, so Twilight waved to get Chrysalis’ attention and gestured vaguely towards Royal Gala, to which Chrysalis nodded and disappeared.

“Okay, she’ll be here soon,” Twilight said, earning what sounded like an appreciative groan from Royal Gala. She didn’t see much else she could do, so she shifted her attention again. “Daybreak, what’s wrong? What’s on your mind?”

Daybreak shrugged again.

“Something is bothering you,” Twilight said. “Are you worried about Angel? Or Royal Gala?”

“Not really,” Daybreak mumbled.

Twilight hummed in thought for a moment. “Do you feel responsible for what happened?”

Daybreak thought for a moment. “Kinda.”

Twilight leaned over and stroked Daybreak’s mane. “You couldn’t have known. You’ve never seen chaos magic used for something big. I promise you’re not in trouble or—”

“I don’t care.”

“Huh?”

Daybreak looked to her side and went quiet. Twilight waited, giving her time to think. A minute later, right as she seemed to be figuring out what to say, there was a burst of light nearby as Luna appeared.

Luna didn’t seem to notice the attention that suddenly focused on her when she arrived. Immediately, she started scanning the scene. “Where is—Oh!” As soon as she saw Royal Gala, she dashed over and knelt down beside her. She draped a wing over Royal Gala’s back and felt her forehead. “What happened? Are you hurt?” She sounded almost frantic, and even a little afraid.

“Mmnn,” was all Royal Gala replied with.

“There was a bit of an accident,” Twilight told Luna, “and I think she tried to move the moon.”

“What? But she’s so young!” Luna sat back so she could scoop up Royal Gala and hold her close. Then Luna kissed her cheek and whispered to her gently. “Oh, my star, you cannot be so reckless. I am proud of you, though. Come, let’s go find someplace quiet, hm? I can bring you back once you feel better.” Royal Gala gave a weak nod, so Luna spread her wings and rose up into the air. “Thank you, Twilight,” she said as an afterthought, “and you, Daybreak.” Then she slowly flapped her wings and soared into the sky.

After she was gone, Twilight moved and sat next to Daybreak. “Did you figure out what’s wrong?” She whispered.

“I just…” Daybreak took a deep breath, then shook her head and leaned against Twilight. “Why—” her voice cracked as tears started to well up in her eyes. “Why did you go?”

Twilight squeezed Daybreak close, but she had a puzzled look on her face. “I don’t understand.”

“Both of you,” Daybreak said. “You just… Left.”

“What?” Twilight thought for a moment. “You mean while it was happening? Daybreak, Chrysalis and I were trying to stop it.”

“So?” Daybreak sniffed hard. “You can’t stop the moon! Why do you have to be the one who always leaves?”

“It’s my responsibility,” Twilight said. “I’m supposed to take care of Equestria.”

“Why can’t you get someone else to do it? That’s what Fluttershy did, so why can’t you?”

“Because I… If I leave to get help, that leaves everypony defenseless. Anypony can go get help, but not very many can do what I can do. My time is better served—”

“You’re not a superhero!” Daybreak pushed Twilight away and got up from the bench. “You’re my mom! What if Discord didn’t show up? Who else is gonna—” She choked on her words. She could feel herself coming close to sobbing, and knew everypony at the party was probably looking at her, so she decided that was enough and ran into the house, slamming the door shut behind her.

After the shock passed, Chrysalis walked up to Twilight. “Should we… Go after her?”

“I…” Twilight was staring at the door, shellshocked. “I don’t know.”

In the house, Daybreak had clenched her eyes shut and was running blindly down a hall when a leg wrapped around her and pulled her up off the ground. “Woah there, speedy, you’re gonna hurt yourself!”

Daybreak took a deep breath, swallowed her tears, and opened her eyes to see the bright, grinning face of Pinkie Pie looking back at her. “I-I’m sorry,” she muttered.

“Nah, don’t be sorry,” Pinkie said. She set Daybreak down and smoothed out her mane. “I’ve just conked my noggin on these walls enough to know you don’t wanna do it.”

“Oh… Okay.”

Pinkie waved Daybreak along and started off down the hall. “C’mon,” she said, “let’s go see Angel.”

Daybreak followed Pinkie silently as they went through the house, eventually finding themselves in a large, inviting family room. It had quite a few sofas, and even a couple of armchairs. The walls were painted a soft, warm red, and the whole room, from the molding to the tables, was decorated with dark wood, including the room’s most prominent feature, a huge bookshelf in one corner that was stacked top to bottom with board games and puzzles.

Fluttershy was sitting in one of the armchairs, holding Angel against her chest and stroking her mane. Pinkie jumped onto a nearby sofa and waved Daybreak in. “Look who I found!”

Angel looked up curiously as Daybreak walked in and climbed onto a sofa. “Oh, hey,” Angel said quietly, her voice a little weak. She hopped down from Fluttershy’s lap and went to sit next to Daybreak. “You okay?”

Daybreak sniffed and rubbed her eyes, then nodded. “Mm-hm. You?”

“I’m fine,” Angel said. “Royal Gala?”

“She’ll be back later.”

“Alright.” Angel sighed and rested her head on her hooves. “Some birthday, huh?”

“Yeah, I’m uh… Sorry my present kinda sucked.”

Angel punched her playfully in the shoulder. “Hey, it was great ‘til the moon fell. I think I got plenty out of it. That stuff’s too much responsibility anyway.”

“Hey, don’t talk like the birthday’s already over!” Pinkie said cheerfully. “The party hasn’t even started. Plus, I’ve got a batch of cupcakes in the oven that’ll be done any minute now!”

Angel smiled slightly. “Thanks, Ma. That’ll be—” She stopped herself, and her smile vanished. “Wait. What happened to my muffin?”

“Ooh, did you make that?” Pinkie asked. “I’m impressed! That tasted almost as good as Nana Pie’s old cliff-rock muffin recipe. Almost. It’s hard to beat Nana’s Bluffins.”

“You…” Angel’s eyes widened. “You ate it?”

“Oh, yeah, I had Bluffins all the time back when—”

“I mean my muffin,” Angel said.

“Oh! Yeah, like I said, super yummy.” Pinkie licked her lips and patted her belly. “I couldn’t quite place all the flavors, though.”

“I…” Angel jumped up and ran over to Pinkie, jumping up onto her and looking closely at her. “Are you okay? Do you feel weird?”

Pinkie started laughing. “Angel st-stop it, that t-tickles!”

“Angel,” Fluttershy said slowly, sounding much less amused, “what was in the muffin?”

Angel stepped back and pursed her lips. “I, um, well, you see… I didn’t know! I put it in the oven before the moon thing, and then I forgot all about it! I wasn’t gonna trick anypony into eating it or anything!”

Fluttershy closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “Angel, how much did you use?

“About a vial...”

“And how much did you use on the moon?”

“About, um… A vial?”

Fluttershy took a deep breath, then opened her eyes and looked at Pinkie. “Dear, I need to know how you’re feeling.”

Pinkie tilted her head. “What? I don’t get it.”

“Pinkie… You probably just ate enough chaos magic to level Equestria.”

Pinkie’s eyes went wide. “I—” She put her hooves over her mouth as a smile crept onto her face. “Y-You mean—” She snorted. “R-Really?” Finally, she lost control and burst out into full-on laughter, clutching her gut as she fell over onto her side and cackled madly.

Fluttershy frowned. “Pinkie, this isn’t funny!”

“It… It totally is,” Pinkie choked out between fits of laughter.

“You could be in danger,” Fluttershy urged.

“I don’t feel in danger,” Pinkie argued.

“Pinkie, you’re pregnant.”

Pinkie froze. Her laughter stopped, and she slowly turned her head towards Fluttershy. “Wait… You mean…”

“We don’t know what it could do,” Fluttershy said. “What if it—”

Pinkie started to vibrate excitedly. “What if he’s a god of chaos?”

Fluttershy’s mouth fell open. “What?”

“Chaos magic wants more chaos, right?” Pinkie jumped up onto her hooves and started hopping in place. “So what’s more chaotic than another chaos god?”

“Pinkie, I don’t think—”

Pinkie wasn’t listening. She sprang off the couch and ran into the hallway. “I’m gonna go tell everypony!”

Comments

[RandomGuy101]

Pinkie wasn’t listening. She sprang off the couch and ran into the hallway. “I’m gonna go tell everypony!”

And then get in trouble with everypony!

[Lore Horse]

“Chaos magic wants more chaos, right?” Pinkie jumped up onto her hooves and started hopping in place. “So what’s more chaotic than another chaos god? ”

Oh, shit. It's hellboy all over again.