Cracking Dawn

by Didily Winkles

Chapter 4: Meeting the Princesses

Chapter Four

The sun had long set leaving the magic enthusiast in a hallowed out tree, lit only by a chandelier. As Twilight's list of topics to discuss got shorter a few things became apparent to Dawn. One, Pinkie Pie was surprisingly knowledgeable about all of the magical theory that was discussed and she had a very liberal view of it all. She often debated something along the same lines of Dawn's point of view, surprising every pony aside from Twilight. Two, the authors in the room were just as interesting as the books they had written. Professor Scrolls was just as insightful as his books while Professor Aura and Professor Quill were not even that to theirs. And finally the last lesson learned today was Dawn should not 'Tweak' Twilight's delicately put together spells.

"Ahg, this beard is itchy! When do you think it will wear off?" Twilight asked, itching her beard with her hooves.

"Minutes, hours, days, weeks, months I don't know. It's your magic." Dawn said, indifferently. She could hear Rarity groan upstairs.

"Yes but 'you' cast it and messed with it some how." Twilight argued back.

"That I did. That I did..." Dawn said as she caressed her beard. She had re-cast beards for herself and Pinkie twice now but Twilight's had stayed on long past it's duration along with Rarity's. Dawn levitated the scroll containing the beard spell in front of her to study. "Guess I can make a counter spell, shouldn't be too hard."

"WHAT?" Rarity shrilled from up stairs, causing the room to go silent.

From behind Twilight's scroll containing the 'Number 25' spell she could hear two pops of magic. Folding down the paper she could see the princesses themselves standing tall and regal as all the stories of them portrayed. Neat, they're so tall... And the manes...

"Celestia! Luna!" cheered Twilight.

Twilight jumped into a hug with the sun princess. Pinkie greeted the confused looking princesses by spouting confetti about as she hopped around them in circles. Dawn watched the professor mares bow low from where they sat. She was unsure of the proper pageantry and she was even more confused now with the mixed messages.

"Please come in and take a seat. I think we were all just getting hungry. I was just about to go get the food." Twilight said after breaking her hug with the sun goddess.

"Oh! I'll go tell Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie squeaked in excitement before disappearing in a blur of pink.

"Umm Twilight... you have something on your face." Princess Celestia said, still wearing a confused look.

"It is a beard my dear sister, a very sharp looking beard." Princess Luna corrected, nodding in appreciation.

"I can see it's a beard..." Princess Celestia said dryly.

"Well then you should respect her life choice." Luna retorted.

"We had a beard fight earlier." Twilight giggled before shoving an accusing hoof over to Dawn. "Still hasn't worn off yet." She added with a sour tone.

"Aww it's temporary?" Luna pouted before taking notice of the only other pony other than Twilight not bowing in the room. Dawn gave a quiet smile in return unsure how to handle the night goddess's gaze.

"Hopefully..." Twilight answered.

"HOPEFULY?" The tree library roared with a disgruntled Rarity from upstairs which was followed by deathly silence.

"You should probably work on that counter spell sooner than later... and you should probably apologize to Rarity when you're done." Twilight said to Dawn.

"Yah I would like to avoid her revenge plots or schemes she may have dreamt of up there." Dawn agreed. She straightened up the scroll with the spell for further study, hiding her from Princess Luna's gaze.

Princess Celestia took notice of the other ponies in the mutilated tree. She approached the table to address the professors. "Please rise my little ponies. Professor Scrolls, Quill, Dust, Aura. It is wonderful to see you all again." She then followed Luna's gaze to Dawn. "Twilight Sparkle, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Of course, this is Dawn. She studies magic like me." Twilight said, waving a spare hoof her way.

"Nice to meet you Dawn." Celestia said pleasantly.

"Twilight... And Dawn..." Luna said quietly to the room.

"Heh, yah very nice to meet you too Princess." Dawn greeted as she lowered the scroll she was studying trying to give her best of smiles. Her greeting migrated over to Luna. More than one princess...princesses. "essss..." Dawn corrected herself by hissing like a snake. Good save. Dawn nodded in agreement with herself again. Now to work on a counter spell. She levitated the scroll labeled 'Number 25' back into her view. A quill and ink pot appeared in front of her as a spare piece of paper dragged across the table over to her. The quill came to life under a pink aura as it scratched across the blank piece of paper covering it with runes and calculations that will make up the counter spell. Dawn started to hum to herself as she delved into thought.

Everypony watched the humming pink unicorn, who was in her own little world, work. A silence decided to loom over the table as the Princesses' un-breaking gazes fell on Dawn.

Dawn calculated every counter rune of the spell in her head as she wrote it down on paper. She fell back on the cushion she was laying on to look up at the ceiling still humming her note-less tune.

Twilight was the one who broke the pregnant silence. "I guess I will clear the table off for the food." Twilight said shakily, before lifting, rolling, and stacking scroll after scroll in a corner of the room. "So ummm... pri... Celestia how was your day?" She asked in an adopted conversationalist tone.

"It was good Twilight." Princess Celestia said, turning to her student with a smile. "Where did you meet Dawn here?"

"Oh she came for the 'Convention'." She gestured to the room. "She thought it would be bigger. Pinkie found her last night and threw her a get-to-know-a-new-pony party at Fatty Joes last night." Twilight slipped into thought as she finished clearing the table. "Dawn can I borrow your book so I could show the princesses your spells."

...Hmm... My name was called... Dawn straightened herself up and looked around to see every pony looking at her. Oops missed something important. "What?" She asked, her horn still forcing the quill to scratch across the now half filled paper.

"Your spell book, would you mind if I showed it to the princesses? I've already showed them my spells."

"Oh... no, not at all. By all means." Silence returned as Dawn went back to her thought filled gaze to the ceiling.

"Uhh Dawn you made your book disappear..."

Blinking hard in attempts to catch up to what Twilight had just said. Oh that's right I put it in the 'bank'. "Oh sorry of course..." Dawn's horn grew brighter as she pulled the book from the 'bank' and into the solid world. "There you go my dear." She said, smiling at Twilight as the book was taken over by Twilight's purple aura. Dawn returned to her thoughtful posture, laying on her back with her tail up along her belly for modesty's sake.

"What magic is this?" Princess Luna gestured to the book.

"Oh you will see Princess" The old stallion spoke up. "This one..." He pointed a hoof at Dawn. "...is quite imaginative with her magic. At least from what I have seen."

"She really is... creative. She's also the only other unicorn that I've met that can teleport." Twilight said, smiling at the princess as if she found a buried treasure. She opened up the tome in front of the princesses to the page with the 'bank' spell written on it.

The Princesses looked over the procedure that was required to open a space outside of space and the enchantments that are necessary for the items to be stored in said space. "Impressive" Princess Luna offered Dawn, who was on her back gazing at the ever interesting ceiling oblivious to any praise given. Dawn's horn was still aglow until the quill, which was dancing along the scroll, plopped into the ink pot.

"Test time." Dawn said, getting up quickly, startling everypony at the table except for the old stallion.

"You finished already?" Twilight asked disbelievingly.

"No. I need to test it. Didn't you hear me? Hold out your beard!" Dawn ordered excitedly.

"What? Test it on yourself!" Twilight exclaimed.

"I thought you didn't want it any more?" Dawn asked, somewhat startled by Twilight's outburst.

"I don't. It's itchy and..."

Dawn's horn was already relit as she directed the charging counter spell at Twilight. The spell went off and hit Twilight straight in the beard. Much to Twilight's brief relief it started to recede back into her face. Just as the beard was about to disappear completely, it burst in a blinding flash of pink magic that filled the room. Dawn blinked away the blinding stars in her eyes to survey for possible damages. The older mares across the table were well equipped with facial hair. Not only just that but both the Princesses themselves were also sporting full facial beards now.

Dawn erupted into a roaring laughter that was not fit for a mare her size as the others just started to grasp what had happened. The princesses first looked at Twilight's still flourishing beard and then they noticed each other's beards. They both lifted a hoof to point at each others beard in unison.

Luna quickly took to inspecting her own starry sky beard that was flowing in an eternal wind of magic. "What a beautiful beard!" Princess Luna excitedly announced.

Princess Celestia gave a thousand yard star at her own reflection on the mirror across the room. An ancient rage was building up behind the sun princess's eyes, a rage that would send any sane pony reeling for cover. The building rage soon found its target, one pink unicorn that was suffocating from her own laughter. The night Princess diverted her sister's attention by biting down on the ethereal pink beard and yanking it.

Twilight stood still, frozen, as she watched the two most powerful beings of Equestria bite and pull each others' beards, each evoking an ancient wrath of the other. The old brown stallion was ignoring the bickering princesses and was now looking over the paper with the counter spell's calculations that Dawn had written down. Dawn herself was just starting to recover from her laughter, catching her breath.

"Ahh here's your mistake my dear filly. Instead of an omega rune you should use a wind rune, so it dissipates the spell rather than absorb it." Professor Scrolls said in a teaching voice worthy of a professor of his caliber.

Dawn now in full control of her faculties got up to join him at the paper. "You are right. What was I thinking no wonder it exploded." Silly sub-conscious. Dawn's Ever-last quill was brought back to life from its resting place in the ink pot. It wrote down a second line of runes in correction. "Alright Twilight! ROUND TWO!" Dawns horn lit up again firing another spell before she finished her warning. The second the spell landed on Twilight's beard, it started to recede until nothing but her fresh spring lavender coat remained. The success of the spell stopped the Princesses beard tug of war as they both calculated their next move.

"It worked!" Twilight nearly screamed out of joy. She lifted her hoof to feel around her freshly unburdened chin.

"Of course" Dawn said, pounding her chest like a pegasus. She then aimed the spell at the older mares across the table that had been in catatonic state from all the events that had just transpired. Their beards disappeared just as Twilight's did. Princess Celestia, spitting out her sister's beard, turned expectantly over to Dawn. "Rarity I made a counter spell come down and I'll rid you of your glorious beard." Dawn yelled up stairs. She could hear a frantic scampering as a bearded white unicorn appeared on the stair case.

"Oh thank Celestia! Do it!" Rarity yelled as she closed her eyes in preparation of the incoming spell.

"Uhh thank Professor Scrolls." Dawn corrected as she fired the spell. Her magnificent beard disappeared like the rest. There was nothing coherent came from the unicorn's mouth after the spell went off. Rarity melted in place in what seemed like pure ecstasy, feeling her smooth face with her hooves.

The front door slammed open with a bearded Pinkie Pie hopping into the room. Without missing a beat she yelled, "BEARD PARTY!" disappeared and reappeared in between the princesses, hanging on their necks, pulling them together in her jubilation. A small unicorn filly walked in pushing a cart of food closely followed by a young colt pegasus with another cart of food.

"Oh good Pound and Pumpkin, just put those carts over there, thank you." Twilight said, finding her composure from the recent events. Rarity was more or less back to normal as she walked down to join the table with the bearded princesses.

Pound and Pumpkin were unblinkingly gawking at the princesses as they gave mumbled back in unison, "Okay".

"Pssst Dawn, take this beard off me now!" Ordered Princess Celestia, whispering under the table. She was now ducking her head from the foals.

"You will do no such thing!" Princess Luna said loudly as she lifted the paper that was in front of Dawn only to destroy it in a dark blue flame.

Celestia's face was of unfiltered horror as she watched the last of the ashes of the counter scroll float to the ground. "Dawn, as your princess I order you to cast that counter spell now!" Princess Celestia's got up to her full height quickly with her wings in a fully erect state above her head making her an even more indomitable looking figure.

"Sure thing..." Dawn mumbled, lighting up her horn to cast the spell. She was in turn surrounded by a dark blue aura that lifted her up off the ground pulling her in front of the night goddess.

"Dawn, as your Princess I order you to not cast that spell!" Princess Luna took up the same posture as her sister. The professorial mares that were now below Dawn were quivering in fear from the sight of the princesses.

Hmmm, well this is funny. Dawn let out a delicate maniacal giggle as she thought of the possibilities. Luna's magical grip on Dawn almost faltered as she was caught of guard by the strange response. I can make this really interesting. "In there, is the spell to cast beards on to ponies." Dawn pointed her horn over to the stack of scrolls in a corner. Both princesses looked over to the pile. "But for now..." She lit up her horn focusing on the princesses. Both of their beards disappeared as Dawn teleported right beside Twilight.

The princesses looked confused as they turned to each other. They both noticed they were both beard free now. Celestia turned to thank Dawn as her sister started to dart to the pile of scrolls. Looks like a choose correctly... The sudden action startled the twins, who were now just on lookers. Celestia quickly turned to the direction her sister was running in and flared up her horn. The pile of scrolls burst into flames of red consuming nothing but the paper. Luna spun around in mid trot to find a triumphant looking Celestia grinning at her.

Twilight watched the whole scene in horror, to see her scrolls, her life's work, being reduced to ash by her very teacher, motherly figure, friend... "My spells..." she managed to whimper.

Seeing the wake of destruction the princesses wrought, Dawn decided to hide her tome in her 'bank', before turning around to see the two younglings that were agape at the display. "You should probably head back home." Dawn suggested to them quietly, smiling as they slowly nodded and backed out of the library. Dawn closed the door after them with her magic only to spot Pinkie busy hanging a banner labeled 'Beard party' over some bookshelves. This is great fun. I'm glad I came.

Princess Celestia, hearing and seeing her students dismay, walked over to Twilight to comfort her and offer her apologies. "I am so sorry Twilight were those really important?" She quickly had Twilight in a full embrace giving her the clearance to glare at Luna who was returning a mimicked image of Celestia's triumphant grin.

Dawn eyed the carts of food and started to levitate all the platters full of food off the cart and onto the table. Pinkie planted herself right next to Rarity who was enjoying her freshly shaven face, oblivious to the drama scene that had unfolded.

"I am starving." Dawn said, breaking the silence laced with Twilight's small whimpers.

"Twilight what were those scrolls I destroyed?" Princess Celestia asked, reluctantly, when she broke her embrace to look in Twilight in the eyes.

"My spells..."

"Do you have... copies?"

"Not of those..."

"Not true Twilight I already memorized those." Dawn blurted out, unthinkingly. Her mind was preoccupied with all the delicious food she was laying out on the table.

"Wha?...What do you mean?" Twilight eventually asked, battling the swelling lump in her throat.

"Hmmm? what?" ...What did I say again? Twilight looks real sad... That's right the scrolls. My bad. "Oh, I feel bad about having them get destroyed I'll rewrite them for you." Why not in a book? Would she prefer a book for those spells? "I would hate to see those spells just get destroyed again why don't I put them in a book for you? They are, by far, more book worthy than any of my spells." She said, nodding in accordance with her words. Especially number 25.

"Wait... you can write them all down?" Twilight asked disbelievingly.

"It's more of a curse than anything else but what ever I read it gets stuck in my head. That's why I write down my spells..."

"I thought you were Doctors Palmers prized student. He speaks quite highly of you." Professor Scrolls chimed in.

Dawn was now placing a large number of pastries of all kinds on a plate in front of her. "That's odd cause I only have sour memories of that contemptible, hapless fraud." Dawn said apathetically before she shoved food in mouth. Closed minded pony...

"Ahh yes I heard of your falling out. Sorry to bring it up. If it is any consolation he still speaks fondly of you." Professor Scrolls said with a kind smile.

"Wait you can write those spells down for me again?" Twilight asked in a broken record tone.

"And you can't?" Dawn replied, in between chewing her food and raising an eye brow. "I had a heavy hoof to play in their destruction so I'll write them in any format you choose as an apology." She swallowed the sweet pastry she was chewing. She then took another greedy bite from the food on her filled plate. "Just let me finish eating and I'll get started."

Twilight jumped over and hugged Dawn tightly from behind, nuzzling her neck. "Thank you." Twilight whispered into Dawn's mane.

Didn't see that coming... "Yep no problem." Dawn said through the wall of chewed pastries in her mouth.

"That's right you talked back to me, your princess! And you manipulated me!" Princess Luna said looking over Dawn with a face of disbelief.

"Don't forget assaulting royalty sister." Princess Celestia sat down next to her sister chuckling at the accusation. She smiled impishly, somepony else was taking the blame for her.

"Can't wait to put that on my resume." Dawn said after swallowing her food. "Bearded the princesses." She said, laughing, as she waved her hooves to frame the words.

The room filled with light laughter as the rest of the ponies in the room started to take notice of the food Dawn' had lain in front of them. "I am a bit hungry. Arguing with you mares is a physical feat on its own." Professor Scrolls said, looking over to his colleagues, gathering some food for himself.

Dawn was stuffed from eating too fast but her counterparts were just starting. "So Twilight, you want scrolls or in book form?" Dawn got up and stretched with practiced precision.

"Oh, no. You're right. I know every letter that were on those scrolls. I'll do it later. I wasn't thinking clearly earlier. Don't worry about it." Twilight said, waving a free hoof at Dawn.

Dawn rolled her eyes at the Twilight. "No please let me do this it won't take very long and as Princess Luna pointed out, I had a heavy hoof to play in their destruction. What would you like it in, scrolls or a Book?"

"I clearly missed something but if Dawn wants to punish herself I say let her do it." Rarity said, revenge laced her every syllable.

Twilight, ignoring Rarity, thought over the proposal. "Fine, you do have better calligraphy than me any ways. If you really want to, just scrolls will be fine. You can find paper in that cupboard." Twilight said, pointing a hoof next to the purple dragon who was silently asleep on a couch.

Dawn's horn lit up as she pulled out her quill and all her pots of ink from her 'bank'. She trotted over to the cupboard Twilight mentioned which was on the far side of the room. She spotted several quills along the way, which she picked up with her magic. She started to hum with her thoughts again as she pulled out a stack of paper from the cupboard and planted herself in between of the table and the sleeping dragon. She set down the three pots of ink around her and the stack of paper near the couch. The dropping of the paper woke up the dragon with a startled grunt.

"Oops sorry didn't mean to wake you." Dawn whispered to Spike.

"Uhh... it's alright" groaned the dragon. He sleepily studied the pink unicorn as she spread seven pieces of paper on the ground.

Dawn's horn glowed bright as she commanded all seven quills to write down the first seven spells. The quills danced in the pink aura as Dawn fell deep in her concentration.

Princess Luna was still watching Dawn with a good amount of interest as the pink mare controlled seven quills each moving uniquely. Dawn's tongue pushed against her teeth as she concentrated on the images of Twilight's scrolls, content aside. All the ponies at the table, save for Pinkie Pie, slowly followed the Night Princesses focused eye. They all watched the pink unicorn orchestrate the seven quills in a delicate dance across paper. Dawn sat quietly, horn aglow, as paper was processed through the seven glowing quills that scratched across piece after piece of paper tirelessly.

Dawn noticed the room had gone quiet but she didn't want to make a mistake so she paid it no attention.

"How is she doing that?"

"Doctor Palmer spoke of how she could do things like this..."

I need to block them out. Dawn closed her eyes tighter and concentrated on how the scrolls looked. The quills scratching grew faster. Almost done. I wonder if the Milky Way is showing brightly here. I do love that part of the night sky. All outside influences melted away as the brightest part of the night sky drifted through her mind. The scratching of the quills quickened as she finished off copying the last of Twilight's spells.

"There done!" Dawn celebrated, snapping back into the conscious world. The quills flew around the library to find their rightful place, the ink pots corked and ever-last quill cleaned floated into her 'bank'. She then levitated the forty-two pages of spells around her to inspect her work. Looks good to me. Wait, what is that... In the lines of runes and notes there were abnormalities... extra spaces or an elongated symbols. Constellations in the paragraphs, Lupus, Norma, Ara, Sagittarius, Scutum, Ophiuchus and of course Dawn's favorite Scorpius. "Ummm Twilight I made a mistake, kinda..." She levitated the offending pages over to Twilight while stacking the remainder.

Twilight inspected the pages carefully. "I don't see any mistake." Twilight said, surprised by Dawn's ability to do the job the way she did. Dawn made her way over to Twilight to show her.

"There." Luna said, pointing towards the large blocked segments of runes. "These pages have consolations of the night's sky."

"Yah my thoughts slipped into the pages, do you want me to redo these?" Dawn asked Twilight.

Twilight chuckled. "No that's alright, I didn't even notice at first. It's perfect the way they are." Twilight stacked the papers on the table and gave Dawn a one hoofed hug. "Thank you."

"Wasn't a problem."

"Why were you thinking of my night when you were so deep in meditation?" Princess Luna asked, tilting her head to inspect Dawn.

"Uhhh... I guess I find peace in the sky. It's kind of my job to honor the night sky so it's often on my mind." I wonder if she would like my spells.

"Your job is to honor my sky? There's jobs for that?" Luna turned to Celestia for an answer.

"Astronomers Luna..." Princess Celestia answered with a sigh.

"Those closed minded ponies do not honor my sky they study it and rather poorly I might add."

"Ahh, I can show yo..." Dawn was interrupted by the opening of the front door. Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash followed by some younger looking mares one of each type of pony.

"Aww Rarity! What happened to your beard?" The younger white unicorn asked.

"I knew she was lying..." The orange pegasus started to say.

"No she ain't lyin look she has a beard too." The yellow earth pony said, pointing a hoof over to Dawn.

As if from the attention the mares brought to it, the beard in question withered and faded away from Dawn's face. Dawn looked over to Pinkie where the same thing happened.

"Awww, Dawny can you make me a new one pretty please?!?" Pinkie was on top of Dawn's head suddenly, bending forward to make close upside down eye contract.

Dawn was right, this was not pleasant. "Perhaps later Pinkie." She mumbled through the strain of keeping herself from collapsing under Pinkie's weight.

"Okay dokay polokey." She said from across the table where she had just hopped to.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash were working the table filling their plates, getting disagreeable looks from the professorial mares. Luna had not taken her eyes off Dawn.

"Hey Dawn! Why don't you show us your stuff now?" Rainbow asked excitedly from across the table with food stuffed in her mouth. "I was promised a show and free food."

"Umm okay but not in here. You defiantly want the outside show." What spell to use... 'City Crasher' or the 'Striker'. "Hmmm."

"Sweet!" Rainbow flew outside to stop just outside the door, holding her plate full of food in a spare hoof. Her tail was whipping in excitement below her. "Where do you want us?"

"Where ever you can see the sky should be fine." Dawn answered in an indifferent tone. She got up, stretched, and closed her eyes to feel her magic flowing inside her. She gauged how much she could expend tonight. There just might be enough for 'The Battle'. Dawn moved outside with Rainbow.

Curiosity loomed through everypony's head provoking them to get up and move outside with them. Luna was especially curious. She took the liberty to disappear in black smoke and reappear outside. The entire group of ponies, Professors and Princesses alike, made it outside to the now empty street of Ponyville. It was a very pretty night dressed with a full moon and stars to match its brilliance. Dawn walked out in front of the group and assumed a position. Her front end was lowered as her forelegs spread apart.

Dawn closed her eyes and focused on the remainder of her magic. She needed every bit she could spare. She started to build up magic in her horn, weaving it into the spell. Her horn was soon glowing with a blinding and massive pink aura. Her magic aura continued to grow and grow in brightness and intensity as it started to envelop her body. The surrounding ponies could sense the sheer power being drawn. They started to back peddle away from the pink unicorn out of instinct. Building still, her coat started to burn from the intensity of the magic that had enveloped her. Dawn felt her horn threaten to crack open and let out everything she had built up in it. It all felt so familiar to Dawn. She loved every bit of it.

Finally a large orb was produced from the tip of her horn. Very similar to the one she demonstrated the previous night except roughly the size of a large stallion if not larger. The orb accelerated to the sky, starting from a snails pace to speeds that would make any pegasus envious. The orb disappeared into the night sky. Dawn collapsed to the ground. Spent. Through labored efforts she rolled on to her back so she could watch her handy work.

"That's it?" The orange pegasus asked the surrounding ponies, whose eyes were on the sky. Everypony else knew something was going to happen. Something that would take up the entire sky as promised.

And then it did. The entire sky glowed red, then yellow, then finally green, ending in black as the very moon and stars in the sky dimmed to a faint, barely visible, dull shine. Even the spare light or two on the ground in Ponyville dimmed all in accordance to Dawn's spell in the sky. The sky soon exploded with an expanding ring of pure energy. In the wake of this ring was left an aurora borealis that consisted of a near unimaginable amount of different colors. The colors flourished with each other at random until the next set explosions came. A series of explosions pushed the aurora borealis into figures of ponies of old. These figures started to reenact a classic scene of history using the dimmed starry sky as a backdrop. Each clash of the characters, wings or swords, warranted an explosion of energy that further pushed the story along. Each explosion, each flash of light, each movement of the figures in the sky earned an 'Ooooo' or an 'Ahhhh' from the audience outside the library. The shock waves of the many explosions gave a tactile feel to the battle raging above allowing each pony to feel the emotional power of the battle up above. Dawn always enjoyed the shocked silence the most when an unexpected or large explosion went off.

Dawn looked over to her audience. Everypony was sitting on their quarters, gaping at the sky. Everypony except Princess Luna who was staring at Dawn, studying her. She watched Dawn with more interest than the other ponies had in the sky. She did occasionally glance up at the sky when a large shockwave was felt and when she did she would give a serene smile at the magic above, which made Dawn profoundly happy. In the end, Luna would always return her gaze back to the pink unicorn.

Content with the audiences' reaction to her show and succumbing to magic fatigue, Dawn felt her eye lids drape over her eyes. I think I'll take a nap. This show has about 5 minutes to go, plenty of time.

"She dead?"

No, I am not dead. Don't mine me just watch the show.

"Naw, she just gone up and used too much magic."

"The very fact that she could summon that much magic kind of frightens me."

Yes, yes. Heard it before, leave me be.

"As it should Twilight, she is no normal unicorn. No normal unicorn could summon so much magical energy alone and at once."

"Twilight can..."

"I can?"

"I said normal unicorn Celly, Twilight is not normal."

"I...I'm not?"

Leave me alone everypony just watch the show.

"Hun, wake up now you can't sleep here." Applejack said, gently, shaking the pink unicorn. Dawn groaned as she cracked open her eyes. The group of ponies that were watching her show surrounded her, all looking at her with concerned eyes.

Dawn rolled over so she can stand up proper. Her body, like always, screamed in protest and for the rare occasion her mind agreed, making her dizzy enough to fall back down.

"You should probably not get up right away." Twilight said, giving her a glass of water.

Dawn's horn lit up lifting the glass above her head dumping it. Just what I needed. "Thanks." The water did wonders in clearing her mind freeing Dawn to push herself against the unforgiving gravity of the earth. Ha, take that gravity. Dawn stretched her back and forelegs out of spite for the protesting muscles. "Hmm there's still food inside." She mumbled. The shocked crowd parted for the pink mare as they followed her in the library.

"Ya sure you're alright surgarcube? You were out cold just a sec ago." Applejack asked.

"Yes darling you should be laying down some where. Magic fatigue is nothing to laugh at. Twilight has been through that many times." Rarity chimed in, seemingly all grudges aside.

Dawn's horn lit up grabbing her used plate and loading it with more food. "I got plenty of reserves relax." Dawn lied. She could barely use her telekinesis.

"The very fact that you are casting any magic at all is a nothing short of a miracle." Said one of the professorial mares.

"My parents typically are right next to me after a show shoving some of their awful home cooked food down my throat. It's nice to have good food for once. I'll be good once I get some more food in my stomach." Dawn said sitting, down looking around at the pairs of worried eyes directed at her. She spotted the ones she wanted. "By the way Princess Celestia one Ever Watch and Sturdy Shield wanted me say 'Hi' to you. They have fond memories of working under you or something." She said, trying to distract the eyes off her through waving a nonchalant hoof in the air. She picked up some food off her plate to only stuff it in her greedy mouth. Feels like I just ate... She swallowed and she could feel she did in fact have a full stomach. How convenient. Thank you past me for thinking ahead..

Dawn watched her parent's names get processed through Princess Celestia's head. Small hints of emotions drifted across her face as she recalled the memories. "They were really good to me, how are they doing? These are your parents?" She asked leaning in to hear the answer. The sound of social banter started to fill the room as the Professors and the six ponies from the night before started to talk in a groups.

"Yep." Dawn answered with a mouthful that she was babying. "They are as happy as can be as far as I can tell."

Princess Luna studied the pink unicorn with dedicated eyes. Something was a miss. "Are you not qualified to tell such things about your family?" Luna asked as she was sat to Dawn's right.

"My parents like to hide things like their emotions and personal conflicts from my brother and me." Dawn answered, swallowing a mouthful gently.

"They likely just want to protect you my little pony." Princess Celestia said as she sat on Dawn's left.

"And I respect that about them, doesn't change the fact of the matter that I, their daughter, am in fact not qualified to judge their emotional state." Dawn said matter-of-factly.

"You have an interesting cutie mark Dawn. What were you doing when you got it?" Princess Luna asked, studying Dawn's face. "I don't think your sky show is your special talent is it?" She added, giving a knowing smile.

Why am I being interviewed? "Heh, no it's not. At least I don't think it is, just good money. I was asleep when I got this stupid thing." Dawn said, looking down at her cutie mark. The two princesses were quiet as they looked at each other.

"What do you think your mark is?" Princess Celestia asked after giving her words some thought.

Dawn glanced down at the stupid dark circle on her flank. "Hmmm, I think it is a solar eclipse on my flank." She said bluntly. What does it matter what it is...

"Oh, no..." Princess Celestia wore a diplomatic mask in search for words. "That's not quite what I meant..."

Dawn could feel her magic returning to her in waves. Each one beating through her with each heart beat. She looked around the room with a brand new clarity. I really did use too much magic this time... The room was evolving into full blown party mode, music had started playing and Pinkie was dancing with a previously unseen ferocity.

Twilight had broken off from her conversation with Rarity and Applejack to walk over to join Dawn and the princesses. "Feeling better?" She asked Dawn.

"Yep, I'm good now." Dawn glanced over to the still hanging banner in the library. Beard Party... fair enough. Dawn's horn lit up as she cast a beard on herself then she spotted Pinkie. As she stroked her beard with an appraising hoof, she cast another beard on the other pink pony.

"Oh yah! BEARDS FOR EVERYPONY!" Pinkie declared.

Rarity, in response to this, jumped behind the couch expecting a barrage of beard laced spells to be flung at her. None came.

"Wait... no Pinkie. Just upon request." corrected Twilight as she approached the now shivering couch.

Rarity poked her head out from behind to see if it truly was all clear. "Ahhh... yes thank you Twilight."

What fun is in that? I bet I can recreate that beard explosion.

"Well then, I request a beard. This is a 'Beard Party' after all and one for my sister as well." Princess Luna formally requested. With a quick flare of Sir Castsalot the night princess was sporting another ethereal beard of the starry sky. She turned around to give one to the sun princess only to be met with her gold plated hoof.

"I think I will pass. Thank you for the generous offer sister." She said, meeting Dawn's eyes with a look of which she was not likely to disobey.

"Suit yourself princess." Dawn's horn was now aimed at Twilight who was on looking at the party completely unaware to Dawn's intentions. A beard sprouted on Twilight just as thick and luscious as before.

Before Twilight could react three younger mares ran up to the pink unicorn. "Do me! Do me!" They all cheered in sync. Dawn charged her horn directing her magic at the three young mares. Beards sprouted for each one. "Sweet! Thank you."

Hmm dizzy again. Damn used too much magic I really should stop doing that. "I really do like your magic Twilight. It is so efficient and streamline." Dawn said, lying down on the cushion that she was sitting on. She looked drained. Her head ended up resting on her forelegs.

"Ooohh poor thing, tsk tsk tsk." Princess Luna said as her metal hoof stroked Dawn's withers. "She used too much magic again"

"It would appear so." Princess Celestia said, looking as if she was still deep in thought.

"Serves you right you really should stop casting spells for awhile." Twilight said, taking a seat in front of Dawn turning to Celestia. "You said I can cast that much magic..." Twilight started to say.

"Yes I did. I have not felt that much magic cast from a single unicorn since the day you got your cutie mark." Princess Celestia answered Twilight's unasked question.

"Yes but sister... Was that not due to her connection with the elements? Why is Dawn capable of such magic and better yet why has she not been screened?" Luna asked. "You should have been informed of Dawn long ago."

Dawn once again could feel magic webbing itself back into her body. It felt like being at the beach and sitting in the tide pools just before high tide. The cool refreshing waves of the ocean filling the pools you sat in until you were swept away completely.

"Ponies slip through the system all the time Luna." Princess Celestia said indifferently.

"I find that hard to believe..."

"Dawn, where did you grow up?" Princess Celestia asked, cutting off her sister.

"Wingopolis's Shadow." Dawn mumbled.

"See sister? Wingopolis's area is a predominately earth pony and pegasus region. Screening is likely very light there." Princess Celestia said, pushing the conclusion on Princess Luna.

Slowly but surely, her limbs felt life flow through them again as she sat back up. Her head had cleared but her eyes were still adjusting. She was surrounded by the two princesses and Twilight. I need some fresh air. Dawn looked over to the front door which was wide open letting in a faint draft. Not good enough.

"Are you alright?" Twilight asked as she watched a less than balanced pink unicorn stand up.

"More or less" Dawn said, puffing out her chest and hitting it with her hoof weakly like the pegasi do. "I think I just need some fresh air."

Twilight got the hint and moved out of the way for her. Dawn made it over to the door and took in a deep breath. She then stepped out into the brisk spring night air. Much better. She walked over to the side of the tree and sat down on her quarters. The night was truly a sight to take in. The milky way was in full force above her. She closed her eyes, feeling wave after wave of magic return to her body. Each one more potent than the last. I wonder what my parents are doing right now. Her parents were probably trying to fix this elaborate dinner they had no business making while her brother was attempting to escape said dinner.

"Homesick?" The night princess asked Dawn as she walked out of a thick shadow in the corner of the tree's trunk. I wonder how long she's been there. "Forgive me, I did not mean to intrude. This millennia's mannerisms still elude me on occasion."

"I don't mind, and no, I'm just grateful I don't have to eat my father's cooking." Dawn said with a longing smile, betraying her feelings. Princess Luna stood there looking down at Dawn with a half amused, half confused look. "Sorry... I've been getting socially awkward in my old age... would you like to join me Princess Luna? "

"Oh, I would love to. Thank you." Princess Luna fell on her quarters at Dawn's side. She looked down at Dawn as if inspecting for ware and tare. She found none. "My sister and I were very impressed by your ummm..." She searched for the words for Dawn's sky show. "Sky performance?" She finally asked turning her head to meet Dawn's face.

"Sounds good to me..." she said thoughtfully as she returned Princess Luna's gaze. "You saw one of my more unique spells err... performances. I have other spells meant for the sky that are just fancy explosions. I've been calling those fireworks. You know... like the dragons do?"

"Ah." Luna turned to her sky, chewing her lower lip in thought. Her gaze was as eternal as she was.

Dawn looked up to the sky and saw the Milky Way in all it's glory. Ponyville was surprising free of light pollution. I guess the town does shut down at sunset... She took in a deep breath of the night air and once again felt large waves of refreshing magic return to her. She returned her look at the princess responsible for the night. She was still chewing her lip up at the sky. She has not been what I expected.

"Like I was saying, you have impressed my sister and me. So I thought I would ask you." Luna was looking Dawn in the eyes now. She was still deep in thought as she wanted to choose her next words very carefully. "I have been looking for a student... like the one my sister has... had."

Dawn was confused at where this would be going. "I see... well Twilight is pretty unique..."

"Hmmm?" Princess Luna looked down at Dawn in a slight confusion. Maybe I wasn't to respond. Isn't this a conversation? I'll just sit still and be quiet. Always a good fallback plan. "Yes, Twilight Sparkle is a very unique unicorn. And I will never find a student like her..." Princess Luna was chewing her lip again. "But you are unique as well..." Is that a complement? "What I mean to say is... Would you like to become 'My' personal student? I feel we can gain a lot from each other. I can teach you magic the world has not seen for a thousand years..." Princess Luna sputtered out as she finished.

Huh...

"If you so choose to accept, I would have you stay in Canterlot castle with me. You would be given nearly free roam of the castle and anything else you might require. I do not sleep often so we would have plenty of time for study and so on..." Princess Luna's voice was quivering with either excitement or nervousness.

Whoa... me live in a castle? 'The' Castle? That would be neat... I would be pretty far from home. I would learn a lot. She is many millennia old, I am sure she would find no shortage of stuff to teach me. And it never hurt to have a demigoddess as a teacher. Oops she is looking at me... what do I say? "Umm..."

Princess Luna's ears drooped in disappointment but then rebounded quickly as she said, "I would not have your answer now... No! I want you to think about it. This is a life decision and you should think it over!" Luna grinned at Dawn, genuine excitement was dripping from her mouth.

"Oh, good lots of variables to consider and what not." Is there? Maybe... ."No..." Perhaps... "Yes! I will think about it."

Princess Luna went through a cacophony of faces as she watched the pink unicorn come to her almost answer. "Ahh. Uhh... good then." Luna said, unsure of what else to say.

Luna gave a quick survey of her surroundings only to find two mares, a white unicorn and a grey earth pony. They were in a slight daze looking over their way. Dawn followed the Princesses eyes leading over to the mares. "Hey Octavia, Vinyl." Dawn greeted, cheerily, before lethargically drudging up to a standing position. Her body still didn't want to move anywhere.

Pinkie appeared behind the couple and embraced them both in a surprise bear hug breaking them of their trance that was brought on by a bearded unicorn. "I'm SO glad you made it!" Pinkie said as she rubbed her beard against the two mares. She then quickly ushered them into the library meeting only with passive resistance from the two mares.

"Miss Dawn, I would appreciate it if you did not say anything to the ponies in this tree about what I have purposed to you. Especially my sister..." Princess Luna said with formality.

"Sure not a problem, Princess Lu..." She answered as Princess Luna dissolved into the shadow that she came out of. I wonder if she could teach me that.

Dawn gave a final run through of stretches before making her way back inside the mutilated tree.

"Feeling better?" Twilight asked Dawn from across the table.

"Much." Dawn cheered. Princess Luna was sitting where Dawn had left her prior to their discussion. Princess Celestia gave concerned face with Twilight's question and Dawn's answer.

The party was in full swing, the professors were spread among the other ponies. Professor Scrolls was talking with three young bearded mares. Octavia and Vinyl were sitting on the couch looking around the room paying special attention to the banner hanging on the far side of the room. They 'need' beards... Dawn just could not help herself on this one. Dawn's horn lit up with the spell. The spell was cast across the room hitting the two music ponies in the face.

"You really need to stop using your magic. Just for a little while." Twilight said, giving an almost motherly glare of disapproval.

She is right. I should stop for the rest of the night. "Don't be silly Twilight I got plenty of magic left." She said with her pegasus pride. The princesses and Twilight rolled their eyes at the empty gesture.

She walked over and sat next to her most recent victims. "It wears off in about two hours" She assured them.

"Oh, good..." Octavia said with mild relief still examining her long side burns accompanied by a thick mustache with a hoof. Vinyl was largely indifferent about hers for as far as Dawn could tell. She was wearing the same large purple sunglasses she had on the train.

Dawn leaned lazily into the couch letting the waves of magic fill her body. She closed her eyes letting her mind wonder briefly.

"Miss Dawn, I have to say it was a true pleasure meeting you." Professor Scrolls was standing in front of Dawn giving a small bow. "I'm sorry to say but I need to get back home now, last train to Canterlot leaves soon."

"I enjoyed talking to you too. Next time I find myself in the capital, I will look you up." She said, beaming a smile.

The old stallion laughed. "You do that dear and I will treat you to lunch. Good-bye for now." The three mares that had accompanied him waited in the door way. After waving good bye to the party the four professors disappeared into the night.

Dawn's body had cramped up into a mess due to her magic fatigue. To say she was tired would be an understatement. Despite this, she spent the majority of her time at the party talking to Twilight about pretty much every subject under the sky.

The party went on for awhile with games of pin the tail on the pony and dancing. One by one, ponies left the party. It was only when the dance floor consisted of one orange and one blue pegasus with a pink earth pony, that Dawn figured she was done. She bid a fair well to Twilight, the princesses and the remaining partiers. She vaguely remembered falling in her bed after setting a sacrificial alarm clock to wake her up at seven in the morning, just in time for the train ride home.

Comments

[SpookyScarySkellingtons]

Beard Party

denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw4040-tumblr_liglinp2u11qbugdjo1_500-1.png

[NightmareKnight]

1567740That made my day. I'm gonna show that to my friends tomorrow.