> Of Fallen Stars & Ascension
>  by Hop3l3ssRomantic
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Fallen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The banging of Luna’s hooves upon Celestia’s bedroom door wakes Celestial from a deep sleep. After a few more knocks, and sensing Celestia leave the world of dreams, Luna burst in, turning on Celestia's light with her magic.
“Gah! Luna, what is it? I was having such a good dream…” Celestia complains, rolling over and covering her head with her blanket. Luna grabs the blanket in her magic and rips it away from her older sister.
“Luna, it is not nearly time for me to raise the sun, let me sleep!” Celestia exclaims, starting raise her voice. Luna stomps her hoof on the ground in frustration.
“Sister, this is no time to be stubborn. A start has fallen,” Luna says, leaning forward with excitement and anxiousness. 
“Stars fall all the time Luna! You should know, you're the one who brings them forth every night.” Celestia says, rolling back over and facing Luna with a scowl. 
“Has your time away from the heavens made you forget dear Sister?” Luna replies, lifting her muzzle. “This is no ordinary star, and this next century may very well be your last among your little ponies,” She continues, leaning down with a step forward. Celestia sits up at that, her eyes widening.
“Already?” Celestia asks, for she had known this day would come, but had no idea it would come so soon. 
“It may very well be, neigh, I'm sure it is.” Luna finishes, kneeling to the ground in front of the only family she'd ever had in this land. “I'm sorry sister, I merely thought you ought to know as soon as possible.” Luna adds, nuzzling Celestia. They sit there until almost dawn, mourning the loss to come.
Finally, Celestia stands, her muzzle crusted in tears she hadn't realized had fallen. She solemnly raises the sun.
1
“Which one is it?” Celestia asks, turning to Luna. Luna herself stands, almost as tall as Celestia now, and looks at her older sister with a mixture of sorrow and hope.
“Daybreak. Do you wish for the coordinates of her landing?” Luna replies, wondering how her sister will handle this development. Celestia nods, and a paper teleports in front of her at the prompting of Luna's magic.
☀
I am a star, I shine, it's what I do. So why am I falling very, very fast? The ground is coming at me very quickly and frankly I am NOT ready for this. 
“AAAAAAAAUGH!!” I scream reaching my hooves out in front of me. When did I get hooves? I don't have hooves, or I didn't have hooves, but then again I didn't fall before. I flail about, trying to learn what else is new when I feel something stretch on my back. WINGS! Perfect now I can just fly down, wait...How do I use these?
‘I'm doomed’ I think to myself still screaming, and still falling. The ground is even closer than before. I swallow and reside myself to my doom.
Suddenly a something, or someone grabs my arms -legs?- and keeps me from falling any further. I let out a deep breath and let them carry me slowly to the ground. 
As we get closer I notice that I'm being carried to a clearing, a very large clearing, with -oh what were those called again, I stopped paying attention decades ago. I also notice that there's five, uhm….hmmm…oh yeah! Ponies, that's what the others called them. Heheheh. 
“Uh Twilight, this filly is not normal,” the (I presume) pony carrying me says, as they set me down. All the ponies gather around me, and I stare at them wide eyed, they stare back. 
Three of the ponies had wings, two had horns, and two had neither. One pony, whose eyes were the widest, had both. A golden lock of hair falls in front of my eye. I scream in delight. 
“Hair? I have hair, it's golden! Ooh I always loved gold! EEE!” I sqeal, clapping my hooves together. Hooves. 
“Yes, you do have hair, um...Twilight, ponies don't normally freak out over their hair merely existing.” The white one says, patting her own, purple mane. 
What were the different ponies called again? Ugh it's been soooo long since I've actually paid attention to this world. 
“I know Rarity, but honestly I think the fact that she’s an ALICORN is stranger,” Replies the only one with both wings and a horn. I tilt my head.
“Alicorn?” I question, trying to remember what one that was. 
“Yeppy doodle noodle!” The pink one says, bouncing over and pulling out a mirror? From her mane? She holds it in front of me and pulls apart my mane some. “See! See! See! You have a horn,” She says, pointing out my horn. I let my mouth fall open slightly as she turns me and lifts up one of my wings. “And you have wingsies too! That makes you an Alicorn!! Which is super duper uber rare! So rare that every alicorn is royalty!” She says, and I blink at my reflection. Royalty?
I twist and turn in the mirror, trying to see if my silver coat sparkled any. To my disappointment it didn't. I was just a pony, with a silver coat, a gold mane, and somehow both wings and a horn. Just like the purple one. I gasp and run up to her.
“You're an alicorn too!” I exclaim, looking up at her with wide eyes. With any luck I might find out why I fell to this place of mortals. 
“I am. I'm Twilight Sparkle, the princess of Friendship, and who might you be?” She asks, lowering her muzzle so her eyes are level with mine. Who am I? Easy, all stars are named, even if the silly ponies decide to rename us without even asking.
“Her name is Daybreak, and she is a very important little pony.” A majestic voice sounds from behind, and I turn to look. WOW. Before me stands a beautiful white alicorn with a mane of pastels that...move on their own? 
Twilight trots up to the alicorn and hugs her. “Princess Celestia! What are you doing here?” She asks, taking a few steps back. Princess Celestia, as I guess she's called looks at me.
“I'm here because something very important has happened,” Princess Celestia says, walking over to me. I fall on my rump and stare up at her. “Daybreak, do you know why you fell?” She asks, and I nod.
“Well obviously I was pushed. Someone thought they could outshine me and decided to just push me while I napped through the day.” I reply, standing up and holding my muzzle high. Princess Celestia giggles and I frown. “This is no laughing matter, it happens quite often and we never do see the ones who fall again. It's quite tragic.” I say, but she laughs some more. 
“No little one, you were not pushed. It was merely your time to fall.” She says, wrapping her hoof around me and pulling me close. I frown and jump out of her grasp. 
“Stars don't just fall out of nowhere! We either get pushed, or become so dim that we can not hold our spot any longer, and we burn up in a brilliant display on our way down. I shone for millions of years, and I was still shining bright. I mean sure I'd had brighter nights, but it absolutely was NOT MY TIME!” I yell with a huff, stomping my hoof on the ground. 
“Hold up! You're saying you, a little alicorn filly, were a star?” One of the winged ones say, flying up to me and getting in my face. “No way, nopony is that awesome.” She says, crossing her front legs.
“Rainbow Dash, don't be rude.” The white one from before says, I think Twilight called her Rarity? 
“I think it's just super duper that she's a star! Or was a star? I've never met a star before but I'm sure we'll be very very very good friends!” The pink one says, squeezing me in a tight hug. 
I manage to push her off of me with some effort. “Gah! You ponies have no respect! I am older than your homes! And you're - you're treating me like a baby!” I yell, flapping my wings angrily. 
“Well you are a teansy little filly, silly!” The pink one says, holding her hooves close together. I sit down and cross my legs with a huff.  
“Celestia, what is this all about?” Twilight asks, approaching me and sitting down as well. 
“Very well Twilight, perhaps I should give you a bit of background knowledge first.” She says, and everypony gathers around to hear.
☀ ✴ 
Once, a very long time ago, there was a newly founded kingdom. In this kingdom were three tribes of ponies. There were the Unicorns, the Pegasi, and the Earth Ponies. These three tribes of ponies had just learned to live together peacefully. Yet all was not yet equal, for peace does not happen immediately. 
The pegasi still ruled over the weather, but had no knowledge of climates. Without that knowledge, or the knowledge of plants - which was held by the Earth Ponies - the Pegasi soon found they could not keep balance. 
The Unicorn ponies still ruled over night and day, yet they had no knowledge of the intricacies of the year, nor how day and night need to blend perfectly with the weather to maintain balance.
And so, without the balance of night and day, hot and cold, and everything in between, the Earth Ponies soon found their crops failing.
In order to prevent the Windigos from returning, the ponies held a meeting. They decided that in order for everypony to be equal and safe they would need a pony that had knowledge of this world far beyond their own, a pony that each tribe could trust as if she were one of their own.
So the ponies decided upon a unicorn to lead a team of researchers, in search of a way to find such a pony. After many, many tries the research ponies came up with a spell that would allow them to communicate with the heavens. They had hoped to ask the stars if they knew of such a pony that they sought.
The stars said they knew not of a pony such as the one they sought, for the stars had been watching Equestrian for many, many years and had never seen such a creature. The lives of creatures born upon this world are just too short to learn that much. 
There was one solution, though, that the stars could offer. The stars would send down one of their own, and bestow upon them the unique abilities of all three pony tribes. This star would have knowledge of the world beyond that of any pony born to this land. She would also appear immortal, for she would not be truly of the land and therefore would be an exception to the rules of most mortals. She would, however, not stay there forever. 
Even stars have a time when they must depart, and the stars promised a successor to fall one-hundred sunrises prior to the originals departure. 
With a deal struck, and a solution discovered, the ponies rejoiced. They waited for the stars to make their decision of who to send down. After three days, and on the third night, a star fell. Everypony followed the star, and the pegasi caught her. In their arms they held a white filly, with the wings of a Pegasus, the horn of a Unicorn, and the strength of an Earth Pony.
The filly trained for her role for ten years. All three tribes looked to her for advice and knowledge, and she gained the trust of everypony around her. The Earth Ponies soon gave her their loyalty, trusting he with the delving of land. The Pegasi turned to her for the weather, and trusted her with the climate and seasons. The Unicorns, with much love and admiration for the alicorn, handed over the control over day and night. 
With the trust of all the ponies the Alicorn soon became the leader of the country, and was deemed princess. 
☀ ✴ 
Celestia opens her eyes and looks at everypony, a smile gracing her face. “That first Alicorn was me, and now that Daybreak has fallen, she will soon carry the responsibility that has fallen upon my own shoulders for millennia.” She says, with a finality that could only be the truth.
“I refuse to accept this!” Twilight and I yell at the same time. We look at each other and then back to Celestia.
“You're Celestia, you've ruled for thousands upon thousands of years, you can't just leave!” Twilight exclaims, waving her hooves about. 
“There is a time when everypony must depart from this world Twilight. Mine is nearly here, you're going to have to deal with that.” Celestia replies, scolding Twilight for her outburst. “What about you Daybreak, what is it you can't accept?” She says, turning to me. I stand up and hold myself with pride. 
“I am a star, I belong in the heavens. I wish to be sent home, get some other star to replace you if need be, but I do not want the job. I want to shine with our kin,” I reply and point a hoof towards the sky, “I want to shine brightly and look upon this boring world from above.” 
Celestia sighs and kneels in front of me, looking at me eye to eye. “Unfortunately that is not possible. While I do not wish to force an unwanted future upon anypony, there is no known way to send you home. You have fallen, and that is something nopony can change.” She replies, her voice taking on a regretful tone. 
“So I'm stuck here? I'm really truly stuck here?” I ask, my eyes watering. “For hundreds of thousands of years…” I add with a whimper. I lay my head in my hooves and start to cry. 

> Choices
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

    “Daybreak!” Celestia scolds, pacing in front of me as I ignore her every word. “I know you don't like this situation but you have to do something. My power is going to transfer to you when I ascend regardless of either of our feelings on the matter.” She continues, trying yet another approach at reasoning with me. I blink, but continue to sit stoically on the floor of her study (She teleported us here when I finished crying). 
Celestia sits down with her own huff, and watches me carefully. I stare at nothing so that even if her eyes were the only thing within my vision I still would not be looking directly at them. She let's out a sigh and floats a bowl of oats in front of me using her magic. The smell wafts up to my nose, and I twitch a little whilst attempting not to interact with it at all. 
Somepony bursts through the door behind me, and Celestia looks up at them with a slight smile and tired eyes. With her attention diverted, I risk a sniff of the oats. 
“Luna, I'm glad you're here! Why don't you try talking to her, you have such a way with children.” Celestia says, walking out of my vision. ‘Such a way with children? I am no child! I may be in the body of a filly, and just as new to life on the ground, but I am no child!’ I think to myself, feeling my anger boil to the surface.
“Celestia you know as well as I that treating her as a filly will not help, even if we are elders to her - even by star standards.” A calm, soothing voice replies and I try not to look to see who this Luna is. I know that the last part of her reply was meant towards me, but I let it go.  
I hear some footsteps and the door closes. “She's gone, thou can drop the act now,” The sweeter, more soothing voice says. This ‘Luna’ soon steps into my vision. She's more magnificent than the other one. Her mane had images of stars in her mane and was a beautiful shade of blue. My jaw drops despite my best efforts. 
She chuckles and covers her mouth with her hoof for a few seconds, before sitting down in front of me. “Though is confused on how to proceed, correct?” She asks, and I tilt my head in slight confusion. She sighs, “Even the stars have left the olden tongue behind, very well then.” She appears sad for a moment before refocusing on me. “You are confused, are you not?” She clarifies.
“I am. I do not wish to reside here, yet I have no choice. I know not the first thing about this world, yet I am expected to learn to rule it.” I nudge the bowl of oats with my hoof, lowering my head. “I'm sure that there is another who would be more than grateful for the position, but…” I stop and let out a sigh. I look up at her, and she smiles reassuringly. “I didn't ask for this.” I finish, laying my head in my paws. 
“It can be a lot to take in all at once, but you don't have to rule. Nopony would force you to take up a role you did not wish for.” She replies, nudging the bowl back towards me with her magic. 
“Why don't you just explore the world some, learn what it's like to live with the ground beneath your hooves and the wind beneath your wings. Have fun, make some friends, learn how to live this new life you were given. Then, if your discoveries lead you back to ruling, you can take the throne and rule in my sister’s stead.” Luna suggests thoughtfully. I wonder if that would be possible? Enjoying this world, this life?   
“I'll leave you to mull it over, if you decide that you want to socialize, though, I would suggest talking to Pinky Pie. She's sure to have something enjoyable planned.” She says, standing to leave. I turn and watch as she walks out, before looking at the oats and finally taking a delicious bite. Maybe I will learn to enjoy this world. 
☀✴
-5  minutes after Celestia’s departure-
-Castle Library-
“Twilight please calm down,” Celestia says as Twilight paces, pulling book after book from the shelves. 
“Calm down, how can I calm down this is amazing! No, it's horrible, you can't leave you just can't! Then again the possibilities the knowledge, and that poor filly she must miss her home so badly.” Twilight rambles, unable to catch her thoughts. 
“Enough Twilight, get a hold of yourself.” Celestia says, stopping Twilight's pacing and activities with her own magic. “I want you to search for a way to send her home. If she does not wish to stay here then she should not have to. Equestria will be fine with three princesses. Meanwhile I will train her to handle the magic she possesses, should she decide to remain here.” Celestia says, releasing her magic. Twilight nods frantically before taking off to search for the books her research requires. Celestia sighs and closes her eyes, searching her mind for a vision of what might be. Having little luck, she heads off to do her daily duties, hoping that Luna had some success with Daybreak.
> Fillies for friends? 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Second Sunrise
-Getting To Know-

I approach the door to the castle's dining room with caution. I can hear the voices of the ponies from before chattering and laughing. The smell wafting out of the droom is drool-inducing. I wipe my muzzle and push open the door with my head. Everypony stops and turns to me. 
With as much caution as my hungry self could muster, I approach the table. The pink one, Pinky Pie I'm guessing, comes up to me with a comically large smile. 
“Hey there Daybreak! My names Pinky Pie and I'm so glad that you decided to join us! Are you hungry? Are you? Are you?” She says, getting very much in my face, and tilting her head with each sentance. I back up to get her out of my face. 
“Oh please stop Pinky, your scaring her…” A soft voice intervenes, and a pretty yellow Pegasus steps up in front of me. 
“Oh no! I didn't mean to scare her Fluttershy, I just wanted to say hi.” Pinky says, before stretching her head off to the left of Fluttershy. How in the world? “I'm super duper sorry to have scared you Daybreak.” She says. 
Fluttershy turns around to look at me with the kindest eyes I've ever seen, not that I've seen many up close, though. “See, no harm done.” Fluttershy says, with a smile. “Do you want something to eat?” She asks, and I nod.
“The food smells amazing.” I say, trying not to drool. Everypony laughs at that. I jump up on an empty chair and look at the assortment of foods.
“What would you like?” Twilight asks. I point at a few of the dishes that looked more appetizing than others, and she floated some over to my plate using her magic. I take a tentative bite of each. Most of them are pretty good, though, I never thought I'd end up eating flowers. 
“We should probably all introduce ourselves,” Twilight says with a smile, “you already know me, Pinky Pie, and the one who saved you was Fluttershy.” She continues, pointing them out in turn. I nod, and turn my eyes to the white unicorn.
“Oh where are my manners. My name is Rarity, and I am an expert in all things fabulous. Might I say your coat and mane are both quite extraordinary, quite befitting for a princess.” She says, raising her head with pride. 
“Uh...thank you?” I reply, blinking at her. She just keeps smiling at me, so I turn to the earth pony.
“Howdy, my name is Apple Jack, an’ ah run an apple farm down in Ponyville. Pleasure ta meet you.” She says, and I give her a tenetive smile.
“Uh...you too…” I reply, trying to wrap my head around her accent. I turn to the last pony, a blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane.
She leans back in her chair and looks at me with a concieted look. “I'm Rainbow Dash. Head of ponyville’s weather team, element of loyalty, soon to be wonderbolt, and most awesome pony you'll ever meet.” She says, putting her hooves behind her head and smirking. 
“Ok then miss superiority...is that all?” I ask, turning back to Twilight. Everypony looks at Rainbow Dash and some were even laughing. She fly's up into the air, her face portraying anger and frustration.
“Miss Superiority? Is that an insult little filly?” She asks, her voice filled with anger.
“Just making observations, I'm pretty good at it, since I've been observing for thousands of years.” I reply, narrowing my eyes. “Though maybe egotisist or pompous would fit better.” I add, taking a bite of my food disinterestedly. She let's out a gasp.
“Why you!” She exclaims flying up into my face, “I have half the mind to take you on right here!” She says, waving her hoof in the air. 
“Rainbow Dash, you knock it off! She's just a filly.” Fluttershy intervenes, flying up in front of Rainbow and putting her hooves on her hips. 
“You wouldn't hurt a little filly, would you?” I ask, giving my best innocent face. Rainbow fly's back to her set with a huff.
“And you,” Fluttershy says, turning to look at me disapprovingly, “you shouldn't antagonize her, its not nice.” She finishes, her eyes holding disappointment. I frown. 
“But,” I start, and her eyes narrow.
“No buts, both of you apologize.” She says. Rainbow and I glare at each other. “Now.”
“Sorry Daybreak,” Rainbow says with a sigh. I apologize in return.

☀✴
-3 hours later-
-Sugar Cube Corner, Ponyville-

I look around at all the decorations, and food, and a lot of ponies. I turn around and look at Pinky.
“Do you like it?” She asks, tilting her head. “I thought that since you were new to Equestria that you didn't have any friends, and the thought of a pony without friends - especially a cute little silly filly like you - made me sad. So I decided to throw you a welcome to Equestria party!” She says,bouncing around and being over all very hyperactive in her gestures. 
“Uh...that's nice,” I answer taking in all my surroundings. There are a lot of children running around, which leads me to realize something. “You don't intend for me to make friends with a bunch of children, do you?” I ask, pointing to a group of three that run by.
“Yeperoony!” She says, before bouncing off to enjoy the party. I frown and find a seat. There is no way I'm making friends with a bunch of children. It's not happening, I'm older than everypony here. 
I'm pulled out of my thoughts when two fillies stop in front of me. One of them was pink with purple and white hair, and had a tiara. The other one was gray with silver, braided hair. Both were smiling at me. 
“Hello,” I say, since I doubt ignoring them would get them to go away. 
“Hi, I'm Diamond Tiara, and this is my best friend Silver Spoon. We wanted to introduce ourselves,” The purple one starts, gesturing to herself and her friend. 
“If you need help with anything you can come to us, we'll be glad to help you out.” Silver Spoon adds. 
“Thanks, I'm Daybreak, nice to meet you.” I reply, smiling back to them. 
“Oh and if you need help with your cutie mark,” Diamond Tiara says, pointing at my flank, “find the Crusaders.”
“Just look for three fillies running about hyperactively and getting into trouble. They're always together, so they aren't hard to miss.” Silver Spoon adds.
“And they share very similar cutie marks.” Diamond finishes. 
“What's a cutie mark?” I aks, and the whole room gets quiet. Everypony looks at me, and I cover my face with my wings to try to escape their gazes. 
“You don't know what a cutie mark is?” Three voices ask, or I guess yell, in unision to my left. I lower one of my wings and shake my head at them. Next to me stood three fillies. One white unicorn with purple curly hair, who reminds me slightly of Rarity. One orange Pegasus, also with purple hair, but spiky. And one yellow Earth Pony with red hair and a bow. 
“A cutie mark is an image that appears on a pony’s flank when they figure out their special talent.” The white unicorn says.
“An’ how it relates to who they are an’ who they want to be.” The yellow one says, with the same accent as Apple Jack.
“A ponies cutie mark is a representation of who they are.” The orange one adds. “I'm Scootaloo.” She continues.
“Ahm Apple Bloom.” The yellow one says, holding out her hoof. I just give her a weird look and she puts her hoof back down.
“And I'm Sweety Belle.” The unicorn says. I smile at them and fold my wings back up. 
“I'm Daybreak. Nice to meet you.” I say, as the room slowly goes back to normal. 
“They're the Crusaders we were telling you about.” Diamond says, looking at them.
We all chat for a bit, each of them mentioning how they'd never seen an alicorn filly and asking lots of questions about my old life. Strangely, I enjoy talking to them.
Maybe having children for friends won't be so bad.
> Snowdrop
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

     
-Third Sunrise-
-Training Day 1: The Sun-

Waking up is not fun. Waking up because a pony princess from the planet you fell onto against your will is forcing you to wake up, even less fun. Waking up before dawn because that princess wants to teach you how to raise the sun, please just end me now.
“Daybreak!” Celestia yells, pulling the blanket off me with her magic, “Get! Up!” She picks me up in her magic and carries me somewhere. It is cold in the morning - too cold. Her magic is tingly, it's weird, and it tickles. I start giggling uncontrollably and she puts me down. YES!
I turn to run back to my bed, but we're on a balcony and she already closed the door. I try to open it, but it's locked. I sit down and stare at Celestia, and she's smirking at me in obvious victory.
“That worked on Luna when she was a filly too.” She says, turning to look out upon her city. “I am not going to force you to rule for me Daybreak, but I do have to train you. You have a good amount of alicorn magic, and when I ascend you will receive all of mine as well.” She says, leaning against the balcony. 
“Ugh fine! My rest is already ruined anyway, I might as well.” I dramatically reply, walking over to the balcony as well. The sky is shining with all the other stars, watching, rejoicing in each gaze they receive. “Do you miss it?” I ask, looking up at the princess, whose gaze seems both longing and regretful. 
“I do, but I'm going to miss my little ponies more. I have watched them grow and make mistakes. I have watched them learn from those mistakes. I have seen countless fillies and colts learn who they are meant to be, and each one was unique and special. I have yet to get bored of this place, and ruling Equestria has been the greatest joy I've ever experienced. Even if it's tiring at times.” Celestia says, her voice changing with each emotion that presents itself. Joy, excitement, and awe when she talked about this world. Yet there was also regret, longing, and fear. 
“Maybe I'll learn to love this world, as you do. But it seems like I'll be setting myself up to get hurt. Not only when it is my turn to leave, but each of my friend's turns. How do you deal with that?” I ask, and she pulls me close with her wing. I snuggle into her, for warmth, and she sighs.
“The pain never truly goes away, but you get through it. For every pony you lose, you'll meet another amazing pony. You never stop missing the other ones, though.” She replies, softly. “Enough of the sad stuff. You need to learn.” She says, standing up. I fall over from her sudden movement and pull myself onto my hooves.
Celestia tells me about magic techniques and concentration before telling about the sun itself. I realize now that she got me up so early so she could give me the basics first. I think we should have started with levitation but teacher knows best apparently. She does do the majority of the raising, my magic just next to hers learning how to do its job. It wasn't too bad, but I'm not going to tell her that.
“You can go back to sleep now, if you so wish.” Celestia says, unlocking the balcony door once the sun was up. 
“No thanks, once I'm up, I'm up. I think I'm going to ask one of the gardeners to show me around the royal garden.” I reply, waving at her before taking off. I try out my wings a little, and get off the ground, only to crash into a wall or fall tumbling back onto the ground. I've got a better hang of it by the time I make it the the garden entrance.
I approach a mare night guard, who looked to be waiting for somepony. “Excuse me, do you know where I'll find a gardener to give me a tour?” I ask, and she smiles widely at me.
“Well aren't you just adorable! You're the new filly staying here aren't you?” She asks, looking at me like I'm some adorable little baby. I nod in reply. “Wait just one moment. I was going to give my son a tour myself, since my shift ended at sunrise. He should be here any second, would you like to join us?” She asks, looking around for her son. 
“Uh sure. That sounds like it could be fun.” I reply with a flap of my wings. I tuck them back to my sides and smile at her.
“Great! I'm sure he'll be so happy to hear that. He doesn't have many friends his age.” She says, and I notice a colt turn the corner down the hall. His coat is dark blue, but his mane and wings were a dulled purple. His mane and tail hold a bright streak of red, that matches his eyes. 
I try not to let my mouth fall open as he approaches, and decide to practice flying as I wait. However I seem to have lost what little ability I had figured out, and ended on my rump a few too many times. 
“There you are,” His mom exclaims, running over to him. They big for a moment and then she leads him back to me. “I want you to meet somepony! Thorn, this is Daybreak. She's the new filly staying here at the castle.” She says. He walks up to me and sits down.
“Hello.” He says, his voice very quiet. I flick my ears to hear him better.
“Hi.” I reply, and I wave. His mom looks at us both while smiling widely. She's starting to creep me out. 
“My mom can be a bit much at times, sorry about her.” He says, looking at her and smiling. His voice is still very quiet. His mom gasps at that scolds him teasingly. I giggle while watching them.
“So, shall we head to the garden?” His mom asks, and his eyes light up in excitement. She leads us out the doors, and our eyes go wide at all the beautiful flowers. Flare quickly takes the lead, heading to whichever flower he wishes at the moment. I run to keep up.
“See this one, this is a Tiger Lily. Tiger Lily’s are exotic, and thought to be a hybrid because nopony has figured out their origin.” He says, pointing to a tall plant with orange blossoms and lance-like leaves. 
“Oooh! It's so pretty,” I reply, “how do you know all this?” He smiles at my inquiry like he was waiting for me to ask.
“I’ve been learning all I can about flowers since I was old enough to read. It's not long, but I've learned quite a bit from this garden so far.” He says, giving me a kind look and a nudge.
“That's amazing,” I reply, looking around at all the flowers. We walk for a while, I'm not sure how long. Every few minutes he would stop to point out a flower, telling facts and myths about them. My interest grew with each one, and I find myself asking questions about them.
“Thorn, show me a special one,” I say, trying not to bounce around in excitement -I do hover a little, though. He raises his eyebrow at me.
“A special one?” He questions.
“Yes! A special one.” I reply.
He agrees, although he said he wasn't sure what constitutes a ‘special one’, and started walking off past the roses. We encounter many twists and turns, and the garden gets denser the further we go. 
Eventually the light is reduced to splotches on the ground from where it drifts in through the leaves. As pretty as the sight is, I speed up some and stay close to Thorn. 
“How much further?” I ask, looking around warily. 
“Not much, just a left up here and we should be at a clearing.” He replies, his voice still soft, calm, and full of awe at our surroundings. 
“Have you walked this path before?” I ask, speeding up my pace again.
“Once, when I was really young, I had gotten lost and was so scared. The moment I entered the clearing everything was better, I had never seen anything more beautiful.” He replies, turning the corner. I see the light up ahead and nearly bolt for it right then. “Scared?” He asks with a hint of a smirk. 
I slow down and hold my head high, “Not in the least.” He frowns at me.
“I hate liars.” He replies coldly, his eyes slightly duller. I sigh and my wings droop.
“Sorry, I -” I start, searching my mind for a reasonable explanation to the lie.
He interrupts me before I can finish with, “Just don't do it again.” I nod rapidly as we approach the clearing entrance. We enter and, for hundredth time today, my eyes go wide at the image before me.
In the center of the clearing was a group of rocks encircling a group of daisies and bluebells, and in the very middle was a white bluebell. There was a bench swing hanging from a tree, and a small fountain to one side. There were more different kinds of flowers than I can count, but the strangest was the white bluebell in the center.
“That is a Snowdrop.  The first flowers to bloom every spring, Snowdrops represent purity, hope, and rebirth. There are many legends relating to them.” He says, moving over to sit on the rim of the rocks.
“Its beautiful…” I reply in awe.
> Lessens in Ponyville: Magic
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



-7th Sunrise-
-Lessons in Ponyville-


Celestia wakes me up three hours before dawn every morning, and I'm starting to get used to it. Being up early is actually pretty peaceful, and all the night guard are usually just getting off their shift. There's something beautiful about that moment between night and morning, when all the early birds are waking up and all the night owls are crashing. The brightest stars dull in the lightening of the morning.
Today I'm supposed to go back to ponyville to get lessons on flying and general magic. Celestia doesn't have the time to teach me everything I need, and so Twilight and Rainbow are helping. 
I hover back down to my room, now pretty good at hovering, and water the different flowers I now have. The gardeners give me and Thorn plenty of clippings, and even showed us how to plant them and care for them properly on our own. By the time I've finished my morning routine it was seven. I grab my bag and head down to the throne room. Celestia had told me that some pony would take me to the train, as annoying as having a guard is - I'd rather not get lost in this city. I don't mind the escort. 
I flutter into the throne room, and everypony turns to look at me. I smile sheepishly. ‘Looks like Day Court has already started,’ I think, and look around to figure out who my escort will be. A bat pony walks over to me, and I realize its Thorns mom. I think Luna said her name was Flitter? I'm not sure. 
“Hey Daybreak, I'm going to be your escort to the train.” She says with a bubbly voice. I start to respond, but she shushes me and ushers me out the door. “Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, but we shouldn't disturb the court.” She says, walking towards one of the many castle exits. I run to catch up. 
“Good point. Aren't you off duty? Why are you my escort?” I ask her. I almost trip on my wing, but manage to pull it up at the last second. 
“Luna told me you had mentioned me to her, and then she mentioned your trip to Ponyville. Naturally, I volunteered to escort you.” She replies and stretches her own wings. She yawns before continuing, “It's fine with you though, right?”
I nod as we finally enter the sunlight. She squints a little, but I just bask in the heat. Eventually she stops squinting and seems to be just fine with the sun. She keeps yawning as she escorts me, but she does work at night so of course she's tired. 
We finally reach the train station, and Thorn half runs, half fly's up to us. I look up at Flitter excitedly. “Is Thorn coming to Ponyville too?” I ask, looking between them.
“Please Mom!” He begs. We look at her and she giggles and nods. We jump up and cheer. She walks us to the train, and pays the conductor.

☀ ✴

Magic lessons are so boring. Twilight is a good teacher, but she gets too carried away. The whole time she was trying to teach me she would get distracted by more advanced methods and how much fun it'll be when I reach that level. At one point she read over Thorn's shoulder for twenty minutes while I tried to levitate a pebble.
Spike comes in with cookies, and we decide to take a break, I have to pull Thorn out of his book on bioluminescent plants. I think about trying to levitate one of the cookies, but I already have a headache from practicing. It's a good thing I have an hour break after this, I can just imagine all the bruises and headaches I'll have after flight practice. 
“What should we do during my break?” I ask, through mouthfuls of cookie. Thorn shrugs and looks at some notes Twilight was setting in front of him. 
“Just some notes I took when I first read through the bioluminescence book. A great read.” She says, floating the book over to him. “Maybe you two should head over to the schoolhouse, school should be ending soon. Maybe you can catch Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom on their way out.” She says, putting papers and books away.
“That's a great idea! Maybe we can find Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon too.” I reply, just about running out the door. Twilight stops me with her magic and places my saddlebag on my back. “Thank you! Come on Thorn.” I say, rushing off again. I remember where the Schoolhouse is from a tour Pinky gave me, at some point. 
Thorn flies past me and I try to get off the ground to catch up, only to trip and fall on my face. He comes back and helps me up, both of us giggling.
I hear Scootaloo’s voice from up ahead and call out to her. Soon enough all three of the fillies come running up to us. 
“Hey Daybreak! It's been a bit, who's your friend?” Scootaloo asks, looking at his wings. 
“I'm Thorn, my mom's part of the Night Watch.” He says, standing tall and proud, though his voice barely reaches normal speaking levels. Scootaloo gives me a weird look. 
“Uh, sorry I couldn't hear that.” She says, leaning in a little to hear better. He repeats himself, and she still doesn't seem to hear him right. “Can you speak any louder?” She asks, this time directing the weird look towards Thorn.
“No. I got really sick when I was little, a problem in my throat, and it made it so I can't talk very loud.” He explains, digging at the ground with his hoof. Scootaloo immediately apologizes, and starts ooing and aweing over his bat wings. 
“How are things at the castle?” Sweetie Belle asks over Scootaloo. I tell her about the morning lessons, the throne room, and all the amazing food. She and Apple Bloom ask question after question about my life in Canterlot. 
“Hey, do ya wanna crusade for her cutie marks?” Apple Bloom asks, and both me and Thorn raise an eyebrow at her. 
“Actually we're just on a break! I should go find Rainbow Dash for my lessons,” I reply with a nervous chuckle. 
“Well o-” Apple Bloom starts.
“Gotta go! Bye!” I interrupt, taking off suddenly. I hear Thorn fly off after me. 
> Training in Ponyville: Flight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-7th Sunrise-
-Training in Ponyville: Flight-

I stop to catch my breath. Thorn stops next to me and looks around. He sits down and folds his wings. ‘Wings really are quite helpful for speed,’ I observe.
“Why did we run from them?” Thorn asks absentmindedly. I exaggerate a shiver.
“They told me a few stories of their crusades when I first met them. I'd rather not end up covered in injuries and tree sap.” I reply while feathering out my wings. It's still weird to have wings - or, well, to be a pony in general. Thorn chuckles at my reply. I give him a playful glare and throw some grass at him. A look of surprise crosses his face.
“Do that again,” he insists. I raise an eyebrow but repeat my action. He smiles and claps his hoofs a little. I look at the grass, but notice nothing unusual about it.
“What?” I inquire, my voice filling with confusion.
He keeps smiling, “You didn't use your hooves.” He explains matter-of-factly. I look down at my hooves and back at him. ‘I used magic?’ I think with awe and wonder.
“I used magic!” I yell, jumping up suddenly. Thorn falls backwards in a fit of laughter while I hop around in joy. “Yes! Yes! Yes! I did it! I us-” I trip on a rock while jumping and tumble down a hill that I never realized we were on. My fall interrupts my exclamations, and I land on my back, bursting into laughter almost immediately. Thorn flies down and lands next to me. 
I look up at him and the sun outlines him -causing him to appear as if glowing. His eyes are filled with joy, and sparkle as he looks back at me. 
‘Too bad he's a mortal,’
My mind freezes up when that thought crosses my mind. ‘Why would I think that?’ l wonder. 
‘You're just going to get hurt,’
My whole body goes rigid now. I don't understand why these thoughts are crossing my mind, and what they're suggesting is upsetting. 
‘All that matters is getting home,’
I blink. Home. Right, yes. When did the idea of home become upsetting? No, not upsetting, less appealing. I never wanted to come here in the first place. 
“Daybreak?” Thorn asks, and I realize my eyes are closed. I open them and stand up. I look around at everything. The trees, shrubs, grass, and the flowers. Finally I look at Thorn. “Is everything alright?” He asks, concern dripping from his quiet voice.
There isn't any of this stuff at home
No clouds, no trees, no flowers, and...no ponies. All there is back home is millions of stars, and planets, and debris from foolish planets. All of that is amazing, and beautiful, but, it's nothing like here. But if I stay here, will anything ever really compare to there? 
Strangely, I'm glad I don't have to choose.
Thorn waves his hoof in front of my face. I blink at him, and suddenly remember that he asked me something. “Oh, sorry I sort of got lost in my mind.” I reply, scratching my head awkwardly. He looks relieved, but I'm not sure. “We should go find Rainbow Dash, I think the breaks probably over.” I say, and he nods. We head off towards the park Twilight told us Rainbow Dash was most likely to be napping in. 
It takes all of five minutes before I spot her Rainbow mane hanging off the side of a cloud. “Hey! Miss Egotist!” I yell, looking up at the cloud. Rainbow Dash’s mane moves, indicating that she's waking up. “Hey show off! Wake up!” I continue, and Rainbow Dash sits straight up and looks down at me.
“Why you little!” She yells, flying down to me. “Don't you know it's rude to call ponies names?” She asks, landing in front of me. She puffs out her chest as she continues, “Especially a pony as awesome as me.” 
I deadpan at her. “Don't you know it's obnoxious to show off?” I reply. She ruffles her wings. 
“Whatever, let's just get started.” She says. I groan.
“Why do you have to teach me? Couldn't literally any other Pegasus teach me?” I complain, and both Thorn and Rainbow give me a look of annoyance. “Ok, ok. I'll stop.” I say, waving my hooves up in front of me. 
“Ok. First step is stretching.” Rainbow says, starting to do so herself. I copy what she does, and with an eye roll Thorn does too. “When you fly you want to pay attention to everything, so that you miss nothing. If you can learn that, it will help in other areas of life too.” She says, transitioning between stretches. “Truly the best way to learn is to practice. Just try to fly higher than a hover for now.” Rainbow adds, taking off. I get myself a few feet into the air and attempt to follow her. Anyone with any sense could tell that while she still kept speed on me, she had significantly reduced it to stay within my sight. I hate that it's necessary.
We continue flying for an hour, taking very few breaks. By the end of the practice my whole body hurts. Twilight finds us afterwards, and takes us back to her castle for dinner. 
“Celestia sent a pegasus carriage to take you two home, so as soon as you're done you can leave.” Twilight says. We finish eating and say goodbye to everypony. 
The moment my head hits the pillow, or maybe a few seconds before, I'm asleep. 
> Tiger Lilies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-28th Sunrise-
-Tiger Lilies-

Ah. Another night performed beautifully. No wishes, no theft, nopony bugging me. Nopony? Hmmm...that's weird. When did I start saying that? No matter, that doesn't affect much anyway. Now that I think about it, though, where is everypony er, everyone? All I can see is nothingness, nothingness that's usually filled with stars. My home's never been this dark It's not just dark, it's empty. 
Darkness has never been a problem for me, after all I tend to shine. Right! I shine, so why can't I see my own hoof, no! Not hoof, why hoof? Hands, I have hands. I've always had hands. I'll just raise one to make sure, except...I'm NOT shining. 
My eyes are watering, I don't usually cry. Then again-I don't usually fall. I fell, I remember now. What am I doing here? Why am I in this darkness? Am I a pony or a star? Where is everypony, or everyone else?
“You are a pony, and a star.” A voice says, followed by a bright light. “And, you are dreaming.” Luna fly's down and lands in front of me, appearing to be standing in mid air. Her horn lights up, and the scenery around us changes to a meadow at night, with the stars high above. 
“Dreaming? Why would I dream of that? It was horrible! I was all alone. I didn't know who or what I was, and there was nobody around, pony or star.” I sit on the dream grass in confusion. 
“Yes, it was quite upsetting. But dreams, and nightmares, represent a pony’s state of mind - for the most part. What do you think that dream says about you?” She asks, sitting besides me. I idly play with a piece of grass, which rotates between different kinds of flowers. I frown and bow my head, the grass wilts in my hoof, as does the grass around me. 
“I think it shows how confused I am. I feel so alone. Even with all the help and friendliness from everypony, I'm all alone. You and Celestia are centuries older than me, the elder stars were talking about your descents even when I was a new star.” I answer, letting the wind blow away the dust of the flower. Rain starts drizzling around us, and picks up speed. Luna lifts her wing above my head, and doesn't interfere with the dream's reactions to my each emotion. 
“And I had long since stopped paying attention to the world below. Everypony is looking to me to be a princess, to raise the sun and rule over a land I had snubbed for centuries.” I add. Lightning flashes around us, and the rain starts pouring. “I'm so horrible, I felt like this place, this beautiful world was full of silly,” A bunch of balloons appear around us, just to pop at different intervals. “frivolous,” A group of snotty, faceless ponies in frilly dresses trot by with fancy umbrellas. “conceited,” Lightning bolts strike in a circle around us, each bolt strikes in a different color, and they start a fire circling us. “know-it-all,”  A pile of books fall on the ground, each one open to blatantly false information. “naive,” Another faceless pony chases after the frivolous ponies from before, only to be snubbed and laughed at. “and foolishly trusting mortals.” An apple stall appeared, and the storekeeper walks away, leaving her apples. Another pony grins and takes a few before running off. I summon some bits and leave them on the stall. “I never imagined that I could ever like such a place. I was wrong, this land is beautiful, and I was the foolish snob who was too naive and frivolous to even consider such an idea.” The rain lightens to a drizzle. “I'm so ashamed of how I felt, and yet…” I continue, struggling to find the words. I stand up and start walking, flowers blooming around my every step. I look up at the dream’s night sky. The stars shine bright than they ever would outside of a dream. I sigh. “Yet I miss home and I still want to leave.” I say, turning to look at Luna. Luna picks the blossom of a Tiger Lily and floats it over to me, gently setting it in my hair. 
“You know, I think that might just be your flower. Flitter told me something quite interesting about them a few nights ago,” Luna says, walking over to me. She carefully steps around each flower that had bloomed when I walked over here. 
“Aren't you getting off topic?” I ask. She shakes her head with a knowing smile.
“She told me that Tiger Lily’s are hybrids,” She starts, and a mirror appears in front of me. “They are beautiful, and exotic, and,” She continues, referencing different parts of me as she speaks.
“And nopony knows their origin.” I finish, interrupting her. I look at the orange flower in my hair. At some point the rain stopped and it had become daylight. I smile. “I still don't know who I really am. I don't know if i could ever choose between here and home, and I still don't know how to cope with being a star in the body of a pony, but…” I say, smiling in myself in the mirror. “I'm glad I came to this place. I think, I think I can learn.” I finish. Luna moves to my side and pulls me close with her wing.
“I'm glad to hear it.” She says. “Now I must be off, there are nightmares I must stop.” Nightmares? Wait, she isn't merely part of my dream? 
“Luna? You're not a dream pony my mind came up with so I could figure this all out?” I ask, as she uses her magic to open a hole in the sky of my dream. 
“No, I'm not. Goodbye little one, and good luck.” She says with a wave, before flying through the hole and sealing it. I turn back to the mirror and smile. Behind me the meadow blooms with flowers and the light dims to just the right amount.
Tiger Lily's huh? 

☀✴

I awaken to the sun shining in my eyes. I must have slept in. Surely Celestia would have woken me up though. I stand and stretch. I smile as I remember my dream. Well, if Celestia let me sleep in, then I might as well take my time and relax today,’ I think. I walk over to my calendar and look at my schedule. I'm free until three, when I'm supposed to meet Thorn for a race in a park. I smile, and flap my wings a bit. We've been racing more and more often recently, and I'm starting to get pretty good with these wings. It's a great exercise, and is quite helpful. I just wish my magic was coming along as well as my flight. 
I head out into my living room, since my room was more of a suite, and started watering my plants. I put on a record that Twilight lent me and hum along as I work. With everything taken care of I take a nice long look in the mirror. Remembering how I looked in my dream, I look through my room and pluck a Tiger Lily blossom. I apologize to the plant and secure the blossom into my hair. I turn my head multiple angles, and notice that parts of my hair are starting to appear more orange than gold. ‘The Tiger Lily is probably bringing out some natural highlights,’ I think, before trotting out the door. 
I greet each of the castle's staff as I pass, and make my way to the dining room. When I get there I notice Luna sitting there, eating what appears to be a dinner course. I greet her with a smile and a waiter brings out a breakfast spread as I sit. 
“As I thought, the flower looks wonderful on you.” She says, and I feel my cheeks heat up slightly. I concentrate on levitating some aebleskivers over. The small balls of pancake delightfulness are quite pleasing. The most magic practice I get is in small things like meals and such, but at least I get practice. Even if it makes such activities take much more effort than necessary. 
“Thanks, but, how exactly did you get into my dream?” I ask. She smiles kindly. 
“Dreams are my realm, I safeguard the dreams of ponies. I protect them from nightmares and help them to find answers to their problems. However, I am mostly a guide. I try not to control the dreams, but merely calm the dream and give them back the control.” She says, taking a bite of her food once she finishes talking.
“Isn't a pony's dream supposed to be private?” I ask. She gives me a thoughtful look.
“That is a very good question. You see, I can only easily enter the dreams of ponies in distress. Nightmares are quite loud and are easy to find and locate. A pony in distress does not have barriers up, and thus their mind can be daily entered. A pony who is content and happy does have barriers, and their dreams can only be entered with much effort - which is damaging to the mind - or permission.” She says. 
We both continue eating in silence after that, and she soon excuses herself to go to off to bed. I finish eating, and help to clean up. The kitchen staff thank me, and shoo me off to go about my day. I trot off with a wave and head out to the front of the castle. 
Over the past almost-month I've learned quite a few of Canterlot’s streets. I fly up to a cloud, and wait for Thorn to arrive. I wait up here for twenty minutes when I hear snickering and laughter. I flutter my wings and push the cloud in the direction of the snickering. I lean my head over the edge of the cloud and look down. I see two unicorn fillies following Thorn and snickering. Their voices float up to my ears, and their words are anything but kind. I recall his mom saying that he didn't have many friends. I feel myself frowning. 
“What are you two doing to him?” I yell, lowering the cloud some. They look up at me. Thorn smiles and waves, but I don't smile, I stare at the two fillies. 
“You should mind your own business.” One of them yells, giving her friend a look. 
“How does a unicorn get up into a cloud anyway?” The second one adds. I smile a bit. 
“Probably just a spell Sprinkle,” The first one says, blowing a piece of mane out of her face. “You're clearly quite an advance unicorn for your age, why are you bothering with this weed lover?” She asks. I do my best not to growl. 
“He’s my friend.” I reply, trying to withhold my threatening tone. The fillies giggle. 
“He's a batpony! A blank-flank! An egghead! He can't even speak up, all he does is look at flowers and read! He's nothing!” Sprinkle says, her voice dripping and rude. Now I do growl and I fly down to them. Their jaws drop as I approach. I land right in front of them and walk closer, my face right in there's. They back up and their eyes go wide. 
“You stop right there. You think you're so much better than him because you have a horn, because you didn't get sick the same way he did? You think you're better because you can yell louder and levitate stuff? Well you aren't! You're mean, and conceited, and bullies!” I say, my voice getting raspier and becoming more and more of a growl. 
“Y-you’re a a a…” One of them says, stuttering and falling backwards. The other one gulps and bows, apologizing frantically. I stop and raise my wings while glaring at them. Both of them look scared to death. 
“I hate bullies.” I tell them, my voice now calm and sharp. They nod frantically. “Thus, I will not be a bully myself. But know this: If you ever, ever, pick on somepony else again - especially my friends - I will be telling the princesses. All of them.” I continue. They nod again and take off running. I turn around to look at Thorn. 
He walks up to me. He's smiling but something in his eyes showed that some things upsetting him. “Did I go too far?” I ask quietly. He nods and watches them run. “Sorry, I'll work on it.” I continue. 
“Thanks, though, for standing up for me. They follow me everyday after school. Sometimes it's them, sometimes it’s other ponies. I usually just ignore them.” He says. I adjust my ears to hear him better, and beam in response.
“Of course! I would never let anypony mess with you.” I reply happily. He beams back at me. 
“I, uh, like what you did with your hair today. It's a great representation for you.” Thorn says, pointing to the flower. I had completely forgotten about it. I giggle a little.
“Thanks, should we get going?” I ask, feathering out my wings. Thorn nods and flaps his own. We give each other a look and both get into position to take off. We both nod and count down in our heads. 
We take off at the exact same time, and I manage to keep up for at least a quarter of the race. Thorn wins in the end, though, and we both land, panting, onto a cloud. 
“That was fun, tiring, but fun.” I say, laying back and looking at the sky. 
“Yeah, you did good. You're really improving.” He replies, and I can feel him lay back next to me. 
“If only adjusting to a brand new life and figuring out who and what I want to and need to be in this new life were as easy as learning to fly.” I say with a sigh. Thorn pokes my side.
“You'll figure it out. Yes you have more to adjust to, but everypony has to figure out who they want to be, and what they want to do with their lives.” He says. I almost smile. 
“They don't have only one hundred mornings to figure it out though. I only have seventy-two left. Then, no matter what, Celestia's powers will be transferred to me.” I reply, looking over at him. His red eyes meet my own and I find myself comforted. 
“You'll figure this out Daybreak. I promise.” He says, before turning his head back to the sky. “I doubt your life will ever be normal. Regardless of if you decide to rule, you'll always be regarded as a princess.” He adds. I sigh again and watch the sky. 
We stay silent for many minutes, and stay up there for much longer. My stomach breaks the silence with a growl and we both burst out laughing. 

☀✴
-29th Sunrise-

I wake up long before dawn. I yawn and grab a biscuit from my small kitchenette, which is probably more for when I'm older. With my biscuits in magic, I head up to meet Celestia on the balcony. She doesn't turn to greet me when I arrive, and merely sits there, watching the stars. 
“Good morning Princess,” I say, not sure whether or not I should be interrupting. She nods. I walk over and sit by her. “You let me sleep in yesterday, why?” I ask, curiosity winning out against formalities. 
“You were having a rough night, and deserved the peace, and the time to think.” Celestia replies, not turning to me. Her eyes are fixed on the stars, on home, for both of us. 
She must be as torn up as I am, maybe more. She's been living here for longer than I've existed, and had been a star even longer. Her longing for home and her longing to stay must be a constant battle within her head as her time to leave draws nearer. I don't have a choice as to whether or not I have to stay here right now. The idea of having to choose, with what little I've already learned, seems overwhelming already. She can't choose, yet she also can't decide whether to be happy or sad. Who knows what other feelings are running through her, what she's gone through, what she will go through. The idea of it is enough to make me want to cry for her. 
“Luna told you.” I reply, letting my own eyes search the heavens. 
“Only that you were having troubles, she would never tell of somepony’s dreams.” Celestia says, finally turning to look at me. “It's been almost a month, have you learned anything about yourself?” She asks. I take a deep breath and think.
“I've learned that my view on this world was very skewed, and that I was ignorant on what it had to offer. I also learned that I know nothing, and am essentially the foal that I appear to be. I know that I looked down on this world, both literally and figuratively, but now that I've experienced some of it I realize that my life before was dull. I want to learn who I am, to grow up as a pony and make friends, I don't know about ruling quite yet, but I want to be a part of this world.” I reply. A hint of a smile crosses her face. 
“You already are Daybreak.” She says, her voice majestic and serene. “Now, let us continue your lessons.”
> Self-Preservation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-30th Sunrise-
-Self Preservation-

Twilight jumps up from her desk in excitement. “Spike!” She yells, and her assistant walks into the room sleepy eyed and holding a blue blanket. She runs up to him, holding a scroll and quill in front of home with her magic. Her eyes are wide with the adrenaline of a new discovery.  
“Spike, I need you to take a letter. It's urgent.” Twilight says. He takes the quill and paper while stifling a yawn. 
“Fine, fine. What is it?” He asks, getting ready to write.
Twilight smiles and takes a breath. “Dear Princess Celestia and Young Princess Daybreak, I have been studying the old notes of Clover the Clever in hope that she may have been the unicorn who struck the deal with the stars all those centuries ago. By studying these notes as well as using the knowledge from many other magical studies, I believe I have found a way to send Princess Daybreak home. If, and only if, that is what she wishes. I do not know whether or not it will work, nor do I know what will happen if it fails. However, if her desire is to leave this world, than it is worth a shot. Please visit at your nearest convenience so we may discuss this further.
Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle” 

☀✴

“YOU WHAT!?” I exclaim, my back hooves lifting off the ground. Twilight blinks at me. 
“I figured out a way we might be able to send you home.” Twilight repeats plainly. I let my jaw drop, and I sit down. 
“B-but how? What? When? C-can I really go home?” I ask, dumbfounded. Twilight nods, but it barely registers. 
“If you want to.” Twilight says. ‘Of course I want to, I miss it terribly,’ I think. I look at both Celestia and Twilight. 
“Why didn't you tell me you were doing research?” I ask, my voice shaking. I can't yet tell whether it's from joy or sadness. 
Celestia steps forward, “I didn't want to get your hopes up in case it was, indeed, impossible.” She says. It makes sense, it does, but some part of me is angry at her. By not telling me, by letting me reside myself in being stuck here I-I got attached.
“Are you sure you didn't just want me to get attached to this precious world of yours so I wouldn't leave?” I ask, not disguising the hurt in my voice. They both wince. “Did you think that maybe, if I grew to love it here that I'd choose this world?” I continue, my voice sharpening. I feel the anger, the pain, and the confusion, flow through me and out my words. Neither Princess interferes. 
“Well you're wrong! I'm going home.” I yell, huffing. ‘I’m going home,’ I think. It has to be the right decision, it's what I said I wanted the whole time.
“Are you sure it's what you want?” Twilight asks, her voice and demeanor full of concern. 
“It has to be.” I answer, trotting off to take a walk. I find my way to one of Ponyville’s many lakes and lay next to the water. I look at my reflection. 
‘I don't look very excited to go home,’ I observe. I touch my hoof to the surface of the water and my reflection ripples. “I don't feel very excited to go home,” I say with a sigh. “How can you know what you want until you get what you want and you see if you like it?” I wonder, closing my eyes and laying my head in my hooves. “I wish I was as sure as when I first fell, to know what I want would be a welcome feeling.” I continue, musing my thoughts out loud. 
I stand up and start to walk aimlessly. “I certainly do want to go home, but…” I sigh deeply and let my hooves take the lead. The wind blows through my mane and ruffles the leaves and grass around me. It is quite a pleasant feeling that I've grown used to over the past month. 
I watch as butterflies, bees, and dragonflies flit around. The birds sing and squirrels watch me from their trees. The forest is alive. Alive, and kind, and gentle. Just like everypony I've met. Well almost everypony. I let out a growl when the memory of Thorn's bullies come to mind, spooking the animals watching me. 
Thorn. He's going to be devastated if I leave. I stop walking. This decision is life-changing, devastating. If I stay I'll always know I missed the chance to go back, but if I go...If I go I lose all this. If I leave there isn't any way back down. If I stay here I watch people die, over and over, while I live on until some other star falls to take my place. I lose more people by staying than leaving. 
I fly back to Twilight’s castle, slightly more confident than before. Twilight and Celestia look at me as I enter, and I put on a face more confident than the one I left with. 
“Daybreak, you can't make a decision like this with the mindset of it being the only answer. If you're growing to like it here, you can't deny that. It will just hurt more.” Twilight says. I take a deep breath. 
“This isn't denial, it's self-preservation.” I reply, sitting down. They come over and watch me. 
“Please explain your thought process Daybreak.” Celestia says, calmly. 
“Afterwards I want to be sent home.” I reply, looking at the floor. They nod, but share a look. “If I stay here I'll get to watch pony after pony leave me, while I live on until this happens all over again with another star. If I leave, I'll miss everypony terribly, but I won't have to see them grow old, I won't have to watch their foals and  grandfoals grow old. I'll only miss a few ponies, instead of having fresh pains every fifty to eighty years.” I say, not wanting to look at their faces. I realize I'm crying and wipe my muzzle. “Please tell Thorn that I'm sorry…” I tell them. 
Twilight and Celestia move to either side of me and wrap me in a hug. I sniffle and lift my head. “I told you, self up reservation.” I say. I feel Celestia shake her head. 
“As logical as that may seem to you right now, your main reasonings for leaving are based not on wanting to go, but wanting to stay.” Twilight says, pulling away and looking into my eyes. “I think you may be so scared of getting hurt, that you won't even let yourself get attached. But you are already attached aren't you?” She asks. I bow my head.
“Just...just send me home.” I say. Twilight frowns in response and looks at Celestia. 
“As somepony who has lost pony after pony grow old, and have seen generation after generation of foals, I have to assure you that watching them grow old is so much better than never knowing them.” Celestia says. I look at her, full of regret for being so cowardly, but unwilling to change my decision. 
I turn back to Twilight, who is poring over her scrolls. She turns to me and her horn lights up. Her face scrunches with concentration, and magic flows from her horn and swirls around my hooves. It slowly gets larger, until it’s up to my neck. 
Suddenly I hear and woosh and suddenly Rainbow, Flitter, Fluttershy, and Thorn and all standing in the room. I see Thorn's mouth move as if he's yelling, but with his speech problems and the whooshing sound from the magic nopony could hear him. Rainbow yells stop, and as the magic reaches the bottom of my muzzle, Twilight loses her concentration and it dissipates. She falls to the ground from the effort. Rainbow and Fluttershy rushes over to her and Thorn stares at me. His eyes are full of pain, betrayal, and disbelief.
I feel my eyes water as I look at him, suddenly filled with guilt. “I-I’m so sorry.” I say, before rushing out in tears. I fly with my eyes closed, not knowing where I'm going or even thinking. Eventually I land, and lay down where I am, crying. 
I cry tears of regret, sorrow, guilt, and...and relief. I'm relieved that they stopped her, relieved to still be here. I'm happy to have been interrupted, and regret making such a decision in the first place. The look on Thorn's face flashes in my mind. I'm a horrible pony, I was just going to abandon my friend for my own selfish reasons. I was going to abandon everypony. 
I feel a hoof run through my mane, and a soft voice humming. I sniffle and look up. Fluttershy is lying in front of me, her own eyes closed. I move closer to her, and let myself fall apart while she comforts me. 
“I’m so sorry,” I cry, sobbing into her mane. “I never wanted to hurt anypony, I” I hiccup and sniffle some, “I just wanted to…” I can't finish my sentence, and not knowing how. She shushes me and continues brushing her hoof through my mane. 
After a while I pull away and look at her. She wipes my face and smiles at me. “Nopony is mad at you, it was a tough decision and we had no right to stop you. We just want to make sure you make the right decision.” She says. I sniffle and nod. 
“No, I'm glad you stopped me. I, I didn't realize how much I wanted to stay until you guys showed up. I was so, so, selfish.” I tell her. 
“Listen to me, you're going to figure this out. You said you want to stay, right?” She asks, and I nod. “Why?” She asks. I sniffle and pull away some. I take a few moments to think on her question.
“I want to stay...because...I love it here. I enjoy the ground under my hooves, I enjoy the wind in my mane and under my wings.” I take a few breaths and continue, “I like having friends, and standing up for ponies. I want to be able to help ponies and enjoy life on this world. I love all the beautiful and the feeling of the sun on my back.” I continue, looking up at her. 
Fluttershy smiles. “You want to help ponies? How?” She asks, and I take a few minutes to answer this one too. 
“I stood up to some fillies that were bullying Thorn, and it felt amazing. It felt like I could make a difference. I want to make Equestria a place where every colt, filly, mare, and stallion is safe from bullies, even the bullies themselves. If I stay, I could influence generations to come. I would watch them grow and learn and play, all under the warm sun and shining stars.” Fluttershy listens closely as I speak, and the words come without prior thought, yet I know that they are true.
“You are going to make a wonderful princess, Day.” Fluttershy says, smiling brightly at me. ‘Day?’ I wonder. 
“Thank you Fluttershy.” I say. She leans forward and nuzzles me. “Why did you call me Day?” I ask. She chuckles softly, but the heavy mood does not lift. 
“I called you that because it's cute, short, and sweet, just like you.” She says, booping my nose. This time I'm the one that giggles. After a short while we both stand, and Fluttershy pulls me into a hug. “Come, everypony will be worried.” She says, trotting off. I slowly follow her back to town. 
Everypony runs up to us when we make it to the center of town. I bow my head in shame. Fluttershy nudges me forward with her wing. I look up at everypony, my eyes starting to water again. 
“I'm sorry everypony. I want to stay, I really truly do. I can understand if you're mad, and if I worried you…” I say. I dig at the ground with my hoof. 
“It's alright Daybreak. We know you were super duper confused.” Pinkie Pie replies, lifting me up and hugging me way too tightly. She sets me down after a few seconds and I'm left gasping for breath. 
“Yeah, nopony expects ya to make such a large decision all on ya own.” Applejack says, ruffling my mane.
“We're just glad that you're safe.” Rarity adds, using her magic to fix my mane. I look at each of them, starting to smile. Thorn frowns and looks away when our eyes meet. I hope he'll eventually forgive me. 
I turn away from him, unable to stand the guilt. I would apologize again, but I know my words are going to help right now. 
> Wishes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-31st Sunrise-
-Wishes-

Shortly after the apology session & reassurances Celestia excueses herself. She offers to take me back to the castle, but I decide to stay in Ponyville for a while. Flitter and Thorn went back, though, to my dismay.
Everypony was more than willing to offer their home to me, well, almost everypony. I almost go with Rainbow, just to irk her, but that would honestly have been just as frustrating for me. I choose to stay with Fluttershy, since she’s kind and comforting. I feel at ease around her, at least more than with any of the other five.
Once settled in on the couch - I insisted she not give up her own bed, and that I could handle a couch. Sleep does not come quickly. I toss and turn, and my wings are restless. Thoughts of today run through my brain incessantly. At least this blanket is comfortable. I decide to concetnrate on simple feelings. Such as the soft fuzzy-ness of the warm blanket wrapped around me. The far off sounds of Fluttershy peacefully snoring in her room. I listen to the sound of all the surrounding animals sleep, and the nocturnal ones outside going about their nightly business. Slowly I feel myself doze. 

☀✴

I find myself staring at the sky. The last star has just dimmed, leaving nothingness where just moments before twas a endless expanse of constellations. Stars, pinpoints of hope to most ponies, kin to me. They say you can wish on stars, and it's true. When a pony, or any creature, wishes so deeply for something we can hear it. Their feelings call out to us. We respond. When we choose to grant a wish, we see every possible outcome - and how it affects their own as well as everybody else’s lives. The more important the wish, the stronger the pull it has on us. 
The darkness is overwhelming, suffocating even. I don’t move, my thoughts are no longer musing on my own existence, but rather the complete blackness surrounding me. As a star I would never find fear in the dark, it's are element. Now, however, now I am petrified. Even if I wanted to move, I couldn't.
I hear crying from I hear crying from every direction. Horrible emotion filled, devastating crying. I almost cry just from hearing it. A bright light surrounds, a stark change from the utter darkness of a second ago. My surroundings focus slowly, like when you just wake up from a deep sleep. I’m sitting on nothing, in the same position as before, only now it’s sunset. Looking up I notice only a few stars starting to some out, one of them tugging at my heart persistently. The thing I notice the most is the pegasus filly laying on a cloud and crying. She must be the same one who I heard before. 
Something about her seems familiar, but I can’t place it. I’ve only met one pegasus filly since I fell, and she’s definitely not yellow and would not be crying on a cloud this high up. After all - Scootaloo can’t really fly.  She pulls her head out of her hooves and looks up at the sky, her face running over with tears. 
“I wish…” She whispers, her voice soft and breathless. My eyes go wide as I finally realize who this filly is. My view shifts from right in front of her to looking down at her from an all too familiar view. I never thought I’d have this view again. No, I know I won’t. Her emotions bombard me with a strength that I should have remembered before now. I see once again all possible outcomes for her wish, and know that even had I wanted to, I would not have been able to resist her wish. This wish had the potential to change all of Equestria - all of the planet I was watching over- that I had fallen onto. 
Everything goes black again.

☀✴

I wake to the chittering of animals. I sit up and stretch, looking around my strange surroundings, My dream slowly comes back to me. Fluttershy.
The sound of Fluttershy humming drifts to my ears from the kitchen. The smell of breakfast soon follows. I yawn and let my nose lead me. 
“Oh. Good morning Day. Hungry?” Fluttershy greets cheerfully. She holds out a plate of pancakes ‘She called me Day again’ I observe. I take the plate in my magic and mumble a sleepy greeting. I somehow make it to the table without dropping the plate - luckily. 
“Did you sleep well?” Fluttershy asks as she walks over with a plate full of toast. I nod and grab a piece, well several pieces of toast. “Oh good. I hope the couch wasn’t too bad...I’m certain you’re not used to a couch. After all, you are a princess.” She says, nervous. She frets over my statis too much.
I swallow my food, in a haste to answer. “I did not choose to be a princess, besides…” I reply, pausing to finish my third pancake. I wipe my muzzle before continuing. “I insisted.” A look of relief washes over her face and I even relax a bit. She starts to fill her own plate and we chat amiably about nothing.
I finally finish eating, and politely refuse when she offers fourths. She starts to take everything to clean, and is rather surprised when I start washing many of the dishes. She protests for a few minutes, but backs down meekly. She has changed a lot from the filly who wished upon a star- me - all those years ago. Though, she’s still in many ways the same, from what I’ve observed at least. 
Did I really care so little about this world that I would forget such a filly?
“What’s wrong Day?” Fluttershy asks, her voice bringing my thoughts back to reality. She is hovering in front of me and holding a bag of greens. 
“How good is your memory?” I ask her, not actually answering her own question. If she can’t remember her wish, then it was just a dream. I hope it wasn’t.
“W-well..’m not sure. I think it may be...average?” She stammers, confused. She pours some leaves into bowls and place them before various critters. “Why?’ She asks, coming back to grab a different type of food. The small cottage soon fills with the sound of critters eating and chatting. They're all quite cute. 
“Did you ever make wishes as a filly?” I ask. She doesn't stop working, merely bearing a thoughtful expression as she goes. 
“Of course I did. Every pony has a wish.” She answers. She comes back and grabs bird feed before flying through and grab bird feed before flying through her house to the multitude of bird houses. 
“You were bullied.” I say and she lands in front of me. Her hair swishes as she tilts her head with curiosity.
“I was a very shy pony, even more so than now.” She replies. Her voice bears all the confusion one would be expected to have. I walk over to her couch to sit and she follows. In her eyes I can see flickers of curiosity, confusion, and fear. 
“There are many ways to make a wish,” I start, musing over my words as I go. Fluttershy silently let's me work through my thoughts. “For a strong wish, it must benefit more than one pony.” I continue. A small white rabbit, whom she introduced as Angel Bunny last night, hops up onto her lap. 
“If somepony has this sort of wish, it gets noticed. Especially if they're a crying filly looking up at the stars.” I wink at her as I say that, and her eyes go wide with realization.
“Are you saying that you granted my wish?” She asks. I simply nod in return and let her muse over that concept. “But Rainbow Dash stopped the bullies, not you.” She says with perplexion. 
I don't answer for a few seconds, and a black and white kitten jumps into my lap. He presses against my hooves, purring wildly. Giving in, I proceed to pet him. Finally I look at Fluttershy. 
“I was a star, there was only so much that could be done,” I reply softly. My gaze shifts to the kitten and I stop petting him. Instead I merely set my hooves in my lap. With the realization that I wouldn't start petting him again, the kitten jumps down and walks away. “I merely adjusted the wind. Using the air currents I was able to speed her up and ensure that she overheard the bullies.” I add, giving Fluttershy a smile. She pulls me into a hug.
“Thank you Day.” Her soft voice says, and my smile widens. Stars don't usually get thanks for granting wishes. 
I think Day may be starting to grow on me.
> Chaos & Stories
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-31st Sunrise-
-Chaos-

I help Fluttershy out with the animals until noon. Both of us joke and have fun throughout, and I even give some advice on her garden - from all my time with Thorn and the royal gardeners. 
At noon she starts to set out some tea stuff and making sandwiches. “Oh...uhm...Day?” She calls in her soft manner. Something is slightly different about her voice and she's clearly nervous. 
“What is it Fluttershy?” I ask. I walk away from the game I'm playing with Angel, he's surprisingly ruthless at marenopoly, and look at her. She's sweating and shifting her hooves. “Something wrong?” I inquire, getting a bit closer to her. 
“Yes, I mean no! N-nothing’s wrong. I have a guest coming soon. Actually he comes every week…” She says. I don't understand why she's so nervous. I tilt my head in confusion.
“I was thinking you should probably go hang out with some of your friends,” She adds. I think of the trio of fillies and their stories and visibly shiver. 
“I’m not particularly interested in getting covered in tree sap.” I reply, picturing myself crashing into trees many, many ways. I shudder again.
“Oh well maybe you could have Rainbow set up an obstacle course for you,” She says. I wonder why she's so insistent on my leaving and frown at her. 
“Gah! Rainbow? No. Absolutely not.” I say, with a dramatic stomp of a hoof and a flick of my mane. 
“I don't get why you're so against her Day, she's the one who saved you. She's been nice to you, when unprovoked, since moment one.” Fluttershy says, starting to get fed up with my treatment of the rainbow colored egotist. 
“She's an arrogant show off! I HATE show offs.” I reply with an unnecessary growl. Animals start to observe the conversation. 
“So you think you can be mean to a pony just because they have a specific personality trait? You don't even stop to learn anything more. I will absolutely not stand for that kind of thinking. I know you're well-meaning, but how would you like it if somepony bullied you because of your mane-colour?” She says, her voice getting stronger with each word. I shrink back a little. I know I'm in the wrong, and lower my head. 
“Sorry Fluttershy...I should go apologize huh?” I ask, looking up at her. She nods and I stalk out of the cottage. 
After a few minutes of walking, a ….um….creature pops out of thin air in front of me. I yelp slightly, slightly, and fall backwards. The thing is an assortment of different creatures, like a children's monster-making game, and is rolling in the air laughing. I pull myself to my feet and glare at it as I walk past. I look forward and realize I'm back where I was a few steps ago. Weird.
“Hahahaha! You should have SEEN the look on your face! Oh!” The creature says, it's voice definitely masculine. I stop and look at it-er-him. “Wait! You can,” He exclaims with the snap of his, uh, claws… Suddenly a screen pops up in front of me and a seat of popcorn behind me. I give the seat a wary look and decide to stay standing. 
“Not gonna sit? Well I don't mind if I do,” The thing says, taking a huge bite out of the popcorn. A reeling sound starts, and I turn my head to the screen. It shows an image of me walking away from Fluttershy’s, and behind me the creature pops in close to the camera and holds a claw up to his mouth in a shushing motion. He then disappears and reappears with a large pop in front of the me. My eyes go wide and my jaw drops as I scream and fall backwards. 
The screen disappears as suddenly as it reappears and the creature moves into my view. His laughter is obnoxious. “What? Not funny enough for you?” He asks striking a dramatic pose and then deadpanning. 
I raise an eyebrow at him, but continue walking. He teleports around me continually. 
“Come on don't be dull! Be cool, like me!” He says, donning a studded leather jacket.
“Discord!” I hear Rainbow yell, the rainbow blur soon following. Rainbow stops next to the creature and crosses her arms. “Leave the filly alone. Aren't you supposed to be at Fluttershy’s for tea and biscuits?” She asks, pointing back towards Fluttershy’s cottage. So this creature is Fluttershy’s ‘guest’...Why she would hang out with somepony, or whatever he is, that has such a probability of causing a headache, I doubt I'll ever know. 
“Yes well, I probably should get going! Don't want to make dear Fluttershy wait too long. I just wanted to meet our newest Princess. Tootaloo Crashy! Bye, bye Princess Ignores McGee!” The thing, Discord I guess, says with a wave and many, many gestures and movements I can't even begin to process. I stare without blinking for a few seconds before shaking my head to clear it. 
“Uh, what was that?” I ask, looking up at Rainbow. She flies down and lands in front of me. 
“HE was Discord. He’s an old foe who was ‘reformed’,” She says, scoffing at ‘reformed’. “He's a draca-something or other, he made Ponyville the chaos capital of the world.” She adds, frowning a bit at the memory. 
“That sounds like a headache,” I reply, looking past Rainbow to see Fluttershy’s windows changing colors continually. I look away before I can think too hard on it. “How exactly did you stop him?” I ask, looking back at Rainbow. Maybe letting her tell a boastful story will be apology enough, and we can actually spend time together without insults. Though, those were mainly my fault. 
“Which time?” Rainbow asks, puffing out her chest and smirking. I do my best not to show how, grating, her actions are. 
“Chaos capital…” I suggest warily. 
“Well that was all thanks to Twilight. Discord had stolen the Elements Of Harmony, ask Twilight about them I can't explain them well, and he told us a riddle to find them. We entered a maze, and Discord took away all wings and horns….” Rainbow explains. I sit down and watch her different gestures as she tells the story. I find myself surprisingly enthralled. She tells me about everypony’s persuasion into going against their true selves, and how even Twilight had given up. I gasp at all the appropriate points, at first to convince her I was interested, though they soon become real. 
“And then, with one rope left, Applejack threw. The lasso flew through the air, I was flying slower than normal, all of this a game to me. The tension was nerve wracking, if Applejack miscalculated even slightly,” She says, her voice full of suspension. I lean in to hear every word she says. She pauses for a dramatic silence. I hold my breath as she takes in a breath before starting again. 
“All. Would. Be. Lost.” She says, I gasp. “Suddenly the rope was around me and I was pulled down to the ground. Everypony got a rope and was holding me in place. I bucked and bucked to no avail. Twilight approached and I growled. I knew with complete, wrong, but complete certainty that she was trying to sabotage Cloudsdale. Her horn glowed and I looked at the light, I felt as if I had failed completely and utterly. But then the memories washed over me, and I woke up.” She continues. My eyes go wide and I eat up every word. I never would have thought that I would enjoy a story this way, it's very entertaining. 
“Then?” I ask. The end of the story must be so close. I can hardly wait. Rainbow smiles, and I notice she's looking behind me.
“Then you go and talk to your friend, I think he's ready to accept your apology now.” She says, stopping her story. I turn around quickly, and my eyes immediately catch Thorns. 
He looks down quickly, and is digging at the ground with his hoof. I smile at the sight of him, and fly over to him. Well more of a mix of running and flying, but it was mere seconds. I pull him into a hug immediately and after a few seconds, he hugs back. 
We both pull back and I smile widely. “I’m so, so sorry I didn't tell you before I came here, that I didn't let you know what I was doing.” I say, hoping for an acceptance. “You're a very important friend to me, I couldn't bear to -” I continue, but Thorn interrupts.
“It's alright. Impossible decisions and all. I'm glad you stayed.” He says. I smile wider, and flutter my wings.
“I probably wouldn't if I hadn't have met you, I have friends here in Ponyville, but I don't think I would have learned  that I enjoy - even prefer this life to my old one.” I explain happily. Thorn smiles as well and I find myself at a loss of what to do next. 
Rainbow Dash lands next to us. “You two have made up, good. I've been in nasty fights with friends before, best to forgive quickly and not hold a grudge.” Rainbow says. She pats us both on the head, and I take it that her comment was meant to hold a little praise. 
“Sounds dramatic.” I say, smirking. Rainbow rolls her eyes some and laughs. 
“It really was, but that's a story for another time, one best told by Pinky. You should probably go get some lunch. It's almost noon.” She says, and points to the clock tower. 
My stomach growls at the mention of lunch and we all start laughing. 

☀✴

The next few days pass quickly. Twilight gives a speech about cutie marks, which I find very interesting. I stop listening the third time she restarts. By dinnertime that night, though, Twilight had appeared with some pony named Starlight Glimmer, and everypony started singing. 
I don't understand this planet. Maybe I will, but it seems like the best action is to just go with it. 
I hope to understand, someday
> Cruelest Plots
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-Thirty-First Sunrise-
-Badlands-

Memoria chuckles lightly as her vision fades, her eyes grown wide. She walks to the luxurious mirror, the only truly clean item in the wretched hut she shares with her two sisters. Part of her frazzled mane falls into her face. In the mirror stands a beautiful unicorn mare, her silky blue mane and tail falling gracefully, and her green eyes alive and vibrant. Memoria smiled in realization that her days of longing for what she once was would be over. 
“Girls!” Memoria croaks, her voice raspy and withered from her many, many years of life. Animals screech and bang against their too-small cages stacked against a wall. Memoria snarls and sends a wave of magic slamming into the cages and sends the withering creatures into fits of whimpers. Two similarly aged mares drag their creaky bodies into the room. 
“Another one has fallen and this time,” Memoria says with glee. Her two sisters, Smallbeak and Emberglow, let smiles spread across their faces. “this time, her heart will be ours!” Memoria finishes. She slams a cleaver into the counter and all three of them cackle. 
“Who shall it be, dear sisters?” Smallbeak asks with her slow creaky voice. 
“Through the blood, we shall see,” Emberglow says, turning her head towards the animals. Malice drips from her voice. 
“Which of us will be the one,” Memoria says, pulling the cleaver out of the counter viciously. 
“To take her heart!” All three of them exclaim in unision. Smallbeak pulls a canine out of one of the cages and throws it onto the counter. Emberglow quickly slices the animal's throat. Memoria than proficiently slices the creature's stomach. All three unicorns then close their eyes and pull an organ from the creature. 
“I've the spleen!” Smallbeak triumphantly calls, turning it over in her magic. 
“I've the liver!” Emberglow says, her voice swells with pride for beating out her older sister. 
Memoria smirks as she looks upon her prize. “And I've the heart!” She exclaims. Her sisters hide their dismay behind masks of approval. Emberglow pulls a dusty box out of a trunk next to the mirror and offers it to Memoria.
“It should last just long enough for you to charm that filly out of her heart.” Smallbeak tells Memoria. Memoria takes the box in her magic quickly. 
“I know that!” She snaps. She turns to the mirror and let's her eyes take in her reflection. “Oh to be young again! And I will! We all will!”
> Sleep
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-Thirty Faith Sunrise-
-Sleep-

I watch as Ponyville disappears behind us. My eyelids droop heavily with sleepiness. Next to me lays Thorn, his head in his dark hoofs as he snores lightly. The clack of the train blends into the normal sounds of early morning as I resist sleep. The sun has barely lifted of the horizon, and the stars were dimming slightly as the sun's light outshone theirs.
From a star to somepony who can raise the sun, is that a promotion? I wonder silently as my eyes finally close. 

☀✴

My eyes widen more than I ever thought possible as I look upon the gleaming knife before me. The wielder is a sickly unicorn with greying and matted blue hair. Her mane is a sickly teal and her eyes a dulled emerald filled with a crazed malice. Her smile is wilder and more deranged than any I've ever seen, and my body is wracked with shakes of fear. I try to move but am bound by bonds upon my hooves. I struggle against my bonds to no use. My captor laughs madly. 
I start to scream but find myself muted. No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! NOOOO! The knife comes closer and closer to my chest, and I struggle more and more.

☀✴

“Daybreak!! Wake! Up!” Thorn’s worried exclamations reach my ears as my eyes shoot open. Thorn stops shaking me, and I look around at my surroundings. I'm still on the train, though now it’s mid-morning and I'm surrounded by ponies with looks of concern upon their faces. I blink away tears at the horrible dream. 
“Th-Thorn, what happened?” I ask. I'm surprised by how shaky my voice sounds, and how sore my throat is. Thorn pulls me into a tight hug, tears welling up in his eyes.
“You're ok! I didn't know what was happening!” He says, his voice equally as shaky. “I woke up from a kick to the face and you were thrashing about and screaming. I didn't know what to do! I was so scared for you.” He cries, the tears spilling out onto his face and into my mane. I wrap my arms around him and hug just as tightly while fighting back my own tears. A collective ‘AWWW’ erupts around us.
“I-It was just a bad dream, that's all.” I tell him in an attempt to reassure both of us. A wary feeling in the back of my mind tells me otherwise. We pull away from the hug, and everypony does their best to make sure I'm alright, though a few were upset at the disturbance and didn't mind making it known. The train soon stops in Canterlot and we make our way to the exit. 
As we step off the train I notice Luna waiting outside, a horribly worried expression upon her face. Surrounding her is a detail of Lunar Guards, one of which is Flitter. She runs over and immediately pulls her son into a loving embrace and a look of relief washes over her face. Thorn gives me a look that very much says, ‘help me’. I laugh at him instead. 
Luna walks over almost as quickly as Flitter did, and looks me over worriedly. I frown slightly at her overbearing inspection, curious as to what brought it on. 
“Art thou not hurt?” She asks, returning to her habitual dialect, presumably due to stress. 
“I'm completely uninjured Princess.” I reply. I watch a look of relief, once again similar but different to Flitter’s, cross her face. 
“I sensed distress, but had already left the world of dreams. So I came down immediately to ensure a safe return. What caused you such distress?” Luna asks, traces of panic still within her voice. I hear Thorn audibly wince, and look over to see the shock on his mother's face as she found the bruise from my kick. 
“I had a terrible nightmare, I was screaming and flailing. Apparently I kicked Thorn as I slept.” I reply sheepishly. Flitter pulls Thorn into another hug, though a more protective one. He rolls his eyes at me and I try not to laugh at their antics. Luna pulls me into a hug of her own. 
Luna and her guards, except Flitter who was taking Thorn home, walk me back to the castle. If Luna is tired, she doesn't show it. She greets everypony we pass kindly, and asks about different things happening in their life. She hands out reassurances and promises to discuss this later like extra change. Everypony treats her both as a princess, and as a trusted consult and friend.
I smile at everypony, and they everypony ‘awws’, bows, or does both. One filly tugs on her mother's tail and points at me,
“Look Mommy, a princess my age!” She says. I smile and wave at her, which causes her to smile and bounce around happily. Her mother smiles graciously at me and I nod at her. Luna ushers me forward with one of her wings. We make it to the castle without any problems. 
Luna leads me to a small room with a circular table and many ponies sitting around it. There are three seats open, and Luna takes one of them, and gestures for me to sit next to her. I sit and we wait for a few minutes, I almost ask what's going on, but the look on everypony’s faces says silence is the way to go. After a few moments of waiting, Celestia opens the door and enters. She takes her seat on the other side of me. A worried expression rests on her face, and I start to worry too. What in the world could have caused this? 
“Should we start with having Daybreak tell us of her nightmare, sister?” Luna asks. A red unicorn sitting across from me picks up a quill and writes down her words. I swallow nervously. Celestia nods, and nudges me with her wing. 
“W-well...It was just a nightmare, what is this all about?” I ask, looking first at Luna and then at Celestia. 
“We shall tell you of the situation at hand in due time, but for now we must know if your nightmare is related.” Celestia says. I watch as the unicorn writes quickly. Everypony else shuffles some papers and looks over at me. 
I take a breath and tell them what I can remember of the terrible dream. Everypony pales to different shades, and one pony has to leave the room, her once yellow coat a sickly green. I would blush at the reactions I caused, but unfortunately I was shaking at the memory of it. Both of the elder princesses do their best to comfort me. 
After I finally stop shaking, Luna speaks. “It is worse than we thought dear sister. We had hope this was a mere nightmare, but unfortunately,” Luna says, only to be interrupted by Celestia.
“Yes, we shall have to upgrade her protection detail, and perhaps confine her to castle grounds.” She says. I jump onto the table, not very princess like, and wave my hooves in front of their faces.
“Hello, princesses? I'm right here.” I say, and they both look over at me. “Can somepony please tell me what's going on?” I ask desperately. I feel myself lifted by Celestia’s magic and I'm set back in my seat.
I cross my legs and give a huff of annoyance. Celestia is the first to speak again.
“Fallen stars are very rare, ones that have enough magic to fall as something other than a hunk of rock at least. We are very special, and our hearts are the most special aspect of us. Physically at least. When I first fell I knew nothing of this, nopony did. It took them three years to find me,” 
“And three months for me.” Luna interrupts. 
“Who?” I ask. 
“A trio of unicorns, who had long ran a cult. They're magic is strong and their hearts vile. They're lifespans are unknown. They practice a magic as dark as King Sombra’s. You shall learn of him another day. Not even Starswirl, the greatest wizard of the time, could defeat them.” Celestia continues. I try to swallow, but my mouth is too dry. 
“They use the hearts, and other organs of various rare and mythical creatures and beings for their spells.” Luna says with disgust. I shrink a little at the thought of such a thing, the image of the unicorn holding a knife above my chest floating back to me. 
“They came into my village as traveling show ponies. They performed wonderful tricks and stunts for everypony, and asked to perform privately for me. As my training was stressful and their tricks were amazing. I happily agrees and didn't think to have my guards prepared, I actually sent them away. However, they did not trust the beautiful mares, and casted detection spells upon the room. The sisters disarmed it of course, replacing it with a spell of their own to make it seem as if it hadn't been removed. They then performed their usual tricks, I was nearly glowing in happiness. But….” Celestia’s voice drifts off, and I don't mind. I don't really want to know exactly what happened, guessing is bad enough. “I was later able to protect Luna, but even if I wanted to defeat them, I couldn't. We had yet to even hear of the elements of harmony, let alone find them. And now, now they are back with the tree, and we have no idea where these sisters are lurking.” Celestia adds. 
Luna turns to an Earth Pony at the table. He gives a report on the search for their whereabouts, namely that they have nothing. Each pony reports in turn, bringing worse news than the one before. The Princesses order a higher guard detail, and have wanted flyers made. They plan to give an announcement at sunset.
I fly to my room as soon as I can, and lock the door. My guards wait outside the door and I run through, distracting myself with my many plants. “Oh, sisters above help me. Everything will turn out alright, right?” I ask, thinking out loud. I open the door and ask one of the guards to bring me some stationary and books. “I'm confined to the castle, I might as well find a way to pass the time.” 
After gathering my quills and ink, and setting up a place in front of my protected fireplace, I hear a knock at my door. “If you're the guard with my supplies, please come in.” I call. I hear the door open, and I turn to see some pony who was most definitely not a guard. I swallow and prepare my best scream. 
“No need for that lovely. I placed a silencing spell on the room. You're safer with me anyway, the Princesses lied to you.” She says in a lulling voice. My eyes start to droop as I find myself struggling to stay awake. “Oh my, you must be tucked out. It's alright, sleep.” She says, the word sleep sounding more like a command than anything else. Everything goes black.
> Captured!?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-Thirty Sixth Sunrise-
-Captured!?-

I wake to yelling. The lulling voice from before and two raspy ones, met by buzzing sounds and an echoey voice. 
“You can't just bring an Equestrian Princess here and endanger my whole hive! I won't allow it!” The echoey voice booms. Loud, angry buzzing follows the words. 
“Oh puh-lease your majesty, this is nothing! We'll make her feel right at home and her heart will be ours faster than you can change! Then we'll be out of your dirt filled ‘hive’.” My fillynapper replies. 
“This move is not a smart one. I've had it for the last time! I've allowed your cult to stay in the badlands long enough, we tire of your disgusting magics. Begone!” The first voice yells in response. I cover my ears as her voice echoes throughout the room. I look around my room and notice a window like opening. As I approach, I realize it’s more of a balcony. 
Looking down I see a swarm of black equine shapes, more bug-like than normal ponies, a larger bug creature with an inky blue mane and tail. Their horns are deformed and their wings have holes in them, as do their legs. Sorrow washes over me at sight of such a creature. My eyes move on to two elderly unicorns standing behind the beautiful mare who fillynapped me. I nearly growl at the sight of her. 
The mare’s horn glows red and her eyes light up as dark flames erupt and flow sideways from them. The large bug like creature, presumably the queen of the creatures judging by the small crown upon her head and her clear difference from the rest, moves into an aggressive position. 
“You don't really hope to fight me, do you? I bested Celestia in mere power!” The queen yells, her own horn lighting up green in preparation for the battle. 
“We both know that was because of an excessive amount of love you had drained. You are not nearly as powerful at this moment.” The mare counters quickly. The two equines begin to circle dangerously. 
Suddenly a burst of magic is hurled at the queen, which she dodges easily. She sends back a spell of her own, and a green slime seems to have encased the unicorns foot. The queen shoots another spell, and the unicorn turns to black goo. The queen is soon sent flying into a wall by a spell from behind. She slides down the wall and shakes at the bottom. 
All the bug creatures start buzzing madly and fly at the three unicorns. They turn into different creatures successively in attempts to avenge their injured queen. The queen pushes herself off the ground and flies back into the battle. 
I turn quickly as a group of the creatures enters the room. A fire of green flares up around one of them. It dies down as quickly as it had flared up. Instead of a bug like creature standing there, now it's Scootaloo.
“Come on, we don't have any time to waste princess! The queen has ordered us to lead you out of here while they hold them off!” She says. While the words are in Scootaloo's voice, the dialect is wrong. I blink at her. 
“Ugh! We're changelings, we change shape! I needed to speak like you, so I changed into this filly. Come! Now!” She says, and turns to run down the hall. I shake my head in disbelief and chase after her. The rest of the group follows. 
The sounds of battle echo around us as we run through the damp underground. We turn a corner and the tunnel begins to slope downward. 
“Isn't this just going to take us deeper?” I ask as I fly down to avoid tripping. Buzzes answer me from behind. 
“We have tunnels throughout the Badlands, this one comes up the closest to Equestrian territory.” Not Scootaloo replies. We fly down the tunnel quickly. It gets darker and darker, and eventually we slow. I try to do a light spell that I've seen Twilight do before, but it fails. Green light surrounds me, and I turn around to see that all the changelings had lit their own horns. They seem to smile at me and buzz. The sound seems friendly and kind. 
“Thanks.” I tell them, and they make a few light clicking sounds in response. Maybe I should learn their language at some point. The changeling in front of me erupts in green flames again, this time becoming me. 
“Sorry if this is weird, but it's so taxing to change into a hornless creature.” She says. Its really weird hearing your voice not coming from you. I hope I can get used to it. The changeling casts a spell and green orbs of light appear along the tunnel. The changeling behind us put out their lights. We begin walking again at a more leisurely place.
We walk for what feels like hours with very few breaks. Every half an hour the changelings cast a detection spell and a few shield spells on the area behind us. It seems like a lot of protection for a princess that isn't even their own. 
“So, do you have a name?” I ask the one who looks like me. She turns her head towards me.
“Xincricmux. (Zen creak mux)” She replies thoughtfully. It sounds rehearsed, more so than a true name would, but I leave it be. 
“The changelings following us are Axem, Flux, Zip, Exiampec, and Reenexi. They are guards of a sort.” She continues. Each one makes a buzzing sound as their name is called, and I can hear the differences in them when they aren't all buzzing together. 
“And what are you?” I ask. 
“I am the one saving you, and that's all you need to know.” Xuncricmux replies sharply. I wince a little at the way she says it.
“Okay, okay. Um...well...tell me a story.” I request, hoping to learn more about their culture or just cheer her up some. “Any story really, a memory, your favorite fable when you were young.” I add.
“I don't tell stories.” She replies. I shut up and keep walking. The air between us grows tense as we walk. She must be really upset about something, I wonder what. 
A soft buzz sounds from behind, but stops suddenly. One of the changelings slinks further back in the group. I'm more curious than ever of Xuncricmux’s status among the changelings. I don't say anything though. 
Slowly but surely the tunnel begins to slope upward again, and it eventually becomes stairs. I begin the trek with dismay and sore hooves. Xuncricmux had turned back into her changeling form a while ago and is climbing the steps in front of me. 
After a while we finally reach a platform of stone and I realize we've entered a natural cave. The other changelings stand guard at the entrance of the tunnel and Xuncricmux leads me to the end of the cave. I look out at the night sky and let myself fall onto the ground in exhaustion. 

☀✴

    I wake on a soft bed of sorts. Its squishy yet just firm enough, and it's smooth as silk. I open my eyes and sit up. I look down at my bed. It's a green goo in circle around the size of my body. It reminds me of a bubble rising from the ground. I look around and notice that I'm still in the cave. 
How do I get home? As I look out of the cave at the morning sun and pleasant forest before me I realize that the way to go is already in my mind. I begin to walk the direction my instincts tell me to and begin the long track back to civilization.
> Home & Gone Again
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


~Fortieth Sunrise~
~Hayseed Swaps~

“Stupid eyes! This was supposed to be a forest. Not. A. Swamp!” I exclaim as I pull my hoof out of disgusting, murky water. My instincts have kept me out of water so far. Well except for the pony-eating spiders in the trees and the different forms of crocodiles and alligators in the water. I haven't tried the caves yet, but let's just say I've been sleeping on clouds of fog. It's too dangerous to try and get to the sky past the treetops. The sun barely even makes it past the dense leaves. The rain, however, does.
I shake the mud of my hoof and adjust my direction slightly to avoid the dangerous water. I've been walking for days, and luckily the grounds been getting drier and the tree's fewer. Slightly, ever so slightly. This place is wretched. 
My stomach growls insistently and I think back to my last meal. Right, the last bit of rations the Changelings left with me. Oh how I wish they hadn't just left me to my own with a bag of food, which I didn't notice until I back tracked in search of such a thing, and vague mental direction. I figure they cast some sort of spell for the second of their gifts. I know I'll have to search for food soon, but I don't trust anything that looks edible, and won't risk anything that doesn't. 
I manage to ignore my stomach for a few hours, and even manage to entertain myself by taking mental notes on a few plants I pass. Actually not I few, I pay attention to every kind of plant I pass, and intend on asking both Thorn and the Gardner's about them when I get home. Home. I never thought I'd consider it that. I smile at the thought of all my flowers and walks through the garden. I think about the cooks who know my favorite flavors and somehow always find something new that I love. My mind wanders to the different guards and their kindness towards me as well as the way they tease and scold each other. 
I can't imagine a better place to be, and this swamp definitely isn't one. Maybe the changelings feel the same way about their hive. They seemed well mannered and kind, their society can't be too different than that of ponies. 
The ground soon becomes firmer and the trees thin. I realize with great joy that I am no longer in a swamp but a normal forest. Something more than birdsong and woodland creatures reaches my ears and I realize it's the sound of some pony humming. I run towards the sound with a newfound energy. 
I twist and turn through the trees. Finally I skid to a stop as I come across the source of the humming. A light pink earth pony is sitting in a clearing humming as cherries float through the air and dance around her. Her eyes are closed and there are baskets filled with cherries in a semicircle before her. The cherries sort themselves into different baskets based on color. Throughout the area are small piles of bad cherries with various critters munching on them. 
I want to wait for her to finish so as to not disturb her, but my stomach betrays me with a large growl. She stops humming in surprise and all the cherries fall. A good amount splatter, but not all. Her eyes shoot open and she spots me immediately. She meets my eyes with her own dark blue one. 
“Hello there.” She says as she stands with a stretch. I watch as her eyes look over me. I probably look horrible with mud-caked hooves, five day old bedhead with its own bit of mud and twigs. Not to mention the scrapes and bruises. 
I take a deep breath to prepare for a quite lengthy explanation. My stomach growls again just as I open my mouth to explain. I blush and look at the cherries hungrily. 
“Come. Let's get you some food and a bath, then explanations.” She says. She begins to him again and the baskets lift up, much like unicorn magic, and we walk out of the forest. Now that I look around I realize that I'm not actually in a forest but rather an orchard. We walk for about ten minutes before a farmhouse comes into view. 
The door flies open and a light yellow earth pony with voluminous red and pink hair and a cherry cutie mark rushes out. 
“Oh my! Would ya look at this poor filly! Quick, let's get ya all fixed up and ya can tell us your story.” She says. She takes two baskets of cherries from the other made and ushers me inside. 
The yellow earth pony leads me to the kitchen, talking all the while. She introduces herself as Cherry Jubilee and says that her helping hand is Cherry Blossom. Cherry Jubilee then pulls a cherry pie out of the windowsill, where it was cooling, and sets a slice in front of me. I try not to devour it too quickly, but had trouble controlling myself. The pie is so good and my stomach was so empty. The mares giggled a bit as they watch me, and tell me of the farm and such as I eat. 
As soon as I'm finished, Cherry Blossom leads me to the bathroom where she runs a bath for me. She teases the twigs out of my mane and helps me with the various scrapes and cuts I'd acquired along my journey. She then leaves me to bathe on my own, which I am very grateful for. 
After quite a long soak, which was very relaxing, I head into the farmhouses main area. Cherry Jubilee and Cherry Blossom are both sitting there talking. They turn to look at me as I enter. 
“Come on over deary. We were just waitin for ya.” Cherry Jubilee says as she gestures to an open seat on the couch. Cherry Blossom nods as I take the seat. 
“Please begin your tale, I'm sure it is one filled with much interest.” Cherry Blossom says in a lilting sing song voice. It's calming, but reminds me much of the voice of my filly napper. I wince slightly at the thought. 
I start not at the beginning but at my filly napping. I tell them I do not know why I was taken, and of the changelings aid in my escape. I realize then that I do not know what became of the Queen or the other changelings. They could be injured, or worse. I hope not, I can't imagine something so horrid. My eyes begin to water and soon I'm crying.  
I cry at the thought of changelings dying. I cry at the thought of my many almost deaths during trek through the swamp. I cry for the home I won't return to, and the new home I was ripped from. I cry at the thought of the princesses discovering that I'm gone, and at the thought of everypony’s worry. I cry for ten minutes, or for hours. I do not know. 
I know that the two nice mares let me cry, and comfort me. They give me a place to sleep and food in the morning. Cherry Jubilee then buys me a train ticket straight to Canterlot, and sends Cherry Blossom with me. 
Cherry Blossom doesn't talk much, merely sings or hums to me when she thinks I need soothing and leaves me to my own devices. During the train ride I decide to write down everything that happened, as well as a thank you to the changeling queen, and a personal letter to Xuncricmux. I ask her to tell all the other changelings that helped that they'll forever have my gratitude. I hope I can become friends with Xuncricmux and the other Changelings. They all seem nice, and I wouldn't be alive if not for them.
The train ride is an overnight one, but I do not sleep for fear of vulnerability. I can sleep when I'm home. Home. I stifle a yawn as Canterlot comes into view, and drift in and out of a light sleep as the train nears the castle. The moment the train stops a group of guards enter and begin to search it.
“Guards!” I yell as I push myself out of the booth I'm sitting at. One guard turns around and spots me immediately. 
“Princess Daybreak! Guys, I found her! The princess is safe!” He yells, and the other guards make their way over to me. One of them nearly hugs me but keeps their distance. “Let's get you back to the castle princess.” He says, and turns to go. 
“Ahem. This kind made was nice enough  to feed and shelter me after I trekked for days through a  dangerous swamp. And then she escorted me back here. She is coming to the castle as well and I expect she be rewarded for her generosity and kindness.” I say in my best princess voice. 
The guard bows his head. “Of course your highness.” He says. I gesture to Cherry Blossom and we all exit the train. We walk slowly, for I am tired and sore, but eventually make it back to the castle. 
Only the staff and a few worried civilians greet us as we enter, neither Celestia or Luna are anywhere in sight. I call out after a few minutes of silence. A pretty voice returns my call and a pink alicorn enters the room from a side door. A white stallion in armour and blue hair follows her a bit too intimately for a simple guard.
“Princess Daybreak?” She asks. I nod and walk over to her. “Where have you been? Everypony’s been worried sick. Both Auntie Luna and Auntie Celestia went out looking for you, not to mention half the-why are you laughing?” She asks. I started laughing when she addressed the princesses as ‘Auntie’. The guard behind her snickers slightly and she turns around and gives him a warning look. He just shrugs in response and returns to the proper stature. 
“Sorry, it's just, not even Twilight addresses the sisters in such a manner. It surprised me.” I reply. I give a cough to both clear my throat and return to a more serious demeanor. “I know this isn't a laughing matter. I was abducted.” I tell her. My voice takes on a grave tone, and she gasps at the news. Her hoof goes to her stomach, probably without her prompting.
“Come let us discuss this in a more sensitive area, Celestia’s study perhaps, and we can send letters to the rest of the princesses.” The guard says, and leads the way. The pink alicorn nods and places her wing behind me and she ushers me into following. I gesture for Cherry Blossom to come as well with my head. 
“Princess Daybreak, let us take a moment from this dire situation to introduce ourselves. I am Princess Cadance, adopted niece of Princess Celestia, ruler of the Crystal Empire, and step-sister to Princess Twilight Sparkle. This is my husband, Prince Shining Armor. He's Twilight's older brother.” Princess Cadence says as she closes the study door and sits in front of Celestia’s desk. 
“I take it you already know what you need to about me? What about the situation I’m in?” I ask in my most serious voice. As dire as the situation is, though, I can't help but feel like I'm playing a detective or something.
“The princesses did give us some information, though just enough to recognize you and help you should you return. All details are left up to you.” Shining Armor replies. 
“How do you know I'm not a changeling?” I ask them. It seems to surprise them both. 
“I have a spell at the door to this study that sheds any enchantment and forces any creature back to their true form should they walk through it.” Shining Armor answers proudly. Cadence pulls some stationary and a quill from the desk and places them in front of her. I pull my own writings out of my saddlebag, which Cherry Blossom lent me, and hand them over to her. Her mood dampens as she reads my writings, though I kept the letters to the changelings to myself. She casts a spell on the paper and I watch a the words float up from the page and split into multiple copies, each of which go to their own stack of paper. She then rolls them up and casts another spell. They poof into nothing, and then suddenly poof back and fell onto the ground. 
Cadence frowns deeply and tries a few more times. She growls as each one fails and I take a few steps back as her face gets more and more res. 
“Uh love? Shouldn't you do-” Shining Armor starts, and takes a few steps towards her.
“NO! It should be working!!” She yells, and her voice physically pushes Shining Armor backwards. Her hair starts to float upward as her breathing grows ragged. I take another step backwards in fear. 
Almost as soon as her anger flares up it dissipates, and her eyes fill with tears. She falls to the ground and places her hooves on her muzzle. I tilt my head in curiosity, and as Shining judges whether or not she'll explode again if someone goes near her I walk towards her. I lay down in front of her and nuzzle her hoof. She uncovers her face and sniffs a little. 
“We'll figure it out. Do you know where each one is looking?” I ask. She nods and I smile. “Then let's just go find them and gather them ourselves.” I suggest. Princess Cadence wipes her face and stands. She flares out her wings and narrows her eyes in confidence. She opens the door. 
“Guards, we'll need air transport to Vanhoover, and fast. It's urgent.” She says. The guards look around frantically.
“But your highness, we don't have any fliers fast enough or strong enough for that. Our troops are spread too thin from the search for Princess Daybreak.” One of them replies. Cadence takes a deep breath.
“Maybe we could fly there ourselves?” I suggest. She shakes her head.
“No, you're too young and I'm too pregnant.” She replies. The pregnancy certainly explains earlier.
“Maybe we could help?” A yellow pegasus with spiky red and orange hair says as she approaches. She holds herself with an air of confidence and arrogance, and reminds me slightly of Rainbow Dash. Two more pegasi are walking behind her. One of them is a light blue stallion with a dark blue mane and tail and the other is a pale aqua made with an almost white windblown mane. 
Cadence’s eyes go wide. “Would you? I know it's not really your thing, but we have to get to the other princesses.” She asks frantically. I narrow one of my eyes at her. I clear my throat nervously.
“Perhaps we should invite them into the study to make sure they understand what their accepting?” I ask Cadance, hoping that I don't have to wink or something for her to understand. Luckily she catches my drift and we explain everything to them in Celestia’s study. Oh I hope that Cadence was just messing up her spell and that nothing happened to the Princesses. 
> Why?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-Fortieth Sunrise-
-Vanhoover-

Our flight is a long one, even with the help of the so-called ‘best fliers in Equestria’ pulling us. I flew on and off throughout the trip in order to stretch as well as ease the slight guilt from having them pull us while we sit back doing nothing. 
“Hey little filly, you're pretty good for your age. Do you know any tricks?” Fleetfoot asks me. She's not helping pull, but rather scouting and clearing a path when the weather is less than perfect. Mainly she was just showing off and acting high and mighty. I mentally scoff at her so many times, but manage to keep from insulting a famous pony. I keep in mind what Fluttershy said about Rainbow Dash, and how after I let that go I managed to actually spend some time with her pleasantly. 
I shake my head at the Wonderbolt. She scoffs and does a loop while flying backwards. “Seriously? A filly like you doesn't know any tricks? Get out here, I'll teach you.” She says, trying to pull me out of the carriage. While I haconsciousness.e her multiple times during the trip, the idea of doing anything that could lead to me spinning out of control or getting too tired at this height is not appealing. 
“I'd rather not. I could get hurt and if you haven't noticed we aren't exactly near the ground.” I reply nervously. Fleetfoot sighs and pesters me, trying to get me to do tricks.
We finally near our destination and begin to descend.  Apparently Celestia came here in her search for me, as the Princesses split up to cover most the map. I don't understand why anyone would think I'd be here though. Cadence quickly find a guard and we scour the city only to find no Celestia. 
“Maybe she found some information and followed it to another city.” Cadence suggests nervously. Worry is written all over her face. 
“Where did Twilight decide to look?” I ask. She seems to scour her thoughts. 
“Twilight sent a letter to every library and university asking for them to look for any information on those mares. I think she set up at the Princess's old castle. 
“Where is that?” I ask. A look of annoyance crosses her face. 
“Back the way we came.” We both sigh. She buys a pair of tickets to Ponyville and we wait for our train to leave. 
“I hope this is more successful than our search for Celestia.” I say with a sigh. Cadence looks out the window.
“Me too.” She says softly.

☀✴

We finally arrive in Ponyville and trek through the horrid forest, luckily without any problems, and make it to the horrid ruin of a castle. Cadence walks in and starts calling out for Twilight. 
I hear something and follow the sound. Cadence notices as well and follows me. We move through many winding halls. Suddenly a piece of floor sinks and I jump forward in surprise, only to fall into a pit with Cadance right next to me. We look at each other and she lights up the room with her magic. 
“Well that was an interesting trap. I'll just open the top with my magic real quick and we'll get out of here.” Cadence says confidently. Her horn glows for a few seconds and then the light disappears. She gasps. “What, how?” She exclaims.
“Sorry Dearie's, but we need the little one's heart!” A voice says, echoing through the room. “Oh and we have those other Princesses too!” The voice continues. I feel a shiver run down my spine and I lean against Cadence. Suddenly a bubble appears around me, pushing her away, and I teleport. 
I shake my head to clear spots from my vision and find myself in the exact situation from my nightmare. My eyes go wide with terror. No. Oh please no. 
“Sisters, help me now.” I plead. Tears well up in my eyes and blur my vision. The knife nears and I feel its coolness against my chest. I hold my breath and wait for the pain.I hear a loud bang and the knife suddenly sinks in. The pain erupts in my chest and I scream. I scream until my throat's raw and my ears are sore and then I scream some more. The knife stays there, I can feel it, and doesn't move. My chest is quickly covered in the sticky feeling of blood. My head starts to swim and my breathing gets rapid as I gasp for air. I know I've lost a lot of blood. This is the end, it has to be. Why? Cruel world, cruel sisters above, why is this how it ends? 
I take another ragged breath as I lose consciousness
> Wake Up
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


-Unknown-

I wake up and raise the sun like every morning. The serene essence of the big ball of light fills me with energy for the day. I flutter my wings and look out on the forest below my balcony. Restoring these ruins was a truly great idea, and when my younger sister finishes her trip she will finally move out of Canterlot and live with us here in the Everfree.
The sound of laughter brings a wide smile to my face and I follow it to the filly's bedroom. I open the door silently and sneak my way into the large room. A pair of colts and a few alicorn fillies of varying ages all play together. The oldest is Cadence's child, a filly of five years and quite remarkable. She takes after her mother in terms of magical potential. The next is a muted blue filly who is jumping around eagerly and is only two years. The third is barely old enough to be playing with them, as she is still in diapers. She is a white alicorn filly with purple and pink hair as well as striking purple eyes. The colt's are twins, the brothers of the second filly.
I smile fondly at the children, and almost don't notice a presence appear at my side. Almost. “They're precious aren't they?” Cadence asks. I look over at the beautiful Alicorn. Her entire being seems to radiate with pride. Still, though, something's off about her. 
“Too bad Dusk couldn't join them. He loved his sister dearly.” I reply, fond memories of the young colt springing to mind. Cadence frowns and her happiness fades to a deep sorrow. 
“As did Shining, but you know how the topic pains me.” She replies as she looks at me with pleading eyes. My heart nearly shatters at the look and I wrap a wing around her. 
“You know how I feel about refusing to talk. You mustn't repress emotions.” I reply sternly. She leans into me and my eyes fall on the third filly, Evening Dust. My eyes water with memories of the purple alicorn who helped me through so much. 
“It feels like a nightmare, one I wish I could WAKE UP from.” She say, for some reason putting extra enunciation on ‘wake up’. 
“I know. We'll get through though. We always do. Come, let us leave the children to play and get some breakfast.” I tell her, and lead her to the dining room. We both wince as we pass the old library, which is once again gathering dust. 
“Good morning Princesses. I hope you didn't have a hard time waking up this morning.” A few staff members say as we pass. Why do they all say the same thing?
We make it to the dining room, and are quite a way into our breakfasts when a guard enters. “Princess Day, a Doctor Swirl would like to speak to you.” The guard says. I smile and ask the guard to let them in. 
The doctor enters, but is wearing a cloak that hid their identity. I leave it be and bid them good morning, as does Cadence.
“Princess, It is reported that some victims of trauma, during the act, would retreat into their mind. They would retreat into a fantasy world where that trauma has not happened. Their minds would leave little hints to tell them that they are asleep and need to WAKE UP. Even when a victim realizes it, they do not always allow themselves to leave behind this fantasy world. So PLEASE, WAKE UP.” They say. I narrow my eyes as anger fills my being. 
“You dare to say that your world, your Princesses, your life and family are all a figment of imagination?” I ask. The doctor lowers their head. A blue aura surrounds the cloak and they remove it. 
Before me stands Princess Luna, as she looked years ago. She is my height, taller than most ponies but not the true height of an alicorn, and her mane is long and free. Now she wears it in a complex updo that displays the ethereal qualities quite majestically. Her face bears a grim expression.
“What is this trickery? If you are a changeling, I must ask you to show your true form now. We bid no harm to changelings and haven't for many years.” I say, and she shakes her head. I cast a spell upon her that would show her true self, but it does nothing.
“I am no Changeling, though to hear that leads me to believe you will bring peace between us and the changelings. I am the true Luna, and have come to you from outside the dream realm that we are in. This is nothing but a dream Daybreak. You have to wake up.” She says. She flares her wings and walks closer to me, her voice becoming more desperate. 
“You are but a filly in real life. Remember, show me the true you and wipe away this world of falsities.” Luna says. I frown. There is no way this could be true. Why would I imagine the death of dear friends and  why would I imagine children? I shake my head.
“No way, this can't be true.” I reply, my voice wavering and cracking. The guards next to the door fade to shadow and the lighting significantly darkens. 
“Day.” Cadence says, I turn my head and look fondly upon her. “This is a reaction a dream would have. I don't want to live in a world where I've lost my husband, son, and my sister in law. If this world isn't the true one, I'd choose to leave it.” She says. My heart cracks again at the sadness emanating from her. I sigh and look to Luna. 
The area surrounding us softens and fades away until it is just me and Luna in a soft blue plane surrounded by floating balls of light. I look around, and realize I'm once again a filly. I look at Luna and she smiles kindly at me. 
“You're fine my little pony. We were already in the process of saving you when you retreated to this world. Now you need to wake up, I'll see you in a bit.” Luna says before her horn lights up and she disappears.