Chapter 1
Twilight Sparkle bowed her head. She had done everything, everything she could think of to hatch the dragon egg on the cart in front of her, up to and including putting her horn to the egg to try and force raw magic through the hard shell. It was over.
She had failed.
Feeling the unyielding gaze of the examiners bore into her, Twilight pointedly stared down at the floor, unable to even face them. Youngest pony in over a century to qualify for the entrance exam and I flub it at the very end. I’m gonna go down in history as the very worst… she thought as tears brimmed in her eyes. “I’m sorry I wasted your time…” she murmured.
Twilight missed the smile the examiners were sharing. Just as the one of the mares was about to speak, Twilight heard a loud sound that made her jump. Twilight’s eyes began to glow white and she screamed in fear. Her entire body tingled with unimaginable power as she floated upwards. Magenta bolts of magic exploded from her horn as a portal slowly formed in front of Twilight.
Twilight’s perception of time slowed down. The examiners seemed frozen in place. Even Twilight’s own mother was unable to do anything as the portal built in size, until finally it encompassed her. Twilight turned her head towards her parents. She reached a hoof towards them, as if they could save her from this. The sounds of magic crackling and surging around her drowned out her scream of, “Help me!”
The roar of the magic grew twofold, and with a bright flash of light, Twilight was gone.
Queen Daybreaker grumbled as she fixed her helm in front of the mirror, as it refused to sit in the exact manner she preferred. Her wings twitched as her helm pushed against her ears, making them lean forward. Small bits of flame landed on her carpet, leaving small holes as the flames died out. This did not help her mood as she ground her sharp teeth together. What else could go wrong when I am already late!? She huffed as a wicked grin slid on her face. Oh well... I am the ruler, after all. They can wait as long as I need them to... Daybreaker’s left ear twitched as she heard a loud, magical pop behind her. Her head whipped around to find a small purple foal sitting behind her, smoke drifting up from their body.
Woah... Where am I? Twilight thought as she blinked a few times. She ran her hooves all over her body. Okay, I’m all here. No missing limbs, I still have my tail, and... yep! Still have my horn! Hearing somepony clear their throat, Twilight glanced up, her eyes going wide as they fell upon Princess Celestia. She scrambled to her hooves, bowing low with an excited grin on her face.
Daybreaker narrowed her eyes at her, but she did not appear frightened of her. In fact, after a moment, the foal smiled up at her and stuck its tongue out at her.
Daybreaker let an evil grin slide on her face, then stuck her tongue out back at her. She blinked a moment later, hearing the foal’s joyful giggle. They should not be happy, they should be fearful! Do they not know who I am? Daybreaker shook her head with a huff and snarled at the joyful foal, planting her forelegs on the burned carpet and spreading her wings wide. It did not, however, have the desired effect of making them scamper away with its tail between its legs.
Instead, Twilight snarled back in the same playful manner, then collapsed in a fit of giggles. “Hehe, I like you!”
Daybreaker glanced over at the clock hanging on the wall behind the foal and cringed. She did not have time to play with a foal. Her tail flicked in disgust as she gathered the spell to turn them into just another pile of ash to be swept up, but she stopped. She looked into the foal’s eyes and hesitated, the spell humming in her horn. “Not worth my time...” she muttered as she spun around to once again fix her helm, then she turned to leave her bedroom. I’ll deal with it after court…
Daybreaker took a step forward, then felt something yank on her tail, making pain erupt from her dock. With her eyebrows furrowing, she turned back to see the foal holding part of her tail in its mouth, tugging her back towards her. It is able to touch my tail without turning to ash? Interesting… “Let go!”
Twilight stared up at Daybreaker with wide eyes, then felt her new friend’s magic surround her and lift her up to eye level.
“I am expected in court. You may come if you stay still and do not make a noise. Am I understood, foal?”
Twilight eagerly nodded. She wasn’t sure where she had gone, but at least she wouldn’t go down in history as the worst screw-up in Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Besides, this big pony was nice! She played with her like Shining did!
Daybreaker settled the foal onto her helm, humming softly to herself as she wondered if she made the right choice. “Grab onto my ears if you must, but do not hold onto my mane,” she said, waiting until she had done as she had asked. Content, at least for the moment, she opened her door and slammed it shut with her magic as she walked out into the hallway, her head held high.
“Whee, pony rides! Whee!”
“Ugh...”
Royal Edict glanced at his timepiece, his lips curled into a frown. This wasn’t good. It wasn’t often the queen was late to her court, but when she was… He spontaneously shivered as he recalled the last time. Before his thoughts could get too far away from him, however, the main doors swung open. His Queen trotted in, her head held high, much to his relief. He quickly
moved to his normal spot beside her throne. He bowed his head quickly as she sat down, only to blink his eyes as he noticed something out of place.
Upon his Queen’s helm sat a ball of purple fur. He quickly realised that it wasn’t just fur at all, but in fact a small pony. One which was now staring down at him with wide eyes. He licked his lips, then cleared his throat.
“Your Dredness?” he finally got out, causing Daybreaker’s fiery eye to turn its attention to her. “I apologize for speaking out of place, but, what is that exactly upon your helm?”
If it had been anypony other than Royal Edict there, they would have missed the small smile that graced the Queen’s lips at the reminder of the small being sitting peacefully upon her head. Much as another had done so so long ago. “It is a foal. I discovered the small thing in my chambers while I prepared for court. It was insistent upon staying near me. Silly thing.”
“Well, then. Why not smite it as I’ve witnessed you do so many times before?” Royal Edict asked after a moment, taking sick delight in the widening of the foal’s large purple eyes. Good. She should be scared. It’ll keep her on her hooves around the Queen.
Daybreaker released a small noise which could have been mistaken as a noise of contentment. “I had considered it,” she stated after a moment. “I decided I did not desire to do so.” She cleared her throat, lifting the foal from her helm and setting her on the arm of her throne. “Now, I expect you to stay right there and to not make a noise. Am I understood, foal?” She frowned, realizing that she had not asked the foal her name. “I cannot keep you around and just refer to you as foal. You must have a name. Come on, out with it,” she said, waving her hoof in a small circle.
The filly glanced around the large throne room, so different from Princess Celestia’s and yet… She turned to face Queen Daybreaker and smiled. “My name is Twilight Sparkle. I am four years old and I want to be your personal student. Please?” She wasn’t the Princess, certainly, but maybe?
Daybreaker looked down at the foal, this “Twilight Sparkle” and began to laugh at the absurdity of the request, when her eyes caught sight of something she had not noticed before. The young foal had a cutie mark. A mark she had only seen once before so long ago. How... fortuitous… She stopped laughing, and a smile slowly appeared on her muzzle. “My personal student… Yes, I think that sounds like a fine idea, Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight’s eyes widened in joy as she bounced on the armrest, taking care not to move too much.
Daybreaker continued to smile as her new student celebrated. Yes, a new faithful student is exactly what I need… Do not worry, Nightmare. With this one, I’ll free you of your madness. All I need is time to prepare her…