I’m right here.

The Mare opened her eyes when she thought she had heard somepony only to look around and find that she was alone in a hospital room with only a steady beep to accompany her.

Looking around everything seemed very minimal. Just the bed she was in and the equipment next to her. Sitting up she took notice of an IV drip going into her foreleg and a few wires that trailing to a cardiac monitor. Next to the monitor was a small sign on a stand with Princess Twilight’s cutie mark pointing to a button detailing ‘Press when you wake, please.’

Nothing happened immediately, so the mare had more time to look around. The door was to her left, closed of course. The room had no window, she concluded she was either in a center room or underground. There were no gifts, cards, or flowers, so this couldn’t be a normal hospital stay. Or nopony liked her enough to care. Which brings up the question, did she even know anypony?

The Mare sat up, and something felt different. Her back felt smoother? It didn’t make any sense, so she reached a hoof back to check and nothing felt out of place.

While she was feeling herself up, the door opened and a stallion in a lab coat walked in and grabbed a clipboard she hadn’t noticed off the wall. He began addressing her almost immediately.

“You are awake... earlier than normal,” he noted while marking something on the clipboard.

Funny, she wasn’t entirely sure that she’d woken up before, though this all seems pretty dejavu.

He continues, “And you can speak, right?”

Nodding, she says “Yes” before covering her mouth with a hoof. That didn’t sound right, she thought. It sounded choked.

Marking something else on his clipboard, he speaks up. “Your vocal chords aren’t used to the strain. Well, they’re not used to any strain. Don’t be afraid to talk so you can adjust them and don’t sound as hoarse.”

Still very much confused, she asks “Where am I, Mr. Uh...?”

“I certainly am not a Mr. Uh, my name is Doctor Steady Hoof and you are in the underground laboratories of Princess Twilight in Canterlot. The Princess develops theories, and as she no longer has time to put into pursuing them, we here at the laboratories set about to test them. You, my dear, are part of a joint test between Princess Twilight and Princess Cadence called the Phoenix Project. You are a Pheonix, the first one in a while.”

That answered a few questions, but cropped up so many more. Why were the Princesses interested in her? Who was she for the Princesses to be interested in her? A Phoenix, right? What was a Pheonix?

She brought up one of the bigger questions in her mind, “What is the Phoenix Project?”

“Leave all your questions for the Princesses; one, or both of them, should be here within the hour. I just wanted to pique your curiosity so you ask just as many questions as she asks us on a regular basis. She absolutely hates when I do that.” He huffed a laugh out and went to scribble a few more things on the clipboard before hanging it near the door.

Looking back he gave her one last set of instructions. “Please don’t leave the room, I don’t want to have to have the Princesses looking for you. They will be here within the hour. If you need anything do not be afraid to press the button again. Now, I need to go screen a new Phoenix applicant. Again, my name is Dr. Steady Hoof, and in the meantime, just relax.”

Long winded, that stallion is. As he went for the door, the Mare had just one more question.

“Dr. Steady Hoof, what is my-” The door clicked closed.

“Name?”

With nothing to do for a bit the Mare started counting ceiling tiles while thinking about her situation. She had no clue what was going on other than she was part of this Phoenix project. She couldn’t really remember anything or anyone other than maybe Princess Twilight, but that might have just been pictures. There was no memory of who she was or what she did. No name.

Hold on, she realised. Her cutie mark, that might shed some light on the situation she was in. Raising the covers, the mare twisted herself to take a look at her quarters. Nothing, nada, zip, zilch. She continued to stare at herself hoping maybe something would appear. Nothing did. She was a blank slate, nothing to her, not even a name. Hopefully Princess Twilight could shed some light on the situations. The doctor had told the Mare that he wanted to leave all the questions for Twilight.

The Mare thought about getting up, but decided against it because she didn’t want to hear the blaring of the heart monitor. She also wasn’t sure if she should take the IV out. Wishing there was a clock in the room, she elected to go back to counting the ceiling tiles. 6 Rows, or 79 tiles in the door opened once again.

Princess Twilight walked in, tailed by Princess Cadence.

“You are awake early,” Twilight whispered.

“Hello, Princesses,” the Mare addressed them. “I’d bow, but I’m not sure if I should get up or not.”

“Oh, no. No bowing to us, at least unless we’re in public. Friends don’t bow to each other, unless they’re dignitaries, I guess.”

“Dignitaries could hardly be considered friends,” Cadence interjected.

“That being said, feel free to just call me Twilight. But forget names, I’m sure you have many questions!” With that she brightened. “Questions that we would love to answer.”

Let’s start this off with the biggest question. “What am I?”

“You’re a Phoenix!” Twilight announced in a spectacular fashion, smiling at the Mare like it had answered all the questions that she had.

“I mean my name, Princess. I know that I’m a Phoenix, but I’m not sure what that is. Unless that’s my name? Is my name Pheonix?” It seemed wrong to the Mare, the doctor and Twilight had been referring to Phoenix as more of a thing, rather than her.

“I’m certainly not an immortal bird,” the Mare continued, “I don’t even have wings.” With that Twilight winced and looked away.

“No dear,” Cadence spoke up, “the Phoenix we’re talking about is a pony that has been reborn after death in another body. A Phoenix is also the body that was made for your mind and consciousness to be transferred into.”

“As for your name,” Twilight picked up, “since Cadence and Celestia had the biggest hoof in making your Pheonix, so they got to decide. They both agreed on Daylight, even though I thought Summer Breeze was a better one,” she huffed.

“Well, Twi, I think the Mare should choose herself, even if it’s not something any of us chose.”

Daylight. The Mare liked the sound of that. Daylight liked the sound of that. “Sorry, Twilight, I think I also prefer Daylight,” Daylight said with a smile.

“Well, Daylight, have you seen yourself yet?” Cadence asked.

“There’s no mirror here, and my neck can only stretch so far.”

“Can you stand up while I get a mirror?” Cadence asked as she conjured a full height mirror.

“You can take off the electrodes and let me get the IV for you.” Daylight felt Twilight’s magic wash over my left foreleg taking the IV out, she then turned to the heart monitor and shut it off while Daylight took off the pads on her chest.

Sliding off the bed to stand up, Daylight immediately slipped and fell on her rear and

Cadence let out a giggle, that was quickly followed up by a “Sorry.”

Standing back on all fours, she wavered before looking up.

Daylight looked to the mirror to see herself for the first time. She was an Earth pony with carnation hair that trailed down to about elbow length, and a pristine shalimar coat. She suddenly felt embarrassed for herself because someone had to have washed her. Her eyes the color of mulled wine. In them she saw a bright eyed morning look, one that looked towards a new beginning and away from the shrouded mystery of night. Someone who was at the beginning of another cycle, a new sunrise. The first sight of Daylight.

Author's Note

"Everything will crumble and waste away so that something new will be born." - Sweet Shalquoir, Dark Souls II

Switched the story to 3rd person, and edited the first chapter accordingly.