A Friendship's Journey

Celestia's sun rose on the horizon, illuminating the land with brightness as the sun's circle was slowly rising. The blus sky had some white cloudy dots as decoration.

Five years has passed since I arrived in this world. I've had a more wonderful time in Equestria than that of planet Earth. I was now an official member in the Sparkle family, living in their house as if I were their own - which I am now apparently - and was giving me more attention than my former human parents ever did.

I was now seventeen, almost eighteen as my birthday is only one to two years away. Currently, I am walking to the palace in Canterlot as I was called by the Princess herself, who asked me for my presence to her for some reason.

Trotting through the streets to the palace doors, I greeted a couple of nobles who, somehow, responded back to me with their own greetings. When I first came here, they either didn't respond my greetings, or wanted to let me play with their children.

I have a soft spot for kids, let me tell you.

I was now in front of the door to the throne room, somehow managed to get here quicker than expected. I sighed to relieve some of my negative thoughts, before opening the door with my blue colored magic and trotted into the room.

"You wanted to see me?" I asked Celestia as I stopped a few centimeters from the steps of her throne.

"Yes, Dawn," she nodded. "I wanted to tell you something privately."

Celestia nodded for the guards to leave us in peace. The guards didn't respond, as they simply walked out of the room as it left only the Princess and I.

I continued to stare at the Princess until she cleared her throat.

"Dawn, this is something important," Celestia told me. "I want you to keep this only to yourself and Twilight, understand?"

"I do, Princess," I nodded in understanding. I was now more openly to the Princess than my first meeting with her five years ago. I had also been a bit of a book-lover alongside Twilight, who insisted on me to learn the culture of this world before I had anything to do with it. Luckily, I was able to understand the Equestrian language rather easily, with me being pony myself, that is.

Returning back to the present, I focused my blue eyes on the Princess as she began to speak once again.

"Dawn, this is regarding a family member of mine," Celestia started. "My sister, Princess Luna, is coming back from an thousand year exile on the moon. She had been in a different and evil form from the time I was younger. Now, she's Nightmare Moon, an pony corrupted by darkness."

"And, you want me to free her, right?" I asked straight ahead.

"Straight to the point, huh?" Celestia chuckled warmly to me. "Yes. My sister is very dear to me, like Twilight is with you. You'll understand what I mean when you see Luna in her normal form once this is all over with Nightmare Moon."

I was now in a thinking mood, like I am more every often. "I'll do everything in my strength to bring her back to you, Princess Celestia." I spoke respectfully to her.

She smiled upon hearing that. "Thank you, Dawn. This means a lot to me."

After my conversation with the Princess ended, I trotted out of the palace as I started my way home to Velvet and Night Light. I haven't decided to call them parents yet, as my old parents would be infuriated if I did that if they had met them.

As I was making my way home, I met up with three other unicorns, whose names I had forgotten.

"There you are, Dawn," one of them spoke to me. "Moondancer is having a bit of a get-together. You wanna come?" The other two smiled at that, but I was far from thrilled.

"Sorry, girls," I apologized. "But, I have a lot of studying and preparation to do for another one. Catch you later!" I ran past them, as they mumbled to themselves which I heard.

"Does those two do anything except studying?"

"I think they're more interested in books than friends."

I knew they were talking about my sister figure Twilight as well. As I continued to run, I slowed my pace as I came to a stop in front of my home, while meeting Twilight at the same time as I grinned upon seeing her.

"Hey there, Twi," I greeted her. "Done with the reading?"

"Yes," she nodded. "And, I see you're done speaking with the Princess."

"Yup." My grin widened as the two of us started to see if the other could go in the door to the house quicker. Twilight won, of course. She barged straight into the door, causing a small familiar drake fall on his back.

"Spike. Spike!" I shook my head at Twilight's call until she heard a groan. She looked down. "There you are."

As Twilight ran up to the shelves, I helped Spike up on his two small feet. he thanked me before we looked at the purple unicorn as she searched through many books with her lavender aura.

"No. No. No," she said in irritation before getting frustrated. "Ugh. SPIKE! DAWN!"

"Over here," I took a book concerned about the prophecies and the legendary Elements. I had guided it over to Twilight as she smiled, thankfully as she took it with her own aura.

As Spike and I was busy cleaning the books back up on their shelves, Twilight started to read aloud.

"Elements. Elements. Elements," she began as she continued to look through the pages. "E. E. E. Here we are!" She had found the page she was looking for as I helped Spike with returning the books to their respective shelves.

"It is said that, upon the thousands anniversary of the Summer Sun Celebration," the purple unicorn read aloud, "the mare of the moon will return and bring about eternal darkness."

As I managed to help Spike when his stair was a few centimeters away from the bookshelf we were at, I took one of the books in his claws back into the shelf. He thanked me as I continued to help him with my magic aura.

I suddenly heard Twilight gasp as she looked behind her to us from the corner of my eyes. "Spike. Dawn. Do you know what this means?"

"No," we responded simultaneously as Spike fell down from the stair but landed on the purple unicorn's barrel as he grunted in small pain. Twilight held a quill and paper for him.

"Take a note, to the Princess, please," Twilight spoke to Spike as he slid down from her.

"Okie dokie!" Spike was ready to write.

"My dear Princess."

I saw Spike writing the first line.

"My continuing studies of pony magic have led me to discover that we are on the precipice of disaster!"

"Hold on." We looked at Spike as he struggled to write the last line. "Preci...preci..."

"Threshold," Twilight said instead.

Spike tried but looked confused. "Threh..."

"Uh, brink?"

Spike looked confused again.

A groan escaped Twilight. "Ugh, that something really bad is about to happen!"

Spike started to write it down on the paper.

"For you see, the mythical Mare in the Moon is in fact Nightmare Moon, and she's about to return to Equestria, and bring with her eternal night! Something must be done to make sure this terrible prophecy does not come true. I await your quick respond. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

"Twi...light...Spar...kle..." Spike wrote the last line on the paper. "Got it!" He was now done.

"Great, send it," Twilight ordered.

"Now?"

"You mean, right now?" I added.

"Of course," Twilight sighed. "Dawn, you know that Nightmare Moon and her eternal night is terrible. You've read the prophecy several times, haven't you? You could at least be more sensitive with me here."

"Sorry," I apologized. "It's just...I sense something far more dangerous than Nightmare Moon."

"It's alright," Twilight assured me. "There'll be nothing bad to happen."

A belch caught our attention from our small conversation.

"I'd knew she'd make an immediate action," Twilight said gleefully as Spike read the letter from Celestia.

He cleared his throat before started reading. "My dear Twilight, there is more to a young pony's life than studying, so I'm sending you and Dawn to supervise the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration in this year's location, Ponyville. And I have an even more essential task for you and Dawn, make some friends!"

Our eyes widened as we sighed until two chariots arrived outside of our house as the three of us made our way out, taking one chariot each as the pegasi guards took off with the chariots.

By being away from Canterlot from my five years of being adopted there, I was a bit afraid of Ponyville. What would they think if they saw an alien-turned-pony? Would they freak out, or worse, be knocked unconscious?

The pegasi guards landed on the ground, as me, Twilight and Spike hopped off our respective chariots.

"Thank you, sirs," I thanked the guards that were from my chariot. I trotted over to Twilight as I started speaking, "I'll have a look around myself. You may do the preparations."

"But, the Princess specifically said in the letter that the two of us should be supervisors," Twilight protested.

"Don't worry," I dismissed with a shake of my head. "I've got more important things to do here."

"Alright then," she nodded as I trotted off somewhere in the town.

I was trotting through the town of Ponyville, as I suddenly bumped into somepony.

"Sorry. My bad," I apologized as I looked at the lime green unicorn that looked at me with wonder eyes.

"It's nothing," she assured me. "Say, wouldn't you be the one who was a brother figure to the Princess' protégé?"

"I am, not was," I reminded her. "Had been that for five years now."

"Wow, that is something," the unicorn admired me. "Wasn't it tough, with the questions?"

"Nah," I dismissed with a wave of my hoof. "I was kinda expecting it."

"Is that so? Hm. Okay," the unicorn then asked, "Who are you, anyway?"

"I'm Dawn," I introduced myself. "Dawn Darkness. A pleasure." I gave her a polite bow as she giggled.

"No need to be formal, Dawn," she reminded me.

"Sorry," I said. "Being raised in the capital city of Canterlot makes me just so polite and all."

"You live in Canterlot?" she asked.

"Mhm," I nodded my head. "Like before, for five years."

"Wow," she was amazed. "Why don't you come with me to my place, Dawn? I might give you a snack for having a talk with me."

"I'm sorry, but I've got a lot of things to do," I apologized, shaking my head.

"Aw." She hung her head down in shame.

"But, later, after the Summer Sun Celebration, I might," I reassured her.

"Okay!" she exclaimed before trotting away from me, not long before saying, "See you later, Dawn!"

"Later!" I waved my hoof to her in farewell.

I continued to trot down the streets of Ponyville, feeling a bit more reassurance that the town isn't so bad after all. The citizens seemed calm, quiet, and sensitive unlike those snobbish nobles in Canterlot who demanded for respect and the like.

I, again, didn't see where I was going as I bumped into someone once more.

"Oof." I heard a grunt from a female as I looked at her. She had a brown and light coat, with a light blue tail and mane.

"Sorry," I apologized to the female pony. She was an earth pony, as she didn't have an horn like that unicorn from before.

"It's alright," she replied in a soft voice. She looked up and saw a blue unicorn pony as she just stared at me. "Um...who are you?"

"Dawn. Dawn Darkness," I introduced myself, bowing respectfully as she chuckled in amusement.

"No polite bowing, please." I obliged her wish as I smiled at her.

"I know, living in Canterlot has made me such a polite pony after all," I smirked as she gasped.

"You're from Canterlot?!"

"Yes," I nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some things to do." As I started to trot away from her, she stepped in front of me as I eyed her. "Can I help you?"

"If you're from Canterlot," she began. "Then, I must get you something for being such a gentlecolt. Come with me, please." She motioned for a nearby shop as I chuckled nervously.

"I'm...not so much into shopping," I told her. "For many ponies, can get me quite stubborn if it's too much for me."

"Oh," she hung her head. "Sorry, for trying to make you to shop with me."

"No problem," I said with a toothy grin. "If anything, I might have somepony who might like it."

"Really?" she asked in a 'sure' voice.

"I think so." She shook her head at my words. I sighed. "Well, I'd better be off to somewhere, then."

"See you later!" She waved a hoof as I trotted away from her until she was out of sight.

As I continued to trot in Ponyville, I stumbled upon a lake where I saw an pegasi sitting by the edge of the lake, looking a bit down.

I trotted up to her as I called out, "What's wrong?"

She was startled by my voice as she turned her head to me as she lowered her gaze from mine.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you." I looked at her yellow form as I observed her look. She had a magenta mane and tail, while her eyes were a blue color.

"Um..." she shyly began, looking away again. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

My head tilted in confusion until I realized what she was referring to.

"Oh. Sorry," I apologized politely. "I didn't mean to stre at you with your back behind." I looked away as an awkward silence came between us. She, too, was dead silent as we continued to have an awkward silent contest.

I cleared my throat as I finally announced, "Well, I'd better be off. Don't wanna miss my schedule, would I?" She remained silent, as I awkwardly trotted away from her.

Let's see. There was this one mare with the pegasi wings that should be clearing the clouds along with one named Rainbow Dash. I checked my preparation list as I looked up in the blue sky, seeing that the white clouds were still there.

I heard a quick flap of wings, as I just barely managed to jump above the white blur that swooped under my very hooves. Landing safely on the ground, I stared at the white pegasus that should be responsible for clearing the clouds today.

The white pegasus panted as she looked at nowhere with a bright smile on her face.

"That was quicker than the other day." She sounded surprised with herself.

"Excuse me." I saw her turn her head behind to look at me. "Are you the one who is supposed to be responsible for clearing the clouds for the Summer Sun Celebration?"

"Your guess is correct!" she exclaimed. "The name's Starfire. Nice to meet ya!"

"Star...fire...?" I whispered to myself before saying, "Well, you're a bit behind the schedule, because the Celebration's the day after today. Why are you even working out for something like that?"

"Well," Starfire started before proclaiming: "I'm going to impress the Wonderbolts!"

"Uh...the Wonderbolts?" I questioned, which I shouldn't had done.

She gasped as she exclaimed, "You don't even know who the Wonderbolts are?!"

I shook my head.

She just stared at me in disbelief. "You're kiddin' me. The Wonderbolts are the greatest flyers in Equestria! And, someday, I'm going to be a Wonderbolt myself!"

"How predictable," I said with a sigh. "There's also this mare called Rainbow who's a big fan and wants to be a Wonderbolt."

"She is?!" Starfire gave a huge smile. "Then, it means I have an rival to see who can impress them more than the other can."

"Anyway," I said. "About clearing the sky from the clouds?"

"Yeah. Yeah." Starfire was now on a cloud as she seemed to be goofing off. "That'll be in a snap after I take a nap. I could do it within ten seconds."

I quirked an eyebrow at that. "Really? I think that Rainbow is much faster and more quicker than you."

And, she took the bait.

Starfire glared at me in a challenging way. "Oh, yeah? Well, I'm more quicker than her."

"Prove it," I challenged.

Starfire got up from her cloud as she took off rather quicker than the speed of light as she popped the clouds away in a matter of low seconds as she returned to hover above me as I had my mouth aghast, generally shocked to see a mare that quick.

"Ha!" Starfire laughed at my shocked state. "You should be seeing the look on your face. It's hilarious."

Shaking myself out of it, I admitted, "Well, I didn't expect you to be that quick. Seven seconds? That's a new record for somepony to be faster than Rainbow Dash."

"You know it, uh...your name?" She looked for clarification.

"Dawn," I introduced myself.

"Well, you know it, Dawn. See you later at the Summer Sun Celebration!" Starfire took off into town.

I trotted along the path to a sugar shop called Sugarcube Corner as there's one more on the list before I am going to find Twilight.

Just by hearing the name Sugarcube Corner, made my stomach want to eat the whole building. But, that's a real building, so no eating that, I guess.

I trotted inside the shop, looking around at the inside of the building as I took in the sweets, guests and owners as I looked for a specific mare for preparing the food.

Trotting over to the counter, I asked, "Do you know where I can find a mare named Ink Pie?"

"Of course!" the mare in the counter nodded. "She should be at the library by now, preparing for a guest of honor or something."

"I see. Thanks." I trotted out of the shop as I began my trek to the Golden Oak Library.

I trotted in the town as I looked for the library, where Twilight would be at as I looked up to see the starry night was in the sky. Was I out for that long? It must be.

I noticed Twilight in front of the library as she glanced at me with an expecting look as I gave her a small smile.

"Where were you?" she asked me.

"Sorry," I apologized. "Was busy with something." I was being honest. "You done with the preparation list?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Man, was they also a bit irritating, Dawn. They wanted to make friends with me."

"That's great!" I exclaimed, but soon fell quiet from her glare.

"It's not great, okay?" she said in irritation. "They kept me from going to the library."

"What's so special about the Golden Oak Library?" I wondered.

"It has some books that we don't know in Canterlot," she told me.

I shook my head as we trotted into the library with Spike. What greeted us, was utter darkness and silence as we tried to look around for the switch.

"Spike, where's the switch-"

Click...

"SURPRISE!"

We fell on our butts at the shouting as we were very shocked to see a library full of colorful ponies, all looking at us with smiles and grins as they stared at the two guests.

I nearly had an heart attack by that. My heart nearly jumped out of me.

Suddenly, two ponies was in front of us as they spoke so quick we couldn't understand them.

"Hi!" the pink pony began. "I'm Pinkie Pie! I am the one who set this party up just for you! When I heard my sister spotting a new unicorn that was blue in color, I couldn't help feel so happy to know that we have newcomers to Ponyville! I just wanted to throw this party just for the two of you! Were you surprised?! Hh? Huh? HUH?!"

"Very surprised!" Me and Twilight exclaimed at the same time.

"And I nearly had an heart attack by you, dammit!" I snarled with a growl escaping my throat.

The pink pony just smiled by my unnoticed growl and snarl. "You're welcome!"

I just was aghast at the way this pony was in personality. She didn't take my small statement enough? What's up with her?

"You must be Dawn!" the one who was Pinkie's sister exclaimed to me. "You must be from this unicorn's home, right?!" She was just as excited as Pinkie.

Now, was I getting the feeling why the Princess would send us here in this crazy town.

"That's...right..." I managed to breath out from my shocked state.

"Yay! A new friend!" Ink happily shook my hoof roughly. "I was just dying for not getting a new friend! Luckily, you came along and I was just so happy!"

"Hold on!" She didn't hear me properly. She almost took me with her until I was surrounded by lavender aura as I was levitated above ground, courtesy of Twilight coming to my rescue.

"I'm sorry!" Twilight gave a brief explanation. "He's not very fond of making fast friends. As he says, interactions come first before making friends. That's just the way he is. So, we'll be off!" She quickly teleported us away from the body to an room somewhere in the library.

Coming out of the teleportation, I landed safely on the ground as I sighed in major relief.

"Thanks, Twi," I thanked her. "I was nearly, how should I say it, taken from you by that Ink pony."

"No problem," Twilight sighed. "I'm just glad that I was able to teleport us into this locked room, which thankfully I locked before the ponies went crazy with their party."

I sighed as the starry night soon turned to midnight as Twilight decided that, if Spike should inform us of Celestia's sunrise, then we'd better have the door open for him.

Five more hours later, and the party was still going on as Twilight and I was in our beds as we tried to cover our poor ears from the loud music they were playing.

After some time, Twilight groaned in frustration as did I from the music they was currently playing in the main hall.

"Man, is this irritating," I grumbled, loud so that Twilight could hear my grumpy attitude.

"Dawn? You alright?" she asked.

"I'm not too good with this kind of music," I grumpily replied. "I can be more to other kinds of music except this kind."

"I understand," Twilight nodded from her bed. She looked up into the starry midnight of the black sky as did I when I teleported myself up to her.

Twilight pulled a book to us as she read it aloud, "Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about everlasting night!" She looked at me as I glanced at her. "I hope Princess Celestia was right...I hope it's really an old pony tale..."

Just then, the door opened as I covered my poor ears from the music.

"C'mon, Twilight, Dawn! It's time to watch the sunrise!" Spike announced to us.

We were now in the Town Hall, where all of Ponyville was within the large hall. I was shy, nervous and more quiet than I was the previous years living with Twilight as Pinkie and Ink jumped beside us.

"Isn't this exciting?!" Ink started.

"Are you two excited?" Pinkie added. "'Cause, we're excited. We've never been so excited...well, except for the time we saw you two trotting in town and I was"-a deep gasp-"but I mean really, who can top that?"

A fanfare sounded, for my poor ears from the music earlier. I gritted my teeth as I was unprepared for that.

The Mayor of Ponyville was on the stage as she started her announce. "Fillies and gentecolts, as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!"

The cheering was loud, causing me to lower my head from my already deaf ears.

"In just a few moments," the Mayor continued, "our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honor to introduce you to the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and moon every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria..."

I tensed up, as Twilight and I were the only ones who noticed the face of a mare in the moon vanish.

"...Princess Celestia!"

The curtains opened, revealing...nopony.

"This...can't be good," Twilight mumbled.

The Mayor looked at everypony as she said, "Remain calm, everypony, there must be a reasonable explanation."

"Ooh, ooh," Ink bounced from beside me. "I love guessing games! Is she hiding?" She looked around.

"She's gone," the white unicorn on the platform above the stage called out as we all gasped.

The Princess? Gone? Wha-

"Ooh, she's good," Ink aid no heed t what's happening before she yelped. We all looked at the platform where the Princess of the Sun was supposed to be at, as a blue swirl started to form on it as the swirl turned into an pony.

An alicorn pony, no less.

She has a black coat, starry, floating mane and tail as well as sharp blue eyes.

"Oh, my beloved subjects," Nightmare Moon began, whom I recognized from the pony tale Twilight read earlier. "It's been so long since I saw your sun loving faces."

"What did you do to our Princess?!" Starfire demanded, attempting to fly at her, but was held by my blue magic.

"Slow down, now," I told Starfire. "Don't cause a conflict."

Nightmare Moon chuckled darkly. "What, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?"

"Ooh, ooh," Ink bounced up and down from her position. "More guessing games! Um. Hokey Smokes! How about...Queen Meanie! No. Black Snooty. Black Snooty-" I silenced her as well with a lip-zip spell, cutting her off.

"Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years?" the Nightmare questioned. "Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?"

"We did!" Twilight and I proclaimed loudly, making Nightmare Moon turn to us.

I continued to where Twilight left off. "And we know who you are." I stomped a hoof down. "You're the Mare in the Moon. Nightmare Moon!" Multiple gasps of shock erupted within the Town Hall.

The Nightmare chuckled darkly again. "Well, well, well. Someponies who remember me. Then you also know why I am here."

"You're here to...to..." Twilight gulped, as I stared blankly at the black alicorn.

Another chuckle. "Remember this day, little ponies, for this is to be your last. From this day forth, the night will last...forever!" She laughed evilly as her starry floating mane swirled above her as thunder cracked from it.