Daybreaker's Fiery Vengeance

The sky turned a shade of reddish orange. Daybreaker concealed the Elements in the dungeon. It didn't seem the smartest move, but perhaps she could move them out of the way as she did earlier. Because they were locked in stone, they were useless. How could anypony banish her back to the sun with those? She wasn't content to merely sit on the throne, although she loved the glow that came from the fire pillars. Those pillars lined the narrow rug. It was just what she had in mind for an ideal throne room. The gloomy ruins were too useless. Nopony would visit the forest as much as they did Canterlot.

The defiant guards charged at Daybreaker. She shot a fiery beam at them. How dare they rebel against her? At least she chased away the darkness and shadows that came with the night. The guards ran off. She walked to the dungeon and smirked at Luna. The moon princess was easy to defeat this morning. Luna's reaction to the sphere was priceless. She cackled like a madmare.

"Sunset and her friends will stop you," Luna said. "If the Elements cannot release Celestia, I don't know what else will."

Anger flared in Daybreaker's veins as she pressed her hooves against the steel bars. "Do not say her horrible name again, or you will be led to your execution. No, I can destroy you right here. Watch your back. Also, I've trapped the tiny group of renegades under the dreary castle."

Tears streamed down Luna's cheeks. "Tia... I know you're in there. You're not Daybreaker. Remember who you truly are..."

Daybreaker turned away. She sensed Celestia's remorse. So Celestia was still able to hear Luna's voice. She groaned. Why was it impossible to fully suppress Celestia? She had taken full control of her body and mind, yet the sun princess was somehow independent. How did this happen? Was it related to Luna's frequent song? Of course it made sense. After all, the first time Luna sang to Celestia, the sun princess seemed to become aware. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't beat the love both sisters had for each other.

"Tia, I've missed you so much..."

Daybreaker lost her stoic composure. "Enough of this, you silly little princess! I don't want Celestia's influence to take over. Please shut up or else!" She shot a fiery beam at Luna. She wanted the moon princess to hate her for the monster she had become. Yet Luna didn't fight back.

The fiery beam pushed Luna backward. Daybreaker stormed back to the throne room. At least she didn't have to force herself to hear Luna sing. She had to deal with that for a thousand years. How could those two sisters sing and still call it a lullaby? She kept her eyes focused on the grand doors. Celestia's voice whispered again. It was like two ponies fighting for a single body. When would Celestia stop bothering her? Somehow, the magic of the Elements kept her alive.

"If we ever split, I'll make you pay for what you did."

Daybreaker snickered. "Like it or not, you're everything you've always wanted to become. A powerful alicorn capable of ruling Equestria under eternal daylight. No need for the night to exist."

"The night exists for a reason. Equestria is dying under your tyranny."

"Hush, Celestia. Trust me on this. I'll take care of the six little ponies. They won't succeed."

"Just wait until they arrive."

Daybreaker summoned the suppression spell. She was sick of arguing with her. Why did Celestia have to sound so ominous? She brushed it off as a figment of her imagination. As she strode to the courtyard, she froze. Below Canterlot, Ponyville seemed to shut out the sun. Several buildings were abandoned in favor of... She shook her head. Why would anypony want to live in underground tunnels? She couldn't consider this a possibility. Not when the sun provided life and light. Nopony needed the night.

Unless they're planning an uprising... Just like the bothersome group. Daybreaker scowled. If anypony attempted such a rebellion, she'll be forced to destroy everypony. She couldn't go that far if she wanted a kingdom to rule over. Even cruel alicorns had limits. Only a true monster would annihilate everything in sight. She shook her head and interrupted her train of thought. How dare Celestia influence her mind? She'd rather destroy anypony that stood in her way.

Somehow, the bond between two sisters prevented Celestia's voice from becoming silent. It was the way love worked. Daybreaker hated love. It wasn't in her nature to love anypony else. The workings of love could never change her heart. She returned to the throne room. While many ponies loathed the heat, the current temperature felt pleasant on her coat. She was the wicked Mare of Flames, after all.

Although Sunset and her group survived the burning forest, she wasn't so sure about racing to Canterlot. The heat had intensified. It felt unnatural. How much longer did they have to be outside? At least the others were underground. Her throat was parched. It was like running through a desert. If it had been eternal night, the land would freeze in a matter of months, although the progression might be slower than eternal day. Either extreme could end Equestria. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. Was it a result of Daybreaker's magic?

Sunset considered drinking water, but she couldn't let dehydration distract her. She led her group toward the train station. It was strange that the train hadn't been used in a while. She had no idea how to steer a train. Wasn't there any other way? Whoever joined the other ponies underground should've waited for the group to arrive.

"We didn't have a single drop of water ever since Daybreaker ruined the Summer Sun Celebration," Applejack said.

"Does it matter?" Sunset asked. "We've gotta hurry."

"Okay, then."

Sunset led her group onto the train. To her surprise, a stallion approached them. Hadn't all the other ponies went underground? "Sir, we need to go to Canterlot. I know Daybreaker's scary and all, but we'll handle her. Just give us a ride."

The stallion nodded. "That'll be two bits for each pony."

Sunset handed the bits to the stallion. "Don't linger here any longer."

When the stallion began steering the train, Sunset and her group gathered around a table. She stared out the window. The sun appeared larger than normal. It wasn't a regular summer day. It was the product of eternal daylight. This day didn't give her a break. First, she was sent to Ponyville to meet new friends. And she didn't mind the presence of her friends. Second, Daybreaker returned with a vengeance. Third, the heartless alicorn moved the Elements out of reach.

Daybreaker was a force to be reckoned with. She had the power to set everything on fire, and she did. The Everfree was still burning when the group escaped. She could control fires and the sun itself. What other powers did she possess? Fire breath? The dangerous slits in her eyes could remind anypony of baleful dragons.

Fluttershy cowered in a corner. "I don't want to see Daybreaker again. She's terrifying. Even her eyes scare me."

"You joined us for a reason," Sunset said. "And that is to help us defeat her and to save Equestria from destruction."

"Did you even see the flames in the Everfree? She has the power to burn anything into ashes."

"I know, but we shouldn't give her the satisfaction of scaring us. She seems to enjoy making others tremble with fear. That's one of the characteristics of being a villain."

Rainbow nodded. "Sunset's right. We will stand up to Daybreaker. She won't beat us."

Sunset stared out the window. The sky was still clear. Were the pegasi too frightened to create rainclouds? Should she have left Spike at home? What if Daybreaker challenged the group head-on and endangered his life? Instead of the air becoming cooler as they reached Canterlot, the sky grew hotter. Leftover ashes floated near the windows. It was strange to see an empty sky. Normally there would be pegasi flying around, but nopony showed up. She couldn't blame the ponies for going underground. If she had her way, she would attempt to cool off underground.

Instead of waiting for eternal daylight to end, Sunset and her group were determined to stop Daybreaker. In the distance, she could make out a fiery orange pillar emerging from Canterlot Castle's tallest tower. It was shaped like Daybreaker's cutie mark. This pillar didn't set the castle on fire. Had Daybreaker intended the pillar to be a reminder of her power and tyranny?

Daybreaker watched a train approaching Canterlot. She shook her head. It wasn't meant to happen. If the little group discovered the Elements, she would find herself on the sun for another thousand years. How in the world did the group escape the old castle's dungeon? The mere thought caused her to grimace as she strode to the drawbridge. The city was quieter than she anticipated. A thousand years and the ponies still shunned the daylight? It didn't seem right. Ponies couldn't see at night, and it was more dangerous.

Daybreaker's sun could see everything in the land. Yes, it could even see Equestria from countless miles away. Why should they hide in the shade instead of frolicking in the sun? It wasn't always like this. A thousand years ago, ponies were in love with the sunlight. She had seen what happened over the years from the sun's surface. She was meant to be the only ruler of Equestria. If the six ponies, along with their little dragon, ever arrived, she would immediately burn them to ashes. How dare Equestria defy her sun after a thousand years of her absence?

"They're so determined. Just like when the weak little princess fought me," Daybreaker whispered.

Daybreaker summoned a wall of flames to block every entrance. She would enjoy watching them struggle to enter the castle. She soared to a balcony that overlooked the whole land. She adjusted the telescope and peered into the small hole. "They're coming closer. I'll try to hinder the train. If they're as courageous as they claimed to be, I'll remove the wall of flames just to challenge them in the throne room. What makes them think they can stop the sun from shining?"

Just as the train arrived in Canterlot, Daybreaker flew to the throne room. She unfurled her wings to make herself seem more imposing. Whoever assisted the group should be punished. An idea came to her mind. She could greet the pony while the group struggled against the flames. She teleported to the train station. As the group approached the wall of flames, she stood in front of the train.

"If you don't listen to my orders right now, you will get what you deserve!" Daybreaker boomed. Her Royal Canterlot Voice caused the ground to shake for several seconds. "Abandon the train!" Once she finished speaking, a stallion emerged from the train.

When the stallion saw Daybreaker, he hid his face, trembling like a frightened little colt. "Daybreaker, don't kill me!"

Daybreaker snickered. "Explain your actions or I'll torture you."

"They just wanted to be in Canterlot."

"So they came, huh? Perhaps you should have reconsidered the choice to participate in such a rebellion. I will give you a fitting punishment for this. You will never see your dear princess again. I'm the solar empress who will keep Equestria warm and safe. The night is filled with monsters and lawbreakers. If you call me wicked, I'll show you who's wicked."

"Please don't burn me... You have no right to overthrow our righteous princess."

Daybreaker slammed her hooves against the ground. The mountain shook again. "You deserve a place in the dungeon!" Her magic enveloped the stallion. He disappeared from her presence. Smoke filled the air. She realized that the blue pegasus and the orange unicorn were trying to quench the flames.

Daybreaker's horn glowed. The flames disappeared, then she disguised herself as a pegasus. She approached the blue pegasus. "Rainbow Dash, I have heard great things about you. You should join my team. We call ourselves the Firebolts. Do you accept my offer?"

Rainbow glanced at her friends, then at Daybreaker. "No. I'd rather stick with my group. As much as I want to join, I can't."

"Too bad. I won't bother with you." Daybreaker teleported into the dungeon and removed her disguise. She walked toward a secret room, where she had hidden the Elements. Perhaps she should move them to a better hiding spot. She trotted to Luna's cell, snickering.

Luna maintained eye contact. "You are so desperate to keep my sister hostage. And you have wrongfully imprisoned an innocent citizen. He was trying to assist Sunset and her friends."

Daybreaker let out an annoyed sigh. "To be fair, he defied my rule."

"Don't burn Equestria into ashes."

"You've always been the pesky little sister! I'll leave you to die in here." Daybreaker hurried back to the throne room.