The Unintended Psychological Consequences of Inter-Dimensional Travel

Chapters

Exercising Equestrian Justice
Such a Nice Jail
Courting Disaster
You are my Sunshine
Why I Hate Department Stores
Sunrise, Sunset

Exercising Equestrian Justice

Author's Note

This story depends on the characterization of Daybreaker and relationships presented in the IDW comic book series My Little Pony: Nightmare Knights by Jeremy Whitley. References to “the Casino Dimension” and the events of Luna’s visits there will make more sense if you’ve read the comic, but it isn’t essential as this is a standalone story. What follows is a brief summary of that comic arc.

Luna’s powers were stolen by Eris, a female version of Discord from another dimension, who ran the Chaos Casino for evil-doers and was going to sell Luna’s powers to the highest bidder. Luna assembled a crew of former baddies who she thought would be able to pass the test to be admitted into the Casino. With them, she was able to get in and found that Eris had taken over the Casino from its previous ruler, the Pony of Shadows, by getting one of his lieutenants, Daybreaker, to betray him. She then rewarded Daybreaker by enslaving her with a collar that forced her to do Eris’ bidding. In the process of trying to get close to Eris, Luna managed to forge a deal with Daybreaker, who in the end defeated Eris, but not before Luna almost got killed herself trying to defend Daybreaker. Luna’s powers restored, they parted ways, with Daybreaker taking over the Casino dimension and telling Luna not to come back.

Exercising Equestrian Justice

“All rise!” The courtroom’s hushed silence broke as the packed gallery clambered off their benches in noisy compliance to the bailiff’s call.

I sighed and rose at Luna’s tug on my chains, ignoring the princess’s glare and adding my own metallic clinking to the din.

Ritual! What a waste of energy! I thought, as everypony waited for the wide door that led into the judge’s chambers to open. The hubbub died quickly as the judge emerged, dressed in black robes and a powdered white wig through which projected a long lavender horn.

“The honorable Princess Twilight Sparkle presiding,” announced the bailiff. With a swish of her robes, the mare in question took her seat behind the huge oak desk on a raised platform.

Princess Twilight Sparkle. I chuckled. She looked like a slightly taller version of that neurotic stage magician who raked in the bits at the Casino. The same dark blue bangs sporting a red and purple stripe struggled to remain under the wig, giving her otherwise sober demeanor just a hint of frazzled chaos.

My old boss would have approved, at least before I killed her! Thinking of her reminded me that I also ended the miserable life of the one who called himself my master before her. I grinned. I guess I’m not exactly what anypony would call a model employee!

Judge Sparkle banged her gavel. “This court is in session. Please be seated.”

Her voice was rather ordinary, sounding nothing like what I imagined of a mare who could fight off major baddies left and right, take a throne and keep it against multiple rivals. But apparently, she had, and did, and incomprehensibly had left her predecessors alive, as if they would never dream of trying to take back what was once theirs! I failed to see how she might even be able to last a second faced with a real warrior. Moon would have… I forced myself to squash the thought. Thinking of her brought up too many bitter memories, especially with Luna sitting there next to me, a constant reminder of what – and whom – I had lost.

Belatedly I noticed that everypony had resumed their seats, so I did the same, to further rattling from my fetters.

Princess Twilight Sparkle looked directly at me, limpid eyes open, neither friendly nor hostile. I stared back, wondering what she saw in the pony before her, and if my resemblance to that other princess might play in my favour. We locked gazes for what felt like minutes, her expression betraying nothing but mild concern. In the end it was I who looked away first, because truly, what did it matter? Nothing had worked out as I had planned when I chose to come here. I had been a fool, and now I would pay the price.

“The defendant shall rise.”

Apparently, the Equestrians took the exercise of justice literally!

I rose unprompted this time, and was surprised when Luna rose with me. I presumed this was part of the role she chose to play in these proceedings, despite the fact that I had not asked her to be my counsel. In all honesty, I was both perplexed and bothered. Perplexed, as I couldn’t understand why she would again intercede on my behalf. Bothered, that in so doing she might further diminish her own standing in this alternate Equestria so different from that which I had known.

“Princess Daybreaker,” said the judge, “you stand accused of engaging in the reckless use of life-threatening magic in a public place, of willfully endangering several sapient beings including six of minor age, of gravely injuring a sentient being of minor age, of disturbing the peace of Trottingham, and of resisting arrest when confronted by agents of the crown.”

I almost laughed out loud! Disturbing the peace! Scaring a few foals! If only they knew of even a fraction of what I had done for my previous employers! Oh, and better still, calling me Princess! I wanted to laugh, but for some reason my breath caught in my throat. I coughed and was about to tell this recent vintage alicorn just what I thought of her charges, when Princess Luna spoke up beside me.

“The defense pleads not guilty, your honor!” she said, to gasps from the audience.

I don’t know who was the most surprised in that courtroom. I was probably not far from the top of that list, but judging from the expression on her face Princess Twilight Sparkle stood ahead of me in line!

Sparkle’s glare hardened. “On what grounds? I remind the counsel for the defense that the defendant’s actions were witnessed by multiple individuals who have given sworn depositions, as well as by the guardponies dispatched in response to the initial reports of a disturbance.”

I turned to Luna, mystified. I wasn’t surprised that charges were brought against me, it’s just that they seemed so trivial, hardly worth a trial. I would have thought that if Equestria’s ruler decided to sit in judgment she would have ensured I was charged with some juicy major crimes! I certainly had no shortage of such in my past from which she could pick her favorites!

Luna replied in a steady voice. “On the grounds that Princess Daybreaker hath arrived in Equestria with a most dated and incomplete reckoning of our society, that upon her arrival she met hostility forthwith, had reasonable cause to think that she was in mortal jeopardy, and reacted in self-defense to that perceived risk.”

A hush fell over the courtroom, followed by a rising buzz as the ponies in the spectators’ gallery behind me digested Luna’s words.

Self-defense. Hmmm...

I admit I would never have considered such a gambit. In my experience, power made its own rules. Trials were just a way to draw out the entertainment of punishing those who challenged that power and lost. It served to keep the rest of the population scared and in line, an oft-repeated lesson from the Pony of Shadows, learned from the earliest days of my recollection as my sister and I were forged into the tools of his many conquests, often by pitting us against each other.

My ruminations were interrupted by the banging of the judge’s gavel loudly trying to quiet the courtroom, where it seemed every pony was trying to have a conversation with every other pony simultaneously.

“Order, order!“ Twilight Sparkle lowered the gavel as the noise in the room receded. “Very well. Let the clerk enter into the record that the defendant pleads not guilty. The court is now adjourned until one PM tomorrow.” She banged the gavel once more, and rose.

The bailiff called out, “All rise,” and then followed her out through the big doors which closed behind them.

I glanced at Luna. “I still can’t imagine why you’re doing this! You’re being a foal!” I turned away and refused to look back at her or answer her calls as the guardponies led me back to my cell.

Such a Nice Jail

The cell was clean. By that I mean I likely could have eaten lunch off the polished concrete floor, and probably with less risk to my health than off a “clean” plate in any of the Casino’s all-you-can-eat buffets. Yes, I know I set the bar pretty low, but this was supposed to be a jail cell, after all.

In addition, the bedsheets were cleaned daily, the food good, and the only complaint I had was the metal contraption over my horn that completely shorted out any attempt at using magic. But then, I spent much of my life wearing a collar that constrained my abilities and compelled me to follow orders. Less than a year after my liberation from forced servitude to the Chaos goddess Eris by Princess Luna and her friends I was no less a prisoner than before. ‘Good going, Day!’ Moon would have chided me, then wrapped her wings around me in consolation. I sank to my haunches in this too-clean prison. Even after what I’d done all those centuries ago, how I missed her!

I was still fully consumed with wallowing in self-pity when I heard a voice call at my cell door. “May I enter?”

I looked up to see Princess Luna. Her expression was inscrutable, giving me no clue as to her intent. But I was in no state to humour anypony, and quite frankly intent on fully experiencing my sulk. “Can’t you just leave bad enough alone?” I called out, hoping she would take the hint and go.

She smiled crookedly. “Bad hath long been an acquaintance of mine. Her countenance is as familiar to me as that of the mare who looketh out from within the looking glass.”

Luna opened the door and waited at its threshold. I sighed and nodded my assent. She entered and sat on the floor in unselfconscious imitation of my own less-than-flattering pose, wearing my sister’s face and that... look in her eyes that I hadn’t seen since I... since... when Moon was still with me. But, then, she wasn’t my Moon, and to feel otherwise was just fooling myself. The familiarity of it all raised my ire.

“What right have you to impose yourself on me this way? After I helped you regain your magic, and you made ready to leave the realm of the Casino, I thought I made it clear to you that I was done with you!”

She shrugged and lidded her gaze. “Yet here you are.”

That was indeed a fact I could not contest. Moon, despite her penchant for mawkish displays of emotion, was never a fool. I reminded myself that this princess most likely shared many of her traits, good and bad.

I nodded. “Indeed, here I am.” I gestured to the cell around me. “But you need not be. In fact, I cannot think of a single proper reason for you to intercede in what are clearly not your affairs.”

She shook her head. “This is merely what one sister must do for another.“

I raised a shackled hoof to point at her face. “You are not my sister! You merely look like her, and we both know that.” The chains clinked on the concrete as my hoof fell back. “Besides, I gave up any claim to sisterhood, even towards Moon, when I betrayed her to the Pony of Shadows. “ I looked down at my fetters. That was not the proudest moment of my service to the former ruler of the Casino universe, an act that haunted my nightmares still. “You’re not her, and I would give anything that you were.”

Heat rose from my neck and face, but the magical restraint on my horn prevented it from blossoming into anything more potent than the flush of humiliation. How had I let this mare get under my skin so rapidly! Tears fell onto my forehooves, adding yet another shameful act to my list of weaknesses since leaving the Casino.

Princess Luna sighed. “I would never presume to claim otherwise.”

She placed a hoof on my withers and moved closer. The heat of her body pressed against mine made me aware of how cold I felt in my otherwise posh prison. I had always hated the cold. Moon had reveled in it.

I wanted to back away, to withdraw from this intimacy that only reminded me of how much I had lost, and how wrong the world felt after I chose foolish ambition over the sister that I loved. But this closeness, the shared warmth and even this Luna’s very scent shouted to my senses that my Moon had indeed returned, and my entire being wanted her there and for me to no longer be alone.

Luna’s voice when she spoke was hushed, and gave evidence of deep misery. “Daybreaker, I claim not your lost Moon as a sister, but you.”

I chewed on her words for an instant and realized how little I knew of this mare who shared so much with my sister. “How could that be?” I asked.

She pulled away just enough so that I could see her eyes and the tears pooling in them. “In this Equestria, it was I who betrayed my sister Celestia.”

I laughed, surprised and confused. “How could that possibly be? Of us two, Moon was the one who valued others, who prized friendship above all, and who rebelled against our master rather than betray those who trusted her. As we have much of our early lives in common, I imagine Moon and I must be a pair greatly alike to you and your Celestia.”

She again shook her head. “Except in our case, we didn’t have a master to please, but only our subjects, the ponies of Equestria. This is my sin, that when they heaped gratitude on my sister for her day and all it brought them, and mostly just slept oblivious through my starry night, I grew jealous and spiteful. Finally, in my rage and bitterness, I became Nightmare Moon, and rebelling against her vowed to banish the day and create eternal night.”

“So what happened? Obviously neither you nor your Celestia destroyed the other.”

“No, but Celestia was forced to banish me to the Moon, where I festered in regret and impotent rage for a thousand years, until I finally escaped and my soul was redeemed through the power of friendship.”

I had not known the full story, and I admit I was astounded by this admission. “How ironic!” I concluded. “The very sensitivity to others that drove my Moon to rebel against our master drove you to betray your sister.”

She smiled sadly. “Yes. Which is why when you told us your story, I could not help but feel a kinship towards you. Our transgressions are so unhappily similar, and the guilt and burdens that bear us down are so alike. Verily, if I could not find it within my heart to forgive you your past, what right had I to beg forgiveness for mine own?”

Her tortured gaze bored into mine. I saw more of myself there than I would have thought possible.

A thought suddenly occurred to me. “I had always wondered why, when we confronted Eris at the Casino and she tried to kill me, that you stepped between us to take the blast that should have ended me.” I smiled ruefully. “I admit, that moment affected me more deeply than I would have thought possible. Here, defending me was the little sister I loved, and who died because I didn’t... I wouldn’t... ” Again tears fell onto my shackled hooves.

I felt more than saw Luna wrapping her neck and her wings around me in the way we did when we were so much younger and so much more innocent. It was as if a dam had burst, and I, a warrior and henchmare of tyrants, I wept for Moon, and I wept for Luna, and I wept not least for myself. But through all the tears, though shackled and constrained, I realized something: how much better it was not to weep alone.

Courting Disaster

The banging of the gavel resounded in the courtroom.

“This court invites the prosecution to present its arguments,” intoned princess Twilight Sparkle from the bench.

I looked to my right. The counsel for the crown was a white-coated, blond-maned stallion who was very well dressed, and who obviously thought very well of his own looks. At the Casino I’d seen his type often enough trying to impress the mares – or any foal who'd listen – how rich, powerful and important they were. Apparently this self-centred blowhard called Blueblood was considered royalty, though he obviously did not possess both horn and wings. I guess standards in Equestria were a bit lower than in most worlds. In any case I suspected they didn’t have many choices of a crown attorney who wouldn’t be afraid to prosecute an alicorn princess, even one from a different dimension! rose and approached the bench

The stallion stood, glanced once uneasily in Luna’s direction, then resumed facing the bench. “Despite my auntie’s, er, I mean the counsel for defense’s plea, I intend to prove without the shadow of a doubt that this nasty invader –”

“OBJECTION!”

So that’s the famous Royal Canterlot Voice!

Luna rose. “The crown is characterizing my client an invader, which is pure conjecture! No such motivation has been established by either testimony or evidence!”

“Your honour,” replied Blueblood, “the testimony of the Unicorn Guard is unequivocal that their guardponies acted in response to a thaumic discharge event consistent with dimensional travel!”

“But that is not the whole of it!” shot back Luna. “The Guards’ report did indeed state the detected form of magic used, but they did not, and would not, offer any speculations as to the motivations behind the act!”

From the bench Twilight Sparkle nodded once beneath her powdered wig. “Objection sustained. The crown prosecutor is instructed to refrain from presenting any further unfounded speculation as fact, or from engaging in any name calling for that matter!”

Obviously flustered, Blueblood, swallowed once, and resumed speaking “– as I was saying, I intend to prove without the shadow of a doubt that… the defendant… came out from Aunt Celestia knows where, and did indeed, and with malice, cause massive damage to the good city of Trottingham, and even worse, to some poor, innocent foals who were on a class trip to that fair city. Projection, please!”

Blinds were drawn over the windows, and the lights in the courtroom dimmed. On the wall opposite the windows a large screen gently rolled down as the whine of a projector fan filled the room and an image in black and white appeared on its surface.

“These,” Blueblood said pointing to the screen, “are photos taken at the site of the defendant’s incursion into Equestria, more specifically in Trottingham’s Picalilly Circus, which I remind the court isn’t actually a circus, but rather a square, and, er, one that is round instead of actually square.”

The image on the screen looked across the square, showing in the foreground a scorched garden with some bushes still in flames, and behind them several buildings with damaged and burnt frontages, fireponies in the process of putting out some of the blazes while police directed traffic around piles of debris. In the foreground were a nurse holding onto a young dragon, and grouped around them a multi-species assembly of several beings of middle-school age.

“I would like,” said Blueblood will a scowl, “to point out the outrageous damage done to the façade of the historic Marrod’s department store, as well as some of the less important neighbouring shopping venues. Oh.” He shook his head and tsked loudly. “And the younglings, of course! The poor little beings with the misfortune of having a class trip including a visit to the historic Marrod’s, so rudely interrupted by this being from elsewhere, no matter her sordid motives.”

The screen flashed and showed a closeup picture of a young female dragon, frowning angrily as a nurse wrapped her in bandages. I had learned from Luna that this particular dragon was a student of the multi-species School of Friendship, founded by none other than the judge in whose hooves lay my fate: Princess Twilight Sparkle. When I step in it, I really step in it!

Blueblood was clearly working up to the climax of his opening argument. “This innocent young student was nearly burnt to a crisp by a blast emitted by the defendant!” He turned towards me and raised a hoof. “Make no mistake, this pony, despite her possession of both wing and horn, is no exalted alicorn princess, and upon her arrival in Equestria did engage in criminally reckless magical mayhem, causing heinous property damage and… hurt some poor kid in the process.”

It felt like every single eye in the courtroom focused on me. I saw little sympathy in those gazes, and I expected none. I had indeed made a mess upon my arrival, and no doubt now I was going to pay the price.

You are my Sunshine

The morning brought with it a surprise in the form of a visit from another princess. I had yet to rise from my bed, and I admit, I was at a loss for words when the guardpony unlocked and opened the door with a clash and her silhouette, tall and still very much regal despite her so-called ‘retirement’, filled the entrance.

When she spoke she further surprised me, producing not the sneer and taunts I was expecting, but an odd greeting expressed gently, almost warmly.

“Well, if it isn’t the better, prettier, and more powerful version of myself!“ declared Princess Celestia, former co-ruler of Equestria.

Intrigued, I raised and rattled a shackled hoof. “It’s all in the accessories, dear Celestia. But pray tell me, why the interesting choice of words? It’s almost as if we had already met!”

“In a sense we have –“ the ghost of a smile touched her lips “– although those other Daybreakers never showed signs of having a sense of humour.” Her expression grew serious. “I have read the transcripts from the trial, and my sister has repeatedly expressed her opinion that you are somehow different from those other Daybreakers we’ve tangled with in the past. The question on my mind is who exactly is this Daybreaker mare before me?”

The question took me aback. Ever since I could remember I had been told how to behave, how to think, who I was, what I was. I looked down at the chains that bound my hooves and snorted a laugh. “I am a prisoner awaiting sentencing.” I looked back up into her eyes. “I guess I’m not as funny as you thought I was.” I gestured for her to enter and sit, which she did.

Something from what she’d just said struck me. “Your sister Luna has spoken to you about me?”

Celestia nodded. “Indeed she has. And I admit I was surprised at how insistent she was in coming to your defence. She’s told me of the role you played in that incident, helping her recover her powers from that alternate world Eris, but still, I would like to know in your own words, why do you think she has chosen this course of action?”

I sighed. “Having quite a lot of free time on my hooves, I’ve spent hours pondering that question myself. I’ve even asked her to her face what has motivated her to take up my cause, despite the risks to herself and her reputation. She explained that it’s because she sees much of herself in me.” I shrugged. “It seems we both live under the shadows cast by our shameful betrayals of those we loved.”

I looked up and saw pain and confusion in Celestia’s eyes.

“She hasn’t told you everything, I see.” I digested this fact a moment, and decided I may as well correct the omission. “Suffice it to say that I had a sister, Nightmare Moon, who rebelled against our master, the Pony of Shadows, and despite how deeply I loved her, I let her be destroyed rather than go against our master, an act I have regretted every waking second of every day since.” Her ears flagged as I spoke. Still I kept our gaze locked. “Luna says this betrayal unites us two as sisters of a sort, and I could not persuade her to change her mind in this regard, nor in the matter of defending me in court.” I smiled. “So ready to protect others, just like my lost Moon! I saw that same fierce expression on your Luna’s face when she defended me from Eris.” I tore my gaze away, resolved that I was not going to tear up in front of another one of this dimension’s princesses, and especially not this distorted mirror of myself!

“You missed her!” whispered Celestia.

“Yes. I could no long deny it to myself. How I had missed her! How sweet it was to hear that familiar voice…”

Celestia’s voice grew even softer. “When one contemplates eternity, a thousand years may count for little more than the blink of an eye. Still, every day of my own sister’s banishment was like a knife through my heart.” I felt a hoof touch my withers. “Is that why you came here? Why you left the Casino, when you at long last had your freedom, power over others, a chance at everything you’d always wanted?”

Disappointment sat like a heavy lump in my stomach.

“It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t nearly enough. I pretended it was for a while, but every new day was just so empty after having had a brief shining moment when I wasn’t... alone. So I thought just go for a visit. I left my best lieutenant, Sunset Shimmer, in charge, and decided to come visit this Equestria, to see Luna and just for a while to drive the loneliness away, until I could once again face the day alone.” I grinned. “And I’d get to see if Sunset would have grown powerful enough in my absence to challenge me on my return!”

Interestingly, Celestia’s face had blushed visibly at the mention of my lieutenant. Another story for another time, I presumed. “Well, it would appear you and I have more in common than I would have thought.” Her pleasant expression returned and she winked. “And by the way, I still think I’m the prettier and more powerful version of us," she said as she backed out of the cell. "No offense!” she called over her shoulder as she turned away.

“None taken,” I replied, and couldn’t resist adding, “and I’d skip dessert for a meal or three, if I were you!” The door closed with a clash of steel, failing to hide the snort of amusement as the clip-clop of gilded horseshoes receded into the distance.

Why I Hate Department Stores

Twilight Sparkle banged her gavel, and the courtroom settled down. “The counsel for the defense may continue questioning the defendant.” She nodded to me on the witness stand.

I had cause to wonder why it was called a witness stand, when its occupant normally spent most of their time in it seated. Luna had felt strongly that I should take the stand, even though it gave the prosecution a chance to also question me under oath. I agreed without argument, even though I felt that seeing the damage done and injuries I had caused, further testimony was a waste of breath either way.

Luna lifted a yellow legal pad and peered at it through a pair of pince-nez glasses for a few seconds. “So, Princess Daybreaker, why the incident on your arrival? Our Equestrian guards are quite well trained in first contact protocols, and would not attack unprovoked.”

I sighed. “Unfortunately, I was already engaged in battle when they arrived. The guardponies simply acted to defend those under attack from an unknown assailant.”

“What do you mean you were already engaged in battle? And with whom?”

“The security from what I understand was a Department Store.” I blushed. “My blind transdimensional teleport landed me in that establishment. As I made to exit, the security guards chased after me, accusing me of being a shoplifter trying to steal a costume.” I chuckled. “Apparently, Daybreaker costumes are all the rage for this year’s upcoming Nightmare Night festivities!” Much of the audience seemed to find this funny as well, and yes, Luna had ‘coached me’ to include that comment in my testimony. She seemed to be actually pretty competent as a lawyer.

“So what happened next?” she asked.

“When I insisted otherwise to the security guards, they tried to detain me, and I demonstrated to them the folly of their ways. Unfortunately, this set fire to a few of… perhaps more than a few... of the department store’s displays in the process.” I raised an eyebrow. “I’m used to being the one enforcing the rules in the Casino where I work.” I grinned. “And I’m not known for taking a light-hoofed approach!”

That last part was my own addition, and judging from Luna’s cringe it had perhaps been a mistake on my part. “But I certainly did not do any shoplifting and I gave the security guards of the department store absolutely no justification for their actions. As far as I’m concerned, they attacked me, not the other way round.”

Another look down at the pad. “And how did you react with the arrival of the Royal Guard?”

“It took me a few moments to realize they had joined the fray. By then, we were already exchanging balls of mage fire, and, I’m sure you can understand with the escalation of the attack I was under, I was no longer considering it the time for social niceties.”

Luna flipped the page. “And what about the young dragon? When did you notice that she had joined the fight?”

I scratched the back of my head. “At one point I noticed a weight on my right foreleg. I tried to shake it off and saw it was a reptile of some sort. To my consternation, it seemed as impervious as I am to the flames in which I stood! So I shook harder until it flew off my leg. In the smoke and flames I had no way of knowing it was a school student. I certainly would never intentionally try to harm an innocent child, and given they're not allowed in the Casino proper, I admit to not being particularly used to having them around me! Anyway, I figured that any being able to grab and hold onto me without being roasted, when I was in full battle mode no less, was no doubt flame proof enough to make his or her way out of the department store without injury.”

Luna flipped another page on her legal pad. “Let the record show that the student in question was a young dragon named Smolder, currently attending Ponyville’s School of Friendship and that the youngster was, as stated the defendant, inherently fire-proof, and furthermore was judged by competent medical authorities on-site, including one Nurse Redheart, to have not been harmed in any way during the incident.”

She again consulted her notes. “And let it also be entered into the record that after the incident with the young dragon, the defendant unilaterally and voluntarily ceased hostilities and submitted to arrest by the Royal Guard.” She looked up at me. “Why did you do so, Princess Daybreaker?”

“I did not come here to fight anypony, or cause any damages. I came here merely to visit a friend. After I freed my leg I was able to clearly perceive the uniforms of the Royal Guard and figure out with whom I was fighting, and so I stood down. I sincerely regret the incident, and I’m ready to pay for any and all damages caused by my overreaction. This is all the result of unfortunate circumstances, and not of any ill will on my part. On second thought, maybe I should have changed out of my battle regalia before popping over into this dimension, but if wishes were fishes... Well, this is the truth, so I swear before this court and the ponies of Equestria.”

Luna smiled beatifically. “Thank you, Princess Daybreaker.” She turned towards the bench. “Your honor, the defense rests.”

“The prosecution may now question the defendant,” said Twilight Sparkle.

Prince Blueblood rose. “There’s no need, your honor.” He waved at me still sitting in the witness box. “The defendant had admitted to resisting arrest and violently projecting the young dragon into a burning building. That the defendant neither started the fight, nor was the young dragoness hurt, are immaterial to the charges brought. The prosecution rests.”

Well, well. The court erupted into a cacophony of voices until Judge Sparkle banged her gavel. “This court will rest until I render my judgement tomorrow. Court adjourned.” Her gavel banged down a final time on my trial. Now all I had left was the waiting. I wished I had half the confidence Luna’s expression broadcast, but then, happy endings were never my lot in life.

Sunrise, Sunset

Princess Luna had just left my cell, maintaining until the end a calm optimism that my case would be resolved favourably. Wasn’t it just ironic that the time spent in jail with her counted – by a huge margin – as some of the happiest hours of my entire life since Moon’s demise?

The sound of unfamiliar hooves approaching announced a new visitor. I rose from my bed and faced the door.

A lavender coat with wings, topped with dark blue bangs sporting a red and purple stripe, and through which poked a unicorn horn.

“Good evening, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Or should I refer to you as your honor, given the circumstances?”

Her smile was easy, and warm and, the realization made me chuckle, free of any hint of judgement.

“Good evening, Princess Daybreaker. Just ‘Twilight’ is okay. Feeling positive for your verdict tomorrow?”

I shook my head, but I suspect the smile on my lips cast some doubt on my words. “I’m no optimist, despite Princess Luna’s most impressive arguments in my defence, Twilight. And ‘Day’ works for me. To what do I owe your visit?”

Her horn glowed and the door opened. She raised her eyebrows expectantly. I gestured for her to enter with a hoof.

“This is mostly a social visit.”

“Mostly?”

“I’ll get to the business part later. I have to say, when I first heard the report that our dimensional visitor was none other than Princess Daybreaker I assumed I was in for a fight.” Her face practically radiated relief. “I’m so glad that wasn’t the case!”

“I spoke true in court, Twilight. I deeply regret what happened.”

“I have no reason to doubt you, Day. But I do have a favor to ask.”

My eyebrows brushed the sides of my horn under the restraining ring. “If it’s in my admittedly limited powers to grant, I most certainly will. How can I help you?”

Twilight turned her face to the door and called out. “You can come in now!”

The muted sound of padded bipedal feet approached. A dragon the height of an adolescent pony poked her head in. “Hello, Princess Daybreaker.”

It was the dragon from the department store. I struggled a moment to recall her name, and it came to me suddenly. “How nice to see you, young Smolder. You’re by far the youngest dragon I’ve ever met! I’m glad I don’t see any of those bandages wrapping you up in that photo from the trial.”

She rolled her eyes. “Those were like totally wasted effort! The ponies saw soot on my scales and imagined I’d been burnt, even though I told them I wasn’t, and that this was nothing compared to the lava baths I usually take when I’m home in the Dragon Lands. Ponies!”

“We can get carried away with our ideas, sometimes,” I replied with a wink to Twilight Sparkle. “So. How can I help you, Smolder?”

She sighed and looked down at her clawed feet. “Well, you see. I, uh, I asked Princess Twilight if I could see you so I could apologize.”

For the second time in a minute I felt surprise. “Whatever for?”

She scratched the back of one leg with the toe-claws of the other. “Because... I figured since you were basically fighting with fire, and that’s like kinda a thing we dragons laugh off, and that I could just barge in, and well...” I could see the blush deepen her natural orange coloring.

“Well, what?”

“Well, I kinda just went at you without even trying to make friends first. And that’s just not the way we students of the School of Friendship are supposed to do things.” Her expression was honestly upset. “I’m really sorry, and I would feel better if you’d be willing to forgive me.”

An apology. To me, of all ponies! It took me a moment to find my voice. “Sure, kid. It’s a done deal!” I held up a hoof. “Shake?”

She grabbed my limb and shook it vigorously. “Great!” She turned to face Twilight. “This was hokey and kinda awkward, but I’m so glad you could arrange this for me, Princess.”

“And by the way,” I interjected, “I’m glad you came by, but for a different reason.”

“What’s that?” she asked, turning back to face me.

“I wanted to thank you. You see, you’re probably the main reason I stopped fighting in the department store. Whenever I see a kid like you it reminds me of somepony who was very special to me long ago. You got me to stop and cool off just enough so that I was able to get back in control of my impulses. You helped me do the right thing and stop slinging fireballs at those poor guard ponies, and that, I suspect, is something a friend would do.”

Twilight nodded. “Yes it is. Although I remind you, young Smolder, that jumping into a fight between adults is not something I would ever encourage a youngster to do!”

Smolder stared up at her with wide eyes. “Really? Wow! In the Dragon Lands everydragon jumps into any fight we run into just for the fun of it. Some fights last for weeks ’cause new dragons keep joining in when the others get tired, or hungry or just feel like doing something else for a change.” She shook her head. “You ponies are so strange!” She waved and exited the cell. “Bye!”

Twilight Sparkle and I stared at each other for a moment before bursting out in laughter. She recovered first.

“I wanted to let you know, I’ve already registered my verdict. As judge, I can certainly declare you guilty of disturbing the peace, and resisting arrest, but... as you are a visiting head of state, in my capacity of Princess Regnant I’m granting you diplomatic status retroactively. Congratulations! So in addition to the social call, I also came here to have you released!”

I heard a series of clicks, and the shackles and restraints felt off my body into a heap.

“So what are you going to do now?” she asked.

“Originally, my only interest in Equestria was to come visit Luna. But after having met you as well, I hope you will allow me to stick around for a few days more.”

“You’re most welcome, Day. You know we haven’t forgotten what you did for our Luna, and we are grateful!” She led me out of the cell. “If you don’t mind my asking, what will you do afterwards?”

I scratched an ear and considered. “Go back to the Casino, I guess. Or maybe not. I haven't really thought much about it.”

“Might I make a suggestion?” she asked tentatively.

I nodded.

“Celestia told us about your first lieutenant, Sunset Shimmer.”

“Yes, she... can be a pretty cold blooded one, given the opportunity.”

Twilight looked pained. “I know. I’ve met somepony very much like her under some pretty difficult circumstances, and a lot of ponies thought badly of her. Just like with Luna, most ponies had written her off. But if Luna could be brought back, I think there’s hope for most ponies. Don’t give up on Sunset. She can be so much more, if given a bit of simple friendship to nudge her in the right direction ”

“So, you consider her redeemable? And you’re asking me, a known tyrant, to be nice to her!” A thought suddenly struck me. Maybe this Twilight had another target in mind for redemption! I smiled. “You’re almost sneaky enough with this friendship stuff to merit my admiration!”

She shrugged and with a smug expression on her face started off towards the the cell block's exit. I followed apace.

“So you think friendship can save both me and Sunset? Do you have any idea how many ponies fear and, justifiably I might add, hate both of us? How can such disreputable characters like us just leave years of bad decisions and worse acts behind?”

Twilight glanced back at me. “What you do and who you are is something you decide every day of your life. All you need to be a good pony is just to sincerely want to be good, and then be that pony: choose to show friendship, and kindness, and generosity, and –”

“Honesty, and all the other elements of friendship. Yeah, I know about them, my personal history notwithstanding! Forgive me for saying so, but all that’s a bit hard to believe. Other ponies don’t just change their minds about you so easily.”

Twilight stopped. “I didn’t say it was easy. It hasn’t been for Princess Luna. There are still ponies who won’t trust her and shake in fear in her presence. It breaks her heart, but she just takes it as a challenge to prove them wrong. But still, bad as Nightmare Moon became, all it took to break through her pain and anger was one pony willing to be a friend and not give up on her.”

I thought of how in a single act of kindness Luna had called into question everything I believed about others, and by doing so had changed my entire sense of purpose and what I wanted from life. I didn’t exactly know what I longed for, but I certainly knew what I no longer wanted. So I had come here. And my world changed again.

As I kept pace with Twilight, I chewed on a thought that seemed very strange to me, but that grew on me the more I thought about it. “Imagine me, trying to help other ponies! It would almost be worth it just to see the expressions on the faces of those who wouldn’t understand it and would refuse to believe the evidence of their own eyes!”

We moved side-by-side down the corridor at a leisurely pace in silence. I was grateful that she allowed me time to pursue my thoughts uninterrupted. By the time we reached the actual exit I had resolved on a course of action.

“I guess I can start by making some changes at the Casino.”

She smiled and her ears rotated in my direction. “Oh? Changes? Like what?”

“For starters, we need a school for the Casino employees’ kids. I might even have just the mare for that. Won’t she be surprised!” I grinned widely at Princess Twilight Sparkle, who nodded companionably.

We left the jail as I pondered who I wanted to be and who I was going to be this day, and I had the beginning of answers to both questions. The Casino no longer felt so dismal. With a laugh I realized that I wanted to go home.