Daybreaker is flying towards Canterlot. She smiles as the setting sun warms her face. Daybreaker has just taken control of the last corner of Equestria and is on her way to take her rightful place as Empress of the Solar Empire.
"I finally did it. Now my little ponies can finally live their lives in peace and prosperity." Daybreaker thinks to herself.
As she looks down at the burned landscape below her she is reminded of the cost of her quest to protect Equestria. Not just to the damage done to Equestria but also to herself. At the time she felt it was all worth it, but know she starts to doubt more and more. As she remembers her sister Luna she can't help but cry a little.
"Why sister, why couldn't you just see the truth the way I see it, why did you have to rise up against me!" she yells.
Luna had and her remaining forces had been trapped in the Northern Crystal mountains while making her way into Yakyakistan. But instead of using this situation to her advantage Daybreaker instead made the decision to not move in, giving Luna time to escape.
Officially the reason for this decision whas that the Solar Army didn't have the supplies for a large campaign in the mountains and that her soldiers where tired due to all the fighting and needed to rest and regroup. But that was a lie. Daybreaker did it because in the end she still loved her sister.
As Daybreaker approaches Canterlot she can see the rebuilding effort still going on. Even tho the fighting in the city ended a year ago it still hadn't recovered. Field Marshall Midwinter was to be thanked for that. She is Daybreakers most loyal follower and best commander. Although she did feel that Midwinter could sometimes be overzealous. The destruction of Canterlot was a prime example of that.
When the civil war began Daybreaker ordered Midwinter, still a general at this point, to secure Canterlot.
1 year ago
Daybreaker looked angrily at the Equestrian flag waving proudly above the royal palace in Canterlot.
"General Midwinter I will not tolerate my throne being desecrated by these enemies of harmony any longer. You are to take back my home no matter the cost!"
"Yes my queen, consider it done." Midwinter spoke calmly.
Daybreaker continued. "I know you will face many of your former friends in this battle but Equestria is more important than your personal issues. Have I made myself clear!?"
Midwinter remained silent, the smallest amount of doubt entered her mind, but before anyone noticed it she cleared her mind and answered stoically.
"Perfectly, my queen."
Midwinter followed her orders to the letter and fought ruthlessly. Within days Canterlot laid in ruins and the Equestrian flag was replaced with the Solar Empire one.
Thinking back, Daybreaker did regret all the death and destruction caused by the fighting. All she could do now is try to make a better world so that it wasn't all for nothing.
After some more flying Daybreaker finally lands in front of the Royal Palace and trots towards to throne room. In the hallways all the Equestrian banners have been replaced with ones of the Solar Empire, the yellow sun displayed proudly.
Daybreaker tries to push all her previous questions about wether or not victory was worth the price out of her head. Luna and the old Equestria are gone, now the only thing that matters is the future.
As Daybreaker trotted through the hallways she thinks about her plans for the Solar Empire. How to improve the education system, better infrastructure, stronger armed forces, all these things and more float through Daybreakers head as she makes her way to the throne room.
She cannot undo all the damage she has done but she can and will do her best to make sure it wasn't for nothing. She will make the Solar Empire a better place than Equestria ever was.
When she enters the room Daybreaker sits down on her throne thinking back to the civil war.
Shortly after the retaking of Canterlot
Daybreaker was proudly sitting on her throne, the room itself was severely damaged during the fighting but she didn't care. She was back in her home.
Bowing down in front of her is the newly promoted to Field Marshall, Midwinter.
"I know these are difficult times Midwinter. Ponies should never fight against each other. But and you should never forget this, if we wan't to protect harmony and our loved ones, we must never show any weakness. It was weakness that gave the changelings the idea that they could invade us, if we want my little ponies to live in safety we have to always be strong!"
Suddenly she notices something, it is completely quiet, normally there would be the sounds of staff members moving about and talking to one another. But now there is nothing, just the sound of her own breathing.
Suddenly the door is kicked open and a dozen or so soldiers run inside and point their guns at Daybreaker.
"Citizen Daybreaker you are under arrest!" one of them shouts.
But before any of the soldiers can do anything, Daybreaker unleashes a blinding light from her horn and flies outside through one of the windows.
As she touches the ground she can hear the soldier still inside shouting and firing their rifles. Daybreaker as quickly as she could runs towards to garden and hides behind one of the many bushes. It is at this moment that the full realisation of what is going on hits Daybreaker like a rock.
"My own soldiers tried to kill me!!! Why?" she stammers out.
It are moments like these that Daybreaker missed the days when firearms weren't a common sight on the battlefield. In those days she could taken out those soldiers without even looking. Daybreaker realises that staying here and thinking about the good old days isn't going to help her. She needs a plan.
"Those couldn't have been Solar Empire soldiers, my soldiers are loyal, it must have been Equestrian spies. I need to reach Army Group 1's headquarter, Midwinter will help me take care of these spies." Daybreaker declares.
As Daybreaker is silently sneaking through the streets of Canterlot towards Midwinters headquarter she notices a large amount of armed ponies in de streets with flashlights, presumably looking for her.
"This isn't just a handful of spies on an assassination mission, this is a fully fledged uprising!" Daybreaker suddenly realises. But who can be behind this. It can't be anypony close to her, her soldiers would never betray their queen. Although Daybreaker hates to think about it, Luna seems the most likely cause of this.
After about an hour of silently sneaking through the shadows past enemy patrols, Daybreaker finally exits the city. She is very close to Midwinter and safety now.
Several minutes later she reaches Army Group 1's headquarter but weirdly enough it appears to be abandoned. Daybreaker quickly enters the building but inside there is also nopony. Slightly irritated, Daybreaker turns on one of the radio's.
"This is queen Daybreaker. I have just survived an assassination attempt and I need immediate reinforcements. I am currently at Army Group 1's headquarter." She speaks.
It doesn't take long before she get's a response. "Field Marshall Midwinter reporting in. Don't worry Daybreaker we will be there soon."
Daybreaker never felt so relieved before. Although there was something gnawing at the back of her mind. "Midwinter didn't refer to me as queen. Normally she never forgets to address me properly." she realises. "It must have been because of the hast." she concludes.
Daybreaker doesn't have to wait long. After some more time passes the door is kicked open and a large amount of soldiers run inside, guns pointed at Daybreaker. But it is the pony who enters last who surprises Daybreaker the most, Midwinter.
"Daybreaker you are under arrest for treason against the Solar Empire."
Daybreaker is totally perplexed, she hears the words but she simply cannot understand them. Nor can she understand why the pony who is saying those words is saying them.
"Why?" is the only thing Daybreaker manages to stammer. But she didn't get her answer, instead her hooves and wings where cuffed, a restraining ring was attached to her horn and lastly a bag was placed over her head.
After what feels like an eternity, the bag is finally removed from Daybreakers head. She is in a regular living room, her hooves tied to a chair and in front of her is a table with several high ranking Solar Army officers behind it, at the centre there is one vacant seat.
Daybreaker finally overcomes the feelings of shock and betrayal.
"I am the queen of the Solar Empire. I demand to know what is going on!" she yells angrily.
Nothing. Everypony in the room remains silent.
"Well?!" Daybreaker continues with venom in her voice.
Again silence. But then the door opens and one of the guards announces.
"All rise for Field Marshall Midwinter, president of the Provisional Military Government and head of this tribunal."
As Midwinter walks in everypony in the room quickly stands up. Without even looking at Daybreaker, Midwinter takes the vacant seat at the centre.
"Citizen Daybreaker you are charged with having committed acts of treason against the Solar Empire during your time as queen. Do you have anything to say in your defence?" Midwinter speaks calmly but her eyes show an intense hatred towards Daybreaker.
"Citizen!!! I am queen and you will address me as such! Furthermore I do not recognise the authority of this gang of criminals!" Daybreaker speaks, radiating an equal amount of hatred as Midwinter.
Now Midwinter completely loses her composure. Fuming with so much anger that she looks like she could combust into flames she stands up.
"You lost your right to lead us the moment you allowed Luna to escape! You!!! told me that Equestria is more important than our personal issues! You told me that we always have to be strong!"
Daybreakers anger instantly fades away. She did indeed say those words and at the time she fully believed in them but over time she began to realise more and more that Luna was right when she said "what's the point of protection if we destroy everything that we want to protect". Maybe she should have thought Midwinter the same thing?
After her tirade Midwinter finally calms down and continues her statement.
"If you have nothing to say in your defence then the court is willing to present its judgement. After extensive analysis of the available evidence the court finds the defendant guilty of all charges and sentences you to death immediately."
Daybreaker isn't even taken outside. One of the guards walks over to her and just shoots her through the head with his rifle.
Author's Note
This was the story that Sunrise and Sundown was originally supposed to be, but when writing that story I realised I also wanted to tell something about Daybreakers backstory so I decided to save my original story for a sequel.
I decided to experiment with shorter paragraphs this time. Please let me now your opinions.
