A Change in Heart

Originally by: Jexxazrez

Now by: Kuroyami Fukaikuro

A/N: I suck at being descriptive. (mainly referring to Trixie's dress) But hey, I tried.

Black Daze was nervous. He paced around his room, unsure of what he would say. He tugged at his suit, the first one he would ever wear. Rarity had designed it especially for him. It was the day of his rise to power, when the Everfree would truly become his. Of course, it would only be his in name only- the forest truly belonged to the animals living there. He paused in his pacing to look at himself in the mirror. Not too bad, he thought. Rarity's really outdone herself, making me look good.

The door opened, and Trixie entered. She wore a dress, another one of Rarity's. The bodice had a light purple back and collar, with a slightly darker purple for the underbelly. The skirt of the dress had the same light purple color as the bodice. The pattern on top looked like a night sky, with bright stars and circles connected by lines of a darker purple. Her hair was styled in some odd way that Black Daze couldn't recognize. And of course, she had her hat on top.

Daze smiled. "Hey. What brings you here?"

Trixie smiled back at him. "You mean I can't come in?"

"No, of course you can."

Trixie walked over to and sat on a couch in his room. Still smiling, they regarded each other for a moment before Trixie spoke again.

"So. Today, you become the ruler of a country."

"Apparently. And who could have possibly guessed I'd end up here? Nopony, that's who."

More silence. Then, Trixie spoke again, her smile gone. "Daze..."

"What is it?" Daze asked as he adjusted the tie on his suit.

"Some ponies claiming to be your parents have shown up."

Daze froze. He slowly lowered his claw to the ground, in a fist. "My... My parents?"

"That's what they're saying, but you're the only one who can confirm if it's true."

Black Daze turned around to face her, ever so slowly. "Then-then I guess I should go see them. Before the ceremony starts." Trixie slowly nodded, but offered no other response.

Together they left his room. They walked along a wooden pathway that Daze had built. When the path ended, Daze carried Trixie to the ground, and they continued walking. Trixie remained silent throughout this, giving Daze time to think.

My parents... He thought of the last time he saw them. They ran away from me because of how I looked. They didn't check to see if I was okay, or send anyone to search for me afterwards, not even the Guards. They just... forgot about me. He began to grow somewhat angry, but calmed himself down. Don't get worked up, Black Daze. There's no need to ruin today by getting angry and starting something.

They reached the edge of the forest and Trixie took the lead. She walked around the stage where Celestia would later introduce Black Daze to all of Equestria, and he would publicize himself for the first time in years. Daze was led to an area to the right of the stage, closer to the forests edge.

There, he saw not two, but three ponies that he had not seen in years. His mother, his father, and Snuffles. They were all earth ponies. His father and Snuffle had dark brown hair, while his mother's hair was a deep red. His father had a pen for a cutie mark, his mother had a sheet of paper, and Snuffle had scent lines, like from a comic.

After Daze and Trixie reached his parents, his father attempted to speak but was silenced by Daze's look. After he collected himself, Daze spoke.

"What do you want?" he asked aggressively.

"Dazer!" his father said. "You will not speak to your parents-"

"Parents?" He shouted, cutting his father off. "Weren't you the one who shouted something like, 'That isn't our son anymore, run for your lives!'?"

His mother coughed. "Yes, well, we've done some deep thinking, and we decided to accept you."

Black Daze stared at his mother incredulously. "Deep thinking? DEEP THINKING?!" He yelled. "Nine years I've lived in that forest, and only now, that I'm going to be recognized by Celestia, do you show up? Seems suspicious if you ask me."

"Dazer..." Snuffle said.

"And you!" Black Daze said. "You left me there!"

"It's not my fault you're like this!"

"I know, it's Daravoc's fault! But the least you could have done was patted my back, or grabbed my hoof before you ran!" He addressed the group as a whole. "I'm going to ask one more time. What. Do. You. Want?"

His father sighed. "We... We want you to forgive us, and to accept us into your country. It's been too long since we've lived as a family. And Snuffle wants to be the first member of your country's police force- not that it really needs one yet, since it just started."

Black Daze was silent for a while. Then he said, as clearly as he could, "I refuse."

His mother said "But-!"

"Maybe someday, I can forgive you, but not now. Not yet. And family?" He glanced at Trixie. "I have a family now. A better one. One that accepts me for who I am."

They all nodded. "Okay. Well then... We'll see you."

As they left, Daze called them. "One more thing!" They all looked back. "My name is Black Daze. Don't you ever forget that!" They nodded and kept walking until they were out of sight. Daze kept his eyes on them until then.

After they were out of sight, Trixie placed her hoof on Daze's shoulder and asked, "Are you okay?"

He turned his head to her. "Yeah. I'm alright."

Later..

The seats by the stage were filled with ponies. After a couple moments of silence, Celestia walked up to the podium and spoke.

"Welcome, citizens of Equestria! We are here to celebrate the founding of a new nation within our own. But perhaps I should let this new leader speak for himself."

Celestia stepped back from the podium and Black Daze stepped up. He straightened his back and stood on his hind legs, clutching the podium with his claws. He coughed, and a small blast of fire exited his mouth.

"Oh-crap. Um... Hi. My name is Black Daze. Please forgive my nervousness, but this is the first time I've had the undivided attention of so many ponies." There was a pause, then he continued. "I... Uh... I honestly am only doing this because it was suggested to me. Really, I'd be content to just live out my life in the forest, in peace."

A voice in the back of the crown suddenly spoke. "Live out your life?" It was a unicorn with dark green hair and hazel eyes. "An abomination like you doesn't deserve to exist in the first place!" He fired of a shot of magical energy at Black Daze.

Black Daze stuck out his left claw and caught the blast, before closing it into a fist and dissipating the energy. "You shouldn't have done that," he growled. He took off, and in the blink of an eye he held the unicorn in the air by the throat. "What do you want?" he asked.

"The erasure of your existence!" He charged his horn and his aura covered Black Daze.

Then Black Daze energized his own magical energy and dispelled the aura surrounding him. "Is that all you've got?" he asked condescendingly.

"I-impossible. There's no way you can use magic."

"I could explain what just happened, but instead I'll just kill you." He tightened his grip, but another aura suddenly surrounded Daze, and he was hurtled to the ground, away from the attacker.

The crowd began to scatter as he looked up. A large group of ponies were approaching from the east. And at the front, leading them, was-

"Dawn Guardian!" Celestia said.

Dawn Guardian charged and yelled, "Celestia! We're going to fix your mistake! For a Perfect Equestria!"

His men charged behind him and echoed, "For a Perfect Equestria!"

Black Daze recovered and leaped of the ground into the air. Trixie, Chrysalis, Twilight, and the rest of the Mane 6 jumped off the stage and ran after Black Daze- Fluttershy running slower and more reluctantly than the rest. Celestia stayed on the stage, observing the events unfolding before her.

Daze collected magic in his claws and tackled Dawn Guardian, breaking through his magical shield and charging through his soldiers to the back of the line. Dawn Guardian managed to flip Black Daze over him, and they turned and faced each other. He quickly turned to his men and ordered, "Kill them all! Anyone siding with Black Daze is not going to help create a Perfect Equestria!" Then he turned back to Black Daze and said, "Abomination! Prepare to die!"

Daze growled and said, "You worry about yourself!" He balanced himself on his back legs, and charged, using his wings to glide towards Dawn Guardian, who set up another force field.

Meanwhile, Dawn Guardian's forces clashed with Trixie, Chrysalis, and the rest. Twilight and Trixie worked together, alternatively blasting soldiers with magic in an indecipherable pattern. Chrysalis, who was still disguised as Stargazer, simply attacked anypony who got close to her. Rarity did the same, doing her best to keep clean. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were at the front of the line, also working cooperatively. Rainbow Dash quickly hit the soldiers, never attacking one for too long, moving too fast to see. Applejack would then follow up with a hit that often sent the soldier she hit flying into two or three more.

Fluttershy was surrounded almost instantly. She got so scared, she hid in the deepest recesses of her mind and New Fluttershy came out.

New Fluttershy grabbed a soldier that ran at her and delivered a suplex with such force that the soldier's helmet cracked. Then she delivered the Stare to the rest, rose up on her hind legs and screamed, "Kneel before Fluttershy!"

Many of the soldiers who looked into her eyes pissed themselves.

Pinkie Pie was a cyclone, performing back-flips and rolls, hitting any soldiers stupid enough to get close.

On the other side of the battlefield, Black Daze and Dawn Guardian fiercely exchanged blows. Daze would throw punches and fire blasts, and Dawn Guardian would dodge, attempting to hit Daze with his magic. They went back and forth, neither of them gaining ground. Suddenly they withdrew from each other, backing up a few paces. They began circling, each watching for any sort of opening.

"Heh... Not bad," Black Daze said.

"I should be the one saying that," Dawn Guardian replied. "I've been through two wars, and this is the hardest fight I've been in so far."

"You scared?"

"Is that some attempt at banter? No, I'm not scared of you. But I am scared of her," Guardian said, glancing at Celestia.

"Really? She doesn't seem like the type to intentionally cause fear."

"She doesn't have to do it intentionally. She's just that powerful."

"Heh. Do you plan to talk me to death?"

"No, I plan to blast a whole through your chest." Then he shot another blast at Black Daze, and their fight resumed.

On the other side of the battlefield, Trixie, Chrysalis, and the Mane Six were getting tired. They had never fought in an extended battle, and they lacked experience. The soldiers, on the other hand, were a completely cohesive unit, and they took advantage of their enemy's tiredness. One of their pegasi brought out special enchanted ropes that disabled the magical abilities of anypony tied up in them. He and another pegasus held them and charged at Twilight. She teleported out of the way, but Trixie, who was standing at her back, was caught. They quickly flew her over to the center of their group.

The two pegasi were about to launch another attack with the rope, but suddenly a huge aura exploded to their left. Everyone stopped fighting and looked to the origin of the aura.

It was Celestia. Her eyes and horn were glowing, and her wings flared out.

"Enough," she said. "This has been interesting to watch, but now I'm going to stop this before it gets serious."

Dawn Guardian managed to recover from his shock quickly, however, and he shouted, "Stallions! Take that pony prisoner and retreat!" He blasted Black Daze quickly before teleporting away. All the unicorns in his group quickly pooled their magic and performed a group teleportation.

"Wait, damn you!" Black Daze shouted before they left. He jumped at Dawn Guardian, but he was already gone.

"Daze!" Chrysalis shouted as she ran over, followed by Celestia and the rest.

He breathed heavily. "I'm alright. How are you guys?"

"We're good," Twilight replied, "just tired. Daze... I'm sorry that Trixie was captured. They were aiming after me with the rope, but she got caught because I escaped."

"It's not your fault. Honestly, I think it's yours," He said, pointing a claw at Celestia. "They were afraid of you... but you didn't do anything until the very end. You could have ended this at the start. Why didn't you?"

"Because you needed this fight, to see your level of strength. I thought you would win."

"Who said I wouldn't? Besides, I'm not just gonna let them get away with this."

"Aw yeah!" Rainbow Dash cheered. "We're gonna go get some payback!"

"Not you," Black Daze said, "just me."

Celestia looked at him questioningly. "But against all of them? Even you might lose."

"Currently? Yes. But I think I know who'll help me get stronger, especially in the use of magic."

"Speaking of which," Twilight interjected, "how can you use magic in the first place?"

"Long story short, in the process of becoming part dragon, magic was placed in me as well."

"Who's going to train you?" Celestia asked. "I'm sure Twilight can, but-"

"No," he interrupted her, "I'm going to ask someone else. The one who made me like this in the first place."

"Daze..." Chrysalis said quietly, "you don't mean..."

"Yes," he said, his voice full of resolve. "I'm going to ask Daravoc."

Meanwhile, at Dawn Guardians lair...
(Wherever the hell that is)

After Trixie had been placed in a small and filthy cell, still restrained by the ropes, Dawn Guardian left and went to the mess hall to eat. He sat down with his men, and one of the Privates decided to ask him a question.

"Sir?"

"What is it, Honor Bound?"

"Why did we retreat when Celestia got involved? I'm pretty sure we could have taken her on!"

"Yeah!" Some of the other soldiers agreed.

Dawn Guardian shook his head. "Boys, you've never seen her fight. I have, and it's the only time I've ever felt fear." His men widened their eyes in awe. They had never known him to be scared of anything until he told them this.

"Well... what happened?" Honor Bound asked.

Dawn Guardian stroked a scar on his left cheek. "It was 25 years ago, in the last Gryphon war..."

Dawn Guardian, young and scarless, peered over a small hill. He and his Captain were providing overwatch for a group of soldiers that were launching a sneak attack on a Gryphon base. They were going to steal the schematics for some of the new Gryphon technology that had allowed them to gain a bit of an advantage in the war. He noticed the attack force approaching the entry point.

"Sir?"

"I see them, Guardian. It's go time. Take out those two on the gate, and I'll get the ones on the ground." They charged their magic, then released it in short, accurate bursts. The guards dropped, and the attack force entered the compound. "Alright, it's up to them now. Guardian, you watch that forest over there. I'll watch the other side."

"Yes, sir."

They lay there, waiting for what seemed like hours. Suddenly, the compound's alarms rang, a deafening klaxon that drew their immediate attention. Out of the forests, dozens of Gryphons appeared, all carrying the very technology that gave them an advantage.

"Shit!" Guardian's Captain muttered. "Well, Guardian, you know what we have to do."

"Right."

"Never leave a stallion behind, and all that."

"Yeah."

"Well, let's go."

They left their spot on the hill, and charged at the Gryphons, blasting magic at any that got within range. The Gryphons attacked back, and they managed to graze Dawn Guardian's left cheek. Suddenly, more Gryphons came out of the forest and surrounded Dawn Guardian and his Captain.

"Well, buck." his Captain muttered.

All the Gryphons surrounding them aimed their technology at them.

"You ready to die?" One Gryphon asked.

"I'm taking you with me!" Dawn Guardian promised.

The Gryphons prepared to fire, when-

A blinding light burst overhead, and Celestia appeared with it.

"Princess!" Dawn Guardian yelled. "Get away from here it's not safe-"

He was silenced as her horn suddenly lit up, and a magical blast decimated every Gryphon surrounding them in less than a second. Then she flew over to the Gryphon's base. The attack team was exiting, carrying wounded.

Celestia's horn lit up once more, and a series of circles appeared in the sky. The suns light shone on them, and a second later, a beam of energy passed through all of the circles and hit the ground, completely obliterating the Gryphon's base. After she calmed down her magical energy, all that remained of the base was ashes.

There was a shimmer in air, and about 500 Gryphons appeared in the air. Twenty were carrying a machine that was the only reasonable explanation for their teleportation.

Celestia sighed. "Enough of this..." she muttered. There was a flicker of movement, and every single Gryphon fell to the ground a moment later, their heads removed.

Dawn Guardian watched all of this in fear.

"...and that is why I am afraid of Celestia." His men looked at him with an inkling of fear in their own eyes, as they began to realize just how strong their Princess was.

End of Chapter

Author's Note

The description for Trixie's dress was inspired by a picture I found by searching "(great and powerful) Trixie (Lulamoon) in a dress" on Google images. I don't know if it'll still be there by the time I publish this, though.
Also, looking back at chapter one, Jexx never describes what Snuffle, Dazer (as Black Daze was previously named) or his parents looked like, so I had to decide that for myself.
One more thing! Sorry for being slow, I've been watching a lot of anime on Hulu.
Namely, "Kimikiss: Pure Rogue" and "So I can't play H"