Chapter 2
Celestia smiled at the grey stallion. Her old dear friend, always so pessimistic and grim about everything, could become the sweetest of souls if he wanted to. Only she could bring this side of him out, and she did it with ease. "That's the Dawnbreaker I remember, eager to adventure and always ready to do his duty." The grey unicorn rolled his eyes, giving a sly grin. "Yeah, well, a nineteen year old colt isn't the same pony as one who is pushing forty" he said to the princess. "Of course, not that you would know, your majesty. Now then, where do I start?"
"I said before that you could do what a hundred ponies could not. However, you aren't going alone."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm sending you to a settlement to the west. You must gather together a group of five ponies to assist you."
"Why? I can handle this."
"I know you can, Dawn, but you still need help."
"I know what you're trying to do, Tia." Dawnbreaker said sternly to the princess. He was the only pony who could speak this way to her and get away with it. "You are trying to get me to make friends, aren't you? You just put the fate of Equestria in my hooves, and now you want me to screw around in a dirt hole because you think I need friends? I don't. I never have and I never will. I don't have time to waste with other ponies. I don't need them. I don't need anypony!"
"Dawnbreaker Sparkle" Celestia said, now the aggressive speaking one. "You have spent the last seven years of your life wasting away. All you do is sit in your home and read spellbooks and do research on the most irrelevant things. You keep your door locked and your windows shut and avoid everypony who tries to speak with you. This is not the Dawnbreaker I used to know. The Dawnbreaker I used to know was friendly, kind and always smiled. I'm tired of seeing you miserable! I'm tired of seeing you be a hermit!" Celestia's voice was now considerably loud. She calmed herself and returned to her sweet, compassionate voice. "You know I care about you, Dawn. I want you to be happy, and I want to see that smile again."
Dawnbreaker was having mixed feelings about what he just heard. The princess had never gotten this irritated with him before. She even used his family name, which his family scarcely used nowadays. He was irritated himself by the princess bringing this up. Why was she so concerned? Why did it matter? He wasn't miserable and he wasn't a hermit. And to call his research "irrelevant" was ridiculous. Yet, he understood where she was coming from. Maybe it was time to move on from the past.
"If only you knew, Tia." He said apathetically as he removed the rest of his cloak. His short tail was jet black and messy, just like his mane. His light grey coat reflected the moonlight peering in through the window. His body had shown significant signs of aging. His cutie mark, a silver mace surrounded by beams of sunlight, was his most noticeable feature. "If you've seen the things I've seen, been to the places I've been to….done the things I've done…you'd understand." He then sat in front of the window and looked into the distance, trying to fight the overwhelming feelings of disdain.
Celestia put a comforting hoof on his shoulder. The two sat in silence for a short while. She knew of what he experienced in the Second Changeling War. He fought in many conflicts, but none that intense, and it was because of the events that occurred during that time that she knew why he felt like this. After a few minutes of silence, Dawnbreaker spoke.
"Fine, I'll do it. I'll find these other ponies. If it means saving Equestria, I don't have much of a choice."
"There's an old saying, 'It's always darkest before the dawn.' Well, I think we're due for a beautiful morning." She said to him, smiling and giving him a wink. Dawn returned a smile.
"As I said, this mission will need a team of at least six ponies. So I'm sending you to the Fruitbasket Settlement to put your team together. First, you will head to the lumber mill and find an earth pony named Hatchet. The Everfree Forest is vast and dangerous, and almost impossible to trek through without an experienced forester. Next you will find a pegasus named Skyline. He is one of the most talented flyers in the area, and will be useful for scouting and recon. After that you will head to the quarry and find a gem miner named Emerald Dream. He has an eye for valuable gems, and his excellent attention to detail may help in finding ways to breach the castle. Next you will find Foxtrot, a pegasus who serves as the local beastmaster. His knowledge of woodland creatures will help you steer clear of dangerous wild animals, as well as use the forest creatures for extra assistance if needed. Finally, an earth pony named Sweet Tooth. He is a baker and can provide food for your journey, as well as provide…..comic relief."
Dawnbreaker listened carefully, comprehending every last detail of Celestia's order. The roles these ponies would fill were indeed useful, even though he was still confident that he could have done this on his own.
"Once you have gathered your team together, you will proceed to her castle in the Everfree Forest, avoiding her dark pony forces that will surely occupy most of the forest."
"How many?"
"I can't say, although my scouts say they number in the tens of thousands."
"Pfft." Dawn scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Once inside, you must locate the Elements of Harmony. More than likely my sister commanded the dark pony warlord to guard them."
"Warlord?"
"His name is General Apocalypse. He is a dark alicorn that used to lead the dark ponies, but gave up his leadership to Nightmare Moon in exchange for a share of land should Equestria fall. He's extremely powerful, intelligence, cunning, and above all ruthless and cruel. He's not to be underestimated."
Dawn gave a cocky smile. "I spat in King Amber's face before I slaughtered his royal guards and burned him alive with a fire spell before I burn the changeling hive to the ground. I think I can handle it."
Celestia grinned at his newfound confidence, but quickly returned to seriousness. "Once you have the Elements, you will need to find the tunnel system that runs underneath the castle. It should lead all the way back to the Canterlot sewers. Once I have the Elements, I can banish my sister and end this conflict."
Dawnbreaker understood everything. He put his cloak back on and prepared to set out on his journey. "Don't worry, Tia. I will bring back the Elements of Harmony or die trying!"
"Please don't do the latter, my friend. I have every bit of confidence in you. You will succeed, I know you will. There is a chariot waiting by the city gates ready to take you to the settlement. Now go, there is no time to waste."
Dawnbreaker gave his final farewells to the princess and ran out the door. She watched him gallop toward the city gates from her window. "Be safe, Dawn" she said softly to herself. "And please, find happiness. Find friendship, it's the only way to save yourself."
Dawn is breaking, greet the new day.
