With a vindictive chuckle, Tanith set the pony down, and Radiant Dawn's hooves clattered stiffly against the stone terrace. "Have fun as a ssstatue," Tanith said with a fanged grin. "Your friendsss will join you soon."

Was this it? Radiant Dawn struggled to move, but could only watch as her tail and cutie mark were swallowed up by gray stone. Had all of her hope been in vain? Had she failed everypony? King Early Light said to stay positive, but how could anypony possibly stay positive at this point? Even if she could stop the petrification, what if Tanith was just too powerful of a creature to be worn down by a bunch of ragtag ponies?

"I have to try," she whispered to herself. "I can't give up, not even now!" Closing her eyes tight, she fought to think of anything good, but the only things filling her mind were doubt, fear, and the memory of Tanith's glare burning into Radiant Dawn's soul.

Clearly, closing her eyes wasn't working. Radiant Dawn opened them again. The stone was up to her shoulders now. She was running out of time. Why couldn't she snap out of this?

Suddenly, amid the melee, she saw a familiar mane of curly pink hair, and memories flooded back to her. "B-Birthday Bash!" she whinnied. "Birthday Bash!"

The earth pony kicked away a serpent. "Ray! What's—" Tanith swooped toward him, cutting him off from the unicorn.

The stone worked its way up her neck, but as long as she had her wits about her Radiant Dawn would fight. "Birthday Bash—did you ever remember whose birthday it was today?"

The stallion jumped to avoid Tanith's tail, and then he blinked and a wide grin spread up his muzzle. "Yeah—I remember now! It's Queen Tanith's birthday!"

Tanith recoiled in disgust. "What?! How could you know that?!"

Birthday Bash looked up at her. "Happy birthday!"

"Don't you dare!" Tanith hissed. She slashed at him with her claws, but he danced around her as other ponies attacked her, talking all about the awesome birthday party he would throw her, and asking what kind of cake she liked.

The spectacle was so absurd that, in spite of everything else going on, Radiant Dawn laughed. She remembered all of Birthday Bash's antics, all the jokes Jester told, Sundance's and Moondog's atmospheric displays, and Scooper Duper's ideas for new ice cream flavors. She remembered all the foals she had taught, and the smiles on their muzzles as they knew they had a friend in her. She was a bright spot in the lives of other ponies—she taught them how to be happy.

Her stone flank cracked, and a burst of light in the shape of her cutie mark blasted through, streaming toward Tanith.

"No!" the lamia screamed as the light surrounded her. "Ssstop… being… ssso… happy! You've ruined everything!"

Cracks of light snaked around the rest of the stone surrounding Radiant Dawn, and it crumbled to let the unicorn free. She took a deep breath and turned to face Tanith, horn flaring with magic. "Leave this place!" she neighed. "Daybreak is yours no longer!"

The light around Tanith grew until Radiant Dawn had to close her eyes. When it finally faded, she opened them again to see the queen collapsed on the ground. The lamia let out an unearthly moan as an aura of black vapor engulfed her. The serpents the other ponies were fighting dissipated into dark mist that twined away into the aura, which seeped back into the queen.

"I hate ponies…" Tanith rasped as the citizens of Daybreak surrounded her. "I hate happinessss… don't you sssee how ussselessss it is in the end? How harsh the world is?"

Radiant Dawn shook her head. "No. You've got it all backwards. If everyone kept believing in happiness, the world wouldn't be such a harsh place."

"Jussst a delusion," Tanith muttered. "You'll sssee."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Radiant Dawn, "but I'm not giving up on what I believe, because it's steered me right so far. And we're not listening to your negativity anymore, right, ponies?" Cheers of agreement rose up around her.

Borealis clopped up to the younger mare. "What do we do with her now?" the pegasus asked.

"I'm not quite sure," Radiant Dawn said. "To be honest, I didn't really think this far ahead. I suppose I should have sat down and figured out logistics first…"

Borealis laughed and put a hoof on the unicorn's shoulder. "No, don't worry about it. There are times when you need to act without thinking, and you are excellent at letting your heart guide you."

Radiant Dawn smiled and was about to reply, when a warm light hit their backs. The other ponies gasped and cried out in surprise, pointing at something in the sky, and Tanith growled.

Borealis and Radiant Dawn turned around. Shafts of bright light were piercing through the smog layer, casting spots of illumination on the light-starved kingdom of Daybreak. A particularly large ray beamed on the castle terrace, and ponies basked in its warmth, their eyes shining.

"The sun!" Sirocco shouted. "Miss Radiant Dawn, that's the sun, right?"

"That's right!" Radiant Dawn said. Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. She had made her dream come true.

Scooper Duper, narrowing his eyes against the brightness, and pointed into the ray. "Something's comin' down! Looks like… a carriage!"

A wave of gasps swept through the ponies and they backed up to make enough room for the descending vehicle, pulled by two armored pegasus ponies. Sitting in the carriage was the most stunning white pony Radiant Dawn had ever seen. Her multicolored mane and tail billowed in the wind, and the sun glinted off of the golden ornamentation she wore. And she had both a horn and a pair of wings.

"Princess Celestia," Radiant Dawn breathed, dropping to a knee and lowering her horn to the supreme ruler of Equestria. Around her, the other ponies did the same. Seeing pictures of the alicorn princess in history books did not quite do justice to the real thing.

"Citizens of Daybreak," Celestia said, "please, accept my apologies. Long have I known of the oppression of your kingdom…" She glanced down at Tanith, who was glowering hatefully up the princess. "But the gloom and despair surrounding this kingdom was an effective shield against my own magic, I'm afraid."

The ponies murmured among themselves, and Radiant Dawn caught snatches of "took her long enough" and "ironic timing".

"However," Celestia said, "when I sensed such a powerful burst of happiness coming from Daybreak, I knew someone else was helping me with the problem." She smiled and turned to Radiant Dawn. "Radiant Dawn, step forward, please."

The unicorn's eyes widened and she stumbled to her feet, nearly tripping over her own hooves. "Y-Your Highness?"

Celestia smiled, and her magenta eyes were full of the most incredible wisdom and love Radiant Dawn could ever imagine. It turned her own expression into a smile as she felt a warmth in her heart.

"You have done very well, Radiant Dawn," Celestia said. "Fighting to spread happiness in a world that stopped believing in it, trusting yourself when nopony else did, and never, ever giving up. You have a noble heart and the makings of a truly great leader—dare I say, a princess."

Radiant Dawn blinked. "What—"

Celestia lowered her horn so the tip touched Radiant Dawn's. Suddenly, a swirl of white light engulfed the unicorn, lifting her into the air. Radiant Dawn tilted her head back and went limp as a new power surged through her. She could feel herself becoming stronger, her magic abilities heightening, and a strange tugging at her back. With a jerk, she flexed muscles she never had before and spread new appendages wide.

The light wisped away and she touched back down on the terrace to see everyone staring at her. Radiant Dawn suddenly felt very self-conscious. "Am I…"

"Miss Dawn!" Sirocco and her other students scrambled toward her. "That was so cool!" the pegasus filly said.

An earth pony stomped her hooves. "You look like Princess Celestia now!"

Radiant Dawn gasped and looked from side to side. Spread out from her back was a pair of large, elegant wings, the feathers sharply tipped like a swan's.

Celestia smiled warmly. "I dub you Princess Radiant Dawn, ruler of the kingdom of Daybreak and Princess of Happiness."

Radiant Dawn took a few halting steps, turning around to feel the difference in strength. "I… thank you, Your Highness. Thank you so much. I just hope I can live up to this gift."

"I know you can," Celestia said. "Daybreak needs you." She glanced back down at the crumpled lamia lying nearby. "And as for you… perhaps a good, long stay in Tartarus will improve your attitude." She narrowed her eyes, her horn beginning to glow.

"Thisss won't ssstop me!" Tanith hissed as Celestia's magic surrounded her. "I'll be back!"

"And when you come back," Radiant Dawn said, "we'll be glad to teach you all about happiness, and just how important it really is."

Tanith laughed. "Good luck with that," she said as she disappeared.

As the portal closed, Radiant Dawn looked over at Celestia. "She's… she's not right, is she?"

The supreme alicorn smiled. "What is your heart telling you, Radiant Dawn?"

Radiant Dawn paused. "That she says nasty, angry things that aren't true to cover up how much she's hurting and try to make sense of her world. But I can't let her hurt my subjects while she struggles to figure herself out."

Celestia nodded.

"And—what about all the ponies she's turned to stone?" Radiant Dawn asked. "Is there any way to save them?"

The white alicorn smiled. "Indeed there is. Use your magic to free them from their stone prisons. As their petrification was born of despair, so it shall be dispelled with the light of hope and happiness that your magic carries."

Radiant Dawn reared up in excitement. "I'm going to the dungeons right now—"

"Ray!" Sundance and Moondog swooped toward the two alicorns. "This is so awesome!" Sundance said. "Now you can go flying with me and Moondog!"

"Don't worry," Moondog said, "we'll teach you how to use your wings!"

Radiant Dawn lifted her wings and chuckled sheepishly. "I would appreciate that, thank you!" She thought back to all the times she had wished she was a pegasus pony. Now her wishes had been answered in a way more wonderful than she could have hoped.

"Miss Dawn?" Sirocco and the other foals in her class clustered around the newly crowned alicorn. "Will… will you still be our teacher?"

Radiant Dawn looked down at them, and felt a pang of sadness invade all the joy she was experiencing. "I… think I need to do other things now," she said, her ears drooping.

But she was the princess of happiness—she had to find something positive about this. There was no way she was going to let becoming an alicorn, of all things, turn negative. An idea struck her and she grinned. "But you're always welcome in the castle, and just come find me if you ever want help with your lessons!" She put a hoof on Sirocco's shoulder. "After all, I'd only be your teacher for one year, but now I get to be your princess forever!"

"Hey, I never thought of it like that!" another of her pupils said. The foals began talking excitedly amongst each other, discussing how much fun they would have here at the castle now that the icky snakes were gone.

"Miss Dawn?" A slightly older voice made Radiant Dawn turn around. Euclid clopped toward her. "Congratulations on your new alicorn status," the colt said. "But… what about Principal Decorum? You do know she's the one who reported you to the police, right? Everypony's heard about it."

Radiant Dawn stared at him for a moment, surprised that her suspicions were confirmed. Still, she could not find it in her to be angry or bitter at the principal—Decorum clearly had enough struggles as it was without incurring the wrath of an alicorn.

She nodded. "I thought as much. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to replace the staff at that school – and all the schools in Daybreak – with ponies who actually like working with foals. I'll help Principal Decorum and the other faculty find jobs they like better—maybe as dungeon wardens."

She gazed out at the town. Now that factories had stopped churning out smog, the haze was clearing, and more and more sunlight shone through by the moment. "All of these factories are going, too. From now on, ponies are going to have jobs they actually enjoy—and that bring other ponies joy, too." She winked at Scooper Duper.

The earth pony reared up in delight. "Hot dog! I'm gonna open up that ice cream shop I always wanted!"

"I'm first in line!" Aegis said from beside him. "I still remember that chocolate cookie crunch ice cream you whipped up all those years ago!"

Celestia laughed. "Well, it sounds like your rule is off to a good start already, Princess."

Radiant Dawn beamed at her. "Thank you, Your Highness. I sure hope so."

"I don't have to hope anymore," Celestia said. "I know."

"I won't let you down, Your Highness," Radiant Dawn said.

As the other ponies began to discuss plans for cleaning up the palace, taking down the factories, and doing everything Tanith had never let them do, Radiant Dawn turned back into the castle, intent on going to the dungeons to give countless petrified ponies their lives back.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted her flank, and the cutie mark that had started all of this a week ago. She stopped and looked back to Princess Celestia. "Your Highness… can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?" Celestia asked.

Radiant Dawn shifted her weight. "Well… I still have no idea what my special talent is. I just got my cutie mark a week ago and I'm not sure why. It showed up when I was defending a foal from somepony's negativity."

Celestia smiled. "You haven't figured it out by now? Your special talent is spreading happiness, Princess Radiant Dawn. You always look on the bright side of things, and you are such a wonderful example and teacher to other ponies, as well. You are their ray of hope."

Radiant Dawn's heart leaped. "That's the best talent I could ask for."

"Then that's why it's yours," Celestia said.

The new alicorn smiled, but then another worry came to mind and she looked down, rubbing one foreleg with her hoof. "If it's not too much trouble, Your Highness… I have another question."

Celestia clopped closer to her. "Yes?"

"This might sound stupid, but…" Radiant Dawn closed her eyes. "Did I do anything wrong? I've been trying my hardest my whole life, but—I'm just so worried that some of what happened might have been my fault." Opening her eyes, she looked up at Celestia pleadingly. "What could I have done better?"

The white alicorn searched Radiant Dawn's face for a moment, and then her eyes creased in a smile. "I wasn't here for everything that happened," she said, using a hoof to lift Radiant Dawn's chin, "but I don't think you did anything wrong. That is what my heart is telling me."

"Then—why did so much go badly?" Radiant Dawn asked. "I was trying to do the right thing—"

Celestia shook her head, still wearing that gentle, calming smile. "Sometimes, Princess Radiant Dawn, the most valiant and pure-hearted ponies are put in situations where their misfortunes are not their doing. It is here where their trial lies—to endure the wrongs done to them with grace and poise, and to show other ponies how to be strong despite everything life throws at them. And you weathered that trial most admirably."

Tears came to Radiant Dawn's eyes. "Thank you… I'm so glad."

"Be at peace about the matter," Celestia said. "You have fought well, and your reward shall be great."

Radiant Dawn wiped away a few tears as she nodded. "Thank you. You've already given me so much—I'll do my very best to live up to all of it."

"You will," Celestia said. "I know you will."

Radiant Dawn grinned with determination. "I won't let you down, Your Highness. And I won't let down any of those ponies in the dungeons, either." She turned to head back inside.

"Hey, everypony!" Birthday Bash said, leaping up on the parapet. "We should throw a huge party to celebrate our victory! It's still Tanith's birthday, after all!"

"That sounds awesome!" Sundance said.

"I'm in!" said Moondog. "I mean, uh, if the princess says it's okay."

Radiant Dawn turned back to them, chuckled, and nodded. "It's definitely okay!"

"Great!" Birthday Bash said, leaping down to twirl around. "Man, I hope all of my descendants like throwing parties as much as I do!"

Radiant Dawn laughed, and so did Celestia. "Your Highness," Radiant Dawn said, "would you like to stay for the festivities?"

"I would love that," Celestia said.

Princess Radiant Dawn grinned. A new sun was rising in Daybreak, and she would make sure it shone forever.