The three sat in the dungeon for hours. Thankfully some of the cells had windows, so they could tell the time of day. Radiant Dawn felt that this would be even more agonizing if they didn't know how much time was passing.
At some point late in the afternoon, a few guards came in to give them water and hay. Ironclad harangued them ceaselessly, berating them for abandoning Cloudkicker and siding with Eclipse. He nearly bit a guard who got too close, so finally they just threw the hay at him and ran. He looked rather satisfied with this as they left.
The hay was stale, but Radiant Dawn ate as much of it as she could. She knew she had to keep up her strength so she could figure a way out of this, even though her headache was making her stomach sensitive as well.
But the hours did not pass in silence. The three political prisoners kept up their spirits by talking with one another, telling stories about their pasts and their families. Cloudkicker and Ironclad had many anecdotes from their service in the military, and Radiant Dawn told them about life in Daybreak and how happy everypony there was. She wondered if the pegasi could see that there was more to life than warfare.
"Eclipse wasn't always like this, was she?" Radiant Dawn asked as the sun set.
Cloudkicker shook her head. "She's always been more of an intellectual than the rest of us," she said, "but I think she really was loyal to me, once. Her pride must have gotten to her head until she believed that she was better fit to oversee Pelopponysus than me."
"Except now she's got her eye on all of Equestria," Ironclad grumbled, "and she keeps spouting nonsense about how alicorns are the bane of ponykind while wanting to give herself an alicorn's magic. She's on a power trip something awful. I can't believe how many pegasi actually listened to her—" With a snort, he clanged a hoof against the bars of his cell.
"I'm concerned that was my fault," Cloudkicker said. "I… perhaps I should have listened to Celestia. I was so focused on molding our citizens into a force that could successfully repel the lamiae… I forgot that they have feelings. They're not fighting machines—they're ponies. I think they could have used more happiness in their lives. Instead, too many of them let their unhappiness turn into anger." She looked over at the princess. "Right, Your Highness?"
Radiant Dawn nodded hesitantly. "But don't beat yourself up about it," she said. "I know your intentions were good. You just hadn't quite found the right balance."
"If I get out of here," Cloudkicker said, "I'm going to find that balance. Whatever the case, I don't want Eclipse running Pelopponysus. She'll destroy everypony's lives at this rate."
The other two agreed.
The next morning, Radiant Dawn awoke to the sound of hooves clopping briskly on stone. Sombra's crystals were still giving her an awful headache, and as she opened her eyes she noticed it was still dark outside. She felt like she had gotten a reasonable amount of sleep, so this confused her.
But she didn't have much time to think about it as Eclipse and some of her guards approached. "Good morning, everypony," the pegasus said with a sneer. "Rise and shine! Beautiful morning, isn't it?"
"What did you do," Cloudkicker breathed, narrowing her eyes.
"Just used my special talent to rearrange the weather a little," Eclipse said. She turned to Radiant Dawn and her smile turned greedy. "Guess what I finished."
Her guards opened the door to the alicorn's cell. Immediately, Radiant Dawn leaped for an opening between them, but they quickly overwhelmed her and held her fast.
"Don't do this, Eclipse!" Ironclad yelled, throwing himself against the bars of his cell.
"Oh, I'm not about to leave the two of you out of this," Eclipse said. She motioned to her guards, who dragged the two pegasi out of their cells. Ironclad thrashed like a stallion possessed, and it took five other ponies to hold him back from Pelopponysus's new leader.
She snickered at their futile attempts to escape. "Today… everypony will witness my ascension to power!" she said. "They'll see why they never should have underestimated me!"
"You're sick," Ironclad growled as they were taken out of the dungeon.
"I'm a visionary!" Eclipse said. "And those who can't understand that need to be put away so they don't ruin other ponies' freedom—my freedom!"
When they got outside, Radiant Dawn saw why it was still dark out. The sun had been blocked out by a total eclipse. Only a thin, weak stream of light was able to get past, just enough to cast a dim twilight over the fortress courtyard.
There, pegasi had gathered just like yesterday, although this time, guards stood among them as if to make sure everypony would stay in line.
"Some 'freedom'," Ironglad grumbled. "What's wrong, Eclipse? Afraid not everypony here agrees with how you want to run things?"
"Unfortunately, there are some… holdouts," Eclipse said as she led them through the crowd, "but they'll be indoctrinated soon enough. They'll see why I'm right… or else."
But it was the machine in the middle of the courtyard that caught Radiant Dawn's attention and held it like a nightmare. It was a large, twisted device that coursed with dark magic, powered by crystals like the ones currently stuck in her horn. Everything about it felt wrong.
She tore her gaze away to look at the pegasi around her. Although some of them gave her looks of anger, like she deserved this, many of them looked afraid and sorry for her. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Nebula and her foals. "Be strong," she told them. "Don't give up. Everything will be okay—" She was cut off by a guard giving her a rough shove to keep her moving.
They took her, Ironclad, and Cloudkicker onto the platform where the energy transfer machine stood, and Eclipse made a few last-minute checks on the device before turning to address the crowds. "The era of the common ponies has begun!" she said. "All those who resist are fools! Swear loyalty to me and my cause, or join these tyrants in the dungeons where they belong!"
Radiant Dawn frowned. "Don't listen to her!" she shouted. "Can't you see that she's not interested in your freedom at all? What kind of a pony thinks that it's okay to get what she wants by being horrible to anypony who disagrees with her?"
The audience began to talk among themselves, and many of the guards also looked unsure. Radiant Dawn took a deep breath and strained against the guards who were pulling her toward the machine. "Even if she really does believe that alicorns shouldn't rule Equestria, and Cloudkicker wasn't a good commander, there are better ways to express that than to go on a rampage against everypony she doesn't like! She's turned into a monster, and she's trying to enslave you all! But you haven't noticed because you've been so caught up in getting angry and—"
"Silence, alicorn scum!" Eclipse grabbed Radiant Dawn's horn in her hooves, and the wave of pain that washed over the princess made her crumple with a whinny.
"Ray!" Ironclad neighed, struggling to free himself from the guards' grip.
"Stop it!" a young voice said from the crowd. "Stop picking on her!" Cirrus hovered above everypony else, wings buzzing fiercely. "She's right!" Cirrus said. "You're a monster, Eclipse! I don't want you as my commander!"
"Neither do I!" Nebula said.
"Me either!" Private Stratosphere else said, and suddenly the crowd was full of ponies expressing their discontent.
Eclipse ground her teeth. "Silence!" she screamed. "Guards, arrest that filly! Lock her in the dungeons for life!"
"No!" Nebula reached for her foal as two guards swooped toward Cirrus.
Suddenly the clouds underneath her erupted in a plume of dark magic. An enormous lamia burst out of the floor of the courtyard, sending pegasi scattering. Her hood flared, and she swept out her talons and knocked the guards away from Cirrus with a hiss.
A moment later, more lamiae emerged from the clouds, scores of them, all wreathed in magic. They tackled the guards, lobbing magic at them, but seemed to be avoiding everypony else. The first female let out a blast of magic and soared toward the energy transfer machine.
Eclipse's eyes widened in horror. "No!" she howled, shoving Radiant Dawn up against her creation. "I've got to have more power!" She looked to the control panel.
A lamia tail slammed into her, sending her flying. Before she could right herself in the air, the female lamia whipped out her tail again and grabbed the pegasus by one leg, swinging her around and then wrapping around her middle, pinning her wings.
As Eclipse struggled to get free, the lamia brought her closer to her face. "I have had enough of you," Tanith snarled. "You've failed, Eclipssse." Her pupils contracted into slits.
"No… no!" Eclipse whinnied. She kicked out with her hind legs, but she could not tear her gaze away from Tanith's eyes. Stone began to creep up her body. "No!" she screamed one last time, and then the petrification was complete.
Tanith regarded her new statue for a just a moment before tossing it aside. The guards that still held Cloudkicker and Ironclad let out whinnies of alarm and staggered back.
That was all the two pegasi needed to break free. Cloudkicker lashed out with the powerful hind legs she was so renowned for, and Ironclad sent two ponies flying with just a single buck. The rest were easily swept away by Tanith's magic.
Then the lamia swooped down and picked up the alicorn. "Ray, I'm ssso sssorry," she said, hugging the princess. "I was almossst too late."
"It's okay," Radiant Dawn said. "I'm just so glad you came—I thought you'd abandoned me—"
"I never meant to," Tanith said, "and I'm sssorry I couldn't have told you that. But I knew I couldn't take on all those ponies by myself. Ssso… I followed your advice and went and found some friends." She grinned out at the other lamiae who were busy subduing Eclipse's followers.
"I don't believe it," Cloudkicker said. "I never thought I'd be so happy to see lamiae in my city… but thank you, Tanith."
"I wish I could have come sssooner," Tanith said, "but they did take sssome convincing. I was ssso nervousss… but I jussst remembered everything you taught me about happinessss, Radiant Dawn. I told them that they would be much better off getting along with these pegasssi." She paused. "The fact that political upheaval generatesss quite a bit of dessspair also helped sssway them."
Radiant Dawn gave her another hug. "I'm so happy to see you," she said. "Thank you so much. You were so brave, Tanith."
"You gave me courage," Tanith said. "Because you're my friend." Her eyes narrowed as she inspected the alicorn's horn. "Och, that'sss sssome nasssty magic. Hold on." She clamped one large hand around the horn. "Thisss might hurt a bit. Sssorry." She concentrated, and a pulse of magic flowed into her hand.
It did hurt, but only for a moment, and not nearly as badly as the migraine Radiant Dawn had been experiencing. Then it felt like a cork popping, and all of a sudden light streamed from her horn again and Radiant Dawn felt as though she could breathe deeper than before. She spread her wings and Tanith let her go.
Now that her magic could flow unchecked, Radiant Dawn beat her wings to gain altitude. She knew exactly what she wanted to do first. "Stay clear!" she shouted to her friends as she began to gather power into her horn. They realized what she was doing and leaped out of the way.
Arching her neck, the alicorn shot a beam of light magic at Eclipse's machine. It cut through the metal and wiring, and the crystals shattered and dissolved into nothing.
Then Radiant Dawn tossed her head and pointed her horn to the sky. Concentrating with all her might, she sent a stream of power toward the sun.
The dark shape blocking the celestial orb quivered, and then cracked, letting through shafts of light. Radiant Dawn poured all of her energy into her magic. The shadow over the sun burst asunder, and sunlight poured back down on Pelopponysus.
The lamiae recoiled at first, but it wasn't enough to stop them from subduing the last of Eclipse's loyalists, rounding up everypony who still supported her and petrifying anypony who resisted. Meanwhile, Cloudkicker had rallied those still faithful to her, explaining the situation to them so they would not attack the lamiae.
Radiant Dawn descended back to Ironclad and Tanith, breathing hard from the exertion of the spells she had performed. Ironclad wrapped her in a hug and she returned it.
"I'm so glad you're all right," he said. "I—I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you."
"I'm sorry," Radiant Dawn said. "I wish there was more I could have done."
Tanith placed her talons on the alicorn's shoulder. "Don't talk like that," the lamia said. "Don't you sssee? Your ssstrength does not lie in yourssself alone—it alssso involves your ability to make allies and friends." She smiled. "Don't ever dissscount that."
"Thanks," Radiant Dawn said. "I hadn't thought of it like that… but you're right. Way to think positive, Tanith."
The lamia smirked. "Sssee, I'm capable of it if I try."
"Your Highnessss!" another hissing voice said. A second female lamia, her hood decorated in strings of beads, pulled herself toward the princess. "All of the rebels have been sssecured!"
Radiant Dawn nodded. "Thank you, ah—"
"Chieftain Inanna," the lamia said, "of the Sharpssscale Tribe."
"Well met, Chieftain," Cloudkicker said, alighting next to the princess. "Your assistance during this attempted coup has been invaluable. I cannot thank you enough for your help. How can we repay you?"
"We ssseeek alliance," Inanna said, extending her talons. "The former Queen Tanith tells me that you would be willing to do the sssame."
Cloudkicker hesitated for a moment, then put her hoof into Inanna's claws and shook her hand. "We would," she said. "On one condition—that you work together with us pegasi to learn how to be happier."
Inanna's amber eyes widened. "I'm… not sure I underssstand."
"I can help with that," Radiant Dawn said. "I'll send delegates from Daybreak to the lamiae and the pegasi. They'll help you learn what happiness is all about."
"Thank you, Your Highnessss," Inanna said. "That would be greatly appreciated." She lifted her eyes to Tanith. "And what will you do?" she asked the other lamia. "There is ample room in my tribe for a warrior as great as you."
Tanith's expression turned longing. Then she sighed and shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, Chieftain," she said, "but I think I ssstill have much to learn about happinessss, myssself. I don't feel quite ready to return to my people yet. I think there is much that Radiant Dawn has yet to teach me." She smiled down at the pony. "If she wantsss to, that is."
Radiant Dawn grinned back at her. "Of course," she said. "You're welcome to stay in Daybreak as long as you please." It did not escape her how odd it was to say that to a creature who, just a few short centuries ago, had been forcibly ejected from Daybreak. But that was the way things went, the alicorn thought. Everything turned to good in the end, just like Ironclad had said.
She turned to him and her face fell. The only thing putting a damper on this victory was having to say goodbye to him.
He caught her gaze and held it, and the look in his eyes said he understood. He took a deep breath and stepped toward his commander. "Cloudkicker, ma'am," he said, clearing his throat. "I've been thinking—perhaps it would be best if you sent somepony to Daybreak on an—extended visit, to gather intel on happiness. And, ah, I think it would be rather nice to go and see my ancestral homeland, so…"
His commander gave him a penetrating look, and then laughed. "Oh, you don't have to make up any excuses," she said. "Go to Daybreak, stay as long as you like." She winked at Radiant Dawn, who blushed.
Ironclad's ears perked. "Wait—seriously?" he stammered. Jaw agape, he turned back to the princess. "I mean—if it's all right with you, Ray, I'd really like to—" He narrowed his eyes and glanced aside before looking back to her, his expression earnest. "I don't ever want to see anything like this happen to you again," he said in all seriousness. "I want to protect you, Radiant Dawn. If—if you'll let me."
"I would love that," Radiant Dawn said, putting her face against his neck. All of her sadness was gone now. She felt complete.
He heaved a huge sigh of relief and returned the gesture. "Thank you," he said.
"We want to come, too!" Cirrus said, bounding up to them. Her brother and mother were not far behind.
"I'm sure you can come visit," her uncle said, "if that's all right with the princess."
"Absolutely," Radiant Dawn said with a smile. "You're welcome in Daybreak any time."
As the siblings began to celebrate, flitting around their mother and making plans for what they would do on their vacation, Ironclad chuckled and gave Radiant Dawn a warm smile. "Ray, I was wondering—you know that Grand Galloping Gala thing you told me about?" he asked. "Would—could you be my date to that?"
Radiant Dawn grinned. "I would love to—oh, wait, I only have two tickets."
"He can have mine," Tanith said. "I'm not sure I would enjoy it, anyway."
"Oh, but I want you to be there, too," Radiant Dawn said. "Maybe I can just write to Celestia and ask her for a third ticket. I'm sure she would understand."
"After everything you've been through," Tanith said, "you deserve a third ticket."
"And you also deserve a medal," Cloudkicker said, "for helping me get my nation back. And helping us ally with the lamiae."
"Well, that was mostly Tanith," Radiant Dawn said.
"Don't worry, she'll get a medal too," Cloudkicker said. "For now, though, let's get some real food in us."
"Yes, please," Ironclad said, stomping the clouds with one hoof. "As if I was going to stand for eating stale hay for the rest of my life." He shot a grin at Radiant Dawn.
She smiled back. The past few days had been nothing short of tumultuous, but he was right, she had fought her way through and come out the other side. And on top of everything else, she had gained some new friends along the way. She wasn't lonely anymore, she realized. And she couldn't be happier.
