Princess Celestia lay under a pile of rubble, barely retaining her consciousness from the several blasts that had attempted to escape the room. He felt her body pined to the floor by the large mass of ceiling rock that now lay over her. Her head rang with sounds of the blast...she was to dazed to summon any magic to remove herself, so she just lay there under the rubble. She wondered to herself...how the sweet, young innocent stallion that had once served Twilight's every need could have become what he was now...A fugitive of Equestrian law...Tartarus bent on the destruction of another...overcome with godly amounts power. She wondered where she might have gone wrong. Her time back then had mostly been with Twilight, and although Daybreak had nearly always been present to hear her talk of the importance of friendship, the two had never shared many private talks with each other. She felt somewhat guilty herself...she had treated Twilight like her child and had basically ignored the closest thing she had to one...then through her own selfish desires had lost him for several years after...In a sense she had made him this way. Her nieces words rang in her ears

"Someponys will do anything for love...the power of Love can be stronger than any morale value...any magic out there...and it can drive ponies to do insane things"

Cadence had said those words to her once long ago...before she was even a princess...yet it was only after all this time Celestia finally felt she understood what she had meant by that. Daybreak had truly lived up to Cadences words, doing the insane, the unthinkable, all in the name of the one he loved. Celestia couldn't help but feel that perhaps it was for the better that she never fell in love. That was a magic that belonged in Cadences domain, and Celestia could not allow herself to be distracted by it. It was an odd sort of irony that she didn't understand how contradicting her thoughts were. But she would understand at a later date...for now she lay there under the rubble, allowing Daybreak to escape unopposed and continue on his quest. She could hear the sound os distant hooves growing louder as her eyes began to feel heavy on her face...

.....

The double entrance doors of Canterlot castle shook on their hinges, causing both Rainbow Dash and Daring Do to consider changing locations to wait for Daybreak. Rainbow could only wonder what had been causing these constant explosions...but she had a pretty good idea...

Moments later another rumble could be heard, but much closer this time, Rainbow saw as the wall nearest the garden fell and crumpled to dust on the well kept grass. Rainbow and Daring watched as Daybreak (or at least, what they assumed was Daybreak) stepped out on the grass. The moment his feet touched the dirt, the grass and plant life around him began to grow rapidly, within seconds, the whole patch was blooming with flowers. It happened everywhere he stepped if he lingered for more than a few seconds, Rainbow would have found the scene quite comedic if Daybreak's face were not so serious. He approached them with smile that reminded Rainbow too much of Twilight...the day she had been freaking over not sending the princess a letter that week.

"Daybreak...? That you?"

He grinned, showing his recently sharpened canines

"I suppose in a sense...yes we are Daybreak...but we prefer Solar Eclipse if you don't mind Dashie..."

He turned to Daring Do, ignoring the obvious surprise on Rainbow's face.

"Sup Daring?"

She reached over and took Rainbows hoof in her own, causing a small blush to form on Rainbow's cheeks

"I asked her out...she said yes...thanks for the advice when I asked you..."

His sharp-toothed grin remained every creepy

"Anytime...come on...we're going"

Now it was Daring's turn to look surprised

"What? Already? Shouldn't we wait for Aecious...Or Trixie even?"

Solar had already turned to leave, beginning his walk out of Canterlot. He motioned for Rainbow and Daring to follow wordlessly. They exchanged worried glances but followed anyways. They reached the edge of Canterlot in little time, having had no distractions along the way for once. They came to a halt outside the train station, Solar looked around for a moment, then motioned the two mares over to him.

"Grab my hands"

He instructed them without explanation. Although Daring knew enough about Daybreak to know he would never harm her, she still felt a sense of uneasiness at his sudden change in personality. Solar noticed her hesitation and flashed her a toothy smile

"Don't worry Daring...I won't bite...much...hehehe"

Somehow that actually made her feel better, bad joke or just a bit of humor, she just didn't want him to be so serious...even if he was about to murder somepony. She herself, had fought off several bandits and armies over the years, and had still managed to crack jokes...if only at her enemies. Daring looked over and saw Rainbow had already grasped his hand in her hoof...not wanting to leave her mare by herself, Daring followed suit.

At the moment she touched him the world seemed to become a vacuum of darkness. She felt as though she was being pulled through a small pipe as the air was squeezed from her lungs. She desperately wanted to take a breath and feared she would pass out from the panic! But as quickly as it began, it had finished. Daring opened her eyes, and as they refocused she saw they were standing in the Crystal Empire.

Solar had already started moving ahead before the two mares came out of their stupor

"Hey! Wait for us!"

Daring grabbed Dashies hoof and pulled her along after Solar.

The two mares sprinted after Solar, attempting to catch up with him as he weaved through the crystalline buildings. Daring leaned over to Rainbow Dash as ran

"What are we doing here? I thought he was going after Sombra next...?"

"We are, but he needs the Crystal Heart to lure Sombra to him...I think he knows that trying to track Sombra across all of Equestria and possibly beyond would be pointless...plus Sombra would likely flee...after what happened the last time they fought, I doubt anything other than the Crystal Heart could make him come to Daybreak..."

"Sombra must want this place very badly if he'd go to such lengths just to recapture it again"

Daring kept her thoughts to herself, but secretly wondered just what about this empire could make a pony like Sombra so obsessed...she doubted it was just the simple scenery...

They spotted Solar ahead heading for the palace, Daring pulled Dash to a halt, keeping them both hidden from sight behind a building. Rainbow stared on as Solar continued ahead

"Is he just planning on walking in and taking it?"

"Looks like it"

Solar strode up to the two guards standing just outside of the entrance to the castle, and the Crystal heart. Both immediately raised their spears

"Halt! Who are you?"

He stopped in front of the guards, they began to approach him as though conducting an inspection. Even from their hiding spot, Rainbow could see a sneer flash across Solar's face, Rainbow nearly screamed as she watched what happened.

The moment either guard was within arms length, the flames on Solar's arms sprang to life and engulfed the guards in blinding light. They died away almost instantly, but as the flames receded, the two guards were left crumpled on the ground. Although Daring and Rainbow could see the guards were alive and mostly unharmed, they were clearly unconscious, with their armor singed slightly.

Not missing a beat, the moment his flames were back on his body, Solar strode forward into the open hall that held the Crystal Heart. Only now did he see the irony of the Crystal Hearts defenses...no pony that was evil or corrupt at heart could get inside the barrier to remove the Empires defenses. Ironically Solar was now standing right in front of it, intending to do the exact same thing, but for another reason.

"I guess now we find out...am I evil or corrupted now?"

The thought passed through his mind as he reached out for the Heart. He felt a slight hesitation within himself as his fingers neared the crystals edge. He braced for whatever may happen, and firmly grasped his fingers around the rough edges of the heart!

For a moment nothing happened, he began to feel foalish as he stood there just griping the heart. He began to give a pull and attempted to pull if from its hold. With a decent tug, the Heart came free of its bonding's...then the whole world went dark...in a flash of white!

.....

Daybreak blinked his eyes several times...attempting to clear the spots from his vision. He felt considerably different, he looked down and once again he had changed, he looked like his normal self again. the flames surrounding his arms and body were gone and his coat was back to its healthy caramel. Looking around he began to realize he was no longer standing in the Crystal Empire...in fact...he wasn't standing anywhere as far as he could tell. His entire surroundings was nothing but a white landscape, clear and colorless. the only presence was him...and him?

He looked and saw another form of him, standing only a few feet away. Only this one was clearly Solar Eclipse...Daybreak felt a joke worthy of Pinkie Pie spring to his mind as he stood next to his other form.

"Oh dear...I'm quite beside myself...wow...that sounded much better in my head..."

"Now that's funny considering where we are."

Daybreak gave a very unmanly yelp as he jumped back in fear. He had not expected his other form to speak, much less move around as it was now, giving a glance at him Solar smiled.

"You don't look to happy to see me...or perhaps you're just in shock, that would be the less surprising of the two...after al why wouldn't you be happy to see me...you created me after all"

Solar's smile gave Daybreak the creeps

"Is that really what I look like when I smile in that form? No wonder everypony gave me distance...I'm downright creepy"

"Well now that's hardly a fair thing to say isn't it?"

Once again Daybreak jumped, he had only thought those words, they had never left his lips...so how had Solar know what he was thinking...unless...

"Where are we?"

He knew the answer before asking, but he had to hear the confirmation

"You already know...at least you think you do...so that makes it true in this place...Still confused?...Fine I'll humor you...We are in a pocket of your mind...my new home, which you created for me more or less on purpose. This is where I reside in your mind for now..."

Looking around, this place seemed like a rather dull home, even if it was only created like 30 minutes ago...Daybreak glanced back to Solar Eclipse

"So if you're a completely different being...then why do I remember everything we just did up to grabbing the heart?"

"We shared this body with a duel consciousness, and shared an appearance...basically your personality and appearance fused wit mine smoothly to create the form you had...but that is no longer the case.."

"What do you mean?"

"When you grabbed the Crystal Heart, its power tried to throw you off, like it does to any corrupt being who touches it...but you aren't corrupt or evil in your heart...so you were able to wretch it free...but in doing so, it split us apart...me...and you, are now separate beings again"

Daybreak considered this...but felt like Solar had basically just told him an unspoken truth

"So if it separated us because you were there...doesn't that make you..."

"It doesn't matter...you created me using that book...and you created me to do a thing you weren't powerful enough to do on your own...a being created for murder...of course I'm not gonna be pure hearted you dunce..."

Daybreak felt a slight surge of guilt well up in him...or maybe that was Solar feeling sorry for himself...if they shared a body, why not feel each others emotions...

"You seem a bit upset...are you mad I created you?"

He received a glare from Solar, as though the answer should have been obvious

"You should be able to understand how I'm feeling...after all we share a similar scenario...I didn't choose to be brought into creation through a means which made me Evil...I had no say in the matter...I was created because someone else wanted something done...You created me to be the power YOU need to kill the evil king...it's ironic actually...You were created in a similar fashion. Discord ripped you from his body to free himself of restraining good emotions and feelings...you never chose to be the Prince of Chaos...you just are."

Sadly Daybreak knew this was true, and felt a bit of pity for Solar Eclipse. However he also knew that he had made use of his situation and Solar could do the same

"Hey...its ok ya know...you and me, you're right we aren't that different...but look at me...I made the most of my situation and chose to move past it...you can do the same...be your own person"

A small smile crossed Solar's lips

"Hmm...not a bad idea actually...but then, are you suggesting we don't kill King Sombra?"

"No...I'm not suggesting that...he needs to die...but you don't have to do it...give me your powers...and then you can separate yourself from me and be your own pony if you want?"

"Hmph...Not a bad idea at all...but I think I'll decline...I just wanted to see what you'd say...No I'll keep y powers and use them when you need them...for now we will share your body...swap out with me if you ever need that extra push...we can share mine again when we get to Sombra.."

Daybreak nodded and grasped Solar's hand, shaking it firmly, ignoring the searing pain radiating in his hand from the flames Solar was putting out.

As they shook hands, the world around them began to fade into darkness...Daybreak began to feel his hands grasping something hard an firm in his arms

.....

As the world exploded back into reality, Daybreak became faintly aware of somepony pushing against his back while screaming his name. He shook his head vigorously, looking around he saw Rainbow pushing him to move, Daring Do holding a door shut tightly with her hooves, while an unknown force pounded against it, and the Crystal Heart was in his hands. With a quick glance of his body, he could see he was in his normal form, he smiled, happy to know Solar had kept true to his quick promise, then turned his attention to where he was. He looked around, to see that they were locked in the entry room to the palace, with an unknown amount of ponies banging on the doors behind them.

"What the hay happened?!"

He looked around to Rainbow, who seemed to have realized he had finally come to

"You blacked out on us. The moment you grabbed the heart the whole barrier around the Empire dropped, and a huge wave of energy flew out from you. After that every guard in this place came running...so we had to push you here. You seemed to move on autopilot but you never spoke, or even blinked...and all that flaming aura you had earlier is gone...What happened?"

Another slam from behind the door earned a worried look from Daring and Daybreak decided now was not e tie to discuss his new friend.

"Later...I'll tell you later...right now we help Daring"

Dashie nodded, but as she moved to help Daring hold the locked doors, Daybreak pulled her back, and swiped his hands to the side, motioning for Daring to move out of the way. She got the hint just in time too, for a second later he unleashed a wave of wind and magic from his palms that knocked the unknown amount of guards behind the door tumbling down the crystal steps. The doors remained closed...if only barely standing on their hinges. Daybreak grabbed Rainbow and Daring by the hooves and pulled them up several flights of stairs. After a few quick turns, Rainbow recognized that they were quickly headed for Cadences room.

"Daybreak...what are you doing?! The exit isn't through here...Daybreak...DAYBREAK!"

"Rainbow I swear by Celestia! If their was ever a time I needed you to shove a hoof in it and just trust me, now is that time, now keep running!"

He pulled them through a series of twists and burst into Cadences room, the Princess was sitting next to her bed, her magical health shield still circling Twilight's unconscious form"

"What the..?!"

Daybreak pulled his two mares by her without a word, kicked open the balcony door and dragged them out through it. He shoved the Crystal Heart into Rainbows grasp.

"Wait for me..."

"What? What do you me...AGHHHHGH!"

He grabbed them both and flung them into the air, with no hesitation he let loose two beams of energy and struck the two mares, enveloping them in his power! Within seconds they disappeared with two 'pops' and left him standing on the balcony alone.

Wit that done, he turned back to Cadences room, and slowly walked back in, over to the Princess. She regarded him with a slight glare, but also a smile...somehow those two looks just seemed to fit on her at the same time

*Sigh* "Daybreak...sometimes I wonder just what I'm going to do with you..."

Taking a seat next to Cadence, Daybreak let out a sigh of his own

"I just don't know anymore Sis...I feel like I'm doing the right thing for her.."

He motioned to Twilight

"...But I keep having to do so many things that I know are wrong...I keep hurting so many good ponies...even my friends...and I'm just gonna keep doing it until he's dead...does that make me a bad 'pony'?"

Cadence looked over her brother-in-law, he ad become quite a topic around the Crystal Empire, even before this whole mess two days ago...ponies had talked of Daybreak The Hero who had fought Discord, and the Changeling horde single handedly and lived to tell of it...ponies just admired him. That was why, unlike Celestia, Cadence had not informed any of her guard about what Daybreak was doing...yet at this point, with him taking the heart...and her guard chasing him in here...she might have to.

"Daybreak...It's not my place to decide for you if what you're doing is right or wrong...but you're trying o save the mare you love...no pony can questions your motives, your loyalty, your love...the only things left to question is your rationality, your reasoning, and your intentions afterwards..."

Daybreak gave a an obvious shift of discomfort in his seat

"My intentions afterwards...I guess once I've saved Twilight and killed Sombra...I'll turn myself into Celestia and accept my punishment for treason...after that I don't know what I'll do...she'll probably exile me if she doesn't lock me up...I don't know"

A smile curved across Cadences face

"Well I wish you didn't have to steal the crystal heart for it...but I know I can't stop you anyways...so me protesting is pointless...just as long as you protect the peace and harmony of our home and Equestria...I can't really protest your actions much..."

Daybreak placed his hand on Twilight's chest, and lightly rubbed his hands along her soft fur

"I'm not doing this for Peace...or Harmony..."

Cadence raised her eyebrows

"Really? That's a surprise coming from you Daybreak...a being created given form by Celestia...If not for peace and harmony, then what...for what will you fight for against King Sombra?"

Daybreak ran his hands along Twilights fur, his body shimmered gold, for a spilt second Solar Eclipse reappeared startling Cadence away from him. He touched the tip of Twilight's horn with his finger and slowly lifted it, Pulling a small purple blob from the tip. He placed the blob in his open palm and caused a small vial to appear in the other. He dropped the small blob in the vial and attached it to his royal necklace so that it hung just below it. This was a pure essence of Twilight's magic in a physical form, by keeping it near him he could keep track of how Twilight was doing. Since it held her life force in it, it would change depending on her health, so now he would always be able to know how much time was left. Even though he was keeping track of the days anyways, this gave him a more comforting feeling than counting down the days.

He turned away from Cadence and walked to the balcony window, before he jumped, he turned back and gave a final smile at Cadence. She returned his smile, if only half heartedly as he leaned back and fell. As he fell he began to shimmer in green light, and prepared to teleport away.

"What am I doing this for...not for Peace...not for Harmony...No...what I'm fighting for is something much more precious to me"

He closed his eyes as the image of his inspiration swam in his head, and he vanished in green light.