A bright flash illuminated the inside of the barn as the group of downtrodden Equestrians walked out. Once Celestia walked out, the portal closed. They all took a seat around in a circle and sighed.
"At least she's okay," Twilight Velvet whispered.
"Yes," Celestia agreed. "And it seems she, along with the rest of Psera, are not fond of us."
"They put us in a prison," Shining said matter-of-factly. "I don't know if we should go back there. It's not even part of our land, or any of our allies."
"They were so far ahead of us in every way," Princess Luna added. "Their buildings make ours look like pine needles."
"They were hidin' somethin'," Applejack said suddenly. They all looked over at her. "I don't know what......but it was somethin' big."
"Yeah, their wings," Rainbow responded. She opened hers and looked at them sadly. "Am I......am I really not the fastest pony in Equestria?"
"Rainbow, you are truly the fastest," Princess Cadance assured her. "Don't let what Twilight said hurt you."
"Yeah, she was trying to get to us," Rarity agreed. "Even if she said it rather harshly."
"That's an understatement," Princess Cadance responded. "Her voice I'm pretty sure rivaled the Canterlot Royal Voice. It had to be heard all over that city."
"Eight.....Cloudsdales," Fluttershy whispered. "That's why she took that book so long ago." She looked up and met their gazes. "She was creating a city.....in her image." Spike sighed from the corner of the barn.
"Apparently she rebuilt a fallen world," Celestia added. "She said she arrived on a beach and rebuilt Psera using magic. And that that world was entirely destroyed. Now back to Applejack." The farmer looked over at her. "I also noticed they were hiding something. I don't know what exactly, but I could feel it too. We'll ask the other girls if they noticed anything when they come back. They might be there for a while."
***
While the guard were preparing the chariot, Arcadia motioned for her friends, her real ones that haven't betrayed her, to follow her towards her home. "Are you hungry? Madun has extra food hidden somewhere," she joked.
"You sure have made yourself to be great here, Arcadia," Sunset told her. The other two girls chuckled.
"Really, Twilight," Trixie agreed. "I haven't seen you this....noticed ever since I last saw you in Equestria."
"That's because I wasn't happy there," she commented. She stopped in front of her room and turned around to face them. "I knew something was wrong when I didn't receive a lot of attention from diplomats. But that's irrelevant now. I'm going to give you guys a taste of Madun's cooking." She opened the door and walked inside with them right behind her. They looked around the cozy home inside a castle while Twilight walked into the kitchen to grab some food.
"No offense, Twilight, but I was expecting more...big," Trixie commented.
"Madun doesn't like the big life. And to be honest, neither do I." Arcadia opened up the fridge with her magic and looked inside.
"Completely understandable," Sunset added while looking around. "And it seems you already set up shop with a library."
"After this, I'm taking you girls on a lite sightsee," Arcadia announced before grabbing some Chortle in her magic. She used a spell to warm it up. "I haven't exactly seen Psera at its best ever since I've been here. Here's some food that you just NEED to try out." She took the food and shot it into their mouths. Their eyes flew open in surprise before they chewed it lightly. Sunset levitated the big bit out of her mouth.
"This is really good!" She said. "What is it?"
"It's Chortle, a food that 'heals a Pseratep overnight'. It's filled with vitamins and has a fleshy like texture that tastes like different types of fruit. I eat it on special occasions. Only anniversaries so far. But besides that, there are more that I have yet to try that have a place in Psera tradition. I need to do research on it later. Are you girls ready?" They finished their food before they followed Twilight back out the door, who nearly bumped into Madun.
"Hello, Arcadia," he greeted, giving her a smile. "Where ya' headed?"
"I'm about to go see what Psera looks like from thousands of feet in the air," she told him. "Is that alright?"
He chuckled and nodded. "It's fine, just don't stay out too long. I wanna spend some time with my fiancee." He leaned in and gave her a nuzzle, causing her to go beet red.
"Madun!" She whined. "N-not in front of my friends!" The other mares were trying their hardest not to laugh before he pulled back.
"Fine....I'll wait until you return then. Have fun, ladies." He made his way into the house, ignoring the stares Sunset, Trixie, and Starlight were giving him before they turned back to Twilight. She must've saw an opportunity to escape because she was already at the hallway that lead into the offices, eventually disappearing from sight.
"Twilight! Hold up!" Starlight giggled before they ran after her. Once they reached her, she put her large wings over her face, looking out through the feathers to hide her completely red face. "That was so adorable~!"
"I'll say," Sunset cooed slyly. "Woooow, Twilight. Wait until the girls here about this."
"Don't you dare, Sunset," Arcadia muttered, peeking her red face through her wings before going back under. "He is so getting it when I get back."
"Yeah, getting a lot of kisses," Trixie muttered, making Arcadia whimper. "Oh I'm just playing with you, Twilight. I think it was really cute. You found yourself a king who loves you very much."
"I agree," Starlight added. "And to be honest? I'm a little jealous." Twilight briskly lowered her wing and looked at Starlight confusedly.
"Huh? Are you prowling for stallions?" She teased, making Starlight blush.
"I'm uhh....I'm actually just window shopping," she answered quietly.
"Mmm hmm. Why don't you just go to Canterlot or Appleloosa to get some...oh my gosh! I just remembered something!" She stopped and turned around to face Starlight, grabbing her by the cheeks and looking her in the eyes. "Where are you staying? I completely destroyed the castle!"
"I'm bunking with Trixie, Twilight, don't worry," she said, appeasing her nerves. Twilight huffed in relief.
"Good. I couldn't bear to see you homeless and whatnot. You're like a child to me Starlight, and I DO NOT feel comfortable with YOU feeling uncomfortable. Same with you, Sunset." She pulled the two into a hug, leaving Trixie looking at her confusedly.
"And what about mua?" She asked, pointing to herself. The three quickly got out of the hug and looked at her.
"You're more like a step-sister," Arcadia joked. Trixie scoffed while the others just laughed and pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry, Trixie. You will always be included in this thrall." She pulled back and continued walking, leading the others towards the front of the castle. "Now who exactly do you have your eye on Starlight?" The light purple unicorn blushed a little bit before she told them.
After that tidbit of shocking information, the group walked outside into the night and quiet atmosphere, where there was a single chariot waiting for them. Made of steel, diamonds, and lights. "Are we prepared, Dark?" Arcadia asked. The Pseratep in Question opened the door wide to let the mares in.
"Yes, your highness," Dark Silver answered as the girls got inside the ride. There were around twenty guards outside with them to make sure they had a great and secure flight. Once they were all ready the guards strapped themselves in and prepared to take off. Those on the side took off before they did. The ponies ran forward and lifted the chariot quickly into the air, allowing the girls to see the sights and the lights.
"Wow," Trixie muttered, breathless at the sights. They were going higher and higher, eventually getting a little cold from the atmosphere thinning out. But eventually they stopped at maybe thirty thousand feet, giving them an excellent view of the continent. "That...is beautiful."
The lights that made up the cities on the continent looked just like a giant snowflake, giving it a wonderous view. The one behind them, Cop, was the one that was blinking in magic, thanks to the PDS in the center of the city that rose up taller than the mountain range. It had a faint glow to it, letting her know that it was up and running.
"So....how does that work again?" Sunset asked, pointing towards the PSD.
"It is connected to three hundred systems that are one hundred miles out from Psera's coast," Arcadia told her, stunning the three. "I created three hundred of them that are connected to the Main PSD inland, located there in Cop, as you can see. I also have smaller ones of these in every city, directly in the center of each that has two functionalities. The first is for communication. It works like a speaker and microphone for when we need to speak with the Pserateps nationwide. The second works as a detector, in case there is an alert. It can track storms, ponies, large invasions, and a lot more that I have to tell Madun. I think I missed some perks. He's probably wondering what all those weird colors are inside the main. Anyway, how is everything in Equestria, girls?" Arcadia spat out the word.
"Well, Equestria is going nuts," Starlight said with a chuckle. "The most smartest pony is gone and is now innovating a new world."
"Not to mention..." Trixie looked around before she leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Blueblood." Arcadia groaned and rolled her eyes.
"What did the pompous Prince do now? And why did you whisper? Nopony else here knows about Blueblood except you three. Actually, let me guess. He's trying to find me, bring me back, and hoping to ask if he can court me?" The guards nearby glanced her way before the girls nodded. "Uggghhhh, he is so annoying! I really really REALLY don't like him. Especially after how he treated Rarity. Not to mention he's hideous! I'm not a fan of the group right now, but he's still a very low zero."
Dark Silver chuckled before he looked her way. "Got a little admirer going on?"
"Try addict!" She corrected. "He's been trying to ask me out and get me on a date with him for the longest! It's so annoying! And he's so stuck up, it's sad." The guards laughed along with the girls.
"I'm guessing Blueblood has been trying for years, huh?" Sunset inquired before looking down at the city they were coming over.
"Every. Time. I Went. To Canterlot. He just wouldn't take no for an answer. Trixie, do you know EXACTLY how he's searching for me?"
"Well," Trixie said before looking around and whispering in her ear. Arcadia rolled her eyes. "I heard he's planning a massive investigation. Going places that Equestria never heard of. That's why I brought it up. I was actually just going to hold onto the information but then I remembered that he was looking for legends and I thought, 'Psera is technically a legend.' So...yeah."
"Well thanks for informing me of that, Trixie."
"So you really don't like the guy?" One of the guards asked.
"Like him? I really DON'T like him!" Arcadia yelled. "I'm not saying I HATE him. But if he was on fire and I had a bottle of water, I would drink the water. In front of him." The chariot slid to halt before they all stared at her in shock. Arcadia merely shrugged before the tour continued.
"Damn, your highness," one of the guards muttered, shaking his head.
"After THAT disturbing bit of information," Starlight said, trying to change the subject. "I want to see what this Events at Eventa looks like. It's as big as a city?"
"Huge," Arcadia responded. "Of course everything about Psera just screams 'Big', including its inhabitants'-"
"Yes, I can see that," Trixie interrupted, lifting up her large wing. "I mean seriously, this thing rivals Celestia's! And hers are big!"
"Mines are the biggest here in Psera," she informed them, taking her wing back. "But yes, Events at Eventa is this biggest building I have ever seen and gone to. I'm pretty sure we're about to go over it soon. But let me tell you how Psera works. Psera is above Equestria on so many levels. Weaponry, speed, technology, logic. Not to mention knowledge."
"Yeah, we got that from the fact that there are moving vehicles on the ground when we arrived," Sunset commented. "Never thought I'd see cars here."
"Yes. I'm not sure what they run on. But we use them for delivery to big cities like Events at Eventa. Oh! If you look below, you'll see what Fenix looks like at night. Guard, take us lower please."
"Down low!" The one in front yelled. The chariot slowed and dropped quickly like an elevator before it leveled out over the city of Fenix.
They could see the giant city with all the farms surrounding it. "Fenix is our vegetation district," Arcadia explained. "All eight ground cities in Psera has a purpose and role. Merōl is a historic town that also has an old shipping dock and is a hub for businesses that work with other building supplies, tools, and things of that nature. It's east of Cop. Then you have Fenix, which is Southeast of Cop. It's right below us. It has......fifty farms, and a fifty story tall office building for each of those farms. It's right in front of us actually." Arcadia pointed in front of them down below at the tall building with blinking lights above it. "And it seems there is also a party going on down there as well. See?"
She pointed to a single building below where a bunch of Pserateps were having a celebration. There were lights, and a lot of music that they could hear. "It looks like the Pserateps know how to party," Trixie commented.
"Wait until you see Events at Eventa. The city itself was practically created for entertainment. The next city, Lavender, is our....military grounds. I've only seen it once while I was rebuilding it. It's a giant military base for our military. But we have military all over the continent. Guard?"
"Let's move!" Dark Silver yelled as the chariot increased its speed.
"WHOA, that is fast!" Sunset yelled through the night air, trying to be louder than the wind blowing past their ears like a jet.
"I, apparently, fly faster than this!!" Arcadia commented. After thirty minutes, they slowed down about two hundred miles away from the last city into a more modernized city that looked like the older brother of Manehattan. "And this is Capita. They specialize in cleaning technology. Water filtration, cleaning supplies, chemicals, disease control, and more that clean. We also have a mile long hospital in case of a disaster right over there." she pointed her hoof at an insanely large eight story building on the right of them that had lights all over, making it a sore spot in the beautiful landscape. It stuck out like a mole on a white muzzle. The visitors gawked at it as they flew by. After a mile, it ended. Proving that Arcadia was telling the truth.
"Next up? We have......Eventa." The guards sped up again, getting the gist of what the Lady in Waiting wanted. After one hundred fifteen miles away from Capita, the party city came into view.
"So....the city of Eventa is just a bunch of land?" Sunset asked. In front of them is what seemed to be a black space that had lights on the top of it. "No offense, 'your majesty'. But I was expecting something more...big."
"Yeah, I was expecting the same thing," Starlight said. Trixie nodded in agreement. The guards and Arcadia chuckled and laughed at them. "What's so funny?"
"I'm sorry girls," Arcadia apologized as they slowed a little bit more. "But....that's not land. That's not even the ground. That's a roof." They looked at her in confusion before the light's below them started blinking in a pattern. More of a wave. "You're looking at the top of Events at Eventa."
Their eyes followed the lights that went farther out than the eye could see, making them gawk. "It looks far better in the dawn," one of the guards commented.
"I've never seen it during that time," Arcadia commented. "How about when it snows?"
"It's gorgeous during that time, your highness."
"I'd have to come see it during that time. What do ya' think girls?" Arcadia turned around to see them staring open mouthed and wide eyed at the area below them. "I take it you're impressed. Let's carry on."
After going to RayRay and Snow, they decided to head back to the Castle of the Gods. Arcadia still had to talk to Merry about something she wanted to speak with her about. But the visitors noticed something strange.
"Uhh....Arcadia?" Starlight said from behind her. The Lady in Waiting's ear flicked, giving her the impression she was listening. "You said there are eight ground cities earlier. We've only seen seven."
"Well I hope you girls enjoyed your visit," Arcadia said happily, completely ignoring Starlight's question. The door for the vehicle was opened, allowing the group out. They walked out and made their way towards the entrance of the castle. The visitors shared a glance. Why did Twilight ignore that question?
They made their way into the building before Arcadia stopped in the giant foyer. Then lit her horn and created a portal back to Equestria. "Remember what I said about this place, Sunset. Trixie. Starlight. Nopony is to know."
"We know, Twilight," Sunset confirmed. "I promise not to say a word. On OUR Pinkie's Pinkie Promise. Not Equestria's, I know you don't like them right now."
"Thanks Sunset. I'll see you all soon." They waved at her before going into the portal and out the otherside in the middle of Ponyville.
"Well....that was....big," Sunset commented as the portal shut behind them. "It makes Equestria look so....old."
"Hear here." They looked behind them at Rarity who was coming up to them. "Sorry, I was just returning from Applejack's farm. We were discussing some things. I was just on my way back. So, what did Twilight, er.....Arcadia show you?"
The three shared a look, but shook their heads. "Sorry, Rares. We can't say a word," Starlight answered.
"So she's still upset," Rarity responded sadly. Sunset nodded.
"Yeah, she does not like any of you. Sorry."
"Well....hopefully we can see her get married. I just hope that will let her know we still love her."
"Maybe.....maybe," Sunset agreed.