//------------------------------// // Chapter 23 - Arrival Pt. 2 // Story: Twilight Daylight // by thedarktome //------------------------------// The ponies of Canterlot looked up from their depressed gazes towards the ground when they heard the sound of metal hooves approaching. Gasping at the sight of the Pseratep guards walking through the middle of the main campsite, which used to be the main street in Canterlot, they stood up and backed away a little in surprise. They took major note of the strange ponies' wings, which were much longer and bigger than the average Pegasus. They somehow had their wings fitted with sharp objects. "As you can see," Celestia said loudly, grabbing their attention. She was walking with another mare that had the same type of wings as the guards, albeit much longer without the metal on them. But she looked really familiar for some reason. "Most of our ponies are living in the streets with no amount of actual withstanding shelter. Instead a large tent is provided, sewn together out of clothes and fabric by our fastest seamstresses." "So," Arcadia interrupted. "Rarity—" "She is indeed one of those sewing," Luna confirmed. "All of the ponies able are doing their part to aide those who can't. And to some...who just won't." Gardeen looked around from behind Arcadia and noticed a few ponies standing up, staring intently at the large group. The Pseratep guards were on two more adjacent streets in squads. Arcadia and King Madun's guards had ten soldiers while the others were in fives. The ponies watching were either taking note of the metal, or the fact that the Pserateps looked a lot different than them. "We had to tear down mostly every building in Canterlot," Cadance explained. "The only ones we didn't tear down were the castle and a few warehouses. The warehouses are now being used to hold food, create shelter, and for emergency shelter shall a storm ever take place. A hurricane, a wildfire, tornado. Even an attack if it ever happens." "Basically anything that poses as danger," Madun clarified. "Yes. If there is any danger, they head to the warehouses." "But even then," Shining Armor added. "The warehouses are too small to hold a whole city of ponies of different sizes. If you look to your right, you'll see an example." Arcadia stopped with the group and looked towards a small road where a lonely warehouse sat, then gasped at its size. "That won't even hold a sixth of the ponies here," she muttered before looking towards Celestia. "That's for emergencies?" "If push comes to shove, yes," she responded. "The warehouse is only eighty yards long and they are in every city. It would work very well in Ponyville, because of its small populace. But in cities like Manehattan, it would be practically useless. Unfortunately we have no other choice but to use them. We can't afford anything else. We can try brick, but that would take much longer to build. Nopony here knows any transformation magic, which would be very useful during a time like this. We would need to invest our time into researching it." The Pserateps glanced over at Arcadia who shook her head, sending them a hidden message. "What about the other cities?" She asked as they continued along the road. "Ponyville? Dodge Junction? Rainbow Falls?" "Rainbow Falls is practically just land now," Cadance answered sadly. "The training grounds for the Equestrian Games...has been dismantled." "A historic landmark was stripped," Arcadia muttered in disbelief. She sighed and motioned for them to continue. "Fillydelphia has been completely taken down," Luna added. "A modern age city that—no offense—towered over the majority of Cop's buildings, apart from the Obelisk—has been completely deconstructed. Dodge Junction is pretty much in the same boat as Appleloosa. Being practically its sister and all. Winsome Falls is being used as habitable land until all of this is over. Las Pegasus? The same as Fillydelphia. Besides Cloudsdale, all the cities of Equestria have been downgraded to their humble beginnings. Back to when the ponies of Equestria were used to doing things by hoof. Would you and your ponies like to see Ponyville?" Arcadia opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by a loud and obnoxious, "TWILIGHT SPARKLE! YOU HAVE RETURNED!" Arcadia's ears immediately drooped and she shivered at the obnoxious white pony who was approaching wearing clothing like he had never done anything today. Or any other day. Let alone been outside. "Ugh. Hello, Blueblood," she greeted half-heartedly, keeping her eyes off of the haughty prince. He stopped in front of her and lifted her hoof, giving it a kiss, which she immediately took back, wiping it on a nearby guard's uniform, who was just as confused as everyone else. Especially Madun. "It is great to see you not missing," Blueblood greeted haughty. "I was worried some bear had gotten to you. Would you care to have a drink at my castle?" He motioned to a still standing building on the far left that was shining like it was recently built. "No," Arcadia responded blandly. "Could you please leave, the leaders of Equestria and my ponies are in the middle of an important discussion." "Your ponies?" He looked behind her at the large winged Pserateps, more noticeably the large pony with the long wings. But he also took notice of the stallion standing next to her with a crown, glaring at him. "And just who is this pony kissing your hoof?" Madun asked, narrowing his eyes at the prince who was holding his head up high and smirking. "Ugh...Blueblood," she groaned. "Blueblood please go about your day and leave us to our review of Equestria. Or I will have you forcefully removed from my presence." Blueblood chuckled and tutted his tongue. "Oh, Twilight. You should know royalty never—" Four of the Pseratep guards interrupted him when they pointed their weapons at him, sharpened wings outstretched in a threatening manner and hidden crossbows at his body. "Ugh! Lower your weapons, you cannot point arrows at me! I will have you all thrown in a dungeon!" "Blueblood?" "Yes, Aunty Luna?" "Leave. Now." After that disturbing interruption, the group made their way towards Ponyville, which was pretty much in the same shape as Canterlot. Her destroyed castle was still there, and possibly her books. If they weren't being burned for a fire on cold nights. The group landed on the ground outside of the town near Sweet Apple Acres and made their way down the lonely dirt road. The Pserateps took notice of a few gems lying around, mostly on the side of the road. "If you look around," Celestia commented. "You will notice that there are absolutely no Pegasi. Except for your Pserateps." The group did once they walked into the tent filled town and noticed that instantly. There were no ponies there with wings like them. "Why is that?" Arcadia asked, fearing the answer. "The ponies of Ponyville respond with hostilities," Sunset told her quickly. "The second they see a Pegasus they make them leave." Arcadia and Madun shared a worried glance. "As long as you don't enter the city, you will be fine," Celestia advised. "I think it'd be best if we got a closer look," Madun responded. "We'll take twenty of our guards with us." Celestia sighed and nodded to them, motioning towards the city. Then Bold Shoulder assigned the guards to escort the King and Lady inside, leaving the others behind. A few steps in, they took notice of the anxious Ponies watching them. "So this is where you grew up, huh?" Madun asked her. Arcadia chuckled and shrugged. "Technically I didn't grow up here. But I grew up in the Ponyville where there were actual buildings, not tents. This is awful." "I agree," Madun responded, looking around at all the foals running past. "They are in desperate need of assistance." "Definitely. That was where I lived." She pointed towards the broken down crystal structure that was the Castle of Friendship. "The roof is mostly off, but there could be more ponies living in there, occupying the space." "Anything for shelter." "TWILIGHT!" Arcadia stopped and looked to her right through the guards where the group from Equestria was approaching. The guards extended their wings out of reflex, forcing them to slide to a stop. "Lower your weapons," Madun ordered. "And watch the other ponies please. These are peaceful." The guards did as asked and lowered their spears and wings. But were still on guard, watching them with a steady eye. Arcadia looked back towards the others and looked them over. Pinkie Pie's hair was back down to it's original straight state. Applejack was more dirtier than usual after working on the Apple Farm, Rarity was practically in shambles. Obviously sweating. But she wasn't going nuts about it. Something was definitely off. And it wasn't because of the fact that Rainbow and Fluttershy were missing. And Trixie and Starlight were nowhere to be seen. "Uh...hi, girls," she greeted, giving them an uneasy grin. "Wh-where's Rainbow and Fluttershy?" "That rubbish is in Cloudsdale!" Applejack responded angrily. "Sitting back, drinking fine beverages, and eating food we wish we had! I've had to donate all of my Apples towards the relief fund. And I tell ya'! That was killin' my bits!" "You kicked them out of town?!" Arcadia asked in surprise. "But you're friends! They didn't do anything to you! And I know for a fact Fluttershy didn't." "Yeah," Rarity answered quickly. "But they won't assist in the relief! All the ponies are doing what they can to help Ponyville and the Pegasi are just sitting on their flanks doing nothing!" "Wait what about the foals?!" Madun asked. "I'm sure there are Pegasi foals running around here, right? Please tell me you didn't kick them out too." "They are all in Cloudsdale," a voice said from behind them. They looked over their shoulder and spotted Trixie and Starlight making their way over, sweating buckets. "Hey, Twilight," Starlight greeted. "I mean Arcadia. This heat is getting to me. All the Pegasi foals are in Cloudsdale. Except one who I'm sure is hiding. You know who I'm talking about." Arcadia looked her over and took note that they both looked very messy. Sweaty and dirty hooves. "Hey, girls. Tell me everything that's been happening in Ponyville." "Sure," Trixie wheezed, taking deep breaths. "Just....give me a moment. The great...and powerful...disperser needs her air." Arcadia raised an eyebrow and glanced at Starlight. "We've been moving around all morning," Starlight clarified. "Dispersing altercations and keeping friendship in check as much as we can." "Without them," Rarity added from behind. "Ponyville would have a civil war by now that would have definitely spread out all over Equestria by this point." Arcadia hummed in worry and followed Trixie and Starlight to wherever they were taking them, flanked by their guards. They stepped into what used to be the square of Ponyville. Now refugee central, based on the large amount of tents lining the streets. "We've had to put name tags on the tents," Sunset said, once again coming out of nowhere. Arcadia chuckled in her head, coming to terms that she was going to become as random as Pinkie Pie if she kept that up. "Because sometimes ponies would get confused and accidentally walk into another pony's tent, they'd get upset, sometimes furious, and attack them. Starlight and Trixie were running themselves into the ground trying to disperse those moments." Arcadia paid extra attention to the tents. They were large, big enough to be the size of a large living room and probably had some things in there that were for ponies who just happened to peek their heads inside. Very dangerous things. Some of the ponies were stepping out and pointing towards them, making Arcadia a little uneasy. Madun took notice of this and tapped the guards captain, getting him to order his men to take up a defensive position around them. The captain raised his hoof and waved it around in the air, sending out a signal, and the guards quickly flared out their wings, showing the attached blades and created a circle around Arcadia and the group. "Wow, Lady Arcadia," Starlight teased. "Quite the defense you got going on here." She motioned towards the blades attached to their wings, making Madun chuckle. "I know," he replied. "Bold Shoulder is very defensive when it comes to Royalty and different lands. Any pony that usually tries to attack ends up in a very bad place. The Pserateps are really fast with their wings." "Yeah, I've noticed. Right here, is where we would serve food. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner." She pointed towards the right at a giant tent setup beside the hospital, which was just another tent with the old symbol of the hospital on the ground leaning against the corner of it. "The nurses and doctors work day and night making sure to keep the town clean. If there is even a small puddle of blood, they quickly come in with gloves, coats, masks, and all that with shovels and sawdust. They dry it up, scoop it, and take it somewhere to get rid of it effectively. I have no idea where, they just do. There is always a team somewhere around....there's one." She motioned with her hoof towards the corner of the street, where there was a group of ponies wearing white coats, masks, and rubber gloves on their hooves talking about something. There was a bag of sawdust along with shovels by their hooves, waiting for the first moment and sign of blood to scoop up. Arcadia looked over from them to everywhere else. "So far," she commented. "This is not a pretty good place like it used to be. I remember ponies walking around with smiles, not angry faces. If Pinkie Pie's not even smiling, you know there's a problem. Were there any altercations? Major altercations?" "Before all the Pegasi were ran out of town," Rarity answered. "All the ponies in Ponyville were descending on them like a horde of rats. It gave me shivers." She shivered involuntary just thinking about it. "Eventually they all left. It's only Earth pony and Unicorns now." Twilight and Madun shared a look while making their way back towards the review group. They may have kicked out the Pegasi, but what if they come back?