//------------------------------//
// Chapter 28 - The Birthday Tragedy 
// Story: Twilight Daylight: Psera, The Legend of Legends 
// by thedarktome 
//------------------------------//

Even though the sky was black with Luna's stars and the moon was the only source of natural light  reflecting off the light rain wetting the streets, ponies and Pserateps still traveled them walking or flying. Either returning from a late night work session, hanging out with friends, or relaxing with other Pserateps who live the night. The streets of Merōl, Fenix, Lavender, Capita, Eventa, Rayray, Snow, Cop, Psera Skies, and even Serl were less than abundant with conscious ponies at eleven o'clock at night.

But there were Pserateps out and about walking. Such as three specific ponies standing on the wet road in front of the giant colorful building less than a mile away from the Castle of the Gods. Usually seen displaying moving images, the tower only portrayed smoothly transitioning colors at night in the darker spectrum range. Such as purple, green, dark blue, brown, and gray.

This was Psera's Central Press Center. All news, rumors, everything secret, juicy or even silly was freely processed and or investigated through here before they were televised. Many news outlets and sources had ponies come straight here when they heard something to tell and get it out into the world that was Psera. Of course after an investigation it would be pushed under Narmeelah's Law. As long as it were beneficial to other Pserateps and had no harmful factors.

But it also served as a relaxation spot. Much like Northern Heights—a mall on Psera Skies North—there were restaurants, a few stores, and a small indoor park on the bottom levels while the upper floors made up business. But just like Psera, it was fancy.

The shiny atrium floor was usually packed with ponies eating, talking and laughing underneath the slim lights ringing the many different levels above them. The news desk for Psera's Central News channel had a background of a glass wall showing the motion in the building's atrium. Many other stations occupied this same building.

But none were occupying it this night except a few security Guards keeping watch inside and out.

The three ponies standing on these clean marble steps leading up to the entrance paid them no mind. There was a wooden desk directly behind them hosting two Security Guards wearing yellow and black outfits. Instead of watching the doors, they had their eyes on the small LiVAM for one, and a book for another with their hooves kicked up. Relaxing. Ready to go home.

Not paying attention. Pudge Mount, Hard Seas, and Hard Love stared with empty expressions. Their red eyes glowed in the dark. Their breathing as still as the dead. Before they broke down into black smoke and disappeared.

The stallion Guard reading a book lowered it and peeked past his kicked up hooves to the doors. Nothing there but a small wind kicking up outside. Huh. He could've sworn that... Oh well. He raised his book and continued reading. Nonchalant to the cold draft that flew over his head.

The shadows on the walls quietly moved past. Then slid under a steel access gate leading into the center's Atrium. When the center's closed, they pulled down the gate to lock out and block off anyone else. But they can't stop a shadow.

When they reformed on the other side, they were greeted with the sounds of a running waterfall from their left. The scent of nature assaulted their senses. They planted palm trees, grass, soil, and small streams to give the building color and a personality of serenity, despite all the gossiping inside. The ceiling was way up there. Far across them past the benches, stores, playgrounds and more were stairs leading up to the second floor.

All was silent. No security guards were present. Pudge Mount looked to Hard Love who in turn looked back. Then in a flash, all three transformed into Infected. Mangled bodies with different areas of flesh. Razor sharp teeth with small dragon wings, and mangled horns similar to a Changeling's. They growled at each other first before they split up and ran around the Atrium.

Hard Love zipped over to the playground holding swings, a jungle gym, and slides. She lit that disgusting horn, then dragged her hoof across the surface of all of it. Planting the same unreadable invisible rune over and over again.

While Hard Love was playing around with the equipment, Hard Seas was running along the walls with the same intention. Planting runes. One hoof was on the surface as he moved and growled, dripping saliva onto the immaculate floor.

Then finally, Pudge Mount. Soaring up through the air and applying those same runes to every level. This would certainly get their attention. Her Highness Queen Twilight "Arcadia Nova" Sparkle brings death to Psera. And they will prove it.



Way before the sun rose, way before the sky above the COTG began the gradual change from black to blue, the flags were flapping in the wind. The flag bearing Queen Arcadia's cutie mark on a red background. A combination of the two. Flags flapping all over the city. It was a windy day and the war was still on. But that didn't stop the festivities.

Queen Arcadia has been up since four for not only her daughter's birthday preparations, but for even more last minute tasks. She quietly moved out of bed, donned on a violet dress, playfully stuck a note literally on Madun's mouth and quietly left the suite. He'd know it was her.

Now her hooves were anxiously traveling the quiet halls. The doors for the Royal Offices pushed open and allowed her access into one of the residential regions of the castle. Past the same room she herself used to stay in when she first arrived on Psera. It only seemed like yesterday Psera was a wasteland. Maybe she'll take a moment to go back in time. Back to "Lady Arcadia Nova." But not now. She had a plan to enact.

Before she knew it, Queen Twilight was pushing open her office doors. The smell of nature and the chirping crickets let her know the darkness was still reigning supreme outside.

After the doors were shut, she stopped and sat down underneath the artificial moon. Letting the sound of nature, the breeze of spring, the emotions of the past wash over her. She tilted her head back and breathed in. Then out. Over and over. Today was one of those days again.

Twilight cracked her eyes open again to train on the beautiful surface of her moon. Then lowered her head for her desk. Using her magic, she pulled out a large drawer on the bottom and retrieved a scroll rolled up. She almost forgot this two days ago. This belongs in the lower levels. With the rest of the spells.

Twilight lifted her right wing and slowly slid the scroll out of sight. Then she started to make her way towards the hidden elevator. If Maheera wasn't such a jealous Draconequus, she wouldn't have to worry about this. Sadly, that wasn't the case. Maheera was clearly jealous. And jealousy ignites retaliation.

Twilight pressed her hoof against "The Sanctuary" and held it before the case pushed out like a door. Her hooves anxiously led her into the elevator. Then she adjusted her body and the case started closing. Leaving everything the way it was before as if she never arrived there.



When Madun first cracked his eyes open to gaze at the brightness of the room, the first thing he noticed was the yellow note on his mouth. Jeez, Twilight, the mirror wasn't working? He reached up and plucked it off his face to read. It must've been important.

He hummed and read it quietly, "'Good morning, sweetie. Dawn must follow the dandelions.' Alright." He dropped the note and started the shuffle out of these interlocking of sheets. Each morning was the same. Wake up, get Dawn ready if it were a school day while Twilight did the same, then he himself got ready before all three ventured out the door in pursuit of whatever was going on.

Well him and Twilight. Dawn had to learn numbers. But there wasn't any school today though. And not because it was a certain Filly's birthday. Speaking of...

Madun finally untangled himself from the sheets of comfort and stood up to stretch. His bones and wings cracked with age. He proceeded to make his way across the cool floors for the door. Dawn was possibly still sleeping in.

On the way to the kitchen, he stopped at the edge of Dawn's room and peeked in. Yep, there she was still sleeping with all those toys everywhere. Sky Blue had shifted from her face to in her hooves sometime during the night. Snuggling in her sleep.

Her father gained a peaceful look on his face before he walked into the room striding for Dawn's left. He would hate to disturb this beautiful scene but someone had to wake her up for her birthday. He sat down, leaned in nuzzled her mane. "Wake up, Sugar Plum. Wakey, wakey~."

Dawn hummed and cracked her eyes open to train directly on her father's. Any normal pony would have immediately screamed or something. But Dawn knew her father's voice. Her eyes cracked wider and she was up in the air in a second.

"DADDY!" She cheered. Then zipped straight onto his muzzle. Madun only sighed as a response. Today was her happy day. Well one of many. "It's my birthday, it's my birthday! Did you know that?! Huh?! It's my birthday!"

Madun stood up and casually walked out of the room with a filly plastered on his face. "Well, I was there when you were born so... Yes, I did," he replied. He moved into the bathroom and stated, "Now all birthday ponies must have a good bath, no matter the age, sweetie."

"Aww, come on daddy! No bath." Madun closed the bathroom door. "Awww, dad I can clean myself!"

"Uh uh uh. You need to be thoroughly clean. Now hold still." After water was heard splashing and Dawn crying out from soap in the face, the door opened back up.

Dawn zipped through to avoid that hole of both terror and relief.

Madun poked his head out next and ordered, "Slow steps, slow steps! Aww jeez."

Despite all of that, he followed his daughter into the kitchen with a smile on his face. She was eagerly trying to climb into her high chair, and despite all the grunts and pushing of her rear hooves, just couldn't seem to get it. Her height was always a subject her mother and father spoke about. She'll grow one day, but it was very slowly so far.

Madun walked up behind her and used his muzzle to gently lift her up into the seat from below. She eeped and immediately settled down in her seat with flailing ears. Daddy did that?

She looked around and queried, "Where's mommy? It's my birthday, she's supposed to be here, not at work!"

Madun opened the fridge and pulled out a few ingredients. "She's preparing your party, you'll see her soon sugar plum. How about Madarinas this morning?"



Queen Arcadia's hoofsteps across the third floor could be heard meters away. Her trotting was quick, urgent. Fast, important. Leaving Gardeen and her team in the dust. Panting from the weight of the situation, heart pumping pure anxiety through her veins. She ignored the Guards saluting to her and used her magic to open the Castle's ballroom doors on the same hallway as the throne room. Revealing the sight.

The ballroom was conveniently located on the other side of the Castle's Royal Throne Room. Extensively, on the other side of the building on that same floor. To Princess Celestia, it looked exactly like the ballroom at Events at Eventa. Gold support columns, flawless dance floor, nice tables, and a sky roof to let in the sun. Whoever was taking care of this place was doing an amazing job.

Everyone helping out with the celebration were there. The vast majority of the castle staff already present setting up and anyone else Twilight wanted. Just as promised all of Queen Arcadia's Psera friends were there. Including the Fire Family and the mother of Dark Dust. It may be only nine in the morning, but Dawn was a really early pony. And her cousins were too.

While the adults were setting up, Lightning and Daisy were already flying all over the place with Merry having to constantly grab them and sit them down somewhere. Until they would get back up and continue flying around.

All of Merry's friends were present to wish Dawn a happy fifth. But while they waited, they busied themselves trying to understand the countries that all of these foreigners represented. Light Pink was really interested in Saddle Arabia mainly because of the clothing Amira was wearing. It was a wonderful mix of different hues of purple with a small amount but still noticeable designs. She's asked about their homeland so many times that at this point her friend Dark Shadow was absolutely sure Amira was annoyed.

Light Pink was like a cute little thing listening to everything Amira was saying while Haakim was busy decorating the tables with the Princesses. She pointed at herself and explained, "All of our art has a sort of symbol for past greatness. Then again, most ponies have that in mind when they are making their art."

Light Pink fawned and commented, "It must be such a beautiful place."

"Yes. It's quite hot, but... We wouldn't trade it for anything." She and Light Pink suddenly jumped when the doors slammed open. Then Queen Arcadia rushed into the room with three assistants and Gardeen.

She trotted in and immediately started shooting questions. "Is the cake ready? Where's the music, where's the play table, where's the sand play table?! I smell apples, good! Oh no!!!" Twilight slid to a stop and gasped in a terrified manner with her hooves on her cheeks. And eyes on the birthday banner. It was centered at the top where Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were. Watching Queen Arcadia. The banner had a gold background with, "Happy Birthday, Fresh Veola Dawn!" in bold red and purple. Red and purple balloons were everywhere and Dawn would definitely be knocking them around.

But... "THAT BANNER'S WRONNNG!" Twilight cried.

Rainbow Dash looked around and eyed everything else awkwardly. "Er uhh... What? I think it's great, right girls?"

Twilight Velvet was about to reply, but Twilight beat her to it. "Oh no no nooo!" She ran over then took to the sky. Rainbow Dash had to zip out of the way so Twilight could grip the banner in her magic. Then fly back down to the floor with it. She landed and slowly backed up towards the door with all eyes on her. Then stop maybe a few feet away from the door itself. She pointed to two assistants and ordered, "Hold it here!"

While they gripped the edges of the banner, she teleported over to Pinkie Pie, grabbed her cheeks and pulled her muzzle to muzzle. Her eyes were intense and quivering. Desperate for perfection. "Pinkie?" She whispered.

Pinkie whispered just as silent, "Yeah, Twilight?"

"Do you have the sticky goo? Little Dawn's never had sticky goo."

With her eyes on Twilight, she reached up into her mane and slowly pulled out a green steel can with the phrase "Stick To It!" on the front. "Is this it?"

Twilight let Pinkie's face go to grab it and look at it closer. After a few seconds, she nodded with approval. "Excellent! Great work, Pinkie Pie! APPLEJACK!!" Applejack jumped at her yell before Twilight was now in her face. Then grabbed and yanked in closer to Twilight's eyes. "What are the deserts?"

Now that was something she could talk about. "Everything apple, Twilight!" She answered proudly. "All except cider of course." She pointed to the nearby dessert table where there were a range of Apple Products. Apple Pie, Apple Bumpkin, Cinnamon Apples, a lot of apple sweets. And of course regular food.

"Great work! GARDEEN!"

Without looking up from her clipboard, she answered by the door, "ETA six minutes. I just got word short stuff is actively running around the halls following the dandelions."

"Great!" Twilight looked around one last time then eyed the gift table where Dark Dust was standing with another mare and Dawn's cousins were playing. She zipped right over while Elegant Shadow just stared with nervous eyes. Oh my stars, she's looking at the queen. In person. She's never seen her this close before. Or talk to her! She's right there! Twilight jetted right over to Lightning and Daisy. Then teleported all of them to stand in the middle of the room, at least six feet behind the banner.

She ordered, "Stay right here, don't run off!"

While she was having a fantastic time setting up, Celestia walked over to Gardeen and whispered, "Is this normal for every birthday party?"

Without moving her eyes from the anxious Queen, Gardeen nodded and replied, "Wait until her tenth birthday party. She already has a plan archived that I helped put together. Four minutes, your highness!"

Twilight teleported to the middle of all of it then slowly rotated around to assess everything. The gift table was set up, the  food table was packed, the sand pit and the sand table were perfect, and... Everyone was out of place! Oh no!!

Twilight gasped and used her magic to start putting everyone where they were supposed to be. Including Elegant Shadow who yelped before she was dropped right next to Rainbow Dash. In front of Queen Arcadia. She clapped her hooves together and said, "Great, everything is... Wait, who are you?"

She got into Elegant Shadow's face. "Name, occupation?"

Elegant Shadow gulped and answered, "I'm Elegant Shadow, your highness. I'm D-Dark Dust's mother."

"Oh... OHHHH! I've been meaning to meet with you for quite some time, give me a few minutes to prepare everything then we can chat. Dawn should be here really soon—oh no!" She zipped over to Spike and teleported him directly in front of Princess Celestia. "Annnnd... Perfect! Nobody move until I say so! Smiles, ponies! Smiles!" Arcadia darted forward and positioned herself directly in the middle, a few inches behind the twins and directly in the middle. As her mother, she should be the first Pony Fresh Dawn sees.

All was silent for a few seconds. It wasn't as tense before, but Queen Arcadia somehow turns the atmosphere into a tense reality each year. So here they were again. Celestia and Luna glanced at each other before the first sound reached their ears. A scamper of quickly approaching hooves.

"Sugar Plum, slow down!"

The doors suddenly burst open. Then a tiny gasp. "Sheer I rum, Sheer I rum!!" Dawn cheered in her native tongue. Then soared straight through the banner to slide across these glossy floors to a stop in front of her cousins in a surprise. And her mom. And ponies from Equestria and beyond. And all the food and fun—"EEEE!" Dawn squealed.

"Happy birthday!!" The room cheered.

Queen Arcadia trotted over to Dawn and pulled her into a big giant hug right into her neck. Brushing her face with glowing mane. "Ooooohhhh, my little angel, my precious little foal's growing up! Ooh, look at you!" She lied Dawn on the floor and nuzzled her body into a tickling fit. "Who's my little angel? Who is it?"

Dawn wiggled in her hooves and ordered, "Awww mom, not in front of my friends!"

"Aw, okay. Don't have too much sugar. And be careful!" Twilight stepped back so Fresh Dawn could tackle Daisy and Lightning in a wide hug. Then cute little Dark Dust trotted over and dropped on top of them.

Finally, King Madun rushed in and ordered, "Emergencies only, Guard!" The Guards at the door bowed. Then grabbed the handles and closed them back. Letting the party begin.

The first twenty minutes of Dawn's birthday party was added to by even more ponies. A few fillies and colts from school, well wishers, things of that nature. Some lovely music and a lot of Sticky Goo. The rulers were speaking with one another and talking to other ponies that showed up. Queen Arcadia was speaking to a few parents while keeping an eye on Fresh Dawn running around in the sand pit. She loves the sand pit. Actually, she loves anything she could throw her body inside of and flow around in.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she spotted Elegant Shadow on the other side of the room, nervously shuffling her hoof with eyes on the ground. Aww, poor mare. Completely nervous. Twilight pasted her signature smile on her face and teleported directly to her side. She didn't even notice she had moved. Until the Queen poked her. When she looked her way, Queen Arcadia greeted, "Hello."

"EEP!" Elegant Shadow immediately bowed her way and hit her face to the floor. "Your majesty, I—"

"Buh buh buh!" Twilight waved her hoof and quickly shushed her. "We're among friends today, no bowing. Especially if I'm not doing business and taking it off. So relax, it's just us." Elegant Shadow immediately nodded and did what was expected of her. Relaxation. Calm, serene. Standing up like a regular pony. Twilight offered her hoof and greeted, "I'm Twilight 'Arcadia Nova' Sparkle, I'm Fresh Dawn's mother. Although, I'm sure you know that by this point."

Elegant Shadow nervously chuckled and quickly accepted her hoof with her own. Although she seemed calm, her quick shaking of it told otherwise. "I-I'm Elegant Shadow!" She enthusiastically replied. Twilight bounced with the shaking before her poor hoof was released. "I'm Dark Dust's mother."

"I've been meaning to speak with you for quite some time, but so much has been happening all at once that I can't seem to get even a simple moment alone with my family without someone telling me about a new issue." Twilight sighed and added under her breath, "Just the many joys of administering over the country. Meeting here, meeting there, new bill here, house issue there. So much."

Elegant Shadow chuckled and watched the foals play with the Queen for a moment. Letting everything sink in. "You know... I've actually been meaning to meet with you—actually, to see you for the longest. When you first arrived on Psera, honestly I was all... 'We can't trust her.'"

Twilight laughed so silently that Elegant Shadow was absolutely positive it was practiced through the years. It was so simple, so perfect. So... Not her. Twilight took a deep breath and responded, "You're not the first one. I'm pretty sure Madun was thinking the same thing when I arrived on Merōl. Then I guess he saw the grass and just went, 'Aw yeah, she's great. Let's keep her and see what happens next.'"

"Ah, I see you've finally met her!" Twilight and Elegant Shadow eyed King Madun as he casually walked over bearing a grin with Dark Dust on his back. Batting at his ears. He had green goo all in his mane that either the foals threw at him, or a result for being caught in the crossfire.

Twilight looked to Elegant Shadow then back to Madun. "Wait, who are we talking about?"

"Both of you." He stopped in front of the two of them and bent low to allow Dark Dust to scamper off. Then straightened up to point one hoof at Elegant Shadow. "She's been meaning to meet you for the longest. And you've been talking about meeting her for a while before flying off into the ocean."

"Yeah, well in my defense we're both busy. And as the only adult Alicorn-Pseratep on the land with the biggest magical body in the world—not to mention the only pony who can effectively fight Maheera—I feel I get to use that excuse."

"Uh huh."

"Oh stop, Firehead." Twilight giggled and nuzzled under his chin. That one spot he closes his eyes at. Elegant Shadow was feeling a little uncomfortable with that. Which she made known by scuffing her hoof against the ground. While he was enjoying her massaging of his chin, Twilight gandered to Fresh Dawn. She wouldn't say it out loud, but she was a little worried about her health. Well her growth to be precise. Even though she was five, she was a lot smaller than most foals in her class and around Psera. Still going strong underneath Twilight's hooves while ponies like Daisy, Lightning, and Dark were at their parent's rib cages. She was older but... Twilight made a note to speak with Triage about it. But swore in her mind not to mention her... Uniqueness.

Madun cleared his throat to disperse of the awkwardness and looked to Elegant Shadow. "I noticed your uhh... Husband isn't around anywhere."

Elegant Shadow sighed and replied, "He died during the Changeling Disaster. So it's just been me and Dark here."

Twilight sighed and turned her whole body to face her. "I am really sorry to hear that, Elegant."

She regained that sad smile and replied, "It's okay, he passed away maybe two weeks before you arrived. I just got pregnant at the time. I named his son after him and... That's about as much as I got. And years before that, I was actually dating your husband."

Whoa. A record scratch played in Twilight's head before she stammered, "Uhh, I-I'm sorry, did you say you were dating my husband?"

Madun immediately added, "In high school, we were dating. Elegant here was the expensive preppy mare and I was the Royal son of Her Majesty Molten Ice... And a geek."

Elegant laughed and stated, "He did not used to look like this before. Actually, Shimmering was... Smaller. And definitely not as bulky."

"I was a stick."

"He was a stick, I can guarantee you." Twilight grinned and glanced over to Madun's blushing face. So Madun wasn't always this handsome. Elegant added with a wink, "He was still adorable, but he didn't grab magazines as being the most handsomely prince in Psera history."

"No I did not." Madun wrapped a wing around Arcadia and whispered, "And from what I hear, Twilight wasn't either."

Twilight blushed and rolled her eyes. But did nod and admit, "When I lived in Equestria, I wasn't as... What the Pserateps call Engardem. I was more of the wallflower. I stuck to myself and focused more on my studies than anything else before I moved to Ponyville. Ever since then, I was a uhh... Scholar."

"A superhero scholar," Madun teased.

"Yes, a superhero. Nothing like magic that can grab a huge Ursa Minor and carry them all the way back to the cave with their mother." She leaned in and whispered, "It's a lot harder than you think."

Elegant Shadow silently laughed and grabbed one of the cups of juice offered by one of the many help ponies walking around. She stirred and watched the juice bounce around in the glass. "Do not mind me, but I feel like Magic is one of the more easier things in Equestrian society."

Twilight snorted and replied, "Oh ho ho, not even. Actually, magic is a lot harder and more complicated than I make it seem. There's more to it than lighting a horn and whoosh, you just traveled upstairs without even moving a hoof. It's way more complex. The teleportation spell you see me use way more than anything else requires intense focus, let alone an Advanced Transfiguration Spell to create matter from the base of nothing. Teleporting yourself requires you to keep the image of where you want to be in your mind on one half of your brain while using the other half to gather your magic, place it in your stabilizer, and... Let it out. Although according to record, Narmeelah herself used her wings. I don't understand how, but I theorize that all ponies in Equestria had a different way of performing magic."

She motioned to Rarity who was enjoying a conversation with a few model ponies and stated, "Unicorns such as Rarity use magic on their horns, but I have always theorized that just like evolution, horns were not always there. And that way before the horns... They could not harness magic. They were all merely Earth Ponies who... Who harnessed the ground. But eventually, they did end up harnessing and manipulating magic. So the body had to adapt. And that adaptation was the horn. The same went for Earth Ponies and Pegasi.

"Earth Ponies such as Applejack were not as truly strong until the need was required. And before the roots of the ponies of Equestria had to travel away from their homeland, I'm absolutely positive Pegasi... Wouldn't really have wings. It's like... You do not gain muscle unless you exercise. It's just the body's natural response. Adaptation."

Elegant Shadow blinked at the Queen. Then followed her sights towards all of the ponies in the room. All of the different species of pony casually standing around and talking with each other. Including the ponies casting unsure glances towards ponies such as Novo and her daughter. No matter how beautiful they seem now... "They all didn't used to be like this."

Queen Arcadia sighed and took a sip of the juice she was stirring during her entire speech. "Well except Pserateps. As the first race to ever set hoof on Equus, I'm absolutely positive you all have had magic and wings from the beginning. When Psera was first being founded. Or... You could have all just started out at the same time."

Whoa, what? Madun turned his head to face her and stated, "But I thought Pserateps were the first kind millions of years before any other." Elegant Shadow was thinking the same thing.

Twilight allowed her magic to hold her cup for a moment then cast a double spell. A live thought of her theory. A visual of the planet Equus in her vision. Blue with water, white with clouds, and green clear land. A red circle encased the biggest land on the right.

"And I believe that," she appeased them. "I honestly do. But I also have a theory that I keep to myself most of the time. No one even at the 'Labs' know of this. But when Narmeelah started to create life... She may have actually did it all at the same time." A moving image of Narmeelah was plastered in front of them. Green coated with a light orange-red mane and the most iciest blue eyes Twilight had ever seen. Even in her own mind. Then an image of herself. Both of them were using their magic on the ground, creating life.

Arcadia pointed to Narmeelah and stated, "At the description of Narmeelah, she would have actually managed to create life all at the same time. And based off of Odega's description, it was much sooner. All lands could have possibly had life at the same time. But... Then came Maheera."

The next image to show up was of the ocean in between Psera and Equestria. Two parts of both countries were separated with both having green grass and nature. Abundant with ponies. Arcadia raised a hoof and stated, "Way before the Windigos, before any story or legend, and of course before Discord, Maheera was there." An image of the big Draconequus they all recognized was plastered onto the shores of Equestria. Well, those who have seen her. "I theorized that Narmeelah and Maheera used to be partners or... Or something else other than enemies. And one of them possibly offended the other.

"So in revolt, Maheera wiped out Narmeelah's creations. It would be so easy, just to wave a claw and everything was undone. Then Narmeelah fights her and puts her to sleep for a million years before she creates Odega, the Sea Creature, Mahloo and Marloo, and Neemorah. I've never seen her yet, so I have no clue. But Maheera's actions restarted everything. Therefore making Psera the oldest by thousands upon thousands of years—millions upon millions of years.

"All of that would explain why Psera is more modern than any other country while other countries are not even close. Even though Narmeelah is strong, even she can't start things at exactly how they once were. She can't restore the knowledge of others. She can only restore the basics. Thus putting everything back to where they were before. Directly at the start. Leaving Psera as the more knowledgeable country."

Madun hummed and looked back to the crowd of party goers with an empty expression. It made sense and could possibly be valid. But then again, Psera has lived on the thought that they were the first beings ever created. It was a good thing Twilight kept that to herself.

His eyes shifted down to Fresh Dawn walking over to them with dizzy eyes and a mouth practically covered in apples. Her little tiara was aloof on her head while her body danced a weird tango. Twilight grinned when she fell into her hooves and asked, "When is lunch?"

Arcadia looked around and raised her hoof for a servant. One, a stallion in a black and white tuxedo raced over and asked, "Yes, your highness?"

"What is the time?"

"Eleven forty-one, ma'am."

"Thank you." She looked back down to Dawn and answered, "Well lunch is about to start. And that means..." Arcadia cheered, "Time to see your cake!!"

The rest of the hall stopped their chatter and immediately began stomping their hooves and cheering. A large cake was immediately brought out from the back into view via a table with Dawn's favorite flavor. Vanilla Strawberry. She loved Vanilla Strawberry next to Apples.

Dawn gasped and stood up on her rear hooves while her main hooves were covering her mouth. Just in time for it to be stopped in the middle of the floor.

Twilight leaned down and scooped Dawn up with her head onto her back. Then trotted towards the one seat set directly in front of it. It was completely unnecessary considering that even with the chair, Dawn's height could only get her so high. She couldn't even reach the five candles at the top. And Dawn knew this, that's why she climbed up onto her mother's head so she could reach it just right. Five candles. Five years old.

Madun raised his hoof to cease the clapping and stomping. Then said, "Me calla olay toh sharee! Eh, mahtoo..." Then all the Pserateps started singing a song that more than likely was a birthday song in their language. The foreigners and their counterparts sort of just stood to the side and let them bob around with that song in their ears. Dawn wasn't even paying attention to it.

Her eyes were on that cake. That wavy icing that reminded her of the waters of Merōl. Apart from Apples, she loved Vanilla. Absolutely devours it. But she knew she couldn't eat it until these candles were blown out. And—just like any filly—didn't feel like sharing. After the song was finished, Arcadia announced, "Happy birthday, sweetie! Blow out your candles and make a wish!"



Psera's Central Press Center. Unlike during the night, today—just like any day—it was packed. A lot of multiple colored ponies running around talking, delivering information that was being sent live. Right one time, the same second. The floor in the atrium was busy. With foals running around playing, the casual business pony seated at the waterfall, a mare out of the many at a restaurant dating. Some were working, some were at lunch.

The levels above the atrium were a busy mess of Pserateps flying from one area to another. One side to the next. One would mistake them for crows if they had managed to get inside. The playground was busy with foals. Laughing, playing, running. A lot of activity.

On the fourth floor, a Pseratep stallion with a dark brown coat and large goatee wearing a yellow onesie was walking around pushing a trash can with a broom and dustpan. He had on a utility belt for all of the supplies he needed. Silently cursing his job here. The janitor. Or Sanitation Engineer.

Instead of being a camera pony he was the one pony they didn't really need. If you make a mess, clean it up yourself. But the job was good pay. Above average. It wasn't like the Cleaners of the castle floors, no. That was for a stallion much younger than he. At the age of four hundred, here he was. To work at the castle, you needed some of the young to get in places he unfortunately couldn't.

He stepped to the side away from the railing to watch the moves of the visiting and working Pserateps. Many of these ponies knew they had places to be. He knew it too. But he just sighed and unnoticeably shook his head.

When he did, his eye caught something red on the wall right at his knees. What was that? Did some foal draw on the wall again with Pastel, those things were hard to get off!

He groaned and immediately grabbed his favorite spray from off his utility belt. Then turned and bent low to check it out. This was one strange drawing. He raised an eyebrow and leaned in a little closer. The drawing was... Glowing? It looked like two squiggly lines with a straight one spearing through their middles. Creating a weird red "H".

"Hmm," he hummed. Then took a chance and sprayed it. If this was a regular drawing, then it would have immediately started melting off the wall. Instead, it began to pulse. Along with even more. Two more appeared on its left and right. Then more. Until he slowly straightened up and eyed all around him. As far as he could see, hundreds of these red things were ringing the floors. In front of rooms, stores, on the playsets, in the waterfall, the entrance way, inside of restaurants. Going down halls. On the floors all around him.

A few others were beginning to notice too. Pointing and admiring these... These things. But the janitor had a really bad feeling about them.

He reached down to his utility belt and pulled up a comm block. Just because the Defense uses them all the time doesn't mean any other company or institution can't. In a gruff voice, he relayed, "Verhemian to base. There are a lot of... St-Strange symbols appearing on the walls. I've never seen these before, I have a bad feeling about this."

"Verhemian, let the people enjoy the pretty red light show."

Verhemian got back down onto his knees and studied the symbols more. These things were bad news. Really bad news. And it was about to get worse. The symbols on this floor were beginning to pulse, and even more possibly were too. But he was so busy watching this one blink faster and faster he couldn't tear his eyes away.

He lifted the Comm Block back up and retorted, "I'm telling you base, we need to get these people out of here. I ain't likin' this at all." The red was blinking so fast now that it was blinding him and anyone else staring at them. Then they stopped at a constant white before all he saw was a flash. Then darkness.



Slow motion. All eyes on the birthday filly. All eyes on the pony who was taking in a deep breath to blow out her candles. The fifth birthday was one of the most important part of a young foal's life before ten. Then sixteen, then eighteen, and finally twenty-one. Grinning eyes trained on the candles before Dawn leaned in and let out her breath. Getting all the candles out in one go.

Everyone tapped and stomped their hooves while Dawn cheered with her parents. Twilight used her magic to pull Fresh Dawn down from her back and placed her at the front of the cake. "Now we can have some cake! Dawn are you ready to—"

Her sentence was cut when the room shook with a vibration. Twilight wrapped her hooves around Dawn protectively and glanced around while the vibration continued. The chandeliers in the ceiling jostled and shook and the lights briefly flickered.

Applejack leaned over into Rarity's space and asked, "Earthquake?" She only shrugged before the room stopped shaking.

Before Queen Arcadia could even ask, Gardeen was on it. From her side, she lifted her Comm Block and relayed, "Ballroom to Captain, I'm sure I don't have to ask. So tell me."

"We're looking into it right now," Captain Dark Silver replied. "But we're already receiving reports of smoke in the distance. Standby."

"Ten-four." Gardeen looked to Queen Arcadia and replied, "Nothing at the moment but smoke. Possibly an Earthquake."

Arcadia looked up to the ceiling and muttered, "Cop isn't by any fault lines. Hold still, sweetie." Celestia and Luna glanced at their own friends before Captain Dark returned.

"It's been confirmed that there is smoke in fact coming from downtown. We're waiting for—" Another vibration much stronger than the last one nearly knocked the Queen off her hooves before she flared her wings out to balance herself. "Oh no... All units, get to the Central Press Center now!!!"

Gardeen wouldn't say it, but Arcadia knew she was scared. Especially when another explosion rocked the castle. Queen Arcadia teleported the Comm Block from Gardeen and asked, "Dark, what's happening?"

"The Central Press Center is exploding, floor by floor!"

Arcadia gasped and yelled, "WHAT?!!" Then held onto Dawn before another explosion rocked the building. They seem to be going off every ten seconds. "HOW?!! There are no flammable gasses on the floors... Explosives. Oh my stars, let's move. Dawn, sweetie stay here!" At that Queen Arcadia bolted for the door.

"Mommy!" Dawn yelled. Madun immediately wrapped Dawn up in his hooves before another explosion rocked the building.

Then the guards started shouting. "All ponies, take shelter, let's move let's move!"



Someone was attacking the Press Center. Oh my Psera, no. Arcadia was immediately flanked by captains and ponies alike, all asking questions. All she could say was, "Declare a national emergency and create a mile long evacuation from the area. Issue a Code Black, and someone get the Department of Energy on the move!! Have any ambulances move to the scene now!!" She was actually surprised when Celestia, Luna, and Cadance were three of them following her.

She glanced to Celestia in the corner of her eye and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"We're not leaving you to face... Whatever is happening!" She scolded. "You may be a queen, but we're still going to help. Whether you like it or not."

Arcadia sighed and nodded before she flanked off to her left at a door blending in well with the wall. She couldn't tell them no. Using her magic, she pulled it open for the staircase, leading up to the roof. But Arcadia didn't need a staircase. She jumped over the railing and flew up the floors with the princesses right behind her. Another explosion rattled the air before Twilight landed on the very last step and pushed open the steel door. On the edges of the roof, the Guards stationed here had their eyes trained on the cloud of smoke reaching into the sky. A siren rang through the air and pierced their hearing.

A mighty plume of liquid black smoke plagued their overcast skies. All on the ground, Pods were speeding towards the location with yellow lights flashing.

One of the Guards spotted the Queen approaching over his shoulder and pushed a few more aside while she took her own place. A second or two after a flash and explosion happened from the distance, the castle shook once again. Queen Arcadia slowly shook her head with her eyes wide open. She knew what was happening. Everyone knew what was happening. That is the second tallest building in Cop. And the second most occupied. And it was lunch time. A lot of ponies were in there.

Luna stated, "The building's going to collapse."

That snapped Queen Arcadia back into action and out of shock. Based off the explosions, that building wouldn't need anymore bombs or whatever was happening. Queen Arcadia nodded and tilted her head back with her eyes closed to use her magic. Her horn lit up before her eyes opened again. But instead of their natural violet, they were glowing a constant bright neon purple. Just color, no eyes.

In the distance among the chaos, the Press Center was enveloped in a purple glow. The soldiers knew that glow. Captain Dark Silver was already on the scene with his men. Masks on and braving the dust blowing in. He looked behind him and yelled, "The queen is holding the building afloat, let's move in!" Then they all rushed into the entrances to get ponies out. Plenty were already soaring out screaming and covered in unmentionables.

Back at the castle Twilight still had her head tilted back, focusing on and controlling the tower's body. But that didn't stop the explosions. Five floors went out at the same time, blowing dust and debris down onto the ground below. "Buck! Open channel, we need help in here, casualties by the thousands!!"

"Lavender's been deployed, help is incoming! What is going on?!"

"The CPC is being attacked, bombs are just going off, no identified origins!"

"Just get the ponies out of there, don't worry about the origin just yet, just get them out!!"

Then their worst fears all came true. All at once, the tower that usually glows at night blew. All the floors went out one after the others. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom... Celestia couldn't watch anymore. How did a day like today, the birthday of Twilight's first born daughter, turn into a tragedy? There was no telling just how many ponies were in that building. No telling how many lost theirs lives to those blasts.

Celestia lowered her head and covered her eyes before more commands started barking through. "We just lost all floors, the building is done!"

"Stand by for any more blasts! All soldiers vacate the premises and get everyone left within half a mile inside!"

While the tragedy below was going down, Cadance couldn't help but notice the tears coming down from Twilight's eyes. She may be focused on her magic, but even the busiest of ponies could still make out conversations. Ponies were dying right now. All she could do was hold the building and help get the military in. But even they couldn't do anything. So all she could do... Was cry and hope for the best.

"All units are backed and ponies are inside." Queen Arcadia sighed wobbly before she dispersed her horn and closed her eyes. Then the low rumble of the building collapsing. All eyes were watching. Even Madun. He had Fresh Dawn buried in his chest, but was watching with his mother and Merry from inside of her personal observatory flourishing with flowers. But flowers would not soothe the horrible feeling they were all experiencing in their guts right now.

When that skyscraper collapsed, Madun just shut his eyes and listened. Felt it. It all happened so fast. It was swift, quick. It... Had to be setup. Dust flooded the streets and the sky above the buildings nearby turned dark. Screams echoed through the air and reached their ears.

Madun hummed and stated, "This wasn't random. This was..."

"Planned beforehoof, I can see," Molten replied. Her eyes were just like the Queen's. Full of tears. And fury.



When Private Smalls arrived with her own team in Downtown Cop, she was devastated. They setup in a random store to host while the dust and destruction cleared as much as possible to reveal the horrors inside.

The store they were waiting in had LiVAMs on. But they all read one thing: Blue screen with "No Connection." The CPC hosted all of that stuff. The only one who didn't was the one in the castle. All connections except an emergency return were down.

No word from the King or Queen yet, but Smalls didn't have to look out into all that dust to know they saw it. That building was being held by the Queen's magic. She saw it. She saw everything. Oh Narmeelah, it was the Princess' birthday today.

Smalls dropped down into a seat to cover her eyes with a free hoof. Oh no. Twilight was feeling the exact same way.

On the edge of the Castle's roof, tears streamed down the Queen's face. Wetting Cadance's coat while she held her. She too was crying. And would be utterly devastated if she had witnessed the deaths of a bit of her populace. But she didn't, and more than likely never would. This type of thing only happened in Psera.

Twilight wasn't crying as much now, her whines seemed to be pushed to the side. But her grip on Cadance was still strong. Until she let go.

Twilight kept her sight to the roof's gravel while she turned around and slowly stepped up to the edge. Eyes on the smoke in the sky and covering the streets downtown. She was sad—no. The Queen was mad. Angry. Livid. Her shaking with emotion made that very clear.

Celestia sighed and took a few timid steps forward. "Twilight, I—" Twilight shot her hoof up beside her head to stop whatever it was Celestia was going to say. She had a feeling it was an apology. She didn't need apologies.

She needed answers. Through gritted teeth, she growled, "Find. These. Ponies." She slowly turned her head to look over her left shoulder. Her face was the definition of angry. Frustrated. Devastated. "And BRING THEM TO ME!!" Then she lifted her right hoof and stomped it. Twice.