//------------------------------//
// Chapter 42 - You Grew Up?!! 
// Story: Twilight Daylight: Psera, The Legend of Legends 
// by thedarktome 
//------------------------------//

The Crystal Empire's Trade Room featuring a shiny wooden Hexadecagon table was once again packed with ponies, dragons, and Zebra. Queen Novo was sitting directly across from Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, and Princess Flurry Heart who decided to put her mane in curls that dangled around her head. Her gray silver Hoofshoes reflected off the small lights above while her ice blue eyes full of boredom trained on the rest of the room. Cadance decided she should be here if she was going to be performing any duties of any kind in the future. This is just one of them:

Talking and speaking with other rulers of different countries which apparently happens a lot more than she thought. Well at least she was out of class.

The pony currently talking was Madam Singe. Leaning into her microphone with a light shining up to her face and the reports below it. She read aloud, "South Neighton has experienced a large fluctuation of positive energy from its citizens, businesses, and flow of currency. Everything seems to be stable for the most part for our economy and well-being for our citizens. We're okay, finally."

Princess Celestia ignored Flurry's muttering of "finally" and nodded her happiness to Madam Singe. "Great, we are proud to hear that. Are there any new rules and regulations being set in place?"

"Not at the moment. But—"

The doors leading inside squeaked open to allow Sunset Shimmer entry. Wearing a simple bowtie with a black neckline, she apologized, "Sorry for the disturbance. Princesses, an urgent letter came in from Canterlot through Dragon Fire."

Sunset walked around the Hexadecagon with a red scroll held aloft in her magic. Past Queen Farue, President Manamar, King Chancellor, Queen Novo, and eventually over to the Princesses. Celestia took the scroll floating behind her and unrolled the band so she could read it with Luna.

After a few moments of reading their breathing slowed to a stop. Their lips gradually parted wide. Then Luna ordered, "Let's take a ten minute recess. Now."

Celestia followed that with, "I second that, all in favor?!"

Queen Novo sighed and raised her hoof. Without someone arguing this meeting was eating away at her nerves. The others thought the same since all their hooves and claws flew up. "Recess!" Celestia quickly banged her gavel. Then ordered to Sunset, "Have them send me a description of the coat, hair, and cutie mark if she has one. As well as if her entourage has one."

Sunset nodded and moved along with no idea what or who they were talking about. Only that it had Celestia extremely excited. So excited it was actually funny. The way she banged that gavel...

Celestia slid the letter over to Cadance and allowed her to read it with Flurry Heart. Then she stood up and asked, "What?! How?! When?!.... Wh-Why?!"

Celestia crossed her hooves and shook her head. "I'm not sure," she slowly admitted. "But they may have found something."

Flurry waved her hoof to slow them down and said, "I'm sorry, but... Who's Fresh Veola Dawn?"

Cadance smiled and placed a wing on her back to rub it soothingly. No one has really talked about Fresh Dawn, Psera, or the events that transpired there since they started to rebuild. She had no idea and more than likely forgot. "Princess Fresh Veola Dawn is your cousin on your father's side of the family. She's not from around here. She's the daughter of Aunt Twilight. Remember her?"

Of course Flurry remembered Aunt Twilight. She had disappeared and left a family behind after fighting Maheera in Psera. But other than that, there was little to nothing known about them. Dawn had turned five on a tragic day of Psera life: The day where over three thousand ponies lost their lives. And on that very night a few hours later, she lost her mother.

Flurry nodded and asked, "So... Why is she here?"

Sunset placed a scroll in front of Celestia that she grabbed and swiftly unrolled. "'She has a dark violet coat, light red hair with a cutie mark of a silver crown and a twinkling violet star. She has an Auxiliary with her named Gardeen Daisy and a lot of ponies wearing black military uniforms.' That's our pony. Attention, every creature!"

The ponies standing around talking stopped their conversations and focused their sights on the Princesses. Celestia stood up and said, "I'm afraid this meeting is going to have to be cut a little short or taken on the road. A very important pony has arrived at the castle and is waiting there for us."

The muttering and confused glances started first before Novo queried, "And who is this VIP?"

Celestia glanced up to Novo. Then the rest of their expectant faces. "It's Princess Fresh Dawn of Psera. Arcadia's daughter."

Sunset gasped with Starlight when she zipped in during the commotion. Which greatly increased at the announcement. But Celestia just grabbed her things and started packing up. They had a train to catch. She nudged Cadance with her wing and said, "Cadance, grab Shining. I want you all to come with me."

Novo shook her head and stated, "I am always right behind you."

Celestia smirked and walked around to lightly brush a wing against her face. A move that didn't go unnoticed by her sister. She would talk about it with her later. But right now, something way more important was waiting for her in Canterlot.



Dawn always enjoyed flowers. Flowers were her life. And the castle in Canterlot had a sunny bed of them around back she was sniffing through. Gardeen stood to the side by the doors back into the castle hidden by the shade with everyone else and let their tiny royal guest do her thing. The Royal Guard here informed them earlier that it would be a little over an hour before they returned, but that IHT were in fact on their way.

Dawn decided that it would be a good time to tour the castle's halls. Apart from the shiny floors and older decor, Canterlot seemed to be a more condensed version of Cop, and the castle a younger version of her home. Then they stopped here at the rear gardens, Dawn got sucked in, and they've been here just watching her run around for five more minutes. Gardeen assumed that now would be a good time to move this along.

She raised a hoof to stick out from the crowd and asked, "Would you like to see more of the castle, your highness?"

That seemed to break her out of her trance. She straightened up and looked over her left back at the door. "Right! Yes, of course!" She quickly answered. She always forgets how she gets lost and distracted in flowers. This wasn't Dad's Garden.

She zipped back over with great haste out from under the sun to the Unicorn named Raven. She was a light gray mare with brown eyes behind a pair of black rimmed glasses, and a brown mane and tail both bun'd up. She was apparently Princess Celestia's assistant.

When Dawn asked if there were anymore, Raven answered "no." She was the only assistant! There was only one assistant here! Their lives were so simple! Dad had either five or six, and these ponies have one. There was no telling how many mom had!

Once Dawn's dress was smoothened and free of any wear, they continued the tour with the next stop being the Throne Room.

They turned a right and headed for a pair of doors at the end made of wood and slightly decorative flanked by two members of the Royal Guard. But while Raven droned on about something, the stained glass windows on the left were what caught Dawn's attention. She slowed her speed to a stop and eyed the image of what was definitely her mother.

Smalls held up a hoof and ordered, "Hold."

Raven stopped talking and turned around with a small tinge of annoyance on her mind. She's barely gotten through half of the tour yet and they stopped so many times. But this seemed a lot more sentimental than most and it calmed her down entirely. Dawn seemed to have lost all her energy. And was now just staring at the window with sadness tinging her purple eyes burning into it.

Gardeen walked in and whispered something. Then at Dawn's quick nod, turned to Raven and said, "That's all the touring we'll be doing for now. Can you lead us back to the waiting room?"

"Yes, yes, of course!" Raven eagerly trotted past on the red carpeted floors and led them back the way they came.

Dawn's depression would kick in from seeing things in detail like that. She's never known her mother, but there was always something there. A connection they had before she disappeared. She knew she was alive. And whatever she was feeling Dawn was feeling it too. Sadness, loneliness. A dark shadow overtaking her soul that made Dawn shiver before it ducked back down. One of her own greatest secrets.

While they walked, Gardeen leaned down to her and queried, "Did you bring Sky Blue?"

Yeah... Yeah, Sky Blue would help out a lot. Dawn replied, "Yes, in the red bag."

Gardeen reached up to her earpiece and relayed, "Chariot, please grab the red bag from the Princess' bags and bring it to Escort. They should be here in a few minutes, your highness."

Dawn's only reply was a nod and query, "Is there a status on the Princesses?"

Raven shook her head and answered, "I'll check that for you. Although, they should have gotten on the train by this point and at least be two thirds back by now."

Dawn nodded and walked back into the waiting room at the same time the Guards stationed outside brought her red bag in. Gardeen took it and followed Fresh Dawn with only two of her Guards. The rest stayed outside per the orders of the captain. Then the door was shut to allow them privacy.

The waiting room in here was very similar to the one in her castle. As a matter of fact, Dawn was sure they got the idea of one couch on each of these four walls, a picture on each with a table in the corners holding lamps and a glass table in the middle all from Psera.

Either way Dawn dropped down on one and took a deep calming breath. She really hated these... These fallbacks she'd have just from seeing images of her mother that would push her back down into the darkness. They usually just happened randomly out of nowhere. She never talked about it until recently. It was embarrassing, but they now knew the cause of her "Emo Phase."

Dawn grabbed the red purse Garden presented and zipped it open with her magic. Then reached in with a hoof and pulled out Sky Blue. The stuffed doll of a Morion she grew up with. It had a white body with green spots all over it and a long yellow beak. Soft to the touch, it wasn't too big. But that wasn't the reason Dawn brought it with her.

She didn't know she could do this until a few weeks after she got her tattoo on her butt. Or... Cutie Mark. That sounded strange in her mind. But so did Butt Tattoo. Dawn shook those to the side and lit her horn to surround Sky Blue in a red glow that changed to black. Then after a few seconds cut the magic. As expected, Sky Blue's wings twitched. Then she bounced up as if she smelled food and jumped around Fresh Dawn's lap to look up at her.

Dawn giggled and greeted, "Good morning, Sky." Sky Blue screeched and honked at her a few times in happiness. Well, Dawn assumed it was happiness. Especially since she flapped her stuffed wings at her. Then jumped around on her lap hidden by her purple dress. Dawn wondered if anyone else could do this. Bring inanimate objects to life.

Ehh, who cares? Dawn brought Sky Blue up to her chest when someone knocked casually on the door. A Guard stationed inside opened it and asked Raven standing behind it, "Yes?"

"The Princesses just arrived back in Canterlot and decided to relocate their meeting here. There may be more ponies on the way with them."

He nodded and replied, "I'll inform the Princess. Wait here." Then closed the door and looked to Dawn. "The Princesses are in Canterlot and brought their meeting with them."

Gardeen queried, "And what is this meeting?"

The Guard opened the door and referred to Raven, "What is the meeting?"

Raven pulled out her clipboard, adjusted her glasses and answered, "The International House of Trade. A week long International Conference. Shortened to IHT."

Well that sounded familiar. The Guard looked back in and relayed, "IHT."

IHT?! They arrived during that? How Ironic. Gardeen sighed and turned to face Dawn's confused expression. "The International House of Trade is a group of countries who help each other. Like a big family. They all knew Twilight as a Princess of Equestria, as well as the Creator of the whole thing. She created IHT. So, of course they'd come. More than likely to see you."

Gardeen sure knows her history, Dawn thought. Then nodded in an unspoken agreement and grabbed the binders sitting on the table of Queen Arcadia's Mecrah Portal to setup. She didn't settle placement yet. Figuring that it would take them a little while to get back.

Gardeen told the Guard, "It's fine. But keep a close eye on them. A very close one." He nodded to Gardeen then relayed the order to the rest of the Guards.

While they were preparing, Dawn smiled down to Sky Blue who just honked in return. She was nearly anxious to get home. But at least Sky Blue's here, nuzzling her cheek.



Anxious hooves clopped away from the Canterlot train station along concrete and busy sidewalks. Moving through the ponies who stopped to happily say hello, wave, and other greetings. Silent muttering of what the Princess of Psera was doing here flew around IHT's area away from civilian ears.

For the hundredth time so far, Shining loudly asked, "Are you absolutely sure it's her?"

Luna grunted and answered, "Based off the letter. Unless somepony's seeing things, then yes again."

Their hooves increased to a much faster speed. Rushing past the newly built library, past Restaurant Row, past the Opera Hall, an Ice Skating Rink and finally to the front of the Castle.

The Guards stationed quickly pushed the gates open and allowed the Princesses with the rest of them onto the grassy landscape in front of the castle. Straight off the record, the first thing they saw was the large Golden Chariot much bigger and taller than theirs. It couldn't even be defined as a chariot. More like a boxed sled. With the Crest of Psera on the sides and Elite Guards watching them.

Princess Celestia burst through the doors with a bang and marched inside with her entourage. "Where is she?" She ordered.

Raven zipped out from the side unseen and gestured with a hoof to follow her. "She's in your waiting room," she answered. "With her auxiliary. They've been in here for maybe an hour or two now. Whatever it is, they need to see you urgently."

Raven slowed down at a door flanked on both sides with Elite Guard. One of them knocked on the door and twisted the handle to poke his head in. "The Princesses have arrived," he announced.

Oh geez, here we go. This was the moment she's been studying and practicing for. Dawn held up her hoof to hold them so she could prepare with Gardeen. The binders were in place, covers face up. Oh! Dawn straightened her crown and flipped her braid around so it hung over her front. Then nodded to the guard. She was ready.

He pushed the door open wider and let in Princess Celestia. She was an Alabaster Alicorn! Just like her! Why didn't dad tell her?! Then walked in three more Alicorns!! Holy crap, more Alicorns!

Celestia couldn't believe her eyes when she saw her. Violet coat, purple eyes, a braided red mane and free flowing tail they could see through the dress... She waved a hoof to her face to stop the incoming tears and cried, "Oh my goodness, you grew up!"

Record scratch. This pony knew who she was?! Dawn pushed that to the side for a second and went with the formal greeting. Stay pro. She smiled and walked over to the four Princesses of Equestria and some old guy gawking at her in front of the door. "Hello, I'm Princess Fresh Veola Dawn of Psera, Daughter of King Shimmering Madun and Queen Twilight 'Arcadia Nova' Sparkle, and heir to the Psera crown. It's an honor to meet you. You have a really lovely country. I am honored to be here."

Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armor were just staring at her for a few seconds. To see Fresh Dawn actually talk, let alone formally was something they seriously didn't need. Then Celestia shook her head and slowly pulled Fresh Dawn into a confusing hug. This wasn't in the book.

"It has been so long since we've seen you," she whispered. Afterwards looked up to Gardeen and added, "The same for you, Secretary. Welcome back to Equestria."

Gardeen walked over and pulled Luna into a brief hug. Then Shining and Cadance before she looked down to Flurry Heart still trying to wrap her mind over Dawn's height and wing length. "And look at you!" She looked to Gardeen and that smile. "All grown up. The last time I saw Flurry Heart was before you were all taken back here. I certainly hope the rebuilding process wasn't too grueling."

Celestia sighed and let Dawn go to admit, "It was a little hard, but all of us managed to pull through. You look exactly like your mother, Dawn. It brings back so many memories."

Dawn walked back to the binders on the table and asked, "You knew my mother?" She grabbed them and added, "And can we take this meeting to the hall?"

Celestia nodded and answered, "Absolutely. And I was your mother's teacher. She—"

Dawn zipped up to her with shimmering eyes and asked, "Wait you taught my mom magic?!"

Celestia laughed and backpedaled, "I only taught her the basic spells. The ones she's widely known for she learned or developed on her own more than likely on Psera. Come here, I want to introduce you to a few ponies." She brought Dawn over to face Flurry Heart while Gardeen grabbed her binders. "This is Flurry Heart, your cousin. This is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza or Cadance, your mother's sister-in-law, and this is your mother's brother and your uncle, Prince Consort Shining Armor and Captain of the Crystal Empire's Guard."

Oh so the old guy was her uncle. Shining Armor greeted, "Yikes, you grew up! Last we saw you, you were running around the Castle crawling into snack stashes you had setup in the walls."

Cadance pulled Fresh Dawn up into a small hug and whispered, "You are truly your mother's daughter. How is Madun?"

Dawn slipped out of her hold and fixed that blinding crown that made Flurry a little jealous. "Father is well," she answered. "But can we... Catch up after?"

Of course, Dawn was here for something. Flurry barely remembered this small filly. But she was trying hard to. Celestia quickly grew tense and answered, "Yes, of course. Right this way." She quickly led Dawn and her entourage out into the rest of the ponies in the hall and introduced them. "These are all the current leaders of the world's known nations. Your mother had yet to interact with Zebrica, so I'll introduce her. Queen Tarsafani."

Celestia pointed to a Zebra mare with a gray and white mane on her neck that grew off to the side and covered her right eye. Her coat held gray and white stripes instead of the usual black and white like a normal Zebra. And her eyes were a deep ice blue. They made Dawn shiver inside. She instead chose to smile and bow to her, who in turn bowed back. "It is an honor to meet you, Queen Tarsafani."

"The honor is mine, Daughter of the great Queen Arcadia." Her voice was deep but feminine. More shivers and negative vibes. They rose back up and faced each other. "I didn't know your mother, but I hear she is the same pony who gave it her all to save us. My entire country was infected by Maheera's drones. And if it weren't for her, we would be no more. I wish I could say that to her myself."

Dawn smiled and hummed in appreciation. "You may get that chance. Walk with me."

Celestia gestured with a hoof to follow her down the hall along with the Guards. After a quiet two minutes and reaching the flower doors, Dawn finally briefed them. "As of two days ago, my friends and I were given a school assignment revolving around my mother. Queen Arcadia. Before that, an underground interview was released to the public that held a few things no one knew about her. Things even you do not know."

Oh? Luna glanced down to Dawn and asked, "What don't we know about your mother? I'm pretty sure we know a lot about your mother."

"She knows dark magic."

Celestia stopped walking with the rest of the group and repeated, "Dark magic?"

Dawn looked behind her and repeated, "Yes, my mother knows Dark Magic."

"As in King Sombra..."

"She mentioned she was at a greater level than that pony, whoever that is. Now back to the story." They continued walking and moving along with that thought in their minds with Dawn. "I asked my father if we could use Mother's office for research since there were bound to be some stuff in there. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything on those shelves... But we found something behind them."

Flurry assumed, "So you tore it apart?"

"No." Dawn stopped again and faced them with a smile. "I laid my hoof on a book titled 'The Sanctuary' and triggered some kind of magical mechanism that had the shelf open like a door. Behind it lied an elevator my friends and I took out of curiosity all the way down underneath the castle into a laboratory. And... A stash." Dawn used her magic to grab the binder Gardeen was carrying around for her. She pulled out a few images and slowly held them in front of the rulers.

The image was a perfect centered image of The Mecrah Portal OUT. Bigger than the other and shimmering from the overhead lights. The tiny steel walkways made the pictures look even more realistic. The walls of the space were thick with colors that Dawn said, "Those walls and their colors? That's all of mom's spells. All of her spell books."

Celestia gasped and announced, "So you found her stash!! Excellent, Dawn! What is happening in Psera now, and do you need our help?"

Dawn nodded and answered, "Since this is a magical issue, we need you to help us find the keys. There's not one, there are twelve, according to her blueprints. She calls the process 'Chained Magic'. If this, then that. The keys are placed in twelve different areas in a specific pattern."

Dawn levitated the binder titled "Spell #59138" into Cadance's hooves. Then flipped it open so the blueprints flipped out.

Flurry lifted them up to her eyes and immediately made a face at all of the symbols and Old Pseratopian. She had no idea what it read. Cadance leaned over and said, "That's... Strange. She wrote it in Old Pseratopian. If this was only for her, then why would she write it in a language she had to teach herself?"

Dawn answered, "Not sure. But I know that those keys are instrumental." Dawn placed her hoof on a specific line and read it in her native tongue. "'Ha keema el tarue kaceem el shemare too.' That means the keys are used to manipulate matter and provide more energy."

Celestia looked up to Dawn and said, "So they're used to supply power then. Like a battery or engine."

"Yeah. And there's twelve of them. We get the keys, we can activate the Mecrah Portal and get my mother out of there."

Oh boy. Twilight, you've done it again, Celestia thought. "Alright. Is there any indication on what the keys may be?"

"That's the problem. And why Dad wants you coming back to Psera for a little while." Dawn pointed to the four Alicorns and stated factually, "You four are the only ponies who possibly have an idea. I don't know anything."

"Ah, yes." Now she remembered. Luna nodded and commented, "There are no other unicorns or mages on Psera. That leaves only you. And without anyone to teach you... I'm surprised you know how to levitate. Then again, you were able to do it at a very young age. Three or two if I recall the conversation with your parents."

Flurry Heart smirked at her and hummed, "Hmmm, impressive. I learned how to do that at five."

Dawn smiled and said, "Well I'm sure you know more spells than I do. The only one I know is this. Come out, Sky. Come on."

Dawn's dress ruffled around in the front before a long yellow beak poked out followed by black eyes on a white head. Sewn on black eyes staring at Flurry's. Sewn on everything. Sky crawled out of Dawn's dress, up her neck and onto her head to squawk at the ponies.

Celestia blinked at it once. Then two more times before she glanced down to Dawn confused. "Are you animating the uhh... Doll?"

"Nope."

Luna stepped closer to it and asked, "Are you constantly feeding a stream of magic into it?"

"No. I used a spell... I think." Sky Blue jumped down from her head and onto the ground with a resounding squeak. Then flapped its wings and hopped over to Celestia to honk up at her. "Hey, she likes you. I think it's your colors."

Celestia calmly reached out and softly patted Sky Blue's head. Then whispered in awe, "That's... Do you do this often?"

When Sky Blue hopped onto Flurry's hoof and brought it up to her face for everyone to see, Dawn answered, "Only when I get bored. I'm the Princess, I don't have that many friends. So... I just... Zap things and get them to keep me company. But back on topic. Congress needs you to come back to Psera with me so we can figure this out. You're the only mages who can truly explain this. I have absolutely no idea."

Dawn whistled a quick tune and caught the ears of her toy. Sky Blue flew back and landed at her hooves before Dawn said, "Okay, time to sleep now." Then lit her horn and wrapped Sky Blue in a red aura that turned black. And just like that she was out, lying on her side inanimate. Her wings stopped flaring around, her beak sealed back shut, and she was a simple toy yet again.

Dawn picked her up with her magic and quickly stuffed her in her bag. She didn't like other ponies touching Sky Blue. That and that Zebra was giving her a look she found extremely suspicious. Instead of a regular wide-eyed look, she decided to add a weird small smirk to it. Predatory almost.

Celestia decided to talk to Fresh Dawn later about that spell. Whatever she was doing to make inanimate things come to life was... Amazing. Impossible. She's never seen magic like that before in all her years. But they had to focus on getting her mother back first. "Okay... Where do we start?"