//------------------------------//
// Chapter 48 - Dawn's Unsure Nature 
// Story: Twilight Daylight: Psera, The Legend of Legends 
// by thedarktome 
//------------------------------//

Novo wasn't leaving. Not without Celestia and Luna. After everything they've been through she wasn't going to leave them here.

They took the emergency tunnel built just in case an event like this happened. But she stopped after a few hooves in and said, "We are not leaving them behind. We did not come five hundred miles across the sea to leave one another to death!"

The tunnel shook when the explosions and destruction started again. It was quiet for a few seconds from reasons unknown. But they were back up full blast again. Madun sighed and admitted, "I don't want to leave them either. But if we don't start moving we'll be—"

"We got her!!" A voice yelled. All attention jolted back to the front of the tunnel towards the voices of Celestia and Luna. Another vibration shook the earth around them and caused dirt to fall on top of their heads. Fear was incredibly real right now. Dark magic and light magic were colliding to create a difficult maze leading to only one exit. An underworld above ground.

But they didn't move. Celestia carefully walked in with Luna trailing behind her. And on her back positioned with her head relaxing on her neck was Twilight. Luna was holding her wings, keeping them from touching the ground.

Dawn gasped and yelled, "Mom!!"

"No time to stop, let's keep going!" Celestia ordered. She moved past them and led the team further away from the chaos happening inside of Queen Arcadia's spell library and laboratory. Taking a last look back, Fresh Dawn sighed and continued her trek with the rest of the ponies on tiny hooves desperate to keep up. All of those spells were in there. Even though they were in Ponish, they were her only chance of learning magic. Now... They were more than likely going to the ashes. To the dirt with everything else in there.

While they moved, Madun cast glances to Twilight. He wasn't the only one. Well since he wasn't going to ask, someone else would.

Merry finally spoke after all this time and asked, "What happened? Tell us everything."

Celestia huffed and answered, "Luna was hit with the magic and fell to the ground. So I flew in to save her. But we both got pinned down by all of the chaos. Somehow, in someway that doesn't matter anymore, Twilight broke free and managed to stop the magic from hitting us for a full ten seconds. I grabbed her and Luna and made it back to the hallway before she passed out again."

Cadance gasped and yelled, "So, she was awake!"

"Yes, she's alive. She's been going in and out with mumbles and such."

"Mereena..." They directed their attention back up to Twilight and her breathless mumbling. "Mereena terkata... arlee hama... Seevet perkama gerskee mereen... Ferlorma... Eskaree"

Princess Dawn and the rest of the Pserateps shared looks of concern. Looks that made Celestia worried. Whatever was spoken was enough to put them on cold hooves. "What is it?" She asked. "What did she say?"

Dawn whispered, "'Our lives are manipulated by a greater being. They return. Very soon.'"

In other words, something was coming. Celestia and Luna shared a look. If Twilight was a seer, then they had to listen to what she said.

Soon they made it back to the tunnel leading to Cop. There was already a medical crew here and ready to take her in since Captain Smalls relayed a request hours ago about precious cargo in need of desperate medical assistance.

The medical pod here was a standard gray steel vehicle with an open top where the drivers sit. The back steps were really low and the doors were open with flashlights dancing over everything. The inside was entirely white with a massive amount of medical equipment on the walls. There were four medical ponies here at the ready next to a gurney in front of the tunnel that Celestia softly placed sleeping Arcadia on.

"Be careful," she told them.

Madun grabbed Fresh Dawn and said, "We'll follow behind, let's go." They all made their way for the Chariots nearby and hopped in before the Medical Pod pulled off with a loud siren bouncing through the tunnel. Speeding for Cop.

While they moved, Luna seethed through her teeth at the burn in her wing. Like fire rushing through her veins.

"We'll get that looked at," Celestia promised before their Pod rose out into the noon sun of Psera. Bathing everything in light. Elegant. Beautiful. Golden.

A new tower had been placed next to the area where the past tower was. But it was obvious they would never forget the damage caused there. Especially since there was a huge monument of the past tower in front of where it now stood. Celestia didn't know how Psera dealt with Twilight putting her life on the line for them. She herself couldn't fathom the feeling.

Celestia instead focused on their Pod's direction of movement. Towards one of these relatively small buildings with a symbol on that must've been the hospital. Hopefully she was okay. And not just physically. They were going to have a deep talk when she was stable.



Molten didn't mind that they were looking for Twilight without her. They already knew where she was and the castle was in an uproar over the location actually being underneath the castle. Even at this moment walking through the shiny foyer for the elevator, there was a status on the hanging LiVAMs attracting Queen Tarsafani's eyes.

Her mouth slightly broke apart beside Molten with eyes painting over everything with her visions. She whispered in her exotic tongue, "This is incredible."

Molten silently laughed and replied quietly, "Yes, we have come a long way. Queen Tarsafani. Tell me about Zebrica."

So Her Majesty wanted to learn about Zebrica. Queen Tarsafani stroked her long white and gray mane while they walked into the Foyer's elevator. She answered, "Zebrica is a low-class land that specializes in natural magicks. We use our senses and the land under our hooves to cast spells that are relatively different to what the rest of the world casts."

Molten kept her eyes on the steel doors during their ascension to the top floor and asked, "Does your country... Recall battles and wars? Or do they move on and leave the past in the past?"

"...you are recalling the Gold Wars," Tarsafani assumed. The elevator slowed and came to a stop on Molten's floor. Her Ice Blue eyes never left the steel during this conversation. Until they stepped out of the elevator and made for the large two doors at the end of the hall.

"Yes, I am," she confirmed. "The Zebra learned to—Hopefully—leave well enough alone. Although I am happy that Zebrica has managed to move on nonetheless."

"Yes, old hatches have long been swung," Tarsafani agreed. "It was centuries ago. Hopefully the ruler of Psera has seen the error of their ways?"

"I was the ruler," Molten told her. They stopped directly in between the doors to her home and Molten turned to gaze nonchalantly down upon this Zebra. "I was the pony who gave the order to launch our weapons upon Zebrica's impressive Army. It was a futile yet still impressive effort. Yes, I am happy that you are all well. But shall Zebrica manipulate Psera again..." Molten leaned down into Tarsafani's muzzle and growled, "I doubt even your DNA would remain."

She rose back up and said casually, "Especially now that there's a new Queen on the throne. Although Queen Arcadia has a kind and loving spirit, she has a fierce attitude that I am sure has tripled by this point in time. After being asleep for ten years, she's awake. And based on her own sacrifices of Equestria's ponies she will not hesitate to strike you down."

"Are you threatening my country?" Tarsafani asked. She was slightly offended that this Molten Ice would threaten her and her people! Outraged actually! But she concealed it well among this pony and the Guards on this level watching.

"No," Molten sternly assured. "But you cannot say I did not warn you. I have dealt with the Zebra for decades before you were even born. At slightly over five thousand years old, I have witnessed many things before I was even Queen. I have traveled to many places.

"I have seen things I wish I would have never seen. Ran where I never should have ran. Flown where I never should have flown. And I can honestly say the Zebra tend to take what they want when they want it. And if the answer is no, they do it with force. Until they dealt with Psera. I may have allowed you on this land Tarsafani, but Queen Arcadia may not. She may be a kind and gentle pony, but even she knows when it's time to set down the pillow... And pick up the sword."


~✶~


Cop's Main Hospital was a mess, according to Dawn. The second Queen Arcadia Nova was rolled in, all of the Underworld poured out and everyone was running around these white floors into different rooms screaming and barking orders. Princess Fresh Dawn and the rest of the ponies stayed outside of the chaos inside a neat waiting room that had a window facing the castle on the bottom floor. Listening to ponies barking, yipping around, and rolling in special equipment.

This hospital had a lot of floors in it. A total of twelve. Apart from them, the only ponies nearby were a few doctors and nurses behind a waiting desk a few feet away. And the only ones here from the event were Princesses Celestia, Cadance, Flurry Heart, and Fresh Dawn with her father.

When they first arrived, Luna had her wing tended to and wrapped up in gauze with some cream on the burn. It was a second degree, but it certainly felt like third. From across, Fresh Dawn looked up to Luna and whispered, "I could've healed you, you know."

Luna smiled softly at her and replied, "I appreciate your willingness, Princess Dawn. But I'd rather let nature run its course and decide."

Your choice, Dawn thought. Then glanced away with no emotion.

Celestia switched this to something more cheerful that put a smile on her face and asked, "Are you nervous?"

Dawn honestly didn't know. They literally almost died because of this pony. She glanced to Celestia and answered, "Let's uhh... Wait until later to answer that question."

Ah, now Cadance could see it. The difference between her and Twilight. There was a big one. Twilight wasn't as reserved about her feelings but Dawn was mostly stoic about them. There wasn't even a clue about her feelings on this. While Twilight would let ponies know about things, Dawn would keep everything bottled up. They literally just crawled out of Twilight's own version of Tartarus and Dawn only screamed once. After that, she was entirely silent. No sound whatsoever.

And Cadance may be jumping the barrel here just a little bit, but she could see Dawn being... Violent. An unstable child. Yes, she was smart, all things so far considered. But based off of what they heard in Equestria she's pressured a lot here in Psera. Maybe that pressure has risen to the surface by this point. While her cousin Flurry decided to curl up under Cadance's wing, Dawn decided to be away from her father and glare through the window all alone towards the world below. Waiting for the news.

The wait wasn't too long. The doctor treating Twilight walked in from the rooms down the hall, a stallion with a dark blue coat and not too long wings with jealous green eyes and silver hair. Holding a clipboard, he walked over with unreadable eyes and called, "My King."

"Yes! I'm up!" King Madun bounced awake onto his hooves thanks to the silence. He looked around hectically and locked eyes with the doctor. His face was unreadable. "What's the news?"

The doctor flipped a document on his clipboard and cleared his throat. "Alright, so I have great news. Queen Arcadia Nova only has minimal injuries that must be healed with relaxation. A cracked rib, a sprained hoof, and a shiner. Along with small bruises that will heal on their own with time and care. You just need to apply some ointment to those and ice to her eye. We wrapped her hoof up and covered her eye with an ice pack already, and as for her rib some pain medication. That needs to heal on its own."

Celestia let out a relieving sigh before Madun asked, "May we see her?"

He shook his head. "She's pretty zen as of this moment and probably won't recognize you until tomorrow. We should let her get her rest."

Madun agreed with a nod. "Alright. Let's go, Dawn. We'll be back tomorrow morning. Thank you, Doctor."

"You're welcome, my king."



The ride back home was much different than it usually is. Whereas Madun was shuffling papers with his assistants and advisors, he was now fiddling with a new reality: Twilight was alive. And she was home. What was going to happen now? A lot, of course. A list of issues were never solved before she left. The fixing of the PDS flaw, the talk with Congress, getting a new crown made. She'll more than likely keep her position now, Twilight was dedicated to her job. But the secret of having Dark Magic might affect her here. Not as much as Equestria though.

When they arrived back in the rear of the Castle where the rest of the rulers were patiently waiting, Dawn decided to branch off and do her own thing. Leaving the adults to discuss along the way all the way back into the Throne Room.

"Queen Arcadia seems to be doing well, considering everything that just transpired," Shining noted. "She'll be coming home soon."

Madun nodded and leaned forward on his throne. "And I am really anxious," he stated factually. He was already nervously sweating. Hopefully it wouldn't show. "I need to clean up the house, make her a breakfast, get a bouquet of flowers, ohhh what else? All while managing the country. I'm a little behind. I need to catch up."

Cadance smacked her lips and fawned, "Awww, you are too sweet. What about Dawn?"

Madun sat back and sighed in despair. "Dawn's ... Adjusting, I guess. I still don't know her opinion on this matter. She seemed excited before, but now ..."

"You know, on Aquata Zero, she told me that she and her mother would not get along."

Madun quickly admitted and nearly interrupted, "I've actually been afraid of that too. Dawn and her mother are... Intense opposites. Dawn loving sports isn't even scuffing the surface. As a matter of fact, she pretty much hates everything her mother enjoys, all except magic and reading."

Luna interrupted, "But I thought Queen Arcadia liked Hoofball."

"Yes, just Hoofball. She's not too fond of sports. While Dawn does like reading, she won't be able to actually form a conversation long around the topic of the book whereas Twilight could tell you the background of each main character without even opening the pages because she's read it so many times. While Twilight loves magic and uses it to its full extent, Dawn chooses to use her muscles for everything. She only uses magic if it's absolutely necessary and she can't find another way. But of course she knows next to nothing about Magic. Fresh Dawn also enjoys getting down and dirty. Whereas Twilight takes a bath as much as she can. So while Dawn is wild, Twilight's more civil and tame in a sense."

Starlight and Sunset shared an unsure hum and glance. Then Starlight focused her sad gaze on Madun and asked, "So... It's going to be a tense reality."

He sighed and leaned on his hoof. "Unfortunately," he groaned. "Dawn may seem like she wants to meet her mother, but ever since Twilight disappeared, everything turned into a strange timeline. At first she was more into herself and how she can follow in her hoofsteps. Studying, reading, writing, researching. But that image soon faded away when she was twelve, and was replaced by sports, games, getting into trouble and causing issues, entertainment, clothes, parties, what all teenagers like and do. Twilight was non-existent in her mind, and is probably still non-existent for the most part."

"But she seemed so upbeat when she came to Equestria," Luna argued.

Madun dismissed that with a hoof. "Oh, she's always upbeat when she takes on her role as an ambassador or representative to the Fire Family. But she hates it when ponies compare her to her mother."

Yes, they've all witnessed her views on that. How she acts, talks, and visible displays of emotion.

Flurry backed up from the line and volunteered, "Maybe I can talk to her. Dawn and I get along very well I think."

Well maybe having a family member her age would help. Madun sighed down to her and gestured to a Guard. "Where is Dawn?"

The Guard he was looking at saluted in his armor and answered in a deep voice, "She was last reported in the courts."

"Alright. Someone please escort Flurry Heart there. Maybe a little friendly face would do her some good. Meanwhile, I must return to my work. I have a meeting scheduled for this evening."



Ever since Fresh Dawn made that amazing shot years ago in middle school, her mind has always been on sports. Hoofball of course, Tennees, Slide Skating and many more. And the castle just couldn't handle a little filly running around with a ball being kicked and slapped around, a tiny pony riding a board and doing tricks, and at random times rush into rooms and blow whistles with her friends.

So, Madun bought her a court in the back with all of the stuff she needed to have fun. Mainly to get her name out of his mane and tail wanting to go downtown to the park and play. Travel expenses were expensive. The garden in front of the suite was a little too small for her now.

The Courtyard had enough space for a small Hoofball field, and ramps for her Slide Skating. As well as pipes, rails, and other things. Kia never understood why Dawn just kept all this stuff to herself. And Dark Dust just didn't question it. The twins were nonchalant about it and chose to ride casually around on their own Slide Boards. As if time were theirs to command.

The entire Park in the back of the Castle was gray while the Hooffield side was green with white lines. The steps leading away from the door down into the park held only Kia and Dark Dust leaning back with fizzy beverages in hoof. The sun was hot, but that would never stop them from having a good time. It was always hot in Psera.

Kia cheered and raised her cup when Dawn jumped off the ramp and twirled in the air before riding back down again. "Whooo, go short stuff!!"

"Shut up, flea brain!!"

Kia laughed and brushed her sweaty white mane to the side. She sighed in content and allowed the beverage she was drinking slide down her throat.

Quenched, she let out an exaggerated sigh and said, "Seriously, short stack. You have it lavish here. Your dad bought you a freaking sports park. Your family's loaded."

Dawn did one more trick off her ninety-degree ramp that involved some complex wing work. Then rolled over to the stairs where Dark and Kia were sitting with a smug grin.

She stepped off her board and took of her helmet with her magic to reply, "Yeah, isn't it great?"

Dark rolled his eyes and replied, "Yeah, maybe for you, shorty." He ducked a sudden toss from Dawn's helmet.

She rolled her eyes and trotted up the stairs to plop down in between them. Sweating up a fountain. She took a deep breath and huffed before Dark asked, "So?"

Dawn leaned back and replied, "'So' what?"

"So how was the Mecrah Portal thing you left Psera about? Did you get your mom back? Did it work? What was Equestria like?"

Dawn groaned loud and replied, "Yeah, we got her back."

Kia patted Dawn's exposed stomach above her gym shorts and exclaimed, "That's great!!!... Isn't it?"

Dawn sat up and replied, "I don't know. She's been gone for ten years, I'm fifteen now and she left when I was five. It's going to be weird."

"Is she going to be living with you?"

Dawn shrugged and answered, "Her stuff never left, yeah."

Dark whistled and lied down on the hot concrete with her. "It'll be fun to actually have another mare around," he said. "At least for you."

Dawn rolled her eyes and corrected, "Mom isn't cool, she's a nerd."

"She's actually both." Dawn looked over her shoulder towards the voice of Flurry Heart walking out the glass castle doors towards them smiling. She raised a hoof to keep the sun's rays from burning her fur. "It's really hot out here, how can you guys just lie on concrete like this?"

Dawn smiled and replied, "It's always hot in Psera. Kia? Dusty? This is my cousin Flurry Heart, The Princess of the Crystal Empire with Equestria. Flurry? Meet the only friends I have."

Before Flurry could greet them, two heads of trouble bounced into her personal space and pointed at her head. Daisy inhaled deeply with wide blue eyes and yelled, "Hey, you have a horn too! I'm Daisy, nice to meetcha!" She grabbed Flurry's hoof and shook it hard. So much to the point that she was floating off the ground.

"And I'm Lightning!" Lightning zipped in like a blue blur and literally bumped Daisy out of her hoof to replace it with her own. "Nice to meetcha!"

Fresh Dawn sighed and stood up to save her. Exposed to those two she could catch something.

"I see you've met the terror twins." She used her head to carefully push Lightning back into Daisy. Then grabbed Flurry's hoof and brought her over to the steps. "They're my cousins here on my father's side."

Dawn dropped back down and adjusted her gym shorts with a tug of the drawstring. Then leaned back to sunbathe while Kia got comfortable with Flurry.

She said, "So, you're short stack's cousin."

"Uhhh... Y-Yeah," Flurry stammered. Then looked down to Dawn for a reaction. She was still Sunbathing with her hooves behind her head as if Kia never said anything. "I live in Equestria. The Crystal Empire. It's a territory under Equestria's name."

Kia leaned back and popped on a pair of sunglasses. "Right, the land of Friendship. Sounds like fujitas if you ask me."

Oh, here she goes. Dawn ordered, "Be nice, Kia. Dusty, say hi."

Fresh Dawn looked up towards the stallion she unfortunately didn't see. But he definitely saw her. His eyes were bigger than the blazing sun on the sky and laser focused straight on her clear blue ice blue eyes. Frozen.

Kia laughed and fawned, "Awww, he's broken. Wake up, Dark!" A random can she threw found itself on his muzzle. He snapped out of his trance and blinked to Flurry Heart. Then looked down to Fresh Dawn grinning up at him with a wink he didn't like at all.

"Ohh uh... H-Hi, I'm Dark," he greeted. Then reached his shaking hoof out and shook hers gently. His voice was cracking but that could be easily overlooked.

Flurry's hum of approval allowed him to relax. "I'm Princess Flurry Heart. Is Dark a common name around here? I think I've heard it a few times."

"Actually yes, it symbolizes a bright future. In fact it is so commonplace that a secondary name is usually added to avoid confusion. I have a secondary name but everyone just calls me Dusty so we don't need to use it. It's short for my last name. Dawn's idea."

Dawn chuckled to the sky and corrected, "So you think. I actually call you Dusty because sometimes you'd randomly fall over and get your coat all... Dusty."

"...is that true?"

Dawn laughed and answered, "Of course not, I'm just ruffling your feathers in front of your—" Kia stuffed a hoof into Dawn's mouth and shook her head. Not this time. He was getting in the zone.

Flurry giggled sweetly and replied happily, "Well now I know a little bit of something about Psera."

Dawn spat out Kia's hoof and warned, "I will bite you next time. So, what are you doing here? Not that I'm opposed or anything."

Flurry watched a bird land on the hot railing of the Skate Park and answered, "I came to talk to you about your mother. I know it's going to be awkward, but Aunt Twilight is a great pony. She's going to be devastated when she realizes all time has passed, but then she'll want to make up for it by being there with her family. That's a great pony."

Dawn couldn't deny morals like that. "I mean yeah, but... Mom and I will not get along."

"Not unless you make an effort. Trust me, I know the feeling. I get along with my mom more than my dad because he's the Captain of the Royal Guard."

"Captain?" Dawn repeated. She knew next to nothing about Equestria, let alone their military. "What's your range in hierarchy?"

"Captain would be behind the top commander in field combat."

"Oh, so he's a Colonel. Cool."

"Yeah." Flurry leaned back next to Dawn and stated, "I see you relate more to the ponies who get down and dirty."

"Yep!" Fresh Dawn jumped up on two hooves and pretended to punch Kia in the face. She didn't jump or move at all. "A little jabbing never killed anyone. A little mud in the rain is good for the soul. And definitely for the wings. I'm in training every seventh day of the week to learn defense."

"I've never heard of any of that."

"You live in Equestria. In Psera, every foal takes up defensive classes in case we're needed in the military. We won't need to learn any training, we can just enlist in case a war breaks out."

Flurry teleported in a crack in front of Dawn and held up a hoof to get her attention. "Well despite that, Aunt Twilight may be a 'nerd.' But that nerd is going to be hanging around you a lot. Dawn, she loves you. The first pony she's going to want to see is you once she gains her sense of reality back. She's going to grab you, hold you tight—"

"I'm already sick."

"—and never let you go. And she's not going to let you leave her sight. And I promise you, you'll both find something you're actually passionate about. I promise. So you better freshen up for tomorrow. It's going to be crazy."

Flurry turned around and teleported back into the castle before she could reply. Disappearing as fast as she came.

Kia turned around towards the glass doors and said, "She's right though." Then looked back to Dawn and gestured to her with her cup. "You need to toughen up, your mother's coming back home and she hasn't been around for ten years. She needs her family, not an annoying pony who complains."

Dawn rolled her eyes but could see where they were coming from. What happened to being excited about her mother, the Greatest Queen Psera has ever had? Her Saviour? She just didn't know.



Dawn couldn't sleep. And not because her father was moving through the halls cleaning up at ten at night. But because her mind was awake. Her book bed was gone by this point and the skies of Psera on her walls were decorated by pictures of her heroes, role models, favorite things. Pictures of herself, her friends, her family. Pictures floating in the dark sky. There was a few of her and her mother when she was around and herself when she was a filly. But not much.

What happened to all of that? What happened to her inspiration? To her dreams of becoming a role model like her mother? Does she even have any career goals? What if her plans for being queen change?

Dawn sighed and turned over with her back to the door. She honestly had a lot to think about. None of that stuff really occurred to her until now. None of it came to mind. But here she was thinking of it hours before she would be seeing her mother. Was it too late?

Dawn closed her eyes and began snoring in less than a minute with her mind on that very thought. It was such a long day. The answers to her question could wait for tomorrow.


~✶~


Today was the day. Dawn was quite certain news of her mother's return had spread through Psera hours before she went to bed. They successfully retrieved her yesterday at around twelve. She's had to have recovered by this time at least a little, right? Gosh, Dawn didn't know.

After she took a shower and dealt with hygiene, Dawn put on a violet and red dress, pulled her long red mane back into its signature ponytail, then walked out her bedroom into her home's new reality. So much change, and it's only eight. Dad's been busy. The living room floor was so shiny it looked like it's been scrubbed with wax. The air smelled of lemons, the kitchen table hosted a vase of dandelions in the center instead of the usual purple and red roses. Strange. And not really wanted.

Dawn walked in with an uncertain ease and called, "Uhhh... Dad?"

"Morning, Sugar Plum!" He walked out from the kitchen wearing his full King outfit made up with his honorary medals, an orange-red suit Dawn has never seen before with a tie, and the happiest of grins on his faces that made this big stallion look silly. "How'd you sleep?"

Dawn moved past him for the fridge in the kitchen to soothe her gurgling stomach. On the counter next to it were a plate of sandwiches. Weird ones she's never seen before.

"I slept fine," she grumbled. "What's going on here?"

Madun walked back over to the counter and explained, "Your mother likes Daffodils, I'm preparing Dandelion Sandwiches if Merry didn't beat me to it yet, and then we're heading out to meet the nine o'clock. Guard!" The front door opened and a Guard stuck his head in. "Has IHT arisen?"

"They're waiting for you in the foyer, sir."

"Thank you." Once the Guard was out, Madun focused his sights back on Fresh Dawn. She was bugged. That smile was upside down. He sighed and said, "I understand this is a lot of change."

"Dad, it's happening too fast." She closed the refrigerator door and turned to face her father with an expression of clear caution. "It's just... A little much."

Madun walked closer and pulled Dawn into that much needed hug she was looking for. Burying his little filly in care and affection.

"I know, Sugar Plum," he whispered. "But I promise it'll be okay. She's a great pony and believe it or not, your mother. She's like you."

Dawn moved out of her father's grip and grumbled, "Yeah, I doubt that." She went back to getting her breakfast and buried that falsified information. There was no way they were relatable.

"Just give her a chance, you'll be surprised at what you find. Now, let's get going." Madun used his wing to swoop a bag of two freshly-made Daisy Sandwiches from the kitchen counter into his hold.

Dawn shook her head to the bag and asked, "Couldn't the hospital have made Daisy Sandwiches for her?"

Madun laughed and repeated, "The Hospital making Daisy Sandwiches. That's a good one, Dawn. They don't know how to make them like how I make them. She'll recognize my food the second she smells them whereas the hospital's would be bland and tasteless. You'll see the difference."



Dawn was right. But it wasn't overnight. It had to be the same hour they actually got her in the hospital. The news had swarmed the castle's halls and the LiVAMs displayed photos and occurrences of the action from yesterday when they managed to get her to the hospital.

But the attention needed to be avoided for now. So everyone was directed to the back where the Pods were. That included the Zebra that made Dawn super uncomfortable. The one whose eyes were definitely burning down on her when they finally arrived.

Flurry's sudden presence on her left seemed to save the day. She pointed to the bag Madun had under his wing and asked, "What's that?"

He smiled to her and answered, "This is the secret weapon. Twilight is going to be upset. Very upset. This is going to calm her down almost instantly. The greatest weapon known to Psera."

Gardeen buzzed her wing to get Dawn's attention from the other side and whispered, "Those are Daisy Sandwiches, aren't they?"

"Yeah. Do they really get her to calm down?"

"They get her to that peaceful level. Like if she's hyper, she'll cool down. And if she's sad she'll perk up. Are you nervous? I know I would be if I were in your shoes."

The Guards at the end of the hall saluted and pushed the doors open for the garage. This area always made Celestia pause and take a gander for maybe half a second before moving on. At all the pods sitting lined up. The shiny wheels with rubber. The smell of the engines. Was it strange to enjoy that? She continued moving for the Grey pods with her own group while the Royalty moved for the much fancier ones.

They were already revved up and ready to move. So the doors for the Fire Family were lifted, they slipped in, they were closed then they pulled off onto the road leading out to Cop and away from the massive castle that was a world in its own.

During the ride, Dawn decided to keep herself hidden from the rest of the world by sinking deep down into the luscious seats. If they saw her, she would be placed up there with her too. Thankfully, the ride onto the highway was uneventful with a full contingent of Elite Guards escorting them peacefully to the hospital. Dawn's expression stayed cold. Relentless to acknowledge the reality until they actually parked their pods in the rear of the hospital.

Then she took a deep breath and stepped out with her father. He placed a wing on her back and walked with her into the rear of the hospital first before everyone else.