//------------------------------//
// Chapter 60 - Vague Twilight 
// Story: Twilight Daylight: Psera, The Legend of Legends 
// by thedarktome 
//------------------------------//

The elevator ride back down to the third floor was silent. Molten's story had done a number on Flurry's mindset. Her thoughts. War was a dangerous time. Equestria had been through plenty of wars. But never in a lifetime did they witness the loss of lives during the times.

Cadance took a deep sigh and whispered, "I feel like we know a little too much about Psera now."

Celestia shook her head and glared at the elevator. "I fear we do not know enough. Psera is a Legend. A Legend hosting Legends. Twilight is one of them. Holding secrets." The elevator slowed to the third floor and dinged open to the quiet halls. Then they took a step out among the silence.

"We've been waiting for you." Celestia looked directly to her right, into the faces of Gardeen and Twilight. Twilight was holding a large book with a furry cover. And Gardeen couldn't be looking anymore serious. They walked past them for Twilight's office and ordered, "Follow me, please. I want to speak to you all. Privately."

They shared an unsure glance. Whatever she wanted, it was ominous. Then followed after Queen Arcadia and Gardeen down the hall. They got off on the throne room floor. The quietest floor as of yet. There were guards up here taking up post and saluting when Queen Arcadia passed. But other than that, it was silent.

Arcadia looked to Gardeen and told her, "I need to exercise soon. I fear I'm out of shape. A decade late, am I right?"

Late? Gardeen shook her head in amusement and answered, "You're more than fit, Arcadia. I remember in the past you used to spar with Madun on the training grounds."

Sparring. Great memories. "Does Dawn spar with her friends?"

"She does with Kia. They have the same training classes."

Twilight nodded and replied, "Erikia Farue. Orphan. Lives in an institution in Downtown Cop, thanks to the war that arrived on Psera soil. It will never happen again. I will always make sure of it." She used her magic to push both sets of her office doors open. They could see the grass and light coming out of the room. Flurry couldn't help but feel slightly scared of the silence. The only motion was the playground in front of the office. There was a little swing there squeaking back and forth by an unseen force. Strange.

They soon stepped hoof onto the grass making up Queen Arcadia's office floor. A space Flurry gawked at. A home Queen Arcadia found comforting. They stopped in the middle of the room while she strode behind her desk. Shining thought she was going to sit in her chair. But she instead slid open a wooden drawer and pulled out what was definitely a key, then walked over to her bookcase. How she knew it was even there after all these years was a mystery. They were vaguely aware of the doors slowly shutting behind them. But their minds were more focused on whatever it was Twilight wanted to talk about.

"Magic is strong," she started off. She lifted the key in her magic so it was out of the way and pressed her right hoof against a specific book. No point in hiding it now since everyone now knew it was here. The bookcase shimmered, then pushed out like a door. Their eyes were glued to it when it moved. "Magic is fluid, magic is beautiful. But if misused, magic is fatal. Get in."

They looked at her oddly but did take careful steps inside. Followed by the Queen then Gardeen. They all faced the outside before the bookcase shut, then a rune activated before the elevator dropped. They had to grip the floor again at the speed. Twilight admitted over her shoulder, "I am guilty of misusing magic, yes. I am guilty of using Dark Magic. To prevent bad events... Sometimes you must resort to the dark side."

Shining sighed from directly behind and asked, "You of all ponies know the repercussions and consequences of Dark Magic. So why use it?"

When the elevator slowed, Twilight looked behind her and glowered at Shining. "Because I didn't want to lose my firstborn daughter. Or my citizens." Once the elevator was in the hall, Twilight walked out first with that key in her magical hold before the rest of them. They could see the tunnel they took to get here before on their left. Deep and dark.

Twilight stopped at the doors and explained as a scientist and Queen, "I use all of my knowledge, research, and resources to protect my country. I would do whatever it takes to protect my home, and my children living in it." Twilight grabbed the handles on both doors and threw them open. They were met with darkness once more before the lights flashed on when they walked in. Twilight's lab was trashed. The membrane was everywhere. Spikes in the ceiling, through the tables, through technology, through the walkways.

But she picked her family up in her magic and carried them down into it all with a flap of her wings. She landed them gently on the ground floor in the middle of the actual lab, then landed herself further ahead in front of her control panel on the smooth tile floors. She flapped her wings to disperse all of the dust they didn't get a day ago and climbed into her chair. The passage of time was so evident here. She looked back to them and whispered, "That's why I make all of my weapons. And spells."

She lowered the key down into the control panel and inserted it into a spot bearing a keyhole they didn't see before. Then the control board flashed once before she twisted it.

From behind the group came a click then a whirring that attracted their eyes. A glass tube holding a large purple orb rose up out of one of these machines in this laboratory. Immediately, the membrane surrounding them came back to life and soared straight for it. The ponies screamed and took cover before they could impale it, But they never did. They froze an inch away from it. Sharp points aiming straight for it.

Twilight carefully lifted the orb in her magic and levitated it slowly back towards the prison. The ponies with her slowly rose back to their hooves and took deep breaths to calm their beating hearts. She threw it inside followed quickly by the membrane and immediately started pressing buttons. Pulling faders, adjusting sliders. The portal began spinning again. But this time began closing too. It took less than a minute then it was all shut down. The room was back to normal. Their gems were glowing on the edges. The front was painted with lines of energy.

Twilight grabbed the gems and floated them back down to rotate around her and her chair. Then she swiveled around and said, "I learned Dark Magic and created advanced weaponry because I knew something bad was going to happen. And is going to happen."

Gardeen walked towards the control panel and asked, "What are you talking about, Arcadia?"

Queen Arcadia looked to Gardeen but glanced to her family. "I am aware that you all have been concerned about my keeping of secrets. My 'strange' activity and behavior. But I assure you I have my reasons." She raised a hoof before a word could leave Cadance's mouth. "Do not try to deny it. I am the Queen of a military nation, I know when something's amiss. Now I urge you to stop poking around. Because you won't like what you learn."

Celestia sighed and said, "Alright, Twilight. We'll stop scoping out Psera's secrets. Now are you feeling alright? I don't think you would have brought us down here to tell us that."

Twilight spun her chair around and answered, "Of course not. That would be a waste of time and energy. This is why I brought you down here." She reached her hoof out to her right and used her magic to grab a single book on a specific shelf. It floated through the air and into her hoof. Then she formally held it out to them from her chair. "A gift. For helping release me."

A gift? Luna strode forward first before the rest and took the book out of her hooves. It was black and had barely any text on it save for the number on the side. In Old Pseratopian. Luna flipped it open and read the first line. "Twilight... Is this Dark Magic?" She blandly asked.

She slowly nodded and admitted, "It is."

"I'm afraid we can't accept this, Twilight." She closed it and held it back out, but Twilight gently pushed it back with love and care.

"Keep it," she pressed. "You will need it. And very soon."

Uh oh, Twilight the Vague returns once more. Shining sighed and blandly complained, "So you tell us not to go searching for secrets. Then you tease us with another one."

"I'm not teasing." Twilight jumped out of her chair and walked forward with Gardeen. "I'm warning you that something is coming. No teasing whatsoever. You just need to be prepared. Like how Psera is being prepared."

Cadance pressed a hoof against her forehead when she was near and assumed, "You seem to have rising temperatures again. I think you should go home and get some rest."

"Although I am tired, it is not because I need rest. Now trust me. You will need this way more than I do. I memorize all of my spells, and Dawn won't be learning this set." Twilight held them in her magic and flew with all of them back up to the walkways. Then teleported all of them back up to her office. The elevator would rise by itself.

Once they were in her office on warm solid grass, Twilight led them back out the doors into the peace of the castle, and used her magic to shut them behind her. "What exactly do you mean?" Celestia asked.

Twilight looked over to her brother and nuzzled him under the chin. "I mean something is coming. And possibly the only way to stop the threat is with Dark Magic. That is all I can say for now."

Celestia shared a concerned glance with the rest of the Princesses then back on Twilight. "Now I have to get my rest," she said. She sighed with the weight of the world and replied, "Tomorrow is Monday, I believe. Psera's busiest day of the week. Unlike Equestria, Psera has a total of nine days for a work week. And Monday is the busiest. I think Madun works on Mondays still, right Gardeen?"

Gardeen corrected, "Well he works for six days approximately. So yes."

Twilight hummed and said, "Madun needs his rest. And something to eat. I have to head home. Gardeen?"

Gardeen bowed her head and replied, "I'll see them where they need to go."

Twilight nodded and nuzzled her behind her right ear with love. "I'm so happy you're okay," she whispered. "I don't know what I would do if you were hurt while I was resting."

Gardeen rolled her eyes underneath Twilight's head and whispered, "Twilight, I'm in my thirties, I'm not a filly anymore."

Twilight giggled softly and replied softly, "Oh Gardeen... You will always be a filly to Madun and I."

Gardeen smiled gladly and returned the nuzzle. As clear as it was all the time, Gardeen was pretty much Twilight's second foal. She was always looking out for her. A shoulder she needed to cry on when things got hard at home, another friend when needed the most. The wisest of all Pserateps whenever she had a deep question. It tore her heart when she didn't return back home from Equestria a decade ago. "Thanks, Twilight," she whispered.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." Twilight removed herself from Gardeen and trotted away. "Please escort them back to... Wherever they were headed before. And Gardeen?"

"Yes?"

Twilight stopped at a corner and looked over her shoulder with that look that pushed a cold shiver down Celestia's spine. "When the stars are at their highest tonight."

Right, the message. "Of course," Gardeen replied. Then without so much as a wink, Twilight teleported away. The stars she left behind twinkled to the floor before they moved forward again.

Flurry broke the awkward silence by commenting, "You and Aunt Twilight seem to be really close."

"Without your Aunt..." Gardeen looked over to her. "I wouldn't be where I am today. We're more than close. We're family."



Another night in Psera. The stars were high and crickets were chirping the nights away. Most of the ponies here were sleeping. Giving up the world for their dreams except for those who needed to work nights.

But Celestia and Luna couldn't. Luna because she was up taking care of dreams in Equestria. And Celestia... Because she simply couldn't. Everything was just too confusing to rest on. Therefore she lied awake. Everything was quiet. It's been so long since she was in a standard bed. So long that she's forgotten what it was like to be average. A normal working class citizen of a nation.

Her open bedroom window allowed her room to be bathed in all the lights Psera had to offer from outside. Most of them were clearly made with magic. Twilight. She was practicing Dark Magic.

Celestia sighed and rolled her body over to face the door to try and rest. But her mind wouldn't let her. Twilight. Now that she was back, things would get exciting. Interesting. Dangerous.

A light knock on her door perked up Celestia's ears. Who would make a visit like this late at night? She stifled a yawn and pulled herself out from the warmth of her covers. Then set her cool hooves on the floor and strode towards it. Maybe it was an emergency. Maybe it was Flurry. Maybe... It was just Novo. Standing there with one of Psera's delicacies and a goofy grin. She wasn't wearing her royal attire. Instead, opted for her coat and feathers.

She whispered, "Did you know the cafeteria downstairs offers late night snacks? Now that is what I call luxury."

Celestia couldn't help but crack a smile at Novo's late night silliness. Only she could get her to at least chortle at this hour. But she knew what she wanted. So Celestia stepped to the side and allowed her entry.

After the door shut, Novo walked over to her open window and informed, "A little birdie has told me you could not sleep."

Luna. Who else knows that? Celestia sighed and walked over to the other side of the bed to stand next to Novo in front of her open window. The moonlight bathed both of them in a cool off-blue glow. A glow that highlighted both of their features sharply like a high quality photograph. Celestia replied, "Well Luna was more than likely attempting to poke into my dreams. And since there were none, then she made assumptions."

They both gazed silently outside the window at Psera. Even at night it looked alive. The new CPC had an electronic display on the surface displaying an animation of a Pseratep sleeping. But there were still some Pserateps flying around out there. They could see them from way up here on the third floor of the castle. It may as well be the tenth. One floor was equivalent to three.

Novo passed over the food she grabbed from the cafeteria to Celestia and wrapped a wing around her. "It's been quite the day, hasn't it?" She asked.

Celestia couldn't deny it. Twilight just returned and it feels like an investigation was being commenced. Not to mention, Dawn's body. It was crazy how much has transpired within twenty-four hours. Let alone two days. The shootout in the lower levels, Twilight waking up, Dawn being made from Dark Magic. Celestia smirked and answered, "That means things are back to normal. For something not to happen proves that... Twilight brings life everywhere she goes."

"Speaking of her..."

Celestia knew what she wanted to hear. She nodded and replied, "She is in fact hiding something. And it concerns me of what it is. Even Her Majesty sees it. And Twilight herself has confirmed that she knows something that has her scared."

Novo moved her gaze from the Pserateps flying by to Celestia on her right. "Scared?" She repeated.

"That's why she's creating so many weapons. The Mecrah Portal is one of them. And now..." Celestia glanced up to Novo with quivering eyes. A look nopony has ever seen on her. "I fear what she thinks is so strong that a weapon like Railer One must be used to defeat it. Along with even more weapons we have yet to encounter or witness."



Ten o'clock. Showtime. Dawn was fast asleep right now. Good. She didn't need to see this. Once the time was approximately ten, Twilight's eyes snapped open and trained on the glass cabinet holding Madun's crown. Dawn had hers in her room in a lock very similar.

Twilight used her left rear hoof to nudge Madun once. Then slipped out from underneath the bed's dark covers to stretch. The floor under her hooves was chilly. Not too cold, but frigid enough that she had to slip her hooves into some insulated hoof shoes before she moved any further.

Madun's voice reached her ears by the time she had on one of her many nightgowns. An old red one with small sparkles on the edges. "Mmm, is it time already?" He grumbled.

Oh how he hates getting up. It made Queen Arcadia smile. She missed his complaints of late night work. She walked over to his side with his crown and robe. "It is," she replied. Her magic pulled out his crown and coat. "Get dressed. I have to proof Dawn's room."

After he had what he needed, Arcadia stepped out of their room into the hallway for Dawn's a few feet up on the right. There she was. Sleeping silently away. Most of the walls had been covered in pictures and posters of teen infatuations. Including some singer from somewhere. Twilight had something similar when she was younger. Except of Starswirl the Bearded and Celestia. Who knew she'd get to call these role models her friends.

Queen Arcadia silently walked into Dawn's room amidst a spell used to keep out her noise. She would use this spell when Dawn was much younger. When she and Madun were... More intimate. To keep the noise down.

After the spell was applied, she began applying layer upon layer of spells on the walls displaying night outside and pictures below. The wall glowed for a few seconds before it faded. Complete protection.

Madun walked in behind her wearing a black and red housecoat and glanced around the room. Besides Dawn's awkward sleeping position, everything looked the same. He whispered, "Is it set?"

Twilight nodded and replied, "The most she would feel is a small headache. Nothing major."

"It would still be an alien feeling." Twilight glanced over to him with a sense that she was missing something. "I'll tell you on the way."

Twilight nodded and blew a small kiss to land on Dawn's snoring body. Then walked with Madun through the dark living room out the front door of the suite.

The guards stationed graciously bowed with spread wings towards their royalty. "Good evening, Your Majesties," one greeted. And based off of her ranking, she was a Sergeant. A Pseratep with a dark blue coat similar to Luna, and a short mane. "Welcome home, Queen Arcadia. The entirety of Psera grieved in your absence."

Arcadia stuffed down an impending yawn and replied, "It feels good to be back. Is the castle quiet?"

She straightened up and saluted. "Yes, ma'am. We haven't heard any chatter. The castle is clear."

Good. They didn't need any ears. Madun led the way with Twilight following shortly behind for the hall of offices. It felt like only last week she walked through these halls with books hovering in her magic behind her. But now she could see small changes. Barely noticeable except to her.

When they stepped into the hall, Madun leaned over into Twilight's ear and whispered, "After your memorial service a decade ago, on the exact same day, in the exact same hour... Dawn got her cutie mark."

Twilight freezing stopped their progression. Her wide eyes slowly moved from the hall to Madun. "...what?" She whispered.

"Dawn got her cutie mark two days after you disappeared," Madun repeated. "I freaked out a bit but your family from overseas knew what it was. They pointed me to the crusaders."

Fond memories when he said that name. Memories that placed a smile on her face. "Ahh, the Cutie Mark Crusaders. When they were much younger they caused so much trouble in Ponyville."

Madun smirked and continued leading Twilight towards their destination. "Yes, well they told me what her cutie mark meant."

Oh boy. Here we go. Twilight glanced his way and asked, "And what is that?"

"...to create life."

Twilight just kept walking as a response. She had a feeling that it was something like that. The stuffed dolls lying around her bedroom snoring were a clear indication that Dawn had something the world had never seen before.

She had abilities that her own mother hasn't seen before.

They kept quiet when they walked past the guest bedrooms. The guest bedrooms that Twilight started scanning with her magic. Specifically one. Madun sighed and rolled his eyes to her nagging. He knew what she wanted. "Twilight," he lightly scolded. "She is innocent."

Twilight kept scanning but did slowly walk when Madun placed a wing on her back. "Until I find something," she replied. "I know none of you believe me, and I know I said I'd give her a chance. But there is something about Queen Tarsafani that I just don't trust."

Madun shook his head and decided to just let her scan. She was going to do it anyway. "And just what is that?" He asked.

Twilight cut her scanning and stopped in front of the guarded defense room's doors. She looked to the ground and admitted. "I'm... Not sure. But I know a bad feeling when I get it. I just got back, Madun. I have no just reason to feel anything bad about her. I just met her, you're right."

Twilight glared at him. "Therefore you should know that if I feel something off, it should be cause for alarm. I'm not sick, I'm not tired. I just know that something is wrong. Now. Let's have this meeting." Twilight faced the doors and used her magic to quietly push them open.

The technology inside the Castle's defense room was warm and ready to roll. Twelve seats were occupied with members of highly important parties. Secretary Manny who hasn't changed a bit, Director Foresight, Bright Gold in a robe of her own, Her Majesty Molten Ice, and Generals Bold Shoulder of the Force Guard, Neon Lightning of the Aqua Guard, Mack Land of the Aerial Guard, and Admiral Shooting Star of the Coast Guard. Along with many others.

The walls of the room held LiVAMS of live feeds of Serl and the different cities of Psera. Including notable locations such as Events at Eventa, the castle, Lavender Hall, and a few PDS obelisks outside of Psera. Currently changing colors from white to Purple.

Those inside stood up when they walked in and bowed deeply. "Greetings, your majesties," Secretary Manny greeted. "Welcome home, Queen Arcadia. Your sacrifice has not been forgotten."

Queen Arcadia nodded to all of them and walked for her seat on the furthest side with Madun. "Please rise, my friends," she requested. "I feel as if I saw you all only yesterday. Dawn's maturity tells me otherwise."

She shared a loving hug with Secretary Manny and the rest of the ponies along the way before she dropped into her seat with Madun. He ordered, "You may all be seated." 

Once they were down and the door was shut, the lights in the room lowered and a 3D image of Serl appeared in the middle of the table between them. Stranded in the middle of nowhere with no source of survival in sight. Once it was up, Director Foresight began the meeting.

"Before Arcadia Nova was Queen, let alone Lady in Waiting, she approached us with a question: Is it in our knowledge to wipe out magic temporarily? Our answer was uncertain. We've never had to try that before, nor had a real reason to. Psera was barely even aware of magic when she asked this question. But with her assistance, Serl assisted in silence."

Bright Gold took over from across him, "At this moment, only a small hoof of ponies know the details of the project, let alone the name." The 3D image of Serl was replaced with an image of a large weapon. Large enough that it was compared to sit on one of Psera's Aquatas and be half as long. It was white, smooth, and oh so futuristic. In the form of a flat cannon.

Director Foresight explained, "Creating the weapon was a challenge since developing the actual hardware was the simple part. We had to learn about Magic through Queen Arcadia herself and in-field study before she disappeared. Magic is a different form of Radio Waves. But less than dangerous unless emitted in large sudden quantities. As a matter of fact, it's less harmless than sunlight itself. so we treated it as we treated UV rays to keep it from bouncing around."

Director Foresight stared at Queen Arcadia with a request in his eyes. A request granted with a wave of her hoof. And with a button press, Queen Arcadia was displayed with a smile and wings up and out. Cutie mark, face, all on display. "Queen Arcadia gave us permission to study her and how her body reacts when magic is being used and we learned that her fur is even more responsive than her actual horn."

Now that Twilight didn't know. Interesting. She leaned in with narrowed eyes and clasped her hooves together in front of her face to listen even closer. "Before Twilight uses her magic, her fur seems to vibrate and shift." The image of Twilight turned into a heat sensing mix of red and blue. When her horn turn red, the rest of her body did too. Only brighter.

Director Foresight told everyone, "Her Highness is a simple variable that we used as a base. As of this moment, she is the second most powerful pony known to exist, behind Narmeelah. We built upon that base by discreetly monitoring our friends from overseas. Just as you requested, Your Majesty."

Twilight slowly nodded. Spying would not go over well. But this was science they needed. Twilight was replaced by four different ponies: Celestia, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity.

"The weapon only affects ponies with horns by releasing a sound wave loud enough to disturb the coat of a pony. A white noise with another frequency bearing a sound below ten kilohertz. Highly compressed and saturated, they'd feel it for nearly one hundred miles. The sound alone scrambles the magic in the air, relinquishing control for a minimum of an hour, to a maximum of three days. The magic around is scrambled along with radio signals, lights, and anything else outside the body.

"Inside the body, the flow of magic is decayed. Since it doesn't receive direct interference thanks to the protection of the body, it slowly decays away to a substance so small it can't be used. At its strongest..." The red around Celestia and Rarity shrunk down so low it seemed to be a dot. "And at its weakest." It grew bigger to dim red, but not as bright as before.

Twilight nodded and requested, "Is the demonstration ready?"

Bright Gold nodded and replied, "Yes, ma'am. But we must step outside. The feeds will go out and we won't be able to see the affect."

"Of course." The room stood up and left their seats to follow Director Foresight and Bright Gold out the door. The halls of the COTG were dark with barely any lights present. The Guards on their night shift saluted when they turned left for a location further down the hall until they reached a staircase hidden in the wall. The climb up to the roof was uneventful, but the air outside was well worth it.

The skies of Psera were bright with light and flowing with her magic. An honor that made her smile. Once the door back into the castle was shut, and the light from inside was cut, Director Foresight faced Cop and made a gesture out to it. At all the lights, the highways, the streets, and the silence.

"Now the power may go out with the magic," he said. "Through our testing, we noticed the power would blink at strange intervals. No power, and no magic. At the strongest and weakest, there's no estimation."

The rest exchange nods. A few hours without power was okay. Most of the world was sleep by this time. So Twilight nodded and gave him the signal. He nodded back and lifted a Comm Block up to his mouth. "Castle to Serl, you're a go. We'll see you in the morning."

"This is Serl, ten-four. We're launching... Now. Good night, director." Then the line was cut and all eyes scanned the City of Cop. Twilight decided to bring out a subject to be tested on. A small plastic cup she stashed inside of her robe on the way out of the Suite, held a few feet away.

At first nothing happened. The city was still bright and beautiful. Then Twilight's magic around the cup disappeared at the same time a rolling blackout swept over Cop. All lights gradually cut from left to right starting on the east side of the Mountain Ring towards the left. The stars of energy blanketing the land were replaced with the cool sweeping darkness taking over Cop. Just enough to be darker than the sky. The moon provided light, albeit mediocre. Besides that, Psera was as dark as First Light's coat.

Queen Arcadia smiled and nodded. "...perfect."