How long have they been trotting through these woods? And how long does it go?! After the appearance, they finally entered the Everfree Forest and made tracks for the blue beam. They crossed through dark forests, swam through glowing green lakes, and climbed impossible cliffs to finally reach this point.
A blue glow basked upon their bodies. Standing before a bridge leading over an endless chasm to an abandoned castle. Damaged from age and destruction, it lied lifeless, save for the blue beam creating winds.
Scootaloo was joined by Majority Green. "What is that?"
"I don't know." She raised her Comm Block. "Command, you copy?... Command."
One of the Pserateps walked forward. "Comms are down."
"Arcadia Nova must've taken them out."
"Great." Scootaloo pointed ahead. "Let's continue."
Carefully, they treaded the bridge that thankfully held up all the way to the other side. They walked into the ruins with questions on the Pserateps' minds.
"Ah chala a shoo?"
"What is this place?"
Scootaloo opened the doors and walked in with her team first. "This is the old castle of the two pony sisters. Damaged due to Nightmare Moon. This was before the castle in Canterlot."
"Nightmare Moon?"
"Long story."
They walked out into the courtyard where the beam was placed. Scootaloo held her hoof up to keep the winds back. It seemed to have erupted where a statue used to stand. Still, answers for what it could be have yet to make themselves known.
The Pserateps and soldiers looked at each other before an electric snap came from it. Followed by two more.
"Is it a portal?" Mixed Candies queried.
"I don't know what it is."
An eruption of electric current forced them back behind stone. It had to be a portal. No other reason for it to be snapping like that.
The Captain pointed forward over his rock. "Telma kavra out!"
"Something's coming out!"
Scootaloo squinted her eyes. Those Pserateps have excellent vision. She couldn't see it until finally a silhouette of an Alicorn was made out.
"Ready weapons!" They were raised and pointed to the beam. If a threat stepped out of there then they weren't going to be standing long.
A violet hoof slowly poked out before the rest of the body. A filly with maddeningly long red hair, a crown upon her head, a horn, and long wings soared out as if in slow motion. Strange. On her head and back were two animals and a few books.
Where has Scootaloo seen her before? She was familiar. Really familiar. But from where?
Once her entire body was out, time sped up and she fell facefirst. "Ow, mahnurka!!" Dawn shouted. Was normal magic supposed to hurt?
Juniper jumped off Dawn's back and over to her face. She licked her cheek repeatedly.
"Okay, okay," she said. Dawn sat up and shook dirt off her coat. Then finally took a moment to look around. They seemed to be in some dilapidated structure, broken beyond repair.
The sky was filled with violet overcasting clouds, swirling around an unseen point in the distance. Where were they?
Dawn was quickly joined by Night Life, who too had an unfortunate meeting with the ground. "Wow. Quite the greeting." He popped up and rubbed his cheek before referring to Dawn. "So where are we?"
"I have no clue. What is—"
"PUT YOUR HOOVES UP!!" Scootaloo and the rest finally emerged from their hiding places and approached them with weapon's drawn.
Dawn eeped and quickly did as asked. "What's going on?! Ala tashee, ala tashee!"
"Name! Now!"
"Princess Fresh Veola Dawn! Of Psera!"
What? The Pseratep Captain jabbed his weapon in her direction. "Cal masenyo!! Dawn gorra!!"
"No, Dawn tyle! Dawn tyle, Dawn see! Queen Twilight 'Arcadia Nova' Sparkle is my mother and King Shimmering Madun is my father! We've been trapped in a time pocket but we escaped. I need to see my parents! We are all in danger!"
More creatures began falling out of the portal, backing up their claim. Many more. Dragons, ponies, hippogriffs until the courtyard was full of them. Scootaloo couldn't explain it. Unless it was the truth.
Dawn lowered her hooves. "Let me prove it to you. Take me to mom. She'll know if I'm...wait a minute."
Something was up. She pointed to the Pserateps, then to the Unicorns and Pegasi. Equestria and Psera were working together?!
Dawn met the curious glance of Night Life. He noticed it too. What happened while they were gone?
She looked back to the unit. "Why are you working together? Psera and Equestria aren't allies."
"Arcadia Nova," Scootaloo answered. She pointed to the sky. "She's attacking civilization."
Wait, what?!!! Dawn shouted, "Wait, hold on! What... Why? What's going on?!"
A Pseratep stepped forward and explained. "She's trying to extinguish magic. She's thrown away her crown and stepped down as Queen, escaped Psera, blew through our defenses, and is attacking Equestria as we speak. We've lost ten Aquatas, The Front Lawn has been disabled, our shield has faltered, hundreds of wounded lie on the beach of Las Pegasus, and we fear she's reached Canterlot."
What? No, no, that wasn't what was on the foretelling! Dawn began pacing in front of them. A war between the creatures was supposed to reign. Lead by mom. Not every creature against her! Unless...
Dawn stopped pacing. "...we got the estimation wrong."
Lucky asked, "What?"
Dawn rushed back and grabbed Night Life. She shook him back and forth. "This was her plan!!! All along!!! Mom isn't leading an army, she is the army!!!"
Scootaloo asked, "What are you talking about?!"
Dawn turned around and ordered. "There's no time! Take me to her and she'll stop everything! All of this will come to an end!! She's doing this because she thinks I'm dead; you have to get me to her!!"
They didn't have a lot of time to lose. Too much was at stake to second guess. Scootaloo nodded. "Silent Sound will aid in your escort. This way, Princess."
She turned around and ran back through the door. Dawn was quickly on her hooves, following her through the castle and soon over the bridge into the woods with the rest following them.
That's why the sky was violet. Mom's power was beyond understanding. For her to control even the sky was so fathomable Dawn would've thought it to be a normal thing. But no. She looked to the clouds and watched violet lightning flash, felt the wind pick up. The storm was here. They had to hurry.
Dawn asked, "Is there anyway to speed up?!"
Oh, she wanted speed? Scootaloo smiled and replied, "I thought you'd never ask."
In a snap, Scootaloo lifted her hoof and placed it under Dawn so she "tripped." Dawn flipped through the air and landed on Scootaloo's back, who then jumped up, kicked open her scooter and blazed a fiery path into the forest.
Now they were moving at her speed. Dawn looked back to see the rest be left behind. At least Juniper and Sky Blue clung tight.
"Cool gadget!" Dawn shouted.
"It's not the scooter that makes me this fast!" Scootaloo shouted back. "Although it helps."
They launched over cliffs, bouncing through hills, and soon reaching the front of the Everfree.
"We're coming up on Ponyville!" Scootaloo shouted.
If Dawn was correct then that meant they were close to Canterlot. The ringing of explosions reached her ears. The horrendous sound of fighting between her family.
"...Ponyville should be good."
Scootaloo peered back briefly. "What? Why?"
"I can't get too close, mom probably has a shield or something up. She's furious. It's best we stay back to prevent her from hitting us. But she'll know I'm here, even If I'm as far as Ponyville."
"How?"
"I'm . . . a little different from other ponies."
Yeah, tell that to her freezing back. Something was clearly up with Dawn. As if an ice cube decided to make its home in her flesh. But if she could stop this war, then it didn't matter. She'll carry that ice cube for miles.
Scootaloo burst through the thicket of Everfree and kicked up dirt into the clean air of Ponyville to brake. Or what used to be. Now, a tornado had swept through. Oh mom, what have you done?! Dawn jumped off of Scootaloo's back and walked forward in disbelief. This was such a beautiful town when she was last here and now...
The Pserateps and ponies from the island caught up and met her at the treeline. The Pseratep Captain spoke. "Oscha kalman see?"
"It too qutalman et'soo. Aschella Arcadia it too war." Dawn looked back to the mountain of Canterlot. "But she'll know I'm here."
"How?"
"She always knows. She'll come to us."
Night Life flanked her side. "Finally, I can meet this mother of yours."
And mother can finally meet my angry side, Dawn thought. All of this destruction... How could she fall for Narmeelah's plan like this?! How could... Narmeelah...
Dawn whipped back around and eyed their group. "Night... Where is Shaoloh?"
Uh oh. Night Life scanned the crowd. "Yeah, she escaped. We really should've seen that coming."
It doesn't matter. If Shaoloh is free, then she's going to Narmeelah. She'll lead them straight to her. Dawn looked back to Canterlot. A connection was made. Dawn could feel it. "She knows."
Suddenly, the damage of Ponyville was repaired. Buildings, structures, the debris floated back into their rightful places and repaired themselves. As if a battle never blew through. The clouds began to part, letting in the noon sun, shining down upon them specifically.
There she is, the large violet wings desperately flapping in her direction followed closely by a storm of military behind her. Her presence was enough for Dawn's party to back away in fear. Even Night Life, ever eager to meet her. But Dawn had yet to move. She would hold her ground.
Twilight's scabbard met the ground first before she followed shortly. Bruised and dirty, she met her Daughter's eyes with disbelief. "...Dawn?"
Dawn swallowed and asked in a hush. "...Mom, what are you doing?"
"DAWN!!" Twilight teleported Dawn into her hooves and held her close. "My baby, my baby's alive, Dawn!!" She placed kiss after kiss upon her cheek, uncaring to the military surrounding her.
But Dawn wasn't having it. She fought her way out her mother's hooves and dropped to her own. "Mom, what did you do?! Where is dad?!"
The smile upon Twilight's face fell. She whipped around and pulled Dawn underneath her, glaring at the military with wings spread. "Not now, Dawn! We have to get out of here!"
"What?! No!"
Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart quickly teleported into the fray. "You are not leaving of your own free will, Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia shouted. "You have proven yourself to be a threat to all creatures everywhere!!"
Dawn pushed her way out between her mother's legs and settled between the two of them. "Okay, everypony needs to relax!!"
Her words went unheard. "Only because magic has proven itself to be a threat for generations!"
"And you thought killing us, your family, would help rectify that?!" Shining Armor retorted.
"Clearly it was a start in the right direction!"
"Could everyone shut up?!!" Dawn screamed. All yelling ceased and focused on the little filly beneath them. Dawn pointed up to Twilight. "Mom, what did you do?! Where is dad?!"
"Your father is dead, Dawn!"
Dawn quieted. "... What?" She whispered.
"The Zebras planted a bomb in the castle throne room and it took your father's life." Twilight looked back up and glared at Celestia. "But do not worry. They will harm us no longer."
"Tell her the truth, Twilight!" Luna shouted. "Tell her it's because you blew them all up!! And then tried to get us to hand over those we rescued!!"
Dawn shouted, "You did what?!!"
Twilight pointed accusingly at all of them. "Well what should I have done, since you're so wise! Let IHT handle it? What exactly would they do to the country that has nothing and does nothing in IHT?! There are no trading relationships to cut, no sanctions to place!! It was Psera's right to attack after they slaughtered all of my ponies, and not just Madun. They—"
She never finished. A bright ray of white originating from Canterlot speared into Twilight. She jolted and twitched before falling to the ground unconscious.
Before Dawn could rush to her side, she was encased in a golden bubble and levitated over to the side of Equestria and Psera.
Dawn beat against it. "MOM!! MOM—Let me out of here! Let me out right now!!"
Celestia met her desperate expression with a steeled one. In the background, Twilight was quickly surrounded. "I'm sorry, Dawn. But your mother is being arrested on crimes against ponykind. We're going to take you in for now."
"No! No, you can't do this! Mom, wake up!!" Luna and Cadance quickly worked together encasing Twilight in magical chains and rubbed. "No, stop, please stop!!
They didn't. Once Twilight was encased, they quickly lifted her and carried her over the trees of Everfree Forest. "No! No, no, bring her back!! She's all I have left!!"
Celestia turned to Shining Armor. "We'll take Dawn to her Grandparents. Canterlot is no place for a filly right now. Keep the woods and the airspace sealed off. Flurry, come with me."
Celestia, along with half of Psera's guards turned and walked into Ponyville before Shining could say anything else.
"No, you can't do this!! Mom!! Mom!!" But no matter how hard she cried out, no matter how hard she beat against Celestia's bubble, Dawn witnessed the parting of her family. She witnessed the fighting between her mother and her home country. She witnessed the destruction of any relationship Equestria would have with Psera founded on peace. Instead, it would be founded on the imprisonment of her mother.
The seas were calmed once more. But were they safe to travel? Were they safe to sit on the beaches of Merōl and paddle a pair of hooves through the splashing waves? This little filly thought so. The one with no care to the horrors around her, sitting alone on the edge of a seemingly endless ocean. What was out there, she wondered? What lied beyond her home, this magnificent place of technology and riches? The one where she can dress up in the finest of clothes and walk around as if this were her kingdom?
It was none of her concern. All she wanted to focus on was this strange clam that kept opening its mouth when she tapped it. The waves would cover it then it would shut its mouth. But when she'd tap it, pop! It would open again! Cool, wait until mom saw this! She picked it up with her mouth but instantly spat it back out. Gross, salty! But she must try.
She bent low and picked it back up again. The taste was awful, but it was there. Now she could carry it.
She raised her head back up, ready to turn around and fly back to the house. But the clam dropped from her mouth again, but this time because she allowed it. The tallest pony she's ever seen stood before her, staring expressionless. A pony with a glowing green coat, an orange-red mane flowing with a wind she herself couldn't feel, and icy-blue eyes filled with the universe. This filly could see all of it. The stars, planets, knowledge she didn't know previously poured into her.
"Be wise, my child," Narmeelah spoke down to her.
She stepped over her, walking into Merōl with that filly's eyes watching her back. Her coat gradually changed into a darker green, her mane to a normal straight style, her eyes a dark blue. Her height shrunk to that of a regular mare until Mimi took her place.
Ah, the beauty of Psera. The scent of peace wafted into her nose. But the corruption, it was still there. She could feel it. She could see it, the magic flying through the air, creeping through the ground. Arcadia Nova has infected this world, and it all began here.
A tap to the hoof pulled Mimi's eyes down to look into the filly's. They were wide with excitement, staring up into the eyes of her creator.
"Do not worry." She ran a hoof through her mane, petting her gently. "All of this will be fixed shortly. Just give it time."
It felt good to be home.