Twilight Daylight: Dawn of Equus

by thedarktome

Chapter 01 - What Is Home?

Another morning, another mourning. But this time there was a reason. Hunger reached Dawn's stomach. She rose with the sun and bathed herself. Her thoughts traveled back to Night Life and Lucky. What happened to them? It would be nice to see a friendly face. After seeing how everyone was treating each other, seeing them would make her feel better.

Dawn quickly got herself to face the day. She brushed her coat and placed her Tiara upon her head. Then walked down the stairs and into the kitchen where Velvet was cooking and Grandpa was reading the newspaper. There on the front page was a shot of Containment and the headline, "Tyrant Defeated." Her blood boiled. How dare they...

Velvet noticed her first and smiled gently. "Good morning, sweetie."

Dawn wasn't nearly as enthusiastic. "Good morning, grandma."

Velvet walked around and planted a kiss on her head before sliding breakfast before her. "Cadance told me that Princess Merry was going to be dropping by this morning with some news."

Yay. Dawn couldn't wait for her to show up after being absent this entire time. She ate in silence before a knock pulled Night Light from his reading. He set the paper down and walked around Dawn for the door.

He pulled it open and came face-to-face with Merry Fire and two Guards. "Ah, good morning. Come in."

"Thank you." Merry and her entourage walked through and locked eyes on Dawn. Well, at least her back. "Good morning, Dawn."

Dawn turned around and faced Merry with sadness. She knew what she was scared of. They all were. She walked to the table and pulled Dawn into a warm hug.

"I know," she said. "They won't understand, okay? None of them will. But we're going to help you move along. Now that the castle's modifications are done, we're going to head back to Psera. Anchor's up at eleven."

What time was it now? Ten, according to an overhead clock. They had an hour. And modifications?

"What modifications?" Dawn queried suspiciously.

"After the attack, all of us had to move to Safe Haven while the castle underwent repairs." That wasn't what she was asking. Merry knew it. "And a few things off your mother's were seized. That had to take some time. Grandma gave us the okay to come home."

"What did they take?" Merry didn't answer. "They took her spell books. Didn't they?" She still didn't answer. Dawn walked back to her seat and continued to eat her breakfast. "As if they're trying to control my life already."

Merry sat down in a seat next to her. "I know it's going to be hard, but we're going to move on as best as we can."

"What about mom?"

"Once Equestria has control of your mother, they're going to proceed with the trial. I'm sure you'll see her again then."

"You know, they're stealing her magic. Both Psera and Equestria are stealing the very thing that saved their lives so many times over." She wouldn't listen. They didn't care. No one did.

She was no longer hungry. Dawn's utensil dropped onto the ceramic plate. She scooted the chair back, dropped back to the floor and walked for the stairs. "I'll get my things."

Merry watched her before she was out of sight. She turned to her Grandparents. "It's going to be tough."

Velvet sat next to Night Light. "Maybe they should let Dawn stay here at least near her mother."

It was merely a dream. Merry shook her head at. "She has to come back to Psera. They're too close. It's for Dawn's safety."

"Alright. I'm ready." They turned back to the staircase where Dawn trotted down with a book in her hooves, Juniper on her back and Sky Blue on her head.

Merry stood and nodded to the grandparents. "Thank you for watching her. We'll see you at the trial?"

"We're thinking about it," Night Light replied.

What? Dawn faced them in disbelief. "You're not going?"

Velvet sighed and stated, "We don't want to see our filly be locked away forever."

"Yeah, I don't want to see my mother be imprisoned either, but I'm still going because I know that I'm nearly the only support she has left of this world." She turned and glared at Merry. "Everyone else seems to have forgotten the sacrifices she's made for all of us."

Dawn walked past her out the door before she could respond. Nothing they could say would defend their stance. Merry nodded to Night Light and Velvet before following her. It was going to be a long trip.

---

Containment's silence allowed Twilight to think. Lying on her side, staring blankly at whatever lied in front of her. With her own brother as her warden, things were not looking up. Her magic was leaving her. She could feel her wings shrinking, her size diminishing. Under the lights of this prison, she was dying.

But her mind, that stayed clear and sharp. They thought she would just let them use her? Allow them to steal her power and her filly? Fools. They would learn the hard way that nothing could control her. Everything that she's given them can be taken away.

The doors opened and Celestia walked in. Her steps reverberated off the walls. "Dawn is heading back to Psera," she said. "Her Majesty Molten Ice and the rest will be watching over her for now."

Celestia sat down and looked into Twilight's eyes. Tired, but furious. "How dare you," she said. "How dare you take my daughter from me."

"Dawn isn't safe with you."

"She could be nowhere safer than by my side. At least I am willing to sacrifice my own life for her and my ponies. What have you done?"

Celestia would not fall to her words. "In a few days, we'll be holding your trial. I'm expecting a sentence to Tartarus."

"So that's where you place the ponies who saved your life." Twilight weakly sat up and pulled the heavy chains across the floor so she was staring into her former teacher's eyes. "Now I see how far Equestria has fallen. Go ahead and pull my daughter from this star-forsaken country. Even your own sun frowns upon you and your actions."

"Says the pony who attacked her home in cold blood."

"Well this pony is the same one that saved Equus two times over, losing both her family and respect at the same time while supplying you sanctuary. So go ahead, curse me to a life of solitude. But riddle me this: when that darkness comes, the one that I have been following for years whilst the rest of you live your happy lives, who will save you when my magic and myself say no more?"

Celestia rose back upon her hooves and turned around for the door. She was done.

"Go ahead!" Twilight shouted. "Walk away! Walk out that door with your head held high! Walk out that door like you've achieved the impossible! I hope you can keep that look when Narmeelah rises from the sea and renders your home and ponies to dust at the wave of a hoof! You'll need me then, AND I WILL SAY NO!"

---

There it was, Aquata Zero. One boat amongst a fleet at sea watching from Equestria's shores to ensure mom didn't escape. Dawn was tired of the reminders. Defenses on the beach were thrown about, Aerial Guard flew through the sky watching the ground for anything strange, and weaponry from the Aquatas were aiming straight for Containment.

And here Dawn was, a product of this madness. The pony stuck in the middle with no clue on what to do except to move forward towards Aquata Zero's entrance outlined by Princess Cadance, Luna, IHT's heads, Flurry Heart, and even the Legends of Psera.

Cadance quickly swept Dawn into a hug. "Everything is going to be okay—"

Dawn shoved her way out of Cadance's hold and dropped back to the ground. "No it won't!" she shouted. "Does it look like everything is going to be okay?! Because when I look behind me, I see the prison for my mother and the caution of the same ponies I thought I could fit in with; and when I look forward I see the grave of my father and the distrust and fear of my country. I'll be lucky to walk off this Aquata onto Psera without getting something thrown at me."

"Dawn—"

"I don't want to talk to any of you. Go buck yourselves." Dawn trotted up the stairs and into Aquata Zero, uncaring to their gazes tracking her. She wanted to hit something. To break something so bad. Nothing was going to be okay, no matter what they said. So she walked the halls, coming up to the Royal Chambers. She walked past the guards, opened the doors and slammed then behind her.

Merry could hear the bang from outside. "Dawn's already had a few issues with anger growing up. Therapy helped. So we'll try it again. Thank you all for your assistance."

Flurry Heart asked, "Dawn is going to be okay, right?"

"We'll be watching out for her. But things won't be the same back on Psera for any of us. Let us know when she's ready for the trial and we'll find a location. It will not be on Psera."

Luna shook her head. "And certainly not on Equestria."

"Then it seems we've found another blockage: where to find a place to hold a trial. I'll bring it up with Her Majesty. Until then, farewell."

Merry turned around and walked back up the stairs. Upon passing a guard, she instructed, "Anchor's up."

The command was given. An alarm screamed through the air. The steps for the Aquata were pulled back out and the door was shut and sealed. The anchor for Aquata Zero dragged along the sand and pulled itself up to the bow of the Aquata.

Shortly after, wasting little to no time, the Aquata shifted off the beach and began its journey back to Psera. Home. But was it? The thought passed through Dawn's mind the moment she felt the boat move. Was anywhere like home? Dad was gone, all she had while mom was kept prisoner for sacrificing herself for Psera. Now mom is imprisoned once more by all the countries of the world. Including her own. Equestria was stripping away her magic.

There was no telling what Psera was doing.

Dawn could do nothing but watch the time pass. The sea used to be such a peaceful sight, yet torturous at the same time. The way the waves crashed against each other, was soothing to watch, but now it reminded her that ponies of the same family were striking against each other. The nations were turning on their own. The way the sun casted heat upon their coats was welcoming as it was terrifying to realize that one day, it would disappear. Just like her own sun and moon, those who gave birth to the twilight in between.

The way Odega would pop out of the waves like a dolphin before diving back in, waving towards her like a maniac. It reminded her of... What?

Dawn slowly straightened up and watched this interesting spectacle.

"What is she doing?" First Light queried.

"I have no idea," Dawn replied. "But I know how to fix it." Dawn reached out and pulled the curtains closed. That'll keep her out of sight, thus out of mind.

Dawn turned around for her bed but jumped almost a foot in the air to see Odega sitting on the sheets, grinning at her.

"Stars a...!" Dawn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I don't want to talk, Odega. Go back to the ocean."

"Aww, c'mon, Dawn." Dawn stepped out into the hall with Odega hot on her hooves. She jumped up, turned into a small bird and landed on her head next to Sky Blue. "Hey, make some room, fluff ball."

"Odega, get off of my head." Dawn flapped her wings to spook her. But she would have to fly through the air to shake Odega off.

"No can do, short stuff. You and I need to talk." Ugh. Dawn turned and traveled up a pair of stairs leading to the deck. She turned the wheel and walked out into the air. The warm breeze smashed into her ears and fur. The high sun forced her to raise her hoof.

She turned and walked to the front of the Aquata. "We don't need to talk about anything."

"It's the opposite. We need to talk about everything." Odega flapped off Dawn's head to in front of her, transforming into the pony they all knew. The Legend of Psera. A Pseratep made of fire. "There's quite more to this story than meets the eye. Where have you been?"

"Don't worry about it." Dawn walked around Odega and out onto the bow of the ship. Watching as Psera crept ever closer and closer. They would be there in half a day.

Odega appeared on the railing and stared down to Dawn with a stern gaze. "I'm serious Dawn. Where have you been?"

She wasn't going to let this go. Dawn waved it off like it was no big deal. "Inside a time pocket. On some island called Founder's."

"What was on that island?"

Dawn glanced up and met Odega's gaze. The way she started through her looking for a specific a answer. "You know what was on that island."

"...Narmeelah." Odega moved her stare out to the ocean. "I thought so. I could smell her on you. As if her magic was a perfume."

Dawn shrugged and answered, "Well, it wasn't Narmeelah exactly." Odega shot her gaze back. "Although, she was there before I arrived. The pony you were smelling . . . it was Shaoloh. Her daughter."

"One of them."

Dawn glanced up to Odega oddly, the mare standing upon the railing brooding to the distance. "Why are you asking me these questions?" Odega looked back to Dawn. Giving her the answer before she could even open her mouth. Dawn backed away one step. "You knew. You knew Narmeelah would return."

"After your mother told me." Odega looked back towards the distance. "I remember one time speaking to Arcadia. She mentioned her research and how Narmeelah was constantly at the center of it at every turn. How studying her diary contained the destruction of Equus and how her own name was mentioned inside of it. You were really young, Dawn. As a matter of fact..."

Odega dropped down from the railing next to Dawn. "It was because of you that your mother was able to find Narmeelah's diary in the first place. The second meeting of IHT, you spoke with your mother and told her that you and Narmeelah talked in dreams, and she told you where to find it. You in turn told your mother, and she found the diary."

"What does that have to do with now?"

"A lot. Narmeelah can't communicate with ponies in the dream realm unless she's alive. Narmeelah has been running things behind the scenes, manipulating Queen Arcadia to get her out of the way, I'm sure."

Dawn looked around to make sure they were alone. They didn't need eyes and ears. She leaned into Odega's space. "So you think Narmeelah's back?"

"I know she's back. The rest of the legends do as well. She's probably on Psera right now. We have no idea where she is or what she's planning. But if Arcadia is right, and Narmeelah is back to reset Equus, she'll make an appearance soon."

"Then we have to warn ponies." Dawn stepped back and gestured out with her wings. "We don't have a lot of time."

"I wish it were that easy. But if Narmeelah's back, then we have proof that she's already acting out her plan. Magic is no longer allowed on Psera."

Whoa, record scratch. "...what?"

"Magic." She reached out and tapped Dawn's horn. "Specifically the spell-casting kind, isn't allowed on Psera. You'll see when you get back. I can't even go past the Obelisks."

"You're joking." Dawn rushed to Odega's side and grabbed her hoof, desperately holding her hope. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I wish I were. But Merry told me herself. Ever since Arcadia attacked, they've been switching back to magic-free elements and only using magic for energy. Spell books, history, all of it is being removed from Psera and may be en-route to Equestria."

Dawn knew it. They were stealing all of mom's spells. Possessing them as if they were their own. Dawn slammed her hooves on the deck of the ship and pointed towards the stern.

"THEY CAN'T DO THAT!!" She screamed. "What gives them the right?!"

"I wish I could tell you..." Odega jumped back on the railing and turned back to Dawn. "But I know very little about Equestria and their international laws."

"No wonder mom left in the first place, they're trying to control her." Dawn leaned against the railing and covered her eyes with her hooves. "And what about me?" Dawn looked to Odega. "I'm made of magic. Dark magic, not just regular magic."

"That's another thing I wanted to talk to you about. It's best if you kept that to yourself. Although, that may prove to be a challenge. I'm sure they'll try to ring you when you get on Psera. You and I both know what happens when a ring is placed on your horn."

It disables her. She'll drop to the ground unable to move a muscle. They'll think she was dead. "So what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, Dawn. Getting Arcadia out of this hole is impossible. Even she knows that. She's out of the picture this time. But whatever you choose to do, don't tell ponies about Narmeelah's possible return. They'll think you're as crazy as your mother. If Narmeelah is back, and her getting rid of Arcadia was part of her prepwork, then her first target would be Psera. Either she'll take it all out, or she'll use them to her advantage. Keep an eye out for anything strange. We'll speak soon."

Odega jumped over the side of the Aquata and transformed into the Phoenix, diving into the ocean below. Just like that, she was gone. But the conversation she just had with her, that was real. She too believed that Narmeelah was up to no good, and that it had already begun with ridding of her mother. Would it be possible to get her back? The world would need to be pretty desperate.

Would Equestria believe her? Puh, Dawn didn't even want to speak to them. They were stealing her mother's intellectual property and probably using it for their own gain.

No, this time, it was all on her. But what was her strategy?

Dawn turned around and walked back to the ship's innards. She had a lot of thinking to do.

---

Psera. The country built upon the luxury that was gold. Balanced and kept safe by the pony whose statue was being taken down in the megacity that was Cop. Molten could see it from her garden high in the sky, in the castle of the Gods. Recently opened, the castle maintained its long, tall, and twisting hallways, pictures of past rulers, and the law of Psera, patrolling and investigating. The aura of this peaceful place had been rather heated since the news of Dawn's return. The entire country was enraged that she was coming back.

But the question of how still blazed through Molten's mind. Her blue eyes narrowed upon thinking that Arcadia may have had a hoof in it. That crazy filly. She's finally lost her mind. No worries, it no longer mattered. Dawn was back home in Psera. She can move on without her mother. They all could. With these new laws in place, Dawn will find a place here.

Molten raised a glass of wine to her mouth and witnessed the fall of that statue. She felt the castle shake and heard the cheers of the Pserateps down below. The cloud of smoke rising into the sky would clear, as would Arcadia's influence. That was the last standing image of her. Even the paintings were removed. Dawn was going to be highly disappointed to see only her father at every turn in this castle.

Someone knocked on her door downstairs. A distraction from her place. She left the greenhouse and treaded through the living room before reaching the doors. An Elite Guard, a messenger, saluted. "Princess Merry and Aquata Zero will be in Lavender in four hours."

Her Majesty nodded. "Very well. Prepare motorcade Pods. Oh, and tell Gardeen's new aid to prepare to meet her."

"Yes, ma'am."

Author's Note:

Yeah . . . I did it.

Comments

[XzareAce]

The part about twilight being a tyrant, yeah no. there is NO light being shined down inwhich twilight was ever a tyrant. Sombra was a tyrant. he Oppressed his people. all twilight did was wage war on another country.

and also there goes my respect for all of Psera. but even more for Molten Ice. its almost unnatural with how she is treating twilight. how could she be so heartless. she should be able to understand her the most, at the very least she should be sad. not celebrating Erasing twilight from history. I honestly think the world would be better off if Twilight and Maheera Dark teamed up to take over the world... well after getting a promise out of Maheera to not mind control or kill ponies again.

it would have been cool... twilight marching onto the capital guard trying to stop twilight only to get blown away with little force, she would have kicked the front gate off the castle of the god and make her way into her study. then she would have released him Maheera. together Maheera, twilight and Dawn would destroy Narmeelah and spread dark magic to the four corners of the world. from what dawn showed with her ability to bring creatures to life. i feel dark magic is the more Natural side of magic. the more sacred, good side.

[Dieadmirer]

Did I just read it right? Twilight being a tyrant? This is ridiculous! She didn't enslave anyone, she didn't made an iron hoof! Sure she cause damage, and I think she killed only one creature? But the rest they were just injured or badly injured!. She didn't even cheat or did a dirty trick! Mad? Sure but tyrant? Buck no. Did they seriously forgot who she is? She saved their bucking lives for goodness sake! And I don't need to count how many times she did!