Twilight Daylight: Dawn of Equus

by thedarktome

Chapter 23 - Heading To Serl (Intermission)

It was time. The name has been thrown out there.

"Serl," Celestia repeated.

Dawn turned to her mother and nodded her head, giving Arcadia the cue to continue pushing the map forward until it landed on the site. It was big, almost as large as Eventa surrounded by walls.

"Serl is the city of our next generation," Secretary Manny said. "The technology that we have in Psera you have all seen is nothing compared to the technology of Serl. The ponies that lived there were extremely intelligent and thoughtful of the planet of Equus. A spotless city filled with the smartest minds of Equus."

"The Block of Steel I gifted to Equestria," Arcadia added. "Was created in Serl. Along with every single Aquata, including but not limited to The Front Lawn. It is also home to Psera's weapon manufacturing plants and studies, as well as the original development site of Railer One. The city was so secret that it dodged the original attack of the changelings. That is where we need to go."

"How will we get there?" Madam Singe asked.

"We'll be taking one of the wells. I already found two in Psera that had entrances directly underneath both the Castle of the Gods and Serl. I'm certain there's one here in Equestria. There's just the matter of locating and getting to it."

"Right." Cadance waited for someone else to ask the question. Apparently, no one thought that to be important. "So... How do we find these wells?"

"Easy." Twilight rose from her seat and walked around the table over to their prisoner. Shaoloh, bound and gagged, dreaming sweet dreams, unaware of the glowing glare of Arcadia standing above her.

"We squeeze it out of a goddess."

Okay, so, she'd better say something before these ponies think Arcadia would literally squeeze it out. Although they were giving her a chance, it was clear most of IHT would take her presence with a grain of salt.

"Maybe leave the interrogation to the International House of Trade, mom," Dawn suggested.

Arcadia backed off and smiled to her daughter. "Of course, sweetie. I wasn't going to be asking questions anyway. You and I both have another task to complete."

"And what would that be?" Celestia asked. Clearly, her expectations of Arcadia were rather moldy in terms of positivity. After all that's happened, the words that were screamed and her newfound power, anything involving mother and daughter had to be publicized amongst the group.

Arcadia walked back towards her space. "The journey to Serl is quite lengthy and arduous. The wells are underground. Unless you feel like walking in the dark, we're going to need transportation that I can provide."

"Are they going to be transfigured from magic?" Queen Novo asked.

"Any other way would take too long. We don't have time to design engines. While Dawn and I are working on these spells and construction, I recommend you begin pulling information out of our guest. We're going to need it by the time we're done."

Arcadia walked around the table for the entrance. "Come along, Dawn and Light. It's time for a lesson in expert-level magic."

Oh yeah, now she's talking! Dawn jumped out of her seat, prepared to follow her mother before the guards at the door raised their wings, shielding off their exit.

"Now hold on for a minute, Twilight," Celestia said. "After everything that's happened so far, the last thing we need is for your presence to be unsupervised."

Arcadia rolled her eyes and faced the table. "Oh relax, this is my daughter. What would or could I possibly do?"

"We are aware of that. Just to be safe, all of the Legends of Psera, Equestria's Allies, and a full contingent of Elite Guard and Aerial Guard will be assigned to you."

Sky Duster zipped over to Arcadia and floated into her nonplussed expression. "Don't try anything. I'm going to be all over you."

"Then perhaps you can learn something as well, like the physical interpretation of personal space." She pushed her back and eyed the table once more. "And who will be overseeing the interrogation?"

"I will." All eyes turned to Maheera. She was glaring towards the sleeping form of Shaoloh. "If anypony here is going to make this little piggy squeal, it's me. You do you, Arcadia. I'll do me."

"Thank you, Maheera." Arcadia looked down to Dawn. "Ready?"

Dawn nodded firmly. "Yes."

Before they could go, Snap Seed sprung from her seat and bounded over to them. "Oh! Can I come? Please can I come?"

Arcadia and Dawn shared a quick glance before turning back to Snap Seed, practically begging on her knees.

"I suppose," Arcadia replied. "The more to teach, the greater the reward."

Holy buck! Snap Seed turned around and waved maniacally to Lead Harvest who in turn waved back before rushing out the door behind Arcadia, The Legends of Psera, Equestria's Allies, and a small section of the Arial Guard.

Once they were gone, Maheera rose from her place and walked across the room under the watchful gazes of the International House of Trade. Her sight unwavering. Her hooves treaded with the weight of a thousand years of anger.

They let her pass, no one dared stop her. No one dared speak a word by the time she stopped in front of Shaoloh. Oh, this one. She was, by far, the weakest of Narmeelah's Daughters. However, she was not an easy one to track down in the centuries prior to this very moment.

Maheera reached out with her hoof, gradually transforming into a claw. A single talon traced her cheek.

"Wake up."

Slowly, Shaoloh's eyes parted. Confused they danced around the hall before landing on Maheera. They widened upon recognition, then narrowed.

"Maheera," she said.

"You and I have much to discuss, Shaoloh. I hope you have the energy to speak. Because no longer will I wait for answers."

---

The sky dotted with the wings and floating bodies of the strongest Alicorns, Pegasi, Pserateps, and creatures of Equus surrounding the body of their strongest asset. Or their strongest enemy.

They flew over the mass of ponies watching from below, wary and speculative, they kept their muzzles closed whilst they searched the ground below for a clear space.

Not once did their eyes leave Arcadia. Not even Snap Seed, who stared for a completely different reason. She was going to see her use magic! She couldn't believe it!

Dawn hovered close to her mother with a smile. Arcadia glanced in her direction before shooting her sight back to the ground below.

"Yes, sweetie?" She asked. Dawn glanced to her mother. "Something troubles your mind. You have the same expression your father would make whenever he was struck with a difficult decision."

"Oh, yeah, it's umm..." Dawn waved it off. "Just something Light and I were talking about."

"Well, what is it?" Arcadia pointed ahead to the one location free of any ponies. "Here. We'll use this space."

They gently landed next to the Mecrah Portal IN Port, surrounded by the military, Legends, Snap Seed and Creatures watching with close eyes.

Once down, Arcadia walked a firm distance from Dawn and faced her.

"It's just..." Dawn cleared her throat. "Light wants her own body. One we don't have to share."

Oh. Yes, this talk. Arcadia knew this day would come. She gulped and raised her large wings.

"That's... A tricky topic, Dawn."

"How tricky? Like 'you-don't-know' tricky, or 'I-have-to-go-to-school-first' tricky?"

"The latter, I'm afraid. We'll discuss it more during the ride to Psera. For now, follow my movements and instructions exactly. We can't mess this up."

---

"Do you trust her?"

Celestia turned her head to watch Secretary Manny approach her position, the edge of Canterlot Mountain. From here she could see Dawn and Twilight work. The way they drew their runes under the watchful eye of Psera and Equestria.

"I don't know," Celestia answered. She faced the site again. "After nearly killing us, I'm not sure if I can ever trust her again, but... Her daughters are here. Her foals; and she cares for them. What could she possibly be planning?"

"I'm thinking more along the lines of going rogue," Manny clarified. "Arcadia is known to go her own path and abandon her ideals for new tasks. Do you believe she would abandon us? And take her daughters with her?"

Celestia thought briefly. "No. Twilight is many things; a ticking time bomb, irrational. But a liar she is not. She has her own ways of helping, but she will help."

"...if you trust her, then we'll trust her." Celestia turned to Secretary Manny. "Arcadia has done a number of things to betray the trust that has been made between her and the nation of Psera. There are still many things, many cases involving Arcadia Nova that she must answer for. But, as said before, now is not the time. The faster we get moving, the faster we can get everyone home."

She turned around and walked back towards the destroyed castle under Celestia's gaze. It wasn't that she didn't trust Arcadia. No, far from it. She trusted all the Pserateps. She trusted her daughter, she trusted the Pserateps she raised to power. She trusted their technology, their strategies.

But the mind and brains behind it all... It was constantly changing. One moment, Arcadia's words and plans would be spoken, but their method of fulfillment and actions would not be what was expected.

Celestia turned back to Arcadia and the team down there, drawing their runes. In a matter of time, they would find out what her plans were prior to coming back here. Soon, everything would come to the surface. Very soon.

After the runes were drawn in a large circle, Twilight and Dawn stepped back to observe their handiwork.

"Okay, now what?" Dawn asked after a moment of admiration.

"Now, watch and learn." Twilight stepped back into the circle of runes and rose up to two hooves. Wow, she's never seen her mother take that position before. Since when could any pony stand on their rears like that?

Arcadia raised her wings. Her horn and eyes glowed bright, her feathers illuminated with the light of magic.

"I told you to place these runes in specific locations so you would be able to reach them easily. Each step in this circle is going to create an event. Like so."

Twilight lifted one hoof and stepped it into a spot. Spontaneously, dirt from behind her burst from the ground and twirled through the air in their direction. It morphed, changing shape and solidity until a tire was created. It bounced to a roll, stopping at one of the guards' hooves.

"You just created a tire," Dawn stated.

Twilight gestured to the circle. "Each step here will either create something, or move something. Like so." Twilight reached out with one of her other hooves and pressed another rune. The tire lifted into the air and righted itself, hovering, waiting.

"The trick is to create a sequence." Then, Twilight danced. She danced across the rune using all of her runes. Each step was highlighted by her magic. Moving parts flew from the dirt and transmogrified into a part. It was so complex, so professional, Dawn felt intimidated.

They all felt intimidated. Snap Seed knew she was good, but even she was blown away by Arcadia's flawless skill.

After it was done, they had a new Radwood Pod floating in the air. No doubt Psera technology. It floated from Arcadia's protective perimeter and into an empty spot.

"We will need a lot of these," Arcadia told her daughter. "Think you're up for it?"

Dawn had no idea. Stars above, she didn't even know if she could stand up on her hooves like that. Dawn stepped into the rune circle and swallowed down her fear.

"I don't know, but I can't afford not to try," she answered.

Her response brought a smile to her mother's face. Oh, if only her father could hear her say those words.

"Very well. Let's begin."

---

Maheera Dark and Shaoloh shared a tense staring contest. These interrogations never seemed to end. The witty banter, the growls, the hope of resistance. It would always be the same.

"Where is it?" Maheera asked.

"Where is what?"

Maheera grabbed Shaoloh's head and slammed it back into the brick wall.

"Don't play coy with me, pony, I can rip you to shreds. Where is the well in Equestria? I know you know where it is."

Shaoloh smirked and shook her head. "Like I'd ever tell you."

"You're going to tell me. Right now I'm giving you a choice. You cvan either give me a verbal answer of your own free will, or I can pull the answers from your very soul."

"You still won't find the answers you're looking for, you abomination." She spat at Maheera's hooves.

Maheera grabbed Shaoloh's head and squeezed it. Horn alight and eyes glowing, her and Shaoloh's minds molded together. Diving into a sea of memories and waves of madness. In the real world, it seemed they were just staring at each with glowing irises. But if anyone knew anything about magic it was that there was more going on behind the scenes that in front of it.

"You will reveal everything," Maheera spoke. "And with it, the key to defeating Narmeelah."

She experienced all of what Shaoloh had hidden in her mind. The years spent on Founder's, the time as a foal—no, too far. Maheera sped up the clock, further, further... There.

Maheera froze the time and found herself in a field of snow, layered with ice and wind. It was cold, freezing. But where was she? She turned in a circle and locked her eyes on a tall building. A very tall one. A castle made of crystal ringed by mountains.

Maheera smirked. "So... This is what you were hiding."

---

Dawn had made substantial progress. From having absolutely no clue to what she was doing to moving like an expert. She barely even realized her mother had stepped out of the ring and instead chose to watch and supervise from the side with Snap Seed and other ponies with her.

Through the chaos, Snap Seed leaned over into Arcadia's space and whispered, "Like mother, like daughter, huh?"

"She's getting there," Arcadia acknowledged. She turned her attention to the fleet they've already created. One hundred forty-seven pods for their growing army.

"How many do we need?"

"One-Fifty should be enough. Dawn?" The magic kept coming and Dawn kept dancing. "Dawn, sweetie?... She's harmonized."

Arcadia raised her hoof, using her magic to stop Dawn and all that she was creating in the middle of the action.

"That's enough, Dawn. We don't want to make too much and use up all the resources we have."

Carefully, Arcadia lowered Dawn back to the ground and the material back to where it came from. Now on her own legs, Dawn collapsed into her mother's hooves, staring into the sky.

"Holy..." She diverted her gaze into Arcadia's eyes. "I feel so... What happened? Why am I so..."

"Using a lot of magic at once at such a fast rate can make you disoriented," Twilight answered. "Fatigue is a common side-affect. Whether you're made of magic or flesh and blood."

Twilight set Dawn softly back on wobbly hooves. "Over time, your body will adjust and learn to counteract it."

Once Dawn was better, she and Twilight turned around to face the army of Radwood Pods Dawn created. They were long and rugged, designed to carry hundreds of soldiers across the world non stop, able to master any terrain. Their wheels were massive, armor thick. Windows proofed to fight against spells and damage alike.

Dawn and Twilight were flanked by the Legends of Psera, Sun Waves, Tritanium, and Sky Duster.

Triatanium crossed his arms. "Well, these should get us to where we need to go."

"As long as we know where that is. Maheera?" Twilight glanced back towards the Mistress of Dark Magic watching from the back with Celestia, Luna, and the rest of the world's leaders. "Where is it?"

She stepped forward. "The Crystal Empire. It's hidden, somewhere within the snow and ice. I'm certain it's guarded at this point."

"As am I."

Celestia nodded her head firmly. "We have to inform the citizens of our departure to fight."

Twilight raised her eyebrow. "You're coming?"

"You may be used to fighting alone, Twilight, but we're all needed now. Every last one of us."

"Me too." Dawn reached up to her mother's mouth before she could start. "I know I'm Queen, and I know it's dangerous. But if you need a pony to walk the realms of reality then I'm needed. This is going to be the biggest war Psera has ever been in. They need their heroes to lead them into battle."

Twilight would prefer Dawn stay here. She'd prefer she stay as far away from the fight as possible in the event Narmeelah either needed leverage or a way to hit Twilight where it hurts. Dawn could become the biggest target of them all. But she was right. Dawn had special skills not a single soul on this planet could even hope to replicate. Stars above, First Light was able to travel to Vedulla and Dawn was able to astro-project. Twilight was able to do it, but Dawn didn't even need magic for it like Twilight did. She was already pretty much a ghost. A walking shadow. A living dead pony.

Twilight sighed through her nose. "Fine. But as your mother, you do what I say. Psera needs you, more than ever."

Dawn agreed with a smile and a firm nod. She knew she was needed in multiple places.

Now that that was settled, Twilight turned to Celestia and Luna. "There's one more thing we need before we begin moving."

"What's that?"

"In case the fight doesn't turn in our favor, we're going to need the oldest weapon known to ponykind. The weapon that has defeated Nightmare Moon, Discord, and even almost Tirek. Just as a backup."

No way. She couldn't possibly mean... Celestia and Luna shared an expression of worry before focusing back on Twilight.

"Are you sure about this?" Celestia asked.

"The world needs us all, now more than ever, and I can't use them alone, even if I am the strongest here." Twilight narrowed her eyes before she finally revealed the request.

"We're going to need the Elements of Harmony; and the Element Bearers."

Author's Note:

Oh my god, it's been forever! Hey, everyone! Sorry for the delay but here's the next chapter. As you can see, we're going to encounter a bit of drama and action coming up. The time for planning is over. It's finally time for the action you've all been waiting for. The final battle for both Equus and the family line is about to begin.

Also, I've been doing a lot of thinking. I may add ONE MORE story to the Twilight Daylight series but I have two choices on the plot. I'll explain more in a blog post later. Until then, thanks for reading!

P.S., This is the biggest family squablle I've ever seen, let alone written. I really hope you all are enjoying this story.

Comments

[Fluffy_Wing]

Yay thanks for the update! And we're in for some kick ass action, glad to see the rest of the mane 6 finally come on stage again!

[Sidetrack]

Twilight would prefer Dawn stay here. She'd prefer she stay as far away from the fight as possible in the event Narmeelah either needed leverage or a way to hit Twilight where it hurts. Dawn could become the biggest target of them all. But she was right. Dawn had special skills not a single soul on this planet could even hope to replicate. Stars above, First Light was able to travel to Vedulla and Dawn is able to astro-project. Twilight was able to do it, but Dawn didn't even need magic for it like Twilight did. She was already pretty much a ghost. A walking shadow. A living dead pony.

A-

[maeeui]

Thank you very much for writing such an interesting article on this topic. This has really made me think and I hope to read more. emoji