Twilight Daylight: Dawn of Equus

by thedarktome

Chapter 24 - The Need For Harmony

Stomach full, Rainbow Dash was left to her thoughts; to the questions plaguing not only her mind but the minds of others, she was certain. What now? What happens tomorrow? Will everything ever be the same?

She lied on the grass, hooves behind her head, staring up to the sky among the crowd of ponies resting in and around Ponyville. Next to her slept Applejack and Rarity in her side. Stars above, they were getting old. Sleeping all day, doing nothing else...

A slight chuckle left Rainbow's throat before her attention was turned back to the sky and her thoughts. She wondered where they found the food. It looked too fresh to be from nearby. She sighed and asked to the sky, "What are your secrets?"

Her answer was responded to by the flying past of Guards and the head of...

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow in bewilderment. "Princess Luna?"

"Rainbow Dash. Applejack. Rarity. Where are Pinkamena Pie and Fluttershy?"

Rainbow Dash sat up and glanced confusedly over to Rarity and Applejack. The latter shrugged before Pinkie Pie popped her head out of Rarity's mane.

"Here I am!~" She sang loudly and proudly, much to Rarity's horror. "And I brought Fluttershy with me!"

She dug deeper into Rarity's mane and pulled out Fluttershy. Wide-eyed and confused as always.

Well, now that they were all here... Luna cleared her throat and began. "We may need your help, as the Elements of Harmony, once again. We'll be travelling to Psera soon. Please pack your things. The guard will escort you to Canterlot once you're ready."

With that being said, Luna flared open her wings and flew back to Canterlot, pursued by the gazes of the ponies she just spoke with.

"What was that about?" Rainbow asked.

"I haven't the faintest clue," Rarity answered. "But it seems we're being called back into action."

"I don't know why," Applejack replied. "We can't use them without the Element of Magic, which was..." They all slowly turned their heads towards each other in a state of realization. "Oh no."

---

This was a really large circle Twilight was drawing. A massive rune designed to "Carry their entire army towards the Crystal Empire," her words exactly. Dawn stood in the middle, watching her draw the full radius alongside the Creatures of Tartarus, the Legends of Psera, the princesses, and their massive convoy of Radwoods.

Each rune was drawn with precision; careful and practiced. Arcadia proving her expertise once again. Once the rune was drawn, Arcadia lifted her head back up and wiped off her horn.

"Alright," she decreed. "We're ready, for the most part."

"What else needs to be done?" Sky Duster asked.

"Now..." She looked down to Dawn. "I teleport us all to The Crystal Empire. It's going to be big, and a little loud, but this is the fastest way for—"

"Aw buck no!" All attention swiveled to the back of the group of leadership. To an aghast Rarity, an upset Fluttershy, a fuming Rainbow Dash, an unsure Pinkie Pie, and a absolutely furious Applejack. Despite their clear feelings towards her, Twilight held her head up high.

"Hello, girls," she greeted.

"No. Nope." Applejack turned around and walked away. "There ain't no way I'm working with her. After everything she did, you expect me to forget and forgive?"

Ember scoffed from the side and commented, "Welcome to the club."

Celestia sighed and floated a box into sight. A large one made of glass cushioning the Elements of Harmony. "We're not asking you to forgive or forget, girls."

"She destroyed my farm!!"

"She wiped out my house!!"

"My animals have nowhere to sleep!"

"All of my stores have been wiped off the face of Equestria!"

"We understand," Luna persisted. "A lot of ponies have lost a lot of land and property because of Twilight Sparkle." She cast a glance over to Twilight who remained stoic. "But at the moment, we have bigger problems, and we may require the Elements of Harmony's assistance."

She looked to Twilight. "All of you have to work together. Twilight is willing to work with you for the greater good."

Applejack stomped her hoof. "She destroyed everything we had!"

"And I watched my family die." They turned to Twilight and her emotionless expression. "I watched thousands of ponies I loved die in front of me countless times. To protect you and your farm, Applejack, I had to miss watching my daughter grow up and turn into the beautiful mare she is today. Because I was protecting you."

"We didn't ask you to do that.," Rainbow defended her.

"You did. You seeked asylum on Psera and I granted it to you, knowing that it would put a lot of my ponies in danger, which it did. My country suffered for it. But I'm not here to point hooves or blame names. I'm here to end this war that has claimed the lives of so many so far. You can either stay behind and hope we don't fail, or you can finally put those fighting words to use. The choice is yours, but we will not be waiting for you to make up your mind."

With her words said, Twilight looked down to Dawn. "Would you like to say something before we head out?"

Right. She swore to keep everyone updated with the latest information regarding their efforts. Dawn took a deep breath and nodded her head.

"Right. I'll go appease the masses. We'll need more soldiers. All defense personnel of IHT and Psera, follow me back to Aquata Zero please. In the meantime..." She turned around and used her magic to pull her mother down to her level, just enough to whisper privately into her ear. "You have to make up with your friends."

Twilight whispered just as quietly, "It's not that simple, sweetie."

"The entire world is at stake. The last thing we need right now is for our backup plan to not succeed because the ponies who need to wield the Elements of Harmony ironically can't harmonize. You discovered a way to cross into another dimension, patching up a relationship cannot be that hard. Figure it out before we get to Psera, please?"

Her piece said, Dawn left her mother's side, flared open her wings and took to the sky with her guard and military generals on her tail. Twilight watched her leave until she disappeared behind the mountain of Canterlot. Great. Now she was alone with...

Twilight diverted her attention towards the stern gazes of every single creature left. This was going to be a long mission.

---

Back at Aquata Zero, Dawn trotted into her office, already set up and ready to go with their staff.

"We're ready when you are, ma'am," a pony said.

Stars above, how she hated that. "Queen Dawn, please," she insisted. "I'm fifteen, not fifty."

Once behind her desk, and after taking a breath, she nodded to the camera. The red light was lit; she was now live. Her face displayed across Equestria and became the center of attention of every creature seeking asylum on this continent.

"Hello, all," she greeted. "Pserateps, dragons, unicorns, earth ponies, pegasi, and the rest. It is with great joy to deliver the news to you that the International House of Trade has finally come together and fully analyzed the true situation behind the destruction of Equus.

"It has been discovered that the very world we call our own, Equus, is under a threat from an evil so ancient that a name cannot be given. However, the International House of Trade, your sworn protectors, have devised a plan of action."

She had their attention, she could hear the silence spread across the land, even from her office. Feel the focused eyes and the gazes of hope watching her large duplicated floating figure ringing the island.

Dawn steeled her gaze. "Within the hour, a massive army of IHT's and Psera's combined military will venture to the threat, and face it head on. We have within our arsenal ponies as wise as the beginning of time, as strong as a thousand Railer Ones, and more determined than a million leaders."

A smile slowly grew on Twilight's face. One of pride.

"With this army, we will make our last stand. As for the land and to return to where we once were, that will take time. When we do, we will take it on together. But for now, we fight."

She looked up to the ponies behind the camera and nodded her head. The feed was cut and her face disappeared from the edges of Equestria, leaving the sight of the small army they had watching her on the edge of Canterlot.

"I know you all hate me right now..." They turned their attention back to Twilight. "And you have every right to."

She reached down and withdrew her sword, staring longingly at the blade; at the words plastered on the steel burning into her mind. "I let you all down. I betrayed all of you for misusing magic and destroying the good that it did. We've made it this far with magic. We wouldn't be where we are today without it. In my rage and anger, in my grief and sadness, I forgot that.

"I destroyed your peace and took away your livelihoods, and for that I am deeply sorry. However, I know words cannot give you what you truly need. So, instead, I give you my sword to fight, my knowledge to learn, and my magic to yield. When this war is over, I will heal your lands permanently, with no ties to me at all; and, best of all, once it is all over, peace from the corruption that I seem to bring with me everywhere I go."

"Twilight..." Celestia turned around and faced her directly. "You don't have to—"

"No, Celestia." She sheathed her sword back into its scabbard. "I believe it's time I find my own place to call home. Somewhere else that won't affect anyone else. But first..."

She looked back to their front line of defense. The generals, guards, the professionals of magic both light and dark. The princesses and Queens.

She diverted her attention to the contemplative expressions of her old friends. "...Equus needs us once again. Can we put aside the hatred for me and work together one last time for the ponies seeking that peace?"

They stared at each other briefly before looking among themselves.

Rainbow Dash was the first to speak. "I may not be loyal to you, Twilight. But I am loyal to Equestria. If working with you one more time is what it takes to get Equestria back to peace then I'll do it."

Twilight smiled at Rainbow. "Thank you."

"As will I," Rarity said. "Although..."

"When this is all over, Rarity, I will see to it that you have everything you need to successfully take the path that you've always wanted your clothes to travel. I'm sure Dawn would love to buy one of your dresses."

"I was actually going to request for a more fashionable helmet, but that would be so much better."

"And a place for the animals?" Fluttershy asked.

"The greenest of pastures and the clearest of waters."

"No more mean Twilight?" Pinkie queried.

Twilight raised her wings and floated Pinkie within for a tight hug. "Does this answer your question?"

Pinkie gladly returned it. "Yes, indeed-ly!"

That just left Applejack. She sighed and pointed at Twilight. "You bring back my apples, and you rebuild my farm."

Twilight let Pinkie out of her embrace. "On the name of the Fire Family and the Sparkle Household, you have my word."

Applejack nodded. "Alright, then. Now, where are we going exactly?"

"We're taking a well back to Psera," Luna answered. "Narmeelah will not be expecting us that way."

"A well?" Rainbow repeated. She floated over to Scootaloo and her small team. "How much have we missed?"

Twilight looked beyond their circle and smiled softly towards a massive cavalcade of soldiers heading in their direction from Canterlot. "A lot. We'll fill you in on the way."

The stomping of their hooves echoed along the ground. With every step sounded the cries of war and pride. Thousands of ponies and creatures dotting every inch of land as far as the eye can see. They walked around the Radwoods and came to a stop at the circle of soldiers and legends, lead by a proud Queen Dawn at the front.

"We may have to rethink our terms of transportation mom," she said.

"Nonsense. I can teleport all of us."

"Really?" Dawn peeked over the heads of one of her soldiers all the way to the back. Further than Canterlot. "Are you sure? I'm not saying you can't, but... Those are a lot of ponies."

"Don't worry about me, sweetie. Only worry about your safety. Speaking of..." Twilight ignited her horn. A vest was suddenly teleported onto Dawn's person. Along with a helmet. Oh! Mouthguard! She had to protect those pearly whites!

"There we go!" Dawn stared up at her Mother unamused. "Oh, don't give me that; the Queen of Psera must be thoroughly protected, as is tradition. You know that."

Dawn spat out the mouth guard. "Mom, you of all ponies should know that we can't get hurt."

"We'll be going up against, Narmeelah. There's not a single doubt in my mind that she could find a way."

Flurry Heart walked over to Dawn's side and whispered, "She does have a point."

Ugh. Of course she'd side with her. Dawn rolled her eyes. "Fine. But I'm not wearing all of this. If I need to run, I can't have all of this holding me down."

The vest and helmet snapped into non-existence, leaving Dawn once again bare. Before her mother could argue, Dawn quickly said, "I'll be fine. I literally have an entire army watching my back right now. I'll be okay."

Twilight didn't like it, but with a deep breath she respected her decision. "Fine. But I want you firmly guarded at all times. I don't care if you're Queen, you're still my filly."

With a pull of magic, she was pulled beneath her mother. "There. Safe and sound."

"Mom..." Dawn warned her.

"Now then..." Glowing with magic, Twilight raised her wings and tilted her head to the sky. Her eyes turned a bright violet. "Let's begin the journey."

"Finally!" Sky Duster cheered. "I'm all for making friends and making up, Twinkles, but we're kind of on the clock. Let's go already!"

Very well. Twilight raised her hooves out to the side, rear hooves tightened together. The wind picked up and swirled around them, lifting dirt and soil to create a massive tornado entrapping their entire army.

"Uhh... Mom?"

"Almost ready," Twilight said. Random strikes of electrical arcs sparked from her body, building in intensity until finally...

"Done."

With a stentorian boom, their army was teleported all the way from the fallen abandoned grounds of Canterlot and Equestria to the cold and silence of the Crystal Empire. They arrived on rooftops, their vehicles on the streets. Some dangling from light fixtures. Their army too big to be contained properly within the small streets of the Crystal Empire.

Twilight floated back down to the ground over her daughter and pulled her wings in unharmed. "Are all accounted for?"

"It sure seems like it," Rainbow answered. She dropped down next to Scootaloo and gestured to the army and motorcade behind them. "How in Equestria are we even going to get all these ponies to Psera undetected?"

Twilight faced the empty atmosphere of the Crystal Empire. "We'll be taking the wells. Tunnels underground designed to guide magic through the planet."

"You're not afraid we'll burn to ashes in there?" Luna asked.

"It is quite the tradeoff," Celestia agreed.

"Not at all. In order for them to work, Narmeelah's rune must work first. But without the battery, it won't operate at all. We just have to find the entrances."

She faced the army again, specifically, the captains at the front. "According to Narmeelah's Diary, each well has a service entrance big enough to allow our Radwoods through. But this will be difficult to find. Because no one will be using magic. Especially me. The moment magic is used, Narmeelah will know where we are."

"We'll be using hoof and wing," Fresh Dawn added. "The entrances should be well hidden. For all we know, the entrance could be in the mountains."

"But with an army this size," Twilight continued. "We can cover more ground. So let's get to work. And remember..."

She narrowed her eyes. "No magic. Captains, we'll leave you to your Officers. Dawn, Flurry, Cadance, and myself will take the castle and the surrounding area. The moment you see something strange or odd, inform your superiors. The rest, pick and choose. Let's move."

At the blow of a whistle and Manny's shouting, everyone moved out. Twilight turned and began her journey towards the castle with Dawn. Without her magic, Twilight reached into her suit of armor and pulled out a small notebook.

She opened the pages before Dawn interrupted her state of mind. "This is great, don't you think?"

Twilight glanced down to her. "What's great?"

"Us. You and I, finally doing magic stuff together."

Snapping her book shut, Twilight hummed and replied, "I wouldn't call this magic stuff, sweetie. This is more..." She looked to the sky to attain the correct words. "Life or death, all is at stake, final mission, win or die stuff. This is, honestly, one of the most dangerous journeys I've ever taken in my life. And I have to do it without magic. There will be a lot of destruction, maybe death. Oh! That reminds me. Cadance, Flurry?"

She looked to her sister-in-law. "Psera may have to break some things."

A guard standing nearby loudly kicked down a door leading into a house and lead a team inside.

"Great," Cadance groaned.

"But as I was saying, although we're finally coming together as mother and daughter, we have to be careful and acknowledge that this is very dangerous."

"I know, I know. Trust me, I've had a few run-ins with her daughters, I know Narmeelah is a dangerous pony."

"Good. Then you know how serious this is."

They walked through the streets, passing the soldiers digging through the homes, combing through the sewers before arriving at the Crystal Heart.

Dawn stopped and stared at the spinning spectacle before them.

"It's so beautiful. How does that work?" She asked.

Cadance stopped and looked back to Dawn. "Well, the love of the Crystal Empire and Equestria sends the Crystal Heart energy which expels the snow and cold from this region, creating a habitable environment for all the ponies that live here. Thanks to love, we survive. Without it..."

"It's what keeps the snowstorm out," Flurry added.

Dawn changed into First Light, who yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Phew, that was a good nap. What'd I miss?"

"We're going after Narmeelah," Flurry explained. "But we have to find the entrance to the wells, which is discovered to be in the Crystal Empire."

Ah, yes, the ponies of glass. First Light trotted past her parents with her guards on her tail before arriving at the castle doors. Strange to see an abandoned castle.

Gently, she creaked open the doors and stepped in. Tall ceilings, crystal everywhere. Yep, the the crystal castle lives up to its name.

She was soon joined by Arcadia, Cadance, and Flurry Heart.

"Where do we even start?" She asked.

Cadance pointed out, "With a backstory. This castle has been around for centuries. Not as old as the COTG in Psera, but it has been around since Princess Platinum. But just like the COTG and the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters, there have been rumors of secret doorways and passages used by Platinum's family to travel and escape threats that have never been discovered. If the rumors hold up, they must be hidden pretty well."

"They could be on any floor of the castle," Arcadia added. "But if I'm correct, they would certainly stick out, hidden even from light."

"So a dark stairwell," Flurry suggested.

"Yes. Or a passage. Regardless, you'll see it. Cadance and I will take the top floors, you two stick to the bottom. I feel you will have more success that way."

"And stick together," Cadance sternly ordered. "After our interaction with Shaoloh, there's no telling what else may be waiting for us."

Flurry walked forward, passing Arcadia and Cadance. "Mom, I've lived here all my life. If anyone has the upper hoof here, it would be me."

She walked away down the crystal hall, leaving First Light to smile sheepishly before rushing after her with their parents' stern gazes on them and their guards.

"Think they'll be okay?" Cadance asked.

"After everything that has happened," Twilight explained. "I do not believe it would be my place to comment on Flurry's defensive abilities. Let alone her intelligence on fighting techniques. But if she's with Dawn and First Light, I know for a fact, she will be safe."

Twilight flared open her wings and flew up to the walkway hovering above them with Cadance landing next to her.

"Why is that?"

"All foals on Psera, especially royalty, are required to take defensive training in case of threats. Dawn has trained underneath the guidance of her father, her grandmother, Merry, and many others. That, and, as stated before, Dawn can't die by a mere injury. It's going to take a lot of power to take Dawn down. I know little of Flurry, so I can't speak for her. But I know that if she and Dawn stick together, she'll be fine."

Twilight turned her attention to the hallways lying before them. At all the looming rooms and doors that need to be searched.

"Now, where should we start?"

Author's Note:

I know, not a lot has happened in this chapter, but I need the pacing to be consistent to align with the story's effect.

Anyways, thanks for reading! More coming soon!