Twilight Daylight: Dawn of Equus

by thedarktome

Chapter 25 - The Wells Pt. 1

The task moved along slowly. They checked every crack, corner, and crevice of the Crystal Empire. But without magic, progress was slow.

The cold weather of winter mixed with the frigid air of the Crystal Empire began to burn into Celestia's coat. Luna, the night owl as she was, moved effortlessly through the chilling winds whilst her sister tightened her wings.

"I've never fully realized the extent of the Crystal Empire's winters," Celestia said. "A reminder of the curse lingering beyond the Empire's protective veil."

Luna stepped into another house and banged her hooves on the floor. "We can coordinate with Cadance to see if we can tighten the Heart more."

"Right." Celestia stepped into another room and beamed at the sight that truly touched her heart. "Luna. Look at this."

Luna stepped in and fawned. It was a filly's room dedicated to them. Pictures, posters, figurines of all the Princesses. Even Flurry Heart.

"Ohh, look, Luna." She stepped over to another dresser where another Figurine sat. One of...

"Is that Fresh Dawn?" Luna asked.

"I don't think Twilight has red hair." Luna lifted up the figurine. It was so perfect. They were lifted up and held in front of the poster of all the princesses. Even with Twilight at the top. Of course, that wasn't the Twilight they knew. The one with them now.

Luna sighed and placed the figurine back where it was before. "Think we'll ever get back to this? To the good days?"

"All I can do is hope, Luna. Now, I do not believe the entrance to the well could be hidden here in this house. It's too exposed."

"At least we can agree on that."

Whilst Celestia turned around and left the room, Luna couldn't help but stand and stare at the art of gratitude dedicated to them. Eyeing the smiling faces of princesses, kings, and queens, far and wide. She dearly hoped that one day, they would be able to go back to those times. To a more peaceful way of life.

But for now, she left the room and faced the prior objective. End this century-long war.

---

The foals were downstairs, leaving Cadance and Twilight to search the upper floors. Rooms spanned everywhere they turned. Despite being here numerous times before, it truly astounded Twilight by the sheer amount they had. Albeit small, compared to the Castle of the Gods in Psera. Or rather what was surely left of it.

Twilight quickly searched behind another desk and came up empty hoofed while Cadance peeked behind a large picture frame.

"Any luck?" Twilight asked.

With a regretful sigh, Cadance shook her head. "None. I'm starting to think we're searching in the wrong region of the castle."

Twilight walked out the room next to Cadance and continued down the hall, desolate of any sign of life save for the soft thuds of their hooves.

"If there was an attack in this castle," Twilight said. "I would want a convenient means of escape. Where would I put it?"

"Where would you put that?"

Twilight stopped in front of the door to Cadance and Shining's quarters. "The master bedroom for starters."

With a shove, the doors were opened. As if they never left in a hurry, the bed was immaculate, clothes were put away; no sign of distress.

They walked into the room and began moving furniture.

"Be careful," Cadance warned. "These are family heirlooms."

Yes, Twilight could make out framed paintings of Princess Mi Amore and Princess Platinum. Did Cadance have one? Did Flurry, or Shining?

Carefully, Twilight plucked the painting off the wall and set it down gently. "Do you have a painting, Cadance?"

"We do, it's in the throne room." Cadance pushed aside a dresser and looked around. Even tapping against the crystal floor for any anomalies. "How about your family?"

Twilight smiled at fond memories whilst checking behind the bed. "We have a few. Well, Dawn and her father have many. I only have the two, both of which when Dawn was a mere foal."

Her memories forced her gaze outside the door. "I missed so much of my daughter's life. Of my family..."

Cadance turned around and eyed Twilight's wistful gaze. A single tear rolled down her face before quickly wiping it away.

"But yes, we have paintings and photos. The Fire Family has quite the tree spread throughout Psera."

"I believe Madun told us that before."

"Yes. I'm sure he did."

Cadance stood back up and looked back to Twilight checking the walls. She could see the sadness in her eyes. The longing in her words.

"You have to stop that."

Twilight stopped checking the floor and turned to Cadance. "What?"

"That. Those emotions of grief, sadness, anger and pain. I can hear it. I can see it."

Twilight sighed and went back to checking the floor. "After everything I've done, Cadance, I'd think I deserve to wallow in my eternal suffering."

"Twilight..."

"Psera wouldn't be destroyed if it wasn't for me. Heck, my mere existence might just be the downfall of ponykind. I've taken countless lives, been the root cause of destruction and suffering far and wide. Even Equestria's current state I am responsible for. I bring bad luck wherever I go. For all I know, I could be leading everyone into a trap!"

"Twilight!" Cadance placed her hooves on Twilight's face staring deeply through her glowing eyes of sadness. "Enough. You're right, if it wasn't for you, Psera wouldn't be destroyed. But only because Psera wouldn't exist in the first place. Chrysalis and her swarm attacked Psera and nearly destroyed their land. They were on the brink of starvation already. A lot of ponies died before you even showed up and Celestia knows it would've been worse if you never did.

"As for the destruction of magic. No one thought this would happen. Not even you."

She stopped Twilight before she could speak with a raise of her hoof. "And even if you did, your intentions were to provide Equus with healthy food and water under the guise that it was real, safe, and comfortable. You did the best you could, even after giving up a decade of your life."

Twilight politely removed Cadance's hooves. "I know you're trying to help me Cadance, and I do appreciate it. But it's going to take some time to forgive myself for everything I've done."

Cadance sighed and returned to searching.

"When Dawn came back, when Luna told her what happened to the Zebras... The look she gave me... Oh Cadance... It's going to be years before I get her face out of my head. Her expression of disappointment. I could see her father in it. I thought I was doing the right thing..."

"You did it out of love for your country and your family. None of us hated your for that. We were appalled, absolutely aghast at your actions, but we already knew Psera had a steel hoof for the safety of its citizens and a record of violence. Tensions were rising between the house and Psera. It was only a matter of time before somepony made the first swing."

Cadance tapped at a wall. "We already knew it was coming. It was when you wanted to go further that we began to question your true motives."

"I want to do whatever I can to make it right." Twilight stared at her reflection. Glaring at her face. The way her eyes shone reminded her of... "I'm not Narmeelah."

She wiped at her face and focused back on the task. Finding a way out without using the hallways. This would certainly be quite the puzzle. To see an odd crystal among so many... Wait...

Twilight peered closer to her reflection. Was it just her or did it seem off? It wasn't warped like usual. But the color...

Twilight trotted to Cadance's side and stared at her reflection. No, it wasn't just her. She's been in this castle multiple times, she knows how she looks on the castle's crystal surface. Something wasn't right.

She walked back to that side. "Cadance? Has this room ever gone through repairs?"

"Repairs? Like what?"

"I don't know, say the crystal cracked somehow and needs to be replaced." Cadance deadpanning a look to Twilight was her answer. "Yeah, I thought not. What's behind this wall?"

Cadance stepped out the room and looked down the hall. "Nothing really. There's a small library, Shining's den. But they're both pretty far down compared to that wall. We'd have to chip through meters of crystal to reach them. Why?"

"This wall..." Cadance joined Twilight. "It reflects light as a different hue, as if there is something on top of it. I don't feel a difference between this crystal's surface and the rest, but I don't think it's real crystal. Stars, I wish I could scan it."

Cadance hummed before carefully growing a smirk. "You know, they are other ways to determine if this is real or not. Ways that don't require magic, and are a lot more fun."

Twilight glanced in confusion to Cadance. "What could be more fun than that of magic?"

Cadance's slow grin was not one Twilight found herself enjoying. For soon after, she was facing a large six-drawer dresser between her and the wall.

"Isn't this a family heirloom?" Twilight asked. It looked old enough to be. It was wooden and had small cracks from wear and tear. Quite an ugly thing. But Twilight refrained from saying that out loud.

Cadance scoffed from her place on the bed. "Not even. Shining bought that disgusting artifact when we moved in together. I told him I could just have one made but he insisted. I think he just wanted something from home to come with him, something he owned. There's nothing inside; it just takes up room. I've been trying to rid of it for years, but he always manages to find a use for it when I try. Don't feel bad, Twily. It's time for it to go."

"Couldn't we just buck the wall instead?"

"But what if it's real crystal? You could injure yourself, the last thing we need. Besides, this is more fun."

Well, if she was sure. "I know I seem to cause a lot of destruction, but this one you are responsible for."

Cadance raised her hoof proudly. "Absolutely. Now, let's destroy this dresser... Wall. Destroy this wall."

"Mmhmm." As swift as can be, Twilight whirled around and bucked the dresser across the floor and soon through the wall. In shards it shattered to the floor in pieces, revealing a wide winding staircase the dresser found itself wedged in. Much to Cadance's disappointment.

Twilight reached down and picked up a shard of glass. Wow. Amazing. Just out of curiosity, she licked it.

"Ew! Twilight!" Cadance berated. "Why on Equus would you—"

"It's sugar."

Cadance stopped talking. "What?"

Twilight popped the shard in her mouth and chewed. "It's sugar. Sugar glass. They use them during film productions in Psera whenever they want to record an action scene involving glass to avoid injury. Strange it's lasted all these years. Maybe it was spelled."

Cadance grabbed a piece and popped it in her mouth. "Huh. What do you know. Well, you found your staircase."

"With a dresser wedged inside," Twilight deadpanned.

"Yes, I am quite disappointed it didn't shatter. I've tried everything on it. Even fire. Somehow, it still stands."

"You haven't quite tried everything." Twilight reached down and withdrew her sword.

"I've tried swords, spears, and axes as well."

"You haven't tried mine. Forged from Psera steel with a diamond-tipped edge." With a single swipe, the dresser was perfectly halved, much to Cadance's clap-worthy happiness. "You should've called me sooner for this."

"I really should have. Oh, get the legs, those things scrape."

---

Dawn couldn't help it. She knew she was on a mission. She knew the world depended on them to keep their heads on their shoulders. But for Psera's sake, this was a castle made of crystal. Shining, sparkling crystals. She'd be remiss not to ask questions and look around.

"Is the entire city like this?"

Flurry glanced to Dawn before they reached another room. As ordered, the guards entered first for a thorough check.

"That's why it's called the Crystal Empire."

"How big is the city?"

"Two-hundred ninety mile radius."

Dawn and Flurry were given the clear to enter a room vaguely familiar to that of a meeting hall. There was a long crystal table ringed by ten cushions. How standard.

"That seems pretty small for an empire," Dawn noted. She peeked beneath the table.

"Sorry to disappoint. The rest is dead, buried beneath tons of ice and snow."

Dawn glanced back and eyed Flurry's demeanor. She was upset about something. That much was clear.

"What's wrong, Flurry?"

"We're at war against our great-great-grandmother, we have no weapons, and the fate of every last single pony rests on the wings of your mother who recently decimated and burned to the ground an entire country and a pony that is made entirely of magic who doesn't really know how to use it. No offense to Aunt Twilight or you, Dawn, but let's be honest here."

She lifted a photo off the wall and looked behind it. "The fate of Equus is not looking too good."

Ouch. Dawn pointed to a dresser, ordering her guards to search there. "Hey, getting access to magic on Psera is impossible, even for a pony who literally has access to everything. Also, Zebrica and Psera were already at war. They attacked us first. I know this because they killed my dad; and almost killed me too."

Flurry stopped searching and looked back to Dawn staring up to a flag of Equestria plastered to the wall. "Dawn, I—"

"For the record, Flurry," Dawn mocked. "Psera may not have much, but don't forget that we're the ones providing transportation, weaponry, militarization, protection, and intelligence while all of IHT is providing only shelter, if this can even be called that. Without Psera, there would be no fate of Equus at all."

Dawn walked out the room with her guards on her tail. "Dawn, wait," Flurry called. She quickly caught up to her small stature. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"You did," Dawn replied. "And quite rudely. You not only offended me, you offended my country. Perhaps you prefer to search alone and figure it out by yourself."

"Dawn—"

Dawn sped up and waited at another room while the team investigated first. Without turning her head to Flurry, she said, "We'll search this room. Since you know the castle so well, you pick and choose."

It was clear that Dawn didn't want to do anything with her. Flurry huffed out her nose and turned back around.

"Fine," she snapped. "You take the front and I'll take the back. Those rooms are bigger anyway."

Dawn watched Flurry from the corner of her eye and enter another hall before murmuring, "Fo' neena royäl (pompous princesses)."

Flurry trotted through the hall, eyeing the flags, more still than the walls of the castle. Reaching up with a wing she slapped one before arriving at another room. A large ballroom. Columns created a path leading to a stage where a piano sat. Flurry remembered this room. This was where mom and dad would have their parties and events.

Flurry trotted in and looked to the ceiling. It wasn't like Psera's. Stars above, theirs was massive. Tall, colorful, warm and beautiful. Their's was crystal, gray, and lifeless. It didn't tell stories like Psera's. Was she jealous of Dawn? Was that why she lashed out? It wasn't her fault, Aunt Twilight was the one that went crazy, Equestria was just caught in the middle of it.

Then again, they were all doing the best they could. The entire world was riding on them to succeed; and Dawn was right to state that Psera contributed quite a lot to the cause.

"I have to apologize," Flurry admitted to herself. But what could she say? Sorry for disgracing Psera and you, Dawn, my family and friend? Did it have to be political? Did she already screw up as a Princess of Equestria during the worst possible time?

Flurry trotted over to a piano set on the stage and sat down at the keys. Her weightful crown was set aside to hopefully lift this heavy emotion from her head. It did no such thing.

She stared at her reflection in the piano's black glossy surface. What could she do? Why was she even here? What could she possibly give to the war effort besides ideas?

She pressed on a key and tapped a single tone multiple times. What could she possibly give to anypony here? She didn't have magical prowess like any of the other princesses. Neither did Dawn, but she knew Dark Magic and could get into places none of them could. Not to mention, she was the current Queen of a superpower.

Arcadia Nova knew every last single thing there ever was to know about magic and the way to get there.

Her own mother knew strategy and knew how to weaponize love magic, which is what keeps the Pserateps alive. If something goes wrong, Cadance may be the one to save them all.

Celestia and Luna had millennia of experience fighting legendary monsters and creatures far and wide. The Legends of Psera knew all about Narmeelah and the creatures of Tartarus were additional muscle.

What was she?

Flurry tapped at the key harder, faster. What was her purpose? Why was she even here?!

Suddenly, the piano jerked. She yelped and bounced from her seat. What was that? Why did the piano just move?!

Stepping back, she watched in fascination as the stage seemed to lower. The entire stage. The steps moved with it, angling in the opposite direction. Did she just discover something?! How many secrets of this castle didn't she know about?!

The light from the room disappeared behind her, urging her to turn around and face a stone walkway. It went deep. It was dark, destination hidden in the shadows.

She needed to turn around, to run up those stairs and tell everyone else that she found something. Then again...

Flurry faced the hallway and took her first steps inside. Soon finding herself drowning in darkness. She tapped at the wall until she pressed on what was certainly a cord. Instantly, torches lit her path. Good, some light.

She grabbed one and waved it ahead. Great, more rocks and tunnels. Was this the well Aunt Twilight was talking about? Stars, it seemed rather long. Maybe it would be best to get some backup.

Flurry turned around and gasped. The entrance. Where'd it go?! The light disappeared, leaving her facing a jagged crystal wall. When did it even close? Great. Now she was trapped beneath the castle. Flurry gulped and turned back around to face what needed to be done. She had to find another way out. Maybe along the way she'll figure out her purpose.

---

Given the green light, Dawn stepped into another room. A bedroom no doubt. Maybe it belonged to one of their assistants. Did they sleep in the castle with them? The guard checked the bed and closet while she stood to the side. It were moments like this that made her feel useless. Waiting. Her time would come.

"Can you believe what she said?" Dawn asked aloud.

Captain Gliding sword peeked out from checking the closet. "What was that?"

"What Flurry said earlier."

Gliding went back into the closet. "The princess is frustrated. Whether with herself or with the situation, I don't know. You were like that growing up."

"What? No, I wasn't."

"Yes, you were," another guard commented. "Especially with Secretary of Royalty Gardeen Daisy. Remember that phase?"

Oh. Yeah. That.

Dawn groaned and said, "Why can't you guards just agree and say that Flurry was wrong, and not get on my case too?"

Captain gliding stepped out of the closet and walked over to Queen Dawn. "Young ponies like you need to know the 'why' and 'how'. Not the what. The more you understand, the faster you're able to find a solution. As Queen, having a firm understanding will be your best asset. Despite Arcadia's shortcomings, she was very fluent in deciphering emotions, which in turn made her a great ruler and mother, because she could connect with her subjects on a deeper level than what was on the surface."

Dawn tapped at her chin. "So, you're saying there's something else bugging Flurry then?"

"Of course. Flurry Heart may be the princess and heir to the Crystal Empire, but she's still just a kid who, starting just months ago, watched her mother and father be attacked by her aunt, saw an entire country blow up, and witnessed that same aunt wreck her country twice within forty days. No doubt she has a few things she'd like to say."

Captain Gliding walked past Dawn and back out into the hall. "But of course I could be wrong. You foals are all different. Still impressionable, but also unpredictable. You react to situations differently. Who knows what the problem could be but Flurry. But there is something wrong with her."

"Hmmm." Dawn followed out after Gliding before changing into First Light. "I believe it would be best for us to stick together. I agree that she needs her space, but I would hate for Flurry heart to get into trouble with Aunt Caddy or Mother for not sticking together."

She changed back into Dawn. "Yeah, I agree. Search for Flurry and being her back please. I'd hate for her to miss something."

A guard saluted and moved off from the group in search of Princess Flurry Heart.

Back upstairs, Arcadia finally managed to get the dresser broken down into pieces. She sheathed her sword and looked over to Cadance.

"Happy?" Her face of glee was her answer. "I figured. I'll go ahead and start the journey, you send for backup."

Cadance nodded and walked out, Leaving Twilight to fearlessly walk into the darkness alone. It was quite familiar. Almost a faint memory.

Along the way, she eyed silver flames burning from torches. Strange. Still she grabbed one and continued her way down. The crystal walls soon expanded into a single hallway. She must be beneath the castle. A single path of smooth crystal guided her forward. Carefully, she moved, taking the time to scan her environment for any dangers. So far, so good.

She ventured further in. Maybe this tunnel connected to another. For there to be only one entrance would be insane.

There had to be more.

---

Cadance found Dawn and her guards checking into the kitchen. No way they would find anything in there.

"Dawn," Cadance called out to them.

Dawn turned around and smiled to Cadance. "Hey, Aunt Caddy. We're checking the kitchen." She reinforced that fact by pushing over a refrigerator, much to Cadance's horror. Well, foals will be foals, no matter who they are. "We think the wells are hidden behind walls and camouflaged appearances."

Cadance stopped at Dawn's side and looked around. "That's good. Where's Flurry?"

Dawn seethed through her teeth. "So, she and I had a bit of a falling out."

She had to be kidding. You leave foals alone for ten minutes and they're already fighting. Cadance sighed and closed her eyes. A hoof rubbed her brow. "Where is she?"

"I have a guard searching for her now."

That same guard returned in the kitchen entrance and saluted. "Queen Dawn. I have reason to suspect Princess Flurry is missing."

"What?!" Cadance and Dawn shouted.

The Guard reached into one of the many pockets of his fatigue and withdrew a crown. "This belongs to the Princess, yes?"

Cadance took it in her hooves. "Yes, this is Flurry's. Where did you find it?"

"In the grand ballroom. Sitting on the piano. There were no signs of a scuffle, I ruled out any assault. Also no signs of a break in. It looked almost as if she just disappeared."

"Almost?" Captain Gliding asked.

They soon found themselves in the ballroom standing around the same piano. The guard was pointing down to the carpet, where a slight discoloration implied hoofsteps.

"So, she enters the room," Gliding pointed out. "Then sits at the piano."

"Then she walks over here." Cadance followed Flurry's tracks to the back of the stage before they fade. As a matter of fact...

Dawn pointed to two of the tracks. "Look. They're snipped off. Two hoofsteps are cut in half. It's like she disappeared."

"Flurry?!" Cadance shouted. She ran out the ballroom and into the hall. "Flurry!!!"

Her voice bounced off the walls and through them, reaching the ears of both Twilight and Flurry.

Twilight stopped walking. "Cadance?" She shouted back. Could they hear her? Were these walls that thin? Privacy must've been almost impossible in this castle.

"Twilight! Flurry's missing!"

"Mom?!" Flurry yelled. She stopped walking and looked around. "Mom, where are you?! Are you in here too?!"

"Flurry?!" Twilight shouted.

"Aunt Twilight?!"

"Cadance, what's going on?!"

"Okay, everyone stop yelling!" Dawn shouted. Jeez, they sounded like they were coming from every last single room in the castle. Likely a defense mechanism.

"Okay, mom? Where are you?" Dawn asked.

"Cadance and I found a hidden stairwell upstairs in the master bedroom. She went for backup while I got a headstart. Where are all of you?"

"Cadance and I are in the grand ballroom. Flurry and I decided to go different ways. Now, she's missing. Flurry? Where are you?"

Flurry waved her torch around. "I'm not sure! I tapped on the piano a few times and the stage lowered down to this path beneath me. I stepped in and it shut. So, I'm kind of tra—AHHHH!"

Flurry jumped back and dropped the torch. After shining it on the face of a stone pony guard.

"FLURRY?! Flurry, are you okay?!" Cadance shouted.

Flurry placed a hoof over her bouncing heart. "Yeah! Yeah, it's just a statue! I think I'm beneath the castle!"

"Okay, I'm beneath the castle right now," Twilight said. She quickened her steps. Maybe she could track her voice. "I'll come to you, Flurry. Do you remember what keys you pressed on the piano?"

"Maybe. It went like dun-dun-dun!"

"Right, because all pianos don't go dun-dun-dun!" Dawn quipped.

"Hey, bite me, double-trouble!"

"Whoa!" Cadance said.

"Hey, watch your mouth, Flurry!" Twilight berated. "I don't know what's going on between you two but you'd better patch it up quick before I see either of you again!"

"Ugh!" Flurry quickened her pace. Stars, these pony statues were creeping her out.

She walked past a few more of them, completely unaware of how all of their heads had turned in her direction.

Author's Note:

I'm going to get you guys that next chapter soon. But for now, this is all I could choke out. Happy Halloween! 🎃

Comments

[Fluffy_Wing]

Yay! Thank you for the update! Happy Halloween!