A Thousand Year Peace

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So much had changed in the past few years since her ascension. The Elements had split up, if temporarily, to fulfill their personal obligations.

She wondered how Rarity's new fashion line was doing. She'd left in such a hurry, and without Spike to carry her bags, loading her things onto the New Yoke train had become a group effort. She'd been gone for over a year now.

AJ was slightly closer, but the demands of the Apple Family business had left them with little time to get together. She had heard rumors that the Flim Flam Brothers were at it again, and while she really wanted to help, she couldn't act until there was proof of their misdeeds.

All the rest were far away.

Pinkie Pie was in Prance, working with world renowned chefs and bakers. Twilight hoped she was having a grand time there, but she also felt sorry for her colleagues. She laughed, imagining Pinkie Pie's hijinks.

Fluttershy was operating a flying hospital for foals and animals in the Griffon Confederacies. She volunteered after hearing the way things were in the area. She hadn't heard from her since the day she left two years ago. At least she brought Angel with her.

Rainbow Dash was off being the "totally awesome captain of the Wonderbolts", so she wrote in her last letter two weeks ago. Rainbow also told her that they would be escorting the flying hospital Fluttershy worked with for the last leg of its journey.

And then there was Spike.

"Oh, Spike." She sighed, blinking tears away.

Spike had left with the dragon migration again, this time on a mission to learn more about dragon culture and practices, as well as the adults' physiology. He wrote almost weekly, but she missed him nonetheless. He had grown quite a bit too, and she knew it wasn't the greed-induced growth. She levitated a recent picture of him wearing a bomber jacket and shades in front of her, smiling wistfully.

"See you soon, Spike."

And that left her, Twilight Sparkle, in Ponyville. She sighed gently. The city lights mirrored the star-studded night. The small town had changed too, after her coronation. It became her seat of power, hers to direct. And so she built a university with the goal of making education accessible to everypony.

The University grew quickly, attracting students from all over. The town grew as businesses and residents flooded in. Soon, Ponyville sported medium rise apartments and dormitories, shopping centers, and all the other things urban life had to offer. Yet, it wasn't the same without her friends by her side.

Thunderous bass rippled out of a small warehouse on the edge of town. She had been invited by Vinyl Scratch to a college party, but she declined on account of her teaching. But maybe she should reconsider.

She took off her royal garments and folded them neatly on her bed. The Princess wouldn't be attending the party, but Twilight Sparkle would. She spread her wings, relishing in the way the bones and muscles worked together, and she jumped, laughing at the panicked look the guards made as they rushed into her chambers.

The wind clawed at her starry mane -- which glowed faintly with the hints of an impending dawn -- as she flapped her wings with powerful strokes. She alighted on the sidewalk rather clumsily, nearly barreling over a couple of ponies that hadn't been looking. She'd been thinking again. She offered a sheepish smile to the bystanders.

"Sorry everypony. I'm just thinking too much again." At least it wasn't like the time she walked into a wall in front of her class. She grimaced at that.

Her hooves clicked on the concrete as she walked towards the warehouse.

A crowd pressed at the entrance. Some yelled at the bouncers over the music, waving money in front of their faces in exchange for entry. One such mare was a mint green unicorn named Lyra Heartstrings. Lyra saw her and gave her a sheepish smile as she walked away.

Twilight was about to say something when a familiar pony caught her eye. She was a unicorn mare with deep violet hair and a snowy white coat. Her gait spoke of sophistication and elegance, but the mare had a short cut mane like Lyra's, only better coiffed. She had to see her cutie mark...there! Three gemstones!

"Rarity?"

"Yes? I am a very busy -- oh my stars! Twilight!" Rarity outright hugged her, eyes wide in delight. "How ever have you been? We have so much catching up to do! We simply must get together!"

"Aren't we getting together now?"

Rarity laughed, "My, my Twilight. You've gotten better with your comebacks."

While she wasn't yet as tall as Cadence or even Luna, she had certainly grown over the years since her ascension to the point that the tip of Rarity's horn was just at eye level, filling her with a certain apprehension.

"Twilight, are you alright my dear?"

"What? Oh! I was just thinking. How are you, Rarity?"

"Oh it was marvelous!” Vinyl's music was so loud they could barely hear each other, even while standing away from the entrance. "There were so many fashion stars I couldn't possibly keep count of them all! There was Photo Finish, Hoity Toity, and even Elegant Secret!"

"Well I'll be!" An orange, Stetson-wearing pony walked up to them, "Twilight! Rarity! How're ya doin' pardners?"

"AJ!" Twilight ran up to muzzle her friend, and Rarity did the same afterwards.

"I had a feeling I'd see you fellas around here." AJ smirked, "so, how's the party Twi?"

"Oh we haven't been inside yet." Rarity spoke up, "Have you, Applejack?"

"Nope. Not yet at least." She smiled up at them. "But we can get goin' right now if you don't mind."

"That would be great!" Twilight grinned, eager to dance off the stress.

"...now listen here, bucko!" A scratchy voice yelled over the din. "I'm captain of the Wonderbolts! I'm a bucking VIP and you know it, so let me in already!"

Twilight looked over and saw a wild, rainbow colored mane rising from the crowd. The cyan pegasus it was connected to stared challengingly into the muscled bouncer's eyes. She tapped Applejack on the shoulder and pointed.

"Well how-dy! If it isn't Rainbow Dash!" Applejack cried. She tipped her hat politely to them. "I'll be back in a jiffy, Twi, Rare."

Twilight watched with a smile as AJ and Rainbow Dash met on the sidewalk, getting into a playful scuffle as if they were just foals. Minutes later, the two of them met with Twilight and Rarity.

"Hey, c'mon Twi!" Dash begged on her wings, "You're a princess right? Can't you just tell these mooks to let us pass?"

Twilight shook her head, smiling. "No Rainbow." Rainbow's head drooped, and she opened her mouth to say something. "What I can do is get free drinks."

"You are so awesome!" Rainbow hugged her.

"...so anyway, I said 'I know what you are but what am I'?" Rarity finished her account of her travels.

They all laughed at that. Rainbow Dash knocked back a shot of whiskey and poured herself another one as she chortled at one of Applejack's stories.

"Now, Rainbow Dash darling, where is Fluttershy? Last I heard she was coming home with you."

"Oh." A look of sadness replaced her grin as she turned to Rarity. "She said she wanted some time alone. Wouldn't talk to me about it."

"Then we simply must go there and cheer her up! I know just the thing!"

"No, Rarity." Rainbow Dash sucked in a breath, tears welled up in her eyes. "Something happened to her while she was in the Confederacies. When I asked her about it she just--she just snapped! We need to give her time."

Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack exchanged uneasy looks. Something really bad had to have happened for Fluttershy to snap. Rainbow Dash fluttered away to get something stronger, drunkenly bumping into a couple of partygoers along the way.

"I say we go and help her."

"But Rainbow said--" Twilight tried to get a word in but Applejack cut her off.

"I know what she done said, but I'm not the kind to sit by while a friend needs our help. Now ya'll comin' or what?"

"She's right, Twilight." Rarity spoke softly.

Rainbow Dash returned to an empty table.