Godzilla: King of Equestria

The banging of the gavel echoed through the parliament chambers, silencing the dull roar of arguing voices which had been steadily growing in volume.

"Silence."

All ponies in the room immediately shut their mouths and turned to face the rear point of the room, where a raised desk, not unlike a judge's bench, sat, perfectly centered in front of the massive glass windows which made up the rear wall. Sitting in the desk, with the gavel in her magical grasp, was the most majestic pony one can imagine, though perhaps pony was not the right term. She was much taller than every other pony in the room, and not solely because of her raised seat. Yet her frame was much thinner and more elegant, and her form was more comparable to a perfectly toned horse. Her coat was the purest white, her eyes a vibrant violet. The horn which spiraled out from her forehead was long and thin, ending in a sharp point. Her wings, which at this point were spread out to show their full span, were massive and angelic. The mane and tail which flowed from her were not simply hair, but seemed to dance as though caught in some unfelt breeze, the stripes of pastel colors pulsing. Her golden and elegantly molded crown, necklace, and hoof boots only added to her regal appearance, the last of which were currently pressed firmly onto the top of her desk. Propped up by her front hooves on the bench, the both horned and winged angel positively towered over the now silent ponies. She looked down on the fearful assembly with an expression of both irritation and resignation. Behind her the rising sun framed her head through the window like a halo. A name plate sat at the front of her desk, inscribed with her title.

HER HOLY MAJESTY EMPRESS SOL CELESTIA

"Now I understand that this announcement may be a tad startling," The Empress said. "But it would be unwise of us to take any action before we have more information." Her voice was calm and serene, yet it had an air of authority, like that of a wise mother. Her point made, she lowered herself back into her seat. On each of her flanks was a stylized sun pattern made up of colored fur.

She scanned the crowd before her, the half circles of desks expanding away from her own like ripples in a pond. Many of the ponies shifted uncomfortably in their seats, most examining their desks or the floor, avoiding Celestia's eyes. However, one royal blue pony seated in the frontmost row slammed his hooves on his desk and propped himself up, much like the Empress had. He was much younger than the elderly ponies who filled most of the room and his expression held none of their fear.

"What more information do we need?" he shouted, startling the pony seated beside him. "It's obvious what's happened here! The Anchorage didn't blow itself up!" Several ponies in the audience nodded at this. "The only group with the sheer gall to attack one of our nuclear vessels is the Lunar Republic! It's plain to see that this is another attempt to antagonize us back into open conflict and I say we give them exactly what they're asking for!" Murmurs of approval flittered throughout the chamber. The Empress sighed before she responded.

"Councilmember Debate, please refrain from shouting your points," Celestia said with barely restrained exasperation. "As for your hypothesis, I have my doubts. While it is certainly a possibility that I will consider, Premier Luna as well as her staff have completely denied any involvement in the incident, even offering condolences for the ponies-"

"We can't believe them!" another council pony interjected. "You of all ponies should know those filthy commies can't be trusted! It's all secrets and lies with those Lunar scum!"

"Ignoring popular opinion of the nation's leaders," Celestia said with scarcely a hint of irritation. "Why, if their goal was to incur our wrath, would the Lunar Republic refuse to admit its actions?"

"Obviously they wish to save face!" Debate retorted. "By making it appear that we are the aggressors, they ensure civilian and foreign support! The only reason they aren't gloating is because they want to look like the victim!" Another round of affirmative murmurs began.

"While I understand why you believe this, I believe, regardless of any motive, that we simply do not have enough evidence to implicate anyone in this incident," the Empress said confidently. Several council members nodded as she finished. She continued. "I therefore propose that a special unit be formed to properly investigate this matter, staffed by experts in all relevant fields, to be selected by this parliament. In addition, I move that, until such time as this investigation is complete, we keep this incident on a need to know basis." Before she could continue, a third Councilmember raised his voice.

"How dare you keep the public in the dark! This is a matter of full scale war! They deserve to know!" The new voice accented his exclamations by stomping a hoof on his desk. Several surrounding council expressed their agreement.

Celestia's calm demeanor showed a hint of anger for a moment before returning to its previous serenity. "I agree that the public should be kept up to date on government activities," Celestia said. "However, I fear that, given the nature of this incident and our very limited knowledge of what occurred, the public might make certain assumptions which could easily result in mass panic."

Debate pointed an accusatory hoof at the Empress. "You're just afraid that the public will agree with my theory! You're scared they'll force you to take action! This 'investigation' is just a ruse to give you more time to think up some excuse that will keep us from giving the Lunar Republic the fight it deserves!" The other Council members stared wide-eyed at Debate's outburst, but the raging Councilmember failed to notice. "You've been in charge for a very long time and yet this war is still dragging on! You're getting old, Empress. Perhaps it's time you stepped down and let somepony else take the reigns. Somepony who can do what you couldn't and take the fight to those commie bastards and their insolent leader Nightmare Moon!"  Nearly every pony in the room gasped as the last two words escaped his lips. As his brain caught up with his words, Debate's confident smile slowly morphed into a worried frown. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he stared at the still silent Empress. She had pressed her front hooves against one another in front of her mouth, her elbows resting on the desk. Her eyes stared unwaveringly at Debate, who began to stammer an apology as he sat back down.

"You're right."

Debate stopped his frantic babbling and looked up aghast. "I- I'm what?" he managed to say.

"You're right," Celestia repeated simply. "I am getting old. I have spent a very long time on this throne; managing this Empire, looking out for its citizens. And I have seen this war since its beginning. For one thousand years I have struggled to bring an end to it. One thousand years. I watched for ages as ponies fought and died by the thousands on both sides. I led an army into the bloodiest battles in history. I watched friends and loved ones sacrifice themselves again and again to combat the Republic's misguided beliefs. I have experienced every horror this war has brought about and more than once I considered surrender. But I didn't, because I believed that doing so would be the same as consenting to the Republics unreasonable ideals, and I could never live with that. But for the past hundred years we have managed to avoid any bloodshed. The cost has been great, however. I am not sure if you are old enough to have been alive at the time of the Everfree Incident, but as you so kindly pointed out, I am. And seeing the power of a nuclear explosive first hand is something you never forget." She paused to let her words sink in. The entire council stared at her, rapt. "If this war does return to open conflict, Councilmember Debate, it will not be with soldiers or tanks or aircraft. It will be with warheads, launched from across the continent. And, of course, the defending nation will respond in kind because what else can they do? Each of these warheads will have more destructive power than you can imagine. It is extremely likely that every major city on both sides will be completely destroyed within the first day. And it will not stop until one us is eradicated. So yes, Councilmembers, I am afraid. I am afraid that something, like this incident, will light a fuse that will end in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents. So forgive me if I take the time to make damn sure such action is warranted."

The chambers were silent when Celestia finished. Debate's jaw hung open as he sat completely still. Others gawked. Most simply stared. Once Celestia felt enough time had passed to make her point she added "And her name is Luna."

Debate's face went from horrified to confused. "Excuse me?"

"The Premier of the New Lunar Republic is to be referred to by her title or her proper name. She is not to be referred to by any derogatory labels by anyone in these chambers." Celestia removed her hooves from her face and leaned over her bench to look the Council member in the eye. "She may be misguided, but I will not allow you to make my sister into a monster." Debate shrunk under her glare.

"Y- yes, Empress. Of course!" he stuttered, vainly attempting to hide behind his desk. Celestia returned to her normal sitting posture and adopted a serene smile.

"Good. Now I believe it's time to call for a vote."

Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth in front of a pair of large oak doors. A plaque mounted above the doors read "Parliament Chambers" in large gold letters. The only noise was the clip clop of her hooves on the marble floor. Spike leaned against the door frame, looking past Twilight down the ornate hallway. Twilight's nervous loop took her between two spiraling columns which sat a meter from the door. They were each part of a row of similar pylons which stretched down the hall. On the walls, in the spaces between pillars were complex pictures made of stained glass. Each depicted an epic scene of various heroes battling overwhelming odds. More than a few showed a likeness of the Empress, as well as another pony with both wings and a horn. This other alicorn was depicted as a deep midnight blue, her mane sparkling with the light of countless stars. Spike admired the window from afar before the sounds of worried mumbling drew his attention back to the frantically pacing Twilight.

"Ooooooh! What am I going to do!" Spike rolled his eyes as he listened. "What if she asks to see how my research is coming along? What if she isn't satisfied with what I have?" Twilight froze mid-stride. "What if she's so disappointed in me that she decides she doesn't want me as her student any more?" Twilight's back legs gave out and she fell back into a sitting position. She stared wide eyed as her mind indulged in scenario after improbable scenario of ways her mentor could punish her. Spike sighed and left the wall to approach the catatonic mare.

"Twilight?" He snapped his fingers an inch from her face.

Twilight blinked and shook her head to rid it of the images. "Sorry," she said, blushing. "I'm just a little nervous." Spike crossed his arms and gave her an unamused look. She sighed and looked down at her hooves. "Okay, I'm a lot nervous," she admitted. "It's just... The way that letter was worded... The Empress sounded really serious. More serious than I've ever seen her. Whatever this is about, it isn't just an ordinary checkup..."

Spike relaxed his stance and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.  "Aw, come on Twi. I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle," he smiled as he spoke. "Besides, you know how much the Empress cares about you. She'd never let you get hurt." As Twilight's frown slowly turned to a slight smile, she met Spike's gaze. "Thanks, Spike," she said as she pulled him into a hug. "You always know just what to say."  Spike smirked as he returned the hug. "Yeah, I am pretty great." Twilight gently shoved him back and gave him a light punch to the shoulder. "Humble too, I see," She said sarcastically, smirking. Spike crossed his arms and swelled with exaggerated pride. "Most humble dragon in the world!" he proclaimed. Twilight giggled and Spike let his false bravado drop, leaving a worried look on his face. "But seriously, you feeling better?" he asked. Twilight smiled. "Yep. I'm not nervous at all."

*BANG*

That was the noise made by the Parliament chamber doors as they slammed open just a meter behind Twilight Sparkle. The sound she made as she accelerated towards the ceiling was significantly higher in pitch and much less dignified. It was objectively quite an impressive leap for a pony without wings, although wings would have helped make the landing significantly more comfortable. The horde of ponies wandering out of the chambers, composed of primarily male unicorns in fancy clothing, paid barely enough mind to the startled girl to avoid tripping over her. More focused on their hushed conversations than any other creature in the hall, they scarcely noticed Spike helping Twilight get back on her feet. The haughty crowd moved around them down the hallway as she dusted herself off and turned towards the now open doors.

Twilight and Spike slowly entered the Parliament Chambers as the last council member ambled past them out the door. The vast room was beautifully lit by the magnificent sunrise which flowed in through the glass walls on the opposite side of the room. Next to the central bench, facing out towards the rising star, stood Empress Sol Celestia in all her regal glory. Twilight paused when she saw her mentor, biting her lip and fidgeting in place, but soft nudge from Spike got her moving again. As she approached, Twilight couldn't help but stare at the Empress. She was beautiful, bathed in the orange light of the dawn. Twilight glanced at her mentor's flank, seeing the stylized sun mark which adorned it. She froze again just behind Celestia and readied herself to speak.

"E- Empress?" she nervously stuttered. Celestia smiled at the sound. "My faithful student," she said, turning to face Twilight. Twilight's posture relaxed significantly at the sight of her mentor's smile. They closed the distance between each other and briefly embraced. "It has been far too long."  Celestia said as they ended the hug.

"It's barely been a week," Twilight said slightly confused.

"And that is far too long I've gone without seeing my favorite student." Celestia said, watching Twilight's smile double in size. Celestia turned back to the window but motioned with her wing for Twilight to join her in watching the sun rise. Twilight stood next to her teacher and gazed out the windows at the city beyond. Morning's light gleamed off the shimmering towers and skyscrapers which fanned out before her, silhouetting them against the ascending sun. Celestia looked at her awed student with an amused smirk.

"I see you enjoyed my little show today," the Empress said. Twilight blushed and looked away from the dazzling horizon.

"Well, yes, of course. Your sunrises are always beautiful," she said.

"I thought I might put a bit more effort into this morning after..." Celestia turned her gaze downward, her smile fading.

Twilight's ease faded when she heard her mentor's tone. "After... After what?" she asked cautiously.

Celestia looked back out over the city. Her posture shifted with her mood, becoming more rigid, unlike her light, comfortable stance before. Her smile was gone, all the mirth faded from her visage. "There has been... an incident," she said delicately. "Several hours ago one of our nuclear powered submarines carrying a large payload of nuclear weapons was attacked several miles out from Horseshoe Bay."

Twilight's face went pale. "But... that... How? Who?" Twilight stammered.

"We don't know," the Empress replied with a sigh. "And this isn't the first vessel to be sunk in those waters." Twilight raised her brow at that but kept silent. Celestia continued, "Several fishing vessels and a few private yachts have also gone missing in that area recently. The Parliament and I didn't believe it was more than coincidence but this latest attack..."

Twilight bit her lip as she listened. "Do you..." Twilight hesitated. "Do you think the Republic is behind it?"

"No, I don't, but the council does," Celestia replied firmly. "There's no pattern or plan to these attacks. It's not organized enough to be sabotage. It is far more likely this is the result of some new, unknown natural phenomenon." The Empress looked at her student solemnly. "Which is where you come in, my faithful student."

Twilight's eyes widened at those words. "M- me?! What can I do?" she stammered nervously.

"I have convinced the nobles to fund a research party to investigate the incidents. This team will determine the cause of these wrecks and give us the information we need to determine the best course of action." Celestia said. "But as the councilors will be selecting the research members, I cannot be certain their bias won't affect the result. I need somepony I can trust to lead this team. Somepony I know, but also somepony who is very well read in the areas of geography, marine phenomena, and ionizing radiation." Twilight tilted her head at the last item. "Somepony whose enthusiasm for organization and proper scientific procedure will filter out any erroneous data, intentional or not." Celestia bent down towards her student, bringing her eyes level with Twilight's. The Empress pointed a hoof at her protege. "Somepony like you, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight's jaw dropped at the sound of her name. "E- Empress, you- you can't possibly... I'm just a student! I'm barely old enough to live on my own! I can't possibly..." Twilight was silenced by a gentle white hoof over her mouth.

"I have known you for many years, Twilight Sparkle. I have seen you do many things and overcome insurmountable challenges." Celestia lowered her hoof and smiled at Twilight. "I know you can do this." Celestia smiled earnestly. Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. When she opened her eyes her face bore a look of pure determination.

"Okay, Empress," she said. "Just tell me what I need to do."