Chapter 2: An Old Friend

Hayurary 12, 1504 A.D.

Parliament Reception, Canterlot Gardens

Spike couldn’t decide between the punch and the six-layered gem cake.

He was standing next to a serving table peering over the edge at the pastries set aside for guests at Parliament’s reception.  It was in the Canterlot gardens during the late afternoon since Parliament had ended session.

Spike also couldn’t decide who to cheer for in Parliament.

Some hours earlier he had been sitting in the viewing lounge with Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy when the chamber erupted into pandemonium.

Immediately after Senator Tejas’s quiet declaration, all the ponies sitting inside, be it members, royalty, guards, or guests broke out yelling at Tejas and each other.  Shouts of “Traitor!” could be heard echoing off the walls and ponies began accusing each other of different degrees of treachery.

Fancy Pants reeled in the chaos and dismissed Parliament, postponing the vote on the Equestria-Crystal Empire Unification Act until cooler heads prevailed.  He then asked very politely for everyone to attend the reception that was being held in Twilight’s honor.

Celestia, Luna, and Twilight had immediately pulled Senator Tejas aside and were currently having a “polite discussion” over what he had declared.

Spike decided that the punch would be good and scooped some out with a crystal ladle. He then returned back to the table he was sharing with Cadence, Shining Armor, and the girls.

They were in an intense discussion about earlier.  Rainbow Dash being the most vocal.

“Those traitors!  How DARE they insult the princesses and threaten to leave Equestria!  Where’s their loyalty huh?!  I bet they’re just scared that Cadence would love them too much!”

Spike climbed up into a seat next to Shining Armor and began to take note of his friends and families faces as Dash ranted.

Cadence looked tired and exasperated, her debate with Tejas and the commotion afterward had drained her of her usual bubbly attitude.  Her eyes had bags under them and her wings were slightly ruffled.

Shining Armor was angry and alert.  He seemed to have a scowl etched permanently on his face and he had a foreleg over Cadence protectively.

Rarity looked absolutely miffed and had her nose stuck up in the air and she mumbled, “Traitors” and “So not fabulous” under her breath.

Applejack leaned back in her chair and was looking back at Rainbow Dash as the pegasus hovered above them.  She had a frown decorating her face and hay clenched between her teeth.

Pinkie Pie was trying to figure out why somepony would try to crash the, as she said, “The Big PARTY that is Equestria!”  She also would randomly snort “Party Poopers” and other party oriented insults as she “liberated” the gardens with her party cannon.

Fluttershy was silent and trying to hide in her mane again as the others talked.  Angel Bunny was doing plenty however as he made smoke signals with a hot cup of tea to get his point across to the others.

Rainbow Dash was taking a breath to continue when Shining Armor interjected.

“It’s not that simple Rainbow.”

Rainbow Dash looked miffed and flew in front of the stallion.

“It’s not?  Then explain it to me Mr. Prince!”

Shining Armor looked at Cadence before turning back to the rainbow-maned mare.

“Unlike the other fiefs in Equestria, the Celestial Territories was its own nation completely separate and independent before it joined 500 years after Discord.  One of the stipulations of the agreement their Senate had with Celestia and Luna was that they would retain the right to freely leave Equestria if they wanted to one day.”

“So?  If they started anything our army would smash them right?”

Shining Armor shook his head, refuting what Rainbow Dash had said.

“Another part of the treaty was that the Territories would retain its own army and navy instead of having Equestrian guards.  They are a very militaristic culture and take great pride in the skill of their legions.  They have kept their part of the northern borders safe and secure for the past thousand years with absolutely no intervention necessary.”

“When I was Captain of the Day Guard here in Canterlot, we had meetings with their head military chief, General Stonewall.  Technically they are subordinate to high command here in Canterlot.  In times of war, if there was a draft, they would provide any ponies that were needed and their legions would immediately obey any orders they received from the princesses or our generals.  They are extremely efficient and well trained.  Many of their traditions predate the foundation of Equestria.”

Rainbow Dash was grasping at straws.

“Yeah but Equestria is bigger isn’t it?  And our army is bigger!  So none of that would matter!”

Shining Armor paused and had a thoughtful expression.

“That is very true.  At the max, the Celestial Legions number around 25,000 soldiers total.  The land that the Celestial Territories occupy is not even a tenth of the size of the total land mass of Equestria.  Their regional capital is Eclipse City near the foohills of the Unicorn Mountains, which is also part of the territory they govern.  Eclipse City is the largest and is slightly smaller than Canterlot and the other towns are around the size of Ponyville and Appallossa combined.  But those are few and far between.”

“Furthermore they are extremely isolated from the rest of Equestria, it sits in the far northwest.  Only one rail line connects them to the Equestria, and it stops at Stalliongrad.  Hardly anypony migrates to the Celestial Territories and nopony comes out of it.  They are very independent-minded and proud of their heritage.”

When Shining Armor finished his lecture, Applejack piped up.

“How do ya know all this Shining?”

Shining Armor turned away from Rainbow Dash, who had sat down and started pouting, and answered the farmer.

“It was part of guard military school.  We had to learn about all the different parts of our military.  The Celestial Territories was always the oddball of our lessons and was subject to teasing from both our drill-sergeants and the military professors.”

Applejack nodded and looked thoughtful.  Rarity decided to join in and be a part of the discussion again.  She had finished her not-too subtle rant at how someponies could be so uncivilized in Parliament.

“I have a thought.  Why did the Celestial Territories join Equestria in the first place if they are so independent?”

Shining faced the fashioneta and crossed his hooves as he spoke.  A small frown replacing his scowl.

“I don’t know Rarity.  None of the Equestrian Guards do.  The events surrounding Equestria’s annexation of the Celestial Territories is not documented.  Celestia and Luna won’t talk about it and I asked General Stonewall once.  He said, “If you ever go to Eclipse City, don’t ask that question.  It’s a sore spot with everypony.”  That is all I got out of him.  Anypony else I talked to from the Territories evaded the question, changed the subject, or just said they didn’t want to talk about it.  Whatever happened, there entire population is ashamed of it.  All I know is that shortly after Sombra was defeated and the Crystal Empire disappeared is that the Celestial Territories swore loyalty to the Royal Pony Sisters and Equestria.  No details, no nothing.”

Rarity looked confused but intrigued at the same time.

“This is so mysterious.  I do hope Twilight has answers when she finishes her meeting with the other princesses.”

“Ooooooohhhhh!  Somepony is already having “royal princess” meetings and ignoring her friends?  Sounds like a good taco to me.”

Everypony except Fluttershy at the table stiffened in surprise and alarm.  Angel Bunny quickly hopped away from any carrots should they grow red eyes and a beard.

The disembodied voice cackled again, dripping with sarcasm.

“Whatever is the matter with everypony?  I came to spread some lovely chaos at this boring reception.  I’m reformed remember?”

Fluttershy popped out of her mane and smiled.

“Discord! How good of you to come!  I didn’t know if the invitation I sent reached you.  Where are you?”

There was a blinding flash of light and the draconeques appeared next to Fluttershy.

He towered above everypony but that wasn’t what warranted their attention.  Rarity gaped at Discord‘s attire and fainted in shock, landing on a fainting couch that appeared next to her.

Fluttershy giggled and studied the draconeques more closely.

“Oh my.  That is very nice Discord, how wonderful for you to dress for the reception.”

Discord was wearing a clown suit, complete with mismatched shoes that covered his feet, a puffy red afro that covered his horns, a polka-dot shirt, baggy pants, and a large, red, and round ball that rested on his snout.

“Do you like it dear Fluttershy?  I thought I would dress for the occasion.”

Cadence snorted, she was unamused by this and looked tiredly at Discord.

“How does a clown suit match the mood Discord?”

Discord wrapped himself around the alicorn, much to Shining Armor’s annoyance and replied in his oily voice.

“Why don’t you know?  Government is a three-ring circus!  It’s all of you who aren’t dressed appropriately.”

“But we’re not wearing anything at all silly!”  Pinkie Pie told the clown.

Discord straightened up and gasped dramatically, holding his lion’s paw in front of his face.

“You mean to tell me that you ponies went to Parliament NAKED!”

Rarity, who had recovered from her earlier shock, reoccupied the couch with a barely heard whimper and a noticeable thud.  She had forgotten entirely.

Spike was looking for a way to escape Discord’s antics when he saw Twilight trot up to the table.

She didn’t look happy.

She cantered up to next to Spike and plopped herself down on a cushion, which wheezed in protest.  Cadence turned to Twilight and asked what was on everypony’s mind.

“What did they say Twilight?”

Twilight turned to her sister-in-law and snorted in frustration.

“Apparently, Tejas’s claim is legal.  The Celestial Territories still have the right to leave Equestria peacefully.  Celestia and Luna were very distressed, and asked him many questions about why the Territories were so unsatisfied.  He didn’t answer many of them but apologized for any insult we felt might have been directed at us.”

“Tejas told us that it wasn’t Equestria itself or us that the Territories were angry with.  The Senate and the people there just have a deep-seated hatred for the Crystal Empire, I have no idea why.  The princesses asked if it was Sombra’s memory but he repeated what he said earlier.  The princesses have no clue as to who this “Broken Heart” was or if she even existed.  Tejas was vague and said the details were scratchy at best.  Most of the records had been destroyed by Discord.”

At this she turned a frown at the clown, who was suddenly sporting a halo, before turning back to Cadence.

“The senator made perfectly clear at the end of the meeting that if Equestria and the Crystal Empire unified, the Celestial Territories would leave and become independent again.  He then returned to his offices.  The other princesses are worried and they both went to their old archives to research the legal jargon.  I came here because I have had enough politics for one day.”

She sighed at her friends and family before continuing.

“I’m hungry.  Spike?  Where’s the food?”

Spike pointed with a claw at the feast in the corner of the garden.

“Thanks. Sorry everypony I’ll be back in a moment.”

Twilight heaved herself to her hooves and walked away.  They continued talking about what she had just told them as she moved in the direction of the food.

Many of the guests nodded politely or called out friendly greetings on her way there.  She acknowledged many of them out of courtesy but was too tired to do more.

When she got to the table, she looked at the food arrayed before her and began talking to herself.

“What to eat?  What to eat?  There is just too much to choose from!”

“Try the hay and daffodil sandwich with tomatoes.  It’s my favorite for events like these.”

Twilight turned around upon hearing the raspy voice that had greeted her.

The lavender alicorn looked at the stallion and thought to herself, ‘He’s certainly old-fashioned.’

The older unicorn was about the same height as her and had a coal black coat with an obsidian horn to match on his forehead.  He had a grey mane and tail with a beard that sprouted from his chin.

He was wearing a black suit with matching pants and tie.  A gold pocket watch could be seen hanging from one of his pockets.  He also had a thick overcoat that covered his sides.  His eyes twinkled like the corona of a solar eclipse as he spoke to her.

“You must be Princess Twilight Sparkle.  It is a pleasure to meet you at long last, I have heard a great many things about you.  Allow me to introduce myself, I am Professor Papyrus Scrolls.”

Twilight smiled back kindly at the seemingly frail unicorn.  She always liked talking to teachers and fellow scholars.

“It is nice to meet you as well professor.  What do you teach?”

“I teach history and archaeology, I have always had a thing for the past.  I sometimes get so deep into my teachings that my students tell me that I talk like I was actually there!”

He laughed good-naturedly at Twilight.  His laugh was deep and it rumbled from his throat.

Twilight laughed as well and continued questioning him.

“Where do you teach?  I use to go to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns and I don’t think I ever saw you there.”

His eyes got a little darker as they lost some light and his smile grew smaller before he replied.

“I teach at the Imperial Academy in Eclipse City, located in the Celestial Territories.”

Twilight immediately frowned in reaction to his statement.

“Are you here to talk politics professor?  I have already had my fill today.”

Scrolls shook his head.

“Although I am a part of Senator Tejas’s retinue, I can see that you don’t want to discuss today’s events.  I’m sorry if you think that princess.  I merely wanted to meet the mare that is Celestia’s prized pupil, and a former bearer of the element of magic.  You are, as they say, “Walking, talking history.””

Twilight’s smile returned to her face.  She picked out the sandwich he had recommended and held it in her magic.

“Thanks professor.  Since you have been kind though, what do you have to say on the subject?”

Scrolls looked at Twilight full in the face with a gaze that spoke years of experience and wisdom.

“Only that some ponies do things when they must, princess.  That is all I have to say.”

Twilight suppressed a shudder at his words.  They sounded really ominous.  She nodded politely and started walking back towards the table with her friends.

“Alright then, it was nice meeting you professor.”

“You too princess.  Enjoy your meal, I hope to see you again in the near future.  Good-night.”

Prof. Scrolls turned away and cantered further into the crowd, disappearing from view.

Twilight was walking briskly back to the table when Discord popped in front of her.

“Princess Twilight!  How kind of you to grace us mortals with your presence!  Was your quest successful?  Did you find the lost city of sandwich?  Did you see the royal court of food?!”

Twilight stopped, she really didn’t want to banter with Discord.

“No Discord.  I did not.  Please let me through, I am tired and hungry from today’s events.”

Discord gave an exaggerated bow and swept the afro off his head.

“Of course, your royal purpleness.”

Twilight was walking past the draconeques when she noticed that he suddenly stiffened, straightened up, and turned around.  His eyes were searching the crowd.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, Twilight prodded Discord.

“I haven’t seen you that still since you were a statue.  What is it?”

Discord slowly looked down at the princess of magic before he replied in a guarded voice.

“Nothing.  It was nothing.  I just thought that I saw an old….friend of mine.  But it was nothing.  I’m just jumping at ghosts.”

He looked back out to the crowd as if to make sure it was nothing but a ghost.

“Yes, ghosts."