New Republic Empire

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight Sparkle flew towards the Princess’s throne room. She barged in, so frantic that she forgot about the guards at the door.

She skidded to a stop when she saw metal spears hovering an inch from her eyes. When the guards saw who it was, they immediately pulled back.

Celestia reading the newspaper, and if she noticed Twilight, she didn’t portray it.

“Princess?” Twilight squeaked. It sounded much quieter than she had hoped.

Celestia looked up and nodded. “Yes, Twilight?”

Twilight swallowed as she took a few steps forward. She winced at the resonating sound of her hooves in the mammoth room.

Why am I so nervous? I’ve always been able to talk to Celestia. She taught me since fillyhood, for crying out loud!

Twilight parted her jaws, ready to speak but hesitating. Celestia slapped the newspaper harshly onto the hoofrest (armrest).

“You charged right in,” the princess said. “So it must be important. Hurry up.”

“Right...Princess, you remember those four Republic spies we found yesterday?”

“Of course I remember. I am Celestia. I wouldn’t forget that.”

“Y-yes, of course. Well, we had them all held captive, until…”

“Speak loud and clear, Twilight Sparkle. Don’t let your voice trail off. You are a Princess.”

Twilight nodded furiously, but she felt unhappiness seeping through her fur.

Yeah, I am a Princess. But it seems like you’re the only one ruling here…

She spoke again, clearer this time. “One of the spies escaped.”

Princess Celestia leaned back into her throne, her flowing hair trying to escape from being squashed.

“Who’s fault is this?” she demanded.

Twilight blinked nervously. “Uh, nopony’s?”

“That spy escaped because his cell wasn’t made escape-proof! Who is in charge of checking the cells?”

“Rock Lock,” Twilight croaked, dreading what was about to happen.

“Have Rock Lock sent here at once,” Celestia ordered the guards at the door. They dashed away with a “Yes, your Highness.”

Twilight’s tail swished uncomfortably. “Princess, what exactly are you planning to do?”

Celestia raised her newspaper again, which Twilight saw was crowded with doodles.

“That Rock Lock didn’t put enough care into locking that spy in,” the Princess stated. “Therefore, he doesn’t care about pleasing his Princess. Therefore, he will be banished.”

I gaped, and immediately stopped myself. “B-but, Princess. He still had the other three locked in fine!”

“But one got away,” the Princess retorted.

“But Rock Lock is just a normal unicorn pony! Everypony makes mistakes.” Under her breath, Twilight added, “Even you.”

The Princess didn’t hear, thankfully. “I don’t need his mistakes. He can live in the desert starting today. I’ll find another pony to check the cells.”

Twilight forced herself to not argue. It felt like swallowing a rock. Exhaling, she sat down and awaited the inevitable.

A minute or two later, the guards returned with a terrified-looking unicorn stallion. His fur was steel-colored and his mane was white with a streak of light gray. His cutie mark was a key.

Celestia glared at the unicorn, who cowered under her gaze.

“You, Rock Lock. You failed your duty to me, so you will be banished.”

Rock Lock’s eyes widened. “B-banished?! But--”

Celestia’s horn flared with yellow light, blinding Twilight. She watched through squinted eyes as the unicorn was enveloped in the magic. The humming of the magic was deafening, but Twilight thought she heard him cry for help before vanishing into thin air.

Twilight rubbed her eyes. The guards were looking quite shaken as well.

“Princess,” Twilight began cautiously. “Did you just--”

“I teleported him to the San Palomino Desert,” she grunted.

Twilight nodded, her heart still pounding.

What will become of the Solar Empire with Celestia ruling like this…?!

The door busted open and in wooshed a familiar rainbow-maned pegasus. Twilight sagged with relief when she saw her good friend.

“Rainbow Dash,” Celestia addressed. “Why are you here?”

Rainbow, despite her normally confident and open personality, shrank down a bit when she spoke to Celestia.

“The weird weather is back,” the pegasus reported.

“Then, you pegasi do something about it,” Celestia scoffed.

“We can’t,” Rainbow answered. “The clouds are moving on their own and we can’t control them! It started snowing up north.”

“Snow!” Celestia growled. “Perhaps I should move to Las Pegasus after all.”

Rainbow flitted her eyes towards Twilight, and their gazes held. Rainbow looked pretty uneasy.

“Twilight,” Celestia said sharply.

“Yes, Princess?”

“Go with Rainbow Dash and take a look at the ‘uncontrollable’ weather. Do something about it.”

“Y-yes, Princess.” Twilight got up and quickly trotted after Rainbow. They closed the door behind them and started walking down the massive hallway with stained-glass windows on either side. It was almost a replica of the Princess’s old home back in Canterlot.

“Phew,” Twilight sighed as they walked. “I’m so glad to be out of there.”

Rainbow laughed a bit, but there was a hint of concern in her laugh. “You really don’t like Celestia anymore, huh?”

“I just...I wish she would go back to how she was before this war…”

“It’s been twenty years, Twilight. It’ll be hard for anypony to change.”

Twilight nodded. “Celestia did have to go through the pain of splitting with her sister again after finally reuniting after a thousand years.”

“It’s all us ponies’ fault,” Rainbow said angrily. “If we had been more accepting, Luna would never have gotten angry and this whole war wouldn’t exist.”

Twilight shared Rainbow’s frustrated feelings, but she decided to put their mind off of this topic.

“Race you to the entrance,” Twilight yelled. Twilight opened her wings and started flying towards the giant doors.

Rainbow whisked past her in a second and pushed the doors open. Twilight slowed when she reached RD, breathless.

“Nice try,” Rainbow teased. “Now, lemme bring you to the crazy weather.”

Fluttershy was there, along with Applejack.

“C’mon, Fluttershy!” Applejack hollered. “Put yer back into it!”

Fluttershy was struggling to push a rather large cloud away. “The wind’s too strong,” she wailed.

All the other pegasi were trying to push the clouds away too, with no such luck. Twilight stared at the spectacle.

“We could use some Princess magic,” Rainbow hinted at the purple alicorn. Then she flew up into the air and tackled a snow cloud.

Heat spell, Twilight thought immediately. A powerful one could probably quench this snow.

Twilight poured her strength into her horn. She felt the magic expelling through it, and her face warmed from the heat waves.

“Stand back, everypony!” she yelled as she flew up towards the clouds. The snow stopped soon enough, but was replaced with rain.

“Gah,” she blurted as she was drenched. She flew back to the ground, where ponies were running to take shelter.

Twilight found her friends running back towards town. Twilight flew after them, leaving the rain clouds behind.

“Not sure if I prefer the rain or the snow,” Applejack joked as the four of them entered a small cafe. She gave her whole body a shake, spraying water onto Fluttershy and Rainbow and shaking her hat off.

“Hey,” Rainbow Dash yelped. “Watch where you’re shaking your water.”

Fluttershy scooped up AJ’s hat and passed it to her. “Thanks, Fluttershy,” she said as she placed it back on her head.

“Sorry about that,” Twilight said sheepishly. “I should’ve realized it would become rain.”

Rainbow Dash rustled her wings. “Twilight, you were pretty helpful. Vanhoover hasn’t had any rain in moons.”

“Yeah,” Applejack agreed. “The crops have been relying on pond and stream water. Some rain will really do ‘em good.”

Twilight looked at her hooves. “Do you miss Sweet Apple Acres, AJ?”

Applejack looked at the purple pony with slight surprise. “Well, yeah, I do. But it’s been twenty years, Twi. I’ve gotten over it. This is mah life now.”

Twilight nodded, but she didn’t share her feelings with Applejack. Twilight longed for things to be back to normal.

I’m a Princess. Why can’t I do anything?

“I haven’t asked about Apple Bloom in a while,” she said slowly. “Has she sent any mail recently?”

Applejack rubbed her hoof on a patch of mud on the wooden floorboards. “Her last one was three weeks ago. She said that she’s havin’ a fine time buildin’ bombs back in Ponyville. There hasn’t been any accidents. She says she misses us and Big Mac.”

“Same as every letter she sends,” Fluttershy mused worriedly.

“Yeah,” Applejack agreed, sounding twice as worried. “And it’s been three weeks. I hope she’s doin’ alright.”

Twilight felt guilty for asking about Applejack’s sister. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Naw, it’s fine Sugarcube. Talking about her really does make me feel better.”

Rainbow suddenly interrupted. “Hey guys, did you just notice we’re in a cafe? Let’s eat something!”

Applejack laughed a bit. “Fine, fine. Let’s take a look at what this place has first. We’ve never even been here before. And bits are a lot more precious than they used to.”

The friends went over to the ordering counter and looked at the menu.

Twilight skimmed through it. “They’ve got a list for cupcakes, a list for pies, and a list for soft drinks.”

“What kind of cafe is this?” Rainbow exclaimed, bewildered.

“It’s really cheap, though,” Twilight said. It was only five bits for a pie!

“Hello?” Applejack called over the counter. “Who takes da orders?”

An elderly mare stepped out. She was blue with a faded pink, swirly mane. Twilight gasped in recognition.

“Mrs. Cake!” Twilight said.

Mrs. Cake’s eyes lightened. “Why, it’s you! I haven’t seen you all in years! You’ve grown so much…”

The mare shuffled over to them. She looked them over warmly. “So, you want to order something?”

We all ordered something and agreed to splitting the costs. We found a table that had once-cheerful designs and took a seat.

“This reminds me of Sugarcube Corner,” Fluttershy mused.

There was a moment of silence.

“It also reminds me of…” Applejack’s voice slowed and paused.

“Pinkie Pie,” the other three said in unison, voices thick with grief.

Twilight walked out of the cafe feeling much better than earlier today. It had been a while since she go to spend this much time with her friends.

Applejack looked a little impatient. “Listen, y’all. I need to skedaddle. Got farmin’ to do.”

“Aw,” Rainbow whined. “But we’ve been having such a fun time!”

“I know,” Applejack said, sounding genuinely reluctant to leave too. “Which is why I gotta go.”

Rainbow looked ready to protest, but Twilight stopped her. “Go on, Applejack,” Twilight said. “Hopefully we can get together again soon.”

“Yep,” Applejack said cheerfully. She waved her hat before galloping off.

Fluttershy pushed a strand of pink hair away from her muzzle. “Do you think Rarity misses us?”

Twilight hadn’t seen Rarity in fifteen years. She managed to get a rare but well-earning job in Las Pegasus. She designed clothes for the few high-society ponies left in this world. She was living her dream.

Her dream provided her with no time to spend with her friends, however.

It’s been a long time. We’re probably just a feeling of nostalgia to her now.

This thought reminded her of Pinkie Pie. That party pony wasn’t seen since the beginning of the war. They had no contact with her, and had no idea where she was.

Her friends are her everything. Pinkie, where are you? I wish we could just all be together again.