"And I thought things were going so well. On what basis do you think we need change?"
Luna frowned. Usually Celestia could read her intentions easily enough. But when she had walked in, having waited all day for the Day Court to end and claimed the country needed to change, Celestia seemed to lose her connection to Luna's thoughts. She gathered her thoughts and cleared her throat.
"My reasoning, dear sister, is not complicated." She said, eyeing her sister tiredly. "I believe it is time for this archaic system of ours to evolve. I have more than proven myself to be capable, and with the return of the Crystal Empire, and with dearest Twilight attaining power, I believe the time is right for one less ruler in this crowded country."
The room temperature seemed to drop a few degrees, the sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows seemed to dim, and Celestia drew herself up to her full height.
"I do not take threats lightly, Luna, even from you." she said quietly.
"Threat?" Luna said, stepping back a little and furrowing her brow. "Did you perchance believe I was trying to...well...". Uncomfortable memories resurfaced in Luna's mind. "That thing is long gone, you know that"
"Then explain yourself"
"I want to leave."
Celestia gave no response.
"During my time in exile, you ran this country alone, and to this day some would claim you still do." Luna began, her eyes momentarily flicking towards the floor "And during that time, you did admirably. You took the burden of two and held it on your own, and managed to make this country greater than it ever was when we both reigned together. But despite your recent claims that I am just as capable as you, I do not think I am able to do the same. However, I have been looking at several other cultures and come to what I believe to be a better way of ruling. The last thing I want is to impede on you, however, so I came to the conclusion that I must depart with anyone who would follow and begin a colony."
"Why?" Celestia said. Her stance had not softened, but the hard edge had left her voice.
"Because I feel we have too much power, and know that whilst you are incorruptible, the same cannot be said for me. Therefore I drew up a document which would have me as a head that ultimately answers to those below, not to themselves, with the possibility of being removed from office by public decree. You see sister, I do this for the same reason you stand as you do. Because I do not want to abuse the power I have."
Luna locked eyes with Celestia as she waited for a response. Time stretched out and slowed to a crawl as the gaze was held. But it was the elder sister who blinked first.
"No..." Celestia said, hanging her head. "I'm sorry, but I cannot allow this. Even if you could set up a nation of your own, even if we provided you with resources and infrastructure from Equestria, even if I let you go at all, where would you find the ponies to follow you?"
"From our civilian populace, of course."
"This had better not involve abducting a city of ponies." Celestia said, a wry smile masking her concern.
"I was hoping to test their willingness first. I know there is no country without its citizens, and so I thought I would... oh what is the term...test the water, is it?" Luna began to mentally scold herself for forgetting the term, but she had more important studies than linguistics and refocused on Celestia.
"To try an idea on a small scale to judge the result of a large scale implementation, yes, that's right. But how?"
"With this" Luna said, her eyes lighting up. She beckoned over a weary looking Night Guard and had him produce a bundle of papers. "It will need tidying a little, printing and binding and distributing, but this is effectively a summary of my plan."
Celestia gazed upon the papers, bound with string and upon the front was written one word, in ornate letters.
Republic
"It is all contained within those pages." Luna said excitedly. "In a fictional format, of course, but it is written as a treatise upon the idea using fictional characters as representations of different viewpoints. A practice that has rather fallen out of sway in modern texts, I must say. Any pony who reads that should be able to recognise them though. I will not put my name upon the cover, but may perhaps use a pen-name, so that my status will not affect the result. Ideally, if this were distributed around the country, we could gauge their response, and if it acquires a positive response, I believe we should move forwards with my idea."
The writing inside was not nearly as ornate as the title. Luna had evidently been working on this whenever she could, attempting to put as many of her ideas to paper as possible, a realisation which answered Celestia's worries as to what she had been doing for the past few days. She looked over at her sister again, seeing the dark around her eyes from not only the make-up but the lack of sleep, and seeing the excited and hopeful smile, and the way she had begun to lean very slightly towards Celestia as she waited for judgement.
"How about you have some sleep and write out another draft" Celestia said, levitating the papers back to her sister. Luna's face fell and her mouth worked as if to begin an outburst. But Celestia cut her off. "And then we shall publish it."
Luna took a moment to regain her composure.
"Thank you."
