Even though her eyes were heavy, Celestia could tell that this farm was not going to be anything like the ones back in her Equestria. The rusted entrance arch, off of which hung a squeaking metal sign reading simply "Ponyvale Farm", seemed to whisper warnings to her as she approached—and screamed shrilly when she passed underneath. She shuddered and shivered and quickly ascended into a trot with her gaze over her shoulder more than it was forwards. Luna, who galloped along beside her and panted as she did so, yelled, "What's up with you, Tia?" She then leapt up into the air—quite literally—and shot onto her back, digging her talons in slightly (but not so much that it hurt) so as not to fall off. "I thought sleeping in would've helped you, but you're seriously jumpy still."

Celestia turned her head forwards and fought to keep it there, her unease growing with each second that she did not check behind herself. "I'm fine, Luna," she said, her fallen ears denying that claim. "I just... This place just feels... creepy. As if something's about to pounce on me." Celestia cringed and, for just a moment, she slowed in her walk; Luna didn't miss it at all. She could not quite catch what she breathed out next. "We've all seen too much these past years..."

"What was that?"

Celestia stiffened and walked even slower. "I'll tell you later on, Luna. Not now."

The Luna-griffon zipped up into the air and shot to Celestia's front, where she opened her beak quickly to talk—but promptly changed her mind and fluttered back to the ground. Instead she changed her attention to focus on the wonderous place around her, a village so bright and lacking in magical influence compared to anything that she had been used to.

It was all relative, of course. With the weight of the saturated air on her body, Celestia felt as if she was beginning to get more than a little nauseous. Nevertheless, though she gave a little groan, she continued to trudge her way forwards towards what appeared to be the main barn; it was the biggest, at least—and, it transpired when the pair arrived, it was also where the farm workers were lounging around. Though the world felt bleak, the sun was admittedly warm.

Celestia glanced up and sighed, her thoughts trailing back to the fate of her own subjects. Were they still alive? Did that land even exist still, or was this place some cruel replacement for the kingdom she had worked so hard to make tranquil?

But that had failed, of course. Queen Metamorphosis had been a master tactician; while her ambitious but impatient sister had attempted major takeover in a matter of days, hers had always been more of a subtle approach. It had been a gradual infiltration that no pony, least of all Celestia's devoted student, had expected; each of her drones had studied their target carefully from the sidelines and, when it came to take their place, the victim had been swiftly contained deep within her hive.

She, of course, had bragged about this feat more than once; she had whispered into ponies’ ears, sat on their shoulder and speaking directly to them. It was enough to drive anyone insane—but Twilight had never fallen for it. She didn’t let the taunting get to her and never faltered in her determination to rid the world of the evil which had, out of the blue, overwhelmed our land.

But her poor student had been so young, so naïve… Her best efforts alone could not have been enough. None of her prior adversaries had been so clever; Discord had been arrogant, Chrysalis had been greedy, and Sombra had not been strong enough when he returned to be a great threat. Tirek had easily been her biggest challenge—but he had needed only brute force to be defeated.

But Metamorphosis… Twilight never stood a chance. Not when faced with a foe such as her. Celestia sighed; she should have known her student was not all powerful yet, but with every battle won she became more and more comforted by the power that Twilight wielded.

But she had not been experienced. She had not seen the strength of an enemy who surrounded you on all sides, had not expected the attack that had led to her capture. It had been such a simple, cliché trick—but for a pony on alert for some major disaster, it was enough to throw her defences enough. Just enough. And then Metamorphosis’ changelings, who had replaced the most unimportant and unsuspicious of ponies, sprung and captured her. There had been no room for fault, and Metamorphosis had played her cards so that there was none. Not even a hair was out of place in her plot.

Celestia shook her head, forcing the unpleasantness from her mind before she could think on it too much. If she allowed herself to remember Twilight’s capture… it wouldn’t go well.

"C'mon, Luna," she said, trying so desperately to push thoughts of Twilight's fate from her mind. She instead plastered a grin upon her muzzle, a skill which she had developed, though not perfected, over the centuries. She then ascended into a gallop and trotted the last section towards the building. By the time she had skidded to a stop, however, the lounging farmhooves had all jumped into a defensive stance, shovels and pitchforks and shears held out before them.

And it was then that Celestia realised something strange. In this farm-based community—even if this particular farm was nothing like what she was used to—there was not a single earth pony.

"Who are you?" a grey unicorn hissed, her horn sparking light. The aura was weak and flickered frequently; many small offshoots of power burst from the edges like the solar flares from the sun, dancing in the air before they dissipated into nothingness.

Celestia opened her mouth quickly to answer, her head high and her back stretched out as she was so used to doing when she stretched out her wings. Of course, she couldn't do that now. Before she could answer the unicorn's question, however, Luna bounced over her neck and landed on her muzzle. As per usual she dug her claws into Celestia's skin; she, in turn, howled and recoiled momentarily, throwing her head about. When the little Luna-griffon was then dislodged and flung through the air, only to flap her tiny wings quickly to recover as her collar glowed red, Celestia glowered at them. The grey unicorn and her companions, in turn, gasped. One ageing pegasus then snapped her wings open and shot forwards, grabbing Luna's tail between her teeth and flinging her away. Her eyes flashed dangerously.

"How dare you hurt your mistress, griffon?" she snapped, eyes narrowed and wings opened threateningly. She then bared her teeth and began to stalk forwards, hooves stamping against the dusty dirt loudly. Luna yelped and scampered towards Celestia's rearlegs, hiding there and cowering. She, in turn, glared at the pegasus and turned around slowly—she kept her ears on alert all the while—and picked the little griffon up gently, tenderly by the scruff of her neck. She then turned back and transferred Luna to hold in her forehoof.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, ears now pinned as she glared down the ageing pegasus, who soon frowned and backed up a little. Simultaneously her farmhoof colleages leapt to her side, each pony watching Celestia suspiciously.

"That scum hurt you," the pegasus explained cautiously, her voice terse. "Allow slaves to walk all over you and we'll have a riot on our hooves."

"Slaves?" Celestia replied, backing up and looking down at the little Luna-griffon cautiously. It all made sense, of course; the collars, the submissive nature of the counter griffon, the brand underneath her wing. But still... "No, no. Luna... She is not my slave." A low murmur rang out through the farmhooves who looked to eachother in puzzlement. Celestia stood taller and squeezed the little griffon before she then said, "If anything, I would call her nothing short of a friend, if not my sister in all but blood."

Silence was all that met that further statement, the farmhooves obviously having never heard such a preposterous idea. After a few awkward moments of silence, the grey unicorn then stepped forwards and pushed the pegasus out of the way, a cautious scowl upon her muzzle. It was then that Celestia noted the distinctly lighter patches of fur around the mare's cheek and muzzle and ears. A scar; a wire bridle, perhaps.

"You did not answer my question, do gooder," she said, her ears pinned and her eyes narrowed. "Who are you? And I would like you to answer," she added, "not that griffon of yours. Friend or not, she is still... untrustworthy."

Celestia placed Luna down gently and then scrunched up her eyes and picked her back up in a gentle magical aura. She then pulled her wing open with her teeth to reveal, with much disgust, the little griffon's quite evident brand. That alone seemed to suffice for the farmhooves, who all immediately yelped and leapt backwards. Only a single copper pegasus remained, watching cautiously.

"You are an employee of Princess Twilight Sparkle?" she asked, her tone wary. Celestia shook her head slowly, quick to correct her.

"Her student, actually."

The copper pegasus was stunned for a moment before she regained her composure and held out a mostly-steady hoof, though that claim seemed to have shaken her slight confidence. "A pleasure," she whispered, waiting patiently. When Celestia held her hoof to shake it, she stiffened momentarily. "Celestia, is it not?"

"You know my name?"

"I have heard tales of your potential. Word has it you could one day have power enough to, ahem, overthrow the Princess." She was quiet for a moment before she added hastily, "Which would be awful, of course!"

"I would not do such a thing," Celestia replied, choosing her words slowly, carefully. "I've come here for a short while. A vacation, for my health." A few snorts sounded in the crowds. Celestia brushed this off and then said instead, "Might I ask if there are any jobs going? I feel some manual work will help loosen out these old bones."

"Old? You don't look a singly day over twenty."

Celestia froze and was quiet for a moment. She then replied carefully, "Very true," she said, trying to pass it off with a laugh.

The farmhooves didn't look particularly convinced, but were wise enough to not question it. Instead, the copper pegasus stood taller and said, "Well, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ma'am. Coinworthy at your service." The mare bowed low and then returned to her hooves, turning around and beckoning slowly, stiffly. She then began to walk towards the large barn door, with the other farmhooves following closely. Each still kept hold of their tools, but at least kept them to themselves.

Celestia glanced down to Luna slowly, her ears slightly fallen before she pushed the little griffon onto her back and hastened to catch up with the group. Somewhere up above, a low rumble of thunder sounded.

Something was wrong here, that much she knew, and she would certainly not be letting it stay that way for long. But, for the moment, all she could do for now was accept these ponies' strange ways and study their lifestyles, their philosophies, their actions. She simply had to get to the bottom of things. But, by the sounds of it, this was more than just a single-town problem.

And one could not save the world in a day.

Author's Note

Well, I know this is quite a late chapter, but I had a small case of writer's block. Nevertheless, I hope the bit of lore building in this chapter was worth the wait. I'll try to get the next chapter out at some point—as soon as I think of what, exactly, our duo are gonna be doing.