Golden Dawn: Dusk of an Empire

The late night of study had proven fruitful, indeed. Twilight and Rael'ia had discovered a way to create a new crystal tree. While the resting place of the Elements of Harmony bore seeds, they would only sprout when planted in soil imbued with great alchemical magic. Luckily, Twilight knew of such an alchemist.

To reach her, the two Alicorns traveled into the Everfree Forest. Rael'ia's eyes wandered in awe at the lush greenery, the magical plants that seemed to have a life all their own, the cacophony of foreign fauna. Finally they reached a small clearing in the woods, home to an especially thick tree. Windows and a door had been carved into it, and numerous painted gourds hung from its branches. Twilight knocked politely, and moments later the door opened to reveal a pony unlike anything Rael'ia had ever seen or read about in her old legends. This pony was a mixture of light and dark gray stripes, with a swirling, gray sun on her flanks and eyes as deep as the ocean. Thick bands of golden jewelry adorned her neck and left foreleg, and thick gold hoops hung from her ears. The striped pony introduced herself as Zecora, and expressed her delight at visitors in a strange, rhyming dialect. The two stayed a while, enjoying an assortment of fruits and tea while Twilight described the magical soil they would need. Zecora was all too happy to help and promised the soil would be ready within a few days' time. Some hours passed, though the pleasant conversation and the enchanting haze of potions lining the walls made it seem so much shorter.

After returning from the forest, Twilight sighed to her companion that she had "official princess work" to do back at her castle. The two Alicorns parted ways, leaving Rael'ia to her own devices in Ponyville. She walked quietly through the streets, simply taking in the sights and enjoying the peacefulness of the town. Ponies seemed to lazily meander to and fro, conversing quietly, smiling throughout. The only loud noises came from an unnaturally muscular, white stallion with tiny wings, piercing the air with powerful shouts that offered cinnamon-dusted nuts from his cart.

Such a lovely, tranquil land, this Equestria, she mused to herself. The difference between this land and her own was like night and day. One could enjoy a relaxing walk without fear of ambush or worry of an upcoming battle. Her thoughts then turned to the battles she would have to fight in the future if her plan was to succeed. Strategies needed to be worked out, the various armies of her people rallied. The least of her worries, at least, were the Bearers of Harmony themselves. Having seen combat many times while protecting Equestria, she felt confident that they could at least defend themselves.

But then her thoughts turned to one pony in particular. Rael'ia frowned.

Maybe I should speak with Fluttershy.

It took some time to find, but finally Rael'ia found herself outside Fluttershy's cottage. On the edge of the Everfree Forest, the trees that dotted the landscape were decorated with multiple nests and birdhouses. Grass and moss covered the bridge over the small stream in front of her home, as well as the entire roof of her house. The front door was divided into two halves: the top half had been left open. As she walked towards the lovely abode, she heard unusual music coming from within, as well as an occasional bestial grunt. She peeked inside to see an enormous brown bear holding up a pair of foam targets used for martial arts, as well as the yellow pegasus. Seeing Fluttershy wearing matching sweatbands, legwarmers and headband and singing along to the music while weakly kicking the targets was... quite a sight.

"Come at me, and you'll see, I'm more than meets the eye," the pegasus growled, the words interspersed by grunts as she kicked. Rael'ia knocked on the door, immediately snapping her out of her fighting trance with a rather loud scream as she tumbled to the floor.

"Ah, sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"

"...Oh, Princess Rael'ia!" Fluttershy gasped as she cautiously poked her head out from under the couch she had scuttled beneath. "I-I wasn't expecting company."

The peach alicorn walked inside and helped her up from the floor. "No need to be so formal! Just Rael'ia is fine, or even Golden Dawn."

"Oh, um... okay, uh... Golden Dawn."

"I see you've taken what I've suggested to heart," she motioned to the bear.

"Yes! Well, I've been trying, anyway," Fluttershy's face turned nearly as pink as her mane. "I'm afraid that, um... what Rainbow said about me was true."

"It's better than nothing at all," she reassured with a grin. "Besides, I've given you my oath of protection. And once we're in Fae, I'll have the armorsmiths and Fairies make you the finest set of Chameleon Armor they can. With it, you won't have to worry about fighting at all!"

"Oh? Uh... Chameleon Armor?"

"A magical effect that camouflages the wearer so effectively, they seem to completely disappear when standing still. The finest quality Chameleon enchantments can render you fully invisible, even when moving!" Upon hearing this, Fluttershy perked up and began to show a slight smile. "...Of course, you may still need to dodge the occasional errant shot, but with this armor no one will target you on purpose, at least." The slight smile fell.

"I see... um, thank you," she squeaked. Rael'ia sighed, frowning.

"I know... I'm sorry for dragging you and your friends into such a dangerous situation. But I'm so confident it'll work, and... I need you to help me see it through. Honestly... I feel terrible involving you in this."

Fluttershy stared at the ground for a moment, then looked back up with a hardened expression. "I'll be okay. I've faced some awful ponies and creatures before... as long as my friends are with me, I'm sure I'll be able to handle it." Rael'ia nodded confidently, and the bear sneezed. "Oh! I'm so sorry, how rude of me... this is Harry," she pointed as the bear waved, growling as happily as he could sound.

"Oh, yes, I was just about to ask about that... you have a pet bear?"

"Oh, I wouldn't consider him a pet... he's my friend!" Harry growled again in approval.

"But, uh... don't bears eat ponies?"

"Oh goodness, no... though he does eat meat."

"I... uh... what kind of meat?" Rael'ia asked timidly.

"Fish, beef, pork... all kinds, but never ponies."

"...You, uh... buy it? Hunt? Or-"

"Buy it... it's usually available in the market square."

"There's that much demand for meat? Do ponies eat meat?"

"Oh, no. Not that I'm aware of, at least." Fluttershy's face scrunched into an uncomfortable grimace at the thought. Rael'ia thought back to the last time she had eaten meat, suddenly finding herself craving it.

"Er... would it be weird if I bought meat and... ate it myself?"

Fluttershy's eyebrow raised. "Um, well... since you aren't really a pony..." Her thoughts were cut short by the sound of something thumping the floor. Both ponies looked to the source of the noise, finding a small, white rabbit in the doorframe leading to the kitchen. Its face was contorted into an angry stare, and its foot began thumping faster. "Oh, is it time for lunch already? Sorry, Angel, I'll start right now."

Rael'ia watched as Fluttershy sauntered inside the kitchen, gathering various seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables from the refrigerator and pantry. Songbirds with plumage of every color perched themselves on open windowsills, patiently waiting for their bowls of birdseed. Squirrels, mice and other rodents scurried inside towards bowls of nuts and seeds left out on the ground, and Harry helped himself to a large piece of raw, red meat hanging from a nearby hook. The rabbit, Angel, thumped his foot faster and louder, becoming quite agitated that he had to wait for his meal. "You care for all of these animals?" she asked incredulously.

"Oh, yes. I look after them and make sure they're all fed, and make them nice, cozy places to rest, and take care of them when they're sick," Fluttershy responded as she began chopping lettuce. Quickly she put together a lush salad full of vegetables and fruits, topped with a bright red cherry. She set it on the floor in front of Angel, who merely sniffed it disdainfully and turned his head. "Angel, it's your favorite salad," she sighed. "Won't you try a little bit?"

Silence and more pouting from the little white rabbit.

"Don't make me use the Stare on you."

This warning was enough to get Angel to change his mind and timidly begin eating. Meanwhile, Rael'ia had been reflecting on Fluttershy's apparent mastery of beasts. "Amazing you can understand the needs of all these animals. It reminds me of the Orcs back home."

Fluttershy hummed in response, her face blocked by the refrigerator door as she pulled out a pitcher of tea and a previously-prepared assortment of fruits, cheeses and a red jam. "Oh! Um, would you like anything for lunch, Golden Dawn?" she asked as she retrieved a loaf of bread and a butterknife from her counter.

"Just some tea is fine." Fluttershy nodded and gathered two white teacups from a cabinet. "But yes, never have I seen another creature so close to nature as the Orcs until meeting you!"

"What are the Orcs like?" Fluttershy asked as she daintily lifted her teacup to her mouth. Rael'ia sipped from her own cup before continuing.

"Big. The size of Harry over there, at least, if not bigger. Very muscular and strong... and big, sharp teeth. Their skin are the colors of earth: greens, reds, browns, grays. And unlike most other races, they love combat. They'll rush in with their tamed, armored beasts, wielding clubs and maces the size of trees, hurling rocks and ensnaring their enemies with their Nature magic, screaming and shouting the whole way through."

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Oh, my. I remind you of one of those?"

"Yes, I know that part is very unlike you," Rael'ia nodded. "But when there is no battle to be fought, the Orcs are quite peaceful. They adore animals and revere all of nature itself. They make their homes within the mountains themselves as to not displace the local wildlife, and any butchering of an animal for meat and hide is always preceded by a short, respectful ceremony. All Orcs care deeply for at least one animal companion... feeding them their best crops, assisting in their grooming the best they can, ensuring that they're always safe, comfortable and happy. They would never harm an animal needlessly; some even go as far as to always carry a broom, to harmlessly shoo away even the peskiest insect. They're able to grow plants anywhere they wish, bend streams and rivers wherever they like. In fact, it's probably because of the Orcs that we've all managed to survive all these centuries of war - having your food and water kept below ground and away from those who would try to poison or tamper with those supplies is quite the advantage."

"I'm not sure even Earth ponies can grow plants underground!" Fluttershy paused for a moment. "Um... do they like ponies?"

"Just like any other animal. In fact, I think Warmaster Dohva in particular would enjoy your company! He's always wished he could befriend a Pony-kin... and his favorite color is yellow," Rael'ia smiled. Fluttershy giggled and showed a shy grin of her own. "And if I can't keep you safe for some reason, he sure as hell can. His ferocity on the battlefield is unmatched. And you'll like Breyva, his companion animal... are there moose in this land?" she paused to allow Fluttershy to nod in reply. "She's a real sweetie, that one. Almost as big as Harry over there, but has a personality like a dog. She'll curl up right in your lap if you let her... which I wouldn't recommend, given her size."

"Oh, that's adorable! Well, now that you mention all of that, they do sound rather nice," the yellow pony blushed slightly as she stared into space past her teacup. "Maybe... it won't be so dangerous after all." Rael'ia only nodded. wishing to herself that Fluttershy would be right, for her sake. But then their conversation turned to wildlife from both their worlds, then morphed over time towards other subjects, and her fears were soon forgotten. As they talked, she felt more and more confident that Fluttershy would make it just fine in her lands.