“So... It appears you people have returned.”
A black-coated mare stared out the window of one of Equestria’s more recent technologies: what the locals called an auto-carriage. As she looked out to the majestic view of the Canterlot Palace, she saw how much humanity influenced the world around her. All around them were a diverse mixture of ponies and humans who lived co-harmoniously together under one flag and nation...
...That nation was Equestria... Imperial Equestria to be exact.
Celestia cleared her throat. “Am I correct?”
The mare looked over her shoulder and smiled, “Sorry Cel, but I’m not with the Paradox... at least not any more.”
“Oh?” the Equestrian noble inquired, “So you’re saying you were a member of their ranks?”
“Of course... I was in charge. X-01D: Guardian... at least until I let my apprentice take control.” Guardian sighed. “I decided to take a similar path as my predecessor, the Doctor, and left willingly... I wanted to have a life again once I graduated from college... I didn’t want to go like Maka...”
“Well,” Celestia smiled and closed her eyes, “I suppose you had many great and wondrous adventures Guardian.”
“Oh please... don’t call me that. Alexandra would do just fine.”
“Very well, Alexandra.”
Alexandra smiled and turned back to the window, “And yes, I did partake in many an adventure as the Paradox Grand Commander, which is the least I can say for you, my Queen. I heard many things... many great and fantastic things that your nation and the Republic have been exploiting recently.”
Celestia beamed with joy, “Oh yes we have. Our two countries, even when they are, sadly as stated, two, have managed to develop peace and prosperity together in many feats and wonders.” She sighed and frowned, staring out into the distance at a clouded part of the horizon. “Even so, the memories of the past still haunt us... No matter how much we try to forget it, it comes back and reminds us why we are as we are now.”
Alexandra looked over at the same cloud and frowned as well. “You actually achieved it...”
“No,” Celestia choked, “The Republic did. Before the Paradox, we had only just grasped the potentials of steam and oil... Now look at us: masters of nuclear physics...”
Alexandra smiled half-heartedly as she looked down at her Cutie Mark: a golden radioactive sign shining on a solid white shield. “You are right. You are the masters. A master always knows when not to fight...”
“You are correct!” Celestia stomped her hoof down onto the floor. “We know to never again fight with such a monstrosity... and we are slowly catching up to your world and even space travel: a concept never even dreamed or conceived of before your coming!”
The Queen shifted her attention to the center of Canterlot, where a large marble statue silhouetted against the setting sun. It was of a woman, in her mid-twenties standing with a quill pressed against an aging manuscript crooked in her arm. “If only she lived to see the end of it all...”
“St. Twilight Sparkle: the patron of magicians, doctors and of Equestria itself.” Alexandra gazed at the magnificent statue of one of the Doctor’s mighty counterparts. Twilight Sparkle had been named a hero and legend in every land and tongue on the planet, even so much as to be canonized as a saint by Pope Ignatius I... something to do with knowing her personally, Alexandra figured, but she never doubted the legitimacy of her triumphs. “None ever came close to her brilliance as a judge of character or as a magician...”
“None but the Doctor, dear Alexandra.” Celestia smiled and returned her gaze to the center of the motorcade. “I may not keep tabs on religion or faith, but I am sure that Twilight Sparkle always held it in the Doctor and in the Paradox. Bless her soul...”
The driver pulled back the slide to the main room of the auto-carriage. “Milady, we are arriving at the palace shortly.”
“Thank you Green Light.” The shutter closed and Celestia’s horn brightened. She enveloped herself in a brilliant yellow glow, slowly shifting in shape until she ceased her horn and snapped her recently acquired fingers, vanquishing the light and revealing her new form of humanity. She was a tanned caucasian with no other notable differences to her persona or being, a fact that still gave no justice to the glowing aura of solar energy she used to enhance her beauty and majesty.
“Well,” Alexandra commented, “If you want this to be a formal occasion...” Her own matte-black horn glowed with orange energy and she soon repeated the process that Queen Celestia completed only moments ago.
Unlike Celestia, Alexandra was naturally human. Pure caucasian skin was magnified by shining hazel eyes and raven black hair that extended down to a near skintight catsuit of a similar intensity of black surrounded by a, once again black in color, trenchcoat.
Celestia examined the new form of her companion with skepticism. “I’m guessing you are a huge fan of the color black...”
“It’s sort of a... family tradition, in a sense. My grandfather was always known to wear his prestigious black suits and it sort of rubbed off on my father... then to myself.”
The motorcade came to a halt and the two of them came out of the vehicle and into the dimming sun. As the two of them walked up the stairs, Celestia gazed down at her companion's feet, watching as Alexandra’s boots made a deep thud every time they contacted marble... a harsh opposite of Celestia’s quiet step in slippers.
“You seem to speak highly of your family and lineage,” Celestia commented, “By the sound of it... they must be very important to you.”
Alexandra smiled and slowed her pace to linger around the main chamber, “They are. I am very proud of who I am.”
Celestia smiled and shook Alexandra’s shoulder, “Well don’t be bashful... you know a lot of my family history... I want to hear some of yours.”
“Really?”
“Yeah... believe it or not, but us royalty do love a nice chit-chat once in awhile...”
Alexandra took a deep breath and continued walking, “Well then... my family has been mainly a long line of military men and women... mostly adventurous people who always wanted to make a name for themselves. The great-great-great grandfather I knew of was an NCO of the US Navy during World War II. The story goes that he met my great-great-great grandmother the first day he got back and they never parted ways until they both eventually passed. One of my great-great grandfathers had chosen to be a Marine in his time, going off and fighting in the Vietnam War, then eventually becoming a deacon for the Catholic Church and a wise person that apparently inspired my great grandparents and eventually my grandparents, in time.
“Both my grandparents, on my dad’s side, held prestigious military careers. My grandmother achieved a rank of Rear Admiral for the Officer of Naval Intelligence and my grandfather... hmm...”
Celestia pushed a loose, waving strand of glowing hair out of her face, “Sounds impressive... what was he?”
“He became so high in rank, the US Army actually created an official rank for any men or women who could reach his standard. My grandfather became the rank of Grand Marshall of the Armed Forces, which was only held by two other people before him. A couple years later, he was elected as the 53rd President of the United States Conglomeration of Nations. Hell... he even wrote the book on spatial and zero-gravity warfare.”
Queen Celestia was taken aback, “Wow... I didn’t see that coming... a President? On top of which, he’s a doctor of warfare... you don’t hear that for an everyday person.”
“Believe me when I say, it gets quite disappointing and frustrating to live in such a titanic shadow, especially when it came to my dad. He’s been spending his entire life trying to live up to abuelo’s reputation. He always been working harder than others, making a name for his own instead of piggybacking on his, and that made abuelo proud, and it convinced him that dad was worthy of the majority of his will...”
Celestia squinted, “Majority of his will? You make it sound like your grandfather is rich.”
Alexandra scoffed, “Rich, would be a colossal understatement of words. Abuelo was the world’s first, fraking trillionaire! He made a fortune on a combination of his military career, his books and his patents that basically shaped the modern human world. It had become common knowledge among the family that his will would dictate the splitting of the fortune between my dad, his first born, and his family, and my aunt and her family, which includes the family cybernetics corporation and all of its assets.”
“...Unbelieveable...”
“But there is a twist. Apparently he worded that piece of destiny paper very carefully and painstakingly articulated every word, every sentence, to prevent any loopholes. The main reason behind this was because my dad and my aunt would gain absolutely nothing unless they create a name of their own and learn the value of wealth and humanity, something my dad managed.”
Celestia couldn’t believe the story she just heard. A family of trillionaires... a president of a grandfather... what would be next? The only thing she thought could make it more unbelievable was if someone else in her family was a Paradox...
“Well,” she began as she made sense of Alexandra’s story, “To say I am impressed would be a major understatement... you seem to be quite a unique person dear Alexandra. I did notice that your Cutie Mark was a radioactive symbol, there aren’t that many ponies with that even today. How did you get your mark?”
“Well, as you know, your Cutie Marks ain’t that far off in concept as our Mancer Symbols, that mark was just my personal symbol. I am a Kemomancer...”
Celestia nodded, “Alright, that makes sense.” She stopped in front of a giant, ornate door and used her magic to unlock the door and open it up into a large dining room. “Does the concept of a midday supper interest you?”
Alexandra smiled and generously bowed to the Queen, “It would be my honor to dine with you my Virtuous Queen...”
Celestia formally returned the gesture and extended her hand for Alexandra to pick any chair she pleased.
Alexandra pulled out a chair next to the end of the table and sat down. She could feel the velvet thru her clothes as it gently relaxed her muscles in extreme comfort. She sighed happily. “I see you like to live in comfort.”
“Just some of the perks of being a Queen,” Celestia smiled. She sat down at the head of the table and stuffed a napkin into the neckband of her dress and clapped her hands.
“Sterling Silver?”
The doors that opened up into the kitchen swung open and a grey pony in a black and white dress suit trotted over to the table.
“Yes your majesty?”
“Yes, Silver, can you prepare lunch for myself and my guest here?”
“As you wish, my Queen.” Sterling Silver then turned around and walked back into the kitchen, hardly ever making a sound as he did so.
“I hope you don’t mind only having a salad. As an Equine... we don’t really get a high enough demand for carnivorous needs here.”
Alexandra politely nodded, “It would be just fine.”
“It does seem you have had quite the training of royal manners and respect.”
“It is true. Having been in the Agency for quite awhile and being the granddaughter of a human leader in a world of expanding horizons... it does come up at the top of the to-do list quite often.”
Celestia glanced over at her, “Well then, since we will be waiting for the meal, why don’t we discuss your reason of being here.”
Alexandra took a drink of the ice cold water in front of her and set the glass down on the table, “What right now?”
“Why not? It would give us something to talk about while we wait.”
Alexandra tilted her head slightly in thought, “Alright. I guess I should just get straight to the point then. I’m here to discuss a potential economic investment in allying with your nation.”
Celestia huffed thru her own glass of water. “I thought you said you were no longer with the Paradox Agency...”
“This isn’t for the Agency.”
She turned her head over to her guest. “So... your nation has begun to understand multiversal physics and are now spreading out into the Void for potential investments...”
“No and no. Multiversal physics have been apart of human science for almost 50 years, but it is only in the theoretical stage of traveling and understanding. I’m here, because this economic investment is for Equestria, not for Earth.”
“I’m flattered you care. What is your proposal.”
“Celestia, your nation is classified as a Tier-5 Civilization in accordance to the Forerunner Technological Achievement Tier Scale: an Atomic Civilization... It is a common understanding that peoples at this level are at a higher risk of destroying themselves, if not intentionally more than accidentally...”
Alexandra paused to let Celestia ponder on what she had said so far. “Alright, go on.”
“My pledge is that I want to expand upon your technology so that this risk will no longer become as such like it did with humanity. I want to advance Equestria into the Space Age... Tier-4.”
Celestia’s eyes widened with delight. The idea of gaining space travel would make any political leader giddy with joy. The concept of other worlds and even other races extraterrestrial to the planet is largely unexplored in Equestrian minds and understanding.
She tried to keep her cool. “What do you mean, ‘the risk would no longer become as such’?”
Alexandra frowned, “I’m sure the Doctor had once told you about the history of humanity and when we entered the Atomic Age in 1945...”
Celestia remembered he had. in fact, told her. The mystery and power of the simple, but yet at the same time complex atom... wielded and contained into a metal shell designed to destroy entire cities. Then, only to be pushed aside as even the power of the stars became known to them...
...The Hydrogen Bomb...
Celestia knew that skipping that stage of development would be absolutely crucial if anyone in Equestria wanted to survive into a distant future. The mere thought of controlling the raw, awesome power of the mighty sun... a power that would have been once only reserved for Celestia and the Galaxia royal family... it would weaken her image as an angelic protector, and Equestria would destroy itself from the inside out.
“Such a tempting offer,” she tried hard to continue the image of majesty, “But what about what you call, the ‘Butterfly Effect’?”
“Cel... don’t play the nobility game with something this gravitationally heavy. I know you know that this offer would mean the difference between a prospering Equestria and a burning landscape. I know, you know, kemophysics will destroy your nation and, under normal circumstances, would be absolutely necessary towards the development of Slipspace and Hyperphysics. Fortunately, I’m giving you a... special circumstance.”
Celestia only stared at her and then took another drink of water from her glass. “Impressive business proposal.”
“Well, like my abuelo always says, ‘Sometimes, life requires special circumstances’...”
“You seem to be in close relations to this grandfather of yours. I bet he was an important part of your life.”
Alexandra smiled happily as she remembered everything she did with her abuelo as a young girl and teenager. “He was. My dad was constantly on the road so he would watch me a lot growing up... Always told fantastic bedtime stories that I loved to hear over and over again.”
“I guess you miss him very much.”
“Oh, he’s still alive.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, he is actually a hundred and three. He kept himself fit and healthy and, with better technology and lifestyle, managed to live a long and fruitful life.”
“Yeah...”
“As a matter of fact, he is the only person alive to have lived within three different centuries. He was born in the 20th, lived in the 21th and is now living in the newly reached 22nd.”
“Wow, you’re already are in the 2100s... I’ve been gone a long time.”
“Yeah it-”
“Excuse me madam,” Sterling Silver had at sometime entered the room and he now stood beside the table with two silver-domed plates carried by his magic floating nearby, “Lunch is served.”
He settled the dishes on the table and removed the domes with his magic, quickly but gracefully returning to the kitchen without another sound.
Alexandra smiled and she picked up her utensils. “This look excellent.”
Celestia returned her smile and looked over towards the door. “We should probably wait...”
“Why, my queen?”
“Well, the tradition is that-” Celestia stopped herself mid-sentence before she could say it. “Oh... my clumsy mind. I-I forgot again...”
Celestia then buried her face in her hands as tears began to run down her face, the familiar sound of sobbing echoing thru the room.
Alexandra placed her hand on her shoulder, which Celestia then began to sob into her chest. “Now, now... It’s okay... it’s going to be okay.”
“No it won’t, dammit!” she yelled thru Alexandra’s clothes, “My nation is falling apart at the seams! Luna is off playing Chancellor to a country that is quickly overtaking us as superior... then... the concept of an Atomic Holocaust that is becoming inevitable at this pace...” she began to sob some more.
“That is why you two need to rule together!”
“It’s impossible now! The bond of unity was completely severed after the civil war. She would never come back, and she knows I would never go to her.”
Celestia managed to stop herself and wiped her remaining tears off with her sleeve, leaning back in her chair. “What would I do? What would Luna do, for that matter?”
“That is the very pessimism that will kill us all. You need to at least try!”
“I have!” Celestia cradled her head in her fingertips, “She won’t listen to anyone other than Twilight Sparkle... and unfortunately...” She sighed, trying to hold back more tears. “It’s like we are destined to just kill ourselves.”
Alexandra calmly lifted her glass of water and swirled it in front of her face.
“Twilight isn’t dead,” she managed before finishing the rest of her glass in one drink.
Celestia rose her head in shock. “What?”
“Twilight is still alive.”
“No... that’s impossible. She was even canonized...”
“Yes, she is a living saint.”
“No... that’s... that’s not true. Now you’re just lying to me! Messing with my head!”
“I’m not. I personally know she is alive, on top of which I have been helping my abuelo keep tabs on her whereabouts.”
“And who is this grandfather you keep speaking about?” Celestia snapped, “You making him sound like he’s a bloody Q?”
Alexandra smiled, as if she was waiting for her to ask. “Ah... I thought you would never ask...”
